I found this book to be rather disappointing. While I realize the target audience is middle school age, that is no excuse for choppy writing and flat characters. The basic idea was intriguing but, unfortunately, it just wasn’t very well developed.

How did I miss this book when it first came out? It has everything I love about middle grade fantasy - hip and likable characters, clever humor, a multi-faceted villain, a surprise twist at the end, and a superb story. Here, the likable characters are Prosper and Nell and the villain (one of them!) is Alastor, a fiend who has waited hundreds of years for revenge on the family that bound him. The competing themes of revenge & betrayal and friendship and love can lead to some interesting discussions about relationships.

The nods to some of my favorite classic stories (The Crucible and Dr. Faustus) only made this more enjoyable. In The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding, Bracken delivers what appears to be a prologue to some serious world-building, as she prepares to publish the sequel to this in February. The twist at the end was one of the best I can remember and set up the sequel beautifully. I am eagerly anticipating this sequel and cannot wait to read about The Realm and find out what happens to Alastor and his family.

Loved this book. So weird and twisty. Highly recommend. The characters were interesting and intriguing

“The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding” by Alexandra Bracken is an engaging tale about a boy that embarks on a journey to save his family. It has interesting twists and turns that leave you on the edge of your seat, wanting to read more.

What happens when the black sheep of a famous and overachiever family has a demon inside him? Small town boy Prosper Redding's journey of supernatural and self discovery will answer that question and more. Fans of Dianna Wynne Jones will enjoy this juvenile fiction novel from Alexandra Bracken.

I liked this book, although it isn't favorite Alexandra Bracken novel. I think it's a good middle grade, I did not find it spooky or scary at all. Not sure if I will continue in the series.

Bracken creates a spooky and mystifying world in which a boy connects with a rather cantankerous old demon. The plot is daring while digestible. The characters go through things in in our world such as bullying and alienation. The main character also has a great motive and this is to rid himself of a lingering family curse. Great read!

This was a fantastic book. It keeps you constantly questioning where your loyalties lie and who to trust. I love the aspect of having a constant voice in your head to talk to, and plan with, even if you can’t trust it. This was also my first Alexandra Bracken book and I am looking forward to more.

It took me quite a bit of time to get through this book, and while I enjoyed much of the writing style, I had a hard time understanding the nature of the curse at the heart of the story, and found my interest fading with the numerous twits the plot had toward the end. As such, I have a hard time believing this is a story the students in my middle school would gravitate towards or be willing to stick with to the end.

How did I ever miss this book? Suspenseful, engaging, filled with clever misdirections, The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding is a rare fantasy for young readers that surprises as well as delights.

Disclaimer - I received a free copy of this eBook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Witty and charming with a little spookiness mixed in for fun, this book centers around Prosperity Oceanus Redding, whose family helped found Redhood, MA in the late 1690's. While his family is ridiculously rich and wealthy, Prosper fails at everything and feels like the outcast who just never measures up. Relentlessly loyal to his parents and his twin sister, Prosper despises (and is despised by) the rest of his extended family. When he discovers that the family's good fortune comes from a deal his great-great-great-great... grandfather made a with a demon, Prosper realizes the contract has come due and he has to pay the price for the past 300 years of good luck his family has experienced. Can Prosper banish the demon and break the curse or is he doomed to spend all eternity as a slave to the demon?

This book is well-written and, though the middle is a little slow, there are twists and turns that you expect that turn out differently than what you expected. The characters are fleshed out and believable and their interaction feels genuine. I enjoyed the interplay between Prosper, Nell, Barnabas and Alastor. This one is just fun and definitely recommended!

Teens who enjoy the paranormal will like this tale of 12 year old Prosper Redding whose family has consistently had wealth and success. An ancestor who contracted with a daemon to bring about this good fortune has come to collect the final payment, from Prosper. Prosper fights back and this book is filled with suspense, laughs, a wee bit of horror, and cliff hangar ending to set up book two in the series. Recommended. Dr. Cheryl Youse, Colquitt County High School.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding (from NetGalley). All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This novel was great fun! I enjoyed every minute of it. Some scenes had me laughing out loud and were so perfectlyy sculpted, that I will be purchasing several copies of this one to use in my 6th grade English class. (For anyone who is interested, I loved the "show-not-tell" component of which there were wonderful examples of author's craft. Alastor stalking the streets at night had to be the highlight!) Conspiracy, mystery, and action shape this novel at its core. I can't wait for the sequel,l--though I have a feeling the tale becomes a bit darker from this point forward--judging by the preview. Thank you to NetGalley and Alexandra Bracken for the ARC.

This book just wasn't up my alley. It was a suggested book sent to me via email but at the 41% mark, I just had to call it quits. Although I have rated here upon NetGalley's request, I have not done so on Goodreads. Fantasy is a real mixed bag for me and everything does pale compared to Harry Potter or Percy Jackson.

This is a very fun and entertaining read. The characters are well developed and make you care about what is happening to them...or what will happen. This is a perfect read for young adults who enjoy the unusual. Touches of magic and the occult are interwoven in an everyday reality that is convincing. Even if you are a not-so-young adult that also enjoys this genre, definitely pick this up. You will be left waiting impatiently for the next installment!

Thank you Disney Hyperion and Netgalley for the eARC of this book.
The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding blends historical fiction and the supernatural in an interesting way. When Prosper Redding, who has never felt like he fit in, discovers the secret to his family’s centuries of success, he doesn’t know who to trust. But, he discovers that he’ll do what it takes to protect his family.
I think a lot of readers will relate to Prosper’s feelings of not fitting in, and I enjoyed seeing his character developed throughout the story. This book is the first in a series, so the ending felt a little unsatisfying.

The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding begins as page turner, but then slows down in the middle. There is evil grandmother who leads a cult like family that made a deal with the devil, a ne'er-do-well uncle, who seems a lot like Sirius Black. and a demon who has taken up residence in Prosper's body. The funny, incredulous voice of Prosper is spot on. Definitey recommend to kids who like their paranormal with a dose of humor.

The perfect Halloween read! Bracken's middle grade debut is the perfect blend of creepy, spellbinding, and mixed with the right amount of humor to keep the story lighthearted. I liked the mix of witches, demons, and the history, and legends that have been past down through the generations in Prospers family, that tie into this story.

The story is about 12 year old Prosper Redding, who has the unfortunate task of having a malefactor named Alastor, the demon thing who shares his body, thanks to a centuries old curse that his forefather broke. Prosper isn't at all who Malefactor excepts him to be. In fact, he's not at all what I had excepted him to be either. He's a character you can't help but want to love. The dialogue between Prosper and Alastor is at times comical. There are times, like when Prosper needs to run for his life, that Alastor comes in handy. Though Alastor is the real reason why Prosper's life is threatened in the first place.

Plot wise, I had a hard time diving into this book like I have with Bracken's YA books. I'm not sure what exactly it was. This book is definitely a fun read with a twists, and darker, fantasy elements to it. It's one as a middle grade reader I would have devoured. Having said that, this is a book that is written for a middle grade audience whom I can see easily jumping into this dark, twisted, middle grade book.

This is a great Halloween read that, unfortunately, falls between the cracks of cluttered Juvenile fantasy. It's not quite YA but has a very mature Middle Grade voice, which will appeal to a wider audience. Dreadful Tale will become a joyous tale for parents and children to enjoy reading together!

Prosper Redding belongs to a rich, affluent family in Massachusetts, not far from Salem, the location of the historically infamous witch trials. Prosper's family has always been strange, but one night when his family holds a reunion at his Grandmother's home, he finds out more about the curse on his family. They hold a ritual where a malefactor named Alastor enters into Prosper because one family ancestor entered into a contract with him, but the contract was broken, so now Alastor is back for revenge. The story continues with a stranger rescuing Prosper and taking him to Salem, supposedly to keep him safe from his Grandmother. Strange and ghastly occurrences continue to happen as Prosper enlists the help of Nell to try and remove Alastor, but can Prosper really trust anyone?
This was definitely a creepy enough book to read around Halloween. I don't particularly care for creepy stories, so I had to skim over some of the more graphic, gory details. I will say that this book was pretty funny, which made it more enjoyable. I don't think this book is appropriate for middle grade students because of the content (teens may be a better target audience). I will be reading the sequel because that ending was such a cliffhanger (how cruel!). It wasn't my favorite, but the writing is excellent, the descriptions are realistic, and the plot is quite tense and exciting.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. A positive review was not required, and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.