Fifi’s Bookshelf's Reviews > Wretched Waterpark

I requested this ARC because even as an adult, I genuinely loveee reading whimsical creepy middle grade novels. Despite them being geared towards a younger audience, some of them are genuinely chilling (ummmm hello, Coraline?) I loved how deliciously creepy A Pinch of Magic by Michelle Harrison was, so I’ve been looking for similar creepy middle grade novels since then. Something creepy without being full blown horror, yet still chilling enough to make you feel uneasy. I picked up Wretched Waterpark because it seemed to be just that!

This book had EXACTLY the vibe I was looking for. Middle grade, but still just morbid enough to keep me entertained. From the first page it immediately felt exactly like A Pinch of Magic, same writing style and all. It’s dark but nonchalant in the same way the Addams Family is. It’s a cute and whimsical sort of dark (“do you have towel color preferences? We have black, nearly black, and extremely black”) with the children acting annoyingly unassuming and cheery despite how weird and abnormal everything is.

I really enjoyed this but the world building did seem a bit small and lacking. Other than that, this was a super fun read and I loved the whimsical creepy vibe!

Thank you to Netgalley and Delacorte for sending me an advanced copy in return for my honest review.