A really good thrilling tale for children, and adults. Flew through the book really quickly once I started

Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This was a cute spooky story for middle grade kids. Not spooky for adults but it was never the less enjoyable. ⭐⭐⭐

While not super scary or creepy to me (an adult), as The Twig Man lacks the atmosphere that gives me shivers, I could definitely see this being quite scary for a 9-11 child. Great story of friendship (had me choking up in the end) and some good morales for younger ones.

Overall not my favourite horror middle grade of the year; but certainly one I would buy and gift to the right child. I am currently thinking a little boy that loves Vecna (yes from Stranger Things) would love the physically described horror of our Twig Man. Most importantly be sure the kid you recommend this one for is pretty tough and maybe doesn’t live next to a deep, dense forest.

First up thank you for allowing me to read this book, it sounded right up my alley (I love MG Horror), but after trying for months to read it and just keep on stopping with reading because it doesn't hold my attention. I gave it one more shot last night when I couldn't sleep. But didn't manage far before I just wasn't in the mood anymore. I don't know, something just feel missing. It just doesn't grab me. Maybe if I one day see this one in the library, rare because the libraries here don't add a ton of English to their collections, I will pick it up again.
Won't give it a 1 star, because there were elements I did enjoy (the Twigman) and the cover was cool.

I was so impressed with this book! It had the perfect balance of spook and suspense without being overtly scary.

The characterisation was excellent- relatable characters, posed with a moral dilemma. The family-secret plot line was filled with suspense and intrigue. I can see this being a really big hit with my Year 5/6 class.

Finished reading #TheTwigMan, a properly creepy middle grade read, by debut author Sana Rasoul. @hashtag_press sent it to me ages ago, sorry it took me so long to get round to it, well worth bumping up your tbr pile!

I was so excited for this MG horror, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I expected. While I did enjoy the creepy elements, Timmy's backstory, and the lore of the Twig Man, I felt like the plot was too long in some parts and some of the arguments were random and came out of nowhere. I ended up skimming bits of this because the plot felt so lengthy. This book had a great premise, so I feel like it could've been awesome if there was just a bit more developmental editing.

2.75/5

➽ <b>This is a great, atmospheric Middle Grade Horror!</b> It follows Ari, a young boy with a missing sister who’s convinced something took her and that she didn’t just run away. His family lives close to the forest and one day when <u>Ari enters the woods he catches the attention of something dark and old that lives there</u>. <b>Like most towns, they have Urban legends and this one is about The Twig Man</b> who lives in the forest and steals the life of children. I thought that <u>the atmosphere was very immersive and I really felt for Ari</u>. He misses his sister and doesn’t have any real friends. His parents are very overprotective now and no one believes him when a sinister entity starts hunting him. <b>If you love creepy forests and urban legends, this is the perfect book for you!</b>

➽ <b>I also loved the focus on family and friendships.</b> Ari’s determined to find his sister and save her from the Twig Man, you can see how much love he holds for her. <u>While others might be annoyed by their big sisters, Ari thinks she’s amazing and loves spending time with her.</u> Even though his parents don’t understand what’s going on, they are protective of him and their anger comes from a lot of worries. I also <b>liked Ari finding his first friend</b> in Timmy, another boy who’s often roaming the woods!

It is important to note that the majority of the themes explored in this book deal with sensitive subject matters. My review, therefore, touches on these topics as well. Many people might find the subject matters of the book as well as those detailed in my review overwhelming. I would suggest you steer clear of both if this is the case. Please note that from this point forward I will be writing about matters which contain reflections on the death of a child, the abduction of children & minors, psychological distress, mental illness, grief, the death of a loved one, child endangerment, & others.

Before starting this review I want to make a special note of the content warning. This book is classified as Horror for Middle-Grade readers & it delivers just that. However, the contents of this story surround events that take place in the real world. This is primarily seen through the central conflict which is the disappearance of Ari’s sister, Lana. Multiple children are named as being either victims of possible abduction or of a disappearance; there is no in-between. For readers who are currently dealing with these occurrences, the subject matter within this story might pose as severely distressing. For readers who are of a more sensitive temperament, this subject matter might lead them to feel a heightened level of emotions.

I would like to make it explicitly clear that a child does die within this story—having his head forcefully smashed by an adult character, albeit the caricatured version of an adult man. The disappearances of local children also include descriptions of vacant houses, where once their families lived, & which now lay abandoned. Please be aware that though the subject matter does present as appropriate for the target age range in linguistics & thematic approach, the subject matter is incredibly distressing as it links itself wholeheartedly to our non-fictional world.

The reader meets Ari one year after the disappearance of his older sister, Lana. Ari is a very dynamic character who holds an enormous love for his sister & is extremely distraught over her loss. Every day he draws more into himself as his parents force him to do everything under their watchful eye; never to engage in the independent activities of before. In some unknown format, Ari writes to the reader—a warning. The woods in Hanging Hill—the town in which he lives—are dangerous & people go missing around town, never to be seen again. What follows is a quest undertaken by the fearless leader & main character as he seeks the answers to account for the sudden vanishing of his best friend in the entire world, Lana.

To begin, I want to acknowledge that it was a lovely thing to see Ari hold so much adoration for his sister. I appreciated that their relationship was written as being one filled with respect, understanding, love, & kindness. I am glad to see this representation of siblings in literature. I am a sibling & it is wholesome & all-encompassing to have our relationships previewed in such an authentic manner within stories. Children should be reminded that love is shared in a multitude of ways, just as Lana shows Ari. Whether it be through their shared hours at the comic book shop or the trust they have to share their innermost thoughts with each other, sans judgment. I very much loved what they have.

With that said I think there was an aspect of dynamism that was lacking in this story. The characters are all interesting in their own way but, because the world of the narrative is not fully developed, they end up seeming like wandering fantoms rather than well-rounded individuals. It would have added to the depth of the story to take a couple of extra pages to develop the scenery. We spend so much time in the woods I found myself almost forgetting that there was meant to be a fully functional town surrounding this spot. Is this a big town or are people pinning to leave? There is no indication as to where this story takes place. There is one mention of someone travelling to Arizona but that does not leave the reader with anything other than the knowledge that someone travelled; whether by plane, train, or automobile, we cannot know.

Those details aside, I found the characters themselves to be interesting representations of what we may view as familiar entities within our own world. The maternal character in this book is the prime example of what it means to have one’s emotions dictate their approach to life & I appreciated this inclusion. There is a great deal to be said about the parenting style that is adopted throughout this book & I would be remiss if I didn’t say that it made me feel incredibly overwhelmed. This is where further world-building might come into play.

Ari’s family is Kurdish & so we can, as adults, assume that there are some cultural aspects that show themselves in the way his family functions. I haven’t been a child for several years now but was curious about Ari’s mother’s request to meet Timmy’s parents before letting him go over & play. This is something that few parents (in my day) were doing. It would be wonderful to know that this is more commonplace today given the obvious benefits associated with placing a face to a name. On the other hand, both of Ari’s parents leave him alone at home & allow him to wander at his leisure. This is something that was more common in my day when we were less accustomed to seeing all the horrible things that circulate in this world.

These are obviously adult questions, posed from an adult mind. However, they aid in rounding the story from one that simply presents parents as being overbearing to a pair who trust in their community but have had to adapt to the loss of a child & are now unsure how to proceed. With a bit of extra information the reader might be able to understand their own circumstances better; why do parents ask for an address before leaving to play with friends? It is bizarre that Ari isn’t allowed to lock his door or is this circumstantially normal? Etc.

Aside from these questions, I found the mystery within this story quite intriguing. As an adult reader, I found the youthful twist on traditional lore to be very compelling & it reminded me of why I love the Horror genre as much as I do. Deep in the woods, a thief did live. He stole for pleasure until what pleased him most consumed his living being into that of the ancient tree. I do feel a bit confused about the actual lore & this might be attributed to my waning attention as some parts of this story were a bit tedious to work through. However, I remain confused as to why the rock from the sacred Arizona land cursed Lenny into being a tree that leached-off human beings for sustenance.

Essentially, the curse heightened his bleak desires & transformed them from petty thieving to serious criminal activity—kidnapping. All the while, he remains essentially immortal as this half-tree, half-man, & only has to reveal himself every ten (10) years to kidnap a child so that his life force is sustained by draining theirs. Perhaps, this is just me but that doesn’t actually feel like a terrible curse given the alternative—i.e. any semblance of proximity to whatever you might imagine purgatory to be. Again, I am an adult so the details of this story are not targeting me as the ideal consumer but, I have read & adored many a Middle-Grade Horror in my time & therefore hold fast to my questions & confusion.

There is much to praise regarding the positive male representation within this story. Firstly, we have Ari’s father who is a Goliath among men but who is tender, soft, vulnerable, & emotionally available for himself, his wife, & his son. Throughout the entire novel, we see him adapt his conversational style so that the person he is speaking with does not become overwhelmed by the subject matter, primarily when discussing Lana. Ari has grown up with a positive father figure; a person worth applauding for their authenticity towards themselves & all those whom he loves.

Though Ari has not had much experience with having friends, he shows the kindness his parents have given him when he meets Timmy; even when he is unsure of how to proceed he tries to default on being thoughtful & remembering that everyone is different. I really adored Ari as a character & was beyond happy that he found a forever friend in Timmy. I was just as glad to see that Timmy was given the redemption that he needed to be free of the pain within this life, that he might forgive himself for letting go of Penny’s hand when the Twig Man was consuming her.

Overall, there is a lot to appreciate & enjoy within this book. The author has a great deal of potential & appears to know where they want the story to go. I believe that with experience & care their stories could bloom into tales shared amongst friends, new & old, just as the Pokemon cards were between Ari & Timmy.

When reviewing books indented for younger audiences I am reminded of the child that I was & the life that I led, all those years ago. I am reminded of the books that I was lucky to come upon & the adults who adored reading just as much as I did; for their presence & love guided my passion to flourish into a lifetime of adventure & comfort. I am glad that children have authors such as Rasoul who write stories via an imagination that holds the depth of a reader inside.

Thank you to NetGalley, Hashtag Press, & Sana Rasoul for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

The Twig Man is a middle-grade horror story about a boy named Ari who tries to find his missing sister. I enjoyed reading about Ari's relationship with his parents. After his sister disappeared, his parents became "helicopter parents," but it made sense why the parents were protective and watchful of Ari. I also enjoyed reading about his bond with his sister and friendship with Timmy.

The stories about the Twig Man kept me interested, and I genuinely was interested in how Ari and Timmy would solve the mystery of the disappearances. My heart broke reading about Timmy.

Overall, I'd recommend this book.

This was an interesting story about a Ari whose sister went missing about a year ago and his parents and everyone else thinks that she ran away. Ari doesn't think that is what happened but nobody will listen to him. His parents are very strict with him because of what happened with his sister and he is tired of it and wants to find out what happened to his sister.

One days he accidently kicks his ball into the woods a place he isn't suppose to go but does anyway which starts a series of creepy things to happen. There is a story about the Twig Man a creature in the woods that takes people and he is sure that is what happened to his sister and while in the woods he meets a boy who is also looking in to the Twig Man and they both try do figure things before it's to late for Ari.

I thought this story was just okay, it was a quick read and flowed fine but at times it just wasn't really that gripping or interesting. I didn't find it to be that creepy but I can see that some children who might not be big into spooky books being a bit more creeped out than kids who like to read spooky books.

The most interesting part of this was the lore surrounding the Twig Man because it was taken from a myth surrounding the petrefied forrest, which I did look up to see if there was such a thing! :)

The Twig Man by Sana Rasoul was a perfect book for youngsters from the age of 8 upwards ,reading as a group sitting round a camp fire at Halloween or sitting with a group of friends at school reading this together or even scarier reading it on your own hiding under your quilt cover with a torch. Especially as The Twig Man is a creepy tale that takes you on an adventure in the dark woods near where Ari lives. Ari is the main character in this book and her older sister Lana ran away.

The only person who knows the reason why Lana ran away is Ari. She was taken by the Twig Man!

But, who is the Twig Man?

The Twig Man, is a creepy monster that' has haunted the woods for one hundred years. No one else will listen to Ari if she tells people what happened to Lana. It all down to her now to find and save her sister. But, she better hurry as she is next on his list!!!

This book was great book for 8+ who wants to start to read scarier books. This book will not disappoint. It's quite creepy and full of adventure.It was a lovely quick read and great book to scare your friends on a cold rainy day whilst on half term etc.

I loved the cover which drew me in as well.

I’m such a sucker for middle-grade horror, and this one definitely hit all of the right spots by having a well thought out plot with good, diverse character development.

Delightfully creepy with a plot that pulls you in from the very first pages, The Twig man is perfect for middle-grade readers who like a bit of spook along with their mystery!

*thank you to Netgalley, Sana Rasoul and Hashtag Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*


3 stars.

When I review Middle Grade books, I read them as 10 year old me would have. I feel since that is roughly the target audience range for them. That being said, I can see the potential this story has, but for me, 10 year old me, I would have found some parts of it to be a bit boring. Some things could have been left out. But there were some great and interesting scenes.

I can see this book has received some amazing feedback so I'm wondering if it's just something about it that makes it not for me.

The whole story reminds me of the Slenderman stories. Which I think others will pick up on too. The relationship between the brother and sister (the missing sister) shows a strong bond. I really enjoyed reading about the brother missing his sister instead of having the story be about how they disliked each other etc. There is also the relationship between the brother, Ari and another boy, Timmy. I think their bond is also another great aspect of this story. They both needed that friendship and together they make great characters.

The parents are definitely the 'wrap your kids up and not let them have much fun' type. (Ok maybe they aren't that bad, but they are quite strict.) It's understandable though. I mean their daughter had been missing for a year.

So, would I recommend this? Well. That's a tough one. I wouldn't recommend it because I thought it was really good, but, I would suggest you give it a go if you think it sounds like something you or your kid would enjoy. You may end up really loving it as others seem to.

The Twig Man is a spine-tinglingly chilling, dark read which absolutely gripped from the ominous warning in the opening, and kept me enthralled throughout: an edge-of-your seat, page-turning adventure brimming with danger, excitement and just the right amount of horror to keep readers shivering with equal amounts of delight and fright.

Eleven-year-old Ari lives in Hanging Hill on the outskirts of the woods, woods which he blames for the loss of his best friend and sister, Lana. Whilst his parents, the locals and the Police all think that Lana chose to leave a year ago, Ari knows differently. He is convinced that his sister would never leave him behind and believes that she has been taken by the Twig Man, a monster in the woods who has been taking children for years.

When Ari chases a strange black cat into the woods, he meets Timmy who whispers that the Twig Man has awoken. Can Ari find the courage to face the terrifying monster and bring his sister home, or will the Twig Man take his next victim, the young boy who dared to wake him?

Oh my spooky goodness! This is one of the most atmospheric, eerily creepy middle-grade horror books I’ve read – and I loved it! I can only manage to ride rollercoasters if they’re in the dark and then I find them both scary and exciting and that is exactly the feeling reading this darkly mysterious adventure left me with. I felt inexorably drawn towards the darkness in the woods alongside Ari and Timmy, feeling their fear, determination and courage as they fight against a monster who extends his control over the plants, insects and animals of the woods to deliciously frightening effect.

I loved the twists and revelations and the sharp edge of danger nuanced with hope. The depiction of the Twig Man is just perfect: scary, dangerous and seriously creepy, an urban myth come to life and looking for revenge. His essence permeates the mystery and insidiously reaches towards Ari, drawing him ever closer, closer to both terrible danger and to the incredible truth.

I really liked the friendship which develops between Ari and Timmy. Timmy is the first one who believes Ari when he tells him that his sister did not run away, and the boys, despite some arguments, develop a mutual bond of trust and support. Neither are used to having friends and navigate the path together whilst dealing with the never-fading threat from the Twig Man, prepared to face him together.

This is THE most perfect dark, spooky adventure to read on a dark evening with the lights definitely on! A story of friendship, sibling bonds and hope in the face of danger, darkness and a deadly threat that is guaranteed to send shivers down your spine. Thrillingly perfect for readers of 9+.

The Twig Man by Sana Rasoul.
Beware the Twig Man, the Twig Man's hex. Beware the Twig Man, or you'll be NEXT!   
It's been a year since nearly-twelve-year-old Ari’s older sister, Lana, ran away. Except Ari knows what really happened. She was taken by the Twig Man, the creepy monster that's haunted the woods for one hundred years.  No one else will listen, so it's down to Ari to save his sister. But he had better hurry, as Ari finds himself next on The Twig Man's list...
A really good read. Perfect story for Halloween. 4*.

Perfect for its age range. Plenty of spook and mystery for a middle grader. Also it showed great sibling relationships which, I think, is great in a book targeted for kids this age. It was fast paced which I think is good because it will help keep the kids attention throughout the whole book. Also, it wasn't overly long which I enjoyed.

The Twig man was a good read. I loved how the author built suspense into the book. So many things I didn't expect. And her detailed description really made the forest come to life - it was a character of its own.

There were some parts I found a bit dull and annoyingly for me, the main character wasn't all that likeable. I also noticed that even though they are Kurdish, you can only tell that on a superficial level.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to other readers.

Rating 3.5

I loved this spooky and atmospheric story of Ari and his new friend Timmy. Just enough suspense to keep the pages turning and keep me out of the woods in the dark!

I think this is a great read for Autumn as the nights turn darker and we look toward Halloween. But it is also a great story of hope and never giving up. Ari's love for his family, especially Lana, is evident throughout the book.

As an adult I began to suspect the twist slightly later than I care to admit but would have been bowled over by it when it was revealed if I were a little younger.

I'd love to read this to my class. I think children will take delight from the shivers that run down your spine whenever The Twig Man or one of his envoys decides to pay a visit...

4.5

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the earc!

The first chapter begins with the mystery surrounding Ari's sister Lana. Lana has been missing for a year, and police believe she fled with her friends. Ari, on the other hand, is skeptical that Lana is the only one who has mysteriously vanished. Many cases of missing children appear to be linked to The Twig Man's curse. Ari believes Lana was abducted by a terrible monster that had haunted the woods for a hundred years.

Ari then enlists the help of his new friend Timmy to track down Lana. The two of them were having thrilling adventures in the woods, and I was left guessing about Timmy, who was no less enigmatic. The author not only described a tense, scary atmosphere in the woods, but also a plot twist that caught me off guard.

Despite the fact that this is a book for middle-grade readers, I enjoyed it. I couldn't stop reading it. I also liked the author's writing and the diversity of characters. I hope she writes fantasy books for young adult because I will most certainly read them.