Reviewed by Melissa Wray
Four teenage girls are on a school camp in the middle of the woods with limited adult supervision and a ghostly tale of a guy called Smiling Jack, who is known to haunt the campsite. Creepy or what?!
I avoid horror movies at the best of
times, and I don’t mind admitting that this story freaked me out! I was tense
for most of the read, and as much as I tried to work out the outcome, I could
not. Instead, I only read the book during daytime hours and tried not to let it keep me awake at night with every creak of my house.
McGovern has created four female teenage
characters who are completely intriguing, all for different reasons. Mack,
Priya and Raffi are all friends and have been for years, along with the new
girl Shelley, Each has her own secrets, and each has her own reasons for
keeping those secrets. As the three friends try to befriend the new girl,
someone -- or something -- begins to haunt and torment the girls. Is it the
ghost of Smiling Jack returned to terrorise them? Or worse. Is it somebody they
know? Readers will be kept wondering and remain completely tense until the
dramatic conclusion.
While this book is ultimately one designed
to scare and entertain, it also addresses the uncomfortable and concerning
subject of sexual consent. It does so in a way that, sadly, is very possible for
any young person to find themselves in such a situation. It also addresses the
subject of sexuality and the prejudices that can affect anyone
trying to understand their own sexuality. Both important topics provide opportunities for further discussion from the storylines
within this book.
This Stays Between Us is creepy,
entertaining, and scary for a lone reader on a dark and spooky night.
It is suitable for a 14+ year-old readership.
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