Strange magic, interesting characters and a twisty plot made for an enjoyable read. I loved the sense of mystery, the atmospheric writing, and the complex world-building. The book left me wanting to know much more about the world.

Delores MacKenzie has a gift: a necromancer, she can communicate with the dead, but she can also see and communicate with Bòcan (those spirits who know they were dead but don't like it for one reason or another). It is after such an encounter where a Bòcan is trying to drag her back into their realm that Delores' sister announces that she can no longer keep her safe so is sending her to stay with her Uncle Oddvar in his bookshop in Edinburgh in order to learn how to manage and control her gifts.

Packing lightly, Delores only takes her clothes as well as a favourite book she had stolen from the school library, a scarf that still smells like her mum and a bird skull - each of which hold precious memories for her, especially since her parents are missing.

Upon arriving at the Tollbooth Book Store in the Old Town, Delilah leaves Delores at the door so she is forced to enter alone where she meets Prudence and Gabriel who are also studying under Oddvar. Delores feels scared and alone and the welcome isn't the warm one she may have been looking for. With Uncle Oddvar's very formal ways, Delores finds settling in difficult and, although Gabriel is friendlier than Prudence, she still struggles. Then a Bòcan makes itself known to her in the bookshop, a place Oddvar keeps protected, and it wants to regain its human form, something that will put Delores and her new house mates in grave danger.

I have a real soft spot for Edinburgh and so was drawn by the fact that I would be able to picture Delores wherever she went; the fact that she moves to a book shop in the Old Town just made things even more appealing. Before I began reading, I knew there would be a darkness to the book and the setting helped to enhance that. Clearly an ancient building with dark, narrow stairs and a mysterious feel to the place, the Book Shop was the perfect setting; add in that it overlooks a graveyard and you have all the elements you need for a darker novel, perfect for older MG or those starting to look at YA.

I enjoyed the range of characters in the book and the fact that you don't know everything about them immediately; that mystery keeps you interested. Delores is strong and independent, and I found Prudence particularly intriguing but it was Bartleby who became my favourite character.

The Dark and Dangerous Gifts of Delores MacKenzie is a deliciously creepy and sinister read that I thoroughly enjoyed; the book will definitely appeal to those who enjoy a gothic-style read and would also be perfect for fans of Elle McNicoll and Phil Hickes. The end of the book heavily suggests that a sequel will follow and, personally, I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next.

Released on the 6th April, The Dark And Dangerous Gifts of Delores MacKenzie is guaranteed to send a shiver up your spine just as the weather begins to warm up.

I have to admit when I first started reading this, my heart sank a little. Oh no, not another MG story about an outsider with powers who has to learn to control them while dealing with fellow students/teachers who are against them, I thought. Thankfully this is different enough to be an enjoyable read.
Delores’ gifts of connecting with the dead see her sent away to learn how to control her power.. She finds herself living at a bookshop, with two ‘uncles’ to teach her and two fellow students. There are a number of mysteries surrounding the residents, but the big mystery comes from a dark spirit that needs Delores’ gifts to become stronger. It is nicely creepy, which builds up steadily towards a satisfying ending. I would have liked to have had more insight into the characters though, to get to know them more.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

Middle Grade fiction is top-heavy with excellent supernatural fiction and The Dark and Dangerous Gifts of Delores Mackenzie, Yvonne’s Banham’s debut is another solid read for the 9-12 age group. Even though the main character Delores Mackenzie is a slightly older teen, her mannerisms and behaviour are fairly young (and there is no romance) so it is definitely pitched at the younger age group. The supernatural element of the story was rather tame and so it fits nicely for the top end of primary or the youngest secondary aged pupils. Delores comes from a family with supernatural ability and has been able to see ghosts since she was very young, but as she struggles to control this gift the ghosts, called Bòcan (Gaelic word for spirit) are relentlessly attracted to her. When the novel opens she is staying with her elder sister (her parents disappeared and this is obviously a mystery for a potential sequel) but is soon sent to Edinburgh where she is to be taught in the supernatural arts by the mysterious Uncles.

What follows is a fairly standard but entertaining supernatural mystery and although the action takes place in Edinburgh I felt the book could have done more to bring this fantastic city to life and although the odd Scottish word is thrown in, the book did not come across as especially ‘Scottish’. Set predominately in the Tolbooth Book Store Delores meets the Uncles and a few other kids who have varying supernatural powers and the ways in which they contrasted were nicely portrayed. Delores is a necromancer, able to see the dead, though most of them are merely passing spirits brushing past her some are much, much more dangerous. Gabriel is a diviner, with the ability to read other people and uses tarot cards. Prudence is an illusionist, able to plant suggestions and visions in people's minds, and the way she uses her powers to give Delores a hard time is a key part of the story and developing friendships. Yvonne Banham sets the groundwork for a potential sequel with a well described supernatural world which coexists with ours in which the Scottish First Minister (Nicola Sturgeon, who is not personally named) is aware of the existence of the supernatural. Soon Delores is knee deep in a mystery surrounding the disappearance of another girl who was recently taught by the Uncles and uses her gift to investigate further. A fun not too-threatening supernatural thriller with engaging characters. AGE RANGE 9-12

Vivid, descriptive, immersive paranormal fantasy middle-grade story, with gothic-y vibes.

The characters are well-rounded, and the story hints to interesting back stories for all of them. Delores is a feisty MC, with just the right amount of sass. I adored Bartleby, and enjoyed the character growth of Prudence. The abilities they all showed had clearly been well though out, and I hope that the hints of the Paranormal world-building and political system will be expanded on further as Delores discovers more about her new life. The ending sets up for more stories and it has the potential to be an amazing series.

Love this book! Loved the way it was written. Contains a mysterious and interesting bunch of characters, which I was eager to get to know, Loved the gothic feel and all the supernatural elements. Totally my sort of book. Will definitely be reading any sequels!

This book already feels like a timeless classic, with each character instantly feeling like an old friend. As a kid I always latched onto imaginative details and there are so many gorgeous ones in this book…from the grumpy demonic gargoyle doorstop, to the little bowls of bespoke snacks. (PLEASE can I borrow Cook?!)

It’s dark and creepy, but never pushes things to nightmare level, so it’s perfectly pitched to a kid audience eager for something scary. Plus, the darkness is balanced by sweet characters and relatable pre-teen concerns. The cover is so gorgeous, so I was delighted when the book lived up to it in every way!

I LOVED it.
Between the charm of gloomy Edinburgh, Magic, gothic vibes, cool characters and GHOSTS, this book had everything to please me. And it worked.

I adored it. I'm so glad I got to discover this story.

I hope there's gonna be more stories in this universe because I truly fell in love with it.

I highly recommend !

Thanks to Netgalley and FireFly Press for their trust !

This is one of those books that you keep thinking about after you've finished reading it. I keep wanted to go back to find out what Delores is doing now so I've very much hoping that there will be another book in the series. The book was just the right level of creepy. The message in the book that it's ok to ask for help; you won't be rejected or judged, is such an important message for young people to hear. It was also interesting to think about how young people see adults and the judgements they make of them sometimes. I would definitely recommend this book for Year 5 or 6 or above, just because of some of the themes that come up. I am looking forward to the next one (fingers crossed).

The Dark and Dangerous Gifts of Delores Mackenzie took me no time to read because I was so absorbed, the real world fell away.

This book reminded me heavily of the supernatural books I used to devour when I was a child. An excellent read with a definite sense of danger.

"There was a disturbance in the space behind her. Her hood was yanked back; and the neck of her coat was pulled tight around her throat. Something grabbed at her hair, dragging her back but she kept her balance - just...Her hood slackened and a dark figure, more solid now, slid behind one of the stone pylons that lined the causeway. A man once, she thought, from its shape, its movements."

Delores is sent to the Uncles in Edinburgh Old Town by her sister after a Bocan, or restless spirit, follows her home one day. She needs to learn how to control her unnusual gifts which have become increasingly powerful over the years and attracted more and more dangerous entities.

At the Tolbooth Book Store she encounters Gabriel and Prudence, Gabriel is welcoming...Prudence less so. A sinister manifestation begins to cause her housemates trouble and Delores knows she must help.

I enjoyed the gothic feel of this book and feel it will be loved equally by adults and children alike.

I can't wait to read more from this world!

The Dark and Dangerous Gifts of Delores Mackenzie is a wickedly enchanting tale and sure to be a hit.

I had the pleasure of being granted access to this book via NetGalley, I was intrigued by the title, description and the gorgeous cover art.

I found I flew through it, I thought the story was really starting to gear up and I suddenly realised that I was 75% of the way through, which in my eyes didn't leave nearly enough time to wrap up everything that was happening. The storyline was tied up nicely by the end though and I believe it also gave us the first stirrings of an extended plot which, I'm sincerely hoping, means this is the first in a series! It has definitely been left ambiguously!

The characters were fun and I would love to see more of them and learn more about what drives them and of course learn more about their powers! The "magic system" in this book was very intriguing and I think a lot of fun could be had with it!

I would absolutely recommend this to anyone ranging from 12(ish) upwards!

I really enjoyed The Dark and Dangerous Gifts of Delores Mackenzie. I loved the Edinburgh setting and the eclectic cast of characters Delores encounters, from the sinister Angel to the reclusive but wonderful Cook. The fast-paced plot kept me turning the pages right to the end and I can't wait to read Delores' next adventure.

The plot

Delores MacKenzie is a troubled teen. But not in the way you may think. Sure, she has few friends at school, but then, with what she brings, is it any wonder?

You see, Delores has necromantic abilities. Her whole family do. But for Delores, they are not in control. Wherever she goes, she attracts the spirits. She has since birth. When young, she used to have one as a friend, and they played together. But now things are getting out of control. The spirits, the Bòcan as they are called in Scottish Gaelic, are trying to drag her back to their realm.

The book opens dramatically as Delores races across a causeway from Crammed Island to the mainland (Scotland), where she has spent the afternoon. She is late, and the tide is lapping at her feet as she gains pace. Every stride brings the water higher. Things suddenly turn nasty when one Bòcan grabs at her and tries to pull her under the water. It is a struggle Delores wins. Just. Racing to her parent's cottage, Delores makes it through the door and seemingly to safety. However, the Bòcan follows her and tries to batter the door down. With the help of her sister, Delilah, they stave off the attack.

How long the enchanted marking, the troll cross outside the cottage, will last, the girls don't know. And with their parents vanished, gone in the night without explanation or trace, there is little chance Delores or Delilah can replenish the enchantment to make things better.

The only option, Delilah says, is for Delores to go and see the Uncles. These are mysterious teachers who help those with supernatural gifts control their talents, so they stay under the radar of the more earthly authorities. The Uncles are a removed part of The Council, the governing body of this other, twilight world. They have rules and guidelines about the paranormal and its control. Delores, unchecked, would break all those rules. Dire consequences will ensue if she refuses to seek the Uncle's help.

There is little Delores can do. Ultimately she knows, as much as she hates the idea of being controlled by the Uncles or her own otherworldy community, she has to go. Delilah had been, and now it was her turn.

The school, for want of another name, is actually the Tollbooth Bookshop in the darker, older parts of the city of Edinburgh. It is, at face value, a shop like any other. But here, customers buy a book, and it is suggested subliminally that they don't return. They also never get the book they choose.

With only her rucksack of clothes, bits and bobs and a book stolen from her former high school library as company, Delores heads into a very unexpected adventure. An adventure where the undead make it far more deadly.

The teachers, the Uncles as they are called, are older than is natural. They hark back to the gothic vampiresque shapeshifters of the old movies. Delores is untrusting and scared of being sent to a prison for those with uncontrollable dangerous talents like hers. It is worse when a fellow student is, pardon the pun, hell-bent on making her life, well, hell! It leaves Delores struggling to come to terms with what she must do.

When a bòcan starts to plague Delores, starts to break into this world and recover its once mortal form, Delores and everyone in the school are in grave danger.

So, what did we think?

There is so much to enjoy in this story. The action starts on a high and then races to shore, adrenalin pumping. Mellowing for the following few chapters as Delores and we find our feet, we enter a world of characters/situations that would not be out of place in a junior Rivers of London novel.

Yes, at first glance, some may say there are hints of magical schools or reflections of one of many Netflix series. But this is not my overriding feeling. It stands, or maybe I should say floats, on its own merit. I wouldn't have enjoyed it half as much if this had been just another JKRowling-type adventure. It isn't. What it is, is a delightfully dark fantasy/horror/gothic race against otherworldly menaces. Being set in modern times but neatly nestling in the dark menacing corners of old town Edinburgh and a graveyard gives it a palpable chill. It ably brings together everything I liked about the older TV and movie horror shows, without any of the kitch.

So . . . .
Crunch time.

Absolutely do buy this. A highly enjoyable and refreshingly different, horrorsome, must-read fireside or bedtime tale. Age group 11+ is accurate, and it is a great adult read too.

The Dark and Dangerous Gifts of Delores Mackenzie are most certainly that. I have loved being lost in Delores' ghostly story and traversing the streets of Edinburgh with her this October. It is a shame this book isn't out until April next year as it is so perfect for this time of year. At least young readers are in for a total delight by next Autumn. This is an atmospheric and gripping tale of the paranormal and unlikely friendships. The setting and characters are described with such vivid and rich detail that you feel like you have been on Delores' journey with her and are left itching to find out more as the author leaves little hints and biscuits crumbs of further stories to come and a whole world of Delores Mackenzie. Definitely recommend this read!

With September well and truly done and dusted now, we are well and truly into October – the spookiest of months, when many readers turn to the creepy tales tucked within their TBR piles. Although this exciting new title will not be hitting the shelves until April next year, when – hopefully – the days will again be getting longer and warmer, it is most definitely one to add to your list of pre-orders because it would be the most terrible shame not to spread the fear-factor across the year.

Set in the Scottish capital of Edinburgh, a city said to be haunted by a great many ghosts and famous for the grim goings on of the likes of body snatchers Burke and Hare, this is a story crammed with paranormal activity, ghosts and demons, and one which had me hooked from the very beginning with its delicious creepiness and some quite unsettling sections of narrative, which will definitely cause readers to shudder when they encounter them.

It is on a sharp and blustery March afternoon that we meet Delores – fleeing from Crammond Island, where she has been reading her book – to the mainland before the tide smothers the causeway that leads home. Catching sight of a dark smudge out of the corner of her eye, Delores realises the presence is that of a Bòcan – a person long dead. Trying to outrun it, she is startled when it grabs hold of her hood but manages to struggle free and makes it home, closing the door with the help of her sister Delilah who tells her that Delores is sending out powerful signals to attract the manifestation and that it is time that she was sent to the Uncles to stop this happening again.

Determined not to go, Delores argues with her sister but is told that she must go for her own safety and is left with no choice but to agree, little expecting that it has already been arranged and that she is to head to the Tolbooth Book Store the following week. When the time comes, Delores finds herself at the door of the bookshop, where to her dismay Delilah leaves her, telling her younger sister that that is the rules and immediately heading off in a taxi. Dragging her case into the shop, Delores pulls it through the heavy door which is propped up by a stone gargoyle which appears to move as she passes it -something she dismisses as her overactive imagination – before meeting a boy and girl within.

The boy introduces himself as Gabriel, telling Delores that the Uncle doesn’t like to come into the shop in the daytime, while the girl – Prudence – is rude and spiteful towards the new arrival. After meeting the Uncle, Oddvar, Delores is shown to her room, where she is surprised to find two beds – one of which is covered in creepy dolls. As she tries her hardest to settle in, Prudence makes Delores’s life as difficult as she can but when she becomes aware of ghostly presences within the bookshop Delores has far greater things to worry about. What has happened to the other occupant of her room? Why is Prudence so resentful of her being there? And what do the ghosts in the house want from her?

For Delores, who has always seen the dead and until recently has been on good terms with them, the prospect of ghosts being drawn to her is not a frightening idea but to those around her, it has the prospect of being utterly terrifying. When Delilah, who is her guardian in the absence of the girls’ parents, tells her that she must go to the Bookshop, it is clear that Delores is worried about becoming altered in some way – not necessarily as a result of losing her dark and dangerous gifts but as the result of becoming a changed person. Determined to stay true to herself, and not to kowtow mindlessly to the rules imposed on her simply because that is what is expected, she soon finds that not only is she in danger but those around her are as well and she must decide to conform or to follow her instincts and possibly be proved wrong as to what is really happening.

Not only does Delores have gifts but so do Gabriel and Prudence. Theirs are different and they have a greater control of them when Delores enters the Bookshop and it takes her a while to work out what they are and how best to react to them – especially Prudence’s which are used to great effect against the newcomer. Together with the mysterious Uncles, these secondary characters add to the deep feeling of something going on, but it being hard for the reader at first to work out what. By the time it is clear just what is happening, the story really gathers pace and rushes towards its exciting ending.

That ending leaves the way clear to a Book 2 and I really hope that I will be rewarded with a sequel to this. So many questions are left unanswered at the end of the story and it is clear that Delores has unfinished business with the Uncles. Perfect for confident readers in Year 5 upwards, my enormous thanks go to both publisher Firefly and Net Galley for my advance, virtual read. The Dark and Dangerous Gifts of Delores MacKenzie by Yvonne Banham publishes on April 6th next year and is a must-have title.

Like her parents before her, and sister, Delores Mackenzie has always been able to talk with the dead. They were her childhood companions when other children, finding her odd, didn't want to play with her.
But her psychic abilities are getting stronger and the dead wants more and more from her so Dolores' sister sends her to live with the mysterious Uncles in Edinburgh, to learn to control her gifts. There she meets other people who like her have some particular abilities - some are alive, some not! And not all of the manifestations are friendly either. One enigmatic and dangerous apparition in particular wants no less than new life from the living themselves. Can Delores use her newly-learnt control and skills to save her friends?

The Dark and Dangerous Gifts of Delores McKenzie is a must-read for any young fans of paranormal and horror. It's filled with mystery and hair-raising menace and the relationships between Dolores and her new friends are incredibly well depicted, rich and complex. What happens between Dolores and Prudence in particular makes the reader sway between outrage, pity, frustration, until a most beautiful and selfless friendship blossoms under their eyes. Fantastic!

This teenage-young adult book is the perfect book for any spooky tale lover. It is the story of a girl called Delores who has some paranormal talent, though whether or not that is a good thing is still to be decided. Descending from a family of specially skilled people, Delores is sent to live with “Uncles” to learn to control her talent. But….life with the Uncles is not simple and learning to be with them and learn about herself and her “talents” puts her and her new friends at risk.
There are lots of well written characters, including a gargoyle called Bartleby who has this hidden past that makes him all the more charming.
Set in the Tolbooth in Edinburgh, this story is an essential read for any Edinburgher or Scot, or indeed any tourist as you get the visit the closes and hidden vaults that are such a popular part of Edinburgh’s history.
The ending too leaves you wanting more and I so hope that there is another book coming.

This was a deliciously dark and atmospheric read with just enough chilling detail, creepiness and the gothic for a childrens book.
There is no slow burn with this book the action commences right from the start and is fast paced and tense right through until the end. I was gripped and couldn't put it down and I think it will be the same for many of the children who pick up this book.
the characters were well developed and engaging and the setting was utilised perfectly, many writers love setting gothic sstories in Celtic countries and simply because they just work so well.
I loved it and I will definitely be looking for more from this author.

The Dark and Dangerous Gifts of Delores Mackenzie is just so creepy you can feel it running its fingers down your spine as you read it. It takes a cold grip on you and just doesn't let go.

From the very first page we're thrust into an unsettling world. Crossing a causeway through a rising tide Delores is attacked by some kind of ghost creature, pulled back hard enough to bleed, but while this is concerning, what is possibly more concerning is how unsurprised she is by it. A conversation with her sister later and we have hints and suggestions of a wider paranormal world, strange Uncles she's being sent to, and a wider organisation. This is a world where there's a shadow government monitoring and managing those with paranormal activities. Throughout the book, this larger organisation is little more than hinted at, leaving us with the tantalising prospect of their world being explored further in subsequent volumes.

From that opening sequence to the climax, a terrifying descent into the vaults beneath Edinburgh's streets, the sense of threat and peril is so very real. It's gripping, heart-in-mouth stuff as Delores does her best to hold off forces of darkness trying to find a way back into life. Delores is sent to Edinburgh, to the Tollbooth Bookshop where she's expected to study and learn how to control her powers. There are two other students there, Gabriel and Prudence, and each of them have their own, distinct powers. Delores is a necromancer, able to see the dead, though most of them are merely passing spirits brushing past her some are much, much more malevolent. Gabriel is a diviner, with the ability to read other people. Prudence is an illusionist, able to plant suggestions and visions in people's minds, and the way she uses her powers to give Delores a hard time is just amazing! I absolutely love Prudence and the way she openly embraces the fact that she's a horrible person. She knows herself, accepts herself and screw anyone who stands in her way! Gabriel is sweet and caring, and a nice conduit between the two girls.

There are mysteries aplenty in the Tollbooth Bookshop, including the two Uncles there to teach and instruct Delores, a missing girl, dolls that move around in the night, a demon doorstop and Cook. Cook is awesome. Bartleby is awesome. It's all so awesome that after reading it I am still filled with awe.

The book's setting of Edinburgh is used really, really well! This isn't the first ghost story I've read set there (check out Victoria Schwab's City of Ghosts for more) and there's something about the city that lends itself so perfectly to this kind of story. The city really feels like an integral part of the story, from its graveyards to its galleries, with all of its ghosts and tourists.

But we don't get to dwell on the mysteries of the bookshop, because there's a very terrifying villain in this novel and wow, is she scary!? The sense of fear she gives off is palpable and every confrontation with her felt fraught and dangerous.

One of the tricky things in books of this nature is the inevitable question "Why doesn't our young heroine ask for help from people more capable and experienced than she is?" and The Dark and Dangerous Gifts of Delores Mackenzie answers that question with ease. Delores feels insecure, not just in her own powers but with her place in her world and the bookshop. The mysteries of that place don't encourage trust or openness so as much as the reader might be willing her to just tell the Uncles what's going on, it's very understandable how reluctant she is to do so.

There's a line early on in the book where Gabriel tells Delores that she should pay more attention to names. On one level it is a clue to a relationship in the book, one I picked up on. But I was wondering if there was more to it than that, so I paid more attention to the names.

Delores means sorrow. An appropriate name for a girl who's lost her parents and is constantly surrounded by the dead.
Gabriel, God is my strength. Again, appropriate for a diviner, or one with divine powers.
Prudence. This is so perfect for her, so much so that she comments on it herself at one point. It means caution or discretion and describes a girl who is always so careful, so guarded, so pristine with everything about her.
Angel Barguest is a name openly discussed in the book, so I'll leave that one.
Solas is an interesting one. It's Old Irish, meaning light. An odd choice for such a dark, shadowy figure that it leaves me intrigued as to what we've still got to discover about Uncle Solas.
Oddvar is Norse, and derives from the elements oddr, point of a sword, and varr, vigilant or cautious. I think that's a very good fit for this uncle, who has a quiet danger about him, and a feeling that he's much more aware of what is going on in his bookshop tower than he maybe lets on.
Maud means powerful battler. A suitable name for this brave little girl who holds out against the darkness for so long.
Ernaline, a late arrival in the book, is also Norwegian or Celtic and means capable or serious. I'm hoping we'll see more of this character.
Cook. Cook is such a mysterious figure that it's hard to say anything definite about Cook other than that I love Cook. But if I had to make a guess I'd say Cook's name is derived from all of the cooking Cook does.
Maybe I'm reading too much into this? But it feels like there's definitely something there.

Oh, and Prudence's book selling technique had me absolutely dying of laughter. I know so many booksellers who would love to be able to do that! A gorgeous little touch that made perfect use of her setting, her powers and her personality.

A dark and dangerous gift of a novel!