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The Collector #1
The Collector
Josie always liked visiting her grandmother in the countryside. But when her mother loses her job in the city and they're forced to relocate along with Josie's sister, Annie, she realizes she doesn't like the country that much. Especially because Grandma Jeannie has some strange rules: Don't bring any dolls into the house. And never, ever go near the house in the woods behind their yard. Soon though, Josie manages to make friends with the most popular girl in the sixth grade, Vanessa. When Vanessa eventually invites Josie back to her house to hang out, Josie doesn't question it. Not even when Vanessa takes her into the woods, and down an old dirt road, toward the very house Grandma Jeannie had warned her about.
As Josie gets caught up in her illicit friendship with Vanessa, Annie is caught in the crossfire. What follows is a chilling tale of dark magic, friendship, and some verrrrrry creepy dolls.
As Josie gets caught up in her illicit friendship with Vanessa, Annie is caught in the crossfire. What follows is a chilling tale of dark magic, friendship, and some verrrrrry creepy dolls.
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2018
About the author
K.R. Alexander
17 books519 followersK.R. Alexander is the pseudonym for fantasy author Alex R. Kahler. Under this guise, K.R. writes creepy middle grade horror, perfect for young readers looking for a scare! His first book, The Collector, debuted from Scholastic in the Fall of '18.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 604 reviews
October 8, 2019
This book deserves a strong 3.5 stars.
Josie always liked it when she went it visit her grandmas house with her mom and little sister Anna. But when her little family was forced to move in, her life changed forever. Her grandma has some very strange rules.
1. Never leave your windows open after dark.
2. No dolls in the house.
3. Never, ever go by the house in the woods.
For a middle grade novel it was quite creepy and eerie. Great Halloween read for anyone who wants a spooky but super easy book to read. BUT with it being a middle grade novel it has little to no character structure, little to no detail, and is such a simple and easy read that it could easily be finished in no time at all. It's also quite predictable. For a young reader or a very frightened reader I could see this book being a really scary read. With that being said though I still really enjoyed it. That could just be because it has a certain character that has a certain ability that I absolutely LOVE in books... But you'd have to read it yourself to find out what that is!
Josie always liked it when she went it visit her grandmas house with her mom and little sister Anna. But when her little family was forced to move in, her life changed forever. Her grandma has some very strange rules.
1. Never leave your windows open after dark.
2. No dolls in the house.
3. Never, ever go by the house in the woods.
For a middle grade novel it was quite creepy and eerie. Great Halloween read for anyone who wants a spooky but super easy book to read. BUT with it being a middle grade novel it has little to no character structure, little to no detail, and is such a simple and easy read that it could easily be finished in no time at all. It's also quite predictable. For a young reader or a very frightened reader I could see this book being a really scary read. With that being said though I still really enjoyed it. That could just be because it has a certain character that has a certain ability that I absolutely LOVE in books... But you'd have to read it yourself to find out what that is!
September 28, 2018
4 spooky stars!
The Collector is one of the more creative middle-grade horror books, with a fair amount of dolls. I loved that the author didn't hold back and delivered a truly spine-chilling tale involving all the things from our nightmares.
It was a bit rushed in places, but the mystery definitely made up for it.
This is one book that horror enthusiasts shouldn't miss!
The Collector is one of the more creative middle-grade horror books, with a fair amount of dolls. I loved that the author didn't hold back and delivered a truly spine-chilling tale involving all the things from our nightmares.
It was a bit rushed in places, but the mystery definitely made up for it.
This is one book that horror enthusiasts shouldn't miss!
May 20, 2019
"There are three rules for living here. One, never leave your windows open after dark, even if it's hot. Two, no dolls in the house. And three, never, ever go by the house in the woods."
As always my reviews are based off of my true and honest opinion and I do my best to keep all reviews spoiler free.
Sixth grader Josie and her little sister Annie along with there mom are leaving the city to move in with there grandmother in the country. A choice that Josie isn't to happy about. Josie's grandmother always made it clear to stay out of the woods and about the three important rules to never break. Josie isn't sure how she feels about these rules, but there are strange noises coming from the woods at night, and some of those noises sounds like someone calling her name. Soon Josie makes friends with fellow sixth grader Vanessa. She lives in the creepy old house by the woods, the one grandma warned her about. Complete with creepy old dolls. Between the rules, the house, the dolls, her dreams, and her friends suspicious behavior, Josie can feel that something is very wrong and she fears for her and her sister.
This book was really good even considering it was meant for much younger than me. I started reading it at night and it is a quick read. Most adults could finish it in an hour or two. Keeping in mind that I get spooked easily. I recommend reading this in the day. I started it at night right before bed and I got seriously spooked, but thats what was so great about it.I found it to be fast paced and really entertaining. Great for a quick scare. It reminded me a bit of Goosebumps and I like Goosebumps.The only real problem I had with it was it wasn't really an original story. Lots of creepy dolls and a spooky woods, complete with a old superstitious grandmother. However, even with the same old story it still held my attention and I truly enjoyed this book.
November 8, 2018
This book was...ok. Here’s why.
If I lived with my mother, grandmother, and sister, I would communicate a lot more effectively than these four ever did. For almost two hundred pages, we’re left wondering why they just can’t all sit down and get details about a strange place in the woods straightened out. This book is a page turner, and I liked that. Not too much to think about. However, it certainly isn’t very complex and forget trying to find a theme or message, besides that magic is what it is.
If I lived with my mother, grandmother, and sister, I would communicate a lot more effectively than these four ever did. For almost two hundred pages, we’re left wondering why they just can’t all sit down and get details about a strange place in the woods straightened out. This book is a page turner, and I liked that. Not too much to think about. However, it certainly isn’t very complex and forget trying to find a theme or message, besides that magic is what it is.
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September 16, 2018When I was in elementary school, Scholastic published a lot of horror novels that I absolutely loved. I don't think I read all of them, but I probably came impressively close. This reminds me of those. (And yes, this one's definitely meant for middlegrade audiences and not YA, but if you made Josie a little older and had the book be a little longer, it would've fit right in.)
This book is definitely a good starter read for someone who wants something scary but who doesn't want to be traumatized for life. It's fun and creepy, but it won't stick with you while you're trying to sleep. (I don't think. I'm not a fan of dolls, so we'll see what happens when I go to bed tonight.)
This is the season for it, and if you're in the mood for one good scare, check out this fun middlegrade.
This book is definitely a good starter read for someone who wants something scary but who doesn't want to be traumatized for life. It's fun and creepy, but it won't stick with you while you're trying to sleep. (I don't think. I'm not a fan of dolls, so we'll see what happens when I go to bed tonight.)
This is the season for it, and if you're in the mood for one good scare, check out this fun middlegrade.
February 11, 2024
A quite creepy premise and well told story that led to a rather twisty, unpredictable, and fun book!
September 17, 2018
This is a scary 4th grade and up read! If your students like Goosebumps, they will love this read!
Josie, her sister Anna, and her mom need to move in with their grandmother. After living in the city, the secluded wooded town seems like a beautiful move. But grandmother has a few rules that intrigue Josie. She thinks it is not a problem that she can follow them, even if it is a strange request!
But then things begin to happen and the beautiful woods seem to be calling Josie which would cause her to break grandmother’s rules! Then there is her new friend, Victoria. She invites Josie to her house where Josie discovers her grandmother’s rules may not be so crazy!
I would have given this book 5 stars if it had a diverse cast of characters. This book would be awesome if Anna was a brother instead. It is a book full of female characters which leave my male readers a lack to connect to a character! Boys love scary books! They want to see themselves in a character. I am certain my male students will be disheartened to read only female characters!
Josie, her sister Anna, and her mom need to move in with their grandmother. After living in the city, the secluded wooded town seems like a beautiful move. But grandmother has a few rules that intrigue Josie. She thinks it is not a problem that she can follow them, even if it is a strange request!
But then things begin to happen and the beautiful woods seem to be calling Josie which would cause her to break grandmother’s rules! Then there is her new friend, Victoria. She invites Josie to her house where Josie discovers her grandmother’s rules may not be so crazy!
I would have given this book 5 stars if it had a diverse cast of characters. This book would be awesome if Anna was a brother instead. It is a book full of female characters which leave my male readers a lack to connect to a character! Boys love scary books! They want to see themselves in a character. I am certain my male students will be disheartened to read only female characters!
September 22, 2024
Spooky middle grade book 👌👻
March 25, 2019
This was a pretty good middle-grade book. I read it aloud to my almost 6 year old daughter. We read the first 200 pages in one sitting, she absolutely looooooved it. I will be keeping an eye out for this author, I have a feeling The Collector will be a series. 🤞🏻
November 21, 2019
Josie and her sister, Annie, have moved with their mother to live with their grandmother. Josie is not happy with the move and her grandmother’s strange rules don’t make it any better. Her grandmother’s rules are: no dolls allowed in the house and stay away from the woods behind the house. Josie has no problem staying away from the woods until she meets Vanessa. Vanessa lives in the house in the woods that Josie’s grandmother has warned her about. With all the strange noises that come from the woods and the nightmares, Josie’s life couldn’t get any weirder. It does though when she goes to Vanessa’s house for a visit.
This is a great quick chilling tale for middle school kids. There is nothing gory, no bad language, and no violence. It does have some scene that may be a bit freaky for younger kids. The descriptions of the dolls in the story are well written and the reader is able to visualize Vanessa’s spooky house. It didn’t take me long to figure out what was actually going on, but I really liked Josie’s grandmother’s story about her life. Everything fit together quite well and made a great story.
This is a great quick chilling tale for middle school kids. There is nothing gory, no bad language, and no violence. It does have some scene that may be a bit freaky for younger kids. The descriptions of the dolls in the story are well written and the reader is able to visualize Vanessa’s spooky house. It didn’t take me long to figure out what was actually going on, but I really liked Josie’s grandmother’s story about her life. Everything fit together quite well and made a great story.
September 3, 2021
Josie en haar zusje Anna verhuizen samen met hun moeder naar het huis waar hun oma woont. Oma is aan het dementeren en roept allemaal "rare" dingen. Zo mogen de kinderen absoluut niet het bos in want dat is gevaarlijk! Josie denkt dat haar oma een te grote fantasie heeft en niet meer goed weet wat werkelijkheid is en wat niet. Op haar nieuwe school heeft ze het niet naar haar zin. Ze kan met niemand vriendschap sluiten, totdat ze Vanessa ontmoet. Al gauw blijken de twee een klik te hebben, maar Vanessa woont in het bos... En dat is dus net waar ze niet naartoe mag van oma.
Het poppenhuis leest als een trein. De hoofdstukken zijn lekker kort en de schrijfstijl is heerlijk. Het doet mij herinneren aan de boeken van Kippenvel. Heerlijke jeugdsentiment. Het is een spannend boek en er gebeuren vreemde en enge dingen. Een prima boek voor tussendoor dus!
Het poppenhuis leest als een trein. De hoofdstukken zijn lekker kort en de schrijfstijl is heerlijk. Het doet mij herinneren aan de boeken van Kippenvel. Heerlijke jeugdsentiment. Het is een spannend boek en er gebeuren vreemde en enge dingen. Een prima boek voor tussendoor dus!
November 1, 2024
2.5 stars. It's alright. The story is decent and there are some sufficiently spooky parts...I just didn't like the ending.
November 2, 2019
Although Josie loves her grandmother, she isn't thrilled about moving in with her. She misses Chicago and, since her grandmother doesn't have internet, she can't contact her old friends. However, Josie's mom recently lost her job, and Josie's grandmother has been displaying worrying signs of Alzheimer's, so Josie's mom decides that this move is for the best.
Josie's grandmother has several odd rules. First, Josie and her sister Anna are not allowed to leave any windows open after dark. Second, no dolls are allowed in the house. And third, Josie and Anna are not allowed to enter the woods behind Josie's grandmother's house. Josie's grandmother also keeps talking about someone named Beryl - Beryl is hungry, and wants to take Josie and her sister away. Part of Josie wants to dismiss this as signs of her grandmother's Alzheimer's, but part of her worries that there might be some truth to it, especially after she and Anna have nightmares about a doll and a creepy house in the woods.
But then Josie makes her first friend at school, a girl named Vanessa. Vanessa is kind, cool, and a vegetarian just like Josie. She lives alone with her aunt. Who collects porcelain dolls. And whose house just happens to be located in the woods, and look just like the one in Josie and Anna's nightmares. But surely it's just a coincidence.
My eldest niece is now old enough to start recommending books, and this is the first book she recommended to me. I later learned that she probably recommended it because she was in the process of reading it and loving it - my sister told me that she ended up disliking and feeling dissatisfied with the ending. Still, my bookish self was happy to get the recommendation. Here's hoping for more in the future.
Alexander tapped into quite a few real-life fears in this book: moving to a new place, trying to make new friends when everyone else already seems to have formed their own cliques, worrying about elderly relatives, and just generally feeling out of place and cut off. Josie can't contact her friends back in Chicago because of her lack of internet, and she seems to be the only vegetarian at a school with horrible lunches that always feature meat in the main course. The creepy dolls, strange dreams, and weird sounds were icing on the cake.
To my adult self, this book wasn't particularly scary. Still, Josie's first visit to Vanessa's house was pretty good. Josie immediately found the place creepy but tried to pretend that she was fine being there, because she didn't want to lose Vanessa's friendship and Vanessa's explanation for why it looked the way it did seemed plausible (her aunt was a big doll collector and was too injured to keep the house properly maintained). Unfortunately, things got a bit too hokey for me when the story behind Beryl, the dolls, and the house in the woods was finally explained.
I'm interested to hear which aspect of the ending my niece had problems with. I can think of two possibilities: the fate of one of the characters and the "you thought it was over but it isn't really over" last page. Based on what my sister said, I'm guessing it was the latter that bugged her.
All in all, this was mostly okay until the revelations at the end.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
Josie's grandmother has several odd rules. First, Josie and her sister Anna are not allowed to leave any windows open after dark. Second, no dolls are allowed in the house. And third, Josie and Anna are not allowed to enter the woods behind Josie's grandmother's house. Josie's grandmother also keeps talking about someone named Beryl - Beryl is hungry, and wants to take Josie and her sister away. Part of Josie wants to dismiss this as signs of her grandmother's Alzheimer's, but part of her worries that there might be some truth to it, especially after she and Anna have nightmares about a doll and a creepy house in the woods.
But then Josie makes her first friend at school, a girl named Vanessa. Vanessa is kind, cool, and a vegetarian just like Josie. She lives alone with her aunt. Who collects porcelain dolls. And whose house just happens to be located in the woods, and look just like the one in Josie and Anna's nightmares. But surely it's just a coincidence.
My eldest niece is now old enough to start recommending books, and this is the first book she recommended to me. I later learned that she probably recommended it because she was in the process of reading it and loving it - my sister told me that she ended up disliking and feeling dissatisfied with the ending. Still, my bookish self was happy to get the recommendation. Here's hoping for more in the future.
Alexander tapped into quite a few real-life fears in this book: moving to a new place, trying to make new friends when everyone else already seems to have formed their own cliques, worrying about elderly relatives, and just generally feeling out of place and cut off. Josie can't contact her friends back in Chicago because of her lack of internet, and she seems to be the only vegetarian at a school with horrible lunches that always feature meat in the main course. The creepy dolls, strange dreams, and weird sounds were icing on the cake.
To my adult self, this book wasn't particularly scary. Still, Josie's first visit to Vanessa's house was pretty good. Josie immediately found the place creepy but tried to pretend that she was fine being there, because she didn't want to lose Vanessa's friendship and Vanessa's explanation for why it looked the way it did seemed plausible (her aunt was a big doll collector and was too injured to keep the house properly maintained). Unfortunately, things got a bit too hokey for me when the story behind Beryl, the dolls, and the house in the woods was finally explained.
I'm interested to hear which aspect of the ending my niece had problems with. I can think of two possibilities: the fate of one of the characters and the "you thought it was over but it isn't really over" last page. Based on what my sister said, I'm guessing it was the latter that bugged her.
All in all, this was mostly okay until the revelations at the end.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
October 24, 2018
I finished reading The Collector by: K.R. Alexander. There really isn’t a clear theme, other than maybe trust your elders. This story is about a small family moving out to the country with their grandmother, who is very sick. Their grandmother has a set of rules they have to follow. Windows must be shut at night, no dolls in the house, and no going into the woods. The main character, a sixth grade girl by the name of Josie, hates the country. Eventually she befriends Vanessa, some girl that doesn’t have a large mark on the school. The two talk, and hang out. Eventually, Vanessa comes to sleep over at our lovely protagonists house, and the grandma panics over her being there. It is soon discovered that Beryl, the nondescript antagonist, is using Vanessa to get to the main protagonist. Personally, I though the book was horrible. It used every cliché possible, from creepy sounds at night to dolls moving on their own. The beginning few pages were more or less the main character going “ugh countryside, ugh my phone doesn’t work, ugh there’s no wifi, bluh bluh bluh.” There’s no significant character development until chapter two, and even at that it isn’t much. Every character is cliché, the mother who doesn’t want to acknowledge the issue, the grandmother who is seemingly insane until the bad thing happens, the angsty teen, the bratty little sister, there is no creativity or deviation as far as characters go. The storyline isn’t any better, either. The plot revolves around this ‘Beryl’ character who doesn’t make an appearance until what is supposed to be the climax.
The Collector is more or less a mockery of horror novels, as I didn’t care about what happened to any of the characters. While I, a 13 year old girl, may or may not be the intended demographic, I still should feel something for the characters. All I felt was annoyance. My anger is directed at the author, who clearly does not know how teenagers really act. The author shows rather clearly that there is a generational disconnect, because the author believes that teenagers can’t live without our phones but will become Indiana Jones when a doll turns its head. In moments were I was supposed to be concerned for the characters, or worried that they may not make it out alive, I felt nothing. The author has no concept of suspense or even how to make a half decent character. None of the characters, except maybe the grandmother if I want to be nice, had any sort of redeeming qualities to offset how fictitious and two-dimensional they seem. The only good part of this book is when the author decided to stop beating clichés over our heads and end the book. It was so painful to read, and somehow the author managed to convince me to hate the characters rather than want them to make it out okay.
The Collector is more or less a mockery of horror novels, as I didn’t care about what happened to any of the characters. While I, a 13 year old girl, may or may not be the intended demographic, I still should feel something for the characters. All I felt was annoyance. My anger is directed at the author, who clearly does not know how teenagers really act. The author shows rather clearly that there is a generational disconnect, because the author believes that teenagers can’t live without our phones but will become Indiana Jones when a doll turns its head. In moments were I was supposed to be concerned for the characters, or worried that they may not make it out alive, I felt nothing. The author has no concept of suspense or even how to make a half decent character. None of the characters, except maybe the grandmother if I want to be nice, had any sort of redeeming qualities to offset how fictitious and two-dimensional they seem. The only good part of this book is when the author decided to stop beating clichés over our heads and end the book. It was so painful to read, and somehow the author managed to convince me to hate the characters rather than want them to make it out okay.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 2, 2018
This book was featured on my Scholastic Book Fair promo video for middle grade and my kids FLIPPED out. They all wanted to read it and told me they were going to buy it from the Book Fair, so I ordered it on Amazon so I wouldn't take a Book Fair copy that could belong to a student. It was out of stock on Amazon too! I finally got it on Saturday and I couldn't wait to start reading.
I read the whole thing yesterday. It was just the right amount of creepy for middle grade readers, and I made sure to request a copy to be cataloged for the library so that I can recommend it to kids who want scary books. Technically in my library it will belong in the 3-5 grade section, but I think some 3rd graders might be a little young. It's so new that there isn't a lot of information on it yet (AR points or reviews from parents), so if you are considering this book for your child, my best advice is to take the couple of hours and read it yourself first. It isn't super scary, and reading is always different than watching it happen, but if you aren't sure about your child's tolerance for scary stuff, I recommend reading it first. (It's also great so I would recommend it to adults even if you aren't gauging for a child)!
Dolls are creepy enough but THESE dolls are on a whole other level. Pair that with a seemingly-senile grandmother, a mysterious new friend, whispering winds and a dark woods, and you have Josie and Anna's new life. Find out what happens to the girls by reading this awesome book!
This was my first book of #SpookyReadsOctober and I can't wait to read more spooky books!
I read the whole thing yesterday. It was just the right amount of creepy for middle grade readers, and I made sure to request a copy to be cataloged for the library so that I can recommend it to kids who want scary books. Technically in my library it will belong in the 3-5 grade section, but I think some 3rd graders might be a little young. It's so new that there isn't a lot of information on it yet (AR points or reviews from parents), so if you are considering this book for your child, my best advice is to take the couple of hours and read it yourself first. It isn't super scary, and reading is always different than watching it happen, but if you aren't sure about your child's tolerance for scary stuff, I recommend reading it first. (It's also great so I would recommend it to adults even if you aren't gauging for a child)!
Dolls are creepy enough but THESE dolls are on a whole other level. Pair that with a seemingly-senile grandmother, a mysterious new friend, whispering winds and a dark woods, and you have Josie and Anna's new life. Find out what happens to the girls by reading this awesome book!
This was my first book of #SpookyReadsOctober and I can't wait to read more spooky books!
June 5, 2019
The area is for 6th grade MAYBE to middle school. I liked the plot, it was unique, ish. But when I reached the end it was obviously quite rushed by the author to finish it. It was getting cheesier and cheesier. I finally finished it, but the author could have done a much better ending...
July 5, 2019
Book: The Collector
Author: K.R. Alexander
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars
This is another title that I got from Scholastic’s teacher points. My students reading this title around Halloween and told me that if I was a decent horror fan, then I needed to add it to my collection. Like always, they were right. This story is creepy, but not too creepy for middle grade. I would put it on the same terms of Mary Downing Hahn. No, it’s not nearly as creepy as Coraline.
This deals with creepy dolls and a loner in the woods. Josie has just moved here from the city. Her grandma has strange rules about not going into the woods and no dolls. Josie just thinks her grandma is nuts. Then, she and her sister both make friends who seem strange, but treat the girls well. That’s when the voices in the woods start. Let me tell you, there is nothing more creepy than hearing voices coming out of the woods in the dead of night. Of course, their mom doesn’t believe them. The only person who does is their grandma, who keeps saying that Beryl is coming for them.
So, that’s the set up of the story. It just sounds downright creepy. Plus, if you look at the cover. Yeah, uh-huh, very creepy. That cover alone will be enough to draw in middle school readers. The spooky feeling is worked in throughout the story. Again, it’s not super creepy that it will turn off younger readers, but it’s enough to keep you going. Even though it was a rather predictable storyline, I still wanted to keep reading. There is just something about the way this book is presented that made me want to keep going.
I also like how this deals with a city girl moving to the country and struggling to fit in. Think about your middle school days. Wasn’t it kind of hard to really fit in? Josie’s family is also struggling with her mom losing her job, a sick family member, and a divorce. Believe it or not, this is a pretty common thing that middle schoolers to have to deal with. We see Josie bond with another character, but other than that, she really doesn’t make any friends until the end. Again, prefect set up for the audience. Middle schoolers do want to read about things that they can relate to.
So, overall this book has the right amount of creepy for middle school. Older readers will also enjoy this, especially if you are trying to get into the horror genre.
Author: K.R. Alexander
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars
This is another title that I got from Scholastic’s teacher points. My students reading this title around Halloween and told me that if I was a decent horror fan, then I needed to add it to my collection. Like always, they were right. This story is creepy, but not too creepy for middle grade. I would put it on the same terms of Mary Downing Hahn. No, it’s not nearly as creepy as Coraline.
This deals with creepy dolls and a loner in the woods. Josie has just moved here from the city. Her grandma has strange rules about not going into the woods and no dolls. Josie just thinks her grandma is nuts. Then, she and her sister both make friends who seem strange, but treat the girls well. That’s when the voices in the woods start. Let me tell you, there is nothing more creepy than hearing voices coming out of the woods in the dead of night. Of course, their mom doesn’t believe them. The only person who does is their grandma, who keeps saying that Beryl is coming for them.
So, that’s the set up of the story. It just sounds downright creepy. Plus, if you look at the cover. Yeah, uh-huh, very creepy. That cover alone will be enough to draw in middle school readers. The spooky feeling is worked in throughout the story. Again, it’s not super creepy that it will turn off younger readers, but it’s enough to keep you going. Even though it was a rather predictable storyline, I still wanted to keep reading. There is just something about the way this book is presented that made me want to keep going.
I also like how this deals with a city girl moving to the country and struggling to fit in. Think about your middle school days. Wasn’t it kind of hard to really fit in? Josie’s family is also struggling with her mom losing her job, a sick family member, and a divorce. Believe it or not, this is a pretty common thing that middle schoolers to have to deal with. We see Josie bond with another character, but other than that, she really doesn’t make any friends until the end. Again, prefect set up for the audience. Middle schoolers do want to read about things that they can relate to.
So, overall this book has the right amount of creepy for middle school. Older readers will also enjoy this, especially if you are trying to get into the horror genre.
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December 30, 2021Deze recensie verscheen eerder op Koukleum.nl.
Vroeger, in mijn jeugd, las ik graag de verhalen van de Kippenvel-serie. Ik kon mij hier uren mee vermaken en de boeken waren toen altijd erg spannend. En aangezien Uitgeverij Kluitman de Horrorland-serie vergelijkt met de vroegere Kippenvel-serie, was ik toch wel erg nieuwsgierig.
Het boek begint met hoofdstuk 0, dit is eigenlijk de proloog. In dit korte hoofdstuk zit Josie samen met haar zusje Anna en haar moeder in de auto op weg naar haar oma. Je merkt dat ze er totaal geen zin in heeft en dat ze bang is dat ze zich verveeld en ze zich eenzaam zal voelen. In eerste instantie lijkt het daar ook naartoe te gaan. Maar je merkt, eigenlijk vanaf het begin van het verhaal, dat er een duistere spanning omheen hangt. Want wat is er nu spannender dat een huis waar je niet naartoe mag. En laat dit huis nu ook nog net in een donker bos staan. Natuurlijk is de aantrekkingskracht dan erg groot.
Dat er een vergelijking wordt gemaakt met de Kippenvel-serie snap ik heel goed en dit vind ik ook volkomen terecht. Vroeger genoot ik van die boeken, en tegenwoordig, nu ik 36 ben, ook nog. Tijdens het lezen voelde ik me weer even terug naar mijn jeugd gaan, waar je met een een zaklamp onder je deken een paar pagina’s las en dan uren wakker lag. Heerlijk.
‘Het poppenhuis’ is een spannend verhaal wat, denk ik, voor alle leeftijden leuk is om te lezen. De spanning zit ook wel goed, niet zoals bij een echte volwassenenthriller, maar dat is ook goed, aangezien het uiteindelijk bedoelt is voor lezers tussen de 10 en 14 jaar oud. Ik weet zeker dat deze leeftijdscategorie zal smullen van dit verhaal.
Ondertussen zijn ook ‘Verdronken‘ en ‘Ik zal je vinden‘, in de Horrorland-serie, verschenen en ook naar deze boeken ben ik erg nieuwsgierig. Over ‘Het poppenhuis’ ben ik in ieder geval laaiend enthousiast!
Vroeger, in mijn jeugd, las ik graag de verhalen van de Kippenvel-serie. Ik kon mij hier uren mee vermaken en de boeken waren toen altijd erg spannend. En aangezien Uitgeverij Kluitman de Horrorland-serie vergelijkt met de vroegere Kippenvel-serie, was ik toch wel erg nieuwsgierig.
Het boek begint met hoofdstuk 0, dit is eigenlijk de proloog. In dit korte hoofdstuk zit Josie samen met haar zusje Anna en haar moeder in de auto op weg naar haar oma. Je merkt dat ze er totaal geen zin in heeft en dat ze bang is dat ze zich verveeld en ze zich eenzaam zal voelen. In eerste instantie lijkt het daar ook naartoe te gaan. Maar je merkt, eigenlijk vanaf het begin van het verhaal, dat er een duistere spanning omheen hangt. Want wat is er nu spannender dat een huis waar je niet naartoe mag. En laat dit huis nu ook nog net in een donker bos staan. Natuurlijk is de aantrekkingskracht dan erg groot.
Dat er een vergelijking wordt gemaakt met de Kippenvel-serie snap ik heel goed en dit vind ik ook volkomen terecht. Vroeger genoot ik van die boeken, en tegenwoordig, nu ik 36 ben, ook nog. Tijdens het lezen voelde ik me weer even terug naar mijn jeugd gaan, waar je met een een zaklamp onder je deken een paar pagina’s las en dan uren wakker lag. Heerlijk.
‘Het poppenhuis’ is een spannend verhaal wat, denk ik, voor alle leeftijden leuk is om te lezen. De spanning zit ook wel goed, niet zoals bij een echte volwassenenthriller, maar dat is ook goed, aangezien het uiteindelijk bedoelt is voor lezers tussen de 10 en 14 jaar oud. Ik weet zeker dat deze leeftijdscategorie zal smullen van dit verhaal.
Ondertussen zijn ook ‘Verdronken‘ en ‘Ik zal je vinden‘, in de Horrorland-serie, verschenen en ook naar deze boeken ben ik erg nieuwsgierig. Over ‘Het poppenhuis’ ben ik in ieder geval laaiend enthousiast!
July 8, 2021
'Er zijn drie regels waaraan jullie je hier moeten houden. Eén: laat nooit je raam openstaan als het donker is, ook niet bij warm weer. Twee: geen poppen in huis. En drie: ga nooit, maar dan ook echt nooit naar het huis in het bos. Daar woont Beryl.'
Ik zucht even. Een zucht van voldoening. En ik kan eigenlijk heel kort van stof zijn: lees dit boek. Tenminste, als je van griezelen houdt. 'Readers beware, because you're in for a scare.' *Muahahahahaaa*
Vroeger, toen ik nog een little Little book addict was, las ik heel graag enge boeken. Boeken met een fijne spooky vibe, boeken zoals die van de Kippenvel-serie. Ik verslond ze én ik was helemaal fan van de tv-serie.
Je kunt je voorstellen dat ik hélemaal in mijn nopjes was toen ik hoorde dat @kluitman met een opvolger van deze serie zou komen.
'"Het waren geen dieren", zei ze. "Dat weet ik zeker. Volgens mij hadden ze het over ons."'
Het boek leest heel vlot, is beeldend geschreven en heeft fijne korte, begrijpelijke, zinnen. Door de mini-cliffhangers aan het eind van ieder hoofdstuk, ben je al snel geneigd om door te lezen. Perfect dus voor de jeugd, maar ook zeker perfect voor volwassenen.
'Ik wist dat ze loog. Dat moest wel. Hoe was die pop anders op mijn kamer terechtgekomen?'
Tijdens het lezen voelde ik continu een bepaalde onderhuidse spanning. Je wéét dat er wat staat te gebeuren, maar je weet niet wat en/of wanneer. Ik vergat echt even de wereld om mij heen. En je weet pas dat je écht in de ban van een boek bent, als je schrikt van een gillend kind buiten. Speciale geluidseffecten voor tijdens de spannende stukjes, zullen we maar zeggen. Haha.
Hoe verder ik in het verhaal kwam, hoe meer ik merkte dat ik niet verder wilde lezen. Niet omdat ik het boek niet leuk vond. Nee, dat zeker niet. Maar júíst omdat ik het fantastisch vond. Ik wilde nog helemaal geen afscheid nemen. Het was even een trip down memory lane.
Dit boek is een geweldig begin van weer een fantastische jeugdhorror-serie. Een waardige opvolger van de Kippenvel-serie. Ik wil meer, veel meer. En ik kan niet wachten tot het volgende deel verschijnt. Ik geef het boek ****
Ik zucht even. Een zucht van voldoening. En ik kan eigenlijk heel kort van stof zijn: lees dit boek. Tenminste, als je van griezelen houdt. 'Readers beware, because you're in for a scare.' *Muahahahahaaa*
Vroeger, toen ik nog een little Little book addict was, las ik heel graag enge boeken. Boeken met een fijne spooky vibe, boeken zoals die van de Kippenvel-serie. Ik verslond ze én ik was helemaal fan van de tv-serie.
Je kunt je voorstellen dat ik hélemaal in mijn nopjes was toen ik hoorde dat @kluitman met een opvolger van deze serie zou komen.
'"Het waren geen dieren", zei ze. "Dat weet ik zeker. Volgens mij hadden ze het over ons."'
Het boek leest heel vlot, is beeldend geschreven en heeft fijne korte, begrijpelijke, zinnen. Door de mini-cliffhangers aan het eind van ieder hoofdstuk, ben je al snel geneigd om door te lezen. Perfect dus voor de jeugd, maar ook zeker perfect voor volwassenen.
'Ik wist dat ze loog. Dat moest wel. Hoe was die pop anders op mijn kamer terechtgekomen?'
Tijdens het lezen voelde ik continu een bepaalde onderhuidse spanning. Je wéét dat er wat staat te gebeuren, maar je weet niet wat en/of wanneer. Ik vergat echt even de wereld om mij heen. En je weet pas dat je écht in de ban van een boek bent, als je schrikt van een gillend kind buiten. Speciale geluidseffecten voor tijdens de spannende stukjes, zullen we maar zeggen. Haha.
Hoe verder ik in het verhaal kwam, hoe meer ik merkte dat ik niet verder wilde lezen. Niet omdat ik het boek niet leuk vond. Nee, dat zeker niet. Maar júíst omdat ik het fantastisch vond. Ik wilde nog helemaal geen afscheid nemen. Het was even een trip down memory lane.
Dit boek is een geweldig begin van weer een fantastische jeugdhorror-serie. Een waardige opvolger van de Kippenvel-serie. Ik wil meer, veel meer. En ik kan niet wachten tot het volgende deel verschijnt. Ik geef het boek ****
April 5, 2024
Het gaat over Josie, haar jongere zusje Anna en haar moeder.
Haar moeder raakt haar baan kwijt in Chicago en ze verhuizen naar een klein dorpje om bij haar oma te gaan wonen. Bedoeling is tijdelijk..
Maar haar oma heeft 3 regels: 1. Alle ramen moeten dicht in het donker, ook al is het warm. 2. Geen poppen in huis. 3. Je blijft zover mogelijk van het bos vandaan.
Op Josie (je leest vanuit Josie haar pov) haar nieuwe school ontmoet ze Vanessa.
Maar Vanessa is aardig etc. Maar toch beetje raar ook?
Josie en Anna krijgen nachtmerries.. haar oma die vertelt verhalen en dat gooit haar moeder dan op de Alzheimer (haar opa is ook overleden).
Ze horen beide dingen uit het bos.. zien hetzelfde in hun nachtmerries..
Wat heeft dit allemaal met elkaar te maken?
Ik vond het een erg goed boek! Zat er vanaf het begin al helemaal in! Het is echt een pageturner want je denkt van; what the hell?!
En het is erg creepy en scary ook! Dat ik vaak dacht; gadverdamme haha!
Helpt ook niet mee dat ik bang ben voor poppen 😅
Zeker een aanrader!
Haar moeder raakt haar baan kwijt in Chicago en ze verhuizen naar een klein dorpje om bij haar oma te gaan wonen. Bedoeling is tijdelijk..
Maar haar oma heeft 3 regels: 1. Alle ramen moeten dicht in het donker, ook al is het warm. 2. Geen poppen in huis. 3. Je blijft zover mogelijk van het bos vandaan.
Op Josie (je leest vanuit Josie haar pov) haar nieuwe school ontmoet ze Vanessa.
Maar Vanessa is aardig etc. Maar toch beetje raar ook?
Josie en Anna krijgen nachtmerries.. haar oma die vertelt verhalen en dat gooit haar moeder dan op de Alzheimer (haar opa is ook overleden).
Ze horen beide dingen uit het bos.. zien hetzelfde in hun nachtmerries..
Wat heeft dit allemaal met elkaar te maken?
Ik vond het een erg goed boek! Zat er vanaf het begin al helemaal in! Het is echt een pageturner want je denkt van; what the hell?!
En het is erg creepy en scary ook! Dat ik vaak dacht; gadverdamme haha!
Helpt ook niet mee dat ik bang ben voor poppen 😅
Zeker een aanrader!
Read
November 23, 2020Six word summary: Creepy lore, creepy woods, creepy dolls!
Loved: I think this is a pretty decent MG horror novel for those craving more in the genre. I know that, while I as an adult found it fairly predictable, I still wanted to finish it to see what happened!
Genre: Horror
Recommend for: Upper elementary and Middle school students
Reminds me of: A little bit of Hocus Pocus, but with creepy dolls!
Verdict: Add to your TBR.
Loved: I think this is a pretty decent MG horror novel for those craving more in the genre. I know that, while I as an adult found it fairly predictable, I still wanted to finish it to see what happened!
Genre: Horror
Recommend for: Upper elementary and Middle school students
Reminds me of: A little bit of Hocus Pocus, but with creepy dolls!
Verdict: Add to your TBR.
June 11, 2020
This book was kinda scary. I think a theme for this book would be "listen to your elders" because they probably know better.
November 19, 2023
It's a horror book for teens. Wanted some light horror to read, and it was.
August 30, 2024
Cute little horror book for spooky kids
July 15, 2021
Aangezien dit een jeugdboek is leest het heerlijk vlot door. Spannend of griezelig vond ik het niet, ondanks dat ik niet van poppen hou. Jongere lezers zouden dit zeker spannender vinden. Ik had wat meer van het boek verwacht zeker door de enthousiaste meningen. Er is weinig karakter ontwikkeling of details in het verhaal. Het is een leuk boek voor tussendoor als je iets vlot en simpels wilt lezen.
May 15, 2020
Oh Sweet Jesus Christ!!!
Now that's what I call a horror ghost story when it includes with my forever nightmare thing Doll too. I just hate Dolls and Mannequins or Clowns too. They give me the load of total creep and nightmare. Even though I couldn't help but kept reading when it is about them, yeah you can say I want to face my fear? Well my answer is it has something more then just my fear. Damn...
"BEEP BEEP BEEP! My alarm clock started blaring. I reached over to turn it off. My hand bumped into something. Slowly, I opened my eyes, tried to make my vision adjust. I couldn’t believe what I saw. There was a doll on my nightstand. A doll that looked an awful lot like Beryl."...
Grandma Jeannie got three rules when Jossie with her mom and younger sister Anna forced live in to there grandma's house as there mom lost her job, One, never leave your windows open after dark, even if it’s hot. Two, no dolls in the house. And three, never, ever go by the house in the woods. That’s where Beryl lives. So that's how there grandma warned them. The story immediately go straight to the point and from the first chapter it just hooked me up and I just couldn't put it down. This book to me was so addictive that I had to finish it in just one seating as if I got no choice. The truth is I didn't want to out the book down until I dinish it...
Josie didn't like her new school as no one wants to be friend with her but Venessa. That weird girl seems very nice to her and soon they became best friend. Venessa has her aunt to make her tiffin for her school but nobody else. As Josie's little sister Anna too made friendship with a girl named Carol, Carol who got a weird characteristics about her too. So when the Venessa invites Anna and Josie both they surpeised at the propose. But eventually they went with her and it was in the back yard of their grandma's house in to deep woods. It was creepy and unnatural environment in Venessa's house and the most frightening thing was when Venessa gift a creepy looking doll to Anna. Well the game just started from there at the very spot and who was Beryl actually? The name that mentioned by their granma but Josie's mom told them it's all bogus story. But there's more to that story not believe it's fake. Terrible truth is waiting for them to reveal and Josie's sister in danger too. So, what should Josie do to keep Anna ok or alive? Dig the story I say, just f***ing dig it...
Full 5...
October 1, 2022
You can't beat a creepy doll story!
I'm a suckered for haunted doll tales: Dead Silence, Puppet Master, Child's Play. Taking something that evokes childhood innocence and making it evil really gets under my skin.
I did enjoy this book. It reminds me of the old Christopher Pike books I used to read back in the day.
While I'm a bit too old (okay...a lot too old) for this book to scare me, it's a perfect spooky tale for middle school age and is sure to cause some sleepless nights.
I'm a suckered for haunted doll tales: Dead Silence, Puppet Master, Child's Play. Taking something that evokes childhood innocence and making it evil really gets under my skin.
I did enjoy this book. It reminds me of the old Christopher Pike books I used to read back in the day.
While I'm a bit too old (okay...a lot too old) for this book to scare me, it's a perfect spooky tale for middle school age and is sure to cause some sleepless nights.
September 23, 2018
I saw this book at my kid's book fair and the cover just called to me. This is a good book for the middle grader maybe from 5th on up. The plot wasn't very long and it was straight to the point. Josie and her sister have to move in and help their mom out with their grandma. Though it seems their grandmother is sick and swears that something is out in the woods. There are rules to follow and you better follow them for Beryl will get you. Also, what do dolls have to do with this story? You gotta read it to find out.
Josie, of course, wants to go back home that is until she makes a friend named Vanessa. Vanessa, it seems though seems very mysterious and it isn't until towards the end we find out why she is the way she is. It will take a simple task to the break the curse that is within the woods and at the house of Beryl. I will say I was curious on the writing that was left on Josie's locker but I do have a feeling that it might be from a certain character that couldn't speak out in fear of Beryl. When you read the book you will understand. I am not sure if my son would like the book because it has to do with dolls but I may try it out on him. It isn't scary but it does have a creepy factor to it.
http://fallenoverbookreviews.blogspot...
Josie, of course, wants to go back home that is until she makes a friend named Vanessa. Vanessa, it seems though seems very mysterious and it isn't until towards the end we find out why she is the way she is. It will take a simple task to the break the curse that is within the woods and at the house of Beryl. I will say I was curious on the writing that was left on Josie's locker but I do have a feeling that it might be from a certain character that couldn't speak out in fear of Beryl. When you read the book you will understand. I am not sure if my son would like the book because it has to do with dolls but I may try it out on him. It isn't scary but it does have a creepy factor to it.
http://fallenoverbookreviews.blogspot...
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