I unexpectedly enjoyed this book. I'm not much into paranormal or supernatural fiction. This book was interesting and fun and suspenseful. I enjoyed the historical aspects of the book. If there are more books in the series, I can't wait to read them.

This is a very enjoyable book. At times I thought it was quite scary, and in horror I love it when the monsters are not just that, but have an extra layer of how humans react to them/situations - and there were some very fun examples of foreshadowing. The characters were funny and endearing in their own way, making me as a reader want them all to survive and come out unscathed.

That said, there were some things I think readers should be aware of before they enthousiastically pick up this book. 1, The first one is the amount of instalove - one character has an insta-infatuation, and two other characters are practically in Real Love(tm) as soon as they come in contact with each other. It is not as annoying as instalove usually is somehow. 2, Not everything was historically accurate, especially connected to the instalove. 3. The characters were fun and (most of them) endearing, but they were also a bit flat and caricatures. Again, it was not bad or something, just don't expect deep character development. 4. As I said, there were some very fun examples of foreshadowing. Some of them were too much on the nose though, making parts of the plot predictable.

I want to repeat that this book was very enjoyable and a fun (yes, fun) read.

Continuing in my trend of spooky gothic mood books, I recently read The Haunting of Beatrix Greene by Rachel Hawkins, Ash Parsons, and Vicky Alvear Shecter. As with everything in 2020, I’ve been a little behind, so I’m currently reading my Halloween mood books in November. This book was a pretty quick read. I made the mistake of telling myself I would just read a chapter before bed, and many readers know how that story ends.

The novel is fast-paced. I would have loved to get a little bit more background on the characters, particularly our heroine Beatrix. The authors did provide some background and motivation for the characters, but I felt a little rushed throughout the novel. I also had some vibes of another gothic novel I read earlier this year that I loved. I’m not going to say any names because I don’t want to give any spoilers.

I just had to know how this ended so forged through and finished the novel in one go. I didn’t think it had impacted me, until I was turning on lights as I went to go to the bathroom (which I normally don’t do at night). The story lingered. Having lived overseas, it really made me wonder what the house I had lived in was built over, what scenes had happened under the streets I walked through nonchalantly. The book made me think of Mary King’s Close in Edinburgh, Scotland. The further in you go, the darker and more isolated you become, fully aware there’s a world outside going about its day, but while in the depths of the close there’s nothing but the blackness and eeriness around you. It’s a world of its own once you leave the bustling city streets behind, and the atmosphere of this book was reminiscent of that feeling. I recommend this if anyone is looking for a quick Gothic horror novel. I am curious to see if there will be anymore books written by these authors.

Please be advised that I received this novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I liked the "Turn of the Screw" meets Edgar Allan Poe vibe to the start of this story; there is an immediacy to the prose that makes it a highly engaging page-turner. For fans of haunted house stories, especially those who enjoyed "Crimson Peak," this novel will be a fun ride, but it also fuses more modern elements as well

The Haunting of Beatrix Greene is set up to be a Victorian ghost story told in serialized form. It was originally published in sections (each by one of the authors), much like many stories in that time period were. It’s also an old story- a scientist gathers a group of spiritualists to help him determine if a house is really haunted. In this case, the “scientist” is James Walker, who has been discrediting mediums across the country, and the primary spiritualist is medium Beatrix Greene, who determines that this will be a quick way to make a huge amount of money off James. Of course, a bunch of spooky business ensues in a huge spooky manor.
This was a fairly entertaining read, and if I had been listening to/reading it serially, I might have enjoyed it even more, as each section does have a deliberate ending- almost a cliffhanger. But there were just several elements that just felt off- like they belonged to entirely different books that were not woven together well- like the insta-romance between Beatrix and James and some particularly gory horror parts. This may or may not have something to do with having 3 different authors.
All in all, if you are a fan of gothic horror & romance, this might be a fun read for you.

This was not for me. Part of it is my own fault because I'm a chicken and while I like spooky stuff, I am definitely not much for horror itself. My reasoning behind picking this one up was a) I read from Rachel Hawkins previously, and it was cute b) the blurb sounded more like a Halloween themed historical romance than anything else, and c) how scary ghosts can be? To my surprise, it did lean into the horror more than I expected and admittedly, my treshold there is KFC hot wings spice level low, so horror readers would probably laugh me out of the park with that. Regardless of my own state of chicken however, this did make for a strange atmosphere when mixed with the romance elements. Simply put, wetting their pants one second and then exchanging heated gazes the next is just... dissonant, to say the least. The culmination of weirdness for me was when they ended up banging in a sentient haunted house where half of the love interest's family still lingered in the form of ghosts. Yikes.
The romance by itself was also a little lackluster, the banter quickly fizzled out and I just wished we got more out of this enemies to lovers situation so I could find some reasoning as to why we needed to mix these two genres in the first place. The writing also felt a bit choppy. I'm usually totally fine with multiple authors, my oblivious self can almost never tell the "switch" between writers but here, the styles just hit differently chapter by chapter which was not ideal.
On the flip side, the side characters I had no issue with, I especially liked the photographer, she was a badass. The finale was also quite exciting which I did not expect after the relative lull in the middle so that was a positive (and gruesome) surprise. I liked that they didn't get away that easily, that they had to fight hard for making it.
That ending tho. Completely ruined all that progress the final showdown had made in my eyes. What was THAT? Are you seriously telling me that after what we went through (and by 'we' I mean my blood pressure) James is gonna be a bigger chicken than me and not go after what he wants? And the same for our heroine? They were just... letting the whole thing go. Instalove came fast and then it left fast. Cool story? And that whole "fortunate accident" (trying to be spoiler free here, bear with me) following that? NO! I don't mind having a more open ending but this just felt... unearned. Convenient. Not an active choice but a passive deus ex machina, and certainly not satisfying resolution in my eyes, at least.
Well. This ended up more ranty than I intended but I just had a lot of problems with this one. Admittedly, it's also a fairly out of character book choice, so maybe some of that fault lies with me. Overall, it wasn't my cup of tea and quite frankly, I'm not entirely sure whose cup of tea it would be but that doesn't mean those folks aren't out there. So give this a try if this sounds interesting to you,

I had such a great time reading this book! I tend to like gothic more than horror, but this was a really enjoyable blend of both. It was scary, but kept pulling me through to find out what happened next. I have already recommended it to patrons and colleagues looking for something spooky, scary, and quick. I quite enjoyed the format and look forward to more in this style.

First, let me point out that horror or gothic novels aren't typically my genre of choice, but I wanted to step outside my comfort zone, and this was a good choice. Not too scary, but just creepy enough, The Haunting of Beatrix Greene is about a spiritual medium, Beatrix, who comes together with with a scientist, James Walker, in order to silence a ghost Ashbury Manor. Set in Victorian England, this book had had plenty of eery, spooky moments, and a plot that kept me on the edge of my seat.

3.5 out of 5 stars for The Haunting of Beatrix Greene.

As a big fan of Rachel Hawkins, I couldn't wait to read this book. Well....the wait was worth it! Grab a copy!! Thankful to NetGalley for allowing me to read this title.

a haunting story of a medium and will capture you from the very first page. complex,quirky and interesting characters. I love Beatrix Greene's personality! Ghosts and spirits abound! A must read!

I struggle a bit with reviewing books like this one because often things that I want to critique or praise are pretty integral to the story, and in a mystery like this one it feels kind of spoilery to share that kind of detail. So I'll try to keep things relatively general - this story ended up being a little more intense than I anticipated, which sort of took me off-guard. I wasn't super into it after the first couple of chapters and actually stepped away to finish another novel. But ultimately this one ended up being a quick read (I basically read 80% of the book in one night).

Once the cast of characters arrives at the haunted Ashbury Manor the action picks up and stays pretty steady through the end of the story. The book is pretty atmospheric as well. I'm a bit of a wimp when it comes to scary stuff and there were a few times I wondered if reading the story alone, in the dark, was a wise choice for me. That said, while the overall vibe of the story was spooky, it never actually scared me and I had no trouble sleeping after finishing. So if you're not a wimp and interested in a truly terrifying horror story, this one probably isn't what you're looking for.

I do take issue with a few events of the story, but as I mentioned I don't want to give too much detail because it feels like a spoiler. Suffice to say a couple of characters do things that basically no one, no one ever, would do while managing the situation they're in.

Overall a good story, pretty satisfactory explanation for the events, and while the character development isn't extensive, it's enough to make you care about the outcome.

Thank you to Netgalley and Serial Box for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I think this is a matter of a great concept with so-so execution. Having three writers on this story seemed like a lot, but I was presently surprised by how well their work flowed together. Where it fell apart for me was the characterization. All of the characters seem kind of... unpleasant? They weren’t likable, but I also didn’t get the impression that they were intentionally made to be unlikable. The romance on top of it just made it extra weird, and I definitely cringed at a couple of points. Some pros for me were that this story was genuinely creepier than I anticipated and it has some fun plot twists. It’s a quick read, so I would say save this one for when you want something spooky, cheesy, and short.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick, spooky read about a medium who goes to a haunted mansion to "prove" her physic abilities. But once she's there, the house won't let her leave. I read a lot of scary books, but some of the scenes in this book were absolutely terrifying (especially the basement scene). I also really appreciated the romance that was thrown into the story, as I believe all good books include a healthy dose of romance. I will definitely be reading more books by the authors in the future. Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy!

The Haunting of Beatrix Green Episode 1 by Rachel Hawkings, Ash Parsons, and Vicky Alvear Schecter is a cooperative novel that is currently available through Serial Box where it is released in weekly installments. I received the full novel version from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The story revolves around Beatrix Green, a fake spiritualist, who makes her living providing closure to people who have lost loved ones. As per the book's description: “In Victorian England a savvy spiritual medium must outsmart the most important client of her career: a scientist determined to expose frauds like her,” and then something about wits and fatal consequences blah blah blah. That just covers the first 10% of the book, we learn pretty early on that the scientist, James Walker, is only exposing frauds because he is in need of a real spiritualist and is under the belief that Beatrix is it.

James Walker needs someone to help exorcise spirits from his family home so he can let go of the past before he makes a new future for himself in America. And this is where the bulk of the story takes place, Ashbury Manor. An ancient residence with a tragic past and evil within. James, Beatrix, Harry, Beatrix’s friend and sidekick, Amanda Reynolds, an American photographer, and Stanhope all gather in the manor to try and communicate with the dead in order to rid the house of what haunts it.

It is during the first night in the house and the seance that is performed we learn, and Beatrix too apparently, that Ms. Green is not actually a fraud. She seems to have a connection to the otherworld that made it possible for spirits to communicate through her. It is at this point that the book becomes more of a haunted house story with a smattering of romance thrown in, for no real good reason, than anything else. It was also at this point and later toward the climax of the story that all I could think about was the movie “Monster House.” Although I love the movie, I’m not saying that as a compliment. Some descriptions of the going ons in the house were laughable at best.

It might just be my imagination but the slight shifts in tone between one chapter to the next when there was a switch in writers was kinda obvious. This probably works really well as a serial when you have a week between episodes and don’t have two competing voices in your head. It was an enjoyable read, but not one I felt the need to finish, I started this back before Halloween, so yeah, or to see what was going to happen. It was predictable and at the end of the day couldn’t decide if it wanted to be a horror or romance, so it ended not being either.

This story is set in Victorian England where Beatrix is a spiritual medium helping people connect with their dead friends and family. Or is she really? She meets James Waker who is scientist trying to disprove people like her. He invites her to a Victorian mansion to see if it is really haunted. It was the site of the murder/suicide of his mother and younger brother. She needs the money so she accepts and is surprised to learn she really can connect with spirits. What follows is a scary ghost encounter with a house determined to claim its next victim.
It’s a story divided into 9 episodes. It’s dark, gothic and outlandish but is a quick, enjoyable read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc for an honest review.

The Haunting of Beatric Greene is a fantastic opening to a new series. Although I wasn't prepared for how short this would be (my bad, it's made pretty clear) the horror was still pretty impressive. I hope there is more plot and character development in the future instalments, there is a lot of potential here!

The Haunting of Beatrix Greene is a spooky, page-turner with a light hint of romance. Beatrix Greene is a respectable medium and a complete charlatan. She makes a living telling people what they want to hear about their loved ones. James Walker is a scientist who exposes fake mediums but he makes Beatrix an offer she cannot refuse. A séance in a haunted manor for enough money for her to take a chance on exposure. But the house full of secrets brings out hidden talents that Beatrix did not know she had. A little love and whole lot of eerie danger makes for a story that flies by and ends way too quickly for an enjoyably scary read. My voluntary, unbiased review is based on a review copy from Netgalley.

Oh, how I wanted to love this book. And I did love it, until I didn't.

Beatrix Greene is a spiritual medium working out of London who is approached by Dr. James Walker to come to a manor house to determine if it is, in fact, haunted. But Beatrix is a fraud, like all mediums, and assumes this will just be an easy payday. She travels to the manor with her lifelong friend, Harry, and meets the others included in the festivities: American Photographer Amanda, author Sir Doyle, and Lord Stanhope. The group gets more than they bargained for when the séance goes a bit off the rails.

Another book that had SO MUCH POTENTIAL! The characters are interesting, the plot seems to be engaging, the writing is solid....then BAM! The plot becomes eye-roll worthy and clichéd. The characters become cliched as well. I had such high hopes!! I actually thought to myself "ooooh, this is gonna be GOOD!". And then the clichés began.

While more of a short story than an actual book, the reader does not feel shortchanged for the length. The story moves at a decent pace, but does not rush. It could have been pushed into a much longer book, but it does not feel like less of a story because it is shorter.

Overall, disappointed. Was it terrible? No. Did it build me up and then let me down? Yes.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing a copy to review.

Representation: no discernible rep that jumped out

Beatrix Greene is a fake medium, and she knows it. However, she has made a name for herself as a reputable medium in Victorian England due to her ability to read people very well and understand what will bring them peace. One day, she's approached by James Walker, a man who has a reputation for exposing fraud mediums. James offers Beatrix a job that would make her a lot of money, and she decides to take the risk. If she's successful in fooling him, she'll be set for true freedom. If she fails, she'll lose her living. James wants Beatrix to do a séance at Ashbury Manor, which is known for being haunted and had some grisly deaths there. He's searching for some answers from his past, but he doesn't realize it could be dangerous. His reasons are secret to Beatrix until the séance, when an angry spirit is awoken with Beatrix's gift. They along with a group of other supernaturally inclined people race to put an end to the rage before they all die.

Rating: 3/5 There were some twists that I didn't anticipate, and some that I did, but I enjoyed this quick supernatural horror story. This is set in Victorian England, when the spiritualist movement was at its peak. I felt like the vibe of the era was captured well in this story, acknowledging the sexist views of the time. It does rely quite a bit on having some prior knowledge of the era for imagery. With that, it still had strong woman characters in Beatrix and a famous spirit photographer who was married, but still maintained her interests. I enjoyed the horror aspects of this, even if they were a little obvious and on-the-nose at times. I didn't really like the romance, especially since I saw it coming from miles away. It felt like it happened far too quickly, there was barely any build-up and it didn't feel that believable to me. It wasn't really based on anything except appearances, which does happen, but that's more lust than love. There was several convenient plot points, but generally, they didn't detract from the story. There is some action, but it doesn't really happen until later on in the story. I'd say this is a good read if you want something quick and don't mind a somewhat generic romance.

I wasn't overly blown away by this novel but it was enjoyable. Very horrific gory description, very interesting premise and an interesting conclusion. But it was also a little bit predictable. I was waiting for something crazy to happen that surprised me but it was all a little foreseeable. The love story was a little insta-lust as well. Which for the time period, I wasn't so sure I believed it. Wasn't the worst but also wasn't the best read.