5 STARS
Cragbridge Hall is a exciting story. It reminds me a little of Harry Potter in the facts that a lot of it is at a boarding school. Teens have to be smart and save the day. It is a action, history, adventure and fantasy story. It is aimed at middle school ages. It is also a clean read.
Abby and Derick Cragbridge are starting at the best middle school in the world. Derick got in because he is a genius. Abby first got a rejection letter than later that week got a letter saying she is in they made a mistake. Abby knows that she got in because of her grandfather got her in. The twins are starting 7th grade.
Before they get dropped off at school they visit their Grandfather Oscar Cragbridge he is a famous inventor but most of his inventions are classified. The twins will find out and be able to use some of them at the school named after him. Grandpa has gifts for Abby and Derick.
something that goes inside their rings that opens his journals for them to see. Also gave them two lockets. He wants them to be kept secret and show no one especially their teachers. They are too look at it every day and if it changed they will be told what to do.
Abby feels like she does not belong at the school. She just feels average not special. Her new roommate is smart, talented has her own clothes line. When she finds out Abby is not super smart and accomplished. She throws Abby out in the hall and all her belongings. Tells the others that she cheated to get in. No one will help her. The school says she is late and will have to sleep in the hall.
Derick fits right in and already starts to make friends. At least she can eat with him and not feel alone. In one class they have a chair in
English lit that one student sits in it reading a book and what they imagine the class sees up on a screen. Abby is the second student in her class and her teacher asks her about secrets and the locket pops up and school rejection letter pops up and Abby quickly stands up and leaves the chair. The first student to sit in it is Carol. Carol talks very fast. She is a kid actor who has starred in some teen internet series.
Carol and Abby because they shared a experience start to be friends. Then when she finds out who Derick is starts to flirt with him at lunch.
Their lockets starts doing something so they go out in the hall and see a message about their grandfather something has happened to him. They rush out to visit him and to see if he is alright. They find out he has been kidnapped and so have their parents. The police come and Abby tells about her locket and key they take it and escort them to school.
They have to solve riddles and clues to find out what has happened to their family. Abby is still getting picked on by her famous first room mate. It teaches a few moments of history in different fun ways, some moral issues with time travel. It is a smart fun adventure series. I hope their are more books to come in the future. I would read more of this series and will look for more books by Chad Morris.
I was given a copy of this book to read and asked to give a honest review of it when finished by Netgalley.
Publisher: Shadow Mountain (March 5, 2013) 256 pages ISBN-10: 1609073266
Description below taken off of Netgalley
Abby and Derick have been accepted to the most prestigious secondary school in the world -- Cragbridge Hall. Due to the inventions of their grandfather, Oscar Cragbridge, they will be able to experience history in 3D, use their minds to literally project visual interpretations of classic literature, and become animal avatars for zoology.
But when their grandfather and parents go missing, Abby and Derick must follow clues Oscar left for them that will reveal a dangerous secret. Along the way, they discover there is much more to one of their grandfather's inventions that anyone has ever dreamed. Saving their family will take all of Derick's mind and Abby's heart as thy come face to face with a crazed scientist who desperately seeks to change the past. If they fail, the world - past and future - will never be the same.
This book is a page-turning, time-travel adventure that teaches powerful lessons about choice and consequence, believing you can do hard things, and valuing your history.
