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Staff Reviews: Paranormal

Check out these reviews written by the staff of the Marathon County Public Library! (For reviews in all genres, visit our main Staff Reviews webpage.) Staff book reviews are also published at Goodreads.com; follow us for the latest updates.


Cover: 'Revival, Volume One: You're Among Friends'

"Revival, Volume One: You're Among Friends" by Tim Seeley

★★★★ The day is January 2 and it's the dead of winter. It seems to be just another ordinary day in Marathon County, Wisconsin, that is, until everyone who passed away on January 1 suddenly comes back to life. Soon, all of Marathon County finds itself under a strict quarantine imposed by the federal government and tensions begin to run high. "Revival" focuses...

Audience: Adults | Genre: Fiction, Graphic Novel, Thriller, Paranormal
Cover: 'A Discovery of Witches'

"A Discovery of Witches" by Deborah Harkness

★★★ Diana Bishop, an Oxford scholar and non-practicing witch, discovers a long-lost alchemical manuscript that promises to reveal the origins (and future) of all supernatural species: witches, vampires, and "demons." However, Diana's reluctance to share this discovery puts her at odds with the supernatural community and drives her into an unlikely romance with...

Audience: Adults | Genre: Fiction, Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance
Cover: 'Lady Renegades'

"Lady Renegades" by Rachel Hawkins

★★★★ This final installment of the Rebel Belle trilogy finds Harper trying to adjust to normal life months after David, fearing his growing powers, fled Pine Grove. Then a teen girl with paladin powers appears out of the blue and attacks Harper as a threat to David. Concerned that David is creating additional paladins intent on destroying her, Harper sets off on...

Audience: Teens | Genre: Fiction, Paranormal, Series
Cover: 'The Witch's Boy'

"The Witch's Boy" by Kelly Barnhill

★★★★★ Ned’s father could only save one of his identical twin sons from drowning, but the people in the village agree that he saved the wrong boy. Ned is unsure of himself and stammers, yet when the Bandit King threatens to steal the magic his mother, Sister Witch, has spent her life protecting, he finds a courage he didn’t know he had.  Crossing the...

Audience: Children, Tweens | Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal
Cover: 'The Boy Who Drew Monsters'

"The Boy Who Drew Monsters" by Keith Donohue

★★★★★ Looking for a creepy read? Then look no further. This book plays on some of our darkest childhood fears; monsters in the closet, vicious dogs, losing our loved ones, and drowning. Ten-year-old Jack Peter has suffered from agoraphobia since he nearly drowned 3 years ago. The only time he sets foot outside is when his parents wrap him in a blanket and stuff...

Audience: Adults | Genre: Fiction, Horror, Supernatural, Paranormal
Cover: 'The Witch's Boy'

"The Witch's Boy" by Kelly Barnhill

★★★★★ Ned and his parents live in a small village at the edge of a dark and mysterious wood. His mother is a witch and his father is a woodcutter. Ned has never been the same since the day his twin brother died and he lived. He never speaks, and if he does, it is with a terrible stutter. The villagers all make fun of him and think him useless. The only thing the...

Audience: Children, Tweens | Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal
Cover: 'Dangerous Creatures'

"Dangerous Creatures" by Kami Garcia

★★ This book is a disappointing attempt at a spin-off series from the writers of BEAUTIFUL CREATURES, the popular teen series about the supernatural world of Casters (witches) in South Carolina. Link and Ridley, now an on-again, off-again couple with magical abilities, escape their fictitious southern town of Gatlin, South Carolina, and head to New York City....

Audience: Teens | Genre: Fiction, Paranormal, Supernatural