It displayed a true sense of friendship, family love and the appreciation of individuality. It has an enough amount of action, drama, humor and dread. Even the middle part is quite boring, I really enjoyed it as a whole. Actually, I was flying through the pages after that 'slow part', since the book had gone edgy, exciting and thrilling. I was so compelled to find out what will happen next even part of me knows what I will get. The anticipation is real, I swear. And in no time, I finished this book, feeling contented with the ending. It's a bit cliché but it warms my heart, nonetheless.

Serafina knows she is different from other girls. Her Pa worked on the construction of Biltmore Estates and had been living secretly behind some supply racks he constructed since the beginning. Serafina had never known any other way to live. From a very young age she would roam the mansion at night, hunting the food stealing vermin that left their droppings on the Biltmore’s floors. Now, at the age of twelve, Serafina roamed swift and silent through the corridors undetected. She was so quick and quiet that she had become an expert rodent catcher and could capture a rat in her bare hands. She knew this was different than girls her age. She also knew she looked different than girls her age. She was nothing but sinew, muscle and bone. Lately, Serafina had begun wishing she had a friend. When a young girl disappears, Serafina begins to search for clues and makes an unexpected friend.
I enjoy stories that incorporate actual landmarks. The Biltmore Estates in Ashville, NC brings back warm childhood memories. Putting a strong, young female character in a place I loved so much made this a very enjoyable story for me. Serafina is quick-witted, fearless, loyal and incredibly likeable. There are some tense moments but Serafina doesn’t shy away from any challenge. A great read that I will very likely read again.

This is a very fun middle grade fantasy! Part Gregor the Overlander, part The Magic Thief, it's historical fiction, a mystery, and an adventure wrapped up in one.

It has been awhile since I’ve read this book but I can definitely say that I enjoyed it!

I have since purchased this book for my library and others in the series! Great job!

Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Book Group for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I do have this book in my library, as it was a Battle of the Books title a few years ago. I didn't much care for it. The ending (not the solution to the mystery) infuriated me. I do have the rest of the series, but it is not widely read by my students.

Loved, loved, loved this mystery. Serafina and her pa secretly live in the basement of the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina. He's the handyman, and Serafina gets to explore. And of course, she and her friend find a rather nasty mystery to solve.

“Never go into the deep parts of the forest, for there are many dangers there, and they will ensnare your soul.”

Engaging tale and ability to be a classic! I LOOK forward to the next book. Beatty could be the next popular fantasy star.

I did not like this book. The plot unfolds in a very convoluted way -- eventually all the bizarre pieces come together, but there's no feeling of propulsion, no joy in the buildup. Part of this may be due to the act that Serafina didn't go on the offense until the very end of the book -- the rest of the time she reacted to what was going on. Also, the subject matter seems really heavy and gruesome for young readers (soul-stealing, rotting flesh, non-abstract death), but the character isn't complex or interesting enough to appeal to older readers.

Serafina secretly lives in the basement of the Biltmore Estate with her Pa, the estate's caretaker. No one knows she exists and she'd like to keep it that way. That is until the children at the estate start disappearing. Now she must let her existence be known and team up with another kid in the hopes of identifying the man in the black cloak before it's too late. I loved the fairy tale feeling combined with a thriller to make this book an absolute page-turner!

I read this a long time ago and I forgot to fully review it but I am just going to copy and paste my last reading update in here:

"This is a lovely story full of metaphors and poignant themes told through the voice of a spunky, earnest little girl who just wants to find her place in the world."

I also wanted to add that this book was quite creepy and dark for a middle age book and had my on the edge of my bed multiple times. The mystery is quite gripping and the pages just fly by.

A gem of a book that should be looked at more often, methinks.

I loved, loved, loved this book! Serafina is a wonderfully strong and clever female protagonist, the location on the Biltmore Estate is sumptuous, and the story is scary and compelling. There are thrilling scenes, like the chase through the forest, that kept me up reading late into the night, and I cheered when Serafina prevailed over the cloak. This is a strong beginnining to what I think will become a popualr series for middle-grades. Highly recommended.

I have so much love for this series and author. My daughter and I read this series together and loved all of them. Especially this one! I would read anything from this author. The writing style is amazing as well as the fantastically thought out characters.

Meh. I was surprised when I heard it was being made into a movie. I found it quite boring.

I really loved how the setting of this book was a character in itself. My 10-year-old read this and loved it for the mystery and the plot, but once he was finished he was also very interested in the Biltmore Estate. I'm looking forward to taking him to Asheville to explore the house, an adventure I think he will get a lot more out of after having read this novel. I think this would be an excellent addition for a classroom library.
Beatty does a great job finding that balance between "little kid scary" and "too scary."

This was an enjoyable middle grade reader with lots of adventure