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192 reviews for:
The Haunting of Beatrix Greene: Vol. 1
Vicky Alvear Shecter, Rachel Hawkins, Ash Parsons
3.55 AVERAGE
192 reviews for:
The Haunting of Beatrix Greene: Vol. 1
Vicky Alvear Shecter, Rachel Hawkins, Ash Parsons
3.55 AVERAGE
This was a enjoyable spooky short story. I would of liked more character development but it says book 1 so it maybe a series. I liked Beatrix a lot, it was enjoyable to see her come into her power and surprise everyone, including herself!
This was a great ghost story and a perfect read as we’re nearing Halloween, and I'll definitely look for more in this series.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest review
This was a great ghost story and a perfect read as we’re nearing Halloween, and I'll definitely look for more in this series.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest review
3.8 stars
In Victorian England, Beatrix Greene has a reputation for being a trustworthy spiritual medium. She doesn’t believe in theatrics and keeps a low profile to avoid too much attention. James Walker, a scientist who’s been exposing fraud mediums, manages to get her attention. He offers her a proposal- stay with him (and two others) in the Ashbury Manor for a night to prove whether ghosts are real or not.
Beatrix, being a non-believer, feel wary of taking up James’s offer but goes ahead with it. She goes to the Manor with her childhood friend Harry, a smalltime actor, who’s acting services she uses from time to time for extra effect. She gets tiny bits of information about the terrible past of the Manor and the evil that resides in it. James has his own dark past and is desperate for answers.
What happens in the manor? Are ghosts real? Does evil have the power to control a person and their thoughts? What will happen to the blooming romance between James and Beatrix? Can James be rid of the weight of his past? Does Beatrix really have spiritual powers?
The book answers all these questions and more. I was quite torn when it came to deciding the rating. A part of me wanted to give it 4, and another wanted to keep it at 3.5. I found a midpoint and settled at 3.8 stars.
Reading a book written by three authors that has the narration from two points of view (J&B) in alternating chapters can be a mess. But this book makes it effortless. If not for the headings mentioning who wrote what, it would have been almost impossible to identify the parts written by different writers.
The POV shifts are smooth. There are hardly any jerks in the tone or the narration. I truly appreciate the authors and the editors who worked on this piece. I do wish they cut down a few adverbs.
Coming to the story, it’s quite predictable but still manages to hold interest. How will I know if my prediction is right or wrong unless I read it? The gore quotient is higher in the second half of the book. It is justified too, considering the storyline.
The descriptions are vivid (if you have a habit of imaging the scene, you might be a bit uncomfortable). The story reaches the end in stages, and that keeps us hooked. The climax is very well written, and I love the development of Beatrix’s character.
The ending (epilogue of sorts) hints at a solid happy ever after, which made me happy. The secondary characters are interesting, though it’s Beatrix who plays a crucial role. That leads me to the title. Though I was intrigued by it and the subtle cover image, I’m not sure how it fits the story.
Overall, it’s a well-written, fast-paced, historical fiction with a good dose of horror and enough elements of romance.
I received an ARC copy from NetGalley and Serial Box and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#TheHauntingofBeatrixGreene #NetGalley
In Victorian England, Beatrix Greene has a reputation for being a trustworthy spiritual medium. She doesn’t believe in theatrics and keeps a low profile to avoid too much attention. James Walker, a scientist who’s been exposing fraud mediums, manages to get her attention. He offers her a proposal- stay with him (and two others) in the Ashbury Manor for a night to prove whether ghosts are real or not.
Beatrix, being a non-believer, feel wary of taking up James’s offer but goes ahead with it. She goes to the Manor with her childhood friend Harry, a smalltime actor, who’s acting services she uses from time to time for extra effect. She gets tiny bits of information about the terrible past of the Manor and the evil that resides in it. James has his own dark past and is desperate for answers.
What happens in the manor? Are ghosts real? Does evil have the power to control a person and their thoughts? What will happen to the blooming romance between James and Beatrix? Can James be rid of the weight of his past? Does Beatrix really have spiritual powers?
The book answers all these questions and more. I was quite torn when it came to deciding the rating. A part of me wanted to give it 4, and another wanted to keep it at 3.5. I found a midpoint and settled at 3.8 stars.
Reading a book written by three authors that has the narration from two points of view (J&B) in alternating chapters can be a mess. But this book makes it effortless. If not for the headings mentioning who wrote what, it would have been almost impossible to identify the parts written by different writers.
The POV shifts are smooth. There are hardly any jerks in the tone or the narration. I truly appreciate the authors and the editors who worked on this piece. I do wish they cut down a few adverbs.
Coming to the story, it’s quite predictable but still manages to hold interest. How will I know if my prediction is right or wrong unless I read it? The gore quotient is higher in the second half of the book. It is justified too, considering the storyline.
The descriptions are vivid (if you have a habit of imaging the scene, you might be a bit uncomfortable). The story reaches the end in stages, and that keeps us hooked. The climax is very well written, and I love the development of Beatrix’s character.
The ending (epilogue of sorts) hints at a solid happy ever after, which made me happy. The secondary characters are interesting, though it’s Beatrix who plays a crucial role. That leads me to the title. Though I was intrigued by it and the subtle cover image, I’m not sure how it fits the story.
Overall, it’s a well-written, fast-paced, historical fiction with a good dose of horror and enough elements of romance.
I received an ARC copy from NetGalley and Serial Box and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#TheHauntingofBeatrixGreene #NetGalley
The Haunting of Beatrix Greene is your classic haunted house story. Beatrix Greene is a medium - or at least she pretends to be. In Victorian-era London, playing the role of medium and spiritualist is Beatrix's way of earning her own money and staying independent. She is hired by Dr. James Walker, a scientist and admitted skeptic, to investigate an old mansion and finds herself thrust into life-or-death circumstances when someone - or something - answers during a seance.
This novel is written by a collaboration of three different authors. The authors do a very good job of keeping the style of writing and the tone of the story very consistent throughout. Each author is responsible for different chapters, which are headed by the author's name, but without these indicators, I wouldn't be able to tell where one author left off and another picked up, they mesh so well together.
The authors give each of the main characters a nice introduction early on in the book. The reader is given enough information to get to the know the characters without revealing too much of their backgrounds, which leads to some surprises later in the story. There is a slow buildup during the first half of the book as the characters' lives intertwine and they make their way to Ashbury Manor. Once there, though, the slow, atmospheric tone of the novel changes drastically, and the reader is thrown head first into non-stop action and page after page of shocks, scares, revelations, and answers.
The viewpoint changes back and forth between Beatrix and James throughout the book, but each viewpoint is labelled, so the reader is never confused as to who they're following at any given moment. The story gives off a very "Haunting of Hill House" vibe (the Netflix adaptation, not the Shirley Jackson novel) and the ending, though complete and satisfying, leaves the possibility open for addition entries if the authors choose to write a sequel.
This novel is written by a collaboration of three different authors. The authors do a very good job of keeping the style of writing and the tone of the story very consistent throughout. Each author is responsible for different chapters, which are headed by the author's name, but without these indicators, I wouldn't be able to tell where one author left off and another picked up, they mesh so well together.
The authors give each of the main characters a nice introduction early on in the book. The reader is given enough information to get to the know the characters without revealing too much of their backgrounds, which leads to some surprises later in the story. There is a slow buildup during the first half of the book as the characters' lives intertwine and they make their way to Ashbury Manor. Once there, though, the slow, atmospheric tone of the novel changes drastically, and the reader is thrown head first into non-stop action and page after page of shocks, scares, revelations, and answers.
The viewpoint changes back and forth between Beatrix and James throughout the book, but each viewpoint is labelled, so the reader is never confused as to who they're following at any given moment. The story gives off a very "Haunting of Hill House" vibe (the Netflix adaptation, not the Shirley Jackson novel) and the ending, though complete and satisfying, leaves the possibility open for addition entries if the authors choose to write a sequel.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
After doing some research, it looks like this was released in podcast form and all episodes are available on major platforms! I think it would be great to listen in that format, so I would recommend.
As far as the story goes, I did really enjoy it. Gives me Haunting of Hill House vibes in a good way. Possessed house, unexplained murder-suicide, seances, the whole nine yards. It was a creepy, quick read.
After doing some research, it looks like this was released in podcast form and all episodes are available on major platforms! I think it would be great to listen in that format, so I would recommend.
As far as the story goes, I did really enjoy it. Gives me Haunting of Hill House vibes in a good way. Possessed house, unexplained murder-suicide, seances, the whole nine yards. It was a creepy, quick read.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me a copy of The Haunting of Beatrix Greene in exchange for an honest review.
First and foremost, this is not a novel, nor is it technically any form of writing meant for physical consumption. This is an e-book ARC made for the first episode of a serial podcast.
https://www.realm.fm/shows/beatrix-greene?season=1
After finding out this information from a fellow reviewer, the different questions I had about the way the e-book was written seemed to be answered as, after listening to the podcast version as well, they seem to work better in podcast form.
The overall story however was wonderful and I loved it. Beatrix Green is offered 200 pounds to spend a night at the every so famously haunted Ashbury manor. The two main characters of the story were wonderfully written and believable. Beatrix works at a fake medium and finds out through the story that she has powers of her own. James Walker has made it his life work to show the world how fake all these mediums are. They obviously find their way together and banter.
I greatly enjoyed the atmosphere of this horror e-book/podcast and would greatly recommend picking up the podcast as a horror story to listen to on your own time.
First and foremost, this is not a novel, nor is it technically any form of writing meant for physical consumption. This is an e-book ARC made for the first episode of a serial podcast.
https://www.realm.fm/shows/beatrix-greene?season=1
After finding out this information from a fellow reviewer, the different questions I had about the way the e-book was written seemed to be answered as, after listening to the podcast version as well, they seem to work better in podcast form.
The overall story however was wonderful and I loved it. Beatrix Green is offered 200 pounds to spend a night at the every so famously haunted Ashbury manor. The two main characters of the story were wonderfully written and believable. Beatrix works at a fake medium and finds out through the story that she has powers of her own. James Walker has made it his life work to show the world how fake all these mediums are. They obviously find their way together and banter.
I greatly enjoyed the atmosphere of this horror e-book/podcast and would greatly recommend picking up the podcast as a horror story to listen to on your own time.
I received this as an eARC to read for free in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Serial Box for giving me access.
This is perfect for a quick read, just enough spooky to tickle the tastebuds.
The idea of the storyline was great, but the execution could have been better....Too many cooks in the kitchen. While the authors wrote well together, some aspects of the story went too quickly, too slowly, or just happened out of nowhere.
I wouldn't mind having this story be longer so the authors could give more details or back story to some characters and have more of a building relationship vs an immediate one.
I really did enjoy it, are just looking for something to tide you over between reads, this is a great book to pick up.
This is perfect for a quick read, just enough spooky to tickle the tastebuds.
The idea of the storyline was great, but the execution could have been better....Too many cooks in the kitchen. While the authors wrote well together, some aspects of the story went too quickly, too slowly, or just happened out of nowhere.
I wouldn't mind having this story be longer so the authors could give more details or back story to some characters and have more of a building relationship vs an immediate one.
I really did enjoy it, are just looking for something to tide you over between reads, this is a great book to pick up.
mysterious
medium-paced
The Haunting of Beatrix Greene is a victorian, gothic haunted house story told in episodic fashion. It is reminiscent to the classic horror story of spiritual medium, Beatrix, gets invited to a famous manor that turns into a deadly seance. While the novel has the tell tale characters of the sidekick, the skeptical Lord of the manor, and the badass female photographer, there is also twists within and a special guest appearance. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good ghostly, gory, and mysterious tale.
As I'm a sucker for ghost stories, as well as the gothic setting of a creepy mansion with a tragic backdrop, I couldn't resist The Haunting of Beatrix Greene. It was a fun and engaging read with a creepy factor at times, as well as a few twists and turns here and there. The characters were well written and had a bit of character development as well.
Considering how the story ended, I hope this will become a series.
Considering how the story ended, I hope this will become a series.
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A haunted house in the Victorian era, a fake medium who has more powers than she realises, and a colony of angry ghosts certainly has all the ingredients for a Halloween-worthy gothic horror.
Beatrix Greene is a spiritualist, or in better words, a calm presence who is able to offer her clients peace and closure. She can't actually communicate with the dead and that is exactly what sceptic, James Walker, wants to expose. However there's something about Beatrice that he trusts and with that feeling, he invites her and a handful of others to a Victorian mansion where he is determined to either prove or disprove spiritual activity. Once inside, Beatrice realises her true abilities, which could put not just her, but the whole party in mortal danger.
The Haunting of Beatrix Greene is certainly different, with multiple authors and released as a series of 'episodes' (although I read this as the full book so didn't experience the story as it was intended). Haunted houses are one of my favourite settings and this one was definitely spooky. I can't say I was feeling the romance that ensued (some genres just shouldn't be mixed in my opinion) or the motive but I liked the fast pace and, ironically, the ending. I would have liked more exploration into the history of the house and James' family background as some parts/characters felt skimmed over in favour of building the tension in the present day. There wasn't much depth which, on the surface, made it a great horror story, but as literary fiction made it too similar to hundreds of other books in the genre.
When it comes to reading anything in the horror genre, I generally base my scare factor on how easily I can read the book when home alone at night. I found I wasn't overly affected and was probably more grossed out by some of the descriptions than the actual horrors taking place. I do, however, think it might have been different if I listened on audio in serial format like the book was intended.
Thank you to NetGalley and Serial Box for sending me a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
Rating breakdown
Beatrix Greene is a spiritualist, or in better words, a calm presence who is able to offer her clients peace and closure. She can't actually communicate with the dead and that is exactly what sceptic, James Walker, wants to expose. However there's something about Beatrice that he trusts and with that feeling, he invites her and a handful of others to a Victorian mansion where he is determined to either prove or disprove spiritual activity. Once inside, Beatrice realises her true abilities, which could put not just her, but the whole party in mortal danger.
The Haunting of Beatrix Greene is certainly different, with multiple authors and released as a series of 'episodes' (although I read this as the full book so didn't experience the story as it was intended). Haunted houses are one of my favourite settings and this one was definitely spooky. I can't say I was feeling the romance that ensued (some genres just shouldn't be mixed in my opinion) or the motive but I liked the fast pace and, ironically, the ending. I would have liked more exploration into the history of the house and James' family background as some parts/characters felt skimmed over in favour of building the tension in the present day. There wasn't much depth which, on the surface, made it a great horror story, but as literary fiction made it too similar to hundreds of other books in the genre.
When it comes to reading anything in the horror genre, I generally base my scare factor on how easily I can read the book when home alone at night. I found I wasn't overly affected and was probably more grossed out by some of the descriptions than the actual horrors taking place. I do, however, think it might have been different if I listened on audio in serial format like the book was intended.
Thank you to NetGalley and Serial Box for sending me a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
Rating breakdown
- Plot/narrative - 3
- Writing style/readability - 3.3
- Characters - 2.8
- Diverse themes - 2.7
- Ending - 3.5
Overall - 3.1