This was such a fun and easy read, with a unique premise and wonderful story! I loved the plot and friendships that were told along the way.

Embassy of the Dead is a fun and fast-paced supernatural thrill ride. I was hooked from the start!

The perfect mix of hilarity, heroics and haunting.

This book has a wonderful mix of characters. There's bound to be someone for everyone. Plus, the mystery and adventure were compelling. There's never a lull in the action, so it was easy to get lost in the story.

I'd recommend this book to fans of Neil Gaiman and Scooby-Doo.

When Jake accidentally receives a box filled with a highly unusual item he unknowingly becomes involved in ghosts, evil takeovers, and a crazy adventure. This book had really good characters and the pacing was really good. It wasn't too long which is a plus for me and also had relatively short chapters. Lots of fun.

This a fun little middle grade! I enjoyed the characters and I feel like the plot was very well-thought out. Definitely an enjoyable read!

This book has lighthearted moments,, but isn't especially funny. It's certainly a unique world, a complex set of rules for ghosts and the afterlife. And once those rules are set, the plot abides by them. Plenty of twists to keep a kid reading.

I think this book can be appreciated by both adults and children.
It's fast paced, engrossing, full of humour and with the right spook factor.
Great world building and character development, excellent storytelling.
It's highly entertaining and engrossing, strongly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

This was a great read! The perfect mix between spooky, adventure and humour, making it all just a Lot of fun.

The writing sucked me in, and made it all feel very real. I could see everything in my head. Actually, I think this would make for a brilliant (animated) movie. The pacing is fast, and the plot straightforward, which made it a perfect single sitting (snuggled up on the couch with a blanket, a big mug of tea, candles and a rainy ASMR video) read.

This book has all the elements to be really creepy… a severed finger in a box, a grim reaper, lots of ghosts, skeleton dogs… Jake actually dies at some point. But all of it is done with a great spoonful of fun making it very enjoyable for readers of all ages.

Jake Green received a package from a mysterious stranger. He made the mistake of opening it. It contained a severed finger. Now, a grim reaper is after him. His only chance is to get to the Embassy of the Dead to plead his case before the reaper catches him.

I loved this. It has the perfect spooky vibes for this time of year. The characters are fantastic and I want more.

<u>Embassy of the Dead</u> is a decently paced middle grade thriller/ghost adventure novel. While none of the characters were too memorable or lovable to me, it had an interesting enough plot (with some Beetlejuice inspired elements), and the right balance of humor and creepy to entice most middle grade readers.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. It is set to be published in September 2020.

"Embassy of the Dead" by Will Mabbit is a gripping, action-packed adventure novel that will keep you turning the pages as fast as you can until the very end... and then it will leave you wishing for more.
It doesn't properly fit into any genre box, as it is partly a detective story, partly a supernatural story, partly a mystery, with just a touch of horror and a touch of picaresque novel.
When I started it, I honestly didn't think it would be so riveting, by turns so hilarious and so touching.
I felt totally invested in all the characters, the plot was full of twists and surprises and the clean, limpid writing had me engrossed from the first to the last page.
The beautiful illustrations were an added bonus, especially those portraying lovely Zorro.
I can't wait to read what comes next in the series.

This is one of those stories that I would've loved as a child. It's a bit spooky but not very scary. I'm totally convinced most kids would like it. I will definitely be picking up the next installment.

Embassy of the Dead is a well written and thought out middle grade novel. This is perfect for kids who enjoy ghost stories, mysteries, and adventures.

Thank you to Candlewick Press and Walker Books US for sending me an ARC via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
3.5/5
Jake Green is a normal 12-year-old boy whose only worries are the boring class trip he’s going on in a couple of days and the fact that his parents have recently split up. At least, they were his only worries until he’s handed a package by a ghost and goes home to open it. The package is from the Embassy of the Dead and contains a severed finger.
This launches Jake into a rather strange adventure as he tries to avoid getting sent to the Eternal Void and return the finger to the Embassy. With the help of a few ghosts and an Undoer, Jake attempts to remain in the world of the living and make it home before his school trip is supposed to be over so that his mom doesn’t find out he was missing.
I thought it was a fun and unique read! Jake was a pretty easy-going character and I thought he was relatable. I would have liked more background on some of the ghosts, and a little bit more explanation on the Embassy of the Dead in general, but overall, I found it to be a quick and enjoyable read!
I’d recommend it to younger readers as it’s definitely a middle-grade novel, but remembering that it’s called Embassy of the Dead, and therefore deals with themes of death.

Look out for a review on my Bookstagram page (alli_the_bookaholic13) in the second week of September 2020!

Embassy of the Dead is a middle grade novel full of danger and adventure. Jake Green, the hero of the story, is accidentally swept up into a whole mess of undead intrigue when he unknowingly takes possession of a very important (and very creepy) package.
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Jake, along with his new friends Stiffkey, Cora, and Zorro (all ghosts) must make his way to the Embassy of the Dead to return the package, dodging reapers, bonewulfs, practitioners of Old Magic, and energy sucking spirits, and figuring out which friends can be trusted and which cannot.
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Oh, and if he fails and the package falls into the wrong hands, the world as we know it will end.
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A fast paced, fun, spooky little adventure that will delight your favorite little ghoul, this British novel will release here in the states on September 8, 2020.
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I received a free electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A fun, just-spooky-enough adventure bursting with macabre humor and plenty of shenanigans.

This is one of those MG stories that feels perfectly effortless, in which Jake, an Ordinary Boy, gets sucked into a ghostly misadventure after he's given a box containing a severed fingers. We have animal sidekicks, a literal Embassy of the Dead, the threat of Eternal void, and a perfect exploration of friendship, family, and reparations. It also has enough cleverness that I imagine adults will enjoy too, especially with younger readers who might be navigating their first foray into horror.

Overall, a solid recommend. 4/5.

Best. Middle Grade. Ghost Adventure. Ever

Here's why:

First, the author is Will Mabbit, who wrote the Mabel Jones books. Mabel Jones is one of the outstanding middle grade adventure heroines, and the Jones books are wonderful. I tried this new book, (first in a series of at least three), mainly because I recognized Mabbit as the author.

Second, crispest plot. I've read a lot of middle grade and I'm sometimes really shocked by how convoluted and awkward plots can be. They can take huge amounts of monologuing and info dumping just to keep the narrative vaguely on track. I'm occasionally amazed that a kid reader can follow certain tales. Not so here. The plot is ripping, and twisty, and loaded with event, but it is well marked and crystal clear. You always know what just happened, what's happening, and what's coming up next, (allowing for surprises). And the ending is remarkably clever, but still unfolds with a satisfying snap.

Third, great supporting characters. As we traipse through the Earthly Plane, the Inbetween, and the Afterworld we meet a stunning array of characters - some good, some bad, some kind and helpful, some devious. None are quirky or odd just for shock value. Each character makes sense in context and adds to the ripping pace and energetic atmosphere of the tale. And a good many of them are very funny.

Fourth, this book has the clearest and most logical and sensible ghost/Afterworld system I've encountered in a middle grade story. Early on our hero and the Specter who's helping him have a calm conversation, (admittedly while fleeing in a stolen van from a Grim Reaper). Our hero asks reasonable questions and, get this, he gets clear and reasonable answers. None of that "I'd tell you everything but I don't have time right now". We actually learn how all the worlds are set up, (without an awkward info dump feel), and then we can dive right into the adventure, thrills, twists and fun.

Fifth, and Most Important, our hero, Jake, is terrific, and his companions, (Stiffkey, Zorro the ghost fox, and Cora), round out a great team. Jake is our first person narrator. Opinions vary, but I like a hero narrator who is a bit restrained, even to the point of being dry and deadpan. Wacka wacka and/or hysterical don't wear that well. But Jake feels authentic while still taking the most outrageous developments in stride. He is calm, smart, resourceful, and no stranger to irony. There are very clever throwaway lines and passing observations that make Jake an engaging and entertaining narrator, without Jake ever becoming precocious or smart-alecky. And it's all stiff-upper-lip, with no whinging. There are a lot of one or two page mini-bits that add color and depth to the tale without being technically essential to the story. But they are amusing or touching or simply entertainingly diverting, which is good enough reason for them.

The upshot is that I liked the characters, the story, the writing, the humor, and the ripping energy of this book. Just a terrific find.

(Please note that I received a free 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.)

I recieved a complimentary eARC in exchange for my honest review.

A villain looking to reinvigorate dark magic, a case of mistaken identity, and a boy who is about to learn he has a special skill is the stage set by Will Mabbitt is this fast-paced middle grade novel.

Jake Green is just an ordinary kid, living an ordinary life, when a odd man leaves him with and unexpected--and unearthly--package.

Eventually it comes to light that he has opened a highly sensitive object under the jurisdiction of the Embassy of th Dead and he's is in trouble ... the kind if trouble that could have him leaving the land of the living, unless he can return the object in his possesion before something bad happens to it.

Jake gets assistance along the way from some interesting, and feisty, characters (and learns the land of the dead has almost as much bureaucracy as the land of the living). But will their help pay off and lead Jake to save himself, and the world, from a terrible outcome?

From beginning to end this book was smartly written. The eccentric characters, likeable protagonist, and fast pace should be a hit with MG readers.

#EmbassyoftheDead #NetGalley

I received an electronic ARC from Candlewick Press through NetGalley.
Just enough eerie to appeal to middle grade readers and not tip too far into scariness. Plenty of humor interwoven as well.
Jake receives a package from a ghost and launches an adventure to return the contents and save the worlds - living and dead. He pairs with the ghost who gave him the box and meets several more ghosts who help along the way. In the end, his ghost fox saves the day and then Jake saves his ghost friend and sends him on to the afterlife. His ghost pal, Cora stays on with him and so does his dead fox pet, Zorro.
Terrific first book in this series by Mabbitt. Looking forward to the next book.

Feels like a great summer vacation book. You know that feel you always had as a child during summer holiday, like some fantastical thing could just turn up and transport you from the normal to some place else. That is the feeling I get from this book, and the beautiful illustrations by Taryn Knight only enhance the story.

Jake, a normal boy, meets a ghost called Stiffkey who hands Jake a box. Inside the box sits an artefact that the Embassy of the Dead wants back. Turns out, it’s a whole misunderstanding, and this takes Jake on a mission to make things right again.

It's a fun story and you notice straight away that Mabbitt has a fully realised world and lore that makes the story, and its fantasy-elements more real, because you, as a reader, know that the author has created something with a weight to it.

Jake is accidentally entrusted with a box containing a severed finger. The adventure that follows is otherworldly and spooky, but also funny. As Jake opened the box to peek at the contents, the Embassy of the Dead was alerted. Caught up in a mystery, Jake must avoid the Embassy as they want to send him to the Eternal Void.

Stiffkey, the ghost who handed him the box, has come back to help Jake. Together with a cast of superb ghosts and ghouls, Jake and Stiffkey must find a ghost to Undo, so Jake is safe from death.

Zorro, a ghost fox and Cora, a hockey stick wielding ghost assist and join along for the fun! These are two of my favourites!

Embassy of the Dead is a fabulous book, perfect for 9+ to read!