Ever catch your reflection not quite doing what you expected? I mean, you're there, but it's not quite you? You very well might have been seeing beyond the looking glass and into a whole new different...or at least, a world varied from our own. Still familiar in many ways, but just off putting enough to not be "right".

The Alston boys have to deal with this situation time and time again as they make their way through this adventure. There's a criminal loose in the other worlds, an officer of sorts willing to look the other way at past transgressions if she's helped out of this sticky web of a situation, and a judge that you definitely won't want to cross...but that's only the beginning! Behind all the hubbub, and beneath all the oddness, there's secrets being kept for the right reasons that come out all wrong, consequences that may come around sooner than expected, and hope that is dangling on a well woven silken thread (thanks to a particular band of spiders!). Will it all come out right in the end...or at least SOME version of right? You'll have to risk a trip through the glass to find out, but I can tell you this...you've no better guides than Otto and Sheed. They've not only got style, and their own code for communicating, but they've got each other's backs through thick and thin, and enough of grandmother's wisdom to help them bounce back from anything!


**copy received for review; opinions are my own ( )

In this sequel to The Last Last-Day-of-Summer, cousins Otto and Sheed find out that taking mirrors from the Rorrim Mirror Emporium in their last adventure has led to consequences. They learn that the mirrors are actually prison cells and Missus Nedraw is the warden. She also informs them that because of their actions, Nevan, one of the most dangerous prisoners escaped his mirror. Otto and Sheed soon are teleporting into parallel and strange worlds via the mirrors as they try to track down Nevan. As with "Last-Day-of-Summer," the book bursts with humor, adventure and mystery. It's nice to again experience the brotherly rapport of the Alston cousins. There are many references to events in the first book, so readers are well advised to start with number one! ( )

Thank you Edelweiss for the ARC!

Fun fantastic ride through a warped fantasy world with two amazing cousins. I loved their relationship, their connection and banter. So many lines had me laughing out loud.
"The Spinsters: it's more inclusive, it has layers" and "The devil is a lie" took me out!
Despite the weirdness of the setting, this is grounded in reality of two kids trying to find their way in a world that ethically can seem very murky. So many opportunities to connect to real life. Here's to more Legendary Alston Boy adventures! ( )

First off, this is the second book in a series, and it should be read as such, since Otto and Sheed take off where the last one ended. The background to the worlds, situations, and characters are all found in the first book.

Packed with fun character, great dialogue, and imagination at every curve, this is an exciting adventure which hooks and holds.

Sheed and Otto think their adventures have calmed down. They don't expect to be pulled off to court and accused of being criminals for the way they handled their last case. Plus, they discover that things didn't wrap up as nicely as they hoped, and they have to go hunt down the evil doer again. But not only are they thrown into a warped mirror world to go on their search, Sheed becomes ill, and the only cure supposedly holds consequences. Sheed might not ever be able to return to the 'normal' world again. Add spiders, people who look like those they know but aren't, disappearing towns, time travel, and a very tricky bad guy, and the adventure is anything but a sure win for these two.

I love the imagination and fun in this series. The author allows two, very normal boys to take off into the most obscure situations and lets them battle and solve as best they can. There's nothing really special about the two. They are as normal as young readers themselves, and this makes them very easy to connect to. The back and forth between the cousins is not only humorous and fun to read, it does a great job at bringing the reality of such relationships to life. The two are best friends and yet, they don't always get along or understand each other. Still, their loyalty for one another is inspiring and exactly how it should be. It's a duo that readers wish they could join.

The author does a wonderful job at twisting worlds, fantasy and time travel into a smooth and...well, mostly logical tale. The reasonings behind the world and those in it are clever, and easy to follow. For all it's quirkiness, things do hold their own strange reasoning and aren't just grabbed out of nowhere. But with all of the twists, unexpected run-ins, and strange meetings, there's nothing normal about a lot of things. And it's great that way.

I see readers, who love tension, excitement and a bit of ridiculousness enjoying this one quite a bit, especially the younger end of the middle grade spectrum. There are illustrations peppered in during the tale, which are always a bonus in my opinion. While I do see kids ages 7 to 10 enjoying this one more than the slightly older end, I am wondering how many will be willing to plop into a thicker read like this one. But those who do are in for an exciting read with smiles, heart and edge-of-the-seat moments, too.

I received an ARC and enjoyed this fun adventure quite a bit. ( )