Review: MARY: The Summoning by Hillary Monahan

Goodreads Summary:

There is a right way and a wrong way to summon her.

Jess had done the research. Success requires precision: a dark room, a mirror, a candle, salt, and four teenage girls. Each of them--Jess, Shauna, Kitty, and Anna--must link hands, follow the rules . . . and never let go.

A thrilling fear spins around the room the first time Jess calls her name: "Bloody Mary. Bloody Mary. BLOODY MARY." A ripple of terror follows when a shadowy silhouette emerges through the fog, a specter trapped behind the mirror.

Once is not enough, though--at least not for Jess. Mary is called again. And again. But when their summoning circle is broken, Bloody Mary slips through the glass with a taste for revenge on her lips. As the girls struggle to escape Mary's wrath, loyalties are questioned, friendships are torn apart, and lives are forever altered.

A haunting trail of clues leads Shauna on a desperate search to uncover the legacy of Mary Worth. What she finds will change everything, but will it be enough to stop Mary--and Jess--before it's too late?

Publication Date: September 2, 2014

MARY was a great teen horror read! The book definitely reminded me of my days reading R.L. Stine and Christopher Pike. I wasn’t the target audience for the book, but I certainly still enjoyed the novel.

Bloody Mary was always an urban legend that interested me. I remember being in middle school and definitely too chickened to go into the bathroom and say Bloody Mary three times with the lights out. I thought the author did a great job of bringing back Mary into modern times.

Besides the mysteries surrounding Bloody Mary, I enjoyed the dynamic of the four friends. The girls have four very distinct personalities and there was plenty of backstabbing and drama among the friends. The girlfriends weren’t cardboard cutouts and I did appreciate the author taking the time to fully develop them.

The climax was exciting and most of all scary! I am very easily frightened, but I still thought the imagery was creepy and gory enough to give anyone nightmares. I wasn’t thrilled that the book wasn’t a standalone, but I’m hooked now and I’ll have to see how the story of Bloody Mary and Shawna and her friends conclude.

4/5 Stars

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the novel for review!

Review: The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

Goodreads Summary:
 
My name is Chloe Saunders and my life will never be the same again.

All I wanted was to make friends, meet boys, and keep on being ordinary. I don't even know what that means anymore. It all strated on the say that I saw my first ghost - and the ghost saw me.

Now there are ghosts everywhere and they won't leave me alone. To top it all off, I somehow got myself locked up in Lyle House, a "special home" for troubled teens. Yet the home isn't what it seems. Don't tell anyone, but I think there might be more to my housemates than meets the eye. The question is, whose side are they on? it's up to me to figure out the dangerous secrets behind Lyle House...before its skeletons come back to haunt me.
 
Publication Date: July 1, 2008
 
I've had this book in my TBR pile for awhile now and finally had a chance to get to it. I'm really glad I did because although I have other books waiting for review, I started the sequel immediately after finishing it. Armstrong created a group of great characters and a plot with plenty of twists and turns.

It's very rare for a paranormal book to freak me out. I usually can read them into the wee hours and sleep soundly. However, this book gave me the chills and I had to switch to lighter reading at night. Armstrong is very talented at writing descriptions that bring you into the scene. I certainly felt as though I could see the same ghosts as Chloe and understand her terror.

After her breakdown, the the first half of the novel is a little slow as we get to know the other residents of Lyle House. This book was mostly focused on Chloe coming to grips with her power and finding out what supernatural abilities the others in the house possess. By far, my favorite characters were Chloe and Derek. Is it weird that I want them together? Although his physical description wasn't appealing, their chemistry was phenomenal. The secondary cast of characters weren't one note and really added to the plot.

The second half was excellent. The pacing picked up and readers become embroiled in the mystery surrounding Lyle House and why a home that's supposed to be for mentally ill teens has so many supernatural residents. A certain betrayal towards the end completely shocked me.

The ending sort of left you hanging and that was one of the reasons I had to keep up with the series. Can't wait to see what happens.

Rating: Five out of five stars

Stacking the Shelves and In My Mailbox-July 28, 2012

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews and features books you've added to your shelves, both physical and virtual. In My Mailbox from the Story Siren is another meme that highlights the books that bloggers have bought or received for review. If you are a new follower of my blog, make sure to enter my giveaway for a $25 Amazon gift card and two free ebooks. Only two days left! Entry form is here.

Bought:

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

The Duff: Designated Ugly Fat Friend by Kody Keplinger

For Review via Netgalley and Edelweiss:

All You Never Wanted by Adele Griffin

Betrayal by Greg Olsen