GOTH GIRL AND THE WUTHERING FRIGHT by Chris Riddell

 

“The most esteemed authors in the world are coming to show off their pampered pooches at the Ghastly-Gorm Hall literary dog show. But there’s something strange afoot at Ghastly-Gorm – mysterious paw prints, howls in the night and some suspiciously chewed shoes. Can Ada work out what’s going on before the next full moon?”

What were your initial thoughts on the book?

I decided to read Goth Girl and the Wuthering Fright because I had really liked the first 2 books and wanted to read a different Goth Girl book. Like the other two books I found it difficult to get into the book at first because there is always the same boring recap about Ada’s house and family. This book took a little less time though so I started to get interesting quicker. I started to get a little more interested when the new characters were introduced because as always the characters are very funny and always make the book much more amusing.

Who was your favourite character and why?

I actually have two favourite characters in this book, the first is Ada Goth because she is very brave and she never gives up. Ada is also quite curious all the time always gets into trouble because of it; she is always keen on discovering new things in Ghastly Gorm Hall. She also really likes looking around her huge house and loves going into rooms that she has never seen, I find Ada very interesting and fun. The other character that I really like is Emily Cabbage, Ada’s best friend, because she is artistic and creative, she is really good at art – especially at water colouring. She is also kind and, she is also very smart like Ada. Together, Ada and Emily, with or without some of their other friends, can make astonishing plans that can put a stop to any issue happening at Ada’s ginormous house.  

What was your favourite part of the book and why?

I wouldn’t say that I had a favourite part in Goth Girl and the Wuthering Fright but I did really like some parts. I loved the parts with the monkeys because they were so cute and funny, I think that this would have to be my favourite part if I was told I had to choose. The best bit about the monkeys was when Ada Goth knitted them jackets because of how funny they looked in them; the jackets were a bit big for them. I liked this part because usually there aren’t many funny parts in The Goth Girl books and it made the book feel complete. I also liked the ending because Ada got something that she had been wanting for a very long time and it was a very happy ending.

What was your overall impression of the book?

I liked the book a lot but I think that it could still be a little better. I found it very weird that there are always a huge amount of new characters. I thought it was strange because in most books the characters are usually the same with a couple new ones but in Goth Girl books they are always new. This is annoying as it gets confusing having to remember all the new characters but also interesting because you never know anything about the new people so as they are always a mystery meaning they could be anything or be doing anything. There are always a lot of visitors at Ghastly Gorm Hall so they make solving mysteries difficult as they don’t know much about the suspects.

Which book did you like better, the first, the second or the third?

I think that I prefer the third book, Goth Girl and the Wuthering Fright, because this book had a bit of everything and the mystery was a bit more mysterious. The other two books were good too but I think that they were missing something. Goth Girl and the Wuthering Fright had funny parts and a more interesting mystery. I also found that the other books were much more confusing and that it took me much longer to begin to enjoy the books I also liked this one much better because the new characters were much believable because they were all mainly human and they were also more characters Ada’s age instead of them all being adults. I think this made the book better because it was different from the other two.

Would you recommend this book?  

I would recommend this for children over 11 who love mysteries and adventures. If you have read and enjoyed any of the other Goth Girl books then I am sure you will love this one just as much.

Summarise the book in one sentence. (Verdict) 

An amazing book with mystery and adventure around every bend.

 Reviewed by Jimena Gutierrez Reviriego

GOTH GIRL AND THE FETE WORSE THAN DEATH by Chris Riddell

“Preparations are under way for the Full-Moon Fete and the Great Ghastly-Gorm Bake Off. Celebrity cooks are arriving at the hall for the big event, and as usual Maltravers is acting suspiciously. On top of all this, Ada's elusive lady's maid Marylebone has a surprising secret, and everyone seems to have forgotten Ada's birthday!”

What were your initial thoughts on the book?

As I had recently read the Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse, and enjoyed it, I knew that this book would be good because it looked like a similar type of book. When I started to read the book I got a bit bored because it had some bits that I had already read in the first book so they were a bit uninteresting. But as it new characters where introduced and a new adventure began, I started to feel entertained and found that the book was actually very intriguing and full of mystery.

Who was your favourite character and why?

My favourite character was Marylebone, Ada’s lady’s maid because of how kind and caring she is to Ada. When Ada was young and her mother died, her father wanted nothing to do with her so Marylebone cared for her. I thought that this was sweet and that Marylebone was the best lady’s maid ever. I also really liked Marylebone because of the fact that she managed to get Ada a gift, even though she is too afraid to leave the wardrobe, when everyone had forgotten it was Ada’s birthday and had left her out and even though she was scared she helped Ada feel less alone. I loved how finally she had the courage to face her fears and step outside the wardrobe.

What was your favourite part of the book and why?

My favourite part of the book was when at the end when the clock struck midnight and it was finally Ada’s birthday. I liked this part because out of nowhere she gets a marvellous present, a beautiful card signed by all her friends and a delicious, giant cake. Ada went from having only her lady’s maid remembering her birthday to having the proper birthday she had always wanted. I really liked this because it was a really happy ending and finally the mystery was solved and everything was back to normal in Ghastly Gorm Hall or about as normal it can get in a house that has ghosts roaming around.

What was your overall impression of the book?

As a whole the book was great, I really enjoyed it and there were some really good chapters but I still think that it could have been better. Even though there were good parts there were also some bad parts. I found that this book had some really boring bits especially the descriptions. I found that when the characters were described dull and tiring as they were very long and useless as we were also given a drawing of the characters. I also found the book a bit difficult as there were a lot of new characters and that, apart from Ada’s friends and family, there weren’t any of the characters in the first book. I still think that the book could have been better but the book was still great and very enjoyable.

Which book did you like better, the first or the second?

I think that I prefer Goth Girl and the Fete Worse Than Death because it took me less time to be absorbed into Ada’s adventure, than in Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse, and it was much more interesting. I found that it was also a bit more entertaining and that the new characters were more fun and exciting. I also really liked the fact that we were introduced to Marylebone, Ada’s lady’s maid; because in the first book Ada’s clothes just appeared out of nowhere and her room was magically kept tidy, and then in the second we found out that there was actually a bear in her wardrobe who laid out her clothes every night! I also really liked that Ada was not the only one to get a happy ending with an amazing birthday but Marylebone was able to take up the courage to leave the wardrobe and marry the bear she loved.

Would you recommend this book?  

I would recommend this book to children around 11 and up. If you have read and enjoyed any of the other Goth Girl adventures, you are sure to enjoy this exciting, mystery filled book.

Summarise the book in one sentence. (Verdict) 

An amazing, mysterious and adventurous book with more trouble added in every chapter.

Reviewed by Jimena Gutierrez Reviriego

GOTH GIRL AND THE GHOST OF A MOUSE by Chris Riddell

 

“Meet Ada Goth. She lives in Ghastly-Gorm Hall with her father, Lord Goth, lots of servants and at least half a dozen ghosts, but she hasn't got any friends to explore her enormous, creepy house with. Then, one night, everything changes when Ada meets a ghostly mouse called Ishmael. Together they set out to solve the mystery of the strange happenings at Ghastly-Gorm Hall, and get a lot more than they bargained for…”

What were your initial thoughts on the book?

When I first got the book I knew that I would like it right away because I had been given the book in Spanish and read it, but when I first got the book in Spanish I didn’t really know if I would like it. My first thought was actually that it was going to be dark and gloom and maybe a little bit creepy because of the front cover, as it had a black and dark coloured cover, but after a little bit of reading I realised that they have nothing to do with the usual witches and monsters that books with dark covers are normally about, though it did have ghosts. As I hadn’t chosen it and it was given to me as a gift, I was thinking that it wasn’t the sort of book that I usually read and that if I had been at a bookshop I definitely would have chosen a different book, but, after reading a few chapters, I really began to enjoyed it after all.

Who was your favourite character and why?

My favourite character was Ada Goth because she is very adventurous; she is also very brave and is very imaginative. Ada is also quite smart and can come up with very interesting plans with her friends, she is keen on looking for mysterious things happening in her home. Finding mysterious things in Ghastly Gorm Hall is very easy to do as her house is very, very big, and even Ada hasn’t been into some of the rooms- especially the ones in the broken wing (an area in her house that is in need of repair). I like how curious she is and that she will always try to solve any issue in Ghastly Gorm Hall. My favourite thing about her is that she is kind and that she doesn’t care about the fact that she is the lady of the house and she isn’t meant to talk to the servants, she will be nice to everyone no matter who they are and now some of the servants are her best friends.

What was your favourite part of the book and why?

My favourite part of the book is when Ada is finally recognised by her father and her father shows that he does care about her. Throughout the book Ada’s father doesn’t seem to want to talk to her or even look at her, he gave her clumpy books to make sure when he heard her he could get out of her way. I found this upsetting and I was especially annoyed when Ada asked for her father’s help during the book and he dismissed her without another look. I realised that Lord Goth didn’t want to see her because she looked like her mother and I understood but I really like it when he began to really care about her as he was the only parent Ada had and he should have realise that earlier.

What was your overall impression of the book?

Overall I liked the book but I also found it a bit boring and confusing at some parts. Usually when I read mystery books I only need to read one chapter to get into the book but it took me a bit longer to begin to enjoy this one so I found the first few chapters a bit boring. Another part that I found a bit boring was the chapters where the guests arrived and the indoor hunt began as it wasn’t very entertaining, I also didn’t like how there was too many descriptions and, as we were also given pictures, they weren’t very necessary. I also got a bit confused because the mystery began to unravel very quickly instead of it being spread out through the book so I got muddled when it came to the mysterious characters but I also really liked the book and found some chapters were very fun and creative.

Would you recommend this book?  

I would recommend this book to children aged 10 upwards who especially enjoy adventures and mysteries. I think that every child that opens this book will definitely love reading every chapter in it!

Summarise the book in one sentence. (Verdict) 

An amazing and creative story that I think everyone who reads the first few chapters will love up until the very end.

 Reviewed by Jimena Gutierrez Reviriego

 

THE DARKEST LEGACY by Alexandra Bracken

“It's five years since the destruction of the camps that imprisoned Zu and her friends … but the battle is far from over. Seventeen-year-old Zu has made it her mission to fight for the rights of the kids once persecuted for their powers. Though they are no longer imprisoned, the Psi face huge prejudice, and a growing tide of misinformation. When Zu is accused of a horrifying crime, she is forced to run for her life. She travels in search of safety and answers, but uncovers a dark truth that threatens every Psi. With enemies everywhere, who can Zu trust to help her fight back?”

What were your initial thoughts on the book?

When I first read the blurb I wasn’t too sure about the book even though I had recently read the first three of the series. This was because the book was written from Zu’s perspective and I wasn’t too keen on it, but, I decided to read a few chapters in the book to see if I would like it. When I finally started reading I was extremely surprised and not in a good way; I found the first chapter very confusing because of the new characters and the fact that the “I” in the story meant Zu and not Ruby. At first I was appalled by the idea and found it extremely difficult to remember that Zu was the main character but, after a while, I got used to it and realised that if the book had been written from any other characters perspective the story would have been quite different and that Zu was the best choice for the book.

Who was your favourite character and why?

My favourite character was Zu because of how brave she was. She wasn’t afraid to make her voice heard and wanted to make America safe for all Psi and would do anything to help that cause. I really liked the fact that even though Zu portrayed the idea that she was sweet and innocent and wouldn’t hurt a fly, she was actually tougher and stronger than she looked and that she managed to outwit every opponent because of how much they underestimated her. I also found that Zu was sweet and caring and that she would do anything to help a friend.

What was your favourite part of the book and why?

My favourite part in The Darkest Legacy was when Zu was finally told the truth about Roman, Priyanka and Blue Star. I liked this part because I understood everything and all the information I had been given started to make sense. I also liked this part because Roman and Priyanka finally began to trust Zu after lying to her 2 times and I understood why they were different and what Blue Star actually was. I also understood how they got their powers and why wat they could do what no other Psi could. I also really liked the part when they found Ruby because after all Zu had been through to try and find her was actually worth something. This part was very important to me because Ruby had been the main character in the first three books and I really wanted her to be in at least a few chapters.

What was your overall impression of the book?

Looking at the whole book, there are some parts that I didn’t really like but, I think that it is mostly an amazing book that I absolutely loved. I think that one of the really good parts of the book was when Zu found a girl at Riverside Rink and we were told it was Ruby, I didn’t necessarily like this part, and I just thought that it was good because it created tension. When I read it my heart literally stopped, I was so shocked that I almost stopped reading the rest of the page. Luckily I kept going and a second later I found out the truth and calmed down, it wasn’t a happy moment but it sure was unforgettable. I think that the only thing that keeps this book from being perfects is the fact that Ruby played an important part in the book but wasn’t found until the very end and didn’t speak at all. I think that if Ruby had been found earlier it would have been a much better book; I also think that if some of the old characters were mentioned more or played a more important part, I would have liked it a lot more. This doesn’t mean that I think that the new characters should have been added because I think that they made the book more interesting as during the first three books there had only been a few new characters. Another thing that I didn’t really like was the ending, I think that it was a bit strange and that the last chapter had too much going on and that it would have been better if another chapter was added. I didn’t like the ending because it left me wanting more and although I like the idea of another book I think that it would have ended better if the book had given a proper conclusion and answered all questions.

Which is your favourite book in the Darkest Minds series? (1, 2, 3 or 4)

My favourite book in the Darkest Minds series was the third book, In the Afterlight, because of the ending. I really loved all the books but I think that 1, 2 and 4 all have endings that I would have liked differently, especially in the fourth book. It wasn’t that I liked the actual end; really what I loved was when in the last few chapters the camps were released and the Psi had some freedom, which in some cases they hadn’t had in years. This was the best part in the series because it was a happy part for everyone and Ruby and her friends had achieved what they had wanted and been working towards since the very first book.

Would you recommend this book?  

I would absolutely recommend The Darkest Legacy especially if you have read the first 3 books in the Darkest Minds series. I would suggest reading it around the age of 13 and if you like action books they do not hesitate to read this.

Summarise the book in one sentence. (Verdict) 

The forth book in the amazing heart stopping series, the Darkest Minds.

 Reviewed by Jimena Gutierrez Reviriego

IN THE AFTERLIGHT by Alexandra Bracken

“The fate of a generation lies in Ruby's hands - and one wrong move could set the world on fire. One of the few survivors of a disease which killed most of America’s children, Ruby has emerged as Leader of the rebel group determined to bring the government down. Torn apart by the unbearable loss of Liam, she forms an unlikely alliance with his brother, Cole. But whatever their differences, Ruby and Cole are united by a clear mission: there are thousands like them still suffering in rehabilitation camps. It’s up to Ruby to set them free…”

What were your initial thoughts on the book?

When I first picked up the book, I didn’t even get a proper look at it before I immediately stared reading it. The second book had left me wanting more and even before reading the first page I knew that I would love it. I read the blurb and loved it even more and I couldn’t wait for Ruby to set the kids in the rehabilitation camps free. As soon as I finished reading the blurb I opened to the first page and read and read until I was practically through the whole book. I found that the more I read the more interesting and fascinating the book got, I was very surprised at some parts of the book and found that I was very curious at how the book would end because of the obstacles that kept getting in her way.

Who was your favourite character and why?

 My favourite character was Ruby because of her determination, she wanted to free the camps especially Thurmond. She was set on feeing the camps and a bit stubborn about it, she didn’t care how hard it was going to be, she had decided to free Thurmond and would do anything to make it successful. I also liked that even though she was serious about Thurmond she still cared about her friends and didn’t want anything to happen to them. I found that she was also very brave and although she would do anything to help the camp hit, she didn’t want to risk anyone’s life so when someone had to go in the inside of Thurmond and do the impossible, she wouldn’t let anyone else be that person and did everything she could to be the one to do it. She cared about everyone and really wanted to help her old campmates get the freedom the deserved as she felt guilty of leaving them and wanted to make things right with her old friends.

What was your favourite part of the book and why?

My favourite part in the book was the escape from Thurmond. It is my favourite part because this had been what Ruby had been working towards throughout the book and pretty much the whole series, as it freeing the rehabilitation camps had been mentioned ever since the first book when they were at East River. When it finally happened I found that I had been waiting for it to happen ever since I read the first book and I was relieved that Ruby’s determination, hard work and suffering was finally rewarded and everything she has done was worth something. I really like this part specially the fact that it was raining, I loved that that when Ruby entered Thurmond it had been raining and when she left it was also raining, it was a great part of the book. Although this part was very happy, I found that it was extremely sad because if this was what Ruby had been working towards then maybe the forth book isn’t going to be as good., I know that there was another book but I am worried about what it is going to be like and hope that I like it just as much as the first three.

What was your overall impression of the book?

I absolutely loved the book and found that a lot of the parts were amazing. I loved the ending and the escape; they made the book seem absolutely perfect. Even though this book was extraordinary, there were also some parts that I didn’t really like. I found the death of one of the main characters very unnecessary and unexpected, as if she had been told to add in a death to make the book more interesting. I got this impression because once the character died, he was never mentioned again, which I found very weird and I think that the book would have been better if he hadn’t have died or if his death had some kind of meaning or been important and mention later in the book. I know that there is another book so maybe his death will be important or be mentioned in that book. As a whole the book was great and if you don’t count the strange death, I think that it was perfect and it is definitely one of my favourite books.

Which book did you like better, the first, the second or the third?

My favourite book so far is definitely this one; I think that this was the best book because of how it ended. The first two have ended in cliff-hangers and although I found them very intriguing and exciting, I am still not really a fan of them because I find them annoying because if I don’t have time or don’t yet have the first book so I can read it gets on my nerves and makes me need to read the next book. I think that they were necessary in this book series but I prefer the ending of the third book much more. I liked the ending a lot because of how happy it was, it reminded me of the books that end in … and they lived happily ever after, because Ruby’s adventure was finally complete. I also like it because it gave the impression that there was more to it and that there was going to be another book, and although I already knew that, I found it made me excited and very curious at where Ruby would lead me next.

Would you recommend this book?  

I would 110% recommend this book to anyone, I think that it would be most suitable for children over 12 and that if you have read and hopefully enjoyed the first and second books you should absolutely read this book and I am positive that you will love it.

Summarize the book in one sentence. (Verdict) 

Another crazy and dangerous adventure that everyone will love.

Reviewed by Jimena Gutierrez Reviriego