I thought this book is going to be one of my new favourite middle-grade novels... I expected that this book will be fun, magical and that will be similar to The House in the Cerulean Sea… But in the end, it became the biggest disappointment of the year for me.
I had a problem with the characters, the atmosphere, the writing, the villain… I don’t even know when to start. Let's start with the... writing. The writing is a personal thing, so I can only speak for my name, but it just didn’t match with me. I just couldn’t get into the story. It wasn't for me. Maybe that’s also why I couldn’t like the characters.
I'll start with our protagonist, Nine. She is a hard-working orphan admitted by a criminal organization and must steal to stay with them. Sure, her story was sad, but I couldn’t sorry her. I was very annoyed by her character, I couldn’t like her. She comes across a magical house and constantly scolds it, calling it awful. And I can’t like a person who says magic is bad.
And there is Flaberghast, too (I hope I wrote well his name, I deleted the book as I finished). He annoyed me terribly. He said nothing to Nine, looking only at his interests. All along, I had a feeling that he is a son of a wealthy man, and now he was hysterical because he didn’t get something, or in this case, because he was cursed.
But the identity of the villain made me crazy. Seriously??? I wasn’t surprised after all, but it was a very weak twist for me. I felt something like this going on, and I almost figured the magical words out in the beginning. I thought it was very, very stupid.
Maybe it’s because of the writing, but while I was reading it, I clearly got the same atmosphere as when I was reading Howl’s Moving Castle… And I DNFed it after 40% because it wasn't for me… So, maybe someone else would like it, but it wasn't for me.
There was a sentence at the end of the book that we will meet the characters in the future, so I figured it out that this will be a series, but I thank you, that was enough of it.

This was a book that I received before release thanks to my Tales By Mail subscription as part of their Whimsical Worlds box, and it was the perfect title for such a theme! Having never read any of Amy Sparkes’ work before, I was immediately gripped by the synopsis promising a house full of magic, mystery and ridiculous residents! I also love how the cover art by Ben Mantle perfectly encapsulates the wondrous house and its curious occupants.

Nine is an orphan, and a thiefling to the miserly Pockets, who took her in when she was a child in return for her only worldy possession, a music box. But when Nine’s latest “pounce” yields only a tiny ornament of an odd-looking house, her disappointment leads her to lift the tiny doorknocker, which opens up a whole world of curiosity and magic she never dreamed of. She if welcomed with open arms by Flabberghast, an exasperated wizard, and his companions Eric (a troll with a love of housework) and Dr Spoon... well... I’ll leave that one to your imagination.

But with the discovery of such an astonishing home, comes the expectation that Nine will lift the dreadful curse put on the house by a scorned witch whom Flabberghast has had “a disagreement” with... Will Nine be the one to break the curse, free the house, and finally locate the elusive toilet?

The book was an absolute gem from the moment Nine knocked on the door, to the very final moment. I loved the house with all of its quirks, particularly the tea cupboard! I felt very much like Alice tumbling down the rabbit hole into a world which makes absolutely no sense, full madness and mayhem, but with such charm and such warmth. Nine is a strong and independent heroine, who overcomes her helplessness on her quest to help others, and finds a sense of belonging and friendship. The characters trapped inside the cursed house really make this book, and the house truly feels like a character itself. The world that Amy has created is wondrous and magical, and I loved every tiny enchanting detail she has carefully crafted and tossed into this marvellous melting pot. I cannot wait to spend more time in this delightful realm.

Perfect for fans of magical middle grade, Abi Elphinstone, Michelle Harrison or LD Lapinski!

The House at the Edge of Magic is a wonderful, magical and slightly bonkers (in a good way) story. I loved the wizard Flabberghast and Dr Spoon, but my favourite character was Eric the troll. Right from the beginning, I found the story entertaining, and I loved the humour. The description of the house and all its weird and wonderful happenings was really well done, and I think it would make a fantastic film. I will definitely be recommending this book in the library!

Such an interesting idea and the characters draw you in to the story. I am sure this is not the last we have heard from them.

Well written, exciting and will make young readers want to keep reading to find out if the curse can be broken.

Why did this sweet, heart-warming, magical adventure have to end?

When Nine gets her hands on a mysterious object, which ends up transforming into a real house, her life is transformed completely, in ways she couldn't have ever imagined. The moment she knocks on the door, her adventure begins.

Yes, I am a fully-fledged adult who devoured this story in one sitting. To all those who are thinking of reading it, read it and be prepared to join an adventure that involves a thieving girl named Nine, a coward wizard named Flabbergast, a wooden spoon dressed in a kilt, a housekeeper troll, a wicked witch, a cursed house, skeletons in the wardrobe that talk, and magical cupboards that compress objects within it to make them all fit (I wish I had one).... and so much more!

This was absolutely adorable. A quick, 240-page read, that pulls you in within the first 30 pages. You immediately know who you are dealing with and what needs to happen. Action right off the bat!

There are no empty paragraphs, needless or excessive descriptions. In my opinion, the author perfectly balanced between using descriptive language to bring the magic to life, and avoiding empty paragraphs of pointless descriptions.

I could easily envision every scene, every character, and all of my senses were activated. I could literally smell the atrocious Pockets, and hear his Smeagol-like voice. I could almost touch the witch before she disappeared into the cloud of smoke and feel the magic in the air.

I am so glad that Nine found her placed in the end. It truly warmed my heart.

I cannot wait for the next adventure, because I need to hear more from this epic team!

Who would like it: Everyone who loves fairy tales, stories filled to the brim with magical creatures and things of all kinds, children's stories, cheeky characters, and fun adventures.

The house of the edge of magic is a delightful tale of Nine, a young orphan who lives with a Fagin like character who she pick pockets for, but one day Nine pick pockets a ladies purse and finds a house shaped object with a little door knocker which she knocks on and her life takes a magical turn, Nine then meets a variety of quirky characters who live in the cursed house. This novel is great fun and I can see a sequel in the future.

I very kindly received an ARC of this novel from netgalley.

I quite literally devoured this book in a day. Nine is a theifling, working for Pockets. Desperate to stay in his good books, she steals an ornament from a passer by which kick starts her magical adventure.
Quite simply, the best aspect of this book is the characters that she meets in the house. Flabberghast the wizard, a Scotch sword wielding spoon and my absolute favourite; Eric the housekeeping troll. Nine has to save them from a deathly curse.
Every chapter is filled with lots of action and humour. This is certainly a book that children will love to read and as a grown up, it's a pleasure to read to a child. I really enjoyed this novel.

A fun middle-grade read.

Nine is an orphan. Her thieving leads her to the house of Dr Spoon the alchemist, Eric the troll housekeeper, and Flabberghast, High Wizard. The house is cursed, the people living inside cannot leave the house. Furthermore, the tea cupboard is cursed, too. It cannot be opened. Flabberghast has had to go without tea for ages now. Of course, Nine is the only one who can break the curse.

The book is full of fun and I enjoyed every page. I'm hoping there will be a sequel which shows some more of the quirky rooms in the House at the Edge of Magic.

It's not a very complex story, and the magic takes centre stage more than the plot. A wizard who's lost his magic in a house that has a mind of its own, an animate spoon with a PhD who's searching for his research partner the dish, a basement of dead people who aren't always dead, a cupboard that shrinks everything in it, and a bathroom that moves. It's such a fun house, more main character than Nine.

I laughed a few times at the sheer absurdity of events - and how British it was that a one of the components of the curse on the house was that the tea cupboard could not be opened. It was causing the occupants at least as much stress as their inability to leave.

All in all, it was an enjoyable read, a nice way to pass a few hours

Nine is a orphaned pickpocket struggling to survive. One day she steals a little house ornament which magically grows to reveal the house of a cursed wizard and his collection of strange associates.
This is a super fun, fast-paced and humorous story with great characters (I loved Eric and his feather duster) - like a cross between Oliver Twist and Diana Wynne Jones. So glad that there will be more books!
Great for ages 7 or 8 up.

This was a cute if quite simple story. I enjoyed the characters but found the plot to be a little weak at times esp the resolution. It was enjoyable though and I would read more by this author.

It isn’t often that I read a book in a single sitting, even middle grade. But this one did it for me. And sure, it was a shorter book (240 pages). But it was also immensly readable and a whole lot of fun.

We follow Nine, and orphaned thiefling who finds herself inside a magical house, inhabited by Dr Spoon the alchemist, Eric the troll housekeeper, and Flabberghast, High Wizard, Chair of the Tea Tasters Committee, World Hopscotch Champion 1835. The house is cursed… the inhabitants cannot leave it, the toilets moves around, the toad’s tongue is missing so they cannot move around, and worst of all: they cannot open the tea cupboard. And Nine is the only one who can break this curse.

Nine was a great character. She is feisty and has had to learn to fend for her own and never show weakness. So yes she helps out, but only for the reward. She doesn’t say sorry, or thank you. She isn’t nice, but after what she has been through, she shouldn’t be. Seeing her grow and find kindness throughout the story is just wonderful to read. Eric is the cutest and I want to adopt him. Flabberghast is very reminiscent of Howl (though the magical, moving house also adds to this feeling).

I would have liked to have seen more of the house. Sure we see the garden and its bats with acid dung, we see the crypt of the Somtimes-Dead, the skeleton in the closet, the burping sugar-bowl and the growning staircase. And all this made me hungry for more. For example, we never got to see Nine’s room. But it looks like there will be a sequel, so maybe we will see more then.

This book was utterly ridiculous, magical and so much fun! I adored it.

It isn’t often that I read a book in a single sitting, even middle grade. But this one did it for me. And sure, it was a shorter book (240 pages). But it was also immensly readable and a whole lot of fun.

We follow Nine, and orphaned thiefling who finds herself inside a magical house, inhabited by Dr Spoon the alchemist, Eric the troll housekeeper, and Flabberghast, High Wizard, Chair of the Tea Tasters Committee, World Hopscotch Champion 1835. The house is cursed… the inhabitants cannot leave it, the toilets moves around, the toad’s tongue is missing so they cannot move around, and worst of all: they cannot open the tea cupboard. And Nine is the only one who can break this curse.

Nine was a great character. She is feisty and has had to learn to fend for her own and never show weakness. So yes she helps out, but only for the reward. She doesn’t say sorry, or thank you. She isn’t nice, but after what she has been through, she shouldn’t be. Seeing her grow and find kindness throughout the story is just wonderful to read. Eric is the cutest and I want to adopt him. Flabberghast is very reminiscent of Howl (though the magical, moving house also adds to this feeling).

I would have liked to have seen more of the house. Sure we see the garden and its bats with acid dung, we see the crypt of the Somtimes-Dead, the skeleton in the closet, the burping sugar-bowl and the growning staircase. And all this made me hungry for more. For example, we never got to see Nine’s room. But it looks like there will be a sequel, so maybe we will see more then.

This book was utterly ridiculous, magical and so much fun! I adored it.

I was so hopeful for this book to be as Diana Wynne Jones-ish as the blurb sounded, but it's a very different kettle of fish. Where DWJ's books are character-focused and charmingly, dryly British in their humour, The House at the Edge of Magic is a loud, zany book with humour derived from a lot of yelling, bat droppings and trolls in aprons. Characters shout and exclaim almost every line, and the whole thing is suffused with high energy and surprises popping out every which-way, to the point that it actually felt like an effort for me, an introvert, to read. The silly humour and tone were not my cup of tea at all, but it will definitely entertain kids of about 7-10 looking for a riotous read. The oddball cast of characters are amusing caricatures that all have interesting quirks, but they were under-developed and barely seemed to go through any growth.

What frustrated me was that I could see the bones of a clever middle grade fantasy here, but it's all a bit shallow - the plot races along too fast to get invested in and too choppily for any substance to stick to it, so I was left feeling disappointed. I really wasn't expecting to finish this inside 40 minutes! It definitely feels like one for the younger end of middle grade, and I'm very surprised to see other reviewers comparing it to Sophie Anderson's thoughtful, deep books. I think this is just not right for me, since I prefer my MG fantasy smart rather than silly, and character-focused rather than centred on crazy occurrences - but I would recommend to those looking for a lighter, louder read. 3 out of five stars.

This magical story captivated me from start to finish. We follow Nine, an orphan who is trying her hardest to find a better life far away from the one she is living now, and the awful “Pockets”, who takes in Orphan children, in return for treasures the children have pick pocketed from locals on the market. One day Nine makes a grab that is quite possibly about to change her life forever????.......a tiny house ornament, with a tiny gold knocker, that Nine just so happens to tap and the magic unfolds.

Meet Flabberghast the wizard, Eric the troll and Spoon, who Nine helps in a quest to crack a curse that has been made by an evil witch.

I totally fell in love with Eric and his feather duster. The most kind hearted troll to ever exist in my eyes. He loved giving Nine boiled sweets. Spoon also won my heart over with his Scottish accent and fiery attitude.
The description within the book really fired my imagination and i was able to wander in the magic house along with characters. This for me always makes a book that extra special.

I absolutely loved this book and all the magic and wonder it bought along with it. A book that would steal the heart of any young reader, or readers like myself that just cant resist a tale of whimsical escape (an older reader).This book deserves a big shiny five starts because i fell head over heels in love with it just from g the synopsis. I couldn’t put it down from the moment i started it and it gave me the warmest glow inside. That for me, what makes a five star book.

Thank you so much Walker books and more importantly Amy Sparkes for writing an enchanting, heart warming tale.

What a magical and adorable story! I would have never guessed that this was Sparkes' debut novel because the writing was just so good!
I absolutely fell in love with Nine (a pickpocket that gave me lowkey Kaz Brekker vibes) and her "journey" to find some place where she feels safe and loved. The side characters were also really quirky and had so much personality even when they weren't around for long.- Eric was definitely a showstealer!

Can't wait to read of Sparkes' books in the future!

Nine has always dreamed of having a home – somewhere she will feel safe and loved. When she comes across a tiny, magical house, she is not prepared for the incredible adventure that awaits her! With magic around every corner and a delightfully imaginative cast of characters, she is challenged to dig deep inside herself and believe the unbelievable. In the process, Nine discovers how strong she is and a path to a better future.

The House at the Edge of Magic is a brilliant book that will completely captivate children. It is bursting with curses, spells, potions and magical junk that spills out everywhere!

Nine is a pickpocket who steals an ornament from an old lady. Turns out it is a cursed houses where
a group of eccentric characters live — a talking spoon, a housekeeping troll Eric, a wizard Flabberghast who is a champion at hopscotch. Nine and her new friends must break the spell to escape. There are thrills are surprises — walking toilets, enchanted cupboards and more. I liked the imagination and the wonders (and curses) the house springs up. However the book could've used a better grasp on the plot and characters.

Would have liked to have read this with the children as a bedtime story but could only download onto my phone which made it less practical.
Decided once downloaded onto phone to read myself so I could at least review story.
I enjoyed this story the lead character Nine was very likeable and had quite an adventure with a selection of bizarre sidekicks while navigating magical mayhem.

When Nine steals a tiny model house, she's just trying to find something of value to keep Pockets off her case. She doesn't expect the house to swell to an impossible size when she knocks on the door, or a troll to answer it and beckon her inside. And she definitely doesn't expect to end up trying to break the curse that keeps the houses' inhabitants trapped within its walls - inhabitants who, along with Eric the troll, are a hopscotch champion wizard and a talking, kilt-wearing spoon. But no matter how magical the world, or eccentric its inhabitants, Nine is determined not to be dragged any further into the house's madness than necessary. And she definitely isn't there to make friends.

In The House at the Edge of Magic, nothing is as it seems: the toilet won't stay in one place, the books in the library are deadly (before you even have a chance to read them) and there's a talking skeleton in the closet. Oh, and don't even think about making a cup of tea - unless you want jelly for a head or to hang momentarily from the ceiling, that is. There is no limits to this world's craziness, making this an incredibly fun book which children will love.

The characters are hilarious too - this is a found family readers will desperately wish they could be part of (cursed house aside).

The House at the Edge of Magic is a fun, magical and entirely unpredictable story which children will love.