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Sinister Secrets #1
The Sinister Secrets of Singe
The Wild Robot meets Sweet Tooth in the first book in a sweeping adventure series packed with robots, smugglers, battles, and a lonely boy trying to find where he fits in the world.
Eleven-year-old Noah has grown up in a mysterious house that grows larger every night with only his mother and a robot-boy for company. He spends his days building robotic devices for the city of Liberty, a place he’s not even allowed to visit—not since his father almost destroyed it when Noah was only a baby.
When Noah discovers a message hidden in one of his father's inventions, he decides to run away to find him. He’s sure that at his father’s side he’ll finally get the recognition he deserves. With the help of a band of smugglers (especially unofficial second in command, young Winona), he sails to Singe to rescue his father, who he’s certain is as misunderstood as he is, but the man he finds there is even more of a monster than his mechanical creations. And when Noah returns home, he accidentally leads his father’s robot army to Liberty once more.
Now, it’s up to Noah to rescue the city—but to do so, he’ll have to make a terrible choice.
Eleven-year-old Noah has grown up in a mysterious house that grows larger every night with only his mother and a robot-boy for company. He spends his days building robotic devices for the city of Liberty, a place he’s not even allowed to visit—not since his father almost destroyed it when Noah was only a baby.
When Noah discovers a message hidden in one of his father's inventions, he decides to run away to find him. He’s sure that at his father’s side he’ll finally get the recognition he deserves. With the help of a band of smugglers (especially unofficial second in command, young Winona), he sails to Singe to rescue his father, who he’s certain is as misunderstood as he is, but the man he finds there is even more of a monster than his mechanical creations. And when Noah returns home, he accidentally leads his father’s robot army to Liberty once more.
Now, it’s up to Noah to rescue the city—but to do so, he’ll have to make a terrible choice.
- GenresChildrens
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2023
1 person is currently reading
1671 people want to read
About the author
Sean Ferrell
7 books126 followersSean Ferrell lives and works in New York City. He writes novels, middle grade sci-fi, and picture books.
His most recent work is The Sinister Secrets of Singe .
His novels include Man In The Empty Suit and Numb: A Novel.
His picture books are I Don't Like Koala and The Snurtch.
Sean has been published in several literary journals, including The Adirondack Review which awarded him the Fulton Prize for his short story "Building an Elephant."
His most recent work is The Sinister Secrets of Singe .
His novels include Man In The Empty Suit and Numb: A Novel.
His picture books are I Don't Like Koala and The Snurtch.
Sean has been published in several literary journals, including The Adirondack Review which awarded him the Fulton Prize for his short story "Building an Elephant."
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
August 21, 2023
DNF at about 30% or so...? Can't remember, and can't bring myself to care. All I do know is that I usually give a story about 100 pages or so before I'm done with it. That's a pretty excessive amount of pages, and plenty can be done to persuade me in that kind of space that the book is worth my time and effort to focus on it (when it's not a page-turner on its own, that is).
Sadly, this was not the case. The story did nothing to hold my interest, the characters were all dull, and don't even get me started on the descriptions and dialogues, ugh! I'm all for stories about young inventors - kinda like Timothy from The Un-Magician - but this story didn't make the genre any justice. It just took a kid, kept trying to make us believe he's some kind of genius (something he inherited from both his parents) and yet there was no such proof on the page, other than the author going on and on about a ton of things that could have been edited out of the book and let the tale breathe.
As this is clearly a book for younger readers, I fear it will prove difficult to attract their attention. If even a seasoned, adult reader found it hard to keep up with it in terms of interest, I don't know how someone of a smaller age number would fare any better...
***I was given an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinion stated in this review is solely mine, and no compensation was given or taken to alter it.***
Read this and other reviews at: http://cupcakesandpopcorn.wordpress.com
Sadly, this was not the case. The story did nothing to hold my interest, the characters were all dull, and don't even get me started on the descriptions and dialogues, ugh! I'm all for stories about young inventors - kinda like Timothy from The Un-Magician - but this story didn't make the genre any justice. It just took a kid, kept trying to make us believe he's some kind of genius (something he inherited from both his parents) and yet there was no such proof on the page, other than the author going on and on about a ton of things that could have been edited out of the book and let the tale breathe.
As this is clearly a book for younger readers, I fear it will prove difficult to attract their attention. If even a seasoned, adult reader found it hard to keep up with it in terms of interest, I don't know how someone of a smaller age number would fare any better...
***I was given an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinion stated in this review is solely mine, and no compensation was given or taken to alter it.***
Read this and other reviews at: http://cupcakesandpopcorn.wordpress.com
May 14, 2023
Rating: 4.5 stars
living in a house that grows bigger at night with an often absent mother and a ticking caretaker robot by the name of Elijah, 11 year-old Noah dreams of escaping the confines of his wooden prison to experience the world around him. why wont his mother take him with her when she goes on her daily trips to the city? why does Elijah not answer Noah's questions about his father or the growing house? why wont Noah's mother let him explore the upper floors of the house? and what are these machines that Noah's mother keeps asking him to work on? overwhelmed by curiosity and frustrated by the lack of answers he is getting from either his mother or Elijah, Noah uses an opportunity to his advantage to seek out the cause of the ever-growing building he calls home. what he finds on the upper floor catapults him into an adventure filled with ships and crew, machinery and humans, cogs and spanners and the family he finds along the way.
Noah is an intelligent 11 year-old boy, a prodigy mechanic. dealing with loneliness and what appears to be emotional neglect on behalf of his parents, he is disappointed regularly by his family. from his mother who keeps him locked inside a wooden house for 11 years, without any company aside from a ticking robot and a list of questions she refuses to answer, to his uncle who sends Noah to jail within minutes of meeting him for the first time, Noah is a child that is desperate for care, love and affection. when he finds out that his father is still alive and exiled to an abandoned island with his mechanical creations, Noah embarks on a quest to find his father and prove to his mother and uncle, as well as the people of his town, that his father is simply a misunderstood scientist. as it becomes clearer that Noah's father is not the caring and kind figure that Noah had been desperately hoping for, Noah is forced to return to the city in disappointment. only the crew of the smuggling ship he travels on, appear to genuinely care for his wellbeing, going out of their way to rescue him on multiple occasions.
this book is a promising first instalment of a middle grade series. it is fast passed, well written, adventurous, emotional and tells a story that, at its core, many children and adults can relate to. it centres themes of found family, and the lengths we would go to for the people we care about. I am very excited about the beginning of this series and am looking forward to reading future books as they come out.
the reason that i did not give this book the full 5 stars was that I sometimes got the feeling that the characters around Noah only showed up to further the plot, however, this is fairly normal in story telling. additionally, this is a middle grade book, so that is to be somewhat expected. I would also like to see a few more prominent female figures in the following books. (I believe there was 3 prominent female characters in 'The Sinister Secrets of Singe').
living in a house that grows bigger at night with an often absent mother and a ticking caretaker robot by the name of Elijah, 11 year-old Noah dreams of escaping the confines of his wooden prison to experience the world around him. why wont his mother take him with her when she goes on her daily trips to the city? why does Elijah not answer Noah's questions about his father or the growing house? why wont Noah's mother let him explore the upper floors of the house? and what are these machines that Noah's mother keeps asking him to work on? overwhelmed by curiosity and frustrated by the lack of answers he is getting from either his mother or Elijah, Noah uses an opportunity to his advantage to seek out the cause of the ever-growing building he calls home. what he finds on the upper floor catapults him into an adventure filled with ships and crew, machinery and humans, cogs and spanners and the family he finds along the way.
Noah is an intelligent 11 year-old boy, a prodigy mechanic. dealing with loneliness and what appears to be emotional neglect on behalf of his parents, he is disappointed regularly by his family. from his mother who keeps him locked inside a wooden house for 11 years, without any company aside from a ticking robot and a list of questions she refuses to answer, to his uncle who sends Noah to jail within minutes of meeting him for the first time, Noah is a child that is desperate for care, love and affection. when he finds out that his father is still alive and exiled to an abandoned island with his mechanical creations, Noah embarks on a quest to find his father and prove to his mother and uncle, as well as the people of his town, that his father is simply a misunderstood scientist. as it becomes clearer that Noah's father is not the caring and kind figure that Noah had been desperately hoping for, Noah is forced to return to the city in disappointment. only the crew of the smuggling ship he travels on, appear to genuinely care for his wellbeing, going out of their way to rescue him on multiple occasions.
this book is a promising first instalment of a middle grade series. it is fast passed, well written, adventurous, emotional and tells a story that, at its core, many children and adults can relate to. it centres themes of found family, and the lengths we would go to for the people we care about. I am very excited about the beginning of this series and am looking forward to reading future books as they come out.
the reason that i did not give this book the full 5 stars was that I sometimes got the feeling that the characters around Noah only showed up to further the plot, however, this is fairly normal in story telling. additionally, this is a middle grade book, so that is to be somewhat expected. I would also like to see a few more prominent female figures in the following books. (I believe there was 3 prominent female characters in 'The Sinister Secrets of Singe').
August 1, 2023
What worked:
Young readers will sympathize with Noah’s plight as he’s been secluded inside his house for his whole eleven years of life. He’s never known what it’s like to walk in the grass among the trees or among the people of Liberty. He doesn’t even know his uncle is the governor. Noah is a talented tinkerer which is understandable since his father and mother Marie are brilliant inventors. He sees beauty in his father’s inventions while the public is terrified of his monsters. His admiration for the creatures is in stark contrast to everyone else freaking out. Noah finally realizes he’s being punished for his father’s crimes and has no intentions of returning to his home prison with Marie. However, he discovers life with his father might be even worse.
The first half of the book focuses on Noah’s escape from Liberty by navigating the ocean with smugglers to reach the island of Singe. The build-up paints a picture of danger and ferocious creatures and it turns out it’s not an exaggeration. The author creates anticipation by having the characters share rumors of the threats, terrifying sounds are heard, and partial images are described until finally an entire mechanical monster is revealed. Noah’s arrival on the island leads to more teasing evidence of the creatures as he maneuvers his way through dense bushes and trees. The author’s strategy allows readers’ minds to wonder what kinds of perils might await Noah in the upcoming pages.
The author presents innovative creations and keeps them mysterious by not trying to explain how they work. Somehow, a spider-like machine constantly works on adding new rooms to Noah’s house like an obsessive, computerized creature. Noah’s closest companion is an AI robot named Elijah. Elijah is a complicated character as he was programmed by both of Noah’s parents who have conflicting motivations. There is evidence Elijah might be displaying some actual human characteristics but that’s surely impossible.
What didn’t work as well:
The book’s synopsis reveals way too much information as some of it happens in the second half of the book. Sharing what Noah finds on the island and what happens afterward should have been left for readers’ imaginations.
The Final Verdict:
This book won’t allay any fears of people who are expecting AI machines to take over the world! The dynamics of Noah’s family are intriguing and are at the essence of his issues. His father will not be what readers expect and his view of the world amplifies the problems. Overall, this book is quite compelling and I recommend you give it a shot.
Young readers will sympathize with Noah’s plight as he’s been secluded inside his house for his whole eleven years of life. He’s never known what it’s like to walk in the grass among the trees or among the people of Liberty. He doesn’t even know his uncle is the governor. Noah is a talented tinkerer which is understandable since his father and mother Marie are brilliant inventors. He sees beauty in his father’s inventions while the public is terrified of his monsters. His admiration for the creatures is in stark contrast to everyone else freaking out. Noah finally realizes he’s being punished for his father’s crimes and has no intentions of returning to his home prison with Marie. However, he discovers life with his father might be even worse.
The first half of the book focuses on Noah’s escape from Liberty by navigating the ocean with smugglers to reach the island of Singe. The build-up paints a picture of danger and ferocious creatures and it turns out it’s not an exaggeration. The author creates anticipation by having the characters share rumors of the threats, terrifying sounds are heard, and partial images are described until finally an entire mechanical monster is revealed. Noah’s arrival on the island leads to more teasing evidence of the creatures as he maneuvers his way through dense bushes and trees. The author’s strategy allows readers’ minds to wonder what kinds of perils might await Noah in the upcoming pages.
The author presents innovative creations and keeps them mysterious by not trying to explain how they work. Somehow, a spider-like machine constantly works on adding new rooms to Noah’s house like an obsessive, computerized creature. Noah’s closest companion is an AI robot named Elijah. Elijah is a complicated character as he was programmed by both of Noah’s parents who have conflicting motivations. There is evidence Elijah might be displaying some actual human characteristics but that’s surely impossible.
What didn’t work as well:
The book’s synopsis reveals way too much information as some of it happens in the second half of the book. Sharing what Noah finds on the island and what happens afterward should have been left for readers’ imaginations.
The Final Verdict:
This book won’t allay any fears of people who are expecting AI machines to take over the world! The dynamics of Noah’s family are intriguing and are at the essence of his issues. His father will not be what readers expect and his view of the world amplifies the problems. Overall, this book is quite compelling and I recommend you give it a shot.
January 15, 2025
I got this book in a giveaway from the author (he signed it and doodled a very special octochine on the title page, too!) I dunno if I need to disclose that as it wasn't in exchange for an honest review, but better safe than sorry.
This is a middle grade steampunk novel (with pirates! Seafaring smugglers anyway, they don't say arrr or avast, me hearties, but they sing and sail and smuggle goods.) It reminds me a lot of parts of Cherie Priest's Boneshaker. There's hints of What's if Oz in here, too.
Noah, the MC, lives alone with his mother who works in town at a factory and is detested for being the wife? Partner? Of a man whose creations destroyed the town. Noah feels trapped and believes his father was misunderstood. Events conspire to slow him to find out if he is correct or not.
I've never read anything by Sean Ferrell before; someone shared his giveaway post on bluesky and, never one to turn down the opportunity to check out a new book, I entered and was one of the winners. Then, because it was December, the book sat under my Christmas tree for a couple weeks because I didn't realize it wasn't a present, lol.
I'm a big fan of Boneshaker, so it's probably not surprising that I enjoyed a book that reminded me of it, but it's not a knock off or dumbed down version of that story. At the beginning, the writing feels a little "this is for kids," but that dropped off as the plot picked up. Ferrell writes Noah as smart but still learning and growing, and he has to tackle a lot of growing up in a pretty short period of time. There are characters who may seem stereotypical in some ways at the start, but that is proven a simplistic take as Noah's understanding of circumstances, himself, and the world around him changes, and I think that's echoed in the tone of the writing. It starts out a bit like a bedtime story, one that won't take longer than fifteen or twenty minutes and has a simple bad guy defeated by a good and clever hero, but as things get more complicated for Noah, so does the writing *though not too complex for a MG reader)
I plan to share this with the MG readers in my life and recommend you do, too
This is a middle grade steampunk novel (with pirates! Seafaring smugglers anyway, they don't say arrr or avast, me hearties, but they sing and sail and smuggle goods.) It reminds me a lot of parts of Cherie Priest's Boneshaker. There's hints of What's if Oz in here, too.
Noah, the MC, lives alone with his mother who works in town at a factory and is detested for being the wife? Partner? Of a man whose creations destroyed the town. Noah feels trapped and believes his father was misunderstood. Events conspire to slow him to find out if he is correct or not.
I've never read anything by Sean Ferrell before; someone shared his giveaway post on bluesky and, never one to turn down the opportunity to check out a new book, I entered and was one of the winners. Then, because it was December, the book sat under my Christmas tree for a couple weeks because I didn't realize it wasn't a present, lol.
I'm a big fan of Boneshaker, so it's probably not surprising that I enjoyed a book that reminded me of it, but it's not a knock off or dumbed down version of that story. At the beginning, the writing feels a little "this is for kids," but that dropped off as the plot picked up. Ferrell writes Noah as smart but still learning and growing, and he has to tackle a lot of growing up in a pretty short period of time. There are characters who may seem stereotypical in some ways at the start, but that is proven a simplistic take as Noah's understanding of circumstances, himself, and the world around him changes, and I think that's echoed in the tone of the writing. It starts out a bit like a bedtime story, one that won't take longer than fifteen or twenty minutes and has a simple bad guy defeated by a good and clever hero, but as things get more complicated for Noah, so does the writing *though not too complex for a MG reader)
I plan to share this with the MG readers in my life and recommend you do, too
July 24, 2023
DNF at about 50%. Yes, it had proven fairly interesting in spells before then, but I really was not enamoured enough (or free of enough time) to continue. Nothing is done to make Noah an unusual character, as he allegedly has spent his entire existence in a forever-being-built building, so his mother and robot companion – the only characters he has ever known – have done wonders to socialise him. Fluking a clue to his destiny, or his past at least, he is suddenly rushed off somewhere, where it's thought he's better in prison, although others disagree, and eventually he can engage in the quest he sets upon himself – to find his father, long thought (at least by him) dead.
This is certainly different in that it is MG steampunk, with everything robotic – even the things cribbed somewhat from elsewhere. "Wars of the Worlds" tripods have eight legs and are robots, but are more or less tripods all the same, and when the dad is met it's little surprise to find he is very much a Dr Moreau character. I certainly found the tech side of things different to many books for this age range, but I found the whole world-building, where either one of Noel's parents might have been the worst thing for him and/or his entire city, and the job is to work out which, rather clumsy. Also, it is far too wordy and wrapped up in itself – this could have lost a hundred pages, and I probably would have found the energy and life to finish it. As to whether I'd have wished to see the sequel I'm led to expect, the jury will remain out. I don't quibble at anyone liking this, but I remain convinced it's too stodgy for my tastes this time.
This is certainly different in that it is MG steampunk, with everything robotic – even the things cribbed somewhat from elsewhere. "Wars of the Worlds" tripods have eight legs and are robots, but are more or less tripods all the same, and when the dad is met it's little surprise to find he is very much a Dr Moreau character. I certainly found the tech side of things different to many books for this age range, but I found the whole world-building, where either one of Noel's parents might have been the worst thing for him and/or his entire city, and the job is to work out which, rather clumsy. Also, it is far too wordy and wrapped up in itself – this could have lost a hundred pages, and I probably would have found the energy and life to finish it. As to whether I'd have wished to see the sequel I'm led to expect, the jury will remain out. I don't quibble at anyone liking this, but I remain convinced it's too stodgy for my tastes this time.
May 5, 2023
** “No one deserves to be treated like a plaything. Or to be punished for others’ mistakes.” **
Sean Ferrell delivers a fun tale of sacrifice and finding one’s self in “The Sinister Secrets of Singe.”
Noah lives in a house that constantly grows every night. He doesn’t quite understand why and how until one day he stumbles upon a mysterious robot that solves the mystery as well as leads him toward his missing father. He soon finds himself on a journey with a group of smugglers to an island called Singe — where he may finally meet his elusive father and the mechanical creatures he has created, and that keep threatening to destroy the nearby city of Liberty.
Ferrell creates a fun and creative world filled with drama and adversity. He develops some intriguing characters, all while filling his book with several great themes, like dealing with blame; sacrifice; you choose the goal and then the path (“If you keep your eye on where you want to be, you can find the best way to get there”); order versus chaos; the impact of taking things and people for granted; don’t shrink from a challenge; actions have consequences; and acceptance and discovery of one’s self.
Fans of books like “Frances and the Monster” by Refe Tuma and “The Architect” by Jonathan Starrett will love “The Sinister Secrets of Singe,” due out June 6.
Five stars out of five.
Pixel+Ink provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.
Sean Ferrell delivers a fun tale of sacrifice and finding one’s self in “The Sinister Secrets of Singe.”
Noah lives in a house that constantly grows every night. He doesn’t quite understand why and how until one day he stumbles upon a mysterious robot that solves the mystery as well as leads him toward his missing father. He soon finds himself on a journey with a group of smugglers to an island called Singe — where he may finally meet his elusive father and the mechanical creatures he has created, and that keep threatening to destroy the nearby city of Liberty.
Ferrell creates a fun and creative world filled with drama and adversity. He develops some intriguing characters, all while filling his book with several great themes, like dealing with blame; sacrifice; you choose the goal and then the path (“If you keep your eye on where you want to be, you can find the best way to get there”); order versus chaos; the impact of taking things and people for granted; don’t shrink from a challenge; actions have consequences; and acceptance and discovery of one’s self.
Fans of books like “Frances and the Monster” by Refe Tuma and “The Architect” by Jonathan Starrett will love “The Sinister Secrets of Singe,” due out June 6.
Five stars out of five.
Pixel+Ink provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.
May 28, 2023
Unconventional robots are the star in this middle grade novel. Noah lives in a house that gets larger every day as a result of a mechanical building machine that never stops and in a town that lives in fear of a return of Noah’s genius father and his destructive creations. But Noah knows little of the history of his town and lives his days with an almost human caretaker-automaton and his mother. But Noah’s circumstances change, putting him on a quest to find his father and possibly join him in making more and better machines. Sean Ferrell’s imagination will give middle grade readers much to think about as they eagerly read to find out what will happen when man is pitted against evolving robots. Character-building is excellent: Noah is a brilliant but searching and needy young boy; his mother Marie is aloof and yet protective; orphan Winona offers her friendship without a second though; Governor Stone is a mixture of cruel, powerful and scared; plus there is a whole crew of interesting sailors. Text is free of profanity and sexual content but violence between man and machine is key to the plot and fairly continuous, but relatively blood-free.
Thanks for the print arc, Pixel + Ink Books.
Thanks for the print arc, Pixel + Ink Books.
July 14, 2023
Thank you @jamierockstarbooktours @pixelinkbooks @holidaybookspublishing for having my kids and I on this booktour.
This bookmail came yesterday and my fantasy sci-fi reader son wanted to start this book to add this to his summer read. The blurb got him!
👦🏻 review:
I am the same age as Noah, 11 years old, but our live-a are so different. He’s a lonely boy with no friends and always looking for love and affection. His father left him and his mother, and it’s terrible that he felt imprisoned to his own domain. So when he decided to run away to find his father, he realized so many things that he wished he didn’t use his guts to make his decisions. The parts where he was kept alone with a robot, his imprisonment at his own house, his longing to find his father’s love and his need to react fast as a smart boy are some of the things I find this book fascinating. His emotional struggles are challenging. This thick book has many interesting parts and I like how the book ended.
This bookmail came yesterday and my fantasy sci-fi reader son wanted to start this book to add this to his summer read. The blurb got him!
👦🏻 review:
I am the same age as Noah, 11 years old, but our live-a are so different. He’s a lonely boy with no friends and always looking for love and affection. His father left him and his mother, and it’s terrible that he felt imprisoned to his own domain. So when he decided to run away to find his father, he realized so many things that he wished he didn’t use his guts to make his decisions. The parts where he was kept alone with a robot, his imprisonment at his own house, his longing to find his father’s love and his need to react fast as a smart boy are some of the things I find this book fascinating. His emotional struggles are challenging. This thick book has many interesting parts and I like how the book ended.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 19, 2024
Author Sean Ferrell captures the heart of young Noah who has been living a life of solace and sadness in a house that grows at night with very little interaction with others. Curiosity builds upon his tasks and daily busy and distracting activities. One day the cause of the never-ending growth of the house is stopped and an unimaginable happening of events begins which changes everything. Questions are answered, skills are realized, family is formed, and friends are made. Life as Noah knew it changed forever.
Children, adults, and robots bring to life perspective, adventure, and understanding in ways that one can only imagine and ultimately appreciate. “The grass is not always greener” and even more so what seems real may not be what is actually the full story. Knowledge and relationships are tied together through unique fantasy presented in such a way that it is hard to put down – for all ages.
Children, adults, and robots bring to life perspective, adventure, and understanding in ways that one can only imagine and ultimately appreciate. “The grass is not always greener” and even more so what seems real may not be what is actually the full story. Knowledge and relationships are tied together through unique fantasy presented in such a way that it is hard to put down – for all ages.
May 14, 2023
“He was angry with Elijah. Confused. And still, he could not imagine a day without Elijah beside him.”
Noah lives in a house that constantly grows every night, he didn’t really understands why and how until one day he stumbles upon a mysterious robot with a hidden message inside that leads him to his missing father…
The Sinister Secret of Singe was an adventurous, interesting, fun story about self discovery, the importance of family and acceptance.
I really enjoyed reading Noah’s adventures and the development he’s been through in this book was amazing to see.
This was a very sweet story, I highly recommend reading it to anyone!
Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review.
🤖 Publication Date: June 6, 2023 🤖
Noah lives in a house that constantly grows every night, he didn’t really understands why and how until one day he stumbles upon a mysterious robot with a hidden message inside that leads him to his missing father…
The Sinister Secret of Singe was an adventurous, interesting, fun story about self discovery, the importance of family and acceptance.
I really enjoyed reading Noah’s adventures and the development he’s been through in this book was amazing to see.
This was a very sweet story, I highly recommend reading it to anyone!
Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review.
🤖 Publication Date: June 6, 2023 🤖
July 12, 2023
The Sinister Secrets of Singe is a fun tale by Sean Ferrell for younger readers. Even though, I am not of the target audience for it, I was still entertained with it from start to finish. It was an honor to go on this adventure with the characters and spending time in a whole new world. I loved it.
I am giving The Sinister Secrets of Singe five stars. I recommend it for readers who are between the ages of nine and fourteen and love reading science fiction and fantasy books. I believe it would be a perfect placement on school and public library shelves. I would be happy to read more by Sean Ferrell in the future.
I received a digital copy of Sean Ferrell's The Sinister Secrets of Singe from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.
I am giving The Sinister Secrets of Singe five stars. I recommend it for readers who are between the ages of nine and fourteen and love reading science fiction and fantasy books. I believe it would be a perfect placement on school and public library shelves. I would be happy to read more by Sean Ferrell in the future.
I received a digital copy of Sean Ferrell's The Sinister Secrets of Singe from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.
July 27, 2023
I liked this book even though it is meant for younger kids in the 8-13 age range. Also a fan of anyone who likes science fiction or technology will love this book! It starts with a boy named Noah, which is perfect as I have a personal attachment to that name;)
Noah is living in a house that gets bigger everyday and he also lives with robots in this future based world. Some events happen in the book and then Noah embarks on a quest to find his father.
The writing is great and the written imagery was also very well done by this author. I have to say my 13 year old was so engrossed in reading this book at some points. The technology and sci fi are a draw to alot of boys especially he stated to me.
Noah is living in a house that gets bigger everyday and he also lives with robots in this future based world. Some events happen in the book and then Noah embarks on a quest to find his father.
The writing is great and the written imagery was also very well done by this author. I have to say my 13 year old was so engrossed in reading this book at some points. The technology and sci fi are a draw to alot of boys especially he stated to me.
July 20, 2023
The creative setting is filled with drama and riddled with adversity. Characters that are both unique and intriguing, drive the story while teaching great life lessons along the way. There's much more to this book than what's on the surface. I loved the way topics were brought up without being preachy; sacrifice, goals and challenges, organization, taking others for granted, the blame game, and my personal favorite is all actions have consequences - both good and bad. Self esteem and acceptance ring true.
"If you keep your eye on where you want to be, you can find the best way to get there.”
"If you keep your eye on where you want to be, you can find the best way to get there.”
June 29, 2023
I've always been scared of robots, and tons of "vengeful" ones in this book didn't change that, but there's an underlying sentiment of growth and enlightenment which make this story an important read.
There's an instant sympathy with main character Noah who's never left the house he lives in with his mother. You can't help get caught up in his excitement when he goes on a hunt to find his father, the infamous inventor. He runs into many interesting characters along the way (including smugglers) with whom he establishes familial-like bonds.
As Noah interacts with each character, as well as the robots, he learns more about himself and humanity. To me, this book is really a study of evolving relationships, Noah's part in each of them and how he applies what he's learned to the next one. It's bitter sweet (but realistic) that his greatest enlightenment comes from time spent with the dispassionate antagonist and non-emotional robots. I love who he ultimately grows into and the people he pulls closer to him.
There's an instant sympathy with main character Noah who's never left the house he lives in with his mother. You can't help get caught up in his excitement when he goes on a hunt to find his father, the infamous inventor. He runs into many interesting characters along the way (including smugglers) with whom he establishes familial-like bonds.
As Noah interacts with each character, as well as the robots, he learns more about himself and humanity. To me, this book is really a study of evolving relationships, Noah's part in each of them and how he applies what he's learned to the next one. It's bitter sweet (but realistic) that his greatest enlightenment comes from time spent with the dispassionate antagonist and non-emotional robots. I love who he ultimately grows into and the people he pulls closer to him.
March 3, 2023
ARC COpy...very much something sinister is going on and mechanical geared adventures abound too!
October 29, 2024
it wasn't a bad book but in my opinion i woudn't read it again it's a 7/10 stars. it was very intresting and would recomend to others :)
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