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Amy Marie
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Amy Marie is a Children/YA/Fantasy author. She's lived all over the United States, but will always...
Fremonsters
9.0
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What if something was buried beneath your school? Cody Kistler and his friends have just...
Middle Grade Fantasy Horror
Spine Chillers: Empty Eyes
8.0
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“You will face a difficult task in the future. The card is reminding you that every person has a...
horror MG Middle Grade MG Horror Middle Grade Horror YA
Spine Chillers: The Scarecrow
8.0
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Eleven-year-old Sophie arrives at her Aunt and Uncle's farm to horrible news: her cousin, Hunt, has...
MG middle Grade horror scary stories fiction childrens
Spine Chillers: Krampus
5.0
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Christmas is a time for peace and good dreams, but for Nick it would soon become a nightmare. When...
scary stories scary Spine Chillers Krampus the Krampus Nancy Gray
I Survived Hurricane Katrina, 2005
9.0
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The horror of Hurricane Katrina is brought vividly to life in this fictional account of a boy, a...
Middle grade
Small Spaces (Small Spaces #1)
8.5
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Bestselling adult author of The Bear and the Nightingale makes her middle grade debut with a creepy,...
Childrens Middle School Middle Grades Horror Fantasy Fantasy Horror
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Spine Chillers: Empty Eyes in Books
Nov 14, 2018
Well Written Plot (2 more)
Believable Characters
Lots of Spookiness
A Spooky Read
I'm a sucker for a good horror story. When I saw that Spine Chillers: Empty Eyes by Nancy Gray was available for review, I knew it was a story I would be interested in. Luckily, it was a great read.
Empty Eyes is a short read, and the chapters are also fairly short. Combine that with a book that has great pacing, and you've got the recipe for a winner. I found myself so enthralled in this book that I never wanted to stop reading. I was always wanting to know what would happen next. Not once did I find myself becoming bored with Empty Eyes, nor do I think it's too fast paced where it becomes difficult to understand what's going on. The pacing was perfect and consistent throughout.
This is a middle grade novel, and the world building suits this age group. Even though I'm not in the middle grade age group, the plot still felt realistic and spooky! There were a couple of plot twists which I enjoyed, and all my questions were answered by the end of the book. Everything is explained perfectly throughout the book for a middle grade student. Nothing was dumbed down either. I did enjoy the plot immensely. Ian is at a school carnival one night when he encounters some bullies. Desperate to get away from them, he runs into an abandoned house. While hiding in the house, he is confronted by two children wearing gray hoodies with black eyes. They want to be Ian's friend, but Ian is terrified. The children decide they will be Ian's friend regardless of if he wants them too. He develops a black mark near his heart that pulses. Grown ups can't really see the mark, but Ian and his best friend can. Soon, Ian is behaving in a way that he never has before. Will Ian ever return to his former self or are the black eyed children controlling him?
I found the characters in Empty Eyes to be enjoyable. They also acted their age instead of coming across as sounding younger than their actual ages. I think many children (and adults) can relate to the character of Ian who is constantly bullied in school. I admired Duane, Ian's best friend. I loved how loyal he was to Ian throughout the whole ordeal. The black eyed children were very creepy characters, and I was really impressed with how they were written.
Trigger warnings for Empty Eyes include some swearing, some violence, thoughts of murder (although this isn't graphic), sneaking out, and bullying.
All in all, Empty Eyes was a very enjoyable spooky read. Even though it is written with a middle grade audience in mind, I found myself really getting pulled into the story. I would definitely recommend Spine Chillers: Empty Eyes by Nancy Gray. I believe any age group aged 12 and above would find this story to be a creepy read that will draw them in immediately from the very first page and not let go until it's over.
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(A special thank you to Lola's Blog Tours for providing me with an eBook of Spine Chillers: Empty Eyes by Nancy Gray in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
Empty Eyes is a short read, and the chapters are also fairly short. Combine that with a book that has great pacing, and you've got the recipe for a winner. I found myself so enthralled in this book that I never wanted to stop reading. I was always wanting to know what would happen next. Not once did I find myself becoming bored with Empty Eyes, nor do I think it's too fast paced where it becomes difficult to understand what's going on. The pacing was perfect and consistent throughout.
This is a middle grade novel, and the world building suits this age group. Even though I'm not in the middle grade age group, the plot still felt realistic and spooky! There were a couple of plot twists which I enjoyed, and all my questions were answered by the end of the book. Everything is explained perfectly throughout the book for a middle grade student. Nothing was dumbed down either. I did enjoy the plot immensely. Ian is at a school carnival one night when he encounters some bullies. Desperate to get away from them, he runs into an abandoned house. While hiding in the house, he is confronted by two children wearing gray hoodies with black eyes. They want to be Ian's friend, but Ian is terrified. The children decide they will be Ian's friend regardless of if he wants them too. He develops a black mark near his heart that pulses. Grown ups can't really see the mark, but Ian and his best friend can. Soon, Ian is behaving in a way that he never has before. Will Ian ever return to his former self or are the black eyed children controlling him?
I found the characters in Empty Eyes to be enjoyable. They also acted their age instead of coming across as sounding younger than their actual ages. I think many children (and adults) can relate to the character of Ian who is constantly bullied in school. I admired Duane, Ian's best friend. I loved how loyal he was to Ian throughout the whole ordeal. The black eyed children were very creepy characters, and I was really impressed with how they were written.
Trigger warnings for Empty Eyes include some swearing, some violence, thoughts of murder (although this isn't graphic), sneaking out, and bullying.
All in all, Empty Eyes was a very enjoyable spooky read. Even though it is written with a middle grade audience in mind, I found myself really getting pulled into the story. I would definitely recommend Spine Chillers: Empty Eyes by Nancy Gray. I believe any age group aged 12 and above would find this story to be a creepy read that will draw them in immediately from the very first page and not let go until it's over.
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(A special thank you to Lola's Blog Tours for providing me with an eBook of Spine Chillers: Empty Eyes by Nancy Gray in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Grimworld: Tick, Tock, Tick, Tock in Books
Oct 10, 2019
Lately, I've been reading more Middle Grade books. There's just something refreshing about them. When the opportunity to read Grimworld by Avery Moray arose, I just couldn't say no. I love Middle Grade books as I've just said, and I love books that have a creepy, spooky factor. Grimworld checked both of those boxes. I will say that I enjoyed this short read for sure.
Thirteen year old Henry Bats lives in an eccentric world where all sorts of paranormal creatures lurk. Most of the time, he isn't really scared as this is just a normal thing to him. When one of these paranormal creatures scares him into helping it as well as promising him whatever he wants in return, Henry agrees. This turns out to be a deadly mistake because in return, instead of the comic book he wanted, Henry is now stuck with a pocket watch around his neck telling him when he will die. Part of Henry's life has been stolen away, and now he must figure out a way to get his life back or die in the process.
The plot for Grimworld was definitely intriguing and original. I loved all the crazy creature names and the world in which Henry lived. It sort of reminded me of the Harry Potter world in a way. There is plenty of action throughout the book, and I found myself really rooting for Henry and his friends. There's definitely some scary scenes in there, but I don't think it would be overly scary for middle graders who love horror. There are a few minor plot twists in there which aren't too predictable which is great! Although there is no real cliff hanger, Avery Moray does leave this book open for a sequel.
For the most part, Moray does a fantastic job at pitching to her target age group of around 11 - 13 years of age. She uses silly words throughout which children are sure to enjoy. However, sometimes the language may be a bit difficult for that age group due to more difficult words or as I like to call them "big words." Luckily, this doesn't happen that often. Also, there is a point in the book where Moray mentions pay phones and receivers which young kids may not know about in this day and age. Another thing I found a wee bit strange was that Henry's parents are always referred to by their actual names, Gobbert and Mildred, instead of mom and dad. While I know that some kids refer to their parents by their actual names, the majority of children do not. I felt it would have been a bit easier for children to reference Henry's parents as mom and dad instead of as Mildred and Gobbert.
The pacing is done beautifully in Grimworld. Although this is a middle grade read, this book still held my attention throughout. I was always looking forward to how the story would progress. I had to know if Henry and his friends would escape their horrible fate of the life that was stolen from them. This is also a short read, so I think children will have no problem reading Grimworld.
Character development was on point throughout Grimworld, and I really did feel as if every character acted their age. I admired Henry's determination to not only help himself but his other friends that were facing the same problem as him. I loved his quest to stop at nothing to find a solution. Lang was one of my favorite characters. I felt bad for what he had been through, and I guess that made me really bond with him. It was interesting to hear about his life. Hattie, Henry's younger sister, was also a great character. It was obvious she cared a lot about her brother all throughout the book. Persi was also a favorite of mine simply because I loved her dress sense and personality!
Trigger warnings for Grimworld include death (although it's nothing too heavy), minor violence, and paranormal creatures. However, this is a fantasy horror book so keep that in mind. I don't think it's too dark or overly scary when it comes to the age group it's written for.
Overall, Grimworld is a spooky read with fantastic characters and a great plot which will suck you right in! I would recommend Grimworld by Avery Moray to those aged 11 to 13 years of age who love a quirky spooky read. I'd also recommend it to adults as well who enjoy middle grade fantasy horror. You'll definitely be entertained by this book!
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(A special thank you to Avery Moray for providing me with a paperback of Grimworld in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
Thirteen year old Henry Bats lives in an eccentric world where all sorts of paranormal creatures lurk. Most of the time, he isn't really scared as this is just a normal thing to him. When one of these paranormal creatures scares him into helping it as well as promising him whatever he wants in return, Henry agrees. This turns out to be a deadly mistake because in return, instead of the comic book he wanted, Henry is now stuck with a pocket watch around his neck telling him when he will die. Part of Henry's life has been stolen away, and now he must figure out a way to get his life back or die in the process.
The plot for Grimworld was definitely intriguing and original. I loved all the crazy creature names and the world in which Henry lived. It sort of reminded me of the Harry Potter world in a way. There is plenty of action throughout the book, and I found myself really rooting for Henry and his friends. There's definitely some scary scenes in there, but I don't think it would be overly scary for middle graders who love horror. There are a few minor plot twists in there which aren't too predictable which is great! Although there is no real cliff hanger, Avery Moray does leave this book open for a sequel.
For the most part, Moray does a fantastic job at pitching to her target age group of around 11 - 13 years of age. She uses silly words throughout which children are sure to enjoy. However, sometimes the language may be a bit difficult for that age group due to more difficult words or as I like to call them "big words." Luckily, this doesn't happen that often. Also, there is a point in the book where Moray mentions pay phones and receivers which young kids may not know about in this day and age. Another thing I found a wee bit strange was that Henry's parents are always referred to by their actual names, Gobbert and Mildred, instead of mom and dad. While I know that some kids refer to their parents by their actual names, the majority of children do not. I felt it would have been a bit easier for children to reference Henry's parents as mom and dad instead of as Mildred and Gobbert.
The pacing is done beautifully in Grimworld. Although this is a middle grade read, this book still held my attention throughout. I was always looking forward to how the story would progress. I had to know if Henry and his friends would escape their horrible fate of the life that was stolen from them. This is also a short read, so I think children will have no problem reading Grimworld.
Character development was on point throughout Grimworld, and I really did feel as if every character acted their age. I admired Henry's determination to not only help himself but his other friends that were facing the same problem as him. I loved his quest to stop at nothing to find a solution. Lang was one of my favorite characters. I felt bad for what he had been through, and I guess that made me really bond with him. It was interesting to hear about his life. Hattie, Henry's younger sister, was also a great character. It was obvious she cared a lot about her brother all throughout the book. Persi was also a favorite of mine simply because I loved her dress sense and personality!
Trigger warnings for Grimworld include death (although it's nothing too heavy), minor violence, and paranormal creatures. However, this is a fantasy horror book so keep that in mind. I don't think it's too dark or overly scary when it comes to the age group it's written for.
Overall, Grimworld is a spooky read with fantastic characters and a great plot which will suck you right in! I would recommend Grimworld by Avery Moray to those aged 11 to 13 years of age who love a quirky spooky read. I'd also recommend it to adults as well who enjoy middle grade fantasy horror. You'll definitely be entertained by this book!
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(A special thank you to Avery Moray for providing me with a paperback of Grimworld in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Small Spaces (Small Spaces #1) in Books
Jul 29, 2019
I love creepy books, so when I came across Small Spaces by Katherine Arden, it immediately caught my attention. I don't normally read middle grade fiction, but I do make an exception for middle grade horror, and I'm really glad I had the chance to read Small Spaces.
Olivia, or Ollie as she prefers, is in middle school. She loves reading and books, so when she comes across a sobbing lady getting ready to throw a book in a river, she steals it before the woman has a chance to do so. Ollie thinks the book she stole is just a creepy ghost story, but she soon realizes it is anything but fiction! When her class goes on a field trip to a farm, Ollie realizes just how true the book is. When the field trip bus breaks down in the middle of nowhere, Ollie and two friends decided to leave the bus fearing that they may be in even worse danger if they stay on the bus. With the help of her broken watch from her deceased mother, Ollie must be very careful if she wants to return home unscathed.
I did enjoy the plot of Small Spaces. I felt like I was reading a R.L. Stine novel! Katherine Arden did such a fantastic job with this story in keeping it interesting. There were a few times were the story felt a little disjointed with what was going on as it sometimes seemed as if Small Spaces wanted to be more of a ghost story other than what it actually was. However, it was still a great plot! There was one plot twist I didn't see coming which I thought was great considering I'm an adult, and this is a middle grade story. Usually I can figure out the plot twists, but not this time! One thing that got me wondering is how all these 11 and 12 year old kids each had their own cell phone. I know it's not impossible for a whole class of junior high children to have a cell phone, but it just seems improbable. While most of my questions were answered, I was left pondering over the ending as to why more questions weren't asked by the police or the parents. Another question I had, I won't go into detail because of spoilers, but it pertained to the kids and the water. I'll just leave it at that. Although Small Spaces is a series, it can be read as a standalone as there is no cliff hanger ending.
The pacing for Small Spaces starts out a bit slow, but it picks up quickly to a fantastic pace a few chapters in. It stays at a decent pace for the majority of the book until it slows a little bit towards the ending. I wouldn't say the pacing lets the book down in any way though.
I felt all the characters in Small Spaces were written very well especially as the main characters were written as middle schoolers. I felt every character was solid. I didn't really care for Ollie's personality though. For the first half of the book, especially, she came across as a bully. As this book is aimed towards kids that are impressionable, it kind of irked me that the main character was a little mean to others. I liked Brian. I thought he seemed like he'd be a great kid in real life. I admire how he wasn't ashamed to show his emotions at certain times. My favorite character was Coco. Coco had just moved from the city to Ollie's middle school. She seemed really vulnerable, yet Ollie was mean to her a lot of the time. I just wanted to hug and protect Coco. She was such a sweet girl to everyone unlike Ollie. Coco came across as a happy go lucky girl.
Trigger warnings in Small Spaces besides being a scary story include death, minor violence, a minor profanity (one of the characters says hell), ghosts, and bullying.
All in all, Small Spaces is a fantastic scary read despite some minor flaws. It's got such a great spooky plot and characters that feel realistic. I would definitely recommend Small Spaces by Katherine Arden to everyone aged 10+ who love to be spooked! R.L. Stine better watch out; Katherine Arden could give him a run for his money judging by this book! Even though Small Spaces can stand on its own, I will definitely be reading the next book in the Small Spaces series.
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(Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an eBook of Small Spaces by Katherine Arden in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
Olivia, or Ollie as she prefers, is in middle school. She loves reading and books, so when she comes across a sobbing lady getting ready to throw a book in a river, she steals it before the woman has a chance to do so. Ollie thinks the book she stole is just a creepy ghost story, but she soon realizes it is anything but fiction! When her class goes on a field trip to a farm, Ollie realizes just how true the book is. When the field trip bus breaks down in the middle of nowhere, Ollie and two friends decided to leave the bus fearing that they may be in even worse danger if they stay on the bus. With the help of her broken watch from her deceased mother, Ollie must be very careful if she wants to return home unscathed.
I did enjoy the plot of Small Spaces. I felt like I was reading a R.L. Stine novel! Katherine Arden did such a fantastic job with this story in keeping it interesting. There were a few times were the story felt a little disjointed with what was going on as it sometimes seemed as if Small Spaces wanted to be more of a ghost story other than what it actually was. However, it was still a great plot! There was one plot twist I didn't see coming which I thought was great considering I'm an adult, and this is a middle grade story. Usually I can figure out the plot twists, but not this time! One thing that got me wondering is how all these 11 and 12 year old kids each had their own cell phone. I know it's not impossible for a whole class of junior high children to have a cell phone, but it just seems improbable. While most of my questions were answered, I was left pondering over the ending as to why more questions weren't asked by the police or the parents. Another question I had, I won't go into detail because of spoilers, but it pertained to the kids and the water. I'll just leave it at that. Although Small Spaces is a series, it can be read as a standalone as there is no cliff hanger ending.
The pacing for Small Spaces starts out a bit slow, but it picks up quickly to a fantastic pace a few chapters in. It stays at a decent pace for the majority of the book until it slows a little bit towards the ending. I wouldn't say the pacing lets the book down in any way though.
I felt all the characters in Small Spaces were written very well especially as the main characters were written as middle schoolers. I felt every character was solid. I didn't really care for Ollie's personality though. For the first half of the book, especially, she came across as a bully. As this book is aimed towards kids that are impressionable, it kind of irked me that the main character was a little mean to others. I liked Brian. I thought he seemed like he'd be a great kid in real life. I admire how he wasn't ashamed to show his emotions at certain times. My favorite character was Coco. Coco had just moved from the city to Ollie's middle school. She seemed really vulnerable, yet Ollie was mean to her a lot of the time. I just wanted to hug and protect Coco. She was such a sweet girl to everyone unlike Ollie. Coco came across as a happy go lucky girl.
Trigger warnings in Small Spaces besides being a scary story include death, minor violence, a minor profanity (one of the characters says hell), ghosts, and bullying.
All in all, Small Spaces is a fantastic scary read despite some minor flaws. It's got such a great spooky plot and characters that feel realistic. I would definitely recommend Small Spaces by Katherine Arden to everyone aged 10+ who love to be spooked! R.L. Stine better watch out; Katherine Arden could give him a run for his money judging by this book! Even though Small Spaces can stand on its own, I will definitely be reading the next book in the Small Spaces series.
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(Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an eBook of Small Spaces by Katherine Arden in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)