Challenge Corner discussion

Long ago, Nathan lived in a house in the country with his abusive father—and has never told his family what happened there.

Long ago, Maddie was a little girl making dolls in her bedroom when she saw something she shouldn’t have—and is trying to remember that lost trauma by making haunting sculptures.

Long ago, something sinister, something hungry, walked in the tunnels and the mountains and the coal mines of their hometown in rural Pennsylvania.

Now, Nate and Maddie Graves are married, and they have moved back to their hometown with their son, Oliver.

And now what happened long ago is happening again . . . and it is happening to Oliver. He meets a strange boy who becomes his best friend, a boy with secrets of his own and a taste for dark magic.

This dark magic puts them at the heart of a battle of good versus evil and a fight for the soul of the family—and perhaps for all of the world. But the Graves family has a secret weapon in this battle: their love for one another

Just started this evening.

Ch 18 (view spoiler)[ I’m glad that Oliver has been saved and has a potential friend but also worried there might be something a bit ‘off’ about Jake. (hide spoiler)]

Ch 23
(view spoiler)[ it feels like the situation is a plate spinning perfectly and it’s just starting to slow down and wobble- Jake, Maddy, Oliver and Nate. I wonder how this Halloween party will pan out! (hide spoiler)]

Ch 30
(view spoiler)[ it makes me wince watching Oliver walk away from Caleb towards Jake. Can’t help feeling that’s a r Sally bad decision! (hide spoiler)]

Ch 42
(view spoiler)[ so Jake is working for the same demon Edmund Reese did and the demon isn’t happy because Oliver is not the easy rollover he imagined he’d be (hide spoiler)]

Not sure when I'll be getting to this but hopefully within a few days :)

Ch 53 (view spoiler)[ will they even see Nate again? I reckon he will be rescued. (hide spoiler)]

Starting now…

Part II (view spoiler)[There is something completely wrong with that house. Seems to be messing the most so far with Maddie. (hide spoiler)]

Emma wrote: "Ch 18 [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[Oh yeah, I’m getting those same vibes about Jake. Just passed the part where he ran off Olivers friends and he’s defineitly off. (hide spoiler)]

Part 3 (view spoiler)[I was thinking maybe Maddie was the girl who got away but nope it’s trickier than that and she woulda been a kid then. She was there though, helping that final girl get away! (hide spoiler)]

PArt 6 (view spoiler)[I really really am hoping Nate can find a way home. This is way crazier than I expected honestly. And one thing that's confusing me is the inclusion of the serial killer, the other worlds and what not I get but what's the relevance of including this as well???? (hide spoiler)]

❀ Crystal ✿ - wrote: "PArt 6 [spoilers removed]"
(view spoiler)[
It all got a bit much for me by this stage tbh! (hide spoiler)]

Finished (view spoiler)[OK I like the end but I still feel so confused how all the parts of the story fit together. I'm glad Nate gets to go home even if it's months later, love that Maddie and Oliver never gave up. I did enjoy it even if it was a little out there lol (hide spoiler)]

Emma wrote: "❀ Crystal ✿ - wrote: "PArt 6 [spoilers removed]"

It all got a bit much for me by this stage tbh!"

(view spoiler)[I completely agree. There were just so many weird things combined in the book. I'm still not sure what the importance of the serial killer disappearing and ending up in another reality is lol. Very odd book. (hide spoiler)]

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RESTARTING AUGUST 1ST, 2025


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looking for a buddy for this one? I think this is how I go about getting a buddy for the book, if not, please let me know how

Carrie wrote: "looking for a buddy for this one? I think this is how I go about getting a buddy for the book, if not, please let me know how"

typically, we post in a request thread to ask for a buddy, but since this one already has a thread - We have buddies!

I'd love if you want to join us!!
I'm starting now and I plan to come back after every "part"
It looks like there are 7 of them!

But feel free to come back any time to chat about what you think!

A little thrown off by the purpose of the interlude between part 1 and 2. The squirrels threw me off a bit.

Carrie wrote: "A little thrown off by the purpose of the interlude between part 1 and 2. The squirrels threw me off a bit."

YES!! What was that about! I agree!

is that (view spoiler)[ trying to tie together the guy who was electrocuted to the guy who appeared? he sounded too young to be Edmund (Eddie to his friends) but maybe not? (hide spoiler)]

Prologue

Interesting intro
(view spoiler)[ to characters it's hard to know how they apply.

Edmund (friends call him Eddie) is electrocuted.
Carl is the guard. . .

and then

Mike is killed by the boy who comes walking out out of nowhere but also maybe from a Mine?
this boy has a pick axe that jumps in and out of his hand.

Who is this kid? (hide spoiler)]

Trisha wrote: "Carrie wrote: "A little thrown off by the purpose of the interlude between part 1 and 2. The squirrels threw me off a bit."

YES!! What was that about! I agree!

is that [spoilers removed]"
Thought same thing. I am so so confused at this point

Part 1

loved the intro to all the characters that we were reading about

(view spoiler)[
I feel bad for Olly - I would hate to feel everyone's emotions. There are a lot of hurting and angry people in the world, it would be hard to feel all their emotions all the time. Yikes

and wow, for Nate to take the house from his dad for a $1
I can't even imagine how hard that was for him. that dying gasp was frightening, can't even imagine experiencing that!!

I like Maddie too, but what's up with her art? is it making its self or is someone else messing with it?
and what's the significance with scissors?!? (hide spoiler)]

Trisha wrote: "Part 1

loved the intro to all the characters that we were reading about


I feel bad for Olly - I would hate to feel everyone's emotions. There are a lot of hurting and angry people in the world, ..."
so true. It would be awful to feel the pain of the world. I am hoping it all comes together wrapped in a bow, because I am pretty confused and only 20% in.

through Part 2 / 162 pages

definitely clearing somethings up

(view spoiler)[
okay so

Maddie - she's somehow tied to #5 that got away. Was she #5? or did she just help the girl? who was #5?
I hate that she left and didn't tell him. I can't imagine hiding anything from my husband. why is she not being more honest with him? up front about crazy stuff she's experiencing? the bad people always only gain power by everyone good keeping secrets

Nate - yikes. I like his coworker but everyone else seems to be conspiring to get him to do something bad or somehow infect his family. . .the fireflies going around his finger makes me think this is all about his family and tie to the house, the land and the town
and now his wife is tied to it all too. hmmm. . . I really hope Jed isn't a bad guy and that he's a good guy now!

Olly - what a sweet kid but what is he doing sitting up in his room watching the news and torturing himself? Yikes
and I wonder how those kids getting shot with bb's is going to play out at school. hopefully they leave him alone now. that was wild, they almost killed him

Jake - okay, so this is the kid that killed the first guy. he can make things appear in his hand. . .and how he has some strange book

interested to see this all pull together more but we're definitely getting somewhere now! (hide spoiler)]

Currently starting ch 43 started thinking I was putting things together but then oh no wait a minute. The good vs evil I just can’t figure out who is on which side. Now we have Maddiecheating but Nate blames himself?

My thoughts after part 4….is it all a dream? Are they all in between life and death? But whose dream? Ollie suffers through out whatever it is. Just saying like a ghostly halo makes me wonder….glowing lost found just the words use….hmmm and we have so much left!!!

Through part 5….can’t put it down but am getting so overwhelmed. So many Ollie’s so many in the in between. I’m still thinking could be a hallucination or nightmare.

Finished: crazy got to get to something lighter. Peace in this dark world is what I need now

finally getting back to this one - had to finish a few up first

Through Part 3

Okay, so we've got (view spoiler)[ some connections now.
Nate's dad was the one that talked to Reese - and was there when he died (or disappeared)
Maddie is the little girl who's magic saved #5 - and stopped Reese from getting to 99 at first (he appears to still be working if he's at 37)

and NOW we know that Maddie's current art - the owl she carved with a chainsaw - saved Nate and his co-worker

and yikes, Jake is frightening. Is he trying to corrupt Olly somehow - get him to do violence and break the family up? I don't understand why they are focusing on him and why he's so sensitive and definitely tied around a school shooting

I definitely like Jed still too. I really hope he stays as a good guy! (hide spoiler)]

Through Part 4 & 5 / 395 pages

Holy moly (view spoiler)[
So I can definitely see - the forest, the parallel words and the pockets or doorways into it - where the author got the inspiration for the staircases in the woods!

but Jack/Oliver - that guy just sucks. I know he's seen some things but I just don't think burning it all down is the answer.

and Jed. I'm so glad Maddie caught on. It broke my heart when he was the one that threw Nate to Jake!

Oh and the Graham thing. Makes me think that he DID save Graham but that Jake is actually the bad thing that happened to Graham. . .

and now here we are! Olly is (hopefully) in the hospital because he fought Jake so hard - but at what cost?
and now Maddie and Jed are on their way back and Maddie knows so much more! (hide spoiler)]

and done

wow, that one was long
(view spoiler)[ but good!
I was so surprised when Oliver talking to Jake actually worked. The eye thing was gross, but fitting! made sense it was all caught in that space the monster made.

I was so sad when he killed Carl. I had hoped for that perfect little ending, you know? With Nate back home and him bringing a good Carl back and giving Oliver a good grandpa. But, alas, he killed him off. and we never actually get to see/know that Nate makes it home

(hide spoiler)]

I am getting the audio of this from my library. Planning on reading it this week!

I'm hoping you like this one!!

Trisha wrote: "I'm hoping you like this one!!"

Me too! I'm scared after the staircase in the woods debacle! LOL

I'm still planning on getting to this one soon!