THE GIRL IN WHITE

Growing up the only horror books I even knew of was Goosebumps. Now, the middle grade horror genre is growing and Lindsay Currie is one of the best. I've enjoyed all of her books so far, but I have to say this is her best one in my opinion!

First, Mallory is a great character. That young angst of feeling like the world is out to get you is caught perfectly. You constantly see Mallory wanting to be a good daughter and friend while also longing for her old city and friends. Coming from Chicago to a small town on the East Coast that is obsessed with legends, curses, and ghosts (and gives big Sleepy Hollow and Salem vibes) has been a huge change for her and not a good one in her eyes. She doesn't believe any of it and thinks the town and the people in it are plain strange for how obsessed they are.

Second, the town! I love this town even though that changes throughout the book. I'm a huge fan of anything creepy, spooky, and weird and towns like Salem are my favorite places to go. However, this book opened my eyes to how exploitive and disrespectful using the tragedies of the past to lure tourists and with that, money, can be. Seeing it from the perspective of children, and also the ghost of one of those legends, made me view everything in a different way.

Third, the side characters. Everyone from Mallory's friends and family to the townspeople were perfect. They added to the story and the way Lindsay writes them, I felt like I was in the town. The dynamic between the friends is fun to read. They each have their own niche and interest that is talked about throughout and gives them each a unique way handling the impending disaster.

Finally, the story! I loved it. I enjoyed the idea that there is some truth to every legend but sometimes they're spot on and sometimes they're way off. But it takes some investigation and sleuthing and watching the kids find the truth is fun. The idea that someone's tragedy is celebrated for years and basically makes a town is heartbreaking. There were some seriously scary parts in this book that gave me goosebumps. Right from the beginning Mallory is unable to sleep from nightmares and as a kid that suffered from night terrors I thought it was written perfectly. The only difference is Mallory's nightmares start happening while she's awake and are connected with her neighbors. This being the lead into the rest of the adventure and horror was seamless. Between the legend of Sweet Molly and the course that she puts the kids on, it was story telling at its best.

Overall, I loved this book and highly recommend!