Reviews

Not my favorite middle grade horror novel. It felt like there were too many moving pieces and this story was just a little too over the top. After their father vanishes; Rae's mother, moves her and her sister across the country to the weird town of Whispering Pines. Sinkholes crop up everywhere, goat run the town, the woods are unsafe, and there has been a rash of children who have been abducted and returned sans eyeballs. Rae is immediately suspicious - but wants to fit in and make friends She befriends the town outcast, Caden, who conveniently lives across the street. Caden's family is into the occult - although things have been bad for them ever since his older brother "disappeared." What is actually going on in this town. Too far fetched and weirdly plotted for me. I doubt I will continue the series.

twicebaked's review

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4.0

Really good for a middle grade horror novel. Not quite scary enough for older kids, but definitely something a middle school person would enjoy and be creeped out by.

My little sister got it from the library for me along with [b:City Spies|51341533|City Spies (City Spies, #1)|James Ponti|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1581854381l/51341533._SY75_.jpg|71431282][b:City Spies|51341533|City Spies (City Spies, #1)|James Ponti|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1581854381l/51341533._SY75_.jpg|71431282] so I'm planning on reading that one next. Gotta say, she's got good taste lol it was pretty eerie for a little bit there, and I'd love to read the next in the series.

Had to give it four stars because it ended with a few loose ends to draw you into the next book, and I'm not a huge fan of that. However, it's a relatively easy and quick read, the usual size of a middle grade book, and the usual plots with twists that you see coming. One thing I'm a fan of: you can tell what the mysterious shadow is, or that they're following a fake lead, etc. but the book doesn't drag it out like most - it usually has the kids discover that, or think that, in the next chapter or two. There's never "who in the world could that be??" that drags on the entire book and it's only at the very end that the kids realize who in the world that could be. The kids are pretty smart in this book, and they figure things out very quickly, which was great.

The plot twist was genuinely a nice surprise - there were a few ppl I thought it could be, and the person it turned out to be was someone I was only vaguely sus of. I love when I'm surprised and middle grade books don't usually do that, so overall a good book to read at night when there's a thunderstorm and you don't want Stephen King, but you'd like to get a lil creeped out.

shiloniz's review

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4.0

Very Stranger Things meets Wayward Pines meets X-files. I look forward to the next in the series!

alliereads's review

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3.0

Thank you for the e-arc from NetGalley for this novel. I was intrigued by the description of the novel. It is very much Stranger Things meets X-Files. I loved the friendship that evolved over the story. It was a weird wild ride.