Book Review | SPOOK & Dearly Departed by Jinx (Spooktober)

Y’ALL.

I already did a review of this book about a year ago but it was on my Tumblr, which— *nervous chuckle* — I deleted.

And guess who didn’t salvage the book review first?

*points to self*

I know, guys. I know.

But that is why I’m here today to revisit the world of SPOOK— and let me tell you why this review is going to be 10x better:

1. This is the PUBLISHED, print version of the book— not the Wattpad version.
2. I’m also reviewing Dearly Departed, the 2nd + companion novel in the series (so it’s a DOUBLE REVIEW!! Did someone say double trouble?)
3. This review is accompanied by a Book Talk Video— much like the one I did for Paper Wishes by Spencer Hoshino, so watch that too! However, the Book Talk for Spook is available here.

Settle in, friends. Grab those pumpkin chai lattes and light those candles. With Halloween coming up, this is THE ONLY book you’re gonna wanna read. Trust me.

 

SPOOK, by Jinx (Aka, Gigi McClure)

The first time I read Spook, it INSTANTLY sucked me in and I could not stop laughing! I loved everything about it— the characters are sooo unique and you will definitely fall in love with them.

 

The Premise:

Daphne Fitz just died, and has landed herself in Spook— it’s a place between Heaven and Hell for supernatural creatures (including ghosts). Kind of like limbo, but not really, and the strangest part is that she didn’t get to choose where she was going.

Everyone gets to choose. So why not her?

Before long, Daphne has befriended a cowboy, a werewolf, and two demons, and must fight to stop a coven of witches who are dead-set (lol geddit?) on destroying the town, while also trying to solve some of the mysteries surrounding herself.

What I Liked:

1. The characters— I know I mentioned this above (and I’m going to go into more detail below) but the characterization is just so well done. There are little quirks and characteristics, plus some characters have their own lingo, and each one is really unique based on their upbringing and species. It’s super
2. The writing style— much like the characters have interesting voices, so does the writer. The tone used is really relatable for young people and the writer is on trend with all the latest slang, making it a much more relatable and hilarious reading experience.
3. The romance— because this book has relationships you can really get behind. They’re realistic and adorable and so relatable.
4. The typography— if you get a paperback copy of the book, it has little graphics everywhere! There are ghosts around the page numbers and character art!

What I Disliked:

It’s actually really difficult to think of what could be improved in this book, but I do think the ending was maybe a tad bit dragged out. (And I’m almost 99% sure, from memory, that my problem with the Wattpad version was the ending NOT being dragged out enough, so that’s ironic).

The only reason I had this issue is because I really wanted to see the gang take down the antagonist, but first we had to collect a bunch of ingredients and it sort of felt like we were getting delayed and sent on a speed tour to see Spook’s finest species (which I would have liked to have seen scattered throughout the book a little more, rather than crammed into the end). At that point of the book, I didn’t really care as much for all the spooky monsters because I was ready to see the antagonist get her butt kicked. BUT, in saying that, it was still a really good ending!

The Characters:

Daphne – Daphne is THE BEST. She’s super cute, and such an interesting character. I like how before she came to Spook, she already had a fascination with all things spooky.

Ace – Ace is hilarious, and totally sweet (especially for a demon) I like his ‘bad boy’ vibes that he puts out to the universe, but I like even more than he’s not so much a ‘brooding’ character, but just genuine in everything that he does. When he’s grumpy, he’s grumpy, and when he’s happy, he’s happy.

Chance – Chance is super loveable— you can’t not love his sweet personality and can-do attitude.

Harper – Harper is the best gal pal you could ever wish for. She genuinely cares for her friends, looks out for them, and yet manages to be suave and collected at the same time. She’s glam as it gets.

Rakkason – Rakkason is the actual definition of adorable and clumsy and I love it. I would sell my soul to Ace to have a Rakkason of my own.

The other characters, like Millie and Iris, were lots of fun too. I don’t really have too many thoughts on them individually, but they definitely make the story more enjoyable!

Final Thoughts:

If you like humour, loveable characters, and cutesy mythical reads, then this is the book you’ve been needing for your entire life. I would recommend this (and HAVE recommended it on numerous occasions) to anyone.

BONUS: Dearly Departed Mini Review:

So, without giving away too many spoilers, I have two things that are bugging me:

1. First of all, THAT ENDING!
2. And second of all, WHO IS BLAKE’S GIRL?

The Premise:

Dearly Departed is a companion novel which takes place over Christmas and New Years, and involves a bunch of scenes with the gang— such as demons getting into the ‘Cwistmas’ spirit, the Blake Grimm mysteries, and my personal favourite… the bouncy castle bump-down-thump-down.

(Seriously though, “Hold my spurs” is my new catchphrase).

Why I Recommend It:

Though it’s not essential to read this book before reading the sequel, I do feel like you get to know the characters much better, and there are a few juicy plot snippets in here that you MIGHT want to be present for… like, some big, life-changing events. *winks*

 

The sequel to SPOOK is called HAUNT, and it’s being written at the moment. But if you happen to love this book and can’t wait, you can read it here on Wattpad for free.

Tea Rating:

Mint Tea | The most exclusive tea rating. This book is a breath of fresh air.