Watch Hollow audiobook

On sale now! Review first posted on Fantasy Literature:Gregory Funaro’s just-published Watch Hollow is a charmingly spooky (or perhaps spookily charming) contemporary fantasy featuring an 11-year-old girl, Lucy Tinker, her 13-year-old brother Oliver, and their clockmaker father … and also a fearsome giant, a boy who mysteriously appears and disappears, and a full dozen magical talking animals sure to warm the hearts of middle grade readers. After a brief prologue with a heart-stopping chase involving the giant, a traitorous crow, and a rat named Fennish Seven, the story shifts to our main characters, Lucy and her brother Oliver. Between their mother’s death from cancer two years earlier and their father’s lack of business acumen, the Tinker family is teetering on the brink of financial disaster. So it feels like a huge windfall when a stranger, Mr. Quigley, appears in Tinker’s Clock Shop and offers Mr. Tinker a fortune in gold coins to come to Quigley’s old, abandoned mansion, Blackford House, deep in the woods in Rhode Island, and fix a huge clock that’s built into the home and is the source of electrical power for the home. To sweeten the deal, Lucy and Oliver are invited along.The Tinker family finds Blackford House an ominous place, dingy and dilapidated, with black twisted trees pressing in on every side. The broken clock is ten feet in diameter, with twelve animal-shaped holes where the numbers on the face of the clock would normally appear. Lucy finds two wooden statues of a snarling cat and a cute little dog that are the perfect size to fit in the clock face, but the animals’ positions are the wrong shape. The answer to that mystery is explained (at least in part) that night, when the wooden dog turns into a real one and begs Lucy for her help. Blackford House is sentient but weakened by an evil giant called the Garr who lurks in the woods. The house, its magical clock and animals, and even the Tinkers themselves are in danger.Watch Hollow is an appealing magical adventure with just enough tension and creepiness to keep things exciting for younger readers. Both boys and girls will find the Tinker siblings sympathetic; they’re well-rounded characters with both strengths, like their courage and love, and problems, like Lucy’s tendency to get in fights with a bullying classmate and Oliver’s anxiety about his acne. The animal characters are also delightful, with some distinct personalities. Torsten Six, the little dog, is anxious but loving and eager to trust; Meridian the cat is far more suspicious of the Tinker family.Funaro’s writing has improved noticeably since he wrote his first middle grade novels a few years ago, Alistair Grim's Odditorium and Alistair Grim's Odd Aquaticum. While Watch Hollow isn’t quite as crazily fantastical as those books, I found Watch Hollow more coherent in its plot, with improved flow and characterization. Funaro still occasionally does some telling rather than showing, but overall the plot flows well, with enough depth and interesting details to keep the reader engaged."Everything here was designed to work together in perfect balance ― sunstone and shadow wood, light and dark, day and night. For in such balance there is potent magic.Watch Hollow is the type of book that would lend itself to reading aloud to younger children, as well as being given to middle grade readers who love fantasy, animals, or both. The story ends on an open note (not a cliffhanger, thankfully), with a second book, Watch Hollow: The Alchemist's Shadow, expected in early 2020. I look forward to the further adventures of Lucy and Oliver.Thanks to the author for sending a copy of this book to me for review!

This was a fun middle grade book. The Tinkers are asked to move to an old home to fix a clock and they soon discover all is not what it seems. I really enjoyed Oliver and Lucy. I will definitely be reading book 2 to see what other shenanigans the siblings get into.

I always look forward to a new book by Gregory Funaro but wow, this time he really dials it up to 11!Eleven year-old Lucy Tinker and her older brother Oliver (age 13) are struggling through life after the death of their mom two years earlier. Their father is the proprietor of a small clock repair shop and tries to maintain optimism in the face of very little income and is just trying to get through each day as it comes. But into their life comes a golden opportunity in the form of Mr. Quigley who wants to hire Mr. Tinker. Seems Mr. Quigley has recently bought a once grand house called the “Blackford House” and within it is a huge cuckoo clock that no longer works. He invites the little family to move into the house for the summer while the clock is repaired. The money he offers for the job is staggering. It’s a dream come true for the Tinkers.Not long after their arrival, Lucy and Oliver discover that not all is as it seems and in fact there are some unexplainable and truly magical things happening in the house and the surrounding Shadow Woods. I won’t go into details in order to avoid spoilers but trust me, it’s really cool. Readers will likely identify with either Oliver or Lucy (or both) as they separately discover the magical nature of what they encounter. The build-up through the first half of the plot is enticing and serves to develop these characters nicely. The mystery of the nature of the magic as well as the history of the house also builds, leading to the second half which is filled with exciting, and at many times, scary and perilous action.One thing I always appreciate in a good YA or children’s novel is when the author does not dumb down the plot or the situation. Here, I was pleased to see the scenes when Mr. Tinker and Oliver work on the clock, thoroughly and interestingly describing the mechanics of how cuckoo clocks actually work. As an educated adult, I can tell you I certainly learned a thing or two about winding mechanisms, pendulums, pipe couplings, and conductor spheres and how the various parts work together. But more importantly, several major themes run through this book, including the nature of fear and love, and the importance of balance in all things. In addition, the family must always deal with life after the death of their mother from cancer. From my point-of-view, as someone who has lost an immediate family member in this same way, I can say this is handled extremely well in the book and with just the right amount of subtlety and pathos. Bottom line: this is a wonderful book for young people (and not-so-young), alike. The overarching themes wind their way through an energetic and unique plot that keep the pages turning. This is one of those books that you won’t let things like eating and sleeping get in the way of. While the story is complete in this one volume, there is a brief hint of further adventure to come in just the last couple of paragraphs. I certainly hope so and if so, I’ll be first in line to get my hands on it!

I first was introduced to this author, Mr. Funaro when he wrote his darker suspense novels. Which I just enjoyed a lot. Than, Mr. Funaro started a new journey into young adult author. The Alistair Grim's Odditorium series is great. It is magical and whimsical. All ages from children, teens, to adults can enjoy that series. Mr. Funaro's newest offering is not to be missed. I absolutely had a magical and fun time getting to know the Tinker's and all of the animals in this book. Mr. Funaro strikes gold with Watch Hollow! Guaranteed to be one of the "not to be missed" books of 2019!Lucy Tinker was my favorite. She just went with the flow. She never really questioned why there were magical animals who could talk. All she knew is that she had to save them. Yet, when the situation got tough her brother, Oliver and her dad both came to the rescue as well. Because that is what family does. There are twelve magical animals featured in this book. Although, there are a few that played bigger roles. There is Fennish Seven, a rat, Torsten is a dog, Meridan is a cat, and Tempus Crow. Although, we don't like Tempus Crow as he is the henchman for the evil, Garr. Garr resides in Shadow Woods. He is capturing all of the animals. This book is a quick read. That is the downside to the book; this is because I didn't want it to end. I loved every moment of this book. The ending does lead me to believe that this will not be the last time that readers will see the Tinkers, Fennish Seven, Torsten, and the other animals. Which I really hope is true.

5 out of 5 shining stars!I received an ARC ebook from Edelweiss in exchange of an honest review.Wow. Wow. Wow. I loved-loved Watch Hollow. This story is quite different than the Odditorium series, which I also liked a lot. While the latter has a huge, super-cool world, this new book focuses more on the mystery and the characters. Told from dual POVs, the story takes us in a magical adventure to the land of weirdness and coolness. I mean, how cool are talking wooden animals?If I had to define Watch Hollow in one word, it would be: Characterization.The characters feel alive and pop out of the page–so good. I’ve read my fair share of middle grade fantasy, and the majority focus on complex magic systems, plotting, or heavy world building. In this tale, the characters are what matter, and every single one have its own personality and quirks, including a pig, a turtle, and a very-impatient cat (all made of wood!).Another aspect that grabbed my attention was the cinematic factor of the novel. It’s one of those novels you can visualize in your head–it’s all about great descriptions without boring the reader.In summary, a very impressive middle grade fantasy novel with excellent characterization and world building. Hey, Hollywood studios, Netflix, movie dudes–make a Watch Hollow movie!More on my blog: https://gerardowrites.wordpress.com/2...

A middle grade fantasy with a dark side. The Shadow Woods in this book totally creeped me out. What I loved was the huge clock with all the animals missing and the mystery surrounding the working of the clock and the history of the house. Lucy is the strong, though sometimes reluctant hero of the story. As mentioned above, it is quite a dark book and would keep that in mind when recommending it to a younger reader.

OH MY. I was expecting a spooky/creepy book for autumn, but not only that, I got more.I never read a creepy book that made me cry. But the ending of this book somehow did that to me.You see this is not only a spooky/creepy book. It is also a heartwarming one. It has a great message about love, about how to face our fear. It is an adventurous creepy book with meaning. It's a great book not only for the younger ones, but for us, adult that sometimes need to be reminded to the simplest message there is... love. Our main character, Lucy, stole my heart from the very beginning. I love her so much. She is so innocent, soft, genuine and smart. The character of the animals here are also fantastic. Gregory Funaro, sir, you are amazing. I can't wait to read your second book! If you are a scaredy cat, but want to read something a bit spooky for this autumn. Something that have that spookiness yet at the same time warming your heart, this is the book for you :)Now, can I hug Lucy?

This went surprisingly well! It’s been a while since I picked up a middle grade book and this was a great intro to spooky season!!

I won this book in a giveaway from the author and Ya’ll I LOVED this book, I usually don’t read to much middle grade books. But this one was sooo AMAZING in my opinion, You have wooden animals that come to life, Magic and more..I can’t wait till my niece who is 1 1/2 currently gets to the age where she can read books, because I will definitely be saving and passing on to her.And I definitely can’t wait to read the next book in the series..

A Tale of "Magical Balance"“"No one can hear you scream in the Shadow Woods.”"One of Gregory Funaro's previous series was built around Alistair Grim's Odditorium, and while they were fun books they were also a bit manic and were loaded with weird and fantastical inventions. I expected this book would take off on a similar funsy-steampunky-magicky sort of action/adventure path. I was wrong, sort of. This opens as a more carefully, tightly, and elegantly structured book with many lovely throwaway lines and turns of phrase. The characters are appealing and the pace is more measured; the atmosphere and settings more richly imagined. Indeed, the whole magicky angle doesn't even show up until more than a quarter of the way into the book, and well after the Gothic setting and the interesting characters have been established. After that, of course, the magic clock and its weird characteristics start to move to center stage, so there's still quite enough Odditorium-style creativity to satisfy fans.But at the outset it's the quality of the writing that first impresses. Our heroine, eleven year old Lucy, sits cross-legged in the display window of her father's clock shop. She looks out through the backwards word "clock" and the "o" and "c" look like a pair of spectacles. Isn't that a nice image? That's what I'm getting at in terms of writing. The book zips along, but nicely placed lines here and there establish a more interesting atmosphere, more appealing characters, and a more layered fantasy reading experience than what I think of as usual for a middle grade fantasy actioner. Of special interest and appeal is the relationship between the two sibling heroes. Lucy, the younger of the two, and eventually the main character, is a mix of feisty and dreamy. Older Oliver is introduced as a bit of a nerd, but he turns out to be a substantial, empathetic, and resourceful hero. The two siblings support and encourage each other with a deep and authentic mutual understanding and regard that avoids all of the usual battling-siblings cliches you find so often in middle grade fiction. These two appreciate and respect each other, count on each other's strengths, and allow for and forgive each other's weaknesses. It is refreshing and upbeat to have resourceful and self-reliant, but still cooperative, good-humored and supportive, siblings.All of that said, the magical animals, (why have just one when you can have twelve?), do go right up to the edge, and Funaro can't resist having a complex piece of magical machinery at the heart of the action. MILD SPOILER. The house and grounds are constructed of "light" and "dark" materials and they have to be kept in balance. Because the house is out of whack everything is going to pot. Why it's out of balance is the central mystery. But even here the magicopunk is less central to what's going on, and it never overwhelms the heroes. The themes are more personal and character driven, and the energy is drawn more from enchantment than magical mayhem. That said, though, there is more than enough action - hiding, lurking, running, resisting, fighting - to keep the pages turning. At times the book can get a bit complex, (especially toward the end), but there is a fair amount of monologuing and explaining by the characters, and if the reader pays attention to these well placed mini-info dumps it all makes sense.So, this was a treat. Good writing complemented engaging characters, and the magic light/evil angle added a lot to the magicopunk vibe. A nice find.(Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book from the author, through Goodreads, without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

Jam-packed with imagination, this is a fast-paced adventure with something unexpected waiting around every bend.Lucy and Oliver's father has been trying to keep his clock business afloat, but especially after the death of their mother, things aren't exactly easy. When a strange car and an even stranger man come into the picture, it appears that, at least, the financial worries might be taken care of for awhile. But the clock Lucy and Oliver's father is to fix is an intricate part of a strange house. Strange animals dwell there, and an evil monster, Garr, is trying to take everything over. Lucy and Oliver find themselves in the strangest yet most exciting adventure ever.The thing which first struck me about this book was the descriptive writing. Unlike the author's last book, care and time is take to let a perfect setting and atmosphere evolve. While not running into the danger of being overly descriptive, just the right, tiny moments are picked out and brought to life. It sucks the reader right into the store and the characters, allowing them to meet on a personal level right away. And what wonderful characters they are.While things appear to start out relatively normal, the book soon dives into a vivid and fantastic world. The creatures are fantasy pure, teetering on the border of extreme but never crossing over. It's a delight to meet every one. And, of course, the house itself is filled with amazement after amazement, making every nook and cranny an exciting discovery.Lucy and Oliver are a great pair. Each has their very own personality and holds their own strengths. As siblings, they work together well and stand by the others side until the very end. Which is good, considering the very sticky, tense and difficult situations they find themselves in.This is a read for middle graders who love to dive into the realm of imagination and adventure. There's never, ever a boring moment, and it's a world the reader is sure never to forget.I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed the world so much that I wanted to leave my honest thoughts.

Watch HollowByGregory FunaroWhat it's all about...A summer spent trying to fix a clock that defies all reasonableness. The Shadow Woods...a dark wood that seems to grow and grow. Wooden animals who come to life. Acorns that turn into black dust and cure illnesses...these are the things that Oliver and Lucy encounter as their father labors to fix a house clock for an odd little man. But things get more and more dangerous! And more and more mysterious! And more and more unbelievable! Why I wanted to read it...I wanted to read this because of the magic! Lucy...an ordinary girl...is now the caretaker of a magical house. She is on a mission with a magical rat to save other magical animals who are prisoners of “The Garr” in these dark magical woods called The Shadow Woods. Who rules these woods and why do these woods get closer and closer to the house? Yikes! What made me truly enjoy this book...I loved Lucy and the animals...loved them. I loved the courage and the love and the fear that had to be conquered to help the animals and keep magic in this house. Why you should read it, too...Readers who love mystery and suspense and lots of magic...and just a “few” scary bits...these readers will love Lucy and her family. These readers will love the animals...especially Nessie...my favorite...yes...my fave is a rat! These readers will love the way this book ends with a hint and perhaps a promise of more adventure to come. I received an advance reader’s copy of this book from the publisher through Edelweiss and Amazon. It was my choice to read it and review it.

I had the privilege of reading this as part of an advanced readers group and, WOW! I loved Watch Hollow from page 1. The author pulls you right into the story from the moment it starts.Kids will love the book, to be sure, but as an adult I was reminded - dare I say - of The Boy Who Shall Not Be Named. I tire of the countless books that promise to be the next HP, but this truly grabbed me like no other YA since that famous title.It has magic and mystique, but the kids are grounded in a reality that's relatable to any kid. I cared deeply about the characters and didn't want the book to end. I'm definitely going to recommend this to all my parent-friends.High stakes and high adventure, do your children (and yourself) a favor and pick this up when it comes out! You'll adore it.

This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own. Funaro, masterfully weaves beautiful and gothic imagery, into a creepy adventure.Watch Hollow, is a magical tale of mystery that will keeping you guessing, and turning the pages as fast as you can to read all the suspenseful mysteries and twists that are imbedded within its riveting words. Lucy Tinker, and her family’s life is about to change when a storm and a expensive black sedan arrive. Along with an intriguing offertory Lucy’s father, Charles Tinker.he would be repairing a most unusual clock in the Blackford House in Watch Hollow, Rhode Island. This clock, when functioning correctly, generated all the electricity needed to keep the house fully functioning. Mr. Quigley had recently acquired the property, and he was willing to pay handsomely for the Tinkers’ services. The golden coins he emptied onto the shop counter were just a fraction of the compensation offered for a successful completion of the task. Charles Tinker naturally suspicious of something that did seem, after all, just too good to be true. The Tinkers financial situation combined with recent wife’s death of Mr Tinker he decides that while talking it over with Lucy and her brother Oliver that evening, that the opportunity is just to incredible to pass up.Mr. Tinker, takes on the commission to repair a clock inside the old house. The old dilapidated mansion is set deeply within the Rhode Island woods, But, we quickly find out that the house has it's own secrets, and the dark sinister woods surrounding it is just as mysterious. The Tinker family are all invited to take up temporarily residence while Clock is under restoration. This adventurous action packed, edge of your seat magical book, is perfectly paced and with engaging characters. Stunning world building with creative imagery and superb writing with keep engaged from start to finish. The splendid cliffhanger ending will have screaming for the next installment. Matthew Griffin’s inspired illustrations are amazing and are perfect for this spectacular book, Watch Hollow

This was on my Spooky Season TBR last year, so I knew I had to get it done this time. So glad I did!This middle grade fantasy/horror is like if somebody mixed Toy Story, Roverandom by J.R.R. Tolkien, the Alchemy of The Wizarding World, the imagination of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and the spooky-feels of R. L. Stine. This book was straight nostalgia for me. An absolute blast. Lucy and her brother, Oliver, read as great and true siblings. After the passing of their mother, they are brought to Watch Hollow as their father works to repair a mysterious man’s grand clock. The adventure has them curious and anxious, and the house and area has all the spooky feels you’d expect. The fantasy aspect of this novel, as it so often is, is the battle of good and evil, light and dark. In this case, fear vs. love. It was a refreshing take honestly, and it was still what you’d expect, just done really nicely. There’s a sequel that I most definitely need to grab soon!