Title: Texas Gothic
Author: Rosemary Clement-Moore
Series: Standalone
Pages: 405
Publisher: Corgi Children's
Date of Publication: 7st July 2011
Source: Publisher*
Synopsis from Goodreads: Amy Goodnight knows that the world isn't as simple as it seems—she grew up surrounded by household spells and benevolent ghosts. But she also understands that "normal" doesn't mix with magic, and she's worked hard to build a wall between the two worlds. Not only to protect any hope of ever having a normal life.
Ranch-sitting for her aunt in Texas should be exactly that. Good old ordinary, uneventful hard work. Only, Amy and her sister, Phin, aren't alone. There's someone in the house with them—and it's not the living, breathing, amazingly hot cowboy from the ranch next door.
It's a ghost, and it's more powerful than the Goodnights and all their protective spells combined. It wants something from Amy, and none of her carefully built defenses can hold it back.
This is the summer when the wall between Amy's worlds is going to come crashing down.
Series: Standalone
Pages: 405
Publisher: Corgi Children's
Date of Publication: 7st July 2011
Source: Publisher*
Synopsis from Goodreads: Amy Goodnight knows that the world isn't as simple as it seems—she grew up surrounded by household spells and benevolent ghosts. But she also understands that "normal" doesn't mix with magic, and she's worked hard to build a wall between the two worlds. Not only to protect any hope of ever having a normal life.
Ranch-sitting for her aunt in Texas should be exactly that. Good old ordinary, uneventful hard work. Only, Amy and her sister, Phin, aren't alone. There's someone in the house with them—and it's not the living, breathing, amazingly hot cowboy from the ranch next door.
It's a ghost, and it's more powerful than the Goodnights and all their protective spells combined. It wants something from Amy, and none of her carefully built defenses can hold it back.
This is the summer when the wall between Amy's worlds is going to come crashing down.
My Thoughts:
I read and really enjoy The Splendour Falls, also by Rosemary Clement-Moore, around this time last year, so when I heard that she was releasing another YA ghost book, I jumped on the chance to read it. I thought that while The Splendour Falls was a very good book, Texas Gothic was BETTER. I loved it.
I loved the characters, I loved the plot, and I loved the whole creepy and mysterious atmosphere that Rosemary so cleverly created with her beautiful writing throughout the whole book.
Amy Goodnight was, in my opinion, a really good main character, and I think she told the story very well. I love how nosy she was, and how determined she was to save people she didn't even know from the 'Mad Monk'. I thought she was incredibly sweet, and I could relate to her in how she was constantly trying to appear like she and her family were normal, even though she couldn't deny their not-normal-ness too much longer. I also adored her love/hate relationship with Ben, it was so cute!
Talking of Ben, I can't decide whether I like him or not. At those rare times when he was being sweet and caring of Amy I liked him, but most of the time he was a complete jerk who was horrible and uncaring and unthinking and just plain rude... However, he got a lot better at the end, and when he continually saved Amy you couldn't help but at least like McCrankyPants a little bit ;)
I thought the plot was very well thought out and very complex, yet all the threads of the story were expertly woven together to create a whole story that was completely understandable and not too confusing, and one that wrapped up perfectly at the end, and answered all my questions. It started off fairly simply with the Goodnight sisters going to investigate around the dig where some old bones had been found, and then throughout the book more and more elements got added, bringing together the whole story. There was the perfect amount of suspense and tension, and the book felt neither rushed nor dragged out, which happened a little bit at the end of The Splendour Falls, so I was a little bit worried that Texas Gothic would drag a little bit, but if you're having these worries too, get rid of them, there is no need! The pacing was perfect.
One thing that really stood out for me were the ghosts in the story. I loved how they weren't real people who were see through who could walk through walls, I loved how they were just a light or presence that could be felt in the room. I just liked that, and also how they played a very significant part of the book, yet they were subtle and didn't take a lead part in the book.
Overall, I think that Texas Gothic is Rosemary's best book to date (Or that I've read, as I've only read two of them...). I loved everything about it, and I will definitely be reading anything else that Rosemary Clement-Moore publishes in the future, as she is an amazing writer. I'd recommend this to anyyone looking for a good YA novel with a bit of creepy-ness, and mystery, then Texas Gothic would be perfect for you.
*Thank you to Random House for sending me a copy of Texas Gothic in exchange for an honest review. In no way has this affected my opinion of the book.
My Rating:
I give it 5 Feet!
Challenges:
2011 Paranormal YA Reading Challenge #33
2011 100+ Reading Challenge #58
Great review Bella, this book sounds so good!! I cannot wait to read it.
ReplyDeleteFeel free to link your review up to my review blog hop, which will be posted at 11am our time here tomorrow!!
great review, I really cant wait to get my hands on a copy of this!
ReplyDeleteOoh, I can't wait to read this one! The atmosphere and the characters sound great. Thanks for the review! =)
ReplyDeleteThanks for this review, l have to admit l didn't think this book was for me but it sounds good =)
ReplyDelete