I absolutely loved this book! It was the right amount of suspense throughout the whole read. Once I started it I couldn’t put it down!

This was my first book by Natasha Preston and I really really enjoyed this book and the plot twist was phenomenal. For being a young adult mystery/thriller it was very enjoyable and could compete with the top mystery/thriller books out there! Natasha Preston is becoming one of my favorite mystery/thriller authors.

A fun, quick, murderous Halloween read! Great for Scream movie fans, and definitely more for a YA audience.

It was fun and moved fast and had some cliffhanger moments, especially the end (though for what?)! Usually I can predict the ending, but didn't see this one coming which was a fun surprise, but did feel like a LITTLE bit of a stretch that came out of nowhere and was a little bit of an unrealistic scenario...

Though I let this go, I thought it was odd the whole town would ostracize 2 minors for their DAD being a serial killer...wouldn't they realistically get so much EXTRA love and attention and pity? Poor kids!

It was a fun teen thriller.

This will be a great addition to my high school library, but WHOOAAAA, that ending! Is this going to be a series? It had me wanting to throw the book across the room!

What a weird spot to end a book! It all climaxes, with no closure. I feel like the author is essentially saying: you don't care about these characters (or they don't), so here's the whodunit! But, uh, if you don't expect us to care about the characters, why write the book? I was so thrown, I cannot even begin to tell you. You don't even know the fates of half the remaining characters?? There were other issues: like Jensen (sp? I got the audiobook from the library so not sure how it was spelled) being a completely ineffectual red herring. Our narrator never actually met him, so he never really cemented himself as a possibility because to be the killer you'd have to be in the mix a bit more, then to stumble on his death scene it was like... what was the point of any of that then? He literally just took up space as filler because he never meant anything to the story. It all felt very slapdash. I gave it two stars because at least it was readable and I try to save one star for either reminding myself not to buy the sequel of something because it really isn't redeemable if that's the starting point or for just egregiously poorly written books.

The Haunting by Natasha Preston is another gripping thriller that delivers exactly what I’ve come to expect from her - pure suspense from beginning to end. Natasha Preston never fails to pull me into her dark, twisted stories, and this one was no exception. I was hooked from the very first page, and the eerie atmosphere kept me on edge the whole way through.

The plot is full of suspense, with just the right amount of twists to keep me guessing. Preston’s ability to build tension is unmatched, and she crafts characters that feel so real it’s hard not to get invested in their fate. The way she slowly unravels the mystery kept me glued to the book, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it even after I finished.

If you’re a fan of psychological thrillers with dark, haunting vibes, The Haunting is a must-read. Natasha Preston proves once again that she is a master of suspense, and I can’t wait to dive into whatever she writes next.

I really enjoy Prestons book but this one just didn't live up to it for me. I also had high expectations because the title drew me in however it just lacked the thrill of it for me. I would read some of her older books before picking this one up.

Always kept me guessing! Didn't love the slightly scatter brained narrator, other than that, great twists!

I have always been a big fan of Natasha Preston. I've read all her books, but this was probably my least favorite and of course it was left on a cliff hanger, but I'm not sure I will read the next part.

Natasha Preston's *The Haunting* is a chilling and suspenseful tale that skillfully blends mystery with supernatural elements. Preston’s atmospheric writing and well-drawn characters create a gripping narrative that keeps readers on edge. The novel's eerie twists and compelling plot make it a standout in the realm of contemporary horror.

The Haunting by Natasha Preston is a YA thriller that kept me hooked until the ending. The last few chapters were unexpected and left me wondering WTF.

I wrote these initial thoughts for a blog tour:

- Okay so first off, I do not trust Zayn. Something is just… off. Whether it’s because of his crush on Penny, which he insists is in the past, or whether it’s just his vibe, something doesn’t feel quite right. I don’t know what’s coming next with him, but I’m watching his every movement like a hawk!
- I feel hugely sorry for Nash and Grace. They’ve gone through so much, and are still being put through it by not just individuals, but by a whole town. Being judged for the actions of someone you’re connected with is just unfair.
- One of the things I’ve really admired about the book so far is that the action jumps in straight away, and the continued energy pulsing through it keeps you on edge, just waiting for one more thing to happen. It’s toeing that line between being uncomfortably scared and enjoying jumping every time something knocks against your window, which I love.
- I have to really hand it to the author for the emotional tugs that grab you pretty much immediately. Not just in knowing that there’s been murders and your empathy for the victims, but straight away for Penny, who has been tugged in different, difficult directions, trying to keep everyone happy, and knowing she’s made mistakes at the same time.
- At the half way point of the book, the action and drama has been pretty intense, and I’m waiting absolutely on the edge of my seat to finish the rest of the book later today. It’s one of those books that manages to scare you and drag you emotionally at the same time, and I really love it when a book does that! Here’s to the second half.

This book blends supernatural scares with real-life drama, keeping me reading from start to finish. Set in a small town, the story follows a group of teens facing unexplainable events, with secrets and traumas coming to light as the hauntings escalate. While the pacing is just right and the twists keep you guessing, the book suffers from a slightly choppy beginning and an abrupt ending. Overall, it's a compelling YA thriller perfect for fans of spooky twists and relatable characters. I would defiantly recommend this during spooky season!!!

Natasha Preston has been an instant-buy/instant-read author of mine for quite some time…despite her endings that make me want to launch the book (or my Kindle) across the room. This one was no different. So, if you are expecting a nice, clean-cut ending, this story nor this author are for you.

A small town in the middle of nowhere is still haunted by the murders of five teens that occurred almost exactly a year ago to date. The murders devastated the entire town, but especially Penny and her group of friends because the murderer was none other than her boyfriend, Nash’s, dad Jackson Whitmore. Jackson was a quiet, private person but someone who always welcomed Penny and made her feel at home; his being a serial killer was not on their Bingo cards. Not only is Penny dealing with this fallout, but she’s also feeling tremendous guilt for dropping Nash when the news broke. Mostly because her parents made her, but she also had her own hesitations. Did Nash and his sister Grace know all along? Were they in on it? Did they help? WAS SHE NEXT?! But now, a year later, Penny feels awful for ghosting Nash the way she did, and she knows she still loves him despite how her friends and family may feel about it. She also knows NASH and he couldn’t possibly have had a hand in this…even if he is avoiding her and acting shady.

“I’ve been finding it increasingly difficult to trap my emotions inside. I’m not supposed to think about Nash. My feelings for him were supposed to disappear along with our contact.”


"This can't be him. He's nothing like his dad. He wouldn't do that. I turn around to put as much distance between me and Adi's confusing accusation as possible. That's when I see him. Between the little bookstore and the pharmacy, facing Party Town and staring straight at me. Nash."


So, to try to forget about what happened last year, Penny continues to fake a smile and go along with their Halloween traditions…when a body turns up. Immediately the town suspects Nash and his sister, Grace. The whole town already ostracized them, their dad is in prison for this exact thing, so why wouldn’t it be them? Penny is the only one convinced it can’t be. So begins a suspenseful game of cat-and-mouse with twists you may see coming because this is YA after all…

"As horrific as the murders were last year, they did give everyone something to talk about and memorials to organize. I'd never seen the town so alive as when it was drenched in death.


I loved the Halloween vibes, and I loved the relationships Penny had with her friends Adi, Omar, Zayne, and even Nash. I felt Penny’s pain and longing for Nash, and I felt the tension when they were together. As the reader, we can see they both still have feelings for one another, but they’re both just awkward teenagers who don’t want to show their true emotions. Nash and Penny’s dialogue kept me entertained throughout the whole book.

“Get back in your car and lock the doors.” “No.” He sighs sharply. “For once will you not argue with me?” I cling to him harder. “I’m not letting you get hacked to death alone.” “This isn’t some Romeo and Juliet BS.” “Yeah, I know. They weren’t murdered.”


While some parts made me laugh, there were too many scenes that had me screaming about Penny being stupid and that’s why this book got three stars from me. The group (especially Penny) is currently being stalked by someone, someone who is most likely murdering their classmates, and they’re making jokes and carrying on per usual. Or, when Penny sneaks out at midnight, with a murderer loose and thinks it’s a great idea (MORE THAN ONCE.) “Did that decoration just move?” “There is someone in the cornfield with me.” The idiocy just took my thoughts from “WHO COULD IT BE?!” to “THIS GIRL IS TRULY A MORON!”

I did like how you could feel the mood of the whole town as events took place. In the beginning, the entire town center is fully decorated for Halloween, everyone is running around in their costumes, planning their parties and deciding which haunts to visit this year. While there has been a murder, no one wants to believe it's happening again, so they take some decorations away, but keep what they can as to no disturb everyone's excitement.

"I notice right away that the Halloween decorations have been partially taken down, but a few stray bat cutouts remain on the bulletin boards around the room."


Then after another murder, Penny takes all of her décor out of her room, and by the end of the book, the town is barren again, as if Halloween doesn’t even exist. It felt real to me. It’s what I’d expect if this were happening in my town and I appreciated that, it made it easier to envision the solitude and fear everyone started to feel.

"The few Halloween decorations that I have in my room are now in a box on the floor. I don't want any of it."


Also, because it MUST be said, the ending. IT WAS HORRENDOUS. Definitely not as bad as some of her past books, but still had me raging. We dedicate our time to these books, and we’re left with nothing. Not a scrap of justice, not a hint of a conclusion, just nothing…I feel it isn’t fair and just a waste of time for us readers. I do love me some Natasha Preston books, but if she keeps ending like this, I will need to find a replacement author because the anxiety just isn’t worth it. Surefire way to put someone right into a reading slump.

Atmospheric read with a crappy ending, but a good time filler for sure. Just don’t go into this expecting the best story ever. Lower expectations may help you enjoy this more than I did.

Thank you to NetGalley & Delacorte for providing me a copy of this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Haunting by Natasha Preston really caught my attention with its unique mix of supernatural scares and real-life issues. The plot follows a group of teenagers in a small town who start experiencing strange, unexplainable events. From the very beginning, I was hooked by the suspense Preston builds so masterfully.

What I loved most about this book is how it blends ghostly happenings with the characters' personal struggles. As the hauntings get more intense, the secrets and past traumas of the characters come to light, which adds so much depth to the story.

The pacing is just right, with plenty of twists and turns to keep me guessing. Sure, some plot points might seem familiar if you're a fan of the genre, but the strong character development and gripping narrative more than make up for it.

Overall, "The Haunting" is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a good thriller. Natasha Preston delivers a story that's both emotionally engaging and truly terrifying.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with this e-ARC! I do my reviews on my social media platforms. I am currently working on getting through my reviews so stay tuned! Leaving a rating as a placeholder for me and to not effect the books rating in order to post this. Thanks again!

The novel follows Penny and her small town one year after her now ex-boyfriend's father went on a mass killing spree the week before Halloween. Now the entire town isolates her boyfriend, Nash, and his sister, Grace. Everything is seemingly back to normal until the kills start happening again. Are his children following in his footsteps? Or is there a copycat killer amongst them?

THIS WAS JUST SO FUN. It's September, which legally means the spooky season TBR list has started and I've decided all of my Kindle reads would reflect that! This was a digital advanced reader copy (DRC) that I ate up in less than two days despite being almost 400 pages.

Whilst I did guess the whodunnit, I didn't guess their motive or why they were doing it and how. There's another twist that just GOT ME.

I had no critiques though until the ending. I went to click the next page, and then it was the acknowledgments?!?!?!?! This ends on a cliffhanger. WHERE IS MY CLOSURE? If this were to be a series, which it most likely won't be, I'd understand, but instead, that just ticked me off a little

I thought this was really well written and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future. I think it will find readers at our library, so we will definitely be purchasing for the collection.

I *LOVED* The Island, but this one was a little flat for me. Here’s what I loved, and what I didn’t.

Loved: friends standing up for each other. Typical overprotective teen parents being portrayed extremely accurately. The concept of a copycat killer. A town obsessed with Halloween. A spooky YA suspense with many bodies. The twist.

Didn’t: It felt like this should be a sequel given the background in the first chapter. It also felt like the beginning was a little choppy and the end was abrupt and more unfinished than not. While there were distractions from the killer’s identity, it wasn’t a stretch to guess who it was.

Overall, this was a better-than-average YA suspense for me.

Auto read author for me but this was not my favorite. I love how most of her reads end on a cliffhanger but this one was a bit anticlimactic and predictable