Dark Waters by Katherine Arden

I can feel autumn in the air. Summer is ending and that means it is time for pumpkin spices, Halloween decorations, and spooky books by Katherine Arden.

Her middle grade series so far has been incredibly eerie and goose bump inducing. The trio of friends has been stalked in a corn maze and haunted in a remote ski lodge. What chilling adventures will they have this time? Unfortunately, I can't answer that question for you. The latest in the "Small Spaces" series was a bit of missed potential.

All the building blocks were there for ghosts and ghouls on a deserted island surrounded by America's version of Nessie, but unfortunately it fell short of truly creeping me out. The mystery wasn't deep enough and the action didn't make my heart pound. The story itself was entertaining and easy enough that I finished the book in just one weekend. I just had such higher hopes for a good snuggle under the blankets fall story.

Maybe the adults being present took away some of the edge. Personally, it was the lack of the Smiling Man. That dude is just downright creepy, and when he isn't causing havoc in the kids' lives it just doesn't seem to get the adrenaline flowing the same way. I just didn't have as many jump out of seat moments as with the previous novels. 

But enough of the detriments. The ending gave me hope. That ending packed in all the creep and anticipation. It really set the bar for the final novel in this series. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

I'm such a Mopsies junkie!

Image
All right, let's get back on track here. I have resettled from my vacation euphoria to one of the best countries on the globe, completed my interview for the book tour of two amazing authors, and settled in my inherited chickens. Yes, you read me correctly. I am now the proud owner of seven chickens of varying breeds. My neighbors are moving and did not plan on relocating the chickens with them, so I am now the proud mama hen. As my title states I'm such a Mopsies junkie. And, I also now have time to give you this wonderful review. A Lady of Spirit by Shelley Adina This go around we get to delve into the back story for the other half of the Mopsies, Maggie de Maupassant... or is it? You will have to read to find out.  While we once again get a  delicate braid of Lizzie's (and possibly Tigg's) and the Lady's story within Maggie's , each novel is completely unique to fit the very unique identity of the girls. While they may have grown up attached at the hi...
Read more

Ga-ga-ga-gas-Lit City

Image
Welcome to February everyone. Hope you have all unburied from the snowmagedpocalypse readers in the Northeast. Just in time for some new powder to flurry down and send you back indoors to read my reviews on what to read to get you through the winter doldrums. Today we certainly have just that. The Custodian of Marvels by Rod Duncan And my world has been righted! We are back with Elizabeth Barnabus as she was in The Bullet-Catcher's Daughter. I'm all tingly. Not that Unseemly Science  was a complete let down; I just really feel that the magic (or circus dust?) wasn't there from the first novel. Apparently that is because it all built up and got swept to this novel.  We have the original troupe together for some Ocean's Eleven shenanigans as they attempt to rob the International Patent Office (gasp for dramatic effect). The humor and wit have returned to the original level because everyone knows all about best laid plans. While I like Julia, her relegation back to ...
Read more

The most mind-boggling book I've ever read

Image
... and the mind-boggled review to go with it. This book was the most unique reading experience I have ever had in decades of reading. Assassin Queen by Anna Kashina This week we have the final novel of the "Majat Code" trilogy. I previously reviewed the first and second novels and have read a short companion novella as well. Some may recall me raving about the first novel and being slightly disappointed about the turn of the second novel. The novella was more in tune with Blades of the Old Empire  and added to the hype for The Guild of Assassins . So with the letdown from the latter book, why did I get the third? More importantly, how did I feel about it? Redeemed and exacerbated. How can you feel both of those at once? That is the mystery of the third novel of the "Majat Code." There were some extremely awesome, butt-kicking scenes reminiscent of "Blades," and the romance from "Guild" was still included. I was excited and disappoint...
Read more