haunting

Review: It Was Her House First by Cherie Priest

~ megs14malloy

It Was Her House FirstIt Was Her House First by Cherie Priest
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

‘I suppose we get the ghosts we get,
not necessarily the ones we want.’

After Ronnie Mitchell receives an inheritance due to the tragic passing of a family member, she purchases a rundown mansion in West Seattle. With anxiety high and in need of distraction, this could be just the project she needs.

Ronnie has some carpentry experience, so feels like she’ll be able to tackle anything the house throws at her. Unfortunately, what she knows nothing about is the bloody, violent history of this particular house.

Will that come back to bite her, or can she handle that too?

It Was Her House First was a captivating read, even though somehow it wasn’t at all what I expected. I enjoyed it though very much. It reminded me a bit of The September House, so I would recommend it for fans of that book. It’s not quite as graphic, but still manages to give those vibes.

I loved our present perspective MC, Ronnie. I connected with her way of thinking and it made it extra enjoyable. She has a bit of a wry, honest sense of humor, always just laying it out there for the Reader. I loved that.

We also get different perspectives that help to fill us in on the history of the house. These perspectives are all tied to it’s heartbreaking history, and unsurprisingly, they’re still very much connected to the house and the present situation Ronnie finds herself in.

There’s a lot of mystery surrounding the house itself and the longer that Ronnie is there, the more interested she becomes in filling in that history knowledge for herself.

I appreciated Ronnie’s strength and determination when it came to the house. Unsettling things begin happening fairly quickly after she takes ownership, but she never shies away. If anything, she leans in, going further than I think a lot of people would.

She felt very brave to me. Sometimes to a level where you questioned her choices, but nevertheless, she had a goal and she was sticking to it, come hell or high water.

Overall, I feel like this one is an interesting twist on a standard haunted house tale. I enjoyed the interactions of all the various players involved in the drama, and feel like Priest pulled off a lot with this one.

Even though it is a haunted house story, it has a bit of a cozier feel. As mentioned above, I would recommend it to Readers who enjoyed The September House, but also to fans of Rachel Harrison and T. Kingfisher’s Adult Horror.

Thank you to the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m looking forward to more from Cherie Priest!

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Review: 80s Ghosts by V.S. Lawrence

~ megs14malloy

80s Ghosts80s Ghosts by V.S. Lawrence
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

Chrissy is determined to make her ghost hunting show a success. Even though her vlog-style show has been developing, she’s literally one failed investigation away from financial ruin.

Her back is against the wall, that’s why her latest investigation has to be a success and she’s willing to do anything, risk anything, to make that happen.

When she receives an invitation to investigate Merlin High School, the location of a fire in the 1980s where many lives were lost, she jumps at the opportunity.

The high school is prime grounds for haunting. They could actually find something good this time. Evidence that will boost her show to the next level.

As she and her team settle in and begin their formal investigation of the school, Chrissy notices everyone seems to be acting strangely, including herself. As past and present begin to blur, the investigation starts to go off the rails.

Before, Chrissy just wanted her show to be a success. Now, she’d be happy for them all to just get out alive. What’s going on at the old Merlin High, and how will Chrissy and her team be able to help and move past it all?

Unfortunately, after an engaging start, 80s Ghosts took a nosedive into eye roll territory about 3/4 of the way through for me. There’s just a certain level of silliness I can get behind, and this was not it.

Let it be known, I love campy, I do not love cheesy.

With this being said, I did enjoy and appreciate the ideas behind this story. The initial set-up was great. I just wanted more intensity and dark horror imagery, which I don’t really feel like I got.

I would be interested in picking up more from this author though. Even though this one didn’t go in the direction I had hoped, I still see a lot of promise with this writing.

I think for Readers who are newer to the Horror genre, or maybe making the transition from YA to Adult, this could be a good fit. Also, if you are really into Ghost Hunting content in whatever medium, this could be a fun one for you.

The audiobook was also well done and I would recommend that format if you’re going to pick this one up. It was a great listening experience.

Thank you to the publisher, Tantor Media, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

I’m glad I had the chance to read this one, and will definitely pick up future work from V.S. Lawrence!

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Review: At the Bottom of the Garden by Camilla Bruce

~ megs14malloy

At the Bottom of the Garden: A NovelAt the Bottom of the Garden: A Novel by Camilla Bruce
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

At the Bottom of the Garden is a slower, character-driven Gothic Horror (Lite) story, following two sisters, Violet and Lily, as well as their murderous Aunt Clara.

Violet and Lily become orphans after their parents are lost while on a hiking adventure on K2. According to their parent’s Will, the girl are to go live with their closest living relative, which unfortunately, happens to be Aunt Clara.

Clara has no interest in children, but Violet and Lily are sure to come with some nice assets, so she’s willing to take them in. For the moment.

Clara will just ignore them until she can get her hands on as much as their inherited fortune as she can. At least that’s the plan, but when Violet starts seeing the angry dead man pacing in the garden, a giant kink gets thrown in the works.

Not only can Violet see all of Clara’s ghosts, she can bring them back, and they’re not happy.

I liked this, particularly the beginning portions. It was interesting learning about all the main characters. I liked how it had an air of dark humor about it as well, particularly with Clara’s perspective. She says it as it is, and doesn’t bother with the audience’s potentially delicate sensibilities.

I also felt both Violet and Lily were well developed. Each of the girls has their own unique abilities that added so much to this story.

The incorporation of the spirits was also very well done. I loved the idea of them remaining to haunt Clara, but needed a bit of assistance from Violet first. For some reason, that just made sense.

I think this will work well for Readers who may want spooky vibes and gothic atmosphere, without leaning too heavily into the Horror genre. Because while there are supernatural elements to this story, it never veers into super dark, or scary, territory.

The overall vibe actually reminded me a lot of A Series of Unfortunate Events series, with Aunt Clara filling in for Count Olaf. So, think a more adult-centered version of that.

I can totally get down with those vibes, but for me, I felt like it went on a little too long. By the end, I did feel it started to drag a bit. I was ready for it to be over.

With this being said, the concepts and character development were well executed and I’m glad I picked this one up. The audiobook was well narrated and I’m definitely interested in reading more from this author.

Buzzwords: Gothic. Atmospheric. Slow Burn. Ghosties. Hauntings. Dark Humor. Sister Story.

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Review: It’s Watching by Lindsay Currie

~ megs14malloy

It's WatchingIt’s Watching by Lindsay Currie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It’s Watching is the latest release from my favorite Spooky Middle Grade author, Lindsay Currie. I always find myself completely invested in her stories.

She knows how to deliver that perfect, cozy, spooky small town atmosphere, all while pairing it with likable, strong-willed, curious and determined young characters.

This book kicks off on Halloween night, when Josie and her two best friends, Jackson and Alison, sneak into Bachelor’s Grove cemetery on a mission.

With dreams of being journalists, they have the perfect story idea to help secure them editorial spots with their school newspaper. They just need to find and prove the existence of a local legend, The Woman in White.

Unfortunately, before they’re able to get the proof they need for their story, they’re chased off the property by someone who they assume to be the security guard.

Shortly following that ill-fated adventure, they all receive a creepy meme on their phones, an image of the ‘Phantom Farmhouse’, a known haunt in their town, with the words I’m watching dripping down the screen. This frightens the pants off the three kids.

It’s said that the Phantom Farmhouse sporadically appears, luring people in, but never letting them out. So, yeah, I think they had good reason to be afraid.

Soon many strange things start happening to them, including another threatening meme, this time with a countdown. Apparently, they have three days to figure out what’s terrorizing them, or it may be too late.

I had so much fun with this. I loved Josie, Jackson and Alison. Their friendship was supportive and sweet. It’s always great to see such positive relationships in books for Young Readers.

I thought the investigation the kids did into what was happening to them was completely engaging as well. They incorporated different resources, including a ghost hunter and the local library.

Another aspect that Currie always includes in her stories, which I appreciate so much, is the incorporation of history. There’s always a part of the story that focuses on local history, wherever the story is set, and I feel like she does a great job making history exciting.

As books for Younger Readers, I feel like that’s so important to get them interested in topics like that, and she certainly does it well. In fact, it’s that more than anything that makes her stories stand out to me.

Don’t get me wrong though, she’s great at writing all aspects, including my favorite: ATMOSPHERE. Currie is always delivering the exact vibe I’m looking for when I pick up a Spooky Middle Grade, and that’s why I keep coming back for more, and always will.

Thank you to the publisher, Delacorte Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

I’m looking forward to whatever spooky adventure Lindsay Currie has in store for us next!

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