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NEARLY UNDONE BY: DEVON ASHLEY
Well to say that this book was surprising would be an understatement. Nearly Undone is SHOCKING and it will rock you down to your foundation. This is not for the faint of heart though. There are some very graphic scenes both violent and sexual, this whole series deals with the horror that is human trafficking, and there are many times your heart will ache while reading this. It is dark, gritty, raw, and devastating. But there is also such strength, courage, and just enough hope to keep you hanging on.
I have to say how much I admired Megan (aka Claire) in this book. She has always been strong throughout the series, but I felt like in this book she really flaunted it. I think she regained some a lot of her confidence and fighting spirit and I really enjoyed watching her push back hard this time around. BUT. While I understood her rational behind a lot of the choices she made, and they were always brave, some just screamed bad judgement to me. There were a couple kindle shouting outbursts from me, I'm not going to lie.
The story was fast paced, lots of action and suspense. Definitely a few moments that will shock the hell out of you! I mean, I still can't get over a few scenes from that compound. I have a feeling they will stay with me for some time. I will also say I REALLY LOVED this ending. It felt just right. I don't do spoilers, so no details, but the ending fit this series so perfectly, I truly couldn't think of anything I would change about it.
I was gifted a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Well to say that this book was surprising would be an understatement. Nearly Undone is SHOCKING and it will rock you down to your foundation. This is not for the faint of heart though. There are some very graphic scenes both violent and sexual, this whole series deals with the horror that is human trafficking, and there are many times your heart will ache while reading this. It is dark, gritty, raw, and devastating. But there is also such strength, courage, and just enough hope to keep you hanging on.
I have to say how much I admired Megan (aka Claire) in this book. She has always been strong throughout the series, but I felt like in this book she really flaunted it. I think she regained some a lot of her confidence and fighting spirit and I really enjoyed watching her push back hard this time around. BUT. While I understood her rational behind a lot of the choices she made, and they were always brave, some just screamed bad judgement to me. There were a couple kindle shouting outbursts from me, I'm not going to lie.
The story was fast paced, lots of action and suspense. Definitely a few moments that will shock the hell out of you! I mean, I still can't get over a few scenes from that compound. I have a feeling they will stay with me for some time. I will also say I REALLY LOVED this ending. It felt just right. I don't do spoilers, so no details, but the ending fit this series so perfectly, I truly couldn't think of anything I would change about it.
I was gifted a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
MOONLIGHT FALLING BY: KARISSA LAUREL
I don't know that I have ever read a prequel that was centered around someone that we know met a tragic fate. It was quite an experience.
I feel like I soaked it all in a little deeper. Each question felt deeper, each victory more sweet, and each relationship felt so utterly bittersweet I ached from it. I can't even tell you how excited I was to find out we were going to get a prequel where we got to meet Mani, and my friends, this did not disappoint!
I was enchanted by Mani. He was so kind, and I really loved watching him build his life in Alaska. We also got to see many other familiar faces, it was cool to see some different sides to them as well. Watching Val be the unshakable best friend, and seeing this much softer side of Skyla, was a welcome addition. I also appreciated seeing the relationship between Mani and Solina. Their unique bond coming through so strong, as if it were a tangible thing, even through the massive distance between them.
All around I felt like Moonlight Falling read more intimate than any other Norse Chronicles book. It was like peeking behind the curtain, unnoticed and observing people in their natural habitats, in a total non-creeper way ;)
This was a great addition to the series, and also pretty awesome that it can be read first. If you haven't started this series yet and want a taste, you could definitely start here.
** BIG HUGS right back at you Karissa Laurel**
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I don't know that I have ever read a prequel that was centered around someone that we know met a tragic fate. It was quite an experience.
I feel like I soaked it all in a little deeper. Each question felt deeper, each victory more sweet, and each relationship felt so utterly bittersweet I ached from it. I can't even tell you how excited I was to find out we were going to get a prequel where we got to meet Mani, and my friends, this did not disappoint!
I was enchanted by Mani. He was so kind, and I really loved watching him build his life in Alaska. We also got to see many other familiar faces, it was cool to see some different sides to them as well. Watching Val be the unshakable best friend, and seeing this much softer side of Skyla, was a welcome addition. I also appreciated seeing the relationship between Mani and Solina. Their unique bond coming through so strong, as if it were a tangible thing, even through the massive distance between them.
All around I felt like Moonlight Falling read more intimate than any other Norse Chronicles book. It was like peeking behind the curtain, unnoticed and observing people in their natural habitats, in a total non-creeper way ;)
This was a great addition to the series, and also pretty awesome that it can be read first. If you haven't started this series yet and want a taste, you could definitely start here.
** BIG HUGS right back at you Karissa Laurel**
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
AIR AWAKENS BY: ELISE KOVA I really enjoyed this story! I loved the idea that this shy little librarian had this extremely big and exciting magic just laying in wait inside of her. I was quite surprised just how she really came about accepting that, aka the plunge lol. I mean, wow. That is not likely something I will forget for awhile.
The characters were really interesting. I quite like Vhalla, but I think I liked her most towards the end of the book, mostly because that's when we really got to see just how strong she was.
The Dark Prince...mmmmm.
He was great, also! I thought their letters back and forth in the beginning were really cute. I liked how their connection developed throughout the book, the ups and downs of it. I'm really curious to see how things are between them as the series progresses. There are a few other characters I am not quite yet sure about, whether they be true friends or foes, but I kind of really love that. Makes it that much more of an adventure, not really being sure who to trust!
The fantasy element was super cool here. I love elemental control! Add that in with the political intrigue and a war, and you have yourself an attention grabber. I am super excited to see more of the elemental control parts as the series progresses. I feel like we only scratched on the surface with it in this one, and I look forward to seeing it more in depth in the coming books. All in all I liked this book and I am excited to start Fire Falling soon!
The characters were really interesting. I quite like Vhalla, but I think I liked her most towards the end of the book, mostly because that's when we really got to see just how strong she was.
The Dark Prince...mmmmm.
He was great, also! I thought their letters back and forth in the beginning were really cute. I liked how their connection developed throughout the book, the ups and downs of it. I'm really curious to see how things are between them as the series progresses. There are a few other characters I am not quite yet sure about, whether they be true friends or foes, but I kind of really love that. Makes it that much more of an adventure, not really being sure who to trust!
The fantasy element was super cool here. I love elemental control! Add that in with the political intrigue and a war, and you have yourself an attention grabber. I am super excited to see more of the elemental control parts as the series progresses. I feel like we only scratched on the surface with it in this one, and I look forward to seeing it more in depth in the coming books. All in all I liked this book and I am excited to start Fire Falling soon!
“Words, Dev thought, never did the job the speaker wanted them to”
I couldn’t agree more. I’ve had over a day to gather my thoughts and attempt to articulate just how amazing this book was, and I fear that I still can’t find the words to truly do it justice. I can tell you that this book was an emotional journey; an experience for all your senses. Mellow has an incredible way of whisking you away into her dreamworld and making it so you dread the moment you’ll inevitably have to come back to reality.
One of my favorite things was the way every chapter started with a little piece of the letters between Dev and Molly. It was comforting, even when things were at their most chaotic and seemed the darkest, it was a little bit of light and hope that warmed you from the inside out. The writing was lyrical and even quite poetic at times. The way Mellow describes things paint the most vivid, visceral images. My kindle highlighter got quite the workout! There were so many touching and beautiful moments in this story, but there was also darkness, pain, war and loss. This series has been building up to this, and you knew going in that things weren’t going to be all sunshine and roses. I wouldn’t change a minute of it though, like they say, it is always darkest before the dawn. And this dawn is worth the wait.
Being the only Dreamer with the responsibility of saving not just one, but two worlds from destruction, that’s a lot of pressure! I have to say one thing I loved about Molly, even with the weight of worlds on her shoulders, and the immense power she had at her fingertips, she always stayed humble, kind, brave, and just an all around ideal heroine. Dev was swoon-worthy, as per usual. I love the way he supports and cherishes Molly. They truly shine together. As much as I love the two of them, I equally, if not even more, LOVE the friendships in this series. Many of them reached all new heights in The Destined and I couldn’t help being in awe of how amazing these characters are, and how much I have come to adore them.
From start to finish I simultaneously wanted to savor this and make it last and devour every word all at once. It was hard saying goodbye to this world and all it’s inhabitants, but all good things must come to an end. And this end was perfection. So even though I will miss Terra and all my favorite characters, I ultimately feel like I am walking away from this story feeling a divine sense of contentment. I can also definitely see myself doing a complete series reread in the near future, when I am needing a dreamy escape from reality.
I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I couldn’t agree more. I’ve had over a day to gather my thoughts and attempt to articulate just how amazing this book was, and I fear that I still can’t find the words to truly do it justice. I can tell you that this book was an emotional journey; an experience for all your senses. Mellow has an incredible way of whisking you away into her dreamworld and making it so you dread the moment you’ll inevitably have to come back to reality.
One of my favorite things was the way every chapter started with a little piece of the letters between Dev and Molly. It was comforting, even when things were at their most chaotic and seemed the darkest, it was a little bit of light and hope that warmed you from the inside out. The writing was lyrical and even quite poetic at times. The way Mellow describes things paint the most vivid, visceral images. My kindle highlighter got quite the workout! There were so many touching and beautiful moments in this story, but there was also darkness, pain, war and loss. This series has been building up to this, and you knew going in that things weren’t going to be all sunshine and roses. I wouldn’t change a minute of it though, like they say, it is always darkest before the dawn. And this dawn is worth the wait.
Being the only Dreamer with the responsibility of saving not just one, but two worlds from destruction, that’s a lot of pressure! I have to say one thing I loved about Molly, even with the weight of worlds on her shoulders, and the immense power she had at her fingertips, she always stayed humble, kind, brave, and just an all around ideal heroine. Dev was swoon-worthy, as per usual. I love the way he supports and cherishes Molly. They truly shine together. As much as I love the two of them, I equally, if not even more, LOVE the friendships in this series. Many of them reached all new heights in The Destined and I couldn’t help being in awe of how amazing these characters are, and how much I have come to adore them.
From start to finish I simultaneously wanted to savor this and make it last and devour every word all at once. It was hard saying goodbye to this world and all it’s inhabitants, but all good things must come to an end. And this end was perfection. So even though I will miss Terra and all my favorite characters, I ultimately feel like I am walking away from this story feeling a divine sense of contentment. I can also definitely see myself doing a complete series reread in the near future, when I am needing a dreamy escape from reality.
I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
UPDRIFT BY: ERRIN STEVENS
Updrift wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but it was still an enjoyable read. I guess I was expecting a little more action and fantasy in this book, and while it did ultimately deliver on both of these, it did take quite some time to really do so. BUT where these elements were lacking in the first half or so of the story, there was really strong character and relationship development. In my opinion this was probably the strongest element in this story. So while it wasn't quite what I was expecting, I still enjoyed the journey to get to the parts I was anticipating. I think there was a lot of exploration into coming of age, falling in love, being a friend, a daughter, a mother, an aunt, basically the whole family dynamic in general. Stevens develops and nurtures each relationship with a lot of time and care, and I appreciate that.
Once we got more into the fantasy elements of the story, I found it quite interesting. I really liked that the men (Sirens) were the feature here. I feel like so often with "mermaids" we are getting the female take on them, so it was nice to see Stevens' version with the Sirens taking the lead.
I liked the idea of them as a generally peaceful and devoted race. The fact that they mate for life was a sweet touch. I really enjoyed seeing a little of their home in the sea and their customs. Although I feel like there is a lot that could still be done with that aspect of the story. I had really high hopes for the world building here, but I feel as if there could have been more there. I would really love to see this world be expanded upon in the next book. I think that would take these books to a whole new level. All in all I enjoyed this book. I am looking forward to seeing what the next book, Breakwater holds in store!
Updrift wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but it was still an enjoyable read. I guess I was expecting a little more action and fantasy in this book, and while it did ultimately deliver on both of these, it did take quite some time to really do so. BUT where these elements were lacking in the first half or so of the story, there was really strong character and relationship development. In my opinion this was probably the strongest element in this story. So while it wasn't quite what I was expecting, I still enjoyed the journey to get to the parts I was anticipating. I think there was a lot of exploration into coming of age, falling in love, being a friend, a daughter, a mother, an aunt, basically the whole family dynamic in general. Stevens develops and nurtures each relationship with a lot of time and care, and I appreciate that.
Once we got more into the fantasy elements of the story, I found it quite interesting. I really liked that the men (Sirens) were the feature here. I feel like so often with "mermaids" we are getting the female take on them, so it was nice to see Stevens' version with the Sirens taking the lead.
I liked the idea of them as a generally peaceful and devoted race. The fact that they mate for life was a sweet touch. I really enjoyed seeing a little of their home in the sea and their customs. Although I feel like there is a lot that could still be done with that aspect of the story. I had really high hopes for the world building here, but I feel as if there could have been more there. I would really love to see this world be expanded upon in the next book. I think that would take these books to a whole new level. All in all I enjoyed this book. I am looking forward to seeing what the next book, Breakwater holds in store!
FIRE FALLING BY: ELISE KOVA "There was something severed and rough about her, something tainted and, yet at the same time those jagged pieces were the makings of something fearsome. She'd wanted to become something the Senate would fear. Why not shatter the sky?"
I loved this story! Air Awakens was great, but Fire Falling knocked my socks off! Why oh why have I waited so long to start this series?! The plot progression was perfection, more action, more magic, and more delicious tension between Vhalla and Aldrik! I liked the inclusion of some new characters, and getting to know some of the originals a little better. I was glad to see Vhalla training and growing into her role. I love how fierce she is becoming! Throw in a few big surprises and devastations and you have the whole package in this wonderful sequel.
I loved this story! Air Awakens was great, but Fire Falling knocked my socks off! Why oh why have I waited so long to start this series?! The plot progression was perfection, more action, more magic, and more delicious tension between Vhalla and Aldrik! I liked the inclusion of some new characters, and getting to know some of the originals a little better. I was glad to see Vhalla training and growing into her role. I love how fierce she is becoming! Throw in a few big surprises and devastations and you have the whole package in this wonderful sequel.
ALL DARLING CHILDREN BY: KATRINA MONROE
THANK YOU Katrina Monroe for bringing some LOST GIRL magic into this story!
Peter Pan is one of my favorite stories! I usually quite like most of the retellings and alternate versions of the tale too. So I guess it comes as no surprise that I enjoyed this one as well. BUT one of the really cool and unique things about this book was the very prominent strong female factor. I have to admit, I was always slightly disappointed that there weren't any lost girls, and I think Monroe did an awesome job at filling this gap in All Darling Children. Even if some of these girls weren't technically thought of as such throughout most of the story. The girls in this book were fierce and cunning, and not all of them were entirely likeable, but they were keen and ferocious.
I loved the depiction of Peter Pan in this story! One thing that is common in any Peter Pan tale, new, old, or in between...he is arrogant through and through. I like how Monroe took that and twisted it into a new darker perspective. This Peter was familiar in many ways, the crowing, the games, boyish charm, and such. But everything about this book was darker. Peter was something to be feared. Everything about him was feral, a brutal savage whose selfish, bloodthirsty desires are grim enough to shape the world around him, and its inhabitants.
I found the Darling family so interesting! I kind of loved that they were a mess. I had never really thought much about their time after Neverland, and as disturbing as it could be at times, I thought Monroe came up with a super fascinating story line for them. I only wish we would have got a tiny glimpse at what Neverland would have looked like after a brief time after the end of this book. Not going to be spoilery here, but it's driving me a little mad not knowing if the atmosphere changed there after time, or if everything Madge went through and her new role in the world changed her in ways that we've seen before. History repeating itself and such. Part of me hopes for the former, but wouldn't the latter be such a wickedly delicious and fitting continuation of this story??!!
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
THANK YOU Katrina Monroe for bringing some LOST GIRL magic into this story!
Peter Pan is one of my favorite stories! I usually quite like most of the retellings and alternate versions of the tale too. So I guess it comes as no surprise that I enjoyed this one as well. BUT one of the really cool and unique things about this book was the very prominent strong female factor. I have to admit, I was always slightly disappointed that there weren't any lost girls, and I think Monroe did an awesome job at filling this gap in All Darling Children. Even if some of these girls weren't technically thought of as such throughout most of the story. The girls in this book were fierce and cunning, and not all of them were entirely likeable, but they were keen and ferocious.
I loved the depiction of Peter Pan in this story! One thing that is common in any Peter Pan tale, new, old, or in between...he is arrogant through and through. I like how Monroe took that and twisted it into a new darker perspective. This Peter was familiar in many ways, the crowing, the games, boyish charm, and such. But everything about this book was darker. Peter was something to be feared. Everything about him was feral, a brutal savage whose selfish, bloodthirsty desires are grim enough to shape the world around him, and its inhabitants.
I found the Darling family so interesting! I kind of loved that they were a mess. I had never really thought much about their time after Neverland, and as disturbing as it could be at times, I thought Monroe came up with a super fascinating story line for them. I only wish we would have got a tiny glimpse at what Neverland would have looked like after a brief time after the end of this book. Not going to be spoilery here, but it's driving me a little mad not knowing if the atmosphere changed there after time, or if everything Madge went through and her new role in the world changed her in ways that we've seen before. History repeating itself and such. Part of me hopes for the former, but wouldn't the latter be such a wickedly delicious and fitting continuation of this story??!!
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 stars
I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by this story! I really loved that it read more like an epic fantasy. The journey Evie and Gideon took over land, sea, and even air; meeting friend and foe along the way, was quite a ride! I honestly found each place they traveled very interesting, along with all the new people they met.
Evie was a great leading lady. She started out this story pretty naïve and sheltered. But what she lacked in experience and worldly knowledge she definitely made up for in temperament! I mean, this girl had to flee the only home she had ever known going up in flames with the people she considered family, to ride out into the dangerous unknown with only her trusty horse, cloak, meager supplies and the stoic horse master Gideon. And bravo to her for keeping her head in the midst of all that! She even (mostly) listened to Gideon's instructions and put up with his secretiveness along the way. That's a hell of a lot more than I would have been capable of doing! I actually liked that she was naïve in the beginning, seeing these new places and experiencing things for the first time through her eyes made everything seem just a little more beguiling. It also made her interactions with people more interesting. I feel like she got a taste of the best and worst that humanity has to offer, and with each new meeting, whether good or bad, she grew as a person, and as a soon to be Queen, which was important.
I quite liked Gideon too. He was pretty standoffish in the beginning especially, but I think in the end he did genuinely come to care for Evie, and I think he is a good guy, caught in a very hard situation. By the end of this book I came to feel like I understood much of why he was the way he was, most especially with Evie, and it made more sense to me. I'm rooting for this guy! I was super proud of Evie each time she showed him how much he underestimated her though! So I suppose I am mostly TEAM EVIE!
The magical/mythical element here was fantastic! The Stormbourne legacy was enchanting! Descendants and rulers of Thunder and Lightening....
Evie has a very rich family legacy and I quite enjoyed each new piece we learned about it as the story progressed. I am DYING to know what happens next after that KILLER ending!
I CAN'T WAIT to get my hands on book 2! To briefly sum this up for you, if you are a fan of fantasy, give this book a try! So much happened, so many lands were explored, and the characters were well fleshed out and had grown by the end, and I find it very impressive that Heir of Thunder managed to feel so epic in just 288 pages, but it did, so major props to Laurel for pulling that off! A cloak of invisibility, flying ship, kidnapping, prophecy, betrayal, adventure, revolution, and forbidden love, I mean what more could you possibly want?!
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by this story! I really loved that it read more like an epic fantasy. The journey Evie and Gideon took over land, sea, and even air; meeting friend and foe along the way, was quite a ride! I honestly found each place they traveled very interesting, along with all the new people they met.
Evie was a great leading lady. She started out this story pretty naïve and sheltered. But what she lacked in experience and worldly knowledge she definitely made up for in temperament! I mean, this girl had to flee the only home she had ever known going up in flames with the people she considered family, to ride out into the dangerous unknown with only her trusty horse, cloak, meager supplies and the stoic horse master Gideon. And bravo to her for keeping her head in the midst of all that! She even (mostly) listened to Gideon's instructions and put up with his secretiveness along the way. That's a hell of a lot more than I would have been capable of doing! I actually liked that she was naïve in the beginning, seeing these new places and experiencing things for the first time through her eyes made everything seem just a little more beguiling. It also made her interactions with people more interesting. I feel like she got a taste of the best and worst that humanity has to offer, and with each new meeting, whether good or bad, she grew as a person, and as a soon to be Queen, which was important.
I quite liked Gideon too. He was pretty standoffish in the beginning especially, but I think in the end he did genuinely come to care for Evie, and I think he is a good guy, caught in a very hard situation. By the end of this book I came to feel like I understood much of why he was the way he was, most especially with Evie, and it made more sense to me. I'm rooting for this guy! I was super proud of Evie each time she showed him how much he underestimated her though! So I suppose I am mostly TEAM EVIE!
The magical/mythical element here was fantastic! The Stormbourne legacy was enchanting! Descendants and rulers of Thunder and Lightening....
Evie has a very rich family legacy and I quite enjoyed each new piece we learned about it as the story progressed. I am DYING to know what happens next after that KILLER ending!
I CAN'T WAIT to get my hands on book 2! To briefly sum this up for you, if you are a fan of fantasy, give this book a try! So much happened, so many lands were explored, and the characters were well fleshed out and had grown by the end, and I find it very impressive that Heir of Thunder managed to feel so epic in just 288 pages, but it did, so major props to Laurel for pulling that off! A cloak of invisibility, flying ship, kidnapping, prophecy, betrayal, adventure, revolution, and forbidden love, I mean what more could you possibly want?!
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
ISLE BY: JES DORY
A remote island full of mystery and myth, hidden powers, and an old prophecy made Isle an interesting page turner. I truly loved the setting of this story. Stone Isle was such a cool backdrop to the huge mystery involving Nora's past, present, and future. The characters were compelling as well. Every time I picked this book up I found myself completely engrossed in the story and I didn't want to put it down...alas real life demanded my attention repeatedly though so I couldn't devour this the way I wanted to.
The only thing I was kind of ify about was the initial love interest that turned out to be a really awkward situation. I get why it was done, but it still had a weird vibe going on for a bit. I did feel like the turn around from this situation felt a little rushed too, but I'd be interested to see if that ultimately gets explained a little in the next book, or if a lot of that has a something to do with this "bond" that took place.
I really appreciated the enthralling myths this island and its inhabitants were involved in too. That ending was fantastic, and it definitely made me want more! I will eagerly be awaiting the next installment!
A remote island full of mystery and myth, hidden powers, and an old prophecy made Isle an interesting page turner. I truly loved the setting of this story. Stone Isle was such a cool backdrop to the huge mystery involving Nora's past, present, and future. The characters were compelling as well. Every time I picked this book up I found myself completely engrossed in the story and I didn't want to put it down...alas real life demanded my attention repeatedly though so I couldn't devour this the way I wanted to.
The only thing I was kind of ify about was the initial love interest that turned out to be a really awkward situation. I get why it was done, but it still had a weird vibe going on for a bit. I did feel like the turn around from this situation felt a little rushed too, but I'd be interested to see if that ultimately gets explained a little in the next book, or if a lot of that has a something to do with this "bond" that took place.
I really appreciated the enthralling myths this island and its inhabitants were involved in too. That ending was fantastic, and it definitely made me want more! I will eagerly be awaiting the next installment!
3.5 stars
This was an interesting read. It was like watching an episode of Ghost Hunters, but with heart. I honestly feel like human, and non-human, emotion was the star of this tale. I expected a little more of the creepy factor here, but I think that Elise's sarcasm and semi-dark humor, along with her begrudging kind of acceptance and normalization of the fact that she saw ghosts, helped make it seem less shocking that you were consistently seeing things not of this world. Truth be told, I didn't feel too creeped out by this ghost story until the end of the book, which was totally awesome, by the way.
The characters were intriguing. After finishing there are still a lot of questions about their true motivations and what is really going on with each of them, but since I know there is a sequel coming, I think that's fine. Ultimately it made me want to continue with the story to see where things go from here, cause that ending promised some very compelling things to come.
This was an interesting read. It was like watching an episode of Ghost Hunters, but with heart. I honestly feel like human, and non-human, emotion was the star of this tale. I expected a little more of the creepy factor here, but I think that Elise's sarcasm and semi-dark humor, along with her begrudging kind of acceptance and normalization of the fact that she saw ghosts, helped make it seem less shocking that you were consistently seeing things not of this world. Truth be told, I didn't feel too creeped out by this ghost story until the end of the book, which was totally awesome, by the way.
The characters were intriguing. After finishing there are still a lot of questions about their true motivations and what is really going on with each of them, but since I know there is a sequel coming, I think that's fine. Ultimately it made me want to continue with the story to see where things go from here, cause that ending promised some very compelling things to come.