Review: Shiver Point: It Came From the Woods by Gabriel Dylan

Shiver Point:  It Came from the Woods is the first book in a deliciously dark and thrilling new sci-fi mystery series, guaranteed to send shivers of fright and delight down the spines of young fans of horror. 

Alex has recently moved to Shiver Point, the most boring small town, where nothing exciting ever happens.  How wrong could he be?  One night, whilst waiting for his mum to return from her shift at the hospital, Alex sees something bright falling from the sky into Howlmoor Forest.  Hoping that it is a meteorite, which could be a ticket back to his old home and friends, he skateboards through town towards the forest.

The forest proves almost too creepy for him but, just as he is about to head home, he sees a green light in a clearing – but he is not alone! A group of his classmates from Point Academy have also been drawn by the light and are staring at the meteorite pieces, and some strange black slime on the ground.  Their conversation is disturbed by a terrifying shriek as a strange, dark shadow moves through the trees towards them.  The five children run, but is it already too late?  Has something sinister with evil intent arrived with the meteorite?

And so begins an action-packed, scary and tense adventure as the children realise that their town is in terrible danger.  Slime trails appear, break-ins take place, and people begin acting strangely.  The group find themselves in a race to save the town from a terrifying creature, but can they defeat the invader before it destroys their home and everyone in it?

Oh my goodness!  What a brilliantly spine-tingling delight!  I don’t want to give away spoilers, but I loved the invasive feel as the visitor begins its mission, the jump frights and the use of sights and sounds to build tension.  There are some genuinely scary moments, definite grossness and quick-witted humour as well as some unexpected twists and revelations which will definitely appeal to young readers – as well as this older reader who is not quite ready for adult horror yet!

I really liked all of the Shiver Squad, who are a diverse group, and felt that the building of their friendship was really genuine as they are brought together by a shared experience, a desire to save their town, and a need for friendship – whether they know it or not!  I liked how different interests helped them in their battle with the creature from Oli’s love of horror and gaming to Riley’s electronics and engineering expertise.  The children show real courage in overcoming their fears, not only of the creature, but also in opening themselves up to friendship.  They are by no means perfect, but I think this makes them more authentic and relatable to readers, who will enjoy getting to know them as they get to understand and trust each other. 

This is an exhilarating, creepy mystery adventure brimming with frights, screams, humour and friendship, perfect for readers of 9+. 

Thank you to the Publisher, Piccadilly Press, for providing me with a copy prior to publication.  My review is my honest opinion of Shiver Point.