[{"_1":2,"_337":-5,"_338":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_14":15,"_19":20,"_44":45,"_255":256,"_335":-5,"_336":-5},"root",{"_5":6,"_7":8},"csrf","ek_KEyK09_JpCVGAXj_-BuuMtZSfpXlxp2qYwrjI7UM.QxwShCcnHh_DwoSGg87QcvLR2l85gz9uy2ieJIfMWRw","honeypotInputProps",{"_9":10,"_11":-5,"_12":13},"nameFieldName","name__confirm_51fe802b7ee40de531e7557d5ff27096","validFromFieldName","encryptedValidFrom","U2FsdGVkX19QVzQLoeU9kqupXunK0RcelIaMeEAxYQk=","routes/_storylace",{"_16":17,"_18":17},"isArtist",false,"isStorygazer","routes/_storylace.user.$username",{"_21":17,"_22":23,"_18":17,"_24":17,"_25":26,"_27":28,"_29":30,"_31":28,"_32":28,"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":17},"isMyProfile","isSignedOut",true,"isLibrarian","displayName","WS_BOOKCLUB","crystals",0,"lvl",316,"tokens","achievementPoints","titles",[],"readBooks",1195,"followersCount",2,"followingCount",1,"avatar","WS_BOOKCLUB-kPEc2YhR.webp","following","routes/_storylace.user.$username.library.books",{"_46":17,"_47":48},"isMyLibrary","allCollections",[49,61,67,72,78,84,90,95,100,105,111,116,122,127,133,139,145,151,156,161,167,173,178,184,190,196,201,206,211,217,222,228,233,238,244,249],{"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":-5,"_57":58},"id",520,"name","Adult Books We Own","slug","adult-books-we-own","parentCollectionID","_count",{"_59":60},"myBookToCollection",4,{"_50":62,"_52":63,"_54":64,"_56":-5,"_57":65},518,"Books I Ve Reviewed","books-i-ve-reviewed",{"_59":66},16,{"_50":68,"_52":69,"_54":70,"_56":-5,"_57":71},498,"Children S Books","children-s-books",{"_59":38},{"_50":73,"_52":74,"_54":75,"_56":-5,"_57":76},508,"Children S Books We Own","children-s-books-we-own",{"_59":77},171,{"_50":79,"_52":80,"_54":81,"_56":-5,"_57":82},509,"Christian","christian",{"_59":83},8,{"_50":85,"_52":86,"_54":87,"_56":-5,"_57":88},506,"Classics","classics",{"_59":89},14,{"_50":91,"_52":92,"_54":93,"_56":-5,"_57":94},513,"Comedy","comedy",{"_59":38},{"_50":96,"_52":97,"_54":98,"_56":-5,"_57":99},515,"Cozy","cozy",{"_59":60},{"_50":101,"_52":102,"_54":103,"_56":-5,"_57":104},490,"Epic Fantasy","epic-fantasy",{"_59":38},{"_50":106,"_52":107,"_54":108,"_56":-5,"_57":109},488,"Fantasy Adult","fantasy-adult",{"_59":110},113,{"_50":112,"_52":113,"_54":114,"_56":-5,"_57":115},494,"Favorites","favorites",{"_59":40},{"_50":117,"_52":118,"_54":119,"_56":-5,"_57":120},487,"Fiction","fiction",{"_59":121},90,{"_50":123,"_52":124,"_54":125,"_56":-5,"_57":126},505,"Graphic Novel","graphic-novel",{"_59":40},{"_50":128,"_52":129,"_54":130,"_56":-5,"_57":131},507,"Horror Suspense","horror-suspense",{"_59":132},21,{"_50":134,"_52":135,"_54":136,"_56":-5,"_57":137},503,"Humor","humor",{"_59":138},3,{"_50":140,"_52":141,"_54":142,"_56":-5,"_57":143},497,"Middle Grade","middle-grade",{"_59":144},9,{"_50":146,"_52":147,"_54":148,"_56":-5,"_57":149},510,"Middlegrade Fiction","middlegrade-fiction",{"_59":150},5,{"_50":152,"_52":153,"_54":154,"_56":-5,"_57":155},516,"Middle Grade Horror","middle-grade-horror",{"_59":38},{"_50":157,"_52":158,"_54":159,"_56":-5,"_57":160},499,"Middle Grade Sci-Fi","middle-grade-sci-fi",{"_59":38},{"_50":162,"_52":163,"_54":164,"_56":-5,"_57":165},486,"Mystery","mystery",{"_59":166},19,{"_50":168,"_52":169,"_54":170,"_56":-5,"_57":171},496,"Nonfiction","nonfiction",{"_59":172},20,{"_50":174,"_52":175,"_54":176,"_56":-5,"_57":177},492,"Novella","novella",{"_59":40},{"_50":179,"_52":180,"_54":181,"_56":-5,"_57":182},517,"Paranormal Adventure","paranormal-adventure",{"_59":183},12,{"_50":185,"_52":186,"_54":187,"_56":-5,"_57":188},519,"Picture Books","picture-books",{"_59":189},34,{"_50":191,"_52":192,"_54":193,"_56":-5,"_57":194},489,"Poetry","poetry",{"_59":195},7,{"_50":197,"_52":198,"_54":199,"_56":-5,"_57":200},485,"Sci-Fi","sci-fi",{"_59":172},{"_50":202,"_52":203,"_54":204,"_56":-5,"_57":205},495,"Short Stories","short-stories",{"_59":138},{"_50":207,"_52":208,"_54":209,"_56":-5,"_57":210},493,"Supernatural Thriller","supernatural-thriller",{"_59":40},{"_50":212,"_52":213,"_54":214,"_56":-5,"_57":215},504,"Thriller","thriller",{"_59":216},6,{"_50":218,"_52":219,"_54":220,"_56":-5,"_57":221},491,"Urban Fantasy","urban-fantasy",{"_59":60},{"_50":223,"_52":224,"_54":225,"_56":-5,"_57":226},511,"Ya","ya",{"_59":227},43,{"_50":229,"_52":230,"_54":231,"_56":-5,"_57":232},501,"Ya Fantasy","ya-fantasy",{"_59":166},{"_50":234,"_52":235,"_54":236,"_56":-5,"_57":237},500,"Ya Fiction","ya-fiction",{"_59":216},{"_50":239,"_52":240,"_54":241,"_56":-5,"_57":242},512,"Ya Sci-Fi Fantasty","ya-sci-fi-fantasty",{"_59":243},11,{"_50":245,"_52":246,"_54":247,"_56":-5,"_57":248},502,"Young Adult","young-adult",{"_59":38},{"_50":250,"_52":251,"_54":252,"_56":-5,"_57":253},514,"Youth Reading","youth-reading",{"_59":254},31,"routes/_storylace.user.$username.library.books.$collection_slug",{"_46":17,"_257":258,"_327":17,"_296":40,"_328":329,"_330":331,"_332":333,"_334":17},"collectionBooks",[259,306],{"_260":261,"_262":263,"_264":265,"_266":267,"_268":269,"_270":271,"_272":273,"_274":23,"_275":276,"_277":278,"_279":280,"_281":17,"_282":283,"_284":285,"_289":290,"_296":297,"_298":299,"_302":303,"_304":305},"readingStatus","READ","bookID",784251,"addedOn","2020-01-26T00:00:00.000Z","review"," I’ve read some excellent reviews for these books lately, so when I saw them at the library, I had to snag them. After reading them, I can see why both books are so popular. Victoria Schwab is an excellent writer, and is able to effortlessly suck the reader into the world she’s created.

These books follow Cassidy, a girl who sort-of briefly died. She was saved by a ghost who has become her best friend. Now she can see ghosts and is able to cross the veil between the living and the dead. Her parents, who oddly enough host a ghost-hunting show despite not believing in ghosts, have decided to travel to “most haunted places,” with Cassidy, her ghostly bff, and their cranky cat in tow.

In the first book, they go to Edinburgh. There, Cassidy meets a girl named Lara who has the same ability she does. Lara informs Cassidy that they have a responsibility to reap the ghosts, basically sending them “on.” Cassidy unfortunately catches the attention of a very powerful and extremely angry ghost. Will she survive the encounter? Or will she end up truly dead?

I quite enjoyed the book. It felt like the first few episodes of that show Supernatural. It was episodic and a very good introduction to both the characters and the world the author has created. I found it highly entertaining, though lacking in some details I would have loved to had. For example, the Big Bad wasn’t as fleshed out (pun intended) as I was hoping. I loved the idea behind the villain and would have loved a bit more detail. However, Cassidy is a likable main character, and there’s a lot of potential in her ghostly buddy.

The sequel, Tunnel of Bones, started to see a bit more of a storyline. The foil in this book had more of a background, and this book focused more on solving the mystery behind all the ghastly, ghostly activity. I liked that aspect. Adding a bit of a mystery to the book made it much more interesting to me. Tunnel of Bones takes place in Paris, and the author made good use of the Catacombs. The final surprise has me very interested in seeing what comes next.

The best way I can describe these books is as Supernatural light. They’re entertaining, quick reads, that make for fun weekend reading.","format","Paperback","editionSlug","tunnel-of-bones-97c1r","editionID",2658342,"recommend","collections",[141,153],"coverURI","35CIA3C.2658342.webp","editionTitle","Tunnel of Bones","privateReview","score",80,"authorNames",[286],[287,288,-5],"V.E. Schwab","v-e-schwab-r83v1","allSeries",[291],{"_52":292,"_293":294,"_54":295},"Cassidy Blake","position","2","cassidy-blake-hhx14","pages",304,"genres",[300,301],"Paranormal","Fantasy","firstPublishedDate","2019-10-03T20:46:33.358Z","firstPublished","September 3, 2019",{"_260":261,"_262":307,"_264":308,"_266":309,"_268":310,"_270":311,"_272":312,"_275":313,"_277":314,"_279":315,"_281":17,"_282":316,"_317":318,"_284":319,"_296":323,"_298":324,"_302":325,"_304":326},659950,"2020-01-18T00:00:00.000Z","I am so proud of myself! I struggle with reading anything that could be even remotely considered a graphic novel. I think it’s because of my epilepsy; my brain just doesn’t process that setup well. However, I was able to read this book no problem. Yay!

This book was interesting in that two stories were being melded into each other. One was told through a diary; the other, in pictures. The story told through diary entries is that of Mary, a lonely orphan who lives in Thornhill Institute in the early 80’s, right as it is closing its doors. She doesn’t speak, and has no friends, but she is extremely talented in making dolls and puppets. Because of her quirks, she’s horribly bullied by the other residents in the institute, and by one girl in particular.

As her story continues, we see illustrated pages scattered throughout. The illustrations tell the story of Ella, who has moved in next door. Ella’s story takes place in 2017, and seeing the two tales meet was pretty cool. They begin to merge slowly, as Ella finds some damaged dolls that belonged to Mary years ago. From there, a mystery unfolds: what happened to Mary? And how will it relate to Ella?

The prose was striking in its simplicity, and the illustrations were evocative of isolation and the need for human connection. While at its heart this short story is eerie, it’s also very sad.

This book is very short and I was able to read it in about an hour. That doesn’t lessen its effect though; this one will stay with me. It’s very thought-provoking (plus-those dolls are creepy!)

I recommend this book to those who like their (light) horror stories with a bit of mystery thrown in.

https://wittyandsarcasticbookclub.home.blog/2020/01/19/thornhill-by-pam-smy/","eBook","thornhill-2hrp2",4257464,[141,153],"B31VLNF.4257464.webp","Thornhill",60,"lastRead","Jan 18, 2020",[320],[321,322,-5],"Pam Smy","pam-smy-4p9fz",234,[163,300,301],"2017-09-24T20:46:33.358Z","August 24, 2017","visitingStorygazer","availableGenres",[163,300,301],"availableTags",[],"availableCollections",[141,153],"reloadNeeded","routes/_storylace.user","routes/_storylace.user.$username.library","actionData","errors"]

@WS_BOOKCLUB

Middle Grade Horror