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?

Dreamweavers:  Night of the Scary Fairies is the first book in a magical new fantasy series for younger readers of 7+.

Tito wakes from a strange dream where he is in his Spiderman PJs in a field filled with tiny, glowing winged creatures – and one of them even bites him! Surely, he couldn’t really have been awake in his dreams, could he?  When he is asked to look after new girl, Neena, on his first day in Year 5, it is not long before he is telling her about his strange dreams, and she introduces him to the magical world of Dreamweaving …

When Tito’s best friends Tiff and Murray begin to act out of character, Tito and Neena decide to enter their dreams to find out what has happened.  They discover that someone with sinister intent is using the jinn fairies from the dreamworld to change people in the real world.  Can they discover who has made the fairies scary?  Can they break the enchantment and return their school friends to their true selves?

This is a richly imaginative adventure mixing warmth and humour with just the right amount of scary.  I loved the concept of dreamweaving where dreamweavers can control their dreams and create amazing worlds with quirky creatures, limited only by their imagination – anyone for a talking hot dog, or a sparrow with a moustache?  I think children would have great fun creating their own dream world, providing a perfect opportunity for creative art and writing.

I absolutely loved the brilliant twist which brings the world of dreaming and wakefulness together in such an exciting way.  I can just see the gasps from children as realisation hits!

Tito and Neena are incredibly likeable characters who develop a close friendship as they work together to help their school friends, and stop the Darkweaver (definitely a scary villain) from merging the spirit and human worlds.  Tito is such a kind-hearted, empathetic young boy who does not give up on friendship, but learns about Chitrali folklore so that he has something to talk to Neena – who has moved from Pakistan with her mum and grandma – about.  Despite her initial fear of the Darkweaver, Neena has the courage to apologise to Tito and trust him with the truth so that they can work together to defeat this villain.

I think its so important for children to have the chance to see themselves in stories so I loved the diversity in this adventure including Tito having two mums and Neena’s Chitrali heritage.

The full-and-partial-page illustrations throughout are just gorgeous – wonderfully expressive and complementing both the scary and humorous elements of the story perfectly.    

A fantastic first adventure for the Dream Team, and I can’t wait to join them in Roar of the Hungry Beast. 

Thank you to the publisher, Little Tiger, for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I’m really enjoying The Spell Tailors which I’m hoping to finish this week. I’m listening to Maggie Blue and The Dark World which is such an exciting read. I love stories with other worlds and this one has a fascinating one. And Hoagy, the cat, is just brilliant!

I’ve finished listening to Into the Sideways World which was an absolutely wonderful adventure into a parallel world where there is no war or pollution. I absolutely devoured Podkin and the Singing Spear and have posted my review. I also read The Spirit Snatcher which such a fun read perfect for this time of year. I will write my review over the weekend.

I’m hoping to read The Taming of the Cat next.

What are you reading? Have you read any of these?

Well, that was just incredible!  357 pages of epic fantasy perfection that I didn’t want to end, but just couldn’t stop reading!  I’m a huge fan of The World of Podkin One-Ear so absolutely loved joining Podkin again for another breath-taking, thrilling adventure as he battles against an evil he thought he had defeated …

Podkin is now Keeper of the Gifts, looking after nine of the twelve gifts of the Goddess, which are kept on pedestals in a special chamber in Dark Hollow warren.  He is not looking for another adventure, or to be a hero but, when the Godseye mirror shows him a vision of strangers and old friends heading his way, adventure finds him again …

Two young kindred spirits meet as Uki brings Podkin the dreadful news that Scramashank is alive, and he fears that the terrifying Gorm will return.  Podkin reproaches himself for not having carried out his old friend, the witch-rabbit Brigid’s, final instruction to gather all the twelve gifts together.  So, when he finds that she has left him a letter, he knows that he must follow her instructions this time:  he must take the Gifts and travel to the Vale of Estra with his older sister Paz and four-year-old brother, Pook.

And so begins a perilous quest to find the singing spear, one of the last three Gifts of the Goddess, before Scramashank can build his Gorm army and take the gift for himself and his master, Gormalech.  Podkin is reunited with his siblings and friends in this riveting race to reach the fierce Crowskin tribe to convince them to trust him with the spear which has been given to their ancestors by the Goddess.  Along the way, they face great danger, meet both new and old friends and foes, and discover that their enemy is getting stronger and stronger … Will they find the spear before war comes once more?  Can Podkin reunite a broken tribe, defeat a horrifying enemy and prove himself a hero once more?

I really loved being back with Podkin, Paz and Pook and with their friends from previous adventures.  Podkin never set out to be a hero, but finds himself thrust into a dangerous adventure.  Despite his fear, he finds strength in the courage of his friends, and shows himself to be a wonderful leader, prepared to stand up for others and take risks.  I loved the teasing bond that Paz has with her younger brother coupled with her own growth towards leadership.  And of course, there’s Pook – just adorable and so very brave! 

The full- and double-page illustrations are breath-taking and give a wonderful insight into the magnitude of this world and its unforgettable inhabitants.  Each and every one is an absolute masterpiece!

I love the structure of this adventure with its prologue warning of danger, wonderful map (I love following a quest on its map) and dual timeline of events in Podkin’s past and present which kept me utterly engrossed in both narratives, relishing the connections in both.

This really is epic fantasy at its very best:  a daring quest where peril lurks around every corner; where comradeship brings courage and strength; and where a gripping battle between the forces of good and evil unfolds across a richly imagined, fantastical world.  After that ending, I cannot wait to join this world again.

A phenomenal, unmissable return to a world of adventure, friendship and danger with a family of courageous rabbits and their friends who have captured my heart.  Sheer magic through words … a book that transcends age and is sure to become a classic of epic fantasy.

Thank you to the Publisher, Faber Children’s Books, who gifted me a copy which arrived just after I had purchased my own copy which I am taking to my class library.

In the Shadow of the Wolf Queen is the first adventure in an epic new fantasy, the Geomancer trilogy, and what a stunning start it is!  I was completely captivated by this all-encompassing story in a world where nature fights back, where elemental magic lives and where a sister’s love ignites an incredible adventure.

Ysolda is in her beloved Glaw Wood with her loyal sea hawk, Nara, trying to use her sister’s amulet to listen to the trees, a gift her sister Hari has, but one which evades Ysolda.  When Nara is captured by a stranger, Ysolda follows and is saved from sinking into a bog by the stranger who is wearing the uniform of one of the fierce wolf queen’s guards.  Running home, Ysolda discovers that the fierce wolf queen has sent her Ryders to the Glaw Wood to take its gifted.  In the wake of a terrible earthquake that destroys her home, and sees her sister taken by the Ryders, Ysolda determines to rescue her.

Her determination to save her sister brings her to make a bargain with the wolf queen which leads her on an epic quest filled with danger, discovery and daring.  Could there be truth in the myth that the queen is hunting?  Is there hope for a world in which queens and thanes fight for the power to control earth-magic?  And, what happens when nature decides to fight back against those who would destroy if for their own ends? 

This is a thrilling, action-packed adventure with incredible world-building that kept me turning pages as I was gripped by Ysolda’s quest and eager to find the truth of the myth.  Danger and tension build perfectly side-by-side with beautifully lyrical, atmospheric writing.

Ysolda is a wonderfully strong and courageous girl who puts herself in great danger to save her sister.  She understands the need to respect nature and to live in harmony with it.  She has a gorgeous bond with her sea hawk, Nara, who is never far from her when needed. 

I found the wolf queen a fascinating and complex character and am really looking forward to finding out more about her and the goal she is prepared to do anything for, including sacrificing others, in order to achieve. 

This really is an unmissable start to an enchanting, epic fantasy adventure.  The ending has really made me eager to continue Ysolda’s quest to save her sister -and the world! 

Thank you to Toppsta and the Publisher for a stunning hardback which I am looking forward to sharing with my class.

I’m really enjoying The Spell Tailors as my cosy evening read! I’m listening to the audiobook of Into the Sideways World which is absolutely fascinating.

I finished the audiobook of Orla and the Serpent’s Curse which I thought was a great witchy read, and am looking forward to reading Orla and the Magpie’s Kiss soon. I’ve also read Scareground which was a wonderfully dark, spooky read – I’ve posted my review. Dreamweavers is a gorgeous book for younger readers and the start of a series. I will post my review shortly.

I’ve absolutely loved this series so am hoping to spend my weekend back in this incredible world.

What are you reading? Have you read any of these?

Scareground is a spine-tingling, dark and atmospheric adventure set in Victorian Greenwich which utterly captivated me as I joined Nancy on her thrilling journey to uncover secrets of the past.

Twelve-year-old Nancy Crumpet is leaping from rooftop to rooftop above the streets of Greenwich with a mission:  to exact revenge on a neighbour who has been horrible to her adoptive mother, Ma Crumpet.  Whilst up on the rooftops, she sees an unusual sight – a black balloon surrounded by black feathers and a whisper of:  Scareground, Scareground, Scareground.

Nancy senses an adventure and wants to share it with her best friend, Arthur Green.  In fact, Arthur is her only friend besides the sky.  Yes – the sky!  Nancy has a rare gift:  she is a Skyreader, someone who can communicate with the sky and tell what it is thinking – a secret she keeps to herself.  This is not the only mystery surrounding Nancy.  She was found and adopted by the Crumpets in unusual circumstances and has grown up in their bakery surrounded by love, flour and a dusting of intrigue.

When she meets Arthur, he shares that a fair is returning, something that hasn’t been seen in twelve years following a terrible tragedy. Despite their parents not wanting them to visit, both children are keen for adventure …  Sneaking out at night, they enter the Scareground, where they meet its rather sinister, yet charming, owner, Skelter Tombola.

And so begins an intriguing, spooky and exhilarating adventure that kept me completely fascinated and gripped, not just by the Scareground itself, but also by the mystery surrounding Nancy’s birth.  Can she uncover the truth about what happened to her birth parents?  Where did her gift of skyreading come from?  And, what is the significance of her silver birthmark?  I loved the building of anticipation, danger and fear as Nancy and Arthur discover more about the fair and its darker, macabre intentions as they race to uncover the truth of Nancy’s past.

I thought that the setting of a Victorian fair in the woods outside Greenwich was perfect:  spooky, eerie and ripe for unexpected frights and shocks.  I’m a huge fan of maps in books, and this one has a wonderfully detailed map which shows not only the locations mentioned in the story, but the different rides visited in the Scareground.  I felt that the description of the fair with its illusions, magic and rides – bringing both scares and delight – was brilliantly immersive.

I really liked both Nancy and Arthur who have a wonderfully strong friendship, able to withstand some difficult times.  They have a shared sense of adventure, show courage when overcoming fears and are there for each other when it really matters.  Whilst Nancy is determined to discover the truth of her birth and puts herself at great risk to do so, there is no doubt that she has been surrounded by a loving family in Ma and Pa Crumpet who clearly adore her, despite keeping secrets from her. 

An exciting, spooky and intriguing adventure with just the right amount of frights and chills, so enjoy curled up with a hot chocolate as the evenings darken.

Thank you so much to Dave at The Write Reads for inviting me to be part of this blog tour, and to the publishers, Neem Tree Press, for sending me a copy of this fantastic book in exchange for my honest opinion.

About the Author

Angela Kecojevic is a senior librarian, author and creative writing tutor. She has written for the Oxford Reading Tree programme and the multi-award-winning adventure park Hobbledown where her characters can be seen walking around, something she still finds incredibly charming! She is a member of the Climate Writers Fiction League, a group of international authors who use climate issues in their work. Angela lives in the city of Oxford with her family.

Do check out the other stops on the Blog Tour:

Well, this is definitely late! I keep forgetting how hectic the start of a school year is which hits harder after a wonderfully relaxing summer! I spent a almost a couple of weeks of August on holiday in Disney World which meant no reading – except for on the plane there and back! But, I still managed to read quite a lot for the time I was at home!

Books I’ve read:

I read 18 books in August and posted reviews for 10 of them which is probably a record for me! I’ve reduced my #BeatTheBackList challenge by 4 books. I think I have about 20 left to read before the end of the year.

Books sent by publishers:

I am grateful to have been sent 12 books by Publishers this month. I have read and reviewed seven of them so far, but should get the rest reviewed by the end of the month/start of October.

NetGalley:

My feedback ratio has increased to 97%. I have three books on my shelf.

Books bought:

I have bought three books this month.

How has your reading month been? Have you read any of these? Have you any of them on your TBR?

The Secret of the Blood-Red Key is the next incredible adventure in the Stolen Dreams Adventures series, and follows on from the events in The Book of Stolen Dreams which was in my top reads of 2021.  I have no doubt that this one will be in my top reads of 2023:  it is an absolutely superb, unmissable adventure.

Rachel and Robert Klein have become the heroes of Krasnia, but they seem to have gone their separate ways.  Whilst Robert is caught up in politics and speech writing with his new friends, Rachel is caring for their father who is living as a mere shadow of himself after his wife’s death.

On her way home, Rachel meets a boy who shows her a blood-red key identical to the one she has hidden at home.  He reveals that she is now a Keeper of the Key, a secret group who know the truth of the Hinterland and who must answer the call of the key.  When she discovers that the boy is telling the truth, and the key is asking for her help, she turns to her brother, but he is too distracted by his new life to listen to her.

Rachel’s investigations lead her to the revelation of a terrible wrong:  a young girl, Elsa Spiegel, has been tricked into entering the Hinterland (the Land of the Dead) by those with evil intent.  Rachel is determined to right this wrong, and uses her key to enter the Hinterland in order to rescue Elsa and reunite her with her distraught family.  But what she unearths on her journey leads her to save so much more than one child …

I absolutely loved this heart-racing adventure which I genuinely could not put down as I was transported between a newly free Krasnia to the most fascinating and richly described world of the Hinterland.  This is a world where I felt both a sense of awe and wonder and an underlying thread of fear as corruption seeps in.  There is a real sense of danger and time running out as Rachel races to find Elsa and solve the mystery of why she was sent to the Hinterland whilst her brother Robert follows a path of discovery towards his sister.  I don’t want to give away any spoilers but, oh my goodness, what incredible twists and revelations!  Gasps guaranteed!  I thought that the ebb and flow of the dual narrative worked brilliantly to tantalisingly bring the dreadful truth to light.

I really enjoyed being back with familiar characters and meeting new ones.  Whilst Rachel and Robert are adapting to their new found fame in different ways, they both have the interests of Krasnia and family at heart.  Rachel has a firm belief in doing the right thing and shows great courage in facing danger and fears, and making sacrifices for the good of others.  Robert clearly loves his sister, and is determined to make amends for not making the time to listen to her when she needed him.  I felt the way that their father’s grief is dealt with was incredibly sensitively handled, and my heart really ached for his evident pain and loss.  I will mention one other character – Bobby – readers will definitely adore Bobby!

This story is beautifully illustrated with each chapter heading having its own image, giving a clue to the contents of each. I especially adored those referencing Greek mythology and the very special animals in the story.

This is a stunning, gripping story that swept me into a wonderfully intricate world and took me on an unforgettable adventure … a must-read for 9+.

Thank you to Fritha Lindqvist and Usborne for inviting me to be a Keeper of the Key, and for sending me a copy of this fantastic book.  My review is my honest opinion.