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Red Eye
The Lighthouse
On Bird Rock, gannets circle and thick mist surrounds the lighthouse at its centre, hiding the secrets of a tragic past within …From the second they set foot on the island to join their dad and his new family, Jess and Rosie feel that something’s wrong. Nightmares haunt their dreams and there seems to be someone, or something, else with them in the lighthouse – their home for the summer.Counting down the days until they can leave, Jess and Rosie decide to investigate. But when Rosie disappears, the countdown takes on a new meaning. Especially when no one but Jess remembers Rosie at all…Alex Bell’s chilling novel is part of the Red Eye series, perfect for fans of Juno Dawson’s SAY HER NAME and Kat Ellis’s HARROW LAKE.
352 pages, Paperback
Published September 29, 2022
About the author
Alex Bell
48 books645 followersAlex Bell signed her first book deal at nineteen and, since then, has written multiple books for both adults and young people. After completing a law degree, she now works for a legal advice charity. Alex lives in Hampshire with her husband, sons and Sphynx cats. She also writes as Alexandra Bell.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
June 26, 2022
Reading an Alex Bell book is like watching Dr Who. Everyone's having a great time, and then suddenly you're terrified of something perfectly normal, like a statue, or a little china doll, or mirrors and windows. I kind of expected this after the Charlotte books, but sometimes authors switch focus between books. Not this time. If anything, Lighthouse is even creepier.
I don't want to give any spoilers - this book is definitely best read unspoiled - but there are some very creepy ideas here. The ending seems to indicate a sequel - and perhaps, Charlotte style, a prequel? The immediate problem is dealt with at the end of this one, but there are a lot of unanswered questions I would love to understand. Maybe then I'd be able to sleep better!
A fantastic addition to the Red Eye series. I'll be eagerly looking out for more from Alex. Just brilliant.
I don't want to give any spoilers - this book is definitely best read unspoiled - but there are some very creepy ideas here. The ending seems to indicate a sequel - and perhaps, Charlotte style, a prequel? The immediate problem is dealt with at the end of this one, but there are a lot of unanswered questions I would love to understand. Maybe then I'd be able to sleep better!
A fantastic addition to the Red Eye series. I'll be eagerly looking out for more from Alex. Just brilliant.
September 30, 2022
Sisters Jess & Rosie are spending the summer with their dad staying at a lighthouse on Bird Island. Since the divorce, they have not spent much time with him & his new wife, & their half-brother, Charlie, & their dad hopes that the time spent together whilst conducting a ornithological survey will be good for them all. Jess would rather be spending the holidays with her friends, & that feeling grows deeper as they approach the island. It's fairly remote & a 4 hour boat ride from the mainland & when they reach it, they realise that they are going to be stranded there with no contact to the outside world except for a radio.
The island itself is rather sinister-looking with tall cliffs filled with the nesting seabirds that give the island its name. Added to this, the lighthouse where they are going to be staying looks less than welcoming. Soon after their arrival, they meet a group of hunters staying at the other side of the island who are permitted to stay on the island for a short time & kill hundreds of the birds each year. One of the hunters is Will, a teenage boy whose sister died at the lighthouse. Will tells Jess & Rosie that the lighthouse is haunted, & that it would be best for their family if they all left before they meet a grisly end. Jess doesn't believe him whilst Rosie is intrigued, but when strange things start to happen, they both realise that Will may have been telling the truth.
I've always thought that lighthouses are naturally eerie places & this one definitely fits the bill. The plot itself was a little choppy - it was very fast-paced, so fast in fact, that I think some of the scene-setting & character development suffered due to this. Compared to an earlier book, Frozen Charlotte, the reader doesn't get to know the main character & therefore feels less invested in the outcome. There were some things that I thought were a little odd as I was reading it but these were explained in the conclusion & made more sense. The ending itself I thought was really good, it definitely wasn't happy ever after. Overall this was a mixed bag which gets a 3 star rating.
TW: If you are sensitive to animal (or in this case bird & gastropod) deaths then there are quite a few in this book - the birds killed by the hunters etc - & there is a very sad child death. There's also some scenes which may be triggering to anyone with claustrophobia.
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Little Tiger Group/Stripes Publishing, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
The island itself is rather sinister-looking with tall cliffs filled with the nesting seabirds that give the island its name. Added to this, the lighthouse where they are going to be staying looks less than welcoming. Soon after their arrival, they meet a group of hunters staying at the other side of the island who are permitted to stay on the island for a short time & kill hundreds of the birds each year. One of the hunters is Will, a teenage boy whose sister died at the lighthouse. Will tells Jess & Rosie that the lighthouse is haunted, & that it would be best for their family if they all left before they meet a grisly end. Jess doesn't believe him whilst Rosie is intrigued, but when strange things start to happen, they both realise that Will may have been telling the truth.
I've always thought that lighthouses are naturally eerie places & this one definitely fits the bill. The plot itself was a little choppy - it was very fast-paced, so fast in fact, that I think some of the scene-setting & character development suffered due to this. Compared to an earlier book, Frozen Charlotte, the reader doesn't get to know the main character & therefore feels less invested in the outcome. There were some things that I thought were a little odd as I was reading it but these were explained in the conclusion & made more sense. The ending itself I thought was really good, it definitely wasn't happy ever after. Overall this was a mixed bag which gets a 3 star rating.
TW: If you are sensitive to animal (or in this case bird & gastropod) deaths then there are quite a few in this book - the birds killed by the hunters etc - & there is a very sad child death. There's also some scenes which may be triggering to anyone with claustrophobia.
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Little Tiger Group/Stripes Publishing, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
September 7, 2022
Cripes, WHAT AN AMAZING BOOK!!! Alex Bell is the horror master. The scares, threat and and bits of gore are pitched perfectly for young people. The atmosphere, which really important in horror, was just right. Just a brilliant scary book, even I was a bit scared. Only got 5 stars because I couldn’t give it more. Netgalley ARC, one minor complaint, the epilogue was tacked on to enable a possible sequel. I hate that tbh. After you’ve read the book, why would anyone want to go back to bird island?
April 11, 2024
I kept reading thinking that there would be an logical explanation to the disturbing events but I was wrong 😣😤too spooky for me. It could have been a great doctor who episode haha
August 8, 2022
Thank you to Little Tiger Group and to NetGalley for the eARC of this book.
I have a strange adoration for lighthouses. There's something about their remoteness and resilence that I find deeply beautiful in a lonely, wistful sort of way. Whenever near the seaside, I visit them; when they crop up in books, I smile. It was therefore only natural for me to leap at the chance to read a book that centers around a lighthouse, especially a haunted, creepy one at that! What a lucky find for little ol' me.
The Lighthouse is a YA horror/mystery about teenaged sisters, Jess and Rosie, who are summoned by their father to the tiny remote island Bird Rock off the coast of Scotland. Their father is there with his new wife, Kate, and their six-year-old son, Charlie, studying the local gannets who call the island their home. On this island are a cluster of bothies (small stone houses) that turn out to be in use by local guga hunters, and the lighthouse.
The story is told in first person from Jess's point of view, and it goes at a break-neck speed. I was quickly gripped by, obviously, the lighthouse, and also the utter detachment from the rest of the world that faces this family as soon as they step foot onto Bird Rock. You get a real sense of "oh no this doesn't feel good" straight away, helped along massively by that hair-raising prologue!
The story is wonderfully chock full of twists and turns and snippets of past horrors dating back through the decades, complete with misdirections, an unreliable narrator, and shadows creeping in through the fog. The hands and shadows throughout the story genuinely unsettled me, and the scene in the fog was so visceral. When I got to the big reveal near the end, it was midnight and I was reading in the dark - I had to turn on my light and shut my bedroom door, because the descriptions and the pressing dark of the setting were just too much for me; I felt I was being watched, and that isn't something that happens regularly when I read horror. The excellent final twist on the very last page was one I hadn't guessed at at all, yet all the clues were there in hindsight (ah, what a beautiful thing!).
This is a YA horror done right: it has all the unsettling vibes you could ever want, the perfect location, and just the right amount of emotion.
That being said, I did have some minor gripes with this book:
1) Jess and Rosie's dad was rather unbelievable in places. There was a scene where he reacted in such an angry manner so immediately that I had to check I hadn't skipped a page by mistake. Without giving too much away, this was before his temperment became a plot point. I also found it quite unbelievable that he and Kate slept through someone breaking into the lighthouse and cutting through an iron chain - as they're parents to a bouncy six-year-old, I don't believe for a second that they wouldn't wake even at the sound of footsteps.
2) The pace of the story is a little too fast in some places. However, I appreciate that this is a book with quite a complex set of events happening in a relatively small number of pages. I think that allowing for another 100 pages would have fixed this.
I enjoyed this book a lot (I read it in one day), and if there is ever a sequel then I will eagerly await it with grabby hands! As with all ARCs I receive, I have pre-ordered a copy of this book and am looking forward to having the hard copy in my hands.
I have a strange adoration for lighthouses. There's something about their remoteness and resilence that I find deeply beautiful in a lonely, wistful sort of way. Whenever near the seaside, I visit them; when they crop up in books, I smile. It was therefore only natural for me to leap at the chance to read a book that centers around a lighthouse, especially a haunted, creepy one at that! What a lucky find for little ol' me.
The Lighthouse is a YA horror/mystery about teenaged sisters, Jess and Rosie, who are summoned by their father to the tiny remote island Bird Rock off the coast of Scotland. Their father is there with his new wife, Kate, and their six-year-old son, Charlie, studying the local gannets who call the island their home. On this island are a cluster of bothies (small stone houses) that turn out to be in use by local guga hunters, and the lighthouse.
The story is told in first person from Jess's point of view, and it goes at a break-neck speed. I was quickly gripped by, obviously, the lighthouse, and also the utter detachment from the rest of the world that faces this family as soon as they step foot onto Bird Rock. You get a real sense of "oh no this doesn't feel good" straight away, helped along massively by that hair-raising prologue!
The story is wonderfully chock full of twists and turns and snippets of past horrors dating back through the decades, complete with misdirections, an unreliable narrator, and shadows creeping in through the fog. The hands and shadows throughout the story genuinely unsettled me, and the scene in the fog was so visceral. When I got to the big reveal near the end, it was midnight and I was reading in the dark - I had to turn on my light and shut my bedroom door, because the descriptions and the pressing dark of the setting were just too much for me; I felt I was being watched, and that isn't something that happens regularly when I read horror. The excellent final twist on the very last page was one I hadn't guessed at at all, yet all the clues were there in hindsight (ah, what a beautiful thing!).
This is a YA horror done right: it has all the unsettling vibes you could ever want, the perfect location, and just the right amount of emotion.
That being said, I did have some minor gripes with this book:
1) Jess and Rosie's dad was rather unbelievable in places. There was a scene where he reacted in such an angry manner so immediately that I had to check I hadn't skipped a page by mistake. Without giving too much away, this was before his temperment became a plot point. I also found it quite unbelievable that he and Kate slept through someone breaking into the lighthouse and cutting through an iron chain - as they're parents to a bouncy six-year-old, I don't believe for a second that they wouldn't wake even at the sound of footsteps.
2) The pace of the story is a little too fast in some places. However, I appreciate that this is a book with quite a complex set of events happening in a relatively small number of pages. I think that allowing for another 100 pages would have fixed this.
I enjoyed this book a lot (I read it in one day), and if there is ever a sequel then I will eagerly await it with grabby hands! As with all ARCs I receive, I have pre-ordered a copy of this book and am looking forward to having the hard copy in my hands.
September 4, 2023
Not my favorite of the Red Eye series, but scary and creepy enough and I loved the ending!
March 21, 2024
If you want a horror book that gives you heebie-jeebies this is that book
Don't be surprised if you are scared of lighthouses after you read this
Don't be surprised if you are scared of lighthouses after you read this
July 29, 2022
I cannot believe I’m saying this but….I’ve never read a book by this author before. I know, I know, I’m totally ashamed of myself.
This book is awesome! I absolutely loved the way it was written, such a great storyline and was easy to follow. The characters were so well thought out and well rounded.
There was enough going on in the book to keep my interest and I really did enjoy it.
The bonus now is, I have so many other books by Alex Bell to go back and read!
Highly recommend this to everyone.
5 out of 5 stars
This book is awesome! I absolutely loved the way it was written, such a great storyline and was easy to follow. The characters were so well thought out and well rounded.
There was enough going on in the book to keep my interest and I really did enjoy it.
The bonus now is, I have so many other books by Alex Bell to go back and read!
Highly recommend this to everyone.
5 out of 5 stars
October 9, 2022
I’m delighted to announce that the queen of Red Eye YA horror, Alex Bell is back, and she is on tremendous form with her fourth title in the UK’s most popular horror brand. The Lighthouse is Red Eye’s twelfth book since Bell opened the series with Frozen Charlotte (2014) and later continued with The Haunting (2016) and Charlotte Says (2017) with this new offering being their strongest release since Savage Island (2018) and Whiteout (2018). School librarians up and down the country release a collective cheer whenever a new Red Eye novel appears as kids just cannot get enough of them and they beautifully bridge the gap between Middle Grade and older YA. If you do not read much kids horror and are unsure what to recommend then the Red Eye brand is the perfect place to start. I guarantee that the incredibly well plotted The Lighthouse will have most young teens on the hook (and most adults) and make sure you hang around for a simply brilliant closing two pages which will wrong foot even the most jaded of adult horror readers.
The Lighthouse opens with fifteen-year-old Jess and twelve-year-old Rosie being shipped off to Bird Rock, a tiny island in the Outer Hebrides where they will stay with their ornithologist father, their half-brother Charlie and their stepmother. Jess narrates the story and is shocked to be stuck in such a remote location during the summer holidays, on an island dominated by gannets who shriek, stink, and poo endlessly. The family stay in the ancient lighthouse and bird hunters on the island say the lighthouse is haunted and has a very dark history. The manner in which the supernatural story was developed was perfectly pitched, expertly paced as Jess begins to feel increasingly isolated and things go bump in the night and Charlie begins to act stranger and stranger. But then things really kick off when Rosie disappears and nobody seems to remember her except for Jess. Along the way a teenage boy, with a tragic connection to the lighthouse helps out, and it was nice to see a token romance NOT thrown into the mix! This was a very cool pacey supernatural thriller. I loved it. AGE RANGE 11/12+
The Lighthouse opens with fifteen-year-old Jess and twelve-year-old Rosie being shipped off to Bird Rock, a tiny island in the Outer Hebrides where they will stay with their ornithologist father, their half-brother Charlie and their stepmother. Jess narrates the story and is shocked to be stuck in such a remote location during the summer holidays, on an island dominated by gannets who shriek, stink, and poo endlessly. The family stay in the ancient lighthouse and bird hunters on the island say the lighthouse is haunted and has a very dark history. The manner in which the supernatural story was developed was perfectly pitched, expertly paced as Jess begins to feel increasingly isolated and things go bump in the night and Charlie begins to act stranger and stranger. But then things really kick off when Rosie disappears and nobody seems to remember her except for Jess. Along the way a teenage boy, with a tragic connection to the lighthouse helps out, and it was nice to see a token romance NOT thrown into the mix! This was a very cool pacey supernatural thriller. I loved it. AGE RANGE 11/12+
August 13, 2022
I haven't read Alex Bell before, but I read Point Horror and Christopher Pike when they were cool, I read Charlie Higson's zombie series and Micheal Grant's Gone, I read Stephen King now. This'll be fine, right? Nothing can be as bad as those!
Oh, how I envy two days ago me's innocence.
To be fair, it starts out merely creepy, with a spooky setting and strange birds. That's like a lot of books. Then Alex starts to pile on the tension. And then...I don't want to spoil it, but it is up there in the blurb...Rosie vanishes, not just physically but from everyone's memories as well. Jess's panic and horror are painful to read, especially as she realises she's starting to forget her sister too.
When I was reading the scene in the cellar, I had to sit up and turn on some extra lights.
And it doesn't even end there! Alex drops a huge sequel hook right near the end, and I very much hope it gets picked up. Although some of the mysteries have been solved, there's still plenty left to find out about the lighthouse and its strange inhabitants.
Alex has a gift for capturing emotions both good and bad, and I felt everything her characters did. I'll be going to look for some more of her writing. But...maybe in the sunshine?
Oh, how I envy two days ago me's innocence.
To be fair, it starts out merely creepy, with a spooky setting and strange birds. That's like a lot of books. Then Alex starts to pile on the tension. And then...I don't want to spoil it, but it is up there in the blurb...Rosie vanishes, not just physically but from everyone's memories as well. Jess's panic and horror are painful to read, especially as she realises she's starting to forget her sister too.
When I was reading the scene in the cellar, I had to sit up and turn on some extra lights.
And it doesn't even end there! Alex drops a huge sequel hook right near the end, and I very much hope it gets picked up. Although some of the mysteries have been solved, there's still plenty left to find out about the lighthouse and its strange inhabitants.
Alex has a gift for capturing emotions both good and bad, and I felt everything her characters did. I'll be going to look for some more of her writing. But...maybe in the sunshine?
September 18, 2022
It is important to note that the majority of the themes explored in this book deal with sensitive subject matters. My review, therefore, touches on these topics as well. Many people might find the subject matters of the book as well as those detailed in my review overwhelming. I would suggest you steer clear of both if this is the case. Please note that from this point forward I will be writing about matters which contain reflections on the death of a child, graphic descriptions of body decomposition, suicide, abuse, child endangerment, violence, parental neglect, psychological distress, graphic descriptions of hunting practices, the death of an animal, & others.
On Bird Rock Island, things go missing & the minds of the owner go along with them. The land that houses a history unknown & uncharted even by the most diligent record keepers, reeks of malice & malaise. During the summer when their father decided that his girls should come to him, Jess & Rosie Oliver voyage hours by train, boat, & through hostel layovers, to arrive at the island to spend their two (2) dedicated weeks of the year with their father. The disappearance of Rosie, who is still in the recovery phase of an unnamed illness, changes the dynamics in a situation that Jess was already eager to escape. This book asks the age-old question with a twist: does a person exist if they aren’t remembered by anyone?
I would like to take a moment to highlight the severity of the content warning for this book. This story is categorized in the Young Adult Fiction genre however, a great deal of the subject matter is dreadful & might have a severely negative impact on the mental well-being of a variety of readers—no matter their age. Within this story, repeated instances of parental neglect are depicted. Some of these instances result in the very graphic & violent death of the child in question whereas others lead to children being abandoned; their mental stability utilized against them in a power play. Please be kind to yourselves & heed the warning of advancing no further within this book or my review if you should not feel it appropriate to do so.
When the reader meets Jess she is attempting to recollect a series of events that took place over the course of two (2) weeks. Our narrator is 15 years old & is at a place where she wants to focus on the things in life that bring her a sense of fulfillment & joy. Her family situation leaves much to be desired & many of her monologues revolve around the frustration she feels at having to adapt to a new familial situation. I truly appreciated this aspect of the story because this is a facet of life many people have to deal with. Nathan, Jess & Rosie’s father, has married Kate & they’ve had a child together. Neither Jess nor Rosie has ever met their 6-year-old younger brother. Therefore it is not a mystery to any reader why there is a level of disconnect between the narrator & her parent.
Though I appreciated that this situation between characters was explored in with an honest approach, the parenting style in this story emulates the ones we see in stories taking place in the 80s & 90s where parental figures express a level of apathy towards the occurrences that take place & have an overall disconnect between their title as a parent & their acted responsibilities. This approach can work well within a plot but I found it bizarre to see such a lack of care within a story published in 2022. That is not to say that I do not acknowledge that this style of parenting is alive & prominent in the world—I do.
What I mean to say is that there were multiple instances wherein Nathan was seemingly written as attempting to approach the relationship with Jess & Rosie in as healthy a way as possible even though he only saw them for two weeks out of the year. He then turns around & ignores signs they are emitting that things aren’t okay. These instances can surely be intended plot devices; ensuring the reader develops an unclear image of the adults within the story, sometimes being frightening looming figures, other times the ignorant wanderer unsure of anything.
In my opinion, it would have been to the benefit of the story to have both Nathan & Kate developed with a bit more detail & attention to their depth as individuals. It was strange that Jess & Rosie had never met their younger brother in the six years since he was born. It was strange that neither Kate nor Nathan would be on edge knowing that Rosie had spent an elongated period of time in hospital for an illness that had everyone fearing she might not recover. This instance in particular is one that made me question the trajectory of the story.
On the one hand, I appreciated the ambiguity that was taken when presenting Rosie & her stint in the hospital. On the other hand, I would have appreciated it detailed clearly given the fact that every other instance of gore & terror is presented to the reader with ample adjectives & adverbs to ensure that nothing was glossed over. I truly admire a book that can set the tone for itself clearly & I enjoyed that Bell wrote such a story that went about presenting terrible things in as clear a fashion as possible. There is certainly something to be said for ambiguity & secrecy yet, this story flourished under the declaration of horror.
I link the desire for Rosie’s hospital stay to be written with more clarity alongside the graphic violence that Conall experienced because they are very similar. Both children experienced a devastating blow very early in their lives & for those readers who might be living similar situations or circumstances taking the time to present Rosie’s illness for what I suspect it to be, may very well help other such children too. Based solely on the fact that Jess fears that Rosie might relapse if her emotions start to move in a downward-facing motion, I suspect that Rosie might have been hospitalized for either/both, suicidal ideations or attempted suicide.
This deduction is made because Jess is constantly keeping an eye on Rosie’s mood & the way she is experiencing various scenarios. Even when Jess writes that she didn’t feel necessarily positive or happy about something, she wanted to make sure that she was putting forth her most enthusiastic response & behaviours so that Rosie’s mood was kept elevated & optimistic. I say this as someone who has experience within this domain; stories that present this subject matter are vital & can save the lives of children by presenting a gentle & subtle reminder that they are not alone in this life.
Certainly, this is all speculation. However, when Nathan thinks that Jess is losing her sanity after Rosie has disappeared, he expressed that he cannot stand by & tend to her mental health needs & so she will be sent back to live with her mother, cutting the holiday short. This, again, leads me to believe that Rosie was placed under medical care because of a fear for her life & well-being that was not linked to a virus but to invisible malice. It is important to remember that young people, & children, experience mental illness too—depression, anxiety, neurological conditions, consequences of abuse, etc. are not simply things that plague the psyche of the aged among us.
This story highlights Conall’s experiences with horrific parental neglect & shows the readers that even though the haunting that took place was a tragic consequence of Conall’s lack of emotional well-being, the repercussions of parental abuse are not imagined or fictional, they are real. During his life, Conall was sent to the Workhouse after his father could not—would not—care for him. Conall was told that his mother was dead whereas she was not & was then sentenced to death for inadvertently killing a guard after being attacked.
For those who have an acute awareness of the horrors that have taken place across the globe in institutions like the Workhouses, it is not difficult to imagine what Conall was experiencing during his sentence. His father helped him escape only to tell him that he would have to be kept in the basement section of the lighthouse so that no one would suspect he was around & therefore neither he nor his father would be sent to their deaths for evading criminal persecution. I praise Bell, once again, for the way in which she introduced this character & the ways in which she went about describing the horrors of his life.
When Jess & Will meet Conall in the Stranger’s Room in the Lighthouse there is no long-drawn-out sequence that sees the book stall. Bell ensured that the information that the reader was required to know was given in a seamless fashion & allowed the series of events to be felt in all their morbid entirety. I could not help but think that this story would prosper well if tweaked a bit for an older audience. The horrors explored within the narrative are stark & truly maddening in their honest portrayal.
There are so many aspects of this story that remind me of Classics, specifically those within the Horror genre. One can easily link the experiences of Charlie & his paralyzing fear of the kitchen to the experiences of Tommy & the cellar in David H. Keller’s “The Thing in the Cellar” (1940). Many of the themes explored within this narrative ring true for aspects of the genre that lay like maggots’ eggs inside the membrane of the reader; rotting the genteel thoughts of the mind until they are consumed & forever after changed.
I appreciated the inclusion of Scottish lore such as the Bean Nighe. The lore regarding two-way mirrors & the fear of having one’s spirit stuck behind the glass was a beautiful touch to this spooky story. I was eager for Jess to discover that the things she did not understand were not necessarily aspects of reality that are ominous. I was proud to see a young protagonist so certain of herself & her quest to save her sister. This leads me to my next point & one which I believe many readers will appreciate—the relationship between Jess & Rosie was loving & kind.
I am so pleased & truly grateful to have come upon a story that presents sisterhood as a relationship between people that can be kind, loving, patient, empathetic, thoughtful, & positive. Though Jess & Rosie recognize how different they are & how their own personal interpretation of events & occurrences might vary, there is never a moment when the two are paired against each other. The entire story revolves around keeping up the memory of those we love. It was wonderful to see a pair of sisters know they could rely on each other while not needing the snarky dialogue often included in fictional female relationships, to push them along.
When Charlie tells Jess that they forgot Rory on the island, she does not push him aside nor neglects his feelings. The relationship between all the siblings is one that sees them genuinely want the best for each other, even when they do not have the history to back their connection; Jess & Rosie recognize Charlie as being a younger sibling & do not subject him to torment for the sake of letting out their emotions. I appreciated the connection that all the young people drew between each other & how their trust in one another helped them solve the mystery of the forgotten.
In all, this was a wonderfully haunted story of mirrors, phantoms, & lore. The premise sequestered itself between tiles of black mould & darkness to present the reader with a terrible tale that the washerwoman in the fog could not make clean. I am grateful to have read a story that had my pupils dilate like the eel’s before he snacked on the skin of the forgotten child in the basement.
Thank you to NetGalley, Little Tiger Group, Stripes Publishing, & Alex Bell for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
On Bird Rock Island, things go missing & the minds of the owner go along with them. The land that houses a history unknown & uncharted even by the most diligent record keepers, reeks of malice & malaise. During the summer when their father decided that his girls should come to him, Jess & Rosie Oliver voyage hours by train, boat, & through hostel layovers, to arrive at the island to spend their two (2) dedicated weeks of the year with their father. The disappearance of Rosie, who is still in the recovery phase of an unnamed illness, changes the dynamics in a situation that Jess was already eager to escape. This book asks the age-old question with a twist: does a person exist if they aren’t remembered by anyone?
I would like to take a moment to highlight the severity of the content warning for this book. This story is categorized in the Young Adult Fiction genre however, a great deal of the subject matter is dreadful & might have a severely negative impact on the mental well-being of a variety of readers—no matter their age. Within this story, repeated instances of parental neglect are depicted. Some of these instances result in the very graphic & violent death of the child in question whereas others lead to children being abandoned; their mental stability utilized against them in a power play. Please be kind to yourselves & heed the warning of advancing no further within this book or my review if you should not feel it appropriate to do so.
When the reader meets Jess she is attempting to recollect a series of events that took place over the course of two (2) weeks. Our narrator is 15 years old & is at a place where she wants to focus on the things in life that bring her a sense of fulfillment & joy. Her family situation leaves much to be desired & many of her monologues revolve around the frustration she feels at having to adapt to a new familial situation. I truly appreciated this aspect of the story because this is a facet of life many people have to deal with. Nathan, Jess & Rosie’s father, has married Kate & they’ve had a child together. Neither Jess nor Rosie has ever met their 6-year-old younger brother. Therefore it is not a mystery to any reader why there is a level of disconnect between the narrator & her parent.
Though I appreciated that this situation between characters was explored in with an honest approach, the parenting style in this story emulates the ones we see in stories taking place in the 80s & 90s where parental figures express a level of apathy towards the occurrences that take place & have an overall disconnect between their title as a parent & their acted responsibilities. This approach can work well within a plot but I found it bizarre to see such a lack of care within a story published in 2022. That is not to say that I do not acknowledge that this style of parenting is alive & prominent in the world—I do.
What I mean to say is that there were multiple instances wherein Nathan was seemingly written as attempting to approach the relationship with Jess & Rosie in as healthy a way as possible even though he only saw them for two weeks out of the year. He then turns around & ignores signs they are emitting that things aren’t okay. These instances can surely be intended plot devices; ensuring the reader develops an unclear image of the adults within the story, sometimes being frightening looming figures, other times the ignorant wanderer unsure of anything.
In my opinion, it would have been to the benefit of the story to have both Nathan & Kate developed with a bit more detail & attention to their depth as individuals. It was strange that Jess & Rosie had never met their younger brother in the six years since he was born. It was strange that neither Kate nor Nathan would be on edge knowing that Rosie had spent an elongated period of time in hospital for an illness that had everyone fearing she might not recover. This instance in particular is one that made me question the trajectory of the story.
On the one hand, I appreciated the ambiguity that was taken when presenting Rosie & her stint in the hospital. On the other hand, I would have appreciated it detailed clearly given the fact that every other instance of gore & terror is presented to the reader with ample adjectives & adverbs to ensure that nothing was glossed over. I truly admire a book that can set the tone for itself clearly & I enjoyed that Bell wrote such a story that went about presenting terrible things in as clear a fashion as possible. There is certainly something to be said for ambiguity & secrecy yet, this story flourished under the declaration of horror.
I link the desire for Rosie’s hospital stay to be written with more clarity alongside the graphic violence that Conall experienced because they are very similar. Both children experienced a devastating blow very early in their lives & for those readers who might be living similar situations or circumstances taking the time to present Rosie’s illness for what I suspect it to be, may very well help other such children too. Based solely on the fact that Jess fears that Rosie might relapse if her emotions start to move in a downward-facing motion, I suspect that Rosie might have been hospitalized for either/both, suicidal ideations or attempted suicide.
This deduction is made because Jess is constantly keeping an eye on Rosie’s mood & the way she is experiencing various scenarios. Even when Jess writes that she didn’t feel necessarily positive or happy about something, she wanted to make sure that she was putting forth her most enthusiastic response & behaviours so that Rosie’s mood was kept elevated & optimistic. I say this as someone who has experience within this domain; stories that present this subject matter are vital & can save the lives of children by presenting a gentle & subtle reminder that they are not alone in this life.
Certainly, this is all speculation. However, when Nathan thinks that Jess is losing her sanity after Rosie has disappeared, he expressed that he cannot stand by & tend to her mental health needs & so she will be sent back to live with her mother, cutting the holiday short. This, again, leads me to believe that Rosie was placed under medical care because of a fear for her life & well-being that was not linked to a virus but to invisible malice. It is important to remember that young people, & children, experience mental illness too—depression, anxiety, neurological conditions, consequences of abuse, etc. are not simply things that plague the psyche of the aged among us.
This story highlights Conall’s experiences with horrific parental neglect & shows the readers that even though the haunting that took place was a tragic consequence of Conall’s lack of emotional well-being, the repercussions of parental abuse are not imagined or fictional, they are real. During his life, Conall was sent to the Workhouse after his father could not—would not—care for him. Conall was told that his mother was dead whereas she was not & was then sentenced to death for inadvertently killing a guard after being attacked.
For those who have an acute awareness of the horrors that have taken place across the globe in institutions like the Workhouses, it is not difficult to imagine what Conall was experiencing during his sentence. His father helped him escape only to tell him that he would have to be kept in the basement section of the lighthouse so that no one would suspect he was around & therefore neither he nor his father would be sent to their deaths for evading criminal persecution. I praise Bell, once again, for the way in which she introduced this character & the ways in which she went about describing the horrors of his life.
When Jess & Will meet Conall in the Stranger’s Room in the Lighthouse there is no long-drawn-out sequence that sees the book stall. Bell ensured that the information that the reader was required to know was given in a seamless fashion & allowed the series of events to be felt in all their morbid entirety. I could not help but think that this story would prosper well if tweaked a bit for an older audience. The horrors explored within the narrative are stark & truly maddening in their honest portrayal.
There are so many aspects of this story that remind me of Classics, specifically those within the Horror genre. One can easily link the experiences of Charlie & his paralyzing fear of the kitchen to the experiences of Tommy & the cellar in David H. Keller’s “The Thing in the Cellar” (1940). Many of the themes explored within this narrative ring true for aspects of the genre that lay like maggots’ eggs inside the membrane of the reader; rotting the genteel thoughts of the mind until they are consumed & forever after changed.
I appreciated the inclusion of Scottish lore such as the Bean Nighe. The lore regarding two-way mirrors & the fear of having one’s spirit stuck behind the glass was a beautiful touch to this spooky story. I was eager for Jess to discover that the things she did not understand were not necessarily aspects of reality that are ominous. I was proud to see a young protagonist so certain of herself & her quest to save her sister. This leads me to my next point & one which I believe many readers will appreciate—the relationship between Jess & Rosie was loving & kind.
I am so pleased & truly grateful to have come upon a story that presents sisterhood as a relationship between people that can be kind, loving, patient, empathetic, thoughtful, & positive. Though Jess & Rosie recognize how different they are & how their own personal interpretation of events & occurrences might vary, there is never a moment when the two are paired against each other. The entire story revolves around keeping up the memory of those we love. It was wonderful to see a pair of sisters know they could rely on each other while not needing the snarky dialogue often included in fictional female relationships, to push them along.
When Charlie tells Jess that they forgot Rory on the island, she does not push him aside nor neglects his feelings. The relationship between all the siblings is one that sees them genuinely want the best for each other, even when they do not have the history to back their connection; Jess & Rosie recognize Charlie as being a younger sibling & do not subject him to torment for the sake of letting out their emotions. I appreciated the connection that all the young people drew between each other & how their trust in one another helped them solve the mystery of the forgotten.
In all, this was a wonderfully haunted story of mirrors, phantoms, & lore. The premise sequestered itself between tiles of black mould & darkness to present the reader with a terrible tale that the washerwoman in the fog could not make clean. I am grateful to have read a story that had my pupils dilate like the eel’s before he snacked on the skin of the forgotten child in the basement.
Thank you to NetGalley, Little Tiger Group, Stripes Publishing, & Alex Bell for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 4, 2022
I really enjoyed this young teen horror.
Jess and Rosie spend two weeks with their Dad every summer, which is usually a holiday in London. This time however it’s on a remote island off the Hebrides, in a run down lightkeepers cottage next to the abandoned lighthouse. With no internet and limited facilities, what makes it even worse is that Dad is working – and he’s brought his new family with him! On top of that, their visit to the uninhabited island coincides with the annual visit of hunters who kill young gannets (I didn’t know this barbaric practice existed before I read this book). If that isn’t enough for a holiday from hell, Jess and Rosie also have to contend with the creepy lighthouse, its mysterious history, the sudden fog, the accidental death of a teenager not long before, the weird behaviour of the gannets, things half-glimpsed, and the terrible nightmares which haunt their dreams. And then Rosie disappears.
This is a fast-paced exciting read. It covers a lot of horror tropes, my favourite one being Rosie’s disappearance because no one other than Jess remembers. Jess has to find Rosie before she too forgets her little sister. This is such a super plot for a horror story, and Jess’s desperate search to find out her makes this a very exciting read, and I could hardly put it down.
There’s a nice little twist at the end which I really liked but I’m not sure how it would work or how far the power of the island extends (though I’ve no reason to think the evil entity on the island is restricted to that part of Scotland at all!).
When I picked this story, I did under the impression it was for middle grade, I think it certainly is suitable for older middle grade or young teens. A warning re language – there are a couple of instances of blasphemy which surprised me, given the target age of the reader.
Overall an enjoyable atmospheric horror for teens that will keep them gripped.
Jess and Rosie spend two weeks with their Dad every summer, which is usually a holiday in London. This time however it’s on a remote island off the Hebrides, in a run down lightkeepers cottage next to the abandoned lighthouse. With no internet and limited facilities, what makes it even worse is that Dad is working – and he’s brought his new family with him! On top of that, their visit to the uninhabited island coincides with the annual visit of hunters who kill young gannets (I didn’t know this barbaric practice existed before I read this book). If that isn’t enough for a holiday from hell, Jess and Rosie also have to contend with the creepy lighthouse, its mysterious history, the sudden fog, the accidental death of a teenager not long before, the weird behaviour of the gannets, things half-glimpsed, and the terrible nightmares which haunt their dreams. And then Rosie disappears.
This is a fast-paced exciting read. It covers a lot of horror tropes, my favourite one being Rosie’s disappearance because no one other than Jess remembers. Jess has to find Rosie before she too forgets her little sister. This is such a super plot for a horror story, and Jess’s desperate search to find out her makes this a very exciting read, and I could hardly put it down.
There’s a nice little twist at the end which I really liked but I’m not sure how it would work or how far the power of the island extends (though I’ve no reason to think the evil entity on the island is restricted to that part of Scotland at all!).
When I picked this story, I did under the impression it was for middle grade, I think it certainly is suitable for older middle grade or young teens. A warning re language – there are a couple of instances of blasphemy which surprised me, given the target age of the reader.
Overall an enjoyable atmospheric horror for teens that will keep them gripped.
August 17, 2022
The Lighthouse is eerie, suspenseful and utterly horrifying. I loved it.
I loved it opening with a different group of people to the main characters. I think that always works so well in horror, having something nasty happen to one group and then cut to another group just starting out on a journey. I also loved how nothing was really made clear in that prologue. Something bad happened in the lighthouse. Something we'll only find out about later.
One thing The Lighthouse does incredibly well is to build up suspense. From that prologue we know that it's a very dangerous building to go into. Then we see a family with several children going to stay there. This instantly raises alarms for the reader, and it doesn't take long at all until strange things begin to happen to Jess and Rosie. Nothing too terrible, not yet, but enough to put them and the reader on edge. Then there's that steady build up as things get worse and worse, building up to an incredibly dramatic and haunting climax.
The reveals are done cleverly too. Nothing is rushed, though this was a fairly quick read. Mysteries are slowly revealed through old journals, through letters, through folk tale accounts from locals, and through some incredibly grim discoveries.
Throughout all of this, there are other, subtle mysteries. Little things felt off and it was very hard to put my finger on just what it was but it left me feeling uneasy and unsettled. The truth of it left me feeling harrowed.
I also loved the references to Celtic mythology. This may be a classic haunted house ghost story, but it is also firmly rooted in Scotland, lending it an extra dimension of spooky creepiness.
The Lighthouse left me feeling disturbed and haunted, one of the best horror stories I've read in ages!
I loved it opening with a different group of people to the main characters. I think that always works so well in horror, having something nasty happen to one group and then cut to another group just starting out on a journey. I also loved how nothing was really made clear in that prologue. Something bad happened in the lighthouse. Something we'll only find out about later.
One thing The Lighthouse does incredibly well is to build up suspense. From that prologue we know that it's a very dangerous building to go into. Then we see a family with several children going to stay there. This instantly raises alarms for the reader, and it doesn't take long at all until strange things begin to happen to Jess and Rosie. Nothing too terrible, not yet, but enough to put them and the reader on edge. Then there's that steady build up as things get worse and worse, building up to an incredibly dramatic and haunting climax.
The reveals are done cleverly too. Nothing is rushed, though this was a fairly quick read. Mysteries are slowly revealed through old journals, through letters, through folk tale accounts from locals, and through some incredibly grim discoveries.
Throughout all of this, there are other, subtle mysteries. Little things felt off and it was very hard to put my finger on just what it was but it left me feeling uneasy and unsettled. The truth of it left me feeling harrowed.
I also loved the references to Celtic mythology. This may be a classic haunted house ghost story, but it is also firmly rooted in Scotland, lending it an extra dimension of spooky creepiness.
The Lighthouse left me feeling disturbed and haunted, one of the best horror stories I've read in ages!
May 13, 2026
Red Eye a publishing company brought a bunch of writers together to help write a series of disturbing and spooky horror story for young adults. I'm very mixed on YA novels their either way too light for their own good or thoroughly terrifying and unique like the FNAF books. I love horror stories set in lighthouses, so I knew I had to pick this one up by Alex Bell.
Jess and Rosie arrive on Bird Rock Island at the invitation of their dad and his new family to try and put a stop to the bird poaching out here once and for all. But something is seriously wrong with The Lighthouse their staying with and Rosie their supernatural enthusiast is only way so happy to discover it's haunted. People have disappeared or been killed at this lighthouse over the year, up to the point no one will stay there. A great sinister evil has long since taken over the lighthouse and now it's taken Jess' sister, as well as the memories of those who knew her...
Alex Bell has written a very disturbing and haunting ghost story that sent shivers down my spine, the atmosphere and ideas on display here were brilliantly crafted. The chills and spooks of this YA novel are thoroughly unsettling and will even freak out a few adults. It's a very clever and in some ways unique haunted house kind of story that ends with a shocking twist that will make your jaw drop to your knees.
Overall: An incredible haunted lighthouse story that shocked me. 10/10
Jess and Rosie arrive on Bird Rock Island at the invitation of their dad and his new family to try and put a stop to the bird poaching out here once and for all. But something is seriously wrong with The Lighthouse their staying with and Rosie their supernatural enthusiast is only way so happy to discover it's haunted. People have disappeared or been killed at this lighthouse over the year, up to the point no one will stay there. A great sinister evil has long since taken over the lighthouse and now it's taken Jess' sister, as well as the memories of those who knew her...
Alex Bell has written a very disturbing and haunting ghost story that sent shivers down my spine, the atmosphere and ideas on display here were brilliantly crafted. The chills and spooks of this YA novel are thoroughly unsettling and will even freak out a few adults. It's a very clever and in some ways unique haunted house kind of story that ends with a shocking twist that will make your jaw drop to your knees.
Overall: An incredible haunted lighthouse story that shocked me. 10/10
May 23, 2026
Bell doesn’t just write books about ghosts; her books are ghosts, haunting you long after you’ve turned the last page.
The Lighthouse takes us to Bird Rock, an isolated and rugged island, where protagonist Jess isn’t keen to spend two-weeks of her summer holidays with her absentee father and his “new” family. Jess’s younger sister, Rosie, is more enthusiastic about the trip; she’s got a taste for the occult and the supernatural, and the island – particularly the lighthouse where they’re staying – has a long history of death, mystery, and madness.
We have tension, atmosphere, and chilling imagery that sends shivers up your spine. We have bravery and loyalty, as well as unbearable cruelty and tragedy. We have creepy little kids, fog so thick you might just wander off a cliff, and so many birds; all watching you with those beady little eyes. Ultimately, what we have here is a story that makes us think about the impact that collective memory has on the very fabric of reality itself.
Bell is a master of gothic horror for the modern YA reader. Like her brilliant Frozen Charlotte, this story will satisfy lovers of gothic horror as it hits all the familiar beats, displaying Bell’s in-depth knowledge and understanding of the genre. It echoes the work of nightmare-weavers like King and Hitchcock, but in a fresh new way that’s just as compelling as the classics. It’s not a book for the faint of heart, but it is one heck of a spooky ride!
The Lighthouse takes us to Bird Rock, an isolated and rugged island, where protagonist Jess isn’t keen to spend two-weeks of her summer holidays with her absentee father and his “new” family. Jess’s younger sister, Rosie, is more enthusiastic about the trip; she’s got a taste for the occult and the supernatural, and the island – particularly the lighthouse where they’re staying – has a long history of death, mystery, and madness.
We have tension, atmosphere, and chilling imagery that sends shivers up your spine. We have bravery and loyalty, as well as unbearable cruelty and tragedy. We have creepy little kids, fog so thick you might just wander off a cliff, and so many birds; all watching you with those beady little eyes. Ultimately, what we have here is a story that makes us think about the impact that collective memory has on the very fabric of reality itself.
Bell is a master of gothic horror for the modern YA reader. Like her brilliant Frozen Charlotte, this story will satisfy lovers of gothic horror as it hits all the familiar beats, displaying Bell’s in-depth knowledge and understanding of the genre. It echoes the work of nightmare-weavers like King and Hitchcock, but in a fresh new way that’s just as compelling as the classics. It’s not a book for the faint of heart, but it is one heck of a spooky ride!
September 19, 2025
Okay, throughout this book the main character annoyed the absolute sh* out of me. I hate when they're always SO sceptical when you can clearly see something supernatural is happening. However, this book was good all in all. I love a good supernatural horror, and having read both Frozen Charlotte, and Charlotte Says, I was excited to read. The first 100 pages was a little slow, but it picked up once Rosie went missing.
The plot twist at the end had me gasp and it all made a lot of sense with the way "Charlie" Would have these random mood swings. SPOILERS! the fact it wasn't him, and the fact that it was Jess remembering Rory in some way, and so her brain just categorised him as being Charlie was a cool little twist.
I HATE how it's ended in a cliffhanger because I really want to know if Jess goes back for Rory. I'm hoping there's to be a sequel, because without Conall how is it that Rory is still stuck in the mirror? Will he be able to escape? Poor kid has the same fate as Conall now.
The plot twist at the end had me gasp and it all made a lot of sense with the way "Charlie" Would have these random mood swings. SPOILERS! the fact it wasn't him, and the fact that it was Jess remembering Rory in some way, and so her brain just categorised him as being Charlie was a cool little twist.
I HATE how it's ended in a cliffhanger because I really want to know if Jess goes back for Rory. I'm hoping there's to be a sequel, because without Conall how is it that Rory is still stuck in the mirror? Will he be able to escape? Poor kid has the same fate as Conall now.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 26, 2023
This story was pretty good. I read it over a matter of days so it kept me intrigued enough. I liked the theme of isolation - this was very similar to Frozen Charlotte. The mention of the hands in the mirror and windows reminded me of the little Charlotte dolls. There was one sentence which described being in a circular room as giving the sense of claustrophobia and I feel that so much - I’ve had weird dreams about that before. Especially where the wall is completely white and there are no windows.
It was satisfying that Jess got Rosie back in the end.
I don’t why but I felt like this one was written more basically than the others, not saying that’s a bad thing. However, I feel like if there was more detail and time put into it we may have gotten a romance between Will and Jess.
Does the very last page indicate a sequel?
Overall, I think this one is probably my least favourite out of Alex’s books so far. I ate up the Frozen Charlotte books and was very creeped by The Haunting.
It was satisfying that Jess got Rosie back in the end.
I don’t why but I felt like this one was written more basically than the others, not saying that’s a bad thing. However, I feel like if there was more detail and time put into it we may have gotten a romance between Will and Jess.
Does the very last page indicate a sequel?
Overall, I think this one is probably my least favourite out of Alex’s books so far. I ate up the Frozen Charlotte books and was very creeped by The Haunting.
August 26, 2022
Don’t go near the lighthouse.There’s not much to do on Bird Rock. The island has no shops, locals or phone reception. What it does have are thousands of gannets, some stone bothies, a lighthouse and an abundance of guano.
Fifteen year old Jess Oliver is definitely not keen on spending two weeks of her summer vacation there. Rosie, her twelve year old sister, is more positive about the trip and hopes to take an award winning photo while she’s there.
Their father and his new wife, Kate, both ornithologists, are working on the island. The sisters will be meeting Charlie, their stepbrother, for the first time.
“The lighthouse is haunted. Cursed. It’s a dangerous place. Something will happen if you stay here. Something bad-”Because this is an Alex Bell book, and a Red Eye one at that, it’s not long before strange things begin to happen. This was a compulsive read, with a centuries old mystery at its heart, some great creepy moments and a dose of sadness.
I enjoyed the gradual reveal of the history of the lighthouse and absolutely loved that I wasn’t able to figure out what was behind the mystery ahead of time.
Knowing what I now know, I want to return to Bird Rock and experience it all over again.
“I know you’re there.”Content warnings include mention of .
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Stripes Publishing, an imprint of Little Tiger Group, for the opportunity to read this book. I’m rounding up from 4.5 stars.
Blog - https://schizanthusnerd.com
October 31, 2022
The Lighthouse by Alex Bell
Jess and Rosie don’t feel safe on the island as soon as they set foot on it. It is bad enough that it is so isolated and they have to spend it with their father and his new family, but the birds just add to the sinister atmosphere. It isn’t long before the lighthouse lives up to it’s horrific reputation.
I’ve always wanted to stay in a lighthouse, but after reading this book, I’ve completely changed my mind. 😳 This lighthouse is the stuff of nightmares. Alex Bell has created a frightening setting that makes your skin crawl. The scene with the eel had me shaking with fear.
This book is screaming with horror and gore! Enough to have you sleeping with the light on for a week.
There are lots of shocking twists as the story progresses and a huge twist at the end that I did not see coming.
I love how Alex Bell can turn her hand to any writing style. I’ve enjoyed every book I’ve read of hers so far.
Another outstanding addition to the Red Eye horror collection.
Thanks to @netgalley & @stripesbooks for the ARC
Jess and Rosie don’t feel safe on the island as soon as they set foot on it. It is bad enough that it is so isolated and they have to spend it with their father and his new family, but the birds just add to the sinister atmosphere. It isn’t long before the lighthouse lives up to it’s horrific reputation.
I’ve always wanted to stay in a lighthouse, but after reading this book, I’ve completely changed my mind. 😳 This lighthouse is the stuff of nightmares. Alex Bell has created a frightening setting that makes your skin crawl. The scene with the eel had me shaking with fear.
This book is screaming with horror and gore! Enough to have you sleeping with the light on for a week.
There are lots of shocking twists as the story progresses and a huge twist at the end that I did not see coming.
I love how Alex Bell can turn her hand to any writing style. I’ve enjoyed every book I’ve read of hers so far.
Another outstanding addition to the Red Eye horror collection.
Thanks to @netgalley & @stripesbooks for the ARC
September 12, 2022
Set on a remote island called Bird Rock, we follow Jess and her sister Rosie as they spend time with their dad and step family.
Whilst dad and step mum research the birds on the island Jess and Rosie have to keep themselves amused….but with nothing and no one around they can’t do much…until they start to explore the lighthouse. Things go from bad to worse and when Rosie goes missing no one remembers but Jess!
The author is very good at keeping the reader on edge and wanting to read more! And the ending is the icing on the cake!!!
I really enjoyed reading The Lighthouse and I’d recommend it for readers 11+.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Whilst dad and step mum research the birds on the island Jess and Rosie have to keep themselves amused….but with nothing and no one around they can’t do much…until they start to explore the lighthouse. Things go from bad to worse and when Rosie goes missing no one remembers but Jess!
The author is very good at keeping the reader on edge and wanting to read more! And the ending is the icing on the cake!!!
I really enjoyed reading The Lighthouse and I’d recommend it for readers 11+.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 25, 2022
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this deliciously scary YA horror. Jess and her family are staying on Bird Rock while her father and stepmother complete a contract as ornithologists researching into the island's gannet population. But while staying in the lighthouse strange things keep happening and it becomes clear that not all is at it seems. This is a scarily haunting ghost story that would appeal to the slightly older YA reader. Brilliant tension building with one of the spookiest atmospheres I've ever read in YA. The birds, the eels and the ghostly presence had me hooked - I read most if it in one compelling sitting.
if there's a next one, and I really hope there is, I will be lining up for it.
if there's a next one, and I really hope there is, I will be lining up for it.
Currently Reading
July 24, 2022This was a classic Alex Bell. Terrifying, unpredictable and emotional. Initially I was concerned that the characters in The Lighthouse were going to be imitations of those in Frozen Charlotte and that this would make the book less interesting, but it did not.
The story gripped me very early and held my attention to the last page. The mystery behind the lighthouse was heartbreaking and I cried reading it. Additionally, some moments were writen in such a visceral way they were genuinely frightening.
My only real criticism is that the allusion to a romance between Jess and Will felt quite forced and wasn't necessary but otherwise a.really great, scary read.
The story gripped me very early and held my attention to the last page. The mystery behind the lighthouse was heartbreaking and I cried reading it. Additionally, some moments were writen in such a visceral way they were genuinely frightening.
My only real criticism is that the allusion to a romance between Jess and Will felt quite forced and wasn't necessary but otherwise a.really great, scary read.
July 26, 2022
This was a classic Alex Bell. Terrifying, unpredictable and emotional. Initially I was concerned that the characters in The Lighthouse were going to be imitations of those in Frozen Charlotte and that this would make the book less interesting, but it did not. The story gripped me very early and held my attention to the last page. The mystery behind the lighthouse was heartbreaking and I cried reading it. Additionally, some moments were writen in such a visceral way they were genuinely frightening. My only real criticism is that the allusion to a romance between Jess and Will felt quite forced and wasn't necessary but otherwise a really great, scary read.
June 2, 2023
Jess and her sister Rosie are staying with their dad and his family for two weeks on a small island staying in a haunted lighthouse. Things go from really creepy to horrific quickly as her sister is gone and no one remembers her existence.
Wow this was amazing, so scary and eerie, it had so many plots twists that just kept coming and I honestly never knew where the story was going to go next at all. It was a thoroughly enjoyable read and made all the better being set at a lighthouse on a small island.
Jess and Rosie had such a beautiful relationship and I loved how close they were, one thing we didn’t get though was what really happened to Rosie prior to the island, they kept talking about that she had been Ill but we never disclose exactly what it was. But still I adored how Jess refused to leave her constantly and that she wouldn’t ever leave her sister at all.
I can’t say I was a fan of any of the adults in the story at all, none of them were nice or caring. And what an awkward relationship the kids had with their dad, it didn’t even feel like the parents liked Charlie very much either. Very odd, it didn’t feel like much of a family unit in anyway.
I really liked that the story kept delving deeper and deeper, you think you have solved what it is or what may come next but you never do, there is always something else, another thing to throw you off and it’s so interesting to me. I liked the eerie and creepiness, the evil birds, the haunting characters and events constantly. It was so gripping and creepy.
I really did enjoy it and I want more now, the story isn’t over we still need more answers, more story please. So very interesting and fun though. A perfect read for someone that wants a scare but doesn’t like deep horror as it is scary and eerie and has some horror but it isn’t gory really or very graphic and is very tense but not terrifying. So it’s a great read for young horror fans to enjoy.
Wow this was amazing, so scary and eerie, it had so many plots twists that just kept coming and I honestly never knew where the story was going to go next at all. It was a thoroughly enjoyable read and made all the better being set at a lighthouse on a small island.
Jess and Rosie had such a beautiful relationship and I loved how close they were, one thing we didn’t get though was what really happened to Rosie prior to the island, they kept talking about that she had been Ill but we never disclose exactly what it was. But still I adored how Jess refused to leave her constantly and that she wouldn’t ever leave her sister at all.
I can’t say I was a fan of any of the adults in the story at all, none of them were nice or caring. And what an awkward relationship the kids had with their dad, it didn’t even feel like the parents liked Charlie very much either. Very odd, it didn’t feel like much of a family unit in anyway.
I really liked that the story kept delving deeper and deeper, you think you have solved what it is or what may come next but you never do, there is always something else, another thing to throw you off and it’s so interesting to me. I liked the eerie and creepiness, the evil birds, the haunting characters and events constantly. It was so gripping and creepy.
I really did enjoy it and I want more now, the story isn’t over we still need more answers, more story please. So very interesting and fun though. A perfect read for someone that wants a scare but doesn’t like deep horror as it is scary and eerie and has some horror but it isn’t gory really or very graphic and is very tense but not terrifying. So it’s a great read for young horror fans to enjoy.
July 10, 2023
This was an interesting one as it's set in a haunted lighthouse, like lighthouses alone aren't creepy enough already!
The pacing was very quick which I like and the story has many twists thrown in making it hard to guess what's really going on. Alex did an amazing job really bringing the setting and creepy lighthouse to life.
The characters suffered a little due to the fast pace which made it a bit harder to really get to know and connect with them.
My only major pet peeve was that characters dialogue was cut off mid way with "that was as far as he / she got before…" a few too many times throughout the story.
The pacing was very quick which I like and the story has many twists thrown in making it hard to guess what's really going on. Alex did an amazing job really bringing the setting and creepy lighthouse to life.
The characters suffered a little due to the fast pace which made it a bit harder to really get to know and connect with them.
My only major pet peeve was that characters dialogue was cut off mid way with "that was as far as he / she got before…" a few too many times throughout the story.
July 12, 2023
Did I LIKE this book? Well, I have given it 4 stars because it really spooked me rather than me enjoying it. I admit that I'm easily spooked but I figure if I felt like I didn't want to keep reading because of how uncomfortable it made me, then it must be some sort of winner in the "horror" stakes (hence the 4 stars)! It had the skeptical characters Vs the believers and had me wanting to scream out to the non-believers that there was definitely some scary s#%t going on and to NOT go in the... The author did a very good job of creating an ominous atmosphere in such a short book (340 pages) which means I should be able to entice the average YA reader at my secondary school.
September 13, 2024
THE TWIST AT THE END!!
This book makes sure every single detail from the very first chapter is utilised for the story. It is best read unspoiled and without knowing much about it. Everything you read throughout the book has its pay off at the end which for me personally, left me kinda speechless.
Overall, truly atmospheric with the remote island and isolated lighthouse setting. It also utilised cliffhangers at the end of each chapter to really drive the momentum of the book. It's a book that's impossible to put down. Highly recommend!
This book makes sure every single detail from the very first chapter is utilised for the story. It is best read unspoiled and without knowing much about it. Everything you read throughout the book has its pay off at the end which for me personally, left me kinda speechless.
Overall, truly atmospheric with the remote island and isolated lighthouse setting. It also utilised cliffhangers at the end of each chapter to really drive the momentum of the book. It's a book that's impossible to put down. Highly recommend!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 7, 2026
As a huge fan of Alex Bell, I bought the Red Eye Series and decided to give The Lighthouse a try. It’s very easy to spot some content that’s reused from Frozen Charlotte / Charlotte Says, but it’s also such a different book. The story was easy to follow, but still keeps you so attached and needing to know what’ll happen next. Plot twist at the end was absolutely brilliant. So so good, Alex Bell does it again !!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Did Not Finish
November 24, 2025I couldn’t get past the historical inaccuracies in the first hundred pages, people can’t have used radio to communicate before radio waves were discovered and no record of the old lighthouse that existed before the 1800s is no weird thing it’s very common. It’s a shame as I loved frozen Charlotte
February 11, 2023
At the start, I thought this wasn't going to be scary enough. I'm spooked easily, but I wasn't feeling anything. But by halfway through, I was hooked. Couldn't put it down; so many scary, spooky elements. Classic don't look behind you, don't go in there, scary birds, scary fog, etc. Very good.
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