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Scareground
Roll up, roll up, the Scareground is in town!
Twelve-year-old Nancy Crumpet lives above a bakery and her life is a delightful mix of flour, salt, and love.
Yet her mind is brimming with questions no one can answer: Why did her birth parents disappear? Why can she speak with the sky? And why must she keep her mysterious birthmark hidden?
Everything changes when the Scareground returns to Greenwich. When Nancy and her best friend meet the fair's spooky owner, Skelter, and discover a world full of dark magic and mystery, she must confront her greatest fears to get to the truth. But is Nancy ready for the secrets the Scareground will reveal?
Recently longlisted for the Historical Association Young Quills Award for best historical children's fiction.
Twelve-year-old Nancy Crumpet lives above a bakery and her life is a delightful mix of flour, salt, and love.
Yet her mind is brimming with questions no one can answer: Why did her birth parents disappear? Why can she speak with the sky? And why must she keep her mysterious birthmark hidden?
Everything changes when the Scareground returns to Greenwich. When Nancy and her best friend meet the fair's spooky owner, Skelter, and discover a world full of dark magic and mystery, she must confront her greatest fears to get to the truth. But is Nancy ready for the secrets the Scareground will reveal?
Recently longlisted for the Historical Association Young Quills Award for best historical children's fiction.
Paperback
Published June 1, 2024
6 people are currently reading
89 people want to read
About the author
Angela Kecojevic
13 books9 followersI write children’s books and YA science fiction. I teach creative writing to children and I'm also a school librarian. Scareground was longlisted for the Historical Associations Young Quills Award.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
September 12, 2023
In a Nutshell: A spooky middle-grade fantasy set in a fair. Has myriad kinds of magical elements, some of which are captivating. Good for the target age group.
Story Synopsis:
Bookish Yays:
💐 Nancy as the lead character. I’m all for girls who break the gender barrier in fiction, and Nancy is a great addition to this list. Within the restrictions of her skirts and petticoats, she loves to jump over rooftops and clamber down drainpipes. I loved her gutsiness (and her “sneeze bombs”!)
💐 Arthur and Nancy are opposites in many ways, and yet the best of friends. Their connection doesn’t feel forced at any point, regardless of the disparity of financial and familial circumstances. I appreciated how their fondness for adventure circumvented all other potential hurdles in their friendship.
💐 The main antagonist, Skelter Tombola (That name is so creepy!), is really good at being bad. Right from his appearance to this spooky smile to his bizarre affinity towards spreading fear, he is an apt villain for a middle-grade novel. (He would also make a great character in a Tim Burton movie.)
💐 Some of the secondary characters are suitably quirky.
💐 The story highlights the thin line that exists between fear and excitement. I enjoyed how it depicted the way one person’s adventure could be another one’s nightmare. Positive and negative emotions are often two sides of the same coin, and this comes out well through various scenes.
💐 Quite a few aspects connected to the Scareground elevate the spook factor of the story. The mysterious black balloons, the raven feathers, the ghostly rides, the sinister music, the strange shadows – all create the perfect atmosphere for a dark fantasy.
Bookish Mixed Bags:
🌹 Nancy has a special ability of talking to the sky and the wind, and they actually respond to her. This is quite unique a propensity, and I love how it is utilised in the story. However, the whats and whys of this skill aren’t explored in detail. The ending gives vibes of a sequel explaining this talent of Nancy’s, but I wish some light had been shed on it within this story itself.
🌹 The start of the book is somewhat slow, though we get enough of tantalising clues to keep us invested in the upcoming scareground fair. But the real action pops up only towards the final quarter. The wait is long, but worthwhile.
🌹 The horror and mystery elements are supposed to be the highlight of the story. While the horror angle had some bite to it courtesy Tombola and his ‘macabre’ friends, the mystery didn’t offer much to dig into and was quite guessable. (Though younger MG readers hopefully wont figure things out so easily.)
Bookish Nays:
🌵 The book explores quite varied elements of fantasy, ranging from the occult, illusions, natural magical talent, cheap tricks, and so on. However, this gives the fantastical world a somewhat disjointed feel, as the focus is more on diversity than depth. I enjoyed the magical parts in bits and pieces, but found them a tad cluttered on the whole.
All in all, the book does have much to offer to its little readers. While I found the magical world a little unstructured, I still liked brave Nancy and Arthur, and their strong friendship. If this is indeed meant to be a series, I hope the upcoming sequels explore Nancy’s magical talents more, as those were the USP of the story.
Recommended to middle-grade readers of dark fantasy.
3 stars.
My thanks to TheWriteReads, Neem Tree Press, and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of “Scareground”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
Story Synopsis:
Twelve-year-old Nancy Crumpet has lived in Greenwich all her life, with Pa and Ma Crumpet. (What adorable names for bakers!) Though a foster child, Nancy is treated with kindness and love. She knows that she is expected to help the Crumpets out in their bakery, though her heart isn’t in this work. She longs to know more about her birth parents, about why the sky and the wind seem to respond to her, about why she has a strange birthmark on her arm…
When Nancy and her best friend Arthur hear about the ‘Scareground’ returning to Greenwich after more than a decade, the duo know that they will visit the fair no matter what. Unknown to Arthur, Nancy has a secret agenda: she wishes to meet the fair’s eerie owner, Skelter Tombola. Why? Read and find out.
The story is written in Nancy’s third person limited perspective.
Bookish Yays:
💐 Nancy as the lead character. I’m all for girls who break the gender barrier in fiction, and Nancy is a great addition to this list. Within the restrictions of her skirts and petticoats, she loves to jump over rooftops and clamber down drainpipes. I loved her gutsiness (and her “sneeze bombs”!)
💐 Arthur and Nancy are opposites in many ways, and yet the best of friends. Their connection doesn’t feel forced at any point, regardless of the disparity of financial and familial circumstances. I appreciated how their fondness for adventure circumvented all other potential hurdles in their friendship.
💐 The main antagonist, Skelter Tombola (That name is so creepy!), is really good at being bad. Right from his appearance to this spooky smile to his bizarre affinity towards spreading fear, he is an apt villain for a middle-grade novel. (He would also make a great character in a Tim Burton movie.)
💐 Some of the secondary characters are suitably quirky.
💐 The story highlights the thin line that exists between fear and excitement. I enjoyed how it depicted the way one person’s adventure could be another one’s nightmare. Positive and negative emotions are often two sides of the same coin, and this comes out well through various scenes.
💐 Quite a few aspects connected to the Scareground elevate the spook factor of the story. The mysterious black balloons, the raven feathers, the ghostly rides, the sinister music, the strange shadows – all create the perfect atmosphere for a dark fantasy.
Bookish Mixed Bags:
🌹 Nancy has a special ability of talking to the sky and the wind, and they actually respond to her. This is quite unique a propensity, and I love how it is utilised in the story. However, the whats and whys of this skill aren’t explored in detail. The ending gives vibes of a sequel explaining this talent of Nancy’s, but I wish some light had been shed on it within this story itself.
🌹 The start of the book is somewhat slow, though we get enough of tantalising clues to keep us invested in the upcoming scareground fair. But the real action pops up only towards the final quarter. The wait is long, but worthwhile.
🌹 The horror and mystery elements are supposed to be the highlight of the story. While the horror angle had some bite to it courtesy Tombola and his ‘macabre’ friends, the mystery didn’t offer much to dig into and was quite guessable. (Though younger MG readers hopefully wont figure things out so easily.)
Bookish Nays:
🌵 The book explores quite varied elements of fantasy, ranging from the occult, illusions, natural magical talent, cheap tricks, and so on. However, this gives the fantastical world a somewhat disjointed feel, as the focus is more on diversity than depth. I enjoyed the magical parts in bits and pieces, but found them a tad cluttered on the whole.
All in all, the book does have much to offer to its little readers. While I found the magical world a little unstructured, I still liked brave Nancy and Arthur, and their strong friendship. If this is indeed meant to be a series, I hope the upcoming sequels explore Nancy’s magical talents more, as those were the USP of the story.
Recommended to middle-grade readers of dark fantasy.
3 stars.
My thanks to TheWriteReads, Neem Tree Press, and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of “Scareground”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
August 7, 2024
Scareground by Angela Kecojevic
4.5/5 stars
Scareground completely stole my heart. From the first page onwards I was swept up in Nancy Crumpet's story and it held me tight all the way through. I am a sucker for middle grade books and this one is such a good one! If you love middle grade and creepy books then this book is definitely for you!
Nancy Crumpet lives with Pa en Ma Crumpet. They adopted her as a baby and she works at the bakery. Nancy reads in the local paper that the Tombola Fair is coming to town. And she and her best friend Arthur are dying to go. The fair is called Scareground and not for the faint of heart.
The town is excited but some people are a little hesitant. Florence Witherby is convinced there are ghosts in Oxleas Woods where the fair is gonna settle.
Nancy is also a gifted girl. She is able to read and influence the sky. The Sky is besides Arther her biggest friend and confidant. She sees her parents as the brightest stars in the sky and I love her connection with the sky and its elements.
But things get strange when Nancy finds a note that warns her to stay away from the fair. And when she finds a paper in a curiosity shop she reads that 12 years ago the Tombola Fair had a fatal accident. Skelter Tombola's brother and sister-in-law died in a fire. And a baby was found in a wagon. And that sets her mind spinning in overdrive.
She must go to the fair. And she and Arthur are both lucky and blessed enough to have caught a black balloon with a feather that is the access card to the fair. And when they arrive. Things get creepier and creepier. Who are the boys that scare the crowd? And what are those shadows crawling around? And why is Skelter so mysterious?
I loved the entire journey Nancy went on. And the character arc of Skelter was absolutely brilliant. I did feel it coming a mile away. But I still loved it to pieces.
I also adore Nancy and Arthur's friendship. And how good and kind the Crumpet's are.
Such a brilliant book. 4.5 huge stars from me for this beauty!
4.5/5 stars
Scareground completely stole my heart. From the first page onwards I was swept up in Nancy Crumpet's story and it held me tight all the way through. I am a sucker for middle grade books and this one is such a good one! If you love middle grade and creepy books then this book is definitely for you!
Nancy Crumpet lives with Pa en Ma Crumpet. They adopted her as a baby and she works at the bakery. Nancy reads in the local paper that the Tombola Fair is coming to town. And she and her best friend Arthur are dying to go. The fair is called Scareground and not for the faint of heart.
The town is excited but some people are a little hesitant. Florence Witherby is convinced there are ghosts in Oxleas Woods where the fair is gonna settle.
Nancy is also a gifted girl. She is able to read and influence the sky. The Sky is besides Arther her biggest friend and confidant. She sees her parents as the brightest stars in the sky and I love her connection with the sky and its elements.
But things get strange when Nancy finds a note that warns her to stay away from the fair. And when she finds a paper in a curiosity shop she reads that 12 years ago the Tombola Fair had a fatal accident. Skelter Tombola's brother and sister-in-law died in a fire. And a baby was found in a wagon. And that sets her mind spinning in overdrive.
She must go to the fair. And she and Arthur are both lucky and blessed enough to have caught a black balloon with a feather that is the access card to the fair. And when they arrive. Things get creepier and creepier. Who are the boys that scare the crowd? And what are those shadows crawling around? And why is Skelter so mysterious?
I loved the entire journey Nancy went on. And the character arc of Skelter was absolutely brilliant. I did feel it coming a mile away. But I still loved it to pieces.
I also adore Nancy and Arthur's friendship. And how good and kind the Crumpet's are.
Such a brilliant book. 4.5 huge stars from me for this beauty!
August 3, 2024
An atmospheric and eerie fiction book for pre-teens and early teen readers. Set in Victorian London, a fairground arrives in town, but the adults seem more fearful than excited. Orphan Nancy is drawn to its excitement and promised thrills and discovers dark magic looms amongst the rides. The frightful owner, Skelter harbours dark secrets and dark intentions. Nancy's life has been shrouded in loss and secrecy, and that is all about to change with her fateful encounter with the scareground. #thescareground #angelakecojevic #TheWriteReads #neemtreepress
September 9, 2023
From the very beginning, I knew that Scareground was going to be an enjoyable read. The story begins with Nancy Crumpet, climbing the rooftops of Greenwich. The fair is coming to town, and Ma and Pa Crumpet are acting very strangely, and refusing to let her go. But Nancy’s digging in to why they are so afraid of the fair brings up more questions than it answers.
There’s a really interesting bunch of characters in this story. Nancy and her background are super interesting, and I love her ability to read/control the weather. Her friendship with Arthur is lovely, and I think they really need each other. Then you have the fair employees… With differing abilities and personalities, they all had me intrigued, but Skelter Tombola of course was the star of the show.
The fair itself sounds incredible, and a little bit terrifying, but certainly somewhere I’d like to visit. I love a good thrill ride, and the rides at the Scareground sound like the best of the best. The creepy horror element is my favourite part of it all.
As the ghosts of Nancy’s past comes to light, there’s a much more sinister turn to the story which I really enjoyed. It got dark, and dangerous, and impossible to put down, coming together in an exciting, heart stopping showdown. With an ending that sets you up perfectly for a sequel, I can not wait to see how this story continues.
I give Scareground a 4 star rating!
There’s a really interesting bunch of characters in this story. Nancy and her background are super interesting, and I love her ability to read/control the weather. Her friendship with Arthur is lovely, and I think they really need each other. Then you have the fair employees… With differing abilities and personalities, they all had me intrigued, but Skelter Tombola of course was the star of the show.
The fair itself sounds incredible, and a little bit terrifying, but certainly somewhere I’d like to visit. I love a good thrill ride, and the rides at the Scareground sound like the best of the best. The creepy horror element is my favourite part of it all.
As the ghosts of Nancy’s past comes to light, there’s a much more sinister turn to the story which I really enjoyed. It got dark, and dangerous, and impossible to put down, coming together in an exciting, heart stopping showdown. With an ending that sets you up perfectly for a sequel, I can not wait to see how this story continues.
I give Scareground a 4 star rating!
July 11, 2024
Book source ~ TWR Tour
When 12-yr-old Nancy was a baby she was adopted by the Crumpets. They are bakers and they live above their bakery. Nancy loves them, but wonders where she came from, who her parents are, and why the Sky talks to her. When the Scareground returns to Greenwich, Nancy pieces together a bunch of clues and decides she needs to go to it even if the Crumpets have forbidden it. With her best friend, Arthur Green, at her side, she can do anything. But is the Scareground going to prove their undoing?
Ooooh! Spooky, mysterious, and just a bit dangerous makes this a perfect tale for a reader with a sense of adventure, whimsy, and imagination. Nancy and Arthur are great characters inhabiting a creative world I’m glad I entered. I love that Nancy talks with the Sky and the Sky “talks” back. That Arthur is smart and supportive yet has things he is dealing with though that doesn’t stop him from enjoying time with his best friend. The kids could be obnoxious in their actions, but they aren’t.
Scareground leans toward horror without actually being horrifying and in trying to find her origins, Nancy learns more than she bargained for, but that’s what makes this a compelling read. Live, learn, and grow. We should all take a page from Nancy’s book.
When 12-yr-old Nancy was a baby she was adopted by the Crumpets. They are bakers and they live above their bakery. Nancy loves them, but wonders where she came from, who her parents are, and why the Sky talks to her. When the Scareground returns to Greenwich, Nancy pieces together a bunch of clues and decides she needs to go to it even if the Crumpets have forbidden it. With her best friend, Arthur Green, at her side, she can do anything. But is the Scareground going to prove their undoing?
Ooooh! Spooky, mysterious, and just a bit dangerous makes this a perfect tale for a reader with a sense of adventure, whimsy, and imagination. Nancy and Arthur are great characters inhabiting a creative world I’m glad I entered. I love that Nancy talks with the Sky and the Sky “talks” back. That Arthur is smart and supportive yet has things he is dealing with though that doesn’t stop him from enjoying time with his best friend. The kids could be obnoxious in their actions, but they aren’t.
Scareground leans toward horror without actually being horrifying and in trying to find her origins, Nancy learns more than she bargained for, but that’s what makes this a compelling read. Live, learn, and grow. We should all take a page from Nancy’s book.
September 14, 2023
Nancy Crumpet is a girl at home on the rooftops of Greenwich and with her family of baker parents. She knows she is adopted but when black balloons, raven feathers and music only she can hear arrive in town, she begins to realise that maybe they didn’t tell her the truth about her origins.
Along with her friend, Arthur, Nancy gets a ticket to the mysterious Scareground and although she’s made a promise to stay away it’s one she simply can’t keep when the truth is out there on the wind.
Author Angela Kecojevic has created a perfect spooky middle grade read with sumptuous writing. The descriptions leap off the page and the scares leap out at the scareground’s participants. It’s not too frightening for the reader but, as the book describes the Scareground, it is macabre. I think this would make a marvellous Tim Burton cartoon.
But are the scares as innocent as they seem and are the enigmatic Skeltor and his fairground crew to be trusted? After all the fair takes in boys that are otherwise unwanted. Waltzer, Shy, Racer and Dodge remind me of Fagin’s boys but they deal with illusion rather than thievery.
Without giving things away, and probably because people reading this will be too young to remember, but this gives me the same vibes as one of the 80s Care Bears Movies. But there are no Care Bears here to save the day it’s up to Nancy and Arthur and the Sky!
Love that this is all wrapped up but with the promise of a new adventure. I think our protagonists are ready to tackle the next one.
Huge thanks to The Write Reads tours and Neem Press for the gifted copy. Opinions are, as ever, my own.
Along with her friend, Arthur, Nancy gets a ticket to the mysterious Scareground and although she’s made a promise to stay away it’s one she simply can’t keep when the truth is out there on the wind.
Author Angela Kecojevic has created a perfect spooky middle grade read with sumptuous writing. The descriptions leap off the page and the scares leap out at the scareground’s participants. It’s not too frightening for the reader but, as the book describes the Scareground, it is macabre. I think this would make a marvellous Tim Burton cartoon.
But are the scares as innocent as they seem and are the enigmatic Skeltor and his fairground crew to be trusted? After all the fair takes in boys that are otherwise unwanted. Waltzer, Shy, Racer and Dodge remind me of Fagin’s boys but they deal with illusion rather than thievery.
Without giving things away, and probably because people reading this will be too young to remember, but this gives me the same vibes as one of the 80s Care Bears Movies. But there are no Care Bears here to save the day it’s up to Nancy and Arthur and the Sky!
Love that this is all wrapped up but with the promise of a new adventure. I think our protagonists are ready to tackle the next one.
Huge thanks to The Write Reads tours and Neem Press for the gifted copy. Opinions are, as ever, my own.
August 27, 2023
Deliciously spooky MG novel that I would describe as Rooftoppers meets The Night Circus. You can read my full review here: http://vsviewfromthebookshelves.home....
August 23, 2023
Really enjoyed this spooky story. It is going to be perfect for the Halloween season!
Nancy lives at the bakery with Ma and Pa Crumpet. Nancy knows she is adopted but also knows she is very loved - from her flame red hair down to her rooftop steady feet and including the horse shaped, silver birthmark on her wrist. Although Nancy loves Ma and Pa and their life in the bakery - she is never more at home than skipping across the town's rooftops close to her friend the sky. Somehow, Nancy seems able to comunicate with the sky and it's very much a two way conversation! The children of the village are not kind to Nancy and she only has one other friend apart from the sky - Arthur, the doctors son.
One evening, after dealing out a little home made mischief to a grouchy neighbour via her chimneypot, Nancy spies a lone, black balloon bobbing along as if it had a purpose...and, of course, she wants to know where it came from and where it's going. From out of nowhere, Nancy hears fairground music in the air. She can virtually taste the clandy floss and treacle toffee and hear the movement of the rides. But she is shaken from her thoughts of the fairground when something sinister whizzes and hisses around her. The balloon spirals down to the ground surrounded by black feathers. As the first feather touches the ground, the music stops and the balloon disappears,'in a storm of darkness that whispers, scareground, scareground, scareground...'
Tombola Skelter's (what a name?!) fairground was unlike any other and although lots of the village families scramble to catch the black balloons with feathers attached - that were to be the admittance ticket to the fair -Ma and Pa Crumpet seemed very afraid and made Nancy promise that she would never go near the fair.
Can Nancy keep her promise? Will she discover more about the silver birthmark? Will her friendship with Arthur be strong enough to pull each other through the adventure that is to come?!
The Victorian world that Angela Kecojevic has created is so well described and has just the right amount of spook and creep so as to keep the nine to eleven year olds (or fifty-nine year olds!) eager for the next chapter without keeping them up at night! Nancy, Arthur, and the other friends they make along the way, have you rooting for them.
This page turner would be great for those who loved Fear Ground or The Weather Weaver.
Nancy lives at the bakery with Ma and Pa Crumpet. Nancy knows she is adopted but also knows she is very loved - from her flame red hair down to her rooftop steady feet and including the horse shaped, silver birthmark on her wrist. Although Nancy loves Ma and Pa and their life in the bakery - she is never more at home than skipping across the town's rooftops close to her friend the sky. Somehow, Nancy seems able to comunicate with the sky and it's very much a two way conversation! The children of the village are not kind to Nancy and she only has one other friend apart from the sky - Arthur, the doctors son.
One evening, after dealing out a little home made mischief to a grouchy neighbour via her chimneypot, Nancy spies a lone, black balloon bobbing along as if it had a purpose...and, of course, she wants to know where it came from and where it's going. From out of nowhere, Nancy hears fairground music in the air. She can virtually taste the clandy floss and treacle toffee and hear the movement of the rides. But she is shaken from her thoughts of the fairground when something sinister whizzes and hisses around her. The balloon spirals down to the ground surrounded by black feathers. As the first feather touches the ground, the music stops and the balloon disappears,'in a storm of darkness that whispers, scareground, scareground, scareground...'
Tombola Skelter's (what a name?!) fairground was unlike any other and although lots of the village families scramble to catch the black balloons with feathers attached - that were to be the admittance ticket to the fair -Ma and Pa Crumpet seemed very afraid and made Nancy promise that she would never go near the fair.
Can Nancy keep her promise? Will she discover more about the silver birthmark? Will her friendship with Arthur be strong enough to pull each other through the adventure that is to come?!
The Victorian world that Angela Kecojevic has created is so well described and has just the right amount of spook and creep so as to keep the nine to eleven year olds (or fifty-nine year olds!) eager for the next chapter without keeping them up at night! Nancy, Arthur, and the other friends they make along the way, have you rooting for them.
This page turner would be great for those who loved Fear Ground or The Weather Weaver.
August 19, 2023
A marvellous adventure - with mystery and illusion. Well, is it illusion, perhaps it's actually magic?
Set in Victorian England, this story follows Nancy. Nancy is lonely - but with the news of a fair coming to the woods she is intrigued. Especially when her family forbid that she attends.
Suspense and magic, with a dash of fear! Are you ready to be scared? Then find your ticket and get prepared to be scared!
Set in Victorian England, this story follows Nancy. Nancy is lonely - but with the news of a fair coming to the woods she is intrigued. Especially when her family forbid that she attends.
Suspense and magic, with a dash of fear! Are you ready to be scared? Then find your ticket and get prepared to be scared!
September 20, 2023
Okay,
Where do I start?
There are so many things that I could say about this book. For one how much it surprised me. If I’m being honest I wasn’t going to sign up for this blog tour as the word horror put me off. But I read the synopsis and it did catch my interest. The fact that it was middle grade may have been the thing that swayed me to pick this up the most though.
As for what I thought about the book itself, the first thing I have to say is that the atmosphere is incredible! Angela did an amazing job at creating a mystery and eerie ness surrounding the scareground. It felt like a real place to me I could picture it so well. I just had to find out more and I was on the edge of my seat for near enough the entirety of the book, so much so I couldn’t put it down. I remember sitting down to read a few chapters and ended up reading about 12 hehe.
Nancy was a really interesting character who wants to know the secrets of her past and where she comes from. She has two best friends one of them is Arthur, who was a good friend to Nancy and the other is the sky, which I found so interesting and I hope we get more on that in the second book (I hope there is a second book?!) I also loved that we get to discover the secrets surrounding Nancy’s childhood with her, but the more she digs, the more questions that arise and I just kept flipping the pages so fast.
I really enjoyed the ending and like I said, I hope there is a book 2 because I need to know more! If you love middle grade horror that has great characters, lots of atmosphere, and a mystery that makes you constantly flip the pages then you should pick up scareground. In fact even if it doesn’t immediately sound like something you would pick up (like I did), you should still pick this up. You won’t be disappointed, it is a book that can be enjoyed by anyone of any age and I hope it captivates you like it did me.
Privacy Settings
ROLL UP, ROLL UP! Welcome to the Scareground, watch out for the slugs!
Where do I start?
There are so many things that I could say about this book. For one how much it surprised me. If I’m being honest I wasn’t going to sign up for this blog tour as the word horror put me off. But I read the synopsis and it did catch my interest. The fact that it was middle grade may have been the thing that swayed me to pick this up the most though.
As for what I thought about the book itself, the first thing I have to say is that the atmosphere is incredible! Angela did an amazing job at creating a mystery and eerie ness surrounding the scareground. It felt like a real place to me I could picture it so well. I just had to find out more and I was on the edge of my seat for near enough the entirety of the book, so much so I couldn’t put it down. I remember sitting down to read a few chapters and ended up reading about 12 hehe.
Nancy was a really interesting character who wants to know the secrets of her past and where she comes from. She has two best friends one of them is Arthur, who was a good friend to Nancy and the other is the sky, which I found so interesting and I hope we get more on that in the second book (I hope there is a second book?!) I also loved that we get to discover the secrets surrounding Nancy’s childhood with her, but the more she digs, the more questions that arise and I just kept flipping the pages so fast.
I really enjoyed the ending and like I said, I hope there is a book 2 because I need to know more! If you love middle grade horror that has great characters, lots of atmosphere, and a mystery that makes you constantly flip the pages then you should pick up scareground. In fact even if it doesn’t immediately sound like something you would pick up (like I did), you should still pick this up. You won’t be disappointed, it is a book that can be enjoyed by anyone of any age and I hope it captivates you like it did me.
Privacy Settings
ROLL UP, ROLL UP! Welcome to the Scareground, watch out for the slugs!
October 23, 2023
Such a cute new series full of creepiness and delight…. Loved the idea of the scareground and everything it brought but more I loved the idea of Nancy being able to talk to the sky.
Can’t wait for the next book in the series.
Can’t wait for the next book in the series.
August 4, 2024
Thank you to The Write Reads and the publisher for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions contained within are my own.
I’ve always been a fan of a good, spooky read. Even as a kid, though fantasy has always been my favorite genre, I gravitated towards books that leaned towards the macabre. That’s why it makes me so happy to see the wide variety of spooky books written for a middle grade audience these days! I feel like there weren’t nearly as many when I was young, though perhaps I just wasn’t exposed to them as much as I wanted to be. That being said, when I saw the tour for Scareground announced, I knew I wanted to jump on-board!
This novel follows a young girl named Nancy Crumpet. Nancy is an orphan who was taken in by two kindly bakers. She loves her parents and loves exploring the rooftops of Greenwich, but she has always been curious about her past. Then a mysterious and frightening fair rolls into town and, though she feels drawn towards it, Ma and Pa Crumpet forbid her to go. But the more she learns about the fair, the more she begins to believe that all the answers about her past might be hidden inside.
This was such a entertaining, engaging read! I think id the perfect book for young readers that are ready for a little more scares in their novels. There wasn’t anything that seemed too frightening (unless you really don’t like slugs…), but there were definitely a few moments that were nice and chilling. The author does an incredible job of building up the creepy atmosphere of the mysterious Scaregrounds and it was lovely to just lose myself to it. This was a quick, fast-paced read that had me in it’s grasp from page one.
Now, I will say that I was left with questions once I got to the last page. There were aspects of the story that felt a little convenient and others where I was a tad confused. But I had to remind myself that this is just the beginning of a series! The answers I’m looking forward will, more than likely, be answered in a new installment to Nancy’s story. I really hope so because I found Nancy as a character quite enthralling. I love her conflicts, her nuance, and her heart. She’s a fierce kid with a good heart and it was so much fun watching her navigate this story alongside her best friend, Arthur.
Overall, I think is a perfect read to introduce younger readers to spookier themes. It was exciting, creepy, and fast-paced and it made me eager to continue on with the series! I can’t wait to see what Nancy gets up to next.
I’ve always been a fan of a good, spooky read. Even as a kid, though fantasy has always been my favorite genre, I gravitated towards books that leaned towards the macabre. That’s why it makes me so happy to see the wide variety of spooky books written for a middle grade audience these days! I feel like there weren’t nearly as many when I was young, though perhaps I just wasn’t exposed to them as much as I wanted to be. That being said, when I saw the tour for Scareground announced, I knew I wanted to jump on-board!
This novel follows a young girl named Nancy Crumpet. Nancy is an orphan who was taken in by two kindly bakers. She loves her parents and loves exploring the rooftops of Greenwich, but she has always been curious about her past. Then a mysterious and frightening fair rolls into town and, though she feels drawn towards it, Ma and Pa Crumpet forbid her to go. But the more she learns about the fair, the more she begins to believe that all the answers about her past might be hidden inside.
This was such a entertaining, engaging read! I think id the perfect book for young readers that are ready for a little more scares in their novels. There wasn’t anything that seemed too frightening (unless you really don’t like slugs…), but there were definitely a few moments that were nice and chilling. The author does an incredible job of building up the creepy atmosphere of the mysterious Scaregrounds and it was lovely to just lose myself to it. This was a quick, fast-paced read that had me in it’s grasp from page one.
Now, I will say that I was left with questions once I got to the last page. There were aspects of the story that felt a little convenient and others where I was a tad confused. But I had to remind myself that this is just the beginning of a series! The answers I’m looking forward will, more than likely, be answered in a new installment to Nancy’s story. I really hope so because I found Nancy as a character quite enthralling. I love her conflicts, her nuance, and her heart. She’s a fierce kid with a good heart and it was so much fun watching her navigate this story alongside her best friend, Arthur.
Overall, I think is a perfect read to introduce younger readers to spookier themes. It was exciting, creepy, and fast-paced and it made me eager to continue on with the series! I can’t wait to see what Nancy gets up to next.
September 11, 2023
A story about a twelve-year-old girl, Nancy Crumpet. Nancy wants more than living above a bakery with her family, but she doesn't know what it is. Nancy wants to know more about her birth family. She has a fascination with the sky. Nancy struggles with friendship, especially with Arthur. The story is about fairgrounds and everything that comes with it, attraction, fear, the thrills. What happens when we walk into the darkness? I found it a bit creepy but in a way that made me want to know more.
September 22, 2023
Scareground is a spooky mid-grade fantasy that's absolutely brilliant! I absolutely love anything Tim Burton and that was the vibe I found myself getting from the book. It would make a brilliant book to film story @netflixuk!
Full of magic and illusion, this is the story of twelve year old Nancy Crumpet and her quest to find the answers she so desperately needs - can the Scareground and its staff be the place to help her?
The settings of Victorian London and the Scareground were vividly descriptive, allowing me to get the full experience of the fair and the delights it held. The characters have such wonderful names; Skelter Tombola, Captain Nimbus and Waltzer to name but a few and I would say they they're colourful, but keeping in line with the book they're actually quite dark and mysterious.
Story wise you won't want to put it down, I didn't and read it across the course of an afternoon.
Full of magic and illusion, this is the story of twelve year old Nancy Crumpet and her quest to find the answers she so desperately needs - can the Scareground and its staff be the place to help her?
The settings of Victorian London and the Scareground were vividly descriptive, allowing me to get the full experience of the fair and the delights it held. The characters have such wonderful names; Skelter Tombola, Captain Nimbus and Waltzer to name but a few and I would say they they're colourful, but keeping in line with the book they're actually quite dark and mysterious.
Story wise you won't want to put it down, I didn't and read it across the course of an afternoon.
September 14, 2023
Read the complete non-spoiler review of the book in my book blog : https://bookbugworld.com/review-scare...
September 9, 2023
Even if it's marketed for children it has the right level of darkness and creepiness to keep adult entertaining and reading.
Well plotted, gripping and entertaining.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Well plotted, gripping and entertaining.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
September 2, 2023
I read this myself as sometimes some scary childrens book can upset my youngest grandchild depending upon the subject matter. I do get into trouble if I give her nightmares .No worries with this book though, I will look forward to reading it again ( probably for Halloween) with the family.
August 3, 2024
So what can I say about Scareground? It's was just an utterly delightful read.
Set in Victorian England, a spooky fairground arrives in town and we follow our main character, Nancy Crumpet, adopted into a Baking family, she's a thoughtful girl who's full of question about her birth parents. She's also curious about why all the adults frightened by the fair.
In search of answers, Nancy and her friend go to the fairground and discover wonderous rides that come to life and magic and mystery around every corner.
Want to know more? Be sure to pick your copy up and be drawn into the dark fairground.
So what we have here is a real tale of the unexpected, full of the fantastic and the extraordinary and the macabre.
There's dark magic, there's steam punk, there's creepiness and Illusion.
It's an incredibly atmospheric read and the cover brilliantly sets the scene for what's to come.
The characters are all so fascinating and well written, the storyline flows seamlessly and I read this in two sittings.
A huge 5 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.
Set in Victorian England, a spooky fairground arrives in town and we follow our main character, Nancy Crumpet, adopted into a Baking family, she's a thoughtful girl who's full of question about her birth parents. She's also curious about why all the adults frightened by the fair.
In search of answers, Nancy and her friend go to the fairground and discover wonderous rides that come to life and magic and mystery around every corner.
Want to know more? Be sure to pick your copy up and be drawn into the dark fairground.
So what we have here is a real tale of the unexpected, full of the fantastic and the extraordinary and the macabre.
There's dark magic, there's steam punk, there's creepiness and Illusion.
It's an incredibly atmospheric read and the cover brilliantly sets the scene for what's to come.
The characters are all so fascinating and well written, the storyline flows seamlessly and I read this in two sittings.
A huge 5 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.
September 17, 2023
Scareground by Angela Kecojevic
You need to add this middle grade fantasy for the spooky season.
Twelve-year-old Nancy lived in Greenwich in a bakery with Ma and Pa Crumpet, who took her as a child. She is living a delightful life but longs for the answers to questions like why her birth parents left her, why can she speak with the sky? And why does she have a birthmark?
To get answers to all these questions, she goes on a spontaneous adventure with her best friend (other than Sky, of course), Arthur, when a fair - Scareground comes to Greenwich. Will she get to know things? Past? How is it all linked to her? Let's find out.
What an amazing bunch of characters and I loved our main leads, Nancy and Arthur, with their strong friendship. They were too mature for twelve-year-olds. Their connection was sweet and one to cherish.
Coming to our villain, Skelter Tombola, he was good at his role in this one, with his creepy ways to charming appearance and all the dark things. He was great!
The author has given so much depth and diversity in the writing that this book brought about excitement and fear hand in hand. I was engrossed with what was happening and can see this one being played out as a movie. The atmosphere was perfectly mysterious.
It was paced from slow to fast and I liked it. The suspense, mystery and touch of fear made it an edge worthy read. There are still questions I need answer to, and I think there might be book 2, so please do let us know. I can't wait for it.
Rating ~ 4🖤
Thank you @thewritereads and @neempress for providing with the arc.
You need to add this middle grade fantasy for the spooky season.
Twelve-year-old Nancy lived in Greenwich in a bakery with Ma and Pa Crumpet, who took her as a child. She is living a delightful life but longs for the answers to questions like why her birth parents left her, why can she speak with the sky? And why does she have a birthmark?
To get answers to all these questions, she goes on a spontaneous adventure with her best friend (other than Sky, of course), Arthur, when a fair - Scareground comes to Greenwich. Will she get to know things? Past? How is it all linked to her? Let's find out.
What an amazing bunch of characters and I loved our main leads, Nancy and Arthur, with their strong friendship. They were too mature for twelve-year-olds. Their connection was sweet and one to cherish.
Coming to our villain, Skelter Tombola, he was good at his role in this one, with his creepy ways to charming appearance and all the dark things. He was great!
The author has given so much depth and diversity in the writing that this book brought about excitement and fear hand in hand. I was engrossed with what was happening and can see this one being played out as a movie. The atmosphere was perfectly mysterious.
It was paced from slow to fast and I liked it. The suspense, mystery and touch of fear made it an edge worthy read. There are still questions I need answer to, and I think there might be book 2, so please do let us know. I can't wait for it.
Rating ~ 4🖤
Thank you @thewritereads and @neempress for providing with the arc.
September 7, 2023
This is a strong debut by Angela Kecojevic, bringing us a story steeped in family secrets, traditions, friendship, differences and a few scares thrown in for good measure.
The author has built a world around the Victorian era we know, bringing a sense of fear and dread to it by adding in illusions (or are they just tricks) that mess with your eyes and your mind, whilst Nancy and Arthur dig deep to brave the dangers and face their fears to get to the bottom of Nancy’s links to Skelter Tombola and the Scareground.
Nancy’s relationship with/to the sky is an added element that we are never quite sure is an advantage or will bring her more peril.
Whilst the ending brought some answers for Nancy, there is definitely more to her past and her special abilities than revealed here, leaving the door wide open to further speculation and hope that there will be a second novel on the way.
Special mention must also go to the map at the start…I do love a book map.
Thank you to @NeemTreePress and @The_WriteReads for an ARC in return for a review.
The author has built a world around the Victorian era we know, bringing a sense of fear and dread to it by adding in illusions (or are they just tricks) that mess with your eyes and your mind, whilst Nancy and Arthur dig deep to brave the dangers and face their fears to get to the bottom of Nancy’s links to Skelter Tombola and the Scareground.
Nancy’s relationship with/to the sky is an added element that we are never quite sure is an advantage or will bring her more peril.
Whilst the ending brought some answers for Nancy, there is definitely more to her past and her special abilities than revealed here, leaving the door wide open to further speculation and hope that there will be a second novel on the way.
Special mention must also go to the map at the start…I do love a book map.
Thank you to @NeemTreePress and @The_WriteReads for an ARC in return for a review.
September 17, 2023
Loved the setting of a 'scare ground', perfect for a middle grade horror!
Nancy's ability to talk to the sky, and her lovely silver horse mark on her wrist are intriguing, and I liked her friendship with Arthur. The scareground itself is atmospheric with its creepy rides and spooky illusions. I loved the street urchins Nancy meets there - Waltzer and his friends (Shy, Racer and Dodge). Skelter Tombola is suitably creepy, the fortune teller and the other carnival folk add to the atmosphere. The black balloons and the feathers, the creeping darkness and the slugs...all these elements would have thrilled (and possibly terrified!) me as a child. I really enjoyed my time in the scareground. Outside of the scareground, I struggled a little to understand Nancy, and I had no real feel for her life in Greenwich before the story starts.
Overall, Scareground is an imaginative and spooky tale that is bound to delight young (and not so young) horror readers.
Nancy's ability to talk to the sky, and her lovely silver horse mark on her wrist are intriguing, and I liked her friendship with Arthur. The scareground itself is atmospheric with its creepy rides and spooky illusions. I loved the street urchins Nancy meets there - Waltzer and his friends (Shy, Racer and Dodge). Skelter Tombola is suitably creepy, the fortune teller and the other carnival folk add to the atmosphere. The black balloons and the feathers, the creeping darkness and the slugs...all these elements would have thrilled (and possibly terrified!) me as a child. I really enjoyed my time in the scareground. Outside of the scareground, I struggled a little to understand Nancy, and I had no real feel for her life in Greenwich before the story starts.
Overall, Scareground is an imaginative and spooky tale that is bound to delight young (and not so young) horror readers.
September 19, 2023
What a brilliant, spooky read! I loved the concept of the Scareground being a scary version of a fair! Nancy and Arthur are fabulous characters. Their relationship is great, the way they encourage each other is so good. Theirs is definitely a friendship for life. I think they bring out the best in each other. The descriptions of the Scareground and the characters within is stunning. It was easy to picture myself strolling through on a dark, damp, foggy night with only flaming torches and flickering candles to light the way. Skelter Tombola is quite a frightening character. It was interesting to see how he and Nancy interacted. The love that Nancy and the Crumpets had for each other was touching and heartwarming. This book had lots of Goosebumps vibes. It was expertly written in every aspect. I loved it! I do hope there will be another one!
September 13, 2023
*I received a free ARC of this book with thanks to the author, Neem Tree Press and Anne Cater of Random Things Blog Tours. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
I absolutely loved this middle grade fantasy-with-horror-potential story!
The whole tone and content is spooky but not TOO scary, making it fine for less sensitive independent readers who won’t give themselves nightmares imagining the spiders and shadows and creepy skeletal Skelter Tombola.
There is a Tim Burton aesthetic at play here – full of the joy of the macabre and Gothic: graveyards and skulls; fog and illusion; ghosts and shadow-monsters. Those who also enjoy The Addams Family, Neil Gaiman’s work for younger readers, and the darker aspects of Roald Dahl’s witches or Willy Wonka will find some familiar delights here under a fresh new presentation.
The main character is Nancy Crumpet (the character names are fantastic and spot-on!), an orphan who thoroughly appreciates the love and good fortune she has found with the Crumpets and their bakery, but cannot help haunting the rooftops, making friends with the sky and longing whimsically for some indefinable ‘more’. Unlike her best friend Arthur, who knows exactly what ‘more’ he wants: adventure and world travel! I easily fell in love with all of the characters on first introduction, and loved tagging along with them on this dark adventure and watching them develop as the story unfolded.
Not only the characters, but the setting is vividly described and the plot is wholly immersive, ending on a cliffhanger that left me desperately searching the internet to see whether the sequel is already in progress. I was especially fascinated by the concept of Skyreaders and NEED to know what happens next!
This book is a spooky treat, making perfect Autumnal reading as Halloween approaches and the nights slowly begin to lengthen and darken. While I, an adult (nominally), wasn’t actually scared, I do think this has the potential to give younger teen or tween readers a delicious chill or two. And while I am FAR too much of a wimp to ever visit a Scareground in reality, I would certainly love to read more from Angela Kecojevic, Nancy Crumpet and Skelter Tombola in the (near!) future.
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
I absolutely loved this middle grade fantasy-with-horror-potential story!
The whole tone and content is spooky but not TOO scary, making it fine for less sensitive independent readers who won’t give themselves nightmares imagining the spiders and shadows and creepy skeletal Skelter Tombola.
There is a Tim Burton aesthetic at play here – full of the joy of the macabre and Gothic: graveyards and skulls; fog and illusion; ghosts and shadow-monsters. Those who also enjoy The Addams Family, Neil Gaiman’s work for younger readers, and the darker aspects of Roald Dahl’s witches or Willy Wonka will find some familiar delights here under a fresh new presentation.
The main character is Nancy Crumpet (the character names are fantastic and spot-on!), an orphan who thoroughly appreciates the love and good fortune she has found with the Crumpets and their bakery, but cannot help haunting the rooftops, making friends with the sky and longing whimsically for some indefinable ‘more’. Unlike her best friend Arthur, who knows exactly what ‘more’ he wants: adventure and world travel! I easily fell in love with all of the characters on first introduction, and loved tagging along with them on this dark adventure and watching them develop as the story unfolded.
Not only the characters, but the setting is vividly described and the plot is wholly immersive, ending on a cliffhanger that left me desperately searching the internet to see whether the sequel is already in progress. I was especially fascinated by the concept of Skyreaders and NEED to know what happens next!
This book is a spooky treat, making perfect Autumnal reading as Halloween approaches and the nights slowly begin to lengthen and darken. While I, an adult (nominally), wasn’t actually scared, I do think this has the potential to give younger teen or tween readers a delicious chill or two. And while I am FAR too much of a wimp to ever visit a Scareground in reality, I would certainly love to read more from Angela Kecojevic, Nancy Crumpet and Skelter Tombola in the (near!) future.
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
December 31, 2024
I thought this has potential but was rushed and clunky where it really needed not to be.
August 19, 2024
This review was originally posted on my blog https://booksare42.com/
Thank you to Neem Tree Press for providing me with a digital copy of Scareground. Thank you to The Write Reads for organizing this blog tour and providing me with the material for it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
If you’re looking for a fantastic spooky read, Scareground is definitely for you! Set in Victorian London, Scareground is full of fantastic characters and spooky fun.
My favourite thing about Scareground was the writing. The author did a fantastic job bringing the Scareground to life. The descriptions were creepy and eerie and it made thing book incredibly enjoyable. The word macabre comes up a lot in this book and I think it’s a great word to describe this book.
I loved the mystery aspect of this book. The main character, Nancy, was adopted by the Crumpets and she doesn’t know anything about her past. She does know that the Crumpets do not want her to go near any fairs and that the town is apprehensive about fairs in general. I enjoyed Nancy’s investigation into her past and why the town doesn’t like fairs. There were a lot of moments during her investigation that left me on the edge of my seat wondering what she was going to find.
I also loved the characters in this book. Nancy was a fantastic main character and I was rooting for her the entire book. I loved how creative and determined she was. I also loved how much she wanted to belong. I also loved Arthur and his sense of adventure. I thought he and Nancy balanced each other out well and that they made a fantastic team. I also liked Skelter Tombola. I thought he was an interesting character and I love learning about his backstory.
The super natural aspect of this book was also fun. There were mentions of ghosts, which added to the spooky atmosphere. There was also mentions of Nancy’s Sky Reader ability and how she was able to communicate with the sky. I thought this added an interesting layer to the book and I hope Nancy’s ability is explored more in the rest of the series.
Overall, I thought this was a very solid start to a series. I loved how spooky the book was and I can’t wait to see what Nancy and Arthur get up to in the future.
Thank you to Neem Tree Press for providing me with a digital copy of Scareground. Thank you to The Write Reads for organizing this blog tour and providing me with the material for it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
If you’re looking for a fantastic spooky read, Scareground is definitely for you! Set in Victorian London, Scareground is full of fantastic characters and spooky fun.
My favourite thing about Scareground was the writing. The author did a fantastic job bringing the Scareground to life. The descriptions were creepy and eerie and it made thing book incredibly enjoyable. The word macabre comes up a lot in this book and I think it’s a great word to describe this book.
I loved the mystery aspect of this book. The main character, Nancy, was adopted by the Crumpets and she doesn’t know anything about her past. She does know that the Crumpets do not want her to go near any fairs and that the town is apprehensive about fairs in general. I enjoyed Nancy’s investigation into her past and why the town doesn’t like fairs. There were a lot of moments during her investigation that left me on the edge of my seat wondering what she was going to find.
I also loved the characters in this book. Nancy was a fantastic main character and I was rooting for her the entire book. I loved how creative and determined she was. I also loved how much she wanted to belong. I also loved Arthur and his sense of adventure. I thought he and Nancy balanced each other out well and that they made a fantastic team. I also liked Skelter Tombola. I thought he was an interesting character and I love learning about his backstory.
The super natural aspect of this book was also fun. There were mentions of ghosts, which added to the spooky atmosphere. There was also mentions of Nancy’s Sky Reader ability and how she was able to communicate with the sky. I thought this added an interesting layer to the book and I hope Nancy’s ability is explored more in the rest of the series.
Overall, I thought this was a very solid start to a series. I loved how spooky the book was and I can’t wait to see what Nancy and Arthur get up to in the future.
September 22, 2023
Victorian Greenwich is the perfect setting for this spooky middle grade mystery, crammed with dark crows, deathly phantoms which secrete slugs and the sinister demon, Agramon. There is an unusual occurrence with every turn of the page from mysterious balloons and a magnificent airship - to metallic stallions with ghostly riders and secret notes. Scareground covers themes of belonging, courage and friendship.
The characters are so vividly described, the reader gets an instant image of them. Each has their own intriguing backstory. The main protagonist, Nancy is a sky reader and can talk to the sky, who she considers her friend. She has a mysterious horse shaped, silver birthmark on her wrist and believes it is a clue to who her real parents are. It reminds her of the Arabian horses in the pictures of the fair but her adopted parents, Ma and Pa Crumpet, have made her promise not to go to the fair.
Her only other friend, other than the Sky, is the doctor’s son, Arthur. Together they plan to visit the fair to find out more about the mysterious things that have happened since it arrived in the village and discover the mystery behind who Nancy really is. I particularly enjoyed Nancy and Arthur’s story arcs which cleverly show how their character’s grow throughout the story. They both have to face their greatest fears to defeat Agramon and save the village.
Angela Kecojevic has a talent for creating tension and intrigue. Even the ending after everything is wrapped up is a great set up for book two with impending sky pirates dropping anchor to steal Nancy’s secrets. I can’t wait!
Most definitely an eerie read, ideal for Halloween.
The characters are so vividly described, the reader gets an instant image of them. Each has their own intriguing backstory. The main protagonist, Nancy is a sky reader and can talk to the sky, who she considers her friend. She has a mysterious horse shaped, silver birthmark on her wrist and believes it is a clue to who her real parents are. It reminds her of the Arabian horses in the pictures of the fair but her adopted parents, Ma and Pa Crumpet, have made her promise not to go to the fair.
Her only other friend, other than the Sky, is the doctor’s son, Arthur. Together they plan to visit the fair to find out more about the mysterious things that have happened since it arrived in the village and discover the mystery behind who Nancy really is. I particularly enjoyed Nancy and Arthur’s story arcs which cleverly show how their character’s grow throughout the story. They both have to face their greatest fears to defeat Agramon and save the village.
Angela Kecojevic has a talent for creating tension and intrigue. Even the ending after everything is wrapped up is a great set up for book two with impending sky pirates dropping anchor to steal Nancy’s secrets. I can’t wait!
Most definitely an eerie read, ideal for Halloween.
September 15, 2023
★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
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WHAT'S SCAREGROUND ABOUT?
Nancy's an adventuresome girl who helps in her (adoptive) parents' bakery. There's something about her that puts most children off—but on the whole, she enjoys her life—and gets up to a lot of mischief by running all over the rooftops of the small town she lives in. (she seems a little young, and historically early to practice Parkour, but really that's what she does).
Through her antics, she has managed to make one friend, Arthur. Arthur's father is overprotective due to his mother's death and keeps a short leash on his son. But these two find ways to stretch the leash and have fun together.
Some strange things start happening in their town, pointing to the arrival of a fair. There's no way that either of them will be permitted to attend, but they're determined to have a look. It seems fun enough, it's something that doesn't happen often (not in their lifetimes, anyway), and they've been forbidden by their parents. For pre-teen Middle-Grade characters, you know that means they'll sneak into it and get into adventures. Nancy has another reason to go—but she can't bring herself to tell Arthur—she's pretty sure that she'll learn something about the circumstances around her parents leaving her to be found and taken in by the Crumpets.
And they do sneak in, they do get into adventures—most of which are far beyond what they could've imagined. The fair—the Scareground—is much more than a typical traveling fair.
KECOJEVIC'S LANGUAGE
There's something about the language—particularly a couple of word choices—that bothered me. A few words (like "macabre," and "maritime") are used perhaps too often. It feels like someone learned a new word and was trying to squeeze it in as often as possible. I obviously don't think that's what happened—it just feels that way.
Aside from that, the vocabulary and phrasing do strike me as someone trying to capture or create a mood—a feel to the book. One that's reminiscent of a fairy tale or a story from another time. I don't know that Kecojevic was entirely successful at it, however. But you can't help but see that's what she was going for, and it adds just the right amount of whimsy to enliven this story and the characters (Nancy in particular).
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT SCAREGROUND?
As many good things that were in the book, several little choices that Kecojevic made added up—like the final words of the prologue which were an over-the-top threat delivered to no one at all just so the villain could monologue for a bit—and almost makes this book die a death of a thousand cuts. Please note the "almost" there. Thinking back to the prologue—you snip that monologue and you've got a nice, disturbing introduction to the book.
The book works well if you take it on the surface, enjoy Nancy and Arthur—and the friends they make along the way—and get caught up in the story and the strange world it takes place in. If you think about many aspects too much, it doesn't hold up too well. It's not a house of cards by any means, but maybe balsa wood.
Or, come to think of it—think of this as a carnival ride or fair attraction. That's appropriate, right? It might be a spooky ride through a house of horrors, it might be an exciting-looking roller coaster, or it might be a pretty carousel—but if you look behind the curtain, or too closely at the structure, or spend too much time looking at the paint job on the horses or the lighting fixtures, and it's less impressive.
Thankfully, you're not going to find a lot of the target audience dwelling on aspects—they're going to be in it for the ride. Which, getting back to my main point—works well when you take Scareground that way.
Nancy and Arthur are a whole lot of fun. The Crumpets are a delightful couple and the kind of parents (biological or not) that you want to see in fiction. And so many other characters could be talked about in this way. Nancy's extra abilities are a wonderful, imaginative touch—but so is her heart and drive. Arthur matches that heart and drive without her abilities, and it's their friendship that makes a lot of this work.
It's a fast and strange ride that will entertain, for sure. I recommend it to readers of the right age.
Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Neem Tree Press via NetGalley in exchange for this post—thanks to both for this.
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
WHAT'S SCAREGROUND ABOUT?
Nancy's an adventuresome girl who helps in her (adoptive) parents' bakery. There's something about her that puts most children off—but on the whole, she enjoys her life—and gets up to a lot of mischief by running all over the rooftops of the small town she lives in. (she seems a little young, and historically early to practice Parkour, but really that's what she does).
Through her antics, she has managed to make one friend, Arthur. Arthur's father is overprotective due to his mother's death and keeps a short leash on his son. But these two find ways to stretch the leash and have fun together.
Some strange things start happening in their town, pointing to the arrival of a fair. There's no way that either of them will be permitted to attend, but they're determined to have a look. It seems fun enough, it's something that doesn't happen often (not in their lifetimes, anyway), and they've been forbidden by their parents. For pre-teen Middle-Grade characters, you know that means they'll sneak into it and get into adventures. Nancy has another reason to go—but she can't bring herself to tell Arthur—she's pretty sure that she'll learn something about the circumstances around her parents leaving her to be found and taken in by the Crumpets.
And they do sneak in, they do get into adventures—most of which are far beyond what they could've imagined. The fair—the Scareground—is much more than a typical traveling fair.
KECOJEVIC'S LANGUAGE
There's something about the language—particularly a couple of word choices—that bothered me. A few words (like "macabre," and "maritime") are used perhaps too often. It feels like someone learned a new word and was trying to squeeze it in as often as possible. I obviously don't think that's what happened—it just feels that way.
Aside from that, the vocabulary and phrasing do strike me as someone trying to capture or create a mood—a feel to the book. One that's reminiscent of a fairy tale or a story from another time. I don't know that Kecojevic was entirely successful at it, however. But you can't help but see that's what she was going for, and it adds just the right amount of whimsy to enliven this story and the characters (Nancy in particular).
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT SCAREGROUND?
As many good things that were in the book, several little choices that Kecojevic made added up—like the final words of the prologue which were an over-the-top threat delivered to no one at all just so the villain could monologue for a bit—and almost makes this book die a death of a thousand cuts. Please note the "almost" there. Thinking back to the prologue—you snip that monologue and you've got a nice, disturbing introduction to the book.
The book works well if you take it on the surface, enjoy Nancy and Arthur—and the friends they make along the way—and get caught up in the story and the strange world it takes place in. If you think about many aspects too much, it doesn't hold up too well. It's not a house of cards by any means, but maybe balsa wood.
Or, come to think of it—think of this as a carnival ride or fair attraction. That's appropriate, right? It might be a spooky ride through a house of horrors, it might be an exciting-looking roller coaster, or it might be a pretty carousel—but if you look behind the curtain, or too closely at the structure, or spend too much time looking at the paint job on the horses or the lighting fixtures, and it's less impressive.
Thankfully, you're not going to find a lot of the target audience dwelling on aspects—they're going to be in it for the ride. Which, getting back to my main point—works well when you take Scareground that way.
Nancy and Arthur are a whole lot of fun. The Crumpets are a delightful couple and the kind of parents (biological or not) that you want to see in fiction. And so many other characters could be talked about in this way. Nancy's extra abilities are a wonderful, imaginative touch—but so is her heart and drive. Arthur matches that heart and drive without her abilities, and it's their friendship that makes a lot of this work.
It's a fast and strange ride that will entertain, for sure. I recommend it to readers of the right age.
Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Neem Tree Press via NetGalley in exchange for this post—thanks to both for this.
June 23, 2024
What worked:
The author carefully crafts a mysterious plot as there are strange rumors about the Oxleas Wood outside of town. A fair once visited there and two people were killed in a tragic lightning strike. Nancy’s adoptive parents mention a ghost carriage and they secretly whisper about not letting anyone take her away. Mentioning the word fair fills them with dread. But why would anyone want to steal her away from her adopted parents and why must she keep the horse-shaped mark on her wrist covered? Nancy can’t explain why she feels drawn to the fair and her hesitancy to stay away can’t stop her. Sneaking into the night with her best friend Arthur leads to the biggest adventure of their lives but it’s much more than they ever expect. Naming the fair Scareground isn’t by accident.
The author uses vivid, descriptive language to paint imaginative mental images and create strong emotions for readers. “His skin was the white touch of frost…” and “…painted white faces cast a ghostly glow.” Nancy and Arthur hike through the woods to reach Scareground and the author doesn’t rush this part of the story. Anticipation and tension are developed as the characters speculate about what they know and what they might face once they arrive. Black feathers are used to allow admittance. The kids agree the word macabre is fitting, Arthur’s father calls it celebrating the darker side of life, as they consider things they’ve heard and experienced. In darkness “… roses appear black and the taste of sugar burns your tongue” and the dark “… makes you forget the beauty of things…” The characters are frightened before the show even starts and the appearance of Skelter Tombola doesn’t disappoint.
Character relationships are a large part of the story as Nancy doesn’t remember her parents. She loves her adoptive parents but they won’t talk about her past. Nancy has a special connection with Arthur although she doesn’t fully realize it. She’s afraid to confess some of her secrets to him because she thinks he might not like her anymore. She doesn’t want to tell him she’s a skyreader. She likes to sit on the rooftops and talk to the sky and it becomes an additional, non-speaking character. The sky changes colors to express its feelings and it controls the weather to protect Nancy, even when she ignores its warnings. This link between Nancy and the sky is quite unusual and will capture reader interest.
What didn’t work as well:
Nancy’s connection to the Scareground is very predictable so readers are well aware of where the plot is headed. There’s a small twist with a shadow demon but the face-off during the climax doesn’t live up to the anticipation. However, the story is still spooky and should entertain young readers.
The final verdict:
The book’s title appropriately describes the story and will appeal to readers who enjoy spookiness. Vivid descriptions will tingle readers’ nerves. Overall, I recommend you give this book a shot.
The author carefully crafts a mysterious plot as there are strange rumors about the Oxleas Wood outside of town. A fair once visited there and two people were killed in a tragic lightning strike. Nancy’s adoptive parents mention a ghost carriage and they secretly whisper about not letting anyone take her away. Mentioning the word fair fills them with dread. But why would anyone want to steal her away from her adopted parents and why must she keep the horse-shaped mark on her wrist covered? Nancy can’t explain why she feels drawn to the fair and her hesitancy to stay away can’t stop her. Sneaking into the night with her best friend Arthur leads to the biggest adventure of their lives but it’s much more than they ever expect. Naming the fair Scareground isn’t by accident.
The author uses vivid, descriptive language to paint imaginative mental images and create strong emotions for readers. “His skin was the white touch of frost…” and “…painted white faces cast a ghostly glow.” Nancy and Arthur hike through the woods to reach Scareground and the author doesn’t rush this part of the story. Anticipation and tension are developed as the characters speculate about what they know and what they might face once they arrive. Black feathers are used to allow admittance. The kids agree the word macabre is fitting, Arthur’s father calls it celebrating the darker side of life, as they consider things they’ve heard and experienced. In darkness “… roses appear black and the taste of sugar burns your tongue” and the dark “… makes you forget the beauty of things…” The characters are frightened before the show even starts and the appearance of Skelter Tombola doesn’t disappoint.
Character relationships are a large part of the story as Nancy doesn’t remember her parents. She loves her adoptive parents but they won’t talk about her past. Nancy has a special connection with Arthur although she doesn’t fully realize it. She’s afraid to confess some of her secrets to him because she thinks he might not like her anymore. She doesn’t want to tell him she’s a skyreader. She likes to sit on the rooftops and talk to the sky and it becomes an additional, non-speaking character. The sky changes colors to express its feelings and it controls the weather to protect Nancy, even when she ignores its warnings. This link between Nancy and the sky is quite unusual and will capture reader interest.
What didn’t work as well:
Nancy’s connection to the Scareground is very predictable so readers are well aware of where the plot is headed. There’s a small twist with a shadow demon but the face-off during the climax doesn’t live up to the anticipation. However, the story is still spooky and should entertain young readers.
The final verdict:
The book’s title appropriately describes the story and will appeal to readers who enjoy spookiness. Vivid descriptions will tingle readers’ nerves. Overall, I recommend you give this book a shot.
September 4, 2023
Thank you so much to Neem Tree Press for the gifted physical copy to read and review.
The scare ground is coming to town and Nancy is drawn to it, but her parents tell her to stay away. Her only friends are the sky, walking rooftops, talking to the sky are her favourite things and the doctors son Arthur who wants to go on an adventures. Finding the truth about the scare ground, about her birth parents turns into a sinister adventure.
I wanted so badly for this book to literally scare me so badly, I really wanted nothing but to be scared. I didn’t get scared once, everything that’s supposed to be scary wasn’t. I could see where the author was going In how she was leading up with suspense, to the twists, the darkness, the villainous characters but none of it scared me. It’s such a shame, I’m not saying it wouldn’t scare others that read it, but it didn’t get me.
I loved the storyline, I loved the macabre setting with darkness, the evil, the villainous, the darkly twisted and insanity of everything. The scare ground was such a wonderful setting and I loved the mystery we got to unfold throughout, finding out exactly who Skeltor was, what happened to him, why he talked to dark shadows, what created the scare ground. It was fascinating and I really enjoyed being In the scare ground.
Nancy was a wonderful protagonist and I enjoyed her love of the sky, talking to it and knowing how to identify the signs of it, I liked that she learnt how to control it without really knowing how. She was wonderful, I really loved her connection with both sets of parents the ones who raised her and the ones she’d only really dreamt of before the scareground came to town. I liked her friendship with Arthur, they worked so well together and were such a great team, it was wonderful that they had each other. I also liked how she connected with Waltzer and the boys at the scareground.
There were many events to this story from it being set in the Victorian era which can in and of itself be a very dark and macabre setting, to the haunting scareground coming to town and how they lured everyone in, to the shadows creeping around, to the multitude of mysteries that we learn about and unlock, to all the wonderful and very well thought out characters within this story.
It was a creative book and I hope others that read it find it scary, I wanted nothing more than to be in the edge of my seat and be utterly terrified at what I was reading. I really hope the scarier side is there for other readers. All In all it is a very unique book, it was interesting and you wanted to know all the secrets of everyone, you wanted to be in the scare ground whilst reading seeing it all come alive, it sounded incredible. I hope that others that love horror, or creepy, suspenseful mystery books will read this.
The scare ground is coming to town and Nancy is drawn to it, but her parents tell her to stay away. Her only friends are the sky, walking rooftops, talking to the sky are her favourite things and the doctors son Arthur who wants to go on an adventures. Finding the truth about the scare ground, about her birth parents turns into a sinister adventure.
I wanted so badly for this book to literally scare me so badly, I really wanted nothing but to be scared. I didn’t get scared once, everything that’s supposed to be scary wasn’t. I could see where the author was going In how she was leading up with suspense, to the twists, the darkness, the villainous characters but none of it scared me. It’s such a shame, I’m not saying it wouldn’t scare others that read it, but it didn’t get me.
I loved the storyline, I loved the macabre setting with darkness, the evil, the villainous, the darkly twisted and insanity of everything. The scare ground was such a wonderful setting and I loved the mystery we got to unfold throughout, finding out exactly who Skeltor was, what happened to him, why he talked to dark shadows, what created the scare ground. It was fascinating and I really enjoyed being In the scare ground.
Nancy was a wonderful protagonist and I enjoyed her love of the sky, talking to it and knowing how to identify the signs of it, I liked that she learnt how to control it without really knowing how. She was wonderful, I really loved her connection with both sets of parents the ones who raised her and the ones she’d only really dreamt of before the scareground came to town. I liked her friendship with Arthur, they worked so well together and were such a great team, it was wonderful that they had each other. I also liked how she connected with Waltzer and the boys at the scareground.
There were many events to this story from it being set in the Victorian era which can in and of itself be a very dark and macabre setting, to the haunting scareground coming to town and how they lured everyone in, to the shadows creeping around, to the multitude of mysteries that we learn about and unlock, to all the wonderful and very well thought out characters within this story.
It was a creative book and I hope others that read it find it scary, I wanted nothing more than to be in the edge of my seat and be utterly terrified at what I was reading. I really hope the scarier side is there for other readers. All In all it is a very unique book, it was interesting and you wanted to know all the secrets of everyone, you wanted to be in the scare ground whilst reading seeing it all come alive, it sounded incredible. I hope that others that love horror, or creepy, suspenseful mystery books will read this.
September 18, 2023
With Halloween not far away, Scareground is an ideal spooky novel for older middle-grade readers. It's a gripping, action-packed adventure which explores some fascinating themes which mean it would make a fabulous classroom read as well as a book for home.
The wonderfully named Nancy Crumpet is a daring, engaging protagonist whose mysterious past and strange gifts are central to the story. When we first meet her, she is tiptoeing across the rooftop of the bakery where she lives, revenge in mind. Even at this early point in the book, there's an intriguing juxtaposition between the warmth and love she enjoys with Ma and Pa Crumpet, and her desire for something more. The importance of family and friends is explored throughout the storyline as Nancy has to figure out what she really wants. Despite this being a children's book, it's certainly not a simple tale and there are some complex emotions examined here.
The Victorian era setting makes for an atmospheric backdrop as Nancy and her best friend, Arthur Green seek adventure and the truth. The writing throughout is beautifully evocative, with the redolent descriptions of delicious baked goods, everyday life in Greenwich and the dark mysteries of the Scareground all richly compelling. Arthur appears to come from a more privileged background than Nancy, who was adopted and doesn't go to school, but Angela Kecojevic sensitively reminds her readers that everybody has their own worries and problems. As the pair are forced to face their greatest fears, the strength of their friendship is often heartwarming but it is tested too, and the character development is excellent from start to finish.
Of course, it's the Scareground itself which is the most exciting and genuinely chilling aspect of the book. Full of danger, magic and amazing illusions, there's a dark lyricism to Angela Kecojevic's writing which will capture the imagination of anybody fortunate to read this enchanting story. There's an incredible pirate ship, a ghostly carousel, a revolting abundance of black slugs and a horribly malevolent presence as Nancy and Arthur experience astounding escapades and terrifying encounters – most notably with the curiously enigmatic Skelter Tombola – in the increasingly tense plot.
Scareground is a delightfully macabre book, filled with intrigue and peril but it's also an empathetic, hopeful tale of love, courage and belonging. I'm thrilled the conclusion promises more to come as this is a superbly spine-tingling read; I thoroughly recommend it.
The wonderfully named Nancy Crumpet is a daring, engaging protagonist whose mysterious past and strange gifts are central to the story. When we first meet her, she is tiptoeing across the rooftop of the bakery where she lives, revenge in mind. Even at this early point in the book, there's an intriguing juxtaposition between the warmth and love she enjoys with Ma and Pa Crumpet, and her desire for something more. The importance of family and friends is explored throughout the storyline as Nancy has to figure out what she really wants. Despite this being a children's book, it's certainly not a simple tale and there are some complex emotions examined here.
The Victorian era setting makes for an atmospheric backdrop as Nancy and her best friend, Arthur Green seek adventure and the truth. The writing throughout is beautifully evocative, with the redolent descriptions of delicious baked goods, everyday life in Greenwich and the dark mysteries of the Scareground all richly compelling. Arthur appears to come from a more privileged background than Nancy, who was adopted and doesn't go to school, but Angela Kecojevic sensitively reminds her readers that everybody has their own worries and problems. As the pair are forced to face their greatest fears, the strength of their friendship is often heartwarming but it is tested too, and the character development is excellent from start to finish.
Of course, it's the Scareground itself which is the most exciting and genuinely chilling aspect of the book. Full of danger, magic and amazing illusions, there's a dark lyricism to Angela Kecojevic's writing which will capture the imagination of anybody fortunate to read this enchanting story. There's an incredible pirate ship, a ghostly carousel, a revolting abundance of black slugs and a horribly malevolent presence as Nancy and Arthur experience astounding escapades and terrifying encounters – most notably with the curiously enigmatic Skelter Tombola – in the increasingly tense plot.
Scareground is a delightfully macabre book, filled with intrigue and peril but it's also an empathetic, hopeful tale of love, courage and belonging. I'm thrilled the conclusion promises more to come as this is a superbly spine-tingling read; I thoroughly recommend it.
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