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The Fade
We don't want to disappear. We want to be found.
Something terrible happened in her basement. Haley can feel it.
Four girls went missing several years ago, and the police never solved the case. But Haley know the missing girls were murdered. How else can she explain the hostile presence in her house?
The ghostly girls need something from her. And unless Haley can figure out what they want...she might be next.
Something terrible happened in her basement. Haley can feel it.
Four girls went missing several years ago, and the police never solved the case. But Haley know the missing girls were murdered. How else can she explain the hostile presence in her house?
The ghostly girls need something from her. And unless Haley can figure out what they want...she might be next.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published December 11, 2018
16 people are currently reading
1436 people want to read
About the author
Demitria Lunetta
48 books906 followersDemitria Lunetta is the author of BAD BLOOD (Delacorte Press/Random House) and the YA Sci-fi duology, IN THE AFTER and IN THE END (HarperTeen). She is also an editor and contributing author for the YA anthology, AMONG THE SHADOWS: 13 STORIES OF DARKNESS & LIGHT.
Her next novel, THE FADE, will release from Delacorte /Random House in 2018.
IN THE AFTER is an American Booksellers Association 2013 ABC Best Books for Children and an Amazon 2013 Top Twenty Teen Book.
Find her at demitrialunetta.blogspot.com, on twitter @DemitriaLunetta and on Facebook facebook/DemitriaLunettaAuthor.
Her next novel, THE FADE, will release from Delacorte /Random House in 2018.
IN THE AFTER is an American Booksellers Association 2013 ABC Best Books for Children and an Amazon 2013 Top Twenty Teen Book.
Find her at demitrialunetta.blogspot.com, on twitter @DemitriaLunetta and on Facebook facebook/DemitriaLunettaAuthor.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews
October 26, 2018
The Fade by Demitria Lunetta is a young adult mystery mixed with paranormal fantasy. The main character in the story is only fifteen and may even feel a tad younger so this one is a good creepy ghost story that fits the younger crowd although there is some violence.
Haley and her family have moved into a new home in a new town leaving behind their lives in Chicago. While exploring the home Haley and her sister find things left behind from the previous owners and shortly after strange things begin happening in the home.
As Haley gets out and meets a few of the kids in her new town she begins hearing the stories of what happened there before they moved in. Four of the local girls in the area had disappeared without a trace with there still being no answers to finding any of them and it’s then that Haley realizes she is sharing her home with their ghosts.
I personally thought The Fade was a wonderfully creepy tale and perfect to read this time of year. As I mentioned it does have a younger feel to it then a lot of young adult but a bit too graphic really for middle grade. The story had plenty of twists to it but probably could have been a bit longer as the end felt a tad rushed but overall I enjoyed this one and would recommend checking it out.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Haley and her family have moved into a new home in a new town leaving behind their lives in Chicago. While exploring the home Haley and her sister find things left behind from the previous owners and shortly after strange things begin happening in the home.
As Haley gets out and meets a few of the kids in her new town she begins hearing the stories of what happened there before they moved in. Four of the local girls in the area had disappeared without a trace with there still being no answers to finding any of them and it’s then that Haley realizes she is sharing her home with their ghosts.
I personally thought The Fade was a wonderfully creepy tale and perfect to read this time of year. As I mentioned it does have a younger feel to it then a lot of young adult but a bit too graphic really for middle grade. The story had plenty of twists to it but probably could have been a bit longer as the end felt a tad rushed but overall I enjoyed this one and would recommend checking it out.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
setting-aside-for-now
December 9, 2018Girl and her family moves into a spooky new house. Strange things start to happen.
I was on board and in the mood for something spooky and suspenseful, but this book just never grabbed me in the way that you hope a scary book will.
I read at least a third and the premise as far as I could tell was that the main character had died briefly and then been resuscitated and after that could sense/see dead people, and/or communicate with them. Then (I'm guessing based on what I read + synopsis) she is the only one who can find four missing girls. (Who are, I guess ... dead?) There could be more to it than that - I was feeling the potential for some sort of Shyamalan-esque twist coming. I usually love stuff like that but just wasn't feeling this book.
idk, for me this was missing something. Maybe it gets better later on??
Read more of my reviews on JenRyland.com! Check out my Bookstagram! Or check out my Jen In Ten reviews on Youtube - get the lowdown on current books in 10-30 seconds!
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
I was on board and in the mood for something spooky and suspenseful, but this book just never grabbed me in the way that you hope a scary book will.
I read at least a third and the premise as far as I could tell was that the main character had died briefly and then been resuscitated and after that could sense/see dead people, and/or communicate with them. Then (I'm guessing based on what I read + synopsis) she is the only one who can find four missing girls. (Who are, I guess ... dead?) There could be more to it than that - I was feeling the potential for some sort of Shyamalan-esque twist coming. I usually love stuff like that but just wasn't feeling this book.
idk, for me this was missing something. Maybe it gets better later on??
Read more of my reviews on JenRyland.com! Check out my Bookstagram! Or check out my Jen In Ten reviews on Youtube - get the lowdown on current books in 10-30 seconds!
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
October 15, 2018
So let's meet Haley... she has a sixth sense and feels a prescence in her basement about 4 girls that went missing. Haley know that somehow these girls were murdered and needs to help solve the crime that the police never could.
On one hand this had a spooky and creepy feel to it but it took so long to actually get to the good stuff. It was overly slow until maybe the last 30 percent of the book which took off like lightning. It was a quick read but was missing the oomph to the core.
The entire idea behind "The Fade" was a tad bit cliche in my opinion and the ending just felt extremely flat and rushed in my opinion. It was like we were getting nowhere and than all of a sudden everything was jumbled together of finding out what happened to the girls, Haley, and the back story behind Coop.
I flew through this story but the plot seemed forced to me if that makes sense? I think the author was trying too hard and nothing was coming together nicely for her. The author had multiple twists but again those twists were disappointing upon the ending of the book.
3 stars on this one for me.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Children's Publishing for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Pub date: 12/11/18
Published to GR: 10/15/18
On one hand this had a spooky and creepy feel to it but it took so long to actually get to the good stuff. It was overly slow until maybe the last 30 percent of the book which took off like lightning. It was a quick read but was missing the oomph to the core.
The entire idea behind "The Fade" was a tad bit cliche in my opinion and the ending just felt extremely flat and rushed in my opinion. It was like we were getting nowhere and than all of a sudden everything was jumbled together of finding out what happened to the girls, Haley, and the back story behind Coop.
I flew through this story but the plot seemed forced to me if that makes sense? I think the author was trying too hard and nothing was coming together nicely for her. The author had multiple twists but again those twists were disappointing upon the ending of the book.
3 stars on this one for me.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Children's Publishing for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Pub date: 12/11/18
Published to GR: 10/15/18
January 25, 2019
The full review + more can be found at The Book Bratz
This review is going to be styled a little differently then other reviews I have written for the pure fact that I don't have much to say about this book:
- The idea behind The Fade was interesting but also cliche.
-It is slow until about the 50% mark.
-The story behind the missing girls was interesting and it gets you invested in the story.
One moments Haley is alive and the next she is dead. I feel like it was very abrupt and didn't fit into where the story was at.
-The romance wasn't rushed, but I didn't seem based on much. I wish there was more development.
The last several chapters of the book moved super quickly and was where the story picked up.
We suddenly learn who the murderer is, Haley's dismay at it being her sister's boyfriend, and Coops sudden death.
-After how Coop behaved through out the entirety of the novel and the fact that his actions caused Haley's death, I think it was extremely stupid for her to save him from the darkness that awaited by letting him look over her family and her going into the light.
I hate being nit-picky in books that I read, but I am super crossed on how I feel about this book. On one hand it was a quick read that did have a creepiness factor, but that was about it. I really hoped I was going to like this one since I have really enjoyed Lunetta's other YA titles.
This review is going to be styled a little differently then other reviews I have written for the pure fact that I don't have much to say about this book:
- The idea behind The Fade was interesting but also cliche.
-It is slow until about the 50% mark.
-The story behind the missing girls was interesting and it gets you invested in the story.
One moments Haley is alive and the next she is dead. I feel like it was very abrupt and didn't fit into where the story was at.
-The romance wasn't rushed, but I didn't seem based on much. I wish there was more development.
The last several chapters of the book moved super quickly and was where the story picked up.
We suddenly learn who the murderer is, Haley's dismay at it being her sister's boyfriend, and Coops sudden death.
-After how Coop behaved through out the entirety of the novel and the fact that his actions caused Haley's death, I think it was extremely stupid for her to save him from the darkness that awaited by letting him look over her family and her going into the light.
I hate being nit-picky in books that I read, but I am super crossed on how I feel about this book. On one hand it was a quick read that did have a creepiness factor, but that was about it. I really hoped I was going to like this one since I have really enjoyed Lunetta's other YA titles.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 11, 2018
If you want to be afraid to go to sleep. If you want to be afraid during the day. This is the novel for you. Haley’s family moves to a run down house in Wisconsin and she immediately senses things are not right. She meets her spooky little neighbor Chris, his older brother Coop and a host of others as she tries to determine what happened in her house. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me this scare fest in exchange for my honest review. Holy wow! It’s great!
October 29, 2018
We don't want to disappear.
We want to be found.
Something terrible happened in her basement. Haley can feel it.
Four girls went missing several years ago, and the police never solved the case. But Haley knows the missing girls were murdered. How else can she explain the hostile presence in her house?
Since it's October I've been wanting to read something creepy. The Fade is a stand-alone ghost story that I thought would be perfect for reading around Halloween. Unfortunately it wasn't as creepy as I would have liked. The story is a slow burn, and I would have liked more happening earlier on in the book. When the twist came I did find myself surprised by it to an extent, but not completely, because of the book description. I don't want to spoil anything so I'm not going to say anything else about the plot. If you want to be completely surprised about this book then I would avoid reading the full description as it compares this book to a couple of other stories that would be a dead giveaway -no pun intended there. I will say that after the twist I found myself going back and rereading part of the book with that new perspective in mind. This is a short book, so it didn't really take that long to read even with the back tracking. I can't say I completely liked the way things turned out in this book, especially the last revelation about a certain someone, but it was good enough to give 3 stars.
Thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for providing me with an ARC of this book.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader
We want to be found.
Something terrible happened in her basement. Haley can feel it.
Four girls went missing several years ago, and the police never solved the case. But Haley knows the missing girls were murdered. How else can she explain the hostile presence in her house?
Since it's October I've been wanting to read something creepy. The Fade is a stand-alone ghost story that I thought would be perfect for reading around Halloween. Unfortunately it wasn't as creepy as I would have liked. The story is a slow burn, and I would have liked more happening earlier on in the book. When the twist came I did find myself surprised by it to an extent, but not completely, because of the book description. I don't want to spoil anything so I'm not going to say anything else about the plot. If you want to be completely surprised about this book then I would avoid reading the full description as it compares this book to a couple of other stories that would be a dead giveaway -no pun intended there. I will say that after the twist I found myself going back and rereading part of the book with that new perspective in mind. This is a short book, so it didn't really take that long to read even with the back tracking. I can't say I completely liked the way things turned out in this book, especially the last revelation about a certain someone, but it was good enough to give 3 stars.
Thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for providing me with an ARC of this book.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader
January 22, 2020
SHE HELPED HER mother.
It gives us hope.
We want to leave.
We want out tunnels of light.
We want our passage to beyond.
No matter what it holds.
Anything is better than this half life.
It gives us hope.
We want to leave.
We want out tunnels of light.
We want our passage to beyond.
No matter what it holds.
Anything is better than this half life.
November 17, 2018
This book follows Haley, a girl who just moved in with her family in what seems like a haunted house. From the beginning, she feels there is something off about it and it's not just because she moved away from Chicago against her will.
Haley meets the local teenagers and she learns that four girls have been missing for a while now and nobody knows what happened to them. The police and FBI stopped looking and now Haley has to live with ghosts that doesn't want to leave her alone.
This was a creepy tale and a quick read. It was okay, I didn't particularly care about the characters but I don't have anything bad to say about this book either. Maybe ghosts stories are not my favorites to read. However, if you think this might be something you will enjoy, go for it! :)
(I received an advance copy from the publisher via Netgalley)
Haley meets the local teenagers and she learns that four girls have been missing for a while now and nobody knows what happened to them. The police and FBI stopped looking and now Haley has to live with ghosts that doesn't want to leave her alone.
This was a creepy tale and a quick read. It was okay, I didn't particularly care about the characters but I don't have anything bad to say about this book either. Maybe ghosts stories are not my favorites to read. However, if you think this might be something you will enjoy, go for it! :)
(I received an advance copy from the publisher via Netgalley)
August 9, 2018
It takes a long time to get to the good in this book. Up until that point, it’s the basic. Basic heroine. Basic ghost story. Basic boy. Basic.
If you can get past Basic Becky and the slow haunting, you finally get to something that’s different. It was a nice surprise and, honestly, moved this from 2 stars to 3.
But…I didn’t like the ending. Not to spoil it - I’ll just say that our heroine must be some kind of idiot to allow the ending to happen as it does.
So, I didn’t love this one. I did like the surprise, but it was a long haul getting there.
*ARC Provided via Net Galley
If you can get past Basic Becky and the slow haunting, you finally get to something that’s different. It was a nice surprise and, honestly, moved this from 2 stars to 3.
But…I didn’t like the ending. Not to spoil it - I’ll just say that our heroine must be some kind of idiot to allow the ending to happen as it does.
So, I didn’t love this one. I did like the surprise, but it was a long haul getting there.
*ARC Provided via Net Galley
August 28, 2018
Thank you NetGalley, Demitria Lunetta, and one of my favorite publishers, Random House, for the opportunity tor read this book in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book for a number of reasons. The writing style is simple and easy to read/follow, and the story itself is rather simple as well. While the beginning is pretty basic, similar to a number of teen books with the whole, new girl moves to town, boy-meets-girl thing, this book later deviates with an unexpected twist, and I was blown away. At first the twist was so sudden and really threw me off, but I ended up really liking it as well as the ending. There is a love-hate relationship between myself as a reader and the last chapter or two of this book.
So what's the premise? Where are the ghosts the title of this review promises? Well, when Haley, her sister Shannon, and their mom and dad move, they end up on a street known to the town as the Bermuda Triangle, because four girls went missing there. Haley's family lives in one of the houses rumored to be haunted, and when she and her sister pilfer some jewelry left in the basement, the ghosts seem to be reaching out; but only Haley can see them, and the two neighbor boys, of which their sister was one of the disappeared victims. The bodies were never found, so Coop's family (the neighbor boy) still had hope.
Haley's connection to the ghosts brings her to seek out help from two of her new friends. The ghosts need to pass over, and finding their killer just might be the key to helping them. She's on the right track, until a terrible accident happens. But it might just be luck that this accident brings Haley even closer to being able to solve the mysterious disappearance of the four girls five years ago, but she might not be able to help! She can only do what she can.
The cover is gorgeous and ever-so-slightly creepy. I never noticed the hand sort of grabbing/reaching out to the flower, and it almost appears frozen. I like how it has that faded look to it to match the title. The title is obviously significant and a bit bland, but relates to ghosts fading away before they can cross over to the light.
This is the first book I have read by Demitria Lunetta, and I am definitely satisfied. I looked up some of her other books, and both Bad Blood and In The After look very enticing! Some reviews I has seen so far are saying this might be too scary, but I don't think so. Some of the imagery, especially at the end, is very vivid and graphic, painting a rather horrifying image, but that just shows the author's prowess with the use of imagery. I find this book haunting enough to be both creepy and scary, but not too much so to, well, keep from having in my middle or high school classroom. I highly recommend this book for 9-12th grade and a select few middle graders who might enjoy this genre, as well as anyone who enjoys a mysterious ghost story!
I really enjoyed this book for a number of reasons. The writing style is simple and easy to read/follow, and the story itself is rather simple as well. While the beginning is pretty basic, similar to a number of teen books with the whole, new girl moves to town, boy-meets-girl thing, this book later deviates with an unexpected twist, and I was blown away. At first the twist was so sudden and really threw me off, but I ended up really liking it as well as the ending. There is a love-hate relationship between myself as a reader and the last chapter or two of this book.
So what's the premise? Where are the ghosts the title of this review promises? Well, when Haley, her sister Shannon, and their mom and dad move, they end up on a street known to the town as the Bermuda Triangle, because four girls went missing there. Haley's family lives in one of the houses rumored to be haunted, and when she and her sister pilfer some jewelry left in the basement, the ghosts seem to be reaching out; but only Haley can see them, and the two neighbor boys, of which their sister was one of the disappeared victims. The bodies were never found, so Coop's family (the neighbor boy) still had hope.
Haley's connection to the ghosts brings her to seek out help from two of her new friends. The ghosts need to pass over, and finding their killer just might be the key to helping them. She's on the right track, until a terrible accident happens. But it might just be luck that this accident brings Haley even closer to being able to solve the mysterious disappearance of the four girls five years ago, but she might not be able to help! She can only do what she can.
The cover is gorgeous and ever-so-slightly creepy. I never noticed the hand sort of grabbing/reaching out to the flower, and it almost appears frozen. I like how it has that faded look to it to match the title. The title is obviously significant and a bit bland, but relates to ghosts fading away before they can cross over to the light.
This is the first book I have read by Demitria Lunetta, and I am definitely satisfied. I looked up some of her other books, and both Bad Blood and In The After look very enticing! Some reviews I has seen so far are saying this might be too scary, but I don't think so. Some of the imagery, especially at the end, is very vivid and graphic, painting a rather horrifying image, but that just shows the author's prowess with the use of imagery. I find this book haunting enough to be both creepy and scary, but not too much so to, well, keep from having in my middle or high school classroom. I highly recommend this book for 9-12th grade and a select few middle graders who might enjoy this genre, as well as anyone who enjoys a mysterious ghost story!
March 10, 2019
I wanted to give the book a 3.5 so that's why I went with a four. Overall it was a really good book. Was thrown off a little at one point but it was explained finally so that was good. However I'm not sure how I feel about the ending right now. It wasn't bad but it was...different. Good read for sure tho.
December 21, 2022
This reminded me of The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall, just a little less polished.
February 12, 2019
This was a pretty fast paced, somewhat enjoyable read but many of the scenes were over the top and the twists were either predictable or nonsensical.
March 15, 2020
I'm usually not one for thrillers, but this- WOW. I love this book. It was absolutely amazing. I would recommend to almost anyone.
It was truly amazing.
It was truly amazing.
June 17, 2024
read this in 3 hrs, solid but the end … ma’am u were just grabbing the story out of thin air ?? like ??
February 24, 2020
2 stars. Eh, it was OK. The first half had me completely hooked! But then I thought the first plot "twist" was dumb, and the second "twist" made me roll my eyes, and I couldn't suspend my disbelief over the plot of the book. Obviously I'm the wrong reader! (The writing was fine, and the timing was good, but overall I didn't care for the plot.)
April 16, 2018
People who like a good ghost story may love this book. I gave it 3*** only because I am not much of a ghost person. Having said that The Fade reads exactly like it title says. You will be reading along and it will "Fade" into something you may not expect.
It's a good story I just couldn't get past the ghost aspect.
It's a good story I just couldn't get past the ghost aspect.
May 26, 2022
It was an easy read, the pacing was nice, but some of the turns seemed to come out of nowhere. Finding out she was dead seemed to lack any build up to it, and finding out who killed her also seemed to be from out of nowhere. I enjoyed it though.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 23, 2019
Something terrible happened in her basement
Haley can feel it
This novel creeps up on you for a final twist I did not see coming.
Awesome plot and well written
I will definitely read more by this author
Haley can feel it
This novel creeps up on you for a final twist I did not see coming.
Awesome plot and well written
I will definitely read more by this author
September 12, 2018
I love creepy ghost stories and it's been awhile since I've read one. THE FADE showed up at my door randomly and while it had a lot of promise, it ended up falling flat for me. Haley and her family have recently moved from Chicago to the middle-of-no-where-Wisconsin. Unfortunately, their new town was where four girls went missing just a few years prior. Haley's parents and older sister are not too concerned about what happened and think that enough time has passed for the danger to be gone. Unfortunately, this may not be the case and Haley alone realizes that something is not right in their new house.
THE FADE is incredibly fast-paced and I flew through it. There were a lot of things that happened that I did not predict and the story was packed full of surprising twists and turns. The main issues for me came with not really connecting to Haley or the other characters and the fact that some of the plot points seemed forced or not fully fleshed out. Since so much of THE FADE relies on surprising the reader, I won't give too much away. I will say that I was more creeped out in the beginning with the mysterious neighbors and slight disturbances, before all of the twists came to a rather disappointing conclusion. The premise of THE FADE was thrilling and definitely creepy, but I need something more than that to fully enjoy a book. Ghost stories are perfect for the fall and I wish I would have enjoyed this one more.
THE FADE is incredibly fast-paced and I flew through it. There were a lot of things that happened that I did not predict and the story was packed full of surprising twists and turns. The main issues for me came with not really connecting to Haley or the other characters and the fact that some of the plot points seemed forced or not fully fleshed out. Since so much of THE FADE relies on surprising the reader, I won't give too much away. I will say that I was more creeped out in the beginning with the mysterious neighbors and slight disturbances, before all of the twists came to a rather disappointing conclusion. The premise of THE FADE was thrilling and definitely creepy, but I need something more than that to fully enjoy a book. Ghost stories are perfect for the fall and I wish I would have enjoyed this one more.
December 15, 2022
Yeah, been thinking about this for a few hours now. It sucks you in pretty quickly and it's engaging enough to binge - love a bit of unreliable narration, and the twists are nicely supported with foreshadowing and it's ...it's sad. There's ghosts, that shouldn't be a surprise.
Her going to say goodbye to her bestie was a lovely scene. I did find the time scale hard to keep track of in the latter half, which I think was intentional, and only really mattered in a couple of scenes, and wow are these dudes messed up - ghost powers varied a bunch but it was implies to be to do with belief in willpower in a way I could mostly suspend my disbelief. Also what on earth was up with Chris? Poor, odd, about to be way more messed up kid!
Her going to say goodbye to her bestie was a lovely scene. I did find the time scale hard to keep track of in the latter half, which I think was intentional, and only really mattered in a couple of scenes, and wow are these dudes messed up - ghost powers varied a bunch but it was implies to be to do with belief in willpower in a way I could mostly suspend my disbelief. Also what on earth was up with Chris? Poor, odd, about to be way more messed up kid!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 23, 2019
I have... mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I really got into the story, and was genuinely surprised by all of the twists and turns. The suspense kept me invested, wanting to read on and find out what would happen next. On the other hand, however, the plot felt rushed, the characters weren't developed enough for me to truly feel empathy towards them, and the ending felt a little unsatisfying and unfulfilling. Despite the issues, however, I gave this book four stars because I think there's definitely an audience for this book, and enjoyed it enough to finish it fairly quickly. I'll get into all of this in my review, however, so let's get started.
The Fade tells the story of young Haley O'Dell, a girl who died for nine minutes as a child and can now sometimes see the dead. When she's forced to move from her home in Chicago to a creepy old house in Wisconsin, what feels like a minor annoyance begins to seem sinister. The more she interacts with people in the town, and the more time she spends in her own house, the more Haley begins to realize that there's a deep, dark mystery haunting this town that she might have to uncover. Four girls went missing years ago, and Haley begins to see their ghosts, realizing that there's something they're desperately trying to tell her. Along the way, Haley meets Coop, a teen haunted by the death of his own sister who can also see spirits that have passed on. Together, the two attempt to solve the mystery before it's too late.
Like I said before, while this book is very suspenseful and entertaining, I don't feel like any of the characters are quite fleshed out enough for me to really care about any of them. We meet so many characters in this book - Chris, Mr. Grant, Mrs. Franz, Sera, Josh, etc. - who appear and then disappear for no apparent reason. Their stories will be set up, and then we're left to wonder what happened to them after they disappear. Chris, Coop's younger brother, is a prime example of this. At the beginning of the story, it's implied that he has serious mental issues, believing he sees things that aren't really there. Coop admits to accidentally planting this idea in his head, thus forcing him into therapy for his delusions. After this, however, Chris just disappears from the plot, and we never find out what happens to him or Coop's poor, depressed father.
Similarly, the plot with Mrs. Franz's dog never goes anywhere, nor does the plot with Mr. Grant's strange behavior. The same can be said for many of the characters in this book, who appear at random with the beginnings of their own stories, only to disappear with their plot threads unresolved. I found this to be very jarring and frustrating, as it seemed to me like a lot of the story wasn't going anywhere or served no purpose.
The characters themselves, when they had enough development to be considered characters, annoyed me at times. Coop, though a realistic teenage boy, seems self-centered and inconsiderate, while Haley seems whiny and entitled at times. I found myself gaping at her when she spitefully asked her mom, "What do you spend all your money on anyways?" I wanted to high five her mom when she clapped back with, "I don't know, two kids, a mortgage, art lessons, and buying you whatever you wanted?" Though it is made somewhat clear why Haley acts like this (she's tired of her older sister Shannon being the favorite child, and wants some recognition for herself), she still tended to get on my nerves a little throughout the story.
The romance also felt a little rushed, as I really didn't like Coop at first. I had a lot more fun with the characters of Josh and Sera, who felt vibrant and funny and had a clear connection. Josh, along with Haley's childhood friend Raina, are great examples of casual LGBT representation, though we never see as much of them as I would like. There's a very touching scene near the end in which Haley helps her friend Raina to move on with her new girlfriend, but otherwise these two characters are never explored as much as I would've liked. Instead, we get what feels like a very forced romance between Coop and Haley, with Coop being a character who acts so strangely that I couldn't trust him even when I was supposed to like him. He seemed so shady that I almost expected him to be the murderer instead of Shannon's boyfriend, and I wasn't entirely wrong.
I'll warn you now: there are spoilers ahead! One of the big twists that both genuinely surprised me and confused me, however, was the fact that Haley had been dead almost the entire time. If I had the time to do so, I would absolutely re-read the novel just to figure out exactly when she died, as my first reading left me a little confused as to when it happened. Either I was reading too quickly or just not paying attention, because the revelation that Haley herself was dead truly shocked me, as did the revelation that her mother had killed herself afterwards and was also dead. The twists didn't end there, however, as the reader later learns that Coop killed Haley (I KNEW he was shady!) in order to have someone in-between life and death to help him solve the mystery. While their romance was forced, I didn't actually believe the author would go that route and reveal him as a killer too. These were all great twists, and kept me reading on, but they didn't quite make up for the character flaws and dead-end plot threads.
My final complaint with this book is that it ended rather abruptly, leaving me with more questions than answers. The entire climax of the story takes place in what feels like about three pages, with Haley confronting the killer, Coop dying, and Haley discovering that Coop is the one who killed her. She is given maybe half a page to process this information before "moving on," and we never really see what happens to Coop. Similarly, we never learn how his death affects his poor younger brother and alcoholic father, and we never find out how discovering the murderer affects the citizens of the town. We never learn more about Sera and Josh, we don't get to see how Shannon and her father recover after such a traumatizing incident, and we never see what happens with Haley and her mother in the afterlife. I was already squirming a little bit when I saw the strange, almost positive portrayal of Haley's mother's suicide (it almost feels like she's happier after choosing to join her daughter in death... not a healthy message to send to teens), but it was even more frustrating to watch her disappear two-thirds of the way through with no real resolution to this. I wish there had been a Suicide Hotline number in the back, or some sort of Author's Note explaining to teens that there are other options, but I saw no such disclaimers, which felt very irresponsible to me.
Overall, I did enjoy this book, despite some things that either frustrated me (like the lack of follow-through with characters and plot threads) or made me feel uncomfortable and icky (the suicide that is portrayed as a positive, as it brings Haley and her mother together). The characters might not have been very fleshed out, but the story was interesting and full of twists I never saw coming. I feel like this book would be great for reluctant readers who are interested in mysteries or the paranormal, as this book is both tied into one. It's also a quick and easy read, making it ideal for those who'd rather not delve into a massive tone with advanced language. Though it has many issues, this book is by no means a bad book; I just think I've read so much YA at this point that I'm starting to notice over-used tropes and under-developed characters more and more. To the uninitiated teen, I'm sure these issues aren't even noticeable. If you're interested in a fast-paced mystery with ghosts and murder, I would definitely consider checking this one out. If this isn't your thing, however, I'd say it would be wise to give this one a pass.
The Fade tells the story of young Haley O'Dell, a girl who died for nine minutes as a child and can now sometimes see the dead. When she's forced to move from her home in Chicago to a creepy old house in Wisconsin, what feels like a minor annoyance begins to seem sinister. The more she interacts with people in the town, and the more time she spends in her own house, the more Haley begins to realize that there's a deep, dark mystery haunting this town that she might have to uncover. Four girls went missing years ago, and Haley begins to see their ghosts, realizing that there's something they're desperately trying to tell her. Along the way, Haley meets Coop, a teen haunted by the death of his own sister who can also see spirits that have passed on. Together, the two attempt to solve the mystery before it's too late.
Like I said before, while this book is very suspenseful and entertaining, I don't feel like any of the characters are quite fleshed out enough for me to really care about any of them. We meet so many characters in this book - Chris, Mr. Grant, Mrs. Franz, Sera, Josh, etc. - who appear and then disappear for no apparent reason. Their stories will be set up, and then we're left to wonder what happened to them after they disappear. Chris, Coop's younger brother, is a prime example of this. At the beginning of the story, it's implied that he has serious mental issues, believing he sees things that aren't really there. Coop admits to accidentally planting this idea in his head, thus forcing him into therapy for his delusions. After this, however, Chris just disappears from the plot, and we never find out what happens to him or Coop's poor, depressed father.
Similarly, the plot with Mrs. Franz's dog never goes anywhere, nor does the plot with Mr. Grant's strange behavior. The same can be said for many of the characters in this book, who appear at random with the beginnings of their own stories, only to disappear with their plot threads unresolved. I found this to be very jarring and frustrating, as it seemed to me like a lot of the story wasn't going anywhere or served no purpose.
The characters themselves, when they had enough development to be considered characters, annoyed me at times. Coop, though a realistic teenage boy, seems self-centered and inconsiderate, while Haley seems whiny and entitled at times. I found myself gaping at her when she spitefully asked her mom, "What do you spend all your money on anyways?" I wanted to high five her mom when she clapped back with, "I don't know, two kids, a mortgage, art lessons, and buying you whatever you wanted?" Though it is made somewhat clear why Haley acts like this (she's tired of her older sister Shannon being the favorite child, and wants some recognition for herself), she still tended to get on my nerves a little throughout the story.
The romance also felt a little rushed, as I really didn't like Coop at first. I had a lot more fun with the characters of Josh and Sera, who felt vibrant and funny and had a clear connection. Josh, along with Haley's childhood friend Raina, are great examples of casual LGBT representation, though we never see as much of them as I would like. There's a very touching scene near the end in which Haley helps her friend Raina to move on with her new girlfriend, but otherwise these two characters are never explored as much as I would've liked. Instead, we get what feels like a very forced romance between Coop and Haley, with Coop being a character who acts so strangely that I couldn't trust him even when I was supposed to like him. He seemed so shady that I almost expected him to be the murderer instead of Shannon's boyfriend, and I wasn't entirely wrong.
I'll warn you now: there are spoilers ahead! One of the big twists that both genuinely surprised me and confused me, however, was the fact that Haley had been dead almost the entire time. If I had the time to do so, I would absolutely re-read the novel just to figure out exactly when she died, as my first reading left me a little confused as to when it happened. Either I was reading too quickly or just not paying attention, because the revelation that Haley herself was dead truly shocked me, as did the revelation that her mother had killed herself afterwards and was also dead. The twists didn't end there, however, as the reader later learns that Coop killed Haley (I KNEW he was shady!) in order to have someone in-between life and death to help him solve the mystery. While their romance was forced, I didn't actually believe the author would go that route and reveal him as a killer too. These were all great twists, and kept me reading on, but they didn't quite make up for the character flaws and dead-end plot threads.
My final complaint with this book is that it ended rather abruptly, leaving me with more questions than answers. The entire climax of the story takes place in what feels like about three pages, with Haley confronting the killer, Coop dying, and Haley discovering that Coop is the one who killed her. She is given maybe half a page to process this information before "moving on," and we never really see what happens to Coop. Similarly, we never learn how his death affects his poor younger brother and alcoholic father, and we never find out how discovering the murderer affects the citizens of the town. We never learn more about Sera and Josh, we don't get to see how Shannon and her father recover after such a traumatizing incident, and we never see what happens with Haley and her mother in the afterlife. I was already squirming a little bit when I saw the strange, almost positive portrayal of Haley's mother's suicide (it almost feels like she's happier after choosing to join her daughter in death... not a healthy message to send to teens), but it was even more frustrating to watch her disappear two-thirds of the way through with no real resolution to this. I wish there had been a Suicide Hotline number in the back, or some sort of Author's Note explaining to teens that there are other options, but I saw no such disclaimers, which felt very irresponsible to me.
Overall, I did enjoy this book, despite some things that either frustrated me (like the lack of follow-through with characters and plot threads) or made me feel uncomfortable and icky (the suicide that is portrayed as a positive, as it brings Haley and her mother together). The characters might not have been very fleshed out, but the story was interesting and full of twists I never saw coming. I feel like this book would be great for reluctant readers who are interested in mysteries or the paranormal, as this book is both tied into one. It's also a quick and easy read, making it ideal for those who'd rather not delve into a massive tone with advanced language. Though it has many issues, this book is by no means a bad book; I just think I've read so much YA at this point that I'm starting to notice over-used tropes and under-developed characters more and more. To the uninitiated teen, I'm sure these issues aren't even noticeable. If you're interested in a fast-paced mystery with ghosts and murder, I would definitely consider checking this one out. If this isn't your thing, however, I'd say it would be wise to give this one a pass.
November 29, 2021
I picked this book up at the local Dollar Tree, so I figured for $1 why not give it a go?
It was okay as far as YA ghost novels go. It was a quick read and pretty predictable - It's obvious early on what is going to happen. Teenage girls moves into a haunted house, murderer is still at large etc, etc. You can draw the rest of the conclusions yourself if you decide to read this.
Great way to pass the time, as the plot wasn't hard to follow.
It was okay as far as YA ghost novels go. It was a quick read and pretty predictable - It's obvious early on what is going to happen. Teenage girls moves into a haunted house, murderer is still at large etc, etc. You can draw the rest of the conclusions yourself if you decide to read this.
Great way to pass the time, as the plot wasn't hard to follow.
November 13, 2020
It was interesting but I really didn't like the end
July 19, 2020
a choppy, near incoherent mess.
January 5, 2019
Trigger warning/s:
Fifteen-year old Hayley and her family moved in from a condo in Chicago to an old house with a moldy basement in Wisconsin. Haley hated that they had to move, more so when creepy things start happening to her. Good thing she got acquainted soon with new teen friends: the mysteriously impulsive Coop, paranormal enthusiast Sera, and her cousin Josh. She later discovers that four girls went missing from their small town and one of the girls lived in their house. Some townsfolk believe that the girls are still alive and that they just ran away. Haley believes otherwise. How else would she explain their haunted house and the little boy in the neighborhood claiming that he can see the ghost of the girls?
“The Fade” is a tame ghost story. I doubt that it could scare the shizz out of a hardcore paranormal reader. The ghosts are not sinister enough. The hauntings are not frightening enough. There are a number of attempts to scare but the only scary scene that mildly disturbed me was when the ghosts made Haley drew her mom hanging from a shower rod.
I like that it’s short and quick-paced enough that there’s no chance of a reader losing patience with it. Haley hits it off instantly with her new friends. They immediately bonded over the mystery of the “Grabbed Girls of Gladwell”. They conducted their own research and investigations. They also did sessions of séance for good measure. And once Haley learned that they were murdered (not a spoiler, it’s in the blurb), she wasted no time in deciding that she wants to help them.
But because it is short, the book has not enough pages to give out characters that I will care about. Haley is a one-note character with a lackluster personality. The other characters exist to serve the plot or for the sake of shock value. I appreciate the bits of eerie supernatural PoV scattered between chapters. And I like how the book pulled a couple of neat surprises halfway and near the end. The dark bittersweet ending pleased me.
There’s a lot to like but there are also shortcomings, most notable of which is it’s tame scares. Still, this is a fairly satisfactory read for me.
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Fifteen-year old Hayley and her family moved in from a condo in Chicago to an old house with a moldy basement in Wisconsin. Haley hated that they had to move, more so when creepy things start happening to her. Good thing she got acquainted soon with new teen friends: the mysteriously impulsive Coop, paranormal enthusiast Sera, and her cousin Josh. She later discovers that four girls went missing from their small town and one of the girls lived in their house. Some townsfolk believe that the girls are still alive and that they just ran away. Haley believes otherwise. How else would she explain their haunted house and the little boy in the neighborhood claiming that he can see the ghost of the girls?
“The Fade” is a tame ghost story. I doubt that it could scare the shizz out of a hardcore paranormal reader. The ghosts are not sinister enough. The hauntings are not frightening enough. There are a number of attempts to scare but the only scary scene that mildly disturbed me was when the ghosts made Haley drew her mom hanging from a shower rod.
I like that it’s short and quick-paced enough that there’s no chance of a reader losing patience with it. Haley hits it off instantly with her new friends. They immediately bonded over the mystery of the “Grabbed Girls of Gladwell”. They conducted their own research and investigations. They also did sessions of séance for good measure. And once Haley learned that they were murdered (not a spoiler, it’s in the blurb), she wasted no time in deciding that she wants to help them.
But because it is short, the book has not enough pages to give out characters that I will care about. Haley is a one-note character with a lackluster personality. The other characters exist to serve the plot or for the sake of shock value. I appreciate the bits of eerie supernatural PoV scattered between chapters. And I like how the book pulled a couple of neat surprises halfway and near the end. The dark bittersweet ending pleased me.
There’s a lot to like but there are also shortcomings, most notable of which is it’s tame scares. Still, this is a fairly satisfactory read for me.
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October 9, 2019
The Fade is one of those books I wanted to like more than I actually did. I didn't hate it and I don't think it's bad. It's entirely possible that this is one of those books that works perfectly for the intended audience... and that's not me. However, I'm not entirely sure the problems I have with this book are just a case of "too old for it."
Since The Fade hinges a lot on the twists it contains, I really cannot stress this enough: back away if you don't wish to be spoiled.
S
p
o
i
l
e
r
s
A
h
o
y
!
So. The premise is super interesting to me. Sure, it's a cliche that the family moves to a new town and into a house that they can really only afford because of its sinister backstory but more has been done with less. Four girls went missing and the kid a few doors down can see their ghosts, but he can't talk to them... and the ghost girls are very, very interested in making contact with our heroine, Haley.
One of our first problems is Coop himself. He runs hot and cold and at first Haley is ready to write him off entirely beyond eye candy purposes. But then he's suddenly more than that because the plot needs him to be, I guess? Or maybe tragically dead sister is catnip to Haley, I dunno.
Second problem is that the absolute second we reference The Sixth Sense, I knew damn well where the book was going. And yes, yes we do kill Haley and have her not realize she's dead for an extended period of time that is painfully long when you know she's dead well before she does. I'm pretty sure anyone drawn to this book is going to realize that falling down the stairs and getting yourself a massive concussion, to the point that standing is only possible in the loosest sense of the word realizes that your next step should be to call 911 and not to just...fall asleep and hope for the best. Throw in the ghosts haunting you already and maybe you'll figure out the whole dead thing much faster.
So we wander around a bit as a very confused ghost-but-doesn't-know-it Haley tries to figure out what the hell is going on. And then everything kicks into high gear, almost as if someone realized "ohshit, we've got a book to finish!" or something. The pacing is weird is what I'm saying.
I like the story idea and the haunting bits (the ghosts visiting one by one is deliciously creepy) but the bits that hinge on the twist(s) don't work if you've figured them out already.
Also, wtf, Coop. WTF.
Since The Fade hinges a lot on the twists it contains, I really cannot stress this enough: back away if you don't wish to be spoiled.
S
p
o
i
l
e
r
s
A
h
o
y
!
So. The premise is super interesting to me. Sure, it's a cliche that the family moves to a new town and into a house that they can really only afford because of its sinister backstory but more has been done with less. Four girls went missing and the kid a few doors down can see their ghosts, but he can't talk to them... and the ghost girls are very, very interested in making contact with our heroine, Haley.
One of our first problems is Coop himself. He runs hot and cold and at first Haley is ready to write him off entirely beyond eye candy purposes. But then he's suddenly more than that because the plot needs him to be, I guess? Or maybe tragically dead sister is catnip to Haley, I dunno.
Second problem is that the absolute second we reference The Sixth Sense, I knew damn well where the book was going. And yes, yes we do kill Haley and have her not realize she's dead for an extended period of time that is painfully long when you know she's dead well before she does. I'm pretty sure anyone drawn to this book is going to realize that falling down the stairs and getting yourself a massive concussion, to the point that standing is only possible in the loosest sense of the word realizes that your next step should be to call 911 and not to just...fall asleep and hope for the best. Throw in the ghosts haunting you already and maybe you'll figure out the whole dead thing much faster.
So we wander around a bit as a very confused ghost-but-doesn't-know-it Haley tries to figure out what the hell is going on. And then everything kicks into high gear, almost as if someone realized "ohshit, we've got a book to finish!" or something. The pacing is weird is what I'm saying.
I like the story idea and the haunting bits (the ghosts visiting one by one is deliciously creepy) but the bits that hinge on the twist(s) don't work if you've figured them out already.
Also, wtf, Coop. WTF.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 28, 2018
*Book Received in Exchange for Honest Opinion/Review*
So I just finished the last page of this book and all I can say is this book was weird, and I'm not even sure if it's a good weird. I don't think so because the more I reflect, the more I realize I am not satisfied at the end of the story. Things just didn't fluidly flow for this story and it resulted in confusing plots, unanswered questions, abrupt twists and overall, it was not the delightful mystery I was hoping for.
I am going to attempt to explain this without spoiling the plot. So around 50-60% into the story, Haley has a self-discovery/major change happen, and upon this giant revelation the book went topsy-turvy for me. I actually paused and was like, "wait, what?!". It kind of threw my entire reading experience off, because not only did it take away from the four girl mystery, but it added a whole slew of questions and well, it was a weird plot twist. It felt unnecessary and misplaced in the story line.
Also, there isn't really an HEA in this book, at least in my opinion. So we have a book surrounding murders and when everything is done, I am not happy. I don't have the warm fuzzy book feels or even the closure I usually experience. The story ends very abruptly and you're truly left wondering what happens to Haley and Coop. What about Chris, Shannon, literally every character that was a massive part of the story and I am left wondering how the heck that all plays out because no information is provided!
It was just a dreary read, that's the best way to describe it. No good happened in this book, it was plagued by sadness and gruesome murders. And honestly, there was nothing to balance out the story. I think that is the biggest flaw here. It's an everything is downhill type of read and there is no balance. No tender moments, no sweet whispers, no light-hearted laughs, and surely something could have been done to balance this black-cloud of a read.
So I just finished the last page of this book and all I can say is this book was weird, and I'm not even sure if it's a good weird. I don't think so because the more I reflect, the more I realize I am not satisfied at the end of the story. Things just didn't fluidly flow for this story and it resulted in confusing plots, unanswered questions, abrupt twists and overall, it was not the delightful mystery I was hoping for.
I am going to attempt to explain this without spoiling the plot. So around 50-60% into the story, Haley has a self-discovery/major change happen, and upon this giant revelation the book went topsy-turvy for me. I actually paused and was like, "wait, what?!". It kind of threw my entire reading experience off, because not only did it take away from the four girl mystery, but it added a whole slew of questions and well, it was a weird plot twist. It felt unnecessary and misplaced in the story line.
Also, there isn't really an HEA in this book, at least in my opinion. So we have a book surrounding murders and when everything is done, I am not happy. I don't have the warm fuzzy book feels or even the closure I usually experience. The story ends very abruptly and you're truly left wondering what happens to Haley and Coop. What about Chris, Shannon, literally every character that was a massive part of the story and I am left wondering how the heck that all plays out because no information is provided!
It was just a dreary read, that's the best way to describe it. No good happened in this book, it was plagued by sadness and gruesome murders. And honestly, there was nothing to balance out the story. I think that is the biggest flaw here. It's an everything is downhill type of read and there is no balance. No tender moments, no sweet whispers, no light-hearted laughs, and surely something could have been done to balance this black-cloud of a read.
December 5, 2018
Warnings: descriptions of assault, domestic abuse, suicide
The Fade is a part-mystery, part-horror novel. When Haley is moved to a small town, she doesn't know that the moldy basement would be the least of her problems. Because of her NDE, she is able to sense the restless spirits in the house she now lives in, who want to use her to seek justice for themselves. Wary at first, and then wanting to put the spirits to rest, she takes on the cold cases but as the communications between the spirits and her start getting more intense, with possession and creepy drawings coming to play, we start to sense that she is becoming an unreliable narrator.
The mystery aspect of the book blends well into the horror part, but I felt it also overwhelmed the latter; certainly the atmosphere set up is more of the former than the latter. The horror part is not really scary, and it doesn't really feel like a thriller, which is what I came into this book for. Also, the investigation stalls somewhere mid-way through the book, as an unnecessary romance sub-plot gains prominence, and then there is the whole red herring scenario. Also when a twist comes in the second half, I got so confused I had to go and read over nearly a third of the book to see what had actually happened - it leaves all the answers for the end, so the impact feels lessened somehow.
Overall, it works as a mystery but it's not spooky.
Is it diverse? It has a biracial (Vietnamese descent) protagonist.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Delacorte Press, via Netgalley.
The Fade is a part-mystery, part-horror novel. When Haley is moved to a small town, she doesn't know that the moldy basement would be the least of her problems. Because of her NDE, she is able to sense the restless spirits in the house she now lives in, who want to use her to seek justice for themselves. Wary at first, and then wanting to put the spirits to rest, she takes on the cold cases but as the communications between the spirits and her start getting more intense, with possession and creepy drawings coming to play, we start to sense that she is becoming an unreliable narrator.
The mystery aspect of the book blends well into the horror part, but I felt it also overwhelmed the latter; certainly the atmosphere set up is more of the former than the latter. The horror part is not really scary, and it doesn't really feel like a thriller, which is what I came into this book for. Also, the investigation stalls somewhere mid-way through the book, as an unnecessary romance sub-plot gains prominence, and then there is the whole red herring scenario. Also when a twist comes in the second half, I got so confused I had to go and read over nearly a third of the book to see what had actually happened - it leaves all the answers for the end, so the impact feels lessened somehow.
Overall, it works as a mystery but it's not spooky.
Is it diverse? It has a biracial (Vietnamese descent) protagonist.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Delacorte Press, via Netgalley.
May 14, 2019
Haley's family has moved from Chicago to rural Wisconsin, into a creepy old house with a sordid past. She immediately begins to feel a presence there, and soon learns that several years ago, a whole bunch of pretty girls went missing from her house and some of the surrounding homes. She knows they want something, but can't figure out what, and soon enlists the help of Coop, a cute local boy she meets at a party. They spend some time trying to figure out the mystery, and then the wheels fall off of this incredibly weird book. It gets two stars because I did want to find out what happens, but without spoilers, let's just say the resolution, is, well, kind of gross. No, really gross. And really far out there as far as being believable. And the final plot "twist?" I just couldn't believe it was happening. And not in a good way. In a "how did this get through the editing process?" way. I've also never read a book where an entire pair of characters just sort of disappears. Like, one minute these two kids are trying to help Haley contact these ghosts, and then, where did they go? They seemed kind of important, and then they were just never mentioned again. And the real kicker is that the BIG twist, the one that is supposed to spin your head around, is lifted straight out of I loved this author's In the After, and recommend it all the time. I was hoping to have another to rave about--this most definitely isn't it.
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