---

It feels like there’s been a whole lot of really cool announcements recently about horror novels getting adaptations! Which is always super fun! One really interesting announcement came recently & it caught my eye. 

While it’s not actually a novel that’s being adapted, apparently there was a big bidding war for the rights to Trevor Henderson’s character, Siren Head, and now Brian Duffield (director of the upcoming WHALEFALL adaptation!) and Zach Cregger are attached to the project! Now, I’ll confess: I don’t really know anything about Siren Head, but from what I can gather, it’s a sort of online meme/creepypasta sort of vibe? Where Trevor Henderson created this character, and then people kind of went wild with it, making their own short films and games featuring Siren Head. All of which sounds really cool! Again, I’d be lying if I said I knew anything about Siren Head, but it sounds like it could be a really cool project!

I have, however, been meaning to read Trevor Henderson’s middle grade horror novel, SCAREWAVES, for quite some time now! And this seemed like the perfect catalyst to finally get to it. There’s a second book out already, but I’m not sure how many books are planned for the series. 

 Henderson’s artwork is super creepy and he illustrated the cover for this, along with several black & white illustrations throughout the book! 

The story follows a handful of kids in the small town of Beacon Point, a place well known for its eeriness & weirdness. Disappearances are all too common. Strange creatures are sighted in the woods. Over the course of the book, Henderson really leans into the dark atmosphere of this place, leaving the reader feeling as though the most terrifying things can & will happen. 

One of the characters we first meet is Mary, as she and her family are driving into Beacon Point for the first time. They’ve just moved to town, and Mary is Not Having It. She’s had to leave behind all her friends, and everything familiar. And their new house is definitely creepy. A big, old Victorian in dire need of repair, the house is rumored to be haunted. And it isn’t long before Mary starts hearing some really unsettling noises in the night.

Elsewhere in town we have Lucas, who lives on a farm with his Dad. Lucas’s life is really difficult, and I liked how Henderson didn’t shy away from showing a family that’s struggling. Lucas has to get up early, and tackle a long list of chores on the farm. One thing Lucas hates to do is deal with Mr. Sackhead, the creepy scarecrow who always seems to be falling off his post. The same Mr. Sackhead who somehow seems to be looking at Lucas, no matter where he turns. 

Each kid in the book is being visited by their own unique, terrifying monster. So they all team up to try and figure out what the heck is really going on in Beacon Point. 

The book also features transcripts from a spooky local radio program hosted by a man named Alan Graves. Graves has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to all the supernatural goings-on in Beacon Point, and he and his show become pretty important to the story. 

I loved the vibe of this one so much. It felt like there was a little bit of SUMMER OF NIGHT and IT baked into the DNA of this story! Especially because the book felt a little dangerous. The stakes in SCAREWAVES are extremely high, and there are several moments in this one where it feels like these kids are in a significant amount of peril. 

Henderson’s vivid descriptions are bolstered by his incredible (and spooky!) artwork, so if you’re having any trouble picturing the menacing creatures in this book…just keep turning the pages, and you’ll get to see for yourself! 

This was awesome! Looking forward to diving into the second book, BEYOND THE GRAVE soon!