Portraits of Celina

by Sue Whiting

Make him pay, Bayley. Make him pay.

"It’s as if the wooden chest is luring me, urging me to open it – daring me almost. Open me up. Look inside. Come on, just for a second; it won’t hurt."

Celina O’Malley was sixteen years old when she disappeared. Now, almost forty years later, Bayley is sleeping in Celina’s room, wearing her clothes, hearing her voice. What does Celina want? And who will suffer because of it?

A ghost story. A love story. A story of revenge.

Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult, Mystery, Ghosts, Fantasy, Supernatural, Horror

352 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2013

About the author

A former primary school teacher with a special interest in literacy education and children’s literature, Sue Whiting has worked in the publishing industry for almost twenty years, both as an author and editor of books for children and young adults.

Sue has written numerous books in a variety of genres: fiction and nonfiction, picture books through to YA, and is published in Australia and internationally. Her middle grade novel Get a Grip, Cooper Jones and nonfiction picture book, Platypus were both named CBCA Notable Books, and her picture book, A Swim in the Sea, illustrated by Meredith Thomas, was the Speech Pathologists’ 2014 Book of the Year. Her latest books include, Missing a mystery/suspense novel for readers aged 10+ and the picture book Beware the Deep Dark Forest, illustrated by Annie White.

Sue was Publishing Manager and Senior Commissioning Editor at Walker Books Australia for ten years, before leaving in 2016 to concentrate on her writing and to work from home as a publishing consultant, freelance editor, writing coach and mentor.

Reviews

[Eleanor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Portraits of Celina is an interesting enough ghostly revenge story to pass the time. Bayley and her family move back into an old rural O'Malley estate to escape the tragic death of their father and there she uncovers an old chest of clothes that used to belong to Celina O'Malley. Sixteen year old Celina disappeared without a trace 40 years ago and soon Bayley finds herself wearing Celina's old clothes and recalling memories that don't belong to her.

I didn't find the book exceptional in regards to originality or suspense, the beginning was very standard - broken family, growing pains, annoying little brother, "hot" love interest introduced early on and nothing really happened until a delicious shiver kicks in on page 76. I continued reading just to find out the ending, but there wasn't much in it for me in terms of character or plot development and things were so obviously drawn that the reader can guess future developments at least several pages before the protagonist.

The ending is oddly unpleasant and distasteful and the epilogue oddly upbeat and sugary. The most interesting thing about this novel is the meaning that the title - Portraits of Celina takes on after the whole story is revealed, which is genuinely chilling.

This story reminds me a lot of Love Note from Vinegar House which I would highly recommend instead in terms of originality and surprise, if you are looking for a contemporary teen ghost story with an Aussie feel.

Overall, an inoffensive solid 3 star read.

[Linda (un)Conventional Bookworms · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I received a free ARC of Portraits of Celina from Capsone Young Readers via Netgalley in exchange of an honest and unbiased review*

This was a fantastic ghost story, eerily creepy, and filled with angst! Full review to come soon.

This and all my other reviews are originally posted on my blog (un)Conventional Bookviews

[LoLo · Rating 2 out of 5]

After witnessing the death of her father, Bayley's mother decides to move the family to the old country house from her childhood. As Bayley is moving into her new room, she discovers boxes of clothes belonging to Celina, her mother's cousin who disappeared in her teens. When Bayley starts wearing Celina's old clothes, odd things start happening and Bayley may just be getting some insight into what happened to Celina all those years ago.

I'm really not sure what to make of this book. While it was a very interesting concept, with plenty of spooky potential, the outcome was not what I expected. I really struggled to identify with the characters, even Bayley (the main character) and while I certainly felt sad for Amelia, Seth and for Bayley, I'm not really sure I cared a great deal about their circumstances. Witnessing the death of their father at their home has turned their family upside down, and Bayley's mother is struggling to come to terms with the loss of her husband while trying to keep the eldest girl, Amelia, from completely derailing her life.

Despite the fact that this book is written by an Australian author and set in the Australian countryside, I found it really hard to see this book as Australian. Perhaps this is because normally I don't read anything by Australian authors and the ones I have - Looking for Alibrandi, The Tomorrow Series have been so over the top Australian that it's hard to ignore, but this novel, apart from the mentioning of Cronulla a couple of times and the casual "mate" thrown about, has nothing at all to really resemble Australia. The setting is in a nondescript country town with lots of trees and warm days which could quite reasonably be any country at all. I don't know if this was perhaps so it would appeal to a wider, international audience, which would explain the use of the word "juice box" - a word I have never seen used outside of America – or if it just wasn't seen as an important factor in the story.

The story of Celina, a bright and vivacious girl from a small town disappearing without a trace had potential for a really spooky story – but in the end I didn't quite get there. While I did want to know what happened, I found some of the journey of getting there a bit frustrating. While Celina's disappearance is the main theme of the novel, Celina herself is not a very likeable character. I found myself being reminded of Lily in Veronica Mars where again, it's sad that she was murdered, but I couldn't say it was a great loss for the world.

When Bayley starts wearing Celina's clothes, her mother is shocked and horrified by how much Bayley resembles her missing cousin. But wearing the clothes sets off a chain reaction, and Bayley soon begins to feel like she's being watched and finding someone else's words in her diary. I was again reminded of The Missing by Lisa McMann that I recently read; a novel that also deals with missing children and, I felt, did a much better job of conveying the spooky aspect of the story.

The spookiest aspect of the story is thinking about the title and what the portraits of Celina actually mean - something that did really start to get to me the more I thought about how creepy it was. I also was so saddened to think of how they would affect the people that knew the real history of them. However I don't feel like I really understood WHY the killer took the actions that they did. I don't want to give away what happened, but I do not believe that the justifications the murderer used for killing Celina at all match with their actions after Celina was killed. One is the act of a person in the fit of anger, the other the actions of a serial killer, and those would make for two VERY different kinds of murderers.

[(;Missy.Lala;) · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Make him pay Bayley, Make him pay!!!"

To be honest, I had no intentions of reading this book, ever. I usually don't ever read horror/thriller/mystery books, but then I was bored, had nothing to do, and when I saw this book, I grew curious, and I found myself start reading this book. Kind of like how Bayley was with Celina and haunting her... Weird...

Anyway, I liked it, for being my first time ever and reading a horror novel (does Anna dressed in Blood count???) So many things happened and my brain is just on high-wire, and all I know is that if I ever find myself in this situation, get me a plane ticket back to where I came from, because I wouldn't even be able to handle a day let alone 3 months with that. And she did it at such a young age, and by herself!!!! (Until the very end that is). Only if the epilogue was longer though :( I wanted to see what happened between her and Oliver, it just ended with her at the funeral :( -sigh- oh well... What a read indeed!!!

This book all started with Bayley moving from her hometown to an abandoned house in the middle of no where at a countryside looking house, with only her 7 year old brother, 17 year old sister, and her mother (because her father died in a horrible accident a year ago)

Bayley gets the room where Celina used to live in, and she died the same age as her 40 years ago, and ever since she arrived, Celina's ghost has been haunting her, because she hasn't been able to move on from the afterlife until she gets her revenge, and she is using Bayley to do it.

So, she finds this wooden chest on top of her nightstand, and she does the unthinkable, she opens it!
And that's when all heck breaks loose. Bayley finds herself sleeping in Celina’s room, wearing her clothes, and hearing her voice everywhere.

So throughout the story, Bayley is trying to find out what does Celina want and why is she using her to do it? And who will suffer because of it?

This is one heck of a ghost story, with a love story, and revenge.

[Catastrophe Queen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had absolutely no intention of reading this book; but then one night I was alone with nothing to read... so I picked up my e-reader and poof! I was sucked into the creepy world of Bayley.

She moves into a new house, in a new town with her family. Bayley has a busy mom, an adorable brother, and an annoying rebel sister. Bay just wants to start fresh but when she starts hearing a voice in her head things start to get a little scary.

Bayley is haunted by the ghost of Celina O'Malley, a young girl who vanished 40 years before.

But now she's back. And she's hell bent on getting revenge for her unsolved murder. Nothing --- and no one could stop Celina from exacting revenge, even if it means risking Bayley's life in the process.

I enjoyed the thrilling suspense and the plot. I liked Bayley's character and her relationship with Oliver (even though he was an ass at times). I give this book three stars because I was a bit bored at first and it took me a while to get into the story. But it's still a pretty good book and I would recommend it to my friends.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those books that grasped me firmly enough to lift me up out of my afternoon, drop me firmly somewhere else, and leave me slightly disoriented afterwards. Despite having the fantastical elements of a ghost story, there is something deeply believable about Bayley's experience, with the unresolved creepiness of Celina's disappearance welling up in the hole of her family's grief and displacement. Much earlier in my life, Portraits of Celina would have built on my absolute love of stories of the past becoming muddled with the present (Penelope Farmer's Charlotte Sometimes, Ruth Park's Playing Beattie Bow, Philippa Pearce's Tom's Midnight Garden) drawing the themes into much darker territory. But even as an adult reader I found myself longing for the wooden chest of hippy treasure, crossing my fingers at the first hint of romance, and having to go for a brisk walk after finishing, to try and shake off the spookiness.

[Adele · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book through netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have no idea how Whiting composed a story that involved a ghost, revenge, and love into one novel so seamlessly, but she has done it. And very well I might add. Once you start reading, the story just seems to lift off the pages. While I read the book and the story just seemed to be so visual that I was expecting to look up and see all of this play out in front of my eyes. The writing in this book is vivid.

For the most part, Portraits of Celina isn’t predictable. There are definitely some parts that I saw coming a mile away and some parts I only saw coming just before it almost happened. I did get the big ringer though! The plot kept me on my toes. There were so many twists and turns in this book, that I almost lost what was happening. My mind couldn't keep up with the book!

Now, if you know me from my other blog, you know; because I say this a lot, I can't find any books that really scare the bejesus out of me. And while Portraits of Celina didn't give me that reaction, there were undoubtedly creepy parts. So if you like Creepy books then this one is for you!

I ended up giving this book 4 out of 5 stars. I gave this book 4 stars because as much as I like this book, its not my favourite. Portraits of Celina does have its faults!

Thank you to Switch Press for allowing me to read this book; via Netgalley!

[Rebecca Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me a few days to get into this book, and even when I began to read it more it was only because I wanted it finished, not because I particularly cared what happened. I didn't care much for any of the characters and found myself getting annoyed with them more often than nor, Amelia in particular. In the end, figuring out who killed Celina seemed way too easy and the ending, to me, was slightly cheesy. Easy and cheesy, that's how I would describe this book.

[Chloe Bright · Rating 4 out of 5]

**4.5/5 stars**

This book was really enjoyable and had great paranormal, family, and romance aspects. The only reason it isn't 5/5 stars is because it took me a little while to really get into it.

[Blue · Rating 2 out of 5]

Want to see more...

Bookstagram

Website

Thank you Walker Books for this book in exchange for an honest review



After witnessing the death of her father, Bayley and her mother decide to move the old family country house. As Bayley is moving into her new room, she discovers boxes of clothes belonging to Celina, her mother's cousin who disappeared in her teens. When Bayley starts wearing Celina's old clothes, odd things start happening and Bayley starts to unravel what happened to Celina.

I'm really not sure what to make of this book. While it was a very interesting concept, with plenty of spooky potential, the outcome was not what I expected. I really struggled to identify with the characters, I felt Bayley was dull and while I certainly felt sad the situation, I didn’t have any empathy for this character. While the book is meant to be based in Australia, you wouldn’t be able to tell. I even googled the author who is surprisingly Australian, it just seems odd that the only thing that specified it was Australia was the occasional ‘mate’ thrown around. And to be fair – it could have been edited to seem more ‘worldly’ but as an aussie myself – it don’t read as an Australian setting. The whole killing/murder aspect isn’t really explained either – just left for interpretation I would assume. This was also described as a spooky book… which it wasn’t. Am I reading a different book to everyone else? Did I miss the spooky aspect? Overall – this didn’t hit the mark for me.

[Laurie B · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars - I’m rounding this up to 4 stars because it really kept me engrossed, which has been rare for me lately.

I’ve been in a major book slump for quite some time, reading some good books here and there, but nothing that kept me up late, telling myself “just one more chapter,” because I needed to know what happened next - until Portraits of Celina. So, while it probably isn’t a story that will stick with me long-term, I give it high marks for sweeping me away in the moment.

I have no idea how original this story is for those who read lots of mysteries/thrillers/ghost stories. But it’s outside my normal genres, so it worked for me. It’s definitely more of a mystery than a horror story. It had a few creepy moments and the tension does ramp up at the end, but I never really found it to be scary (which was just fine for me).

I enjoyed the mystery and thought it all came together pretty well in the end. My early assumption of who the villain was turned out to be correct, but there was a lot that left me guessing until the very end, when my questions were all finally answered in a mostly satisfying way. I also appreciated the romantic and family drama elements mixed in. But if you’re looking for a very dark ghost story, this isn’t it.

The only real negative for me was that I felt the ending was somewhat rushed. I wanted a bit more. But overall, I was satisfied, perhaps because it was such a quick read. I loved that the chapters were short and that the writing just flowed because it made it easy to get into that magical “just one more chapter” rhythm.

Bottom line: this was a fun, refreshing read.

[Majanka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review originally published here: http://www.iheartreading.net/reviews/...

In Portraits of Celina, Bayley and her family move into the old O’Malley estate on the countryside after her father dies, to try and make a fresh start. But a fresh start might be the last thing they’ll ever get. Bayley moves into a room who used to belong to Celina O’Malley, a girl who disappeared when she was sixteen years old. It’s now forty years later, but it seems like the past won’t be put to rest. Bayley looks exactly like Celina – at least so do people tell her – and she starts wearing Celina’s old clothes, and eventually even hearing Celina’s voice. What’s going on? What does Celina’s ghost want from Bayley, and what happened that made her disappear forty years ago?

I’m a sucker for these kind of stories – YA paranormal mystery with ghosts. And Portraits of Celina is a good one at that: the mystery, while not overly-complicated isn’t too easy either (I only figured it out past the halfway mark), the ghost is genuinely chilling at times, and the title is given a whole new meaning throughout the book – which I loved. The quarrels between Bayley and her siblings were awesome too. They sounded like a real family, and although they argued often, they did have each other’s back. This made Bayley seem like a more realistic character. Her emotions seemed real too, especially her pain over losing her Dad.

Then, on to the bad stuff. The romance was too cliché. Oliver and Bayley have literally nothing in common, and Bayley acts like a weirdo for most of the book, which is no surprise considering she’s being haunted by the ghost of her deceased cousin. Yet, Oliver isn’t in the least deterred by all this weird behavior, which doesn’t sound very plausible. Their dialogue seemed childish too, and honestly, I could’ve done without the romance. The story and characters are intriguing enough without.

I enjoyed this YA paranormal mystery, some of the scenes where chilling, but for the most part, it wasn’t too scary. Fans of ghost stories will probably like it too.

[Dory · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took a really long time to get immersed into. By the last 80 pages I was into the plot, I really wanted to know how it would all unravel.

But I was disappointed, the story wasn't original, rather predictable, except for how he disposed of Celina... that was rather creepy. Yet, I could see how others foresaw it.

The characters were not developed as much as they could have been. Most of them ended up on my bad side, I barely liked Bayleys family. Her younger brother was the only character I could relate to. Her mother could not get her sh*t together. Sure, she's been in a traumatic part of life, but three kids? Take care of them.

I struggled to feel like one should when there is a ghost haunting in the story, Celina appeared to be the bossy and uncontrollable sister. She was terribly unlikeable and egocentric.

There is definitely mystery, that really kept me reading, a mystery novel and curiosity always works out well :)

The setting was pretty nice, world building done well.

Oliver falls instantly in love for Bayley, we never learn why he comes to love her, it's too cliche. I shipped them.. but then I did not. He came of as an arse, their relationship, was as aforementioned cliche, and Bayley was also pretty awkward.

Overall, I liked reading this novel. The only waste of time was when I had to tweak my eyes open to keep reading through the beginning.

Thank you NetGalley and Switch Press for the free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sue Whiting delivers a thrilling and unique ghost story with her novel, Portraits of Celina. Whiting drops us into a thrilling story of revenge, mystery, and self discovery. Our protagonist is drawn into her murdered cousin's need for revenge and begins to feel a deep and dark connection with her. We witness our protagonist struggle with her connection to her murdered cousin and her need to help her find who it is that took her life at an early age.
Whiting's character development helps bring this story to life and shows the struggles of a family that is simply trying to rebuild after tragedy and loss. The thrilling adventures and the seemingly insurmountable obstacles thrown at the family in this novel keep the reader involved and intrigued from beginning to end.
Portraits of Celina is a unique telling of how teenage angst and ghostly possession are never a good combination. This is a book for young adult audiences looking for a mix of thrilling adventures and lessons in self discovery. The writing will keep you on the edge of your seat as you attempt to solve the mystery and decide if everyone is who they claim to be.

http://novelideareviews.blogspot.com/...

[Adrienne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoy a good ghost story/mystery novel just as much as the next person but this one wasn't as spooky or exciting as I thought it would be. The first half of the book bored me to tears, the romance between Bayley and Oliver made no sense at all - why would he ever develop feelings for a girl who acted like such a wacko? - the rest of the characters were annoying, and everything else fell flat on its side.

There was not much guessing to be done - it was obvious who the killer was. It was just a matter of Bayley confronting him and Celina exacting her revenge, yada yada. I foresaw the ending before it happened - very disappointing on my part.

I had high hopes for this book - I really did. Unfortunately, I got through all 354 pages of it without even batting an eyelash at the author's attempted creepy-ghost-mystery theme. Talk about a real bummer. I hope the author's next books will elicit a more favorable response out of me.

My thanks to Netgalley for providing me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Ayah · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Review:

I received this book from Switch Press via NetGalley in exchange with my honest review.

Portraits of Celina is an intriguing story with elements of Mystery and Supernatural events that will keep you guessing what actually happened.

The dialogue between Oliver and Bayley is hilarious . I had a ridiculous grin glued to my face while reading them.

Although I kind of correctly guessed the mystery, it was still interesting knowing exactly how it happened. Besides, I had at least 3 more guesses, which shows how the author skillfully diverts your thoughts throughout the book.

A great read with the theme of everything is not what it seems, which includes burying your burdens, secrets, lies and much more.

I really enjoyed reading Portraits of Celina and I am interested in checking out more of Sue Whiting's Novels.

I gave this book 4/5 stars and a B according to my own rating scale.

[Susan N. · Rating 5 out of 5]

First and foremost I received this book as a First Reads Giveaway but that in no way changes my honest review of it.

Wow! I did want to read this one and was happy that I won this ARC but once I started I was shocked at how much I liked, no loved it! It drug me in and didn't let go even at the end I wanted to know what the future held for the characters and I want to read more of it!
Yes in the first 50 pages you know who did it but the author did a great job of keeping the why and how up till the very end. Of course their was speculation but still it was shocking how the killer hid her all those year!
This was a book I would have marked for a "when I'm out of others" but I am so glade I had the chance to read the ARC or I may have overlooked a truly spectacular book! 5 stars all the way!
(And being a uncorrected proof of course their are some errors that will be fixed once it is finally released in April)

[Mauoijenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

*NetGalley book review*

Good book. A little to slow in the beginning, but it picked up pretty quick. A 40 year old ghost story as told through the eye of an awkward teenager. A few lagging spots but not that bad.

[Barbie Rivers scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was great, I loved it. It was intriguing and you won't be able to put it down. I read it all at once. It has one of those endings that you are like " I did'nt see that coming." You must read this book you will not be disappointed.

[Creative Kids Tales · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a shame Goodreads only offers 5 stars. This book is one of the best I've read! I'll be reviewing it on Creative Kids Tales in May.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

The combination of ghost story and mystery was very enticing, and there was a good little twist at the end. A great read.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Creepy and suspenseful! A quick read with enough edge of your seat action to keep you engaged and turning the page. My heart broke for the family and their tragedy.

[Nina · Rating 5 out of 5]

sure i did

[Shereen Lang · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Portraits of Celina, Bayley and her family move into the old O’Malley estate in the countryside after her father dies, to try and make a fresh start of their life. But a fresh start might be the last thing they’ll ever get. Bayley moves into a room who used to belong to Celina O’Malley, a girl who disappeared when she was sixteen years old. It’s now forty years later, but it seems like the past won’t be put to rest. Bayley looks exactly like Celina – so Everyone tell her – Bayley finds an old trunk of Celina’s old clothes and wears them looking more like Celina, and eventually even hearing Celina’s voice. What’s going on? What does Celina’s ghost want from Bayley, and what happened that made her disappear forty years ago?
This Is a twisted tale of a ghost who wants revenge, A love story of sorts, and a sad family life with a death, and dealing with teenagers rebelling.
Overall was an interesting short story.

[Sasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book lacked imagery but definitely made up for it with spooky factor and plot line. It had a Silence of the Lambs twist to the story and ghost possession. The story revolves around a young girl whose family moves out to a remote house near a lake. The young girl soon finds out about the mysterious disappearance of a family member named Celina. She finds her long-lost relatives clothing and is drawn to wearing them and discovers she looks just like her. What follows is a twisted tale of a ghost who wants revenge.

[Tania · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic mystery book that grasps you firmly into the plot and can't put down. It has a great balance of unexpected romance and ghostly adventures, with an unanticipated twist which leaves you with goose bumps.

[kaitlyns_library · Rating 3 out of 5]

I do love YA ghost books with a murder mystery included. This was a slow start, but this did have me hooked in after the first hundred pages. I think some parts could’ve been a bit better, but it was still good and a very 2013 style of book.

[Niamh Griffin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gobbled through this gripping ghost story in 2 days. A real page turner, albeit the plot somewhat transparent.

[IfrahHreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! So many logical fallacies used throughout this novel!

Mind blown...

[whatbooknext · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was one of the best I've ever read! Sue Whiting is brilliant!