Accolades and Reviews
Accolades:
The Secret of Grim Hill
· Winner, Ontario Library Association Silver Birch Award
· Shortlisted, British Columbia Young Readers’ Choice Red Cedar Award
· Shortlisted, Saskatchewan Young Readers’ Choice Awards – Diamond Willow Award
· Shortlisted, Hackmatack Children’s Choice Book Awards
· Selected, Canadian Toy Testing Council’s “Great Books of 2008”
· Featured on CTV News (Vancouver)
· Selected, Books for Everybody (distributed in The Globe and Mail)
The Secret Deepens:
· Shortlisted for Ontario Silver Birch 2010
· Selected, Canadian Children’s Book Centre’s “Best Books for Kids & Teens” (Starred selection)
The Family Secret: Canadian Children’s Book Centre’s “Best Books for Kids & Teens 2016
Reviews:
Book One: The Secret of Grim Hill:
“DeMeulemeester has scored big with her first book …” – Vancouver Sun, June 2008
“DeMeulemeester has researched her subjects, and she applies her research well. The last words hint that the adventure isn’t quite over yet, which is good news for readers. … solid tween appeal …” – The Globe and Mail, April 2007
“… a protagonist who is self-centred enough to be interesting, a precocious kid sister who deserves her own book and a plot that bubbles along at a magical pace … creepy enough to cast a spell over anyone who reads it! Rated E for Excellent.” – Resource Links, June 2007
“… enjoyable all the way through: Cat is an engaging heroine, and Grimoire has just the right amount of evil …” – January Magazine, Dec. 2007
“… just gently spooky enough to be fun without being overly scary. It’s a straightforward, fast-paced story and an easy read that’s perfect for tween reluctant readers.” – Wands and Worlds
“… an urban fantasy for a tween that isn’t graphic and still fun … DeMeulemeester does a great job introducing some Celtic legends in this story.” – Si, se puede! Yes we can
Book Two: The Secret Deepens
“Tying in Celtic mythology themes and fairyland magic, DeMeulemeester weaves an entertaining story that will appeal to fans of mysteries and fantasies.” – Booklist, November 2008
“… includes some information about the Celtic legends that some readers may want to investigate further. The characters in the story are well developed and the conflict between the girls’ and boys’ soccer teams is cleverly written. Reluctant readers will follow the storyline and enjoy the action and suspense …” – Library Media Connection, April 2009
“DeMeulemeester combines the old world charm of fairy tales,... with the modern-day world of soccer, homework and divorce to come up with a fast-paced story that keeps you guessing until the very end. . I would highly recommend this book and am anxious for the next installment of “Grim Hill” … Rated E for Excellent.” – Resource Links, December 2008
“Darker (and a little spookier) than its predecessor, Grim Hill’s plot is tightly knit … DeMeulemeester does an impressive job of weaving in sports, academics, an entertaining cast of characters, along with authentic Celtic fairy lore. Sookie’s character is deliciously eerie (she’s certainly not your typical tag-a-long little sister), and Cat’s character is truthful and feisty without being brazen … wholly refreshing … DeMeulemeester has seemingly hit her stride.” – CM: Canadian Review of Materials, September 2008
“… the second book in what is emerging as a winning, fun and spooky series.” – Montreal Review of Books, Fall 2008
“This series is just spooky enough to be fun without being too scary. The books are written in a straightforward, fast-paced style that is an easy read and perfect for tween reluctant readers or anyone interested in a fun adventure with magic!” – Canadian Children’s Book News, Fall 2008
“Cat gathers her friends, including Clive, to follow an exciting battle with Father Winter … The novel ends with “The End?” promising future adventures.” – Children’s Literature, 2008
“This book deserves a shout out … Fun and adventure-filled, this book would be great for any younger sibling, especially if they like soccer and magic.” – Em’s Bookshelf (book review blog), December 2008
“… a strong, spirited heroine who might make a good addition to a Harry Potter-reading girls’ library” – HollyBookNotes (book review blog), April 2009
Book Three: The Forgotten Secret
The “Grim Hill” series gets another satisfying go-round with this fantasy/mystery romp featuring the spunky Cat Peters … Another appealing mix of realism, whimsy, and legend.” – Booklist, May 2009
“The author interweaves mood, magic, and Celtic mythology with the typical preoccupations of adolescence, creating a worthwhile read for those who enjoy a suspenseful story built around engaging characters and an imaginative premise.” – Resource Links, April 2009
“… once it takes off, it careens along, getting spookier and spookier … – CM: Canadian Review of Materials, April 2009
“DeMeulemeester offers a realistic heroine in the form of the conflicted Cat, and a storyline that fantasy addicts will devour.” – Montreal Review of Books, April 2009
Book: Four The Family Secret
“… a must-read for all those who have read the earlier books, as well as all fans of fantasy and adventure fiction. This is an essential purchase for school libraries … Rated E for Excellent.” – Resource Links, April 2010
… the fascinating look at Sweden’s history and culture makes it an entertaining and worthwhile read.” – Kirkus, April 2010
“DeMeulemeester does a fabulous job at starting the story off at a walloping pace … Setting it in an alternate location such as Sweden is a welcome and exciting change, as DeMeulemeester further piques our interest with this intriguing, far-flung setting. Cat, once again, is a feisty, entertaining protagonist who is also highly empathetic as a typical girl of her age … Sookie is a delicious character as she dances the line between sweet young girl and potential villain. DeMeulemeester does a lovely job of portraying this complexity, as well as the tenuous (but loving) relationship between the two sisters … we simply want to devour more of this author’s highly readable and intriguing prose that she has a knack for creating and for which readers develop a further appetite. Next installment, please!” – CM: Canadian Review of Materials, March 2010
Book Five: Forest of Secrets “… Probably the greatest part of DeMeulemeester’s character development is the wonderful bond between Cat and Sookie; such bonds are rare in series fiction but Grim Hill stands out for this reason…This fifth book in the series will be enjoyed by readers of all ages, even adults too! I suspect the next book in the series won’t disappoint either!” Resource Links 2017
Book Six: “Carnival of Secrets will have the readers wishing the book never to end. Or maybe even another adventure down the road. With an amazing plot, strong characters, and LOTS of excitement, Carnival of Secrets will find readers from all ages devouring the pages of this final book. A great book for public library collections and especially school libraries too.” Resource Links 2017