Seven Roses

by L.L. Tremblay

Ellen Taylor is only seven years old when her entire world collapses after she witnesses a horrific event that will change her life forever. This shocking tragedy sparks a series of inexplicable events and coincidences that test Ellen as she grows up and tries to discover why the number seven continues to appear all around her. Can Ellen find meaning in her recurring dreams and encounters with the ghosts of her past? Or will she succumb to the darkness that has stalked her since she was a young girl?

Genres: Mystery

218 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 7, 2020

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Faithful
L.L. Tremblay writes her novel in the first person, bringing an authentic sensitivity to a haunting story of love and loss. Grappling with personal, family, friend, partner and mystical relationships, several tumultuous life-defining events unfold in this heartfelt drama. Tremblay crafts an absorbing story that reaches into our desire to have a force that protects and guides us through life.

Ellen is a seven-year-old girl, who while playing with her best friend Anna witnesses her being killed on the street by a passing van. The mix of tragic emotions and loss are only exacerbated by Anna's mother casting blame on Ellen. A look she gave that twists her soul to say, this is your fault! Why my daughter and not you? While grief has many faces the impact on a seven-year-old who feels responsible is traumatic, damaging, incomprehensible, and can shift our spiritual axis to being more aware or understanding of otherworld possibilities. Ellen first sees Anna’s ethereal presence that evening.

“At first, I thought that it might be one of my sisters, but after I rubbed my eyes it became clearer - it was a little girl and she was smiling at me. She whispered, ‘Ellen, it's me. Anna.’ I bolted upright in a cold sweat, my heart racing. ‘Anna?’ ‘Yes, Ellen.’ ‘But you're supposed to be dead’ ‘I am dead.’ ‘Does that mean... wait, am I dead too?’ ‘No, silly. I just came back to tell you that what happened today is not your fault.’ ”

From that night on, Anna is a frequent presence for Ellen but she is often accompanied by another older woman, and sometimes a younger woman, without knowing who they are or why they should appear. A mystery that will remain for a very long time. She only knows that the women bring a caring and protective force, unlike other dark spirits that growl in the shadows. Another mystery is tantalisingly developed as real life and a persistent dream are cleverly woven together.

“I was in a house I'd never seen before, and was greeted by a seven-year-old boy who took me by the hand and led me down a long and narrow corridor, which was lined with seven closed doors. As we proceeded down the hallway, he opened each door one by one. The seventh door, however, was locked and wouldn't budge, no matter how much he tried to force the knob to turn.”

Seven Roses, while an entertaining story full of drama, also offers a delicate layer that explores the psychological twists of managing and debating the capabilities of the human mind to create imaginary friends or have sight beyond the grave. How Ellen coped with these visions, how others sceptically treated her when she tried to explain, was very telling on how we support family and friends to cope with challenging and difficult topics. Whether we have a guardian angel, a benevolent spirit, or just our conscience, we are reminded to listen to that inner voice and see exactly what is in front of us, either to help overcome terrible times or avoid making perilous choices.

I would reiterate the words, author Wendy Waters, used to L.L. Tremblay, “Thank you for the gift of roses.” The seven roses in the story have a deep meaning but I guess you’re going to have to read the book to discover what they relate to. I would highly recommend this novel to those that enjoy supernatural tones to an engaging personal drama full of suspense, loyalty and mystery.

[Kat (Books are Comfort Food) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting book and I enjoyed it, but didn’t love it.

The book begins right away with an accident where Anna and Ellen are playing ball, Anna runs out into the street to fetch it and she is hit by a truck.

This part of the book is the extremely heartbreaking, as we see and feel Ellen’s anguish, her guilt and how she now carries the fate of the world on her small shoulders.

As Ellen grows up, the number 7 continually appears in her life; addresses, door numbers, etc. She also sees Anna in her dreams and feels her spirit. Anna reminds her, “it’s not your fault”. Somewhere along the way Ellen acquires the ability to see and communicate with the dead. Mostly good spirits.

As Ellen’s life continues she has ups and downs and goes through something tragic and horrific. I fully expected that this would be elaborated. However, it really wasn’t and in fact, it was at this point where I felt that the author tends to do surface scratching, not delving deep into anything. And this is one of my major complaints.

This book is told in the first person and it definitely gives us a personal connection with Ellen, who is sweet, generous and kind, no doubt with a beautiful spirit. She’d make a great friend to anyone.

Overall, this is an easy read and an enjoyable book. It deals with tarot cards, ghosts, psychic’s, etc., which makes it fun. For those looking for an overall, feel good story you will like this book. I wanted a more depth and hoped for a more beautiful story.

If you are looking for a lighter read to clear your palette and enjoy paranormal encounters, this could be a good book for you.

[Wendy Waters · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this book down! I read it in three days and wished I had stretched it out longer so I still had an excuse to rush to my room after dinner and enter the truly fantastic, haunted and utterly thrilling world inhabited by Ms Tremblay's protagonist, Ellen, a child with the gift of sight. The story opens with seven-year-old Ellen, whose kind but unimaginative parents dismiss her tales of Otherworldly entities as imaginings. A tragedy provides Ellen with her most enduring guardian angel, a protector who stays with her for the next two decades, forewarning her of danger and bridging a rock-solid relationship with ghostly Others. Despite being told she is going mad, Ellen's gift flowers in the inhospitable terrain of skepticism and superstition and by the time she meets her soulmate as an adult she is confident enough to deliver the closure his soul craves. Cleverly crafted and arrowed at solving the mesmeric riddle of the locked seventh door, Ms Tremblay has a real gift for storytelling. Mirroring the ancient technique of stories within stories, Ms Tremblay is a skilled Hekaye, a master of Hakawati, the ancient Arab art of storytelling, where Scheherazade-like she skillfully frames one story with another, luring the reader into a hall of mirrors, each one reflecting a sliver of the truth. I followed her into the abyss willingly, grasping the skein of her tale with both hands, intrigued about what lay beneath - Minotaur or madness. This is a book that lifts veil after veil and finally delivers both reader and protagonist in a light-filled clearing. I can see this book as the kind of movie I'll have on repeat. Well done Ms Tremblay and thank you for the gift of roses!

[Caroline Fleur · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't usually read this particular genre, but I loved this book! It was scary to me at times because it was inspired by true events. It had a spooky feel to it, probably because parts of this book were true. I couldn't put it down as evidenced by one day I realized I was brushing my teeth while reading. I enjoyed the short chapters because that helped when I knew I only had 15 minutes, I could still read a few chapters and have a good stopping point. I hope the author is working on Book #2 because I want to see what happens next!

[Sylvie Hanes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read so many books that told tales of spirits, and often they fell short of keeping my attention or having credibility. This book is one that had my focus from the opening chapter. The story is captivating, and I often found myself opting to read "just one more chapter" only to find myself several chapters later.

Not wanting to give anything away to those reading this review, I can say that author Louise has a way of keeping the anticipation growing throughout the tale. Given this book is based on true life events, I found myself wondering just how much of this well-written tale was based on experience and how much was the author's fiction.
I grew emotionally attached not only to the main character but also to those who seemed to be her protectors. I realized this when upon getting to the end of this story I felt sad having to turn the last page. For those who may not believe in one's ability to receive messages from those who have left this dimension, the tale may seem just a tale of imagination. For those who have experienced out of the ordinary connections, you just might recognize yourself in Ellen.
I seldom re-read books but this one will be the exception. I hope this writer continues to produce such captivating stories.

[Anon Uk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written

The author's ability to craft such gripping accounts is to be highly commended. She further demonstrates the positive, that people can come through lifes challenges, successfully. Equally, I appreciated the fine line on some details which, I think, were drawn appropriately while at the same relaying description acutely. I commend and admire the author for her knowledge and skills in writing with such excellence.

[Jo Dean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

As a Medium I perfectly understand the story and throughly enjoyed it. Definitely recommend this book it’s a page turner

[John C. A. Manley]

I had no trouble racing through Seven Roses by L.L. Tremblay, even though I found myself frustrated with many aspects of the story. It's a good "ghost" story full of so much potential, which I think only needed more work to become a novel that would haunt its readers in more ways than one.

Having had recent first hand experiences with signs from the "other side," I was instantly attracted to this novel of a little girl who can contact the dead. Ellen Taylor, however, doesn't stay little for long, as this 200-page book spans the first three decades of her paranormal life.

Tremblay clearly has the gift for rich, yet lean prose. Sadly, the gift is employed erratically. Some scenes are pregnant with layers of detail, with lines like we see on page one:

"I dragged my chair back from the table as I got up. It scratched the floor, which was already covered in scars from years of endless abuse. The shrill noise reminded me of my mother and her immeasurable aggravation whenever she heard this noise."

Sadly, many of the scenes in the novel don't make use of the author's descriptive talent, and read like anemic plot outlines, as if they were to be fleshed out later, but a deadline denied them the feeding-time they needed. Sections often felt rushed, and what dialogue was inserted lacked the context to make it flow.

Seven Roses is a romantic horror that certainly spooked me out at certain points. You'll never play around with Ouija boards after reading this book. Yet, many of the darker storylines never seemed to come together to a fulfilling or clear end.

Nonetheless, the last two chapters of the novel offer a satisfying series of twists — even if I felt like I was being rushed through one's dessert at the end of a short meal.

Like the prose, the plot feels as if it needed more time under the blow of the wordsmith's hammer. Much of it reads like an autobiography, lacking the overall cohesion one expects from a fictional story. Possibly, the sequel resolves some of these issues.

One such example was the rather psychotic behaviour of the father of the protagonist's childhood friend. About three-quarters of the way through the novel, her friend makes the obvious remark that her father "wasn't a nice man" and "was abusive to me and my mother for years." To which the protagonist responds, "I knew something wasn't right when I saw him running after your mother with a knife..."

The disappointment of never having this particular sub-plot go anywhere, was relieved by the hilarity of that line, which had my son and me laughing so hard we could barely sit up (which, in some ways, is a compliment to the author's ability to build tension).

For such a short novel, it may have suffered from having too many characters, ideas and plot threads. I suspect that doubling the word count and halving the content would have offered Stephen King some serious competition.

For example, I would have preferred reducing the protagonist's four romantic interests (two of whom didn't add much to the story) down to two — with far more time given to the shockingly clever storyline with her first fiancé, while giving her eventual husband a far more active role (rather than that of a supporting bystander).

This is one of those works where I would love to see the author produce a second edition, much like Lee Harper did with To Kill a Mockingbird (originally So Set a  Watchman). Nonetheless, as I said, it was enough of a page turner that I eagerly bulldozed my way to the unexpected ending.

[K.P. Roberson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Haunting Short Read

Author Tremblay takes us through the life of Ellen Taylor, told through snippets beginning at age seven, a number which has significant meaning throughout.

Ellen’s life is full of tragedy and loss, all of which shape and mold her life in sometimes strange paths. Her ability to interact with the spiritual realm was interesting to read, as I myself have experience dealing with ghosts. While Ellen made some decisions I disagree with, watching the outcome unfold made sense in the end.

Also, the cover states this book is inspired by real events, so I spent time wondering what parts are non-fiction and how far the truth has been extended. It’s also written in memoir-style, so the formatting may bother some, but it does little to distract from the underlying story.

Seven Roses gave me light vibes from Drag Me to Hell and The Sixth Sense. 3.5 stars

[Michele Kwasniewski · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn’t read Seven Roses fast enough! Inspired by true events, L.L. Tremblay’s haunting tale is one that kept me on the edge of my seat until the very last page. She has a firm grip on the art of suspense and weaves a compelling tale of loss, hope and love that goes beyond the boundaries of our normal existence. Though main character Ellen Taylor’s story was extraordinary in so many ways, the character’s voice and day to day life made her relatable which made this tale even more eerie. I was hooked from the very first page. A gripping debut novel and the perfect book to read on a dark and stormy evening next to a roaring fire. I can’t wait to get lost in L. L. Tremblay’s next novel.

[Bonnie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Terribly written. Poorly developed characters and story.

[Lynne Martel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was hooked from the first paragraph, wanting to know what happens and feeling great empath toward the characters. I have read hundreds of books and this one is in my top five favourites. ❤️