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brucethegirl's review against another edition
Lost access. Want to finish one day.
ellbo_oks333's review
3.0
Thank you, NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for providing the advanced e-copy!
I always get drawn to horror books written for middle-grade children. It's interesting to see how authors create a thrilling atmosphere.
First, I loved the relationships in the book, specifically the relationship between James and Ava. I loved the progression between the two of them as they tried to take down the mysterious Keeper. I loved how their differences created a stronger bond between them. I thought the dynamic was great and was pretty accurate in depicting the sibling relationship. In addition, I believed that McCall also skillfully described the emotions of the doubt of a young boy moving to a neighborhood he didn't know anything about. I did think that the book was a little slow in the beginning and I could do with more creepy descriptions. Sometimes, it felt like the scenes just came out of nowhere.
Overall, this book did leave me guessing. I was trying to figure out who the keeper was all along, and I was definitely surprised by the ending. I liked how McCall brought in topics of her Mexican heritage throughout as well.
I always get drawn to horror books written for middle-grade children. It's interesting to see how authors create a thrilling atmosphere.
First, I loved the relationships in the book, specifically the relationship between James and Ava. I loved the progression between the two of them as they tried to take down the mysterious Keeper. I loved how their differences created a stronger bond between them. I thought the dynamic was great and was pretty accurate in depicting the sibling relationship. In addition, I believed that McCall also skillfully described the emotions of the doubt of a young boy moving to a neighborhood he didn't know anything about. I did think that the book was a little slow in the beginning and I could do with more creepy descriptions. Sometimes, it felt like the scenes just came out of nowhere.
Overall, this book did leave me guessing. I was trying to figure out who the keeper was all along, and I was definitely surprised by the ending. I liked how McCall brought in topics of her Mexican heritage throughout as well.
bookish_whispers's review
4.0
A huge thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an advanced copy of this book for my honest review!
What drew me to this book originally was that it's loosely based on the Westfield Watcher case. It's probably one of the weirdest unsolved crimes, and I'm absolutely fascinated by it. So I was excited to see how McCall was going to spin this case into a middle-grade book. Because even as an adult this case is super unnerving.
Huge props to this author for how she handled not only the case but the scare factor as well. While I'm always down for a book that creeps me right out. For a book that is targeting a younger reader, I think the scare factor is on point. This would have definitely been a book that I would read under the covers with my flashlight, and then regret as every single nose in my house kept me up that night. And, while McCall doesn't deep dive into this case, I did like how she weaved through the story. Just enough that if you an adult reading this book you have to send you straight down a Google rabbit hole. But, enough that the kids will find it super creepy.
McCall also hit on my favorite tropes in any magic set book, and that is magic with consequences. None of this comes from being free and to protect their town, they have to make a great sacrifice. Only it doesn't stop there, once the magic goes wrong, there are also consequences to that as well. I like a magic system that is given and taken instead of what just is. For me, that kind of magic is more tangible, especially for a story like this when the magic is tied to the land.
I also adore the setting of this story. Not only is my neck of the woods so it's easy for me to picture this little town in Oregan, but it fits the story perfectly. There's something about Oregon and Washington that fits that creepy little town where somebody is up to something hinky. So setting here was perfect, and I'm also a sucker for a young adult and middle grade just moved in trope. That always adds to the creepy factor, not really knowing your surroundings. Absolutely perfect.
And while the first-person point of view isn't really my favorite, it really works for The Keepers. This way we're seeing all of this through James' eyes, and while he isn't the most reliable narrator because he was at ten. McCall writes in a way that you really feel who scared James gets throughout the book, who lonely he is at this movie, and just unsure of himself after losing his grandmother and being uprooted. It's hard not to adore him, and it was so amazing to see him find himself and work with his sister to survive this story.
The other great thing about this book is having McCall put her own heritage into this book, it added great depth to the book. Made you see these characters as a family, and that heritage helped James and his sister fight back against the Keeper and its minions. I loved it.
This book was everything I wanted and a little more. It definitely applied to my younger self, and I'm so glad to see this weird case be used in such a great way.
The Keeper by Guadalupe Marie McCall comes out on Jan. 25, 2022!
What drew me to this book originally was that it's loosely based on the Westfield Watcher case. It's probably one of the weirdest unsolved crimes, and I'm absolutely fascinated by it. So I was excited to see how McCall was going to spin this case into a middle-grade book. Because even as an adult this case is super unnerving.
Huge props to this author for how she handled not only the case but the scare factor as well. While I'm always down for a book that creeps me right out. For a book that is targeting a younger reader, I think the scare factor is on point. This would have definitely been a book that I would read under the covers with my flashlight, and then regret as every single nose in my house kept me up that night. And, while McCall doesn't deep dive into this case, I did like how she weaved through the story. Just enough that if you an adult reading this book you have to send you straight down a Google rabbit hole. But, enough that the kids will find it super creepy.
McCall also hit on my favorite tropes in any magic set book, and that is magic with consequences. None of this comes from being free and to protect their town, they have to make a great sacrifice. Only it doesn't stop there, once the magic goes wrong, there are also consequences to that as well. I like a magic system that is given and taken instead of what just is. For me, that kind of magic is more tangible, especially for a story like this when the magic is tied to the land.
I also adore the setting of this story. Not only is my neck of the woods so it's easy for me to picture this little town in Oregan, but it fits the story perfectly. There's something about Oregon and Washington that fits that creepy little town where somebody is up to something hinky. So setting here was perfect, and I'm also a sucker for a young adult and middle grade just moved in trope. That always adds to the creepy factor, not really knowing your surroundings. Absolutely perfect.
And while the first-person point of view isn't really my favorite, it really works for The Keepers. This way we're seeing all of this through James' eyes, and while he isn't the most reliable narrator because he was at ten. McCall writes in a way that you really feel who scared James gets throughout the book, who lonely he is at this movie, and just unsure of himself after losing his grandmother and being uprooted. It's hard not to adore him, and it was so amazing to see him find himself and work with his sister to survive this story.
The other great thing about this book is having McCall put her own heritage into this book, it added great depth to the book. Made you see these characters as a family, and that heritage helped James and his sister fight back against the Keeper and its minions. I loved it.
This book was everything I wanted and a little more. It definitely applied to my younger self, and I'm so glad to see this weird case be used in such a great way.
The Keeper by Guadalupe Marie McCall comes out on Jan. 25, 2022!
tylerishaunted's review
dark
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.5
juliemajercak's review
5.0
Hokey Smokes! You’re telling me this is based on a true story?! I will be recommending this to my middle school multilingual learners who will quickly recognize the creepy legends referenced and the Spanish sprinkled throughout. I would warn certain readers that it does get pretty dark in a couple of spots, but that is also what makes it such a page turner there in the end. Did I see a nod to Bless Me Ultima? Grab your colcha, pour yourself a nice warm cup of chocolate de olla (sans the salt) and settle in for a spooky siblings adventure.
ggrillion's review
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
antimony's review
dark
mysterious
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
fun but I don't have a lot of thoughts. i think a lot of kids would like this but I don't think child me would have bc i never cared much for pranks. i think the ritual felt a little weird but I liked that mr morris turned out to be good . the end was kind of unsatisfying ...i would have liked to know more about the fate of brentwood
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping
jamiereads's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
ckeller48's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
3.0