Horror and suspense stories and me do not mix. They are just not the type of books I gravitate toward. In fact, I force myself to read them. They make me antsy. If they are not done well, I become impatient. When they are, I have to either read the book in one sitting (like yanking off a bandaid) or put the book away and pace the willies off. I have students who love them and are frequently in asking for suggestions; so I read them.
Review spoiler alert: Ghostlight is now my go-to book for middle school students seeking a scary read.
Ghostlight by Sonia Gensler. 247 p. Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers/ Random House, August, 2015. 9780553522143. (Review from arc courtesy of Blue Slip Media)
Avery and her brother spend summers with their maternal grandmother in rural Georgia. There are several houses on the property, one of which is rented to a country singer and his son, Julian, a budding film maker. The other is Hilliard House, a decrepit old mansion that Avery is forbidden to enter. When she was seven or eight, she disappeared one day and her grandmother found her asleep in the house. The shock of the beating she received has kept her away.
But, with a boring summer looming thanks to her brother's rejection of their game that involves an imaginary kingdom and the promise of friendship making a film with Julian, Avery reluctantly agrees to helping Julian get into the house to film a ghost story.
While atmospheric and properly creepy, this is so much more than a ghost story. Themes of changing relationships, friendship and family history are woven into a truly suspenseful ghost story. Quite a few folks in the neighborhood seem to be hiding secrets from Julian to Avery's grandmother to an elderly acquaintance and Avery aims to find out all she can about the house and its tragic inhabitants.
I recently booktalked this and there's a waiting list. I hadn't known about the great trailer when I did or I would've shown it. Click here to view it and click here to visit the author's web site. A first purchase for middle school and public library collections. I will have to check out Ms. Gensler's YA paranormal historical fiction soon.
The blog tour continues tomorrow at Word Spelunking. Be sure to check out other stops on the tour.
Mon, Sept 14
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Cracking the Cover
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Tues, Sept 15
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Ms. Yingling Reads
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Wed, Sept 16
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Charlotte's Library
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Thurs, Sept 17
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The Book Smugglers
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Fri, Sept 18
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Unleashing Readers
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Mon, Sept 21
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The Hiding Spot
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Tues, Sept 22
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Proseandkahn
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Wed, Sept 23
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Word Spelunking
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Thurs, Sept 24
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The Book Monsters
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Fri, Sept 25
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GreenBeanTeenQueen
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Mon, Sept 28
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The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia
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Tues, Sept 29
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Kid Lit Frenzy
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Wed, Oct 1
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Mother Daughter Book Club
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Hope you don't mind me popping in to thank you for sharing your thoughts on Ghostlight -- it means to much to me!
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