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Lively Deadmarsh #1
Abandoned: Arrivals and Awakenings
From Award-winning Author, Katie Berry comes the first book in a new series, ABANDONED: A Lively Deadmarsh Novel.
On December 31st, 1981, high atop a snowy mountain peak in the rugged interior of British Columbia, Canada, ninety-eight beautiful people eat, drink, laugh and dance inside the opulent grand ballroom of The Sinclair Resort Hotel.
The clock strikes twelve, a cheer goes up and the music swells; balloons drop and streamers swirl.
Then blackness...
Fifteen seconds later, the power returns and every living soul inside the ballroom has vanished, never to be seen again.
Now, forty years later, Preternatural Investigator Lively Deadmarsh and his twin sister, Minerva, have been brought in to solve this decades-old mystery once and for all.
Should they fail, they may become part of it, forever...
"Shining-Like"
"Seriously Creepy"
"I couldn't put it down"
On December 31st, 1981, high atop a snowy mountain peak in the rugged interior of British Columbia, Canada, ninety-eight beautiful people eat, drink, laugh and dance inside the opulent grand ballroom of The Sinclair Resort Hotel.
The clock strikes twelve, a cheer goes up and the music swells; balloons drop and streamers swirl.
Then blackness...
Fifteen seconds later, the power returns and every living soul inside the ballroom has vanished, never to be seen again.
Now, forty years later, Preternatural Investigator Lively Deadmarsh and his twin sister, Minerva, have been brought in to solve this decades-old mystery once and for all.
Should they fail, they may become part of it, forever...
"Shining-Like"
"Seriously Creepy"
"I couldn't put it down"
Audio CD
Published July 20, 2021
693 people are currently reading
613 people want to read
About the author
Katie Berry
12 books134 followersKatie Berry is a Canadian Author of Thrillers.
Born and raised in Ottawa, Ontario, Katie moved west to British Columbia during a family migration that occurred during the later-half of the 20th century.
A longtime writer and voracious reader, Katie enjoys a variety of creative and recreational activities when she's not absorbed in the written word.
With many years of keyboard experience, Katie is an avid digital musician, involved in many musical theatre and stage productions in the beautiful West Kootenay region of BC over the past several years.
An eye for detail helps Katie capture many magical moments with her camera as she interprets the natural beauty of the world that surrounds her through its lens.
Always looking for something new to advance her artistic experimentation, Katie is an accomplished sketch artist. She specialises in detailed drawings of friends, family and clients, including fur-babies, such as cats, dogs and the odd ferret.
After a lifetime of experience in numerous fields of endeavour, Katie now spends her days, and most nights, doing what she loves, bringing stories alive for people who enjoy a tale where the everyday suddenly becomes something much, much more...
Born and raised in Ottawa, Ontario, Katie moved west to British Columbia during a family migration that occurred during the later-half of the 20th century.
A longtime writer and voracious reader, Katie enjoys a variety of creative and recreational activities when she's not absorbed in the written word.
With many years of keyboard experience, Katie is an avid digital musician, involved in many musical theatre and stage productions in the beautiful West Kootenay region of BC over the past several years.
An eye for detail helps Katie capture many magical moments with her camera as she interprets the natural beauty of the world that surrounds her through its lens.
Always looking for something new to advance her artistic experimentation, Katie is an accomplished sketch artist. She specialises in detailed drawings of friends, family and clients, including fur-babies, such as cats, dogs and the odd ferret.
After a lifetime of experience in numerous fields of endeavour, Katie now spends her days, and most nights, doing what she loves, bringing stories alive for people who enjoy a tale where the everyday suddenly becomes something much, much more...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
August 1, 2023
EDIT:
I just finished re-reading Abandoned, Arrivals, and Awakenings, and I must say, my opinion has evolved since my previous review. While my initial thoughts on the first two books weren't as positive as my feelings towards Katie Berry's Claw, I decided to give them another chance and complete the series with the last two books.
One of my concerns remains the book's length—it's quite short, almost like a novella. However, the fact that I can immediately delve into book 2 after finishing book 1 alleviates some frustration. The story ends on a cliffhanger, but the good news is that I won't have to wait for months to read the new book.
In my earlier reviews, I had a bit of a gripe about the interactions between the main characters, Lively and his twin sister, Minerva. I felt their conversations came across as too "nice" or polite to each other, and the playful sarcasm felt a bit forced. However, recently, I had the pleasure of meeting some Canadians and realised that perhaps that's just how they talk. Canadians are some of the nicest and most polite people I've encountered. I might have been too critical in my earlier assessment.
With these fresh perspectives, I eagerly look forward to continuing my journey with this series. It's undeniably original, and I can't wait to see how the story unfolds. There's something intriguing about the plot that keeps me hooked, and I'm excited to discover what the outcome will be.
PREVIOUS REVIEW:
I read Katie Berry’s Claw a couple of months ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. I thought it was one of the best debut novels I have ever read. I was, therefore, looking forward to ABANDONED being released on audiobook. I checked Audible regularly to see when it would become available. So imagine my delight when it was released.
I immediately downloaded the book and started listening to it. But somehow, I was not as impressed with it as I was with Claw. I wanted to rate it 3.5 stars, but when I considered my gripes with the book, I thought it would be unfair to rate it three stars, and therefore, I rounded it up to four. While the writing was still excellent, I had the following three issues with it:
1) The book was relatively short (Audible 6 hrs 23 min) whereas Claw was 14 hrs 42min. I read somewhere, though, that it is part of a four-part series. Was the story written to maximise revenue from four different books rather than two or three decent-sized novels? I don’t know, but it leaves me feeling a bit cheated. I also love “getting into” a book, which Claw allowed me to do. This book offers no possibility of that, no prolonged atmosphere being created slowly over time. Ultimately, it feels like candyfloss, pleasant but doesn’t fill my hunger. On the other hand, Claw felt like a decent man-size (may one still say that?) T-bone steak with all the trimmings.
2) Following my first gripe, the book ends on an absolute cliffhanger. It provides virtually no answers and literally ends just as a grand reveal is about to take place. This felt juvenile. For a moment, I felt I got trapped in an 80’s tv show where I have to wait an entire week for the outcome, only to be disappointed. I sincerely hope this won’t be the case with book 2 in the series.
3) The interaction between Lively and his twin sister, Minerva, irritated me. Their conversations were unnatural and immature. While it is probably supposed to come across lighthearted, it didn’t work for me. There was simply too much playful sarcasm. E.g.
a) “that is a big bingo, little sister. It is always nice to see you come up to speed like it”; or
b) “my, you are the gregarious one, friends everywhere it seems”; or
c) “Ladies first." "Thank you, but I am a liberated woman. And besides, it’s supposed to be age before beauty, big brother”. The constant reference to “little sister” and “big brother” became very annoying after a while.
Was the book awful? No, not at all! I loved the reference to It’s a Wonderful Life (1946 movie) and Vincent D’Agosta (I am a huge fan of the movie and Child and Preston’s Pendergast series). The storyline has great potential, and the setting in a snow-covered abandoned hotel is simply perfect. The rest of the writing (excluding dialogue between the twins) was superb. I loved how the story went back and forth in time, explaining certain events leading to the current reality. This book series has some excellent potential.
If Katie considered offering a bit more than basically four short stories and refine the dialogue between the twins, I would score it 5 stars. For now, I am out of here, as I need to see what Book 2 (ABANDONED: Beginnings and Betrayals) in the series has to offer. Oh, PS, Alex Knox as narrator, is brilliant.
I just finished re-reading Abandoned, Arrivals, and Awakenings, and I must say, my opinion has evolved since my previous review. While my initial thoughts on the first two books weren't as positive as my feelings towards Katie Berry's Claw, I decided to give them another chance and complete the series with the last two books.
One of my concerns remains the book's length—it's quite short, almost like a novella. However, the fact that I can immediately delve into book 2 after finishing book 1 alleviates some frustration. The story ends on a cliffhanger, but the good news is that I won't have to wait for months to read the new book.
In my earlier reviews, I had a bit of a gripe about the interactions between the main characters, Lively and his twin sister, Minerva. I felt their conversations came across as too "nice" or polite to each other, and the playful sarcasm felt a bit forced. However, recently, I had the pleasure of meeting some Canadians and realised that perhaps that's just how they talk. Canadians are some of the nicest and most polite people I've encountered. I might have been too critical in my earlier assessment.
With these fresh perspectives, I eagerly look forward to continuing my journey with this series. It's undeniably original, and I can't wait to see how the story unfolds. There's something intriguing about the plot that keeps me hooked, and I'm excited to discover what the outcome will be.
PREVIOUS REVIEW:
I read Katie Berry’s Claw a couple of months ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. I thought it was one of the best debut novels I have ever read. I was, therefore, looking forward to ABANDONED being released on audiobook. I checked Audible regularly to see when it would become available. So imagine my delight when it was released.
I immediately downloaded the book and started listening to it. But somehow, I was not as impressed with it as I was with Claw. I wanted to rate it 3.5 stars, but when I considered my gripes with the book, I thought it would be unfair to rate it three stars, and therefore, I rounded it up to four. While the writing was still excellent, I had the following three issues with it:
1) The book was relatively short (Audible 6 hrs 23 min) whereas Claw was 14 hrs 42min. I read somewhere, though, that it is part of a four-part series. Was the story written to maximise revenue from four different books rather than two or three decent-sized novels? I don’t know, but it leaves me feeling a bit cheated. I also love “getting into” a book, which Claw allowed me to do. This book offers no possibility of that, no prolonged atmosphere being created slowly over time. Ultimately, it feels like candyfloss, pleasant but doesn’t fill my hunger. On the other hand, Claw felt like a decent man-size (may one still say that?) T-bone steak with all the trimmings.
2) Following my first gripe, the book ends on an absolute cliffhanger. It provides virtually no answers and literally ends just as a grand reveal is about to take place. This felt juvenile. For a moment, I felt I got trapped in an 80’s tv show where I have to wait an entire week for the outcome, only to be disappointed. I sincerely hope this won’t be the case with book 2 in the series.
3) The interaction between Lively and his twin sister, Minerva, irritated me. Their conversations were unnatural and immature. While it is probably supposed to come across lighthearted, it didn’t work for me. There was simply too much playful sarcasm. E.g.
a) “that is a big bingo, little sister. It is always nice to see you come up to speed like it”; or
b) “my, you are the gregarious one, friends everywhere it seems”; or
c) “Ladies first." "Thank you, but I am a liberated woman. And besides, it’s supposed to be age before beauty, big brother”. The constant reference to “little sister” and “big brother” became very annoying after a while.
Was the book awful? No, not at all! I loved the reference to It’s a Wonderful Life (1946 movie) and Vincent D’Agosta (I am a huge fan of the movie and Child and Preston’s Pendergast series). The storyline has great potential, and the setting in a snow-covered abandoned hotel is simply perfect. The rest of the writing (excluding dialogue between the twins) was superb. I loved how the story went back and forth in time, explaining certain events leading to the current reality. This book series has some excellent potential.
If Katie considered offering a bit more than basically four short stories and refine the dialogue between the twins, I would score it 5 stars. For now, I am out of here, as I need to see what Book 2 (ABANDONED: Beginnings and Betrayals) in the series has to offer. Oh, PS, Alex Knox as narrator, is brilliant.
August 28, 2021
I simply cannot say how much the author, Katie Berry, has been a pleasant surprise for me. I first read Claw, and it's a prehistoric monster sets lose on a small town story. While it was simple, it was done well, thoroughly entertained.
So I decided to pick up her new series ABANDONED. A ghost, paranormal haunted hotel theme. Decades later, after the hotel has eventually been shut down. Two siblings, both with "psychic paranormal" abilities themselves, are hired to inspect it, i.e. "clear it". So it can be reopened.
This is certainly not my typical theme of book. But I gave it a shot. Turns out Katie Berry knows how to frighten even myself. I was frightened, but also excited and nervous reading it! This was unexpected for myself, to say the least.
I've seen gone on to read the second book. And no disappointments there. Unless you count having to wait until book three is finished before I can read it.
So I decided to pick up her new series ABANDONED. A ghost, paranormal haunted hotel theme. Decades later, after the hotel has eventually been shut down. Two siblings, both with "psychic paranormal" abilities themselves, are hired to inspect it, i.e. "clear it". So it can be reopened.
This is certainly not my typical theme of book. But I gave it a shot. Turns out Katie Berry knows how to frighten even myself. I was frightened, but also excited and nervous reading it! This was unexpected for myself, to say the least.
I've seen gone on to read the second book. And no disappointments there. Unless you count having to wait until book three is finished before I can read it.
September 16, 2022
Quite interesting, thrilling but a disappointing (interesting but unfulfilling ending). Felt more like the novel was just unfinished… quite obviously for next part but it just felt unfinished…. Not a good ending, nothing truly revealing happened. Just bleh in the end!
November 14, 2023
I loved the idea of this book. I also liked the back and forth between past and present with the focal point changing to the lead character for that point in time. I loved the setup of the Hotel Sinclair and the mystery surrounding it. The author does a great job of setting the scenes and giving you the creepy vibes. Now for the “but”, I couldn’t get a grip on what Lively was actually tasked with doing.
The two main characters Lively and Minerva as siblings their dialogue is totally unrealistic. They never seem to really take the situation seriously and are constantly being sarcastic with each other that just doesn’t fit with the climate of the rest of the story. It made their relationship come off as weird and not in a good way.
The author spends a lot of time on descriptions and only giving you part of the information in short bursts. The story just ends which is nothing but annoying as the book wasn’t good enough for me to immediately pick up and read the next one.
The narrator is great. I really liked the narration and with the back and forth between time periods I never felt lost with who was speaking and what timeframe we were in.
The two main characters Lively and Minerva as siblings their dialogue is totally unrealistic. They never seem to really take the situation seriously and are constantly being sarcastic with each other that just doesn’t fit with the climate of the rest of the story. It made their relationship come off as weird and not in a good way.
The author spends a lot of time on descriptions and only giving you part of the information in short bursts. The story just ends which is nothing but annoying as the book wasn’t good enough for me to immediately pick up and read the next one.
The narrator is great. I really liked the narration and with the back and forth between time periods I never felt lost with who was speaking and what timeframe we were in.
September 15, 2021
The mystery is captivating enough, and the chapters that focus on the past are engaging and well written. My 2 stars are the result of the main characters, Lively and Minerva. There's a lot of details missing about their lives and personalities, and there's a lot of random information that gets thrown in as well. Most importantly, their dialogue consists of one-liners and quips. It felt unnatural in light of the circumstances they were in and also completely takes you out of the ambiance of the creepy hotel. They're just extremely one-dimensional and stereotypical "mystery-solver" characters, which made me hate the chapters they were in. I also really disliked the focus on their attractiveness, particularly Minerva's. it felt very irrelevant and cheesy.
December 31, 2024
I found this series on cloudLibrary as an audiobook through my public library, so I'm excited to finally find a horror series that also coincides with the New Year - how seasonal appropriate! I thought the premise sounded incredibly intriguing and mysterious, and so far, my opinion hasn't changed. There have also been a few good creepy scenes. If I have one gripe, it's with Lively and Minerva's relationship. They have an odd dynamic for siblings. They're very silly, almost flirty, with each other even though they're full-grown adults in their 40s, and Readers should recognize the series for what it is - these are novellas so they're perfect for listening to while doing work/cleaning, etc., as pure quick, entertainment. These are not meant to go super in-depth into of any of the characters or backstories. Looking forward to #2!
December 3, 2023
Twisty and Fun!!
So I really enjoyed this one! It has many of the elements that I enjoy in a story: unexpected twists, lots of mysterious stuff going on and tons of secrets. This story did not bore me at all and in fact the further I read the better & more mysterious it got! And then that got my brain clicking, thinking.
The author also created a greatly detailed history of the huge hotel in here. Parts of the story certainly read like a ghost story ..... But is it? Only time will tell.
The largest mystery in here of course happened in the ballroom on New Years Eve just as the clock was striking midnight. All of those people vanishing in 15 seconds! Where did they go? How did they disappear? The thing is no one knows! Plus others have vanished too!!
But Lively and his twin sister are on the case. Will they solve it? They both do a lot of shopping and make some startling discoveries! But the more they discovered the more questions I had. And I still haven't decided what had happened to those people!
I will definitely read book #2!
In many ways this story reminds me of "14".
So I really enjoyed this one! It has many of the elements that I enjoy in a story: unexpected twists, lots of mysterious stuff going on and tons of secrets. This story did not bore me at all and in fact the further I read the better & more mysterious it got! And then that got my brain clicking, thinking.
The author also created a greatly detailed history of the huge hotel in here. Parts of the story certainly read like a ghost story ..... But is it? Only time will tell.
The largest mystery in here of course happened in the ballroom on New Years Eve just as the clock was striking midnight. All of those people vanishing in 15 seconds! Where did they go? How did they disappear? The thing is no one knows! Plus others have vanished too!!
But Lively and his twin sister are on the case. Will they solve it? They both do a lot of shopping and make some startling discoveries! But the more they discovered the more questions I had. And I still haven't decided what had happened to those people!
I will definitely read book #2!
In many ways this story reminds me of "14".
September 15, 2024
Stupid people making stupid decisions in every possible way doesn't make a 4 Star book, it makes a person dumber listening to it. Layers of stories some actually interesting none followed through on like real thought out characters would do. Stupid end point, no urge to find out what happens, I'll just imagine all the characters are sucked into the vortex.
February 14, 2022
What a fun read!!!!
August 2, 2025
I'm laughing as I add this Abandoned series book to my, "Abandoned series" bookshelf because ironically that is exactly what I will be doing with this series. I don't care about the characters, I don't care what happens, I just want this out of my life. I thought the terrible self-banter would end once the first MC met up with his sister but alas, it just got twice as bad! I'm not sticking around for this.
NEXT!
NEXT!
March 18, 2021
This came across by FB page, so I decided to venture in as new authors are always a good idea to check out.
Not disappointed, the main character Lively Deadmarsh is witty, snarky and fearless; he is someone whose company I would seek out in the real world. I would enjoy his company, I did enjoy his company. Minerva balances him out nicely; they have a very endearing twin relationship and each one enjoys the other's company ever so much.
Now onto the next most important character of the book. We enter and meet the Sinclair Resort Hotel. The Sinclair is as much a living breathing character in this story as is the RCMP whom you meet at the start. Inspector John Harder arrives to try to fathom where a room full of revealers disappeared and it just becomes more intriguing as you move along the story line. I will let you find out more on his dilemma on your own.
The author moves back in forth through different time frames giving you a very in depth knowledge of the history of the Sinclair Resort Hotel which defies all the normal things one would expect from any Hotel. While she does this you get to meet more intriguing members of the cast, all of which will peak your curiosity as you get just enough to tease and draw you in but not so much that you are satisfied.
This Hotel you will find has a living heart and a mind of its own, unfortunately you will have to wait for the next installment to learn more about how she came to be born into the world.
I recommend you venture into this adventure, for who out there does not enjoy a good tale where the house is the main character.
To the author thank you for sharing your wonderful imagination.
Not disappointed, the main character Lively Deadmarsh is witty, snarky and fearless; he is someone whose company I would seek out in the real world. I would enjoy his company, I did enjoy his company. Minerva balances him out nicely; they have a very endearing twin relationship and each one enjoys the other's company ever so much.
Now onto the next most important character of the book. We enter and meet the Sinclair Resort Hotel. The Sinclair is as much a living breathing character in this story as is the RCMP whom you meet at the start. Inspector John Harder arrives to try to fathom where a room full of revealers disappeared and it just becomes more intriguing as you move along the story line. I will let you find out more on his dilemma on your own.
The author moves back in forth through different time frames giving you a very in depth knowledge of the history of the Sinclair Resort Hotel which defies all the normal things one would expect from any Hotel. While she does this you get to meet more intriguing members of the cast, all of which will peak your curiosity as you get just enough to tease and draw you in but not so much that you are satisfied.
This Hotel you will find has a living heart and a mind of its own, unfortunately you will have to wait for the next installment to learn more about how she came to be born into the world.
I recommend you venture into this adventure, for who out there does not enjoy a good tale where the house is the main character.
To the author thank you for sharing your wonderful imagination.
July 9, 2021
Abandoned
By chance I picked this book up for a quick read. It held my interest from the start. This has to be part of a series! I recommend this book to all, with a good imagination.
By chance I picked this book up for a quick read. It held my interest from the start. This has to be part of a series! I recommend this book to all, with a good imagination.
June 11, 2021
Loved it, can’t wait to read the next one :)
September 16, 2021
On New Year’s Eve in 1981, a total of 98 star-studded people disappeared while inside the infamous Sinclair Resort Hotel. Gone. Without a trace. On the 40th anniversary, Lively Deadmarsh and his twin sister, Minerva have been hired to solve the mystery. Together with their preternatural skills, they begin to get a glimpse into the secrets of the hotel.
Katie Berry, the author, does an excellent job of creating a horror novel complete with a creepy location, terrifying situations, and enough paranormal mystery based on past experiences (aka Roanoke) that she had me at 30 seconds! She tells the story with rich and vivid details. She is masterful at character development – the descriptions of the mysterious old men … perfect! Just when you think you know where the story is going, she does a plot twist, and you don’t see it coming. Each character is carefully developed, holding back just enough information to get you hooked before revealing who they really are and their role in the story. The dialog was smooth, keeping with the story. The interaction between the brother and sister was realistic and natural sounding.
The narrator, Alex Knox does an excellent job of portraying the characters and keeping the story moving along with his cultured voices. He uses unique voices to help keep the listener engaged and clear. His pronunciation is clear and varies in pitch according to what is going on. I enjoyed his performance.
This book ends with a cliffhanger and while one could probably imagine an ending for it, don’t! Berry, I suspect, will surprise you and provide a more riveting end than one you might be prepared for!
I listened to this via the audiobooks.com app on my iPhone. There were some issues, but I suspect it was more from the app than from any poor production quality or error.
Disclaimer: This Audiobook was provided free of charge by the author, narrator, and/or publisher in exchange for a non-bias, honest review.
Katie Berry, the author, does an excellent job of creating a horror novel complete with a creepy location, terrifying situations, and enough paranormal mystery based on past experiences (aka Roanoke) that she had me at 30 seconds! She tells the story with rich and vivid details. She is masterful at character development – the descriptions of the mysterious old men … perfect! Just when you think you know where the story is going, she does a plot twist, and you don’t see it coming. Each character is carefully developed, holding back just enough information to get you hooked before revealing who they really are and their role in the story. The dialog was smooth, keeping with the story. The interaction between the brother and sister was realistic and natural sounding.
The narrator, Alex Knox does an excellent job of portraying the characters and keeping the story moving along with his cultured voices. He uses unique voices to help keep the listener engaged and clear. His pronunciation is clear and varies in pitch according to what is going on. I enjoyed his performance.
This book ends with a cliffhanger and while one could probably imagine an ending for it, don’t! Berry, I suspect, will surprise you and provide a more riveting end than one you might be prepared for!
I listened to this via the audiobooks.com app on my iPhone. There were some issues, but I suspect it was more from the app than from any poor production quality or error.
Disclaimer: This Audiobook was provided free of charge by the author, narrator, and/or publisher in exchange for a non-bias, honest review.
November 20, 2021
Atmospheric paranormal suspense
I love stories of beautiful, yet abandoned, buildings, and the Sinclair Resort delivers. The author builds suspense and delivers on scares, but cleverly doesn’t show us too much, allowing us to imagine instead what could possibly make those heavy thumping sounds gaining speed on the fleeing protagonist who barely shuts and locks the massive door before Something rams into it, splintering wood, rattling frame, caving in a portion of the thick portal.
I love stories of beautiful, yet abandoned, buildings, and the Sinclair Resort delivers. The author builds suspense and delivers on scares, but cleverly doesn’t show us too much, allowing us to imagine instead what could possibly make those heavy thumping sounds gaining speed on the fleeing protagonist who barely shuts and locks the massive door before Something rams into it, splintering wood, rattling frame, caving in a portion of the thick portal.
August 29, 2021
Mountain top mystery resort
I couldn't put this book down. Looking so forward to book 2. The castle resort has so many secrets, hidden passage ways, oddities, and time jumps, that you are left with an eerie excitement of "what's next?" The comedic banter between the brother and sister, keeps things from getting to nerve racking.
I couldn't put this book down. Looking so forward to book 2. The castle resort has so many secrets, hidden passage ways, oddities, and time jumps, that you are left with an eerie excitement of "what's next?" The comedic banter between the brother and sister, keeps things from getting to nerve racking.
May 13, 2021
Great read
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I don’t usually like books that go back and forth in time but this time it was very good. I did like the name of Vincent. It made me wonder if the writer is a Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child fan?
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I don’t usually like books that go back and forth in time but this time it was very good. I did like the name of Vincent. It made me wonder if the writer is a Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child fan?
April 16, 2021
Fun read with plenty of interesting situations.
Found this an enjoyable read with lots of mystery to keep the interest. Fun backstory to carry the reader along.
Found this an enjoyable read with lots of mystery to keep the interest. Fun backstory to carry the reader along.
July 18, 2021
Abandoned
It was a great read. I loved how it kept going back and forth to past and present. I hope we find out what happened to all the missing people not just the ones at the ball. Looking forward to next book
It was a great read. I loved how it kept going back and forth to past and present. I hope we find out what happened to all the missing people not just the ones at the ball. Looking forward to next book
September 1, 2021
Very enjoyable read. Looking forward to book 2 and finding out what happens next:)
January 15, 2022
Best series I've read in a long time. Love that the setting is British Columbia, Canada and a creepy resort. Buy the whole series... I just finished book two and it will be torture waiting for book 3 to arrive!
April 6, 2021
I LIKED this book.
Katie Berry gives a slow informed look into what’s going on.
It is great to be a spectator with none of the actual fear.
The next book is on my to do list!
Katie Berry gives a slow informed look into what’s going on.
It is great to be a spectator with none of the actual fear.
The next book is on my to do list!
May 16, 2024
Good start to a new series, but wish more had happened before leaving it on a cliffhanger. It was giving me Twilight Zone Tower of Terror vibes. The relationship between the twins seems weird though, they act more like 12-year olds with each other than 40 year olds. Also... someone had personal internet in 1982?? Hmm. Still though, looking forward to the next to see what the explanation is.
June 21, 2024
Absolutely phenomenal book! Will definitely be reading the rest of the series!
The Shining meets Salems Lot, Haunting of Hill House and the Twilight Zone.
The Shining meets Salems Lot, Haunting of Hill House and the Twilight Zone.
December 7, 2021
Very interesting
From page one you are hooked! Love how the twins work! You won't want to put it down! Starting #2
From page one you are hooked! Love how the twins work! You won't want to put it down! Starting #2
March 4, 2021
Wow
Absolutely loved this book. I came across this author’s books by chance and I have read all her books to date and loved them all.
This book is really well written and very creepy. Kept me on edge throughout. Can’t wait for the continuation of this story and the rest of this author’s books. Definitely recommend.
Absolutely loved this book. I came across this author’s books by chance and I have read all her books to date and loved them all.
This book is really well written and very creepy. Kept me on edge throughout. Can’t wait for the continuation of this story and the rest of this author’s books. Definitely recommend.
May 12, 2022
I started this new series because I read that it was a disapearance that couldn't be solved of 92 people. I enjoyed it and have already ordered 2 and 3 on my kindle. But, I can't find the 4th and final book. I hope by the time I'm done with 3, it will be available on my Kindle.
August 6, 2022
Ghost stories are always the best for me when they feel cold. I don’t mean in the sense of being emotionally cold, Katie Berry’s writing would never! I mean in the way that when I read one I want to feel chilled, I want to be under five blankets with three cats sitting on me. Abandoned made me feel like I was Kurt Russel sitting outside at the end of The Thing just taking a load of after Childs turned into a weird monster and scuttled off(trust me, this happens while the credits are going). If you’ve read Claw, you know Berry has a knack for writing her snow covered settings that make you think you need a blanket in July. This is no different, the setting here feels like freezing cold isolation. The supernatural in Abandoned is written so carefully that it never feels over done. It’s there just enough to keep you chilled while you read a mystery spanned across three timelines. Cold setting, eerie scenes, fantastic characters; total banger. K thx.
January 30, 2024
I have some major beefs with this novel, the first of four. I am not going to read the remaining three novels even though the first (and second, according to my husband) end with big cliff-hangers that beg to be resolved. And this is why: first, the protagonist investigators, Lively and his sister, Minerva, don't talk to one another, they joke, they quip and they tease. Constantly. There is rarely a moment of conversation or internal commentary that is not some attempt at humor. They do not think or sound like adults, but rather like precocious young teens pretending to be grown-ups. They take ridiculous risks, lightly and off-handedly, as if there is no chance they will be hurt. They exhibit no empathy for the victims of possible supernatural behavior. They arrive at a haunted hotel where they are the only people present. Yet they awaken to cooked breakfasts and don't seem at all suspicious or concerned. These characters are what a thirteen year old imagines an adult to be. Second, the story tells us about strange events, but does not actually let us experience them through the narrative. Third, a great amount of narrative describes past events but during the exploration of the hotel itself, the narrative speeds along without setting the stage for understanding the disappearance of 98 people, which is one of the primary reasons for the investigation. Great premise. Bad writing. Bad editing.
June 2, 2023
I am a sucker for horror in snowy, seclude places and thus I found this book. What I didn't expect, was to be totally enthralled with all the characters (past and present) and all their stories (usually with back stories there are a couple that I skim through to get to the "real" story), so I didn't want to miss a thing. References to famous people (Max), old candy bars etc, and local stuff, thrilled me. This went in an unexpected direction and I loved this book soooo much, can't wait to read more. Hurry up Katie, get on it.
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