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tiffanyxcc's review against another edition
3.0
I really enjoyed House of Ashes by Loretta Marion. From page one until the very last, I had a hard time putting it down. That being said, I am not sure exactly WHAT about this story pulled me in. It's not exactly full of suspense. We know from the very beginning of the book the tragedy that befell Cassie's great grandparents. We also learn early that Cassie's friends have gone missing. The first half of the book is just back story, and then her tireless search to uncover the truth: warnings from local police and FBI be damned. I did not feel a deep sense of closure by the end either. There were so many secrets alluded to throughout the book, I felt like those should have been revealed. All negativity aside though, the actual story is engrossing and I really enjoyed it. Would recommend if you like a light mystery with a dash of paranormal activity added in the mix.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
pam2375's review against another edition
3.0
This is not a book that I generally am lead to. With that said, I was entertained throughout the story. There is an old house that is haunted (maybe), there is mystery and a bit of romance.
Thanks to netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for this advanced readers copy.
Thanks to netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for this advanced readers copy.
katreader's review against another edition
3.0
HOUSE OF ASHES by Loretta Marion
The First Haunted Bluffs Mystery
Cassandra Mitchell has been in a dark place. A failed marriage resulted in near bankruptcy along with the possibility of losing her family home. While her sister won't come within a hundred miles of the place, Cassie has always felt a kinship with The Battersea Bluffs and feels the presence of her great grandparents who built the home. Desperate to keep the house, Cassie allows the two strangers she meets to become tenants. The young couple will work on turning the carriage house into a rental unit as well as keep Cassie company. Everyone in the small town is more suspicious than welcoming to Cassie's new friends, however, and when the young couple goes missing Cassie realizes she doesn't know them at all.
HOUSE OF ASHES is an interesting book which is comprised of a few stories. Not only do we get the story of Cassie Mitchell and the mystery of her disappearing tenants, we follow the history of the original owners and discover the beginnings of the family curse that may currently be plaguing Cassie. The manner in which the stories are intertwined is disconcerting, however. It's not that there are two timelines with which the author trades back and forth, instead she goes back and forth within those timelines as well. This lack of chronological progression slows the pace and disconnects the reader. Rather than getting caught up in the story, the reader constantly has to readjust perspective and so never is fully immersed in Cassie's world.
The first Haunted Bluffs Mystery is a book of secrets. Everyone has them and some are more dangerous than others. Cassie is an extremely flawed character, but she has an intrinsic sense of goodness and loyalty, sometimes much misplaced. Other characters, even those readers inherently know are "good" have their own share of secrets. The teasing out of these secrets is what gives the book its depth.
HOUSE OF ASHES is a layered mystery that combines the past and the present. Family history, strength, and flaws combine with a world of secrets. The hint of the paranormal adds a gothic touch creating a unique tinge to this modern mystery.
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a digital ARC provided through NetGalley, in the hopes I would review it.
The First Haunted Bluffs Mystery
Cassandra Mitchell has been in a dark place. A failed marriage resulted in near bankruptcy along with the possibility of losing her family home. While her sister won't come within a hundred miles of the place, Cassie has always felt a kinship with The Battersea Bluffs and feels the presence of her great grandparents who built the home. Desperate to keep the house, Cassie allows the two strangers she meets to become tenants. The young couple will work on turning the carriage house into a rental unit as well as keep Cassie company. Everyone in the small town is more suspicious than welcoming to Cassie's new friends, however, and when the young couple goes missing Cassie realizes she doesn't know them at all.
HOUSE OF ASHES is an interesting book which is comprised of a few stories. Not only do we get the story of Cassie Mitchell and the mystery of her disappearing tenants, we follow the history of the original owners and discover the beginnings of the family curse that may currently be plaguing Cassie. The manner in which the stories are intertwined is disconcerting, however. It's not that there are two timelines with which the author trades back and forth, instead she goes back and forth within those timelines as well. This lack of chronological progression slows the pace and disconnects the reader. Rather than getting caught up in the story, the reader constantly has to readjust perspective and so never is fully immersed in Cassie's world.
The first Haunted Bluffs Mystery is a book of secrets. Everyone has them and some are more dangerous than others. Cassie is an extremely flawed character, but she has an intrinsic sense of goodness and loyalty, sometimes much misplaced. Other characters, even those readers inherently know are "good" have their own share of secrets. The teasing out of these secrets is what gives the book its depth.
HOUSE OF ASHES is a layered mystery that combines the past and the present. Family history, strength, and flaws combine with a world of secrets. The hint of the paranormal adds a gothic touch creating a unique tinge to this modern mystery.
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a digital ARC provided through NetGalley, in the hopes I would review it.
hugbandit7's review against another edition
5.0
There are some days I want to read a suspense filled book and this one did the trick. There were so many stories to unravel, personal histories to understand, and a mystery to solve that I had a hard time putting this book down each night. I also can't discount the descriptive words of the town, Battersea Bluffs, the residents in the town, and the area in general.
The story starts off 80 years in the past with the deaths of Percy and Celeste, Cassie's Great Grandparents that came to the US from England. Throughout the book we get glimpses of the past which helps us understand the spirits in the home and Cassie's quest to find the truth about her ancestors, her sister, and her newest friends that have disappeared. The crux of the book focuses on Cassie's new friends, Ashley and Vince, who have suddenly disappeared. Is there foul play involved? Did they leave on their own accord? Are they even who they claim to be? Cassie formed a bond with Ashley and Vince, even if she really doesn't know the truth about them and their past, so when they vanish she is concerned about them and their safety especially since they left their dog behind. As a dog lover, I would have thought exactly the same as Cassie, that something has happened because they loved Whistler and wouldn't leave him behind.
The book moves at a somewhat slower pace which is good and bad. Good because it layers of the mystery are peeled back like an onion, but bad because I wanted to know what the heck happened to Ashley and Vince! There are several other minor mysteries encapsulated in this book - why Cassie's sister Zoe won't come back to Whale Rock? Who is behind an art purchase? Is the house haunted or are the spirits friendly? What is the real story of the supposed curse on the family? All of these play a minor part in the story and some even tie in to the disappearance.
There is a little bit of a romance too between Cassie and FBI agent Daniel, but she also has a past with a deadbeat ex-husband and a high school love that she has a fling with when she realizes the marriage is dying. There is also Brooks, aka Chuckles, who has a thing for Cassie but also dated her sister in high school. That kind of makes him off limits in Cassie's mind.
I will admit that Cassie does not have her life together at 37. Sometimes you just have to wonder how people like her make it this far in life, but at the same time wonder if there is an underlying psychological issue that is the root cause of her actions.
Many questions are answered in the book with some twists I didn't expect and we might not have known if Cassie didn't push for the truth from those she questioned about her family and the past, and about her missing friends.
We give this 5 paws ups for keeping us in suspense for the whole book!
The story starts off 80 years in the past with the deaths of Percy and Celeste, Cassie's Great Grandparents that came to the US from England. Throughout the book we get glimpses of the past which helps us understand the spirits in the home and Cassie's quest to find the truth about her ancestors, her sister, and her newest friends that have disappeared. The crux of the book focuses on Cassie's new friends, Ashley and Vince, who have suddenly disappeared. Is there foul play involved? Did they leave on their own accord? Are they even who they claim to be? Cassie formed a bond with Ashley and Vince, even if she really doesn't know the truth about them and their past, so when they vanish she is concerned about them and their safety especially since they left their dog behind. As a dog lover, I would have thought exactly the same as Cassie, that something has happened because they loved Whistler and wouldn't leave him behind.
The book moves at a somewhat slower pace which is good and bad. Good because it layers of the mystery are peeled back like an onion, but bad because I wanted to know what the heck happened to Ashley and Vince! There are several other minor mysteries encapsulated in this book - why Cassie's sister Zoe won't come back to Whale Rock? Who is behind an art purchase? Is the house haunted or are the spirits friendly? What is the real story of the supposed curse on the family? All of these play a minor part in the story and some even tie in to the disappearance.
There is a little bit of a romance too between Cassie and FBI agent Daniel, but she also has a past with a deadbeat ex-husband and a high school love that she has a fling with when she realizes the marriage is dying. There is also Brooks, aka Chuckles, who has a thing for Cassie but also dated her sister in high school. That kind of makes him off limits in Cassie's mind.
I will admit that Cassie does not have her life together at 37. Sometimes you just have to wonder how people like her make it this far in life, but at the same time wonder if there is an underlying psychological issue that is the root cause of her actions.
Many questions are answered in the book with some twists I didn't expect and we might not have known if Cassie didn't push for the truth from those she questioned about her family and the past, and about her missing friends.
We give this 5 paws ups for keeping us in suspense for the whole book!
kbranfield's review against another edition
4.0
House of Ashes by Loretta Marion is an engrossing mystery with ghostly elements.
After her soon to be ex-husband squandered her inheritance, Cassandra "Cassie" Mitchell is struggling to pay the mortgage on her beloved family home, Battersea Bluffs. Having reluctantly received a loan from her older sister Zoe, Cassie is planning to renovate a building on the property into a rental cottage. When a young couple accidentally wanders onto her property, she ends up striking a deal with Vince and Ashley Jacobson. With Vince and Ashley doing the reno work in exchange for room and board, Cassie plans to concentrate on her stalled work as an artist. Over the course of several weeks, Cassie becomes close friends with Vince and Ashley and she grows concerned when the couple disappear during an outing. Family friend and local Police Chief Brooks Kincaid is slow to help search for them so Cassie also puts in a call to the FBI. With Special Agent Daniel Benjamin in charge of the case, will they uncover the truth about Jacob and Ashley's disappearance?
The narrative weaves back and forth between the events unfolding in present, the weeks leading up to Vince and Ashley's disappearance, and various time periods in Cassie's great-grandparents Percy and Celeste Mitchell's lives. Cassie's family history is a little dramatic since her great-grandparents' marriage lead to a curse from Celeste's spurned suitor Robert Toomey. In the years since Percy and Celeste's tragic deaths, Battersea Bluffs has gained a reputation as being haunted and Cassie's experiences with ghostly phenomena guide her as she searches for Vince and Ashley.
Cassie is a bit of a mess due to the break-up of her marriage and her financial difficulties. She is also fiercely determined to hold onto her beloved home. Her relationship with Zoe is fraught with tension especially since Zoe refuses to return Battersea Bluffs nor will she reveal what prompted her to move to the other side of the country. Cassie is aggravated by Zoe's frequent criticism of her choices but she does not let her sister's negativity sway her. And unlike Zoe, Cassie believes her great-grandparents are benevolent spirits who are doing nothing more than watching over and helping their family.
Cassie is quite frustrated by the lack of progress into Vince and Ashley's disappearance. She takes matters into her own hands and begins questioning locals who had interactions with the couple. Some of the information she learns is useful and she is convinced some of them know more than they are revealing. After the FBI scales back their involvement in the case, Cassie enlists Brooks' help in an unofficial capacity and they gradually make headway but will they learn what happened to Vince and Ashley?
House of Ashes is an intriguing mystery with a clever plot and enjoyable characters. Cassie is a wonderful yet flawed lead protagonist who is a wee bit stubborn but incredibly loyal to her family and friends. Percy and Celeste's ghostly presence is beautifully incorporated into the storyline and the glimpses into their lives is interesting. With some very unexpected twists and startling turns, Loretta Marion brings this engaging novel to a very satisfactory conclusion. A unique mystery that I truly enjoyed and highly recommend to fans of the genre.
After her soon to be ex-husband squandered her inheritance, Cassandra "Cassie" Mitchell is struggling to pay the mortgage on her beloved family home, Battersea Bluffs. Having reluctantly received a loan from her older sister Zoe, Cassie is planning to renovate a building on the property into a rental cottage. When a young couple accidentally wanders onto her property, she ends up striking a deal with Vince and Ashley Jacobson. With Vince and Ashley doing the reno work in exchange for room and board, Cassie plans to concentrate on her stalled work as an artist. Over the course of several weeks, Cassie becomes close friends with Vince and Ashley and she grows concerned when the couple disappear during an outing. Family friend and local Police Chief Brooks Kincaid is slow to help search for them so Cassie also puts in a call to the FBI. With Special Agent Daniel Benjamin in charge of the case, will they uncover the truth about Jacob and Ashley's disappearance?
The narrative weaves back and forth between the events unfolding in present, the weeks leading up to Vince and Ashley's disappearance, and various time periods in Cassie's great-grandparents Percy and Celeste Mitchell's lives. Cassie's family history is a little dramatic since her great-grandparents' marriage lead to a curse from Celeste's spurned suitor Robert Toomey. In the years since Percy and Celeste's tragic deaths, Battersea Bluffs has gained a reputation as being haunted and Cassie's experiences with ghostly phenomena guide her as she searches for Vince and Ashley.
Cassie is a bit of a mess due to the break-up of her marriage and her financial difficulties. She is also fiercely determined to hold onto her beloved home. Her relationship with Zoe is fraught with tension especially since Zoe refuses to return Battersea Bluffs nor will she reveal what prompted her to move to the other side of the country. Cassie is aggravated by Zoe's frequent criticism of her choices but she does not let her sister's negativity sway her. And unlike Zoe, Cassie believes her great-grandparents are benevolent spirits who are doing nothing more than watching over and helping their family.
Cassie is quite frustrated by the lack of progress into Vince and Ashley's disappearance. She takes matters into her own hands and begins questioning locals who had interactions with the couple. Some of the information she learns is useful and she is convinced some of them know more than they are revealing. After the FBI scales back their involvement in the case, Cassie enlists Brooks' help in an unofficial capacity and they gradually make headway but will they learn what happened to Vince and Ashley?
House of Ashes is an intriguing mystery with a clever plot and enjoyable characters. Cassie is a wonderful yet flawed lead protagonist who is a wee bit stubborn but incredibly loyal to her family and friends. Percy and Celeste's ghostly presence is beautifully incorporated into the storyline and the glimpses into their lives is interesting. With some very unexpected twists and startling turns, Loretta Marion brings this engaging novel to a very satisfactory conclusion. A unique mystery that I truly enjoyed and highly recommend to fans of the genre.
cassies_books_reviews's review against another edition
4.0
House of ashes has so many different elements of romance , heartbreak mystery and the paranormal. House of ashes begins with a horrible tragedy against percy and his wife Celeste and Percy blames a horrible curse gainer them by a scorned Robert Toomy. Fast forward 80years later and descendant of Percy . She’s in danger of losing bluffs which is her family’s historic home on the cliff side. She’s going through a horrible time. Along comes Ashley and Vince with their dog whistler this young couple offer to help her save her home. Soon Cassie starts to feel like something isn’t right and the more she starts figuring things out the more questions she ends up with. When Ashley and Vance disappear this causes Cassie to vow to figure what happened to them and stop and nothing.
dumbravioli's review against another edition
4.0
Title: House of Ashes
Author: Loretta Marion
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Note: I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley.com in exchange for a fair review.
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I don’t normally pick up books like House of Ashes. I love mysteries and thrillers, but usually only of the young adult variety, so I did push my comfort zones when requesting this ARC. I don’t regret it.
House of Ashes follows 37 year old Cassandra Mitchell as she tries to piece together the mystery of her missing friends, while also delving into the potentially paranormal past of her home, as well as drama with her sister and with a previous hookup.
I enjoyed the plot of this story, and was rooting for Cassie to pull through and find the answers to this frustrating mystery. This was a long novel that I took my time reading, for fear of missing any details.
The story is told in two perspectives; Cassie’s, and in the distant past where the story of her great grandparents who were cursed by an angry man. Typically the perspective switch like that really confuses me, but I followed this easily and stayed very much immersed in the story.
The mystery is so frustrating, and as Cassie searches for answers, you want her to come out on top so desperately.
I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars, and highly recommend it to anyone who likes the paranormal, mysteries, and suspense.
Author: Loretta Marion
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Note: I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley.com in exchange for a fair review.
--------------
I don’t normally pick up books like House of Ashes. I love mysteries and thrillers, but usually only of the young adult variety, so I did push my comfort zones when requesting this ARC. I don’t regret it.
House of Ashes follows 37 year old Cassandra Mitchell as she tries to piece together the mystery of her missing friends, while also delving into the potentially paranormal past of her home, as well as drama with her sister and with a previous hookup.
I enjoyed the plot of this story, and was rooting for Cassie to pull through and find the answers to this frustrating mystery. This was a long novel that I took my time reading, for fear of missing any details.
The story is told in two perspectives; Cassie’s, and in the distant past where the story of her great grandparents who were cursed by an angry man. Typically the perspective switch like that really confuses me, but I followed this easily and stayed very much immersed in the story.
The mystery is so frustrating, and as Cassie searches for answers, you want her to come out on top so desperately.
I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars, and highly recommend it to anyone who likes the paranormal, mysteries, and suspense.
annarella's review against another edition
4.0
I really liked this book, it was entertaining and engaging.
I was hooked since the first pages and couldn't put it down.
I love the characters and atmosphere, dark and atmospheric.
The characters were well developed and interesting.
A very good and enjoyable read.
Recommended!
Many thanks to Crooked Lane and Netgalley for this ARC
I was hooked since the first pages and couldn't put it down.
I love the characters and atmosphere, dark and atmospheric.
The characters were well developed and interesting.
A very good and enjoyable read.
Recommended!
Many thanks to Crooked Lane and Netgalley for this ARC
thebrownbookloft's review against another edition
4.0
House of Ashes by Loretta Marion (Pre-pub, Nov 2018, Crooked Lane Books). Review copy courtesy of NetGalley.
Summary: Battersea Bluffs at Lavender Hill is a grand old Cape Cod house in the town of Whale Rock. The weather-beaten Victorian is home to Cassie Mitchell and quite possibly the ghosts of her ancestors, Percy and Celeste Mitchell. After her soon to be ex-husband spent her sizable inheritance, Cassie is struggling to find a way to keep The Bluffs out of foreclosure.
While she’s mulling over her insufficient options, an unexpected partial solution wanders onto her property. Ashley and Vince Jacobson and their dog, Whistler, are between jobs and low on funds. They offer to renovate Cassie’s carriage house into a guest cottage in exchange for lodging. The future rent from the cottage will help offset Cassie’s debts. She enthusiastically embraces their offer.
After the couple mysteriously disappears leaving only their dog and a puzzling piece of rope behind, the local police and the FBI try to track them down. Despite their wide resources, law enforcement can’t find any trace of Ashley and Vince Jacobson. Cassie, having grown quite fond of the couple, knows that it is up to her to solve the mystery of their disappearance.
Comments: This book summoned some happy memories for me. My family vacationed on Cape Cod each summer and my grandmother lived there for a few years. Usually we rented cottages barely bigger than my bedroom, but one year we rented a larger, two-story house that came with its own name: Ferncliff. My 12-year-old imagination went into overdrive as I explored the rooms. I was sure the house had to be haunted! Alas, the only odd thing I saw during my stay was a squirrel that struggled to get a golf ball up a tree, only to be very disappointed that it wasn’t a nut.
#NetGalley #HouseOfAshes
Summary: Battersea Bluffs at Lavender Hill is a grand old Cape Cod house in the town of Whale Rock. The weather-beaten Victorian is home to Cassie Mitchell and quite possibly the ghosts of her ancestors, Percy and Celeste Mitchell. After her soon to be ex-husband spent her sizable inheritance, Cassie is struggling to find a way to keep The Bluffs out of foreclosure.
While she’s mulling over her insufficient options, an unexpected partial solution wanders onto her property. Ashley and Vince Jacobson and their dog, Whistler, are between jobs and low on funds. They offer to renovate Cassie’s carriage house into a guest cottage in exchange for lodging. The future rent from the cottage will help offset Cassie’s debts. She enthusiastically embraces their offer.
After the couple mysteriously disappears leaving only their dog and a puzzling piece of rope behind, the local police and the FBI try to track them down. Despite their wide resources, law enforcement can’t find any trace of Ashley and Vince Jacobson. Cassie, having grown quite fond of the couple, knows that it is up to her to solve the mystery of their disappearance.
Comments: This book summoned some happy memories for me. My family vacationed on Cape Cod each summer and my grandmother lived there for a few years. Usually we rented cottages barely bigger than my bedroom, but one year we rented a larger, two-story house that came with its own name: Ferncliff. My 12-year-old imagination went into overdrive as I explored the rooms. I was sure the house had to be haunted! Alas, the only odd thing I saw during my stay was a squirrel that struggled to get a golf ball up a tree, only to be very disappointed that it wasn’t a nut.
#NetGalley #HouseOfAshes
lagadema's review against another edition
4.0
Catchy story that kept me awake in a wish to see what will happen on the next page.... in short it was a wild ride while trying to figure out what happened with the missing people. I enjoyed reading it and it wont be my last book by this author.