I read this book all in one gulp late at night and I'm surprised I didn't stay up the rest of the night looking for scarecrows, because it is terrifyiI read this book all in one gulp late at night and I'm surprised I didn't stay up the rest of the night looking for scarecrows, because it is terrifying! Middle grade horror is so interesting to me, and this is a great example. I loved the creepiness, the everyday details of the setting, the way Arden creates some really effective moments without a ton of violence. Would I want to read this if I had a class field trip coming up? No, I would not!
(I wasn't as big a fan of Ollie's personal plotline, simply because dead mothers seem so overdone at this point, but it was genuinely thoughtful about depicting her grief. And I loved her relationship with her dad.)...more
As you may have noticed, I don't read a ton of books by white men. But the Peter Grant series is like catnip to me, because I love fantasy and I love As you may have noticed, I don't read a ton of books by white men. But the Peter Grant series is like catnip to me, because I love fantasy and I love London and I love mysteries and I love snarky narrators. This isn't maybe the best in the series, but I enjoyed it anyway....more
Earlyish Pratchett; neither his writing style nor characterizations are quite as good as they would become later on. Granny Weatherwax isn't really thEarlyish Pratchett; neither his writing style nor characterizations are quite as good as they would become later on. Granny Weatherwax isn't really the Granny that I know and love from the Tiffany Aching books. But it's still a good book, because, you know--Pratchett. ...more
My friend Ally has been trying to get me to read the Witches series for several years now and I FINALLY AM (Pratchett's Tiffany Aching books are my faMy friend Ally has been trying to get me to read the Witches series for several years now and I FINALLY AM (Pratchett's Tiffany Aching books are my favorites forever, but these provide an important backstory for some characters). I loved this one even more than Equal Rites, especially as Nanny Ogg and Granny Weatherwax are more like their Tiffany-series-selves. ...more
I've been on a Pratchett kick lately and have been enjoying the audiobooks for the Moist Von Lipwig series!I've been on a Pratchett kick lately and have been enjoying the audiobooks for the Moist Von Lipwig series!...more