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The Suffering
“It was a suffering like no other. And, oh, how they suffered.”
Recreating the séance that led to the infamous Victorian Suffering massacre seems like a good idea at the time. But Kyle Birbeck soon discovers that the ghosts his distant ancestor banished into the walls of Brackenby House in 1876 have been lurking, waiting for a chance to come out.
One by one the 5 terrifying ghosts latch onto each of the students who reside at Brackenby, preying on their deepest fears: A 3-eyed Incan giant. A member of the Hellfire Club who struck a deal with the devil to keep his fortune in the afterlife. A thieving factory hand who fell to his death, torturing them with endless footsteps. An oracle with a horde of dead sailors to do her bidding, and a 17th century axe-wielding executioner with a murderous hobby.
It’s up to Kyle and his friends to uncover the real secrets of the séance and banish the ghosts for good. But they soon come to realise it isn’t Brackenby House that’s haunted. They are. And the ghosts will stop at nothing to continue The Suffering…
Recreating the séance that led to the infamous Victorian Suffering massacre seems like a good idea at the time. But Kyle Birbeck soon discovers that the ghosts his distant ancestor banished into the walls of Brackenby House in 1876 have been lurking, waiting for a chance to come out.
One by one the 5 terrifying ghosts latch onto each of the students who reside at Brackenby, preying on their deepest fears: A 3-eyed Incan giant. A member of the Hellfire Club who struck a deal with the devil to keep his fortune in the afterlife. A thieving factory hand who fell to his death, torturing them with endless footsteps. An oracle with a horde of dead sailors to do her bidding, and a 17th century axe-wielding executioner with a murderous hobby.
It’s up to Kyle and his friends to uncover the real secrets of the séance and banish the ghosts for good. But they soon come to realise it isn’t Brackenby House that’s haunted. They are. And the ghosts will stop at nothing to continue The Suffering…
382 pages, Paperback
First published February 24, 2023
434 people are currently reading
3875 people want to read
About the author
M.J. Mars
23 books162 followersMJ Mars is a geek, ghoul, and horror enthusiast living in Lancaster, UK. Her debut novel, The Suffering, was published by Wicked House in 2023. When she isn’t writing, you’ll find MJ playing pool, trying to skateboard (badly), or listening to rock music. She owes every success to her mis-spent youth.
Short story collection, We’ve Already Gone Too Far out now!
NEW! The Fovea Experiments, a second novel to be published by Wicked House, is out now. MJ is currently working on a sequel to The Suffering, and a series of novellas based around the short story, Jeff Through the Trees.
Join her on Twitter @MJMars, Instagram /mjmarsauthor, and her Facebook page, MJ Mars Author.
Short story collection, We’ve Already Gone Too Far out now!
NEW! The Fovea Experiments, a second novel to be published by Wicked House, is out now. MJ is currently working on a sequel to The Suffering, and a series of novellas based around the short story, Jeff Through the Trees.
Join her on Twitter @MJMars, Instagram /mjmarsauthor, and her Facebook page, MJ Mars Author.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 293 reviews
October 24, 2023
Loads of promise!
The story begins in the late 19th century when a wealthy businessman organises a special seance in order to try and contact five terrifying entities. The group are successful in raising the dead but the seance ends in a bloody massacre. The only survivor, following a period of incarceration in a mental hospital, returns to the house and manages to banish the spirits into the fabric of the property. So far so good. Fast forward to the 21st century and a group of students are occupying the property. They all know the history of the house but are blissfully unconcerned. Ghosts don't exist as far as they are concerned! Then one fateful Halloween night they hold a drunken seance and attempt to contact the house's captive entities. Bad move! The ghosts are released and begin a campaign of mounting terror. However, the students stubbornly refuse to believe what is happening before their very eyes - until it is too late. In my opinion, this story had a lot going for it but, sadly, failed to deliver.
The story begins in the late 19th century when a wealthy businessman organises a special seance in order to try and contact five terrifying entities. The group are successful in raising the dead but the seance ends in a bloody massacre. The only survivor, following a period of incarceration in a mental hospital, returns to the house and manages to banish the spirits into the fabric of the property. So far so good. Fast forward to the 21st century and a group of students are occupying the property. They all know the history of the house but are blissfully unconcerned. Ghosts don't exist as far as they are concerned! Then one fateful Halloween night they hold a drunken seance and attempt to contact the house's captive entities. Bad move! The ghosts are released and begin a campaign of mounting terror. However, the students stubbornly refuse to believe what is happening before their very eyes - until it is too late. In my opinion, this story had a lot going for it but, sadly, failed to deliver.
March 22, 2023
The Suffering is my first exposure to MJ Mars’s writing. The description seemed like it would be right up my alley. A Victorian mansion. A seance gone wrong. Not one, but five terrifying ghosts haunting the place. Sign me up. Ahh, but the meat on the bones doesn’t always make for a very satisfying meal.
Kyle Birbeck and his college friends move into said Victorian house, the very one his ancestor not only owned, but is reportedly haunting. None of them seem very concerned about the rumors, and Kyle thinks it would be a hoot to hold a seance on Halloween attempting to contact these ghosts.
Again, it all sounds good. I may question the wisdom of the seance and the potential of playing with fire, but hey, college kids do dumb shit all the time. I’m still on board at this point.
Of course, shit goes south releasing the ghosts. At first, you have ghosts doing your typical ghostly things. Now, do the kids pack up their shit and split? Nope. They stick around and continually dismiss everything, as if they have mice in the house rather than ghosts. Kyle gets more information about what’s going on. Does he share it with his roommates? Nope. Instead, he splits to Peru on what he tells everyone is a grad study trip. When in reality, it’s doing more investigating on one of the house’s nastier demons. He comes back armed with valuable information weeks later. Does he share with his roommates? Nope. It also appears that the ghostly visits are happening more often and having more serious consequences. Do the roommates want to split now? Nope. Just keep doing what you’ve been doing. Okay, now you’re losing me.
Back at the house, instead of staying content to rattle around in the shadows, they appear to each be choosing a different roommate and attaching themselves to them. And they’re ramping up their game to the 10th power. Is it time for Kyle to share his info? Nope, not quite yet. Okay. You get where this is going. I know it sounds like I’m crapping all over Mars’s story, but I’m really not. There IS a good story there. MJ can write. There’s no doubt about it. I simply think she needed a more honest editor to point out the plot holes, so she could tighten things up. Instead, all the characters’ denials and holding information stretches out to 384 pages with a pretty lackluster ending. Again, the ability is there, but The Suffering is a textbook case where the right editor can make or break a book.
2.5 Indifferent Yawns While Your Friends Die Around You out of 5
- I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Kyle Birbeck and his college friends move into said Victorian house, the very one his ancestor not only owned, but is reportedly haunting. None of them seem very concerned about the rumors, and Kyle thinks it would be a hoot to hold a seance on Halloween attempting to contact these ghosts.
Again, it all sounds good. I may question the wisdom of the seance and the potential of playing with fire, but hey, college kids do dumb shit all the time. I’m still on board at this point.
Of course, shit goes south releasing the ghosts. At first, you have ghosts doing your typical ghostly things. Now, do the kids pack up their shit and split? Nope. They stick around and continually dismiss everything, as if they have mice in the house rather than ghosts. Kyle gets more information about what’s going on. Does he share it with his roommates? Nope. Instead, he splits to Peru on what he tells everyone is a grad study trip. When in reality, it’s doing more investigating on one of the house’s nastier demons. He comes back armed with valuable information weeks later. Does he share with his roommates? Nope. It also appears that the ghostly visits are happening more often and having more serious consequences. Do the roommates want to split now? Nope. Just keep doing what you’ve been doing. Okay, now you’re losing me.
Back at the house, instead of staying content to rattle around in the shadows, they appear to each be choosing a different roommate and attaching themselves to them. And they’re ramping up their game to the 10th power. Is it time for Kyle to share his info? Nope, not quite yet. Okay. You get where this is going. I know it sounds like I’m crapping all over Mars’s story, but I’m really not. There IS a good story there. MJ can write. There’s no doubt about it. I simply think she needed a more honest editor to point out the plot holes, so she could tighten things up. Instead, all the characters’ denials and holding information stretches out to 384 pages with a pretty lackluster ending. Again, the ability is there, but The Suffering is a textbook case where the right editor can make or break a book.
2.5 Indifferent Yawns While Your Friends Die Around You out of 5
- I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 19, 2024
Spine Shivers
Small backstory:
Kyle Birbeck along with a few of his college friends decide that they want to reach out to the other side through a Ouija board to contact ghosts that were supposedly laid to rest inside Brackney House, a house that is connected to his ancestors.
Kyle learns that there are five ghosts and all of them were evil to the core, but what Kyle doesn't realize is that once contact is made the ghosts come alive in a sense and end up binding themselves to each of the friends!
That is about all I can hand out on a small backstory without giving away spoilers so if you are intrigued then go read this book!
Thoughts:
This was my first time reading this author and I was impressed with how creepy this book started out and kept me glued to the pages of my kindle. The story was just seeped with dread and fear as the characters in the story had to endure different situations with some evil ghosts.
The ghost concept was cool and different with how the author wrote the story which grabbed me right away and took me down the spooky shivers road with lots of insomnia fueled nights. The pace was a little slow in the beginning with backstory world building but all of it was saturated in an atmospheric haunting world.
It seems the author has some stories in anthologies and a couple more books that I need to check out in the future. Giving this book five "Ouija Board Woes" stars!
Small backstory:
Kyle Birbeck along with a few of his college friends decide that they want to reach out to the other side through a Ouija board to contact ghosts that were supposedly laid to rest inside Brackney House, a house that is connected to his ancestors.
Kyle learns that there are five ghosts and all of them were evil to the core, but what Kyle doesn't realize is that once contact is made the ghosts come alive in a sense and end up binding themselves to each of the friends!
That is about all I can hand out on a small backstory without giving away spoilers so if you are intrigued then go read this book!
Thoughts:
This was my first time reading this author and I was impressed with how creepy this book started out and kept me glued to the pages of my kindle. The story was just seeped with dread and fear as the characters in the story had to endure different situations with some evil ghosts.
The ghost concept was cool and different with how the author wrote the story which grabbed me right away and took me down the spooky shivers road with lots of insomnia fueled nights. The pace was a little slow in the beginning with backstory world building but all of it was saturated in an atmospheric haunting world.
It seems the author has some stories in anthologies and a couple more books that I need to check out in the future. Giving this book five "Ouija Board Woes" stars!
May 26, 2023
It's Victorian England in the year 1876. A seance at Brackenby House, calling upon five ghosts with various, dangerous backgrounds for the power for a person to see their fate. However, that fate was quickly realized when everyone in the house was massacred, except for Lucius Holgrove, the psychic who summoned the apparitions. Now we fast-forward to Halloween, 2016 at Brackenby House, where Lucius’s great-great-great-grandnephew, Kyle, and Kyle’s housemates, who are all aware of the legend and stories about the house, including the rumor that the ghosts are still within its walls, decide to hold a seance. Because, of course, they’re just stories… right? After the seance, the housemates don’t feel as though the house itself is haunted, but that they, themselves, are progressively being haunted, even outside of the house. One roommate suddenly has vertigo, another hears the pattering of footsteps, and one starts smelling mold in his immediate area and saltwater when another roommate leaves the room. Can Kyle and his housemates figure out how banish the ghosts before The Suffering: Part 2 occurs? The story provided great spooky vibes, and I was hooked from start to finish. There were incredibly creepy parts and be aware there are also vividly described gore and body parts horror where noting much is left to the imagination. It was fast paced through the majority...but I was disappointed that the buildup that took place through most of the book led to a flat and very quick ending. I felt like I needed more explanation especially from one particular character...that left me a bit unsatisfied, and it cost an otherwise good book to receive a 4-star rating instead of a
4 star raring instead of a 5
4 star raring instead of a 5
September 3, 2023
This was a fun read. Reminded me of a cross between 13 Ghosts and The Haunted Mansion.
May 28, 2023
It’s spooky, scary, creepy book, filled with paranormal wild Ghosts! It’s a slow burn but give it a chance.
Set in the UK, very close College friends live in a house known to have ghosts, so they set to do a Seance on Halloween. Well, from that night forward they see and hear things that make them believe that each ghost is connecting to each one of them.
The twists and turns and back stories will keep you wanting more.
My favorite kind of spooky ending!!
I love horror flicks and anything to scare me and this did. I enjoyed it very much
Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and Author for my free ebook in exchange for an honest review.
3.8stars
Set in the UK, very close College friends live in a house known to have ghosts, so they set to do a Seance on Halloween. Well, from that night forward they see and hear things that make them believe that each ghost is connecting to each one of them.
The twists and turns and back stories will keep you wanting more.
My favorite kind of spooky ending!!
I love horror flicks and anything to scare me and this did. I enjoyed it very much
Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and Author for my free ebook in exchange for an honest review.
3.8stars
March 8, 2023
So first off Awesome book, it gave the spooky factor along with some twists and different POV which worked out amazing in this book
It kinda gave off a vibe of Thirteen Ghosts, The Exorcist's House and The Haunting of Hill House, to me which I love all of these so it was a perfect fit for me
The Suffering was very well written and I loved all the Backstories (the ghosts, the house, the characters) it all told a great story
You really got to know all the characters so well
I couldn't put this book down, and when I needed to adult things in life I kept thinking about it and couldn't wait to get back to reading it. Def drew me in
Do ghosts just haunt a house or do they haunt people....?!?!?!!?
So I hear this is the author's MJ Mars' debut novel and this makes me soooo happy bc I feel like she is gonna produce some more really good books for us all to read and I can't wait.
I got this book as an ARC and I am so happy to have been able to read this book and am happy to review it. My review and opinions are my own and honest.
Thank you Wicked House Publishing and NetGalley!
It kinda gave off a vibe of Thirteen Ghosts, The Exorcist's House and The Haunting of Hill House, to me which I love all of these so it was a perfect fit for me
The Suffering was very well written and I loved all the Backstories (the ghosts, the house, the characters) it all told a great story
You really got to know all the characters so well
I couldn't put this book down, and when I needed to adult things in life I kept thinking about it and couldn't wait to get back to reading it. Def drew me in
Do ghosts just haunt a house or do they haunt people....?!?!?!!?
So I hear this is the author's MJ Mars' debut novel and this makes me soooo happy bc I feel like she is gonna produce some more really good books for us all to read and I can't wait.
I got this book as an ARC and I am so happy to have been able to read this book and am happy to review it. My review and opinions are my own and honest.
Thank you Wicked House Publishing and NetGalley!
October 5, 2024
This was a great little spooky read - perfect for Halloween season as it starts and ends on a Halloween!
A couple of kids live in the notorious haunted house. It's known for having a seance type session that unleashed spirits that were never put back. It's the local spot the kids are scared to trick or treat, and yet they do, just for the thrill.
It was fun getting to know the kids in the house. But as the story turned, it was actually a really good spooky read. The idea of spirits haunting in this way was eerie and I loved how unsettling all the tells of each spirit were. I found the eventual showdown shocking and I liked the twist. But the ending! I didn't expect a cliffhanger.
Well paced with a truly creepy haunting. A good read for the spooky season!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
A couple of kids live in the notorious haunted house. It's known for having a seance type session that unleashed spirits that were never put back. It's the local spot the kids are scared to trick or treat, and yet they do, just for the thrill.
It was fun getting to know the kids in the house. But as the story turned, it was actually a really good spooky read. The idea of spirits haunting in this way was eerie and I loved how unsettling all the tells of each spirit were. I found the eventual showdown shocking and I liked the twist. But the ending! I didn't expect a cliffhanger.
Well paced with a truly creepy haunting. A good read for the spooky season!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
Read
February 17, 2023I was first attracted by this gorgeous cover, and the synopsis intrigued me.
Starting off with a séance in a haunted house on Halloween is right up my reading alley! I was all in from the start, but for me, things moved way too slowly after the spooky beginning. It felt like a long time before things really picked up again. I think this could have been shortened by 15 pages.
I enjoyed the ghosts and their backstories more than I cared for the living characters.
The writing style wasn't always engaging and often pulled me out of the story because of it.
Example-
"He'd sat up stiffly in bed, thinking about the creepy laugh that sounded as though it had come from his pillow area." "Torturously, he hadn't been able to stop imagining what it would be like to hear again."
You may enjoy it more than I did but this one was just not for me.
Starting off with a séance in a haunted house on Halloween is right up my reading alley! I was all in from the start, but for me, things moved way too slowly after the spooky beginning. It felt like a long time before things really picked up again. I think this could have been shortened by 15 pages.
I enjoyed the ghosts and their backstories more than I cared for the living characters.
The writing style wasn't always engaging and often pulled me out of the story because of it.
Example-
"He'd sat up stiffly in bed, thinking about the creepy laugh that sounded as though it had come from his pillow area." "Torturously, he hadn't been able to stop imagining what it would be like to hear again."
You may enjoy it more than I did but this one was just not for me.
September 5, 2024
13 Ghost vibes… kinda? I liked the friend group, but all in all the story was average for me.
February 24, 2023
I received this book from Wicked House Publishing in exchange for an honest review. This statement is always true. I’m not given compensation to discuss a book and I’m not told how to rate a book. I am given a book in exchange for my opinions on it, and I am truthful in all my reviews whether I loved them or not.
Boy, am I suffering. Within the first 2 chapters, there are 15 characters to remember, 5 current characters, 5 characters from the late 1800s, and 5 "ghosts". Unfortunately, the author uses first names or last names for some of the characters, so it sounds more like 17 or 18 characters. I had to keep backtracking to the characters introductions just to remember who is who. I want to really shelf this one and not finish reading it. I find my head spinning just to keep up with which character is which. I don't know if I should continue through it and maybe it gets better, or if I should dump it. But I am so confused right now, and there are no significant backgrounds or character developments on any of the 10 human characters, except for two. I can't keep the characters straight. I read just the first 2 chapters three times already. It seemed like an overload of information all at once.
I really wanted to like this book, seances, paranormal, ghosts, creepy stuff. It sounded really good. I do understand why the author needed 15 characters, the past comes into the present. And there is a link to it all. Maybe it just wasn't the book for me, at least for now. Maybe I will try again in the future, but after finishing 3 chapters, I couldn't flip another page. Maybe in the future, and I will re-rate the book.
It just wasn't for me.
Thank you Wicked House Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book
Boy, am I suffering. Within the first 2 chapters, there are 15 characters to remember, 5 current characters, 5 characters from the late 1800s, and 5 "ghosts". Unfortunately, the author uses first names or last names for some of the characters, so it sounds more like 17 or 18 characters. I had to keep backtracking to the characters introductions just to remember who is who. I want to really shelf this one and not finish reading it. I find my head spinning just to keep up with which character is which. I don't know if I should continue through it and maybe it gets better, or if I should dump it. But I am so confused right now, and there are no significant backgrounds or character developments on any of the 10 human characters, except for two. I can't keep the characters straight. I read just the first 2 chapters three times already. It seemed like an overload of information all at once.
I really wanted to like this book, seances, paranormal, ghosts, creepy stuff. It sounded really good. I do understand why the author needed 15 characters, the past comes into the present. And there is a link to it all. Maybe it just wasn't the book for me, at least for now. Maybe I will try again in the future, but after finishing 3 chapters, I couldn't flip another page. Maybe in the future, and I will re-rate the book.
It just wasn't for me.
Thank you Wicked House Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book
April 15, 2023
2.5 stars.
THE SUFFERING, by M.J. Mars was a book that had a great concept--a reputed haunted house where five specific, brutal ghosts were called forth--only to be banished back into the house after reengaging their specific killing methods.
Purchased by the man who summoned them, it is later let out to a group of college students (one of whom is the son of the woman who now owns it). Naturally, everyone knows about this haunted house, and none of the renters are worried. They even go so far as to mimic the seance--on Halloween--that was rumored to have brought the ghosts in the first place. As college students, this is actually quite believable.
Unfortunately, the novel then delves into random episodes, where the owner's son leaves the country to research the ghosts--without telling his roommates. He returns to find that each ghost has latched onto a specific person. Things escalate well in that area, but the characters go on pretending they just need to live there as always.
I felt this story had a lot of potential--especially in terms of the ghosts, which I really did enjoy hearing about. The problem for me was that the characters were ... bland, making foolish decisions, and for the most part forgettable.
THE SUFFERING, by M.J. Mars was a book that had a great concept--a reputed haunted house where five specific, brutal ghosts were called forth--only to be banished back into the house after reengaging their specific killing methods.
Purchased by the man who summoned them, it is later let out to a group of college students (one of whom is the son of the woman who now owns it). Naturally, everyone knows about this haunted house, and none of the renters are worried. They even go so far as to mimic the seance--on Halloween--that was rumored to have brought the ghosts in the first place. As college students, this is actually quite believable.
Unfortunately, the novel then delves into random episodes, where the owner's son leaves the country to research the ghosts--without telling his roommates. He returns to find that each ghost has latched onto a specific person. Things escalate well in that area, but the characters go on pretending they just need to live there as always.
I felt this story had a lot of potential--especially in terms of the ghosts, which I really did enjoy hearing about. The problem for me was that the characters were ... bland, making foolish decisions, and for the most part forgettable.
September 28, 2023
So first off Awesome book, it gave the spooky factor along with some twists and different POV which worked out amazing in this book
It kinda gave off a vibe of Thirteen Ghosts, The Exorcist's House and The Haunting of Hill House, to me which I love all of these so it was a perfect fit for me
The Suffering was very well written and I loved all the Backstories (the ghosts, the house, the characters) it all told a great story
You really got to know all the characters so well
I couldn't put this book down, and when I needed to adult things in life I kept thinking about it and couldn't wait to get back to reading it. Def drew me in
Do ghosts just haunt a house or do they haunt people....?!?!?!!?
So I hear this is the author's MJ Mars' debut novel and this makes me soooo happy bc I feel like she is gonna produce some more really good books for us all to read and I can't wait.
I got this book as an ARC and I am so happy to have been able to read this book and am happy to review it. My review and opinions are my own and honest.
It kinda gave off a vibe of Thirteen Ghosts, The Exorcist's House and The Haunting of Hill House, to me which I love all of these so it was a perfect fit for me
The Suffering was very well written and I loved all the Backstories (the ghosts, the house, the characters) it all told a great story
You really got to know all the characters so well
I couldn't put this book down, and when I needed to adult things in life I kept thinking about it and couldn't wait to get back to reading it. Def drew me in
Do ghosts just haunt a house or do they haunt people....?!?!?!!?
So I hear this is the author's MJ Mars' debut novel and this makes me soooo happy bc I feel like she is gonna produce some more really good books for us all to read and I can't wait.
I got this book as an ARC and I am so happy to have been able to read this book and am happy to review it. My review and opinions are my own and honest.
March 11, 2023
What a fun tale in the haunted house genre! The different ghosts for each of the housemates, and learning about their horrible histories was unique and made for a fun read.
The characters were mostly likeable, although I didn’t understand why none of them attempted to get help from an exorcist or actual practicing psychic. The motives of Kyle’s ancestor were unclear as well.
I thought Po was the most frightening ghost/creature and I wonder why Kyle didn’t bring back more protection bracelets for his friends from Peru.
This book was a bit on the longer side, but the terrors, twists, and turns make it worthwhile. The ending was a bit disappointing, unless there’s a sequel, it felt like you went through all this trauma with these folks for naught.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, BooksGoSocial, and Wicked House Publishing for a copy!
The characters were mostly likeable, although I didn’t understand why none of them attempted to get help from an exorcist or actual practicing psychic. The motives of Kyle’s ancestor were unclear as well.
I thought Po was the most frightening ghost/creature and I wonder why Kyle didn’t bring back more protection bracelets for his friends from Peru.
This book was a bit on the longer side, but the terrors, twists, and turns make it worthwhile. The ending was a bit disappointing, unless there’s a sequel, it felt like you went through all this trauma with these folks for naught.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, BooksGoSocial, and Wicked House Publishing for a copy!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 24, 2023
I'm seeing Thirteen Ghosts comparison elevator pitches everywhere at the minute, and here's another book that it applies to! Thirteen Ghosts meets Cabin in the Woods, this debut novel from Mj Mars is full of fun, action and thrills.
This story is about a supposedly haunted house full of college students, who unwittingly release some vengeful spirits after a Halloween seance. I mean, c'mon guys, nothing good is ever going to come from a Halloween seance!!
The characters are mostly likeable and are real and flawed, the ghosts are an interesting mix with fun back stories, and the pacing is great. I was never bored while reading. The ending kinda comes out of nowhere, but it's pretty satisfying! Really enjoyable read!
This story is about a supposedly haunted house full of college students, who unwittingly release some vengeful spirits after a Halloween seance. I mean, c'mon guys, nothing good is ever going to come from a Halloween seance!!
The characters are mostly likeable and are real and flawed, the ghosts are an interesting mix with fun back stories, and the pacing is great. I was never bored while reading. The ending kinda comes out of nowhere, but it's pretty satisfying! Really enjoyable read!
June 16, 2023
There is a set amount of ghosts haunting the residents of Brackenby, and they all take on really unique and differing characteristics. The concepts behind all of them were incredibly creative, and they were all horrifying in completely separate ways. For me, Jarvis Rice and Lisa Vaughn were amongst the most vivid and unsettling of them. But all carry on a purpose, and it’s beyond worth getting to know them for yourself.
Many have stated that the twist here is predictable, but I didn’t really view it as much of an intended twist. I thought that was just where the story was going, which is fine to me.
Many have stated that the twist here is predictable, but I didn’t really view it as much of an intended twist. I thought that was just where the story was going, which is fine to me.
June 14, 2023
I didn't hate it, but I didn't like it. I also didn't finish it because the writing felt juvenile. Too casual and 2D. It had no real body or soul to it. And Kyle's character came across as a female rather than male. I chalk this up to the writer being too young and inexperienced to know what a guy's voice should sound like. In fact, the whole thing felt like it was written by a college student with no writing experience. I liked the idea of the story, but I'm not going to waste my time and energy on subpar writing that's starting to vaguely annoy me.
February 14, 2025
5👻👻👻👻👻
A spectacular ghost story. It's one of the creepiest haunted houses books I've read in a long time. There is not just one ghost👻... but several. Beautifully written. Great characters. Classic Supernatural horror.
A spectacular ghost story. It's one of the creepiest haunted houses books I've read in a long time. There is not just one ghost👻... but several. Beautifully written. Great characters. Classic Supernatural horror.
Read
February 5, 2024DNF due to boredom.
April 17, 2023
This was overall a good read for fans of classic ghosts, seances and hauntings. The prose is clear and original, never feeling boring. The author brings new action and descriptions all the time and the pace is kept.
However, some elements weren’t to my personal liking. Firstly, there seems to be no protagonist and no emotional growth that counts as a protagonist challenge. There were so so so many characters in this story that I finished the book and still wasn’t sure who was who. The 5 ghosts were also a bit much, and personally I’d rather see less people facing less ghosts in order to feel “claustrophobic”.
I enjoyed the hauntings, but personally didn’t like the ending very much. I felt cheated by the last few lines. Even so, the author knows her tropes and conventions very well, and crafted a richly detailed universe. It’s perfect for those who enjoy a long, cozy spooky read.
Thank you Netgalley for providing a copy!
However, some elements weren’t to my personal liking. Firstly, there seems to be no protagonist and no emotional growth that counts as a protagonist challenge. There were so so so many characters in this story that I finished the book and still wasn’t sure who was who. The 5 ghosts were also a bit much, and personally I’d rather see less people facing less ghosts in order to feel “claustrophobic”.
I enjoyed the hauntings, but personally didn’t like the ending very much. I felt cheated by the last few lines. Even so, the author knows her tropes and conventions very well, and crafted a richly detailed universe. It’s perfect for those who enjoy a long, cozy spooky read.
Thank you Netgalley for providing a copy!
March 7, 2024
what a haunt!
This was such a fun read! Think thirteen ghosts meets the conjuring meets haunted mansion. A group of college kids living in a haunted house accidentally summon ghosts during a oujia board seance on Halloween. The ghosts were all trapped in this house from a seance in the past by one of the college students great uncle who was a medium and now they’re wreaking havoc on their lives. This book was great I loved the characters I loved that the ghosts were all unique and had their own way of haunting. It was the right amount of creepy gorey, had some comic relief and suspenseful. Each ghost seems to pick a roommate to attach themselves to and madness then miserable. I did feel like there were a few plot holes and I don’t always like time jumps in books. The deaths were a tad predicable but still good little frights. Then the ending had some cool action but the resolution was lackluster to me. Quite the cliffhanger though! A worthwhile read all in all (plus it’s on kindle unlimited)!
This was such a fun read! Think thirteen ghosts meets the conjuring meets haunted mansion. A group of college kids living in a haunted house accidentally summon ghosts during a oujia board seance on Halloween. The ghosts were all trapped in this house from a seance in the past by one of the college students great uncle who was a medium and now they’re wreaking havoc on their lives. This book was great I loved the characters I loved that the ghosts were all unique and had their own way of haunting. It was the right amount of creepy gorey, had some comic relief and suspenseful. Each ghost seems to pick a roommate to attach themselves to and madness then miserable. I did feel like there were a few plot holes and I don’t always like time jumps in books. The deaths were a tad predicable but still good little frights. Then the ending had some cool action but the resolution was lackluster to me. Quite the cliffhanger though! A worthwhile read all in all (plus it’s on kindle unlimited)!
February 24, 2023
If you are a fan of horror don't miss this one.
Kyle and his friends are living in a Victorian house where The Suffering Ritual took place in 1876. On Halloween the roommates decide to have their own Seance with an Ouija board and unleash their own haunting.
This book was atmospheric and eerie, the paranormal activity growing more and more prevalent with each chapter. There were 5 spirits of divination representing Malice, Strength, Stealth, Deception and Frivolity. Each has a gnarly backstory and latches onto a roommate, trialing them wherever they go - there is no escape.
When I got to the 80% mark I made popcorn and settled in because the ending was unputdownable.
*I received a complimentary advanced copy from BooksGoSocial and NetGalley. I am leaving an honest review voluntarily.
Kyle and his friends are living in a Victorian house where The Suffering Ritual took place in 1876. On Halloween the roommates decide to have their own Seance with an Ouija board and unleash their own haunting.
This book was atmospheric and eerie, the paranormal activity growing more and more prevalent with each chapter. There were 5 spirits of divination representing Malice, Strength, Stealth, Deception and Frivolity. Each has a gnarly backstory and latches onto a roommate, trialing them wherever they go - there is no escape.
When I got to the 80% mark I made popcorn and settled in because the ending was unputdownable.
*I received a complimentary advanced copy from BooksGoSocial and NetGalley. I am leaving an honest review voluntarily.
June 4, 2023
I really wanted to love this book. It was right up my alley since I love a good haunted house story. The story was original and overall the characters were well developed. I also appreciate a story that won't shy away from having a death or two since the horror stories where everyone makes it out are a bit disappointing (and this was the former).
Where I struggled was that the plot didn't feel believable (within the killer ghosts universe). Everyone kept holding back information from each other that would have been helpful, especially Kyle. I'm a firm believer that if you're in a horror story you should share all of the information sooner than later! And the characters spend so much time in denial even after it was very clear they had released the ghost and the ghosts were going after them, they still pretended there weren't ghosts.
Also, the author struggled with way too many comparisons. I would love to ban them from using the word "like". "The giant roared like ___" - no, I don't need a comparison, I can imagine a giant roaring. "The cats howled like __" - nope, stop. It drove me nuts, especially because of how often they used them.
It was a decent debut novel and I would give a future book by this author a chance.
Where I struggled was that the plot didn't feel believable (within the killer ghosts universe). Everyone kept holding back information from each other that would have been helpful, especially Kyle. I'm a firm believer that if you're in a horror story you should share all of the information sooner than later! And the characters spend so much time in denial even after it was very clear they had released the ghost and the ghosts were going after them, they still pretended there weren't ghosts.
Also, the author struggled with way too many comparisons. I would love to ban them from using the word "like". "The giant roared like ___" - no, I don't need a comparison, I can imagine a giant roaring. "The cats howled like __" - nope, stop. It drove me nuts, especially because of how often they used them.
It was a decent debut novel and I would give a future book by this author a chance.
July 26, 2023
Oh no, we knew the ghosts in our house were evil and wanted to kill us, so we did nothing for six months and now the ghosts are really strong and our inaction is negatively impacting our careers and relationships? I guess we were just hoping that if we ignored it, it would go away on its own. And then at the very end when we werent sure if the problem was actually fixed or not, we just closed the cellar door AND HOPED FOR THE BEST AGAIN NO LESSONS LEARNED.
THOSE KIDS GOT WHAT WAS COMING TO THEM.
THOSE KIDS GOT WHAT WAS COMING TO THEM.
August 22, 2023
This story reminded me of the movie "13 Ghost".
Its about a seance that goes wrong in 1876. People died. A massacre. And today, on Halloween, a group of friends recreate this Seance and the ghost latch onto them. Being haunted, people dying who are close to them, these friends need to find a way to stop it.
It was an alright story, but the end seemed rushed. A few plot holes here and there and I would've loved more insight on the ghosts past. It was good entertainment but just wasn't for me.
Its about a seance that goes wrong in 1876. People died. A massacre. And today, on Halloween, a group of friends recreate this Seance and the ghost latch onto them. Being haunted, people dying who are close to them, these friends need to find a way to stop it.
It was an alright story, but the end seemed rushed. A few plot holes here and there and I would've loved more insight on the ghosts past. It was good entertainment but just wasn't for me.
August 1, 2023
A group of college students do battle with the ghosts living in their house.
The characters are young, intelligent, loyal, and stronger than they know. I wasn't able to relate directly to the characters because they are quite a bit younger than me, but MJ Mars wrote them so well that I almost felt motherly towards them. I cheered them on, I felt their pain, I mourned their losses, I cursed at them for being young and dumb, as only a mother can. It's the wonderful, tight-knit cast that draws the reader in.
It's the action-packed plot that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat! This story flows smoothly and moves fast! Lots of action and witty dialogue and a few well paced "eew" scenes that are perfectly descriptive. Not gore for the sake of gore, but just enough to have me squirming.
Definitely got "The Haunting of Hill House" and "Thirteen Ghosts" vibes!
The characters are young, intelligent, loyal, and stronger than they know. I wasn't able to relate directly to the characters because they are quite a bit younger than me, but MJ Mars wrote them so well that I almost felt motherly towards them. I cheered them on, I felt their pain, I mourned their losses, I cursed at them for being young and dumb, as only a mother can. It's the wonderful, tight-knit cast that draws the reader in.
It's the action-packed plot that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat! This story flows smoothly and moves fast! Lots of action and witty dialogue and a few well paced "eew" scenes that are perfectly descriptive. Not gore for the sake of gore, but just enough to have me squirming.
Definitely got "The Haunting of Hill House" and "Thirteen Ghosts" vibes!
February 12, 2023
I thought this was a very interesting ghost story! Each of the ghosts were fun to learn about and there were some scenes that genuinely creeped me out. I will say, Cassie did annoy me. She seemed immature and I know her ghost was making her quick to anger but I still did not like her. I felt that the beginning dragged on a bit and that the ending/resolution went by too quickly. I wanted more out of the ending with how compelling the ghosts' backstories were. Overall, it was a fun horror story and I definitely think it's worth the read.
May 28, 2023
Scary
The haunted house and its inhabitants were the real pleasure of the story. Certain points of the story actually freaked me out a bit, but the house mates were just average. Its hard to really get into a plot when you hope the characters die. Glad the suffering house made up for it.
The haunted house and its inhabitants were the real pleasure of the story. Certain points of the story actually freaked me out a bit, but the house mates were just average. Its hard to really get into a plot when you hope the characters die. Glad the suffering house made up for it.
August 10, 2023
I really enjoyed this book. It was very suspenseful and kept you on edge through the whole thing. Learning about each ghost and their background was fun and I almost wish there was more of that! I feel like some of the housemates were clueless and didn't make logical decisions based on the circumstances. A lot of issues could have been lessened maybe if they'd had some more foresight into things.
August 27, 2023
Was such a good book 📖 definitely recommend ♡
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