I’m generally not a big fan of horror/ghost stories, but I actually really enjoyed this one! It was so clever and suspenseful and continuously kept me guessing! I would definitely read another book by this author!

(Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change upon final publication.)

Full review to come on Goodreads and Amazon. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a review copy.

I am both a sucker for a haunted mansion AND an escape room so this was truly something I was so very excited for!! This is such a perfect spooky story for middle grade readers which artfully also balanced themes of self-discovery, reflection and facing your fears. This book had such an eerie atmosphere that truly reminded me of some of the stories I was entranced by growing up.

I really enjoyed Juliana Brandt's book Monsters in the Mist, so when Exit Nowhere showed up I was excited to read another spooky story. This started off a bit slow for me, but quickly the action picked up. I think the nuances of the friendships were a nice side story and I appreciated how the characters grew and evolved. There were definitely enough scary parts that would keep kids reading, and I loved the description of the haunted mansion that acted as a giant escape room.

3.5 stars rounded up. This was a fun middle grade haunted house novel. I thought it was just the right amount of creepy for the target age group. I liked the characters and the way their friendships grew. It's the kind of mysterious story I would've really enjoyed when I was younger.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

This books is very similar to Lindsay Currie’s Book Mystery of Locked Rooms. I liked the story but felt like it had holes. There is a strong paranormal vibe with this book as well. This books is a great recommendation for those who like ghost stories with some mystery.