Book cover for review: image shows a tall, dark, residential building at night, leaning away from the viewer. There are large billows of smoke around it, and a helicopter is flying to the left of it. The helicopter's spotlight rests on two children standing looking up at the building, their backs to the viewer, an older boy and a younger girl. Overlaid at the top of the image is the title in white, The Deadsoul Project; the series name, 'The Night House Files', is on a pink band between the second and third words.
Book Reviews

The Deadsoul Project | Book Review

Written by Dan Smith and illustrated by Luke Brookes (pub. Barrington Stoke)

“What’s wrong with you?” Mam insisted. “Give him a hug.”
“I don’t want to.” Lauren’s voice started to crack as she fought back tears.
“Just leave her,” Kyle said, putting a hand on his mam’s arm. “She’s scared.”
“Scared of what?” Mam glared at him. “There’s nothing to be –”
“Stay away from me.”
Connor’s words were quiet and menacing.
He was staring right at Lauren with a dark and hungry look. An ugly sound rattled deep in his throat, and his pupils were so large that his eyes seemed completely black.

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Covers for book recommendations Jan 2025
Book Reviews

Monthly Book Recommendations: January 2025

Welcome to our monthly book recommendations post for January! We read some fantastic books over the past month, with adventure, information, and a lot of fun. What a great way to start the new year!

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Book Reviews

Our Top 5 Books of 2024

We read some absolutely fantastic books over the past year, and we’ve enjoyed sharing them all with you! Some books didn’t make it into our recommended lists however (there were some crackers released at the end of the year!), and they were some of the best – so here we’re sharing with you our top 5 books from 2024.

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Book cover for review: image shows a grand old manor house with a red front door and long windows. The windows directly above the door are lit up, while one on the bottom right is boarded up. The manor is surrounded by snow, and a line of shadowy tress stands behind it. Above the manor rises a full moon in a starry sky. This is all flanked by two leafless trees, one on each side, close to the viewer. In the branch of the left tree lies a white squirrel. Across the snow in front of the house is the title "The Secret of Helmersbruk Manor", and underneath the subtitle "A Christmas Mystery".
Book Reviews

The Secret of Helmersbruk Manor: A Christmas Mystery | Review

Written by Eva Frantz, illustrated by Elin Sandström (pub. Pushkin Press, 2023)

‘It’s her!’

The white thing disappeared too quickly for Flora to see what it was, but for a few horrible moments she thought she had seen a pale face peering in at her and whispering.

But the room was on the first floor, so surely no one could be peeking in up there?

Flora lingered in the doorway, dead still.

Did she dare go over to the window and look?

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Book recommendations covers for Oct 2024
Book Reviews

Monthly Book Recommendations: October 2024

Welcome to our monthly book recommendations post for October! There are still a few spooky titles in our list from last month, but we were also looking forward to non-fiction November.

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Book recommendations covers for Sep 2024
Book Reviews

Monthly Book Recommendations: September 2024

Welcome to our monthly book recommendations post for September! Last month we read some very spooky books, some not-so-spooky books, and some that aren’t really spooky at all. And we enjoyed each and every one of them!

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Book cover for review shows a stream flowing through a green forest, the trees dappled with gold. Along the bank three children walk, their aims outstretched for balance. In the middle, over the stream between the trees on either bank, the title 'The Worlds We Leave Behind' is picked out in gold.
Book Reviews

The Worlds We Leave Behind | Book Review

Written by A. F. Harrold and illustrated by Levi Pinfold (pub. Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 2024)

And only now did he really wonder at the oddness of everything.
Only now?
This woman who spoke so strangely.
This cottage in a clearing that couldn’t possibly fit in the woods he knew.
The rain that was drumming on the windows from heavy dark clouds that hadn’t been there twenty minutes earlier.
Oddness held the door open for fear to step in.
‘I think I’d best get going,’ he said.

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Nine Night Mystery book cover for review
Book Reviews

The Nine Night Mystery | Book Review

By Sharna Jackson (pub. Puffin Books, 2024)

I’m at our neighbour Rachel’s house in her room. I just dropped a paintbrush she asked me for on her floor, and she didn’t do or say anything when it rolled under the bed.

Not because she’s asleep or lazy.

But because she’s dead.

Rachel Kohl. Dead in her bed.

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Bringing Back Kay-Kay / The Tree That Sang to Me book covers for double review
Book Reviews

Bringing Back Kay-Kay / The Tree That Sang to Me | Double Review

This month’s review brings together two books that have a similar theme: both are from the perspective of a younger sibling dealing with an older sibling who is missing from their life, though the circumstances around it, and how they deal with it, are approached very differently.

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Book recommendations covers for April 2024
Book Reviews

Monthly Book Recommendations: April 2024

Welcome to our second monthly book recommendations post! April was a busy month for us and books, with so many different topics and stories passing through our hands. Here’s what we read during April 2024!

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