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leontyna's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
It was a fun story but I got tired of it after a while.
maggieparedesauthor's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book is childhood nostalgia, wrapped up into one package. It reinforces the beautiful idea of never growing up and enjoying things that children, even though you may be older than what is considered a kid’s age. I would have loved this book if I read it when I was a kid!
roxalyn's review against another edition
5.0
This YA (kids?) book was way better than it had any right to be.
dsylexa's review against another edition
5.0
This book was an absolute delight and the perfect Halloween read! It captures the enchantment of Halloween and reminds us of the magic of this holiday, where we wish it could last forever. The story touches on relatable issues for kids, such as the challenges of becoming a teenager, facing high school, and experiencing new, sometimes scary feelings for someone. It highlights the desire to keep things the same and uncomplicated, even though life inevitably changes and becomes more complex. These life lessons are cleverly woven into a fantastic Halloween tale, providing valuable insights that young readers might not even realize they're absorbing as they enjoy the story.
In essence, it's an enjoyable coming-of-age narrative infused with that distinct and wonderfully weird flavor reminiscent of Welcome to Night Vale. The audiobook is narrated by Kevin R. Free aka Kevin, the host of the Desert Bluffs' community radio show. He uses the same voice for one of the characters and it is delightful imagining Kevin in this world.
In essence, it's an enjoyable coming-of-age narrative infused with that distinct and wonderfully weird flavor reminiscent of Welcome to Night Vale. The audiobook is narrated by Kevin R. Free aka Kevin, the host of the Desert Bluffs' community radio show. He uses the same voice for one of the characters and it is delightful imagining Kevin in this world.
booknerd7820's review against another edition
3.0
Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins for a digital copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
As a huge fan of Joseph Fink and the mother of a 6th Grader, I was thrilled to read his first middle grade book for children.
Esther Gold is a 13 year old who loves Halloween. On her *possibly*last year trick or treating, strange things are afoot in her neighborhood. The adults all fall asleep, little siblings go missing, and two strange ice cream trucks are roaming the streets with questionable drivers, It is up to Esther, her best friend, her middle school bully, and a local dentist to figure out what is going on and to save the day.
This book was definitely enjoyable and well written, although I was slightly disappointed that it didn’t have the same delightful weirdness that I had grown to love in his other works. Fans of Neil Gaiman and Catherynne Valente will certainly devour this book and I definitely recommend it for any kids who love Halloween as much as Esther.
As a huge fan of Joseph Fink and the mother of a 6th Grader, I was thrilled to read his first middle grade book for children.
Esther Gold is a 13 year old who loves Halloween. On her *possibly*last year trick or treating, strange things are afoot in her neighborhood. The adults all fall asleep, little siblings go missing, and two strange ice cream trucks are roaming the streets with questionable drivers, It is up to Esther, her best friend, her middle school bully, and a local dentist to figure out what is going on and to save the day.
This book was definitely enjoyable and well written, although I was slightly disappointed that it didn’t have the same delightful weirdness that I had grown to love in his other works. Fans of Neil Gaiman and Catherynne Valente will certainly devour this book and I definitely recommend it for any kids who love Halloween as much as Esther.
cseanread's review against another edition
3.0
This is a cute middle-grade/young YA book about coming to terms with growing up, moving forward, and the changes that involves. It's a great book for tweens, as it covers a lot of the difficult experiences that this age range faces -- still being young and wanting to hold onto aspect of childhood, but also recognizing that aging is part of life, and with it comes letting go of the past.
The writing is stellar, with engaging imagery and spooky villains. I enjoyed just how spooky some of the scenes could get -- very much in the vein of Gaiman's Coraline.
However, I did feel the pacing was a bit off at times, and some of the narrative points got repeated more than necessary (at least for an adult reader -- perhaps that's something important for younger readers?).
Either way, I would recommend this book to younger readers who enjoy a little spookiness in their stories. Spooky factor is about on par with Goosebumps (but there are some sharp objects thrown at characters -- no one gets hurt -- so keep that in mind).
The writing is stellar, with engaging imagery and spooky villains. I enjoyed just how spooky some of the scenes could get -- very much in the vein of Gaiman's Coraline.
However, I did feel the pacing was a bit off at times, and some of the narrative points got repeated more than necessary (at least for an adult reader -- perhaps that's something important for younger readers?).
Either way, I would recommend this book to younger readers who enjoy a little spookiness in their stories. Spooky factor is about on par with Goosebumps (but there are some sharp objects thrown at characters -- no one gets hurt -- so keep that in mind).
antlerqueen's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0