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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
Kate doesn't remember much about her parents. She only vaguely remembers the Christmas Eve when they disappeared and she and her siblings Michael and Emma were sent to the first in a series of orphanages. All Kate knows for sure is that her mother promised she'd see her again, and she asked Kate to look after her brother and sister.
Ten years later, Kate is fourteen, and although she's kept her promise to watch out for Michael and Emma, there has been no contact from either of her parents. The children have been shunted from one orphanage to another. No one wants them—and no one believes them when the children claim they aren't really orphans. Their parents are out there somewhere, and someday they'll be a family again.
After they refuse to be adopted by a strange, swan-obsessed woman, the children are sent away yet again. But this new orphanage they're brought to is unlike any of the others they've lived in so far. For one thing, it seems to be in the middle of a steep mountain range that appeared from nowhere and shouldn't exist at all. For another, it houses only three orphans: Kate, Michael, and Emma are the only children living there.
Or are they? A mysterious blank book that they find hidden away in the house leads them on a mind-bending, time-warping adventure, revealing that there are actually many children held captive in the house by an evil Countess. A benevolent wizard, a community of dwarfs, and a strong and loyal giant all have their parts to play as well. The world is not as simple, and time is not as linear, as the children thought, and reuniting with their parents may be more difficult than they imagine.
Find more of my book recommendations for grades 6-12 at www.read-or-die.com.
Ten years later, Kate is fourteen, and although she's kept her promise to watch out for Michael and Emma, there has been no contact from either of her parents. The children have been shunted from one orphanage to another. No one wants them—and no one believes them when the children claim they aren't really orphans. Their parents are out there somewhere, and someday they'll be a family again.
After they refuse to be adopted by a strange, swan-obsessed woman, the children are sent away yet again. But this new orphanage they're brought to is unlike any of the others they've lived in so far. For one thing, it seems to be in the middle of a steep mountain range that appeared from nowhere and shouldn't exist at all. For another, it houses only three orphans: Kate, Michael, and Emma are the only children living there.
Or are they? A mysterious blank book that they find hidden away in the house leads them on a mind-bending, time-warping adventure, revealing that there are actually many children held captive in the house by an evil Countess. A benevolent wizard, a community of dwarfs, and a strong and loyal giant all have their parts to play as well. The world is not as simple, and time is not as linear, as the children thought, and reuniting with their parents may be more difficult than they imagine.
Find more of my book recommendations for grades 6-12 at www.read-or-die.com.
adventurous
challenging
funny
mysterious
tense
I wasn't invested in the characters and the plot in general
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-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:
Complicated
adventurous
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Awesome, awesome book. One villain plays the violin and the other speaks french... 2 of my personal indicators of a villain! But seriously, I love the villains. They were creepy, but you loved them for it.
What a fun read! A cross between A Series of Unfortunate Events, Lord of the Rings, and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Three orphans find they have special powers and only they can find the missing books of the beginning. Very fun and fast. The first of three books.
Kate, Michael, and Emma have been moving from one orphanage to another, ever since their parents disappeared, each one worse than the last. When they arrive in Cambridge Falls they find the most peculiar orphanage yet, as they are the only children. While exploring one day they find a book, and are transported to 15 years earlier, where a terrible Countess is wreaking havoc on the local townsfolk. This is only the beginning for the siblings who find themselves searching for the book, trying to save the townsfolk, and searching for more information about their parents.
Jim Dale reads the audio book, and while it is 10 discs longs he does a wonderful job with all the characters, and it's a good read for a long car trip. While this has all the elements of a normal fantasy it is also surprisingly humorous. The story starts slow, but once it gets going it's an absorbing and original tale.
Jim Dale reads the audio book, and while it is 10 discs longs he does a wonderful job with all the characters, and it's a good read for a long car trip. While this has all the elements of a normal fantasy it is also surprisingly humorous. The story starts slow, but once it gets going it's an absorbing and original tale.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No