To hear the voice screaming at him. Screaming into him mind. Commanding him to leave.
What the voice in the crypt belongs to he can only wonder. A demon? A ghost? It gives him nightmares for weeks afterwards. Of skeletons strangling him. And then, bizarrely, of a girl from his school, making the long walk across the graveyard and entering the crypt. Never to come out before his waking.
When he returns to school in September, he never expects to learn that something awful has happened to the girl, turning his fear to panic. Panic which will force him to unravel the mystery of the crypt, and in doing so, many mysteries about himself.
THE SPIRIT IN THE CRYPT by Alexander Lound (Jonny Roberts Series Book 1)
Published: 2020
Genre: Teen/YA Paranormal Fiction
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Spirits of the past, move among us. Be guided by the light of this world and visit upon us."
Many thanks to Alexander Lound, the author of The Spirit in the Crypt, who provided me with an eBook of his debut novel in exchange for an honest review, which I was all too happy to provide! I'm so glad he did since it was an introduction I might not otherwise have received into this fast paced, YA paranormal fiction. In other words, this ghost story! Easy to read and full of mystery.
Generically, YA novels target the 12-18 age group. The main character is 15 years old and this is a pretty accurate gage for the reading age in respect of this book, I would say, though could be enjoyed by younger or older readers based on personal preference. I enjoyed it!
"His soul had departed, had gone into storage while other spirits used his body."
The supernatural elements of the novel are well thought out and obviously researched, but somehow felt slightly unpolished in places, particularly the dialogue between characters used to convey this information. This was not enough to put me off reading however, and did not confuse me or distract me from the story. It might even go unnoticed by another reader - but having grown up in quite a spiritual household, I have some insight into the subject matter that other readers, understandably, might not. For example, twice the burning of sage is mentioned to protect and ward off evil, but it's strongly suggested through the way the book's worded that the sage being used might be fresh, where typically it should be dried for this purpose. I only mention this a nod to small missing details.
I ploughed through this book in a little over a night, compelled by the characters and their motives. All very engaging and relatable, even the Spirit, initially considered evil, is cast in a complex and revealing light that means there are many times when I found myself empathising with it and feeling its sorrow.
I loved the character of Jonny, and the paranormal world he's forced to confront whist juggling the trials of being a typical teenage boy, maintaining friendships, facing bullies and playing Xbox!
The book ends by sneaking us a preview of the sequel The Burned House which has intrigued me. The author has also gifted me the sequel, so I'm excited to see how the story continues to unfold.
The Spirit in the Crypt is the first in the Jonny Roberts Series by Alexander Lound. Do check it out, particularly if you've got teenage kids to your name! It's available as a paperback or eBook from Amazon, and you can follow the author on Instagram @aloundauthor
Until next week, find me across social media. Zuzu's Pages on Instagram Zuzu's Pages on Facebook Zuzu's Pages on Twitter
Zuzu 🖋
Many thanks to Alexander Lound, the author of The Spirit in the Crypt, who provided me with an eBook of his debut novel in exchange for an honest review, which I was all too happy to provide! I'm so glad he did since it was an introduction I might not otherwise have received into this fast paced, YA paranormal fiction. In other words, this ghost story! Easy to read and full of mystery.
Generically, YA novels target the 12-18 age group. The main character is 15 years old and this is a pretty accurate gage for the reading age in respect of this book, I would say, though could be enjoyed by younger or older readers based on personal preference. I enjoyed it!
"His soul had departed, had gone into storage while other spirits used his body."
The supernatural elements of the novel are well thought out and obviously researched, but somehow felt slightly unpolished in places, particularly the dialogue between characters used to convey this information. This was not enough to put me off reading however, and did not confuse me or distract me from the story. It might even go unnoticed by another reader - but having grown up in quite a spiritual household, I have some insight into the subject matter that other readers, understandably, might not. For example, twice the burning of sage is mentioned to protect and ward off evil, but it's strongly suggested through the way the book's worded that the sage being used might be fresh, where typically it should be dried for this purpose. I only mention this a nod to small missing details.
I ploughed through this book in a little over a night, compelled by the characters and their motives. All very engaging and relatable, even the Spirit, initially considered evil, is cast in a complex and revealing light that means there are many times when I found myself empathising with it and feeling its sorrow.
I loved the character of Jonny, and the paranormal world he's forced to confront whist juggling the trials of being a typical teenage boy, maintaining friendships, facing bullies and playing Xbox!
The book ends by sneaking us a preview of the sequel The Burned House which has intrigued me. The author has also gifted me the sequel, so I'm excited to see how the story continues to unfold.
The Spirit in the Crypt is the first in the Jonny Roberts Series by Alexander Lound. Do check it out, particularly if you've got teenage kids to your name! It's available as a paperback or eBook from Amazon, and you can follow the author on Instagram @aloundauthor
Until next week, find me across social media. Zuzu's Pages on Instagram Zuzu's Pages on Facebook Zuzu's Pages on Twitter
Zuzu 🖋
