Monsters in the Mist by Juliana Brandt

Monster's in the Mist by Juliana Brandt
Format:  E- ARC
Publisher:  Sourcebooks for Young Readers
Number of pages:  320
Published:  May 3rd, 2021
Source:  publisher via Netgalley. 

Opening Line:  "The windows of the third keeper's home at Graving Lighthouse quivered, restless in their frames as the wind outside crept against their edges and tried to sneak in."

While their father is away for work, thirteen-year-old Glennon McCue, his mother and older sister, Lee have moved in with their Uncle Job on the Isle Philippeaux, which is situated in the middle of Lake Superior.  The Isle has this ominous, creepy vibe, which immediately the siblings find unsettling, but neither of them can put their finger on what specifically is wrong with it.  Then a series of events occur, making Glennon suspicious of whether it's safe to remain on the Isle.  For starters he has a mysterious encounter with a boy hunched in the road while out riding his bike and then a major storm hits the island, resulting in a shipwreck and several crew members wash up near the lighthouse.  The ship's crew also are frightened about being on the Isle and their bizarre behavior begins to convince Glennon that he has to find a way to get them off the island before it's too late.  

I was in a mood for something creepy when I received a review request for Monster's in the Mist, and this certainly hit the spot.  The story is one that slowly burns, we get to know Glennon, Lee and what brought them to Isle Philippeaux, but from there it grows in intensity.  Glennon begins to unravel the mystery of the island and what he finds, well he has every reason to be scared of.  Even I was scared for him and Lee.  And the monsters of this story, well let's just say that the phantom ghosts and the real-life monster that is present in Glennon's life was equally frightening.  This story really does build in the horror department and has a lot of depth, delving into some pretty deep subjects, like PTSD, panic attacks and the overall pain of abuse.  For Glennon and Lee it is the verbal abuse and raging anger that their dad displays toward them that is also present toward their mom. Glennon, Lee and their mom have each found their own ways to exist amongst this terrible emotional and verbally abusive situation.    I really appreciated the author's letter to the reader at the end of the book explaining how not all abuse is physical, that the words Glennon's father used in the story were forms of verbal and emotionally abuse.  I also especially liked the encouragement that Brandt offers for children who may recognize any of these actions to seek a trusted adults help, whether a trusted teacher or counselor.  Finally, I felt the love that exists between these siblings, the way that they support each other and understand each other's needs.  I'd recommend this to the readers who enjoyed A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness, it had that same sort of feeling of confusion and sadness with the greater theme of finding the truth of what haunts them.  Overall, the story left me optimistic about Glennon and Lee's future and I really wanted them to be free from the pain that was being inflicted on them.

**A huge thank you to Sourcebooks for the E-ARC**