Antsy is safe at Eleanor West's Home for Wayward children -- at least until Seraphina, the school's resident Mean Girl, discovers that Antsy's gift for finding lost things might mean that she has the ability to find Doors. Kade, Cora, Christopher, and Sumi have been looking out for Antsy, expecting just such an issue to arise. They get her away from Seraphina for the moment, but when Antsy opens a door to get the whole group to safety, they end up in the last place that one of them wants to be...

Another solid ensemble/quest story, full of the delightful camaraderie that is the hallmark of this part of the series. It's always fun to see the characters interact, and now there are a few new additions to the pack. If you've enjoyed these books so far, keep going! ( )

I love returning to this world, the characters are lovely, their relationships are so interesting, and the new doors they encounter are always a ride. This one felt a little less put together than some of the others, but it was till very enjoyable. ( )

I do love the Wayward Children series, and this book #9 is no exception. This picks up from book #8, with Antsy back at the School for Wayward Children and trying to find her way back to the Shop Where the Lost Things Go. In the meantime, she makes new friends at the school and learns of the dangers of new enemies. And she finds that she treasures her friendships and will do whatever it takes to help her friends find the Doors that will take them where they need to go.

Seanan McGuire writes with such heartfelt genuineness that it's impossible to read this book and not be moved by each character's backstory -- and continuing story. I'm looking forward to book #10. ( )

I really liked this one. It was nice to finally see some characters find their doors again, too. ( )

tar and a half, and that's being generous. And from someone who looks so forward to each book that comes out! I absolutely hate to be so cranky, but this was BORING. The last time I read an interesting book about modern kids going back to the time of the dinosaurs was Animorphs Megamorphs 2: In the Time of the Dinosaurs, by K A Applegate. That is a wholly different series than this one. So dinosaurs are not my thing, and as a result, it's unfair of me to have expected this to interest me. I didn't feel like it...fit...the universe McGuire set up. Maybe I wasn't paying attention. Different worlds in this don't have modern technology. They have fantastical creatures interact and speak with human children. So why shouldn't they have dinosaurs raising a child? Somehow I just...this is totally a "me" thing. Blah.

And it turns out Christopher's backstory was written as solely an ebook, I noticed among McGuire's works. It's sold by Tor and is apparently twenty-three pages long. I really want to read it, and plan to someday.

This book doesn't have McGuire's usual prose, or it doesn't in its usual amounts. It doesn't have the banter I was expecting, either. It had kind of an odd way to describe someone with albinism, but yeah, that's also a case of me not paying attention.
This was -so- not the book for me. I always look forward to each new installment of the series and I'm always glad to read it, even if I wind up disliking it. I'm glad this series is available to me, and I wish McGuire continued success. ( )