Haunted
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Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780986556906 |
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| Publisher: | Treasure Cove Books |
| Publication date: | 12/05/2010 |
| Pages: | 126 |
| Sales rank: | 1,235,771 |
| Product dimensions: | 5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.27(d) |
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Haunted
4.2 out of 5
based on
0 ratings.
6 reviews.
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Ghost Park ¿ Ghost Park was a nice little story that was slightly creepy without being too scary. I liked that the main character, Chase, was interested in preserving the environment while still being sympathetic to her dad's plight of needing a job. I thought Ghost Park also had a great message about how important it can be to let go of the hurts of the past in order to get on with living life. Overall, it was probably my favorite story in the anthology and a pretty enjoyable read. Star Rating: ****A Haunting Past ¿ Somehow this story, with its talking skull, possessed mannequin, and a vengeful spirit that keeps mis-hearing names struck me as more funny than creepy or scary. In some ways, it reminded me of an episode of Scooby-Doo. However, the fact that A Haunting Past seemed kind of silly to me might just be because I'm a grown-up. I can see how kids, especially more sensitive ones, might truly find it frightening, since Truce, the main character is being chased by a ghost with murder on its mind. I have to say that I agreed with the girl who got herself punished for wondering out loud why they would build a conservation park dedicated to a man who'd caused so much destruction and wish that point had been explained a little better. I also would have liked to have seen a little more of Truce's relationship with his brother, and perhaps an admission from Truce that he understood where Colby was coming from after his experience at the park. Overall though, A Haunting Past was a decent story that should entertain kids, even if I did spent most of it smiling. Star Rating: ***1/2The Manor on the Rocks (aka Rockville) ¿ In my opinion, this was the creepiest of The Horror Diaries stories in this anthology so far, probably owing to the villain being a child who had committed some pretty heinous acts. No details were given, so it wasn't an incredibly hard-hitting story, just slightly more disturbing. I would have liked to have known a little more about why he was compelled to do these things and how he died, because as written he was pretty one-dimensional and was also perhaps a little too easily dispatched. I think that Calla Lily's parents being possessed and coming after her added to the fright factor. Calla Lilly was OK as the main character, but I didn't find her to be quite as interesting or likable as the protagonists in the other stories, mainly because she could be rather whiny. Overall, not a bad little horror tale, but a few things could have been better. Star Rating: ***1/2A Medieval Nightmare ¿ I love all things medieval, so this was one of my favorite stories in this anthology. The castle, knights, tournament and such made for a pretty fun read that was just slightly scary. The joker's riddle was easy to figure out, although perhaps it wouldn't be as easy for kids as it was for me. There were a couple of things near the end of the story that seemed a little silly and clichéd, but overall, I had a pretty good time reading this one. Star Rating: ****A Watery Grave ¿ This story was rather interesting with its ghostly legend and potential body-snatching spectre. It also had a good plot twist that I partially saw coming, although not in quite the way it happened, which means that kids might be even more surprised by it than I was. The story wrapped up in a rather open-ended way which left me with mixed feelings, but overall, this was a fun, creepy read. Star Rating: ****Each of the individual stories had some things that I thought could have been a bit better, but overall, Haunted was a pretty good anthology of scary tales for kids. Even though most of the protagonists were teenagers, my guess is that the plots are probably too simplistic to hold the attention of older, more sophisticated readers, but the book still has just enough advanced vocabulary to possi
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Reviewed by Anthony Elmore for Readers' Favorite
In Haunted: The Horror Diaries Book 1, Chase Macmillan is a fifteen-year-old girl who loves nature in the story Ghost Park. She will do anything she can to keep it untouched. Contrary to her feelings for the environment, her father, a landscaper, levels trees and mows lands for the government. One afternoon, Chase overhears the news that her father has received a new contract to clear out some abandoned land. Secretly she follows her father down to the plot he is supposed to clear out and tries to stop him. Determined to save the property, Chase decides to write a petition to prevent her dad from desecrating the land. Frustrated with her results, Chase is disheartened. The next day while her father is working, he discovers an old wooden playground. While listening in on her father’s conversation, Chase hears about the playground. Deciding to investigate the oddity, she becomes entangled in an adventure that will be sure to shock readers! Will Chase be able to escape or will she become a ghost forever?
While the first story in this anthology of ghostly encounters, Ghost Park, was very enjoyable to read, the next story stirred my interest just as much when Truce was being chased by an evil ghost chief named Bear in A Haunted Past. I liked the ending to The Manor On The Rocks. Calla Lily not wanting to live in such an old and depressing haunted house is very understandable, but the ending has a wonderful twist to it. The Medieval Nightmare was very thrilling, since the museum castle comes alive after two hundred years, when Brandon Wilkinson and Ellie Seater get trapped while on a field trip. Out of all of the five stories written in this most magical, Halloweenish genre, the most terrifying story of all was the last one about two young girls being chased by a native girlish looking ghost.
Haunted: The Horror Diaries Book 1 is a creepy, ghostly horror story collection written by Heather Beck. Fans of Stephen King's horror tales will enjoy this YA short story collection. I enjoyed reading every one of the five stories, each of which were about ghosts haunting the main characters. Fans of the TV series American Horror Stories will not want to miss this collection which includes murdering ghosts, ghostly possessions, and a reanimated medieval castle. The stories were the perfect blend of terror and thrills. The suspense kept me on the edge of my seat to the blood-curdling conclusion. The ghosts in it were realistically terrifying, while the whole story arc still held together well. I was drawn into this book from the first page and I was hooked until the last. I would recommend this book to fans of Ghost Whisperer and Medium.
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I really liked all the stories very strange and scary stories. It was written well.
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These are referred to as the “horror diaries,” which are basically a collection of scary stories. But don’t be fooled by this. They are not scary at all.
In one story, Chase tries to stop a landscape from being demolished, but the place is also inhabited by ghosts.
In “A Haunting Past,” a boy gets mixed up in an ancient tribal legend on a museum visit.
Because the main characters are kids, these tales are definite suited for that audience.
Nice and clean; easy to read.
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Haunted blends horror, fantasy and comedy to create a fun and suspenseful read. Every story is well-written and left me wondering what would happen next. There are a lot of twists and turns throughout the stories so it’s always a surprise, especially at the end. As for the characters, they are believable and make the story relatable. I love how I felt as if I knew the characters, whether they were human or not! The descriptions are very vivid. If you like ghosts and scary stories, you should read Haunted. I can’t wait to read more books by Heather Beck. Originally posted at Young Adult Books Central
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