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A review by couldbestephen
The Haunting of Velkwood by Gwendolyn Kiste
3.5
I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Haunting of Velkwood is a touching paranormal drama that left me wanting more! I rated this 3.5 stars and would recommend this to fans of Annihilation by VanderMeer, The Hollow Places by Kingfisher, and The Haunting of Hill House by Jackson!
Talitha has spent her life trying to run away from her past. Her childhood neighborhood, Velkwood, is the site of a paranormal event that trapped friends and family in a ghostlike state. When a friendly paranormal investigator comes into her life to try and get her to return to Velkwood, Talitha chooses to revisit the neighborhood, dragging herself and the two other women who also escaped from the neighborhood back into a world of ghosts and shadows.
My biggest issue with this novel is that it needed to be developed more. There was the groundwork for intriguing paranormal exploration and worldbuilding that wasn't fully realized. 100 more pages and some tighter editing would have turned this from a fun, vibe read to a truly exciting entry into the modern gothic genre. For a character-driven story, I wish the character development was a little more consistent across everyone. Certain characters could have benefited from more exploration.
Otherwise, the writing was generally tight, the vibe of the book was right up my alley, and I loved the slow-burn romance between two certain characters. A solid read and one that I will be recommending when it is published in March of 2024!
The Haunting of Velkwood is a touching paranormal drama that left me wanting more! I rated this 3.5 stars and would recommend this to fans of Annihilation by VanderMeer, The Hollow Places by Kingfisher, and The Haunting of Hill House by Jackson!
Talitha has spent her life trying to run away from her past. Her childhood neighborhood, Velkwood, is the site of a paranormal event that trapped friends and family in a ghostlike state. When a friendly paranormal investigator comes into her life to try and get her to return to Velkwood, Talitha chooses to revisit the neighborhood, dragging herself and the two other women who also escaped from the neighborhood back into a world of ghosts and shadows.
My biggest issue with this novel is that it needed to be developed more. There was the groundwork for intriguing paranormal exploration and worldbuilding that wasn't fully realized. 100 more pages and some tighter editing would have turned this from a fun, vibe read to a truly exciting entry into the modern gothic genre. For a character-driven story, I wish the character development was a little more consistent across everyone. Certain characters could have benefited from more exploration.
Otherwise, the writing was generally tight, the vibe of the book was right up my alley, and I loved the slow-burn romance between two certain characters. A solid read and one that I will be recommending when it is published in March of 2024!