جادوی کارناوال

The Other Side #2

by Amy Ephron, فاطمه علی مددی (Translator)

This companion to Castle In the Mist features a mysterious carnival, an ominous psychic, and a wind that whisks Tess and Max away from their vacation in South Devon, England. Which fantastical world will they find this time?

Tess and Max are back in England for another summer with their Aunt Evie--this time by the seashore in South Devon. And they're incredibly excited about the travelling carnival that's come to town. There are rides, games, acrobats, The House of Mirrors--and even a psychic, with a beautiful wagon all her own.

In a visit to the psychic's wagon, while Tess is being hypnotized, the wagon seems to move. Before Tess can shake herself out of the hypnosis, before Max can do anything, they seem to be travelling--along with the rest of the carnival--too quickly for the two of them to jump out. But where are they going and what awaits them? Will they be caught in a world different from their own? And do the Baranova twins, acrobats who miss their sister almost as much as Tess and Max miss their family, hold the keys to the mystery?

Internationally bestselling author Amy Ephron returns with a companion novel to The Castle in the Mist and creates a magical tale filled with adventure, mystery, fantasy, family, and fun.

Praise for Carnival Magic

"Full of wonder and real-life enchantment, Amy Ephron's Carnival Magic is a charming adventure that will make a believer out of anyone!" --Rachel Vail, author of Well, That Was Awkward and the Friendship Ring series

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Childrens, Adventure, Fiction, Magic, British Literature

224 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2018

Reviews

[『 jaelyn ♛』 · Rating 3 out of 5]

this a nice book !! i like the whole concept of a magical circus that takes you away :)

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Penguin for a free physical copy.

"Sometimes the best way of making sure you might see someone again is by not saying, good-bye."

See reviews first on my Blog



Tess and Max are going to go back and spend some more time with their Aunt, this time in South Devon. They've come before their parents to spend a little time with just there aunt as well as just getting to explore the summer house. The aunt takes them to two fun places, both full of wonder and charm for Tess and Max who have a tendency to find magical things.

Overall while this was the second book in a series, I was able to put the pieces together of what happened in the first one to make sense of what was happening in this one. I ended up really liking this one and I absolutely loved the carnival and magic system. Carnival Magic while extremely at creepy at times, also was never too scary. We worry for Tess and Max and the characters we meet along the way. There is also a sense of knowing that somehow Tess will figure it out either on her own or with a little help from some of the friends they've made along the way.

The carnival itself without the magical elements seemed like the usual fun carnival and I loved how normal it was while also being different at the same time. It was really easy to follow along with the urban fantasy elements and how things were kind of happening.

I am going to go back and read the first book in this series and I will be impatiently waiting to see if this book series continues on because I need more of life in this world.

I highly recommend this book for all middle-grade readers as it has a great sibling relationship as well as being a fun summertime read.

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[John Byers · Rating 5 out of 5]

A magical read full of vivid characters and clever plot twists that reminded me of the type books that I used to stay up way to late reading when I was around the same age as it’s main characters.

[Tess · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book was amazing! maybe even better than the first. I loved how different it was, and how many twists and turns there were. all in all, I totally recommend it

[Katie (BooksRUs) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good introduction to kids for a magical realism type book, this book covers two siblings' adventures with a carnival.

[Billie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bonus star for Laraine Newman as narrator.

[Pop Bop · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Wonderful" - As in Full of Wonder

Amy Ephron's books for young readers, (the first in this series, "Castle in the Mist", and now this sequel of sorts), fit honorably on that old-school shelf occupied by E. A. Nesbit, Edward Eager, Mary Norton, Elizabeth Winthrop, and their kin. The books share the same strengths and weaknesses. The strengths, though, are considerable and enduring. The weaknesses, if you care to call them that, have more to do with the leisurely and elegant fashion in which the tales unfold. I guess that has something to do with the pace of modern life, but it's works like this that remind us that books for young readers can be fast paced while still thoughtful and designed to allow the reader to appreciate and savor the magical ride.

The first book followed the adventures of Tess and Max as they discovered a mystical and fantastic castle park near their Aunt Evie's home, which, in traditional style, they visited in the summer. In this book they revisit Aunt Evie and extend their adventures, but the singular attraction this time around is a travelling carnival, (with a Hall of Mirrors! and a psychic! and acrobats!). Ever since Ray Bradbury's "Something Wicked This Way Comes", which I practically memorized as a middle grader, I've been a total sucker for carnival magic adventure tales. This version isn't as dark, but it is unendingly rewarding.

Tess and Max are older this time around, and the book to some extent reflects that. Of more interest, I read an interview somewhere in which Ephron observed that because her readers insist on growing up, the style and substance of each of her books grows up with them. Accordingly, this book feels more complex, more sophisticated, more sharply defined, and written to a higher level, than the first one. The magic is more ambiguous. The book works fine as a standalone, or you could start with "Castle in the Mist". It seems like either approach would work, although you might not want to work backwards.

I have to add a word about our two heroes. First off, for those who yearn for smart, resourceful and independent heroines, you won't find anyone better than Tess, who is pretty much the main character. Second, for those who have tired of pointless modern scenes of sibling rivalry and smarm, I am happy to report that these two kids rally round and support and care for each other with all of the old-school style and grit that's a hallmark of classic adventure.

So, in style, in substance, in its characters and its setting, and in its lovely command of how you tell a fantastic adventure story, this book was, to me, a great success. A nice selection.

(Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book from the author's publicist, 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.)

[Patricia Tilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amy Ephron returns with a companion novel to The Castle in the Mist and creates a magical tale filled with adventure, mystery, fantasy, family, and fun. The fun carnival setting will appeal to readers. Who doesn’t like cotton candy, a baby tiger, a Ferris wheel, a Hall of Mirrors, psychics, and acrobats.

The chapters are short and fast-paced, propelling readers forward into this magical ride.
The plot is one adventure after another, as the brother-sister duo literally work themselves through a magical maze of adventures that are not of their world. Tess saves a baby tiger, rescues a child dangling from a stuck Ferris wheel, stands in as an acrobat, and tries to reunite three siblings, while Max figures out the mystery of the Hall Mirrors and navigating worlds.

Tess is a smart, strong and independent female protagonist, following in the footsteps of her mother and Aunt Evie. Max is the logical and sensible of the two. He has a way of looking to the future and finding the positive, which Tess envies. Tess is good at making snap decisions that lead her into some very hair-raising moments. The balance each other, especially when they enter another worldly dimension. Both siblings are resourceful and supportive in their attempts to right some wrongs and get back to South Devon — or did they really ever really leave it? A question readers will ponder.

[Elizabeth Tyree · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting and well written. I look forward to more from this author

[Jodi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't read the first book in the series, but this book was adorable! I loved the ending.

[Stay Fetters · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Remember, sometimes the best way to see someone again is not to say good-bye."

We all have those fond memories of the Carnival. Where you begged and pleaded for your parents to take you. And when you finally get there, the air felt different. Like maybe you were in a different world. But in the end, we all had that same feeling, as if that place held all the answers to the universe and we all left with a little magic in our hearts. This is what that book reminded me of. All those fond memories from the past that you hold so dear to your heart.

It took some time for me to actually get into this one. And It kind of dragged for me until the hall of mirrors. After you are introduced to that clever trick, that is when the story fully develops.

The brother and sister combo is really sweet and you cheer them on as they go on one wacky adventure at the carnival. We all should feel envious but not that much as we see what they endure.

As I was reading this, I kept thinking about all the people who I'm going to recommend this to at work. It had a lot of strong vocabulary building words. I know parents will love that not only are their kids reading but they are learning new words that they haven't been introduced to yet.

Having an imagination kind of disappears as you grow older but this will bring it right back into your world. Just remember to Touch The Sky!!!

[Vincent Ripley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book review now up on www.mrripleysenchantedbooks.com

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 3 out of 5]

Carnival Magic (The Castle in the Mist 2) by Amy Ephron, 266 pages. Philomel (Penguin), 2018. $17.

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW

Tess and Max are spending the summer with their Aunt Evie, but this time they are at the beach cottage in Devon. When a carnival springs up over night next to the cottage, the kids get caught up in another magical mystery. This time they are whisked to almost the same carnival – but now they are stuck and if they don’t work fast, they could be stuck forever.

You don’t need to read the first book in order to understand the second, but it might help you like the characters more if you do. I wasn’t particularly interested in Max and Tess’s magical adventure because I didn’t connect with them emotionally.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...

[Olivia]

My 10 y/o son and I enjoyed listening to this book on our way to school each morning. A magical experience that doesn't necessarily make sense (the way many fantasy/magical books do this day--with explanations of how the magic works), but is still a lot of fun.

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tess and Max find themselves traveling from one circus to another across time and space. Along the way, bursts of magic fly from a silver pin that Tess removed from a lion’s paw, they meet characters both kind and sinister, and experience things both thrilling and alarming. All the while, the brother and sister just want to find a way back to their time and to their aunt’s cottage so they can reunite with their parents. Even with the excitement of magic, portals through time, and aerial acrobatics, I often found myself confused and wondering if I was ever going to get to the end. It is likely that some of my 5th grade library patrons will find the twists of tho plot to be engaging, but I did not. (Review of digital ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline)

[Bella · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was somewhat hesitant before actually starting the book, as I worried about frivolous argumentative/annoying characters I’ve come across in middle-school fiction. Regardless, it was an entertaining read. There were a few mentions of a previous trip to England; do the protagonists appear in another book of the same author? It looks as if this is a standalone title (for now) though?

[Lia M · Rating 3 out of 5]

WHY I CHOSE THIS BOOK

In November, I chose to read the book Carnival Magic. There was no specific reason why I chose this book, but I am glad that I pulled ot off the shelf at my house and got the chance to read it. One thing about the book that really stood out to me was the cover. Looking at it before and after differed. Before reading the book, I was able to see the bigger images, such as the Ferris wheel, beautiful sky, and, finally, and most obviously, the two people in the center. After reading the book, you understand the meaning of many things that were illustrated and shown on the cover, and I really enjoyed uncovering all of the small mysteries and finding out all of the details as I kept reading through the story.

SUMMARY

In the second book of the series, Carnival Magic (The other side), Tess and her little brother Max travel to Devon by the sea, to see their Aunt Evie. She rents out a small house for them to stay at and has lots of activities planned. One of the activities is the Carnival. It is unplanned, but when they are driving around town, they see it being set up. The next day, Aunt Evie drops them off at the carnival for a few hours while she runs some errands. They explore the carnival grounds, holding pinkies when it becomes crowded. They decide they want to ride the Ferris Wheel, but as their cart reaches the top, a young boy falls out of his cabin, and his mom begins to panic. Tess steps into action and saves the boy by crawling on the steel rods of the wheel. She successfully saves the boy as the audience below applauds her.

After the Ferris Wheel, Tess and Max pass by a psychic, and Tess wants to go in. They enter the wagon and meet Tara, who hypnotizes Tess. The next second, Tess and Max are part of the carnival. While they are there, they meet new friends such as the Barnovas, who are acrobats, and Tess even gets to try to “ Touch the sky.” They also make enemies, such as the Carnival owner, who wants to force Tess to become an acrobat and replace Anna, the third Barnova sibling who went missing. Tess and Max have to escape and find their way home with the help of the carnival workers. While they are trying to find their way out, they enter another Carnival through a mirror. This world is more pale and colorless, but they find Anna, the third Barnova sister, without realizing it. Anna gives them lots of information about the Carnival by the Sea. Now all they have to do is find their way home to Aunt Evie.

CHARACTER ANALYSIS

At the beginning of the story, Tess is excited to visit her Aunt at Devon by the Sea with her brother. When she sees the Carnival being set up, her excitement grows. Even when she is there, she is excited to go on the rides and get hypnotized by Tara the psychic. Her attitude changes from excited to confused near the middle of the story when she finds that she is now a part of the carnival. They are also weirdly in Carnival clothes, which Tess and Max realize while they are eating breakfast. This makes Tess confused because she doesn’t remember putting on a leotard in the morning; she remembers putting on Jeans and a T-shirt. Her brother is also not wearing the clothes that he put on that morning. Tess’s mood changes again when the Barnovas tell her and Max that there really isn't a way that they can escape from the carnival without being caught or something bad happening to them. Now, instead of being confused, Tess is worried for herself and her Brother and wants to go back home to Aunt Evie and her house in Devon.
Tess’s attitude changes again near the end of the book. It changes from worried to determined. The Barnovas tell them that there is a chance that they can escape from the carnival, and quickly Tess and Max take the chance to go into the house of mirrors and escape from there. Instead of escaping the carnival and returning home, they appear to be at a new carnival that is located in Wales. Ther,e they meet Anna and her protector Julian. At this point in the story, Tess finally feels safe. Julian and Anna help her and Max find their way back home to the carnival in Devon to where they are spectators and guests at the carnival instead of performing in the show.

[ikallam · Rating 3 out of 5]

T͟H͟I͟N͟G͟S͟ I͟ N͟E͟E͟D͟ T͟O͟ S͟A͟Y͟ N͟O͟W͟
❥𝚒 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚊𝚢 𝚒 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚜𝚝 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚒 𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚘𝚗𝚊𝚕𝚢 𝚍𝚒𝚍 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚎𝚗𝚓𝚘𝚢 𝚒𝚝, 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚍𝚒𝚌𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚕𝚕𝚘𝚠𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚎𝚎 𝚒𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚒𝚖𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚢 𝚠𝚊𝚢.

❥𝚐𝚘𝚍, 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚒 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝...

𝑆ℎ𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑑 𝑏𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑠𝑜 𝑓𝑟𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑓𝑖𝑠𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑖𝑡 , 𝑎𝑛𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑒𝑠 𝑔𝑟𝑜𝑤𝑛-𝑢𝑝 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑑𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛𝑡 “𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑎𝑤𝑎𝑦.“

𝙶𝚁𝙾𝚆𝙽𝚄𝙿 𝚆𝙾𝚁𝙳!!! 𝙸𝚂𝙽𝚃 𝚂𝙷𝙴 𝚂𝚄𝙿𝙿𝙾𝚂𝙴𝙳 𝚃𝙾 𝙱𝙴 , 𝙻𝙸𝙺𝙴, 𝟷𝟷!!! (𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚒𝚝 𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚜 𝚞𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚐𝚛𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚜... 𝚠𝚑𝚢 𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚜𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚐??? 𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚍𝚒𝚍 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚌𝚛𝚊𝚣𝚢 𝚜𝚞𝚏𝚏 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚜𝚝 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚋𝚛𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚂𝙴𝚅𝙴𝙽?!?𝙽𝚘 𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚜𝚎 𝙰𝚃 𝙰𝙻𝙻!! )

T͟H͟I͟N͟G͟S͟ I͟ D͟I͟D͟ N͟O͟T͟ L͟I͟K͟E͟
❥𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚜𝚊𝚢 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚢 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎𝚜. 𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚜𝚊𝚒𝚍 𝚒𝙿𝚑𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚞𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚝 , 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚘𝚕𝚍 𝚞𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝙳𝙸𝙳 𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝚒𝚝.

❥𝚜𝚊𝚖𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚝𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚎𝚡𝚎𝚙𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚜𝚊𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚗𝚊𝚖𝚎 ,𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎, 𝟷𝟹 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎𝚜. 𝙸𝚝 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚋𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚃𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚍𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚍 , 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚃𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚗𝚎𝚍 . 𝙽𝚘𝚝 𝚜𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚗𝚎𝚍.

❥𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚒𝚝 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚠𝚜 𝚊 𝚋𝚘𝚢 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚊 𝚐𝚒𝚛𝚕, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚜 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚎𝚕 𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖. 𝙸 𝚊𝚜𝚞𝚖𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖 𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚒 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚒𝚝 𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚗𝚎𝚍 𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚒𝚛𝚕 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚊𝚛𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚎𝚛𝚛𝚒𝚜 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚎𝚕 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚃𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚒𝚛𝚕 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍. 𝙱𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝟸 𝚔𝚒𝚍𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚒𝚍𝚍𝚕𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚒𝚌𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚎, 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚎𝚜 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚛??

❥𝚝𝚑𝚎 , 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 , “𝚛𝚞𝚕𝚎𝚜“ 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚊𝚐𝚒𝚌 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚘 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚏𝚞𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐?!?!????!


T͟H͟I͟N͟G͟S͟ I͟ L͟I͟K͟E͟D͟
❥𝙸 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚙𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚢. 𝙸 𝚠𝚒𝚜𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚕𝚘𝚝 𝚏𝚒𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑. 𝙸 𝚖𝚎𝚊𝚗 𝚊𝚕𝚘𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚜𝚝𝚞𝚏𝚏 𝚍𝚒𝚍 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚜𝚎 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚎𝚗𝚓𝚘𝚢𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎.

❥𝚒 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚘𝚗𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚎𝚜 , 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚍𝚒𝚏𝚏𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚛 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚎𝚊𝚌𝚑 𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛.

[Vivian Stevenson · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off I would like to thank Penguin Kids for sending this adorable book my way.

I started reading this probably a month ago, but I technically finished it in one day. I don't read middle grade books, but I still thought this was worth 3/5 stars.

You are following Tess and her brother Max while they enjoy their summer with their Aunt Evie in England. There just so happens to be a carnival in town that they want to attend. Tess gets hypnotized by a psychic and the story takes off from there. (If you are into acrobats then you would probably enjoy this book.)

The story has magic in it, but there are other underlying themes throughout. There is a lot of family dynamics, friendships, and most importantly a house of mirrors. I wasn't a fan of the repetition of words and phrases, but I'm sure you get that a lot with middle grade. With that being said it is a very fast paced adventure that I thoroughly enjoyed. If you dabble in middle grade novels then you may want to give this book a chance!

Again, thank you Penguin Kids for sending this my way!

[Nada · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read all the 3 books of 'The Other Side' and I'm really satisfied with it, but I really wish that the books were somehow connected together like after their adventure there is no word from the other party. It's like they completely disappeared and they're not gonna see each other again.
I hope there is another book coming up.

[Randi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wasn’t a big fan. I am somewhat of an aficionado of children’s literature, so I have read and studied a lot of it, and I felt this wasn’t up to par. The story was okay, but I thought the writing was poor and the story had a lot of holes in it that needed to be more fully developed.

[Amy Volker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the 1st of the series in I think a day. This one was a little harder to get through, it was a bit darker and more convoluted than the 1st. But Tess and Max are interesting characters who somehow find the magic without trying to and their adventures are slightly amazing.

[Andrea Wright · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I think this one was more confusing than the first. The story was interesting and I like the mood that is set throughout, but somewhere I get lost at times and have to focus too much for a kids book. Not sure I would read more of this series in there are more.

[Clarabelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

An adventurous and mysterious journey. Lovable characters and an interesting plot. However, it was not nearly as engaging as the first book in the series. This book is missing that element that hooks you and won't let go. It's good, just not great.

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was so complicated.

I loved the style. I loved the theme. But oh my gosh, I was so lost. SO much happened in this book and it got so convoluted that the ending didn't even make much sense, and I'm not sure if I cared.

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked book 1 but sadly book 2 suffered from sequel syndrome and just wasn't captivating and I didn't really connect to the story it was kinda dry.

[Jill CD · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the first one much better, but fans will enjoy this one.

[Emily]

Old-fashionedy fantasy

[Susan Forsgren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as creative, imaginative or fast moving as the first in the series.

[Shaunda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good!