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A review by camilleisreading24
The Supernatural Enhancements by Edgar Cantero
4.0
This book has some similar vibes to Cantero's recent "Meddling Kids," which I enjoyed last year. There's a secret (oc)cultish society and a big creepy house and a lot of sardonic humor. The mystery here is pretty solid, too, while poking fun at haunted house tropes. The narrator, A., inherits Axton House from a heretofore unknown second cousin, and he moves in with his friend Niamh (which I think is pronounced "neev" but don't @ me). The house comes with a few "supernatural enhancements": a ghost, a secret society, scary dreams, a weirdly potent electromagnetic field, and a missing butler. A. and Niamh try to unravel the secrets of the house before the society convenes for its annual meeting on the night of the Winter Solstice...
This book is told in a mixed-media fashion with A.'s diary entries, handwritten notes between A. and Niamh (who is mute), letters sent to A.'s Aunt Liza, and audio/video recording transcripts. It was a fun format and I found it very readable (imagine a "House of Leaves" that you can actually follow!) Only quibble is that I found the romantic will-they-won't-they aspect of A. and Niamh's relationship gross, because Niamh is only 15 or 16 and constantly fetishized based on her extremely young/anorexic/punk appearance. That was icky. But I like her spunk and wit.
This book is told in a mixed-media fashion with A.'s diary entries, handwritten notes between A. and Niamh (who is mute), letters sent to A.'s Aunt Liza, and audio/video recording transcripts. It was a fun format and I found it very readable (imagine a "House of Leaves" that you can actually follow!) Only quibble is that I found the romantic will-they-won't-they aspect of A. and Niamh's relationship gross, because Niamh is only 15 or 16 and constantly fetishized based on her extremely young/anorexic/punk appearance. That was icky. But I like her spunk and wit.