Review originally posted HERE on The Book Addict's Guide 6/20/14: I don't read a ton of middle grade books, but when Alyssa, Amy and volunteered for the Kids Author Carnival this year at BEA and found out that it was being co-hosted by Claire LeGrand, we really wanted to read one of Claire's books before the event! We featured the book just the other week for On the Same Page and all of us really enjoyed it! 
 What really struck me about the book first of all was how visually appealing it was. I just loved being able to picture everything that was going on and how Victoria's life was slowly changing from the organized, structured ways that she had established and quickly spiraling out of control with the growing presence of Mrs. Cavendish, the owner of the orphanage in the neighborhood. It was slightly terrifying to witness how Victoria's world was changing around her and how she had to figure out not only how NOT to get sucked in but how to change it back. 
 I also really loved the friendships in this book. Victoria's only friend is Lawrence, an untidy boy who she doesn't even consider a friend but a project. Victoria only takes him on as her project to teach him how to look smarter and act proper. Naturally when Lawrence mysteriously disappears, Victoria commits to getting him back and starts to realize that maybe they really were closer friends than she even admitted to herself. I really liked how easily their friendship developed, even without Victoria knowing it. I just really love great friendships in books and it was refreshing reading a middle grade book where obviously friendships are more prominent since the characters are too young to develop romantic relationships. 
 I was definitely hooked the whole book. Claire LeGrand left the perfect amount of suspense and mystery to keep the readers invested and I was desperate to figure out what exactly the deal was with Mrs. Cavendish and said home for boys and girls. The crazy things that were going on would be absolutely terrifying if I were actually experiencing them as an adult so I can't even imagine how Victoria held it together! But she's also a person very much driven by logic and reasoning so she probably didn't really stand for all of the off-kilter events. It definitely had a Tim Burton sort of feel for me which really added to my reading experience!