snazel's review against another edition
5.0
Delightful middle grade book about family, ingenuity, friendship, and discovering you're part of a much wider community than you thought. I really really enjoyed it.
It also did that thing middle grade is so good at where you're bobbing along reading about a sentient elevator and sneaking around behind a vampire and then suddenly from behind all the fun sneaks a a whole bunch of too real feelings and fears and they kneecap you.
But I just wanted to see the dragon, you wail, clutching your knees.
No, command the feelings, stay there and think about losing everyone you love for a while! You have to earn the dragon!
It also did that thing middle grade is so good at where you're bobbing along reading about a sentient elevator and sneaking around behind a vampire and then suddenly from behind all the fun sneaks a a whole bunch of too real feelings and fears and they kneecap you.
But I just wanted to see the dragon, you wail, clutching your knees.
No, command the feelings, stay there and think about losing everyone you love for a while! You have to earn the dragon!
limabean74's review against another edition
1.0
Just wasn't connecting with the characters. Felt it had to many info dumps to keep up with. This would be better suited for younger kids.
samantha_randolph's review against another edition
4.0
When Stephen’s grandmother dies, his dad decides to move them to New York City to The New Harmonia hotel, where his grandmother worked as the chef. Stephen was used to hearing about his grandmother’s interesting clientele, but when he arrives, he discovers they’re more interesting than he knew; they’re monsters (or supernormals)! Stephen is actually half-supernormal himself on his mother’s side, who left him and his father. Stephen’s family is on thin ice at the hotel, and when a magical artifact is stolen with Stephen as the suspected culprit, it’s up to him and his new friends to get it back and save the hotel.
After loving Bond’s LOIS LANE YA series, I was thrilled to dive into her debut MG novel, written with fellow writer, Christopher Rowe. The two prove a fantastic team in this hilarious, warm, and exciting adventure. Stephen is a highly relatable protagonist for anyone who has ever gone through several changes at once. He is grieving over his beloved grandmother, uncertain about his new living situation, and shocked at the new revelations about his family. Before he can get a handle on any of that, he’s accused of theft, and his own father isn’t sure if he should believe him. However, what I love about this story is the excellent way Stephen and his friends have a private, outside-of-parental-figures world but also have family members who genuinely care for them, even though they sometimes make mistakes. THE LOST LEGACY captures the nuances of family, both biological and chosen, while providing hilarious comic relief throughout.
The secondary characters are as fun as Stephen is, particularly a certain dragon who loves art. Sofia and Ivan are already friends when Stephen meets them, and Bond and Rowe do a fabulous job of the slow progression of the three forming a new friend group. The trios teamwork will have you smiling and rooting for them, not to mention eager for their next adventures.
With a fitting comparison to Hotel Transylvania, THE SUPERNORMAL SLEUTHING SERVICE: THE LOST LEGACY is a delightful tale of monsters, magic, and the meaning of family and friends.
Originally posted at YABC: http://www.yabookscentral.com/kidsfiction/21153-the-supernormal-sleuthing-service-1-the-lost-legacy
After loving Bond’s LOIS LANE YA series, I was thrilled to dive into her debut MG novel, written with fellow writer, Christopher Rowe. The two prove a fantastic team in this hilarious, warm, and exciting adventure. Stephen is a highly relatable protagonist for anyone who has ever gone through several changes at once. He is grieving over his beloved grandmother, uncertain about his new living situation, and shocked at the new revelations about his family. Before he can get a handle on any of that, he’s accused of theft, and his own father isn’t sure if he should believe him. However, what I love about this story is the excellent way Stephen and his friends have a private, outside-of-parental-figures world but also have family members who genuinely care for them, even though they sometimes make mistakes. THE LOST LEGACY captures the nuances of family, both biological and chosen, while providing hilarious comic relief throughout.
The secondary characters are as fun as Stephen is, particularly a certain dragon who loves art. Sofia and Ivan are already friends when Stephen meets them, and Bond and Rowe do a fabulous job of the slow progression of the three forming a new friend group. The trios teamwork will have you smiling and rooting for them, not to mention eager for their next adventures.
With a fitting comparison to Hotel Transylvania, THE SUPERNORMAL SLEUTHING SERVICE: THE LOST LEGACY is a delightful tale of monsters, magic, and the meaning of family and friends.
Originally posted at YABC: http://www.yabookscentral.com/kidsfiction/21153-the-supernormal-sleuthing-service-1-the-lost-legacy
kaylaphaneuf's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
lmbarsk's review against another edition
5.0
TOTALLY LOVED THIS. SO MUCH FUN OH MY GOD. I can't wait to read later installments in the series. I wish this book had been around when I was the actual "middle grade" age!
Stephen was such a courageous sweetie and I LOVE that his main talent is art, Sofia is the kind of girl that "middle grade" me would've wanted to be best friends with, and Ivan is an earnest detective boy who reminded me a lot of Angus McDonald from the podcast "The Adventure Zone," which obviously endeared him to me immensely.
If you're in the Business of Books in some way, definitely recommend this book to "middle grade" readers and stock it on your shelves! So lovely.
Stephen was such a courageous sweetie and I LOVE that his main talent is art, Sofia is the kind of girl that "middle grade" me would've wanted to be best friends with, and Ivan is an earnest detective boy who reminded me a lot of Angus McDonald from the podcast "The Adventure Zone," which obviously endeared him to me immensely.
If you're in the Business of Books in some way, definitely recommend this book to "middle grade" readers and stock it on your shelves! So lovely.
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