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Haunted Lily: The Nightmare Ball
Book by Fox, Sidney
324 pages, Hardcover
First published November 2, 2008
About the author
Sidney Fox
10 books37 followersSidney Fox was born in New York, where a love for movies, music, and all-things spooky flourished. Moving with her family to the lush southern city of Atlanta, Georgia, when she was twelve, she experienced a “life-changing” event; a surprise meeting with the spirit of civil-war soldier. From that moment on a life-long interest in the paranormal began.
During her teens, she sang in a band and did some acting. After high school, she briefly worked at a psychiatric hospital, which she considered an eye-opening experience, before deciding to pursue acting seriously and headed to New York to study at the Studio Arena Theatre. Missing the south, Sidney moved back to Georgia to the funky college town of Athens to live with a friend who needed a singer for a new band; The Whirligigs. Once again, she found herself living in an old house of the haunted variety, and her fascination with ghosts grew.
After a near-death experience, courtesy of a drunk driver, her priorities changed…as did her life. Sidney made the decision to move to Los Angeles to study film production and acting at UCLA. Her first job in Hollywood was giving tours of Paramount Pictures. During this time, she wrote several screenplays and co-founded the writers group called - DeMille’s Illegitimate Children.
After a few years working on various popular movies and television shows, Sidney did a voice-over for Grammy-winner, Madonna, and was hired to write articles and interviews for the legendary singers, ICON Magazine.
It was around this time that she and her future husband, Douglas, moved into an old house in N. Hollywood which, not surprisingly, was still inhabited by its long-dead owner. Sidney decided to heed the old adage, “write what you know”, and always loving a good ghost story, came up the idea for her supernatural tale, HAUNTED LILY.
Currently, Sidney lives in Florida with her husband, son and dogs, where they are well-known for their annual Halloween extravaganzas.
During her teens, she sang in a band and did some acting. After high school, she briefly worked at a psychiatric hospital, which she considered an eye-opening experience, before deciding to pursue acting seriously and headed to New York to study at the Studio Arena Theatre. Missing the south, Sidney moved back to Georgia to the funky college town of Athens to live with a friend who needed a singer for a new band; The Whirligigs. Once again, she found herself living in an old house of the haunted variety, and her fascination with ghosts grew.
After a near-death experience, courtesy of a drunk driver, her priorities changed…as did her life. Sidney made the decision to move to Los Angeles to study film production and acting at UCLA. Her first job in Hollywood was giving tours of Paramount Pictures. During this time, she wrote several screenplays and co-founded the writers group called - DeMille’s Illegitimate Children.
After a few years working on various popular movies and television shows, Sidney did a voice-over for Grammy-winner, Madonna, and was hired to write articles and interviews for the legendary singers, ICON Magazine.
It was around this time that she and her future husband, Douglas, moved into an old house in N. Hollywood which, not surprisingly, was still inhabited by its long-dead owner. Sidney decided to heed the old adage, “write what you know”, and always loving a good ghost story, came up the idea for her supernatural tale, HAUNTED LILY.
Currently, Sidney lives in Florida with her husband, son and dogs, where they are well-known for their annual Halloween extravaganzas.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
September 18, 2008
This book is genuinely scary…the kind of book that still stays in your mind after you've turned over the final page. Haunted Lily is, quite simply, the best debut horror novel in a very long time. I really loved it! Sidney Fox creates a novel that is sure to stand up proudly against any of the classic ghost stories that reside on your bookshelf. It is really a compliment to call a novel “visually stunning”, and it is!
It's the kind of book that gets into your sub-conscious and you can’t let it go. It is relentless, gripping, powerful, a genuine page-turner — it's all of those things, and enormously smart besides.
It's the kind of book that gets into your sub-conscious and you can’t let it go. It is relentless, gripping, powerful, a genuine page-turner — it's all of those things, and enormously smart besides.
February 28, 2020
Note, Feb. 28, 2020: So as not to get committed to too many urban fantasy series, I ultimately decided not to continue with this one; so I've just edited the review to avoid confusion on that point.
This book definitely has strong points, and I did like it overall, as my rating indicates. (Some of those strong points were touched on in the discussion of this book in the Supernatural Fiction Readers group, where it was chosen as this month's common read.) Both Lily and Darby are very well-realized, vital characters that I genuinely liked --Lily instantly; Darby took a bit longer, but I warmed to him too as Fox exposed the human being inside. (They have their faults, of course --who doesn't?-- but the good qualities they have shine through a lot stronger.) The style is very visual, probably reflecting Fox's screenwriting background; scenes, characters and settings are brought to life in such a way that you can mentally see them --but they're not described to death, a delicate balance that the author treads well. There's never a dull moment; the narrative moves quickly, and often pulls you along with an intensity of suspense and tension to see what's going to happen. Ghostly supernatural manifestations --often trite and hackneyed by now, in a literary tradition well over 200 years old-- are here realized with a genuine sense of menace (the scenes in St. Michaels, and atop the haunted roller coaster, are masterpieces) or numinous awe. (Fans of TV shows like Ghost Hunters will see similarities to Lily's road trip as Darby films it.) Fox's own interest in, and past actual experiences with, the paranormal no doubt help to add authenticity here. Most of the very real "horror" element here, though, doesn't come from supernatural activity, but from the stark portrayal of the terrible things that people are capable of doing to each other, and the tragedies that can befall undeserving people.
While the supernatural here is not treated in Christian terms as such, it is approached from a theistic standpoint; both Lily and Darby affirm a belief in God, and Lily sincerely employs prayer as a normal part of her coping with supernatural phenomena. (The existence of the demonic is taken seriously as well.) As in the Harry Potter series, ghosts are explained here simply as spirits who, for one reason or another, have not moved on to the post-mortem stage, and their existence tells us nothing (neither biblical nor anti-biblical) about the latter. Given the attitudes and behavior of many people, conservative Christian readers won't share the author's apparent optimism that what virtually all of them are supposed to move on to is going to be better; but the same readers will endorse 100% Lily's advice about a ouija board --"Burn it!"-- and her accurate explanation for it. Both Lily and Darby drink alcohol, and in some cases more than they should; but on the other hand, the role of alcohol abuse in some of the tragedies depicted here is clear enough that any reader can connect the dots. And though the single characters aren't always abstinent, there's no explicit sex here. The one major objectionable element (that cost the book a star) is the amount of bad language, including the f-word which Darby especially uses a lot when he's angry or upset. Fox probably feels this is required by "realism;" but given that many people don't use bad language that much, the case for its necessity isn't convincing.
My other significant criticism (that cost another star) is the lack of artistic polish in some aspects of the style and execution. There are a lot of grammatical errors here, especially overused commas. Fox has a big vocabulary, and she usually uses it to advantage; but words are sometimes used inaccurately, and she makes logical boo-boos as well in some places (as where Darby pulls a leather jacket out of thin air). In a few places, she also shows lack of simple research --calling a Y chromosome an "X chromosome," for instance. (Varna is on the Black Sea, not the Dead Sea --that one was a howler!-- the Black Forest is in Germany, not Bulgaria, and Bulgaria's capital is spelled Sofia, not "Sophia.") Her decision to self/subsidy publish, rather than going through the process of vetting by a traditional publisher, was a factor here; an editor would have caught a lot of these mistakes, and the publisher would have proofed the book, or made her do it. Hopefully in publishing the sequel, she'll seek out a traditional publisher --who, given her obvious talent, ought to be very glad to work with her!
Not to engage in any spoilers; but speaking of the sequel, the last chapter of the main narrative, and especially the epilogue (and it should be said that Fox makes brilliant use of the frame technique!) leave, and raise, so many unanswered questions that they constitute a cliff-hanger. Readers should probably take that into account before starting the book.
This book definitely has strong points, and I did like it overall, as my rating indicates. (Some of those strong points were touched on in the discussion of this book in the Supernatural Fiction Readers group, where it was chosen as this month's common read.) Both Lily and Darby are very well-realized, vital characters that I genuinely liked --Lily instantly; Darby took a bit longer, but I warmed to him too as Fox exposed the human being inside. (They have their faults, of course --who doesn't?-- but the good qualities they have shine through a lot stronger.) The style is very visual, probably reflecting Fox's screenwriting background; scenes, characters and settings are brought to life in such a way that you can mentally see them --but they're not described to death, a delicate balance that the author treads well. There's never a dull moment; the narrative moves quickly, and often pulls you along with an intensity of suspense and tension to see what's going to happen. Ghostly supernatural manifestations --often trite and hackneyed by now, in a literary tradition well over 200 years old-- are here realized with a genuine sense of menace (the scenes in St. Michaels, and atop the haunted roller coaster, are masterpieces) or numinous awe. (Fans of TV shows like Ghost Hunters will see similarities to Lily's road trip as Darby films it.) Fox's own interest in, and past actual experiences with, the paranormal no doubt help to add authenticity here. Most of the very real "horror" element here, though, doesn't come from supernatural activity, but from the stark portrayal of the terrible things that people are capable of doing to each other, and the tragedies that can befall undeserving people.
While the supernatural here is not treated in Christian terms as such, it is approached from a theistic standpoint; both Lily and Darby affirm a belief in God, and Lily sincerely employs prayer as a normal part of her coping with supernatural phenomena. (The existence of the demonic is taken seriously as well.) As in the Harry Potter series, ghosts are explained here simply as spirits who, for one reason or another, have not moved on to the post-mortem stage, and their existence tells us nothing (neither biblical nor anti-biblical) about the latter. Given the attitudes and behavior of many people, conservative Christian readers won't share the author's apparent optimism that what virtually all of them are supposed to move on to is going to be better; but the same readers will endorse 100% Lily's advice about a ouija board --"Burn it!"-- and her accurate explanation for it. Both Lily and Darby drink alcohol, and in some cases more than they should; but on the other hand, the role of alcohol abuse in some of the tragedies depicted here is clear enough that any reader can connect the dots. And though the single characters aren't always abstinent, there's no explicit sex here. The one major objectionable element (that cost the book a star) is the amount of bad language, including the f-word which Darby especially uses a lot when he's angry or upset. Fox probably feels this is required by "realism;" but given that many people don't use bad language that much, the case for its necessity isn't convincing.
My other significant criticism (that cost another star) is the lack of artistic polish in some aspects of the style and execution. There are a lot of grammatical errors here, especially overused commas. Fox has a big vocabulary, and she usually uses it to advantage; but words are sometimes used inaccurately, and she makes logical boo-boos as well in some places (as where Darby pulls a leather jacket out of thin air). In a few places, she also shows lack of simple research --calling a Y chromosome an "X chromosome," for instance. (Varna is on the Black Sea, not the Dead Sea --that one was a howler!-- the Black Forest is in Germany, not Bulgaria, and Bulgaria's capital is spelled Sofia, not "Sophia.") Her decision to self/subsidy publish, rather than going through the process of vetting by a traditional publisher, was a factor here; an editor would have caught a lot of these mistakes, and the publisher would have proofed the book, or made her do it. Hopefully in publishing the sequel, she'll seek out a traditional publisher --who, given her obvious talent, ought to be very glad to work with her!
Not to engage in any spoilers; but speaking of the sequel, the last chapter of the main narrative, and especially the epilogue (and it should be said that Fox makes brilliant use of the frame technique!) leave, and raise, so many unanswered questions that they constitute a cliff-hanger. Readers should probably take that into account before starting the book.
September 17, 2008
Haunted Lily is such an amazing story with a creepy plot, and memorable characters, especially the ghosties. Once I started reading it, I literally could not put it down. It was that sooo good! I loved the combination of horror, romance, love, and the supernatural. I love it, love it, love it!
Gwennie
Gwennie
October 14, 2008
I thoroughly enjoyed this debut novel which will hopefully be followed by a long career of great horror reads. I had been searching for a good ghost story type book for Halloween and this little gem was perfect for it. Highly recommended for horror buffs or for those with a taste for something spooky.
October 2, 2008
What a great read - I loved this book a realy different premise and execution of a book...
A really good story and people you want to meet..
Sidney got the bits about London right and it makes me want to go to the South in America.
Can't wait for next book...
A really good story and people you want to meet..
Sidney got the bits about London right and it makes me want to go to the South in America.
Can't wait for next book...
October 23, 2014
A very good horror novel & I'm not a big fan of horror. This was well done. The story was lean & carried me forward every step of the way - I know no higher praise.
The start was a little confusing, but it settled down to a very interesting & thorough suspense. The hauntings were well done - all the description & wording was excellent. The characterization was well done, too. There were more than a few threads that were dropped abruptly that I would have liked to have seen some follow up on, but I expect we'll see them in the next book. It does make me think about the book more & I'll certainly be getting the second now. I've got to know!!!
The ending tied in nicely with the beginning & brought the story together in a neat way, although one character was unbelievably slow on the uptake - a minor flaw, but irksome.
The start was a little confusing, but it settled down to a very interesting & thorough suspense. The hauntings were well done - all the description & wording was excellent. The characterization was well done, too. There were more than a few threads that were dropped abruptly that I would have liked to have seen some follow up on, but I expect we'll see them in the next book. It does make me think about the book more & I'll certainly be getting the second now. I've got to know!!!
The ending tied in nicely with the beginning & brought the story together in a neat way, although one character was unbelievably slow on the uptake - a minor flaw, but irksome.
October 9, 2008
IN a short summary this book was addicting. It's not everyday that you read a book and are pulled to feel for a character(s).
*SPOILER*
It wasn't until the end of the book that I remembered the young girl in the beggining of the book. But it wasn't much of a surprise though.
I enjoyed the little stories and background to some of the ghosts in the book. Possibly my favorite parts was the sections were they were at the amusment park and the plantation.
Sidney, you really touch into my fears with Varton. Clowns have always scared me and for some reason I could perfectly see his face and disfigured body.
I can not wait till book 2 to come out...
*SPOILER*
It wasn't until the end of the book that I remembered the young girl in the beggining of the book. But it wasn't much of a surprise though.
I enjoyed the little stories and background to some of the ghosts in the book. Possibly my favorite parts was the sections were they were at the amusment park and the plantation.
Sidney, you really touch into my fears with Varton. Clowns have always scared me and for some reason I could perfectly see his face and disfigured body.
I can not wait till book 2 to come out...
October 13, 2008
I am still trying to piece it all together. I loved it. It had every element that I loved in all my favorite horror stories over the years. And yes that evil clown that I hate even before I knew was there. This book makes you check out that bump you hear or that strange whisper. READ IT!!!!!
October 4, 2010
Lily was born with an ability few have, she can communicate with ghosts. When she was a child, Lily’s mother called her evil & tried to kill her, but Lily survived. On the day of his wedding, Darby’s wife is killed in a tragic car accident. Shortly afterwards, terrifying things start happening and he isn’t sure if its his deceased bride or if he’s lost his mind.
In a series of coincidences, Darby meets up with Lily after viewing a TV show featuring her as a child. He believes she is the one who can help him understand the things that are happening to him and asks if he can do a documentary about her. Lily agrees, but she must have final approval on the release of the documentary. Little does Darby know, he’s going to see things he never thought existed.
I don’t even know where to begin discussing Haunted Lily. I’m in a state of bliss after finishing it! I haven’t read a better start to a series EVER. It was the most amazing journey, one I am glad to have gotten the chance to take. It was nothing like I thought it would be, nothing at all. It was truly brilliant, the characters were amazingly written, the scenes intense..just wow. I’ve never been this “whoa” after reading a book, I think because it’s self published I love it even more. Someone needs to sign Ms. Fox before she gets snatched up.
You’ll fall in love with Lily right from the get go, but the more you get to “know” her, the more you love her. She’s been through so much but she keeps fighting & trying to see the good in everyone. Hell she even tried to befriend a dead clown. Let me tell you, THAT scared the hell out of me. I am not a fan of clowns at all, not since seeing the movie version of IT. The clown that Sidney Fox has created, Varton Muntz, is even more horrifying then Pennywise. But I don’t want to spill anything about Varton, you have to read about him yourself to truly understand how terrifying he is.
Many of the places featured in the book, are based on real places..even scarier, some of the events are as well. Once you finish reading Haunted Lily, take a peek at Spook Palace, Sindey Fox’s website to read more about the places and events featured in the novel.
I can’t tell you enough, you MUST read Haunted Lily. It’s one of those books you’ll want to discuss with someone else & make you check under your bed before you go to sleep.
In a series of coincidences, Darby meets up with Lily after viewing a TV show featuring her as a child. He believes she is the one who can help him understand the things that are happening to him and asks if he can do a documentary about her. Lily agrees, but she must have final approval on the release of the documentary. Little does Darby know, he’s going to see things he never thought existed.
I don’t even know where to begin discussing Haunted Lily. I’m in a state of bliss after finishing it! I haven’t read a better start to a series EVER. It was the most amazing journey, one I am glad to have gotten the chance to take. It was nothing like I thought it would be, nothing at all. It was truly brilliant, the characters were amazingly written, the scenes intense..just wow. I’ve never been this “whoa” after reading a book, I think because it’s self published I love it even more. Someone needs to sign Ms. Fox before she gets snatched up.
You’ll fall in love with Lily right from the get go, but the more you get to “know” her, the more you love her. She’s been through so much but she keeps fighting & trying to see the good in everyone. Hell she even tried to befriend a dead clown. Let me tell you, THAT scared the hell out of me. I am not a fan of clowns at all, not since seeing the movie version of IT. The clown that Sidney Fox has created, Varton Muntz, is even more horrifying then Pennywise. But I don’t want to spill anything about Varton, you have to read about him yourself to truly understand how terrifying he is.
Many of the places featured in the book, are based on real places..even scarier, some of the events are as well. Once you finish reading Haunted Lily, take a peek at Spook Palace, Sindey Fox’s website to read more about the places and events featured in the novel.
I can’t tell you enough, you MUST read Haunted Lily. It’s one of those books you’ll want to discuss with someone else & make you check under your bed before you go to sleep.
October 11, 2008
I recently finished this fabulous, scary, funny book, Haunted Lily! I bought it because I thought the cover was so striking…and the book turned out to be a simply great Book!
Lily Dufrene is one of my new heroines! The story is so vivid and atmospheric it grips the grips you from the start. Several times I found myself actually seeing scenes play out in my mind, I felt like I was in the middle of the action, which to me - separates the good books, from the really excellent ones!
I felt drained when it ended as I had become so involved with the characters, they were like my friends. I actually missed them when it was over. And the end is so overwhelming became really emotional!
I have been highly recommending “Haunted Lily” to all my friends and it has earned its place on my list of favorites....it has seriously changed the way I think of ghosts and the supernatural!
Looking forward to the next books in the Ghost Memoirs series.
Lily Dufrene is one of my new heroines! The story is so vivid and atmospheric it grips the grips you from the start. Several times I found myself actually seeing scenes play out in my mind, I felt like I was in the middle of the action, which to me - separates the good books, from the really excellent ones!
I felt drained when it ended as I had become so involved with the characters, they were like my friends. I actually missed them when it was over. And the end is so overwhelming became really emotional!
I have been highly recommending “Haunted Lily” to all my friends and it has earned its place on my list of favorites....it has seriously changed the way I think of ghosts and the supernatural!
Looking forward to the next books in the Ghost Memoirs series.
June 12, 2009
There's nothing remotely scary, thrilling, chilling or creepy about this book, and the writing is pretty trite. And why are some words singled out with italics or quotation marks? It makes no sense. The entire book reads like a litany of cliche ghost role models
The characters are cardboard cut-outs and frankly boring. I also know that when a good number of characters have to use the "F" word in their sentences, that the writer is attempting to look "edgy" when all it really means is that the writing is so sub-par that unnecessary profanity is the only option available to them. Hey, I'm ok with profanity here and there when it makes sense to use it, but the overuse of it is just amaturish.
I love books with supernatural elements, and was excited to read this one, but now I'm just glad to be finished with it and move on to better things. Frankly, Barbara Michaels or Barbara Erskine could teach Fox a few things about creating a good plot filled with lots of creepy tension.
The characters are cardboard cut-outs and frankly boring. I also know that when a good number of characters have to use the "F" word in their sentences, that the writer is attempting to look "edgy" when all it really means is that the writing is so sub-par that unnecessary profanity is the only option available to them. Hey, I'm ok with profanity here and there when it makes sense to use it, but the overuse of it is just amaturish.
I love books with supernatural elements, and was excited to read this one, but now I'm just glad to be finished with it and move on to better things. Frankly, Barbara Michaels or Barbara Erskine could teach Fox a few things about creating a good plot filled with lots of creepy tension.
January 30, 2010
I liked the characters but I never became emotionally invested in them and at times they were a little flat. The plot and sub-stories really had me hooked and the vibe of the book was just so cool; really urban but gothic. I'd love to see what else this author can do.
December 3, 2008
Disappointing. From all the five star reviews on this site, I was expecting something better.
November 2, 2010
Read Full Review Here
Haunted Lily is not your usual run of the mill paranormal/urban fantasy romance. I’m not sure what my expectations were other than I read Wicked Lil Pixie’s review and thought ‘what a coincidence, I was asked to review this.’. Book fate? I think so.
Darby is a successful film documenter who is on cloud nine, as he has fallen in love with a gorgeous young woman. On his wedding day, tragedy strikes and she dies in a fatal car accident in her wedding dress. (Hold’s hands together in a vertical and horizontal T) Now, normally I’d be calling a time-out as usually when tragedy strikes this early on in the book I’m a bit skeptical on how the main hero/heroine can find love so quickly. This is also irrefutable proof that I am a stage five clinger, and have problems with ‘change’. However, I give this author kudos for not allowing you to become too attached to the couple so that it opens your book heart to other possibilities.
The suspense of the story really starts to unfold during the hauntings, which fondly reminded me of the TV show Ghost Adventures (minus the main stud Zack, aka. The Ghost Douche as my hubs likes to call him). One of the creepier and suspenseful aspects of the story revolves around Lily’s past with a ghost who has been haunting her since she was a child. This phantom’s relentless hauntings not only traumatize young Lily, but ultimately lead to her stay in an insane asylum. Lily and Darby’s tragic pasts lends a richness and vibrancy to the story that appeals to the sentimentalist in us all. This book is jammed packed with thrilling ghost experiences, and violent paranormal encounters, but it by no means detracts from the character’s love story.
My only ‘Say What!!!” moment happened at the end of the book. I was a bit perplexed as the story jumped from Darby being in danger and almost turning into… (HA! And you’d thought I would tell! ) to the end and now we are reading the epilogue. I would have liked the scene to unfold a bit more but other than this teensy oddity I felt that this story was a refreshing break from the typical book I tend to read and offered a chilling spookiness and tension that has been absent in so many of the books I have been reading lately. Haunting Lily is you’re after Halloween delight and is a perfect blend of the preternatural the phenomenal.
PS This is self published and I have to say how impressed I am with the writing and story development.
4 Stars
Haunted Lily is not your usual run of the mill paranormal/urban fantasy romance. I’m not sure what my expectations were other than I read Wicked Lil Pixie’s review and thought ‘what a coincidence, I was asked to review this.’. Book fate? I think so.
Darby is a successful film documenter who is on cloud nine, as he has fallen in love with a gorgeous young woman. On his wedding day, tragedy strikes and she dies in a fatal car accident in her wedding dress. (Hold’s hands together in a vertical and horizontal T) Now, normally I’d be calling a time-out as usually when tragedy strikes this early on in the book I’m a bit skeptical on how the main hero/heroine can find love so quickly. This is also irrefutable proof that I am a stage five clinger, and have problems with ‘change’. However, I give this author kudos for not allowing you to become too attached to the couple so that it opens your book heart to other possibilities.
Reality is shattered for British filmmaker, Darby McGregor, when his beautiful fiancée is tragically killed on their wedding day. After a dark time of mourning, Darby is tormented by a horrifying phantom bride in the eighteenth-century church he recently renovated. Is this the spirit of his beloved fiancée or something more sinister? Darby’s sanity is in question, when fate steps in.Her name is Lily, an enchanted young woman, who vibrantly shines through the darkness like a beacon of light for lost souls. Lily has been surrounded by the dearly departed since she was born, and has the gift/curse to penetrate the shadowy veil separating the living and the dead. Feeling an immediate connection, Lily agrees to be the subject of Darby’s new documentary. However, Darby and his unsuspecting crew are not prepared for this chilling journey through the “spirit world”.
As they spend time together, their bond grows. And when Darby learns of Lily’s tragic upbringing and dealings with dangerous apparitions; he wants nothing more than to protect her. But it turns out he is the one in need of protection, when Lily’s horrifying childhood nemesis returns from the afterworld to claim her. Ghosts, thrills, and chills drive the action in Haunted Lily, a tale sure to scare.
The suspense of the story really starts to unfold during the hauntings, which fondly reminded me of the TV show Ghost Adventures (minus the main stud Zack, aka. The Ghost Douche as my hubs likes to call him). One of the creepier and suspenseful aspects of the story revolves around Lily’s past with a ghost who has been haunting her since she was a child. This phantom’s relentless hauntings not only traumatize young Lily, but ultimately lead to her stay in an insane asylum. Lily and Darby’s tragic pasts lends a richness and vibrancy to the story that appeals to the sentimentalist in us all. This book is jammed packed with thrilling ghost experiences, and violent paranormal encounters, but it by no means detracts from the character’s love story.
My only ‘Say What!!!” moment happened at the end of the book. I was a bit perplexed as the story jumped from Darby being in danger and almost turning into… (HA! And you’d thought I would tell! ) to the end and now we are reading the epilogue. I would have liked the scene to unfold a bit more but other than this teensy oddity I felt that this story was a refreshing break from the typical book I tend to read and offered a chilling spookiness and tension that has been absent in so many of the books I have been reading lately. Haunting Lily is you’re after Halloween delight and is a perfect blend of the preternatural the phenomenal.
PS This is self published and I have to say how impressed I am with the writing and story development.
4 Stars
January 14, 2010
"...an apt analogy for the relationship between writers and editors.... writers are to editors as Scarlett O’Hara is to Rhett Butler–the former, passionate to the point of temporary blindness; the latter, surefooted and collected, all the while attempting pragmatism, though it must be passion, in the end, that drives them in the same direction."
-In Defense of Editors, Deena Drewis, The Millions
In a world where original ghost stories sometimes seem to be in short supply, Haunted Lily demonstrates both that Sidney Fox doesn't lack original ideas and that she can take a few of ghost fiction's more well-used ideas in new directions. The overall plot is pretty basic: Darby McGregor, an Englishman confronted by a supernatural presence in his home, joins Lily Dufrene, medium, ghost-buster and survivor of child abuse, as she tours the American South investigating and attempting to exorcise local ghosts. However, with locations varying from a carnival to a frat house, Sidney Fox uses this framework to tell several mini-ghost stories which are the most interesting parts of the book.
That's the "upside" of Haunted Lily, and it's quite an impressive one. Unfortunately, the presence of an "upside" indicates a "downside" as well. In this case, the downside is summed up by Fox's choice to self-publish her book via iUniverse.com. (Note: I know nothing about iUniverse and am not attempting to critique their service. ) A more traditional editing process might have minimized or eliminated the numerous grammatical and factual errors that distract from the story. It's also possible that a professional editor could have helped Fox to streamline parts of her story and reduce the number of times she repeats information to the reader, often in the same paragraph and once even in the same sentence. In short, Haunted Lily is a diamond in the rough and it takes a lot of patience on the part of the reader to see through the rough surface to the possibilities underneath. I hope that Sidney Fox continues to write but considers using a professional proofreader and editor for her next books.
-In Defense of Editors, Deena Drewis, The Millions
In a world where original ghost stories sometimes seem to be in short supply, Haunted Lily demonstrates both that Sidney Fox doesn't lack original ideas and that she can take a few of ghost fiction's more well-used ideas in new directions. The overall plot is pretty basic: Darby McGregor, an Englishman confronted by a supernatural presence in his home, joins Lily Dufrene, medium, ghost-buster and survivor of child abuse, as she tours the American South investigating and attempting to exorcise local ghosts. However, with locations varying from a carnival to a frat house, Sidney Fox uses this framework to tell several mini-ghost stories which are the most interesting parts of the book.
That's the "upside" of Haunted Lily, and it's quite an impressive one. Unfortunately, the presence of an "upside" indicates a "downside" as well. In this case, the downside is summed up by Fox's choice to self-publish her book via iUniverse.com. (Note: I know nothing about iUniverse and am not attempting to critique their service. ) A more traditional editing process might have minimized or eliminated the numerous grammatical and factual errors that distract from the story. It's also possible that a professional editor could have helped Fox to streamline parts of her story and reduce the number of times she repeats information to the reader, often in the same paragraph and once even in the same sentence. In short, Haunted Lily is a diamond in the rough and it takes a lot of patience on the part of the reader to see through the rough surface to the possibilities underneath. I hope that Sidney Fox continues to write but considers using a professional proofreader and editor for her next books.
October 18, 2008
I bought Haunted Lily on Barnes & Noble.com after reading the reviews there and here at Goodreads. I received it a few days ago. That first night I read it late into the night…then spent the rest of the night waiting for a ghostly bride to emerge from my basement and come upstairs for a visit! LOL
The next day at work I really could not shake the story and told my co-workers about it.
I finished the book last night at about one am. I am sitting at my desk at work this fine morning and I am still overwhelmed, especially by the ending. The subway…I am still trying to absorb it, take it all in. I love books about the supernatural, especially ghosts…but this was just…so AMAZING! There were so many ghosts and stories that all kind of worked so well together. Not to sound corny but it was just kind of “magical”. And I loved the whole dynamic of Darby, Lily and Dave. Loved Lily!
It was late but I could not stop reading last night until I finished, especially when it came to the spirits entering the old pool in the hotel. I could just see them (the ghosts) in my mind passing by Darby. It was like he was the freaked out caretaker standing in the graveyard of the Haunted Mansion ride in Disney World. The entire book was just so visual…and the bloody spider web girl in the backseat of the car, and yes, so creepy…so creepy! I loved the clown, or is it I loved being freaked out by him. Never liked clowns!
Question – Did you all catch that Tiger lily, the girl in the beginning and ending, was the baby the psychic told Darby about? It all kind of came together in the last chapter, am I right?
This is a book I will definitely read again. I have been telling all my friends and left reviews on Amazon & Barnes and Noble! I am really looking forward to the next book…and idea when it is released?
Thank you guys so much for suggesting this book! I have really read so many great books from Goodreads. I was going to re-read The Shining for my Halloween read, but I am so glad I read this book, something totally new and so thrilling.
Liam StefSH
The next day at work I really could not shake the story and told my co-workers about it.
I finished the book last night at about one am. I am sitting at my desk at work this fine morning and I am still overwhelmed, especially by the ending. The subway…I am still trying to absorb it, take it all in. I love books about the supernatural, especially ghosts…but this was just…so AMAZING! There were so many ghosts and stories that all kind of worked so well together. Not to sound corny but it was just kind of “magical”. And I loved the whole dynamic of Darby, Lily and Dave. Loved Lily!
It was late but I could not stop reading last night until I finished, especially when it came to the spirits entering the old pool in the hotel. I could just see them (the ghosts) in my mind passing by Darby. It was like he was the freaked out caretaker standing in the graveyard of the Haunted Mansion ride in Disney World. The entire book was just so visual…and the bloody spider web girl in the backseat of the car, and yes, so creepy…so creepy! I loved the clown, or is it I loved being freaked out by him. Never liked clowns!
Question – Did you all catch that Tiger lily, the girl in the beginning and ending, was the baby the psychic told Darby about? It all kind of came together in the last chapter, am I right?
This is a book I will definitely read again. I have been telling all my friends and left reviews on Amazon & Barnes and Noble! I am really looking forward to the next book…and idea when it is released?
Thank you guys so much for suggesting this book! I have really read so many great books from Goodreads. I was going to re-read The Shining for my Halloween read, but I am so glad I read this book, something totally new and so thrilling.
Liam StefSH
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 10, 2009
I was introduced to this book my a fellow goodreads member, he promised it to be a great Halloween read. It did NOT disappoint! I adored it thoroughly; made me cry a little, laugh out loud and actually had my heart racing at times.
Anyone that is fascinated by ghosts or ghost hunting or just loves the spirit of Halloween will love this book. It's spooky and does get scary at times, things nightmares are made of. Sidney doesn't a fantastic job of describing and creating a freaky moments. I read it at night and every time I head some odd noise and was spooked!
I wont give a run down about the story line, you have to read that yourself and discover all the delights Sidney Fox as twisted and creatively hidden through the story.
I will say that it moves very quickly and is extremely hard to put down as sooo much goes on. Not ONE dull chapter or filler chapter about useless information you don't care about!
The cover does say there is another book called Enchanted Shadow that actually hasn't been released yet...and I can not wait! This a great new author I'm excited to follow.
Anyone that is fascinated by ghosts or ghost hunting or just loves the spirit of Halloween will love this book. It's spooky and does get scary at times, things nightmares are made of. Sidney doesn't a fantastic job of describing and creating a freaky moments. I read it at night and every time I head some odd noise and was spooked!
I wont give a run down about the story line, you have to read that yourself and discover all the delights Sidney Fox as twisted and creatively hidden through the story.
I will say that it moves very quickly and is extremely hard to put down as sooo much goes on. Not ONE dull chapter or filler chapter about useless information you don't care about!
The cover does say there is another book called Enchanted Shadow that actually hasn't been released yet...and I can not wait! This a great new author I'm excited to follow.
March 26, 2009
I would probably give 3.5 stars. There is something about this book that brought you in. I really liked Lily and Darby's characters-- although they seemed a little "too good to be true"-- probably why I liked them:) ( hey-- I do like FANTASY ). It's like a combo of Ghost Hunters and Ghost Whisperer.
What's missing is the explanation of what happened to Darby at the beginning and what happened to them in the end. I think it's because it's set up for a second book-- but rather than seeming like an opening for the next book-- it almost felt like something was just missing instead.
I can say if you have a clown phobia ( not that I know anybody like that-- hee hee)... I would stay away from this one. ( like if Pennywise from IT by Stephen King gives you nightmares).
I'll definitely be interested in seeing what the follow up book brings.
What's missing is the explanation of what happened to Darby at the beginning and what happened to them in the end. I think it's because it's set up for a second book-- but rather than seeming like an opening for the next book-- it almost felt like something was just missing instead.
I can say if you have a clown phobia ( not that I know anybody like that-- hee hee)... I would stay away from this one. ( like if Pennywise from IT by Stephen King gives you nightmares).
I'll definitely be interested in seeing what the follow up book brings.
October 29, 2008
I finished this book in one day. I guess that tells you something about how well it sucked me in. The basic premise is that Lily is a young woman who sees dead people. She's a lot like the little boy in "The Sixth Sense", but she's grown up and she's learned to talk to the ghosts and help them. Darby is an English documentary producer who wants to make a movie about her, but he has an ulterior motive. He's living in a haunted church.
As enthralled as I was with the story, I found it ultimately disappointing because it never answers the question of who the corpse bride in Darby's house is. We don't even find out if he goes back there. In fact, the ending seemed really rushed and left a lot of loose ends. It didn't exactly end in a cliffhanger, but it didn't resolve some of the important story lines either.
As enthralled as I was with the story, I found it ultimately disappointing because it never answers the question of who the corpse bride in Darby's house is. We don't even find out if he goes back there. In fact, the ending seemed really rushed and left a lot of loose ends. It didn't exactly end in a cliffhanger, but it didn't resolve some of the important story lines either.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 28, 2009
Loved this book! I couldn't wait to get my hands on it but had to wait a bit since no stores here carry it. It was definitely worth the wait! I recommend it to everyone that loves a little spooky fun. Perfect for reading late at night, next to a fire. It's one of those curl-up-to-read books that you won't be able to put down until you finish it. The storyline was haunting and well thought out. I loved the characters, even the ghosties! I will be reading it again later this year as Halloween approaches. I really would've given it 5 stars but the lack of editing was so distracting. And so was the overuse of italics! Some words just didn't need to be emphasized. But, if you can get past that, it's a great read. I can't wait for the next one!!
October 20, 2008
I read this book over the past weekend and literally did not want to put it down until I was finished. I thought the story moved along quickly and did not have a dull moment. I felt like I was along on this fun wild ride, going to each of the haunted locations and experiencing the, at times, rather chilling sequences.
I loved the character of Lily and felt a great amount of empathy for her. The ghost storied were thrilling and imaginative, I especially loved female spirit on the roller-coaster. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.
I loved the character of Lily and felt a great amount of empathy for her. The ghost storied were thrilling and imaginative, I especially loved female spirit on the roller-coaster. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.
September 10, 2008
I really liked Haunted Lily. It would be a great read for a dark October night! I felt the story was rather fast paced and kept you interested throughout. I loved the intertwined ghost stories, and the story of Darby and Lily.
October 10, 2008
Scary, thrilling, spirits, dark, exhilarating, frightening, imaginative, emotional, complex, beautiful, fast-paced, freaky, clown, fires, supernatural...that's all I have to say!
November 18, 2010
‘Haunted Lily’ is the first book in Sidney Fox’s ‘The Ghost Memories’ series.
Darby McGregor’s life is changed forever when his fiancée dies on their wedding day. Deep in grief and seeking some kind of solace, he investigates an American woman who claims she can see ghosts. Darby even watches video evidence of Lily Dufrene conversing with ‘spirits’. . . and when Darby is haunted by a spirit of his own, in the form of a rotting corpse bride, he doesn’t hesitate to seek Lily out.
What Darby finds in Lily Dufrene is a charming and vivacious young woman who has overcome a traumatic childhood. As Darby follows Lily across the United States, filming her encounters with spirits for a possible documentary, the two fall reluctantly in love. . .
I kept seeing ‘Haunted Lily’ on book blogs. The haunting skeleton/mannequin cover was cropping up everywhere and I was intrigued.
A few things about this book didn’t work for me, and unfortunately they’re rather big things –mainly the ‘romance’ and the finale. But if there’s one thing Fox did well. . . it was to scare the beegezus out of me!
Lily, Darby and a cast of secondary characters journey on a giant bus investigating various supernatural happenings around the United States. The crew find ghosties in the strangest (and scariest) of places. Like at the Crystal Beach amusement park, where the ghost of an ex employee haunts the rollercoaster, reaping havoc on the ride. Or in the swimming pool of an old New York building. Or even in an abandoned high school;
Lily was peacefully slumbering in her warm cocoon when she felt something wet drop on her face. Her cheek twitched, as another drop fell, and her eyes fluttered open. She looked up through her sleepy eyes, trying to focus on the luminous form above her.
It was a lucid girl, naked and dripping wet, looking down upon her in the darkness. Lily could feel her heart begin to pound in her chest. The girl was semi-transparent and took on a greenish glow from the lighted exit sign that shone through her body. The girl looked dreadfully sad. Her large dark eyes never blinked as she gazed curiously down upon Lily.
‘Haunted Lily’ is one of the scariest books I have read. It’s not that there’s blood and gore. . . it’s just that Sidney Fox’s visuals are so precise and eerie – she draws on the simplicities of fright reminiscent of ‘The Sixth Sense’ or ‘The Others’. She doesn’t write for the big, obvious frights. The scares are there in the details – like the smell of sulphur and rotting flowers that permeates the air when a spirit is near. It also helped that I read this book at night, allowing my imagination to run rampant.
This is a scary book. . . and as if regular ghosts aren’t scary enough, Lily has been haunted by one scary ghost in particular. A Bulgarian clown (and paedophile) called Varton Muntz has been following Lily around since she was a child. . .
Clowns are my weakness. They scare the crap out of me! Ever since I watched ‘Poltergeist’ and that little bugger crawled out from under the bed, clowns have been a great fear of mine (I’m kind of like Phil Dunphy that way). But Varton Muntz is ten times scarier than your regular freakazoid clown. He’s burnt and scarred for one. . . and his entire being is reminiscent of John Wayne Gacy’s clown alter-ego, Pogo. Cripes – Varton Muntz is hands-down the best bad guy I have ever read!
I loved the scary parts of ‘Haunted Lily’. What didn’t work for me so much was the ‘romance’ between Darby and Lily. . .
I, personally, didn’t read enough foundation for the romance. I expected the romance to be central to the plot (from the blurb’s promise of “their bond grows”) and I kept waiting to read flirtation and chemistry. . . but it just wasn’t there for me. And so when Lily and Darby decided to be together, I thought it was very out of left-field and not very believable. I found their ‘relationship discussion’ to be very mechanical and convenient;
“. . . It would take a very strong person to be with me; I really think in you I have found a soul mate. I’m so in love with you. I can’t believe it. . . once again, I dove into the deep end without testing the water.”
I didn’t think Darby and Lily had any heat. Maybe it was a case of Fox spending so much time on the (fantastic) scary parts that the romance fell by the wayside. But I think the romance really needed to be more of a focus if it was going to be included at all. . . because not only is Lily fighting her attraction because her ‘baggage’ includes dangerous ghosts, but Darby’s fiancée (who he loved so much!) died recently. That’s two forces really pushing those two apart. . . and because of all the reasons for them *not* to be together, I needed more convincing with the romance. I needed smut (yes, my head remains firmly in the gutter) and more relationship discussion. I mean, Lily never once questions Darby about whether or not he’s ready to move on from his fiancée. Wouldn’t that be a point of discussion with someone you want to get romantic with? ‘Am I a rebound from your dead fiancée?’
The other part of the book that didn’t work for me was the ending. Obviously I can’t give anything away. . . I’ll only to say that a lot of action is confusingly jam-packed into the last two chapters. I was left reeling, and somewhat deflated by the sombre ending.
I did like ‘Haunted Lily’, I didn’t love it, but I was scared by it and liked it. The horror is top-notch and if you like being constantly surprised and scared stupid – then this is the book for you! I would have liked more romance and a cleaner (somewhat happier?) ending. . . but otherwise this was a good thrill-ride.
Darby McGregor’s life is changed forever when his fiancée dies on their wedding day. Deep in grief and seeking some kind of solace, he investigates an American woman who claims she can see ghosts. Darby even watches video evidence of Lily Dufrene conversing with ‘spirits’. . . and when Darby is haunted by a spirit of his own, in the form of a rotting corpse bride, he doesn’t hesitate to seek Lily out.
What Darby finds in Lily Dufrene is a charming and vivacious young woman who has overcome a traumatic childhood. As Darby follows Lily across the United States, filming her encounters with spirits for a possible documentary, the two fall reluctantly in love. . .
I kept seeing ‘Haunted Lily’ on book blogs. The haunting skeleton/mannequin cover was cropping up everywhere and I was intrigued.
A few things about this book didn’t work for me, and unfortunately they’re rather big things –mainly the ‘romance’ and the finale. But if there’s one thing Fox did well. . . it was to scare the beegezus out of me!
Lily, Darby and a cast of secondary characters journey on a giant bus investigating various supernatural happenings around the United States. The crew find ghosties in the strangest (and scariest) of places. Like at the Crystal Beach amusement park, where the ghost of an ex employee haunts the rollercoaster, reaping havoc on the ride. Or in the swimming pool of an old New York building. Or even in an abandoned high school;
Lily was peacefully slumbering in her warm cocoon when she felt something wet drop on her face. Her cheek twitched, as another drop fell, and her eyes fluttered open. She looked up through her sleepy eyes, trying to focus on the luminous form above her.
It was a lucid girl, naked and dripping wet, looking down upon her in the darkness. Lily could feel her heart begin to pound in her chest. The girl was semi-transparent and took on a greenish glow from the lighted exit sign that shone through her body. The girl looked dreadfully sad. Her large dark eyes never blinked as she gazed curiously down upon Lily.
‘Haunted Lily’ is one of the scariest books I have read. It’s not that there’s blood and gore. . . it’s just that Sidney Fox’s visuals are so precise and eerie – she draws on the simplicities of fright reminiscent of ‘The Sixth Sense’ or ‘The Others’. She doesn’t write for the big, obvious frights. The scares are there in the details – like the smell of sulphur and rotting flowers that permeates the air when a spirit is near. It also helped that I read this book at night, allowing my imagination to run rampant.
This is a scary book. . . and as if regular ghosts aren’t scary enough, Lily has been haunted by one scary ghost in particular. A Bulgarian clown (and paedophile) called Varton Muntz has been following Lily around since she was a child. . .
Clowns are my weakness. They scare the crap out of me! Ever since I watched ‘Poltergeist’ and that little bugger crawled out from under the bed, clowns have been a great fear of mine (I’m kind of like Phil Dunphy that way). But Varton Muntz is ten times scarier than your regular freakazoid clown. He’s burnt and scarred for one. . . and his entire being is reminiscent of John Wayne Gacy’s clown alter-ego, Pogo. Cripes – Varton Muntz is hands-down the best bad guy I have ever read!
I loved the scary parts of ‘Haunted Lily’. What didn’t work for me so much was the ‘romance’ between Darby and Lily. . .
I, personally, didn’t read enough foundation for the romance. I expected the romance to be central to the plot (from the blurb’s promise of “their bond grows”) and I kept waiting to read flirtation and chemistry. . . but it just wasn’t there for me. And so when Lily and Darby decided to be together, I thought it was very out of left-field and not very believable. I found their ‘relationship discussion’ to be very mechanical and convenient;
“. . . It would take a very strong person to be with me; I really think in you I have found a soul mate. I’m so in love with you. I can’t believe it. . . once again, I dove into the deep end without testing the water.”
I didn’t think Darby and Lily had any heat. Maybe it was a case of Fox spending so much time on the (fantastic) scary parts that the romance fell by the wayside. But I think the romance really needed to be more of a focus if it was going to be included at all. . . because not only is Lily fighting her attraction because her ‘baggage’ includes dangerous ghosts, but Darby’s fiancée (who he loved so much!) died recently. That’s two forces really pushing those two apart. . . and because of all the reasons for them *not* to be together, I needed more convincing with the romance. I needed smut (yes, my head remains firmly in the gutter) and more relationship discussion. I mean, Lily never once questions Darby about whether or not he’s ready to move on from his fiancée. Wouldn’t that be a point of discussion with someone you want to get romantic with? ‘Am I a rebound from your dead fiancée?’
The other part of the book that didn’t work for me was the ending. Obviously I can’t give anything away. . . I’ll only to say that a lot of action is confusingly jam-packed into the last two chapters. I was left reeling, and somewhat deflated by the sombre ending.
I did like ‘Haunted Lily’, I didn’t love it, but I was scared by it and liked it. The horror is top-notch and if you like being constantly surprised and scared stupid – then this is the book for you! I would have liked more romance and a cleaner (somewhat happier?) ending. . . but otherwise this was a good thrill-ride.
September 7, 2019
The ending annoyed me so badly that I threw this book in the trash. I refuse to even have it on my shelves. It truly held my interest until the very last chapter.....then it was as if the author tired of writing and just gave up. Worst ending EVER! Complete waste of my time and money.
October 22, 2010
Review originally posted at http://www.smexybooks.com/2010/10/rev...
Favorite Quote: “What kind of psycho likes clowns?”
Documentary film maker Darby McGregor had ia charmed life until his fiancee is killed on their wedding day. When ghosts, real and imagined, threaten his sanity he finds himself searching for an answer to his problems. He finds Lily Dufrene. Lily has been interacting with ghosts since she was a small child. Circumstances forced her to lie low and not advertise her talents. Now older, she and her family help others who are being plagued by the supernatural. A young woman who is fighting demons of her own, Lily represents all that could be for Darby. As Darby enters into Lily’s world, he finds he’s not only fighting for his sanity, he’s also fighting for Lily’s life.
I was intrigued by this book after hearing all the wonderful things being tweeted about it by Nat of Wicked Lil Pixie blog. So I hailed my partner in crime Mandi and whined, “Pleeeeeeze let me review this.” Mandi being the awesome-licious person she is said, “Go for it.” So I did. And I’m glad I did.
First off let me say the cover art is to die for. After you finish this book you see just how right this cover is for it. Haunted Lily grabbed me from page one and I could not put it down till I turned the last page. Touted as a scary ghost story; I felt it was more of a psychological horror. Often enough it’s our mind and emotions that holds the key to what frightens us most. The story line's mesmerizing characters and deeply twisting arc creates a whirlwind journey of thrills, chills, love humor, and lost. While there is no doubt you’ll be more then a little scared by this book, there is also a strong feeling of love, hope, and redemption built into to the story that shines through.
Ms. Fox seems to have a very active imagination and it is readily apparent in this book.
I feel instantly in love with Lily and Darby. Both victims of tragedies; they rise above their circumstances rather then drowning in despair. Ms. Fox gives us real protagonists to connect with; not imbibing them with over blown skills or talents. As we are submerged into their lives, we see the strength and courage of these two characters. Once they meet, you see the connection they make and you can’t NOT see them together. The romance between them is very slow building; playing second fiddle to the main plot. They become friends first and I appreciated that.
The suspense and tension of the story ratchets up in a series of events that layers the chills and thrills on you till your practically screaming, “what’s NEXT!?!” The writing is smooth and the story flows gracefully between the different aspects of the arc. I found the underlying theme-scary clown villain-to be terribly creepy due to his absolute need for Lily. You are assured that no matter what, he will never give up and will destroy whatever blocks his path.
The secondary characters provided humor, personality, and a wonderful base to play Lily and Darby off of. Dave and Nigel had to be my favorites. With snarky comments flying, these two show an abundance of love and loyalty for Lily and Darby. I hope they remain an integral part of the story in future books. The use of real life places and events adds excitement to the story. That feeling you get when you read thinking, “Hey, I’ve been there,” or, “I’ve heard that story.”
The ending was surprising and comes at you fast. At first it had me flipping back thinking I missed a page or two. Then as I read it again, I understood what was happening but still felt abit abrupt. It’s a unique way to end this story and pave the way to the next one. She leaves us with some intriguing questions and I for one look forward the next in the series.
Favorite Quote: “What kind of psycho likes clowns?”
Documentary film maker Darby McGregor had ia charmed life until his fiancee is killed on their wedding day. When ghosts, real and imagined, threaten his sanity he finds himself searching for an answer to his problems. He finds Lily Dufrene. Lily has been interacting with ghosts since she was a small child. Circumstances forced her to lie low and not advertise her talents. Now older, she and her family help others who are being plagued by the supernatural. A young woman who is fighting demons of her own, Lily represents all that could be for Darby. As Darby enters into Lily’s world, he finds he’s not only fighting for his sanity, he’s also fighting for Lily’s life.
I was intrigued by this book after hearing all the wonderful things being tweeted about it by Nat of Wicked Lil Pixie blog. So I hailed my partner in crime Mandi and whined, “Pleeeeeeze let me review this.” Mandi being the awesome-licious person she is said, “Go for it.” So I did. And I’m glad I did.
First off let me say the cover art is to die for. After you finish this book you see just how right this cover is for it. Haunted Lily grabbed me from page one and I could not put it down till I turned the last page. Touted as a scary ghost story; I felt it was more of a psychological horror. Often enough it’s our mind and emotions that holds the key to what frightens us most. The story line's mesmerizing characters and deeply twisting arc creates a whirlwind journey of thrills, chills, love humor, and lost. While there is no doubt you’ll be more then a little scared by this book, there is also a strong feeling of love, hope, and redemption built into to the story that shines through.
Ms. Fox seems to have a very active imagination and it is readily apparent in this book.
I feel instantly in love with Lily and Darby. Both victims of tragedies; they rise above their circumstances rather then drowning in despair. Ms. Fox gives us real protagonists to connect with; not imbibing them with over blown skills or talents. As we are submerged into their lives, we see the strength and courage of these two characters. Once they meet, you see the connection they make and you can’t NOT see them together. The romance between them is very slow building; playing second fiddle to the main plot. They become friends first and I appreciated that.
The suspense and tension of the story ratchets up in a series of events that layers the chills and thrills on you till your practically screaming, “what’s NEXT!?!” The writing is smooth and the story flows gracefully between the different aspects of the arc. I found the underlying theme-scary clown villain-to be terribly creepy due to his absolute need for Lily. You are assured that no matter what, he will never give up and will destroy whatever blocks his path.
The secondary characters provided humor, personality, and a wonderful base to play Lily and Darby off of. Dave and Nigel had to be my favorites. With snarky comments flying, these two show an abundance of love and loyalty for Lily and Darby. I hope they remain an integral part of the story in future books. The use of real life places and events adds excitement to the story. That feeling you get when you read thinking, “Hey, I’ve been there,” or, “I’ve heard that story.”
The ending was surprising and comes at you fast. At first it had me flipping back thinking I missed a page or two. Then as I read it again, I understood what was happening but still felt abit abrupt. It’s a unique way to end this story and pave the way to the next one. She leaves us with some intriguing questions and I for one look forward the next in the series.
April 11, 2010
Books that are truly scary - i.e. the kind that make readers actually jump at every little sound they hear - are (unfortunately) few and far between. Happily, though, this book is one of them. The characters are all interesting, with personalities that make them seem (for lack of a better word) real. The various ghosts that are featured all have intense back-stories, and their interactions with the living make for some very creepy moments.
Fox did very well in terms of the atmosphere she created, and the general sense of foreboding that lasted for the duration of the book. My issues are mostly of a nit-picky nature, but some of them were repeated so often that I couldn't give the book the full five stars. Throughout the book, the author overuses (to the point where I rolled my eyes a few times) italics in order to emphasize words. Then, there is the fact that an overabundance of commas and quotation marks serve to sort of break up the rhythm of some of the dialogue and expository paragraphs.
All of that, while a bit annoying at times, is mostly superficial, but there is a bigger problem. Fox included a love story in the book, which would be fine, except for the fact that, while it was expected, there wasn't all that much build-up to it. The characters interacted several times, and there was obviously a mutual attraction, but they wind up going from those interactions to declaring their love for one another in such a way that it feels more like a requisite plot device than a relationship that develops organically. That said, the characters themselves are likable enough that this can mostly be overlooked.
Overall, I would recommend this book, for the aforementioned atmosphere and the fact that the story was interesting and suspenseful, and Fox succeeded in creating genuinely creepy ghosts. Plus, it definitely makes one anxious to read Fox's next book.
Fox did very well in terms of the atmosphere she created, and the general sense of foreboding that lasted for the duration of the book. My issues are mostly of a nit-picky nature, but some of them were repeated so often that I couldn't give the book the full five stars. Throughout the book, the author overuses (to the point where I rolled my eyes a few times) italics in order to emphasize words. Then, there is the fact that an overabundance of commas and quotation marks serve to sort of break up the rhythm of some of the dialogue and expository paragraphs.
All of that, while a bit annoying at times, is mostly superficial, but there is a bigger problem. Fox included a love story in the book, which would be fine, except for the fact that, while it was expected, there wasn't all that much build-up to it. The characters interacted several times, and there was obviously a mutual attraction, but they wind up going from those interactions to declaring their love for one another in such a way that it feels more like a requisite plot device than a relationship that develops organically. That said, the characters themselves are likable enough that this can mostly be overlooked.
Overall, I would recommend this book, for the aforementioned atmosphere and the fact that the story was interesting and suspenseful, and Fox succeeded in creating genuinely creepy ghosts. Plus, it definitely makes one anxious to read Fox's next book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 20, 2019
I am not really sure where to begin on this review... I sort of blame myself for not enjoying this because I should have examined this much closer prior to purchasing... This is a self-published novel and not exactly the finest examples of that - not the worst, either...
The worst part of reading this is the lack of editing or proofreading that went into this final copy. The errors that run rampant throughout this one seem like they would have been easily caught by even an inexperienced copyeditor (and why choose to have the main character's name a noun that spellcheck accepts in non-proper format certainly is a mistake). And a basic guide to punctuation would have been helpful as well... Fox's misuse of quotation marks and unnecessary italics drove me crazy throughout this book. Honestly, these errors frightened me more than any of the ghosts or supernatural activity in the book.
Furthermore, the book relies on the constant use of passive verbs throughout. Tension never builds and even potentially spooky scenes are thusly ruined. The plot also suffers from some general organizational problems. The two-dimensional characters aren't too atypical for the horror genre, so I suppose that's not the worst part of the boo. But there are some genuine factual errors that are cringe-worthy (ie., one character is "boy crazy... after anything with an X chromosome." That would mean crazy for everyone, I think they were going for after anything with a Y chromosome to sell the boy crazy bit.
All the negativity aside, there is actually an interesting story buried beneath all of this messy grammar. While nothing leaps out at me as shockingly original, it does remind me a bit of that television show, A Haunting. An editor's touch would have vastly improved this - and could have added genuine suspense. I wish that had been the case!
The worst part of reading this is the lack of editing or proofreading that went into this final copy. The errors that run rampant throughout this one seem like they would have been easily caught by even an inexperienced copyeditor (and why choose to have the main character's name a noun that spellcheck accepts in non-proper format certainly is a mistake). And a basic guide to punctuation would have been helpful as well... Fox's misuse of quotation marks and unnecessary italics drove me crazy throughout this book. Honestly, these errors frightened me more than any of the ghosts or supernatural activity in the book.
Furthermore, the book relies on the constant use of passive verbs throughout. Tension never builds and even potentially spooky scenes are thusly ruined. The plot also suffers from some general organizational problems. The two-dimensional characters aren't too atypical for the horror genre, so I suppose that's not the worst part of the boo. But there are some genuine factual errors that are cringe-worthy (ie., one character is "boy crazy... after anything with an X chromosome." That would mean crazy for everyone, I think they were going for after anything with a Y chromosome to sell the boy crazy bit.
All the negativity aside, there is actually an interesting story buried beneath all of this messy grammar. While nothing leaps out at me as shockingly original, it does remind me a bit of that television show, A Haunting. An editor's touch would have vastly improved this - and could have added genuine suspense. I wish that had been the case!
October 21, 2023
It’s so strange, the author wrote this book & it was supposed to be Book One of a series. Plus it has another book listed that she apparently wrote. Can’t find any evidence of the other book listed, there was never a book two following this, her website is gone...she just dropped off the planet!
ETA: Really good story, but...Ok, this is why I hesitate to re-read a book I enjoyed years ago. Read this in '08. Now, I am so distracted by the overuse of commas, quotation marks (both overused and missing), and italicized words for emphasis. The author used enough punctuation for two books!
Plus pet peeves of mine like interchanging its/it’s, writing Mini Pearl instead of Minnie Pearl, and Patten leather instead of patent leather. Also incorrectly using possessives and plural possessives: Gods' instead of God's, mothers' instead of mother's, etc.
Also inconsistencies in proper nouns. Using "COMET", then italicizing it, then using COMET.
These things take me right out of the world of the book, and straight back to Creative Writing class assignment edits.
And no, I don't claim my punctuation or grammar are perfect, but in this book the errors are noticeable, and distracting.
I swear in a different multiverse, I’m a book editor.
ETA: Really good story, but...Ok, this is why I hesitate to re-read a book I enjoyed years ago. Read this in '08. Now, I am so distracted by the overuse of commas, quotation marks (both overused and missing), and italicized words for emphasis. The author used enough punctuation for two books!
Plus pet peeves of mine like interchanging its/it’s, writing Mini Pearl instead of Minnie Pearl, and Patten leather instead of patent leather. Also incorrectly using possessives and plural possessives: Gods' instead of God's, mothers' instead of mother's, etc.
Also inconsistencies in proper nouns. Using "COMET", then italicizing it, then using COMET.
These things take me right out of the world of the book, and straight back to Creative Writing class assignment edits.
And no, I don't claim my punctuation or grammar are perfect, but in this book the errors are noticeable, and distracting.
I swear in a different multiverse, I’m a book editor.
October 23, 2009
Hi everyone, new to the board. Funny story, my mother actually knows the author, so anytime someone hands you a book to read saying they are friends of the author, they is always trepidation. I decided to delve in that night and give it a try. Needless to say, I never put the book down and didnt get to sleep until 6am. It was also a very light sleep, based on the after effects of the book. I read about two to three fiction books a week for the last ten years, so I do not say this lightly that this is one of my favorite books I have read to date. The character development is superb, action is heavy and also evenly paced and the ending in my mind is the best part. I since have become friends/penpals with the author, so I would like to disclose that, but my review of this book were my feelings right after I read it. I highly recommend it and all my friends that I have turned onto it give it high marks. I know the sequel is due soon and I'm ready to delve back in.
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