the_fenharel's review
4.0
**I received this novel off ninestar press for an honest review**
I love a short and sweet novel, and this book definitely fulfilled my tastes. Speak with the Dead was a gripping read from beginning to end that opened my October with a huge Halloween bang!
“What the actual hell? They installed ghosts into their house?”
This book focused on the idea of the rich 'buying' ghosts for their houses. They would have a ghost installed so that they could spook other residents and make their houses look better. Our protagonists, Bryant and Clarence, find out that Bryant' sister Betty Anne and her husband have purchased one and invited them to come and take a look. They show off every expensive item they own, diss Bryant and Clarence's lives because they're 'poor' and then screw things up royally! Rich people, am I right?
"It offends me more to see the diss in fancy calligraphy writing. It’s the extra effort she took to be an asshole, I guess.”
Betty Anne is a character you can easily love to hate. She has no spine, no interesting factors about herself or her life, and seems to think her life is better than everyone else's because she can afford more things. Unhappily married to Mark, one of the biggest dicks in the universe, they live happily with the ghost they bought - a young girl who died of cancer. Because who doesn't like seeing a dead child when eating dinner?
Bryant and Clarence aren't fond of this side of the family - not only for the homophobia they show towards the couple, but also because of all the cruel things they do to other people and even animals. Like I said, they were easy to hate!
"Three children sat on the bed. Their feet splayed out playfully, hanging slightly over the edge. Attuned to the same rhythm, they clicked the heels of their black shoes in harmony."
The horror aspect of this story was very well placed! We have a ghost, Amy, who wants to eat everyone in the house which is super gross!
Smaller ghosts pop into the story as it continues, adding to the spooky factor. Probably the creepiest being that the majority of these are children! Child ghosts are always simultaneously creepy and sad because one, dead children, and two, dead children.
“Hear that, Betty? You’re the biggest asshole any of us know. I’m including the demon.”
I really liked this novel for the nice incorporation of horror and ghosts. It ran smoothly and kept the reader on their toes. The only thing I question is the ending. I feel like we don't get an actual sense of resolution. I would have liked to have seen a bit more on that end because we hit a climax and then we were hit with an epilogue and nothing in between to detail what happened afterward.
Other than that, I highly recommend this book to everyone who wants a good spooky story for Halloween and is looking for something short!
I love a short and sweet novel, and this book definitely fulfilled my tastes. Speak with the Dead was a gripping read from beginning to end that opened my October with a huge Halloween bang!
“What the actual hell? They installed ghosts into their house?”
This book focused on the idea of the rich 'buying' ghosts for their houses. They would have a ghost installed so that they could spook other residents and make their houses look better. Our protagonists, Bryant and Clarence, find out that Bryant' sister Betty Anne and her husband have purchased one and invited them to come and take a look. They show off every expensive item they own, diss Bryant and Clarence's lives because they're 'poor' and then screw things up royally! Rich people, am I right?
"It offends me more to see the diss in fancy calligraphy writing. It’s the extra effort she took to be an asshole, I guess.”
Betty Anne is a character you can easily love to hate. She has no spine, no interesting factors about herself or her life, and seems to think her life is better than everyone else's because she can afford more things. Unhappily married to Mark, one of the biggest dicks in the universe, they live happily with the ghost they bought - a young girl who died of cancer. Because who doesn't like seeing a dead child when eating dinner?
Bryant and Clarence aren't fond of this side of the family - not only for the homophobia they show towards the couple, but also because of all the cruel things they do to other people and even animals. Like I said, they were easy to hate!
"Three children sat on the bed. Their feet splayed out playfully, hanging slightly over the edge. Attuned to the same rhythm, they clicked the heels of their black shoes in harmony."
The horror aspect of this story was very well placed! We have a ghost, Amy, who wants to eat everyone in the house which is super gross!
Smaller ghosts pop into the story as it continues, adding to the spooky factor. Probably the creepiest being that the majority of these are children! Child ghosts are always simultaneously creepy and sad because one, dead children, and two, dead children.
“Hear that, Betty? You’re the biggest asshole any of us know. I’m including the demon.”
I really liked this novel for the nice incorporation of horror and ghosts. It ran smoothly and kept the reader on their toes. The only thing I question is the ending. I feel like we don't get an actual sense of resolution. I would have liked to have seen a bit more on that end because we hit a climax and then we were hit with an epilogue and nothing in between to detail what happened afterward.
Other than that, I highly recommend this book to everyone who wants a good spooky story for Halloween and is looking for something short!
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