The Phantom is back and wielding justice on the streets, but a copycat does not have such honorable intentions. April and her friends must stay one step ahead of the faux phantom to protect their found family.

This series has alot going on, but it all works together somehow. Readers will keep turning the pages to find out what happens to this group of kids and to learn more about the mysteries of Winterborne...

I love this adventurous mystery. I was on the edge of my seat throughout the majority of the novel. April joins a group of kids at Winterborne home to live, she hopes, temporarily. The series of orphans work together to solve the many mysteries revolving around their home and situations.

I love this fun and funny series! Perfect for readers 8-12 (and older—as I said, I loved it!) who love a good adventure without too much violence or tension.

You won't be able to help falling in love with Gabriel Winterborne and all his unusual wards. The chaos and love between them is like my favorite big family stories, putting this at the top of my "found family" list of books/series to recommend.

Book one (Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valor) introduced us to five orphans who were brought into the Winterborne House and became a family. The end of Book 1 had a somewhat happy ending, and left the children feeling like they would finally have stability in their lives. This was before the break-in that opened up Book 2 and caused Gabriel Winterborne, the children's guardian to go "off the rails" again. This time he disappeared and the kids, after waiting for short time for his return, set out to find him. Along the way they find many surprises that rock their world and draw them closer together.

I love Ally Carter, and usually make a point to read all her books. I was a huge fan of Book #1 in this series, but not as in love with Book #2. I believe this was caused by the length of time between the reading of both books. I had forgotten some parts of the first book and struggled to catch up with what was happening in the second. Many storylines were left open at the end of this book, so I would expect a Book #3 - I just hope it comes sooner rather than later so I can keep up with the momentum of the story.

Recommendation: Read these two books as close together as possible.

Didn't realize this was book two in a series, but I very much enjoyed it and felt that it provided enough background to understand what happened in book one (which I will be reading now). Reminds me of the Secret Benedict Society. I loved the characters and there were some significant emotional moments in this book. Well worth the read for a middle grader who likes adventures and thrills.

Winterborne Home for Mayhem and Mystery (Winterborne #2) by Ally Carter, 352 pages. Houghton Mifflin, MARCH 2021. $15

Language: G (0 swears, 0“f”); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (abundant danger)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

April and the others try to keep things going at Winterborne Mansion, but Gabriel aches from Isabel’s desertion. When he disappears again, April is sure that something is wrong and that Gabriel needs their help. However, a visit from an aggressive social worker, the appearance of a man who says he’s April’s father, and a second Sentinel are highly distracting.

Lots of danger, lots of surprises, lots of layers – enough to be somewhat confusing at times. Carter seems to be aiming this to be a second Gallagher Girls series – I won’t give things away, but like the original, there are many layers that are just being revealed at the end this second volume.

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS

Ally Carter has been one of my very favorite authors since I was thirteen and this book was a very entertaining addition to my list of favorite books! If you've ever wondered what would happen if you crossed Cammie Morgan with Batman, the Winterborne Home books are perfect for you!

In this second entry into the series, we learn more about April and the mysteries of Gabriel Winterborne and his home. There are evil villains, heart-stopping adventure and a fair dose of humor. But what makes this series stand out is how Carter addresses serious emotions and traumatic events, such as April's being abandoned by her mother as a very young child, deftly weaving them into the action-packed plot. While many mysteries are solved in this volume, more remain. I can't wait for the next in the series.

In the sequel to Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valor, April is finally getting used to having people she loves and can rely on. The peace doesn’t last long before April and her friends are thrown back into a dangerous world, trying to find Gabriel Winterborne, who has once again gone missing, and finding out the truth about April’s parents.

After quickly making my way through the first book in this series and really enjoying it, I knew I needed to read this one as soon as possible! I loved getting to see April, her friends, and Gabriel during all of their adventures again. They stumbled into new mysteries that needed to be solved; their was never a dull moment with this group. I am not sure if there are plans to continue the series, but I am crossing my fingers that we get to see a third book announced soon because there is so much we still need to find out!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Clarion Books for the ARC of Winterborne Home for Mayhem and Mystery by Ally Carter!

So much fun! Another great adventure in the series. This series is my "recommended read" for reader's advisory.

This sequel was a bit darker than the first book, but still very enjoyable. I will probably purchase it for my library. April's character has done some growing. For some reason if felt like she spent a lot of time recounting how alone and unwanted she was, but really the friendship among the Winterborne House crew is fun to read. Gabriel's character has done some growing, as well, and there are new secondary characters introduced who add some mystery and danger to the story. I look forward to the next book.

After reading the first book, Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valor, I was left wanting to know more about April and the Winterborne Home. I was so excited to see that there was a sequel to be written!! This answered many of the unanswered questions I had and developed the world a little bit more. I do not have as many unanswered questions in mind. While this book ended well, I am looking forward to reading more in the series.

I really loved this second book in this series. I THINK this book had a prefect balance of the annie meets batman elements that book 1, did not expand on. I think the mystery in this book was more engaging. I also loved how this book fleshed on the realtionships between all the kids int his book and felt like I learned more about all the characters in this books. It was such a fun fast pace read. It had elements that remind of the Artemis fowl series and also elements of Annie. I really am excited for book 3!

This was the second book that I have ever read by Ally Carter, the first being the first book in this series. Both books were fantastic. I loved the premises of the storyline and the characters were fantastic to read. I hope there will be more in this series.

Ally Carter is a genius! She is just as talented at writing middle grade literature as she is young adult. I have found both books in this series engaging so far, and I am very excited about continuing the series. April is such a spunky and fun character, and I love seeing how these kids grow closer and more confident in this book as they are forced to become independent when they don't have the adults with them that they are used to counting on. The suspense in the novel will keep readers turning pages, but it's not so suspenseful that readers will be triggered by the story line. Well-paced and creatively written, this is a fun and exciting new title!

DNF. Didn't grab me as the first one did, but the spirit of the first book carries over: the fun kids, their initiative, and the hints of danger.

The second installment of the Winterborne series was fun, exciting and as witty as the last one. I loved all the characters and they were all just brilliant!

The adventure was exciting and the writing fast paced but what lacked was cohesiveness. I found the plot a bit confusing as new characters were introduced and some bits were pushed aside and never really explained. I didn't understand the reasoning behind Reggie Dupree's actions. Izzy wasn't brought back and we weren't told what was going to happen to her.

There were alot of questions left unanswered. I didn't remember much from the last book as it had been a long time since I read it but this installment felt a bit confusing.

Other than that I did enjoy the characterisation and writing which was witty and fast paced.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the E-arc!

I didn't quite enjoy this one as much as the first. I honestly don't know that this needed to be a series at all. I liked the whole mystery in the first book and how the kids came together, but this second book just felt a little unnecessary. The whole thing with social services was stressful and hurt my heart. It felt like we spent a lot of the book going around in circles.

What a fun sequel that continues the mystery of the Winterbourne family. This book focuses on the mystery of April's past - why was she abandoned at age two with a Winterbourne key around her neck. Could another Winterbourne have survived. It was so fun to see that the five kids have bonded and become a family. They work together to stay alive, keep Gabriel alive, and find out who is after the Winterbournes. With nonstop adventure, and unexpected challenges, this page turner keeps you interested from start to finish.