On December 21, 2012, according to the Mayan Calendar, the world was supposed to end. It didn't. But on that day, 113 mysterious manuscripts were discovered around the world, each one written in blood by an unknown author. After several dozen unexplained deaths befell the finders of said manuscripts, a decision was made to lock them up for good in a secret vault beneath the Vatican. It is said that anyone who reads the stories will die, and as such they are now referred to as 'The Cursed Manuscripts.'
In December 2020, new manuscripts started turning up around the world.
One of Horror's most respected authors, Iain Rob Wright is the writer of more than forty books, many of them bestsellers. A previous Kindle All-Star and a mainstay in the horror charts, he is a prolific producer of unique and original stories. From his apocalyptic saga The Gates to his claustrophobic revenge thriller ASBO, Iain writes across a broad spectrum of sub genres, creating both beloved series and standalone titles.
With work available in several languages and in audio, Iain Rob Wright is one of the fastest rising stars in horror, but when not writing he is a dedicated family man. Father to Jack and Molly, and husband to Sally, he is often seen sharing his family memories with his fans on Facebook.
Eh. Sophomoric, at best, even for a young adult novella. Dialogue was cringeworthy. Character development was thin. Horror content was okay. Obsession with the teenager's breasts, downright annoying. And if you are looking for "The Cursed Manuscripts", well you will not find them here.
I felt duped. One and half stars really. Left me irritated.
I’m so happy to have read this book from IRW, the first in the ‘The Cursed Manuscripts’ series. It follows Ashley and Jude, two kids trying to pass time on the ‘boring’ 6 week school summer holiday. After being chased into the woods by the local gang, they stumble on to an old farmhouse in ruins. What they see in the farmhouse is what nightmares are made of.....! This was creepy good, and had me hooked from the ‘get go’, with an ending which I just wasn’t expecting!
Here, in this novel which supposedly is book one of the Cursed Manuscripts (Cursed manuscripts, what are those? I read Witch, in its entirety and I still do not know anything about any manuscripts cursed or otherwise. It is a good hook, though.) Iain Rob Wright tells a tight 200-page story. Sure, its short. Sure, it has some horrific and creepy elements, but what the book blurb says and what I was expecting never came together. The story was OK. The characters were intriguing. This is more a coming of age, scary narrative. Kind of like the Stephen King novella The Body. It was free. I got it. I read it. Meh! Two Grey Geeks because it was not a worthless read, but nothing that makes you invested in exploring more about the Cursed Manuscripts.
⚰ Plot: Eerie and memorable, 'Witch' is a creepy supernatural horror centering on friends, Ashley and Jude, who stumble upon a woman held captive in a derelict house in the woods - sparking an ominous chain of events. The atmosphere is chilling, blending paranormal suspense with a sinister mystery.
⚰ Writing: Wright’s prose amplifies a tone of pervasive fear and tension within this fast-paced narrative, interspersing gritty action with a deepening sense of dread. A gripping page-turner, 'Witch' maintains an element of unnerving unpredictability throughout.
⚰ Characters: Ashley and Jude could be perceived as unlikely heroes at first glance, though their friendship underscores the story’s emotional core. The contrasting strengths and vulnerabilities of the protagonists enrich the narrative, their bond ultimately shining in the face of disturbing opposition, whether worldly or paranormal.
⚰ Impact: While not necessarily a revolutionary addition to the horror genre, 'Witch' is certainly rich in suspense - and gritty, even grotesque action sequences only add to this foreboding thrill ride. The novel provokes questions surrounding courage and loyalty under intense pressure; this moral tension grounds the narrative while adding a dimension of psychological intrigue.
⚰ Overall: Though it must be said that we see nothing of the manuscripts mentioned in the synopsis, I found this to be an enjoyable occult horror novel with potential for rereadability. 'Witch' is an appealing tale for fans of dark, atmospheric horror.
𖣂 ⚰ 𖣂 ⚰ 𖣂 ⚰ 𖣂 ⚰ 𖣂 ⚰ 𖣂 ⚰ 𖣂 ⚰ 𖣂 ⚰ 𖣂 ⚰
Genre: 𖣂 Supernatural horror
Tropes and Themes: 𖣂 Haunting 𖣂 Abandoned house 𖣂 Sinister stranger 𖣂 Paranormal forces 𖣂 Dark secret 𖣂 Unlikely heroes 𖣂 Childhood friends 𖣂 Coming of age
This was an okay read, nothing earth shattering. It felt distinctively YA not that it's a bad thing. Leaves you kind of wanting more out of the whole presentation. Will be reading more of his books though before I decide whether this was an aberration.
There were no cursed manuscripts despite the description of the book stating it, so that was a little weird. The writing was sexist at times, the instant scrutiny of womens bodies despite said woman appearing to be a victim at the time and the fascination with Ashleys chest is off-putting and worthy of being submitted to "men writing women." The dialogue was cringy in places. Jude changed his mind instantly. It was obvious, easily solved/information was given up really easily and offered up and accepted really casually despite the subject matter. The descriptions were decent enough but I really could do without the trope cropping up again in 2021.
Great read! But the story does not relate to the synopsis at all. The only thing I can assume is maybe the author intends for the book to be one of the mentioned manuscripts and us the mentioned readers...the story is a manuscript? *shrug* either way it was good, kept a level of chill factor, and had a nice ending. BETTER SYNOPSIS: Summer draws to a close for two best friends, and they don't know that it is only just the beginning. The beginning of childhood lost. After a run in with their frequent bully posse Ash and Jude find solace hiding in the woods; they take the opportunity to explore unfamiliar territory and come across a dilapidated house. What they find inside turns their world on it's head. Can the mage and his warrior princess conquer evil, or will darkness win out?
The blurb made this sound so interesting. What are the cursed manuscripts ? what happens to the people that find them ? The book answers neither of these questions nor does it mention cursed manuscripts save for one paragraph at the very beginning of the book. What you do get is a middle of the road YA angsty mild horror story that offers nothing new or interesting to the genre. Very disappointing
Witch was a terrifyingly gruesome story about two teens finding something they shouldn't and fighting to correct their mistakes. The themes of taking responsibility for one's actions and paying for one's mistakes were captivating and haunting throughout the novel. I am not sure how I felt about the author's delving the expression of the women claiming their power. There was an unnatural and negative connotation about it which felt cringe to me. The plot was a twisty road that takes the reader for quite the ride. Disappointed with ending. Felt like it was rushed. But overall good scare fest.
This one was kind of meh for me. Started off pretty slow, had a suspense filled middle, and then it just sort of fell off... And that ending, what was that? It felt really rushed and left me unsatisfied.
This story overall wasn't terrible, but it could have been so much better! I don't know if I will continue reading the rest of the series or not...
I don't wanna read about teenagers having sex...why do we always focus on the naked bodies of the the girls/women/ alledge victims? I feel like he tried to make this a "strong female lead" only to yank it out by saying women have too much rage towards men and it's evil...wtf dude.
Sexist, pervy, totally took a decent concept and smudged it. Turning a woman's rage at the Men into something gross and evil is stupid sexist. Seriously, her dad was beating her and her mom was a wuss. I actually made it to the end and then said f*** this.
Disappointed.
Wasn't scary. The only horror was Men trying to write Women and fudging it up.
The author's misogyny was grating. [Spoilers] 1. Constant mentions of our teen protag's breasts. 2. Women who have sex are impure. 3. A woman fighting back against her abusive father is assurance that she's evil. 4. Being a violent bully, however, is fine (if you're male)! 5. The Big Bad is a woman who tries to convince our female protag that all men are bad and should be killed, which, if I'm being an armchair psychologist, feels like a straw man for the author's imagination of what feminism is like. If this plot stood alone it might be fine, but the entire picture is one of woman-hating.
The plot is thin and wraps up hurriedly, spoiling the one good theme (male-female friendship) in its final pages.
It also bears absolutely no relation to the blurb description - Manuscripts? The Vatican? These things never came up.
All of the above is a shame, because the atmosphere was successfully spooky for the first 1/3 of the book.
The friendship between the two main characters was enjoyable but...what did I just read? It had absolutely nothing to do with the description. THAT story sounded interesting. This one fell flat and fell into cliche world. The buildup was good but the explanation and resution were dumb, elementary and rushed. There was room to do something cool but, yeah, it didn't. It read like a 6th grader trying to write a mature, scary story that tried hard to push boundaries with language and gore. Just, no.
The plot itself was decent, it showed sparks of being a good book, unfortunately it wasn’t.
The characters were underdeveloped and the end was unnecessary. Maybe it’s my age but honestly it was crap. Sad really because the storyline had potential
No spoilers. 4 1/2 stars. Ever wonder about that old dilapidated house in the middle of a clearing that's been sitting undiscovered for years?...
Teens Ashley and Jude, BFF's, were walking in Redsow Woods. They came to a footpath and were headed home when...
... they were chased down a steep slope and into the purportedly haunted Devil's Ditch by a local gang of bullies from their school...
The deep ravine was dark and shadowy and wove an ominous spell on them and they decided to explore it...
As they walked under the canopy of trees they saw something glinting through the dappled sunlight. It was an old, rusted sign...
... NO TRESPASSING
They ignored the sign and forged ahead until they came to a clearing in the trees where an old, abandoned farmhouse stood crumbling in its midst...
Thinking it a very cool find, they pushed open the weathered door and went inside where they discovered a woman shackled to the floor with...
... chains through her hands and ankle bones. She was bloody and naked except for a locket hanging from her neck. The woman begged for help...
The kids reached out to comfort the woman and assure her they were going for the police because they would not be able to free her from the chains going through her limbs...
... The woman went berserk and tried to bite them...
The kids fled the farmhouse and ran all the way home where they told their harrowing story to their parents and police... who didn't believe them, so...
The warrior princess and her trusted mage (their imaginary names for each other) decided to find a way to rescue the woman themselves...
This was only the second "most anticipated" book of 2021 that I found to be a great story. I don't want to say too much more because of spoilers but this novel is well worth a read!
Iain Rob Wright is one of my favorite writers. He is reliable, consistent, and an amazing storyteller. For me, this is what saves this novel. I just couldn’t get into the plot and had to ask myself who this was targeting.... I am going to lean towards young adults. It’s not that the story was bad... just not for me. It was also a very short story. In this case, that was a good thing as I breezed right through it. Honestly, this should probably be a three star rating, but as Iain is awesome and such a superb storyteller, I will up my rating to a four.
Let’s put it this way: 1. You’re a twenty-something year old, and like slow, atmospheric horror like The Witch, It Follows, It Comes At Night, Wicker Man, etc... and have never read an Iain Rob Wright story..... GO FOR IT!
Otherwise, Iain has a solid catalog of excellent novels and series that you can really dig into. Any of his other books are much better choice than this one, and I can highly recommend any of his series.
First of all CHANGE THE SYNOPSIS like the book isn’t about that at all!!!!!! This book started off well and I liked the characters, and the story but it feels lacking in side plot, I wish we had more information about Jude’s mum, and Ashley’s Parents and Rita/Peter didn’t feel like they were an afterthought, like if we could get them sooner, it feels a bit forced and Ròse still lacks a lot of information too, but my biggest problem with this book is the ending like all book Ashley and Jude refer to eachother as like brother/sister then it’s revealed that they are both virgins and then all of a sudden they love eachother in a none brother/sister way and also just straight up start with sex, not awkwardly or realistic in any way at all, then Ricky and Jude are best friends and Ashley is evil now and the book ends there with no sequel or anything… it felt like a rushed ending that didn’t fit the tone of the book and I left with more questions than answers! 2/5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This was a good, creepy tale that moved quickly. The two main characters were great. My only complaints would be the constant focus on Ashley's breasts. It was totally unnecessary and didn't really provide much for the story. The other was the ending. It worked but just wasn't "taken" with it. Good story though and I plan to continue on with the rest of the series.
As with all of Iain Rob Wright’s work, Witch is well-written with an amazing storyline and characters I came to care for as I read non-stop from page one to the end. Absolutely creepy with plenty of high-tension terror and I highly recommend it.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the ARC from the author and this is my honest and unsolicited opinion.
I liked this one as I usually do with Iain Rob Wright’s books. It moved at a good pace and the main characters were interesting and well developed. I have to agree with another reviewer who wondered where the 12 manuscripts in the description went? They weren’t even mentioned and maybe there will be future books with these characters where they will be addressed but they definitely weren’t in this one. That said, the story was interesting and left me wanting to see the characters again.
It was alright. I liked Jude. I didn’t like the unnecessary obsession with breasts. Also, most importantly, the plot description does not match the book. It rather describes an entire series, of which this one is the first it seems. No idea how this one relates to cursed manuscripts, but I guess I’ll find out. I was disappointed that the story followed something else than described, but the story was fine.
A quick, spooky read. It felt strangely empowering but I love the childlike wonder and magic woven throughout. It’s strangely hopeful and heart warming.
It was an ok read … since those is my second book I’m getting the feeling that the author kinda leaves you with questions. It was a decent read but I liked the 1st book Zombie better.
Fuck this garbage book and fuck the author. This is nothing more than a shitty morality story about punishing unlikable, interesting women, and unnecessary descriptions of a teenage girl's breasts. I would not recommend this novella to anyone.
Absolutely creepy, scary and don't ever go looking for an adventure in dark and creepy woods with devastating consequences especially for the characters Ashley and Jude.
Will their friendship be able to stand one evil nightmarish event which turns out to be one hell of a ride for both of them. As this author draws you into the book from the first page and unrelenting does not let go of you till the last page.
Eagerly awaiting forward to more of these stories under The Cursed Manuscripts.
Really liked the writing style, characters and it had a lot of creepiness throughout.This was the perfect length for a story like this.Will definitely check out more books by this author.
I have really struggled about writing this review. Word of mouth is very damaging, but I am also a very blunt, straightforward person. So having said that, here we go. I love young adult fiction, which I felt this was ranked into this category. However, I felt like a sex crazed teenager wrote this. Too much cussing. Too much time spent on phrases like flabby titties. I mean, come on, get creative with your words, and we get it Ash had big boobs. I don't need you to remind me of it every other page. The book was touted as being a cursed manuscript book. Where were the manuscripts???? This was a poorly written coming of age teenage book in which they release a witch, only to kill the witch along with other people. There, plot all in one badly written sentence. I gave it a 1 star, because I couldn't give it a 0 star. Do not waste your time.