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I started this book on a chilly Pacific Northwest afternoon and read until 3 am. I didn't anticipate getting hooked, but the pacing created an irresistible page-turner that had me reading until my eyes ached. Who needs sleep? Sleep is over-rated! Darkhouse is seductively entertaining and I'm convinced that it has some secret ingredient (like the sauce on a Big Mac or the coffee beans at Starbucks) that makes it immediately addictive. Red Fox is coming out soon and I simply can't wait (okay, maybe I'm begging a little) for the author to send me an advanced copy. What makes it so good? Perry is a reliable character: flawed, insecure, impulsive, but despite her own roadblocks she has a determination that the audience can clearly see even if she does not (yet). It is her self-awareness that makes the character appealing, trustworthy and honest. Her vulnerability provides sympathy without demanding pity. Dex is similar and it is not surprising that the Clown Lady insinuates Perry and Dex are cut from the same cloth. Their contradictions show strength of character and reveals a great deal about the individuals. For example, Dex admits he lies and by doing so disproves he's a liar because he confesses to the deceit. A true liar would never willingly reveal this deprecating detail.
The paranormal elements and spook factor are unique and provide just enough to let the imagination create the setting without coming across as silly, immature or easy to dismissed. The creepiness I experienced was real and I loved the lighthouse scenes. The splattering mentions of pop culture references were excellent and worked to create a mental map of the characters perception and thinking. I knew where they were coming from, what images came to mind during their experiences, and how they related to the world unfolding in front of them.
Frankly, I'm surprised by the lower ratings received at places such as Goodreads because this contemporary humorous spook fest might read fast-paced and easy, which it does, but the voice is not absent of substance. The language doesn't try too hard to convince intelligence and by doing so, is smartly composed to do what a story should, entertain. Don't get me wrong, there is meaning here, but the fact that the story isn't trying so hard to show (or prove it) makes it that much more clever. Darkhouse is an example of a confident and assured author's 'voice.' The writer connects with the characters, deeply understanding and channeling them onto the page. By the end I was convinced Perry was writing this story. I have no doubt that Perry and Dex are real--and they live through author Karina Halle.
25 out of 31 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Enter Perry Palomino's world and expect to be riveted to your seat with the creepy story with paranormal overtures. This book was a mesmerizing read. At times, I found myself gripping the book tightly and turning the pages with the light on. Creepy atmosphere prevails in this story leaving goosebumps in its wake. The relationship between the Perry and Dex is complicated and changing at every turn. The main thing I really liked about this book was Perry's personality and the fact that is she is full figured girl trying to deal with her ghost sight and people's sterotypes about large women in general. It's nice to see a main character who is real. I can relate to her feelings and want to applaud her strength and courage. Her journey into the dark recesses of her soul makes you think and really wonder if its the ghosts or really just her mind playing tricks on her. There are many heart stopping moments of pure terror in this book.
This is a page turner that will keep you wondering about ghosts.
5 stars for this roller-coaster ride of terror with moments of realism.
I'm looking forward to the next book in the series RED FOX
12 out of 15 people found this review helpful.
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Posted August 19, 2011
My friend Andy asked me to check this book out and even though I thought it wasn't really the kind of book that I would beable to get into I started it with an open mind. Shortly into the book, I was spellbound. I felt like I was right there in the lighthouse experiencing the same things Perry and Dex were. I didn't want to put the book down. Once I got finished, I immediately had to get the next book and get started reading. Thank you Andy for asking me to read this and thank you Karina for writing such a great book.
11 out of 13 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Andreat78
Posted August 2, 2011
Have you ever heard the expression "book hangover"? Well, for me, a book hangover happens when you find a book that completely consumes you. It is all you can think about, and you walk around in a stupor for a few days. Guess what? That happened to me when I read Darkhouse.
Darkhouse, when you read the synopsis, seems like a typical thriller. But it is so much more. It is creepy, funny (believe it or not), very suspenseful and yes, thrilling. While much of the book is about Perry, her new partner Dex, and their haunted encounters at the lighthouse, Darkhouse is just as much about the perplexing relationship between the troubled duo.
Perry, from the get-go, is easy to love. She's doesn't have the perfect body or life. After struggling with low self-esteem and drug use throughout her teenage years, she has gotten her life in order, for the most part. She still struggles with her self-esteem and then there's the fact that she sees ghosts. Is Perry "off" mentally or is it that she's able to see what most can not?
Then there's Dex. Almost every book I read has a guy who is a complete hottie. Very tall, very muscled, defined abs, etc. That's all great, but Dex feels more like a real man to me. He's described as having a very "90's" look. He's on the thin side, not especially tall. A slight moustache, dark eyes, arched brows and a eyebrow ring. His voice is low and smooth or growling, depending on his mood. He has eyes that seem able to see inside a person. He is quick with a smirk. Perry says he "reminds me of Robert Downey, Jr. in his strung-out drug days". Believe me, it works for him. Besides the looks, there's Dex's odd personality. He's just, strange. His thought are often all over the place, confusing Perry. His words often lull her into a sense of trust and security, then he says something to totally screw the moment up. But, underneath the smirk and harsh words, there's a hint of a fragile man with a troubled past of his own.
Honestly, the driving force of the story is the relationship between Perry and Dex. The paranormal aspect of the story is gripping. Truly. But the collision of the two forces is what is electrifying. The relationship is antagonistic. Perry and Dex each seem determined to get under the other's skin. Say what will set the other on edge, or off the edge. They are cut from the same cloth. In many ways, each is a mirror of the other. I'm dying to see where the author, Karina Halle, takes their relationship in the future.
Speaking of Halle, the lady has knocked my socks off! She took Darkhouse, what could have been your typical scary book with snarky characters, and breathed life into it. This book has heart. Characters you want to see through to the very end. There are going to be a total of eight books in the Experiment in Terror series. I will most definitely read each and every one. I will be reviewing Book Two, Red Fox, later this week.
I love when a book has phrases that capture my attention. Darkhouse has many. Here are a few I want to share.
"Somehow, by dealing with the dead, I had never felt so alive." Chapter 11
" "How come you aren't afraid?'... 'Because I find life to be scarier to than death,' he replied matter-of -factly." -Chapter 12
"A handsome, beguiling man whose eyes read your very soul and whose smirk held you in contempt."-Chapter 16
8 out of 11 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted September 19, 2012
But the book is seriously plagued with typos. I found myself constantly editing this book in my head. If typos bother you run don't walk away. Also there was an excessive use of profanity. If that bothers you this book will be hard to read as it is nearly every sentence that some from of profanity is used and the F word in particular is constantly before you. Geez, the story could have stood on its own without so much graphic language. The story is interesting and held my attention but because of the language and typos I want be returning to the next installment.
4 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
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Posted April 16, 2012
I kept reading thinking the book would get better, but it never did.
4 out of 8 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Naj
Posted December 31, 2011
Oh my freaking God! Why did I take so long to pick up this book?
The entire time I was reading this book, I felt as if I was watching an episode of a brand new series. Now, I can't wait to read the next installments.
The plot is amazing, like 5-star amazing. I love ghost stories and EVERYTHING paranormal so this book is totally within my league and the fact that the book kept me on my toes and thrilled and eventually scared me as well, makes this book even better!
The characters are realistic. They're people who have/had problems. Dex has a split personality which kind of scares me a bit and Perry is hilarious, was a druggie back in highschool, and just got out of college and is striving to go on day-to-day as a receptionist. Oh and she can see ghosts too. The way Halle describes what Perry sees is extremely descriptive and fluid, that you can't help but be where Perry is. The secondary characters on the other hand, help keep the story together. Matt and Tony were one of my favs. Those twins were hilarious and just plain old weird. They kind of reminded me of my brother, minus the drinking and whatever else they do thats "bad".
Now, Perry has the hots for Dex and we don't know how Dex feels about her because he has a girlfriend who is immensely hot and he is also 10 years older. Not only is Perry insecure, but feels like a child around him and sometimes a psycho. I love the push and pull that happens between the two. It keeps the situation realistic.
Overall, Darkhouse is amazing. Halle has delivered to the public such an incredible book that is definitely movie/series-worthy. I just want to keep reading until there isn't anything else left to read from the series. The narrative was written well, the descriptions were vivid and the plot is 5-star amazing. A brilliant unputdownable book from Karina Halle that'll definitely rock your socks off!
4 out of 7 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted May 15, 2012
The book started out fairly well, but the editing mistakes made it difficult to continue. I got half way through it and lost interest.
3 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.ToReadPerchancetoDream
Posted September 30, 2011
Darkhouse is an entertaining ghost story. It has everything a good spooky novel needs: an old lighthouse, a ghost legend, a spunky heroine, and an inscrutable hero. This is Karina Halle's debut novel and it's obvious she's talented with the scary!
As other reviewers have noted, the beginning is a little slow, but it's not super hard to get through. And with the promise of a lighthouse (which I love) coming, I kept going. It wasn't long before I was caught up in the story, wondering who Dex really was, worried the ghost would jump out and scare Perry and me.
Perry was my kind of heroine. She wasn't perfect, had issues from her past she was working on, she was still dealing with self-esteem issues, but she didn't let that stop her. I really appreciated that the author didn't get carried away and over-emphasize the self-esteem and other issues. Some authors tend to dwell on them too much to the detriment of the story.
Dex, being on the enigmatic side, felt a little two-dimensional to me. I wanted to know more about him, but since it was a first person narrative, the reader can only know what the protagonist knows.
This book was a fun read and I look forward to the next novels in the series. I will be reviewing the next one, Red Fox, in a few weeks.
*Disclaimer: I received this book for review from the author. I was not required to write a positive review.
3 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted October 1, 2012
Dowloaded this book out of curiosity. Well to my surprise I found myself reading all 5 books! Don't know if these are intended for YA readers but I thoroughly enjoyed the series. Perry and Dex share something so dark that you are compelled to read on, wanting more! Each book pulls you in,wanting more. If you like Paranormal with a bit of the macabre then this is a series for you!
Now I'm just waiting fie book 6 to come out! Need to know more!!!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted July 30, 2012
Very good read! Had me laughing and shaking in my boots at the same time. Wanted to buy book 2, but it's not out for Nook yet. What's up with the delay B&N???
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted June 9, 2012
600 some odd pages of complete nonsense. I can't believe I wasted my time on this book. Character development and a few exciting moments were spoiled by an elementary level of writing and absence of plot. Don't waste your time.
2 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted May 7, 2012
Amateurish writing littered with grammar and spelling mistakes, and boring drivel. The story might be spooky if you're under ten. Probably the worst book I've ever read.
2 out of 8 people found this review helpful.
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Posted October 19, 2012
This series is great. I am not a fan of the f-word so much but i get it. I am not so patiently awaiting book 6...it's a Perry and Dex fix once you read you're hooked!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted July 23, 2012
I loved this book. I was hooked after the first chapter. Im on team Dex and Perry all the way!!!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted July 6, 2012
I've tried to start this book a couple times now. It seems to have some pretty good reviews so I feel like I really need to push through it a little more and see if I can get excited about. Thus far, I'm having no luck getting interested with the beginning of the book. If I do end up getting into it, I'll change my review.
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted May 7, 2012
This book was sooooooo amazing!!! I like creepy, different books and thats exactly what this was. I would highly reccomend it to anyone looking for a good read but the only bad thing is that it leaves you wanting more :) and they dont have the second book on the nook store :'(
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.When I started reading this book I wasn't really sure what to expect. I couldn't find a proper synopsis of the novel so I walked into this story knowing only one thing; ghost would be involved. I honestly am a sucker for a ghost story so I jumped on board this blog tour with excitement. While this novel does start off rather slow, once the story kicks off it turns out to be pretty good. This story is told from first person point of view, adding mystery to the story, and giving readers a look into the mind of Perry.
Perry the leading lady has a less than perfect body type (so she claimed), a witty personality, and she was borderline manic. I enjoyed all those qualities about her, and I found her relatable as a character. Now I did enjoy her having insecurities, but I wish she would have been a little bit more confident or gained confidence as the story went on, this could be something that develops as the series progresses. I just happen to be one of those crazy female readers who loves the leading woman to be strong, and ready to take on the world.
The thing I enjoyed most about this story is the creepiness of it. Karina Halle does a great job of giving you as the reader the ebbie jeebies. Halle also has a great writing style making it easy for readers to get sucked into the story. I saw something beautiful, dark, and creative about her writing style and I loved it. Just to give a quick example of her writing style so you can understand what I mean, check out the example below.
"Only it's my life turned infinitely more interesting, like every step I take, every puddle I splash or pair of eyes I meet has more meaning that normal."
Amazing right?
I am interested to see where this series goes, I definitely want to keep reading because I want to find out how these characters develops. I recommend this book to scifi, horror, and paranormal lovers.
1 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.readingmama95
Posted April 12, 2012
This book will keep you eading and reading till you are done reading it. It will keep you wonting to read the rest of the books when they come out. It is nice to see that this aurther makes Dex and Perry seem like real people. She Makes Dex have some probles that make him see a little scary. Perry is just so real with all of her on little problums that she seems real as well. I can't wait to see what happens ot them next. Well they get to to gether? Will we find out what is up with Dex? Are they going to amke it together? Will this become a show, or a movie? Be couse if it does I will watch it again and again. Can't wait to read the next one and if you read this book you will love it to. So read it!
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Perry has been having strange nightmares about a damp room with a stranger that seems to want to harm her. By day, she lives at home with her parents and little sister and works as a receptionist at a communications agency in Portland. Perry and her family go to have a weekend with her Uncle Albert and two cousins on the coast. While there she has this strong desire to explore the abandoned lighthouse on his property.
While exploring the lighthouse, Perry runs into Dex. He films for an internet show and was interested in the lighthouse for a possible new show. Then things get creepy, Perry is locked in a room with a burned bed. When she gets out Dex is nowhere to be found but hr cousins are looking for her.
After posting on her sister’s blog about the lighthouse incident, Perry has become an internet hit. This leads Dex to contact her about doing in internet show with him. Perry agrees but finds out there is more to this than just a story about a creepy abandoned lighthouse. When a creepy older lady starts giving her odd advice about Dex, Perry wonders what she is getting into.
I really liked this story. It is a great introduction to a series I think will just keep getting better. But I have to admit that the story felt unfinished. We get to a peak in the story that feels unresolved. Then the story ends with the possibility of more to come. Don’t get me wrong, I will definitely be reading the others in this series.
If you like paranormal YA stories, you will not be disappointed in this. Just remember that it is the first in the series.
I received this book for free from Book Rooster in exchange for an honest opinion.
1 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Overview