Few campers at Camp Apple Hill Farm have found the mysterious cabin rumored to be hidden deep in the woods—but those who have whisper of a mysterious woman who tells tales of horrors beyond imagination. Are you brave enough to visit Cabin 23?

This was absolutely delightful! Middle-grade horror at its very best!

Imgur link goes to Instagram graphic scheduled for May 14th
Blog Post goes live May 3rd
Will be discussed in April Reads Pt 2 Vlog


**TL;DR**: Fun and genuinely spooky! Think Goosebumps but much more modern.
**Source**: NetGalley, thank you to the publisher!

**Plot**: A tale of terror to test a new camper, it follows the story of Tasha as she hunts down the Boo Hag lurking in her new neighborhood before it comes for her grandmother.
**Characters**: I wouldn’t call them the best characters but they’re pretty good for middle grade spooks!
**Setting**: I actually really loved the setting. Post-pandemic, and set within a trailer park. It felt like a realistic and believable location.
**Scares**: I thought this was spooky, very appropriate for the age group. The Boo Hag was genuinely very freaky.

**Thoughts**:

What a fun ride! The Boo Hag Flex is the first in a new middle grade series that seems like a modernized Goosebumps. It’s set shortly after the pandemic, with Tasha’s mom dying from Covid (or Vovid related complications as it’s not entirely clear). She is sent to live with her father who she has never met or knows anything about. Within days of moving in with her grandmother she begins to see other elderly folk in the neighborhood die. And then she sees it - The Boo Hag. From there she and a new friend go on an adventure to stop the Hag from killing any more folks.

My favorite part of this, but likely the part that might age the book, is the very relative and modern references (such as the Covid pandemic). It felt like a Goosebumps but for kids growing up now. It also dealt with a lot with what it’s like to grow up in uncertain situations, and poverty. Tasha’s dad is (as she says) a deadbeat and she learns to deal with both that and the grief of her mother’s death. It’s nothing overly heavy, but it is present and a topic explored.

Overall this was a great little middle grade. I think any kid in this age will enjoy it and if you’re looking for a spooky middle grade that feels very grounded in the now, you’ll want to pick this up. I really recommend it for kids and even adults who enjoy these type of serialized horror stories.

3.75 out of 5 fun, handmade dresses

I love everything by Justina Ireland. This book didn't change that. I've been looking for more YA horror to recommend for my library; this will definitely added to my list.

I have absolutely no notes. This was a blast to read through and I have been wanting more middle grade or young adult horror since I love Stranger Things and anything reminiscent of that. This had exciting worldbuilding, characters you easily love, and creeped me out a bit haha.

I loved the idea of Tales from Cabin 23 series, it had what I was looking for from a young adult horror novel. It uses the summer camp perfectly and had that element that I was hoping for. It had an interesting tale to tell and I was hooked from the first page, I thought the characters worked well with this concept and genre. Justina Ireland has a great writing style and I hope there is more in this Cabin.

Absolutely loved this book. MG readers who want a spooky book with some truly creepy moments will be huge fans of this story. Immensely readable due to its shorter length, engaging characters, and fast paced story. Perfect example of how to tell a spooky story with a deep emotional arc in a shorter book.

This was a great read! I don’t read a lot of middle grade horror because it’s not my cup of tea, but I enjoyed this one. I wasn’t sure what to expect so it kept me guessing until the end. My fifth graders love horror books, and I could see many of them enjoying this. Can’t wait to add it to my library!