(Review) The Joy of Spooking: Unearthly Asylum

Posted on by Cindy

Title: The Joy of Spooking: Unearthly Asylum (book 2)
Author: P.J Bracegirdle
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pub Date: August 2010 (hardcover) August 2011(paperback)
Pages: 320

Source: From my own personal library.

About the Book:
Joy Wells is fascinated by the strange noises coming from the old Spooking Asylum. She knows all about the famous legends that surround the place and is certain that she is hearing the guns of long-dead soldiers. But what if something more contemporary—and truly ghastly—is going on? When Joy’s pet frog, Fizz, gets away, Joy travels through the town’s old sewers looking for him, only to emerge above ground—inside the locked gates of the asylum. There, she uncovers a trail of greed and madness guaranteed to thrill her horror-loving heart!

This is the second book in The Joy of Spooking series and all I have to say is WOW!

I am always a little apprehensive when I start to read a second book in a series because I always worry that the second book won’t be as good as the first but in this case I had nothing to worry about because this book was just as great as the first one if not a little bit better.

This is the second book in The Joy of Spooking trilogy. The first book is Fiendish Deeds and the third book is Sinister Scenes. (I will be reviewing Sinister Scenes this week)

I should start off by saying that you don’t need to read the first book in the series to read this one but if you are like me you will probably want to read it just so you know more about the characters and the history behind the book.

Joy is not like the other girls who live in Darlington. She is the complete opposite of them and this is why I love the character so much. As the book opens up we see a slight change in Joy and I think that has to do with the fact that her brother, Bryon has a friend and I think deep down Joy would love to have a real friend and not just her per frog.  This change has worried her mother because in her eyes Joy isn’t like other girls. The other girls like to do girl stuff where as Joy would rather do the opposite. Her mother decides to take her to see a psychiatrist which basically didn’t prove much but it let her mother know that everything was perfectly fine.

Joy is still obsessed with her favorite author E.A Peugeot and is still determined to prove that he had actually lived in Spooking and that all his stories are based around Spooking although it seems that the E.A Peugeot society begs to differ and there is proof he actually lived somewhere else and that his stories are based on that town. Although I don’t think so because there is too many similarities. Will Joy be able to prove this theory that he actually lived there and that its all about Spooking?
We once again get to see Mr. Phipps and if you remember he is the mayor’s assistant and this time around he is still up to no good and is now eyeing the Spooking mental asylum. He thinks that if he can get the asylum  and if he can turn it into a luxurious spa things will be good. Although he soon realizes that more is going on behind the gates of the asylum and is determined to find out what is going on no matter who gets hurt in the process.

This time around we got to see a little bit more background into Mr Phipps and the reason he seems to be so bitter and revengeful. I liked having that little bit added. I think it added to the story and the character.

Before long Joy is added into the mix with her brother and friend, Poppy. No one knows what goes on behind the gates of the asylum but its peaked every ones attention. When Joy’s pet frog goes missing and ends up on the other side of the gates, Joy quickly sets a a rescue Fizz mission and stumbles into the mix of things. Will they be able to get out of there alive before its too late?

I started off not liking Mr Phipps but by the time the book was almost finished I ws growing to like him. Yes you can see throughout the course of the book its all about him and him making a name for himself but when push comes to shove and his friend needed him he was there and even though it was to late to save his friend he made sure that Joy got out of there safely.

I absolutely loved this book and I can’t wait to share it with others. This was a super quick read and I was constantly sitting at the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen. This is another page turner and a fantastic middle grade book that I think boys and girls would both enjoy and the bonus part is that he is a Canadian (local) author.
I am dying to read the third book and I think I will be sad to see the series wrap up but I am looking forward to reading Paul’s future books.

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
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