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Threatening Souls #1
Threatening Souls
The sacrifices, the drama, the horror within.
In the year of 1860, a curse was performed over the suburb of Roseway, Washington, which rests about twenty miles south of Seattle, that killed nearly every living resident. After coming back to Earth as spirits, they form a twisted plan that not only provides them with bodies of their own but also kills off all who venture into Roseway in the future.
Thirteen-year-old Rebekah Jensen has lived a fine life in Marywood, Florida with two best friends, a clique that strives to make her one of them, and a boyfriend who happened to be one of the most popular guys in her school. But all that is about to change when the date of her arrival to Roseway nears, when she starts to see things that she presumes are spirits—and she is sure that she had gone insane.
After moving to Roseway, she gets sucked into an illusion of the dead, coming to regard Roseway as some sort of cult in which they worship a mysterious being that is introduced to her as the Master. Within the months of enduring Roseway, she finds out more about herself and her purpose in the suburb. Teaming up with a friend, who has a dark secret, Rebekah must put an end to the curse before she ends up like the rest of the victims.
In the year of 1860, a curse was performed over the suburb of Roseway, Washington, which rests about twenty miles south of Seattle, that killed nearly every living resident. After coming back to Earth as spirits, they form a twisted plan that not only provides them with bodies of their own but also kills off all who venture into Roseway in the future.
Thirteen-year-old Rebekah Jensen has lived a fine life in Marywood, Florida with two best friends, a clique that strives to make her one of them, and a boyfriend who happened to be one of the most popular guys in her school. But all that is about to change when the date of her arrival to Roseway nears, when she starts to see things that she presumes are spirits—and she is sure that she had gone insane.
After moving to Roseway, she gets sucked into an illusion of the dead, coming to regard Roseway as some sort of cult in which they worship a mysterious being that is introduced to her as the Master. Within the months of enduring Roseway, she finds out more about herself and her purpose in the suburb. Teaming up with a friend, who has a dark secret, Rebekah must put an end to the curse before she ends up like the rest of the victims.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
436 pages, Paperback
First published October 31, 2014
1 person is currently reading
789 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
June 11, 2017
I heard this book was free on Amazon for a short period of time so I downloaded it, because I have been wanting to read it for a while now. While I wasn't crazy about the cover, I fell in love with the intensity of the plot! I have had to force myself to put it down and not set and read all In one go. I loved that the story was unique and the development of the main character, Rebekah was outstanding! Just the overall way the way it was written was impeccable. I loved how each character was very much their own person and each had their own quirks. The way Roseway was created was done perfectly... for a fictional town it seemed so real. I honestly had no idea that this book would be so suspenseful that made me want more. I cannot wait to read the next book!
June 2, 2017
When I heard about this book, I found it intriguing, but was a little skeptical because I wasn't sure if I, personally, would connect with the story. But, as soon as I started reading it, I could barely put it down! The character development for Rebekah was amazing, and I loved reading through her journey and growing with her. But, then I'd leave her and be in suspense as it changed from focusing on Rebekah to other character, which was a great writing tactic for sure! I loved how different characters were incorporated into the story to make it even more rich and suspenseful, creating a world that seemed so real I felt like I could step into it. The idea of Roseway was perfectly crafted, and I did not expect many of the twists and turns, which added depth to the book. It was definitely worth the read.
July 24, 2018
Disclaimer: None. I bought my own book yo!
Rating: 4/5
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 13+ (slight gore, slight violence, cults, weird people)
Pages: 425
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: The sacrifices, the drama, the horror within.
In the year of 1860, a curse was performed over the suburb of Roseway, Washington, which rests about twenty miles south of Seattle, that killed nearly every living resident. After coming back to Earth as spirits, they form a twisted plan that not only provides them with bodies of their own but also kills off all who venture into Roseway in the future.
Thirteen-year-old Rebekah Jensen has lived a fine life in Marywood, Florida with two best friends, a clique that strives to make her one of them, and a boyfriend who happened to be one of the most popular guys in her school. But all that is about to change when the date of her arrival to Roseway nears, when she starts to see things that she presumes are spirits—and she is sure that she had gone insane.
After moving to Roseway, she gets sucked into an illusion of the dead, coming to regard Roseway as some sort of cult in which they worship a mysterious being that is introduced to her as the Master. Within the months of enduring Roseway, she finds out more about herself and her purpose in the suburb. Teaming up with a friend, who has a dark secret, Rebekah must put an end to the curse before she ends up like the rest of the victims.
I like a good dark book and for the most part I really enjoyed this book. I felt the story was engaging and the characters were very interesting. The book is well written and it’s the perfect book for a spooky Halloween.
However, I do have some qualms about the book (as I always do about every book… hey no book is perfect!). I feel that the book’s plot is a bit muddled and the pacing is really slow for this type of book. I also felt that the world building could have been better. Overall though I really enjoyed the book.
Verdict: If you’re looking for a spooky read, this is it!
Rating: 4/5
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 13+ (slight gore, slight violence, cults, weird people)
Pages: 425
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: The sacrifices, the drama, the horror within.
In the year of 1860, a curse was performed over the suburb of Roseway, Washington, which rests about twenty miles south of Seattle, that killed nearly every living resident. After coming back to Earth as spirits, they form a twisted plan that not only provides them with bodies of their own but also kills off all who venture into Roseway in the future.
Thirteen-year-old Rebekah Jensen has lived a fine life in Marywood, Florida with two best friends, a clique that strives to make her one of them, and a boyfriend who happened to be one of the most popular guys in her school. But all that is about to change when the date of her arrival to Roseway nears, when she starts to see things that she presumes are spirits—and she is sure that she had gone insane.
After moving to Roseway, she gets sucked into an illusion of the dead, coming to regard Roseway as some sort of cult in which they worship a mysterious being that is introduced to her as the Master. Within the months of enduring Roseway, she finds out more about herself and her purpose in the suburb. Teaming up with a friend, who has a dark secret, Rebekah must put an end to the curse before she ends up like the rest of the victims.
I like a good dark book and for the most part I really enjoyed this book. I felt the story was engaging and the characters were very interesting. The book is well written and it’s the perfect book for a spooky Halloween.
However, I do have some qualms about the book (as I always do about every book… hey no book is perfect!). I feel that the book’s plot is a bit muddled and the pacing is really slow for this type of book. I also felt that the world building could have been better. Overall though I really enjoyed the book.
Verdict: If you’re looking for a spooky read, this is it!
Read
March 28, 2017I loved the idea behind this book, and enjoyed reading it. It was a different genre than I usually read, but sometimes that's good. I could definitely read this again.
April 9, 2018
I have to admit, I was a bit apprehensive when I chose this book for my next review. The author had warned me that is might be a little dark, and that it dealt with topics that can be uncomfortable. It had also first been written when the author was between twelve- and thirteen-years-old, so I was expecting the storyline might be a bit immature. I had a sneaky suspicion that I might not be giving it too many stars. I was wrong.
The story was compelling, all the way through, and this is a bit of a lengthy read at just over 400 pages. It held my interest far more than I initially expected, and I truly found myself enjoying every moment of this read. And, yes, there were several parts where I had to suspend disbelief, and some parts where the characters acted in such a way that I couldn’t see it happening as the author wrote it if this had taken place outside of a fantasy environment; such as when thirteen-year-old characters suddenly take themselves out of school and fly from one side of the United States to the other, with no plans on when they might return.
They are able to purchase airline tickets, make it through security, and their parents never enter the story wondering where their kids might have wandered off to, even though they’ve been gone for several months. And there is an almost constant introduction of new characters, all of whom seem to be aware of what’s going on in this world of witches, magic, and people whose bodies have been possessed by the spirits of the long-since-dead residents of Roseway, a small suburb outside of Seattle. But that’s part of what makes this story such a good read! The entire story reads like one of those teen/young adult fantasy-adventure television shows.
Though, as the author warned me, there are some darker parts, and the amount of times large quantities of blood are mentioned in the story is fairly often, it really isn’t that dark. Gory, gruesome, unpleasant at times, sure. But there was nothing alarming or disturbing. Yes, there were mentions of abuse, both physical and sexual, but those were mostly passing references and not described in shocking detail. Trust me, I’ve read books that provided such graphic descriptions of these types of events that I couldn’t continue reading. This book goes nowhere near that level.
I think the part that I loved most is how the author always came up with clever ways to keep the story moving forward at every part where it felt like it was about to reach a climax, or where a less creative story may have become stalled or dry. Lambert truly has a gift of creating genuinely enjoyable plot twists, and I found myself smiling with enjoyment when the story took yet another turn. And to have done this at the age Lambert was when she wrote the book made it all that much better.
The way the author made the book both gloomy and charming at the same time speaks of an author who has true talent. I am very much looking forward to reading the next book in this series, and any other stories that this author might pen in the future. My overall rating for this book is 4.5 stars!
The story was compelling, all the way through, and this is a bit of a lengthy read at just over 400 pages. It held my interest far more than I initially expected, and I truly found myself enjoying every moment of this read. And, yes, there were several parts where I had to suspend disbelief, and some parts where the characters acted in such a way that I couldn’t see it happening as the author wrote it if this had taken place outside of a fantasy environment; such as when thirteen-year-old characters suddenly take themselves out of school and fly from one side of the United States to the other, with no plans on when they might return.
They are able to purchase airline tickets, make it through security, and their parents never enter the story wondering where their kids might have wandered off to, even though they’ve been gone for several months. And there is an almost constant introduction of new characters, all of whom seem to be aware of what’s going on in this world of witches, magic, and people whose bodies have been possessed by the spirits of the long-since-dead residents of Roseway, a small suburb outside of Seattle. But that’s part of what makes this story such a good read! The entire story reads like one of those teen/young adult fantasy-adventure television shows.
Though, as the author warned me, there are some darker parts, and the amount of times large quantities of blood are mentioned in the story is fairly often, it really isn’t that dark. Gory, gruesome, unpleasant at times, sure. But there was nothing alarming or disturbing. Yes, there were mentions of abuse, both physical and sexual, but those were mostly passing references and not described in shocking detail. Trust me, I’ve read books that provided such graphic descriptions of these types of events that I couldn’t continue reading. This book goes nowhere near that level.
I think the part that I loved most is how the author always came up with clever ways to keep the story moving forward at every part where it felt like it was about to reach a climax, or where a less creative story may have become stalled or dry. Lambert truly has a gift of creating genuinely enjoyable plot twists, and I found myself smiling with enjoyment when the story took yet another turn. And to have done this at the age Lambert was when she wrote the book made it all that much better.
The way the author made the book both gloomy and charming at the same time speaks of an author who has true talent. I am very much looking forward to reading the next book in this series, and any other stories that this author might pen in the future. My overall rating for this book is 4.5 stars!
July 12, 2018
I purchased this book from Amazon to read with @halflostbutterflyreadalong in July. All opinions are my own. 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Threatening Souls by Nicole Lambert. Meddlesome 13 year old kids who get in over their heads trying to free the town of Roseway of a curse. If Rebekah and her friend, Holly can't find a way to end the curse of Roseway they might just find themselves locked into the curse themselves. A confusing mystery of witches, demons, and illusions becomes suspenseful leading you right into book 2 of The Threatening Souls Series by Nicole Lambert. My only issue is the kids in this book are so young if maybe they were a few years older it would have been an easier read but the whole time I kept thinking to myself what parent in their right mind would allow that? 16 and 17 years old even 18 these are expected behaviors not young teens. Review also posted on Instagram @borenbooks, Library Thing, Go Read, Goodreads/StacieBoren, Amazon, Twitter @jason_stacie and my blog at readsbystacie.com
June 11, 2017
This book kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time! I LOVED IT!
December 13, 2021
Disclaimer: I received this e-book from the author and then I paid for my own copy. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Threatening Souls
Author: N.M Lambert
Book Series: Threatening Souls Book 1
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: paranormal , horror, mystery, thriller
Publication Date: October 6, 2020
Genre: Paranormal Horror (characters are MG age)
Recommended Age: 18+ (Child abuse, Torture, Gore, Violence, Romance, Language, Religion, Cult, Sexual assault Drug use, Possession, Abelism)
Explanation of CWs: Child abuse is prevalent throughout the texts as the main antagonist of the book tortures and harms the children of the town and even his own kids. There is a lot of gore and violence. There is a scene where the characters are trying to cure mental health. There is some very slight romance. There is some cursing. Religion and cultism play into this book heavily as well as possession. There is also a scene where a child is almost sexually assaulted and there is talk about that when remembering it. There is also some small drug use.
Publisher: Green Tree Press
Pages: 480
Synopsis: The sacrifices, the drama, the horror within.
In the year of 1860, a curse was performed over the suburb of Roseway, Washington, which rests about twenty miles south of Seattle, that killed nearly every living resident. After coming back to Earth as spirits, they form a twisted plan that not only provides them with bodies of their own but also kills off all who venture into Roseway in the future.
Thirteen-year-old Rebekah Jensen has lived a fine life in Marywood, Florida with two best friends, a clique that strives to make her one of them, and a boyfriend who happened to be one of the most popular guys in her school. But all that is about to change when the date of her arrival nears, when she starts to see things that she presumes are spirits—and she is sure that she has gone insane.
After moving to Roseway, she gets sucked into an illusion of the dead, coming to regard Roseway as some sort of cult in which they worship a mysterious being that is introduced to her as the Master. Within the months of enduring Roseway, she finds out more about herself and her purpose in the suburb. Teaming up with a friend, who has a dark secret, Rebekah must put an end to the curse before she ends up like the rest of the victims.
Review: For the most part this was a good book. The book is full of scary and horror elements that make this a great read for Halloween. The book has some cult stuff that rivals the Stepford Wives in it. It’s multi POV and the story has a lot of potential. The plot overall is constant throughout the book and the character development was really well done. I also loved that the CWs were in the front of the book and I am appreciative for that as a reader with triggers.
However, I do feel like the book could be perfected some more. The characters are wrote older than what they really are in the book (they’re 12 in the book, but they read as if they’re 18-19). I think this is the biggest reason for my confusion about the book because 10-12 (sometimes 13/14 depending on the content of the book) is for middle grade readers. Middle Grade isn’t really a genre, but an age range, and when you have a book that has middle grade aged characters but the story is for 18+ than book sellers don’t know what to do with the book and readers don’t know how to read it. This book is extremely horrific and gorey and contains a lot of content warnings that’s nor appropriate for even most YA book sections, but the characters are too young to be placed in general horror… so where do you shelf it?
Along with that, there are some things in the book that aren’t really possible. I know, I know, real world doesn’t apply to books sometimes, but if the book had some sort of throwaway line like “nothing in this situation seems normal” or “this world feels out of place doesn’t it?” than it would have helped to explain to the reader that a lot of the scenarios in this world aren’t commonplace. The issues I’m speaking about are like how all of the children got through security by themselves as minors in an airport when that’s not realistic. Taxis also can’t take minor children by themselves if their policies don’t allow for it and most of them don’t allow for it out of an abundance of caution (and insurance liabilities).
There are some other little things about the book that I feel need to be worked on. The book also has an issue with things for the plot being revealed too early or the characters just knowing certain things. The two Rebecca’s in the book are very confusing, especially for someone who sometimes doesn’t comprehend which one is talking. I had to skim Holly’s chapters towards 40% and onward because the material kept repeating itself. When I did that, the book kind of got better which makes me wonder how much is needed of her chapters at all. My biggest problem with her chapters are that the magic in this book is not very well explained. There’s this whole other plotline about Holly and the magical world and this royal family and all of the things with Henri, but I don’t understand most of it because the book jumps from point A to point V without B-U. I also find it funny that whenever the characters mention where they are from, everyone acts like they know where that is. It’s funny because the two main cities mentioned are across the continent from one another and I got the vibe that they were both fairly normal sized towns of no great importance on the outside.
There’s a lot going on in this book and while the plot of this story is good and the story overall is great, I really think that the story needs to be either simplified more for a middle grade aged book or it needs to be rewritten for adult audiences with adult characters. Most adults don’t want to read books with middle grade characters unless they’re looking in the middle grade section. They want to stick with a book that is targeted to their age range or group. This book won’t have a good home or foundation unless it conforms to one of the age groupings that normal books fall into. I also think that the book needs to be broke up into two or more parts, maybe with Holly’s viewpoints and chapters in a separate prequel book that would explain the magic system and each book showing the viewpoint of the story through only one character’s eyes only throughout. There’s a ton of material and information that is presented in this book that make it a chore to get through and there’s so much to understand that isn’t available in the read. Either way, the book feels too packed with material and it needs to breathe, especially when you consider that the second book takes place in a totally new area and time, standing alone from this one.
Verdict: it’s good, just needs more work.
Book: Threatening Souls
Author: N.M Lambert
Book Series: Threatening Souls Book 1
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: paranormal , horror, mystery, thriller
Publication Date: October 6, 2020
Genre: Paranormal Horror (characters are MG age)
Recommended Age: 18+ (Child abuse, Torture, Gore, Violence, Romance, Language, Religion, Cult, Sexual assault Drug use, Possession, Abelism)
Explanation of CWs: Child abuse is prevalent throughout the texts as the main antagonist of the book tortures and harms the children of the town and even his own kids. There is a lot of gore and violence. There is a scene where the characters are trying to cure mental health. There is some very slight romance. There is some cursing. Religion and cultism play into this book heavily as well as possession. There is also a scene where a child is almost sexually assaulted and there is talk about that when remembering it. There is also some small drug use.
Publisher: Green Tree Press
Pages: 480
Synopsis: The sacrifices, the drama, the horror within.
In the year of 1860, a curse was performed over the suburb of Roseway, Washington, which rests about twenty miles south of Seattle, that killed nearly every living resident. After coming back to Earth as spirits, they form a twisted plan that not only provides them with bodies of their own but also kills off all who venture into Roseway in the future.
Thirteen-year-old Rebekah Jensen has lived a fine life in Marywood, Florida with two best friends, a clique that strives to make her one of them, and a boyfriend who happened to be one of the most popular guys in her school. But all that is about to change when the date of her arrival nears, when she starts to see things that she presumes are spirits—and she is sure that she has gone insane.
After moving to Roseway, she gets sucked into an illusion of the dead, coming to regard Roseway as some sort of cult in which they worship a mysterious being that is introduced to her as the Master. Within the months of enduring Roseway, she finds out more about herself and her purpose in the suburb. Teaming up with a friend, who has a dark secret, Rebekah must put an end to the curse before she ends up like the rest of the victims.
Review: For the most part this was a good book. The book is full of scary and horror elements that make this a great read for Halloween. The book has some cult stuff that rivals the Stepford Wives in it. It’s multi POV and the story has a lot of potential. The plot overall is constant throughout the book and the character development was really well done. I also loved that the CWs were in the front of the book and I am appreciative for that as a reader with triggers.
However, I do feel like the book could be perfected some more. The characters are wrote older than what they really are in the book (they’re 12 in the book, but they read as if they’re 18-19). I think this is the biggest reason for my confusion about the book because 10-12 (sometimes 13/14 depending on the content of the book) is for middle grade readers. Middle Grade isn’t really a genre, but an age range, and when you have a book that has middle grade aged characters but the story is for 18+ than book sellers don’t know what to do with the book and readers don’t know how to read it. This book is extremely horrific and gorey and contains a lot of content warnings that’s nor appropriate for even most YA book sections, but the characters are too young to be placed in general horror… so where do you shelf it?
Along with that, there are some things in the book that aren’t really possible. I know, I know, real world doesn’t apply to books sometimes, but if the book had some sort of throwaway line like “nothing in this situation seems normal” or “this world feels out of place doesn’t it?” than it would have helped to explain to the reader that a lot of the scenarios in this world aren’t commonplace. The issues I’m speaking about are like how all of the children got through security by themselves as minors in an airport when that’s not realistic. Taxis also can’t take minor children by themselves if their policies don’t allow for it and most of them don’t allow for it out of an abundance of caution (and insurance liabilities).
There are some other little things about the book that I feel need to be worked on. The book also has an issue with things for the plot being revealed too early or the characters just knowing certain things. The two Rebecca’s in the book are very confusing, especially for someone who sometimes doesn’t comprehend which one is talking. I had to skim Holly’s chapters towards 40% and onward because the material kept repeating itself. When I did that, the book kind of got better which makes me wonder how much is needed of her chapters at all. My biggest problem with her chapters are that the magic in this book is not very well explained. There’s this whole other plotline about Holly and the magical world and this royal family and all of the things with Henri, but I don’t understand most of it because the book jumps from point A to point V without B-U. I also find it funny that whenever the characters mention where they are from, everyone acts like they know where that is. It’s funny because the two main cities mentioned are across the continent from one another and I got the vibe that they were both fairly normal sized towns of no great importance on the outside.
There’s a lot going on in this book and while the plot of this story is good and the story overall is great, I really think that the story needs to be either simplified more for a middle grade aged book or it needs to be rewritten for adult audiences with adult characters. Most adults don’t want to read books with middle grade characters unless they’re looking in the middle grade section. They want to stick with a book that is targeted to their age range or group. This book won’t have a good home or foundation unless it conforms to one of the age groupings that normal books fall into. I also think that the book needs to be broke up into two or more parts, maybe with Holly’s viewpoints and chapters in a separate prequel book that would explain the magic system and each book showing the viewpoint of the story through only one character’s eyes only throughout. There’s a ton of material and information that is presented in this book that make it a chore to get through and there’s so much to understand that isn’t available in the read. Either way, the book feels too packed with material and it needs to breathe, especially when you consider that the second book takes place in a totally new area and time, standing alone from this one.
Verdict: it’s good, just needs more work.
August 23, 2017
Threatening Souls by Nicole Lambert is a must read for thriller/horror/drama fans! I'm normally not big on thrillers, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book from beginning to end. The characters were relate-able and interesting, which added to the fact that the story was fluid and entertaining. Each chapter left me wondering what was going to happen next, which made a 400+ page book feel like it was over too fast. It left me wanting more! Luckily, Bleeding Misery(the second book in the series) is out already so I will definitely be checking that out next.
At times the story's setting and the overall threat of the antagonist reminded me of Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, while the story itself is akin to that of Lev Grossman's The Magicians series. Two of my favorite series in media!
Definitely check out this book when you can, you won't be disappointed!
At times the story's setting and the overall threat of the antagonist reminded me of Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, while the story itself is akin to that of Lev Grossman's The Magicians series. Two of my favorite series in media!
Definitely check out this book when you can, you won't be disappointed!
June 15, 2017
I'M SCREAMING
May 11, 2022
Threatening Souls is an excellent novel overall with a driven and perfectly-paced plotline. It is dark and creepy and kept me intrigued to keep reading to see how it would end. At some parts, the kids didn't really act thirteen, which threw me off. I pictured them often as high schoolers instead and had to remind myself they were thirteen, but there were times they also acted their age. Also, the magic isn't really thoroughly explained as we don't see any of the magic users learning magic, so I get confused on how it works, but the rest of the details are pretty well explained throughout the novel beyond how to use magic. I look forward to reading the next book and seeing what happens to the characters! I managed to like most of the characters while also being thrown off by them, questioning all of their motives and wondering if any of them aren't as they seem. I read too many mysteries.
June 3, 2022
This wasn’t a bad book by any means, but for me it felt like it went on longer than necessary. The time line felt way longer than what would have been realistic. Also things that I would think would be super important didn’t seem to be and things that were not important seemed to be major. It was a good story and I enjoyed the writing style but I felt like it did have a lot of fluff.
June 1, 2023
This book is TRASH! DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK! Absolutely no spice whatsoever, very little romance, AND it's SCARY! Plus magic? Yeah no thanks! 🤮
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews