Dream House ~ By Marzia Bisogin

Tags

Adult Fiction, Ghost Stories

Thank you NetGalley and Atria/Keywords Press for providing an e-Arc in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis: When Amethyst stumbles upon the house of her dreams, she can’t help but be enchanted by it, even if there’s something a little…off about the place.

It’s everything she’s ever wanted in a home, so when the Blooms invite her to stay the night to avoid an impending storm, she instantly accepts. 

Yet when she awakens the next morning, alone and unable to bring herself to leave, Amethyst comes face-to-face with unexpected twists and turns–like Alfred, the creepy gardener; Avery, the handsome but secretive neighbor, and a little girl who keeps appearing and vanishing within the house.

As Amethyst searches for the Blooms and tries to unravel the truth, her connection to the house only grows stronger. Will she be able to break free of the house’s allure, or will its secrets keep her trapped forever?

I hadn’t heard of Marzia Bisognin aka CutiePieMarzia, previously but apparently she’s a huge YouTube sensation with over 6 million subscribers. Dream House is her first foray into writing and to be perfectly honest it’s so jaw-droppingly awful that I will never, EVER pick up anything written by her again!

Amethyst not only has no personality, but makes such incredibly stupid decisions that it’s absolutely impossible to care about her or what she’s going through. For example: she’s staying in this house after the couple who own it disappear, and despite having multiple terrifying encounters, doesn’t leave. For the most part, she doesn’t seem to question what’s going on, she just keeps raving about how wonderful the house is and how much she loves it.

I spent most of the book wondering if she was that stupid or just deranged. There is no character or story development and there aren’t just plot holes, they’re huge gaping chasms. Basically it’s a ghost story that goes absolutely nowhere. I don’t understand how this ever made it past the editor. It’s just so appallingly bad I can’t even rate it. It’s only 224 pages, so ordinarily this would be where I’d shrug and say “Eh. At least it was short”. But you know what? I want my two hours back! If you want a good ghost story written by a YouTube celebrity check out The Awakening of Sunshine Girl by Paige McKenzie and Alyssa Sheinmel. That is a tautly woven ghost story that will keep you up at night…in a good way. This, this is just nonsensical drivel and if I ever hear that Marzia Bisognin is writing another book I’m going to feel like doing this:

 

The Dogs ~ By Allan Stratton – 4.0 Stars

Tags

Bullying, Contemporary Fiction, Domestic Violence, Ghost Stories, Historical Fiction, Mental Health, Mysteries, Thrillers, YA Fiction

 I received this e-Arc from NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: September 1st, 2015

Synopsis: Cameron and his mom have been on the run for five years. His father is hunting them. At least, that’s what Cameron’s been told. 

When they settle in an isolated farmhouse, Cameron starts to see and hear things that aren’t possible. Soon he’s questioning everything he thought he knew and even his sanity. 

What’s hiding in the night? Buried in the past? Cameron must uncover the dark secrets before they tear him apart.

“Out of the corner of my eye, I catch something moving by the barn. When I look, it disappears. Wait. There it is again, at the cornfield. Some movement, some thing.”

 Fifteen- year-old Cameron and his mother never seem to be able to settle in one place. His mother claims she’s protecting him from his abusive father, but Cameron can’t help wondering if she’s just being paranoid. She refuses to share why she’s so afraid, and since Cameron has few memories of his father, he doesn’t know what to think. The thing is when you live in constant fear, you’re also constantly waiting for the worst to happen, and as a result, you come to doubt not only your judgement, but others’ as well. This is the case here. Cameron is admittedly frightened, but he’s unsure if this is because he’s worried about his father finding them or because his mother might be unbalanced. This uncertainty sets the tone for the rest of this creepy story. It’s related in the first person POV of Cameron, and eventually you come to question even his reliability. In addition to the stress of constantly being on the run, he also suffers from nightmares. When you add in the fact that he has “episodes” where he silently moves his lips as though he’s talking to someone who’s not there, well, you start to wonder. 

Location, Location, Location. Stratton amps up the creep factor by having Cameron’s and his mother’s latest hiding place be an isolated and somewhat decrepit farmhouse she rents, in Wolf Hollow. Of course on his very first day of school Cameron is targeted by the town bully who immediately tells him his house is haunted and he should watch out for “the dogs”. Naturally these can’t be cute fluffy ones like these:

or even this little fella:

No. They’re more like a pack of these:

It’s gradually revealed that the farmhouse is indeed the site of a murder–or murders, which took place long ago. When Cameron is contacted by the ghost of Jacky–a young boy, it’s not immediately clear if he’s really just a figment of Cameron’s imagination. What is clear is that both the boys situations are similiar, and it’s not long before Cameron decides to play detective. 

Cameron is an appealing and sympathetic narrator who teens will definitely relate to and root for. While there are plenty of paranormal details, the author successfully balances these with real life issues such as bullying, mental illness, and domestic abuse. 

The mother’s character slightly annoyed me. She’s another stereotypical parent who thinks the best way to protect her child is to keep secrets from him. Naturally this causes even more problems. I honestly felt like shaking her at times!

Interestingly, the more likeable adult character is Ken, the mother’s new boyfriend. While Cameron is initially distrustful of his overtures, he actually winds up being the only real stabilizing force in this kid’s life.

The mystery of Jacky and the farmhouse is slowly and thoughtfully explored, and by the end of the book Cameron and the reader have a more thorough understanding how past events can have such an incredible impact on people decades later. 

Although some of the topics brought up are serious, I think this book will find it’s target audience with 12-15 year olds. While there are disturbing elements, nothing is graphically depicted. Instead, The Dogs allows the reader to use their imagination. Like Fuzzy Mud, by Louis Sachar, it’s a great book to use in a classroom or a book discussion group. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Little Girls ~ by Ronald Malfi – 4.5 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Ghost Stories, Horror, Mystery

 I received this e-Arc from NetGalley and Kensington Books in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: June 30, 2015

Synopsis ~ When Laurie was a child there was one room in her house which she was told never to enter by her father. Now an adult, Laurie has returned to her childhood home to settle her recently deceased father’s estate. Accompanied by her husband and ten-year-old daughter, she thinks she’s ready to face the past, but it soon becomes apparent that the past is still alive. Now Laurie begins to wonder if she’s losing her mind like her father, or is there truly is some unspeakable evil at play.

Have I mentioned how much I love scary atmospheric horror, that slowly builds until a huge climax? Well I do, and Ronald Malfi is a genius with this genre. 

As the book opens, Laurie Genarro has returned to her childhood home after her father, who had Alzheimer’s, commits suicide. Once there she finds herself confronted by memories she had long since buried and when odd things start happening, including the appearance of a strangely familar and creepy little girl who befriends her daughter, Laurie needs to figure out what is real and what is imagined if she’s to have any hope of saving her family. 

That’s all I’m going to really say on the plot because if you choose to read this it’s better if you do so cold turkey.  I will say though there’s a reason why I stuck the above gif in! I know. I’m such a tease! Seriously though, Little Girls is not one of those stories where the action immediately starts on the first page. Instead, it wraps itself around you and slowly draws you in, much like a spider with it’s web. 

Laurie is a flawed yet sympathetic character who’s not only trying to deal with her emerging childhood memories, but also what is happening in the present day, as she desperately tries to uncover the truth, yet at the same time save herself and her family. Her husband is a likeable, yet not always supportive husband, and their daughter Susan is a cute and engaging child. The only problem I had with the book was that the characters were a little too predictable. 

° Haunted wife with traumatic childhood.

° Likeable but unremarkable unfaithful husband.

° Adorable child possibly in mortal peril.

° Mysterious demon-like child.

° Really frightening housekeeper whose motives are a mystery.

While I would have liked a little more originality regarding the characters, I would definitely call this a plot-driven book with plenty of plot twists that I did not see coming, including one of the most shocking endings I’ve read in a long time. If you enjoy ghost stories that develop at a slow pace, yet contain quite a few surprises, I highly recommend Little Girls. Just don’t read it right before bed. 

Sisters of Blood and Spirit ~ By Kady Cross – 3.5 Stars

Tags

Ghost Stories, Horror, Paranormal, Twins, YA Fiction

  This e-ARC was provided to me by NetGalley and Harlequin Teen in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: 3/31/15

Lark and Wren Noble are not your average twins. Lark is living, but Wren died at birth, and she only exists through her sister. It’s hard enough being a teenager, but when when you have a dead sister tagging along and at times taking over your your body, well, you become something of an outcast. Lark finally decides it would be easier to join Wren in the Shadow Lands, but her suicide attempt is thwarted by a classmate and instead she winds up at New Devon’ s mental hospital. Newly released, she’s approached by her savior and a small group of classmates who have been marked for death by a malevolent spirit, and now both Lark and Wren may be their only hope of surviving.

I’m a huge fan of The Steampunk Chronicles series by Kady Cross, so I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started reading Sisters of Blood and Spirit. I can now say this is completely different than her other books and it’s a unique take on the paranormal. The worldbuilding is intriguing, although I wish there had been more included about the Shadow Lands. The plot was fast paced and exciting with plenty of chills and thrills. It actually reminded me of the tv show Supernatural with it’s references to “meat-suits” and it’s rules regarding iron and salt. I kept imagining Lark and Dean teaming up. I loved Lark who is a mix of snarkiness and vulnerability. Because of her treatment at the hands of her classmates and even her parents, she finds it very hard to trust people, and it was nice seeing her attitude thaw as the story progressed. Wren was an interesting character whose personality is the polar opposite of her sister’s and she serves as a counterbalance to her sister’s aloofness. At the same time sweet Wren also has a dark side which saves her from being too perfect. This is just touched upon, which brings me what I found problematic after finishing. I’m assuming this is the first book in what will be a series, but I wish there had been a little more regarding the sisters connection and their abilities. Was there anything in their family history to explain this? Also, the descriptions of the Shadow Lands were great, but I think it’s mysteries could have been explored a little more. To be perfectly fair, the book is under 300 pages, so there’s only so much that could be included. Hopefully the missing pieces will be part of the next book.