[REVIEW] The Crooked Door by Brad McLelland

Loved it! I’m new to YA, so I wasn’t sure if this would be too bland or restrictive in content, but I was pleasantly surprised to find it well written, intriguing, creepy, and quick moving.

In the beginning, the set up didn’t seem very original. But the story quickly blossomed and continued to do so as it moved along. Most of the characters were forgettable but the MC was a strong female lead and I always enjoy those. With her leading the charge, I didn’t care that most of the cast blended together. I also liked the bogies and the town itself. By the time you were gearing up for the finale, the suspense was palpable. Parts of the closing were a bit cheesy, but the final (cliffhanger) made up for that.

Though it is categorized as YA and children’s horror, this read just like my adult horror novels, minus the foul stuff, of course. There’s no cursing, nothing bloody, no drugs or sex. And yet, this is an exciting and spooky story throughout that should delight the young and old. I would love to see it adapted for TV someday. And if there does come a sequel, sign me up to read it. 4.5/5