The Haunted

I decided to venture outside my comfort zone and try a YA scary book (I'm not into books with gore or violence if it's graphic). This one sounded like the one to start with as haunted houses and ghosts have always intrigued me. This book was a quick read, but I had to force myself to continue on after about half way through because it just bored me. I'm struggling to rate this book even as high as a 3 star, but it did have somethings I liked: 1) The author created a setting that immediately set the foreboding and dark mood of this book and made the setting come alive as a character itself in the story: "Hendricks turned her head and saw a building on the other side of the street, hunching low to the ground, like a predator." "Current weather: twenty-two degrees and gray. Gray like the sky was sucking the life from its surroundings...." 2) Most of the descriptive writing was well done. The author added many sensory details--sights, sounds, textures, smells, and tastes--throughout the entire book. What I didn't like: 1) the stereotypical characters 2) the insta-love 3) lack of deeper motivations for the characters as to why they made their choices. If this book was longer, and showed me more meaningful interaction between the characters, I think it may have been better and made me care about them. 4) mundane, everyday stuff dragged the pacing 5) the ending--so unbelievable it pulled me totally out of this world and I just didn't care what had just happened. Will keep it spoiler free here.

A good, spooky read. I don't normally read or watch horror, but I couldn't resist this one, and I'm glad I didn't. A family moves into a creepy house in a small town looking for a clean slate. Hendricks (the main character) not only has to adjust to a new school and new friends but also to a house that may be haunted. (Spoiler alert, it is.) The horror elements were a bit cliche, and you could see some stuff coming from a MILE away. However, it was still enjoyable. The characters were...also kind of cliche. But they were aware they were cliche. And honestly, I still liked them. I really enjoyed Hendricks' internal narration, and the writing is beautiful. The ending could have been handled a bit better, but overall, good, fun read. (But NOT one to be read at night alone!)

I've been looking forward to reading this book for what feels like years! I think it was just the one though! lol the cover caught my attention the first time I saw it on Goodreads in a giveaway, then I read about it and knew I had I get it! It took me a while to find it but finally I got my hands on it and it was great! I really liked the characters, but the parents and bradly felt very distanced/flat? but I understand why and a lot happened for the length of the book. I really liked the ending, it wasn't your average ending! wish it would have had some more follow up but at least it told us what happened with the 3 popular kids Hendricks left outside, like yikes! I do know this is a series tho so hoping maybe it says something about what happens to them legal/cop wise.