THE CLACKITY – by Lora Senf, Illustrated by – Alfredo Cáceres

Ages – 9-12

‘There were a hundred other things about Blight Harbor to worry about if you weren’t used to them, but most of them were basically harmless. Most of them, anyway….’

Twelve-year-old Evie Von Rathe lives in Blight Harbor, the seventh-most haunted town in America, with her Aunt Desdemona, who writes an advice column in the local paper, The Blight Harbor Herald, helping people to solve supernatural problems, which means there is plenty of letters and emails.

‘Des doesn’t have many rules except one: Stay out of the abandoned slaughterhouse at the edge of town. But when her aunt disappears into the building, Evie searches for her. There she meets The Clackity, a creature who lives in the shadows and seams of the slaughterhouse.’

Dear Readers, let me just say—I Love This Book!

In the pursuit of searching for her Aunt Des, Evie must find the strength within to face some of her worst fears (and mine!).

‘Will she ever find Des, or is The Clackity planning something far more sinister?’

Nope, no spoilers. You have to read the book and find out, HeHe. ;)

Highly Recommend!

Thank you, NetGalley and Atheneum Books For Young Readers (Simon & Schuster Publishing), for providing me with an eBook of THE CLACKITY at the request of an honest review.

Source: The eARC for this book was archived before I could read it (entirely my fault), so I purchased the hardback, the source I used for my review, which I am utterly thrilled about because it’s just in time for Spoooooky Seasooooon! [squeals!]

Welcome to Blight Harbor, the seventh most haunted town in America. This book follows Evie Von Rathe, who has wound up living with her aunt (the local paranormal expert) after tragedy claims her parents. The only rule Aunt Des has is that Evie is to stay away from the slaughterhouse on the edge of town, notoriously haunted, potentially by the ghost of John Jeffrey Pope, a serial killer who terrorized the town 100 years before.

But…one day, when Aunt Des disappears into the slaughterhouse and doesn’t return, Evie must go on a terrifying quest to save her aunt, to learn about herself and her story, and to discover that some monsters are worse than others, and some might just be defeatable.

Y’all. I devoured this book. It was creepy, suuuuuper eerie, and magnificent. It was definitely darker than I was expecting (ie more serial killer ghost than I anticipated), but I loved it so much. Evie learns so much about herself, she finds strength, bravery, and family she didn’t realize she had, and it has all of the best spooky season vibes.

Read if you like:

-A town that embraces its spookiness year-round
-Neil Gaiman vibes
-Some monsters are worse than others
-Vegetarian librarian witches (one of my FAVORITE characters)
-Strong FMC who is really just learning how amazing she really is
-Family-not found-but understood

I absolutely recommend this one, y’all. 10/10 you should read this book.

What a creepy, crawly, satisfying read! Evie Von Rathe is a wildly intriguing protagonist--compelling and brave, fragile and fierce.

From the start, Senf does a phenomenal job of balancing a truly terrifying situation and antagonist with kid-friendly readability and manageable levels of horror. Perfect for fans of CORALINE, the SMALL SPACES quartet, or SHADOW WEAVER.

Just don't read alone after dark!

*I received an eARC from the publisher--all feedback and opinions are mine. **

This book in 3 words: Spooky. Fun. Determined.

This was such a solid middle-grade horror book. The Clackity is fast paced, interesting, and creepy in all the right ways. Going to be a hit this fall season.

I loved how visceral and atmospheric Blight Harbor felt and was described. This is such a fun and intriguing part of the plot - love a haunted town!

The loyalty and determination Evie, our main character, shows for her aunt is so wholesome. It's all about taking risks, going on a paranormal adventure, and helping those you love.

The descriptions of The Clackity are spot on and feel like they paint a full picture, WHICH is always key in a ghost story.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an e-ARC of The Clackity by Lora Senf.
The Clackity is a great middle-grade horror story; not too scary, but enough ghost and paranormal activity to keep young readers interested. Fast-paced plot containing unique characters and a strong protagonist give this novel depth. I want a little bird to encourage me on my journey!

The Clackity is an absolutely perfect middle grade horror. It was exactly what I was hoping for, and more! It follows Evie, who lost her parents in a fire and is now living with her aunt in one of America’s most haunted towns. When her aunt goes missing in an abandoned meat plant, she embarks on a truly harrowing journey to save her.

What made this book so great was the way it explored different kinds of horror. We see Evie explore the horror of her real-life loss, and the horror of the murderous ghosts who is following her. We see the horror of loneliness but also have to outsmart witches who eat children. It’s brilliant. This story reminds me of Coraline, in aesthetic descriptions alone, but fans of that have to read this one.

Overall, I will be putting this in our library and recommending it regularly. I adore it and think young horror readers will too. Very excited to share this one!

*Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing for this ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.*

There was no shortage of otherworldly concerns in Blight Harbor, mainly because it was the seventh most haunted town in America (per capita).
- first line

Verdict: I loved this eerie tale filled with darkness, ghosts, witches, creepy beings, a tattooed sparrow, and a whole lot of heart.

Evie is a brave, determined girl, despite her anxiety and doubts, and refuses to let anything stop her from saving Aunt Des. The Clackity (the dark entity that lives in the abandoned slaughter house) sends Evie on a quest to bring back the ghost of serial killer John Jeffrey Pope. It promises her that if she does that, she can save her aunt. The Clackity is terrifying and completely untrustworthy, but Evie doesn’t have much of a choice. She must solve the riddle of each house and get past the inhabitants including witches, penny-eyed ghosts, and a memory thief to hopefully find Aunt Des and rescue her.

The illustrations are amazing and add to the eerie atmosphere. The book is definitely scary, but not over the top in my opinion, for middle grade readers. I will hand this book to the middle grade readers in my library constantly asking for scary books. I hope Lora Senf writes more books in the town of Blight Harbor so we can learn more about Evie and her parents.

This middle grade horror novel had all the vibes of Coraline, but was more interesting (in my opinion). Evie goes on a quest to save your Aunt from the ghost of her town's legendary serial killer. On her quest she must navigate her way through seven different houses, each with their own traps. I loved how each house felt unique. I also really appreciated how the story tackled issues of grief and mental health. They weren't overly done, but they were there and added to the story. I also have to note the gorgeous artwork all throughout. I found this to be a fun read that is perfect for spooky season.

Twelve year old Noelle would have loved The Clackity! To be honest, 33 year old Noelle also loved it.
The Clackity is a whimsical story following one scared, but brave, girl in a quest to save her aunt from ghosts and monsters.

While reading this book I was constantly reminded of Coraline and Alice in Wonderland. So if you're a fan of either of these, then I think you'd like The Clackity too.

I also loved the illustrations that accompanied the story.
I'm really happy to have taken a chance on a previously unknown author and I will definitely read anything else she writes.

*I could't open the file from Netgalley, so I bought this book.

My 8 year old and I have been reading creepy mysteries, and this is one of my favorites so far!
Evelyn lives with her aunt Des in a town called Blight Harbor. This is a town where everyone has a ghost, and creepy happenings are the norm. One day, her aunt goes to an old and abandoned slaughterhouse to investigate something. That something disappears her aunt.
Evelyn has to get her aunt back. She has to. So she goes off to the slaughterhouse to find her aunt. And she finds a monster instead.
She makes a deal with the Clackity to get her aunt back, but she has to bring it the ghost of a local serial killer. Like every fantastic quest, she's given a set of vague instructions and off she goes. Luckily she finds herself with a small friend in the form of a shadow sparrow tattoo. It's very cool.
You guys.
You guys! This book is intense. As in constant action. Constant flipping of pages. Constant feeling on the edge of your seat.
Evie is a fantastic heroine, and her quest is scary and exciting all at the same time. My daughter and I read it before bed, and I would catch her up with her book light reading far later than when I had tucked her in.
She told me to give this book 100 stars. Since I can only give it 5 here, that will have to do, but as per my 8 year old, this is 100 stars.

Such a fun story!! I could already tell from just a chapter in it was going to be an enjoyable read. Plus it’s just in time for spooky season coming up upon us! I can definitely see the comparisons to Coraline others are saying and the Tim Burton vibes to the story. Even just the name choices in the book were so fun and really helped the energy of the story!

Fast paced and creepy, The Clackity is a dark fantasy adventure for middle-grade readers that delivers on its spooky premise. Order it now, so it will be on your shelf come October.

Any book that references John Bellairs has got to be on the right track. The cover art’s creepy angles crawling from a gray and orange fog promises a trip through dark forests and a nightmare landscape pursued by spirits threatening worse things waiting.

Recommended for those who liked Katherine Arden and Lorien Lawrence, and Holly Black’s Doll Bones, (and I noted a tinge of Clive Barker’s Abarat in the clouds as well.)

Full review at https://www.awakeatmidnight.com/clackity/

The Clackity is a delightfully sinister, spooky tale for fans of books like Coraline, Pan's Labyrinth, and Gallant. It weaves a world of wonder and horror-- just the right amount of fright to delight like Hocus Pocus without making me sleep with the light on.

While a middle grade book that I'm certain will be absolutely loved by 9-12 year old readers, I adored this as an adult, too. I'd call it one of my top reads of the year. The Clackity was a fascinating, fantastically described villain. Just the right mix of creepy and almost-funny. The world felt like a maze I couldn't wait to puzzle my way through. And of course, our lovely heroine was so fun and brave to join along the journey.

I have not one single complaint about this book. I just really, really loved it.

Poor Evie, lucky for us she has nerves of steel and a questioning mind.
A little Beetlejuice, a little Nightmare Before Christmas, and a little Hocus Pocus. All the dark elements that are scary are put into a less frightening light when put in this middle-grade novel. A few word changes and this work of fiction could be very dark!!! I am chicken-- If I moved to a town that is already labeled as cookey & spookey---I am not going to go around making deals with someTHING called the Clackity. But then we wouldn't have a good story.
Ok, I am not in middle school, shocker, but I love anything supernatural and this fit the bill.
*paranormal characters
*haunted town
*grief and coping
*moving to Auntie's House
*young female heroine
*coming of age
*serial killer
*good & evil
*middle-grade readers

Blight Harbor is the seventh-most haunted town in America, and Evie Von Rathe lives there with her Aunt Desdemona, the local paranormal expert. Des' only rule is to stay out of the abandoned slaughterhouse, but Evie searches there when Des goes missing. The Clackity is a creature who lives in the shadows of the slaughterhouse and will return Des in exchange for the ghost of John Jeffrey Pope, a serial killer who stalked Blight Harbor a hundred years earlier. Evie must go through an otherworld filled with witches, ghosts, and a memory-thief, pursued by a dead man whose only goal is to add Evie to his collection of lost souls.

I highly like how Des responds to Evie's grief regarding her missing parents, and the anxiety that loss leaves behind. She likens it to keeping wet laundry in a washer for too long, making her insides moldy; realizing that for what it is and airing that out helps Evie (and the reader!) normalize talking and feeling the tougher emotions and getting through them with others. And all that in chapter one! That brings home the desperation Evie feels once Des is gone, and why she's willing to risk so much. The other world that she moves through works on the logic of dreams and fairy tales, forcing her to face fears and solve the puzzle of each house she moves through.

Twelve-year-old Evie is a braver girl than she thinks she is, and surviving each challenge brings her closer to her goal. The illustrations in the book give you a sense of some characters and have a charm to them that adds to this spooky, haunted story. I hope that younger kids also feel brave after reading this book, and learn that understanding the fear helps to overcome it.

THE CLACKITY is a fun and spooky Middle Grade that deals with some dark topics without being actually scary, so the more feint-of-hearted can still have a great time. The interior design/illustrations of the book are beautiful, fun to look at, and set the mood of the story from the beginning.

The voice of the book is strong, and it has such an engaging concept. Based on the cover, I was expecting things to be a bit creepier, so kids really looking for a scare might be slightly disappointed, but regardless, there is still a lot to love about the book.

The pacing started a bit slow, although the set up of the town and characterization is really well done, but once the book really starts, it doesn't let up, and makes for a fully enjoyable read.

Welcome to Blight Harbor, the seventh most haunted town in America (per capita).

After the mysterious disappearance of her parents, Evelyn moved there to live with her aunt Desdemona. Aunt Des is something of a local paranormal expert, offering advice to those with "otherworldly concerns." Lately she's been quite interested in the abandoned slaughterhouse on the edge of town, and when Des disappears, Evie has a sinking feeling she knows exactly where her beloved aunt may be. When Evie goes to the spooky abattoir, she encounters the Clackity, a shadowy creature with a Cheshire grin, and one eye sewn shut.

If she wants to get her aunt back, Evie must search for clues in seven houses, and then bring back the ghost of a serial killer who's been dead for one hundred years. Oh, is that all? As the Clackity himself warns her, "Bad, bad, bad men make bad, bad ghosties."

This is one creepy read, and some scenes are pretty intense. Though it's recommended for ages 10-12, I'd suggest it for the older end of that range.

Other than that, all ll I can say is if Blight Harbor is only the seventh most haunted town in America (per capita), I'd hate to visit the first . . .

And, bring on the sequel!

I went into this read blind, and was glad I did.

I loved this book way more than I thought I would. The writing style had me from the start and I enjoy whimsical reads. How Evie goes on this adventure to find her missing Aunt Des, and what she encounters behind each door. I honestly don't know how to write this review without giving something away, just know that it's my top YA read of the year so far along with being in my top five reads for the year.

A whimsical and delightfully spooky read. Blight Harbor, known for being one of the most haunted towns lives Evie with her aunt Des, a paranormal expert. There is one rule aunt Des imposed on Evie which was never to explore the abandoned slaughterhouse. The slaughterhouse belonged to a serial killer named John Jeffrey Pope who worked there. One day Evie discovers from her aunt Des' calendar that she is scheduled to explore the abandoned slaughterhouse for work. To appease Evie's curiosity she takes this opportunity to make a surprise visit to her aunt Des at the slaughterhouse. Upon arrival, Evie realizes something is gravely wrong when her aunt Des is nowhere to be found and faced with a dark creature known as The Clackity who resides in the shadows of the slaughterhouse. In order to rescue her aunt Des, Evie makes a deal with The Clackity. In exchange for her aunt Des' return, she must bring the ghost of John Jeffrey Pope to The Clackity. Evie embarks on a perilous journey into the strange and fantastical otherworld filled with witches, ghosts and unforgettable villains along the way. 

"The Clackity" is such a wholesome tale with a perfect dose of the sinister yet full of heart. Lora Senf's colorful and vibrant characters were memorable and the worldbuilding provided for a sensory and immersive experience. The depth of the protagonist's struggles and experiences were relatable with a profound emotional impact. Senf's atmospheric storytelling made me fall in love with Blight Harbor and the magic that encompassed its captivating charm. Alfredo Caceres' illustrations were a perfect addition to this story. The black and white illustrations were an absolute gem and truly appreciated its aesthetics. This book would definitely be a perfect read during the autumnal season and am planning a re-read during the spooky season. Wonderfully surreal, jars filled with wisdom and an adventure full of chilling twists and turns that will mesmerize you until the very end. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing/Atheneum Books for Young Readers for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Spooky middle grade. Involves storylines on anxiety and panic attacks. Found family. It was really good. I enjoyed it a ton. Hope there is more