Through Gates of Garnet and Gold (Wayward Children #11) by Seanan McGuire

 Through Gates of Garnet and Gold (Wayward Children #11) by Seanan McGuire-148 pages

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After Nancy was cast out of the Halls of the Dead and forced to enroll at Eleanor West's School for Wayward Children, she never believed she'd find her door again, and when she did, she didn't look back. She disappeared from the school to resume her place in the Halls, never intending to return.

Years have passed. A darkness has descended on the Halls, and the living statues who populate them are dying at the hands of the already dead. The Lord and Lady who rule the land are helpless to stop the slaughter, forcing Nancy to leave the Halls again, this time on purpose, as she attempts to seek much-needed help from her former schoolmates.

But who would volunteer to quest in a world where the dead roam freely?

And why are the dead so intent on adding to their number?

Thoughts: I've really enjoyed reading all of the previous books in this series. I like that Nancy is back and we get more of her story. There's also a surprise return from another former student at Eleanor West's School for Wayward Children. Overall, I liked this one and I continue to enjoy this series. I hope McGuire continues to write books in this series. 

Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear (Wayward Children, #10) by Seanan McGuire

 Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear (Wayward Children, #10) by Seanan McGuire-147 pages

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Nadezhda (Nadya) grows up in an orphanage in Russia after her parents didn't want her. She was born with one arm only going to the elbow (so only one full arm). She finds a turtle near the orphanage and cares for it until it grows too big. One day, around age 9 she is finally adopted by an American couple named Carl and Pansy from Denver, Colorado. However, Carl and Pansy seem mostly to want Nadya as a kind of trophy to show off to their friends. They force her to learn English as a second language and learn very little Russian and only converse with her in English. A year after adopting her, they buy her a prosthetic arm for the one that ends at the elbow without asking Nadya whether she really wants it. She's lived this long without the full arm that she's grown accustomed to it and isn't sure. Mostly she's upset that they didn't even ask her what she wanted. One day while playing with turtles in the pond near her adoptive parents' home, she sees a turtle with Be Sure in Russian written on its shell. She's appalled that someone would hurt/desecrate a turtle and thinks she might see a door in the water, so she goes through it. Through the door is Belyyreka, the Land Beneath the Lake. She eventually comes to realize that this is her true home and never wants to leave. I liked this latest book in the Wayward Children series as I have liked all of the previous ones. It definitely causes the reader to think critically about identity, immigration, disability, and belonging. Just because one has only one full arm that doesn't make them any less nor does it mean they need a prosthetic arm to be "whole." 

Mislaid in Parts Half-Known (Wayward Children, #9) by Seanan McGuire

Mislaid in Parts Half-Known (Wayward Children, #9) by Seanan McGuire-146 pages

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Antsy ended up back on Earth, but at Eleanor's School for Wayward Children after leaving the Store Where Lost Things Go at the end of the last book. Now she is trying to fit in at the school. Seraphina and Angela learn that Antsy can open any door and find almost anything, so they want her to open a door back to Seraphina's world. Seraphina is so beautiful that she can force anyone to do anything for her, except for Christopher. Christopher, Kade, Cora, Sumi, and Emily help her escape Seraphina and they end up back at the Store Where Lost Things Go. However, things have not improved or changed like Antsy had hoped when she left. Can Antsy make things better at the Store and will she stay or return to school? Several comings and goings happen. I enjoyed reading this book, just as I enjoyed the rest of the series.

Lost in the Moment and Found (Wayward Children, #8) by Seanan McGuire

Lost in the Moment and Found (Wayward Children, #8) by Seanan McGuire-146 pages

This is the latest book in the series, but there may be more books in the future. This is the story of Antoinette (Antsy) who was introduced in the previous book as Cora's roommate at Eleanor West's School for Wayward Children. Antsy lost her father in a Target at a very young age. He died of a massive heart attack. She was with him on daddy and daughter shopping time. Her mother remarried a man named Tyler who Antsy had a bad feeling about. He was kind of creepy around her and made Antsy look bad to her mother. One night he came into Antsy's room and made her very uncomfortable and made a veiled threat. He never actually assaulted her, but he may have if given time. Antsy decides to run away that night. She finds a door that reads "Be Sure" above it. She steps through the door and into a shop where lost things go. She stays at the shop for 2 years and goes through many Doors to other worlds with an old woman, Vineta. However, there's something Vineta and Hudson (a talking magpie) don't tell Antsy. There's a cost for going through the doors and for the safety of the shop. What is this cost and why does Antsy end up at Eleanor West's School? I liked this one a lot. It's a bit sad, but it's really good, much like the rest of the series. I rate this one 5 out of 5 stars.

Where the Drowned Girls Go (Wayward Children #7) by Seanan McGuire

Where the Drowned Girls Go (Wayward Children #7) by Seanan McGuire-150 pages

Cora Miller has been at Eleanor West's School for Wayward Children for a while now and she's been on 2 quests/adventures to other worlds behind doors not her own. On one of those trips she went to the Moors to help save Jack's world. Cora was taken down to the depths of the sea by the Drowned Gods on this trip who now haunt her even though she escaped their grasp. Cora thinks that by transferring to the Whitethorn Institute she can forget and finally escape from the nightmares caused by the Drowned Gods. She can't sleep because of the nightmares. However, when Cora arrives at the Whitethorn Institute she quickly begins to realize that she's made a mistake. The headmaster is a monster who thinks he's helping them become productive members of society here where they belong. His methods are cruel and arcane. Sumi transfers in to save her and bring her back to Eleanor West's School. Regan, who was the main protagonist in the previous book in this series, is here at the Whitethorn Institute because her parents enrolled her after she got back from the Hooflands. Can Sumi save Cora and possibly Regan and others? Will they escape the Whitethorn Institute and get back to their homes? I continue to enjoy reading this series and eagerly look forward to reading the next (and final, for now) book in this series. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Across the Green Grass Fields (Wayward Children #6) by Seanan McGuire

 Across the Green Grass Fields (Wayward Children #6) by Seanan McGuire-174 pages

Regan is best friends with Laurel and Heather and they do everything together. Laurel can be volatile and cruel, though. When Heather brings a snake to school and shows it to Laurel and Regan Laurel freaks out and shuns her. Regan knows it was cruel, but wants to keep Laurel as a friend over Heather. When Regan learns a secret about herself from her parents she tells Laurel who, predictably, freaks out and is cruel to her. Regan runs from school and into the woods where she finds a door with the words Be Sure written above it. She enters through the door and into the Hooflands where she meets Pansy, a Centaur. Pansy takes Regan to her herd where she meets a young Centaur named Chicory. Regan and Chicory become best, true friends. The Hooflands are full of kelpies, fauns, minotaurs, perytons, and centaurs. All in the Hooflands believe humans are heroes and Regan's destiny is to save the Hooflands. Regan doesn't believe in destiny, though. She just wants to stay with her new family, Chicory and the Centaur herd. Eventually, Regan goes to save the Hooflands from its evil Queen. What she finds is that all is not as it seems. I really liked this and I've liked every book in this series so far. I would rate this 4 out of 5 stars. 

In An Absent Dream (Wayward Children #4) by Seanan McGuire

 In An Absent Dream (Wayward Children #4) by Seanan McGuire-204 pages

This is the story of how Lundy came to be at Eleanor West's School for Wayward Children as a slowly de-aging woman. Lundy was born Katherine Lundy and was perfectly content to simply read and keep to herself until she turned 6 and happened upon a door in a tree that read "Be Sure." This door led to the Goblin Market which has 5 basic rules. The most important rules are to "provide fair value" and "don't forget the curfew." The curfew is 18 years old. Once you turn 18, you must either take the oath of citizenship or leave the Goblin Market forever. Lundy would visit the Goblin Market again at age 8, 10, and almost 13. She thought she was sure, but bargains made with her father and sister would keep her in the "real world" for longer than she anticipated. Finally, near her 18th birthday, she goes back to the Goblin Market with a seemingly genius idea. Her sister isn't ready for Lundy to leave the "real world" for good and stay in the Goblin Market. Lundy's idea is to ask the Goblin Market to stop her aging temporarily so that she can stave off the curfew and spend more time with her sister before staying in the Goblin Market for good. However, it doesn't turn out the way Lundy expects. Instead of staying at 17 for a while, she very slowly begins to de-age and is no longer welcome at the Goblin Market. Eleanor West finds her and asks her to help out at her School for Wayward Children. I liked this one just as I've liked all the others in the series so far. It made me critically think about the idea of fair value and about friendship. I enjoy Seanan McGuire's writing and stories. I would rate this 4 out of 5 stars. 

Beneath the Sugar Sky (Wayward Children #3) by Seanan McGuire

Beneath the Sugar Sky (Wayward Children #3) by Seanan McGuire-174 pages

I continue to enjoy reading this series. Rini falls out of the sky and into a turtle pond behind Eleanor West's School for Wayward Children. The problem is Rini is disappearing because her mother in Confection, Sumi, was killed too early by another student trying to get back to her door. Cora (a new student from a mermaid world), Kade (Eleanor West's nephew), Nadya, Christopher, and Rini set out to bring her mom, Sumi, back from the dead. They visit Nancy's (a former student introduced in Every Heart a Doorway) Halls of the Dead world and then go to Sumi's and Rini's Confection world. Will they be able to bring Sumi back in time before Rini disappears entirely? I liked this one a lot and would give it 4 out of 5 stars. I look forward to reading the rest of the books in the series.

Come Tumbling Down (Wayward Children #5) by Seanan McGuire

Come Tumbling Down (Wayward Children #5) by Seanan McGuire-208 pages

In this installment of the Wayward Children series, Jack and Jill Wolcott's story continues where it left off at the end of the second book (Down Among the Sticks and Bones). Jill and her Master storm the Windmill and kill Dr. Bleak and force Jack to trade bodies with Jill. Jack is shaken to her core by these events and travels back to Eleanor West's School for Wayward Children to solicit help for her and her love, Alexis. Kade, Sumi, Christopher, and Cora agree to go with Jack and Alexis to the Moors. Jack's plan is to switch bodies back with Jill and to kill her sister to restore balance to the Moors. She also wants to get Dr. Bleak's head back so she can attempt to resurrect him. Will she and her companions succeed? The balance of the Moors depends on it. Will her companions survive and return to Eleanor West's School? I liked this one just as I liked the others I've read so far. I rate it 4 stars out of 5. I am eager to continue reading (and finishing) this series. 

Down Among the Sticks and Bones (Wayward Children, #2) by Seanan McGuire

 Down Among the Sticks and Bones (Wayward Children, #2) by Seanan McGuire-187 pages

Jacqueline (Jack) and Jillian (Jill) Wolcott are raised by parents who didn't really want kids until they saw colleagues at work with kids. Chester (their dad) wanted a boy to show off to the male work colleagues. Serena (their mom) wanted a perfect daughter to show off to her female colleagues. They didn't know a thing about parenting. They end up having twin girls. They tried to mold Jillian into a tomboy and Jacqueline into the perfect, prim daughter. However, one day Jack and Jill venture to their Gemma Lou's old room (Gemma Lou/Grandma stayed and helped raise them until they were 5) they find a trunk that should be filled with dress up clothes. They're intrigued and surprised to find a staircase instead. Jack and Jill venture down the stairs into a new fantasy world with strange rules and people. They venture into the dark world of the Moors, which is full of danger. A vampire Master, a mad scientist, werewolves, and sea creatures abound. Jill is taken in by the Master and longs to be molded into a vampire. Jack is taken in by the mad scientist, Dr. Bleak. It's the story of Jack and Jill's adventure and how they came to be at Eleanor West's School for Wayward Children. I enjoyed this one just like the first and would give it 4 out of 5 stars. I am liking this series so far. 

Every Heart a Doorway (Wayward Children, #1) by Seanan McGuire

Every Heart a Doorway (Wayward Children, #1) by Seanan McGuire-175 pages

Eleanor West once went through a door to a fantasy world and came back to the "real world." Now, she runs a school to help other young girls and boys who have had a similar experience. Nancy arrives at the school after having been in a "Land of the Dead" for years (6 months in the "real world"). This has some Chronicles of Narnia vibes, but with some differences. Each student at the school is "different"(for example Nancy is asexual and felt at home in the world through their doorway. None of the students feels at home in the "real world." All are trying to return to the world through their doorway. First, Sumi, Nancy's roommate is found dead with no hands, and then others are found missing various body parts. Who is killing them and why? I liked this one and rate it 4 out of 5 stars. 

Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire

Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire - 189 pages

Twin sisters Jack and Jill were seventeen when they found their way home and were packed off to Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children.

This is the story of what happened first…

Jacqueline was her mother’s perfect daughter—polite and quiet, always dressed as a princess. If her mother was sometimes a little strict, it’s because crafting the perfect daughter takes discipline.

Jillian was her father’s perfect daughter—adventurous, thrill-seeking, and a bit of a tom-boy. He really would have preferred a son, but you work with what you've got.

They were five when they learned that grown-ups can’t be trusted.


They were twelve when they walked down the impossible staircase and discovered that the pretense of love can never be enough to prepare you a life filled with magic in a land filled with mad scientists and death and choices.

I am continuing to love this series.  They are quick reads for times when life unfortunately interferes with your reading time.  4 stars!