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Awake in the Night
Jessica and Nicole think they’ve finally found their dream house by the sea in the West of Ireland. 17 Montpellier Street has history, character… and so many rooms you could easily lose your way, if you don’t tread carefully.
It has memories, too - so many memories. The new owners haven’t learned them yet. But the girls who lived there decades before, when the church used Montpellier Street to hide away its secrets - they’ve never forgotten.
The ones who survived, anyway.
Montpellier Street remembers every one of the horrors those girls suffered at the hands of the priests, nuns and doctors who should have been their carers. And Jess and Nicole… they’re about to start reliving them, night after night.
Sleep may never come easily again.
It has memories, too - so many memories. The new owners haven’t learned them yet. But the girls who lived there decades before, when the church used Montpellier Street to hide away its secrets - they’ve never forgotten.
The ones who survived, anyway.
Montpellier Street remembers every one of the horrors those girls suffered at the hands of the priests, nuns and doctors who should have been their carers. And Jess and Nicole… they’re about to start reliving them, night after night.
Sleep may never come easily again.
240 pages, Paperback
Published November 24, 2022
57 people are currently reading
4724 people want to read
About the author
Shauna Mc Eleney
3 books54 followersShauna Mc Eleney is an Irish writer and Awake in the Night is her debut novel.
When she's not reading or writing she enjoys painting and making strange things out of clay.
Shauna's second novel, Where the Bluebells Lie, is coming soon.
When she's not reading or writing she enjoys painting and making strange things out of clay.
Shauna's second novel, Where the Bluebells Lie, is coming soon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
September 11, 2023
Dark, thrilling, bloody, creepy at times, but so emotional.
I cried 😂
Manages to perfectly balance the dark and the light. I highlighted so many passages because they were so tender, beautiful, raw, and just evoked so much emotion from me.
Also features very short chapters and jumps back and forth in time in a way that made it very easy to pick up and put down, but also made it easy to binge like 100 pages in one sitting.
A new favorite.
I cried 😂
Manages to perfectly balance the dark and the light. I highlighted so many passages because they were so tender, beautiful, raw, and just evoked so much emotion from me.
Also features very short chapters and jumps back and forth in time in a way that made it very easy to pick up and put down, but also made it easy to binge like 100 pages in one sitting.
A new favorite.
January 13, 2024
Awake in the Night is a fun, dark ghost story told over two time periods in the same house. The first three quarters of the book was stellar but the last felt rushed for me. I wished the twist wasn't quite so hurried through. It ended up a bit anti-climatic. But I still really enjoyed it, and will definitely pick up MeEleney's next book.
April 13, 2023
Kindle Unlimited.
Keep the tissues handy for this absolute thriller of a horror story! It's confronting and raw, with ghostly paranormal elements, and twists that will shock you.
The atmosphere is creepy and intriguing. Be warned there is blood and gore. Traumatic things that happen. It's basically got everything you could expect from a story in this genre!
The characters really tug at your heart. I wouldn't particularly call this a happy story, with a happy ending, but it's a complete tale with a satisfying end.
I'd recommend checking it out on KU if this genre is something you're into.
Keep the tissues handy for this absolute thriller of a horror story! It's confronting and raw, with ghostly paranormal elements, and twists that will shock you.
The atmosphere is creepy and intriguing. Be warned there is blood and gore. Traumatic things that happen. It's basically got everything you could expect from a story in this genre!
The characters really tug at your heart. I wouldn't particularly call this a happy story, with a happy ending, but it's a complete tale with a satisfying end.
I'd recommend checking it out on KU if this genre is something you're into.
August 9, 2024
I feel like we got a lot of build up for the 50s' timeline and the payoff was not as good as it could have been and the "present day" timeline needed more space for the build up to the big payoff. My enjoyment of this book also suffered from how I kept comparing it to other books that explored similar ideas plot points and from my deep hatred of the trope (even though at least here it was actually pretty well used as in it wasn't actually ALL) so maybe I'm being a bit overly harsh.
August 2, 2023
Wonderful first novel by a young author. Young married couple excitedly buys an old, large and mysterious home that they plan to live in forever. The house came with a history that gradually revealed itself through encounters with spirits still attached to the home. One very positive thing was that the house came with a charming and helpful neighbor right next door. Imaginative.
My thanks to the author, Shauna Mc Eleney, for my ebook and to Goodreads Giveaways who facilitated my receiving it.
My thanks to the author, Shauna Mc Eleney, for my ebook and to Goodreads Giveaways who facilitated my receiving it.
November 28, 2022
Our lives are made up of threads and stories. It’s what makes us unashamedly us. We must roll with the dice, there are going to be good times and bad. We’ll meet people who enrich us and people that will leave us with a bad taste in our mouths. We all experience these moments, and it is with that that we leave ties, invisible bonds that make us who we are.
Awake in the Night was told in the dual POV of Nicole and Grace, the past and the present colliding with the impact of a supernova. Nicole and her partner, Jess, moved into a beautiful home on Montpellier Street in County Galway. It’s everything they’ve dreamed of and worked for, and they are looking forward to making new memories. Nicole is a woman, a wife, a sister, and a daughter. She has stories of her own she just needs to have the space to feel them and release them. Grace is a young woman, and her story is told in during the year 1955. She also experiences life in 17 Montpellier Street, but from a very different side of the coin. I didn’t know where this narrative would lead me – we witnessed depravity, cruelty and the treatment of mental health conditions as of that time was horrendously outdated. I was livid with the treatment of those girls. Meeting their next-door neighbour, Susan is when the story really gets its wings and flies.
How do the two timelines meet? How do the two intermingle and meet in the present? Will 17 Montpellier reveal its secrets to Nicole and Jess?
Nicole experiences visitations from a few spirits. It quite rightly scares the living crap out of her. I thought for a ghost story it was starting out quite tame, boy was I wrong? These scenes played out in my head like a nightmarish loop. My assessment was a mistake! Shauna McEleney really had me fooled! This slow-paced novel suddenly felt like I’d been pushed into a dark pool, the water ready to swallow me whole. Every kick I made was fruitless, the current was determined to take me.
The pieces of the puzzle came together, and I believe my brain left my body. It made me question my doubts and my suspicions. So many layers came together in one beautiful moment that I was genuinely taken aback by the magic of McEleney’s narrative.
McEleney spins a tale of revenge, pain, and grief and does it so eloquently. As we all know revenge takes its own path, its own destination. Evil stains life into a twisted thread of despair. And Awake in the Night highlights that with crystal clear authority.
Awake in the Night was told in the dual POV of Nicole and Grace, the past and the present colliding with the impact of a supernova. Nicole and her partner, Jess, moved into a beautiful home on Montpellier Street in County Galway. It’s everything they’ve dreamed of and worked for, and they are looking forward to making new memories. Nicole is a woman, a wife, a sister, and a daughter. She has stories of her own she just needs to have the space to feel them and release them. Grace is a young woman, and her story is told in during the year 1955. She also experiences life in 17 Montpellier Street, but from a very different side of the coin. I didn’t know where this narrative would lead me – we witnessed depravity, cruelty and the treatment of mental health conditions as of that time was horrendously outdated. I was livid with the treatment of those girls. Meeting their next-door neighbour, Susan is when the story really gets its wings and flies.
How do the two timelines meet? How do the two intermingle and meet in the present? Will 17 Montpellier reveal its secrets to Nicole and Jess?
Nicole experiences visitations from a few spirits. It quite rightly scares the living crap out of her. I thought for a ghost story it was starting out quite tame, boy was I wrong? These scenes played out in my head like a nightmarish loop. My assessment was a mistake! Shauna McEleney really had me fooled! This slow-paced novel suddenly felt like I’d been pushed into a dark pool, the water ready to swallow me whole. Every kick I made was fruitless, the current was determined to take me.
The pieces of the puzzle came together, and I believe my brain left my body. It made me question my doubts and my suspicions. So many layers came together in one beautiful moment that I was genuinely taken aback by the magic of McEleney’s narrative.
McEleney spins a tale of revenge, pain, and grief and does it so eloquently. As we all know revenge takes its own path, its own destination. Evil stains life into a twisted thread of despair. And Awake in the Night highlights that with crystal clear authority.
April 29, 2023
I don’t know why this book doesn’t get more attention. It’s beautifully written, intense and made me cry because of the heartbreaking and interesting storylines. One taking place 1955 and the other 2018. They both come together nicely at the end.
Even in all the heartbreak the strength of women shines through in the storylines.
Wonderful MCs and second characters round up a fantastic book. Please read it. Highly recommend.
I’m looking forward to new books from Shauna in the future.
Thank you Kaitlyn for the rec. I’m now officially in the T. C. Parker and Shauna MC Elenay fanclub (member No. 2) You’re our fanclub leader and member No. 1 naturally 😂
Even in all the heartbreak the strength of women shines through in the storylines.
Wonderful MCs and second characters round up a fantastic book. Please read it. Highly recommend.
I’m looking forward to new books from Shauna in the future.
Thank you Kaitlyn for the rec. I’m now officially in the T. C. Parker and Shauna MC Elenay fanclub (member No. 2) You’re our fanclub leader and member No. 1 naturally 😂
November 25, 2022
A really strong debut from Shauna Mc Eleney. I’ll definitely be reading her next book! Ghost stories have a habit of letting me down, but Awake in the Night was everything I’d wanted from a ghost story and then some. For a page count of less than 300, there’s a lot packed into it, making for a fast-paced read that I’d have devoured in a single sitting if I’d had the time.
Initially, I felt like things were happening too fast and that I needed more build-up and character development to really feel the tension of the haunting. I can safely say that I was wrong. The story moved fast, but there was so much going on with dual story arcs that were skillfully interconnected in a way that kept me interested and guessing the whole way through. I thought the foreshadowing was all done very well, with a lot of clever twists – though, again, I thought that one particular aspect was foreshadowed a bit heavy-handedly, but the way it resolved, in the end, was just perfect – and so, again, I was wrong.
There are two main perspectives throughout the story – Nicole and Grace – with a few sections written from the POV of side characters. Both of the MCs were well-written, and though Nicole had me a bit put off to begin with, it quickly became clear why and she grew on me quite a lot by the end. My favourite character was absolutely nosey neighbor Susan; she added the perfect amount of humor to balance the really dark and heavy parts of the book – I’d love an old Irish lady like her living next door, please and thanks! The relationships and friendships that each MC developed were quite heartwarming, and I think that really served to amplify the emotions evoked while reading it; knowing that the atrocious acts of abuse, neglect, and violence depicted were based on real events is both infuriating and heartbreaking. This one had me feeling a whole lot of emotions that I don’t normally feel for books like this, and I love that.
I highly recommend reading Awake in the Night, but do mind the content warnings at the beginning because this book definitely hits on some hard topics. I went in for a sapphic ghost story, but ended up with something so much darker, more complex, and also somehow sweeter than I’d expected. I’ll definitely be reading this again and getting a physical copy if I can!
Thanks so much to Shauna Mc Eleney for providing me with an ARC! This is a voluntary and honest review.
Initially, I felt like things were happening too fast and that I needed more build-up and character development to really feel the tension of the haunting. I can safely say that I was wrong. The story moved fast, but there was so much going on with dual story arcs that were skillfully interconnected in a way that kept me interested and guessing the whole way through. I thought the foreshadowing was all done very well, with a lot of clever twists – though, again, I thought that one particular aspect was foreshadowed a bit heavy-handedly, but the way it resolved, in the end, was just perfect – and so, again, I was wrong.
There are two main perspectives throughout the story – Nicole and Grace – with a few sections written from the POV of side characters. Both of the MCs were well-written, and though Nicole had me a bit put off to begin with, it quickly became clear why and she grew on me quite a lot by the end. My favourite character was absolutely nosey neighbor Susan; she added the perfect amount of humor to balance the really dark and heavy parts of the book – I’d love an old Irish lady like her living next door, please and thanks! The relationships and friendships that each MC developed were quite heartwarming, and I think that really served to amplify the emotions evoked while reading it; knowing that the atrocious acts of abuse, neglect, and violence depicted were based on real events is both infuriating and heartbreaking. This one had me feeling a whole lot of emotions that I don’t normally feel for books like this, and I love that.
I highly recommend reading Awake in the Night, but do mind the content warnings at the beginning because this book definitely hits on some hard topics. I went in for a sapphic ghost story, but ended up with something so much darker, more complex, and also somehow sweeter than I’d expected. I’ll definitely be reading this again and getting a physical copy if I can!
Thanks so much to Shauna Mc Eleney for providing me with an ARC! This is a voluntary and honest review.
January 26, 2024
This was a horrifyingly good book, one that is so believable that it makes you want to just cry. There are other books out there with similar subject matter but this one draws you right into the story of all the women, both past and present, and entwines them so well. There are a few twists and turns in here, some I saw coming and others that caught me by surprise. The story also comes full circle and I liked how it felt very complete by the end of the book. I'll be first in line for the authors next book!
November 20, 2022
A fantastic debut! If you like ghostly horror, definitely check this one out! It's told from two perspectives/two timelines... The sapphic couple who buy an old house, and the young girls under the care of a questionnable doctor and the Church, who lived in the house over half a century before. When Nicole starts seeing terrifying apparitions, she and her nosy neighbour, Susan, (who turned into one of my favourite characters!) figure out the truth about what really happened in that house all those years ago. A well-written, creepy as hell, ghost story (that I genuinely couldn't read after dark, lol!)
I received a free ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I received a free ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
December 29, 2022
Beautiful, heartbreaking, utterly horrific and pulsing with righteous anger, Awake In The Night is a damning, visceral indictment of real-world historical evils - as disturbing as it is important. You’ll want to cry and rage at the injustice… and then you’ll want to go back and read it all over again
July 31, 2024
solid horror debut. yes, there are ghosts, but truly the real horrors are men and the catholic church, whoops!!
also grief, and girls trying to save each other. and wives doing their best. and neighbors being lovely and building community. rlly solid and (fun? not the right word) but a good read.
also grief, and girls trying to save each other. and wives doing their best. and neighbors being lovely and building community. rlly solid and (fun? not the right word) but a good read.
September 17, 2023
This book absolutely blew me away.
Although not my usual genre (horror), I was completely hooked, right from the beginning.
The characters were so well formed and I felt connected with them all. The plot was brought together brilliantly... I just kept wanting to read 'just another chapter...' until it was all gone. I just raced through the second half - I couldn't put it down.
And the ending gave me goosebumps.
It's also stayed with me long past the last page - the people, the places, the events...
Yep, big fan, great book!
Although not my usual genre (horror), I was completely hooked, right from the beginning.
The characters were so well formed and I felt connected with them all. The plot was brought together brilliantly... I just kept wanting to read 'just another chapter...' until it was all gone. I just raced through the second half - I couldn't put it down.
And the ending gave me goosebumps.
It's also stayed with me long past the last page - the people, the places, the events...
Yep, big fan, great book!
November 19, 2022
This book checks all my boxes for an absolutely fantastic read. A haunted house, tortured spirits, an unraveling mystery, and two stories unfolding and coming together.
Awake in the Night is a sapphic horror filled with twisted evil, yet hope and healing as well. This beautifully written novel does touch on some graphic content that may be hard to digest (a trigger warning is kindly provided at the beginning), but I found everything to be written in a tasteful way that pertains to the story. There's a solid amount of gore, but it's not gory just for the sake of being gory, and I appreciate that the author didn't shy away from going into detail with these scenes. She paints a vivid picture that will stick with you long after you put the book down.
And that twist! Oh my goodness, that twist! Needless to say, I did NOT see it coming, and when it happened, it hit like a ton of bricks. It takes a talented writer to make their reader feel such strong emotions. I've only read the book once (so far), but I can safely say it's already one of my absolute favorites, and it's one that I will be revisiting again and again.
I am very much looking forward to reading more from Shauna McEleney. Huge thanks to the author for providing an ARC copy. This review was left voluntarily and all opinions are my own.
Awake in the Night is a sapphic horror filled with twisted evil, yet hope and healing as well. This beautifully written novel does touch on some graphic content that may be hard to digest (a trigger warning is kindly provided at the beginning), but I found everything to be written in a tasteful way that pertains to the story. There's a solid amount of gore, but it's not gory just for the sake of being gory, and I appreciate that the author didn't shy away from going into detail with these scenes. She paints a vivid picture that will stick with you long after you put the book down.
And that twist! Oh my goodness, that twist! Needless to say, I did NOT see it coming, and when it happened, it hit like a ton of bricks. It takes a talented writer to make their reader feel such strong emotions. I've only read the book once (so far), but I can safely say it's already one of my absolute favorites, and it's one that I will be revisiting again and again.
I am very much looking forward to reading more from Shauna McEleney. Huge thanks to the author for providing an ARC copy. This review was left voluntarily and all opinions are my own.
June 25, 2023
I can’t say I have ever sat down and read an entire book in one sitting before now. I couldn’t put it down. I was prepared for scary, but I wasn’t prepared to ugly cry. Holy shit! That’s it. That’s my review. Im not coming back from this one any time soon. I’m a wreck. It was that good.
October 8, 2023
I enjoyed this so much. Creepy turned touching story. This would be one hell of a movie.
May 14, 2023
Shauna, you broke my heart and put it back together. As someone who is also a part of the LGBTQ community, I appreciated the representation in one of my favorite genres.
Nicole and Jess have recently moved into their dream home in Ireland with dark past that is uncovered with the help of their neighbor Susan. From beginning to end, I could not put this book down! This book had be laughing out loud, shedding a tear, and even running a little faster to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. There’s no slow burn. You’re drawn in from the beginning to end and it all comes full circle. I can’t say enough about this one!
Nicole and Jess have recently moved into their dream home in Ireland with dark past that is uncovered with the help of their neighbor Susan. From beginning to end, I could not put this book down! This book had be laughing out loud, shedding a tear, and even running a little faster to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. There’s no slow burn. You’re drawn in from the beginning to end and it all comes full circle. I can’t say enough about this one!
June 22, 2023
Even though I figured out pretty early on where this story was going it still was a nice and warm read. I know this line doesn’t make the most sense, especially with a ghost story, but you’d understand it if you read this book.
There is some super gore-y stuff in this book, and as mentioned, ghosts. I’m not much of ghost story reader/ watcher, but in this book it strangely works for me.
I’m kinda partial to one of the timelines, the 1955 one, it’s the most gripping. I do have one issue with this book, which is a very specific issue for me, the dual timelines. I get confused. I know people who read/listen to multiple books at once, I can’t, I just mix it all up. And this is no different with the dual timelines. I get confused with how the characters relate to each other and where they belong, I’m just a bit weird like that. And for this one it’s incredibly weird for me to mix it up because these characters have roles in both timelines. My brain is a mysterious place…
There is some super gore-y stuff in this book, and as mentioned, ghosts. I’m not much of ghost story reader/ watcher, but in this book it strangely works for me.
I’m kinda partial to one of the timelines, the 1955 one, it’s the most gripping. I do have one issue with this book, which is a very specific issue for me, the dual timelines. I get confused. I know people who read/listen to multiple books at once, I can’t, I just mix it all up. And this is no different with the dual timelines. I get confused with how the characters relate to each other and where they belong, I’m just a bit weird like that. And for this one it’s incredibly weird for me to mix it up because these characters have roles in both timelines. My brain is a mysterious place…
January 25, 2023
Exceptional!
What a gem! This book is a wonderful, painful tale that kept me needing to read! I loved the time shifts and every detail that weaved together the characters Shauna MC Eleney expertly brought together. Thank you, highly recommend this and will keep watch for more from this author!
What a gem! This book is a wonderful, painful tale that kept me needing to read! I loved the time shifts and every detail that weaved together the characters Shauna MC Eleney expertly brought together. Thank you, highly recommend this and will keep watch for more from this author!
April 15, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 rounded to 5 stars! this was so incredibly written and such a fast read. i loved the development of every single character and the plot twists were executed so well. Grace and Ellen being so significant throughout the entire plot up until the end was such a good decision! i adored Tabitha's plotline as well and im glad she was a consistent character. (also loved the switched povs ??? like omg it kept me so entertained and i lovedddd how things were revealed with such consideration. need more from this author asap)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 14, 2022
This book immediately jumped out at me, set in Ireland, an old creepy house with a dark past and strange goings ons which a nice new couple have moved into. I knew straightaway this would be a great read and I wasn't disappointed!
Awake in the Night has two narratives, the first is a present day narrative of Nicole and her wife Jess moving into 17 Montpellier Street with no idea what they have let themselves in for. I really loved these two characters straightaway which immediately creates tension as I didn't want anything bad to happen to then. And of course there's Susan who is one of the most wonderful characters I've ever met in a book! As the title of the book suggest the house seems fairly normal during the day but at night strange things hinting at the home's dark past begin to emerge.
The second narrative is set in 1955, also in 17 Montpellier Street. This narrative although gripping was so hard to read. I felt so angry at what these girls were made to go through. Events which did happen in the past.
Both these narratives work really well together and the paced in this book is fast paced and thrilling. Like with my previous book I stayed up really late reading this, telling myself I'll just read one more chapter and call it a night but before I knew it it was 2am!
This a horror book that has a lot of heart. There's some really gut wrenching events but also a lot of tender moments to balance it out. I also really loved the humour throughout this book. This is the first book I've read by Shauna McEleny and I can't wait to read more.
Awake in the Night has two narratives, the first is a present day narrative of Nicole and her wife Jess moving into 17 Montpellier Street with no idea what they have let themselves in for. I really loved these two characters straightaway which immediately creates tension as I didn't want anything bad to happen to then. And of course there's Susan who is one of the most wonderful characters I've ever met in a book! As the title of the book suggest the house seems fairly normal during the day but at night strange things hinting at the home's dark past begin to emerge.
The second narrative is set in 1955, also in 17 Montpellier Street. This narrative although gripping was so hard to read. I felt so angry at what these girls were made to go through. Events which did happen in the past.
Both these narratives work really well together and the paced in this book is fast paced and thrilling. Like with my previous book I stayed up really late reading this, telling myself I'll just read one more chapter and call it a night but before I knew it it was 2am!
This a horror book that has a lot of heart. There's some really gut wrenching events but also a lot of tender moments to balance it out. I also really loved the humour throughout this book. This is the first book I've read by Shauna McEleny and I can't wait to read more.
November 21, 2022
I was lucky enough to receive an advanced e-copy of this gripping book in exchange for an honest review.
Houses can hold a lot of secrets and when Jess and Nicole buy their dream home, 17 Montpellier Street, it's quickly apparent they're about to discover more than they bargained far. The narrative deftly switches between 2018 and 1955 as we're taken on a captivating yet disturbing and harrowing account as we uncover more of the events that occured at Number 17.
Difficult themes are handled carefully such as how we deal with grief, abuse, suicide, back street abortion.
The novel contains lovely LGBTQ+ relationships and also a lovely friendship with a sweet neighbour named Susan who always has a ready supply of tea and scones.
A truly haunting and memorable debut! Fabulous.
Houses can hold a lot of secrets and when Jess and Nicole buy their dream home, 17 Montpellier Street, it's quickly apparent they're about to discover more than they bargained far. The narrative deftly switches between 2018 and 1955 as we're taken on a captivating yet disturbing and harrowing account as we uncover more of the events that occured at Number 17.
Difficult themes are handled carefully such as how we deal with grief, abuse, suicide, back street abortion.
The novel contains lovely LGBTQ+ relationships and also a lovely friendship with a sweet neighbour named Susan who always has a ready supply of tea and scones.
A truly haunting and memorable debut! Fabulous.
January 4, 2023
A richly woven tale alternating between two timelines - the same house on Montpellier Street in 1955 and 2018.
In 1955, some truly awful things happen in this house, and you will be left horrified and heartbroken by these events. At the same time, the camaraderie and resilience of the characters will warm your heart.
2018 and some strange things are happening in the house when Nicole and Jessica move in... and their neighbour is all too happy to regale them of the horror stories from the 50s.
The timelines resolve themselves towards the end, and there are some twists you just won't see coming. The ending will leave you smiling, despite the horrors of the book.
In 1955, some truly awful things happen in this house, and you will be left horrified and heartbroken by these events. At the same time, the camaraderie and resilience of the characters will warm your heart.
2018 and some strange things are happening in the house when Nicole and Jessica move in... and their neighbour is all too happy to regale them of the horror stories from the 50s.
The timelines resolve themselves towards the end, and there are some twists you just won't see coming. The ending will leave you smiling, despite the horrors of the book.
May 6, 2024
It's so satisfying when an author's debut novel is this striking. It takes a deft hand to bring across true horror while infusing the story with emotion. Often the monsters are not some supernatural beings, but are actually people we would expect to treat us with kindness and care. The horrors these monsters inflict I think are much worse because we are expecting good and fair treatment. That being said, there are supernatural beings here. Their appearances are frightening, to say the least. With a mystery, and a twist I didn't see coming, the book is a riveting read...one you just might finish in one sitting.
January 24, 2023
This is one of those books that I just want to say READ IT and throw the book at you and hope that is a good enough endorsement. I have been trying to come up with something clever to say and I am failing. I think the book is clever enough on its own and anything I try to add will just detract from the story. And, it is a book that should be experienced because so much could be so easily spoiled inadvertently, hints given without meaning to. And I never want to spoil the experience. SOOOOO, *throws book at you* JUST READ IT ALREADY.
December 18, 2022
5 stars. Wow. This book blew my mind! It’s creepy as hell and disturbing and surprisingly super emotional. It’s well written and well paced and the twists and plot reveals kept me on my toes. I loved how this was told in two parts between the past and the present and how unreliable of a narrator Nicole was. It was such a fascinating read and I went in knowing absolutely nothing about it and I think that is for the best. It’s a wild ride and I loved it from beginning to end.
November 20, 2022
Wonderful story that reminded me of a sapphic AHS: Murder House set in Ireland. Shauna pulled off a dual timeline with tight pacing and a satisfying conclusion. She managed to draw out a story that was both haunting and heartwarming. I’ll definitely look out for her books in the future.
I was provided an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was provided an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 9, 2023
Wow! What a fantastic debut. This book blew my mind. I only knew that this's a horror book, but didn't realised that it was also very sad and full of emotions. So yea, prepare the tissues. I couldn't put it down and had to finish it in one setting. Highly recommended.
July 19, 2023
A wonderful book full of sad stories that will make you angry for sure.
Lost lives that could never find the peace they deserved until the arrival of a newcomer in an old house full of tragic history.
Lost lives that could never find the peace they deserved until the arrival of a newcomer in an old house full of tragic history.
July 11, 2023
I really enjoyed this book. It was a pretty short read. I for sure didn't cry but the story is beautiful with quite a bit of horror elements and disturbing tragedy that's based on truth. I would recommend this for any supernatural horror lovers.
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