Delores Mackenzie is able to communicate with the dead and is sent to the mysterious “Uncles” in order to what she thinks, ‘control’ her powers. Set against the spooky and historical backdrop of Edinburgh, she gets used to living with these Uncles as well as others with different supernatural gifts. While settling in, she notices someone trying to communicate with her, but this connection feels different and they need her help.

This was an absolutely delightfully spooky read! I would have absolutely loved this growing up and still enjoyed it now. I will definitely be recommending this book. Who doesn’t love a spooky little read?

What a deliciously dark Middle Grade book this was!

Set in the older part of Edinburgh, Delores is sent to live with the Uncles to help her learn how to deal with her unusual paranormal gift. She seems to attract every spirit in the area. When a rather sinister spirit decides they need the life force of her new friends, Delores must use her wits and powers in order to save them.

I loved this book so much! I read it in two sittings. It is dripping with creepy atmosphere and starts off at such a fast pace, you find yourself unable to put it down.

The characters appear dark and sinister to begin with, but you soon realise they are quirky and unique, each with their own secret to protect. I loved Bartleby, the demon gargoyle, who came across like a cuddly dog at times. The dislike between Prudence and Delores is an excellent plot twist and I can’t wait to see more of how they deal with each other in the future.

This book reads like a modern classic and I really hope there are more books to come.

I received a free copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review

Delores MacKenzie’s story starts off a bit confusing and rushed with the pace but it more than makes up for it with what comes next. There’s a warmth with a hint of mystery and magic to it with the cozy setting [bookshop, sweetshop, etc.] and yet the darker aspects keep you drawn in. Got to love the Edinburgh appreciation. The end can go either way for you truthfully.

Really loved this YA for slightly older KS3 teens set in Edinburgh in a world of paranormal powers and dark mystery.
Dolores is a fairly typical grumpy teen who has faced loss and separation. Her parents have disappeared and her sisters sends her to be educated in a small school in Edinburgh as she wants to continue her education in Norway.
Dolores is taken under the wings of Uncle Oddvar and Uncle Solas who will take over her education and teach her how to manage her gifts, or her curse depending on Dolores' mood. Dolores finally meets other young people like herself but she's so hurt and closed off that they do not immediately make her feel welcome nor is she friendly in return.
This is a great adventure in the paranormal world of Edinburgh and the Gothic world of old books and tombs. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I'm hoping that Banham is working on some follow-up stories in this brilliantly spooky world.

I am hoping that this is just the first book in a series as it doesn’t work as a stand alone novel. I wanted to know more about the characters and how they discovered their supernatural abilities, it is never explained why the powers that be have a problem with shapeshifters and I want to know why. I don’t think that the characters are fully developed yet, and at no point did anyone really explain why Delores’s gifts are dark and dangerous.

The Dark and Dangerous Gifts of Delores Mackenzie is a deliciously dark, spine-tingling, supernatural adventure that completely enthralled me.

When twelve-year-old Delores Mackenzie is chased along the causeway linking Cramond Island to the Scottish mainland by a Bòcan – an angry spirit intent on harming her - her older sister Delilah, helps her to keep it out of their home, a home that they share without their parents who have disappeared a year before, leaving just a note for their daughters.

Delores comes from a family with supernatural abilities and, when her sister is assigned a position with the Psychic Adjustment Society in Norway, Delores finds herself unwillingly sent to stay with the mysterious Uncles in Edinburgh Old Town. Under their tutelage, she is to learn to control her dark and dangerous gift – necromancy – so that she doesn’t risk allowing spirits drawn to her energy to return to the living plane.

On entering the Tolbooth Book Store where she is to both live and learn, Delores meets two others with paranormal abilities: Prudence, an illusionist, who is rude, sarcastic and unfriendly; and, Gabriel, a seer, who is more welcoming. Sitting down for dinner with the Uncles Oddvar and Solas, and Gabriel and Prudence, Delores is subjected to some real nastiness from Prudence but, when she is in danger of getting hurt, she gets help from an unexpected source: the spirit of a young girl who gives her a warning before disappearing.

And so begins a dark, tense and spine-tingling mystery as Delores fights to stop a truly terrifying spirit from returning to the living plane, a spirit who feeds on Delores’s energy, who has unfinished business with another, and who needs something that Delores has to anchor her in this world. When the lives of new friends are threatened, will Delores have the courage and strength to save them, and herself, from this sinister apparition? Does she really have the ability to push back the dead when they threaten the living?

Oh my goodness! This was a brilliantly dark and spooky read that sent shivers down my spine as I became completely gripped by the mystery and the race to save friends before they were lost forever. I loved the unexpected twists and turns, the danger and threat from both spectres and the Council which oversees the Paranormals. This is a world that I am eager to return to, so I really hope there is more to come from Delores Mackenzie!

The setting is just perfect for this gothic delight and the writing conveys the tense, eerie atmosphere, with its danger and threat, exceptionally: the bookstore overlooking the kirkyard, the underground vaults and Edinburgh Old Town with its ghostly, gory history not to mention the hoar frost, cobwebs, spiders and dolls – chilling and spinetingling, perfect for upper middle-grade and beyond. I have lots of children in my Year 6 class who are looking for books with a darker edge, and this is exactly the kind of book that will appeal.

Delores is a wonderfully sympathetic protagonist who is determined to help a young friend when she most needs it. She shows courage and strength in standing up for herself, in learning to control her abilities and in facing a malevolent spirit. She is looking for a place where she feels she belongs and where she can find real friendship with those who understand her. And I just have to mention Bartleby who I adored – grumpy, rude but with a heart of gold and a sweet tooth!

This is a must-read for those of 10+ who enjoy darker, spookier adventures that are guaranteed to bring shivers of delight – and just the right amount of fright!

This ticked all the boxes for me, Delores is a a young lady who has an unusual gift. When one day this starts to become a problem her sister packs her off to the “Uncles”, to learn to control it. Delores is not happy about this, and she doesn’t have the greatest of times…and then it gets a lot worse…

I enjoyed this a lot, and I hope to hear a lot more from Delores and her progress in the future.

My thanks to Netgalley and Firefly Press for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review

This is a tale of magic, witchcraft and deadly spirits causing trouble.
After the disappearance of her parents, Delores and her sister are separated and she finds herself living in an Edinburgh bookshop with a group of mystical characters each with their own power. Delores can sense the “unliving” - Bocains- and she soon realises that something dark is threatening the lives of those around her. Her closest ally is also a jealous foe - Prudence. The Tolbooth Bookstore is a wonderful backdrop along with the city locations. Delores is a feisty character and the plot moves at a good pace.- the two girls have to drop their animosity to find a way to bring their skills together to defeat an evil spirit and save the life of a friend. This is a great introduction to hopefully a new series and is the perfect read for 9-13 year olds who love tales of sorcery and good overcoming evil.

I loved this book. I loved it so much, I’m buying it and a copy for my school library. I love it when a book just hits the spot!

It was magical, terrifying and really well paced. Delores is a fab character but I did learn to love Prudence. Reminded me of Prue from Charmed a little with her tenacity.

I recommend this book to everyone who loves a little magic and the setting is fabulous. I want to go to Edinburgh now!

The Dark and Dangerous Gifts of Delores Mackenzie is a tale of identity and one girl’s quest to discover where she fits in. We get to know Delores, her hopes, fears and dreams. The plot is laced with ghostly phenomenon, spooky locations and a whole host of entertaining characters each with their own unique paranormal gift.

This is an incredibly dark story in places with some excellent tension-filled descriptions, which certainly gets your heart pumping. Delores and her companions race to escape Angel Barguest and decipher what exactly is happening. The paranormal elements have been well thought out and utilised throughout the book.

A dynamic adventure, full of twists and turns with plenty of mysteries to solve. Ideal for readers in Years 5 to 8, who enjoy stories about the supernatural and solving puzzles.

I really enjoyed this book. It was fun, thrilling, adventurous and a great book to break up an intense series I was reading. Would definitely recommend.

I am a huge fan of horror stories and movies but I am not easily scared. I have a tendency to laugh when ghosts appear on screen. But this one has some spine-chilling moments and those moments are one of the many reasons that make this book special.

The story is about Delores who has supernatural powers. She has the ability to attract spirits. She is by no means the only "gifted" one in the family. Supernatural powers just run in her family. Her parents disappear when her elder sister is 17, leaving just a short note behind before they disappear. Her sister brings her up with what is left by their parents. When her power gets out of control, she is sent to see one of the Uncles. The Uncle that she sees, Oddvar, already has other children under his wing when she arrives. She is assigned a room full of dolls that move at night. (This part creeps me out.)

It is a very well-written book. The opening chapter is action packed. The second chapter in which Delores remembers her past reads like scenes from movies. It is just very cinematically written.

The setting in Edinburgh endears it to me even more because of my personal ties to the capital city.

It is a book I would recommend to students who like horror books and are not easily scared.

Stumbling across the works of Yvonne was a wonderful gift and I feel privileged to have been able to have an early glimpse of this exceptional novel, perfect for the lover of all things dark, mysterious or paranormal. Banham's phenomenal ability to capture the essence of her characters with her skilful penmanship, makes Delores easy to adore, champion and empathise with and I truly hope that this is the first of many adventures involving Delores and her less than ordinary acquaintances.

From the onset, it is obvious that Delores' differences set her apart from her peers. She is hindered by her unconventional ways, making building relationships challenging, but when her unique gift starts to attract an abundance of unwanted attention from the spirit world too, she is forced to move away from home to live with a pair of unusual uncles, where she will be taught to control her abilities. Her awkward disposition and an unwelcome response from some of her equally odd housemates, means her transition into her new routines and home is a bumpy one. Despite this, when push comes to shove, the housemates pull together to protect one another from a malevolent apparition. One of the things that I really loved about the book, was the attention to detail - the detail and description is so vivid, so as a reader you feel like you are experiencing every event right alongside the characters. An absolute work of art! It is truly exceptional. I was extremely sad when I came to the end and await the next instalment with bated breath. This is certainly one to watch and I think Banham is going to see great success with it in the coming months.

My thanks to Netgalley, Firefly Press and Yvonne Banham for giving me an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Any book with Edinburgh as a backdrop is going to get my attention - it is a city with rich history and lots of ties to the paranormal (Greyfriars Kirkyard, anyone?). Just the right level of creepy for the target area, with lots of good morals and messages about it being okay to ask for help which I think is important that kids are taught.

Would definitely pick up any more in the series - it made me think of City of Ghosts, by Victoria Schwab, as both books have a similar kind of feel to them.

This is a great introduction to hopefully a new series and is the perfect read for 9-13 year olds who love tales of sorcery and good overcoming evil.

What an amazing Gothic mystery for readers of MG fiction. Set in Edinburgh, the story is about 12 year old Dolores Mackenzie, a necromancer whose talents are getting beyond her control. In order to learn more about her gifts, she is sent to stay with the mysterious Uncles who live in Tolbooth bookshop where they support and train other young paranormal, and Dolores finally feels she fits in somewhere. Soon, Dolores becomes ensnared in a supernatural mystery which will test her skills to a dangerous extent, ultimately endangering herself and her new friends.
There is a strong cast of characters. Dolores is wonderful, her flaws making her even more relatable. I always love it when we can watch a character develop throughout a novel. Similarly, I love the way the characters are presented in a way that provokes questions over how far we trust them and what their motivations are.
The Tolbooth Bookshop is the perfect gothic setting and will appeal to all those who love to get lost in a bookstore.
With his diverse cast of magical, supernatural characters, all with particular abilities, this will appeal to readers who enjoy Harry Potter, Amari and Miss Peregrine, amongst others.
I thoroughly recommend this, and await a sequel with excited anticipation. A book that should adorn the shelves of all school libraries.

3.5/5. This was a fun read that I really enjoyed! I think the magic in it was really interesting and unique! The characters were interesting, especially the non-human ones! I’d love to read more in this world.

This was unputdownable. What an exquisitely chilling tale, with a vividly drawn paranormal world alongside magnificent Edinburgh. It’s deliciously original, while drawing on rich folklore, superstition and gothic literary heritage. I loved every minute reading this and will definitely itely be getting my hands on a copy as soon as I can. I know lots of readers who will love this dark tale that still manages to ring with central message of love. Fabulous.

What a phenomenal tale of paranormal skills, necromancy and a girl struggling to find her place in the world.
Delores and her sister live alone and both have abilities beyond this world. Delores is constantly keeping company, both wanted and unwanted, with “over-stayers”. People who have passed but are holding on for some reason. When it gets dangerous, she is sent to study with the Uncles at Tolbooth Book Store in Edinburgh. A dinstinctly brilliant city for this style of book- filled with history and ghosts.
She is not given a full welcome by the other students and is warned to keep her guard up around one in particular, Prudence. She is an illusionist and makes all of a Delores’s meals look and taste awful.
Gabriel is more welcoming but he still holds back.

When Delores is approached by a young ghost, she believes it to be their former student, Maud. Maud is in danger and as the pieces all fall together, Delores and her friends are dragged into a dangerous game where they are pawns to Angel Barguest, a demon intent on reclaiming her life and ticking items off her unfinished life. She was a danger in life and even more so in death.

Delores and Prudence will need to break rules, laws and their own dislike of each other to make things right…

Phenomenal storytelling. I was gripped entirely and truly liked Delores and her Victorian Urchin Chic style.

I loved this story!!

An imaginative story set in Edinburgh. It had a cosy kind of feel, but with the added spooky and creepiness that I adore in novels.

I love the characters, all of them, and the story is gripping. It flows really well and the story delevopes at a great pace.