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Soul Feeder
Not yet published
Expected 4 Jun 26Caiden and Sam find themselves trapped and alone in a vast warehouse with a soul-feeding demon in this hair-raising horror from bestselling and award-winning author Jennifer Killick.
Caiden and his best friend Sam are used to coming across some pretty weird stuff while helping Caiden’s dad in his house-clearing business, but nothing like the grotesque mounted heads of bizarre, other-worldly creatures they find in Sasha Kinski’s home. It’s clear that something awful has happened here, and it’s not over yet …
Alone in the family warehouse that evening, the boys make the terrifying discovery that they have brought an uninvited, evil passenger back with them from the Kinski house.
With their very souls in peril, can Caiden and Sam unravel the mystery in time to save themselves …?
Caiden and his best friend Sam are used to coming across some pretty weird stuff while helping Caiden’s dad in his house-clearing business, but nothing like the grotesque mounted heads of bizarre, other-worldly creatures they find in Sasha Kinski’s home. It’s clear that something awful has happened here, and it’s not over yet …
Alone in the family warehouse that evening, the boys make the terrifying discovery that they have brought an uninvited, evil passenger back with them from the Kinski house.
With their very souls in peril, can Caiden and Sam unravel the mystery in time to save themselves …?
- GenresHorror
Paperback
Expected publication June 4, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Super creepy
April 18, 2026
So good, you can read it in one sitting! I did as I couldn’t put it down.
It’s a wonderfully fast paced story and one that had me flicking pages as fast as I could read. It was easily entertaining and one that I can imagine, will spark the imagination of many young readers.
What started out as a somewhat usual day for Sam and Caid, helping clean out the house of a recently deceased lady, they explore and uncover a variety of strange artefacts. Once home and back at the warehouse, they realise they may have brought home an entity beyond their worst nightmares…
I loved the friendship between the two boys and it was a well crafted story that walked the lines of spooky, terrifying and creepy perfectly.
Thank you to the author and publisher for this book on NetGalley in return for my honest thoughts and review.
It’s a wonderfully fast paced story and one that had me flicking pages as fast as I could read. It was easily entertaining and one that I can imagine, will spark the imagination of many young readers.
What started out as a somewhat usual day for Sam and Caid, helping clean out the house of a recently deceased lady, they explore and uncover a variety of strange artefacts. Once home and back at the warehouse, they realise they may have brought home an entity beyond their worst nightmares…
I loved the friendship between the two boys and it was a well crafted story that walked the lines of spooky, terrifying and creepy perfectly.
Thank you to the author and publisher for this book on NetGalley in return for my honest thoughts and review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
In a Nutshell: An illustrated middle-grade horror novel about two boys facing a nightmarish reality. Interesting story and illustrations, but needs work on the execution. I adore the cover art, and like the inside illustrations. The concept had great potential, but certain writing choices didn’t work well for me. It might go decently for the target age group.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
I am not an avid reader of horror novels, but middle-grade horror is more up to my levels of “chickenry”. 😁 When I saw that amazing cover art, I couldn’t resist this book. Sadly, while there are glimpses of that scary situation, a good chunk of the book doesn’t live up to the spooky promise, though it does contain plenty of atmosphere.
Bookish Yays:
👻 The idea of using a house-clearing business as the central catalyst. Clearing houses is never easy, and given how old a few houses and its residents are, the presence of supernatural entities is a tantalising possibility and the story capitalises on this excellently.
👻 The eerie nature of the house, established right from the first scene. This, combined with the gigantic warehouse, ensures that two really creepy locations are employed to enhance the fear factor. Great atmosphere as a result.
👻 The description of the passing of the late owner of the house. So chilling! I hope it doesn’t disturb kids too much!
👻 The bond between Caiden and Sam. Not just well-written but also well-used in the story.
👻 The fact that Caiden considers calling an adult for help instead of handling the trouble alone.
👻 The “soul feeder”. The perfect spooky entity for a horror story. I wish there had been more of it in the story. (Pro tip: Look up the meaning of its Japanese name when you are done with the book. It adds more depth to its personality.)
Bookish Okays:
🏠 The age of the two boys is never clarified. I like to know how old the characters are in children’s fiction so I can understand (a.k.a. judge) their behaviour accordingly.
🏠 The inside illustrations. There are several B&W illustrations that support the story well. In many places, the graphics help us visualise the unimaginable stuff described in the text. However, I didn’t like the characters’ expressions much. In many illustrations, they somehow appeared less emotionally involved than the situation warranted. (Well, considering that the boys didn’t even think of running out of the warehouse in the face of paranormal doom but stayed inside trying to make a plan, perhaps they were just weirdly ignorant of the actual scope of the danger. I would have run out screaming the minute I suspected some supernatural being was in the same location as I! 😬)
Bookish Nays:
☠ The title and the cover, though outstanding and really creative hooks, turn out to be major spoilers. The eponymous “soul feeder” isn't introduced till page 64 (in a book of 104 pages!) Until then, the identity of the entity is kept vague. But thanks to the title and cover, we already know who is coming and what he/it looks like and what he/it does. Long sigh…
☠ Usually, I am a fan of this publisher’s books for their Hi-Lo approach: age-appropriate plots in a simplified language to increase accessibility for reluctant readers. This time too, the Hi-Lo policy is maintained, but some of the content felt inappropriate to me. I am never a fan of the “Me and Sam” construction as the subject of the sentence; it teaches kids incorrect English. Then there are slang words such as “cos” for “because”, and worse, there are three instances of “bad-ass”. (All this might be how real-life teens speak but I don’t like such language used in books.) There is also one reference to Covid, which either kids will not understand or will make them recollect bad memories from the pandemic years.
☠ Based on the intense cover, I expected a more adventurous horror story. But most of the book is just about spooky vibes. Even when the finale comes, the actual action is over almost as soon as it begins. This feels a little anticlimactic.
☠ Some critical info (related to the capture & erasure & release of certain stuff) isn't clarified at all.
☠ The ending is slightly abrupt and insipid. I know these Hi-Lo novels are always capped at 104 pages, so perhaps some of the initial build-up could have been reduced to have some more detailing in the crucial scenes.
Overall, while there are some creepy sequences in the book, it is more of an atmospheric horror than an action-filled horror. Usually, I don’t mind atmospheric horror; in fact, I like it better than paranormal horror. But given the cover art, I expected some more confrontation and high-tension situations, which are very limited in the book.
This story is obviously not for all kids as there are some disturbing details. But for youngsters who enjoy horror stories, the book might satisfy their need for scares.
The cover mentions the phrase “Demon Hunters”, so I don’t know if this is planned as a series. (I saw this reference only after writing my entire review. And here I was being extra-careful not to use the word “demon” in my write-up as it’s a spoiler! 🤦🏻♀️) But just in case there are more books to come, I hope they will not have major spoilers in the title and will offer some more action than atmosphere alone.
Recommended to middle-graders who enjoy atmospheric horror.
2.75 stars.
My thanks to Barrington Stoke for providing the DRC of “Soul Feeder” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I follow the Goodreads rating policy:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Lifelong favourite!
⭐⭐⭐⭐ - I loved the book.
⭐⭐⭐ - I liked the book.
⭐⭐ - I found the book average.
⭐ - I hated the book.
The decimals indicate the degree of the in-between feelings.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
Caiden’s dad runs a house-clearing business, and during the vacations, Caiden and his best friend Sam often help him out. Their latest assignment seems like a challenge for all the wrong reasons. The house is filled with bizarre wall displays, deadly weapons, and a strange vibe. It is clear that something went drastically wrong for its owner, though there is no visible evidence of any struggle.
When the boys are alone in the family business warehouse that night planning to sort through some of the things from the creepy house, they realise that they might have brought something unexpected in the van.
The story is written in Caiden’s first-person POV.
I am not an avid reader of horror novels, but middle-grade horror is more up to my levels of “chickenry”. 😁 When I saw that amazing cover art, I couldn’t resist this book. Sadly, while there are glimpses of that scary situation, a good chunk of the book doesn’t live up to the spooky promise, though it does contain plenty of atmosphere.
Bookish Yays:
👻 The idea of using a house-clearing business as the central catalyst. Clearing houses is never easy, and given how old a few houses and its residents are, the presence of supernatural entities is a tantalising possibility and the story capitalises on this excellently.
👻 The eerie nature of the house, established right from the first scene. This, combined with the gigantic warehouse, ensures that two really creepy locations are employed to enhance the fear factor. Great atmosphere as a result.
👻 The description of the passing of the late owner of the house. So chilling! I hope it doesn’t disturb kids too much!
👻 The bond between Caiden and Sam. Not just well-written but also well-used in the story.
👻 The fact that Caiden considers calling an adult for help instead of handling the trouble alone.
👻 The “soul feeder”. The perfect spooky entity for a horror story. I wish there had been more of it in the story. (Pro tip: Look up the meaning of its Japanese name when you are done with the book. It adds more depth to its personality.)
Bookish Okays:
🏠 The age of the two boys is never clarified. I like to know how old the characters are in children’s fiction so I can understand (a.k.a. judge) their behaviour accordingly.
🏠 The inside illustrations. There are several B&W illustrations that support the story well. In many places, the graphics help us visualise the unimaginable stuff described in the text. However, I didn’t like the characters’ expressions much. In many illustrations, they somehow appeared less emotionally involved than the situation warranted. (Well, considering that the boys didn’t even think of running out of the warehouse in the face of paranormal doom but stayed inside trying to make a plan, perhaps they were just weirdly ignorant of the actual scope of the danger. I would have run out screaming the minute I suspected some supernatural being was in the same location as I! 😬)
Bookish Nays:
☠ The title and the cover, though outstanding and really creative hooks, turn out to be major spoilers. The eponymous “soul feeder” isn't introduced till page 64 (in a book of 104 pages!) Until then, the identity of the entity is kept vague. But thanks to the title and cover, we already know who is coming and what he/it looks like and what he/it does. Long sigh…
☠ Usually, I am a fan of this publisher’s books for their Hi-Lo approach: age-appropriate plots in a simplified language to increase accessibility for reluctant readers. This time too, the Hi-Lo policy is maintained, but some of the content felt inappropriate to me. I am never a fan of the “Me and Sam” construction as the subject of the sentence; it teaches kids incorrect English. Then there are slang words such as “cos” for “because”, and worse, there are three instances of “bad-ass”. (All this might be how real-life teens speak but I don’t like such language used in books.) There is also one reference to Covid, which either kids will not understand or will make them recollect bad memories from the pandemic years.
☠ Based on the intense cover, I expected a more adventurous horror story. But most of the book is just about spooky vibes. Even when the finale comes, the actual action is over almost as soon as it begins. This feels a little anticlimactic.
☠ Some critical info (related to the capture & erasure & release of certain stuff) isn't clarified at all.
☠ The ending is slightly abrupt and insipid. I know these Hi-Lo novels are always capped at 104 pages, so perhaps some of the initial build-up could have been reduced to have some more detailing in the crucial scenes.
Overall, while there are some creepy sequences in the book, it is more of an atmospheric horror than an action-filled horror. Usually, I don’t mind atmospheric horror; in fact, I like it better than paranormal horror. But given the cover art, I expected some more confrontation and high-tension situations, which are very limited in the book.
This story is obviously not for all kids as there are some disturbing details. But for youngsters who enjoy horror stories, the book might satisfy their need for scares.
The cover mentions the phrase “Demon Hunters”, so I don’t know if this is planned as a series. (I saw this reference only after writing my entire review. And here I was being extra-careful not to use the word “demon” in my write-up as it’s a spoiler! 🤦🏻♀️) But just in case there are more books to come, I hope they will not have major spoilers in the title and will offer some more action than atmosphere alone.
Recommended to middle-graders who enjoy atmospheric horror.
2.75 stars.
My thanks to Barrington Stoke for providing the DRC of “Soul Feeder” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I follow the Goodreads rating policy:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Lifelong favourite!
⭐⭐⭐⭐ - I loved the book.
⭐⭐⭐ - I liked the book.
⭐⭐ - I found the book average.
⭐ - I hated the book.
The decimals indicate the degree of the in-between feelings.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || Facebook ||
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Source: NetGalley
Pages: 104 pages
Format: Kindle
T/W: Horror, Death, Monsters, Depression, 3 uses of "bad-ass", some graphic horror imagery
Rated: Middle School, 9+
★★★★☆ | 4 / 5
Thank you, Netgalley and Barrington Stoke, for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was today years old when I discovered there is a publisher that designs and creates dyslexia-friendly books for children. They are super accessible with specially designed readable font, and edited to be short and quick reads for a satisfying sense of achievement. This helps continue to foster a sense of confidence while making a difference in young readers to foster a love for reading.
Understanding the publisher’s mission enhances the reading experience, allowing readers to better appreciate how the book is tailored to its intended audience.
I believe this is a wonderful initiative, and the story itself speaks at a level that any reader can pick up and enjoy. It’s quick, fast-paced, and suitable for the middle-grade audience. There are visuals at various points in the story to help the reader see how the characters look, what the setting appears like, and what action is taking place. I love the simplicity of it.
Caiden and Sam are young, and their dialogue reflects the language many kids will recognize and connect with. While some word choices may feel informal, they contribute to the authenticity of the characters’ voices. For example, instances of “cos”, instead of using the whole word “because”. Sam’s occasional use of more formal words provides a nice balance and offers opportunities for readers to encounter new words in context.
Overall, this is an enjoyable and accessible quick read. It also feels like a strong start to what could potentially become a compelling series, which I would be interested in continuing. I appreciate the opportunity to experience both the story and the thoughtful publishing approach behind it.
Pages: 104 pages
Format: Kindle
T/W: Horror, Death, Monsters, Depression, 3 uses of "bad-ass", some graphic horror imagery
Rated: Middle School, 9+
★★★★☆ | 4 / 5
Thank you, Netgalley and Barrington Stoke, for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was today years old when I discovered there is a publisher that designs and creates dyslexia-friendly books for children. They are super accessible with specially designed readable font, and edited to be short and quick reads for a satisfying sense of achievement. This helps continue to foster a sense of confidence while making a difference in young readers to foster a love for reading.
Understanding the publisher’s mission enhances the reading experience, allowing readers to better appreciate how the book is tailored to its intended audience.
I believe this is a wonderful initiative, and the story itself speaks at a level that any reader can pick up and enjoy. It’s quick, fast-paced, and suitable for the middle-grade audience. There are visuals at various points in the story to help the reader see how the characters look, what the setting appears like, and what action is taking place. I love the simplicity of it.
Caiden and Sam are young, and their dialogue reflects the language many kids will recognize and connect with. While some word choices may feel informal, they contribute to the authenticity of the characters’ voices. For example, instances of “cos”, instead of using the whole word “because”. Sam’s occasional use of more formal words provides a nice balance and offers opportunities for readers to encounter new words in context.
Overall, this is an enjoyable and accessible quick read. It also feels like a strong start to what could potentially become a compelling series, which I would be interested in continuing. I appreciate the opportunity to experience both the story and the thoughtful publishing approach behind it.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you so much to Barrington Stoke and Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.
Sam and Caiden help with his dad’s business of cleaning out dead peoples houses. This house is the weirdest they’ve been too with taxidermy heads of dead monsters, weapons and scrap books full of strange monsters. Then they figure out one of the demons is on the loose and it is up to them to figure it out or die trying.
What an absolutely terrifying demon snake mosnters, it was so darned creepy and scary. I don’t know how the boys in this story seemed so calm whilst in its presence honestly. It creeped me out so so much, but what a creative demon it was. I loved that it came with the lore of it, how to irradiate it, what it does and what it looks like. It was very fascinating learning about it.
I liked the boys friendship and connection, right from the start you could see how close they were with each other, they had a really nice playful relationship. I liked that they were very different people but were great together and worked so well as a team. They managed to really use that connection to solve what was happening with the demon.
This was a great fun horror book, it was eerie and the demon monster was incredibly creepy. It was a very creative book a not too over scary horror, but scary enough that you feel all creeped out by what is happening, it had enough suspense and mystery throughout not knowing what was going to happen to the boys as you read.
Sam and Caiden help with his dad’s business of cleaning out dead peoples houses. This house is the weirdest they’ve been too with taxidermy heads of dead monsters, weapons and scrap books full of strange monsters. Then they figure out one of the demons is on the loose and it is up to them to figure it out or die trying.
What an absolutely terrifying demon snake mosnters, it was so darned creepy and scary. I don’t know how the boys in this story seemed so calm whilst in its presence honestly. It creeped me out so so much, but what a creative demon it was. I loved that it came with the lore of it, how to irradiate it, what it does and what it looks like. It was very fascinating learning about it.
I liked the boys friendship and connection, right from the start you could see how close they were with each other, they had a really nice playful relationship. I liked that they were very different people but were great together and worked so well as a team. They managed to really use that connection to solve what was happening with the demon.
This was a great fun horror book, it was eerie and the demon monster was incredibly creepy. It was a very creative book a not too over scary horror, but scary enough that you feel all creeped out by what is happening, it had enough suspense and mystery throughout not knowing what was going to happen to the boys as you read.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Soul Feeder is a middle grade horror novel by Jennifer Killick set to publish on June 4th, 2026. Thank you Netgalley and Barrington Stole publishing for this unique opportunity and without further ado, here we go. MIDDLE GRADE HORROR? Yes, you heard me correctly. UNDER 150 PAGES? Also correct. This short story was such a delight in giving me what I never knew I was missing. It makes me scratch my head at the line between horror and middle grade and even though it's a fictional piece it helps paint a picture of a tougher theme in life in a more interesting light. I do believe that some bits of the storyline were too graphically described for kids and the generational terms kept dragging me out of the action, but I understand why those terms may be necessary for the real target audience to understand and relate to the middle grade dialogue more. The illustrations were a nice touch and so artistically done; I had a fun time. I would be interested to see what book two has to offer! 3.5 ⭐
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Soul Feeder is a middle grade horror novel that immediately gave me strong R.L. Stine vibes, which I really enjoyed. It captures that classic eerie atmosphere while still being accessible and engaging for younger readers (at times it was too graphic though).
One of the standout aspects of the book is its beautiful illustrations, which add so much to the overall reading experience and really bring the story to life.
I also really appreciated the focus on friendship. That said, I would have loved to see more adventures involving demons and actual demon-hunting. Maybe a sequel? I’ll definitely be picking up more books from this author in the future. Fear Ground is already on my radar.
If I had one main complaint, it’s that I wish the book had been longer. There was so much potential to expand the story, and I would have loved to spend more time in this world and with these characters.
Overall, a fun, atmospheric, and charming read.
One of the standout aspects of the book is its beautiful illustrations, which add so much to the overall reading experience and really bring the story to life.
I also really appreciated the focus on friendship. That said, I would have loved to see more adventures involving demons and actual demon-hunting. Maybe a sequel? I’ll definitely be picking up more books from this author in the future. Fear Ground is already on my radar.
If I had one main complaint, it’s that I wish the book had been longer. There was so much potential to expand the story, and I would have loved to spend more time in this world and with these characters.
Overall, a fun, atmospheric, and charming read.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
It is a story about two boys who help out in a house-clearing business accidentally bringing back something evil. Maybe it is because it is for younger readers, I do not find it creepy enough for myself. But then for middle grade readers, this might be just the right amount of horror. The writing is accessible but the illustration is a bit too simplistic and fails to scare me.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I always enjoy Killick's books, this wasn't quite as horrific as some of her other books, but I think it's possibly for a slightly different audience, maybe younger? It's more of a novella length, and seems like a great start to what could be a really fun and creepy series!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
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