Great book, love this author and how they can keep my attention to the end! The plot is well developed, characters are believable and they obviously paid attention to detail to make the story worth your time to read.

An enjoyable read that we have purchased for our library. Most students have enjoyed reading this one.

I have read and reviewed a copy of this book through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Quite honestly, a delight and true gem in the form of this brilliant story - and don't worry about this being a book for kids. There is no age to enjoying a good tale, I tell you!

Jack is a normal boy, all in all. Like the kids his age nowadays, he's obsessed with the social media and his phone. Technology is everything to him, and he can't even begin to describe the horror of having to spend some time at the house of a distant relative named Gretel. But there's more to the creepy woman than meets the eye - and Jack's curiosity will lead him to revelations he might not be prepared for. Revelations that could possibly save his life - even if he's about to be unwillingly turned into a fairy tale hero...

I loved this book! It's clearly written for young readers, but the whole tale is wonderfully creepy. It was a joy to be scared at times when things would go awfully wrong, and the descriptions of certain scenes and locations did a fantastic job of keeping me on the edge of my seat and sending off freaky vibes. One thing I've learned about scary storytelling: if you mix it up with innocent, childlike things, it gets more than admirable results on setting the right mood. The carousel scene in the woods, the guardian that asked for dreams to let you pass, the cookie jar, they all helped in spooking me further and I couldn't stop turning the pages! And the good guys not really being what we expected them to be? Pure gold!

Another thing I liked was how the book combined the classic fairy tale atmosphere with a protagonist that couldn't care less for legends and fables. Jack was very much like the kids we know these days. Not only concerning their weird obsession with all things tech and the internet, missing out on so many things in life around them, but also being rude to their seniors and opportunistic. And while it may at first seem that such a hero is not what we'd want to help save the world, the adventures he goes through make him mature and see around him clearly and morally. It was the kind of character development that happened in stages and was much appreciated.

The story ends - of course - with a happy ending, as all fairy tales should. However, one interesting aspect is that of the WAY the happy ending occurred. In the end of the book, Hansel said something quite similar to what his sister said in the beginning. That could possibly indicate that it's not exactly over yet - and it sets for a very nice, cliffhanger kind of method to tie the knot in this story.

I seriously hope to read more books in the future from H. Easson. Job well done, indeed!

***I was given an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinion stated in this review is solely mine, and no compensation was given or taken to alter it.***

Do you know the story of Jack Riddle? Are your rumors true? How much do you really know about Jack? Great read with the kids.

I could not figure out what direction this book was headed. THe plot was all over the place. Loads of rather grim imagery and just plain weirdness.

Actual rating: 4,5/5 stars.

This is an amazing book. I absolutely love how H. Easson incorporated the fairy tales. Your favorite characters show up when you least expect it. They are given a new story line and shine from the moment you figure out who they are. This would definitely be a book that I would want to read a second time, just so I can enjoy the new version of my favorite from the beginning.
It takes a while, but the puzzle pieces fit together perfectly in the end. This ambivalence of the start made it a little bit more difficult for me to keep focus (hence the long time it took me in the beginning), but after about 1/4th of the book I was hooked and flew through the rest.

The Legend of Jack Riddle was a pretty weird little read about how Jack's great-great-great-great-great Aunt Gretel who should be dead but isn't is actually a witch and is after Jack. He didn't realize until it was to late that the cookie jar she sent with him actually contained a strange little spirit like thing of Gretel's brother and he is called Smash and is a junk food junkie. :) It was a fun take on an old story.

While it was interesting to look at the darker side of fairy tales, I didn't find this story as engaging as I had hoped. The beginning felt forced to me and not a natural progression of events. Once he got back to school and his professor started helping him, it became more interesting. But it was discouraging that our leading man didn't seem to be driving the plot. The professor seemed to solve problems for Jack and then drag him around on the adventures without filling in his reasoning until we arrived at our destination. Even then there wasn't any "solving of the riddles" until after they were solved and then everyone had an "Oh, that's what it meant!" moment.
I also felt that the ending was rushed and the situation was forced. It was really fast paced and action filled, but again, we had no idea what was supposed to happen before we arrived there. In fact, it was not even discussed that the final confrontation was coming, just "BAM! We're here! Fix it!". It felt as if there was a page limit and the ending needed to happen really fast because we were running out of paper.
I loved the idea of the darker side of fairy tales, but this one didn't grab me the way I hoped it would.

This was a cute, fun book. I read it to my kids. And we all enjoyed it.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

I had fun reading this book. It's exactly the type of thing I loved as a kid. It has travel, mythical creatures, and magic. Familiar stories are woven into the world in an entertaining "what really happened" kind of way. Some of the scenes are so well done that they visually stuck in my head.

What a fun story! The Legend of Jack riddle is entertaining for all ages. I enjoyed the different twists and the darkness of this familiar fairy tale. Easson does a good job with Jack's development throughout the story and touches on the need to step away from technology. A great adventure story with the perfect pace.

This is a story I would recommend to my local library, and buy for my siblings!

The Legend of Jack Riddle by H. Easson is a middle grade novel currently scheduled for release on March 1 2018. So what if 12-year-old Jack’s great-great-great-great-great aunt has oddly youthful looks? (Probably cosmetic surgery.) Or a hat she never removes? (Fashion victim.) Or goes out into the creepy forest at midnight to play bingo? (Must be what people do in the country.) Who cares about that when her cottage doesn’t even have Wi-Fi?! Forced to visit his distant relative with the unusual name of Gretel, Jack is about to find out that fairy tales aren’t sparkly, cheesy love stories. They’re dark. They have claws. They’re a warning. And when you’re the unwilling hero of your own fairy tale, you might be the one who’s taught a nasty lesson.

The Legend of Jack Riddle is a fantasy adventure that starts as the typical coming of age and fantasy quest or adventure story. I liked that Jack was a bit like the stereotypical tween, glued to his phone and craving the independence and fun more young people want. However, he is much more. He is facing family challenges, but not the same issues that most kids in these stories face, but more emotional and identity based troubles. I liked the threads of well known stories, but how they are interwoven with typically unrelated stories. As a fairy tale and legend fan, I was glad to see twists I had not seen before, along side some that were like old friends. I enjoyed Jack's evolution, and the growth he had as an individual and how he relates to others. I found the professor and other secondary characters, to be very well developed and interesting rather than the place holder characters that sometimes populate the backgrounds of books. I think young readers, and those of us older than the target audience, can get lost in the story and enjoy it thoroughly.

The Legend of Jack Riddle is a fun and entertaining read for middle grade readers, and older children and adults as well. A nice fantasy adventure that could also encourage further reading in legends and fairy tales as well.

This book was absolutely fantastic!
I loved the story behind it, the characters were so well done. Can't wait to read more by this author

I always enjoy it when a book is not quite what I expected, and I think kids enjoy that too. This was an exciting and fun twist on the interpreted fairy tale stories I've read before. It was great fun.

“Turn back while you still can!” That is how this book opens and grabs the reader’s full attention! Well, that is if the gorgeous cover hadn’t already snagged their attention.
This story is the retelling of Hansel and Gretel. This retelling was different because it did not involve the normal candy houses and ovens. Instead, Jack Riddle is summoned for a holiday with a mysterious Aunt, that no one in the family has ever really met, who lives in the middle of nowhere without cell service! Gasp! What is Jack going to do with himself? Auntie Gee Gee is nothing like Jack had pictured and turned out to be a kooky cat lady with an incredibly strange appearance and bizarre demeanor. What horrors will Jack uncover in the misty forest? Who is Aunt Gee Gee? What happened to Hansel? One must read the story to find out! The fantastic premise and chill factor!
I was hooked and did not want to miss a thing, on the edge of my seat with suspense! Bravo! Jack was a loveable non-hero who is a definite underdog when it comes to dealing with a powerful witch straight from the ancient fairytales of his childhood. Jack quickly realizes that he is out of his element and enlists the help of looney old Professor Footnote who is the only person who believes in the supernatural happenings surrounding Jack. Like the Goblin running amuck looking for a sugar high named Smash and a perfect feline named Ariel who win up being unlikely companions as well. The Witch is ancient and formidable but with the combined forces of their little trope will she stand a chance?
Smash is my favorite character, and I can totally relate to his need to continually consume sweets! He is adorable and enchanting in his jester outfit. I do wish that there was more development of the characters in the story and that it didn’t feel so rushed. Jack does incredible feats in such a short amount of time and even the time with his Aunt is reluctantly short. I understand that this is a tween or Young Adult book, but I believe there could have been more content to fluff up the story which is why I am rating it with Four Stars.
I would recommend this book to parents with tweens and to middle school range teachers with inquisitive students who love fairytales and adventures. I would also rank this story with other great books like Bridge to Terabithia and the Golden Compass.

I was provided this book in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley and Capstone Publishing.

What a fun book, I can think of several kids who would enjoy this book. I enjoyed it, so much fun, I enjoy reading the fiction for elementary and have read to classrooms of fourth grade students who I am sure would like this book.

The Legend of Jack Riddle by H. Easson has 264 pages and is due to be published in 2018 by Stone Arch Books.  

Thank you to Netgalley, Stone Arch Books and H. Easson for the ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

The cover art for this book is just amazing and is what initially drew me to read this book in the first place.  The Legend of Jack Riddle offers a modern take on well-known fairy tales and the characters within those stories.  After a particularly mysterious visit to see his aunt, Jack quickly realizes things aren't always as they seem.

This debut novel by H. Easson is a masterpiece of modern middle-grade children's literature.  Kids of all ages will love the story she brings to life in this modern fairy tale.  It is original and quirky, filled with silly plot twists.

This story is a little on the dark side, more like a traditional fairy tale than the Disney stories  we are used to today.  However, it is an entertaining albeit creepy read.

Recommended for fans of Goosebumps.

The Legend of Jack Riddle begins with a pretty severe warning to the reader; "Turn back while you still can... you're still here? Well don't say I didn't warn you.
So, is this a fairy tale or what? This is the most exciting fairy tale you'll ever encounter. Remember cute little Gretel? She has two heads and fangs and wears combat boots. A battered top hat covers one of her heads.
After the author's warning to turn back, the story escalates back to the year 1610 where the Gingerbread Witch is about to be hanged. Oh yes there is a fair amount of violence. Listen to this: on the train Ariel the cat, is attacking Gretel. Suddenly there is a horrible popping sound as Ariel dislodges taking Gretel's trailing bloody eyeball with her.
I think this fairy tale for middle school students is going to be a hit. Well written and very exciting. I think a sequel would work well, with a different fairy tale character, say maybe Cinderella or maybe the seven naughty dwarves. But you must must keep the fun loving, sugar loving goblin named Smash. I really liked this little guy.

When I first received this book, I automatically noticed the cover. It pulled me in and was begging to be read. I know you're told to not judge a book by its cover, but I think it's human nature to do so. Luckily, the cover of this book hits the nail on the head. The age group this book is for are drawn to books that look like this one.

Jack is a kid who is sent to visit his super-great aunt out in the middle of nowhere. The aunt has a secret, and when Jack finds out, his life is turned upside down. The characters are memorable, and bring many different fairy tales into the same world. From a fairy tale stand point, I found the way the stories were intertwined to be believable, with a smooth transition to each one.

The cast of characters is great, and brings some humor into a story that has its dark moments. This is not a fairy tale book that mirrors Disney with the happily ever after stuff. This book uses the original dark versions of the fairy tales. In those versions, not everyone lives happily ever after. I like the fact that using the original versions puts a new spin on things. Kids usually know the happy version of the stories, so they know the characters being presented, but they are shown that sometimes things don't always work out the way we planned. It takes work to overcome evil. Happily ever after does not come on its own, you have to do something to make it happen.

I found this book completely unpredictable, and because of that, I wanted to read it all the time to find out what was going to happen. Things are not always what they seem, and this book takes that and runs with it. Highly recommended.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Author: H Easson
Publisher: Capstone
Publication Date: 1 Mar 2018