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Scary Mary #1
Scary Mary
Mary just wants to be left alone, but the cheerleaders, jocks, guidance counselors, and ghosts won't stop harassing her. When a new boy starts school, he surprises Mary by befriending her. That's a rare thing for the school freak, but her unusual abilities put a rift in their budding friendship when Mary has to tell Cy that his home is haunted and not by Casper, the friendly ghost. Mary has to get rid of the ghost, thwart the school bully, do her homework, and not get detention. Mary's sure she can do all of that except for the last part.
144 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 16, 2006
445 people are currently reading
3786 people want to read
About the author
S.A. Hunter
26 books240 followersS.A. Hunter lives in Virginia and works in a library. She is the author of the YA series Scary Mary as well as other fantasy novels. Visit her online at www.sahunter.net or email her sahunter@sahunter.net
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 454 reviews
December 17, 2015
Oh for the love of God! I already posted 2 bloody reviews for this book and it keeps getting deleted!
September 24, 2012
I loved this 14 chapter book. I’m a fan of sarcastic sense of humor, plus it was creepy in some scenes. It gave me chills. S.A. Hunter has an amazing talent with description, especially metaphors and similes–very original. The scenes were vividly displayed on the page, so readers could picture it in their head. It read like a horror movie.
My favorite scenes were: 1) the seance/Ouija board at Cyrus’s house 2) when Mary and Cyrus first meet at school 3) the way Mary nonchalantly had conversations with ghosts in her school. I enjoyed that the female characters were strong and independent, that they didn’t wait for the men to come to the rescue. When Mary and her best friend Rachel went on the mission to do an exorcism, it reminded me of Harriet the Spy–paranormal edition.
The scenes that made me jump/ the creepiest parts: 1) the seance/Ouija board at Cyrus’s house 2) Ricky’s ghost was not playing around. He was out for vengeance, so whenever he appeared, he gave me goosebumps 3) when the girls try to sneak into the basement, and the ghost grabs Mary by the leg.
The school aspect was very realistic, and I felt bad that Mary was bullied by Kyle (Cyrus’s brother) and Vicky (a popular cheerleader). I don’t condone violence at all, but I’m always ecstatic when the outsider can one up the bullies. But is there a reason Kyle’s extra cranky and aggressive? You’ll have to read to find out. I liked how Mary and Cyrus’s relationship was blossoming, but then he got creeped out by her powers. I liked that he wasn’t automatically okay with it. It made for great tension within the story.
My favorite lines were: “Mary felt bad for ditching him, but when Vicky was involved, it was every reject for herself.”, “Oh, let time do all the dirty work. The perfect slacker revenge.” and “It was funny how saving a boy from danger didn’t guarantee him liking the girl. It always worked for the guy in the fairytales.”
I RECOMMEND this book to read.
My favorite scenes were: 1) the seance/Ouija board at Cyrus’s house 2) when Mary and Cyrus first meet at school 3) the way Mary nonchalantly had conversations with ghosts in her school. I enjoyed that the female characters were strong and independent, that they didn’t wait for the men to come to the rescue. When Mary and her best friend Rachel went on the mission to do an exorcism, it reminded me of Harriet the Spy–paranormal edition.
The scenes that made me jump/ the creepiest parts: 1) the seance/Ouija board at Cyrus’s house 2) Ricky’s ghost was not playing around. He was out for vengeance, so whenever he appeared, he gave me goosebumps 3) when the girls try to sneak into the basement, and the ghost grabs Mary by the leg.
The school aspect was very realistic, and I felt bad that Mary was bullied by Kyle (Cyrus’s brother) and Vicky (a popular cheerleader). I don’t condone violence at all, but I’m always ecstatic when the outsider can one up the bullies. But is there a reason Kyle’s extra cranky and aggressive? You’ll have to read to find out. I liked how Mary and Cyrus’s relationship was blossoming, but then he got creeped out by her powers. I liked that he wasn’t automatically okay with it. It made for great tension within the story.
My favorite lines were: “Mary felt bad for ditching him, but when Vicky was involved, it was every reject for herself.”, “Oh, let time do all the dirty work. The perfect slacker revenge.” and “It was funny how saving a boy from danger didn’t guarantee him liking the girl. It always worked for the guy in the fairytales.”
I RECOMMEND this book to read.
October 23, 2015
free 10-23-15
June 1, 2009
I fell in love with Mary Hellick on page one and nothing through the course of the book caused me to change my mind. Mary is a prickly teenager who is an outcast at her school. Shunned by most of the students who taunt her and generally make life hell for her, Mary tries to keep to herself and not draw any attention to herself, but sometimes strikes back. This means that Mary has regular sessions with the guidance counselor, Mr. Landa. Mary is your typical awkward, rebellious teenager, with one exception. Mary is also clairaudient, which means that she can hear the dead, and that tends to complicate her life.
We meet Mary on the first day of Mary's junior year in high school on her way to Mr. Landa's office.
I love a character with attitude and Mary has it in spades. Orphaned, Mary lives with her maternal grandmother who is a fortune teller/psychic. Mary fiercely loves her grandmother and looks to her as the only person in her life who understands Mary's abilities. Her grandmother is teaching her to live with the abilities that she would rather not have, as well as teaching her the responsibility that comes along with such a gift. Mary deals with prejudice against her on a daily basis because she is different.
S. A. Hunter brilliantly takes us into Mary's mind. We see things from her unique perspective throughout the book. I found myself chuckling over some of Mary's thoughts. Hunter has truly captured the teenage mind and how it reacts when not believed by adults.
On the first day of school, Mary meets new student, Cyrus Asher, who is someone that Mary dismisses as being a "Shiny" person. Someone who will be in the in-crowd, who will hang out with only the best people in school. To her surprise, Cyrus seems to seek her out and want to hang out with her, even though the queen of the campus, Vicky wants to get her hooks into him. Mary tries rebuffing him at first, figuring that once he hears the stories about her, he will soon leave her alone. But, the stories don't seem to bother him and he genuinely enjoys her company. She finds that she enjoys his company as well, because he has a quick wit and can poke fun at all of the people who try to belittle Mary.
Add into the story, Rachel, a best friend who thinks Mary's quirks are cool and thrives on being an outcast. Everything is going along better than Mary expected for the school year until Cyrus asks her to come over to his house. She suffered the usual angst of not knowing whether this was an actual date or not, and when she arrives, she finds out that his parents aren't home. But, things still were going along pretty well until Ricky, the ghost haunting Cyrus's house shows up and starts talking to Mary. It is an understatement to say that Ricky is not a benevolent ghost. Things go from ok, to bad to worse, and continue to spiral out of control until Mary determines that she will need to rid Cyrus's house of Ricky, and this might be a little difficult since Cyrus was mad at her and no longer her friend. Mary had scared him, and thought that she had done it on purpose.
In Scary Mary
, S. A. Hunter's characters jump off the page and into life. You are pulled into the story from page one, much like Ricky trying to pull Mary through the basement window (you'll just have to read the book to find out why). With each turn of the page, the situation escalates through the exciting conclusion. I am very glad to see that S. A. Hunter is working on another book with Mary Hellick, called
Stalking Shadows
, and can't wait until she has completed it. After reading
Scary Mary
, I can add S. A. Hunter to my list of favorite young adult authors.
Reviewed for the LL Book Review
We meet Mary on the first day of Mary's junior year in high school on her way to Mr. Landa's office.
Mr. Landa greeted her with an already weary smile. "Welcome back, Mary."
Mary put her fist on her hip. “Who gets called to the guidance office on the first day of freaking school?”
I love a character with attitude and Mary has it in spades. Orphaned, Mary lives with her maternal grandmother who is a fortune teller/psychic. Mary fiercely loves her grandmother and looks to her as the only person in her life who understands Mary's abilities. Her grandmother is teaching her to live with the abilities that she would rather not have, as well as teaching her the responsibility that comes along with such a gift. Mary deals with prejudice against her on a daily basis because she is different.
S. A. Hunter brilliantly takes us into Mary's mind. We see things from her unique perspective throughout the book. I found myself chuckling over some of Mary's thoughts. Hunter has truly captured the teenage mind and how it reacts when not believed by adults.
She clenched her fists to keep herself in check. It wouldn’t do to get emotional. He would only make a note in her file. “It did happen. Just like everything else I’ve ever told you.”--Except for the cavorting with demons, the abduction by little green men, and the Elvis sighting. Mary told Mr. Landa outrageous things because he insisted she tell him something. She’d tried to tell him the truth at first, but like now, he always refused to believe her. She wished she hadn’t tried to tell him something truthful now.
On the first day of school, Mary meets new student, Cyrus Asher, who is someone that Mary dismisses as being a "Shiny" person. Someone who will be in the in-crowd, who will hang out with only the best people in school. To her surprise, Cyrus seems to seek her out and want to hang out with her, even though the queen of the campus, Vicky wants to get her hooks into him. Mary tries rebuffing him at first, figuring that once he hears the stories about her, he will soon leave her alone. But, the stories don't seem to bother him and he genuinely enjoys her company. She finds that she enjoys his company as well, because he has a quick wit and can poke fun at all of the people who try to belittle Mary.
Add into the story, Rachel, a best friend who thinks Mary's quirks are cool and thrives on being an outcast. Everything is going along better than Mary expected for the school year until Cyrus asks her to come over to his house. She suffered the usual angst of not knowing whether this was an actual date or not, and when she arrives, she finds out that his parents aren't home. But, things still were going along pretty well until Ricky, the ghost haunting Cyrus's house shows up and starts talking to Mary. It is an understatement to say that Ricky is not a benevolent ghost. Things go from ok, to bad to worse, and continue to spiral out of control until Mary determines that she will need to rid Cyrus's house of Ricky, and this might be a little difficult since Cyrus was mad at her and no longer her friend. Mary had scared him, and thought that she had done it on purpose.
In Scary Mary
, S. A. Hunter's characters jump off the page and into life. You are pulled into the story from page one, much like Ricky trying to pull Mary through the basement window (you'll just have to read the book to find out why). With each turn of the page, the situation escalates through the exciting conclusion. I am very glad to see that S. A. Hunter is working on another book with Mary Hellick, called
Stalking Shadows
, and can't wait until she has completed it. After reading
Scary Mary
, I can add S. A. Hunter to my list of favorite young adult authors.Reviewed for the LL Book Review
September 20, 2011
I've been more than a little lackadaisical as far as reviewing is concerned recently. What with the new school term, marking, a new puppy and a trip to Butlins, life has been pretty hectic! There's been little time to read anything other than GCSE Controlled Assessments! So it was kind of nice to stumble across Scary Mary. I needed something to read on my iPhone in bed and this was free!
I have to say, I wasn't exactly feeling super encouraged by the blurb. The mention "jocks" and "cheerleaders" had me grimacing. It made the book sound like what far to many people expect YA to be: formulaic, fake and full of school-yard niches which don't often exist in the real world.
My worries about the book weren't exactly proven groundless. Many of the characters were typically two dimensional. "Cheerleader" Vicky was about as deep as a puddle. The "BFF" had so much impact on the story that I've completely forgotten her name. Cyrus, the "Hot New Guy" was too nice to evoke any realistic empathy. However, Mary wasn't half bad. She was a gothic-dressing, black-lipstick-wearing, clairaudient "freak". That in itself isn't exactly original, but there were aspects to her character which I got along with. My favourite thing about her was her ghostly pet dog called Chowder!
The story itself was by-the numbers, but not in a really bad way. It was nice to have some bubblegum for my eyes to chew on. There were some nice, unpredictable elements thrown in along the way, too. I liked that Mary could only hear ghosts, but not see them. I loved the idea of haunted items (especially the haunted desk in then guidance counsellor's office) and the ending wasn't what I'd dreaded.
Overall, if you're looking for a read that you can swallow whole in an hour after a busy, bookless couple of weeks, then Scary Mary might be for you. It's not great literature by any stretch of the imagination, but it's a nice little story with some nifty little quirks mixed in.
I have to say, I wasn't exactly feeling super encouraged by the blurb. The mention "jocks" and "cheerleaders" had me grimacing. It made the book sound like what far to many people expect YA to be: formulaic, fake and full of school-yard niches which don't often exist in the real world.
My worries about the book weren't exactly proven groundless. Many of the characters were typically two dimensional. "Cheerleader" Vicky was about as deep as a puddle. The "BFF" had so much impact on the story that I've completely forgotten her name. Cyrus, the "Hot New Guy" was too nice to evoke any realistic empathy. However, Mary wasn't half bad. She was a gothic-dressing, black-lipstick-wearing, clairaudient "freak". That in itself isn't exactly original, but there were aspects to her character which I got along with. My favourite thing about her was her ghostly pet dog called Chowder!
The story itself was by-the numbers, but not in a really bad way. It was nice to have some bubblegum for my eyes to chew on. There were some nice, unpredictable elements thrown in along the way, too. I liked that Mary could only hear ghosts, but not see them. I loved the idea of haunted items (especially the haunted desk in then guidance counsellor's office) and the ending wasn't what I'd dreaded.
Overall, if you're looking for a read that you can swallow whole in an hour after a busy, bookless couple of weeks, then Scary Mary might be for you. It's not great literature by any stretch of the imagination, but it's a nice little story with some nifty little quirks mixed in.
July 13, 2012
Mary is a teenage outcast who sees dead people. As in all books about whiny nonconformists, she spends most of her time moping and convincing herself that unfriendliness and pessimism make her a superior being.
For reasons unknown the cute, rich new boy Cyrus takes an immediate interest in the girl who everyone else is eiher afraid of or repulsed by (or both). Their relationship soon develops into the is-this-a-date-stage? despite the fact that they know nothing about each other besides Mary's eccentricities and his reason for moving.
Then one night Victoria, the classic blond cheerleader/inherent bitch shows up with an ouija board and an angry spirit tries to take Mary's head off. Cyrus immediately hates Mary because she was just the victim of attempted assault/murder by the ghost that HIS house is haunted by, who was summoned by the evil bitch HE let inside.
Instead of cutting her losses and realizing that the best way to prevent anyone being hurt is to keep to herself, Mary pursues Cy and her best friend/psycho stalked buddy harasses Cy so much that he relents and agrees to let them come over.
Blah blah blah, Mary is set up by Kyle, who is possessed by he evil ghost, and his battered wife finally exacts her revenge. That's all I know because I skipped most of the last quarter of the book. I would've died of boredom otherwise.
Scary Mary had potential as an original, quirky novella reassuring of angsty teenagers' strength and self-worth but dissolved into the predictable mush that signifies most young adult fiction.
For reasons unknown the cute, rich new boy Cyrus takes an immediate interest in the girl who everyone else is eiher afraid of or repulsed by (or both). Their relationship soon develops into the is-this-a-date-stage? despite the fact that they know nothing about each other besides Mary's eccentricities and his reason for moving.
Then one night Victoria, the classic blond cheerleader/inherent bitch shows up with an ouija board and an angry spirit tries to take Mary's head off. Cyrus immediately hates Mary because she was just the victim of attempted assault/murder by the ghost that HIS house is haunted by, who was summoned by the evil bitch HE let inside.
Instead of cutting her losses and realizing that the best way to prevent anyone being hurt is to keep to herself, Mary pursues Cy and her best friend/psycho stalked buddy harasses Cy so much that he relents and agrees to let them come over.
Blah blah blah, Mary is set up by Kyle, who is possessed by he evil ghost, and his battered wife finally exacts her revenge. That's all I know because I skipped most of the last quarter of the book. I would've died of boredom otherwise.
Scary Mary had potential as an original, quirky novella reassuring of angsty teenagers' strength and self-worth but dissolved into the predictable mush that signifies most young adult fiction.
May 12, 2011
I liked this book. It wasn't overly long but it was fun and it had a bit of the spook factor going for it. Which I love. Spooky things are my bread and butter. I wouldn't have minded a bit more face time with Cy so we were able to delve into why he dismissed Mary's claims so readily, but I was content with what we had. Come to think of it, I kept expecting the brother to have some deep dark secret like he was a mass murderer with a penchant for dressing up in tutus and acting like a mime. Fortunately for me he didn't do any of those things because, as we all know, mimes freak me out. Majorly.
But enough about my issues. Mary was spunky and full of sass. I liked that Cy gravitated toward her despite her freak status with the popular kids. I liked that Mary's grandma was funky and off beat and that she supported Mary whole heartedly.
Short and sweet, this story hit my ghost lovin' funny bone and made for an enjoyable read.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
But enough about my issues. Mary was spunky and full of sass. I liked that Cy gravitated toward her despite her freak status with the popular kids. I liked that Mary's grandma was funky and off beat and that she supported Mary whole heartedly.
Short and sweet, this story hit my ghost lovin' funny bone and made for an enjoyable read.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
April 6, 2017
Mary has a gift to hear ghosts. As a result, she is a Pariah in her school given the nickname 'Scary Mary'. A new boy in town, befriends her and she is excited he seems willing to see past all that. Then an impromptu seance at his house changes everything. A malevolent ghost causes all sorts of trouble and Mary is blamed for it. Now things are worse than ever and Cy wants nothing to do with her. Yet she feels she needs to do something about the ghost before Cy or his family are hurt.
A quick, fun read. What I like the most is that Mary is no victim and will fight like a hellcat when she needs to.
A quick, fun read. What I like the most is that Mary is no victim and will fight like a hellcat when she needs to.
December 18, 2017
Mary is an outcast at her school, teased and bullied by the other kids because she is different. When a new kid, Cyrus, joins Mary's school and shows an interest in her Mary is wary at first but soon starts to warm up to him.
But Mary really is different; she can hear ghosts, and when a ghost in Cyrus' house starts causing mayhem Mary is the only one that can get rid of it.
This was a fun story to read. It's fast-paced and full of ghost hunting action. I liked Mary and her sarcy voice, sometimes she came across as very immature but then she is a teenager so I can understand that. I admired the way she went after the ghost though. If it was me I would have just left Cyrus to it after he blamed her for damage she didn't cause.
Clunky writing slowed the story down occasionally. Some bits read as though the author was making notes about what they wanted to happen, but then never actually got round to writing it.
"She remembered that she didn’t have his number or his address and got both from him. He got her info as well. After a few seconds of just staring dumbly at the scrap of paper with his address and number scrawled on it, Mary said to her shoes, “Well, I’ll see you this weekend."
Other bits were just awkward and there were points when I couldn't understand the things people were doing - why was Mary blamed for all the altercations with the other students? why did Mary stay for the seance? Why did Cyrus blame her for the damage?
The writings not brilliant but I enjoyed the story. It's quick, fun and action packed but I don't think I'd go out of my way to read the rest of the series.
But Mary really is different; she can hear ghosts, and when a ghost in Cyrus' house starts causing mayhem Mary is the only one that can get rid of it.
This was a fun story to read. It's fast-paced and full of ghost hunting action. I liked Mary and her sarcy voice, sometimes she came across as very immature but then she is a teenager so I can understand that. I admired the way she went after the ghost though. If it was me I would have just left Cyrus to it after he blamed her for damage she didn't cause.
Clunky writing slowed the story down occasionally. Some bits read as though the author was making notes about what they wanted to happen, but then never actually got round to writing it.
"She remembered that she didn’t have his number or his address and got both from him. He got her info as well. After a few seconds of just staring dumbly at the scrap of paper with his address and number scrawled on it, Mary said to her shoes, “Well, I’ll see you this weekend."
Other bits were just awkward and there were points when I couldn't understand the things people were doing - why was Mary blamed for all the altercations with the other students? why did Mary stay for the seance? Why did Cyrus blame her for the damage?
The writings not brilliant but I enjoyed the story. It's quick, fun and action packed but I don't think I'd go out of my way to read the rest of the series.
October 9, 2011
Stories with bullying in are kind of triggery to me, due to personal history. As such, once I got past the first few pages, the book nearly got filed into 'to read later... more likely never'.
But I picked up my Kindle again and tried reading a little while later, fully intending to read a little and then go to bed. It didn't work that way. Within the space of an hour, I'd finished the whole thing.
I was quite surprised by how much I enjoyed the book. I liked Mary - and I thought her friend Rachel was one of the best characters. I laughed a little at some of her lines. And I've got to say, I loved Chowder.
Out of most of the students in the school, Vicky was one of the only ones who had much of a personality. One of my only complaints with the story was the fact that Vicky was very one-dimensional and had virtually no redeeming qualities. She was the typical 'evil' popular girl with her faithful minion... sorry, best friend.
I liked the ending of the story, though, and liked the rest of the characters that did get a mention (Cy, Kyle (surprisingly), Mary's grandmother...) If there are more (longer!) books by this author, I'll probably read them
But I picked up my Kindle again and tried reading a little while later, fully intending to read a little and then go to bed. It didn't work that way. Within the space of an hour, I'd finished the whole thing.
I was quite surprised by how much I enjoyed the book. I liked Mary - and I thought her friend Rachel was one of the best characters. I laughed a little at some of her lines. And I've got to say, I loved Chowder.
Out of most of the students in the school, Vicky was one of the only ones who had much of a personality. One of my only complaints with the story was the fact that Vicky was very one-dimensional and had virtually no redeeming qualities. She was the typical 'evil' popular girl with her faithful minion... sorry, best friend.
I liked the ending of the story, though, and liked the rest of the characters that did get a mention (Cy, Kyle (surprisingly), Mary's grandmother...) If there are more (longer!) books by this author, I'll probably read them
October 21, 2013
Cute, quirky and side-splittingly funny. This is one hell of an entertaining read. Scary Mary is different, she's intelligent, but also more than a tad bit odd-ball. Nevertheless, someone, in the form of Cyrus--the hot new boy at school--finally recognizes her merits and wants to be friends. That is, until she has to tells him that his house is haunted and that the wicked malevolent spirit living in it is intent on having on going conversations with her, and possibly killing him(no wonder no one at school wants to know her, he thinks!). For the sake of good, Mary wants to rid Cy, of his ghost hoping stoically that she won't face the same fate as the only fairy tale female hero she knows of, The Little Mermaid, who for love gave up her legs only to be left to melt into sea foam while her prince marries his princess. Dear, oh dear, if you haven't read this book you've surely missed something and since it's offered at more than one retailer free of charge I can only urge you to stay that delay-- And Rush Forth And Get It TODAY!
December 9, 2016
Bleh. Free books haven't been very nice to me lately. I really didn't enjoy this one. Mary was mean and rude and unsocial for really no reason. I understand people were calling her names, but honestly if she had a better attitude and wasn't such a jerk to everybody around her I feel like nobody would bother her so much. Cy was also kind of weird, because he had everybody telling him all their stupid and mean thoughts about Mary (which he ignored), and then when he finds about all the ghost stuff with her, he turns into a jerk and starts treating her poorly too. I didn't like any of the characters. I'm glad this was a short book, because it was just awful.
July 6, 2019
Amazon has this for free for Kindle so I decided to give it a shot. This is a very quick read, I finished it in about two hours. The characters were all a bit flat or cliche, but the story line was interesting enough to keep my attention. For being free, and only taking a couple hours to read, its worth a read, but I won't go out of the way to continue on with the series.
March 31, 2021
Meh. Wasn’t doing much for me and I didn’t like how the MC had a backbone, until it was convenient for the plot for her to not have one. Skipped to the end and it wasn’t bad, just not my cup. 3, not horrible, but didn’t rock my socks off, stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 27, 2013
I read this before I started really searching for great YA Horror, but the book stood out to me even then. I believe I got it as a free download on Smashwords. If you're searching for something to give to a future horror lover, this is a great 'in-between' read. What I mean is that it's not too scary or disturbing for younger readers, but it's not a childish ghost story, either.
I think this is one that is perfect to help you mould your future horror lover, a segue from R.L. Stine to Marissa Wood. You need to bring them over gently, can't very well hand your kid a ghost story like THE SHINING and expect them to not wake up screaming for six months! (They do exist, those wonderful little horror readers who can read adult horror with the lights down low, but they're few & far between.)
From doing a little research, I think that Neil Gaiman is going to be the 'go-to' segue author. "It takes a graveyard to raise a child…" But, I cannot say that with 100% certainty yet - I haven't read 'em yet! I have read SCARY MARY, let's get back to it, shall we?
Mary just wants to be left alone, but the cheerleaders, jocks, guidance counselors, and ghosts won't stop harrassing her. When a new boy starts school, he surprises Mary by befriending her. That's a rare thing for the school freak, but her unusual abilities put a rift in their budding friendship when Mary has to tell Cy that his home is haunted and not by Casper, the friendly ghost.
But it's not the ghost that ruins the evening. That honor belongs to Vicky "The Hickey" Nelson with her borrowed Ouija board and stuck-up friends. They make Mary so angry that she uses the ghost to freak out everybody, Cy included. He orders her out, and Mary thinks she's lost whatever chance she had with him. But there's still the ghost to deal with. He's mean, nasty, and possibly homicidal. She has to get rid of him or Cy and his family could be hurt. Or worse.
This book is still free on Amazon - and it has a nice, updated cover -
http://www.amazon.com/Scary-Mary-eboo...
AND... there are more books in the series now! I gotta get them, I'm disappointed that I didn't know already. Bad Blogger!
Stalking Shadows and Broken Spirits are both $2.99. Based on the first book, I'd say that's fair - I'd call it a bargain if it gets the kids wanting more!!
You don't have to be a YA to enjoy this, go download a copy!
I think this is one that is perfect to help you mould your future horror lover, a segue from R.L. Stine to Marissa Wood. You need to bring them over gently, can't very well hand your kid a ghost story like THE SHINING and expect them to not wake up screaming for six months! (They do exist, those wonderful little horror readers who can read adult horror with the lights down low, but they're few & far between.)
From doing a little research, I think that Neil Gaiman is going to be the 'go-to' segue author. "It takes a graveyard to raise a child…" But, I cannot say that with 100% certainty yet - I haven't read 'em yet! I have read SCARY MARY, let's get back to it, shall we?
Mary just wants to be left alone, but the cheerleaders, jocks, guidance counselors, and ghosts won't stop harrassing her. When a new boy starts school, he surprises Mary by befriending her. That's a rare thing for the school freak, but her unusual abilities put a rift in their budding friendship when Mary has to tell Cy that his home is haunted and not by Casper, the friendly ghost.
But it's not the ghost that ruins the evening. That honor belongs to Vicky "The Hickey" Nelson with her borrowed Ouija board and stuck-up friends. They make Mary so angry that she uses the ghost to freak out everybody, Cy included. He orders her out, and Mary thinks she's lost whatever chance she had with him. But there's still the ghost to deal with. He's mean, nasty, and possibly homicidal. She has to get rid of him or Cy and his family could be hurt. Or worse.
This book is still free on Amazon - and it has a nice, updated cover -
http://www.amazon.com/Scary-Mary-eboo...
AND... there are more books in the series now! I gotta get them, I'm disappointed that I didn't know already. Bad Blogger!
Stalking Shadows and Broken Spirits are both $2.99. Based on the first book, I'd say that's fair - I'd call it a bargain if it gets the kids wanting more!!
You don't have to be a YA to enjoy this, go download a copy!
September 20, 2016
I've had this ebook for several years now, it kept floating to the top of my TBR pile and being pushed aside for another book; I wish I had read this sooner. I was happy to see when I updated my reading status that it was actually part of a series because it was just too short for me. Mary is sarcastic, funny, and very much aware of how the world really works. She's joined my list of favorite female protagonists and I really need to read the next book in the series.
"She really did want him to like her again, but
telling him his house was haunted wasn’t the way to do
it. It was funny how saving a boy from danger didn’t
guarantee him liking the girl. It always worked for the
guy in the fairytales. The damsel always married the
hero, and they lived happily ever after. Fairytales were
sexist, and the real world was unfair."
"She swung her arm back to smash the window
when a thought occurred to her. She reached down with
her free hand and pushed on the window. It swung
inward. She handed the brick back to Rachel."
"She really did want him to like her again, but
telling him his house was haunted wasn’t the way to do
it. It was funny how saving a boy from danger didn’t
guarantee him liking the girl. It always worked for the
guy in the fairytales. The damsel always married the
hero, and they lived happily ever after. Fairytales were
sexist, and the real world was unfair."
"She swung her arm back to smash the window
when a thought occurred to her. She reached down with
her free hand and pushed on the window. It swung
inward. She handed the brick back to Rachel."
January 18, 2018
he kindle edition of this book is currently available for free on Amazon (Dec 17). So if you love young adult stories with ghostly spookiness give this one a go.
I’m not a big reader of young adult novels so I found everything a bit too simplistic, the plot was predictable and was focused more on Mary’s thoughts than much happening. Although I did enjoy the end sections where things kick of and get more ghostly.
Scary Mary is an independent teenage girl who thinks for herself and looks after herself. She’s a bit different from everyone else in that she can hear ghosts. I really enjoyed this aspect of the story. Even when I didn’t agree with or understand her actions or thoughts it was interesting to see how she interacted with other people and the supernatural.
“It was funny how saving a boy from danger didn’t guarantee him liking the girl. It always worked for the guy in fairy tales. The damsel always married the hero and they lived happily ever after. Why weren’t there any stories about the damsel saving the hero?” Scary Mary
I only gave the book 2 stars as it was too simplistic and high school cliche for my tastes. But overall its a very quick fun read with a bit of spookiness thrown in.
I’d recommend to anyone who likes: ghosts, young-adult, school drama
I’m not a big reader of young adult novels so I found everything a bit too simplistic, the plot was predictable and was focused more on Mary’s thoughts than much happening. Although I did enjoy the end sections where things kick of and get more ghostly.
Scary Mary is an independent teenage girl who thinks for herself and looks after herself. She’s a bit different from everyone else in that she can hear ghosts. I really enjoyed this aspect of the story. Even when I didn’t agree with or understand her actions or thoughts it was interesting to see how she interacted with other people and the supernatural.
“It was funny how saving a boy from danger didn’t guarantee him liking the girl. It always worked for the guy in fairy tales. The damsel always married the hero and they lived happily ever after. Why weren’t there any stories about the damsel saving the hero?” Scary Mary
I only gave the book 2 stars as it was too simplistic and high school cliche for my tastes. But overall its a very quick fun read with a bit of spookiness thrown in.
I’d recommend to anyone who likes: ghosts, young-adult, school drama
June 7, 2013
Mary can talk to ghosts... one reason why her classmates call her "Scary Mary." When the new guy Cy takes a shine to Mary, she's perplexed and flattered, but it all goes downhill when Vicky arrives at Cy's house while Mary is there. One incident with a Ouija board later, and Cy won't speak to Mary. Mary now knows there is a malevolent ghost living in Cy's house, and she needs to figure out a way to help him... if he'll let her.
I love the cover (do you sense a pattern in how I choose books?) and I also loved the tagline: "The dead speak to her. She wishes they'd shut up." I loved how Mary dealt with her tormentors at school, but also how she had real feelings beneath the hard shell she's put up. Her one friend Rachel was fun, too. The tongue-in-cheek tone didn't quite make it through the entire story; at some point it devolves into the typical ghost exorcism story, but it was enjoyable to read. I also wished that Mary's relationship with Cy had been more satisfactorily mended at the end, but maybe I'll need to read Stalking Shadows (book 2) for that.
I love the cover (do you sense a pattern in how I choose books?) and I also loved the tagline: "The dead speak to her. She wishes they'd shut up." I loved how Mary dealt with her tormentors at school, but also how she had real feelings beneath the hard shell she's put up. Her one friend Rachel was fun, too. The tongue-in-cheek tone didn't quite make it through the entire story; at some point it devolves into the typical ghost exorcism story, but it was enjoyable to read. I also wished that Mary's relationship with Cy had been more satisfactorily mended at the end, but maybe I'll need to read Stalking Shadows (book 2) for that.
August 19, 2011
This is a fun bit of supernatural fluff that I'd give 3.5 stars (rounded up to 4 instead of down to 3, because I love the author's sense of humor). It's the kind of non-challenging yet engaging read that is perfect for a few hours distraction and amusement, (I read it last night, while knitting something mindless.) The plot was a tad thin in places, but this is a YA novel, not War and Peace. Besides, Mary, the main character, really makes up for the lack of plot complexity. She is the perfectly drawn lovable misfit-who-saves-the-day, and the writer does a wonderful job of giving her the sort of sarcastic dialogue that is at once droll and believable. I loved her from page one, and would like to see more of her. It is clear that the author is in love with the character, too--to the point that the other characters seem comparably 2-dimensional. If Hunter continues with Mary (a series of Mary's misadventures is completely foreseeable), one can only hope she falls in love with the rest of her primary characters to the same degree.
December 3, 2011
I loved this book. This was the first book that I literally could NOT put down. I thought I could read just a chapter before going to bed. But Chapter 1 became the end of the book and 1AM became 5AM in the morning.
I had so much in common with Mary in high school and loved her witty thoughts and amazing comebacks. It had me thinking, MAN I wish I could have said something like that.
The one most intense part (trying not to give away anything) gave me cold chills, made my face turn red, and made my heart race. I've never had such a great experience from one book.
ON TO THE SEQUAL!
I had so much in common with Mary in high school and loved her witty thoughts and amazing comebacks. It had me thinking, MAN I wish I could have said something like that.
The one most intense part (trying not to give away anything) gave me cold chills, made my face turn red, and made my heart race. I've never had such a great experience from one book.
ON TO THE SEQUAL!
December 9, 2011
This was a free book from the author's blog so I didn't expect much. I received way more than I bargained for. I really enjoyed the story, the characters and the setting and can't wait for more. If this author hasn't been picked up by an agent/publishing house they really should be because the writing was very polished and professional. By that I mean the book took me in and made me a friend and as an added bonus there was no stumbling over awkward phrasing, bad characterisations and typos you would normally expect in free fiction. All in all I would (and will) read this again and again and shelve it with my classics.
April 17, 2012
I downloaded this book for free and decided to read it when I was in between books this weekend.
The story is about a teenage girl called Mary and her ability to hear and speak to ghosts. The story wasn't terrible and was definitely readable and fairly enjoyable. I just think that the premise was unimaginative. Mary is classed as a "freak" due to her ability and is a bit of an outsider. I think that the story could have been more interesting if it was less predictable.
Overall, I would recommend this book to someone who wanted a quick and easy read and I would probably read a follow up if it were free. In reality, 2.5 stars and distinctly average.
The story is about a teenage girl called Mary and her ability to hear and speak to ghosts. The story wasn't terrible and was definitely readable and fairly enjoyable. I just think that the premise was unimaginative. Mary is classed as a "freak" due to her ability and is a bit of an outsider. I think that the story could have been more interesting if it was less predictable.
Overall, I would recommend this book to someone who wanted a quick and easy read and I would probably read a follow up if it were free. In reality, 2.5 stars and distinctly average.
October 22, 2015
This is a book about a girl who can hear and speak to ghosts. She gets called a lot of things by bullies such as freak etc.
I liked Cy in the beginning but when he didn't believe her I realised he was a jerk. Then at the end rather than accepting her he just wanted to forget about the whole thing and pretend that it never happened.
I liked that Mary had Rachel and her Gran when things started together too much. Kyle surprisingly I actually liked by the end. It wasn't an amazing book but it wasn't a bad read either. However I don't think I'll be reading the other books in the series.
I liked Cy in the beginning but when he didn't believe her I realised he was a jerk. Then at the end rather than accepting her he just wanted to forget about the whole thing and pretend that it never happened.
I liked that Mary had Rachel and her Gran when things started together too much. Kyle surprisingly I actually liked by the end. It wasn't an amazing book but it wasn't a bad read either. However I don't think I'll be reading the other books in the series.
May 30, 2011
It was a fairly good book, a little predictable in places but still not overly predictable or overused plot devices (though there were some of those.) I didn't quite like the ending because some things happened to swiftly while others questions are left dangling with only a half ass-ed attempt to answer them without fully going into necessary details. This is another of those moments where it could have gone either way, but I'm feeling generous and it honestly wasn't that bad.
May 29, 2011
This was a very quick read. I liked it. It was one of the free ebooks offered on my nook so I figured why not? Scary Mary worked for me. It had a bit of mystery, good characters, a ghost dog that tugs at your heart strings and answered my question... schools are haunted!
The book held my interest, it was fast paced, good action, and well thought out.
The book held my interest, it was fast paced, good action, and well thought out.
Want to read
June 11, 2013Scary mary is about a girl who can talk to ghost and because of that she is an outcast at school then a boy moves into town and seems to be intersted in her then when he invites over she comes into to contact with an angry ghost who has killed his wife and comitted suicide ....... Its a very good book its not all scary but it was good ... sorry for spoilers....hope u like the book ^_^
January 24, 2013
I thought this book was very creepy and wierd. This book was inapropriate in some parts, so I do not recamend this book for young children.
March 2, 2013
Fantastic read and quite a shame it ended! You could easily fill 400 readable pages with this story :) Both upbeat and creepy and something we can all relate to.
November 4, 2016
Good, fun. Not really complex, but we'll plotted and interesting. Very entertaining.
May 3, 2021
Reviewed on Lili Lost in a Book
This book was SO good for it being a freebie! It was a lot of fun!
So, Mary hears dead people. She doesn’t see them, she hears them. That’s why she calls herself a clairaudient 😂 I really loved Mary—she was snarky and it was great! Lol. I also really loved her best friend Rachel, who knows about Mary and her ability and she supports her and accepts her the way she is 🖤 Rachel is also really funny! I just really loved their relationship and them working together and all that.
Also loved Cy, the new boy in school. He was so sweet and kind to Mary and I just 😍 And they bonded over their dislike of Vicky...
Okay, so this kinda mean of Cy to say, but also, it’s true! Vicky is your typical mean girl and she sucks. BUT I want you guys to remember this quote for books later on in the series because THINGS. But anyway, Cy is just the cutest! He likes Mary and wants to be around her and I loved this so much!
😍😍😍 Mary almost didn’t know what to do with herself when this cute boy started being nice to her. They were just so cute! But then things take a turn when she realizes that his house might be haunted. This ghost is dangerous and she wants to help no matter what—even if it puts their blooming relationship on the line.
As for the ghosts, they were very reminiscent of the ghosts from Supernatural because they all had an anchor that ties them to this plane. I really loved that aspect!
But yeah, I really enjoyed this book overall! I loved the characters and their relationships, I loved the supernatural aspect, especially if it’s a good ghost haunting story. This book was free, but right after finishing this I bought the next one right away! That’s how much I enjoyed it!
This book was SO good for it being a freebie! It was a lot of fun!
So, Mary hears dead people. She doesn’t see them, she hears them. That’s why she calls herself a clairaudient 😂 I really loved Mary—she was snarky and it was great! Lol. I also really loved her best friend Rachel, who knows about Mary and her ability and she supports her and accepts her the way she is 🖤 Rachel is also really funny! I just really loved their relationship and them working together and all that.
“I knew it! You won’t let me Nair bomb Vicky, you won’t show me how to make voodoo dolls, and you always remember to do your chores! You’re not really an outcast, loner, anti-establishment teenager at all. You’re really a secret agent, sent by my father to instill a good influence on me, aren’t you? Aren’t you?!”
Also loved Cy, the new boy in school. He was so sweet and kind to Mary and I just 😍 And they bonded over their dislike of Vicky...
“I had the misfortune of chatting with Miss Nelson and her friends during lunch. I could feel my IQ dropping from osmosis.”
Okay, so this kinda mean of Cy to say, but also, it’s true! Vicky is your typical mean girl and she sucks. BUT I want you guys to remember this quote for books later on in the series because THINGS. But anyway, Cy is just the cutest! He likes Mary and wants to be around her and I loved this so much!
He grinned. “Yeah, I do. May I hang out with you? Is there a formal application process? I have excellent references.”
😍😍😍 Mary almost didn’t know what to do with herself when this cute boy started being nice to her. They were just so cute! But then things take a turn when she realizes that his house might be haunted. This ghost is dangerous and she wants to help no matter what—even if it puts their blooming relationship on the line.
As for the ghosts, they were very reminiscent of the ghosts from Supernatural because they all had an anchor that ties them to this plane. I really loved that aspect!
But yeah, I really enjoyed this book overall! I loved the characters and their relationships, I loved the supernatural aspect, especially if it’s a good ghost haunting story. This book was free, but right after finishing this I bought the next one right away! That’s how much I enjoyed it!
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