Serafina and the Black Cloak Review

I read this book a few days ago and I can't stop thinking about it! I loved every single second of it.

Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty is a historical fiction fantasy book about Serafina, a young girl who lives with her father in the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC. Well, he father is one of the workers and they live in the basement of the estate. Except for her father and a couple of the other low-ranking workers, no one knows that Serafina exists, and she wonders why her father has to keep her a secret. So she spends her days catching rats, reading books, and a multitude of other things while keeping out of site of the Vanderbilt family and their elite circle. 

But one day Serafina sees a man in a magical black cloak magically swallow up a girl named Clara Brahms, who was visiting the estate with her mother. Eventually more kids of the rich families who visit the Vanderbilts go missing, and as Serafina tries to investigate, she ends up meeting and befriending Braeden Vanderbilt, the nephew of Cornelius Vanderbilt, the owner of the Biltmore. Together, she and Braeden try to solve the mystery of who is the man in the black cloak and why is he swallowing up all kinds of people. Serafina also discovers some mind-blowing things about herself, too.

This was a very magical and atmospheric book that gave me all the feels. There are also so many twists you will not see coming if you read it. I loved this book so much! I want to go visit the Biltmore Estate now. I also want to read the rest of this series and anything else the author writes. He's a new favorite author of mine. 

I gave it 5 out of 5 stars. You saw that coming.

Yes, that is a Webkin of a German Shepherd. Any 2000s kids here remember playing on the  Webkinz website as a kid? I sure did! I chose my German Shephard Webkin because the character Braeden has a dog, but it's a Doberman. I did not have a Doberman plushie, but a German Shephard is close enough. 😁 

What's your favorite historical fantasy book (if you've read any?)