Pages:
318
Publisher:
Mira Ink
Release
Date: 24th
September 2015
Edition:
UK proof,
received in UKYABA goody bag
Sometimes
the thing you fear the most is closer than you think…
At
sixteen Nash thought that the fight to become Head Girl of prestigious boarding
school Bathory would be the biggest battle she’d face. Until her brother’s
disappearance leads to Nash being trapped at school over Christmas with
Bathory’s assorted misfits.
As
a blizzard rages outside, strange things are afoot in the school’s hallways,
and legends of the mysterious Beast of Bathory – a big cat rumoured to roam the
moors outside the school – run wild.
Yet,
when the girls’ Matron goes missing it’s clear that something altogether darker
is to blame – and that they’ll have to stick together if they hope to survive.
I’ve been a fan of CJ Skuse’s
novels since her debut, but Monster, a
dark, tense and immensely fun YA horror, is by far my favourite.
Bathory is the perfect setting
for a YA horror novel, especially an isolated one where abandoned over
Christmas in the biggest snowstorm in decades. The novel gets progressively
creepier and creepier as the girls become embroiled in the fearful legends of
the Beast of Bathory. I'm a bit of a wuss really, but I didn’t want to stop
reading this; it’s addictive and so easy to read. I was desperate to find out
how the girls’ would entangle themselves with the beast and who would make it
out unscathed.
My favourite part of Monster is the leading lady, Nash. She's
the ultimate good girl. Nash spends her free time running around after her
teachers, doing chores and looking out for the other girls in the school in an attempt
to be made Head Girl, but inside she’s angry and scared and incredibly real. And
so is Maggie, the resident troublemaker at Bathory. She's fiery, outspoken and
an unrepentant prankster and I love her. In fact, there’s not a girl in this
who is glossed over and polished, perfected and refined out of their being a teenager
in their speech, personality or thoughts and it was so refreshing. Go CJ!
I completely loved Monster. It's the perfect Halloween read
and for the dark and dreary nights ahead.
Thanks to Mira for the review
copy.
Sophie
I loved this one so much! The atmosphere was completely terrifying!
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