Review: Don't Tell a Soul by Kirsten Miller

Author: Kirsten Miller
Publisher: Delacourte Press
Publication Date: January 2021

 All Bram wanted was to disappear—from her old life, her family's past, and from the scandal that continues to haunt her. The only place left to go is Louth, the tiny town on the Hudson River where her uncle, James, has been renovating an old mansion.

But James is haunted by his own ghosts. Months earlier, his beloved wife died in a fire that people say was set by her daughter. The tragedy left James a shell of the man Bram knew—and destroyed half the house he'd so lovingly restored.

The manor is creepy, and so are the locals. The people of Louth don't want outsiders like Bram in their town, and with each passing day she's discovering that the rumors they spread are just as disturbing as the secrets they hide. Most frightening of all are the legends they tell about the Dead Girls. Girls whose lives were cut short in the very house Bram now calls home.

The terrifying reality is that the Dead Girls may have never left the manor. And if Bram looks too hard into the town's haunted past, she might not either. 

In Don't Tell a Soul, Bram has come to live with her uncle to escape something that happened back home.  Hoping to make a fresh start, she tries to settle in to her new town. Strange things are happening in the big creepy house. Soon she gets roped into finding out more information about the "Dead Girls.  I'll start by saying that part of my disappointment with this book was my thinking it was a paranormal YA.  That is what I was expecting, but that isn't what I got.

Don't get me wrong, I did ultimately like this book.  The mystery was good and there were a couple of surprises.  I liked that Bram didn't know who she could and couldn't trust.  Bram herself was a strong character in spite of what she had been through the past few years.  Her mother was a real winner.  I actually felt badly for Bram.  The beginning was a bit slow, but by the 25% mark it picked up and I was hooked.   I think YA mystery readers will enjoy this.  Just don't go into it expecting ghosts like I did.

Review: Otherearth by Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller

Author: Jason Segel & Kirsten Miller
Publisher: Delacourte Press
Date of publication: October 2018

Simon saved his best friend, Kat, from the clutches of the Company and their high-tech VR gaming experience, Otherworld. But it was at a steep price. Now he, Kat, and their friend Busara are on the run. They know too much. About the Company's dark secrets. About the real-life consequences of playing Otherworld. And about Kat's stepfather's involvement in everything. The group is headed to New Mexico to find Simon's old roommate, who is a tech genius and possibly the only person who can help them reveal the truth about the Company before it's too late and the line between what's real and what's fantasy is erased... forever.

Otherearth is the second book in the Last Reality series.  The first book was fairly enjoyable, so I decided to continue with the series.  This one picks up pretty much right after the events of Otherworld.  It has been a year since I read the first book, so it took me a bit to get reoriented to the world of the series.  If you didn't read the first one, you will be lost in this one, so I don't suggest reading them out of order.  

Otherearth wasn't as good as the first. It was OK.  Again, it's told through Simon's perspective.  This time he and Kat are finally a couple and they are on the run from the Company.  Now that the know the truth about the dangers of Otherworld, they have to go back into the game to try to stop it once and for all.  I think my overall disappointment with this one was that it felt like more of the same thing that I got in the first book. I wanted something different.  I almost feel like the events in this book could have been reduced down and added to the first book with thetwist ending of this one.   The cliff -hanger ending did leave me open-mouthed and will bring me back to the third book to see what it all means for Simon his friends.  I just hope it's different than this one.

Otherworld by Jason Segel & Kirsten Miller

Author: Jason Segel & Kirsten Miller
Publisher: Delacourte Press
Date of publication: October 2017

The company says Otherworld is amazing—like nothing you’ve ever seen before. They say it’s addictive—that you’ll want to stay forever. They promise Otherworld will make all your dreams come true.

Simon thought Otherworld was a game. Turns out he knew nothing. Otherworld is the next phase of reality. It’s everything you’ve ever wanted.

And it’s about to change humanity forever.
Welcome to the Otherworld. No one could have seen it coming.

I loved the "Nightmares" middle grade series, so I was eager to see how this writing team would handle a YA fantasy.  Virtual reality stories seem to be all the rage lately. I wasn't too impressed with Warcross, so I had high hopes for this one.  Otherworld is a game that uses virtual reality and allows the player to do things they wouldn't normally do in the waking world.  In a way, it kind of reminded me of World of Warcraft only you become your avatar.  Simon's friend, Kat, is in an accident and has "Locked-in" syndrome.  The Company (makers of Otherworld) put her into their study where she would be able to enter the White City and live a peaceful life in virtual reality.  Simon realizes something is wrong, when Kat wakes up screaming.  

I thought the world building was pretty good .  I had a fairly clear idea of what Otherworld looked like.  Each realm had a different "vice" that players could indulge in.  Throughout the book. there was definitely  underlying commentary about the dangers of gaming and how can consume a player.  The story was a bit slow to start, but once they are all in the game, it goes pretty quickly and I was sucked right in to the adventure.  One thing I did like is that Simon occasionally leaves the game to deal with the real world.  It gave a nice break form the fantasy.

Aside from that, the overall story was just kind of fairly enjoyable.  It is told in Simon's first person point of view.  The problem with that was there were a lot of predictable parts that I figured out before he did.  Some of them were so obvious that it was a bit annoying waiting for him to catch up.  As a character, I was kind of indifferent toward him.  His drive to save Kat was a bit obsessive, but he did have some growth toward the end.  The story ends kind of in a cliffhanger, so I probably will pick up the next book to see what happens.   It is a YA, but I'd keep it to over 16 crowd.  I can be a bit graphic at times.

Nightmares! The Lost Lullaby by Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller

Authors: Jason Segel & Kirsten Miller
Publisher: Delacourte Books for Young Readers
Date of publication: September 2016

Charlie Laird has a very bad feeling.

1. There’s a NEW GIRL at school, and Charlie and his friends have DEFINITELY seen her before. 
2. He’s been hearing strange noises after dark, which is NEVER a good sign.
3. The nightmares are back, and they’re WEIRDER THAN EVER.

Not since he faced his fears has Charlie had so many bad dreams. Whenever he falls asleep, he finds himself in a Netherworld field, surrounded by a flock of CREEPY BLACK SHEEP.
They're not counting sheep. They refuse to jump. In fact, they don't do much at all. EVEN EERIER, THOUGH, is that it’s not Charlie’s nightmare. Somehow he’s trapped in someone else’s bad dream. And he’s pretty sure the twins ICK and INK are responsible.
Charlie and his friends thought they’d put the twins out of business, but it seems they didn’t quite finish the job. Now the WOOLLY NIGHTMARES are closing in, and INK has shown up at Cypress Creek Elementary! Charlie’s convinced that INK is up to NO GOOD. And if he’s right, it could be a very long time before anyone’s dreams are sweet again.

You know what they say, all good things must come to an end.  The Lost Lullaby is the last book in the "Nightmares!" trilogy.  I have loved this series from the first book and this one was no exception.  It opens shortly after the second book ends.  The lighthouse in Maine has been destroyed and the evil twins have been separated.  ICK is in nightmare realm and INK is in the waking world and attending the kids' school.  Charlie and his friends must once again band together to stop them from destroying the waking world.

I thought this was a great way to wrap up the series.  Everything was tied up very nicely with really no loose ends.  While I am sad to see it finished, I am satisfied with where all of the characters were in the end.  As in the first two books, there is a nice subtle lesson for the kiddos embedded in the story.  Things aren't always what they seem and you must look deeper to find out the true nature of things before making assumptions.  Also, sometimes certain things can be used for both good and bad.  There is also a lesson about scapegoats that I think some adults would do well to pay attention to as well.  The book ends with a "THE END?"  So maybe maybe it's not really over?

I highly recommend this series to any middle grade fiction reader. I often suggest it when I hear someone is looking for a good series for a kid.  I really hope that this writing team keeps writing.  I look forward to seeing what they can come up with next. 

The Sleepwalker Tonic (Nightmares#2) by Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller

Authors: Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Date of publication: September 2015

Charlie Laird has a dream life.
 
1) He has a weirdo stepmom who runs an herbarium. 
2) He lives in a purple mansion with a portal to the Netherworld.
3) Since they escaped from the Netherworld, he and his best friends have been sleeping like babies. 
 
But Charlie can’t shake the feeling that something strange is afoot. Charlotte’s herbarium used to be one of the busiest stores in Cypress Creek. Now her loyal following is heading to Orville Falls for their herbal potions.
Weirder, though, Orville Falls is suddenly filled with . . .zombies? At least, they sure look like the walking dead. Rumor has it that no one’s sleeping in Orville Falls. And Charlie knows what that means.
 
Things are getting freaky again.
 
The Sleepwalker Tonic is the sequel to Nightmares!.  I really enjoyed that book, so I was hoping the second would be just as good. The answer is yes.  This is a great series for any middle grade reader. While there is just enough suspense and "chills" to keep a lover of mysteries entertained, there isn't really anything too scary that would keep most kids away.  

After having conquered the Netherworld, Charlie seems to be living a quiet and dull life.  No one is trying to come out of the portal and people are having good dreams.  That is until he and his friends discover that a new shop has opened up in the town next door.  The shop keeper is supplying the townspeople with a magic sleep tonic that takes away all dreams.  There are two problems with this... it turns people into sleep walking zombies and it's destroying both the Netherworld and the Dreamworld.  Charlie and his friends must save the day once again.

As in the first book, there are some great lessons for kids to learn while being entertained. Charlie learns the difference between being fearless and being brave.  The importance of having hope even in dire circumstances is another lesson discovered by all of the characters.  And finally, the importance of the strength of family. 

The book does end with a sort of cliffhanger and some questions still left to answer.  I'm hoping the next book, The Lost Lullaby addresses those later in 2016. This is a series I am definitely recommending to my middle grade kids! 

Nightmares! by Jason Segal and Kirsten Miller

Authors: Jason Segal & Kirsten Miller
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers 
Date of publication: September 2014

Sleeping has never been so scary. And now waking up is even worse!

Charlie Laird has several problems. 

1. His dad married a woman he is sure moonlights as a witch.
2. He had to move into her purple mansion, which is NOT a place you want to find yourself after dark.
3.He can’t remember the last time sleeping wasn’t a nightmarish prospect. Like even a nap. 

What Charlie doesn’t know is that his problems are about to get a whole lot more real. Nightmares can ruin a good night’s sleep, but when they start slipping out of your dreams and into the waking world—that’s a line that should never be crossed.

And when your worst nightmares start to come true . . . well, that’s something only Charlie can face. And he’s going to need all the help he can get, or it might just be lights-out for Charlie Laird. For good.

In the spirit of Halloween, I thought it would be fun to listen to Nightmares!, a middle grade "scary story".  While it wasn't really scary for me, I think it will be just spooky enough for any middle grade reader who is looking for a little scare.  The story involves Charlie whose mother died three years before.  His father has since remarried and moved the family into his step-mother's house.   That is just the beginning of his problems.  His dreams seem to be happening during his waking time.  Soon it spreads to his friends and the entire town.  

There are a couple of themes running through the book that make it a great read for this age group.  One of the things that Charlie and his friends learn is that in facing your fears, it isn't knowing what you are afraid of.  It is knowing why you are afraid if it.  Once you figure that out, you can conquer anything. It is also a coming of age story about loss and dealing with the extreme grief of losing a loved one.  Charlie's inability to say goodbye to his mother and move on with his new life is the cause of the negative energy that starts all of the nightmares in the town. I have to say the scene in which he faces his own fear was very touching.

The book was co-authored by Kirsten Miller and Jason Segal.  You probably know him from "How I Met Your Mother" I thought he and Ms. Miller make a great writing team and I look forward to reading more from them in the future!