I did not have a chance to listen to the audio ARC before it was archived, so I won't be able to review the book at this time, but I will definitely be picking it up soon.

I was really surprised how immersed I became in this audiobook, even with the synthetic voice for a narrator! The Curse on Spectacle Key is a really dimensional book that touches on family, self-acceptance, finding your place in the world, and the perfect amount of a little mystery and the supernatural. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-arc. Recommending it to many of my MG readers!

What an impressively spine tingling ghost story! Every character and slow rise in intensity for both the child and adult characters storylines were woven into the overall plot and a way that made every character's actions integral to the outcome. This one has enough surprises to make rereading as enjoyable as the first time through. Probably the best cost story I've read in a good long while. Very impressive. It's gonna play with your heartstrings, but stay the course.

A fun mystery set in the Florida Keys. Frank was a relatable character and while the ghost wasn't spooky, my preference for most ghost stories, I enjoyed how Frank approached and solved the problems presented through his love of science. I loved incorporation of Spanish in this book.

my son loved the mystery of this book. he was very interested in what would happen next. he still didn't like the synthetic voice. but he loved the book

The best thing to relax to in October a spooky audio to listen to while snuggling on the couch or completing our puzzle. We have loved listening to The Curse On Spectacle Key !
Frank is upset with his parents’ continuous moves, their dream of of restoring historical houses and estates never gives him enough time to make friends at school before the next move approaches. But this time it’s even worse - they are living in isolation on Spectacle Key while restoring the lighthouse. Will it be a spot where they could stay for longer ? Is it ok that he’s the only kid on the island ? Things start going wrong almost right from the start… Is the lighthouse haunted ? It turns out no one but him can see his new friend Connie … a ghost adventure develops because Connie is not the only paranormal phenomenon on the island …
This was a great story that had us both engrossed, listening and rooting for Frank - the Florida Keys atmosphere, restoration of historic homes, main characters with Cuban roots and more history - family and otherwise than actual scariness. This was a fabulous ghost story for a Sunday afternoon !

Full review to come on Goodreads and Amazon. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a review copy.

It's cute books like this that remind me of not only why I love books in general but why I love middle grade specifically.
This is such a sweet book that discusses why and what the importance is of remembering history and your family history. This also discusses topics of feeling lonely and the importance of friendships and family. And it has some excellent poc representation that I loved seeing in middle grade. And I'm so excited for other little kids to get to see themselves represented in.
There were a few things that were a little predictable from the get go. That being said, there were also some nice surprises that I didn't see coming and throughly enjoyed. The predictability is seriously the only negative critique I could think of. And honestly, with a middle grade I think that comes with the territory some times. Ans there were still pleasant surprises. So even that isn't necessarily "negative."
I just loved this book and all that it stands fir. (I seriously listened to the entirety of the book in one sitting in just a couple of hours.) This was a very much needed, great treat!
P.S. If you're looking for a spooky middle grade book for Halloween season, I recommend picking this one up.:)
Thank you so much to the publishers for an audio ARC copy in exchange for an honest review!

This was such a great story and I really enjoyed it. Since the voice was synthesized, there wasn't the necessary accents so some words were mispronounced but that didn't take away from the story itself. It was an engrossing story and is a really great one for people who love ghost stories and/or mysteries. I enjoyed the characters and the relationships in the story. I've recommended this book several times! I would love more stories from the author cause this was a great book!

Frank's parent renovate exotic properties to make them livable, then sellable. Because of this, he has moved nearly every year. When they move into an old lighthouse, he makes a new friend. She dresses unusually and doesn't always understand his references. In time, they discover why. She is a ghost. Together they explore the tragic history of the place and bring it to light. This book walks the thin line of being spooky without being frightening.

Excellent YA novel! Lots of adventure to explore with this story. Suspenseful and mysterious throughout, which keepers readers engaged and wanting to solve the mystery.

This was a great middle grade story about Frank Fernandez, who's family is constantly moving and renovating historic locations. With their new home on Spectacle Key, hopes are high it will be the last home! Frank was a great character and a great friend as portrayed on the pages. The mystery of his friend's as lost memory kept me reading so I could see what was happening! This book is great for readers who enjoy a little bit of spooky, a whole lot of family culture and trying to navigate being in a new situation! Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio for an advanced voice galley! All thoughts and opinions are my own!

As Frank celebrates his last day of fifth grade, he looks forward to spending the summer with his friends. Unfortunately, he learns that his family is moving to a lighthouse in the Florida Keys. Frank is not too excited about moving again. He doesn’t know anyone in his new town. Frank spends his days exploring the key his family now lives on. He notices weird things going on. His parents are fighting, which they’ve never done before, and the weather is weird. Then, Frank meets a girl in an old-fashioned dress. Frank is determined to solve the curse of Spectacle Key.

This is a great story for kids ages 8-12. It had some creepy elements like ghosts, but it was not scary. I think this book would appeal to children that have moved around a lot. Chantel Acevado writes Frank as a fully developed, likable character with a good heart. Her descriptions of the Florida Keys were enjoyable and a great setting for a book. I think kids will find the curse of Spectacle Key an interesting and intriguing story.

This is a cute middle grade mystery told from the POV of Frank, a 5th grade boy who is really tired of moving around. His family buys and flips houses, but his mom and dad have promised him that the place they are going to next will be their last stop. Frank is elated to hear this news, but when he gets to Spectacle Key, he's a bit disappointed.

Frank soon notices that things aren't quite right on Spectacle Key, and he begins to investigate its history and befriends a few unusual characters along the way. Frank has been hesitant to get too attached to anyone since he is constantly moving, but he quickly attaches to Connie. Together they are determined to lift the curse on Spectacle Key.

This was a fun, easy read and I'll recommend it to my young readers that enjoy mystery and ghost stories. I wasn't a fan of the creepy doll at all and I could see some young readers DNFing this book because of that alone. I listened to the audio version of this book and the narrator was meh.

Special thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ALC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Frank has never stayed in one place for more than a year, so when his parents tell him they've selected a haunted lighthouse as their forever home, Frank is skeptical. All Frank's hopes of making friends and spending time with his beloved grandpa start to crumble when renovations to the lighthouse are hampered by the local historical society and a ghost only Frank and his invisible new friend Connie seem to be able to sense. If Frank, his new puppy, and his "imaginary" friend can't figure out what the ghost wants, there's a good chance Frank's life will be uprooted once again and an important story could be lost forever.

I admit I was expecting something more chilling, but there are enough harrowing escapes and mysterious misadventures in this spooky story to make it a good late-night read—if you don't want to get a lot of sleep. Frank and Connie are really endearing characters. While some of the scenarios are a bit unbelievable (a young Great Dane sitting on command for one), the concept is fascinating and the style well-crafted. This is an excellent story for middle grade readers who enjoy a bit of research with their paranormal mysteries.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this audio ARC. All opinions are my own.

Disclaimer: I received this e-audiobook arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: The Curse of Spectacle Key

Author: Chantel Acevedo

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 5/5

Diversity: Cuban MC

Recommended For...: middle grade readers, horror, paranormal, ghosts, lighthouses

Publication Date: September 6, 2022

Genre: MG Paranormal Horror

Age Relevance: 11+ (death, grief, ghosts, some scary moments)

Explanation of Above: Death and grief are slightly discussed in the book and mentioned. There are ghosts in this book and there are some scary moments that might be a little much for some sensitive readers.

Publisher: Balzar & Bray/HarperTeen

Pages: 256

Synopsis: Frank Fernandez's family never stays in one place for long. His parents renovate unusual buildings and turn them into homes, which means the family moves--a lot. This makes it hard for bookish Frank to make friends. So when his parents announce they're moving to Spectacle Key, Florida, to live in a lighthouse--this time for good!--Frank is thrilled.

But Spectacle Key isn't the perfect forever home they'd imagined. The lighthouse is falling apart. There are knocks on the door--but no one is there--and mysterious sighs and sniffles from nowhere. There's even a creepy doll that seems to move on its own. Could Spectacle Key be haunted?

Then one day while exploring, Frank meets a girl in old-fashioned clothes, with no memory of who she is. What she does know, though, is that the island is under a curse--and she needs Frank's help to figure out how to lift it. But what if learning the truth about Spectacle Key means losing the first real friend he's ever had?

Review: I really loved this sweet horror story! This book is very well written, combining horror, along with some classical horror elements, and messages about the importance of family and community. The book talked about English subtext, which is slightly featured throughout the book, and the MC is a little book nerd, which makes my heart happy. The book also discussed moving and had a lot of fun and comedic writing in it. The character development was well done, the world building was great, and I am now a fan of Chantel Acevedo’s writing!

The only issue I had with the book is that I wish some of the loose ends at the end were talked about. I would have loved to see more about the ghosts!

Verdict: It’s so well done! Highly recommend!

I would like to thank Harper Teen for providing me with an ARC.

I enjoyed this book, but I didn't love it. The characters are fun, and I enjoyed watching them develop. Frank's family moves around a lot due to their renovation business and doesn't have friends when they move to the Florida Keys. Soon after moving into the lighthouse, Frank makes friends with a girl with a mysterious past who doesn't even remember her own name. At the same time, Frank is finding mysterious messages in the sand. His family also begins to fight, and the local people are also unwelcoming to his family. I felt that the tone and pacing of this book was a bit messy. There were several elements in this story I would have liked to have been addressed more as I didn't really feel that many of the story lines were completely wrapped up. Overall, I think that this was a light ghost story that younger readers would enjoy and those who may be a bit nervous of scary stories as this one isn't that intense.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio for an advanced audiobook copy of this story to listen to in exchange for an honest review.

This was a well done children's book about a boy who moves around often because of his parents business. Frank grows up reading books but is often pretty lonely. In his newest location in Florida he meets a girl in the oddest of places , soon to find out he is the only one to see her. Slowly a mystery about Spectacle Key unravels and Frank is on a mission to find out the true story and history of the island.
I really enjoyed getting to know Frank and his family. This was a feel good story about a young and lonely boy who learns to make good friends and find a place in his new home.
For young fans of mystery, ghosts and finding friends. Not really scary but may does include ghosts, hurricanes and storms that may be a little scary for kiddos who already are fearful.

Frank is an 5th grade Cuban American who’s parents turn old buildings into houses. This has forced them to move each year. Frank love scary stories but when they move to the Florida Keys to redo an old light house he finds out that the spooky could be true. Frank goes on a journey with a new friend to find the history of Spectacle Key along the way.

This is a super cute middle grade mystery adventure book! I enjoyed Frank he was a great character. I do feel like my students could relate to him. His heritage being Cuban American who can speak some Spanish speaks to many. I really enjoyed the Spanish phrases sprinkled through out. He is also a child who moves around each year and making friends hard because “goodbyes are hard”. I also enjoyed the theme of not forgetting the past even the bad because it’s part of who we are.

I really really really enjoyed this one! And so didn’t my kiddos! It was fast paced and kept us on our toes and wanting more!