Haunted by Susan Cooper, Joseph Delaney, Berlie Doherty, Jamila Gavin, Matt Haig, Robin Jarvis, Derek Landy, Sam Llewellyn, Mal Peet, Philip Reeve and Eleanor Updale
I've always enjoyed a good ghost story – whether at a sleepover when I was a teenager, or even now reading horror stories in bed in the middle of the night. As soon as I saw this book I knew I wanted to read it, and it did not disappoint; a group of excellent authors from all genres have come together and the result is a collection of brilliant stories not to be missed by any ghost hunters out there.
| Haunted by Susan Cooper, Joseph Delaney, Berlie Doherty, Jamila Gavin, Matt Haig, Robin Jarvis, Derek Landy, Sam Llewellyn, Mal Peet, Philip Reeve and Eleanor Updale | |
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| Category: Teens | |
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Reviewer: Rachael Spencer
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| Summary: This is a chillingly fabulous collection of stories to devour around the campfire or under the covers. But be warned; a book that is not for the faint of heart! You'll be laughing and screaming in equal measure, and I'm fairly sure you'll also be left wanting more. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: not known | Date: September 2011 |
| Publisher: Andersen | |
| ISBN: 978-1849393218 | |
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The varied writing styles on offer by each different author means there is surely something for everyone here, whether it's Derek Landy's witty dialogue or the creepy stillness of Joseph Delaney's 'Castle Ghosts'. Each story is so different from the last that every time I turned a page, I knew I was in for a treat.
What I particularly enjoyed was the way the old was juxtaposed with the new. For example, Eleanor Updale's The Ghost in the Machine' is a completely new take on a ghost story and something I have never read before which made me think the whole time about how good it is to find new slants on genres. However 'The Ghost Walk' by Matt Haig is exactly the sort of story I would have found myself telling in the playground at school, a timeless creepy tale to spook your friends which I enjoyed today as much as I would have when I was eleven.
Be warned, though, that this really is a teenager's book. Whilst a few of the stories are suitable for ten year olds, I would say that really the majority is aimed at an older audience of twelve plus as some of the content is pretty unsettling and there is the odd graphic description dotted about the place.
Overall I think this was a very clever choice of both authors and stories, which will sit well on the shelf of anyone who enjoys a good scare. I've felt very lucky to be able to read this book early and have dreaded and looked forward to each and every story in equal measure! I really hope that another anthology of stories like these is written again before too long. Definitely one to invest in before the Halloween sleep overs begin, but I'm fairly sure you'll have to sleep with the lights on afterwards!
I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to the Bookbag.
If you like a good scare then here are a couple of other books you could try : The Summoning by E.E. Richardson or Ghost Chamber by Celia Rees are both sure to satisfy all your spooktacular needs!
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You can read more book reviews or buy Haunted by Susan Cooper, Joseph Delaney, Berlie Doherty, Jamila Gavin, Matt Haig, Robin Jarvis, Derek Landy, Sam Llewellyn, Mal Peet, Philip Reeve and Eleanor Updale at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy Haunted by Susan Cooper, Joseph Delaney, Berlie Doherty, Jamila Gavin, Matt Haig, Robin Jarvis, Derek Landy, Sam Llewellyn, Mal Peet, Philip Reeve and Eleanor Updale at Amazon.com.
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Margaret Young said:
I just wanted to thank the review writer for this review – it was all I needed to decide to buy this book. Finding really good Halloween reads is like finding a needle in a haystack, especially with children who are not easily frightened. This is the best anthology I have found to date. There is a good mix here from a very old fashioned castle haunting to a very modern computerised ghost story. My very favourite was The Beach Hut, an excellent story of a child ghost, a dark and frightening man who looks the embodiment of evil and a wonderful twist. This will be perfect for reading around a fire on Halloween night.
I do think the age guidelines completely depend on the children though. I've found a few here that I think will do very nicely for the younger children, it all depends on whether the children are frightened or delighted by a good ghost story. This really has something to offer all ages as long as you enjoy a wee fright.