kerasalwaysreading's review against another edition
5.0
Ryan La Sala has proven to be this phenomenal storyteller. I have enjoyed all of his books, with each being more compelling than the last. With Beholder, I was pleased to have this mix of lovable characters and a truly scary idea of mirrors which can hold a lurking presence inside, seeking to get out. What is scarier than that?
Athan’s Yiayia calls their hereditary gift a curse, and it has her in a chokehold. They have the ability to look through any mirror and see the past it has seen and she wants for him to not use it, but he has always managed a good hold on it.
We start the book at a penthouse party, where in the bathroom, Athan looks into the mirror… When a horrible massacre happens to the partygoers and a mysterious stranger warns him not to look, he escapes just barely, horrified by what he sees.
Fleeing from police, he goes home to find his grandmother missing, and himself thrust into this strange, dangerous and supernatural underbelly of the city he calls home.
The stranger he encountered becomes a friend, and the two are determined to find Athan’s Yiayia before it’s too late. What’s worse though, what lurks within the mirrors is close to escaping into this world.
This was such a fantastic read! The audiobook was so wonderfully produced. The narration was superb and the sound effects and music that accompany it truly made it a riveting experience!
Athan’s Yiayia calls their hereditary gift a curse, and it has her in a chokehold. They have the ability to look through any mirror and see the past it has seen and she wants for him to not use it, but he has always managed a good hold on it.
We start the book at a penthouse party, where in the bathroom, Athan looks into the mirror… When a horrible massacre happens to the partygoers and a mysterious stranger warns him not to look, he escapes just barely, horrified by what he sees.
Fleeing from police, he goes home to find his grandmother missing, and himself thrust into this strange, dangerous and supernatural underbelly of the city he calls home.
The stranger he encountered becomes a friend, and the two are determined to find Athan’s Yiayia before it’s too late. What’s worse though, what lurks within the mirrors is close to escaping into this world.
This was such a fantastic read! The audiobook was so wonderfully produced. The narration was superb and the sound effects and music that accompany it truly made it a riveting experience!
mcritchlow's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
fairybookaholic's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- 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? Yes
3.5
jbalkovec's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- 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
4.5
pearlc's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
zmoore's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
morningstarlitpages's review
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
bites_of_books's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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? No
4.25
Beholder is strange from the very beginning. We follow Athan, young, beautiful, trying to survive in NYC with his grandmother. Athan has managed to have connections with powerful and influential people who throw parties in penthouses and spend a lot of money on art. It is at one of these parties that everything goes wrong when he finds himself the only survivor in what seems to be a mass killing spree. Here's when he also meets Dom who seems to know more than he says but captivates Athan with his kindness. Athan and Dom now are trying to figure out how to stop these deaths and Athan also finds out more about himself and why his grandma warned him against looking into mirrors and getting lost in them...
All in all, a great horror story, very unique that will leave you wary of mirrors and wondering about what really goes on in the darker parts of rich people's lives and what they can get away with.
All in all, a great horror story, very unique that will leave you wary of mirrors and wondering about what really goes on in the darker parts of rich people's lives and what they can get away with.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Violence, Body horror, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Death
jenniferbookishwormish's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- 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
3.0