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Category: Ghost novels

reviews of ghost fiction

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The Castle of Otranto

The Castle of Otranto

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Every October I participate in a common read of the Supernatural Fiction Readers over at Goodreads. The group selection this time is The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole. We have been having a super lively discussion of this supernatural classic. Check out the discussion here. And great news! You can read The Castle of Otranto for free here on Gutenberg. The Castle of Otranto is supernatural lite, the paranormal elements consisting primarily of a giant helmet and a haunted painting….

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Ghosts of Harvard

Ghosts of Harvard

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Ghosts of Harvard by Francesca Serritella When Cady hears disembodied voices, she fears she is suffering from the same paranoid schizophrenia that drove her brother, a Harvard student, to take his life. Who can blame her? Fear is a character in this novel. Fear of the unknown, fear of things that go bump in the night, fear that, in fact, the things you think go bump in the night are only going bump in your mind. Fear of fear.  It…

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Sing, Unburied, Sing, by Jesmyn Ward

Sing, Unburied, Sing, by Jesmyn Ward

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It was with pleasure that I read this insightful review of Sing, Unburied, Sing from Trish Reviews by the Book. Trish discusses Ward’s use of ghost to give a voice to the voiceless slaves of the South whose lives were brutally stolen from them. Trish also discusses the metaphor of journey in the novel. I recommend that you read her insightful blog post. In Jesmyn Ward’s novel, the unburied who yearn to be heard are the ghosts of the slaves…

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The Secret of Crickley Hall

The Secret of Crickley Hall

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The Secret of Crickley Hall by James Herbert Publisher: Tom Doherty, 633 pages Format: Hardback Source: Purchased What it’s about: In The Secret of Crickley Hall, Gabe and Eve Caleigh along with daughters Loren and Cally have rented Crickley Hall while Gabe is working on an engineering project nearby. Gabe and Eve’s goal is to find some peace and quiet to mourn the disappearance of their child Cam and to prepare themselves to acknowledge Cam’s death, even though his body has…

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Lincoln in the Bardo

Lincoln in the Bardo

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I didn’t know what a bardo was until I picked up George Saunders’s novel Lincoln in the Bardo. Bardo is the state of the soul between death and rebirth. The translation of this Tibetan word is “between two.” And that’s exactly the condition of the souls in the Oak Ridge Cemetery in 1862 when Willie Lincoln, third son of Abraham Lincoln, was interred. The death of Willie Lincoln and the night-time visits of Abraham Lincoln set off a series of events that will change the ghostly residents of Oak Ridge.

Haunted Souls by Kathryn Knight

Haunted Souls by Kathryn Knight

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Review: Haunted Souls by Kathryn Knight I like the double entendre of the title Haunted Souls; it’s not just a ghost who is haunted in Kathryn Knight’s novel. Emily Shea and her former lover Staff Sergeant Brett Leeds are both haunted by their pasts. Emily is raising a child alone and is tormented by the fact that she has never been able to share this news with his father, Brett. Brett is haunted by the events he witnessed in Afghanistan, events…

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The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

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Review: The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater For my third novel in the R.I.P. Challenge, I read The Raven Boys. In case you missed my earlier post and reading lineup, here is the concept behind this challenge: Started by Carl at Stainless Steel Droppings, R.I.P. is a reading challenge in which imbibers come “together to enjoy the literature most associated with the darkening days and cooling temperatures of Autumn:” Mystery Suspense Thriller Gothic Horror Dark Fantasy As I read The Raven…

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Two YA Ghost Novels

Two YA Ghost Novels

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Review: Two YA Ghost Novels Yep, today we’re going to do a little comparison of two young adult ghost novels that I read for Erin’s Book Challenge. They are: Ruined by Paula Morris and Minty by Christina Banach Both of these ghost novels explore a kind of sisterhood that transcends death. What they’re about: In Ruined, Rebecca’s father suddenly dispatches her to New Orleans to live with an “aunt” she barely knows. Used to diverse, bustling New York City, Rebecca is…

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Y is for Yangsze

Y is for Yangsze

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Welcome to Day 25 of Blogging A to Z! Be sure to visit the other participating blogs. You can find them here. Book-ish Ghosts Throughout the April challenge, you get to guess the ghost novel, ghost movie, or ghost beginning with the letter of the day. You can find Book-ish Ghosts contest rules here in the theme reveal. Note to my readers: Before we begin today’s mystery I need to apologize for the misbehavior of my blog. A week or so ago,…

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H is for Hill

H is for Hill

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H is for Hill  Welcome to Day 8 of Blogging A to Z! Be sure to visit other participating blogs. Book-ish Ghosts Throughout the April challenge, you get to guess the ghost novel, ghost movie, or ghost beginning with the letter of the day. You can find Book-ish Ghosts contest rules here in the theme reveal. Here are the clues for H is for Hill. Clue 1: After an impulsive online purchase of a malevolent ghost, Judas and his girlfriend jump in…

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Ghost novel review: Leaving Time

Ghost novel review: Leaving Time

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Happy Halloween, everyone! I think this is my fourth book review for the R.I.P. reading challenge hosted by the Estella Society. Please hop on over there to see the other wonderful spooky books readers are discussing. Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult Publisher: Ballantine Books, 480 pages Format: Paperback Source: Purchased What it’s about: Teen Jenna Metcalf has been searching for her mother Alice for as long as she can remember. Alice disappeared over a decade ago following a trampling death…

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Haunted by James Herbert

Haunted by James Herbert

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Publisher: Jove Books, 338 pages Format: Paperback Source: Purchased Haunted was the subject of a group read over at Supernatural Fiction Readers hosted by Werner A. Lind on Goodreads as well as a R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril X reading challenge at Estella Society. What it’s about: David Ash, a paranormal investigator for the Psychical Research Institute, has taken a case in rural England where he meets the siblings Simon, Christina, and Robert; and their aunt, Nanny Tess. They live in a decaying…

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Guest post: Bag of Bones Review

Guest post: Bag of Bones Review

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        Bag of Bones by Stephen King Well, if you’re anything like me, you are bemoaning the fact that October–the best month in the year–seems to be running away on little ghost feet. If I had my way, October would last for two months! So, there’s nothing for it but to try to eke out all the crisp-leaf, brisk-walking, sweatshirt-donning goodness while we can. That and curl up in your favorite armchair for some ghost novels. To…

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