Cordelia Kelly's Blog: Curl Up With a Good Blog

I’m so thrilled to share the news—The Seabourne Legacy is officially out in the world!

This book has been years in the making, and it means so much to finally place it in your hands. The third book in the Port of Lost Souls series, and the spookiest one yet: come explore the forgotten halls deep beneath Seabourne Estate in this haunted house thriller.

The Seabourne Legacy is a story steeped in salt air and shadow, set on a haunted island where the past refuses to stay buried.

If you’ve been craving a tale that blends gothic atmosphere with heart-pounding twists, this is the one. Readers have already called it “spine-tingling” and “impossible to put down”—the kind of book that keeps you turning pages long past midnight.

Don’t wait for the fog to clear—the legacy is calling. Click here to claim your copy of The Seabourne Legacy and lose yourself in the story tonight.

I’ve had a new venture quietly brewing behind the scenes, and I’m thrilled to finally share it with you! While it’s not a new book release (though several are on the way), it is delightfully book-adjacent: I’ve been creating fantasy-style maps of Canada’s provinces — and they’re now available through The Little Canadian Map Shop.

This project blends two things I love deeply: the art of mapmaking, which I first learned while designing worlds for my fantasy novels, and my lifelong affection for Canada. As I started drawing these maps — and saw how much joy and curiosity they sparked in others — I knew I was onto something special.

I think I first truly fell in love with Canada when I was living far from it.

I’d always appreciated my home country — proud to say I was Canadian, proud of the vast skies and the clean air, the sense of quiet safety. But growing up surrounded by it, I took it for granted. Canada, to me, was familiar. Beautiful, yes — but maybe a little boring. Predictable. Ordinary. It was all I’d ever known.

That changed when I moved abroad.

I was living in Switzerland — a country that seems drawn from a fairytale, all alpine peaks, tidy villages, and clocks that run with uncanny precision. I adored it. Every few miles down the train line, you’d tumble into another postcard-perfect town, and I loved the order, the charm, the way it all fit together like a handcrafted music box.

But when people found out I was from Canada, their eyes would widen. Especially the children. To them, it wasn’t just a country. It was a legend. A vast, wild frontier where moose and bears roamed free — animals they spoke of with reverence, as though straight out of a fable. Canada, to them, was untamed. Grand. Mysterious.

I began to see it that way, too.

Flying home, crossing the continent from above, I’d look out the plane window with new eyes. The little towns I used to pass without thought now seemed curious and ancient, their Indigenous names whispering of histories I didn’t yet understand. The forests stretched endlessly — dark, dense, primal. There are still places here no human has ever stepped. That realization hit me like a revelation: you could be the first. The land itself holds its breath, waiting to tell its story.

I live in Canada again now. But the awe has never left me.

In fact, it’s grown deeper. I want to see more. Learn more. I want to map this place — not just its geography, but its heart. The places that shape us. The landscapes that teach us who we are.

The true north, strong and free.

Canada continues to take my breath away.

Provincial maps available to date: Alberta, BC, Saskatchewan

CIty/Specialty maps available: Calgary, St. Albert, Franco-Alberta

Under the Big Top, Something Wicked Waits

Release Day: THE CARNIVAL OF FOOLS by Cordelia Kelly
May 27, 2025

Today’s the day! I’m beyond excited to announce the release of my newest YA dark fantasy novel, THE CARNIVAL OF FOOLS—a story filled with eerie magic, dangerous secrets, and the fierce loyalty of found family.

What’s it about?
Lola just wants to be a normal teenager—but her life is anything but ordinary. With a dark past as a vampire and a growing sense of dread that something terrible is on the horizon, she’s already on edge when a strange carnival rolls into town. The carnival’s dazzling lights and hypnotic music seem to enchant the entire island of Duchesne… including Lola’s closest friends.

But not everything is as it seems.

Beneath the glitter and glamour lies a chilling truth. The ringmaster isn’t what he claims to be, and Lola’s haunting visions—of blood, chaos, and betrayal—might be the only warning they get.

To save the people she loves, Lola must confront her past and unravel the secrets of the Carnival of Fools… before it’s too late.

If you love stories with:

Paranormal twists Brooding atmosphere Creepy carnivals Strong friendships & inner demons Former vampires trying to heal…

Then this one’s for you.

Now available in print and digital wherever books are sold!
Thank you to every reader who’s supported me on this journey. I can’t wait for you to step into the world of Duchesne Island.

The Carnival awaits…
—Cordelia

Amazon Canada, Amazon US, Amazon UK, Kobo, Indigo, Waterstones, Barnes&Noble

The Sibyl and the Thief has not only received a glowing review from Publisher’s Weekly, it has received the “Editor’s Pick” designation. You can’t get any better than that!

I received my review through BookLife, which is Publisher’s Weekly indie branch. This review actually brought tears to my eyes—as an author, you sometimes wonder what the heck you’re doing with your life. And then this comes out and I think “maybe the right thing.”

You can check out the full article for the review online here, or read it below! The Sibyl and the Thief is the perfect books for teens aged 12-17, and has received several professional accolades to date.

booklife reviews — Editor’s Pick

Stellar fantasy of a young woman facing a curse and daring to rebel

Kelly’s spellbinding fantasy explores what it means to languish unseen, literally, as it follows Sabine Gillesella, a young woman cursed with invisibility—she gives “the impression of a ghost pacing the streets.” As she searches for a cure, revealing deeper truths about her own power and the land’s decaying magic, Sabine navigates magic, oppression, and rebellion in the kingdom of Illyamor, where the Awhye people are subjugated by the Halwardians. The stakes are high, but she’s not alone. Alongside her brother Rafi and eventually the enigmatic Brannon, who is prone to peak-fantasy declarations like “I run deeper than the skin you see,” Sabine faces the malevolent Duke Aurich and the mysterious Lady of the Forest in a bid to restore balance to their fractured world.

Kelly excels at intricate, inviting world-building and magic that has some logic but still feels magical. Crisp prose and an eye for what’s most compelling in a scene will draw readers into the heart of Illyamor. Scenes pulse with striking detail and urgent emotions, and Sabine is a standout protagonist, growing from desperate thief to formidable sorceress in a way that feels both authentic and inspiring. Her struggle with the curse underscores themes of identity, resistance, and empowerment without slowing narrative momentum. The narrative also examines the price of power and the weight of sacrifice.

The novel is packed with danger and adventure, from Sabine’s audacious market heists to her perilous trek through the ominous Dikisi Forest. Each setting is vividly realized, drawing readers into tombs and menacing woods, while Kelly deftly explores the socio-political forces driving the conflict. Mythical creatures like the Ielzrie and Vargas intrigue and surprise, while the tragic backstory of the Lady of the Forest adds emotional depth and highlights the story’s darker undertones. For all the magic and a touch of romance, Kelly doesn’t shy away from grim realities of rebellion or the experience of grief, imbuing The Sibyl and the Thief with welcome gravity.

Takeaway: Stellar fantasy of a young woman facing a curse and daring to rebel.

Comparable Titles: Ashley Poston’s Among the Beasts & Briars, Lori M. Lee’s Forest of Souls.

Every Halloween I like to release one of my scary short stories, so this year my offering to you is Hotel Lunata. I was inspired by the charming facade of a hotel in Playa del Carmen. Everything about the place was appealing and pretty, and if you wandered past the front desk, you would find yourself in a jungle-like open courtyard.

I believe you could take your breakfast in the courtyard, surrounded by all that lush vegetation. I imagine it’s a lovely place to stay. But then I started to imagine: what if it wasn’t?

A reminder my collection of spooky short stories, Then She Said Hush, is on Amazon, and free on KU!

Also check out my novels The Well of Souls and The Sibyl and the Thief; both the ebooks on super sale from now until the end of the month!

Hotel Lunata

by Cordelia Kelly

Everyone who passed by the entrance to the Hotel Lunata gazed at it in wonder, and Tara wondered why. It didn’t look like much. A dusty stone façade squeezed between a dive bar and a laundromat. Tara had seen dozens of similar hostels over the past few weeks. Something made Lunata different, though she couldn’t offer why. She sipped her cappuccino at a café across the street, watching from behind oversized sunglasses. 

Passersby paused in front of the hostel, whether they were aware of it or not, and let out a longing sigh as though a favourite dream had just come back to them. Most continued on their way. But after an hour a girl with a large backpack and untidy hair followed her dreamy look and entered. Tara sat forward. This might be the place she had been looking for.

She slipped a couple of bills under her empty cup and slung her woven bag over her shoulder, heading for the hostel. Over the threshold of the entrance, Tara paused as her eyes adjusted to the relative darkness after the sunlit street, pressing a palm against the cool stone wall. The air was spicy; somewhere, incense was burning.

Vibrations thrummed over her skin, the hairs on her forearms standing to attention. Her gaze sharpened as she inspected the lobby, the courtyard garden that lay beyond the reception desk.

A man at the desk leered, his gaze travelling over her body. He had a scruffy chinstrap beard and questionably clean clothing. Tara bristled but hid it well. Instead, she slipped off her sunglasses.

“How much for a room?” she asked. 

Front Desk Guy was slow to respond. He gave a lazy smile. “You’re big on eye contact, aren’t you?”

Tara tried and failed to smile. “You can’t trust someone who won’t look you in the eyes.”

He straightened and met her gaze. “You can trust me. I’m Miguel. Welcome to the Hotel Lunata. Once you arrive, you won’t ever want to leave.”

“I can see why.” Tara glanced at the front desk. The inside of the office was a disaster, covered in filthy dishes and unsorted papers. Miguel didn’t seem to care she could see it. “I’d love to stay, but I’m budget conscious.”

“It’s 30 for a room for the night. 15 if you want to share.”

She tried to stop her eyebrows from shooting up. “That’s…very affordable.”

Miguel scratched the back of his neck. “The beach is just around the corner.”

Tara nibbled her lip. A private room was a luxury she couldn’t afford since she’d been wandering the coast for weeks. “A shared room. Is there a discount if I stay for the week?”

His smile took on a mocking edge she didn’t understand. “Sure, I’ll give you a deal. 70 for the week. US dollars, cash only. ATM’s in the lobby.” He nodded to the machine.

“Okay.” 

Miguel looked at her expectantly. “Cash up front.”

“Right.” Tara frowned as she fumbled for her wallet, then backed up to the ATM to take out the funds for the week. Her savings were running low. If Hotel Lunata wasn’t what she was looking for, she would have to go home soon. Empty-handed.

She slapped the bills down on the front desk, and Miguel quickly made them disappear, replacing them with a metal key. “Room 16, third floor.” He narrowed his eyes and contemplated her before passing her a paper flyer. It was a cheap printout for a full moon party. 

“Tomorrow night,” he said, his eyes cold. “It will be a good time.”

Tara brushed off her sweating palm before opening the door to Room 16. The key was unnecessary; the door didn’t latch. She stepped into the room in dismay, unsure it was worth the price she’d paid. Piles of sand lingered in the corners, as did the heavy smell of dampness and unwashed bodies. A mattress lay in the corner of the room, heaped with a faded Mexican blanket.

“Ugh,” she said, balancing next to the mattress, reluctant to touch anything. No wonder the prices were so affordable, no one would stay a minute more than they had to.

Movement caught the corner of her eye, and Tara straightened in alarm. She hadn’t been paying enough attention. Her hand darted for the knife she kept in her bag. Since beginning her travels, she made sure it was always close. 

A hammock stretched across the other side of the room had an occupant, a girl so slight she barely made an indent in the fabric, holding a ukulele. Tara released the handle of the knife and wrapped her arms around her middle; she didn’t like being caught unawares.

“Hey,” the girl said. Her smile was as dreamy as the others, and she strummed her instrument. “I’ve been trying to catch the melody that plays through the hotel, but it’s elusive. What do you think?” She picked at the strings.

Tara gave her a faint smile. “I’m not much for music.”

“Really? I live for it. I’m Misty.” The girl stretched and set the ukulele down, swinging her feet to the floor. She wore baggy wrap pants, her hip bones jutting over the material. Her light hair was dyed a rainbow of colours, lavender to turquoise, like a mermaid. Like Piper’s hair.

Longing to see her sister was so sharp, Tara’s heart squeezed.

“I’m Tara,” she said, holding out her hand to the girl. Misty’s bones were palpable beneath her skin. “Where are you from?”

Misty’s smile faltered for a second before the dreamy look came back. “What does it matter? I’m here right now.”

“Right.” Tara wasn’t great at conversing with the travellers she’d met. Piper would have known what to say; she always did. She went with the flow and lived in the now, like Misty. Tara had to plan ahead no matter where she was going.

She squared her shoulders. She would have to be like Piper to find her. “Have you been here long?”

“Just got here yesterday. There’s a cool group of people staying here, you’ll like them.”

“Do you know where the bathroom is? I’ve been travelling for days and could use a shower.”

Misty wrinkled her nose. “I hope you brought shower sandals, because yikes.”

Of course Tara had shower sandals. It had been the first thing she’d bought after she started her search. She had never travelled far, and the reality of hostels had been horrifying. She didn’t understand how people could live in such a state of grubbiness. But then, she’d never really understood Piper, either. 

Happy for a moment’s peace, she stood under the lukewarm water for longer than necessary. The stress and exhaustion of three days of travelling by bus caught up to her. Her hair tangled over her slumped shoulders, and she shut off the water, defeated. What she wouldn’t give for a bath in her own home, the water hot enough to make her yelp, the porcelain pristine. 

But she had to keep on going. She grabbed her towel that barely wrapped all around her curves, wishing it was a fluffy robe instead.

The mirrors were fogged, so she wiped away a spot and rummaged in her bag for a comb. When she straightened, a set of eyes not her own were staring back at her from the mirror.

Tara shouted and jumped back. Her scrambled brain took a few seconds to process Misty standing behind her.

Heart hammering, she reached for the wall, then snatched it back as she saw the scummy black patch growing there.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to sneak up on you. You mustn’t have heard me.” Misty giggled, amused at Tara’s reaction. Tara nodded, still struggling to find control. “I’m heading to the beach for the afternoon, maybe grab some food. Do you want to come?”

Tara met many people like Misty along her journey. Instant best friends, they wanted to do anything with you even if they had no idea who you were. You should be careful, she wanted to tell the girl blinking in front of her. I could be anyone. I could be a killer. But she just shook her head. “I need to get some sleep.”

“That’s cool, I’ll see you later. Don’t let the bed bugs bite.” Her smile got a teensy bit wicked. “And I do mean that.”

Tara groaned. She despised this place and couldn’t wait to leave.

Back in her room, she stripped the mattress and threw the blankets into a corner. Then she wrapped up in her own bedding, covering herself as much as she could while praying for the best, and let sleep wash over her in a wave of relief.

She didn’t wake until the next morning, harsh sunlight pouring in through the open window. No curtains or shades blocked the onslaught, and Tara winced as she glanced outside. Across the street, a family of rodents crossed the rooftops of the shops, and just beyond that the sparkle of the sea was barely visible.

Was this where Piper ended up? Tara hadn’t heard from her in months. The last text Piper sent was a quick one, that she’d found a hostel with affordable prices and tons of charm. If she squinted, Hotel Lunata might fit the bill. Piper had seemed very excited. She mentioned it was the kind of place that pulled you in. Tara didn’t know what city she had been in, what country, only that Piper was in this part of the world. When her texts stopped and no responses came to her increasingly urgent messages, Tara gathered her limited savings and followed her sister.

She pulled out the invitation to the Full Moon Party. It promised a magical evening. Is this what Piper had been looking for? Her wandering older sister, never content to stay in one place, to just enjoy what she had. She was all tattoos and bright hair and longing, and Tara never understood why. She preferred her home. Give her a comfortable bed, one that was clean, preferably.

But Piper had always been there for her. So Tara would be there for her now. She would be the one to find her.

The hammock shifted as Misty woke. She blinked, sleepy and satiated, her skin a little burned around the edges.

“You were out hard! I’ve never seen anyone sleep that long in a place like this.”

“I’ve been on a bus for a long time,” Tara said, mumbling.

“I was envious. You look so peaceful when you sleep.”

Tara cast about for something to say; she was no good at small talk. “What time did you get in?”

“Oh, I don’t know.” Misty waved a hand. “Two, maybe? You missed a wicked party down by the beach.”

“Right.”

“But don’t worry, I hear the real place to be is the full moon party tonight.” She nodded to the paper in Tara’s hand. “Everyone who’s been before say it’s insane. Nobody can even remember exactly what happened, just that they felt amazing afterwards.”

Tara read the words a magical evening. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

“Want to head to the market to grab breakfast?”

“Sounds great.” Tara hesitated, then pulled out the latest picture she had of Piper. In it, her sister winked at the camera, tongue out, piercing on display. “First, have you seen this girl?”

Misty’s face crinkled with concern as she took the picture, examining it from a few angles. “I don’t think so. Who is she?”

“My sister. I haven’t heard from her in a while and I wanted to make sure she was okay.”

“You’re such a good older sister.”

It wasn’t the first time Tara had been mistaken as the older sister – she was the responsible one, the one who made sure things happened on time, to ensure Piper got to her exams on time. She didn’t correct Misty.

“Don’t worry.” Misty handed back the photo to Tara firmly. “I know tons of people here and we’ll talk to everyone. If she’s been here, we’ll find out.”

Tara gave her a lopsided smile, happy to have found an ally. Misty had all the extroverted self-confidence she lacked.

Misty looped her arm through Tara. “We should ask Miguel,” she said as they approached the front desk. “He sees everyone coming through here.”

Tara was reluctant to show her sister’s photo to Miguel. She didn’t like how he had looked at her. But the front desk was empty, other than a sign reminding them of the full moon party in the garden courtyard. 

The stones were already hot beneath their sandals as they wandered the streets. Tara tied her hair up into a high bun to keep it off her face, but Misty let her coloured tresses snaggle over her shoulders. She kept up a patter too quick for Tara to catch. She jumped when Misty looked at her, waiting for a response. “Sorry, what?”

“Fried food for breakfast? There’s a cheap little stall by the beach.” Tara nodded and followed her.

True to her word, Misty knew many people, stopping to chat with everyone, calling them by name. People opened up to her, just like they did with Piper. Piper was kind to everybody. She was especially kind to Tara and would introduce her to her friends, keep her close to make sure she was comfortable. Whenever Tara was bullied, her big sister would stomp in to take names and make sure it never, ever happened again.

Tara blinked back tears. What if she couldn’t find her?

Misty slipped her arm through Tara’s as though reading her thoughts. “You’re a good sister.”

“I feel like if I were a good sister, I wouldn’t have lost her.”

“That’s not true. And look at you now, tracking her down. I wish I had a sister like you watching out for me.” Something dark passed over her face.

“But you’re so brave, able to go anywhere and talk to everyone.” Tara was certain Misty didn’t need an older sister making sure nobody bullied her, because she went to a special school and nobody understood her. But Misty shook her head.

“That stuff has always come easy for me, so it hardly makes me brave. I get the sense that you’ve had to come out of your shell to look for Piper. That takes guts.” She pointed at a dingy café, with swings hanging from the rafters instead of seats. “I recognize someone. Let’s check it out.”

Misty handed around the photo once more. Most of the travellers glanced over the picture and shook their heads or commented that she was hot. Finally, a white boy with dreadlocks near the back waved a joint to get their attention. “Yeah, I think I saw this girl.”

“Really?” Tara rushed to his side, staring at his face intently. “When did you see her?”

He squinted. “It would have been a while ago. I was here, like, months ago, and then I left to go surfing down south. I found the most amazing mushrooms and was tripping for like, days.”

Tara waved her hand. “But you were here, and you saw her?”

“I think so?” He shrugged and gave the photo back. “At the hotel with the music.”

“Hotel Lunata,” Misty said, bouncing on her toes. “Tara, she must have been at our hotel.”

“Yeah, I stayed there and I’m pretty sure she did too. That place had me tripping without aid, know what I mean? I missed the big party everyone was freaking out about. I had to meet a friend down the coast, but I wished I had made it.” That dreamy look slipped over his face.

“The full moon party.” Tara’s eyes were wide. Finally, a break.

“We’ll go back and talk to Miguel. He must know something.”

“I’m afraid he will.” Tara took the picture back thoughtfully. “But first, do you want to go to the beach?”

Several of the kids in the café joined them. Misty followed Tara until she found a vendor at the side of the road selling instruments. She darted over, gazing at the wooden wind instruments with longing. “They’re so beautiful.” She ran her fingertips over a set of panpipes decorated with intricate ink designs. Then she set into a hard and fast negotiation with the merchant, which Tara didn’t even try to follow.

Misty emerged triumphant with the panpipes and blew into them experimentally.

“Have you ever played before?” Tara asked.

Misty shook her head. “Not pipes, but I have a flute at home.”

Then she played them, her eyes fluttering shut with joy. Others around her gave admiring glances, some stopping to listen.

Misty finally came out of her reverie with a lazy smile and there was a fluttering of applause. “What do you think?” she asked Tara.

Tara’s smile was bittersweet. “I think it must be good, but I don’t really get music.”

“For me, it’s like water, like air. I couldn’t live without it. My family never understood. They wanted me to do something substantial with my life.” She puffed out her chest. “Why can’t you be a doctor, Misty?” She rolled her eyes. “I mean they named me Misty. What did they think was going to happen?”

“I’m going to start pre-med in the fall,” Tara said. For some reason, this struck her as hilarious. Misty laughed along with her. 

“Well, it suits you. I think you’ll make an excellent doctor. But me, I’ll make an excellent panpiper.” She crossed her eyes as she blew into the pipes again, which made Tara laugh even harder.

They wasted the day wandering the city streets. Every time Misty suggested heading back to speak with Miguel, Tara would put her off. Elated at getting a lead on Piper’s whereabouts, she was strangely reluctant to return to the hotel. Something was off, but she didn’t know what yet.

The sun had long gone down by the time Misty convinced her to head back. “Come on,” she slurred, after taking a second shot at a beach bar. “We can’t miss the party.”

Tara gazed up at the full moon, glowing from behind a thin gauze of clouds. “No, we don’t want to miss it.” She hadn’t drunk anything, not since she had started her search. She was too worried she would miss something. And now she had found a clue, she needed to be sharp.

A thin trickle of people entered the lobby of Hotel Lunata. They all had the same look: too skinny, sunburnt, threadbare clothes. The markings of wanderers. Those who would not be missed.

Tara stopped, watching them. What was it about this place that pulled people in? Glancing at Misty, she saw the girl was entirely enraptured. Her eyes were huge, glimmering in the light with unshed tears; her lips moved as though in prayer.

“Maybe we shouldn’t,” Tara said. Misty’s mouth fell open. 

“I can’t miss it. I would never forgive myself.” She walked away from Tara towards the entrance.

Tara followed behind Misty. As she entered, the vibration rippled up her arm, and Tara wondered what it was the others experienced. It seemed nobody was thinking clearly, or even at all. Something in the open longing on their faces that made her wish she could experience it too, if only for a moment. 

The front desk was empty, but they didn’t need directions. People came down the stairwell as though in a trance, pulled by an invisible riptide towards the dark garden.

As she entered the courtyard, Tara’s sandals sank into spongy grass, and she gazed at the sky. The clouds were gone, leaving a clear view of the full moon casting eerie silver light on the lush jungle plants. As she followed the path, the light grew brighter. A weird glowing lantern made of bulbous segments protruded from the ground at the centre of the courtyard. 

More and more people gathered in the clearing. They approached the lantern in awe, kneeling in a circle around it.

Tara watched in confusion as one after another a young traveller knelt, reverent. How did they know what to do? Then Misty knelt next to her, so Tara dropped to her knees so not to stand out.

Close up, she realized the lantern wasn’t a lantern at all, but an enormous plant sprouting from the earth. It grew tall and straight, curling over at the top like a misshapen caterpillar standing on its back legs. Along one edge, frilled tentacles lined the edge of a long lip, rippling slightly on the breeze. It emitted the same silvery glow as the moon, lit up like a beacon.

The vibration Tara had felt earlier was even stronger, passing along her skin like wind. The waving tentacles moved in time with the vibrations. They must be creating a sound, the music that entranced the others. Tara’s hair stood on end.

Someone wasn’t behaving like the others in the courtyard. Miguel lounged at the side of the clearing, arms crossed over his chest and a smirk on his face. Tara whipped back to look at the plant as he perused the crowd. When he turned away, she risked a glance back. He wore neon orange earplugs.

Misty’s whole body trembled, and the force of it pulled her up from her knees. Enraptured with the music she must be hearing, she danced, twisting her body faster and faster, her hair whipping out behind her. Tara had never witnessed someone so entirely taken in their passion.

As Misty approached the plant, the seam where the frills waved began to split, opening like doors or loving arms. The silver light grew brighter, washing Misty’s colouring out until she appeared to be glowing white. Without hesitation, she stepped within the embrace of the tentacles, and the lips began to close in around her.

A frown creased Misty’s face, which up to this point had been utterly free of care. The tentacles wrapped around her, and her eyes opened wide in panic. She opened her mouth to scream, but a phalange wrapped around her face. Then the lips closed, and the rest of the courtyard kept on swaying, enraptured.

Without thinking, Tara sprinted to the plant, pulling out a knife she always kept on her. She got to the plant and plunged the knife deep into the side.

The lips shot open as though the plant screamed. The others stopped and froze, eyes wide and staring. Inside there was Misty, covered in tentacles and dripping viscous liquid, her face caught in a rictus of agony. Tears and snot dripped down her face, over the clinging vines that ripped into her.

Tara reached for her, pulling some of the tentacles away. Each one left behind a bright red mark, and trickles of blood. Misty got a hand free and started to rip at the vines, when something hard tackled Tara, knocking the wind out of her as she hit the ground.

The knife fell to the ground as Miguel landed hard on top of her.

“You’re going to ruin everything.” She read his lips, the panic and fury in his widened eyes. “What is wrong with you? You’re not normal.”

His hands went to her throat and squeezed. The world went dark around the edges. 

“At least I’m not a fucking monster,” she said and clawed out his earplugs.

Miguel screamed, scrambling as he tried to cover his ears. But then he calmed as his body was caught up in the same swaying as the others, and he moved inexorably toward the plant.

Misty, sobbing, had managed to get partly clear of the monstrous plant, but tentacles grabbed her ankles and reeled her back in. Tara struggled towards her, slashing at the vines that held her captive. Misty tore her way free, and Tara rolled out of the way as Miguel entered the silvery embrace of the plant.

Numb with horror, Tara chopped at the base of the plant with her knife. Every cut sent a wave of burning liquid over her hands. The plant whipped, frantic, tentacles flailing out in all directions, but she kept at it.

She reached a central root. The plant reared up and froze for a second, then slumped forward. It fell with a heavy crash to the ground, oozing silvery fluid. She kept on sawing, even as the others in the courtyard slumped over onto the ground. Only when the plant had been entirely detached from the ground did she turn.

Everyone gazed in horror. “What’s going on?” they mouthed. One boy shook as he looked down at the plant. A lifeless arm dangled from the frilled seam.

Tara grabbed his shoulder, shaking him out of his stupour. “Call an ambulance,” she said, repeating it until he nodded. “And the police.” She gazed at the half-digested man. “I think this guy was a serial killer.”

Misty, hunched over, tried to get up and fell. Tara came to her side, pulling her away from the plant. The wounds covering her body were deep, and acid burns spread over her skin.

“Where did the music go?” she asked. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Tara could only shake her head.

The survivors gathered in the front lobby. The enchanted sheen of the hotel had faded, and no passerby gazed as though they wished to enter. As the emergency services finally arrived, people scurried to the other side of the street.

Misty was loaded onto a stretcher, and Tara grasped her hand. “You’ll be okay,” she said. Misty nodded, eyes hazy with painkillers.

Tara waited only long enough to give a police officer a statement before shuffling out of the hotel. Someone grabbed her arm, telling her they had found a room somewhere else and they were all going to crash there. She didn’t think, only followed, collapsing on a mattress before she fell into a dreamless sleep.

The next day she went to the regional police office for more answers. The detective she spoke to said they dug up the earth in the courtyard and found enough bones for a graveyard. Also, the man who owned the hostel appeared to be partially eaten by a giant carnivorous plant.

“I think it pulled people in with a sound, something that compelled them to go to it,” Tara said. “Every full moon it would eat.”

The detective stared at her, his lips twisting. “But you weren’t compelled. How?”

Tara gestured to her ears. “I lost my hearing in an accident a decade ago. It had no power over me”

“How are you talking to me now?”

Misty shrugged, used to the question. “I’m good at lip reading. My sister taught me.” A lump formed in her throat. “She was here, my sister, a few months ago, and hasn’t been heard from since.”

The detective’s mouth thinned. “This guy, Miguel Santos, didn’t keep good records, but he did rob the victims. We found a treasure trove of stuff in the back of the hostel.” He trudged to another room, where several people were sorting items. Tara’s breath caught in a strangled cry as she made out the colourful woven bag she recognized, an exact match to the one she had. Piper had given it to her before she left to explore the world.

“Piper.” She started sobbing. She’d known, hadn’t she, deep down? Piper was gone.

She didn’t hear the detective’s words of consolation, if there were any, but his hand rested heavily on her shoulder.

He let her cry in the waiting room, before telling her he would release Piper’s effects to her once they had been processed.

He also gave her information about where Misty was recovering. “She’ll survive,” he said. “But she’s going to need a friend.”

Happy Halloween, my spooky friends!

[image error]Pexels.com" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/cordeliakelly.com/w..." data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/cordeliakelly.com/w..." tabindex="0" role="button" src="https://i0.wp.com/cordeliakelly.com/w..." alt="" class="wp-image-4023" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/cordeliakelly.com/w... 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/cordeliakelly.com/w... 300w, https://i0.wp.com/cordeliakelly.com/w... 150w, https://i0.wp.com/cordeliakelly.com/w... 768w, https://i0.wp.com/cordeliakelly.com/w... 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/cordeliakelly.com/w... 676w, https://i0.wp.com/cordeliakelly.com/w... 1880w, https://i0.wp.com/cordeliakelly.com/w... 1352w" sizes="(max-width: 676px) 100vw, 676px" />

Frankenstein is one of my all-time favourite horror novels. I have re-read it so many times through the years, and every time I take away something a little bit different. This latest reread had me thinking in a new direction: what it has in common with my novel The Well of Souls.

If you’ve read The Well of Souls, you might be wondering what I’m talking about. Surely, if it has anything to do with a classic horror, it must be Dracula, right? Vampires and all. But it occurred to me when I was in Geneva, the birthplace of Frankenstein, that there were many deeper similarities between Frankenstein’s monster, and The Well of Souls main character Lola Monteux.

Of my books, I realized surely Frankenstein’s monster would prefer The Well of Souls

One of the major themes of Frankenstein is humanity or lack thereof, shown through the monster as he seeks for his own humanity, and signs of it in others. Created but left without a guiding force, the monster lumbers into the world, seeking kindness. He is deeply intelligent and has sensitive emotions, but constantly spurned by a world who can only see his exterior differences, he shuns humanity and becomes that which people expect him to be—though I’d argue the real monster all along was Dr. Frankenstein.

Lola, on the other hand, was raised by the monster who created her, though she struggled with unexplained feelings of humanity other vampires don’t. While the reason behind her humanity is eventually revealed, it doesn’t change the fact that a 16 year old vampire craved humanity and sought humans her age to explore this. If Lola had been as ugly as Frankenstein’s butchered monster, I wonder whether she would have been given the grace to explore her humanity as she was?

Another abiding theme in The Well of Souls is feminism, as found in the ultra strong Lola, able to take on physical and emotional challenges in order to save her newfound friends. Frankenstein doesn’t have the same level of strong female characters, but that’s due to the time it was written. The author, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, was an original feminist, refusing to cater to the expectations of society that didn’t view women as equals. Instead, she flouted convention again and again and wrote Frankenstein, the first science fiction novel, and inspiring a brand new genre of literature.

The Well of Souls has a kickass main heroine, though she is morally grey as they come, and delves into the concepts of humanity. I would like to think that Mary Shelley would approve.

The Well of Souls is on sale now, from now until the end of the month! Take advantage and check out the YA paranormal fantasy!

Buy it today

Over the past year, I have been on a haunted house kick. The reason? I’ve been writing a haunted house book! The third book in the Port of Lost Souls series is set in a turn-of-the-century mansion, and paranormal activity is off the charts. In every book in the series, my cast of misfit teens have to solve a paranormal mystery, and in The Below Stairs, they need to venture downstairs…and into the past…to discover what lurks inside the mysterious Seabourne Estate. Read the first one here: The Well of Souls.

What I love about haunted house horror is there is often an element of gaslighting ourselves – did I really just see that? We go out of our way to rationalize things that we see, or hear, that we can’t explain. But there’s always that sixth sense lingering at the back of our minds; wondering if there are more unexplained things out there than we’re willing to imagine.

I’ve never had a ghostly encounter (though ghosts scare the crap out of me), but I did once live in a house as a student that had super negative vibes. That creeping sense of dread? All the time, especially in the basement where I worked. It was not a healthy or happy time for all the residents in that house, and I wonder if I was just picking up on those out-of-control emotions. Or maybe, there was something else down there?

Is it a ghost or something else?

What I like about a haunted house book is that you’re often not quite sure if there is an element of paranormal, or if somebody’s messing with your mind. This is a pretty common trope; sometimes it plays with an element of descent into madness, as in the main character doesn’t trust their senses any more and can’t be sure of what they are experiencing.

For the record, I’m not saying which of these are paranormal, and which aren’t. You’ll have to read them to find out!

The Haunting of Hill House, by Shirley Jackson

Scary warning: The Haunting of Hill House is the kind of book that gets under your skin.

It creates its own darkness, a book like this. I expected doors to slam behind me and disembodied whispers to follow me. Words are powerful, and if you believe that, than you can believe that books can cause madness. Jackson’s books always toe that line, where not just the narrator but the reader herself questions her sanity.

The theme of a thing or place that causes madness is a common trope in horror, but rarely as well done as this. The house is a living, breathing character, and its dark humour follows nearly every scene in the book. The madness scares us because it happens gradually, insidiously, in a way that we believe it could happen to us too. We connect with Eleanor as the narrative voice, and are chilled when the house gloms on to her as its next victim. 


The descent into madness trope frightens the crap out of me because it seems more present, more real, than say, zombies. We fear losing our minds or our control over our thoughts more than anything, because that could actually happen.

White Smoke, by Tiffany D. Jackson

A fun clever psychological thriller. Marigold’s family is running away from her past – a former addict with panic issues. The newly blended diverse family has moved from California to small town Midwest in order to get a fresh start, only their new neighborhood of Maple Wood is dilapidated and full of suspicious neighbors.

The reader and Marigold both are trying to figure out what exactly is going on within the community, as well as whether or not their house is haunted and is her new stepsister maybe possessed? She’s also dealing with the addictions issues as best she can and fighting her attraction to all star gardener and one of the only boys in school.

The twist in the book is clever and interesting and has a lot to say about how black communities are treated and/or gaslit in this modern age. The set up was perfect and the commentary was very pointed.

Little Eve, by Catriona Ward

Little Eve is a gorgeously descriptive literary gothic tale, about a deeply eerie cult living on an island off the coast of Scotland. Catriona Ward is really making a name for herself with her dark bleak tales, but with characters that shine brightly with their curiosity and mesmerizing humanity in even the darkest circumstances.

Little Eve, along with her “family” prepare for the end of the world, when the great snake will destroy the world. But only one can survive the end. The question is who will live through the terrible forces of faith

While I took just a moment to settle into the book, once the story started going it really grabbed me, and I really sank down to the depths of this one. Truly a great read from a great talent.

The Death of Mrs Westaway, by Ruth Ware

The Death of Mrs. Westaway was the first Ruth Ware book I’ve read, but not the last (see below!). It was creepy, suspenseful and built up the tension to a fever pitch!

Hal is a tarot reader at the Brighton Pier, and she is barely making ends meet. When she receives a letter telling her that she’s come into a substantial inheritance, she decides to check it out, even though it couldn’t possibly be for her.

But when she makes it to the Gothic estate in Cornwall, Hal becomes deeply entangled with a twisted family full of secrets. I couldn’t put this one down! The setting was one of the best parts, perfectly spooky.

The Turn of the Key, by Ruth Ware

Told you I love Ruth Ware. I’m always into what she’s putting out there, and the settings throughout rural England and Scotland add to the sense of creeping decay.

This book is set in the Highlands, in a remote house that is half Victorian monstrosity, half glassed-in high-tech monstrosity, and all monster. New nanny Rowan Caine arrives to take care of four girls, ranging from 2 to 14 and quickly finds herself isolated and overwhelmed. Not just by the children, who range from tantrumy to hostile, but the smart house itself that seems out to get her. Not to mention the weird sounds coming from an attic that shouldn’t exist.

The story is told from Rowan’s perspective after a horrible incident happened, begging a lawyer to take on her case because she swears she wasn’t guilty – and the twists begin from there. There is one twist at the end that I wish had been a bit better developed. But, let me tell you, the very last twist, the one that ends the entire story, is a doozy. I actually squealed because it was so good. Highly recommended for a quick page-turner.

The Little Stranger, by Sarah Waters

Creep factor: this book had me glancing over my shoulder…a lot. The pervasive sense of dread absolutely crept into my daily life, which is obviously a sign of a master horror.

This novel was a tough one to get through. It was lovely, the writing was lyrical, but it was a slow build. And it was building towards an ending of unrelenting dread and desolation, with an unresolved ending that will leave you staring at the ceiling for several sleepness nights.

A rural doctor in Warwichshire becomes entangled in the lives of the Ayres family, who used to be country nobility. Since WWII, though, the aristocracy has lost most of the fortune and there is a steady movement towards progress and away from the lifestyle of the grand ancient families. The Ayres live in Hundred Halls, what was once a sweeping estate, now little more than a ruin on the edge of land that is continuously sold off in order for the family to survive.

Disturbing phenomena begin to affect the members of the household, some described as “a little stranger,” as one by one the family members are targeted. There is such horror in the devastation and rot that comes from a decaying class and those who can’t let go to their glory days. Whether this is a psychological suspense or a tale of a haunted house, or both, is up to the reader. It is evocative of the difficult times of post-war England.

The book is gorgeously written, but there is little levity in the mass of devastation. And whether or not the little stranger is a ghost or not, the ending left me absolutely haunted. Still think about this book years later.

Sentient Houses

I love me a sentient house! This often comes up in witchy novels, when the characters themselves are magic, and they interact with their house as a character. For me, it is especially fun when the house is one of the good guys. Both of these recommendations are by my top five favourite authors, both get five stars from me and I can’t tell you how much you should read them!

Ninth House, by Leigh Bardugo

In which Leigh Bardugo introduces one of my favourite badass characters of all time, Alex Stern. While reading this, all I could think is “Leigh Bardugo gets it.” She knows the score, she knows what life is like, and I love that so much. I’ve enjoyed her young adult novels before this, but Ninth House has sky-rocketed her up to one of my favourite authors. If I could say the absolute essence of this book in one line, it would be “woman finds her power.” And it is glorious.

Her challenges are messy and nasty and hard, and nobody has to fight harder than Alex. But she’s used to fighting. The forgotten loser from L.A., the girl who sees ghosts. She becomes a champion for forgotten women, the women who have been silenced and forced into obediency. I kept on fist-pumping every time Alex forgot to be awkward about not fitting in and instead was her own foul-mouthed, badass self who is absolutely going to make the baddies pay for what they’ve done, especially the ones who have never had to pay for a single thing in their entire life. I am here for whatever Alex Stern brings next!

Starling House, by Alix E. Harrow

Alix E. Harrow is one of my favourite authors of all time. Since I fell for Ten Thousand Doors of January and screamed through The Once and Future Witches (witches + suffragettes!) I absolutely can’t get enough of her.

Starling House is a creepy old manor has been hidden away in the forest for long decades, earning the derision and fear of the townfolk in Eden, Kentucky. The world Opal lives in is a grim one – orphaned a decade ago, she’s been living in a motel since then taking care of her little brother, determined to get him out of the dead-end town and the dead-end life they’ve ended up in. But at night, she dreams of things beyond her job at the hardware store – a house, that calls to her.

It builds up until she can no longer ignore the call to Starling House, and when she approaches, she finds it opens for her as easily as it kept everyone else out. There she meets Arthur, the scowling guardian of the house. And, as she realizes, guardian of far more than that.

Harrow’s writing is exceptional. I couldn’t stop reading this book – not for chores or the fact that I needed to get back to writing my own book. Opal is mean and tricky, and you love her and want so badly to protect her. Harrow can capture a character’s voice in just a few head-turning words: “I’m not truly tempted by the cold black of the water below—suicide is a folded hand and I’m no quitter.” Just dazzled by her turns of phrase.

The house itself is my favourite character. It needs and it loves as much as any person. And in the mix of Opal, and Arthur, and a sentient house, and a little brother who isn’t so little anymore, there is a cast of characters where the sum is greater than the parts.

It’s definitely a ghost and it is angry

But even creepier than a house that may or may not have a ghost … is one that definitely does. Read these for full chills.

The Woman in Black, by Susan Hill

Oh my goodness, truly frightening…if you’re willing to wait for the punchline. The Woman in Black is a classic haunted house horror, set in Edwardian England in a desolate moor, setting couldn’t be creepier.

Despite the house being absolutely haunted, I struggled to be truly scared… until the very end. The ending got me. It all wrapped up in a horrifying bow, and now I won’t be sleeping

It seems slow and a bit sleepy, but if you see this one to the end, it will get you too. Should I watch the movie? Don’t know if I can handle it!

The Spite House, by Johnny Compton

The set up for The Spite House is very well done – the mystery and spookiness laid out right away with Eric Ross, a man on the run with his daughters, although we don’t know what they’re running from.

They’re given the opportunity to stay free of charge, with a sizable paycheque afterwards) if Eric stays in the Spite House and records what happens there.

I ended up doing a deep dive into spite houses, which are a real thing – basically a house that is built or modified to piss people off. That is an expensive level of negativity, and I love the concept in this book that a house like that would attract malevolent energy.
It was thoroughly creepy – and the ending was satisfyingly vague for a book like this.

It Will Just Be Us, by Jo Kaplan

It Will Just Be Us is a garishly eerie tale set in the swamps of Virginia. This haunted book could fit into many categories: I debated about putting it in Gothics, as it descends into the murky territory of southern gothics, or Unique Concepts, as seen in the house that imprints all of its memories one over the other – so cool.

The Wakefield home has sat on the edge of the Great Dismal Swamp for centuries and the Wakefield girls always find their way back there. Sam is an archeologist and obsessed with the past of the swamp, perhaps more so because the house retains memories of all its occupants, playing out the past over and over in ghostly pantomimes. When her pregnant sister Elizabeth comes home to have her baby, a new figure begins to show up among the cast of ghost players – one that makes Sam question who – or what – Elizabeth is going to give birth to.

So utterly creepy! The end made me queasy with how grotesque it was, basically knowing what was going to happen but not able to look away. If that’s your jam, this is the book for you.

Gothic Darlings

Gothic literature grew out of the 18th century tradition of moody atmosphere, the pairing of terror with romance, and an obsession with death. So of course gothic novels and haunted houses go hand in hand. Here are some good ones!

The Silent Companions, by Laura Purcell

The Silent Companions was some spooky kind of fun. An isolated manor, haunted by wooden figures. Which maybe doesn’t seem that creepy, but when they are a cross between creepy dolls and paintings with eyes that follow you, and it’s a great set up for me never sleeping again!

Widowed Elsie is forced to see her pregnancy through at her husbands manor in the countryside, basically abandoned before they arrive. But she discovers there are strangers living there she doesn’t want to meet, in a house steeped in horrifying history.

Yes if you love gothic Victorian horror, no if you have a thing with dolls or paintings. Or maybe go for it, you do you.

The Thirteenth Tale, by Diane Sutterfield

If ever there was a book meant to be read on a dark and stormy night, it was this one. This book has everything: ghosts, mysterious fires, reclusive wealthy people, incest, insane asylums, twins’ secrets and secret twins. Margaret Lea, a young reclusive memoirist, is asked to write the biography of the most famous authors of all time, Vida Winters, herself a recluse as well. Curiousity drags Margaret out of her introverted shell and she travels to Winters’ chilly, and chilling, estate, to hear the promised last tale in a book of thirteen tales in which only twelve were ever published. The world is thirsting for that last tale, while Vida Winters prepares to make her last confession.

As with any good gothic tale, I spent a great deal of the story feeling uneasy, with a sort of dread creeping along through the narrative. In part, this is because both of the narrators (Margaret in ‘real time’ and Vida in the story within a story) may or may not be mad. It made the reading interesting and at times made me as the reader a little bit jittery.

At the mid-way point in the book, I couldn’t help but think narrator Margaret Lea was in serious need of therapy. Her obsession with her sister was certainly unhealthy, all the more so as she keeps her anguish hidden. Happily, there is a handsome doctor hanging about who takes an interest in her. After she collapses from spending a night out in the moors, he looks in on her. I initially did not love his diagnosis of her, that basically she reads Wuthering Heights too much and was too romantic. This is way too akin to the Victorian diagnosis of “hysteria” in a woman. However, his prescription was funny and appreciated: one dose of Arthur Conan Doyle a night.

I recommend it with all my heart if you love Jane Eyre or similar gothic novels. Above all, The Thirteenth Tale is a book for readers. If you exclaim over a beautifully turned phrase, this is probably the book for you. Recommended to be read in the autumn, in front of a fire with a hot cup of tea next to you.

The Death of Jane Lawrence, by Caitlin Starling

I will admit that the uber-creepy cover of The Death of Jane Lawrence pulled me into this book. A Gothic tale, set in a familiar yet fictional world, close to turn-of-the-20th-century, after a horrific war that involved gassing of populations (and harkens to WWI). I loved the dread and foretelling of this story, as well as the magic and occult ritual.

Jane is a practical creature who loves mathematics and accounting. An orphan, though well-cared for throughout her childhood, she now wants to get out of her guardian’s hair and therefore proposes marriage to the town doctor. He never seems incline to court the women of the town, so she figures he’s looking for an alternative arrangement to the typical one men and women choose.

Reluctantly the good doctor agrees, on one condition – she never come to his familial manor Lindridge Hall, but instead live at his clinic and do the books.

Jane swiftly discovers how alternative her new husband’s life is when she helps him in his surgery, and whispers of magic and horror linger in the air. Then she is forced by an accident to spend the night at Lindridge Hall, and she begins to uncover the secrets of her husband’s darkness.

The Witch of Willow Hall, by Hester Fox

The Witch of Willow Hall has all the trappings of a Gothic tale, with slow dread build-up and a healthy dose of the supernatural, as well as its fair share of romance.

It’s 1821, and the Montrose family has uprooted from Boston to a small settlement upriver, forced there by scandal. The well-to-do family is prepared to live out their shame away from the prying eyes of society, but tragedy follows them to Willow Hall. Lydia, along with her older sister Catherine and younger sister Emily, find themselves in a cold place with few male suitors (though Catherine does her best to throw herself at them all.)

Lydia feels like there is more to Willow Hall than what they can see, and so apparently does Emily because she begins to play with the ghosts on the property. We come to realize why Catherine is so desperate to find a man, while tragedy falls upon the family once again. Lydia, who is falling for her father’s business partner John, must choose what path her life will take – all depending on if she’s willing to follow the dangerous inheritance left her by her ancestors in Salem.

I enjoyed Willow Hall – with a caveat. I found that Lydia did a lot of wallowing alone in a spooky old hall, and not enough grabbing her destiny with two hands. This is pretty typical of your classic Gothic, but for a modern one I’d like to see her out there duelling for her future – not fainting away into strong arms, although I admit this is simply not done in 1821.

Unique Concepts

There were some creepy house stories that just stuck out for me by being so interesting, such unusual concepts, that I had to create a separate category for them. From a haunted retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses to a reimagined alternate reality London, these books blew me away by their spooky imaginative ideas.

House of Salt and Sorrows, by Erin A. Craig

The twelve daughters of the Duke of Highmoor are cursed, if their death rate is anything to go by. Annaleigh had been sixth in line, now second, and it’s hard to ignore the fact that it seems like every eldest daughter is being picked off one by one. As fishermen, god and kings make their way to the gothic shores of Highmoor Castle, she must figure out what forces are stalking her sisters – and the nature of the secret passages that lead them off their forsaken island to the most decadent courts in the land.

This hits all the beats of a good YA – sumptuous settings, masquerade balls and several hunky male leads to choose from (but which is the right one?) I found I enjoyed all the pages in this delightful retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses.

The Screaming Staircase, by Jonathan Stroud

I’ll admit, I watched the Netflix series before reading the book, but I found the pseudo-London dystopia to be so fascinating, I was compelled to start the series.

England has been drastically changed by “The Problem,” a drastic uptick in ghosts who can kill you with a touch. The whole world lives in fear from these monsters, and only children are psychically sensitive enough to face them.

Teens are trained as agents, essentially ghost hunters, and take on clients to rid their homes of problematic murderous ghosts. Enter Lucy Carlyle, a particularly powerful agent without an agency, and Lockwood, a broken agent with his own very problematic agency.

Together, along with curmudgeonly partner George, these misfit teens will take on all the ghosts in England – as well as the well-funded agencies. So satisfyingly spooky, can’t wait to read the next. The Lockwood & Co books are such fun upper middle grade. They have the right amount of spooky and fun, and the adventure is always pretty perfect.

I think what takes this series to next level is the world building. This London haunted by vicious ghosts, where children are entrusted to deal with the enemy, it is so cool. I’m intrigued by the world and want to know the at the heart of it cause of the Problem.

The Book of Accidents, by Chuck Wendig

Nate and Maddie move into Nate’s childhood home, where he used to live with his abusive father. Maddie has her own secrets from her childhood, and their son, Oliver, is special – an empath who can actually visualize pain inside people. But they do not find a happy home there, but more and more spookiness. Not to mention the unbelievably creepy Ramble Rocks park nearby, where a serial killer once played.

It begins with that creeping sense that not all is okay in small-town America. Wendig does dread excellently, à la King. And then all horror breaks loose, and take a turn into the science fiction with alternate universes and time travel. There is SO MUCH going on here, and yet Wendig does a masterful job of tying every part of it together. Like, I was fist-pumping sometimes when I realized how a certain plot point tied into everything else, but it could be that I’m a giant writing nerd.

Middle Grade

Some of the best, more imaginative horror out there belongs to the middle grade category. You might think middle grade isn’t right for horror, but you would wrong (I have a whole blog about it here!) These are some of my favourites that involve a haunted house.

The Clackity, by Lora Senf

Ever since a fire destroyed her house and her parents disappeared without a trace, Evie Von Rathe has lived with her Aunt Desdemona in Blight Harbor, the 7th most haunted town in America. Ghosts and creatures might be a part of the landscape, but when her aunt disappears inside an abandoned slaughterhouse on the edge of town, Evie must muster all her courage to find her.

She meets The Clackity, a creature of arms and teeth who lives in the darkness, and makes a bargain with him – her aunt for the ghost of John Jeffery Pope, a serial killer who murdered people in the slaughterhouse more than a century ago. She agrees and descends into a nightmarish neighbourhood where she must face terror after terror, learning exactly how brave she truly can be.

The Clackity is the representative of middle grade horror, I think, and boy is it spooky. I actually read this one chapter by chapter to my youngest, and was unsure if it was appropriate (I’m still not actually sure – I mean, I’m explaining to her what serial killers are …) but she loved it. She’d beg me for just one more chapter, then make me stay with her until she fell asleep because it was spooky.

Coraline, by Neil Gaiman

Coraline Jones moves into a new house. Bored to death of her parents who never pay attention to her, she goes exploring. She discovers 13 doors that open and close, and one that is locked.

Once she finds the key and passes through the door, she find herself in a flat just like her own, only different. Her parents are there, only different. And it seems like they want her to stay forever.

This tale for all ages is a chilling one, and it’s about bravery, because courage isn’t about not being afraid, but doing the right thing even though you are afraid. A perfect children’s book about passing through a door to another world, and a perfect book for all ages about plucking up our courage to face the things that scare us the most.

Stay spooky, my book loving friends! Post your favourite haunted house book (or any horror) so I can go out and read them.

[image error]Pexels.com" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/cordeliakelly.com/w..." data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/cordeliakelly.com/w..." tabindex="0" role="button" src="https://i0.wp.com/cordeliakelly.com/w..." alt="" class="wp-image-3930" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/cordeliakelly.com/w... 683w, https://i0.wp.com/cordeliakelly.com/w... 200w, https://i0.wp.com/cordeliakelly.com/w... 100w, https://i0.wp.com/cordeliakelly.com/w... 768w, https://i0.wp.com/cordeliakelly.com/w... 666w, https://i0.wp.com/cordeliakelly.com/w... 867w" sizes="(max-width: 676px) 100vw, 676px" />

The Sibyl and the Thief, my most recent YA fantasy novel, has released this week and is now available to purchase!

Where to find it?

Amazon Canada

Amazon US

Kindle edition

Barnes & Noble

About The Sibyl and the Thief

A girl cursed with invisibility, a blind weaver who sees more than she should, an immortal sorceress with power matched only by her ambition, and a pagan woodland god with secrets of his own. One will destroy the world; one will save it.

Sabine Gillesella has betrayed her people by working as a spy for Duke Aurich, the most powerful man in a fading kingdom. But now she has been cursed with invisibility and her time is running out before she fades away completely. When she meets Anora, a blind orphan who swears she knows how to help her, Sabine must follow her through a haunted forest, or risk losing more than her life.

Bound by fate, Sabine and Anora uncover truths that challenge their very identities, revealing a destiny greater than they ever believed. As the world crumbles around them, they must summon the courage to weave the fabric of the realms back together and restore balance to a land on the brink of collapse.

The Sibyl and the Thief has also been chosen to be showcased in the exclusive Kirkus Reviews Magazine! Don’t miss out on getting it today!

What people are saying

The story continues to dish out startling plot turns (not just in the final act) before reaching an unforgettable open ending. Dynamic characters galvanize this entertaining, well-paced magical tale.

—Kirkus Reviews

This book has fantastic adventures, romance and an excellent storyline. I recommend this book to fantasy readers.

—Reader

The emotional depth and engaging story kept me hooked.
It’s always a mark of a great book when it can make you sacrifice sleep!

—Reader

It is a spellbinding experience, very engaging, making me laugh at funny moments and hold my breath during tense ones. I love the writing style, the memorable characters, the great plot, and how everything is interconnected with purpose.

—Reader

If you love fantasy adventures with strong characters and a gripping plot, “The Sibyl and the Thief” is an excellent choice!

—Reader

I enjoyed the romance and the action, but my favorite part was how it all came together at the end, my questions answered, and yet I want to read it again to see the entire puzzle as a whole.

—Reader

Other books by Cordelia Kelly

The Well of Souls

Then She Said Hush

Hello book lovers! A quick note to let you all know that my novel, The Well of Souls, has launched and is available to the world. It’s a YA paranormal fantasy about a treasure-hunting vampire, and reviews have been calling it a fresh spin on teen vampires.

The book is available for sale now at Amazon, Barnes&Noble, Kobo, and most other book selling platforms! Thank you so much for your support—and if you read the book, please leave a review or get in touch with me directly! I love to hear from you and get all the feedback.

“An imaginative take on the teen-vampire trope with plenty of action and romance and a compelling antihero.”

Our Verdict: Get It

Kirkus Reviews

If you’d like a preview of The Well of Souls, please check out the first chapter of the book:

TheWellofSoulsFirstChapDownload

An enormous thank you to everyone who has supported me on this journey to get my book baby published. And what a ride it’s been! Last week we had a rockin’ launch party at Blowers&Grafton, as a nod to the East Coast setting of the book, and what a great time we all had! Photos will be coming soon—but if you missed this party and you’re in the Calgary area, don’t fret. I have another book, and another launch party, coming out in the fall!

I’ve had a huge week and have to share my wonderful news.

First things first, a heads up to my friends who subscribe to my newsletter: I’ve changed my server name, to make things more secure , so it may be my latest newsletter needs to be fished out of a spam folder. It’s under the email cordeliakelly@cordeliakelly.com. If you find this, click on “this isn’t spam” to make sure you’re getting them!

If you’re not yet subscribed to my newsletter, might I suggest you make the leap today? I send out my newsletter monthly, and include some fun links and articles, a book review, a recipe, as well as news on the book industry. You’ll also be the first to get any new content for my books, and a copy of my short story collection Then She Said Hush. Check it out now!

Now to the awesomeness: A few months ago I submitted my novel The Well of Souls to the Kirkus Reviews. They are the publishing industry gold standard when it comes to professional editorial reviews. They are very expensive, and known to be brutally honest – as in, you are as likely to be evicerated than get a thumbs up. They are objective across the board – indie authors are treated no different from the best-selling authors, everybody trembles when their review comes in.

So it is with delight that I received an excellent review from them. For an indie author with her debut book, this is a huge deal for me! They even gave me the accolades of Our Verdict: Get It – which is rare. It’s a sign of confidence in me as a writer and I am so thankful to have gotten this.

“Kelly manages to imbue Lola with the lofty air of an old vampire and the surliness of a teenager in equal measure—an unlikely combination that will surely endear her to readers. In a YA paranormal/supernatural genre that can be overcrowded, Kelly includes enough unique details—such as Lola’s surprising skin care routine—to differentiate this book from the vampire-novel rabble … An imaginative take on the teen-vampire trope with plenty of action and romance and a compelling antihero.”

Our Verdict: Get It —Kirkus Review

If you want to read the full review (then got lost for hours in their never-ending scroll), check it out here: Kirkus Review Cordelia Kelly

The book is available for presale on Amazon and Barnes & Noble (and also not-so-secretly the paperback is already available on Amazon here, so if you’re dying to get your hands on it, check it out here)