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Poe
2013 Winner — Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award — Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror
It’s Halloween, and life is grim for 23-year-old Dimitri Petrov. It’s the one-year anniversary of his parents’ deaths, he’s stuck on page one thousand of his Rasputin zombie novel, and he makes his living writing obituaries.
But things turn from bleak to terrifying when Dimitri gets a last-minute assignment to cover a séance at the reputedly haunted Aspinwall Mansion.
There, Dimitri meets Lisa, a punk-rock drummer he falls hard for. But just as he’s about to ask her out, he unwittingly unleashes malevolent forces, throwing him into a deadly mystery. When Dimitri wakes up, he is in the morgue—icy cold and haunted by a cryptic warning given by a tantalizing female spirit.
As town residents begin to turn up gruesomely murdered, Dimitri must play detective in his own story and unravel the connections among his family, the Aspinwall Mansion, the female spirit, and the secrets held in a pair of crumbling antiquarian books. If he doesn’t, it’s quite possible Lisa will be the next victim.
It’s Halloween, and life is grim for 23-year-old Dimitri Petrov. It’s the one-year anniversary of his parents’ deaths, he’s stuck on page one thousand of his Rasputin zombie novel, and he makes his living writing obituaries.
But things turn from bleak to terrifying when Dimitri gets a last-minute assignment to cover a séance at the reputedly haunted Aspinwall Mansion.
There, Dimitri meets Lisa, a punk-rock drummer he falls hard for. But just as he’s about to ask her out, he unwittingly unleashes malevolent forces, throwing him into a deadly mystery. When Dimitri wakes up, he is in the morgue—icy cold and haunted by a cryptic warning given by a tantalizing female spirit.
As town residents begin to turn up gruesomely murdered, Dimitri must play detective in his own story and unravel the connections among his family, the Aspinwall Mansion, the female spirit, and the secrets held in a pair of crumbling antiquarian books. If he doesn’t, it’s quite possible Lisa will be the next victim.
381 pages, Paperback
First published October 22, 2013
74 people are currently reading
8390 people want to read
About the author
J. Lincoln Fenn
8 books350 followersJ. Lincoln Fenn is the award-winning author of the bestseller POE, which won the 2013 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award for Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror, and the acclaimed novel DEAD SOULS called 'wickedly entertaining' by The New York Times Book Review.
Fenn grew up in a small New England town and graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of New Hampshire, studying with poet laureate Charles Simic, and author John Yount, a mentor to John Irving. She's lived in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay area, and Maui. Currently Fenn lives with her husband in Seattle.
https://www.jlincolnfenn.com
"This book is one of the scariest and best to come down the pike in ages....The narrative twists and turns are reminiscent of Dean Koontz or Stephen King at their finest. This story is horribly, horrifyingly awesome." PUBLISHERS WEEKLY starred review for DEAD SOULS
Fenn grew up in a small New England town and graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of New Hampshire, studying with poet laureate Charles Simic, and author John Yount, a mentor to John Irving. She's lived in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay area, and Maui. Currently Fenn lives with her husband in Seattle.
https://www.jlincolnfenn.com
"This book is one of the scariest and best to come down the pike in ages....The narrative twists and turns are reminiscent of Dean Koontz or Stephen King at their finest. This story is horribly, horrifyingly awesome." PUBLISHERS WEEKLY starred review for DEAD SOULS
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 211 reviews
November 27, 2013
Let me get straight to my two gripes about Poe, mainly because they involve things not between the covers of this excellent novel. First, that book cover. I took me a little while to get to this book (it was a review copy provided by Netgalley) because the cover screams Young Adult. (It is definitely not YA). Also the title is a bit misleading. While the title does tie into the book it led me to think the plot may have something to do with the author who wrote all those delicious short stories. Sorry, no Edgar Allen. Never shows up. Missing in action. Different Poe.
But once I got over those two nitpicking distractions and dug into the 300 plus pages, I found a delightfully original story that spanned a number of genres. There is horror, mystery, supernatural suspense, plus a slight touch of romance. It is also quite humorous. Here's the bare bones of the plot: Bored obituary writer for the local paper in the small town of New Goshen, Dimitri, is given the chance to write a feature about a seance in the local haunted house...on Halloween of course. Naturally, or supernaturally in this case, things goes wrong, and our protagonist nearly dies and come back with a sort of ghostly hitchhiker he calls Poe. Add to that a string of murders and the plot thickens. Then there's that strange but sweet and quirky romance involving a girl who thinks her brother is connected to the murders.
Poe moves as smoothly as a novel ever moved. Each action leads to another logical action. Characters and strange events are introduced at just the right time. Conclusions are made and acted upon in a realistic manner, which is not an easy feat in a fantasy / horror novel . I am in awe of J. Lincoln Fenn's Rubik Cube structuring and the ease of which she pulls it off. But just as important is her smart realistic dialogue and the depiction of a main protagonist, Dimitri, is mentally smart in words and thoughts. I must admit to a bit of irritation with Lisa, the probable love interest. I found her a little insensitive at first but there is a reason for that and it ended up endearing me to both Dimitri and Lisa.
Overall, I was basically bowled over by Poe. It came out of nowhere and surprised me. Well, sort of out of nowhere. It did win Amazon's Breakthrough Novel Award for 2013 in the category of science fiction, fantasy and horror. The novel jumps into my own top five of my best novels of 2013 and is nipping at the heels of number one. I highly recommend this to anyone who likes great well-paced fiction.
But once I got over those two nitpicking distractions and dug into the 300 plus pages, I found a delightfully original story that spanned a number of genres. There is horror, mystery, supernatural suspense, plus a slight touch of romance. It is also quite humorous. Here's the bare bones of the plot: Bored obituary writer for the local paper in the small town of New Goshen, Dimitri, is given the chance to write a feature about a seance in the local haunted house...on Halloween of course. Naturally, or supernaturally in this case, things goes wrong, and our protagonist nearly dies and come back with a sort of ghostly hitchhiker he calls Poe. Add to that a string of murders and the plot thickens. Then there's that strange but sweet and quirky romance involving a girl who thinks her brother is connected to the murders.
Poe moves as smoothly as a novel ever moved. Each action leads to another logical action. Characters and strange events are introduced at just the right time. Conclusions are made and acted upon in a realistic manner, which is not an easy feat in a fantasy / horror novel . I am in awe of J. Lincoln Fenn's Rubik Cube structuring and the ease of which she pulls it off. But just as important is her smart realistic dialogue and the depiction of a main protagonist, Dimitri, is mentally smart in words and thoughts. I must admit to a bit of irritation with Lisa, the probable love interest. I found her a little insensitive at first but there is a reason for that and it ended up endearing me to both Dimitri and Lisa.
Overall, I was basically bowled over by Poe. It came out of nowhere and surprised me. Well, sort of out of nowhere. It did win Amazon's Breakthrough Novel Award for 2013 in the category of science fiction, fantasy and horror. The novel jumps into my own top five of my best novels of 2013 and is nipping at the heels of number one. I highly recommend this to anyone who likes great well-paced fiction.
May 26, 2016
This might have been rated higher, nearly was, but the detractors were just too...well detracting, distracting and intelligence insulting. But first, a digression...I vaguely remember Poe, vaguely remember dismissing it as another YA novel. I don't do YA. I don't even like the term, it seems like a yet another uber PC exercise in nomenclature that is so preoccupied with not offending, it in fact fails to accurately describe. YA is suppose to be (according to the official definition) appropriate for ages 12 to 18. How many 12 to 18 year olds do you know who are particularly adult? Doesn't adult denote a sort of presupposed maturity? Granted there are plenty of immature adults out there and there might be some mature 12 to 18 years olds, but to term someone who is completely dependent on their parents, who isn't allowed to vote, doesn't have almost any responsibilities outside of school and maybe some chores a young or any sort of adult seems silly. They are teens or kids and there is nothing wrong with being either, there is plenty of time for adulthood in all its tedious glory. Digression over. And so, having all that been said, my primary reason for not reading Poe earlier was dismissing it as YA. Recently I read reviews suggesting that isn't the case plus they mentioned Rasputin, so I thought why not. And sure enough I was right initially by judging the book by its cover. Poe is definitely YA. Mind you all the main players are of legal age and are technically adults, but the narrative in its constant oversimplification, overemphasizing, general lightness of tone despite heavy subject matter and the characters in all their obnoxiousness and incessant snark/angst, overdone sarcasm and propensity for quips doesn't seem to be targeting a particularly mature audience. I'm not sure if the jejune writing testifies to the author's limitations or is a conscious choice, but one might be expecting more from a summa cum laude English graduate. Here's some of the examples of the aforementioned stupidity...a main protagonist has been working on his great American novel (1000 some pages) on Rasputin and he has inherited a mysterious ring from his father and yet upon seeing a phrase man monk ring father his initial thoughts are somewhere along the line of someone having to phone his dad. He also doesn't know the meaning of the word grimoire, though he prides himself of having a strong vocabulary and has presumably done extensive research on occult for his novel. If his consistent failure to make basic logical connections won't get to you, his girlfriend's annoying (and yes, childlike) habit of using the word so for emphasis will. If none of it phases you, there are some writing treasures like (upon a particularly dramatic event) There were no words. There were no words. No words. Seriously? Are we sure there were no words? Not at all? Or the deliciously ridiculous flashback of Rasputin as a kid being repeatedly referred to by his own father as Rasputin, even as he mentions his other kids (Rasputin's siblings) by names. So you, the imbecile reader, don't get lost in the story. Right, thanks. So is it the extreme case of pandering to the largest (although not necessarily the smartest) audience, something Koontz has been at decades now, albeit without his ever present and not so subtle conservative propaganda (and this book did remind me a lot of Odd Thomas the movie not the book, I wouldn't waste time on Koontz in a book form) or is it just a debut amateurishness? You decide. Craziest thing is that there is actually a pretty decent story underneath all the silliness. It would have been, should have been a good book. It was just difficult to enjoy with all its the layers of inanity. Its popularity does same something about the standards for entertainment out there, but then again this is the age of reality tv. The standards are low, very low. Maybe with sufficiently adjusted expectations and the brain turn on low, this can be as fun of a read as it was meant to be. Maybe.
November 13, 2013
Poe is what I would classify as Horror-Lite. That's not a bad thing, I really like soft-core horror stories. I'm not one of those readers who seeks out books where the boogeyman jumps out of the shadows on the last page and devours the main character.
I do enjoy spooky stories with interesting protagonists.
For me, Poe was a total winner in both categories.
Dimitri isn't anything special. Or so he thinks.
His parents both died unexpectedly a year ago, and since then he's been sort of drifting around in a fog. He lives in a boring little town, works at a crappy job, and lives in a tiny apartment. And instead of going out with friends, he goes home to write more of his Rasputin zombie novel.
Yes, he knows it's a stupid premise...and about 500 pages too long. Thank you very much.
When his paper sends him out on a special Halloween assignment to the old Aspinwall Manson, his life takes a disturbing turn for the worse.
Although, he does manage to finally get a girlfriend...
Instead of just covering a hokey seance, he ends up accidentally waking up something evil. Things get a bit crazy in the mansion when the psychic breaks her ankle, and Dimitri ends up falling into a well.
And then he wakes up in the morgue.
At least he's not dead, right?
And what other prizes do we have for this young man?
That's right, folks! Waking up with a toe tag might seem like enough, but we're sending Dimitri home with some special parting gifts!
Now he's got a freaky ghost who may or may not be trying to help him, and a sadistic demon who may or may not have possessed Lisa's brother. There's also the question of why he found a powerful manuscript hidden inside a stuffed animal from his childhood.
Don't judge him. I have a ratty bunny in my closet named Pookey. And he doesn't belong to my kids.
Dimitri is the main reason I enjoyed this book so much. He's not a bad-ass, but he is decent, funny, and fairly sensible. For example, when the spooky spirit started leaving cryptic messages around his apartment, he didn't try to decipher their meanings. Nope, he just tossed some alphabet magnets on his fridge and told the ghost to 'use words'. Hilariously simple!
And maybe that's why I had so much fun with this one. Dimitri accepts the strange new world that he's been introduced to, but he keeps his average Joe personality. He's not laugh-out-loud funny, but he has a naturally humorous voice that added something special to the story.
If you're in the mood for true love with a side of demon possession, give this book a try!
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this in return for an honest review.
I do enjoy spooky stories with interesting protagonists.
For me, Poe was a total winner in both categories.
Dimitri isn't anything special. Or so he thinks.
His parents both died unexpectedly a year ago, and since then he's been sort of drifting around in a fog. He lives in a boring little town, works at a crappy job, and lives in a tiny apartment. And instead of going out with friends, he goes home to write more of his Rasputin zombie novel.
Yes, he knows it's a stupid premise...and about 500 pages too long. Thank you very much.
When his paper sends him out on a special Halloween assignment to the old Aspinwall Manson, his life takes a disturbing turn for the worse.
Although, he does manage to finally get a girlfriend...
Instead of just covering a hokey seance, he ends up accidentally waking up something evil. Things get a bit crazy in the mansion when the psychic breaks her ankle, and Dimitri ends up falling into a well.
And then he wakes up in the morgue.
At least he's not dead, right?
And what other prizes do we have for this young man?
That's right, folks! Waking up with a toe tag might seem like enough, but we're sending Dimitri home with some special parting gifts!
Now he's got a freaky ghost who may or may not be trying to help him, and a sadistic demon who may or may not have possessed Lisa's brother. There's also the question of why he found a powerful manuscript hidden inside a stuffed animal from his childhood.
Don't judge him. I have a ratty bunny in my closet named Pookey. And he doesn't belong to my kids.
Dimitri is the main reason I enjoyed this book so much. He's not a bad-ass, but he is decent, funny, and fairly sensible. For example, when the spooky spirit started leaving cryptic messages around his apartment, he didn't try to decipher their meanings. Nope, he just tossed some alphabet magnets on his fridge and told the ghost to 'use words'. Hilariously simple!
And maybe that's why I had so much fun with this one. Dimitri accepts the strange new world that he's been introduced to, but he keeps his average Joe personality. He's not laugh-out-loud funny, but he has a naturally humorous voice that added something special to the story.
If you're in the mood for true love with a side of demon possession, give this book a try!
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this in return for an honest review.
December 29, 2014
First Reads Review - Poe by J. Lincoln Fenn
Not really being a huge reader of horror, I wasn't quite sure what to think of this book as an example of the genre. I can say that it was fun enough to read, that the writing was solid, that the mood was sufficiently creepy, that the supernatural elements were revealed in small enough increments that I didn't feel overwhelmed by it or put off. This could have been a very good book, really if not for one thing, and that was the relationship between main character, Dimitri, and Lisa, the drummer with the troubled past. That one element detracted so much from my enjoyment of the book that I had to mark it down, and might have marked it down even further if not for my overall enjoyment of the novel.
This is a ghost story, mostly. Or at least that's the book that I cared about, the one I liked to read. Dimitri, who is something of a slacker, a would-be novelist and current obituary writer, goes to cover a haunted house for a fluff piece for the newspaper and ends up being drawn into something much bigger and much, much darker. Weird things start happening, not least his own death and resurrection, and he has to slowly uncover a string of mysteries surrounding the haunted house, his family, and Lisa's family. It really is an interesting story, and a good mystery, with plenty of horror elements to keep things moving along.
Unfortunately, the book falls apart a bit when it comes to the characters. The plot is there, and solid, and while some of the characters come off as complex, as complicated, most of them never get beyond the very two dimensional boxes they are placed into. Mac, the editor, and his son Nate, are the two worst offenders, but even Dimitri and Lisa fall into some very tired territory, especially when it comes to their relationship. And okay, I'll go into that now, because it was the single worst aspect of the story in my opinion. While it starts off interestingly enough, the two of them obviously interested in each other but Dimitri as very awkward and also rather misogynist about her. This gets swept away, though, and suddenly they're in a relationship. It's rather jarring, and while there might be some wish fulfillment for awkward guys there, the relationship is not good.
First and most alarmingly, Dimitri lies to Lisa all the time. Literally all the time. And he gets jealous and mad at her for the smallest of reasons. But somehow that's supposed to be understandable because he's just a guy. Which is the most offensive and abusive way to show a relationship. Dimitri wants to protect her and so lies to her. This in turn leads to her being taken and hurt. Which is basically her becoming the damsel in distress, her pain becoming an attack on him and having nothing to do with Lisa. She's just a tool because in this story she's never more than a trophy. He lies to her and it is his fault that she gets stabbed, but somehow they still end up together. He still gets his prize. It was not good. It makes me want to rate this book down even further. But this isn't about the romance. It's about the horror, and the horror is done all right. The relationship with Lisa just should have been cut back, shouldn't have been so serious so quickly, and probably should have not ended up with him awarded sex after getting her hurt.
That said, I also wasn't expecting this to be the first book in a series, which it must be, because the ending offers very little in the way of conclusions. Dimitri does learn more about his family, does solve the mystery, but the ending seemed a little contrived to provide a next book. Really there is no reason that Dimitri is even alive at the end. He kind of loses. But for whatever reason, he's allowed to win. It's strange and I really hope it's something that the author explains better than by saying the thing responsible is an idiot. Because that's all I can assume, that I'm supposed to believe that the "bad guy" let Dimitri live because he didn't see him as a threat. Which doesn't make much sense.
But I should stop this before I convince myself that I didn't like anything about it. This book would have been good. Could have easily been good. The visuals and the mood and the plot were all interesting. I wanted to like this book. I just couldn't. Not with the relationship as it was, not with the way it ended. I just...couldn't. So in the end I guess I can only give it two stars out of five and move on.
Not really being a huge reader of horror, I wasn't quite sure what to think of this book as an example of the genre. I can say that it was fun enough to read, that the writing was solid, that the mood was sufficiently creepy, that the supernatural elements were revealed in small enough increments that I didn't feel overwhelmed by it or put off. This could have been a very good book, really if not for one thing, and that was the relationship between main character, Dimitri, and Lisa, the drummer with the troubled past. That one element detracted so much from my enjoyment of the book that I had to mark it down, and might have marked it down even further if not for my overall enjoyment of the novel.
This is a ghost story, mostly. Or at least that's the book that I cared about, the one I liked to read. Dimitri, who is something of a slacker, a would-be novelist and current obituary writer, goes to cover a haunted house for a fluff piece for the newspaper and ends up being drawn into something much bigger and much, much darker. Weird things start happening, not least his own death and resurrection, and he has to slowly uncover a string of mysteries surrounding the haunted house, his family, and Lisa's family. It really is an interesting story, and a good mystery, with plenty of horror elements to keep things moving along.
Unfortunately, the book falls apart a bit when it comes to the characters. The plot is there, and solid, and while some of the characters come off as complex, as complicated, most of them never get beyond the very two dimensional boxes they are placed into. Mac, the editor, and his son Nate, are the two worst offenders, but even Dimitri and Lisa fall into some very tired territory, especially when it comes to their relationship. And okay, I'll go into that now, because it was the single worst aspect of the story in my opinion. While it starts off interestingly enough, the two of them obviously interested in each other but Dimitri as very awkward and also rather misogynist about her. This gets swept away, though, and suddenly they're in a relationship. It's rather jarring, and while there might be some wish fulfillment for awkward guys there, the relationship is not good.
First and most alarmingly, Dimitri lies to Lisa all the time. Literally all the time. And he gets jealous and mad at her for the smallest of reasons. But somehow that's supposed to be understandable because he's just a guy. Which is the most offensive and abusive way to show a relationship. Dimitri wants to protect her and so lies to her. This in turn leads to her being taken and hurt. Which is basically her becoming the damsel in distress, her pain becoming an attack on him and having nothing to do with Lisa. She's just a tool because in this story she's never more than a trophy. He lies to her and it is his fault that she gets stabbed, but somehow they still end up together. He still gets his prize. It was not good. It makes me want to rate this book down even further. But this isn't about the romance. It's about the horror, and the horror is done all right. The relationship with Lisa just should have been cut back, shouldn't have been so serious so quickly, and probably should have not ended up with him awarded sex after getting her hurt.
That said, I also wasn't expecting this to be the first book in a series, which it must be, because the ending offers very little in the way of conclusions. Dimitri does learn more about his family, does solve the mystery, but the ending seemed a little contrived to provide a next book. Really there is no reason that Dimitri is even alive at the end. He kind of loses. But for whatever reason, he's allowed to win. It's strange and I really hope it's something that the author explains better than by saying the thing responsible is an idiot. Because that's all I can assume, that I'm supposed to believe that the "bad guy" let Dimitri live because he didn't see him as a threat. Which doesn't make much sense.
But I should stop this before I convince myself that I didn't like anything about it. This book would have been good. Could have easily been good. The visuals and the mood and the plot were all interesting. I wanted to like this book. I just couldn't. Not with the relationship as it was, not with the way it ended. I just...couldn't. So in the end I guess I can only give it two stars out of five and move on.
October 1, 2013
Book Info: Genre: Dark Urban Fantasy
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: fans of dark urban fantasy/horror
Book Available: Oct. 22, 2013 in paperback, Audiobook and e-book formats
Trigger Warnings: violence, murder
My Thoughts: While this book is essentially horror, or dark fantasy, it is also very funny. Dimitri has a wonderfully sarcastic and snarky way of looking at the world, and the way he messes with Nate and Bob is a beautiful thing to see. The prologue pulls you right into the mystery of the story, and then the story pops back a day to give the events leading up to there, which include a lot of very funny situations and statements, at least through the first half of the book or so. After that things become more serious.
The only major gripe I had was when his father was talking to Grigoriy and calls him by his last name. This is just not done in Russia. The father would have called him by his first name and patronymic, or by a pet name. I think the author was just trying to make sure we caught who he was talking about, but it was kind of annoying.
But that was a small thing, really, and the book was otherwise quite good. If you like dark urban fantasy and/or horror you should enjoy this book quite a lot.
Disclosure: I received an ARC from Amazon Vine in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Synopsis: It’s Halloween, and life is grim for 23-year-old Dimitri Petrov. It’s the one-year anniversary of his parents’ deaths, he’s stuck on page one thousand of his Rasputin zombie novel, and he makes his living writing obituaries.
But things turn from bleak to terrifying when Dimitri gets a last-minute assignment to cover a séance at the reputedly haunted Aspinwall Mansion.
There, Dimitri meets Lisa, a punk-rock drummer he falls hard for. But just as he’s about to ask her out, he unwittingly unleashes malevolent forces, throwing him into a deadly mystery. When Dimitri wakes up, he is in the morgue—icy cold and haunted by a cryptic warning given by a tantalizing female spirit.
As town residents begin to turn up gruesomely murdered, Dimitri must play detective in his own story and unravel the connections among his family, the Aspinwall Mansion, the female spirit, and the secrets held in a pair of crumbling antiquarian books. If he doesn’t, it’s quite possible Lisa will be the next victim.
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: fans of dark urban fantasy/horror
Book Available: Oct. 22, 2013 in paperback, Audiobook and e-book formats
Trigger Warnings: violence, murder
My Thoughts: While this book is essentially horror, or dark fantasy, it is also very funny. Dimitri has a wonderfully sarcastic and snarky way of looking at the world, and the way he messes with Nate and Bob is a beautiful thing to see. The prologue pulls you right into the mystery of the story, and then the story pops back a day to give the events leading up to there, which include a lot of very funny situations and statements, at least through the first half of the book or so. After that things become more serious.
The only major gripe I had was when his father was talking to Grigoriy and calls him by his last name. This is just not done in Russia. The father would have called him by his first name and patronymic, or by a pet name. I think the author was just trying to make sure we caught who he was talking about, but it was kind of annoying.
But that was a small thing, really, and the book was otherwise quite good. If you like dark urban fantasy and/or horror you should enjoy this book quite a lot.
Disclosure: I received an ARC from Amazon Vine in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Synopsis: It’s Halloween, and life is grim for 23-year-old Dimitri Petrov. It’s the one-year anniversary of his parents’ deaths, he’s stuck on page one thousand of his Rasputin zombie novel, and he makes his living writing obituaries.
But things turn from bleak to terrifying when Dimitri gets a last-minute assignment to cover a séance at the reputedly haunted Aspinwall Mansion.
There, Dimitri meets Lisa, a punk-rock drummer he falls hard for. But just as he’s about to ask her out, he unwittingly unleashes malevolent forces, throwing him into a deadly mystery. When Dimitri wakes up, he is in the morgue—icy cold and haunted by a cryptic warning given by a tantalizing female spirit.
As town residents begin to turn up gruesomely murdered, Dimitri must play detective in his own story and unravel the connections among his family, the Aspinwall Mansion, the female spirit, and the secrets held in a pair of crumbling antiquarian books. If he doesn’t, it’s quite possible Lisa will be the next victim.
December 9, 2013
I had seen this advertised on my Kindle, added it to my TBR list on Goodreads and then the author sent me a friend request. Seeing her posts on the books and some of the reviews for this book made me want to read it all the more. I just had to read this book and went and borrowed the book from Amazon Prime (my first book borrowed in like two years of having Prime haha).
As soon as I started the story, I was hooked and ended up reading the first 30% in one sitting. A few days passed before I was able to pick the Kindle back up and, because of her and her book, I had two sleepless nights because I just could not put the story down. It was that good.
The story in itself is very interesting, the mystery was exciting and the characters were ones you could really relate to, ones you wanted to know more about. The way things kept fitting together was wicked, I loved the creepy moments and how he got his information (you'll have to read it to find out) was really cool.
The main character (Dimitri) is one of those anti-heroes (anyone who follows my reviews knows I'm a sucker for those) and his sarcasm cracks me up. Lisa and her family (Elizabeth, Amelia - and Daniel) are interesting and prove that all of us have one of THOSE families.
Comment to author: I've seen you say stuff about how people have said you need to write a sequel (that sounds so stalker haha) - I completely agree with them!! :)
As soon as I started the story, I was hooked and ended up reading the first 30% in one sitting. A few days passed before I was able to pick the Kindle back up and, because of her and her book, I had two sleepless nights because I just could not put the story down. It was that good.
The story in itself is very interesting, the mystery was exciting and the characters were ones you could really relate to, ones you wanted to know more about. The way things kept fitting together was wicked, I loved the creepy moments and how he got his information (you'll have to read it to find out) was really cool.
The main character (Dimitri) is one of those anti-heroes (anyone who follows my reviews knows I'm a sucker for those) and his sarcasm cracks me up. Lisa and her family (Elizabeth, Amelia - and Daniel) are interesting and prove that all of us have one of THOSE families.
Comment to author: I've seen you say stuff about how people have said you need to write a sequel (that sounds so stalker haha) - I completely agree with them!! :)
September 12, 2017
Nope. I don't care for lighthearted scary with juvenile dialogue. Nope.
October 22, 2018
Have you ever read almost to the very end of a book, then stopped just ten pages to go? No, I never have either until now.
My overall impression: absolute confusion. I never understood what this was all about, where it was going, or how it was getting there. Just when I would think, I got it! - I'd be confused in the next paragraph or chapter. There was simply too much going on, all of it packed in like sardines, or...
It's as if it's a mystery in a package - an intricately tied-up one - and you can't untie any of the knots. You simply need to wait and wait and wait and when you get tired of waiting wish you had a knife to just slice through all the twine to get to the meat of the thing.
Here goes...
A young guy, an obituary-writer for a small town newspaper, gets involved with...
A ghost who haunts his apartment; an overweight medium who falls through the floor of a decrepit house; a girl who won't reveal too much of herself; murders which happened (at the house) many years ago; a father who went off for long periods of time; the girl's hippy mother; a domineering boss; unsympathetic co-workers; demons and angels; Rasputin - yes that Rasputin -; a mysterious ring; mysterious numbers written on dead bodies which sort of pile of up everywhere and...
Did I leave anything out? Probably. But all this rattles around, like in a big Santa-Claus bag, with the writer pulling out this toy, then that one, then stuffs them back in again because maybe they're broken. It's a frenetic, hectic, confusing read! And yet you almost know that in the final pages there's gonna be a long-winded info-dump to 'explain' all this. There was. I stopped reading in the middle of the dump.
Hey, maybe I just wasn't bright enough to get it as I read. But when I keep saying to myself, Delia? Who's Delia? And have to hunt through pages 1-200 to get an answer...
It's just not worth it and I'm amazed I hung in there as long as I did. However, this writer CAN write. He simply needs to write a bit more coherently, at least for the old people who need some clarification here and there. And one more thing: every piece of dialogue doesn't need to be funny or witty or cynical-funny or somewhat snarky. Real people don't talk that way, not all the time. But they do talk that way on contemporary sit-coms.
Two stars.
My overall impression: absolute confusion. I never understood what this was all about, where it was going, or how it was getting there. Just when I would think, I got it! - I'd be confused in the next paragraph or chapter. There was simply too much going on, all of it packed in like sardines, or...
It's as if it's a mystery in a package - an intricately tied-up one - and you can't untie any of the knots. You simply need to wait and wait and wait and when you get tired of waiting wish you had a knife to just slice through all the twine to get to the meat of the thing.
Here goes...
A young guy, an obituary-writer for a small town newspaper, gets involved with...
A ghost who haunts his apartment; an overweight medium who falls through the floor of a decrepit house; a girl who won't reveal too much of herself; murders which happened (at the house) many years ago; a father who went off for long periods of time; the girl's hippy mother; a domineering boss; unsympathetic co-workers; demons and angels; Rasputin - yes that Rasputin -; a mysterious ring; mysterious numbers written on dead bodies which sort of pile of up everywhere and...
Did I leave anything out? Probably. But all this rattles around, like in a big Santa-Claus bag, with the writer pulling out this toy, then that one, then stuffs them back in again because maybe they're broken. It's a frenetic, hectic, confusing read! And yet you almost know that in the final pages there's gonna be a long-winded info-dump to 'explain' all this. There was. I stopped reading in the middle of the dump.
Hey, maybe I just wasn't bright enough to get it as I read. But when I keep saying to myself, Delia? Who's Delia? And have to hunt through pages 1-200 to get an answer...
It's just not worth it and I'm amazed I hung in there as long as I did. However, this writer CAN write. He simply needs to write a bit more coherently, at least for the old people who need some clarification here and there. And one more thing: every piece of dialogue doesn't need to be funny or witty or cynical-funny or somewhat snarky. Real people don't talk that way, not all the time. But they do talk that way on contemporary sit-coms.
Two stars.
April 21, 2017
“Two weeks. Everything you love, own, and cherish, can be gone, liquidated, and lost forever in two weeks. Give or take a day.”
Dimitri Petrov is a would-be novelist and current obituary writer for an irrelevant newspaper. He gets tasked last minute with covering a séance at a local haunted house on Halloween (of course), he meets his dream girl, and there’s a lot of awkward conversation where he manages to win her over… somehow. But his life admittedly goes a bit downhill from there when he manages to fall through the floor, wakes up in the actual morgue, and finds that he has a new ghostly friend he dubs Poe that won’t leave him alone. Add in the mystery behind the haunted house, the strange family history of his new girlfriend, the truth behind the tragic deaths of Dimitri’s own parents, some curious ancient books that seem to possess powers, and a spleen-eating serial killer and you’ve got the plot of Poe. All in just over 300 pages.
“I have watched enough cheesy detective television shows in my young life to know that when one is presented with an inexplicable mystery, the first order of business (after procuring good donuts and coffee—check) is to create a wall of clues with photos of suspects and article clippings, preferably in an artistic yet seemingly random fashion.”
In the beginning, this story was entertaining, fast-paced, and fun, but just as it started out fine for Dimitri, unfortunately, the book went downhill as well. The characters themselves were never fully formed except for Dimitri who was the stories requisite guy who found humor and sarcasm in anything and everything (and reminded me a lot of the guy in The Last Days of Jack Sparks.) The mysteries were excessive and mildly convoluted, yes, however, the horror elements brought about some very well-written pieces of terror. The descriptions were on point and were enough to churn even the hardest of stomachs. The biggest issue I had was how the author chose to focus more on the cutesy relationship aspects in a plot that didn’t require anything of the sort. Adding a romance factor certainly helps to appeal to a wider audience but it just didn’t work for me.
Having already read Fenn’s sophomore novel, Dead Souls, I can see how far she’s come with her plotting and characterization (Dead Souls is absolutely incredible — read it). Her debut may not have been my favorite but she’s definitely fallen onto my radar on authors to watch out for.
Dimitri Petrov is a would-be novelist and current obituary writer for an irrelevant newspaper. He gets tasked last minute with covering a séance at a local haunted house on Halloween (of course), he meets his dream girl, and there’s a lot of awkward conversation where he manages to win her over… somehow. But his life admittedly goes a bit downhill from there when he manages to fall through the floor, wakes up in the actual morgue, and finds that he has a new ghostly friend he dubs Poe that won’t leave him alone. Add in the mystery behind the haunted house, the strange family history of his new girlfriend, the truth behind the tragic deaths of Dimitri’s own parents, some curious ancient books that seem to possess powers, and a spleen-eating serial killer and you’ve got the plot of Poe. All in just over 300 pages.
“I have watched enough cheesy detective television shows in my young life to know that when one is presented with an inexplicable mystery, the first order of business (after procuring good donuts and coffee—check) is to create a wall of clues with photos of suspects and article clippings, preferably in an artistic yet seemingly random fashion.”
In the beginning, this story was entertaining, fast-paced, and fun, but just as it started out fine for Dimitri, unfortunately, the book went downhill as well. The characters themselves were never fully formed except for Dimitri who was the stories requisite guy who found humor and sarcasm in anything and everything (and reminded me a lot of the guy in The Last Days of Jack Sparks.) The mysteries were excessive and mildly convoluted, yes, however, the horror elements brought about some very well-written pieces of terror. The descriptions were on point and were enough to churn even the hardest of stomachs. The biggest issue I had was how the author chose to focus more on the cutesy relationship aspects in a plot that didn’t require anything of the sort. Adding a romance factor certainly helps to appeal to a wider audience but it just didn’t work for me.
Having already read Fenn’s sophomore novel, Dead Souls, I can see how far she’s come with her plotting and characterization (Dead Souls is absolutely incredible — read it). Her debut may not have been my favorite but she’s definitely fallen onto my radar on authors to watch out for.
November 11, 2013
I'm not sure where to start with this review. It can be summed up with one word though - WOW!
This was a well-written, intense, fast-paced book. Once I began, I could not stop reading until the very last word. The storyline was well thought out and crafted. Stephen King could take a few pointers. Many times if a book has a paranormal theme, I do a big eye roll because it isn't very plausible. Not so with this book.
I highly recommend this book unless you are faint of heart.
This was a well-written, intense, fast-paced book. Once I began, I could not stop reading until the very last word. The storyline was well thought out and crafted. Stephen King could take a few pointers. Many times if a book has a paranormal theme, I do a big eye roll because it isn't very plausible. Not so with this book.
I highly recommend this book unless you are faint of heart.
August 13, 2016
The only reason I didn't award five stars was because I found some parts of the dream sequences and the number of people from the past a little confusing. Well written, suspenseful and well developed characters. Great job and deserving of the 2013 Breakthrough Novel award for Fantasy/Sci-Fi.
Want to read
January 23, 2014Giveaway on http://ravenousreads.blogspot.com/ starting 1/23/14 through 1/30/14.
October 26, 2013
After reading the hype about this book, I was excited to get my hands on a copy. After reading the book's summary, my expectations became even higher, and I couldn't wait to start reading it.
Long story (pardon the pun) short: This is one of those rare cases where my high expectation were absolutely met.
The story is comprised of so many elements that it's bound to appeal to any number of readers on some level. Most obviously, the story hinges around the events that occur after a seance in a haunted house, so it's definitely got those paranormal elements going for it. Then, there are aspects of family drama, grief and loss, ghosts, mental illness, historical events/figures/legends, a little bit (not too much) of gore, dreams that double as visions into the past, angels and demons, and even some romance. Happily, in my view, the book is successful on all of those fronts.
The character that ties everything together and propels the story along is Dimitri, and as far as main characters go, he's great. He's dealing with the loss of his parents, being in a dead-end job writing obituaries, and has a major crush on Lisa, his source of information from the local nursing home. Intelligence, and dry, caustic wit abound with Dimitri, and his observations about everyone and everything around him - and even himself - range from insightful to delightfully snarky. You can't help but root for him, and as the tension ramps up, you hope that he will find the answers for which he is searching, and that he will be able to prevail against the ever-escalating danger.
Lisa, his aforementioned love interest, is tough because she's been through a great deal of trauma, but the relationship that is built between these two characters feels very true-to-life, in that it's a great mix of fun and banter, with a surprising amount of depth and tenderness.
The overall atmosphere is eerie, and the dread quickly starts to mount and continues to build steadily throughout the story. I wouldn't call it scary, per se, but the tension and suspense can grow to be quite high, and the darkness of the story and the level of intrigue that the author is able to escalate work hand-in-hand to keep the reader anticipating great peril and the presence of evil, both figuratively and literally.
One of the aspects of the book that I enjoyed the most - and found the most impressive - is that there are loose ends and pieces of the puzzle present throughout the entire thing; in fact, they're showing up before you even know that they will become significant later on. What J. Lincoln Fenn has done so well with this book is that he's made everything come together beautifully, in a way that doesn't feel forced or rushed: townspeople, family members, and historical figures go from being seemingly random inclusions to figures that have significant roles to play; while past events mesh with, and even come to shed light on, events in the present day, and wind up answering all of the questions that come up throughout the story.
There is one facet of the book with which I wasn't totally thrilled, and that is part of the ending. While most things are given explanations and loose ends are tied up, there is one thing - a major thing (I won't spoil what it is) - that is mostly glossed over and left open-ended. I would suspect, however, that that was on purpose, and I hope it means that we have not seen the last of Dimitri and his paranormal adventures.
Ultimately, that was just a small quibble that I had with a book that I largely loved. It's super-entertaining, and you won't want to stop reading it once you start. I highly recommend this one, and I am very much looking forward to J. Lincoln Fenn's future work.
Long story (pardon the pun) short: This is one of those rare cases where my high expectation were absolutely met.
The story is comprised of so many elements that it's bound to appeal to any number of readers on some level. Most obviously, the story hinges around the events that occur after a seance in a haunted house, so it's definitely got those paranormal elements going for it. Then, there are aspects of family drama, grief and loss, ghosts, mental illness, historical events/figures/legends, a little bit (not too much) of gore, dreams that double as visions into the past, angels and demons, and even some romance. Happily, in my view, the book is successful on all of those fronts.
The character that ties everything together and propels the story along is Dimitri, and as far as main characters go, he's great. He's dealing with the loss of his parents, being in a dead-end job writing obituaries, and has a major crush on Lisa, his source of information from the local nursing home. Intelligence, and dry, caustic wit abound with Dimitri, and his observations about everyone and everything around him - and even himself - range from insightful to delightfully snarky. You can't help but root for him, and as the tension ramps up, you hope that he will find the answers for which he is searching, and that he will be able to prevail against the ever-escalating danger.
Lisa, his aforementioned love interest, is tough because she's been through a great deal of trauma, but the relationship that is built between these two characters feels very true-to-life, in that it's a great mix of fun and banter, with a surprising amount of depth and tenderness.
The overall atmosphere is eerie, and the dread quickly starts to mount and continues to build steadily throughout the story. I wouldn't call it scary, per se, but the tension and suspense can grow to be quite high, and the darkness of the story and the level of intrigue that the author is able to escalate work hand-in-hand to keep the reader anticipating great peril and the presence of evil, both figuratively and literally.
One of the aspects of the book that I enjoyed the most - and found the most impressive - is that there are loose ends and pieces of the puzzle present throughout the entire thing; in fact, they're showing up before you even know that they will become significant later on. What J. Lincoln Fenn has done so well with this book is that he's made everything come together beautifully, in a way that doesn't feel forced or rushed: townspeople, family members, and historical figures go from being seemingly random inclusions to figures that have significant roles to play; while past events mesh with, and even come to shed light on, events in the present day, and wind up answering all of the questions that come up throughout the story.
There is one facet of the book with which I wasn't totally thrilled, and that is part of the ending. While most things are given explanations and loose ends are tied up, there is one thing - a major thing (I won't spoil what it is) - that is mostly glossed over and left open-ended. I would suspect, however, that that was on purpose, and I hope it means that we have not seen the last of Dimitri and his paranormal adventures.
Ultimately, that was just a small quibble that I had with a book that I largely loved. It's super-entertaining, and you won't want to stop reading it once you start. I highly recommend this one, and I am very much looking forward to J. Lincoln Fenn's future work.
March 25, 2014
I received this book for free through NetGalley for an honest review.
I was really happy that I decided to get this book, it caught me off guard and made me love the characters. The writing was fun but still managed to convey a feeling of menace, maybe because even the bad guy had a sense of humor. The characters are all well developed and give you a sense of reality in who they are and who they may become. I could identify with each of the characters on one level or another and that just made it even better for me. I wondered about the title at first but it quickly resolved itself in an interesting way. I am a big fan of Edgar Allan and one of my favorite stories of his is The Tell-Tale Heart, which is referenced here. There was no lag in the story and everything played out quickly with just the right amount of tension.
Dimitri is a nice guy who has had his fair share of tragedy in his life. When his parents died on their way to visit him at college he decided to leave instead of completing the semester. He ends up taking a job with the local paper writing obituaries while he continues to work on his novel, a paranormal tomb about Rasputin, not exactly the life he had envisioned but it pays the bills. There is a girl he is interested in and he has not even asked her out yet, though he talks to regularly as a source, Lisa works at the local convalescent home and gives him information on the residents.
The real complications start when he is sent out to cover a seance at the local haunted house, the Aspinwall mansion, where a lot of people died years before. This assignment changes his life in ways he would never have been able to imagine. It is also the beginning of a rash of killings that are linked to his family which will shock and terrify the community he lives in.
I really ended up liking Dimitri, right from the start he was this gawky, self effacing guy with a personality you couldn't help but be drawn to. Lisa was is the cool girl that you wouldn't expect to be with him but she has more going for her than just looks, she is everything that he needs and they fit together. While you have some good gory scenes they are not over the top but just right to keep the interest. I found myself laughing, smiling, talking back to the characters (out loud) and being worried for their safety. I had a great time reading it and am hoping for more time with them, not to mention Poe and Nachiel. Seems like things ended on a draw and payback would be nice. I definitely recommend this to anyone who likes a little romance, ghosts, demons, angels, and immortal exorcists.
I was really happy that I decided to get this book, it caught me off guard and made me love the characters. The writing was fun but still managed to convey a feeling of menace, maybe because even the bad guy had a sense of humor. The characters are all well developed and give you a sense of reality in who they are and who they may become. I could identify with each of the characters on one level or another and that just made it even better for me. I wondered about the title at first but it quickly resolved itself in an interesting way. I am a big fan of Edgar Allan and one of my favorite stories of his is The Tell-Tale Heart, which is referenced here. There was no lag in the story and everything played out quickly with just the right amount of tension.
Dimitri is a nice guy who has had his fair share of tragedy in his life. When his parents died on their way to visit him at college he decided to leave instead of completing the semester. He ends up taking a job with the local paper writing obituaries while he continues to work on his novel, a paranormal tomb about Rasputin, not exactly the life he had envisioned but it pays the bills. There is a girl he is interested in and he has not even asked her out yet, though he talks to regularly as a source, Lisa works at the local convalescent home and gives him information on the residents.
The real complications start when he is sent out to cover a seance at the local haunted house, the Aspinwall mansion, where a lot of people died years before. This assignment changes his life in ways he would never have been able to imagine. It is also the beginning of a rash of killings that are linked to his family which will shock and terrify the community he lives in.
I really ended up liking Dimitri, right from the start he was this gawky, self effacing guy with a personality you couldn't help but be drawn to. Lisa was is the cool girl that you wouldn't expect to be with him but she has more going for her than just looks, she is everything that he needs and they fit together. While you have some good gory scenes they are not over the top but just right to keep the interest. I found myself laughing, smiling, talking back to the characters (out loud) and being worried for their safety. I had a great time reading it and am hoping for more time with them, not to mention Poe and Nachiel. Seems like things ended on a draw and payback would be nice. I definitely recommend this to anyone who likes a little romance, ghosts, demons, angels, and immortal exorcists.
November 27, 2017
Book #65 for 2017
#AWSFF: Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award - Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror
Better World Books:
- A fantasy novel
- A book by a female writer
GenreLand: November - Mystery
Follow the Clues: Trail 2, Clue 4
PopSugar's Ultimate Reading Challenge (max. 3):
- An audiobook
- A book with a title that's a character's name
- A book set around a holiday other than Christmas
The Legendary Book Club of Habitica's Ultimate Reading Challenge: A book set around a holiday other than Christmas/Yule/Hannakuh/Kwanzaa/Festivus/etc.
Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge:
- A debut novel
- A fantasy novel
My Personal Reading Challenge:
- A book about a haunted building
- An award-winning book
This had the bones of a good story, but the detail work was almost uniformly awful. That's a damn shame, because there were a lot of really cool concepts here, just really crappy execution. The dialogue was juvenile and cheesy, and the protagonist needed a swift kick in the ass. He was so frickin' stupid. Seriously, what character writes 1,000 pages on Rasputin and doesn't immediately recognize the nickname "Mad Monk"? Dimitri Petrov, the supposedly 23-year-old self-proclaimed intellectual protagonist who has all the emotional maturity of a 12-year-old, that's who. He's also a douchey player wannabe who lies to women but thinks of himself as the good guy.
And I'm supposed to believe that a woman wrote these female characters? Well, perhaps Fenn is a very young woman. Yeah, I remember being that young and stupid about men and life, so okay, I'll buy it. Doesn't mean I have to like it.
If this had at least been edited down to a manageable length instead of rambling around aimlessly for nearly 400 pages, I might be willing to give this book two stars for its imaginative premise. But this was just too much of a bad thing for the good parts to shine through the muck.
#AWSFF: Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award - Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror
Better World Books:
- A fantasy novel
- A book by a female writer
GenreLand: November - Mystery
Follow the Clues: Trail 2, Clue 4
PopSugar's Ultimate Reading Challenge (max. 3):
- An audiobook
- A book with a title that's a character's name
- A book set around a holiday other than Christmas
The Legendary Book Club of Habitica's Ultimate Reading Challenge: A book set around a holiday other than Christmas/Yule/Hannakuh/Kwanzaa/Festivus/etc.
Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge:
- A debut novel
- A fantasy novel
My Personal Reading Challenge:
- A book about a haunted building
- An award-winning book
This had the bones of a good story, but the detail work was almost uniformly awful. That's a damn shame, because there were a lot of really cool concepts here, just really crappy execution. The dialogue was juvenile and cheesy, and the protagonist needed a swift kick in the ass. He was so frickin' stupid. Seriously, what character writes 1,000 pages on Rasputin and doesn't immediately recognize the nickname "Mad Monk"? Dimitri Petrov, the supposedly 23-year-old self-proclaimed intellectual protagonist who has all the emotional maturity of a 12-year-old, that's who. He's also a douchey player wannabe who lies to women but thinks of himself as the good guy.
And I'm supposed to believe that a woman wrote these female characters? Well, perhaps Fenn is a very young woman. Yeah, I remember being that young and stupid about men and life, so okay, I'll buy it. Doesn't mean I have to like it.
If this had at least been edited down to a manageable length instead of rambling around aimlessly for nearly 400 pages, I might be willing to give this book two stars for its imaginative premise. But this was just too much of a bad thing for the good parts to shine through the muck.
December 5, 2013
Poe by J. Lincoln Fenn probably isn't a genre of book I'd usually read, but something about it screamed to me "Read me", so I obeyed.
The plot is fairly simple: Dimitri fell into a deep'ish depression when his parents passed away. He'd dropped out of college and was getting nowhere on his novel. He did, barely, have a job writing the local obituaries. On Halloween, his boss gave him yet another chance to save his job: head on out to the local dilapidated mansion and write up a story on the experience.
As he arrives at the mansion he discovers that he'll be experiencing the ghost hunt with his phone crush (Lisa, an employee of the local nursing home who often gives him an early warning about who if up next for the obit list) and his not so best friend from work, Nate. A medium rounds out their team. Everything that can go wrong does, landing one of them a spot in the morgue - probably the best part of their night.
What ensues is a bunch of murder, possible ghosts, family secrets, demons and the like. Virtually everyone that Dimitri knows will be affected in one way or another and if Dimitri doesn't figure out what is going on then he could lose everyone he cares about.
It's actually a little less horror than I expected, a little more fantasy and mystery - though the horror is there in spots.
Could have been a 5 star book except little quirks in the writing here and there made me have to re-read a few small sections to make sure I hadn't somehow skipped ahead. The ending seems a little off from the rest of the book. Still, an excellent read.
* Disclaimer: I received this book at no cost in order to review it. I offered no guarantee of a positive review, though I only request books I think I'll like because why read a book you think you’ll hate?
The plot is fairly simple: Dimitri fell into a deep'ish depression when his parents passed away. He'd dropped out of college and was getting nowhere on his novel. He did, barely, have a job writing the local obituaries. On Halloween, his boss gave him yet another chance to save his job: head on out to the local dilapidated mansion and write up a story on the experience.
As he arrives at the mansion he discovers that he'll be experiencing the ghost hunt with his phone crush (Lisa, an employee of the local nursing home who often gives him an early warning about who if up next for the obit list) and his not so best friend from work, Nate. A medium rounds out their team. Everything that can go wrong does, landing one of them a spot in the morgue - probably the best part of their night.
What ensues is a bunch of murder, possible ghosts, family secrets, demons and the like. Virtually everyone that Dimitri knows will be affected in one way or another and if Dimitri doesn't figure out what is going on then he could lose everyone he cares about.
It's actually a little less horror than I expected, a little more fantasy and mystery - though the horror is there in spots.
Could have been a 5 star book except little quirks in the writing here and there made me have to re-read a few small sections to make sure I hadn't somehow skipped ahead. The ending seems a little off from the rest of the book. Still, an excellent read.
* Disclaimer: I received this book at no cost in order to review it. I offered no guarantee of a positive review, though I only request books I think I'll like because why read a book you think you’ll hate?
June 18, 2017
Great. Me, Nate, and a psychic hairdresser spending the first anniversary of my parents' death in some kind of decrepit mansion that's probably a death trap and will certainly set off my mold allergies.
I'm just going to confess up front that I'm a classic scaredy cat. 364 days a year I steadfastly avoid any books that are likely to be frightening, but there is - every now and then - a book that makes me throw caution to the wind (it goes without saying it that I then spend the next 364 days regretting that).
This year, that book was POE, a classic haunted house story with ghosts galore. Initially I started reading of an evening, but quickly abandoned that after an initial creepy part, and then finished it off during the day-time. I have to say, I don't know if it was because of the sun streaming in while I read, but my creep-o-meter didn't rise at all while reading the rest of the book. And despite all that I said about being a chicken, if I'm going to read a scary book, I want to actually be scared, or at least feel a few cold chills down the spine.
What this book did have, however, was fun. The main character, Dimitri, was humorous to read, and there were parts where I laughed out loud.
Final creep-o-meter rating: 2/10
Final fun-o-meter rating: 6/10
Not the scariest book out there by a long shot, but definitely a lot of fun.
I'm just going to confess up front that I'm a classic scaredy cat. 364 days a year I steadfastly avoid any books that are likely to be frightening, but there is - every now and then - a book that makes me throw caution to the wind (it goes without saying it that I then spend the next 364 days regretting that).
This year, that book was POE, a classic haunted house story with ghosts galore. Initially I started reading of an evening, but quickly abandoned that after an initial creepy part, and then finished it off during the day-time. I have to say, I don't know if it was because of the sun streaming in while I read, but my creep-o-meter didn't rise at all while reading the rest of the book. And despite all that I said about being a chicken, if I'm going to read a scary book, I want to actually be scared, or at least feel a few cold chills down the spine.
What this book did have, however, was fun. The main character, Dimitri, was humorous to read, and there were parts where I laughed out loud.
Final creep-o-meter rating: 2/10
Final fun-o-meter rating: 6/10
Not the scariest book out there by a long shot, but definitely a lot of fun.
November 5, 2013
I loved this book and look forward to more by this author. It came up as a recommendation on my Kindle, I downloaded a free excerpt, and then bought the book to keep reading. I thought it was a highly enjoyable novel by a new author. It has elements of horror but at its core this is more of a mystery with supernatural elements (with a bit or romance and coming-of-age thrown in). It reminds me of books that I read in my youth that merged haunted houses with post-cognition (as opposed to true time travel) - the heart of these visions being that there is a story / secret / horror that needs to be revealed and some kind of wrong to make right or make amends for. For me, the book achieved this well. I also enjoyed the occasional meta-references that were thrown in (I'm sure one of the lines riffed on Start Trek) or the frustration at his attempt to write a first novel that doesn't quite turn out as he expected (though there probably is a market for Rasputin as Lord of the Zombies).
October 3, 2023
Well, I'm impressed. This was a really great read, especially considering it's the author's debut novel- though I will say, the title is a tad misleading and I wouldn't classify technically this book as horror. There are horror aspects, sure, as it's a ghost story and has a fair amount of gore, but there's also an element of paranormal fantasy and a little mystery thrown in for good measure. I think it was all really well crafted. I loved the atmosphere, I thought the character's voices sounded genuine, and I think the author did an excellent job tying everything together, from the little story arc to the bigger, century spanning one. Sure, the ending is a little open, but I think it definitely fits the tone of the book.
Anyone who likes a ghost story should check this one out.
Anyone who likes a ghost story should check this one out.
January 9, 2015
A beautifully grim horror-thriller and love story that had me smiling at times and also had me uneasy at times, especially reading it alone after dark. The wit and sarcasm of the main character is something that I enjoyed. The budding relationship between him and the leading lady was natural and without any clichés one would expect in a young-adult genre. One of the best books I have read in this genre with lovely passages which can be quoted. There are also references to Russian culture, as well as philosophy and religion which are contemporary and not overbearing. This is a page turner with a well-crafted line of suspense.
October 15, 2013
I won this book from GR in exchange for a honest review. honestly? I really liked it! it's one of those books you start reading then look up and hours & hours have past.
these are some notes I jotted down while reading through the book:
the first few chapters are rather depressing, or you feel Dimitri's depression over the loss of his parents.
I loved, loved, loved Aspinwall. I wanted to know every last detail about he house. I loved the flash back scenes.
it's really nice following Dimitri. we first meet him and he's depressed & lonely. that changes a lot by the end of the book.
these are some notes I jotted down while reading through the book:
the first few chapters are rather depressing, or you feel Dimitri's depression over the loss of his parents.
I loved, loved, loved Aspinwall. I wanted to know every last detail about he house. I loved the flash back scenes.
it's really nice following Dimitri. we first meet him and he's depressed & lonely. that changes a lot by the end of the book.
August 27, 2019
Categorizing Poe as horror is a strrrrrretch.
I guess if you didn't grow up on a steady diet of Stephen King and similar horror writers, and you're a tender soul who finds the Halloween Store's made-in-China animatronics frightening, then...okay, "horror."
A more apt description would be urban fantasy with ghosts.
Poe began as five star book. I loved the protagonist's, Dimitri's, snarky voice and for the first third of the story, the writing made my brain all buzzy and creative, the portent of a "keeper." But then the story lost focus due to a massive shipment of insta-love that dropped, lead-heavy, in the plot and obliterated any sense of urgency.
Dimitri is a college dropout and failed novelist who's barely making rent writing obits for the town's sorry excuse for a newspaper. Things get interesting, however, when he's given an assignment to cover a seance at a local haunted house. There, he meets the girl of his dreams and then drowns and ends up seconds from being live-autopsied.
From there, a crazy sauce mix of plot elements come into play, including his apartment's resident ghost, guardian angels, and Rasputin. Yeah, that Rasputin.
It's fun, it's fluffy; but Dimitri and whatshername's whirlwind romance--"I love you" after just a couple of days--mucks up the story's cogs and honestly, the chemistry between the two lovers is tepid at best. Also, as the story progresses, Dimitri's choices go all Too Stupid to Live; all while he does improbable stuff like shoot a lock off a gate, even though he has no firearm experience.
A cute, but forgettable urban fantasy.
I guess if you didn't grow up on a steady diet of Stephen King and similar horror writers, and you're a tender soul who finds the Halloween Store's made-in-China animatronics frightening, then...okay, "horror."
A more apt description would be urban fantasy with ghosts.
Poe began as five star book. I loved the protagonist's, Dimitri's, snarky voice and for the first third of the story, the writing made my brain all buzzy and creative, the portent of a "keeper." But then the story lost focus due to a massive shipment of insta-love that dropped, lead-heavy, in the plot and obliterated any sense of urgency.
Dimitri is a college dropout and failed novelist who's barely making rent writing obits for the town's sorry excuse for a newspaper. Things get interesting, however, when he's given an assignment to cover a seance at a local haunted house. There, he meets the girl of his dreams and then drowns and ends up seconds from being live-autopsied.
From there, a crazy sauce mix of plot elements come into play, including his apartment's resident ghost, guardian angels, and Rasputin. Yeah, that Rasputin.
It's fun, it's fluffy; but Dimitri and whatshername's whirlwind romance--"I love you" after just a couple of days--mucks up the story's cogs and honestly, the chemistry between the two lovers is tepid at best. Also, as the story progresses, Dimitri's choices go all Too Stupid to Live; all while he does improbable stuff like shoot a lock off a gate, even though he has no firearm experience.
A cute, but forgettable urban fantasy.
November 10, 2017
3.5 Stars for Story, 4 Stars for Luke Daniels' Narration
Mini-Review:
The story had a few twists and turns that I didn't quite expect. I liked it much more than I thought I would. Thus far, this is the best narration I've heard by Luke Daniels. He is a favorite narrator for several of my friends but I don't always enjoy his take on books. This was a great story to continue the spooky tales trend I had going for Halloween. The author did a good job because I was left wanting to see what else will be in store for Dmitri. I went to look what else she has published and added it to my TBR.
Mini-Review:
The story had a few twists and turns that I didn't quite expect. I liked it much more than I thought I would. Thus far, this is the best narration I've heard by Luke Daniels. He is a favorite narrator for several of my friends but I don't always enjoy his take on books. This was a great story to continue the spooky tales trend I had going for Halloween. The author did a good job because I was left wanting to see what else will be in store for Dmitri. I went to look what else she has published and added it to my TBR.
November 13, 2013
This book when I first heard about it immediately went up to the top of my list. If you recall, I really liked 14, and this book scratched a similar itch. It has mystery, suspense, romance, humor and was enthralling from the moment I picked it up. I’m sure you can guess where this review is going but if want to humor me and keep reading I won’t mind. :)
The main character has this wonderful dry sense of humor that I found relatable and the way he would look at and comment about things around him always left me with a smile. The humor he brings provides a very good counterpoint to some of the darkness and horror. I will admit there were parts where I had to stop reading because it was getting late into the night and I got a bit scared. (Okay I admit it, I am a pansy). Lisa, the girl who has men cave stomping to be with, adds quite a bit of charm to the book and helps balances out things and sure to give Dimitri a good kick if she thinks he is being stupid. (Dimitri has a sore bum by the end of the book I can tell you that).
I am one of those people who thing to truly drive a story you need more than an interesting plot, you need strong developed characters. This book has such unique characters from the overbearing Mac, who has quite the mouth on him but really is all heart, to the young niece of Lisa who is just simply amazing. Every character feels well thought out, like there is a history and baggage that help motivate them in the story. Yes, some of the characters do swear but it is never anything outside their character. I personally wasn’t bothered by the swearing but if you are someone who can’t handle it, probably shouldn’t read this (although you will be missing out).
The overall plot is great, the mystery is setup very well and the pieces start to come together in a natural fashion. In the end of the story there are still many unanswered questions (second book please?) but I felt satisfied at the conclusion. If you like a good suspense, horror with wonderful characters and a great mystery you really won’t want to miss this book.
Verdict: Recommended
The main character has this wonderful dry sense of humor that I found relatable and the way he would look at and comment about things around him always left me with a smile. The humor he brings provides a very good counterpoint to some of the darkness and horror. I will admit there were parts where I had to stop reading because it was getting late into the night and I got a bit scared. (Okay I admit it, I am a pansy). Lisa, the girl who has men cave stomping to be with, adds quite a bit of charm to the book and helps balances out things and sure to give Dimitri a good kick if she thinks he is being stupid. (Dimitri has a sore bum by the end of the book I can tell you that).
I am one of those people who thing to truly drive a story you need more than an interesting plot, you need strong developed characters. This book has such unique characters from the overbearing Mac, who has quite the mouth on him but really is all heart, to the young niece of Lisa who is just simply amazing. Every character feels well thought out, like there is a history and baggage that help motivate them in the story. Yes, some of the characters do swear but it is never anything outside their character. I personally wasn’t bothered by the swearing but if you are someone who can’t handle it, probably shouldn’t read this (although you will be missing out).
The overall plot is great, the mystery is setup very well and the pieces start to come together in a natural fashion. In the end of the story there are still many unanswered questions (second book please?) but I felt satisfied at the conclusion. If you like a good suspense, horror with wonderful characters and a great mystery you really won’t want to miss this book.
Verdict: Recommended
October 19, 2016
When obituary writer Dmitri Petrov lands a gig covering the reportedly haunted Aspinwall Mansion, he finds himself in the middle of a family mystery with maybe a few too many coincidences.
I went into Poe with limited expectations, having read mixed reviews of what some term a novel rife with “sophomoric humor.” Poe feels like a young adult novel in terms of voice, though not with regard to content. The blurb talks about gruesome murders, of which there are a couple scenes that yes, are a little disturbing. Is it horror? I wouldn’t say so, but the other book I’m reading right now is Joe Hill’s NOS4A2, which is. Poe is horror lite at best, sarcastic and more of a supernatural/paranormal novel than anything else.
This is a fun read that doesn’t take itself too seriously. There’s a pretty big cast (lots of minor characters to keep track of), of which Nachiel tripped me up the most (not only because I’m not a fan of any name that close to “nacho” but because I didn’t know where he came from). I think by that point I was in the midst of a serious case of “character soup.” The book goes back and forth through time (dream/wake/now/then), but the storyline flows with only minor hiccups.
Would I recommend it? Sure. Just don’t expect something it’s not (dark horror) and if you’ve read it and enjoyed it, Poe reminds me a lot of Matt Schiariti’s Ghosts of Demons Past. Another book full of sarcastic wit with an antihero lead character, Ghosts touches on a lot of the same themes.
I went into Poe with limited expectations, having read mixed reviews of what some term a novel rife with “sophomoric humor.” Poe feels like a young adult novel in terms of voice, though not with regard to content. The blurb talks about gruesome murders, of which there are a couple scenes that yes, are a little disturbing. Is it horror? I wouldn’t say so, but the other book I’m reading right now is Joe Hill’s NOS4A2, which is. Poe is horror lite at best, sarcastic and more of a supernatural/paranormal novel than anything else.
This is a fun read that doesn’t take itself too seriously. There’s a pretty big cast (lots of minor characters to keep track of), of which Nachiel tripped me up the most (not only because I’m not a fan of any name that close to “nacho” but because I didn’t know where he came from). I think by that point I was in the midst of a serious case of “character soup.” The book goes back and forth through time (dream/wake/now/then), but the storyline flows with only minor hiccups.
Would I recommend it? Sure. Just don’t expect something it’s not (dark horror) and if you’ve read it and enjoyed it, Poe reminds me a lot of Matt Schiariti’s Ghosts of Demons Past. Another book full of sarcastic wit with an antihero lead character, Ghosts touches on a lot of the same themes.
November 12, 2013
Don't let the title fool you Poe isn't about Edgar but I think he would have enjoyed this work. It is instead a supernatural/occult thriller that is genuinely different from anything I have read before. The reluctant hero is D. Peters, an obituary writer for a small town newspaper who bumbles through life after the death of his parents. When his boss decides that he should write an article about a haunted mansion on the outskirts of town his life changes forever. He nearly dies, hell he's almost autopsied! Things just get stranger with each passing day along with his complicated relationship with his new girlfriend Lisa who also has a strange family history. A mysterious ring that once belonged to his father and a grimoire that he stumbles upon help to put the pieces together as to what his father really did before his sudden death and what Dimitri must do to stop the horrific murders that are plaguing his town.
I loved this novel and look forward to seeing more from Mr. Fenn. Not only was Poe a great supernatural mystery but it was liberally peppered with humorous moments to allow your heart to stop racing for a moment.
I loved this novel and look forward to seeing more from Mr. Fenn. Not only was Poe a great supernatural mystery but it was liberally peppered with humorous moments to allow your heart to stop racing for a moment.
October 29, 2013
I adore this book. Right from the beginning I felt a connection with the main character. The prologue hooked me in and made me want to keep reading to find out what would happen next.
One of the things that kept me interested in this story was the rather pessimistic optimism of the main character. He looked at life in a similar way to myself and I laughed out loud on multiple occasions. This is one of those books that you have to be rather careful reading when you are in public if you don't want the people around you to stare at you as if you have lost your mind.
If you like books that contain suspense, humour and a different type of story than the average one that you see every day, this is the book for you. I never really knew what was going to happen next, and I was sad when the story was over.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves to read the sort of Gothic type mysteries that I love. This book was so much fun.
This review is based on a digital ARC from the publisher and provided by Netgalley.
One of the things that kept me interested in this story was the rather pessimistic optimism of the main character. He looked at life in a similar way to myself and I laughed out loud on multiple occasions. This is one of those books that you have to be rather careful reading when you are in public if you don't want the people around you to stare at you as if you have lost your mind.
If you like books that contain suspense, humour and a different type of story than the average one that you see every day, this is the book for you. I never really knew what was going to happen next, and I was sad when the story was over.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves to read the sort of Gothic type mysteries that I love. This book was so much fun.
This review is based on a digital ARC from the publisher and provided by Netgalley.
September 29, 2014
I started reading Poe in the morning before work, and I finished it that evening. As I raced through the book, I had my own theories about Dimitri’s history, his parents, and Lisa’s family—some of which were right, others not so much. Either way, J. Lincoln Fenn combines horror, mystery, humor, supernatural suspense, and romance in a neat little bundle. The plot moves smoothly, with perfect twists and turns, each action leading to another logical action. Characters and plot devices are all introduced and nothing jumped out as strange or out of the ordinary (for example, after Dimitri throws an old stuffed animal across the room and it heavily thunks into the wall, my first thought was, There is something in there. I was right).
The description is exhilaratingly creepy, the writing feels very gothic horror. I found myself glancing over my shoulder as I read, creaks in the house making me jump. I was completely absorbed.
Read more of my review at http://sfbook.com/poe.htm
The description is exhilaratingly creepy, the writing feels very gothic horror. I found myself glancing over my shoulder as I read, creaks in the house making me jump. I was completely absorbed.
Read more of my review at http://sfbook.com/poe.htm
November 24, 2014
It was Halloween night and it marked the one year anniversary of the death of Dimitri parents. Dimitri is writing a book about Rasputin but seems to have writers block. He is a 23 year old man who works at the local paper writing obituaries. Dimitri gets a last minute assignment to cover the seance at the old haunted Aspinwall Manor. There he meets Lisa and falls for her hard. There is a psychic who is conducting the seance but the seance doesn't goes as planned and all hell breaks loose. Dimitri wakes up something evil at the manor and ends up falling in to cold icy well. He ends up on a table in the morgue but he is not really dead. Bodies of town residents are turning up gruesomely murdered. Dimitri must find out what the connection between the manor and his family is. The ending of the book leads me to believe that there could be sequel to this book. I would recommend this book to readers who like lite horror
October 30, 2013
Not since "John Dies at the End" have I encountered a story that manages to be so engaging while deftly balancing the chuckles with the shivers. A twenty-something, disaffected and self-deprecating under achiever--well, maybe that last bit isn't fair, he has churned out a thousand plus page novel featuring Rasputin as a zombie--goes from stumbling through life to waking up in the morgue. Coincidence keeps calling, and soon Dimitri finds that the bumps he encounters on the road to true love are actually the bodies a demon-possessed serial killer has left for him to find. I totally get why this twisted little gem was a winner of 2013 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award. I just pray this book will make it into the hands of Sam Raimi.
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