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sea_caummisar's review
4.0
I totally loved Jim Ody's #1Question Mark book. And this one is fine. Just a different kind of story.
I was a bit too old to relate to the characters and who had a crush on who..
The writing is good.
It's a Ouija story. Spirits and all that jazz.
I'm willing to bet younger thrill seekers would enjoy this one
I was a bit too old to relate to the characters and who had a crush on who..
The writing is good.
It's a Ouija story. Spirits and all that jazz.
I'm willing to bet younger thrill seekers would enjoy this one
kellyvandamme's review
4.0
4.5
A dual storyline shows us Rayner High in its current dilapidated and abandoned state and Rayner High about a year ago when it was still a thriving high school. In the present, six teenagers decide to try and summon spirits by means of a Ouija board, because in the past, a gruesome event happened at Rayner High. What happened and what horror have these kids tapped into? I’m not exaggerating even a little bit when I tell you I was desperate to find out. You could have cut the tension with a knife!
I can never resist the lure of a Ouija board in a story. I have never tried it in real life, as I’ve said in my review of I Am Dust: Ouija boards creep me out. I don’t really believe in ghosts and spirits, but one shouldn’t dabble in things one does not understand. I know that in real life the odds of something bad happening are slim to none, but in fiction, especially in horror, things always go to hell in a handbasket before the characters know what hit them, and it’s just so much fun to read!
It’s crystal clear that Zoé is a horror aficionado and has seen and read her fair share of horror flicks and books. From the tension-building over the ominous signs and the creepy dolls to the why why WHY would you run up the stairs instead of out the door, Ouija had all the classic horror elements and a few cultural references to boot, yet without ever discombobulating its reader.
I had a great time with Ouija, it was such a fun and creepy read! If you’re in the market for YA horror, Ouija should definitely be on your shopping list. It’s an impressive debut and I can’t wait to read more!
A dual storyline shows us Rayner High in its current dilapidated and abandoned state and Rayner High about a year ago when it was still a thriving high school. In the present, six teenagers decide to try and summon spirits by means of a Ouija board, because in the past, a gruesome event happened at Rayner High. What happened and what horror have these kids tapped into? I’m not exaggerating even a little bit when I tell you I was desperate to find out. You could have cut the tension with a knife!
I can never resist the lure of a Ouija board in a story. I have never tried it in real life, as I’ve said in my review of I Am Dust: Ouija boards creep me out. I don’t really believe in ghosts and spirits, but one shouldn’t dabble in things one does not understand. I know that in real life the odds of something bad happening are slim to none, but in fiction, especially in horror, things always go to hell in a handbasket before the characters know what hit them, and it’s just so much fun to read!
It’s crystal clear that Zoé is a horror aficionado and has seen and read her fair share of horror flicks and books. From the tension-building over the ominous signs and the creepy dolls to the why why WHY would you run up the stairs instead of out the door, Ouija had all the classic horror elements and a few cultural references to boot, yet without ever discombobulating its reader.
I had a great time with Ouija, it was such a fun and creepy read! If you’re in the market for YA horror, Ouija should definitely be on your shopping list. It’s an impressive debut and I can’t wait to read more!
btpbookclub's review
4.0
From the first page I was hooked. A short, easy and fast paced read. Spooky. Scary. Dark. Disturbing. Heart pounding. Not one to read in the dark alone. This has put me off oujia boards for life, no thanks. Gripping. Thrilling. A page turner of a read.
Brilliantly written. Great setting in the old haunted school and a nice group of close friends. Tragic ending which broke me but I loved and enjoyed it all. Highly recommend. A well deserved four stars from me.
Brilliantly written. Great setting in the old haunted school and a nice group of close friends. Tragic ending which broke me but I loved and enjoyed it all. Highly recommend. A well deserved four stars from me.
introvertdaydream's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
catreader18's review
4.0
Ouija is the perfect Halloween read, or anytime of the year really. I actually read part of the book while handing out candy to trick or treaters! A group of friends want to raise spirits with an Ouija board and they get more than they bargained for. Other reviewers have compared this book to Goosebumps and Fear Street series and I couldn’t agree more. It is a quick read both because of the length and that you won’t want to put it down. It has enough fear to be a scary book but not too much that you won’t be able to sleep at night. The best part of this book was the unique ending. I did not see it coming and it definitely had Goosebumps vibes. This is a great debut and I’ll sign up to read her next book!
launew's review
mysterious
sad
fast-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
3.0
the_coycaterpillar_reads's review
4.0
Ouija is a book that needs to be read by all fans of Point Horror, Fear Street and Goosebumps. Boy, has reading this eerie story taken me back to my first experience of reading for fun! It gave me the chills, the excitement and it brought me a taste of nostalgia. I won’t lie, I had a lurking sense of trepidation going into this story. Could I still get on board with Teen and Young Adult based narratives? Did it have a storyline that I could still connect with? Fear not, as it delivered on all those and still managed to get my adrenaline pumping.
Reading Ouija taught me that it is a very good thing to read out with our boundaries. It’s good to test our limits because you just never know when those broken limits will lead to something extraordinary. Upon hearing about this new release, I was very much seduced by the title. I’ve lost count of how many movies I’ve sat frozen with fear whilst the protagonists play around with an Ouija with disastrous effects. It has everything I could ask for in a horror story – a disturbing opening scene. A group of friends making unwise decisions. An alternating timeline.
The perfect opening, a disturbing and dangerous game being played the previous year. Then it’s fast forward to the present day when we meet six friends who make the likely bad decision to play with an Ouija board in the abandoned, Raynor High. Although this was a short read I really enjoyed O’Farrell’s exploration of teen behaviour and their need for freedom. It was so reminiscent of 90’s horror movies, I was rattled, and I was a prisoner to the author’s cutthroat narrative.
So, playing with an Ouija board in the site of a horrific tragedy? Yeah everyone knows that’s not going to play out well. Especially is you are Lara, who quite rightly knows this is a recipe for disaster. Upon immediately sitting down to read this story its very apparent that the atmosphere is off, you can feel the tension in the air – its surrounding everyone and it threatens to kill. O’Farrell’s debut novella but you really can’t tell, the story is seamless but with a killer instinct. She has nailed that “every action has a consequence” trope. Buckle in because the short sharp shocks has you looking over your own shoulder.
Ouija is edge of your seat and scarily good. O’Farrell has a honest and vibrant voice and provides a twisty sense of foreboding to her storytelling.
Reading Ouija taught me that it is a very good thing to read out with our boundaries. It’s good to test our limits because you just never know when those broken limits will lead to something extraordinary. Upon hearing about this new release, I was very much seduced by the title. I’ve lost count of how many movies I’ve sat frozen with fear whilst the protagonists play around with an Ouija with disastrous effects. It has everything I could ask for in a horror story – a disturbing opening scene. A group of friends making unwise decisions. An alternating timeline.
The perfect opening, a disturbing and dangerous game being played the previous year. Then it’s fast forward to the present day when we meet six friends who make the likely bad decision to play with an Ouija board in the abandoned, Raynor High. Although this was a short read I really enjoyed O’Farrell’s exploration of teen behaviour and their need for freedom. It was so reminiscent of 90’s horror movies, I was rattled, and I was a prisoner to the author’s cutthroat narrative.
So, playing with an Ouija board in the site of a horrific tragedy? Yeah everyone knows that’s not going to play out well. Especially is you are Lara, who quite rightly knows this is a recipe for disaster. Upon immediately sitting down to read this story its very apparent that the atmosphere is off, you can feel the tension in the air – its surrounding everyone and it threatens to kill. O’Farrell’s debut novella but you really can’t tell, the story is seamless but with a killer instinct. She has nailed that “every action has a consequence” trope. Buckle in because the short sharp shocks has you looking over your own shoulder.
Ouija is edge of your seat and scarily good. O’Farrell has a honest and vibrant voice and provides a twisty sense of foreboding to her storytelling.
winterraptor876's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0