This was a decent read that’s heavily focused on the characters more so than the plot itself. While I enjoyed the two main characters I would’ve liked to have seen more insight into one of the minor characters, Enid, and her unusual abilities.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Velkwood Vicinity is a local phenomenon. A whole block of houses disappeared behind a veil that only three survivors can enter, and only one of them has in the past twenty years, until now.

Talitha Velkwood has avoided anything to do with the tragedy that took her mother, her sister and the whole neighborhood where she grew up. She's never settled on anything, moving through life just enough to survive but not truly living.

When a new researcher reaches out to her to go back in exchange for money, she agrees. Is she ready to face her past?

This was a fantastic, fun paranormal haunting book! A truly unique ghost story with classic Gothic elements. While there was also a romance subplot throughout the book, romance is not the focus. And also while its a horror, it does not have gore at all, just rather unsettling elements.

Honestly I think this might be a great horror book for people who are trying to get into the genre. I had a great time and was able to read this in one a day while working on my embroidery project.

If you are looking for a unique take on a ghost story, then check this one out

Typically, I read multiple books concurrently and hop between stories. That was not the case with 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘝𝘦𝘭𝘬𝘸𝘰𝘰𝘥. This book totally captivated me. Once I picked this up, it was hard to put down.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘝𝘦𝘭𝘬𝘸𝘰𝘰𝘥 wasn’t at all what I was expecting for a ghost story. It wasn’t spooky or even suspenseful. But it was definitely speculative, which I loved!!

Wholly original and inspired, I haven’t read anything else quite like this book. I loved Kiste’s use of the paranormal to explore challenging themes around trauma, grief, and belonging.

I also really enjoyed the cinematic writing style. I would love to see this adapted for screen.

My rating: 4.25⭐️

This is a very unique spin on ghost stories and the way our past and childhood traumas can haunt us. I really enjoyed the supernatural event at the heart of the haunting and thought that this was an interesting take on how the ghosts inhabited not just a house but a whole neighborhood.

◇ Synopsis
The Velkwood Vicinity—a block of homes sealed behind an eerie, impenetrable veil—has drawn occult theories and media speculation for twenty years, with only three people ever escaping and one returning. Talitha Velkwood, haunted by the tragedy that claimed her mother and sister, has avoided her past until a researcher offers her money to reenter the vicinity. Reluctantly, she agrees, hoping to finally uncover what happened that night—or fearing it's just another dead end.
◇ Thoughts
The Haunting of Velkwood delivers an original, atmospheric horror story, drenched in a melancholic mood and dark paranormal energy. While the slow-burn sapphic romance and predictable characters may feel distant, the vivid scene-setting and haunting plot make it a compelling read. If you’re in the mood for an introspective, eerie slow-burn, this novel is worth a try. I found the sapphic slow romance an annoying distraction from the horror I was excited to read.

I really can't say too much about this book without giving it away but just know that Gwendolyn Kiste will not let you down. Especially if you love a beautiful prose, an eerie (almost Silent Hillesque) landscape, and a place that stands still. When Kiste writes a book, I want to feel as if I'm there and get the whole ethereal experience.

3 girls (Talitha, Grace, and Brett) go to college and upon returning to their hometown, the street that they lived in becomes barricaded- for 20 years- along with their family members. No one knows how it happened and only the 3 girls can go inside of the barricade. Questions will be answered as to how this happened, and why. I was left feeling very emotional and wanted to ugly cry into my work bathroom after I finished it.

I did drop a star due to a relationship that I didn't feel grab me, and I wanted to know more about one of the main characters named Enid. There could be a whole book about her and I would read it in a heartbeat. May I suggest that, Gwendolyn, hint, hint 🤣

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me a free eread for an honest review. I really enjoyed this one from one of my favorite authors!

The Haunting of Velkwood by Gwendolyn Kiste is a pulse-pounding story that grips readers from the very first page.
I really enjoyed the writing style. I found myself gripped, turning the pages, not knowing what was to come next.
This story definitely had me interested from the beginning, but to get to the ending and the twist of it all. Amazing.

Thank You NetGalley and S&S/Saga Press for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

This. Was. Terrifying. Terrifying. And I loved every single second of it. Every one. I'm not someone who likes horror movies, but man do I enjoy reading them. This is a new top favorite for me, no question

This was honestly really boring. The overall idea was cool, but I literally could not bring myself to care about any of the characters or what was going on. This also wasn't scary, so it hardly felt like a horror book….

Tainted suburbia.

The Haunting of Velkwood is easily the most unique horror story I’ve read yet. You and your best friends head back to college in the dead of night at the week’s end, and by Monday, your entire childhood is gone in a shimmering blink. Your family, your home, your neighbors, the streets you used to roam, the trees you used to nap against. All a mirage.

I understand the pull of home. Even if there is darkness. Even if there is sadness, longing, mourning. Home makes you who you are. I still roam the same cracked sidewalks that raised me as a child to this day, but with my own children. They play on the park I would camp out on late at night, watching the stars and meteors. There is something masochistic about haunting the place you used to live, unable to fully return, a piece of you still residing in those walls.

This book resonated with me. It was well paced, well plotted, deep and meaningful. I loved it. Saga Press really knows how to pick em.

The Haunting of Velkwood was a delightful and dark read. This novel was atmospheric, dealing with themes of grief, love, trauma, bystanders. I downloaded this to read a bit on a plane ride and didn't even notice when we took off, that's how involved I was in this story. Gwendolyn Kiste paints a gripping world and detailed characters, I devoured this entire book before we landed. This is the story how 4 girls changed a neighbor into ghosts, how 3 escaped but never left, and how the ghosts in our lives can push us to the future or keep us in the past. The only downside of this novel was I kept forgetting the MCs were in their 40s, it felt very much like a group of teenagers. I don't think this is bad, exactly, but when it was mentioned it jarred me a bit. Overall, i really loved this story. Kiste wrote a powerful novel that will stay with me for a while.

A haunted neighborhood and a secret among friends are intertwined in this unusual take on haunting. This was a quick read that kept me interested till the end.

This was a very unique take on a ghost story that left me feeling very emotional. I wasn't sure what to expect at first but I feel that the characters were done very well and made me very invested in their lives. I thought the research being done on this town was very interesting to see. The plot was slower moving but still intriguing, I wanted to know what caused this event to happen. I don't really cry in books but the end of this one pretty much made that happen, I really ended up loving this book and would recommend!

Gwendolyn Kiste's The Haunting of Velkwood stands out as a uniquely captivating ghost story, rich in unsettling descriptions and memorable characters that drew me right in!

I enjoyed this novel, I loved the premise of this novel – an entire haunted street, not just a house! It's got a slightly eerie vibes and a love story thrown in for good measure. It’s an easy read that I got thru it quickly!

I was honestly expecting a chiller, something that leaves you edge of your seat where you want to know more but are afraid to know more, anixous.

If you’re looking for a book that's spooky yet won't leave you cowering under the bed? Look no further - this one’s for you!

This book has been patiently waiting on my TBR pile for far too long, and thanks to Hurricane Milton's unexpected power and water outage, I finally had the time to dive in! 🌪️ This is my first foray into Kiste’s world, but it definitely won’t be my last—I'm excited to explore her other works this fall, especially since it’s the perfect season for spooky reads!

Reading by candlelight added a whole new layer of thrill, and let’s just say I freaked myself out enough to decide that finishing it in daylight was a must! 😂 This story was that gripping! I loved the page count, though I did find myself wishing for a bit more depth in certain storylines.

Throughout the book, I couldn’t help but think, “Wow, this is such an intriguing concept—imagine Yellowjackets colliding with the Upside Down!” Velkwood beautifully explores themes of hidden love, self-acceptance, and the shadows that lurk in those who choose silence over standing up for what’s right. Get ready for a hauntingly good time! 🖤✨I HIGHLY suggest this book and will be telling others to check it out. Thank you SAGA publishing and NetGalley for the ARC! I give it 3.5 stars.

After returning to college for a weekend at home Talitha and her childhood friends Brett and Grace find out their whole town disappeared from the map leaving only a shimmer where it used to be. As it’s investigated it is found only the three can enter the perimeter and the ghost town again. As Talitha decides to return to find the fate of a little sister she left behind she realizes something much bigger is trying to keep her there. This was an amazing read fast and creepy with the right amount of mystery as the main characters past unfolds. Well done 4⭐️.

This was an interesting twist on a haunting where it’s not a house that’s haunted but a whole neighborhood…and no one can ever enter except those that escaped years before. In fact the neighborhood desperately wants them to…it’s getting hungry.

Very quick read for me. I found myself turning the pages eager to figure out the mysteries of the Velkwood Vicinity. And there were many…almost too many. A lot of little plot devices up in the air: the weird girl, the stepdad, the neighborhood, the magic, the relationships, what exactly happened…so many different sidebars to parse out it took away from the overarching story a bit. While much of it contributed to the ultimate mystery it was one too many ingredients in the pot for me.

Such a great haunted house story. A very unique premise and it kept me enthralled the entire time I was reading.

Thank you SagaPress for the book to read & review! So i requested this book thinking it would be a perfect read for spooky season. This ending up being so much more than that! This starts out with a "haunted neighborhood" and some researchers/"ghost hunters" convincing Talitha to go back to her neighborhood/house. Needless to say, she goes back! Upon meeting old childhood classmate Enid who states, "perhaps we're all ghosts" really made Talitha ponder everything.
Fast forward a few chapters and Talitha's best friend, Brett, has come to join her in exploring the neighborhood which is slowly expanding. Talitha says to Brett, "That's why this place is changing, because we're too exhausted to keep our own secrets anymore." What does this mean? What are the secrets? I'll let you read and find out!
This story sucked me in from page 1 and I couldn't put it down! I'll definitely be reading more from this author!

3.75

The Haunting of Velkwood features a suburban neighborhood turned into a ghost story and middle aged main characters who have to confront the abuses and trauma of their childhoods in order to move forward.

I found this to be an easy and engaging read and loved the way Kiste built up the tension throughout the story and had the reader question what actually happened in Velkwood all those years ago. I do think the ending fell apart a bit for my tastes, but I still enjoyed the journey.

After enjoying both this and Reluctant Immortals, I think Gwendolyn Kiste has become an auto-read author for me.