by Erin Petti
♦publisher: Mighty Media Press
♦release date: September 6th, 2016
♦hardcover, 216 pages
♦intended audience: Middle Grade
♦stand-alone
♦source: ARC from publisher for honest review
Ghost-story lover and debut author Erin Petti has written a quirky story for fans of The Goonies, Goosebumps, and Coraline.
Eleven-year-old budding scientist Thelma Bee has adventure in her blood. But she gets more than she bargained for when a ghost kidnaps her father. Now her only clues are a strange jewelry box and the word “Return,” whispered to her by the ghost. It’s up to Thelma to get her dad back, and it might be more dangerous than she thought—there’s someone wielding dark magic, and they’re coming after her next.
Eleven-year-old budding scientist Thelma Bee has adventure in her blood. But she gets more than she bargained for when a ghost kidnaps her father. Now her only clues are a strange jewelry box and the word “Return,” whispered to her by the ghost. It’s up to Thelma to get her dad back, and it might be more dangerous than she thought—there’s someone wielding dark magic, and they’re coming after her next.
Review: The Peculiar Haunting of Thelma Bee was a fun, fast, and at times, genuinely terrifying read! The story follows Thelma, an inquisitive girl who has several scientific experiments going and a great like-minded friend to bounce ideas off of. Her father owns an antique store, and one day a mysterious (and very cranky) old woman sells them a strange box. Suddenly, Thelma is being haunted by a creepy ghostly woman. She finds herself on her own when her father disappears and she calls on her friend's group of paranormal investigators to help her rescue him and to find out why another ghost seems to think she is a witch!
This is a great group of characters with a closeness that lent to the small-town setting. I really loved Thelma's endlessly curious nature and her scientific mind. Her friend Alexander is a perfect match for her, as they love coming up with ideas together and encouraging each other on. I love how important their friendship was to each of them, and I liked how there was just the tiniest bit of the whole boy/girl awareness of each other and nothing more. Izzy added a fun element to the group with her feisty attitude and I liked that she became a friend rather than an adversary like it seemed she might when they first met.
While I really enjoyed this story, I sometimes felt it could have been better fleshed out in some of it's details. A few parts, especially toward the ending, felt just a bit rushed and definitely a few moments where I thought the age old rule of "showing not telling" was an issue. Still, the storyline was well-crafted with a great spin on Norse mythology and played off a real historical event. The fast-pacing kept me entertained from start to finish. Thelma and her friends were a fun bunch that I loved following on this adventure!
•ABOUT THE AUTHOR•
Erin Petti lives by the ocean in Massachusetts and loves to read about magic, dinosaurs, folklore, and ghosts. She has a Masters in Education and a background in improvisational comedy.
Erin lives with her husband, excellent toddler, and cat (who she suspects likes her better than she's letting on).
Her debut novel, The Peculiar Haunting of Thelma Bee, publishes from Mighty Media Press September 2016.
Erin lives with her husband, excellent toddler, and cat (who she suspects likes her better than she's letting on).
Her debut novel, The Peculiar Haunting of Thelma Bee, publishes from Mighty Media Press September 2016.
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