Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Book 1 was recommended to me by someone who knew our family loved the Mr Lemoncello series. But, I stopped after 120 pages. While I found it very boring (the author tells instead of reveals and the characters are uninteresting and unsympathetic), what made me uncomfortable were the story devices that are red flags for adult behavior toward children, things predators use to groom their intended victims, and that manipulative people use to control or abuse others. Examples: the adults in charge separated the children from their parents/caregivers, they refused to allow the children to contact anyone, they were cagey/deceptive, they required the children to be secretive, they told the kids they were especially chosen, that only they were special or smart enough to understand/do what the adult wanted, that they would be in danger and only that adult could help them. These are not behaviors I want my children thinking are acceptable or intriguing.