Warren the 13th and The Thirteen-Year Curse

Author: Tania del Rio

Illustrator: Will Staehle

Genre:  Middle Grade / Fantasy

Series: Warren the 13th #3

Format: Hardback

Pages: 224

Thank you so much Quirk Books for letting me get an early copy of Warren the 13th! I have adored this series since the first book came out five years ago. And, while I'm sad this will be the last adventure we get with the Warren and the inhabitants of the Warren Hotel. I'm glad to have been apart of the journey these last few years.

No better place to to start than with the cover. As always they picked the perfect to accent throughout the story, and since most of the story takes place on the high seas. So blue was the perfect color. The shark chasing Warren on the back cover is probably my favorite part of the cover.

Despite the three year gap between the second book and third, the story takes place not long after the first book ends. The Warren isn't so much lost at sea, as it hasn't seen land since the Malwoods. But that doesn't matter because it's Warren's Thirteenth birthday! Which means something is bound to go wrong. Because if Warren didn't have bad luck, he'd have no luck at all.

Warren the 13th and the Thirteen-Year Curse keeps to the same formula as the rest of the series. Things always go from bad to worse, Warren uses his smarts to get out of trouble, and there are puzzles to be solved. Only this time their are pirates! Well, retired pirates!

Petula is still my favorite characters of all of those staying at the Warren Hotel. She always seems to have her head on straight, and is always ready to save the day. Without her I'm not completely Warren would have made it this far in his adventures. Sometimes he forgets how smart he is and needs Petula to remind him that he doesn't need tricks and magic to get through whatever obstacle is in his way. On that note, Mr. Vanderbelly is probably my least favorite of those staying at the Warren Hotel. While Uncle Rupert is completely useless and he knows it. Mr. Vanderbelly can't be bothered to help because he's taking notes. Just ugh...whatever. He kind of redeemed himself toward the end, but still not my favorite.

As for the story itself it was so much fun. We start with a shipwreck that leads to Sketchy being a worshiped to Sketchy being kidnapped. The story moves pretty fast with the usually puzzles and riddles to be solved. I really felt like the High Seas theme was met and then some. We got everything I could have wanted, and Bonny was a lovely addition. The Warren the 13th series is Middle Grade, and the puzzle fit in with that age range. Not easy, but not overly complicated. One of them almost had be scratching my head. Took my a little longer than it should have to see the pattern to the solve the puzzle.

There are ups and downs through the story, but never once does Warren give. And, it such a great story about a found family. They take care of each, protect each other, and do what it take to get back the member of their family that is kidnapped. It's everything I adore about this series, and a great way to end the series as well. Even though I'm sad that that series is coming to end after only three books.

These are books that are fun to read again and again. So, thanks again to Quirk Books for sending me a copy of Warren the 13th and the Thirteen-Year Curse. It was a great way to end the series and I enjoyed every page!

Buy, Borrow, or Skip: Buy, the whole series! Do it!

Warren the 14th and the Thirteen-Year Curse will available March 20, 2020!

HAPPY READING!!