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Kiki Strike #3
The Darkness Dwellers
Don’t miss Strike three!
First they ventured deep under New York to save the city itself.
Then things got personal as the Irregulars ventured into a haunted mansion in Chinatown to uncover an evil twin.
Now, in the third installment of bestselling author Kirsten Miller’s Kiki Strike series, this delightful group of delinquent geniuses jump feet first into a fastpaced international pursuit, going underground in Paris to pursue a pair of treacherous royals who have killed Kiki’s parents.
With a dash of romance, a fresh take on good manners, and loads of buttkicking bravery, Kiki, Betty, Ananka and the other Irregulars sharpen their amazing skills in this highly anticipated new adventure.
First they ventured deep under New York to save the city itself.
Then things got personal as the Irregulars ventured into a haunted mansion in Chinatown to uncover an evil twin.
Now, in the third installment of bestselling author Kirsten Miller’s Kiki Strike series, this delightful group of delinquent geniuses jump feet first into a fastpaced international pursuit, going underground in Paris to pursue a pair of treacherous royals who have killed Kiki’s parents.
With a dash of romance, a fresh take on good manners, and loads of buttkicking bravery, Kiki, Betty, Ananka and the other Irregulars sharpen their amazing skills in this highly anticipated new adventure.
403 pages, Hardcover
First published January 22, 2013
20 people are currently reading
1501 people want to read
About the author
Kirsten Miller
32 books3,356 followersKirsten Miller grew up in a small town in the mountains of North Carolina. At seventeen, she left for college in New York City, where she lives to this day. Kirsten's latest novel, Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books, is a side-splitting satire that takes on some of the most controversial issues of our day. Her first adult novel, The Change, was a Good Morning America Book Club pick for May 2022. Kirsten is also the author of over a dozen middle grade and YA novels, including the acclaimed Kiki Strike books, (which tell the tale of the delinquent girl geniuses who keep Manhattan safe), and How to Lead a Life of Crime. She is not the Kirsten Miller who wrote All That Is Left, but she assumes that Kirsten is lovely and talented. Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
February 13, 2013
I adore the Kiki Strike series. I still can’t believe it’s not bigger than it is. It is one of my missions in life to make The Irregulars a household name.One can only hope with all the spy and international intrigue “Bourne books” on the rise that people will get another chance to discover The Irregulars.
A good part of the book takes place in Paris, but author Kristen Miller does not abandon her beloved New York completely. NYC is just as much a character in the series as any of the girls, and I’m glad she found a way to include it yet again. The Darkness Dwellers refers to a secret society living in the catacombs of Paris. Throw in an upscale girl’s finishing school, some WWII intrigue, and two cases of mistaken identity and you have the recipe for a killer adventure.
For some reason I never think to categorize these books as fantasy, despite obvious made-up elements (a fake European kingdom complete with it’s own history & traditions or massive man-eating rats that live in a made-up city underneath NYC). Instead, I consider it a kick-ass mystery series featuring a troupe of almost super-hero like teenagers.
Picking a favourite Irregular is like picking a favourite Spice Girl: impossible, and I resent being asked to choose. Why can’t I like ALL of them equally? I love how vindictive but surprisingly sensitive Oona is, I love Ananka’s deadpan narration, and I love Iris the 12 year old side-kick who kidnaps delivery boys when she has crushes on them. But this book was an ode to Betty Bent, the kind-hearted master of disguise who until now, is often underestimated by the rest of the team. Betty could come across as sickeningly sweet, but Miller avoids this and instead she projects quiet confidence. I loved the image of her in a super-hero esque catsuit with killer boots when she descends into the catacombs of Paris. There were so many get up and cheer moments for Betty that I lost count and just continued to grin through the whole book.
Miller does a great job juggling not only a number of plot lines, but a large cast of characters. The Irregulars never feel interchangeable and even the supporting cast members feel distinct. I loved the addition of a love interest for Kiki (who would have thought!)
My only question is WHY hasn’t this series been made into a movie yet? The books are fabulous on their own, but they would make one fist-pumpingly good movie. Seriously with all the superhero flicks out there what’s stopping producers? It would be like Kick-Ass meets The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants only set in NEW YORK!
A good part of the book takes place in Paris, but author Kristen Miller does not abandon her beloved New York completely. NYC is just as much a character in the series as any of the girls, and I’m glad she found a way to include it yet again. The Darkness Dwellers refers to a secret society living in the catacombs of Paris. Throw in an upscale girl’s finishing school, some WWII intrigue, and two cases of mistaken identity and you have the recipe for a killer adventure.
For some reason I never think to categorize these books as fantasy, despite obvious made-up elements (a fake European kingdom complete with it’s own history & traditions or massive man-eating rats that live in a made-up city underneath NYC). Instead, I consider it a kick-ass mystery series featuring a troupe of almost super-hero like teenagers.
Picking a favourite Irregular is like picking a favourite Spice Girl: impossible, and I resent being asked to choose. Why can’t I like ALL of them equally? I love how vindictive but surprisingly sensitive Oona is, I love Ananka’s deadpan narration, and I love Iris the 12 year old side-kick who kidnaps delivery boys when she has crushes on them. But this book was an ode to Betty Bent, the kind-hearted master of disguise who until now, is often underestimated by the rest of the team. Betty could come across as sickeningly sweet, but Miller avoids this and instead she projects quiet confidence. I loved the image of her in a super-hero esque catsuit with killer boots when she descends into the catacombs of Paris. There were so many get up and cheer moments for Betty that I lost count and just continued to grin through the whole book.
Miller does a great job juggling not only a number of plot lines, but a large cast of characters. The Irregulars never feel interchangeable and even the supporting cast members feel distinct. I loved the addition of a love interest for Kiki (who would have thought!)
My only question is WHY hasn’t this series been made into a movie yet? The books are fabulous on their own, but they would make one fist-pumpingly good movie. Seriously with all the superhero flicks out there what’s stopping producers? It would be like Kick-Ass meets The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants only set in NEW YORK!
Want to read
February 12, 2011LOVE, LOVE the Kiki Strike Series! So glad that a 3rd book is coming out! I loved reading about super intelligent girls that not only have their wits about them, but are active, inquisitive, and get physical in their daily lives while stopping the bad guys in their tracks. Bring on the 3rd installment!
December 26, 2013
ONE MILLION STARS.
Seriously. Kiki Strike: The Darkness Dwellers makes me feel bad for people who don't read.
Formal, expansive, review full of praise-dumpage to come.
Seriously. Kiki Strike: The Darkness Dwellers makes me feel bad for people who don't read.
Formal, expansive, review full of praise-dumpage to come.
December 24, 2012
The Irregulars are back for a final mission. Kiki Strike is determined to state her claim on Pokrovia, and then ending the monarchy forever, all before her evil aunt and cousin can claim the throne for themselves, and who will stop at nothing to get Kiki out of the way. Meanwhile, the other Irregulars are dealing with another mystery of their own. One which involves proper manners and the catacombs of France.
Well. This was a bit of a disappointment. I loved the other Kiki Strike books. Loved. They were smart and sassy and well thought out and engaging and really just all-around awesome middle school reads. It's been so long (five years) since the last one came out, I'd despaired of there being any ending to the story. So I was all excited when I saw there was going to finally be another one. But this just felt like Kristen Miller said "All right! I'll write an ending to the Kiki Strike story if you'll all just leave me alone!" and then she banged it out to be done with it. The Darkness Dwellers was only OK. It dragged terribly in some places, and then completely skipped over the part that seems like it should have been the most important. There were all sorts of side plots going on that seemed unnecessary and then didn't really get resolved.
You'd think the main story would be Kiki traveling to Pokrovia and finding the proof that her evil aunt Livia murdered her parents and put her in jail once and for all. But it wasn't. We have Kiki getting kidnapped in Paris, and then drawn into a storyline with the Darkness Dwellers who protect the catacombs of France. This ties in with another plot going on in New York, where Amelia Beauregard, headmistress of the premier finishing school in New York, hires Betty to come with her to France for what turns out to be an absolutely ridiculous reason (seriously, Kristen Miller? You couldn't do better than that?) under the pretense of wanting her to be her secretary but actually needing her in the quest to clear her long-dead fiancee's name.
ALSO, Ananka has the total hots for Betty's boyfriend and is kind of trying to make him fall in love with her while Betty's in Paris. ALSO, Ananka's friend Molly comes back to New York to wage war against Madame Beauregard's finishing school. ALSO, Oona's twin sister is dinning and dashing all over China town, but everyone thinks it Oona and now she can't go anywhere.
Yeah, there's a lot of stuff going on. And Kiki discovering the evidence to prove her parent's murders? What it seemed like all the other books were leading too? Happened in about three sentences, off stage. We just hear that she's done it, and everything's worked out. Meanwhile we the readers have to muck through six different crossover plots, some like Oona's, end suddenly and unsatisfactorily, and some, like the Molly-Madame Beauregard show-down were completely anti-climactic.
Were things left hanging in some cases so the Kristen Miller would have the opportunity to write another Kiki Strike book if she wanted too? Maybe, although it doesn't seem like she's all that interested. But maybe.
The first two books are still awesome, and I highly recommended them. This was disappointing, but at least it's something to wrap things up, even if it wasn't a great wrap-up.
I will say I was glad that Betty got to have an active role. Betty was always clearly the most awesome. About time she got people to notice.
The Darkness Dwellers comes out January 22, 2013.
Well. This was a bit of a disappointment. I loved the other Kiki Strike books. Loved. They were smart and sassy and well thought out and engaging and really just all-around awesome middle school reads. It's been so long (five years) since the last one came out, I'd despaired of there being any ending to the story. So I was all excited when I saw there was going to finally be another one. But this just felt like Kristen Miller said "All right! I'll write an ending to the Kiki Strike story if you'll all just leave me alone!" and then she banged it out to be done with it. The Darkness Dwellers was only OK. It dragged terribly in some places, and then completely skipped over the part that seems like it should have been the most important. There were all sorts of side plots going on that seemed unnecessary and then didn't really get resolved.
You'd think the main story would be Kiki traveling to Pokrovia and finding the proof that her evil aunt Livia murdered her parents and put her in jail once and for all. But it wasn't. We have Kiki getting kidnapped in Paris, and then drawn into a storyline with the Darkness Dwellers who protect the catacombs of France. This ties in with another plot going on in New York, where Amelia Beauregard, headmistress of the premier finishing school in New York, hires Betty to come with her to France for what turns out to be an absolutely ridiculous reason (seriously, Kristen Miller? You couldn't do better than that?) under the pretense of wanting her to be her secretary but actually needing her in the quest to clear her long-dead fiancee's name.
ALSO, Ananka has the total hots for Betty's boyfriend and is kind of trying to make him fall in love with her while Betty's in Paris. ALSO, Ananka's friend Molly comes back to New York to wage war against Madame Beauregard's finishing school. ALSO, Oona's twin sister is dinning and dashing all over China town, but everyone thinks it Oona and now she can't go anywhere.
Yeah, there's a lot of stuff going on. And Kiki discovering the evidence to prove her parent's murders? What it seemed like all the other books were leading too? Happened in about three sentences, off stage. We just hear that she's done it, and everything's worked out. Meanwhile we the readers have to muck through six different crossover plots, some like Oona's, end suddenly and unsatisfactorily, and some, like the Molly-Madame Beauregard show-down were completely anti-climactic.
Were things left hanging in some cases so the Kristen Miller would have the opportunity to write another Kiki Strike book if she wanted too? Maybe, although it doesn't seem like she's all that interested. But maybe.
The first two books are still awesome, and I highly recommended them. This was disappointing, but at least it's something to wrap things up, even if it wasn't a great wrap-up.
I will say I was glad that Betty got to have an active role. Betty was always clearly the most awesome. About time she got people to notice.
The Darkness Dwellers comes out January 22, 2013.
December 3, 2012
In this third book in the Kiki Strike series, introduced in Inside the Shadow City (Bloomsbury, 2006), the Irregulars are now 15 years old. While Ananka Fishbein does the majority of the narration, Kiki Strike (aka Princess Katarina of Pokrovia) and Betty Bent play major roles. Kiki and Betty are off to Paris. Kiki has been kidnapped by her evil Aunt and cousin. Betty, armed with a special invention designed to secure Kiki’s release, tags along with the headmistress of an exclusive girl’s school that turns naughty girls into proper ladies. There, both girls discover a secret underground organization called the Darkness Dwellers, who live underneath the streets of Paris. Meanwhile, back in New York, the other Irregulars are busy cracking secret codes and tracking down the errant sister of Oona Wong. One need not have read the previous two books to immediately be drawn into this fun and exciting story.
May 31, 2018
From the preface: "There are plenty of impatient people in this world who will pick up a book and thumb past its preface. You should be proud you're not one of them. The point of a preface is to prepare you for the story you're about to read. And when it comes to the dark and dangerous tale that's written on these pages, you'll need all the preparation you can get."
I'll admit, I'm generally one of those people who skip the preface. But not this time. I was so, so, so, so excited for the release of the third book in the Kiki Strike series. I've been waiting so long, and I didn't manage to win an ARC from Kirsten Miller's blog. But it's here, finally. In the third (and final) book, Kiki has gone to claim the throne of Pokrovia, but she is waylaid in Paris, with Sidonia planning to pose as the real princess Katarina! If that's confusing to you, read the first two books. Betty must go to Paris to deliver something to Kiki. And Ananka must hold down the fort back in New York City. Oh, and Oona's evil twin Lili Liu is causing trouble by stealing, and everything thinks it's Oona who's been doing it! As if that wasn't enough, Ananka is also <5>stealing5> trying to avoid stealing Betty's boyfriend while she's in Paris.
As you can see, there's quite a lot going on in this book. Perhaps a bit too much. Still, intrigue abounds, making for a fairly good third book. The plot line that I didn't like was about Ananka and Kaspar. It didn't feel right, and I never got any sense in The Empress's Tomb that Ananka liked Kaspar more than any girl would like a cute guy. It made the book more YA-like, which is not necessarily a good thing.
However, I was very happy that Kirsten Miller kept the tips at the end of every other chapter or so. In The Darkness Dwellers, each page types if from "The Fishbein Guide to...", imitating the style of the finishing school, except that the tips are much more useful.
Some new characters are introduced in this one: Etienne and Marcel, two wannabe Darkness Dwellers in Paris, who discover Kiki and aid Kiki and Betty in their adventures. But what are those adventures? One of my criticisms of The Darkness Dwellers, is, in fact, that there's not much of a ddriving plot. Le Institut Beauregard wasn't that interesting to me, and neither was the back-story behind its headmistress. The Darkness Dwellers lacks some of that Kiki Strike aura that the first two do. It's still a good book, just less so. Somehow, it just didn't pull me in like the other two do. It was partly because Ananka was less featured, and when she was, she was acting kind of snotty. Also, we don't get to see much of Luz and Dee Dee. Part of the letdown was also that I let myself get way too excited over its release. I still enjoyed The Darkness Dwellers, but it wasn't nearly as good as Inside the Shadow City or The Empress's Tomb. It also has a new cover, which is pretty cool, but it's still disappointing that it doesn't match the first two. There are reissues of the new cover for the first two books.
www.novareviews.blogspot.com
I'll admit, I'm generally one of those people who skip the preface. But not this time. I was so, so, so, so excited for the release of the third book in the Kiki Strike series. I've been waiting so long, and I didn't manage to win an ARC from Kirsten Miller's blog. But it's here, finally. In the third (and final) book, Kiki has gone to claim the throne of Pokrovia, but she is waylaid in Paris, with Sidonia planning to pose as the real princess Katarina! If that's confusing to you, read the first two books. Betty must go to Paris to deliver something to Kiki. And Ananka must hold down the fort back in New York City. Oh, and Oona's evil twin Lili Liu is causing trouble by stealing, and everything thinks it's Oona who's been doing it! As if that wasn't enough, Ananka is also <5>stealing5> trying to avoid stealing Betty's boyfriend while she's in Paris.
As you can see, there's quite a lot going on in this book. Perhaps a bit too much. Still, intrigue abounds, making for a fairly good third book. The plot line that I didn't like was about Ananka and Kaspar. It didn't feel right, and I never got any sense in The Empress's Tomb that Ananka liked Kaspar more than any girl would like a cute guy. It made the book more YA-like, which is not necessarily a good thing.
However, I was very happy that Kirsten Miller kept the tips at the end of every other chapter or so. In The Darkness Dwellers, each page types if from "The Fishbein Guide to...", imitating the style of the finishing school, except that the tips are much more useful.
Some new characters are introduced in this one: Etienne and Marcel, two wannabe Darkness Dwellers in Paris, who discover Kiki and aid Kiki and Betty in their adventures. But what are those adventures? One of my criticisms of The Darkness Dwellers, is, in fact, that there's not much of a ddriving plot. Le Institut Beauregard wasn't that interesting to me, and neither was the back-story behind its headmistress. The Darkness Dwellers lacks some of that Kiki Strike aura that the first two do. It's still a good book, just less so. Somehow, it just didn't pull me in like the other two do. It was partly because Ananka was less featured, and when she was, she was acting kind of snotty. Also, we don't get to see much of Luz and Dee Dee. Part of the letdown was also that I let myself get way too excited over its release. I still enjoyed The Darkness Dwellers, but it wasn't nearly as good as Inside the Shadow City or The Empress's Tomb. It also has a new cover, which is pretty cool, but it's still disappointing that it doesn't match the first two. There are reissues of the new cover for the first two books.
www.novareviews.blogspot.com
January 22, 2013
I absolutely adore the Kiki Strike series. They're complex, intelligent stories featuring a cast of talented and ambitious young women. The books are framed as Ananka Fishbein's records of her adventures with Kiki Strike and the other Irregulars. Ananka has come a long way from the first book, but she's put in charge for the first time when Kiki goes to Paris alone. She struggles to maintain control of the Irregulars in addition to preventing her classmates from becoming etiquette zombies and her friend Oona's reputation from being smeared by her long lost evil twin.
Kirsten Miller keeps control of multiple plotlines spread across two countries that end up intersecting in quite unexpected ways. THE DARKNESS DWELLERS is a marvel of tight plotting and careful pacing. There's hardly a lull as she switches between storylines, yet it's surprisingly easy to keep track of what's going on. I do not, however, recommend THE DARKNESS DWELLERS to readers who haven't read the first two Kiki Strike books. There's a quick explanation of who everyone is and what they do, but you might not care as much about each girl's story if you aren't already invested in the character. There's too much plot here to waste too many pages on introductions.
I must also commend Miller for how she concludes Kiki's struggle to prove her aunt murdered her parents and that she is the rightful princess of Pokrovia. It's been the overarching plot of the series and it isn't given short shrift in THE DARKNESS DWELLERS despite everything else going on. And every time I thought Ananka was given the B story despite being the narrator, she'd do something rather important.
I also love that the Irregulars are all flawed despite their great talents. Ananka can be petty. Kiki isn't the most compassionate. Oona has a temper. But they find ways to overcome and get the job done. Betty even proves that what everyone assumes is her weakness can be a strength. (And let me tell you Betty fans, she has a great storyline in THE DARKNESS DWELLERS.)
Readers looking for books with action, puzzles, espionage, and teenage masterminds would do well giving Kiki Strike a try. All three books are just plain fun.
Kirsten Miller keeps control of multiple plotlines spread across two countries that end up intersecting in quite unexpected ways. THE DARKNESS DWELLERS is a marvel of tight plotting and careful pacing. There's hardly a lull as she switches between storylines, yet it's surprisingly easy to keep track of what's going on. I do not, however, recommend THE DARKNESS DWELLERS to readers who haven't read the first two Kiki Strike books. There's a quick explanation of who everyone is and what they do, but you might not care as much about each girl's story if you aren't already invested in the character. There's too much plot here to waste too many pages on introductions.
I must also commend Miller for how she concludes Kiki's struggle to prove her aunt murdered her parents and that she is the rightful princess of Pokrovia. It's been the overarching plot of the series and it isn't given short shrift in THE DARKNESS DWELLERS despite everything else going on. And every time I thought Ananka was given the B story despite being the narrator, she'd do something rather important.
I also love that the Irregulars are all flawed despite their great talents. Ananka can be petty. Kiki isn't the most compassionate. Oona has a temper. But they find ways to overcome and get the job done. Betty even proves that what everyone assumes is her weakness can be a strength. (And let me tell you Betty fans, she has a great storyline in THE DARKNESS DWELLERS.)
Readers looking for books with action, puzzles, espionage, and teenage masterminds would do well giving Kiki Strike a try. All three books are just plain fun.
December 25, 2025
klamra kompozycyjna dla mojego dzieciństwa
February 14, 2013
Kiki Strike is headed back to Pokrovia to claim her rightful place as Princess. There are a few complications on the way there though and she winds up kidnapped. Now it's up to the Irregulars to help her out. They will need a concoction that can cure female baldness and a way to get it there. Meanwhile it seems like some of the girls are too busy thinking about their love lives to take things as seriously as they should be. The group needs to get their heads right and stick together if they all plan on making it out of this situation as friends and still alive.
More Kiki Strike books are needed. It's a shame there are only three. These girls, though sometimes obnoxious, are very exciting. Kiki Strike is a phenomenal character and in this story we get to see that she is in fact a teen girl and not always a super hero. I also love her little footnotes in this story. Footnotes always make me love a book a little bit more.
Unfortunately we have to see Ananka being a failure at life again. She just isn't as loyal as the other irregulars. It seems like, while she is a great narrator she is a pretty crap friend. Even if she doesn't follow through with all her evil thoughts, the intentions are there.
The other thing that bugged me is the timeline. (Maybe it's just because I have an ARC, I'll have to check a finished copy and I will revise it if it is different.) Ananka mentions that she has been a member of the Irregulars for six years, but she's only fifteen. She became a member when she was twelve, so the math simply doesn't add up. I was excited when she mentioned that she'd been a member for six years, because that would mean the books were following real life's time passage(just about) since the first book came out in 2006. But...that doesn't seem to be the case, especially with the talk about the incidents in The Empress's Tomb happening a few months prior to this story.
I will neve not fall instantly for a boy named Etienne and I entirely blame Stephanie Perkins. It's a great name and just instantly brings to mind yummy parisans boys. ;)
If you are a Betty fan, this is the book for you. In this novel we get to see what other tricks the master of disguise has up her sleeve. And...it does not disappoint.
Definitely, definitely check out this series. If you haven't read the first two books, you don't even have to in order to dive right into this one. Ananka gives you a brief history on the adventures in the preface so you'll be able to jump right in. Of course, you'll probably want to read the other two first, because they are full of awesome espionage and such.
First Lines:
"There are plenty of impatient people in this world who will pick up a book and thumb past it's preface. You should be proud you're not one of them."
Favorite Line:
"'As usual, you smell like goat.'"
Read more: http://www.areadingnook.com/search?up...
More Kiki Strike books are needed. It's a shame there are only three. These girls, though sometimes obnoxious, are very exciting. Kiki Strike is a phenomenal character and in this story we get to see that she is in fact a teen girl and not always a super hero. I also love her little footnotes in this story. Footnotes always make me love a book a little bit more.
Unfortunately we have to see Ananka being a failure at life again. She just isn't as loyal as the other irregulars. It seems like, while she is a great narrator she is a pretty crap friend. Even if she doesn't follow through with all her evil thoughts, the intentions are there.
The other thing that bugged me is the timeline. (Maybe it's just because I have an ARC, I'll have to check a finished copy and I will revise it if it is different.) Ananka mentions that she has been a member of the Irregulars for six years, but she's only fifteen. She became a member when she was twelve, so the math simply doesn't add up. I was excited when she mentioned that she'd been a member for six years, because that would mean the books were following real life's time passage(just about) since the first book came out in 2006. But...that doesn't seem to be the case, especially with the talk about the incidents in The Empress's Tomb happening a few months prior to this story.
I will neve not fall instantly for a boy named Etienne and I entirely blame Stephanie Perkins. It's a great name and just instantly brings to mind yummy parisans boys. ;)
If you are a Betty fan, this is the book for you. In this novel we get to see what other tricks the master of disguise has up her sleeve. And...it does not disappoint.
Definitely, definitely check out this series. If you haven't read the first two books, you don't even have to in order to dive right into this one. Ananka gives you a brief history on the adventures in the preface so you'll be able to jump right in. Of course, you'll probably want to read the other two first, because they are full of awesome espionage and such.
First Lines:
"There are plenty of impatient people in this world who will pick up a book and thumb past it's preface. You should be proud you're not one of them."
Favorite Line:
"'As usual, you smell like goat.'"
Read more: http://www.areadingnook.com/search?up...
Read
January 24, 2013MY THOUGHTS
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT
Kiki is off to Pokrovia to track down her aunt for the crime of murdering her parents and finally put her in jail but in Kiki's world, nothing is ever easy. With the Irregulars backing her up, she takes off and ends up in Paris, where she is kidnapped. So there are about six,m or it seems, subplots going on while Kiki is stuck in Paris trying to get the proof to pin her parents' murder on her aunt and you can only hope that she succeeds. This is also where Kiki hooks up with the Darkness Dwellers who protect the Catacombs there.
The girls: Ananka, Betty and Oona are back in New York trying to help. Oona's long lost twin, Lili, is causing her grief by pretending to be her as well as racking up bills and stealing all over town. Betty gets the offer of a lifetime to be an assistant to the headmistress (Ms. Beuaregard), of a mysterious girls' school that promises to rehabilitate the rebellious. So Betty jumps on the chance and gets to travel to Paris where is forced to help Ms. Beuaregard clear her boyfriend's name. Ananka finds herself falling in love with Betty's boyfriend in the meantime. Oh and Molly, a former student of Ms. Beuaregard and friend of Ananka comes back to settle a score with the school. Whew!
The outcome of that will have you relieved and all of the threads are mostly sorted out and tied up which disappoints me since I have just realized that the series is possibly over. I so enjoy the girls and their growth over through these delightful books that I am going to miss them. I did force the first book on my book club and we gleefully read the second but were sad that it took soo long to get to the conclusion. I highly recommend this series to adults and young teens since they are so full of positive messages. They have just the right combination of adventure, thrills and a bit of romance.
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT
Kiki is off to Pokrovia to track down her aunt for the crime of murdering her parents and finally put her in jail but in Kiki's world, nothing is ever easy. With the Irregulars backing her up, she takes off and ends up in Paris, where she is kidnapped. So there are about six,m or it seems, subplots going on while Kiki is stuck in Paris trying to get the proof to pin her parents' murder on her aunt and you can only hope that she succeeds. This is also where Kiki hooks up with the Darkness Dwellers who protect the Catacombs there.
The girls: Ananka, Betty and Oona are back in New York trying to help. Oona's long lost twin, Lili, is causing her grief by pretending to be her as well as racking up bills and stealing all over town. Betty gets the offer of a lifetime to be an assistant to the headmistress (Ms. Beuaregard), of a mysterious girls' school that promises to rehabilitate the rebellious. So Betty jumps on the chance and gets to travel to Paris where is forced to help Ms. Beuaregard clear her boyfriend's name. Ananka finds herself falling in love with Betty's boyfriend in the meantime. Oh and Molly, a former student of Ms. Beuaregard and friend of Ananka comes back to settle a score with the school. Whew!
The outcome of that will have you relieved and all of the threads are mostly sorted out and tied up which disappoints me since I have just realized that the series is possibly over. I so enjoy the girls and their growth over through these delightful books that I am going to miss them. I did force the first book on my book club and we gleefully read the second but were sad that it took soo long to get to the conclusion. I highly recommend this series to adults and young teens since they are so full of positive messages. They have just the right combination of adventure, thrills and a bit of romance.
November 30, 2018
3.5 stars.
I definitely enjoyed reading this, but most of the Irregulars have been relegated to comic background characters (even Oona, the literal face of one of the main subplots) so Ananka and Kiki can continue to take center stage — the exception is Betty, who really comes into her own — and I really missed the group dynamic; it seemed like there were only a handful of scenes where Ananka is actually with the group, and half the time her mind is somewhere else. Leadership is hard, but I don’t think, objectively, she pulled it off quite as well as she implies.
Some of the “Fishbein’s Guide to...” sections are funny and practical, but some are just juvenile. That statement could really be applied to Ananka herself; she never seems to catch on to the inherent issue of panting after her friend’s boyfriend with the explicit hope of “stealing” him away, or to really recognize that other people have their own issues except when it inconveniences her with a self-imposed need to intervene.
There are only a handful of major plotlines, and yet at times I still felt like there were too many moving parts. Part of it might just be Ananka’s overwhelmedness coming through, but another part was that it was just messy — jumping around from focus to focus, switching between Ananka’s POV and Kiki’s (as told by Ananka, of course). The resolutions are too neat, as well as pretty abrupt, which was definitely disappointing.
I definitely enjoyed reading this, but most of the Irregulars have been relegated to comic background characters (even Oona, the literal face of one of the main subplots) so Ananka and Kiki can continue to take center stage — the exception is Betty, who really comes into her own — and I really missed the group dynamic; it seemed like there were only a handful of scenes where Ananka is actually with the group, and half the time her mind is somewhere else. Leadership is hard, but I don’t think, objectively, she pulled it off quite as well as she implies.
Some of the “Fishbein’s Guide to...” sections are funny and practical, but some are just juvenile. That statement could really be applied to Ananka herself; she never seems to catch on to the inherent issue of panting after her friend’s boyfriend with the explicit hope of “stealing” him away, or to really recognize that other people have their own issues except when it inconveniences her with a self-imposed need to intervene.
There are only a handful of major plotlines, and yet at times I still felt like there were too many moving parts. Part of it might just be Ananka’s overwhelmedness coming through, but another part was that it was just messy — jumping around from focus to focus, switching between Ananka’s POV and Kiki’s (as told by Ananka, of course). The resolutions are too neat, as well as pretty abrupt, which was definitely disappointing.
February 15, 2013
Anyone who likes Nancy Drew, or who is bored by Nancy Drew, or wishes Nancy Drew's friends George and Bess had a few more kick-butt skills like disguises, computer hacking, jujitsu or chemistry, or that Ned Nickerson was a bit of a graffiti artist with a social agenda, is going to love this series. All three books offer great mysteries solved by girls with serious skills, ties to royalty, crime bosses and the worlds largest private library.
This third book in the series wraps up the story that began with Shadow City quite nicely, thank you very much, but definitely leaves an opening for more. Can one go wrong with the Paris Catacombs, shady Manhattan neighborhoods, and private girl's schools?
This third book in the series wraps up the story that began with Shadow City quite nicely, thank you very much, but definitely leaves an opening for more. Can one go wrong with the Paris Catacombs, shady Manhattan neighborhoods, and private girl's schools?
February 8, 2013
I have been waiting for Kiki #3 to come out, and I am so glad that it did. Kiki Strike is AMAZING. I think I liked the first book better, then the second, and then this comes in 3rd place with 4 stars.
I feel like Ananka's usual..attitude wasn't captured, since she gets this out-of-the-blue crush on Kaspar. I just thought it was a little bit akward.
I absolutely loved the catacombs and Darkness Dwellers. While the others are helping Kiki, Betty is with Amelia, and finfing a cure for baldness, Ananka is solving a little msyerty of her own.
I feel like Ananka's usual..attitude wasn't captured, since she gets this out-of-the-blue crush on Kaspar. I just thought it was a little bit akward.
I absolutely loved the catacombs and Darkness Dwellers. While the others are helping Kiki, Betty is with Amelia, and finfing a cure for baldness, Ananka is solving a little msyerty of her own.
January 9, 2013
Starts off a bit slow and picks up speed. I ended out liking the character development and the occasional sage advice. The book is interspersed with Ananka's principles of etiquette (when you read it, it will make sense)which are surprisingly apropos.
There's a bit of romance, and of course more royal intrigue as Kiki's devil aunt continues to pursue the throne for her daughter- what a pair! Lili and Oona sustain their rivalry as only they can. Multiple family mysteries wrap up in a tour of the catacombs of Paris requiring heroism on all parts. The Irregulars triumph again.
There's a bit of romance, and of course more royal intrigue as Kiki's devil aunt continues to pursue the throne for her daughter- what a pair! Lili and Oona sustain their rivalry as only they can. Multiple family mysteries wrap up in a tour of the catacombs of Paris requiring heroism on all parts. The Irregulars triumph again.
February 25, 2013
I loved this book just as much as I loved the first two in the series. The band of amazing teens "The Irregulars" are globe trotting as they take down evil sisters, grave robbers and power hungry, throne grabbing, relatives. It's been a long time since we had a new Kiki Strike (and I don't like the reboot covers) but I fell right back into the story like an old friend. I hope that there is a fourth though that is not as certain as it was before...
Want to read
April 1, 2012Has this book been released or.... ?
I feel like I've been waiting since I was 12 for this to come out & I'm 16 now :/
What's going on with this series?
I feel like I've been waiting since I was 12 for this to come out & I'm 16 now :/
What's going on with this series?
Want to read
November 30, 2010I love the Kiki Strike series. I am so exciting for this book to come out.
February 14, 2013
I love the Irregulars!
Read
January 1, 2021Book is about a secret society played mostly in Paris.
March 5, 2022
[will review soon]
July 20, 2022
I DEVOURED this book. I'm not sure if I would've enjoyed this as much as I did if I were actually reading at the book's target age, but as an adult reading for nostalgia and vibes, I had a blast. The book accomplished everything it set out to do, with maximum camp. I think I was able to enjoy this so much because a lot of the references -- like the linguistic formatting, the locational references, the pop-culture ones (like "biker chick" or "PETA") -- I would've come to for the first time if I were reading as, like, a ten year old, and perhaps would've been confused, but now that I'm so much older, I have some context and can have a good chuckle at the ironic language. It's an adults-writing-for-kids phenomenon, I guess.
Also, on the nostalgia factor. Books where badass girls band together to solve some issue (this, W.I.T.C.H., Beacon Street Girls, among others I'm forgetting) -- they had to have been a trend in middle grade lit back then, but they shaped much of my childhood. I always wanted to be a part of a crew like that and much of my imagination was consumed with inventing situations where a group of teenage girls would be necessary to solve some humanitarian issue. To me the world was a lot simpler back then. It's always a good feeling to revisit.
Also, on the nostalgia factor. Books where badass girls band together to solve some issue (this, W.I.T.C.H., Beacon Street Girls, among others I'm forgetting) -- they had to have been a trend in middle grade lit back then, but they shaped much of my childhood. I always wanted to be a part of a crew like that and much of my imagination was consumed with inventing situations where a group of teenage girls would be necessary to solve some humanitarian issue. To me the world was a lot simpler back then. It's always a good feeling to revisit.
August 17, 2019
Real rating: 3.5 stars
It hurts me that each book I've rated lower and lower. Overall, still an enjoyable romp, but there were just pieces that rubbed me the wrong way. Every girl gets paired up with a boy (except Oona and Deedee but still, how are none of them gay for each other), there is an unnecessary love triangle (but it's at least handled humorously), and while this, like the other Kiki Strike books, has 6 different plot lines that connect together, they felt more half-assed? Like we skimmed Ananka's feelings on a lot, I wanted more of Betty's perspective on things, the rest of the Irregulars were kid of pushed to the side.
Also can we talk about the whole "the love interest of Character A is just them as a different sex" trope that is employed not once but twice in this book? Like... why is it a thing?
I still love the series and I can't really complain over this surprise book I never in a thousand years expected to get, there was just a lot tackled in this book when what it was really missing was some lesbians.
It hurts me that each book I've rated lower and lower. Overall, still an enjoyable romp, but there were just pieces that rubbed me the wrong way. Every girl gets paired up with a boy (except Oona and Deedee but still, how are none of them gay for each other), there is an unnecessary love triangle (but it's at least handled humorously), and while this, like the other Kiki Strike books, has 6 different plot lines that connect together, they felt more half-assed? Like we skimmed Ananka's feelings on a lot, I wanted more of Betty's perspective on things, the rest of the Irregulars were kid of pushed to the side.
Also can we talk about the whole "the love interest of Character A is just them as a different sex" trope that is employed not once but twice in this book? Like... why is it a thing?
I still love the series and I can't really complain over this surprise book I never in a thousand years expected to get, there was just a lot tackled in this book when what it was really missing was some lesbians.
August 8, 2025
My least favorite of the Kiki Strike series but still a fun run!
This one was a bit of a disappointment, I didn’t finish the series when I was younger and revisited with this being the only book I hadn’t read. This volume splits the Irregulars up between the Shadow City in NYC and the Catacombs in Paris and that’s I think what made it so weak to me. I love the group dynamic of the first two and it’s kind of lost in this one with Luz and DeeDee getting pushed off to the side, Betty coming to the forefront, Molly Donovan becoming a much more important character and the addition of a couple young men. The strange crush storyline with Ananka is out of place and concluded sloppily. I could have been omitted and the story wouldn’t have changed much.
This just left me wanting more though. I wanted more of the Shadow City and more of the fantastic group of girls the author wrote! I’m happy to have finally ended this one out and will be returning to the series when I need another comfort read in the future.
This one was a bit of a disappointment, I didn’t finish the series when I was younger and revisited with this being the only book I hadn’t read. This volume splits the Irregulars up between the Shadow City in NYC and the Catacombs in Paris and that’s I think what made it so weak to me. I love the group dynamic of the first two and it’s kind of lost in this one with Luz and DeeDee getting pushed off to the side, Betty coming to the forefront, Molly Donovan becoming a much more important character and the addition of a couple young men. The strange crush storyline with Ananka is out of place and concluded sloppily. I could have been omitted and the story wouldn’t have changed much.
This just left me wanting more though. I wanted more of the Shadow City and more of the fantastic group of girls the author wrote! I’m happy to have finally ended this one out and will be returning to the series when I need another comfort read in the future.
September 2, 2025
This wasn’t my favorite book of the series (though nothing can beat the charm of the first two books and their whimsical adventures); at times I found the pacing to be strange and some character plot points to be unfulfilling.
Beyond all this though, was a story that is about what it means to remain kind, even in the face of hardship and cruelty, and importance of sticking to who you are and what you believe in.
What a wonderful way to wrap up a trilogy that literally changed my life as a kid.🥺
Beyond all this though, was a story that is about what it means to remain kind, even in the face of hardship and cruelty, and importance of sticking to who you are and what you believe in.
What a wonderful way to wrap up a trilogy that literally changed my life as a kid.🥺
January 20, 2018
Fun conclusion (?) to the stories of the Irregulars 😁
March 21, 2023
LOVE
All these girls were such amazing characters and role models for me as a kid. It's always nice to see literature aimed at little girls that doesn't center male characters as motives.
All these girls were such amazing characters and role models for me as a kid. It's always nice to see literature aimed at little girls that doesn't center male characters as motives.
August 2, 2024
Such a fun and entertaining YA trilogy of the Irregulars of NYC. And this from a 71 year-old reader!!
February 4, 2025
I wish I had found these books when I was a teenager. This series is the qualifies as the perfect manual for how to be a girl. Love the characters, their bonding and growth, the plotline everything.
July 26, 2020
There are a lot of things wrong with this book. Mostly it seems like the author has finally forgotten what it's like to be young and is just trying to wrap up this series so she can move on. Pretty tragic considering how good the first two books were.
1. It's a lot more moralistic and patronizing than the other books in the series. The advice section in particular has decreased in quality and now sounds like an adult desperately trying to give advice to teens in a "relatable" tone. The worst offender has to be: "How many successful spies, detectives, or adventures are rude? Very few. (In fact, I can't think of a single one.)" Is the author forgetting Oona and Luz? In the introduction Luz is literally described as having a "challenging personality"
2. The horrible love triangle jealously plotline.
3. The author seemingly forgetting that Molly's parents were nutcases who allowed cameras to be put in her bedroom. Indeed she seems to have forgotten everything about Molly's parents from the last book, and about Molly for that matter.
4. Too many plotlines crammed into one book. I read an interview where the author mentioned she'd like to have a book for each Irregular, which is probably why she had so many loose threads to tie up in this book.
5. The Shadow City was almost entirely absent.
6. Ananka is far less mature than she was in either of the previous books. And not just because of the romance plotline. And don't even get me started on pairing her off with some random history nerd in the last few pages.
7. The characters were all separated off on their own quests and rarely interacted.
8. A homicidal 17 year old isn't considered responsible for her actions because she's a "child"..
9. So much of the plot relies on coincidence. Characters just coincidentally stumble across the main plot. And it's not like there's a ghost to explain it this time.
10. The usually reasonable principal of Ananka's school allows countless girls to be brainwashed (some to the point of self-harm) because she feels bad for the woman who does the brainwashing.
11. While said woman is a sympathetic villain, she never even has to atone for her crimes. She's broken so many young women's spirits and also gets off scot free. A tragic backstory does not justify future harmful actions. Regardless of her intentions, she caused a great deal of evil.
12. The whole "Marcel was mistakenly labeled as a traitor" bit. Just cause he's a traitor who did end up atoning to achieve redemption doesn't mean the label was mistaken. That he repeatedly betrayed Etienne and the Darkness Dwellers is a fact.
13. Luz and DeeDee get severely sidelined.
14. Too many antagonists, just way too many. You've got Kiki's evil relatives, the bone snatchers, the woman who brainwashes people, the Paris catacomb police, Oona's sister (who also got away with her B.S.), the drug company lady and the doctor who shared patient info with her (and got away with it).
1. It's a lot more moralistic and patronizing than the other books in the series. The advice section in particular has decreased in quality and now sounds like an adult desperately trying to give advice to teens in a "relatable" tone. The worst offender has to be: "How many successful spies, detectives, or adventures are rude? Very few. (In fact, I can't think of a single one.)" Is the author forgetting Oona and Luz? In the introduction Luz is literally described as having a "challenging personality"
2. The horrible love triangle jealously plotline.
3. The author seemingly forgetting that Molly's parents were nutcases who allowed cameras to be put in her bedroom. Indeed she seems to have forgotten everything about Molly's parents from the last book, and about Molly for that matter.
4. Too many plotlines crammed into one book. I read an interview where the author mentioned she'd like to have a book for each Irregular, which is probably why she had so many loose threads to tie up in this book.
5. The Shadow City was almost entirely absent.
6. Ananka is far less mature than she was in either of the previous books. And not just because of the romance plotline. And don't even get me started on pairing her off with some random history nerd in the last few pages.
7. The characters were all separated off on their own quests and rarely interacted.
8. A homicidal 17 year old isn't considered responsible for her actions because she's a "child"..
9. So much of the plot relies on coincidence. Characters just coincidentally stumble across the main plot. And it's not like there's a ghost to explain it this time.
10. The usually reasonable principal of Ananka's school allows countless girls to be brainwashed (some to the point of self-harm) because she feels bad for the woman who does the brainwashing.
11. While said woman is a sympathetic villain, she never even has to atone for her crimes. She's broken so many young women's spirits and also gets off scot free. A tragic backstory does not justify future harmful actions. Regardless of her intentions, she caused a great deal of evil.
12. The whole "Marcel was mistakenly labeled as a traitor" bit. Just cause he's a traitor who did end up atoning to achieve redemption doesn't mean the label was mistaken. That he repeatedly betrayed Etienne and the Darkness Dwellers is a fact.
13. Luz and DeeDee get severely sidelined.
14. Too many antagonists, just way too many. You've got Kiki's evil relatives, the bone snatchers, the woman who brainwashes people, the Paris catacomb police, Oona's sister (who also got away with her B.S.), the drug company lady and the doctor who shared patient info with her (and got away with it).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 22, 2014
A common writing sort of thing is the issue of plot vs. character, and the issue of which is more important. Even a messy, sloppy plot can be saved by several poignant, amazing characters, but a brilliant plot might be let done by it's cardboard cast. However, while I CAN tell you that this book had great characters and a decent, if somewhat dragging, plot, the decisions the characters make, along with the romance subplot, make this book less realistic compared to it's two wonderful companions.
What really bugged me was that Ananka just fell in love with Kaspar-BOOM, in literally two pages. It disturbed me because there was no foreshadowing AT ALL. In the previous book, Ananka barely even likes Kaspar. In fact, she only starts liking him once she sees how cute he is, which makes me seriously disappointed in the character. Up until that point, Ananka had been a strong character, which I admire a lot. But falling in love-in such a silly, head-over-heels way? I'm no stranger to feeling giddy because of love. However, threatening small, vulnerable children (Iris) when others seem to catch wind of your obvious crush is way over the limit.
Going along with my "romance subplot fail" theme was Kiki's crush on Etienne or however you spell his name. The thing is, Kiki only knew him for a few days and then she trusted him. I'm sorry, but she known Ananka for, like, two years, and she's still very mysterious and doesn't tell her much. Ananka and co. didn't know she was a princess until they were fourteen. When she went to go take a shower and left Etienne in charge, I literally groaned out loud. Kiki would never do that! She's the most suspicious character in the whole series. More likely, she would forbid him from helping and get Sidonia herself.
There were other, smaller decisions or things that just didn't smell right. The unlikely debut of Betty Bent for one-I like Betty, but Kiki and the other Irregulars were correct, Betty had very little experience of hand-to-hand combat. Maybe if Marcel helped her more it would have been more believable.
The plot was great! And that's the only reason why the book is getting four stars from me. Honestly, if it hadn't been a series, and if it wasn't spring break right now, I'd probably just put it down the instant the characters started acting so unlike themselves. But it was worth it to find out what happened to all the characters. Oh, and BTW, the website is fabulous.
Now, don't get me wrong. I am a HUGE fan of the series! I just wish the characters acted a little more like themselves. I get that love sometimes changes people's POV's-I don't get how people could fall in love so shallowly.
Maybe I'm being too uptight. I did like the book, just not as much as the others.
What really bugged me was that Ananka just fell in love with Kaspar-BOOM, in literally two pages. It disturbed me because there was no foreshadowing AT ALL. In the previous book, Ananka barely even likes Kaspar. In fact, she only starts liking him once she sees how cute he is, which makes me seriously disappointed in the character. Up until that point, Ananka had been a strong character, which I admire a lot. But falling in love-in such a silly, head-over-heels way? I'm no stranger to feeling giddy because of love. However, threatening small, vulnerable children (Iris) when others seem to catch wind of your obvious crush is way over the limit.
Going along with my "romance subplot fail" theme was Kiki's crush on Etienne or however you spell his name. The thing is, Kiki only knew him for a few days and then she trusted him. I'm sorry, but she known Ananka for, like, two years, and she's still very mysterious and doesn't tell her much. Ananka and co. didn't know she was a princess until they were fourteen. When she went to go take a shower and left Etienne in charge, I literally groaned out loud. Kiki would never do that! She's the most suspicious character in the whole series. More likely, she would forbid him from helping and get Sidonia herself.
There were other, smaller decisions or things that just didn't smell right. The unlikely debut of Betty Bent for one-I like Betty, but Kiki and the other Irregulars were correct, Betty had very little experience of hand-to-hand combat. Maybe if Marcel helped her more it would have been more believable.
The plot was great! And that's the only reason why the book is getting four stars from me. Honestly, if it hadn't been a series, and if it wasn't spring break right now, I'd probably just put it down the instant the characters started acting so unlike themselves. But it was worth it to find out what happened to all the characters. Oh, and BTW, the website is fabulous.
Now, don't get me wrong. I am a HUGE fan of the series! I just wish the characters acted a little more like themselves. I get that love sometimes changes people's POV's-I don't get how people could fall in love so shallowly.
Maybe I'm being too uptight. I did like the book, just not as much as the others.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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