Book Reivew: Amity by Micol Ostow

Genre: YA Horror Thriller Paranormal
Publication: August 2014 by EgmontUSA
Acquisition: read a free eARC via NetGalley

Synopsis:

Here is a house of ruin and rage, of death and deliverance.

Here is where I live, not living.

Here is always mine.

When Connor's family moves to Amity, a secluded house on the peaceful banks of New England's Concord River, his nights are plagued with gore-filled dreams of demons. destruction, and revenge. Dreams he kind of likes. Dreams he could make real, with Amity's help.

Ten years later, Gwen's family moves to Amity for a fresh start. Instead, she's haunted by lurid visions, disturbing voices, and questions about her own sanity. But with her history, who would ever believe her? And what could be done if they did?

Because Amity isn't just a house. She is a living force, bent on manipulating her inhabitants to her twisted will. She will use Connor and Gwen to bring about a violent end as she's done before. As she'll do again. And again. And again.

Inspired by a true-crime story, Amity spans generations to weave an overlapping, interconnected tale of terror, insanity. danger, and death.

(from Goodreads)

4 / 5 Stars

Amity was good, predictable and creepy.

The good -- the writing, the characters, the setting -all very solid and all very well developed and laid out. I'm one of those, movie in my head, types of readers and the imagery in Amity was fabulous. Even now, after having finished it a while ago, I can still clearly see it all - the house, the river, the backyard, the second floor hallway, the basement - it's all still there.

So, predictable? Yeah. I mean, I knew there was a haunted house, and bad things happened, and were going to happen. I knew there were 2 sets of characters and they had some type of horrible connection. There isn't much surprise in Amity but at the same time, there doesn't need to be. A horror story without any twists isn't any less horrific.

Oh - and creepy, let's not forget creepy! I love love love a good haunted (or cursed or dammed or what have you) house (or location or person). It's sometimes a crap shoot though because haunted house + evil doesn't = automatic great thriller. Amity, however, packed a punch - actual cliche 'chills running down my spine' moments.

So yeah, If you like YA thrillers, you'll really enjoy Amity. And if you don't like thrillers Amity is a good one to try if you're looking to be pushed out of your comfort zone!

Book Review: The Devil and Winnie Flynn by Micol Ostow and David Ostow

Genre: YA Paranormal Mystery
Publication: October 2015 by Soho Teen
Acquisition: read a free eARC via Edelweiss

Synopsis:

Winnie Flynn doesn’t believe in ghosts. (Though she wouldn’t mind a visit from her mom, explaining why she took her own life.) When her mysterious aunt Maggie, a high-profile TV producer, recruits Winnie to spend a summer working as a production assistant on her current reality hit, Fantastic, Fearsome, she suddenly finds herself in the one place her mother would never go: New Jersey.

New Jersey’s famous Devil makes perfect fodder for Maggie’s show. But as the filming progresses, Winnie sees and hears things that make her think that the Devil might not be totally fake after all. Things that involve her and her family. Things about her mother’s death that might explain why she’s never met Aunt Maggie until now.

Winnie soon discovers her family’s history is deeply entwined with the Devil’s. If she’s going to make it out of the Pine Barrens alive, she might have to start believing in what her aunt is telling her. And, find out what she isn’t.

(from Goodreads)

3 / 5 Stars

Didn't love this one.

I never connected with Winnie. I didn't understand they way she thought at all which was surprising given the 1st person narrative. I guess the whole story was really a long letter to her best friend...but it didn't really work for me.

The actual mystery...or maybe there were 2? It was a little hard to keep track of and nothing really fit together.

I did like the idea of the story - skeptic young girl thrown into a paranormal lifestyle while trying to resolve her mother's death discovers more then she bargained for. But Winnie as a character? No idea what she was actually thinking (even when she says what she was thinking it was still kinda confusing). Oh - and don't get me started on her aunt and her famous reality show...who hires teenagers, amateurs and family members who don't believe in anything you do to run your show?

Lots of unbelievable bits that had nothing to do with the supernatural. Oh - and the supernatural part(s)? Way out there - and not really in a good way.

So yeah, not the best read for me.

It wasn't all a wash though.

I was draw into the story and even if I didn't feel connected to any of the characters, I still wanted to know what happened to them. I didn't like the ending but it kinda fit with the story...maybe?

This is for sure a 'not for me but maybe for you' book. I felt disconnected to it all but I think you might see things differently.

If you enjoy light ya paranormal stories with mild (actually believable) romance and weird family dynamics or if you're a fan of the Jersey Devil (because it plays a huge part in the story!) I would encourage you to give this one a try.