Name: Jerilynn Hallett 's review of The Remaking by Clay McLeod Chapman
Item: The Remaking
Rating: 3
Author: Jerilynn Hallett

Clay McLeod Chapman

Inspired by a true story, this supernatural thriller for fans of horror and true crime follows a tale as it evolves every twenty years--with terrifying results. Ella Louise has lived in the woods surrounding Pilot's Creek, Virginia, for nearly a decade. Publicly, she and her daughter, Jessica, are shunned by her upper-crust family and the local residents. Privately, desperate characters visit her apothecary for a cure to what ails them--until Ella Louise is blamed for the death of a prominent customer. Accused of witchcraft, Ella Louise and Jessica are burned at the stake in the middle of the night. Ella Louise's burial site is never found, but the little girl has the most famous grave in the South: a steel-reinforced coffin surrounded by a fence of interconnected white crosses. Their story will take the shape of an urban legend as it's told around a campfire by a man forever marked by his childhood encounters with Jessica. Decades later, a boy at that campfire will cast Amber Pendleton as Jessica in a '70s horror movie inspired by the Witch Girl of Pilot's Creek. Amber's experiences on that set and its meta-remake in the '90s will ripple through pop culture, ruining her life and career after she becomes the target of a witch hunt. Amber's best chance to break the cycle of horror comes when a true-crime investigator tracks her down to interview her for his popular podcast. But will this final act of storytelling redeem her--or will it bring the story full circle, ready to be told once again? And again. And again . . .

A Novel

The Remaking

Jerilynn Hallett 

Inspired by a true story, this supernatural thriller for fans of horror and true crime follows a tale as it evolves every twenty years--with terrifying results. Ella Louise has lived in the woods surrounding Pilot's Creek, Virginia, for nearly a decade. Publicly, she and her daughter Jessica are shunned by their upper-crust family and the Pilot's Creek residents. Privately, desperate townspeople visit her apothecary for a cure to what ails them--until Ella Louise is blamed for the death of a prominent customer. Accused of witchcraft, both mother and daughter are burned at the stake in the middle of the night. Ella Louise's burial site is never found, but the little girl has the most famous grave in the South: a steel-reinforced coffin surrounded by a fence of interconnected white crosses. Their story will take the shape of an urban legend as it's told around a campfire by a man forever marked by his boyhood encounters with Jessica. Decades later, a boy at that campfire will cast Amber Pendleton as Jessica in a '70s horror movie inspired by the Witch Girl of Pilot's Creek. Amber's experiences on that set and its meta-remake in the '90s will ripple through pop culture, ruining her life and career after she becomes the target of a witch hunt. Amber's best chance to break the cycle of horror comes when a true-crime investigator tracks her down to interview her for his popular podcast. But will this final act of storytelling redeem her--or will it bring the story full circle, ready to be told once again? And again. And again . . .

Zoey Mikalatos

The book, as a whole, was not as bloody as I expected or wanted it to be. When I pick up a horror novel, I want it to be scary. While parts of the book were nerve-wracking, it didn't keep me up at night at all, and I probably would have been just fine without reading it.

"It'll live beyond all of us. This whole town. As long as there's someone around to tell it.
And tell it."

Jordan Robinson

3.5 🌟
This started so.good! The second half just drags though. It's still interesting, I still liked it but not as much as I wanted to.

Paige Green

Disclaimer: I received this arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: The Remaking

Author: Clay McLeod Chapman

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 1/5

Recommended For...: horror fans

Publication Date: September 15, 2020

Genre: Horror

Recommended Age: Can’t recommend, DNFed

Publisher: Quirk Books

Pages: 305

Synopsis: Ella Louise has lived in the woods surrounding Pilot’s Creek, Virginia, for nearly a decade. Publicly, she and her daughter Jessica are shunned by their upper-crust family and the Pilot’s Creek residents. Privately, desperate townspeople visit her apothecary for a cure to what ails them—until Ella Louise is blamed for the death of a prominent customer. Accused of witchcraft, both mother and daughter are burned at the stake in the middle of the night. Ella Louise’s burial site is never found, but the little girl has the most famous grave in the South: a steel-reinforced coffin surrounded by a fence of interconnected white crosses.

Their story will take the shape of an urban legend as it’s told around a campfire by a man forever marked by his boyhood encounters with Jessica. Decades later, a boy at that campfire will cast Amber Pendleton as Jessica in a ’70s horror movie inspired by the Witch Girl of Pilot’s Creek. Amber’s experiences on that set and its meta-remake in the ’90s will ripple through pop culture, ruining her life and career after she becomes the target of a witch hunt. Amber’s best chance to break the cycle of horror comes when a true-crime investigator tracks her down to interview her for his popular podcast. But will this final act of storytelling redeem her—or will it bring the story full circle, ready to be told once again? And again. And again…

Review: Had to DNF at 204 pages. It's an ok book but I became quickly bored with it after the shift from Amber to adulthood. The scariness toned down significantly and it left me with repeating dialogue and slow pacing. The book has different paving throughout it and not well developed characters. The world is also not adequately developed and it's just not for me.

Verdict: Not for me and needs more work.

Leticia Leal

Ivory 

Mary Rose Luksha

Kathy Rodger 

danielle bush

Tanya Sutton

Jennifer Gregory

Sarah Agterhuis

Inspired by a true story, this supernatural thriller for fans of horror and true crimefollows a tale as it evolves every twenty years-with terrifying results. Ella Louise has lived in the woods surrounding Pilot's Creek, Virginia, for nearly a decade.Publicly, she and her daughter Jessica are shunned by their upper-crust family and the Pilot'sCreek residents. Privately, desperate townspeople visit her apothecary for a cure to what ailsthem-until Ella Louise is blamed for the death of a prominent customer. Accused of witchcraft,both mother and daughter are burned at the stake in the middle of the night. Ella Louise's burialsite is never found, but the little girl has the most famous grave in the South- a steel-reinforcedcoffin surrounded by a fence of interconnected white crosses. Their story will take the shape of an urban legend as it's told around a campfire by a man forevermarked by his boyhood encounters with Jessica. Decades later, a boy at that campfire will castAmber Pendleton as Jessica in a '70s horror movie inspired by the Witch Girl of Pilot's Creek.Amber's experiences on that set and its meta-remake in the '90s will ripple through pop culture,ruining her life and career after she becomes the target of a witch hunt.Amber's best chance to break the cycle of horror comes when a true-crime investigator tracksher down to interview her for his popular podcast. But will this final act of storytelling redeemher-or will it bring the story full circle, ready to be told once again? And again. And again . . .

Jerilynn Hallett &
The Remaking by Clay McLeod Chapman

Reviews

Join the club

Jerilynn Hallett &The Remaking by Clay McLeod Chapman

Reviews

Join the club

Jerilynn Hallett &
The Remaking by Clay McLeod Chapman