Theodora Hendrix and the Snare of the Shadowmongers (Book 3)

What a fun conclusion to one of my new favorite middle grade series! Thedora Hendrix is a story that follows the life of a human girl raised by monsters and does her best to protect her secret family from discovery. The last installment features a trip to the Big Apple (New York City) that quickly dissolves into chaos when threats from the Shadowmongers and an old foe come to destroy the Monstrous League of Monsters (MLM). Theodora and friends must race against time to stop evil before it’s too late.

Like with the previous books in the series we see the return of memorable characters such as the boney butler Helter Skelter and Sherman, Thedora’s monocle-eyed spider Sherman, with some interesting additions to the cast as well. Kopy does another wonderful job embraces the silly side of spooky things that go bump in the night alongside the illustrations done by Chris Jevons and Lisa Hunt. It makes the story engaging to interact with but also sparks the readers’ imagination.

Being able to put on the amateur sleuth hat to solve the mystery only will add to the suspense elements for the reader. There are plenty of twists and turns that will keep you from wanting to put down the book at all. Most of all, I appreciate how whimsical this series is and how it invites the reader to escape and to go on an adventure. Theodora’s journeys are never dull and with each novel the reader becomes more connected with her and her monster family.

The surprising reveals are sure to keep young readers on their feet in this final novel, and I hope we possibly get to see the MLM in another story in the future.

Theodora Hendrix And The Snare of the Shadowmongers is the last book in the trilogy. The stakes have never been higher for Theodora and her friend, Dexter. Hilda is back with monstrously terrible creatures called Shadowmongers, that take the magic out of monsters and give eternal nightmares to humans. Ms. Frumple is extra awful with rigid consequences, and Theodora is firmly in her sights. On the bright side, we finally learn who Theodora’s parents are and why they left her 10 yrs. ago in a gravesite of a zombie.
The illustrations are engaging and help break up the text for reluctant readers. The plot moves quickly, and there is plenty of mounting excitement. Secrets are revealed that help shape the ongoing purpose for the MLM and would give the series room to continue if the author ever chose to revisit these characters. This is a lighthearted series, so I was surprised in this not-so-scary series that it contained a curse word. Overall, this book is action-packed. Loose ends are tied up satisfyingly, and there is room for more stories if the author wants to continue.