This book doesn't have much in the way of spooking, but it does have a ton of backstory about the Spook & Meg. Lots of character development. And we get to see a different part of the County. I really enjoyed learning more about the Spook and seeing the characters build trust with one another. While nothing major happened plot-wise (there was a big bad, but I feel that was just there to have some action/tension and seeing how it was talked about for ages and didn't actually become a threat until the last few chapters and then was just *poof* gone, I think that I'm right in thinking that) this book was needed to have the story progress in a way that makes sense and is natural. The characters couldn't have kept going on with how things were and have grown as they needed to. ( )

El Espectro decide pasar el duro invierno en su casa de Anglezarke, situada en un tenebroso y frío páramo en el límite con lo Oscuro, y hasta allí le acompaña su aprendiz, Thomas War, para continuar con su educación. La sombría casa encierra en su bodega numerosas jaulas para brujas y boggarts y, lo más espeluznante, una lamina salvaje. Cuando el Espectro resulte gravemente herido en una pelea contra seres fantásticos, Thomas deberá hacerse cargo de todo y, especialmente, impedir que Morgan, el anterior y fracasado aprendiz, recupere un libro de magia que le daría el poder de lo Oscuro que tanto ansía.

I continue to enjoy this series. In this one, the reader finds out more about the Spook's back story and Tom conquers his fears (mostly) and becomes stronger. The story moves quickly and keeps the reader engaged. ( )

As the winter approches, Tom Ward and Mr. Gregory (the Spook) move to his winter home and Tom's best friend, Alice, is fawned off on a nearby farmer. With witches imprisoned underneath the winter home, a former apprentice Morgan is dabbling in necromancy and blackmails Tom to helping him recover a book locked in the winter home. ( )

This is the third book in the Wardstone Chronicles and was the make or break point for me. I figured that after three books I'd have a pretty good idea of whether I would persevere. After some thought, I've decided to leave Tom, Alice and the Spook to continue their adventures without me.

That's not in any way a criticism of the work. Rather, it reflects the fact that I'm not the target audience - and there are so many more things on my to-be-read list. ( )