Written by Carolyn Ward 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.
I’m currently listening to the audiobook of Read, Scream, Repeat and, oh my goodness, what a brilliantly scary selection of stories. I’m definitely going to have to get a copy for my class library as I know it will be really popular.
I finished listening to the audiobook of Maggie Blue and the White Crow which was just incredible – and there absolutely has to be another book in this series which I really hope is coming soon! I also finished reading the gorgeous Sky and have posted my review. Bella Bright and the Ghost Game is a perfect spooky adventure for this time of year – a great haunted house story. I will be posting my review as part of the Blog Tour over the weekend. Finally, I read The Kingdom of Broken Magic which was very strange/surreal – in a really good way! I will be posting my review shortly.
I’m hoping to read The Midnight Switch, another spooky adventure next.
Written by Holly Webb Cover art by Britta Teckentrup Illustrated by Jo Anne Davies Published by Little Tiger
Sky is a magical, wintry timeslip adventure that is utterly captivating, a story of friendship and determination as two brave young girls fight to save a nest of baby owls.
During the Christmas holidays, Lara is visiting her grandparents in their cottage in the Scottish Highlands. Her grandad is excited to share his sighting of a rare white snowy owl with her. Lara is not particularly interested, until she spots the beautiful bird, Sky, and quickly becomes fascinated by her. The following day, Lara heads into the woods by herself for a walk and sees Sky who seems to want her to follow.
When she does, Lara finds herself walking through the trees and back in time where she meets a young girl, Amelia, who is living in the Big House with her uncle and cousins. During her visits, the two girls become firm friends, and enjoy their outings to visit a nest of snowy owls and watch them hatch and grow. But when her cruel cousin threatens the safety of the baby owls and their parents, Lara and Amelia must work together to save these beautiful birds.
This is a wonderfully warm and exciting adventure which is just perfect for the wintry months. There is something so magical about timeslip adventures as present and past come together and, in this one, I loved discovering the reason Sky brings Lara back through time. The baby owls are just adorable with fierce and protective parents who need a little help to keep their owlets safe from a human threat.
Lara is an incredibly likeable young girl. She has had a lot to deal with and is missing her best friend, but is soon mesmerised by Sky and transported into the most amazing adventure. She proves herself a fantastic friend to both Lara and the owls, determined to protect them and stand up to a cruel bully so that he gets his comeuppance.
The full-and-partial-page illustrations throughout are stunning, beautifully detailed and expressive, and exuding so much warmth.
This is magical, mesmerising adventure, perfect for young readers of 7+ to enjoy on a cold evening – preferably with marshmallow-topped hot chocolate.
Thank you to Little Tiger for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Written and illustrated by Helen Cooper Published by Faber Children’s Books
The Taming of the Cat is a truly magical, heart-warming story within a story that completely mesmerised me as I was drawn into both stories and captivated by the many stunning illustrations.
Brie is not like other mice: he doesn’t like cheese and prefers to use the labels to inspire his stories rather than tell jokes and play games. Ostracised by the other mice in his colony, he is left with no friends when the swallows, who he shares his tales with, migrate. The cruelty of the other mice sees him seeking shelter from the cold in a dangerous place – at the side of the fridge. Why so dangerous? Well, there’s Gorgonzola, the cat who likes nothing better than playing with his food before eating it – and his favourite food is – mice! Brie wakes from his exhausted sleep only to find himself trapped in Gorgonzola’s paws.
When Brie, desperate to save himself, shares that he is a storyteller, the bored Gorgonzola asks for one in return for not eating him – yet! And so, the young mouse shares an enchanting, exciting fairytale, a tale with a courageous princess, a terrible curse, a dragon and a cat called Silk that can grow to the size of a panther. But is it a story that will be exciting enough to capture Gorgonzola’s attention, and even stop his intention to devour Brie?
I absolutely loved this mesmerising story, weaving beautifully between Brie’s fairytale and his own tale of survival. I love how Brie’s story becomes a shared experience between captive and captor with Gorgonzola becoming caught up in the magic of the storytelling, eager to find out more and share his thoughts. I really enjoyed the slowly emerging friendship between mouse and cat, but will it be enough to save Brie from his fate? Or could the danger come from elsewhere?
Brie is absolutely adorable, and my heart went out to him as he is rejected by his colony for being different, with only a pretence of acceptance when they can use him to get something they want. He is trapped in a place that does not feel like home, but is determined to be himself, to continue to create magical stories, and to share these even when this means facing his greatest fear. I also really liked Gorgonzola who fights against his natural instincts in order to enjoy the magic of a great story, but can two natural enemies ever become friends?
This is a gorgeous hardback edition with a stunning cover with silver foiling. The many internal full-and-partial-page illustrations, together with illustrated chapter headings, are simply stunning and capture the magical quality of this special book perfectly. This would be a wonderful and, I have no doubt, treasured Christmas gift for younger readers.
An utterly captivating story within a story … a tale of facing fears, standing up to others and being true to yourself – sheer magic!
Thank you to Faber Children’s Books for sending me a copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
I’m currently reading Sky which is a gorgeous timeslip story for younger readers. I’ve also just started reading Orla and the Magpie’s Kiss which will be perfect for this time of year. I’m listening to the audiobook of Maggie Crow and the White Crow which is superb. I’m completely gripped by Maggie and her journey into the Dark World.
I read Lunar which is a short read from Barrington Stoke which I really enjoyed. I will be posting my review shortly. I also read The Taming of the Cat which is a gorgeous story within a story – I will post my review tomorrow. I finished listening to the audiobook of Maggie Blue and the Dark World which I absolutely loved so much so that I immediately got the second one. It’s taken me a while but I finally finished The Spell Tailors which was a wonderfully magical read focussed on family and friendship. I loved the idea of stitching memories into clothing so that you can re-live precious moments or share in others’ memories. I also read The Disappearing Diamond, a timeslip Victorian mystery. I have posted my review.
I’m hoping to read Bella Bright and the Ghost Game next.
Written by Glen Blackwell Cover Illustration by Anastasila Frizen Published by Zoetrope Books
The Disappearing Diamond is Emmie and Jack’s third exciting adventure into the past to solve an intriguing mystery. It can be read as a standalone, but I imagine that children who have not read the first two adventures will want to catch up on them. I know I do!
Emmie and Jack are on a school trip to the Victoria & Albert Museum, dressed as Victorian children. Like the other children in their class, they are fascinated by the Koh-i-Noor diamond which will be included in the upcoming new king’s coronation. As Jack approaches the cabinet where the jewel is displayed, lights flicker and the alarm goes off … the diamond has disappeared, and a familiar looking man is beckoning them. As in previous adventures, he needs their help, this time to recover the missing diamond in time for the upcoming coronation …
The two friends step through the museum door and find themselves in Victorian London just before the opening of the 1851 Great Exhibition in the Crystal Palace. Will they be able to uncover what happened to the diamond in the past in order to save the coronation?
This is a wonderfully exciting adventure which gives a fascinating insight into the sights, smells and sounds of Victorian London, and especially the spectacle of the Great Exhibition of 1851. I loved following Emmie and Jack as they race to solve the mystery of the disappearing diamond, finding help from some new friends, and the rather mysterious time architect, Mr Briggs when they need him most. There is plenty of danger, deception, twists and revelations which kept me turning the pages to discover the culprit.
This is the first book in this series that I have read so really enjoyed getting to know Emmie and Jack who are vey likeable characters. They have a genuine friendship and make a great team as they work together to solve the mystery and overcome problems that are thrown their way. They show great courage in facing their fears in difficult situations, and are there to offer each other support. I also really liked the inclusion of historical figures in the story including Queen Victoria and her protégé, Sarah.
I love timeslip adventures and think young readers will enjoy travelling back in time into an intriguing mystery which gives them an insight into a historical period whilst chasing an exciting adventure.
This is a wonderfully engaging timeslip mystery that is sure to captivate readers of 8+.
Thank you to the author, Glen Blackwell, for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
I really feel like reading some spooky middle-grade this October, so I’ve had a look on my bookshelves and have found 10 that I would really like to read. Some have been on my TBR for a while, some are very recent purchases and some have been sent by publishers. I think they’ll all be books I’ll enjoy!
I’ve taken each synopsis from Goodreads except for The Witchstone Ghosts which is from Waterstones.
When Lewis’s family moves to a faraway town called Barrow, he can’t quite put his finger on what feels so strange about his new home. Everyone is obsessed with superstition, and an old story about floods and witches and a curse, while a mysterious bird watches his every move. Then his family friend Moira arrives to stay. Only, there’s something peculiar about Moira too. She doesn’t know where she’s from, or even when she’s from, and strange things happen around her. Lewis and Moira are determined to figure out what’s going on in Barrow, but as they unravel secret symbols, riddles and stories of a midnight curse, they find that there might be some truth in the old town tales. Time is running out, before magic switches up everything they know…
Eleven-year-old Bella Bright has just moved into Darkling House in Castleton. On her first day at her new school, she is spotted by a pair of manipulative mean girls, Skylar and Regan. They push her into inviting them to a Halloween sleepover. Another much friendlier girl, Lex, comes to Bella’s rescue and offers to join the sleepover to support Bella, who is delighted to be making a real friend. On Halloween night, things start getting spooky for the four girls, when the huge front door appears to shut itself, and their mobile phones lose signal. They decide to order pizza using the landline, but a hair-raising whisper comes down the line. Skylar suggests they play hide and seek, but as she utters the words, the house appears to wobble and they discover all the exits are impossibly locked. Bella searches the manor and a ghostly teenage girl appears in front of her. She reveals herself to be Alice, a young girl who died in the house 150 years ago during a game of hide and seek gone terribly wrong. She has hidden Bella’s three friends, and gives Bella a rhyming clue to find them in the enormous and cavernous house. Bella has until midnight. After that, Alice will get to keep the girls as her playmates for ever…
A boy is imprisoned by a witch and must tell her a new scary story each night to stay alive. This thrilling contemporary fantasy from J. A. White, the acclaimed author of the Thickety series, brings to life the magic and craft of storytelling.
Alex’s original hair-raising tales are the only thing keeping the witch Natacha happy, but soon he’ll run out of pages to read from and be trapped forever. He’s loved scary stories his whole life, and he knows most don’t have a happily ever after. Now that Alex is trapped in a true terrifying tale, he’s desperate for a different ending—and a way out of this twisted place.
Orla, her brothers and Dave the dog are on holiday in Norfolk, visiting their eccentric Uncle Valentine. Orla may have recently learned she’s a witch, but she’s not looking for trouble. Nope. Definitely not. Unfortunately, her timing is terrible.
She quickly discovers the beautiful Anna’s Wood, due to be bulldozed any minute for shale gas. The locals are all convinced that GasFrac’s plan is a great one. Make way for a new shopping centre and car park! But why doesn’t anyone care about the destruction of the wood? Where are the protests? Orla soon begins to suspect that this isn’t just indifference … there’s dark magic involved here. With the help of a magpie, she finds out who is behind GasFrac. And what he wants is worse than she could possibly have imagined.
Autumn Albert can see the dead – much to her annoyance. But when her dad dies in mysterious circumstances, he’s the one ghost who doesn’t appear. A curious instruction in his will sends Autumn to Imber, the storm-soaked island of his childhood: a place marked by tight-lipped locals, strange stacks of witchstones – and even fewer ghosts. Soon Autumn is ensnared in a dark and twisty mystery, which must be unravelled before the sea rises up and history is doomed to repeat itself …
Sisters Spel and Egg grew up in Mistress Mouldheels’ School for Wicked Girls believing they were the daughters of criminals, until they discovered the truth: They are witches.
And after always being in the shadow of her big sister, Spel discovered that she was a Shadowborn Witch – the only one who can step between portals to other worlds.
Now in a coven with their schoolmates and part of the alliance against the Hunt, the sisters try to master their new powers. But the Hunt is rising, the witches are in danger and when a new portal opens the whole world is under threat . . .
On her first day in Grave’s Pass, Raven McKay spotted a pooka horses chasing goblins in a vacant lot, three banshees on a bus, a zombie in ripped jeans staring in the window of a phone shop, a bogeyman walking a labradoodle, a ghost on a ladder cleaning windows, a ghoul sipping coffee at an outdoor café. This is Dead Town― this is Raven’s new home. But will Raven find her parents who have mysteriously disappeared? And who in Dead Town Can she trust? All her parents have left her is a suit case with a black butterfly and a cryptic note.
Twelve-year-old Flossie is no ordinary ghost — she’s the caretaker of every soul in Highgate Cemetery. And during World War II, even the ghosts are unsafe.
Flossie Birdwhistle is the Turnkey at London’s Highgate Cemetery. As Turnkey, it’s Flossie’s job to ensure that all the souls buried in the cemetery stay at rest. Not an easy job for a young ghost, but a task made especially difficult by World War II: London is being attacked every night by enemy bombers, and even the dead are unsettled. When Flossie encounters the ghost of a German soldier carrying a mysterious object that seems to exist in both the living and spirit worlds, she becomes suspicious — what is the officer up to? Before long, Flossie uncovers a sinister plot that could destroy not only her cemetery, but also her beloved country. Can Flossie and her ghostly friends stop the soldier before it’s too late?
When orphans Ben and Jennet arrive in the seaside town of Whitby to stay with Alice Boston, they have no idea what to expect. A lively 92-year-old, Miss Boston is unlike any other foster mother they’ve known. Ben is gifted with ‘the sight’, which gives him the power to see things invisible to other mortals. He soon encounters the mysterious fisher folk who live under the cliffs and discovers that Alice and her friends are not quite what they seem. But a darkness is stalking the streets of Whitby, bringing with it fear and death. Could it be a ghost from the Abbey? Or a beast from hell? Unless the truth is uncovered, the town and all its inhabitants is doomed.
There’s a new craze at Dread Wood High. Flinch is a game of fear. The more you scare your friends, the more points on the app you get. At first it’s fun, but soon fun is replaced by fear. And Angelo and his friends notice that everyone is behaving more and more strangely every day – almost as if something is taking over their brains…
With the fair arriving in town, adrenaline and excitement levels are high. But who are the people behind the super-creepy clown masks? With fights breaking out and Flinch in full force, it’s time for the final showdown at the Fear Ground. Let the REAL games begin!
Have you read any of these? What did you think? Do you have any other recommendations?
My wrap-up was very late last month, so I thought I’d try to be on time for September! Work, as always at the start of the year, has been very busy but I’m enjoying getting to know my new class, and lots of them are definitely enjoying the reading choices in my class library.
Books I’ve read:
I’ve read 12 books this month, and have almost finished another few but I’ll add them to next month’s wrap-up. Two of these (Into the Sideways World and The Boy Who Hatched Monsters) are from my #BeatTheBacklist Challenge. I’ve checked and I’ve got 18 left – not sure if this is achievable, but I’ll keep going!
Books sent by publishers:
I am grateful to have been sent 11 books by Publishers this month. I’ve read and reviews three of them, and will be taking part in Blog Tours for three of them in October and November.
NetGalley:
My Netgalley ratio is at 98%, and I have two books to read and review. I have requested a one and wished for one, and am waiting to see if I will get approved, or have my wish granted.
Books bought:
I’ve bought six books this month.
How has your reading month been? Have you read any of these?Have you any of them on your TBR?
Book Craic 