Series: n/a
Author: Delilah S. Dawson
Source/Format: Netgalley; eARC
More Details: Paranormal; Middle Grade
Publisher/Publication Date: Delacorte; August 10, 2021
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Synopsis from Goodreads...
A twisty, terrifying ghost story about twelve-year-old Lily, her creepy new home in Florida, and the territorial ghost of the young girl who lived there before her. Lily's new house is a real nightmare. . . .
Lily Horne is a drama queen. It's helped her rise to stardom in the school play, but it's also landed her in trouble. Her parents warn her that Florida has to be different. It's a fresh start. No theatrics. But this time, the drama is coming for her. The Hornes' new house is awful. The pool is full of slime, the dock is rotten, and the swamp creeps closer every day. But worst of all, the house isn't empty . . . it's packed full of trash, memories, and, Lily begins to fear, the ghost of the girl who lived there before her. And whatever is waiting in the shadows wants to come out to play.
Mine ticked all the boxes when it comes to middle grade ghost stories. The setting was in Florida, and Dawson really captured the humid heat and dampness of the location, which added to the overall atmosphere and tone of the story. The house itself seemed like a character in its own right, with plenty of secrets hidden in its old walls. Both of the families who lived in the house, Lily’s and the previous owner’s, had their own stories to tell. And when those stories collided, it turned into a thrilling and also somewhat nightmarish tale with plenty of outright creepy moments.
Lily Horne is into acting. I liked that portion of her character, though in the beginning, it was a source of tension between her and her parents despite the fact that it brought her so much joy. The parents were portrayed as doing their best with their situation, but it seemed, at times, that their frustration could have been handled a bit better. I guess that was the point of the story, the lesson in it. Mine was, in the grand scheme of things, a story about a ghost, accepting oneself, and learning and growing from past mistake, no matter how little or big they were.
Overall, Mine was great. I’d recommend it to readers who have enjoyed the Small Spaces series by Katherine Arden, The Forgotten Girl by India Hill Brown, and What Lives In The Woods by Lindsay Curry (which will be released next month on the 15th).
About the author....
Delilah S. Dawson is the New York Times-bestselling author of Star Wars: Phasma, Black Spire: Galaxy's Edge, and The Perfect Weapon. With Kevin Hearne, she writes the Tales of Pell. As Lila Bowen, she writes the Shadow series, beginning with Wake of Vultures. Her other books include the Blud series, the Hit series, and Servants of the Storm. She's written comics in the worlds of Marvel Action: Spider-Man, Lore's Wellington, Star Wars Adventures, Star Wars Forces of Destiny, The X-Files Case Files, Adventure Time, Rick and Morty, and her creator-owned comics include Star Pig, Ladycastle, and Sparrowhawk. Find out more at www.whimsydark.com.
Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (Delacorte) via NetGalley for this review, thank you!
