Reviews

The International House of Dereliction by Jacqueline Davies

jnishi's review

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4.0

A great gentle spooky story perfect for younger intermediate students. I really enjoyed it

tabatha_shipley's review

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3.0

What I Did Like:
+Alice is adorable. Curious and gifted in the most intriguing ways. She’s better than her environment, for sure.
+The world building surrounding the ghosts (oh, sorry, SPIRITS) is well done. There’s a complexity to it that I thoroughly enjoyed. I could really see kids enjoying the way this has an air of mystery to it surrounding the unfinished business of the spirits.
+The ending works. It’s a decent happily-ever-after style ending perfect for the intended audience.

Who Should Read This One:
-This would be a good one for reading as a group in a classroom or tutoring setting where there’s an adult to facilitate those discussions about Alice’s education and the dangerous things she’s embarking on. But it would spark great discussions and the book would keep the interest of a young reader.

My Rating: 3 Stars

For Full Review: https://alltherightreads.com/2024/01/28/2024-book-review-the-international-house-of-dereliction/

plantgal_jill's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

mbenzz's review against another edition

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4.0

This was a pretty solid middle-grade ghost story, and I really enjoyed it. It wasn't too over-the-top with the ghost stuff, and the characters were all likable and sympathetic.

Alice is a very bright and curious child who lives on a college campus with her parents. Her mother is a Professor, and her father is a building inspector who loves fixing up old houses. Her family life was so beautifully drawn, and you could tell just how much this little family loves one another.

The story of the derelict house next door unravels slowly, and some young readers may become bored with the lack of excitement in some places, but I thought it was well done and believable.

Overall, I enjoyed this story and would absolutely recommend it to young readers who are into ghosts and history. I'm glad I gave this shot.

thebookishelfgirl's review

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emotional funny fast-paced

4.0

dogearedqueer's review against another edition

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funny mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

whatsthestorywishbone's review

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4.0

Reid and I listened to this because it qualifies as a book published in 2023 for our library reading challenge. Honestly, I probably would have not have picked it up otherwise, but it was a fun enjoyable non-scary October read with ghosts (or rather spirits IYKYK). Reid loved it and the reader of the audiobook was excellent. Glad we picked it up!

misswinchester84's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing sad 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

4.75

lydiawoods's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

thaonhi001's review

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adventurous lighthearted relaxing slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

Since it is a children book, the plot is very simplified, and many details are overlooked. The writing fits the targeted audience’s reading ability. It is a very easy read and somewhat boring in my opinion.