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Zodiac Cusp Kids #1
Something Wicked
It's 1983. Angie, Jenny, and David are watching MTV, riding bikes, and looking forward to their summer vacation before they start junior high school. Lincoln, Nebraska is a pretty quiet place to grow up, and when the kids take off at 5:00 am to deliver newspapers on Jenny’s route, they aren’t expecting trouble. So, when a creature straight out of a horror movie appears, the kids are forced to draw on their wits, their strengths, and most of all their friendship to survive.
Something Wicked is the first of seven stories drawn from Angie’s diaries. Kept safely hidden for decades, they tell how the kids spent their teenage years - working with their mentor, Mr. Rakow, and Jenny's mom who dabbles in witchcraft, to uncover their power and battle the forces of darkness that menace their hometown.
Something Wicked is the first of seven stories drawn from Angie’s diaries. Kept safely hidden for decades, they tell how the kids spent their teenage years - working with their mentor, Mr. Rakow, and Jenny's mom who dabbles in witchcraft, to uncover their power and battle the forces of darkness that menace their hometown.
59 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 19, 2018
1 person is currently reading
7 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 2, 2018
For fans of horror themed, buddy adventures like IT and Stranger Things, Something Wicked is a nostalgic, fast-paced horror romp. It gets a little gory at times, but mostly it's just a lot of fun. Jen, Dave, and Angie are brave and intrepid fighters against a fearsome demonic nemesis, and I like how individually each character is written. I especially like that Angie (the main character) is a bit of a geek. She likes playing the "weird" instruments in the band (like the oboe). She's not particularly tough or special, but she *is* clever, and with her two best friends and a few helpful adults (Mr. Rakow is my hero!), she has formed a formidable team to fight against evil infesting their neighborhood. I look forward to reading more adventures from these kids in this 7 installment series.
May 1, 2018
I received an ARC of this book for an honest review.
When I first read Something Wicked, I got the feeling of nostalgia for my childhood. I was a little younger than the characters in this story but I knew enough of the time period to feel like I had been there. Something Wicked has a Supernatural feel, with the kids coming to understand that they are part of something bigger than themselves and fighting evil to save the day. It's an imaginative creation and I'm ready to read more about what these kiddos get into.
Dale writes very strong females. They aren't super brave all the time but they do their best and stay true to their cause. I love the dynamics of the three kids with their mentor Mr. Rakow. He supplies a wizened balance to their untested youth.
While Something Wicked is a teen/middle grades story, it will be deeply enjoyable to adults who grew up in the 80's. Definitely for fans of Supernatural and Stranger Things.
When I first read Something Wicked, I got the feeling of nostalgia for my childhood. I was a little younger than the characters in this story but I knew enough of the time period to feel like I had been there. Something Wicked has a Supernatural feel, with the kids coming to understand that they are part of something bigger than themselves and fighting evil to save the day. It's an imaginative creation and I'm ready to read more about what these kiddos get into.
Dale writes very strong females. They aren't super brave all the time but they do their best and stay true to their cause. I love the dynamics of the three kids with their mentor Mr. Rakow. He supplies a wizened balance to their untested youth.
While Something Wicked is a teen/middle grades story, it will be deeply enjoyable to adults who grew up in the 80's. Definitely for fans of Supernatural and Stranger Things.
August 31, 2018
I really enjoyed reading this book! I feel like I could have been a character in this story, not because I'm anything like the characters in it, but because I grew up in Nebraska in the 80s, and I would have been the same age as Angie, Jenny and David at the time this story takes place. I remember going on adventures of my own, with friends or solo, in my little hometown. We rode bikes, we occasionally hid from grown-ups we thought might be "after us" (read: disapproving of our scampering about through people's yards, etc.). But I never had a run-in with a creature like these kids met!
From the very first page, this book had me hooked. Then, once the action really started, it was impossible to put it down! I love the way these kids look out for each other and keep pushing to get through the situation, despite the many obstacles they've come across. To me, this is not just a story about an exciting and strange adventure these kiddos find themselves in the middle of; it's about how friends stick together. The junior high years are, in my opinion, a very fragile time, and the friendships you have during that time will leave an indelible mark on your heart! The author really communicated that with this story. Well done!
Can't wait to read the rest of the series!!!
From the very first page, this book had me hooked. Then, once the action really started, it was impossible to put it down! I love the way these kids look out for each other and keep pushing to get through the situation, despite the many obstacles they've come across. To me, this is not just a story about an exciting and strange adventure these kiddos find themselves in the middle of; it's about how friends stick together. The junior high years are, in my opinion, a very fragile time, and the friendships you have during that time will leave an indelible mark on your heart! The author really communicated that with this story. Well done!
Can't wait to read the rest of the series!!!
May 13, 2018
I absolutely loved this book! It held my attention so completely that I didn't put it down until the very end. Angie, David, and Jenny had quite an adventure on the last day of school. This book is well written, descriptive, at times a little gory, and full of suspense. I definitely recommend this book for a quick, easy, captivating read.
January 1, 2019
Wonderful story
The book intrigued me when this book was nominated Best Indie Titles of 2018 awards on my author blog, and the author was nice enough to share the story with me for a review. Dale pens a great story in Something Wicked. This is the first book by Dale that I've read, but I have a few more on my bookshelf that I now know I must read. This was an exciting adventure and a great introduction of Dale to me as a writer. Dale writes well and has a unique writing style that brings the story to life. It's full of adventure and the writing isn't forced, but there is a strong force of evil within the story. The characters had great chemistry, and depth. So many questions are answered as you read this and become close to the characters. It's not a typical cookie-cutter fantasy or young adult book, and Jenny, Angie and David get ready for a wild ride of adventure. And that's all I'm saying. I can't wait to read the next one.
The book intrigued me when this book was nominated Best Indie Titles of 2018 awards on my author blog, and the author was nice enough to share the story with me for a review. Dale pens a great story in Something Wicked. This is the first book by Dale that I've read, but I have a few more on my bookshelf that I now know I must read. This was an exciting adventure and a great introduction of Dale to me as a writer. Dale writes well and has a unique writing style that brings the story to life. It's full of adventure and the writing isn't forced, but there is a strong force of evil within the story. The characters had great chemistry, and depth. So many questions are answered as you read this and become close to the characters. It's not a typical cookie-cutter fantasy or young adult book, and Jenny, Angie and David get ready for a wild ride of adventure. And that's all I'm saying. I can't wait to read the next one.
January 30, 2019
Fun read. This story is full of 80s pop culture references and things that go bump in the night!
November 29, 2025
Not really sure where this is going. I don't usually read/enjoy this genre. Decided to try it because an author I like was reading it and I know someone who encourages kids to read, so I had that person in mind too. It was good enough that I'll read the next in the series to more accurately form an opinion.
April 28, 2019
It was OK, actually better than expected
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews