It is 1965 and tuberculosis has decimated James’ family – killing his parents and sister – and leaving him weak and sickly. He is sent to convalesce aIt is 1965 and tuberculosis has decimated James’ family – killing his parents and sister – and leaving him weak and sickly. He is sent to convalesce at his Uncle’s house in Dorset. The house is large and seems to hold many secrets. James’ father and his uncle had become estranged, so James had never before met his uncle Thomas. Creepy and eerie goings on in the house capture his childish imagination. He hears crying and music at odd hours.
He befriends Amy, a young maid at the house who tells him of her time in an orphanage. How during the summer holidays James’ uncle would invite some of the orphans to stay at his house. It seems Thomas Bentley is “a pillar of the community” and prone to altruistic endeavors.
Since James is in a weakened state he is more susceptible to the spirits that reside within the property. He gradually comes to meet some of these ‘ghosts’. Children – like him – who are doomed to reside there forevermore. Why? What could have happened to these poor children…?
James takes his book out to the summerhouse to read and get some fresh air. But the summerhouse has secrets of it’s own…
With a delightfully gothic feel this novella speaks to the child reader I once was. This is absolutely the type of book I would have relished as a preteen – which is about the age of James in the story. I’ve always loved stories of children who are alone in the world and are sent to large houses…. I’m thinking “The secret garden” and the like.
This is the first work by Maynard Sims that I have read. A supernatural thriller of only 87 pages, it should appeal to all ages who love traditional ghost stories.
Merged review:
It is 1965 and tuberculosis has decimated James’ family – killing his parents and sister – and leaving him weak and sickly. He is sent to convalesce at his Uncle’s house in Dorset. The house is large and seems to hold many secrets. James’ father and his uncle had become estranged, so James had never before met his uncle Thomas. Creepy and eerie goings on in the house capture his childish imagination. He hears crying and music at odd hours.
He befriends Amy, a young maid at the house who tells him of her time in an orphanage. How during the summer holidays James’ uncle would invite some of the orphans to stay at his house. It seems Thomas Bentley is “a pillar of the community” and prone to altruistic endeavors.
Since James is in a weakened state he is more susceptible to the spirits that reside within the property. He gradually comes to meet some of these ‘ghosts’. Children – like him – who are doomed to reside there forevermore. Why? What could have happened to these poor children…?
James takes his book out to the summerhouse to read and get some fresh air. But the summerhouse has secrets of it’s own…
With a delightfully gothic feel this novella speaks to the child reader I once was. This is absolutely the type of book I would have relished as a preteen – which is about the age of James in the story. I’ve always loved stories of children who are alone in the world and are sent to large houses…. I’m thinking “The secret garden” and the like.
This is the first work by Maynard Sims that I have read. A supernatural thriller of only 87 pages, it should appeal to all ages who love traditional ghost stories....more
My first impression was that this book was a farce. Pointing fun at all the horror and haunted house books that came before it. I wasn't certain that My first impression was that this book was a farce. Pointing fun at all the horror and haunted house books that came before it. I wasn't certain that I wanted to continue listening.
"There was something disconcerting about opening your eyes first thing in the morning and seeing a thick trail of red oozing down your nice wallpaper, pointing straight at your head. It really set a mood for the remainder of the day."
Four years previously, Margaret and her husband, Hal, moved into their dream house. A lovely old Victorian with a wrap-around porch in a secluded location. And the price was right! Soon after moving in Margaret comes to the realization that the old house is haunted - very haunted - yet she seems to remain unfazed. She is used to coping after all...
Margaret's husband Hal is missing. When their estranged daughter becomes concerned about her father, she visits The September House for the first time. This puts Margaret in a tailspin and ramps up her distress...
After stubbornly persevering with this novel, I came to realize that Margaret was a woman who was tragically mentally ill. Abused by her husband for decades, her already fragile psyche was irreparably damaged. So, was this a haunted house story, or, rather, was it a story of mental illness?
By reading this book, the reader is completely immersed in the damaged and deranged mind of Margaret. It was a place that I did not enjoy visiting.
There were numerous scenes teeming with blood, gore, and obscenities.
The dialogue in this novel seemed stilted. The word 'said' was repeated so many times that that word alone could have filled several pages. "I said" ; "he said" ; "she said".
The scenes which should have been horrific, were actually funny in a black humor kind of way.
Many, many readers have read this novel and appreciated it. In fact, this book has some impressive Goodreads stats. Sadly, I am in the minority for this one. It was just too farcical, it had too much of a 'spoof' vibe for me to really enjoy it, and I am unlikely to ever read anything by this author again.
I did appreciate that the narrator did an excellent job, and the book has some merit, but it just wasn't to my personal taste....more
A dual timeline ghost story that will be a sure favourite with fans of the genre. Set in the scenic Lake District area of England, the story centres A dual timeline ghost story that will be a sure favourite with fans of the genre. Set in the scenic Lake District area of England, the story centres around an ancient haunted house called Thwaite Manor. A modern gothic tale.
Present Day: Francine Thwaite lives alone in the vast manor of her forebears. She is fifty-five years old and is quite eccentric in that she shuns the modern world. She doesn't own a television or a telephone, preferring her garden as a pastime. She has never been more than twenty miles away from the house where she was born and raised. She doesn't seem lonely as such, but she is very solitary - with only the company of the manor's many ghosts for company. In particular a small girl ghost called Bree. When her younger sister Madeline comes to visit after becoming widowed, Francine's world is rocked to the core. Her beloved Thwaite Manor now seems to exude an awful sensation of malice.
Summer 1969: Thwaite Manor is the home of George and Eleanor Thwaite along with their six children. Five girls and one baby boy. It is not a happy household. George Thwaite is an abusive man who's every action is spurred by his corrosive hatred. He rules the manor with an iron fist evoking fear into the lives of his entire family. Eleanor Thwaite is the mother of six and is only in her twenties. She is an avid gardener and is well versed in the lore of floral symbolism. She calls her darling children 'her little flowers' and does her best to protect them from their abusive, drunken father.
As the reader is made privy to the events that occurred in 1969, Francine's family history is every so slowly revealed... Thwaite Manor finally reveals it's myriad secrets.
For the reader who is game to suspend belief for the duration of the read, this debut novel has many aspects to recommend it. An eerie and atmospheric centuries old manor house complete with priest holes and several ghosts, a family mystery shrouded in secrets, and a fascinating glimpse into sibling relationships. Not to mention good and evil at war within its pages.
The title was absolutely perfect for the book, and I appreciated learning much about the language of flowers.
Recommended to fans of ghost stories who like to read authors such as Laura Purcell and Anita Frank. For those who read seasonally, it would be the perfect read for a chilly October evening....more
"No one told me that grief would feel so much like fear."
Wow, what a roller coaster ride of a novel! The first section of the book I absolutely loved"No one told me that grief would feel so much like fear."
Wow, what a roller coaster ride of a novel! The first section of the book I absolutely loved. It read like a suspenseful coming-of age novel. Wilder Harlow was a teenager. An only child to a couple who had a rocky marriage. He was bullied in school and has no friends until that pivotal summer in Maine where he meets Nat and Harper. A summer when a cave on the beach gave up it's gruesome secrets.
"I don't think people should live by the ocean. It's too big to understand."
Then things turned quite dark and disturbing (in a delicious way) when Wilder attended college. He suffers panic attacks as a result of his experiences that Maine summer. He becomes friend with a wealthy student named Sky who comforts and sustains him when he most needs it. Sky is writing a book.
"Friends can break your heart, it seems, just like love."
Skip ahead three decades and Wilder is riddled with self-doubt and he is losing his eyesight. He suffers hallucinations and fears that even his most precious memories might be unreliable... Wilder is writing a book.
"The thing about anger is, your mustn't let it drop or you might find out how you really feel."
This book has vivid imagery, of scenes both real and imagined. The characters personas seem to blur and blend. It is dangerous, like the deepest unfathomable parts of the ocean. There are themes of friendship, grief, betrayal, traumatic memory, and damaged psyches.
"The human heart is deep and dark with many chambers. Things hide down there."
We briefly are introduced to Pearl. She was only five years old when her mother went for a swim and never returned... Jump ahead a decade and Pearl meets Harper at school. Then even later when Pearl is writing a book.
"The truth is precious, not everyone deserves it."
Then, we come to meet Gracie.
This novel is an amalgam - of timelines, of narrators, of genres, of perspectives. It is complex, extraordinary, and compelling. All of these traits seem to be a trademark of this author. Some call this metafiction. I just call it beautifully written, literary, psychological horror.
The author's writing exposes her love of the written word, and it was penned with panache and skill - though I found the latter part of the book confusing at times. It showed damaged people who try to cope with deep trauma via writing. There are word games and witchcraft. The reader is left to wonder 'What is real?', 'What is fiction?'.
Whoever described this novel as a 'modern-gothic thriller' got it spot on. The creepy curiousity shoppe Berry & Vincent, with its gruesome inventory, Whoever described this novel as a 'modern-gothic thriller' got it spot on. The creepy curiousity shoppe Berry & Vincent, with its gruesome inventory, was macabre. It's owner, Mr. Vincent was memorable to say the least. Mr. Vincent, though small, elderly, and stooped, exuded a vibe of evil malevolence. The town itself seemed corrupted by the very fact that Berry & Vincent's was located within it. After Teddy works for a while at Berry & Vincent, the reader questions whether he has come to be infected by the malignance that permeates the store and its owner. Has Mr. Vincent met his nemesis?
"Rumours are like rot here, they spread."
The narrative alternated in chapters between Teddy and Ada. Both of these characters were very lonely people - so much so that they both exhibited an air of desperation. Both were attempting to outrun their pasts. Both lived their lives as outsiders, never really feeling accepted. Teddy and Ada had parents who should never have had children. Teddy is fearful that strangers will equate him with the sins of his father. Ada is fearful that her childhood experiences of growing up in a house in which her mother didn't show her any caring or affection will somehow carry over to her young four-year-old son, Albie.
"Some people shouldn't be parents. They are broken, then they break their children."
The story was told with eloquent and atmospheric prose and descriptions. "There was a pain in my middle, as if my stomach has teeth and it is eating every other part of me." AND "She has so many sharp edges. She sharpened them herself when she was a girl. To cut her father's fingers."
This is Ronnie Turner's second novel, and now I'm eager to go back and read her debut "Lies Between Us". I found "So Pretty" to be dark, chilling, haunting, disturbing, and very well written. A book of damaged people, toxic atmosphere, and addled minds. It makes the reader wonder about genetics. Are we predestined to follow in our father's footsteps? And evil... ? Monsters ARE real. Recommended for readers who don't mind being a tad terrified while they read, and those who don't mind an ending which will chill you to the bone....more
This is a gothic ghost story with fantastical elements. There were many parts of this novel that I really appreciated. The protagonist's bibliophilia This is a gothic ghost story with fantastical elements. There were many parts of this novel that I really appreciated. The protagonist's bibliophilia for one. This is an homage to books and those who love them. It is easy to discern the author's love of the classics, many of which were mentioned within the pages. In particular, this was an homage to the novel "Jane Eyre", and many elements of that novel correlate to this one. Not least of which the setting, the moors of Yorkshire. The second thing that resonated with me was the unexpected inheritance. That trope takes me back to the books I loved as an adolescent.
"She had exchanged the constraints of poverty for the gilded bonds on wealth."
The brooding handyman/chauffeur, the taciturn servants, all served to make the book extremely atmospheric. Blackwood Abbey had all the elements that I love to read about, right down to the hidden passageways, mysterious locked doors, and secret chambers.
I applauded how the author made mention of the inequality of women during the 1920s. The protagonist Ivy Radcliffe loved reading and had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and learning - something that was denied her.
The stunning cover with the word library in the title coupled with a Yorkshire setting made it almost imperative that I read it, though I hadn't read this author's previous books. At times the plot turned to paranormal horror story themes, not really my 'cup of tea'.
I enjoyed the ghost story element, but couldn't quite appreciate how the library was almost a sentient being, with its ancient history of evil monks and alchemy. Perhaps readers who like the fantasy genre will be more appreciative of these aspects of the book. I relished many aspects of the writing, but felt my personal enjoyment would have been greater had it stuck more to a purely historical fiction genre....more
Alex, who works at a low paid job in publishing, is an aspiring writer. Now however, she is suffering from a severe case of writer's block. The block Alex, who works at a low paid job in publishing, is an aspiring writer. Now however, she is suffering from a severe case of writer's block. The block began when she parted ways with Wren, her best friend and roommate about a year ago.
She has been a life-long reader and her favorite author and mentor is Roza Vallo. When she wins a place at Roza's month-long writing retreat in the New York Adirondacks, she is overjoyed - but apprehensive. Will she be able to write? And, more importantly will she be able to cope with seeing her ex-best friend there? For yes, Wren has also won a place there for the month.
The setting was divine. A huge stone Adirondack mansion in February. A house with a history, and one which is quite remote from its neighbors and has no internet connection. An immense country pile complete with hidden rooms and passageways.
The characters were not in the least likeable. Most of them acted frighteningly immature and displayed 'mean girl' tendencies. Anyone who is sensitive to profanity should be warned that this novel is laced with it.
Roza made high demands on her guests. She wants them to complete an entire novel in the month that they are there. They must submit 3000 words to her every day for her perusal. Meanwhile, when not writing, they must meet for meals and some unsavoury parlour games. Roza's character was unpredictable, edgy, and cuttingly mean to the point of being almost predatory. And where there's a predator, there is usually a victim...
The book's premise was promising, yet, in my opinion, the execution fell short. Parts of the book were extraneous to the story and felt forced, yet there was an interesting plot twist.
With themes of rivalry, manipulation, plagiarism, ambition, duplicitousness, and power plays, "The Writing Retreat" was a suspense-fuelled thriller.
Oh dear, I expect my opinion on this debut novel will be in the minority. Though there was much to like about this book, I found it just too edgy, too bodacious and titillating for my personal enjoyment....more
Although the blurb of this book didn't really grab me at first, I wanted to read it solely because I'm such a fan of this author. Her excellent writinAlthough the blurb of this book didn't really grab me at first, I wanted to read it solely because I'm such a fan of this author. Her excellent writing kept me engrossed in the story despite the fact that the plot just wasn't up to her usual standard.
Setting and characterization were the leading elements of this horror/thriller genre bender. The remote, cold, and creepy woodland was one to make you shiver regardless of the temperature where you are. The isolation, without cell service or WiFi, added a sinister element. The protagonist, Adele Rafferty, was one who was easy to empathize with.
The plot however... it left me as discombobulated and disoriented as the protagonist. Like a fun house of distorted mirrors.
With themes of desperation, gaslighting, revenge, and envy, there was a lot to admire in this book. However, compared to this author's former brilliant novels, this one left me rather underwhelmed....more
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