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sreddous's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
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? It's complicated
5.0
A fun, creepy, well-paced, well-built-up horror novel!
I liked the entire book, but I actually gasped out loud during the last 20% where everything started to come together. There are plenty of cool hints and strategies established early that pay off later, so the worldbuilding feels thorough even while the characters are still learning.
This book takes its readers seriously, and I like that in books aimed at younger readers. The vocabulary is pretty advanced, but I was a (and know plenty of!) middle-schooler who loved being challenged by well-written, complex sentences and "big words". So I think it's still age-appropriate while also being a good challenge in that way.
I think sometimes, if there's anything I wish was tweaked just a little, sometimes the dialogue feels a little bit "making sure the audience is caught up" and less "how people would naturally talk". But this is pretty nitpicky. Most of the time good appropriate weight is given to characters sorting through emotions and connecting as friends, so it's not like it's ever stilted or anything.
Also: the art in this book is FANTASTIC. Holy cow, what a treat. The pictures are gross and scary and detailed and complex in all the best ways. I would have LOVED seeing that kind of stuff in my books when I was in middle school and it absolutely would have inspired me to draw my own creepy stuff.
Good stuff! Definitely recommend for readers who like creepy, more-challenging things, but I myself was absolutely, 100%, that 8th-grader.
I liked the entire book, but I actually gasped out loud during the last 20% where everything started to come together. There are plenty of cool hints and strategies established early that pay off later, so the worldbuilding feels thorough even while the characters are still learning.
This book takes its readers seriously, and I like that in books aimed at younger readers. The vocabulary is pretty advanced, but I was a (and know plenty of!) middle-schooler who loved being challenged by well-written, complex sentences and "big words". So I think it's still age-appropriate while also being a good challenge in that way.
I think sometimes, if there's anything I wish was tweaked just a little, sometimes the dialogue feels a little bit "making sure the audience is caught up" and less "how people would naturally talk". But this is pretty nitpicky. Most of the time good appropriate weight is given to characters sorting through emotions and connecting as friends, so it's not like it's ever stilted or anything.
Also: the art in this book is FANTASTIC. Holy cow, what a treat. The pictures are gross and scary and detailed and complex in all the best ways. I would have LOVED seeing that kind of stuff in my books when I was in middle school and it absolutely would have inspired me to draw my own creepy stuff.
Good stuff! Definitely recommend for readers who like creepy, more-challenging things, but I myself was absolutely, 100%, that 8th-grader.
cboddie's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
3.0
5th-7th
read_to_write's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
justgraceanne's review
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I need the next book ASAP!
This middle-grade book has everything you could want in a fast-paced adventure / thriller:
- a New England town famous for monster-sightings
- three kids learning about an unseen world
- monster-hunting
- neurodivergent main character
- unlikely friendships
- magical relics
I can't wait to recommend this to kids who come into the library!
This middle-grade book has everything you could want in a fast-paced adventure / thriller:
- a New England town famous for monster-sightings
- three kids learning about an unseen world
- monster-hunting
- neurodivergent main character
- unlikely friendships
- magical relics
I can't wait to recommend this to kids who come into the library!
skimreads's review
3.0
Solidly spooky and super action packed. Fell short on two things:
1. The ending felt super rushed and abrupt. I was surprised to find I only had about 15 pages left at a really crucial point in the climax. I wish some of the reveal at the end had been tied into the actual story, rather than summarized in the epilogue.
2. The climate change commentary was flimsy and clunkily (not a real word - I’m making it one) overt in the first chapter, never to resurface again in the rest of the book. The authors had a beautiful letter to the reader that accompanied the ARC, but had I not known their intentions, this theme would have come across as nonexistent or too randomly mentioned.
I loved the horror, I was very invested and hooked throughout, and would definitely recommend it for anyone looking for spooky magic, secret societies, and/or the importance and power of friendship.
1. The ending felt super rushed and abrupt. I was surprised to find I only had about 15 pages left at a really crucial point in the climax. I wish some of the reveal at the end had been tied into the actual story, rather than summarized in the epilogue.
2. The climate change commentary was flimsy and clunkily (not a real word - I’m making it one) overt in the first chapter, never to resurface again in the rest of the book. The authors had a beautiful letter to the reader that accompanied the ARC, but had I not known their intentions, this theme would have come across as nonexistent or too randomly mentioned.
I loved the horror, I was very invested and hooked throughout, and would definitely recommend it for anyone looking for spooky magic, secret societies, and/or the importance and power of friendship.
ivylee's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
4.0
I picked up an advanced readers copy of this book yesterday afternoon and read the whole thing in one sitting today. Fast paced and a page turner, a spectacularly spooky book that expertly builds tension when needed, while sprinkling in some evocative and poetic reflections between spooks. For fans of The SCP Foundation, the Magnus Archives, and good old fashioned Goosebumps. An excellent set up for a series, I already can’t wait for the next book. Or for the final copy of this one, as my copy doesn’t have finished art!
Content Warnings
Minor: Bullying and Homophobia
Nothing bad happens to the dog
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