Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
I actually liked it way more than I thought after seeing some reviews here.
I do see why people give it a low rating tbh, its kinda silly at some points, and i kept thinking 'why arent you smarter than thissss', but to be fair we cant expect to have every main character ever to know everything and be super smart you know.
I liked the mc a lot even if he was a bit dumb, he was a good person.
also loved Bran so much, I would love to know more about him and the years he spent all alone.
I do see why people give it a low rating tbh, its kinda silly at some points, and i kept thinking 'why arent you smarter than thissss', but to be fair we cant expect to have every main character ever to know everything and be super smart you know.
I liked the mc a lot even if he was a bit dumb, he was a good person.
also loved Bran so much, I would love to know more about him and the years he spent all alone.
This was my first Darcy Coates novel. I really enjoyed the book. It was entertaining from the first word to the last word. I really cared for the main character. I wanted him to succeed and survive the terrors of Craven Manor. He has such a hard life, so I felt like he deserved a happy ending. I want ruin the ending, but if you like decent, non-gruesome haunted house stories, I think you will enjoy this. I definitely plan on reading more of Coastes' books.
This was an interesting concept but it felt disconnected and rushed. The characters didn't really make sense and the conflicts felt forced to me.
3.5! Rounded up for Goodreads
This was my first Darcy Coates book and I buddy read it with my good friend, Mindi (@gowsy33)
This author came recommended to me by Destiny (@howlinglibraries) the last time I mentioned loving haunted house tales.
CRAVEN MANOR is one of those books I would buy as a book present for a large swath of readers. I think it would be appealing to a lot of different people with varied tastes. It would be perfect to read on the plane or on vacation; I can see myself getting a few more of her titles to bring with me on my next beach house trip-simply because the writing style is easy to pick up and put down.
I hesitate to say it's a young adult book--because I don't like to pigeonhole like that, but it does read like some young adult books I've read; sharing some of those defining attributes.
The writing is accessible and engaging-I found myself turning the pages quickly.
I enjoyed getting to know the protagonist, Daniel. He was a sweet, good natured boy that finds himself in a dark, gothic storyline--the reader knows what's going to happen to him but naive Daniel doesn't seem to see the forest for the trees. It was kind of endearing.
The plot trope is classic and fans of haunted house/ghost stories will be treated to a well-written, well traveled story with some fun, creepy scenes and a few unique characters to make it interesting. Sometimes I felt like that plot was skirting the edge of falling off into ridiculousness but the author is so good at what she does, I found myself wanting to stay in the game.
Certain supernatural aspects of the plot seemed a little formulaic. Seasoned horror fans will be able to guess at all the plots twists because the author drops clues and hints frequently--lots of smoking guns. And while these comments might sound like complaints, they're really just in this review to set up the proper expectation.
I wouldn't go into this book with the same list of wants you bring to mature horror reading material. This is more, "lean & clean"--which can be refreshing sometimes. Like I said, I will be getting more of her books for vacations and such--perfect poolside/plane reading. I highly recommend this book for readers who enjoy dabbling in horror or want some quality, entry level horror books to get their toes wet before jumping headlong into the deep end. Also perfect for parents who have young readers looking for some darker reads but you're not quite ready for them to be reading anything explicit--this would be excellent for that!
This was my first Darcy Coates book and I buddy read it with my good friend, Mindi (@gowsy33)
This author came recommended to me by Destiny (@howlinglibraries) the last time I mentioned loving haunted house tales.
CRAVEN MANOR is one of those books I would buy as a book present for a large swath of readers. I think it would be appealing to a lot of different people with varied tastes. It would be perfect to read on the plane or on vacation; I can see myself getting a few more of her titles to bring with me on my next beach house trip-simply because the writing style is easy to pick up and put down.
I hesitate to say it's a young adult book--because I don't like to pigeonhole like that, but it does read like some young adult books I've read; sharing some of those defining attributes.
The writing is accessible and engaging-I found myself turning the pages quickly.
I enjoyed getting to know the protagonist, Daniel. He was a sweet, good natured boy that finds himself in a dark, gothic storyline--the reader knows what's going to happen to him but naive Daniel doesn't seem to see the forest for the trees. It was kind of endearing.
The plot trope is classic and fans of haunted house/ghost stories will be treated to a well-written, well traveled story with some fun, creepy scenes and a few unique characters to make it interesting. Sometimes I felt like that plot was skirting the edge of falling off into ridiculousness but the author is so good at what she does, I found myself wanting to stay in the game.
Certain supernatural aspects of the plot seemed a little formulaic. Seasoned horror fans will be able to guess at all the plots twists because the author drops clues and hints frequently--lots of smoking guns. And while these comments might sound like complaints, they're really just in this review to set up the proper expectation.
I wouldn't go into this book with the same list of wants you bring to mature horror reading material. This is more, "lean & clean"--which can be refreshing sometimes. Like I said, I will be getting more of her books for vacations and such--perfect poolside/plane reading. I highly recommend this book for readers who enjoy dabbling in horror or want some quality, entry level horror books to get their toes wet before jumping headlong into the deep end. Also perfect for parents who have young readers looking for some darker reads but you're not quite ready for them to be reading anything explicit--this would be excellent for that!
dark
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I have been a big fan of Darcy Coates for a while now, and I've read a lot of her books. Honestly, she keeps getting better and better. I really enjoyed this book.
The characters were endearing and believable (though there are some characters I wouldn't mind slapping), and the interactions between living and dead, natural and supernatural are, as always, one of Darcy's specialties.
There were a few things about this book I wasn't as keen on, but I can't really specify without spoiling anything, though it did present a very interesting take on a subject that is enduring in its popularity and fascination.
I will probably write a more detailed, proper review at some point, but I wanted to at least leave a few words. If you are interested in horror novels, especially ghost stories, I really do recommend Darcy Coates.
The characters were endearing and believable (though there are some characters I wouldn't mind slapping), and the interactions between living and dead, natural and supernatural are, as always, one of Darcy's specialties.
There were a few things about this book I wasn't as keen on, but I can't really specify without spoiling anything, though it did present a very interesting take on a subject that is enduring in its popularity and fascination.
I will probably write a more detailed, proper review at some point, but I wanted to at least leave a few words. If you are interested in horror novels, especially ghost stories, I really do recommend Darcy Coates.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Quickly becoming a Darcy Coates fan!!! Such great junk reads, honestly. I will not lie to you, though, Daniel is such a dumbass. I can see what Coates was trying to go for with the overly trusting character flaw, but there were points when his internal dialogue was such a reach I could tell even the author didn’t believe what he was thinking, and I don’t mean that in an unreliable narrator way. But whatever! I love any and all stories that revolve around big spooky houses.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced