Scan barcode
A review by merlin_reads
The Haunting by Natasha Preston
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.25
So this book just pissed me off.
A year ago, a serial murderer killed four teenagers around Halloween. Now on the anniversary of the killings, more teens start dying. Looks like a copycat right? Well, some things just aren't adding up and now the town is in high alert. The main suspect - the murderer's son, and our MC's ex boyfriend.
For a majority of the book, I ate this thing up. It had very heavy Scream vibes (which I love Scream to death so...) and I was right there with the whodunit? I had my theories and suspects and was excited to see how it all played out. Our MC, Penny, was no Sydney Prescott and while she made horrible mistakes and some crazy ass conclusions, she was your typical confused teen girl. Just trying to sort out her feelings for her ex and not be murdered.
My issue was the ending - literally the last line. Why? Because nothing was solved. Yes we find out the culprit but there's a giant showdown at the end (per every horror movie/book out there) and then the book just ends. Who survives? We don't know. Does the killer get caught? We don't know. And while I get open ended endings, there's a time and place for them and horror stories generally aren't that. So while this book was shaping up to be 3.5-4 stars, the ending ruined any enjoyment I had for this book. Therefore 2 stars seems appropriate.
I should honestly know by now that Natasha Preston and I don't get along very well. Her books a very hit or miss for me and they all mostly come down to the ending. Maybe I should just stop reading her books. I don't know...
A year ago, a serial murderer killed four teenagers around Halloween. Now on the anniversary of the killings, more teens start dying. Looks like a copycat right? Well, some things just aren't adding up and now the town is in high alert. The main suspect - the murderer's son, and our MC's ex boyfriend.
For a majority of the book, I ate this thing up. It had very heavy Scream vibes (which I love Scream to death so...) and I was right there with the whodunit? I had my theories and suspects and was excited to see how it all played out. Our MC, Penny, was no Sydney Prescott and while she made horrible mistakes and some crazy ass conclusions, she was your typical confused teen girl. Just trying to sort out her feelings for her ex and not be murdered.
My issue was the ending - literally the last line. Why? Because nothing was solved. Yes we find out the culprit but there's a giant showdown at the end (per every horror movie/book out there) and then the book just ends. Who survives? We don't know. Does the killer get caught? We don't know. And while I get open ended endings, there's a time and place for them and horror stories generally aren't that. So while this book was shaping up to be 3.5-4 stars, the ending ruined any enjoyment I had for this book. Therefore 2 stars seems appropriate.
I should honestly know by now that Natasha Preston and I don't get along very well. Her books a very hit or miss for me and they all mostly come down to the ending. Maybe I should just stop reading her books. I don't know...