Creepy, but not too creepy - perfect for upper elementary and middle school. I particularly loved the mix of paranormal and "perfectly logical" explanations of the happenings. When I read a ghost story I want there to be actual ghosts, not just hints at them or logical ways to explain away the suspicion of ghosts, so this story delivered well for me. A little more mystery than horror fiction, but it will definitely fit well on my library shelf for students looking for the fear factor. Thanks to Random House Children's and NetGalley for the ARC.

More spooky-mystery versus horror, but overall still a great book! I love reading about a character who unabashedly loves horror, much like myself. Also who can hate on a haunted farm setting? Perfection!

YA horror that was a good read. Kept my attention throughout with a good plot and likeable characters. I believe there were a few times I audibly gasped.

I thought that it was a solid scary book for middle grade. However, I thought that the writing was okay and the representation lacking.

This review is based upon an ARC.

Rebecca is less than pleased to be dragged out to the country for the summer. Instead of spending the summer with her friend at camp, she will be spending it in a farmhouse in Iowa with her deceased father's family. However, this old farmstead could be the perfect place to engage in her interest in the supernatural.

This interest is magnified when she discovers that her father was also interested in ghosts AND that there is a supernatural mystery afoot. However, Rebecca needs to be careful about what she wishes for.

Wendy Parris did an excellent job capturing the wonder of a child in the summer. This middle-grade novel will speak to the target audience and adults alike.

Field of Screams offers the perfect blend of spooky thrills tailored for a younger audience. The eerie and creepy setting creates an immersive experience, setting the stage for a night of chills and excitement. The characters in Field of Screams are not only unique but also intriguing, adding an extra layer of interest to the overall atmosphere. With just the right amount of fright, it provides a thrilling adventure for those seeking a spooky but not overly terrifying experience, making it an ideal destination for a fun and memorable night out.

This one isn't quite as scary as it wants to be. It captures an eerie sort of atmosphere but the events aren't especially frightening. There's no true sense of danger, only of something unnatural happening. The characters have a moderate amount of depth but the book on the whole would have benefited from a bit more complexity.

Rebecca loves all things supernatural but will she find any interesting occurrences in Iowa? Dragged to a place she never wanted to go, Rebecca will find out her family has secrets of their own. Field of Screams is a fast-paced mystery and not so much a scary book. THe characters were a bit flat and a little more depth to the family history would have made this a better book.

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love all things scary and was excited for the cover and title of this book. As much as I wanted to enjoy this story, I felt that it took too long to get to the action scenes.

FIELD OF SCREAMS – by Wendy Parris

‘Paranormal enthusiast [twelve-year-old] Rebecca Graff isn’t happy about being dragged to Iowa to spend the summer with family she barely knows. But when she tracks a ghostly presence to an abandoned farmhouse, she starts to think the summer won’t be a total lost cause!’

MY Heart! FIELD OF SCREAMS is a fun, heartfelt, yet deliciously creepy paranormal story—Recommend!

Reading Age: 8 – 12
Grade Level: 3 – 7

Thank you, NetGalley and Delacorte Press (Penguin Random House LLC), for providing me with an ebook of FIELD OF SCREAMS at the request of an honest review.

I'm always down for a spooky, creepy middle grade (it's honestly the only thing I'll read from this genre) and this one didn't disappoint. It started off strong with its ghosts and scary noises and didn't let up throughout the entire book. There were some parts that I was skimming through as I started to get bored, hence the high three star rating, but it quickly picked my attention back up. The atmosphere was perfect and I felt like the author did a great job of fleshing out the characters, I want to be friends with Rebecca honestly. Overall a really good middle grade horror with a touch of some cute romance and a stellar ending.

*Many thanks to Delacorte Press for the gifted copy for my honest review*

This book was the perfect amount of spooky! Kids will enjoy being safely scared while reading. The cornfields and creepy old homes make the perfect setting for this story that is sure to be a favorite during Halloween season and all year round.

Field of Screams
Written by Wendy Parris
Publisher Random House Children
Release Date August 01, 2023

Characters: 5/5
Plot: 4/5
Pace: 4/5
Suspense / Horror: 3/5
Overall Enjoyment: 4/5

This is a YA novel that by the cover and blurb, one might think this was some sort of horror story. But it is not that at all. A great read this time of year as we are close to Halloween. I believe middle graders would love this type of story. Very well written with great character development. You really get to watch as our POV grows with the situation she is dealt.
Rebecca Graff has lost her father and while she really does not want anyone to know she misses him, she will soon find out that she really does more than she thinks. Rebecca has to spend the summer in Iowa with her family but she really does not want to go….that is until she sees a ghost. This particular ghost haunts an abandoned farmhouse nearby. Rebecca tries to tell an adult but they do not believe her.
Rebecca finds a note that her father had stashed in a comic book she was reading. The note puts everything in perspective for her. She now realizes that the same ghost that she sees also showed himself to her father as well. But what is Rebecca going to do now?
As Rebecca explores the ghost situation, things start happening that she realizes is way more than she bargained for.
The spooky events that take place happen for a reason and soon she learns about her family’s history.
There is plenty of tension, spooky events and intrigue written into this awesome story.
I certainly recommend this great book.

5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley as well as the author and publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my unbiased and honest review.

Great middle-grade read I would recommend for my students especially for this time of year as they are all into all things spooky in the months of September and October. This book is not too scary which I liked and has some great character development.

I really enjoyed this chilling and heartwarming middle grade read. I thought this was a wonderful debut by Wendy Parris. I was initially drawn to this book because of the awesome cover and the intriguing synopsis. I love spooky middle grade books, so I was super excited to read Field of Screams. This story had some genuinely creepy moments. There’s an old spooky farmhouse, ghosts, and a mysterious one eyed cat. This is a ghost story, but it also explores grief and the bonds of family. I actually cried a little at the end. I definitely recommend this one and I look forward to reading Parris’s next book!

This was a fun debut novel from Wendy Parris! Rebecca's journey through a twisted tangle of family history and spooky mystery was a lot of fun to read. Parris captures a familiar midwestern idyll while creating a plausible environment in which our heroine navigates spectral shenanigans. As my library patrons love spooky stories, I think this will be another excellent addition to our shelves for the ones who love spooky season all year round.

Wonderful book! I loved every minute of it. Everything I wanted in a book.
Highly recommend
10/10

Based on the title and cover of this book, I anticipated a spooky horror. This book, however, is not that. While there are some creepy moments, this book is more a mystery, drama, ghost story blend. That is not necessarily a bad thing. The characters felt like real people, the story was interesting and there was lots to uncover and explore. I also very much enjoyed the author's writing style. I think readers that enjoy a good family mystery with a creepy/moody setting would enjoy this book. Readers that enjoy Mary Downing Hahn's and India Hill Brown's books, and that are okay with dialing down some of the creepy factor, would likely enjoy this one.

This was an excellent read. Nice and creepy with just a hint of scare, its perfect for your tween who wants a thrill.

This is about a young girl named Rebecca and for the Summer she is forced to go to Iowa which she is dreading but she has always been into ghosts and the paranormal, she actually wants to be a ghost hunter until she actually runs into a ghost and come to find out this same ghost haunted her dad when he was a kid. There’s a haunted barn, a creepy cat, there's family intrigue and mysteries. Obviously this is super fitting for the fall season. I love stuff like this!
Full review to come on YouTube