I loved this book, it was very imaginative. Very different, I thought it would be a great kids/preteens book, it was an easy and fun read. The story really grasps the attention of the reader, I love how the story unfolds and how I was not able to put it down, its one of those books who's characters you miss the second you finish the book. The reason I say this is a great book for kids-preteens is because the story line is so unique that it will grasp their attention right away.

This book was alright. The story line was unique. The main character doesn't really think things through. It's one of those situations where you wish the characters had better communication with eachother and things would have worked out better. It bothered me that Tate was not involved in the quest as she was an obvious basass throughout the whole book. I also thought mackies moms character could have been more developed. The book started off strong but the ending just didn't do it for me. Maybe worth the read. If this book was made into a movie it would have Tim burton written all over it.

The best way to read this book is cuddle up with your dog, have a cup of coffee in your had and read it at night!

Brenna Yovanoff’s The Replacement is about a kid who isn’t normal. Oh sure Mackie has friends at school, but he also has severe reactions to the sight of blood and reacts badly to stainless steel and he has to stay out in unconsecrated ground when his father preaches at their local church. Mackie tries to keep a low low profile because his parents have always taught him about what awaits those who are different in the town of Gentry. But when Tate’s sister dies, Tate forces Mackie to quit not looking at the things that make him and the whole town weird.

I liked this book better than Holly Black’s Tithe which is an obvious comparison. It was interesting to read a faerie book where the fae person was a guy, and his relationships with both his male friends and the girls in the book were excellent and believable. There was angst but it wasn’t overpowering, ominousness that went somewhere. The only thing that felt a bit weird to me was the dropping of the musical subplot. It fed into the larger issues Mackie was going through but I’d hoped it would tie in a bit more. But that’s just quibbling. This is great, creepy YA stuff (probably a little fluffy for adult readers who want something dark about stolen children though).

I couldn't put it down. A mesmerizing story

This novel grips you from its opening paragraph and from there a daunting tale unfolds. Playing on the old folk tales of changelings, fairy babes that are left in cribs while human babies are spirited away, “The Replacement” gives this legend a darker and more fearful turn.

The fictional world of Gentry calls to mind Joss Whedon’s Sunnydale, Lakeside in Neil Gaiman’s “American Gods” or any of Stephen King’s novels set in twisted versions of Bangor, Maine. The seeming serenity of the town requires the terrified compliance of its denizens and a willful blindness as to what’s truly happening beneath the surface.

The underworld of Mayhem isn’t an altered version of the town above but a world unto itself and Ms. Yovanoff’s prose takes flight as she limns these nightmare palaces, the creatures that occupy them and the sisters who rule them. There is poetry in her lines as she writes about gleeful dead girls, a sadistic masochist and the strange love-hate relationship these folks have with the townspeople who try desperately to appease the fey and stay out of their grip.

The human characters are themselves a motley crew, not all of them likeable or even understandable. They teeter on a knife edge between scared denial and harsh reality and risk toppling over when they decide to stand up and reclaim one of their own. When matters take a dire turn, it’s not at all certain that any of them will survive a fight where they don’t know the rules or wield the proper weapons.

This novel chills, terrifies and has you holding your breath. It’s not light reading matter and several times you might have to fight to keep from putting it down as it describes all the horror that comes after death—the decrepitude, the stench, the inescapable rot. Yet it also aches with the connections we form almost in spite of ourselves and how love can redeem even those who think themselves unlovable. There is joy and grief here; Ms. Yovanoff’s writing slowly brings us to the realization that both are needed to complete life.

I think the cover is more interesting than the story, but Mackie was a really strong character.

Mackie is a bit moody for my taste as a protagonist (I prefer mine cocky and overconfident) but I loved the idea of the story focusing on a "replacement" child. If you loved Labyrinth you will love this book!

An interesting story that ties in to so many different mythologies. The characters were interesting and believable with great characteristics and motivations. A great read.

I enjoyed this book, particularly in the fast-paced portions. I felt very connected to Mackie and his plight of being different... very different. He was aware of his circumstances and he allowed that to stop him from doing "normal" things. The plot twists and turns into an interesting mix of fantasy and coming of age. It was a fun read and it would be perfect for teens today.