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the_coycaterpillar_reads's review
3.0
Berkley Street is a haunted house horror novel. Now, it is known that I love all sub-genres of horror, ranging from slasher to suspense but I did struggle to categorize this into one sub-category. It really is genre-bending fiction. Be prepared to open the first page and get bludgeoned with the brutality of the characters and the intestinal fortitude of our protagonist, Shane Ryan. The house has a mind of its own – it simply takes care of itself. If you haven’t been invited, then be prepared to meet a grizzly end!
Each ghost has a story to tell none of it pleasant but all of it gruesome.
I often found myself scratching my head in confusion. Let me clarify. It is a ghost story so already the realms of the possible are blurred. That isn’t really an issue to me, it’s not why I read haunted house stories. The issue that caused me the most confusion was how the ghosts would kill people in relation to their behaviour to Shane. His interactions with the ghosts were mostly positive and quite often friendly. The two just didn’t add up for me. Oh and another point – why the hell would you fight for a house that quite clearly scares the crap out of you!
The house on Berkley Streets back story is interesting. I particularly enjoyed reliving Shane’s childhood experiences with the house and its occupants. Shane befriends most of the ghosts apart from the dark ones in the basement and the little girl that lives in the lake. The little girl has everyone trapped in a reign of horror. She is responsible for most of the deaths. Shane begs his parents to believe him about their house guests. They are hesitant until an incident changes their minds. Okay, so for the killer blow – they never move out?! Oh, and the double-barrelled shot is that on occasion they are happy to leave their child alone in 125 Berkley Street.
Berkley Street is a horror novella that is told in dual timelines, Shanes childhood and the present day. Shane is back home after spending around twenty years in the US Marines. His aunt and uncle pursued having his parents declared dead too early and wanted the family home. A lengthy court battle has resulted in Shane regaining his home, if only to find out what happened to his parents. It’s a decent story and I will read more in time.
Each ghost has a story to tell none of it pleasant but all of it gruesome.
I often found myself scratching my head in confusion. Let me clarify. It is a ghost story so already the realms of the possible are blurred. That isn’t really an issue to me, it’s not why I read haunted house stories. The issue that caused me the most confusion was how the ghosts would kill people in relation to their behaviour to Shane. His interactions with the ghosts were mostly positive and quite often friendly. The two just didn’t add up for me. Oh and another point – why the hell would you fight for a house that quite clearly scares the crap out of you!
The house on Berkley Streets back story is interesting. I particularly enjoyed reliving Shane’s childhood experiences with the house and its occupants. Shane befriends most of the ghosts apart from the dark ones in the basement and the little girl that lives in the lake. The little girl has everyone trapped in a reign of horror. She is responsible for most of the deaths. Shane begs his parents to believe him about their house guests. They are hesitant until an incident changes their minds. Okay, so for the killer blow – they never move out?! Oh, and the double-barrelled shot is that on occasion they are happy to leave their child alone in 125 Berkley Street.
Berkley Street is a horror novella that is told in dual timelines, Shanes childhood and the present day. Shane is back home after spending around twenty years in the US Marines. His aunt and uncle pursued having his parents declared dead too early and wanted the family home. A lengthy court battle has resulted in Shane regaining his home, if only to find out what happened to his parents. It’s a decent story and I will read more in time.
ectodueler's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
fictionaladventures's review
2.5
This was fine but nothing too special to me. I probably won’t remember it pretty soon.
jshep77's review against another edition
4.0
What an interesting start to a haunted house series. This wasn't your average ghost story. The ghosts are known from the start. But there is still a mystery to solve and a bad ghost to defeat. The story kept me intrigued.
spicysteph's review against another edition
4.0
Chills!! This book is going to stay in my favorite horror reads forever! My heart was pounding the whole time for Shane in this haunted house on Berkley Street. Good ghosts, bad ghosts, even ghosts who clean your house spotless!! I can’t wait to continue this series!
gizmoto16's review against another edition
4.0
A really good haunted house story
It's hard to find a good horror story but this one was great! Really enjoyed the live characters as well as the ghosts!
It's hard to find a good horror story but this one was great! Really enjoyed the live characters as well as the ghosts!
pbanditp's review against another edition
4.0
Great haunted house story
Shane moved into the Berkley Street house with his parents when he was a kid. He finds out fairly quick that not only are there ghosts in the house but the servants passages that are behind the walls are constantly changing. Secret rooms, floors that don’t exist, and the ghosts that can hurt you. Most of the ghosts won’t bother with you, just stay away from the dead girl in the pond out back.
Shane grows up, goes off to the Marines, and his parents disappear. Years of court battles end with Shane getting the house and he moves back in so he can try to find his parents.
There are so many great ghosts and the narrator goes an amazing job with the accents and keeping it creepy. I am looking forward to more adventures with Shane
Shane moved into the Berkley Street house with his parents when he was a kid. He finds out fairly quick that not only are there ghosts in the house but the servants passages that are behind the walls are constantly changing. Secret rooms, floors that don’t exist, and the ghosts that can hurt you. Most of the ghosts won’t bother with you, just stay away from the dead girl in the pond out back.
Shane grows up, goes off to the Marines, and his parents disappear. Years of court battles end with Shane getting the house and he moves back in so he can try to find his parents.
There are so many great ghosts and the narrator goes an amazing job with the accents and keeping it creepy. I am looking forward to more adventures with Shane
bnic's review against another edition
5.0
I enjoyed this quick read. It kept me interested the whole way through
claudia_is_reading's review against another edition
4.0
I really liked the concept of this story; we know from the beginning that Shane's house is filled with ghosts, and that at least one of them is responsible for his parents' disappearance.
The story is easy to follow and really entertaining. If you like haunted houses' stories, this is for you.
The story is easy to follow and really entertaining. If you like haunted houses' stories, this is for you.
landscapesofink's review against another edition
4.0
This book was a lot better than I expected it to be. I got it as a freebie on my Kobo, and it was actually scary! I real good horror, this one. I believe I'll be reading the rest of the series, just got no idea when. I really loved the way it jumped between past and future, as well as between characters. And the way Kind of silly though how his parents And how typical was it that the person in the pond was a young girl who was really psychotic. I mean, even her clothes (long white dress, hair in ponytails) was so typical. I liked how And the Bonus Scenes in the back, from Carl's POV, really opened up his history. Really awesome.