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Bly
I left the United States to find inner peace. Instead, I find myself confronting a malicious ghost.
Astyr Salt is a spiritual and emotional empath who moved to England with the intent to forget about a traumatic, supernatural event that occurred during her freshman year of college. However, when she takes a spiritual cleansing assignment in a haunted country home in Essex, she is isolated with all her own pent-up emotions.
These emotions energize the ghosts inhabiting the country home, helping them draw their own tragedies to the surface. Searching for the truth, Astyr is forced to relive the past. And the deeper she dives into the country home’s horrific history, the more the intertwined memories place her in the path of an evil and demented predator.
A blend of contemporary fantasy, horror, and mystery, Bly is inspired by Henry James’s classic novella, The Turn of the Screw.
Astyr Salt is a spiritual and emotional empath who moved to England with the intent to forget about a traumatic, supernatural event that occurred during her freshman year of college. However, when she takes a spiritual cleansing assignment in a haunted country home in Essex, she is isolated with all her own pent-up emotions.
These emotions energize the ghosts inhabiting the country home, helping them draw their own tragedies to the surface. Searching for the truth, Astyr is forced to relive the past. And the deeper she dives into the country home’s horrific history, the more the intertwined memories place her in the path of an evil and demented predator.
A blend of contemporary fantasy, horror, and mystery, Bly is inspired by Henry James’s classic novella, The Turn of the Screw.
252 pages, Unknown Binding
Published September 22, 2021
1 person is currently reading
140 people want to read
About the author
Kelsey Ketch
14 books359 followersKelsey Ketch is a young-adult/new-adult author, who works as a Wildlife Biologist and Data Analyst. During her free time, she can often be found working on her latest work in progress. She also enjoys history, mythology, traveling, and reading.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
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April 17, 2025For content warning, click here.
October 8, 2021
A must for any fans of 'The Turn of the Screw." A curious investigation into the story, mixed with Eqyptian beliefs and some magic from a modern caster and this might be a look behind the mysterious curtain that protects Bly Manor.
I applaud Kelsey Ketch on the details of research she puts into her books! It brings an interesting level of realism to this ghost story. And has me curious to do some studying myself. My favorite character was the cat, Litten. Loved that guy with his protective nature, playful spirit and AMAZING training results! A few things were a bit obvious earlier on but the way the story unfolds kept me glued to the story. The dream sequences in particular caught my attention.
In addition to a good story, perfect for this time of year, I also got some new tea mixes I will have to try. I am always looking for new blends, and this book tosses a few out there.
Another great book by Kelsey Ketch! You always know how to captivate an audience!
I applaud Kelsey Ketch on the details of research she puts into her books! It brings an interesting level of realism to this ghost story. And has me curious to do some studying myself. My favorite character was the cat, Litten. Loved that guy with his protective nature, playful spirit and AMAZING training results! A few things were a bit obvious earlier on but the way the story unfolds kept me glued to the story. The dream sequences in particular caught my attention.
In addition to a good story, perfect for this time of year, I also got some new tea mixes I will have to try. I am always looking for new blends, and this book tosses a few out there.
Another great book by Kelsey Ketch! You always know how to captivate an audience!
September 28, 2021
Bly is the type of book that has your head all over the place trying to work out what will happen to Astyr Salt next. This is the perfect type of book to read if you like supernatural and ghost fiction type books !
In this book we meet Astyr Salt she is an emotional empath and a spiritualist. An emotional empath is someone who can share the feelings of another person , so mix than in with being a spiritualist and you have an issue on your hands especially if the spirits aren't like Casper the friendly ghost ! She is a brilliant and fascinating character to read about (especially if you are someone who believes in spirits like I do ).
The storyline itself is one that draws you in to it , just like how the spirits are drawn to Astyr's emotions , it keeps too the storyline through the book and keeps a nice fast pace making it easy to devour it. I found this such a fascinating and interesting read!
In this book we meet Astyr Salt she is an emotional empath and a spiritualist. An emotional empath is someone who can share the feelings of another person , so mix than in with being a spiritualist and you have an issue on your hands especially if the spirits aren't like Casper the friendly ghost ! She is a brilliant and fascinating character to read about (especially if you are someone who believes in spirits like I do ).
The storyline itself is one that draws you in to it , just like how the spirits are drawn to Astyr's emotions , it keeps too the storyline through the book and keeps a nice fast pace making it easy to devour it. I found this such a fascinating and interesting read!
September 18, 2021
Kelsey Ketch’s Bly is one of those books that left me conflicted. It was a story that had me curious about how everything would come together, but it was also one that never quite grabbed me in the way I had hoped. I can certainly see many people adoring this one, but it wasn’t quite everything that I had expected.
Bly is a story that contains many different elements. It is heavy on the supernatural, but I wouldn’t quite call it a horror. It was too light for that. Although not quite as intense as I would have liked, the mysterious elements of this one kept me turning the pages. I worked out quite a few of the elements with ease, but the specific way in which everything came together ensured I was eager to watch the pieces fall into place. It was a slow mover at times, but it more than kept me curious.
All in all, Bly was a lighter read than I’d expected, but it was one that kept me turning the pages to see the specific way in which everything would play out.
Bly is a story that contains many different elements. It is heavy on the supernatural, but I wouldn’t quite call it a horror. It was too light for that. Although not quite as intense as I would have liked, the mysterious elements of this one kept me turning the pages. I worked out quite a few of the elements with ease, but the specific way in which everything came together ensured I was eager to watch the pieces fall into place. It was a slow mover at times, but it more than kept me curious.
All in all, Bly was a lighter read than I’d expected, but it was one that kept me turning the pages to see the specific way in which everything would play out.
March 6, 2022
Book Sirens eARC. Astyr Salt is a successful spiritual healer despite a traumatic paranormal event experienced in college. Her latest task is to cleanse the spirits from Bly House, a recently renovated country manor. She soon discovers that Bly's ghosts are the strongest she has even encountered and finds herself in a battle for her sanity. This modern retelling of "Turn of the Screw" was filled with psychological tension and the reader felt the horror of possession. I could have done with a little less of the minute details of her tea recipes and spells although the Egyptian mythology was interesting. I found the dream sequences confusing at times although they added suspense. The storyline kept me uncertain about the outcome until the final chapter. If you enjoy a believably written ghost story add this to your to-be-read stack.
October 2, 2021
Thank you Booksprout, the publisher and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The first sentences in this book made me think of Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, as it starts with a dream of the "old mansion" and our MC wandering its rooms and hallways searching for somebody. Even one of the characters is called Rebecca. But unlike in Du Maurier's novel, the ghosts at Bly are very much real and present, they are conscious energies that decide who can feel them, see them or even touch them.
Anyone who likes ghost stories has read (or at least watched!) Henry James' The turning of the Screw. In this classical gothic story, a young woman has to fight the spirits of a past governess and her lover for the soul of the two children she is responsible for. Now imagine that years upon years pass, the house is still standing, the ghosts are still haunting, and the new owner wants to sell the property. Enter Astyr, a witch with a knowledge of teas and herbs, a spiritual cleanser. Astyr Salt is young but due to some traumatic encounters with ghosts in the past, she has dropped out of college and has moved to the UK. When we encounter her she is beginning to rebuild her support system and making friends, but I got the feeling that she is fairly alone in the world. She is hired to "cleanse" the house of spirits, the only condition being an immediate start and that she stays at Bly for as long as it takes.
WHAT I LIKED:
The Ghosts: They are not entirely static entities, they still have desires, feelings. Scaring the hell out of the living and defending their turf is not their only purpose in death. Some of them communicate with Astyr only in dreams, some other she detects by their energy, or smell, some of them she can even touch. Her job is not to get rid of the spirits, but to help them coexist with the living.
Astyr: scared but determined, she goes to Bly looking for ghosts. And OMG all those teas!! And she is a cat person.
The Dreams: that is how some of the spirits communicate with Astyr and add a wonderful element of confusion, a dreamlike feeling into the story. The rooms, hallways, staircases transform during the dream and don't quite change back after she wakes.
The Other Characters: most of them feel very real, with a proper life story. From all the characters, Rebecca, James and Nolyn are the best drawn, IMHO. I would not mind sharing a cuppa or a pint with any of them. And Peter is certainly creepy enough.
The Friendship/Love Story: Just to be clear, this book is not a romance, but love is a permeating the whole story. In fact, one could claim that the hauntings at Bly are the result of a love story gone wrong. Astyr and Nolyn's possible romance is uncertain at the beginning, they move from new neighbours to a comfortable friendship very quickly but neither of them knows how to move on. I found this sort of uncertainty very refreshing. No "lovers destined by fate" here, just two people giving a chance to a maybe.
WHAT I DID NOT LIKE SO MUCH
Mr. Hellings: He came across as a bully and frankly, quite creepy. But there is no explanation whatsoever about why he is like that. His secretary Ms. Poole doesn't get much of a voice at all.
The Witch-y Stuff: Personally just not into the modern witch lore, but the descriptions are pretty detailed and easy to follow.
All in all, I enjoyed the book very much and will definitely recommend it.
The first sentences in this book made me think of Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, as it starts with a dream of the "old mansion" and our MC wandering its rooms and hallways searching for somebody. Even one of the characters is called Rebecca. But unlike in Du Maurier's novel, the ghosts at Bly are very much real and present, they are conscious energies that decide who can feel them, see them or even touch them.
Anyone who likes ghost stories has read (or at least watched!) Henry James' The turning of the Screw. In this classical gothic story, a young woman has to fight the spirits of a past governess and her lover for the soul of the two children she is responsible for. Now imagine that years upon years pass, the house is still standing, the ghosts are still haunting, and the new owner wants to sell the property. Enter Astyr, a witch with a knowledge of teas and herbs, a spiritual cleanser. Astyr Salt is young but due to some traumatic encounters with ghosts in the past, she has dropped out of college and has moved to the UK. When we encounter her she is beginning to rebuild her support system and making friends, but I got the feeling that she is fairly alone in the world. She is hired to "cleanse" the house of spirits, the only condition being an immediate start and that she stays at Bly for as long as it takes.
WHAT I LIKED:
The Ghosts: They are not entirely static entities, they still have desires, feelings. Scaring the hell out of the living and defending their turf is not their only purpose in death. Some of them communicate with Astyr only in dreams, some other she detects by their energy, or smell, some of them she can even touch. Her job is not to get rid of the spirits, but to help them coexist with the living.
Astyr: scared but determined, she goes to Bly looking for ghosts. And OMG all those teas!! And she is a cat person.
The Dreams: that is how some of the spirits communicate with Astyr and add a wonderful element of confusion, a dreamlike feeling into the story. The rooms, hallways, staircases transform during the dream and don't quite change back after she wakes.
The Other Characters: most of them feel very real, with a proper life story. From all the characters, Rebecca, James and Nolyn are the best drawn, IMHO. I would not mind sharing a cuppa or a pint with any of them. And Peter is certainly creepy enough.
The Friendship/Love Story: Just to be clear, this book is not a romance, but love is a permeating the whole story. In fact, one could claim that the hauntings at Bly are the result of a love story gone wrong. Astyr and Nolyn's possible romance is uncertain at the beginning, they move from new neighbours to a comfortable friendship very quickly but neither of them knows how to move on. I found this sort of uncertainty very refreshing. No "lovers destined by fate" here, just two people giving a chance to a maybe.
WHAT I DID NOT LIKE SO MUCH
Mr. Hellings: He came across as a bully and frankly, quite creepy. But there is no explanation whatsoever about why he is like that. His secretary Ms. Poole doesn't get much of a voice at all.
The Witch-y Stuff: Personally just not into the modern witch lore, but the descriptions are pretty detailed and easy to follow.
All in all, I enjoyed the book very much and will definitely recommend it.
September 8, 2021
Astyr Salt moves to England hoping to leave the past behind. In her freshman year in college Astyr encountered a supernatural event that she would like to forget as it was very traumatic for her. Astyr is an empath who cleans ghosts from old buildings.
Astyr takes a job at an old country estate in Essex. The man who hired her wants her to cleanse the house from all the ghosts there as he wants to put it up for sale. Entering the old country estate brings back some awful and painful memories for Astyr.
The whole time I was reading Bly I kept asking myself if she was going to get out alive. Each time she had to walk to the nearest town to contact her partner I was on the edge of my seat wondering if she would be able to walk out the door. Each and every time I thought this is it she will walk out the door and then the inside of the house will appear before her.
I couldn’t compare Bly with The Turn of the Screw as I have not read it. Bly reminded me of America Horror Story’s Murder House and Netflix’s The Haunting of Bly Manor. There were so many times I didn’t know if what was happening was real or not. Oh, the suspense was horrific not being able to know what was going on.
Bly was one of the best ghost stories I have read in a long time. I enjoyed it tremendously. The characters were all amazingly beautiful creatures and the world-building was brilliantly well done. Bly is a rare gem for all ghost story fans.
I highly recommend Bly to all horror, mystery, and ghost fans. One-click your copy of Bly today!
Astyr takes a job at an old country estate in Essex. The man who hired her wants her to cleanse the house from all the ghosts there as he wants to put it up for sale. Entering the old country estate brings back some awful and painful memories for Astyr.
The whole time I was reading Bly I kept asking myself if she was going to get out alive. Each time she had to walk to the nearest town to contact her partner I was on the edge of my seat wondering if she would be able to walk out the door. Each and every time I thought this is it she will walk out the door and then the inside of the house will appear before her.
I couldn’t compare Bly with The Turn of the Screw as I have not read it. Bly reminded me of America Horror Story’s Murder House and Netflix’s The Haunting of Bly Manor. There were so many times I didn’t know if what was happening was real or not. Oh, the suspense was horrific not being able to know what was going on.
Bly was one of the best ghost stories I have read in a long time. I enjoyed it tremendously. The characters were all amazingly beautiful creatures and the world-building was brilliantly well done. Bly is a rare gem for all ghost story fans.
I highly recommend Bly to all horror, mystery, and ghost fans. One-click your copy of Bly today!
February 20, 2022
Astyr is an spiritual empath who has moved to England to start anew and forget her traumatic event that happened to her in her freshman year in college. But when she takes on a cleansing assignment at a country estate. She is isolated and fighting her own emotions . He personal emotions help to energize the ghosts and in doing so she helps each ghost bring up their own tragedies . In trying to help them she must dive into the past to help the ghosts and fight the evil that is haunting all of them .
This story is packed full of great characters . Astyr is a very strong woman who has been through a lot and is trying to put her life back together. She is feisty and sweet but being an empath also has her kind of fearful of things. Nolyn is her best friend and also a romantic interest to her. He is a sweet guy . You also get to meet some cool characters . There is one that you really don't know if she is an actual person or a ghost . The characters are so well written and complex . You will love them.
This is a well written story that weaves a really good ghost story with a bit of Egyptian gods . The author weaves a good story with a lot of twists and turns . You are sucked into the story by the end of the second chapter . I couldn't put the book down I read well into the night . There were moment through out the book where I thought to myself that is she going to get out of this alive . I really enjoy this authors style of writing and her story telling . So if you want a good book to curl up with check it out .
This story is packed full of great characters . Astyr is a very strong woman who has been through a lot and is trying to put her life back together. She is feisty and sweet but being an empath also has her kind of fearful of things. Nolyn is her best friend and also a romantic interest to her. He is a sweet guy . You also get to meet some cool characters . There is one that you really don't know if she is an actual person or a ghost . The characters are so well written and complex . You will love them.
This is a well written story that weaves a really good ghost story with a bit of Egyptian gods . The author weaves a good story with a lot of twists and turns . You are sucked into the story by the end of the second chapter . I couldn't put the book down I read well into the night . There were moment through out the book where I thought to myself that is she going to get out of this alive . I really enjoy this authors style of writing and her story telling . So if you want a good book to curl up with check it out .
December 15, 2021
I really liked the premise of this book and the story arc was really interesting but I felt like the writer tried to go into too much depth and detail about the main characters beliefs and the spells and teas she used which made it feel less approachable for readers who don't believe in or aren't interested in these kind of elements or beliefs. Instead it would have been good to go into more detail about her childhood and about the man in her life to give the characters more depth. That said it had some really good moments and I thought the dream sequences were fascinating and had quite a cinematic quality to them. The ending was also quite satisfying.
August 31, 2021
I really liked this book.
Met Astyr just your typical witch. She cleans negative energy/ghost out from buildings in England. She is hired a cleanse a massive property, by a multimillionaire who wants to sell it.
Astyr maybe in over head with this assignment. She must figure out how get rid of a very powerful ghost for good, before he makes her stay with him for ever.
I enjoyed this book, and I think you would also!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Met Astyr just your typical witch. She cleans negative energy/ghost out from buildings in England. She is hired a cleanse a massive property, by a multimillionaire who wants to sell it.
Astyr maybe in over head with this assignment. She must figure out how get rid of a very powerful ghost for good, before he makes her stay with him for ever.
I enjoyed this book, and I think you would also!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 6, 2021
This was a phenomenal read! The characters are awesome and very real and the world building is exceptional. This one will make you believe in ghosts, magic, and witchcraft. It's a really beautifully written tale that is exciting and I found myself holding my breath several times, just waiting for whatever came next. I highly recommend this one!
(I didn't know until the end that it's a retelling of The Turn of The Screw, which I've never read.)
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
(I didn't know until the end that it's a retelling of The Turn of The Screw, which I've never read.)
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 1, 2022
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This one is right up my alley. A ghost tale, witches, and some romance. It had everything you could want except a substantial story line. There were details that didn't need to be included. There were things that should've been explained more.
Between the dreams , the past flashbacks, the story of what had happened at the school and the present time line the story was lacking a clear path. With so much going on there was not enough depth of the story line or the characters.
This one is right up my alley. A ghost tale, witches, and some romance. It had everything you could want except a substantial story line. There were details that didn't need to be included. There were things that should've been explained more.
Between the dreams , the past flashbacks, the story of what had happened at the school and the present time line the story was lacking a clear path. With so much going on there was not enough depth of the story line or the characters.
February 18, 2022
“I’m in love. That’s it. Simple as that. Dear Kelsey, how am I going to continue after this? What an inedible ride. I’m gonna be plain honest and confess that some part were a little creepy in the kind of scary way. If you add the mystery it was phenomenal *wink wink* Also, here’s the thing. The slow plot felt too slow and was starting to annoy me but her comes the huge BUT it was completely hooked up couldn’t stop reading until the end. I wouldn’t exactly consider this book was romance just so you to know and as a hopeless romantic I’m telling you this story is definitely a must read.”
February 20, 2022
I throughly enjoyed this remake of The Turn of the Screw with a modern twist. Honestly I haven't read the original (which I am about to because of this story) so it was a whole new experience from start to finish. I also enjoyed how Astyr is described as a modern witch with an ancient Egyptian background which I seriously think is overlooked by most authors, this means it is a great fresh experience that doesn't simply root for magical abilities. Great read which I will definitely be recommending!
February 21, 2022
Such a good book.
From the minute I picked this book up I was captivated!
Astyr Salt isn't a typical witch. She's an empath that has learned first hand that not all spirits are easy and good. But she's put all the harm a ghost caused her in college behind her and now she's living in England using her talents. However, taking a job to cleanse a mansion and grounds for a client may be more than Astyr is read for.
This book was one that kept me engrossed in the story from beginning to end. Also a few twists and turns that I didn't see coming.
From the minute I picked this book up I was captivated!
Astyr Salt isn't a typical witch. She's an empath that has learned first hand that not all spirits are easy and good. But she's put all the harm a ghost caused her in college behind her and now she's living in England using her talents. However, taking a job to cleanse a mansion and grounds for a client may be more than Astyr is read for.
This book was one that kept me engrossed in the story from beginning to end. Also a few twists and turns that I didn't see coming.
October 7, 2025
Astyr Salt is a modern day witch who is hired to spiritually cleanse the haunted house Bly. The eerie atmosphere of the house and the countryside in general provided the perfect setting for a spooky tale. I immensely enjoyed the first half of the story as Astyr deals with the spirit/spirits but felt it got bogged down with her past. Inspired by the gothic novella The Turn of the Screw by Henry James it has plenty of twists and turns creating an air of mystery especially through the dream sequences. I suggest pouring yourself a cup of tea and get lost in this Ghostly story!
December 31, 2025
I read this book in 5 hours. I've been into mystery thrillers lately, then add a dash of paranormal, and I was hooked. Ketch had me on the edge of my seat as we follow Astyr, who is hired to cleanse Bly Manor of apparent spirits. What Astyr walks into is a ghostly mystery that may end her life.
I loved the paranormal mystery aspect that had me guessing and surprised. Mrs Grose is all I'm saying. BLY is said to be inspired by "The Turn of the Screw" by Henry James. While I've heard of it, I never read it. Seeing that I enjoyed Bly, I am definitely looking into it.
I loved the paranormal mystery aspect that had me guessing and surprised. Mrs Grose is all I'm saying. BLY is said to be inspired by "The Turn of the Screw" by Henry James. While I've heard of it, I never read it. Seeing that I enjoyed Bly, I am definitely looking into it.
September 25, 2021
Absolutely loved this story filled with brilliant characters and s solid plot. The workd building is phenomenal and definitely beautifully written.
Astyr is a witch and she cleanses negative energises from buildings. She's hired by a billionaire to cleanse a massive property. This story will definitely make you believe in ghosts and other entities.
I must admit, this is probably one of the best ghost story I've read in a while and highly recommend.
Astyr is a witch and she cleanses negative energises from buildings. She's hired by a billionaire to cleanse a massive property. This story will definitely make you believe in ghosts and other entities.
I must admit, this is probably one of the best ghost story I've read in a while and highly recommend.
February 18, 2022
Amazing story line. Told in nightmares and present day occurrences, this book builds up the psychological suspense and horror of possession and entrapment. As an empath and a modern day witch who practices her craft using tea and potions, Astyr has her work cut out for her when she is hired to rid the paranormal activity from a country home in Essex. Can she stop the malicious spirit in their tracks?
October 5, 2025
Astyr can see and communicate with spirits. After a traumatic experience in college, she moves to England to start over. She gets a job to try to cleanse a house of ghosts in Essex, but she will be isolated. The ghosts use her energy to bring their traumas to the surface. As they do so, Astyr's trauma is brought to light. To find the truth of what tragedies occurred, she will have to confront the evil, perverted presence located within. Can she stop the 'demon' of the house?
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November 13, 2021This is a brilliant read! It pulled me in from beginning to end and held my attention. The world building is detailed and imaginative. This novel has strong, well developed characters and an interesting story line that keeps you turning the pages. I recommend this novel and would read more novels by this author. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
February 17, 2022
This book grabbed be from page one because of how different it was from other books I've read, it is not horror, but at times it scares you, it is not fast paced but the slow pace fits the book and makes you want to know how everything is going to turn out. The element of empathy is wonderfully approached in the book
February 24, 2022
So much fun to read this! I felt like I was right there with Astyr and enjoyed every moment of the journey. The descriptions and such pulled me right into the story. There were many tunes that I just couldn’t stop reading. Thank you for writing this.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
October 12, 2025
Spectral stalking galore
I'm not sure what I expected when I opened this story. It definitely wasn't a spiritual stalker assault. I don't know what I would do in similar circumstances. Except removing myself fully from location the issue begins. Unfortunately that doesn't seem to be a good solution.
I'm not sure what I expected when I opened this story. It definitely wasn't a spiritual stalker assault. I don't know what I would do in similar circumstances. Except removing myself fully from location the issue begins. Unfortunately that doesn't seem to be a good solution.
September 14, 2021
This was an interesting read for me as I am an empath which can be very emotional and traumatic at times. So, needless to say, I related to the main character very much. That made this book even more intriguing and delightful in ways for me. It was written excellently and I highly recommend it.
October 5, 2021
A magical ghost story
Brilliantly written and thoroughly enjoyable paranormal read. Astor fled the USA for a new life but when she takes a job at Bly house to cleanse it of spirits, her past May come back to haunt her. Is she strong enough to come out the other side unscathed
Brilliantly written and thoroughly enjoyable paranormal read. Astor fled the USA for a new life but when she takes a job at Bly house to cleanse it of spirits, her past May come back to haunt her. Is she strong enough to come out the other side unscathed
September 2, 2022
Bly was a middle-of-the-road read for me. I neither adored nor loathed it.
What I liked: the characters. Each one had a little bit of 'umph' to them to make each one different, stand out, and realistic. The spookiness and overall unnaturalness surrounding Bly.
What I didn't like: the overuse of description could get annoying. The underuse of dialogue (I don't have the story next to me, but there seemed to be longed descriptive chapters where the MC is 'cleaning out bad energy/aura' and there's maybe one word spoken). Dangling threads/things left unanswered (like why was the guy who hired her so icky?--I expected him to play more of a role by the end--and there was mention of the secretary residing at Bly for a while and the MC finds that intriguing, but the interest stops there).
If you want to read a ghost story where the MC struggles to maintain her sanity and don't mind a few bumps in the road--pertaining to reading, especially understanding some of the British lingo/names for things with no explanation for Americans like me--check this out.
What I liked: the characters. Each one had a little bit of 'umph' to them to make each one different, stand out, and realistic. The spookiness and overall unnaturalness surrounding Bly.
What I didn't like: the overuse of description could get annoying. The underuse of dialogue (I don't have the story next to me, but there seemed to be longed descriptive chapters where the MC is 'cleaning out bad energy/aura' and there's maybe one word spoken). Dangling threads/things left unanswered (like why was the guy who hired her so icky?--I expected him to play more of a role by the end--and there was mention of the secretary residing at Bly for a while and the MC finds that intriguing, but the interest stops there).
If you want to read a ghost story where the MC struggles to maintain her sanity and don't mind a few bumps in the road--pertaining to reading, especially understanding some of the British lingo/names for things with no explanation for Americans like me--check this out.
October 6, 2025
I really enjoyed this authors vision of the novel The Turn of The Screw. Loved Astyr, who is an Empath and also a herbal witch, who is sent to cleanse Bly house. But certain spirits there will not go without a fight, and Astyr could be in danger...
December 31, 2021
Great Book
This book had me on pins and needles throughout its entirety. I certainly hope that this becomes a series. I’m excited to read more of this author’s books.
This book had me on pins and needles throughout its entirety. I certainly hope that this becomes a series. I’m excited to read more of this author’s books.
February 25, 2022
Paranormal elements are always a plus. This book is well written and engaging. I didn't want to stop reading. Definitely recommend this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews