This series is quirky and fast paced with characters who are imperfect and lovable. Their adventure in this installment was suspenseful but had too much going on. With many different magical interactions and situations thrown at a young reader in a short amount of time, the investment in the characters and the story really suffers. I love this series and will continue to follow it but have hopes that the next 2 will experiment with less is more.

This series is whimsical, warm, fun and great for a family bedtime read! I adore picking up a middle grade fantasy book here and there and this book was no exception. I was lucky enough to get a chance to read The House at the Edge of Magic by Amy Sparkes too and loved it. I'm excited that these are published and out now so I can purchase copies for my daughters to read. I know that they are going to love the characters and the story very much.

This was a fun, fast paced coming of age story filled with thrilling adventures and self discovery. The characters were witty, fun to watch, and I couldn't wait to see what happened next.

This is a great second book in Amy Sparkes’s series... she continues to build a strong and engaging world for early middle grade readers! The story is cute and whimsical, with a sense of adventure that feels just right for younger readers dipping their toes into fantasy. The characters are charming and the world-building has a magical simplicity that makes the story easy to get lost in. It’s a delightful read that balances fun and imagination in a way that feels fresh and inviting. Thank you, NetGalley!

My kids and I loved the first book in the series, and this was no exception. phenomenal writing, with a fun, sweet, and whimsical story. Strong series so far, can't wait to read the next book.

It was so much fun being back in this world! While I still wish Nine was nicer to Eric, I do appreciate the character growth Nine is experiencing in this book. There's a lot of trauma to unpack. Learning in book 1 that Flabberghast is a hopscotch champion has been something my brain has been wondering about. Knowing wizard hopscotch would be different from the game I played on sidewalks as a child, I was very interested to see how Sparkes envisioned it and I was not disappointed.

The information that Nine learns at the end of this book was a nice surprise and I'm very interested to see how that plot point progresses. Overall this was a great follow up to THE HOUSE AT THE EDGE OF MAGIC and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley, Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, and Margaret K. McElderry Books in exchange for an honest review.

Younger Readers would love this a lot. It was fast paced and adventurous, but for me as an adult.....I was confused, lost, and the jokes did not land.
I didn't enjoy the first book and thought this one would make up for that, but it did not.

The Tower at the End of Time picks up the adventures of Nine and her strange companions where they were left in The House at the End of Magic. Having been freed from its curse in book one, the second book opens with the house traveling at high speed within the World Between Worlds while experiencing hiccups. As if that were not strange enough, the message urn, previously silenced by the curse, has started delivering messages from some interesting entities, including a witch and a magician-turned- turnip (intent on revenge).

The residents of the House have differing goals: Flabberghast wants to travel to the Hopscotch Championship (to win and then thwart a rival wizard from reaching the Tower at the End of Time). The Spoon is wondering why they aren't looking for Dish and Nine is hoping that perhaps the Asking Stone can possibly give her some answers about her life.

Flabberghast's goal wins out and Nine soon finds out that the Hopscotch Championship is unlike anything she has ever witnessed. And Flabberghast is defending more than a title--he is fighting for his very life! Readers will be on the edge of their seats wondering how--or if--Nine's life will ever be "normal" again! Just when she thought she had finally found a family--however weird it might be--she's faced with the risk of losing them.

Will Flabberghast triumph in the Hopscotch game-to-beat-all-games? Will he reach the Tower at the End of Time and find out how to stop the House's hiccups? And will Spoon finally be reunited with Professor Dish to reveal the secrets of alchemy? You'll have to grab a copy to find out! Author Amy Sparkes has created a highly imaginative, topsy-turvy world where magic runs wild and friendships are pushed to their limits. The mix of magic and anthropomorphic elements offer hints of Alice in Wonderland and Harry Potter that will bewitch and entertain readers of all ages. Don't miss this exciting literary journey full of mischief and magic!
Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of The Tower at the End of Time from Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing through NetGalley for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received.

A whimsical and heart-filled continuation, The Tower at the End of Time delivers another delightful dose of chaos, charm, and enchantment. Nine’s journey deepens as she and her peculiar crew tumble through worlds, thanks to a hiccuping House, and wind up facing mysterious truths and magical trials at the edge of time itself. Packed with humor and wonder, this sequel maintains the original's irresistible energy while hinting at deeper questions about identity and belonging. A perfect pick for young readers, and honestly, more fun than many adult fantasy ARCs I’ve read this year.

Sparkes has brought together such a wonderful cast of quirky and unique characters that I absolutely fell in love with. I loved The Tower at the End of Time even more than The House at the Edge of Magic (which was also fantastic) and I cannot wait for the next book in the series. The chapters as well as the book itself are short and easily consumable with its fun fast paced adventure around every corner. This is a series that will be loved for generations. A book that will stand up to the test of… time, as it were.

** “It’s good to be home.” **

Step back into the fun and magical world created by Amy Sparkes in “The Tower at the End of Time.”

Former pickpocket Nine has helped release the House at the Edge of Magic from having to remain in one location for three long years, but she and her friends have hit a hiccup — a literal one. The house has developed a case of hiccups and is traveling through space and time haphazardly.

Wizard Flabberghast hopes to get to the hopscotching championship where he can get a chance to visit the Tower at the End of Time, where he can ask how to cure his house from hiccups. And Dr. Spoon, a kilt-wearing wooden spoon scientist, hopes to ask the location of Professor Dish, his partner in alchemy.

But when other strange occurrences begin to happen, they know their quest isn’t going to be an easy one.

Sparkes again creates a fun and sweet story that’s filled with humor, drama and mystery. She develops quirky and zany characters, including a sweet troll, a living spoon with a daredevil spirit and a spit-fire gargoyle. She also includes some good themes, like the impact of sacrificing to help others; a sense of home; friendship and loyalty; and doing what’s right, even when it’s not easy.

Fans of books like “The Extraordinary Curiosities of Ixworth and Maddox” by J.D. Grolic, “Field Guide to the Supernatural Universe” by Alyson Noel and “The International House of Dereliction” by Jacqueline Davies will love “The Tower at the End of Time,” which is due out June 17.

Five stars out of five.

Margaret K. McElderry Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster’s Children’s Publishing Division, provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

As I had not read the first book in this series, I worried I would be underwhelmed….but I was SO WRONG. This book immediately flings you into the action, and it is unrelenting until the last page. Nonstop, full throttle the whole time.
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It’s just so darn immersive. I felt like I was reading Harry Potter for the first time again (minus the problematic bits). I was especially fond of the magical food descriptions, but from literal (talking) skeletons in a closet to dragons and zombie arms…I never knew what was coming next.
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Actually, more than HP, I was endlessly reminded of Doctor Who. I felt I was thrust right into the (semi-functional) TARDIS with this mysterious and slightly manic wizard. There was chaotic world hopping, peculiar species both inside and outside of the house (including a talking spoon in a kilt), a big climatic build up, working with sarcastic enemies, and philosophical considerations of time itself. Of course, all of this was on a middle grade level that was easy to follow.
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I think kids intimidated by reading or who get bored easily would definitely love it best. Kids might need to read the first book for context (unless they are well-versed in Victorian workhouse narrative norms) but I’m sure it’s just as fun. The author has created an incredibly unique fantasy world and given it a story that’s just a RIOT of joy.

This book was cute and endearing, with charming characters and a very clever and creative premise! You love the characters as much as you do in the first title, and you’re rooting for them every step of the way. I am looking forward to learning the background of the inhabitants of the house beyond just Nine’

Outlandishly quirky, in a charming sort of way. Fast paced. Tons of action. And plenty of whimsy.

If you enjoy over-the-top antics, quirky characters, plot-based books, anthropomorphic houses, and magical adventures, then this is the book for you.

This was a wonderful follow up to it's companion novel. I will most definitly be adding this book to my classroom library. It's silly and fun and students will finish reading it before they realise they're reading :)

The Tower at the End of Time is the sequel to the House at the Edge of Magic which was most certainly magical! The second book, while definitely still entertaining is not as fresh and unexpected as the first book. Now that Nine and her new found family are free, they are traveling to the Hopscotch Championship where the winner gets to ask the Tower a question. Nine hopes to find out what happened to her mother and why she was left with just her music box. Of course, they all encounter many obstacles along the way. Although this was a good story, I felt like the unexpected was starting to be expected and did not,like the ending at all. I still look forward to the next in the series, with hopes that it will be as entertaining as the first book. Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this advanced copy of the book for my honest opinion.

“The Tower at the End of Time” is the sequel of “The House at the Edge of Magic” by Amy Sparkes and Ben Mantle.

It is a charming story filled with humor and adventure as Nine and her friends travel the worlds again. Off they go to the Wizarding Hopscotch Championships. But they encountered a problem, whenever they travel they get the hiccups. As Nine finds a cure for their hiccups, she eventually unravels some mysteries about herself.

This is a perfect read for young middle-graders to enjoy. It is filled with magic and mystery that will keep the reader engaged. I definitely recommend this read.

Thank you Net galley for this advanced copy. The opinions in this review are entirely my own.

Nine loves her new room in the House at the End of Magic, including the skeleton in her closet. When their house hiccups, Nine and her family end up going through the World Between Worlds. To fix it, they must enter the annual Wizard Hopscotch Championships and ask the Tower at the End of Time how to a cure their house’s hiccups. Will they win the championships? Will they find a way to cure their house?

The plot is magical, full of adventure, and is well written. The characters are funny, authentic, and well suited for the story. The word building continues to be well done and brings Nine’s world to life. Readers who like fantasy, magic, and adventure will want to pick this one up. Recommended for most library collections. Grades 4 to 8, 4 stars

What a cute story! Nine and her friends have finally broken the curse on their magical house and are able to travel the world again!

Will the new location be the place the cure the houses hiccups? What a whimsical story! I love how fast paced it was. Truly a magical story!

Thank you NetGalley, Amy and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for the eARC!

Rating: ✨✨✨✨
Publication Date: June 17th 2025

My daughter really enjoyed this 💗 She loved the story line and the characters. The cover really daughter her attention. She gave it 5 stars!