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The Haunted #2
The Unleashed
In the terrifying sequel to The Haunted, Hendricks discovers that even though Steele House is gone, the hauntings in Drearfield are far from over — and it’s up to her to stop them.
Following the devastating blaze at Steele House, Hendricks and her friends are trying to return to normal. Prom is coming up and the school is in full preparation mode. Hendricks tries to pitch in, to mimic Portia’s enthusiasm, but the events of the last few months still haunt her. Steele House. Raven. Eddie.
Hendricks believes Eddie is still out there. She just has to find a way to reach him. Together with her friends, she forms a circle of seven and attempts to summon his spirit. Suddenly things start happening again. Flickering lights in the school library. Mysterious girls roaming the halls. The same song playing on a loop wherever she goes.
It all culminates in a violent attack and Hendricks realizes what they summoned may not be Eddie at all. The one thing she does know is that Steele House was only the beginning. And whatever they’ve unleashed is more dangerous than anything they’ve ever seen before.
Following the devastating blaze at Steele House, Hendricks and her friends are trying to return to normal. Prom is coming up and the school is in full preparation mode. Hendricks tries to pitch in, to mimic Portia’s enthusiasm, but the events of the last few months still haunt her. Steele House. Raven. Eddie.
Hendricks believes Eddie is still out there. She just has to find a way to reach him. Together with her friends, she forms a circle of seven and attempts to summon his spirit. Suddenly things start happening again. Flickering lights in the school library. Mysterious girls roaming the halls. The same song playing on a loop wherever she goes.
It all culminates in a violent attack and Hendricks realizes what they summoned may not be Eddie at all. The one thing she does know is that Steele House was only the beginning. And whatever they’ve unleashed is more dangerous than anything they’ve ever seen before.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published July 7, 2020
31 people are currently reading
2930 people want to read
About the author
Danielle Vega
16 books1,789 followersDanielle Vega is the author of THE MERCILESS and SURVIVE THE NIGHT. She's also the author of BURNING, under the name Danielle Rollins.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
October 17, 2024
**3.5-stars**
Please note, as this is the second book in a series, some mild spoilers for the first book are contained within this review.
Proceed with caution...
After the devastating events of The Haunted, Hendricks and her friends are trying to return to life as normal. Not an easy task with Eddie gone and Raven still in a coma.
Hendricks, Portia and Connor, received intense group therapy after that tragic night and in some ways, it did help. However, Hendricks is still having a really hard time letting go of Eddie.
In fact, she believes his spirit remains in Drearfield and with the right method, perhaps she'll be able to reach him.
She looks to Ileana for help. With Ileana's guidance, they gather a circle of seven and perform a seance with the hopes of summoning forth Eddie's spirit. The seance is of course performed on the grounds of Steele House.
Unsurprisingly, it doesn't go as planned.
Soon thereafter, Hendricks begins to experience hauntings quite similar to before. However, they are no longer restricted to just being within her home. Now evil entities seem to be everywhere; no place is safe.
The high school itself seems to be a hotbed of activity, with ghost girls in the hall and phantom music being played.
With prom on the horizon, Hendricks has been spending extra time there, as she agreed to the join the planning committee with Portia.
When Portia becomes the victim of a supernatural attack, Hendricks knows they didn't bring Eddie back. They brought back something else, and it's angry.
They need to redo the ritual and hopefully send this malevolent spirit back from whence it came.
This was a strong continuation from the first book.
Personally, I was devastated by the ending of the first book and honestly, that pissy mood sort of carried over into this one. I missed my favorite character too much.
With that aside, I did enjoy this. The first half especially. I loved how the characters involved in the seance were willing to help Hendricks out, even though some of them thought she was bat shit crazy.
I also really enjoyed the horror imagery. Vega definitely excels at that.
It did start to lose my towards the end. There was a great scene, that as far as I am concerned, could have been the final scene, but it continued on.
After that point, I was sort of out of it. It went way over the top after that and took away a bit of the seriousness of the earlier parts of the story.
Overall, this is a solid Teen Scream duology and I am very happy that I read it.
I would definitely consider picking up future releases from this author!
Please note, as this is the second book in a series, some mild spoilers for the first book are contained within this review.
Proceed with caution...
After the devastating events of The Haunted, Hendricks and her friends are trying to return to life as normal. Not an easy task with Eddie gone and Raven still in a coma.
Hendricks, Portia and Connor, received intense group therapy after that tragic night and in some ways, it did help. However, Hendricks is still having a really hard time letting go of Eddie.
In fact, she believes his spirit remains in Drearfield and with the right method, perhaps she'll be able to reach him.
She looks to Ileana for help. With Ileana's guidance, they gather a circle of seven and perform a seance with the hopes of summoning forth Eddie's spirit. The seance is of course performed on the grounds of Steele House.
Unsurprisingly, it doesn't go as planned.
Soon thereafter, Hendricks begins to experience hauntings quite similar to before. However, they are no longer restricted to just being within her home. Now evil entities seem to be everywhere; no place is safe.
The high school itself seems to be a hotbed of activity, with ghost girls in the hall and phantom music being played.
With prom on the horizon, Hendricks has been spending extra time there, as she agreed to the join the planning committee with Portia.
When Portia becomes the victim of a supernatural attack, Hendricks knows they didn't bring Eddie back. They brought back something else, and it's angry.
They need to redo the ritual and hopefully send this malevolent spirit back from whence it came.
This was a strong continuation from the first book.
Personally, I was devastated by the ending of the first book and honestly, that pissy mood sort of carried over into this one. I missed my favorite character too much.
With that aside, I did enjoy this. The first half especially. I loved how the characters involved in the seance were willing to help Hendricks out, even though some of them thought she was bat shit crazy.
I also really enjoyed the horror imagery. Vega definitely excels at that.
It did start to lose my towards the end. There was a great scene, that as far as I am concerned, could have been the final scene, but it continued on.
After that point, I was sort of out of it. It went way over the top after that and took away a bit of the seriousness of the earlier parts of the story.
Overall, this is a solid Teen Scream duology and I am very happy that I read it.
I would definitely consider picking up future releases from this author!
July 2, 2020
Thank you Penguin Teen for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Danielle Vega has done it again; she has made a thrilling book from start to the finish. Full of twists and chilling moments. I love how this takes place with the same characters from the first book, and we basically start right where it ended in The Haunted.
I didn’t find this one as scary as The Haunted, but while this one lacks a bit of gore and horror, Vega makes up for it with a spectacular plotline! The Unleashed still takes place with the Steele house and we get to know a lot more of its history. I think that in this book we get to see more character development, especially with Hendricks and her friends. I have to admit I had some “goosebumps all over my body moments” in her first book, but didn’t have that in this book. What I can say is that the ending was phenomenal. I was blown away and the epilogue made my jaw completely drop. I have thoroughly enjoyed all of Danielle Vega’s books and I am so glad that this one lived up to my high expectations.
Danielle Vega has done it again; she has made a thrilling book from start to the finish. Full of twists and chilling moments. I love how this takes place with the same characters from the first book, and we basically start right where it ended in The Haunted.
I didn’t find this one as scary as The Haunted, but while this one lacks a bit of gore and horror, Vega makes up for it with a spectacular plotline! The Unleashed still takes place with the Steele house and we get to know a lot more of its history. I think that in this book we get to see more character development, especially with Hendricks and her friends. I have to admit I had some “goosebumps all over my body moments” in her first book, but didn’t have that in this book. What I can say is that the ending was phenomenal. I was blown away and the epilogue made my jaw completely drop. I have thoroughly enjoyed all of Danielle Vega’s books and I am so glad that this one lived up to my high expectations.
September 28, 2020
"A cold finger touched the back of her neck and traced down her spine. Hendricks yelped and spun around, one hand grasping for her neck. Who’s there? she shouted.... And then in her ear, the same raspy voice she’d heard in her room last night: He’ll be back for you."
*Actual rating is 3.5 but rounded up.*
Would you hold a séance to communicate with a dead loved one? Even though it could bring evil up from the ground? Danielle Vega brings fear to life as it gets overrun by evil spirits of the undead.
Hendricks and her little gang of weirdos are back for round two. They just want everything to return to normal and move on but the darker side of life has other things in store for them.
Hendricks just can't let go of Eddie. She believes that his spirit is still out there and wants to communicate with her. Instead of letting the past go, she gathers six friends to hold a séance to talk with Eddie one last time. But those things never go as planned. What she thought was going to happen, didn't and she brought forth a spirit that is out to get revenge.
Violent attacks start to happen to not only her but her friends as well. Steele House was just the beginning of all of her haunted issues but now things get more dangerous.
Will Hendricks and her friends stop this evil entity before it destroys them?
This book was good but not as good as the first one. The Haunted made my skin crawl and made me feel uneasy inside of my own house. I just didn't feel that with this one. The spirits were darker and more violent in this one but that's not what I really wanted from a haunting book. I want that creep factor where I have to sleep with the lights on.
And is it just me, or was Hendricks even more annoying with her puppy love attitude?
The Unleashed was a good book and it left it way open for a third book. The ending had me wide-eyed with my jaw on the floor. Now I really need the third book because I have answers! If you're looking for a good spooky read for the season, this would be a great start. Just prepare yourself mentally before you hop on in because the water is cold.
*Actual rating is 3.5 but rounded up.*
Would you hold a séance to communicate with a dead loved one? Even though it could bring evil up from the ground? Danielle Vega brings fear to life as it gets overrun by evil spirits of the undead.
Hendricks and her little gang of weirdos are back for round two. They just want everything to return to normal and move on but the darker side of life has other things in store for them.
Hendricks just can't let go of Eddie. She believes that his spirit is still out there and wants to communicate with her. Instead of letting the past go, she gathers six friends to hold a séance to talk with Eddie one last time. But those things never go as planned. What she thought was going to happen, didn't and she brought forth a spirit that is out to get revenge.
Violent attacks start to happen to not only her but her friends as well. Steele House was just the beginning of all of her haunted issues but now things get more dangerous.
Will Hendricks and her friends stop this evil entity before it destroys them?
This book was good but not as good as the first one. The Haunted made my skin crawl and made me feel uneasy inside of my own house. I just didn't feel that with this one. The spirits were darker and more violent in this one but that's not what I really wanted from a haunting book. I want that creep factor where I have to sleep with the lights on.
And is it just me, or was Hendricks even more annoying with her puppy love attitude?
The Unleashed was a good book and it left it way open for a third book. The ending had me wide-eyed with my jaw on the floor. Now I really need the third book because I have answers! If you're looking for a good spooky read for the season, this would be a great start. Just prepare yourself mentally before you hop on in because the water is cold.
January 23, 2023
4.3⭐️; Audiobook; Horror; Bk 2/2
That epilogue!😱👏🏻👏🏻
That epilogue!😱👏🏻👏🏻
July 21, 2020
I loved The Haunted but this book is so badly in need of a good editor that I simply gave up.
February 3, 2025
I always enjoy Danielle Vega’s books, & definitely had fun with this one. I will say it was less engaging than her other books & I was able to predict this one a little easier than the others. This was still a cool concept & fun book!
April 12, 2023
3.5 stars. I liked this more than the first one—it was creepier and more original, but I still don’t think it’ll be very memorable for me in the long run.
August 15, 2023
4🌟
This one was a roller coaster. There were really good parts and then some parts didn't make sense or felt rushed. However idk if it's just me but the parts about eddie( character from book one) made me cry. It still had its scary factors but The Haunted for sure had way more. Overall, I still enjoyed this one.
This one was a roller coaster. There were really good parts and then some parts didn't make sense or felt rushed. However idk if it's just me but the parts about eddie( character from book one) made me cry. It still had its scary factors but The Haunted for sure had way more. Overall, I still enjoyed this one.
November 17, 2020
Let me preface this by saying I've read her other books. The other books aren't shit. I actually really enjoyed her other books. This one is shit. Where the fuck was her editor? Was she on drugs when she wrote this? Did she hit her head? Is she okay? Someone go check on Vega, because this book was literal trash. It was a damn dumpster fire. I've written better stories in a couple of words with vegetable soup!
***Spoilers below***
Okay, so first off, the writing is subpar and the dialogue is even worse. It's super annoying in real life when people say, "like." Why the actual fuck do you need to put it in dialogue too? Was the goal to annoy the reader. If so, job well done. I can see this being a quirk of one character, but a few characters actually do this - including a grown man - and it bugs the shit out of me.
Next, Hendricks the main character, comes off as an insensitive bitch in the first half of the book. I would have written down an example (or three) but at that point, I was hoping the book would get better so I wouldn't have to rant about it. I was.... misguided. The book, in fact, got much worse. However, I will say that Hendricks is also stupid. I do have an example of this. There are so many examples, how could I not have one. For instance, Hendricks does the logical thing and has Connor walk her home because scary shit tends to happen to her when she is alone. I'm thinking to myself, "Okay, homegirl made a good decision for once." But then when she gets to her house, and Connor leaves, she turns the other direction and walks to a fucking graveyard instead of going into her house. Didn't you just say that.... But why would you.... FOR THE LOVE OF BOOKS, WHY?!?!?! Why do authors continuously write stupid characters?! Characters are supposed to be relatable so we like them and root for them. Does Danielle Vega think her audience is this dumb? Dear author, this isn't a cliche horror movie, do something different and inspiring or get a different job! Anywho, when Hendricks gets to this graveyard, you guessed it, some scary shit goes down and she gets hurt. *facepalm*
This next bit leaves me with so many questions. I'm so butthurt over this. So, you mean to tell me that ghosts are now corporeal for no other reason than just because? Why did this happen? How did this happen? Is it a demon or a ghost? Why can it feel pain if it's a ghost? How can you reach out and physically touch or hit this thing if it's a ghost? At this point it's not a ghost. Then what the fuck is it? When Justin was doing his ritual did he summon a demon? Did that demon get unleashed unto the world and decided to take on his form? If so, why and how? I'm so effing confused. The worldbuilding leaves EVERYTHING to be desired. If you're gonna write something like this and you're not intending it to have a bad B-rated horror movie vibe, don't just shrug your shoulders and turn the other cheek when it comes to worldbuilding. Also, we know why Justin wanted Sam's mediumship abilities because it was only explained with one friggin' sentence. This is where character development takes a nosedive as well. Justin wanted to talk to his deceased father, but we never get to see what kind of a relationship he even had with his father. What was his family dynamic like in the first place for him to turn into such an asshole? This is just plain bad. Any book that has an antagonist that's just evil for the sake of being evil without any backstory is pure trash.
Back to our regularly scheduled programming: ranting. In the last book, ghosts caused a massive housefire and skeletons came up from the ground and started attacking people. These same people that got attacked think it's a great idea to go back to that place and hold a seance. Why is no one talking about the supernatural phenomenon that happened at Steele house? I mean did everyone repress those memories? Why is everyone all of a sudden in such disbelief that ghosts exist when they've experienced the paranormal first hand? (Then again, I can't remember who was all at that party and who saw what.)
Something else that I found to be particularly annoying is all of the really OUT THERE writing choices Vega made. Some things were straight up ridiculous and some things she wrote about but never gave closure too. For example, Justin chloroforms Sam, throws her over his shoulder and proceeds to walk from the school to Steele house. You mean to tell me that no one saw an unconscious chick slung over a dude's shoulder, with a gag in her mouth? COME ON! Another eye-roll moment I had was when the teens sneak into Raven's house and steal her unconscious body by distracting her mom because they need a conduit to aid in closing the seal. Raven just happens to be on a portable oxygen machine. How convenient. Additionally, when the seance is underway, the ghost throws Vi across the foundation and she doesn't get back up. Hendricks also gets thrown and it is mentioned that she thinks her wrist is potentially broken. These two things are never addressed once the seance is over and the seal is closed. Everyone is magically okay? What happened to Vi? Why wasn't she moving? Hendrick's wrist was magically repaired? How was she able to climb out from under the foundation with a broken wrist?
Since we are on the topic of annoying things. If a writer is going to write about spells and wicca, the least she could do is do some research into it so she can have the characters construct a proper ritual/spell/seance. Oh! I just happened to think, whatever happened to Ileana after she got done barfing up black goo and blood? Doesn't this happen when a spirit is cohabitating in a body that isn't theirs and the spirit is being dispelled from said body? This is the shit I'm really frustrated with. There is no cohesiveness, there was a lack of research done, things that needed closure didn't get closure. I have questions! Is Ileana even okay?
Grammar mistakes and spelling mistakes abound! I hate this. I really do because this type of thing can be easily avoided. I didn't keep track of all of them, and there are a lot of them, but one such instance is on one page in particular when Justin is about to carve a pentagram into Sam, Vega spells his name "Just" instead of "Justin." This is irritating and takes the reader out of the story. Another example was when someone was supposed to have a "frown" on their face but it said "from" instead.
Lastly, but certainly not least. Diversity. I love books with diversity. I have many diverse friends. The world itself is diverse and I love inclusion. With that being said, I also hate when books force diversity just for the sake of being inclusive. This book was one such example. If something has to be explicitly stated (gender identity) it feels forced to me. I'm obviously referring to the scene where Ileana wants girls on one side and boys on the other for the seance. Ileana calls Vi out in front of everyone (which is a shitty thing to do in of itself if Vi isn't ready to come out as non-binary.) You couldn't show that by describing what the character wears or how they act? This is basic writing 101. Don't tell the reader what they need to know, show the reader. This goes back to what I was saying about Vega dumbing things down for her audience... which I actually feel insulted by. I can read between the lines and pick up on subtle nuances. Vega, give your readers some credit.
At the end of the day, people will probably comment and say, "Calm down. It's just YA." Aaaannnnnd NO I WILL NOT! I wasted my time on this, and it's made worse by the fact Vega is not a terrible writer. Was she asleep at the wheel this time? Her editor was, that's for sure. In closing, don't waste your time. It will leave you with more questions than answers and a bad taste in your mouth for having spent the money. If you must torture yourself with how awful this is, rent it from your local library instead. No harm done, just time you won't be able to get back.
***Spoilers below***
Okay, so first off, the writing is subpar and the dialogue is even worse. It's super annoying in real life when people say, "like." Why the actual fuck do you need to put it in dialogue too? Was the goal to annoy the reader. If so, job well done. I can see this being a quirk of one character, but a few characters actually do this - including a grown man - and it bugs the shit out of me.
Next, Hendricks the main character, comes off as an insensitive bitch in the first half of the book. I would have written down an example (or three) but at that point, I was hoping the book would get better so I wouldn't have to rant about it. I was.... misguided. The book, in fact, got much worse. However, I will say that Hendricks is also stupid. I do have an example of this. There are so many examples, how could I not have one. For instance, Hendricks does the logical thing and has Connor walk her home because scary shit tends to happen to her when she is alone. I'm thinking to myself, "Okay, homegirl made a good decision for once." But then when she gets to her house, and Connor leaves, she turns the other direction and walks to a fucking graveyard instead of going into her house. Didn't you just say that.... But why would you.... FOR THE LOVE OF BOOKS, WHY?!?!?! Why do authors continuously write stupid characters?! Characters are supposed to be relatable so we like them and root for them. Does Danielle Vega think her audience is this dumb? Dear author, this isn't a cliche horror movie, do something different and inspiring or get a different job! Anywho, when Hendricks gets to this graveyard, you guessed it, some scary shit goes down and she gets hurt. *facepalm*
This next bit leaves me with so many questions. I'm so butthurt over this. So, you mean to tell me that ghosts are now corporeal for no other reason than just because? Why did this happen? How did this happen? Is it a demon or a ghost? Why can it feel pain if it's a ghost? How can you reach out and physically touch or hit this thing if it's a ghost? At this point it's not a ghost. Then what the fuck is it? When Justin was doing his ritual did he summon a demon? Did that demon get unleashed unto the world and decided to take on his form? If so, why and how? I'm so effing confused. The worldbuilding leaves EVERYTHING to be desired. If you're gonna write something like this and you're not intending it to have a bad B-rated horror movie vibe, don't just shrug your shoulders and turn the other cheek when it comes to worldbuilding. Also, we know why Justin wanted Sam's mediumship abilities because it was only explained with one friggin' sentence. This is where character development takes a nosedive as well. Justin wanted to talk to his deceased father, but we never get to see what kind of a relationship he even had with his father. What was his family dynamic like in the first place for him to turn into such an asshole? This is just plain bad. Any book that has an antagonist that's just evil for the sake of being evil without any backstory is pure trash.
Back to our regularly scheduled programming: ranting. In the last book, ghosts caused a massive housefire and skeletons came up from the ground and started attacking people. These same people that got attacked think it's a great idea to go back to that place and hold a seance. Why is no one talking about the supernatural phenomenon that happened at Steele house? I mean did everyone repress those memories? Why is everyone all of a sudden in such disbelief that ghosts exist when they've experienced the paranormal first hand? (Then again, I can't remember who was all at that party and who saw what.)
Something else that I found to be particularly annoying is all of the really OUT THERE writing choices Vega made. Some things were straight up ridiculous and some things she wrote about but never gave closure too. For example, Justin chloroforms Sam, throws her over his shoulder and proceeds to walk from the school to Steele house. You mean to tell me that no one saw an unconscious chick slung over a dude's shoulder, with a gag in her mouth? COME ON! Another eye-roll moment I had was when the teens sneak into Raven's house and steal her unconscious body by distracting her mom because they need a conduit to aid in closing the seal. Raven just happens to be on a portable oxygen machine. How convenient. Additionally, when the seance is underway, the ghost throws Vi across the foundation and she doesn't get back up. Hendricks also gets thrown and it is mentioned that she thinks her wrist is potentially broken. These two things are never addressed once the seance is over and the seal is closed. Everyone is magically okay? What happened to Vi? Why wasn't she moving? Hendrick's wrist was magically repaired? How was she able to climb out from under the foundation with a broken wrist?
Since we are on the topic of annoying things. If a writer is going to write about spells and wicca, the least she could do is do some research into it so she can have the characters construct a proper ritual/spell/seance. Oh! I just happened to think, whatever happened to Ileana after she got done barfing up black goo and blood? Doesn't this happen when a spirit is cohabitating in a body that isn't theirs and the spirit is being dispelled from said body? This is the shit I'm really frustrated with. There is no cohesiveness, there was a lack of research done, things that needed closure didn't get closure. I have questions! Is Ileana even okay?
Grammar mistakes and spelling mistakes abound! I hate this. I really do because this type of thing can be easily avoided. I didn't keep track of all of them, and there are a lot of them, but one such instance is on one page in particular when Justin is about to carve a pentagram into Sam, Vega spells his name "Just" instead of "Justin." This is irritating and takes the reader out of the story. Another example was when someone was supposed to have a "frown" on their face but it said "from" instead.
Lastly, but certainly not least. Diversity. I love books with diversity. I have many diverse friends. The world itself is diverse and I love inclusion. With that being said, I also hate when books force diversity just for the sake of being inclusive. This book was one such example. If something has to be explicitly stated (gender identity) it feels forced to me. I'm obviously referring to the scene where Ileana wants girls on one side and boys on the other for the seance. Ileana calls Vi out in front of everyone (which is a shitty thing to do in of itself if Vi isn't ready to come out as non-binary.) You couldn't show that by describing what the character wears or how they act? This is basic writing 101. Don't tell the reader what they need to know, show the reader. This goes back to what I was saying about Vega dumbing things down for her audience... which I actually feel insulted by. I can read between the lines and pick up on subtle nuances. Vega, give your readers some credit.
At the end of the day, people will probably comment and say, "Calm down. It's just YA." Aaaannnnnd NO I WILL NOT! I wasted my time on this, and it's made worse by the fact Vega is not a terrible writer. Was she asleep at the wheel this time? Her editor was, that's for sure. In closing, don't waste your time. It will leave you with more questions than answers and a bad taste in your mouth for having spent the money. If you must torture yourself with how awful this is, rent it from your local library instead. No harm done, just time you won't be able to get back.
May 17, 2021
Trust me, no one is more upset about this than I am. I love Danielle Vega, I've read all of her books and this one was no exception. When I found out there was going to be a sequel to The Haunted, I was hesitant at first, but curious enough to keep my eye out for it.
I'm so sorry to say, it was TERRIBLE.
First off, the characters were awful. Hendricks walks around in a perpetual state of gray, which really started to bum me out around page 50. Much like EVERYONE ELSE IN THE BOOK, I hated Eddie. Sure, they were dating, and it was kind of her fault he died, but get over it. Messing with dark magic just so you can speak to him again is really dumb, and NOT a driver of the plot. STUPID DECISIONS DO NOT MAKE FOR GOOD PLOTS. Secondly, it doesn't impact me one way or another that Portia and Vi are dating, it doesn't draw away from the story, nor does it really add anything, other than another pity party woe is me from Hendricks because she's oh so alone without Eddie. BUT Vi was super annoying, "I don't agree with genders," ok cool, now get off your high-horse and join the other girls on the left side of the circle, or don't if you're non-conforming, I don't really care, but I don't know why this "debate" had to take up a whole page. Third, Portia was so hot-and-cold I couldn't keep up with her, one moment she's bouncing around because she has a new girlfriend, next page she's pouting and staring into her phone, then she's bubbling about prom, next she's passive-aggressive towards Hendricks, and UGH I'm so done with it.
Also, I suppose the séance was meant to be creepy because "the air didn't feel right," or something, but having a credible source, Ileana, there, I expected this séance to be executed correctly, but instead it felt like all of them were drunk teenagers hanging around an abandoned house, pretending to have a séance. Totally inaccurate. Positively lame.
So how were the ghosts, ghouls and creepy things in this story? Well, I have no clue. This book was pretty much 70% high school drama, 20% prom and 10% spooky (light blubs burning out, séances, and other lame things). Woohoo...
Overall, I am extremely disappointed with this one. I was expecting peak Danielle Vega, 100% good old spine-tingling horror, and instead of CREEPY I got SLEEPY.
I'm so sorry to say, it was TERRIBLE.
First off, the characters were awful. Hendricks walks around in a perpetual state of gray, which really started to bum me out around page 50. Much like EVERYONE ELSE IN THE BOOK, I hated Eddie. Sure, they were dating, and it was kind of her fault he died, but get over it. Messing with dark magic just so you can speak to him again is really dumb, and NOT a driver of the plot. STUPID DECISIONS DO NOT MAKE FOR GOOD PLOTS. Secondly, it doesn't impact me one way or another that Portia and Vi are dating, it doesn't draw away from the story, nor does it really add anything, other than another pity party woe is me from Hendricks because she's oh so alone without Eddie. BUT Vi was super annoying, "I don't agree with genders," ok cool, now get off your high-horse and join the other girls on the left side of the circle, or don't if you're non-conforming, I don't really care, but I don't know why this "debate" had to take up a whole page. Third, Portia was so hot-and-cold I couldn't keep up with her, one moment she's bouncing around because she has a new girlfriend, next page she's pouting and staring into her phone, then she's bubbling about prom, next she's passive-aggressive towards Hendricks, and UGH I'm so done with it.
Also, I suppose the séance was meant to be creepy because "the air didn't feel right," or something, but having a credible source, Ileana, there, I expected this séance to be executed correctly, but instead it felt like all of them were drunk teenagers hanging around an abandoned house, pretending to have a séance. Totally inaccurate. Positively lame.
So how were the ghosts, ghouls and creepy things in this story? Well, I have no clue. This book was pretty much 70% high school drama, 20% prom and 10% spooky (light blubs burning out, séances, and other lame things). Woohoo...
Overall, I am extremely disappointed with this one. I was expecting peak Danielle Vega, 100% good old spine-tingling horror, and instead of CREEPY I got SLEEPY.
August 1, 2020
The Unleashed is the sequel to the The Haunted. After finishing the Haunted, I was a bit apprehensive about a sequel to a seemingly standalone book and I was correct in my apprehension. The Haunted does nothing to improve on the weak world building and character work while creating more questions than answers.
October 5, 2020
So this wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be and definitely an improvement from The Haunted. Somethings that happened in the book was weird and dumb, but there was also a good amount of spooks towards the end. Overall 3.5/5 stars.
August 2, 2020
I totally loved this sequel!!
.
Hendricks and her friends are trying to deal with the aftermath of the last book.. Eddie died, and Raven is left in a Coma.
Hendricks has been trying to contact Eddie with no luck.. When she decides to try a seance to contact Eddie, something Evil comes forward instead.. When this thing starts attacking Portia and she thinks it Eddie, it really puts a strain on Hendricks and Portias friendship..
.
Now the only way to stop this Evil spirit is to close the portal thats located underneath whats left of steel house.. Hendricks will need her friends to help her, but will it be too late?
.
.
The way this ended way great! I really hope we will get more in this series!! Before I read Haunted the first book in this series I hadn't read anything buy this author. Now I definitely want to check out her back list 😁
.
Hendricks and her friends are trying to deal with the aftermath of the last book.. Eddie died, and Raven is left in a Coma.
Hendricks has been trying to contact Eddie with no luck.. When she decides to try a seance to contact Eddie, something Evil comes forward instead.. When this thing starts attacking Portia and she thinks it Eddie, it really puts a strain on Hendricks and Portias friendship..
.
Now the only way to stop this Evil spirit is to close the portal thats located underneath whats left of steel house.. Hendricks will need her friends to help her, but will it be too late?
.
.
The way this ended way great! I really hope we will get more in this series!! Before I read Haunted the first book in this series I hadn't read anything buy this author. Now I definitely want to check out her back list 😁
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 12, 2024
Gets a solid two from me. If i could put 2.5 stars I would. Not nearly as interesting as it's predecessor, but there were still moments that piqued my interest. Also the whole thing feels like it started to fall apart towards the latter half of the book. Too many details brought up for impact that just did not reach that level and some details were ones that had me scratching my head as to why they weren't brought up sooner. Also the ending was mediocre, felt more like fan service then anything. Was hoping the negative reviews were wrong, but alas...
December 18, 2020
I really loved this installment. I didn’t even know they’re be a second novel! Growth development of unexpected proportions and dark twists to boot. I love Vega’s book and this ghosty tale has been a lot of fun.
Full Review:
https://thescarletreaderreviews.wordp...
Full Review:
https://thescarletreaderreviews.wordp...
July 22, 2022
4.5 stars
January 21, 2026
I wanted spooky, and I got it. perfect 10/10
August 7, 2020
UPDATE: mini-reviews up now!!! https://yabooksdaily.wordpress.com/20...
mini-reviews coming so soon—will update when they post on friday!!!
mini-reviews coming so soon—will update when they post on friday!!!
November 24, 2022
Originally reviewed on Cyn's Workshop
The Unleashed continues Hendrick’s journey with the paranormal, with more vengeful ghosts and a strange connection to the past medium.
Interesting Story
The Unleashed begins at an institution of sorts. We’re briefly introduced to a new character who meets an untimely end at the end of the prologue.
Cut to Hendricks reeling over the loss of Eddie and the events of Steele house.
There were times when I was reading this story when I felt as if the story was unnecessary. However, I was grateful for the closure given to Hendricks after the death of Eddie. That was the crux of the story, Hendricks struggling with the loss of the boy she loved. I loved the idea of her struggling with ghosts of her own, a theme carried over from the first novel, and the need for closure is very relatable. Eddie’s death was sudden, and Vega did an excellent job in the first novel of building the connection between the characters making the reader feel that loss.
It also resolved the character dynamics from the way The Haunted ended. One character in a coma, one silent, one with a broken arm. Given all the life Portia and Conner had in the previous book, the way it ended stripped them of it. So, it was good to see those dynamics re-strengthened, and the character dynamics gave a lot of thought.
Unfortunately, there were so many typos.
Woe is the Editor
Early on, I saw those mistakes. But, of course, no book is perfect because no editor is perfect. But whoever edited The Unleashed missed the mark big time.
Vega does an excellent job at building atmosphere and creating those perfectly horrific scenes and paranormal elements. But when you have to re-read a sentence because a word is missing or repeated twice, like “they they” for example, the horror feeling is taken away.
Some words are scrambled or repeated. Missing quotation marks leave room for confusion about who is talking, making it a bit of a mess. How are readers supposed to lose themselves and enjoy a story so rampant with typos?
Final Thoughts
Don’t get me wrong; I liked The Unleashed. Most of the plot seemed unnecessary, however. By the end, it became less grounded and wilder and crazier, whereas the first story had a more realistic feel to it. It has some outstanding horror elements, but the typos took away half of my enjoyment. However, I did love seeing Eddie again. Can’t we bring him back to life?
See more reviews at Cyn's Workshop and follow me on Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Twitter | Tumblr | Spotify Podcast | YouTube | BookBub | Goodreads+ | LinkedIn
The Unleashed continues Hendrick’s journey with the paranormal, with more vengeful ghosts and a strange connection to the past medium.
Interesting Story
The Unleashed begins at an institution of sorts. We’re briefly introduced to a new character who meets an untimely end at the end of the prologue.
Cut to Hendricks reeling over the loss of Eddie and the events of Steele house.
There were times when I was reading this story when I felt as if the story was unnecessary. However, I was grateful for the closure given to Hendricks after the death of Eddie. That was the crux of the story, Hendricks struggling with the loss of the boy she loved. I loved the idea of her struggling with ghosts of her own, a theme carried over from the first novel, and the need for closure is very relatable. Eddie’s death was sudden, and Vega did an excellent job in the first novel of building the connection between the characters making the reader feel that loss.
It also resolved the character dynamics from the way The Haunted ended. One character in a coma, one silent, one with a broken arm. Given all the life Portia and Conner had in the previous book, the way it ended stripped them of it. So, it was good to see those dynamics re-strengthened, and the character dynamics gave a lot of thought.
Unfortunately, there were so many typos.
Woe is the Editor
Early on, I saw those mistakes. But, of course, no book is perfect because no editor is perfect. But whoever edited The Unleashed missed the mark big time.
Vega does an excellent job at building atmosphere and creating those perfectly horrific scenes and paranormal elements. But when you have to re-read a sentence because a word is missing or repeated twice, like “they they” for example, the horror feeling is taken away.
Some words are scrambled or repeated. Missing quotation marks leave room for confusion about who is talking, making it a bit of a mess. How are readers supposed to lose themselves and enjoy a story so rampant with typos?
Final Thoughts
Don’t get me wrong; I liked The Unleashed. Most of the plot seemed unnecessary, however. By the end, it became less grounded and wilder and crazier, whereas the first story had a more realistic feel to it. It has some outstanding horror elements, but the typos took away half of my enjoyment. However, I did love seeing Eddie again. Can’t we bring him back to life?
See more reviews at Cyn's Workshop and follow me on Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Twitter | Tumblr | Spotify Podcast | YouTube | BookBub | Goodreads+ | LinkedIn
October 12, 2020
A profoundly beautiful and effective sequel. It's been a while since I've been so affected by YA angst. Even though I love these characters, I hope there aren't any more in the series, because this is the perfect place to end things.
October 30, 2020
Vega did a great job with this sequel. I give this book 4.5 stars. The only problem I had with this book was that some parts of it I didn’t find necessary. For example the prom committee and what they did to prepare. I feel like one chapter would have been enough for us the readers to understand what they had planned for prom. I didn’t find the book to get scary until half way through. This was definitely more horror then The Haunted. The way Vega described the ghosts (how their faces were rotting off, falling to the floor and the stench of rotting meat) was very vivid and really made me feel like I could envision it happening right in front of me. Hendricks knew that this new ghost was not Eddie but Portia, Connor and the others of the Seven gang (from the seance to communicate with Eddie that Ileana led). As the reader I was also hoping it wasn’t him because I loved Eddie in the first book. This book also really showed the struggle of losing the love of your life, having a friend in a coma, and struggling with trauma. In this book you can also see the strain of all the incidents, that happened in the first book, had on Portia, Connor and Hendricks friendship. The last couple of chapters had me on the edge of my seat. Plus I loved how Eddie appeared to Hendricks. It was such a cute and tender moment. This is a must read sequel to The Haunted!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 20, 2022
Rating: 3.75/5
Review: Compared to The Haunted, this book consisted of a more original plot. The characters from the previous book were far more utilized in this one and were well established in relation to one another. I found some spelling errors throughout the book, but they weren’t overly distracting from the story. This book includes one chapter in particular that I especially LOVED. The horror elements, I believe, are better executed and more effective in this book when compared to The Haunted. I truly enjoyed this novel and felt it adds so much to its previous story with Steele House. While this book still included some scenes and character interactions that felt cliché, they weren’t as prominent or dominating in the entire story as they were previously. I loved the horror twists and the emotional aspects handled: grief, love, remorse, fear, trauma, and more. Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot and was sad to conclude reading the final page. Truly a fun and short series to read.
Review: Compared to The Haunted, this book consisted of a more original plot. The characters from the previous book were far more utilized in this one and were well established in relation to one another. I found some spelling errors throughout the book, but they weren’t overly distracting from the story. This book includes one chapter in particular that I especially LOVED. The horror elements, I believe, are better executed and more effective in this book when compared to The Haunted. I truly enjoyed this novel and felt it adds so much to its previous story with Steele House. While this book still included some scenes and character interactions that felt cliché, they weren’t as prominent or dominating in the entire story as they were previously. I loved the horror twists and the emotional aspects handled: grief, love, remorse, fear, trauma, and more. Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot and was sad to conclude reading the final page. Truly a fun and short series to read.
January 26, 2021
Once again, nothing too exciting.
This plot became very repetitive and predictable. Portia annoyed the hell out of me. I think this book could have done with maybe 50 more pages? Some areas went on for so long while others were just glossed over.
However, I like Hendricks and Ileana a lot. I'm happy we saw more occult-ish events in this book and they were actually performed by someone with experience. The 80's mixed with witchy vibes really worked for me. I was shocked when tears came to my eyes during Hendricks and Eddie's prom dance. I haven't cried from a book in so long and I can't believe this was the one to do it.
This plot became very repetitive and predictable. Portia annoyed the hell out of me. I think this book could have done with maybe 50 more pages? Some areas went on for so long while others were just glossed over.
However, I like Hendricks and Ileana a lot. I'm happy we saw more occult-ish events in this book and they were actually performed by someone with experience. The 80's mixed with witchy vibes really worked for me. I was shocked when tears came to my eyes during Hendricks and Eddie's prom dance. I haven't cried from a book in so long and I can't believe this was the one to do it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 22, 2020
The Hunted was enough. The Unleashed - “ shivered me to death,, hearing owls and really didn’t give the promise of being hunted.” The promise of a wonderful book but very anticlimactic at the end. I do want to know, how to Vi get up when she wasn’t moving and I thought Hendricks wrist was broken or at least sprained? Finally why is Eddie Ruiz coming back and we can see him; I’m assuming he is getting power from Hendricks now but I thought it was closed off.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
December 30, 2024I definitely prefer the first book because the horror in it was just a lot eerier and left me feeling so uneasy. That being said, this was still an amazing sequel and I think I’m officially obsessed with these books
also the epilogue??? HELLOOOOO
October 1, 2023
Having finished Danielle Vega's The Haunted, I immediately picked up The Unleashed eager to see what would happen next after that explosive ending! It was an incredible sequel overall! While I would've wished for different things to happen...in the long run, none of those things would have made sense or been truly right for the story. But man was this yet another thrill ride and creepy to boot!
We pick up a few months after the events of The Haunted, and I will warn you here and now there are spoilers for the first book since this is the sequel! After Eddie sacrificed himself to save Hendricks, Steele House was destroyed, Hendricks' friend Raven is in a coma, and things just haven't been the same since. Hendricks and her family stayed in town and are renting a place nearby while they work to rebuild Steele House despite Hendricks' convictions that it's not a good idea, but try telling your parents it's because that house was haunted and it just feels wrong to build upon it. But money is money.
Hendricks still mourns Eddie, but she believes that he's still out there and can be reached somehow. So she manages to get her friends to do a seance to try to reach Eddie, but when nothing happens she is left even sadder. But then that same night, her friend Portia is attacked and claims it was a ghost that looked very much like Eddie. Despite how everyone felt about Eddie, thinking him some dangerous criminal without a care, Hendricks knew better and she knows that Eddie would never hurt someone, even someone who made fun of him. She suspects that whatever attacked Portia is something else entirely, something truly evil.
And so begins another ghostly mystery that will bring frights and possible delights...if you like all those jump scares! I can handle it with books, but not movies, go figure! Lol. This one was positively creepy! Hendricks is being haunted with nightmares and some are quite terrifying that it sort of suspends reality, is she dreaming or is something else happening? All she knows is that whatever spirit is out and about and attacking Portia, it's something that needs to be stopped and possibly even clear Eddie's name, even in death.
I have always loved how creepy Vega's books are! They are downright spooky! I especially love when there's a paranormal element to them versus a thriller type read, though I still enjoy those too! I guess one thing that still kind of threw me was how the ghosts here always seem so corporeal. They are able to literally hurt people and throw things around, like people, so easily! I mean, don't get me wrong, I totally believe they can manipulate objects and make them move or fly across the room, I guess I thought the ability to hurt people might be a little beyond their reach, but I suppose nothing is out of the realm of possibility. I guess I just haven't encountered too many books where it seems like the ghosts can actually make physical contact with the living. I guess I can chalk it up to that fact when all is said and done. But a fictional book is still a fictional book, so I can't say that it was unbelievable that the ghosts could toss people across the room. So don't think I'm baffled at the laws of physics and such when it comes to fiction...I'm merely adding up what I've learned from other fictional books! Lol. So yes, I need more books where ghosts can do things like this with what feels like ease!
I truly felt Hendricks' pain in this one! I was devastated when Eddie died at the end last time. He was such a wonderful character and I loved seeing his development, however short it was in the first book. I wish we could've had more time with him but alas, it's just one of those things. I was, I guess, somewhat baffled that Hendricks' parents seemed even less involved this time around then last time. They were in and out in the first book but this time it just seemed like they were gone most of the time and even Hendricks' baby brother didn't seem as present either. I mean, I know these were her stories, but she's still a teenager, so I guess I thought her family would be a tad more present, especially after everything that happened to her last time around. But again, Hendricks kind of had to be on her own for the story to work. But yeah, definitely noticed that slight difference.
All in all, this was yet another wonderful ghost story! Many exciting things happened, new secrets were uncovered and revealed, that a mystery or two! Plus all the chills and thrills! Omg, so many times this book had me jumping and gasping! It was quite the exciting read and I devoured this one so quickly because I did not want to put it down for anything! Thank goodness for weekends! Lol!
If you are wanting to read something super creepy this spooky season then look no further than Danielle Vega! You can pretty much pick up any of her books and get a good old fashion thrill, but nothing's spookier than a good old fashion ghost story complete with haunted houses and graveyards!
Overall Rating 4.5/5 stars
We pick up a few months after the events of The Haunted, and I will warn you here and now there are spoilers for the first book since this is the sequel! After Eddie sacrificed himself to save Hendricks, Steele House was destroyed, Hendricks' friend Raven is in a coma, and things just haven't been the same since. Hendricks and her family stayed in town and are renting a place nearby while they work to rebuild Steele House despite Hendricks' convictions that it's not a good idea, but try telling your parents it's because that house was haunted and it just feels wrong to build upon it. But money is money.
Hendricks still mourns Eddie, but she believes that he's still out there and can be reached somehow. So she manages to get her friends to do a seance to try to reach Eddie, but when nothing happens she is left even sadder. But then that same night, her friend Portia is attacked and claims it was a ghost that looked very much like Eddie. Despite how everyone felt about Eddie, thinking him some dangerous criminal without a care, Hendricks knew better and she knows that Eddie would never hurt someone, even someone who made fun of him. She suspects that whatever attacked Portia is something else entirely, something truly evil.
And so begins another ghostly mystery that will bring frights and possible delights...if you like all those jump scares! I can handle it with books, but not movies, go figure! Lol. This one was positively creepy! Hendricks is being haunted with nightmares and some are quite terrifying that it sort of suspends reality, is she dreaming or is something else happening? All she knows is that whatever spirit is out and about and attacking Portia, it's something that needs to be stopped and possibly even clear Eddie's name, even in death.
I have always loved how creepy Vega's books are! They are downright spooky! I especially love when there's a paranormal element to them versus a thriller type read, though I still enjoy those too! I guess one thing that still kind of threw me was how the ghosts here always seem so corporeal. They are able to literally hurt people and throw things around, like people, so easily! I mean, don't get me wrong, I totally believe they can manipulate objects and make them move or fly across the room, I guess I thought the ability to hurt people might be a little beyond their reach, but I suppose nothing is out of the realm of possibility. I guess I just haven't encountered too many books where it seems like the ghosts can actually make physical contact with the living. I guess I can chalk it up to that fact when all is said and done. But a fictional book is still a fictional book, so I can't say that it was unbelievable that the ghosts could toss people across the room. So don't think I'm baffled at the laws of physics and such when it comes to fiction...I'm merely adding up what I've learned from other fictional books! Lol. So yes, I need more books where ghosts can do things like this with what feels like ease!
I truly felt Hendricks' pain in this one! I was devastated when Eddie died at the end last time. He was such a wonderful character and I loved seeing his development, however short it was in the first book. I wish we could've had more time with him but alas, it's just one of those things. I was, I guess, somewhat baffled that Hendricks' parents seemed even less involved this time around then last time. They were in and out in the first book but this time it just seemed like they were gone most of the time and even Hendricks' baby brother didn't seem as present either. I mean, I know these were her stories, but she's still a teenager, so I guess I thought her family would be a tad more present, especially after everything that happened to her last time around. But again, Hendricks kind of had to be on her own for the story to work. But yeah, definitely noticed that slight difference.
All in all, this was yet another wonderful ghost story! Many exciting things happened, new secrets were uncovered and revealed, that a mystery or two! Plus all the chills and thrills! Omg, so many times this book had me jumping and gasping! It was quite the exciting read and I devoured this one so quickly because I did not want to put it down for anything! Thank goodness for weekends! Lol!
If you are wanting to read something super creepy this spooky season then look no further than Danielle Vega! You can pretty much pick up any of her books and get a good old fashion thrill, but nothing's spookier than a good old fashion ghost story complete with haunted houses and graveyards!
Overall Rating 4.5/5 stars
June 6, 2023
Actual rating 3.75 stars.
Danielle Vega has quickly become one of my cherished authors – an auto-buy – with her spooky and suspenseful stories that play out like campy horror flicks in your mind’s eye. I just can’t get enough of them. ‘The Unleashed’ is book two following ‘The Haunted’ where we wonder are ghosts really laid to rest, or is there more to the story…
A few frustrating things that are common sense that didn’t happen in the plot... why weren’t parents or another grown-ups told/involved. If my child was behaving the way the main characters were, I'd be inserting myself into the drama no matter what. The other thing... why didn’t anyone search how to protect yourself from ghosts? A circle of salt, or iron filings? Hendricks felt a little too dumb – then just as I was thinking that, she got herself some protection. But I felt like I’d been arguing with the characters for the last five chapters.
After the halfway mark the pacing ramps up big time. I read this book in two sittings anyway, so it is a quick read, but it was hard to put the book down. Danielle knows how to write a YA horror that feels like you are watching a Netflix movie. It has all the same notes as what is typical for this genre. It’s like a cult favourite read of mine. But in saying that, some readers might find this formulaic. It’s just a matter if you want some campy, scary fun, or an original dark tale that will leave you unsettled for months. Either way, Danielle knows how to craft action, an eerie vibe, and moves the story along without getting side-tracked with indulgent prose. Perfect for this demographic.
It was fun meeting the characters again from ‘The Haunted’ and the aftermath of the events that took place in that debut for the series. But I didn’t get the sense of a lot of character development. It didn’t feel as emotional. We do get some great arcs and practical handling of the surviving teens from ‘The Haunted’ which I appreciated.
Some of the side characters did not rally get the chance to shine in the narrative, which was a shame, I was really getting into the book and wanted to see a variety of reactions to the events that take place. Sometimes their actions were a little too convenient... and others, just plain stupid; which is a trope in this genre.
Danielle has become an auto buy author for me, she has a great writing style that is generally not that predictable and told with a tongue-in-cheek sarcasm I find appealing. Definitely recommend even if it did not feel like the strongest novel in her catalogue.
There were a number of grammatical issues that were overlooked where it appeared like an AI had auto-corrected the spelling of a word, but it was the incorrect one in context, disappointing for me. Razorbill really dropped the ball on this one with Danielle because it was more than just a few instances.
On a side note the Epilogue for ‘The Unleashed’ was totally endearing and well worth the read. I hope there is more of this series to come in the future.
Danielle Vega has quickly become one of my cherished authors – an auto-buy – with her spooky and suspenseful stories that play out like campy horror flicks in your mind’s eye. I just can’t get enough of them. ‘The Unleashed’ is book two following ‘The Haunted’ where we wonder are ghosts really laid to rest, or is there more to the story…
A few frustrating things that are common sense that didn’t happen in the plot... why weren’t parents or another grown-ups told/involved. If my child was behaving the way the main characters were, I'd be inserting myself into the drama no matter what. The other thing... why didn’t anyone search how to protect yourself from ghosts? A circle of salt, or iron filings? Hendricks felt a little too dumb – then just as I was thinking that, she got herself some protection. But I felt like I’d been arguing with the characters for the last five chapters.
After the halfway mark the pacing ramps up big time. I read this book in two sittings anyway, so it is a quick read, but it was hard to put the book down. Danielle knows how to write a YA horror that feels like you are watching a Netflix movie. It has all the same notes as what is typical for this genre. It’s like a cult favourite read of mine. But in saying that, some readers might find this formulaic. It’s just a matter if you want some campy, scary fun, or an original dark tale that will leave you unsettled for months. Either way, Danielle knows how to craft action, an eerie vibe, and moves the story along without getting side-tracked with indulgent prose. Perfect for this demographic.
It was fun meeting the characters again from ‘The Haunted’ and the aftermath of the events that took place in that debut for the series. But I didn’t get the sense of a lot of character development. It didn’t feel as emotional. We do get some great arcs and practical handling of the surviving teens from ‘The Haunted’ which I appreciated.
Some of the side characters did not rally get the chance to shine in the narrative, which was a shame, I was really getting into the book and wanted to see a variety of reactions to the events that take place. Sometimes their actions were a little too convenient... and others, just plain stupid; which is a trope in this genre.
Danielle has become an auto buy author for me, she has a great writing style that is generally not that predictable and told with a tongue-in-cheek sarcasm I find appealing. Definitely recommend even if it did not feel like the strongest novel in her catalogue.
There were a number of grammatical issues that were overlooked where it appeared like an AI had auto-corrected the spelling of a word, but it was the incorrect one in context, disappointing for me. Razorbill really dropped the ball on this one with Danielle because it was more than just a few instances.
On a side note the Epilogue for ‘The Unleashed’ was totally endearing and well worth the read. I hope there is more of this series to come in the future.
December 26, 2020
I was okay however a bit terrified about reading this sequel. I was okay with it because I liked the first one though it had its flaws in character development, but I enjoyed it without being fearful like with The Merciless (I’m still scarred by that). However, I still remembered this was a Danielle Vega book, so there was a chance I still could be scarred for life because of her writing and gory/creative choices, so, yeah that factor was there in my little mind all the way through. Anyway, the book was a good one, with the TV series features I again could see it being transformed into, it was better in so many aspects and I freaking bought the story and Hendricks’ POV way more than in the first book.
BETTER METAPHORS.
I got the metaphors from the isolated girl who just went through a departure from her first real love, here made through Eddie’s passing and how Hendricks dealt with it. I got the metaphors of the girl trying to regain her trust in her own capabilities on her own after going through a mental breakdown over an abusive ex, here made via Hendricks dealing with the demonic ghost of Justin and her status with the occult. They were beautiful and captivating, however, I wish we got Hendricks to realize more of her own powers and value, not as someone worthy of a sweet boy but as her own person.
BETTER CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT.
Even though I still didn’t like Portia and Vi, they are too snobbish for my taste. I, as a reader, was able to see their flaws and recognize their good deeds, sort of. I saw how Hendricks was part of their crew not only as a sobby replacement for lovely Raven but as a regular friend. Also, I wish we got to see more of the sweet lover boy pining after Hendricks (I cannot recall his name), because until now we only saw a moaning lover boy who reacts badly at being rejected, and I want to see more than just that awful side that had me saying “just stay as acquaintances” during most parts of the book where they both interacted.
I WANT ANOTHER.
I don’t know how this could go on having the whole town with a closed portal, but I want it to get more sequels. I need some development for Hendricks, to find her own call and discover more about the lore of her own powers and perhaps find love in a guy that is the nameless lover boy nor the ghost of Eddie, seriously. This has potential for more world-building.
BETTER METAPHORS.
I got the metaphors from the isolated girl who just went through a departure from her first real love, here made through Eddie’s passing and how Hendricks dealt with it. I got the metaphors of the girl trying to regain her trust in her own capabilities on her own after going through a mental breakdown over an abusive ex, here made via Hendricks dealing with the demonic ghost of Justin and her status with the occult. They were beautiful and captivating, however, I wish we got Hendricks to realize more of her own powers and value, not as someone worthy of a sweet boy but as her own person.
BETTER CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT.
Even though I still didn’t like Portia and Vi, they are too snobbish for my taste. I, as a reader, was able to see their flaws and recognize their good deeds, sort of. I saw how Hendricks was part of their crew not only as a sobby replacement for lovely Raven but as a regular friend. Also, I wish we got to see more of the sweet lover boy pining after Hendricks (I cannot recall his name), because until now we only saw a moaning lover boy who reacts badly at being rejected, and I want to see more than just that awful side that had me saying “just stay as acquaintances” during most parts of the book where they both interacted.
I WANT ANOTHER.
I don’t know how this could go on having the whole town with a closed portal, but I want it to get more sequels. I need some development for Hendricks, to find her own call and discover more about the lore of her own powers and perhaps find love in a guy that is the nameless lover boy nor the ghost of Eddie, seriously. This has potential for more world-building.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 10, 2020
I have so many thoughts and feelings and none of them are positive LOL. I knew that I would feel this way after reading this book's predecessor, The Haunted, but here we are gang!
Hendricks is still reeling from the death of her boyfriend of 1 month, Eddie Ruiz, and is having the hardest time moving on from him for some reason. She decides that she's going to attempt to bring him back from the dead by performing a seance with her friends, and instead brings back a malevolent force hell bent on hurting her and, in particular, her best friend Portia. Can Hendricks get over herself in time to stop the ghost?
GODDAMN THIS BOOK. Knowing what I know about the first book, Vega is really asking me to suspend my disbelief that ANYONE would do this. I'm sorry, but if I have only known you for 1 month and we kissed and maybe banged once, I would NOT feel compelled to bring your ass back from the dead. Sorry! This would have made so much more sense had their relationship spanned a year or two, and we can get some character development, but no. Also we have desperate good boy Connor who is so in love with Hendricks and her non-personality it makes my head spin.
The big reveal at the end and the whole mystery of the ghost they bring back is so out of left field and not played out well at all. It just left me being like "wait what?" and "who?" and "why did that even matter in the grand scheme of the story?". The pieces that the story needed to make that make sense were not introduced soon enough, so it seemed like a cheap cop-out with a battle scene that made me honestly almost fall asleep from boredom. AND SHE ENDS THIS BOOK FOR SETTING UP FOR A THIRD BOOK HOLY CRAP.
Here's another problem: why do main characters who are women not wear makeup? Why can't they? Why can't main characters who are women enjoy makeup? Is it because that would make them like other girls? Because we must remember that Hendricks is #notlikeothergirls. The mere mention of that pissed me off so much because it is CLICHED AS HELL!
I hope you enjoyed my ranting and raving, I'll be reading the 3rd so I can rant and rave some more!
Hendricks is still reeling from the death of her boyfriend of 1 month, Eddie Ruiz, and is having the hardest time moving on from him for some reason. She decides that she's going to attempt to bring him back from the dead by performing a seance with her friends, and instead brings back a malevolent force hell bent on hurting her and, in particular, her best friend Portia. Can Hendricks get over herself in time to stop the ghost?
GODDAMN THIS BOOK. Knowing what I know about the first book, Vega is really asking me to suspend my disbelief that ANYONE would do this. I'm sorry, but if I have only known you for 1 month and we kissed and maybe banged once, I would NOT feel compelled to bring your ass back from the dead. Sorry! This would have made so much more sense had their relationship spanned a year or two, and we can get some character development, but no. Also we have desperate good boy Connor who is so in love with Hendricks and her non-personality it makes my head spin.
The big reveal at the end and the whole mystery of the ghost they bring back is so out of left field and not played out well at all. It just left me being like "wait what?" and "who?" and "why did that even matter in the grand scheme of the story?". The pieces that the story needed to make that make sense were not introduced soon enough, so it seemed like a cheap cop-out with a battle scene that made me honestly almost fall asleep from boredom. AND SHE ENDS THIS BOOK FOR SETTING UP FOR A THIRD BOOK HOLY CRAP.
Here's another problem: why do main characters who are women not wear makeup? Why can't they? Why can't main characters who are women enjoy makeup? Is it because that would make them like other girls? Because we must remember that Hendricks is #notlikeothergirls. The mere mention of that pissed me off so much because it is CLICHED AS HELL!
I hope you enjoyed my ranting and raving, I'll be reading the 3rd so I can rant and rave some more!
July 10, 2020
I loved almost every second of this book! There was a definite hole in my heart for something extremely gory and creepy, and Danielle Vega filled that so nicely!
I had so much fun reading this book! Vega’s writing never disappoints when it comes to unapologetically bringing on the horror. If you’re looking for an author that will GO THERE with their horror, read anything Vega related. She is not afraid to make your stomach squirm!
That being said, I did have two minor issues with this book. The first one can be because I read an arc so maybe that’s why...? But every single chapter had anywhere from one to six editing mistakes (Sentences would be missing a word, have an extra word, words that were supposed to end in -ed were ended in -ing, that sort of thing). Usually I gloss over those types of things but they were so frequent in this book it became impossible. They might’ve been corrected in the finished copy, but this is just what I read so that’s all I have to go on.
The second thing is something I noticed in the first Haunted book. There are a few occasions where characters say the cringiest, cliche lines that make me want to roll my eyes.Though since they’re only one liners and only about two or three of them that I noticed, and they didn’t really take away from the story so not that big of a deal. I honestly had a blast reading this despite those things.
All in all, a wonderful, dark, gritty, gory romp of a novel! Great sequel to The Haunted showcasing the aftermath of Steele House and it’s affect on the characters. Loved that Vega was able to create a new threat in this book while tying in Steele House. We also get to see a slight bit more of Drearford high, though I would’ve appreciated if we got to see more of the creepy town itself, but I digress. A great read and another fun, horrifying time from one of my favorite authors! Fingers crossed for a book three🤞
I had so much fun reading this book! Vega’s writing never disappoints when it comes to unapologetically bringing on the horror. If you’re looking for an author that will GO THERE with their horror, read anything Vega related. She is not afraid to make your stomach squirm!
That being said, I did have two minor issues with this book. The first one can be because I read an arc so maybe that’s why...? But every single chapter had anywhere from one to six editing mistakes (Sentences would be missing a word, have an extra word, words that were supposed to end in -ed were ended in -ing, that sort of thing). Usually I gloss over those types of things but they were so frequent in this book it became impossible. They might’ve been corrected in the finished copy, but this is just what I read so that’s all I have to go on.
The second thing is something I noticed in the first Haunted book. There are a few occasions where characters say the cringiest, cliche lines that make me want to roll my eyes.Though since they’re only one liners and only about two or three of them that I noticed, and they didn’t really take away from the story so not that big of a deal. I honestly had a blast reading this despite those things.
All in all, a wonderful, dark, gritty, gory romp of a novel! Great sequel to The Haunted showcasing the aftermath of Steele House and it’s affect on the characters. Loved that Vega was able to create a new threat in this book while tying in Steele House. We also get to see a slight bit more of Drearford high, though I would’ve appreciated if we got to see more of the creepy town itself, but I digress. A great read and another fun, horrifying time from one of my favorite authors! Fingers crossed for a book three🤞
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