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livinglifeliterary's review against another edition
4.0
Oh this was so fun! The audiobook, narrated by my favorite no sleep voice actress Jessica Mcevoy, was so incredible and I really enjoyed this story. I'd say that some of the plot was a bit slow but the characters were so lovable and I think this was an amazing debut novel. I want more of Striker the cat and the Ghost hunting gang and I DEFINITELY wish Donn's Hill was a real place.
mystikai's review against another edition
5.0
Mackenzie has recently lost her father, and after finding her fiancé in bed with another woman she packs up her bags and moves to Donn’s Hill, a place she and her mother used to go to on vacation.
The town is renowned for being haunted and it isn’t long before she starts getting strange things happening in her apartment. Luckily a stray cat who had befriended her and seems to be trying to protect her.
This is not the only strange thing that happens though and when she gets a job with a ghost hunting crew, more things start showing themselves to her and she is determined to solve a murder.
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Donn’s Hill, it was kind of spooky at times and the mystery and twists were great. It kept me engaged from start to finish.
Mackenzie was a fantastic character and the cat! I love cats and this little lady was an amazing protector.
Caryn Larringana wrote a brilliant book and Jessica McEvoy
Was the perfect narrator, she made me fall into the Donn’s Hill and I didn’t want to leave.
The town is renowned for being haunted and it isn’t long before she starts getting strange things happening in her apartment. Luckily a stray cat who had befriended her and seems to be trying to protect her.
This is not the only strange thing that happens though and when she gets a job with a ghost hunting crew, more things start showing themselves to her and she is determined to solve a murder.
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Donn’s Hill, it was kind of spooky at times and the mystery and twists were great. It kept me engaged from start to finish.
Mackenzie was a fantastic character and the cat! I love cats and this little lady was an amazing protector.
Caryn Larringana wrote a brilliant book and Jessica McEvoy
Was the perfect narrator, she made me fall into the Donn’s Hill and I didn’t want to leave.
tabatha_shipley's review against another edition
5.0
What I Did Like:
-Well written. That’s not something I say often because it’s vague. But when you pick up a book that is just really well written, you notice. The language comes together naturally, you feel like you understand everything that is happening, and the flow just cannot be matched. That’s how I felt about this book.
-Solid mystery takes the focus. This book has a lot going for it: ghosts, a woman trying to restart her life in a small town, hidden psychic abilities, and a cute cat. But the mystery takes over the story and runs it. I absolutely loved that. The other things are important, but the mystery rules the day. In fact, you’re not getting sidelined by romantic subplots in this one either.
-Paranormal is really, really well written. Sometimes when you read a paranormal book they come off cheesy. This one doesn’t. Everything Mac experiences comes across as believable and possible in an amazing way.
-The cover. I noticed there’s actually a different cover on Goodreads. I prefer this one. The smoky cover I was sent is just perfect.
Who Should Read This One:
-Paranormal fans. This one brings in psychics, mediums, ghosts, and more in a great way.
-Mystery fans. Trace the clues and solve the case!
-Readers who want to try horror. This one isn’t the scariest book I’ve read, but a few of the scenes definitely take this one to the horror category. Great as a starter book if you have been wanting to try horror.
My Rating: 5 stars. This one will appeal to a variety of readers. HIGHLY recommended
For Full Review (including what I didn’t like): https://youtu.be/iY8dVX2r1bw
-Well written. That’s not something I say often because it’s vague. But when you pick up a book that is just really well written, you notice. The language comes together naturally, you feel like you understand everything that is happening, and the flow just cannot be matched. That’s how I felt about this book.
-Solid mystery takes the focus. This book has a lot going for it: ghosts, a woman trying to restart her life in a small town, hidden psychic abilities, and a cute cat. But the mystery takes over the story and runs it. I absolutely loved that. The other things are important, but the mystery rules the day. In fact, you’re not getting sidelined by romantic subplots in this one either.
-Paranormal is really, really well written. Sometimes when you read a paranormal book they come off cheesy. This one doesn’t. Everything Mac experiences comes across as believable and possible in an amazing way.
-The cover. I noticed there’s actually a different cover on Goodreads. I prefer this one. The smoky cover I was sent is just perfect.
Who Should Read This One:
-Paranormal fans. This one brings in psychics, mediums, ghosts, and more in a great way.
-Mystery fans. Trace the clues and solve the case!
-Readers who want to try horror. This one isn’t the scariest book I’ve read, but a few of the scenes definitely take this one to the horror category. Great as a starter book if you have been wanting to try horror.
My Rating: 5 stars. This one will appeal to a variety of readers. HIGHLY recommended
For Full Review (including what I didn’t like): https://youtu.be/iY8dVX2r1bw
miocenemama's review
5.0
This is a book about grief, self-discovery, and starting over. It is also a book about murder and the paranormal. Mackenzie Clair has just returned from her father's funeral to discover her boyfriend in bed with another woman. She packs the essentials and turns her back on the life she has to return to a place she knows only as a childhood memory shared with her mother. She hopes to reconnect with the feelings she had there before her mother's death when Mac was only 8 years old. Instead, she connects with a very determined cat, an angry spirit, and a team of ghost hunters as she discovers her own psychic abilities. These abilities land her smack in the middle of a murder investigation as she tries to determine friend from foe. The body count rises, and Mac needs to solve the mystery before she becomes a victim. I really enjoyed this book. There were plenty of twists and turns that kept me guessing. It was one of those books that I wanted to read in one sitting, one of those you can't put down. I recommend this book to lovers of mystery and ghosts.
m3l89's review against another edition
3.0
I received a free copy of Donn’s Hill in exchange for an honest review.
Donn’s Hill was most definitely expertly written, with a good mix of characters. It was an interesting idea to have Mac who could genuinely interact with people who had passed mixing with a ghost hunting show. This gave a good fictional representation of both sides of opinion as to whether ghosts etc are real.
Personally, I felt the plot was a bit slow but the expert writing made up for this.
Donn’s Hill was most definitely expertly written, with a good mix of characters. It was an interesting idea to have Mac who could genuinely interact with people who had passed mixing with a ghost hunting show. This gave a good fictional representation of both sides of opinion as to whether ghosts etc are real.
Personally, I felt the plot was a bit slow but the expert writing made up for this.
mevestatney's review against another edition
5.0
I was given an advance copy of this book for an honest review. I’m also real-life friends with the author. I’ll still try to be objective.
Mackenzie Clair is haunted. She’s starting a new life - restarting, really - and now, of course, she’s haunted. She is trying to rebuild her life in a town called Donn’s Hill, or, as we have so aptly dubbed it on the Plain Donuts podcast, Spooky Stars Hollow. We called it that because - as does its Gilmore Girls nicknamesake - the town of Donn’s Hill has more charm than Giada De Laurentiis pronouncing Italian ingredients. (“Mozzarrrrellah!”) It’s got a whole bunch of quirky characters and they all play a part in Mac’s quest to get unhaunted.
Those inhabitants of the town — secondary and tertiary characters — are something this book does delightfully. Each one is unique and memorable, even down to the random side-characters where Larrinaga does a wonderful job of giving just enough to identify everyone, but never overwhelming her readers with too much. One place this is obvious is during Mac’s side quest to volunteer at the town’s biggest tourist draw — the yearly paranormal festival. At an early meeting of volunteers, we see a few of the other characters we’ve already met, each identified clearly by more than just their names, and we’re reintroduced to Penelope, who has been uppity toward Mac from the first time they met, and continues that tone in this interaction. This scene establishes and re-establishes characters who no one would consider primary, but who Larrinaga treats with care and importance, and draws through-lines with characters that the audience should stay aware of.
As a small side-note, this scene also introduces us to Mac’s love for lemon bars. Food is a trend throughout the book, and is always described perfectly - the lemon bars scene, in particular, talking about the acidity of the bar activating the salivary glands, which basically PUTS THE FLAVOR IN YOUR MOUTH WITH WORDS. But the descriptive quality of food in the book is just one aspect of the texture of the writing, which is prevalent and brings exactly the right feeling to each scene. When it’s scary, it feels scary; when it’s grimy, it feels grimy. It’s rare that an author’s first release has this strong a handle on mood-setting, and that was refreshing.
The only thing that left me wanting was the character of Gabrielle, a mysterious psychic and bookstore owner in the town. From her first scene, I felt that she was written a little cartoonishly. Her backstory is filled in throughout the book, which gives her more depth and interest, but I could never quite shake the feeling that she wasn’t as real as the rest of the cast. It’s notable, though, that with all the characters living in the book, this is the only one that left me with a little bit of salt.
The book’s plot construction has been described the way some might describe their inability to stop eating chocolate, and those who describe it that way are right. It’s hard to put down. When I was a kid, there were a few times I picked up teen suspense novels. I remember one that was set in a cold ski resort where, of course, everyone happened to be trapped and there was a murderer on the loose. I laid on the carpet in my parent’s basement next to a warm wood-burning fireplace, and ravenously turned pages. To be clear, Donn’s Hill is very much not in the “teen suspense” category, but the feeling of needing to know, of needing to turn to the next page rings loud and true. Its surprises and twists are rarely predictable, and the answers to the story’s mysteries are always in question - drawing you along even to the end.
All in all, Donn’s Hill is excellently written and compelling. Above that, it will charm you into loving it. If you’re like me, you’ll really enjoy your stay in Spooky Stars Hollow.
Mackenzie Clair is haunted. She’s starting a new life - restarting, really - and now, of course, she’s haunted. She is trying to rebuild her life in a town called Donn’s Hill, or, as we have so aptly dubbed it on the Plain Donuts podcast, Spooky Stars Hollow. We called it that because - as does its Gilmore Girls nicknamesake - the town of Donn’s Hill has more charm than Giada De Laurentiis pronouncing Italian ingredients. (“Mozzarrrrellah!”) It’s got a whole bunch of quirky characters and they all play a part in Mac’s quest to get unhaunted.
Those inhabitants of the town — secondary and tertiary characters — are something this book does delightfully. Each one is unique and memorable, even down to the random side-characters where Larrinaga does a wonderful job of giving just enough to identify everyone, but never overwhelming her readers with too much. One place this is obvious is during Mac’s side quest to volunteer at the town’s biggest tourist draw — the yearly paranormal festival. At an early meeting of volunteers, we see a few of the other characters we’ve already met, each identified clearly by more than just their names, and we’re reintroduced to Penelope, who has been uppity toward Mac from the first time they met, and continues that tone in this interaction. This scene establishes and re-establishes characters who no one would consider primary, but who Larrinaga treats with care and importance, and draws through-lines with characters that the audience should stay aware of.
As a small side-note, this scene also introduces us to Mac’s love for lemon bars. Food is a trend throughout the book, and is always described perfectly - the lemon bars scene, in particular, talking about the acidity of the bar activating the salivary glands, which basically PUTS THE FLAVOR IN YOUR MOUTH WITH WORDS. But the descriptive quality of food in the book is just one aspect of the texture of the writing, which is prevalent and brings exactly the right feeling to each scene. When it’s scary, it feels scary; when it’s grimy, it feels grimy. It’s rare that an author’s first release has this strong a handle on mood-setting, and that was refreshing.
The only thing that left me wanting was the character of Gabrielle, a mysterious psychic and bookstore owner in the town. From her first scene, I felt that she was written a little cartoonishly. Her backstory is filled in throughout the book, which gives her more depth and interest, but I could never quite shake the feeling that she wasn’t as real as the rest of the cast. It’s notable, though, that with all the characters living in the book, this is the only one that left me with a little bit of salt.
The book’s plot construction has been described the way some might describe their inability to stop eating chocolate, and those who describe it that way are right. It’s hard to put down. When I was a kid, there were a few times I picked up teen suspense novels. I remember one that was set in a cold ski resort where, of course, everyone happened to be trapped and there was a murderer on the loose. I laid on the carpet in my parent’s basement next to a warm wood-burning fireplace, and ravenously turned pages. To be clear, Donn’s Hill is very much not in the “teen suspense” category, but the feeling of needing to know, of needing to turn to the next page rings loud and true. Its surprises and twists are rarely predictable, and the answers to the story’s mysteries are always in question - drawing you along even to the end.
All in all, Donn’s Hill is excellently written and compelling. Above that, it will charm you into loving it. If you’re like me, you’ll really enjoy your stay in Spooky Stars Hollow.
charlisbookbox's review against another edition
4.0
Donn’s Hill is a horror/mystery/thriller that involves the paranormal. As such, I knew I had to give it a shot. I wasn’t disappointed.
Donn’s Hill is Caryn Larrinaga’s debut novel. As such, it does suffer a bit from “first book syndrome” but in all honesty, it doesn’t really detract from the story. This one needs the long set-up to make it as impactful as it is. Not to mention this is the first book in a series, which makes it even more forgivable that the set-up takes as long as it does.
I really like Mac. She’s funny, she’s not overly happy with her gift at first, and honestly, she’s just an all-around likable character. I also like Graham and Kit a lot. I’m on the fence about Penelope – I hated her at first, but things settled down and I don’t quite hate her anymore. Of course, as a cat lover, I definitely love Striker.
I have a copy of Donn’s Shadow, the second book in the series and I can’t wait to get started on it because I’m sure it’s going to be just as amazing as the first book. After all, there’s still a ghost that might be harming people to get rid of.
**I received a copy of this book free from BookSprout**
Donn’s Hill is Caryn Larrinaga’s debut novel. As such, it does suffer a bit from “first book syndrome” but in all honesty, it doesn’t really detract from the story. This one needs the long set-up to make it as impactful as it is. Not to mention this is the first book in a series, which makes it even more forgivable that the set-up takes as long as it does.
I really like Mac. She’s funny, she’s not overly happy with her gift at first, and honestly, she’s just an all-around likable character. I also like Graham and Kit a lot. I’m on the fence about Penelope – I hated her at first, but things settled down and I don’t quite hate her anymore. Of course, as a cat lover, I definitely love Striker.
I have a copy of Donn’s Shadow, the second book in the series and I can’t wait to get started on it because I’m sure it’s going to be just as amazing as the first book. After all, there’s still a ghost that might be harming people to get rid of.
**I received a copy of this book free from BookSprout**
livinglifeliterary's review
4.0
Oh this was so fun! The audiobook, narrated by my favorite no sleep voice actress Jessica Mcevoy, was so incredible and I really enjoyed this story. I'd say that some of the plot was a bit slow but the characters were so lovable and I think this was an amazing debut novel. I want more of Striker the cat and the Ghost hunting gang and I DEFINITELY wish Donn's Hill was a real place.
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