hannahpings's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Graphic: Medical content, Vomit, Death of parent, Grief, and Death
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Animal death
Minor: Child death
monicalaurette's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
“Leave, Dare. She won’t save you either.”
“I’ll reach out into the darkness, safe in knowing nothing ever reaches back.”
Spoiler
like when they found out Hettie was killing her ‘sisters’ at the same age, I had picked up on that when they found Atheleen’s list and read the next chapter I felt so smartSpoiler
I knew the second that Holly fell into the lake that it was going to want her, and then Quinn with the sleepwalking I was so torn on how it was going to end.Spoiler
Atheleen being like a fellow ghost hunter/true crime lover was really cool and I think a way to help Dare realize that some ghosts are in fact realSpoiler
ROSE AS GUSSIE I JUST DID NOT SEE COMING I AUDIBLY GASPEDSpoiler
I thought that at the end, Hettie/the lake did accept Rose both because she gave her ‘sister’ a hug and Rose was probably the same age as Hettie’s mom when she died so it was like her mother was healing her.Spoiler
Okay but WHERE IS HOLLY? Part of me is like, oh she never left the estate and is now just hiding in the dilapidated building waiting for someone to find her/allow her to drown them in the lake next. I know that is crazy but she left the story so oddly and abruptly I just want her to be okay.Graphic: Medical content, Gore, and Death
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Chronic illness, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood
Minor: Vomit
wanderingthepage's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Vomit, Animal death, and Death
Moderate: Body horror, Medical content, and Death of parent
beforeviolets's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
what a fun spooky read! I had the pleasure of getting to read this haunted horror while on a weekend trip to VA (where the book is set) which made reading it all the more fun :) I felt so immersed!
I loved the representation in this book! our MC is bisexual and has diabetes and our LI is sapphic (obviously) and half-Puerto Rican! and they’re both such incredible nerds, I felt like I would be friends with them in real life.
this was such a wonderful classic haunted house story! fascinating complex lore! relatable and interesting characters! overall a great time while also being a really quick read.
the points are lost where I felt like this book missed a lot of opportunities. I would’ve loved to see more of the multi-media style writing throughout rather than used just as bookends! I also felt like I often found myself being told things instead of being showed them, especially earlier on. I ached for more descriptive atmospheric choices (where were the dark clouds rolling in? the hoot of an owl deep in the trees? each omen felt like a planned plot point instead of an aid to the tension as a whole). not disappointing enough to take away from my reading experience but it kept the book from going above and beyond for me.
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Vomit, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, Grief, and Child death
Moderate: Medical content
Minor: Stalking
werewolvesnotswearwolves's review
3.5
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Grief and Medical content
Minor: Animal death
caidyn's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death and Medical content
melaniereadsbooks's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is a dark and twisty queer ghost story following Dare, a bi teenage paranormal podcaster as she investigates the mystery around Arrington Estate and Atheleen Bell's mysterious drowning 30 years prior. She gets to the house as an intern for Rose, who is restoring the estate to become a museum. and is joined by Rose's daughter, Quinn, and Holly, another intern. Dare expects to spend her summer debunking the ghost myths surrounding the estate, and instead is forced to confront the dark mysteries of the house that started long before Atheleen Bell's death.
I adored this book! It kept me up late because I could not put it down. It is so atmospheric and creepy and spine-tingling. The sapphic relationship is to die for (hah, no pun intended) and I love how off-kilter I felt while reading! It seemed like anyone could be a suspect and something creepy and sinister was around every page.
The ending also absolutely blew me away. I won't spoil anything here, but it took a turn I did not expect but absolutely loved!
I thought the character development was quite good and I will say this is hands down the best ghost story I've read!
Pub date: September 7, 2021
Graphic: Chronic illness, Vomit, and Medical content
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Child death, Death of parent, and Body horror
Minor: Stalking, Murder, Blood, and Violence
foreverinastory's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Rep: Bisexual chronically ill female MC (type 1 diabetes), sapphic Bourican/biracial love interest.
CWs: Animal death (not on page, but skeletons are found), blood, chronic illness (type 1 diabetes), death, ghostly haunting, medical content, murder, stalking, toxic relationship, violence, vomit.
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Chronic illness, Death, Medical content, Murder, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit