REVIEW: ANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD

Author: Kendare Blake
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Orchard
UK Release date: July 2012
Genre: YA Paranormal

Just your average boy-meets-girl, girl-kills-people story...
Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.
So did his father before him, until his gruesome murder by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father’s mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay. When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn’t expect anything outside of the ordinary: move, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he’s never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, but now stained red and dripping blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home. (Goodreads)

First off, I loved Anna Dressed in Blood. It was a gripping and haunting ghost story. Beautifully written it had me engrossed from page 1. I just adored Kendare Blake's writing style which was easy to  read, flowed naturally and was wonderfully captivating.

Cas was a brilliant protagonist. From the first person perspective, his distinctive voice and witty personality shone through. I loved his sense of humour and purpose, and I enjoyed seeing him change from the 'loner' that doesn't want to get close to anyone to actually needing the friends he had made. For his age, Cas was quiet mature and grounded and I think his character benefitted from not being a typical sulky teenager. Instead he had a sense of motivation, and a really great relationship with his mum, whom I adored.

As soon as I heard about Anna through the ominous letter covered in blood, I couldn’t help but think of her as some evil, wretched ghost (that looked like the girl off the film Ring) and that couldn’t be reasoned with thereby needing to be completely banished. I wasn’t disappointed (Anna was a force to be reckoned with) but she was also so much more. To then have the unusual interplay between Cas and Anna was so unexpected and well done that it felt completely natural and brilliant.

The secondary characters, Thomas and Carmel were well developed, each of their personalities bouncing off each other to create humorous but very natural feeling dialogue exchanges. Together with Cas there were an unexpected ragtag group: the ghost-hunter, the witch, and the popular girl. Considering Cas kept proclaiming he worked alone, the support he had from them was unexpected but it worked so well.

Looking back there was foreshadowing in the plot that could have helped me guess the ending. But I was so caught up in the tense action, the gory horror and fast paced plot, that I didn’t pause for even a second to try to interpret the clues. I just enjoyed the story for what it was. There were certainly a few moments that had me on the edge of the seat with tingles running down my spine.

Anna Dressed in Blood is a creepy, fast paced horror thriller, with wonderfully written characters and dialogue and a ghost story to match any horror film.

Rating: 5*

REVIEW: BLACKWOOD

Author: Gwenda Bond
Series: No, standalone
UK Publisher: Strange Chemistry
UK Release date: 6th September 2012
Genre: YA Paranormal
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

On Roanoke Island, the legend of the 114 people who mysteriously vanished from the Lost Colony hundreds of years ago is just an outdoor drama for the tourists, a story people tell. But when the island faces the sudden disappearance of 114 people now, an unlikely pair of 17-year-olds may be the only hope of bringing them back.

Miranda, a misfit girl from the island’s most infamous family, and Phillips, an exiled teen criminal who hears the voices of the dead, must dodge everyone from federal agents to long-dead alchemists as they work to uncover the secrets of the new Lost Colony. The one thing they can’t dodge is each other. (Goodreads)

In Blackwood, Gwenda Bond has taken a seed of truth from history and created something mysterious, alchemical and dark. Roanoke is a tiny little island with a real past - 114 people went missing back when America was first being explored, and in Blackwood, 114 people mysteriously disappear again. I loved this concept of taking elements of history and a mystery from real life and turning into a modern day story.

The way aspects of the backstory and history fitted together with the present day did however confuse me a little. I wasn't 100% certain what the strange gun really did, or where the people actually disappeared to. The writing style was also a little halting as the character point of view changed with chapters from Miranda to Phillips, slowing down the flow, and I did struggle in the last third of the story as the pace slowed down.

Miranda was the island's resident 'freak', and her father was the town drunk. They came from a long line of Blackwood's, each shunned as their ancestors were. The family curse placed on her would probably overwhelm most people. But Miranda was determined and unstoppable. Together with Phillips, who has his own reputation, Miranda and Phillips were an unlikely but interesting pair to solve the Island's mystery.

At first Phillips comes across as pure bad boy. He steals his parent's car, sneaks off campus, and breaks into buildings. But as I got to understand him more, I realised he was caring, reliable, and trusting. I would have liked to have known more about why Phillips liked Miranda. I know he does, I know that he feels some affinity with her, but I wanted him to spell out what he liked about her. For me that would have made his feelings more tangible and real, rather than something that just existed.

Dee, the famous alchemist, is linked into the story as the master behind the history of the island. What made him into the bad guy for me was the fact that he inhabited someone else's body (I won't say who) which was rather gross. He was very creepy and sinister character, making him a perfect bad guy to the story.

Blackwood is a dark and interesting fusion of historical and modern day alchemy, mystery and magic.

Rating: 3.5*

REVIEW: EVERMORE

Author: Alyson Noel
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books
UK Release date: 2009
Genre: YA, paranormal

Since a horrible accident claimed the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever can see auras, hear people’s thoughts, and know a person’s life story by touch. Going out of her way to shield herself from human contact to suppress her abilities has branded her as a freak at her new high school—but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste . . .
Ever sees Damen and feels an instant recognition. He is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy, and he holds many secrets. Damen is able to make things appear and disappear, he always seems to know what she’s thinking—and he’s the only one who can silence the noise and the random energy in her head. She doesn’t know who he really is—or what he is. Damen equal parts light and darkness, and he belongs to an enchanted new world where no one ever dies. (Goodreads)

I found Evermore to be a very pleasant read, and the pages just skipped through my fingers with ease and enjoyment. The concepts and ideas weren’t unique - good looking, rich boy with mysterious talents and a young girl with new psychic abilities - however I really enjoyed reading this book. The plot was filled with mystery, especially around Damen, and there was lots of action and intrigue.

Since the accident, Ever has developed psychic gifts which allow her to read people's minds. She's really struggling to cope with these gifts as well as her grief and guilt, and her best solution is to pull up her hood and drown out the world with her music. I did like seeing her change and develop throughout the story, even if a lot of this was prompted by Damen. Her denial and attempts to block her gifts lead her down a few wrong paths, but essentially she is a good person and I couldn't help but root for her.

Damen is the new kid at school, and completely surrounded in mystery. There was plenty of build up to find out who or what Damen really is, and I liked guessing and trying to put together the little clues. Whilst I liked him, I was a little perturbed and dubious of the way he would give a flower to Ever one day and then a flower to popular Stacie the next day. It felt a little like he was playing with both their affections regardless of the reason. Having said this, the eerie mystery shrouding Damen made him intriguing and interesting.

I loved Riley. I won't say who she is, but her part in the book is a little heartbreaking and sad but also warming. Her character brought an interesting and humorous dynamic to the story, and I loved the different costumes she dressed up in each day.

An enjoyable and easy read, Evermore is the first in a series of six books. Although I can't imagine what will happen for all other five books, I'm looking forward to finding out.

Rating: 4*

REVIEW: UNREST

Author: Michelle Harrison
Series: No, standalone
UK Publisher: Simon & Schuster
UK Release date:
Genre: Paranormal YA

Seventeen-year-old Elliott hasn’t slept properly for months. Not since the accident that nearly killed him. Sometimes he half-wakes, paralysed, while shadowy figures move around him. Other times he is the one moving around while his body lies asleep on the bed. His doctors say sleep paralysis and out-of-body experiences are harmless - but to Elliott they’re terrifying.

Convinced that his brush with death has attracted the spirit world, Elliott secures a job at a reputedly haunted museum, determined to discover the truth. There, he meets the enigmatic Ophelia. But, as she and Elliott grow closer, Elliott draws new attention from the dead. One night, during an out-of-body experience, Elliott returns to bed to find his body gone. Something is occupying it, something that wants to live again - and it wants Ophelia, too . . . (Goodreads)

As soon as I started reading Unrest I was hooked. The atmosphere and natural writing style pulled me in, and I became completely wrapped up in Elliott's life. The plot was fabulous, full of mystery and creepy hauntings. I loved the ending because it was absolutely unexpected but really cleverly crafted and planned out. It seems so simple, but that's because Michelle Harrison has done such a good job at make the story believable and gripping.

I really felt for the main protagonist Elliott. At the beginning he's in a bad place, emotionally and to some extent physically. He's struggling to get his life back on track after his near-fatal accident; he's lost weight, isn't sleeping properly or looking after himself. And this is all down to the strange sleep paralysis and ghostly hauntings he has started experiencing. I loved seeing him make little steps towards getting his life back on track and regaining some hope for his future. His changing feelings and budding romance with Ophelia was also so sweet and adorable.

To start with I thought Ophelia was blunt, snarky, and snide. She seemed pretty grumpy and stuck up, but she started coming to life throughout the story. I wouldn't says she's a loud brash personality but that didn't matter here. In fact, her more subdued personality fitted her experiences and the overall feel of the book and I certainly grew to like her. She felt very real and interesting, with her henna hands and love for her horse. Both her and Elliott had their problems, and they seemed like the perfect match together.

The setting for this creepy, spooky story was Past Lives, a history museum full of old houses and plenty of stories from the past. I thought this setting was a stroke of genius. Perhaps because it made me reminisce of a very similar place back in Cardiff. But also because it fitted so well with Elliott's ghostly problems, and was pivotal to the drama and plot.

A brilliantly crafted ghost story, Unrest is a creepy and thrilling must-read.

Rating: 5*

REVIEW: GLIMMER

Author: Phoebe Kitanidis
Series: No, standalone
UK Publisher: Balzer & Bray
UK Release date: April 2012
Genre: YA
Won via NetGalley

Elyse and Marshall wake up one morning in Summer Falls without any recollection of who or where they are. They must learn to trust each other to find out what happened to them. But as they discover a number of mysterious goings-on in Summer Falls, their situation worsens. What seems like the perfect town is riddled with bouts of amnesia, disappearances and malevolent ghosts. Can they trust each other enough to save the town and themselves?

Glimmer has a very interesting start to the story as Elyse and Marshall wake up  next to each other absolutely stark naked, but without a single memory or who they are or how they got there. The premise of having to re-figure out who you are as a person is very intriguing, and as they try and discover what's going on and get their memories back, they also discover that Summer Falls is very creepy and far too perfect to be true. I enjoyed watching them as they gathered clues about what kind of person they were and trying to reconcile that with how they actually felt. The creepy and sinister elements of Summer Falls, including the mysterious heatnaps and 'forgetful' residents built very well, and I really enjoyed the first half of the book. But despite this very compelling start, I did become slightly confused and caught up in the whirlwind of magic spells, memory loss, disappearing people, unusual glacier climate, spirits, ghosts and so on.

I did feel a little affronted at Elyse's outrage at finding out she was short. ""I'm short." I am, in fact, a shrimp. What a complete and total disappointment." OK so my indignation is only because I myself am short. But she made a huge fuss over this, and to what end? She was also highly offended at being curvy with boobs, a cheerleader, having a boyfriend of two years that she'd slept with and so on. She made assumptions about past herself based on the smallest of superficial clues rather than her actual actions, making her think she must be slutty and childish.

There were a number of serious undertones to the story, with issues of child abuse and domestic violence. When Elyse discovers bruises over her shoulders and no memory of how she got them, it was very disturbing and unsettling. Her determination to stop it from happening again and to try to remember was a positive redeeming feature to her character.

Glimmer is a fast paced, mind bending and creepy thriller that will have you reeling.

Rating: 3.5*

REVIEW: MY LUNATIC LIFE

My Lunatic Life 
Author: Sharon Sala
Series: Yes, #1
Publisher: Bell Bridge Books
UK Release date: August 2011
Genre: Paranormal
Read via NetGalley

Moving from place to place with her uncle isn't easy for Tara Luna. Not just because she has to start a new school and make new friends every time they move, but because she's psychic. Her best friends are over-protective ghosts, she's being haunted by a mysterious new spirit and to top it all off, the mean girls at school don't like her. Welcome to Tara's lunatic life.

Review: Tara Luna was great - she's quick witted, down to earth and not afraid to stand up for herself against the popular crowd. Her best friends are two over-protective ghosts that follow her around and cause choas when anyone doesn't get on with Tara, adding a fun lighthearted element to the story. Her uncle Pat is also an interesting character, with his love for odd food combinations and fatherly concern for Tara. I would have liked the other characters to have been more developed though, as we didn't really know much about the mean girls or Tara's love interest Flynn who I would have liked to have known in more depth.

Although Tara tries to hide her gifts, she uses them to get her own back on the mean girls as well as help find why and where Bethany has disappeared to. This main plot is fairly simple and quick, with no major twists or turns, but it does mean Tara has to face her fear of telling others about her gift. The subplot, of the mysterious dark shape that is haunting her house is left open, but done in a way that really makes me want to read the next story to find out what happens. Although the ending is a bit sickly sweet, with everything ending pretty much perfectly, I think it would suit a younger YA audience.

Being psychic, Luna can see and talk to ghosts. I really liked this element, because her ghost friends added so much to the plot, but I wasn't expecting her talent of telepathy, mainly because it wasn't ever mentioned as a separate gift but bundled in with being psychic. Perhaps I'm being fussy, but I found it a little jarring when it was suddenly introduced because she hadn't mentioned for several chapters that she could read anyone's mind. I also thought that considering she could hear Flynn's thoughts, the guy she fancies, they are all very innocent thoughts and she doesn't seem very pertubed to hear what he's thinking. These issues are only touched on very lightly, and her gifts are rarely explored as a burden or difficult for her to handle, and this is one of the other reasons why I think the story is suited to a younger audience, or someone looking for a quick, easy read.

With plenty of paranormal intrigue, My Lunatic Life is a fun, lighthearted read.

Rating: 3.5*

REVIEW: THE NAME OF THE STAR

Name of the Star
Author: Maureen Johnson
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: HarperCollins
UK Release date: September 2011
Genre: Paranormal
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

When Rory moves to London to start her new boarding school, she finds herself in the middle of 'Rippermania'. A copycat serial killer is back, killing on the streets of London, but it seems that he has eyes only for Rory.

Review: Firstly I have to say that Maureen Johnson's description of London and Rory's arrival at her new school is very detailed. So much so you feel very involved in the story. Readers that like to be plunged straight into a whirlwind of action and intrigue might however find the start very slow. Personally I enjoyed reading all the details and seeing London through new eyes, despite being very familiar with all the locations. Maureen Johnson was very good at showing the cultural I live in London and know the places that were being described  differences between Rory's American upbringing and her new British home, and I loved Rory's little comments on British life and people (yes, we do get annoyed if people confuse English, British, and Welsh!) I think this was done in a very sensitive but funny way, and brought lots of little smiles to my face.

I instantly liked Rory, mainly because she was down to earth and funny. I also really liked her roommate Jazza, because she had no pretensions or airs and graces. She was a bit geeky and she wasn't miss popularity, but it endeared me to her even more. In fact, when she disappeared from the plot for a few chapters in favour of new friend Boo, I was really disappointed. I think it was because I liked Rory and Jazza so much, that I was so gripped to the plot particularly for the first half of the story. I do hope though that the next book still includes Jazza!

I'm still a little undecided on what I think of the ending....I'm not sure how I expected the story to end, but it wasn't what I thought it would be. Perhaps it was because the second half of the story was very different to the first half and diverged slightly from the main theme of the plot, delving more into the secret group of ghosthunters. Call me odd, but I preferred the first half with it's intrigue, mystery and London decsriptions. I have heard others say they felt the start was a little slow, so I guess this is just personal preference.

Gripping, intriguing and with some great British touches, The Name of the Star takes a century-long murder mystery and entwines it in a modern day paranormal drama.

Rating: 4*

REVIEW: BETRAYAL

Betrayal
Author: Lee Nichols
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Bloomsbury
UK Release date: September 2011
Genre: Paranormal
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

Following on from Deception, Emma must work with the Knell, a secret organisation of ghost keepers, to fight Neos a powerful wraith. With Bennett disappearing again, the Knell suffering some major setbacks, and a new team arriving to help Emma and Natalie, Emma must learn who she can trust before the dawn of battle.

Review: There are a number of interesting subplots in Betrayal such as Emma’s family contacting her, the development of new and unheard-of powers, and other ghostkeepers strangely having their powers drained. These keep the plot interesting and add in new elements of mystery that keep you questioning and wondering what’s going on.

Emma is one of the strongest ghostkeepers there is, and I really feel for her and the burden of trying to protect everyone around her. I can see how it must be tough for everyone to rely on you in the face of danger, yet still know so little about who you are and what you can do, especially when so many people have left her. One of whom is Bennett, who has disappeared yet again, so we don't get to see much of the relationship between them. Despite this Emma is resilient and admirably fights to protect those she loves.

Whilst her ghost family doesn’t feature as much as I would have liked (I just love all the ghost servants living at the museum!), Emma now has Simon and Lukas living with her. They have come from the Knell to work as a team with Emma and Natalie to train and defeat Neos, and they make a great new addition to the family. The subtle bond between Natalie and the rebellious Lukas is interesting, particularly with the threat of one losing their powers if they ever got together.

Unfortunately Betrayal did something that I’m not sure I can forgive - it took a character I adore and twisted them into something bad. Sure I wasn’t expecting it and it was a completely unseen plot twist, but I was not happy one bit about this development. I couldn’t believe and didn’t want to believe what they had done. Perhaps if more of an argument was made to show why they did it and their remorse afterwards, I wouldn’t have felt betrayed. But I did.

Betrayal features a lot of training and preparation to fight Neos, and feels like it is just the build up to some bigger fight or battle that is coming soon. A great continuation from Deception with lots of little plot twists, however the betrayal of one particular character leaves me with a sour taste.

Rating: 3*

REVIEW: DECEPTION

Deception
Author: Lee Nichols
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Bloomsbury
UK Release date: September 2011
Genre: Paranormal
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

When her parents leave on a business trip, Emma Vaile thinks she will have the time of her life partying and living without rules. Except her parents don’t come back and don’t answer her calls, and she is left in charge of the family shop. After her house party gets out of hand, she is taken into custody and set to be sent off to a foster family. Until her new guardian Bennett Stern rescues her and takes her to Echo Point to start a new school and learn gifts as a ghostkeeper that she never knew she had.

Review: Deception is absolutely jam-packed with mystery, suspense and an intriguing plot. Despite having been abandoned by her family and kept in the dark about so many things, Emma is a likeable, sparky character and one I can easily sympathise with for feeling neglected, betrayed and unsure of ghostkeeping.

As a ghostkeeper, Emma can either summon, compel or banish ghosts, although it turns out her gifts are rather unusual and link her to a powerful ancestor of the same name born over a hundred years ago. This ancestors’ connection to another ghost the Rake are really intriguing and it’s these secondary characters along with her newfound family that really stand out in the book and make it such an interesting and warm read.

I keep thinking of the ghostkeepers as ‘ghostbusters’ as they can banish ghosts, but really Lee Nichol’s concept of ghosts, wraiths and ‘life after death’ is much more developed and interesting.

In fact my favourite aspect of Deception is Emma’s relationship with her ghost family - Anatole, Nicholas, Celeste and the Rake. Unlike other ghostkeepers she doesn’t compel them to do things but treats them with respect and like they are old friends rather than servants. It’s really endearing when Emma and young Nicholas play Game Boy together, as Nicholas is such a sweet little boy and I love his childlike enjoyment of modern games and finding an older sister in Emma.

After moving to Echo Point, Emma finds herself caught in a love triangle with Coby and Bennett, both of whom she likes but for different reasons. As Emma puts it so well - "[Coby] was cool, smart, cute and reliable. The problem was, I liked him for all those perfectly good reasons, but I liked Bennett for no reason at all". I think this perfectly sums up that instant attraction and love for someone, as unexplainable but instinctive as it is. All the same I can’t help but feel for Coby who has everything going for him and is amazingly thoughtful and kind, but just doesn’t have that spark that makes him more than a friend to Emma.

I’m not sure yet what to make of Bennett as he turns hot and cold with Emma. The moments where he forgets himself and we see some connection between them are rare but really exciting and intimate when they do happen. For much of the time however he is aloof and distant, disappearing to do work for the strange organisation the Knell. The intention is definitely to keep us guessing about Bennett, so we can only wait to see what skeletons he has in his closet in the next book!

Deception is a fun paranormal story about ghostkeepers, leaving plenty of questions left unanswered for Emma and setting the scene for Betrayal, the next in the Haunting Emma series.

Rating: 4*

ON MY WISHLIST: AFTER OBSESSION

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where you can list all the books you desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming.

My choice this week is a forthcoming paranormal story of possessions and hauntings, After Obsession.

Although I haven't read anything before by Carrie Jones, I've heard some great things about this scary and ghostly story, and as usual for me I'm won over by the cover! I'm always amazed when authors work in pairs to write a story, as it must be such a fun but challenging process, and I'm interested in seeing how debut author Wedel and established author Carrie Jones work together on this one.

After Obsession by Carrie Jones and Steven E. Wedel
To be published by Bloomsbury in September 2011

Aimee and Alan have secrets. Both teens have unusual pasts, and abilities they prefer to keep hidden. But when they meet each other for the first time, in a cold Maine town, they can’t stop their secrets from spilling out. Strange things have been happening lately, and they both feel strongly that something, or someone, is haunting them.

They’re wrong.

Despite their unusual history and powers, it’s neither Aimee nor Alan who is truly haunted. It’s Alan’s cousin Courtney who, in a desperate plea to find her missing father, has invited a demon into her life—and into her body. Only together can Aimee and Alan exorcise the ghost. And they have to move quickly, before it devours not just Courtney, but everything around her…

What's on your wishlist?

REVIEW: TEXAS GOTHIC

Thanks to Sarah at Feeling Fictional for kindly giving this one to me after a Random House event last week.

Texas Gothic
Author: Rosemary Clement-Moore
Series: No
UK Publisher: Corgi
UK release date: July 2011
Genre: Contemporary YA

Amy Goodnight comes from a long line of witches and psychics. The Goodnight family is renowned for its quirks and eccentricities. So much so that when Amy and Phin look after their aunt’s farm, they are instantly placed at the centre of a ghostly mystery troubling the neighbouring ranch.

Review: Texas Gothic is a spooky supernatural mystery set in cowboy country. Following rumours of a ghostly mad monk haunting the McCullough’s land, ranch-hands start being attacked at night and everyone instantly starts pointing fingers at the Goodnights. It is up to Amy to placate the locals and solve the mystery.

I love the Goodnight family - each member has their own gift, such as Aunt Hyacinth who makes magical herbal products, and Phin who invents pseudo-scientific paranormal equipment. Amy tries to distance herself from her witchy inner self, to maintain an air of normality and protect her family from others prejudice. But when an ominous ghost starts visiting Amy, the theme of accepting who you are becomes an issue that Amy will have to face.

As the main protagonist, Amy has a perfect blend of humour, charm, clumsiness, and a natural instinct for getting in trouble. To top it off, Amy’s narrative is witty and natural, making me instantly feel like I was inside her head watching events unfold.

I was undoubtedly swept up in Amy and Ben’s love-hate relationship. Although Ben McCullough is snarky and quarrelsome, there is something likeable about him, and as the story develops his rough nature becomes more understandable. As soon as he meets Amy there is an undeniable fire and passion between the pair. Perhaps this is helped by the fact that Amy is in her underwear! At first this passion manifests as hostility but when the underlying attraction between them surfaces it is smoking hot.

Whilst the mystery isn’t that hard to guess, the ups and downs of the plot are both humorous and gripping. Amy can't stop herself from nosing around and ending up in trouble, or big piles of guano!

I’m a big fan of stand-alone books, but there’s something about the quirky Goodnight family that would work so well as a series and I would really be interested in reading more about them.

Perfectly set in Texas ranch land, Texas Gothic is a witty, supernatural mystery with great characters and steaming hot sexual tension.

Rating: 4*

Click here for Rosemary Clement-Moore’s website.

REVIEW: HAUNTING VIOLET

Haunting Violet

Author: Alyxandra Harvey

UK Publisher: Bloomsbury

UK release date: July 2011

Genre: Paranormal, YA, Historical fiction

Summary: Violet Willoughby is the daughter of a fraudulent medium and incorrigible flirt. Living in Victorian London they swindle grieving widows by setting up ghostly parlour tricks, earning enough money for Violet's mother to seduce and deceive her way through genteel society.

When Violet starts seeing ghosts including one who wants her murderer to be discovered, she is not only shocked but rather perturbed that they would visit her. After all, Violet doesn’t believe in ghosts.

Review: Haunting Violet is a ghostly murder mystery set in Victorian times, where family respectability, social nobility and money is everything.

Violet lives with her mother, who will do anything to wear beautiful dresses, flirt with rich men and work her way up the social ladder. Violet is pressed into helping at séances as well as courting the young and rich Xavier, so she can marry well and drag the family out of poverty.

Despite having a controlling mother Violet has to pickpockets and scavenge to stay on the bread-line, which means she is capable and determined, not your typical swooning lady. Her circumstances and feelings of guilt over deceiving others, make her instantly likeable. The fondness and playfulness between her and Colin is exciting and heartwarming. He might not be rich, but he understands and cares for Violet. And who could dislike a man who says "I'm not good enough for you either."?

I loved learning about the different spiritualist tricks they used to make people think they were being visited by ghosts - Violet had a cumbersome pair of bellows strapped to her legs so she can produce blasts of cold air. Whilst there is an element of humour and excitement to the séances, you really feel for Violet who is so put upon by her mother as well as the unsuspecting clients who are deceived.

Whilst the plot wasn't filled with shocking twists, the pacing and mystery was gripping and the writing seamless. The Victorian setting and language is very well done - you can really feel the coal smog and grime of London and the opulence of the country manor and the women's dresses. It's a time period that I find fascinating, and Alyxandra Harvey really brought it to life.

A ghostly murder mystery packed with spiritualist illusions, sumptuous dresses and eerie apparitions, Haunting Violet is a Victorian extravaganza. 

Rating: 4*