Review: X Marks the Haunt by Lindsay Currie

X Marks the Haunt

by Lindsay Currie

Release Date: January 6, 2026

2026 Delacorte Press

Ebook ARC; 304 Pages

ISBN: 978-0593811672

ASIN: B0F8NC2WG5

Audiobook: B0F9QGCDFS

Genre: Fiction / Middle Grade / Ghosts

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

4 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

Thanks to his mother’s job at a local graveyard, twelve-year-old Will Stone has some unique talents. For one, he knows exactly how a burial vault works and why they’re used. For another, he’s great at genealogy and can decode centuries old records. 

 
But when a centuries old crypt key is lost, his normally peaceful existence at Graceland cemetery is shattered. Trees wither and die. The lake becomes covered with a sinister green slime that threatens to choke out anything living in it. And suddenly, the graveyard’s reputation isn’t the only thing in jeopardy . . . Will and his friends' safety is, too.

A dark force has been unleashed within the cemetery gates, and along with his friends Stash, Michelle, and Henry, Will must use his unique skill set to figure out which restless spirit is draining the graveyard of life, and how to end the haunting for good.

 

My Thoughts

X Marks the Haunt was a really fun middle grade ghost story that I finished in one day as I couldn't put it down.  I have read quite a few MG novels set in graveyards and cemeteries, but this one focused quite a bit on the genealogy of the graves, how they were located, and how a family member could find someone whose grave didn't have a marker.  All of this information was blended quite nicely within an interesting ghost story that would definitely appeal to readers of this age group. 

 

Will is the main character in the story and he loves the fact his mother is the director of the Graceland Cemetery, a cemetery which actually exists in Chicago (and don't even get me started on the deep dive I did when I discovered that!!). However, he is also lonely, having only one true friends, and because one of his classmates is being bullied because his family owns a funeral home, Will is reluctant to let other kids know where his mother works until one fateful class trip.  I really enjoyed Will's character development as he grew to trust other people in his class and opened himself up to new friendships while navigating the difficulties of his existing friendship as this was happening.  The other characters were a lot of fun to get to know and I really liked how the author incorporated these new friendships into both Will's life and into the story.  It felt real and genuine, making Will understand that the can share his passion for the cemetery with others and stand up for what he admires against those who tease him about it.

 

The story was a lot of fun as well.  It did take a lot of time for the action to get going with regards to the ghost story, but I truly didn't mind as I was enjoying the interactions between the students and anticipating what was going to happen.  I absolutely love cemeteries so I liked learning about this one.  I've been to Chicago and honestly, if I had known this was there, I would have done a tour.  While it was quite light on the supernatural and the 'frightening' compared to other middle grade novels I have read, and I also didn't feel the sense of tension and danger for these kids, what was happening was still a bit scary and heck, going into a cemetery at night is frightening no matter what. I also really enjoyed the little bits of lore that were thrown into the story as well.  There were many themes to explore in this book; friendship, family, loyalty, secrets, rumours, vengeance, revenge, lying, sickness, and death. 

 

Verdict

X Marks the Haunt had a setting that pretty much set the whole tone of the book, a cemetery. I enjoyed the story and thought the character development was really good. The plot did take a while to get going, and because it's light on the scary side, would be a great book for those who are looking to dip their toes into the genre and don't want something too scary.  For me, the friendship was the highlight of the book, but the writing style certainly kept me engaged and entertained.  While it looks like a standalone, I am really hoping there will be a sequel featuring these characters (and this cemetery) as this was a lot of fun to read.  

 

Review: The In-Between by Rebecca K.S. Ansari

The In-Between

by Rebecca K.S. Ansari

Release Date: January 26th 2021

2021 Waldon Pond Press

Kindle Edition; 320 Pages

ISBN: 978-0062916099

ASIN: B087QH6SLG

Genre: Fiction / Juvenile / Mystery / Paranormal

Source: Review copy from publisher

4.5 / 5 Stars

Summary

Cooper is lost. Ever since his father left their family three years ago, he has become distant from his friends, constantly annoyed by his little sister, Jess, and completely fed up with the pale, creepy rich girl who moved in next door, who won’t stop staring at him.

So when Cooper learns of an unsolved mystery his sister has discovered online, he welcomes the distraction. It’s the tale of a deadly train crash that occurred a hundred years ago in which one young boy among the dead was never identified. The only distinguishing mark on him was a strange insignia on his suit coat, a symbol no one had seen before or since. Jess is fascinated by the mystery of the unknown child—because she’s seen the insignia. And, she tells Cooper, he has too.

It’s the symbol on the jacket of the girl next door.

 

My Thoughts

The In-Between is a contemporary juvenile fiction book that really had everything for me: ghostly elements, twists and turns, real-life issues, family problems, a mystery, and solid storytelling.  I actually knew very little going into this book as I don't tend to read the descriptions when I choose a book to review, so I am always surprised by the story, and I have to say, I actually read this in one sitting as I was so engrossed in the story.  

 

This story is sort of a cross between a mystery, a fantasy, and a heartfelt look into a family struggling to cope with issues of abandonment, fear, despair, loneliness, and invisibility.  I loved the mystery and the kids' search for a reason why they are the only ones who can see the house and the girl across the street and how that affects their lives.  I love how they get into trouble for staying up too late and being on their technological devices too long, plus I thought the author's sneaky way of showing how difficult it is to use Google to search for information was ingenious.  I was a little skeptical of how easily they did find their information though as my experience as a teacher is that kids don't usually know how to really separate the good research information from poor at this age and they were only 10 and 12 years old.  Yes, they know how to look up stuff, but they don't really know how to USE it.  It was still interesting though.

 

I loved the fantastical element in this story and thought it was well done.  Everything tied really well into the mystery and made sense.  There were a lot of twists and turns and there were a couple of things I missed and didn't expect; it is always fun to be taken by surprise.  

 

The best part of this book though, was the exploration of anger issues and abandonment issues.  All of the characters were dealing with some type of abandonment, either through divorce, being left behind, death, or something or other.  The main characters had a father who never took interest in them or their lives, and the children were dealing with being 'invisible' to him and trying to cope with the idea of him being more interested in his new family.  I thought the author dealt with these emotions very well and in such a way other kids could relate to as well.  There were times when even my heart was breaking for these kids and what they were going through. Some adults can be so thoughtless.

 

The characters themselves were quite interesting and I enjoyed all of them.  I loved how Cooper teased his mom when she served them eggs yet again for dinner as it reminded me of the days when I gave my kids soup and grilled cheese when we just didn't have time for anything else.  Jess was diagnosed with diabetes and the book also delves into how the family copes with their fear for her health and trying to help her stay healthy, but shows her growth as well by trying to make her more responsible for ensuring she knows what to do to stay healthy. It was definitely the family dynamics I loved the most and enjoyed so much as it reminded me of the crazy days when my daughter was competing at a high level in gymnastics and our lives were so, so crazy.  Cooper was struggling with major anger issues over his parents' divorce and wasn't very nice to his sister, Jess, but it was nice to see the two of them learn to depend on each other throughout the book and realize their own relationship wasn't destroyed because of the actions of their dad.  A lot of character development happening in this book. 

 

Verdict

The In-Between was an interesting exploration of friendship, loss, family, death, and how we are all connected at some level.  It also explored the feelings of invisibility some children face when their parents are going through divorce or other difficulties in their lives with compassion and feeling.  This book drew me in with its beautiful writing and fascinating story.  I highly recommend this book for those who are looking for something with a deeper meaning, but fun as well.