Reviews

The Spook's Destiny by Joseph Delaney

sam_hartwig's review against another edition

4.0

As always an enjoyable and spooky read. I felt there wasn't as much humor in this book between old Gregory and Alice like in the other books but it was still enjoyable. I also felt that the spook was a little non existent in this book, it was more about Tom fighting his deepest darkest inner fears. I look forward to the next couple of books left in the series.

eleanorryd's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

sassblaster's review against another edition

adventurous dark lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

broet's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

starkva's review against another edition

3.0

The eighth book, and I'll admit this one worried me. The change in characterisation of one of the main players was very jarring - it felt like the author had just given up on the character and wanted to get rid of some storylines. This aside, this book was an odd - but partly enjoyable - one.

nordicowl's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

villianess's review against another edition

5.0

While Tom, Alice and John Gregory are in Ireland they are called upon to get rid of Jiggers which are spirits that are caught in the dark after being murdered or committing suicide and under a spell to torment the minds of those that come when they died. They are making money for their work and setting up a trap for the Fiend or Devil. They need the help of Grimalkin. Alice has to use dark magic to contact her through mirrors. Although this doesn't bode well with The Spook, it is necessary if Tom and Alice are going to be free of the Blood Jar, which had been cracked while dealing with a Jigger. Time is running out and the Fiend is getting closer and closer.
When Alice is captured by the Fiend, Tom is drawn into a trap that may well end his life as a Spooks Apprentice and start his life as a servant of the Devil.

beckyyreadss's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I wanted to read this series because I had the chance to meet the author, Joseph Delaney, when I was in high school and I said I would read the book, I brought the rest of the books, and I am determined to finish this series.  

The main character is a young man named Thomas Ward. He is the seventh son of a seventh son. He is the apprentice for the Spook. The Spook is someone who has been keeping the County safe from evil. But in this book, The Spook, Tom and Alice are travelling to Ireland as they are fleeing from the war in the County. There, Tom will have to tackle a group of evil mages who are desperate to rid their land of the Spook and his apprentice and to increase their own dark powers. His dangerous mission against the mages leads Tom to the Destiny Blade – a sword with a dark side, and a thirst for blood. Will this new weapon give him a fighting chance against the Fiend? If he’s to survive, he’ll need the training and only one person can help – Grimalkin, the witch assassin. The dark against the dark. 

This book has a strong storyline. You can see the shift of Tom doubting every decision to being confident within himself and his love for Alice. I enjoyed seeing The Grimalkin being a good person and training Tom in how to defeat the Fiend. Hopefully that is the last time we seen the Fiend as that storyline had been dragging on for a few books now and then this thing with Alice will hopefully be the main storyline for a while. The ending of this book keeps you intrigued for the next book of the series and hopefully The Grimalkin will be here to stay as an ally.  

I still miss Tom’s family, and this was the first time in two books that his family was mentioned and that was since the war got mentioned and he wanted to go home.  

I can’t wait for Tom and The Spook to be back in County, and we will see who will be after Tom next. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Kidnapping, and Animal cruelty

Moderate: Excrement, Body horror, and War

Minor: Suicide and Abandonment

cimorene1558's review against another edition

3.0

New and exciting nasty things to fight with (because they're in Ireland this time), as well as some old enemies come back to fight again. I'm not a huge fan of these books, but the quality is consistant and they're a quick read, so I keep going. I do wonder how many more are coming, however--I'm not sure my interest can be sustained through that many more books that are mostly exactly the same in terms of plot, but with new disasters and monsters and set in exciting new locations!

knitswithbeer's review against another edition

Spook's Destiny in UK.
Signed copy (daughter's) when we went to a reading at the Harris library.
Bit poorly and had an IT free day. Read this and 3 others in the weekend.
Not just for kids