Review: Haunted

Haunted

by Heather Beck

Publication date: 2010
Publisher: Treasure Cove Books
ISBN: 978-0-9865569-0-6

Summary/Back cover:
When darkness fall and the air turns cold, ghosts come out to play.

Heather Beck presents Haunted, an anthology of ghostly encounters and paranormal events.

Ghost Park: After discovering a mysterious playground in the woods, Chase is stalked by angry ghost children.
A Haunting Past: Truce's class trip to an old native reserve turns deadly when Bear, an infamous chief who died two hundred years ago, blames him for the tribe's extinction.
The Manor on the Rocks: Grey, damp and surrounded by jagged rocks, Calla Lily's new home isn't only unpleasant, it's also haunted by the world's most evil boy.
A Medieval Nightmare: When Ellie and Brandon get trapped in a medieval museum that's a bit too real, they fall under a spell and become pivotal players in a ghostly regime.
A Watery grave: A camping trip becomes a heart-pounding race for survival when Justine meets a ghost who's determined to change her fate by trading bodies with a living entity.

Review:
Haunted is the first book in The Horror Diaries – a new series of scary stories for kids. The series was created and written by Heather Beck, an author who originally gained exposure by writing the first two books in the best-selling Fable Farm series. Continuing with that tradition, The Horror Diaries proves that Beck has a rare imagination and the writing talent to weave exciting, original and unexpected stories. Although Haunted is a collection of five ghost stories, each tale is significantly different from the others.

The first story, “Ghost Park” is about a young environmentalist who wants to save a doomed park. Little does she know that the park isn’t empty. “Ghost Park” is an intelligent read that will also entertain children. It’s more psychologically scary and morally conscious than most ghost stories. Overall, a creepy and suspenseful read.

“A Haunting Past” is an adventure story with some serious action. While on a school trip, Truce is mistaken as a boy who lived centuries ago. Unfortunately, this boy has a very vengeful enemy who wanders the park. Like “Ghost Park”, there’s more than one story being told. All the characters are well-developed – even the non-human ones! It’s a great adventure tale with tons of scares.

“The Manor On The Rocks” is a very scary story. Calla Lily doesn’t like her new house especially when she hears the ghost stories surrounding it. Unfortunately, all the stories are true. “The Manor On The Rocks” is a new take on the haunted house tale and is very unpredictable. Don’t read this story at night!

“A Medieval Nightmare” is another good adventure tale with just the right amount of scares. When Ellie and Brandon get lost in the Ultimate Medieval Museum, everything suddenly becomes too real. The writing is so vivid I felt like I was in the museum. I was on the edge of my seat for the whole story. It’s my favorite story of the anthology. It’s a well-crafted, exciting story filled with medieval lore.

The last story, “A Watery Grave” is very creepy. A ghost girl who died centuries ago stills walks the woods looking for someone to trade bodies with. When Justine and Kimmy are targeted by the ghost, the race for survival is on! My heart was pounding in suspense after the first couple of pages. I didn’t know what would happen and I was shocked by the ending. This is another tale you shouldn’t read at night.

Haunted is a great book that kids will love. It’s scary but not gory so it’s appropriate for all ages. Haunted is very well-written with vivid descriptions. The stories are exciting and there are a ton of twists and surprises. I highly recommend this book.

My rating: 5 out of 5 because it's so well-written and different from the other books out there.

Review written by Danny