Cécile

Great book! I read it just for an easy read, so I was surprised by how much depth there is. Punches aren't pulled at all (four characters die! One almost does!) while keeping things perfectly appropriate for a young reader. The main message is really that things aren't what they appear to be - everyone has secrets, people you think are mean can be reasonable if given the chance.
I wish they'd made a sequel! I would love to read more adventures about Cecile. It's a shame the company canceled this line.
Despite being an adult and this book being aimed more for 12 year olds, I really enjoyed it. It's quite a quick read (partly due to the font choice and size of the pages), and it doesn't feel dumbed down just because it's for pre-teens. It doesn't get graphic or inappropriate, but the overall message is pretty pleasantly mature (as I said, “things aren't always what they seem”). Definitely recommend.

The accompanying doll is pretty scary, though. I mean the dress for the doll is gorgeous, but the doll's face creeped me out. That doesn't affect my star rating, though.