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Die for Me
At a Halloween party a month after Holly Baldwin's unsolved murder, her friends try to contact her spirit through the ouija board, only to be told that more will die
- GenresHorrorYoung AdultTeen
138 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1992
2 people are currently reading
41 people want to read
About the author
Carol Gorman
36 books121 followersCarol Gorman is an Iowa-born writer of over 40 published books. She spent 17 years teaching in middle-school, high-school, and college classes. Her writing time has been devoted to creating mystery and suspense novels for children.
She originally aspired to be an actress, and while studying at the University of Iowa, was cast in the lead of both West Side Story and Peter Pan. In the 1980s, Carol married writer Edward Gorman, who inspired her to write. She conducts writers’ workshops at elementarys, middle schools and high schools, and enjoys talking to students about writing and publishing.
She originally aspired to be an actress, and while studying at the University of Iowa, was cast in the lead of both West Side Story and Peter Pan. In the 1980s, Carol married writer Edward Gorman, who inspired her to write. She conducts writers’ workshops at elementarys, middle schools and high schools, and enjoys talking to students about writing and publishing.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 26, 2015
Great read. It was scary for a while, but not OTT scary.
I loved how the story kicked off. I can't get enough of detailed weather descriptions pertaining to the fall and winter. I could picture everything as Holly walked home. The leaves blowing and crunching, the autumn wind, that fall smell.
Only problem I had was Jessica. Why are some characters so stupid? You're home alone for the week, somebody is following you and breaking into your house. You're too scared to stay alone and you don't know who you can trust. Instead of going to a hotel or a motel you decide to hide at the family's secluded cabin on the lake. Real smart dummy!
Jessica could have rented a room some place and left the dog in the car with the window cracked in the parking lot.
No money? Go to the police station, call your parents, and wait until they arrive.
I loved how the story kicked off. I can't get enough of detailed weather descriptions pertaining to the fall and winter. I could picture everything as Holly walked home. The leaves blowing and crunching, the autumn wind, that fall smell.
Only problem I had was Jessica. Why are some characters so stupid? You're home alone for the week, somebody is following you and breaking into your house. You're too scared to stay alone and you don't know who you can trust. Instead of going to a hotel or a motel you decide to hide at the family's secluded cabin on the lake. Real smart dummy!
Jessica could have rented a room some place and left the dog in the car with the window cracked in the parking lot.
No money? Go to the police station, call your parents, and wait until they arrive.
November 6, 2017
Review: DIE FOR ME by Carol Gorman
This was a fast-paced, suspenseful, one-sitting YA read. I was engaged with the characters and the plot premise. In fact, I found it similar to a logic puzzle as I tried to deduce the identity of the killer. Yes, killer--it may be YA but there is death. Also friendship and betrayal, cruelty and egotism, and some genuinely good characters. I especially appreciated the denouement, which carried much emotional impact and provoked thought, and the conclusion.
Carol Gorman is a multiply award-winning author. I look forward to discovering more of her books.
This was a fast-paced, suspenseful, one-sitting YA read. I was engaged with the characters and the plot premise. In fact, I found it similar to a logic puzzle as I tried to deduce the identity of the killer. Yes, killer--it may be YA but there is death. Also friendship and betrayal, cruelty and egotism, and some genuinely good characters. I especially appreciated the denouement, which carried much emotional impact and provoked thought, and the conclusion.
Carol Gorman is a multiply award-winning author. I look forward to discovering more of her books.
June 10, 2022
Based on the cover and synopsis, I thought (and hoped) this would just be a fun and cheesy horror novel with maybe some gore and a body count. And while it was a quick, fun read, (at only about 120 pages) it really wasn't much of a horror story at all; instead, it's a mystery/suspense.
A teen girl is mysteriously murdered, and soon after, her classmates throw a costume party and decide to break out a Ouija board. "It" tells them that more of them will die. This leads to discord and tension among the highschoolers, especially when another body turns up not long after, confirming the menacing predictions.
Our narrator, Jessica, doesn't buy into any theories of ghosts or evil spirits, and sets off to figure out who's behind the murders of her classmates.
I enjoyed this book, even though it took a different turn than expected. I read it in a single day and it was surprisingly tense at times, even though the main focus of the story is of Jessica essentially playing Nancy Drew. There were a few nice added touches of realism here and there, and it was never too campy or cheesy feeling. The writing was competent, with some occassionally well-written descriptions.
It wasn't as much horror as I would have liked, and the violence and body count are both kept to a minimum, but I suppose the mystery was engaging enough to make up for it.
I was a little bit let down with the reveal of the killer, and it does fall victim to the "villain rant" trope (which I despise), and the ending was also a little sappy for my tastes...
But overall this was a light and enjoyable read that did surprise me a couple of times with suspenseful/tense moments. If you're into YA thrillers I would recommend checking this one out.
3⭐
A teen girl is mysteriously murdered, and soon after, her classmates throw a costume party and decide to break out a Ouija board. "It" tells them that more of them will die. This leads to discord and tension among the highschoolers, especially when another body turns up not long after, confirming the menacing predictions.
Our narrator, Jessica, doesn't buy into any theories of ghosts or evil spirits, and sets off to figure out who's behind the murders of her classmates.
I enjoyed this book, even though it took a different turn than expected. I read it in a single day and it was surprisingly tense at times, even though the main focus of the story is of Jessica essentially playing Nancy Drew. There were a few nice added touches of realism here and there, and it was never too campy or cheesy feeling. The writing was competent, with some occassionally well-written descriptions.
It wasn't as much horror as I would have liked, and the violence and body count are both kept to a minimum, but I suppose the mystery was engaging enough to make up for it.
I was a little bit let down with the reveal of the killer, and it does fall victim to the "villain rant" trope (which I despise), and the ending was also a little sappy for my tastes...
But overall this was a light and enjoyable read that did surprise me a couple of times with suspenseful/tense moments. If you're into YA thrillers I would recommend checking this one out.
3⭐
December 27, 2024
“I mean, what’s the purpose of killing someone if they don’t know why they’re going to die!”
If your killer doesn’t monologue at you before they kill you, does it even count?
Wish the Ouija board made a few more appearances aww
If your killer doesn’t monologue at you before they kill you, does it even count?
Wish the Ouija board made a few more appearances aww
August 19, 2022
Through Goodreads I have found a lot of great YA books I missed the first time around and purchased some pretty good ones.
Die For Me by Carol Gorman isn't what I expected but it was still thrilling.
Holly Baldwin is murdered. Life seems to go on for her best friends, Monica and Carmen, holding a costume party only a month after she's dead.
Her ex-boyfriend Kent Andrews is more broken up about it and he and Holly stopped dating before she died. He and Jessica Reynolds have been seeing each other shortly but she's always been in love with him. A childhood crush now they're high school sweethearts.
Jessica's best friend Brit moved away but new girl Talley is becoming her newest bestie. Monica Sayles and Carmen Briggs aren't the nicest girls, neither was Holly, but they do throw great parties and maybe it will help Kent feel better.
It doesn't.
Monica decides that playing with a Ouija board is a good idea. The spirit they contact isn't Holly but the game upsets Kent and it is in bad taste. Talley and Kent's best friend Tom get roped into playing and the message received says that more will die just like Holly.
Soon, Monica gets threatening notes...and Kent is starting to act distant. What is Carmen's car doing at Kent's house? Why is Tom being all sneaky? Jessica hears the two girls arguing at the movies...did Monica and Holly really get into a fight the day she died?
It seems that the spirits are telling the truth but who will die next and why was Holly murdered in the first place?
You go in for one type of story and end up with another story just as thrilling. Besides the mean girls, all of the other characters are pretty decent people involved in a bad situation even when we get some reveals. The ending is pretty good with action and there is some romance weaved in that isn't cheesy along with some teenage snark.
I had never heard of this one so it was a decent read and a high recommendation.
Die For Me by Carol Gorman isn't what I expected but it was still thrilling.
Holly Baldwin is murdered. Life seems to go on for her best friends, Monica and Carmen, holding a costume party only a month after she's dead.
Her ex-boyfriend Kent Andrews is more broken up about it and he and Holly stopped dating before she died. He and Jessica Reynolds have been seeing each other shortly but she's always been in love with him. A childhood crush now they're high school sweethearts.
Jessica's best friend Brit moved away but new girl Talley is becoming her newest bestie. Monica Sayles and Carmen Briggs aren't the nicest girls, neither was Holly, but they do throw great parties and maybe it will help Kent feel better.
It doesn't.
Monica decides that playing with a Ouija board is a good idea. The spirit they contact isn't Holly but the game upsets Kent and it is in bad taste. Talley and Kent's best friend Tom get roped into playing and the message received says that more will die just like Holly.
Soon, Monica gets threatening notes...and Kent is starting to act distant. What is Carmen's car doing at Kent's house? Why is Tom being all sneaky? Jessica hears the two girls arguing at the movies...did Monica and Holly really get into a fight the day she died?
It seems that the spirits are telling the truth but who will die next and why was Holly murdered in the first place?
You go in for one type of story and end up with another story just as thrilling. Besides the mean girls, all of the other characters are pretty decent people involved in a bad situation even when we get some reveals. The ending is pretty good with action and there is some romance weaved in that isn't cheesy along with some teenage snark.
I had never heard of this one so it was a decent read and a high recommendation.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 6, 2017
A cute little mystery
Jessica is on the outside fringe of "the in crowd" in her high school, and has just started dating Kent, a big man on campus whose former girlfriend, Holly, was murdered a few months ago. When Jessica attends a party at Monica's house, the hostess suggests trying to find out more information about Holly's murder by consulting a Ouija board. The board tells them that more will die, and the teens try to figure out who killed Holly and why. This is a cute little mystery with somewhat of a "Scooby Doo" ending
Jessica is on the outside fringe of "the in crowd" in her high school, and has just started dating Kent, a big man on campus whose former girlfriend, Holly, was murdered a few months ago. When Jessica attends a party at Monica's house, the hostess suggests trying to find out more information about Holly's murder by consulting a Ouija board. The board tells them that more will die, and the teens try to figure out who killed Holly and why. This is a cute little mystery with somewhat of a "Scooby Doo" ending
December 1, 2020
I was expecting more like a Ouija board traditional ghost's story, with a disgruntled ghost seeking revenge over the living high school kids, instead this felt like an outdated electronic game too plain to be played.
No supernatural, no scary setting. Nothing.
No supernatural, no scary setting. Nothing.
March 31, 2021
While a short read, this book packs in the thrills of other, lengthier books. It keeps you guessing who is committing the crimes. Great read.
May 17, 2022
Quick and fun but nothing special.
May 25, 2013
This book is a great scary book lol it's just right for me!!!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews