I’ve never reviewed more than one book in the same post before, so where to begin! The beginning I suppose…

When Lexie Wilde is dropped off at Scout Camp, little does she expect it to be full of zombies, werewolves and three-headed witches, who all become the best of friends. But Camp Croak is under threat from the charmingly foul Euphemia Vile, and they must all come together in order to succeed …

The first of the books introduces us to a plethora of strong female characters the most notable of which is Lexie Wild, the heroine and narrator of the stories. Lexie has a great turn of phrase, even if her narration jumps about the place a little (which is as it should be if you’ve ever listened to a child tell a story). The other characters connect with Lexie very quickly, firmly putting the book into the paranormal/horror category as a werewolf, zombie, skeleton and Sweet Boo (a baseball hat wearing ghost) become part of the gang.

Camp Croak itself isn’t that much different from an ordinary scout camp, there is a scout master,  shared sleeping arrangements and badges to work for… except for a slight twist in the way each badge is actually achieved. I enjoyed being a scout in my youth, but I think I would have enjoyed it even more if I had completed some of my badges the Camp Croak way.

The stories themselves are fast-paced, lots of fun and perhaps a little scary (if read well with all the voices – I do need to work on my Creole for Bebe…) but the standout feature of the books for me are the illustrations which are an integral part of the story. I love the two-tone pen scratch stylings that add a goth(ic) horror feel to the whole experience. 

A series that will suit newly independent readers with a thirst for the macabre. Definitely not for most grown-ups, who would be too scared to enjoy them anyway…