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2.88 AVERAGE
2.88 AVERAGE
well this book was definitely a mixed bag for me
super cute sounding concept but I don't really think it fully delivered on the cozy horror genre. this book felt like it was trying to be a romance, then a horror, then a political statement, n then back to a romance. I think that all of these things are possible to mix up and weave together to make the plot more interesting but I was left feeling like I read a bunch of different stories that happened to be in the same book
the romance was alright -- ngl i didn't really like pen cause for a 29 year old woman, she was incredibly emotionally immature. I get the sentiment of meeting your hero and them not living up to your expectations but putting the entirety of a marginalized group onto 1 person's career success is an absolutely bonkers reason to not like someone. n neil just kinda agrees with her? like yes he understands that he needs to stand up for himself more and pen shows him that (by throwing a book at his head!) but he just accepts that pen has put him on an idol status n that he'll try better to meet her expectations? idk man it was a little too unrealistic for me
the thing that kept me going was the mystery/thriller/horror elements though. like yes pls tell me who this lady in black is and why she continues to haunt the estate. i don't really care that pen and neil are getting it on (for a whole chapter!) I'd like to know more about why this painting in the hallway is going full blown Dorian gray on us
again, another book that I was really looking forward to that just fell really flat unfortunately
super cute sounding concept but I don't really think it fully delivered on the cozy horror genre. this book felt like it was trying to be a romance, then a horror, then a political statement, n then back to a romance. I think that all of these things are possible to mix up and weave together to make the plot more interesting but I was left feeling like I read a bunch of different stories that happened to be in the same book
the romance was alright -- ngl i didn't really like pen cause for a 29 year old woman, she was incredibly emotionally immature. I get the sentiment of meeting your hero and them not living up to your expectations but putting the entirety of a marginalized group onto 1 person's career success is an absolutely bonkers reason to not like someone. n neil just kinda agrees with her? like yes he understands that he needs to stand up for himself more and pen shows him that (by throwing a book at his head!) but he just accepts that pen has put him on an idol status n that he'll try better to meet her expectations? idk man it was a little too unrealistic for me
the thing that kept me going was the mystery/thriller/horror elements though. like yes pls tell me who this lady in black is and why she continues to haunt the estate. i don't really care that pen and neil are getting it on (for a whole chapter!) I'd like to know more about why this painting in the hallway is going full blown Dorian gray on us
again, another book that I was really looking forward to that just fell really flat unfortunately
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Pen and Neil were interesting characters to follow throughout it, and I thought their back and forth was solid. I feel like this book was pitched as enemies to lovers, but they hated each other for approximately 20 pages before they were talking about how much they wanted each other. I also felt like the way the ghost plot line wrapped up was a bit disappointing which is rough because it had been really interesting up until the end. There were some pacing issues in the middle causing it to really slow down as well. The spicy bits were exciting and enjoyable though.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
relaxing
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really enjoyed this cozy romance/mystery. The ghosts’ background was interesting but it felt rushed at the end. I enjoyed Pen and Neil, and I’m glad their love story wasn’t dragged out with melodrama.
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I enjoyed the characters and I was satisfied with the ending. I just found myself really hitting a wall and having a hard time getting through the last 140 pages. I just feel as though the story could have been trimmed down a bit in certain regards.
If there is anything Pen hates more than being called Penny, it’s fellow horror author Neil Storm. He has betrayed everything she holds dear about being a Native and telling their stories. When a public smack down brings them both to their knees they look to a haunted castle to lift their spirits, but it might be more than they bargained for. While confronting the castle’s, and their own, haunting past they learn giving up the ghosts of fear and hate makes room for love.
I throughly enjoyed this book! It was such a fun and interesting read. I loved Pen and Neil and how Wilkens parallels their fear of feelings with the fear of ghosts. It has a surprising theme of confronting your own fears that I did not see coming, but kept me hooked. It had moments that made me laugh out loud and a nice sprinkle of spice. I did expect there to be a little more in the reveal of the ghosts’ stories, but it didn’t take away from the novel as a whole. Definitely would recommend.
I throughly enjoyed this book! It was such a fun and interesting read. I loved Pen and Neil and how Wilkens parallels their fear of feelings with the fear of ghosts. It has a surprising theme of confronting your own fears that I did not see coming, but kept me hooked. It had moments that made me laugh out loud and a nice sprinkle of spice. I did expect there to be a little more in the reveal of the ghosts’ stories, but it didn’t take away from the novel as a whole. Definitely would recommend.