Thanks to NetGalley for an eARC of this book.

I LOVED this book! A middle-grade book about a mysterious gothic waterpark (that also has a library) being explored by twins with the last name Sinister-Winterbottom? Strange lifeguards wearing 18th century bathing suits and lace parasols? Mausoleums instead of cabanas? It’s a spooky grown up’s (err, kid’s) dream. Growing up I loved all the John Bellairs’ books I found at the library and this book reminded me of a modern take on that series.

I am a big fan of Kiersten White and have to say that her writing in this book is perfection. Her sense of humor, word play, and ability to describe her character’s “big feelings” in a way that kids could relate really shine in this book. I look forward to reading the next book in this series!!

Source: DRC via NetGalley (Random House Children’s, Delacorte Press)
Pub. Date: June 7, 2022
Synopsis: Goodreads

Why did I choose to read this book?

Kiersten White seems to be in this amusement park phase for some reason, and while I don’t usually read and review middle grade, I wanted to read through this one quickly to see if it was any better than Hide. I even requested this after I reviewed Hide, and was surprised that the DRC was granted to me. I’m glad that Random House/Delacorte doesn’t hold a grudge over one bad review.

What is this book about?

Three siblings (older sister Wil and younger twins Theodora and Alexander) are mysteriously sent to their Aunt’s house for the summer. She buys them tickets to the weirdest water park on Earth and tells them they have one week to find what was lost. The kids try to enjoy the creepy water park at first, and then mysteries draw them deeper into solving the problems they think they’ve been sent there to solve.

What is notable about the story?

This book is like if the Haunted Mansion employees escaped from Disneyworld and decided to open up their own waterpark. Coffin-shaped rafts, water slides made out of stones, cabanas that are actually mausoleums, and a restaurant that only has formal tea service and requires that you dress up (in a water park remember). The setting and mysterious magical origins of the kids (possibly a curse?) are original and eye-catching.

Was anything not so great?

You get no back story, no explanation. The kids just go along with all of this without asking any questions or refusing to participate. Theo and Alex were 100% on board with coffin rafts and hurricane force waves in the demon-mouthed wave pool. All you get is a few remembrances of their parents lighting a lot of candles and suddenly they were at their “Aunt’s” house. All of my experience with teaching kids for the last 17 years tells me that in this kind of situation there would be a lot of whining, pouting, and digging in of heels, not just blind following directions. The only believable element of the kids’ behavior is that the teenager Wil never looks up from her phone.

Putting myself in the shoes of my younger students I probably would have devoured this novel, but I would still have had a lot of questions about what the hell is going on here.

Side note: White also manages to wedge a little climate change statement in here which, I mean, I picked up on but seemed kind of gratuitous in a kid’s book.

What’s the verdict?

Going 3 stars on this one. Cool setting, meh characters, good mystery. I’m not sure why Kiersten went all in on amusement parks in her current books (I wouldn’t be surprised if Obi-Wan going to a space amusement park in Padawan!) but I’m looking forward to whatever she’s planning on after she gets this out of her system.

Thank you to the publishers at Random House Children’s and Netgalley for this e-ARC of Wretched Waterpark by Kiersten White!

Read this if you
👻 love gothic themes
🧒🏼 enjoy children’s books
🧳 are a fan of A Series of Unfortunate Events
🛝 wish you were at a waterpark right now

The Sinister-Winterbottom siblings have been sent to spend the summer with their aunt Saffronia in the middle of the night. Confused as to why, Wil, Theo, and Alexander are even more puzzled when their aunt drops them off at the Fathoms of Fun waterpark for the week, instructing them to find “time.” When they discover that one of the waterpark’s owners, Mr. Widow, has mysteriously disappeared, the siblings set out to find him at any cost. But this is no ordinary waterpark, and the siblings must keep their wits about them to solve this impossible mystery.

I absolutely loved this book. The sarcastic humor, the references to the strange waterpark, the mysterious aunt, everything was spot on. If you loved Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, then you will, guaranteed, love Kiersten’s new series! I can’t wait to see what the twins, Theo and Alexander, and their older sister, Wil, get up to next! This book is great for all ages!

Wretched Waterpark is Kiersten White’s middle grade debut and did not disappoint. It follows twins Alexander and Theo, and their older sister Wil who are sent to stay with their aunt for the summer. Their aunt sends them to the mysterious and gothic Fathoms of Fun waterpark every day and they discover that employees of the waterpark are mysteriously disappearing. This book is a part of a series so there are some unanswered questions by the end, but the kids are able to solve the waterpark’s mystery. I loved how creepy and funny this book was and loved the relationships between the siblings. Thank you to NetGalley for the digital ARC and the opportunity to share my opinions on the book!

WOW!! WRETCHED WATERPARK (SINISTER SUMMER #1) is a beautiful homage, a blast from the past, of those great YA and MG chiller thrillers from ages past (specifically the long-gone 1950's and 1960's). Shades of John Bellairs, Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew! I was transported right back to the adored thrilling Spooky-Scary mysteries of my childhood.


Twins Theo and Alecander, age 12 (he the cautious, she the bold), are whisked unexpectedly to the home of a mysterious aunt, along with their older sister Wil.
Both Aunt Saffronia and her home are enigmatic, but the almost abandoned Waterpark where they are instructed to spend their days is beyond enigmatic and downright bizarre (and dangerous). The three must puzzle out many mysteries if they don't want to also disappear.

Wretched Waterpark by Kiersten White is a fun yet moody little piece that will send shivers through its middle school audience. What’s more fun than a waterpark? Days spent splashing in the sun, shooting down the slides and taking breaks to fill up on junk food. Unfortunately, Theo, Alexander and Wil’s week pass to Fathom’s of Fun Waterpark offered the opposite. Spooky slides, dangerous wave pools and hideous food. They’d received warnings from their parents, Aunt Saffronia, and park employees to be on the lookout. “Have you been looking? You need to look closer.” What does this mean?

12-year-old twins Theo and Alexander knew something was amiss almost as soon as they entered. Their older sister Wil spent most of her time on her phone and flirting with Edgar. The children find out that Mr. Widow has been lost in the Cold, Unknowable Sea – an attraction in the park. They find themselves in the center of a real mystery thinking it’s a scavenger hunt. Why else would they be admonished to keep looking?

The park, the characters and the mystery make this a fun summer read for pre-teens and teens alike. This is an offering that will prompt the comment “Mom, let me read just one more chapter”. And who is Rodrigo?

Thank you #NetGalley #RandomHouseChildrens #DelacortePress #WretchedWaterpark #Spooky @RHCBEducators!

This Wretched Waterpark is the first title of a new middle grade mystery series featuring the Winterbottom children. The story opens with the children currently in the care of their sinister Aunt Saffronia for the whole summer. Strangely, they can’t seem to recall how they came to be under her care. That aside, they are glad they get to spend their days at the Fathoms of Fun waterpark. The siblings: Theo is 12 and adores churros, her twin brother Alexander is a worrier, a cautious individual when it comes to proper food safety protocols, and the older sister Wil is completely immersed into her phone she has given the name, Rodrigo.

Upon arrival at the waterpark, they are surprised to find that it is a gloomy place looking and feeling almost as if it were from a different era. Black lace parasols are used in the place of sunscreen. The rafts are shaped like coffins; and the cabana resembles a mausoleum.
Pretty quickly they learn of the disappearance of the waterpark owner's husband who dove into the treacherous wave pool and never resurfaced. . As others begin to vanish, Theo and Alexander must figure out what's really going on under the guise of this”fun” park.

This book, written with witty prose, subtle humor and a feeling of Gothicness, puts me in the mind of Lemony Snicket's, A Series of Unfortunate Events.

There is plenty here for mystery lovers to enjoy with a slant to quirkiness. I predict this will become a popular series.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in return for an honest review.

A waterpark with a library sounds like my kind of waterpark! Wretched Waterpark is an interesting mystery/thriller that definitely took a few twists and turns I wasn't expecting. I thought the beginning of the book (setting up the mystery) was a bit long, but once I got going the story had me hooked. The story had quirky characters and was a good reminder that sometimes we need to be brave, and sometimes we need to be cautious

And I'm intrigued to see what the Sinister-Winterbottom twins get up to in book #2.

Wretched Waterpark has shades of A Series of Unfortunate Events in that it is creepy and slightly farfetched while at the same time funny. Theo and Alexander Sinister-Winterbottom are tasked with solving the mystery of what's going on at the Waterpark without adult input and they do so with a certain naiveté. As an adult reading it, I found their innocent assumptions rather delightful. Will a middle-schooler reading this feel the same way or might they feel empowered that they are able to anticipate what's actually happening behind the scenes?

Theo, Alexander, and Wil's adventures continue at the Sanguine Spa in book two in this series, Vampiric Vacation. As the author's website states, "Summer keeps getting more Sinister."

I love Middle grade books. This one was really cute and i think younger audiences will definitely get into the story.

This book is so much fun. I think it will appeal to children who enjoy Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events.

Wretched Waterpark would be a fun read for any middle-grade student! The Sinister-Winterbottom siblings are scuttled off to spend the summer with their Aunt Saffronia (previously unheard of). They are given passes to the Fathoms of Fun waterpark (a waterpark with a gothic theme to it). A few cryptic words from Aunt Saffronia to "find what was lost" is all the directions the children are given. They encounter the creepy park owner, her friendly nephew, and a host of other mysterious characters as they work to decipher Aunt Saffronia's message and still have a little fun along the way. Fans of Thomas Taylor's Malamander (and sequels), Catherine Doyle's Stormkeeper's series, Pages & Co. series, will enjoy this slightly farfetched but very adventurous summer mystery series!

This is a cute and fun first book of a new Middle Grade series. It gave me Professor Layton vibes or the animation of James and the Giant Peach and I'm for it!
Excited to see where Aunt Saffronia takes the Sinister-Winterbottom Siblings next

This is a funny and mysterious Gothic novel about three siblings that are inexplicably sent to stay with an elderly aunt they don't know for the summer. They are all disappointed to find that the aunt doesn't have any of their favorite things available-wifi, fun activities, books, and food. The aunt offers them tickets to a local water park and the kids decide to go. It turns out the water park has a Gothic horror theme but also secrets. When the oldest sibling disappears, the younger two decide to solve the mystery. It's a fun read.

I really enjoyed a lot about this book. It’s so spooky, creepy, and fun. I loved the Sinister-Winterbottom twins. The setting, a twisted waterpark, was so so much fun and fast-paced! It’s quirky with a fun mystery and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.

Unfortunately, I felt like the worldbuliding was lacking a bit. I love the eeriness of the town, but so many things were not hinted at or explained and it felt a little disappointing. The ending also felt quite rushed and I found myself confused about the twins’ plan to trick Mrs. Widow. There were also many times I felt like I had no grasp of where the characters were or what was around them. I think a few more physical descriptions of things could have been helpful and possibly cleared things up a bit.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I look forward to following Theo, Alexander, and Wil on their next adventure!

I very rarely read middle grade novels, but I wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone more this year and set a goal to read some. This served up very Lemony Snicket vibes for me - it's been many years since I read any of those but the feeling I remember is very similar to what I felt while I reading this. Theo and Alexander Sinister-Winterbottom are 12 year old twins who, along with their 16 year old sister Wil, are suddenly sent to stay with an aunt they never knew about for the whole summer. Their aunt, Saffronia Sinister, seems to have no idea what to do with kids, and there are a lot of implications that she is some kind of magician or witch. She ends up sending them to a very gothic, very weird waterpark called Fathoms of Fun and tells them to buy a week long pass. Nothing at all is normal in this waterpark, from the decor to the food to the staff. Theo and Alexander get wrapped up in a mystery involving a missing man who happens to be the owner's husband, Mr. Widow. Things get creepier and creepier, but this is a book for younger readers so it's a manageable level of creepiness. I was pretty into the mystery and the weirdness of the waterpark itself as well as their situation, and I'll definitely read on in the series to find out more about Theo, Alexander, Wil, and Saffronia as they continue to go one weird adventures. I already requested the ARC of the second book in the series!

A fun adventure with quickly characters and an even quirkier plot with a mystery of missing persons at a Gothic water park. I was entertained by White’s acknowledgments that share that the story came from a misread title to a story and she couldn’t get this type of plot out of her head and her humor is seeped into every last word.

There’s an absolute market for this weirdness: the target audience which will likely include my own seventh grade children.

The twins and other sibling have a time of solving the disappearance and it will likely continue into a series of odd case-solving siblings in even odder situations. But I’m here for it.

** “Sometimes the best way to overcome our fears is to claim what scares us as our own.” **

“Wretched Waterpark” by Kiersten White is a fun and zany ride that readers of all ages will love.

When siblings Wil, Theo and Alexander Sinister-Winterbottom get sent to their mysterious aunt’s house for the summer, they find themselves at a strange waterpark with a gothic theme — and a bad habit of people disappearing from it.

And when oldest sister Wil is the latest to disappear, twins Theo and Alexander must use their differences — hers being brave, his being cautious — to find Wil and solve the mysteries of the strange waterpark.

“Wretched Waterpark” is a zany story filled with humor and great, enigmatic characters. It also offers some good themes, like overcoming our fears; working together to help others; and learning when sometimes we need to be brave, sometimes cautious, and sometimes both.

Due out June 7, Fans of series like Lemony Snicket and James Patterson’s “Treasure Hunters” series will love this story and its fun tone.

Five stars out of five.

Delacorte Press provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

Wretched Waterpark took me on a spooky, fun, whimsical, gothic ride, and I loved every minute of it.
It gave me Lemony Snicket vibes in the best way, kept me on the edge of my seat waiting to see what weird thing was going to happen next, and how the Sinister-Winterbottom siblings ( i love that name) were going to solve the mystery, had me laughing out loud at some parts, and wishing the Fathoms of Fun Waterpark were a real place, I would definitely go.. and I'm ready to read the next book like right now lol... I hope that this is a long-running series, and it's one I'll definitely be buying a physical copy of!

A gothic-themed waterpark? What a fun idea for a book!

This book reminded me of Nancy Drew or Scooby Doo mixed with the voice or tone of A Series of Unfortunate Events (I haven't read that series, but I have read passages and seen scenes from the TV show). It was such a fun mixture full of adventure, whimsy, and humor.

I really loved the narrator's snarky, sarcastic humor. I actually laughed out loud a few times, which is very rare for me.

I found both the setting and the characters charming. The dark, gothic theme for the waterpark is so unusual and lends itself to a lot of great humor. Also, I kind of love the aesthetic, lol! The twins and their support for each other was especially sweet and I enjoyed reading about such a positive sibling relationship. And all the side characters were fun and lit up the page with their quirkiness whenever they made an appearance.

There's clearly something bigger going on in these characters' lives and I'm really curious to find out what that is. I can't wait to read the next book in the series!

Thank you to Netgalley, Random House Children's, and Delacorte Press for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.