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Od and Ed
IN A MOMENT OF DESPERATION Od pressed the button set deep in the wood of the scarebox, and unknowingly pushed Ed’s soul out of his body.
For some reason Ed’s Body can still walk and talk, but it isn’t behaving like Ed, and it refuses to leave the graveyard.
Thrown into the supernatural currents running under her small town, Od soon learns that her only ally may be Loney Scrobe—a strange classmate of hers who’s surrounded by dark and disturbing rumors.
Od’s not sure if she can trust Loney, but her brother’s life hangs in the balance…and she only has one night to put him back together again.
At times creepy, funny, and frightening, and told deftly from a child's perspective, Od and Ed is a HAUNTING and heartfelt suburban dark fantasy about a sister and brother that brings the nineteen-eighties to life in ways that feel both new and familiar.
For some reason Ed’s Body can still walk and talk, but it isn’t behaving like Ed, and it refuses to leave the graveyard.
Thrown into the supernatural currents running under her small town, Od soon learns that her only ally may be Loney Scrobe—a strange classmate of hers who’s surrounded by dark and disturbing rumors.
Od’s not sure if she can trust Loney, but her brother’s life hangs in the balance…and she only has one night to put him back together again.
At times creepy, funny, and frightening, and told deftly from a child's perspective, Od and Ed is a HAUNTING and heartfelt suburban dark fantasy about a sister and brother that brings the nineteen-eighties to life in ways that feel both new and familiar.
- GenresHorror
232 pages, Paperback
First published June 8, 2021
5 people are currently reading
48 people want to read
About the author
Shanti Leonard
3 books4 followersShanti grew up in a tiny town in the mountains of Northern California, riding bikes and sleds, and playing in the forest surrounding his house.
Many people who live in his hometown claim some sort of experience with the supernatural. He remains skeptical…with unexplained experiences of his own.
Many people who live in his hometown claim some sort of experience with the supernatural. He remains skeptical…with unexplained experiences of his own.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
July 1, 2021
⭐⭐
I wanted to love this book; it had some interesting elements to it, and I really enjoyed Od's character. However, I just found it all a little too strange and confusing. 🤷🏻♀️
**ARC Via NetGalley**
I wanted to love this book; it had some interesting elements to it, and I really enjoyed Od's character. However, I just found it all a little too strange and confusing. 🤷🏻♀️
**ARC Via NetGalley**
June 13, 2021
This started out well, then I found that the story started to slow down, even though the action started ramping up, after Ed’s soul was ejected from his body. Od has to figure out a way to get her brother Ed’s soul back into his body and ropes in an acquaintance. To help her do this The schemes get increasingly desperate, and gross, as the situation devolves and unexpected hiccups in their plan occur.
I could see why this was compared to “Stranger Things”. “Od and Ed” has a slightly nostalgic, quirky feel at its outset. And it’s up to Od to figure out what to do and rectify matters.
I think the book started off reasonably well, showing us the siblings’ relationship, then, the story transformed into something much darker and dire as the narrative progressed. Unfortunately, I felt the pacing began lagging the further I got into the story.
This book wasn’t what I expected, which is a good thing, but this also wasn’t a book I fully enjoyed, and wasn’t really for me.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for a review.
I could see why this was compared to “Stranger Things”. “Od and Ed” has a slightly nostalgic, quirky feel at its outset. And it’s up to Od to figure out what to do and rectify matters.
I think the book started off reasonably well, showing us the siblings’ relationship, then, the story transformed into something much darker and dire as the narrative progressed. Unfortunately, I felt the pacing began lagging the further I got into the story.
This book wasn’t what I expected, which is a good thing, but this also wasn’t a book I fully enjoyed, and wasn’t really for me.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for a review.
June 3, 2021
Od and Ed is unlike anything I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Think Stranger Things meets Pet Sematary.
Ed's soul has been scared out of his body and wanders The Pale while his flesh sits, unresponsive, in the graveyard. His sister, Od, goes to extreme lengths to get her brother back, even digging up the body of a young girl in the hope that Ed's soul will somehow attach itself to her. The plan is simple. Take the corpse back to the house, tell Ed to possess it, drive back to the graveyard and Ed's soul will 're-attach' itself to his own body. But things are never that simple, are they? Certainly not in this story.
Shanti Leonard's novel is humorous and clever. It has a comedic gore level that is almost reminiscent of Pat Pollari's work, but just enough horror to be truly dark. A thoroughly enjoyable read with plenty of twists and turns, culminating in a haunting finale that leaves the reader wanting more.
Ed's soul has been scared out of his body and wanders The Pale while his flesh sits, unresponsive, in the graveyard. His sister, Od, goes to extreme lengths to get her brother back, even digging up the body of a young girl in the hope that Ed's soul will somehow attach itself to her. The plan is simple. Take the corpse back to the house, tell Ed to possess it, drive back to the graveyard and Ed's soul will 're-attach' itself to his own body. But things are never that simple, are they? Certainly not in this story.
Shanti Leonard's novel is humorous and clever. It has a comedic gore level that is almost reminiscent of Pat Pollari's work, but just enough horror to be truly dark. A thoroughly enjoyable read with plenty of twists and turns, culminating in a haunting finale that leaves the reader wanting more.
August 6, 2021
This is a hard one to review. I liked the writing, and the story concept was really intriguing. What starts as a simple "let's get my brother's soul back in his body" escalates really quickly to... well without spoiling anything, it reeaaally gets out of hand, but without losing its believability. The story kept me interested, wondering how much worse it could get and how they're going to fix this
However, there were a number of graphic scenes that I just didn't enjoy. Maybe it's because I wasn't prepared for them, and didn't think it would be that kind of writing, but it was too much (especially the part where everyone is throwing up... You really don't need to spend a whole page or two talking about it and the smell).
But ye... I liked it, but there were parts I could have done without.
However, there were a number of graphic scenes that I just didn't enjoy. Maybe it's because I wasn't prepared for them, and didn't think it would be that kind of writing, but it was too much (especially the part where everyone is throwing up... You really don't need to spend a whole page or two talking about it and the smell).
But ye... I liked it, but there were parts I could have done without.
August 23, 2024
2.5 ⭐️ rounded up
Just not my taste unfortunately! I do think that content warnings for animal abuse are warranted and important to note before going into this.
Just not my taste unfortunately! I do think that content warnings for animal abuse are warranted and important to note before going into this.
August 31, 2021
Od and Ed is the perfect weird horror of my heart.
Strange, fun, gross and charming all rolled into one. This is right up my alley and I’d happily have more!
Ed’s soul is pushed out of his body and it’s Od’s job to get it back in. With the unusual Loney Scrobe (and the stories that surround him) to help her out, we’re on a trip around a small town during the 80’s. Hitting both the graveyard and an ice cream shop.
Pitched as Stranger Things x something spooky, this is also touching at times. Reading from the perspective of a child was well done and I quite frankly loved every single thing. Reading this in one sitting, I could definitely see this as a series but it’s still a satisfying standalone.
If you have a genuine interest in the weird and wonderful, creepy and disturbing, this is a must have little read. I’m keeping my eye on you Shanti Leonard!
Thanks to the author and NetGalley for this quirky read now.
Strange, fun, gross and charming all rolled into one. This is right up my alley and I’d happily have more!
Ed’s soul is pushed out of his body and it’s Od’s job to get it back in. With the unusual Loney Scrobe (and the stories that surround him) to help her out, we’re on a trip around a small town during the 80’s. Hitting both the graveyard and an ice cream shop.
Pitched as Stranger Things x something spooky, this is also touching at times. Reading from the perspective of a child was well done and I quite frankly loved every single thing. Reading this in one sitting, I could definitely see this as a series but it’s still a satisfying standalone.
If you have a genuine interest in the weird and wonderful, creepy and disturbing, this is a must have little read. I’m keeping my eye on you Shanti Leonard!
Thanks to the author and NetGalley for this quirky read now.
June 12, 2021
This story has a lot of talk about manufactured souls being shoved into places and things where they don’t belong, and that notion stuck with me as an accurate encapsulation of this unique debut novel. It feels like a legitimate attempt at transmuting genuine memories and nostalgia of a time long gone into something that’s more than just a wistful look at paths already travelled. Given what we’re inundated with culturally these days, I can very much respect and appreciate what the author is doing here. I have similar memories of my own childhood, so this allowed me to connect rather effortlessly to the goings-on.
Author Shanti Leonard’s voice and style is as eager, excitable, and entertaining as his children characters, and it’s here where I sometimes felt I was reading a story best served in another medium. The world Leonard sketches out here is fascinating, and the child-like voice of the prose seems intentional, but I sometimes felt that this approach served to undercook some aspects of the book. I would like to understand the world and some of the character motivations a bit more, and I get the feeling that Leonard could oblige if he was able to show us rather than tell. I get the impression that Leonard really wants this to be a movie.
In addition, the stakes behind the drama here seem a bit vague; the kids are trying to find a solution to the trouble before Od and Ed’s parents get home. Given the nature of the story, it seems like Leonard could have gone deeper into his characters and made the stakes greater, but what’s here serves to satisfy well enough. It often seems like writers today feel the need to weigh everything down with attempts at abject realism, and Leonard’s refreshing, seemingly conscious retort against such ponderous storytelling is appreciated. Plus — even though the leads are children, this is not a book just for children. It contains several scenes that may disturb younger readers, so take that into consideration. For me, this added to the appeal, but I know that those who adhere to genre prescriptions may be a bit confused.
When I got to the end, learning that Od and Ed’s story is meant to continue gave me a smile. One — what you do learn about these characters in this story makes you want to know more about them, and you should know more. I could be wrong, but I don’t even recall learning their ages. Two — Leonard could very well create his own alternate 1980s here, and what’s laid out here opens doors for so many what ifs and speculations. Finally — there are still so many questions I have. I would really like them answered. Despite some unsteadiness here and there, I think that means this one won me over, and I can’t think that I’m the only person who would enjoy this. Give it a shot!
Author Shanti Leonard’s voice and style is as eager, excitable, and entertaining as his children characters, and it’s here where I sometimes felt I was reading a story best served in another medium. The world Leonard sketches out here is fascinating, and the child-like voice of the prose seems intentional, but I sometimes felt that this approach served to undercook some aspects of the book. I would like to understand the world and some of the character motivations a bit more, and I get the feeling that Leonard could oblige if he was able to show us rather than tell. I get the impression that Leonard really wants this to be a movie.
In addition, the stakes behind the drama here seem a bit vague; the kids are trying to find a solution to the trouble before Od and Ed’s parents get home. Given the nature of the story, it seems like Leonard could have gone deeper into his characters and made the stakes greater, but what’s here serves to satisfy well enough. It often seems like writers today feel the need to weigh everything down with attempts at abject realism, and Leonard’s refreshing, seemingly conscious retort against such ponderous storytelling is appreciated. Plus — even though the leads are children, this is not a book just for children. It contains several scenes that may disturb younger readers, so take that into consideration. For me, this added to the appeal, but I know that those who adhere to genre prescriptions may be a bit confused.
When I got to the end, learning that Od and Ed’s story is meant to continue gave me a smile. One — what you do learn about these characters in this story makes you want to know more about them, and you should know more. I could be wrong, but I don’t even recall learning their ages. Two — Leonard could very well create his own alternate 1980s here, and what’s laid out here opens doors for so many what ifs and speculations. Finally — there are still so many questions I have. I would really like them answered. Despite some unsteadiness here and there, I think that means this one won me over, and I can’t think that I’m the only person who would enjoy this. Give it a shot!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 22, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-book in return for an honest review.
After Ed's soul is ejected out of his body, his sister Od is left scrambling to find a way to put her brother back together before their parents get home. Od decides to include someone else to help her that she isn't sure she can trust but she is desperate to put her brother back together. As you can probably guess, nothing goes ad smoothly as Od had hoped.
This was certainly an interesting read. Shanti Leonard's debut novel is an eerie fantasy with elements of horror mixed in. This is a very atmospheric read set in the 80's. The author is very descriptive in describing this world to her readers, though there are many times throughout the book that you feel you are being told and not shown what is happening. The story is told well from the children's perspective, however there isn't a ton of internal dialogue of them figuring situations out. More often than not you are just given the information through very descriptive, telling dialogue. I did not love this about the book as it took me out of the pacing, but some people might enjoy it more considering our main characters are children. The pacing in the beginning is a little slow but then picks up rather quickly to keep you hooked until the end. The ending was satisfying with a good lesson about our relationships with family.
This book definitely has some trigger warnings so be sure to check those out before diving in. THIS IS NOT A CHILDREN'S BOOK, despite being told from the children's POV so be warned. I can definitely see how people compare this to Stranger Things with the heavy 80's atmosphere and the way the plot unfolds in an enexpected way. I also think fans of Stephen King might enjoy this with its horror elements along with some dark comedy.
For me, this was quite an interesting read. I did want to dive a little deeper into the characters but I am someone who really likes their characters fleshed out. The way this ended left me wanting to learn more about the characters, so I could see Leonard expanding on this book in the future, which would be great. I think this was a great debut novel with a very interesting, fresh take on the haunted house trope that keeps you hooked through all it's twists and turns until the end.
3.5 stars from me
After Ed's soul is ejected out of his body, his sister Od is left scrambling to find a way to put her brother back together before their parents get home. Od decides to include someone else to help her that she isn't sure she can trust but she is desperate to put her brother back together. As you can probably guess, nothing goes ad smoothly as Od had hoped.
This was certainly an interesting read. Shanti Leonard's debut novel is an eerie fantasy with elements of horror mixed in. This is a very atmospheric read set in the 80's. The author is very descriptive in describing this world to her readers, though there are many times throughout the book that you feel you are being told and not shown what is happening. The story is told well from the children's perspective, however there isn't a ton of internal dialogue of them figuring situations out. More often than not you are just given the information through very descriptive, telling dialogue. I did not love this about the book as it took me out of the pacing, but some people might enjoy it more considering our main characters are children. The pacing in the beginning is a little slow but then picks up rather quickly to keep you hooked until the end. The ending was satisfying with a good lesson about our relationships with family.
This book definitely has some trigger warnings so be sure to check those out before diving in. THIS IS NOT A CHILDREN'S BOOK, despite being told from the children's POV so be warned. I can definitely see how people compare this to Stranger Things with the heavy 80's atmosphere and the way the plot unfolds in an enexpected way. I also think fans of Stephen King might enjoy this with its horror elements along with some dark comedy.
For me, this was quite an interesting read. I did want to dive a little deeper into the characters but I am someone who really likes their characters fleshed out. The way this ended left me wanting to learn more about the characters, so I could see Leonard expanding on this book in the future, which would be great. I think this was a great debut novel with a very interesting, fresh take on the haunted house trope that keeps you hooked through all it's twists and turns until the end.
3.5 stars from me
June 5, 2021
Sci-fi/fantasy and horror are genres I always say I'll check out but never do. I'm glad I stepped outside my romance only comfort zone - this book is so good!
It's a dark fantasy/horror akin to a mix of Stranger Things and Stephen King, Pet Sematary in particular - supernatural small town in the late 80's? Check. Child's perspective with a straightforward, minimal stream-of-consciousness narrative? Check. Souls stuck in a parallel universe, re-animated corpses, multiple spiritual possessions in one person? Big time check. (Bonus check for kick-ass cover art!)
This borders more on dark fantasy with horror elements (and much needed, genuinely hilarious dark humor), so if you're a wuss like me and can't handle medium to extreme gore and disturbing imagery, you'll be fine. The narrative has a slow, wandering start but once it gets going after a few chapters, it's hard to put down. The ending is a bit rushed, but still satisfying and surprisingly touching. I could see this expanding into a series, but it'll do just fine as a stand-alone.
My only qualm is a storytelling choice that might just be personal preference - some of the explanation heavy dialogue felt too on the noise, giving the reader (and characters) the answer without letting them figure it out first. Those moments awkwardly stuck out and made the pace momentarily stumble. Granted, this is told from childrens' perspective so it makes sense to have straightforward explanations rather than realizations from inner monologues. I would've preferred context clues instead of blunt explanations but, again, probably just a personal preference.
4.5 / 5 for me! It's a unique, well executed story by a debut author and a surreal, memorable reading experience that'll live in my head for a long time. I look forward to Shanti Leonard's future works!
Thank you so much to NetGalley, Shanti Leonard and IBPA for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!
It's a dark fantasy/horror akin to a mix of Stranger Things and Stephen King, Pet Sematary in particular - supernatural small town in the late 80's? Check. Child's perspective with a straightforward, minimal stream-of-consciousness narrative? Check. Souls stuck in a parallel universe, re-animated corpses, multiple spiritual possessions in one person? Big time check. (Bonus check for kick-ass cover art!)
This borders more on dark fantasy with horror elements (and much needed, genuinely hilarious dark humor), so if you're a wuss like me and can't handle medium to extreme gore and disturbing imagery, you'll be fine. The narrative has a slow, wandering start but once it gets going after a few chapters, it's hard to put down. The ending is a bit rushed, but still satisfying and surprisingly touching. I could see this expanding into a series, but it'll do just fine as a stand-alone.
My only qualm is a storytelling choice that might just be personal preference - some of the explanation heavy dialogue felt too on the noise, giving the reader (and characters) the answer without letting them figure it out first. Those moments awkwardly stuck out and made the pace momentarily stumble. Granted, this is told from childrens' perspective so it makes sense to have straightforward explanations rather than realizations from inner monologues. I would've preferred context clues instead of blunt explanations but, again, probably just a personal preference.
4.5 / 5 for me! It's a unique, well executed story by a debut author and a surreal, memorable reading experience that'll live in my head for a long time. I look forward to Shanti Leonard's future works!
Thank you so much to NetGalley, Shanti Leonard and IBPA for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!
October 17, 2021
What an odd little book, that I found very entertaining.
Perfect for the season we are in currently, or if you're in the mood for a retro horror, slightly reminiscent of Stranger Things.
This has the nostalgic, the 80s or 90s sort of vibe, which I personally really like. The story kicks off with Od and Ed, but Ed's soul leaves his body and Od tries hard to get his soul back into his body.
Atmospherically, I thought it was pretty great. We could go from descriptions of flaming ghosts, creepy plastic dolls trying to claw their way into your body with their tiny hands to something more bloody and repulsive. I'm not really a fan of gore, so those parts were not my favourite. But things where he would describe Ed's soul floating through this pale world, and how things looked there, that was pretty interesting.
This is all told through the eyes of children basically, or teens, so that sort of shapes this entire experience.
What didn't make this a completely rocking, five-star experience is that it got a bit confusing at times, where I would lose my focus on what really is happening with the story. That, coupled with some of the more gory descriptions like plastic creepy dolls trying to claw their way into his asshole, was kind of too weird, even for a weird book.
Anyways, I think plenty would still enjoy this, especially on a cold, dark, autumn night, as it will definitely give you the feeling of discomfort and creepiness, while avoiding that scary and chilling feeling.
Perfect for the season we are in currently, or if you're in the mood for a retro horror, slightly reminiscent of Stranger Things.
This has the nostalgic, the 80s or 90s sort of vibe, which I personally really like. The story kicks off with Od and Ed, but Ed's soul leaves his body and Od tries hard to get his soul back into his body.
Atmospherically, I thought it was pretty great. We could go from descriptions of flaming ghosts, creepy plastic dolls trying to claw their way into your body with their tiny hands to something more bloody and repulsive. I'm not really a fan of gore, so those parts were not my favourite. But things where he would describe Ed's soul floating through this pale world, and how things looked there, that was pretty interesting.
This is all told through the eyes of children basically, or teens, so that sort of shapes this entire experience.
What didn't make this a completely rocking, five-star experience is that it got a bit confusing at times, where I would lose my focus on what really is happening with the story. That, coupled with some of the more gory descriptions like plastic creepy dolls trying to claw their way into his asshole, was kind of too weird, even for a weird book.
Anyways, I think plenty would still enjoy this, especially on a cold, dark, autumn night, as it will definitely give you the feeling of discomfort and creepiness, while avoiding that scary and chilling feeling.
dnf-shelf
July 7, 2021How I read this: Free ebook copy received through NetGalley
DNF @ 44%
This book was really weird. Like, interesting, but also really dark (in an actually horror way, even though it's about kids) and it had some really disturbing and triggering bits, which involved killing small animals in a really gruesome way. So if you can't stand horribly maimed kittens, definitely don't read it :( that's the reason I didn't finish. I want to find out what happens, but I just can't bring myself to keep reading, because what if something awful happens again? :/ Last time I put that book down I was upset all day about how shitty humans are and how we should all go extinct or something cause we do things like THAT.
Other than that, the ideas in the book are quite deep and I would love to find out what happens. But I absolutely can't.
I thank the publisher for giving me a free copy of the ebook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.
Book Blog | Bookstagram | Bookish Twitter
DNF @ 44%
This book was really weird. Like, interesting, but also really dark (in an actually horror way, even though it's about kids) and it had some really disturbing and triggering bits, which involved killing small animals in a really gruesome way. So if you can't stand horribly maimed kittens, definitely don't read it :( that's the reason I didn't finish. I want to find out what happens, but I just can't bring myself to keep reading, because what if something awful happens again? :/ Last time I put that book down I was upset all day about how shitty humans are and how we should all go extinct or something cause we do things like THAT.
Other than that, the ideas in the book are quite deep and I would love to find out what happens. But I absolutely can't.
I thank the publisher for giving me a free copy of the ebook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.
Book Blog | Bookstagram | Bookish Twitter
September 16, 2021
I was immediately attracted to that cover and that odd little title. The vibe is very much in the line of the Thief of Always by Clive Baker, Think preteens in a haunted house, though if I trust my memory this one has a lot more gore and Repulsive scenes - anything that evokes the disgust that King suggest is essential to build up horror. Those were too much for me, trigger warning about animal cruelty here. Some of the ideas are neat, some are a nice reference to classic comics, but I wasn’t very taken by the characters. The opening scene had me too focused on disliking one of them to really form an idea on the others.
While the atmosphere and pace was well done, I think the jumping around different point of views at the beginning made it harder for me to get to know Od when it counted. She’s a great character, but it took a moment to realise that fully… which made it hard to get into the novel for me.
This is for you if you like the haunted house theme and if you are looking for that retro feeling you get when reading teen 80s and 90s horror, even-though the darkness is upped here.
While the atmosphere and pace was well done, I think the jumping around different point of views at the beginning made it harder for me to get to know Od when it counted. She’s a great character, but it took a moment to realise that fully… which made it hard to get into the novel for me.
This is for you if you like the haunted house theme and if you are looking for that retro feeling you get when reading teen 80s and 90s horror, even-though the darkness is upped here.
July 30, 2021
A great read for those who watched Stranger Things and thought ‘hmm, this isn’t weird enough for me’. This book is one of the strangest I’ve read in a while and it was a delight to follow Od and Ed through this bizzare rampage.
It was initially kind of off putting for me that the book had such a nostalgic, eighties childhood feel to it, but also prominently featured some truly gory stuff, but in the end I think it worked really well. It reads like a B list horror film, and I consider that a high compliment.
But the aspect that really brings this book together is it’s characters. Od in particular is a really well realized protagonist and her relationship with her brother feels natural and anchors the story nicely.
I’ll definitely be watching this space for more Shanti Leonard works in future.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
It was initially kind of off putting for me that the book had such a nostalgic, eighties childhood feel to it, but also prominently featured some truly gory stuff, but in the end I think it worked really well. It reads like a B list horror film, and I consider that a high compliment.
But the aspect that really brings this book together is it’s characters. Od in particular is a really well realized protagonist and her relationship with her brother feels natural and anchors the story nicely.
I’ll definitely be watching this space for more Shanti Leonard works in future.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 28, 2021
This surely was an original take on a haunted house story with a new twist, but it ultimnately fell a bit short for me.
I definitely enjoyed Od's character in the novel and I liked how she connected with other people.
However, the plot jumps around a bit too much for my liking, which made it harder to understand at certain points, plus I thought that a lot of the scenes would have benefitted from being drawn out a bit more. I did overall like it that most of the happenings aren't explained too much, but felt that it was kept a bit too vague a certain points.
Lastly, I just kind of wished that the "haunted house" aspect would have been a bit more focused on.
Overall, it's a sweet story about friendship and what one would do to help a sibling.
TW: murder (on page)
I definitely enjoyed Od's character in the novel and I liked how she connected with other people.
However, the plot jumps around a bit too much for my liking, which made it harder to understand at certain points, plus I thought that a lot of the scenes would have benefitted from being drawn out a bit more. I did overall like it that most of the happenings aren't explained too much, but felt that it was kept a bit too vague a certain points.
Lastly, I just kind of wished that the "haunted house" aspect would have been a bit more focused on.
Overall, it's a sweet story about friendship and what one would do to help a sibling.
TW: murder (on page)
August 17, 2021
This book is not for everyone, but it is one of the most imaginative stories I have come across and I love it. It feels like a 1980's cult classic that never was. I love the world it takes place in, although I am kinda scared of it, and I love Od. She feels like a friend I never had. I don't usually write reviews, but there are so many on here that have given a poor star ratings just because the reader didn't like the style or they were grossed out or something. Granted there are some disturbing parts, some sick things, some sad things, but there is joy and humour and lightness, and it is lovely. Read it, because you may fall in love, but beware foolish mortal, because if you think you know what's going to happen, you have fooled yourself.
June 21, 2021
I think there were a lot of good aspects to this book; there was good characterization, there were creepy and sincere moments, and it was pretty atmospheric but there was just something about it that really lowered my enjoyment of it. I can't tell if it was trying too hard to be something it's not or if it just wasn't a book for me :((( I found it super confusing at times and I still can't really understand what happened or what any of the elements they kept adding to it meant. it was a pretty easy and enjoyable read but I don't think it's a story or world I'm going to revisit :/
Thanks Netgalley for the review copy! :)
Thanks Netgalley for the review copy! :)
January 11, 2022
It was a good book, fast read, and very interesting. Some parts were a bit confusing, but I also read fast and it might need a second read. I loved Od and hope to read more books with her and her adventures.
I bought the artifacts edition and it came with such cool and very 80’s stuff inside. It was a treasure hunt as I read. Pictures, valentines, horror movie cards, letters folded in the fun way we did them in the 80’s and 90’s. It had a beautiful quote and personally autographed. I appreciate Shanti and his attention to detail as he put it together.
I bought the artifacts edition and it came with such cool and very 80’s stuff inside. It was a treasure hunt as I read. Pictures, valentines, horror movie cards, letters folded in the fun way we did them in the 80’s and 90’s. It had a beautiful quote and personally autographed. I appreciate Shanti and his attention to detail as he put it together.
September 28, 2022
I read this book in one sitting. I expected to read a chapter or two, but I couldn’t.. put.. it.. down. The concepts are both familiar, but also so uniquely creative with unexpected twists and turns. The characters and environment are palpably real. I’m not a fan of horror, but this turned me. The writing was worth it. Fun dialogue too. Still thinking about the book and can’t wait for the next one.
June 8, 2021
So in Zelda Ocarina of Time there’s a part in the game where you incorporate a cemetery and have to help the grave keeper Dampe. Imagine the level being challenging, creepy, set in the 80s, mixed with Stranger Things actors. Boom!!! This novel. Read it. Do it now, then find a chopper!
June 12, 2021
What seemed to start out a haunted house story, quickly became so much more. No spoilers…all I’ll say is this is a thrill-ride. Here’s hoping for a sequel
August 12, 2021
Couldn't get into the storytelling and the characters at all unfortunately! It's not necessarily a bad book, but this specific strangeness wasn't for me.
*Arc via Netgalley*
*Arc via Netgalley*
February 14, 2024
It got kinda confusing
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