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Sweet Miss Honeywell's Revenge: A Ghost Story
Zibby Thorne doesn't know what possessed her to buy an antique dollhouse--she doesn't even like dolls. But when her friends and family start having bizarre accidents clearly connected to the dollhouse, she can't ignore the menacing structure any longer.
Zibby is sure that one particularly creepy doll in a gray dress is somehow responsible for the trouble. She discovers the doll is controlled by the spirit of "sweet" Miss Honeywell, a vengeful governess who seeks to control Zibby and her friends from beyond the grave. They must find a way to stop Miss Honeywell before her wrath becomes deadly.
Zibby is sure that one particularly creepy doll in a gray dress is somehow responsible for the trouble. She discovers the doll is controlled by the spirit of "sweet" Miss Honeywell, a vengeful governess who seeks to control Zibby and her friends from beyond the grave. They must find a way to stop Miss Honeywell before her wrath becomes deadly.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 2004
About the author
Kathryn Reiss
26 books191 followersKathryn Reiss was born in Massachusetts, grew up in Ohio, and received B.A. degrees in English and German from Duke University, and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from the University of Michigan. After college, she lived in Bonn, Germany as a Fulbright Scholar, and during this time wrote the first draft of her first novel, Time Windows.
Ms. Reiss is an award -winning author of 20 novels for kids and teens. She has been a Writer in Residence for the Princeton Arts Council, a recipient of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts Grant for Writers, and has been a featured speaker with (among others) Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, The Northern California Library Association, The International Reading Association, Fresno County Office of Education, California Reading Association, The American Library Association, and the National Council of Teachers of English. She lives in Northern California with her husband and the last of her seven children still in the nest. She is a Full Professor of English at Mills College at Northeastern University, and also teaches in the low -residency MFA program in Writing for Children and Young Adults at the University of Nevada, Reno.
Ms. Reiss is an award -winning author of 20 novels for kids and teens. She has been a Writer in Residence for the Princeton Arts Council, a recipient of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts Grant for Writers, and has been a featured speaker with (among others) Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, The Northern California Library Association, The International Reading Association, Fresno County Office of Education, California Reading Association, The American Library Association, and the National Council of Teachers of English. She lives in Northern California with her husband and the last of her seven children still in the nest. She is a Full Professor of English at Mills College at Northeastern University, and also teaches in the low -residency MFA program in Writing for Children and Young Adults at the University of Nevada, Reno.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 107 reviews
November 25, 2008
I'm convinced my library's copy of the book is cursed or something. REALLY! This book freaked me out so much ((not what happened in the book, but what happened TO the book and me))
---3 years ago: The book had been lost for longer than a week, and I had no idea where it was. My teacher kept calling out my name for over due books. It was embarrassing. Then one evening, my mom was walking my sister and I to the bakery. We had our food and everything picked out at the cash register when she realized she hadn't brought her purse. I told her to check for spare change. We had EXACTLY THE RIGHT AMOUNT. (just like in the book!) I was a little freaked but it was in a good way because I was glad we had enough money to pay for our food. On our walk home in the dark (it had just finished raining), a car drove past and shone its headlights on something in the road. The thing was in rain gutter so I reached to pick it up what looked to be a very beat up book. (It was facing down). When I flipped up the very battered book, I stifled a scream because it was mine (well, the library's!). The protective plastic wrapping is now completely torn up and the back cover has holes in it. The book reminded me of the dollhouse- IT CAME BACK, even though I may not have wanted it to. ---
The school librarian was okay with the whole book being partially destroyed but still legible. She said it was a wonderful story and made the book even spookier. :) My sister brought it home today for a book report and I almost screamed. (It was the exact same copy, all torn up and everything)
This is a wonderful book-- it's very scary, and even though I knew it would freak me out beyond reason I could not put it down at bedtime in the dark.
---3 years ago: The book had been lost for longer than a week, and I had no idea where it was. My teacher kept calling out my name for over due books. It was embarrassing. Then one evening, my mom was walking my sister and I to the bakery. We had our food and everything picked out at the cash register when she realized she hadn't brought her purse. I told her to check for spare change. We had EXACTLY THE RIGHT AMOUNT. (just like in the book!) I was a little freaked but it was in a good way because I was glad we had enough money to pay for our food. On our walk home in the dark (it had just finished raining), a car drove past and shone its headlights on something in the road. The thing was in rain gutter so I reached to pick it up what looked to be a very beat up book. (It was facing down). When I flipped up the very battered book, I stifled a scream because it was mine (well, the library's!). The protective plastic wrapping is now completely torn up and the back cover has holes in it. The book reminded me of the dollhouse- IT CAME BACK, even though I may not have wanted it to. ---
The school librarian was okay with the whole book being partially destroyed but still legible. She said it was a wonderful story and made the book even spookier. :) My sister brought it home today for a book report and I almost screamed. (It was the exact same copy, all torn up and everything)
This is a wonderful book-- it's very scary, and even though I knew it would freak me out beyond reason I could not put it down at bedtime in the dark.
June 25, 2026
Kathryn Reiss has with her 2004 late middle grade and early young adult haunted dollhouse novel Sweet Miss Honeywell's Revenge combined her trilogy Dollhouse of the Dead, The Headless Bride and Rest in Peace into one novel (albeit and in my humble opinion with over 440 pages Sweet Miss Honeywell's Revenge might perhaps be a bit long for younger readers). But since I have not read Dollhouse of the Dead, The Headless Bride and Rest in Peace on their own (because I could not find reasonably priced copies of them), I also and of course do not know how much if indeed anything Reiss has changed for Sweet Miss Honeywell's Revenge (if she has shortened the individual stories for Sweet Miss Honeywell's Revenge or if she might indeed have also added anything), so that my review is thus solely and only about what Kathryn Reiss has penned in Sweet Miss Honeywell's Revenge (and that there will thus be absolutely no comparisons or contrasts being offered since I cannot really do this if I have not read Dollhouse of the Dead, The Headless Bride and Rest in Peace).
In Sweet Miss Honeywell's Revenge, when main protagonist Zibby (Isobel) Thorne under the influence of a strange compulsion that most definitely is not her own (as she is clearly being manipulated) is shown by Reiss as buying a decrepit looking antique dollhouse on her twelfth birthday, she (as well as her family, her new friends from next door, the elderly dollhouses and miniatures store owner and daughter of deceased anguished ghostly school principal Thaddeus Pope amongst many others) are textually shown as finding themselves caught up in and also endangered by a decades-old horrifying haunting, where Primrose Parson (where the original owner of the dollhouse) is being relentlessly tormented by the controlling, vindictive (and indeed totally monstrous) ghost of the abusive and villainous governess whose (generally unmourned) death Primrose accidentally caused as a child tries to repeatedly but unsuccessfully get rid of said dollhouse as well as thereby of course also not in any way even remotely sweet Miss Honeywell's nastily vengeful spirit and influence (so that the book title of Miss Honeywell supposedly being in any way even remotely sweet is at best meant to be a total irony).
But indeed, even after Primrose Parson's death and even after Primrose posthumously becomes a ghostly dollhouse inhabitant in Sweet Miss Honeywell's Revenge, not as an elderly lady but instead as a mischievous little girl wanting to play with Zibby and her friends, desiring to actually enjoy her erstwhile dollhouse in person since Miss Honeywell totally ruined this for Primrose Parson when she, when Primrose was a child, well, even then, Miss Honeywell's evil presence and nastiness pretty much reigns supreme so to speak and is actually becoming ever stronger, that Reiss creepily but also delightfully depicts with Sweet Miss Honeywell's Revenge how that vengeful ghostly governess is clearly out to either stop Zibby's mother's upcoming wedding to high-school sweetheart Ned or to kill the bride and take her place (since Miss Honeywell being thwarted in love seems to have been why and how she turned so bitter, so nastily sour and so emotionally and physically unhinged and abusive towards all and sundry).
With in Sweet Miss Honeywell's Revenge basically everyone coming in contact with the dollhouse being abused, manipulated, endangered and sometimes even killed because of the governess from hell so to speak and her absolutely nasty want, her need for absolute obedience, control and revenge, Kathryn Reiss creepily delightfully has both the dollhouse and even more so the governess doll (in her grey dress) representing the horrid tools by which dead but pretty much all powerful as a ghost Miss Honeywell wields her revenge and that Zibby Thorne also soon discovers that she and those around her, that those close to her are in huge danger (and that most of Sweet Miss Honeywell's Revenge is thus about Zibby, her friends and later also Primrose Parson's ghost as well as other ghosts of persons victimised by Calliope Honeywell coming together to collectively fight against Miss Honeywell's horridly nasty presence), and just to point out that while Primrose Parson trying to rid herself of the haunted and evil dollhouse at whatever cost to those coming in contact with and receiving the dollhouse certainly does come across as somewhat selfish in Sweet Miss Honeywell's Revenge, there is also quite a bit understanding regarding this and the need for this being shown by everyone involved, by Zibby, her friends, by the ghost of Mr. Pope, by the ghost of his wife et al).
And yes, in many ways (and definitely so for my inner teenaged reader, from about the age of twelve to sixteen or so), Sweet Miss Honeywell's Revenge is both deliciously creepy (although sometimes also just a wee bit too much and too exaggeratedly so, as some parts of Sweet Miss Honeywell's Revenge did indeed give me some pretty vivid nightmares) and that as such, Sweet Miss Honeywell's Revenge is also a nicely solid addition to the haunted dollhouse genre (not all that in-depth regarding the actual motives as to why Calliope Honeywell became such an all-encompassing monstrosity, but that this is in my opinion rather to be expected with far too many ghost and horror stories, regarding both ones geared towards adults and ones geared towards younger audiences). And while parts of Sweet Miss Honeywell's Revenge certainly feature some pretty grim and darkly frightening themes, scenarios and that conservative or concerned parents might perhaps find Sweet Miss Honeywell's Revenge too intense and even unsuitable as reading material and also as perhaps too frightening for their children (although I would hope that this would not make them, make these parents not desire to ban or to censor and restrict Sweet Miss Honeywell's Revenge) for me (for both teenaged and adult me) Sweet Miss Honeywell's Revenge and what the author, what Kathryn Reiss is textually providing and featuring has been nicely and surprisingly readable, has been just creepy enough and also a solidly four star story.
In Sweet Miss Honeywell's Revenge, when main protagonist Zibby (Isobel) Thorne under the influence of a strange compulsion that most definitely is not her own (as she is clearly being manipulated) is shown by Reiss as buying a decrepit looking antique dollhouse on her twelfth birthday, she (as well as her family, her new friends from next door, the elderly dollhouses and miniatures store owner and daughter of deceased anguished ghostly school principal Thaddeus Pope amongst many others) are textually shown as finding themselves caught up in and also endangered by a decades-old horrifying haunting, where Primrose Parson (where the original owner of the dollhouse) is being relentlessly tormented by the controlling, vindictive (and indeed totally monstrous) ghost of the abusive and villainous governess whose (generally unmourned) death Primrose accidentally caused as a child tries to repeatedly but unsuccessfully get rid of said dollhouse as well as thereby of course also not in any way even remotely sweet Miss Honeywell's nastily vengeful spirit and influence (so that the book title of Miss Honeywell supposedly being in any way even remotely sweet is at best meant to be a total irony).
But indeed, even after Primrose Parson's death and even after Primrose posthumously becomes a ghostly dollhouse inhabitant in Sweet Miss Honeywell's Revenge, not as an elderly lady but instead as a mischievous little girl wanting to play with Zibby and her friends, desiring to actually enjoy her erstwhile dollhouse in person since Miss Honeywell totally ruined this for Primrose Parson when she, when Primrose was a child, well, even then, Miss Honeywell's evil presence and nastiness pretty much reigns supreme so to speak and is actually becoming ever stronger, that Reiss creepily but also delightfully depicts with Sweet Miss Honeywell's Revenge how that vengeful ghostly governess is clearly out to either stop Zibby's mother's upcoming wedding to high-school sweetheart Ned or to kill the bride and take her place (since Miss Honeywell being thwarted in love seems to have been why and how she turned so bitter, so nastily sour and so emotionally and physically unhinged and abusive towards all and sundry).
With in Sweet Miss Honeywell's Revenge basically everyone coming in contact with the dollhouse being abused, manipulated, endangered and sometimes even killed because of the governess from hell so to speak and her absolutely nasty want, her need for absolute obedience, control and revenge, Kathryn Reiss creepily delightfully has both the dollhouse and even more so the governess doll (in her grey dress) representing the horrid tools by which dead but pretty much all powerful as a ghost Miss Honeywell wields her revenge and that Zibby Thorne also soon discovers that she and those around her, that those close to her are in huge danger (and that most of Sweet Miss Honeywell's Revenge is thus about Zibby, her friends and later also Primrose Parson's ghost as well as other ghosts of persons victimised by Calliope Honeywell coming together to collectively fight against Miss Honeywell's horridly nasty presence), and just to point out that while Primrose Parson trying to rid herself of the haunted and evil dollhouse at whatever cost to those coming in contact with and receiving the dollhouse certainly does come across as somewhat selfish in Sweet Miss Honeywell's Revenge, there is also quite a bit understanding regarding this and the need for this being shown by everyone involved, by Zibby, her friends, by the ghost of Mr. Pope, by the ghost of his wife et al).
And yes, in many ways (and definitely so for my inner teenaged reader, from about the age of twelve to sixteen or so), Sweet Miss Honeywell's Revenge is both deliciously creepy (although sometimes also just a wee bit too much and too exaggeratedly so, as some parts of Sweet Miss Honeywell's Revenge did indeed give me some pretty vivid nightmares) and that as such, Sweet Miss Honeywell's Revenge is also a nicely solid addition to the haunted dollhouse genre (not all that in-depth regarding the actual motives as to why Calliope Honeywell became such an all-encompassing monstrosity, but that this is in my opinion rather to be expected with far too many ghost and horror stories, regarding both ones geared towards adults and ones geared towards younger audiences). And while parts of Sweet Miss Honeywell's Revenge certainly feature some pretty grim and darkly frightening themes, scenarios and that conservative or concerned parents might perhaps find Sweet Miss Honeywell's Revenge too intense and even unsuitable as reading material and also as perhaps too frightening for their children (although I would hope that this would not make them, make these parents not desire to ban or to censor and restrict Sweet Miss Honeywell's Revenge) for me (for both teenaged and adult me) Sweet Miss Honeywell's Revenge and what the author, what Kathryn Reiss is textually providing and featuring has been nicely and surprisingly readable, has been just creepy enough and also a solidly four star story.
April 10, 2015
I remember reading this book back in elementary school, and for some reason, I got really into it. I never was (and still am) a huge fan of ghost stories or the horror/thriller genre in general. As an 8,9, and 10 year old, this book was more of the scary type and was not something I ever thought I would pick up. However, there was something about it that made me want to keep reading. I was hooked on the suspense and just needed to finish it. Every time I got bored with life, I would always go back to this book to add a little bit of fun and thrill to life.
December 4, 2020
Sweet Miss Honeywell's Revenge is a solid book. It's 4 stars on a bad day, and 5 stars every other day.
It has all the right elements of a good ghost story - a particularly creepy doll, a handful of families involved with this angry poltergeist, and an element of mystery - presented in a well-written way.
The pacing never felt slow or hurried. Even if you could predict some of the plot twists, the reveal wasn't just a confirmation of what you had already guessed; there was more to the surprise that still made the surprise surprising and kept the plot moving forward. It wasn't just a "tada" or "gotcha" moment. And the characters acted believably for their respective ages.
The only criticism that I really have is a writing-related question that I would pose to the author, and that is why does Zibby refer to her dad as 'her dad' and her mom as 'Nell' for most of the book? That just strikes me as odd.
Also, now I can see why some people think dolls are creepy.
It has all the right elements of a good ghost story - a particularly creepy doll, a handful of families involved with this angry poltergeist, and an element of mystery - presented in a well-written way.
The pacing never felt slow or hurried. Even if you could predict some of the plot twists, the reveal wasn't just a confirmation of what you had already guessed; there was more to the surprise that still made the surprise surprising and kept the plot moving forward. It wasn't just a "tada" or "gotcha" moment. And the characters acted believably for their respective ages.
The only criticism that I really have is a writing-related question that I would pose to the author, and that is why does Zibby refer to her dad as 'her dad' and her mom as 'Nell' for most of the book? That just strikes me as odd.
Also, now I can see why some people think dolls are creepy.
September 15, 2019
Zibby Thorne had an absolutely normal life, other than the painful facts that her best friend had moved far away and that her dad fell in love on his trip to Italy and now lives there. On her birthday, Zibby is dragged to a miniatures convention by her mother- when she sees the perfect dollhouse, with a price Zibby could afford down to the last penny. There’s only one thing to be concerned about:
The dollhouse is haunted.
This exciting book tells a wonderful story of friendship, ghosts and mystery mixed all in one as Zibby and her friends try to solve the mystery of “Sweet” Miss Honeywell. Can they stop her before she gains too much power? With glimpses into the past of Primrose Parson, a child in the early 1900s, we see the ghosts when they were alive… and why Sweet Miss Honeywell is so desperate for revenge.
The dollhouse is haunted.
This exciting book tells a wonderful story of friendship, ghosts and mystery mixed all in one as Zibby and her friends try to solve the mystery of “Sweet” Miss Honeywell. Can they stop her before she gains too much power? With glimpses into the past of Primrose Parson, a child in the early 1900s, we see the ghosts when they were alive… and why Sweet Miss Honeywell is so desperate for revenge.
June 11, 2009
Zibby Thorne knows there's something wrong with the shabby dollhouse she bought for her twelfth birthday. She hears strange rustling and ringing noises when there's no one else in the room, and one of the dolls never seems to be in the same place she left it. Most frightening of all, whatever make-believe Zibby plays with the dolls comes true--but in a warped, twisted kind of way.
So when her family and friends start having bizarre accidents, Zibby is certain the dollhouse is somehow responsible. Terrified, she tracks down the original owner, and she learns something even more shocking: The dollhouse is haunted--and one of the ghosts who lives in it is a cruel former governess named Miss Honeywell who died eighty years ago.
So when her family and friends start having bizarre accidents, Zibby is certain the dollhouse is somehow responsible. Terrified, she tracks down the original owner, and she learns something even more shocking: The dollhouse is haunted--and one of the ghosts who lives in it is a cruel former governess named Miss Honeywell who died eighty years ago.
January 3, 2008
OMG, this is one of the best books I've ever read, I'm not even kidding! I can't really remember much of it though since I read it like, two years ago. But I DO remember that it was amazing! Now I gotta go read it again! ;D
November 10, 2019
I first read this about ten years ago and it scared me so much as a little middle schooler. Rereading it now as an adult and after so many years, it definitely wasn’t as scary as I remember but it was still lots of fun. A perfectly creepy October read to get me in the mood for Halloween.
July 7, 2010
I miss this book! I don't own it, I wish I did!! This story involves a doll house withe the "ghost" of a girl's "nanny" trapped inside a doll.
June 17, 2025
I had book 3 growing up, and I have finally read the whole set!!
January 13, 2024
This is a great ghost story for all ages. This was a re-read for me. I read it…I don’t know how many years ago. But I think I was about the same age as the characters - middle school, 12 years old. Even as an adult, this book had me peering into the dark corners of my bedroom at night, making sure I didn’t see a moving shadow or a foreign object. Jumping at loud noises, and definitely sleeping with the closet door shut while I read this one.
This is a great, complex, well thought out spooky story. The style of writing is obviously geared towards an adolescent audience. There are some conveniences built into the story, explained away by adults using the phrase “this is highly irregular,” and yet providing Zibby and her friends all the information they need about the layered past of the ghosts. Parts of the adolescent dialogue and the sense of humor in this story are a little cheesy, again geared towards a pre-teen audience.
But all in all, there’s a great sense of place, well portrayed characters, and thorough character development. This is a great book for young readers, and even provides a complex, captivating mystery ghost tale for adults. Some informative and educational storytelling about the science of electricity and electrical circuits as well.
And I can’t write this review without failing the mention the representation in this novel. First of all, featured young black female protagonists, and smart young girls with hobbies not stereotypically feminine. Zibby, the main character, has a passion for building and even states she wants to be a carpenter when she grows up. One of her new friends, Jude, states she wants to be an architect. Another great example of a young black girl breaking stereotypes in literature. Well done, Kathryn Reiss. Also, the cover of this book will always be creepy. Thank you for the nightmares when I was 12.
This is a great, complex, well thought out spooky story. The style of writing is obviously geared towards an adolescent audience. There are some conveniences built into the story, explained away by adults using the phrase “this is highly irregular,” and yet providing Zibby and her friends all the information they need about the layered past of the ghosts. Parts of the adolescent dialogue and the sense of humor in this story are a little cheesy, again geared towards a pre-teen audience.
But all in all, there’s a great sense of place, well portrayed characters, and thorough character development. This is a great book for young readers, and even provides a complex, captivating mystery ghost tale for adults. Some informative and educational storytelling about the science of electricity and electrical circuits as well.
And I can’t write this review without failing the mention the representation in this novel. First of all, featured young black female protagonists, and smart young girls with hobbies not stereotypically feminine. Zibby, the main character, has a passion for building and even states she wants to be a carpenter when she grows up. One of her new friends, Jude, states she wants to be an architect. Another great example of a young black girl breaking stereotypes in literature. Well done, Kathryn Reiss. Also, the cover of this book will always be creepy. Thank you for the nightmares when I was 12.
April 25, 2010
I just felt like reading a little spooky ghost story, and I thought Kathryn Reiss really brought it :) What killed me was the review on the back, that this is an excellent addition to the haunted dollhouse genre. Who knew it was an entire genre!? I guess I missed the haunted-dollhouse-aisle at Boarders. Anyway, I felt like reading something that would have a creepy, spooky mood but not be too heavey, and this was it.
December 15, 2023
This was wild and fun and perfectly not-too-creepy. I gasped aloud at least five times. It could’ve been shorter, but it didn’t drag when I was reading. The five main girl characters were sharp and charming and so fun to follow around. And so diverse, especially for 2004! Zibby was a great main character—always centered, never stupid, wise enough to grow. Who knew middle grade horror even existed, much less that it’d be so fun!
January 27, 2018
I read this book YEARS ago and I remember it being so freaking creepy. Scary doll stories are the best!
November 4, 2018
An awesome read for the young adults. Good ghost story well worth reading once.
July 18, 2020
*4.5, I read this book a while ago but i remember it was such a great, creepy book.
December 7, 2020
3 Stars
Sooo, I did not read this one this year, I actually read like a couple years ago, in ninth grade to be a bit exact... I was just wandering of some lists here on Goodreads and read the description of this one and it rang a bell. Mind you, I did not have a Goodreads account when I was in Ninth grade so I forgot about this book until recently. I remember grabbing it from my school library and the cover grabbed me and decided to check it out and read it by Christmas Break. Reading sppoky books during Christmas? Yeah, I'm such a rebel.
Onto the story, it started out great and it gave you the spooky vibes but in the middle it kind of dragged a bit so it ended being a 3 stars for me, even at that time. Loved the concept and the writing was good but I wanted more, I guess?
I suck at reviews, man. But I try my best lol
Sooo, I did not read this one this year, I actually read like a couple years ago, in ninth grade to be a bit exact... I was just wandering of some lists here on Goodreads and read the description of this one and it rang a bell. Mind you, I did not have a Goodreads account when I was in Ninth grade so I forgot about this book until recently. I remember grabbing it from my school library and the cover grabbed me and decided to check it out and read it by Christmas Break. Reading sppoky books during Christmas? Yeah, I'm such a rebel.
Onto the story, it started out great and it gave you the spooky vibes but in the middle it kind of dragged a bit so it ended being a 3 stars for me, even at that time. Loved the concept and the writing was good but I wanted more, I guess?
I suck at reviews, man. But I try my best lol
April 14, 2019
Rarely do I ever have trouble finishing a book, but this one was awful and I’m confused on why it’s so highly rated. I found it at my library for free and it had a 4 star rating so I thought “Why not?” The storyline is so slow and predictable, its painful. I might recommend this book to men on death row to kill them of boredom!
November 12, 2018
This one was way too long for a haunted dollhouse book and got a little hokey at the end, but I loved the way the characters formed a group of friends and worked through the haunting together. This one has a lot of potential to be creepy but doesn't quite live up to.
July 15, 2021
I breezed through this book and there were part that actually hooked me but overall its definitely a book for kids and teens. The writing is basic and repetitive and there are too many characters to keep track of.
May 4, 2019
*4.75*
March 7, 2021
this book was the SHIZ in elementary school. i loved it so much.
August 11, 2021
I love this book. Not even that scary.
December 26, 2021
I picked up this book because it had ghosts, a mystery and a haunted dollhouse. All things I enjoy reading about in stories. It is a young adult book but I enjoy many young adult books.
September 13, 2022
A must read for ghost story fans!
December 6, 2022
definitely want to re-read, looooved and was so terrified of this book as a kid
September 26, 2024
Read it I guess
September 8, 2017
This book legitimately gave me the creeps so often I would have to put it down. I adore Kathryn Reiss she is seriously underrated.
March 7, 2017
A five star ghost story layered with friendship, subplots, and spookiness. I highly recommend it!
November 6, 2011
Sweet Miss Honeywell's Revenge: A Ghost Story is an unexpected read, I mean I didn't literally thought I'd read it. But because of the book promotion (Hi, Prechana!) I might as well give it a try. And how long has it been since I've last read a horror book? And as far as my memories remind me, the only horror books that I really love were Darren Shan's books, so The Saga of Darren Shan and The Demonata and boy it seemed long ago since I've finish those series.
Sweet Miss Honeywell's Revenge: A Ghost Story is about 12-year-old Zibby who bought an old antique dollhouse. Since then, strange things have been happening in her life and people started getting hurt. Zibby tried to get rid of the dollhouse by burning and destroying it, however no matter what method she uses, the dollhouse goes back to her. Later on, she found out the one of the dolls, the one in a gray dress and mean face is actually Miss Honeywell's ghost who wants to seek revenge. To who and why? You'll be find as you read along.
Well, my final say is that it's not THAT bad. It certainly an interesting and intriguing read. It also gave me the creeps by the way, at least it has that "scary" factor in it. I was actually surprised that I turned out liking it, I mean I've never thought of reading horror after Darren Shan's books because I thought I won't like them because they don't scare me. But right now, I know that the purpose of horror is to scare the reader, this book is successful in that so I was happy. The plot is also good, I mean it made me miss my childhood and it certainty something that I haven't read before. The concept is good especially to teach young girls out there not to be spoiled and obedient.
However, it has come to me that the target audience for this book is not my age. Since the twists and revelations or plot holes so to say are much easier to identify or guess because it's more for younger readers. For a an avid reader like me, I need a much more complex and even complicated twits so to say. I also just wanted the twists to be revealed more, I just thought that it is more relevant to reveal them earlier because it is fairly obvious already. There are also some events that seem relevant, I mean the book is quite long (despite the fact that I read it in three days) so some of isn't really needed anymore.
And a much more better character development please. I am glad with Laura-Jane's character development but not on Zibby, I still find her character quite childish, though it is good that she's not too girly like her cousin. And please, this is horror. So more gore? And violence? Yes, I am a violent girl. But then like I said, the target audience is younger readers so I guess I'll let it go, though there's still some "childish" element in it.
So yes, quite predictable though very nice plot, I like the non-linear storytelling. More character development, scary factor is present and just omit the unneeded events and it'll get its five star already. Nevertheless, I recommend Sweet Miss Honeywell's Revenge: A Ghost Story to horror and younger readers out there.
Sweet Miss Honeywell's Revenge: A Ghost Story is about 12-year-old Zibby who bought an old antique dollhouse. Since then, strange things have been happening in her life and people started getting hurt. Zibby tried to get rid of the dollhouse by burning and destroying it, however no matter what method she uses, the dollhouse goes back to her. Later on, she found out the one of the dolls, the one in a gray dress and mean face is actually Miss Honeywell's ghost who wants to seek revenge. To who and why? You'll be find as you read along.
Well, my final say is that it's not THAT bad. It certainly an interesting and intriguing read. It also gave me the creeps by the way, at least it has that "scary" factor in it. I was actually surprised that I turned out liking it, I mean I've never thought of reading horror after Darren Shan's books because I thought I won't like them because they don't scare me. But right now, I know that the purpose of horror is to scare the reader, this book is successful in that so I was happy. The plot is also good, I mean it made me miss my childhood and it certainty something that I haven't read before. The concept is good especially to teach young girls out there not to be spoiled and obedient.
However, it has come to me that the target audience for this book is not my age. Since the twists and revelations or plot holes so to say are much easier to identify or guess because it's more for younger readers. For a an avid reader like me, I need a much more complex and even complicated twits so to say. I also just wanted the twists to be revealed more, I just thought that it is more relevant to reveal them earlier because it is fairly obvious already. There are also some events that seem relevant, I mean the book is quite long (despite the fact that I read it in three days) so some of isn't really needed anymore.
And a much more better character development please. I am glad with Laura-Jane's character development but not on Zibby, I still find her character quite childish, though it is good that she's not too girly like her cousin. And please, this is horror. So more gore? And violence? Yes, I am a violent girl. But then like I said, the target audience is younger readers so I guess I'll let it go, though there's still some "childish" element in it.
So yes, quite predictable though very nice plot, I like the non-linear storytelling. More character development, scary factor is present and just omit the unneeded events and it'll get its five star already. Nevertheless, I recommend Sweet Miss Honeywell's Revenge: A Ghost Story to horror and younger readers out there.
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