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bargainsleuth's review
4.0
For this and other book reviews, visit www.bargain-sleuth.com.
I know a lot about the Roosevelt family. A lot. Iāve read about 60 books on various members, and have watched Ken Burnsā The Roosevelts somewhere around 50-60 times (not all at onceāit is seven parts long!). And I was looking for some āspookyā reads for October, Eleanor, Alice and the Roosevelt Ghosts came under my radar. I knew this middle-grade book would be perfect for me.
From the Publisher: "Itās 1898 in New York City and ghosts exist among humans.
When an unusual spirit takes up residence at the Roosevelt house, thirteen-year-old Eleanor and fourteen-year-old Alice are suspicious. The cousins donāt get along, but they know something is not right. This ghost is more than a pesky nuisance. The authorities claim heās safe to be around, even as his mischievous behavior grows stranger and more menacing. Itās almost like he wants to scare the Roosevelts out of their home ā and no one seems to care!
Meanwhile, Eleanor and Alice discover a dangerous ghost in the house where Alice was born and her mother died. Is someone else haunting the family? Introverted Eleanor and unruly Alice develop an unlikely friendship as they explore the familyās dark, complicated history. Itās up to them to destroy both ghosts and come to terms with their familyās losses.ā
First off, props to the author for untangling the confusing Roosevelt family tree. And making her characters act much as the real people acted, according to all historical sources. So many of the real Roosevelt facts were woven into the story, although some were changed, and in the authorās notes, it is explained what was changed.
Eleanor, Alice, and the Roosevelt Ghosts is a world where all these real things happened, but there are also ghosts. Eleanor lives with a ghost uncle who like Wild Turkey, taking his rifle and firing out the second-story window at night. (But in real life, Eleanor actually had two live uncles that liked to do that. Really). Alice, oldest daughter of Theodore Roosevelt and his first wife, also called Alice, arrives at Aunty Byeās house for a visit. Aunt Bye was the one that took care of Alice for the first three years of her life, after her mother died the day after giving birth. (And in real life, Martha Roosevelt, Theodoreās mother, also died in the same house on the same day, not several days later as described in the book). There appears to be a ghost at Aunt Byeās and investigators from the Supernatural Registry of Ghosts deem it a āFriendlyā ghost. But it is anything but that.
Eleanor and Alice and their cousins Franklin and Corinne and Helen and Aliceās brother Teddy investigate and find out the ghost is a boy of about 12 who lived in the house many years before. Alice contacts the Supernatural Registry and none other than Nellie Bly shows up, having retired from investigative journalism to take care of her elder husband and head up this unique agency. And Nellie Bly shows up later with one Nikolai Tesla, who is thought to be a crackpot in some circles but has some very astute observations about ghosts and a machine to coax them out of hiding.
Eleanor, Alice, and the Roosevelt Ghosts is a crazy, wild ride, with quite a bit of history mixed in. Itās the perfect way to get middle graders interested in the Roosevelts.
I know a lot about the Roosevelt family. A lot. Iāve read about 60 books on various members, and have watched Ken Burnsā The Roosevelts somewhere around 50-60 times (not all at onceāit is seven parts long!). And I was looking for some āspookyā reads for October, Eleanor, Alice and the Roosevelt Ghosts came under my radar. I knew this middle-grade book would be perfect for me.
From the Publisher: "Itās 1898 in New York City and ghosts exist among humans.
When an unusual spirit takes up residence at the Roosevelt house, thirteen-year-old Eleanor and fourteen-year-old Alice are suspicious. The cousins donāt get along, but they know something is not right. This ghost is more than a pesky nuisance. The authorities claim heās safe to be around, even as his mischievous behavior grows stranger and more menacing. Itās almost like he wants to scare the Roosevelts out of their home ā and no one seems to care!
Meanwhile, Eleanor and Alice discover a dangerous ghost in the house where Alice was born and her mother died. Is someone else haunting the family? Introverted Eleanor and unruly Alice develop an unlikely friendship as they explore the familyās dark, complicated history. Itās up to them to destroy both ghosts and come to terms with their familyās losses.ā
First off, props to the author for untangling the confusing Roosevelt family tree. And making her characters act much as the real people acted, according to all historical sources. So many of the real Roosevelt facts were woven into the story, although some were changed, and in the authorās notes, it is explained what was changed.
Eleanor, Alice, and the Roosevelt Ghosts is a world where all these real things happened, but there are also ghosts. Eleanor lives with a ghost uncle who like Wild Turkey, taking his rifle and firing out the second-story window at night. (But in real life, Eleanor actually had two live uncles that liked to do that. Really). Alice, oldest daughter of Theodore Roosevelt and his first wife, also called Alice, arrives at Aunty Byeās house for a visit. Aunt Bye was the one that took care of Alice for the first three years of her life, after her mother died the day after giving birth. (And in real life, Martha Roosevelt, Theodoreās mother, also died in the same house on the same day, not several days later as described in the book). There appears to be a ghost at Aunt Byeās and investigators from the Supernatural Registry of Ghosts deem it a āFriendlyā ghost. But it is anything but that.
Eleanor and Alice and their cousins Franklin and Corinne and Helen and Aliceās brother Teddy investigate and find out the ghost is a boy of about 12 who lived in the house many years before. Alice contacts the Supernatural Registry and none other than Nellie Bly shows up, having retired from investigative journalism to take care of her elder husband and head up this unique agency. And Nellie Bly shows up later with one Nikolai Tesla, who is thought to be a crackpot in some circles but has some very astute observations about ghosts and a machine to coax them out of hiding.
Eleanor, Alice, and the Roosevelt Ghosts is a crazy, wild ride, with quite a bit of history mixed in. Itās the perfect way to get middle graders interested in the Roosevelts.
mehsi's review against another edition
5.0
I received this book from the Tour Host/publisher in exchange of an honest review.
I was already hyped when I saw this book and got even more hyped when I got the chance to read this one. It just sounded like a book I would love. It had ghosts, spooky going-ons, mystery, and more.
Welcome in a world a lot like our own, but with one big exception, there are ghosts. Ghosts can appear in peopleās homes, and you just have to hope it isnāt a vengeful one because that means you are screwed (like the one at Aliceās house of birth). Just hope it is a friendly one or one that is unaware (like the ghost at Eleanorās house). People have ghost lamps at home and other things. There are people who will come when there is a ghost in your house. And many other things. In that way it reminded me a lot of Lockwood. You had good and bad ghosts there, you have to have preparations around just in case things go wrong. But unlike in Lockwood, these kids wonāt go exorcising ghosts, not for a living and not for fun. The book also captured the atmosphere I loved in Lockwood & Co.
Meet Eleanor, an orphan who lives with her very strict and old-fashioned grandma. She isnāt having the happiest of lives, but she tries to make something out of it. It helps that she has a big family who love her and her aunt lives near her so she can visit her often. She is a smart girl and hopes to go to school someday and is trying to convince her grandma to let her go. But she quickly has some other things on her head when her Aunt Byeās house gets haunted, her niece Alice appears, and they both try to find out all about the ghost, but also about Aliceās past and what happened when she just was born. Eleanor was such a fun and wonderful character and at times I just wanted to hug her and tell her that things would change for her. Eventually. She is smart and has some great skills of finding things out.
Then there is Alice, a girl who is quite stubborn and at times I found her a tad too annoying for me. Her attitude, especially towards other people was just a big meh for me. Later on she does get a bit kinder and friendlier, but it does take a while. I can imagine that she is acting up, her father doesnāt care about her, her stepmom is not really that friendly (at least going by Aliceās descriptions). I found her quite brave at times. When she went back to her birth house when she learned her brother and one of her nieces went to it and finds out they went inside she doesnāt hesitate, instead dives in. Maybe not the smartest decision, but many people would just have run away or gave up. She just went for it. I also loved what she did later on, that is so sweet that she did that for Eleanor.
I loved both hauntings. I quickly knew that the ghost at Aunt Byeās couldnāt be that friendly due to the things he does, but for most he did seem indeed quite harmless and more of a prankster. Though there are hints. But it takes to the end before things really get spooky and hairy and OMG will everyone be all right? I loved finding more about the ghost and what happened to the kid before he died. I was curious why he popped up now, which apparently is quite late for a ghost to pop up. Most of the ghosts pop up within a few years of dying.
I was a bit worried at first that the two hauntings would mean one may get less attention, or it may become confusing. But, in the end I can tell you that it was all done great and that both got enough attention and were finished wonderfully.
The haunting at Aliceās birth house was one that brought a lot of goosebumps to me from the start. There is a big spooky story surrounding it and it definitely broke my heart. Poor Alice, poor family. I can somehow understand that the father hid it from his child.. however, you can expect her to get curious especially given how the adults talk about it.
I loved the time period as well.
Plus, there are, at least in the beginning, extra bits and pieces that made the story even more interesting. News articles, what the ghost lamp is, and some other stuff. I would have liked some more of that.
Franklin x Eleanor. I got mixed feelings on that. On the one hand, YAS and ship ship ship. On the other handā¦ they are family in a way, and it just didnāt sit well with me.
The ending was a great one and I am so happy for all the characters. Plus, we also get some extra information about the characters at the end and I loved that this was added by the author.
This was a book I just flew through and that I would recommend to all.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
I was already hyped when I saw this book and got even more hyped when I got the chance to read this one. It just sounded like a book I would love. It had ghosts, spooky going-ons, mystery, and more.
Welcome in a world a lot like our own, but with one big exception, there are ghosts. Ghosts can appear in peopleās homes, and you just have to hope it isnāt a vengeful one because that means you are screwed (like the one at Aliceās house of birth). Just hope it is a friendly one or one that is unaware (like the ghost at Eleanorās house). People have ghost lamps at home and other things. There are people who will come when there is a ghost in your house. And many other things. In that way it reminded me a lot of Lockwood. You had good and bad ghosts there, you have to have preparations around just in case things go wrong. But unlike in Lockwood, these kids wonāt go exorcising ghosts, not for a living and not for fun. The book also captured the atmosphere I loved in Lockwood & Co.
Meet Eleanor, an orphan who lives with her very strict and old-fashioned grandma. She isnāt having the happiest of lives, but she tries to make something out of it. It helps that she has a big family who love her and her aunt lives near her so she can visit her often. She is a smart girl and hopes to go to school someday and is trying to convince her grandma to let her go. But she quickly has some other things on her head when her Aunt Byeās house gets haunted, her niece Alice appears, and they both try to find out all about the ghost, but also about Aliceās past and what happened when she just was born. Eleanor was such a fun and wonderful character and at times I just wanted to hug her and tell her that things would change for her. Eventually. She is smart and has some great skills of finding things out.
Then there is Alice, a girl who is quite stubborn and at times I found her a tad too annoying for me. Her attitude, especially towards other people was just a big meh for me. Later on she does get a bit kinder and friendlier, but it does take a while. I can imagine that she is acting up, her father doesnāt care about her, her stepmom is not really that friendly (at least going by Aliceās descriptions). I found her quite brave at times. When she went back to her birth house when she learned her brother and one of her nieces went to it and finds out they went inside she doesnāt hesitate, instead dives in. Maybe not the smartest decision, but many people would just have run away or gave up. She just went for it. I also loved what she did later on, that is so sweet that she did that for Eleanor.
I loved both hauntings. I quickly knew that the ghost at Aunt Byeās couldnāt be that friendly due to the things he does, but for most he did seem indeed quite harmless and more of a prankster. Though there are hints. But it takes to the end before things really get spooky and hairy and OMG will everyone be all right? I loved finding more about the ghost and what happened to the kid before he died. I was curious why he popped up now, which apparently is quite late for a ghost to pop up. Most of the ghosts pop up within a few years of dying.
I was a bit worried at first that the two hauntings would mean one may get less attention, or it may become confusing. But, in the end I can tell you that it was all done great and that both got enough attention and were finished wonderfully.
The haunting at Aliceās birth house was one that brought a lot of goosebumps to me from the start. There is a big spooky story surrounding it and it definitely broke my heart. Poor Alice, poor family. I can somehow understand that the father hid it from his child.. however, you can expect her to get curious especially given how the adults talk about it.
I loved the time period as well.
Plus, there are, at least in the beginning, extra bits and pieces that made the story even more interesting. News articles, what the ghost lamp is, and some other stuff. I would have liked some more of that.
Franklin x Eleanor. I got mixed feelings on that. On the one hand, YAS and ship ship ship. On the other handā¦ they are family in a way, and it just didnāt sit well with me.
The ending was a great one and I am so happy for all the characters. Plus, we also get some extra information about the characters at the end and I loved that this was added by the author.
This was a book I just flew through and that I would recommend to all.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
ljrinaldi's review against another edition
4.0
Nicely researched, historical fiction about Eleanor and Alice Roosevelt, and the ghosts that literally are haunting them. Throw in Nicolas Tesla, and Nelly Blye, and you have a fun, but scary romp, based on historical facts, such as Alice did lose her mother shortly after she was born, and Eleanor was raised by her grandmother. As the author points out, after that, she just had fun with it.
And you can tell she is having fun with this book.
It was a little slow in the beginning, and it was a bit hard to keep track of all the cousins, and siblings in the extended family, but once you got past that, it moved along quickly.
Thanks to Edelweiss for making this book available for an honest review.
And you can tell she is having fun with this book.
It was a little slow in the beginning, and it was a bit hard to keep track of all the cousins, and siblings in the extended family, but once you got past that, it moved along quickly.
Thanks to Edelweiss for making this book available for an honest review.
nissahh's review against another edition
4.0
Going into this I thought almost everything was fiction with a few well known people thrown in, boy was I mistaken (not in a bad way.) So of course after I finished reading I looked up a few of the characters (Eleanor and Alice.) Onto the actual book review.
This book was very delightful and I just couldnāt put it down, I just had to know what was going to happen next. In this world ghosts are acknowledged and have a special unit that goes out and determines what of the three categories they fall into: friendlies, unawares, and vengeful. We first meet Eleanor, who lives with her grandmother after the deaths of her parents and one sibling (she has another brother, Gracie, whoās currently in school and we donāt meet him.) Eleanor wants to further her education and has three schools she wants to attend and is trying to convince her grandmother to let her attend.
Before she has the chance to brooch the subject of her education her grandmother tells her that her cousin Alice will be living with her Aunt Bye who lives just three blocks away from her grandmother. We find out that Eleanor and Alice donāt necessarily get along with each other, more so they tolerate each other.
Another prospective we get is Alice, whoās back to living with her Aunt Bye and her new husband and is currently pregnant with her first child. We learn the reason why Alice is sent to live with Aunt Bye and I felt bad for her because of the reason why. Alice sees that Edisonās lamp has lit up (the lamp can detect ghosts) and she sees a face in the glass.
From there Eleanor and Alice team up along with their cousins to find out who the ghost is and how to get rid of it. In the process both Alice and Eleanor learn a secret that was hidden from them on how a few relatives died. They also help their Aunt Bye cope with her husband being sent off to war.
I have to say that I adore both Alice and Eleanor in their own way. While Alice is very vocal about everything, Eleanor is more quiet and reserved. While Alice doesnāt want to be meek like Eleanor, Eleanor wishes she was more confident like Alice. Oh, I also love their Aunt Bye, whoās such a sweetheart.
The pacing for this book was good, it seemed like there was always something going on in each chapter. Something in each chapter compels to want to continue on even though you told yourself that you were just going to read just one more chapter. There was a twist in this book that I didnāt see coming and I liked that twist a lot. I appreciated the authorās note in the back that described some of the actual events that involved Eleanor and Alice.
Eleanor and Alice is definitely a book that I would reread a lot because of how good it is.
This book was very delightful and I just couldnāt put it down, I just had to know what was going to happen next. In this world ghosts are acknowledged and have a special unit that goes out and determines what of the three categories they fall into: friendlies, unawares, and vengeful. We first meet Eleanor, who lives with her grandmother after the deaths of her parents and one sibling (she has another brother, Gracie, whoās currently in school and we donāt meet him.) Eleanor wants to further her education and has three schools she wants to attend and is trying to convince her grandmother to let her attend.
Before she has the chance to brooch the subject of her education her grandmother tells her that her cousin Alice will be living with her Aunt Bye who lives just three blocks away from her grandmother. We find out that Eleanor and Alice donāt necessarily get along with each other, more so they tolerate each other.
Another prospective we get is Alice, whoās back to living with her Aunt Bye and her new husband and is currently pregnant with her first child. We learn the reason why Alice is sent to live with Aunt Bye and I felt bad for her because of the reason why. Alice sees that Edisonās lamp has lit up (the lamp can detect ghosts) and she sees a face in the glass.
From there Eleanor and Alice team up along with their cousins to find out who the ghost is and how to get rid of it. In the process both Alice and Eleanor learn a secret that was hidden from them on how a few relatives died. They also help their Aunt Bye cope with her husband being sent off to war.
I have to say that I adore both Alice and Eleanor in their own way. While Alice is very vocal about everything, Eleanor is more quiet and reserved. While Alice doesnāt want to be meek like Eleanor, Eleanor wishes she was more confident like Alice. Oh, I also love their Aunt Bye, whoās such a sweetheart.
The pacing for this book was good, it seemed like there was always something going on in each chapter. Something in each chapter compels to want to continue on even though you told yourself that you were just going to read just one more chapter. There was a twist in this book that I didnāt see coming and I liked that twist a lot. I appreciated the authorās note in the back that described some of the actual events that involved Eleanor and Alice.
Eleanor and Alice is definitely a book that I would reread a lot because of how good it is.
phyrre's review
4.0
You can read my full review on my blog, The Bookwyrm's Den, here.
Many thanks to Edelweiss and Holiday House for a review copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
I confess: going in, I didnāt actually realize that the Roosevelts in this book were the Roosevelts. This story is, indeed, based on factual events in the lives of the young famous Roosevelts, layered with some creepy fantasy to sweeten the deal.
Eleanor, Alice, and the Roosevelt Ghosts delivers on spine-chilling, creepy horror, while also weaving a compelling story of family coming together during hardships.
I canāt say I loved the characters in this or that I was particularly drawn to any of them, but this book for sure shines in the horror genre, which is what I was really wanting from it. Due to some of the graphic hauntings, I would recommend it for more mature middle grade readers.
My Thoughts:
- This. Book. Is. Creeeepy. With a capital C and you see all those dang eās? It totally earned them. Itās not for the faint of heart, thatās sure. There were scenes that were so deliciously creepy that I absolutely loved it! Salerni captures a cold, creepy atmosphere that delivered on the spookiness I was hoping for and then some. I would read more horror by Salerni in a heartbeat! If youāre looking for an easy, creepy read thatāll stay with you long after you close the book, this is it. I love childrenās mid-grade because Iām not a fan of gore and Iām also a big wuss, so this is, by no means, a novel I would describe as terrifying. But I would definitely put it on the upper end of mid-grade scary, knocking on the doors of lower young adult.
- This book weaves together historical fiction with fantasy, not shying away from the ugly truths of the time but bringing a whole new perspective to them. 1898 wasnāt a great time for ā¦ well, a lot of people. Especially not the Roosevelts, as sickness took some family members and made orphans of others. Not to mention that Alice is scandalous for wearing shorts and wanting to ride bikes. The nerve! History is presented in a real setting here, one that honestly represents the struggles of the time period. But itās not all doom and gloom, either. There are pretty dresses and parties and seances and all sorts of fun things. Plus, there are guest appearances from two very prominent names in history: Nellie Bly and Nikola Tesla.
- The young Roosevelts have to figure out how to work together, and it was so refreshing to see family coming together. All the characters are so different, but the one thing they have in common is that they all share a history of loss. Alice lost her mother (and gained a new stepmother who hates her). Eleanor lost both her parents (and gained a grandmother who mentally abuses her). Neither of them were particularly friends before this book, but all the weird happenings and their mutual love for Aunt Bye and her well-being forces them to work together. Itās not just the two main characters, though. Their cousins also make an appearance, and all the Roosevelts together have to protect their aunt and solve the mystery behind the hauntings. Families working together is one of my favorite things to read, and these cousins coming together is slow but natural and very heartwarming.
- I wish I had gotten a little better feel for this world, the ghosts in particular. Thereās a classification system for ghosts, but no real history as to how it came into being. Thereās even a governmental agency for it. Thereās also an ongoing debate of what exactly ghosts are ā¦ and sometimes what they are not. It felt a little superficial, though. I guess maybe the characters donāt have all the answers, but I also feel like theyāre not asking the right questions. Namely: why? Especially why, with some circumstances. Maybe itās a conversation the author didnāt want to get into or maybe the why doesnāt matter, but since the focus is on ghosts, I really wanted to dive deeper into that aspect of it!
Many thanks to Edelweiss and Holiday House for a review copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
I confess: going in, I didnāt actually realize that the Roosevelts in this book were the Roosevelts. This story is, indeed, based on factual events in the lives of the young famous Roosevelts, layered with some creepy fantasy to sweeten the deal.
Eleanor, Alice, and the Roosevelt Ghosts delivers on spine-chilling, creepy horror, while also weaving a compelling story of family coming together during hardships.
I canāt say I loved the characters in this or that I was particularly drawn to any of them, but this book for sure shines in the horror genre, which is what I was really wanting from it. Due to some of the graphic hauntings, I would recommend it for more mature middle grade readers.
My Thoughts:
- This. Book. Is. Creeeepy. With a capital C and you see all those dang eās? It totally earned them. Itās not for the faint of heart, thatās sure. There were scenes that were so deliciously creepy that I absolutely loved it! Salerni captures a cold, creepy atmosphere that delivered on the spookiness I was hoping for and then some. I would read more horror by Salerni in a heartbeat! If youāre looking for an easy, creepy read thatāll stay with you long after you close the book, this is it. I love childrenās mid-grade because Iām not a fan of gore and Iām also a big wuss, so this is, by no means, a novel I would describe as terrifying. But I would definitely put it on the upper end of mid-grade scary, knocking on the doors of lower young adult.
- This book weaves together historical fiction with fantasy, not shying away from the ugly truths of the time but bringing a whole new perspective to them. 1898 wasnāt a great time for ā¦ well, a lot of people. Especially not the Roosevelts, as sickness took some family members and made orphans of others. Not to mention that Alice is scandalous for wearing shorts and wanting to ride bikes. The nerve! History is presented in a real setting here, one that honestly represents the struggles of the time period. But itās not all doom and gloom, either. There are pretty dresses and parties and seances and all sorts of fun things. Plus, there are guest appearances from two very prominent names in history: Nellie Bly and Nikola Tesla.
- The young Roosevelts have to figure out how to work together, and it was so refreshing to see family coming together. All the characters are so different, but the one thing they have in common is that they all share a history of loss. Alice lost her mother (and gained a new stepmother who hates her). Eleanor lost both her parents (and gained a grandmother who mentally abuses her). Neither of them were particularly friends before this book, but all the weird happenings and their mutual love for Aunt Bye and her well-being forces them to work together. Itās not just the two main characters, though. Their cousins also make an appearance, and all the Roosevelts together have to protect their aunt and solve the mystery behind the hauntings. Families working together is one of my favorite things to read, and these cousins coming together is slow but natural and very heartwarming.
- I wish I had gotten a little better feel for this world, the ghosts in particular. Thereās a classification system for ghosts, but no real history as to how it came into being. Thereās even a governmental agency for it. Thereās also an ongoing debate of what exactly ghosts are ā¦ and sometimes what they are not. It felt a little superficial, though. I guess maybe the characters donāt have all the answers, but I also feel like theyāre not asking the right questions. Namely: why? Especially why, with some circumstances. Maybe itās a conversation the author didnāt want to get into or maybe the why doesnāt matter, but since the focus is on ghosts, I really wanted to dive deeper into that aspect of it!
itratali's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
theybedax's review against another edition
4.0
Clever historical fiction with a ghost reimagining. Tons of fun with quite the amount of feels.
katy_alice's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0