The setting of the book really made this story. The mystery was fun and twisty but what really kept me engaged was wanting to see more of the water parks mysteries. The characters are interesting but I do wish we got a little more of their backstory. It's really obvious this is just the start of their adventures and there is also a larger mystery to be solved here. This is both interesting and left the characters feeling a little flat. That said I would like to read more of these adventures and did enjoy this book.

Where would you go if you were looking for some supernatural fun? The Wretched Waterpark has what you're looking for!

"A middle-grade mystery series that's spooky, creepy, and filled with gothic twists! Meet the Sinister-Winterbottom twins, who solve mysteries at increasingly bizarre summer vacation destinations in the hopes of being reunited with their parents—or at the very least finally finding a good churro."

The Sinister-Winterbottom Twins- sister Theo, brother Alexander, and their older sister Wil are staying for the summer with their Aunt Saffronia. She drops them off at the Fathoms of Fun Waterpark. This is where weird happens and excitement and mystery solving begin! Each triplet has strong characteristics that add to finding out who is haunting the waterpark and what happened to them.

I loved these kinds of books as a kid. This is the first book in the Sinister Summer series that Kiersten White has written. I sure hope she is writing more!

I recommend this to so many that I might have added so many more children to Ms. White's fan base! You should read it too. It makes the perfect bedtime story ritual.

I was unable to review this book earlier, but I have since purchased it and am reviewing it now. This book was an amazing read, and one that I would fully recommend to encourage young readers and broaden their minds. This is the type of book that can create a generation of book lovers.

This is a fun, quirky read with just enough mystery without feeling scary or suspenseful! I’m excited to introduce this to my students and am looking forward to. A continuation of the series! Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of Wretched Waterpark by Kiersten White. This is a wonderful start to a middle grade series.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

I really enjoyed this book. I was a little hesitant to pick it up, but I’m glad I did. It gives off the vibes of Lemony Snicket but with a twist. I cannot wait to get into the rest of the series.

My kids and I started this series at the beginning of spooky season and it has been the perfect series. I love how funny it is, the autistic/anxiety representation in it and how it is spooky without being scary. It is a great series that we will follow to its completion.

This book read like a Lemony Snickets meets The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place. It was funny and quirky. I really enjoyed the pace of the book, and I couldn't wait to get to the next one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for this DRC.
What a great beginning for this series. Filled with more twists and turns than a gothic rollercoaster, the Sinister-Winterbottom twins are dropped off with a previously unknown Aunt for the summer. With their older sister, Wil, they decide to figure out what is going on Fathoms of Fun, the nearly empty waterpark they have a week pass to.
A delightful frolic, with lots of fun horror story references for adults, I look forward to reading the rest.
#WretchedWaterpark #NetGalley

What a delightful story! The setting was super fun. The mystery was great. I loved the sibling relationships. Overall an awesome summer read!

This is spooky fun and the patrons at my library are really enjoying this series. It's fun to see White writing for a middle grade audience.

💦 One of my favorite books – The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein – was written by this author. I’ve never read one of her middle grade books, so I thought I’d give this one a try.

💦 I enjoyed this! What’s not to like about a strange and mysterious waterpark! The “horror” is middle-grade appropriate with just enough creep-factor to be mysterious, but not truly scary. It has a great gothic vibe and I loved it.

💦 I really loved the gothic lit references – maybe that will encourage younger generations to read those books someday!

💦 The Sinister-Winterbottom siblings - twins (Theo and Alexander) and their older sister Wil - are perfect amateur sleuths. They made the book fun and you will love them.

💦 I loved the silly vocabulary! (Example - To NOT go willingly became to go won’tingly.)

💦 The mystery was solid and the resolution was good. Younger readers will understand it and they will definitely want more of the Sinister-Winterbottoms!

💦 This is book one in the Sinister Summer series. Books two through four are also available for reading now. The fifth book in the series is scheduled for publication in January 2024. I’m looking forward to reading them all.

Thank you @NetGalley and @randomhousekids @DelacortePress for an eARC of this book, which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

One of the best YA books I've read. Kids and adults both will enjoy exploring this "Addams Family" type waterpark with a mystery to unravel. Imaginative, well-written, and fun with just enough spooky to delight.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC for review.
I quite enjoyed this book. I read it during my day off from work while drinking juice and it matched the summer vibe that I was going for. I found it a little hard to differentiated between each sibling but I loved their connection. Im excited to see what the other books in the series have to offer. This one was a quick read. It doesn't require much thinking, simply pick it up and enjoy the adventure.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

Actual rating: 4.5 stars

An entertaining mystery with an intriguing cast of characters — what a great story from the fabulous Kiersten White!

Kiersten’s writing has always captivated me, as have her world-building and characters. In Wretched Waterpark, she introduces us to the quirky Sinister-Winterbottom family (featured throughout the Sinister Summer series) against the backdrop of a creepy waterpark during their unexpected summer vacation. The mystery of the park’s missing owner sucks the Sinister-Winterbottom children in, creating a twisting storyline that manages to be both spooky and fun.

By far, my favorite thing about this book was the characters! In my opinion, it is so important to kick off a series with characters that make you want to come back for me, and I feel like we get that with the Sinister-Winterbottom siblings. The story is certainly enjoyable, but the characters are what is going to entice me to continue reading this series.

Overall, I really liked Wretched Waterpark and happily recommend it! This is a book that I felt comfortable suggesting to my 12-year old son but encourage parents/guardians to pre-screen materials that your children may consume if you have concerns about the content.

*Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book. This did not affect my opinion or the content of my review.

My favorite thing right now is spooky middle grade and this is a perfect addition to that list. This is fun and spooky and I love that it's going to be a series! I love the mystery aspect especially for kids and getting thrm to use those critical thinking skills in such a fun way!

What a unique, enjoyable read!

It reads like A Series of Unfortunate Events meets Nancy Drew and I'm digging it. It's dark and Gothic, but not too dark. For me, it was just the right amount of creepy. It's mysterious without getting bogged down in misery. The Sinister-Winterbottom siblings are the upbeat heroes you really want to root for, each with their own unique quirks and special abilities.

I think the author did a great job of developing interesting characters. The mystery was twisty and interesting and left enough unanswered questions at the end that I really need the next book in this series. Seriously! Finish it already!

I really enjoyed the mystery aspect of this book. I liked the creepiness of the Wretched Waterpark and how people kept going missing. It did feel like a Scooby-Doo mystery like other reviewers were saying, but I enjoyed it because of that feeling. Some of the only things that hindered my from liking it more was that it didn't wrap up as well as I would have liked to. And I didn't like that the characters (two sisters and a brother) were all named male names(nicknames), it made the audiobook confusing and I didn't like that.

So, I am kind of late writing this review, since it Wretched Waterpark was released last summer (July, 2022), but I am still appreciative of NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the e-ARC. And I have just got share my opinions!

I had read books by Kiersten White previously and LOVED them. I was not disappointed in Wretched Waterpark. The Sinister-Winterbottoms twins and their sister, Wil are unsure what to expect from spending their summer with their aunt, Saffronia. Then Saffronia suggests they spend their days for a week at Fathoms of Fun Waterpark. Theo and Alexander begin to think things are looking up. (Sadly shaking my head)

Creepy, filled with adventure, and just reminiscent enough of the Series of Unfortunate Events books to pull in middle grade readers that might want a bit of spine-tingling fright in their reading diet--but it is not so much as to keep them awake at night.

I fell in love with this world and its characters and am looking forward to Vampiric Vacation and Camp Creepy, the next two books in the Sinister Summer series.