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thesimplereader's review against another edition
4.0
Delightful. Mysterious. Adorable. Exciting. Pure.
This middle grade is everything I wanted and more! It's Matilda + Annie + The Westing Game + Scooby Doo + Clue + Charlie and the Chocolate Factory + Agatha Christie. What's not to love?
This middle grade is everything I wanted and more! It's Matilda + Annie + The Westing Game + Scooby Doo + Clue + Charlie and the Chocolate Factory + Agatha Christie. What's not to love?
mehsi's review against another edition
5.0
Due to the fact this book is easily spoiled, and I don't want that, as this book was a delightful Middle Grade mystery, I will keep it mostly to the basic stuff, even though I would love to go further into things, I just don't want to spoil anything! This book has some masterful twists and turns that will surprise you.
Let me start that I just was delighted with the story idea. It sounded a bit like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, 6 children + parents being invited to a big mansion in the middle of nowhere, for what purpose, well they will have to find out. There is exquisite food, there are big rooms, hidden passages, mysteries and ghosts! It was all truly a feast to read this. The descriptions of the house was wonderful, I could just imagine myself there and discovering the passages, discovering all that is hidden in the house. Wandering around, getting lost in such a big place. I could also just imagine myself cuddling up in front of a fireplace and reading a book in the library. My, oh my, that library sounded absolutely divine.
Tabitha was a fantastic character, though I felt so sorry for her. She never deserved to have such parents as the Crums. Dear Lord, those people were horrific. I just wanted to shake them.
But even with horrendous parents like that, Tabitha was a great person. She learned to be brave, to be independent, but you can also see that she was often sad and alone, even though she had a great, but little companion with her at all times. But that great companion often cheered her up when she was in a dark place.
I really loved her conversations with that companion of hers, it was great fun to see her act like a detective, talking to her companion as if he were her colleague. I loved how that companion squeaked in reply or did actions to make it seem like he was replying.
I can hear you say: Squeak? But people don't squeak? Well, I never said that her little companion was human, did I now? Her companion is a very adorable mouse, named Pemberley. She found him and his siblings in her attic (yes, the poor girl was dumped by the Crums in an attic), and he was the one who stayed. She taught him tricks and much more! The little guy had quite a personality, and I loved how fiercely protective he was of Tabitha.
I love mice (I had pet mice of my own when I was younger) and I was delighted to finally see a character having a mouse as a pet, as a companion, as a friend. So really a lot of plus points for this!
Tabitha was delightfully smart, observant and I loved how she could just recall stuff that she noticed days ago. Even the littlest details, nothing escapes Tabitha.
The mystery and the whole story? It was just wonderful, I was lost in the book and time just flew by. I am still unsure where the time just went to. One moment it was a certain time, and when I looked up again it was much later. The book really grabs you by the nostrils, pulls you in, and never lets you go until the end.
I also had a few parts that just made me tear up. Of course, I won't spoil which ones.
We have several other characters. From the start I didn't like Barnaby or Frances, but I did like the other characters and I was just hoping that Tabitha would find a friend in them, she deserves to have one.
One thing that seemed odd, though maybe it was just me. At one point in the story, at a dark spooky night, Tabitha puts a chair under her doorknob, yet the next morning the maid seemingly opens the door without trouble, nor are there any mentions of a chair falling over. It was a bit weird. Maybe I missed something, maybe it was all a dream, but it stood out a bit.
The ending was fantastic, quickly paced and the last page was really sweet and lovely.
The book also has several illustrations and I really loved them, though I wish there had been more of them.
I also really liked the Pensive parts that were added at the beginning of the chapters. It was a feast to read them, I would love to read those Pensive novels, too bad they only exist in this book world.
I would highly recommend this book to all. Are you looking for a delightful mystery with great characters and an epic story? Read this one!
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
Let me start that I just was delighted with the story idea. It sounded a bit like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, 6 children + parents being invited to a big mansion in the middle of nowhere, for what purpose, well they will have to find out. There is exquisite food, there are big rooms, hidden passages, mysteries and ghosts! It was all truly a feast to read this. The descriptions of the house was wonderful, I could just imagine myself there and discovering the passages, discovering all that is hidden in the house. Wandering around, getting lost in such a big place. I could also just imagine myself cuddling up in front of a fireplace and reading a book in the library. My, oh my, that library sounded absolutely divine.
Tabitha was a fantastic character, though I felt so sorry for her. She never deserved to have such parents as the Crums. Dear Lord, those people were horrific. I just wanted to shake them.
But even with horrendous parents like that, Tabitha was a great person. She learned to be brave, to be independent, but you can also see that she was often sad and alone, even though she had a great, but little companion with her at all times. But that great companion often cheered her up when she was in a dark place.
I really loved her conversations with that companion of hers, it was great fun to see her act like a detective, talking to her companion as if he were her colleague. I loved how that companion squeaked in reply or did actions to make it seem like he was replying.
I can hear you say: Squeak? But people don't squeak? Well, I never said that her little companion was human, did I now? Her companion is a very adorable mouse, named Pemberley. She found him and his siblings in her attic (yes, the poor girl was dumped by the Crums in an attic), and he was the one who stayed. She taught him tricks and much more! The little guy had quite a personality, and I loved how fiercely protective he was of Tabitha.
I love mice (I had pet mice of my own when I was younger) and I was delighted to finally see a character having a mouse as a pet, as a companion, as a friend. So really a lot of plus points for this!
Tabitha was delightfully smart, observant and I loved how she could just recall stuff that she noticed days ago. Even the littlest details, nothing escapes Tabitha.
The mystery and the whole story? It was just wonderful, I was lost in the book and time just flew by. I am still unsure where the time just went to. One moment it was a certain time, and when I looked up again it was much later. The book really grabs you by the nostrils, pulls you in, and never lets you go until the end.
I also had a few parts that just made me tear up. Of course, I won't spoil which ones.
We have several other characters. From the start I didn't like Barnaby or Frances, but I did like the other characters and I was just hoping that Tabitha would find a friend in them, she deserves to have one.
One thing that seemed odd, though maybe it was just me. At one point in the story, at a dark spooky night, Tabitha puts a chair under her doorknob, yet the next morning the maid seemingly opens the door without trouble, nor are there any mentions of a chair falling over. It was a bit weird. Maybe I missed something, maybe it was all a dream, but it stood out a bit.
The ending was fantastic, quickly paced and the last page was really sweet and lovely.
The book also has several illustrations and I really loved them, though I wish there had been more of them.
I also really liked the Pensive parts that were added at the beginning of the chapters. It was a feast to read them, I would love to read those Pensive novels, too bad they only exist in this book world.
I would highly recommend this book to all. Are you looking for a delightful mystery with great characters and an epic story? Read this one!
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
edshara's review
4.0
Well, this was a surprisingly good mystery and I rather enjoyed it. Even though this is a Middle Grade book, it had enough twists, turns and surprises to keep me interested and excited from start to finish.
Jessica Lawson did a good job of crafting her characters. I adored Tabitha and if she were real, I think I would have liked to bring her home. I liked the relationship she had with Pemberley and while in real life I am not a fan of mice, I would make an exception, if they were like him. He was loving and loyal in his own little way and I'm glad he and Tabitha "saved" each other. Tabitha's parents were horrid and every moment I had to encounter them on a page, I wanted to physically hurt them.
The main themes of this book seemed to be Family and Forgiveness and I felt they were properly portrayed in the story. Jessica showed you could give forgiveness to someone without condoning their actions or keeping them in your life. Forgiveness is more for you, than the other person and I think sometimes we focus too much on vengeance. Sometimes it gets wrapped up nicely and that is exactly what this book did. While some of it may have been predictable, other bits came out of nowhere. This is an easy to recommend read and I'm glad I picked it up.
Jessica Lawson did a good job of crafting her characters. I adored Tabitha and if she were real, I think I would have liked to bring her home. I liked the relationship she had with Pemberley and while in real life I am not a fan of mice, I would make an exception, if they were like him. He was loving and loyal in his own little way and I'm glad he and Tabitha "saved" each other. Tabitha's parents were horrid and every moment I had to encounter them on a page, I wanted to physically hurt them.
The main themes of this book seemed to be Family and Forgiveness and I felt they were properly portrayed in the story. Jessica showed you could give forgiveness to someone without condoning their actions or keeping them in your life. Forgiveness is more for you, than the other person and I think sometimes we focus too much on vengeance. Sometimes it gets wrapped up nicely and that is exactly what this book did. While some of it may have been predictable, other bits came out of nowhere. This is an easy to recommend read and I'm glad I picked it up.
misspippireads's review against another edition
4.0
Full review on my blog ... http://adolescentaudioadventures.blogspot.com/2016/03/review-nooks-crannies.html
Merged review:
Full review on my blog ... http://adolescentaudioadventures.blogspot.com/2016/03/review-nooks-crannies.html
Merged review:
Full review on my blog ... http://adolescentaudioadventures.blogspot.com/2016/03/review-nooks-crannies.html
isabelll1336's review against another edition
4.0
I think it most likely would have been a 4.5 star read from me if I didn't expect the plot like 100 pages in on the fact that the countless wasn't the real one and that tabhiha would inherit everything.
I feel like the plot would not be seen coming if I hadn't read the cousins in which that plot was almost identical including the butler part and like having an accomplice. My only real complain other than the main character being slightly strange is the OBIVIOUS tension between tabhitha and Oliver like rlly? Twins? Like in the cousins they thought they were twins but actually they weren't and then the two main characters started dating. Except in this story it was them having an obvious more than friends moment to being twins. Like... please la. I have never like reading like romance In any books buy I really thought they were going to get together and they would be so nice together but noo the author had to make them twins for no apparent reason. Hence making the rating for me like a 4.2 just at the sheer disappointment of them becoming twins. As for the story, I think it was definitely more well done than the cousins because it was just more exciting with secret passages and I was genuinely scared for the characters when tabitha said she saw something in the window. And I liked the idea of the secret passageways and the peepholes thing I think it made the story very well done because the ghost part was more of a sub plot and it really was good in the sense that it also helped tie everything together nicely. And also how in the world if Kimberly( the mice) survive? I mean there could have been some loss but not the author was like nope won't have any sense of sorrow happening over here. But like genuinely HOW?
Anyways yes. Story was generally quite sweet and the cover is stunning would love to read more books from the author as I really think in the middle of the book, there was good suspension.
I feel like the plot would not be seen coming if I hadn't read the cousins in which that plot was almost identical including the butler part and like having an accomplice. My only real complain other than the main character being slightly strange is the OBIVIOUS tension between tabhitha and Oliver like rlly? Twins? Like in the cousins they thought they were twins but actually they weren't and then the two main characters started dating. Except in this story it was them having an obvious more than friends moment to being twins. Like... please la. I have never like reading like romance In any books buy I really thought they were going to get together and they would be so nice together but noo the author had to make them twins for no apparent reason. Hence making the rating for me like a 4.2 just at the sheer disappointment of them becoming twins. As for the story, I think it was definitely more well done than the cousins because it was just more exciting with secret passages and I was genuinely scared for the characters when tabitha said she saw something in the window. And I liked the idea of the secret passageways and the peepholes thing I think it made the story very well done because the ghost part was more of a sub plot and it really was good in the sense that it also helped tie everything together nicely. And also how in the world if Kimberly( the mice) survive? I mean there could have been some loss but not the author was like nope won't have any sense of sorrow happening over here. But like genuinely HOW?
Anyways yes. Story was generally quite sweet and the cover is stunning would love to read more books from the author as I really think in the middle of the book, there was good suspension.
libwinnie's review against another edition
4.0
Tabitha Crumb is being sent to an orphanage because her parents find her in the way. That is until Tabitha receives an invitation to visit a well-known philanthropist that promises great rewards to her family. Murder, fortune and family secrets unfold in this atmospheric and charming mystery. It starts a bit slow, but stick with it, it's worth it.
dinnureads's review against another edition
5.0
This was a great middle grade mystery novel. I absolutely did not predict the storyline, there were quite a lot of twists and turns. At times the mystery was very dark and even some murderous events occurred but still it was so much fun!
butterfly2507's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
1.0
i find absolutely no one in this book likeable. well, maybe the mouse but only because it doesn't speak. you know WHO speaks though? tabitha. a lot. too much. and not even with other people but with herself and her mouse. her parents are terrible, the people around her too and she thinks she's the new sherlock holmes. maybe i'm too old for this but man, what a drag.
rheren's review against another edition
5.0
A very fun read: light-hearted and enjoyable. The main character is honest, smart and humble, and I found her very likeable and relatable. It started with a rather dark vibe, but it's quickly clear that isn't the kind of book it is, because despite the dark subject matter (murder and knives and ghosts and strokes, etc), the other kids are mostly kind and thoughtful. The main character comes out of her shell very quickly, probably more easily than would be believable, but it's a middle school book, so I feel like it hit a pretty good balance of self-reflection and character development without being boring and angsty. The mystery was fun: I figured out parts of it but there were still some twists that I enjoyed.