Joined in 2023 
82 
63 About this deal
Well, I understand this is classed as a children's book but I want to enthusiastically say that if your child is not as brave as a Knight then perhaps this isn't for them! I'm 31, I've had some paranormal experiences in my life and I love creepy history but I was crapping myself. I love Yvette Fielding and I was an enthusiastic viewer of Most Haunted, especially those live episodes over a few days at Halloween, so when I see that the Queen of Ghost Hunting had written a book I had to request it! The book is one long adventure from beginning to end. I love the spookiness of it all and the way the friends try to help someone who died many years ago. The characters show just what true friendship is about even with their own problems outside of their ghostly activities. How there was just an entire middle that was absolutely boring. We get a terrific beginning and an OK scary ending, but in between nothing was happening and there were moments I was considering DNF-ing the book. Maya is rattled. It seems like proof to her. She always knew Frank did something to Aubrey and now this other girl, this sort of proves it, doesn't it? Obviously The House in the Pines was a had me at hello since it featured not only a house on the cover, but also a house in the name. How could I not immediately want it, right? Then I started reading it and not only do we have a triple whammy of an unreliable narrator (she’s an insomniac . . . because she’s going through Klonopin withdrawal . . . . and she’s boozing to take the edge off/help her go night-night). Again . . . .
Recent evidence uncovered, however, now points to the sole-surviving family member who called the police. Did this family member really kill his entire family? Additionally, her mother, who has years of experience as an EMT, may be just the person to help Maya through the painful withdrawal process. Amber and Evie settle in to a routine, both guarding their secrets close to their chests, while keeping each other company. The days pass at a gentle pace and Evie slowly makes progress in her recovery yet Amber feels an unease. There have been a few situations that have caused her concern. Evie is hiding something and Amber makes a decision to dig a little deeper but is very unprepared for what lies buried beneath.Before I begin this review, I want to point out that these stories are stories of their time. Some of the content gives readers insight to what it was like for families such as Laura's to live and survive during the 1800s and some of the content is harmful. As a librarian, it is against my personal code of ethics to tell people not to read a book. However, I try to encourage all readers to read these stories and use it as an opportunity to discuss why the content is harmful to certain groups. I also encourage readers to try stories that give a scope of this time period without all of the problematic content and come from marginalized voices that are often underrepresented. Plus the comments on the Germans. Like it was a magical event for them to be in the UK. Um, hello? Airplanes? Smuggling? Boats? It is not as if, just because you are on an island, people cannot find a way in. XD Our unreliable narrator in this story is Maya. Maya has been addicted to Klonopin and alcohol for the past several years. Maya no longer has her Klonopin, and is experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Some of the withdrawal symptoms are paranoia, hallucination, and insomnia. All activities seem so different from the commonplace childhood memories I have...and yet, I identified so closely with Laura when I was younger.
The inventions. While I love that they were all about ghosts, it made me worried about Rufus. Maybe find some help? Also how big is that attic that one of the MCs could just keep on bicycling and it took quite a bit of time before he hit the ceiling. XD The only thing that kept me going was the need to know who did it, which was probably the only surprise I received. Maya keeps having dreams about a cabin in the woods, a welcoming abode, with a warm blaze in the fireplace, the burning pine logs adding their scent to the room, the log walls offering shelter from a strong wind. It is cozy, feels like home. But there is danger there as well. Frank is there in the dreams, always there. She struggles to understand the sounds she hears, but realizes they are coming from Frank, who appears suddenly behind her, and she wakes, drenched in sweat. So, what’s up with that? The start of this trilogy introduces us to a group of friends looking for something creepy to do on Halloween. They want this Halloween to be extra special and they are not aware that they might get a lot more than they bargained for.The John Milton series features a disgruntled special agent who aims to help people to make amends for the terrible things that he has done. Mark, as a child of the 80s, will freely admit that he watched a lot of The Equalizer in his youth. I did see it through to the end because I was hoping for something to happen. But even in the attempts of an exciting scene, the author never made the most of when the main character was held against his will. I never had that nail biting sit on the edge of my chair moment throughout. My two younger daughters recently discovered the Little House series and are speeding through the books this summer. As I am in between books and wanted to avoid a reading rut, I decided to revisit the first book in the series for myself. As I am always on the lookout for quality children's books, I spent a few hours rereading the beginning of a series that I had enjoyed when I was my daughters' age.
Great Deal 
New Comment