The Haunting: 6 (Red Eye, 6)

Loved this read proper ghost story atmosphere and this types of stories are my go to when it comes to books and even in films so I knew this would be one I would enjoy either way if done right and it was done amazingly 👌🏻 People say that all Cornish inns are haunted, but the Waterwitch’s history is particularly chilling. Built from the salvaged timber of a cursed ship, the guest house’s dark secrets go further back than anyone can remember. Emma is permanently confined to a wheelchair after an accident at the Waterwitch which took place when she was ten. Seven years later, she decides to return to the place where the awful event occurred. But the ancient inn still has its ghosts, and one spirit is more vengeful than ever… Loved the characters Jen and Shell and there story and family history,plus Emma’s dog Bailey of course. The witch links in this book and the fact it’s set in Cornwall as it is one my favourite places so this book is definitely a win in my book Love love it !! Highly recommend

DEFINITLY READ!!!!! SO GOODDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!

Really enjoyed the book I couldn't put it down! Loved how it changed to different people's perspective, was truly brilliant

This is my second book re Alex Bell. Couldn't put both books down great storytelling

I received a free copy of The Haunting from the publisher in return for an honest review. The Haunting had it's moments and there was a lot of potential for some really creepy hair raising chills but it didn't quite get there for me. There were a couple of times where I though "Oh, I like where this is going," and I could feel the atmosphere start to build but it petered out. The story felt rather juvenile for a young adult book, even the "scares" and atmosphere felt more suited to younger readers. It reads more young teen horror than young adult horror. I think part of that was because of how Emma, the main character, was portrayed. Emma is 17 but she came across as being much younger and her reactions and interactions were lacking the maturity I would expect in a character of that age. The setting was great and the plot was enjoyable, and perhaps if it had been classed as teen instead of young adult I would have gone in with a different mindset and enjoyed it more as a result. As it was, I was expecting more because of the age group it's aimed at and it just wasn't there. There were too many missed opportunities to really ramp up the atmosphere and chills which only added to the whole younger reader vibe. Would I recommend it? A bit of a mixed answer. Yes, for younger teens. My daughter would have loved this at 12 or 13 years old. As a young adult book, I probably wouldn't recommend it.

Although I am 30 in throughly enjoying the red eye series. This book was no exception. I couldn’t put it down and finished it in a couple of days. I didn’t realise til afterwards this was the same author of Frozen Charlotte, which I also throughly enjoyed.

This book scared me out of my wits and it gave me the shivers so I cramped in my bed all night. I recommend this book for people who like a good horror book.

My daughter said it's a slow starting book but as you read it the book was really good & loved the story

Summary Emma returns to her hometown to visit her terminally ill grandma. While there she is forced to face the haunted inn where her awful accident happened 7 years ago that left her in a wheelchair. The ghosts are still there, angrier than ever and she isn't the only one in danger this time. Personal Opinion This is my 3rd Alex Bell novel in the Redeye series and yet another one that I really enjoyed. I didn't like it quite as much so Frozen Charlotte, but it came close. While it could have been a bit creepier, it was an addictive read that kept me wondering how things were going to turn out. Not being the biggest romance fan, I really like that Alex's books focus more on the horror aspect instead of romance and the female characters are never the damsels in distress types. Having the MC in a wheelchair was an uncommon twist that was nice to see as well. If you liked the other Redeye series books, your bound to enjoy this one as well.

The Haunting gives the same feeling Alex Bell's books usually give. The same sense of being lost as there was in Jasmyn and Ninth Circle. The same impression of helplessness, facing the unknown. It's brilliant, brilliant, brilliant! I'm only halfway through the book and I can't wait to finish it.

I really loved this atmospheric tale, taunt with suspense, superstition, and well-written characters(both the living and the ghostly), as well as the setting which lent itself 100% to this story, made for a compelling and eerie tale. A tale that to be honest, left me wanting to take a trip to Cornwall.

I’m embarrassed to say, but my 12 year old daughter turned me to appreciate Alex Bell as an author of choice. All her books have been quite fun to read.

THE HAUNTING is the third book I've read by author Alex Bell. I love her smooth writing style--regardless of whether I'm in the middle of an action-packed scene, or a quiet conversation between friends, her prose propels me along effortlessly from page to page. In this novel, Bell takes on the subjects of witches, curses, shipwrecks, and superstitions surrounding Cornish inns. The supernatural is a topic that this author tackles very well, and the fluidity of this book is a testament to that. The Waterwitch is an Inn built from the salvaged remains of a cursed ship. This vessel was built by a man responsible for accusing a woman of witchcraft, which led directly to her horrifying, torturous death. "Once you see the witch, there's no going back . . . Once you see her face, it's over." The Inn, now closed since Emma's grandmother had been moved to a nursing home, is currently being watched over by Jem Penhale and his sister--descendants of the very man that built the cursed ship--now Inn. For the first time since an accident there landed her in a wheelchair, Emma goes back to the Waterwitch. ". . . The Waterwitch is not a suitable place for you . . . It's not a suitable place for any person." Bell goes into great detail explaining the local superstitions, methods of dealing with witches in years past, and various customs used to ward off a "witch's curse" from a location. Her descriptions of the individual "hauntings" occurring at the Waterwitch were original and honestly gave me the shivers on more than one occasion. ". . . it's not just haunted any more; it's angry, too." In addition to the morbidly disturbing atmosphere, we are given some great characters to attach ourselves to. Emma, her former best friend, Jem, and his younger sister, Shell, all have their own distinct outlooks on the situation. Some treat it as intolerable superstition: ". . . these sailors had a never-ending list of things that were considered bad luck on a ship . . . " . While others took the events as proof positive that the curse was dangerously real. ". . . sometimes you just have to scream for help anyway, even when you know that there is absolutely nothing anyone can do to help you." Overall, I really enjoyed this tale from Alex Bell. A combination of awful historical practices, and an undying vengeance with some unique scenes and situations, made this book stand out among so many others in the category. If you haven't read anything from this author yet, what are you waiting for? ". . . Unnatural place--sitting there on dry land like that, trying to convince people it's not a ship at all." Recommended!