Illustrated by Beatriz Castro
Bella Bright and the Ghost Game is a deliciously dark and spooky delight that completely captured me, and is one that I cannot recommend highly enough to young fans of horror who are guaranteed just the right amount of shivers and frights as they join Bella and her friends in Darkling Manor.
Eleven-year-old Bella Bright has moved into Darkling Manor – a dilapidated, dust-ridden house – with her Mum who renovates old properties before moving on to her next project. This means yet another school for Bella, and it is not long before she draws the attention of two mean girls, Skylar and Regan. They invite themselves to a Halloween sleepover at Darkling Manor, and Bella can’t think of a reason to refuse them, especially as her Mum will be away. Luckily, she has made a new friend, Lex, who offers to come along too.
When the girls arrive for the sleepover, Skylar suggests a game of hide and seek, but someone else wants to play too, and she is playing a terrifying game. Will the 150-year-old ghost of a young girl trap the friends in the house, or can they solve her cryptic clues and escape before time runs out? What will it take to win this perilous game?
This is the most fantastically spine-tingling, spooky treat that kept me on the edge of my seat and desperately turning pages to discover the house’s secrets. The sense of foreboding and tension builds superbly – whispers, unexpected noises, locked doors and something else that I won’t mention but, oh my goodness, shivers definitely raced down my spine – every time! The eerie, scary atmosphere in the house is portrayed to perfection, and there were times I genuinely gasped aloud at unexpected happenings and sights.
Bella is a wonderfully sympathetic young girl who has found it difficult to make friends as she has had to move schools so many times due to her mother’s job. She has a close relationship with her mother, and enjoys helping her with her renovations, but there is a definite sense that she would like to settle and find a place to call home. I love that she quickly finds friendship with Lex, and really enjoyed their shared sense of humour. I enjoyed the changing dynamics in the girls’ relationships as the terrifying situation they find themselves in worsens.
The full-and-partial-page illustrations throughout are stunning and provide a wonderful complement to both the friendships and spookiness of this adventure.
A fantastic spooky season ghostly adventure which is sure to delight young readers of 9+, and why not enjoy snuggled up with some gingerdead men biscuits?
Thank you to Hachette for inviting me to be part of the Blog Tour and for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest review.
You can check out some wonderful resources at: https://www.hachetteschools.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Bella-Bright-and-the-Ghost-Game-Activity-Resources.pdf.
Please do check out the other stops on the Blog Tour:
Book Craic 