Life in the Short Stacks

Disney Hyperion publishing strikes again!  And, as always, they've struck gold. 

Serafina, though she calls herself a 'creature of the night,' shines brightly through this chilling, yet inspiring, tale.  Middle grade readers will delight in her spunk, tenacity, and loyalty. 

The 'scary parts' give you goosebumbs, but Beatty keeps readers coming back for more to see if Serafina can overcome the menacing terror of the Black Cloak.  

It's obvious that Beatty did his research through his accurately detailed descriptions of the estate from top to bottom. The Biltmore Estate and rugged Blue Ridge Mountains provide the perfect borderline-eerie backdrop for  this historical fiction-fantasy-adventure-mystery. 

Despite the lengthy genre description, this book truly knows what it wants to be.  And has succeeded, as is evident by it's numerous #1 standings on Amazon's Middle Grade Hot New Releases list. The fantasy is utterly original, the villain macabre, and the heroine deserves her title. 

Hope this is not the last we see of Beatty on Disney Hyperion!