Warren the 13th and The All-Seeing Eye

An engaging, delightfully gothic middle grade read. Warren is the 13th in a line to own a hotel that has seen better days. But mystery and magic begin to stir things up to form a fast-paced, satisfying concoction reminiscent of Roald Dahl, Lemony Snicket, and maybe even the Grand Budapest Hotel.

I will not pretend to predict whether this will be a hit, but my inner child liked it. I love hotels; the older and quirkier, the better. They are marvelous places for the imagination. I loved the scenes in which Warren was engaged in the Herculean tasks of mending and cleaning the rooms; this served to make him into a character with some grit even before the magic is unleashed. Also I think Scalene is the best name ever for a witch.

The advance review copy I received from Netgalley did not contain finished artwork, but I'm sensing that it is a graphically outstanding book, and I will seek it out once it is in print. I can also see movie potential.

Perfect for older elementary. Interesting and fun. Full review on goodreads

Looking forward to seeing the illustrations that were not viewable in the ARC-- great book and a new one to add to my recommendations for young readers!

A magical tale about a boy who looks like a frog with great hair who has inherited a hotel that has fallen into disrepair. Warren comes from a long line of Warrens who have successfully run the hotel, but since Warren the 13th is so young, his uncle Rupert has been in charge until Warren turns 18. When word gets out that the all-seeing eye is hidden somewhere in the hotel, all sorts of strange characters come to find the magical eye. Warren has to find it before the hotel is destroyed by all the treasure hunters. This is a magical mysterious story that my students will enjoy reading.

this is a pretty delightful middle grade book, perfectly suited for its intended age range and for adults who are young at heart.

the illustrations are great* - very lively and appropriate to the story and its atmosphere. without them, i might not have been drawn to this book, which i saw as an illustrated mock-up at BEA and immediately said WANT!!! i was thrilled to be approved for it through netgalley, and i thought it was a very cute and charming read.

i know that the words i am using - "cute," "charming," and "delightful," are loaded, indulgent words people use when describing things that are kind of lightweight, and i don't mean to sound patronizing by using them. but it IS a middle grade book and it reads like a middle grade book. it's got a fun, wacky energy to it, and the mysteries and word puzzles aren't the most challenging (come on, warren!!), but i think kids will love the characters and the zaniness, and i think everyone will dig the illustrations.

i particularly love this character, whose name is "sketchy" and is a sweetheart:

there is also an excellent pirate character.

the netgalley e-version i read had most of the illustrations in place with some temporary filler illustrations still to come. however, i kind of like thinking that these placeholders will be in the final book because they're actually pretty cool in their frenzied scribbledyness.

if you enjoy funny children's books, you will likely enjoy this one. if you are a highbrow elitist poop, you will likely not.

* my pictures are being taken offa my computer, so they're a little meh, but they look GREAT on my screen. blame my camera.

here are some other cool illustrations by this dude that i love

Twelve-year-old Warren the 13th is a bellhop at the hotel that his family has owned for generations. Warren is actually the only bellhop at the hotel, as the hotel has fallen into disrepair and disuse since his parents died and his Uncle Rupert and Aunt Anaconda have taken over the "management" of the hotel. His uncle is totally smitten with Anaconda, who is trying to locate the All-Seeing Eye, a mysterious something in the hotel that does something, but we're never quite given any hints of that something until the very end. The hotel is Warren's pride and joy, and he is forever optimistic that someday, the hotel will become as thriving as it once was. He has no friends in the hotel other than the cook and his teacher, no pets; in fact, Warren's life is pretty miserable under the ever-watchful eye of Anaconda.

Suddenly, one day a mysterious guest appears (whose head is entirely wrapped in bandages) and checks into the hotel. Then, Warren sees a mysterious ghostly figure in the hedge maze. Then, Anaconda's sisters arrive to help search for the All-Seeing Eye. Finally, the hotel is full to brimming with all manner of guests, who are all in search of the All-Seeing Eye. Before Warren knows it, he's off on an adventure of his own to discover the secret of the All-Seeing Eye before Anaconda and her sisters do, and along the way he actually makes some friends in unexpected places.

This is a clever story, and the accompanying illustrations are remarkable. Everything about the book made me feel that this would translate well into a film directed by Tim Burton; it has that particular look and feel to it, with its unusual looking characters and Gothic undertones. I'm anxious to see what the finished product looks like, as the pre-publication electronic copy I received has some unfinished illustrations in it, and I can only imagine how good the finished, printed copy will look like. I'm hoping we'll get to see more of Warren the 13th in the future.

Thank you netgalley for providing me a copy in exchange of a honest review!
Actual rating: 3.5/5 stars

This was one fun middle-grade book!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It was fun and fast-paced and always kept me on edge, as I was always discovering new elements and trying to put the pieces together to solve the puzzle. The author did a real great job with the writing, the setting and the plot. I loved the atmosphere of mystery and magic... Everything was so well put together!

Warren is not your typical hero, and by that I mean that heros, typically, don't have a toadface. But see, it's this detail that makes all the difference and thus makes it more appealing. He has it hard. He's the only one who works in the whole hotel, so as to say that he does everything, his aunt is one heck of a friggin annoying hag, his uncle is a lazy loser, and besides his tutor and the cook, he has no friends. Yep. Our Warren has it hard. But I love how throughout the book he meets and bonds with new people.

The other characters were so nice and fun too (I liked Beatrice and her cards) and t was very enjoyable to read about them.

But my favourite character, surprisingly, was Anaconda. She was the perfect middle-grade villain: creepy, weird, determined (but alas! Not very bright), manipulative... You name it! Among all of these characters she is the only one who I really, really love because it's so rare to see villains like that today! (Aaah, I miss watching movies like that!) I mean, in today's books villains are... villains. Not stupid-and-childish villains but cruel-and-bloody villains... Also this a middle-grade book so the cruel-and-bloody category shouldn't be here but still...
What I mean to say is that sometimes, you need a fun, light and mysterious read like that, where friendships are formed and discoveries are made.

p.s: I'm also dying to see what the finished copy with the wonderful illustrations will look like!

Great middle grade read that anyone will enjoy. This would be a fun read aloud book as well.

Poor Warren! He's doomed to be a bellhop/janitor/fixit man in his family's run down hotel which is managed by his lazy uncle and step aunt (Anaconda!). When a mysterious guest arrives, everything starts to twist and turn and take on a devilish sort of fun.

Warren has strange friends, unusual adventures and hidden treasures to find. Any reader in this age range will enjoy the ride!

Thanks to netgalley for the read!!

Great descriptions and brilliant pace of story. This would make a fantastic class reader for years 5 to 7 (depending on ability) to study as a group and as a stimulus for a range of writing, reading and discussion tasks.

It was great to see a male role model focussed on doing the right thing. A really exciting read with lots of twists and turns.

I loved the art and the story.. definitely different and fun!

Review based on free copy received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was just what it purported to be: a quick, fun, quirky story about Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye. It is populated with classic fairy-tale characters, including a quirky, sweet, smart (though not terribly smart), and relatable main character; the imaginary or non-imaginary but definitely weird and quirky side-kick and/or best friend; the missing or dead parents; the oblivious relative caring for the protagonist; the evil pointy villain who only shows her true evil'ness to the hero; and a mystery with supernatural implications.

Immediately, I liked Warren - the 12-year-old sole bellhop to the Warren, the hotel that has been owned and run by every prior Warren up to him. Because his father died when Warren was 7, he has to wait many years before he can officially take over. Meanwhile, his lazy uncle has taken over and the place has fallen into complete disrepair. Warren is completely likable. Even though he may have yellow ringlets and a toad-like face with weird spaced out teeth... he's charismatic, hard-working, and optimistic. I immediately trusted him and his perspective, and I immediately wanted for him to overcome the nasty step-mother and the eventual evil villain.

Overall, I thought del Rio did an excellent job of juxtaposing the characters one from another -- perhaps the characters were a little stock and two-dimensional, but for a middle grade modern "fairy tale," it was just right. I love the sheer oblivion and laziness of the uncle, the questionable character of his new best friend, and the creep-factor of Paleface.

The plot moved quickly with a lot of fun, crazy things happening. The heros were in just enough fixes with just enough uncertainty to keep the plot moving. I enjoyed the variety in location, and I appreciated the type and amount of outside factors used throughout. The only thing I didn't *love* was every part of the resolution. Parts of it were great and fit in well, but I though that just 1 or 2 bits were perhaps a bit too... convenient. (no spoilers!) I also LOVED the illustrations!

Overall, a great middle grade book that I will DEFinitely purchase for my friend's 12-year-old male son (or his 7-year-old sister!).

(posted on AllBookReviewer.com, Goodreads, LibraryThing, and Amazon (when available))

Fantastic fun middle grade novel! Warren is sure to win over the audiences of young and old alike. The plot moves quickly and the world building is very clear. It is hard not to love the toad faced like Warren and the wacky characters in this quick witted novel.

This was such a fun book! If you like stories like A Series of Unfortunate Events or Howl's Moving Castle, then you'll be sure to love this book.

Warren is a great character, funny and smart with a big sense of responsibility. I was drawn to him right away. I loved that even though his situation was sad he wasn't someone who would mope about it. The other characters were great as well, each one was unique. The uncle annoying, Annaconda frightening and horrid. Mr. Friggs and his library were wonderful!

The plot was wonderfully paced, funny and not at all boring. I enjoyed reading this book so much. And the final twist with the All-Seeing Eye was so good. I didn't see it coming at all. The books is also filled with enchanting art work. I need to have this book in print, I'm going to recommend it to my siblings and buy a copy for myself. The only reason this book did not get five stars, was the text mixups on my kindle. Whole passages had been rearranged and it was confusing. When I talked to my husband about this he said this sometimes happens when books are moved from print to e-book form. I was able to get in contact with the people who gave me the book, and sent some screenshots to one of them. The woman I talked to was really nice and I hope they are able to fix this soon, because the book is absolutely fabulous.

Warren the 13th and The All-Seeing Eye comes out November 24 of this month, and I would tell everyone reading this, you should go buy it!

Warren the 13th is the unlucky 12 year old orphan bellhop who is the inheritor and caretaker of the family hotel. He works under his merciless uncle and his wife Aunt Anaconda who is bent on making his life miserable and is in search of his mythical family legacy. Warren has to now get to the treasure first before his evil Aunt gets a hold of it and wrecks havoc.

let me start off by saying that this was quite an interesting read. I actually liked the pacing of the story, the Gothic Victorian setting, the characters...somewhere around the 3rd chapter i really fell in love with warren; his character was so endearing and brave and the illustrations!!..They were amazing and complex!!

but all said i thought that the illustration were a tad too creepy at times and i felt kinda weird reading some of the parts of the books. And what’s with the illuminati symbols? it seemed kinda out of place for a children’s book…or maybe it’s just me.

Love the story, love the illustrations. Can't wait for the lay down date so I can watch other people get as excited about this weirdo book as I am.

Warren is 12 years old and lives in his family hotel. He's the 13th in a long line of Warrens - his father died when Warren was younger, so his care and the care of the hotel were entrusted to his Uncle Rupert and Aunt Annaconda. Rupert is lazy and helpless, Annaconda is obsessed with finding "The All-Seeing Eye", a Warren family treasure reportedly hidden somewhere in the hotel. Can Warren find it first?

This is atmospheric, full of action, and has enough diverse characters to keep readers of all ages interested. A real gem!

Fans of Neil Gaiman or Sebastian Gregory will enjoy.

Warren the 13th is an orphan and the last heir to the Warren Hotel. Unfortunately, his Uncle Rupert and new bride, Aunt Anaconda, are in-charge of running the place until Warren reaches eighteen. Due to Uncle Rupert’s incompetence, the Warren Hotel is now but a shadow of its former glory and the staff was gravely reduced to a chef, a librarian, and Warren –hotel’s only bellhop, room servant, handyman, and all-around errand boy. For now, Warren is doing everything he can to keep the place together.

I had the most delightful time reading this. Warren may not be the loveliest of kids, but he is most industrious and kind-hearted. I love joining Warren go through his predicaments, yet still keep his heart in the right place at the end of each day. His love for his family and unquenchable desire to make them proud are inspiring to behold.

I have nothing but good things to describe Warren and this book. It’s a story that kids will truly enjoy. It’s got all the fun, craziness, adventure, and mystery they will appreciate. Plus, the illustrations are all wonderful; meticulously done in red, black, and white, it will surely catch the kids’ attention.

WARREN THE 13th AND THE ALL-SEEING EYE will make a good Christmas gift, put it on your list!

Warren the 13th is from a long line of hotel owners with the same name. Though his past relatives are all deceased and he now lives with his creepy Aunt and love-blind uncle, Warren still continues to take care of all the day to day operations of the family hotel. He is close friends with the cook, as well as the older gentlemen who tutors him and maintains the library and history of the hotel. Warren's life is turned upside-down when he discovers a journal from one of the original Warren's, and the fact that it contains information regarding a missing artifact that his witchy Aunt wants desperately. After a slip of the tongue by his Aunt's sisters, the hotel is flooded with guests looking for an object called "The All-Seeing Eye," the artifact from the journal. With the assistance of a mysterious young girl, Warren helps hunt for the journal while also trying to keep the hotel together with the flood of destructive guests. Will he find the All-Seeing Eye before it falls into the wrong hands?

Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye is the most recently project form Sabrina the Teenage Witch artist Tania del Rio. With quirky art, dark colors splashed with just a burst of bright and intriguing passages regarding Warren's adventures, the book is a fun and mysterious read. Warren is a bit odd looking, but to be fair so are all the characters. My particular favorite character was a sea captain who offers Warren a chance to leave his family behind and go exploring.

Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye is available from Quirk Books on November 24, 2015.

I was given an electronic copy by Quirk Books and NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Warren the 13th and The All-Seeing Eye is a perfectly illustrated book that is both charming and well written. This dark tale has a unique concept, which is expertly visualized by both the illustrator and the writer. Warren is only 12, but he is the heir, sole bellhop, handyman, exterminator, room-service boy, and all-around errand runner for his family's hotel. What he would not give to be able to go out and explore the world! When a strange and mysterious guest arrives at the hotel, Aunt Annaconda worries that he is there for nefarious reasons. Between the evil aunt, his studies, and all of his jobs at the hotel, Warren scarcely has time to be a child. When some unexpected guests come to play, Warren ends up with way more that he can handle alone. Certainly a dark and foreboding tale, Warren the 13th and The All-Seeing Eye is sure to appeal to many middle grade readers. The illustrations help to set the stage and the narrative serves to reinforce those drawings. I would recommend this book to young readers, as well as for adults to read to the young children in their lives.

Late elementary / early middle school book At age 12, Warren the 13th is last in his line of owners of an old hotel. Warren lives at the hotel with his aunt and uncle. Things get interesting at the run-down hotel when word spreads of a treasure hunt within the castle.
With a bit of fantasy, friendship, and witchcraft, the humorous story unfolds.

Children in 4th to 6th grade would enjoy reading this book.

This was an absurdly adorable story. I was expecting it to be quirky cute, but I didn't expect it to be this adorable! I actually read it while on the shinkansen, so if you're interested in reading my thoughts as it happened, you can do so here.

Warren the 13th is about this adorable bellhop/jack of all trades for this old, now run-down hotel. Although Warren is the heir to the hotel, he's too young to assume the mantel of responsibility, so his lazy uncle has taken over. His uncle isn't a bad guy, but his new aunt Anaconda is - she's literally a witch! One day, a mysterious stranger checks in (first time in five years!), and his Aunt Anaconda's search for the All Seeing Eye intensifies.

To me, the story alone was delightful. I thought I knew what was going to happen, but the book still had a twist that shocked me. For the record, I was eventually right, but that twist really threw me off for a moment. There's a fairly large cast of characters, but they all have their distinct personalities, and I never got them confused, even though this was a short book.

What made the book really stand out, though, were the illustrations. The book is filled with illustrations, with I think about one or two on every page. Or at least, it felt that way. The illustrations really brought the world to life. My Netgalley version is an ebook and incomplete (for the last two chapters-ish), but I can totally see this as a beautiful hardback or paperback, with glossy paper for the illustrations.

Overall, this short little book is a delightful read. I love the characters, and the story was much more interesting that I expected. I hope that we'll be seeing more adventures from Warren the 13th in the future.

Disclaimer: I got a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a free and honest review.

This review is written by my youngest son who is 12 years old and who also read this book:
I loved this book because it was set in old fashioned times but with lots of crazy machinery that would not be possible to build in modern times such as the walking hotel. Another things I liked was that the octopus was guarding the eye but could tell that Warren was a good person, and I like the use of magic in this book such as the opening of portals and the maze with it's twists, turns and hidden things.

Quirky and clever with a darker twist, Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye mixes magic, mystery, history and our hero Warren. At just 12, he is the lone bellboy, exterminator, handyman and all-around errand boy in the rather run down hotel, owned by his rather lazy and negligent uncle Rupert and his new wife, Annaconda. She is convinced that the All Seeing Eye is hidden somewhere in the hotel, and is rumored to have amazing powers.

There’s no wonder that Warren dreams of traveling to other places, having free time and generally not having to deal with Annaconda and Rupert. Several characters are introduced, each more strange than the last, that fill out the story and help readers to picture the world. Now I need to discuss the illustrations – each page has an illustration of the story, complete in black white and red. These illustrations bring a sense of the darkness, strangeness and clever visual representation of the story from the artist.

Winding up a twisty Cinderella-like story, Warren is a little ‘too’ good to be true, but the themes of kindness, loyalty, hard work and imagination are strongly present and will give flight to the imagination of younger readers.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Warren is an unusual little boy with crooked teeth and a face like a toad, but long luxurious blond locks. He lives in a hotel but it is nothing like Eloise. It used to be a rather grand hotel but all that changed when his father died five years ago. Then Uncle Rupert took over. But Uncle Rupert is lazy so eventually all of the guests stopped coming. The only staff member left is Chef Bunion. Even worse, Uncle Rupert married Aunt Annaconda four months ago and she is certain there is treasure hidden somewhere in the hotel, The All-Seeing Eye. All of the action starts on a day that an automobile finally comes to the hotel. Who is this mysterious visitor, all wrapped in bandages and only communicating through picture cards? Is he just a guest? Or is he after the treasure? Is he even a he? All of this is just the beginning of a rather fun little story with some fantastic illustrations. I had some frustrations related to pages not coming up on my ereader. Since mine was an ARC, that may not happen on other devices but I suspect this books would be more fun as a hard copy anyway.

This is a fun, quirky, often mysterious book intended for middle graders. The story will quickly draws in the readers attention and will have them wanting to continue reading. I know I sure did!

Warren the 13th, is a young boy who is set to inherit the Warren the hotel when he turns 18. Unfortunately, Warren's uncle Rupert, has quickly run the hotel into the ground due to his laziness. Warren learned from his father a hard work ethic and does his best to maintain what he can.

When a mysterious guest arrives one day, this leads to more and more unexpected events. There is a rumor of an "All Seeing Eye" being hidden somewhere within the hotel or grounds. There is so much speculation as to what this "All Seeing Eye" is, no has a clue. Warren is determined to find this before someone else does. With the help of some unlikely people, Warren sets out to find the All Seeing Eye before someone else does.

This book is filled with rich, vibrant characters that bring the story to life. There are wonderful illustrations to help give a sense of what the characters are seeing and feeling. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I'm looking forward to reading the next in series.

I was provided a copy of this manuscript from Quirk Books, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

“When the Heart of the Warren hears the tone played by the rightful hand, the All-Seeing Eye will appear, granting dominion across the land.”

-Warren the 2nd

Twelve year old Warren the 13th can best be described as possessing a bullfrog face with crooked teeth. He’s the bellhop of his Victorian family’s hotel, the Warren Hotel, of which he is set to inherit when he comes of age; however, his father (Warren the 12th) has just passed away leaving Warren’s lazy Uncle Rupert and Aunt Anaconda running the hotel. Aunt Anaconda has an obsession with some thing called the All-Seeing Eye, which Warren believes is just legend.

Unexpectedly the hotel receives a mysteriously bandaged, mute patron, whose arrival offsets a domino effect of strange coincidences regarding the All-Seeing Eye, including a journal that belonged to Warren the 2nd, that holds a riddle believed to lead the reader to the All-Seeing Eye: “When the Heart of the Warren hears the tone played by the rightful hand, the All-Seeing Eye will appear, granting dominion across the land.” Warren is baffled and believes the Eye is in fact real, but he fears Aunt Anaconda only has malicious intent if she finds the Eye first.

Here’s the beautiful thing about this book and genre: they aren’t what they seem; they are seen and interpreted one way, but when you dig a little deeper you find something else entirely. Just because the characters are a little off and maybe unpleasant to look at doesn’t mean they’re aren’t wonderful little creatures. Warren’s story and character is easily comparable to Tim Burton’s work, which if you know me I’m obsessed with.

I fell in love with this book and its extraordinary characters from page one. The way Tania del Rio seamlessly invented this story left me wanting more. This has to be one of my favorite books in this genre, and I can’t wait to see what else Tania has up her sleeve. I can’t forget to mention the incredible illustrator of this impeccable story, Will Staehle, whom brought the Warren Hotel and its occupants to life. You can get a sneak peek of the designs of Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye on his website.

4.5 / 5 Stars

Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye

by Tania del Rio

Illustrated by Will Staehle

224 Pages

Set to publish November 24, 2015 by Quirk Books

Genre: Ages 10 and up, Children’s Books, Fiction, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Series

ISBN-13: 978-1594748035

*Disclaimer: This eBook received from NetGalley and Quirk Books for an honest review.

Warren follows the heels of equally beleaguered heroes, Charlie Nimmo and Harry Potter. The underage heir to an old hotel, Warren is in charge of keeping the dilapidated hotel in order and avoiding the wrath of his Aunt Anaconda. when the existence of a mysterious talisman on the premises becomes known, Warren has to use his skills and the help of new friends to protect the hotel. This is a fast paced magical story.

This was a fun book. It had adventure, magic, friendship, a lovable hero, and amazing illustrations. Warren was relatable and very easy to root for. The illustrations, color scheme, and layout really drew the reader into the story. I would enjoy reading more books about Warren and his hotel. I would definitely recommend this book for 2nd-4th graders.

This was a very cute but also 'dark' little middle grade novel about a boy named Warren whom is the 13th in a long line of Warren's that own and run a hotel that has unfortunately been left to deteriorate by his lazy uncle. Warren adores the hotel though, and does everything he can to keep it in working order even though no one ever rents a room anymore. It is near impossible to keep up with the destruction left in the wake of his evil Aunt Anaconda who tears the hotel apart I search of the fabled All-seeing Eye. Is it even real? Warren sets out to look for clues that it exists.

It was a very fun, fast-paced story that kept my attention with its quirky twists and turns. I was a little disappointed by the ending but at the same time thought it was pretty good. I was honestly expecting something entirely different but I loved how things turned out. The whole story reminded me slightly of CoraLine, James and the Giant Peach, and A Series of Unfortunate Events while at the same time being entirely unique and a story of its own.

Also, unfortunately, the ecopy that I read did not have the illustrations which is rather disappointing after seeing so many other readers express their love for them. I enjoyed this story enough that I will add this book to my wishlist in hopes that I will someday soon come across a physical copy to add to my daughter's little library.

Warren the 13th is an orphan living under the care of his lazy uncle in a decrepit hotel. He has lost his father at the age of seven, and is proud of the hotel, his father’s legacy which he’ll inherit at the age of 18. He works hard trying to maintain the hotel in good condition though there is no other staff, or anyone to help him. In addition, his wicked aunt, Anaconda is bent on making his life miserable. She believes that the hotel holds an all-powerful treasure called an All-seeing eye, and will stop at nothing to acquire it. If Warren wants to save the hotel, he has to find it before her. Chaos ensues when the word about the treasure leaks out, and people flock at the hotel to look for it.
Warren may not have the best looks (he is described as having a face like a frog), but he is an endearing kid. He works the whole day cleaning, and scrubbing and yet remains cheerful. His delight when the guests arrive at the hotel is infectious. Even Anaconda’s cruel punishments fail to subdue his spirits. His new friends—a tentacled monster, and a pale girl—add to the mystery of the plot.
The book with witches, a treasure hunt, and wonderful illustrations is a full of mystery, and mayhem. The author,Tania del Rio, has woven an intriguing plot with twists and turns that keeps the reader glued to the pages. The lovely illustrations enhance the reading experience. The clues, and the treasure hunt lead to an unexpected, and a refreshing ending.
This novel with its wonderful illustrations, and engaging mystery is a treat for middle grade kids. I recommend it for all the kids. If your kid doesn’t love to read, this might just be the book which introduces him/her to the joy of reading.

The Warren Hotel, designed by Warren the 1st and built by Warren the 2nd, has been passed down through the generations and Warren the 13th is set to take over on his 18th birthday. Currently twelve years old Warren is living and working in the somewhat rundown hotel alongside his evil Aunt Annaconda and lazy Uncle Rupert. Despite his love of the hotel, working under the strict rule of his Aunt means that Warren dreams of a big adventure and he certainly gets one in this quirky middle-grade fantasy tale!

When Warren’s Aunt learns that a powerful object called the All-Seeing Eye is hidden somewhere on the property she is determined to find it. Question is, can Warren stop her in time to save his family’s beloved hotel? As word spreads about the power of this mysterious object, guests start to flock to the (usually rather empty) hotel, keen to find it and claim it’s power for themselves. With new friend Petula in tow, Warren sets out on his own mission to locate the Eye, crossing paths with a whole host of weird and wonderful characters along the way, including my personal favourite, Sketchy!

Not only is this charming adventure tale packed full of fun but it is also beautifully illustrated. The imagery plays a big part in the story and the illustrations, which have been created using a simple black and red colour scheme, compliment the text perfectly and were my personal favourite part of the book. The layout is also stunning and it’s easy to see a lot of thought has been put into this element, which I really appreciated.

As I don't generally read a lot of middle-grade titles I can't comment on how Warren the 13th stacks up against what else is out there, however I can tell you that I really enjoyed following Warren and co. on their adventure. Plus, the amazing illustrations definitely make the book one to pick up!

Quirky fun mystery & adventure for fans of Lemony Snicket type books. Will purchase and recommend.

Quirky, charming morality tale with a touch of magic. We all love an under dog and Warren stands for them all.

A really fun, fast-paced middle-grade read! Definitely recommended!

I am definitely interested in where Tania del Rio takes us next with this series and look forward to the illustrations

A delightful book full of mystery and suspense. You will be captivated from the beginning to the end and everywhere in between.

Rating 3.5 out of 5 Read@Book

Delightfully quirky, Warren is an oddly loveable character filled with determination and spunk. Illustrations are decidedly on the darkly funny side of things, so will appeal to a very specific kind of reader, but the humour will delight MG readers.

Gr. 3-5. Warren the 13th is a quirky read that super fans of Lemony Snicket may gravitate towards. Set in an unknown time and place, the story features characters that range from witches to barbarians.

What a delightful read! I can already predict that this will be a book in demand.
Warren is a boy who wants to do well on behalf of his family heritage, The plot contains a bit of spookiness tempered by a sense of humor. and has all the elements that will keep you reading quickly to its conclusion.
Thumbs up!

A great read!

The 'All=Seeing Eye' was very fun to read about. This story was a race from the get-go and kept the reader on their toes.
I loved the characters and the prose. I wish I'd read it sooner! The praise this book has received is appropriate and more people should have the joy of reading it.

A compelling young hero, heir to a rundown hotel and downtrodden by a rather nasty aunt and uncaring unlce who are his guardians, makes this well worth the read. Hints of magic and witches at the beginning turns into a full blown dark fantasy complete with a race to find a treasure that will give mastery over the world to anyone who finds. By the time you are reaching the end of the book there are surprises and moments that will have the reader turning the pages at breakneck speed to see what happens next. So fun and glad to see that this is only the beginning of Warren's adventures with his wildly fun crew.

A fun and quirky, unusual middle grades book. Warren was such an unusual character and I loved his determined spirit. There were some unexpected twists in the story, and I was interested to see where it was going.

I would love to see the book in its finished form. I assume the problems I had with my copy were because it is an ARC on my kindle, but the text was often jumbled and none of the illustrations were complete.

I'd really love to see the completed illustrations, and read the book without the flow interrupted by the text being switched around. I won't mark the book down because of these issues, as I'm sure it will be fixed in the final version. Perhaps I should download the protected pdf version and it wouldn't have these issues?

I would buy a copy for my school library. I think this is a book my students would really enjoy.

I liked this story about the little guy, Warren who had to endure what seemed like a lot of struggle in order to get along at the hotel with his surrogate family. The illustrations and page styles are what makes this book fantastic for advanced younger readers. I do not see older kids liking this as much, but i have been wrong in the past.

I really enjoyed this title! The story is simultaneously enigmatic and light-hearted, and the illustrations, while not complete in the galley, are beautiful and unique. Excellent recommendation for young fans of Lemony Snicket.

Warren the 13th will be a fun read for students. It is fast paced, introduces unique and memorable characters, and has plot twists that will keep readers wondering what will happen next. The illustrations are a great addition to the book, as well.

There's nothing better than good treasure hunt, and this book was just that and more! Magic, mayhem, and mystery all make this book enjoyable and entertaining.

Warren the 13th and The All-Seeing Eye is one of the best middle grade books I have read in a long time. I read both the e-galley and a finished copy of the book and thoroughly enjoyed it both times. This is one book I would recommend getting a physical copy of, The cover is very nice and the artwork is gorgeous. I can't wait for more in this series.