A creepy-cute goth dark fantasy novel - intended for children but thoroughly enjoyed by me. I especially love the creatures from the Labyrinth ecosystem, like the creak-o-dials, the stubb toads, dire frogs, and mistcats. And (of course) the Ch(ao)e(s)hire Catbus. Ix and her friends are terrific.

I enjoyed that this was a standalone book for once (no cliffhangers!) but I would definitely pick up any more books Vedder writes set in this world.

In the Kingdom of Spinar, there are seven rules for safeguarding your soul from the Sorrows and Nightmare creatures—most importantly: never, ever enter the Labyrinth of Souls.

Ix Tatterfall has always been an outcast with big secrets: She can cross into the Labyrinth, home to the powerful Sorrows, and she can see strange Nightmare beasts when no one else can. Some, like the shadowy Inklings or bothersome Stubbed Toads, are merely a nuisance. Many more—like the Jimber-Jawed Hounds—are dangerous. Even deadly.

But something is very wrong in the Labyrinth. A terrible new Nightmare—a raggedy scarecrow called Jack—has been ravaging the misty maze, gobbling up wraiths and lost souls and allowing Nightmares to seep into the Waking World.

On one forbidden trip, Ix comes face to face with Jack. Worse, she’s apprehended by Candle Corps, an elite magical group that protects the kingdom against Nightmares. Instead of exile, Ix is allowed to enter the mysterious Candle Corps Academy. For the first time, she’s surrounded by others who can see what she sees: Morrigan Bea, a hot-tempered girl who might be a monster; Ollie Pembrooke, a shy boy who loves books and Dreamchaser dogs; and Hanky the Inkling, Ix’s faithful Nightmare companion.

But more and more Nightmares are bleeding into Spinar. Raggedy Jack is on the hunt for something—someone—from the Waking World.

Was a wonderful story. I enjoyed reading it so much. I cannot wait until it comes it. I really loved the main character’s sensitivity towards the others. Highly recommend it. 10/10

This was such a great book, the classic "magical boarding school" tale with a much stronger focus on the darker side of the shadows. Ix Tatterfall has many secrets and one of them gets her sent to Candle Corps Academy, the training school for those who protect the Waking World from the dark and powerful Nightmares that seep out of the Labyrinth of Souls. Her new school promises many new skills and more than a few mysteries that could change everything she thought she knew about the Labyrinth - and herself. I loved Ix from the beginning and knew she would only get better as the story drew on. Her sympathy and kindness toward the smaller, harmless Nightmares around her characterized her perfectly from the very first chapter, and her blooming friendships (and rivalries) at the academy let her turn that kindness and desire to understand into the perfect tool for unraveling the secrets surrounding her new home. The story did seem to borrow from a certain british-boy-wizard story a little too often for my liking, but mostly in the classmate dynamics Ix encounters. On the other hand, I felt the world building, especially when it came to the Nightmares and how they affect the Waking World, was wonderfully gothic and refreshing.