Alyxandra Harvey

Sixteen-year-old Violet Willoughby has been part of her mother's Spiritualist scam since she was 9 years old, but during an 1872 house party in Hampshire, England, she is horrified to learn that she can actually see ghosts, one of whom wants Violet to solve her murder.

Haunting Violet

Briar's Reviews

I originally bought Haunting Violet when it first came out (way back in 2011... my gosh, it has been a long time). It ended up on my shelf and floated around for years, and I mean YEARS. I've been staring at this book for most of 2019 knowing full well I wanted to read it. Buuuuut... I know Alyxandra Harvey is one of my favourite authors, so I figured I'd have to find a time to sit down and binge read the whole darn book. And I did!

I finally picked this book up, knowing full well I'd love it. I have a special place in my heart for Alyxandra Harvey. Her Drake chronicles/series was one of the original series that got me into my crazy reading habit. I fell in love with Quinn and Solange and all of their wacky family and friends. So, it's only fitting that I continue to fall in love with Alyxandra's books (they are just a little harder to come across now - there's too many books to read). It's especially harder since the book store that introduced me to her (and pimped her books out BIG TIME) went out of business around 2012. So, there's that.

Anywho - Haunting Violet. This book is a lovely stand alone novel that really should be a series. Violet lives in the past (I want to say Renaissance-esque era. Back when ladies wore corsets, gloves and had to be married off) and with a Mother who fakes seances. Then, suddenly, one day Violet starts seeing ghosts! A lovely, young, ghost lady appears out of nowhere and leads Violet to become a sleuth. Someone has murdered this girl, and Violet will find out too! Along the way we meet her friend Elizabeth, her love interest Collin, her other love interest Xavier, the dead girl's living twin and many other suspicious characters. Xavier chases after Violet's hand in marriage, Collin also tries to woo her despite not being from an esteemed family and it's your typical 2011/2012 young adult novel (in my humble opinion).

Side note: Violet's mother is a complete psychopath. I've seen other reviewers relate her to Mother Gothel and OMG yes. She's absolutely evil and nuts. I absolutely hate books with mothers like that, but I'm sure women like that exist. She infuriated me! Yet there's no epic payoff for her (there kind of is, but not enough if you ask me!).

These sort of books are my FAVOURITES. There's lots of tropes - love triangle, best friend turned romance, murder mystery, and exciting descriptions of locations and outfits. The book was a little predictable, but I also read WAY to many murder mysteries and young adult novels for my own good. 

The writing style is what kept me hooked. Alyxandra's writing style is fast paced, descriptive and enchanting. I felt myself getting lost and addicted to her words, and I hardly noticed the time flying by. Suddenly a 300+ page book was done! It was slightly annoying since I do love a good Alyxandra Harvey book.

My biggest negative for this book is how it was presented on the web. Everywhere says this book is apart of a series, but I have never seen a sequel. I'm assuming it has something to do with the publishers, which is a real shame. I'd love to see this book turn into a series because it was enchanting! I'd like to see more crazy heists and murder mysteries set in the past. Collin and Violet are also too darn cute to not continue!

Overall, this is another lovely YA to add to your shelf. Necromancy, ghosts, paranormal, romance and drama flood the pages (pun intended... there's a drowning in the book, FYI). The book is light, easy to read, fast paced and marvelous! It's also a PG rated book, so if you're looking for a good novel to start your pre-teens or teens in, this book could be it!

Five out of five stars! Give me more Alyxandra Harvey STAT!

Bryanna Leigh

I like this book well enough. Characterizations could have used some major improvement. There were events that happened that happened just for the sake of happening, it felt like. Some things felt like they happened too fast in too short of a time period. Also, there were plenty of things that were mentioned that could have continued on that we're never really mentioned again.

A stand-alone historical novel from the popular author of the Drake Chronicles, Alyxandra Harvey.

Siobhán

Alyxandra Harvey has created a brilliant gothic novel that is a little spooky. If you like your books that are different and full of supsense with one hell of a twist that you don't see coming then I urge you to pick up a copy and get reading.

For Full Review: http://totally-bookalicious.blogspot....