Book Review: X Marks The Haunt by Lindsay Currie

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X Marks The Haunt  by Lindsay Currie is a chilling middle grade horror novel that begins with Will Stone conducting genealogy research at Graceland Cemetery, where his mother works. When an old crypt key goes missing, it unleashes a sinister force within the cemetery, draining the lake and slowly sucking the life from the surrounding trees. As the eerie presence grows stronger, Will and his friends must rely on his unique knowledge and investigative skills to uncover the truth and put a stop to the dangerous energy wreaking havoc before it consumes everything in its path. I'd like to thank NetGalley, Random House Children's Books, and Delacorte Press for approving my request for an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of X Marks The Haunt  by Lindsay Currie. All I knew about the novel before I read it was that it was a children's horror book, and I loved the cover! I received a digital copy for free in exchange for my honest review. First and foremost, the story was exceptionally a...
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Book Review: If You Can Hear This by Faith Gardner

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book review if you can hear this faith gardner
If You Can Hear This by Faith Gardner is a Young Adult Mystery & Thriller novel about a high school AV Club and the search of their teacher who is missing. The expected publication date of this book is November 19, 2024. I'd like to thank NetGalley for sending me an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of this book for free in exchange for my honest review. 

Overall, I can say that I really enjoyed the storyline. It reminded me of the Point Horror Books of the 1980's and 1990's and followed a similar formula. There were plenty of suspects and motives throughout but was a bit predictable.

Additionally, I liked that the author had a diverse group of characters in the book, including two or three from the LGTBQ+ community, a couple that were people of color, and one that had a mental illness. I think it's important to include a diverse group of characters so that everyone has a book to read that depicts someone like them as well as educating others on people who are different from them.

What surprised me the most is that the school newspaper was disbanded and that there was actually an AV Club. I'd think that it would've been called something more updated like the Multimedia Club or having a school television show. Do kids these days even know what an AV Club is? I know that the television show Stranger Things might have brought some light to these type of clubs, but I don't know if that would be enough for it to be relatable to kids and teens today.

Four out of five stars is what I gave If You Can Hear This by Faith Gardner. It's great for tweens and teens as I think they will find certain situations relatable. Adults who like to read YA should enjoy this book for the nostalgic features.


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