Scan barcode
directorpurry's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
2.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Gore, Racism, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Racial slurs, Body shaming, Eating disorder, and Fatphobia
Moderate: Pedophilia, Violence, and Death of parent
Minor: Pregnancy
ladykatka's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I really like the concept of this story, it is quite good. Also, David is too good, we don't deserve him.
I didn't rate the book very high though because the romantic relationships in this book are actually pretty gross. The main heroine is 14, and the author makes us the reader painfully aware she is a very young 14, a child. She dresses like a child, plays pretend like a child, and has no interest in boys. Yet this 18 year old is interested in her and wants to date her? Why? Why? Why I ask you? It is gross and makes no sense what so ever. Ewww.
Then there is her friend, she wants to be a grown, she wants to womanly and worldly and cool. She thinks she has to be sexy and desirable to do so. Ok, granted, we all know young teens with this mindset, but to have her actually get into a sexual relationship with an adult is seriously messed up. In the end, it doesn't work out and you could say the take away is "This kind of relationship is dangerous" but it is still really gross.
I didn't rate the book very high though because the romantic relationships in this book are actually pretty gross. The main heroine is 14, and the author makes us the reader painfully aware she is a very young 14, a child. She dresses like a child, plays pretend like a child, and has no interest in boys. Yet this 18 year old is interested in her and wants to date her? Why? Why? Why I ask you? It is gross and makes no sense what so ever. Ewww.
Then there is her friend, she wants to be a grown, she wants to womanly and worldly and cool. She thinks she has to be sexy and desirable to do so. Ok, granted, we all know young teens with this mindset, but to have her actually get into a sexual relationship with an adult is seriously messed up.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Sexual content and Fatphobia
bearregretsthis's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The book covers heavy topics such as murder, child death and pedophilia which some readers may find uncomfortable.
A great novel for anyone searching for a horror and dark fantasy. Although Lauren is the protagonist each chapter switches perspective and involves a diverse cast, each with a unique plotline. I found many of the characters loveable and others I loved to hate. For someone who struggles to read larger texts the book kept me hooked until the very end.
I have previously read The Lost Boy by Henry and I hope to read more of her works however I found this story slightly less enjoyable than the work I had previously read; however the book is nonetheless a great read.
A great novel for anyone searching for a horror and dark fantasy. Although Lauren is the protagonist each chapter switches perspective and involves a diverse cast, each with a unique plotline. I found many of the characters loveable and others I loved to hate. For someone who struggles to read larger texts the book kept me hooked until the very end.
I have previously read The Lost Boy by Henry and I hope to read more of her works however I found this story slightly less enjoyable than the work I had previously read; however the book is nonetheless a great read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, and Murder
Moderate: Body shaming, Death of parent, Pedophilia, Racism, and Sexism
Minor: Fatphobia, Gun violence, and Police brutality
leahrosereads's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was a wonderfully weird book. With a haunted woods (which instantly made me love it a bit more), a witch and a monster - I don't need much more in my horror.
I could've done without the racial slurs and slut shaming. I get that this was set in the 80s, but it was a bit much at times.
I could've done without the racial slurs and slut shaming. I get that this was set in the 80s, but it was a bit much at times.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Gore, Grief, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Violence
lauriereadslohf's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.5
The Ghost Tree is a tale set in the 80’s about murder, secrets, witches and a friendship that’s falling to pieces. It’s gorier than I expected and not quite as creepy as I’d hoped. It was a pretty solid 3 star read for me and 3 stars are type of books I absolutely dread reviewing but I’ll take a stab at it . . .
Things start off when two young women are found torn to pieces in the local bigots backyard. This is a quiet, sleepy town and this is a big deal. Or one would think so. Instead of everyone being in a huge panic screaming “LOCK YOUR DOORS THERE’S A MURDERER ON THE LOOSE!” people seem a bit “hmm, guess I better go water my lawn and mind my own damn business”. Weird, right?
Well, things only get weirder as the story moves along.
Told from multiple POV’s the main voice that stuck out for me was that of teenager Lauren who has been having migraines and visions and finds the forest a calming place. Her father died a year earlier, a grisly victim of murder whose killer was never found. Hmm, perhaps this town isn’t so “quiet” after all. The case gets brushed under the rug as everyone moves on with their lives but Lauren can’t move on quite so easily. She has a strained relationship with her mother and her best friend has suddenly gone boy crazy so she’s having a real shit time now and I felt for her. She starts her own poking around into all of these deaths that no one seems interested in solving and what she finds is far more than she could’ve dreamed up.
If the story had focused more on Lauren’s POV I think I would’ve enjoyed it more than I did. There’s a lot going on here and some of it is important but feels a bit underdeveloped even though the book is over 400 pages. There’s also one big reveal that read like a dark fairy tale. I love dark fairy tales but as far as this one goes I feel like it’s one that’s been told too many times. Or perhaps I’ve just read too many books or maybe I'm just too grouchy. Either way that reveal didn’t work for me. I’m also going to complain about Lauren’s love interest here because I’m me and also because I do believe she was 13 or 14 years old and he was in college (if my brain is remembering correctly) and he was at least 18 and maybe I’m just an old biddy now but that felt like too big of a gap at those ages and it bugged me.
What did thrill me were the imperfect and sometimes unlikable characters. There’s enough fiery rage, grief and assholery going around to fuel this whole cursed town and some of these people made me crazy but in the best way because it felt realistic to coming of age and also to the situations. There were few unblemished angels here. Almost everyone (except the innocent brother & the new to town policeman) had the potential to be a bit of a cruel dick at one point or another and there’s quite a few characters who are just despicable through and through and I don’t know why but I enjoyed that type of character honesty in this story even if some of them aggravated and upset the hell out of me at times! I'm looking at you Miranda (kiddo don't let boys ruin your self esteem) and also at you Mrs. IForgotYourNameButYour'reAnEvilBigot.
I guess I’m going with a 3.5 and I hope that rating matches my words.
Things start off when two young women are found torn to pieces in the local bigots backyard. This is a quiet, sleepy town and this is a big deal. Or one would think so. Instead of everyone being in a huge panic screaming “LOCK YOUR DOORS THERE’S A MURDERER ON THE LOOSE!” people seem a bit “hmm, guess I better go water my lawn and mind my own damn business”. Weird, right?
Well, things only get weirder as the story moves along.
Told from multiple POV’s the main voice that stuck out for me was that of teenager Lauren who has been having migraines and visions and finds the forest a calming place. Her father died a year earlier, a grisly victim of murder whose killer was never found. Hmm, perhaps this town isn’t so “quiet” after all. The case gets brushed under the rug as everyone moves on with their lives but Lauren can’t move on quite so easily. She has a strained relationship with her mother and her best friend has suddenly gone boy crazy so she’s having a real shit time now and I felt for her. She starts her own poking around into all of these deaths that no one seems interested in solving and what she finds is far more than she could’ve dreamed up.
If the story had focused more on Lauren’s POV I think I would’ve enjoyed it more than I did. There’s a lot going on here and some of it is important but feels a bit underdeveloped even though the book is over 400 pages. There’s also one big reveal that read like a dark fairy tale. I love dark fairy tales but as far as this one goes I feel like it’s one that’s been told too many times. Or perhaps I’ve just read too many books or maybe I'm just too grouchy. Either way that reveal didn’t work for me. I’m also going to complain about Lauren’s love interest here because I’m me and also because I do believe she was 13 or 14 years old and he was in college (if my brain is remembering correctly) and he was at least 18 and maybe I’m just an old biddy now but that felt like too big of a gap at those ages and it bugged me.
What did thrill me were the imperfect and sometimes unlikable characters. There’s enough fiery rage, grief and assholery going around to fuel this whole cursed town and some of these people made me crazy but in the best way because it felt realistic to coming of age and also to the situations. There were few unblemished angels here. Almost everyone (except the innocent brother & the new to town policeman) had the potential to be a bit of a cruel dick at one point or another and there’s quite a few characters who are just despicable through and through and I don’t know why but I enjoyed that type of character honesty in this story even if some of them aggravated and upset the hell out of me at times! I'm looking at you Miranda (kiddo don't let boys ruin your self esteem) and also at you Mrs. IForgotYourNameButYour'reAnEvilBigot.
I guess I’m going with a 3.5 and I hope that rating matches my words.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Death of parent, Racism, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Eating disorder and Fatphobia
sheryl_macca's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
In Part 1 of The Ghost Tree we're introduced to siblings Lauren, 14 and David, 4. With the loss of their father still very fresh in their minds, they both start to experience unexplained visions but say nothing to anyone. They live with their frazzled mother in the small town of Smith's Hallow which in the mid 1980's is full of teen angst, bigotry and money worries. When two girls are brutally murdered the town has some strange ideas why.
Part 2 gives us the wisdom of Lauren and David's grandmother, Jo. She tells the children of the legend of Smith's Hallow. Her house on the hill, as the legend goes, was once home to three witches who placed a curse on the town.
Part 3 brings the tragic legend to life for the towns folk of Smith's Hallow and especially for Lauren and David. The founding families have been unknowingly bound together throughout the history of the town, until now. They are suddenly threatened by an anomaly in the curse which changes the future of Smith's Hallow and for everyone in it t .
The Ghost Tree is a fairytale mixed with lots of teenage drama. Although my copy of the book was listed as adult fiction it feels very YA. It reminded me of the TV series The Vampire Diaries but without the glossy beauty and sexiness. It's somewhat predictable and structurally simple but I enjoyed the escapism, the 1980's references and the budding awkward romances. The swearing is most definitely not YA appropriate but it's rare and shocking when it happens. The descriptions of the bodies are also too graphic for YA but not graphic enough for a horror devotee like me.
Part 2 gives us the wisdom of Lauren and David's grandmother, Jo. She tells the children of the legend of Smith's Hallow. Her house on the hill, as the legend goes, was once home to three witches who placed a curse on the town.
Part 3 brings the tragic legend to life for the towns folk of Smith's Hallow and especially for Lauren and David. The founding families have been unknowingly bound together throughout the history of the town, until now. They are suddenly threatened by an anomaly in the curse which changes the future of Smith's Hallow and for everyone in it t .
The Ghost Tree is a fairytale mixed with lots of teenage drama. Although my copy of the book was listed as adult fiction it feels very YA. It reminded me of the TV series The Vampire Diaries but without the glossy beauty and sexiness. It's somewhat predictable and structurally simple but I enjoyed the escapism, the 1980's references and the budding awkward romances. The swearing is most definitely not YA appropriate but it's rare and shocking when it happens. The descriptions of the bodies are also too graphic for YA but not graphic enough for a horror devotee like me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body shaming, Cursing, Death, Fatphobia, Gore, Grief, Racial slurs, Racism, and Vomit
Moderate: Alcoholism, Violence, and Gun violence
sizzlingsaturn's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Racism, Violence, and Grief
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Xenophobia, and Racial slurs
More...