I love the Wayward Children series with my entire heart. This one is the 9th book, so it makes sense for it to not be as much of a stand alone as some of the others in the series. I don't think a reader would understand what's going on in this book if they haven't read the others. This one isn't as fluid as the other ones, but I get the feeling it's setting up for a much deeper dive of an adventure in the future. I am a faithful reader and will wait patiently for the next installment.

The Wayward Children is one of my favorite series that I anticipate the new installment every January. With every being a bit different, there are ones that I love more than others. Mislaid in Parts Half-Known was fun but overall, wasn’t a favorite of mine.

I really enjoyed the prior volume, so I was excited to follow Antsy again. This one though fell a little flat to me. There was a lot of explanations of the way the world and the Doors worked. Some of the dialogue felt inauthentic and there just to explain one thing or another instead of fluid conversation. This seemed to be more about building out the world building than about the characters and the story.

The characters that this follow are some of my favorite and I did enjoy going on this adventure with them but the momentum would stall to explain something that happened in prior books or info dumping about the Doors.

I still enjoyed reading this, but there are far better books in this series. And yes, I will still always pick up books in this series as the Wayward Children series is so unique in the style and way each book is done.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

3.5 stars - I really enjoyed the world building in this one in terms of how the doors work and getting more insight into how the different worlds' logic operates. It was also good to see where Antsy's story leads. However, I think this felt a little messy and unfocused at times which I would say is a pacing issue. Still entertaining, but one of the lesser books in the series.
Also, considering the cover... I needed more dinos!!

Thank you to Tor Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book. This review is my own.

"Mislaid in Parts Half-Known" by Seanan McGuire is easily one of my favorite installments in this captivating series. McGuire, with her masterful storytelling, seamlessly weaves a tale that not only features our newest student to the series, Antsy, but also brings back familiar favorites, creating a delightful ensemble for another journey through the mysterious doors that lead to magical worlds.

The strength of this latest installment lies in the way McGuire builds upon the relationships between our intrepid travelers. The dynamics between old and new characters add layers of complexity to the narrative, offering readers a fresh experience with each book. The camaraderie and banter among the ensemble cast bring the story to life, making it easy to get lost in the enchanting worlds they explore. And the journey they venture on becomes not just about the magical realms they encounter but also about personal growth and the connections they make. McGuire skillfully balances the fantastical with the human, creating a narrative that is both emotionally resonant and thoroughly engaging.

For fans of the series, this installment is a treat. It not only continues the tradition of captivating world-building and magical exploration but also deepens the bonds between characters we've come to love. "Mislaid in Parts Half-Known" is a testament to Seanan McGuire's storytelling prowess and her ability to keep the series fresh and compelling, leaving readers eagerly anticipating the next door to open in this enchanting universe.

Although I have my little complaints, I loved this book.

In this instalment, we see Antsy again, after delving into her origin in the prior book. Antsy is now at Eleanor West’s School for Wayward Children, though hasn’t been for long, and she finds her learned knack for finding things may cause trouble she does not want - and thus, suddenly finds herself fleeing the school with a few other students, through the first door that she could find. It’s a lovely look at the trauma that many of the other worlds may have on these kids, even if there is a part of them that wants to return.

This one in particular was a very fun journey, and it was very much a continuation of the prior book and Antsy’s story within it, with the ongoing impact of everything she has suffered, but it is a downgrade to the last. In saying that, the last was one of my favourites; it was incredibly done, and hard to top. I particularly enjoyed that this one sowed the seeds of problems with Eleanor's ways, and I'm hoping that that is something we see more of going forward.

I think, as a general rule, I prefer the origin stories in this series to the ongoing stories. I almost feel that some parts of this were too easy in some ways, but honestly, perhaps it wouldn’t have felt it had it just been a few more books down the line. It was two books in a row focusing on Antsy, whereas breaking up the narratives and intertwining them a little more works better for me in general. Other characters move back and forth in focus in the books, whereas it makes Antsy's arc fly by when she doesn't get that to nearly the same extent.

I did find too that the way that McGuire continues to write Cora being overweight continued to be grating. There was a focus on Cora's weight in a way that there isn't a focus on any other character's physical appearance, in a way that made it as though everything that Cora is is in spite of her weight, and it felt reductive of Cora as a character, as though McGuire didn't trust readers to remember this about Cora at all otherwise. But that wasn't unique to this book.

"Portals and danger, and a girl who can find both in the next book in the Hugo and Nebula Award-Winning Wayward Children series from Seanan McGuire.

Antsy is the latest student to pass through the doors at Eleanor West's School for Wayward Children.

When the school's (literally irresistible) mean girl realizes that Antsy's talent for finding absolutely anything may extend to doors, Antsy is forced to flee in the company of a small group of friends, looking for a way back to the Shop Where the Lost Things Go to be sure that Vineta and Hudson are keeping their promise.

Along the way, they will travel from a world which hides painful memories that cut as sharply as its beauty, to a land that time wasn't yet old enough to forget - and more than one student's life will change forever.

Mislaid in Parts Half-Known is a story that reminds us that getting what you want doesn't always mean finding what you need."

Second week in January, first Seanan McGuire book. Does that mean she's already behind her most prolific author goals?

Antsy is struggling to be comfortable and accepted in the land behind the doors, where wayward children often find themselves. She had gotten kicked out of The Shop Where the Lost Things Go in the previous book and now finds her way to Eleanor West's School for Wayward Children. She'd like nothing more than to fit in but word gets around that she has the innate ability to find things and now some of the other wayward children want to know if she can find the Doors which remain hidden until needed.

Antsy is bullied into trying to find the doors and ultimately this bullying works as Antsy searches for a Door in order to escape the bullies. This leads her to strange new (and old) worlds (did you note the dinosaurs on the cover?) and she'll question her choices.

It's no secret that I'm a fan of Seanan McGuire's work and that I absolutely love this series. One of the rules for world building is to have a set of rules by which the world operates, but McGuire has cleverly created a world where the rule is that you can access any or every rule. Our characters come from different realities - mermaids from a waterworld, children from nonsense worlds, Halloween worlds, Fairy worlds. They all come here - allowed here by a Door - which makes it seem as though there is a purpose, but here we finally see, with Antsy's struggles, that 'purpose' is perhaps not the case. Are they here, then, for their own safety - coming from a dangerous place or dangerous people? If so, why does Antsy not feel safe here?

This land for wayward children is still dark and not as comforting as it might seem on first glance, but it's definitely interesting and worth reading about.

Looking for a good book? Mislaid in Parts Half-Known is another fantastic adventure in the Wayward Children series by Seanan McGuire.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Mislaid in Parts Half-Unknown is the 9th book in the Wayward Children series and it was one my favorites. Antsy finally gets the ending that she deserves and we get to see more growth and understanding from other favorite characters. Seanan McGuire does a wonderful job of giving us life lessons wrapped in magic and wonder through these novellas. Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

McGuire’s Wayward Children series is by far one of my favorites that I’ve read in recent years. I’m always impressed by the way she writes stories featuring young characters that explore themes of trauma, loss, acceptance, and the constant debate about right vs. wrong, good vs. evil.

This particular installment follows the most recently introduced character, Antsy, as she’s adjusting to life at Eleanor’s school and her new roommate. When some of her peers begin to suspect Antsy’s abilities to locate lost things, forces converge and she’s off on a quest with her newfound companions (some favorites from previous stories) to evade those who wish to use her powers for their own selfish gain.

Fairylands, lost things, and dinosaurs can all be found in this novella. As is custom with the Wayward Children, we see and interact with many of our past favorite characters, and, just as quickly, say goodbye to several of them. But it’s really all about the lessons learned and growth that happens throughout our brief adventure with children who fall through magical doors.

If you’re looking for a quick story that focuses heavily on breaking cycles of generational trauma and coming into one’s own self, this book is the one! And, as always, I cannot recommend McGuire’s backlog of Wayward Children novellas (this is book 9)!

This book gives a lovely sense of closure and purpose to Antsy's story. Once certain students at the school discovers Antsy's talent for finding lost things, she is forced to quickly flee through the nearest door with several of the students we've come to know in previous books. This book felt a little lighter than the last two installments and it was fun traveling to a few different worlds with the wayward children. I wish I remembered more of the earlier books so as to fully appreciate the characters and where they are now compared to where they were. Although some of the Wayward Children books work as standalones, this one definitely does not. Thank you to NetGalley, Tor Publishing Group, and Tordotcom for a digital review copy.

oh my GOD i absolutely adore this series and wish i had more to say that wasn't just "askdfjsklajsd" but that's all i got.

i'm consistently blown away by the way seanan packs SO MUCH into so little and while i wish they were longer (for my own personal enjoyment), i don't think they would have as much impact.

thank to netgalley and tor for the egalley!

I love this series. A few of the novellas are among the best thing I have ever read. Many of them function well as stand alone; this one does not, and I felt lost amid the broad cast for about the first half of the read. It has been years since I last read about some of these characters. However, the last half was engaging and enjoyable. I feel like I need to be vague on details because this is such a late entry in the series, but I will say this brings about a satisfying conclusion to Antsy’s story.

Mislaid in Parts Half-Known was almost like Lost in the Moment and Found part 2. We get a conclusion to Antoinette’s story and all the kids go on a quest together to achieve it.

This entry has LOTS of doors, dinosaurs and discoveries. It was nice to spend time with some of the other children from past books as well!

Mislaid in Parts Half-Known is a great addition to the Wayward Children books but I’m so sad we’re already on book 9! I kind of never want it to end??

The more that this series goes on, the less engaged I'm starting to feel with each new story.

I appreciated Antsy's origin story, however, it just didn't connect with me in the way that some of the previous stories have. That said, I'm sure I'll still continue this series, because I've already invested in it this far!

The Wayward Children books continue to be a favorite on-going series of mine. Mislaid in Parts Half-Known furthers the narrative of Antsy, the girl from the Shop Where the Lost Things Go. With an affinity for finding things and her new friends from Eleanor West's School for Wayward Children by her side, Antsy leads a quest to find the door to the Shop once more. We follow the kids from the school to a fairy kingdom to a land where dinosaurs roam (an exciting addition to this cosmic map of worlds). Seanan McGuire excels at exploring the particulars of the portal fantasy and what it means to be a "lost child." A comfort series.

I loved this book as I do every book in the wayward children series. I also enjoyed how this one tied very directly into the one before it about The Ahop Where Lost Things Go. I hadn’t read that book in a year but I could still follow relatively easily. I wouldn’t say it was my favorite book in the series, but it was definitely a solid entry.

The next book in the Wayward Children series did NOT disappoint! This concludes Antsy's storyline in a way that felt satisfying while also having an exciting quest at the heart of the story. We get to see so much relationship building between characters as well as general character growth that I think readers who are already fans of the series will be happy to read this installment. Note that this will likely not be a good jumping in point for new readers.

The reason I did not give this a full five stars is that the quest at times felt meandering. While every place had the potential to be important, we did not spend enough time in any place to really feel that importance. I recognize that all entries in this series are novellas, but I think this story in particular could have benefitted from more pages to really build the tension and meaning in each scene.

I'm very glad to have read this and I already can't wait to see where the next installment takes us!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for the digital advance reader's copy.

I look forward to a new release in this series every year.

This entry in the series brings together many, many characters who have appeared previously, so it is best to have read the rest of the series before picking this one up.

Quick background: Doors to other worlds appear for children who need them. These worlds are heart and home for many of these children, although the worlds are wild and strange and rarely safe.

Antsy has recently arrived at Eleanor West's Home for Wayward children. However, while she is safe, she is unhappy because the others don't know that she is a nine year-old inside a sixteen year-old's body.

When the others begin to realize that Antsy can find lost things, including the doors to their worlds, things become chaotic when one of them wants to force her to open their door.

In the escape effort, they travel through several doors, and Antsy ends up back in her world, where the lost things go, and where she must face those who betrayed her and lied to her.

I will always enjoy a trip with these characters, and this time we spend time with lots of them: Cora, Sumi, Kade, Christopher, and more.

Plus, dinosaurs.

This entry didn't pack the same emotional punch for me as previous entries, perhaps because the story was spread out among many characters, which I also love, so I'll take it and look forward to next year's story, too.

*some language

As someone who hasn't read the whole series, the beginning sets the reader up pretty well to pick up mid-series. This installment focuses on Antsy, who has come to Eleanor West’s School for Wayward Children. Antsy and a few other children go on a quest of sorts and what follows is a beautiful exploration of Antsy's power - both magically and intrinsically. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free advance copy.

The ninth in the Wayward Children series, this one does follow on pretty directly from Lost in the Moment and Found, so not a great starting point to this series and at the least should probably have read book 8. This picks up and continues Antsy's story, and gives us a wonderful conclusion. I love how this continues to dig into the mythology of the doors and the classification of the worlds. We see some fun new worlds in this installment, including one with dinosaurs (wish we had more of the dinosaurs!). This had a very fun adventure vibe, at times it did seem a bit rushed as the group move place to place pretty quickly. Overall not my favorite installment but definitely a solid entry and I am looking forward to seeing what come next.