Happy Spooky Season, readers!

Halloween is so close I can almost taste it! Naturally I’ve been doing some book events and other random events to enjoy the season, so I’ve been really happy. The boyfriend and I also have plans for our first big Halloween party at the house so I’m really excited.

It’s not spooky season without spooky reads, so today’s post is all about It Watches in the Dark (Eek! #1) by Jeff Strand.

I’ve been reading a bunch of adult novels lately so I wanted to take a chance on an MG spooky book. I’ve read 4 or 5 of Strand’s novels and really enjoyed them all (my personal favorite is Bloodsucker County), so I had high hopes going in.

On to the book review!

Blurb

Prepare to be scared silly in this creepy middle-grade novel! Twins seek medical help in a remote village after their father is in a canoeing accident…only to discover the scarecrow that stands watch in town may have a stronger hold over the residents than expected. Perfect for fans of R.L. Stine, Dan Poblocki, and Mary Downing Hahn.

Twins Oliver and Trisha love going on adventures with their dad. Canoeing and camping on the Champion River will be their best trip yet! But when they capsize in rapids, their father is knocked unconscious. Alone and without cell phone reception, their only choice is to continue down river for help.

Hours of paddling brings them to an old dock, and a narrow path leads them to a small village. The townspeople are kind and helpful, but strangely focused on the giant scarecrow in the village square. “He watches over us,” the twins are told in whispers. “He keeps us safe.”

An old woman warns the twins not to spend the night in the village. Not if they ever want to leave. But with the sun soon to set and their father not well enough to be moved, how can they escape? Better yet, how can they survive?

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***Brief disclosure***

I am an Amazon and Bookshop.org affiliate and earn a small commission for purchases made through the links in this post at no cost to you. It’s a great way to help me keep things running on my blog if you’re already intrigued enough to make a purchase. 

The Review

This was fun, but not quite what I was expecting.

Oliver and Trisha love going on trips with their dad when he has custody. They’re on a row trip having the time of their lives when the canoe capsizes. Desperate to find safety and medical attention for their dad, they stumble across a bizarre little town with a giant scarecrow in its center. Though odd, Oliver and Trisha are still grateful for the assistance of the townspeople, unknowing of the nightmare that awaits them.

As always with Strand’s work, I really appreciated how easy it was to get drawn into the story. The writing is well done and simple to read. I blazed through the pages on this one.

Oliver and Trisha were good main characters. Trisha is brave, and Oliver questions the things he sees around him that don’t add up. This made for some really believable dialogue between the two of them. The townspeople were interesting too, kind of like giddy megalomaniacs.

The pacing was nice and fast and didn’t let up for a second. Expect lots of light mystery and paranormal hijinks. Personally it just didn’t quite grip me by the end and I thought some of the book was too bizarre to be believable. Still, I think this would be a great read for the kiddos if they want to get into creepier books.

That’s A Wrap!

Well that’s it for this book review. Like what you see? Leave a tip!

Have you read this book? Are there other similar books you’ve read that you simply have to gush about? Feel free to leave a comment. I’d love to start a conversation!

Have a great day!

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