Reviews

All the Lovely Bad Ones by Mary Downing Hahn

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ws_bookclub's review against another edition

2.0

All in all, I thought it was just there. Nothing wonderful, but nothing terrible either. The premise, a practical joke that wakes up some unwanted things of the deceased nature, is an entertaining one. However, I didn't like the conclusion. I felt things were wrapped up almost too neatly. I would have loved if this book was just a little bit longer, giving the author more of a chance to flesh out some characters, and explaining the motivation behind a couple of them. It felt rushed, possibly because the author was under the impression that longer books discourage younger readers. If my oldest son is any indication, the length of the book isn't as important as the quality.

creepylilbookworm's review against another edition

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4.0

This was a spooky, scary, fast read. Perfect for spooky season! It was fun to see where the story was going and the ornery kids. Fun ghost story to tell around the campfire! Also hearing about the ghosts stories and their demise was sad.

hamster007's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional inspiring mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Loved this book as kid, recently reread it and still love it.

kim_j_dare's review against another edition

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4.0

Deliciously creepy! Kids in grades 4-7 who like ghost stories will eat up this 2011-12 VRC nominee. My one quibble-- narrator Travis doesn't always sound like a 12-year-old boy (more like an adult who's trying to tell the story through the eyes of a 12-year-old boy), but overall a fun and spooky read.

jgurniak's review against another edition

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4.0

Mary Downing Hahn has written a great introduction to horror for young readers.

swampbooks's review against another edition

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4.0

This is a fun and delightful ghost story! While it might not be super profound, (it’s a middle grade book) it’s a quick and engaging read. I loved it as a kid and now I love it as an adult.