This is slightly reminiscent of Karen McManus, with a victim seemingly communicating from beyond the grave, but it stands very well on its own two feeThis is slightly reminiscent of Karen McManus, with a victim seemingly communicating from beyond the grave, but it stands very well on its own two feet. The teenage drama is delicious, and the members of the group are all different enough to not blend into one. Jodi is our main character, and the way she stands out feels real, with her insecurities and doubts about how she fits in and whether her friends actually care about her. This story keeps you turning the pages and then leaves you at the end with your mouth hanging open. This was a successful branch out for Julie Soto....more
I wanted to like this a lot more than I did. The characters are mostly okay, though Livia's lack of a spine was a problem and Ash was just mean for noI wanted to like this a lot more than I did. The characters are mostly okay, though Livia's lack of a spine was a problem and Ash was just mean for no reason. As far as the story goes, it got pretty repetitive until basically the 75% mark. I did think that it pulled together well in the end, and the climax was satisfying enough. I probably would find it scarier if I found myself driving through the woods a lot, but from the safety of my home, not so much....more
I can't say that I've read a paranormal western before, but I have now. McBride does a good job of capturing that western feel from the start when FaoI can't say that I've read a paranormal western before, but I have now. McBride does a good job of capturing that western feel from the start when Faolan is forced to become a ward of a mysterious settlement after their grandfather's death because they are not yet 18 and the town leaders want the grandfather's land. But Faolan has the deed secreted away. They also have a bigger secret. Everyone knows Faolan as a boy, but she's really a girl, hidden by her grandfather to avoid her being taken away and married off against her will.
The Settlement is quite cult-y, and Faolan is doing her best to get along and get through until she can find a way to escape and claim her grandfather's land. But something weird is going on, complete with a mysterious creature that roams outside the fence at night.
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, but I quite liked it. It took me a little bit of time to get into it, and sometimes I had trouble telling the different settlement members apart, but once the story started moving I had a hard time putting it down....more
This was like an adult, horror version of Caraval with a much less annoying main character. Phantasma is a competition of sorts, where many people entThis was like an adult, horror version of Caraval with a much less annoying main character. Phantasma is a competition of sorts, where many people enter to play but only one can win. There are 9 levels (compared to the Nine Circles of Hell), and in each level you either beat it, make a bargain with a devil to escape, or you die. Last person standing basically gets a wish.
Ophelia has no interest in Phantasma, seeing how her mother has just died and she has inherited her necromancer powers. All Ophelia wants it to figure out how to keep the family business going. But when she discovers that her younger sister Genevieve has run off to join the game, she feels like she has to follow and convince her to leave. Maybe she *should* accept the help of the mysterious Blackwell....
I enjoyed this much more than I expected to. I liked how their family history was used, and the different competitions they had to do were creative. There are good gothic vibes, and the push and pull between Ophelia and Blackwell was nice. It might have been nice to have spent more time with Genevieve before she disappears into Phantasma, but then we get to learn things about her along with Ophelia. I look forward to picking up the next book!...more
The castle was kind of the best part of this book?
Okay, so I did like Neil, for the most part, though I thought he fell for Pen very quickly. So quickThe castle was kind of the best part of this book?
Okay, so I did like Neil, for the most part, though I thought he fell for Pen very quickly. So quickly that I wondered if the ghosts in the castle were actually influencing their feelings. But Pen herself is not particularly pleasant. She seems to blame everyone else, particularly Neil, for her own problems. And who throws a book at a colleague, particularly in a public venue? Also, how does a book give someone a scar? Was it a giant paper cut?
There were some other things that I thought weakened the story. I kept forgetting how Delila was connected to everyone, and could have probably used some more introduction to all the characters and their relationships to each other before they got dumped in the castle. And the ghost story part was aggressively fine, but the way it ended just doesn't make any sense to me. I never understood what they wanted.
I will say that the depiction of the struggles indigenous authors face felt authentic, so there's that. ...more
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