Spook's Sacrifice Review

The Spook's Sacrifice by Joeseph Delaney

Review by Emma McGrath 

Plot Summary

As the Spook’s apprentice Tom’s first duty is to protect the County from the dark. But now Mam needs his help in her homeland of Greece. One of the most dangerous of the old gods, the Ordeen, is about to return there, bringing slaughter and devastation. Meanwhile, the Devil himself is still loose and if he and the Ordeen join forces, a new age of darkness will descend.

Mam has summoned a powerful group to her side but among them are Tom’s old enemy, the Pendle witches, including the assassin Grimalkin, and the cunning clan leader Mab Moldheel. Can Tom go against all the Spook has taught him and ally himself to the witches? What is the secret that Mam is keeping from him? And what sacrifices must be made in the battle against the dark?

My Thoughts

Great story line I like the crazyness of John and Tom joining an aliance with pendle witches! espicaly after what happened in 'The Spook's Battle' ,I never would of guessed it! I was so happy when Tom saw Alice again,series wouldn't be as good without her.

This book brought all of the previous books together,Bill from mistake,pendle witches/Mab and Grimalkin from Battle and of course Alice and John.Brilliant mix of characters including a side of Tom's Mam we've never seen before.

The plot set at the beginning sounded exciting,a grand adventure awaited but i did find most of this one slow and boring.The big reveal about Tom's Mam was a shocker,didn't expect that!

my favorate scene from Sacrifice was when the main characters were in a tent making a plan of action against the Ordene

"If Tom's going into danger,then I want to go too!" Alice cried out,speaking for the first time.
mam shook her head."your place will be at my side, Alice"
"no, that ain't good enough!"she said springing to her feet. "I have to be with Tom".
"You stay away from him girl" said the Spook.
"Stay away?he'd be dead if it weren't for me-and you all know it"
Mam shook her head."Sit down!" she commanded.
"Ain't going to sit down until you give me what I want!" Alice retorted,almost spitting out the words.
"You owe me this!and there are things even you don't know yet!"
Mam came to her feet to face Alice,anger in her face.
At that moment the tent canvas began to flap.It had been a calm evening but now the wind was getting up.moments later,it was gusting furiously,threatening to tear the fabric from its supporting poles.
Mam led the way outside and looked up at the sky.
"It begins" she said pointing towards the horizon.

I found this book slow paced,quite boring until the end.i thought the concept was a good idea;the ordeane was quite terorrfiing and the plot twists at the end were shocking.
since Alice and Tom made the blood jar and tom made a deal with the fiend.the next book is looking very exciting

 

Spooks fanart

 

 

 

 

My Spook's Fanart

 

 

Alice with her basket of cakes

 

Why don't you just leave him be

 

Just alice

 

 

Holding hands with the dark

 

Never let her go

The Spook's Mistake Review

The Spook's Mistake by Joesph Delaney

Review by Emma McGrath

Quick Summary;

As danger increases in the County, Tom is sent far north by his master to be trained by Bill Arkwright, another Spook. Arkwright lives in a haunted mill on the edge of a treacherous marsh and his training methods prove to be harsh and sometimes cruel. But he has toughened up many previous apprentices and now he must do the same for Tom and prepare him for the gravest dangers of his life.

But when the Fiend sends his own daughter, the ancient powerful water witch Morwena, to destroy Tom, Arkwright makes an error of judgement and Tom finds himself facing his enemies alone. The Spook and Alice realising his danger, hasten to his aid but will even their combined strengths suffice in the face of such terrible dark power? And what is the Spook's mistake, the consequences of which might give final victory to the dark?

My Thoughts;

I  liked seeing a different side to a Spooks job, Bill was tougher in his training methods and the way he deals with the dark. John seemed soft compared to Bill. I felt Bill's loneliness a lot and as I was reading,I was concerned for Tom's safety because Bill got hostile at times.

I really liked the cover of this book, Bill looks mysterious and his dog's Tooth and Claw look fierce.This image stayed with me throughout the book. It gave me a fear to meet Bill and set off an unnerving vibe around everything to do with Bill.

I felt the story get a bit boring from when Tom and Bill try to find Morwena and till Bill goes missing.after that my adrenaline picked up as Tom was in panic, I thought the writing was brilliant .Toms thought were bouncing off the walls sending the reader on an emotional journey.

I found the Fiend very horrifying,when he first appeared I felt a sense of finality.The way Joesph Delaney disguised the big reveal of the friend was amazing,i really didn't expect it!
I thought that the fiend would be a cheesy character and fail to impress but I was very wrong! the author got it spot on! I like how he's underhanded and he haunting demeanor is.
so far in the series I haven't been given any clue of what to except him to look like, in this book he takes on the form of another person.the idea of the friend looking like a person Tom trusts is very clever and unsettling! but John Gregory said his true form is monstrous I'm half dreading it but then again I can't wait!

This is my favorite scene in Mistake,when Tom realizes that the Fiend is standing in front of him in disguise  the shock factor was brilliant great twist!.

I looked across the open hatch at the creature who had taken the bargeman's likeness. "If that's Mr Gilbert" i said "Then you must be..."             

"Call me what you will,Tom.I have many names,"he replied. "but none adequately convey my true nature. I've been misrepresented by my enemies.The difference between the works fiend and friend is merely one letter.I could easily be the latter.if you knew me better..."

 With those words,I felt all the strength drain from my body.I tried to reach for my staff but my hand wouldn't obey me,and as everything grew dark,I caught a glimpse of Alice's terrified face and heard her give a wail of terror.That sound chilled me to the bone .Alice was strong. Alice was brave. for her to cry out in such a way made me feel that it was all over with us.

 This was the end.

Grimalkin appeared in this book again but this time as Tom's ally,I have mixed feeling about this because after meeting her at the end of Battle i thought that she makes a brilliant enemy of Tom's and I was looking forward to seeing more of her in that light ( or should i say dark). if i had a choice i would have her as my ally rather than my enemy i think shes an enemy that would never give up the hunt.
later on Grimalkin sides with Tom in a battle orchestrated by the Fiend against water witches.i loved that fight! it was very exciting seeing Grimalkin fight and watching Tom put his resent training to the test.

At the end the Fiend paid tom a visit and told him a shocking truth!my first thought was WHAT i don't believe it! then I thought hmmm is it a lie?
it was a brilliant way to end this book.gave me a lot the think about.

John Gregory decides that after realizing Alice is defiantly leading tom to the dark,that Alice has to go,and never have anything to do with tom again.Tom still shocked and confused with what the fiend has revealed can only listen to his master and set his sights on training to face that dark without her.
This upset me a great deal, Alice is my favorite and the thought of Tom seeing Alice as an enemy is heartbreaking.

After reading this book, I was listening to Breaking Benjamin and made a musical link that I thought goes with these books :)
Mainly about Alice and Tom    

 Great twists! Bill kicks arse.Only wish i could own claw,shes awesome! x

 http://www.spooksbooks.com/index.asp