Unfortunately I had trouble getting into this - I didn't realize it was YA which is probably a part of why, but I just didn't find the setup very compelling, nor the payoff.

Really cool cover and interesting storyline. I dig the spoopyness. A part of the ending fell a little flat for me. I wish it'd been a little bit fleshed out in a certain situation, but I feel like it left room for a sequel if the author so chooses, so that's cool.

I was so excited to read this one, but I was extremely disappointed. I expected ya, and what I got was more like something for younger public. And I'm not good with children's books. Was too slow and I just didn't enjoy it.

Sorry, this was a DNF for me. It was marketed as YA horror but it reads as Middle Grade - the characters seem immature and cliché. It feels more like fantasy than horror which I typically like but I found it to be very slow. My rule is if I'm dreading picking it back up and it makes me want to read less just so I don't have to read this specific book, it's a DNF. I tried.

I need to be honest with myself after trying to continue reading this book, that it's just not a favorite. While I enjoyed while reading, I wasn't excited to pick it back up. The cover and synopsis were what drew me in, but I just wasn't kept entertained. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this e-arc.

I was really impressed with this, and I'm glad it didn't slip by me. It's going into my favorites list on goodreads.

Unfortunately this book was a DNF for me. The author had a habit of placing "big words" throughout conversations and thought processes that through of the rhythm. Also Nora, the main character, spent majority of her thinking in the beginning rotating between insulting her mother, blaming her mother for the abusive relationship she had just left and then blaming her father for the divorce, like she couldn't pick a side. The characters were also stereotypical and flat and the writing style didn't connect with me

SO glad I got to read this one!! It was fiction at its best. It started a bit slow for my taste but the pace really picked up. Nora was a pretty awesome character to begin with, I enjoyed her character arc, the way it started and ended and despite some plot inconsistencies, I can definitely say this is one hell of a book! I'm always up for a ghost story so this was spot on. I recommend this book for Halloween readathons too!

I received this book from NetGalley and I was pretty excited about it. The synopsis sounded good and I was intrigued by the cover. I could not get into this book. The plot felt very disjointed and the characters were overly cliched. There was a subplot inside of the book and I didn’t think it was done very well either. I found myself slogging through until the end.

Wow I mean I have to mention that I am in love with the cover... but more importantly the contents inside the book are amazing. I love Nora and I love Rebel, and I just love this story. Not going to lie I would move away asap if a book was sending me warning signs, but I was excited to live vicariously through Noras experience. I think Rebel is an interesting character who has parents with even more interesting jobs! I think that he is someone who is cute and would do anything for the girl he loves even if he's scared which I think is sweet. Overall I thought this was a fun YA mystery, and I enjoyed every bit of it!

Incredibly creative! This book had three stories wrapped into one: 1) Nora's everyday life, 2) her interaction with the ghosts, and 3) the story within the book. All three come together in the end to make a grand finale filled with action, ghosts, and beasts. While it was all well put together, there was a huge part of the book where nothing seemed to happen and it dragged. I am a fan of ghosts stories but the story within the journal was not to my taste and found my mind drifting for these parts. I enjoyed this and would recommend it to fans of the paranormal and fantasy.

'The Upside Down of Nora Gaines' by Cathrina Constantine is a refreshing fantasy YA read that'll keep you turning pages until the very end. This book has the ability to hook you completely to the story. At times it felt like a perfect Halloween read for this year, as this fantasy had a spooky shade to it. Then again, there were elements of mystery and romance as well which made the book all the more special.

The story's about Nora Gaines (evident from the title), and she has to ability to see visions of supernatural beings. Soon after Nora moves into an old farmhouse with her mother, things take a sinister turn. Nora finds an old book-journal which can show her glimpses of the past of the house they're living in. The secrets keeps haunting Nora and warns her of danger coming her way.

Meanwhile, Rebel, who has grown up in the town and has lost both his parents to the farmhouse mystery; keeps getting drawn to Nora. He has his own battles to fight and demons to confront. While Rebel struggles to uncover the truth behind his parents death, he also knows he has to protect Nora from the evil of the farmhouse. This was definitely a book that I would recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley and Xpresso Book Tours for proving this book.

This was a pretty interesting story it felt more fantasy vs. paranormal but that was ok. The cover is what grabbed my attention and I am so glad it did. I liked the story and the characters, this one was not a favorite but it was worth the read.

I don’t know what I was expecting with this book, but it was delightfully spooky! It has everything a YA book should contain… angsty teen romance, parent drama, grief, growth of characters, and a great storyline! I had to actually keep the lights on while reading, it gave me such spooky vibes. I read it in two sittings, and can’t wait to see what else this author creates.

Rating: 5/5⭐️

I was given this eARC to read for my honest review.

O.M.G! What a great book!
This is a must read!

Nora and her mother, Clare, move from their city life to small town and buy a vacant farmhouse. Strange things start to happen for Nora after she finds a journal written back in time. It tells a tale of a phantom beast, a sorcerer, and a young teen girl. Noras life is never the same after reading the first pages of the journal.

Wow, wow wow! This book was amazing! This book has mystery, action, a little bit of horror, romance and fantasy. Catharine Constantine is an amazing author, she has an inimitable way of writing. Her storytelling is brought to life, amazingly tuned to details and the way the characters are brought to life you feel like you know them.
I definitely recommend this book to 16+

Thank you NetGalley and Catharine Constantine for writing an amazing book

Eerie and unpredictable describe this read to get lost in until the very end.

Nora's life is no longer balanced, since her parents got a divorce. She's given up so much to support her mom, even moving to a farm in the middle of nowhere. But she's not happy, especially when her ability to sometimes see the supernatural kicks in. Something is wrong with the house, and as she gets to know several people in town, her suspicions grow. Unfortunately, it might be more dangerous than she even suspects.

This was a wonderful, chilling read about ghosts, small towns and dark secrets. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Nora has some problems to deal with, but she handles them with the finesse of a teen—sometimes better than others but as best as she can. It was easy to feel for her and understand her decisions. Her relationship to her mother was also well done as the love between them is evident and ever-so rocky...as is real life. It was interesting to dive into and see that things aren't smooth and take work, but family is still family.

The plot was gripping and carried more than a few unexpected moments. I enjoyed the dance between the past and present, and the paranormal side was a dark treat. Add in the boy from town and other characters, and it is an easy tale to get lost in.

I am afraid this was not for me - and as such it is hard to give it proper feedback. The voice didn't resonate with me and I couldn't engage with the book. The characters annoyed me, the horror/supernatural elements left me cold (no horror or wonder or curiosity in me) and I wasn't very interested in continuing, I didn't manage to finish the book. This is probably due to personal taste, I thought it was a little overly written, and was missing something.

This one missed the mark for me. The writing is confusing and poorly done, the characters feel flat and stereotypical, and the story itself isn't all that interesting. This honestly felt like a throw-away YA novel, with all the uninspired cliches that come with it.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Nora and her mother move into an old farmhouse. Shortly after their arrival Nora begins to have disturbing visions of horrific things happening in the home and is able to sense paranormal oddities. Can Nora solve the mysterious murders from years ago in the old farmhouse? I do not normally read these types of books but this was a quick read with some paranormal elements and unexpected sexual content.

1/5 Stars

DNF'ed at 63 pages or 20%

"Nora wasn't sure who was suffering more from her parent's divorce. Her mother-- or her."
No, actually it's me being forced to read that after it was revealed to us that her mother was literally in an ab*sive relationship. And I'm supposed to like the character after reading that???

That was not good. I thoroughly did not enjoy that.

The whole thing was incredibly cliche. From the setup to the characters. I mean the football player's name with the blond highlights in his hair and dimples was Rebel..... who are we kidding?

The "scary" parts were just freaking weird. I don't even know how to give you an example of that. I mean we really sat here listening to this monster complain about being a monster. Terrifying, really.

The internal dialogue was awkward and not at all believable for a teenager. I don't need her to be saying "sheesh" or "periodt" but I highly doubt that the average teenager would be using this many adjectives. Sounding like she got a thesaurus for her last birthday

But the author writes for her own enjoyment and I truly do respect that. Just because I didn't like it doesn't mean that you won't or that someone else won't connect with it. At least she's getting her stories out there, it's more than I can say for myself.