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abaugher's review
3.0
I scare easily so this book made me a bit uncomfortable going to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Quick read, gruesome past and ominous present. Give it a try.
witchyvinci's review
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
erincaitlin97's review
3.0
I was expecting gore, but just got weirdness. I will say it was a rather interesting read however
lilbrightside's review
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
silenciadelumbrae's review
2.0
This is definitely one of those books people are either going to love or hate, and I...did not fall into the "love" camp, we'll put it that way.
It's a shame because when I picked it up, I was really excited about it! The story sounded good, the writing in the introduction really caught my attention, and normally I love found-footage (or...found writings?) type stories. They are my jam in every sense. But this story did not work as a found-footage story, even given the (admittedly thin) excuses for why the main character is carrying her diary literally everywhere. There are times when people don't write in diaries. Action scenes and sleep scenes should always be among those times. If you need to have your MC writing in a diary when she's asleep, in some alternate reality, or during action scenes in order for your story to make sense, maybe this is not the right style for this story.
It's funny that this was written with the conceit that someone's planning to turn the diary into a script, because I spent the whole book thinking how much better this would work in a visual medium. Long and lovingly detailed descriptions of gore work well in visuals, but in a book they're tedious. It's not scary. It's just gross. Sorry.
And I really will stress for people who are uncomfortable with gore: the entire reason the book is considered a horror novel is centred I'd say 95% around body horror, gore, and grossness. There's not much psychological horror or rising tension in the book for the first half--it's just gross. It gets a little better around two-thirds of the way through, but by then you're getting descriptions of gruesomeness and animal death (ish) every few pages. If you like gore, you'll like it; if you don't, just don't bother.
And then there is Noelle. Ah, Noelle. She has knocked Lucy (of [b:The Women in the Walls|28367592|The Women in the Walls|Amy Lukavics|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1457543786s/28367592.jpg|48442321] fame) off the top of my Most Infuriating Horror Heroines list. Lucy is terminally afflicted with Bad-Choices-Itis, but at least she was reasonably okay to read about as a person. Noelle is both a chronic chooser of the worst possible option and a total asshole, and because the diary is hers, we get 0 breaks from her POV. All I'm saying is that it's extremely hard to hold any tension in a horror novel where this reader, at least, is actively cheering for the protagonist to die.
Back to the wilds I go in search of the YA horror novel that I'm dreaming of, because this one was not it.
Two stars because I finished it, no more because I would have abandoned it in a heartbeat if I weren't so stubborn about finishing most of what I start.
It's a shame because when I picked it up, I was really excited about it! The story sounded good, the writing in the introduction really caught my attention, and normally I love found-footage (or...found writings?) type stories. They are my jam in every sense. But this story did not work as a found-footage story, even given the (admittedly thin) excuses for why the main character is carrying her diary literally everywhere. There are times when people don't write in diaries. Action scenes and sleep scenes should always be among those times. If you need to have your MC writing in a diary when she's asleep, in some alternate reality, or during action scenes in order for your story to make sense, maybe this is not the right style for this story.
It's funny that this was written with the conceit that someone's planning to turn the diary into a script, because I spent the whole book thinking how much better this would work in a visual medium. Long and lovingly detailed descriptions of gore work well in visuals, but in a book they're tedious. It's not scary. It's just gross. Sorry.
And I really will stress for people who are uncomfortable with gore: the entire reason the book is considered a horror novel is centred I'd say 95% around body horror, gore, and grossness. There's not much psychological horror or rising tension in the book for the first half--it's just gross. It gets a little better around two-thirds of the way through, but by then you're getting descriptions of gruesomeness and animal death (ish) every few pages. If you like gore, you'll like it; if you don't, just don't bother.
And then there is Noelle. Ah, Noelle. She has knocked Lucy (of [b:The Women in the Walls|28367592|The Women in the Walls|Amy Lukavics|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1457543786s/28367592.jpg|48442321] fame) off the top of my Most Infuriating Horror Heroines list. Lucy is terminally afflicted with Bad-Choices-Itis, but at least she was reasonably okay to read about as a person. Noelle is both a chronic chooser of the worst possible option and a total asshole, and because the diary is hers, we get 0 breaks from her POV. All I'm saying is that it's extremely hard to hold any tension in a horror novel where this reader, at least, is actively cheering for the protagonist to die.
Back to the wilds I go in search of the YA horror novel that I'm dreaming of, because this one was not it.
Two stars because I finished it, no more because I would have abandoned it in a heartbeat if I weren't so stubborn about finishing most of what I start.
tess1209's review
dark
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
litwrite's review
4.0
Fun, original little haunted house book. Loved where it went and though I think found footage books can be hit or miss, I really enjoyed this one. Would definitely recommend!
drewcox's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
jaymerrick's review
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0