Book Review: FLOCK HORROR by Jennifer Killick (Middle Grade Monday)

Title in pink on graphic of five kids facing a shopping centre with birds everywhere

Genre: Horror
Age Range: MG
Star Rating: 4 stars
Series: book 3

*SPOILER ALERT: contains SPOILERS for DREAD WOOD and FEAR GROUND*

Blurb:

Book cover for FLOCK HORROR: title in pink below illustration of five kids facing a shopping centre surrounded by birds

Angelo and his friends know that together they can handle any pretty much anything – including giant mutant spiders or snake-like parasites that burrow into your brain. But when a terrifying new enemy attacks from above it seems they have met their ultimate match . . . how can they defeat giant vampire birds that are after BLOOD?

With summer term in full force – and sports day and prom night on the horizon – the whole school is in danger. The gang need a plan to bring safety to the skies!

Blurb taken from Goodreads. Add to your shelves here.

Review:

FLOCK HORROR is the third chilling horror about monstrous animals being used to attack “Club Loser”.

So far we’ve had spiders and worms used as the horror monsters, and this time it’s birds. Instead of building up to reveal the monsters, you know very early one that it’s birds. Instead of suspense over what exactly is causing the mayhem, the monsters are the mayhem. I really liked the change in approach. Not to mention big black birds with red eyes swarming is terrifying!

The shower room sequence is an absolute masterclass in building tension horror style. It’s the school showers, which no one wants to be in, made even more unsettling with descriptions of all the senses. And then Killick turns a mundane action (moving back shower curtains) into something tense as you’re just waiting for it all to go wrong. It really shows why she is the queen of MG horror.

Mr C grew on me even more as a character. I love seeing good teachers in book, ones who are there for their students, going above and beyond to look after their well being. It doesn’t hurt that he’s so funny too. It’s a nice foil to the Latchitts.

The way this book ends makes me think we’ve reached the end of one arc of the series and are heading into another, which a new dimension to the threat yet to come. Good thing there is another book coming, DEADLY DEEP, in the late summer – just in time for spooky season!

Read my reviews of other books by Jennifer Killick:

Dread Wood (this series):

Crater Lake: