Seven Sisters

Seven Sisters #1

by M.L. Bullock

Carrie Jo has a secret—she dreams about the past. The handsome and wealthy Ashland Stuart has hired her to uncover the history and the secrets of Seven Sisters, an aging antebellum mansion in sultry downtown Mobile, Alabama. A series of dreams, an untimely death and the betrayal of someone she loves lead her back in time to uncover the truth about a missing young heiress and a web of secrets.


Will Carrie Jo slip into the shadows of Seven Sisters, following in the ghostly footsteps of the lost young woman, or can she solve this tragic mystery and find her own happiness?

Genres: Mystery, Paranormal, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Fiction, Ebooks

ebook

First published September 20, 2014

Reviews

[Jackie · Rating 1 out of 5]

DO NOT READ THIS UNLESS YOU WANT TO READ THE SERIES....THIS IS NOT A COMPLETE BOOK. LEAVES YOU HANGING ....
So if you enjoy a cliffhanger, go for it but have the next books right by your side.

[Carla · Rating 1 out of 5]

I rate this at one star, not because of the quality of the writing, but because the author completely misleads the reader by billing it as a series, when what she's written is a serial. The story line is great! It's interesting, compelling, likable characters. What gets me is the fact that the story simply stops, with no resolution whatsoever. It's as if the writer released the first many chapters, and sells it as an entire book. In fact, if you want any more than a prolonged teaser, you have to purchase the next set of chapters separately, which she refers to as "book 2". Again with "book 3". She calls them "cliffhangers" on her website. A complete abuse of the concept! It's dirty and underhanded and there are way too many good indie authors out there to have to contend with cheap tricks like this.

[Kerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great concept that makes for an intriguing story. A book about a mystery in the past that is causing problems in the present. History meets Mystery! An easy to read enjoyable page turner, I can't wait to find out what happens next.

[N.N. Heaven · Rating 1 out of 5]

While I enjoyed the story and yes, I got it for free, the way the author leaves the reader hanging is horrific. It would've been better to say this was a sample than to call it book one. I will never read anything else by this author due to her deception to the reader.

My Rating: 1 star

[Brenda · Rating 1 out of 5]

This "book" was not a book. It was a no cost offer of the first in a series of 4. Usually that means it is a stand alone book with 3 other books that can add to the characters' stories or also stand alone. That is not the case with this "book." You get 1/4 of the book for free and are expected to pay $2.99 for each of the three remaining quarters. The book was not that interesting to even want to pay that amount to finish it off.

[Elaina Deiner · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not a stand alone book

This free "book" was basically just a few chapters to get you hooked, then it ends abruptly. No resolution to anything. I'm glad I didn't buy this book, as I would want my money back.

[Ali · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really, really, really wanted to like this book. I like the idea of the storyline but found the book very poorly written. Characters were completely undeveloped and the scenes were thrown together. I would have given it more stars, but to top it off, this is advertised as a series, not a serial. Not that I'd dislike a serial novel but was not expecting it. I kept looking at the pages remaining trying to figure out how the author was going to tie up all the loose ends. Instead it just ends and doesn't end well. It could have been written SO much better and the fact that it was a serial instead of a series wouldn't even have mattered. Quite disappointing and not worth purchasing the next one.

[Sandee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick read, book one of this series. I enjoyed it, but it ended odd. It continues in the second book and the third book...more of a serial type book. Seven Sisters is the name of an antebellum plantation, and Carrie Jo Jardine has been hired to research the history of the house. A haunting mystery, secrets, and a bit of romance and time-travel.

From Amazon:
This collection includes Seven Sisters, Moonlight Falls on Seven Sisters, and Shadows Stir at Seven Sisters. On sale today for $4.98 (three book collection)

When historian Carrie Jo Jardine accepted her dream job as chief historian at Seven Sisters in Mobile, Alabama, she had no idea what she would encounter. The moldering old plantation housed more than a few boxes of antebellum artifacts and forgotten oil paintings. Secrets lived there—and they demanded to be set free.

When young, wealthy Ashland Stuart offered Carrie Jo the job, he had no idea that she had a secret of her own. Carrie Jo dreams about the past. An unexpected accident takes Carrie Jo back in time as a witness to life at the plantation over 150 years ago. An impassioned plea from Ashland puts Carrie Jo in a precarious position as the two work together to find a missing heiress, the young and beautiful Calpurnia Cottonwood.

A collection of journals and a series of dreams give Carrie Jo all the clues she needs to find the missing girl, but both a present-day danger and one from the past try to stop her. Will Carrie Jo solve the mystery of the house, or will she pay the ultimate price?

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was enjoying reading this book. It's got a very interesting story line and I was enjoying how the author had a lot of depth to the story. I would have liked to read more about the issues the Carrie Jo has and what the deal was with her childhood friend.

I felt like the book just stopped in the middle right when things were beginning to happen! What completely disappointed me was that the description of the mysteries that would occur in the book did not get solved. I recognized it was a 4 part mini-series but only after finishing reading the first book did I realize there are more books being added to the series as we speak. To me that means if I want to get the full story I would need to buy all the books in the series. This book was free and the other books I've seen so far are about $2.99 each, which is not a lot, however. Why would I want to pay for a book that does not answer the teaser questions on the back of the book [in summary] ?

Now that I think about it... I am new to Kindle and maybe that is a gimmick to get people to buy books and I had not double checked to see how many pages the book was so I was thrown off when I was at the last page.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Southern Ghosts Brought to Life

Carrie Jo has a curse. Some would call it a gift. When she sleeps she dreams of the people who were in that area before her.
She has been offered a once in a lifetime job of restoring Seven Sisters, a 1850 mansion in Mobile, Alabama. Making sure she has rented a new apartment with no past off she goes to her new life and job.
What awaits her is betrayal by a friend.

I usually don't read what I would call paranormal books because at times or should I say for me most of the time they become unbelievable.
Seven Sisters is a book that once I could finally start, without interruption, I couldn't put down.
M.L. Bullock not only tells the story but put me in the story. When the story went back to the 1850's I was there with Calpurnia, see Muncie and in the present time I was in the house seeing Ashland's plans for it and seeing the grounds.

This is a spellbinding tale. My only criticism is that you have to keep buying the next book to see what happens. It's in serial form. But I don't care it is so well written I am starting the next book right now.

[Jennifer Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a free book for readers to sample the story and the writer. It is the first of six books. I was initially intrigued because I love ghost stories and I love anything “Southern.” While this is more of a novella than a novel, it was surprisingly a nice read.

I immediately liked the main character and the flashbacks to the past were so well-written that I felt as though I was being pulled into the “dream.” There are snippets of brilliant writing that flit in and out like the ghosts of the story. Bullock has definitely reeled me in and I am looking forward to reading the second book.

[Kim H. · Rating 1 out of 5]

The thing I didn't realize at the outset with reading this book is that it is not a complete story. It is one part of a "serial novel" written in installments. Thus, this book ends with a cliff hanger. If you want the full story, you are going to have to buy at least two more books. Something I wish I had realized before starting.

While I did get interested in the mystery that was developing, the writing isn't compelling enough to make me fork out the $$ to find out what happens. (Also, I'm a little afraid of how many more books might be needed in the future.)
At this point, I'm getting out while I'm still ahead.

[Ella · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5Stars! The story has a very interesting premise, wonderful mystery but the book took just too long to get interesting. I always like to give a book a fighting chance, but I was really fighting to give this one a chance, I found it really slow during the first half and sadly just as it started to get me into the mood, the book ended. I've read many, many serials but this one felt like it was forced to be a trilogy, it didn't really have to be. To me, the first part seemed to be a very long sample more than a novel/novella.

[Laura Dalton · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is NOT the first in a series, it's the first part of a serial. I was enjoying the story, but it then just stopped without any kind of ending. If I had gone into it knowing that, maybe I'd be less bitter about having to pay to know what happens next but now I've read that it just keeps going like this with all of the books in this "series" with no resolution in sight. No thanks.

[Bonnie · Rating 1 out of 5]

NOT a complete book, only told PART of a story!

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting premise. Carrie Jo dreams of and actually experiences past events, a dreamcatcher, as her friend calls her. The story takes her to an amazing old antebellum mansion where she will help restore it and set up a museum for the community. Sounds good, right? To be honest, it should have been. It had all the elements for a spooky secret filled old house swirling with mystery. That was MY dream, however. It wasn't this book. The writing wasn't bad, the characters ok, there just was nothing intensely compelling. And don't get me started on the ending. I guess perhaps the author's power went out, she couldn't use her laptop, and ran out of paper. So she decided to just end it. Awful way to rope readers in to see what (if anything) happens next. Yes, I got it for free off Amazon so maybe I shouldn't complain. But I truly felt robbed. NOTHING happened in this book, it is just a set-up for the next one. Which, if offered for free, I may read hahaha just to see.

[Ingvild · Rating 2 out of 5]

...... no, just no. Definitely giving this 2 stars.

First of all, why was there only pharagraps. This made it more boring to read and I used a lot more time to finish this because of it.

It felt like nothing happened and the plot just didn't connect in a good way. The plot has good potential, but for me, it was written in a way that made the whole story "straight forward". There weren't any places in this book where I got excited to read or wondered what would happen next. The build-up for the ending was meh.

Why did I not give this book a 1 star? Well in the last 10 or so pages, the story actually got a little bit more exciting.

[Ami · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clunky overdrawn sentence structures. The use of a thesaurus would have been much appreciated. I would have also welcomed the knowledge this isn't a complete book. It's written as if an installment in a periodical or magazine with a preview of the next portion at the end and each installment the size of a novella. I will not be waiting with baited breath for the next installment and am reading what I have due only to a current Kindle Unlimited subscription (that only sometimes graces my existence).

[Sheri Vasconcellos Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a southern tale of long ago,filled with mystery and betrayal. Young love and a cruel world. New love and suspense. A drama filled puzzle with deep history. I enjoyed the build up to the storyline

[Erin Karr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the author

This book is fast paced and leaves you wanting more. I started reading books by this author with The Left Hand Wife. I have quickly come to love all of her books so far.

[Hanesyne · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5

I felt neutral. DNF.
Maybe, it's not for me still. Might pick it again after rummaging through reviews. For now, I can't.

[Taralyn Knox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slow to start then gets pretty interesting!

As my caption says, this book was so slow at first. I almost didn't even try to read it!
However, I love historical fiction, especially when there is paranormal activity involved!
I actually can't wait to start number two! This one left on one heck of a cliffhanger!

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before you start this book you should know that definitely cannot be read as a stand alone. Not just in the way that are a few things left unresolved that will need to be explained further in future books but as in nothing gets resolved in this book. The story just stopped without there being any clear cut break. It's as if the author wrote a long story and then decided to just chop it up at random chapter ends to make it less intimidating. That being said, I did enjoy reading what I've read so far. Not much has happened yet since this is just the initial build up but Im certainly still intrigued. I'm thinking about buying the bundle (this first one I found for free on Amazon, damn you marketing people!). I find it very hard to rate and review this one because it so clearly is the beginning of a story, but basing it on my enjoyment levels alone I can say I enjoyed what I read so that's why I gave it 4 stars in stead of 3. At least this beginning did draw me in and makes me want to buy the rest.

[Lucretia Ward · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started out good and had me hooked right up til it stopped. This was only a part of what should have been there. Big let down. : (

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I typically try to find the good in every book I read because I know how hard writing a book can be and how much work an author puts into their books but this book was really disappointing. However, I'm going to try to include my pro/con list because I'm sure this book is a perfect match for some reader out there.

Pro:
-The plot is unique and has a great story arch that keeps the pages turning. There is excellent build up to the mystery of the main character (from the past).

Con:
-The book is a cliff hanger at its worst. You don't even see the end coming. For the Kindle edition, it's like reading a chapter and turning to read the next only to find an advertisement for the second book. At first, I thought there was a mistake.
-I don't typically complain about grammar/formatting but this book could really use some editing. Some of the tags with dialogue were hard to follow and there were a few sections where I was confused about which character said what.
-I'm more of a "show-don't-tell" kind of reader. I like to feel like I'm with the main character and in this story, I felt like I was mostly reading lengthy paragraphs with little action. In fact, I apparently skimmed right over the part where Ashland kisses Carrie. There was basically little to no build up for the moment and when I went back (after realizing I'd missed it) to reread that section it was only explained in a short paragraph. Talk about ruining the moment, haha.

I think this story has a lot of potentials and if I was interested in investing in books with cliffhangers, I'd read comic books. At least they have pictures. I love book series' but at least at the end of each book you feel like something has been resolved (like Harry Potter defeating Lord Voldemort over and over again or Claire and Jace surviving one of Valentine's evil plans).

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting plots, but at 145 pages, there was really no reason to make it into a series. If I had known, I would have never got it on my kindle...but now, b/c I am one of those OCD readers, I had to buy the other two. Really, kind of dishonest to your readers, Ms. Bullock.

I actually enjoyed the book...things could have been fleshed out a bit more, but not everyone is Diana Gabaldon. I would have said nothing but good things - it is a nice, fun, weekend book. But...145 pages? Label it a serial...advertise it as going back to the good ol'newspaper serials of Dickens...but I will say that had this been a physical book, I never would have bought it. Not at 145 pages.

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't like the fact that they designed this story to be a bunch of short money makers. This ended awkwardly and unlike any mystery/suspense I've ever read. You feel cheated. It's not complete. There is no resolution. That's not right! Like another reviewer said, have the next book ready when you finish this one - they should be one book. Aside from that, it's interesting but I'll be pissy about this for a while, don't think I'm interested enough to continue ... On second thought, I got over it and bought the collection.

[Phil Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book follows Carrie Jo as she takes a job to help refurbish and set up a museum at the Seven Sisters house in Mobile as a historian. She has the ability to dream about the past based on the location which gives her a wonderful insight into her job.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would imagine that Carrie Jo's character could be applied to many situations and circumstances. My only issue with the book was it finished too soon and abruptly, but I suppose that's to encourage the readers to move onto the second book.

[P.S. Winn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great idea for an amazing story, although I wish it would have been longer. I can see that the author will have a lot of people looking for more.
Carrie Jo is not only a historian but a bit of a psychic, she dreams of the past and when she gets to Seven Sisters, an old mansion, her dreams intensify as the past and its secrets come alive and take readers on an adventure. Good story and great writing.

[Julie Powell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an okay read, written quite well, although, I wonder if the characters needed developing...but that could be seen in the following books.

Good for those who enjoy a lighter kind of mystery.