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Prelude for Lost Souls #1
Prelude for Lost Souls
For readers of Nova Ren Suma, Maggie Steifvater, and Maureen Johnson comes a spellbinding tale about choosing your own path, the families we create for ourselves, and facing the ghosts of your past.
In the town of St. Hilaire, most make their living by talking to the dead. In the summer, the town gates open to tourists seeking answers while all activity is controlled by The Guild, a sinister ruling body that sees everything.
Dec Hampton has lived there his entire life, but ever since his parents died, he's been done with it. He knows he has to leave before anyone has a chance to stop him.
His best friend Russ won't be surprised when Dec leaves—but he will be heartbroken. Russ is a good medium, maybe even a great one. He's made sacrifices for his gift and will do whatever he can to gain entry to The Guild, even embracing dark forces and contacting the most elusive ghost in town.
But when the train of Annie Krylova, the piano prodigy whose music has been Dec's main source of solace, breaks down outside of town, it sets off an unexpected chain of events. And in St. Hilaire, there are no such things as coincidences.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2020
62 people are currently reading
5768 people want to read
About the author
Helene Dunbar
9 books298 followersCalled the "queen of heartbreaking prose" by Paste Magazine, Helene Dunbar is the author of WE ARE LOST AND FOUND (Sourcebooks, September 2019), PRELUDE FOR LOST SOULS (August, 2020), and THE PROMISE OF LOST THINGS (2022), as well as BOOMERANG, THESE GENTLE WOUNDS, and WHAT REMAINS. Over the years, she's worked as a drama critic, journalist, and marketing manager, and has written on topics as diverse as traditional Irish music, court cases, and theater. She lives in Nashville with her husband and daughter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 194 reviews
June 30, 2020
Wow! It’s an impressive start and refreshing brand new installment! A town filled with its own spiritualist citizens, a mystery behind lost prelude of the song, a special, sacred community called Guild! Intriguing plot, tempting paranormal world building, well-balanced representation of LGBTQ! Yes, it seems like, I’m into this! I have no choice. Have you seen the hypnotizing cover? It just sent me so messages into my brain cells to read the chapters ASAP!
The story starts with 17 years old, Dec Hampton’s moving to St. Hilarie to live with his sisters after his parents’ death at the accident. A town belongs to the spiritualists as like his family. But he rejects his talents and his ancestors. He doesn’t want to do anything with ghosts, spirits and he only focuses on his graduation from high school to get the hell out of the town ASAP! But he finds himself being drafted by town’s divine functioning body called “Guild”. He needs a way out ASAP!
But when his longtime crush piano prodigy Annie Krylova’s coincidental arrival (her train just broke down outside of the town but should we believe this explanation which brings them together.) and her need to find the lost prelude of mysterious music piece to honor her teacher’s memory make them merge their powers to achieve this challenging ,mostly impossible task. But this means he has to spend his more time at this town and fix his stranded relationship with his best friend Russ who is not happy to see Annie and Dec’s intimacy.
And let’s not forget the sweet Russ Griffin who wants to make Guild a better place, ruining his relationship with his mother by deciding to move to St. Hilarie. Now he needs to face with his own demons including his ex lover Ian Mackenzie’s ghost. (I think I loved their relationship parts more than Annie and Dec’s unnamed relation- they had lots of untold words bottled up, I wanted to scream at them and force them to communicate each other.)
The beginning of the story was intriguing but second half was a little bit repetitive and slow which made me lose interest. And I couldn’t love Annie and Dec’s parts and I couldn’t connect with the characters but luckily I enjoyed Russ’s storyline and let’s not forget Tristan which was amazing, intriguing, captivating character helped me not to put this book on my dnf pile.
And ending was also interesting and it made me want to keep on reading this story’s continuation.
This is my first Helene Dunbar novel but I assure you it won’t be the last. I liked the writing style and creative storyline.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire to share this dazzling ARC with me in exchange my honest review.
The story starts with 17 years old, Dec Hampton’s moving to St. Hilarie to live with his sisters after his parents’ death at the accident. A town belongs to the spiritualists as like his family. But he rejects his talents and his ancestors. He doesn’t want to do anything with ghosts, spirits and he only focuses on his graduation from high school to get the hell out of the town ASAP! But he finds himself being drafted by town’s divine functioning body called “Guild”. He needs a way out ASAP!
But when his longtime crush piano prodigy Annie Krylova’s coincidental arrival (her train just broke down outside of the town but should we believe this explanation which brings them together.) and her need to find the lost prelude of mysterious music piece to honor her teacher’s memory make them merge their powers to achieve this challenging ,mostly impossible task. But this means he has to spend his more time at this town and fix his stranded relationship with his best friend Russ who is not happy to see Annie and Dec’s intimacy.
And let’s not forget the sweet Russ Griffin who wants to make Guild a better place, ruining his relationship with his mother by deciding to move to St. Hilarie. Now he needs to face with his own demons including his ex lover Ian Mackenzie’s ghost. (I think I loved their relationship parts more than Annie and Dec’s unnamed relation- they had lots of untold words bottled up, I wanted to scream at them and force them to communicate each other.)
The beginning of the story was intriguing but second half was a little bit repetitive and slow which made me lose interest. And I couldn’t love Annie and Dec’s parts and I couldn’t connect with the characters but luckily I enjoyed Russ’s storyline and let’s not forget Tristan which was amazing, intriguing, captivating character helped me not to put this book on my dnf pile.
And ending was also interesting and it made me want to keep on reading this story’s continuation.
This is my first Helene Dunbar novel but I assure you it won’t be the last. I liked the writing style and creative storyline.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire to share this dazzling ARC with me in exchange my honest review.
Want to read
September 19, 2020I think I'm already hypnotized by this beautiful cover.
I want to keep looking at it! I want to put it in my bathroom mirror so instead of screaming to my morning appearance at every morning, I can start a brand new, beautiful day!!!
I want to keep looking at it! I want to put it in my bathroom mirror so instead of screaming to my morning appearance at every morning, I can start a brand new, beautiful day!!!
December 2, 2020
3 Stars // 79%
I feel as though I can describe Prelude for Lost Souls in one word: uninspired. Flat, mediocre, and amateurish also work. And I'm not trying to be mean here; it's just that every single thing about this book is so contrived and underutilized that it somehow vanishes into the fourth dimension and becomes a mildly entertaining read—an bizarre amalgamation of prominent fantasy tropes and archetypes.
The main thing I want to mention is the plot structure. Prelude progresses quite subtly. The reader starts off the book in the dark, but slowly but surely that fog clears away. There's no main villain until the last twenty or so pages, and even then the characters get off the hook far too quickly. I don't even think there is a climax, just a languid, lethargic mood that pervades the entire novel. Of course, it can be beneficial to slow down the plot if the characters or worldbuilding or maybe writing is exceptional, but that's not the case here.
I guess I'm not mad, just disappointed. Helene Dunbar really had the potential to make this a good book. The premise is unparalleled in terms of atmosphere, the idea that three separate plotlines can interlock so smoothly it drives a novel fascinating. (Of course, the musical themes also helped draw me to this book.) Unfortunately, Dunbar doesn't ever dig deeper than what's surface level, and thus Prelude never truly astounds me or makes me think beyond the text.
Nonetheless, for all my complaining, this is a reasonably easy read. As I already mentioned, the premise hooks you through the pages, and the mystery behind the titular prelude is just captivating enough to make for a satisfying conclusion. And while the characters aren't exactly multidimensional, they are easy to root for, with interesting, differing motives and complex backstories fitting together like puzzle pieces. All the elements are here, they're just not well-developed.
Honestly, this really just felt like a contemporary author trying to write young adult fantasy, and it's not that bad. Is it anything the genre hasn't seen before? No, not really. Is it halfway decent? Yes. Even the musical representation was accurate—you can really tell Helene Dunbar appreciates classical music. If you're not a particularly critical reader (and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that), you'll be able to enjoy this book just fine; however, I was expecting a little more depth and expansion. Recommended with caution.
I feel as though I can describe Prelude for Lost Souls in one word: uninspired. Flat, mediocre, and amateurish also work. And I'm not trying to be mean here; it's just that every single thing about this book is so contrived and underutilized that it somehow vanishes into the fourth dimension and becomes a mildly entertaining read—an bizarre amalgamation of prominent fantasy tropes and archetypes.
The main thing I want to mention is the plot structure. Prelude progresses quite subtly. The reader starts off the book in the dark, but slowly but surely that fog clears away. There's no main villain until the last twenty or so pages, and even then the characters get off the hook far too quickly. I don't even think there is a climax, just a languid, lethargic mood that pervades the entire novel. Of course, it can be beneficial to slow down the plot if the characters or worldbuilding or maybe writing is exceptional, but that's not the case here.
I guess I'm not mad, just disappointed. Helene Dunbar really had the potential to make this a good book. The premise is unparalleled in terms of atmosphere, the idea that three separate plotlines can interlock so smoothly it drives a novel fascinating. (Of course, the musical themes also helped draw me to this book.) Unfortunately, Dunbar doesn't ever dig deeper than what's surface level, and thus Prelude never truly astounds me or makes me think beyond the text.
Nonetheless, for all my complaining, this is a reasonably easy read. As I already mentioned, the premise hooks you through the pages, and the mystery behind the titular prelude is just captivating enough to make for a satisfying conclusion. And while the characters aren't exactly multidimensional, they are easy to root for, with interesting, differing motives and complex backstories fitting together like puzzle pieces. All the elements are here, they're just not well-developed.
Honestly, this really just felt like a contemporary author trying to write young adult fantasy, and it's not that bad. Is it anything the genre hasn't seen before? No, not really. Is it halfway decent? Yes. Even the musical representation was accurate—you can really tell Helene Dunbar appreciates classical music. If you're not a particularly critical reader (and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that), you'll be able to enjoy this book just fine; however, I was expecting a little more depth and expansion. Recommended with caution.
August 11, 2020
Release Date: August 4, 2020
PRELUDE FOR LOST SOULS is my first foray into YA paranormal (although it reads like a contemporary just, you know, with ghosts). Set in a town of spiritualists where the main industry is communicating with the dead for profit, it’s told in three points of view:
- Dec Hampton: member of one of the most powerful medium families in town, he wants nothing more than to escape the expectations of the town that he blames for the death of his parents and needs to leave before his senior year in high school when he’ll be drafted into the Guild, the town’s creepy ruling body.
- Russ Griffin: Dec’s best friend who has sacrificed everything including his relationship with his mother in order to move to St. Hilaire, the one place where he feels understood and isn’t mocked for being able to speak to ghosts. But Russ’s need to join the Guild has strained his relationship with Dec and driven him to do whatever it takes to prove himself, including courting dangerous forces and the most elusive ghost in town, that of his ex, Ian Mackenzie.
- Annie Krylova – A young piano prodigy whose music is Dec’s biggest comfort. She ends up in town by coincidence, although in St. Hilaire there are no coincidences and her unexpected arrival will change everything.
Prelude is a book about redefined friendships, found families, music, and wrestling with expectations – your own and those placed upon you. It features two very different love stories, a haunted piano, and one of the characters I enjoyed writing the most (I’ll let you guess which one).
PRELUDE FOR LOST SOULS is my first foray into YA paranormal (although it reads like a contemporary just, you know, with ghosts). Set in a town of spiritualists where the main industry is communicating with the dead for profit, it’s told in three points of view:
- Dec Hampton: member of one of the most powerful medium families in town, he wants nothing more than to escape the expectations of the town that he blames for the death of his parents and needs to leave before his senior year in high school when he’ll be drafted into the Guild, the town’s creepy ruling body.
- Russ Griffin: Dec’s best friend who has sacrificed everything including his relationship with his mother in order to move to St. Hilaire, the one place where he feels understood and isn’t mocked for being able to speak to ghosts. But Russ’s need to join the Guild has strained his relationship with Dec and driven him to do whatever it takes to prove himself, including courting dangerous forces and the most elusive ghost in town, that of his ex, Ian Mackenzie.
- Annie Krylova – A young piano prodigy whose music is Dec’s biggest comfort. She ends up in town by coincidence, although in St. Hilaire there are no coincidences and her unexpected arrival will change everything.
Prelude is a book about redefined friendships, found families, music, and wrestling with expectations – your own and those placed upon you. It features two very different love stories, a haunted piano, and one of the characters I enjoyed writing the most (I’ll let you guess which one).
August 4, 2020
Oh man, my heart!
Every year I seem to find one book that takes me by surprise with how deeply it worms its way into my heart. It's usually a book that, while I knew, (or at least hoped!), I'd enjoy, by the end I realize I never saw it coming. Hello 2020, meet Prelude for Lost Souls.
There's magic and mystery, angst and heartache, found family and unbreakable friendships. And there were tears that I was absolutely not prepared for.
While things were a little slow to start, I soon found myself captivated by the world Ms. Dunbar created in St. Hilaire, and I am in desperate need of book 2. Though Prelude for Lost Souls wrapped up parts of the story, I feel like there is so much more to come and I can't wait to see where Ms. Dunbar takes us.
Every year I seem to find one book that takes me by surprise with how deeply it worms its way into my heart. It's usually a book that, while I knew, (or at least hoped!), I'd enjoy, by the end I realize I never saw it coming. Hello 2020, meet Prelude for Lost Souls.
There's magic and mystery, angst and heartache, found family and unbreakable friendships. And there were tears that I was absolutely not prepared for.
While things were a little slow to start, I soon found myself captivated by the world Ms. Dunbar created in St. Hilaire, and I am in desperate need of book 2. Though Prelude for Lost Souls wrapped up parts of the story, I feel like there is so much more to come and I can't wait to see where Ms. Dunbar takes us.
October 12, 2022
I read this after The Promise of Lost Things because I didn't know they were connected, so my thoughts on this book are influenced by that. I think I liked this one a bit more, though I'm not sure if it was because I already knew Russ and Ian and the town and was curious to know more about certain things.
This was atmospheric and tense. The story was slow, no real action to speak of, not even a super clear goal or idea of whether we were moving toward anything, but there was this feeling of tension and pressure and things building. There were three POV characters---Dec, Annie, and Russ. I could feel Dec's need to leave the town. I could feel the friendship between Dec and Russ fraying. There was also Russ's forming addiction to his herbal concoctions, and mysterious secrets coming to light, and Tristan's (the maybe-ghost haunting Dec) troubles, and Annie's need to find the Prelude her recently dead mentor wanted to find, and Ian's (Russ's dead sort of ex) brother being a dangerous pain in the ass.
I felt like this book succeeded more at making me feel the emotions I was supposed to feel. Because I did feel for Dec. He was struggling ever since his parents died a couple years ago, he was angry, he hated the shady and overbearing Guild, he was reeling from learning secrets and truths he wasn't expecting, he felt like a failure as a medium, and he felt guilty that he would be leaving people he cared about. He was flawed and believable, and I enjoyed his chapters. I felt for Russ too and got to know him a bit better, though he was still somewhat of an enigma. But still, he was in love with his best friend who would never feel the same way, he was sad but also understanding about his best friend leaving, he wanted so badly to be part of the Guild that he was willing to take risks to achieve it, he too was also shocked by some secrets and truths, he was becoming addicted to his herbal concoctions, he was being haunted by his dead sorta-ex, and he was not good at dealing with difficult emotions. Annie's POV seemed the calmest. She had a decision to make about her pianist and career and her life, and she was grieving and wanted to find the rest of a specific song for her late mentor, but despite the chaos around her, St. Hilaire made her feel sort of at home. I also got to know Ian a bit more, at least through Russ's eyes. He's someone with a lot of confidence and a real presence and ability to get what he wants, though you don't get to know anything about his struggles or motives in this one.
So maybe not a lot of action, but the book didn't need that. There was plenty going on between and within the characters to keep me interested.
The audiobook, narrated by Nick Mills (Dec), Kirby Heyborn (Russ), and Brittany Pressley (Annie) was enjoyable. It threw me off a bit that there's a different narrator for Russ in this one than in Promise, but all three sounded natural and did a great job. The narrator for Dec did especially well at bringing out his sort of frustrated, pent-up vibe. My only issue was that his volume changed too drastically, so I either had to turn it up and feel like I was being shouted at sometimes, or I had to turn it down and couldn't hear what he was saying sometimes.
This review feels like a mess because I don't know how to talk about this on its own, it's too intertwined with The Promise of Lost Things in my mind (which I do think you'll want to read after this one, assuming you like this, since this one does leave some loose threads). But it was atmospheric and tense and mysterious, all taking place in a town full of ghosts and strange happenings, with flawed, struggling teens I felt for.
*Rating: 3.5 Stars // Read Date: 2022 // Format: Audiobook*
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes mediums and ghosts, atmospheric books, YA, queer rep, slow-paced books more focused on the characters' relationships and inner lives, and lots of tension and mysteriousness.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
This was atmospheric and tense. The story was slow, no real action to speak of, not even a super clear goal or idea of whether we were moving toward anything, but there was this feeling of tension and pressure and things building. There were three POV characters---Dec, Annie, and Russ. I could feel Dec's need to leave the town. I could feel the friendship between Dec and Russ fraying. There was also Russ's forming addiction to his herbal concoctions, and mysterious secrets coming to light, and Tristan's (the maybe-ghost haunting Dec) troubles, and Annie's need to find the Prelude her recently dead mentor wanted to find, and Ian's (Russ's dead sort of ex) brother being a dangerous pain in the ass.
I felt like this book succeeded more at making me feel the emotions I was supposed to feel. Because I did feel for Dec. He was struggling ever since his parents died a couple years ago, he was angry, he hated the shady and overbearing Guild, he was reeling from learning secrets and truths he wasn't expecting, he felt like a failure as a medium, and he felt guilty that he would be leaving people he cared about. He was flawed and believable, and I enjoyed his chapters. I felt for Russ too and got to know him a bit better, though he was still somewhat of an enigma. But still, he was in love with his best friend who would never feel the same way, he was sad but also understanding about his best friend leaving, he wanted so badly to be part of the Guild that he was willing to take risks to achieve it, he too was also shocked by some secrets and truths, he was becoming addicted to his herbal concoctions, he was being haunted by his dead sorta-ex, and he was not good at dealing with difficult emotions. Annie's POV seemed the calmest. She had a decision to make about her pianist and career and her life, and she was grieving and wanted to find the rest of a specific song for her late mentor, but despite the chaos around her, St. Hilaire made her feel sort of at home. I also got to know Ian a bit more, at least through Russ's eyes. He's someone with a lot of confidence and a real presence and ability to get what he wants, though you don't get to know anything about his struggles or motives in this one.
So maybe not a lot of action, but the book didn't need that. There was plenty going on between and within the characters to keep me interested.
The audiobook, narrated by Nick Mills (Dec), Kirby Heyborn (Russ), and Brittany Pressley (Annie) was enjoyable. It threw me off a bit that there's a different narrator for Russ in this one than in Promise, but all three sounded natural and did a great job. The narrator for Dec did especially well at bringing out his sort of frustrated, pent-up vibe. My only issue was that his volume changed too drastically, so I either had to turn it up and feel like I was being shouted at sometimes, or I had to turn it down and couldn't hear what he was saying sometimes.
This review feels like a mess because I don't know how to talk about this on its own, it's too intertwined with The Promise of Lost Things in my mind (which I do think you'll want to read after this one, assuming you like this, since this one does leave some loose threads). But it was atmospheric and tense and mysterious, all taking place in a town full of ghosts and strange happenings, with flawed, struggling teens I felt for.
*Rating: 3.5 Stars // Read Date: 2022 // Format: Audiobook*
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes mediums and ghosts, atmospheric books, YA, queer rep, slow-paced books more focused on the characters' relationships and inner lives, and lots of tension and mysteriousness.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
October 30, 2022
I am so pleasantly surprised. My daughter bought this book for me as an I love you gift and am so happy that I enjoyed this read.
St. Hilaire is a town of mediums. Not psychics cause they don't know the future but they can speak to the dead. The town is run by a mysterious Guild that's intentions are not exactly pure. Dec wants out, but his friend Russ wants nothing more than to be in the Guild. The atmosphere of this story is mysterious and enticing. I loved the ghosts and the strong friendship depicted in this book. I was captivated by this book. The pages would just fly through my fingers. My one gripe is the ending felt a bit rushed. I would have liked it to be more flushed out. Other than that one thing I enjoyed my time with this book.
St. Hilaire is a town of mediums. Not psychics cause they don't know the future but they can speak to the dead. The town is run by a mysterious Guild that's intentions are not exactly pure. Dec wants out, but his friend Russ wants nothing more than to be in the Guild. The atmosphere of this story is mysterious and enticing. I loved the ghosts and the strong friendship depicted in this book. I was captivated by this book. The pages would just fly through my fingers. My one gripe is the ending felt a bit rushed. I would have liked it to be more flushed out. Other than that one thing I enjoyed my time with this book.
March 7, 2020
**3.5 Stars**
This is one that on paper I should have adored without a second thought but in reality it was a bit of a struggle to stay focused up until the ending so though it wasn’t one that thrilled me it is the beginning of a series I plan on completing.
“Prelude for Lost Souls” shifts between the point of view for Dec, a young man who is tired of his small town and is waiting for the right time to run, Russ, Dec’s best friend who is willing to do whatever it takes to join the Guild and prove his worth as a medium and finally Annie, a prodigy looking to solve the mystery behind the lost prelude and make her late teacher proud.
I understand what this book was trying to do with the duel plots where one was meant to throw these characters together and the other is meant to tear them apart however I think the orchestration of it could have been handled better because it seemed almost like an after thought to have the eye in the sky like threat as I had spent so much time getting into the mystery of the music to remember that the Guild was being set up as a society to fear. I guess you could argue that that’s the point but I feel like for the confrontation scenes to work it could have leaned into plot points that were less subtle.
I really loved what Dec and Russ could have been and we get pieces of that sprinkled here and there when it comes to their friendship but then there are long spans where it seems like one takes more than he gives and made me root for one to find someone better because they were always doing so much with little appreciation but I realize, or at least hope, that that will come around in future books as one sinks deeper into the darkness and the other realizes that his freedom may really be a long leash. Annie was okay I feel like she really only served the purpose of being the hands for someone who could no longer play and leading someone else out the door but I’m hoping we get to learn more about her so she becomes a fully realized character.
Overall this isn’t bad but I think with a cover and synopsis like this I expected to be blown away but instead its more of a light breeze.
**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**
This is one that on paper I should have adored without a second thought but in reality it was a bit of a struggle to stay focused up until the ending so though it wasn’t one that thrilled me it is the beginning of a series I plan on completing.
“Prelude for Lost Souls” shifts between the point of view for Dec, a young man who is tired of his small town and is waiting for the right time to run, Russ, Dec’s best friend who is willing to do whatever it takes to join the Guild and prove his worth as a medium and finally Annie, a prodigy looking to solve the mystery behind the lost prelude and make her late teacher proud.
I understand what this book was trying to do with the duel plots where one was meant to throw these characters together and the other is meant to tear them apart however I think the orchestration of it could have been handled better because it seemed almost like an after thought to have the eye in the sky like threat as I had spent so much time getting into the mystery of the music to remember that the Guild was being set up as a society to fear. I guess you could argue that that’s the point but I feel like for the confrontation scenes to work it could have leaned into plot points that were less subtle.
I really loved what Dec and Russ could have been and we get pieces of that sprinkled here and there when it comes to their friendship but then there are long spans where it seems like one takes more than he gives and made me root for one to find someone better because they were always doing so much with little appreciation but I realize, or at least hope, that that will come around in future books as one sinks deeper into the darkness and the other realizes that his freedom may really be a long leash. Annie was okay I feel like she really only served the purpose of being the hands for someone who could no longer play and leading someone else out the door but I’m hoping we get to learn more about her so she becomes a fully realized character.
Overall this isn’t bad but I think with a cover and synopsis like this I expected to be blown away but instead its more of a light breeze.
**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**
October 18, 2020
it was.... fine.... there was no real plot, but slow story progression with a mediocre ending, where nothing felt truly resolved. the characters were very uninspiring and unmemorable... which is disappointing because it had me interested in the beginning. there were also a large proportion of typos and general errors that it was jarring? it really shook me out of the story... like typos are fine but there were sooo many in this book??????? I guess overall..... whatever
dnf
June 19, 2022I decided to not finish this book at 46% after skimming the rest of the story. I didn't like Annie, her plotline, or her relationship with Dec so I wanted to see how much more I would have to suffer through and the answer is a lot.
Annie's character just felt so random. You know that feeling when you're hanging out with a big group of people who all know each other but you only know one person so you feel kind of awkward? That's what Annie's character felt like. It's like she was shoved into the plot last minute. There were so many other characters the author could've focused on that would've made more sense — like Dec's sister Laura or Willow who is only mentioned briefly here and there but seems like a really cool character — but instead we get this character who feels like a third wheel in most scenes.
I was most intrigued by the mystery of Ian's death and what happened to Dec's parents. I would've been much more interested in this story if it just focused on Dec and Russ solving those mysteries and then deciding to take down the Guild. They made for a far more interesting couple too over Ian and Russ and Dec and Annie. I'll take childhood-friends-to-lovers over instalove or ghost/human love any day.
I know I could've really enjoyed this story, but any time the author had the option to do something I would've loved they instead took the story in a direction I disliked, which really sucked. I'm tired of wasting my time on books that get my expectations up only to crush them, so I'm glad to be done with it.
Annie's character just felt so random. You know that feeling when you're hanging out with a big group of people who all know each other but you only know one person so you feel kind of awkward? That's what Annie's character felt like. It's like she was shoved into the plot last minute. There were so many other characters the author could've focused on that would've made more sense — like Dec's sister Laura or Willow who is only mentioned briefly here and there but seems like a really cool character — but instead we get this character who feels like a third wheel in most scenes.
I was most intrigued by the mystery of Ian's death and what happened to Dec's parents. I would've been much more interested in this story if it just focused on Dec and Russ solving those mysteries and then deciding to take down the Guild. They made for a far more interesting couple too over Ian and Russ and Dec and Annie. I'll take childhood-friends-to-lovers over instalove or ghost/human love any day.
I know I could've really enjoyed this story, but any time the author had the option to do something I would've loved they instead took the story in a direction I disliked, which really sucked. I'm tired of wasting my time on books that get my expectations up only to crush them, so I'm glad to be done with it.
July 9, 2020
Originally published on The Nerd Daily | Review by Mimi Koehler
I think I touched upon this in my review of Dunbar’s previous release We Are Lost and Found, but this woman just excels at writing settings that make you feel you’ve been there before. This time around, Dunbar takes her readers on an exploration of a small town called St. Hilaire where mediums, ghosts, and tarot-reading teenagers are found at every street corner. And while reading the novel, I could picture everything, from Dec’s house to Annie arriving on the train. It brought with it the sense of dread and feeling lost that comes with living in a town entirely too focused on death, especially when tourist season brings a swing of people wanting to contact the gone and forgotten.
Read the FULL REVIEW on The Nerd Daily
I think I touched upon this in my review of Dunbar’s previous release We Are Lost and Found, but this woman just excels at writing settings that make you feel you’ve been there before. This time around, Dunbar takes her readers on an exploration of a small town called St. Hilaire where mediums, ghosts, and tarot-reading teenagers are found at every street corner. And while reading the novel, I could picture everything, from Dec’s house to Annie arriving on the train. It brought with it the sense of dread and feeling lost that comes with living in a town entirely too focused on death, especially when tourist season brings a swing of people wanting to contact the gone and forgotten.
Read the FULL REVIEW on The Nerd Daily
August 27, 2020
A very ho-hum coming of age supernatural story that lacked depth. I was originally drawn to this story because of the infinite possibilities of a “psychic town.” Unfortunately, this read was a disappointment both with the fantasy elements of the plot and the character development. Rather than have the book squarely focus on Dec Hampton the point of views consists of Dec, his best friend Russ, and Russian piano prodigy Annie. It really distracted me from getting attached to the characters as sometimes the shifting POV’s were not distinct enough.
The story starts with a very “been there done that” feeling from seventeen year old Dec. It made the town feel gimmicky instead of interesting. Also, while reading there was never a feeling of urgency or overwhelming fear that things would not work out for the characters. Everything from their gambling adventures to Annie’s missing music just works out when it needs to.
I had a lot of issues with this story. First, St. Hilaire is gothically atmospheric but lacking in overall development. For instance, the town closes to tourists once the summer season is over. This is when the story starts which prevents the story from having interesting conversations or situations with many non-community members. As the story continues to treat any mention of outsiders as burdensome clueless guests. Yet, Annie is the exception because the plot requires her to be there. Second, the menacing threat that was The Guild was not fully fleshed out or bought to the surface. So, what was the point of having them rule over the community? Third, it also bothered me that the whole Tristan ghost plot was even a thing. In a town full of paranormal activity this should not have been a major component to the plot. Seeing supernatural people should not be a unique experience for anyone in this town no matter how it is rationalized in the book.
This book is a quick easy read filled with angst and themes of family, relationships, and loss. Adults take a backseat in this story altogether or are only vaguely mentioned in passing. I felt like all the main characters were in different states of grieving. Everyone had experienced death and as a result lost something important to them. They needed help coming to terms with this and you read about their life choices and the resulting consequences.
I read somewhere that this is going to be a series and I’m not sure why. I wish the author would have fleshed out Dec and given him his own narrative to make a more well-rounded and complete story. This book by itself was not compelling enough and suffered from too many characters and a Scooby-Doo type mystery.
The story starts with a very “been there done that” feeling from seventeen year old Dec. It made the town feel gimmicky instead of interesting. Also, while reading there was never a feeling of urgency or overwhelming fear that things would not work out for the characters. Everything from their gambling adventures to Annie’s missing music just works out when it needs to.
I had a lot of issues with this story. First, St. Hilaire is gothically atmospheric but lacking in overall development. For instance, the town closes to tourists once the summer season is over. This is when the story starts which prevents the story from having interesting conversations or situations with many non-community members. As the story continues to treat any mention of outsiders as burdensome clueless guests. Yet, Annie is the exception because the plot requires her to be there. Second, the menacing threat that was The Guild was not fully fleshed out or bought to the surface. So, what was the point of having them rule over the community? Third, it also bothered me that the whole Tristan ghost plot was even a thing. In a town full of paranormal activity this should not have been a major component to the plot. Seeing supernatural people should not be a unique experience for anyone in this town no matter how it is rationalized in the book.
This book is a quick easy read filled with angst and themes of family, relationships, and loss. Adults take a backseat in this story altogether or are only vaguely mentioned in passing. I felt like all the main characters were in different states of grieving. Everyone had experienced death and as a result lost something important to them. They needed help coming to terms with this and you read about their life choices and the resulting consequences.
I read somewhere that this is going to be a series and I’m not sure why. I wish the author would have fleshed out Dec and given him his own narrative to make a more well-rounded and complete story. This book by itself was not compelling enough and suffered from too many characters and a Scooby-Doo type mystery.
October 25, 2020
0-non-spoiler section- if you would like to read my spoier rant, continue past this section.
If you like character development, a plot line that makes sense, and satisfying endings, don't bother with this one. There are several unaddressed themes of drug abuse that truly bothered me, as well as a general lack of character depth that I found slightly exhausting.
However, if those things don't bother you, Tristan(the ghost)'s story is intriguing and very bittersweet.
**spoiler alert** **cursing**
This book was so, desperately disappointing for me!
First off, it started off slow and a little stiff on the character development. The main male characters seemed to be made as almost stock characters with emotions limited to 'Anger' or 'violence'. And the only real characters with any depth or realness were the side characters.
Then! We decide to add a very blase attitude toward Russ becoming a freaking drug addict. There is no repercussions for this development! The only person who really has a big problem with it is the fucking ghost.
By the middle of the book, I seriously considered just putting it down. The only thing that kept me reading was that I was buddy-reading this with a friend, and I was intrigued by Tristan's story.
Tristan's story was definitely my favorite part of this entire book. I found it heart breaking and hopeful and devastatingly relatable all at the same time. However! The path she took with the prelude once Tristan was gone pissed me off to no end, and made the entirety of his story pointless and extremely dissatisfying.
Then we add on the fact that it feels like there are two major plotlines going at the same time, and characters that come in but never get fleshed our or even really mentioned again...
AND FUCKING SEX WITH A GHOST!!!!
All that said, I honestly feel very generous giving Prelude for Lost Souls 2 stars.
One thing really going for this book though... the cover art is stunning.
If you like character development, a plot line that makes sense, and satisfying endings, don't bother with this one. There are several unaddressed themes of drug abuse that truly bothered me, as well as a general lack of character depth that I found slightly exhausting.
However, if those things don't bother you, Tristan(the ghost)'s story is intriguing and very bittersweet.
**spoiler alert** **cursing**
This book was so, desperately disappointing for me!
First off, it started off slow and a little stiff on the character development. The main male characters seemed to be made as almost stock characters with emotions limited to 'Anger' or 'violence'. And the only real characters with any depth or realness were the side characters.
Then! We decide to add a very blase attitude toward Russ becoming a freaking drug addict. There is no repercussions for this development! The only person who really has a big problem with it is the fucking ghost.
By the middle of the book, I seriously considered just putting it down. The only thing that kept me reading was that I was buddy-reading this with a friend, and I was intrigued by Tristan's story.
Tristan's story was definitely my favorite part of this entire book. I found it heart breaking and hopeful and devastatingly relatable all at the same time. However! The path she took with the prelude once Tristan was gone pissed me off to no end, and made the entirety of his story pointless and extremely dissatisfying.
Then we add on the fact that it feels like there are two major plotlines going at the same time, and characters that come in but never get fleshed our or even really mentioned again...
AND FUCKING SEX WITH A GHOST!!!!
All that said, I honestly feel very generous giving Prelude for Lost Souls 2 stars.
One thing really going for this book though... the cover art is stunning.
October 11, 2020
I received a complimentary copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Prelude For Lost Souls
By: Helene Dunbar
REVIEW ☆☆☆☆
I love the cover of Prelude For Lost Souls. It's awesome. The premise is so unique and compelling, and I knew I had to read this book. It was just as fascinating as I anticipated.
"One need not be a chamber to be haunted."
-Emily Dickinson
This quote is at the front of the book, and it's perfect for it. People, of course, can be and are haunted by many things that have nothing to do with ghosts.
In the town of St. Hilaire, the majority of its 367 residents are registered mediums, it's a requirement to live there, and are overseen by an elitist town council known as the Guild. Every summer, the town opens to tourists (customers) seeking to talk to the dead. This doesn't seem right to me. Preying on grief, despair and guilt? Not cool.
Three characters tell the story. Dec can't wait to graduate and leave this place. His best friend, Russ, is intent on staying. Annie is a concert pianist whose train breaks down here. All three are dealing with some type of grief and anger. I won't spoil it with details.
But, Annie ending up in St. Hilaire could be a coincidence, if there even is such a thing as a coincidence.
The story is atmospherically dark, mysterious and haunting. Secrets are here and waiting to be discovered. The powerful overly ambitious Guild are dangerous, perhaps more so than the dead. The author cleverly weaves the different strands together, and the result is a mesmerizing story unlike anything else you have read. And, Prelude For Lost Souls is ideal for the spooky season!
Prelude For Lost Souls
By: Helene Dunbar
REVIEW ☆☆☆☆
I love the cover of Prelude For Lost Souls. It's awesome. The premise is so unique and compelling, and I knew I had to read this book. It was just as fascinating as I anticipated.
"One need not be a chamber to be haunted."
-Emily Dickinson
This quote is at the front of the book, and it's perfect for it. People, of course, can be and are haunted by many things that have nothing to do with ghosts.
In the town of St. Hilaire, the majority of its 367 residents are registered mediums, it's a requirement to live there, and are overseen by an elitist town council known as the Guild. Every summer, the town opens to tourists (customers) seeking to talk to the dead. This doesn't seem right to me. Preying on grief, despair and guilt? Not cool.
Three characters tell the story. Dec can't wait to graduate and leave this place. His best friend, Russ, is intent on staying. Annie is a concert pianist whose train breaks down here. All three are dealing with some type of grief and anger. I won't spoil it with details.
But, Annie ending up in St. Hilaire could be a coincidence, if there even is such a thing as a coincidence.
The story is atmospherically dark, mysterious and haunting. Secrets are here and waiting to be discovered. The powerful overly ambitious Guild are dangerous, perhaps more so than the dead. The author cleverly weaves the different strands together, and the result is a mesmerizing story unlike anything else you have read. And, Prelude For Lost Souls is ideal for the spooky season!
March 11, 2021
I received an ARC from Edelweiss
2.8
In St. Hilaire everyone is either a psychic or married into a psychic family. A tourist trap during the summer and a completely insular community the rest of the year, it feels less like part of the world than a world inside of itself. Dec especially feels that way, a seventeen year old "former" psychic, who wants nothing more than to leave town before his senior year, when he'll be forced to join the Guild. But when Anna, a Russian pianist Dec has been captivated by online, finds herself in St. Hilaire right as summer winds down, Dec knows he has to do whatever he can to help her get what she's looking for. Even if that means he can't up and run. Even if it involves the only ghost that only he can see, one he'd sworn to stop talking about. Even if it might have something to do with the accident that he can't remember, the one that killed his parents.
The idea of a psychic town and a magical, musical riddle are both really intriguing. Just in concept this is a really interesting story. The idea of a beautiful piece of music with no known ending or composer ensnared me, and made me want to know where the mystery ends.
My favorite character in this entire book wound up being Russ, who has the least to do with that particular part of the story. Russ instead is only ever pulled into that arc not exactly against his will, but certainly not because it has anything to do with him or his interests. Russ' motivation is directly opposite to Dec's- where Dec wants to get away, not be a psychic, and win over Anna, Russ wants to change the town for the better, become a powerful enough psychic to win a place in the Guild, and, maybe, win over Dec.
The differences between them are obvious and direct, but not in a way that's jarring or conflicts with their obvious relationship. As a whole I do like how Dec and Russ operate as a unit, the implied past between them and the priority positions they hold in each other's lives, though Russ always comes out on top for me because he is 100% more open and patient with Dec's issues than Dec is with his. I mean, Russ isn't happy about Dec wanting to leave, and isn't happy about his clear crush on Anna, but he doesn't do anything to try to start a fight with him about it. Dec can't keep his mouth shut over anything he even slightly dislikes, even for the sake of his best friend.
Tristan is my second favorite character, and the parts of the book that involved him were easily the parts I enjoyed the most. Tristan has a magical, anachronistic charm that make the mystery of him even more compelling. Even when the story slowed down for me, I read for Tristan. His character adds variety and dimension to the story, and the mystery of him truly is capable of completely sucking you in.
However, I had problems reading this story, mostly revolving around the fact that I didn't care about Dec or Anna, and most definitely didn't care about them together. All you learn about Anna is through info dumping, and all you learn about Dec is from Dec being a generally not great friend or brother. Dec is controlling, self-absorbed, and seems to have issues communicating, and Anna is just fairly flat. I think the miscommunication between them was meant to lend tension to their eventual romance but instead is made me weary and actually consider skipping any chapter involving it.
A lot of this story just felt unbelievable, as well. The quest Anna is on in the first place, Dec knowing Anna, and, I know this isn't important in the over all context but there is a scene where Anna is in a stranger's room, grabs his tarot deck without asking, pulls a card and asks him to read it, and people I yelled. It's moments like that where you go "I don't trust this author!" and also, "I really don't like Anna, keep her away from Russ" (if you're me). I think a lot of trust is assumed when it needed to be earned, and it was never earned.
Finally, there is plenty of toxicity in this book that's unresolved. There's a point where someone laughs at the idea of someone's dad beating them. There's some weird stuff implied about Russ' relationship with Ian. There's, well, there's the drugs.
To the Ian part, first, I'd like to say that I actually do like their relationship. I liked how it was written, I liked their dynamic, and I liked getting to hear the past after the fact and learning more about who Russ actually is, and seeing someone who appreciates who that is. I'm jut concerned that there's problems there that we aren't totally privvy to, but it's hard to tell how much of that is Dec's disapproval and Ian being rebellious and careless.
But onto the drugs- I cannot believe this drug abuse arc. I can't say that it's never touted as the wrong thing to do, but my God it's never solved, or talked out. The arc actually seemed closer to Russ becoming okay with his reliance on drugs instead of him taking control and getting himself away from the drug addiction. It's extremely worrying! I wish there had been more coming from Russ, on why he needed to stop. Or even if it had ended with Ian stopping him, and Russ' idea that he'd just continue in the future secretly hadn't been included at all.
This wasn't really a book I enjoyed reading, and little compelled me to read it besides my interest in Tristan's side of the story. I liked the concept behind this work, but the execution especially in the way of characters, left me disappointed.
2.8
In St. Hilaire everyone is either a psychic or married into a psychic family. A tourist trap during the summer and a completely insular community the rest of the year, it feels less like part of the world than a world inside of itself. Dec especially feels that way, a seventeen year old "former" psychic, who wants nothing more than to leave town before his senior year, when he'll be forced to join the Guild. But when Anna, a Russian pianist Dec has been captivated by online, finds herself in St. Hilaire right as summer winds down, Dec knows he has to do whatever he can to help her get what she's looking for. Even if that means he can't up and run. Even if it involves the only ghost that only he can see, one he'd sworn to stop talking about. Even if it might have something to do with the accident that he can't remember, the one that killed his parents.
The idea of a psychic town and a magical, musical riddle are both really intriguing. Just in concept this is a really interesting story. The idea of a beautiful piece of music with no known ending or composer ensnared me, and made me want to know where the mystery ends.
My favorite character in this entire book wound up being Russ, who has the least to do with that particular part of the story. Russ instead is only ever pulled into that arc not exactly against his will, but certainly not because it has anything to do with him or his interests. Russ' motivation is directly opposite to Dec's- where Dec wants to get away, not be a psychic, and win over Anna, Russ wants to change the town for the better, become a powerful enough psychic to win a place in the Guild, and, maybe, win over Dec.
The differences between them are obvious and direct, but not in a way that's jarring or conflicts with their obvious relationship. As a whole I do like how Dec and Russ operate as a unit, the implied past between them and the priority positions they hold in each other's lives, though Russ always comes out on top for me because he is 100% more open and patient with Dec's issues than Dec is with his. I mean, Russ isn't happy about Dec wanting to leave, and isn't happy about his clear crush on Anna, but he doesn't do anything to try to start a fight with him about it. Dec can't keep his mouth shut over anything he even slightly dislikes, even for the sake of his best friend.
Tristan is my second favorite character, and the parts of the book that involved him were easily the parts I enjoyed the most. Tristan has a magical, anachronistic charm that make the mystery of him even more compelling. Even when the story slowed down for me, I read for Tristan. His character adds variety and dimension to the story, and the mystery of him truly is capable of completely sucking you in.
However, I had problems reading this story, mostly revolving around the fact that I didn't care about Dec or Anna, and most definitely didn't care about them together. All you learn about Anna is through info dumping, and all you learn about Dec is from Dec being a generally not great friend or brother. Dec is controlling, self-absorbed, and seems to have issues communicating, and Anna is just fairly flat. I think the miscommunication between them was meant to lend tension to their eventual romance but instead is made me weary and actually consider skipping any chapter involving it.
A lot of this story just felt unbelievable, as well. The quest Anna is on in the first place, Dec knowing Anna, and, I know this isn't important in the over all context but there is a scene where Anna is in a stranger's room, grabs his tarot deck without asking, pulls a card and asks him to read it, and people I yelled. It's moments like that where you go "I don't trust this author!" and also, "I really don't like Anna, keep her away from Russ" (if you're me). I think a lot of trust is assumed when it needed to be earned, and it was never earned.
Finally, there is plenty of toxicity in this book that's unresolved. There's a point where someone laughs at the idea of someone's dad beating them. There's some weird stuff implied about Russ' relationship with Ian. There's, well, there's the drugs.
To the Ian part, first, I'd like to say that I actually do like their relationship. I liked how it was written, I liked their dynamic, and I liked getting to hear the past after the fact and learning more about who Russ actually is, and seeing someone who appreciates who that is. I'm jut concerned that there's problems there that we aren't totally privvy to, but it's hard to tell how much of that is Dec's disapproval and Ian being rebellious and careless.
But onto the drugs- I cannot believe this drug abuse arc. I can't say that it's never touted as the wrong thing to do, but my God it's never solved, or talked out. The arc actually seemed closer to Russ becoming okay with his reliance on drugs instead of him taking control and getting himself away from the drug addiction. It's extremely worrying! I wish there had been more coming from Russ, on why he needed to stop. Or even if it had ended with Ian stopping him, and Russ' idea that he'd just continue in the future secretly hadn't been included at all.
This wasn't really a book I enjoyed reading, and little compelled me to read it besides my interest in Tristan's side of the story. I liked the concept behind this work, but the execution especially in the way of characters, left me disappointed.
August 10, 2020
3/5 stars
I'm going to start off by saying this book fell a little flat for me, however, that is on me. I couldn't completely connect with the characters and the story. I enjoyed the idea and really liked the musical aspect of this book. I honestly thought this was going to go darker than it actually did. I would recommend giving this a try, I can see someone really loving this book.
I'm going to start off by saying this book fell a little flat for me, however, that is on me. I couldn't completely connect with the characters and the story. I enjoyed the idea and really liked the musical aspect of this book. I honestly thought this was going to go darker than it actually did. I would recommend giving this a try, I can see someone really loving this book.
August 12, 2020
I read this in 24 hours, it was a delight. Captivating characters and setting, I can't wait for the next installment.
August 18, 2020
I loved this unusual atmospheric novel from the very first line. The setting and Dunbar's talent for snappy dialogue make this extra-special. Also, the book is so well-designed. It feels nice, and has the best endpapers!
February 2, 2025
2.25⭐️
This book wasn’t bad per se, but painfully average and boring more often than not. By the time I go to bed I will have forgotten most of the details and by the end of the week I don’t think I’ll recall any of their names.
It’s not generic, but it is simplistic. Forgettable.
In essence:
I had a hard time coming to care for any of the characters other than Russ (and later on Ian).
Things happened because pages had to be filled for the first half of the book. It read as a bunch of scenarios strung together by fraying thread and vaguely sensical chatter about psychics.
• Other than loving and losing Dmitry, I don’t know much of Annie, nor did I find her compelling enough to want to know more.
• Russ was the most alluring one of the bunch and even I’m having some trouble recalling any character traits of his other than stubbornness and thinly veiled sarcasm.
• Dec was there. He had a piano. Then he didn’t. Then he did again. And then he had a car.
• Alex had a dog. He’s a shit person. But maybe not. But he is. But he’s not.
• Ian was the sole reason I kept turning pages. Exquisite man. What a little shit.
All in all, it feels like this book is unsure of its own purpose. Unsure of what it wants to be or how to convey its message.
I also think it wouldn’t be a stretch to say the author read The Raven Cycle. I won’t say more on the matter because it’s all speculation, but, if I’m correct, I’d say that’s where most of its issues stem from. (Attempting to imitate a feeling or characterisation from another work never ends well — Russ feels eerily similar to Ronan, Ian to Kavinsky, Tristan to Noah, and Dec to Adam)
This book wasn’t bad per se, but painfully average and boring more often than not. By the time I go to bed I will have forgotten most of the details and by the end of the week I don’t think I’ll recall any of their names.
It’s not generic, but it is simplistic. Forgettable.
In essence:
I had a hard time coming to care for any of the characters other than Russ (and later on Ian).
Things happened because pages had to be filled for the first half of the book. It read as a bunch of scenarios strung together by fraying thread and vaguely sensical chatter about psychics.
• Other than loving and losing Dmitry, I don’t know much of Annie, nor did I find her compelling enough to want to know more.
• Russ was the most alluring one of the bunch and even I’m having some trouble recalling any character traits of his other than stubbornness and thinly veiled sarcasm.
• Dec was there. He had a piano. Then he didn’t. Then he did again. And then he had a car.
• Alex had a dog. He’s a shit person. But maybe not. But he is. But he’s not.
• Ian was the sole reason I kept turning pages. Exquisite man. What a little shit.
All in all, it feels like this book is unsure of its own purpose. Unsure of what it wants to be or how to convey its message.
I also think it wouldn’t be a stretch to say the author read The Raven Cycle. I won’t say more on the matter because it’s all speculation, but, if I’m correct, I’d say that’s where most of its issues stem from. (Attempting to imitate a feeling or characterisation from another work never ends well — Russ feels eerily similar to Ronan, Ian to Kavinsky, Tristan to Noah, and Dec to Adam)
February 26, 2024
I like being able to know everyone’s point of view. Easy to follow!! The ending wasn’t what I expected, but I’m not that mad about it? Only left with a dozen questions lol.
August 20, 2020
" You loved the Prelude, so therefore, I've been loved too."
I cried through most of this book,really, but this line is where I really lost it and decided that this belongs on my favorites shelf. But lets start from the beginning.
I think that one of this books big strengths is that, it isnt really a fantasy story like it seemed, this is more a story about grief, and coming to terms with the things you either can't change, or just simply wont find the right answers to. Yes, this does take place in a society where an oppressive, controlling government is at play , but while The Guild is a plotpoint, its in the backseat to the main plot, and I think that that works really well. Another thing I really enjoyed, was the relationship between Dec and Russ. They are best friends who would do anything for eachother, except possibly, changing their goals. Dec needs to leave, Russ needs to stay. They both know that fudamentally they need different things, and while that makes things sad and complicated, that love and devotion between them is always evident. I also loved that Annie is struggling with what to do with her life, when her teacher/guardian kills himself and leaves her behind. This is a man shes spent most of her life with, and without him, she isnt sure if this is a life she wants anymore, or how to even make it work. Her story with The Lost Prelude and making her mentor proud, were some of the most emotional bits of the book, and my favorite. I cried a lot where she was involved, especially when Tristan was there. I love him. Maybe we'll see Tristan later in the series again. I would love that.
The ending of the book felt perfect for all of the characters, even Ian and Tristan,and though there are a lot of sequel hooks, and a confirmed sequel, this could absolutly be read as a stand alone if you so wish. This was a quick and esay read for me. This is one of my new favorites, and I cannot wait to read more.
I cried through most of this book,really, but this line is where I really lost it and decided that this belongs on my favorites shelf. But lets start from the beginning.
I think that one of this books big strengths is that, it isnt really a fantasy story like it seemed, this is more a story about grief, and coming to terms with the things you either can't change, or just simply wont find the right answers to. Yes, this does take place in a society where an oppressive, controlling government is at play , but while The Guild is a plotpoint, its in the backseat to the main plot, and I think that that works really well. Another thing I really enjoyed, was the relationship between Dec and Russ. They are best friends who would do anything for eachother, except possibly, changing their goals. Dec needs to leave, Russ needs to stay. They both know that fudamentally they need different things, and while that makes things sad and complicated, that love and devotion between them is always evident. I also loved that Annie is struggling with what to do with her life, when her teacher/guardian kills himself and leaves her behind. This is a man shes spent most of her life with, and without him, she isnt sure if this is a life she wants anymore, or how to even make it work. Her story with The Lost Prelude and making her mentor proud, were some of the most emotional bits of the book, and my favorite. I cried a lot where she was involved, especially when Tristan was there. I love him. Maybe we'll see Tristan later in the series again. I would love that.
The ending of the book felt perfect for all of the characters, even Ian and Tristan,and though there are a lot of sequel hooks, and a confirmed sequel, this could absolutly be read as a stand alone if you so wish. This was a quick and esay read for me. This is one of my new favorites, and I cannot wait to read more.
August 22, 2020
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest opinion. This book is available for purchase now.
I am not entirely sure why, but this book just wasn’t my bag. I just couldn’t get into it at all. It could be the way it’s told. It switches back and forth between multiple narrators, which normally doesn’t bother me all that much. In this case, though, I really didn’t care at all about two of the characters, so their chapters didn’t keep me engaged.
The idea of a town with sort of a cult feel to it has loads of potential. You could take it in a dark direction, or just keep it fun. However, despite being mentioned very early on, The Guild (which basically runs the town) didn’t really make its presence known in a way that lived up to the reputation the author had created for it. I was just expecting more.
I thought Russ was a fascinating character. The lengths he was willing to go to in order to be the best…zoinks, yo! I didn’t really understand his friendship with Dec, possibly because it was already falling apart when the book started. He and Dec wanted fundamentally different things, and they struggled to accept that. It was kind of a bummer, but it definitely added to the story.
Dec and Annie just weren’t all that interesting. Annie, unfortunately, didn’t seem to add all that much to the narrative. I really can’t put my finger on why I wasn’t a big fan of Dec. I should have liked him and I have no idea why I was less than thrilled by the chapters he narrated. That just happens sometimes.
As I write this, I realize this is a pretty negative review, so let me hasten to add: I didn’t hate the book. The plot is unique, there is a ton of potential for the continuing story, and Russ was a complicated character (I love complicated characters!). When it comes right down to it, this wasn’t the right book for me. Everything that felt a little off to me might be exactly what would make someone else absolutely love this book.
I am not entirely sure why, but this book just wasn’t my bag. I just couldn’t get into it at all. It could be the way it’s told. It switches back and forth between multiple narrators, which normally doesn’t bother me all that much. In this case, though, I really didn’t care at all about two of the characters, so their chapters didn’t keep me engaged.
The idea of a town with sort of a cult feel to it has loads of potential. You could take it in a dark direction, or just keep it fun. However, despite being mentioned very early on, The Guild (which basically runs the town) didn’t really make its presence known in a way that lived up to the reputation the author had created for it. I was just expecting more.
I thought Russ was a fascinating character. The lengths he was willing to go to in order to be the best…zoinks, yo! I didn’t really understand his friendship with Dec, possibly because it was already falling apart when the book started. He and Dec wanted fundamentally different things, and they struggled to accept that. It was kind of a bummer, but it definitely added to the story.
Dec and Annie just weren’t all that interesting. Annie, unfortunately, didn’t seem to add all that much to the narrative. I really can’t put my finger on why I wasn’t a big fan of Dec. I should have liked him and I have no idea why I was less than thrilled by the chapters he narrated. That just happens sometimes.
As I write this, I realize this is a pretty negative review, so let me hasten to add: I didn’t hate the book. The plot is unique, there is a ton of potential for the continuing story, and Russ was a complicated character (I love complicated characters!). When it comes right down to it, this wasn’t the right book for me. Everything that felt a little off to me might be exactly what would make someone else absolutely love this book.
July 24, 2020
I enjoyed this YA ghost story because Dunbar is such a good writer. On a sentence level, Prelude for Lost Souls is first rate, and the characters are likable as well. This follow-up is so different from last year's We Are Lost and Found, a historical fiction novel set turning the AIDS epidemic that I LOVED, and I couldn't make up my mind about what I should have expected from it.
It turns out I was hoping for more Gothic flair and more narration from Russ' perspective. Prelude could have been creepier, even in the way Brontë does it in Jane Eyre. Dunbar does a nice job of creating the town of St. Hilaire—a tourist spot featuring the best mediums and psychics around. And fans of Gothic novels will enjoy the ambiance and appreciate the careful plotting. It was a fun read overall!
It turns out I was hoping for more Gothic flair and more narration from Russ' perspective. Prelude could have been creepier, even in the way Brontë does it in Jane Eyre. Dunbar does a nice job of creating the town of St. Hilaire—a tourist spot featuring the best mediums and psychics around. And fans of Gothic novels will enjoy the ambiance and appreciate the careful plotting. It was a fun read overall!
October 9, 2020
Great book! I know Helene, and we're discussing if this one would be my favorite. I am happy to declare it is, but that may be more about my love of ghost stories and not a true comparison to her other excellent novels.
Those who love ghost stories: this is not your typical ghost story.
What is it? Great character-driven story on multiple fronts with ghosts who outshine the living persons in characterization. There's some intriguing mystery that will keep you reading as well.
I have a few criticisms, but they are minor and would cause spoilers, so I am not sharing them here. If I do a longer review on my blog, then I will share the address here:
Read this!
Those who love ghost stories: this is not your typical ghost story.
What is it? Great character-driven story on multiple fronts with ghosts who outshine the living persons in characterization. There's some intriguing mystery that will keep you reading as well.
I have a few criticisms, but they are minor and would cause spoilers, so I am not sharing them here. If I do a longer review on my blog, then I will share the address here:
Read this!
dnf
December 26, 2022Dnf midway through chapter 2
I’m realising I don’t really care about music books? Like even when it’s music magic I just don’t find myself getting drawn in? Also just didn’t see myself caring about the characters in this :/ It reminds me a bit of Susan Dennard’s The Luminaries where there are some interesting concepts but I’m a bit tired of the “big bad group of adults control things and these teens fight back” trope and it never seems to surprise me.
The town of mystics premise sounds the most interesting to me but piano prodigy not so much - the mystics thing though is giving Dark and Shallow Lies vibes though so interested to see how I feel about that one!
I’m realising I don’t really care about music books? Like even when it’s music magic I just don’t find myself getting drawn in? Also just didn’t see myself caring about the characters in this :/ It reminds me a bit of Susan Dennard’s The Luminaries where there are some interesting concepts but I’m a bit tired of the “big bad group of adults control things and these teens fight back” trope and it never seems to surprise me.
The town of mystics premise sounds the most interesting to me but piano prodigy not so much - the mystics thing though is giving Dark and Shallow Lies vibes though so interested to see how I feel about that one!
March 7, 2020
Helene Dunbar has done it again. I absolutely adore her writing. Even while writing a book about a town full of paranormal activity, she is able to focus in on the human stories an the individual relationships that make everything real. She writes about LGBTQ relationships with incredible accuracy, and imbues her characters with strength and compassion. This a big difference from We Are Lost and Found, but the writing and the storytelling is still top notch. I highly recommend for any fans or anyone who has a particular interest in mediums and the paranormal, told through a YA lens.
Want to read
October 18, 2020I'd like to file a report against every one I know for not telling me about this book sooner.
If this book sounds up your alley, the author is hosting an international giveaway on Twitter through 10/21/2020!
If this book sounds up your alley, the author is hosting an international giveaway on Twitter through 10/21/2020!
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November 1, 2024
First off, the aesthetic and design of this book inside and out is unmatched.
Secondly, the story is well done, and I enjoy how all the threads come together. The ending wasn't the most satisfying for me in some ways, I thought some of it wrapped up kind of, well, odd, but overall I liked it a lot! Fun mix of spooky and music.
Secondly, the story is well done, and I enjoy how all the threads come together. The ending wasn't the most satisfying for me in some ways, I thought some of it wrapped up kind of, well, odd, but overall I liked it a lot! Fun mix of spooky and music.
July 14, 2020
I received a net galley arc in exchange for an honest review.
I am such a huge Helene Dunbar fan! I knew I needed to read this book just from the author. I did quite enjoy it but it wasn’t my favourite of her books, if I’m being honest.
I really liked the premise of a town full of mediums and the musical aspect was super intriguing. I just couldn’t fully connect with the story.
I do feel that it will be well loved by others, though!
I am such a huge Helene Dunbar fan! I knew I needed to read this book just from the author. I did quite enjoy it but it wasn’t my favourite of her books, if I’m being honest.
I really liked the premise of a town full of mediums and the musical aspect was super intriguing. I just couldn’t fully connect with the story.
I do feel that it will be well loved by others, though!
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