Many characters' stories are tangled up into this hairy knot of a novel. Among the kids, there's Cady, an orphan and a Talented baker of cakes; Zane, a troublemaker with a Talent for spitting; Marigold, a responsible girl trying to find her Talent; and little Will, who is always getting lost. The cast of adults includes the grumpy, villainous Owner of the Lost Luggage Emporium; the sweet matchmaker Jennifer Mallory; an old lady known only as "V;" the mysterious Toby; the even more mysterious man in the gray suit; and Marigold, Zane and Will's mother Mrs. Asher. Phew! I said there were A LOT of characters.

A Tangle of Knots is about a world mostly similar to the real one, except people are either Talented or Fair. The Fair are basically normal people (like Muggles), the Talented possess one special ability (sometimes normal stuff like knitting, sometimes magical stuff like floating).

This book works like a bunch of little mysteries that can only be solved when the characters connections are untangled. What is the Owner looking for? What's so special about Mrs. Asher's hairpin? Will Marigold find her Talent, or is she just Fair? Can Miss Mallory match Cady with her perfect adopted family? Is having a Talent a gift or a curse?

This is definitely a jigsaw puzzle of a book that will keep readers turning the pages to find out how it all fits together. Will they be totally satisfied by the ending? Maybe, maybe not. I was a little disappointed that the man in the gray suit remained completely unexplained--was he God or what?. But as a consolation, the books includes lots of delicious-sounding cake recipes to try. Recommended for fans of [b:Savvy|2133795|Savvy (Savvy, #1)|Ingrid Law|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347849557s/2133795.jpg|2596626], quirky mysteries, magical realism, and (of course) cake.

As for its Newbery chances, I can't see this as a serious contender. Though the plot is interesting and twisty, the setting, themes and characters are given short shrift. This is more a crowd-pleaser than awe-inspiring. ( )

A Tangle of Knots is the story of a world where some people have "talents," while others don't. There is very little world building in this fantasy, which leaves the reader questioning how and why some people have talents while others don't. With no real protagonist in this story, readers are left trying to follow a large variety of characters with multiple problems and perspectives. Sometimes it is hard to tell who to root for in the story. Several themes are delivered, but there really isn't enough story to truly develop any of them. Even though this story is a mystery, the clues and suspects are difficult to follow. Overall, this was a frustratingly difficult book to understand and enjoy. Not recommended. ( )

Children's fiction (4th-6th or even as a readaloud to/with 1st-3rd); lightweight magic and a bit of sweet suspense. The publisher's description will tell you that Graff has expertly "woven together" these characters' stories in a delightful mix of adventure, mystery, and cake recipes, and that is for the most part an accurate description. I enjoyed this tale, reading it through in one sitting, and could easily see it as a children's/child-and-parent book club selection--though there are a good 9-10 characters to keep track of, the author has made it easy to do so, and I could really see kids taking to the concepts of having special Talents such as floating or whistling (or being one of the un-Talented Fair) and debating which cake recipe(s) they want to try. ( )

This book was a nice and light read. The sentiments were cute and the characters were likable.
Love the cover art. It is bright and cheery with a hint of mystery - it very much matches the tone of the book and the overall theme.

Would I recommend it? If you're looking for a quick feel good read that isn't too heavy or have a pre-teen who loves to read - this book would be a good fit.
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Delightful! Thanks to the publisher for the print ARC.
A wonderful demonstration of how fate leads you on a path that you may not understand but will help you to grow and understand life better, stretch you to your limits, and bring you happiness in the end. Filled with spunky characters and a sprinkle of magic, this book will be one that young middle readers will enjoy! A winner! ( )