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A review by _thelitlibrarian
Horrid by Katrina Leno
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Grief, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Bullying, Mental illness, and Suicide
After the unexpected death of her father, Jane and her mother Ruth pack up their entire life in sunny California to move back to Ruth's family home in Maine. Jane seems to adapt fairly well (thanks to the numbness she feels after her father's death), finds comfort in a group of friends, and even secures a job at a local bookstore. It doesn't take long for the readers to realize things aren't what they seem. The town holds a secret; the thing everyone knows but no one will talk about, that is, everyone except Jane. As strange things start happening around her and inside her home, Jane begins to investigate what happened years ago in the very same house she lives in. My heart broke for Jane, everyone knew what had happened except for her, and no matter how hard she tried, no one seemed to want to even talk about the traumatic events that took place in the home.
This book was eerie, I often found myself getting chills and looking around my surroundings to ensure I was alone. I always love a dark story with heavy family drama so as I read this, I had high hopes. The novel had a lot of buildup for an average ending, there was a lot of focus on backstory and things that were happening in Jane's day-to-day life that could have been edited down to allow for a longer ending. I will say, if you're a fan of open-ended endings, this might just be the book for you! I prefer endings that are neatly wrapped up and kept on wondering what was to happen next! Overall this was such a creepy read, it just left me wanting more.