EVE HALLOWS AND THE BOOK OF SHRIEKS (BOOK 1)
For fourteen-year-old Eve Hallows, life can be summed up in one word—horrible. She has the most horrible friends. She lives in a horrible old castle. Even her family is a bunch of horrible monsters.
However, in the monster-inhabited world of Gravesville—a world where messages are sent through Ouija boards, jack-o’-lanterns get facials to suit their moods, and the worst thing Eve has to deal with are those annoying zombie tourists who overrun her favorite graveyard during the Halloween season—horrible means wonderful. And everything for Eve is perfectly horrible.
But her life is about to go head over heels when a mysterious group known as The Source starts terrorizing Gravesville. Now she must move to the human world—where everything is opposite ... and for Eve, that's absolutely adorable!
Praise for Eve Hallows and the Book of Shrieks:
"Move over, Neil Gaiman’s CORALINE and THE GRAVEYARD BOOK … make room, Lemony Snicket’s A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS … you’ve got company and competition for shelf space!" -- THE HORROR FICTION REVIEW
"WOW! What an absolutely horrible book (horrible meaning fantastic!) ... This book was laugh out loud funny. I loved when Mom accidentally turned people to stone. Dad's crazy attempts at running a pizza store were just hysterical." -- KIDS 'N' BOOKS
"This is the perfect book to be read aloud, read at night under the covers or simply devoured in one sitting. Robert Gray’s Eve Hallows and the Book of Shrieks simply shines with all of its fun creepiness, compelling characters and stellar writing. A MUST read for any MG fan!" -- WORD SPELUNKING
"Eve Hallows is highly imaginative without being too complex for its target audience. Fall in love with Eve, her friends and her family of adorable monsters. Lose yourself in a light read that will remind you of those days when your English teacher just want you to read something, anything. This book is it. The one that you wish you read when you were in grade school." -- JOYOUS READS
"Overall, this book was fantastic. It presents an admirable role model as well as a strong family unit which will benefit young readers. When so many books right now have presented teens in a not-so-flattering light, it is so wonderful to find a book like this one." -- BOOK COVER JUSTICE
My Review
Eve Hallows and the Book of Shrieks was such a fun read. It has an easy flow and humorous story that I couldn’t put down. The world building that Mr Gray created was fantastic and the characters all loveable. The unique zombies, pirates, werewolves, ghouls, vampires, gorgons and all other paranormal creatures imaginable were hilarious in their creation and so enjoyable. Where horrible means adorable and adorable means horrible, it is an adventure not to miss.
Fourteen year old Eve Hallows was orphaned and taken in by a gorgon and a shapeshifer; her brother is a ghoul and they have a pet called wolf, which is a werepig. Living in Gravesville, a world where monsters are normal people and everyday appears to be Halloween. For breakfast Eve has chocolates and donuts and pumpkin juice. Going to school her lunch is chocolate and donuts and pumpkin juice. Halloween is like Christmas and the biggest celebration of the year. But before she could even get to celebrate, murders have been committed and in fear for their safety, her parents decide to move into the human world.
Adapting in the human world and a human school is not what Eve expects. Her Mother takes her shopping and asks some teens dressed up walking down the street where they got their clothes from. It turns out they were attending a Halloween party and were wearing costumes, but Eve’s Mother didn’t realise and they bought “horrible” clothes for school. Eve’s first day of school couldn’t get any worse. Everybody is laughing, staring and pointing. The principle is not happy with her either; so her first day is disastrous. The mean girls turn up and almost fall over laughing at her because of the trick they played.
Her Dad has to run a pizza shop and after school Eve has to help out at Ghoulicious Pizza. The murderer’s calling card was left at the pizza shop and now they are worried. Eve is determined to find out more about THE SOURCE somehow and gets the opportunity when she is suspended from school.
Eve starts investigating and finds all sorts of things but can’t piece them all together. Will Eve work out who is behind the murders? Can she overcome the mean girls at school? Will she ever see her friends again at home in Gravesville? What is The Book of Shrieks and where can it be found?
Follow Eve on her journey of self-discovery, new school cliques and social status, secret societies and betrayal. I really enjoyed this adventure story and can’t wait to get into book 2, Eve Hallows and the Book of Shadows.
EVE HALLOWS AND THE BOOK OF SHADOWS (BOOK 2)
Ever since encountering The Source and its minions on Halloween, Eve Hallows has found life surprisingly quiet … not to mention adorably boring! So when Dad receives a Ouija message that she must return to Gravesville, Eve couldn't be happier—at least until she discovers the Director of URNS, also known as the Grim Reaper, has a special job for Eve … one that will lead her to New York City and to the true identity of The Source.
With The Book of Shrieks offering zero help and a new URNS agent driving the school boys—and Eve!—crazy, Eve's beginning to realize this whole saving-the-world nonsense isn't what it's cracked up to be.
All this and she still has to find The Book of Shadows....
Praise for Eve Hallows and the Book of Shadows:
"This book was perfectly horrible! Horrible meaning amazingly awesome, of course. Eve's world once again sucked me in and would not let go until this part of Eve's story was finished" -- LILI LOST IN A BOOK
"This is a perfect combination of YA, Horror, Paranormal and Fun!" -- BOOK LOVERS PARADISE
Purchase
My Review
Eve Hallows and the Book of Shadows was another fantastic Middle Grade adventure read. As with the first one, I enjoyed reading it immensely; all though I did enjoy this one a little more than book 1. The easy flow to the story and the characters were so much fun. The characters are evolving along with the adventure and it is highly addictive reading.
After Eve escapes her encounter with The Source, the family is called back to Gravesville. Eve is horribly excited about seeing her old friends again. Once arriving though, things are not as what they once were. Because Eve is human, nobody wants to talk to her or even look at her. Everybody is terribly afraid of poor little human Eve. Eve tries to find her old school friends and catch up. One of her friends is having a party and Eve sneaks out to join in the fun.
Werewolves and Vampires are disappearing from Gravesville and nobody knows what is going on. Everyone seems to blame the other; but who is actually behind the disappearances? Eve is summoned to a meeting with The Director or who turns out to be the Grimm Reaper. Terrified beyond words, Eve discovers some secrets that will help her on her way to discovering the second book, the Book of Shadows.
The Director has promised another URNS agent to help Eve solve the case of the missing Book of Shadows. The only problem is Jasmine is hindering more than she is helping.
Back in the human world again, Eve confides in her human friends for ideas on locating the book. Is The Source behind the disappearances when the evidence shows otherwise? Will Eve be able to find the book in time?
I absolutely love this series and cannot wait to keep reading the fun adventures of Eve Hallows. Mr Gray has such a fantastic style of writing and his books are such fascinating tales, that everybody should read them for the fun factor. The topsy turvy lingo, adorable creatures and imaginative Gravesville, make one horrible book.
Favourite quotes: “Dad shook his head, but froze as soon as Mom walked into the kitchen, her shiny, black snakehair bopping and hissing to Sexy and I Know It.” ~ loc 59
Or
“Steve, oblivious to our conversation, clung to Jasmine like dirt to a coffin as we entered Ghoulicious.” ~ loc 1821
Author Robert Gray
Robert Gray is a writer. If that job description doesn't impress you, how about fantasy writer? Too general? Well, he doesn't get insulted if you call him a horror writer. If horror's not your thing, then scratch out horror and replace it with suspense. And for the kiddies, you can slap on a YA or MG in front of that title.
Gray lives in Bushkill, Pennsylvania with his wife and two children.
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