Good Morning and Happy Sunday!

I hope you’re having some R&R on your weekend. I’ve mainly been inside for the most part (I hate Missouri humidity at this time of year!), but have been enjoying my relaxation time.

True to form, I’ve been reading up a storm and finished a book this morning.

This time around it’s Dead Voices by Katherine Arden, the sequel to Small Spaces (buddy read of Small Spaces here) that I read as a buddy read with Iseult Murphy.

Like usual, this individual review will be followed by a book rant of our opinions on the experience on Tuesday due to scheduling and timing of things. 

While I read this novel I tried to embrace its ambience like I did with A Forest, or a Tree. I played winter blizzard sounds, closed those blinds, and lit some candles. It was so awesome! I’m definitely going to keep doing this in the future when I can. It really gets your mind in the zone.

Alright, on to the review!

Blurb:

Having survived sinister scarecrows and the malevolent smiling man in Small Spaces, newly minted best friends Ollie, Coco, and Brian are ready to spend a relaxing winter break skiing together with their parents at Mount Hemlock Resort. But when a snowstorm sets in, causing the power to flicker out and the cold to creep closer and closer, the three are forced to settle for hot chocolate and board games by the fire.

Ollie, Coco, and Brian are determined to make the best of being snowed in, but odd things keep happening. Coco is convinced she has seen a ghost, and Ollie is having nightmares about frostbitten girls pleading for help. Then Mr. Voland, a mysterious ghost hunter, arrives in the midst of the storm to investigate the hauntings at Hemlock Lodge. Ollie, Coco, and Brian want to trust him, but Ollie’s watch, which once saved them from the smiling man, has a new cautionary message: BEWARE.

With Mr. Voland’s help, Ollie, Coco, and Brian reach out to the dead voices at Mount Hemlock. Maybe the ghosts need their help–or maybe not all ghosts can or should be trusted.

Dead Voices is a terrifying follow-up to Small Spaces with thrills and chills galore and the captive foreboding of a classic ghost story.

GoodReads

The Review:

I give this novel four frightening stars!

Following the events of Small Spaces, Ollie and her dad, her two best friends, and Coco’s mom journey to a newly renovated Mount Hemlock Ski Resort during a winter storm. When they arrive, everything seems nice and cozy. That is, until strange things start happening.

With the storm keeping them indoors, can Ollie and company figure out what’s behind these spooky happenings before something truly horrific happens?

This was a solid continuation of the Small Spaces series.

This time around we read in two POVs, Coco and Ollie’s. I can’t quite remember if things were split like this in the first book, but sometimes their POVs were a little too similar for me. That being said, it was a joy to get into both of their headspaces for a more immersive experience.

Our characters were overall pretty great. Ollie, Coco, and Brian stick to their personalities quite well, and I enjoyed the comradery between them. There was a smidgeon of character progression, but I have to say I would’ve liked a tad bit more. I also felt that in small spots the thinking process of characters seemed to be a little below their age.

The plot and concept really drew me in. I love all things winter, and the beginning reminded me of The Shining, which really excited me. This one is more centered on a ghostly vibe, and I really loved that. The plot did keep me guessing pretty much the whole time, and things took some serious sudden turns that kept me blazing through those pages.

This sequel was a strong installment to Arden’s series, and I can’t wait to see what happens next!

That’s a Wrap!

Thanks for stopping by, and happy reading!

Have you read this book before? What did you think? Do you have a book recommendation similar to this one? Feel free to share in the comments!

If you’d like to see other reviews of mine, feel free to check out the book review section of my blog or my GoodReads. You can also follow my GoodReads reviews here. There are some great binge-worthy books on there!

Have a great day!

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