Review: Read At Your Own Risk

By Remy Lai

New York: Henry Holt Books, 2024. Fiction. 160 pages.

Hannah Lee didn't think that skipping assembly with her friends would be a big deal. After all, the rumors that the school's attic is haunted are obviously just rumors, what could possibly happen if they tried to contact ghosts? It turns out, Hannah is now haunted. Not just haunted, cursed. In Biology, a scalpel flies out of her hand and lands in the middle of her forehead; an itchy sensation in her gums turns out to be centipedes; and that's only the beginning. Hannah decides to start keeping a journal to keep record of what is happening to her. Of course, that doesn't mean she is immediately forthcoming with the truth. And it doesn't do anything to stop the evil spirit from inhabiting her journal as well. Hannah thinks that local horror author Leon Star might be able to give her advice, but all he can do is warn her she doesn't have much time left.

This very scary and very enjoyable book is certain to be popular with anyone who likes to be a little bit spooked. The sketch journal format works really nicely in making this book just a little scarier, and supplying some welcome dark humor. A twist at the end serves as a larger metaphor and fits into the book really nicely without disrupting the story. Confident and reluctant readers will cruise through this book.

Comments

Review: Fowl Play

Fowl Play By Kristin O'Donnell Tubb New York: Katherine Tegen Books, 2024. Fiction 277 pages. Still reeling from her beloved uncle's death, Chloe Alvarez is comforted and confused when at his last will and testament reading, Uncle Will gifts her his African Grey parrot, Charlie. Charlie has a robust vocabulary and loves to make Alexa requests for her favorite songs, but when she starts saying things like, "homicide," and "cyanide," Chloe becomes convinced that Uncle Will may have met his demise by murder instead of a genetic disease, as was previously thought. Ultimately, bringing in her brother, Grammy, and Uncle Frank (and of course Charlie,) Chloe's ragtag and adoring family support her search for answers ---going on stakeouts, engaging in fast pursuits, and searching for clues. But as the suspects stack up and the mystery grows, Chole will learn that the process of death and grieving is complicated, and in the end her Uncle Will's words that, ...

Review: The Factory

The Factory By Catherine Egan New York, NY : Scholastic Inc., 2025. Fiction. 306 pages. Thirteen-year-old Asher Doyle has been invited to join the Factory, a secretive research facility in the desert which ostensibly extracts renewable energy from the electromagnetic fields of its young recruits. But Asher soon realizes something sinister is going on. Kids are getting sick. The adults who run the Factory seem to be keeping secrets. And the extraction process is not only painful and exhausting, but existentially troubling. Asher makes a handful of new friends who help him with an investigation that turns into a resistance, which turns into...a cliffhanger! The Factory is a page-turning sci-fi with multidimensional characters, an intriguing plot, and refreshingly straight-forward writing. Egan weaves in detail about climate crises and social unrest, making the story's dystopian setting feel rich and plausible. With its sophisticated themes and accessible storytelling, I would recomm...

Review: A Game of Noctis

A Game of Noctis By Deva Fagan New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2024. Fiction. 310 pages. On the island of Dantessa, social standings and wealth are determined by your place in the Great Game. If you keep on winning, you can reap treasures, power, and security for yourself and your family; but if you lose too many games, you'll be exiled to Pawn Island and a life of servitude. That's what happens to 12-year-old Pia's grandfather. Due to poor vision, he struggles to see the games, but also can't afford new eyeglasses without winning. When his score falls to zero, he is sent away. Desperate to bring him back, Pia joins a ragtag group of misfits to form a team for the annual game of Noctis. The game requires contestants to perform dangerous challenges in front of a live audience, and no one outside the wealthy Diamond District has ever won. Each member of Pia's team, the Seafoxes, has their own reason to compete, but if they're going to win they'll h...

Provo Library Children's Book Blog

Search This Blog