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The Poor and the Haunted
As a child Jimmy Lansford and his sister Kelly suffered crushing poverty, their father’s unexplained and frightening suicide, and their mother’s constant abuse and cruelty. Having grown to be a successful adult, Jimmy must contend with the sudden re-emergence of memories from his childhood in Oklahoma and unexplainable events occurring inside his own home. Is it more than memories that haunt Jimmy? Did his parents suffer from mental illness and addiction, or were they possessed by something even worse - and has that presence arrived to take Jimmy?
The first horror novel from acclaimed author and journalist Dustin McKissen explores the nature of hauntings, the ghosts from our past that haunt our present, and the unbreakable bond between siblings who learn early on they can only rely on each other.
The first horror novel from acclaimed author and journalist Dustin McKissen explores the nature of hauntings, the ghosts from our past that haunt our present, and the unbreakable bond between siblings who learn early on they can only rely on each other.
153 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 31, 2019
223 people are currently reading
1393 people want to read
About the author
J.C. McKissen
3 books41 followersJ.C. McKissen is an award-winning journalist, author, novelist, and short story writer. "The Poor and The Haunted" is his first horror novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
November 27, 2019
Liberation
The Poor and the Haunted is a psychological drama that is enthralling, full of suspense and possesses a supernatural dimension that leads to horrors as the story unfolds.
Jimmy Lansford is the protagonist of the story which is told over two time periods; as a young boy of fifteen, in 1997, and as a married man and parent, twenty-two years later. As a young boy both Jimmy and his sister, Kelly, lived a very grim and poverty-stricken existence at the hands of abusive and drug-addicted parents. His father committed suicide in a very unusual manner, which always struck Jimmy as bizarre and led him to believe he may have been possessed. His mother became a prostitute to fund her drug habit and both Jimmy and Kelly formed an inseparable bond that only a draconian upbringing could produce. Jimmy eventually escapes to university with the intention of bringing Kelly with him once he graduates.
As a husband to Jill and parent to Jonathan and Jessica, Jimmy lives a happy family life that he has worked extremely hard for. At the point the story begins, Jimmy starts to feel a veiled presence, and witnesses on several occasions, a ghostly shape that can’t be explained. The great opening line of the novel lays the atmosphere that suggests a probing supernatural context.
The gradual descent into mental turmoil as an adult is cleverly written, especially as a paranormal menace looms. The suspense keeps the two obvious threads finally balanced – is the unnatural presence causing the mental anguish or is a psychological breakdown manifesting itself as something supernatural. The story is touching as we observe how family bonds can be so supportive and heartbreaking at the loss of someone so vulnerable yet deserving of happiness.
Dustin McKissen’s book is easy to delve into and the captivating storyline keeps the flow going at a great pace. I would recommend reading this book and I'd like to thank Black Rose Writing and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC version in return for an honest review.
The Poor and the Haunted is a psychological drama that is enthralling, full of suspense and possesses a supernatural dimension that leads to horrors as the story unfolds.
Jimmy Lansford is the protagonist of the story which is told over two time periods; as a young boy of fifteen, in 1997, and as a married man and parent, twenty-two years later. As a young boy both Jimmy and his sister, Kelly, lived a very grim and poverty-stricken existence at the hands of abusive and drug-addicted parents. His father committed suicide in a very unusual manner, which always struck Jimmy as bizarre and led him to believe he may have been possessed. His mother became a prostitute to fund her drug habit and both Jimmy and Kelly formed an inseparable bond that only a draconian upbringing could produce. Jimmy eventually escapes to university with the intention of bringing Kelly with him once he graduates.
As a husband to Jill and parent to Jonathan and Jessica, Jimmy lives a happy family life that he has worked extremely hard for. At the point the story begins, Jimmy starts to feel a veiled presence, and witnesses on several occasions, a ghostly shape that can’t be explained. The great opening line of the novel lays the atmosphere that suggests a probing supernatural context.
“ ‘Why,’ Jessica asked, ‘do hauntings only happen to poor people?’ ”The comparison between the two periods of Jimmy’s life are stark in terms of well-being but the unbreakable bond with his sister and later his loving wife, have provided an anchor for Jimmy. The narrative is beautifully written to draw the contrast and similarities. What he wants to keep out are the memories or demons that remind him of his previous life and the toll they took on someone he loved so very deeply.
The gradual descent into mental turmoil as an adult is cleverly written, especially as a paranormal menace looms. The suspense keeps the two obvious threads finally balanced – is the unnatural presence causing the mental anguish or is a psychological breakdown manifesting itself as something supernatural. The story is touching as we observe how family bonds can be so supportive and heartbreaking at the loss of someone so vulnerable yet deserving of happiness.
Dustin McKissen’s book is easy to delve into and the captivating storyline keeps the flow going at a great pace. I would recommend reading this book and I'd like to thank Black Rose Writing and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC version in return for an honest review.
October 31, 2019
It was terrifying to know nightmares didn’t wait for the sun to fade - or for sleep to come.Jimmy and Kelly knew fear and uncertainty from a young age. Their parents fought regularly and violently, drank excessively and abused drugs. Living in poverty and neglected, Jimmy did whatever he could to protect his younger sister. When their father dies by suicide, their mother becomes increasingly abusive.
In the Lansford home, normal was not an option, and Jimmy faced two choices: Let life eat him and Kelly alive, or shoulder more of the burden than any child should.Although he remains haunted by his childhood, Jimmy’s adult life is outwardly normal. He has a nice home, is employed and has a loving wife and children. Jimmy does everything he can to ensure his children never experience anything approximating what he and his sister did when they were children.
Things change, and not always for the better.Jimmy’s daughter is now the same age his sister was when their father died and Jimmy’s carefully constructed world is coming undone. He begins to experience things he can’t explain as painful memories resurface.
As this book was marketed as horror I expected to encounter lots of things that go bump in the night. Although there are supernatural elements to this story that I won’t explain because that would take us into spoiler territory, the main horror I experienced was as a result of more natural (if you can call them that) occurrences.
Child abuse is its own horror and when you consider the legacy of childhood trauma, its impacts on the person who has experienced it and by association everyone who loves them, that’s true horror right there.
PTSD and survivor’s guilt are explored in this book. Because the impacts of these are so pervasive it became difficult to distinguish whether specific events in this book were supernatural in origin or a symptom of one or both of these. This could irritate me in different circumstances but here it made me feel like I was getting a glimpse of what Jimmy was experiencing. I did wonder whether some of Jimmy’s experiences were dissociative in nature; another explanation was provided but I could make the case for both possibilities.
Given some of the content of this book I expected to feel sad and hopeless overall but there was some light pushing back the shadows. Jimmy’s bond with his sister and his repeated attempts to protect her from the harshness of their lives was heartwarming. Detective Mike Carlisle, the only responsible adult in the Lansford kids’ lives, was someone I looked forward to spending time with. He modelled unconditional love and was a positive role model, particularly for Jimmy, whose life could have been vastly different without his influence.
I was left with a couple of unanswered questions.
Pop culture and this book: There were plenty of references to TV series, including Friends and Stranger Things, and music, in particular Cyndi Lauper’s Time After Time. (I love that song!) However, there were so many references to Stephen King’s stories that I made a list. Keep in mind that I am by no means an expert on the King-dom so I expect some references flew straight over my head. Having said that, here’s what I found:
* Jimmy stays in hotel room 237
* The dairy farm the family lived on for a while is owned by the Torrance family and it’s located on Torrance Road
* The ice cream shop is called Derry’s
* There’s mention of “the neighborhood Cujo”
* Jimmy’s daughter watches IT.
If you read this book and find references to anything Stephen King related that I’ve missed, please feel free to let me know.
Content warnings include .
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Black Rose Writing for the opportunity to read this book. I’m rounding up from 3.5 stars.
March 14, 2022
“Love is expressed in all sorts of ways, words being the least important among them.”
The Poor and The Haunted is definitely a horror story it just may not be your ‘classic’ horror tale. The elements are there but they twist around the real-life horror. Trauma is a main feature in McKissen’s story of two young people who get a shocking start in life with terribly drug-addicted parents - but worse than just addicted, they are nasty, selfish and violent.
The thing about this novel is that while it presents the worst in life - and believe me, it was harrowing - right there alongside it is the best. There were some beautiful relationships illustrated between the siblings, Jimmy and Kelly, a cop called Carlisle who takes the kids under his wing, and also between an adult Jimmy and his family. Those relationships were a treat to read about and it endeared the characters to me in a way that had me deeply invested in their outcomes.
The writer’s version of Jimmy’s grown up family showed some sweet parenting that was down-to-earth and very relatable, and he delivered the story sensitively, with characters who felt believable.
McKissen used two devices. An observer who regularly states what they see happening in the story and of alternating chapters for present time (2019) and the late nineties to early 2000s. Both methods worked really well (which is great because they would be tiresome if they didn’t).
This wasn’t a perfect novel. I found it shaky in the beginning and I wondered if it would be a drag to read. Then, a few chapters in I changed my tune. Regarding the ending….I was very pleased (I’ll just leave it at that), and I struggled to stop reading at several junctures, I was so desperate to find out what happened.
I’m SO glad I read this - huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Black Rose Writing, for my free copy in exchange for honest review.
October 23, 2019
12/10/2919
i recieved an e-arc from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Lets start this off with the fact that this is not a horror story for me. This book is sad and heartwrenching, about a boy living in a horrible family with his sister, and surviving the best they can. Years later he has to face his childhood demons again.
I did not expect this book to make me feel the way that it did. I didn't think that 160 pages would be enough to tell a story, let alone tell it well. I was wrong. Coming from a messed up family myself, this really captured the essence and the thoughts,
i recieved an e-arc from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Lets start this off with the fact that this is not a horror story for me. This book is sad and heartwrenching, about a boy living in a horrible family with his sister, and surviving the best they can. Years later he has to face his childhood demons again.
I did not expect this book to make me feel the way that it did. I didn't think that 160 pages would be enough to tell a story, let alone tell it well. I was wrong. Coming from a messed up family myself, this really captured the essence and the thoughts,
May 29, 2020
This is a case of mistaken identity...I thought this book was a horror story, which it is not. It is about childhood trauma and its impact on mental health. It is a sad story but not one that gripped me in any profound way. There was something lacking in the writing, and as a result, I never really connected to the characters or plot. I wanted to like this book more than I actually did. As they say, to each their own, and this one just didn’t work for me.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 29, 2019
What an incredible, enormously gratifying, horror novel. Stomach-churning and heartwrenching, indeed, but the true unconditional love between two siblings, the police officer who valued them, and the young man's family-in-the-future, is enough to restore my lost faith in human nature. I think I shall rank this novel alongside Garth Stein's A SUDDEN LIGHT--top praise indeed!
October 9, 2019
I received this book as an ARC from the Publisher Netgalley and the Author Dustin Mckissen for an honest review.
Expected publication: October 31st 2019 by Black Rose Writing.
I would not really say this novel is a horror story but it will pull at your heartstrings. Jimmy and Kelly was raised in an abusive home with both parents being alcoholics and drug addicts and being very poor. When the children's father committed suicide when Kelly was just 12 yrs old their life did not get better. Jimmy and Kelly formed a great bond that got them through their every day life with a mother that did not care about them at all. Jimmy grew up and got married and when his daughter turned 12 yrs old Jimmy started to experience strange things happening to him. That just made Jimmy start to question if evil was in his father and if that evil is now with him. Jimmy started to see things and feel stuff that was not natural. Jimmy is convinced that the devil took over his parents bodies and is questioning if the devil is trying to take over his.
The Author Dustin Mckissen did a wonderful job with this debut novel. I look forward to seeing what other novels he will write in the future.
Expected publication: October 31st 2019 by Black Rose Writing.
I would not really say this novel is a horror story but it will pull at your heartstrings. Jimmy and Kelly was raised in an abusive home with both parents being alcoholics and drug addicts and being very poor. When the children's father committed suicide when Kelly was just 12 yrs old their life did not get better. Jimmy and Kelly formed a great bond that got them through their every day life with a mother that did not care about them at all. Jimmy grew up and got married and when his daughter turned 12 yrs old Jimmy started to experience strange things happening to him. That just made Jimmy start to question if evil was in his father and if that evil is now with him. Jimmy started to see things and feel stuff that was not natural. Jimmy is convinced that the devil took over his parents bodies and is questioning if the devil is trying to take over his.
The Author Dustin Mckissen did a wonderful job with this debut novel. I look forward to seeing what other novels he will write in the future.
January 8, 2020
Not sure where I should begin, with this book but to say, what an emotional page turner that delves deep into the past and the present and the thin line between the two. McKissen’s novel has a strong core with so much substance that the genre where it tries to fit doesn’t really do it justice.
Starting out as a haunting, we are given a back story that switches between the past and the present whilst unreveling the story of brother and sister Jimmy and Kelly. This heart breaking tale has so much emotional depth that the reader can not help but be fully invested in their tale. The adult Jimmy is a successful man both in business and personal. His being a perfect father shows the growth and strength of a person who is able to over come the obstacle put in his way due to what life has dealt him.
This review is very difficult to write as it would be unfair for me to reveal plot points that could spoil the excellence of this novel but I will persevere to be as vague as possible and stick to the brilliance of this novel.
Firstly, the characters are strong, They have such depth and complicated relationships and through this you have a strong emotional connection to them. Jimmy and Kelly causes your heart to break and soar in equal measures and as for their parents, that is something for the reader to experience in their own way. Let’s just say that they will make you appreciate your own parents like never before. The character of Carlisle is very interesting and though it is very explanative to be a professional and caught within the system of being able to fully get involved, the author has done a realistic and thought provoking way of keeping him involved. It is to the author’s credit that he has done his homework and was able to keep this aspect very real.
On a side note, McKissan has done an excellent job with keeping things real. I work in psychiatry and have dealt with family issues of the court and can tell you that the story portrayed within is all too real and the outcome tends to be the same especially when dealing with drug addiction and their children. Very sorry state of affairs and maybe someday in our lifetime, there would be some serious discussion on how this should be dealt with outside of children belong with their parents scenarios. This is discussion for another time.
The plot is fantastic and I felt my heart break in so many ways. I was totally invested and was able to read this book in one sitting as I could not get away from the core of the story. Not sure what genre this book will fit into but it expands further than horror and general fiction. McKissan has done an amazing job keeping it grounded in the real world and he has not over egged the pudding, as it would have been easily done. Using the strong emotional core as its base and building on this, makes this a true winner.
Overall, this is a fantastic read and I would love to shout about this from the rooftops. Spring boarding from a moment of truth and given us a deeply feeling and connected novel, we are treated to a book that will ensure the emotional impact is felt long after the final words resonant off the page. This is simply a book that needs to be read and experienced and shared. I would also go as far to say that this book yearns to be the topic of any book club and discussed in detail as it deals with the human triumph through pain and laughter. The human spirit that one can lift themselves up against the world they are born into and strive for a better life and how siblings are what matter with everything is lost. A great way to start 2020.
Starting out as a haunting, we are given a back story that switches between the past and the present whilst unreveling the story of brother and sister Jimmy and Kelly. This heart breaking tale has so much emotional depth that the reader can not help but be fully invested in their tale. The adult Jimmy is a successful man both in business and personal. His being a perfect father shows the growth and strength of a person who is able to over come the obstacle put in his way due to what life has dealt him.
This review is very difficult to write as it would be unfair for me to reveal plot points that could spoil the excellence of this novel but I will persevere to be as vague as possible and stick to the brilliance of this novel.
Firstly, the characters are strong, They have such depth and complicated relationships and through this you have a strong emotional connection to them. Jimmy and Kelly causes your heart to break and soar in equal measures and as for their parents, that is something for the reader to experience in their own way. Let’s just say that they will make you appreciate your own parents like never before. The character of Carlisle is very interesting and though it is very explanative to be a professional and caught within the system of being able to fully get involved, the author has done a realistic and thought provoking way of keeping him involved. It is to the author’s credit that he has done his homework and was able to keep this aspect very real.
On a side note, McKissan has done an excellent job with keeping things real. I work in psychiatry and have dealt with family issues of the court and can tell you that the story portrayed within is all too real and the outcome tends to be the same especially when dealing with drug addiction and their children. Very sorry state of affairs and maybe someday in our lifetime, there would be some serious discussion on how this should be dealt with outside of children belong with their parents scenarios. This is discussion for another time.
The plot is fantastic and I felt my heart break in so many ways. I was totally invested and was able to read this book in one sitting as I could not get away from the core of the story. Not sure what genre this book will fit into but it expands further than horror and general fiction. McKissan has done an amazing job keeping it grounded in the real world and he has not over egged the pudding, as it would have been easily done. Using the strong emotional core as its base and building on this, makes this a true winner.
Overall, this is a fantastic read and I would love to shout about this from the rooftops. Spring boarding from a moment of truth and given us a deeply feeling and connected novel, we are treated to a book that will ensure the emotional impact is felt long after the final words resonant off the page. This is simply a book that needs to be read and experienced and shared. I would also go as far to say that this book yearns to be the topic of any book club and discussed in detail as it deals with the human triumph through pain and laughter. The human spirit that one can lift themselves up against the world they are born into and strive for a better life and how siblings are what matter with everything is lost. A great way to start 2020.
October 5, 2019
I have literally just closed my kindle after finishing The Poor and The Haunted and I have a tear running from my left eye. This book filled my heart and touched me to the core, at a time that I really needed it. I expected horror, since that's where I found it listed. It's hard to say too much about what transpires without giving spoilers. I'll try.
Jimmy is a good man with a loving family. They're all good to each other. His childhood was another story. His parents were both mean, abusing, drunk and drugging bullies. His father committed suicide in a very bizarre manner. Life got even worse after his father's death when his mother's meth addiction led her to "servicing clients" in the old car parked on the lawn. Jimmy and his sister Kelly devoted themselves to each other. Their relationship makes life bearable.
Years later Jimmy has a family of his own and his daughter Jessica has just turned 12..the same age Kelly was when their father killed himself. At this point Jimmy starts having strange experiences. He's seeing and feeling someone near him. He has terrifying out of body type experiences. He's not sure if he should fear for his sanity or for his soul.
The author answers all of our questions and in such a way that my heart is full. Though I found this title under "horror", I would recommend this to those who don't typically read horror. I am so glad to have found it. I loved it!
#netgalley #ThePoorandTheHaunted
Jimmy is a good man with a loving family. They're all good to each other. His childhood was another story. His parents were both mean, abusing, drunk and drugging bullies. His father committed suicide in a very bizarre manner. Life got even worse after his father's death when his mother's meth addiction led her to "servicing clients" in the old car parked on the lawn. Jimmy and his sister Kelly devoted themselves to each other. Their relationship makes life bearable.
Years later Jimmy has a family of his own and his daughter Jessica has just turned 12..the same age Kelly was when their father killed himself. At this point Jimmy starts having strange experiences. He's seeing and feeling someone near him. He has terrifying out of body type experiences. He's not sure if he should fear for his sanity or for his soul.
The author answers all of our questions and in such a way that my heart is full. Though I found this title under "horror", I would recommend this to those who don't typically read horror. I am so glad to have found it. I loved it!
#netgalley #ThePoorandTheHaunted
December 13, 2019
This was more psychological than the horror novel I expected, exploring the darkness of mind and survivors guilt. Jimmy is struggling with his mental health and imagining various ghostly horrors but are they real? The book flips between this and his upbringing with sister Kelly and their abusive, addict parents and how he builds his life away from the dramas to have a loving happy family of his own. It's an enjoyable enough debut but not the horror story it's billed as.
November 18, 2019
This book weaves an intricate story of a brother and sister trying to survive an abusive and neglectful childhood. It’s not your typical horror story, and if may not even technically qualify into the horror genre, but I’m pleased I came across it. Few books cut me open and leave my emotions in a jumbled mess. This book did just that.
Jimmy and his younger sister Kelly leaned on each other through a disturbing and abusive childhood. Their father committed suicide, their mother is drunk and cruel, and they live in staggering poverty. The only thing holding them together is their iron-clad bond as siblings. I love their intense connection and how it plays into plot. These characters are brilliantly crafted with realism and sympathy that made me fall in love with them. From the start of the book, I cheered for this dynamic duo whose perseverance in the face of abuse created a tenderness that ran throughout the book.
But there is something haunting Jimmy, an entity that clings to him. It’s this element that plays into the horror aspect of the novel and builds a frightful tension. I was hooked and read this book in one sitting, filled with an urgent need to unlock the mystery.
The climax and ending touched a nerve, and I shed a few tears. Overall, this is a dramatic look at the bonds that keep us sane in the face of evil, and the human spirit’s undying tenacity. It may work better under a classification of dramatic fiction, but I still highly recommend giving it a chance.
Jimmy and his younger sister Kelly leaned on each other through a disturbing and abusive childhood. Their father committed suicide, their mother is drunk and cruel, and they live in staggering poverty. The only thing holding them together is their iron-clad bond as siblings. I love their intense connection and how it plays into plot. These characters are brilliantly crafted with realism and sympathy that made me fall in love with them. From the start of the book, I cheered for this dynamic duo whose perseverance in the face of abuse created a tenderness that ran throughout the book.
But there is something haunting Jimmy, an entity that clings to him. It’s this element that plays into the horror aspect of the novel and builds a frightful tension. I was hooked and read this book in one sitting, filled with an urgent need to unlock the mystery.
The climax and ending touched a nerve, and I shed a few tears. Overall, this is a dramatic look at the bonds that keep us sane in the face of evil, and the human spirit’s undying tenacity. It may work better under a classification of dramatic fiction, but I still highly recommend giving it a chance.
November 4, 2019
The Poor and The Haunted is an amazing spiral of a story that provokes a multitude of emotions throughout the entire tale. I was drawn into the characters from the beginning page until the final page. I do have to say that the story was different than I had anticipated when I read the synopsis. However, I was blown away by Mr. McKissen, the characters that he created and the story that he weaved.
Told in alternating times frames, the reader is taken along on a journey with Jimmy, the main character, between his life as a teenager and the present time, where he is an adult. This is done in such a way that it is clear and never confusing, as some stories that switch between time frames can be. Jimmy's childhood was a nightmare that one would not wish upon their worse enemy, with drug addicted and abusive parents, where scenes rip out the reader's heart. Jimmy and his sister, Kelly, are all the unconventional love they have ever known. As an adult, Jimmy is a successful businessman with a loving wife and two beautiful children. His life is finally one of peace and love, until one day that is shattered by seeming hauntings and unexplainable things that begin to happen to him. Jimmy begins to wonder if he is possessed and if there is anything that can help and save him before he meets the same horrific death as his Father's.
Filled with tense moments, suspense, emotions and surprising twists, The Poor and The Haunted is one of the best reads that I have read this year and I highly recommend it!
Told in alternating times frames, the reader is taken along on a journey with Jimmy, the main character, between his life as a teenager and the present time, where he is an adult. This is done in such a way that it is clear and never confusing, as some stories that switch between time frames can be. Jimmy's childhood was a nightmare that one would not wish upon their worse enemy, with drug addicted and abusive parents, where scenes rip out the reader's heart. Jimmy and his sister, Kelly, are all the unconventional love they have ever known. As an adult, Jimmy is a successful businessman with a loving wife and two beautiful children. His life is finally one of peace and love, until one day that is shattered by seeming hauntings and unexplainable things that begin to happen to him. Jimmy begins to wonder if he is possessed and if there is anything that can help and save him before he meets the same horrific death as his Father's.
Filled with tense moments, suspense, emotions and surprising twists, The Poor and The Haunted is one of the best reads that I have read this year and I highly recommend it!
November 8, 2019
Well...
This was not an altogether bad book, but it is misleading to call it a horror novel. It isn't. It is the story of a man who was raised in an abusive and neglectful home by drug addled parents living in a poverty of their own making. It is a story of strength and love, it is a story of how this man escaped these awful circumstances, attended college and built a life for himself. It is a story of stopping the cycle of abuse, raising his own children with his wife and making a real family. It is also the story of how his upbringing still haunts him. But even throwing a ghost in the mix does not make this a horror novel.
3 out of 5 stars
I received a complimentary copy for review.
This was not an altogether bad book, but it is misleading to call it a horror novel. It isn't. It is the story of a man who was raised in an abusive and neglectful home by drug addled parents living in a poverty of their own making. It is a story of strength and love, it is a story of how this man escaped these awful circumstances, attended college and built a life for himself. It is a story of stopping the cycle of abuse, raising his own children with his wife and making a real family. It is also the story of how his upbringing still haunts him. But even throwing a ghost in the mix does not make this a horror novel.
3 out of 5 stars
I received a complimentary copy for review.
January 9, 2020
There's nothing wrong with this book. It just really isn't my thing. I just have a really hard time reading stories full of abuse. Overall an ok book.
December 6, 2019
OMG what a book. This is a story about two kids, Jimmy and Kelly, growing up in a drug and abusive household. They have no one to rely on other than themselves.
"Real love never ends with anything - no matter how final the illusion of an ending may seem - because
real love simply never ends. Ever."
This will take you on a thought provoking and heartfelt journey and will have you crying. Not a horror, more a domestic novel in my opinion.
I can't really say too much without giving things away, but what i will say is, YOU MUST READ THIS. Fantastically written and will recommend to everyone i know. I will be looking into other books written by this clever author!!!
Thank you to Netgalley, Black Rose Writing and Dustin McKissen for this ARC
"Real love never ends with anything - no matter how final the illusion of an ending may seem - because
real love simply never ends. Ever."
This will take you on a thought provoking and heartfelt journey and will have you crying. Not a horror, more a domestic novel in my opinion.
I can't really say too much without giving things away, but what i will say is, YOU MUST READ THIS. Fantastically written and will recommend to everyone i know. I will be looking into other books written by this clever author!!!
Thank you to Netgalley, Black Rose Writing and Dustin McKissen for this ARC
November 13, 2019
The depravity cuts you to the core, and stays with you long after the final page is done. The book is truly a test of the human psyche, for the characters, and the reader.
The slow burn of the novel was welcomed, as each chapter—alternating between past and present—provides one more clue to the underlying horror of the story.
No, it isn’t a singular horror novel, but also a psychological thriller and a gripping account of childhood abuse. Where the horror is rooted is up for debate.
The slow burn of the novel was welcomed, as each chapter—alternating between past and present—provides one more clue to the underlying horror of the story.
No, it isn’t a singular horror novel, but also a psychological thriller and a gripping account of childhood abuse. Where the horror is rooted is up for debate.
December 3, 2019
Jimmy Lansford and his sister Kelly grew up in a poverty stricken family. Money isn’t everything, but there was no love in their home either. Their parents were abusive, drug addicts, who only saw their children as an inconvenience to their lives. After Jimmy and Kelly’s dad commits suicide, in the most violent and unexpected way, the two cling to each other to get through the abuse of their mother. After growing into an accomplished adult, with a family of his own, Jimmy starts to get an eerie feeling that something is happening in his house. He starts to relive memories from his childhood in Oklahoma and begins to wonder if there was more to his father’s death and mother’s rage then just drugs.
I was really torn on the rating for this one. I was under the impression it was going to be in the horror category. While it wasn’t, I still did find the story compelling and it really pulls at your heart strings. This story legit made my heart ache. Honestly though, I did love the end. It brings you a certain kind of peace. Although this isn’t my typical, fast paced, thriller, I really did enjoy the story.
I was really torn on the rating for this one. I was under the impression it was going to be in the horror category. While it wasn’t, I still did find the story compelling and it really pulls at your heart strings. This story legit made my heart ache. Honestly though, I did love the end. It brings you a certain kind of peace. Although this isn’t my typical, fast paced, thriller, I really did enjoy the story.
November 13, 2019
Jimmy and his little sister Kelly live in a horrible family where the parents are abusive and addicted to drugs. They take out all their anger out on the children. Jimmy's dad commits suicide and the family moves to public housing. A policeman that was one of the first on the scene takes the kids and watches over them through the years. Though the family is poor they succeed in other ways with good grades and for Jimmy track.
We are watching Jimmy in his adult years with his own family thinking about the past with their bad mother, his love for his sister and Carlisle the policeman that was like a big brother. This is a paranormal book but it is no crazy stuff that is not believable. I truly loved this book.
We are watching Jimmy in his adult years with his own family thinking about the past with their bad mother, his love for his sister and Carlisle the policeman that was like a big brother. This is a paranormal book but it is no crazy stuff that is not believable. I truly loved this book.
December 30, 2019
I'd been hearing about this book and how amazing it was, so when Netgalley approved my request to read it I immediately started on it. It was everything I'd heard about it. It was beautifully written. It was suspenseful and dramatic. It was heartbreaking.
It is not your average ghost story. There are somewhat supernatural elements that help set the mood, but this is a book that is more about hauntings of the mind. (It's hard to not give it all away.)
It was a lovely book with references to Stephen King and some smaller things that reminded me of my own childhood.
I finished it in a day and immediately added McKissen's other book to my TBR. I really enjoy his writing style.
There are a few trigger warnings. There's child abuse, domestic violence, drug abuse, suicide, alcohol abuse, self harm, and mention of animal torture. Like I said, it's a pretty heavy book. 4/5 stars.
*I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for my review.
It is not your average ghost story. There are somewhat supernatural elements that help set the mood, but this is a book that is more about hauntings of the mind. (It's hard to not give it all away.)
It was a lovely book with references to Stephen King and some smaller things that reminded me of my own childhood.
I finished it in a day and immediately added McKissen's other book to my TBR. I really enjoy his writing style.
There are a few trigger warnings. There's child abuse, domestic violence, drug abuse, suicide, alcohol abuse, self harm, and mention of animal torture. Like I said, it's a pretty heavy book. 4/5 stars.
*I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for my review.
November 26, 2019
The Poor and the Haunted Is billed as a horror novel. It didn’t read that way to me. The parents were horrifying to say the least. The story follows the children of Ronnie and Diane Langford. They are alcoholics, drug addicts and child abusers. Ronnie, it is believed he committed suicide by an unconventional and most brutal method.
Jimmy and his sister Kelly are the unfortunate offspring of these pathetic parents who are constantly unemployed and violently fight with each other. Jimmie is older, but hides their abuse so he and his sister won’t be separated into foster care.
Jimmy and Kelly grow up dirt poor and lack for everything. As the children mature into adulthood do the evils of the parents reside in the children as well?
Jimmy tries to leave the horrors of his childhood behind him. His lovely sister Kelly also appeared to be cursed, and there was little anyone can do to help. He goes to college and gets married and settles down to raise a family. But strange things continue to plague him?
The story spans childhood to adulthood from the torture farm in Oklahoma to Arizona hundreds of miles away, but can that be far enough?
While reading The Poor and the Haunted i felt myself holding my breath for what was about to take place. This is a hard to put down story of people, facing real-life struggles against forces that inhabit deep in the psyche.
Jimmy and his sister Kelly are the unfortunate offspring of these pathetic parents who are constantly unemployed and violently fight with each other. Jimmie is older, but hides their abuse so he and his sister won’t be separated into foster care.
Jimmy and Kelly grow up dirt poor and lack for everything. As the children mature into adulthood do the evils of the parents reside in the children as well?
Jimmy tries to leave the horrors of his childhood behind him. His lovely sister Kelly also appeared to be cursed, and there was little anyone can do to help. He goes to college and gets married and settles down to raise a family. But strange things continue to plague him?
The story spans childhood to adulthood from the torture farm in Oklahoma to Arizona hundreds of miles away, but can that be far enough?
While reading The Poor and the Haunted i felt myself holding my breath for what was about to take place. This is a hard to put down story of people, facing real-life struggles against forces that inhabit deep in the psyche.
February 3, 2020
A disturbing journey into the mind of a man who believes he may be possessed by a demon, and a story about a childhood full of negligence, but devoid of love.
Jimmy and Kelly grew up in a family where their parents spend their days being stoned or drunk or both. One day, their father commits suicide, but in such an unusual and brutal way that makes Jimmy believe he wanted to escape something evil inside of him. As an adult with a family of his own, Jimmy starts to believe that now he is the haunted one - or is he going crazy?
The story is told in alternating chapters of Jimmy's past and present, the first leading towards the tragic outcome of the second. On several occasions, I was confused by the sudden change of events, feeling I missed out on something that went on in-between, which gave the book a rough, unpolished quality. The ending was very sweet, making me gasp with a feeling of 'that was really close'.
(thanks to netgalley, the author, and the publisher for a copy of the book, all opinions are my own)
Jimmy and Kelly grew up in a family where their parents spend their days being stoned or drunk or both. One day, their father commits suicide, but in such an unusual and brutal way that makes Jimmy believe he wanted to escape something evil inside of him. As an adult with a family of his own, Jimmy starts to believe that now he is the haunted one - or is he going crazy?
The story is told in alternating chapters of Jimmy's past and present, the first leading towards the tragic outcome of the second. On several occasions, I was confused by the sudden change of events, feeling I missed out on something that went on in-between, which gave the book a rough, unpolished quality. The ending was very sweet, making me gasp with a feeling of 'that was really close'.
(thanks to netgalley, the author, and the publisher for a copy of the book, all opinions are my own)
October 19, 2019
This book is fantastic.
I fell in love with this book because it isn’t the usual ghost story. Its a great story abut love, love and pain. Many people have had terrible pasts and not everyone can form normal relationships after but this book reminds me that even though I have one eye staring at the darkness I still have one eye to watch the sun.
Family can make all the difference.
This book is written brilliantly, I love the way he has done the chapters but most of all I love the message this books gives me. That no matter the darkness that had you if your lucky enough to find someone who loves you with all the baggage that comes with you that the world can be an amazing place.
Don’t let your past own you. Own your past. Be proud of who you are and not who you where.
I highly recommend this to everyone, its one of those stories that will stay with you even when you turn the last page.
I fell in love with this book because it isn’t the usual ghost story. Its a great story abut love, love and pain. Many people have had terrible pasts and not everyone can form normal relationships after but this book reminds me that even though I have one eye staring at the darkness I still have one eye to watch the sun.
Family can make all the difference.
This book is written brilliantly, I love the way he has done the chapters but most of all I love the message this books gives me. That no matter the darkness that had you if your lucky enough to find someone who loves you with all the baggage that comes with you that the world can be an amazing place.
Don’t let your past own you. Own your past. Be proud of who you are and not who you where.
I highly recommend this to everyone, its one of those stories that will stay with you even when you turn the last page.
November 3, 2019
Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com
I have to agree with the beginning of a number of other reviews. This story is not really a horror story unless you consider the horrors both Jimmy and his sister dealt with as children.
And now Jimmy has to deal with the demons that he wonders are part of his DNA makeup or if he is going crazy.
I found this book heartbreaking and interesting. I think this author has a bright future in the way he writes. The story is short (160 pages) but there is a lot said in these pages and a incredible story that pulls you in right away.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
I have to agree with the beginning of a number of other reviews. This story is not really a horror story unless you consider the horrors both Jimmy and his sister dealt with as children.
And now Jimmy has to deal with the demons that he wonders are part of his DNA makeup or if he is going crazy.
I found this book heartbreaking and interesting. I think this author has a bright future in the way he writes. The story is short (160 pages) but there is a lot said in these pages and a incredible story that pulls you in right away.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
October 17, 2019
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC of this book. If you are looking for a story about the ways our lives can be haunted with the past, this is it. This is not your typical ghost story. It has a LOT of feeling and emotion. This book is about how life and our past can destroy us, if we let it. Loved this book!
November 17, 2019
Fantastic, fast read
Poor, abused kids, leaned on each other to survive. The oldest of the two, got a scholarship for college. He planned to go to get his sis, when she was of age. The brother, was being haunted, or so he thought. It was not a haunting.
Poor, abused kids, leaned on each other to survive. The oldest of the two, got a scholarship for college. He planned to go to get his sis, when she was of age. The brother, was being haunted, or so he thought. It was not a haunting.
October 21, 2019
I received a copy of this from #Netgalley. Thank you.
A great haunting take with a twist I never thought of. Highly recommended.
A great haunting take with a twist I never thought of. Highly recommended.
November 18, 2019
What a wonderful ending to a sad, horrible story of a family, parents were drunk and addicts to 2 wonderful kids
February 6, 2020
Great ghost story. The flashbacks weren't confusing. Characters were likable. Story was steady paced. At 153 pages it is a great quick read for a bit of spookiness.
December 19, 2019
The Poor and The Haunted is a fantastic emotional creepy book. This book is well written and the characters are well developed. A must read.
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