The first time I participated in the Spookathon back in 2017, I read Frozen Charlotte, and it was one of the best decisions I made. Picking up that book about creepy little dolls was a journey, and luckily, the author came out with a prequel. Obviously, I jumped on board without thinking twice. And since we are in October the spookiest month of the year and Halloween is approaching fast, there isn’t a better time to review Charlotte Says.

Author: Alex Bell Publisher: Stripes Publishing Pages: 352 Genre: Historical Horror, YA Publication: 7th September 2017

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Synopsis:

Following the death of her mother in a terrible fire, Jemima flees to the remote Isle of Skye, to take up a job at a school for girls. There she finds herself tormented by the mystery of what really happened that night.

Then Jemima receives a box of Frozen Charlotte dolls from a mystery sender, and she begins to remember – a violent argument with her step-father and the inferno that destroyed their home. And when it seems that the dolls are triggering a series of accidents at the school, Jemima realizes she must stop the demonic spirits possessing the dolls before something bad happen.

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Hello Mother!

If I had to describe this book in one word, it would be WICKED!! This time, Bell took the story to a whole other level. If you think Frozen Charlotte is the scariest and twisty thing you ever read, then Charlotte Says might not be for you. This book has murder, secrets, crimes, ghosts, and a story that will haunt your dreams for a while.

The story is set about 100 years before Frozen Charlotte, and thanks to that, you can read Charlotte Says first without any prior knolagde. If you read the series in publication order like I did, you can spot some connection here and there, and see how some decisions translated to the present. For example, when the dolls are discovered in Frozen Charlotte, we never get an explanation to why they were stored that way, and on Charlotte Says we see that decision being made. So there are a few “easter eggs” if you want to call them, but it doesn’t overpower the story making it impossible to understand without reading Frozen Charlotte first. I still recommend reading the series in publication order for a better experience, but it’s not an obligation.

After finishing Frozen Charlotte, I remember I had a lot of unanswered questions. Actually, I think I even mentioned in my review that I wanted to read the book again to see if I miss some information or if it wasn’t in the book at all. One of those doubts was the dolls’ background story. They are hunted by an evil spirit and are named after the unfortunate tale of a little girl, but I never felt I knew where this demon came from. On Charlotte Says, the dolls past is brought back once again and explored into more detail. Although I still didn’t get a straight forward explanation for them being hunted. Or the explanation that I got wasn’t what I was hoping it to be and it kind of let me down. Either way, it feels the question is still unanswered to me.

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When I say Charlotte Says is wicked, I mean it. This is not just a creepy and spooky story about evil dolls. The brutality in the action of some characters is inhuman, and this is what I love in horror. If the author took the dolls away, there was still enough gore and evil to give me chills. Humans can be more vicious than some demons, and this book is proof of that. So when everything is mashed up, awfull humans, demons, possessed dolls, and a sprinkle of romance, the result is a book that made me look around the room to see if I was safe and to never read it at night.

Even though I still have some questions in my mind, this book felt more finished and cohesive than Frozen Charlotte. The big mystery that sets the story in motion is resolved, and every question that appears throughout is addressed and concluded in some way or another. Nothing is left unanswered even if that explanation isn’t what I’m looking for. Now the only thing left to do is a sequel to Frozen Charlotte. The dolls already have a past, a present, and now they need an end. Alex Bell, please write more stories with these creepy awesome dolls!! I don’t want this series to end.

It has been a blast reading once again about these dolls, and I will always stand by their side saying for you to read both books. I can’t describe how great of a ride it was being in this world, getting to know these characters, caring for them, and fear for their safety. If you are looking for a spooky read give Charlotte Says or Frozen Charlotte a try this Halloween.

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