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Small Spaces #2
Dead Voices
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Middle Grade & Children's (2019)Bestselling author Katherine Arden returns with another creepy, spine-tingling adventure in this follow-up to the critically acclaimed Small Spaces.
Having survived sinister scarecrows and the malevolent smiling man in Small Spaces, newly minted best friends Ollie, Coco, and Brian are ready to spend a relaxing winter break skiing together with their parents at Mount Hemlock Resort. But when a snowstorm sets in, causing the power to flicker out and the cold to creep closer and closer, the three are forced to settle for hot chocolate and board games by the fire.
Ollie, Coco, and Brian are determined to make the best of being snowed in, but odd things keep happening. Coco is convinced she has seen a ghost, and Ollie is having nightmares about frostbitten girls pleading for help. Then Mr. Voland, a mysterious ghost hunter, arrives in the midst of the storm to investigate the hauntings at Hemlock Lodge. Ollie, Coco, and Brian want to trust him, but Ollie's watch, which once saved them from the smiling man, has a new cautionary message: BEWARE.
With Mr. Voland's help, Ollie, Coco, and Brian reach out to the dead voices at Mount Hemlock. Maybe the ghosts need their help–or maybe not all ghosts can or should be trusted.
Dead Voices is a terrifying follow-up to Small Spaces with thrills and chills galore and the captive foreboding of a classic ghost story.
Having survived sinister scarecrows and the malevolent smiling man in Small Spaces, newly minted best friends Ollie, Coco, and Brian are ready to spend a relaxing winter break skiing together with their parents at Mount Hemlock Resort. But when a snowstorm sets in, causing the power to flicker out and the cold to creep closer and closer, the three are forced to settle for hot chocolate and board games by the fire.
Ollie, Coco, and Brian are determined to make the best of being snowed in, but odd things keep happening. Coco is convinced she has seen a ghost, and Ollie is having nightmares about frostbitten girls pleading for help. Then Mr. Voland, a mysterious ghost hunter, arrives in the midst of the storm to investigate the hauntings at Hemlock Lodge. Ollie, Coco, and Brian want to trust him, but Ollie's watch, which once saved them from the smiling man, has a new cautionary message: BEWARE.
With Mr. Voland's help, Ollie, Coco, and Brian reach out to the dead voices at Mount Hemlock. Maybe the ghosts need their help–or maybe not all ghosts can or should be trusted.
Dead Voices is a terrifying follow-up to Small Spaces with thrills and chills galore and the captive foreboding of a classic ghost story.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published August 27, 2019
About the author
Katherine Arden
15 books13.8k followersA note to everyone who trips and falls upon my Goodreads page. First, welcome. Let us read and discuss all the books together. I review books I've read, everything gets five stars, if I didn't like it I don't put it up.
Second, Goodreads is wondrous, but contacting me through my Goodreads DMs is a good way to ensure a long wait for a reply. Your best bet is Twitter or Instagram (arden_katherine) on both.
Happy reading.
Born in Texas, Katherine studied French and Russian at Middlebury College. She has lived abroad in France and in Moscow, among other places. She has also lived in Hawaii, where she wrote much of The Bear and the Nightingale. She currently lives in Vermont.
Second, Goodreads is wondrous, but contacting me through my Goodreads DMs is a good way to ensure a long wait for a reply. Your best bet is Twitter or Instagram (arden_katherine) on both.
Happy reading.
Born in Texas, Katherine studied French and Russian at Middlebury College. She has lived abroad in France and in Moscow, among other places. She has also lived in Hawaii, where she wrote much of The Bear and the Nightingale. She currently lives in Vermont.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,510 reviews
April 9, 2021
pro: ghosts!!!!
con: not scary.
review to come / 2.5 stars
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i am ready to be embarrassingly scared.
spooky buddy read with lily
con: not scary.
review to come / 2.5 stars
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i am ready to be embarrassingly scared.
spooky buddy read with lily
November 17, 2019
Dead Voices is the second book in the Small Spaces series by Katherine Arden. In this book, we're reunited with best friends Ollie Adler, Coco Zintner and Brian Battersby, after they survived the terrifying circumstances of the first book, Small Spaces. Every book in the series has a seasonal theme—Small Spaces was autumn themed whereas Dead Voices is winter themed. Thanks to Arden's magnificent writing, you find yourself admiring the beauty of winter but also feel the eeriness that accompanies it.
In this installment, the trio take a skiing trip with their parents to newly opened Mount Hemlock Resort—a location that previously housed an orphanage run by a woman called Mother Hemlock. In the middle of a snowstorm, they manage to reach the lodge and settle down but the weather only gets worse, making it impossible to go skiing. The sinister animal heads that line the walls of the lobby; the shadows that appear out of nowhere and the nightmares that consist of a little, frostbitten girl repeatedly asking for her bones and warning them about the dead voices make them realize that no matter how hard they try to forget the events of autumn, the smiling man is determined to make their lives a living hell.
While Small Spaces was told from the perspective of Ollie, in Dead Voices we get to experience the story from both, Ollie and Coco's PoVs. Another thing that sets this book apart from the preceding one in the series, is the focus on ghosts as the paranormal element which I found thoroughly enjoyable. For me, ghosts are the spookiest of all supernatural beings and even though this is a middle-school horror series, I feel this book would have freaked me out had I read it when I was twelve. (I used to be a scaredy-cat…emphasis on the 'used to'!!)
I had to take a break from reading this to study, which just goes to show how productive I am and how I've definitely got my priorities straight (Haha). Katherine Arden, as always, has done a wonderful job writing this fast-paced story. Unlike most horror stories in which the characters make all the wrong decisions and walk into death traps, leaving you to exasperatedly scream obscenities at them; the children in this series are incredibly smart and brave. They remind me of the kids from the Netflix show Stranger Things.
I love these characters and I can't wait to see what interesting adventures lie ahead in books three and four! (Waiting in anticipation for a middle-school novel fills me with nostalgia. :') )
1. Small Spaces - 4 stars
In this installment, the trio take a skiing trip with their parents to newly opened Mount Hemlock Resort—a location that previously housed an orphanage run by a woman called Mother Hemlock. In the middle of a snowstorm, they manage to reach the lodge and settle down but the weather only gets worse, making it impossible to go skiing. The sinister animal heads that line the walls of the lobby; the shadows that appear out of nowhere and the nightmares that consist of a little, frostbitten girl repeatedly asking for her bones and warning them about the dead voices make them realize that no matter how hard they try to forget the events of autumn, the smiling man is determined to make their lives a living hell.
While Small Spaces was told from the perspective of Ollie, in Dead Voices we get to experience the story from both, Ollie and Coco's PoVs. Another thing that sets this book apart from the preceding one in the series, is the focus on ghosts as the paranormal element which I found thoroughly enjoyable. For me, ghosts are the spookiest of all supernatural beings and even though this is a middle-school horror series, I feel this book would have freaked me out had I read it when I was twelve. (I used to be a scaredy-cat…emphasis on the 'used to'!!)
I had to take a break from reading this to study, which just goes to show how productive I am and how I've definitely got my priorities straight (Haha). Katherine Arden, as always, has done a wonderful job writing this fast-paced story. Unlike most horror stories in which the characters make all the wrong decisions and walk into death traps, leaving you to exasperatedly scream obscenities at them; the children in this series are incredibly smart and brave. They remind me of the kids from the Netflix show Stranger Things.
I love these characters and I can't wait to see what interesting adventures lie ahead in books three and four! (Waiting in anticipation for a middle-school novel fills me with nostalgia. :') )
1. Small Spaces - 4 stars
September 4, 2020
“i believe in memory. i believe in remembering someone you love so well that it becomes kind of like a ghost. you remember someone so hard that it feels like they're in the next room, just around the corner, that they could walk in any minute.”
after a thoroughly autumn-themed spat with scarecrows in small spaces, we now follow our trio of eleven-year-olds grappling with ghosts during the winter season!
still shaken after the events of two months ago, ollie, coco, and brian are looking forward to a short holiday at skiing lodge mount hemlock. but as soon as they start driving up the mountain, disaster already appears to follow them -- apparitions on the road, and a snowfall so heavy it knocks out the power at the lodge.
what secrets is the mountain hiding, and what things are lurking in the snow…?
i’m probably part of the unpopular opinion crowd, because i enjoyed this installment more than its predecessor. which i found personally surprising, since ‘rural farm town during halloween season’ sounds more appealing to me than ‘creaky half-abandoned ski lodge during winter’.
however, i found the execution of the creepy elements more successful in dead voices. could also be a bit of a personal preference; the main focus here is ghosts over scarecrows, and there’s plenty of classic creepy stuff involving mirrors and ouija boards. which others might find boring or predictable but, newsflash: i am boring and predictable myself, so i liked it.
(to try and put it into actual words: the hauntings of this book felt more personal to me because of their tragedies and goals being more explicitly present; they felt more like conscious agents than the scarecrows ever did.)
anyway, whereas the story in the previous book was told purely from ollie’s point of view, we now swap between all three kids. even so, coco is no doubt the main focus of this book, getting the most POV chapters and the largest role in solving the mystery. we get to know a little bit more about her, and i greatly admire arden for keeping her characters’ main qualities simple but still flawed and varied.
continuation is also handled well, with ollie’s grief for her mother still playing a major role, as well as certain relationship developments regarding her father rattling all three kids in unique ways. i’m glad arden never shies away from that sort of emotional depth.
we also get a couple of new adult characters: the couple running the ski lodge, seemingly blissfully unaware of its otherworldly aspects, and a wayward journalist on the hunt for a good ghost story. they’re fun additions, and we see more of ollie’s father and coco’s mom as well.
i’m always weak for a bunch of kids up against evil, trying to win the game so that everybody gets to go home safe; it reminds me of ancient fairy tales and books like coraline. where combating a challenge from a monster only really plays a role in the climax of the previous book, it’s much more at the forefront now for a larger amount of the story. which i greatly enjoyed!
it was a pity to see brian’s role in the story reduced so much, though. i really hope one of the future books will center more on him. it helps that in the scenes he does get, he absolutely shines, and at one point i even barked a surprised laugh because this kid is just balls-to-the-wall getting shit done.
[mild spoiler]
the climax and resolving the mystery was a tad rushed, but that didn’t bother me terribly. coco was a great hero, and she was up against a similarly great villain which made the whole thing all the more fun. kudos to arden for including new threats while keeping some callbacks to freaky stuff from book one.
just give me my brian-centered book, though. please. i’d let him go ghost hunting with me any day.
✎ 4.0 stars.
December 17, 2020
“Perhaps only to frighten us. Weaken us. Ghosts like it when you’re afraid. It means you acknowledge them.”
Dead Voices is the sequel to middle grade paranormal/horror book Small Spaces. Small Spaces quickly became one of my favourites of the genre after reading it, so I was really excited to see what I would think of the second instalment. While I still like Small Smalls more, this was a solid second book and I cannot wait to see what the rest of the series holds in store for us.
Each book centres around a different season. Small Spaces was in autumn, and the main scary factor was scarecrows (trust me, they were terrifying). Dead Voices took place shortly after in winter and focuses around ghosts. The winter atmosphere was written masterfully, which I have heard many say about Katherine Arden's The Bear and the Nightingale series. In this one, our characters go on a skiing trip, but they get caught in a snowstorm and have to stay inside the resort, which was an orphanage before being renovated and is said to be haunted. If you have read and enjoyed the Cassidy Blake series by Victoria Schwab, I think you will really love this book!
I found both books to have their positives and negatives, but overall have decided that I liked Small Spaces just that little bit better. While I found Small Spaces to have a weaker beginning, the rest of it was so thrilling and intense that it made up for it. In starting Dead Voices, I was already invested which meant I jumped back into the story really easily and didn't have the same issue with the beginning. However, I felt that the stakes weren't as high and it didn't feel as gripping during the climax. Perhaps it is because I find ghosts to be a little overdone, whereas scarecrows were completely different- I don't know. For whatever reason, I found the first book to be scarier and more fast paced.
“I believe in memory. I believe in remembering someone you love so well that it becomes kind of like a ghost. You remember someone so hard that it feels like they're in the next room, just around the corner, that they could walk in any minute.”
That being said, I obviously still really enjoyed this book- and saying I liked it less than Small Spaces doesn't really mean much considering how much I loved that one. We follow the same group of characters who I am finding myself falling more and more in love with, with each page I read. I am so glad there are more books coming out following them because I am simply not ready to say goodbye to them. While the first book was solely narrated by Ollie, Dead Voices added in the perspective of Coco which I really enjoyed. Maybe that means in Dark Waters, the upcoming third book, we will hear from Brian too? Fingers crossed!
★★★★☆.25 stars
Dead Voices is the sequel to middle grade paranormal/horror book Small Spaces. Small Spaces quickly became one of my favourites of the genre after reading it, so I was really excited to see what I would think of the second instalment. While I still like Small Smalls more, this was a solid second book and I cannot wait to see what the rest of the series holds in store for us.
Each book centres around a different season. Small Spaces was in autumn, and the main scary factor was scarecrows (trust me, they were terrifying). Dead Voices took place shortly after in winter and focuses around ghosts. The winter atmosphere was written masterfully, which I have heard many say about Katherine Arden's The Bear and the Nightingale series. In this one, our characters go on a skiing trip, but they get caught in a snowstorm and have to stay inside the resort, which was an orphanage before being renovated and is said to be haunted. If you have read and enjoyed the Cassidy Blake series by Victoria Schwab, I think you will really love this book!
I found both books to have their positives and negatives, but overall have decided that I liked Small Spaces just that little bit better. While I found Small Spaces to have a weaker beginning, the rest of it was so thrilling and intense that it made up for it. In starting Dead Voices, I was already invested which meant I jumped back into the story really easily and didn't have the same issue with the beginning. However, I felt that the stakes weren't as high and it didn't feel as gripping during the climax. Perhaps it is because I find ghosts to be a little overdone, whereas scarecrows were completely different- I don't know. For whatever reason, I found the first book to be scarier and more fast paced.
“I believe in memory. I believe in remembering someone you love so well that it becomes kind of like a ghost. You remember someone so hard that it feels like they're in the next room, just around the corner, that they could walk in any minute.”
That being said, I obviously still really enjoyed this book- and saying I liked it less than Small Spaces doesn't really mean much considering how much I loved that one. We follow the same group of characters who I am finding myself falling more and more in love with, with each page I read. I am so glad there are more books coming out following them because I am simply not ready to say goodbye to them. While the first book was solely narrated by Ollie, Dead Voices added in the perspective of Coco which I really enjoyed. Maybe that means in Dark Waters, the upcoming third book, we will hear from Brian too? Fingers crossed!
★★★★☆.25 stars
September 16, 2019
A great middle grade horror series. Arden does a splendid job of balancing the genre for a younger audience. I got goosebumps reading this! I cannot wait for more books in the series.
August 29, 2019
Well hello, I’m delightfully creeped out right now.
DEAD VOICES reunites us with the trio from SMALL SPACES, Arden’s first in this middle grade fantasy and paranormal horror mystery series. They survived the creepy scarecrows and fall-themed maze, they survived the Smiling Man, and now they are off to vacation at a ski resort during the holidays. But the vacation ends up being less hot chocolates and fun in the snow and more snowstorms and failing heat, hauntings and danger.
Since October, none of them had liked being alone in the dark. It wasn’t that they were afraid, exactly. But they had learned that bad things could happen to you. At night. Alone. In the dark.
Arden is no stranger to weaving magic with her words and creating a biting, brutal, and unforgiving atmosphere. The Winternight Trilogy still makes me cold to think of it (amongst other things!) and she brings that same talent to this instalment. What I think is actually the coolest (hah) part of this series is each book is set during a season; fall for SMALL SPACES and now winter for DEAD VOICES. It’s wonderfully creative. But onto this story itself.
The Ouija board was like the worst text messenger ever, Coco thought in annoyance.
If your imagination is overactive during the night, seeing shapes move in shadow and darkness, if you hear voices in the whisper of the wind, feel someone move behind you as your skin breaks into goosebumps, but there’s no one there.. you’ll probably hate this story. In the best way! Because this book really was eerie, really was creepy, and the ghoulish fear of spirits and the unforgiving violence of the cold is right in your face. Sometimes literally.
Beyond the characters and the seasons, there is connection between book one and two and I was not totally expecting it. But we also see some non-fantastical growth, too, and it was lovely to be back with this trio — and Ollie’s dad, too. Shoutout to awesome parents in fiction!
I am definitely hoping that Brian will be getting some time front and centre with the upcoming instalment and, based on how this one went, giving Coco some of the focus in addition to Ollie, I would be surprised if that wasn’t the plan anyway.
Can’t wait for more from this world and this author.
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
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This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
DEAD VOICES reunites us with the trio from SMALL SPACES, Arden’s first in this middle grade fantasy and paranormal horror mystery series. They survived the creepy scarecrows and fall-themed maze, they survived the Smiling Man, and now they are off to vacation at a ski resort during the holidays. But the vacation ends up being less hot chocolates and fun in the snow and more snowstorms and failing heat, hauntings and danger.
Since October, none of them had liked being alone in the dark. It wasn’t that they were afraid, exactly. But they had learned that bad things could happen to you. At night. Alone. In the dark.
Arden is no stranger to weaving magic with her words and creating a biting, brutal, and unforgiving atmosphere. The Winternight Trilogy still makes me cold to think of it (amongst other things!) and she brings that same talent to this instalment. What I think is actually the coolest (hah) part of this series is each book is set during a season; fall for SMALL SPACES and now winter for DEAD VOICES. It’s wonderfully creative. But onto this story itself.
The Ouija board was like the worst text messenger ever, Coco thought in annoyance.
If your imagination is overactive during the night, seeing shapes move in shadow and darkness, if you hear voices in the whisper of the wind, feel someone move behind you as your skin breaks into goosebumps, but there’s no one there.. you’ll probably hate this story. In the best way! Because this book really was eerie, really was creepy, and the ghoulish fear of spirits and the unforgiving violence of the cold is right in your face. Sometimes literally.
Beyond the characters and the seasons, there is connection between book one and two and I was not totally expecting it. But we also see some non-fantastical growth, too, and it was lovely to be back with this trio — and Ollie’s dad, too. Shoutout to awesome parents in fiction!
I am definitely hoping that Brian will be getting some time front and centre with the upcoming instalment and, based on how this one went, giving Coco some of the focus in addition to Ollie, I would be surprised if that wasn’t the plan anyway.
Can’t wait for more from this world and this author.
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
January 3, 2020
Katherine Arden is so talented to tell atmospheric stories!
The second book of the series wasn't as amazing as the first one, but it was entertaining and, according to me, scarier. Some parts made me shiver or jump even if it's written for children. The snow, the cold, the old lodge, the stuffed animals and, obviously, the ghosts... so spooky!
The last third of the book was a bit repetitive, that's why I rate it 3.5, but I'm gonna round it up since the first 70% would deserve 4 stars.
I can't wait to see what Arden is gonna choose as a theme for the next book... Fall, winter and then spring, probably?
The second book of the series wasn't as amazing as the first one, but it was entertaining and, according to me, scarier. Some parts made me shiver or jump even if it's written for children. The snow, the cold, the old lodge, the stuffed animals and, obviously, the ghosts... so spooky!
The last third of the book was a bit repetitive, that's why I rate it 3.5, but I'm gonna round it up since the first 70% would deserve 4 stars.
I can't wait to see what Arden is gonna choose as a theme for the next book... Fall, winter and then spring, probably?
October 21, 2022
👻 Halloween 2020 👻
„Мъртви гласове“ ми хареса малко повече, отколкото първата книга „Скришни места“ от новата поредица на Катрин Арден.
Приключенията на Оли, Коко и Брайън продължават и тук определено ми бяха по-интригуващи, както и самите герои по-интересни. Дразнещата Оли от началото на първата книга я нямаше и сега ми беше доста по-симпатична. И като цяло и приятелското им трио в „Мъртви гласове“ си го бива и вече са си станали значително по-близки. А пък един стар познайник от първата книга се появява и в продължението.
Като атмосфера също ми хареса, а и историята ми беше малко по-зловеща, отколкото тази с плашилата в „Скришни места“.
[„Скришни места“ е крайно подходяща за четене есента и то най-вече през октомври някъде сега около задаващия се Хелоуин, докато „Мъртви гласове“ предразполага към зимните месеци, тогава историята най-много би могла да се почувства.]
Има още две книги от поредицата, които предстоят, и действието в тях ще се развива съответно през пролетта (3) и лятото (4). И тях бих прочел с интерес, когато излязат.
Оценката ми за „Мъртви гласове“ е 4.2 звезди – спрямо „Скришни места“, която оцених с 3.5.
„Мъртви гласове“ ми хареса малко повече, отколкото първата книга „Скришни места“ от новата поредица на Катрин Арден.
Приключенията на Оли, Коко и Брайън продължават и тук определено ми бяха по-интригуващи, както и самите герои по-интересни. Дразнещата Оли от началото на първата книга я нямаше и сега ми беше доста по-симпатична. И като цяло и приятелското им трио в „Мъртви гласове“ си го бива и вече са си станали значително по-близки. А пък един стар познайник от първата книга се появява и в продължението.
Като атмосфера също ми хареса, а и историята ми беше малко по-зловеща, отколкото тази с плашилата в „Скришни места“.
[„Скришни места“ е крайно подходяща за четене есента и то най-вече през октомври някъде сега около задаващия се Хелоуин, докато „Мъртви гласове“ предразполага към зимните месеци, тогава историята най-много би могла да се почувства.]
Има още две книги от поредицата, които предстоят, и действието в тях ще се развива съответно през пролетта (3) и лятото (4). И тях бих прочел с интерес, когато излязат.
Оценката ми за „Мъртви гласове“ е 4.2 звезди – спрямо „Скришни места“, която оцених с 3.5.
January 27, 2022
9 out of 10
That was even better than the first book! Creepy as hell. Didn't like a certain twist, 'cause I expected this installment to be more independent and self-developed, but this detail didn't spoil my fun after all. Love Arden's writing style, btw.
Small Spaces (Туманная долина):
Small Spaces (Туманная долина) #1/4
Dead Voices (Мертвые голоса) #2/4
Dark Waters (Темные воды) #3/4
Empty Smiles (Пустые улыбки) #4/4
Small Spaces (Туманная долина) #1/4
Dead Voices (Мертвые голоса) #2/4
Dark Waters (Темные воды) #3/4
Empty Smiles (Пустые улыбки) #4/4
October 21, 2020
I finished this three days ago already but just didn't find the time for a review. *sighs*
This is the second book about Ollie and Coco and Brian, the kids who already encountered "the smiling man" along with some pretty horrible scarecrows in the first book.
Here, they are going on a skiing vacation together with their parents. Naturally, the events of the previous book still haunt them (sorry, couldn't resist the pun) in the form of nightmares. So it's no surprise that at first they don't think to share the strange things going on in the ski lodge where they are eventually snowed in, too.
This time, there are ghosts, spooky corridors, strange voices/noises, new acquaintances and old enemies.
Interestingly, this book is form Coco's perspective, which made for a nice change. She had her own distinctive voice, too, which I appreciated a lot (a change of MC isn't always done convincingly). Thus, I was glad to see that the story was familiar and had, once again, a great atmosphere. The writing was also wonderful, as I've come to expect from this author, regardless of what age group she writes her books for.
The only problem I had with this second volume, also just like with the first, is how easily the kids defeated the big bad. Yes, this is a book for children, but children aren't dumb and if they face off with a being this old, it should not be this easy (there could have been harder ways that children still could have accomplished just like or even more than adults).
Nevertheless, a nicely creepy book for dark Oktober days that was a cool addition to my Spooktober reading list.
This is the second book about Ollie and Coco and Brian, the kids who already encountered "the smiling man" along with some pretty horrible scarecrows in the first book.
Here, they are going on a skiing vacation together with their parents. Naturally, the events of the previous book still haunt them (sorry, couldn't resist the pun) in the form of nightmares. So it's no surprise that at first they don't think to share the strange things going on in the ski lodge where they are eventually snowed in, too.
This time, there are ghosts, spooky corridors, strange voices/noises, new acquaintances and old enemies.
Interestingly, this book is form Coco's perspective, which made for a nice change. She had her own distinctive voice, too, which I appreciated a lot (a change of MC isn't always done convincingly). Thus, I was glad to see that the story was familiar and had, once again, a great atmosphere. The writing was also wonderful, as I've come to expect from this author, regardless of what age group she writes her books for.
The only problem I had with this second volume, also just like with the first, is how easily the kids defeated the big bad. Yes, this is a book for children, but children aren't dumb and if they face off with a being this old, it should not be this easy (there could have been harder ways that children still could have accomplished just like or even more than adults).
Nevertheless, a nicely creepy book for dark Oktober days that was a cool addition to my Spooktober reading list.
November 12, 2019
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
This was a fantastic haunted house story for the middle-grade set but it should appeal to a wide range of readers. This is the second book in the Small Spaces series but it could be read as a stand-alone despite the fact that events from the first book are discussed. I really enjoyed the spooky feel that this story had and found that I was really eager to see how things would work out. All in all, I thought this was a well-done novel.
Ollie, Coco, and Brian are off on another adventure. This time they are headed to a ski resort with Ollie's dad and Coco's mom. There is so much snow that they are the only ones that are able to make it to the resort. Things at the resort are less than ideal because of the storm but they are determined to make the most of it. There is some excitement with the addition of a new guest that knows some of the less than positive history of the resort.
I loved the spooky atmosphere of this story. I was worried about these kids anytime they went off by themselves in the resort. Learning the things that happened in the building before it became a ski lodge only added to the creepy feel. Ollie, Coco, and Brian are all great characters and I love their friendship. They really do watch out for each other when it is necessary. I wasn't sure how things would work out but it was nice to know that these kids were in it together.
I would recommend this book to others. I started reading this series because I love Katherine Arden's writing and wanted to read more of it. I picked up this book because of how much I enjoyed the first. I found this to be a creepy and atmospheric tale filled with fantastic characters. I can't wait to see what happens to Ollie, Coco, and Brian next!
Initial Thoughts
This was a fantastic hauntedhouse resort book for the middle-grade set. Ollie, Coco, and Brian are all great characters and I am glad that parents were along for a portion of the adventure. Ollie and Coco really shared the spotlight in this one and it was fun to watch them figure everything out.
Book Source: Library
This was a fantastic haunted house story for the middle-grade set but it should appeal to a wide range of readers. This is the second book in the Small Spaces series but it could be read as a stand-alone despite the fact that events from the first book are discussed. I really enjoyed the spooky feel that this story had and found that I was really eager to see how things would work out. All in all, I thought this was a well-done novel.
Ollie, Coco, and Brian are off on another adventure. This time they are headed to a ski resort with Ollie's dad and Coco's mom. There is so much snow that they are the only ones that are able to make it to the resort. Things at the resort are less than ideal because of the storm but they are determined to make the most of it. There is some excitement with the addition of a new guest that knows some of the less than positive history of the resort.
I loved the spooky atmosphere of this story. I was worried about these kids anytime they went off by themselves in the resort. Learning the things that happened in the building before it became a ski lodge only added to the creepy feel. Ollie, Coco, and Brian are all great characters and I love their friendship. They really do watch out for each other when it is necessary. I wasn't sure how things would work out but it was nice to know that these kids were in it together.
I would recommend this book to others. I started reading this series because I love Katherine Arden's writing and wanted to read more of it. I picked up this book because of how much I enjoyed the first. I found this to be a creepy and atmospheric tale filled with fantastic characters. I can't wait to see what happens to Ollie, Coco, and Brian next!
Initial Thoughts
This was a fantastic haunted
Book Source: Library
October 27, 2019
Ouch! I didn't like this book at all and that hurt... Arden is one of my favourite authors and I loved the first book in the series so much... but this one just didn't work. I skipped though the pages because I just couldn't wait for it to end. I get this is a children's book, but the first one was great for an adult too. This one... was one percent story and the rest was just fillers. I mean, descriptions of people making pancakes and stuff like that. And, I mean... a Ouija board? Seriously, girl? 🤦♀️ I wish I hadn't read this book at all! Still loved the first one, though. Oh, well! 🤷
August 13, 2022
#1) Small Spaces ★★★★☆
#3) Dark Waters ★★★★★
➸ Trigger warnings for .
▷ Representation: Brian (mc) is Jamaican
Blog • Trigger Warning Database • StoryGraph
September 22, 2019
Best friends Olivia “Ollie” Adler, Coco Zintner and Brian Battersby head to a Vermont ski lodge called Mount Hemlock Resort. (Their parents should have known better than to spend winter break at a place with a literally poisonous name.) Be that as it may, the newly opened ski lodge was once a dreadful orphanage complete with a terrifying black-clad nun named Mother Hemlock. Unless Ollie, Coco and Brian prove resourceful and clever, the brave trio may well be Mother Hemlock’s next victims!
Author Katherine Arden has penned a pretty good middle-grade horror story, bound to appeal to middle-schoolers, even though, at times, the action dragged a bit and only the three main characters were fleshed out. Those new to the series will be just fine, as I was, even though I had not read Small Spaces before tacking this sequel. Arden’s young fans, I’m sure, will feel blessed that they have a second chance with Coco, Ollie and Brian, and, despite the limited characterization, Arden’s plot proves so suspenseful that even adults will be glued to the book’s second half!
In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley, Penguin Young Readers Group and G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review.
Author Katherine Arden has penned a pretty good middle-grade horror story, bound to appeal to middle-schoolers, even though, at times, the action dragged a bit and only the three main characters were fleshed out. Those new to the series will be just fine, as I was, even though I had not read Small Spaces before tacking this sequel. Arden’s young fans, I’m sure, will feel blessed that they have a second chance with Coco, Ollie and Brian, and, despite the limited characterization, Arden’s plot proves so suspenseful that even adults will be glued to the book’s second half!
In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley, Penguin Young Readers Group and G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review.
October 22, 2019
This book was waaayy creepier than the first book.
February 20, 2022
something about this series doesn't quite work for me, and yet it's just spooky enough—and the friends just endearing enough—for me to keep reading!
July 22, 2019
This paled in comparison to its brilliant predecessor, Small Spaces, but it’s still a cute and entertaining story.
I had very high expectations for Dead Voices because I LOVED Small Spaces, but where that was richly atmospheric and unique, this felt thin and typical of its genre.
Atmosphere is what Katherine Arden does best, and while there’s more of that here than in your typical middle grade book, the spooky, hauntingly magical feel of Small Spaces and The Bear and the Nightengale trilogy is absent here.
Some of this is just personal preference on setting (give me small town Halloween any day over a ski lodge), but this premise could have worked better than it did had the tone been similar to the first book.
Additionally, the villains came off as VERY stilted and cartoonish in this one, despite having a common thread with the well drawn, menacing scarecrows from Small Spaces.
I’m always happy to try anything Arden writes, but I hope to see a return to form in the third book in this series.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
I had very high expectations for Dead Voices because I LOVED Small Spaces, but where that was richly atmospheric and unique, this felt thin and typical of its genre.
Atmosphere is what Katherine Arden does best, and while there’s more of that here than in your typical middle grade book, the spooky, hauntingly magical feel of Small Spaces and The Bear and the Nightengale trilogy is absent here.
Some of this is just personal preference on setting (give me small town Halloween any day over a ski lodge), but this premise could have worked better than it did had the tone been similar to the first book.
Additionally, the villains came off as VERY stilted and cartoonish in this one, despite having a common thread with the well drawn, menacing scarecrows from Small Spaces.
I’m always happy to try anything Arden writes, but I hope to see a return to form in the third book in this series.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
October 14, 2020
While I liked this one a little less than Small Spaces, it did have the benefit of already-established characters and a slight progression in the greater mystery of the Smiling Man.
Overall, however, it's mostly just a slightly creepy ghost story with slightly powerful mirrors and party games.
Not that this is a BAD thing, but it's NOT scary. It's rather Disney-Level. Of course, that's often the expectation with any MG book, no?
(Yes, I know of many examples where MG does not equate with mild.) This one, however, is.
For those of you looking for a safe choice for your children, these two fit the bill.
Overall, however, it's mostly just a slightly creepy ghost story with slightly powerful mirrors and party games.
Not that this is a BAD thing, but it's NOT scary. It's rather Disney-Level. Of course, that's often the expectation with any MG book, no?
(Yes, I know of many examples where MG does not equate with mild.) This one, however, is.
For those of you looking for a safe choice for your children, these two fit the bill.
July 15, 2019
God, I love this series. RTC.
March 3, 2021
How is a middle grade novel creepy?? The first half was a lot better/more ominous but the second half was still good.
4.5 stars
4.5 stars
June 9, 2022
Content Warning:
Does taxidermy count as a trigger warning? I know that it can upset some people so I thought I would put it here just in case.
Intro:
I dived into this book straight after the first book in this series “Small Spaces” and while I still enjoyed this one I Definitely did not like it as much as the first book!
The Plot
I think this is maybe where it lost me. But here’s the things, the plot was really good! Like in terms of structure I think it was better than the first. But I went into it kinda expecting something like the first book, but the author did this one very differently! I stilled loved the story and will continue on with this series, but I just didn’t enjoy this plot as much. I don’t think the whole mirror realm clicked with me.
The Characters
I still love these characters! I think they are so fun to follow and their friendship had really grown from the first book.
I LOVED getting to read more from Coco! She seemed so weak in the first book, but in this one she really grows and shines! I think she may be my favourite character of the lot!
The Writing
Once again, just like Small Spaces: SO ATMOSPHERIC! I was completely sucked into the world and felt like I was staying in the Lodge with the characters! I think this author really shines when it comes to the atmosphere she creates in her stories.
The Themes
Since this is a horror themes can be hard, since most of the book is mainly focused on scaring you, however I felt that the friend’s ability to trust one another and have faith in one another actions really came through in this book.
The Romance and Relationships
The friendship aspect was focused on more than in the last one, which makes sense as in the last one they were just getting to know each other but now they are close friends. I am excited to see where else the author can take their friendships in the next book.
We were, however, introduced to a new romance! Between the adults of course. It was interesting to see each child’s reaction to it and I really want to know what happens with it as we don’t find out in this book.
The Sex and Language
This book is completely clean.
Small Grievance
I wanted to put this here as I have done before just for the people who need it, but there is extensive use of a Ouija board in this book. As someone who themselves isn’t completely comfortable with this I thought it necessary to add that in here.
This book also has a much bigger focus on supernatural and paranormal elements where as I felt the first book was creepy and scary without crossing the line majorly into the paranormal.
Conclusion
I am really enjoying this series! Though I didn’t love this one as much as the first one, it was still a great installment and I CANNOT wait to read the next one!
Does taxidermy count as a trigger warning? I know that it can upset some people so I thought I would put it here just in case.
Intro:
I dived into this book straight after the first book in this series “Small Spaces” and while I still enjoyed this one I Definitely did not like it as much as the first book!
The Plot
I think this is maybe where it lost me. But here’s the things, the plot was really good! Like in terms of structure I think it was better than the first. But I went into it kinda expecting something like the first book, but the author did this one very differently! I stilled loved the story and will continue on with this series, but I just didn’t enjoy this plot as much. I don’t think the whole mirror realm clicked with me.
The Characters
I still love these characters! I think they are so fun to follow and their friendship had really grown from the first book.
I LOVED getting to read more from Coco! She seemed so weak in the first book, but in this one she really grows and shines! I think she may be my favourite character of the lot!
The Writing
Once again, just like Small Spaces: SO ATMOSPHERIC! I was completely sucked into the world and felt like I was staying in the Lodge with the characters! I think this author really shines when it comes to the atmosphere she creates in her stories.
The Themes
Since this is a horror themes can be hard, since most of the book is mainly focused on scaring you, however I felt that the friend’s ability to trust one another and have faith in one another actions really came through in this book.
The Romance and Relationships
The friendship aspect was focused on more than in the last one, which makes sense as in the last one they were just getting to know each other but now they are close friends. I am excited to see where else the author can take their friendships in the next book.
We were, however, introduced to a new romance! Between the adults of course. It was interesting to see each child’s reaction to it and I really want to know what happens with it as we don’t find out in this book.
The Sex and Language
This book is completely clean.
Small Grievance
I wanted to put this here as I have done before just for the people who need it, but there is extensive use of a Ouija board in this book. As someone who themselves isn’t completely comfortable with this I thought it necessary to add that in here.
This book also has a much bigger focus on supernatural and paranormal elements where as I felt the first book was creepy and scary without crossing the line majorly into the paranormal.
Conclusion
I am really enjoying this series! Though I didn’t love this one as much as the first one, it was still a great installment and I CANNOT wait to read the next one!
September 20, 2021
One of my most anticipated books of the year and I was not disappointed. Dead voices actually felt even creepier that Small Spaces. This second book in a series had Coco as a main focus and so we get to know and understand her a lot better. Also,there was a character named Voland. I see what you did there,Katherine Arden,and I love it. Can't wait for book three.
March 18, 2021
Katherine Arden has become my one of my favorite spooky-themed middle grade authors. I loved Small Spaces, the first book in the series, and had the pleasure of listening to it on audio. I still remember how I became so entranced by the story that I stopped everything I was doing to just listen to the audio. So, picking up the second book in the series was definitely an easy decision for me.
In Dead Voices, our friends Ollie, Coco, and Brian are going on a winter ski vacation when a snowstorm hits and they become the only residents at their lodge. Immediately my mind thinks of The Shining...A hotel in winter with no visitors and where our characters are trapped and isolated. Yes! This is perfect setting for a spooky story.
Small Spaces featured scarecrows that move when you're not looking. Let's be honest - that's pretty scary. Even now, it gives me shivers. So, I knew going in that no matter how much I would enjoy Dead Voices it probably wouldn't match the creepiness of the first book in the series and I was right. My preference is still with Small Spaces. However, Dead Voices is still a very enjoyable book as we spend more time with our three friends and the adults. Not to mention that they start to hear ghosts and have to decide whom to trust.
At this point, I will probably pick up anything Katherine Arden writes. There is nothing better than a good spooky middle grade story when it is done right and these definitely are. You get just the right about of chills and thrills, but since it's middle grade you know everything will be ok in the end. And now I can't wait to get my audio book for Dark Waters (book #3) when it comes out.
In Dead Voices, our friends Ollie, Coco, and Brian are going on a winter ski vacation when a snowstorm hits and they become the only residents at their lodge. Immediately my mind thinks of The Shining...A hotel in winter with no visitors and where our characters are trapped and isolated. Yes! This is perfect setting for a spooky story.
Small Spaces featured scarecrows that move when you're not looking. Let's be honest - that's pretty scary. Even now, it gives me shivers. So, I knew going in that no matter how much I would enjoy Dead Voices it probably wouldn't match the creepiness of the first book in the series and I was right. My preference is still with Small Spaces. However, Dead Voices is still a very enjoyable book as we spend more time with our three friends and the adults. Not to mention that they start to hear ghosts and have to decide whom to trust.
At this point, I will probably pick up anything Katherine Arden writes. There is nothing better than a good spooky middle grade story when it is done right and these definitely are. You get just the right about of chills and thrills, but since it's middle grade you know everything will be ok in the end. And now I can't wait to get my audio book for Dark Waters (book #3) when it comes out.
April 7, 2020
Added a whole star because I found it genuinely scary 😂
March 24, 2020
I loved Small Spaces....so jumped right on this second book in the series. After surviving evil scarecrows and The Smiling Man, Ollie, Cocoa and Brian are trying to put their lives back together. A ski trip seems the perfect get-away to help them get back on track. But Mount Hemlock turns out to be a hauntingly horrific place.
I have to be honest and say that I didn't enjoy this second story as much as I did Small Spaces. I'm not saying I didn't like it...I did. I just didn't love it. The first book kept my attention and was truly creepy. This second story just seemed a bit forced and less atmospheric. Still enjoyable...but just not as creepy cool as Small Spaces. I'm not going to delve into the plot, as it's too easy to accidentally spoil things. I will just sum it up in a few words -- ghosts, the voices of the dead, dark secrets and danger. Again. These poor kids can't even go on a fun ski trip without evil showing up to ruin things.
This is a great ghost story for kids. It's creepy, but not scary enough to cause nightmares or freakouts. Totally age appropriate. I like the characters, and the premise is excellent. I just missed the perfect atmospheric, yet age appropriate, scary vibe of the first book.
I hope Arden writes more in this series, or at least more stories like this. Very enjoyable -- even for an adult! I listened to the audio book version of this story. Narrated by Renee Dorian, the audio is just under 5.5 hours long. A nice listening length for kids or adults. This story was great to listen to on my commute to work. Dorian gives a good performance. She reads at a steady pace, and has excellent voice acting skills.
I have to be honest and say that I didn't enjoy this second story as much as I did Small Spaces. I'm not saying I didn't like it...I did. I just didn't love it. The first book kept my attention and was truly creepy. This second story just seemed a bit forced and less atmospheric. Still enjoyable...but just not as creepy cool as Small Spaces. I'm not going to delve into the plot, as it's too easy to accidentally spoil things. I will just sum it up in a few words -- ghosts, the voices of the dead, dark secrets and danger. Again. These poor kids can't even go on a fun ski trip without evil showing up to ruin things.
This is a great ghost story for kids. It's creepy, but not scary enough to cause nightmares or freakouts. Totally age appropriate. I like the characters, and the premise is excellent. I just missed the perfect atmospheric, yet age appropriate, scary vibe of the first book.
I hope Arden writes more in this series, or at least more stories like this. Very enjoyable -- even for an adult! I listened to the audio book version of this story. Narrated by Renee Dorian, the audio is just under 5.5 hours long. A nice listening length for kids or adults. This story was great to listen to on my commute to work. Dorian gives a good performance. She reads at a steady pace, and has excellent voice acting skills.
November 3, 2021
Se già vi è capitato di amare la Arden per il suo tono horror/fiabesco nella sua serie "adulta" (L'orso e l'usignolo), potreste restare incantati anche dai libri di Little Spaces, dove mischia le stesse atmosfere inquietanti con gli incubi infantili, con personaggi che sembrano uscire da una storia a fumetti e che si trasformano in piccoli eroi grazie all'unione di gruppo e a mamme lontane ma sempre presenti.
Stavolta si parte per una gita (omaggio) in montagna, in un grande albergo che sta per essere inaugurato, ma che in realtà serba ancora troppo i ricordi dell'edificio precedente.
Mi ha ricordato un po' uno Shining sfumato, tra lunghi corridoi, specchi animati e spiriti tormentati che cercano di comunicare da oltre il velo. La Arden è abile a mescolare paure e amicizia, mostri che giocano con le nostre emozioni ma si fanno spaventare dall'imprevedibilità di quelle umane.
Certo, è dedicato a lettori giovani, ma è una lettura perfetta per l'autunno e l'inverno, la neve e il freddo, le serate di buio e silenzio.
Adoro i tre, strani, un po' nerd e bizzarri: questo è il libro dedicato a Coco, perfetta come dolce e pura campionessa di scacchi. Quindi ormai credo (spero) che il prossimo sarà dedicato a Brian.
Stavolta si parte per una gita (omaggio) in montagna, in un grande albergo che sta per essere inaugurato, ma che in realtà serba ancora troppo i ricordi dell'edificio precedente.
Mi ha ricordato un po' uno Shining sfumato, tra lunghi corridoi, specchi animati e spiriti tormentati che cercano di comunicare da oltre il velo. La Arden è abile a mescolare paure e amicizia, mostri che giocano con le nostre emozioni ma si fanno spaventare dall'imprevedibilità di quelle umane.
Certo, è dedicato a lettori giovani, ma è una lettura perfetta per l'autunno e l'inverno, la neve e il freddo, le serate di buio e silenzio.
Adoro i tre, strani, un po' nerd e bizzarri: questo è il libro dedicato a Coco, perfetta come dolce e pura campionessa di scacchi. Quindi ormai credo (spero) che il prossimo sarà dedicato a Brian.
December 5, 2020
Не мога да разбера как това е детска книга, при положение, че близо 30-годишна жена сега я е страх от огледала и килери 😅 Винаги е имало нещо особено очарователно в историите с призраци, а тази конкретно е така добре написана, че читателят живо си представя всеки описан детайл, всяко проскърцващо стъпало, всяка мокра следа от снежните стъпки на мъртвите. Ако аз трябваше да изкачвам безкрайни стъпала в мрака, да слизам в мазета, да се изправям срещу препарирани животни, да се спасявам от лапите на злонамерени призраци, докато играя партията шах на века, ами... нямаше да оцелея до сутринта, това е сигурно 👀
Та значи уроците дотук са: когато стане тъмно, стойте на скришни места, далеч от плашила, не слушайте мъртви гласове и не влизайте в килери. И в никакъв случай не се вглеждайте в огледала 🪞 А най-добре, ако навън има снежна буря, да си стоите у дома.
Та значи уроците дотук са: когато стане тъмно, стойте на скришни места, далеч от плашила, не слушайте мъртви гласове и не влизайте в килери. И в никакъв случай не се вглеждайте в огледала 🪞 А най-добре, ако навън има снежна буря, да си стоите у дома.
September 25, 2022
This was fantastic. It was super atmospheric, creepy, with a great friendship thrown in there to bond the reader with the characters even more. The story just whipped by and it was impossible to put the book down--I devoured it in a matter of hours.
I can't wait to read more by Arden and this trio.
I can't wait to read more by Arden and this trio.
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