What Lives in the Woods | An ARC Review

Hi everyone! I hope you’re doing well. Today I’ll be reviewing an ARC of What Lives in the Woods by Lindsay Currie. Enjoy!

**Thank you SOURCEBOOKS Kids, and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

(Synopsis from goodreads)

Welcome to the decrepit Woodmoor Manor…where something in the woods is always watching. From the author of Scritch Scratch comes a chilling middle grade story about a creepy mansion and sinister creatures in the woods. All Ginny Anderson wants from her summer is to relax. But when Ginny’s father—a respected restoration expert in Chicago—surprises the family with a month-long trip to Michigan, everything changes. They aren’t staying in a hotel like most families would. No, they’re staying in a mansion. A twenty-six room, century-old building surrounded by dense forest. Woodmoor Manor. Locals claim the surrounding woods are inhabited by mutated creatures that escaped a mad scientist over a hundred years ago. And some say campers routinely disappear never to be seen again. When the creaky floors and shadowy corners of the mansion seem to take on a life of their own, Ginny uncovers the wildest mystery of all: there’s more than one legend roaming Saugatuck, Michigan, and they definitely aren’t after campers. They’re after her.

First, let’s talk about the plot. What Lives in the Woods promises a story about a girl who uncovers secrets within the woods around the creepy manor she’s staying at over the summer. However, I found that this wasn’t the case when reading my ARC of the novel. The main character Ginny is being haunted, and most of it happens within the mansion. Unfortunately, the woods around the manor has very little to do with the story.

In addition, the main character Ginny is really fun! She’s imaginative and passionate. Although, her brother was portrayed in a very stereotypical way. The majority of the jokes made in the book revolve around how Ginny’s brother Leo acts. I understand that he was used as comic relief, but the jokes were overused. Luckily, I adored Ginny’s parents, along with her new friend Will. They were wonderful supporting characters.

Moreover, the dialogue was just okay. As mentioned previously, I didn’t find the jokes to be very appealing.

Fortunately, the writing was done well. It was gorgeously eerie, and really made my skin crawl! However, Ginny mentions Agatha Christie way too often. Her character development towards the end of the story felt very on the nose as well. On a more positive note, I’m happy that the story’s message was very sweet. It’s about making the most of one’s situation, which I thought was really nice.

Overall, I enjoyed What Lives in the Woods. While it wasn’t my favorite read, I definitely encourage young readers to pick up this thriller!

Age Rating: 10 and up

Trigger Warnings: Talk of death, scary imagery

Overall Rating: 3.25 out of 5 stars or 6.5 out of 10. 

⭐⭐⭐

Who’s your favourite author that writes thrillers? Have a wonderful day!

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The Ex Hex | A Review

Happy (belated) Halloween!! This is the first Halloween I am celebrating during my blogging journey, so of course I had to end this year’s spooky season off with a review for one of October’s most read title; The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling. I hope you enjoy!

(Synopsis from goodreads)

Nine years ago, Vivienne Jones nursed her broken heart like any young witch would: vodka, weepy music, bubble baths…and a curse on the horrible boyfriend. Sure, Vivi knows she shouldn’t use her magic this way, but with only an “orchard hayride” scented candle on hand, she isn’t worried it will cause him anything more than a bad hair day or two. That is until Rhys Penhallow, descendent of the town’s ancestors, breaker of hearts, and annoyingly just as gorgeous as he always was, returns to Graves Glen, Georgia. What should be a quick trip to recharge the town’s ley lines and make an appearance at the annual fall festival turns disastrously wrong. With one calamity after another striking Rhys, Vivi realizes her silly little Ex Hex may not have been so harmless after all. Suddenly, Graves Glen is under attack from murderous wind-up toys, a pissed off ghost, and a talking cat with some interesting things to say. Vivi and Rhys have to ignore their off the charts chemistry to work together to save the town and find a way to break the break-up curse before it’s too late.

Packed with witchy fun, The Ex Hex is the banter-filled read you don’t want to miss this fall!

The Ex Hex is a fun and whimsical book jam-packed with twists and turns! The main character Vivienne faces challenge after challenge, and never catches a break. This made for a very well-developed plot.

However, I did feel that some aspects of the book were quite repetitive. For example, Vivienne and Rhys (her ex), have feelings for each other, but always try to deny it. Unfortunately, their angst merely scratched the surface of what could have been such a thought-provoking relationship. Since The Ex Hex is mostly about Vivienne and Rhys’ relationship, I was hoping for much more substance. Luckily, their chemistry really saved me from writing a two-star review. 😆 

“The best cure for anything was candles and a bath”
― Erin Sterling, The Ex Hex

Furthermore, the dialogue was slightly tacky. It tried hard to be sarcastic, but never truly delivered any laugh-out-loud lines. Don’t get me wrong, I liked the dialogue. But considering this is a romantic comedy, I was hoping for more witty dialogue. 

On a more positive note, the writing in The Ex Hex really surprised me. Unlike the dialogue, it was absolutely hilarious. The mishaps Vivienne and Rhys deal with are comedy gold. The author does a wonderful job at portraying awkward situations in a way that doesn’t make me get second-hand embarrassment. If you ask me, that alone is an achievement in itself. Also, the writing is incredibly atmospheric. It depicts small towns during the fall in such a cozy way! 

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It’s fast-paced and absolutely perfect for the autumn season. Halloween might be over, but who says you can’t enjoy a spooktacular read during the fall? 

Age Rating: 16 and up

Trigger Warnings: The death of a parent is brought up.

Overall Rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars, or 7.5 out of 10.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

What’s your favorite witch-themed read? Have a fabulous day!

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