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Glimpse
The highwayman came riding –
Riding – riding –
The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn-door
Liz just wants to be normal. Her life is anything but.
Seven years ago Liz lost her mother and ten years’ worth of memories. When she inherits the infamous Highwayman Inn, she hopes the move will be a fresh start. Then she meets Zachary. Zachary who haunts her by night and in dreams; who makes her question everything she is and wants to be; who seems scarcely real – yet makes her feel so alive.
Inspired by Alfred Noyes’ classic poem ‘The Highwayman’, Glimpse is a ghost story, a love story, and a story of a girl fighting for her future by confronting her terrible past.
Riding – riding –
The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn-door
Liz just wants to be normal. Her life is anything but.
Seven years ago Liz lost her mother and ten years’ worth of memories. When she inherits the infamous Highwayman Inn, she hopes the move will be a fresh start. Then she meets Zachary. Zachary who haunts her by night and in dreams; who makes her question everything she is and wants to be; who seems scarcely real – yet makes her feel so alive.
Inspired by Alfred Noyes’ classic poem ‘The Highwayman’, Glimpse is a ghost story, a love story, and a story of a girl fighting for her future by confronting her terrible past.
192 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 19, 2014
3 people are currently reading
989 people want to read
About the author
Kendra Leighton
1 book50 followersKendra Leighton is a YA author. Her debut novel, Glimpse, was published in 2014 by Constable & Robinson's imprint Much-in-Little.
Kendra is also the co-founder of an organic chocolate company. These days, when she's not making chocolate, she can usually be found writing, reading, taste-testing chocolate (far more than necessary), or trying to steal other people’s cats.
Kendra is also the co-founder of an organic chocolate company. These days, when she's not making chocolate, she can usually be found writing, reading, taste-testing chocolate (far more than necessary), or trying to steal other people’s cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
June 17, 2014
(I received a copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.)
Glimpse wasn't a very good read unfortunately.
Liz was an okay character most of the time, but she could be quite slow on the uptake, which was quite annoying.
I didn't get why she thought changing schools would get rid of her glimpses. It's not the type of thing that's going to go away easily!
I found this quite dull, and the pacing was a bit too slow for me. Nothing really happened until the end, so i was pretty bored until then.
When it did start picking up, it was a lot more exciting than the rest of it... but it still wasn't anything amazing.
Overall, slow and dull.
Glimpse wasn't a very good read unfortunately.
Liz was an okay character most of the time, but she could be quite slow on the uptake, which was quite annoying.
I didn't get why she thought changing schools would get rid of her glimpses. It's not the type of thing that's going to go away easily!
I found this quite dull, and the pacing was a bit too slow for me. Nothing really happened until the end, so i was pretty bored until then.
When it did start picking up, it was a lot more exciting than the rest of it... but it still wasn't anything amazing.
Overall, slow and dull.
March 30, 2021
An atmospheric and elegant story set at the haunted Highwayman inn. Weaving the poem into the story, the author creates a beautiful and utterly addictive tale about a girl who sees ghosts, and one in particular who’s caught her attention. I loved the setting. It was really eerie in and around the inn and I never felt like Liz was quite safe there, but even when she was at school darkness was creeping in at the corners all the time. The forbidden romance element of the story was probably my favourite part.
February 16, 2015
A haunting, fantastic read! Kendra Leighton's debut novel is compelling, eloquent and unique. I studied The Highwayman at school and it kicked off a life-long fondness for the poem (I think I can even recite most of it). When I heard that Leighton had written a YA novel incorporating The Highwayman into its storyline, I was more than a little intrigued. GLIMPSE did not disappoint! A beautifully realised setting with a relatable, fun main character and a surprising, twisting narrative. I'm a wuss and generally hate ghost stories but I have to make an acceptation with this one.
May 20, 2015
Hauntingly beautiful
January 9, 2018
Overlooking 'a smile as weak as cake mix', an otherwise enjoyable and atmospheric story!
July 15, 2014
When I first heard and saw Glimpse I knew I had to read it. Not only did Glimpse sound like a a great spooky read, I love how haunting the cover is, it just fit perfectly with the synopsis.
Glimpse is based on a poem, The Highway Man, but it's not one I have read, or heard of. Thankfully the poem is in the beginning of Glimpse so I was able to read it and get an idea of the inspiration and story behind Glimpse.
Liz has inherited the Highwayman Inn after her granddad passed away, together with her Father, they move home and relocate to the inn. Not only is Liz faced with living in a new place that holds a lot of history for her, she also has to start a new school and pretend to be 'normal', that she doesn't see these glimpses. I felt sorry for Liz, she is seeing things that no-one else can see, and she is finding it hard to be a normal girl, a normal teenager, even her own father is having difficulty understanding her, and this move felt like it had made her even more alone, more isolated.
Glimpse was an interesting read and while I wouldn't say I loved it, I did enjoy it. I like how Kendra has woven different aspects together, paranormal, romance, mystery, and made them work really well together. I like the paranormal aspect in Glimpse and although it wasn't as spooky as I would have liked, it definitely kept me intrigued as to what was going to happen in the story itself.
Scott was someone who I never really warmed up to. I personally felt like he thought he was God's gift to the world and thought far too much of himself, he was definitely up to something.
Zachary was a mystery and although you (eventually) know of his history I think he was one of the few people that I felt okay with. I love his attitude towards Liz and his old fashioned manners.
Do we learn why Liz sees glimpses? Why can she see Zachary like he is a normal human being? Do we get the answers why she can't remember anything before the crash? All of these questions and more are answered in the final chapters of Glimpse, and the answers were not something I was expecting, but I do love the twist. Glimpse is a great read for a début author and I am interested in seeing if Kendra has any more ideas up her sleeve.
Glimpse is based on a poem, The Highway Man, but it's not one I have read, or heard of. Thankfully the poem is in the beginning of Glimpse so I was able to read it and get an idea of the inspiration and story behind Glimpse.
Liz has inherited the Highwayman Inn after her granddad passed away, together with her Father, they move home and relocate to the inn. Not only is Liz faced with living in a new place that holds a lot of history for her, she also has to start a new school and pretend to be 'normal', that she doesn't see these glimpses. I felt sorry for Liz, she is seeing things that no-one else can see, and she is finding it hard to be a normal girl, a normal teenager, even her own father is having difficulty understanding her, and this move felt like it had made her even more alone, more isolated.
Glimpse was an interesting read and while I wouldn't say I loved it, I did enjoy it. I like how Kendra has woven different aspects together, paranormal, romance, mystery, and made them work really well together. I like the paranormal aspect in Glimpse and although it wasn't as spooky as I would have liked, it definitely kept me intrigued as to what was going to happen in the story itself.
Scott was someone who I never really warmed up to. I personally felt like he thought he was God's gift to the world and thought far too much of himself, he was definitely up to something.
Zachary was a mystery and although you (eventually) know of his history I think he was one of the few people that I felt okay with. I love his attitude towards Liz and his old fashioned manners.
Do we learn why Liz sees glimpses? Why can she see Zachary like he is a normal human being? Do we get the answers why she can't remember anything before the crash? All of these questions and more are answered in the final chapters of Glimpse, and the answers were not something I was expecting, but I do love the twist. Glimpse is a great read for a début author and I am interested in seeing if Kendra has any more ideas up her sleeve.
November 16, 2014
Review also published on my book blog, The Book Fairy's Haven.
Ok, so after initially finding this book intriguing, I'm very disappointed to say that everything else that followed ended up being one huge disappointment for me.
The Highway Man is one of my all-time favourite poems - I love the haunting imagery, the prose of the poem and the air of tragedy that embodies it.
So, it stands to reason that while I didn't expect a blow-by-blow adaptation of it, I did hope and expect that the book would at least capture the essence of the poem.
Unfortunately, I think the book really failed at this.
The ghostly aspects didn't haunt, the protagonist was just another overly done character trope and I just didn't connect with her or the events that unfolded in the story.
Oh and the almost love story and how it was resolved in the end? For me (and I'm once again sorry to say this) it felt like an absolute cop-out; one that I just didn't buy, especially given the fact that I already wasn't sold on the idea of Liz and Zachary as a couple in the first place.
I think the main problem with retellings (and this is by no means any author's fault) is that we as the readers, demand so much from it.
We expect either the same versions with better endings, or something better than the original product. And sometimes it's this that results in us failing to separate our visions of what it should be from the picture that is presented to us.
Which is exactly what happened to me with Glimpse.
Over all, I don't think it's a completely horrible read - I just wouldn't go out of my way to purchase a copy of the book; if you're going to read it, get it from the library.
Ok, so after initially finding this book intriguing, I'm very disappointed to say that everything else that followed ended up being one huge disappointment for me.
The Highway Man is one of my all-time favourite poems - I love the haunting imagery, the prose of the poem and the air of tragedy that embodies it.
So, it stands to reason that while I didn't expect a blow-by-blow adaptation of it, I did hope and expect that the book would at least capture the essence of the poem.
Unfortunately, I think the book really failed at this.
The ghostly aspects didn't haunt, the protagonist was just another overly done character trope and I just didn't connect with her or the events that unfolded in the story.
Oh and the almost love story and how it was resolved in the end? For me (and I'm once again sorry to say this) it felt like an absolute cop-out; one that I just didn't buy, especially given the fact that I already wasn't sold on the idea of Liz and Zachary as a couple in the first place.
I think the main problem with retellings (and this is by no means any author's fault) is that we as the readers, demand so much from it.
We expect either the same versions with better endings, or something better than the original product. And sometimes it's this that results in us failing to separate our visions of what it should be from the picture that is presented to us.
Which is exactly what happened to me with Glimpse.
Over all, I don't think it's a completely horrible read - I just wouldn't go out of my way to purchase a copy of the book; if you're going to read it, get it from the library.
June 17, 2014
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley.)
Liz sees ghosts, or ‘glimpses’ of ghosts, and she’s convinced that starting at a new school will change all that somehow. Unfortunately though, Liz just finds herself plagued by new ghosts.
Is the ghost at her new house really ‘The Highway Man’ from the poem? And how can Liz help him?
This was an okay story, but it took a long time to get good.
Liz was a bit of a naïve girl at the start of this book. Why she thought that changing schools would change her psychic abilities I don’t know, and it seemed to take a while for her to work out what was going on at her new house as well.
The storyline in this was alright, but it wasn’t until the 60% mark that it started to get good. Up until that point I was pretty bored, but thankfully the book took a turn for the better.
There was some romance in this, and it was quite good. I did find the initial attraction a little weird though, and it all happened a bit too fast really for me.
The ending was certainly surprising, and I liked that we got a bit of action. The romance angle was again a little odd at the end, but I was glad that Liz got a happy ending.
Overall; okay story, but took a while to get going,
6 out of 10.
Liz sees ghosts, or ‘glimpses’ of ghosts, and she’s convinced that starting at a new school will change all that somehow. Unfortunately though, Liz just finds herself plagued by new ghosts.
Is the ghost at her new house really ‘The Highway Man’ from the poem? And how can Liz help him?
This was an okay story, but it took a long time to get good.
Liz was a bit of a naïve girl at the start of this book. Why she thought that changing schools would change her psychic abilities I don’t know, and it seemed to take a while for her to work out what was going on at her new house as well.
The storyline in this was alright, but it wasn’t until the 60% mark that it started to get good. Up until that point I was pretty bored, but thankfully the book took a turn for the better.
There was some romance in this, and it was quite good. I did find the initial attraction a little weird though, and it all happened a bit too fast really for me.
The ending was certainly surprising, and I liked that we got a bit of action. The romance angle was again a little odd at the end, but I was glad that Liz got a happy ending.
Overall; okay story, but took a while to get going,
6 out of 10.
June 19, 2014
When I heard this was a retelling of the haunting poem The Highwayman, I couldn’t resist the chance to pick up a copy of this book. And I was delighted when it turned out to be such a wonderfully creepy and atmospheric read!
For a girl who can see ghosts, or Glimpses, inheriting the spooky old Highwayman Inn seems a bad idea for seventeen-year-old Liz. She’s struggling to piece her life back together after losing her mother in a terrible accident which left her with no memory of the first ten years of her life. She’s soon drawn into the mystery of the Highwayman and the history of her new home. I loved the way the author took the poem as inspiration and used it to create an engaging mystery and
Liz is a relatable teen narrator and I really liked the supporting cast, including her new friend Susie, and the mysterious Zachary. The story keeps moving while the mystery and tension mount higher. I loved that the plot took turns I never expected, and yet made perfect sense when it all came together at the end. I’d highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a spooky mystery with great characters and an unexpected twist!
For a girl who can see ghosts, or Glimpses, inheriting the spooky old Highwayman Inn seems a bad idea for seventeen-year-old Liz. She’s struggling to piece her life back together after losing her mother in a terrible accident which left her with no memory of the first ten years of her life. She’s soon drawn into the mystery of the Highwayman and the history of her new home. I loved the way the author took the poem as inspiration and used it to create an engaging mystery and
Liz is a relatable teen narrator and I really liked the supporting cast, including her new friend Susie, and the mysterious Zachary. The story keeps moving while the mystery and tension mount higher. I loved that the plot took turns I never expected, and yet made perfect sense when it all came together at the end. I’d highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a spooky mystery with great characters and an unexpected twist!
June 28, 2014
A gripping ghost story using The Highwayman poem as its inspiration ( though it made me think more of Jamaica Inn). The setting is superb, likewise the cast of characters who are all haunted in some way. It's difficult to know quite who to trust - be ready for a twist at the end!
January 6, 2025
Rating: 3.5 stars
Review:
"The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees,
The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas,
The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor,
And the highwayman came riding
– Riding – riding –
The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn-door.”
"The Highwayman" by Alfred Noyes is a hauntingly, beautiful poem which tells the tragic tale of two lovers-the highwayman and the innkeeper's daughter Bess.Glimpse by Kendra Leighton has been inspired by "The Highwayman" and I must admit that the book is just as lovely as the poem.
Glimpse is a YA novel centered around 17 year old Liz who had been in an accident ten years ago.She lost her mother as well as her memories but gained the ability to see ghostly body parts floating in the air or 'Glimpses' as she calls them.Due to this she is constantly tormented in her school by the bully Derek and his comrades.But she has recently inherited The Highwayman Inn after her grandfather's death.So she has decided to move into the inn with her father and have a fresh start in a new school.
She is determined to become 'normal' and makes a list in order to achieve normalcy.
NO NIGHTMARES
NO GLIMPSES
STOP WORRYING DAD
GET FRIENDS
But things rarely happen according to our plans.She dresses in jeans and shirts giving up her vintage dresses in order to fit in better.She eventually becomes successful in making a friend-Susie.But there is a problem in the form of Scott-the school troublemaker.Moreover he is Crowley's(the inn's caretaker) son and helps out in the inn.
Even though she is determined not to see Glimpses she can't control it.In a place as old as the inn seeing Glimpses inevitable.She is worried that Seth might come to know about this and torment her later.She doesn't want a repeat as he reminds her of Derek
One night she meets Zachary who turns out to be a ghost.And he is not just a regular ghost either.He is the highwayman from Alfred Noyes' poem who died when he was nineteen.He is searching for Bess(more like her ghost) who had disappeared a few years ago.In the beginning Liz is very wary and finds it difficult to believe that he is a ghost.
But as she spends more time with him she learns more about him and begins to feel attracted to him.But Zachary asks for her help in finding Bess.Liz agrees and decides to try her best to reunite the two.But there is a malevolent, jealous ghost in the inn whIch doesn't want Liz to help Zachary.In addition to that she is warned to stop by both Scott and an old psychic lady Meg.
Nevertheless Liz still wants to help Zachary.As she digs deeper into the history of the inn, with Susie's help, she finds more about Zachary's past and her own powers.
I really loved the atmosphere created by Kendra Leighton in the novel.It was quite creepy at times when Liz saw the Glimpses.Poor Liz!!I feel sorry that she had to through such horrifying experiences.The story had a dark and eerie feel and Ms.Leighton wove the events of the poem into the story In a skillful manner.The suspense and the mystery was very intriguing and I kept turning the pages for more.
It was very wonderful to see the relationship between Liz and her dad become stronger.Susie was a wonderful and loyal friend.Scott and Crowley were absolutly selfish.And Ann was just simply crazy!!
I absolutely loved the twist in the end!!I had a feeling that it might happen and I was very happy that it did.I recommend this to all those who are looking for a completely different and original ghost read.
Watch for me by moonlight,
I’ll come to thee by moonlight, though hell should bar the way.”
(Also isn't that cover really awesome??Its really creepy and beautiful at the same time)
Review:
"The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees,
The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas,
The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor,
And the highwayman came riding
– Riding – riding –
The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn-door.”
"The Highwayman" by Alfred Noyes is a hauntingly, beautiful poem which tells the tragic tale of two lovers-the highwayman and the innkeeper's daughter Bess.Glimpse by Kendra Leighton has been inspired by "The Highwayman" and I must admit that the book is just as lovely as the poem.
Glimpse is a YA novel centered around 17 year old Liz who had been in an accident ten years ago.She lost her mother as well as her memories but gained the ability to see ghostly body parts floating in the air or 'Glimpses' as she calls them.Due to this she is constantly tormented in her school by the bully Derek and his comrades.But she has recently inherited The Highwayman Inn after her grandfather's death.So she has decided to move into the inn with her father and have a fresh start in a new school.
She is determined to become 'normal' and makes a list in order to achieve normalcy.
NO NIGHTMARES
NO GLIMPSES
STOP WORRYING DAD
GET FRIENDS
But things rarely happen according to our plans.She dresses in jeans and shirts giving up her vintage dresses in order to fit in better.She eventually becomes successful in making a friend-Susie.But there is a problem in the form of Scott-the school troublemaker.Moreover he is Crowley's(the inn's caretaker) son and helps out in the inn.
Even though she is determined not to see Glimpses she can't control it.In a place as old as the inn seeing Glimpses inevitable.She is worried that Seth might come to know about this and torment her later.She doesn't want a repeat as he reminds her of Derek
One night she meets Zachary who turns out to be a ghost.And he is not just a regular ghost either.He is the highwayman from Alfred Noyes' poem who died when he was nineteen.He is searching for Bess(more like her ghost) who had disappeared a few years ago.In the beginning Liz is very wary and finds it difficult to believe that he is a ghost.
But as she spends more time with him she learns more about him and begins to feel attracted to him.But Zachary asks for her help in finding Bess.Liz agrees and decides to try her best to reunite the two.But there is a malevolent, jealous ghost in the inn whIch doesn't want Liz to help Zachary.In addition to that she is warned to stop by both Scott and an old psychic lady Meg.
Nevertheless Liz still wants to help Zachary.As she digs deeper into the history of the inn, with Susie's help, she finds more about Zachary's past and her own powers.
I really loved the atmosphere created by Kendra Leighton in the novel.It was quite creepy at times when Liz saw the Glimpses.Poor Liz!!I feel sorry that she had to through such horrifying experiences.The story had a dark and eerie feel and Ms.Leighton wove the events of the poem into the story In a skillful manner.The suspense and the mystery was very intriguing and I kept turning the pages for more.
It was very wonderful to see the relationship between Liz and her dad become stronger.Susie was a wonderful and loyal friend.Scott and Crowley were absolutly selfish.And Ann was just simply crazy!!
I absolutely loved the twist in the end!!I had a feeling that it might happen and I was very happy that it did.I recommend this to all those who are looking for a completely different and original ghost read.
Watch for me by moonlight,
I’ll come to thee by moonlight, though hell should bar the way.”
(Also isn't that cover really awesome??Its really creepy and beautiful at the same time)
October 28, 2025
This is "graveyard" book #6 for me this year. If you have been reading my reviews this year, you have seen that I decided to start picking up my books that I put down for one reason or another. This one I started back in 2018 and just didn't feel like continuing after about page 90. I left that annotation in my book when I started it back up. What is up with page 90 or around the 90s? I guess that is a good amount in a book to tell me if it is boring or not.
Glimpse is a paranormal romance about a high school girl named Elizabeth "Liz" who moves back into her family home, a rundown inn called the Highwayman. What we learn right away is that Liz can see ghosts, or what she calls the glimpses. She has desperately been trying not to see them for years. Seven years ago, Liz lost her mom, and according to the back cover of the book, lost ten years' worth of memories. We don't know why her memories are gone, but she wants them back. She thinks her mother loved her and just wants to remember that fact. Her father is still in mourning when they move into the inn. Liz is going to try out the new school and learns that some people are to be ignored and forgotten about, or at least she wants to pretend they don't exist. But not Zachary, a boy she sees out of her bedroom window one night. She would like him to continue to see her.
I thought the first 90 pages were boring. Hoping for more ghosts. When I find out I'm reading a ghost story, I want ghosts right away. I want spooky, I want haunted houses. But we don't get that until way later. The twist wasn't something I was anticipating, and the ending was cute, but towards what end expected. I normally don't read paranormal romance. This book was a quick read, once I picked it back up. Overall, it was okay. I did like that it was inspired by a classic poem, 'The Highwayman'. I liked Zachary and his brother's story more. Actually, if this were a historical fiction, it would have been better.
Glimpse is a paranormal romance about a high school girl named Elizabeth "Liz" who moves back into her family home, a rundown inn called the Highwayman. What we learn right away is that Liz can see ghosts, or what she calls the glimpses. She has desperately been trying not to see them for years. Seven years ago, Liz lost her mom, and according to the back cover of the book, lost ten years' worth of memories. We don't know why her memories are gone, but she wants them back. She thinks her mother loved her and just wants to remember that fact. Her father is still in mourning when they move into the inn. Liz is going to try out the new school and learns that some people are to be ignored and forgotten about, or at least she wants to pretend they don't exist. But not Zachary, a boy she sees out of her bedroom window one night. She would like him to continue to see her.
I thought the first 90 pages were boring. Hoping for more ghosts. When I find out I'm reading a ghost story, I want ghosts right away. I want spooky, I want haunted houses. But we don't get that until way later. The twist wasn't something I was anticipating, and the ending was cute, but towards what end expected. I normally don't read paranormal romance. This book was a quick read, once I picked it back up. Overall, it was okay. I did like that it was inspired by a classic poem, 'The Highwayman'. I liked Zachary and his brother's story more. Actually, if this were a historical fiction, it would have been better.
January 18, 2019
I've been in the process of reading this book for a while -I started it way back in November and then got distracted by other reads. I've had it on my TBR for even longer! But that's not a reflection on the book itself, just my own indecisive nature. I was still really excited about reading a book based around Alfred Noyes's poem 'The Highwayman' as I distinctly remember reading and enjoying it at school! A ghost story might not be the most conventional way to start the year off, but I was in the mood!
I really enjoyed a lot of aspects of this! The story itself was a good one, filled with plenty of action and a lot of mystery. I liked the paranormal elements to it too, and I felt that Elizabeth's powers were well explained. I liked how her 'spirit-seeing' worked and the glimpses were super creepy! I also really liked the build-up in this story and Zachary's role. He was a good love interest - mysterious, eloquent and charming, and was just how I envisaged the legendary Highwayman.
My only complaint was that I saw most of the plot points coming a mile off. The ending was virtually no surprise to me, and I felt that Leighton really brushed over what Liz's revelation (and Zachary's) meant for everyone! What about poor, ignorant Liz's dad? Though I have to say, he frustrated me a lot in this book so I don't feel THAT sorry for him. I think the ending could have benefitted from a more solid conclusion. But other than that, this was a great read!
I really enjoyed a lot of aspects of this! The story itself was a good one, filled with plenty of action and a lot of mystery. I liked the paranormal elements to it too, and I felt that Elizabeth's powers were well explained. I liked how her 'spirit-seeing' worked and the glimpses were super creepy! I also really liked the build-up in this story and Zachary's role. He was a good love interest - mysterious, eloquent and charming, and was just how I envisaged the legendary Highwayman.
My only complaint was that I saw most of the plot points coming a mile off. The ending was virtually no surprise to me, and I felt that Leighton really brushed over what Liz's revelation (and Zachary's) meant for everyone! What about poor, ignorant Liz's dad? Though I have to say, he frustrated me a lot in this book so I don't feel THAT sorry for him. I think the ending could have benefitted from a more solid conclusion. But other than that, this was a great read!
February 25, 2015
YA ghost stories have always been my favourite kind of story. There’s just something about this modern gothic feel to them, the spine-tingling atmosphere, that comfortable delicious dread. I like that, always have, ever since I’ve read Meg Cabot’s six book series “The Mediator” and I have to say, “Glimpse” by Kendra Leighton comes very close to that series in atmosphere and tone. That’s a compliment, coming from me in case you wondered. Regarding what “Glimpse” is – a YA ghost novel, a love story, a dark mystery for teens – it kept all the promises it made. It’s a fun read, brim full of ghostly encounters and teenage angst. But it’s not spectacular. It doesn’t have to be, it delivers everything I wanted from it, but I see how people could be left feeling underwhelmed over even disappointed.
The problem with “Glimpse” is its subject: “Glimpse” is in many ways a sequel to “The Highwayman”, the famous poem by Alfred Noyes. This is not just any poem. It’s much-loved, everybody knows it and it’s a classic. The thing: Books do not have to be spectacular to entertain or be loved, but if you write about a beloved, classic poem – your book needs to be very good. Not just good but breathtakingly brilliant. This is why it’s hard to work with a well-known story or poem – the fans of that work will want to read your book and they’ll be disappointed if you don’t offer anything new, if you don’t owe up to the work you’re basing your own novel on. And I don’t think “Glimpse” owes up. As a spooky YA ghost story it’s very nice, entertaining and atmospheric, a book teens will probably love. As a novel based on the great “Highwayman” – it’s lacking. I’ll elaborate:
The thing is, I was never all too fond of the poem and maybe that’s why I could enjoy the book for what it is. Of course I know “The Highwayman”. I actually really like Loreena McKennitt’s song version of it. But I never really got into it and I read “Glimpse for the ghosts and not for the poem. But still. The man – no, boy – who turns out to be the famous Highwayman is truly underwhelming. Going by the poem I was expecting a dashing, handsome man, gruesome and coldblooded, because – he’s a highwayman. He haunted the roads, robbed and killed people and did all the things highwaymen used to do. I was expecting some Dick Turpin or Claude Duval, someone interesting and maybe unlikable but authentic for an eighteenth century highway robber. We do not get that. We get Zachary. Zachary is about nineteen years old, has never killed anyone on purpose and didn’t even want to be a Highwayman and rob people – he did it for someone else. In short: We get a really nice teenaged boy.
Mind you, I would have loved a nice, considerate boy in any other YA read. I despise the brooding dark YA hero who treats the heroine like dirt, I do not want that kind of thing in any boy. In fact, Zachary is great. He’s likable, he’s caring, he’s a real dear. A highwayman, however, he is not. So maybe you can’t have a ruthless highwayman as a love interest in YA, I don’t know. It’s just weird to me how Zachary is supposed to be the Highwayman from the poem, who wears claret velvet and owns jewelled pistols and brazenly tells Bess, the landlord’s daughter, to watch for him by the moonlight. I get that, according to the book, the poem is a complete romanticisation of the actual events, but still. Zachary, who’s a great character all in all, is kind of a letdown when you remind yourself this book is supposed to be based on “The Highwayman”.
The other thing that bothered me was the ending. It was rushed. A lot. This is a slow book and I really like that. I would choose darkly atmospheric reads over lots of action anytime. This book builds and builds and revelations come slowly and it keeps you guessing right until the end and I adored that. It’s not predictable at all, there are lots of great twists and interessting new takes on ghosts and how they work. But I feel like a 100-page-ending was mashed into about 30 pages and lots of great twists and revelations fall short because they don’t get the time they deserve to really impress. I felt like I wasn’t given enough time to actually acknowledge the things that happened and suddenly it was over and I’m not sure everything was explained after all. The book is a great, well-written, atmospheric, eerie read. The ending however is half-baked.
The reason I’ll give this book four stars instead of five however is because of the last three pages. I’m serious. I’ll explain in a spoiler tag because it’s just a huge spoiler. I mean it! If you want to read this book, do NOT click on this spoiler. The thing is:
I only talked about the two things that bothered me now because I’m not quite sure what to say about the rest. I really liked it. The characters were great. Liz is an interesting, well-rounded protagonist and I liked her voice. I really liked the way the plot about her trying to remember her past was handled. My favourite character was Susie though. I wish there had been more of Susie in the book. As a spooky YA ghost story I really liked this book. As a novel based on the “Highwayman” poem however it did feel a bit lacking. I’d recommend for everyone who wants to read this to just take it for what it is: A YA ghost story with a love story and a bit of mystery to add to the mix. And it’s a really good book compared to other books from the genre, I really enjoyed it. But if you want to read this novel because it’s based on “The Highwayman”… I guess there are better novels about the poem out there. You might just be disappointed.
The problem with “Glimpse” is its subject: “Glimpse” is in many ways a sequel to “The Highwayman”, the famous poem by Alfred Noyes. This is not just any poem. It’s much-loved, everybody knows it and it’s a classic. The thing: Books do not have to be spectacular to entertain or be loved, but if you write about a beloved, classic poem – your book needs to be very good. Not just good but breathtakingly brilliant. This is why it’s hard to work with a well-known story or poem – the fans of that work will want to read your book and they’ll be disappointed if you don’t offer anything new, if you don’t owe up to the work you’re basing your own novel on. And I don’t think “Glimpse” owes up. As a spooky YA ghost story it’s very nice, entertaining and atmospheric, a book teens will probably love. As a novel based on the great “Highwayman” – it’s lacking. I’ll elaborate:
The thing is, I was never all too fond of the poem and maybe that’s why I could enjoy the book for what it is. Of course I know “The Highwayman”. I actually really like Loreena McKennitt’s song version of it. But I never really got into it and I read “Glimpse for the ghosts and not for the poem. But still. The man – no, boy – who turns out to be the famous Highwayman is truly underwhelming. Going by the poem I was expecting a dashing, handsome man, gruesome and coldblooded, because – he’s a highwayman. He haunted the roads, robbed and killed people and did all the things highwaymen used to do. I was expecting some Dick Turpin or Claude Duval, someone interesting and maybe unlikable but authentic for an eighteenth century highway robber. We do not get that. We get Zachary. Zachary is about nineteen years old, has never killed anyone on purpose and didn’t even want to be a Highwayman and rob people – he did it for someone else. In short: We get a really nice teenaged boy.
Mind you, I would have loved a nice, considerate boy in any other YA read. I despise the brooding dark YA hero who treats the heroine like dirt, I do not want that kind of thing in any boy. In fact, Zachary is great. He’s likable, he’s caring, he’s a real dear. A highwayman, however, he is not. So maybe you can’t have a ruthless highwayman as a love interest in YA, I don’t know. It’s just weird to me how Zachary is supposed to be the Highwayman from the poem, who wears claret velvet and owns jewelled pistols and brazenly tells Bess, the landlord’s daughter, to watch for him by the moonlight. I get that, according to the book, the poem is a complete romanticisation of the actual events, but still. Zachary, who’s a great character all in all, is kind of a letdown when you remind yourself this book is supposed to be based on “The Highwayman”.
The other thing that bothered me was the ending. It was rushed. A lot. This is a slow book and I really like that. I would choose darkly atmospheric reads over lots of action anytime. This book builds and builds and revelations come slowly and it keeps you guessing right until the end and I adored that. It’s not predictable at all, there are lots of great twists and interessting new takes on ghosts and how they work. But I feel like a 100-page-ending was mashed into about 30 pages and lots of great twists and revelations fall short because they don’t get the time they deserve to really impress. I felt like I wasn’t given enough time to actually acknowledge the things that happened and suddenly it was over and I’m not sure everything was explained after all. The book is a great, well-written, atmospheric, eerie read. The ending however is half-baked.
The reason I’ll give this book four stars instead of five however is because of the last three pages. I’m serious. I’ll explain in a spoiler tag because it’s just a huge spoiler. I mean it! If you want to read this book, do NOT click on this spoiler. The thing is:
I only talked about the two things that bothered me now because I’m not quite sure what to say about the rest. I really liked it. The characters were great. Liz is an interesting, well-rounded protagonist and I liked her voice. I really liked the way the plot about her trying to remember her past was handled. My favourite character was Susie though. I wish there had been more of Susie in the book. As a spooky YA ghost story I really liked this book. As a novel based on the “Highwayman” poem however it did feel a bit lacking. I’d recommend for everyone who wants to read this to just take it for what it is: A YA ghost story with a love story and a bit of mystery to add to the mix. And it’s a really good book compared to other books from the genre, I really enjoyed it. But if you want to read this novel because it’s based on “The Highwayman”… I guess there are better novels about the poem out there. You might just be disappointed.
October 12, 2022
One star retracted only because it felt slow at times; especially the first 50+ pages felt like simply setting the scene with hardly anything happening.
As for the rest, however, I admit I got totally pulled into the characters and their struggles. Maybe it's because it's been a long time since I've properly read books, but I know I'm going to be missing these characters - especially Zachary - for a while. And as great as this book is as a standalone, I regret not being able to glimpse into the future these two face now, after the events of this story. An epilogue would've been nice, though not needed for a conclusion, to soften the abrupt ending.
I wasn't familiar with The Highwayman poem before getting into this book (it's included in the first pages), but I must say I very much appreciated the mysterious and dramatic setting it provided. A very well pulled-off retelling.
As for the rest, however, I admit I got totally pulled into the characters and their struggles. Maybe it's because it's been a long time since I've properly read books, but I know I'm going to be missing these characters - especially Zachary - for a while. And as great as this book is as a standalone, I regret not being able to glimpse into the future these two face now, after the events of this story. An epilogue would've been nice, though not needed for a conclusion, to soften the abrupt ending.
I wasn't familiar with The Highwayman poem before getting into this book (it's included in the first pages), but I must say I very much appreciated the mysterious and dramatic setting it provided. A very well pulled-off retelling.
February 9, 2025
I picked this book up from a store that sells used books and I absolutely loved it. I felt as if the plot twist was something I hadn’t even seen coming, like who would have known the entire time she was someone else and that’s why she had so much trouble connecting to Elizabeth. I think the dreams were such an amazing imagery towards the books like the fact that she kept dreaming that her mom was telling her to “get out, get out” was her mom telling Bes to get out of Liz’s body. I remember being so confused when she went to Meg and she had said that the woman in that photo didn’t love her, but then the story proceeded to help me understand that! I loved this book, to think the DNV was selling it for $4.99 is crazy!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 25, 2019
Very enjoyable story! Although I found it to be very predictable, I flew through the last pages and liked the outcome very much.
A very good and pleasant introduction to paranormal romance. Also, I loved Zachary as a character...
Spoiler down here!
But I was disappointed at him occupying Scott, who was so unlikable.
A very good and pleasant introduction to paranormal romance. Also, I loved Zachary as a character...
Spoiler down here!
But I was disappointed at him occupying Scott, who was so unlikable.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 11, 2017
I thought this was an above average middle grade creepy book. I liked out main character Elizabeth as well the other characters in the book. There was a twist at the end that I didn't see coming and I liked the way it all fitted together.
October 16, 2025
Oh my god. WOW. The whole way through I was trying to work out how it could possibly end well, and that ending just blew me away. Incredible. Atmospheric, sinister (the BONES *shudders*) and beautifully written.
July 20, 2014
Rating: 3.5 stars
Review:
"The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees,
The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas,
The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor,
And the highwayman came riding
– Riding – riding –
The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn-door.”
"The Highwayman" by Alfred Noyes is a hauntingly, beautiful poem which tells the tragic tale of two lovers-the highwayman and the innkeeper's daughter Bess.Glimpse by Kendra Leighton has been inspired by "The Highwayman" and I must admit that the book is just as lovely as the poem.
Glimpse is a YA novel centered around 17 year old Liz who had been in an accident ten years ago.She lost her mother as well as her memories but gained the ability to see ghostly body parts floating in the air or 'Glimpses' as she calls them.Due to this she is constantly tormented in her school by the bully Derek and his comrades.But she has recently inherited The Highwayman Inn after her grandfather's death.So she has decided to move into the inn with her father and have a fresh start in a new school.
She is determined to become 'normal' and makes a list in order to achieve normalcy.
NO NIGHTMARES
NO GLIMPSES
STOP WORRYING DAD
GET FRIENDS
But things rarely happen according to our plans.She dresses in jeans and shirts giving up her vintage dresses in order to fit in better.She eventually becomes successful in making a friend-Susie.But there is a problem in the form of Scott-the school troublemaker.Moreover he is Crowley's(the inn's caretaker) son and helps out in the inn.
Even though she is determined not to see Glimpses she can't control it.In a place as old as the inn seeing Glimpses inevitable.She is worried that Seth might come to know about this and torment her later.She doesn't want a repeat as he reminds her of Derek
One night she meets Zachary who turns out to be a ghost.And he is not just a regular ghost either.He is the highwayman from Alfred Noyes' poem who died when he was nineteen.He is searching for Bess(more like her ghost) who had disappeared a few years ago.In the beginning Liz is very wary and finds it difficult to believe that he is a ghost.
But as she spends more time with him she learns more about him and begins to feel attracted to him.But Zachary asks for her help in finding Bess.Liz agrees and decides to try her best to reunite the two.But there is a malevolent, jealous ghost in the inn whIch doesn't want Liz to help Zachary.In addition to that she is warned to stop by both Scott and an old psychic lady Meg.
Nevertheless Liz still wants to help Zachary.As she digs deeper into the history of the inn, with Susie's help, she finds more about Zachary's past and her own powers.
I really loved the atmosphere created by Kendra Leighton in the novel.It was quite creepy at times when Liz saw the Glimpses.Poor Liz!!I feel sorry that she had to through such horrifying experiences.The story had a dark and eerie feel and Ms.Leighton wove the events of the poem into the story In a skillful manner.The suspense and the mystery was very intriguing and I kept turning the pages for more.
It was very wonderful to see the relationship between Liz and her dad become stronger.Susie was a wonderful and loyal friend.Scott and Crowley were absolutly selfish.And Ann was just simply crazy!!
I absolutely loved the twist in the end!!I had a feeling that it might happen and I was very happy that it did.I recommend this to all those who are looking for a completely different and original ghost read.
Watch for me by moonlight,
I’ll come to thee by moonlight, though hell should bar the way.”
(Also isn't that cover really awesome??Its really creepy and beautiful at the same time)
Review:
"The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees,
The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas,
The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor,
And the highwayman came riding
– Riding – riding –
The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn-door.”
"The Highwayman" by Alfred Noyes is a hauntingly, beautiful poem which tells the tragic tale of two lovers-the highwayman and the innkeeper's daughter Bess.Glimpse by Kendra Leighton has been inspired by "The Highwayman" and I must admit that the book is just as lovely as the poem.
Glimpse is a YA novel centered around 17 year old Liz who had been in an accident ten years ago.She lost her mother as well as her memories but gained the ability to see ghostly body parts floating in the air or 'Glimpses' as she calls them.Due to this she is constantly tormented in her school by the bully Derek and his comrades.But she has recently inherited The Highwayman Inn after her grandfather's death.So she has decided to move into the inn with her father and have a fresh start in a new school.
She is determined to become 'normal' and makes a list in order to achieve normalcy.
NO NIGHTMARES
NO GLIMPSES
STOP WORRYING DAD
GET FRIENDS
But things rarely happen according to our plans.She dresses in jeans and shirts giving up her vintage dresses in order to fit in better.She eventually becomes successful in making a friend-Susie.But there is a problem in the form of Scott-the school troublemaker.Moreover he is Crowley's(the inn's caretaker) son and helps out in the inn.
Even though she is determined not to see Glimpses she can't control it.In a place as old as the inn seeing Glimpses inevitable.She is worried that Seth might come to know about this and torment her later.She doesn't want a repeat as he reminds her of Derek
One night she meets Zachary who turns out to be a ghost.And he is not just a regular ghost either.He is the highwayman from Alfred Noyes' poem who died when he was nineteen.He is searching for Bess(more like her ghost) who had disappeared a few years ago.In the beginning Liz is very wary and finds it difficult to believe that he is a ghost.
But as she spends more time with him she learns more about him and begins to feel attracted to him.But Zachary asks for her help in finding Bess.Liz agrees and decides to try her best to reunite the two.But there is a malevolent, jealous ghost in the inn whIch doesn't want Liz to help Zachary.In addition to that she is warned to stop by both Scott and an old psychic lady Meg.
Nevertheless Liz still wants to help Zachary.As she digs deeper into the history of the inn, with Susie's help, she finds more about Zachary's past and her own powers.
I really loved the atmosphere created by Kendra Leighton in the novel.It was quite creepy at times when Liz saw the Glimpses.Poor Liz!!I feel sorry that she had to through such horrifying experiences.The story had a dark and eerie feel and Ms.Leighton wove the events of the poem into the story In a skillful manner.The suspense and the mystery was very intriguing and I kept turning the pages for more.
It was very wonderful to see the relationship between Liz and her dad become stronger.Susie was a wonderful and loyal friend.Scott and Crowley were absolutly selfish.And Ann was just simply crazy!!
I absolutely loved the twist in the end!!I had a feeling that it might happen and I was very happy that it did.I recommend this to all those who are looking for a completely different and original ghost read.
Watch for me by moonlight,
I’ll come to thee by moonlight, though hell should bar the way.”
(Also isn't that cover really awesome??Its really creepy and beautiful at the same time)
July 6, 2014
I have been very excited to pick up and read Glimpse for Kendra Leighton for awhile. I don't know, I never really expected for ghost stories to be my thing but I've been reading several lately and they (and especially Glimpse!) have been really surprising and entertaining and just lots of fun to read. I am definitely looking forward to reading more ghost stories like this in the future and especially to read more with a British setting as well. That's always an added bonus for me.
Glimpse is the story of teenage girl, Liz, who has not had an easy life so far. Seven years ago, at the edge of 10, she was involved in a car accident that claimed the life of her mother as well as all of the memories of her life. When she wakes up in the hospital, she has no recollection of who she is or who her father is. All she wants is a normal life with a full set of memories but instead, she wakes up with the ability of see 'glimpses' of bodies and people that nobody else can see. She also has terrible nightmares and she's bullied badly at school because of her odd behaviour and the strange way she's dressed. The bullying included in this story was quite to read about and it really made me sympathetic towards Liz right from the start.
Then Liz and her father inherit The Highwayman Inn and they move back to the place Liz's mother was originally from in order to start over in this new place. Liz hopes for a new beginning and makes a 'Normalcy List' to help her in her goals. No more strange behaviour, no more nightmares, no more bullying. Fresh start, new life as new Liz. Despite her plans, Liz soon meets Zachary and everything that Liz has been running from comes at her from different directions and forces Liz to deal with them directly.
I really loved reading Glimpse. I love how the story is based around the famous Alfred Noyes poem, 'The Highwayman' and how much that forms the narrative of this story. I had no experience with the poem before reading Glimpse, but the full poem is produced at the start of the story and then is referenced throughout. I really love when other stories or poems become the basis of something new in this way. I also enjoyed the fact that Liz and her new friend, Susie, begin researching The Highwayman Inn as part of their school project to learn more about ghosts and how haunted the building is which allowed them (and the reader) to learn more about the history of this time period.
I thought there was plenty of suspense and tension in this book both from witnessing Liz's glimpses and her nightmares as well as from another angry ghostly presence for this book to be quite creepy and unsettling. Liz and Susie visit a medium in the area who has been in contact with some of the ghosts from The Highwayman, one of which in particular is hell bent on vengeance towards Liz which puts her in some mild peril. It was all very entertaining!
But Glimpse is also a love story and I really loved the combination of ghosts and romance in this book. There's lovely echoes of the love story between the highwayman and the innkeeper's daughter in all of the relationships within Glimpse and everything about this element of the story really made me happy. I really do recommend this book for anyone looking for a good ghost story!
Glimpse is the story of teenage girl, Liz, who has not had an easy life so far. Seven years ago, at the edge of 10, she was involved in a car accident that claimed the life of her mother as well as all of the memories of her life. When she wakes up in the hospital, she has no recollection of who she is or who her father is. All she wants is a normal life with a full set of memories but instead, she wakes up with the ability of see 'glimpses' of bodies and people that nobody else can see. She also has terrible nightmares and she's bullied badly at school because of her odd behaviour and the strange way she's dressed. The bullying included in this story was quite to read about and it really made me sympathetic towards Liz right from the start.
Then Liz and her father inherit The Highwayman Inn and they move back to the place Liz's mother was originally from in order to start over in this new place. Liz hopes for a new beginning and makes a 'Normalcy List' to help her in her goals. No more strange behaviour, no more nightmares, no more bullying. Fresh start, new life as new Liz. Despite her plans, Liz soon meets Zachary and everything that Liz has been running from comes at her from different directions and forces Liz to deal with them directly.
I really loved reading Glimpse. I love how the story is based around the famous Alfred Noyes poem, 'The Highwayman' and how much that forms the narrative of this story. I had no experience with the poem before reading Glimpse, but the full poem is produced at the start of the story and then is referenced throughout. I really love when other stories or poems become the basis of something new in this way. I also enjoyed the fact that Liz and her new friend, Susie, begin researching The Highwayman Inn as part of their school project to learn more about ghosts and how haunted the building is which allowed them (and the reader) to learn more about the history of this time period.
I thought there was plenty of suspense and tension in this book both from witnessing Liz's glimpses and her nightmares as well as from another angry ghostly presence for this book to be quite creepy and unsettling. Liz and Susie visit a medium in the area who has been in contact with some of the ghosts from The Highwayman, one of which in particular is hell bent on vengeance towards Liz which puts her in some mild peril. It was all very entertaining!
But Glimpse is also a love story and I really loved the combination of ghosts and romance in this book. There's lovely echoes of the love story between the highwayman and the innkeeper's daughter in all of the relationships within Glimpse and everything about this element of the story really made me happy. I really do recommend this book for anyone looking for a good ghost story!
July 20, 2014
Thank you Net Galley & Little Brown for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review
I was very intrigued by this book, the hauntingly beautiful cover drew me in and I have to know what was inside, one thing for sure it didn't look like it was going to be a hearts and flowers type of story.
Glimpse starts with a re-telling of The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes, a tale of doomed lovers set at The Highwayman Inn, the story continues to the present day where we meet Liz a teenage girl with a tragic past and a miserable life in the present, you see Liz is not a normal teenage girl, ever since she lost her mother in a car accident seven years ago she has suffered nightmares and worse she is frequently visited by "Glimpses" ghostly bits of humans, and I mean bits literally it can be a disembodied hand that brings itself to her attention.
She does get warning of them about to appear in the form of pins and needles but it still does not prepare her for how frightening it is, and when she is cornered by them when she is around people they just think she is mad.
Thankful for a new start, Liz is glad to move to the Highwayman Inn, a forlorn building she has inherited from her grandfather, she hopes a new life here will stop the Glimpses and help her start to be normal, she has made a list that states these things, no nightmares or glimpses, be normal and make friends!
The inn also comes with a caretaker, one who seems to come and go as he pleases and also to her horror the schools resident disruptive pupil Scott, is his son and he is less than friendly, she fears the bullying she left in her old school may rear its ugly head here.
Her Glimpse free life is very short and she starts to see and hear things, the inn is the most haunted building in her village, she also fears that someone is trying to get in to the inn when one night she see a man in the shadows below her window, a man who returns every night, she doesn't know to be afraid of him or not and when she finally speaks to him he tells her he knows about her Glimpses and he can help her.
His name is Zachary and he is a spirit and the highwayman of the poem, he is searching for his one and only, Bess, they were souls together but she has disappeared and he asks Liz to help him find her.
Glimpse is a very spooky story with some ghostly encounters being quite scary, my own fault for reading in the dark on my kindle! The story of Liz and Zachary is compelling one, you can see that as Liza gets comfortable around him that she is falling from him but she gets warned by various people to stay away from him but she can't stop now she has started.
The conclusion of the story is great as we find out more about Zachary and Liz, why they are drawn to one another, it was not what I expected at the end it was a OMG why did I not see that earlier moment, I love a twist!
The inn itself is so amazingly atmospheric in its description you can smell the musty curtains and see the dust, it is not a place I would willingly spend a night!
If you like your stories dark and mysterious with a hint of romance then you should love Glimpse!
Glimpse is awarded 4 out of 5
I was very intrigued by this book, the hauntingly beautiful cover drew me in and I have to know what was inside, one thing for sure it didn't look like it was going to be a hearts and flowers type of story.
Glimpse starts with a re-telling of The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes, a tale of doomed lovers set at The Highwayman Inn, the story continues to the present day where we meet Liz a teenage girl with a tragic past and a miserable life in the present, you see Liz is not a normal teenage girl, ever since she lost her mother in a car accident seven years ago she has suffered nightmares and worse she is frequently visited by "Glimpses" ghostly bits of humans, and I mean bits literally it can be a disembodied hand that brings itself to her attention.
She does get warning of them about to appear in the form of pins and needles but it still does not prepare her for how frightening it is, and when she is cornered by them when she is around people they just think she is mad.
Thankful for a new start, Liz is glad to move to the Highwayman Inn, a forlorn building she has inherited from her grandfather, she hopes a new life here will stop the Glimpses and help her start to be normal, she has made a list that states these things, no nightmares or glimpses, be normal and make friends!
The inn also comes with a caretaker, one who seems to come and go as he pleases and also to her horror the schools resident disruptive pupil Scott, is his son and he is less than friendly, she fears the bullying she left in her old school may rear its ugly head here.
Her Glimpse free life is very short and she starts to see and hear things, the inn is the most haunted building in her village, she also fears that someone is trying to get in to the inn when one night she see a man in the shadows below her window, a man who returns every night, she doesn't know to be afraid of him or not and when she finally speaks to him he tells her he knows about her Glimpses and he can help her.
His name is Zachary and he is a spirit and the highwayman of the poem, he is searching for his one and only, Bess, they were souls together but she has disappeared and he asks Liz to help him find her.
Glimpse is a very spooky story with some ghostly encounters being quite scary, my own fault for reading in the dark on my kindle! The story of Liz and Zachary is compelling one, you can see that as Liza gets comfortable around him that she is falling from him but she gets warned by various people to stay away from him but she can't stop now she has started.
The conclusion of the story is great as we find out more about Zachary and Liz, why they are drawn to one another, it was not what I expected at the end it was a OMG why did I not see that earlier moment, I love a twist!
The inn itself is so amazingly atmospheric in its description you can smell the musty curtains and see the dust, it is not a place I would willingly spend a night!
If you like your stories dark and mysterious with a hint of romance then you should love Glimpse!
Glimpse is awarded 4 out of 5
February 6, 2017
Glimpse (Watch me by moonlight) by Kendra Leighton
The highwayman came riding-
Riding- riding-
The highwayman came riding,
Up to the old inn-door.
Just like nearly every novel that I’ve read so far, yet not quite at the same time. I have to admit, this book is the first that I’ve read that ever made reference to the Highwayman poem, which instantly grabbed my attention at the blurb. Since, I’m a total sucker for summarising- I’ll briefly outline in my fantastic way of seeing things, what exactly the book was about:
Liz: Oh, I’m so lonesome *sighs dramatically* I wished my life wasn’t so hard. I see these glimpses of horrid things *gasps* and I’m always bullied for my granny outfits.
Liz’s Dad: Don’t worry my dear Liz- we’ll move to the Highwayman inn- the place your grandfather left you in his will, so we can start all over again.
Liz: Oh father, I’m glad to hear it- I’ve only ever wanted to be normal *flounces around*
Scott: I’m mighty ass bad guy, and happen to know your darkest secrets *smirks in that bad ass way that bad boy’s usually always do*
Liz: Oh no! he can’t have found out about me already! I just wanted a new start! *panics*
Zachary: Don’t worry, I’m here to save you *appears in his hotness suit*
And then Blahblahblah- it’s totally horrid if you ask me. You may think that this is a hateful review, but not necessarily. It has its moments when I feel like I could get through it, but then… at the same time- Liz does happen to get on my nerves. This whole time I actually was hoping for Liz to end up with Scott in some twisted and sympathetic way… but I guess all of the characters had what was to come for them in the end.
Liz is obviously the troubled and confused outsider who tries to start over after having lost seven years’ worth of her memory after her mother had died in a car accident. She also seems to have glimpses of dead people that others aren’t able to see and yet… there is this one dude who happens to see them too (and is hella good looking too *sniffs in Zachary’s direction*)
In connection to the poem, this book is totally haunting- I mean was all of this true? Like- is this the actually story behind the poem? Cos, if it is- this author surely did a lot of research. Lol. This book had me on edge a few times- though once I actually thought that Zachary was committing suicide and almost lost it- cause what’s a good dystopian-ish story without a hot dude that gets the girl you know? Anywho, I’d recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a bit of ghost stories and enjoys reading late at night. It didn’t haunt me exactly but I guess it would have an affect on others since I don’t exactly have a heart- *wink wink* So take the challenge or the risk- whichever comes first- and read it. You might find it more interesting than I did:)
The highwayman came riding-
Riding- riding-
The highwayman came riding,
Up to the old inn-door.
Just like nearly every novel that I’ve read so far, yet not quite at the same time. I have to admit, this book is the first that I’ve read that ever made reference to the Highwayman poem, which instantly grabbed my attention at the blurb. Since, I’m a total sucker for summarising- I’ll briefly outline in my fantastic way of seeing things, what exactly the book was about:
Liz: Oh, I’m so lonesome *sighs dramatically* I wished my life wasn’t so hard. I see these glimpses of horrid things *gasps* and I’m always bullied for my granny outfits.
Liz’s Dad: Don’t worry my dear Liz- we’ll move to the Highwayman inn- the place your grandfather left you in his will, so we can start all over again.
Liz: Oh father, I’m glad to hear it- I’ve only ever wanted to be normal *flounces around*
Scott: I’m mighty ass bad guy, and happen to know your darkest secrets *smirks in that bad ass way that bad boy’s usually always do*
Liz: Oh no! he can’t have found out about me already! I just wanted a new start! *panics*
Zachary: Don’t worry, I’m here to save you *appears in his hotness suit*
And then Blahblahblah- it’s totally horrid if you ask me. You may think that this is a hateful review, but not necessarily. It has its moments when I feel like I could get through it, but then… at the same time- Liz does happen to get on my nerves. This whole time I actually was hoping for Liz to end up with Scott in some twisted and sympathetic way… but I guess all of the characters had what was to come for them in the end.
Liz is obviously the troubled and confused outsider who tries to start over after having lost seven years’ worth of her memory after her mother had died in a car accident. She also seems to have glimpses of dead people that others aren’t able to see and yet… there is this one dude who happens to see them too (and is hella good looking too *sniffs in Zachary’s direction*)
In connection to the poem, this book is totally haunting- I mean was all of this true? Like- is this the actually story behind the poem? Cos, if it is- this author surely did a lot of research. Lol. This book had me on edge a few times- though once I actually thought that Zachary was committing suicide and almost lost it- cause what’s a good dystopian-ish story without a hot dude that gets the girl you know? Anywho, I’d recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a bit of ghost stories and enjoys reading late at night. It didn’t haunt me exactly but I guess it would have an affect on others since I don’t exactly have a heart- *wink wink* So take the challenge or the risk- whichever comes first- and read it. You might find it more interesting than I did:)
February 11, 2016
The first time I'd ever heard of the The Highwayman poem, was when I went through my Anne of Green Gables's phase, and watched the Anne of Avonlea movie. Anne had done a memorized presentation of the poem, and recites it wth so much feeling, you can't help but be enthralled by it. So, when I'd read the synopsis for Glimpse, I couldn't resist checking out a story based on the famous poem.
Glimpse starts off by introducing us to Liz, right as she's being bullied at school. We soon find out that the reason she's being bullied, is because she "sees" things, things that she calls 'Glimpses'. Fortunately, she's moving away, and will be able to have a fresh start without these bullies, and people knowing that she sees things that she shouldn't. But just as soon as she arrives, she begins to see Glimpses more often. She also has a few new people to contend with: Scott, a troublemaker, and possible bully; and Zachary, a kind, but mysterious young man. Liz just wants to figure out why she has these Glimpses, and if they have anything to do with the memories she had lost years ago, in an accident that had killed her mother.
Glimpse was an easy, fun read. I enjoyed the story, and read it relatively quickly because it was entertaining. There were aspects of it that seemed genuinely creepy, and creepiness is always one of my favorite selling points.
There's a moment when Liz wakes up from a dream. In it, she dreamed her mother hates her, grabbing her and yelling, 'Get out! Get out!' This was super creepy to me. I imagined this mother who loves her child, but for whatever reason, she's full of hatred, and screaming at her. This was such an intense thing for me to think of dreaming about. The mother that Liz lost...the mother she can't remember...full of fury towards her, albeit in a dream, but still, the fury was so real, no matter if it was in a dream state. To add on to the creep factor, I wish there was more of these moments, and I would have loved having more in the spooky department.
The characters were actually not annoying to me! I really liked them, and there's no one whom I could pinpoint as being exceptionally annoying. Everyone had their place, and no one I'd have omitted from this story, so that warrants a thumbs up.
Obviously I liked this book, so yes, totally recommended!
Glimpse starts off by introducing us to Liz, right as she's being bullied at school. We soon find out that the reason she's being bullied, is because she "sees" things, things that she calls 'Glimpses'. Fortunately, she's moving away, and will be able to have a fresh start without these bullies, and people knowing that she sees things that she shouldn't. But just as soon as she arrives, she begins to see Glimpses more often. She also has a few new people to contend with: Scott, a troublemaker, and possible bully; and Zachary, a kind, but mysterious young man. Liz just wants to figure out why she has these Glimpses, and if they have anything to do with the memories she had lost years ago, in an accident that had killed her mother.
Glimpse was an easy, fun read. I enjoyed the story, and read it relatively quickly because it was entertaining. There were aspects of it that seemed genuinely creepy, and creepiness is always one of my favorite selling points.
There's a moment when Liz wakes up from a dream. In it, she dreamed her mother hates her, grabbing her and yelling, 'Get out! Get out!' This was super creepy to me. I imagined this mother who loves her child, but for whatever reason, she's full of hatred, and screaming at her. This was such an intense thing for me to think of dreaming about. The mother that Liz lost...the mother she can't remember...full of fury towards her, albeit in a dream, but still, the fury was so real, no matter if it was in a dream state. To add on to the creep factor, I wish there was more of these moments, and I would have loved having more in the spooky department.
The characters were actually not annoying to me! I really liked them, and there's no one whom I could pinpoint as being exceptionally annoying. Everyone had their place, and no one I'd have omitted from this story, so that warrants a thumbs up.
Obviously I liked this book, so yes, totally recommended!
February 27, 2017
A MUST read for fantasy romance lovers. I mean, Zachary is a man to fall in love with. Sadly, he's taken ladies. Taken in an all consuming love that no power in this universe can break. So yeah, any old romantic at heart will love this tale of fighting for love and never giving up.
May 29, 2015
Liz just wants to be normal. But when you have no childhood memories and you see ghost all the time, it's hard to be normal. So when she moves into The Highwayman Inn with her father, she hopes for a new start. But instead, things get weirder. What secrets are hidden within the infamous inn?
Curiously, I wasn't expecting to really enjoy this book very much. I was expecting the run of the mill, urban fantasy with a protagonist who was !different! !not cool! !but still magic boy loves her!. And I guess Technically, Liz was the normal character for this time of book. Unpopular and doesn't think she's pretty, but main guy character still loves her. And yet, I really liked her. She is a rare character who is actually physically bullied and hurt but still keeps her head up. That's very likeable in a character, to be honest.
The horror, ghostly element in this book was done so well! It was so creepy, but not so creepy that I had to sleep with the lights on. That's how I measure creepiness. On a scale from one to ten, one being I honestly have had more fear from public restrooms and 10 being I had to take extra anxiety medicine. Glimpse was about a 7, scary enough that I was a little afraid to take my dog outside at midnight, but not too bad. That's the perfect amount of creepiness, to me. Anyways, I loved how Liz could see ghost, but only bits and pieces of them which seems original. And the plot twist at the end is crazy!
Also, I loved that it was based off the The Highwayman Poem, which I actually haven't read before. (I did see Anne Shirley recite it in the Anne of Green Gables movie, does that count??) I loved how history and poetry was a element of the story. In retellings and classic continuations, poetry isn't a factor very often so this was a nice change.
All in all, I really enjoyed Glimpse and it's utter creepiness. I recommend it to fans of ghost stories.
Curiously, I wasn't expecting to really enjoy this book very much. I was expecting the run of the mill, urban fantasy with a protagonist who was !different! !not cool! !but still magic boy loves her!. And I guess Technically, Liz was the normal character for this time of book. Unpopular and doesn't think she's pretty, but main guy character still loves her. And yet, I really liked her. She is a rare character who is actually physically bullied and hurt but still keeps her head up. That's very likeable in a character, to be honest.
The horror, ghostly element in this book was done so well! It was so creepy, but not so creepy that I had to sleep with the lights on. That's how I measure creepiness. On a scale from one to ten, one being I honestly have had more fear from public restrooms and 10 being I had to take extra anxiety medicine. Glimpse was about a 7, scary enough that I was a little afraid to take my dog outside at midnight, but not too bad. That's the perfect amount of creepiness, to me. Anyways, I loved how Liz could see ghost, but only bits and pieces of them which seems original. And the plot twist at the end is crazy!
Also, I loved that it was based off the The Highwayman Poem, which I actually haven't read before. (I did see Anne Shirley recite it in the Anne of Green Gables movie, does that count??) I loved how history and poetry was a element of the story. In retellings and classic continuations, poetry isn't a factor very often so this was a nice change.
All in all, I really enjoyed Glimpse and it's utter creepiness. I recommend it to fans of ghost stories.
June 17, 2014
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in return for an honest review. For more of my reviews go to www.thisisjustabookblog.tumblr.com
I feel like this book had a lot of potential but didn't live up to it.
I struggled to connect to the main character, and even more so to the romance. Liz was vulnerable and determined and stubborn, and I liked these qualities about her, but I didn't feel like I knew her well enough. I was sure about the romance - I kind of thought he was going to turn out to be evil at the end, and I didn't think there was the right amount of build up to it. I just didn't really like him all too much, to be honest.
I don't want to spoil anything, but I wasn't really a fan of the plot twist at the end. The paranormal aspect was interesting and I liked how it was based on the poem, but I thought the ending was a bit rushed and a bit too neat and a little weird, too.
I really liked the idea of someone who could see ghosts, and I thought Liz's backstory was fairly well developed, but I just wasn't sure on what the author did with her after that. I felt Nicholas quite a flat character, and was constantly suspicious of him, while I thought Scott was generally treated badly and more could've been made of his character. The most touching bits of the story were Liz's interaction with her father, and the way that they were slowly starting to heal, and I would've liked more on that. Maybe even something to do with him finding out, and accepting, that she could see ghosts so that he didn't have to be clueless all of the time.
This book reminded me of Meg Cabot's Mediator series, which I loved, but just didn't live up to my expectations. Overall, I felt that the characters were too flat and the writing wasn't engaging enough for me to care much about what was happening.
I feel like this book had a lot of potential but didn't live up to it.
I struggled to connect to the main character, and even more so to the romance. Liz was vulnerable and determined and stubborn, and I liked these qualities about her, but I didn't feel like I knew her well enough. I was sure about the romance - I kind of thought he was going to turn out to be evil at the end, and I didn't think there was the right amount of build up to it. I just didn't really like him all too much, to be honest.
I don't want to spoil anything, but I wasn't really a fan of the plot twist at the end. The paranormal aspect was interesting and I liked how it was based on the poem, but I thought the ending was a bit rushed and a bit too neat and a little weird, too.
I really liked the idea of someone who could see ghosts, and I thought Liz's backstory was fairly well developed, but I just wasn't sure on what the author did with her after that. I felt Nicholas quite a flat character, and was constantly suspicious of him, while I thought Scott was generally treated badly and more could've been made of his character. The most touching bits of the story were Liz's interaction with her father, and the way that they were slowly starting to heal, and I would've liked more on that. Maybe even something to do with him finding out, and accepting, that she could see ghosts so that he didn't have to be clueless all of the time.
This book reminded me of Meg Cabot's Mediator series, which I loved, but just didn't live up to my expectations. Overall, I felt that the characters were too flat and the writing wasn't engaging enough for me to care much about what was happening.
June 16, 2014
First of all, I want to say how utterly excited I was when this book found its way through my letter box. I’d been following Kendra’s publishing journey for a long time, and I was so happy to finally have the finished result in my hands.
And what a gorgeous book it is! I mean, just look at that cover (nice one Tom Sanderson). Of course, you should never judge a book by its cover, but with this one they match up perfectly – what’s written on its pages is just as brilliant.
I’ll be honest: I’ve never read The Highwayman poem before. Kendra opens her novel with the poem and immediately I knew I was going to love this book. I can see why she chose to use it as her inspiration, but I love that she didn’t just rewrite the story. Instead, Kendra created her own story using The Highwayman as the thread that runs through it. It has brand-new characters (all of which I loved, by the way), and some twists that I just did not see coming.
I thought that the ghosts, or ‘Glimpses’ as Liz calls them, were really cool. I loved that Liz couldn’t always see a whole body – sometimes it’s just a foot or a hand, or even a head. While so completely creepy and weird, they were believable, and I couldn’t wait to unravel the mysteries behind them.
There are lots of great characters in Glimpse too. In addition to Liz, who I loved as a main character, there’s also Meg, Scott, Ann, Philip, Zachary, Susie, Liz’s Dad, Crowley. Each was a piece of the puzzle, fitting together nicely by the end to paint the whole (completely unexpected but very clever) picture.
For any fan of ghost stories, or any fan of YA, in fact, Glimpse is a great read that I’d absolutely recommend. And this is only Kendra’s debut novel, so I can’t wait to see what else she’s got up her sleeve.
And what a gorgeous book it is! I mean, just look at that cover (nice one Tom Sanderson). Of course, you should never judge a book by its cover, but with this one they match up perfectly – what’s written on its pages is just as brilliant.
I’ll be honest: I’ve never read The Highwayman poem before. Kendra opens her novel with the poem and immediately I knew I was going to love this book. I can see why she chose to use it as her inspiration, but I love that she didn’t just rewrite the story. Instead, Kendra created her own story using The Highwayman as the thread that runs through it. It has brand-new characters (all of which I loved, by the way), and some twists that I just did not see coming.
I thought that the ghosts, or ‘Glimpses’ as Liz calls them, were really cool. I loved that Liz couldn’t always see a whole body – sometimes it’s just a foot or a hand, or even a head. While so completely creepy and weird, they were believable, and I couldn’t wait to unravel the mysteries behind them.
There are lots of great characters in Glimpse too. In addition to Liz, who I loved as a main character, there’s also Meg, Scott, Ann, Philip, Zachary, Susie, Liz’s Dad, Crowley. Each was a piece of the puzzle, fitting together nicely by the end to paint the whole (completely unexpected but very clever) picture.
For any fan of ghost stories, or any fan of YA, in fact, Glimpse is a great read that I’d absolutely recommend. And this is only Kendra’s debut novel, so I can’t wait to see what else she’s got up her sleeve.
July 1, 2014
would like to thank the publisher for approving the advance copy of this book on Netgalley, in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I have been waiting for this book to be released for months and once I saw that it was on Netgalley I was hoping I would be approved to read it and thankfully I was.
We meet Liz at school and start to find that she is no ordinary teenager, she sees Glimpse and is not sure what these are, because of this is bullied by other pupils at her school. Liz hasn’t always seen Glimpses this happened when she was 10 years old and was involved in a car crash that killed her mother.
She inherits The Highwayman public house from her grandfather and desperate for a new start, she moves to the long closed public house, where she meets the caretaker Crowley (instantly taking a dislike to him) and his son Scott. Trying to put her past behind her and forget, Liz moves to a new six form college where she meets a new friend in Susie.
I really liked Liz and was so glad that she found a friend in Susie that accepts her as she is, faults and all. I liked Zachary, although all through the book I was never really sure if he was a good guy or bad guy. Crowley and Scott, I didn’t like and wasn’t sure where Kendra was going with them, but it all came out in the twists and turns of the book. I loved that Kendra had you guessing on every page what would happen next.
This is a story about love and that love will conquer anytime and place, I don’t want to go too much into the story as I think it will spoil it for anyone who wants to read it. If you like romance with a twist then I suggest you read this, I loved it that much I couldn’t put it down and read the book in a day.
I have been waiting for this book to be released for months and once I saw that it was on Netgalley I was hoping I would be approved to read it and thankfully I was.
We meet Liz at school and start to find that she is no ordinary teenager, she sees Glimpse and is not sure what these are, because of this is bullied by other pupils at her school. Liz hasn’t always seen Glimpses this happened when she was 10 years old and was involved in a car crash that killed her mother.
She inherits The Highwayman public house from her grandfather and desperate for a new start, she moves to the long closed public house, where she meets the caretaker Crowley (instantly taking a dislike to him) and his son Scott. Trying to put her past behind her and forget, Liz moves to a new six form college where she meets a new friend in Susie.
I really liked Liz and was so glad that she found a friend in Susie that accepts her as she is, faults and all. I liked Zachary, although all through the book I was never really sure if he was a good guy or bad guy. Crowley and Scott, I didn’t like and wasn’t sure where Kendra was going with them, but it all came out in the twists and turns of the book. I loved that Kendra had you guessing on every page what would happen next.
This is a story about love and that love will conquer anytime and place, I don’t want to go too much into the story as I think it will spoil it for anyone who wants to read it. If you like romance with a twist then I suggest you read this, I loved it that much I couldn’t put it down and read the book in a day.
July 23, 2014
Original Link to the review at my blog Le' Grande Codex - here
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Based on the famous poem The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes, Kendra Leighton brings forth a commendable and altogether predictable but a soul searing, Gothic romance in Glimpse. I am by no means a poet neither do I have much interest in the subject but the Noyes' Highwayman is definitely one of my favorites and I liked how Leighton didn't go word for word on it but created a beautiful tale out of it.
After the terrible accident where she looses her mother and also her memory, Liz has her work cut out for her. As she inherits the old Highwayman Inn and tries to confront the past and tries to piece together her life she had and make sense of the glimpses she sees.
Liz is a very relatable character. Jaded by her situation. Bullied by school mates and by the glimpses she sees. Reserved and cautious after she moves with her father to the Inn and starts to see the truth for what it really was. Of course, the spirits deserve a mention too. Ghostly, gory, haunting, sometimes vengeful and some very good. Pointedly Ann, the jealous vengeful one and Zachary, who just wants to find his true love.
Kendra Leighton's Glimpse gives us a glimpse into an old school paranormal romance. Its heartfelt, elegant, simply brilliant and very very predictable but a story that stands on its own two feet at the end of the day.
Thats what matters and I loved every second of it.
"An authentic YA portrayal of Alfred Noyes' 'The Highwayman Inn'"
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