Tag: jonathan stroud

Book Review

Book Review: The Empty Grave (Lockwood & Co. #5) by Jonathan Stroud

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: YA Mystery/Horror
Length: 427 pages
Author: Jonathan Stroud
Publisher: Little, Brown Books
Release Date: September 12th, 2017
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Five months after the events in THE CREEPING SHADOW, we join Lockwood, Lucy, George, Holly, and their associate Quill Kipps on a perilous night mission: they have broken into the booby-trapped Fittes Mausoleum, where the body of the legendary psychic heroine Marissa Fittes lies. Or does it? This is just one of the many questions to be answered in Book 5 of the Lockwood & Co. series. Will Lockwood ever reveal more about his family’s past to Lucy? Will their trip to the Other Side leave Lucy and Lockwood forever changed? Will Penelope Fittes succeed in shutting down their agency forever? The young agents must survive attacks from foes both spectral and human before they can take on their greatest enemy in a climactic and chaotic battle. And to prevail they will have to rely on help from some surprising–and shadowy–allies. Jonathan Stroud once again delivers a rousing adventure full of danger, laughs, twists, and frights. The revelations will send readers back to Book 1 to start the series all over again. 

SOLID ENDING AS A WHOLE.

At last. I have finished the Lockwood & Co. series. And it was a fun ride! I love how light-hearted, yet totally sinister these books are.

I’m going to miss Lockwood, Lucy, George, and Holly (even Kipps). They were a tight-knit bunch that truly had each other backs. I love that there was no back-stabbing or run around with their friendship. They fought ghosts together and hung out at 35 Portland Row. Exactly how it should be.

Very happy that the whole initial problem was resolved. Things weren’t left open-ended (well maybe one part was, but I’ll address that in a second). I was finally able to know where all the ghosts were coming from, who the villains were and how they saved London from more ghost-related issues.

The only open-ended story line was clearly Lockwood and Lucy. While these books never contained any romance, there was clearly a vibe between them and I love the run off into the sunset vibe that this gave off in the end. It seemed perfectly appropriate without over-shadowing all that Lucy and Lockwood have already been through together. They are the true dynamite duo.

I definitely would recommend this to younger audiences that are okay with creepy ghosts, and plot lines. These tended to feel like a younger (maybe even more true) young adult series. It was a nice bit of escapism every time I picked one of these books up.

Overall audience notes:

  • Young adult mystery/horror
  • Language: none
  • Romance: none
  • Violence: swords, explosions, physical

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Book Review

Book Review: The Creeping Shadow (Lockwood & Co. #4) by Jonathan Stroud

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: Young adult fantasy / horror / mystery
Length: 445 pages
Author: Jonathan Stroud
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Release Date: September 13th, 2016
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

After leaving Lockwood & Co. at the end of The Hollow Boy, Lucy is a freelance operative, hiring herself out to agencies that value her ever-improving skills. One day she is pleasantly surprised by a visit from Lockwood, who tells her he needs a good Listener for a tough assignment. Penelope Fittes, the leader of the giant Fittes Agency wants them–and only them–to locate and remove the Source for the legendary Brixton Cannibal. They succeed in their very dangerous task, but tensions remain high between Lucy and the other agents. Even the skull in the jar talks to her like a jilted lover. What will it take to reunite the team? Black marketeers, an informant ghost, a Spirit Cape that transports the wearer, and mysteries involving Steve Rotwell and Penelope Fittes just may do the trick. But, in a shocking cliffhanger ending, the team learns that someone has been manipulating them all along.

I’LL BE THERE FOR YOU.

Droppin’ the FRIENDS theme song for you today because it’s my favorite and highly applicable to my thoughts on The Creeping Shadow.

I loooove this friend group. Lockwood, Lucy, George and Holly. I like their banter, the way they care about each other, the relentless support, all of it. This is my go-to friend group in books I’ve read recently. They’re what make this book. Honestly though, I’m really hear for Lockwood and Lucy. I love them (they better love each other) and I’m secretly hoping for some kind of extra connection come the finale – a girl can dream!

This is my kind of horror. Substantially creepy, but still within bounds that I can handle. This definitely stepped it up a notch. The amount of ghosts, descriptions of murders and more really amped up the scene. I love that I even got to see a bit of the other side. I’m curious how that will affect them going on.

Talk about some bombs being dropped. Those last few scenes really dropped my jaw. I know I must get this last book to get answers. I’m excited for how everything set up and love that each case throughout the series have led them here. Things weren’t all for willy-nilly and that’s what keeps me going back for more.

Overall audience notes:

  • Young adult mystery / horror
  • Language: none
  • Romance: none
  • Violence: guns, knives, explosions, bombs, physical, swords, ghost attacks

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Book Review

Book Review: The Hollow Boy (Lockwood & Co. #3) by Jonathan Stroud

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: Young adult fantasy + horror + mystery
Length: 385 pages
Author: Jonathan Stroud
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Release Date: September 15th, 2015
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

As a massive outbreak of supernatural Visitors baffles Scotland Yard and causes protests throughout London, Lockwood & Co. continue to demonstrate their effectiveness in exterminating spirits. Anthony Lockwood is dashing, George insightful, and Lucy dynamic, while the skull in the jar utters sardonic advice from the sidelines. There is a new spirit of openness in the team now that Lockwood has shared some of his childhood secrets, and Lucy is feeling more and more as if her true home is at Portland Row. It comes as a great shock, then, when Lockwood and George introduce her to an annoyingly perky and hyper-efficient new assistant, Holly Munro.

Meanwhile, there are reports of many new hauntings, including a house where bloody footprints are appearing, and a department store full of strange sounds and shadowy figures. But ghosts seem to be the least of Lockwood & Co.’s concerns when assassins attack during a carnival in the center of the city. Can the team get past their personal issues to save the day on all fronts, or will bad feelings attract yet more trouble?

Danger abounds, tensions escalate, and new loyalties form in this third delightfully terrifying adventure in the critically acclaimed Lockwood & Co. series.

NICE & CREEPY.

Okay, I did love this book, but I did not love the audio book. The voices were really annoying and immature. I liked Lucy’s luckily (the main voice heard since she’s the MC POV) so I went ahead and listened to it, but it was a touch and go at times.

Any who. I LOVE how creepy these books are! It’s my perfect level of spooky and horror. The ghosts make me want to hide and wandering around in the dark always brings out an edge. These are a great YA level of making you worry, but not being too much (for someone like me who doesn’t do horror in general).

My poor Lucy had to go through some new emotions this book, namely, jealousy. I didn’t love it on her, but if this is leading where I surely hope than I can play ball. Lockwood and Co. tried to add someone new to their group and it went over differently for each character. I am still loving this group and their dynamics. They make me smile, chuckle, and hope they get the accolades they deserve.

The world-building is fun and well thought out. I rarely find myself with a question I can’t answer. I like this urban mystery/fantasy take on London. It makes following the locations easier while learning about all the different ghost types.

I know this isn’t a long review, the books aren’t long themselves. Just know, this is a great series and I can’t wait to pick up the next one.

Overall audience notes:

  • Young adult mystery + horror
  • Language: none
  • Romance: none
  • Violence: ghost attacks (yes they can attack in this series), sword fights, physical, hauntings

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Book Review

Book Review: The Whispering Skull (Lockwood & Co. #2) by Jonathan Stroud

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆ 1/2
Audience: Young adult paranormal mystery
Length: 435 pages
Author: Jonathan Stroud
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Release Date: September 16th, 2014
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In the six months since Anthony, Lucy, and George survived a night in the most haunted house in England, Lockwood & Co. hasn’t made much progress. Quill Kipps and his team of Fittes agents keep swooping in on Lockwood’s investigations. Finally, in a fit of anger, Anthony challenges his rival to a contest: the next time the two agencies compete on a job, the losing side will have to admit defeat in the Times newspaper.

Things look up when a new client, Mr. Saunders, hires Lockwood & Co. to be present at the excavation of Edmund Bickerstaff, a Victorian doctor who reportedly tried to communicate with the dead. Saunders needs the coffin sealed with silver to prevent any supernatural trouble. All goes well-until George’s curiosity attracts a horrible phantom. 

Back home at Portland Row, Lockwood accuses George of making too many careless mistakes. Lucy is distracted by urgent whispers coming from the skull in the ghost jar. Then the team is summoned to DEPRAC headquarters. Kipps is there too, much to Lockwood’s annoyance. Bickerstaff’s coffin was raided and a strange glass object buried with the corpse has vanished. Inspector Barnes believes the relic to be highly dangerous, and he wants it found.

EXCELLENTLY SPOOKY.

I think I can easily say this one was better than the first. I loved getting to know these characters more and having already established themselves I was further invested in the story.

The banter and team dynamics of Lockwood & Co. is what keeps me coming back for more. They are fantastic. It reminds me of the Jackaby series I’m currently reading right now. Everyone cares of each other, but they are also not afraid to give it to another if necessary to put them back in line. A close knit group that makes me so happy every time they’re together.

I love Lucy’s inner dialogue. This girl tells it like it is. Not everyone is handsome or beautiful and things are not always going the right way. I love how she puts her world together and is smart and strong-willed. I didn’t initially like that it was from her perspective, but book two has convinced me that this is the way to go.

Since I’m personally not a big horror fan, this is right at the level that I can love. It’s creepy, spooky, and I felt it should be fall every time I picked this up. The ghosts are definitely a bit haunting and the descriptions really bring them to life.

Even when you can kind of tell what’s going to happen and who the main culprit is in the the given scenario, there’s still enough pieces missing to keep you interested. I found myself second-guessing and freaked out at what was happening. Some moments where I know I was shouting wild thoughts hoping that everything worked out in the end.

Overall audience notes:

  • Young adult paranormal mystery + fantasy
  • Language: none
  • Romance: none
  • Violence: swords, descriptive ghostly apparitions, description of murders and corpses, murder, explosions

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