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Eldritch Manor #2
Shadow Wrack: The Eldritch Manor Series
After defeating the forces of evil in Eldritch Manor, Willa must rebuild the manor — and her family.
Can Willa rally her supernatural friends to defeat an invasion from beyond?
After battling and defeating the forces of darkness, Willa is looking forward to a little well-earned peace and quiet. Unfortunately, her recent adventures have given birth to new problems, not the least of which is the task of rebuilding Eldritch Manor, a retirement home for supernatural beings, from the ground up. And no one is behaving themselves: Mab’s fairies have declared war on the dwarf construction crew, Willa’s Mom and Belle are feuding, Baz is running amok, Horace is living in the woods, the phoenix squawks all night long, and there’s never a dragon around when you need one. To be perfectly honest, Willa is starting to think the forces of darkness were easier to handle than her family and friends — until those forces start to rise again!
Trouble is definitely brewing, and the source lies very close to home, Who can Willa trust? Who will betray them? Who will open the door for the darkness to enter?
Can Willa rally her supernatural friends to defeat an invasion from beyond?
After battling and defeating the forces of darkness, Willa is looking forward to a little well-earned peace and quiet. Unfortunately, her recent adventures have given birth to new problems, not the least of which is the task of rebuilding Eldritch Manor, a retirement home for supernatural beings, from the ground up. And no one is behaving themselves: Mab’s fairies have declared war on the dwarf construction crew, Willa’s Mom and Belle are feuding, Baz is running amok, Horace is living in the woods, the phoenix squawks all night long, and there’s never a dragon around when you need one. To be perfectly honest, Willa is starting to think the forces of darkness were easier to handle than her family and friends — until those forces start to rise again!
Trouble is definitely brewing, and the source lies very close to home, Who can Willa trust? Who will betray them? Who will open the door for the darkness to enter?
168 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2016
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December 25, 2015Copy provided by NetGalley
Shadow Wrack is the second book about Eldritch Manor, a retirement home for very odd beings, whose housekeeper is a twelve-year-old girl named Willa.
I think new readers could pick up the storyline in this children's fantasy, but I suspect that it will appeal most to fans of the first book, and kids who like whimsy. There is an Alice in Wonderland feel to this tale as Willa, the only normal kid in the story, who (briefly once, at the 2/3rd mark) hopes she will get to be a normal kid and enjoy normal things.
The key word here is "enjoy"--like Alice, she is an anxious bundle of nerves as she deals with one weird critter or idiosyncratic, demanding adult, after another, with a dash of horror thrown in. The mixture of mythologies and the odd actions of the few adults again evoke Alice. If the reader of whatever age enjoys a kid thrown into extraordinary circumstances among extraordinary beings, this book should appeal.
If, however, the reader likes a mix of ordinary people (kids or adults) in extraordinary circumstances, or extraordinary characters in ordinary circumstances, then this book might be a bit hard going as it takes a long time to meet anyone likably, or who makes sense. Well, it's whimsy!
Shadow Wrack is the second book about Eldritch Manor, a retirement home for very odd beings, whose housekeeper is a twelve-year-old girl named Willa.
I think new readers could pick up the storyline in this children's fantasy, but I suspect that it will appeal most to fans of the first book, and kids who like whimsy. There is an Alice in Wonderland feel to this tale as Willa, the only normal kid in the story, who (briefly once, at the 2/3rd mark) hopes she will get to be a normal kid and enjoy normal things.
The key word here is "enjoy"--like Alice, she is an anxious bundle of nerves as she deals with one weird critter or idiosyncratic, demanding adult, after another, with a dash of horror thrown in. The mixture of mythologies and the odd actions of the few adults again evoke Alice. If the reader of whatever age enjoys a kid thrown into extraordinary circumstances among extraordinary beings, this book should appeal.
If, however, the reader likes a mix of ordinary people (kids or adults) in extraordinary circumstances, or extraordinary characters in ordinary circumstances, then this book might be a bit hard going as it takes a long time to meet anyone likably, or who makes sense. Well, it's whimsy!
abandoned
August 1, 2017I wasn't sure what to make of this one for quite a while. It's a sequel – the middle book of a trilogy, actually – and I didn't read the first one (I keep telling myself to check these things before I request a book on Netgalley, and I keep ignoring myself), but I don't think that was why I struggled to like this; it made what needed to be clear adequately clear without dwelling too much on what happened before. I have no problems with the storytelling in that department.
It's a fun idea: a young girl (twelve, I believe) finds herself in a position where she has to help a group of supernatural senior citizens, keeping the centaur hidden and so on, and keeping the fairies from starting a full-scale war with the dwarves who come to rebuild the home that burned down in the first book. I liked parts of that – Willa's calm and reasonable handling of a few situations was perfect for a tween book.
My … "discomfort" is too strong a word; it was more a sort of sad sigh … comes from the fact that Willa's intervention was so badly required. I don't know whether all of these beings are so fractious and childish because they're non-human fae-type persons, or whether it's because they're elderly – but it had better not be the latter, because – well, way to inculcate a fear of getting old in a kid. Their behavior is extremely erratic, and – "Stop! Stop! You’re acting like a bunch of kids! ..." Yes. Quite. Maybe this is why so many children's and young adult novels focus on situations where there are few or no adults: the young main characters have the opportunity to take responsibility and make decisions without grownups having to be depicted as idiots.
Of course another problem is that I just didn't like Willa. When a child – or any character – makes a major mistake in a story, I should be predisposed to be sympathetic with the impulse that caused it, and with her suffering through the results. Willa makes a huge misstep in the course of this story, and it just made me want to slap her.
It was the bit I quoted from above that made me shut the book and let my finger hover over "Delete" for a second; it was just so … much. I get tired when there's any group of people behaving as stupidly as some of these characters were behaving; if it's meant for comedy, then it completely misses my sense of humor, and if it's because it's a book intended for young readers then … in my opinion it's a terrible idea.
It was two simple words which pushed me to finally quit at about 70%. One was the "super" in "Willa found she was super-hungry". There are two speech tics which are more and more common in the recent past which I loathe – constant use of "like" and the use of "super" as a qualifier. Fingernails on a blackboard. I kept going because that's just me, just my personal button being pushed. What finally acted as the Last Straw to make me raise both eyebrows, close the book, and finally hit delete was -
“Jesus!” he exclaimed.
I guess this isn't considered swearing anymore? And blasphemy is just fine for a book aimed at tweens? How strange. I was surprised at how much this offended and disgusted me.
The usual disclaimer: I received this book via Netgalley for review.
It's a fun idea: a young girl (twelve, I believe) finds herself in a position where she has to help a group of supernatural senior citizens, keeping the centaur hidden and so on, and keeping the fairies from starting a full-scale war with the dwarves who come to rebuild the home that burned down in the first book. I liked parts of that – Willa's calm and reasonable handling of a few situations was perfect for a tween book.
My … "discomfort" is too strong a word; it was more a sort of sad sigh … comes from the fact that Willa's intervention was so badly required. I don't know whether all of these beings are so fractious and childish because they're non-human fae-type persons, or whether it's because they're elderly – but it had better not be the latter, because – well, way to inculcate a fear of getting old in a kid. Their behavior is extremely erratic, and – "Stop! Stop! You’re acting like a bunch of kids! ..." Yes. Quite. Maybe this is why so many children's and young adult novels focus on situations where there are few or no adults: the young main characters have the opportunity to take responsibility and make decisions without grownups having to be depicted as idiots.
Of course another problem is that I just didn't like Willa. When a child – or any character – makes a major mistake in a story, I should be predisposed to be sympathetic with the impulse that caused it, and with her suffering through the results. Willa makes a huge misstep in the course of this story, and it just made me want to slap her.
It was the bit I quoted from above that made me shut the book and let my finger hover over "Delete" for a second; it was just so … much. I get tired when there's any group of people behaving as stupidly as some of these characters were behaving; if it's meant for comedy, then it completely misses my sense of humor, and if it's because it's a book intended for young readers then … in my opinion it's a terrible idea.
It was two simple words which pushed me to finally quit at about 70%. One was the "super" in "Willa found she was super-hungry". There are two speech tics which are more and more common in the recent past which I loathe – constant use of "like" and the use of "super" as a qualifier. Fingernails on a blackboard. I kept going because that's just me, just my personal button being pushed. What finally acted as the Last Straw to make me raise both eyebrows, close the book, and finally hit delete was -
“Jesus!” he exclaimed.
I guess this isn't considered swearing anymore? And blasphemy is just fine for a book aimed at tweens? How strange. I was surprised at how much this offended and disgusted me.
The usual disclaimer: I received this book via Netgalley for review.
January 19, 2017
A Satisfying Return to Eldritch Manor
This is the second book in the three book series "Eldritch Manor". The Manor is a retirement home for mythic creatures, and our heroine Willa is the Manor's young part-time housekeeper.
Fans of the first book will undoubtedly want to follow the continuing adventures at the Manor, since this book picks up right after the first book ends, and features the return of all of the favorite characters from that first book. New readers should be able to start with this book though. It opens with a brief intro and a synopsis of the action from the first book, so it isn't very difficult to follow the thread fairly quickly.
This time around the Manor residents are picking up the pieces from the damage caused during the first book's action, and the residents have been relocated while the Manor is being rebuilt. This causes some tension, some confusion, and a lot of grumpiness. This is what Willa has to deal with at the outset of the book. We have a battle of wills and pranks between the dwarves who are building the new manor and the faeries, an especially grumpy centaur who has to live in the barn, and so on. This is all rather amusing, although Willa's anxiety level gets rather high.
As the story progresses a darker danger begins to appear and the plot quickly builds up to one of suspense, peril, and a gripping confrontation that calls upon the skills of all of the Manor's residents. So, there's a nice balance between "small" stories and big action.
There are underlying messages here about cooperation, patience, and being too judgmental, but they are delivered lightly and well within the flow of the story, so this is not heavy-handed or preachy. It's all grounded by feisty and rapidly maturing Willa, who remains a very appealing heroine, and has an upbeat and engaging overall feel. A happy addition to the series. (Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
This is the second book in the three book series "Eldritch Manor". The Manor is a retirement home for mythic creatures, and our heroine Willa is the Manor's young part-time housekeeper.
Fans of the first book will undoubtedly want to follow the continuing adventures at the Manor, since this book picks up right after the first book ends, and features the return of all of the favorite characters from that first book. New readers should be able to start with this book though. It opens with a brief intro and a synopsis of the action from the first book, so it isn't very difficult to follow the thread fairly quickly.
This time around the Manor residents are picking up the pieces from the damage caused during the first book's action, and the residents have been relocated while the Manor is being rebuilt. This causes some tension, some confusion, and a lot of grumpiness. This is what Willa has to deal with at the outset of the book. We have a battle of wills and pranks between the dwarves who are building the new manor and the faeries, an especially grumpy centaur who has to live in the barn, and so on. This is all rather amusing, although Willa's anxiety level gets rather high.
As the story progresses a darker danger begins to appear and the plot quickly builds up to one of suspense, peril, and a gripping confrontation that calls upon the skills of all of the Manor's residents. So, there's a nice balance between "small" stories and big action.
There are underlying messages here about cooperation, patience, and being too judgmental, but they are delivered lightly and well within the flow of the story, so this is not heavy-handed or preachy. It's all grounded by feisty and rapidly maturing Willa, who remains a very appealing heroine, and has an upbeat and engaging overall feel. A happy addition to the series. (Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
February 10, 2016
If you know a younger reader who enjoys stories pairing fantasy with feisty, young heroines, you’ll want to give her a copy of Shadow Wrack. In this case, the heroine is Willa, who works as an assistant at Eldritch Manor, a retirement home for supernatural beings. Not surprisingly, life can quickly grow complicated when it’s filled with characters like the queen of the fairies and her officious assistant, a dissatisfied centaur, and a sphinx who’s a bit of a loose cannon. In addition, there are the strange black spots that have begun to appear and expand and the frightening, stork-like men who come out of them. Dundurn presents this title as appropriate for ages 9 to 12, and it will definitely prove a pleasure to readers in that age range.
June 2, 2015
More fabulous mythical beings and magical happenings from Kim Thompson!
December 27, 2015
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. I quite liked this book. It had a good amount of fantasy and kept you interested the entire time.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews