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A Pocket Full of Posies
Who will be the one to fall? In this terrifying spin on the old rhyme, a family moves to a seemingly perfect town only to discover that it is anything but normal. The scent of the town engulfs Parker in its perfume the moment she enters the gates. So much so that she nearly forgets all about the life that she left behind and the best friend she abandoned. Coronation is a place where she and her parents can have a new start. And as soon as Parker gets there, its peacefulness puts her at ease. Everyone is nice. The tennis team immediately accepts her. Even the boys are easy to talk to. The only thing that she can’t quite understand is the town’s history―its devotion to the saint, Rosamund, who helped the original town settlers survive their first winter all those years ago. But she isn’t the only skeptic. Whatever you do, hold on tight. Don’t fall down, the boy tells her frantically before the town’s yearly Spring Festival―thrown in Rosamund’s honor to encourage the harvest. But Parker can’t help it. The vibrant festival immediately draws her into the gardens, the rows of flowers, the food, the laughter. Linked together with the other girls, Parker finds herself spinning with the other girls, struggling to stay in sync. Tilting forward, it’s as if her balance has been taken from her. Because Rosamund has been waiting. Parker has been chosen. Coronation’s next Rose Duchess has been crowned, destined to fulfill her role unless she can find a way to uncover the truth. Ring around the rosie For long ago the seed was sown. A pocket full of posies A sacrifice must be made. Ashes, ashes One must die for the town to survive. We all fall down The Rose Duchess must follow in her footsteps. Offering herself up to the flames.
304 pages, Hardcover
Published September 6, 2022
27 people are currently reading
685 people want to read
About the author
Shawn Sarles
6 books219 followersShawn Sarles was born and raised in a small town in western Kentucky. He currently lives in Philadelphia and continues to write horror for teens.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
September 15, 2022
Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" meets Midsommar in this YA romp with thorny elements of folk horror. While it's a solid book that was a quick, enjoyable read, it's definitely one of those teen novels that is best left to its target audience: teens. I, myself, am strange, unusual, and 'old'.
October 9, 2024
The ending!!! I 100% recommend this if you love horror!!
October 3, 2022
Meh. The MC got on my nerves due to her inability to think critically, but this is targeted to YA readers, sooo.
It’s an interesting premise that wasn’t executed the best.
It’s an interesting premise that wasn’t executed the best.
September 12, 2022
I had forgotten that Shawn Sarles books are usually more middle grade. Or maybe just bad YA? The characters are annoying and stereotypical. Parker is SO annoying and clueless despite everything she sees and experiences. It was hard to read her perspective because she’s either being extremely oblivious or actively choosing to ignore the issues. And then just like a snap she decides she believes, a minute too late of course. It was an interesting premise, very Wicker Man, but I wish someone else had written about it.
December 4, 2024
It didn't captivate me much, but I finished it, so it did eell enough apparently. I liked the imagery.
December 18, 2022
Nice, dark, quick read! Reminiscent of Horrid and delightfully twisted the “Ring Around the Rosie” game. Nostalgia with a twist will always be a home run in my eyes
September 12, 2023
I finally picked up Shawn Sarles' A Pocket Full of Posies as I get myself into the spooky reading spirit! This was definitely a creepy and chilling read! I might have hoped for a few more scares than what I had but the mystery itself was intriguing...yet I couldn't help but want more.
The story opens with teenager Parker and her best friend, Dani, committing a bit of B&E at a rival's school to mess with their tennis rackets, as they are on the tennis team at their own school. It was sort of an initiation with the older girls on their team. Except mid-prank, they are caught by school security and Parker pulls a runner and leaves her best friend behind.
But then there's a turning point for Parker and her family. Her father had been struggling to find work when suddenly an amazing job offer came up and the family leaves their D.C. home to live in a rural Midwestern state in the small town of Coronation. Everything is quite quaint in this little town. The people are super friendly, and there's the smell of roses permanently in the air. It's picturesque.
When Parker stars her new school, things continue to go well when the headmaster's daughter, Beth, befriends Parker on the first day. They make the tennis team together and things honestly couldn't get any better, until they do once more! Parker is named Rose Duchess for the upcoming festival where they honor a past historical figure, Rosamund, who apparently helped save the town hundreds of years ago from a harsh winter. But it's after her "crowning" that Parker starts to see things, strange, inexplicable things, terrifying things.
What Parker soon learns is that the town has a dark and terrible past that is about to come into play once more and Parker is at the deadly center of it.
This book was quite chilling indeed! True, the spookier moments do take a little while to pop up, but once they do, it was pretty spooky! One thing that always gets me is when characters start to see things out of the corner of their eyes and when they take a second look the "thing" isn't there, but then it pops up again at another corner! Just that spooky feeling where you can't be sure of what you're seeing and if it's real or not! Speaking of which, Parker is plagued with terrifying nightmares that feel real and will likely have you steering clear of hedge mazes from here to eternity!
The twist at the end was one I did see coming, but confirmation is always nice! I did feel like a few more details could've been had to explain things, but I guess Sarles didn't want to have one of those villainous monologues where the villain reveals everything in great detail. Which I can understand, but I still felt like a little more explanation wouldn't have hurt.
A Pocket Full of Posies is a perfect read for this time of year! It's just spooky enough to give you chills and a few jump scares. It may not be the stuff of nightmares exactly, but is just scary enough that you may not want to plant any roses anytime soon!
Overall Rating 4/5 stars
The story opens with teenager Parker and her best friend, Dani, committing a bit of B&E at a rival's school to mess with their tennis rackets, as they are on the tennis team at their own school. It was sort of an initiation with the older girls on their team. Except mid-prank, they are caught by school security and Parker pulls a runner and leaves her best friend behind.
But then there's a turning point for Parker and her family. Her father had been struggling to find work when suddenly an amazing job offer came up and the family leaves their D.C. home to live in a rural Midwestern state in the small town of Coronation. Everything is quite quaint in this little town. The people are super friendly, and there's the smell of roses permanently in the air. It's picturesque.
When Parker stars her new school, things continue to go well when the headmaster's daughter, Beth, befriends Parker on the first day. They make the tennis team together and things honestly couldn't get any better, until they do once more! Parker is named Rose Duchess for the upcoming festival where they honor a past historical figure, Rosamund, who apparently helped save the town hundreds of years ago from a harsh winter. But it's after her "crowning" that Parker starts to see things, strange, inexplicable things, terrifying things.
What Parker soon learns is that the town has a dark and terrible past that is about to come into play once more and Parker is at the deadly center of it.
This book was quite chilling indeed! True, the spookier moments do take a little while to pop up, but once they do, it was pretty spooky! One thing that always gets me is when characters start to see things out of the corner of their eyes and when they take a second look the "thing" isn't there, but then it pops up again at another corner! Just that spooky feeling where you can't be sure of what you're seeing and if it's real or not! Speaking of which, Parker is plagued with terrifying nightmares that feel real and will likely have you steering clear of hedge mazes from here to eternity!
The twist at the end was one I did see coming, but confirmation is always nice! I did feel like a few more details could've been had to explain things, but I guess Sarles didn't want to have one of those villainous monologues where the villain reveals everything in great detail. Which I can understand, but I still felt like a little more explanation wouldn't have hurt.
A Pocket Full of Posies is a perfect read for this time of year! It's just spooky enough to give you chills and a few jump scares. It may not be the stuff of nightmares exactly, but is just scary enough that you may not want to plant any roses anytime soon!
Overall Rating 4/5 stars
January 19, 2024
What the hell did I just read???
December 29, 2022
The book has a pretty good premise, but the execution was lacking.
I just couldn't connect to the protagonist, she's so oblivious to everything and lacks alot of critical thinking skills. I think this would have worked better if the story were written in a first person view, making her an unreliable narrator, as well as adding to the psych horror element and kinda explain all the edgelord lines throughout the book.
The book could've used more editing as well, just for example this line from p. 121 "But there was no apology there. Just pure stalker vibes". I know it was supposed to be a dramatic moment between Parker and Rider, but that line just had me laughing.
Author really loves the words "suddenly" and "realize", to the point it actually got kind of annoying, nearly every page uses these words at least once.
So basically: with some editing and a thesaurus, this could be a great book. I did love the psych horror elements it, the story does keep you guessing up until the end if any of it was actually happening or if it was just in Parker's head.
Also: is Ring Around the Rosie actually so uncommon that alot of people don't know it? I know this rhyme from childhood, so it seemed weird to me that this story takes place in America but Parker and Rider didn't know it.
I just couldn't connect to the protagonist, she's so oblivious to everything and lacks alot of critical thinking skills. I think this would have worked better if the story were written in a first person view, making her an unreliable narrator, as well as adding to the psych horror element and kinda explain all the edgelord lines throughout the book.
The book could've used more editing as well, just for example this line from p. 121 "But there was no apology there. Just pure stalker vibes". I know it was supposed to be a dramatic moment between Parker and Rider, but that line just had me laughing.
Author really loves the words "suddenly" and "realize", to the point it actually got kind of annoying, nearly every page uses these words at least once.
So basically: with some editing and a thesaurus, this could be a great book. I did love the psych horror elements it, the story does keep you guessing up until the end if any of it was actually happening or if it was just in Parker's head.
Also: is Ring Around the Rosie actually so uncommon that alot of people don't know it? I know this rhyme from childhood, so it seemed weird to me that this story takes place in America but Parker and Rider didn't know it.
September 29, 2022
*I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review provided by YABC*
As an adult who reads Young Adult, I do try to go in with an open mind. This is one of those books. This is absolutely a book meant for Young Adults. With that in mind, I think this book is a great horror story for the intended audience. It's suspenseful the whole time through with the though, is this all really happening? There are some points that make implies it's in Parker's head but then is it? The pacing is fast and just dives right in. There isn't too much world building, or even character development, but rather a simple story about Parker's time in Coronation. Personally, I found it pretty predictable and in this case, that wasn't a bad thing. I think if it went in a different direction, the story wouldn't have worked.
Parker was a decent main character. Again, this is absolutely a young adult book. There were some instances that would have bothered me, if I let it. But I just reminded myself, if I were her and her age, what would I have done? And my answer, exactly the same thing. After abandoning her friend, she was afraid and I don't blame her. Then she gets the opportunity to run instead of facing her problems. Please tell me what teenagers wouldn't have taken that chance. And Coronation? A seemingly peaceful town that is welcoming, I don't blame Parker from going in with blinders on and clearly not seeing that this is a cult. The parents even poke fun at it but they should have been more onto it. However, I do like the ending and everything that Parker went through was very believable and perfect for the story.
Overall, A Pocket Full of Posies by Shawn Sarles might not be an adult horror book but it's not meant to be. This is a young adult horror book and does a great job for the intended audience. It was creepy and suspenseful with a fast moving plot. Parker was very predictable but in the situations she put herself in, it made sense. If you are a teenager looking for a good horror book, I'd definitely recommend you give this book a shot. If your an adult, I'd maybe look for something else. This book is meant for the intended audience and does a great job in fulfilling that role.
As an adult who reads Young Adult, I do try to go in with an open mind. This is one of those books. This is absolutely a book meant for Young Adults. With that in mind, I think this book is a great horror story for the intended audience. It's suspenseful the whole time through with the though, is this all really happening? There are some points that make implies it's in Parker's head but then is it? The pacing is fast and just dives right in. There isn't too much world building, or even character development, but rather a simple story about Parker's time in Coronation. Personally, I found it pretty predictable and in this case, that wasn't a bad thing. I think if it went in a different direction, the story wouldn't have worked.
Parker was a decent main character. Again, this is absolutely a young adult book. There were some instances that would have bothered me, if I let it. But I just reminded myself, if I were her and her age, what would I have done? And my answer, exactly the same thing. After abandoning her friend, she was afraid and I don't blame her. Then she gets the opportunity to run instead of facing her problems. Please tell me what teenagers wouldn't have taken that chance. And Coronation? A seemingly peaceful town that is welcoming, I don't blame Parker from going in with blinders on and clearly not seeing that this is a cult. The parents even poke fun at it but they should have been more onto it. However, I do like the ending and everything that Parker went through was very believable and perfect for the story.
Overall, A Pocket Full of Posies by Shawn Sarles might not be an adult horror book but it's not meant to be. This is a young adult horror book and does a great job for the intended audience. It was creepy and suspenseful with a fast moving plot. Parker was very predictable but in the situations she put herself in, it made sense. If you are a teenager looking for a good horror book, I'd definitely recommend you give this book a shot. If your an adult, I'd maybe look for something else. This book is meant for the intended audience and does a great job in fulfilling that role.
May 20, 2024
This book felt like the movie Midsommar by way of the Goosebumps book series by R.L. Stine I read as a kid. And that's a good thing! Much like Monstrous, one I also read around the same time, this is a "small town with a dark secret that they've kept by offering up human sacrifice" theme, which is rather specific but also odd that I found two books that went with it. However, unlike Monstrous's protagonist Latavia, Parker is a LOT more passive and needs her hand held to solve the mystery of the town. Honestly, I felt maybe a flip where the focus was on Rider, a side character, would have made for a much tighter and fascinating tale. The writer made an unfortunate mistake common to many writers in making Rider far more interesting than the supposed protagonist of the book.
What makes it "Midsommar Lite" or "Darker Goosebumps" is that from the moment one reads the first page, the stakes are MUCH lower than the former and much higher than the latter. Parker betrays her best friend in a prank gone wrong and feels terribly guilty about it, which is a lot of levels lower than having your sister kill herself and your parents in a horribly graphic murder-suicide. After she's crowned the Rose Duchess, anyone who has seen a horror movie featuring a cult can see where this going, how the town will have been committing human sacrifice for hundreds of years, blah blah blah.
Parker never fully connects or seems to take agency of her own, so desperate is she to be liked and accepted by the town, though I give her a little grace because that really is true of teenage girls. Honestly, I was half-expecting her death to happen at any time because of how unwilling she was to DO anything to change her fate. Even having it all spelled out for her BARELY got her ass into gear.
Honestly, it's a pretty harmless little horror book, something to read if you need a breather from heavier books that have psychologically destroyed you (I say that lovingly!) or perhaps just want something a bit more simple in terms of reading material. The nice thing about this one is it doesn't promise or pretend to be deeper than it is. It's Goosebumps for the YA crowd and is proud of it.
What makes it "Midsommar Lite" or "Darker Goosebumps" is that from the moment one reads the first page, the stakes are MUCH lower than the former and much higher than the latter. Parker betrays her best friend in a prank gone wrong and feels terribly guilty about it, which is a lot of levels lower than having your sister kill herself and your parents in a horribly graphic murder-suicide. After she's crowned the Rose Duchess, anyone who has seen a horror movie featuring a cult can see where this going, how the town will have been committing human sacrifice for hundreds of years, blah blah blah.
Parker never fully connects or seems to take agency of her own, so desperate is she to be liked and accepted by the town, though I give her a little grace because that really is true of teenage girls. Honestly, I was half-expecting her death to happen at any time because of how unwilling she was to DO anything to change her fate. Even having it all spelled out for her BARELY got her ass into gear.
Honestly, it's a pretty harmless little horror book, something to read if you need a breather from heavier books that have psychologically destroyed you (I say that lovingly!) or perhaps just want something a bit more simple in terms of reading material. The nice thing about this one is it doesn't promise or pretend to be deeper than it is. It's Goosebumps for the YA crowd and is proud of it.
October 25, 2024
DNF at 60%
I really really really wanted to like this book. But no matter how hard I tried, I could not bring myself to finish it. So, this review is about what I read, the other 40% of the book I don't know, ok? OK?
Things I didn't like:
1- The execution.
The synopsis is AMAZING. I'll give the author some credit for it because hell yeah, let's admit, it's a good hook to read the book. But the execution on the other hand was horrible. Poor, weak. I had never found a book with such an amazing idea but such a poor execution. I don't get it.
2- The classification.
Damn. This is NOT YA (young adult). It's more middle grade. AND THAT'S PERFECTLY FINE, BUT WHY CLASSIFING A BOOK INTO A DAMN CATEGORY THAT IS NOT? I DON'T GET IT.
3- THE CHARACTERS
WHY IS EVERYONE SO CLICHE AND SO STEREOTYPICAL?
We have the shy, quiet MC who is invisible (and look, that is not bad, if the MC at least has personality, but guess what? Parker doesn't), the BFF who always supports her, the weirdo (Rider), the popular boy who somehow is interested in her, the extroverted female best friend who helps her fit in.
Tell me one thing Parker likes besides tennis (which is also mentioned like a few times). Tell me a trait of just one of the secondary characters (that's not Rider). Exactly, you can't.
4- The plot.
The plot is boring. Just chapters and chapters where nothing happens. Nothing.
5- Parker.
I think at this point it is more than obvious that I did not like Parker. She is just so clueless about everything that happens around her. Why? WHY?
This has happened to me with so many other books. I don't get if it's me the problem or if it's the books.
Now... the things I did like from what I read:
1- Rider <3
Oh lord I love this guy. He seems like he's the only one who has a brain in here. I love his personality.
2- The horror part.
It seemed pretty good to me.
3- The cover (the reason why I bought the book).
I don't need to elaborate much here. It's pretty. Look at that cover!
And that's it. Bye.
I really really really wanted to like this book. But no matter how hard I tried, I could not bring myself to finish it. So, this review is about what I read, the other 40% of the book I don't know, ok? OK?
Things I didn't like:
1- The execution.
The synopsis is AMAZING. I'll give the author some credit for it because hell yeah, let's admit, it's a good hook to read the book. But the execution on the other hand was horrible. Poor, weak. I had never found a book with such an amazing idea but such a poor execution. I don't get it.
2- The classification.
Damn. This is NOT YA (young adult). It's more middle grade. AND THAT'S PERFECTLY FINE, BUT WHY CLASSIFING A BOOK INTO A DAMN CATEGORY THAT IS NOT? I DON'T GET IT.
3- THE CHARACTERS
WHY IS EVERYONE SO CLICHE AND SO STEREOTYPICAL?
We have the shy, quiet MC who is invisible (and look, that is not bad, if the MC at least has personality, but guess what? Parker doesn't), the BFF who always supports her, the weirdo (Rider), the popular boy who somehow is interested in her, the extroverted female best friend who helps her fit in.
Tell me one thing Parker likes besides tennis (which is also mentioned like a few times). Tell me a trait of just one of the secondary characters (that's not Rider). Exactly, you can't.
4- The plot.
The plot is boring. Just chapters and chapters where nothing happens. Nothing.
5- Parker.
I think at this point it is more than obvious that I did not like Parker. She is just so clueless about everything that happens around her. Why? WHY?
This has happened to me with so many other books. I don't get if it's me the problem or if it's the books.
Now... the things I did like from what I read:
1- Rider <3
Oh lord I love this guy. He seems like he's the only one who has a brain in here. I love his personality.
2- The horror part.
It seemed pretty good to me.
3- The cover (the reason why I bought the book).
I don't need to elaborate much here. It's pretty. Look at that cover!
And that's it. Bye.
September 29, 2023
The protagonist Parker, is a sweet, socially awkward kid. All Parker wants is to fit in with the crowd because the kids at her old school bullied her. Parker's family moves to a different town. Parker’s neighborhood is covered in rose bushes and flowers. It seems strange but it’s still nice. Her neighbor welcomes her and her daughter becomes really close friends with Parker. Parker likes her new school and neighborhood, but when she tries out for the tennis team she accidentally hits the ball over a fence into a garden. This had me a little on edge about what was happening in the book. She immediately volunteered to get the ball after she hit it over the fence. I was a little worried when I read this scene. She finds the ball but that’s not all she finds. She finds a whole garden full of flower buds just waiting to bloom, and a gardener who is watering the flowers at that moment. Parker ended up coming out of that scene fine, just upset the tryouts didn’t go as she expected them to. Fast forward a couple weeks everything seems to be going great until the bloom. The bloom was the table turning event of the book. My reaction to when she got picked as rose dutches I was shocked, Parker was new to town and she got picked for something every girl wants to be. I recommend this book to someone who likes horror fiction because, this book provides the suspense of a horror book and the concept of the story is very interesting because it will never happen.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 23, 2023
After reading Campfire (which I loved) I was so excited to get A Pocket Full of Posies. The first third of the book flew by and it gave all the Midsommer vibes - a town based on folk history with a cultish vibe and their own school and belief system. Then, all of a sudden, the momentum slammed to a halt.
Parker and her family move to Coronation at what seems to be the perfect time for Parker. She quickly finds popularity and is even crown the Rose Duchess only to find out that Coronation and their devotion to Rosalind is not a loving and positive lifestyle.
The last of the book flies, but seems rushed, with an overall anti-climatic ending. Although I was hoping for more (like Canpfire) I completely understand that this book is YA and perhaps for those a slight younger than that.
Parker and her family move to Coronation at what seems to be the perfect time for Parker. She quickly finds popularity and is even crown the Rose Duchess only to find out that Coronation and their devotion to Rosalind is not a loving and positive lifestyle.
The last of the book flies, but seems rushed, with an overall anti-climatic ending. Although I was hoping for more (like Canpfire) I completely understand that this book is YA and perhaps for those a slight younger than that.
August 29, 2022
A dark and wicked tale, using the basis of a childhood rhyme.
Dark cloaked figures, saints and saviors, a town of illusions, built by a warped religion, a sense of commitment to something evil and dark.
Twists and turns in this building suspense inside a small Puritan like New England town.
Victims and heroes, false promises, being chosen under false pretenses, lied to, bribed, brainwashed, cursed.
Themes of making impressions and choices. Sometimes, it is ok to not be chosen.
Perfect for fans of Stephen King’s, “Children of the Corn”, and Thomas Tryon’s, “Harvest Home”.
The perfect read for fall.
Dark cloaked figures, saints and saviors, a town of illusions, built by a warped religion, a sense of commitment to something evil and dark.
Twists and turns in this building suspense inside a small Puritan like New England town.
Victims and heroes, false promises, being chosen under false pretenses, lied to, bribed, brainwashed, cursed.
Themes of making impressions and choices. Sometimes, it is ok to not be chosen.
Perfect for fans of Stephen King’s, “Children of the Corn”, and Thomas Tryon’s, “Harvest Home”.
The perfect read for fall.
January 10, 2023
Definitely read as more middle grade than YA. Main character is nearly impossible to connect with, and the events just sort of happened without giving me a reason to care how or why.
Also... I was irritated by the constant repetition of the description of Rider's 'bleached-blond' hair. We know. We know he's blond. You don't have to tell us every time.
I finished the book, but I didn't enjoy it.
I guess the thing I enjoyed most was that it was an easy enough read, so it's starting the year off with something simple.
Also... I was irritated by the constant repetition of the description of Rider's 'bleached-blond' hair. We know. We know he's blond. You don't have to tell us every time.
I finished the book, but I didn't enjoy it.
I guess the thing I enjoyed most was that it was an easy enough read, so it's starting the year off with something simple.
February 1, 2024
'A Pocket Full of Posies' written by Shawn Sarles was a really good book, letting you experience both horror and experiences unlike anything else. The author was able to help you keep track through the chapters, next chapter starting where last chapter ended. We were also able to see Parker’s relationships with her friends and how they changed throughout the book, helping us discover what kind of a person she is. If you like horror / drama books 'A Pocket Full of Posies' is a great book you should consider.
August 12, 2022
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I received an ARC from Edelweiss+ in exchange for an honest review.
This story was a lot different then i suspected, we all pretty much know the song,
" Ring around the Rosie pocket full of posies ashes ashes we all fall down.'
This pretty much drops right into everything right away, but a lot of things like the characters seemed way more childish then teenagers and the story as a whole had a lot of holes.
Somethings could have been fleshed out more other things could have been less.
(that's just my opinion)
Over all the story was good but the scary factor that i was hoping for was not.
I received an ARC from Edelweiss+ in exchange for an honest review.
This story was a lot different then i suspected, we all pretty much know the song,
" Ring around the Rosie pocket full of posies ashes ashes we all fall down.'
This pretty much drops right into everything right away, but a lot of things like the characters seemed way more childish then teenagers and the story as a whole had a lot of holes.
Somethings could have been fleshed out more other things could have been less.
(that's just my opinion)
Over all the story was good but the scary factor that i was hoping for was not.
October 9, 2025
Deeply not for me. I understand that if you're going to write a middle-grade horror, you have to dial back some of the creep factor because it's (you know) for children. But, I don't think you have to dial back the brain of your protagonist? The main character, Parker, makes so many illogical choices and deludes herself into so many stupid situations just because she is dumb?
At no moment was I ever scared for her or by the events of this story, all the machinations just seemed so obvious.
At no moment was I ever scared for her or by the events of this story, all the machinations just seemed so obvious.
February 16, 2024
I like this book but some parts were not heart-winning.
First, I found Parker a bit annoying because she is oblivious to every paranormal thing.
Second, the ending was slightly disappointing, as I found the concept of the villain slightly mid-grader.
Overall, the book was nice though it didn't make me a fan.
First, I found Parker a bit annoying because she is oblivious to every paranormal thing.
Second, the ending was slightly disappointing, as I found the concept of the villain slightly mid-grader.
Overall, the book was nice though it didn't make me a fan.
January 30, 2023
It's not that this book was bad or boring. But this isn't YA, it's written like middle grade fiction, which I don't read.
Intriguing concept, not as creepy as I would have liked or as the cover alludes to.
MC is dumb and annoying.
This is a book for someone else.
Intriguing concept, not as creepy as I would have liked or as the cover alludes to.
MC is dumb and annoying.
This is a book for someone else.
May 12, 2023
While this book is not my
Norm. One of my students picked it to read. This book kept me guessing the whole way. I don’t even know where to begin. I was not excepting to like a thriller (so to speak) as much as I did. This was a new to me other but I will read more of there work.
Norm. One of my students picked it to read. This book kept me guessing the whole way. I don’t even know where to begin. I was not excepting to like a thriller (so to speak) as much as I did. This was a new to me other but I will read more of there work.
December 31, 2023
I never actually finished this book it was just rly hard for me to keep reading bc it was very cheesy. Ik it’s young adult but the story had so much potential but the way it was written you can tell it’s for younger audiences. Not my cup of tea.
March 8, 2024
This was honestly just a really boring book. Parker was so so oblivious and the book as a whole was very dull. It was a very interesting premise and had so much potential, but the author did a terrible job presenting it.
July 11, 2025
2.5*
solidly average. it was fine. she was dumb but it makes sense for her age. i am probably also above the age range for this book. to be fair it was left on a table at my workplace and i read it because it was free. yea it was fine. it took me forever to read though idk why
solidly average. it was fine. she was dumb but it makes sense for her age. i am probably also above the age range for this book. to be fair it was left on a table at my workplace and i read it because it was free. yea it was fine. it took me forever to read though idk why
September 5, 2022
Creepy twist on a nursery rhythm where a town has a deadly secret.
October 11, 2022
I enjoyed this book. It was entertaining. Definitely had a thriller aspect. It was a mystery. It was predictable but it was still fun. Solid story, solid ending.
January 8, 2023
I love the thrilling end and the constant pull to finish the book.
February 14, 2023
I found this a good, age-appropriate book. A bit scary but not too much so. The author took a nursery rhyme and built a complex story around it with a supernatural twist.
April 2, 2023
A spooky quick read. Good world building but kind of shallow/one dimensional characters.
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