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Chameleon
AN ISOLATED CONVENT. A SUPERNATURAL PRESENCE. A DARK SECRET.
SHORTLISTED for the 2017 Dante Rossetti Awards for Young Adult Fiction!
How far can grief drive you, and how much sanity can it steal?
Puerto Rico, 1973
17-year-old Paloma only wanted to hold a séance to contact her dead father. She never thought she would be kicked out of school and end up in an isolated convent. Now, all she wants is to be left alone. But slowly, she develops a bond with a group of girls: kind-hearted Maria, insolent Silvy, pathological liar Adelita, and their charismatic leader Rubia.
At night, the waterfall’s dark music haunts her dreams of drowning…
When Paloma holds another séance, she accidentally awakens an entity that has been dormant for years. The body count begins. Someone doesn’t want the secret out…
Are the ghost and Paloma’s suspicions real—or only part of her growing paranoia and delusions?
SHORTLISTED for the 2017 Dante Rossetti Awards for Young Adult Fiction!
How far can grief drive you, and how much sanity can it steal?
Puerto Rico, 1973
17-year-old Paloma only wanted to hold a séance to contact her dead father. She never thought she would be kicked out of school and end up in an isolated convent. Now, all she wants is to be left alone. But slowly, she develops a bond with a group of girls: kind-hearted Maria, insolent Silvy, pathological liar Adelita, and their charismatic leader Rubia.
At night, the waterfall’s dark music haunts her dreams of drowning…
When Paloma holds another séance, she accidentally awakens an entity that has been dormant for years. The body count begins. Someone doesn’t want the secret out…
Are the ghost and Paloma’s suspicions real—or only part of her growing paranoia and delusions?
Unknown Binding
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About the author
Zoe Kalo
7 books202 followersA certified bookworm, Zoe Kalo has always been obsessed with books and reading. Reading led to writing—compulsively. No surprise that at 16, she wrote her first novel, which her classmates read and passed around secretly. The pleasure of writing and sharing her fantasy worlds has stayed with her, so now she wants to pass her stories to you with no secrecy—but with lots of mystery…
She’s had the good fortune of living on 3 continents, learning 4 languages, and experiencing a multicultural life. She holds a BA in Creative Writing and an MA in Comparative Literature. She lives in Belgium with her husband and two evil cats.
She’s had the good fortune of living on 3 continents, learning 4 languages, and experiencing a multicultural life. She holds a BA in Creative Writing and an MA in Comparative Literature. She lives in Belgium with her husband and two evil cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
May 11, 2021
“Chameleon” is a paranormal/gothic YA suspense novel by author Zoe Kalo.
Puerto Rico, 1973: After being kicked out of her old school for performing a séance (and other “illicit” acts), Paloma finds herself abandoned by her mother and stepfather at an isolated convent. Completely alone, 17 year old Paloma decides to survive the seven months until the end of the school year, and to try her best to avoid everyone and everything. But when a popular girl named Rubia is assigned to be Paloma’s mentor and tour guide, Paloma is soon immersed in a small group of friends who are intrigued by the paranormal and encourage Paloma to attempt a séance at the convent. As soon as the séance is completed though, tragic accidents begin to plague the campus, and one of their own is dead. But is a ghostly force to blame? Or something far more sinister?
“Chameleon” is creative, and it has a “Madam” (by Phoebe Wynne) or “Prep”(Curtis Sittenfeld) kind of vibe, in that a group of young girls at a boarding school (of sorts) get together and trouble ensues. In “Chameleon” though, the trouble is of a paranormal sort, or at least that is what is implied.
The characters in this novel, in pure teenage fashion, are not what they seem. All of them are likable, in their own angst-y ways, but it is obvious that all of them have some deep, dark skeletons in their closet. Paloma was especially relatable, and her relationships with her peers played out in a very realistic way.
A few sections of the book play out like ‘dream sequences’, where things happen in rapid succession, and the sequence of events is portrayed in a very disjointed way, almost as if in a delusional state. It reads like a dream, and I expected it to be such, but then it is discovered that the events are actually happening, and I was left struggling to catch up. Some major details were skimmed over in these sections, and although I understand what Kalo was going for, I desperately wanted those spaces filled in in my mind.
I am not sure if this novel is part of a series or not, but the ending sure reads like another book may be forthcoming. Although most of the unanswered questions receive satisfying answers, there is a dangling carrot at the end that is not completely resolved.
“Chameleon” is well-told, with dark, gothic settings and disturbed young female characters who are somehow still likable. Kalo does a great job bringing a reader along for the ups and downs of the plot, and I was thoroughly invested in seeing how this novel would end.
Puerto Rico, 1973: After being kicked out of her old school for performing a séance (and other “illicit” acts), Paloma finds herself abandoned by her mother and stepfather at an isolated convent. Completely alone, 17 year old Paloma decides to survive the seven months until the end of the school year, and to try her best to avoid everyone and everything. But when a popular girl named Rubia is assigned to be Paloma’s mentor and tour guide, Paloma is soon immersed in a small group of friends who are intrigued by the paranormal and encourage Paloma to attempt a séance at the convent. As soon as the séance is completed though, tragic accidents begin to plague the campus, and one of their own is dead. But is a ghostly force to blame? Or something far more sinister?
“Chameleon” is creative, and it has a “Madam” (by Phoebe Wynne) or “Prep”(Curtis Sittenfeld) kind of vibe, in that a group of young girls at a boarding school (of sorts) get together and trouble ensues. In “Chameleon” though, the trouble is of a paranormal sort, or at least that is what is implied.
The characters in this novel, in pure teenage fashion, are not what they seem. All of them are likable, in their own angst-y ways, but it is obvious that all of them have some deep, dark skeletons in their closet. Paloma was especially relatable, and her relationships with her peers played out in a very realistic way.
A few sections of the book play out like ‘dream sequences’, where things happen in rapid succession, and the sequence of events is portrayed in a very disjointed way, almost as if in a delusional state. It reads like a dream, and I expected it to be such, but then it is discovered that the events are actually happening, and I was left struggling to catch up. Some major details were skimmed over in these sections, and although I understand what Kalo was going for, I desperately wanted those spaces filled in in my mind.
I am not sure if this novel is part of a series or not, but the ending sure reads like another book may be forthcoming. Although most of the unanswered questions receive satisfying answers, there is a dangling carrot at the end that is not completely resolved.
“Chameleon” is well-told, with dark, gothic settings and disturbed young female characters who are somehow still likable. Kalo does a great job bringing a reader along for the ups and downs of the plot, and I was thoroughly invested in seeing how this novel would end.
May 7, 2017
''When you get close to people, you end up getting hurt''
Could't agree more with this I would call fact. And Paloma found out this for herself in this intriguing, breath taking yet scary story.
The review spoiler free
Since the beginning I was hooked. I loved the suspense and the atmosphere this book managed to create in my imaginary world and teleport me into the convent with Paloma the other girls and the nuns.
The writing style was really engrossing and it pushed me to turn on the pages and solicited my curiosity to find what actually is happening, why did Paloma is trying to contact her father why the deaths and many other questions that I needed to be answered right away!
What I liked
The writing style, this was the thing that impressed me the most. It was fluent and enchanting
The mystery and suspense that kept you wanting to discover what is going on
The characters with mental health issues, as I am very interested in this topic I totally appreciated that there was diversity and people of this spectrum were given a spot
The way how the author represented the ''religious'' part of the story with its dirty secrets that are a tabu none dares to speak about even though it is very subtle in this book
The cover!! Although I must say it is bit ''misleading'' BUT still gorgeous
The creepy feelings you get when watching a horror movie (do not get me wrong the book is far from THAT kind of scary, but still it has its moments of terror)
At some point I thought that this book would make a very good horror/suspense movie that I would absolutely would enjoy watching.
What I disliked
The way how some of the scenes were represented was a bit off for me and I felt like there could have been something more to them to make it more easy for you to imagine and picture what exactly is happening
The lack of more details and elements, I mean I would have loved it very much if there was something more to certain dialogues and descriptions
The ending... yes it was a bit disappointing for me and I was expecting a closure, but it was not the case
Conclusion
I rated the book with 4 starts out of 5. I enjoyed it and absolutely do recommend it, very fast and pleasant read!
A big Thank you to B00k R3vi3ws for this opportunity!
Could't agree more with this I would call fact. And Paloma found out this for herself in this intriguing, breath taking yet scary story.
The review spoiler free
Since the beginning I was hooked. I loved the suspense and the atmosphere this book managed to create in my imaginary world and teleport me into the convent with Paloma the other girls and the nuns.
The writing style was really engrossing and it pushed me to turn on the pages and solicited my curiosity to find what actually is happening, why did Paloma is trying to contact her father why the deaths and many other questions that I needed to be answered right away!
What I liked
The writing style, this was the thing that impressed me the most. It was fluent and enchanting
The mystery and suspense that kept you wanting to discover what is going on
The characters with mental health issues, as I am very interested in this topic I totally appreciated that there was diversity and people of this spectrum were given a spot
The way how the author represented the ''religious'' part of the story with its dirty secrets that are a tabu none dares to speak about even though it is very subtle in this book
The cover!! Although I must say it is bit ''misleading'' BUT still gorgeous
The creepy feelings you get when watching a horror movie (do not get me wrong the book is far from THAT kind of scary, but still it has its moments of terror)
At some point I thought that this book would make a very good horror/suspense movie that I would absolutely would enjoy watching.
What I disliked
The way how some of the scenes were represented was a bit off for me and I felt like there could have been something more to them to make it more easy for you to imagine and picture what exactly is happening
The lack of more details and elements, I mean I would have loved it very much if there was something more to certain dialogues and descriptions
The ending... yes it was a bit disappointing for me and I was expecting a closure, but it was not the case
Conclusion
I rated the book with 4 starts out of 5. I enjoyed it and absolutely do recommend it, very fast and pleasant read!
A big Thank you to B00k R3vi3ws for this opportunity!
May 10, 2017
Chameleon has a mysterious, gothic horror feel and reminded me a a bit of the movie The Craft, and I loved the characters and the setting so much that I finished it within a day.
Before I continue though, I need to put some warnings here: This book deals with triggering issues such as rape, mental illnesses, drugging, and psychological manipulation. Please proceed with caution.
I was immediately enamored by the mysterious, misty setting from the first few pages. The convent is located in the middle of the woods and next to a waterfall, which made every scene dark and eerie. It helped a lot with the creep factor and the mystery kept me interested and invested in the story.
I also adore the characters. If you've been following my Goodreads updates about this book, you'll know that I was taken in by Rubia the moment she first appeared. She was smart, a bit odd, and as the novel progressed her many facets were revealed more and more. There's never a boring scene when she's around and I was impressed that she caught me in her snares the same way she did the people around her. She's just super interesting!
Paloma is also a decent protagonist, troubled and impulsive but trying to do what she believes is good. There were some instances where I wanted to scream at her because she was being too stupid/impulsive, but overall I liked her narration. Rubia definitely outshone her in my opinion, though.
The supporting cast were all also multi-dimensional and had their own secrets, and there were various twists about them that I didn't see coming!
Unfortunately, when it came to the last few chapters I found myself generally confused. I didn't even realize the climax was actually the climax of the novel because it was written in such a strange, disjointed way. I get that the narration is because of Paloma's state in that particular scene, but it threw off the pacing a lot.
That contributed to the rushed feel of the last parts of the book. I read past the most important moment but it didn't feel like that at all, and for a few minutes I didn't understand what happened next. There was also that end chapter when Paloma finally pieced together what was happening to her and to the convent and what she needed to do, but when I turned the page it just stopped. I believe it was supposed to be open-ended, and I'm fine with open endings when done right. Unfortunately, this one felt too rushed, like it was missing entire paragraphs before the concluding sentence to sort of ease into the ending.
There are also some aspects that I'm not sure how to address, such as the rape of one of the characters by her father, slipping in substances to unsuspecting people, and mental illnesses of several of the girls, not to mention the, you know, mysterious deaths and stuff. If you do decide to pick up the book, please be warned of its content as it has the potential to harm you!
Despite its flaws, I greatly enjoyed Chameleon by Zoe Kalo, especially the characters and the setting. The scary moments did give me chills and I had to sometimes stop and look around to see if someone was watching me lol! I was so immersed that I jumped at sudden sounds inside my house, and I could clearly picture the dark, misty forest and hear the sound of the ever-present waterfall.
I would recommend this to people who love gothic horror and mysteries. Again, please be cautioned to the content (all mentioned in my intro pagragraph) before proceeding!
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 15, 2017
Chameleon is one of those stories that will confuse you, intrigue you, and make you question just how crazy some people really are.
Paloma is sent to a convent in the middle of nowhere after trying to summon her dead father via seance. While this doesn't seem horrible, to a teenage girl, it sucks pretty bad. Things seem to start going downhill not long after she arrives.
Paloma has to try and figure out if she's crazy, if her friend, Adelita, is crazy, or if what's happening is actually real. She starts to question everything, and she isn't sure what she should believe. Especially because Rubia, another friend, seems to have some sort of hold over the sisters (nuns) at the convent.
Will Paloma discover the truth behind the happenings at the convent before it's too late? Read it and find out!
I don't want to spoil things, but I do want to say I quite enjoyed Chameleon. It was a crazy thrill ride filled with mischief, mystery, and mayhem. There's a lot going on in this book, and it starts to make you question your own reality at times. At least it did for me.
Character-wise, you've got a lot of characters you want to like and root for. Especially Adelita. She seems so young and innocent, but also strange and curious. Silvy, while frustrating and kind of snippy sometimes, is also quite likeable. Same goes for Maria and Paloma. Rubia, on the other hand, seems a bit manipulative and wild. She has an out-of-place sort of vibe, but at the same time, she also fits in with the group of girls at the convent. She's an interesting character, and I found myself liking her and hating her at the same time. Even more so than the one nun whose name slips my mind at the moment.
Plot-wise, the story moves along at a nice pace. It starts out interesting enough, and you don't have to get too far into it before you start to realize you're going to be hooked and eager to find out the mystery of the convent. It's exciting and exhilarating to read through Chameleon.
I also really liked the title and the cover. The cover is gorgeous, and the title actually fits really well. I wasn't too sure why the book had that title, and I had no clue how it was going to fit based on the story. But once I finished the book, everything fell into place and made so much sense.
There were only a few small things I noticed in the book that kept me from giving it 5 stars. I really liked the book, though. It was a really good read. I give it four stars and recommend it to fans of paranormal fantasy type novels.
Paloma is sent to a convent in the middle of nowhere after trying to summon her dead father via seance. While this doesn't seem horrible, to a teenage girl, it sucks pretty bad. Things seem to start going downhill not long after she arrives.
Paloma has to try and figure out if she's crazy, if her friend, Adelita, is crazy, or if what's happening is actually real. She starts to question everything, and she isn't sure what she should believe. Especially because Rubia, another friend, seems to have some sort of hold over the sisters (nuns) at the convent.
Will Paloma discover the truth behind the happenings at the convent before it's too late? Read it and find out!
I don't want to spoil things, but I do want to say I quite enjoyed Chameleon. It was a crazy thrill ride filled with mischief, mystery, and mayhem. There's a lot going on in this book, and it starts to make you question your own reality at times. At least it did for me.
Character-wise, you've got a lot of characters you want to like and root for. Especially Adelita. She seems so young and innocent, but also strange and curious. Silvy, while frustrating and kind of snippy sometimes, is also quite likeable. Same goes for Maria and Paloma. Rubia, on the other hand, seems a bit manipulative and wild. She has an out-of-place sort of vibe, but at the same time, she also fits in with the group of girls at the convent. She's an interesting character, and I found myself liking her and hating her at the same time. Even more so than the one nun whose name slips my mind at the moment.
Plot-wise, the story moves along at a nice pace. It starts out interesting enough, and you don't have to get too far into it before you start to realize you're going to be hooked and eager to find out the mystery of the convent. It's exciting and exhilarating to read through Chameleon.
I also really liked the title and the cover. The cover is gorgeous, and the title actually fits really well. I wasn't too sure why the book had that title, and I had no clue how it was going to fit based on the story. But once I finished the book, everything fell into place and made so much sense.
There were only a few small things I noticed in the book that kept me from giving it 5 stars. I really liked the book, though. It was a really good read. I give it four stars and recommend it to fans of paranormal fantasy type novels.
February 7, 2017
I read this book for an honest review, and let me just saying im so glad i did. It was an amazing book. I’m not sure what makes me so drawn to it, but i feel like it definitely piqued my interest in this sub-genre…. which is like convent/mental institution + ghost + dark past/secrets.
The characters in this book were flawless. They were all unique and diverse in persinality. It was really fun learning about each character’s motivations and past. Most of the characters have some sort of interesting twist or secret, so that made the book even more exciting.
Another thing i really enjoyed was the atmosphere and world building. The convent and surrounding grounds were described beautifully. This book play out like a movie in my head because of the great desriptions by the author.
The only slightly less perfect thing about this book would be the ending. I loved how it ending really, but i feel a few things were left to question. Maybe that was meant to make you think, Unfortunately, ive been sick with the flu and i dont really want to think about anything right now, lol.
The characters in this book were flawless. They were all unique and diverse in persinality. It was really fun learning about each character’s motivations and past. Most of the characters have some sort of interesting twist or secret, so that made the book even more exciting.
Another thing i really enjoyed was the atmosphere and world building. The convent and surrounding grounds were described beautifully. This book play out like a movie in my head because of the great desriptions by the author.
The only slightly less perfect thing about this book would be the ending. I loved how it ending really, but i feel a few things were left to question. Maybe that was meant to make you think, Unfortunately, ive been sick with the flu and i dont really want to think about anything right now, lol.
April 27, 2017
This book is special.
The characters are amazing and makes every flaw in the book alright again.
You have Rubia, Adelita, Silvy and Maria who become friends with the main character. They all have different personalities and this fact makes it enjoyable. There are also different backgrounds and some twists and turns I really liked.
It's written in a special way, and that makes it stand out from all the other books in that genre I have already read which is very important to me.
The only thing I really hate is the open ending, and since I think this is a one book story, that is something I don't like.
I recommend this to all people who love a book that reads fluently and is original.
The characters are amazing and makes every flaw in the book alright again.
You have Rubia, Adelita, Silvy and Maria who become friends with the main character. They all have different personalities and this fact makes it enjoyable. There are also different backgrounds and some twists and turns I really liked.
It's written in a special way, and that makes it stand out from all the other books in that genre I have already read which is very important to me.
The only thing I really hate is the open ending, and since I think this is a one book story, that is something I don't like.
I recommend this to all people who love a book that reads fluently and is original.
February 13, 2017
This book had me on the edge of my seat sort to speak! I absolutely fell in love with the characters and the overall synopsis.
When I read the synopsis I was expecting an “ok” book however, this book was nothing like other books I have read before. It kept me up late to finish which only so many books can do you will not be disappointed with what you read.
This is one book you will not put down or want to.
Add this read to your list, this is one you will not be disappointed about reading.
5/5
~Marie
Find the original blog post here!
When I read the synopsis I was expecting an “ok” book however, this book was nothing like other books I have read before. It kept me up late to finish which only so many books can do you will not be disappointed with what you read.
This is one book you will not put down or want to.
Add this read to your list, this is one you will not be disappointed about reading.
5/5
~Marie
Find the original blog post here!
February 6, 2020
Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Silver Dagger Book Tours and Zoe Kalo for this free copy.
Oh my gosh. This book got so freaking creepy and honestly I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to sleep at night after reading this. I’m so glad that I got to read this one, and I thought it was super cool that Zalo ended up having Puerto Rico as her setting for this novel.
While I personally haven’t been sentenced to a Catholic convent isolated and away from my family but my mom did go to Catholic school all her life. She remembers how strict the nuns were when she was there, and while maybe they weren’t as bad as what Paloma and the other girls experienced, it wasn’t a walk in the park either. By the way, why is that even a terminology? I hate parks. Just kidding, no I don’t. But either way, it wasn’t something that always had a good memory for her, so I could only imagine what Paloma went through, if I had gone through it.
Then it’s not just that, but the supernatural aspect of it as well? All the deaths because of this ancient entity waking up after another seance attempt from Paloma at the convent. It makes me wonder just how many ghosts and spirits pay attention to those that are trying to reach the other side, and how many of them actually make it through without detection. How many of them come over with good intentions, or are truly out to finish their evil unfinished business?
And why do ghosts get a bad rep anyway? Not all of them are bad, right? Casper!
Okay rant over. That was weird, sorry.
I totally felt for Paloma though. She just wanted to talk to her dad again, one last time. If there was a way that I could talk to my grandpa after him being gone for almost 17 years, there’s no way that I would just let that opportunity go by. It may not be “damn the consequences” or anything like that, but I would do whatever I could to see him again. To talk to him again. To say that I hope he’s proud of me, and that I’m doing my best.
So yeah, I get why she did it. I don’t even fault her for it. It just sucks that there was such a terrible aftermath to her trying to reach her dad, and of course she probably thinks it’s all her fault. Well, you’re just going to have to read it to find out.
Oh my gosh. This book got so freaking creepy and honestly I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to sleep at night after reading this. I’m so glad that I got to read this one, and I thought it was super cool that Zalo ended up having Puerto Rico as her setting for this novel.
While I personally haven’t been sentenced to a Catholic convent isolated and away from my family but my mom did go to Catholic school all her life. She remembers how strict the nuns were when she was there, and while maybe they weren’t as bad as what Paloma and the other girls experienced, it wasn’t a walk in the park either. By the way, why is that even a terminology? I hate parks. Just kidding, no I don’t. But either way, it wasn’t something that always had a good memory for her, so I could only imagine what Paloma went through, if I had gone through it.
Then it’s not just that, but the supernatural aspect of it as well? All the deaths because of this ancient entity waking up after another seance attempt from Paloma at the convent. It makes me wonder just how many ghosts and spirits pay attention to those that are trying to reach the other side, and how many of them actually make it through without detection. How many of them come over with good intentions, or are truly out to finish their evil unfinished business?
And why do ghosts get a bad rep anyway? Not all of them are bad, right? Casper!
Okay rant over. That was weird, sorry.
I totally felt for Paloma though. She just wanted to talk to her dad again, one last time. If there was a way that I could talk to my grandpa after him being gone for almost 17 years, there’s no way that I would just let that opportunity go by. It may not be “damn the consequences” or anything like that, but I would do whatever I could to see him again. To talk to him again. To say that I hope he’s proud of me, and that I’m doing my best.
So yeah, I get why she did it. I don’t even fault her for it. It just sucks that there was such a terrible aftermath to her trying to reach her dad, and of course she probably thinks it’s all her fault. Well, you’re just going to have to read it to find out.
February 10, 2017
Received in exchange for honest review.
In simplistic words: surreal, creepy in its imagery (not a bad thing) and just yup surreal really.
Zoe Kalo uses imagery to give us some amazingly gothic and creepy imagery especially her description of the angel statue and when seeing Rubia with Madre Superiora. We have so many secrets, so many surreal moments and yet the gothic creepiness has your skin itch in a good way. Where knowing too much may just get you killed.
Each of the five girls have very distinct personalities and yet will remind you of the movie heathers. One has control and one fights her. One manipulates and the others follow but not always willingly. Rubia is the leader but she is also to me diabolical. She has a way of manipulating situations and having people question themselves and others see things in a different way. She is a chameleon that is dangerous. All these girls in their own way are chameleons. Maria was the kind one who had guilt. Silvy the one who stabbed others in the back but haunted by her past and manipulated by Rubia due to her desire to be free from her past. Even Madre Superiora is manipulated by Rubia- the head nun isn’t a evil woman just one with mistakes and lots of love. She can manipulate don’t get me wrong but it is the why that is disturbing. Atelina is the meek timid one who sees things others don’t. She sees spirits and learns things this way. Paloma is the one who resists. She calculates but to survive. at times she questions her sanity and self and you will to for ZOE Kalo writes scenes that will manipulate your thoughts and have you wonder. But she is the stronger one in the end. She has lost alot and in a way manipulated by so many but she does take control of her world.
The story takes place in a school where the nuns can be cruel. Secrets are abound and manipulation is rampant. We have great scene building that ups the creep factor and mystery surrounding all that is happening. The waterfall is creepy as all get out especially with how Kalo builds it up. The ending wow but I would love to know what happens next. I mean Paloma is a heroine or does it turn around on her? Rubia? What happens after? It leaves you hanging and wondering.
A creepy wonderfully scene building written story that has you engrossed in this gothic story with girls that are caught in their own worlds, manipulated and pushed to the edge at times while seeing what is truly happening around them and you feel their fear, and secrets drown them. A truly alluring story that has you hanging on every scene and moment to see what will happen next.
In simplistic words: surreal, creepy in its imagery (not a bad thing) and just yup surreal really.
Zoe Kalo uses imagery to give us some amazingly gothic and creepy imagery especially her description of the angel statue and when seeing Rubia with Madre Superiora. We have so many secrets, so many surreal moments and yet the gothic creepiness has your skin itch in a good way. Where knowing too much may just get you killed.
Each of the five girls have very distinct personalities and yet will remind you of the movie heathers. One has control and one fights her. One manipulates and the others follow but not always willingly. Rubia is the leader but she is also to me diabolical. She has a way of manipulating situations and having people question themselves and others see things in a different way. She is a chameleon that is dangerous. All these girls in their own way are chameleons. Maria was the kind one who had guilt. Silvy the one who stabbed others in the back but haunted by her past and manipulated by Rubia due to her desire to be free from her past. Even Madre Superiora is manipulated by Rubia- the head nun isn’t a evil woman just one with mistakes and lots of love. She can manipulate don’t get me wrong but it is the why that is disturbing. Atelina is the meek timid one who sees things others don’t. She sees spirits and learns things this way. Paloma is the one who resists. She calculates but to survive. at times she questions her sanity and self and you will to for ZOE Kalo writes scenes that will manipulate your thoughts and have you wonder. But she is the stronger one in the end. She has lost alot and in a way manipulated by so many but she does take control of her world.
The story takes place in a school where the nuns can be cruel. Secrets are abound and manipulation is rampant. We have great scene building that ups the creep factor and mystery surrounding all that is happening. The waterfall is creepy as all get out especially with how Kalo builds it up. The ending wow but I would love to know what happens next. I mean Paloma is a heroine or does it turn around on her? Rubia? What happens after? It leaves you hanging and wondering.
A creepy wonderfully scene building written story that has you engrossed in this gothic story with girls that are caught in their own worlds, manipulated and pushed to the edge at times while seeing what is truly happening around them and you feel their fear, and secrets drown them. A truly alluring story that has you hanging on every scene and moment to see what will happen next.
April 8, 2017
**I was fortunate enough to be gifted a copy of Chameleon in exchange for an honest review. **
All Paloma wanted to do when she decided to hold a seance was contact her dead father. But that was enough to get her kicked out of her school, so we join her as she begins her new school, in a rather isolated convent. Now, all she wants to do is be left alone and make it through the next 7 months until she can go home. She ends up bonding with a group of girls, kind-hearted Maria, tough Silvy, pathological liar Adelita, and the leader of the group Rubia. When Paloma lets the girls talk her into trying another seance, it sets in motion events that spin out of control quickly.
The blurb for this one intrigued me and I was pretty sure I was going to enjoy it, but I had no idea exactly how much I would enjoy it. It captured my attention from the very first page and held it to the very end. There were a few places, especially towards the end that I couldn't read fast enough to find out what was going to happen next and I had to force myself to slow down so I wouldn't miss anything. Zoe managed to take a creepy premise: the supernatural and seances, and mix it with something that really creeps me out: nuns (!!). What kind of chicken is afraid of nuns, you ask? This girl! Not to offend any readers that may be nuns or Catholic because I know some of y'all are perfectly nice, but some of y'all are pretty scary and hit little blonde kids with ADD (or so I'm guessing...) on the knuckles with rulers and that hurts pretty bad. So, yeah, nuns in general, creep me out. That said, I LOVE LOVE LOVE the nuns in this book! Some are sweet, some are downright scary, as in I would sleep with one eye open every night! There's one who seems like she's nice but not completely trustworthy. And the girls are awesome, they're all flawed and have their own distinct personalities.There was a little bit of a Pretty Little Liars vibe to the book that I loved. I really enjoyed this book so very much and can't wait to read more by this author!
All Paloma wanted to do when she decided to hold a seance was contact her dead father. But that was enough to get her kicked out of her school, so we join her as she begins her new school, in a rather isolated convent. Now, all she wants to do is be left alone and make it through the next 7 months until she can go home. She ends up bonding with a group of girls, kind-hearted Maria, tough Silvy, pathological liar Adelita, and the leader of the group Rubia. When Paloma lets the girls talk her into trying another seance, it sets in motion events that spin out of control quickly.
The blurb for this one intrigued me and I was pretty sure I was going to enjoy it, but I had no idea exactly how much I would enjoy it. It captured my attention from the very first page and held it to the very end. There were a few places, especially towards the end that I couldn't read fast enough to find out what was going to happen next and I had to force myself to slow down so I wouldn't miss anything. Zoe managed to take a creepy premise: the supernatural and seances, and mix it with something that really creeps me out: nuns (!!). What kind of chicken is afraid of nuns, you ask? This girl! Not to offend any readers that may be nuns or Catholic because I know some of y'all are perfectly nice, but some of y'all are pretty scary and hit little blonde kids with ADD (or so I'm guessing...) on the knuckles with rulers and that hurts pretty bad. So, yeah, nuns in general, creep me out. That said, I LOVE LOVE LOVE the nuns in this book! Some are sweet, some are downright scary, as in I would sleep with one eye open every night! There's one who seems like she's nice but not completely trustworthy. And the girls are awesome, they're all flawed and have their own distinct personalities.There was a little bit of a Pretty Little Liars vibe to the book that I loved. I really enjoyed this book so very much and can't wait to read more by this author!
December 14, 2017
I’m going to start by saying that although I think the cover of this book is gorgeous, it is also highly misleading. This story takes place in a convent, and is about schoolgirls and nuns, so the strapless, corseted dress has nothing to do with the contents of the book, and suggested to me something far more romantic or fanciful. Having said that, once I got into the story, I really enjoyed it.
Paloma is sent to the isolated convent school after she is expelled from her last place for holding a séance. All she wanted to do was to talk to her dead father. She certainly doesn’t expect to be asked by her new friends to provide a repeat performance, or to have to deal with consequences that spiral dangerously out of control.
This is a dark psychological thriller with just a hint of the paranormal, revolving around a group of schoolgirls in a rather strict convent school with a mix of both friendly and sadistic nuns, and a slowly uncovered history of gruesome events and possible murders. I didn’t pick up until way too far through the book that this takes place in 1973 – I feel more period details could have been included to solidify the time setting, as I became somewhat confused by date references to earlier events.
The group of girls and their interactions are fascinating, and the psychology deftly handled. The uneasy atmosphere is masterfully evoked by the excellent word and phrase choices of the author. Mysteries, misdirection and fabulous pacing kept me hooked the whole way through, and my only disappointment was that the end of the denouement was rather abrupt – more like the end of a short story than a novel. Don’t get me wrong, the revelations are both shocking and satisfying, I just wish it hadn’t left me unsure if Paloma was going to survive long enough to tell the tale to the authorities.
Recommended for those who like to delve into the dark side of psychology, along with a twist of ghostly events.
Paloma is sent to the isolated convent school after she is expelled from her last place for holding a séance. All she wanted to do was to talk to her dead father. She certainly doesn’t expect to be asked by her new friends to provide a repeat performance, or to have to deal with consequences that spiral dangerously out of control.
This is a dark psychological thriller with just a hint of the paranormal, revolving around a group of schoolgirls in a rather strict convent school with a mix of both friendly and sadistic nuns, and a slowly uncovered history of gruesome events and possible murders. I didn’t pick up until way too far through the book that this takes place in 1973 – I feel more period details could have been included to solidify the time setting, as I became somewhat confused by date references to earlier events.
The group of girls and their interactions are fascinating, and the psychology deftly handled. The uneasy atmosphere is masterfully evoked by the excellent word and phrase choices of the author. Mysteries, misdirection and fabulous pacing kept me hooked the whole way through, and my only disappointment was that the end of the denouement was rather abrupt – more like the end of a short story than a novel. Don’t get me wrong, the revelations are both shocking and satisfying, I just wish it hadn’t left me unsure if Paloma was going to survive long enough to tell the tale to the authorities.
Recommended for those who like to delve into the dark side of psychology, along with a twist of ghostly events.
May 25, 2017
I have really come to love the works of Zoe Kalo. I have been impressed by the books I have read from her and always look forward to any new ones she releases. I was excited to get to read this book and am so glad I did. As with her previous books, she hooked me from the start. I was instantly drawn in to the book and found that I was unable to put it down after. I read the whole thing in a day, though it is well over 200 pages.
Part of the reason the book was hard for me to put down was the writing style. She writes with such a carefree, easy going pace that I am able to read and read without wanting to stop. I am not distracted by grammar or mechanics errors, and can read, read, read without stopping. The other part that kept me turning page after page was the mystery and suspense. I HAD to know what would happen next. I do think she could have expanded a few the scenes a bit more with added detail, but it didn't take away from the story or leave me with questions or blank holes to fill.
The characters were also well developed and robust. It was interesting to see the diversity in chracters, to see people who had some real issues and not just your average, run of the mill types. I was able to picture them in my mind and though I can't say I was able to relate to them in any way, I was definitely fascinated by them and wanted to know more. I couldn't get enough of this book once I started! The topic, the types of characters, the way things unfolded... It all intrigued me and I found it very enjoyable overall, though the ending was one I wasn't expecting and left me a bit surprised.
Definitely an interesting read and one I highly recommend. If you are a fan of Zoe Kalo, this is a must read. If you are looking for a story with some edge, something not like the other books you typically read, give this a try. Mystery, suspsense, intrigue... it all comes together to create a story that is unforgetable.
February 28, 2017
I received this book as part of a blog tour with YA Bound Book Tours.
3.5 stars
I wasn’t too sure about this one when I first started it but as it went on, I liked it.
We follow Paloma, a 17 year old girl who is shipped off to a convent after being kicked out of her previous school. Odd things begin to happen, and she isn’t sure whether or not she is imagining what she is seeing, or if it is happening and there are people trying to make her look (and feel) crazy.
I liked the writing style of this book. It was easy to follow and easy to get into.
There were a number of characters that I wasn’t sure about, I thought that they were up to something. I really enjoyed experiencing their development and trying to figure out what was going on with them
There was a part of the story towards the end in which I got a little bit confused about what was happening. Once I worked out what was happening, it was over. The build up of the who-done-it lasted for the most of the book, then the questions were answered and the book was over in a couple of chapters.
Overall, it was enjoyable, but I would have liked the ending to not have been as fast-paced.
Thank you for reading my review of Chameleon I hope you enjoyed it. Until next time, happy reading
3.5 stars
I wasn’t too sure about this one when I first started it but as it went on, I liked it.
We follow Paloma, a 17 year old girl who is shipped off to a convent after being kicked out of her previous school. Odd things begin to happen, and she isn’t sure whether or not she is imagining what she is seeing, or if it is happening and there are people trying to make her look (and feel) crazy.
I liked the writing style of this book. It was easy to follow and easy to get into.
There were a number of characters that I wasn’t sure about, I thought that they were up to something. I really enjoyed experiencing their development and trying to figure out what was going on with them
There was a part of the story towards the end in which I got a little bit confused about what was happening. Once I worked out what was happening, it was over. The build up of the who-done-it lasted for the most of the book, then the questions were answered and the book was over in a couple of chapters.
Overall, it was enjoyable, but I would have liked the ending to not have been as fast-paced.
Thank you for reading my review of Chameleon I hope you enjoyed it. Until next time, happy reading
March 19, 2017
Chameleon by Zoe Kalo
Paloma get kicked out of her old school because she tried to have a seance to contact her dead Father. She is sent to a convent where she meets a group of (very different) girls. Each was sent their for different reasons.
Once again she tries a seance, then things begin to change for her. She seems to have awakened something evil, and people begin to die. She starts to question her sanity, not sure if she is seeing a ghost or just her imagination run wild. Who can she trust? And what secrets will be revealed?
A fast paced original story. I liked Paloma, she wants to know the truth, and goes to great lengths to find it. Each girl she meets has their story on how they got to the convent, some are likable, others not as much.
There is mystery, secrets, and danger, a great mix to keep you on the edge of your seat. Overall I found Chameleon to be an enjoyable read and feel that young Adult as well as Adult readers will enjoy it as well.
Paloma get kicked out of her old school because she tried to have a seance to contact her dead Father. She is sent to a convent where she meets a group of (very different) girls. Each was sent their for different reasons.
Once again she tries a seance, then things begin to change for her. She seems to have awakened something evil, and people begin to die. She starts to question her sanity, not sure if she is seeing a ghost or just her imagination run wild. Who can she trust? And what secrets will be revealed?
A fast paced original story. I liked Paloma, she wants to know the truth, and goes to great lengths to find it. Each girl she meets has their story on how they got to the convent, some are likable, others not as much.
There is mystery, secrets, and danger, a great mix to keep you on the edge of your seat. Overall I found Chameleon to be an enjoyable read and feel that young Adult as well as Adult readers will enjoy it as well.
May 11, 2017
After being kicked out of her last high school, Paloma finds herself stuck in a convent/boarding school where nuns teach more than just biology and languages. Cruelty runs amock, but not everything (or indeed everyone) is as it seems.
I found this to be a chilling read full of unique mysteries that spiraled together, forming a complete picture at the very end. It's hard to tell who can be trusted in this YA Paranormal journey. Can Paloma trust her own mind when things start to look bleak? I wasn't sure of the answer at first.
True deception is an art form, as I soon found out through reading Chameleon. As the saying goes, keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
Recommended for lovers of the paranormal and abnormal psychology.
Rated 5 stars.
I found this to be a chilling read full of unique mysteries that spiraled together, forming a complete picture at the very end. It's hard to tell who can be trusted in this YA Paranormal journey. Can Paloma trust her own mind when things start to look bleak? I wasn't sure of the answer at first.
True deception is an art form, as I soon found out through reading Chameleon. As the saying goes, keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
Recommended for lovers of the paranormal and abnormal psychology.
Rated 5 stars.
January 10, 2019
The story is set in a convent where Paloma meets interesting people.
I liked how Zoe created Rubia - crafty and endearing. How she wrote Rubia made her seem the most real character amongst others.
The story ends unexpectedly. The facts are just spilled out without any warning which is some authors style but didn't feel okay here. Also, I thought there would be more of Paloma and Rubia's confrontation. So...hoping for a sequel (or a short story to explain the after events.)
Other than that, I liked the story.
Zoe's books keep getting better and better.
**I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
I liked how Zoe created Rubia - crafty and endearing. How she wrote Rubia made her seem the most real character amongst others.
The story ends unexpectedly. The facts are just spilled out without any warning which is some authors style but didn't feel okay here. Also, I thought there would be more of Paloma and Rubia's confrontation. So...hoping for a sequel (or a short story to explain the after events.)
Other than that, I liked the story.
Zoe's books keep getting better and better.
**I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 18, 2021
Chameleon by Zoe Kalo
4 Stars
The cover of this book caught my attention first. It’s beautiful. It has nothing to do with the book but it’s forgivable. It’s breathtaking. I think the title is perfect for the story found within. I read the synopsis and became immediately intrigued. A seance, a convent, ghosts and mentally unbalanced teenagers. Maybe there will be an exorcism? Well there wasn’t an exorcism but I did find a very interesting, well written story filled with secrets, trauma and teenage angst.
There are moments that feel surreal and others that are downright creepy. This is not a horror story though. You must remember that the story takes place in Puerto Rico in 1973. There are situations that families couldn’t deal with so the “problem “ was hidden away in a convent. Hoping God will take care of it. Mental illness and victims of sexual assault needed to be kept hidden.
Paloma is sent to the convent and becomes friends with a group of ragtag misfit girls. She connects with them all differently and doesn’t know if she can trust them. She’s seeing a ghost and hearing things. She feels like she is going crazy but she knows that there are secrets hidden within the walls. People are dying. Can she uncover the truth?
The author has a way of telling the story which constantly keeps you guessing. The complex characters and mystery will have you quickly turning the pages. For me, the only disappointment was the ending. The last couple of chapters felt rushed. Paloma was trying to figure it all out. I turned the page and the book ended. I needed to go back and reread the last chapter because I felt like I had missed something but I didn’t. I feel confused and I don’t know what happened.
4 Stars
The cover of this book caught my attention first. It’s beautiful. It has nothing to do with the book but it’s forgivable. It’s breathtaking. I think the title is perfect for the story found within. I read the synopsis and became immediately intrigued. A seance, a convent, ghosts and mentally unbalanced teenagers. Maybe there will be an exorcism? Well there wasn’t an exorcism but I did find a very interesting, well written story filled with secrets, trauma and teenage angst.
There are moments that feel surreal and others that are downright creepy. This is not a horror story though. You must remember that the story takes place in Puerto Rico in 1973. There are situations that families couldn’t deal with so the “problem “ was hidden away in a convent. Hoping God will take care of it. Mental illness and victims of sexual assault needed to be kept hidden.
Paloma is sent to the convent and becomes friends with a group of ragtag misfit girls. She connects with them all differently and doesn’t know if she can trust them. She’s seeing a ghost and hearing things. She feels like she is going crazy but she knows that there are secrets hidden within the walls. People are dying. Can she uncover the truth?
The author has a way of telling the story which constantly keeps you guessing. The complex characters and mystery will have you quickly turning the pages. For me, the only disappointment was the ending. The last couple of chapters felt rushed. Paloma was trying to figure it all out. I turned the page and the book ended. I needed to go back and reread the last chapter because I felt like I had missed something but I didn’t. I feel confused and I don’t know what happened.
February 3, 2017
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
Paloma is a few months shy of turning 18, graduating high school, and moving on with her life when people at her old school have had enough -- she's expelled from school and home. Her mother and step-father deposit her in a convent school with a mix of the privileged and orphans. Isolated, rejected, and defiant, Paloma determines that she'll endure the experience no matter what it takes.
At that time however, she hadn't considered the types of nuns she'll meet, the kind of peers she has -- and the very real possibility that she'll meet a ghost (and maybe more than one). The nuns are a mix of judgmental and prejudiced against her; and welcoming and encouraging Her peers are largely a different assortment -- some seem to be conscientious and studious, spiritual and compassionate, or spiteful and catty; most turn out to be everything they seem not to be. Paloma quickly (and despite herself becomes part of a group and finds that to be both a comfort and a source of distress. The ghost seems to be . . . well, that would be telling, wouldn't it?
Paloma's life up to this point hasn't been that easy -- there are some dark things in her past, and your idea of what some of those are is constantly evolving and you understand her better and she reveals more about herself. As you learn about her, she learns about her friends and "friends." There's more going on at the convent than many would guess, and many of those things will be exposed in one way or another before the reader finishes Chameleon.
My wife and kids have been watching a lot of Chopped lately, so you'll have to forgive me for this metaphor: but Chameleon does a good job of using all the ingredients in the basket -- paranormal elements (or are they?); complex female characters; even more complex relationships between them; a handful of mysteries; complicated family dynamics; and so on -- combines them in some interesting ways, but the end result is a little undercooked. Yeah, it's a stretch, but as I've thought about this book the last few days, that's what kept coming to mind -- if Kalo had given this another revision or two to smooth out some of the rough spots, better develop a few scenes, characters and relationships, this could've been much better. It's a good, enjoyable book -- but it's not as good as it could have been.
I'm not sure what the point of setting the story in 1973 was -- other than it being safely on the other side of PCs, the Internet, etc., I guess. It doesn't hurt or help the story -- I just think that for a setting as specific as that, there should be a clear advantage.
It's a touch melodramatic for me with characters that need a little more time in the oven -- but it did what it set out to do. Chameleon tells the story of this group of girls in a way that keeps you guessing, on your toes and turning pages. I anticipate the target audience will respond to things I didn't here, but even for those of us a couple of decades past that target, this is an enjoyable read.
Disclaimer: I received this novel from the author in exchange for this post -- thanks Ms. Kalo.
---
Paloma is a few months shy of turning 18, graduating high school, and moving on with her life when people at her old school have had enough -- she's expelled from school and home. Her mother and step-father deposit her in a convent school with a mix of the privileged and orphans. Isolated, rejected, and defiant, Paloma determines that she'll endure the experience no matter what it takes.
At that time however, she hadn't considered the types of nuns she'll meet, the kind of peers she has -- and the very real possibility that she'll meet a ghost (and maybe more than one). The nuns are a mix of judgmental and prejudiced against her; and welcoming and encouraging Her peers are largely a different assortment -- some seem to be conscientious and studious, spiritual and compassionate, or spiteful and catty; most turn out to be everything they seem not to be. Paloma quickly (and despite herself becomes part of a group and finds that to be both a comfort and a source of distress. The ghost seems to be . . . well, that would be telling, wouldn't it?
Paloma's life up to this point hasn't been that easy -- there are some dark things in her past, and your idea of what some of those are is constantly evolving and you understand her better and she reveals more about herself. As you learn about her, she learns about her friends and "friends." There's more going on at the convent than many would guess, and many of those things will be exposed in one way or another before the reader finishes Chameleon.
My wife and kids have been watching a lot of Chopped lately, so you'll have to forgive me for this metaphor: but Chameleon does a good job of using all the ingredients in the basket -- paranormal elements (or are they?); complex female characters; even more complex relationships between them; a handful of mysteries; complicated family dynamics; and so on -- combines them in some interesting ways, but the end result is a little undercooked. Yeah, it's a stretch, but as I've thought about this book the last few days, that's what kept coming to mind -- if Kalo had given this another revision or two to smooth out some of the rough spots, better develop a few scenes, characters and relationships, this could've been much better. It's a good, enjoyable book -- but it's not as good as it could have been.
I'm not sure what the point of setting the story in 1973 was -- other than it being safely on the other side of PCs, the Internet, etc., I guess. It doesn't hurt or help the story -- I just think that for a setting as specific as that, there should be a clear advantage.
It's a touch melodramatic for me with characters that need a little more time in the oven -- but it did what it set out to do. Chameleon tells the story of this group of girls in a way that keeps you guessing, on your toes and turning pages. I anticipate the target audience will respond to things I didn't here, but even for those of us a couple of decades past that target, this is an enjoyable read.
Disclaimer: I received this novel from the author in exchange for this post -- thanks Ms. Kalo.
March 4, 2017
Thanks to the author and b00kr3vi3w Tours for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review! Read more reviews at my blog: https://spinesinaline.wordpress.com
Kalo is quickly becoming one of my favourite authors but I didn't enjoy this one as much as her previous ones. I thought there was a lot of potential here but it felt like it was missing something, mainly with respect to the depth of the characters.
Paloma is sent to an all-female convent where she meets a group of strange girls. While she tries to figure out the secrets of this school, she’s also dealing with the grief over losing her father and keeps trying to find ways of being reunited with him. The story is set in Puerto Rico and though this setting is directly referred to in the story, I liked the uses of Spanish phrases in some of the dialogue and description to show that these characters were speaking Spanish.
I definitely got The Craft feels from this – new girl joins a group that likes to play with the rules, led by someone with a dangerous love of excitement. I thought at first that it would focus more on witchcraft, with the seances, ghosts, and hallucinations, but it actually turned into more of a thriller. Not that this is what impacted my rating but I found it surprising that the ghost story seemed to be backgrounded to focus on the psychopath aspects of the story.
The main reason I didn’t enjoy this one as much as Kalo’s other books is that I don’t think it played to its length. It was a relatively short novel and while you can do a lot in that space, I felt like the way this story was written was more suited to a longer book. For one, I never really connected with the characters. While they did have some depth, it never became personal so it was difficult to get into the story.
It also felt like a rather anticlimactic ending after all the suspense of the plot leading up to it. I think the thriller aspect worked really well and all the twists kept me on edge, but the ending felt weak in relation to the rest of the book. There were also a number of things that felt unanswered by the end, and I don’t know if there is a series that will follow to answer these. While some of these questions felt natural to the “thriller” genre, others were just about what the use was of certain characters.
All that said, it was an interesting book. It just felt like it left a little to be desired but I still enjoyed the underlying story and direction.
Kalo is quickly becoming one of my favourite authors but I didn't enjoy this one as much as her previous ones. I thought there was a lot of potential here but it felt like it was missing something, mainly with respect to the depth of the characters.
Paloma is sent to an all-female convent where she meets a group of strange girls. While she tries to figure out the secrets of this school, she’s also dealing with the grief over losing her father and keeps trying to find ways of being reunited with him. The story is set in Puerto Rico and though this setting is directly referred to in the story, I liked the uses of Spanish phrases in some of the dialogue and description to show that these characters were speaking Spanish.
I definitely got The Craft feels from this – new girl joins a group that likes to play with the rules, led by someone with a dangerous love of excitement. I thought at first that it would focus more on witchcraft, with the seances, ghosts, and hallucinations, but it actually turned into more of a thriller. Not that this is what impacted my rating but I found it surprising that the ghost story seemed to be backgrounded to focus on the psychopath aspects of the story.
The main reason I didn’t enjoy this one as much as Kalo’s other books is that I don’t think it played to its length. It was a relatively short novel and while you can do a lot in that space, I felt like the way this story was written was more suited to a longer book. For one, I never really connected with the characters. While they did have some depth, it never became personal so it was difficult to get into the story.
It also felt like a rather anticlimactic ending after all the suspense of the plot leading up to it. I think the thriller aspect worked really well and all the twists kept me on edge, but the ending felt weak in relation to the rest of the book. There were also a number of things that felt unanswered by the end, and I don’t know if there is a series that will follow to answer these. While some of these questions felt natural to the “thriller” genre, others were just about what the use was of certain characters.
All that said, it was an interesting book. It just felt like it left a little to be desired but I still enjoyed the underlying story and direction.
April 3, 2020
I was provided an e-book by the author's team for review
This book is set in a convent/orphanaze where Paloma arrives after she is expelled from her school for doing a seance to contact her dead father. She meets Rubia, Silvy, Maria and Adelita. The book is nice with good flow and many questions are thrown into the mix. We have all the good nuns, the motherly nuns, the sadistic nun and more. This is more of a psychological thriller with a good dose of supernatural thrown in for the good measure. Then we have many deaths too and as we learn about the events with Paloma and as we find the chameleons in the story. The characters are good and there is enough development as well and the secrets are also very good though a little bit predictable but still fun to read.
People who don't read generally ask me my reasons for reading. Simply put I just love reading and so to that end I have made it my motto to just Keep on Reading. I love to read everything except for Self Help books but even those once in a while. I read almost all the genre but YA, Fantasy, Biographies are the most. My favorite series is, of course, Harry Potter but then there are many more books that I just adore. I have bookcases filled with books which are waiting to be read so can't stay and spend more time in this review, so remember I loved reading this and love reading more, you should also read what you love and then just Keep on Reading.
This book is set in a convent/orphanaze where Paloma arrives after she is expelled from her school for doing a seance to contact her dead father. She meets Rubia, Silvy, Maria and Adelita. The book is nice with good flow and many questions are thrown into the mix. We have all the good nuns, the motherly nuns, the sadistic nun and more. This is more of a psychological thriller with a good dose of supernatural thrown in for the good measure. Then we have many deaths too and as we learn about the events with Paloma and as we find the chameleons in the story. The characters are good and there is enough development as well and the secrets are also very good though a little bit predictable but still fun to read.
People who don't read generally ask me my reasons for reading. Simply put I just love reading and so to that end I have made it my motto to just Keep on Reading. I love to read everything except for Self Help books but even those once in a while. I read almost all the genre but YA, Fantasy, Biographies are the most. My favorite series is, of course, Harry Potter but then there are many more books that I just adore. I have bookcases filled with books which are waiting to be read so can't stay and spend more time in this review, so remember I loved reading this and love reading more, you should also read what you love and then just Keep on Reading.
March 14, 2017
Book Review – Chameleon
Author – Zoe Kalo
Genre – YA, Paranormal, Suspense-Thriller
First Line: Oak trees dripping with Spanish moss embraced us from both sides, but not enough to shield us from the prison that would be my home for the next seven months.
Review: Paloma, a seventeen year-old girl, holds a séance to connect with her dead father and instead gets kicked out of school then sent to an isolated convent for troubled girls.
The story takes place in Puerto Rico 1973
Ms. Kalo finely develops each unique character then throws them into a simmering pot of mystery, suspicion, secrets, lies, and death. She’s created a world away from normal where the paranormal touches everyone, in some way. Friends become enemies, no one trusts, no one talks, unless it’s in riddles.
I’ve not read a book like this one, the title fits the story perfectly, as you’ll discover once you’ve read it.
It wasn’t what I expected, yet I was turning pages, living that strange paranoid life of Paloma all the way to the end. Quite the twisted thriller - full of suspects and lies. I found it truly entertaining.
Author – Zoe Kalo
Genre – YA, Paranormal, Suspense-Thriller
First Line: Oak trees dripping with Spanish moss embraced us from both sides, but not enough to shield us from the prison that would be my home for the next seven months.
Review: Paloma, a seventeen year-old girl, holds a séance to connect with her dead father and instead gets kicked out of school then sent to an isolated convent for troubled girls.
The story takes place in Puerto Rico 1973
Ms. Kalo finely develops each unique character then throws them into a simmering pot of mystery, suspicion, secrets, lies, and death. She’s created a world away from normal where the paranormal touches everyone, in some way. Friends become enemies, no one trusts, no one talks, unless it’s in riddles.
I’ve not read a book like this one, the title fits the story perfectly, as you’ll discover once you’ve read it.
It wasn’t what I expected, yet I was turning pages, living that strange paranoid life of Paloma all the way to the end. Quite the twisted thriller - full of suspects and lies. I found it truly entertaining.
March 25, 2017
This book was pretty good, it gets one star off mainly because it took a while for me to get into it. Not only this, but I was emotionally detached from the characters, but that could have also added to the end effect of the book. Compared to all of Zoe Kalo's other books, I would have to say that this was her weakest in the ways that make her books 'her books'. I still enjoyed it, but not a thoroughly as the books from Cult of The Cat or Two Graves (which I 1,000,000% would recommend to everyone). The 'aha' moment was predictable to me, but there was still a lot of surprises and suspense within which I found enjoyable.
So, to read or not to read?
Yeah, go on ahead, but if this is your first Zoe Kalo book, don't judge her based off of this, read all of her others. If you want a book about a creepy convent that has a serial killer running around, go on and read it.
I was given a review copy of this book, but this in no way biased my opinions of the book, its contents, or the author that wrote it.
So, to read or not to read?
Yeah, go on ahead, but if this is your first Zoe Kalo book, don't judge her based off of this, read all of her others. If you want a book about a creepy convent that has a serial killer running around, go on and read it.
I was given a review copy of this book, but this in no way biased my opinions of the book, its contents, or the author that wrote it.
June 12, 2017
An isolated convent, a supernatural presence, a dark secret…
17-year-old Paloma only wanted to hold a séance to contact her dead father. She never thought she would be kicked out of school and end up in an isolated convent. Now, all she wants is to be left alone. But slowly, she develops a bond with a group of girls: kind-hearted Maria, insolent Silvy, pathological liar Adelita, and their charismatic leader Rubia.
When, yet again, Paloma holds a séance in the hope of contacting her father, she awakens an entity that has been dormant for years. And then, the body count begins. Someone doesn’t want the secret out… Are the ghost and Paloma’s suspicions real—or only part of her growing paranoia and delusions?
I did enjoy the story but the storyline for me was a bit disjointed, the story can run alone nicely then the next chapter something would have happened and you don't really know what's going on??
But as you read the story all the mystery is explained with a big final flourish!!
Good fantasy mystery story.
17-year-old Paloma only wanted to hold a séance to contact her dead father. She never thought she would be kicked out of school and end up in an isolated convent. Now, all she wants is to be left alone. But slowly, she develops a bond with a group of girls: kind-hearted Maria, insolent Silvy, pathological liar Adelita, and their charismatic leader Rubia.
When, yet again, Paloma holds a séance in the hope of contacting her father, she awakens an entity that has been dormant for years. And then, the body count begins. Someone doesn’t want the secret out… Are the ghost and Paloma’s suspicions real—or only part of her growing paranoia and delusions?
I did enjoy the story but the storyline for me was a bit disjointed, the story can run alone nicely then the next chapter something would have happened and you don't really know what's going on??
But as you read the story all the mystery is explained with a big final flourish!!
Good fantasy mystery story.
February 15, 2017
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.
Thanks to YA Bound Book Tours for the opportunity to read and review Chameleon by Zoe Kalo! Paloma is taken to a convent to "repent, grow and become a better person", as the head nun tells her, even though Paloma feels as though she's being punished. She is dropped off at the convent by her mother, stepfather and her younger half sister, Sara, who is sad to leave Paloma. The reason Paloma is in trouble is because she tried conducting seances to reach her father, who died when she was young. Paloma becomes part of a group of teenage girls that each have a story of their own. She is unsure who she can trust, any of the girls or even the nuns. The story pulled my attention in from the beginning with its suspense, mystery and a promise of the paranormal. The complex characters and layered mystery kept me on my toes! 5 stars for the twists, turns and the interesting setting of this story!
Thanks to YA Bound Book Tours for the opportunity to read and review Chameleon by Zoe Kalo! Paloma is taken to a convent to "repent, grow and become a better person", as the head nun tells her, even though Paloma feels as though she's being punished. She is dropped off at the convent by her mother, stepfather and her younger half sister, Sara, who is sad to leave Paloma. The reason Paloma is in trouble is because she tried conducting seances to reach her father, who died when she was young. Paloma becomes part of a group of teenage girls that each have a story of their own. She is unsure who she can trust, any of the girls or even the nuns. The story pulled my attention in from the beginning with its suspense, mystery and a promise of the paranormal. The complex characters and layered mystery kept me on my toes! 5 stars for the twists, turns and the interesting setting of this story!
March 27, 2017
Okay!! So this was my very first ebook read and I was not really sure if I will like it. Also, it was my first in the category of young adult fiction, thriller, mystery genre.
The protagonist of the book - teenager named Paloma had a bitter life experience and lost her father. She was shifted to a convent where she meets three girls - Silvy, Maria and Adelita in her dormitory and they become friends. She holds a seance and tries to talk to her father. The seance reveals a soul and dark history of the convent. The imaginary friend shows itself and the crime lying hidden inside the walls of the convent for years.
The writing was simple and very comfortable. The story was all around Paloma all the time and so one felt completely engrossed in the characters.
The book was really short and I felt hunger to read more about each of the characters. I think the writer can still continue the story with the remaining characters (Vol #2) ;)
The protagonist of the book - teenager named Paloma had a bitter life experience and lost her father. She was shifted to a convent where she meets three girls - Silvy, Maria and Adelita in her dormitory and they become friends. She holds a seance and tries to talk to her father. The seance reveals a soul and dark history of the convent. The imaginary friend shows itself and the crime lying hidden inside the walls of the convent for years.
The writing was simple and very comfortable. The story was all around Paloma all the time and so one felt completely engrossed in the characters.
The book was really short and I felt hunger to read more about each of the characters. I think the writer can still continue the story with the remaining characters (Vol #2) ;)
February 18, 2017
I was given an arc copy of Chameleon for an honest review. Chameleon is my favorite Zoe Kalo book, much better than Two Graves. I don't like to reveal any spoilers in my reviews so I won't tell you what happens but... This book had me hanging my the edge of my seat. Plenty of suspense. I could relate to the characters, there seems to be a bad apple in all school age groups and Chameleon definitely had one. Thing is, I wasn't 100% sure which one was honest and which one wasn't, until the end. Can't say it was a happy ever after ending but the mystery was solved. I wonder if they'll be more to come.
April 30, 2018
It took a really long time for me to get into Chameleon and I wasn't too sure about investing time into it. I had trouble finding any sort of emotional attachment with the characters and the ending was no real surprise.
In saying all of that, there were lots of twists and turns, surprises and suspenseful moments and if anyone was to ask me if they should read Chameleon I'd definitely say give it a go!
In saying all of that, there were lots of twists and turns, surprises and suspenseful moments and if anyone was to ask me if they should read Chameleon I'd definitely say give it a go!
February 4, 2017
A ghost story with a twist, Chameleon will have you guessing at every turn. Who can you trust, and what can you believe? Do you believe your own eyes and ears or are they deceiving you? How far can grief drive you, and how much sanity can it steal? A dark mystery that doesn't want to be revealed lurking in the shadows...
Received for review
Received for review
March 13, 2018
A wonderful, mess-with-your-head spooky read with the cat-and-mouse psychological games along with a possibly unreliable narrator, dark secrets, and spectral elements. I loved the setting and a great cast of characters.
September 14, 2020
I'm just a bit confused about what's going on...full review to come
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