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3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
"Blood opens and blood closes. A sacrifice given and taken."
I thought I was going to find a ghost story, but I found a lot more than that. Not only is there a spirit realm and extraterrestrial life, but there is also The Other Place. One dimension under ours. Full of Devourers, the Ravenous, the Unseeing, waiting for a portal to pass and feed on our fears. I loved the character of Caden and his family, generations of generations practicing exorcisms, calling in spirits, casting spells. It was fascinating! There were so many creatures without feeling that they were forced into history, and even the energy company, it was all quite coherent.
The game of hide and seek and the children without eyes was certainly a good start. Chilling! A couple of disappearances a year doesn't seem strange in a small town where there are bottomless sinkholes and stone walls move in a strange pattern. Something that I loved was that the protagonists were 12 years old and they did feel that way. Caden mentioned that he had no idea how to save someone or fight a supernatural creature, and I appreciated that. Sometimes it's really weird when young characters make decisions and speak like adults, it makes no sense that they always know what to do. But that didn't happen here.
Apparently, we are going for a second book because there's still a lot of history to discover about Rae's father and Aiden's unexpected appearance. And please, I want more of the Book of Shadows.
Favorite character: Caden.
I thought I was going to find a ghost story, but I found a lot more than that. Not only is there a spirit realm and extraterrestrial life, but there is also The Other Place. One dimension under ours. Full of Devourers, the Ravenous, the Unseeing, waiting for a portal to pass and feed on our fears. I loved the character of Caden and his family, generations of generations practicing exorcisms, calling in spirits, casting spells. It was fascinating! There were so many creatures without feeling that they were forced into history, and even the energy company, it was all quite coherent.
The game of hide and seek and the children without eyes was certainly a good start. Chilling! A couple of disappearances a year doesn't seem strange in a small town where there are bottomless sinkholes and stone walls move in a strange pattern. Something that I loved was that the protagonists were 12 years old and they did feel that way. Caden mentioned that he had no idea how to save someone or fight a supernatural creature, and I appreciated that. Sometimes it's really weird when young characters make decisions and speak like adults, it makes no sense that they always know what to do. But that didn't happen here.
Apparently, we are going for a second book because there's still a lot of history to discover about Rae's father and Aiden's unexpected appearance. And please, I want more of the Book of Shadows.
Favorite character: Caden.
Perfectly creepy. The eeriest of settings. I would have followed these teenagers anywhere. This is middle grade at its best. I can’t wait to read the sequel.
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
i usually hate blurbs that are "licensed property meets licensed property," but stranger things meets the x-files (for kids) is pretty spot on
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
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.
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.
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.
Fantastic tween horror book! Thoroughly enjoyed this book and am looking forward to a sequel.