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The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall
In this asylum, your mind plays tricks on you all the time…
Delia’s new house isn’t just a house. Long ago, it was the Piven Institute for the Care and Correction of Troubled Females—an insane asylum nicknamed “Hysteria Hall.” However, many of the inmates were not insane, just defiant and strong willed. Kind of like Delia herself.
But the house still wants to keep “troubled” girls locked away. So, in the most horrifying way, Delia gets trapped.
And that’s when she learns that the house is also haunted.
Ghost girls wander the halls in their old-fashioned nightgowns. A handsome ghost boy named Theo roams the grounds. Delia finds that all the spirits are unsettled and full of dark secrets. The house, as well, harbors shocking truths within its walls—truths that only Delia can uncover, and that may set her free.
But she’ll need to act quickly, before the house’s power overtakes everything she loves.
From master of suspense Katie Alender comes a riveting tale of twisted memories and betrayals, and the meaning of madness.
Delia’s new house isn’t just a house. Long ago, it was the Piven Institute for the Care and Correction of Troubled Females—an insane asylum nicknamed “Hysteria Hall.” However, many of the inmates were not insane, just defiant and strong willed. Kind of like Delia herself.
But the house still wants to keep “troubled” girls locked away. So, in the most horrifying way, Delia gets trapped.
And that’s when she learns that the house is also haunted.
Ghost girls wander the halls in their old-fashioned nightgowns. A handsome ghost boy named Theo roams the grounds. Delia finds that all the spirits are unsettled and full of dark secrets. The house, as well, harbors shocking truths within its walls—truths that only Delia can uncover, and that may set her free.
But she’ll need to act quickly, before the house’s power overtakes everything she loves.
From master of suspense Katie Alender comes a riveting tale of twisted memories and betrayals, and the meaning of madness.
329 pages, Hardcover
First published August 25, 2015
337 people are currently reading
13778 people want to read
About the author
Katie Alender
25 books2,750 followersKatie Alender (rhymes with “calendar”!) grew up in South Florida. She is the third of four children (three girls and a boy) and the child of three very loving and encouraging parents.
She attended high school at the Palm Beach County School of the Arts, studying Communication Arts. From there, she went on to the Florida State University Film School, which led her to Los Angeles, where she worked in TV production and development before becoming an author.
She enjoys writing, reading, sewing (especially quilts), and hanging out with her husband, her daughters, and her dogs, Scooter and Frodo.
Her first brush with publication was the article “So You Want to Live On Mars?” published in Sassy magazine in December 1991.
Source: http://katiealender.com
She attended high school at the Palm Beach County School of the Arts, studying Communication Arts. From there, she went on to the Florida State University Film School, which led her to Los Angeles, where she worked in TV production and development before becoming an author.
She enjoys writing, reading, sewing (especially quilts), and hanging out with her husband, her daughters, and her dogs, Scooter and Frodo.
Her first brush with publication was the article “So You Want to Live On Mars?” published in Sassy magazine in December 1991.
Source: http://katiealender.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,179 reviews
November 12, 2015
I understood why Aunt Cordelia had dragged herself out to the road before committing suicide. Why she hadn’t let herself die on the property.There was nothing particularly brilliant about this book, but it was well-written, it was surprisingly thoughtful, and above all it was entertaining. In a week filled with terrible, boring books, this was a breath of fresh air. Strange to say that about a horror novel, but it is what it is.
Because then she would have been stuck forever.
Like me.
The blurb is a little misleading, but I won't spoil the book. Needless to say, it's still considerably better than some books that have promised me the world, and then failed to deliver.
16-year old Delia has inherited an old house from a dead aunt whom she barely knows. All the elements of a horror is there in this book. She has a slightly troubled past, which have led her very academic parents to largely lose trust in her. An old aunt has died, leaving her a house. When they get there, they get ominous reactions from the town residents, and the house itself turns out to be an former insane asylum. It looks creepy, even without accounting for all the shit that's waiting to be uncovered within.
In the narrow spill of light from my phone, I read the first letter: a deeply gouged D.And then, of course, there's the issue of her aunt's death. It was a suicide.
I walked down the hall, piecing the words together as I saw each new letter.
O … N … T …
SELL THE HOUSE.
Then I noticed smaller letters, under the E in HOUSE. One last word. I held my phone closer.
DELIA.
The message was for me.
My dead great-aunt had gouged messages into the floor for me.
Creepy things happens, of course, there are ghosties and ghoulies. As I said, this was a pretty standard YA horror, but what differentiates it from the myriads of other horrors on the market was that it was well-written. I liked the main character. She was real. She wasn't a brat. Her narration was believable, her actions believable, her frustration and fears and rage were felt by me.
Of course, there are other characters (ghosts!) and they're pretty cool, too. They have stories of their own, because they all had lives of their own.
“You’re not the only one, you know,” he said, his voice jagged. “We all had people we wanted to see again. We’ve all been left behind. We’re all forgotten. Everyone I ever loved, everyone who ever loved me, is dead. You’re … you’re not the only one.”And though not frequent, there are plenty of things that go bump in the night.
The only thing about the figure before me that resembled a human child was her height—and her feet.So yeah, read this book. It was pretty good :)
The rest of her was a grotesque mess. The skin of her face was cratered with black sores. Her eyelids were crisscrossed with the scars of old cuts. Her cheeks and lips had begun to rot away, revealing the decaying interior of her mouth—pitted gums and an uneven row of sharp teeth. It gave her the otherworldly perma-grin of a great white shark, even when she was unconscious.
Her arms were just patchy skin over bone, her fingers curled painfully into claws.
November 11, 2017
Observations Made After The Fact
Every fairy tale starts the same: Once upon a time.
Maybe that's why we love them so much. We all get to be part of that story. Just by existing, you get your once upon a time. It's part of the deal.
What's not part of the deal, it turns out, is the happily ever after.
Delia, her parents and little sister go to stay at Hysteria Hall. Delia inherited the home from her aunt Cordelia. Little did they know, the house used to be an insane asylum. Surprise!
Some horrible things happen to Delia while there and she's trapped with many ghosts that are trapped there as well by some evil.
What will the outcome be? Read it and find out.
I really enjoyed this one.
Mel ❤️
Every fairy tale starts the same: Once upon a time.
Maybe that's why we love them so much. We all get to be part of that story. Just by existing, you get your once upon a time. It's part of the deal.
What's not part of the deal, it turns out, is the happily ever after.
Delia, her parents and little sister go to stay at Hysteria Hall. Delia inherited the home from her aunt Cordelia. Little did they know, the house used to be an insane asylum. Surprise!
Some horrible things happen to Delia while there and she's trapped with many ghosts that are trapped there as well by some evil.
What will the outcome be? Read it and find out.
I really enjoyed this one.
Mel ❤️
November 6, 2015
4.5 stars
INSANE ASYLUM FOR GIRLS. That's enough to get anyone's attention, but unlike many slick, cheap-thrills books that quickly bore me, The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall is one of the most well-crafted YA horror books I've read in ages. It's a short but surprisingly thoughtful book, with good creepiness and suspense and sadness, as well as the right balance of teenage snark and feeling. It's hard to juggle humor and darkness, but the author does a great job of that here.
Thoroughly enjoyed--full review to come.
INSANE ASYLUM FOR GIRLS. That's enough to get anyone's attention, but unlike many slick, cheap-thrills books that quickly bore me, The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall is one of the most well-crafted YA horror books I've read in ages. It's a short but surprisingly thoughtful book, with good creepiness and suspense and sadness, as well as the right balance of teenage snark and feeling. It's hard to juggle humor and darkness, but the author does a great job of that here.
Thoroughly enjoyed--full review to come.
December 4, 2023
Precisely what I wanted from practically every book I picked up in high school; I simply cannot wait to share The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall with “my” students. Teen-age angst, quintessentially captured in the sharp, witty and biting dialogue creates characters that are real and relatable. Fabulous and freaky foreshadowing sets a quick, compelling pace making this a page-turner that causes the reader to declare “one more chapter” many, many times. The sprawling haunted house/former institution “For the Care and Correction of Troubled Females” that Delia inherits from her former pen-pal and namesake Aunt Cordelia, serves as spot-on setting for this mesmerizing mystery.
While the plot pulled me in and kept me puzzling, the charisma of the characters captured my heart. The familial and friend drama (with a dash of romance) that distract Delia from her ghost-saving goal of finding and eliminating the source of evil feels familiar. Plotting escape from the house, Delia matures. Refreshingly, Ms. Alender reveals this perfectly, in an honest way by allowing Delia to backslide…maybe she learns from this mistake the first time; but just like in real life, she doesn’t stop screwing up and she doesn’t learn from every mistake as quickly.
The history of Piven Institute, where female hysteria could mean anything from schizophrenia to too many opinions, coupled with her dad’s casual dismissal of anything uttered by a female, subtly introduces misogyny and its ill effects. Conversely, the relationships Delia builds with the girl ghosts and her growing admiration for her little sister, “the prettiest, wittiest, most sparkling complete twerp of a human being you ever wanted to backhand on a daily basis” illustrates girl-power in its finest form.
There is so much to absolutely adore in this adventure peppered with amazing zingers that one highlighter was not enough to get me though this book. I won’t be lending this out, I’ll need to read it again….at least once; but I will most certainly be giving it as a gift for a long time.
This review was written for Buried Under Books by jv poore.
While the plot pulled me in and kept me puzzling, the charisma of the characters captured my heart. The familial and friend drama (with a dash of romance) that distract Delia from her ghost-saving goal of finding and eliminating the source of evil feels familiar. Plotting escape from the house, Delia matures. Refreshingly, Ms. Alender reveals this perfectly, in an honest way by allowing Delia to backslide…maybe she learns from this mistake the first time; but just like in real life, she doesn’t stop screwing up and she doesn’t learn from every mistake as quickly.
The history of Piven Institute, where female hysteria could mean anything from schizophrenia to too many opinions, coupled with her dad’s casual dismissal of anything uttered by a female, subtly introduces misogyny and its ill effects. Conversely, the relationships Delia builds with the girl ghosts and her growing admiration for her little sister, “the prettiest, wittiest, most sparkling complete twerp of a human being you ever wanted to backhand on a daily basis” illustrates girl-power in its finest form.
There is so much to absolutely adore in this adventure peppered with amazing zingers that one highlighter was not enough to get me though this book. I won’t be lending this out, I’ll need to read it again….at least once; but I will most certainly be giving it as a gift for a long time.
This review was written for Buried Under Books by jv poore.
August 21, 2016
This wasn’t a bad story, but I did feel quite bored whilst reading it.
I felt quite sorry for Delia, what happened to her wasn’t very fair, and having to then try to save the lives of the rest of her family was a tall order too.
The storyline in this was about Delia inheriting an old mansion which had once housed ‘hysterical’ females, and also inheriting the ghosts that haunted the place. I did find the pace in this quite slow though, and I felt bored during the majority of the book.
The ending to this was okay, and it ended fairly happily really.
6 out of 10.
I felt quite sorry for Delia, what happened to her wasn’t very fair, and having to then try to save the lives of the rest of her family was a tall order too.
The storyline in this was about Delia inheriting an old mansion which had once housed ‘hysterical’ females, and also inheriting the ghosts that haunted the place. I did find the pace in this quite slow though, and I felt bored during the majority of the book.
The ending to this was okay, and it ended fairly happily really.
6 out of 10.
September 9, 2015
The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall is one of the most entertaining books that I've read in a long time. I wasn't expecting a whole lot from this book but I ended up reading this whole thing in one day and really enjoyed.
Not much about this book was extremely original but it was well written and very enjoyable. The main character, Delia, was very teenager-y but not necessarily in a bad way. I didn't really find The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall very scary, just a little creepy. But then again, it's hard to scare me with a book.
I was very impressed with this book and how incredibly entertaining that I found it.
Not much about this book was extremely original but it was well written and very enjoyable. The main character, Delia, was very teenager-y but not necessarily in a bad way. I didn't really find The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall very scary, just a little creepy. But then again, it's hard to scare me with a book.
I was very impressed with this book and how incredibly entertaining that I found it.
March 23, 2016
3.75 stars!!!
I ended up liking this book a lot more than I thought I would! This book is about a teen named Delia who with her family has traveled to an estate left to Delia by her Aunt who recently passed. Upon arrival they find the house is actually a former institute for troubled young girls. The more time Delia spends there, the more freaked out she becomes until eventually she discovers the place in indeed haunted. Delia must find a way to get rid of the evil in the house in order to save her ghostly friends and her family.
Katie Alender has a wonderful writing style that just flows across the page, I found myself halfway done with this book in a matter of a couple of hours. If it hadn't been for the need to sleep I probably would have finished this book in one sitting. I felt this was a unique ghost book that stands out against other teen books with similar plots. And being a romance junkie, I actually really liked that the majority of this book had no romance, and it kept my attention.
If you're looking for something different and fun from your normal reading tastes, give this one a chance!
I ended up liking this book a lot more than I thought I would! This book is about a teen named Delia who with her family has traveled to an estate left to Delia by her Aunt who recently passed. Upon arrival they find the house is actually a former institute for troubled young girls. The more time Delia spends there, the more freaked out she becomes until eventually she discovers the place in indeed haunted. Delia must find a way to get rid of the evil in the house in order to save her ghostly friends and her family.
Katie Alender has a wonderful writing style that just flows across the page, I found myself halfway done with this book in a matter of a couple of hours. If it hadn't been for the need to sleep I probably would have finished this book in one sitting. I felt this was a unique ghost book that stands out against other teen books with similar plots. And being a romance junkie, I actually really liked that the majority of this book had no romance, and it kept my attention.
If you're looking for something different and fun from your normal reading tastes, give this one a chance!
November 2, 2019
Another young adult book and another very good one, The Dead Girls Of Hysteria Hall, is not as good as The Witch of Blackbird Pond, but it was very thoughtful and meaningful. I wanted a scary Halloween read, but this wasn't that sort of book. It was more about personal growth and trusting your instincts and not judging a book or people or ghosts by their cover.
Delia is a typical teenager with parents who don't trust her judgment after a failed attempt to go on a holiday with no adult supervision and a bratty little sister. She has inherited a house from her Aunt and goes to look at it with her family. It is not a house, but an institute for insane women. Bad things happen very quickly. First, Delia is locked into a room after she tells her parents she can't spend the night in the house. Bad move on her parents part as there is something in the room locked in with Delia.
Delia is a typical teenager with parents who don't trust her judgment after a failed attempt to go on a holiday with no adult supervision and a bratty little sister. She has inherited a house from her Aunt and goes to look at it with her family. It is not a house, but an institute for insane women. Bad things happen very quickly. First, Delia is locked into a room after she tells her parents she can't spend the night in the house. Bad move on her parents part as there is something in the room locked in with Delia.
August 31, 2016
Delia Piven inherited her name from her estranged Great Aunt Cordelia and, years later after her mysterious death, her grand countryside home. With the local nickname of 'Hysteria Hall', a reputation for having 'things go bump in the night' and a generally foreboding and neglected atmosphere the Piven's family stay there was always sure to be... interesting!
The novel opened in an entirely predicted fashion and the plot seemed like an amalgamation of numerous spooky films I have seen. That is until one shocking incident, almost a quarter of the way through, that took me completely by surprise and altered the course of the entire novel.
From them on I had constantly mixed opinions concerning the plot: some parts felt dull and uninspired, whilst others terrified and thrilled me. I think what was missing, for the majority of the novel, was tension. Shocking events were set up and weren't followed through with, leaving a blandness in the wake of the the initial disturbance.
This also didn't conclude as neatly as I would have liked. Explanations were given but I totally wasn't happy with them, either. One character seemed to get away with centuries of terrorizing others far too easily and no consequences were awarded her! I was not feeling the 'and they all lived happily ever after' ending at all and this left me feeling a little dissapointed after I had closed the final page.
I immensely enjoyed parts of this and, in all, found it an interesting read, although not entirely unique in conception.
The novel opened in an entirely predicted fashion and the plot seemed like an amalgamation of numerous spooky films I have seen. That is until one shocking incident, almost a quarter of the way through, that took me completely by surprise and altered the course of the entire novel.
From them on I had constantly mixed opinions concerning the plot: some parts felt dull and uninspired, whilst others terrified and thrilled me. I think what was missing, for the majority of the novel, was tension. Shocking events were set up and weren't followed through with, leaving a blandness in the wake of the the initial disturbance.
This also didn't conclude as neatly as I would have liked. Explanations were given but I totally wasn't happy with them, either. One character seemed to get away with centuries of terrorizing others far too easily and no consequences were awarded her! I was not feeling the 'and they all lived happily ever after' ending at all and this left me feeling a little dissapointed after I had closed the final page.
I immensely enjoyed parts of this and, in all, found it an interesting read, although not entirely unique in conception.
November 24, 2017
This is a cheesefest of wasted potential. If you're looking for a scary Halloween read, this shallow ghost story is not for you. I'm giving 2 stars for the character of Maria, who I think would've made a far better leading lady. Alas, if you're easily scared (as in, no eerie atmosphere to find anywhere in this book along with a most obvious mystery), this is for you.
March 22, 2019
Every fairy tale starts the same: Once Upon A Time.
Maybe that’s why we love them so much. We all get to be part of that story. Just by existing, you get your once upon a time. It’s part of the deal.
What’s not part of the deal, it turns out, is the happily ever after.
Another solid read from Katie Alender. She captures teenage phych, emotions and angst with excellent prose.
I liked the division of the story in two parts, before and after the fact. I liked even more the short paragraphs between chapters in part one labeled: OBSERVATIONS MADE AFTER THE FACT.
It short of prepared the reader for the inevitability of what was going to happen to Delia.
I liked very much Delia and the bond she shared with her sister Janie. I didn’t like her parents at all. They were the kind of grownups too absorbed in their own heads to pay attention to their kids, even though they thought they did everything according to the book. Delia missteps in her behavior? Let’s all have therapy together to solve things as a family. Aren’t we very civilized?
They never stopped to actually listen to their daughters. Instead they put labels on them and categorized their actions in order to “deal” with them. Delia wants to leave Hysteria Hall? She’s just having a tantrum to gain our attention. Let’s just lock her in her room for the night to cool down.
“Girls shouldn’t come here. This place is inhospitable.”
You don’t say!
The house itself was very creepy. From the locked rooms to the surprises looming around every corner, had me looking behind my shoulder every other page. As for the inhabitants, some were likeable, some were scary, some raised more questions than the answers they provided.
The house holds on to troubled girls, I thought. It doesn’t want to let them go.
The thought hit me with such clarity that I recognized it immediately as solid truth.
Delia was exactly that. A troubled girl that proved herself not so troubled in the end. She stood up for her family and the shake of the rest of the trapped ghosts in the house.
The story had a very satisfying ending, everything was explained and resolved but I couldn’t help being left with a bitter taste of sadness. After all a very promising seventeen year old girl has lost her life.
************
UPDATE 04/26/2017
For Readathon-2017: 9/26
In the category "A horror book"
Woman Author: 7/14
Maybe that’s why we love them so much. We all get to be part of that story. Just by existing, you get your once upon a time. It’s part of the deal.
What’s not part of the deal, it turns out, is the happily ever after.
Another solid read from Katie Alender. She captures teenage phych, emotions and angst with excellent prose.
I liked the division of the story in two parts, before and after the fact. I liked even more the short paragraphs between chapters in part one labeled: OBSERVATIONS MADE AFTER THE FACT.
It short of prepared the reader for the inevitability of what was going to happen to Delia.
I liked very much Delia and the bond she shared with her sister Janie. I didn’t like her parents at all. They were the kind of grownups too absorbed in their own heads to pay attention to their kids, even though they thought they did everything according to the book. Delia missteps in her behavior? Let’s all have therapy together to solve things as a family. Aren’t we very civilized?
They never stopped to actually listen to their daughters. Instead they put labels on them and categorized their actions in order to “deal” with them. Delia wants to leave Hysteria Hall? She’s just having a tantrum to gain our attention. Let’s just lock her in her room for the night to cool down.
“Girls shouldn’t come here. This place is inhospitable.”
You don’t say!
The house itself was very creepy. From the locked rooms to the surprises looming around every corner, had me looking behind my shoulder every other page. As for the inhabitants, some were likeable, some were scary, some raised more questions than the answers they provided.
The house holds on to troubled girls, I thought. It doesn’t want to let them go.
The thought hit me with such clarity that I recognized it immediately as solid truth.
Delia was exactly that. A troubled girl that proved herself not so troubled in the end. She stood up for her family and the shake of the rest of the trapped ghosts in the house.
The story had a very satisfying ending, everything was explained and resolved but I couldn’t help being left with a bitter taste of sadness. After all a very promising seventeen year old girl has lost her life.
************
UPDATE 04/26/2017
For Readathon-2017: 9/26
In the category "A horror book"
Woman Author: 7/14
September 1, 2015
I made graphics for this book, because I really, really, really, really, really liked it? It was so original, spooky, heartbreaking, mysterious, and driven at the same time. I loved it? I loved the character development. I loved all the friendships. I loved the lack of focus on romance. I loved the lack of slut-shamming. This is a perfect ya mystery/horror novel.
4.5 / 5 stars
November 26, 2015
The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall is one of those horror novels that isn't as scary as it seems. Though it's set on an asylum (which is creepy) but the story just didn't lived up with it. The writing style is decent and I'm somehow entertained with a bunch of ghost characters. Each of them had their own stories that will make you curious.
The story is about a young girl, Delia who inherited a house from her great aunt, Cordelia. It turns out it's an old asylum and it's believe to be haunted. There are spirits trapped for years and as well as bad spirits who meant harmed to the living. The ghosts in this story are interesting and I'm eager to know more of their story. I also felt sad for them because they are longing for their loved ones. It's really touching, especially this one ghost named Maria.
Overall, it's a good story but don't expect to be scared or else you'll not enjoy it.
The story is about a young girl, Delia who inherited a house from her great aunt, Cordelia. It turns out it's an old asylum and it's believe to be haunted. There are spirits trapped for years and as well as bad spirits who meant harmed to the living. The ghosts in this story are interesting and I'm eager to know more of their story. I also felt sad for them because they are longing for their loved ones. It's really touching, especially this one ghost named Maria.
Overall, it's a good story but don't expect to be scared or else you'll not enjoy it.
August 25, 2015
I have yet to read a book by Alender that hasn't thoroughly creeped me out, entertained me, and left me with so many thoughts in my head, it was hard to put them all together, but of course, in the most wonderful way possible.
She truly has become my go to author when I want something that will scare me but not so much that I have nightmares and am up all night with the lights on. Her latest novel fit right in with my expectations for her.
Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall was everything I was hoping it would be. A perfect read for this time of year when we start to want to read about those things that go bump in the night.
Suspenseful, intriguing, mysterious, creepy, and with characters that feel alive, this was truly a fun read that had me rapidly turning the pages and trying to guess what would happen next.
This had everything I have come to love about Alender's writing and didn't let me down.
If you are looking for something different, fun, and a bit scary, this is the YA read for you.
*An ARC Copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
She truly has become my go to author when I want something that will scare me but not so much that I have nightmares and am up all night with the lights on. Her latest novel fit right in with my expectations for her.
Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall was everything I was hoping it would be. A perfect read for this time of year when we start to want to read about those things that go bump in the night.
Suspenseful, intriguing, mysterious, creepy, and with characters that feel alive, this was truly a fun read that had me rapidly turning the pages and trying to guess what would happen next.
This had everything I have come to love about Alender's writing and didn't let me down.
If you are looking for something different, fun, and a bit scary, this is the YA read for you.
*An ARC Copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
November 14, 2017
I find that this book is extremely creepy. There were definitely some twists in here that I didn't expect, but that's what made the book in my opinion. I really enjoyed this book, and as you can tell I was immediately sucked into Delias world because I just couldn't put the book down until I was done with it. I will have a more in depth review up on my blog hopefully tomorrow, so you guys can check there if your interested. the web address is on my site here. I was finding myself hoping at least for a little while that this was a series but since it's not i was able to finish the read in one day and I absolutely loved the book.
July 31, 2025
such a great ending! wish there could be a sequel
October 26, 2016
I didn't find this book scary. I really haven't found any YA horror/paranormal book scary though. The story wasn't anything particularly new or creative but the author managed to get me to care about the characters - a lot I didn't even notice how much I liked the characters until near the end when I might have gotten a little choked up. I mean it came out of nowhere or maybe it was just dusty in my room lol Either way I really enjoyed this read, something about it was charming to me.
Full review to come.
Full review to come.
July 30, 2017
I didn’t need some old-timey, know-it-all ghosts following me around dead-shaming me.
Surprisingly thoughtful & funny, The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall was just downright fun to read! It's light on the horror side, but does bring some scares and plenty of character goodness.
A quick and delightful book that was well worth my time.
Surprisingly thoughtful & funny, The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall was just downright fun to read! It's light on the horror side, but does bring some scares and plenty of character goodness.
A quick and delightful book that was well worth my time.
September 21, 2015
Two things:
1. Don't mind the lousy cover.The book is engaging.
2.This would have been a four star if the last four chapters of the book has been better.
The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall is not a scary book but the suspense in the first 60% is good (well, some might find it scary but I wasn't scared while reading this ). I love the fact that around 30%, the author gave the readers a "what-the-hell" twist. I certainly didn't expect that to happen.
The heroine is kinda funny and she can be easy to relate at. I also love that fact that the romance in this book wasn't stressed that much unlike those typical horror YA books where just because there's a ghost,a girl needs a boy to cling to. Like, can't you just survive the ghost hunting without being dependent to boy?
If you want a light book where ghosts and evil spirits are present, try The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall.
1. Don't mind the lousy cover.The book is engaging.
2.This would have been a four star if the last four chapters of the book has been better.
The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall is not a scary book but the suspense in the first 60% is good (well, some might find it scary but I wasn't scared while reading this ). I love the fact that around 30%, the author gave the readers a "what-the-hell" twist. I certainly didn't expect that to happen.
The heroine is kinda funny and she can be easy to relate at. I also love that fact that the romance in this book wasn't stressed that much unlike those typical horror YA books where just because there's a ghost,a girl needs a boy to cling to. Like, can't you just survive the ghost hunting without being dependent to boy?
If you want a light book where ghosts and evil spirits are present, try The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall.
July 31, 2017
2.5 to three stars
On one hand, it was very easy to get lost in and it was something different. A nice spooky read for when you have a lazy day and/or some time to kill.
On the other... it felt like there was.. something 'missing'. Can't quite put my finger on it but... maybe I expected more? Dunno...
The ending was nice but it felt rushed in a few places to me.
Would sort of recommend
On one hand, it was very easy to get lost in and it was something different. A nice spooky read for when you have a lazy day and/or some time to kill.
On the other... it felt like there was.. something 'missing'. Can't quite put my finger on it but... maybe I expected more? Dunno...
The ending was nice but it felt rushed in a few places to me.
Would sort of recommend
Want to read
February 24, 2015ANOTHER HORROR BOOK BY KATIE ALENDER?!
Gimme now!!!
AUGUST?! I guess that gives me enough time to re-read the Bad Girls Don't Die trilogy to get me ready! :)
Gimme now!!!
AUGUST?! I guess that gives me enough time to re-read the Bad Girls Don't Die trilogy to get me ready! :)
Read
August 26, 2015This is a lot of creepy fun, and a great way to kill time while you wait for the new season of American Horror Story! It's set in an asylum - nothing scary ever happens in those, right? Headstrong young Delia quickly learns that the house she moved into used to be an insane asylum for troubled girls. And just because they're dead, it doesn't mean they're not still troubled! And they want Delia to join them. Now she's in a race to discover the truth about Hysteria Hall before it's too late for her to leave. Best read late at night, for maximum creepiness!
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Tune in to our weekly podcast dedicated to all things new books, All The Books: http://bookriot.com/category/all-the-...
January 5, 2021
2.5 out of 10
ревью на русском/review in russian
Honestly, I didn't like the book. It was readable but predictable, troped, and cheesy. Any possible cliche was here. Paranormal creatures acted like people, like modern people, even though most of them were born centuries ago and had no chance to interact with nowadays folks to learn.
This Theo guy was placed in the plot for teen romance's sake only, but what about development, or at least something? Nuh, I'm out of this ship.
I also didn't find interesting any of the secondary characters. Unusual case.
The horror side wasn't scary, the mystery part was meh, the drama piece was lame. So...
October 28, 2015
2.5 stars
Decent writing but not as scary as I expected it to be... It would have been great but it lacked that "scary element" that it's supposed to be.
Decent writing but not as scary as I expected it to be... It would have been great but it lacked that "scary element" that it's supposed to be.
Read
July 5, 2015Alender can write suspense! This fast-paced, compelling ghost story is full of twists and turns and it is a completely delightful, fun horror read through and through. Almost no blood or gore, this one relies entirely on Gothic-style spooks. Love it. Love it. Love it. It hit all of my buttons when it comes to a good creepy read. Delia was a GREAT narrator, and there were moments this made me laugh out loud because her voice and her thoughts were funny.
March 19, 2017
I liked this a lot more than I expected! It was eerie and mysterious - and there were lots of plot twists - very captivating and enjoyable.
October 11, 2018
it was absolutely amazing, it was an interesting read and i could picture myself in the book
September 5, 2015
As a lover of all things horror, I’m always keeping an eye out for creepy YA novels. Sadly, most of them don’t live up to my expectations. But The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall was full of epicness and creepiness! From the great writing to the awesome characters and the suspenseful plot, this book is definitely up there on my favorites list!
Before I get into the heart of this review, a little side note: This book sucked me in so much, I had trouble keeping detailed notes because I just read and read and read and didn’t want to stop reading long enough to jot down notes. So if some of this is really vague, it’s because I’m avoiding spoilers and also because I don’t have detailed notes to refer to, hehe :)
Delia was an intriguing character. She starts off a bit stubborn and – I want to say self-absorbed, only because I can’t think of a better word, but that’s not quite right. She loved her family, but they didn’t always get along. She was in complete denial when she first became a member of the undead population of Hysteria Hall and her attitude was very self-pitying – but who can blame her, right? Her character growth, as she began to accept her death and embrace her path in (the after)life, was great.
I didn’t like nor dislike Janie in the beginning. She was the stereotypical, annoying kid sister who did whatever she could to get Delia in trouble. But as the book progressed, the changes in her character were unbelievable, fueled mostly by the guilt she felt over Delia’s death. My heart was in my throat at the end of the book, awaiting her fate. I’m not even going to talk about Delia and Janie’s parents because there would be too many spoilers involved and I’d get ragey about sooooo many things!
I really liked Florence in the beginning. She reminded me of Daisy from Dead Like Me, but by the end… Wow. Did NOT see that coming! I never really trusted Eliza or Theo – I was always waiting for something to happen or for them to backstab Delia. I was pleasantly surprised with the way their stories ended, though. As for Maria, I had mixed feelings about her, but I really liked how her story ended, as well – maybe more than anyone else’s. I didn’t like nor dislike Penitence, though I had my suspicions about her from fairly early on. Her story was very intriguing, though!
As someone who loves being scared, this book could have been a touch creepier. However, it absolutely had its moments where I was like, “Okay, I need to put this book down or I’m not going to be sleeping tonight.” It reminded me of a less creepy teen version of House on Haunted Hill (the remake). There was also a lot of foreshadowing, which added to the creepiness. The ending wrapped up a little neater than I expected – almost like a Horror Movie Happily Ever After. I expected more of a creepy, twisty ending. But maybe that’s Alender’s signature move – I haven’t read anything else by her yet to know, but I’ll definitely be picking up more of her books now!
Overall, though I could have done with a little more creep factor, this book was epic. Then again, I’m not one to scare easily, so this book certainly has the potential to scare the crap out of people who DO scare easily. The Creepy Level didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the book, though. Alender is an amazing writer with a knack for suspense and horror. If you’re looking for a twisty ghost story, I highly recommend this book!
You can also find more from me on my blog: Pandora's Books
Before I get into the heart of this review, a little side note: This book sucked me in so much, I had trouble keeping detailed notes because I just read and read and read and didn’t want to stop reading long enough to jot down notes. So if some of this is really vague, it’s because I’m avoiding spoilers and also because I don’t have detailed notes to refer to, hehe :)
Delia was an intriguing character. She starts off a bit stubborn and – I want to say self-absorbed, only because I can’t think of a better word, but that’s not quite right. She loved her family, but they didn’t always get along. She was in complete denial when she first became a member of the undead population of Hysteria Hall and her attitude was very self-pitying – but who can blame her, right? Her character growth, as she began to accept her death and embrace her path in (the after)life, was great.
I didn’t like nor dislike Janie in the beginning. She was the stereotypical, annoying kid sister who did whatever she could to get Delia in trouble. But as the book progressed, the changes in her character were unbelievable, fueled mostly by the guilt she felt over Delia’s death. My heart was in my throat at the end of the book, awaiting her fate. I’m not even going to talk about Delia and Janie’s parents because there would be too many spoilers involved and I’d get ragey about sooooo many things!
I really liked Florence in the beginning. She reminded me of Daisy from Dead Like Me, but by the end… Wow. Did NOT see that coming! I never really trusted Eliza or Theo – I was always waiting for something to happen or for them to backstab Delia. I was pleasantly surprised with the way their stories ended, though. As for Maria, I had mixed feelings about her, but I really liked how her story ended, as well – maybe more than anyone else’s. I didn’t like nor dislike Penitence, though I had my suspicions about her from fairly early on. Her story was very intriguing, though!
As someone who loves being scared, this book could have been a touch creepier. However, it absolutely had its moments where I was like, “Okay, I need to put this book down or I’m not going to be sleeping tonight.” It reminded me of a less creepy teen version of House on Haunted Hill (the remake). There was also a lot of foreshadowing, which added to the creepiness. The ending wrapped up a little neater than I expected – almost like a Horror Movie Happily Ever After. I expected more of a creepy, twisty ending. But maybe that’s Alender’s signature move – I haven’t read anything else by her yet to know, but I’ll definitely be picking up more of her books now!
Overall, though I could have done with a little more creep factor, this book was epic. Then again, I’m not one to scare easily, so this book certainly has the potential to scare the crap out of people who DO scare easily. The Creepy Level didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the book, though. Alender is an amazing writer with a knack for suspense and horror. If you’re looking for a twisty ghost story, I highly recommend this book!
You can also find more from me on my blog: Pandora's Books
February 18, 2022
Delia Piven inherits a house after her great-great aunt Cordelia Piven has died. The house, it turns out, was used to be an asylum for troubled females during the 1800s and the 1900s. So basically, the females were just defiant and strong willed. Kind of like Delia herself. The locals call it the Hysteria Hall. Delia, along with her family, arrive at the house to spend the summer and also to repair it so that they can sell it for a great price but something tragic happens that night..... I mean, what were they expecting? It was an asylum, for god's sake.
There are two things that I don't understand about this book: (or any other horror book that involves haunted houses or asylums)
1. Why do the families want to spend their perfect summer in an isolated house which used to be an asylum or houses where people died in the past? Like why?
2. Something bad happens obviously. After a few years, the family returns to that awful place again because the mother has to finish her novel, and it is the only peaceful place she can think of??
Anyway, Delia is a tolerable MC. She is not annoying, but not really that great either. She is kinda funny.
Not gonna lie, I actually enjoyed it. I was hooked right from the beginning, but along the way I found it a bit boring. Troubled dead girls at an asylum!! I expected the ghosts to be way more creepier and evil, but they turned out to be a bunch of dead girls hanging around gossipping.
The book is quite good actually, but just not that scary as I hoped-for.
thank you Cintia for recommending this book to me :D
I had a fun time with it.
THE PIVEN INSTITUTE
FOR THE CARE AND CORRECTION OF TROUBLED FEMALE
FOUNDED 1866 BY MAXWELL G. PIVEN
There are two things that I don't understand about this book: (or any other horror book that involves haunted houses or asylums)
1. Why do the families want to spend their perfect summer in an isolated house which used to be an asylum or houses where people died in the past? Like why?
2. Something bad happens obviously. After a few years, the family returns to that awful place again because the mother has to finish her novel, and it is the only peaceful place she can think of??
Anyway, Delia is a tolerable MC. She is not annoying, but not really that great either. She is kinda funny.
I couldn’t even will myself to turn my body, so instead I just turned my head and my flashlight, fully prepared for the sight of some ancient, forgotten old mental patient who’d been hiding in the shadows, surviving all these years by eating rats
I didn’t see an emaciated old woman
Not gonna lie, I actually enjoyed it. I was hooked right from the beginning, but along the way I found it a bit boring. Troubled dead girls at an asylum!! I expected the ghosts to be way more creepier and evil, but they turned out to be a bunch of dead girls hanging around gossipping.
The book is quite good actually, but just not that scary as I hoped-for.
thank you Cintia for recommending this book to me :D
I had a fun time with it.
June 29, 2022
1.5 stars
I wish I had something more constructive to say other than this "wasn't for me", but that's my thoughts summed up. I don't know what I expected but I hoped for something along the lines of Say Her Name: heart-stopping horror, great camaraderie and friendship, a spooky school setting... you get the picture. Without going into too much detail, this story is more about Delia trying to figure out why Hysteria Hall is haunted. It wasn't that interesting, and, worse of all, it wasn't scary. At all.
The writing made me cringe. It read like it was trying so damn hard to be scary and it didn't work. The writing was awkward, stilted, jumpy. The story didn't have a natural flow. The beginning threw its readers right into the story without hesitation but a major event happens about 50 pages into the story that grounded it to a halt. We basically restarted the story and it felt unnatural. It only got worse.
I didn't care for the characters, and I should have. They went through some pretty terrible things but meh. They were bland. We never got to know Delia very well. Janie was a better character but her transition to 'Goth girl' was not explored properly.
Overall? This wasn't the story I hoped. I'm not sure if it's entirely my fault, but I'm still disappointed. This wouldn't be my first recommendation if you were looking for a good YA horror, try Say Her Name instead.
➸ Trigger warnings for .
Review copy provided by the publisher for an honest review.
Blog • Trigger Warning Database • StoryGraph
I wish I had something more constructive to say other than this "wasn't for me", but that's my thoughts summed up. I don't know what I expected but I hoped for something along the lines of Say Her Name: heart-stopping horror, great camaraderie and friendship, a spooky school setting... you get the picture. Without going into too much detail, this story is more about Delia trying to figure out why Hysteria Hall is haunted. It wasn't that interesting, and, worse of all, it wasn't scary. At all.
The writing made me cringe. It read like it was trying so damn hard to be scary and it didn't work. The writing was awkward, stilted, jumpy. The story didn't have a natural flow. The beginning threw its readers right into the story without hesitation but a major event happens about 50 pages into the story that grounded it to a halt. We basically restarted the story and it felt unnatural. It only got worse.
I didn't care for the characters, and I should have. They went through some pretty terrible things but meh. They were bland. We never got to know Delia very well. Janie was a better character but her transition to 'Goth girl' was not explored properly.
Overall? This wasn't the story I hoped. I'm not sure if it's entirely my fault, but I'm still disappointed. This wouldn't be my first recommendation if you were looking for a good YA horror, try Say Her Name instead.
➸ Trigger warnings for .
Review copy provided by the publisher for an honest review.
Blog • Trigger Warning Database • StoryGraph
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