Reviews
The Haunting of Beatrix Greene: Vol. 1, by Vicky Alvear Shecter, Rachel Hawkins, Ash Parsons
emmarj's review against another edition
3.0
I received an ARC of The Haunting of Beatrix Greene free from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
I wasn't sure what I was getting into when I saw that The Haunting of Beatrix Greene was labeled "volume one" but I really enjoyed this format! The volume is broken into episodes which seem written perfectly to translate to TV. Based on the ending, I can imagine this spinning off into further seasons or volumes of episodes of Beatrix's adventures. Each episode ends on high tension, speeding the reader along the story. We also get alternating POVs within the episodes which I think makes everything feel more tense.
The way the characters are fleshed out (or not) and the way the romance appears in this volume are not great though. There is an instalove between our two main characters. It's very unfortunate because, with more room to breathe, I could see this turning into a multi-volume slowburn enemies to lovers type of scenario. As it stands, their romance is pretty weird. It's so weird, in fact, that I thought the house was possessing them and making them act crazy.
I wasn't sure what I was getting into when I saw that The Haunting of Beatrix Greene was labeled "volume one" but I really enjoyed this format! The volume is broken into episodes which seem written perfectly to translate to TV. Based on the ending, I can imagine this spinning off into further seasons or volumes of episodes of Beatrix's adventures. Each episode ends on high tension, speeding the reader along the story. We also get alternating POVs within the episodes which I think makes everything feel more tense.
The way the characters are fleshed out (or not) and the way the romance appears in this volume are not great though. There is an instalove between our two main characters. It's very unfortunate because, with more room to breathe, I could see this turning into a multi-volume slowburn enemies to lovers type of scenario. As it stands, their romance is pretty weird. It's so weird, in fact, that I thought the house was possessing them and making them act crazy.
kairosdreaming's review against another edition
3.0
*This book was received as an advanced reader's copy from NetGalley.
Nothing like a good horror book to get me in the mood for Halloween. Ok, so it's not even October yet, but I really couldn't resist. That being said, while there was some horror in this, it was merely ok.
Beatrix Greene is a well-known medium. Not because she can actually talk to ghosts, but simply because she is good at what she does, and that is reading people's emotions. So when a known disprover of the occult offers her a generous salary to come check out a haunted house; she's torn. The money will set her up for life, but it could bring her reputation down with it.
I think a lot of the characters really underwent personality changes in this book. While I liked Beatrix and she was the most solid of the characters, I still felt as thought she could have been a bit more developed. Her friend Harry provided appropriate comedic relief, but really was just there for background rather than being an integral part of the book. And James, well, he was all over the place, I can't say I really enjoyed his character that much. In fact, I think the best of the bunch would be Amanda; and that's just because she was bold, interesting, and didn't have enough time to have wild personality swings.
The plot was pretty standard; seance at a haunted house with mayhem afoot. I can't say it was too much different than the Haunting of Hill House or several other books in the genre, but I won't fault it for that, it had its own spin. It was also gruesome, descriptive, and a bit bloody. There was also romance, which I found terrible and unbelievable and it really detracted from the whole novella. Which it is a novella, this is a short book, written mostly like a screenplay. And it was also written by multiple authors, although I will say they kept their tone pretty consistent throughout.
Interesting, but it definitely had a lot of room for improvement.
Review by M. Reynard 2020
Nothing like a good horror book to get me in the mood for Halloween. Ok, so it's not even October yet, but I really couldn't resist. That being said, while there was some horror in this, it was merely ok.
Beatrix Greene is a well-known medium. Not because she can actually talk to ghosts, but simply because she is good at what she does, and that is reading people's emotions. So when a known disprover of the occult offers her a generous salary to come check out a haunted house; she's torn. The money will set her up for life, but it could bring her reputation down with it.
I think a lot of the characters really underwent personality changes in this book. While I liked Beatrix and she was the most solid of the characters, I still felt as thought she could have been a bit more developed. Her friend Harry provided appropriate comedic relief, but really was just there for background rather than being an integral part of the book. And James, well, he was all over the place, I can't say I really enjoyed his character that much. In fact, I think the best of the bunch would be Amanda; and that's just because she was bold, interesting, and didn't have enough time to have wild personality swings.
The plot was pretty standard; seance at a haunted house with mayhem afoot. I can't say it was too much different than the Haunting of Hill House or several other books in the genre, but I won't fault it for that, it had its own spin. It was also gruesome, descriptive, and a bit bloody. There was also romance, which I found terrible and unbelievable and it really detracted from the whole novella. Which it is a novella, this is a short book, written mostly like a screenplay. And it was also written by multiple authors, although I will say they kept their tone pretty consistent throughout.
Interesting, but it definitely had a lot of room for improvement.
Review by M. Reynard 2020
cinephilegirl_'s review against another edition
3.0
I have my serious doubts after I picked it. I wanted a Halloween reading but I wasn’t prepare to find out it was an edit of a serial novel published online.
I have mixed feelings because, for instance, every serial ends with a big cliffhanger to kept you going. (Which is good)
It was like reading some old penny dreadful of gothic terror. The first part was narrated by Rachel Hawkins (Which is why I picked it) I loved her trilogy, Hex hall at the end and wanted to see how se was writing for older audiences.
The first serial is very introductive but is so freaking good! It has these vibes from The show Penny Dreadful and the movie The Crimson Peak that it was a really satisfactory reading for Halloween.
The victorian medium, in a creepy house full of ghost really pay out but it was not so out of the ordinary. I guess I can feel the differences between the episodes written by every author. Thou they try to keep it very well edited, is like a show when sometimes, the first few chapters are good and then in the middle it drag some parts…like a dead weight (pun intended).
For me is three stars. (I would say 3.5 Victorian gothic stars but goodreads is all or nothing.)
Love the red dress cover better than the one with the frame on it.
I have mixed feelings because, for instance, every serial ends with a big cliffhanger to kept you going. (Which is good)
It was like reading some old penny dreadful of gothic terror. The first part was narrated by Rachel Hawkins (Which is why I picked it) I loved her trilogy, Hex hall at the end and wanted to see how se was writing for older audiences.
The first serial is very introductive but is so freaking good! It has these vibes from The show Penny Dreadful and the movie The Crimson Peak that it was a really satisfactory reading for Halloween.
The victorian medium, in a creepy house full of ghost really pay out but it was not so out of the ordinary. I guess I can feel the differences between the episodes written by every author. Thou they try to keep it very well edited, is like a show when sometimes, the first few chapters are good and then in the middle it drag some parts…like a dead weight (pun intended).
For me is three stars. (I would say 3.5 Victorian gothic stars but goodreads is all or nothing.)
Love the red dress cover better than the one with the frame on it.
theforgottenshelf's review against another edition
3.0
The Haunting of Beatrix Green Episode 1 by Rachel Hawkings, Ash Parsons, and Vicky Alvear Schecter is a cooperative novel that is currently available through Serial Box where it is released in weekly installments. I received the full novel version from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The story revolves around Beatrix Green, a fake spiritualist, who makes her living providing closure to people who have lost loved ones. As per the book's description: “In Victorian England a savvy spiritual medium must outsmart the most important client of her career: a scientist determined to expose frauds like her,” and then something about wits and fatal consequences blah blah blah. That just covers the first 10% of the book, we learn pretty early on that the scientist, James Walker, is only exposing frauds because he is in need of a real spiritualist and is under the belief that Beatrix is it.
James Walker needs someone to help exorcise spirits from his family home so he can let go of the past before he makes a new future for himself in America. And this is where the bulk of the story takes place, Ashbury Manor. An ancient residence with a tragic past and evil within. James, Beatrix, Harry, Beatrix’s friend and sidekick, Amanda Reynolds, an American photographer, and Stanhope all gather in the manor to try and communicate with the dead in order to rid the house of what haunts it.
It is during the first night in the house and the seance that is performed we learn, and Beatrix too apparently, that Ms. Green is not actually a fraud. She seems to have a connection to the otherworld that made it possible for spirits to communicate through her. It is at this point that the book becomes more of a haunted house story with a smattering of romance thrown in, for no real good reason, than anything else. It was also at this point and later toward the climax of the story that all I could think about was the movie “Monster House.” Although I love the movie, I’m not saying that as a compliment. Some descriptions of the going ons in the house were laughable at best.
It might just be my imagination but the slight shifts in tone between one chapter to the next when there was a switch in writers was kinda obvious. This probably works really well as a serial when you have a week between episodes and don’t have two competing voices in your head. It was an enjoyable read, but not one I felt the need to finish, I started this back before Halloween, so yeah, or to see what was going to happen. It was predictable and at the end of the day couldn’t decide if it wanted to be a horror or romance, so it ended not being either.
James Walker needs someone to help exorcise spirits from his family home so he can let go of the past before he makes a new future for himself in America. And this is where the bulk of the story takes place, Ashbury Manor. An ancient residence with a tragic past and evil within. James, Beatrix, Harry, Beatrix’s friend and sidekick, Amanda Reynolds, an American photographer, and Stanhope all gather in the manor to try and communicate with the dead in order to rid the house of what haunts it.
It is during the first night in the house and the seance that is performed we learn, and Beatrix too apparently, that Ms. Green is not actually a fraud. She seems to have a connection to the otherworld that made it possible for spirits to communicate through her. It is at this point that the book becomes more of a haunted house story with a smattering of romance thrown in, for no real good reason, than anything else. It was also at this point and later toward the climax of the story that all I could think about was the movie “Monster House.” Although I love the movie, I’m not saying that as a compliment. Some descriptions of the going ons in the house were laughable at best.
It might just be my imagination but the slight shifts in tone between one chapter to the next when there was a switch in writers was kinda obvious. This probably works really well as a serial when you have a week between episodes and don’t have two competing voices in your head. It was an enjoyable read, but not one I felt the need to finish, I started this back before Halloween, so yeah, or to see what was going to happen. It was predictable and at the end of the day couldn’t decide if it wanted to be a horror or romance, so it ended not being either.
rhodesee's review against another edition
3.0
This is an intriguing and spooky Victorian gothic ghost story. It was originally released in installments via SerialBox.
megadallion's review against another edition
3.0
Overall, this is a really quick read (about 200 pages) that’s half romance, half horror, with decent amounts of spookiness to get you in the mood for Halloween.
I will readily admit that I found the romance to be pretty formulaic. The scenes between Beatrix and James read like a cheesy romance novel. They’re instantly smitten by each other, love at first sight, and James “growls” with jealousy and possession when his womanizer friend Stanhope leans in for a kiss of her hand. None of the characters are really fleshed out; it’s a short novel, so they all act pretty stereotypically for a romance/thriller. The horror aspects were pretty spooky (some body horror, ghost action, and possession) but not so much that I was ever scared to go to turn the lights off or go to sleep. I think this would be a pretty good book for scaredy cats like myself or people who just want a haunted house story without being completely terrified.
This was written by three authors so it definitely felt disjointed at times. Occasionally something was said or a character’s actions wouldn’t line up with what had previously occurred (referring to an event happening “tonight” when it actually occurred the previous night), so I think the editing could have been a lot better. Hopefully I was reading an uncorrected proof and the final published copy was fixed.
Thanks to Netgalley and Serial Box for allowing me to read this in time for Halloween!
I will readily admit that I found the romance to be pretty formulaic. The scenes between Beatrix and James read like a cheesy romance novel. They’re instantly smitten by each other, love at first sight, and James “growls” with jealousy and possession when his womanizer friend Stanhope leans in for a kiss of her hand. None of the characters are really fleshed out; it’s a short novel, so they all act pretty stereotypically for a romance/thriller. The horror aspects were pretty spooky (some body horror, ghost action, and possession) but not so much that I was ever scared to go to turn the lights off or go to sleep. I think this would be a pretty good book for scaredy cats like myself or people who just want a haunted house story without being completely terrified.
This was written by three authors so it definitely felt disjointed at times. Occasionally something was said or a character’s actions wouldn’t line up with what had previously occurred (referring to an event happening “tonight” when it actually occurred the previous night), so I think the editing could have been a lot better. Hopefully I was reading an uncorrected proof and the final published copy was fixed.
Thanks to Netgalley and Serial Box for allowing me to read this in time for Halloween!
monikasbookblog's review against another edition
4.0
3.75/5⭐️
A Victorian haunted house story dramatised with episode like chapters + depths to characters + demonic relics/possession + a hint of ancient history!
Beatrix comes out of a darkness surrounding her that she never knew existed; hence the book title. Its so much more than a ghost story. James is the most eligible man every 19th century woman deserves. The language used is exquisite, so much like the old English. I mean I haven’t seen/heard anyone use words like “treacle” anywhere!! Last few chapters felt like a drag, but I’m excited to see what the authors have planned next in this series.
Thank you Netgalley, Serial Box & authors for the ARC in-exchange for an honest review.
A Victorian haunted house story dramatised with episode like chapters + depths to characters + demonic relics/possession + a hint of ancient history!
Beatrix comes out of a darkness surrounding her that she never knew existed; hence the book title. Its so much more than a ghost story. James is the most eligible man every 19th century woman deserves. The language used is exquisite, so much like the old English. I mean I haven’t seen/heard anyone use words like “treacle” anywhere!! Last few chapters felt like a drag, but I’m excited to see what the authors have planned next in this series.
Thank you Netgalley, Serial Box & authors for the ARC in-exchange for an honest review.
travelseatsreads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
4.0
I absolutely loved this unusual twist of the normal haunted house/paranormal activity trope. With alternating sections from all three authors, Rachel Hawkins, Ash Parsons, Vicky Alvear Shecter, the pacing and tension is perfect to build that eerie creeping fear that you want from a book like this. The only thing I wasn't a fan was the little bit of romance thrown in, but that's just me, I like my horror to be untainted by things like happiness and love 🤣.
Full review to come.
Full review to come.
printingbetweenthepages's review against another edition
5.0
The Haunting of Beatrix Greene by Rachel Hawkins, Ash Parsons, and Vicky Alvear Shecter is a horror story perfect story for the spooky season upon us.
Beatrix Greene is a charlatan, performing seances to bring comfort to others. She has no nefarious purposes behind what she does; it's just how she goes through life given her harrowing childhood. When Beatrix and her team are hired by James Walker to conduct a seance in Ashbury Manor, Beatrix believed she would be performing once again to help bring him comfort and closure. This story takes a horrifically frightening turn for the worst when Beatrix summons much more than comfort and closure.
During this story, the events that unfold are not for the faint of heart; they are grisly, disturbing, and wonderfully frightening. If you are looking for a horror story to read this season, look no further than The Haunting of Beatrix Greene. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys gruesome horror books. This book is a page-turner, making it a quick read. It seems that there could be a television series centered around this story, as episode numbers and titles delineate each chapter. If that is the case, we are in store for a horrifically satisfying series!
I gladly award The Haunting of Beatrix Greene 5 out of 5 stars!
I was looking for a thrilling horror book centered around a haunting, and this book was the perfect fit! That said, I will note that several events in the book are intense; those who are sensitive to blood, gore, horror, or graphic descriptions of death or dying will want to skip reading this book.
Beatrix Greene is a charlatan, performing seances to bring comfort to others. She has no nefarious purposes behind what she does; it's just how she goes through life given her harrowing childhood. When Beatrix and her team are hired by James Walker to conduct a seance in Ashbury Manor, Beatrix believed she would be performing once again to help bring him comfort and closure. This story takes a horrifically frightening turn for the worst when Beatrix summons much more than comfort and closure.
During this story, the events that unfold are not for the faint of heart; they are grisly, disturbing, and wonderfully frightening. If you are looking for a horror story to read this season, look no further than The Haunting of Beatrix Greene. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys gruesome horror books. This book is a page-turner, making it a quick read. It seems that there could be a television series centered around this story, as episode numbers and titles delineate each chapter. If that is the case, we are in store for a horrifically satisfying series!
I gladly award The Haunting of Beatrix Greene 5 out of 5 stars!
I was looking for a thrilling horror book centered around a haunting, and this book was the perfect fit! That said, I will note that several events in the book are intense; those who are sensitive to blood, gore, horror, or graphic descriptions of death or dying will want to skip reading this book.