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The Consuming
Serena knows her late uncle wasn’t crazy. So when she inherits his sprawling Carolina mansion and leaves the big city to restore both his home and his name, she uncovers a mystery that could cost much more than her sanity. As the house slowly reveals its dark secrets, and the extent of her peril becomes evident, she’ll settle for escaping with her life—if it isn’t already too late.
The Consuming was originally published in the Tales From The Mist Anthology.
The Consuming was originally published in the Tales From The Mist Anthology.
- GenresHorror
42 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 26, 2013
2 people are currently reading
50 people want to read
About the author
Rhonda Hopkins
19 books398 followersA little magic, a little mystery, a lot of heart
Young adult author who writes cozy mysteries, urban fantasy, and romance. She lives in Texas on a small farm with her family, a cat & dog, miniature cows and donkeys, and chickens.
Before becoming an author, Rhonda's career put her in close contact with people from all walks of life. She uses her past experiences to develop characters that are diverse and full of life.
Young adult author who writes cozy mysteries, urban fantasy, and romance. She lives in Texas on a small farm with her family, a cat & dog, miniature cows and donkeys, and chickens.
Before becoming an author, Rhonda's career put her in close contact with people from all walks of life. She uses her past experiences to develop characters that are diverse and full of life.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 8, 2018
Whoa...Didn't see THAT Coming!
Serena is left 0490456 by her uncle Fred; a house , to be exact. Serena hadn't seen it spoken to her uncle in many years, and was surprised by the bequest. Her best friend Beth begged Serena not to go.... There was something....well, WRONG... About that house....
Against her best friend's wishes, Serena travels to the house to claim her inheritance. Upon arrival, Serena is dismayed at the condition the house is in, but is confident she can get it cleaned up and ready for sale in a short amount of time.
Serena contacts a local contractor, Devon, to go through the house and give her an estimate for repairs. The attraction is immediate between them, but Serena wants the work done, so ignores it.
But there are some things happening she can't ignore, nor can she explain. Voices, movements caught out of the corner of her eye... Horrific visions... Is the house haunted, or is Serena losing her mind?
A fast and furious read, this tale have me goosebumps!
Serena is left 0490456 by her uncle Fred; a house , to be exact. Serena hadn't seen it spoken to her uncle in many years, and was surprised by the bequest. Her best friend Beth begged Serena not to go.... There was something....well, WRONG... About that house....
Against her best friend's wishes, Serena travels to the house to claim her inheritance. Upon arrival, Serena is dismayed at the condition the house is in, but is confident she can get it cleaned up and ready for sale in a short amount of time.
Serena contacts a local contractor, Devon, to go through the house and give her an estimate for repairs. The attraction is immediate between them, but Serena wants the work done, so ignores it.
But there are some things happening she can't ignore, nor can she explain. Voices, movements caught out of the corner of her eye... Horrific visions... Is the house haunted, or is Serena losing her mind?
A fast and furious read, this tale have me goosebumps!
August 3, 2013
The Consuming by Rhonda Hopkins is the story of young professional woman who inherits her crazy uncle's sprawling Carolina mansion. It's a premise that offers everything I love in a scary story. We have a strong, yet vulnerable main character going back to her roots in a small Southern town, a mysterious old mansion, and a family history of insanity to cast a shadow of doubt over the spooky stuff I know waits in the pages ahead.
In the spirit of full disclosure, you should know that I was one of the lucky few to read this story before its release in the "Tales from the Mist" anthology in October, 2012, and that I was privileged to have one of my stories published in the same anthology. There are no spoilers here, so you can experience every well-crafted shock and OMG moment "The Consuming" has to offer.
Ms. Hopkins has taken the classic components of a solid haunted house tale and engineered a piece of literary horror with a wonderfully spooky vibe. There is a journey of self-discovery that mirrors the protagonist's exploration of the house and its history, giving us very well developed and sympathetic character. The house, itself, also feels like a living character; perhaps a well-disguised homage to Poe's "Fall of the House of Usher." As the plot unfolds at a perfect pace, we get to enjoy the building the sense of peril as Serena learns bit, by frightening bit, of the truth, until the climactic moment when she realizes what she's...
Well, I won't spoil it for you.
With a conclusion you won't see coming until it's too late, this story delivers on every promise. As with all great stories, "The Consuming" will haunt you long after you've finished reading. Ms. Hopkins masterfully leaves us with just enough of an open ending to make us want more. With a permanent place on my "Favorites" shelf, I still treat myself to a re-read when I feel like enjoying a bit of a scare.
In the spirit of full disclosure, you should know that I was one of the lucky few to read this story before its release in the "Tales from the Mist" anthology in October, 2012, and that I was privileged to have one of my stories published in the same anthology. There are no spoilers here, so you can experience every well-crafted shock and OMG moment "The Consuming" has to offer.
Ms. Hopkins has taken the classic components of a solid haunted house tale and engineered a piece of literary horror with a wonderfully spooky vibe. There is a journey of self-discovery that mirrors the protagonist's exploration of the house and its history, giving us very well developed and sympathetic character. The house, itself, also feels like a living character; perhaps a well-disguised homage to Poe's "Fall of the House of Usher." As the plot unfolds at a perfect pace, we get to enjoy the building the sense of peril as Serena learns bit, by frightening bit, of the truth, until the climactic moment when she realizes what she's...
Well, I won't spoil it for you.
With a conclusion you won't see coming until it's too late, this story delivers on every promise. As with all great stories, "The Consuming" will haunt you long after you've finished reading. Ms. Hopkins masterfully leaves us with just enough of an open ending to make us want more. With a permanent place on my "Favorites" shelf, I still treat myself to a re-read when I feel like enjoying a bit of a scare.
July 29, 2018
Serena inherits a house from her Uncle Frederick, who she remembers liking when she was a little girl, until her father fell out with his brother and he vanished from the family’s lives. She feels the least she can do is travel from Florida to North Carolina and sort out his belongings. Her friend Beth does her best to dissuade her; she’s had frightening dreams of Serena skeleton- thin, ill, and mentally destroyed. Serena ignores her, and she was right – the man she finds to help her do some work on the beautiful old house is a man she’d be willing to change her successful, career-girl, life to keep. Or was she right? Why do the locals ostracise her? How, exactly, did her uncle die?
September 11, 2013
If you like a good horror tale with a touch of romance, you'll love this story! It's a fast-paced read with sympathetic characters. *spoiler* - it does end with a cliff-hanger which gives no indication as to whether it will all turn out well for the main character. So, if you don't like to be left hanging at the end of stories, you might want to ask Ms. Hopkins nicely to write a sequel before you start reading.
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September 10, 2013I love ghost stories & Rhonda Hopkins did a great job creating spine-chilling creepiness and page-turning tension, the characters are interesting, and the plot possibilities are intriguing. I think I actually wailed when I reached the end...more, give me more. I sure hope Ms. Hopkins is writing a sequel!
August 9, 2013
I originally read this story in TALES FROM THE MIST. It's a great little haunted house story with plenty of jump-out-of-your-skin moments and a backstory worthy of a classic gothic novel. Throw in the threat of madness, and you've got the perfect spooky tale. Loved this one!
January 4, 2018
A supposedly haunted dilapidated old house you've just inherited, the sudden death of an uncle you haven't seen since childhood, rumours of madness, the locals refusing to go near the place, and a psychic best friend who warns you not to go near the place ... It's hard to say too much about a short story without giving too much away but here we have all the ingredients of a spooky little ghost story, the sort that would make for a great episode of Hammer's House of Horror. I liked the author's style of writing, hints of a modern Edgar Allen Poe but obviously more current and without overdoing the gothic atmosphere, striking just the right balance at the beginning between outward normality while feeling and knowing something's not quite right. Sometimes a short story will leave too many unanswered questions but in one such as this, a bit of mystery left to the imagination just adds to its enjoyment.
Taking just under an hour to read, this is the perfect story if you like a little mystery and the supernatural in your reading but aren't in the mood to take on the challenge of a full-length novel. Personally, I would have preferred this to be a little longer, perhaps with more involvement of the psychic friend but overall a fine short story that horror fans will appreciate.
Taking just under an hour to read, this is the perfect story if you like a little mystery and the supernatural in your reading but aren't in the mood to take on the challenge of a full-length novel. Personally, I would have preferred this to be a little longer, perhaps with more involvement of the psychic friend but overall a fine short story that horror fans will appreciate.
June 3, 2018
A Seriously Spooky Journey
When a creepy old house lies at the heart of a story, you just know a haunting and a mystery are waiting to happen. Those two elements combined make for a seriously spooky journey. The author does a great job of making your skin prickle by layering in a hint of something “other” behind the paranormal activity -- scary business that keeps you guessing. This kind of subtle horror is right up my dark alley!
If you like your stories on the eerie side, The Consuming by Rhonda Hopkins is well worth a read.
When a creepy old house lies at the heart of a story, you just know a haunting and a mystery are waiting to happen. Those two elements combined make for a seriously spooky journey. The author does a great job of making your skin prickle by layering in a hint of something “other” behind the paranormal activity -- scary business that keeps you guessing. This kind of subtle horror is right up my dark alley!
If you like your stories on the eerie side, The Consuming by Rhonda Hopkins is well worth a read.
August 10, 2013
Get out of that house!!!
Oh ... how to profess my pleasure at this creepy short story without giving spoilers? Let's just say I was NOT positive a certain ... person ... was real and not merely another ghost until the very end. Enjoyed!
Oh ... how to profess my pleasure at this creepy short story without giving spoilers? Let's just say I was NOT positive a certain ... person ... was real and not merely another ghost until the very end. Enjoyed!
September 16, 2013
Spooky! It's amazing how much Rhonda sucks you into the story in such a short time. And the end? I'm STILL thinking about it. To me, that means it's a great story. Well done!
June 16, 2014
A great read,I wish it was longer as I really enjoyed it.
February 23, 2014
Makes your skin tingle and wonder what's coming next. try reading this and then not looking in a mirror through feel a rotting corpse is going to show up behind you!
January 28, 2023
The overall story wasn't bad. It had a great premise. I felt the underlying meat and potatoes was missing something substantial to hold it all together. If this was a prequel to a series, I could see it, and get behind it. Add it is, I'm left without any real details or finality.
February 3, 2015
Had a good start and then....The End?!?? I realize this is a short story, but "the end" was no end... More like a cliff hanger of a preview book. Terrible. The ONLY reason it got the second star was because of the potential to be a good read. I still have a hard time believing this is a short story. There must be a mistake here.... but all info points to this being it. What a disappointment.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews