Scan barcode
cindyjac's review against another edition
4.0
This was definitely a page turner; just when you think it has hit the turn around point it kicks it up a notch. Saying much about the plot or characters would give too much away, but let's just say the monster is about as evil as they come and stops at nothing to get what it wants. The only character that I couldn't understand was the grandmother. She clearly knew what was going on; why didn't she step in? And Mason - whoa! This is a book I will recommend to my students.
prettyamy1's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
4.0
I was pleasantly surprised by this book! It is a YA, I believe, so it is for a younger crowd. However, it was definitely creepy and had some scary elements to it! Great story and characters. Also surprised by the ending.
shanyreader's review against another edition
3.0
How could you do this to me! How on earth could he do this to me TT.TT
I've been a fan of Dan Poblocki since last year, when I picked up The Ghost of Graylock. It may have been a middle school book, but the scares were on POINT!
So, I've recently went on a spree and read all of his other books too, and I left this one for last. It looked promisingly terrifying. And well, not to say that it wasn't scary--it was indeed very very creepy, but my problem with it was that
Poblocki has always done this in his novels--add a little moral that is appropriate for middle schoolers. But this book really hit that heavily. Part of the horror were the friends themselves and the viciousness that is middle school. However...I am now in college. Reliving middle school was not what I signed up to do. I wanted a cute little scary adventure...and this was just...it was a dark book. I think the darkest one I've read by him so far--and it's mostly because the monsters are all human in one way or another.
So overall, it wasn't a terrible book--it kept me reading until the end of course--but while it is dark and mature at points, I think that middle schoolers would benefit from reading it, just for the moral lesson itself. Not my favorite Poclocki book, but of course, I'm still ready for whatever he's got coming out next! Woo!
I've been a fan of Dan Poblocki since last year, when I picked up The Ghost of Graylock. It may have been a middle school book, but the scares were on POINT!
So, I've recently went on a spree and read all of his other books too, and I left this one for last. It looked promisingly terrifying. And well, not to say that it wasn't scary--it was indeed very very creepy, but my problem with it was that
Spoiler
People DIE. Like, teenagers, DIE. I'm okay with a few adults here and there, but Gabe and David being killed was very painful for me to read. And that's why there's one less star on this rating. I enjoy my happy endings, and I understand that Poblocki is unpredictable in who he will or won't kill off--but a main character, at the very end of the book, it really broke my heart. It didn't feel like they had WON. They had to sacrifice too much to get to that point. Miri won't ever know her brother, Seth and the girl will start dating, and Gabe will just be stuck as a ghost in the shadows. How is that even close to fair?Poblocki has always done this in his novels--add a little moral that is appropriate for middle schoolers. But this book really hit that heavily. Part of the horror were the friends themselves and the viciousness that is middle school. However...I am now in college. Reliving middle school was not what I signed up to do. I wanted a cute little scary adventure...and this was just...it was a dark book. I think the darkest one I've read by him so far--and it's mostly because the monsters are all human in one way or another.
So overall, it wasn't a terrible book--it kept me reading until the end of course--but while it is dark and mature at points, I think that middle schoolers would benefit from reading it, just for the moral lesson itself. Not my favorite Poclocki book, but of course, I'm still ready for whatever he's got coming out next! Woo!
sandylovesbooks's review against another edition
5.0
Once again Dan Poblocki has written a great story. If you liked The Ghost of Graylock then you will absolutely love this book. Gabe is the best main character and poor Seth, I'm glad the two became friends. Most of us feel like Seth at sometime in our lives. I was broken-hearted by the end of the book but it is still an excellent one. Thank you Dan Poblocki, please keep writing these books.
kaidensly's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-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
3.5
ahoke1990's review against another edition
3.0
kinda sad at the end.i thought it would end happier than that.
jbojkov's review against another edition
3.0
Darker than I expected. Maybe a good choice for reluctant readers. Fairly fast-moving plot and short chapters. Somewhat scary, but not too much.
allyups's review against another edition
4.0
A different type of story with an ending that makes you want to hurt someone. I liked this book because it's one of those books that you really can't guess the ending. I found that refreshing because with most books, I can usually tell the endings.