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Delores Mackenzie #2
The Haunted Life of Delores Mackenzie
Paranormal students Delores and Prudence are being hounded by inquisitors after they broke the rules and helped rescue fellow student Maud from death at the hands of an evil spirit.
Cruel inquisitor Magoria Jepp is searching for secrets at their home in Edinburgh's Tol Booth Bookstore, but does she have an uncanny history of her own to hide? As Delores tries save them both, she attracts the unwelcome attention of a murderous Boçain, or evil spirit, intent on stealing her paranormal gifts. Can she defeat her enemies, and maybe her own family too, to save everyone she loves at the Tol Booth?
Cruel inquisitor Magoria Jepp is searching for secrets at their home in Edinburgh's Tol Booth Bookstore, but does she have an uncanny history of her own to hide? As Delores tries save them both, she attracts the unwelcome attention of a murderous Boçain, or evil spirit, intent on stealing her paranormal gifts. Can she defeat her enemies, and maybe her own family too, to save everyone she loves at the Tol Booth?
- GenresMiddle Grade
219 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 12, 2024
3 people are currently reading
40 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 12, 2024
I enjoyed the first book in this series a lot and was eager to pick up the next one. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy this one as much, with many of the great features in book one diluted or written out in this book. The way the book starts was very confusing, and initially made me think that I had missed a book. There is very little preamble to the current situation, with Delores and Prudence returning home from a time away with Prudence's mother to find that the inquisitor they were hiding from still present. While some details are given about their time away, it is mostly just vague comments about doing things they didn't like.
In the first book there was a wealth of wonderful characters, and while new ones are introduced to fill some of the void, it felt very odd for a whole new cast and new settings in the second book. It all felt a bit rushed, and up in the air, whereas book one felt comfortable.
In book one it seemed certain that there were three main characters; Delores, Prudence and Gabriel. Yet in this one it felt like it was the Delores and Prudence show, despite the cover clearly showing all three. I'm not sure if the author isn't sure what direction she's taking the series in, or if this is the case of an editor or publisher making suggestions.
As a disabled reader with low vision, I was not particularly impressed that the reason for writing out the male main character was that his eyesight had deteriorated to the point that he didn't feel safe leaving the building. Not only are there accessible options available, the character has magic at their disposal. The deterioration of his vision was known to him and the adults caring for him, and while one of them was unavailable, the doctor played a large role in this book.
I found the whole situation to be badly handled, especially as this is a young adult book. It worries me what young readers will take from this. As someone who started wearing glasses at age seven, reading something like this as a teenager would have left me with some very dark thoughts.
Likewise, the introduction of a new power 'beguiling', made me unseasy as a queer reader. It felt very much like a suitable excuse for why two teenage girls are mesmerised by the female doctor. Nothing specific is mentioned in either book regarding their sexuality, and the way they act around the character could be read as a teenager's looking up to an authority figure or as inflatuation. What bothers me is that whatever it is has now been labelled as false, as something caused by magic. It very much felt like a quick fix in case any conservative parents read the book and complain about it.
The issues with representation aside, the book came together at the end and quite literally the last page of the book was amazing. It ends on a powerful note that not only echoed the feelings of the first book, but surpassed it.
In the first book there was a wealth of wonderful characters, and while new ones are introduced to fill some of the void, it felt very odd for a whole new cast and new settings in the second book. It all felt a bit rushed, and up in the air, whereas book one felt comfortable.
In book one it seemed certain that there were three main characters; Delores, Prudence and Gabriel. Yet in this one it felt like it was the Delores and Prudence show, despite the cover clearly showing all three. I'm not sure if the author isn't sure what direction she's taking the series in, or if this is the case of an editor or publisher making suggestions.
As a disabled reader with low vision, I was not particularly impressed that the reason for writing out the male main character was that his eyesight had deteriorated to the point that he didn't feel safe leaving the building. Not only are there accessible options available, the character has magic at their disposal. The deterioration of his vision was known to him and the adults caring for him, and while one of them was unavailable, the doctor played a large role in this book.
I found the whole situation to be badly handled, especially as this is a young adult book. It worries me what young readers will take from this. As someone who started wearing glasses at age seven, reading something like this as a teenager would have left me with some very dark thoughts.
Likewise, the introduction of a new power 'beguiling', made me unseasy as a queer reader. It felt very much like a suitable excuse for why two teenage girls are mesmerised by the female doctor. Nothing specific is mentioned in either book regarding their sexuality, and the way they act around the character could be read as a teenager's looking up to an authority figure or as inflatuation. What bothers me is that whatever it is has now been labelled as false, as something caused by magic. It very much felt like a quick fix in case any conservative parents read the book and complain about it.
The issues with representation aside, the book came together at the end and quite literally the last page of the book was amazing. It ends on a powerful note that not only echoed the feelings of the first book, but surpassed it.
November 1, 2024
SOMETHING has happened, and it's stirred up the paranormal world, as things involving dead people might tend to do. So when our two girls come back to Edinburgh from exile, or refuge, or somewhere, they find the bloke that ought to help them in an almost comatose state, and an Inquisitor there trying to get their secrets out. Luckily for this first sequel, I didn't find myself as unresponsive as the old chap – I knew nothing about the Book One's even existence, let alone the relationships and world here, but it was pretty easily brought to life. It seems I missed a bus-load of needless bickering between the girls, which is only a good thing, and was soon able to get on with this actual narrative with the barest minimum of backstory.
The issues with it are, however, possibly compounded by lack of knowledge of what led to this. The Inquisitor is a bad thing, the coma is a bad thing, and the girls will need help to fully know why, and turn every bad into a good. But here at least we just don't know why. This is a low fantasy, ie set in our Edinburgh, but it suffers from what I was forced to call "Hellboy 2 Syndrome", where the entire undead, underworld, paranormal universe can be about to be self-destructing, or just plain destructing, and we mundies just don't need to care about it, for we never see how it affects us.
So, this is a fantasy featuring two strong girls – who, yes, do bicker far too much for anyone's own good, especially ours – in a very dark spot, involving seeing dead people and facing some eldritch authority they'd rather not be. And whether it's for lack of an earlier read or just the way the series wants to motor on without showing why this matters, we're not told enough to ever feel enough of their jeopardy. I guess that is to make this inconsequential, then, for we are grasping at straws knowing how bad the outcome could be – but I can see why this would have appeal for returning readers. It's brisk, clear, and a rich fantasy world. But as far as having our own horse in the race, this is a no-starter.
A two-star rating is from the newbie point of view – I am sure the returnee would rate this more highly. But not that much if this were looked at closely enough.
The issues with it are, however, possibly compounded by lack of knowledge of what led to this. The Inquisitor is a bad thing, the coma is a bad thing, and the girls will need help to fully know why, and turn every bad into a good. But here at least we just don't know why. This is a low fantasy, ie set in our Edinburgh, but it suffers from what I was forced to call "Hellboy 2 Syndrome", where the entire undead, underworld, paranormal universe can be about to be self-destructing, or just plain destructing, and we mundies just don't need to care about it, for we never see how it affects us.
So, this is a fantasy featuring two strong girls – who, yes, do bicker far too much for anyone's own good, especially ours – in a very dark spot, involving seeing dead people and facing some eldritch authority they'd rather not be. And whether it's for lack of an earlier read or just the way the series wants to motor on without showing why this matters, we're not told enough to ever feel enough of their jeopardy. I guess that is to make this inconsequential, then, for we are grasping at straws knowing how bad the outcome could be – but I can see why this would have appeal for returning readers. It's brisk, clear, and a rich fantasy world. But as far as having our own horse in the race, this is a no-starter.
A two-star rating is from the newbie point of view – I am sure the returnee would rate this more highly. But not that much if this were looked at closely enough.
August 14, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and Firefly for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.
I may be a good two decades older than the recommended age range for this series but I don't care. I absolutely loved the first one, it was so original, so witty, and just had some brilliant characters and brilliant storytelling.
It's quick and easy to read at 288 pages; I read it in less than a day, and I think most people, especially children, will be able to read it just as quickly as it just flies by. It is a really fun book to read, for all ages.
This is a series I definitely recommend you read from the start, otherwise you may be lost by all the characters and the things mentioned that hark back to book one. It gives you all that was magical from the first book and builds on it. The sequel has given Yvonne more scope to develop everything we loved about the first one. She has further explored the characters, introduced new ones, and given us everything we expect, and most certainly does not dial down on the magic.
I did feel it lacked a little of the excitement the first one had from the get-go. That's not necessarily a negative, just an observation. Whereas I felt the first one had more get-go from the get-go, this one is more conversation, more secrets etc. which is good in its own way.
I definitely think they've got the age rating spot on - I think any younger and it might scare readers. I will definitely be recommending this series to the children in my family, but also to older children and adults. They're great fun, full of mischief and magic, fantasy and adventure, but there is a warm heart about everything that makes it captivating for older readers.
It does exactly what I wanted it to do, which is sew the seeds for a third book, and I for one am hoping this will be a long series, a I can't see myself ever getting bored of them. Yvonne has created something that is entertaining and appropriate for younger readers, but gives adults an excuse to relive their magical childhoods.
I may be a good two decades older than the recommended age range for this series but I don't care. I absolutely loved the first one, it was so original, so witty, and just had some brilliant characters and brilliant storytelling.
It's quick and easy to read at 288 pages; I read it in less than a day, and I think most people, especially children, will be able to read it just as quickly as it just flies by. It is a really fun book to read, for all ages.
This is a series I definitely recommend you read from the start, otherwise you may be lost by all the characters and the things mentioned that hark back to book one. It gives you all that was magical from the first book and builds on it. The sequel has given Yvonne more scope to develop everything we loved about the first one. She has further explored the characters, introduced new ones, and given us everything we expect, and most certainly does not dial down on the magic.
I did feel it lacked a little of the excitement the first one had from the get-go. That's not necessarily a negative, just an observation. Whereas I felt the first one had more get-go from the get-go, this one is more conversation, more secrets etc. which is good in its own way.
I definitely think they've got the age rating spot on - I think any younger and it might scare readers. I will definitely be recommending this series to the children in my family, but also to older children and adults. They're great fun, full of mischief and magic, fantasy and adventure, but there is a warm heart about everything that makes it captivating for older readers.
It does exactly what I wanted it to do, which is sew the seeds for a third book, and I for one am hoping this will be a long series, a I can't see myself ever getting bored of them. Yvonne has created something that is entertaining and appropriate for younger readers, but gives adults an excuse to relive their magical childhoods.
August 23, 2024
I absolutely love the first book in the series and must have bought around 10 copies in total up till now, with 9 of those as presents for my students. I agree with the others that this one may be difficult to follow if you have not read the first one. It also has a slightly slower start than the first one but it is still an intriguing fast paced read once you have got past the first chapter or so.
November 7, 2025
Grateful to the author and publishers for the chance to read and review. An eerie magical tale, cleverly imagined and with just enough darkness to keep the reader intrigued. Great as a YA fantasy read.
September 6, 2024
A great read! Nicely dark without being too scary for its target audience, and the world is really rich and vivid. Hoping that we see a third book...
November 17, 2024
Fun follow up to the first book sees Delores and Prudence face spooky and difficult challenges in Edinburgh.
January 4, 2025
This a superb and atmospheric sequel to Yvonne Banham’s debut with lots of adventure, magic and dark fantasy. Dolores and Prudence are wonderful characters and the Edinburgh setting is perfect. I’m hoping there will be a third book in this series. Another fast-paced gothic page-turner with lots of heart and imagination.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews