Read At Your Own Risk

Hannah and her friends thought they were playing a game when they snuck into their school’s attic to try to contact spirits, but soon realise that they might have bitten off more than they can chew. Now afflicted with a gruesome curse, Hannah must try to find a cure before it’s too late, but readers beware – it could be contagious!

Read at Your Own Risk isn’t Remy Lai’s first foray into the world of horror, but it is a bit of a style change. Unlike her successful graphic novels Pawcasso and Ghost Book, this novel is formatted as an illustrated journal, à la Diary of a Wimpy Kid or Lottie Brooks. Older or stronger readers sometimes prefer to avoid this format, but I would advise them to reserve judgment here: it really enhances the story. Indeed, Lai’s art is as fantastic as ever, taking on a new Dav Pilkey-meets-Edward Gorey edge.

This book might be a bit too confronting for younger fans of her previous work, but it will be a great fit for the older end of middle grade fiction or those who have enjoyed spooky stories before. I would have loved it as a kid, and I can’t wait to recommend it in the shop. For ages 10+