We Hunt the Flame

We Hunt the Flame by Hasfah Faizal

Interesting cover? Mythology I'm unfamiliar with? That's all it takes to get me to read a book sometimes! ...most times! ...plus a cool title.

An amazon summary, "Set in a richly detailed world inspired by ancient Arabia, Hafsah Faizal's We Hunt the Flame―first in the Sands of Arawiya duology―is a gripping debut of discovery, conquering fear, and taking identity into your own hands.

People lived because she killed. People died because he lived.
Zafira is the Hunter, disguising herself as a man when she braves the cursed forest of the Arz to feed her people. Nasir is the Prince of Death, assassinating those foolish enough to defy his autocratic father, the sultan. If Zafira was exposed as a girl, all of her achievements would be rejected; if Nasir displayed his compassion, his father would punish him in the most brutal of ways. Both Zafira and Nasir are legends in the kingdom of Arawiya―but neither wants to be.War is brewing, and the Arz sweeps closer with each passing day, engulfing the land in shadow. When Zafira embarks on a quest to uncover a lost artifact that can restore magic to her suffering world and stop the Arz, Nasir is sent by the sultan on a similar mission: retrieve the artifact and kill the Hunter. But an ancient evil stirs as their journey unfolds―and the prize they seek may pose a threat greater than either can imagine." AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE

Some time ago, there were six sisters who presided over the world and magic was prevalent. Then one day, the fire nation attacked, a man decided to use a different magic and overthrew the sisters peaceful reign. In a desperate attempt to trap the man who was bent on chaos, the sisters trapped him on Shar; an island in the middle of a treacherous which the country surrounds. The day the man was trapped (or the Lion as many called him), magic disappeared from the land, and the Arz forest grew. No one has seen any of the sisters since then.

Zafira is the Hunter who feeds her village by venturing into the magic forest, the Arz, and manages to find her way out. Most who venture into the Arz become lost and never seen again, or find their way out only to be insane. Zafira, disguised as a man, goes into the Arz, kills game, and comes out of the Arz in tact. Not once, not twice, but many, many times. Zafira lives in a small village where people look after each other, and her friends Yasmine and Deen are the ones who help maintain her disguise as the Hunter. Yasmine is her best friend, while Deen is a close friend who may be something more.

Nasir is the prince; his father, the Sultan, treats him terribly. Nasir was raised to be an assassin and excels at it. He doesn't question his father's orders; he kills as the Sultan sees fit. Nasir rebelled once, and the slave who had been kind to him when his mother died, had her tongue cut out.

Zafira is approached by the witch (the only one seemingly still able to do magic at all, and who may or may not lie) to retrieve an artifact to stop the Arz from destroying her village, but she must venture to Shar to find it. No one besides her closest friends know she is a woman, and woman are often thought to be far less capable of men. Still Zafira decides to embark on the quest, and her best friend Deen joins her.

Nasir is sent to retrieve an artifact from Shar, but he must follow the Hunter to be successful. After retrieving the artifact, he must kill the Hunter and also the general sent along with him to guide the mission.

Dun dun dunnnn That's enough summary.

First, the narration switches between following Zafira, following Nasir, and then kind of a third person middle ground. It was a little off putting since sometimes I wasn't sure which one I was reading until they 'thought' something very distinctive. Like, (complete example, not a quote), "His eyes were gray", then I'd cue in that oh, I'm reading from Zafira's perspective, etc etc.

Alright, I'm really at odds with this book. On the hand, I WANT to like it. On the other hand, I just CAN'T. It's all probably because I struggle so much with not being familiar with their culture so when they say every day language for them, I have to go google it to figure out what's going on.

I also love reading about mythology, especially mythology I haven't encountered before. But this book treated all the different creatures as if I should know them already and they don't need to spend time developing or telling any kind of legend about them.

There was also a lot of concentration on physical touch, physical attributes, and a weird tension in the relationship between Zafira and Nasir. I wanted it to make better sense based on their interactions and what they knew about each other, but there was so much emphasis on the PHYSICALITY of it that it was just bothersome and getting in the way of the actual story. Plus, there was too much comic relief from one of the characters about their maybe budding romance that was also just distracting and didn't do anything to add to the plot.

So really, maybe my frustrations were more that they concentrated on the human relationships rather than the action, the mythology, and the general plot. The plot felt more like a mechanism to keep the characters together so romance may occur, rather than actually being important.

Perhaps this book just wasn't for me. I did finish reading all of it, there will be a sequel, but I don't know at this point if I'd pick it up or not.

Happy reading!

The Kingdom

The Kingdom by Jess Rothenberg

It's like a future dystopia where something akin to Disneyland has grown cyborgs... so they didn't start as humans and they're mostly machines (AI (artificial intelligence)). And one of them may have murdered a guest.

DUN DUN DUNNNNN

An amazon summary, "Welcome to the Kingdom… where "Happily Ever After" isn’t just a promise, but a rule.

Glimmering like a jewel behind its gateway, The Kingdom™ is an immersive fantasy theme park where guests soar on virtual dragons, castles loom like giants, and bioengineered species―formerly extinct―roam free.

Ana is one of seven Fantasists, beautiful “princesses” engineered to make dreams come true. When she meets park employee Owen, Ana begins to experience emotions beyond her programming including, for the first time… love.

But the fairytale becomes a nightmare when Ana is accused of murdering Owen, igniting the trial of the century. Through courtroom testimony, interviews, and Ana’s memories of Owen, emerges a tale of love, lies, and cruelty―and what it truly means to be human." AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE

Ana is one of the seven Fantasists, beautiful princesses that are hybrids; composed of human flesh and also mechanical elements. She is an AI; an artificial intelligence that has been engineered to make everyone's visit to their park, The Kingdom, a happily ever after. She's able to read human emotions based on body language, tone, and reconfigure her interactions to make sure they become happy or enjoy the interaction. As a fantasist, she has limited access to the outside world internet, and they are not able to leave the Kingdom. The last time a Fantasist left, she was found brutally torn apart. The Kingdom contains different segments and different worlds within its walls. The Kingdom also makes hybrid animals; robots with flesh that bring back extinct creatures. 

Which is where Owen comes in. Owen looks after the hybrids and studies patterns. Ana notices him and is intrigued by him. He strikes up a conversation with her, and Ana doesn't follow the script, she gives him her own response. DUN DUN DUNNNNN

Oh, and, by the way, there's also reports of interviews throughout the chapters, so at the beginning of the book you already know Ana is on trial for the murder of Owen.

That's enough summary.

I freaking loved this book, so much. I loved the styling of how the interviews and reports broke up the story and emphasized what was going on. The sinister lurking foreboding of that was present throughout the book as Ana slowly uncovered more details about the park in ways that made sense, but also maintained a chilling sense. Things that were well, inhumane.

It was also fascinating to read Ana's interpretation and imitation of humanity. Of pushing this question of what it is to be human, what is it to be one's own person.

Plus, it was kind of neat to read about an evil-ish version of Disney.

I do wish Owen had been a little more present in how he was presented as a person? But I enjoyed his interactions with Ana and they're slowly getting to know each other. I wish there had been a little more time together before ... let's say the incident.

But it was good. I read it in one sitting. It was a fast read, one, because of  how much I wanted to read more about the world and understand what was going on with the story, but two; how the story was formatted.

Also, reading about some of the other Fantasists was a great contrast to what was going on with Ana and show some of the other things that Fantasists experience.

So good.

Happy reading!

Hey, Kiddo

Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

This is a graphic novel. It's a great slice of life graphic novel that deals with adoption, addiction, and growing up in unusual circumstances. It all starts with a kid learning how to drive in the cemetery.

Sidenote, this book does contain some colorful language in it (for my younger audience), and mature themes presented in digestible ways without shying away from the truth of the situation; so I'd recommend this for grades 7 & up.

An amazon summary, "In kindergarten, Jarrett Krosoczka's teacher asks him to draw his family, with a mommy and a daddy. But Jarrett's family is much more complicated than that. His mom is an addict, in and out of rehab, and in and out of Jarrett's life. His father is a mystery -- Jarrett doesn't know where to find him, or even what his name is. Jarrett lives with his grandparents -- two very loud, very loving, very opinionated people who had thought they were through with raising children until Jarrett came along.

Jarrett goes through his childhood trying to make his non-normal life as normal as possible, finding a way to express himself through drawing even as so little is being said to him about what's going on. Only as a teenager can Jarrett begin to piece together the truth of his family, reckoning with his mother and tracking down his father.
Hey, Kiddo is a profoundly important memoir about growing up in a family grappling with addiction, and finding the art that helps you survive." AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE

Jarrett is learning how to drive in the cemetery from his grandpa. His grandpa asks him to stop the car and shows Jarrett his grave site, his grandma's grave site, and points out where his sister's grave site is in relation to his own parents. Jarrett asks his grandpa why they have their grave sites already picked out, and his grandpa just replies so his kids won't need to.

Then, we learn about how his grandpa and grandma met, the story of their early years and how many kids they had, before it lands on his mother becoming pregnant with him at a young age. Her parents bought her a house not far from theirs and she raised Jarrett in it for a few years. He remembers getting his picture taken in his Halloween costume on the kitchen counter, he remembers eating his Frankenberry cereal and saving the marshmallows for the last bite, and he also remembers people coming into the house and leaving at all hours of the night. He also had nightmares that he would wake up from that he couldn't run to his mother's bedroom in the middle of the night about. Then, his grandparents took him away from that house to raise them as his own.

Because his Mom got caught shop lifting and was taken down to the police station. But he learned over time that his mother was a drug addict.

That's enough summary.

This book packs a bunch of emotional curiosity, triumph, and the harsh realities of growing up in his situation. It feels very, very real and captures a lot of the challenges and big questions presented in such a situation.

Jarrett's story is also showing how it's possible to find yourself, your voice, in the turmoil of not knowing your mother or father, but being loved by your grandparents in their own way. Even if it's not the nicest way.

I think what I found most fascinating was the wide variety in relationship dynamics through the course of Jarrett's life. It wasn't just his mother, father, grandparents, but it was also his aunts and uncles; some of whom he treated as his own siblings. There's also a tenacity about Jarrett to just discover art that was really wonderful to read about.

I liked this book a lot; it's packed full of a lot of good, life moments.

Happy reading!

Pretend She's Here

Pretend She's Here by Luanne Rice

This book was published on February 26, 2019. I read an uncorrected proof (or advance reader's copy). Undoubtedly there will be some differences between the version I read, and the published edition.

This book also contains themes of kidnapping, emotional trauma, and psychological abuse. If you don't want to read anything about those topics, I'd recommend skipping this book review, and book.

An amazon summary, "Mega-bestselling author Luanne Rice returns with a ripped-from-the-headlines story of a girl who is kidnapped by her friend's family.

Emily Lonergan's best friend died last year.
And Emily hasn't stopped grieving. Lizzie Porter was lively, loud, and fun -- Emily's better half. Emily can't accept that she's gone.
When Lizzie's parents and her sister come back to town to visit, Emily's heartened to see them. The Porters understand her pain. They miss Lizzie desperately, too.
Desperately enough to do something crazy.
Something unthinkable.
Suddenly, Emily's life is hurtling toward a very dark place -- and she's not sure she'll ever be able to return to what she once knew was real.
From New York Times bestselling author Luanne Rice comes a breathless, unputdownable story of suspense, secrets -- and the strength that love gives us to survive even the most shocking of circumstances." AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE

Emily's best friend Lizzie died. Emily misses her terribly; it seems like one day she just got sick and never got better. Emily and Lizzie were best friends for most of their lives, and Emily has had such a hard time moving past Lizzie's death that she finds herself talking to Lizzie so her mind will conjure a response that sounds like Lizzie. Emily has kind of a rough day just lost in thoughts about Lizzie when Lizzie's sister Chloe appears while Emily is walking home. Lizzie drops her backpack and jogs across the street to see her. Chloe invites Emily to go visit Lizzie's grave with them, and they get into the minivan where the Porter parents are waiting. They offer her a juice box, and as Emily drinks it, she passes out.

The Porters are kidnapping Emily.

On the way there, Emily tries to escape once, but they find her quickly. she's drugged again, and when she wakes up, she's in Lizzie's room. It's an exact copy of the way Lizzie's room used to be, down to how every book was arranged in a way that only made sense to Lizzie on her bookshelf. Emily also wakes up in Lizzie's clothes, her hair died from reddish brown to dark black, and finds a mirror to see even Lizzie's beauty mark has been drawn on her cheek.

Mrs. Porter is determined to turn Emily into her lost daughter, Lizzie.

Dun dun dunnnnn That's enough summary.

This book was CREEPY as all get out... which makes sense since it's really about how a mother's grief will drive her into madness to get her daughter back.

The book was also a different way to express grieving. In the middle of Emily becoming Lizzie, we learned a lot about the life between Emily and Lizzie, and the sheer madness that comes from being coerced into turning into your best friend. The psychological trauma that Mrs. Porter inflicted on Emily to get her to behave as Lizzie was also insane.

However, it also felt incredibly realistic. I could easily see this scenario playing out in modern day.

The only part that really took me out of the story, was how quickly a romance developed between Emily and someone in her new town. It was like... a couple times of hanging out, and it suddenly felt like they were destined to be soulmates.

The adults seemed to be really stupid in the story. Like Mr. Porter went along with his insane wife... because.... ....reasons we were never told. Emily kind of thought at one point he was doing it to make his wife happy, but it's never really discussed. Plus, there were too many aspects that seemed to just be smoothed over in the process of convincing the world that Emily was in fact Lizzie. Like... didn't anyone google Lizzie's name from her new school only to discover she's dead? I mean, c'mon.

I like how the plot of the story played out, and how it seemed to deal with as many aspects of the situation it could. It's just the little details were missing to smooth out the main plot points. Maybe that was fixed when it was published.

Overall, I did like the book though, even though it was pretty creepy and scary at moments.

Happy reading!

The Light Jar

The Light Jar by Lisa Thompson

This book was published on February 26, 2019. However, I got my hands on an uncorrected proof, so undoubtedly there will be some differences between the version I read and the published edition.

This book does contain themes of abuse. I would recommend not reading this book or review if you find themes of abuse troublesome in any way.

This book is also a bit younger than I normally read, but it was very engaging and dealt with such a sensitive topic in an authentic matter that it was a very good read.

An amazon summary, "A story of fear and hope, loneliness and friendship -- full of the heart, engaging characters, and propulsive, page-turning mystery that made The Goldfish Boy so beloved.

Nate and his mother are running away. Fleeing from an emotionally abusive situation, they hide out in an abandoned cottage in the middle of a forest. Though it's old and run-down, at least it's a place of their own.
Then Nate's mother heads off for groceries and doesn't return. Has she run into trouble, or simply abandoned him? He is left alone and afraid, with the dark closing in on him.
But comfort can come from the most unexpected of places: like a strange girl trying to solve the mystery of a treasure hunt, and the reappearance of a friend from his past. Will Nate find the bravery he needs to face down his fears, survive on his own, and ultimately illuminate his future?
The Light Jar is a captivating story of fear and hope, loneliness and friendship, and finding the light within, even in the darkest of times." AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE

Nate's mom wakes him up in the middle of the night and tells him to pack. She packs him and his bag into the car, and drives him all the way out to a semi-abandoned cottage in the middle of nowhere. They're escaping from Gary, his mom's boyfriend who came to live with them. He seemed like an alright guy, but then little things started to happen where he wasn't such an alright guy.

Anyways, Nate and his mom are in this kind of decrepit cottage and they're trying to make the best of it. They manage to sleep for the night, and the next day they have breakfast from the eggs the rogue chicken in the cottage laid. Nate's Mom leaves to go get groceries and supplies and Nate tries to make the cottage a little more welcome while she's gone.

...but she doesn't come back.

Nate finds ways to occupy himself until his mom comes back. His imaginary friend from when he was little shows up, and starts asking him questions. Poking around the cottage, and Nate is pretty bewildered. He hasn't seen his imaginary friends since he was very little. The funny thing is, his imaginary friend and his mom insist they've been to the cottage before when Nate was little, but he doesn't really remember it. Then a little girl shows up looking to solve the riddle the groundskeeper left years ago for the children of the family (Nate and his mom are staying at the old groundskeeper's cottage) and she enlists Nate's help.

That's enough summary.

This book was a survivalist story. Nate surviving on his own in the cottage without his mom, Nate surviving his life with Gary, and Nate surviving his parents' divorce where his Dad left for overseas years ago.

But I ultimately think it's about patience and self-love. Through the different scenarios that arise throughout the book, I think there was a great demonstration of Nate showing himself compassion.

The settings, character development, and kind of mysticism that happens also felt authentic while remaining true to telling Nate's story.

All that being said, I thought Nate came across as a little too young. At times I wasn't sure if his age was 8, 12, or 10. There didn't seem to be any consistency, and the few habits or tendencies he displayed seemed to be a little more textbook than character driven. Like, "What do 12 year olds like? Uhhhh, these things..... *selects them off a list*"

The story was sad, touching, and also was very sensitive to displaying and telling of the abuse from Gary... but it just seems like Nate as a character could have used a bit of polishing.

Happy reading!

Kingdom of Souls

Kingdom of Souls by Rena Barron

This book will be published on September 3rd, 2019. I read an advance reader's copy and undoubtedly there will be differences between the version I read, and the published edition.

ISN'T THIS COVER SO FREAKING SWEET? ...have I mentioned enough that I'm a sucker for a good cover? This one is specifically good because the cover is comprised of different elements that slowly present themselves throughout the story. I just freaking LOVE a good cover. So good.

...anyways, here's an amazon summary, "Magic has a price—if you’re willing to pay.

The lush world building of Children of Blood and Bone meets the sweeping scale of Strange the Dreamer in this captivating epic YA fantasy debut.

Born into a family of powerful witchdoctors, Arrah yearns for magic of her own. But each year she fails to call forth her ancestral powers, while her ambitious mother watches with growing disapproval.

There’s only one thing Arrah hasn’t tried, a deadly last resort: trading years of her own life for scraps of magic. Until the Kingdom’s children begin to disappear, and Arrah is desperate to find the culprit.

She uncovers something worse. The long-imprisoned Demon King is stirring. And if he rises, his hunger for souls will bring the world to its knees… unless Arrah pays the price for the magic to stop him.

Inspired by tales of folk magic in her own community, Rena Barron spins a darkly magical tale perfect for fans of Three Dark Crowns or Shadow and Bone, about a girl caught between gods, monsters, and her own mother’s schemes." AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE

Arrah's family has roots in the tribal lands. She and her father are visiting the tribal lands for a holiday of sorts, and Arrah is hoping this will be the year that her magic awakens. Her father and mother both come from strong lines of magic, and Arrah can see magic, she can feel magic, she just can't do magic. It's very strange for someone to be aware of magic and not be able to wield it. Another small oddity, is that no one can read her mind, which is weird, because if she doesn't have magic, how can she stop people from reading her mind?

Anyways. Arrah's magic hasn't manifested again, and she returns with her father to the city where her mother serves as Ka-Priestess. There's a top leader, and then two second leaders underneath them; the Ka-Priestess is one of the second leaders. Arrah best friend, who she may also have feelings for happens to be the son of the other second leader, and so their parents are constantly battling with each other. ...but that doesn't stop Arrah from having friends that she likes.

Children have started to go missing within the city though. Her mother can't use her magic to find them, and Arrah is worried another one of her friends (who happens to be a child) will be taken from the market. In a desperate attempt to find them before they strike again, Arrah seeks out a way to use magic that will trade years of her life away to be able to perform a ritual. She sits on it, trying to decide what to do, when her friend does disappear. With a lot of hesitation but with more determination, Arrah performs the ritual, and performs the next one to find the child snatcher... only to find her own mother.

Dun dun dunnnn 

That's enough summary.

This book was wild. There was so much world building, character development, just like plot mechanisms that were going on. Honestly, I felt a bit stupid as a reader because I feel there were spiritual elements at play that were hinted at in the whimsical way that spiritual things do that are open for interpretation but this seemed like it wanted to make a point and I kind of like shrugged and wanted to go back to the story.

But, this book was also LONG. So much happened in such a condensed amount of time and it was a whirlwind of this mystery unfolding with gods, and timelines, and demons, and so many things at once! With a story like that, you'd think it'd be hard to put it down... but it wasn't. I found myself taking breaks just to recap what I think happened, how that played into the larger plot/mystery, and try to make predictions for the next few chapters of the book. ...but I kept having to take breaks and try to figure out what was going on.

There was also this odd implication about future and past things at one point that weirded me out in a grander scheme of kind of wait, how does this world work again? So I kind of had to ignore it when it was presented, but then it kind of came back into play later, and probably will in the second book? But.... like no. Stop.

....I don't know. It was a bizarre experience from start to finish for a wide variety of reasons. I rooted for Arrah most of the time, but she was also kind of haphazardly flying by the seat of her pants for the most part which was odd considering her upbringing. ....I don't know!

Happy reading!

Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All

Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All by Laura Ruby

This book will be published on October 1, 2019. I read an advance reader's edition and there will undoubtedly be differences between the version I read and the published edition.

I picked this book up because I previously read YORK: THE SHADOW CIPHER and YORK: THE CLOCKWORK GHOST. But, this book isn't really anything like them. It's more about an untold story from the Great Depression and what World War II looked like for an orphan. For the women who had their own sorrows to bear. And also ghosts?

An amazon summary, "When Frankie’s mother died and her father left her and her siblings at an orphanage in Chicago, it was supposed to be only temporary—just long enough for him to get back on his feet and be able to provide for them once again. That’s why Frankie's not prepared for the day that he arrives for his weekend visit with a new woman on his arm and out-of-state train tickets in his pocket.

Now Frankie and her sister, Toni, are abandoned alongside so many other orphans—two young, unwanted women doing everything they can to survive.

And as the embers of the Great Depression are kindled into the fires of World War II, and the shadows of injustice, poverty, and death walk the streets in broad daylight, it will be up to Frankie to find something worth holding on to in the ruins of this shattered America—every minute of every day spent wondering if the life she's able to carve out will be enough.

I will admit I do not know the answer. But I will be watching, waiting to find out.

That’s what ghosts do." AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE

Frankie has grown up in an orphanage run by nuns with her sister, Toni, and her brother, Vito. The nuns are not ruthless, but they're definitely not loving, and they have a strict sense of appropriate. the boys and girls are separated at the orphanage, and only get kind of glimpses of each other. There's a big yellow line that divides their outside spaces. They're kind of trapped in a rigorous routine, not fed very well, and they have a different kind of dress code (they wear a smock type thing in the communal shower to preserve their modesty).

On the other hand, there's a ghost that follows Frankie around as they find the orphanage somewhat routine. There's also babies at the orphanage that the ghost checks in on. There is an angel statue that she likes to speak to that tells her of what's going on around the world. The ghost notes that she is a different kind of ghost, as she's self aware and not trapped in a loop of reliving her death, or whatever torments the ghost soul

...that's enough summary.

So this book was hard for me. I feel like there was a lot going on in a larger sense that I completely missed out on. Like, I read all the words, and the letters, but I can't read between the lines? Regardless, I did finish the book as I was intrigued as to how the ghost aspect would play into Frankie's story. Even with reading the ending though, I'm still not sure I have a great answer.

I found Frankie's story fascinating though. Reading about life in the orphanage, what her norms were versus what the norms of the world were at the time, to watching her life just evolve.

I also found the ghost's story to be fascinating but for different reasons. The ghost was intent on figuring out her place in the world (kind of) but also, to figure out some aspects of the other ghosts she's encountered. It was also deep. Deep in the sense of heart rending and soul touching at some points. Mourning for a book character that continues to echo in my heart.

BUT. BUT. There were some aspects to the ending that I found dissatisfying? There seemed to be a grand show for a certain character that resolved with an answer.... but there was no answers to be seen for other characters. I'm not sure what the final lesson from the story is supposed to be as it seems to be a cautionary tale full of showing life, and kind of also that life goes on regardless of what happens? But then... what about the ghost and exposure to the ghost world...

Also, can someone explain the fox to me. That's what I really want. When this is published, and if the fox is still a thing, can someone come back and explain it to me. I want to understand, but feel like I missed the whole point. HALP. SOMEONE HALP.

Happy reading!

Dead Voices

Dead Voices by Katherine Arden

This is the sequel to Small Spaces which I reviewed HERE. If you don't want anything ruined about Small Spaces, I'd recommend not reading this review.

This book will be published on August 27, 2019. I read an advance uncorrected galley; there will undoubtedly be differences between the version I read and the published edition.

I don't like scary books. I don't like horror books. I don't like thriller books. ...so why is it that I read another scary book??? ...because it's really good and I can read anything with all the lights on... and sleep with the lights on at times. It's fine, and worth it in some cases. In this case.

An amazon summary, "Having survived sinister scarecrows and the malevolent smiling man in Small Spaces, newly minted best friends Ollie, Coco, and Brian are ready to spend a relaxing winter break skiing together with their parents at Mount Hemlock Resort. But when a snowstorm sets in, causing the power to flicker out and the cold to creep closer and closer, the three are forced to settle for hot chocolate and board games by the fire.

Ollie, Coco, and Brian are determined to make the best of being snowed in, but odd things keep happening. Coco is convinced she has seen a ghost, and Ollie is having nightmares about frostbitten girls pleading for help. Then Mr. Voland, a mysterious ghost hunter, arrives in the midst of the storm to investigate the hauntings at Hemlock Lodge. Ollie, Coco, and Brian want to trust him, but Ollie's watch, which once saved them from the smiling man, has a new cautionary message: BEWARE.
With Mr. Voland's help, Ollie, Coco, and Brian reach out to the dead voices at Mount Hemlock. Maybe the ghosts need their help--or maybe not all ghosts can or should be trusted." AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE

After the chilling events of Small Spaces, Ollie, Coco, and Brian, along with Ollie's Dad and Coco's Mom are off to spend their winter break in the Mount Hemlock Resort. They dream of skiing, smores, and hanging around by the fire place playing games. Ollie's Dad won the resort trip from work, and they make the trek to the resort in the middle of a very bad snowstorm. On the way there, Coco happens to fall asleep in the back, only to wake up and see a man standing in the room, holding up his hand as if urging them to stop. She verbally panics, the car stops, and everyone gets out to investigate to find no footprints in the snow. They move on and manage to get to the resort despite the snow storm.

Once at the resort, they're greeted by a lovely couple who own it, and also a wall full of taxidermy animals that the owner shot and stuffed himself. They're shown to their rooms, but there's something unsettling about the resort. Ollie and Coco share a room and that night, Ollie dreams of a girl pleading for help and determined to hide from someone. When everyone gets up and goes down to breakfast (where Ollie's Dad helps in the kitchen), a ghost investigator arrives and tells them stories about the resorts past... just as the fire goes out.

Dun dun dunnnnnnnn

This was a fantastic sequel to the first one, and followed very much in the same vein. Small Spaces was Ollie's book to shine in, and she plays a big role in Dead Voices, but this was very much a book more focused on Coco. Brian was kind of there but in meaningful ways.

The story is well paced, the scene was well set, and I think it still wasn't too scary, but definitely scary enough. I'll also say that Ollie, Coco, and Brian are some of the most....robust children I've come across in a book in a while (since the first one, ha...ha). They're very clever, they don't rely on the adults to do things for them, and they possess a strong sense of determination.

I also thought the maybe romance (it's hinted at in the first quarter of the book, it's fair game) between Ollie's Dad and Coco's Mom was more cute than forced or "just happened to happen". Their seems to be a fundamental likability about their relationship and I am here for it!

I'm pretty sure the next book will be more focused on Brian, and I'm pretty excited to see how his perspective will change more about what we know of this world. Already some new/interesting concepts were presented in this book, and I'm kind of hopeful this becomes some sort of series due to the feeling of an old fairy tale; where they were sinister and there were no happy endings to be found.

This book was the best and spookiest in all the good ways.

Happy reading!