I have to say, I enjoyed this MG fantasy book very much! The characters were all very well written, and even when I disliked how a character acted, I was still intrigued to see how they would end up fitting into the big picture. The kids were relatable, and I liked how they worked together to figure out the mystery of what exactly was going on in the house next door. I think middle grade kids, as well as high school age kids, would enjoy this book very much.

5/5 stars.

I've always really loved stories about the devil, but when it comes to just "the devil is the bad guy" I get easily bored. I think there's more nuance to villains and when there's not, it gets to be a slog.

Here is an example of another book I was not in the mood to read when I originally got it. This wonderful novel is so full of ideas and possibilities the mind reels to think of it. Filled with wonderfully drawn characters and fantastical situations and only the first part of a proposed trilogy. Pen, Gavin, Jinx, the Dark Lord, Uncle Barty, Quorum, Eve, etc. are, to me, living breathing people. The historical and fantastical places mentioned are nicely described as well. I can’t recommend this novel to every reader enough.