it was surprisingly a nice read! it’s a story within story with an extra twist at the end. the main mystery was enough to keep me curious but after all this is a middle grade book so everything wasn’t too complicated. there’s some suspicious part that doesn’t have explanations, tho. but i think actual middle graders who read this wouldn’t mind. might check the sequel if i need a fast paced and quick read!

I don't know about you, but I was definitely a middle grade reader who liked a good scare. An avid reader of Goosebumps. So this book would have been exactly my cup of tea. And it's tonally just about perfect. The new-kid dynamic is frequently used in horror as a way for characters to explain away strange happenings but it works quite well in this instance, partly because Tasha is a well developed character. Also in the book's favor is the use of a lesser known spook - the boo hag. The result is creepy, sympathetic, and just a touch gross. While the series construction of tales told in some kind of haunted, otherworldly camp cabin feels a bit forced, the internal story is strong and worth reading on it's own merit.

"Tales from Cabin 23: The Boo Hag Flex" is an engaging mystery, relatable family story, and a pretty scary horror story all rolled into one. Even as an adult (admittedly one who's a notorious scaredy cat) I was spooked by the story of the Boo Hag, and pretty concerned for the outcome of the story! I was really impressed with the whole premise of the story-and the fact that Tasha had to move in with some unfamiliar members of her family after her mother's tragic death due to covid. I think this will be relatable for a lot of kids out there- maybe not losing a parent during the pandemic per se, but transitional family relationships and how difficult they can be to navigate...even without an undead creature lurking about. Overall a great read, but definitely more for the middle/junior high audience.

The first in a new goosebumps like series that features a witch character who tells unsuspecting summer campers horror stories (after they stumble upon the mysterious Cabin 23). This first story is about Tasha who has to go live with her deadbeat dad after her mom dies. She soon thinks that there is a boo hag haunting her new neighborhood.

Overall, I thought this was good. It wasn’t super spooky (I’ve read the second one and it was spookier for sure) but I still think it was fun.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A young girl who is definitely not having fun at summer camp finds her way to a strange cabin that shouldn’t exist, Cabin 23, with an even stranger woman who has a very scary story to tell both the girl and the reader. The story is about Tasha Washington, who goes to live with a father and grandmother she never knew in a run down trailer park called Shady Pines. Her troubles are just beginning, when it quickly becomes apparent that a monster is preying on the elderly inhabitants. Tasha befriends a neighbor girl Ellie, and together they undertake the mission of capturing the creature before its too late.

The reader shares Tasha’s point of view as she deals with grief for the loss of her mom, the feelings of rejection by her absentee father who makes her the least of her priorities, and her sense of being unmoored in an inescapable new reality. While she likes her newly found grandmother, it’s a lot to adapt to–changing homes, moving in with family she never knew, and now living in a rundown trailer park with some very strange goings on and a foul-smelling monster creeping around leading to mysterious deaths.

This is a genuinely scary book. The author does an incredible job of building and sustaining tension, and manages to incorporate some shocking moments that feel very edgy, but also age appropriate. Tasha is an avid reader, and her explorations into folklore ties seamlessly to the origins of the monster. While the reveal makes sense, it also creates a sense of drama and pathos for this coming of age story with its themes of how life can be rough and full of loss and disappointments, but we are also resilient in the face of daily troubles, and there can still be hope for the future. While the transition between the frame story and the story of Tasha is a bit jarring and uneven, overall Tales from Cabin 23: The Boo Hag Flex is a very enjoyable and thrilling middle grade horror novel with much to recommend about it.

I adored Ophie's Ghosts, but this title from Justina Ireland fell flat for me. I know the Cabin 23 thread is going to tie future installments to this one, but the framing felt unnecessary. The story within the story also had no real denouement-- it just ended.

Few campers at Camp Apple Hill Farm have found the mysterious cabin rumored to be hidden deep in the woods—but those who have whisper of a mysterious woman who tells tales of horrors beyond imagination. Are you brave enough to visit Cabin 23?

This was absolutely delightful! Middle-grade horror at its very best!

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Blog Post goes live May 3rd
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**TL;DR**: Fun and genuinely spooky! Think Goosebumps but much more modern.
**Source**: NetGalley, thank you to the publisher!

**Plot**: A tale of terror to test a new camper, it follows the story of Tasha as she hunts down the Boo Hag lurking in her new neighborhood before it comes for her grandmother.
**Characters**: I wouldn’t call them the best characters but they’re pretty good for middle grade spooks!
**Setting**: I actually really loved the setting. Post-pandemic, and set within a trailer park. It felt like a realistic and believable location.
**Scares**: I thought this was spooky, very appropriate for the age group. The Boo Hag was genuinely very freaky.

**Thoughts**:

What a fun ride! The Boo Hag Flex is the first in a new middle grade series that seems like a modernized Goosebumps. It’s set shortly after the pandemic, with Tasha’s mom dying from Covid (or Vovid related complications as it’s not entirely clear). She is sent to live with her father who she has never met or knows anything about. Within days of moving in with her grandmother she begins to see other elderly folk in the neighborhood die. And then she sees it - The Boo Hag. From there she and a new friend go on an adventure to stop the Hag from killing any more folks.

My favorite part of this, but likely the part that might age the book, is the very relative and modern references (such as the Covid pandemic). It felt like a Goosebumps but for kids growing up now. It also dealt with a lot with what it’s like to grow up in uncertain situations, and poverty. Tasha’s dad is (as she says) a deadbeat and she learns to deal with both that and the grief of her mother’s death. It’s nothing overly heavy, but it is present and a topic explored.

Overall this was a great little middle grade. I think any kid in this age will enjoy it and if you’re looking for a spooky middle grade that feels very grounded in the now, you’ll want to pick this up. I really recommend it for kids and even adults who enjoy these type of serialized horror stories.

3.75 out of 5 fun, handmade dresses

I love everything by Justina Ireland. This book didn't change that. I've been looking for more YA horror to recommend for my library; this will definitely added to my list.

I have absolutely no notes. This was a blast to read through and I have been wanting more middle grade or young adult horror since I love Stranger Things and anything reminiscent of that. This had exciting worldbuilding, characters you easily love, and creeped me out a bit haha.

Absolutely loved this book. MG readers who want a spooky book with some truly creepy moments will be huge fans of this story. Immensely readable due to its shorter length, engaging characters, and fast paced story. Perfect example of how to tell a spooky story with a deep emotional arc in a shorter book.

This was a great read! I don’t read a lot of middle grade horror because it’s not my cup of tea, but I enjoyed this one. I wasn’t sure what to expect so it kept me guessing until the end. My fifth graders love horror books, and I could see many of them enjoying this. Can’t wait to add it to my library!