And when Aveline starts to suspect some ghostly goings on, they don’t dismiss her, but walk a careful line between believing her and suggesting alternative theories, helping her to get to the bottom of it. But another thing I liked is how that the adults were present for most of it. There is the show owner of the second hand bookstore and his cousin (of the same age as Aveline). But also surprisingly her aunt who builds a relationship with Aveline throughout everything that is happening. Never did she make Aveline feel silly for feeling as something paranormal was going on around them. She believed her, because she knew that Aveline would never make it up. This story gripped me from the very beginning. All the best horror stories have a wintry seaside setting and this tale doesn't disappoint. I live in Oregon at the moment, though I hail from the UK. Growing up in a house overlooking a graveyard, on the edge of the bleak and foreboding Pennine Hills, seems to have instilled in me an obsession with all things dark and spooky. The Vanishing of Aveline Jones is published in October 2022. There’s a chill in the air, the leaves are starting to come down and we’re almost into October...so this was a perfect time to curl up on the sofa and read this ghost story.

I was initially drawn to The Haunting of Aveline Jones because of the gorgeous cover art. I know that you're not supposed to be judging books by their covers, but let's be honest, we all do. This one immediately jumped out at me and drew me in, and once I read the blurb I was hooked. Okay, enough with the chit-chat. If you love fast-paced stories involving disappearences, spooky scarecrows, ghosts and unsolved mysteries, this is your book. Oh wait, this is your book series (there's more stories to come, how cool is that?) Aveline goes to a little bookstore and finds a really cool book full of local ghost stories. Unfortunately, the previous owner of said book decided to cross out the words of the final story, making it impossible to read it. Aveline sets out to find Primrose Penberthy, the book’s previous owner, to find out more about this final story. But Primrose went missing over thirty years ago. Satisfyingly eerie, supernatural children’s book, with a slightly old-fashioned feel - reminding me of similar books by classic authors like Penelope Lively. This is centred on Aveline Jones who’s dreading having to spend half-term with her fussy, forbidding aunt in a remote, Cornish fishing village. But once there Aveline’s love of ghost stories unexpectedly leads her to Primrose, a girl who vanished without a trace years before. Primrose’s disappearance is somehow intertwined with local legends about a vengeful spirit who rises from the sea at Halloween, a spirit who may be pursuing Aveline. This is a simply told but highly effective, atmospheric piece, the characters are a little sketchily drawn but the plot's intriguing enough to make it a compelling read. I particularly enjoyed the depiction of the strangely deserted, eccentric village and the inventive incorporation of a reworking of the La Llorona myth. My only tidbits about this book is that 1) it was too short! I wanted more! She did all this within practically 2-3 days! Why not the full week that she was visiting?The tension and suspense builds from the very beginning of this book and doesn't let up. I read it I one sitting as I couldn't put it down! I was desperate to discover what was going to happen next and yet, at the same time, had my fists clenched in fear and was hugging the nearest cushion! I found the tradition of dolls/children puppets on Halloween to be extreme creepy. The descriptions gave me goosebumps, but then there is also an illustration of it. Later we learn why the villagers use the dolls and I could understand, but dang, I would just have moved away. 😛

And it’s these ghostly goings on that make the book so thrilling. Those and Keith Robinson’s wonderfully dark and atmospheric illustrations! As the story progresses and Aveline finds out more, witnesses more it gets creepier and creepier which was probably one of my favourite parts of the story as the tension within yourself whilst building gets higher and higher and draws you into the story so much more. Holding that description in mind; Aveline watches the ghost of Cora Poole climb the rungs of a ladder out of the water seeking to kidnap children to replace those that were killed in the ocean. The ghost of Primrose appears to help Aveline hide from the creeping tendons of Cora Poole as she slinks through the properties around the village seeking an unsuspecting child. When we are certain that Aveline is about to be dragged into the ocean blue by the vice grip of a parasitic corpse; Aveline is rescued by Mr. Lieberman’s great-nephew, Harold.The biggest strength of this book is that all the elements of the story are perfectly attuned to each other. The writing style just instantly grabs you and yanks you into the story. The mystery of Primrose’s disappearance is very slowly unraveled and the revelations constantly keep you on your toes. I love the ghost story within a story concept. It’s gripping, tense, creepy and atmospheric. It’s very spooky and mysterious, without being over the top. There are some subtle scare tactics used here that are common in horror stories, but they never go too far. It’s a slow and tense build towards a really strong and satisfying climax. Its half term (and halloween) when Aveline arrives in the seaside town of Malmouth to stay with her Aunt. A visit to the local bookshop leads Aveline to discover some haunting local folklore that is tied up with the disapperance of a young girl called Primrose Penberthy. As Aveline begins to investigate the mysterious disapperance of Primrose she is drawn into a dark and haunting tale, and as the stormy weather stirs so does a restless spirit from the depths of the sea.... Of course you can't review a ghost story without talking about the spooky side of things. It is wonderfully creepy, and there were plenty of moments that left my spine tingling. I'd spend hours pouring over 'Goosebumps' books and 'Are You Afraid of the Dark?' was always on the tv, and The Haunting of Aveline Jones has all the elements of those classics. I would have adored this as a kid, it undoubtedly would have given me nightmares, but that wouldn't have stopped me reading it time and time again. It is only October but Winter has come early and so too has half-term. Aveline had many plans for her extended break but none of them involved residing with her cold and controlling aunt in her colder and bleaker seaside home. Looking to distract herself from the relentlessly dreary weather and her aunt's disproving demeanour she escapes to a second-hand book store to add a new addition of the ghost stories she adores so much to her collection. The mysterious volume she selects promises to be as nightmare-inducing as she was anticipating, but the history of it might just be even more so! Aveline Jones is forced to stay with her uptight Aunt in a spooky seaside town in October. Storms, creepy scarecrows and a strange boy who likes eating chips all await. Aveline can't think of anything worse. Until she finds a book, a book of ghost stories, that belonged to a girl. A girl who went missing over 30 years ago. Cue a mystery to be solved...

In fact, there wasn't really any kind of adult foe or overbearing authority figure for Aveline to overcome, something that can become something of a easy trope in middle-grade books. Instead, the adults are well reasoned and kind people. They don't instantly dismiss the things kids say out of hand just because they're adults and know better. It also means that the mystery is able to be given centre stage without other issues that are superfluous. This was exactly the sort of middle-grade story I adore - eerie, full of adventure, and with a sassy protagonist unafraid to throw herself into danger, if it also means getting to the heart of the mystery! The seaside setting, blanketed in its relentlessly gloomy weather, also added an extra chilling element and I adored Aveline's exploration of her new setting as much as I did the expansion of her sleuthing abilities. This was full of sinister atmosphere as it was heart and I adored both sides of charming yet ghostly little tale.

Aveline is like many of us; lover of ghost stories until the creaking starts and the howling of the wind rages on and then it gets too scary. Couple this with her stay in an out of season seaside town round Halloween and a strict aunt, who is keeping secrets and you have the creepiest of settings.!Oh, and let’s not forget the awful scarecrows designed to look like children that adorn the front gardens of those who live in Malmouth. They were the icing on the (terrifying!) cake.

This is the perfect book to read on a rainy October day, curled up under a blanket, candles lit, hot chocolate steaming beside you. Unfortunately it was sunny when I read this book but the book's atmosphere is absorbing enough that I was transported to the dreary English seaside while reading anyway I absolutely adored Keith Robinson’s illustrations. They capture the atmosphere of the story brilliantly and the scarecrow pictures, in particular, are creepy as hell. The cover image is absolutely gorgeous - Aveline looks just as I imagined she would and the weather, which has a significant part to play in the story, is highlighted.

Author of the week

Aveline is forced to stay with her Aunt in the lead-up to Halloween in a small coastal village. While there, Aveline comes across a book of ghost stories that used to belong to a girl who went missing over thirty years before. With spooky happenings, Aveline's life is then put into mortal danger when it appears a vengeful ghost may want her for her own. P.P. Aveline Jones loves ghost stories and cheese sandwiches. She’s not thrilled with the idea of staying with her Aunt Lilian in Malmouth while her mother visits her granny in hospital. Draw the curtains, turn up the heating and join Aveline Jones on her October half term break in the small seaside town of Malmouth. The following morning, after her mother has left, Aveline explores her surroundings visiting the local second-hand bookshop run by the eccentric Mr Lieberman. With a little help from the old man’s nephew Harold, she finds an old volume of local ghost stories which she decides to buy. Meeting her aunt afterwards at a coffee shop, she is puzzled by her aunt’s decision to leave immediately, having barely touched her cake after reading the name written inside the front cover.