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What the Dead Want
16 -year-old Gretchen takes photographs to understand the world around her, a passion her mother Mona fostered and encouraged when she was still around. Since her mom disappeared years ago, Gretchen and her dad have lived on their own in New York City, haunted by Mona’s absence.
When Gretchen’s great aunt Esther calls unexpectedly to tell her that she has inherited the pre-Civil War mansion on her mother’s side of the family in upstate New York, Gretchen understands nothing except that her aunt needs her help. But what she finds there is beyond her imagination. The house is crumbling apart, filled with stacks of papers and journals from decades, even centuries past, and it’s crawling with rodents. It’s also full of secrets and a legacy of racism and violence so reprehensible that the ghosts of the past are exacting revenge on the living.
Somehow the mystery of Mona’s disappearance and the atrocities that happened on the land during the Civil War are inextricably intertwined, and it’s up to Gretchen to figure out how…before even more lives are lost.
When Gretchen’s great aunt Esther calls unexpectedly to tell her that she has inherited the pre-Civil War mansion on her mother’s side of the family in upstate New York, Gretchen understands nothing except that her aunt needs her help. But what she finds there is beyond her imagination. The house is crumbling apart, filled with stacks of papers and journals from decades, even centuries past, and it’s crawling with rodents. It’s also full of secrets and a legacy of racism and violence so reprehensible that the ghosts of the past are exacting revenge on the living.
Somehow the mystery of Mona’s disappearance and the atrocities that happened on the land during the Civil War are inextricably intertwined, and it’s up to Gretchen to figure out how…before even more lives are lost.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published July 26, 2016
38 people are currently reading
2790 people want to read
About the author
Norah Olson
4 books46 followersNorah Olson is a former journalist who covered criminal cases for a regional New York newspaper and received a prestigious fellowship for her work. She was educated in New England and lives in Manhattan. TWISTED FATE is her first novel for young adults.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 174 reviews
April 3, 2016
2.5 stars
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)
This was a YA fantasy story about a girl who inherited a haunted house.
Gretchen was an okay character, although she did seem a little quick to agree to go to her aunt’s house, even though she had never even heard of her before.
The storyline in this just lost me, we started off with Gretchen going to her aunt’s house and some talk of taking photos of the dead, but I really lost interest, and found it really difficult to get to the end of this one.
5 out of 10
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)
"No one," Hope said, "can know what the dead want."
This was a YA fantasy story about a girl who inherited a haunted house.
Gretchen was an okay character, although she did seem a little quick to agree to go to her aunt’s house, even though she had never even heard of her before.
The storyline in this just lost me, we started off with Gretchen going to her aunt’s house and some talk of taking photos of the dead, but I really lost interest, and found it really difficult to get to the end of this one.
5 out of 10
July 14, 2016
I was in the mood for something different, fun, and hopefully spooky with just the right amount of paranormal woo hoo and mystery to keep me turning the pages and be on edge.
With a slight creepy undertone and mystery galore, this really was a good read that was different from the norm. A read to take you away for a few hours and give you something with just enough of the creepy factor to keep you on edge and just enough of that mystery that lovers like me crave to keep you entertained and wanting more.
A good read for fans of the genre and those that want to try it for the first time.
*ARC copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
With a slight creepy undertone and mystery galore, this really was a good read that was different from the norm. A read to take you away for a few hours and give you something with just enough of the creepy factor to keep you on edge and just enough of that mystery that lovers like me crave to keep you entertained and wanting more.
A good read for fans of the genre and those that want to try it for the first time.
*ARC copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
July 20, 2016
There’s an interesting story somewhere in What the Dead Want, although it’s so well hidden that you’ll have trouble finding it. Norah Olson’s sophomore novel requires a lot of patience and faith. The first part appears to be a confusing, unconnected series of chapters from several points of view, and this goes on long enough that even the most patient reader starts thinking about giving up. When things finally start to connect, they still feel distant and unemotional, and by the time things start to unravel, it’s very difficult to care at all.
It could be argued that Olson had far too many ideas, but fell short on following through. In order for a book like What the Dead Want to work, the writing needs to be immersive and atmospheric. Olson’s writing is far too simplistic to achieve the necessary depth. It’s almost like watching through a window as a fabulous meal is being cooked – you can see it happening, but none of your other senses are affected. I didn’t want to be told that Gretchen was feeling her skin crawl or that the hair on her arms and neck was rising. I wanted it to happen to me, to feel it all alongside her.
There is an excellent Civil War story in the background about saving slaves from the Ku Klux Klan, but it’s convoluted, confusing and not given nearly enough attention. The big reveal is foreshadowed a bit too strongly so it doesn’t come as a surprise at all. Even the extent of human cruelty doesn’t hurt or shock us, being written in a way that doesn’t quite reach our hearts. What the Dead Want could have been a far better story with some more careful writing and editing. As it is, it’s best to just skip it.
It could be argued that Olson had far too many ideas, but fell short on following through. In order for a book like What the Dead Want to work, the writing needs to be immersive and atmospheric. Olson’s writing is far too simplistic to achieve the necessary depth. It’s almost like watching through a window as a fabulous meal is being cooked – you can see it happening, but none of your other senses are affected. I didn’t want to be told that Gretchen was feeling her skin crawl or that the hair on her arms and neck was rising. I wanted it to happen to me, to feel it all alongside her.
There is an excellent Civil War story in the background about saving slaves from the Ku Klux Klan, but it’s convoluted, confusing and not given nearly enough attention. The big reveal is foreshadowed a bit too strongly so it doesn’t come as a surprise at all. Even the extent of human cruelty doesn’t hurt or shock us, being written in a way that doesn’t quite reach our hearts. What the Dead Want could have been a far better story with some more careful writing and editing. As it is, it’s best to just skip it.
July 30, 2018
I'm not having very good luck with ghost books lately. Rating this book 2.5 stars. It was just okay. It would have been a 3 star read except the author over used the word bucolic. I'm a stickler for repeated words and this author is definitely in the category of repeated offender.
I'll start with the characters first. We have our main character Gretchen. She is 16 and lives in New York. Her dad is constantly gone for work. Sometimes months at a time. Her mother is gone/dead. The only parental figure she has, is her mother's best friend Janine. Does this woman live in the house with Gretchen? How can an under aged kid be running around by herself on a constant. Does her dad just leave a bunch of money at home so Gretchen can buy groceries. Are the bills on auto-pay? The freedom this girl has is enormous. Does Gretchen go to school? I don't remember the book saying this all happened in the summer of blah blah blah.
Next we have the best friend Simon. Gay best friend. Cliche. All for diversity, except loner only child with gay best friend seems to be a running theme in YA fiction. He is in her life to talk about her clothes and gossip.
We have an elder Aunt by the name of Esther. And neighbors down the road Hawk and Hope. Esther never eats and lives off of cigarettes and Gin. How is she still alive. Hawk and Hope have no real legal guardians. Both of their parents are dead. Where do they get the money to pay taxes for their property. Keep food in the house and the lights on? Why is it okay for Hope to drive a car without a license?
'What the Dead Want' is a story of the Axton family. Gretchen's ancestors. Her Great Aunt Esther calls the New York house one day and tells Gretchen she must come to Mayville immediately. When Gretchen arrives she is underwhelmed. The "mansion" she is said to inherit is a huge run down fixer upper. Esther opens the door to Gretchen and the story goes quickly from there. The entire tale is told during a two or three day period. How a non-believer can be convinced so strongly in that period of time is convenient. Especially when it comes to Simon. Gretchen learns that her Aunt is a famous photographer. The "I thought you were a guy" cliche shows up then. Gretchen learns that her soon to be house is crawling with angry ghosts and she needs to figure out how to set them free. She is just dumped into the scene and must figure out how to swim. The neighbor kids are there to help as well.
The first thing that irked me with this book is the fact that Gretchen immediately thinks her Aunt is senile and needs to go to a old folks home. Second that instead of taking her Aunt seriously for a second all she can think about is auctioning off everything and burning the house to the ground. She sounds like a rich brat. Her Aunt is trying to tell her about the house and its inhabitants but she won't listen. Then when she meets the neighbor kids they too try to tell her everything her Aunt told her is real and she tries to blow them off as well.
This book from the synopsis seemed to be a creepy light paranormal. What I got was a depressing slavery story. Half of the book talks about lynching and fires and picnics to watch black people die. It wasn't creepy at all. Just a very sad story.
I won't be keeping this book.
I'll start with the characters first. We have our main character Gretchen. She is 16 and lives in New York. Her dad is constantly gone for work. Sometimes months at a time. Her mother is gone/dead. The only parental figure she has, is her mother's best friend Janine. Does this woman live in the house with Gretchen? How can an under aged kid be running around by herself on a constant. Does her dad just leave a bunch of money at home so Gretchen can buy groceries. Are the bills on auto-pay? The freedom this girl has is enormous. Does Gretchen go to school? I don't remember the book saying this all happened in the summer of blah blah blah.
Next we have the best friend Simon. Gay best friend. Cliche. All for diversity, except loner only child with gay best friend seems to be a running theme in YA fiction. He is in her life to talk about her clothes and gossip.
We have an elder Aunt by the name of Esther. And neighbors down the road Hawk and Hope. Esther never eats and lives off of cigarettes and Gin. How is she still alive. Hawk and Hope have no real legal guardians. Both of their parents are dead. Where do they get the money to pay taxes for their property. Keep food in the house and the lights on? Why is it okay for Hope to drive a car without a license?
'What the Dead Want' is a story of the Axton family. Gretchen's ancestors. Her Great Aunt Esther calls the New York house one day and tells Gretchen she must come to Mayville immediately. When Gretchen arrives she is underwhelmed. The "mansion" she is said to inherit is a huge run down fixer upper. Esther opens the door to Gretchen and the story goes quickly from there. The entire tale is told during a two or three day period. How a non-believer can be convinced so strongly in that period of time is convenient. Especially when it comes to Simon. Gretchen learns that her Aunt is a famous photographer. The "I thought you were a guy" cliche shows up then. Gretchen learns that her soon to be house is crawling with angry ghosts and she needs to figure out how to set them free. She is just dumped into the scene and must figure out how to swim. The neighbor kids are there to help as well.
The first thing that irked me with this book is the fact that Gretchen immediately thinks her Aunt is senile and needs to go to a old folks home. Second that instead of taking her Aunt seriously for a second all she can think about is auctioning off everything and burning the house to the ground. She sounds like a rich brat. Her Aunt is trying to tell her about the house and its inhabitants but she won't listen. Then when she meets the neighbor kids they too try to tell her everything her Aunt told her is real and she tries to blow them off as well.
This book from the synopsis seemed to be a creepy light paranormal. What I got was a depressing slavery story. Half of the book talks about lynching and fires and picnics to watch black people die. It wasn't creepy at all. Just a very sad story.
I won't be keeping this book.
April 7, 2016
I received an ARC on an event. Thank you National Book Store and Harpercollins!
I had a hard time getting into this book. The pacing is too slow for me and I wasn't hooked with the story. Gretchen is a 16 year old photo enthusiast like her mother, Mona. Her mom disappeared years ago and such event remains unresolved. When her great aunt Esther informed her that she's about to inherit a mansion.. which happens to be haunted.
The history of the mansion simply confused me.The characters are okay but boring. The ghost photography kept me interested and it somewhat reminds me of Fatal Frame (a horror game where you take pictures to fight the ghosts). The story isn't as creepy as I've expected. I'm quite disappointed with that. I guess it's an okay read for me.
I had a hard time getting into this book. The pacing is too slow for me and I wasn't hooked with the story. Gretchen is a 16 year old photo enthusiast like her mother, Mona. Her mom disappeared years ago and such event remains unresolved. When her great aunt Esther informed her that she's about to inherit a mansion.. which happens to be haunted.
The history of the mansion simply confused me.The characters are okay but boring. The ghost photography kept me interested and it somewhat reminds me of Fatal Frame (a horror game where you take pictures to fight the ghosts). The story isn't as creepy as I've expected. I'm quite disappointed with that. I guess it's an okay read for me.
February 1, 2019
aaaan I wanted to LOVE this book but I just didn’t.
Considering it’s short I’ll probably try one more time when I’m in a better bookish mood because right now I’m hating everything and it’s probably my problem, so I will go back to you once again!
Considering it’s short I’ll probably try one more time when I’m in a better bookish mood because right now I’m hating everything and it’s probably my problem, so I will go back to you once again!
March 29, 2016
ARC received at ALA Midwinter 2016.
This would have been a better book if race had been left out of the plot. It screams "white savior complex" while managing to skirt around the real impacts of such an atrocious era. And I decided that before I looked up the author and saw that she is, indeed, white. You're lead to believe that wrongs will be righted, but the ending is rushed and some museum is setup to commemorate it all. The last surviving Axton, whose family is the perpetrator of the crime this story seeks to investigate, saves them all! Of course she does, she's a white savior.
This would have been a better book if race had been left out of the plot. It screams "white savior complex" while managing to skirt around the real impacts of such an atrocious era. And I decided that before I looked up the author and saw that she is, indeed, white. You're lead to believe that wrongs will be righted, but the ending is rushed and some museum is setup to commemorate it all. The last surviving Axton, whose family is the perpetrator of the crime this story seeks to investigate, saves them all! Of course she does, she's a white savior.
September 8, 2016
2.5 stars
I'm kind of conflicted about this book. I really wanted to love it but I just... didn't. I couldn't get into the story and it was boring at times. The writing was nice and the characters were fine. But I just couldn't get into it at all. The whole book was kind of plain and generic. There wasn't really anything "wrong" with it but it just wasn't interesting to me.
I'm kind of conflicted about this book. I really wanted to love it but I just... didn't. I couldn't get into the story and it was boring at times. The writing was nice and the characters were fine. But I just couldn't get into it at all. The whole book was kind of plain and generic. There wasn't really anything "wrong" with it but it just wasn't interesting to me.
July 29, 2016
Okay. Here it is: What the Dead Want is generic and bland… that’s it. Can I leave my review there? No? Damn. Finding more to say about this book is going to be hard because I really just don’t have much to say. A lot of this book was cliched and meh.
I think the worst things about this book is that a) it wasn’t remotely spooky or even chilling, and b) there was no ghost lore! Nothing is elaborated on or explained in any shape or form. Sure, we are told that these things are ghosts but we don’t get any explanations. We don’t know why there are ghosts in the house or really what they are - are they souls or demons or what? We don’t know why some people can see them and others can’t, even though some of the characters can see the ghost and other cannot so it should be a major issue. We also don’t know what the connection between spirits and cameras is even though this is literally the plot of the book... or it is meant to be, anyway. I’m really not impressed by how little were told about the situation. Obviously, the author knew more than she was letting on and hate being left in the dark to figure out stuff on my own… especially when the ending made no sense. It did not tie up any of the mysteries and left so much unanswered. It was such a short book too. I know that it could have been made longer so that the ending had time to properly wrap up the storyline without much problem at all. I don’t see why we are left in the dark? It was frustrating.
It does try to incorporate “creepy” photos and journal entries throughout the story to add an extra layer to the story (well, I guess that was what it was trying to do) but this has already been done so many times before that it is no longer interesting. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children did it. Asylum did it. Please find something new! Or at least make the photos actually spooky. They were barely even PG. How is that meant to be “horror”?
Maybe having a memorable protagonist would have been the trick to making this book a standout? Unfortunately, Gretchen was hardly all that so we will never really know. To be honest, she didn’t really have much of a personality. Her mother’s disappearance played a large part in defining her, and I liked that we got to understand their relationship so deeply, but I needed more from her. I couldn’t really come to care for her as much as I would have liked. In fact, none of the characters were really all that grabbing. It wasn’t just her fault. Simon had no characterisation whatsoever. He was the gay best friend. Full stop. Hope and Hawk didn’t really make sense as characters either. They were only 13 and 15 (or something like that) but had no guardians? Convenient for the story, but not realistic. I did like that Hope was the one into cars and mechanics, and her brother was the arty one. Hope’s interpretation of the ghost was also awesome - that they weren’t a supernatural creature, but just some sort of scientific phenomena that we don’t have the current means to understand. Her logical approach to the situation was easily my favourite part of the book. Apart from that, the twins didn’t really bring much to the story at all, though.
I saw another review state that the descriptive writing was really lacking with this book, and I have to agree. For a supposed horror story, this book was certainly lacking an atmospheric or engaging writing style to draw me into Gretchen’s struggles. I couldn’t picture any of the characters either. And I got a little confused with the flashbacks and diary entries - did they really relate that much to the overall story? I think they were a little bit irrelevant.
Overall? There wasn’t really anything to enjoy about this story. It was very much the generic, bland YA horror story that relied too much on cliched tropes and underdeveloped ghost lore. I wasn’t impressed with the lack of characterisation and had a lot of problems connecting to the protagonist, Gretchen. The open ending was just the icing on the cake. I wouldn’t recommend this one unless you were a fan of Harmony House or even Black.
Review copy provided by the publisher for an honest review.
I think the worst things about this book is that a) it wasn’t remotely spooky or even chilling, and b) there was no ghost lore! Nothing is elaborated on or explained in any shape or form. Sure, we are told that these things are ghosts but we don’t get any explanations. We don’t know why there are ghosts in the house or really what they are - are they souls or demons or what? We don’t know why some people can see them and others can’t, even though some of the characters can see the ghost and other cannot so it should be a major issue. We also don’t know what the connection between spirits and cameras is even though this is literally the plot of the book... or it is meant to be, anyway. I’m really not impressed by how little were told about the situation. Obviously, the author knew more than she was letting on and hate being left in the dark to figure out stuff on my own… especially when the ending made no sense. It did not tie up any of the mysteries and left so much unanswered. It was such a short book too. I know that it could have been made longer so that the ending had time to properly wrap up the storyline without much problem at all. I don’t see why we are left in the dark? It was frustrating.
It does try to incorporate “creepy” photos and journal entries throughout the story to add an extra layer to the story (well, I guess that was what it was trying to do) but this has already been done so many times before that it is no longer interesting. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children did it. Asylum did it. Please find something new! Or at least make the photos actually spooky. They were barely even PG. How is that meant to be “horror”?
Maybe having a memorable protagonist would have been the trick to making this book a standout? Unfortunately, Gretchen was hardly all that so we will never really know. To be honest, she didn’t really have much of a personality. Her mother’s disappearance played a large part in defining her, and I liked that we got to understand their relationship so deeply, but I needed more from her. I couldn’t really come to care for her as much as I would have liked. In fact, none of the characters were really all that grabbing. It wasn’t just her fault. Simon had no characterisation whatsoever. He was the gay best friend. Full stop. Hope and Hawk didn’t really make sense as characters either. They were only 13 and 15 (or something like that) but had no guardians? Convenient for the story, but not realistic. I did like that Hope was the one into cars and mechanics, and her brother was the arty one. Hope’s interpretation of the ghost was also awesome - that they weren’t a supernatural creature, but just some sort of scientific phenomena that we don’t have the current means to understand. Her logical approach to the situation was easily my favourite part of the book. Apart from that, the twins didn’t really bring much to the story at all, though.
I saw another review state that the descriptive writing was really lacking with this book, and I have to agree. For a supposed horror story, this book was certainly lacking an atmospheric or engaging writing style to draw me into Gretchen’s struggles. I couldn’t picture any of the characters either. And I got a little confused with the flashbacks and diary entries - did they really relate that much to the overall story? I think they were a little bit irrelevant.
Overall? There wasn’t really anything to enjoy about this story. It was very much the generic, bland YA horror story that relied too much on cliched tropes and underdeveloped ghost lore. I wasn’t impressed with the lack of characterisation and had a lot of problems connecting to the protagonist, Gretchen. The open ending was just the icing on the cake. I wouldn’t recommend this one unless you were a fan of Harmony House or even Black.
Review copy provided by the publisher for an honest review.
October 27, 2019
A teenager, alone with her mother dead and her father in South America (how convenient), inherits an old house from an aunt she has never heard of (of course) and surprise! it's haunted!
Perhaps that describes a typical plot, but I love books about old houses filled with ghosts. Gretchen's entire family seems to be into photography - both of the living and the dead and much study goes into a major catastrophe that happened in the 1870s. This horrible occurrence needs a resolution or people will die and photos are an important clue in figuring out how to end the "accidents".
That being said, this book had big social and racial issues to discuss. I had never read a ghost story that went this direction before. It was good in that these are important historical and current issues to discuss but bad in that it seemed a little forced.
I felt like the author had an agenda and wove the story around it. It wasn't terribly scary and it wrapped up quickly and crazily at the end. I liked the pacing and the characters at the beginning but by the end, stuff just happened so fast I couldn't keep up. The ghosts seemed too real, too.
So, it was okay for me but a little disappointing.
Perhaps that describes a typical plot, but I love books about old houses filled with ghosts. Gretchen's entire family seems to be into photography - both of the living and the dead and much study goes into a major catastrophe that happened in the 1870s. This horrible occurrence needs a resolution or people will die and photos are an important clue in figuring out how to end the "accidents".
That being said, this book had big social and racial issues to discuss. I had never read a ghost story that went this direction before. It was good in that these are important historical and current issues to discuss but bad in that it seemed a little forced.
I felt like the author had an agenda and wove the story around it. It wasn't terribly scary and it wrapped up quickly and crazily at the end. I liked the pacing and the characters at the beginning but by the end, stuff just happened so fast I couldn't keep up. The ghosts seemed too real, too.
So, it was okay for me but a little disappointing.
June 12, 2016
I tried my best with this book. But it was so not a book for me. Sigh. I'm just so glad to be done reading it. Which makes me a bit sad. Thankfully, it wasn't such a long book. But yeah. If it hadn't been a print ARC, I would have DNFed it. It was not written well at all. Ugh. Which always makes me so sad. Sigh.
I'm still giving this book a two star rating, though. Because I didn't hate it. I just felt so meh towards it. I didn't care about the characters at all. And I did hate the writing, sadly. I found a few things about the plot to be a little bit exciting, but not something I would ever read again. I also felt like the ending was rushed.
Gosh. I took a couple of hours break before finishing the rest of this review. And I already feel like I have forgotten most about it, haha. Which is a bit depressing, to be honest. I wish it had been much better. Hmph. But I shall try sharing some about it even so. Though my review will not be all that long, because this book was short, and I felt like nothing really happened, and I don't have all that much to share about it at all. Shrugs. As I have said, the writing was all kinds of bad. I think it was written in third person. I'm unsure, because it was so badly written. I didn't care for Gretchen at all. And I keep forgetting her name. Like, maybe it was Norah, whom is the author, lol, and then I'm thinking Rachel, which isn't even a name in this book. Sigh.
I thought this would be a book about ghosts. And it is. But it was such a small part, in my eyes. The book was so short. And it focused more on Gretchen, and her mom having been missing for years. Sigh. Which was pretty boring, to be honest. And the writing was just so bad. But anyway. There are ghosts. Just boring ones. And how it ended with the ghosts were just so silly. A rushed ending, that didn't even make sense. Sigh. But I did like the mean little girl ghosts, maybe. Though they were a bit silly. Just, ugh.
I'm not really sure what I wish to talk about when it comes to this book. I was so disappointed. I felt like it could have been so much more. Which just makes me sad to think about. There is a creepy old mansion, but it was also written pretty weird. Wasps and ants living inside, which was just not that interesting. Ugh. Gretchen was just told by her old aunt, whom she has never met, that she's getting this mansion, and that she needs to come there to clean the next day. And she just went. Shrugs. I didn't care for this girl at all.
But yeah. Her aunt, Esther. I'm unsure about her. She was interesting a few times, but mostly she just annoyed me oh so much. And then she killed herself. In a bad way that seemed just comical, because it was written so badly. Haaah. I'm ready to forget about this book now. I didn't care for the main character. I didn't care for the other characters. The past about black people and hate were pretty interesting, and awful, but written badly too. So I didn't care too much, sadly. This book could have been good. But wasn't.
I keep wondering if a romance could have saved this book. But I don't think it would have. Not at all. It would have just made the book even worse, haha. Gretchen has one friend, gay Simon. He seemed weird. Shrugs. Then she meets Hope and Hawk. Weird names. And they seem to be best of friends within a few hours, as this book takes place within two days. And it was obvious that Hawk seemed to have feelings for her right away, being jealous when he heard of Simon, and ugh. It was just so weird.
Huge thank you to HarperCollins International for sending me this stunning print ARC. It means the most to me. I'm sorry I didn't like it. I wanted to read it because it looked interesting, and I had hoped it would be a good book. Sigh. Sadly, it wasn't a book for me at all. But I'm glad I gave it a try even so. If anyone else read this book, please let me know what you think of it. So curious. I just felt like it could have been so much better, if it had been written better. Sigh. I just feel that I will forget about this book really fast.
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This review was first posted on my blog, Carina's Books, here: http://carinabooks.blogspot.no/2016/0...
I'm still giving this book a two star rating, though. Because I didn't hate it. I just felt so meh towards it. I didn't care about the characters at all. And I did hate the writing, sadly. I found a few things about the plot to be a little bit exciting, but not something I would ever read again. I also felt like the ending was rushed.
Gosh. I took a couple of hours break before finishing the rest of this review. And I already feel like I have forgotten most about it, haha. Which is a bit depressing, to be honest. I wish it had been much better. Hmph. But I shall try sharing some about it even so. Though my review will not be all that long, because this book was short, and I felt like nothing really happened, and I don't have all that much to share about it at all. Shrugs. As I have said, the writing was all kinds of bad. I think it was written in third person. I'm unsure, because it was so badly written. I didn't care for Gretchen at all. And I keep forgetting her name. Like, maybe it was Norah, whom is the author, lol, and then I'm thinking Rachel, which isn't even a name in this book. Sigh.
I thought this would be a book about ghosts. And it is. But it was such a small part, in my eyes. The book was so short. And it focused more on Gretchen, and her mom having been missing for years. Sigh. Which was pretty boring, to be honest. And the writing was just so bad. But anyway. There are ghosts. Just boring ones. And how it ended with the ghosts were just so silly. A rushed ending, that didn't even make sense. Sigh. But I did like the mean little girl ghosts, maybe. Though they were a bit silly. Just, ugh.
I'm not really sure what I wish to talk about when it comes to this book. I was so disappointed. I felt like it could have been so much more. Which just makes me sad to think about. There is a creepy old mansion, but it was also written pretty weird. Wasps and ants living inside, which was just not that interesting. Ugh. Gretchen was just told by her old aunt, whom she has never met, that she's getting this mansion, and that she needs to come there to clean the next day. And she just went. Shrugs. I didn't care for this girl at all.
But yeah. Her aunt, Esther. I'm unsure about her. She was interesting a few times, but mostly she just annoyed me oh so much. And then she killed herself. In a bad way that seemed just comical, because it was written so badly. Haaah. I'm ready to forget about this book now. I didn't care for the main character. I didn't care for the other characters. The past about black people and hate were pretty interesting, and awful, but written badly too. So I didn't care too much, sadly. This book could have been good. But wasn't.
I keep wondering if a romance could have saved this book. But I don't think it would have. Not at all. It would have just made the book even worse, haha. Gretchen has one friend, gay Simon. He seemed weird. Shrugs. Then she meets Hope and Hawk. Weird names. And they seem to be best of friends within a few hours, as this book takes place within two days. And it was obvious that Hawk seemed to have feelings for her right away, being jealous when he heard of Simon, and ugh. It was just so weird.
Huge thank you to HarperCollins International for sending me this stunning print ARC. It means the most to me. I'm sorry I didn't like it. I wanted to read it because it looked interesting, and I had hoped it would be a good book. Sigh. Sadly, it wasn't a book for me at all. But I'm glad I gave it a try even so. If anyone else read this book, please let me know what you think of it. So curious. I just felt like it could have been so much better, if it had been written better. Sigh. I just feel that I will forget about this book really fast.
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This review was first posted on my blog, Carina's Books, here: http://carinabooks.blogspot.no/2016/0...
July 18, 2016
3.5/5
Mon avis en Français
My English review
When it comes to gothic romance and ghosts, I’m always up for that. I did not know this one but the summary and the cover were really appealing. I must say that the whole is quite intriguing, especially when it comes to photos, old houses and secrets.
By strange circumstances, Gretchen will be asked to visit her aunt she has never seen and who lives in a dilapidated old mansion. She thinks that she will help her move out knowing that she is the heiress of the house. Yet the girl really will not expect to face such events … and the first is none other than the death of one of her relatives. But from there, our heroine will understand that the house is home to many more things than she thought and many generations of her family tried to understand how they could free what is enclosed.
I really liked the format of the story, we go from one chapter to another between Gretchen and her story in the present but we also have the opportunity to read the diary of her great-grandmother, which is at the origin of all that. It is then in a history of racism, illiterate women, of Kux Klux Klan and terrible acts. I was really carried away by all the events and I also enjoyed the pictures that are found in the story even though I was a little disappointed not to have all of them in the non corrected version because I think they really bring a lot to the story.
I really enjoyed all the ideas of the author here because I confess I did not expect it at all. By cons I’m pretty disappointed by the end, I had to read it twice to see if I had not missed anything. It’s too simple, too easy and way too fast after all that has happened before, and I was surprised and a little disappointed by that conclusion. But hey it was still a very good discovery.
Mon avis en Français
My English review
When it comes to gothic romance and ghosts, I’m always up for that. I did not know this one but the summary and the cover were really appealing. I must say that the whole is quite intriguing, especially when it comes to photos, old houses and secrets.
By strange circumstances, Gretchen will be asked to visit her aunt she has never seen and who lives in a dilapidated old mansion. She thinks that she will help her move out knowing that she is the heiress of the house. Yet the girl really will not expect to face such events … and the first is none other than the death of one of her relatives. But from there, our heroine will understand that the house is home to many more things than she thought and many generations of her family tried to understand how they could free what is enclosed.
I really liked the format of the story, we go from one chapter to another between Gretchen and her story in the present but we also have the opportunity to read the diary of her great-grandmother, which is at the origin of all that. It is then in a history of racism, illiterate women, of Kux Klux Klan and terrible acts. I was really carried away by all the events and I also enjoyed the pictures that are found in the story even though I was a little disappointed not to have all of them in the non corrected version because I think they really bring a lot to the story.
I really enjoyed all the ideas of the author here because I confess I did not expect it at all. By cons I’m pretty disappointed by the end, I had to read it twice to see if I had not missed anything. It’s too simple, too easy and way too fast after all that has happened before, and I was surprised and a little disappointed by that conclusion. But hey it was still a very good discovery.
October 24, 2016
This book had good pacing that matched the length and the writing made me want to keep reading, but the horror was mediocre, the characters boring, and the ghost element left me feeling confused.
Full review is up on my blog: https://jillianthebookishbutterflyblo...
Full review is up on my blog: https://jillianthebookishbutterflyblo...
September 13, 2022
I didn't finish this. There was just so much wrong with it that I didn't have the energy. Out of what I read, a little bit more than 1/3 of the book was the present-day storyline, while all of the other bits were flashbacks to random stuff that was only sometimes actually relevant to what was happening. There was so much potential and this could have been really good, but it just wasn't.
August 13, 2016
What the Dead Want was a bit of a let-down for me. The cover -that cover!!- is amazing, but unfortunately, the book itself wasn't.
Gretchen has just inherited her mother's ancestral home from her great-aunt, and being that her mother has been missing for the last five years, Gretchen hopes that her presence in the house will help garner clues as to her mother's disappearance. The house, though, is much more ruinous than expected, and then there is the matter of the ghosts that are haunting the home...ready to inflict pain upon any who enter...
Reading my own very much condensed summary of the book, it seems that it should have been better, but I just did not feel spooked by the appearance of any of the ghosts, and even when there would be maliciousness or "scary" spirits, it just wasn't scary to me.
Then there was the heavy subject of racism. The time period being focused on is that of pre to post Civil War America, and the Underground Railroad. Obviously, racism will never be an easy thing to read about, but the way it was presented in this book (a female character in the past expresses her horror in a journal that coincides with the main storyline) seemed so...forced... I'll try and hopefully be able to explain what I mean. I do very much appreciate those who stand against any type of racism and are willing to fight it when they have circumstances to do so, but when it was brought up in this book, I couldn't help but feel like the author was trying to prove that she was very much anti-racism. I would have preferred reading about what the character did to help in flashbacks, as opposed to journal form, then maybe I wouldn't have had to be convinced of her sincerity, but genuinely believe it. Definitely a negative for me.
As for the characters in the book, they really were not all that interesting to me, and I can't think of anyone that actually stood out to me. I didn't feel a connection to any, and none were remotely special to me.
Honestly, as I come to a close with my review, I think I am going to revise my overly generous rating of 3 stars down to 1, because even though this was an easy, fast read, I really didn't like this book and can't bring myself to recommend it.
Gretchen has just inherited her mother's ancestral home from her great-aunt, and being that her mother has been missing for the last five years, Gretchen hopes that her presence in the house will help garner clues as to her mother's disappearance. The house, though, is much more ruinous than expected, and then there is the matter of the ghosts that are haunting the home...ready to inflict pain upon any who enter...
Reading my own very much condensed summary of the book, it seems that it should have been better, but I just did not feel spooked by the appearance of any of the ghosts, and even when there would be maliciousness or "scary" spirits, it just wasn't scary to me.
Then there was the heavy subject of racism. The time period being focused on is that of pre to post Civil War America, and the Underground Railroad. Obviously, racism will never be an easy thing to read about, but the way it was presented in this book (a female character in the past expresses her horror in a journal that coincides with the main storyline) seemed so...forced... I'll try and hopefully be able to explain what I mean. I do very much appreciate those who stand against any type of racism and are willing to fight it when they have circumstances to do so, but when it was brought up in this book, I couldn't help but feel like the author was trying to prove that she was very much anti-racism. I would have preferred reading about what the character did to help in flashbacks, as opposed to journal form, then maybe I wouldn't have had to be convinced of her sincerity, but genuinely believe it. Definitely a negative for me.
As for the characters in the book, they really were not all that interesting to me, and I can't think of anyone that actually stood out to me. I didn't feel a connection to any, and none were remotely special to me.
Honestly, as I come to a close with my review, I think I am going to revise my overly generous rating of 3 stars down to 1, because even though this was an easy, fast read, I really didn't like this book and can't bring myself to recommend it.
July 30, 2016
There's a really interesting idea lurking somewhere in this book, but it is suffocated by a rushed and confusing plot that overwhelms the characters and background. In a story with ghosts and hauntings, there should be a lot of suspense and scariness, but it all ends up half-baked.
**I received an ARC from the publisher via Edelweiss. All opinions are my own.**
**I received an ARC from the publisher via Edelweiss. All opinions are my own.**
September 7, 2016
I loved how the book progressed !! The way it's written really drew me in ! I was sucked into the world of photography and history. Gretchen was a strong young lady guided by her aunt Esther ! It was a mystical and creepy book !!
February 14, 2019
A few years after the disappearance of her mother Gretchen gets a call from her aunt about a proposal for her to come to the Axton Mansion. This story has just the right amount of paranormal and mystery.
June 18, 2016
very rushed
Read
June 15, 2018gretchen shows curiosity by always lurking around a haunted house
December 17, 2020
Picks up at the end. Not exactly what I was expecting, but was a very interesting story.
March 22, 2017
In a selfie society where everyone has a camera in their pocket, we've forgotten how strange and alchemical the process of photography actually is, how miraculous it once seemed that we could trap light with silver and paper. It's science, but it feels like magic, and it's unsurprising that since photography's inception people have believed that cameras occasionally saw more than the living who wielded them, capturing spirits in smudges and flares and double exposures. The only surprising thing is that it's taken this long to mine that inherent creepiness for a horror novel.
What the Dead Want begins beautifully: Sixteen year-old Gretchen, whose mother went missing years ago, is summoned by a great-aunt to the family mansion and leaves New York City for the country only to discover ye olde homestead is a decrepit pile stuffed full of old photographs and her aunt is a bit...odd. As are the noises - animal, her aunt assures her - Gretchen can hear in the attic upstairs. It quickly becomes apparent that Gretchen's mother's fascination with spirit photography had its origins in the ghosts of her family's past, and that those ghosts are far from quiet. So far so good, and Olson even manages to nimbly dodge the major issue of many haunted house tales (namely, why the hell do people stick around for days convincing themselves they're imagining all those bumps in the night?) by having things escalate within hours of Gretchen's arrival.
Unfortunately, the escalation is where Olson's novel falters. Despite a potentially fascinating (and sadly still relevant) backstory involving a Civil War era massacre by a white supremacist group looking to derail the local Underground, the second half is little more than a silly series of badly drawn horror set pieces thrown together with little care for pacing or plot. The tantalizing spirit photography angle never really pans out, although there's a muddled "let's burn some stuff!" bit at the end that I think was supposed to be a resolution. Followed by the world's most awkward epilogue. Gah.
The worst part of What the Dead Want is how easily it could have been a fantastically creepy tale of historical horror; in fact, I'm pretty sure it was about two editorial passes from if not greatness at least great-good-fun-ness. As it is, Olson whet my appetite for spirit-photography-horror, but I'll simply have to wait until something better develops.
What the Dead Want begins beautifully: Sixteen year-old Gretchen, whose mother went missing years ago, is summoned by a great-aunt to the family mansion and leaves New York City for the country only to discover ye olde homestead is a decrepit pile stuffed full of old photographs and her aunt is a bit...odd. As are the noises - animal, her aunt assures her - Gretchen can hear in the attic upstairs. It quickly becomes apparent that Gretchen's mother's fascination with spirit photography had its origins in the ghosts of her family's past, and that those ghosts are far from quiet. So far so good, and Olson even manages to nimbly dodge the major issue of many haunted house tales (namely, why the hell do people stick around for days convincing themselves they're imagining all those bumps in the night?) by having things escalate within hours of Gretchen's arrival.
Unfortunately, the escalation is where Olson's novel falters. Despite a potentially fascinating (and sadly still relevant) backstory involving a Civil War era massacre by a white supremacist group looking to derail the local Underground, the second half is little more than a silly series of badly drawn horror set pieces thrown together with little care for pacing or plot. The tantalizing spirit photography angle never really pans out, although there's a muddled "let's burn some stuff!" bit at the end that I think was supposed to be a resolution. Followed by the world's most awkward epilogue. Gah.
The worst part of What the Dead Want is how easily it could have been a fantastically creepy tale of historical horror; in fact, I'm pretty sure it was about two editorial passes from if not greatness at least great-good-fun-ness. As it is, Olson whet my appetite for spirit-photography-horror, but I'll simply have to wait until something better develops.
June 8, 2016
Gretchen's adventures begin when she receives a phone call from a great-aunt she doesn't remember inviting her to come visit the mansion in upstate New York that she will be inheriting. Gretchen is eager to visit, grabs her camera and takes off. But things are not what she expects. The mansion is falling to pieces but also stuffed with family history - and ghosts, lots and lots of ghosts.
Gretchen's mother who disappeared almost five years earlier was a photographer who collected sample of Victorian spirit photography. Her mother believed that the camera could sometimes see things that the naked eye cannot. Gretchen is also a photographer who shares some of her mother's beliefs.
Shortly after Gretchen arrives, her aunt commits suicide leaving her with the task of laying those many ghosts to rest. Gretchen is exploring some of the family history, particularly the diary of Fidelia who lived around the time of the Civil War and who was deeply involved in the Underground Railroad. We also learn what it was like for a woman living in the time and place with no freedom, no opportunities, and no choices. Excepts from Fidelia's journals are salted through this story. The book also has a number of photographs (only some of which made it to my Kindle eARC) that enhance the moody and spooky atmosphere of this story.
Aiding Gretchen in her quest are neighbors Hope and Hawk who are orphaned descendants of some of the blacks who settled in the area after escaping slavery. One of their ancestors was Fidelia's best friend. The kids are in something of a time crunch. The anniversary of a fire that destroyed a local integrated church and killed Fidelia, her friend, and Fidelia's daughter and her friend's daughter along with many of the black residents of the area is coming soon and ghostly activities are becoming more frequent and more dangerous.
This was a great story. I enjoyed this peek into a part of America's history that needs to me made more visible. As one of the characters says, "We learn history so we can break with the past, not repeat it."
Gretchen's mother who disappeared almost five years earlier was a photographer who collected sample of Victorian spirit photography. Her mother believed that the camera could sometimes see things that the naked eye cannot. Gretchen is also a photographer who shares some of her mother's beliefs.
Shortly after Gretchen arrives, her aunt commits suicide leaving her with the task of laying those many ghosts to rest. Gretchen is exploring some of the family history, particularly the diary of Fidelia who lived around the time of the Civil War and who was deeply involved in the Underground Railroad. We also learn what it was like for a woman living in the time and place with no freedom, no opportunities, and no choices. Excepts from Fidelia's journals are salted through this story. The book also has a number of photographs (only some of which made it to my Kindle eARC) that enhance the moody and spooky atmosphere of this story.
Aiding Gretchen in her quest are neighbors Hope and Hawk who are orphaned descendants of some of the blacks who settled in the area after escaping slavery. One of their ancestors was Fidelia's best friend. The kids are in something of a time crunch. The anniversary of a fire that destroyed a local integrated church and killed Fidelia, her friend, and Fidelia's daughter and her friend's daughter along with many of the black residents of the area is coming soon and ghostly activities are becoming more frequent and more dangerous.
This was a great story. I enjoyed this peek into a part of America's history that needs to me made more visible. As one of the characters says, "We learn history so we can break with the past, not repeat it."
February 13, 2017
I don't like being torn. When it comes to most novels, I like to be able to say that I definitely love or hate it either way. But this novel tears me up. There are aspects that I enjoyed, and many that I did not. I won't tell you whether you should read the book -- I'll just give you the facts and let you decide :)
First off, I enjoyed the artistic aspect of this book. The photographs are described in great detail, and I like the idea of capturing more than just meets the eye. There aren't many main characters that care so deeply about photography, and this made Gretchen unique.
I also enjoyed the historical backstory within the book. The letters that go back and forth between characters long gone. The racial tension, the unexpected romances...I think I enjoyed the dead characters more than the living ones.
What I didn't like was the predictability of it all. I felt like I could see what was coming before I got there, which made the book so hard to get through. There were a few twists, but not many.
I also didn't like not knowing exactly where this book fit. At times, it seemed to be trying so hard to be funny and young. Other times, it felt like it was trying to be a horror story (more gory than scary). And other times, the violence was so intense that I thought it shouldn't even be considered YA. The tone of the novel just changed so often that I didn't enjoy it as much as I would have otherwise.
Overall, the book felt unbelievable (the characters, not the ghosts) and too far-fetched to be enjoyed. I liked the history and the backstory, but not much else.
2 out of 5 stars.
Maria @ GoodChoiceReading.com
First off, I enjoyed the artistic aspect of this book. The photographs are described in great detail, and I like the idea of capturing more than just meets the eye. There aren't many main characters that care so deeply about photography, and this made Gretchen unique.
I also enjoyed the historical backstory within the book. The letters that go back and forth between characters long gone. The racial tension, the unexpected romances...I think I enjoyed the dead characters more than the living ones.
What I didn't like was the predictability of it all. I felt like I could see what was coming before I got there, which made the book so hard to get through. There were a few twists, but not many.
I also didn't like not knowing exactly where this book fit. At times, it seemed to be trying so hard to be funny and young. Other times, it felt like it was trying to be a horror story (more gory than scary). And other times, the violence was so intense that I thought it shouldn't even be considered YA. The tone of the novel just changed so often that I didn't enjoy it as much as I would have otherwise.
Overall, the book felt unbelievable (the characters, not the ghosts) and too far-fetched to be enjoyed. I liked the history and the backstory, but not much else.
2 out of 5 stars.
Maria @ GoodChoiceReading.com
August 2, 2016
*I received this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review*
What the Dead Want is a decent paranormal fantasy. I almost wanted to call this urban fantasy, but it hits multiple different genres which is really fascinating. It is simultaneously historical fiction, paranormal fantasy, mixed with tidbits of a coming of age story. I think there were definite opportunities with the pacing of the book but ultimately it was a solid showing. Gretchen was a bit hard to connect with, but that is mostly the pacing issues I mentioned before. The book almost moves too quickly, I felt like I didn't know Gretchen and all of a sudden we were taking a trip upstate to meet her great aunt, and then from there the whole book just took off. However, the excerpts from Fidelia's diaries were some of my favorites, and I honestly felt like I was more connected to Fidelia through most of the book than the main character.
The hidden story of Celia and Rebecca is so heartbreaking, and it threads through this entire story. It is worth reading this book for that alone, and I felt very connected to the girls. I also have to say that I felt more connected to the side characters like Esther, Hawk, Hope and Simon than I did to Gretchen. She was actually my least favorite part to this book. However it was a good showing overall, and I would give it 3 out of 5 stars and tell you it's worth reading if you like books that break genre stereotypes.
*This review was first posted on Moonlight Gleam Reviews http://moonlightgleam.com/2016/08/wha...*
What the Dead Want is a decent paranormal fantasy. I almost wanted to call this urban fantasy, but it hits multiple different genres which is really fascinating. It is simultaneously historical fiction, paranormal fantasy, mixed with tidbits of a coming of age story. I think there were definite opportunities with the pacing of the book but ultimately it was a solid showing. Gretchen was a bit hard to connect with, but that is mostly the pacing issues I mentioned before. The book almost moves too quickly, I felt like I didn't know Gretchen and all of a sudden we were taking a trip upstate to meet her great aunt, and then from there the whole book just took off. However, the excerpts from Fidelia's diaries were some of my favorites, and I honestly felt like I was more connected to Fidelia through most of the book than the main character.
The hidden story of Celia and Rebecca is so heartbreaking, and it threads through this entire story. It is worth reading this book for that alone, and I felt very connected to the girls. I also have to say that I felt more connected to the side characters like Esther, Hawk, Hope and Simon than I did to Gretchen. She was actually my least favorite part to this book. However it was a good showing overall, and I would give it 3 out of 5 stars and tell you it's worth reading if you like books that break genre stereotypes.
*This review was first posted on Moonlight Gleam Reviews http://moonlightgleam.com/2016/08/wha...*
October 8, 2017
WtDW was an unfortunate let down. While the premise is solid the execution is a bit lacking. The only thing that kept me reading (and earned the book two stars) was my desire to solve the mysteries within the text. To be honest, the story would have been so much better if Gretchen was removed entirely and Hawk and Hope were the ones to solve everything.
Some of the issues included:
-The main character, Gretchen, felt like a parody of a real (hipster) person. It was incredibly difficult to connect with her.
-There was very little subtlety with the horror elements of the story. Rather than build the atmosphere, the haunts suddenly hit you like a brick out of nowhere. Unfortunately for the book this came across as more than a little hamfisted.
-While suspension of disbelief is certainly necessary when reading paranormal horror, this book requires way too much of it.
-While all mysteries are eventually solved, the answers are less than satisfying.
-The story (especially the ending) frankly reeks of white savior complex.
Some of the issues included:
-The main character, Gretchen, felt like a parody of a real (hipster) person. It was incredibly difficult to connect with her.
-There was very little subtlety with the horror elements of the story. Rather than build the atmosphere, the haunts suddenly hit you like a brick out of nowhere. Unfortunately for the book this came across as more than a little hamfisted.
-While suspension of disbelief is certainly necessary when reading paranormal horror, this book requires way too much of it.
-While all mysteries are eventually solved, the answers are less than satisfying.
-The story (especially the ending) frankly reeks of white savior complex.
December 13, 2016
Norah Olsen uses a ghost story to explore several big issues as her protagonist reveals that it is not the ghosts that infest her ancestral home that are the horror, but rather the history and the people who created the ghosts. Mostly through journal entries, which are illogically inserted into the text rather than read by the main character as she gathers the journals, and photographs, the issues of female oppression and racial violence are explored in a very honest way. The question of the morality of documenting the horrors of history is examined, and the strange conclusion that (minor spoiler) the ethical answer is to only partially reveal / document horrific events. In the end it feels more like a morality tale with a slightly mixed message than a compelling story.
October 31, 2016
I feel like a memo needs to be sent out to horror authors - if you want to use "found" photos in your novel, make sure they actually enhance it. There were a couple in here that looked suspiciously like they'd been tampered with and, more importantly, the photos of the "house" looked nothing like what the words described. It really took away from the overall experience.
On the other hand, the plot was interesting, and I really appreciated Olson using the genre to make a point beyond scaring the reader. It was more sad than scary with a touch of uplifting, making it a good training-wheels horror novel.
But only if you ignore those pictures.
On the other hand, the plot was interesting, and I really appreciated Olson using the genre to make a point beyond scaring the reader. It was more sad than scary with a touch of uplifting, making it a good training-wheels horror novel.
But only if you ignore those pictures.
November 15, 2016
I am not always a fan of scary/supernatural stories, but I will occasionally pick one up and hope it doesn't scare me senseless.
What the Dead Want is filled with an eerie, yet extremely interesting world. Family secrets, spirits in limbo, and uncovering the past pretty much fills up the pages of this story. I was presently surprised at being fascinated and thoroughly engaged with this story. There were a few images that were written so well, it gave me goosebumps.
Great read overall.
Proper review to come on DFT.
What the Dead Want is filled with an eerie, yet extremely interesting world. Family secrets, spirits in limbo, and uncovering the past pretty much fills up the pages of this story. I was presently surprised at being fascinated and thoroughly engaged with this story. There were a few images that were written so well, it gave me goosebumps.
Great read overall.
Proper review to come on DFT.
October 3, 2016
I really enjoyed this book. It mixed in some historical similarities to some parts of American history. It was another spooky haunted house story cliche, yes, but it was a good rendition of it. I also enjoyed the lack of romance in the story, personally I feel that a good horror novel doesn't need romance. I really liked the personalities of all of the characters, they were really driven to you to connect to them and their stories.
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