Spooky good time!

This was such a fun, spooky, summer read! The Sinister-Winterbottom children find themselves at their creepy aunt's for the summer and have no idea why they are there or what happened to their parents. Now they must survive a week at possibly the creepiest water park that ever existed? There are hardly any people there and worse, the workers are disappearing? And there are no churros? Absolutely dreadful.

I found this book to be loads of fun and enjoyed following along with Theo and her twin brother Alexander as they solved the mystery at the super creepy Fathoms of Fun waterpark. But their "fun" isn't over yet! There are still questions to be answered!

I'm excited to read the twins' next adventure in book 2!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced ARC!
(I received an advanced ARC from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.)

I loved <i>Wretched Waterpark</i>!

At first, I wasn’t entirely sure of it as it had some stereotypical adults-writing-kids things (not knowing/recognizing a phone on the wall, Wil being addicted to her cellphone), but I got over it pretty quickly!
The vibes were beautiful, and I’m now in love with the idea of a gothic waterpark. I could easily envision Theo and Alexander floating down the lazy river in their coffin raft and lounging in the cabasoleum.

The mystery of the waterpark kept me guessing for a good amount of time. I’m excited to see where the series goes as the supernatural touches develop and we discover more about what’s happening to the Sinister-Winterbottom family.

Be warned, I’m now marathoning <i>Scooby Doo</> and have the urge to reread <i>A Series of Unfortunate Events</i>. The comp titles were spot on! I’m sure this will be a hit with readers who like mystery and a little spookiness.

I’m off to read <i>Vampiric Vacation</i>!

This is like an updated Series of Unfortunate Events with a fun trio of siblings, some gothic atmosphere, and mysterious circumstances involving absent parents and an unknown aunt.

I loved White's semi-sarcastic writing style and the relationships between the siblings. In fact, the whole story is full of quirky characters who just had me giddy. The waterpark was perfection. Pale lifeguards in black and white dress accompanied by black parasols? Oh, the gothic vibes. I think this is the collision of characters and world that I have been looking for.

The mystery was fantastically written. The book is definitely middle grade, but the level of deception is well done. Adults will figure out some of the twists, but there are some great red herrings in the mix and it was just honestly a really intriguing and entertaining read. Highly recommend and I will be anxiously awaiting the sequel.

So I feel like this book was basically a different version of A Series of Unfortunate Events? Especially the ending gave me all of those vibes. Anyhow, I really enjoyed it. It was quirky and quick, although I did find it hard to get into the book and to keep my focus, mainly because of the writing style. I really did love all the word puns though.

It’s very interesting to me that this book was released right around the same time as Hide, also by Kiersten White, because this feels like the kids version of that book. And it’s a good read in its own right, even for adult readers.

I loved the sense of humor and wordplay of this, as well as the cleverly plotted, low stakes mystery. I wish White had made better use of the water park to make the setting come to life more vividly, but the way it weaves into the story is well-crafted.

It’s worth noting that nothing about this book is truly scary. While as an adult reader I would have liked more atmospheric eeriness, I like that White kept this exciting while also making it tame enough that it isn’t likely to keep young readers up at night.

We’re left with more answers than questions about the greater, ongoing plot of the series, which is a little bit frustrating. That said, the premise certainly sets up well for more adventures for the kids, and I’m curious to find about more about why this particular set of siblings is actually in this situation.

The vibe of this is a bit tongue in cheek in the best way (Think A Series of Unfortunate Events but with less hammy dialogue and repetitiveness). I’ll be eager to read the next installment, and will certainly be passing this one along to my eight-year-old as well.

If Tim Burton had an amusement park, this is what I would picture it being like. Minus Tim's iconic characters of course haha. Seriously though, this is a very gothic middle grade book with a mystery element.
This is about these two kids who are sent to their odd and mysterious aunts home (who's home seems to be frozen in the past.) Their aunt isn't very good with kids and had no idea how to care for tiny humans. So she decides to send them to a gothic themed water park. A water park that is not only weird in its own right but there is something off about it. Something not right. And it's up to the kids to figure out what that something is.
I can't think of a better horror middle grade for the summer. It's so atmospheric and the characters are very personable and loveable. And the whole story is clever with some clever nods to gothic lit and jokes. These character think just like someone their age would. There were multiple time I found my self chuckling at their comments and jokes. This is just so cute and everything I want in a book. And everything I needed at the time! Just a very fun and enjoyable time. I'm so excited for the next installment. It can't come soon enough!
If you like gothic horror. If you like middle grade with cute and loveable characters and a good mystery plot... this book is for you! I highly recommend this one. :)
This was an ARC sent to me by Delacorte Press via Netgalley. Thank you so much to them for the opportunity to read this ARC! All opinions are my own.

This was such a fun read! A gothic waterpark sounds so cool and even though I don't enjoy water, I would totally check it out. The slides have such morbid names, like Mortal Coil, Infinite Plunge, and the River Styx. People wear old fashioned clothes to the restaurant and the cabanas are actually mausoleums. Sign me up if this ever becomes a thing!

The mystery was creepy and fun and I thought the twins were entertaining. I like that they each have their own strengths and work together to figure out exactly what is going on. There are definitely a lot of lingering questions about their strange aunt and why the Winterbottom-Sinister parents dropped their kids off so suddenly. I can't wait for the sequel and another mystery to solve!

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for the copy

There’s nothing like a trip to the waterpark to make a young person scream with delight. Yes, you will get wet but also have tons of fun—unless you’re spending the day at Fathoms of Fun Waterpark. Run the other way instead as our three main characters quickly discover.
Alexander and Theo Sinister-Winterbottom are 12-year old twins. Along with their older sister Wil, they’ve been sent off in the middle of the night by their parents to live with Aunt Saffronia, a supposed relative they never knew existed. Child care is not her best trait. The only thing she cares about is making sure they use the week long passes she got for them at the local waterpark. Sounds fun until their visit turns into quite the mystery with people disappearing, terrible food choices, and some pretty wild rides.

Alexander is the cautious, rule following twin who also hates water slides. The more adventurous Theo makes a great pairing as these two try and figure out who is in the watch tower and why this place seems more intent on making sure guests never want to come back. Wil frequently disappears on her own, being more interested in her phone and Edgar, a boy she meets at the park.

The third person narration in WRETCHED WATERPARK is filled with humor and the mystery unfolds in a fast paced fashion. I’m not giving away any spoilers to keep the story fresh in case you decide to give this one a go.. The first tale in this enticing series will be followed by Vampiric Vacation in September. The summer is off to a great start!

FIVE MORE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT WRETCHED WATERPARK

1. The sibling relationship. Alexander and Theo are very different but they support each other no matter what.
2. Although the main plot points were answered there are still enough loose ends to entice readers back for more in Book 2.
3. I’m always a bit wary when an adult/YA author switches course to take a shot at Middle Grade. Thankfully, the author has hit the mark in this mystery that will surely appeal to 8-12 year olds.
4. The creepiness factor is not enough to cause nightmares. It will though cause young readers to read more.
5. Reminded me of Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events which is pretty good company to have in a story.

What a fantastic story! Three siblings, a mystery, and a gothic waterpark adds up to a whirlwind of fun that will enthrall readers as much as A Series of Unfortunate Events and Scooby-Doo. The pace is quick, the writing fun, and I can't wait to read the rest of the series.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children's, Delacorte Press for the opportunity to read an advance reading copy.

Absolutely adored this middle grade mystery by author Kiersten White!

This spooky book reminded me of the Unfortunate Series of Events books, in the best way. Theo, Alexander, and Wil are fantastic characters who you will be rooting for from the first chapter.

This book gives you closure while getting you excited for the next book in the series with plenty of unsolved mysteries left. This amazing and unique family will pull you in.

Wretched Waterpark is a gloomy and engaging tale of mystery, family, and being true to yourself.

This middle school read is exciting and creepy. As a middle school teacher, I am always looking for fun reads to share with my students and this is one of those. Nothing too horrific. Just enough of the creepy factor to keep them, and me, turning the pages until the end. Thanks, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with an ARC ebook in exchange for my honest review.

Kiersten White has been all over the place for me so I had to see where this would line-up and it did not disappoint. Seeing her craft her own story in a made-up amusement park was an absolute delight. I cannot wait to see where this story heads.

Alright so this is a fast paced middle grade fantasy that gave me Lemony Snicket vibes in the extreme and I loved it.

We follow the Sinister-Winterbottom kids, Wil, the oldest, and Theo and Alexander, fraternal twins. One is very cautious, the other very brave and Wil, unfortunately is a bit of a teen cliché. Wil never looks up from her phone and has even named it Roderigo.

I know the joke that teens are always on their phones but it wasn't funny when I was a kid, I personally don't find it funny now, and I don't think teens should have to put up with it.

While I gave this book 4 stars it's really closer to 3.5. And that's because, even though the idea is wild and fun, I'm just so tired of the lack of diversity. People, even those who work at an incredibly gothic themed waterpark and seem sun averse, can be any race.

Just look at the DeadEndia books. Mixes of races, sexualities, it's great. And it's easy to do so the lack of effort at this point is insulting.

Now, the story was easy to follow. The kids get dropped off at the house of an aunt they've never met in the middle of the night and get taken to the water park every single day. For a week. Their aunt is spacy and the last person I would leave a child with but in the end, she was great, still odd.

The kids are fairly well written, they actually sounded like kids and did things kids do. Their actions were believable. I liked their relationship and the anger that Theo had. She's angry at their parents and it's good to see her actually feel it. Same with Alexander.

The writing is great with amazing sentences that I highlighted because they made me laugh. This writer has a great way with words. And I liked this book so much that even though it's middle grade, I plan to read the rest in the series because it was fun!

All in all 3.5 stars.

I received this eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to them and the publisher.

When I first saw this book it definitely gave me Series of Unfortunate Events vibes. As I was reading - it definitely kept up with the same feelings. A set of 3 siblings finds themselves in a peculiar situation that also requires them to solve a mystery set in a creepy waterpark. This is aimed towards middle-grade readers but there were a lot that adults could love too or even YA readers.

The writing was done well but at times I felt as if it was slow and I didn't want to continue reading. There were also a few jokes that were way overused during the course of the book. But overall the mystery itself was interesting and I did want to know what was going on not only with the weird aunt they got stuck with but also the mystery of the waterpark.

This book was a 3-star read for me. It was an okay read but felt oftentimes that I could stop reading and would be fine without knowing what the ending was. I also felt like we left without knowing a big part of the plot (and I know this is a series, so maybe it will come out in the next one).

Thanks to Kiersten White, Delacorte Press and NetGalley for a copy of this book!

This book is funny and creepy and exciting and mysterious, all at the same time. I can't wait to read more books by Kiersten White. I hope this series keeps going. I'm looking forward to reading this to kids.

Wretched Waterpark by Kiersten White was a delightfully fun middle-grade mystery. I see the comparisons to Scooby Doo and I agree that they are there. The story is full of whimsy, mystery, familial love, and fun. As horrible as Fathoms of Fun seemed to be, the book was written so well that I was wishing I could go to it. A waterpark that had all the waterslides of a typical one, but with dark, depressing themes and period costumes sounds like a blast. Add to that that there were almost no other visitors at the park with the Sinister-Winterbottom siblings were there, and its even better! It sounds as if this book will be the first in what is planned to be a series and I think it is the perfect opening book. We learn about the fierce and brave Theo, twin sister to by-the-book, rule-following brother Alexander. They are the stars of the show, with their older sister, Wil, who stays glued-to-her-phone most of the time, along for the ride. The mystery is silly but watching the twins figure it out was a blast. I do plan on getting a copy of the book for my kids to read. (They are 10 and 11 years old.) I think kids who enjoy most any genre would enjoy Wretched Waterpark. As many laughs as someone of my advanced age got out of the book, I imagine the actual age-group the author was aiming for would get even more.

3.5
This was a very fun book, reminiscent of Series of Unfortunate Events, but with ghosts added??

The characters are a lot of fun, and the setting of a gothic water park is super original and great.

Unfortunately Kristen White’s books do have a tendency of being a lot of filler, and the first half of this book is no exception. It would’ve been a much quicker read if some aspects had been tightened up.

But overall I really enjoyed this and will definitely take a look at the next one when it comes out!

Kiersten White is fabulous in general, and one of her special talents is somehow making summer a spooky time. I love it! WRETCHED WATERPARK is the first in a new series about the Sinister-Winterbottom twins Theo and Alexander and their older sister Wil -- in this installment, they're unceremoniously (or maybe very ceremoniously...the kids can't quite remember, somehow?) at their Aunt Saffronia's house (maybe?) for the summer. She buys them a weeklong pass to a nearby gothic waterpark. Yes, you read that correctly: a gothic waterpark, complete with old timey parasols for sun protection, coffin-shaped life rafts, and slides powered by gargoyle fountains. Of course, a mystery is also afoot, and the siblings find themselves unable to resist digging in to the many strange happenings at the park. A charming start to what promises to be a must-read series!

Hop into your coffin-shaped float and go on a delightful, intriguing, and perhaps even supernatural ride with the the Sinister-Winterbottom siblings.

When their parents whisk them away to their Aunt Saffronia's home for the summer, twins Theo and Alexander are left wondering, "How did we get here?" "Does Aunt Saffronia know anything about children?" "What are we supposed to do here all summer?" Aunt Saffronia drops Theo, Alexander, and their older sister, Wil, off at the waterpark, with vague instructions and telling them that what they need to do should take about a week.

The waterpark is not typical, though, and not just because of the Gothic theme and gargoyle waterslides. Something strange and even sinister--as in the word, not as in the family name Sinister--is going on.

I enjoyed the connection between opposites Theo and Alexander and how they complement each other, how they learn to embrace their defining characteristics and to use those characteristics--bravery for Theo and cautiousness for Alexander--as their strengths, and how they work together to solve the mystery of what is happening at the waterpark.

Great for fans of Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, Kiersten White's Wretched Waterpark will keep both adults and children engrossed and entertained. I look forward to reading additional books in this series with my kids.

Thank you to Random House Children's, Delacorte Press, and NetGalley for a copy of the book. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Wretched Waterpark follows two siblings as they are weirdly dropped off by their parents at an aunt’s house. They’ve never met this aunt before and they spend the whole week at the local Waterpark. But it’s not like any Waterpark they’ve been to before. Something weird is going on and they just might be nose enough to figure it out.
I liked the siblingg bff a as main characters. I love a good sibling story and this one definitely covered that aspect. I think the relationship between the siblings is what really made this book shine.
The setting was pretty good too. This weird ass Waterpark was full of slides and such, but the restaurant served fancy food, and there didn’t seem to be many other guests. I think White did a great job making it obvious that something was wrong at the park.
Overall, I had a good time reading this one. I liked that the siblings could depend on one another. But they were also distinct and I really liked getting to know them all.