Book Review: Eight Rivers of Shadow by Leo Hunt

Teen Pregnancy is gonna happen one way or another in this series.

Luke Manchett used to be one of the most popular boys at school.

That was before his necromancer father died and left him a host of vengeful ghosts that wanted him dead.

Now everyone thinks he's a freak.

To make matters worse, the mysterious new girl at school is actually the daughter of his father's deadliest enemy...

And she's out for revenge

This is the sequel to 13 Days of Midnight, while I enjoyed the first book, I had issues with it that have carried on to the next book. Most of them have doubled.

The plot was still strong but was too reliant on the sheer stupidity of the protagonist. It could be augured it's is naivety but at this point he's straight up not learning from his mistakes.The world building while interesting, it didn't compensate for the characters this time.

Luke and Elza are giant clichés. A popular jock and a snobby goth are the most unlikable stereotypes that you can find in a Teen Medium without a immediate threat; it becomes clear how characterless they are. I had a problem with the romantic aspect of their relationship in the previous book and in this one it rings even more false for me. This is a big issue as a lot of the novel is their relationship being tested and I'm just in the corner thinking you should have broke up by now, like Big Brother contestants do when they come out the house. Their bonding is experience is over and has been for months at the start of this book. Friendships are valid and in high school you be friends with people if you have nothing really in common except being outsiders and lonely. You're less likely to question your differences in friendship than a romance. Their high tolerance for each is never explained which we just know how they annoy each other.

Also both Luke's mum and Elza's parents are completely fine with them staying over at each others' places over night without a discussion. There's at least an awkward sex talk in there. That's never discussed in the book and they are just teenagers who both lucked on parents that up for having grand kids in 9 months. All of the parents are involve and actually care about their locations. This is odd absence of responsibility is just weird extension of the absent parents trope in YA. A world without consequences.

The new characters in this book are bland and American meaning their actions have little emotional consequence to the story. But I like them more than Luke and Elza so problematic again for the plot.

Random Fact: Luke has disdain towards having his Dad's last name, but he's 16 years he can change his name to his mum's (or anything) if he wants. Its the 21st century and lots of people decided to do that. If it's to show disdain towards his father, I think the back story does this pretty clearly and if to explain his mum different last name, why bring her last name up? No one actively calls her by it and the story is told completely by Luke. If meant to show Luke still wants a connection with his dad, how many people would question one line at the the start of the book this much.

I give this 2.5 stars for Ghost Fights. I like the world of this book, but the characters really let the book down. I'm not all invested in them at all after two books. Last time I said I didn't think of I would read the sequel but who knows, probably wouldn't buy it. I think I would definitely read a spin off or future work from Leo Hunt. If you a more plot person than a character person then I would recommend it to you.

I got this off NetGalley for review and is being published by Orchard Books on 14 July 2016.

Book Review: Thirteen Days of Midnight by Leo Hunt

I only count 12 or way more than 13.

When Luke Manchett's estranged father dies suddenly, he leaves his son a dark inheritance. Luke has been left in charge of his father's ghost collection: eight restless spirits. They want revenge for their long enslavement, and in the absence of the father, they're more than happy to take his son. It isn't fair, but you try and reason with the vengeful dead.

Halloween, the night when the ghosts reach the height of their power, is fast approaching. With the help of school witchlet Elza Moss, and his cowardly dog Ham, Luke has just thirteen days to uncover the closely guarded secrets of black magic, and send the unquiet spirits to their eternal rest. The alternative doesn't bear thinking about.

This is the story of how Luke's dad is terrible person and father. That's about it, but also Ghosts.

I liked the structure of this book with being first-person, point of view Luke obviously. It also chapter by the days (mostly) and that works well with the deadline nature of the story.

The romance is cliché and therefore annoying. It's mainly because I'm overaware of romances as I don't like them that much and question whether they were necessary and in most YA they are not. Friendships are undervalued and none of the the relationships in this book are that great. The supporting characters are completely indispensable which is a really bad thing in horror. Luke is meant to have known these people for years and be best friends with some of them but it's more like "we can't just let them get hurt out of moral obligation" than "I love these people, what would I do without them".

My favourite character was the dog. Elza had her moments, not sure why she had to dress all in black because she sees ghost though. Luke generally did his job as the protagonist and because I'm heartless creature I did not care about any of the characters except the three animals featured. I might have knocked points off for one of those animal's fates because it was a cheap move.  

This novel does have some cool world stuff and I was intrigued by the ghosts and the magic talked about. However, that can't carry a book like this, especially as some of that is not unique to this book and did feature a perpendicular cliché. Also there these cool illustrations that have been part of the marketing of this book, maybe would have severed it better, being part of the actual book.

Funfact:  Luke goes to bed fully dressed. Wakes up In PJs. Did the ghost change him without noticing?

The ending was bit unsatisfying and is basically just a set-up for a sequel. It felt rushed, we have
this deadline and then it's blown through it.

I gave this three out of five stars for ghost stones. This was interesting concept, though not that original, lacks some creativity and had typical cliches. If the sequel does come out, I probably won't read it (but I did). Even with everything that's left up in the air, I don't care enough to make an effect to find out more. The fates might throw it at me, so I might read it then as this was enjoyable read. I'm just really nit-picky.

I got this off NetGalley for review and is being published by Orchard Books.