Review: SAY HER NAME by Juno Dawson

 

Say Her Name by Juno Dawson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Roberta 'Bobbie' Rowe is not the kind of person who believes in ghosts. A Halloween dare at her ridiculously spooky boarding school is no big deal, especially when her best friend Naya and cute local boy Caine agree to join in too. They are ordered to summon the legendary ghost of 'Bloody Mary': say her name five times in front of a candlelit mirror, and she shall appear... But, surprise surprise, nothing happens. Or does it?

Next morning, Bobbie finds a message on her bathroom mirror... five days... but what does it mean? And who left it there? Things get increasingly weird and more terrifying for Bobbie and Naya, until it becomes all too clear that Bloody Mary was indeed called from the afterlife that night, and she is definitely not a friendly ghost. Bobbie, Naya and Caine are now in a race against time before their five days are up and Mary comes for them, as she has come for countless others before... A truly spine-chilling yet witty horror from shortlisted 'Queen of Teen' author James Dawson. 

I picked up this book, having read a couple of Juno Dawson's books before, when I was in Waterstones with some time and money to spend--and I was not disappointed.

Say Her Name is different to Dawson's other books--I'm thinking of Clean and Wonderland--as the tone for this one isn't as 'raw' and harsh or real. It's paranormal, to start with, a chilling ghost story. But it was equally as compelling. I couldn't stop reading it, and it was weird--I don't normally connect that well with ghost stories as I find it hard to suspend belief. But I still connected with this one so well.

The mystery elements had me guessing all the time as to what was really going on--and what would happen--and I couldn't predict it. It's really good.

The romance wasn't overstated or overbearing, and I really appreciated that.

View all my reviews