Title: Hocus Pocus HotelAuthor: Michael Dahl
Genre: Middle Grade
Publication: 1 Augsust 2012, Stone Arche Books
Pages: 216 Pages, Hardback
Source: Thank you to the publishers for sending me this book to review! :)
Ever since it was built by the great magician Abracadabra, the hotel Tyler Yu lives in has had its share of mysterious events. Ghosts wandering the halls, a magician who vanishes into thin air – Ty can’t figure these things out on his own. But Charlie Hitchcock, with his photographic memory, might just be the partner the school bully needs. Together, they’ll solve magical mysteries beyond your wildest imagination.
Hocus Pocus Hotel is about the school brain and the school bully that strike up an unlikely friendship. When Charlie Hitchock is handed a note during the day, by none other then the school bully, Ty Yu. Charlie is expecting to fight Tyler Yu after school, as whenever someone is handed a note by Tyler, they know they're in trouble. Charlie, however, is pleasantly surprised when Tyler does not beat him up, but instead asks him to help solve a puzzle in the Hocus Pocus Hotel, also known as the Abracadraba. Charlie (with his acute visual memory) and Ty with his familiarity to the hotel, both set out together to figure out the magical mysteries hidden in the hotel's walls.
When I received this for review, I was expecting an adventurous, magical read, and that's exactly what I got. Although the book wasn't complex, and a quick read, seeing as its a a middle grade novel, I enjoyed it none the less. Although it was quite predictable, I enjoyed watching the characters piece together the clues and seeing what the final conclusion of the mystery was.
The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous, I can see Hocus Pocus Hotel sitting on my shelf for quite a while, as while I was reading the book, I constantly found my eyes were drifting towards the colourful drawings.Hocus Pocus Hotel was a fun, entertaining read that I would recommend for middle-grade readers, and older readers that are looking for a magical, quick read that doesn't involve a complex plot. The illustrations are gorgeous, buy you a hardcopy of this, just so you can stare at the images. After a great book to the start of a new series, I eagerly await the second book in the series.
I give it: 4 CUPCAKES!
