Sanctum

By Madeleine Roux 

     The perfect second book in the Asylum series.  This book does a great job of tying up all of the loose ends from Asylum.  Dan, Abby and Jordan are still in contact and decide to return to Brookline and the source of their nightmares.  They meet up on campus during a prospective students weekend, strange things happen right away when one student begins to chant "Daniel Crawford" then jumps out of the window.  Dan and his friends have been paired with current students who are supposed to show them the way around campus and keep them wrangled.  Dan and his friends have other ideas of course, they want to hunt down some addresses and search for clues and a resolution to their nightmares.  

     The trio decide to visit the first abandoned house and find nothing extraordinary, but Dan does begin seeing glimpses of the past again.  Somebody is working against the group, by stealing information from the library and trying to keep them contained within campus.  The deeper they dig, the more convinced they become that something is not right.  A secret cult has taken over the school and the surrounding community.  Small subversive acts like attacking Dan at the carnival quickly spiral to more aggressive acts.  They are being controlled by a hypnotist and a mysterious stone that has ties to the Warden.  Anything that ties to Daniel Crawford it sure to be evil and deal with mind control.  Dan and his friends discover a lot of information on the early life of the warden, and slowly unravel his secrets.  But, will they be able to discover everything they need to know to save their lives?  Will they be able to evade the Scarlet Cloaked figures?  Will more people die? 

     This is a fitting sequel to "Asylum".  I enjoyed the story telling and the deeper understanding of the characters.  It is a fairly quick read, but the content might be a little gory for younger readers, so would keep it for mature 7th graders and up.  I am giving the book a 4.5 stars for that reason, I just wish that it had a little less gore so younger readers could enjoy the tale.  Basically, if you enjoy creepy, scary and a little gory you would love this book.  

Links

Author - Madaleine Roux

Hypnosis

Secret Societies in College

Asylum

By Madeleine Roux 

     Finally, I was able to track a copy of this book and finished reading this interesting first book in the series.  This is when Jordan, Abby and Dan first meet during the New Hampshire College Prep program.  A program letting interested high school students check out college life.  The trio meet at Brookline Dorm, which used to house a psychiatric hospital.  Dan is an introvert, he has questions about his life before his adopted parents, and is fascinated with history.  Abby is artistic and beautiful.  Jordan is a math wiz, who is afraid to show his true self to his parents.  How do these three very different people become such fast friends.  

     On one of their first nights at Brookline, they happen upon an old office in the west wing.  Full of old paperwork, pictures, and a hidden stair well that is crying to be investigated.  What they find on the multiple trips to the west wing can be very disturbing.  For one the old warden at the hospital was shares Dan's name.  The warden had taken it upon himself to cure criminally insane patients through rather extreme measures.  One such inmate is Abby's Aunt Lucy and another patient is the notorious mass killer "The Sculpture".  When people start missing and some people are killed, the program is in danger of being cancelled.  Friendships are pushed to the brink and a crazy killer is on the loose.  Of course things get interesting when Dan is at the center of all of the killings and his lapses in memory are not helping matters.  How are these mysterious texts going out and putting people in danger? Who is behind all of the drama?  

     This book is a good build up to the rest of the series, I will definitely be reading "Sanctum" quickly.  I did enjoy this book, I am giving it a 4 out of 5 stars and would suggest it for grades 7th and up.  The protagonist is a young man and it is told from his view point, so it would be accessible to either gender.  This is another book that if you are open to the supernatural and believe in ghosts you would enjoy this book and the whole series.  

Links 

Author - Madeleine Roux

Images from Brookline Asylum

College Prep Programs for high school students

One for Sorrow

By Mary Downing Hahn

     This is a very thought provoking story.  I picked it up by happenstance one day subbing in a classroom.  I had just finished a book and this happened to be laying around, once I started reading I was hooked.  The new girl in town inadvertently becomes friends with a very unlikable person. Annie quickly regrets becoming acquainted with Elsie and wants to extract herself from the relationship, but Elsie will not let her go.  Annie gets her chance to remove herself from Elsie's grasp, when Elsie is absent for a week, and quickly shifts her friendship to Rosie's group.  Unfortunately, Rosie and her gang are "Mean Girls"  and belittle and bully Elsie. 

    It seems like overnight that Annie has a new friend group and begins to bully Elsie, and Elsie is left once again friendless.  Things quickly change, however, when a deadly Spanish Influenza hits Mount Pleasant and people begin to die at an alarming rate.  As schools are cancelled and the kids are left to their own devices, Rosie comes up with a plan to get free sweets, why not visit some of the wakes, and pretend to know the individual in the coffin?  They even learn to peruse the obituaries the night before and garner information about the deceased.  On one of these ventures, they happen to run upon Elsie alone in the park.  Elsie is wearing a flue mask, in an attempt to protect her from contracting the flue bug.  Rosie decides it would be fun to harass Elsie and chase her down.  After surrounding her and singing about her getting influenza, stealing her mask, Elsie is left crying in the park;  Annie and the rest of her friends feel bad,yet vow to never speak of this again.  The secret is kept until, they visit one wake with out forewarning and it happens to be Elsie...       Annie believes she is truly done with the worries of Elsie, but is she?  

     An accident that results in a concussion while sledding in the cemetery, another secret and somehow Elsie returns to haunt Annie from the grave.  Elsie is out for revenge!  She wants Annie back as her one true friend and she wants Rosie and the gang to pay for her death.  suffice it to say Elsie is a very angry ghost.  She coerces Annie to do her evil work, and puts words in her mouth that Annie would never say.  Annie's behavior and outbursts reach such a point that she is sent to a convalescent care home, so she can get the rest that she needs to recuperate.  Elsie follows her and continues to make her mind miserable.  Fortunately, there is help in the guise of another patient.  One who claims to be able to see and communicate with ghosts, one who says she can help Elsie transition to her afterlife.  Step one is to get Elsie's friendship, Elsie must believe that her and Annie are best friends.  Will Annie be able to help Elsie move on and reconnect with her mother?  Will Annie be able to return home and be able to get her friends back.  

     This book is very entertaining to read, a fairly quick read.  I think that it would be appropriate for fifth grade and up and even though the main character is female, the content is available to both genders.  I am giving this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars and think that if you like books about the supernatural you would love this book.  

Links 

Author - Mary Downing Hahn

Spanish Influenza 1918 

Dangers of school bullying

Crow nursery rhyme from title

     

The Sacrifice of Sunshine Girl

By Paige Mackenzie

     The third book in this series does not disappoint the reader, this is another fabulous page turner.  More secrets are revealed as Paige becomes stronger, she meets the council, and she is betrayed.  She begins to talk to her birth mother and father and learns more about her lineage.  To save humanity they have to understand what is happening, what and when Dubu plans on finalizing his Pentagram spell.  Since Sunshine is integral to the survival of the human race she must be kept safe.  She is surrounded by Luisearch and humans including her boyfriend Nolan.  

     Most of the town of Richmond is unaware of the nearing of the apocalypse, the high school is preparing for a dance, but there is an increase in crime and injuries as the demons begin to attack humanity.  Demon's are possessing humans, and making them do horrible things like:  Rebecca attacking her customers at the pizza restaurant.  Sunshine and the council are kept vigilant as they rush to protect their charges.  Time is of the essence, the reader knows that Dubu has a secret weapon close to Sunshine, but we don't know who it is.  Will the Markon leader Dubu reign supreme or can Sunshine come to the rescue.
     What is so interesting in these stories the reader is always aware of some of the antagonist's thoughts and plans, through short chapters that give their perspective of what is occurring.  The quality of the writing is high, therefore,  I am giving this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars.Even though the main character is a female, I do these books are appropriate for both genders and believe that they are for 6th grade and up.  Please forewarned I strongly suggest that you read the books in sequence, they do build on each other.

Links

Paige Mackenzie - Author

Other teen horror books

The Awakening of Sunshine Girl

By Paige Mackenzie

     This is the second book in the series, we continue in the story of 16 year old Sunshine and her transformation into a luisearch Her mentor/ father has finally approached her and whisks her off to his Mexican fortress to further her training.  She leaves behind her close friend Nolan and her Mother, Kat.  The damp humid jungle envelopes Sunshine as she is alone with her father and one other person on the campus.  

     The more time she spends with Aiden, her father, the more questions arise.  She knows that he is working on resolving the rift and that there was a disagreement between him and her mother, the depth of the dispute and the half truths abound as Sunshine slowly develops her undiscovered and unique powers.  She finally, discovers what caused the rift and how she is in the midst of a species extinction, namely hers.  When she discovers that her mother wanted to eliminate her and that Aiden was harboring spirits.  Sunshine finally breaks and runs from the fortress, trying to get back to Nolan, who is being tortured by her birth mother, Helena.  

     Sunshine is unaware how unique and powerful she is, she has untapped power and is very unique among her species.  She rushes back to Nolan to try to save him from the clutches of Helena.  Aiden shows up trying to dissuade Helena from eliminating Sunshine, trying to explain that Sunshine can be the answer, the solution to the rift.  

     This is another very entertaining book, another great read.  Although, there is no strong connections to the real world, I enjoyed this book a great deal.  I am giving this book a four out of five stars and can not wait to read the next book in the series The Sacrifice of Sunshine Girl.  

Links

Demons?

Mysterious Places?

The Haunting of Sunshine Girl

By Paige Mackenzie 

     This is a nicely crafted coming of age story of a young sunshine, who acquires powers at the age of 16.  Sunshine is adopted by the woman that found her at the hospital, Kat, a neonatal nurse.  Even though they are technically Mother and daughter, they are so much more, they are best friends.  Sunshine will do anything for her mother, even move across the country so Kat can have the job of her dreams!  

     Shortly after Sunshine's 16th birthday they move to a damp and creepy part of the state of Washington, where it always seems to rain.  Sunshine is affected by the dreary weather and something else.  The first night in their rented home is eventful at least for Sunshine, who hears footsteps on the floor above them.  She is convinced the house is haunted, but Kat will not believe in any of that nonsense.  Sunshine then tries to prove her claims by taking photos and collecting data.  She hopes on her first day of school, that she will be able to utilize the dark room and process her film and prove to her mother the strange occurrences that are happening in their home.  

     Sunshine was nervous on her first day of school, new school, kids and teachers, but she was looking forward to her art class and developing her film.  Imagine her disappointment when she discovers that there is no photography or dark room at her new school.  But in walks somebody that she can not take her eyes off and he is sitting right next to her.  This boy becomes her friend and protector and they work together to save Kat.  Sunshine girl has no idea who or what she is and as she grows into her powers and faces the unbelievable she may find a first boyfriend, save her mother and come to terms with her unique abilities.
     This book was a pleasure to read, a very enjoyable page turner.  I am giving this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars and believe it is appropriate for students 7th grade and up.  Even though the main character is female, it does not exclude male readers, especially with the topic being haunting and spirits.  This is an incredible coming of age tale pick up your copy today.

Links 

Guardian Angels

Author - Paige Mackenzie