MMGM: Dead Voices by Katherine Arden
ABOUT THE BOOK
Having survived sinister scarecrows and the malevolent smiling man in Small Spaces, newly minted best friends Ollie, Coco, and Brian are ready to spend a relaxing winter break skiing together with their parents at Mount Hemlock Resort. But when a snowstorm sets in, causing the power to flicker out and the cold to creep closer and closer, the three are forced to settle for hot chocolate and board games by the fire.
Ollie, Coco, and Brian are determined to make the best of being snowed in, but odd things keep happening. Coco is convinced she has seen a ghost, and Ollie is having nightmares about frostbitten girls pleading for help. Then Mr. Voland, a mysterious ghost hunter, arrives in the midst of the storm to investigate the hauntings at Hemlock Lodge. Ollie, Coco, and Brian want to trust him, but Ollie's watch, which once saved them from the smiling man, has a new cautionary message: BEWARE.
With Mr. Voland's help, Ollie, Coco, and Brian reach out to the dead voices at Mount Hemlock. Maybe the ghosts need their help--or maybe not all ghosts can or should be trusted.
Dead Voices is a terrifying follow-up to Small Spaces with thrills and chills galore and the captive foreboding of a classic ghost story.
REVIEW
In this haunting follow-up to Arden's well-received Small Spaces, Ollie, Brian and Coco are on their way to spend a relaxing few days at the Mount Hemlock Ski Resort with Ollie's dad and Coco's mom. But when they get snowed in, things quickly take a turn for the worse as it becomes clear that the place is full of ghosts. Mr. Voland's arrival to investigate said ghosts doesn't help things any. As the ghosts become more active and the kid's nightmares more intense, Ollie's watch, which seems to connect her to her dead mother, just might be the only real source of help. As the kids race to find an answer to the hauntings, they end up playing a deadly game, one that forces them to remain at the lodge, forever.
Once again, Arden has written an intriguing, creepy story full of interesting twists and turns. While there were some things that I figured out, there were others that I did not. On more than one occasion I wanted to climb inside the book and tell the kids not to do something they were doing. That's always a sign that I've been pulled into the book and the characters, when I care enough to want to do that. I appreciate the creativity used in writing this book and the villain. The book feels unique and different compared to other horror/scary books for middle graders that I've read. If you have a young reader who enjoys scary fare, this is a good choice.
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