It’s been cooling off lately, signalling the start of fall, and y’all know what that means … all the spooky reads!

I decided to kick my fall reads off with a series of middle grade reads that feature ghosts, because paranormal stories are some of my favorites. It’s still on the warm side here, and there’s nothing that beats the heat more than some good, old-fashioned shivers running up your spine. Boy did these three books deliver, too, in the “creep me out but still allow me to sleep at night without worrying about the shadows rising up and killing me in my bed” way that mid-grade books have mastered.

Scritch Scratch

For fans of Small Spaces comes a chilling ghost story about a malevolent spirit, an unlucky girl, and a haunting mystery that will tie the two together.

Claire has absolutely no interest in the paranormal. She’s a scientist, which is why she can’t think of anything worse than having to help out her dad on one of his ghost-themed Chicago bus tours. She thinks she’s made it through when she sees a boy with a sad face and dark eyes at the back of the bus. There’s something off about his presence, especially because when she checks at the end of the tour…he’s gone.

Claire tries to brush it off, she must be imagining things, letting her dad’s ghost stories get the best of her. But then the scratching starts. Voices whisper to her in the dark. The number 396 appears everywhere she turns. And the boy with the dark eyes starts following her.

Claire is being haunted. The boy from the bus wants something...and Claire needs to find out what before it’s too late.

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Perfect for readers who want:

• Paranormal horror based on real events.
• Sibling bonds and siblings working together.
• A fun narrator who’s snarky but honest.
• Gorgeous writing that will legit give you goosebumps.
• Friendship bonds and learning how to be a friend.
• Set in Chicago, with a lot of haunted Chicago spots.
• A focus on bringing awareness to lesser-known Chicago tragedies.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for a review copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. Quotes are taken from an unfinished version and may differ from the final product.

I knew as soon as I saw this cover and read the blurb that this would be just the spooky read I needed, and I for sure wasn’t wrong. Oh boy, it gave me chills in several places!

Scritch Scratch is an addicting ghost story that’ll give you all kinds of goosebumps, but also deeper feels, filled with sibling bonds, growing friendships, and a peek into haunted Chicago’s tragedies.

The writing is easy, and the scare level itself is low, but I think I’d caution that it may not be for the lower end of middle grade. This book touches on a lot of mature content that might be upsetting for smaller kids. As it turns out, most hauntings involve mass deaths and tragedy. Who knew?

What struck me immediately was the writing: easy to read with a fun voice, yet full of beautiful, poignant lines.

It’s a balance that’s difficult to keep, which makes this book perfect for all ages of readers, in my opinion. There’s the descriptions that may appeal to older readers, but the easygoing, funny writing voice that mid-grade books do so well. It was such a joy to read that I whipped through it in a day, unwilling to put it down and wanting to know the ending.

Claire makes for a fun, sassy protagonist, because she’s at a point in time where she questions everything she thought she knew as fact. Like her unwavering friendship. Or how horrible her brother is. Or that ghosts aren’t real.

Especially that ghost thing. Claire likes science and approaches the world with a scientist’s lens, which makes the investigation both fun and educational (at one point, they even bring up using the scientific method, which is the kind of dorky stuff I like).

The haunting in this is guaranteed to give you goosebumps! But also presents a fun mystery to solve.

Scritch Scratch delivers on the spooky premise by building an atmosphere that embodies all that is wonderful about fall and spooks and hauntings. It starts out small, with shadows and weird sightings, but gradually builds into something more, with the haunting itself providing some much-needed clues to the mystery.

There were definitely times I had goosebumps reading a passage. Currie takes advantage of all the universal things that scare people, like something in the darkness, fear of the unknown, rattling door handles, and various little things that I think we can all agree are spooky, even if they’re not downright terrifying. This makes the level of scariness manageable for younger readers, but enough to raise anyone’s hackles.

In the midst of everything, the main character, Claire, is facing the all-too-common struggles of learning how to be a good sister and a good friend.

Not gonna lie, not the sort of commentary I expected to find in this book, but the way it works into the overall story was fantastic! Claire is estranged from her best friend, Casley, who seems to have found a new best friend and left her behind. She also finds her older brother annoying (and honestly, who the heck doesn’t?!).

When the haunting clearly proves to be too much for one little girl, Claire has no choice but to learn how to trust the people around her, which makes for some nice squad vibes with a few well-earned lessons thrown in.

Claire isn’t exactly innocent in all this, and she realizes it, which I find refreshing. I’m loving the books I’ve read lately that show that it’s okay to be wrong, as long as you can admit it and rectify the situation. Kids are gonna kid. Heck, adults do the same thing. It’s human. Mistakes were made. Fix them the best you can and learn.

Plus, the sibling bonds in this are fantastic! I always love seeing siblings work together and be there for each other, and this book delivers on that, too. Despite the fact that siblings are, unarguably and assuredly, annoying and frustrating, I loved the fact that they came through for each other anyway.

Where Scritch Scratch really shines is its highlighting of haunted areas in Chicago, complete with a commentary about what it really means for a place to be haunted.

Spoiler alert: it’s not because people have had so much fun there that they just decided to never leave. This has to be one of my favorite things about this book, hands down. I’ve never been to Chicago, so I actually didn’t know about a lot of the tragedies mentioned in this book, or the supposedly haunted locales those areas have now become. It was interesting to learn about them, and I often found myself hitting good ol’ Google to find out more.

The main mystery of this book is focused on a particular true tragedy that impacted Chicago, and while I won’t say more than that, I actually did research on it after reading this book, and the amount of true details added is astounding!

Certainly more than I expected. I was so sure certain things were fabricated when I started to look it up, but nope. I learned so much reading this, and my heart broke so many times.

The real meat of this book that will stick with me is as much as we, as a country, seem to be obsessed with the paranormal, we also quickly and easily forget the story behind these hauntings … and that should be important!

It’s always tragic. Necessarily so. This book does such a fabulous job of reminding the reader that there were real people behind these haunted areas, real tragedies that people suffered through and that left their marks on the overall city at the time. It adds a little more humanization behind the ghosts, and in doing so, this book sets out to do the very thing its message pleads for us to do: don’t forget.

Embassy of the Dead

Jake Green is dead. Or he might as well be when he mistakenly accepts a package from the Embassy of the Dead in this hilarious adventure of the afterlife, the first in a series.

When Jake Green opens a mysterious box containing a severed finger, he accidentally summons a grim reaper intent on dragging him to the Eternal Void (yes, it's as fatal as it sounds). Now Jake is running for his life. Luckily, he has a knack for talking to ghosts, which just might help him survive long enough to reach the Embassy of the Dead and plead his case. With the help of a prankster poltergeist and a dead undertaker, Jake dodges fearsome undead creatures, discovers his own ghostly abilities, and gets excused from the school field trip due to a terrible (and made-up) bout of diarrhea. But the Embassy has its own problems, and Jake must be very careful where he places his trust--in both the living and the dead. With a plot that zips and a colorful cast of characters, this delightful new series delivers laughs and shivers in equal measure.

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Perfect for readers who want:

• Some light-hearted, easy-to-read humor.
• Some paranormal magic layered onto our world.
• An adventure mystery filled with action.
• A diverse world of ghosts and ghost-like creatures.
• Ghosts that will surprise you and make you love them.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Walker Books for a review copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. Quotes are taken from an unfinished version and may differ from the final product.

There’s absolutely nothing that says a ghost book can’t be funny! I was attracted to the idea that this book could do both and be the best of both worlds. Pun intended. Don’t hate me.

Embassy of the Dead is a funny, light story about a mix-up that could Jake his life … and death. When he’s thrust into a world of ghosts and rules, Jake has to figure out who to trust or it could cost him everything.

While I enjoyed this book, it wasn’t as funny as I expected. It had a sort of quite humor, with small jokes and puns, that was quirky rather than laugh-out-loud funny.

The haunting in this is mild and tinged with humor, which makes it perfect for younger middle grade readers.

There are small moments that build on the creepy atmosphere, but nothing particularly scary. Add that to the humor, and I can see this being a big hit for younger middle grade readers! There are some darker aspects, for sure, like the fact that Jake is being hunted by a Reaper and faces the punishment of being tossed into the Eternal Void. Still, the tone is mostly upbeat overall, and the plot flies along at a steady clip.

This book is less spooky and more fun-filled adventure, with a few ghostly sidekicks thrown in for good measure.

The best way to describe this cast is quirky, which made for a lot of fun while reading. Each character introduced was something new, and never exactly what you might expect, and it was a delight to get to meet them. Not all ghosts are made equal, after all.

While the subject matter may sound like horror, I was left with more of an impression of adventure and think this would be well suited for someone looking for more of an adventure read.

If you’re in this for the shivers, it’s probably not going to deliver. What it does deliver on is a fun cast, large stakes, and a fast-paced adventure that takes the reader a little through this world and a little through the ghost world.

I sort of wish the embassy had been better explained in this and had more of a role.

I mean … it’s kind of in the title, isn’t it? The Embassy ends up feeling more like a deus ex machina, providing an artificial conflict that I never got a real good feel for. The reason Jake ends up in trouble and threatened with the Eternal Void is never really explained more than an excuse akin to the one any parent gives when they don’t want to elaborate: “Because I said so.” I was hoping for a little more solid reasoning.

All in all, the Embassy comes off looking entirely incompetent in this book, yet is also meant to provide the source of conflict, so the two concepts didn’t quite mesh well in my mind. I highly doubt a target reader will mind, but it was a bit of a sticking point for me.

I’m not sure Jake actually really did anything in this book, other than drive a van? It feels like he mostly just … stumbled across things.

In fact, that’s how he lands himself in this situation in the first place, and that’s the one time I totally bought it. That scene was funny, what can I say? After that, though, it seems like Jake’s wins and progress comes from having someone tell him what comes next, essentially, or accidentally stumbling upon something he needs or getting lucky. It would’ve really been nice to see him be a little more proactive, but instead, he comes across almost as a bystander. Except, you know, the part where he steals his father’s van, which isn’t cool, but whatever. It just all seemed a little too easy for him.

Eleanor, Alice, and the Roosevelt Ghosts

Murderous ghosts and buried family secrets threaten young Eleanor and Alice Roosevelt in this thrilling middle-grade novel that puts a supernatural spin on alternate history.

It's 1898 in New York City and ghosts exist among humans.

When an unusual spirit takes up residence at the Roosevelt house, thirteen-year-old Eleanor and fourteen-year-old Alice are suspicious. The cousins don't get along, but they know something is not right. This ghost is more than a pesky nuisance. The authorities claim he's safe to be around, even as his mischievous behavior grows stranger and more menacing. It's almost like he wants to scare the Roosevelts out of their home - and no one seems to care!

Meanwhile, Eleanor and Alice discover a dangerous ghost in the house where Alice was born and her mother died. Is someone else haunting the family? Introverted Eleanor and unruly Alice develop an unlikely friendship as they explore the family's dark, complicated history. It's up to them to destroy both ghosts and come to terms with their family's losses.

Told from alternating perspectives, thrills and chills abound in Dianne K. Salerni's imaginative novel about a legendary family and the ghosts that haunt their secrets.

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Perfect for readers who want:

• Super creepy, borderline (mildly) graphic horror.
• Historical fiction mixed with fantasy.
• A story focusing on the young Roosevelts.
• Family bonding and family coming together.
• Scenes that will send shivers down your spine.
• Family secrets and a spine-chilling mystery.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and Holiday House for a review copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. Quotes are taken from an unfinished version and may differ from the final product.

I confess: going in, I didn’t actually realize that the Roosevelts in this book were the Roosevelts. This story is, indeed, based on factual events in the lives of the young famous Roosevelts, layered with some creepy fantasy to sweeten the deal.

Eleanor, Alice, and the Roosevelt Ghosts delivers on spine-chilling, creepy horror, while also weaving a compelling story of family coming together during hardships.

I can’t say I loved the characters in this or that I was particularly drawn to any of them, but this book for sure shines in the horror genre, which is what I was really wanting from it. Due to some of the graphic hauntings, I would recommend it for more mature middle grade readers.

This. Book. Is. Creeeepy.

With a capital C and you see all those dang e’s? It totally earned them. It’s not for the faint of heart, that’s sure. There were scenes that were so deliciously creepy that I absolutely loved it! Salerni captures a cold, creepy atmosphere that delivered on the spookiness I was hoping for and then some. Pretty sure my windows frosted over, it was so chilly in here while I was reading it. This is easily my favorite thing about the book, and I would read more horror by Salerni in a heartbeat!

If you’re looking for an easy, creepy read that’ll stay with you long after you close the book, this is it.

Just typing up this review, I keep flashing back to some of the things from this book and they creep me out. I love children’s mid-grade because I’m not a fan of gore and I’m also a big wuss, so this is, by no means, a novel I would describe as terrifying. But I would definitely put it on the upper end of mid-grade scary, knocking on the doors of lower young adult.

This book weaves together historical fiction with fantasy, not shying away from the ugly truths of the time but bringing a whole new perspective to them.

Somehow, all while reading this, I had never put two and two together to figure that these Roosevelt kids were the Roosevelt kids. You know, the famous generation. To be fair, there are a lot of Roosevelts. It’s not an uncommon family name.

1898 wasn’t a great time for … well, a lot of people. Especially not the Roosevelts, as sickness took some family members and made orphans of others. Not to mention that Alice is scandalous for wearing shorts and wanting to ride bikes. The nerve!

History is presented in a real setting here, one that honestly represents the struggles of the time period. But it’s not all doom and gloom, either.

There are pretty dresses and parties and seances and all sorts of fun things. Plus, there are guest appearances from two very prominent names in history: Nellie Bly and Nikola Tesla. If you don’t know them, look them up, because they’re people worth knowing.

The young Roosevelts have to figure out how to work together, and it was so refreshing to see family coming together.

All the characters are so different, but the one thing they have in common is that they all share a history of loss. Alice lost her mother (and gained a new stepmother who hates her). Eleanor lost both her parents (and gained a grandmother who mentally abuses her). Neither of them were particularly friends before this book, but all the weird happenings and their mutual love for Aunt Bye and her well-being forces them to work together.

It’s not just the two main characters, though. Their cousins also make an appearance, and all the Roosevelts together have to protect their aunt and solve the mystery behind the hauntings. Families working together is one of my favorite things to read, and these cousins coming together is slow but natural and very heartwarming.

I wish I had gotten a little better feel for this world, the ghosts in particular.

There’s a classification system for ghosts, but no real history as to how it came into being. There’s even a governmental agency for it. There’s also an ongoing debate of what exactly ghosts are … and sometimes what they are not. It felt a little superficial, though. I guess maybe the characters don’t have all the answers, but I also feel like they’re not asking the right questions. Namely: why? Especially why, with some circumstances. Maybe it’s a conversation the author didn’t want to get into or maybe the why doesn’t matter, but since the focus is on ghosts, I really wanted to dive deeper into that aspect of it!

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