What do you think?
Rate this book
Haven, Kansas
Never reap a harvest sown with blood.
150 years ago, in Haven, Kansas, a witch was burned at the stake. This October, in Haven, Kansas, a boy plays a prank on his big sister. Suddenly, crows fill the skies, a female scarecrow plagues the town, and teenagers are dying left and right. Amidst the violence, strange things keep happening. Lora Townsend discovers a secret room behind the wall of her bedroom, in which a dark and foul Book of Shadows has been hiding for over a century. The book belonged to an ancestor who documented the spells and stories of the strange woman he loved...a woman the town later killed for practicing witchcraft.
There are whispers on the wind. The death toll is rising. And Lora and her family seem to be the center of it all. They must call upon Lora's small knowledge of magic to help them. Will they be able to take the town back from the witch, and can they manage it without losing their lives in the process?
Lois Duncan meets Joss Whedon in this literary slasher for the twenty-first century!
***********************
“Filled with a generous mix of fantasy, intrigue, and grab-you-by-the-throat horror, Alethea Kontis’s HAVEN is a powerhouse novel every fan of fine YA literature should have on the shelf.” —Bram Stoker Award winner Tom Piccirilli
“Kontis writes with poise and passion, delivering chills and thrills with every page. A must read.” —New York Times bestselling author Sherrilyn Kenyon
“HAVEN is a page-turner and its characters are drawn well—they're believable, both in their actions and in their dialogue (the ‘dialogue’ of young teens isn't as easily captured as some writers with less talent believe). It’s an exciting tale of witchery and revenge, told with style and intelligence, that is, most importantly, a heck of a lot of fun. I simply enjoyed it from start to finish.” —T. M. Wright, author of A MANHATTAN GHOST STORY
150 years ago, in Haven, Kansas, a witch was burned at the stake. This October, in Haven, Kansas, a boy plays a prank on his big sister. Suddenly, crows fill the skies, a female scarecrow plagues the town, and teenagers are dying left and right. Amidst the violence, strange things keep happening. Lora Townsend discovers a secret room behind the wall of her bedroom, in which a dark and foul Book of Shadows has been hiding for over a century. The book belonged to an ancestor who documented the spells and stories of the strange woman he loved...a woman the town later killed for practicing witchcraft.
There are whispers on the wind. The death toll is rising. And Lora and her family seem to be the center of it all. They must call upon Lora's small knowledge of magic to help them. Will they be able to take the town back from the witch, and can they manage it without losing their lives in the process?
Lois Duncan meets Joss Whedon in this literary slasher for the twenty-first century!
***********************
“Filled with a generous mix of fantasy, intrigue, and grab-you-by-the-throat horror, Alethea Kontis’s HAVEN is a powerhouse novel every fan of fine YA literature should have on the shelf.” —Bram Stoker Award winner Tom Piccirilli
“Kontis writes with poise and passion, delivering chills and thrills with every page. A must read.” —New York Times bestselling author Sherrilyn Kenyon
“HAVEN is a page-turner and its characters are drawn well—they're believable, both in their actions and in their dialogue (the ‘dialogue’ of young teens isn't as easily captured as some writers with less talent believe). It’s an exciting tale of witchery and revenge, told with style and intelligence, that is, most importantly, a heck of a lot of fun. I simply enjoyed it from start to finish.” —T. M. Wright, author of A MANHATTAN GHOST STORY
- GenresHorrorWitchesYoung Adult
251 pages, ebook
First published October 22, 2016
34 people are currently reading
564 people want to read
About the author
Alethea Kontis
151 books1,488 followers"A veritable badass fairy princess." --Jim Butcher
"The faerie princess of the worlds of weird." --Jonathan Maberry
"Alethea Kontis IS fairy tales." --Jim C. Hines, author of Libriomancer
"Alethea Kontis: Awesome, racks up award nominations, wears tiaras." --SF author Ferrett Steinmetz
"I want to live in [Alethea's] head because I think that might be the most interesting place in the world!!!!" --Ellen Oh, author of Prophecy
"Alethea Kontis, the woman who writes like Shakespeare would if he were alive today." --Aaron Pound
"The beauty of a princess, the confidence of a queen, the brilliance of a writer, and the demeanor of a cheerful fairy comedian!" --Cheyenne Z.
"This was the story before all of the other stories, and it was the other tales that were changed over time." --Nerdophiles, on ENCHANTED
"The faerie princess of the worlds of weird." --Jonathan Maberry
"Alethea Kontis IS fairy tales." --Jim C. Hines, author of Libriomancer
"Alethea Kontis: Awesome, racks up award nominations, wears tiaras." --SF author Ferrett Steinmetz
"I want to live in [Alethea's] head because I think that might be the most interesting place in the world!!!!" --Ellen Oh, author of Prophecy
"Alethea Kontis, the woman who writes like Shakespeare would if he were alive today." --Aaron Pound
"The beauty of a princess, the confidence of a queen, the brilliance of a writer, and the demeanor of a cheerful fairy comedian!" --Cheyenne Z.
"This was the story before all of the other stories, and it was the other tales that were changed over time." --Nerdophiles, on ENCHANTED
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
November 14, 2016
Review copy
Alethea Kontis is already a very successful writer, but one I've never had a chance to read, until now. Haven, Kansas may be a YA novel, but it is certainly not without its scares.
Erin was supposed to go to her best friend Lora's for...
the Blood Moon, the last full moon before the Witches' New Year and Erin's birthday. According to the Wiccan books Lora had acquired for her research library, the October moon was meant to be a night of cleansing, a purge of all the bad things in their lives. A time to give thanks for the bounty that the year had brought them. It was all about new beginnings ...or, it should have been.
Instead, Erin has a rendezvous with a boy, a meetup that does not go as planned, where a lost spirit enters her body, what her grandmother would call a Ghost Dancer. Erin had always loved those stories. Not anymore.
What follows is an entertaining tale of ghosts, witches, and ancient curses.
I am instantly drawn to the rich characters and great storytelling. The family dynamics between Lora and her brothers Conner and Luke and her parents feet real. And although just a bit player in the this tale, I found Ashley, part of a clique of mean girls in Lora's class, was one of those characters you just love to hate.
Only a few days ago it had all been that simple—one more day just like the one before it, full of the same, silly, mundane problems. She had been just another teenager who thought witches and magic were an entertaining way to pass the time an knew nothing of the restless ghosts and bloody murder and the smell and sight of death. If she let her mind wander, she could almost imagine that none of it ever happened, that it was just a fantasy, that she was really insane and living in a delusion of grandeur.
Early in the story there are hints at horror, but mostly it just seems like so much teenage angst. Stick with it. This may be a YA story, but in the end there is plenty of horror and plenty of scares, several "oh, wow" moments, and there was even one scene I was reading all alone where I let out an audible gasp. It's that good.
Ultimately, a story dealing with loss and sacrifice, it's one I can strongly recommend.
Haven, Kansas is available now in hardback, paperback, and e-book formats.
Author bio - New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Alethea Kontis is a princess, a fairy godmother, and a geek. In 2015, she gave a keynote address at the Lewis Carroll Society’s Alice150 Conference in New York City, celebrating the 150th anniversary of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Born in Burlington, Vermont, Alethea currently lives and writes on the Space Coast of Florida. She makes the best baklava you’ve ever tasted and sleeps with a teddy bear named Charlie.
Alethea Kontis is already a very successful writer, but one I've never had a chance to read, until now. Haven, Kansas may be a YA novel, but it is certainly not without its scares.
Erin was supposed to go to her best friend Lora's for...
the Blood Moon, the last full moon before the Witches' New Year and Erin's birthday. According to the Wiccan books Lora had acquired for her research library, the October moon was meant to be a night of cleansing, a purge of all the bad things in their lives. A time to give thanks for the bounty that the year had brought them. It was all about new beginnings ...or, it should have been.
Instead, Erin has a rendezvous with a boy, a meetup that does not go as planned, where a lost spirit enters her body, what her grandmother would call a Ghost Dancer. Erin had always loved those stories. Not anymore.
What follows is an entertaining tale of ghosts, witches, and ancient curses.
I am instantly drawn to the rich characters and great storytelling. The family dynamics between Lora and her brothers Conner and Luke and her parents feet real. And although just a bit player in the this tale, I found Ashley, part of a clique of mean girls in Lora's class, was one of those characters you just love to hate.
Only a few days ago it had all been that simple—one more day just like the one before it, full of the same, silly, mundane problems. She had been just another teenager who thought witches and magic were an entertaining way to pass the time an knew nothing of the restless ghosts and bloody murder and the smell and sight of death. If she let her mind wander, she could almost imagine that none of it ever happened, that it was just a fantasy, that she was really insane and living in a delusion of grandeur.
Early in the story there are hints at horror, but mostly it just seems like so much teenage angst. Stick with it. This may be a YA story, but in the end there is plenty of horror and plenty of scares, several "oh, wow" moments, and there was even one scene I was reading all alone where I let out an audible gasp. It's that good.
Ultimately, a story dealing with loss and sacrifice, it's one I can strongly recommend.
Haven, Kansas is available now in hardback, paperback, and e-book formats.
Author bio - New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Alethea Kontis is a princess, a fairy godmother, and a geek. In 2015, she gave a keynote address at the Lewis Carroll Society’s Alice150 Conference in New York City, celebrating the 150th anniversary of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Born in Burlington, Vermont, Alethea currently lives and writes on the Space Coast of Florida. She makes the best baklava you’ve ever tasted and sleeps with a teddy bear named Charlie.
September 29, 2017
Ok, yes, I bought this book because of the title. Shallow, I know, but that’s the truth of the matter. I live 17 miles from Haven, Kansas and now you know why the title called out to me.
This is the perfect time of year to read a witchy, horror story and I enjoyed it immensely. The characters are well written and mischievous and very human.
As the story opens, Erin is beating herself up for blowing off her best friend, Lora, in favor of spending the evening with her new boyfriend. Erin realized, too late, her decision has consequences she never dreamed.
Lora must, with the help of her parents, brothers and boyfriend, remove the power of a witch burned at the stake 150 years ago on her families property. If the witch isn’t stopped, she will destroy Haven.
Conner the younger brother is brilliant and always in trouble for pranks he plays. Obviously too much time on his hands. Luke the older brother is the strong, silent type and farms with his father. He will protect and defend Lora to the death. Ryan, the boyfriend, is caught up in the whole frightening “kill the witch” mission because he wants to impress Lora in their new relationship. Mom and dad round out the cast of characters. They are low key, loving, accepting and want nothing more than to protect their daughter.
Great characters, great storyline and this author’s writing is fun. The family dynamics are well written and the ending of the book is complete. Glad I picked this one up, even though it was because of the title, initially.
This is the perfect time of year to read a witchy, horror story and I enjoyed it immensely. The characters are well written and mischievous and very human.
As the story opens, Erin is beating herself up for blowing off her best friend, Lora, in favor of spending the evening with her new boyfriend. Erin realized, too late, her decision has consequences she never dreamed.
Lora must, with the help of her parents, brothers and boyfriend, remove the power of a witch burned at the stake 150 years ago on her families property. If the witch isn’t stopped, she will destroy Haven.
Conner the younger brother is brilliant and always in trouble for pranks he plays. Obviously too much time on his hands. Luke the older brother is the strong, silent type and farms with his father. He will protect and defend Lora to the death. Ryan, the boyfriend, is caught up in the whole frightening “kill the witch” mission because he wants to impress Lora in their new relationship. Mom and dad round out the cast of characters. They are low key, loving, accepting and want nothing more than to protect their daughter.
Great characters, great storyline and this author’s writing is fun. The family dynamics are well written and the ending of the book is complete. Glad I picked this one up, even though it was because of the title, initially.
January 2, 2017
The nitty-gritty: Heart-pounding horror meets a touching story about friendship and family bonds.
It’s an odd thing that I start 2017 off by reading three very similar books in a row (and those reviews will all be up in the next week or so). It wasn’t planned, it just shook out that way. If you’ve read my January What’s On My Plate post you’ll see an amazing similarity among these three covers. I love serendipitous things like this, and I loved all three books, but in different ways. With Haven, Kansas , I was approached by the author, who is traditionally published but for whatever reason had decided to self-publish this book. Usually I’m leery about self-published books, and rarely do I read them. But I’m so glad I said “yes” to Alethea. This book was incredibly well written and paced, and the characters grabbed my heart and didn’t let go.
Kontis starts her story with a bang: A teen named Erin has just run away from a boy that she agreed to meet in the corn fields, some inexplicable force urging her to run. Erin immediately realizes that her body has been taken over by a lost spirit, and the only way to free herself from its control is to commit suicide.
After this shocking beginning, we meet Erin’s best friend Lora, who is annoyed that Erin stood her up the night before for a boy. But her annoyance soon turns to horror when she hears of Erin’s death. In a fit of despair, Lora kicks a hole in the wall of her bedroom and uncovers—by accident—a hidden room no bigger than a closet. Inside the room is an old trunk full of books, historical tomes that describe the town’s odd history and its connection to an old legend about the Witch of Fallow Field, a young girl who was sacrificed long ago in order to assure a successful year of harvest. She also uncovers an even older leather-bound book with the name “Stazia” engraved on the cover. Lora is drawn to this book and senses something powerful surrounding it. Who is Stazia? And what does the book have to do with Erin’s death?
As Lora sets out to find the answers, strange things start happening to her and her friends and family. A string of mysterious deaths is setting everyone on edge, and Lora knows it’s up to her to solve the mystery and set the angry spirit free, before it's too late.
I can’t tell you too much about the plot, because I don’t want to spoil this twisty and very scary story. Kontis did a great job of setting up a spooky mystery that revolves around witches and ghosts. Once the secret room is discovered, it’s as if Lora has set free the spirits who were trapped there, as the family soon begins to notice weird smells and hears strange voices. One of the scariest parts of the story involves a trick that Conner tries to play on his sister—he creates a scarecrow with her clothes and even makes the face look like Lora. Unfortunately, the prank backfires in the worst way possible, so thanks for those nightmares, Alethea!
I thought all the characters were really well done. I loved the friendship between Erin and Lora, and even though we technically don’t spend any time with them in the same room, their friendship shines through in the way Lora grieves and clings to the special bond they shared. Kontis dedicates her story to her best friend, and reading this long introduction, I knew that she was going to feature a “best friend” relationship in the book. I wasn’t disappointed.
And yes, this is young adult, so it didn’t surprise me that a romance sprang up between Lora and old friend Ryan. In typical teen angst fashion, Kontis creates a back story where Lora and Erin were both crazy about Ryan, but thankfully in this story, we don’t have to deal with that love triangle.
My favorite character was probably Conner, Lora’s younger brother (and I’m still not sure of his age. He seems like maybe 14 or 15?). Conner is a typical boy who hangs out with his geek friends and likes to play tricks on people. But deep down he’s vulnerable and cares about his family and would do anything for them.
Kontis added a couple of cool references to other stories in her book. I really appreciated the Buffy reference (!), and there’s even a scene straight of out Hitchcock’s The Birds that had me smiling (or grimacing, actually! It was pretty frightening…)
One of the biggest surprises of this story was how Kontis incorporated the parents of Lora, Conner and Luke into the plot. It isn’t uncommon for teens in many YA stories to exist outside of any adult influence, and so it was fantastic to find that these three kids relied on and even asked their parents for help, when things got too hairy for them to handle on their own. In fact, when Lora bashes in the wall in her bedroom and discovers the secret room, her parents are the first to find out, and Lora doesn’t even attempt to hide what she did. Lora’s mom is a history buff, and so she was all over the historical books and documents found in the trunk. And near the end, during the expected showdown with the evil spirits, the parents are right there with them, helping and protecting their children—as any true parent (in real life) would do.
A wonderfully touching and goose bump-inducing scene near the end (which I cannot reveal!) made the story a little extra special, and simply added to my overall enjoyment of the book. Haven, Kansas has it all: nail-biting horror, a little romance, family ties, life-long friendships, and lots of emotion. In the end, Kontis’s story isn’t just a horror story, but a tale about dealing with loss and celebrating friendship. I can’t wait to see what she writes next.
Big thanks to the author for supplying a review copy.This review originally appeared on Books, Bones & Buffy
It’s an odd thing that I start 2017 off by reading three very similar books in a row (and those reviews will all be up in the next week or so). It wasn’t planned, it just shook out that way. If you’ve read my January What’s On My Plate post you’ll see an amazing similarity among these three covers. I love serendipitous things like this, and I loved all three books, but in different ways. With Haven, Kansas , I was approached by the author, who is traditionally published but for whatever reason had decided to self-publish this book. Usually I’m leery about self-published books, and rarely do I read them. But I’m so glad I said “yes” to Alethea. This book was incredibly well written and paced, and the characters grabbed my heart and didn’t let go.
Kontis starts her story with a bang: A teen named Erin has just run away from a boy that she agreed to meet in the corn fields, some inexplicable force urging her to run. Erin immediately realizes that her body has been taken over by a lost spirit, and the only way to free herself from its control is to commit suicide.
After this shocking beginning, we meet Erin’s best friend Lora, who is annoyed that Erin stood her up the night before for a boy. But her annoyance soon turns to horror when she hears of Erin’s death. In a fit of despair, Lora kicks a hole in the wall of her bedroom and uncovers—by accident—a hidden room no bigger than a closet. Inside the room is an old trunk full of books, historical tomes that describe the town’s odd history and its connection to an old legend about the Witch of Fallow Field, a young girl who was sacrificed long ago in order to assure a successful year of harvest. She also uncovers an even older leather-bound book with the name “Stazia” engraved on the cover. Lora is drawn to this book and senses something powerful surrounding it. Who is Stazia? And what does the book have to do with Erin’s death?
As Lora sets out to find the answers, strange things start happening to her and her friends and family. A string of mysterious deaths is setting everyone on edge, and Lora knows it’s up to her to solve the mystery and set the angry spirit free, before it's too late.
I can’t tell you too much about the plot, because I don’t want to spoil this twisty and very scary story. Kontis did a great job of setting up a spooky mystery that revolves around witches and ghosts. Once the secret room is discovered, it’s as if Lora has set free the spirits who were trapped there, as the family soon begins to notice weird smells and hears strange voices. One of the scariest parts of the story involves a trick that Conner tries to play on his sister—he creates a scarecrow with her clothes and even makes the face look like Lora. Unfortunately, the prank backfires in the worst way possible, so thanks for those nightmares, Alethea!
I thought all the characters were really well done. I loved the friendship between Erin and Lora, and even though we technically don’t spend any time with them in the same room, their friendship shines through in the way Lora grieves and clings to the special bond they shared. Kontis dedicates her story to her best friend, and reading this long introduction, I knew that she was going to feature a “best friend” relationship in the book. I wasn’t disappointed.
And yes, this is young adult, so it didn’t surprise me that a romance sprang up between Lora and old friend Ryan. In typical teen angst fashion, Kontis creates a back story where Lora and Erin were both crazy about Ryan, but thankfully in this story, we don’t have to deal with that love triangle.
My favorite character was probably Conner, Lora’s younger brother (and I’m still not sure of his age. He seems like maybe 14 or 15?). Conner is a typical boy who hangs out with his geek friends and likes to play tricks on people. But deep down he’s vulnerable and cares about his family and would do anything for them.
Kontis added a couple of cool references to other stories in her book. I really appreciated the Buffy reference (!), and there’s even a scene straight of out Hitchcock’s The Birds that had me smiling (or grimacing, actually! It was pretty frightening…)
One of the biggest surprises of this story was how Kontis incorporated the parents of Lora, Conner and Luke into the plot. It isn’t uncommon for teens in many YA stories to exist outside of any adult influence, and so it was fantastic to find that these three kids relied on and even asked their parents for help, when things got too hairy for them to handle on their own. In fact, when Lora bashes in the wall in her bedroom and discovers the secret room, her parents are the first to find out, and Lora doesn’t even attempt to hide what she did. Lora’s mom is a history buff, and so she was all over the historical books and documents found in the trunk. And near the end, during the expected showdown with the evil spirits, the parents are right there with them, helping and protecting their children—as any true parent (in real life) would do.
A wonderfully touching and goose bump-inducing scene near the end (which I cannot reveal!) made the story a little extra special, and simply added to my overall enjoyment of the book. Haven, Kansas has it all: nail-biting horror, a little romance, family ties, life-long friendships, and lots of emotion. In the end, Kontis’s story isn’t just a horror story, but a tale about dealing with loss and celebrating friendship. I can’t wait to see what she writes next.
Big thanks to the author for supplying a review copy.This review originally appeared on Books, Bones & Buffy
November 21, 2016
A wonderful horror tale perfect for curling up with on a cold fall day. I hope Alethea Kontis writes more horror because this was fantastic!
August 3, 2017
An entertaining, suspenseful, well-written YA/Teen horror novel. Definitely a page-turner, and the characters were well-drawn: I'm pretty sure I've encountered these folks myself in the classroom. In any case, this is something we could use more of: YA/Teen horror. Highly enjoyable.
SPOILER!!!!!!!
SPOILER!!!!!!!
SPOILER!!!!!!!
SPOILER!!!!!!!
It was also really satisfying to see that Lara's family - especially her parents - believed her about the paranormal happenings in this novel. Unbelieving parents willing to dismiss their kids as "too imaginative" always annoys me.
SPOILER!!!!!!!
SPOILER!!!!!!!
SPOILER!!!!!!!
SPOILER!!!!!!!
It was also really satisfying to see that Lara's family - especially her parents - believed her about the paranormal happenings in this novel. Unbelieving parents willing to dismiss their kids as "too imaginative" always annoys me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 5, 2017
A surprisingly fun and atmospheric read, Kontis captured the flavor of small-town Kansas in this short book about a vengeful spirit and a family working together to stop its destruction. Kontis has a friendly voice that made this a nice read between heavier books.
March 20, 2018
Didn't get into it at first but then it sucked me in. At first I found it too simple but the writing became more natural after the first few pages and the plot more complex. The characters grow on you. The legend isn't terribly complicated but there's a few surprises in store and I loved the addition of actually having the parents involved. Full review to come.
May 1, 2017
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
This was an awesome fantasy full of suspense and wonderful characters. It kept me engaged until the end. Definitely a recommended must read.
This was an awesome fantasy full of suspense and wonderful characters. It kept me engaged until the end. Definitely a recommended must read.
December 8, 2016
I was so disappointed with this story. It was just one B-movie horror cliche after another, one pointless death after another. Every action by the characters seems to be driven by not actually utilizing the knowledge they brag about having in the previous paragraph. Allegedly they are brilliant geniuses, and yet...
Adding insult to injury was the garbage of bringing the Indians into it
Adding insult to injury was the garbage of bringing the Indians into it
October 24, 2017
Step into Lora's life-turned-nightmare in young adult horror novel, "Haven, Kansas" by Alethea Kontis, where Lora and Erin's dreams of getting in touch with spirits and magic come true in the worst way. Lora wears black and reads about the occult, but at heart she is only a teenager living an average rural life in Haven, Kansas. Her oldest brother likes to fix tractors. Her younger brother and his friends like to pull pranks on the school. And her best friend Erin shares everything with her, including a years-long promise to keep their hands off their mutual crush. Except, Erin doesn't tell Lora where she's going that fateful night, and this innocent little secret makes solving deaths that much harder.
Also, murderous crows. Murderous crows make everything harder. The best clue Lora has is a foul-smelling, centuries-old book engraved with a single name, and meanwhile, people are dying around her.
In "Haven, Kansas" by Alethea Kontis, Lora confronts the power of hate with the help of her family and friends--not exactly your typical super-powered line-up of exorcists, but it's all they've got.
Also, murderous crows. Murderous crows make everything harder. The best clue Lora has is a foul-smelling, centuries-old book engraved with a single name, and meanwhile, people are dying around her.
In "Haven, Kansas" by Alethea Kontis, Lora confronts the power of hate with the help of her family and friends--not exactly your typical super-powered line-up of exorcists, but it's all they've got.
October 27, 2016
Scary scary. The story starts with a shocker and it doesn't get better, it gets wayyy worse - as a good horror story should. It's openly cruel and stomach curling but other times quietly disturbing and that's even more scary, you like the people so much but you never know who's safe and the worst thing are the murder of crow. I get goosebumps all over just from thinking about them and I had to stop reading yesterday because it got dark... so I finished it today in bright daylight and cried my eyes out. Real shocking end and so well written it will stay with me for some nights for sure! Perfect Halloween read!
March 24, 2018
A creepy, fascinating, charming, page turner filled with well-drawn characters and exciting action. Often quite touching, especially in regards to the relationship between the protagonist and her younger brother. Alethea Kontis' voice is a perfect mix of whimsical, passionate, emotional, and funny. Would love to read more about this family!
April 26, 2024
I really wanted to enjoy this book and some parts I did. I liked most of the characters but I felt like the romance was more forced than anything. I also did not really enjoy the switching to characters as they were dying. It just gave away who was dying. Its probably also worth noting that I did buy this book when I was in middle school and that was 7 or so years ago so that might be why I just did not care for the way it was written. It was definitely more geared toward that age range. That being said I do applaud the author for self publishing this book, I think that’s amazing!
June 7, 2017
An entertaining and well-written read throughout, this tale of small-town haunting packs few real surprises, but a lot of characters I had no trouble empathizing with. If you're into horror, in particular the evil-spirit-comes-to-exact-revenge kind, this is a book for you.
September 5, 2017
I kinda purchased this book on a whim and I have to say that the teenage scary story fan in me loved it! It's juvenile in a way, but like... in the same way the Fear Street series by R.L. Stein is. A fun read for sure. :)
October 27, 2017
Great book!
I can honestly say that I was super surprised with this book. It had a great twist of magic, horror, and realism that made it a true enjoyment to read. I found myself staying up later than I should have just to read this one.
I can honestly say that I was super surprised with this book. It had a great twist of magic, horror, and realism that made it a true enjoyment to read. I found myself staying up later than I should have just to read this one.
October 30, 2017
This was an odd book.
It was really a love story, however, there were couples involved. It was a sort of horror story; in parts. Then the ending is really confusing. So if want to read something that's a little out there...here ya go.
It was really a love story, however, there were couples involved. It was a sort of horror story; in parts. Then the ending is really confusing. So if want to read something that's a little out there...here ya go.
September 26, 2017
Unsettlingly creepy and wonderful.
Once you open this book, you won't want to stop reading until the last page. Read it...if you dare to.
Once you open this book, you won't want to stop reading until the last page. Read it...if you dare to.
October 7, 2017
Great read!
An easy to read story, very "PG" but spooky nonetheless. It moved along at a good pace and stayed interesting. I would recommend this book,
An easy to read story, very "PG" but spooky nonetheless. It moved along at a good pace and stayed interesting. I would recommend this book,
April 12, 2017
This book is like R.L. Stine and Alfred Hitchcock co-authored an episode of Supernatural. With a lot of birds, sibling love, ghosts, and rock salt, I could not put the book down. Reading this book after 10 PM was not the smartest thing I have ever done, I didn't go to the bathroom without turning the light on in the middle of the night. Full of action and chills, the book is a good teenage level horror story. My voluntary review is based upon a review copy.
April 16, 2017
This one was a bit confusing at first and I wasn't quite sure where it was going. There was a lot of time spent inside the heads of these teenagers which was a bit distracting in places and I'm not sure I'd agree that teenagers actually think or talk the way these did. However, once things started coming together and the story picked up, it did prove to be an interesting and creepy read.
April 17, 2017
I haven’t read a good horror novel in a while and this one hit the spot. It kind of reminded me of some of the horror books I read as a kid, so there was a sense of nostalgia while reading. The storytelling was very entertaining and hooked me early on. The characters were well developed and kept me wondering what was next. Highly recommend this to young adults and adults alike who are looking for a good scary read.
April 23, 2017
A charismatic teenager, Lora Is a firm believer of the supernatural, and enjoys dabbling In witchcraft with her best friend Erin. When an unfortunate Incident occurs and a secret room Is discovered, Lora's world Is put Into a tailspin. Along with her pesky young brother Connor, their older Brother Luke, her boyfriend Ryan and her friend Spencer, they find themselves engulfed within a Haven mystery. A mysterious book holds the answers they need to stop the plight of an evil spirit, but something keeps hampering them from solving the clues. Enlisting the help of their parents, all parties work vigilantly to help stop this vengeful spirit before anymore deaths occur. The fate of Haven, Kansas lye within their hands.
Although geared toward a Young Adult crowd, many older adults will also enjoy this book. More so, If your a fan of horror and/or the supernatural. I found myself really enjoying this book as each chapter progressed and found It hard to put down at times. The storyline keeps you enthralled with wanting to know what will happen and It even has some surprise moments that you won't be expecting. This adds more depth to the story and pulls you In like a magnet wanting to know what the outcome will be. Grab a copy for yourself and find out what Haven, Kansas has In store.
Although geared toward a Young Adult crowd, many older adults will also enjoy this book. More so, If your a fan of horror and/or the supernatural. I found myself really enjoying this book as each chapter progressed and found It hard to put down at times. The storyline keeps you enthralled with wanting to know what will happen and It even has some surprise moments that you won't be expecting. This adds more depth to the story and pulls you In like a magnet wanting to know what the outcome will be. Grab a copy for yourself and find out what Haven, Kansas has In store.
May 2, 2017
Lora is tasked with getting rid of an evil ancient witch that is killing her friends. The witch was killed by the townspeople for being a witch so she cursed the town and came back for revenge. It is a horror story mixed with witchcraft. I felt like I was watching a movie as the story played out. I voluntarily reviewed this book.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews