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Tales From Cabin 23 #1
The Boo Hag Flex
Few campers at Camp Apple Hill Farm have found the mysterious cabin rumored to be hidden deep in the woods—but those who have whisper of a mysterious woman who tells tales of horrors beyond imagination. Are you brave enough to visit Cabin 23?
The last thing Tasha Washington wants is to move from her home in Savannah to a trailer park in Middle-of-Nowhere, Georgia. But when her mother dies and Tasha is taken in by her father—a man she’s never met, who abandoned her mom when Tasha was just a baby—she doesn’t have much of a choice. At least, she thinks, she won’t have to spend much time with him—something that becomes clear when he dumps Tasha with her grandmother and disappears to be with his new girlfriend.
The Shady Pines trailer park seems like a miserable place to spend a summer, even before an elderly neighbor suddenly passes away. But then Tasha meets a girl named Ellie who says she knows what really killed old Mr. Harold: a terrifying creature that stalks the trailer park at night, sucking the life from its victims. Tasha doesn’t believe it, but when she discovers a book of hoodoo legends in her grandmother’s trailer, and more people around Shady Pines start to appear unwell, she begins to fear the stories are true—and that danger is much closer than she thinks.
And don't miss the second book in the Tales from Cabin 23 series: Night of the Living Head!
The last thing Tasha Washington wants is to move from her home in Savannah to a trailer park in Middle-of-Nowhere, Georgia. But when her mother dies and Tasha is taken in by her father—a man she’s never met, who abandoned her mom when Tasha was just a baby—she doesn’t have much of a choice. At least, she thinks, she won’t have to spend much time with him—something that becomes clear when he dumps Tasha with her grandmother and disappears to be with his new girlfriend.
The Shady Pines trailer park seems like a miserable place to spend a summer, even before an elderly neighbor suddenly passes away. But then Tasha meets a girl named Ellie who says she knows what really killed old Mr. Harold: a terrifying creature that stalks the trailer park at night, sucking the life from its victims. Tasha doesn’t believe it, but when she discovers a book of hoodoo legends in her grandmother’s trailer, and more people around Shady Pines start to appear unwell, she begins to fear the stories are true—and that danger is much closer than she thinks.
And don't miss the second book in the Tales from Cabin 23 series: Night of the Living Head!
208 pages, Hardcover
First published May 14, 2024
About the author
Justina Ireland
95 books3,019 followersJustina Ireland is the New York Times bestselling author of numerous books including Dread Nation and its sequel Deathless Divide, the middle-grade novel Ophie's Ghosts, which won the Scott O'Dell award for historical fiction, and a number of Star Wars books including Flight of the Falcon: Lando’s Luck, Spark of the Resistance, A Test of Courage, Out of the Shadows, and Mission to Disaster. She is a former editor in chief of FIYAH Literary Magazine of Black Speculative Fiction, for which she won a World Fantasy Award. She holds a BA in History from Georgia Southern and an MFA in Creative Writing from Hamline University.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
July 22, 2024
Honestly, I'm not sure what took me so long to come back to this book, but I'm so happy I did. It's such a great start to a series for middle grade readers who really enjoy horror. CW: death of a parent, parental abandonment, grief
Tales from Cabin 23: The Boo Hag Flex is the first in a new series started by Justina Ireland and Hanna Alkaf. Stylistically, the book reminds of shows like Are You Afraid of the Dark and Tales from the Crypt. The initial story begins at a summer camp which appears to be magical and/or haunted and follows Elaina who is extremely homesick. As a result, Elaina avoids camp activities and stays inside her cabin. While resting, Elaina hears a knock on the door and watches her camp counselor disappear into the fog. Elaina then follows and comes across Cabin 23 where she meets a witch that gives her the choice between hearing a story OR battling the fog. As she chooses to listen to the story, readers then meet another character, Tasha, who is sent to live with her father and grandmother after her mother passes away from COVID-19. While there, strange deaths begin to occur and Tasha's friend Ellie believes that a boo hag is on the the loose. The girl must work together to save Shady Pines trailer park from the horror that is plaguing their community.
What Worked: This was a genuinely creepy tale! And I say that as an adult. Ireland really created some jump scare moments and creepy descriptions that will work for a little of horror fanatics. I appreciate the fact that we're beginning to get more diversity in middle grade horror because that area has struggled over the years. Ireland did a great job creating this "story within a story" vibe that brought me some great nostalgic moments. There was also a great sense of community in this book. Tasha is dealing with the grief associated with the death of mother and then the trauma of having to live with family she's never met. Her father is pretty much absent and is solely focused on the relationship between him and his girlfriend. Nevertheless, Ireland provides Tasha with a steady, consistent, caring, and loving grandmother that supports her and advocates for her. The grandmother's character, in my opinion, was extremely indicative of the matriarchal role in the Black family especially for those of us that have lived in the South. Grandmothers were and continue to be the backbone of the Black family not only working and taking care of the household, but also minding their children as well as other children in the family and community. Her character screamed wisdom, love, and support and reminded me so much of my own great-grandmother. I'm not sure if this was intentional, but if so, Ireland nailed it perfectly. I also loved that Tasha was able to find a friend in Elliot. Fighting off a boo hag was going to require a friend and I'm happy that the two were able to come together and work together.
What Didn't Work: I needed more information about Cabin 23 and the camp as a whole. While I do like the overall formatting of the book, I think that it could have benefited from a deep dive into the origins of the camp and how visitors can wind up encountering the infamous cabin and its inhabitants.
Overall, this was a good read and I'm definitely interested in checking out the next installment in the series!
Tales from Cabin 23: The Boo Hag Flex is the first in a new series started by Justina Ireland and Hanna Alkaf. Stylistically, the book reminds of shows like Are You Afraid of the Dark and Tales from the Crypt. The initial story begins at a summer camp which appears to be magical and/or haunted and follows Elaina who is extremely homesick. As a result, Elaina avoids camp activities and stays inside her cabin. While resting, Elaina hears a knock on the door and watches her camp counselor disappear into the fog. Elaina then follows and comes across Cabin 23 where she meets a witch that gives her the choice between hearing a story OR battling the fog. As she chooses to listen to the story, readers then meet another character, Tasha, who is sent to live with her father and grandmother after her mother passes away from COVID-19. While there, strange deaths begin to occur and Tasha's friend Ellie believes that a boo hag is on the the loose. The girl must work together to save Shady Pines trailer park from the horror that is plaguing their community.
What Worked: This was a genuinely creepy tale! And I say that as an adult. Ireland really created some jump scare moments and creepy descriptions that will work for a little of horror fanatics. I appreciate the fact that we're beginning to get more diversity in middle grade horror because that area has struggled over the years. Ireland did a great job creating this "story within a story" vibe that brought me some great nostalgic moments. There was also a great sense of community in this book. Tasha is dealing with the grief associated with the death of mother and then the trauma of having to live with family she's never met. Her father is pretty much absent and is solely focused on the relationship between him and his girlfriend. Nevertheless, Ireland provides Tasha with a steady, consistent, caring, and loving grandmother that supports her and advocates for her. The grandmother's character, in my opinion, was extremely indicative of the matriarchal role in the Black family especially for those of us that have lived in the South. Grandmothers were and continue to be the backbone of the Black family not only working and taking care of the household, but also minding their children as well as other children in the family and community. Her character screamed wisdom, love, and support and reminded me so much of my own great-grandmother. I'm not sure if this was intentional, but if so, Ireland nailed it perfectly. I also loved that Tasha was able to find a friend in Elliot. Fighting off a boo hag was going to require a friend and I'm happy that the two were able to come together and work together.
What Didn't Work: I needed more information about Cabin 23 and the camp as a whole. While I do like the overall formatting of the book, I think that it could have benefited from a deep dive into the origins of the camp and how visitors can wind up encountering the infamous cabin and its inhabitants.
Overall, this was a good read and I'm definitely interested in checking out the next installment in the series!
May 19, 2024
This is a genuinely scary book. The author does an incredible job of building and sustaining tension, and manages to incorporate some shocking moments that feel very edgy, but also age appropriate. There are some hard-hitting themes about grief, loss, and moving on from both here along with the horror elements. While the transition between the frame story and the story of Tasha is a bit jarring and uneven, overall Tales from Cabin 23: The Boo Hag Flex is a very enjoyable and thrilling middle grade horror novel with much to recommend about it.
Reviewed for Affaire de Coeur Magazine: http//:affairedecoeur.com.
Advanced Review Copy provided by Netgalley courtesy of HarperCollins Children's Books.
Reviewed for Affaire de Coeur Magazine: http//:affairedecoeur.com.
Advanced Review Copy provided by Netgalley courtesy of HarperCollins Children's Books.
May 1, 2024
I absolutely love Justina Ireland’s voice, creativity, and stories so I was thrilled to win this book through a Goodreads giveaway. Ireland once again masterfully created a world that sucks you right in. Ireland’s characters are realistic and nuanced so that you root for the best in everyone. The story was creepy, but as a fan of new supernatural stories in general I liked learned about the boo hag. Overall, this is a great start to a series that has the potential to be the next Goosebumps.
September 7, 2024
A fun horror tale about a grieving girl sent to live with her deadbeat dad, only to discover a murderous boo hag preying on the trailer park community. Follows the horror structures and tropes, but remains age-appropriate.
January 31, 2024
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
There are strange things happening at Camp Apple Hill Farm, as unhappy camper Elaina learns. She's so homesick that she doesn't join her easygoing bunkmate Tiffany at evening activities, but stays behind in the cabin with her counselor, Taylor. When there's a knock at the door, Eliana sees Taylor disappear into the fog. She follows, and soon finds herself at Cabin 23, where she meets an older Black woman who is a witch and tells her that she can either battle the fog, which is hungry, or listen to a story. Eliana chooses the story.
Tasha's mother has passed away from COVID, and she finds herself being moved from Savannah to rural Georgia. She hasn't met her father, John, before, but he assures her that she'll be fine with him and his mother, Ms. Washington, in their trailer home in the Shady Pines park. Tasha, who is a big reader, is glad to see that there is an extensive library in the trailer, and starts reading her grandmother's books on myths and legends. When a neighbor dies, Tasha meet a white girl her own age, Ellie, who offers her popsicles and a tantalizing local legend; Ellie believes there is a boo hag on the loose, and it's eating not only neighborhood small animals, but the neighbors themselves! Tasha believes this, because she saw an upsetting glimpse of the neighbor's damaged arm as he was hustled into the ambulance, and has also seen the maggot ridden corpse of his cat. Tasha not only has to deal with "murder ghosts" in her new home, but her father's frequent absences. His new girlfriend, Kim, seems very nice; she's a seamstress who also loves to read, and the two spend quality time together, bonding over the fact that they both lost their mothers when young. When another neighbor, Ms. Greta, has some injuries, and her small dog is missing, the girls decide is is time to act. After Ms. Greta passed away, the boo hag comes perilously close to home, and Ellie and Tasha must think quickly to preserve Tasha's new living arrangements. Will they be able to turn the forces of evil away from the Shady Pines Trailer Park?
This ends with Elaina going back to her cabin, but not much else is said about the camp.
Strengths: Aside from the rather frightening boo hag, who drains people's life force before killing them, this has the additional scary element of a parent passing away. To make that even more traumatic, Tasha has to go live with a father she doesn't know. He seems nice at first, but is so absent and uncaring that Tasha even warns Kim not to marry him, even though she would love to have her warm and caring presence in her life. The grandmother is very steady in her support and understanding of Tasha's state, and it's good to see that Tasha is able to make a friend; boo hags are not a force you want to have to fight alone. For my readers, the low level blood and gore of the injuries and dead pets, as well as the description of putrid odors, will be a big sell. Scary camp stories usually circulate well, so it will be interesting to see how the camp will be brought into further tales.
Weaknesses: The packaging of this is a bit odd; the cover makes this look like it is marketed to upper elementary school students, but I'm not sure how the writhing maggots will go over with 3rd-5th graders. I'm curious to see what further volumes do with the camp setting. Alkaf's Tales from Cabin 23: Night of the Living Head comes out in August 2023, and the cover does seem more middle grade.
What I really think: This was a fairly scary story that took some twists and turns that I saw coming, but that might surprise young readers. Hand this to readers who enjoyed culturally connected scary stories like Fournet's Brick Dust and Bones, Smith'sHoodoo, Royce's Root Magic, or this author's Ophie's Ghosts. I'll buy a copy, and see how well it does with fans of P.J. Night's Creepover books, which have some similarities in cover design and formatting.
There are strange things happening at Camp Apple Hill Farm, as unhappy camper Elaina learns. She's so homesick that she doesn't join her easygoing bunkmate Tiffany at evening activities, but stays behind in the cabin with her counselor, Taylor. When there's a knock at the door, Eliana sees Taylor disappear into the fog. She follows, and soon finds herself at Cabin 23, where she meets an older Black woman who is a witch and tells her that she can either battle the fog, which is hungry, or listen to a story. Eliana chooses the story.
Tasha's mother has passed away from COVID, and she finds herself being moved from Savannah to rural Georgia. She hasn't met her father, John, before, but he assures her that she'll be fine with him and his mother, Ms. Washington, in their trailer home in the Shady Pines park. Tasha, who is a big reader, is glad to see that there is an extensive library in the trailer, and starts reading her grandmother's books on myths and legends. When a neighbor dies, Tasha meet a white girl her own age, Ellie, who offers her popsicles and a tantalizing local legend; Ellie believes there is a boo hag on the loose, and it's eating not only neighborhood small animals, but the neighbors themselves! Tasha believes this, because she saw an upsetting glimpse of the neighbor's damaged arm as he was hustled into the ambulance, and has also seen the maggot ridden corpse of his cat. Tasha not only has to deal with "murder ghosts" in her new home, but her father's frequent absences. His new girlfriend, Kim, seems very nice; she's a seamstress who also loves to read, and the two spend quality time together, bonding over the fact that they both lost their mothers when young. When another neighbor, Ms. Greta, has some injuries, and her small dog is missing, the girls decide is is time to act. After Ms. Greta passed away, the boo hag comes perilously close to home, and Ellie and Tasha must think quickly to preserve Tasha's new living arrangements. Will they be able to turn the forces of evil away from the Shady Pines Trailer Park?
This ends with Elaina going back to her cabin, but not much else is said about the camp.
Strengths: Aside from the rather frightening boo hag, who drains people's life force before killing them, this has the additional scary element of a parent passing away. To make that even more traumatic, Tasha has to go live with a father she doesn't know. He seems nice at first, but is so absent and uncaring that Tasha even warns Kim not to marry him, even though she would love to have her warm and caring presence in her life. The grandmother is very steady in her support and understanding of Tasha's state, and it's good to see that Tasha is able to make a friend; boo hags are not a force you want to have to fight alone. For my readers, the low level blood and gore of the injuries and dead pets, as well as the description of putrid odors, will be a big sell. Scary camp stories usually circulate well, so it will be interesting to see how the camp will be brought into further tales.
Weaknesses: The packaging of this is a bit odd; the cover makes this look like it is marketed to upper elementary school students, but I'm not sure how the writhing maggots will go over with 3rd-5th graders. I'm curious to see what further volumes do with the camp setting. Alkaf's Tales from Cabin 23: Night of the Living Head comes out in August 2023, and the cover does seem more middle grade.
What I really think: This was a fairly scary story that took some twists and turns that I saw coming, but that might surprise young readers. Hand this to readers who enjoyed culturally connected scary stories like Fournet's Brick Dust and Bones, Smith'sHoodoo, Royce's Root Magic, or this author's Ophie's Ghosts. I'll buy a copy, and see how well it does with fans of P.J. Night's Creepover books, which have some similarities in cover design and formatting.
April 26, 2024
**TL;DR**: Fun and genuinely spooky! Think Goosebumps but much more modern.
**Source**: NetGalley, thank you to the publisher!
**Plot**: A tale of terror to test a new camper, it follows the story of Tasha as she hunts down the Boo Hag lurking in her new neighborhood before it comes for her grandmother.
**Characters**: I wouldn’t call them the best characters but they’re pretty good for middle grade spooks!
**Setting**: I actually really loved the setting. Post-pandemic, and set within a trailer park. It felt like a realistic and believable location.
**Scares**: I thought this was spooky, very appropriate for the age group. The Boo Hag was genuinely very freaky.
**Thoughts**:
What a fun ride! The Boo Hag Flex is the first in a new middle grade series that seems like a modernized Goosebumps. It’s set shortly after the pandemic, with Tasha’s mom dying from Covid (or Vovid related complications as it’s not entirely clear). She is sent to live with her father who she has never met or knows anything about. Within days of moving in with her grandmother she begins to see other elderly folk in the neighborhood die. And then she sees it - The Boo Hag. From there she and a new friend go on an adventure to stop the Hag from killing any more folks.
My favorite part of this, but likely the part that might age the book, is the very relative and modern references (such as the Covid pandemic). It felt like a Goosebumps but for kids growing up now. It also dealt with a lot with what it’s like to grow up in uncertain situations, and poverty. Tasha’s dad is (as she says) a deadbeat and she learns to deal with both that and the grief of her mother’s death. It’s nothing overly heavy, but it is present and a topic explored.
Overall this was a great little middle grade. I think any kid in this age will enjoy it and if you’re looking for a spooky middle grade that feels very grounded in the now, you’ll want to pick this up. I really recommend it for kids and even adults who enjoy these type of serialized horror stories.
3.75 out of 5 fun, handmade dresses
**Source**: NetGalley, thank you to the publisher!
**Plot**: A tale of terror to test a new camper, it follows the story of Tasha as she hunts down the Boo Hag lurking in her new neighborhood before it comes for her grandmother.
**Characters**: I wouldn’t call them the best characters but they’re pretty good for middle grade spooks!
**Setting**: I actually really loved the setting. Post-pandemic, and set within a trailer park. It felt like a realistic and believable location.
**Scares**: I thought this was spooky, very appropriate for the age group. The Boo Hag was genuinely very freaky.
**Thoughts**:
What a fun ride! The Boo Hag Flex is the first in a new middle grade series that seems like a modernized Goosebumps. It’s set shortly after the pandemic, with Tasha’s mom dying from Covid (or Vovid related complications as it’s not entirely clear). She is sent to live with her father who she has never met or knows anything about. Within days of moving in with her grandmother she begins to see other elderly folk in the neighborhood die. And then she sees it - The Boo Hag. From there she and a new friend go on an adventure to stop the Hag from killing any more folks.
My favorite part of this, but likely the part that might age the book, is the very relative and modern references (such as the Covid pandemic). It felt like a Goosebumps but for kids growing up now. It also dealt with a lot with what it’s like to grow up in uncertain situations, and poverty. Tasha’s dad is (as she says) a deadbeat and she learns to deal with both that and the grief of her mother’s death. It’s nothing overly heavy, but it is present and a topic explored.
Overall this was a great little middle grade. I think any kid in this age will enjoy it and if you’re looking for a spooky middle grade that feels very grounded in the now, you’ll want to pick this up. I really recommend it for kids and even adults who enjoy these type of serialized horror stories.
3.75 out of 5 fun, handmade dresses
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June 12, 2024disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial
This was such a delightful middle grade horror read! We start with our middle-grade Black FMC Elaina, who is at summer camp and *hating* it, so she stays behind with her camp counselor Taylor in their cabin 16 while everyone else goes to the campfire to make s'mores and sing songs. Then, Taylor disappears after a knock on their door, and Elaina goes to see where Taylor went. She ends up in the titular cabin 23 with a creepy old witch who tells Elaina she can either listen to a scary story, or she can brave the hungry fog by herself! Elaina chooses to listen to the story, which is about a boo hag and a 12-year-old Black FMC named Tasha, who just lost her mom to COVID-19. Tasha is meeting her father John for the first time, along with her grandma, who she calls Ms. Washington, and John's white girlfriend Kim. She makes a friend named Ellie, who tells her about murder ghosts and boo hags in the trailer park. They investigate who the boo hag is, as more and more elderly folks in the trailer park die.
I read this in one sitting, and was so thoroughly creeped out! I didn't see the twist coming (I fell for the red herring, but honestly, it was so much more fun to be surprised that way), and I loved Tasha's arc. She is thrust into this new life while still reeling from the trauma of losing her mom so suddenly and tragically. It's already the stuff of nightmares. Throw in an absent dad, bodies dropping like flies, and an alleged boo hag on the hunt?! My goodness, you've got a *story* !!!! This reminded me of Goosebumps and Are You Afraid of the Dark?, and Justina Ireland's wit and cleverness really shone in this story!
Middle grade readers, and readers of all ages who love a good scary story will love this one!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Abandonment, Death, Blood, and Gore
Moderate: Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, and Pandemic/Epidemic
This was such a delightful middle grade horror read! We start with our middle-grade Black FMC Elaina, who is at summer camp and *hating* it, so she stays behind with her camp counselor Taylor in their cabin 16 while everyone else goes to the campfire to make s'mores and sing songs. Then, Taylor disappears after a knock on their door, and Elaina goes to see where Taylor went. She ends up in the titular cabin 23 with a creepy old witch who tells Elaina she can either listen to a scary story, or she can brave the hungry fog by herself! Elaina chooses to listen to the story, which is about a boo hag and a 12-year-old Black FMC named Tasha, who just lost her mom to COVID-19. Tasha is meeting her father John for the first time, along with her grandma, who she calls Ms. Washington, and John's white girlfriend Kim. She makes a friend named Ellie, who tells her about murder ghosts and boo hags in the trailer park. They investigate who the boo hag is, as more and more elderly folks in the trailer park die.
I read this in one sitting, and was so thoroughly creeped out! I didn't see the twist coming (I fell for the red herring, but honestly, it was so much more fun to be surprised that way), and I loved Tasha's arc. She is thrust into this new life while still reeling from the trauma of losing her mom so suddenly and tragically. It's already the stuff of nightmares. Throw in an absent dad, bodies dropping like flies, and an alleged boo hag on the hunt?! My goodness, you've got a *story* !!!! This reminded me of Goosebumps and Are You Afraid of the Dark?, and Justina Ireland's wit and cleverness really shone in this story!
Middle grade readers, and readers of all ages who love a good scary story will love this one!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Abandonment, Death, Blood, and Gore
Moderate: Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, and Pandemic/Epidemic
October 4, 2024
At Camp Apple Hill Farm there are 20 cabins, but on foggy nights some campers have the misfortune of encountering cabin 23 where a witch who feeds off of fear tells gruesome tales.
The Boo Hag Flex is the first installment in this new children’s horror series and is the title of the story the cabin 23 witch tells. Tasha has just lost her mother to Covid and now must live with her kind grandmother and absentee father in the Shady Pines trailer park. As Tasha tries to get acclimated to her new home and make friends with a neighbor named Ellie, she soon realizes that the older neighbors in their park are dying off and also seem to be losing their skins.
Fans of goosebump books will find a lot to like and the fact that it is a tale within a tale may lessen the nightmares for skittish readers. While the premise is fun, the fact that the story the Cabin 23 witch tells is novel length makes it drag a bit. The representation of life in a mobile home park is respectful and something that should have more of a presence in children’s literature.
Optional purchase for any library serving children in grades 3rd through 6th.
M.S.
Children's Librarian
The Boo Hag Flex is the first installment in this new children’s horror series and is the title of the story the cabin 23 witch tells. Tasha has just lost her mother to Covid and now must live with her kind grandmother and absentee father in the Shady Pines trailer park. As Tasha tries to get acclimated to her new home and make friends with a neighbor named Ellie, she soon realizes that the older neighbors in their park are dying off and also seem to be losing their skins.
Fans of goosebump books will find a lot to like and the fact that it is a tale within a tale may lessen the nightmares for skittish readers. While the premise is fun, the fact that the story the Cabin 23 witch tells is novel length makes it drag a bit. The representation of life in a mobile home park is respectful and something that should have more of a presence in children’s literature.
Optional purchase for any library serving children in grades 3rd through 6th.
M.S.
Children's Librarian
April 6, 2024
This series, Tales from Cabin 23 is by authors Justina Ireland (behind some of the Star Wars novels) and Hanna Alkaf (author of awesome middle-grade books such as The Girl and the Ghost and Hamra and the Jungle Memories). It is going to be awesome.
Justina Ireland writes the first one The Boo Hag Flex, southern vibes of something wicked attacking people in the night. After losing her mom to COVID Tasha moves in with her grandmother and tries to connect with a father she doesn't really want to know better.
Super fun episodes are perfect to introduce spooky (not too scary) and mystery novels to readers who are now leaving chapter books behind. It's short, easy to read, satisfying, relatable, and with awesome characters. I also loved to learn about haints, ghosts, and evil spirits from the old South. Book two is set in another location with other characters, awesome multicultural interests, and representation.
Justina Ireland writes the first one The Boo Hag Flex, southern vibes of something wicked attacking people in the night. After losing her mom to COVID Tasha moves in with her grandmother and tries to connect with a father she doesn't really want to know better.
Super fun episodes are perfect to introduce spooky (not too scary) and mystery novels to readers who are now leaving chapter books behind. It's short, easy to read, satisfying, relatable, and with awesome characters. I also loved to learn about haints, ghosts, and evil spirits from the old South. Book two is set in another location with other characters, awesome multicultural interests, and representation.
May 19, 2024
trigger warning
When her mom days, Tasha has to live with her estranged father - or so she thought. He just dumps her with his mom, her grandma, who admittedly is a nice person, and leaves again. It quickly turns out that something spooky is going on at the trailer park.
The concept of Cabin 23 is this: If you are at camp and stumble into the woods, you may happen upon this cabin. In it, there is a witch, and she'll tell you a story to chill the bones. This framework is pretty short, so I will not go into it further.
Tasha's story had great pacing, and in not much space made me care so much about the characters - or at least some of them - that I was upset when the reveal came who the evil person was, even if I had seen it coming for a while.
Very atmospheric, and great for younger and older readers craving a good summer-horror story.
The arc was provided by the publisher.
When her mom days, Tasha has to live with her estranged father - or so she thought. He just dumps her with his mom, her grandma, who admittedly is a nice person, and leaves again. It quickly turns out that something spooky is going on at the trailer park.
The concept of Cabin 23 is this: If you are at camp and stumble into the woods, you may happen upon this cabin. In it, there is a witch, and she'll tell you a story to chill the bones. This framework is pretty short, so I will not go into it further.
Tasha's story had great pacing, and in not much space made me care so much about the characters - or at least some of them - that I was upset when the reveal came who the evil person was, even if I had seen it coming for a while.
Very atmospheric, and great for younger and older readers craving a good summer-horror story.
The arc was provided by the publisher.
June 14, 2024
'There was something terrifying haunting Shady Pines Estates.'
Tasha has a lot going on in her life. After moving to her grandmother's trailer park (where people keep dying), she makes a friend. Together, they have a very spooky mystery to solve involving skinless people and dead cats.The author describes the boo hag in such a way that this is one of the scariest books I've read in a while! It literally gave me goosebumps. Books like this are why I love middle grade horror.
'Tasha wasn’t so sure she wanted to solve the mystery of the boo hag. If it were up to her, she’d never see that thing ever again.'
Tasha has a lot going on in her life. After moving to her grandmother's trailer park (where people keep dying), she makes a friend. Together, they have a very spooky mystery to solve involving skinless people and dead cats.The author describes the boo hag in such a way that this is one of the scariest books I've read in a while! It literally gave me goosebumps. Books like this are why I love middle grade horror.
'Tasha wasn’t so sure she wanted to solve the mystery of the boo hag. If it were up to her, she’d never see that thing ever again.'
October 2, 2024
A pretty fun and quick read, but more graphic than I expected (but in a good way). I like when kids horror is actually horror and not just a ghost jangling chains and knocking down books.
I'd be interested in reading more from the series. The only part that didn't really work for me was the Cabin 23 section at the beginning and end. I suppose it'll become more formed as the books are written, but the story of the Boo Hag could have been it's own thing and worked out fine.
I'd be interested in reading more from the series. The only part that didn't really work for me was the Cabin 23 section at the beginning and end. I suppose it'll become more formed as the books are written, but the story of the Boo Hag could have been it's own thing and worked out fine.
October 6, 2024
This is the start of a new MG horror series, and it starts off well. This was a creepy story, but not too scary (I’m a wuss, and for some people, it may be too mild, but it is MG, after all). The characters and plot were great, and the creature the girls met was a new one to me. I could see the ending coming, but then, I’ve read enough horror to know how things usually develop. It still kept me on the edge of my seat, though, hoping I was wrong. As I said, if you really like horror and you like your thrills to be gorier and more intense, this one isn’t for you. But if you like your horror more on the atmospheric side, this was a good one.
May 19, 2024
The first in a new goosebumps like series that features a witch character who tells unsuspecting summer campers horror stories (after they stumble upon the mysterious Cabin 23). This first story is about Tasha who has to go live with her deadbeat dad after her mom dies. She soon thinks that there is a boo hag haunting her new neighborhood.
Overall, I thought this was good. It wasn’t super spooky (I’ve read the second one and it was spookier for sure) but I still think it was fun.
I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Overall, I thought this was good. It wasn’t super spooky (I’ve read the second one and it was spookier for sure) but I still think it was fun.
I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 26, 2024
I knew who the culprit was. At first, I thought it was one character, but that would’ve been too easy of a choice.
I also liked how realistic Tasha’s issues were portrayed, from her grief over losing her mom to her dad not shouldering the responsibilities of being a dad. Sadly, there are so-called parents like that.
I also liked how realistic Tasha’s issues were portrayed, from her grief over losing her mom to her dad not shouldering the responsibilities of being a dad. Sadly, there are so-called parents like that.
August 22, 2024
For the most part, I liked this spooky story -- and it was fairly scary. Readers who read a lot of horror will see the ending coming a mile off, but getting there is still pretty fun.
All told, the framing narrative felt really disconnected from the main storyline and I hope that future installments of this series will help to resolve that.
All told, the framing narrative felt really disconnected from the main storyline and I hope that future installments of this series will help to resolve that.
July 27, 2024
Don’t let the cute cover fool you. It’s not only a fun middle grade horror, but it tackles the importance of family, both lost and found, the horror of the pandemic and sometimes first impressions are correct
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March 5, 2024Compelling middle-grade horror that invites the reader to contemplate parallels between the supernatural and the real-life trauma of the pandemic.
May 6, 2024
If you enjoyed reading Goosebumps and Fear Street, this is the perfect read for the next generation of spooky lovers!
May 21, 2024
I received this book free through Goodreads First Read.
This is a fun and creepy book for kids who like the Goosebump series.
This is a fun and creepy book for kids who like the Goosebump series.
June 27, 2024
Fun and scary with real life issues. Can’t wait for the next book!
July 10, 2024
Good introductory horror, the framing seemed unnecessary for the individual title but serves the series.
July 23, 2024
"With this harrowing tale, Ireland twines together grief and adventure via a pitch-perfect voice to launch a horror anthology series." [Publishers Weekly]
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August 6, 2024Wonderfully spooky.
Unsure about the frame story, I might buy into it more once I read further in the series (which I will definitely be doing)
Unsure about the frame story, I might buy into it more once I read further in the series (which I will definitely be doing)
August 13, 2024
3.5 stars
September 29, 2024
Spooky.
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