There's times when all you need is a fun, middle grade romp and this fits the bill perfectly. The setting is gothic and spooky without being scary, the characters are creepy and kooky, and all together ooky. Plenty of room to explore more family members' stories in the future if the author wants, but also worked great as a stand-alone.

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for granting me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review! Unfortunately, as this book has already been published, I will not share my review on Netgalley at this time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Holiday House for providing a copy of this eARC for review.

I absolutely loved this novel. The characters were likeable, and the foreshadowing was well-done. The magic system is fun and I love that it is nature based. I didn't feel lost or like I was misunderstanding, but there was still an air of mystery and I wasn't sure how it would end. I would have liked more details on what Garnet did at the end while in the house.

The pacing was excellent and kept me engaged throughout the story. There is still some mystery and a second book would be delightful.

When Garnet starts vomiting frogs, yes frigs, she has no idea it's all connected to her family and a curse on them. She and her mother return home to the Carrefour house and as they wait for the patriarch to pass and pass along the family magic, Garnet begins to explore her family history and curse. Can she bring things to a close before it's too late?

This was a solid middle grade read. I loved how it included so many things: mystery, magic, a family with a lot of baggage, curses... SO MANY THINGS! It is going to be a big hit at my school!

The Carrefour Curse was everything I wanted it to be! A quick, spooky, fun read. I truly enjoyed learning about Garnet, her family, and their magic. I tore through this book because I needed to know what would happen. The only thing I would have liked more is if it had been longer. Don't get me wrong, at a little over 200 pages it was amazingly fleshed out, I just loved the world so much and wanted more! But that's coming from an adult. This is the perfect length for the middle grade readers it is intended for!

12-year-old Garnet Carrefour is cursed. When we first meet her, she is vomiting up frogs -- a plague that will only end once Garnet and her mother return to Crossroad House. Garnet's mother fled Crossroad House, and her estranged, extended, magical family, before Garnet was born. Now, Jasper Carrefour, the family patriarch is dying, and the entire Carrefour family is returning home to see the selection of a new caretaker for the family magic. Before long, Garnet starts to understand the reasons that caused her mom to leave. Not least of which, every time there is a change of power in the Carrefour family, people die.

This is a spooky and mysterious gothic novel that will have readers turning pages like crazy to uncover the secrets of the Carrefour family curse. The world-building in this novel is impressive, with a family magic system that is clever, thoughtful, and complex. The spooky and dilapidated Crossroad House jumps off the page and serves as the perfect background for the intergenerational conflict of the Carrefour family. If you watched Encanto and thought, "I wish this was a little bit spooky" then this book is for you.

This was a fantastic new mystery! It was an absolute delight to read and kept me glued to the pages. Garnet is an awesome new protagonist, and I cannot wait to recommend this book to my students. I know they will love it!

A little dark but magically engaging, I'd recommend this to any young reader in want of spectacularly spooky stories that pack a punch. The lead character Garnet is a smart as she is feisty, and a wonderful entry point into the bespelled family dynamics. Highly recommend this one!

Plenty of expected magical elements here. I like how the magic is expressed differently in assorted characters - the same base powers but each having their own flair. I liked the explanation of the curse too. It made sense that twisted magic would have unexpected consequences and would twist the place where it was used. Some of the foreshadowing is a bit heavy-handed and the characters aren't fully developed.

"What makes a sacrifice, Garnet? It's not really a sacrifice unless it's something important, is it?"

Yes! That's what I'm talking about! Now THAT was a magnificent read! One that I'll be sure to recommend to all my teen students, because it rocks!

Garnet dreams of the Carrefour House and all her extended family all the time. She wishes to be an active part of it. So much so, that she resorts to botching her mother's wards when the patriarch issues a call for all wayward family members. And thus begins her journey through the muddy and complex waters of the Carrefour family, its deadly secrets, and an augury that sees Garnet herself being lost to the great ancestral home forever. Will the young stone-charmer be able to survive and help her family mend their bonds? Or is she meant to fail and be another victim to the family's curse no matter what?

I'v read somewhere that Dianne K. Salerni was a teacher, and that greatly shows in her work here. She captured the psyche and thought process of a kid protagonist with terrifying accuracy. Garnet is a child who yearns for family connections. People as gifted as her, cousins to share experiences and memories. The fact she grew up without a father only adds up to that longing. So her actions are also childish and not very productive, leading to more problems and even endangering her at times.

However, it's hard to be mad at her, because it's only understandable someone her age would think and act like that. Curiosity and that strange feeling of "I can do this without the adults if I'm careful enough" is something everyone has experienced and can relate to. So, even if she keeps misstepping, you can't help but root for her and wish she makes it right.

This book was a really good example of kids lit horror, by the way, so I don't recommend any youngsters reading this after dark or with low lights. The Carrefour house is a scary entity all by itself, and Jasper's presence doesn't exactly help alleviate that feeling. Add to that the tension of all those Carrefour generations, people with magic in their veins, cooped up under the same roof, not allowed to leave, and you get yourself a ticking bomb ready to go off without notice.

Despite its young main character, the story was quite a rollercoaster in mystery and plot twists. You think you know who the main bad guy is, only for your theories to turn on their head. Not to mention, that ending with the real heir made me smile - and the reveal in the final page.

Even if we don't get a sequel, I'm quite satisfied. The book covered all the gaps, answered all the questions, and ended in a way that was 'just right'. Got no complaints here. In fact, it's the first to go on my top-reads list of this year.

***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.***

⭐⭐⭐⭐ -- Perfect cover on this book!

"The Carrefour Curse" by Dianne K. Salerni is an exhilarating and spooky mystery that will have readers on the edge of their seats. The story follows twelve-year-old Garnet, who has always been kept at a distance from her magical family, until she finally gets summoned to their crumbling ancestral home known as Crossroad House. When Garnet arrives, she learns a dark secret. The family patriarch is stealing power from others to stay alive. As the Carrefours squabble over who will inherit his role, Garnet uncovers evidence of an even deeper curse.

Salerni's writing is well-paced and creates a creepy atmosphere that perfectly suits the theme of the book. She also does an excellent job of building tension throughout the story, making it hard to put down, and the Haunting of Hill House vibe makes it perfect for a late-night spooky read.

The characters are likable and easy to root for in their quest to break the curse haunting their family. My only issue with my ARC copy was that graphics were missing, which took away from my overall enjoyment. However, I am confident that they will be included in the retail copy.

Overall, "The Carrefour Curse" is a well-written and engaging read that I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a fun yet spooky mystery."

**ARC Via NetGalley**

I really enjoyed this read and was hooked!

Things I liked:
-Jasper is this figure of toxic masculinity and entitlement, and watching the family trying to work together to combat that selfishness for unity was really satisfying
-The time-walking flashbacks are a super interesting mechanic for storytelling and context
-the aesthetic--the spooky magic vibe, the worldbuilding, the house, the characters--it's really easy to fall into this world
- The family history and magic is really interesting, especially with the house, and feels very Edith Finch with a touch of Star vs. the Forces of Evil
-I like how Garnet and her mom deal with conflict, how they both apologize and communicate and plan for the future

Things I was not into:
-some of the magic is a little too real-world equivalent, like stones and divination. Not my thing.
-I wished Garnet and her mom had been more firm/guarded with Jasper at the beginning instead of just plain awful. No need to repay evil for evil.
-Sometimes Garnet sounded like an adult in her descriptions--how would a kid these days know these references? Threw me out a bit when reading.

All in all though, I really enjoyed this book, and it's stuck with me after reading!

We meet Garnet on her way to her mother's ancestral home. The mother, Emerald, is extremely reluctant to go, having left with the intention to never return, and Garnet is literally chucking up baby frogs left, right and centre. The extended family is ripe with earth magic, in different forms, and some of that magic is being used for ill. For the old man of the house is dying – but if the past is anything to go by, he might just nab a lot of people's life energy, and store it up for himself with fatal consequences for anyone else. With the magical property and/or its older residents keeping people there against their will, can Garnet get out alive, or will her increasing knowledge of the distant 1990s prove she is destined to vanish, as all the auguries suggest?

Oddly, this took me quite some time to actually care. There are a lot of slightly weird people to meet early on here, and even with her amphibious abdominal angst it took me some time to warm to Garnet and her lot. Perhaps some of this came from the chapter introductions, all featuring as they do their own relevant gemstone and the hooey that comes with believing in crystal worship.

That scepticism aside, there is no disguising many of the merits of this fantasy adventure. There are multiple "duh-duh-derr!" moments, where surprises to the characters give a successful frisson of the unexpected for the reader. The magic is by no means limited to flapping a crystal on a string around, and is all the better for it. And ultimately it's clear to see what the author intended (she tells us in the end-matter) and that she pretty much succeeded. So while I didn't love this throughout, I certainly can appreciate the filmic, middle-grade spooks and peculiar set-up these pages bring.

this was such an incredible read!! i absolutely adored this and i am so grateful to netgalley for letting me read this book early!! it was fun and lovely and sweet and precious. pick it up!!

This New to me author has me positively hooked. Garnet who is 12 & her mom, Emerald, are experts at stones & their powers. They have the magic to understand and use them. They are just living their life when suddenly Garnet has a case of throwing up frogs. This means they have to return to her mother's home, her estranged family and their curious world of magical things and people. She is happy to meet her family, but upset that her great - grandfather is dying and that the the family is having some mysterious problems. Garnet  decides to get to the bottom of things. She begins working with her cousins to help save the family and  right the wrongs the are destroying her family. She learns new things about herself, her family and what she can do with her special magic.

I absolutely loved this story. I have always been fascinated by the different powers and uses that stones like mica, amethyst and Emerald can hold. I loved that each chapter started with a description of a different stone  and what powers it can have.
Her writing was so detailed and she made me feel like I was part the mystery and magic.
I know this book is perfect for any middle-schooler or for anyone who loves a story full of magic & mystery.
I give it high ratings and I will be telling everyone to read.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thanks so much to NetGalley.

This was a magical, engaging middle-grade story!

The book jumps right into the excitement, with our main character Garnet suffering from an ailment where she keeps throwing up frogs (it gave Ron throwing up slugs vibes lol). Garnet is taken to the Carrefour family home and quickly starts learning about her family and the different magic they possess.

The pacing is quick and the book isn't very long, but has enough time to explain everything well and give us a great plot. I liked the various side characters, especially Ash and River, though there are a lot to keep track of. There are also past family members that we run into and I think the cast could have been cut down a bit to help with clarity.

Overall this was fun to read and I'm happy to have checked it out.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Holiday House and NetGalley for the copy

I loved this! I read a lot of ya being a substitute teacher...always looking for a good book for long term jobs and this will definitely be the next one I read to them! Love that the magic are a little different. Love the family dynamic and the twists and turns. A little spooky but not overpowering since it's for a younger crowd. And of course the HEA ending is the best. Totally worth the read and I love the cover.

What tropes, vibes and themes does this book include?
Elemental magic, time travel, big family, sleuthing/mystery; Obvious themes of courage, family bond, and self-discovery.

Who should read this?
Anyone who likes a good mystery with a spattering of magic.

What ages are appropriate?
Generally, I think ages 10 to 13 are a safe bet. But this of course depends on the child's fear tolerance.

Trigger warning: mass dead bodies and near-death accidents.

Review with minimum spoilers:

This book was more compelling that I anticipated! It started off a tad slow with not a whole lot happening, but it really did pick up fast. It was a really well written family mystery with lots of twists I didn't see coming! Really, some of them genuinely surprised me.
I loved the idea of a magical family -- and I especially loved their names -- but it did give off suspiciously Encanto vibes. A family with magical gifts, but unique to each person? A prophecy that dooms the MC? An aunt that can control the weather, and a hermit uncle? The house crumbling because the magic is failing? The elder head of the family a pseudo villain? The similarities end there, however. Likely, it's just coincidence, and it didn't stop me from enjoying the story.
The cast was also a bit too big and might be confusing keeping all the characters separate. Sometimes I thought, "wait, who is this guy again? Somebody's cousin, or a spouse?"
In parts it did feel like it might be a bit morbid for kids. Even in adult fiction, mass corpses seems excessive.
Overall, a really good read!

More Ash Carrefour! What I really like about this book was that my first thought isn't 'where are the parents/family/anyone??' Usually most middle grade protagonists are off on amazing yet dangerous adventures all alone. I like that Garnets family were present and had stories of their own in a way.

This book had all of my favourite things.
- Secrets
- Mystery
- Supernatural abilities

I would certainly read a second book and more books by this author.