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Spirit Houses
This is the time of the evening when the Things come.
As the trees close ranks and colours all merge into one colour, the Things start to stir - to dislocate their joints and stretch their limbs; rearranging themselves into new images for the twilight, they taste the air with prehensile tongues. That's what Manda's father used to
tell her. He knew how little Manda loved to hear of the paranaturals. She got that fascination from her mother, he'd say back then. After, he'd say she got that fascination from her mother, but he'd say it differently…
When Manda Connor's lab partner Daniel Forbes goes missing presumed dead it’s just another normal day at University Hospital. But the circumstances of his disappearance aren’t quite as straightforward as they seem and take Manda and her colleagues at the Department of Paranatural Medicine on a journey across planes and to the fringes of death to find the truth.
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/diebooth
As the trees close ranks and colours all merge into one colour, the Things start to stir - to dislocate their joints and stretch their limbs; rearranging themselves into new images for the twilight, they taste the air with prehensile tongues. That's what Manda's father used to
tell her. He knew how little Manda loved to hear of the paranaturals. She got that fascination from her mother, he'd say back then. After, he'd say she got that fascination from her mother, but he'd say it differently…
When Manda Connor's lab partner Daniel Forbes goes missing presumed dead it’s just another normal day at University Hospital. But the circumstances of his disappearance aren’t quite as straightforward as they seem and take Manda and her colleagues at the Department of Paranatural Medicine on a journey across planes and to the fringes of death to find the truth.
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/diebooth
- GenresHorror
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
170 people want to read
About the author
Die Booth
52 books42 followersHey. I'm Die and I like wild beaches, exploring dark places and concocting iffy lies that stalk you from the shadows.
My latest book is a cursed novella called 'Cool S'.
You can buy my books online here in ebook and here in print.
You can also find a full list of things I've had published on my website.
I like reviewing books but I don't leave star ratings because I just personally find reviews are far more helpful and nuanced.
My latest book is a cursed novella called 'Cool S'.
You can buy my books online here in ebook and here in print.
You can also find a full list of things I've had published on my website.
I like reviewing books but I don't leave star ratings because I just personally find reviews are far more helpful and nuanced.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
November 27, 2023
I have been telling everyone that Spirit Houses is like a twist on so many tropes and dark academia, with a side trip to a Wonderland type place; so I might as well make that part of my official review. It is a bit hard to classify, but even 10 years after its publication, it felt fresh and new. The characters are young and absolutely do not know what they are doing, but are figuring it out as they go. Spirit Houses has heart and humor, even among the horrors of ghosts and werewolves and inter-dimensional travel (oh my!). Do yourself a favor and give this indie horror treasure a chance.
November 12, 2013
Absolutely delightful world building, a compelling cast of characters and Die Booth's signature lyrical writing style come together very well in Die's debut novel. Manda is sympathetic and very human and likeable, and the initial puzzle of what exactly happened between herself and Daniel and how she came to be haunted by him--and the later result of that--would have been hook enough to keep me going. Add in a world that I wanted to know much more about and see so much more of, which was richly glimpsed and full of wonder, and this was a hard book to put down. Alex and Ray are delightful, as were several of the lesser players--Fix, the various demons, even the blue centaur girl glimpsed so briefly.
I recently reread Madeline L'Engle's "A Wrinkle in Time" and there was something about "Spirit Houses" that reminded me of that book. A shared sense of delight and adventure, and I think, of a young woman protagonist who is both swept along through fantastical happenings/worlds, but also given agency in the end, to be brave in a way she doesn't think herself capable of. I'd love to see a sequel in which Manda is given further room to grow and become, quite literally in some ways, her own person after the happenings of the end.
I enjoyed that Daniel wasn't made likeable in the end--was never really likeable--though you could come to understand him. I think too many books try to force to you sympathize with everyone, and, well, life just isn't like that. Some people are antisocial with unpleasant ways of expressing themselves and it was a testament to Die's capable writing that he walked that fine like of unpleasant without becoming off-putting while reading.
All in all--I definitely want more of the "Spirit Houses" worlds and characters, and think Die has set up a wonderful tale that should appeal to fans of many genres, be it magical realism, steam punk, the paranormal or a good old fashioned adventure.
Definitely recommended!
I recently reread Madeline L'Engle's "A Wrinkle in Time" and there was something about "Spirit Houses" that reminded me of that book. A shared sense of delight and adventure, and I think, of a young woman protagonist who is both swept along through fantastical happenings/worlds, but also given agency in the end, to be brave in a way she doesn't think herself capable of. I'd love to see a sequel in which Manda is given further room to grow and become, quite literally in some ways, her own person after the happenings of the end.
I enjoyed that Daniel wasn't made likeable in the end--was never really likeable--though you could come to understand him. I think too many books try to force to you sympathize with everyone, and, well, life just isn't like that. Some people are antisocial with unpleasant ways of expressing themselves and it was a testament to Die's capable writing that he walked that fine like of unpleasant without becoming off-putting while reading.
All in all--I definitely want more of the "Spirit Houses" worlds and characters, and think Die has set up a wonderful tale that should appeal to fans of many genres, be it magical realism, steam punk, the paranormal or a good old fashioned adventure.
Definitely recommended!
October 7, 2013
I'll be honest. I'm not a goth/horror "type". I prefer funny, sunshiny, goofy shenanigans. Or pretty, fantastic, amazing fantasy/science fiction. I'm just not a "dark" sort of person.
Until I read this book. Now I'm thinking I have a darkness-appreciation streak a mile wide, that I heretofore did not know about.
I'm super-picky about what I read, too. I don't usually like fiction. I put down a large percentage of what I start reading, never to return to it. It just takes a lot to impress me. I need characters I care about. I need interesting plot, deftly twisted and yet perfect in it's completion, that does not leave me wanting or wondering. I need a world, preferably an exotic or different one that takes me beyond the normal world, one that fascinates and interests me. I need beauty, love, and depth. All of my needs were met.
Booth's characters are authentic creations, and yet are placed in a world that tips into the unreal. The delightful descriptions of a Victorian-tinged, steampunk-type world full of vampires, werewolves and other denizens of the supernatural sucks you in and won't let you go until you've dropped all previous notions of Victorian-tinged, steampunk-type books or books with vampires and werewolves in them. Spirit Houses is definitely for adults, and will horrify you and cater to your nightmares, but not without reason, and generous helpings of graceful, cunning description. Full of convincing "scientific" authenticity, it will charm you into believing in and wanting more of exactly the same nightmares. Because now they have become fascinating.
This is a perfect novel. It takes you places you didn't expect, explains worlds you thought you knew about but didn't, and shows you the terrifying beauty lurking in the dark. It is just that kind of book. I highly recommend it.
Until I read this book. Now I'm thinking I have a darkness-appreciation streak a mile wide, that I heretofore did not know about.
I'm super-picky about what I read, too. I don't usually like fiction. I put down a large percentage of what I start reading, never to return to it. It just takes a lot to impress me. I need characters I care about. I need interesting plot, deftly twisted and yet perfect in it's completion, that does not leave me wanting or wondering. I need a world, preferably an exotic or different one that takes me beyond the normal world, one that fascinates and interests me. I need beauty, love, and depth. All of my needs were met.
Booth's characters are authentic creations, and yet are placed in a world that tips into the unreal. The delightful descriptions of a Victorian-tinged, steampunk-type world full of vampires, werewolves and other denizens of the supernatural sucks you in and won't let you go until you've dropped all previous notions of Victorian-tinged, steampunk-type books or books with vampires and werewolves in them. Spirit Houses is definitely for adults, and will horrify you and cater to your nightmares, but not without reason, and generous helpings of graceful, cunning description. Full of convincing "scientific" authenticity, it will charm you into believing in and wanting more of exactly the same nightmares. Because now they have become fascinating.
This is a perfect novel. It takes you places you didn't expect, explains worlds you thought you knew about but didn't, and shows you the terrifying beauty lurking in the dark. It is just that kind of book. I highly recommend it.
October 6, 2013
There are many worlds I would love to choose to live in (and do when my mind happily wanders from the day-today dreary reality that is my job) and after having read this, I can confidently say that the fictional world that Spirit Houses is set in is definitely at the top of the list! It's hard to see how such a complete world could be described and suggested in what is a modest sized book, but it's more than enough to ensnare and enthral even the most jaded of readers with its clever turn of phrase, interesting subplots and excellent characters. Very difficult to place in terms of genre as it's got a bit of everything, but manages to skirt description without becoming overly cluttered. Needless to say it's a proper fun romp that I can imagine Denis Wheatley (well, a non-racist and non-misogynistic incarnation) might read to Vincent Price's undead children at bedtime.
Really hoping the author writes another, would love to jump back into the Princess with Manda, Ray and Alex and see where we'd end up!
Really hoping the author writes another, would love to jump back into the Princess with Manda, Ray and Alex and see where we'd end up!
November 11, 2013
A paranormal doctor is possessed in an inconsiderate manner by a former research partner in an allegorical work that seems to inhabit a Snicket-esquely vague location and era and belongs to an equally indeterminate genre. Not whimsical enough for magic realism and not scary enough to be a ghost story, yet with elements of both, 'Spirit Houses' is an oddly unclassifiable book whose episodic structure would make it ripe for a televisual adaptation if British television could remember how to do such things.
November 19, 2020
Featuring a no-nonsense heroine, gateway demons and a hunt for a lost child trapped within a weird not-world. Atmospheric, beautifully written and compelling.
January 24, 2016
In recent years it seems like the reading market has been well and truly saturated with novels along the lines of "supernatural creatures are real, here's how society deals with them". Popular authors in the area include Laurell K Hamilton, Kelley Armstrong, Kim Harrison, Charlaine Harris and Jim Butcher. There has been so much written in this area that it's all become a little samey and it's therefore wonderful to come across a novel that manages to take the premise in a new direction.
Die Booth's "Spirit Houses" skilfully blends modern scientific explanations for supernatural (or paranatural) creatures and phenomena, with ancient folklore and elements of High Magic, and creates a world in which conditions like vampirism, lycanthropy, and even zombification are considered medical complaints to be treated. If a spirit or other paranatural creature is causing trouble for anyone they are tactfully moved on and given aid or counselling for how best to reintegrate into society, an approach which gives rise to a lot of attendant humour as the characters periodically have to consider the politically correct way to address and deal with different beings and encourage them to accept pamphlets on how to become a productive member of the community whilst the said creature may be trying to kill them.
Die's writing style is heavily descriptive - in particular Die possesses an uncanny ability to articulate sensations and feelings which usually defy description - Poe's "class of fancies which are not thoughts". I think my favourite passage of the entire book may be of the disjointed images that flit through a character's head when she is on the very verge of sleep, simply because it feels so familiar and "right" for how one feels at those times.
If I have a minor criticism is it merely that I find the love story element which is supposed to be central to the plot much less interesting than the parallel planes of reality that the characters travel through, the many and varied beings that they encounter, and especially the demons that Die conjures up for us, whether they're regal and angelic like Rustag, reality-defying abstractions like Vemin, or more traditional devils (who seemingly aren't such bad guys) like Kite. That's another little criticism - I wanted more about the demons!
In addition to the narrative, the novel also contains numerous wonderfully detailed little illustrations at the chapter headings and on the cover, which show us our author has talents in areas besides writing.
So, if you're looking for something supernatural which is quirky, funny and markedly different from anything else you might ever read in the genre then you definitely need to take a look at "Spirit Houses".
Die Booth's "Spirit Houses" skilfully blends modern scientific explanations for supernatural (or paranatural) creatures and phenomena, with ancient folklore and elements of High Magic, and creates a world in which conditions like vampirism, lycanthropy, and even zombification are considered medical complaints to be treated. If a spirit or other paranatural creature is causing trouble for anyone they are tactfully moved on and given aid or counselling for how best to reintegrate into society, an approach which gives rise to a lot of attendant humour as the characters periodically have to consider the politically correct way to address and deal with different beings and encourage them to accept pamphlets on how to become a productive member of the community whilst the said creature may be trying to kill them.
Die's writing style is heavily descriptive - in particular Die possesses an uncanny ability to articulate sensations and feelings which usually defy description - Poe's "class of fancies which are not thoughts". I think my favourite passage of the entire book may be of the disjointed images that flit through a character's head when she is on the very verge of sleep, simply because it feels so familiar and "right" for how one feels at those times.
If I have a minor criticism is it merely that I find the love story element which is supposed to be central to the plot much less interesting than the parallel planes of reality that the characters travel through, the many and varied beings that they encounter, and especially the demons that Die conjures up for us, whether they're regal and angelic like Rustag, reality-defying abstractions like Vemin, or more traditional devils (who seemingly aren't such bad guys) like Kite. That's another little criticism - I wanted more about the demons!
In addition to the narrative, the novel also contains numerous wonderfully detailed little illustrations at the chapter headings and on the cover, which show us our author has talents in areas besides writing.
So, if you're looking for something supernatural which is quirky, funny and markedly different from anything else you might ever read in the genre then you definitely need to take a look at "Spirit Houses".
December 16, 2013
4.5: I don't read paranormal because I am essentially too uptight to relinquish the rules of the world as I understand it. That's probably sad, but I inevitably find myself working hard to suspend my disbelief and getting all twitchy about having to care about things that can't exist. It's almost never worth it.
This was worth it.
Field Nurse Manda Connor of the Department of Paranatural Medicine is a werewolf, but really, that isn't her biggest problem: she can hear her recently disappeared/possibly deceased colleague Daniel Forbes' voice, and he seems to be able to see what she sees, like he's taken up residence in her brain. While it's assumed to be a straightforward case of possession, all is not as it seems. The story did not follow the predictable paths I smugly anticipated and much to my panicked delight, I had a bit of a toe-curling meltdown when, near the end, what I knew would certainly happen did not.
As for my beloved rules, the world of Spirit Houses is so deftly constructed that I found myself immersed without difficulty and without regrets. Stories like this require hefty exposition, and it's certainly there, but it isn't at all cumbersome, nor does it affect the pace of the plot: you need/want to know how this world works because you don't really want to give it up, even if it's the Negative. Wow, that Negative. A place that is upsetting and unsettling, but where you might just want to spend a thousand years.
About an hour in, I already cared a lot (too much, always too much) about what would happen to people and non-people alike. All of them are believable, with a past and a future and suitable complexity, not the collections of ticks and physical attributes that sometimes pass for characters in books. Ray almost broke me and I'm distressingly obsessed with Fix...
Die is good at writing. Spirit Houses is full of evocative prose that affords a reader those little flashes of recognition of something they know to be true, but have never seen written down. You will be surprised, then jealous, then rapt because this is a very, very good book. I wept copiously.
(Note: You will see my average rating and think, "This person is ridiculous and loves everything." Not so, I assure you; I just have not gone to the trouble of documenting my hatred and disappointment because I don't think it would be fun.)
This was worth it.
Field Nurse Manda Connor of the Department of Paranatural Medicine is a werewolf, but really, that isn't her biggest problem: she can hear her recently disappeared/possibly deceased colleague Daniel Forbes' voice, and he seems to be able to see what she sees, like he's taken up residence in her brain. While it's assumed to be a straightforward case of possession, all is not as it seems. The story did not follow the predictable paths I smugly anticipated and much to my panicked delight, I had a bit of a toe-curling meltdown when, near the end, what I knew would certainly happen did not.
As for my beloved rules, the world of Spirit Houses is so deftly constructed that I found myself immersed without difficulty and without regrets. Stories like this require hefty exposition, and it's certainly there, but it isn't at all cumbersome, nor does it affect the pace of the plot: you need/want to know how this world works because you don't really want to give it up, even if it's the Negative. Wow, that Negative. A place that is upsetting and unsettling, but where you might just want to spend a thousand years.
About an hour in, I already cared a lot (too much, always too much) about what would happen to people and non-people alike. All of them are believable, with a past and a future and suitable complexity, not the collections of ticks and physical attributes that sometimes pass for characters in books. Ray almost broke me and I'm distressingly obsessed with Fix...
Die is good at writing. Spirit Houses is full of evocative prose that affords a reader those little flashes of recognition of something they know to be true, but have never seen written down. You will be surprised, then jealous, then rapt because this is a very, very good book. I wept copiously.
(Note: You will see my average rating and think, "This person is ridiculous and loves everything." Not so, I assure you; I just have not gone to the trouble of documenting my hatred and disappointment because I don't think it would be fun.)
November 23, 2014
My only regret about reading this book is that I didn't do it sooner! I had heard great word of mouth about this and I put it off because I'm not a great fan of the genre. Also I had read his works before and they were pants-wettingly scary. (Oh God! I will NEVER get 'The Dust Bunnies' out of my head!) This was very different. It was loads of fun to read. It's set in a kind of parallel universe where the supernatural is dealt with very differently. It's a great story about love, friendship and passion for one's work. I enjoyed the tone of the book. It didn't resort to smashing me over the head to make me feel for the characters, but I certainly did feel for them. The climax. HRWARRRRRRAAARRRRR. I think that's the noise I made.
I'm an adult. I enjoyed this book a lot. I'd recommend the book for teens, for sure. The protagonist is an outsider for a variety of reasons. Her struggle for fair treatment, if not understanding, is very well written. There is a theme of acceptance woven throughout the story in a subtle way. It was complicated dance of choosing what to accept from others, both good and bad.
I'm an adult. I enjoyed this book a lot. I'd recommend the book for teens, for sure. The protagonist is an outsider for a variety of reasons. Her struggle for fair treatment, if not understanding, is very well written. There is a theme of acceptance woven throughout the story in a subtle way. It was complicated dance of choosing what to accept from others, both good and bad.
November 4, 2013
Spirit Houses took me roughly a month to read because I was too busy savouring every page of it. I'll be honest, I'm no expert on the horror genre, but I fell straight into Spirit Houses and had to be dragged back out kicking and screaming every time it was time to stop reading and go to bed.
One of my favourite things about this book is the completeness of the world that Booth has created. Characters don't seem to simply turn up to play their part and then disappear again; Booth creates an atmosphere where you can almost feel the rest of the world carrying on in the background. This is escapism at its very, very best.
The characters are all well rounded and extremely believable; the story belongs to Manda but I confess that Alex is probably just a tiny bit my favourite (though I am also a big fan of Fix.) All the characters feel as though they have a rich back story beyond that which is revealed in the narrative, and this left me thinking about all the characters long after I'd finished reading.
One of my favourite things about this book is the completeness of the world that Booth has created. Characters don't seem to simply turn up to play their part and then disappear again; Booth creates an atmosphere where you can almost feel the rest of the world carrying on in the background. This is escapism at its very, very best.
The characters are all well rounded and extremely believable; the story belongs to Manda but I confess that Alex is probably just a tiny bit my favourite (though I am also a big fan of Fix.) All the characters feel as though they have a rich back story beyond that which is revealed in the narrative, and this left me thinking about all the characters long after I'd finished reading.
March 6, 2019
It's very rare that you realise you are reading a book where you are not only totally engrossed from start to finish but also you are enjoying it for the sheer way it is written. I adored everything about this from the whole concept of the DPM, to not knowing if this is the past, present or different reality and The Negative is just the most wonderful thing, I don't want to give anything away but it's hard not to!!
Spirit Houses is the perfect mix of adventure, wonder, terror (that dummy!!), fantasy, reality, love, everything! Plus the pictures to head each chapter which were also drawn by the author just makes reading this much more of your average reading experience.
There is so much more I want to know, would love for this to become a series. Best thing I have read for absolutely ages!
Spirit Houses is the perfect mix of adventure, wonder, terror (that dummy!!), fantasy, reality, love, everything! Plus the pictures to head each chapter which were also drawn by the author just makes reading this much more of your average reading experience.
There is so much more I want to know, would love for this to become a series. Best thing I have read for absolutely ages!
March 27, 2014
I seem to have been reading out of my usual genre lately: first Lisa Richardson's Blog of the Dead series, then Daniela Sacerdoti's Sarah Midnight trilogy, and now this. I can't speak too highly of Spirit Houses: the breadth and scope of her writing is amazing, her prose is beautiful and the storyline caught and held my imagination till the last word - no tailing off on pace or standard here! The reader is swept along into fantastic situations and places which somehow seem plausible. I'm not going to recap the plot and characters (all of whom, by the way, are three dimensional and plausible), the blurb and others' reviews have covered this; sufficient to say I'm going to use that well worn cliche, "I couldn't put it down," because, in this case, it was true.Die Booth is a talented writer with a fertile imagination. I can't wait to see what she writes next.
November 5, 2013
Guh, I didn't want this book to end. I read and re-read the scenes in the Negative, a richly detailed and fully visualized world I'd love to read more of, and every time I saw something new. I love the approach to demons, and their truly otherworldly manifestations and appearances (and the lack of adherence to demons = always evil, others = always good). The story is lovely and well paced. The characters are fully formed humans, and even the most apparently vapid of them has unexpected depth. Seeing the supernatural treated as a scientifically explainable/accepted phenomenon was such a treat.
Teal deer? Love it. Get it, read it, ASAP.
Teal deer? Love it. Get it, read it, ASAP.
October 20, 2013
Manda's life is complicated. Her dead boyfriend (well, not exactly her boyfriend, but close) is haunting her (well, not exactly haunting, but close), and she thinks she might have eaten him. This premise launches a novel that manages to weave timelines, points of view, and literary genres into an elaborate web, and sucks you into a world that changes on you as soon as it begins to feel familiar. It is eerie and intricate, oddly charming, and completely absorbing. I predict that Die Booth will earn a solid place among your favorites.
September 8, 2015
I enjoyed the premise and, to an extent, the characters. The world building was top notch but the romance between the two primary ( and indeed tertiary ) characters seemed a little ham-fisted at the end. All in all a good, fascinating read.
October 22, 2013
Beautiful storytelling that defies categorisation. Dripping in atmosphere and detail, and with some proper page-turning events. A thing of beauty, inside and out.
January 5, 2016
I loved the premise (supernatural ailments treated as diseases instead of curses), but the plot had several weak points and didn't hold together particularly well.
July 9, 2017
This is one of my favorite books. It's clever, well written, and keeps you hooked. The twists and turns are fascinating. So many feelings!! Highly recommended.
June 4, 2023
For fans of the wit and humor of Sir Terry Pratchett, the fantasy worldbuilding of Neil Gaiman and Leigh Bardugo, and the macabre sensibilities of T Kingfisher.
Spirit Houses is set in an imaginative and wonderful world of paranatural maladies, psychic manifestations, and otherworldly realms.
With protagonists and antagonists alike that will delight and charm readers, Spirit Houses is a fantastical, funny and twisted read.
Spirit Houses is set in an imaginative and wonderful world of paranatural maladies, psychic manifestations, and otherworldly realms.
With protagonists and antagonists alike that will delight and charm readers, Spirit Houses is a fantastical, funny and twisted read.
January 5, 2023
When I first started reading this book I didn't like the fact it was written in present tense, but within a few pages I'd forgotten all about that!
It starts at a good pace, a bit of werewolf, a bit of vampire, ghosts and revenants and stolen souls.
The characters are interesting and the central idea is unusual.
The action dips a bit in the middle while the characters are off wandering a different plane but it all comes together at the end.
I am hoping that some of the characters and situations are set-ups for a sequel as I'd be interested to know where things go next.
An enjoyable read, and I'm also excited to say that I have met the author as he is a friend of a friend. (This did not influence my view of the book though).
It starts at a good pace, a bit of werewolf, a bit of vampire, ghosts and revenants and stolen souls.
The characters are interesting and the central idea is unusual.
The action dips a bit in the middle while the characters are off wandering a different plane but it all comes together at the end.
I am hoping that some of the characters and situations are set-ups for a sequel as I'd be interested to know where things go next.
An enjoyable read, and I'm also excited to say that I have met the author as he is a friend of a friend. (This did not influence my view of the book though).
May 17, 2023
This is easily one of the strangest books I've read, in a good way. It's an unusual mash up of genres, equal parts paranormal, drama, and horror but finding plenty of space for humour and heartfelt storytelling. Overall this book feels like a big, comforting hug from the shapeless monsters that lurk in the dark. Definitely recommend!
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews