Scan barcode
literaygemini's review against another edition
2.0
David Cane gets an offer from an old friend and his wife, debunk the talk their Alexander House is haunted. David agrees to spend a month in the centuries old home. What starts as a simple job soon turns into something more.
Ralph the old neighbor from down the lane invites David to really get a feel for the place. Since this move in David has avoided much of the house. After his talk with Ralph he finally take a look at the second floor.
There we get our first take of the suspense.
The book moves are a very slow pace. When David explores the upstairs it's the first taste of action since starting the forty-three chapter book.
By the time I reached chapter 10, I couldn't force myself to continue reading further. David's thoughts are erratic at best. It's like being in the head of Dexter and hearing his daily commentary. I wanted to like the book and had high hopes for it, but the slow pace, lack of action, the Dexter likeness of David really put me off.
The characters are far from likable. Even in a horror movies you have the one character you like and hope doesn't die and the one character you hope is the first to go. I didn't have that. I just wished the action would've started without dragging.
Ralph the old neighbor from down the lane invites David to really get a feel for the place. Since this move in David has avoided much of the house. After his talk with Ralph he finally take a look at the second floor.
There we get our first take of the suspense.
The book moves are a very slow pace. When David explores the upstairs it's the first taste of action since starting the forty-three chapter book.
By the time I reached chapter 10, I couldn't force myself to continue reading further. David's thoughts are erratic at best. It's like being in the head of Dexter and hearing his daily commentary. I wanted to like the book and had high hopes for it, but the slow pace, lack of action, the Dexter likeness of David really put me off.
The characters are far from likable. Even in a horror movies you have the one character you like and hope doesn't die and the one character you hope is the first to go. I didn't have that. I just wished the action would've started without dragging.
darkpsychereads's review against another edition
2.0
Author and skeptic stays at a haunted house to dispel/reveal its rumours.
This begun well, but derailed into a cringe fest, focusing on romance, regrets and off-putting sexual disturbances. Was it a haunted house story? Not really. A weird perversion of sorts revolving around the main character.
What I liked - The local townsfolk are creepy. The setup was good. I liked Ralph's character.
What I disliked - The Shelby's are horrible people. Honey is the most vile character I'd ever come across and I think she was written too excessively/unrealistically (at least go into her backstory so she has substance/reason for why she is like that). The sexual perversions were uncomfortable and didn't require such extended descriptions. The protagonist was unlikable and unmemorable. The romance felt forced and unlikely (of course women just revolve around the main character). The antagonists motives felt forced and unlikely. The ending was messy and rushed and contained most of the supernatural elements. Most of the story was a slow drama of romance and regrets (and perversions). I also wasn't horrified or suspended in disbelief for any of it, it more so just felt like a homophobic focus of the big beefy bad guy in prison vibe. Also, some of the writing felt stilted or out of place - such as a haunting and hostage scene where the protagonist describes his "skin was tingling, and his scrotum was drawing taught" just out of no where. Wtf, why? Also, children in an abusive home would not be left like that with full awareness from the townsfolk.
I just think this book was more male fantasy than researched or well-thought out. Not interested in reading more Janz based off this.
I listened to the audiobook copy, which was narrated pretty well.
TW: child abuse, sexual assault
This begun well, but derailed into a cringe fest, focusing on romance, regrets and off-putting sexual disturbances. Was it a haunted house story? Not really. A weird perversion of sorts revolving around the main character.
What I liked - The local townsfolk are creepy. The setup was good. I liked Ralph's character.
What I disliked - The Shelby's are horrible people. Honey is the most vile character I'd ever come across and I think she was written too excessively/unrealistically (at least go into her backstory so she has substance/reason for why she is like that). The sexual perversions were uncomfortable and didn't require such extended descriptions. The protagonist was unlikable and unmemorable. The romance felt forced and unlikely (of course women just revolve around the main character). The antagonists motives felt forced and unlikely. The ending was messy and rushed and contained most of the supernatural elements. Most of the story was a slow drama of romance and regrets (and perversions). I also wasn't horrified or suspended in disbelief for any of it, it more so just felt like a homophobic focus of the big beefy bad guy in prison vibe. Also, some of the writing felt stilted or out of place - such as a haunting and hostage scene where the protagonist describes his "skin was tingling, and his scrotum was drawing taught" just out of no where. Wtf, why? Also, children in an abusive home would not be left like that with full awareness from the townsfolk.
I just think this book was more male fantasy than researched or well-thought out. Not interested in reading more Janz based off this.
I listened to the audiobook copy, which was narrated pretty well.
TW: child abuse, sexual assault
mxsallybend's review against another edition
5.0
Darker and more disturbing that you can possibly imagine, The Siren and The Specter is not just the best haunted house novel I have read in years, but one of the better horror novels I have read. Jonathan Janz hooked me from the start, dragging me into the halls of The Alexander House alongside David Caine, where he made me feel the same mixture of visceral fear, self-conscious paranoia, and guilty anxiety. There is so much atmosphere to the house, and there is no better way to capture it than through the eyes of a determined skeptic.
It's not just the House that makes the story, though, it's everything that surrounds it. It's the history, the geography, the character backstories, and the overarching mystery. It's the way Janz refuses to allow us to become comfortable with the story, shocking us with the perversions of the Shelby family down the lane; challenging our empathy with the full details of the suicide that so haunts David; disgusting us with the dark history of Judson Alexander; and betraying us with the revelations about the true motives of character we love, as well as those we hate. It's a story of layers, and the deeper we dwell, the heavier they weigh upon us.
The supernatural aspects here are top-notch, but I loved the way Janz played with our disbelief, first forcing us to confront what seems to be irrefutable proof of ghosts, and then giving us legitimate cause to suspect an all-too-human set-up. While I initially found David's subconscious taunting of his own fears to be annoying, it really does serve to set the stage, making us wonder as much about the House as we do him. Neither doubt nor belief come easily, but that is what makes the story so compelling, especially as questions arise and it becomes increasingly more difficult to deny the evidence piling up against David's skepticism. There are a few too many coincidences necessary to bring the story together, convenient connections between characters and locations, but there are really two climaxes to the book, one each for The Siren and The Specter, and that is ultimately what allowed me to accept and embrace those connections.
That small complaint aside, the story is solid, the writing extraordinarily polished, and the narrative extremely powerful. It's been a long time since I've felt so drawn to a story, so desperate to find out what happens next, to discover the answers, and even longer since I didn't come away disappointed by an ending. Highly recommended!
http://beauty-in-ruins.blogspot.com/2018/08/horror-review-siren-and-specter-by.html
It's not just the House that makes the story, though, it's everything that surrounds it. It's the history, the geography, the character backstories, and the overarching mystery. It's the way Janz refuses to allow us to become comfortable with the story, shocking us with the perversions of the Shelby family down the lane; challenging our empathy with the full details of the suicide that so haunts David; disgusting us with the dark history of Judson Alexander; and betraying us with the revelations about the true motives of character we love, as well as those we hate. It's a story of layers, and the deeper we dwell, the heavier they weigh upon us.
The supernatural aspects here are top-notch, but I loved the way Janz played with our disbelief, first forcing us to confront what seems to be irrefutable proof of ghosts, and then giving us legitimate cause to suspect an all-too-human set-up. While I initially found David's subconscious taunting of his own fears to be annoying, it really does serve to set the stage, making us wonder as much about the House as we do him. Neither doubt nor belief come easily, but that is what makes the story so compelling, especially as questions arise and it becomes increasingly more difficult to deny the evidence piling up against David's skepticism. There are a few too many coincidences necessary to bring the story together, convenient connections between characters and locations, but there are really two climaxes to the book, one each for The Siren and The Specter, and that is ultimately what allowed me to accept and embrace those connections.
That small complaint aside, the story is solid, the writing extraordinarily polished, and the narrative extremely powerful. It's been a long time since I've felt so drawn to a story, so desperate to find out what happens next, to discover the answers, and even longer since I didn't come away disappointed by an ending. Highly recommended!
http://beauty-in-ruins.blogspot.com/2018/08/horror-review-siren-and-specter-by.html
colorfulleo92's review against another edition
4.0
Found this is an "Fiction without frontiers" section on my book app. I've figured it got to do with the publisher but I don't know what it means. Does someone know? All books listed are horror.
Anyway back to the book. David Caine is a famous skeptic for the supernatural and when he is invited to stay at a hunted house for a month. He think the house will be like any other he's been to, nothing spooky going on. But this time his very wrong. Dosent help dead his dead ex haven't quite moved on yet. Not the scariest or spookiest I've read but a great deal of spooky fun and very entertaining. Definitely made me in a mood to check out the other books in the "Fiction without frontiers" section.
Anyway back to the book. David Caine is a famous skeptic for the supernatural and when he is invited to stay at a hunted house for a month. He think the house will be like any other he's been to, nothing spooky going on. But this time his very wrong. Dosent help dead his dead ex haven't quite moved on yet. Not the scariest or spookiest I've read but a great deal of spooky fun and very entertaining. Definitely made me in a mood to check out the other books in the "Fiction without frontiers" section.
kellyvandamme's review against another edition
5.0
Very entertaining horror story.
David writes about the occult but is anything but a believer. When he goes to stay at the Alexander House he soon realises he may very well be proven wrong.
I love Janz's writing style. We get to know the characters, which allows us to actually care about what happens to them. This is something horror novels tend to lack, in my experience. There is some blood and gore, but that aspect never really dominates the story; this is more creepy in a psychological way and not only because there's a spectre, but also because there are some seriously disturbed and disturbing characters. The descriptions are vivid and believe me, you do not want to read this after dark when home alone! It also has a very satisfying ending.
Perfect Halloween read, highly recommended (at any time of the year really)!
David writes about the occult but is anything but a believer. When he goes to stay at the Alexander House he soon realises he may very well be proven wrong.
I love Janz's writing style. We get to know the characters, which allows us to actually care about what happens to them. This is something horror novels tend to lack, in my experience. There is some blood and gore, but that aspect never really dominates the story; this is more creepy in a psychological way and not only because there's a spectre, but also because there are some seriously disturbed and disturbing characters. The descriptions are vivid and believe me, you do not want to read this after dark when home alone! It also has a very satisfying ending.
Perfect Halloween read, highly recommended (at any time of the year really)!
zarco_j's review against another edition
1.0
I'm bucking the trend here but I really didn't like The Siren and The Specter.
If i'm brutally honest I was bored and ended up skim reading this. There was nothing even remotely scary about the book and I found myself not caring what happened to the characters.
The Siren part could easily have been missed out without damaging the story in my opinion. The really annoying thing is this book left a vague resemblance to some of James Herbert's earlier works involving David Ash.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.
If i'm brutally honest I was bored and ended up skim reading this. There was nothing even remotely scary about the book and I found myself not caring what happened to the characters.
The Siren part could easily have been missed out without damaging the story in my opinion. The really annoying thing is this book left a vague resemblance to some of James Herbert's earlier works involving David Ash.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.
zooloo1983's review against another edition
5.0
OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG
O…M…G…
Ok, I think that I have got that out of my system! Maybe not… this book chilled me to the core.
Do me a huge favour, do not read this in bed late at night…do not read on your own, in fact, go and find a hot sunny patch and stay there until you finish it, I am being deadly serious! I was reading it at home in bed late at night, the boy is away and the little one is asleep, then I heard something. Through the walls, I could hear my little one talking in her sleep, great just as I come to a bit in the book which freaked me out to do with a little girl!!!!!!!!!!!
Before I go on to what I loved about the book, I had one gripe (sorry not a good choice of word there!) with it, and it was the first ending we get (I will explain this in a moment!) I thought it some things were just not explained clearly…or maybe I was reading too quickly to take it in. I was not clear on a couple of things but I didn’t let it dampen my review.
So let me tell you what I did love about the book…
EVERYTHING
This book was freaky and creepy and at times damn right frightening and I had goosebumps. Haunted houses always intrigue me and I will admit I am a believer of all things supernatural.
So, we open David Caine, a non-believer asked by a friend to stay in the house, not just any house but Alexander House and prove that the supernatural exists to make his friend’s wife happy (and rich!). David and his friend Chris, have a grief that weighs heavily on them both, a death of someone dear to them, Anna. David never properly grieved for her, and always felt he owed something back to her. Her story playing a part in this story in more ways that one.
He moves into the house for a month, and he is there to write his book. For a while, he does not go upstairs to the second floor (I don’t blame him) and all the while his subconscious is ridiculing him about why is he scared. Well when we do head upstairs in the Long room, it freaked David out. I am sorry but it FREAKED ME OUT! Sod David! I don’t care he lived it, I was sitting at home on my own what about me! (I am getting the chills just thinking about this book!). The detail we get, the descriptions of the room and the house, I was there seeing it, living it and breathing it!
The worst was meeting the Shelby’s, god what a messed up family completely but two quite cute kids. The family is terrifying and when you get to the end of the book and you realise how messed up they really, and it rocks you to the core.
It was also an interesting subplot to discuss a previous investigator, Weir, who apparently died in the house while writing about it. Reading his diary alongside David’s experience. There are so many characters in this book, but my gosh they all played a part in this story, and I loved Jessica and Ivy!
So a quick note about my comment to the first ending, well once we get over the ending of the book, you breathe a sigh of relief. Wait a minute…. just a minute…BAM it is over! You are left with an ending which just blind sighted me, and there was no fricking relief. I closed the book and thank god I had to rush out the door as I was meeting friends because I could not process it. I still don’t think I can!
So, yes I thoroughly recommend this book, it is a hair-tingling book and my god I want to jump right back into another of Jonathan’s book if this introduction was anything to go by! Wowee!!!!!!
Rumour has it that there is another tour coming up for one of his books…so fingers crossed I shall see you then.
O…M…G…
Ok, I think that I have got that out of my system! Maybe not… this book chilled me to the core.
Do me a huge favour, do not read this in bed late at night…do not read on your own, in fact, go and find a hot sunny patch and stay there until you finish it, I am being deadly serious! I was reading it at home in bed late at night, the boy is away and the little one is asleep, then I heard something. Through the walls, I could hear my little one talking in her sleep, great just as I come to a bit in the book which freaked me out to do with a little girl!!!!!!!!!!!
Before I go on to what I loved about the book, I had one gripe (sorry not a good choice of word there!) with it, and it was the first ending we get (I will explain this in a moment!) I thought it some things were just not explained clearly…or maybe I was reading too quickly to take it in. I was not clear on a couple of things but I didn’t let it dampen my review.
So let me tell you what I did love about the book…
EVERYTHING
This book was freaky and creepy and at times damn right frightening and I had goosebumps. Haunted houses always intrigue me and I will admit I am a believer of all things supernatural.
So, we open David Caine, a non-believer asked by a friend to stay in the house, not just any house but Alexander House and prove that the supernatural exists to make his friend’s wife happy (and rich!). David and his friend Chris, have a grief that weighs heavily on them both, a death of someone dear to them, Anna. David never properly grieved for her, and always felt he owed something back to her. Her story playing a part in this story in more ways that one.
He moves into the house for a month, and he is there to write his book. For a while, he does not go upstairs to the second floor (I don’t blame him) and all the while his subconscious is ridiculing him about why is he scared. Well when we do head upstairs in the Long room, it freaked David out. I am sorry but it FREAKED ME OUT! Sod David! I don’t care he lived it, I was sitting at home on my own what about me! (I am getting the chills just thinking about this book!). The detail we get, the descriptions of the room and the house, I was there seeing it, living it and breathing it!
The worst was meeting the Shelby’s, god what a messed up family completely but two quite cute kids. The family is terrifying and when you get to the end of the book and you realise how messed up they really, and it rocks you to the core.
It was also an interesting subplot to discuss a previous investigator, Weir, who apparently died in the house while writing about it. Reading his diary alongside David’s experience. There are so many characters in this book, but my gosh they all played a part in this story, and I loved Jessica and Ivy!
So a quick note about my comment to the first ending, well once we get over the ending of the book, you breathe a sigh of relief. Wait a minute…. just a minute…BAM it is over! You are left with an ending which just blind sighted me, and there was no fricking relief. I closed the book and thank god I had to rush out the door as I was meeting friends because I could not process it. I still don’t think I can!
So, yes I thoroughly recommend this book, it is a hair-tingling book and my god I want to jump right back into another of Jonathan’s book if this introduction was anything to go by! Wowee!!!!!!
Rumour has it that there is another tour coming up for one of his books…so fingers crossed I shall see you then.
sharkbait18's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
evenshadow's review against another edition
2.0
There were some good elements here, but they were overshadowed by Janz's ham-fisted attempts to make the protagonist more sympathetic and give him more motivation (when he already had enough before). David never really suffers any consequences from being a narcissistic, know-it-all asshole, nor does he have to overcome a single character flaw. I still find the circumstances of the romantic subplot a little hard to swallow. This reads like it was written by a man who doesn't have enough compassion to actually understand people- especially not women. I imagine he's a lot like David.
Oh, and the shoehorning of the siren in at the very end? Why bother? Please tell me there's no sequel.
Oh, and the shoehorning of the siren in at the very end? Why bother? Please tell me there's no sequel.
alex_hobbs01's review against another edition
2.0
Note: I purchased a used advance reading copy. Not sure how different it is from the final product.
2.5 stars. The writing style was sub-par in my opinion. The characters weren't believable, Changing emotion on a whim. In addition, everyone's an educated hillbilly? It was weird that way.
The saving grace of the book is the last part, which did have some good suspense and ghost combat. However, up until then, it felt like our was trying to establish way too many ideas that never came together in a convincing way.
I'm really hoping the final product did better, but the author even misquoted an Edgar Allen Poe poem, so I would think there are some improvements.
2.5 stars. The writing style was sub-par in my opinion. The characters weren't believable, Changing emotion on a whim. In addition, everyone's an educated hillbilly? It was weird that way.
The saving grace of the book is the last part, which did have some good suspense and ghost combat. However, up until then, it felt like our was trying to establish way too many ideas that never came together in a convincing way.
I'm really hoping the final product did better, but the author even misquoted an Edgar Allen Poe poem, so I would think there are some improvements.