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Say Her Name
Roberta 'Bobbie' Rowe is not the kind of person who believes in ghosts. A Halloween dare at her ridiculously spooky boarding school is no big deal, especially when her best friend Naya and cute local boy Caine agree to join in too. They are ordered to summon the legendary ghost of 'Bloody Mary': say her name five times in front of a candlelit mirror, and she shall appear... But, surprise surprise, nothing happens. Or does it?
Next morning, Bobbie finds a message on her bathroom mirror... five days... but what does it mean? And who left it there? Things get increasingly weird and more terrifying for Bobbie and Naya, until it becomes all too clear that Bloody Mary was indeed called from the afterlife that night, and she is definitely not a friendly ghost. Bobbie, Naya and Caine are now in a race against time before their five days are up and Mary comes for them, as she has come for countless others before... A truly spine-chilling yet witty horror from shortlisted 'Queen of Teen' author James Dawson.
Next morning, Bobbie finds a message on her bathroom mirror... five days... but what does it mean? And who left it there? Things get increasingly weird and more terrifying for Bobbie and Naya, until it becomes all too clear that Bloody Mary was indeed called from the afterlife that night, and she is definitely not a friendly ghost. Bobbie, Naya and Caine are now in a race against time before their five days are up and Mary comes for them, as she has come for countless others before... A truly spine-chilling yet witty horror from shortlisted 'Queen of Teen' author James Dawson.
287 pages, Paperback
First published June 5, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 716 reviews
June 8, 2014
No, no, no, no. The Supernatural episode scarred me for life.
----
I love horror, but I don't usually find it scary. I've read Anna Dressed in Blood, and while I do love it, I admit, I didn't find it that scary. Say Her Name beats it for the scare factor. Give me blood, gore, serial killers hacking off body pieces and It doesn't faze me at all, but give me psychological stuff like this and I'm screwed. Say Her Name is my kind of Horror, one that actually scares me.
The Urban Legend of Bloody Mary is one that I can't talk about a lot (literally) or even look into because I'm scared to type the name (it's a surprise I actually did here).
Like mentioned in Say Her Name, the Supernatural episode. That episode aired in, what? 2005. That would make me 12. The only scariest thing I'd seen up until then was the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man from Ghostbusters.
Yeah, scary.
Say Her Name pretty much get's into it on the off, we have a little prologue that'll make sense as you go along, but it really starts set in a Boarding School on Halloween night a group of teenagers trying to scare eachother with ghost stories that aren't scary. Until a student starts a tale of an ex Piper Halls student that mixes in with Bloody Mary, and as a scare dare, Sadie dares them to call Bloody Mary in a bathroom, light the candles, stand in front of the mirror and say her name five times. Only three took the dare, our main central character Roberta "bobbie" Rowe, her friend whom she's rooming with, Naya, and Caine, an outsider that the Head Girl (prefect) brought onto the school grounds (and since Pipers Hall is an all girls school, no boys allowed) and it's all fun and games until Sadie goes missing.
This is where the fun starts, and I really shouldn't have read it at night, so don't. Everything's scarier at night, and Say Her Names pretty creepy on its own, so it's no exception. Of course no one presumes it's Bloody Mary, and the three of them coincidentally getting nose bleeds at the same time is just a freak accident. And then the countdown starts and there's no denying it. Mary's coming for them.
Say Her Name is what you'd say a modern adaptation to the Urban Legend of Bloody Mary, that starts as an uncongenial situation. You learn the back-story along with the characters through the ways Mary presents them and with a little investigation skills. The atmosphere is palpable and brings the story to life and by the end, it ties up nicely and makes you second guess everything you read.
Say Her Name is one of the scariest novels I've read in a while, it thoroughly gave me the creeps and made me not want to look in a mirror anytime soon. With characters that are quirky, creates some fun scenes amongst the I'll-go-cry-in-a-corner-now scenes, which gave it perfect balance. While I'd like to say I'd take that dare, nope. I wouldn't.
Would You?
~~A proof was provided by Hot Key Books in exchange for an honest review.~
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Review originally posted on Studio Reads
September 25, 2018
North East Teenage Book Awards Nominee 2014
WINNER
5 Words: Horror, boarding-school, British, Bloody Mary.
Ok, so that was terrifying.
Let's start with the cover. Look at it. Feel a shiver of fear. Now show it to your younger sister who is living alone and easily scared and duck when she throws things at you because "I bloody live alone and that's terrifying and now I'll have nightmares!".
Say Her Name was a very British horror. It's one that makes you think, it's subtle and builds slowly, the little things that you barely even acknowledge are the things that build the tension and crowd the atmosphere... And it was written beautifully.
Now, I'm usually not a fan of horror. All that doom-and-gloom and usually a dose of pure gore and violence... Not my cup of tea. And although this book made my toes curl and make me "Eeek!" plenty of times and made sure that I haven't looked in a mirror since I started it, I was definitely a fan of this one.
The best part about this book was the humour throughout. Bobbie is quite a cynical, wry character and I loved her observations. They were a bit of relief from the whole going-to-die theme. And they stopped it being too much.
That ending had me going. I was honestly convinced about how it would end and then in those last pages it just got a helluva lot freakier. I also love how it wasn't a completely closed ending either.
In short, this book is definitely worth a read. It was freak you out and make you super paranoid around any reflective surface, and you'll probably cover up every mirror for a week or so, but it was excellent.
WINNER
5 Words: Horror, boarding-school, British, Bloody Mary.
Ok, so that was terrifying.
Let's start with the cover. Look at it. Feel a shiver of fear. Now show it to your younger sister who is living alone and easily scared and duck when she throws things at you because "I bloody live alone and that's terrifying and now I'll have nightmares!".
Say Her Name was a very British horror. It's one that makes you think, it's subtle and builds slowly, the little things that you barely even acknowledge are the things that build the tension and crowd the atmosphere... And it was written beautifully.
Now, I'm usually not a fan of horror. All that doom-and-gloom and usually a dose of pure gore and violence... Not my cup of tea. And although this book made my toes curl and make me "Eeek!" plenty of times and made sure that I haven't looked in a mirror since I started it, I was definitely a fan of this one.
The best part about this book was the humour throughout. Bobbie is quite a cynical, wry character and I loved her observations. They were a bit of relief from the whole going-to-die theme. And they stopped it being too much.
That ending had me going. I was honestly convinced about how it would end and then in those last pages it just got a helluva lot freakier. I also love how it wasn't a completely closed ending either.
In short, this book is definitely worth a read. It was freak you out and make you super paranoid around any reflective surface, and you'll probably cover up every mirror for a week or so, but it was excellent.
September 20, 2016
Awesome retelling of 'Bloody Marry'! This was I want for YA horror! It's scary, made me goose bumps. and a little gothic, though I think. ( I felt that way which I like ) Not only it's gore, it also have
romance
yes! The story is also touching at some part. I LOVE love, love this!
November 1, 2017
Genuinely scary with a spooky vibe throughout. Is there anything better than a cursed boarding school and multiple disappearances?
June 21, 2014
I didnt put this book down until it was complete...gripping....haunting....and the ending was to "BLEED FOR"
February 8, 2016
Two things I learned from this book
1⃣ Never trust a ghost. There's no such thing as a 'good ghost'.
2⃣ Even if there is, it gives you enough heebee-jeebees before you horribly bleed to death.
Good ghosts give you a lot less painful death, but death is what comes to you, rest assured of that!
Remember that scene from The Conjuring- the one with the music box chiming "Happy birthday to you" slowly until the dreaded figure appears in the mirror on the inner side of the lid? That's what I have been hearing ever since I opened this book. It's been singing somewhere in my neighborhood. Relentlessly. Non-stop. Day and Night. Depriving me of sleep. Driving me insane. Nope. Not kidding. My dad rubbished my claims. Apparently he heard no such music filtering into our house and that's even creepier.
Why, I can still hear it now as I write this.
Talking about the story,
It was unfortunate that even though the trio tried to help the dead stalker and eventually liberated her from her decades-long confinement, she was still going to come for their blood. What is that the dead gets in torturing clueless, innocent, totally unrelated people? See, that is the USP of all horror flicks!
❎ Horror stories try to create make-believe scary scenarios where everything seems so real that you will be convinced that this can happen to you too. This one definitely had me convinced.
❎ As much as you want to laugh it off, you will end up believing it and losing sleep if you are the lone inhabitant of your room.
✅ Every story has some life lessons to offer you. It's one thing when an intellectual describes about the fleeting nature of life and another when a carefree high school student suddenly starts to ponder on the brevity of life!
We all do, don't we?
If you read this story, you might want to skip "the dare" part. You might want to refrain from saying her name out loud. Or else, Bloody Mary will come get you!
She was wronged. She was buried alive. And, this is what they found in her crypt..
no one BeLiEvED me i just wanted people to LIKE ME
And for this epic line, I am giving this book 5.1 STARS. Because, 5 is a bad number to go with this book, trust me, people! And the punchline would have done it in for you!
Super fun, wasn't it?
And, the next time someone calls you bluff because you do believe that ghosts exist, tell them this
PS: Thank goodness, my aunt heard the same song coming in somewhere from around our house, which means I have not been imagining it. I swear I will find out the source of it asap, but at least tonight I can RIP! Ha-ha.
1⃣ Never trust a ghost. There's no such thing as a 'good ghost'.
2⃣ Even if there is, it gives you enough heebee-jeebees before you horribly bleed to death.
Good ghosts give you a lot less painful death, but death is what comes to you, rest assured of that!
Remember that scene from The Conjuring- the one with the music box chiming "Happy birthday to you" slowly until the dreaded figure appears in the mirror on the inner side of the lid? That's what I have been hearing ever since I opened this book. It's been singing somewhere in my neighborhood. Relentlessly. Non-stop. Day and Night. Depriving me of sleep. Driving me insane. Nope. Not kidding. My dad rubbished my claims. Apparently he heard no such music filtering into our house and that's even creepier.
Why, I can still hear it now as I write this.
Talking about the story,
It was unfortunate that even though the trio tried to help the dead stalker and eventually liberated her from her decades-long confinement, she was still going to come for their blood. What is that the dead gets in torturing clueless, innocent, totally unrelated people? See, that is the USP of all horror flicks!
❎ Horror stories try to create make-believe scary scenarios where everything seems so real that you will be convinced that this can happen to you too. This one definitely had me convinced.
❎ As much as you want to laugh it off, you will end up believing it and losing sleep if you are the lone inhabitant of your room.
✅ Every story has some life lessons to offer you. It's one thing when an intellectual describes about the fleeting nature of life and another when a carefree high school student suddenly starts to ponder on the brevity of life!
Bobbie had taken for granted were that she had time and choices. As it happened, she had neither. It felt so stupid and so, so childish – she’d almost seen herself as immortal.
We all do, don't we?
If you read this story, you might want to skip "the dare" part. You might want to refrain from saying her name out loud. Or else, Bloody Mary will come get you!
She was wronged. She was buried alive. And, this is what they found in her crypt..
no one BeLiEvED me i just wanted people to LIKE ME
And for this epic line, I am giving this book 5.1 STARS. Because, 5 is a bad number to go with this book, trust me, people! And the punchline would have done it in for you!
Super fun, wasn't it?
And, the next time someone calls you bluff because you do believe that ghosts exist, tell them this
Talking about ghosts is pretty stupid, but so is denying what’s right in front of you.’
PS: Thank goodness, my aunt heard the same song coming in somewhere from around our house, which means I have not been imagining it. I swear I will find out the source of it asap, but at least tonight I can RIP! Ha-ha.
September 26, 2015
Rating: 5/5
Say Her Name is the story of Bloody Mary, or better yet what happens when you call her. In the boarding school were Bobbie and Naya go to, the legend of Bloody Mary comes to life when, in a Halloween dare, they decide to say her name, along with a local boy. What follows is pure mayhem as they realize that Bloody Mary is actually a real ghost that will come for their lives after five days. In the mean time they all experience parts of Mary's lives. Seeing glimpses of her life, Bobbie decides that Mary is a ghost that wants her side of the story heard and probably her very own killer punished. So Bobbie and the other two embark on a mystery solving journey to figure out what happened to Mary and who killed her. All the while trying to avoid the ghost that wants to claim their lives.
I loved this book. It had pretty much everything I love in good horror stories. A terrifying ghost, with a mysterious past, funny moments, and a lot of running around to save your life, and a dash of romance in the mix. I really enjoyed putting all the pieces of Mary's past together.
As I've said before for me horror books don't need to have great characters or character development, if the horror part itself is good. So don't expect any memorable characters in this one, but do expect a fear of mirrors and any reflective surface.
Say Her Name is the story of Bloody Mary, or better yet what happens when you call her. In the boarding school were Bobbie and Naya go to, the legend of Bloody Mary comes to life when, in a Halloween dare, they decide to say her name, along with a local boy. What follows is pure mayhem as they realize that Bloody Mary is actually a real ghost that will come for their lives after five days. In the mean time they all experience parts of Mary's lives. Seeing glimpses of her life, Bobbie decides that Mary is a ghost that wants her side of the story heard and probably her very own killer punished. So Bobbie and the other two embark on a mystery solving journey to figure out what happened to Mary and who killed her. All the while trying to avoid the ghost that wants to claim their lives.
I loved this book. It had pretty much everything I love in good horror stories. A terrifying ghost, with a mysterious past, funny moments, and a lot of running around to save your life, and a dash of romance in the mix. I really enjoyed putting all the pieces of Mary's past together.
As I've said before for me horror books don't need to have great characters or character development, if the horror part itself is good. So don't expect any memorable characters in this one, but do expect a fear of mirrors and any reflective surface.
November 11, 2017
Welcome to my October project – Book 5
As Halloween just is around the corner, I decided to only read books that make me think about this day one way or another during this month of October. I’ve actually been preparing this project for quite some time now, at least a few months, watching youtube recommendation videos, reading articles about the subject and dissect Goodreads for book ideas. I wanted this list to mostly fit my TBR which need to grow smaller, but I’m open as I also want to go out of my comfort zone.
I’m so ready for scary horror stories, and other tales with warlocks, werewolves, vampires and other folks. I’m ready for goosebumps and cold sweat.
___________
I’m so happy I chose this book to bring to a close this October project, it really gave me the spooky vibe I needed for Halloween and therefore, I can say that this project was a success. Even though I enjoy books with dark and evil characters, I rarely find myself reading horror, because I don’t get easily scared so I don’t want it to be a waste of my time. And this book wasn’t scary to the point that I could cry or scream in terror, but it did a good job giving me goosebumps. I had the misfortune of being alone in my apartment those very nights I read it, and after ending it, I had a hard time falling asleep, went to take a shower to relax myself and I didn’t dare to look myself in the mirror. Yeah it was late night, the night before Halloween, but still I, not-so-easily-creeped-person, was not at my best.
The book begins with a very convincing little prologue that drops you immediately into the right atmosphere. The main story starts on Halloween night (how convenient) in a British Boarding School called Piper Hall, when a group of teenagers try to scare one another with not-so-frightening stories. Until one of them tells the story of Bloody Mary who was actually one of the former school student and dares everyone to go in front of a mirror to say her name five time to summon her. Our main character, Bobbie, her best friend Naya and some local boy Caine took the bet expecting nothing to happen, like nothing ever happen to every student around the world who tried to call her. But the next morning, Bobbie finds a weird message on her mirror. ‘Five days’ it says. Our team is now involved in a creepy investigation and the clock is ticking.
I really love Urban Legends and even though I heard of Bloody Mary while I was young (a British friend told me about it while in middle school once) in France we have an equivalent with La Dame Blanche -The White Lady- that you can call out in a mirror as well, and it is her whom I’m the most terrified about. Every time I walk in the streets at night and I see a white shadow I freak out (even my 25 yo self today) and I have never been able to call her in front of a mirror, even today. And the fact that I’m scared shitless of Bloody Mary/The White Lady made this story much more real and resulting in this book being one of the most plausible horror story I ever read about.
The tension build gradually and the descriptions were really graphics and I could visualise everything happening to our MC. Blood, cursed boarding school, spirits, ghosts, Halloween, dripping taps, graveyards, psychiatric hospital, asylum, crypt, nightmares… everything was present to play with my mind.
My favourite part is how the author managed to humanize Mary, she was not only a revengeful spirit, she was brought to life to the girl she formerly was, bullied, taken advantage of, lonely, scared… It made her one of the more profound characters of this book (in a horror story, I don’t expect characters to be that much developed). And the ending really made me so curious, damn, I need answers!
As Halloween just is around the corner, I decided to only read books that make me think about this day one way or another during this month of October. I’ve actually been preparing this project for quite some time now, at least a few months, watching youtube recommendation videos, reading articles about the subject and dissect Goodreads for book ideas. I wanted this list to mostly fit my TBR which need to grow smaller, but I’m open as I also want to go out of my comfort zone.
I’m so ready for scary horror stories, and other tales with warlocks, werewolves, vampires and other folks. I’m ready for goosebumps and cold sweat.
___________
“Drip, drip, drip.
Drip, drip, drip.
Drip, drip, drip.”
I’m so happy I chose this book to bring to a close this October project, it really gave me the spooky vibe I needed for Halloween and therefore, I can say that this project was a success. Even though I enjoy books with dark and evil characters, I rarely find myself reading horror, because I don’t get easily scared so I don’t want it to be a waste of my time. And this book wasn’t scary to the point that I could cry or scream in terror, but it did a good job giving me goosebumps. I had the misfortune of being alone in my apartment those very nights I read it, and after ending it, I had a hard time falling asleep, went to take a shower to relax myself and I didn’t dare to look myself in the mirror. Yeah it was late night, the night before Halloween, but still I, not-so-easily-creeped-person, was not at my best.
The book begins with a very convincing little prologue that drops you immediately into the right atmosphere. The main story starts on Halloween night (how convenient) in a British Boarding School called Piper Hall, when a group of teenagers try to scare one another with not-so-frightening stories. Until one of them tells the story of Bloody Mary who was actually one of the former school student and dares everyone to go in front of a mirror to say her name five time to summon her. Our main character, Bobbie, her best friend Naya and some local boy Caine took the bet expecting nothing to happen, like nothing ever happen to every student around the world who tried to call her. But the next morning, Bobbie finds a weird message on her mirror. ‘Five days’ it says. Our team is now involved in a creepy investigation and the clock is ticking.
“Bobbie wondered if that's how long you truly live for - until the last person who remembers you, until the final bouquet on your grave.”
I really love Urban Legends and even though I heard of Bloody Mary while I was young (a British friend told me about it while in middle school once) in France we have an equivalent with La Dame Blanche -The White Lady- that you can call out in a mirror as well, and it is her whom I’m the most terrified about. Every time I walk in the streets at night and I see a white shadow I freak out (even my 25 yo self today) and I have never been able to call her in front of a mirror, even today. And the fact that I’m scared shitless of Bloody Mary/The White Lady made this story much more real and resulting in this book being one of the most plausible horror story I ever read about.
The tension build gradually and the descriptions were really graphics and I could visualise everything happening to our MC. Blood, cursed boarding school, spirits, ghosts, Halloween, dripping taps, graveyards, psychiatric hospital, asylum, crypt, nightmares… everything was present to play with my mind.
My favourite part is how the author managed to humanize Mary, she was not only a revengeful spirit, she was brought to life to the girl she formerly was, bullied, taken advantage of, lonely, scared… It made her one of the more profound characters of this book (in a horror story, I don’t expect characters to be that much developed). And the ending really made me so curious, damn, I need answers!
June 19, 2014
This was an okay story, but I can’t really say that it was scary.
Bobbie was an okay character, although I didn’t think that Bobbie and her friends were particularly bright. Saying ‘Bloody Mary’ five times in front of the mirror is just stupid. Even if it’s not true, why tempt fate?
The storyline in this was okay, but it wasn’t scary, in fact in places I was pretty bored. There were a couple of interesting moments, but for most of the story I was bored, and the pace was way too slow. At 8% of the way in I felt like I’d been reading for hours already.
There was some romance, which again was nothing special, and I wasn’t exactly impressed by it.
The ending was okay, but I was glad I had finished. I did think the ending was left quite open though, and I’m not sure whether this was just to increase how scary the ending was supposed to be, or whether the author is thinking about leaving things open for a sequel. I certainly won’t be rushing to read it if there is a sequel though.
In the acknowledgements, the author says that someone challenged him to 'write the scariest contemporary YA horror ever', and asks 'did I do it?' In my opinion - no. Sorry, but you failed, I wasn’t scared at all.
Overall; not a scary story,
6 out of 10.
Bobbie was an okay character, although I didn’t think that Bobbie and her friends were particularly bright. Saying ‘Bloody Mary’ five times in front of the mirror is just stupid. Even if it’s not true, why tempt fate?
The storyline in this was okay, but it wasn’t scary, in fact in places I was pretty bored. There were a couple of interesting moments, but for most of the story I was bored, and the pace was way too slow. At 8% of the way in I felt like I’d been reading for hours already.
There was some romance, which again was nothing special, and I wasn’t exactly impressed by it.
The ending was okay, but I was glad I had finished. I did think the ending was left quite open though, and I’m not sure whether this was just to increase how scary the ending was supposed to be, or whether the author is thinking about leaving things open for a sequel. I certainly won’t be rushing to read it if there is a sequel though.
In the acknowledgements, the author says that someone challenged him to 'write the scariest contemporary YA horror ever', and asks 'did I do it?' In my opinion - no. Sorry, but you failed, I wasn’t scared at all.
Overall; not a scary story,
6 out of 10.
March 12, 2016
3.5 stars.
Bloody Mary has been scaring the shit out of me since my cousin's 10th birthday party. I refused to go into the bathroom with the older girls and chant. Eight year old Ellen Gail knew better. Of course, she also got all her underwear frozen for being a "scaredy cat." But it remains one of my favorite urban legends.
So, did Say Her Name live up to its bloody urban legend roots?
Not really. It's a fine ghost story, very reminiscent of The Ring, but it's light on the scares and the carnage. The characters and their prep school drama gave me some eye-rolls, but I do think Bobbie is a genuinely likable character.
I can't make up my mind if I like the twist at the end or not. I think I do? Right now I do. The newspaper clipping was a nice touch.
Overall, Say Her Name is a fine ghost story, but it doesn't quite deliver on the spookiness quota. I'm not properly scared of my own reflection like I should be. Well, no more then usual. I still have to walk past my creepy ass medicine cabinet to go pee. Why the hell did they ever make mirrored medicine cabinets? Stupid invention.
Bloody Mary has been scaring the shit out of me since my cousin's 10th birthday party. I refused to go into the bathroom with the older girls and chant. Eight year old Ellen Gail knew better. Of course, she also got all her underwear frozen for being a "scaredy cat." But it remains one of my favorite urban legends.
So, did Say Her Name live up to its bloody urban legend roots?
Not really. It's a fine ghost story, very reminiscent of The Ring, but it's light on the scares and the carnage. The characters and their prep school drama gave me some eye-rolls, but I do think Bobbie is a genuinely likable character.
I can't make up my mind if I like the twist at the end or not. I think I do? Right now I do. The newspaper clipping was a nice touch.
Overall, Say Her Name is a fine ghost story, but it doesn't quite deliver on the spookiness quota. I'm not properly scared of my own reflection like I should be. Well, no more then usual. I still have to walk past my creepy ass medicine cabinet to go pee. Why the hell did they ever make mirrored medicine cabinets? Stupid invention.
October 15, 2019
Well, fucking Goodreads just ate my review and I’d rather chant Bloody Mary in a mirror than type it out again. Or maybe Bloody Mary ate my review? Bish.
So—
This book in a nutshell:
The Ring - Samara + Bloody Mary + British boarding school
I wasn’t sure if I’d keep going when I started but I barreled through since I had bought it, and the great ending took me by surprise and bumped this effortlessly from 2.5 to 3 stars.
If you are a horror aficionado, go into this expecting a supernatural mystery instead of horror. You’ll like it better. Otherwise, it’s a short, decent Halloween read. If you are old enough to remember her, it’s got a very Lois Duncan vibe.
So—
This book in a nutshell:
The Ring - Samara + Bloody Mary + British boarding school
I wasn’t sure if I’d keep going when I started but I barreled through since I had bought it, and the great ending took me by surprise and bumped this effortlessly from 2.5 to 3 stars.
If you are a horror aficionado, go into this expecting a supernatural mystery instead of horror. You’ll like it better. Otherwise, it’s a short, decent Halloween read. If you are old enough to remember her, it’s got a very Lois Duncan vibe.
January 28, 2014
The single most terrifying book I've ever read. I kid you not, I'm pretty hard to scare but this one did it! I'm still too terrified to look in a mirror. James Dawson is brilliant! The most addictive book of 2014, It may only be January but it's going to be a tough one to beat...you will not be disappointed. *hides book in freezer for safety*
October 10, 2017
Well.... I've been spoiled rotten by reading Mary: Summoning by Hillary Monahan because that duology was an exceptional take on the Bloody Mary story. This story, 'Say Her Name', was a good book. It was more of a slow burn though. There wasn't a lot of action. The story itself was a 3.75 star rating and I did like the ending.
Say Her Name takes place at a boarding school on the cliffs of a small town outside Oxsley, England. The school, Piper's Hall School is an all girls school. Our main character Roberta 'Bobbie' Rowe is spending her Hallowe'en night with her best friend Naya and some other girls in her year. One friend Sadie decides that they all should play Bloody Mary. Only three from the group are down to actually call out Mary's name. Bobbie, Naya and the cute boy, Caine, that has been hanging around Grace.
Like a lot of ghost books, this one is a detective story. Can Bobbie and her friends find out what happened to Mary before she gets to them? Is five days enough time to discover the truth about Mary Worthington?
I can only compare this Bloody Mary re-telling with the one I mentioned above, Mary: Summoning. In both stories, Bloody Mary or Mary Worthington died horrifically. Both stories make her out to be haunting teens for revenge. To feed the fire of her hate for what happened to her while she was alive. In both books, the main characters fight there way through her history to try and save Mary and set her free. All they want to do is break the curse. The major difference in these two books is that while they both deal with Bloody Mary, Say Her Name is a love story mixed in with a bit of ghostly presence and Mary Summoning is a action packed scarefest all about staying alive and destroying Mary. I liked the latter better.
Say Her Name takes place at a boarding school on the cliffs of a small town outside Oxsley, England. The school, Piper's Hall School is an all girls school. Our main character Roberta 'Bobbie' Rowe is spending her Hallowe'en night with her best friend Naya and some other girls in her year. One friend Sadie decides that they all should play Bloody Mary. Only three from the group are down to actually call out Mary's name. Bobbie, Naya and the cute boy, Caine, that has been hanging around Grace.
Like a lot of ghost books, this one is a detective story. Can Bobbie and her friends find out what happened to Mary before she gets to them? Is five days enough time to discover the truth about Mary Worthington?
I can only compare this Bloody Mary re-telling with the one I mentioned above, Mary: Summoning. In both stories, Bloody Mary or Mary Worthington died horrifically. Both stories make her out to be haunting teens for revenge. To feed the fire of her hate for what happened to her while she was alive. In both books, the main characters fight there way through her history to try and save Mary and set her free. All they want to do is break the curse. The major difference in these two books is that while they both deal with Bloody Mary, Say Her Name is a love story mixed in with a bit of ghostly presence and Mary Summoning is a action packed scarefest all about staying alive and destroying Mary. I liked the latter better.
May 10, 2018
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2.5/5 Stars
Bobbie and her friends Naya attend a prestigious boarding school. On Halloween Night, they are dared to summon the ghost of Bloody Mary by saying her name 5 times into a mirror. Bobbie, Naya and a boy named Caine agree to the game, as they have never believed in ghosts. After they perform the summoning, strange things begin to happen and they realize that the legend of Bloody Mary may be true after all.
The book was very predictable and I did find myself bored throughout most of the story. I wasn't truly invested until the last 100 pages or so when the pace picked up. I did really like the ending though, I thought it was a great way to leave the reader wanting more. The characters were funny at times and I like how their dialogue seemed realistic and not overly forced. There were some times in the book where I found myself giggling at things some of the characters said, but other times I was rolling my eyes too. I did enjoy the friendship between Naya and Bobbie and how much they looked out for one another. The romance in the book seemed a bit unnecessary to me and I think I would have enjoyed it more if it was left out completely.
Overall it was a quick read, but I don't think it was anything special in my opinion.
2.5/5 Stars
Bobbie and her friends Naya attend a prestigious boarding school. On Halloween Night, they are dared to summon the ghost of Bloody Mary by saying her name 5 times into a mirror. Bobbie, Naya and a boy named Caine agree to the game, as they have never believed in ghosts. After they perform the summoning, strange things begin to happen and they realize that the legend of Bloody Mary may be true after all.
The book was very predictable and I did find myself bored throughout most of the story. I wasn't truly invested until the last 100 pages or so when the pace picked up. I did really like the ending though, I thought it was a great way to leave the reader wanting more. The characters were funny at times and I like how their dialogue seemed realistic and not overly forced. There were some times in the book where I found myself giggling at things some of the characters said, but other times I was rolling my eyes too. I did enjoy the friendship between Naya and Bobbie and how much they looked out for one another. The romance in the book seemed a bit unnecessary to me and I think I would have enjoyed it more if it was left out completely.
Overall it was a quick read, but I don't think it was anything special in my opinion.
October 22, 2018
If I was doing half stars, this would probably be more of a 3.5/5.
I've been saving Say Her Name as a Halloween read for god knows how many years, and I finally got around to it! Needless to say, I zoomed through this YA horror in a couple of sittings, and surprisingly it did get to me a bit!
I've always found the myth of Bloody Mary (and anything to do with bloodthirsty ghosts in mirrors) to be quite unnerving - I was terrified of going into my bathroom alone when I was in P4 (age 7-8) after a girl in my class told me about Candyman, and even as an adult I won't say 'Bloody Mary' however many times into a mirror. I mean look at this book - people who don't believe it say it and it happens!
I really liked the boarding school setting of this book (something I didn't expect), and I felt it was perfectly suited to this spooky ghostly tale. I also really liked how Juno Dawson delved into the backstory of Mary and the myth surrounding her - it was an interesting take on the legend and I enjoyed uncovering the mystery surrounding her along with Bobbie and the other characters. And yes, I found myself taking a bit longer than usual to fall asleep one night after reading a particularly creepy night-time scene, and scuttling past mirrors in the evenings/nights so Dawson definitely managed to get under my skin!
I have to say though, I could have liked it more. As always with YA it seems, there was a romance element, and although I did like the characters involved and was rooting for them, my eyes were rolling into their sockets with how out of place their trysts and romantic moments were. I mean come on, Bobbie is in mortal danger and she still gets distracted by a guy's biceps and cute smile? Please. Adding to the teen-ness of this, sometimes characters will be having a really serious conversation, and then someone will say something completely out of place that takes away from the gravity of the situation. To me that just wasn't realistic (and I know it's a horror/ghost story but still). There were of course mean girls and cliques in this book too, and I'm not saying that these people don't exist, but they were incredibly unoriginal in their execution (including the blonde-ness of the main mean girl - why must they always be blonde...)
Tropes and predictability aside though, I had a lot of fun reading this book. I enjoyed the ending and found it to be pretty satisfying, and it definitely disturbed me at points so I think Juno Dawson did a pretty great job. I definitely want to read more of her horror stuff now, even if it is YA because I'm sure her other books will be just as fun as this one!
I've been saving Say Her Name as a Halloween read for god knows how many years, and I finally got around to it! Needless to say, I zoomed through this YA horror in a couple of sittings, and surprisingly it did get to me a bit!
I've always found the myth of Bloody Mary (and anything to do with bloodthirsty ghosts in mirrors) to be quite unnerving - I was terrified of going into my bathroom alone when I was in P4 (age 7-8) after a girl in my class told me about Candyman, and even as an adult I won't say 'Bloody Mary' however many times into a mirror. I mean look at this book - people who don't believe it say it and it happens!
I really liked the boarding school setting of this book (something I didn't expect), and I felt it was perfectly suited to this spooky ghostly tale. I also really liked how Juno Dawson delved into the backstory of Mary and the myth surrounding her - it was an interesting take on the legend and I enjoyed uncovering the mystery surrounding her along with Bobbie and the other characters. And yes, I found myself taking a bit longer than usual to fall asleep one night after reading a particularly creepy night-time scene, and scuttling past mirrors in the evenings/nights so Dawson definitely managed to get under my skin!
I have to say though, I could have liked it more. As always with YA it seems, there was a romance element, and although I did like the characters involved and was rooting for them, my eyes were rolling into their sockets with how out of place their trysts and romantic moments were. I mean come on, Bobbie is in mortal danger and she still gets distracted by a guy's biceps and cute smile? Please. Adding to the teen-ness of this, sometimes characters will be having a really serious conversation, and then someone will say something completely out of place that takes away from the gravity of the situation. To me that just wasn't realistic (and I know it's a horror/ghost story but still). There were of course mean girls and cliques in this book too, and I'm not saying that these people don't exist, but they were incredibly unoriginal in their execution (including the blonde-ness of the main mean girl - why must they always be blonde...)
Tropes and predictability aside though, I had a lot of fun reading this book. I enjoyed the ending and found it to be pretty satisfying, and it definitely disturbed me at points so I think Juno Dawson did a pretty great job. I definitely want to read more of her horror stuff now, even if it is YA because I'm sure her other books will be just as fun as this one!
October 13, 2018
4.5 stars. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel I really liked the main character and her friends. It was a good take on Bloody Mary and it was creepy. Would recommend it highly.
June 30, 2015
¡Ustedes no se hacen una idea de lo mucho que amo las historias de terror y ésta simplemente fue...!
No sé cómo hablar de este libro sin hacer spoilers porque las cosas que más me han gustado de él tienen que ver sobre todo con el misterio que envuelve la muerte de Mary y cómo ésta le va dando a nuestros protagonistas las pistas para encontrarla.
Por lo tanto simplemente diré que el libro está, en mi opinión, perfectamente relatado y cómo el autor ha ido hilando la historia me sigue teniendo totalmente cautivada.
¡Hasta las 7 de la mañana me quedé para acabar este libro!
Lo recomiendo totalmente.
No sé cómo hablar de este libro sin hacer spoilers porque las cosas que más me han gustado de él tienen que ver sobre todo con el misterio que envuelve la muerte de Mary y cómo ésta le va dando a nuestros protagonistas las pistas para encontrarla.
Por lo tanto simplemente diré que el libro está, en mi opinión, perfectamente relatado y cómo el autor ha ido hilando la historia me sigue teniendo totalmente cautivada.
¡Hasta las 7 de la mañana me quedé para acabar este libro!
Lo recomiendo totalmente.
January 16, 2017
Everyone knows I love a good boarding school! Add horror/the supernatural and it's even better! (see: Monster by C. J. Skuse) Everyone in UK primary schools knows about Bloody Mary, so I thought this whole concept was a fantastic idea, but there were so many layers that I wasn't expecting that somehow turned this into a four star read! I really enjoyed the count down elements and thought the whole thing was paced well, I liked the characters and how the story builds - it was all around really well executed, and I found myself itching to know the gory details. I just wish I'd read it at Halloween!
August 2, 2019
this was genuinely entertaining and well written and spooky - so fast paced and easy to read
bless
bless
April 20, 2016
I was quite pleasantly surprised by Say Her Name. It was probably the most plausible horror book I've ever read, and it had such a wonderful cast of characters. I've never been a huge fan of horror books because they are often ridiculously cheesy or have rather stupid protagonists. Say Her Name managed to defeated both of those stereotypes, however, and rewrote the Bloody Mary legend in a entertaining fashion.
The first thing I want to say is that the characters were amazing and there was a lot of diversity so cheers to that too! Bobbie - our protagonist - and her best friend, Naya, had one of the best relationships ever. I loved how they were such close friends and had none of the superficial or bitchy crap that a lot of YA "friendships" tend to have. They were open and honest, they joked around, but in the end they cared for each and looked out for one another. Hallelujah! I also just liked the characters in general, especially sassy Naya. The romance was good, but a little unnecessary - like most YA romances though, so nothing new.
I also completely loved that the fact that the dialogue was realistic. One of my biggest pet peeves is when authors write conversations between teenagers and makes us sounds like idiots. We don't always use slang, we don't abbreviate everything and we don't put 'like' and 'Oh my God' into every sentence. James Dawson manged to capture "our language" to utter perfection. I smiled so much and it's just.. well, it's fantastic. I don't think that any other author - that I can think of right now - has managed to write this so perfectly.
The plotline itself was a little up and down though. I didn't think that the beginning was very strong, though that may have been my skepticism tainting my judgement a little. By the middle of the book, however, I was thoroughly enthralled and eager to read more. The mystery grabbed me, and some of the stuff happening was really intense. This really built over the last third of the book, and the ending was fantastic. The newspaper clipping was a perfect conclusion, and I loved that it left open for a sequel. Fingers crossed that there will be one!
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this. The characters and their relationships were spot on; I loved Bobbie and Naya's friendship especially. The plot grew on me the more I read it, and I ended up thoroughly enjoying it. I really want a sequel now, and will be checking out the author's other books.
The first thing I want to say is that the characters were amazing and there was a lot of diversity so cheers to that too! Bobbie - our protagonist - and her best friend, Naya, had one of the best relationships ever. I loved how they were such close friends and had none of the superficial or bitchy crap that a lot of YA "friendships" tend to have. They were open and honest, they joked around, but in the end they cared for each and looked out for one another. Hallelujah! I also just liked the characters in general, especially sassy Naya. The romance was good, but a little unnecessary - like most YA romances though, so nothing new.
I also completely loved that the fact that the dialogue was realistic. One of my biggest pet peeves is when authors write conversations between teenagers and makes us sounds like idiots. We don't always use slang, we don't abbreviate everything and we don't put 'like' and 'Oh my God' into every sentence. James Dawson manged to capture "our language" to utter perfection. I smiled so much and it's just.. well, it's fantastic. I don't think that any other author - that I can think of right now - has managed to write this so perfectly.
The plotline itself was a little up and down though. I didn't think that the beginning was very strong, though that may have been my skepticism tainting my judgement a little. By the middle of the book, however, I was thoroughly enthralled and eager to read more. The mystery grabbed me, and some of the stuff happening was really intense. This really built over the last third of the book, and the ending was fantastic. The newspaper clipping was a perfect conclusion, and I loved that it left open for a sequel. Fingers crossed that there will be one!
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this. The characters and their relationships were spot on; I loved Bobbie and Naya's friendship especially. The plot grew on me the more I read it, and I ended up thoroughly enjoying it. I really want a sequel now, and will be checking out the author's other books.
June 24, 2017
Read my full review (with GIFs and pretty book photography!) on Lauren Reads YA.
Say Her Name is the best YA horror I’ve read in a long time. I love urban legends and ghost stories (even though I don’t believe in ghosts) so this was perfect for me. And yes, it is as creepy as promised!
It’s a good thing reading this didn’t take me more than 2 days, because I think I would explode if I had to walk around afraid of each and every reflection for any longer.
I may or may not have turned my bedroom mirror around to face the wall, and not brushed my teeth the night I was reading it because I was too terrified to go into the bathroom. Thanks, James Dawson. I’ll have my dentist send you a bill.
I didn’t care much about the romance. Romance in horror just feels out of place to me. Either make it more of an important thing, or leave it out entirely. What I did really like, though, was the uncertainty of whether their feelings for each other were real or if they were being influenced by whatever was going on. (I won’t spoil, you’ll have to read it. *winks*)
I also didn’t really care for the characters because they were so stereotypical (which is the case for a lot of horror characters, unfortunately). Sure, they were likeable, but just kind of meh. I was not scared for them, I was more scared for myself.
I love how the mystery was slowly uncovered. The flashbacks about Mary’s life were handled VERY WELL. It really made her story, and character, come to life. (Please don’t come to life. *smashes mirrors into tiny pieces*)
I really like the (sort-of open) ending! I feel like when horror books (or movies) are wrapped up perfectly at the end, it makes the entire thing less creepy. Which would be good for my sleep, but y’know.
If you’re going to read anything scary this month, go for this one.
Say Her Name is the best YA horror I’ve read in a long time. I love urban legends and ghost stories (even though I don’t believe in ghosts) so this was perfect for me. And yes, it is as creepy as promised!
It’s a good thing reading this didn’t take me more than 2 days, because I think I would explode if I had to walk around afraid of each and every reflection for any longer.
I may or may not have turned my bedroom mirror around to face the wall, and not brushed my teeth the night I was reading it because I was too terrified to go into the bathroom. Thanks, James Dawson. I’ll have my dentist send you a bill.
I didn’t care much about the romance. Romance in horror just feels out of place to me. Either make it more of an important thing, or leave it out entirely. What I did really like, though, was the uncertainty of whether their feelings for each other were real or if they were being influenced by whatever was going on. (I won’t spoil, you’ll have to read it. *winks*)
I also didn’t really care for the characters because they were so stereotypical (which is the case for a lot of horror characters, unfortunately). Sure, they were likeable, but just kind of meh. I was not scared for them, I was more scared for myself.
I love how the mystery was slowly uncovered. The flashbacks about Mary’s life were handled VERY WELL. It really made her story, and character, come to life. (Please don’t come to life. *smashes mirrors into tiny pieces*)
I really like the (sort-of open) ending! I feel like when horror books (or movies) are wrapped up perfectly at the end, it makes the entire thing less creepy. Which would be good for my sleep, but y’know.
If you’re going to read anything scary this month, go for this one.
November 1, 2022
Desde hace unos dias estaba buscando un libro diferente, no me apetecia leer nada de los generos que suelo leer, y Say Her Name fue justo la opcion perfecta.
Admito que no soy de leer demasiados libros de terror, suelo ir mas hacia las novelas de suspense o intriga pero despues de haber disfrutado tanto esta historia, leere mas libros de esta tematica.
Say Her Name me atrapo desde un principio, la trama es intrigante hasta el limite, los personajes aunque un poco cliches tambien son coherentes y la pluma de James Dawson es completamente adictiva, ademas, para no ser una novela excesivamente larga, creo que el desarrollo esta mas que bien llevado, tal vez lo unico que me falto es un poco mas de detalle luego de que se descubre el gran misterio, pero por el resto, fue un libro mas que correcto.
El desenlace me dejo pensando bastante, honestamente, no esperaba ese giro en las ultimas paginas, sobre todo porque ya antes habia habido algunos giros inesperados, sin embargo, me gusta, cuando un libro no te deja pensando es señal de que quizas no fue tan memorable como te lo parecio en un determinado momento.
En conclusion, Say Her Name fue un diamante en bruto, no parece demasiado destacable pero en mi opinion, vale mucho la pena. Lo recomiendo especialmente si como yo, quieres leer un genero que no suelas consumir habitualmente.
3.75 Estrellas!!
May 7, 2018
Fajnie się to poskładało w całość i zakończenie też było okej, ale w gruncie rzeczy to taki typowy amerykański horror przeniesiony do książki. No i czytało się bardzo szybko - akurat zdążyłam całość w kolejce do lekarza xD
September 27, 2021
Underrated book✨
June 2, 2022
Entretenido! Cuando de tema paranormal se trata ahí estaré siempre 🤭 me agradó porque lo sentí rápido y como una película sobre todo porque me gustó leer la historia de Bloody Mary con detalles, la historia es buena como se va desenvolviendo el conocer la verdad y porque llega al punto de hacerse pesente ante el espejo....el conjuro y los sucesos que se desenvuelven te da carita para querer saber que pasará con los que jugaron este juego... 😈
November 2, 2020
5 Stars!
Say Her Name was the perfect read to end this years Spooky Season. It had everything a good YA horror needs; ghostly legends, creepy English boarding school and characters that understand Horror 101 and don't make dumb choices. I really enjoyed the take on the "Bloody Mary" legend, Mary gets her own origin story!
I'll be honest, "Bloody Mary" still gives me the creeps - and I can't look into the mirror in the dark - so reading this book really brought me back to those school camp days where we would all dare each other to say her name....
Bloody Mary
Bloody Mary
Blood-
Ah. Nope.
P.S. This would do so well as a movie/limited series.
Say Her Name was the perfect read to end this years Spooky Season. It had everything a good YA horror needs; ghostly legends, creepy English boarding school and characters that understand Horror 101 and don't make dumb choices. I really enjoyed the take on the "Bloody Mary" legend, Mary gets her own origin story!
I'll be honest, "Bloody Mary" still gives me the creeps - and I can't look into the mirror in the dark - so reading this book really brought me back to those school camp days where we would all dare each other to say her name....
Bloody Mary
Bloody Mary
Blood-
Ah. Nope.
P.S. This would do so well as a movie/limited series.
September 26, 2015
I'm not sure if I'm happy that I finished this or not. I could've read at least a few pages more but on the other hand it's good that I'm done! I tried reading this yesterday night and oh my god. It didn't work! Melissa can tell you how freaked out I was - although it was probably super funny for her - it was all dark, shortly before midnight and I sat with my back to the door, only a tiny, little light was on ... and then I read a creepy scene. It was horrible!
I wasn't so sure of James Dawson's writing at first ... it's simple and easy to read but the fact that it's third person POV slightly disturbed me since I usually don't read them as much. However, as the novel progressed, I quite enjoyed it and had no problems feeling with the chracters - they were scared and freaked out and so did I. The cover is another thing I absolutely love about this book! It's already kind of creepy but so cool and awesome to look at.
"Drip, drip, drip.
Drip, drip, drip.
Drip, drip, drip."
Everything starts on Halloween night where a group of teenagers tell each other not-so-scary ghost stories. Sadie tells a story about an ex student at Pipers Hall (their boarding school), these days she's known as Bloody Mary, and because everyone thinks it's a stupid story she dares them to say her name five times in front of a mirror while the room is only lit by candles. Only three did it, our main character Bobbie, her best friend and roomate Naya and a handsome boy from another school, Caine. At first it's all fun but suddenly weird things are happening and Sadie goes missing and each of the three gets the same message: Five Days.
That alone is some scary shit! I've never dared saying her name in front of a mirror and I probably never will. I just shook my head while reading that scene in the bathroom ... they all giggled and made fun of the situation but I knew it wouldn't end well.
The characters were all likeable and I found myself liking Bobbie a lot! Her decisions were all rational to me and I think I would've acted the same way.
"Bobbie wondered if that's how long you truly live for - until the last person who remembers you, until the final bouquet on your grave."
There were a few "boring" scenes, especially in the beginning, but once everything picked up on pace it was almost impossible to put it down. I just couldn't because I needed to know what would happen next! Some scenes were really, really creepy and if you're brave enough to read this at night, I admire you - you could also listen to some creepy "music", just go to Spotify or Youtube, search creepy and check the playlists! I tried. I obviously have a vivid imagination and heard lots of things at night which freaked me out even more ... but that's the fun while reading these books, no?
Overall, I'd totally recommend this book! The ending was freaking fantastic and I loved the plot twist in it ... just OH MY GOD. The characters are great, the tension is built up slowly but constantly and that's exactly what I was looking for. So if you're up for some YA Horror, check this out!
www.aworldbetweenfoldedpages.blogspot.com
November 2, 2014
Beware the curse of Bloody Mary. She'll drag you off and steal your soul...
Well, I don't think I'll get any sleep tonight. I made the mistake of reading this book at night, alone, during a rain storm, in front of my glass book case. At first it wasn't scary, I was mildly interested. Four boarding school teens take on an urban legend dare only to find themselves taken one by one by a vengeful demonic ghost. Not scary at all.
Ah, but then the author starts giving out descriptions about arms and evil faces emerging from reflective surfaces. I honestly screamed when I thought I saw something in my reflection (PS, it was my curly hair). Soon enough I was feeling creeped out and shaky. I had to stop for a bathroom break and had to sing Christian tunes to keep my imagination from running wild.
Needless to say, the book fulfilled it's horrific aim. I was -- and am scared. I enjoyed the story and Bobbie's spunky, shy girl personality. And that ending? Great. I recommend this to anyone who's brave enough (or at least not a scaredy cat like me).
And now, please excuse me while I go seek comfort in my sister's presence.
Well, I don't think I'll get any sleep tonight. I made the mistake of reading this book at night, alone, during a rain storm, in front of my glass book case. At first it wasn't scary, I was mildly interested. Four boarding school teens take on an urban legend dare only to find themselves taken one by one by a vengeful demonic ghost. Not scary at all.
Ah, but then the author starts giving out descriptions about arms and evil faces emerging from reflective surfaces. I honestly screamed when I thought I saw something in my reflection (PS, it was my curly hair). Soon enough I was feeling creeped out and shaky. I had to stop for a bathroom break and had to sing Christian tunes to keep my imagination from running wild.
Needless to say, the book fulfilled it's horrific aim. I was -- and am scared. I enjoyed the story and Bobbie's spunky, shy girl personality. And that ending? Great. I recommend this to anyone who's brave enough (or at least not a scaredy cat like me).
And now, please excuse me while I go seek comfort in my sister's presence.
April 23, 2018
Trigger warnings: blood, disappearance of a friend, death, mental health,
3.5 stars.
I was pleasantly surprised by this! It's a Bloody Mary story, so I pretty much knew what to expect going in. What I *wasn't* expecting was for it to be set in England - for some reason, I anticipated it would be set in the US.
Sure, elements of the story were predictable. But the characters were fun and I liked the writing. On the whole, it wasn't ESPECIALLY creepy, but there were certainly some decidedly disturbing elements to it. Just enough to keep me hooked, really.
So yeah. As far as YA horror books go, it was pretty decent!
3.5 stars.
I was pleasantly surprised by this! It's a Bloody Mary story, so I pretty much knew what to expect going in. What I *wasn't* expecting was for it to be set in England - for some reason, I anticipated it would be set in the US.
Sure, elements of the story were predictable. But the characters were fun and I liked the writing. On the whole, it wasn't ESPECIALLY creepy, but there were certainly some decidedly disturbing elements to it. Just enough to keep me hooked, really.
So yeah. As far as YA horror books go, it was pretty decent!
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