Feature: Ghosts, Ghouls, and Rules for Vanishing by Kate Alice Marshall
You ever read such a fabulously atmospheric book that you feel the hairs raise on the back of your neck? Rules for Vanishing is that book. Yes, the cover has some creepy vibe but they are nothing compared to the story within. Kate Alice Marshall has crafted a ghost story unlike no other I’ve ever read and it got me spooked! So I thought I would gather some tried and true methods of exorcising ghosts, clearly inspired by Supernatural. Arm yourself with some of the methods below and pick up Rules of Vanishing this fall!
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Rules for Vanishing
by Kate Alice MarshallPublished by: Viking Books for Young Readers
on September 24, 2019
Genres: Horror, Young Adult
Pages: 416
IndieBound, Audiobook through LibroFM
Goodreads
In the faux-documentary style of The Blair Witch Project comes the campfire story of a missing girl, a vengeful ghost, and the girl who is determined to find her sister--at all costs.
Once a year, the path appears in the forest and Lucy Gallows beckons. Who is brave enough to find her--and who won't make it out of the woods?
It's been exactly one year since Sara's sister, Becca, disappeared, and high school life has far from settled back to normal. With her sister gone, Sara doesn't know whether her former friends no longer like her...or are scared of her, and the days of eating alone at lunch have started to blend together. When a mysterious text message invites Sara and her estranged friends to "play the game" and find local ghost legend Lucy Gallows, Sara is sure this is the only way to find Becca--before she's lost forever. And even though she's hardly spoken with them for a year, Sara finds herself deep in the darkness of the forest, her friends--and their cameras--following her down the path. Together, they will have to draw on all of their strengths to survive. The road is rarely forgiving, and no one will be the same on the other side.
Review
Rules for Vanishing is absolutely my favorite read this fall and will go down as one of my favorite ghost read ever. I loved it because:
- It’s the best parts of Blair Witch-meets-Stranger-Things-meets-It. The best parts.
- An amazing world built within the real world, built on local legends. If you didn’t know better, you would think it was real. The setting feels SO REAL.
- Epistolary format. I’m here for alternative storytelling and this helps drive the Blair Witch vibes. The storytelling kept my fully in the tale.
- So.Much.GORE.
This is YA horror at its best and I am here for it.
Ghouls, Ghosts, and How to Exorcise Them
Salt & Burn – There are several ways salt can be helpful in helping ghosts to move on to their next dimension. Grab yourself the biggest bag of salt you can find and line all of the doors and windows (or make a salt circle around you, if need be). That’ll keep them out. You can also load up some empty shotgun shells with salt and blast a temporary hole through the ghost, buying yourself time. But when you’re ready for the big send off, locate the bones of the ghost, toss some salt on them, and light them afire.
Also, to preempt your own ghostly presence, be sure you give yourself a Hunter’s funeral and salt and burn your body before you can ever turn into the otherworldly beings.
Iron – Ghosts, and many supernatural creatures, are repelled by iron due to grounding their electrical charge. In the case of possession, threatening with an iron poker or maybe a nice frying pan could give temporary reprieve from an unwanted meatsuit guest.
Remove the mask – When all else fails and you’re faced with the ghost straight on, grab their face and try to remove it. Never failed for the Scooby gang!
You got your salt ready?
Tour Schedule
The Haunted (Danielle Vega)
October 27 – Jenn’s Book Vibes – Creative Instagram Picture
October 28 – Kculver88 – Creative Instagram Picture
October 29 – The Baroness of Books – Inspired by the Book: Costume Designs
October 30 – Bookish Connoisseur – Moodboard
October 31 – Everlasting.Charm – Creative Instagram Picture
November 1 – morrighanrose – Scariest Bookish Locations
Rules for Vanishing (Kate Alice Marshall)
October 27 – The Book Blondie – Creative Instagram Picture
October 28 – Tomes and Textiles – Creative Instagram Picture
October 29 – BookCrushin – Supernatural Guide to Ghosts and Ghouls
October 30 – Sweet Honey and Brei – Creative Instagram Picture
October 31 – Decorating.Reader – Creative Instagram Picture
November 1 – Keep Holding On To Books – Inspired by the Book: Outfit
I Know You Remember (Jennifer Donaldson)
October 27 – What She Sees – Creative Instagram Picture
October 28 – Beauty and the Book – Creative Instagram Picture
October 29 – The Baroness of Books – Inspired by the Book: Costume Design
October 30 – The Midnight Society – Playlist + Inspired by the Book: Drinks
October 31 – Fear Your Ex – Creative Instagram Picture
November 1 – Jenacide By Bibliophile – Dream Casting + Moodboard
The Beautiful (Renee Ahdieh)
October 27 – Gladiator Glory – Bookish Makeup
October 28 – Anxious Booknerd – Creative Instagram Picture
October 29 – These Wild Pages – Inspired by the Book: Candy Creatures + Candy-Book Pairings
October 30 – A Novel Escape – Creative Instagram Picture
October 31 – As The Book Ends – Best Book Themed Halloween Costumes
November 1 – The Book’s Buzz – Spooky Reads with Eerie-sistible Treats
The Curse of the Werepenguin (Allan Woodrow)
October 27 – Two Points of Interest – Listicle: Chimeras
October 28 – The Boy Reader – Dramatic Action with the Story
October 29 – Some the Wiser – Spooky Readathon
October 30 – Polish & Paperbacks – Nail Art
October 31 – The Geeky Yogi – Creative Instagram Picture
November 1 – Four Violet Reviews – How To Get over a Halloween Candy Hangover
Dead Voices (Katherine Arden)
October 27 – Create Explore Read – Creative Instagram Picture
October 28 – Picture Books to YA – Creepy Spooktober DIY Bookshelf Display
October 29 – Lacey Does Lit – Creative Instagram Picture
October 30 – Baby Bibliophile – Creative Instagram Picture
October 31 – Bookworm Banter – Creative Instagram Picture + Review
November 1 – Bookfoolery – Creative Instagram Picture
Last Kids on Earth and the Midnight Blade (Max Brallier and Douglas Holgate)
October 27 – How Useful It Is – Halloween bookshelf: tricks for scary books and treat for non-scary books
October 28 – Alohamora Open A Book – Spooky Munchies for Spooky Books
October 29 – Bookish Lifestyle – Spooktastic Pictures + “This or That”
October 30 – Goblet of Fiction – Creative Instagram Picture
October 31 – The Reading Corner For All – Inspired by the Book: Monster Mash Playlist
November 1 – Mixed_matched_socks – Creative Instagram Picture
Edison Beaker, Creature Seeker: The Lost City (Frank Cammuso)
October 27 – Good Books and Good Wine – Creative Blogger Content
October 28 – A Little Bit Biscardi – Creative Instagram Picture
October 29 – Coquette Maman – Listicle: Tips for Reading A Scary Book
October 30 – Read.Fine.Print – Creative Instagram Picture
October 31 – Next Book Review – Listicle: Halloween Movie List paired with the book
November 1 – The Pages In-Between – Creepy Kids Costume
