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Haunt: A supernatural horror novel
Some new beginnings are really dead ends
Virginia, 1978
The Stewart family is imploding.
Mae's a fundamentalist Christian, Pete's an atheist, and together they're raising three very confused little girls.
In a last-ditch effort to save their marriage, they move their growing family into a brand-new home in a brand-new subdivision, hoping for a brand-new start.
Instead, they come to the creeping realization that they're not alone in their new house. For something malevolent walks alongside them feeding off their trauma, feasting on their fears, and amplifying their worst impulses.
Pete's in denial, but Mae understands the truth...
...It's after their children
Virginia, 1978
The Stewart family is imploding.
Mae's a fundamentalist Christian, Pete's an atheist, and together they're raising three very confused little girls.
In a last-ditch effort to save their marriage, they move their growing family into a brand-new home in a brand-new subdivision, hoping for a brand-new start.
Instead, they come to the creeping realization that they're not alone in their new house. For something malevolent walks alongside them feeding off their trauma, feasting on their fears, and amplifying their worst impulses.
Pete's in denial, but Mae understands the truth...
...It's after their children
460 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 16, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 9, 2020
This reminded me of Amityville Horror where a family moves into a haunted house and the father starts acting scary. In this case, its the late 1970s, Pete is already an abusive man, heavy drinker who bullies his wife and daughters. He sinks all their money into the worse house in a newer subdivision, that turns out to be haunted and down the street from a small, very old cemetery. Mae, is pregnant with their 4th child, attends a church that forbids going against the husband's wishes, and gives her very little support or guidance. She begins to realize that things are escalating in the house, her children are not safe from Pete or whatever is happening around them. They are being traumatized. Pete is losing his mind and they desperately need help. Things can't get any worse, until they do. A good scary read, albeit, not with many surprises.
September 7, 2020
G
It kept me jumping in daylight hours. I enjoyed it and I am going to search more from this author
It kept me jumping in daylight hours. I enjoyed it and I am going to search more from this author
October 16, 2020
Very spooky
Best book I've read in years .it made the hair stand up on my arms and neck.I don't scare easy but this book did it.
Best book I've read in years .it made the hair stand up on my arms and neck.I don't scare easy but this book did it.
January 10, 2021
Loved this book!!!
Could not out this book down!! New author for me, and cannot wait to read more from her. Cannot recommend this book enough!
Could not out this book down!! New author for me, and cannot wait to read more from her. Cannot recommend this book enough!
June 19, 2021
I what makes this book so good is how real it fits. I must admit, this is outside my usually reading wheelhouse, but I feel the way that the family dynamic is portrayed on it's own is extremely helpful to showcase just how terrifying and complicated abusive situations can be, even further complicated by the interactions outside of the family. To see the ways the family would turn on or hurt each other, sometimes in self-defense, sometimes unintentionally, seemed so real, as did the development of each character, and their relationships with each other.
It's hard enough to see the family in this situation, but it's definitely further complicated by the haunting and the father's unbelief. Even as a Christian, I tend to be really dismissive of spiritual aspects of life. I've even done so to my friends. While it's hard to see how the fathers denial and rationalization makes his family unsafe, even making the girls sleep by themselves just so they can, "grow up," it really forces me to look at ways that I've done the same thing.
Overall, I think that reading this book wasn't merely entertaining. I think it was honestly helpful for helping me understand how my faith and biases can harm others, how relationships can be hard yet still really complicated, and how real miracles and spiritual forces can be. I honestly think it was a significant story that was masterfully written.
Also, the faith aspect is really helpful to see. There's just so many dimensions in here that help to start a prompt a discussion of faith, from angels to demons, possession and unexplained events. Even the level of, honestly, spiritual abuse that the family suffers from church members is hard to read. But, I think it's helpful because there's few examples I can remember of media where spiritual forces exist, but the spiritual authorities aren't always or nearly right.
It's hard enough to see the family in this situation, but it's definitely further complicated by the haunting and the father's unbelief. Even as a Christian, I tend to be really dismissive of spiritual aspects of life. I've even done so to my friends. While it's hard to see how the fathers denial and rationalization makes his family unsafe, even making the girls sleep by themselves just so they can, "grow up," it really forces me to look at ways that I've done the same thing.
Overall, I think that reading this book wasn't merely entertaining. I think it was honestly helpful for helping me understand how my faith and biases can harm others, how relationships can be hard yet still really complicated, and how real miracles and spiritual forces can be. I honestly think it was a significant story that was masterfully written.
Also, the faith aspect is really helpful to see. There's just so many dimensions in here that help to start a prompt a discussion of faith, from angels to demons, possession and unexplained events. Even the level of, honestly, spiritual abuse that the family suffers from church members is hard to read. But, I think it's helpful because there's few examples I can remember of media where spiritual forces exist, but the spiritual authorities aren't always or nearly right.
March 10, 2021
Fanatically religious
I rebuke this book in the mighty name of Jesus. If you read Haunted you get the reference. If you haven't read it I wouldn't bother to try it. It's not easy for me to be too critical of Haunted because I am a religious person myself. But this story just pounds religion you. There are characters who speak in tongues, perform exorcism and even make Biblical type prophecies.
There are some creepy moments but many of them involve a seriously deranged father who brutalizes his daughters to the point where it becomes sickening. The mother is always rebuking him in the name of Jesus but she is also an abused wonam who to stop the abuse.
Then she turns up pregnant and all the husband can do is demand she get an abortion. Yes, he is one sweetheart of a man.
Eventually the whole becomes a mess. That is not helped one bit by a long epilogue which . . . well I won't spoil it but it's syrupy enough to give you diabetes. By that time you just want to get to the end.
All in all the book had some good moments but it becomes too long and drawn out and it is not a satisfying experience.
I rebuke this book in the mighty name of Jesus. If you read Haunted you get the reference. If you haven't read it I wouldn't bother to try it. It's not easy for me to be too critical of Haunted because I am a religious person myself. But this story just pounds religion you. There are characters who speak in tongues, perform exorcism and even make Biblical type prophecies.
There are some creepy moments but many of them involve a seriously deranged father who brutalizes his daughters to the point where it becomes sickening. The mother is always rebuking him in the name of Jesus but she is also an abused wonam who to stop the abuse.
Then she turns up pregnant and all the husband can do is demand she get an abortion. Yes, he is one sweetheart of a man.
Eventually the whole becomes a mess. That is not helped one bit by a long epilogue which . . . well I won't spoil it but it's syrupy enough to give you diabetes. By that time you just want to get to the end.
All in all the book had some good moments but it becomes too long and drawn out and it is not a satisfying experience.
October 12, 2024
A great haunted house story!
This book was amazing to read and hard to put down! It’s definitely a good haunted house story! All of the scares and terrors are real. Some parts of it were really scary! I really felt for the children going through so much horrifying terror from the ghosts and demons haunting the house. Their mother was right to use her religion to fight them with. The father drinking so much only made the hauntings worse; ghosts will latch on to vulnerable people and make them much worse. The ending was something I could relate to, as my sisters and I also once lived in a haunted house! This story is written so well and I really enjoyed reading it.
This book was amazing to read and hard to put down! It’s definitely a good haunted house story! All of the scares and terrors are real. Some parts of it were really scary! I really felt for the children going through so much horrifying terror from the ghosts and demons haunting the house. Their mother was right to use her religion to fight them with. The father drinking so much only made the hauntings worse; ghosts will latch on to vulnerable people and make them much worse. The ending was something I could relate to, as my sisters and I also once lived in a haunted house! This story is written so well and I really enjoyed reading it.
June 9, 2022
Great page turner!!!!!!
It read so well! Not a moment of discontent. I love how they brought the Spiritual of the Word of GOD and true discernment of good and evil. And showing you all that cries Lord is not necessarily from the/of LORD!!! The inner workings of family that if unevenly yolk in their family can be open door to evil to dwell amongst you. Read the Word for yourself and ask for discernment and stay prayerfully and watch. I can read this again. Good for a movie script!! Good writing!
It read so well! Not a moment of discontent. I love how they brought the Spiritual of the Word of GOD and true discernment of good and evil. And showing you all that cries Lord is not necessarily from the/of LORD!!! The inner workings of family that if unevenly yolk in their family can be open door to evil to dwell amongst you. Read the Word for yourself and ask for discernment and stay prayerfully and watch. I can read this again. Good for a movie script!! Good writing!
December 25, 2024
I finished this book yesterday and I’m still not sure how to feel about it. The epilogue highlighted that the girls ended up okay, thank god, but the entire book was so tense. I would say that this is probably the most detailed portrayal of child abuse I have ever read. Hundreds of pages outlined incidents of abuse, racism, and distressing family dysfunction. I’m shocked that I got through this book honestly.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 8, 2022
This book was amazing. The detail with the 70s is spot on. If you were a kid in the 70's chances are you will relate to this story. It is a page turner and I could hardly put it down. This is a new author that I will definitely be following. Very talented.
July 16, 2025
This book was literally a panic attack the entire way through. However, I felt like the plot dragged on and the ending was a bit cliche. Definitely fits into the 70’s southern religious horror subgenre.
March 3, 2022
Not what I expected sadly
Could have had more information about the ghosts and demons . there were to much details about the characters and not enough about the " hauntings".
Could have had more information about the ghosts and demons . there were to much details about the characters and not enough about the " hauntings".
March 15, 2022
Great Book
I really enjoyed this book. However, it would have been nice to get a back story on the demons and how the house came to be haunted. All in all, it was a easy to read fast paced book! I will read more from this author.
I really enjoyed this book. However, it would have been nice to get a back story on the demons and how the house came to be haunted. All in all, it was a easy to read fast paced book! I will read more from this author.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews