abigailbat's review against another edition
3.0
Mysterious and creepy in that atmospheric way that Coraline or The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls. Hand this one to kids looking for a eerie story that's medium scary.
lockerpaint's review against another edition
4.0
"Welcome to Inn Between. We've been expecting you."
Once again, me writing a review over a month after reading the book! I need to buckle down and write some of these...
Quinn, a pre-teen girl, is going on vacation with her best friend and her best friend's family. On the long road trip to the West Coast, they decide to spend the night at a hotel called The Inn Between. Yet as Quinn settles in, she can't help but feel like something is wrong, and is plagued by some of her past regrets (which, for a pre-teen girl, she has buckets of, let me tell you!).
I must say, I did not see the ending coming. The last fifth of the book was by far the best part. Everything is so mysterious the whole way through, and although in some ways you can see the ending coming, it just pulls everything together so well. It didn't really make me content, but it explain just what it needed to and left you wondering what happens next. It has one of those great endings that makes it so I'd be mad if there was a sequel, since it worked out so neatly, but I desperately want to know what happens to the characters next.
Unfortunately, not the whole book was as great as the last bit. I get that this is a middle grade book, but it just felt really short, like not a lot happened. The few scary events that did happen were just over so soon. Either the events should have been longer with more detail, or more should have happened. I got to the end of the book, which I was enjoying, and was just kind of like, "that's it? Really? It was just starting to get good!" Still, I recognise this book is for younger readers, so that's not a totally justifiable complaint.
It took a while for things to get scary. This is a horror novel, but the first two-thirds was just mildly building up the atmosphere (which was more suspicious than scary), and once things finally started rolling and getting scary, the book ends!
The parts that were frightening, however, were really spooky. Enough to give my inner 10-year-old the shivers. There was this one scene with a television that was the first thing (at least for me) to was actually creepy, and if the whole book was just like that I'd give it five stars.
I admit, these complaints might just be because I'm older than the intended audience, and the parts I found boring could very well be terrifying for the younger crowd. I remember books like this being scarier, but I've just been exposed to so much more since then.
This book was also odd, but not in a bad way, because Quinn has such a tragic backstory for a middle-class eleven-year-old American white girl in a middle-grade novel that it honestly caught me off-guard. It was far darker than any horror aspect of the book, and felt a little out-of-place. It did bring in an intriguing backstory and some interesting character development though, so I'll let it slide.
If you're looking for a creepy (but not too creepy) middle-grade novel, you should consider looking into this one! It's an easy read, just compelling enough to make sure you make it to that wonderful end.
-Claire
Once again, me writing a review over a month after reading the book! I need to buckle down and write some of these...
Quinn, a pre-teen girl, is going on vacation with her best friend and her best friend's family. On the long road trip to the West Coast, they decide to spend the night at a hotel called The Inn Between. Yet as Quinn settles in, she can't help but feel like something is wrong, and is plagued by some of her past regrets (which, for a pre-teen girl, she has buckets of, let me tell you!).
I must say, I did not see the ending coming. The last fifth of the book was by far the best part. Everything is so mysterious the whole way through, and although in some ways you can see the ending coming, it just pulls everything together so well. It didn't really make me content, but it explain just what it needed to and left you wondering what happens next. It has one of those great endings that makes it so I'd be mad if there was a sequel, since it worked out so neatly, but I desperately want to know what happens to the characters next.
Unfortunately, not the whole book was as great as the last bit. I get that this is a middle grade book, but it just felt really short, like not a lot happened. The few scary events that did happen were just over so soon. Either the events should have been longer with more detail, or more should have happened. I got to the end of the book, which I was enjoying, and was just kind of like, "that's it? Really? It was just starting to get good!" Still, I recognise this book is for younger readers, so that's not a totally justifiable complaint.
It took a while for things to get scary. This is a horror novel, but the first two-thirds was just mildly building up the atmosphere (which was more suspicious than scary), and once things finally started rolling and getting scary, the book ends!
The parts that were frightening, however, were really spooky. Enough to give my inner 10-year-old the shivers. There was this one scene with a television that was the first thing (at least for me) to was actually creepy, and if the whole book was just like that I'd give it five stars.
I admit, these complaints might just be because I'm older than the intended audience, and the parts I found boring could very well be terrifying for the younger crowd. I remember books like this being scarier, but I've just been exposed to so much more since then.
This book was also odd, but not in a bad way, because Quinn has such a tragic backstory for a middle-class eleven-year-old American white girl in a middle-grade novel that it honestly caught me off-guard. It was far darker than any horror aspect of the book, and felt a little out-of-place. It did bring in an intriguing backstory and some interesting character development though, so I'll let it slide.
If you're looking for a creepy (but not too creepy) middle-grade novel, you should consider looking into this one! It's an easy read, just compelling enough to make sure you make it to that wonderful end.
-Claire
stenaros's review against another edition
3.0
Read for Librarian Book Group
Clever book that is slightly too obvious about showing its hand.
Clever book that is slightly too obvious about showing its hand.
heyhank's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
jshettel's review against another edition
4.0
I really loved this scary story, perfect for tween readers. Reminiscent of other ghost stories I read when I was that age!
thatbookwhisperer's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
To be honest this book confused me a lot. I liked the general plot of it and the mystery was exciting and different however the ending fell flat and was confusing/ rushed.
alilgabs's review against another edition
5.0
This book is amazing!
Quinn and Kara are best friends, but Kara is moving away and Quinn is staying with her for part of the summer. The car ride there, they have pledged to always be friends and together. As soon as they cross into a town, they start meeting not so right things. A dinner only serving one dish, a man telling them about a nightmare. Then, they come to the Inn Between at exit ZZZZ. Friendly hostess, but a man, asking if "they have come." Quinn has started to get a bad feeling about this place, but Kara thinks this is the best place. There room are exact to their personalities and when they wake up, Kara's parents are gone.
This book will give you chills, make you laugh, and absolutely fall in love with these characters. The ending will shock you!
I could not put this book down! This is one of my favorite books and I will be reading this many more times. It was amazing to be in Quinn and Kara's adventure!
Quinn and Kara are best friends, but Kara is moving away and Quinn is staying with her for part of the summer. The car ride there, they have pledged to always be friends and together. As soon as they cross into a town, they start meeting not so right things. A dinner only serving one dish, a man telling them about a nightmare. Then, they come to the Inn Between at exit ZZZZ. Friendly hostess, but a man, asking if "they have come." Quinn has started to get a bad feeling about this place, but Kara thinks this is the best place. There room are exact to their personalities and when they wake up, Kara's parents are gone.
This book will give you chills, make you laugh, and absolutely fall in love with these characters. The ending will shock you!
I could not put this book down! This is one of my favorite books and I will be reading this many more times. It was amazing to be in Quinn and Kara's adventure!
suzannemseidel's review against another edition
4.0
I thought it was going to be a cheesy children's book, but I very quickly became intrigued. The ending really surprised me.
katiya014's review against another edition
4.0
**I received an e ARC copy from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.**
I ended up thoroughly enjoying this novel. Horror isn't a genre I pick up very frequently these days, but the cover and description of this title really caught my eye. I'm glad I gave this one a shot. This has all the makings of an excellent suspenseful/horror middle grade book, with more depth than I would have guessed from looking at the cover.
Cohen writes very fluidly. Her descriptive setting and ominous overtone from the start drew me in and the plot moves at a steady pace from early on. As Quinn arrives with Kara’s family to the Inn Between, an old Victorian mansion hotel in the middle of nowhere, things begin to get overtly creepy. The mystery surrounding Quinn's missing sister, Emma, is skillfully interwoven in short flashback snippets that work well to provide you with more insight and didn't interrupt the flow of the story.
I definitely had a feeling about where the story was going from various clues the author provided and from the title itself, but the actual punchline of the book still took me by surprise. It wasn't quite what I was expecting, in a good way! And the best part -- this is much more than a mysterious horror novel with the sole purpose of giving readers a good scare. It was a bit darker than I was expecting as it touched on realistically tough topics like child abduction (SO sad...), untimely death, good and evil, and even the concept of Hell, though not outright.
For the most part, I found the author's use of literary devices tactful, though I did feel like there were a couple places were the similes were slightly overused. They didn't quite fit right. It didn't really detract from my reading experience. And it might just be me.
Overall, a very good, fast-paced read that explores sibling relationships and childhood friendships, as well as overcoming fear and guilt, and ultimately forgiveness of both others and yourself for mistakes. It's horror with heart!
I'm definitely recommending this one to my avid middle grade horror/suspense readers!
I ended up thoroughly enjoying this novel. Horror isn't a genre I pick up very frequently these days, but the cover and description of this title really caught my eye. I'm glad I gave this one a shot. This has all the makings of an excellent suspenseful/horror middle grade book, with more depth than I would have guessed from looking at the cover.
Cohen writes very fluidly. Her descriptive setting and ominous overtone from the start drew me in and the plot moves at a steady pace from early on. As Quinn arrives with Kara’s family to the Inn Between, an old Victorian mansion hotel in the middle of nowhere, things begin to get overtly creepy. The mystery surrounding Quinn's missing sister, Emma, is skillfully interwoven in short flashback snippets that work well to provide you with more insight and didn't interrupt the flow of the story.
I definitely had a feeling about where the story was going from various clues the author provided and from the title itself, but the actual punchline of the book still took me by surprise. It wasn't quite what I was expecting, in a good way! And the best part -- this is much more than a mysterious horror novel with the sole purpose of giving readers a good scare. It was a bit darker than I was expecting as it touched on realistically tough topics like child abduction (SO sad...), untimely death, good and evil, and even the concept of Hell, though not outright.
For the most part, I found the author's use of literary devices tactful, though I did feel like there were a couple places were the similes were slightly overused. They didn't quite fit right. It didn't really detract from my reading experience. And it might just be me.
Overall, a very good, fast-paced read that explores sibling relationships and childhood friendships, as well as overcoming fear and guilt, and ultimately forgiveness of both others and yourself for mistakes. It's horror with heart!
I'm definitely recommending this one to my avid middle grade horror/suspense readers!