This book is so much fun, the entire series is great! I felt Series of Unfortunate Events vibes the entire time I was reading the book. I loved it!

This book is just fabulous and I loved it.

The second in a series and the first was just so fast-paced and fun and this was no different. The Bad Brothers appeared briefly in the first one so it was brilliant seeing them take centre stage.

Thank you for the ARC and I cannot wait to read more from Claire Povey.

Bastien is back and this time, the adventure is just as heart pumping, thrilling and dangerous as ever!
Paris is in chaos and Olivier Odiuex is at the centre of the storm- Bastien knows this to be true but Olivier has money and is gaining power. It will take a revolution to bring him to justice.
Bastien, Theo and Alice lead the way along with new friend, Matilde and the boys living at Garçons Gentilles under the loving attention of Madame!

From fires to prison breaks and fear being instilled into the hearts of Parisians, Olivier is certainly determined in his chaos.
Bastien is such a wonderful character, full of courage, kindness and the determination to do his parents proud. Bastien’s notebook is the only thing Olivier is missing in order for hos plan to succeed. Knowing Bastien has not yet discovered it’s secret taunts them both.

I adored the first book and sped through the second- one quote stuck with me as I was reading , “You’re right. I forget to, you know, breathe sometimes”. As I was reading, I was actually holding my breath at times willing the escapes, the rescues, the moments of truth to happen without interference from those odious odieux brothers!

A mission to save Bastien and Paris!
A great treasure adventure across Paris, collecting clues and putting them all together to save the day.
loved reading this book was great fun and a marvelous plot.

Cannot wait for the next installment from Bastian and his friends.

This is one a lot of people have been waiting for...
LOVED it as much if not even more than the first one. I love that it's a series but you don't need to read the first to enjoy this one. The characters stumble upon mysteries that might seem like a small thing but they soon develop into very interesting adventures.
The writing style just keeps you drawn in & you want to keep reading on to see what the brilliant characters are going to do next.
I've recommended this to our reading MiniClub so I am sure the parents' group will create a book treasure hunt for the club!
Loved it.

An exciting follow-up to The Unexpected Tale of Bastien Bonlivre, which ended with the arrest of the wicked Odieux brothers, and a possible happy ever after for Bastien and his friends. Not so! This story opens with Olivier being cleared of all charges and he is released to carry on with his nefarious schemes. Meanwhile Bastien is still trying to find the secret hidden within his parents' notebook. This is another wonderful adventure, which paints a lovely picture of Paris. This is a story of friendship and bravery, with a heart-warming notion that familes are not necessarily made up of people you are related to. If you like a good mystery story then this is for you!

Another great story set in 1920s Paris! The Odieux brothers have been caught and tried but Olivier gets off all charges and once again starts up his terrible behaviour, this time trying to overthrow the French President and make himself in charge by using an ancient law. Bastien and his friends don't want this to happen and so work together to find the evidence his parents left for him and to prove that the unrest in Paris is down to Olivier and his secret society with members in high places.

The plot was excellent, once again really focusing on friendships and working together with really clear 'good' and 'bad' characters. I loved the setting and the era, with the spectacle of a Grand Exhibition providing a good backdrop and a great conclusion.

I found this hard to get into. I think younger children would find it difficult to understand.

The characters are well developed and rounded but their names would be difficult for younger children to pronounce. I could see this putting some children off reading this book.

Warning: contains spoilers for Book1.

Recently, one of my charges very excitedly told me she and her family were off to Paris for a few days and how much she was looking forward to her trip. I asked her if she had been before and when she said she hadn’t, I told her how much there was to see and do in the most romantic city in the world. I don’t know if my view of Paris is skewed by my advancing years, but with all of the politeness she could muster she told me that rather than going to visit the usual sights – the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe and the Louvre, for example – she was going to Paris by which she meant Euro Disney.

I suspect, sadly, that for many children this is now their standard view of the French capital, and how delighted I was to pick up this title that in exactly the same way as the book preceding this – The Unexpected Tale of Bastien Bonlivre – brought its streets so vividly to life that I once more felt transported to Paris and immersed in its way of life, again giving me hope that young readers will be able to see that there is so much more to see there than Mickey Mouse.

After the exciting and dangerous adventures that he experienced in Book 1, our hero Bastien had good reason to hope that the terrible Odieux brothers, Xavier and Olivier, would suffer the full effects of the law and that he would be allowed to continue with his young life in peace. While Xavier has been sentenced to incarceration for the rest of his life, Olivier has somehow escaped justice and when we meet him, a frustrated Bastien is starting to realise the implications for his future safety and wellbeing.

Attending a party at his favourite bookshop, Le Chat Curieux, that evening to celebrate the launch of his first book, Bastien hopes that the evening will provide the distraction he needs as well as allowing him the opportunity to see his oldest friend Alice, the bookshop owners’ daughter. Accompanied by best friend Theo and the other boys from the orphanage where he resides, Bastien is thrilled by the effort that Alice has gone to to celebrate his achievement and tries to enjoy himself until the shop is suddenly plunged into darkness. Before the lights can be restored, an unfamiliar voice tells Bastien that they have something for him – a note from Olivier – and as the lights come back on, he sees the figure of its owner rushing to leave the store.

Chasing after the girl, Bastien is stunned when she tells him to meet her the following day so that she can explain everything, before disappearing into the evening crowds. When Alice and Theo catch up with him, Bastien remembers he has the note and reads the its dreadful contents to them. With his life once more threatened by Olivier, Bastien must decide whether or not to keep his appointment with the girl. But who is she? How is she connected to Olivier? And can Bastien once again defeat Olivier’s nefarious schemes?

Bastien is such a credible and likeable character, whose distress at Olivier’s avoidance of justice is matched brilliantly by his determination to ensure that his nemesis cannot hurt him – or anyone else – further. Curious, and blessed with a powerful imagination that enables him to make connections between the clues that he finds, Bastien works hard with the support of his friends to uncover just what Olivier is planning and shows great strength of character throughout, at no point being prepared to give up – something we could all learn from.

While both Xavier and Olivier made it their aim to make Bastien’s life a total misery in his first outing, here the focus is firmly on Olivier, who is such a totally loathsome baddy – one of my all-time favourites. Self-obsessed, highly intelligent and with no moral compass whatsoever, he has no concerns about who he hurts to get what he wants and firmly believes he is entitled to whatever his heart desires. Furious at having previously been defeated by Bastien and his friends, he goes all out to stop him and employs new sidekicks and schemes in his attempts to do so, making this story even more thrilling than the first.

I really enjoyed this book. Perfect for Year 5 upwards, I loved the French vocabulary and phrases scattered throughout (don’t worry, there’s a glossary at the end if you need to refer to it), which enhanced the gallic flavour of the story. There is enough of the backstory included for this to be a standalone read, but the first title is so gorgeous you’d be doing yourself a disservice not to read it first. Will there be further adventures? I really hope so. The book does have a nice, neat ending but Olivier and Xavier are such a fine pair of villains that I feel they deserve more outings, despite that heaping more misery upon Bastien. Whether or not that is the case, time will tell but until then, as ever, I owe the most enormous thanks to Usborne Publishing and to Net Galley for my virtual read ahead of the publication date of 7th July.

Reading The Unexpected Tale of the Bad Brothers is like being back with old friends. Bastien, Theo, Alice and all the orphans care about each other so dearly. That kindness flows off the page and pulls the reader right into their gang. The addition of the fiery dancer Mathilde adds a new sense of feistiness and even more determination to fight for what is right.

Bastien is still living at the orphanage but now it is run by Madame Gentille who, like her name, is the loveliest, most generous carer the children could ever hope for. She would do anything for the children and the feeling is mutual. I love that she has a mysterious past and there is so much more to her character than first meets the eye.

The children will stop at nothing to find justice for the notorious Odieux brothers. The murder of Bastien’s parents and the treatment of the authors in the first Bastien adventure has not been fully resolved. There is still much to discover before the great city of Paris falls to an evil plan – taking Bastien with it.

In the midst of the darkness, there are still glimpses of joy. Pastries, books and friendship give everyone the strength they need. Le Chat Curieux bookshop is particularly lovely – celebrating the publication of Bastien’s book and providing him with the family he so desperately needs.

A secret society, a dodgy newspaper, the upcoming Exposition Universalle and dangerous events across the city leave Bastien and his friends wondering who they can trust. Betrayal, revenge and a thirst for power run through this fast-paced mystery. Will Bastien discover the truth and save the city in time or will the Bad Brothers destroy everything that’s precious to him?

After the thrilling ending to The Unexpected Tale of Bastien Bonlivre, things have settled down for Bastien and his friends ... or so he thinks. But with the Exposition Universelle looming and trouble brewing, including fires burning around Paris, Bastien realises that he and his friends need to act. And when the clues start stacking up, things get dangerous. However, with more than just Bastien and his friends at risk this time, they know they need to be braver than ever.
I've desperately tried to keep the synopsis spoiler-free for those who have yet to read book one (of course, I will immediately ask you why you haven't as it's brilliant! Here's my review in case you need further prompting: https://kandobonkersaboutbooks.blogspot.com/2021/08/the-unexpected-tale-of-bastien-bonlivre.html). I first encountered Bastien last August and was utterly charmed by the book so when I discovered I could get a sneaky early read of The Unexpected Tale of the Bad Brothers, to say I was excited was an understatement!

Diving in, you are immediately transported back to the Paris of 1923 with glorious references to delicious food and the temptation of book stores to get lost in (I even Googled Le Chat Curieux to see if it exists!). I highly recommend having a stash of croissants to hand whilst you read as you will need them. The setting, once again, leads us through the streets of Paris and the description allowed me to visualise the streets I long to head back to (not long now), and with the addition of the parks and the idea of the bouquinisites, I felt I was right alongside Bastien at every step.

Life is clearly better for Bastien at the beginning of this book (I won't explain why as I don't want to spoil book 1) and his increase in confidence is clear to see; however, there are still times when the old Bastien rears his head, but bolstered by old friends and new, he perseveres (a quality I feel he oozes) and I love his determination. Clearly, he wants to solve the mystery of his parents' notebook and this is what drives him on but there is definitely more there as a driver this time: the need to protect others. It was lovely to see Alice back again and she remains a strong young lady whose friendship with Bastien is as strong as ever. I also have to mention Mathilde who we are introduced to at the beginning of this book; fiercely determined and not somebody to be messed with, she has a strength that has been built from her past which we discover in drips as the book unfolds. And then, of course, we have the brothers whom I can describe in just one word: dastardly!

The writing in The Unexpected Tale of the Bad Brothers has a real feel of a classic novel to it and I loved to get lost within the pages. Warm and enticing, the plot is full of adventure, daring-do and just enough peril to keep readers gripped (the ending in particular). Friendship, determination and doing the right thing all feature prominently in this perfect sequel for Bastien and I just hope we haven't seen the last of this wonderful character - I need to know what he will do next.

Due for release on the 7th July, The Unexpected Tale of Bastien Bonlivre is a book to pre-order. I know that when I get back to school after half-term there will be gasps when students hear I've already read the book - they are big fans.

The Unexpected Tale of the Bad Brothers was most definitely the best way for me to start my bank holiday weekend, but now I've finished it, I want to head straight back into its pages again!

What a joy to return to Paris and the world of Bastien Bonlivre once again! Olivier Odieux is up to his old tricks again and this time the threat is even more serious! Can Bastien and his gang unravel the mystery to put a stop to the Bad Brothers once and for all?

The Unexpected Tale of the Bad Brothers is another action-packed adventure from Clare Povey. It’s a wonderful tale of courage, friendship and standing up for what is right. Anyone who enjoyed the first book is certain to enjoy it.