Scan barcode
blackcatbinx29's review against another edition
This book was not what I excepted. I was expecting a gothic-ish novel and I did not get that. There’s a weird romance that is just odd. The main character wasn’t bad but was just not that interesting. I put it down and didn’t want to pick it up again.
cami19's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
amy_da1sy's review against another edition
4.0
I had no idea what to except from this book when I borrowed it but it was really good and I really liked it
erinarkin20's review against another edition
4.0
The Uninvited is the first book I have read by Cat Winters but it won’t be the last. I love most historicals and when you mix in ghosts and fantastic writing, I’m completely on board.
Set in the year 1918, the story pulled me right into the life of Ivy Rowan. Ivy is a twenty five year old woman who lives with her parents and brother on their farm when the war and the Spanish influenza hits their small Illinois town. A bit of a twist here is that both Ivy and her mother have always been able to see the ghosts of their family and when they did, it was typically an omen of something else. The story begins with Ivy waking up from being knocked off her feet by the flu to a nightmare. After finding out her brother was killed in the war, she finds out her father and brother did something unimaginable to a local German man and that is the act that pushes her to leave.
On her own for the first time in her life, Ivy heads to town and walks right past the scene of the crime. As she does, she sees the brother of the man who was killed by her father and brother and Ivy immediately feels the need to figure out a way to overcome the guilt she feels. This is where her relationship with Daniel begins. It starts as one where they attempt to comfort each other but it eventually turns into more.
I loved seeing the change in Ivy. She is initially presented as this sheltered, homebody but now that she is on her own, she really does anything she wants to, including helping gather the sick, go to a jazz club, and even have sex for the first time. As she struggles to balance her feelings for Daniel and the anger she has toward the government/war and her family, Ivy also has to figure out what she really wants out of her life now.
One thing I will say here is that Cat Winters writes so beautifully. The way the story flows and the writing itself, pulled me into this time where people were afraid to be seen as unpatriotic and panicked that either the APL or the flu would come for them next. As Ivy begins to connect the dots, she realizes what she needs to do. I can’t really say a lot about what happens as I don’t want to ruin this story for anyone. Just know that while it is a bit of a slow ramp up, the rest of the story moves along well and I thought the ending was perfectly done for these characters.
If you are looking for a story that combines interesting characters, a bit of paranormal, and a twist you may not see coming, definitely check this one out. I am glad I finally had the opportunity to read one of Cat Winters’ stories and I will absolutely be checking out her other books.
Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for the review copy!
Set in the year 1918, the story pulled me right into the life of Ivy Rowan. Ivy is a twenty five year old woman who lives with her parents and brother on their farm when the war and the Spanish influenza hits their small Illinois town. A bit of a twist here is that both Ivy and her mother have always been able to see the ghosts of their family and when they did, it was typically an omen of something else. The story begins with Ivy waking up from being knocked off her feet by the flu to a nightmare. After finding out her brother was killed in the war, she finds out her father and brother did something unimaginable to a local German man and that is the act that pushes her to leave.
On her own for the first time in her life, Ivy heads to town and walks right past the scene of the crime. As she does, she sees the brother of the man who was killed by her father and brother and Ivy immediately feels the need to figure out a way to overcome the guilt she feels. This is where her relationship with Daniel begins. It starts as one where they attempt to comfort each other but it eventually turns into more.
I loved seeing the change in Ivy. She is initially presented as this sheltered, homebody but now that she is on her own, she really does anything she wants to, including helping gather the sick, go to a jazz club, and even have sex for the first time. As she struggles to balance her feelings for Daniel and the anger she has toward the government/war and her family, Ivy also has to figure out what she really wants out of her life now.
One thing I will say here is that Cat Winters writes so beautifully. The way the story flows and the writing itself, pulled me into this time where people were afraid to be seen as unpatriotic and panicked that either the APL or the flu would come for them next. As Ivy begins to connect the dots, she realizes what she needs to do. I can’t really say a lot about what happens as I don’t want to ruin this story for anyone. Just know that while it is a bit of a slow ramp up, the rest of the story moves along well and I thought the ending was perfectly done for these characters.
If you are looking for a story that combines interesting characters, a bit of paranormal, and a twist you may not see coming, definitely check this one out. I am glad I finally had the opportunity to read one of Cat Winters’ stories and I will absolutely be checking out her other books.
Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for the review copy!
itadakinasu's review against another edition
3.0
A haunting historical fiction with a touch of romance, The Uninvited is an anti-war story with a strong message of acceptance.
I'll admit, the rural town didn't pique my interest. The physical setting seemed forgettable and generic, but the scope of the story made up for that. It's easy to find material focusing on the atrocities of the Nazis, but it's quite rare to read about racism towards and internment of Americans of German, Italian, and Japanese ancestry in WW2.
Our narrator Ivy has been sheltered from much of the horrors of the world, and it's uplifting to see her try to bring a little light into the world by helping the sick and trying to soothe the pain of her acquaintances.
My biggest complaint was that some parts really dragged. I was regularly skipping over pages that focused unnecessarily on which houses in which neighborhoods were willing to put up signs of influenza, the mechanics of how to drive the van, and the exact titles and composers of various jazz pieces. It could've been cut down to about 70% of its length without omitting anything even remotely important.
All-in-all I don't regret reading this, even though I probably will never read it again.
I'll admit, the rural town didn't pique my interest. The physical setting seemed forgettable and generic, but the scope of the story made up for that. It's easy to find material focusing on the atrocities of the Nazis, but it's quite rare to read about racism towards and internment of Americans of German, Italian, and Japanese ancestry in WW2.
Our narrator Ivy has been sheltered from much of the horrors of the world, and it's uplifting to see her try to bring a little light into the world by helping the sick and trying to soothe the pain of her acquaintances.
My biggest complaint was that some parts really dragged. I was regularly skipping over pages that focused unnecessarily on which houses in which neighborhoods were willing to put up signs of influenza, the mechanics of how to drive the van, and the exact titles and composers of various jazz pieces. It could've been cut down to about 70% of its length without omitting anything even remotely important.
All-in-all I don't regret reading this, even though I probably will never read it again.
threeseagrass's review against another edition
4.0
“There is a pain in me. A knife blade”—I balled my hand against my stomach—“wedged in my gut. I want to be rid of it. I want to finally live.”
[a: Cat Winters|5351847|Cat Winters|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1402093683p2/5351847.jpg] weaves together a hauntingly beautiful historical fiction with more than just a hint of the paranormal. Books that have the power to keep you riveted while teaching you something are my favourite kinds. [b: The Uninvited|13645645|Uninvited (Uninvited, #1)|Sophie Jordan|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1373661248s/13645645.jpg|19262775] doesn’t disappoint in this respect. It’s one of those books that makes you want to read more historical fiction. I’ll admit, even starting this, I had little knowledge about how German people were treated in the United States during the war, or about the Spanish influenza. It’s a little embarrassing to admit that, but, then again, it’s not the history of my country.
Ivy was a fantastic character with a lot of depth. And I think this is something people recognize in her. Her roommate of sorts, May, described it best:
Within a week of leaving her family’s home, she has moved twice, taken up with a German man, and started driving a Red Cross ambulance. She is, at the same time, fearless and afraid. And rightfully so – seeing ghosts before someone is about to die cannot be fun.
Still, she manages to enjoy herself.
The writing was just hauntingly beautiful. [a: Cat Winters|5351847|Cat Winters|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1402093683p2/5351847.jpg] effortlessly weaves the paranormal into the story through her writing. She also manages to insert a sense of desperation – for the war to end, for the discrimination to stop, for the influenza to be cured.
I found this was best described through Ivy and Daniel’s relationship. Both were damaged souls, connected by a murder motivated by hatred and reductionism. But was their relationship ever beautiful.
And then there is the terrible twist. Some of you might see it coming – the signs were all there and I’ll admit I felt a little foolish when it was revealed. All the same, it was really well done and I was taken by surprise. BIG SPOILER →
I received an advance copy from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
[a: Cat Winters|5351847|Cat Winters|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1402093683p2/5351847.jpg] weaves together a hauntingly beautiful historical fiction with more than just a hint of the paranormal. Books that have the power to keep you riveted while teaching you something are my favourite kinds. [b: The Uninvited|13645645|Uninvited (Uninvited, #1)|Sophie Jordan|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1373661248s/13645645.jpg|19262775] doesn’t disappoint in this respect. It’s one of those books that makes you want to read more historical fiction. I’ll admit, even starting this, I had little knowledge about how German people were treated in the United States during the war, or about the Spanish influenza. It’s a little embarrassing to admit that, but, then again, it’s not the history of my country.
Ivy was a fantastic character with a lot of depth. And I think this is something people recognize in her. Her roommate of sorts, May, described it best:
“When you burst out of your cocoon, you come out in a full blaze of color and fireworks”
Within a week of leaving her family’s home, she has moved twice, taken up with a German man, and started driving a Red Cross ambulance. She is, at the same time, fearless and afraid. And rightfully so – seeing ghosts before someone is about to die cannot be fun.
Still, she manages to enjoy herself.
“We were music. We were jazz. We were alive”
The writing was just hauntingly beautiful. [a: Cat Winters|5351847|Cat Winters|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1402093683p2/5351847.jpg] effortlessly weaves the paranormal into the story through her writing. She also manages to insert a sense of desperation – for the war to end, for the discrimination to stop, for the influenza to be cured.
”Everyone feels the world is crumbling to pieces, but mainly people are looking to either help each other or escape. Or both”
I found this was best described through Ivy and Daniel’s relationship. Both were damaged souls, connected by a murder motivated by hatred and reductionism. But was their relationship ever beautiful.
“I wrapped my legs around his waist and imagined the two of us as sticks of kindling, striking together, desperate for the taste of fire”
“He leaned his head against mine, and we trembled and fought against allowing the music to chip away at our hearts until nothing of us remained. We stayed tethered to the earth, for better or worse, and absorbed the sorrow of the tenor’s voice”
And then there is the terrible twist. Some of you might see it coming – the signs were all there and I’ll admit I felt a little foolish when it was revealed. All the same, it was really well done and I was taken by surprise. BIG SPOILER →
Spoiler
It was just so relieving to read a story from the perspective of a ghost after the terrible book that was [b: The Girl from the Well|18509623|The Girl from the Well (The Girl from the Well, #1)|Rin Chupeco|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1389709701s/18509623.jpg|24978776]. It really just goes to show that it can be done. Granted, those were two very different stories – one knew she was a ghost – but even after Ivy realized what had happened, the writing was still beautiful.I received an advance copy from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
andimontgomery's review against another edition
3.0
I had high hopes for this novel after enjoying In the Shadow of Blackbirds. However, sadly, The Uninvited fell flat for me.
The story tells of Ivy, who leaves her parents' home quite suddenly after she learns her dad and brother killed a local German shop owner. Yes, the story is told in 1918 during the war, when hatred for the Germans was strong. Ivy is saddened and ashamed by her family's act, and tries to alleviate her own moral burden by apologizing to the man's brother, Daniel.
From there, Ivy begins an expected relationship with Daniel while boarding with a local war widow. There's also a flu epidemic going on which has killed many of the local residents. She begins helping two Red Cross volunteers with driving their ambulance at night, picking up those sick from the flu. She also finds solace in a local jazz club.
I enjoyed the beginning and ending, but most of the middle left me disinterested. I found myself skipping a lot of chapters due to my boredom. I'm glad I stuck with it to the end, however, because the ending was a shocker.
The story tells of Ivy, who leaves her parents' home quite suddenly after she learns her dad and brother killed a local German shop owner. Yes, the story is told in 1918 during the war, when hatred for the Germans was strong. Ivy is saddened and ashamed by her family's act, and tries to alleviate her own moral burden by apologizing to the man's brother, Daniel.
From there, Ivy begins an expected relationship with Daniel while boarding with a local war widow. There's also a flu epidemic going on which has killed many of the local residents. She begins helping two Red Cross volunteers with driving their ambulance at night, picking up those sick from the flu. She also finds solace in a local jazz club.
I enjoyed the beginning and ending, but most of the middle left me disinterested. I found myself skipping a lot of chapters due to my boredom. I'm glad I stuck with it to the end, however, because the ending was a shocker.
scorpiobookfairy's review against another edition
3.0
I have to say that I was planning on giving this book a 2 star rating, maybe a little 2.5 because I love the author... Most of the book was disconnected, the characters were un-relatable and awkward. I felt like it didn't really fit into the way I think people may have behaved in 1918... Ivy is the worst, she just had no depth, I found it hard to believe that a woman who'd been a recluse her whole life would just suddenly go out into the world, find a roommate, drive an ambulance with strangers, sleep with a man she didn't know... awkwardly btw, felt like there were only sex scenes because it's an adult novel, it was hard to read and made me feel uncomfortable for her.
So the 2.5 was going for most of the book until I got to the twist and it saved it a little bit, the characters made a bit more sense to me and the storyline... Unfortunately, I would have liked to have been hooked for the whole book and not just the last 7 chapters... This is still one of my favorite authors, but I honestly just didn't enjoy this story.
So the 2.5 was going for most of the book until I got to the twist and it saved it a little bit, the characters made a bit more sense to me and the storyline... Unfortunately, I would have liked to have been hooked for the whole book and not just the last 7 chapters... This is still one of my favorite authors, but I honestly just didn't enjoy this story.