The Haunting of Lily Frost

The Haunting of Lily Frost by Nova Weetman (University of Queensland Press)

PB/HB RRP $14.95

ISBN 978 0 7022 5015 6

Reviewed by Jo Antareau

It’s been a long time since I’ve read a genuinely spooky story that doesn’t rely on violence and gore for effect.

Teenager Lily’s life is turned upside down when her family move from the city to an old house in a country town. Strange things start to happen whenever Lily enters a small room in the attic – a room which becomes her bedroom. Odd sounds, plummeting temperatures, letters marked on the floor, a presence in a room. Has Lily’s imagination gone wild, or is something supernatural happening?

In between questioning her sanity, Lily has to juggle normal adolescent concerns, with missing her bestie and trying to fit-in at the new school high on the list. This is complicated by the fact that she has a striking resemblance to the girl who used to live in her house. A missing girl. A girl with secrets.  A girl whose place she seems to be taking.

Her classmates seem to know more about it, but some are overtly hostile to Lily’s presence. Baffled by her classmates’ reactions, Lily is determined to discover the secret. Did the unhappy girl run away or did something sinister happen to her? And how is she connected to the mysterious happenings in the room. Author builds the tension page by page to the nail-biting climax.

Don’t read this story when you’re alone.

The One and Only Jack Chant

The One and Only Jack Chant by Rosie Borella (Allen and Unwin)
PB RRP $15.99
ISBN 978-1-74331-138-7
Reviewed by Ann Harth

The One and Only Jack Chant grabbed me from the start. The prologue introduces Jack as he practices his routine on the back of a circus pony in the big top. He is enjoying the thrill of competence and connecting with his horse when the circus master challenges him to learn a spectacular but dangerous feat.

We leave Jack at the circus and land in Tranquil Banks Nursing Home where 16-year-old Amber is showering a difficult resident under the scrutiny of an assessor. She passes the test and lands a full-time job as an aide during her gap year. Amber is good at her job and treats the old people with warmth and respect. She forms friendships with her co-workers and they do their best to keep the residents happy, safe and fed with little help from the stingy owner.

Jack re-enters the scene, mysteriously appearing at the nursing home. He comes and goes without warning until Amber finds him camping beside the river on her family’s property. He seems to be everywhere and come from nowhere, recalling little of his haunted history. His strange clothing and odd accent do little to shed any light on his past.

Amber is captivated by Jack, wanting to believe he is simply a boy recovering from a traumatic event but knowing there is more to his story than it seems. To add to her confusion, when Amber touches Jack she is sucked into his thoughts and finds herself immersed in his memories – feeling, seeing and experiencing them as though she is inside his skin. As time passes, Amber learns that Jack is on an important mission but the details are vague, even to Jack.

The situation unfolds with as many twists and turns as a roller coaster and had me guessing until I reached the unpredictable climax.

Readers, aged 13-16, will devour this book as they will identify closely with Amber and enjoy the emotional ride that Rosie Borella has created. The One and Only Jack Chant is a book to revisit many times to find the subtle hints that point toward a stunning ending.

Rosie Borella has written and edited non-fiction for many years. Writing fiction is a more recent venture and her short story, Eternity, was included in the Tales from the Tower Collection. She writes at home in rural Victoria. The One and Only Jack Chant is her first novel.

Ann Harth is a published children's author, freelance editor, ghostwriter and writing teacher at Australian College of Journalism. She loves to read and is committed to creating children's literature that inspires, entertains and triggers a tiny twist in the mind. Her latest middle-grade novel, The Art of Magic, is now available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble. 

Portraits of Celina

Portraits of Celina by Sue Whiting (Walker Books)

PB RRP $16.95

ISBN 9781922077479

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

The multi-talented Sue Whiting has produced a riveting read full of intrigue and mystery. The outstanding cast of characters in perfect co-ordination with the excellent writing and exceptional storyline sends the reader spiralling through a ghostly tale of murder and retribution.

  

The spirit of Celina who has been dead for over forty years, has invaded Bayley’s life. Bayley is identical in appearance and the same age as the dead girl when she disappeared. The opening of an old trunk containing Celina’s clothes releases hidden secrets and unspoken of mysteries.

 What does Celina want of Bayley? How can she go about solving a forty year old mystery and getting justice when she’s struggling to cope with a desolate mother who has lost the plot, an older sister who is bent on self-destruction, and a younger brother who needs her as the family grieves over the accidental loss of a father.

This is an extremely well-crafted novel that will keep the reader turning the pages from the first sentence to the last word as it exposes portraits of Celina, and the role that Bayley must play in freeing her. 

Ghost Club 2: The Haunted School

Ghost Club 2: The Haunted School by Deborah Abela (Random House Australia)

PB RRP $15.95

ISBN 9781742750835

Reviewed by Vicki Stanton

In The Haunted School we once again join the adventures of Angeline, Edgar and Dylan as they confront problems, overcome hurdles and solve problems in both this world and the next. Our young ghostcatchers are tasked with working out why the ghost of a previous student is haunting their school and what she is trying to tell them.

I love how each of these characters have their strengths and weaknesses but it is more often in confronting their fears that they help solve the problems that beset them. This is especially the case with Dylan and Angeline. Dylan, a most reluctant ghostcatcher, usually finds the key to the solution. And Angeline, who is fearless around supernatural visitors but unable to talk easily to her peers, is discovering that she can make friends and deal with issues in this world.

Bullying and its effects are a major theme throughout this book. Angeline, Edgar and Dylan are the target of Travis, who has discovered their secret. Two figures of the past were also subjected to relentless tormenting with terrible results. However, the story is never heavy. There is a big smattering of humour and the tiniest sprinkle of romance too!

The Haunted School is a terrific read: fun and fast paced but never trite. The relationships within and the ending are tremendously satisfying. Author Deborah Abela knows how to write for children and the next instalment of this series will be eagerly awaited.