BEST OF 2023: YA HORROR AND DARK FICTION - "I was hugely impressed by Mark Wheaton's WHO HAUNTS YOU... barely a word is wasted in a tight, gripping and highly original supernatural thriller..." - Tony Jones (Best of 2023 YA Horror List), Ginger Nuts of Horror
THE YEAR IN REVIEW 2023 - LOCUS. "Wheaton...has created a first-rate protagonist in the sarcastic, suspicious, and determined Bex. The author takes the book further than one might expect, right upto Bex's psychiatric commitment, and seeing her hang in there until the bitter end, and never give up, is fantastic. WHO HAUNTS YOU flew way under the radar last year; I hope more folks seek it out." - Colleen Mondor
MOST POPULAR HORROR AUDIOBOOK OF 2023 - We Are Bookish/NetGalley
High school senior Rebecca “Bex” Koeltl is just trying to make it to graduation. But when her fellow seniors begin dying in seemingly unrelated incidents, Bex uncovers disturbing connections between their deaths, including that the teens believed they were haunted by long-dead relatives their own family members swear never existed. After Bex is visited by a malevolent specter of her own, she realizes she has to get the bottom of this horror before she’s its next victim...
"Ultimately, WHO HAUNTS YOU has an enormously compelling protagonist in a narrative that escalated tension with every page and Wheaton keeps readers on the edge of their seats as the novel careens to its startling, and satisfying, conclusion." - Colleen Mondor, LOCUS
"An utterly readable teen murder tale with an intriguing twist and an endearing hero. Reminiscent of Los Duncan's classic suspense novel I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER..." - Kirkus Reviews
“I was hugely impressed by Mark Wheaton’s WHO HAUNTS YOU, to the extent that I devoured it in a day and was disappointed to finish it. Pulling in at around 150 pages it is perfect for teens who do not like long books and barely a word is wasted in a tight, gripping and highly original supernatural thriller… I loved the way the book ended and the shocking build up and the fact that sometimes everything does not end up happily ever after, even in teen novels.” –Tony Jones, Ginger Nuts of Horror (from Best YA Horror of 2023 review)
"WHO HAUNTS YOU is the first book I've read that not only delivers an unsettling supernatural mystery, but also paints a fully realized, wholly moving portrait of the autistic teenage experience. A vital book that will make any neurodivergent young adult feel seen, heard, and understood."--Craig Perry, producer, Final Destination franchise
"I loved it. Wheaton has built a buzzsaw of a supernatural thriller here--scary, surprisingly emotional, and loaded with enough twists to keep you guessing till the final page. It's an all killer no filler thriller."--James Vanderbilt, screenwriter, Zodiac
Even though this was only 170 pages, it packed a punch! It was a captivating story from beginning to end! Also, the narrator did an amazing job! The whole creepy voice gave me chills!
I highly recommend to those looking for a quick YA horror read.
*** Thank you to NetGalley and Mark Wheaton for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***
Ummmm WOW… this was a complete & total, absolutely incredible, surprise of a read! I went in with no expectations & was absolutely blown away by this YA supernatural & psychological thriller/ horror novel! A perfect book for the start of spooky season! There’s just something about when you mix the supernatural with the psychological!
Fear not only caused by a haunting, but the psychological effects of no one believing you regarding ANY events that are (regardless of anyone else’s beliefs), indeed, occurring (supernatural or otherwise)—I mean, wow, the effects of that, alone, on the human psyche are staggering, to say the least. Quite honestly, it’s absolutely horrifying.
Even to just read & think about… the fear, the helplessness, the frustration… just stick with me here for a minute Lmao—it’s too easy to relate to those base feelings, that fear, because it’s a fear that everyonecan relate to, I mean right?
Think about it—there’s got to be at least one person in your own life who didn’t believe you, wouldn’t listen to you, about something, no? Your own “best friends” could’ve turned on you in a heartbeat due to rumors that weren’t true; as a child, your parents could’ve punished you for something you absolutely didn’t do; a teacher could’ve blamed you for something another classmate did, but denied doing, or accused you of cheating on an exam that you studied HARD for; a relationship could’ve been broken over your partner believing lies, or their own toxic thoughts over your truth; you even could’ve been implicated in something even more serious that you had absolutely nothing to do with, by an even greater authority figure, like the police, or your boss, whomever… all because you were in the wrong place, at the wrong time, or for even more f*cked up reasons 😔😒😠.
Disheartening, awful experiences like these, and so many other awful variations on this theme, with the same common denominators—doubt, disbelieving, mistrust, etc— happen every single day! Which is one of the many reasons why this novel is so engaging to me, & a next level page turner, I think—because it strikes a fearful chord, on a base level, I have no doubt, in all of us, yet it takes us out of the “real world” with a disturbing haunting, & manages to still make itself a perfect demonstration of escapism in a thriller/ horror novel!
Which, I apologize if I rambled about the psychological implications a litttttle too much for a bit there, *whooops* ! But I’m a psych grad & I absolutely can not help myself 😂, I was just hoping to really make my point clear—we’ve probably all found ourselves in impossible situations—some more serious/ awful than others, but the fear, & the other feelings evoked are relatively the same, just on different scales of horror.
I feel as though a lot of novels play on this trope, but rarely have I come across an author who can create such a riveting story out of that fear, essentially, here, questioning the MCs sanity in the midst of an AMAZINGLY original take on a haunting! Only she & three other classmates are experiencing this haunting… but it would seem she & her other friends are being picked off one by one, but despite being haunted, she is no victim, and she will stop at nothing to find answers to try and save her friends, and herself…
This was an incredible find!
More in depth, comprehensive RTC very soon!!!
A huge thank you to Netgalley & the publisher, as well as the author for the ALC ! This in no way has impacted my rating or review.
4.0 Stars This was a very enjoyable YA horror book with some decent autistic representation. The horror mystery was really compelling so I flew through this story.
I would recommend this one to a teenage reader but as an adult I will attest that it had some all ages appeal.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
I am confusion????? The narrator was great if a little CREEPY* with that “you found me” business 👀 and it was an incredibly fast read. I’d love a sequel!
As is, I think it’s such a compelling start of a story, but it felt a bit unfinished. It went for shock rather than depth. I wanted more behind the motive and the ending and everything in between. I really enjoyed the mildly unreliable narrator and want to find more books with one.
Also, if you enjoy YA thrillers but dislike that most have a romantic thread woven throughout, definitely check this one out! There was no romance, nor any inkling of it. I, of course, love romance but the lack of it kept the focus on the main character which I enjoyed.
I don’t normally read paranormal YA thrillers, but I may read more of them as well. Despite the title, I was literally surprised she was actually being haunted…or was she??
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
*I am literally such a wimp so my creepy scale is definitely subjective. I once had my parents stop the movie Sarah Landon and the Paranormal Hour because I was too scared…it was so terribly acted I’m literally spineless that’s the only explanation.
P.S. I’m happy that they gave a more traditional YA thriller cover to the audiobook, as it signaled that part of my brain obsessed with them. Good marketing!
Thanks to the publisher/author for an ALC via NetGalley. All opinions are honest and my own.
This book turned out to be totally different from what I imagined. It was unique, confusing, creepy and engrossing. The whole idea of how a psychological experiment can be used to twist and condition already anxiety ridden young minds is actually terrifying! I listened to the audiobook and since the duration was under 5 hours, I managed to finish it in less than a day. The narration by Annalee Scott was good and she managed to create the creepy vibes with her voice, especially whenever she spoke the words "You Found Me".
My thanks to NetGalley, and the author Mark Wheaton for the ALC.
This book satisfied my craving for a nice haunting story. Weird things start to happen at Bex's highschool. Her classmates start dying. Before long, Bex finds herself in the middle of the mystery and the clock is ticking.
I enjoyed the atmospheric vibes in this book. Creepy and a little disturbing. The plot kept me intrigued and that ending completely surprised me.
I really liked Bex. I felt like the author did a great job writing her autism. She was relatable and likeable. I found myself cheering her on as she searched for clues in the deaths of her peers.
This was a great ghost story, unlike any I've read before. I really enjoyed it!
Who Haunts You will be released Sept 2, 2023.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Off Limits Press for sending me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Who Haunts you was a very enjoyable story. Rebecca was a well written character and the portrayal of her neurodiversity was good. I liked the supernatural aspects of the story, also.
WHO HAUNTS YOU? is an extraordinary YA Psychological Suspense/Horror by author Mark Wheaton, which is so compelling I read it in about 5 hours. The Suspense is breathtaking; the author's understanding of and exploration of the first person narrator, high school senior Bex, and the way her neurodivergent brain works (its exceptional talents as well as its contributions to her social aloofness and misinterpretation of social signals) elicits readers' empathy and comprehension. I think any reader who is perhaps a little "out there" [in the perception of others] or who walks their own path, can readily relate to Bex as she investigates inexplicable deaths among her classmates and experiences horror and horrifying consequences as she strives both to uncover the truth and then to end the events before others die. The ending is super-twisted, both a surprise and yet apropos to the Denouement.
I intend to reread WHO HAUNTS YOU? in August for its Neurodivergent Theme.
Five stars… Five stars… Five stars!!! This is the best book ever the ending is a mic drop! OMG… It is so so good! Rebecca has autism she is a senior at Claremont high school we’re becoming top of the class is something most students strive for everyone except Rebecca she just wants to graduate and is looking forward to her future that hasn’t always been the case but thanks to Dr. Tamara things are lookingbright. She’s a volunteer in the library and leaves for school much earlier than everyone else thanks to the librarian she has a key to get in and can even access files with the librarians login. When we first meet Rebecca it is right after the death of A senior named Yunwen Who seemingly ran right off of a cliff and although they called it an incident of self ending and everyone accepted it when basketball star in A student darrell’s smashed truck Becca is the first one to know when she walked up on the wrecked vehicle she heard noises in despite wanting to flea because it sounded like a trapped bird she tries to help but when gray ghostly looking fingers come out of the rec she runs and tells no one what she saw. Rebecca thinks something is suspicious about these deaths of these top knoch students but when another student named Oz is murdered she tries to figure out a pattern with the first two they were both friends with the girl also in the running to be valedictorian named Julie G but ours was not associated with this group he was more like her than them she does find out that all three thought they had relatives that didn’t exist for Yunwen she thought she was adopted and her mom was haunting her for Daryl he thought he had a brother named Ben who was also haunting him and poor Oz thought it was an uncle so when Rebecca wakes up outside of her apartment building and hears someone say “you found me.” See your think you will learned she is being haunted by a phantom ant that she does not remember at all but everyone including her therapist insist not only does she exist but that’s where she got her middle name Holly from even though Rebecca remembers her middle name being Ashley. Does this mean Rebecca is next? OMG there was a lot of details I left out of this summary this is not a long book but it is an awesome awesome read! This is hora at its absolute best if you had the right a list of the three best horror stories you’ve ever read I would definitely put this one at the top I cannot reiterate enough how awesome this book is I absolutely loved it it will probably read it again I will definitely be looking for books from this author in the future and can’t wait to get my hands on another. I want to thank definitely the author for writing it off-limits press for publishing it in NetGalley for allowing me to be an early arc reader in my free copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.
I’ve been chewing on my thoughts here for a while.
I want to tell you that I really enjoyed this because, for the most part, I did. I adored the main character and found certain aspects of her personality relatable, plus I felt the novel was extremely fast paced with satisfying creepiness and a great mystery to work away at my brain. The author included some important social commentary on academic competitiveness and the writing was absolutely phenomenal. I was fully invested in this story.
But…
I did not care for the ending. It felt hastily completed (and, ultimately, incomplete) with a twist that left me feeling ill-at-ease, and not in the way that a suspenseful horror should do. I do wish the author had gone a different route with this and that he’d stretched it all out a bit longer. It is a short book, leaving room for so much more.
3.5 stars
I am immensely grateful to Mark Wheaton and NetGalley for my copy. All opinions are my own.
This was a really good book, that keeps you guessing the whole time I'd say its a YA Psychological Suspense/Horror Thriller, there are sooo many great elements in this book Also the atmosphere is great, nice twist, a little bit disturbing, makes you question sooo many things, def keeps your attention and interest plus great characters. I like the family dynamics and the main character's (Rebecca's back story. Well done. Marked as YA but as an adult, I really enjoyed this book, Never underestimate the mark of a YA book they can still be great reads for adults.
I was so thankful for being able to read this book in advance due to getting the ARC from the publisher and Net Galley. :) The above is my opinion. It is honest and voluntary.
Rebecca is a high school senior trying to make it to graduation. She is also autistic and I loved to read from her point of view and understand how many things in life that seem so simple to us, might be challenging for an autistic person. The author also acknowledges that there are different types of autism so it is very different depending on the person and type of autism.
A student dies in what looks like an accident but Rebecca has her doubts. After more students die in mysterious circumstances, Rebecca will start an investigation and will soon realize that all the deaths seem to be connected.
Something is targeting students, something supernatural and she needs to figure out why in order to stop it before she is the next victim.
This book was a quick and entertaining read. I really enjoyed Rebecca as a character and loved to see her come out of her shell.
This is a paranormal horror with some creepy moments but it does read like a lower YA.
A quick and thrilling YA read. We follow Bex as she investigates the deaths of her classmates and is drawn into a strange supernatural experience. There was so much going on in this story that it kept me guessing till the very end.
Rebecca “Bex” Koeltl is just a normal girl with autism, trying to get through high school unscathed, when her classmates start dropping like flies. The circumstances around their deaths are suspicious to say the least, as they are said to have been being haunted by people that supposedly does not exist. Bex finds her self with a haunting of her own, and tries to get to the bottom of this supernatural mystery before she herself dies.
This Young adult horror novel was definitely one of the better novels centered around hauntings I’ve ever read. It was fast paced, twisty and simply a pleasure to read. The audiobook made it even creepier with a great narrator and creepy whispers that add to the atmosphere of the novel.
I don’t usually see a lot of books that have autistic/ neurodivergent main characters, in addition to doing it well. But Mark Wheaton did it wonderfully, and I felt it added something more to the story which would have otherwise been missed.
I recommend this novel to anyone looking for a fast YA horror read.
Big thanks to Netgalley, and Mark Wheaton for allowing me to listen to an audio arc of this novel.
[I received a free audiobook copy from the author and Netgalley. This review is done freely, honestly and without payment]. [Ich habe ein kostenloses Hörbuchexemplar vom Autor und Netgalley erhalten. Die Rezension erfolgt freiwillig, ehrlich und ohne Vergütung.]
(DEUTSCH WEITER UNTEN)
At the beginning I wasn’t sure what I was getting into, as ghost stories are not really my thing. However, Rebecca (FMC) captivated me so quickly that I didn’t care about anything else. As the audiobook is only 4.5 hours long, the story picked up quite quickly and I liked the fast pacing, which seemed very balanced to me.
The story about the three deaths of her classmates was incredibly exciting and it drove me crazy to witness how Rebecca was drawn deeper and deeper into the matter and simply lost control. What I think was especially well done was the confrontation with adults who tend to label children/teenagers as crazy rather than really believing them or listening to them. It was easy to empathize with Rebecca and feel the despair in one’s own soul.
The ending was just wonderful! It was right up my alley, gave you a few more grey hairs and made me jump up and down with joy. :‘D
The audiobook was really, really fabulously good! Annalee Scott has such a pleasant voice that I could listen to her forever. She read incredibly well and breathed a lot of life into all the characters. I especially liked her performance on Rebecca’s hearing, with too much stimulation. Her ticked-off reading AND singing were truly incredible. She was also able to capture the creepiness well and really pulled out everything she could by whispering and hissing. Her pacing was spot on. An audiobook that I highly recommend to everyone. <3
(DEUTSCH)
Zu Beginn war ich mir gar nicht so sicher, auf was ich mich eingelassen habe, da Geistergeschichten eigentlich echt nicht so mein Ding sind. Allerdings hat mich Rebecca (FMC) so schnell in ihren Bann gezogen, dass mir alles andere egal war. Da das Hörbuch auch nur 4,5 Stunden geht, hat die Geschichte relativ schnell an Fahrt aufgenommen und ich mochte das schnelle Pacing sehr gern, welches auf mich sehr ausgewogen wirkte.
Die Geschichte rund um die drei Todesfälle ihrer Klassenkameraden war unglaublich spannend und es hat mich wahnsinnig gemacht mitzuerleben, wie Rebecca immer tiefer und tiefer in die Sache hineingezogen wurde und einfach auch die Kontrolle verloren hat. Was meiner Meinung nach besonders gut gelungen ist, ist die Konfrontation mit den Erwachsenen, die Kinder / Jugendliche eher als verrückt abstempeln, als ihnen wirklich zu glauben oder mal richtig zuzuhören. Man konnte sich einfach sehr gut in Rebecca reinfühlen und hat die Verzweiflung in der eigenen Brust gespürt.
Das Ende war ganz arg wundervoll! Es war genau macht meinem Geschmack, hat einem noch ein paar mehr graue Haare beschert und mich freudig auf und ab hüpfen lassen. :’D
Das Hörbuch war wirklich, wirklich sagenhaft gut! Annalee Scott hat so eine angenehme Stimme, dass ich ihr ewig zuhören könnte. Sie hat sagenhaft gut gelesen und allen Charakteren verdammt viel Leben eingehaucht. Besonders gut fand ich ihre Performance zu Rebeccas Hörvermögen, bei zu viel Stimulation. Ihr abgehaktes Lesen UND Singen war wirklich unglaublich. Auch den Grusel konnte sie gut einfangen und hat durch flüstern und hauchen wirklich alles rausgeholt, was nur ging. Ihr Pacing war genau richtig. Ein Hörbuch, dass ich jedem nur empfehlen kann. <3
Bex is autistic, and the author did an excellent job of portraying her. Both the prose and the characters were effectively written by the author. An outstanding concise, and frightening ghost story. It starts straightaway and keeps the reader guessing throughout the story. Despite the fact that I don't generally read ghost stories, this is one of the strangest I have ever read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.
This was great and is one of my favorite reads this year! I did not see the ending coming and the twists and turns kept me on my toes! This is a well executed thriller that I would HIGHLY recommend. Special Thank You to Mark Wheaton, Off Limits Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
This was so freaky, but so dang good! Having the ability to make people believe they are being haunted by someone who never even existed would be such an amazing study to follow.
3.5 ★ This was a fun, quick read I managed to finish in a little over 2 hours, yet within that brevity, it delivered a substantial impact. Traversing the narrative through Rebecca's perspective was a delight, as was the author's skillful portrayal and exploration of autism. I appreciate the path the ending took, as such outcomes are not typically encountered in YA books. On the whole, the experience of connecting the narrative threads proved engrossing, punctuated by several genuinely eerie moments throughout.
This is the perfect read for spooky season!!! It's sooooo creepy!
I went in completely blind, and boy, was I blown away? YEEEES! This has a mix of supernatural and psychological, and that just adds to the overall tension throughout the pages. The result is abolutely nail bitting and the narrator was on point!!!
Definitely check this book out. You're in for a treeeeat! Great little story. Enjoy!
Many thanks to Netgalley for the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.
I’d say this is a 4.5 star for me. Spoilers ahead:
The ending has left me reeling. I have several questions. I didn’t like how Bex just went to a psychiatric hospital and her family seemingly forgets about her.
What I can’t put my finger on is why Bex was targeted…because of her autism and Bina needing someone to pin it on? Was it all just a haunting…even after. Were the doctors in on it or was it really just a coincidence? It makes me sad that something like that could happen to a young girl on the spectrum and just remembering how f’d the justice system is.
Thought provoking, yes. I wish there had been a little more clarity and answers…because of that, I couldn’t give it 5 stars.
Thank you to netgalley and Off Limits Press for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Thank you Netgalley and Mark Wheaton for the audiobook!!! I listened to this for Halloween and it was very fitting!! Some creepiness to it ant it just had me wondering what was going on!!! I love a good psychological with a supernatural twist!!! Highly recommend!!!
Haunting, Thrilling, fast-paced paranormal mystery that will leave you on the edge of your seat. I absolutely enjoyed this thriller by Mark Wheaton following our diverse cast of characters as the haunting death toll climbs at the local high school. It was interesting having a neurodivergent character Rebecca as the main character and seeing everything through her eyes and thought process. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a spooky, paranormal, thriller with a historical psychological touch.
I got chills down the spine. This book is great! You never quite know what is true or not. The book heavily uses the narrator to show that she may not be the most reliable. So it keeps you guessing right up to the end. The way the autor describes Rebecca’s autism feels incredibly genuine and makes some jokes at how they are typically depicted which really made me smile. I would really recommend this book to anyone in high school or anyone interested in horror!
This morning I signed up on Net Galley to be able to read ARC books to review. I came across the description of this work and it was able to be immediately downloaded so I went for it. I am currently in the middle of another series which I had planned on reading today as I am desperate to find out what happens but I wanted to read the first few pages to know what I was going to be reading once finished.
It’s now the end of the day and I am finished with “Who Haunts You” and my other series sits unfinished mocking me as I travel to an event and have no more free time to read today. This work was so unexpected but in the best way possible.
My preconceived notions from the first 3 pages were completely dispelled a few pages later. Without giving away content I went from a cringe moment of “oh great a male author writing about a females autistic experience” to feeling completely “seen.” The author weaves the characters neuro diverse experience expertly throughout the plot without succumbing to stereotypes.
As for the story itself, it dives into the plot immediately and keeps it moving making the book easy to devour. It is a short novel at only 124 e-pages but you don’t feel like there is anything missing. It still provides the needed character development and auxiliary descriptions.
Overall this book is perfect for anyone looking for a swift read of a story that will get you thinking and keep you engaged while also learning something about one persons autistic experience. I highly suggest reading it when it comes out!
* 4.5 stars * Thank you NetGalley and Mark Wheaton for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Who Haunts You by Mark Wheaton is about Rebecca, a high school senior, who like everyone in their high school is obsessed with everyone's class rank. However, the obsession shifts when fellow seniors end up dead after talking about a relative they didn't actually have. Now Rebecca is beginning to see a relative of her own and realizes that she needs to figure out how to stop this before she is the next victim. This short YA Horror Thriller was great! Especially as an audiobook! The narrator did the ghostly voices in an amazing and creepy way. I enjoyed every second of this book. It was just right to get into the spooky season. I also appreciated the main character and the autism representation. (I do not have autism and can not speak on the quality of the representation but I have noticed YA books have become more inclusive in the recent year.) The way she was shown in relation to her family is relatable to anyone who is neurodivergent, whose family tends to act differently around them. Overall, I really enjoyed this novel and would recommend it to anyone young adult or older who is looking for a good thriller.
I've never read a book like Who Haunts You. Rebecca Bex is simply a teen girl studying and volunteering at library. Her character is to bind you instantly. When some non existent relatives start crawling inside student 's mind and them experiencing the natural duplicity of with their current relations was so scary. When 3 students die in not less than 2 weeks, things start aligning and alarming for her. The clock ticks and she has to uncover the mystery before she becomes the victims while overcoming her hallucinations as well.
Her character building is strong. The audiobook I listened to was so scary that you'll get all the feels no matter in how chaotic world you're especially at night (horror hits more hard especially). In one hand she tries to uncover her seniors death mystery and in the other she tries to safeguard her life and this melding together was something I can see and feel so clearly in my head, it's as if I'm watching it in front of my eyes.
The pacing of this book was perfect, the twist at the end really surprised me and I really enjoyed Bex and following the story with her. She’s autistic and throughout the story we’re shown some of the struggles she’s faced with autism. This book was a lovely unique ghost story and I hope to find more like this going forward!
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book to review
I've never read a book like Who Haunts You. Rebecca Bex is simply a teen girl studying and volunteering at library. Her character is to bind you instantly. When some non existent relatives start crawling inside student 's mind and them experiencing the natural duplicity of with their current relations was so scary. When 3 students die in not less than 2 weeks, things start aligning and alarming for her. The clock ticks and she has to uncover the mystery before she becomes the victims while overcoming her hallucinations as well.
Her character building is strong. The audiobook I listened to was so scary that you'll get all the feels no matter in how chaotic world you're especially at night (horror hits more hard especially). In one hand she tries to uncover her seniors death mystery and in the other she tries to safeguard her life and this melding together was something I can see and feel so clearly in my head, it's as if I'm watching it in front of my eyes.