A Book Review of ‘The Bellwoods Game’ by Celia Krampien

Hey, all! I just realized that I actually have not been on MMGM (Marvelous Middle Grade Monday) for quite some time…

(clears throat and shuffles awkwardly)

I’ve been uhm… busy?

And all that is quite true, since I’ve been busy wrangling a story (that I really need to start listening to instead of shoving it into a box), prepping to launch my new podcast on pantsing with BeaDragonia and D.A. Brandon, doing author interviews on my YT channel, and uhm… I can think of a lot more excuses of why I’ve been busy (I have a long list) but I’m not even going to bother.

But at any rate, I am finally back! And I have a book review this time! And I really adored this book. I don’t read that much horror/spooky*, but I’ve been looking into more of those books, and when I saw this book on Kindle Unlimited, I jumped at the chance to get it!

*after watching Wednesday on Netflix which I don’t recommend any other 12 year old watch, I now believe MG horror books will pale in comparison to this rather gory TV series so I will likely be able to stomach those now.

And the book I will be reviewing today is The Bellwoods Game by Celia Krampien!

The blurb reads:

Perfect for fans of Doll Bones and Hocus Pocus , this “beautifully creepy” (Kirkus Reviews), highly illustrated middle grade novel follows a girl who hopes to fix her outcast status through a game in the haunted woods, only to discover that some legends shouldn’t be played with.

Everyone knows Fall Hollow is haunted. It has been ever since Abigail Snook went into the woods many years ago, never to be seen again. Since then, it’s tradition for the sixth graders at Beckett Elementary to play the Bellwoods Game on Halloween night. Three kids are chosen to go into the woods. Whoever rings the bell there wins the game and saves the town for another year, but if Abigail’s ghost captures the players first, the spirit is let loose to wreak havoc on Fall Hollow—or so the story goes.

Now that it’s Bailee’s year to play, she can finally find out what really happens. And legend has it the game’s winner gets a wish. Maybe, just maybe, if Bailee wins, she can go back to the way things used to be before her grandma got sick and everyone at school started hating her. But when the night begins, everything the kids thought they knew about the game—and each other—is challenged. One thing’s for something sinister is at play…waiting for them all in the woods.

I loved this book! It was perfectly spooky without getting uncomfortable for me, and I loved all the twists and turns in the story, especially the twist about the ghost haunting the woods!! The book also mixes in a lot of character development, and there’s a mix of plot and character drive, which I loved.

I had a lot of characters I quite liked in this book, but if I had to pick a favorite, it would have to be Bailee! I was going to mention another favorite, but then I realized it would be a spoiler for the story. XD Bailee’s character felt so real and raw and very much like a real person! I love her backstory, her past, and how that really influences what she does now! I think Bailee and the other characters (especially Madison and Fen) grow and change a lot through the story as well!

A funny thing about two of the characters… It was rather odd to read two of them, not at all because of the story or their character, but because of their names. I have a friend named Madison and a character from an abandoned WIP called Fen… (I am sorry, I cannot get over this!)

The plot in this book was great. The pacing was so good, and it never lagged or felt slow! It was fast-paced, and yet still left room for character development, which is what I really love seeing in books! I think my favorite scene in this book is definitely the scene where Bailee defeats the ghost/spirit! And sadly, because this is the climax of the book, I cannot give you too many details without spoiling the story! But I will just say, I loved the way Bailee defeats the ghost!!! It was unexpected, unique (to me, at least. Perhaps other books have done this, and maybe I havent read them), and so beautiful and heartwarming!!

As for the spookiness level… as mentioned, it was perfectly spooky without getting too uncomfortable. Unlike Wednesday, there actually is not a lot of gore or cursing or whatnot (seeing as it’s middle-grade, so thank goodness), and it’s mainly spooky as in, you really do not know what is happening next, and the ghost/spirit is after them, even if it cannot be seen.

So yeah! I think this was a great book, and I loved how it is both scary and yet, in the end, so beautiful at the same time!!! Definitely four out of five stars, and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves spooky books or may wish to start getting into spooky books! (And I think this book is rather perfect for the upcoming holiday — Halloween. Not a fan of Halloween to be honest, because “GAH why so dark and spooky?!!?? *promptly hides under blanket*”, but if you are looking for some Halloween reads, I definitely recommend this book!)

About the Author:

Celia Krampien is a Canadian illustrator and author. Her first picture book SUNNY was published in 2020 and she has been creating illustrations for newspapers, magazines and children’s books since 2013.

Celia grew up in a small town (population 400!) in rural Southern Ontario. She spent her childhood reading, observing local wildlife and climbing trees (and sometimes falling out of them). Today, she lives in the Niagara Region and still spends her time reading and observing the local wildlife but she now prefers to enjoy trees with both feet on the ground.

Thanks so much for coming and reading this review, and I hope you go and check out this book!!! And if you liked this book review, don’t forget to check out Marvelous Middle Grade Monday, where Greg Pattridge and a bunch of other amazing book bloggers come together every Monday to share MG book reviews, interviews, and more!

Till next time, and have a wonderful week and autumn,

-Isabelle