Thanks to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for providing an ebook in exchange for an honest review.
Release Date: Available Now
414 Pages
Synopsis: After a near death experience caused by the park’s star haunted attraction, Ben has come to Ghostland seeking to reconnect with his former best friend Lilian, whose post-traumatic stress won’t let her live life to the fullest. She’s come at the insistence of her therapist, Dr. Allison Wexler, who tags along out of professional curiosity, eager to study the new tech’s psychological effect on the user.
But when a computer virus sets the ghosts free and the park goes into lockdown, the trio find themselves trapped in an endless nightmare.
With time running short and the dead quickly outnumbering the living, the survivors must tap into their knowledge of horror and video games to escape…or become Ghostland’s newest exhibits.
Ghostland is a wild and crazy thrill ride that’s most definitely not for the faint of heart! This is no Disney’s Haunted Mansion. No, these ghost commit bloody, gory mayhem with gleeful abandonment, and no one is safe from them, not even infants and children.
The opening scene is one of the best ones I’ve read in a long time. A creepy house moving slowly through the streets of a small town, at first glance, seemingly on its own. That we discover that it’s on wheels and being taken to a planned haunted theme park, is small comfort. The story then picks up a few years later with now eighteen-year-old Ben and Lil once close friends, now worlds apart because of Ben’s close brush with death. They both have their reasons for visiting Ghostland and while they begin the day as near strangers, they are soon united in their determination to make it out of the park alive.
I loved Ben immediately, but it took me awhile to warm up to Lil. I found her treatment of Ben puzzling and abhorrent, but as more is revealed about his near death, I understood her more and eventually wound up emphasizing with her. The rest of the characters are fairly one-dimensional, but this doesn’t really detract from the story that much. It’s Ben and Lil that you become invested in and root for, the others are mostly just fodder for the murderous ghosts.
The world building with its mix of technology and the paranormal is visually stunning and sucked me right into the terrifying theme park. The ebook is cleverly interactive which further fleshes out Ralston’s imaginative world. The pacing is insanely fast and despite this being over 400 pages long, I easily finished it in two sittings.
At the end of the book the author talks about what inspired him to write Ghostland, and how this is just the beginning, which pleases me immensely because the ending has me wanting more. While the two main protagonists are teens, this is definitely not a YA novel, and Ghostland, with all its blood and gore isn’t going to be for everyone. But for horror fans who don’t mind decapitations and loss of body parts, disembowelments, and other assorted disgusting chaos, you should definitely give this a try. I cannot wait to see where Duncan Ralston takes his creation next!
Margie said:
I must tell you Kim that you do the best reviews!
I look forward to them!
Not sure I am up for this book right now but I always appreciate your reviews. 🙂
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Thank you so much Margie. That means the world to me.🤗
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Margie said:
You are most welcome kim ♡
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Shalini said:
Wow sounds wonderful and exciting. This goes into my wishlist
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
I’d love to know your thoughts on it Shalini. Are you doing okay?
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Shalini said:
So far so good. How was laundry? Did the t-shirt method work.. I don’t have a scarf so hoping to find alternate means
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
So far so good. When I wear it I make sure it’s double layered like they recommend.
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Shalini said:
A scarf and then a t shirt?
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
I don’t have a scarf either so it’s just the shirt.
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Pingback: Ghostland, by Duncan Ralston ~ 4.5 Stars | By Hook Or By Book | Fantasy Gift Resources: Books, Art, Music, News
By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Thank you!
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fragglerocking said:
Love the enthusiasm, great review. 😊
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Thanks Fraggle. This is definitely NOT for you though!
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fragglerocking said:
Hehe you know me well 😘
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
😁
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lobotero said:
My wife will appreciate this review. Have you ever read some of the short stories by Sax Rohmer? chuq
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Awesome! I read his Fu Manchu novels, but not anything else.
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lobotero said:
He has great short stories…like the Green Spider and the Leopard Couch…..a several others….I loved his writings in my younger days. chuq
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Books, Teacup, and Reviews said:
Sounds amazing. I love it when authors mention what inspired them in notes at the end. Great review!
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Thank you! Yes, it gives you an inside look at what inspired them.
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lobotero said:
Kim sorry to go off topic….have you heard of Saleema Nawaz? She has a novel on pandemic that is pretty spot on…..
Songs for the End of the World is about a 2020 pandemic that starts in China, surges through New York, and infects thousands of people. Anti-Asian hate crimes and food deliveries are up, N95 masks and ventilators are scarce, and anyone entering a hospital has to get their temperature checked. There’s even a prescient book about plagues that becomes a bestseller because of the outbreak.
Thought you might be interested…..chuq
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Ooh! I’m going to look this up right now. Thanks!
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lobotero said:
Let me know if you have a problem chuq
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
I haven’t been able to find it for sale, although it’s starting to get a lot of news coverage.
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lobotero said:
One book is entitled From Limehouse To Cairo…the other is The Leopard Couch…both are on Amazon…..they are stories of strange and occult….chuq
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Are we still talking about Songs from the End of the World?
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lobotero said:
Okay I missed something….those are two books of Rohmer short stories chuq
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Sorry for the confusion. You recommended both the Sax Rohmer books and Songs for the World, by Saleema Nawaz, and I think some of our replies might not be in the right order.
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lobotero said:
Gotcha…probably not I have brain farts regularly LOL chuq
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
😁
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Birdie said:
This sounds FANTASTIC!!
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
It really is Birdie!
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beetleypete said:
I like the sound of this, Kim. I can imagine Netflix wanting to film it too.
Best wishes, Pete.
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
I could definitely see this as a series Pete.
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robertawrites235681907 said:
This is a great review. I would like this book.
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Thanks Robbie. It’s wild!
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The BookWorm Drinketh said:
Blood? Gore? MAYHEM?! adds to list Oh, this is happening…..
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
I’m 99.99999% sure you’ll love this my friend!
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Aislynn d'Merricksson said:
Lovely review!
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Thanks Aislynn!
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suzan khoja said:
😈😈😈😈 I LOVE YOU KIMMY. 😈😈😈 I wish you could see me cuz I am drooling. I can’t believe you are reading great books like this. First, What Lies Between Us and now this. (Touching you virtually) Oh, Baby…Somebody is on fire!!!! I am definitely trying this book. THANK YOU!!!!!!😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘
Take care and keep recommending more crazy books please see❤✌😊❤
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Thanks Suzan!❤️
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suzan khoja said:
Welcome. Book accepted, will read it soon and give you a shout out. 😍😘
Stay safe❤✌😊
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Lelia T said:
Reblogged this on Buried Under Books and commented:
I love the cover of this one but I’m even more drawn mmin by the premise—adding it to Mount TBR!
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Thank you so much Lelia!
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Lelia T said:
Oops–drawn in, not drawn mmin 😉
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