Overall Take:
This is an atmospheric ghost story, buy a copy a copy now.
Star Rating:
5 Stars
Genre:
Paranormal Mystery, horror, gothic
Synopsis:
The Velkwood Vicinity is a local phenomenon. A whole block of houses disappeared behind a veil that only three survivors can enter, and only one of them has in the past twenty years, until now.
Talitha Velkwood has avoided anything to do with the tragedy that took her mother and eight-year-old sister. She’s never settled on anything and has just felt by her past. When a new researcher reaches out to her to go back in exchange for money, she agrees. After twenty years, will she finally get the answers she so desperately seeks?
Thoughts:
This was such a fun paranormal book! I am loving ghost stories right now and this one delivered. I felt that this was the ultimate ghost story, and unlike others that I have read. I also love gothic and suspense stories, so this book delivered for me on many fronts.
While this does have some romance elements interwoven throughout the book, romance is not the focus of the book. And while it is horror, it does not have gore at all, just rather unsettling elements. There were a few scenes that really got to me and I am still thinking about now. It was a fun genre mash-up that I really enjoyed reading. I found myself genuinely creeped out at a few points. This was such a fun and unique mash-up that I stayed engaged the whole time.
I enjoyed the writing in this book. It was so unsettling, and the characters were well developed and thought out. I felt the characters all worked well together as well and were very cohesive. This one read more of a character focused novel versus plot focused, despite having a compelling plot as well.
Everything just worked so well with this book including the pacing. It moved at a nice steady clip and wasn’t overwhelming. I found myself eagerly turning the pages because I wanted to find out what was happening. I was a little sad that this book was so short, not because it was underdeveloped, but just because I wanted to stay in these characters lives longer.
If you are looking for a unique take on a ghost story, then check this one out.
Thanks for my copy to:
Thank you so much to Simon & Schuster, Saga Press and Netgalley @Netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Publication Date:
March 5, 2024
Page Length:
256 pages
Publisher
Simon & Schuster – Saga Press
Link to buy
Affiliate link
