Member Reviews
Thank you NetGalley for approving me to read this. A very good read that had me hooked, once started I couldn’t put it down. Highly recommend
This was an overall enjoyable read. Characters were engaging and the plot was done well enough. Great for the younger audience and adults alike.
The Witches of Pendle made for a fairly quick, easy read. Aimed at a middle grade audience, there's no getting around the fact that something brutal happened to witches hundreds of years ago, and that the Pendle witch trials were a real thing. The author takes local knowledge and interest, and combines with a swift narrative style to result in a spooky book, perfect for the leaves changing outside. I read this curled under a fluffy blanket with a mug of hot apple cider and it was a great combination.
I will start this off by reiterating how much I love Yvette Fielding and Most Haunted, so I knew I would love this little series of books she has on the go. The Pendle Witch live episode of Most Haunted was my absolute favourite and I was so excited to see she based this latest book on the Witches.
The story is spooky, with a good pace, and thank god the characters are still likable. It is very YA, but as a fan of point horror growing up I am enjoying being catapulted back to my childhood with some YA spooky horror.
A book I would have wanted to read when I was a child and enjoyed as an adult.
The right level of cosyness and spook, well rounded characters, fast paced and entertaining.
The author delivers and it's highly recommended
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
In the third of the Ghost Hunter Chronicles Eve, Clovis and Tom make a welcome return, following The House in the Woods (2021) and The Ripper of Whitechapel (2022), both of which were reviewed favourably on the site. I do not know how successful these terrific Middle Grade horror thrillers have had, but I have certainly enjoyed them and the series deserves to pick up momentum with the kids getting involved in a secret government department which monitors supernatural activity, which was introduced at the end of book two and is a major thrust of The Witches of Pendle storyline. I particularly enjoyed the manner in which Yvette Fielding skilfully weaves the true story of the infamous Pendle Witch Trials of 1612 into the story, giving young readers plenty of scope to investigate the horrific story of how a group of women were tortured, accused of witchcraft and then put to death. However, in this story the ghosts of the restless dead (guilty or not) will not stay dead and the young teenagers are sent to investigate, supported by Eve’s uncle, Professor Rufus.
I love Middle Grade horror as it is scary enough to keep most kids happy and you can be rest assured that even the most sensitive readers will manage it fine. The Witches of Pendle pitches it perfectly, the kids eat lots of cakes and drink hot chocolate being supported by a bunch of kind adults as they leave their London homes, with Christmas just around the corner, to investigate weird goings at Pendle. The spooky goings on begin after a family move into a new home and a kid finds what turns out to be a Witch Bottle (again, kids might have fun looking this up!) and then gets sick and if followed by others getting sick, seeing things or acting strange. This third book had a particularly exciting finish, with Evie coming good and promising future storylines. I also enjoyed the kids staying at a hotel that existed out of time, with Sir Winston Churchill almost making a guest appearance! I hope there is a fourth book in the pipeline as this series is going from strength to strength with a quality blend of sympathetic characters, chills, clever historical references and page-turning page. AGE RANGE 10-13
I absolutely loved this book!
I started the book as soon as it landed on my Kindle and I was flying through the pages of the story. It was one that had me well and truly hooked. I was intrigued about where the story was going and I have to say I was far from disappointed, it was brilliant all round.
The pace was spot on for the book, there was intrigue, peril, mysterious happening and witchcraft – for me, it was the perfect mix and the story was really brought to life.
This is the third book in this series (The Ghost Hunter Chronicles) and I was delighted to see that a new one had been released and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a copy and it really was worth the wait between books 2 and 3. The book is fine to be read as a stand alone, but if you do get an opportunity the previous too are also brilliant reads!
It is 5 stars from me for this one – very highly recommended!!