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csondra's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
1.5
I was expecting a haunted mystery. Instead I got a predictable story with absolutely no character development. The FMC reads like an insecure pubescent teen girl going through her boy crazy stage. Sex just comes from literally nowhere. I just couldn’t take this book seriously. Maybe if you’re into horny horror?
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Suicide, and Violence
Minor: Rape
matasatan's review against another edition
1.0
Too much focus on the romance, too little ghosts. The plot twist was calculated almost instantly.
Not satisfied this time.
Not satisfied this time.
sydney_jane's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-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
3.25
hlflosser's review against another edition
4.0
This would have been a great fall read as I’d did scare me at times. She is good at a ghost stories. This was my least favorite of hers but still 4 ⭐️. It did have a little spice.
Trigger- rape was implied but not described
Trigger- rape was implied but not described
lampbee's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Really like her mysteries they’re not always complex but they’re entertaining. This one was less entertaining , the plot focused a weird amount on explicit sex scenes which didn’t feel like they matched with the tone of the story and went on for a very long time. The mystery itself was interesting but too much time spent on developing two romances so the actual ghost case was sort of bland.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Death of parent, Grief, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Death, Murder, Medical trauma, Sexual content, and War
kimberlyf's review against another edition
2.0
Excuse me, but… Was this a romance novel with a haunting mixed in?? The romantic relationship within this story was so annoying to me. Romance readers might love it but I don’t like romance and when I pick up a horror ghost story, that’s what I want. Not romance.
Like can we pleaseeeee have a thriller/mystery/horror with a female MC who isn’t dying for some random guy's attention and affection? COME ON AUTHORS. We are better than this. UGH it ruined a lot of the story for me because it overtook too much of the narrative and I hated hearing the childish internal dialogue. A pity really because it was a interesting ghost story besides that.
Like can we pleaseeeee have a thriller/mystery/horror with a female MC who isn’t dying for some random guy's attention and affection? COME ON AUTHORS. We are better than this. UGH it ruined a lot of the story for me because it overtook too much of the narrative and I hated hearing the childish internal dialogue. A pity really because it was a interesting ghost story besides that.
caw281's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
3.75
jenhurst's review against another edition
3.0
3.5. This is Simone St James’s debut and its certainly not as strong as her later books. It’s still very engaging and easy to read but the character and writing is not as honed
mel_c_bell's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I have discovered my ultimate bookish vibe: Historical Murder Mystery Romantic Cozy Horror.
Got a copy of this on Audible during a BOGO sale. When I saw it I thought “Why da fuq not? Simone St. James seems to get a lot of love on the bookstagram and I’m tired of the FOMO.” Now, I fully understand why so many readers praise this author.
Sarah is a young woman working for a temp agency in post Great War England who accepts an ‘odd’ job with a handsome, young, and clearly rich veteran to make contact with the ghost of a young woman who hung herself in a barn.
I didn’t find the plot wholly original or surprising BUT the story is just so *squeals with aggressive cuteness overload* — I’m going to cry in *wants to read for the first time again*.
There’s great care taken in this book to approach uncomfortable topics like PTSD, CSA, and grief—which ultimately builds the unnerving atmosphere and draws you to each character.
This will be a book recommendation you’ll see me hyping at obnoxious levels 😬
Got a copy of this on Audible during a BOGO sale. When I saw it I thought “Why da fuq not? Simone St. James seems to get a lot of love on the bookstagram and I’m tired of the FOMO.” Now, I fully understand why so many readers praise this author.
Sarah is a young woman working for a temp agency in post Great War England who accepts an ‘odd’ job with a handsome, young, and clearly rich veteran to make contact with the ghost of a young woman who hung herself in a barn.
I didn’t find the plot wholly original or surprising BUT the story is just so *squeals with aggressive cuteness overload* — I’m going to cry in *wants to read for the first time again*.
There’s great care taken in this book to approach uncomfortable topics like PTSD, CSA, and grief—which ultimately builds the unnerving atmosphere and draws you to each character.
This will be a book recommendation you’ll see me hyping at obnoxious levels 😬