Review: The Goldfish Boy by Lisa Thompson

paisleypiranha

“Gorgeous and heartbreaking”

About the Book:

Matthew Corbin suffers from severe obsessive-compulsive disorder. He hasn’t been to school in weeks. His hands are cracked and bleeding from cleaning. He refuses to leave his bedroom. To pass the time, he observes his neighbors from his bedroom window, making mundane notes about their habits as they bustle about the cul-de-sac.

When a toddler staying next door goes missing, it becomes apparent that Matthew was the last person to see him alive. Suddenly, Matthew finds himself at the center of a high-stakes mystery, and every one of his neighbors is a suspect. Matthew is the key to figuring out what happened and potentially saving a child’s life… but is he able to do so if it means exposing his own secrets, and stepping out from the safety of his home?

Review by Katy Haye:

This was a lovely, quietly powerful read. Matty was…

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The Candy Shop War: Arcade Catastrophe

Library of Cats

The Candy Shop War: Arcade Catastrophe

Brandon Mull
Shadow Mountain, 2012

From the dust jacket: “Something fishy is going on at the new amusement center in Walnut Hills. The trouble seems linked to the mysterious disappearance of Mozag and John Dart, who have spent their lives policing the magical community. When Nate and his friends are asked to help investigate, they discover kids feverishly playing arcade games in an effort to win enough tickets to redeem one of four stamps: jet, tanks, submarines and racecars.
“Rumor has it that the stamps are definitely worth it. But what do they do?
“The kids soon discover that the owner of Arcadeland is recruiting members for four different clubs. When each club is filled, he will begin his quest to retrieve a magical talisman of almost unimaginable power. With John Dart and Mozag sidelined, will Nate, Summer, Trevor, Pigeon and their new friend…

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