I barely got through part of this book and was already looking forward to more. A whole series of them. Also I felt so satisfied by the end it'd be ok if there weren't. It took a little bit for me to unravel the ins and outs of all the different "teams" of people but all together this was a fun read.

#arc
#netgalley
#keeperchanceandtheconundrumofchaos

Thank you net gallery for the advanced copy of this book. I found this a fun read, Sometimes the book was a little silly but overall, a good time. I would definitely recommend.

First, I am not the target audience. Although my favorite book genre is middle grade and I read it widely, sometimes a book doesn’t work for me as a reader when I think the target audience wouldn’t have a problem with it. I think this may be one of those books.

I was bored reading a lot of this book. It wasn’t necessary because things weren’t happening. It just seemed like it was trying so hard to be quirky, fun, and adventurous that I was annoyed. Again, there’s a decent amount that I could attribute to not being the target audience. But I love the Percy Jackson books and others that this book has been compared to, and I thought those books did it well without being annoying.

The adult characters all seemed like over-the-top Batman villains. The kid characters don’t make sense to me. They’re just too old to be acting the way they are, and why are high school characters the main characters in an obviously middle grade book? The age mismatch with the story makes it hard to figure out the best audience. Middle school boys? Or high school boys who want easier reads? It doesn’t perfectly fit any group.

I also just didn’t understand a lot of the motivations. Why is Keeper so important? Why is stealing cookies the mission? How, exactly, is this organization supposed to be evil when it just seems like they’re low-effort troublemakers at best? EVIL seemed like the equivalent of Dr Doofenshmirtz trying desperately to be the evilest villain of all but being terrible about it, except it worked for Doofenshmirtz and just annoyed me here. Why is the group against EVIL (so… theoretically good guys?) actually the most villainous people in the book? Maybe the point is that what is good and evil might be complicated sometimes, but if so, why is EVIL so determined to say it’s an evil villain organization while, again, not really doing much worse than stealing cookies and causing light mischief? Maybe some of those questions were even answered and I was just trying so hard to finish the book I accidentally skipped over them.

To summarize, while this book wasn’t for me, I do think there is an audience that will love it. I don’t think it should be compared to Percy Jackson, and I wouldn’t recommend it to the young readers in my life, but I hope it finds the people who will enjoy it most.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the free copy in exchange for my honest review. The opinions are my own and were not influenced by receiving a copy.

Thank you to NetGalley Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing for the advanced copy.

Keeper Chance has lived most of his life with his nagging grandma, so when he is approached by the head of E.V.I.L., Keeper decides this may be his way out. Together with fellow new recruit Toby and another mysterious person who claims she is not a recruit, even though Chaos certainly seems to know who she is, they will fight to be sure that evil endures.

The cast of characters in this book is delightful and varied. Keeper is a lovable mess that you will not be able to help but root for. This book also provides an interesting take on good versus evil where the lines are blurred and you’re not really sure who the bad guys are.

I recommend this book for students who are looking for something unique and different. With plenty of laughs and fun, as well as a good measure of chaos and excitement, this book is sure to delight.

After years of working with her mother, it’s clear Alex Evanovich has learned how to weave an entertaining tale, and she shows off her storyteller skills in Keeper Chance and the Conundrum of Chaos.

Keeper Chance is an underachieving loner. At least that is how he wants people to see him. The truth is he’s really quite brilliant, but he works hard to appear average. And someone knows this and is now trying to recruit him into an organization known as EVIL. If that sounds strange, you haven’t heard anything yet. The story really starts taking some wild twists once Chance and Toby take on their first task. Will Chance be a villain or a hero? With peculiar but endearing characters, plenty of humor, and a wild story, I hope Keeper Chance and the Conundrum of Chaos is only the start of a fun new series. While clearly aimed at the middle grade/YA audience, this one can easily be enjoyed by adults as well. I’d like to thank Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of Keeper Chance.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R24R40XWE6S9KX/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_SRTC0204BT_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

While this is billed as "for graduates of Percy Jackson" I would hardly compare the two. However, this was a fun older teen adventure book that kept the pages turning. Sounds like it might become a series, which I would absolutely continue to read.

Keeper Chance (I cannot get past the oddness of that name...) is a loner and he is firmly okay with that. He lives with his terror of a nana, who has the personality of a hobgoblin (his words) and rules his home with an iron fist. Everyone in town is scared of Nana. Keeper is approached for initiation into a chapter of E.V.IL. as he possesses some kind of special skill, unknown to him, that makes him appealing to this organization. This group of evil doers is more Dr. Evil from Austin Powers than some kind of nefarious group such like Batman's nemeses. They aim to inconvenience people, not completely destroy them for the sheer joy of being a psycho. It's kind of endearing.

Anyway, Keeper is recruited to join and meets Toby, a clear-cut nerd with several special powers and the two quickly become friends. What begins as a harmless initiation crime of stealing cookies from a warehouse turns into a much grander scheme when the cookie maker is kidnapped and members of the E.V.I.L. chapter are going missing. Keeper and Toby are swept into a heroic (yet slightly evil) quest to save the baker and chapter members.

All the characters in this book are endearing, even the bad guy (sorta). I enjoyed the imaginative names and skills of the E.V.I.L members and their formal meetings. The book had me laughing in several places. Alex Evanovich knows how to write adventure suitable for younger audiences. This was a delight to read and if there are more, I would surely love to see what else happens in the 626 chapter of E.V.I.L.

Thank you to Simon and Schuester Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

So glad I read this book. I immediately recommended it to our children’s librarian. I also told a friend who’s son has super hearing about this book who has a super hero with super hearing. I like the way these young people came together and solved a problem. If this was ever to be a show, Mayhem should be Chaos !

Villainy was never this nice. A great read with villains readers will love. Stealing cookies and a mystery to solve provides a quick read that was entertaining as we work to find out the main character's hidden skill.

There is evil in the world, that Keeper Chance knows well. But then he gets an invitation to join E.V.I.L. (Evil Villains International League), Out of curiosity, he shows up and meets Toby who really want to join. But to become a member, they need to provide a particular set of cookies. But that goes awry leading to Y's involvement, dog-napping, villain-napping, a very strange toiletry store, and plenty of adventures leading up to a massive fight against a true villain! I look forward to more adventures with Keeper, Toby, and Y!

Thanks Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read this title!

Fun, fast paced adventure book that hopefully will be a series. Villains but with heart and rules to follow.

This was the BEST novel for misfit superheroes! I could see them and hear them and I just loved the story. I can't wait to add it for my kiddos!

Keeper Chance is an interesting guy-so interesting that he's being recruited by rival organizations that use their magic powers for different reasons. No one is quite sure what Keeper's magic is yet, but that's not stopping the recruiting process. Chaos is the first one to get to Keeper and invite him to be part of his E.V.I.L. chapter. Keeper and Toby, another recruit, have to pass a test in order to be considered for the chapter, and their first test is a disaster and things spiral out of the control from there. This is a funny take on villainy and evil-doing. The characters are interesting and there are lots of plot twists and action to keep the story moving. I was sorry when it was over! I think the kids are going to love this one.

Clever writing style and lots fun!
Clever writing style and lots fun!
Clever writing style and lots fun!
Clever writing style and lots fun!
Clever writing style and lots fun!
Clever writing style and lots fun!
Clever writing style and lots fun!
Clever writing style and lots fun!
Clever writing style and lots fun!
Clever writing style and lots fun!

I don't read a lot of young adult books these days but saw this one offered and decided to give this one a try. Overall I enjoyed this book. I liked "meeting" the villains and their interaction with Keeper, Toby and Y. I'm not certain about the kidnapping of the Cookie Maven being of interest to young adults but maybe they'll be more interested than I think. It was an interesting enough story (at least in my opinion). Not sure I agree with the comparison to Percy Jackson but again that is my opinion. Give this one a try in October 2024.

Keeper is being raised by his nagging grandmother and does OK in school without really trying. When out of the blue a very strange guy approaches him and invites him to a EVIL meeting. When he gets there he meets another recruit named Toby and together their test is to steal several books of a certain cookie for their initiation party. Keeper doesn’t think he has anything special to offer but goes with it anyways. But what they find in the cookie boxes is not what was expected and neither is his new friends disappearing. It is up to Keeper, Toby, and a mysterious girl named Y to solve the mystery save the others and they still need to get those cookies.
Wonderful middle grade book for everyone it is a great book with awesome characters, and full of action. I can't wait to see what happens next with Keeper and his friends.

(Review will be published on Goodreads and Storygraph closer to publication date.)

A really fun read.. This fast-paced adventure story kept me reading late and starting early the next morning. Between the villainous characters (who may or may not be E.V.I.L.) and the weird superpowers and the added mystery, it's a perfect nod to the superhero genre... with a twist. After all, who really knows who the bad guys are in real life?

My 11yo will love it! And I can't wait to read more.

Keeper Chance and the Conundrum of Chaos is an enchanting story filled with intrigue, drama, trouble, and redemption. Keeper, Toby, the villains of Chapter 626, and Y are enjoyable. The situations they find themselves in are unique. There is plenty of action. A wholly fun read for teens and adults.

There was a lot I loved and some I didn't. I loved the story and the characters. But the writing dragged and the book could've used some cuts. And even with all that length I'm annoyed that one of the main questions was never answered. 😕

A well written enjoyable read. Keeper chance has a special talent and Chaos from the E.V.I.L. organization and Sensei also wants him for his dojo and has his daughter trying to bring him in the fold. Lots of interesting characters and good versus evil. Who is really bad and who is not. This is the beginning of what may be a well-loved series for young readers. Thanks #Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

What worked:
The most interesting part of the book is watching Keeper join a criminal organization called E.V.I.L. even though he’s not really an evil person. It turns out Chaos has been monitoring his development since birth due to Keeper’s family heritage. Keeper lives with his grandmother and she cannot be described as a sweet, old lady. She verbally abuses him so Keeper feels some justification for hiding a stinky fish carcass under the mat inside her car. He’s an inventive boy with a kind heart and it’s surprising when he’s drawn to the thieves in Chapter 626 of E.V.I.L. Well, he likes everyone there except Tsunami.
Each villain has a special talent although they may not be what readers expect. Keeper’s fellow recruit named Toby has super sensitive smelling and hearing but one of the villain’s talents is talking people into selling their products at lower prices. Keeper is unaware of his own specialty but Chaos thinks it’s worth the effort to keep an eye on him. Could luck or finding things be Keeper’s special talent or might it be something he can actually control? Could it be the Force like in Star Wars? A young girl named Y is also watching Keeper and she’s the dissatisfied daughter of a sensei. Her father happens to be the nemesis of E.V.I.L. so Y’s actions and interest in Keeper add intrigue to the plot.
Readers may find themselves questioning the identity of the protagonists and antagonists. The members of E.V.I.L. will not be what readers expect when they hear Chaos talk about their rules and missions. The first rule is that members will not harm people or animals. The villains become very upset and angry when Cookie Maven stops making their favorite treats. On the other hand, the sensei uses questionable tactics as he tries to convince Keeper to join his dojo. Y doesn’t think it’s in Keeper’s best interests to do that and she thinks he’ll be better off with E.V.I.L. This will make readers wonder, who are the good guys and who are the bad?
What didn’t work as well:
The story could easily work with younger characters so it’s unclear why high school students are used in a middle-grade novel. The kids are around sixteen years old which unnecessarily makes them different from younger readers. It’s not like they behave more maturely and there’s no violence or sexuality that might be inappropriate. It’s not wrong to have sixteen-year-old main characters but it doesn’t work as well as it might.
The final verdict:
This humorous adventure will amuse young readers as they follow Keeper’s journey to find his place in the world. The colorful characters and unusual plot create hilarious situations that will challenge what readers are used to. I recommend you give this book a shot!