Publication Date: May 6 2019

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance

Source: Entangled Teen Publishing *In return for an honest review*

Synopsis:

All her life, seventeen-year-old Chessie has had recurring dreams about a little white farmhouse. Quaint? Not quite. The house is the site of the unsolved murders of Villisca, Iowa, where eight people were slaughtered in 1912. With her parents on the verge of divorce, Chessie is stuck spending the summer with her grandparents in Villisca—right across the street from the axe murder house. 

She’s soon hearing voices calling out for help and begins unraveling a link between herself and the town’s bloody history. And when she falls for a cute boy harboring a big secret, the pieces fall into place as she at last discovers the truth of Villisca’s gruesome past… 

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*I would like to thank Entangled Teen for this advanced reader copy in return for an honest review*

A quick, engrossing story that revolves around an axe murder house that will send chills down your spine and keep you from turning the lights off at night. I was pleasantly surprised with Rust’s book that took me for a wild, creepy ride that shocked me and was full of secrets and twists.

I am one who has a weird fascination with the strange, creepy and macabre. Mainly it consists of watching horror movies , haunted houses, or going exploring in the middle of the night. I love the exhilaration that comes from scaring myself. Sadly I have not found many books that give me chills and make me second guess the noises I hear in the middle of the night. Although it wasn’t the entire book, I definitely was getting creepy, chilly vibes at the beginning of the book and I really appreciated that. 

I really enjoyed Rust’s writing style and the voice that she created for Chessie. I felt like I was best friends with Chessie and that she was sitting next to me telling a story. The writing was just so easy and created a fast paced read that I flew through. I was driven by wanted to know what was going on and what was going to happen. Rust did a great job at sprinkling twists and secrets that kept the story moving forward. She was very straightforward with the writing that there was no unnecessary fluff. 

Rust used paranormal elements that are not seen very often in young adult. At least the books I have read. It was a unique addition to the overall story and I think Rust did so well with those elements. There was a moment at the end where I almost completely gave up on the book. I thought I would mark it lower because of that moment, but it redeemed itself! There was a nice and casual romance that was not insta-lovey or too cheesy. I really liked the characters and how their stories unfold.

Overall I found this to be a very quick and creepy read. If you are looking for a fun, unique story that involves some paranormal elements, creepy voices, and axe murder house and secrets. This is the book for you. It is not a book that will be the next modern classic. But is such an enjoyable, fun read that will keep you on the edge of your seat and your heart pounding.