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Seeing Things
Abby Gillman has discovered that with growing up, there comes a lot of blood. But nothing prepares her for the trail of blood she sees in the hallway after class - or the ghost she finds crammed inside an abandoned locker.
No one believes Abby, of course. She’s only seeing things. As much as Abby wants to be believed, what she wants more is to know why she can suddenly see the dead. Unfortunately, they won’t tell her. In fact, none of them will speak to her. At all.
Abby leaves for her annual summer visit to her uncle’s house with tons of questions. The visit will give her answers the ghosts won’t - but she may not like what she finds out.
No one believes Abby, of course. She’s only seeing things. As much as Abby wants to be believed, what she wants more is to know why she can suddenly see the dead. Unfortunately, they won’t tell her. In fact, none of them will speak to her. At all.
Abby leaves for her annual summer visit to her uncle’s house with tons of questions. The visit will give her answers the ghosts won’t - but she may not like what she finds out.
184 pages, Paperback
Published June 23, 2020
3 people are currently reading
517 people want to read
About the author
Sonora Taylor
35 books159 followersSonora Taylor is the award-winning author of Little Paranoias: Stories, Without Condition, The Crow’s Gift and Other Tales, Please Give, and Wither and Other Stories. Her short stories have appeared in multiple publications, including Camden Park Press’s Quoth the Raven, Kandisha Press’s Women of Horror Vol. 2: Graveyard Smash, The Sirens Call, Frozen Wavelets, Mercurial Stories, Tales to Terrify, and the Ladies of Horror fiction podcast. Her latest book, Seeing Things, is now available on Amazon. She lives in Arlington, Virginia, with her husband.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
July 9, 2020
I know I sound like a broken record to those who follow my reading journey but for the sake of those who might be reading one of my reviews for the first time, let me just say:
I love coming-of-age horror. I especially love a female protagonist coming-of-age horror story with delicious supernatural elements and paranormal activity.
SEEING THINGS by Sonora Taylor is about a young girl named, Abigail "Abby" Gillman. Around the same time she starts seeing some changes in her developing body, she begins seeing blood that nobody else can see. The mysterious blood leads her to ghosts or other important objects which usually spark some curiosity for Abby. This provokes her to start having some interesting conversations with the grown-ups in her life.
Man, this book has some serious ability to hook readers into the story immediately. Sonora Taylor has chops. She is an author on the rise. Her storytelling voice is so smooth and accessible, readers just fall right in step with whatever pace Taylor sets. I've read about a dozen or more of the author's short stories and this is an identifying, consistent attribute of her writing.
My favorite aspect of SEEING THINGS was this "it factor" that might be hard for me to describe, so just bear with me.
There's a moment in the story where Abby is going to go to her Uncle's for a while and this is something that is a regular part of Abby's childhood; going on these summer vacations to where her Uncle lives to spend time with him and her Aunt. Although this time, her Uncle is having some disruptions in his life with a job change and some marital issues. All of this information is filtered through Abby's perspective but also translated to the reader through adult conversations between Abby's parents.
This was magical for me.
I cannot explain to you how for several chapters in this book, I was having the most blissed-out reading experience of my life! I was in heaven, curled up on the couch with this book as the author set the stage for Abby to embark on a road trip with her folks to go stay in some seaside, beach town with her Uncle and help him do some low-key renovations of the childhood home he lives in.
It sounded like a childhood dream come true. And while I didn't have an Uncle in my life that I would go stay with like that, I could easily relate to the excitement of being able to spend a week or two away from my parents and get to go to summer camp or a school trip. Sonora Taylor captured all of these emotions so well.
I thought the supernatural gifts Abby experienced were a little underwhelming. At first, Abby seemed scared by all the things she was seeing, the blood and the dead people. But in almost no time at all, she appeared to make some quick adjustments and she's a regular expert on their comings and goings and not unsettled or scared by them. Quite the opposite in fact as she seemed to be in pursuit of them at times.
I wasn't sure that felt authentic to Abby's age but I did make an exception because mid-way through the book, as Abby's character deepens. She starts to come across as confrontational to the point of actually being aggressive and rude to people so I ultimately figured that she's just a unique, young girl that might not have any trouble with seeing dead people after all. In fact, I would even go as far as to say that Abby is a bit of a brat in some situations but this wasn't off-putting to the story. I have raised three kids and it's perfectly normal for kids to display huge amounts of maturity one moment and then throw a temper tantrum the next.
As the end drew closer, I began to feel like certain story developments were a bit rushed. The family dynamic changes pretty drastically and I felt cheated out of some of the more painful, intimate conversations/situations that would undoubtedly take place. Also some of the mysteries that come forward, begin to overlap. There's a tragedy at a summer camp involving some children and then another mystery about a girl named Claire and the two become entangled and slightly confusing.
The ending is fine, and even maybe left room for the author to pick up with Abby later in life, but I did feel like I wanted a few more chapters. I'm giving this book 4 full, glowing stars though because honestly, I had more fun reading this book than anything I've enjoyed as of late--it holds its own against all the other stand outs I've read this year.
I love coming-of-age horror. I especially love a female protagonist coming-of-age horror story with delicious supernatural elements and paranormal activity.
SEEING THINGS by Sonora Taylor is about a young girl named, Abigail "Abby" Gillman. Around the same time she starts seeing some changes in her developing body, she begins seeing blood that nobody else can see. The mysterious blood leads her to ghosts or other important objects which usually spark some curiosity for Abby. This provokes her to start having some interesting conversations with the grown-ups in her life.
Man, this book has some serious ability to hook readers into the story immediately. Sonora Taylor has chops. She is an author on the rise. Her storytelling voice is so smooth and accessible, readers just fall right in step with whatever pace Taylor sets. I've read about a dozen or more of the author's short stories and this is an identifying, consistent attribute of her writing.
My favorite aspect of SEEING THINGS was this "it factor" that might be hard for me to describe, so just bear with me.
There's a moment in the story where Abby is going to go to her Uncle's for a while and this is something that is a regular part of Abby's childhood; going on these summer vacations to where her Uncle lives to spend time with him and her Aunt. Although this time, her Uncle is having some disruptions in his life with a job change and some marital issues. All of this information is filtered through Abby's perspective but also translated to the reader through adult conversations between Abby's parents.
This was magical for me.
I cannot explain to you how for several chapters in this book, I was having the most blissed-out reading experience of my life! I was in heaven, curled up on the couch with this book as the author set the stage for Abby to embark on a road trip with her folks to go stay in some seaside, beach town with her Uncle and help him do some low-key renovations of the childhood home he lives in.
It sounded like a childhood dream come true. And while I didn't have an Uncle in my life that I would go stay with like that, I could easily relate to the excitement of being able to spend a week or two away from my parents and get to go to summer camp or a school trip. Sonora Taylor captured all of these emotions so well.
I thought the supernatural gifts Abby experienced were a little underwhelming. At first, Abby seemed scared by all the things she was seeing, the blood and the dead people. But in almost no time at all, she appeared to make some quick adjustments and she's a regular expert on their comings and goings and not unsettled or scared by them. Quite the opposite in fact as she seemed to be in pursuit of them at times.
I wasn't sure that felt authentic to Abby's age but I did make an exception because mid-way through the book, as Abby's character deepens. She starts to come across as confrontational to the point of actually being aggressive and rude to people so I ultimately figured that she's just a unique, young girl that might not have any trouble with seeing dead people after all. In fact, I would even go as far as to say that Abby is a bit of a brat in some situations but this wasn't off-putting to the story. I have raised three kids and it's perfectly normal for kids to display huge amounts of maturity one moment and then throw a temper tantrum the next.
As the end drew closer, I began to feel like certain story developments were a bit rushed. The family dynamic changes pretty drastically and I felt cheated out of some of the more painful, intimate conversations/situations that would undoubtedly take place. Also some of the mysteries that come forward, begin to overlap. There's a tragedy at a summer camp involving some children and then another mystery about a girl named Claire and the two become entangled and slightly confusing.
The ending is fine, and even maybe left room for the author to pick up with Abby later in life, but I did feel like I wanted a few more chapters. I'm giving this book 4 full, glowing stars though because honestly, I had more fun reading this book than anything I've enjoyed as of late--it holds its own against all the other stand outs I've read this year.
October 8, 2020
Seeing Things is a genuinely creepy tale about a young lady named Abby who sees dead people! As if middle school weren’t tough enough. Sheesh, this poor kid!
Abby first sees a trail of blood in the school hallway. Blood no one else sees (ahhh) which leads her to a locker and more horror that again only she can see. No one seems concerned with her story because locker #751 is infamous and the stories aren’t real. Or that’s what’s she’s told. Fortunately, school is out for the summer, and Abby can put it behind her and spend some time with her uncle fixing up her grandparents' old house.
But this is a horror novel and things never go as planned. Abby thinks she’s going to spend some quality time with her uncle for the first time in years but that doesn’t really happen. She continues to see spooks who are downright rude (she gives one the finger, haha, he deserved it) and soon uncovers secrets and begins to unravel a long-buried mystery.
There are a few different stories happening here. There’s a recent missing girl named Claire who was one of her uncle’s students (ruh oh!), the bloody scene of a summer camp murder-spree by a teen, and that infamous ghost in the locker. Abby manages to ferret out the truth about them all because the dickish ghosts won’t leave her alone. They don’t seem to be connected at first but everything ties in neatly by the end. I loved that. At times I was like “eh, there’s too much for this short novel” but it wasn’t too much and it all made perfect sense.
This book doesn’t shy away from complicated relationships, painful emotions, and messy lives. Abby is young and full of attitude, her emotions are tumultuous and wild and she grounded the novel for me. I remember being her age. It was a crazy time of feeling ragey and upset and hurt and disappointed most of the time. As for the grown-ups? Well, for a while there I was giving many of these people the side-eye which was another thing I loved about this story. Everyone seems to have a secret or two they’d rather keep hidden. And I LOVE secret reveals. Love them to death!
The atmosphere is also done just right. Horrifying ghosts lurk all over the place wanting something from Abby and she makes it her job to figure it out. This book is dark but I expected that from the author who wrote WITHOUT CONDITION and LITTLE PARANOIAS, Sonora Taylor doesn’t shy away from the darkness and the imperfections of the human race. Life is messy and things don’t always turn out the way we hope they will.
It’s the spooky season, well it’s always the spooky season around here, but now is the perfect time to curl up with a book about sinister ghosts and dastardly goings-on and this is a good one!
Abby first sees a trail of blood in the school hallway. Blood no one else sees (ahhh) which leads her to a locker and more horror that again only she can see. No one seems concerned with her story because locker #751 is infamous and the stories aren’t real. Or that’s what’s she’s told. Fortunately, school is out for the summer, and Abby can put it behind her and spend some time with her uncle fixing up her grandparents' old house.
But this is a horror novel and things never go as planned. Abby thinks she’s going to spend some quality time with her uncle for the first time in years but that doesn’t really happen. She continues to see spooks who are downright rude (she gives one the finger, haha, he deserved it) and soon uncovers secrets and begins to unravel a long-buried mystery.
There are a few different stories happening here. There’s a recent missing girl named Claire who was one of her uncle’s students (ruh oh!), the bloody scene of a summer camp murder-spree by a teen, and that infamous ghost in the locker. Abby manages to ferret out the truth about them all because the dickish ghosts won’t leave her alone. They don’t seem to be connected at first but everything ties in neatly by the end. I loved that. At times I was like “eh, there’s too much for this short novel” but it wasn’t too much and it all made perfect sense.
This book doesn’t shy away from complicated relationships, painful emotions, and messy lives. Abby is young and full of attitude, her emotions are tumultuous and wild and she grounded the novel for me. I remember being her age. It was a crazy time of feeling ragey and upset and hurt and disappointed most of the time. As for the grown-ups? Well, for a while there I was giving many of these people the side-eye which was another thing I loved about this story. Everyone seems to have a secret or two they’d rather keep hidden. And I LOVE secret reveals. Love them to death!
The atmosphere is also done just right. Horrifying ghosts lurk all over the place wanting something from Abby and she makes it her job to figure it out. This book is dark but I expected that from the author who wrote WITHOUT CONDITION and LITTLE PARANOIAS, Sonora Taylor doesn’t shy away from the darkness and the imperfections of the human race. Life is messy and things don’t always turn out the way we hope they will.
It’s the spooky season, well it’s always the spooky season around here, but now is the perfect time to curl up with a book about sinister ghosts and dastardly goings-on and this is a good one!
February 13, 2021
The Sixth Sense meets Carrie
Sonora Taylor’s latest novel puts a new spin on the Coming-of-Age horror sub-genre with a mix of family drama, murder mystery and full-on horror.
Abby is a thirteen-year-old girl with a seemingly normal life, with a loving family and good friends. This normality is short-lived, however, as she begins to see things that others can’t. Trails of blood and mysterious figures that roam the school halls, or horrifically mutilated bodies stuffed into school lockers. Nobody believes her at first, assuming she is telling stories based on an infamous school legend that nobody believes anymore.
When the opportunity arises for her to visit her uncle at an idyllic family-home she spent long summers at in her youth, she thinks this is just the break she needs to get away from the blood-soaked visitations that have been haunting her. Her visit will be far from the escape she thought it would be when she becomes embroiled in a local missing person case that will reveal more about her supposed gift than she ever wanted to know.
I really enjoyed the unusual melding of genres that ‘Seeing Things’ delivered. This is, very firmly, a horror book. The books ghosts are presented as grotesque and disturbing, with hollowed-out eyes flayed skin and rivers of blood. Taylor doesn’t shy away from vividly lurid descriptions and the story, at least at first, presents itself as a straight horror book about a young girl who sees these horrifying things everywhere she goes. The books opening line (“One thing Abby learned about growing up was that there was a lot of blood involved”) is no exaggeration.
Expectations are soon subverted, however, as the focus switches more to Abby’s family dynamic, as told through the lens of her newfound abilities. Abby is quick to accept what she cannot change, and the story is moved forward by how her family and friends react to her claims, rather than relying on jump scares or gory images to keep the reader interested. The ghosts become more of a device to tell a different story, than the focus of the story itself, and it leads nicely into an intriguing mystery about a missing girl. This element works particularly well, as we’re given enough clues throughout to slowly piece things together, with enough red herrings thrown at us to keep things interesting.
Being guided through the story with a thirteen-year-old protagonist also proves to be a winning choice. Abby comes across as very authentically her age. She is intelligent, kind, and as curious as she is frightened by her new ability to see dead people, but she also acts like a teenager, mood swings and social awkwardness and all, and it was interesting to see the story through the eyes of someone more open to the experience, but less self-assured about how to go about it, than perhaps an adult protagonist may have been.
Seeing Things was a refreshingly different take on a classic ghost story, a deftly blended mix of multiple genres anchored by a fantastic lead character. If you’re in the market for a coming-of-age horror story unlike any you’ve read before, this book absolutely fits the bill.
You can read more reviews of new and upcoming horror releases at https://www.myindiemuse.com/category/...
I also promote indie horror via Twitter - @RickReadsHorror
Sonora Taylor’s latest novel puts a new spin on the Coming-of-Age horror sub-genre with a mix of family drama, murder mystery and full-on horror.
Abby is a thirteen-year-old girl with a seemingly normal life, with a loving family and good friends. This normality is short-lived, however, as she begins to see things that others can’t. Trails of blood and mysterious figures that roam the school halls, or horrifically mutilated bodies stuffed into school lockers. Nobody believes her at first, assuming she is telling stories based on an infamous school legend that nobody believes anymore.
When the opportunity arises for her to visit her uncle at an idyllic family-home she spent long summers at in her youth, she thinks this is just the break she needs to get away from the blood-soaked visitations that have been haunting her. Her visit will be far from the escape she thought it would be when she becomes embroiled in a local missing person case that will reveal more about her supposed gift than she ever wanted to know.
I really enjoyed the unusual melding of genres that ‘Seeing Things’ delivered. This is, very firmly, a horror book. The books ghosts are presented as grotesque and disturbing, with hollowed-out eyes flayed skin and rivers of blood. Taylor doesn’t shy away from vividly lurid descriptions and the story, at least at first, presents itself as a straight horror book about a young girl who sees these horrifying things everywhere she goes. The books opening line (“One thing Abby learned about growing up was that there was a lot of blood involved”) is no exaggeration.
Expectations are soon subverted, however, as the focus switches more to Abby’s family dynamic, as told through the lens of her newfound abilities. Abby is quick to accept what she cannot change, and the story is moved forward by how her family and friends react to her claims, rather than relying on jump scares or gory images to keep the reader interested. The ghosts become more of a device to tell a different story, than the focus of the story itself, and it leads nicely into an intriguing mystery about a missing girl. This element works particularly well, as we’re given enough clues throughout to slowly piece things together, with enough red herrings thrown at us to keep things interesting.
Being guided through the story with a thirteen-year-old protagonist also proves to be a winning choice. Abby comes across as very authentically her age. She is intelligent, kind, and as curious as she is frightened by her new ability to see dead people, but she also acts like a teenager, mood swings and social awkwardness and all, and it was interesting to see the story through the eyes of someone more open to the experience, but less self-assured about how to go about it, than perhaps an adult protagonist may have been.
Seeing Things was a refreshingly different take on a classic ghost story, a deftly blended mix of multiple genres anchored by a fantastic lead character. If you’re in the market for a coming-of-age horror story unlike any you’ve read before, this book absolutely fits the bill.
You can read more reviews of new and upcoming horror releases at https://www.myindiemuse.com/category/...
I also promote indie horror via Twitter - @RickReadsHorror
June 22, 2020
Seeing Things is my third book by Sonora Taylor, and I really enjoyed it! This is a great seasonal summer horror read, and you should definitely add it to your list. I had a lot of fun reading this one, and I would love to read more stories about Abby if they ever exist!
CW - suicide, abuse
CW - suicide, abuse
June 24, 2020
3.5/5
Sonora Taylor first came onto my radar with her release ‘Without Condition.’ It was a book I didn’t expect to like, but end up loving. She followed that up with her amazing collection ‘Little Paranoias: Stories,’ which featured one of the greatest short stories of all time in ‘Weary Bones.’
When news broke of her next release arriving, I was excited to see what she conjured up with ‘Seeing Things.‘ When the cover was revealed, my excitement grew even more so.
What I liked: In ‘Seeing Things‘ we follow 13-year-old Abby, who is shocked one day at school when she sees blood in the hallway and an eyeless girl stuck in a locker. She tries to put this behind her, by spending some time with her Uncle, but to her dismay, the visions have followed her.
The relationship Sonora has created between Abby and Uncle Keith was fantastic and easily the highlight of the book. I remember the excitement I would have when the family would be coming for a visit. I would feel all jumbled inside waiting for their arrival. Taylor found a way to bottle that emotion and get it onto paper. The feelings of hurt and anger when the family member arrived or you visit but their focus isn’t 100% on you.
As the story progresses and we see how things play out, Abby’s devotion to her Uncle takes centre stage and really does drive this short novel.
What I didn’t like: While reading this, the book never had the feeling of the Taylor I’d read recently. I had some suspicions, which was confirmed in the author’s note after, that this was a story that had been started before ‘Without Condition.’ It didn’t have the same refinement that I love about Taylor’s work.
I personally wish this had been simply a character study between Abby and Keith, two people at key points in their life, trying desperately to still have a relationship like they used too. The paranormal/supernatural aspects often got in the way of their developments and at times were there and then gone within a sentence or two, which really eliminated any sense of worth or even fear towards what it meant.
Lastly, I wanted some resolution. Between the parents and Abby, between brothers and between Abby and Uncle. We never received any of that and it left me frustrated.
Why you should buy it: This is an engrossing read and even when some things get glossed over or are introduced and then dismissed, you so desperately want to know how things play out and what will happen with Abby. That is the ability Taylor has with her writing, to create characters you care about and stories you long to read.
I can’t wait to see what other world’s Sonora creates in the future!
Sonora Taylor first came onto my radar with her release ‘Without Condition.’ It was a book I didn’t expect to like, but end up loving. She followed that up with her amazing collection ‘Little Paranoias: Stories,’ which featured one of the greatest short stories of all time in ‘Weary Bones.’
When news broke of her next release arriving, I was excited to see what she conjured up with ‘Seeing Things.‘ When the cover was revealed, my excitement grew even more so.
What I liked: In ‘Seeing Things‘ we follow 13-year-old Abby, who is shocked one day at school when she sees blood in the hallway and an eyeless girl stuck in a locker. She tries to put this behind her, by spending some time with her Uncle, but to her dismay, the visions have followed her.
The relationship Sonora has created between Abby and Uncle Keith was fantastic and easily the highlight of the book. I remember the excitement I would have when the family would be coming for a visit. I would feel all jumbled inside waiting for their arrival. Taylor found a way to bottle that emotion and get it onto paper. The feelings of hurt and anger when the family member arrived or you visit but their focus isn’t 100% on you.
As the story progresses and we see how things play out, Abby’s devotion to her Uncle takes centre stage and really does drive this short novel.
What I didn’t like: While reading this, the book never had the feeling of the Taylor I’d read recently. I had some suspicions, which was confirmed in the author’s note after, that this was a story that had been started before ‘Without Condition.’ It didn’t have the same refinement that I love about Taylor’s work.
I personally wish this had been simply a character study between Abby and Keith, two people at key points in their life, trying desperately to still have a relationship like they used too. The paranormal/supernatural aspects often got in the way of their developments and at times were there and then gone within a sentence or two, which really eliminated any sense of worth or even fear towards what it meant.
Lastly, I wanted some resolution. Between the parents and Abby, between brothers and between Abby and Uncle. We never received any of that and it left me frustrated.
Why you should buy it: This is an engrossing read and even when some things get glossed over or are introduced and then dismissed, you so desperately want to know how things play out and what will happen with Abby. That is the ability Taylor has with her writing, to create characters you care about and stories you long to read.
I can’t wait to see what other world’s Sonora creates in the future!
June 16, 2020
If you are the kind of reader who is into a story with flashes of urban legends, dark family secrets, murder, and ghosts... then this is the book for you! I FLEW through this story as Sonora Taylor is fantastic author and made that easy for me. I found myself "ooooh!" at the first chapter as I cozied down deeper into my couch with a cup of coffee. And I did not move until I finished it! Taylor creates a likable teen protagonist with a "gift" of seeing things. Ghosts, to be more specific. Highly recommend this one! I could even read a series with this character as the lead if that would ever happen! 4 stars!
November 25, 2020
Updated as now live on STORGY.com
Seeing Things by Sonora Taylor is one hell of a creepy offering, one that is full of dread and menace but one which is also intrinsically beautiful in the macabre – this in part is due to the masterful storytelling one comes to expect from Taylor. Given her beautifully crafted vision that was Little Paranoias I went into this offering expecting great things, and I was rewarded for my persistence in wanting to read everything Sonora Taylor puts out.
I also need to offer some thanks here to Kevin (AKA Well Read Beard) who is the lead cheerleader in the Sonora Taylor fan club and who without I might not have discovered Sonora Taylor… just yet, of course she wouldn’t have stayed off my radar for long becuase brilliance always rises to the surface, but thanks to Well Read Beard’s support of the indie horror scene – this discovery came earlier than I could have hoped and for that I’m immeasurably thankful.
What you are guaranteed with Sonora Taylor is that the writing will be on point, that the prose will be electric, like those rumbles you hear before an electrical storm that are so often followed by thunder and lightning – they say lightning rarely strikes the same place twice, but Taylor brings the lightning again and again wielding it like some Norse Goddess – and it’s a mouth watering prospect that there are still more of her works that I need to consume. So putting away what one expects (prose that is like a lightening bolt) we are also always (whether long or short fiction) treated to a deep, meaningful and gripping story and this can be said for Seeing Things.
The books hold on the reader pretty much starts before even opening the book. The creepy cover offers a glimpse at something that is there, but isn’t there too. I’d not noticed, or maybe I did, but thought it was a finger smudge or something on the cover, but when I got to the end of the book I took a photo on my phone of the cover and uploaded it to Twitter (something I do when I finish a book) and staring back at me from the cover was a freakish apparition from the locker on the cover. Then when I checked out the cover of the book, it wasn’t there? It had vanished, but others commented on seeing it too, others said that they’d never seen it before as well – is this some strange apparition, is Sonora Taylor playing tricks on us with disappearing ink? Am I seeing dead people? Or is this book haunted?
So on with the book review…
Abby Gillman has discovered that with growing up, there comes a lot of blood. But nothing prepares her for the trail of blood she sees in the hallway after class – or the ghost she finds crammed inside an abandoned locker.
‘No one believes Abby, of course. She’s only seeing things. As much as Abby wants to be believed, what she wants more is to know why she can suddenly see the dead. Unfortunately, they won’t tell her. In fact, none of them will speak to her. At all.’
Yes, I can guess what you’re thinking ‘I see dead people!‘ it’s one of the most quoted lines from a film – The Sixth Sense right? Well you’re wrong, this is not a copy of that idea, Taylor has not stolen the components of this and created a cheep knockoff of that idea from M. Night Shyamalan – Taylor has instead written a brilliant and utterly beguiling ghost story, one that shares some of the conventions you might find in true crime, suspense and supernatural literature but above all else Taylor has crafted a truly chilling and beguiling horror novel!
Abby Gillman can see the dead, but they don’t want her to. Her visions start with a girl who is trapped inside a locker at school, and once this vision comes to pass and she realises that those around her can’t see it, she suddenly realises that she is on her own and some of the people she’s seen around school or the neighbourhood are also dead people. Her teachers and parents put it down to a young girl becoming a woman, that she’s just going through a phase, so Abby is left with trying to process the most disturbing visions whilst everyone else thinks shes crazy.
The story is almost three separate narratives (Abby and the girl in the locker, her uncle and a relationship he had with a student and the island off the beach where she spends some of her summer with her uncle where a murder / suicide incident happened) and Taylor weaves all three of these threads masterfully and brings these diverging stories back with great skill to provide a powerful conclusion where all loose ends are tied up and one can’t help but appreciate the skill and writing chops on show. It brings to mind the diverging narrative work of Donald Ray Pollock and Patrick deWitt, how many things are going on but we see by the journeys end how all of these things are connected and again this deft skill of narrative work highlights what a special talent Sonora Taylor is in the writing / horror community.
Abby goes to stay with her uncle at the beach, and once she is here with Uncle Keith for me is when the story kicks on from a good story to a bloody brilliant one. We soon discover that the incident in the locker is not just an isolated incident, Abby sees more dead people, there is mystery and dread, there are secrets and discoveries, and there is a lot of blood. Taylor has us second guessing from the outset, and this doesn’t let up throughout the whole book, we are in essence ‘seeing things’, but we’re seeing them when Taylor wants us to, her grip on the story and the intelligence of her writing and narrative direction hold us hostage to her storytelling and we can’t help but take the hits when they are thrown in our faces.
The work done around the islands and its macabre history and how this feeds into the narrative on show is brilliant executed and adds much needed weight to the story, the plot and behind the punches that Taylor delivers.
Seeing Things is a stunning book, I absolutely loved Little Paranoias but this is something very very special! Sonora Taylor shows how great a storyteller she is with a book that will have you second guessing your every move, which will have you seeing things, seeing connections that might or might not be there. Seeing Things is a delicately crafted tale of the ties that bind and the horrors that last, a coming of age tale that is as creepy as it is unsettling and as beguiling as it is masterful!
Seeing Things by Sonora Taylor is one hell of a creepy offering, one that is full of dread and menace but one which is also intrinsically beautiful in the macabre – this in part is due to the masterful storytelling one comes to expect from Taylor. Given her beautifully crafted vision that was Little Paranoias I went into this offering expecting great things, and I was rewarded for my persistence in wanting to read everything Sonora Taylor puts out.
I also need to offer some thanks here to Kevin (AKA Well Read Beard) who is the lead cheerleader in the Sonora Taylor fan club and who without I might not have discovered Sonora Taylor… just yet, of course she wouldn’t have stayed off my radar for long becuase brilliance always rises to the surface, but thanks to Well Read Beard’s support of the indie horror scene – this discovery came earlier than I could have hoped and for that I’m immeasurably thankful.
What you are guaranteed with Sonora Taylor is that the writing will be on point, that the prose will be electric, like those rumbles you hear before an electrical storm that are so often followed by thunder and lightning – they say lightning rarely strikes the same place twice, but Taylor brings the lightning again and again wielding it like some Norse Goddess – and it’s a mouth watering prospect that there are still more of her works that I need to consume. So putting away what one expects (prose that is like a lightening bolt) we are also always (whether long or short fiction) treated to a deep, meaningful and gripping story and this can be said for Seeing Things.
The books hold on the reader pretty much starts before even opening the book. The creepy cover offers a glimpse at something that is there, but isn’t there too. I’d not noticed, or maybe I did, but thought it was a finger smudge or something on the cover, but when I got to the end of the book I took a photo on my phone of the cover and uploaded it to Twitter (something I do when I finish a book) and staring back at me from the cover was a freakish apparition from the locker on the cover. Then when I checked out the cover of the book, it wasn’t there? It had vanished, but others commented on seeing it too, others said that they’d never seen it before as well – is this some strange apparition, is Sonora Taylor playing tricks on us with disappearing ink? Am I seeing dead people? Or is this book haunted?
So on with the book review…
Abby Gillman has discovered that with growing up, there comes a lot of blood. But nothing prepares her for the trail of blood she sees in the hallway after class – or the ghost she finds crammed inside an abandoned locker.
‘No one believes Abby, of course. She’s only seeing things. As much as Abby wants to be believed, what she wants more is to know why she can suddenly see the dead. Unfortunately, they won’t tell her. In fact, none of them will speak to her. At all.’
Yes, I can guess what you’re thinking ‘I see dead people!‘ it’s one of the most quoted lines from a film – The Sixth Sense right? Well you’re wrong, this is not a copy of that idea, Taylor has not stolen the components of this and created a cheep knockoff of that idea from M. Night Shyamalan – Taylor has instead written a brilliant and utterly beguiling ghost story, one that shares some of the conventions you might find in true crime, suspense and supernatural literature but above all else Taylor has crafted a truly chilling and beguiling horror novel!
Abby Gillman can see the dead, but they don’t want her to. Her visions start with a girl who is trapped inside a locker at school, and once this vision comes to pass and she realises that those around her can’t see it, she suddenly realises that she is on her own and some of the people she’s seen around school or the neighbourhood are also dead people. Her teachers and parents put it down to a young girl becoming a woman, that she’s just going through a phase, so Abby is left with trying to process the most disturbing visions whilst everyone else thinks shes crazy.
The story is almost three separate narratives (Abby and the girl in the locker, her uncle and a relationship he had with a student and the island off the beach where she spends some of her summer with her uncle where a murder / suicide incident happened) and Taylor weaves all three of these threads masterfully and brings these diverging stories back with great skill to provide a powerful conclusion where all loose ends are tied up and one can’t help but appreciate the skill and writing chops on show. It brings to mind the diverging narrative work of Donald Ray Pollock and Patrick deWitt, how many things are going on but we see by the journeys end how all of these things are connected and again this deft skill of narrative work highlights what a special talent Sonora Taylor is in the writing / horror community.
Abby goes to stay with her uncle at the beach, and once she is here with Uncle Keith for me is when the story kicks on from a good story to a bloody brilliant one. We soon discover that the incident in the locker is not just an isolated incident, Abby sees more dead people, there is mystery and dread, there are secrets and discoveries, and there is a lot of blood. Taylor has us second guessing from the outset, and this doesn’t let up throughout the whole book, we are in essence ‘seeing things’, but we’re seeing them when Taylor wants us to, her grip on the story and the intelligence of her writing and narrative direction hold us hostage to her storytelling and we can’t help but take the hits when they are thrown in our faces.
The work done around the islands and its macabre history and how this feeds into the narrative on show is brilliant executed and adds much needed weight to the story, the plot and behind the punches that Taylor delivers.
Seeing Things is a stunning book, I absolutely loved Little Paranoias but this is something very very special! Sonora Taylor shows how great a storyteller she is with a book that will have you second guessing your every move, which will have you seeing things, seeing connections that might or might not be there. Seeing Things is a delicately crafted tale of the ties that bind and the horrors that last, a coming of age tale that is as creepy as it is unsettling and as beguiling as it is masterful!
July 21, 2020
In SEEING THINGS, Abby is your average 13-year-old girl dealing with normal, everyday teenage life: overprotective parents, school woes, and "the joys of becoming a woman". Her average life takes a sudden turn one day when she follows a trail of blood down a school hallway and sees something she can't explain: her first ghost, a dead girl her own age that's been brutally shoved into an old locker. The kicker? The ghost doesn't want to be seen, and definitely doesn't want to see Abby. What's worse is that nobody believes her about what she's seen, and it'll take an annual summer visit to her uncle's house for things to start making sense for her.
When I heard that Sonora Taylor was releasing a new short novel, I immediately added it to my "wishlist books" section on Goodreads. I'd previously read and reviewed her collection of short stories & poetry, LITTLE PARANOIAS, and loved it. Actually, rereading that review, there's a line I wrote that stands out to me as true for SEEING THINGS as well: "We’re introduced to characters that we think we know, only to have the scripts completely flipped a few paragraphs from the ending, leaving the reader unsteady and unsure." I love Sonora's ability to do this, and am so happy to say that she nailed it again with her new book.
Although this one hasn't been marketed as YA (to the best of my knowledge), I think it could also be a great horror read for teens - I know that I personally would've loved reading this when I was younger, along with all the King and VC Andrews books my mom probably shouldn't have given me because "there are kids on the cover, so it's a kid's book". There are times when Abby's attitude and moods are exactly what you'd expect of a young teenage girl dealing with difficult things in her life, and as a girl who also had my fair share of teenage difficulty - albeit, not otherworldly in nature, haha - I would've been able to relate to her in ways that I'm not really able to now.
That said, whether I relate to Abby's personal angst or not, I did find the time I spent with her while reading absolutely enjoyable and her character was definitely believable. Sonora's talents as a writer shine through in this novella in the same way they did in her previous collection. Her ability to write close relationships with people is one of my favorite things about reading her work - Abby's relationship with her Uncle Keith was such a great part of this story, and I loved the bond that they shared and how important the characters were to one another. If there are any future stories about Abby and Uncle Keith, I'm so here for them!
One last thing I want to mention is how totally brutal some of the stuff in this story is! If you're into your horror fiction having spooky ghosts and stomach-turning, gory imagery - look no further! SEEING THINGS knocks both of these and more way out of the park, and I'm very excited to see what home runs Sonora comes out with next!
When I heard that Sonora Taylor was releasing a new short novel, I immediately added it to my "wishlist books" section on Goodreads. I'd previously read and reviewed her collection of short stories & poetry, LITTLE PARANOIAS, and loved it. Actually, rereading that review, there's a line I wrote that stands out to me as true for SEEING THINGS as well: "We’re introduced to characters that we think we know, only to have the scripts completely flipped a few paragraphs from the ending, leaving the reader unsteady and unsure." I love Sonora's ability to do this, and am so happy to say that she nailed it again with her new book.
Although this one hasn't been marketed as YA (to the best of my knowledge), I think it could also be a great horror read for teens - I know that I personally would've loved reading this when I was younger, along with all the King and VC Andrews books my mom probably shouldn't have given me because "there are kids on the cover, so it's a kid's book". There are times when Abby's attitude and moods are exactly what you'd expect of a young teenage girl dealing with difficult things in her life, and as a girl who also had my fair share of teenage difficulty - albeit, not otherworldly in nature, haha - I would've been able to relate to her in ways that I'm not really able to now.
That said, whether I relate to Abby's personal angst or not, I did find the time I spent with her while reading absolutely enjoyable and her character was definitely believable. Sonora's talents as a writer shine through in this novella in the same way they did in her previous collection. Her ability to write close relationships with people is one of my favorite things about reading her work - Abby's relationship with her Uncle Keith was such a great part of this story, and I loved the bond that they shared and how important the characters were to one another. If there are any future stories about Abby and Uncle Keith, I'm so here for them!
One last thing I want to mention is how totally brutal some of the stuff in this story is! If you're into your horror fiction having spooky ghosts and stomach-turning, gory imagery - look no further! SEEING THINGS knocks both of these and more way out of the park, and I'm very excited to see what home runs Sonora comes out with next!
July 20, 2020
This coming-of-age horror story follows Abby, a preteen who begins seeing something no one else can—dead people. Yeah, it sounds like something you might have heard before, but this is a refreshing take I quite enjoyed. Abby doesn’t spend a lot of time freaked out by her new gifts. Instead, she’s interested in finding out more. Why is she seeing the ghosts? Why do all of them seem to hate her? And what are they doing in her uncle’s basement!?
This novella is a perfect summer afternoon read. Horror narratives about kids always get me—I’m a sucker for a tale that’s equally heartwarming and horrifying. The story is comfortable, but still offers a new point of view. I also appreciated that it didn’t shy away from difficult topics; the adults in the book, especially her uncle, speak with Abby fairly openly about difficult topics.
I do think the story and the characters could have been developed further. There are two intertwining mysterious deaths that become a little confusing to follow. This is not helped along by the plot sometimes falling into the trap of explaining the moments that would have been more interesting to experience. Also, one everything is out in the open, the ending felt rushed and there wasn’t room for much of a cathartic moment.
Overall, this is a quick and fun little horror read, and I am looking forward to reading more of Taylor’s work.
My thanks to the author for sending me a copy of this one to read and review.
This novella is a perfect summer afternoon read. Horror narratives about kids always get me—I’m a sucker for a tale that’s equally heartwarming and horrifying. The story is comfortable, but still offers a new point of view. I also appreciated that it didn’t shy away from difficult topics; the adults in the book, especially her uncle, speak with Abby fairly openly about difficult topics.
I do think the story and the characters could have been developed further. There are two intertwining mysterious deaths that become a little confusing to follow. This is not helped along by the plot sometimes falling into the trap of explaining the moments that would have been more interesting to experience. Also, one everything is out in the open, the ending felt rushed and there wasn’t room for much of a cathartic moment.
Overall, this is a quick and fun little horror read, and I am looking forward to reading more of Taylor’s work.
My thanks to the author for sending me a copy of this one to read and review.
June 1, 2020
A thrilling mystery from start to finish! I really enjoyed the strong, imperfect characters throughout the book -- they felt real and I could feel the pain each individual went through as they came face-to-face with their fears, flaws, and with each other. Taylor is so good at using misdirection and different clues that create a highly intriguing plot where you think one thing might happen, but something else does. Abby is a wonderful character, and I loved how the book shows her in a coming-of-age kind of story, but in a gritty way that makes her have to face what the typical young teen does not (especially with that ending!). Highly recommend this one!
July 26, 2020
Seeing Things is, quite simply, the perfect ghost novel. There is a wonderful mix of well drawn and relatable humanity and spine tingling ghost encounters that made this an absolute joy to breeze through. That doesn't mean it's fluffy, however - there are some beautifully depicted family relationships here, flawed characters, and serious scares. There's also a completely novel twist on the idea of seeing ghosts, and how a person would interact with them. Add in some creepy urban legend material and you have, as I said, the perfect ghost novel.
Having read Taylor's collection, Little Paranoias, I felt confident I'd enjoy anything she wrote. Now I'm even more so.
Having read Taylor's collection, Little Paranoias, I felt confident I'd enjoy anything she wrote. Now I'm even more so.
March 5, 2022
I see dead people; that's what I kept thinking with this book.
Seeing Things follows a young MC who, you guessed it, sees dead people. I was a little worried that I wouldn't connect with an MC that young, but that wasn't a problem at all, because the author did a great job of making her relatable, to the point that I remembered feeling how she felt (ugh, middle school)
One of my favorite things about this book was that everyone seemed to have a secret, and each was revealed in the best way. The MC wasn't giving up in her quest to uncover EVERYTHING.
There are plenty of twists and turns, BIG reveals, and rude ghosts for my liking, so I highly recommend!
Well done!
Seeing Things follows a young MC who, you guessed it, sees dead people. I was a little worried that I wouldn't connect with an MC that young, but that wasn't a problem at all, because the author did a great job of making her relatable, to the point that I remembered feeling how she felt (ugh, middle school)
One of my favorite things about this book was that everyone seemed to have a secret, and each was revealed in the best way. The MC wasn't giving up in her quest to uncover EVERYTHING.
There are plenty of twists and turns, BIG reveals, and rude ghosts for my liking, so I highly recommend!
Well done!
August 16, 2020
*I was given this book by the author in exchange for my fair and honest review.*
This is my third foray down the literary road with Sonora Taylor and each time before she did not disappoint, and once again, her second novel doesn't either.
Abby Gillman has discovered that with growing up, there comes a lot of blood. But nothing prepares her for the trail of blood she sees in the school hallway after class- or the ghost she finds crammed into an empty locker.
No one believes Abby of course. She's the only one seeing things. As much as Abby wants to be believed, what she wants more is to know why she can suddenly see the undead. Unfortunately, they won't tell her. In fact, none of them speak at all to her. Abby leaves for her annual summer visit to her uncle's house with tons of questions. The visit will give her answers the ghosts won't. But she may not like what she finds out.
Taylor does a fantastic job of telling a compelling coming of age story, with ghosts thrown in the mix of course. And I thought puberty was tough! The author portray the awkwardness of growing up and the frustration that comes with seeing the dead. But this isn't like any other ghost story I've read. Ghosts usually hang around because they have a message for someone or want to cause harm. These ghosts won't talk to Abby, in fact one flips her off! Since my first read of Taylor's was Without Condition, I knew this wasn't going to be some cut and dry ghost story, and I was happy to be proven right!
The pace is steady never dragging as the author cuts her chapters off just when something good is about to happen. This help propels the novel forward and keeps the pace fast, steady, but you certainly don't want to put the book down! I read this in one sitting!
The characterization was well done-especially with Abby and Uncle Keith. Both flawed and complex. Taylor writes her main character as strong willed and well rounded, with a bit of sarcasm thrown in.
Sonora Taylor once again hits the horror button right on the spot with Seeing Things! A thrilling, coming of age tale that is not to be missed!
This is my third foray down the literary road with Sonora Taylor and each time before she did not disappoint, and once again, her second novel doesn't either.
Abby Gillman has discovered that with growing up, there comes a lot of blood. But nothing prepares her for the trail of blood she sees in the school hallway after class- or the ghost she finds crammed into an empty locker.
No one believes Abby of course. She's the only one seeing things. As much as Abby wants to be believed, what she wants more is to know why she can suddenly see the undead. Unfortunately, they won't tell her. In fact, none of them speak at all to her. Abby leaves for her annual summer visit to her uncle's house with tons of questions. The visit will give her answers the ghosts won't. But she may not like what she finds out.
Taylor does a fantastic job of telling a compelling coming of age story, with ghosts thrown in the mix of course. And I thought puberty was tough! The author portray the awkwardness of growing up and the frustration that comes with seeing the dead. But this isn't like any other ghost story I've read. Ghosts usually hang around because they have a message for someone or want to cause harm. These ghosts won't talk to Abby, in fact one flips her off! Since my first read of Taylor's was Without Condition, I knew this wasn't going to be some cut and dry ghost story, and I was happy to be proven right!
The pace is steady never dragging as the author cuts her chapters off just when something good is about to happen. This help propels the novel forward and keeps the pace fast, steady, but you certainly don't want to put the book down! I read this in one sitting!
The characterization was well done-especially with Abby and Uncle Keith. Both flawed and complex. Taylor writes her main character as strong willed and well rounded, with a bit of sarcasm thrown in.
Sonora Taylor once again hits the horror button right on the spot with Seeing Things! A thrilling, coming of age tale that is not to be missed!
June 30, 2020
I had the pleasure of reading and reviewing this before it's release.
Seeing Things follows a 13-year-old named Abby trying to make it through middle school. We can all relate that middle school is hell enough, but what about seeing rude ghost that turn their backs on you? I’ll say the beginning was a little slow but as we build up steam it takes off.
So, Abby is looking forward to spending some time in the summer with her Uncle Keith. Her and Uncle Keith haven’t seen each other in 4 years. She’s wanting to get away from home and the ghost. Reclaim a time in her youth she loved and wanted to visit again. Enter Sangway Bluff and the mysteries that are about to unfold.
If you’re a fan of any genre this book is for you. It’s got ghost, horror, crime, mystery, murder, and a little touch of noir. There’s a part in chapter 15 where I literally said out loud “OH SHIT! Is it really?” and I had goosebumps all over. I was worried too, cause the book is only 17 chapters. I was no this is ending is going to suck. Was I ever wrong? Sonora wrapped it beautifully. What a ride. I remembered my friend Jamie posting about hugging books on her Instagram page and I was like hmmm that’s interesting, don’t know that I’ve ever thought of hugging a book. I’ve finished plenty of books and was like I loved it, but it just a good kind of love. When I finished Seeing Things, I hugged it. I felt it. I felt the power, the emotion, that story hit and got me in the feels. I lost a friend when I was a teenager. He hung himself and that was rough, not that this book deals with suicide but it deals with death and grief and healing and that hit me like a ton of bricks. It was just what I needed. This is definitely a coming of age story and a perfect summertime read. If it’s not on your Summertime read list already, put it there. Looking forward to the next novel or collection from Sonora Taylor. If you haven't read any of Sonora's work fix that and support indie authors.
Seeing Things follows a 13-year-old named Abby trying to make it through middle school. We can all relate that middle school is hell enough, but what about seeing rude ghost that turn their backs on you? I’ll say the beginning was a little slow but as we build up steam it takes off.
So, Abby is looking forward to spending some time in the summer with her Uncle Keith. Her and Uncle Keith haven’t seen each other in 4 years. She’s wanting to get away from home and the ghost. Reclaim a time in her youth she loved and wanted to visit again. Enter Sangway Bluff and the mysteries that are about to unfold.
If you’re a fan of any genre this book is for you. It’s got ghost, horror, crime, mystery, murder, and a little touch of noir. There’s a part in chapter 15 where I literally said out loud “OH SHIT! Is it really?” and I had goosebumps all over. I was worried too, cause the book is only 17 chapters. I was no this is ending is going to suck. Was I ever wrong? Sonora wrapped it beautifully. What a ride. I remembered my friend Jamie posting about hugging books on her Instagram page and I was like hmmm that’s interesting, don’t know that I’ve ever thought of hugging a book. I’ve finished plenty of books and was like I loved it, but it just a good kind of love. When I finished Seeing Things, I hugged it. I felt it. I felt the power, the emotion, that story hit and got me in the feels. I lost a friend when I was a teenager. He hung himself and that was rough, not that this book deals with suicide but it deals with death and grief and healing and that hit me like a ton of bricks. It was just what I needed. This is definitely a coming of age story and a perfect summertime read. If it’s not on your Summertime read list already, put it there. Looking forward to the next novel or collection from Sonora Taylor. If you haven't read any of Sonora's work fix that and support indie authors.
June 23, 2020
Seeing Things is my third book to read by Sonora Taylor. Her previous releases Without Condition {review} and Little Paranoias {review} are favorites among the Ladies of Horror Fiction team.
I'm so happy Taylor has gifted us with a ghost story. Combining my favorite horror element (ghosts) with her storytelling really put me in my happy place with this one!
Seeing Things follows Abby Gillman as she begins "seeing things" that others claim are just her imagination. Weighing in at under 200 pages, Seeing Things is a quick read, but it packs in a full story of legends and family secrets.
I would be happy if Taylor decided to make a whole series following Abby and her family and how she copes with seeing things. I'll be reading what comes next either way.
I'm so happy Taylor has gifted us with a ghost story. Combining my favorite horror element (ghosts) with her storytelling really put me in my happy place with this one!
Seeing Things follows Abby Gillman as she begins "seeing things" that others claim are just her imagination. Weighing in at under 200 pages, Seeing Things is a quick read, but it packs in a full story of legends and family secrets.
I would be happy if Taylor decided to make a whole series following Abby and her family and how she copes with seeing things. I'll be reading what comes next either way.
July 24, 2020
You know growing up is already hard.
Now imagine growing up and adding ghosts into the mix..
Imagine the ghosts not even wanting anything to do with you.
This story is about Abby not Abs those are muscles. Abby is growing up balancing school, family issues, and ghosts.
The way the author writes about the victims was perfect. It was detailed enough to let you get a picture, but not so graphic that you feel uncomfortable. I really appreciated that as someone who works with that age range.
There are some fun twists in the book and it really goes towards real life. It may seem like its only you and nobody else will understand, but there is always someone who has been where you are.
This was my first book by this author and it definitely won't be my last.
Now imagine growing up and adding ghosts into the mix..
Imagine the ghosts not even wanting anything to do with you.
This story is about Abby not Abs those are muscles. Abby is growing up balancing school, family issues, and ghosts.
The way the author writes about the victims was perfect. It was detailed enough to let you get a picture, but not so graphic that you feel uncomfortable. I really appreciated that as someone who works with that age range.
There are some fun twists in the book and it really goes towards real life. It may seem like its only you and nobody else will understand, but there is always someone who has been where you are.
This was my first book by this author and it definitely won't be my last.
October 9, 2021
Full review to come. This was the best of Sonora’s books I’ve read to date. I was totally absorbed in it. I’d love her to write more of these! Possibly with Abby at the helm again would be cool.
September 16, 2020
I always enjoy a good ghost story and Sonora Taylor’s Seeing Things takes it to a place of beautiful melancholy. This book offers up a coming-of-age story set against some very disturbing visions. This is the first book I’ve read by Taylor and it surely will not be my last.
Abby Gillman can see the dead, but nobody at home or at her school believes her. It doesn’t matter that there is a body stuffed in a locker at school, or there is a boy nobody can see in the lunchroom. Making matters worse is that the dead refuse to respond to Abby’s questions. After the school year comes to an end she travels to spend time with her Uncle Keith, but he has some problems of his own. Her stay with Uncle Keith leads her to unravel a mystery that ends with a stunning conclusion.
Sonora Taylor has done a tremendous job writing the characters, especially those of Abby and her uncle. Both of these characters are dealing with some pretty massive changes in their lives. The hurt, confusion, and all other emotions are dealt with honestly and lovingly. While I may have been frustrated by some decisions they made or thoughts they shared it felt like I had a personal interest in these people. This is something that doesn’t happen much in my reading — I’m more often than not able to disassociate myself from the people in a book. It is a testament to Taylor’s writing abilities that I felt this close bond to the main characters.
The other aspect of the book that I really loved was this sense of melancholy woven into every aspect of the book. Even in the small moments of joy there is a hint of sadness. Even the dead give off a sense of sadness that isn’t very normal in a ghost story. It truly makes me love the story even more when the setting/place is just as an effective conveyor of emotion. Never does the story break into complete sunshine, and honestly it makes for a much more moving story and conclusion. We as humans go through many changes over the course of our lives and it isn’t always happy or pleasant. Taylor does add a small dose of hope near the end of the book, but it doesn’t feel forced. Much like the entire book it feels extremely natural and right.
Seeing Things made me feel things that I don’t often feel in horror fiction. It isn’t just terror in the sense of a shock or jump scare, but more in the horror that comes from dark secrets and lost innocence. The book represents every thing that is right in a coming-of-age story mixed with moments of terror found in the best of horror writing. In the characters of Abby and Uncle Keith, Taylor has introduced people that I would love to make a return in a future story. This is a raw and stunning book that should find it’s way into your to be read list.
Abby Gillman can see the dead, but nobody at home or at her school believes her. It doesn’t matter that there is a body stuffed in a locker at school, or there is a boy nobody can see in the lunchroom. Making matters worse is that the dead refuse to respond to Abby’s questions. After the school year comes to an end she travels to spend time with her Uncle Keith, but he has some problems of his own. Her stay with Uncle Keith leads her to unravel a mystery that ends with a stunning conclusion.
Sonora Taylor has done a tremendous job writing the characters, especially those of Abby and her uncle. Both of these characters are dealing with some pretty massive changes in their lives. The hurt, confusion, and all other emotions are dealt with honestly and lovingly. While I may have been frustrated by some decisions they made or thoughts they shared it felt like I had a personal interest in these people. This is something that doesn’t happen much in my reading — I’m more often than not able to disassociate myself from the people in a book. It is a testament to Taylor’s writing abilities that I felt this close bond to the main characters.
The other aspect of the book that I really loved was this sense of melancholy woven into every aspect of the book. Even in the small moments of joy there is a hint of sadness. Even the dead give off a sense of sadness that isn’t very normal in a ghost story. It truly makes me love the story even more when the setting/place is just as an effective conveyor of emotion. Never does the story break into complete sunshine, and honestly it makes for a much more moving story and conclusion. We as humans go through many changes over the course of our lives and it isn’t always happy or pleasant. Taylor does add a small dose of hope near the end of the book, but it doesn’t feel forced. Much like the entire book it feels extremely natural and right.
Seeing Things made me feel things that I don’t often feel in horror fiction. It isn’t just terror in the sense of a shock or jump scare, but more in the horror that comes from dark secrets and lost innocence. The book represents every thing that is right in a coming-of-age story mixed with moments of terror found in the best of horror writing. In the characters of Abby and Uncle Keith, Taylor has introduced people that I would love to make a return in a future story. This is a raw and stunning book that should find it’s way into your to be read list.
March 26, 2022
Ghostly!
Seeing ghosts isn't something anyone should ever have to deal with, but a middle schooler dealing with it? Dang.
I loved this story, even though I did find it somewhat difficult to relate given the MCs age.
Outside of that, I loved all the secrets. Secrets. Secrets. And more secrets. Everyone had one, and the MC must figure them all out.
Def recommend to anyone that like paranormal.
Seeing ghosts isn't something anyone should ever have to deal with, but a middle schooler dealing with it? Dang.
I loved this story, even though I did find it somewhat difficult to relate given the MCs age.
Outside of that, I loved all the secrets. Secrets. Secrets. And more secrets. Everyone had one, and the MC must figure them all out.
Def recommend to anyone that like paranormal.
June 7, 2020
I was so honored when Sonora Taylor contacted me to see if I'd be interested in receiving an ARC edition of the book to read and review. I've been a fan of her writing since earlier in the year when I reviewed 'Little Paranoias' for work and have just been tearing through her content.
So of course I accepted.
I was expecting/hoping for a horror novel akin to the eerie stories featured in her collections. As usual I was surprised by what I read, but not disappointed.
'Seeing Things' is exactly the book that I needed when I was in middle school. I wish I could have gotten a copy then. It's a coming of age story that's light enough not to be intense horror, while also not steering entirely clear of adult topics. Writing real terrors that are appropriate for a younger audience is so incredibly hard, and this book might be the epitome of that balance.
There are tough subjects tackled. Although there's no explicit sex and only minimal gore, the protagonist has an understanding that there are terrifying and adult things happening around her that she's being sheltered from. It's haunting to read as an adult and I can only imagine how relatable I would have found it as a young teenager.
It's a short read that I would strongly recommend to just about anyone. And if you're a teenage girl with an interest in morbid ghost stories, then 10/10 this is the book for you.
So of course I accepted.
I was expecting/hoping for a horror novel akin to the eerie stories featured in her collections. As usual I was surprised by what I read, but not disappointed.
'Seeing Things' is exactly the book that I needed when I was in middle school. I wish I could have gotten a copy then. It's a coming of age story that's light enough not to be intense horror, while also not steering entirely clear of adult topics. Writing real terrors that are appropriate for a younger audience is so incredibly hard, and this book might be the epitome of that balance.
There are tough subjects tackled. Although there's no explicit sex and only minimal gore, the protagonist has an understanding that there are terrifying and adult things happening around her that she's being sheltered from. It's haunting to read as an adult and I can only imagine how relatable I would have found it as a young teenager.
It's a short read that I would strongly recommend to just about anyone. And if you're a teenage girl with an interest in morbid ghost stories, then 10/10 this is the book for you.
May 1, 2021
This was an enjoyable read. I really liked the MC, Abby, and it was fun to follow along her journey to figure out what was happening. A little bit urban legend, a little bit coming of age, I think readers will like this one.
September 1, 2020
I wish I could give this book to myself at 13 years old. It's the heir to "Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret," for those of us who skewed more Lydia Deetz than Sweet Valley High twins.
August 7, 2023
No es ningún secreto para mis seguidores que siento debilidad por la mayoría de cosas que publica @dilatandomentes, pero a veces me encuentro con títulos que me seducen con su trama y las expectativas me juegan malas pasadas.
Cuando leí la sinopsis de esta novela me esperaba una historia creepy de fantasmas. Tiene algunas escenas que me gustaron bastante, sobre todo cuando describe a los fantasmas, pero más bien te advierto que lo que te encontrarás dentro es más drama que otra cosa.
Abby, de repente, descubre que puede ver a los muertos y lejos de querer comunicarse con ella, muchos la evitan. Si combinas esto con las inseguridades y la curiosidad de una preadolescente se te queda una historia descafeinada.
He sentido que está enfocada a un público juvenil que se está iniciando en el género y que quizás para personas más "curtidas" como yo, se queda en una historia que pasa sin pena ni gloria.
Aún así estaré pendiente a los siguientes lanzamientos de la editorial, porque gracias a la variedad dentro del terror que ofrecen, sé que encontraré nuevas historias que me encantarán.
Cuando leí la sinopsis de esta novela me esperaba una historia creepy de fantasmas. Tiene algunas escenas que me gustaron bastante, sobre todo cuando describe a los fantasmas, pero más bien te advierto que lo que te encontrarás dentro es más drama que otra cosa.
Abby, de repente, descubre que puede ver a los muertos y lejos de querer comunicarse con ella, muchos la evitan. Si combinas esto con las inseguridades y la curiosidad de una preadolescente se te queda una historia descafeinada.
He sentido que está enfocada a un público juvenil que se está iniciando en el género y que quizás para personas más "curtidas" como yo, se queda en una historia que pasa sin pena ni gloria.
Aún así estaré pendiente a los siguientes lanzamientos de la editorial, porque gracias a la variedad dentro del terror que ofrecen, sé que encontraré nuevas historias que me encantarán.
April 22, 2022
Seeing Things is a subtle story about the horrors of puberty and girls’ coming of age. Imagine if, not only dealing with our bodies changing, we start to see things that can’t possibly be real. So much in fact that no one believes you, leaving no one to talk to about these major changes happening in your life. I don’t read a ton of stories with teens as the lead because it seems teens are mostly written as petulant and moody. Not that this isn’t real to life, because teenagers are going through a lot. But, it doesn’t always make for pleasant reading, either. I genuinely loved Abby, though. She does get upset about little things, and acts out, but she also looks at her world head on and accepts that growing up will be painful. It is just refreshing to see a teen written as a real person, rather than weighing heavily on the tropes of obnoxious teens.
And on top of all of this, Seeing Things is a great ghost story!
And on top of all of this, Seeing Things is a great ghost story!
September 12, 2023
Lectura 201 (2023) Visiones de Sonora Taylor
Traducción José Ángel de Dios
Este thriller paranormal no tiene su punto fuerte en el manido punto de partida (ver fantasmas...). Sin embargo la autora lo utiliza muy bien para desarrollar un misterio casi detectivesco con tintes de horror y le da un buen final. Dilatando descubriendo nuevas autoras para nosotros
4/5
Traducción José Ángel de Dios
Este thriller paranormal no tiene su punto fuerte en el manido punto de partida (ver fantasmas...). Sin embargo la autora lo utiliza muy bien para desarrollar un misterio casi detectivesco con tintes de horror y le da un buen final. Dilatando descubriendo nuevas autoras para nosotros
4/5
March 15, 2022
Curse or Gift?
Thirteen year-old Abby has a the ability to see things. Things that no one else can see. She is relieved to learn that someone else might share her special ability. But what happens when she digs a little deeper causes her more pain than good. She thought finding more answers would make things easier but it only makes things worse.
This book was great and definite must read for those who like a little bit of a ghost story.
Thirteen year-old Abby has a the ability to see things. Things that no one else can see. She is relieved to learn that someone else might share her special ability. But what happens when she digs a little deeper causes her more pain than good. She thought finding more answers would make things easier but it only makes things worse.
This book was great and definite must read for those who like a little bit of a ghost story.
March 2, 2023
Oh wow! This was creepy as well as tense! That ending shocked me but in a good way! Fans of coming of age horror will love this. Highly recommend!
May 8, 2021
Loved this.
Fast becoming one of my favorite authors. This was exceptional
Fast becoming one of my favorite authors. This was exceptional
March 5, 2022
Tortured Souls
Seeing Things is very reminiscent of the Sixth Sense, so if you enjoyed the movie or the novel that came later, this book is right up your alley. Abby is a young girl who begins seeing disturbing blood trails that always lead to a ghostly image of a soul who is no longer of this world. When the phenomenon first begins, she cannot understand how no one else sees what she is seeing. Perhaps a week away with her uncle Keith is just what the doctor ordered. Little does Abby know this will only lead her further down a path of dark discovery. The plot is good, and the book is well written, with characters you will find yourself invested in. Good read.
Seeing Things is very reminiscent of the Sixth Sense, so if you enjoyed the movie or the novel that came later, this book is right up your alley. Abby is a young girl who begins seeing disturbing blood trails that always lead to a ghostly image of a soul who is no longer of this world. When the phenomenon first begins, she cannot understand how no one else sees what she is seeing. Perhaps a week away with her uncle Keith is just what the doctor ordered. Little does Abby know this will only lead her further down a path of dark discovery. The plot is good, and the book is well written, with characters you will find yourself invested in. Good read.
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