Reviews tagging 'Rape'

The Haunting of Maddy Clare by Simone St. James

43 reviews

kelbel322's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5


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bookcheshirecat's review against another edition

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challenging emotional mysterious medium-paced

4.0

“You can't imagine how hard it is to come home from hell and be expected to pick up the threads of a life. Apply for jobs, go to a factory, punch in, punch out. Put your lunch in a bag and get on the omnibus every day. Like nothing happened. Nothing.” 

This is one of Simone St. James' older titles, but I still enjoyed it a lot! It's set in the 1920s after the first world war and follows Sarah Piper, who's a temporary agent that takes on any odd jobs that come her way. When she gets offered the chance to become the secretary of infamous ghost hunter Alistair Gellis, she's not sure what she's getting herself into. Piper has been leading a solitary life, so against all common sense, she agrees and travels with him to investigate the haunting of a young servant called Maddy Clare. They're joined by Alistair's long time friend and assistant Matthew Ryder, who immediately catches Sarah's eye despite his gruff demeanor. He's been deeply scarred by the way and still fights with his demons. This book was so haunting and emotional! Sarah gets closer to Maddy's ghost, as she hates all men and sees the pain that has been inflicted on her. Tensions are rising as it's likely that whoever hurt her still lives in the small town unseen and might not want their secret to come out! 

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lifeishardbacks's review against another edition

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3.5


This is a great not-so-scary read to start off your spooky season. It's a ghost story with a lot going on. It's based in the 1920s post WWI. Sarah is a girl who gets thrown into the world of paranormal activity when her temporary agency sends her to assist a ghost hunter. 
Maddy's story is absolutely heartbreaking. Her vengeful spirit seems mild when compared to things the she endured.
This story has a lot of components most ghost stories do not. There is quite a bit romance, which I personal enjoyed. There is also a strong found family aspect.

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lyricallit's review against another edition

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dark slow-paced

3.25

I did enjoy it but it's almost as much romance as it is mystery. I didn't mind the romance (though there are questionable aspects to it) but just had to adjust my expectations once I saw it coming. I did not care for the narrator; the timbre didn't match what I would have had in my head for Sarah. I looked past that to focus on the story, but it was disappointing.

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gondorgirl's review

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective 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

3.5


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sonygaystation's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

3.75

You know what! Maddy Clare did nothing wrong

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kat_rowlen's review

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

Spooky and atmospheric thriller. The story is definitely engaging but there were a few things that didn’t add up. 

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amodernhobbitslibrary's review against another edition

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dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

A fascinating ghost story that’s terrifying for the characters but fascinating for the reader. 

Maddy Clare’s life was one of tragedy, and while it was easy enough to piece together what had happened to her - gathering *all* the details took much longer. How Maddy chose to haunt people seemed to be unique to each individual. A ghost that can induce hallucinations, or use crows to keep tabs on her prey is definitely an interesting change from classic ghost stories. 

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theimposter's review

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emotional mysterious 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

4.0

Great ghost story and great mystery! Crime, trauma, war flash backs, romance, ghosts! This book has it all

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sarah_speaks's review against another edition

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dark mysterious sad 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? No

4.0


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