This follow-up in the Lockwood & Co series lives up to the promise of The Screaming Staircase. Stroud does good when it comes to ghost fiction. While his characters are all by nature children (an important plot point of the series, since only children can clearly see and deal with the ghostly threats that are plaguing England), Stroud doesn't go easy on them. They face some very nasty ghostly threats, and the reader is fully along for the ride.

I am a huge fan of a good and scary ghost story, and there are parts of this novel that are genuinely thrilling. I strongly recommend grabbing this on audiobook. Katie Lyons does an excellent job.

The trio of main characters, Lucy, George and Lockwood, make a great team. Lucy is the 1st person narrator, and the readers feels everything she experiences. Lucy has the 'talent' of hearing ghosts. There is a ghost attached to a skull that George stole from his former employers. George is a geek when it comes to ghosts, and he is nearly obsessed with the idea of communication with a type three ghost, the strongest communicators among the spirits. He performs all kinds of weird tests on the skull, but thus far, it has only communicated with Lucy. Lockwood is the dashing head of the Agency. Lucy still holds him in awe, but she is starting to know him better and realize that he needs her and George as much as they need him. I liked how Lucy and George are like siblings they way the fight with each other and trade insults, but also look out for each other and have each other's backs.

Aptly named, this story is about the growing communication with the skull that Lucy is experiencing, and the dire consequences of that. The skull itself is pretty creepy and disturbing, and I could definitely see why Lucy hated the skull.

I really like how the story builds so well in these books. While I can't say that things start out calm, by the end of the novel all the stuff has hit the fan, and the risk to the leads is very real. Not only from ghosts but from morally bankrupt human beings as well.

Atmosphere is probably the number one requirement of a ghost story. If one asked any of the ghost story masters, they would agree with me, I'm sure. Stroud has endowed this novel with plenty of fantastic atmosphere. He also knows that building tension is also important. Check! There are scenes in this story that almost brought goosebumps on my skin. The ghosts in this book are genuinely lethal, and even the harmless ones are still plenty creepy. The manner in which these hauntings manifest definitely helps to make the most of both atmosphere and tension.

I really like this series, and this book was equally good as the first, if not better. There were a rare few moments where I felt like my interest wavered and the story lost momentum. But overall, the plotting was excellent. While I didn't expect to find a good mystery, he definitely delivered one, and I was happily satisfied and surprised at the reveal. I definitely have to give this 4.5/5.0 stars

If you don't read juvenile/middle grade fantasy or horror, you need to start doing it now, and add this series to the top of your list of future reads.

Cress by Marissa Meyer (5 stars)

A lot of fun with a great cast of characters. Sci-fi fantasy fairytale retellings done well. It doesn't get much better.

The Demon's Lexicon series by Sarah Rees Brennan

  The Demon's Lexicon (4 stars) 

  The Demon's Covenant (5 stars) 

  The Demon's Surrender (4 stars)

GAH THIS SERIES. Lots of kissing and also angst, but oh the emotions. These two brothers couldn't rip my hearts out anymore, I swear.

Seeking Persephone by Sarah M. Eden (4 stars)

So much cuteness! Think Beauty and The Beast meets a slightly Georgette Heyer Regency romance feel.

Delilah Dirk and The Turkish Lieutenant by Tony Cliff (4 stars)

A charming graphic novel, complete with lovable characters and beautiful illustrations. The atmosphere and settings were also lovely, and not something that is generally seen in the literary world here, or at least, not wherever I'm looking.

Joan of Arc by Mark Twain (4 stars)

A well-written classic actually deserving of that title. Definitely Twain's best, out of those  that I've read.

The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis (5 stars)

Just really brilliant and full of important points to ponder.

The Whispering Skull by Jonathan Stroud (4 stars)

Not as good as the first book in the series, but still a good installment and lots of fun hanging out  with Lockwood and Co. Oh, and all the ghosts too.

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore by William Joyce (5 stars)

One of the best children's books I've ever read, and it helps that it's a bibliomaniac's dream come true.

 Honorable Mentions:

Prisoner of Night and Fog by Anne Blankman (4 stars)

Tsarina by J. Nelle Patrick (4 stars)

This has a freaking awesome set up: something horrible has happened, and fifty years on the world is swimming with ghosts who are dangerous and can even kill the living, and the only people who can see/hear/sense them are children. (Not all children can, but no adults can, those who have the ability gradually lose it as they age). So there's a little independent ghost hunting company called Lockwood & Co operating out of Tony Lockwood's family home in London, and the three teenagers can do pretty much whatever they want and don't have to go to school and they don't have any adults watching over them. And, this is a great addition, this is: they use special swords with silver tips to fight ghosts.

I almost really love it a lot. But the author kills much of my buzz with his own casual stereotypes. Every time I'd cruising along getting really into it he does something that kicks me out. Such as, I can accept that this particular trio of heroes are white, but so is everyone else. All right, I finally manage to suspend my disbelief again and I'm getting back into the concept and what does he do? Fat bashing. Wow, way to reach for the low-hanging fruit of characterization there: Lockwood, the hero is tall and handsome and charming. George, the foil, is shorter, and fatter, and so untidy and off-putting. And we have to be reminded of this good-looking = good unattractive = bad formulation repeatedly, both in our trio of ghost fighters and in bad guys, etc. I suppose I should be grateful he doesn't fall back on the lazy stereotyping of racists of old and just make all the bad guys "swarthy." So when I manage to get over just how cheap and cruel that is, and get back into the story, then the writer has to tell us that Lucy, the narrator of these tales isn't like all the other girls, no, she isn't interested in hair and makeup and fancy clothes, and that's why she doesn't get along with any females at all ever.

I'll probably pick up the next book in the series. And I'll probably end up throwing it across the room and screaming in disgust when George eats the same food as Lockwood and Lucy but gets mocked for it, or when Lucy reveals that all girls except her love pink. Then I'll be done with Stroud. When I can't possibly recommend his books to my daughters.

Library copy