Exit Nowhere -- Middle Grades Novel About a Haunted House, Friendships & Cooperation

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

It is October!! That means it is time to get scary. We shared a novel perfect for Halloween last week and are sharing another one today! Today's book is Exit Nowhere by Juliana Brandt. It is recommended for ages 9 to 13.

From the Publisher:

Haunted Mansion meets the ultimate escape room in this tense and twisty middle grade horror following four kids who must beat a series of games to make it out of a haunted house.

The creepiest place in Barret Eloise’s small town is the abandoned Raithfield Manor, a decrepit house surrounded by rumors of ghosts and kids going missing. So she certainly never planned on stepping foot inside. But when her history teacher gives her a group project to research a local landmark, the manor is the location her group chooses. Determined to ace the project and fix her awkward first impression on her assigned partners—which include her former friend Helena, smart and confident Wayne, and school basketball star Ridge—Barret Eloise isn’t about to let some tall tales scare her off.

When the kids first enter the house, it seems to be nothing more than an empty building. But when the sun goes down, the doors and windows lock, sealing them inside. Even worse, the room they’re in transforms into an all-too-real game of The Floor is Lava. It doesn’t take long for the group to realize the mansion is a maze of childhood games. Win the game and you keep moving forward, lose and you disappear. And complicating it all is a worrying revelation—they are not alone in the house.

If Barret Eloise wants to make it home, she and her dysfunctional group are going to have to learn to work together quickly.

From Me:

The Publisher's Summary does not share the true dysfunction of the group. Barret Eloise is the kid who only gets along with adults at school. The kids don't want to hang out with her, so she focuses on her work and becomes the smart one that doesn't have friends. Her group consists of her former best friend, Helene. They had a falling out years ago and have never been able to figure out what really happened or how to fix it. There is also Wayne. He is smart and seems confident as well as being well prepared. He also seems kind to Barret Eloise. Then there is Ridge, who is a basketball star and basically admits that he doesn't want to do any work but wants lots of say on their topic and is part of why they end up in the haunted house. The four of them have to work together to survive and find an exit from the haunted house. 

The house is full of games from childhood, but they are deadly in this house. They are making sure each of them survives and trying to make sense of the rumors about the house as well as find an exit. The book is entertaining and definitely will have readers on the edge of their seats. The characters are well developed. You will recognize them from kids you know at your own school or in your own life. How they interact seems so real and eventually they are able to come together and form friendships and possibly more for two of them. The story spins with twists and turns and brings back a thread from the beginning. It is definitely a page turner. This book is perfect for kids who love a little horror as well as just a good story. It is perfect for Halloween season. Simon & Schuster's website also have downloadable resources including activities, educator's guide andd book club guide. I hope you will check it out!