Monday, August 24, 2015

Review: The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall by Katie Alender

Title: The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall
Author: Katie Alender
Series: Stand Alone
Published By: Point (August 25, 2015)
Source: ARC Copy Provided by the Publisher (in exchange for an honest review)
Genre: YA Mystery/Suspense
My Rating: 4 Stars!


Book Description:
Asylum meets Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, in this riveting tale of ghosts, secrets, and family, from master of suspense Katie Alender.

Delia's new house isn't just a house. It used to be an insane asylum, a place to lock up "troubled" young women long ago. And a restless, wicked spirit is still at play--and it doesn't want defiant girls like Delia to go anywhere.

So the house kills her.

Now Delia is a ghost, trapped in her creepy home forever. As she meets the other ghost girls who haunt the narrow hallways, as well as the handsome ghost boy on the grounds, she learns shocking truths about the house's history. Delia also realizes that her alive and grieving sister might be the house's next target. Can Delia unlock the mystery of the old asylum, save her sister, and free herself? 









I have yet to read a book by Alender that hasn't thoroughly creeped me out, entertained me, and left me with so many thoughts in my head, it was hard to put them all together, but of course, in the most wonderful way possible. 

She truly has become my go to author when I want something that will scare me but not so much that I have nightmares and am up all night with the lights on. Her latest novel fit right in with my expectations for her.

Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall was everything I was hoping it would be. A perfect read for this time of year when we start to want to read about those things that go bump in the night.

Suspenseful, intriguing, mysterious, creepy, and with characters that feel alive, this was truly a fun read that had me rapidly turning the pages and trying to guess what would happen next.

This had everything I have come to love about Alender's writing and didn't let me down. 

If you are looking for something different, fun, and a bit scary, this is the YA read for you. 






*All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by the author or publisher. I was not compensated for this review.*

63 comments:

  1. I like me a bit of mystery, so this sounds like a good one to me. Your review is really nice. Greetings!

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  2. Oh I would love a creepy book like that! It's been a while!

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    1. They really are fun, especially as Halloween gets closer and closer. ;)

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  3. This cover is amazing. I haven't really read any scary books but think I should start. This sounds really good. Great review!

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  4. This sounds like fun, Ali. I enjoyed a book that I read by her so I know what you mean about her being good with what she does. I'll be sure to add this one to my list of books to read! :)
    Great review, Ali!

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    1. Thanks so much Nick and I'm so glad that you have tried and liked her already!

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  5. Okay, this sounds like the type of scary book I can handle Ali! I like being on edge and creeped out, but I definitely don't like having to sleep with all the lights on being kept up all night listening to the house make suspicious noises. Definitely going to check this out:)

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    1. You will like this one Jenny, definitely one you can handle. ;)

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  6. I think it's one of those books that I need to be in the mood for. This author is new to me!

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    1. It definitely is but she is a great one if you want to try the genre. ;)

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  7. Creeepy, but there's a romance? I'm sold, lol. Lovely review, Ali!

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    1. Sort of romance, well, not really LOL! Not until the very very end. ;)

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  8. I've read two of hers and I pretty much had to sleep with the lights on! But still, I adore that sort of thing. I didn't even know about this book, but I'll definitely pick up a copy as soon as possible.

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    1. This wasn't as creepy as her other two I promise but it still had its creepy moments!

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  9. I don't usually read creepy books because well...they're creepy ahah ! But I do love ghosts and that cover is really pretty, I might actually give it a try ^^
    Lovely review :)

    @ "Book Addict"

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    1. I bet you would do okay with this one, it really wasn't bad at all, especially not compared to some of her other stuff.

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  10. Oooh, I'm adding this right NOW! *rubs hands gleefully* I'm in the mood for creepy. Because it's a great way to start the week, right? :D Happy Monday! <3

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  11. Wow it does look scary Ali. Thanks for the great review!

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  12. Thanks for putting this one on my radar, Ali. I've been searching for scary books for my teens to read for my book club. I will have to check this one out.

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  13. Oooh, I am loving the sound of this. I love ghosts stories! Sounds unique to the genre, too :D

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  14. Happy First day of school! I was just in Kuna over the weekend, a fast, whirlwind stay. I am home now and finally trying to get caught up. I still have two and half weeks of summer with my kids. Anyway, I have yet to read this author, and I definitely want to try this one. I need something creepy and supsenseful.

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    1. Definitely try her then. Her earlier stuff was creepier than this but this was still really good!

      Yay for still having two weeks of summer, lucky you!

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  15. Ali, is it creepy like Stephen King books or in a different way? This book is very intriguing to me.

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    1. Not even close to King's style. Way more mild than that.

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  16. Wow I've never seen this book before but it sounds creepy. I really liked the concept of the summary where it said that Delia's house used to be insane asylum. But somehow, the part where the house kills her is too much. I would have rather seen the house haunting her lol. But I'm glad you enjoyed this one. Maybe I'll check it out since I'm always looking for more YA Horror books.

    ~Karina @ A Reader Under The Sea

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    1. It does both but yeah, it does kill her in a super creepy way. ;)

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  17. I don't generally pick up books from the horror/paranormal genres, but I will certainly bear this author's name in mind! It sounds creep-tastic! :D

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    1. If you do decide to read the genre, this is a great author to check out!

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  18. I saw this on your currently reading and I was really looking forward to your review because the cover is intriguing and the synopsis too! I'm glad you enjoyed this and found it truly entertaining and creepy! Now I'm going to check it out! Thanks Kindlemom! :D

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  19. I need to try her. The title, premise, and cover art for this is very creepy. I love to be scared... but no nightmares! lol

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  20. Not a big fan of the cover, but I'll eat anything that has a touch of creepy! YA needs to put on its big girl pants and give us more creepy stories :D

    Faye at The Social Potato

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    1. I couldn't agree more about needing more of these!

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  21. Creepy? Have I heard of this author? Damn my crappy memory. I'll have to read it.

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    1. Umm not sure! She is a good YA author though so if you like this type of YA read then definitely try her!

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  22. Well, the cover is great, the blurb is great, and from your review, I think this could work for me. I think this is a new author for me.

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  23. "Suspenseful, intriguing, mysterious, creepy, and with characters that feel alive" - all things I love in this genre! Sounds good and the cover is cool!

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  24. This sounds like such a great book to pick up around Halloween. I like books that are interesting and just a little scary, but not overly so. Great review! :)

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  25. Seeing "Asylum meets Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" caught my interest right away, because I enjoyed both books. Then your review signed the deal. I love thriller/mystery/scary books. For some reason I'm not good at finding them, so thanks for the great review.

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  26. I tend to not get into the creepier reads but for some strange reason they've been calling me, again. I used to adore them. I might have to jump back in!

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    1. I do love them every now and then but especially this time of year.

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  27. Great review! Sounds like a great read to me :) Thanks for sharing!

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  28. Yay - I'm so glad you enjoyed this!! I have really grabby hands for this and can't wait to read it :)
    Lovely review, Ali!

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    1. Thanks so much Kim! I think you would really like this author as well.

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  29. That looks so good. But the wuss in me is totally saying Noooo not until there's company visiting so I'm not alone in the house. lol

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    1. LOL I understand but it really wasn't too bad.

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  30. Girrrllll, I think I'm always in the mood for something scary but not so much that it makes me pee my pants or keeps me awake at night with nightmares so this one sounds about right. I'm glad you ADORED it Ali! :) I'll have to make this one my go-to author when I need a good scare every once and a while. EPICAL review! xoxo

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    1. She is good at the scary without being too much so. ;)

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