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The Haunting of Velkwood
From Bram Stoker Award–winning author Gwendolyn Kiste comes a chilling novel about three childhood friends who miraculously survive the night everyone in their suburban neighborhood turned into ghosts—perfect for fans of Yellowjackets.
The Velkwood Vicinity was the topic of occult theorists, tabloid one-hour documentaries, and even some pseudo-scientific investigations as the block of homes disappeared behind a near-impenetrable veil that only three survivors could enter—and only one has in the past twenty years, until now.
Talitha Velkwood has avoided anything to do with the tragedy that took her mother and eight-year-old sister, drifting from one job to another, never settling anywhere or with anyone, feeling as trapped by her past as if she was still there in the small town she so desperately wanted to escape from. When a new researcher tracks her down and offers to pay her to come back to enter the vicinity, Talitha claims she’s just doing it for the money. Of all the crackpot theories over the years, no one has discovered what happened the night Talitha, her estranged, former best friend Brett, and Grace, escaped their homes twenty years ago. Will she finally get the answers she’s been looking for all these years, or is this just another dead end?
Award-winning author Gwendolyn Kiste has created a suburban ghost story about a small town that trapped three young women who must confront the past if they’re going to have a future.
The Velkwood Vicinity was the topic of occult theorists, tabloid one-hour documentaries, and even some pseudo-scientific investigations as the block of homes disappeared behind a near-impenetrable veil that only three survivors could enter—and only one has in the past twenty years, until now.
Talitha Velkwood has avoided anything to do with the tragedy that took her mother and eight-year-old sister, drifting from one job to another, never settling anywhere or with anyone, feeling as trapped by her past as if she was still there in the small town she so desperately wanted to escape from. When a new researcher tracks her down and offers to pay her to come back to enter the vicinity, Talitha claims she’s just doing it for the money. Of all the crackpot theories over the years, no one has discovered what happened the night Talitha, her estranged, former best friend Brett, and Grace, escaped their homes twenty years ago. Will she finally get the answers she’s been looking for all these years, or is this just another dead end?
Award-winning author Gwendolyn Kiste has created a suburban ghost story about a small town that trapped three young women who must confront the past if they’re going to have a future.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published March 5, 2024
About the author
Gwendolyn Kiste
109 books693 followersGwendolyn Kiste is the three-time Bram Stoker Award-winning author of The Rust Maidens, Reluctant Immortals, Boneset & Feathers, and Pretty Marys All in a Row, among others. Her short fiction and nonfiction have appeared in outlets including Lit Hub, Nightmare, Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy, Vastarien, Tor Nightfire, Titan Books, and The Dark. She's a Lambda Literary Award winner, and her fiction has also received the This Is Horror award for Novel of the Year as well as nominations for the Premios Kelvin and Ignotus awards.
Originally from Ohio, she now resides on an abandoned horse farm outside of Pittsburgh with her husband, their excitable calico cat, and not nearly enough ghosts. Find her online at gwendolynkiste.com
Originally from Ohio, she now resides on an abandoned horse farm outside of Pittsburgh with her husband, their excitable calico cat, and not nearly enough ghosts. Find her online at gwendolynkiste.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 401 reviews
February 11, 2024
Release date of March 2024
What a haunting and gothic read! Full of paranormal psychological suspense with a dash of horror, the other worldly echos from a town trapped in time made my hair stand on end. Dark and eerie, you’ll start wondering how possible it is for remnants of people once living to still roam the earth.
The story is intriguing. It’s a slow unraveling of events that happened decades ago revealing the gritty details of one night that’s seemed to have trapped the characters in its memory.
Talitha is haunted as she desperately wants to forget anything ever happened there at all. We follow Talitha and her friends as adults, reliving old memories, connecting her to the past and all the wrongs that were never made right. This story gives you a tangle of back and forth emotions, leaving you wondering how this is all going to play out.
This story kept me entwined all the way to the very end and made my heart beat a little quicker here an there. My only negative and reason for deducting a full star, is that the writing could be more polished at times. It’s mostly an effortless read but every once in awhile there is a small hiccup that is a little distracting. I would still recommend this read if you like the genres I mentioned above.
Many thanks to the publisher Saga Press / Simon & Schuster for the Arc. This is my honest review in exchange.
What a haunting and gothic read! Full of paranormal psychological suspense with a dash of horror, the other worldly echos from a town trapped in time made my hair stand on end. Dark and eerie, you’ll start wondering how possible it is for remnants of people once living to still roam the earth.
The story is intriguing. It’s a slow unraveling of events that happened decades ago revealing the gritty details of one night that’s seemed to have trapped the characters in its memory.
Talitha is haunted as she desperately wants to forget anything ever happened there at all. We follow Talitha and her friends as adults, reliving old memories, connecting her to the past and all the wrongs that were never made right. This story gives you a tangle of back and forth emotions, leaving you wondering how this is all going to play out.
This story kept me entwined all the way to the very end and made my heart beat a little quicker here an there. My only negative and reason for deducting a full star, is that the writing could be more polished at times. It’s mostly an effortless read but every once in awhile there is a small hiccup that is a little distracting. I would still recommend this read if you like the genres I mentioned above.
Many thanks to the publisher Saga Press / Simon & Schuster for the Arc. This is my honest review in exchange.
April 12, 2024
Who says you can never go home again??????
Eerie, dark, chilling, bizarre, captivating, and hard to put down! This book was equal parts interesting, creepy, and ghostly. I loved the uniqueness of this book. While reading, I thought this book would have made a great Twilight Zone episode. Three friends survived the night that everyone else on their street turned into ghosts. How cool and enticing does that sound? That caught my attention right there!
Talitha Velkwood has been haunted by her past. She was one of the three friends who walked away while her mother and eight-year-old sister couldn’t do so. When she is approached twenty years after that night that she and her friends Brett, and Grace walked away; by a researcher, Tabitha decides that it is finally time to get answers.
I enjoyed the eerie feel of this book. I kept wondering what the outside world must have thought when this street disappeared so to speak. I loved how this book oozed atmosphere. Velkwood had so many elements that I enjoy: mystery, horror (this is horrific not gory or bloody), friendship, longing, a love story, family dynamics, and the feeling of being trapped. Tabitha is an interesting character who is haunted by the past, haunted by a promise she made, haunted by her feelings, and haunted by the street itself. One thing that I wanted more of was the character of Enid who I found to be intriguing.
TW: This book does explore issues such as trauma, guilt, and the effects of abuse/sexual abuse, to name a few.
Captivating, chilling, eerie and dark.
*This was a buddy read with Kim ~ It’s All About the Thrill. Please read her review as well to get her thoughts on the book!
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Eerie, dark, chilling, bizarre, captivating, and hard to put down! This book was equal parts interesting, creepy, and ghostly. I loved the uniqueness of this book. While reading, I thought this book would have made a great Twilight Zone episode. Three friends survived the night that everyone else on their street turned into ghosts. How cool and enticing does that sound? That caught my attention right there!
Talitha Velkwood has been haunted by her past. She was one of the three friends who walked away while her mother and eight-year-old sister couldn’t do so. When she is approached twenty years after that night that she and her friends Brett, and Grace walked away; by a researcher, Tabitha decides that it is finally time to get answers.
I enjoyed the eerie feel of this book. I kept wondering what the outside world must have thought when this street disappeared so to speak. I loved how this book oozed atmosphere. Velkwood had so many elements that I enjoy: mystery, horror (this is horrific not gory or bloody), friendship, longing, a love story, family dynamics, and the feeling of being trapped. Tabitha is an interesting character who is haunted by the past, haunted by a promise she made, haunted by her feelings, and haunted by the street itself. One thing that I wanted more of was the character of Enid who I found to be intriguing.
TW: This book does explore issues such as trauma, guilt, and the effects of abuse/sexual abuse, to name a few.
Captivating, chilling, eerie and dark.
*This was a buddy read with Kim ~ It’s All About the Thrill. Please read her review as well to get her thoughts on the book!
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
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December 3, 2023I have a lot to say about this one! And, this was my first time being purposeful about tabbing & annotating my experience. I really enjoyed it and we’ll see how it improves my review experience :)
February 13, 2024
This was SO GOOD and SO CREEPY! I'm going to be thinking about it for awhile. The Haunting of Velkwood is a speculative horror novel about a neighborhood that suddenly disappeared behind a veil that no on can pass through. Well, almost no one...
Only three people from the neighborhood survived the disappearance. Three women who were college students at the time, on their way back to school. Now 40, Talitha agrees to aid researchers by trying to go back for the first time, hoping to somehow save her then 8 year old sister. But the truth of what happened that night is rearing its head.
I don't want to say too much about this because of spoilers, but the creepy atmosphere in the neighborhood and the way the author has you biting your nails is immaculate. This is a lot about secrets from the past and the way we carry our trauma into adulthood. It also centers an intimate friendship between young women discovering their sexuality.
I'll stop myself from saying anymore, but if this is your vibe you should absolutely pick it up! It's going to stick with with me for a long time and I want to read more from this author. I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher, all opinions are my own.
Only three people from the neighborhood survived the disappearance. Three women who were college students at the time, on their way back to school. Now 40, Talitha agrees to aid researchers by trying to go back for the first time, hoping to somehow save her then 8 year old sister. But the truth of what happened that night is rearing its head.
I don't want to say too much about this because of spoilers, but the creepy atmosphere in the neighborhood and the way the author has you biting your nails is immaculate. This is a lot about secrets from the past and the way we carry our trauma into adulthood. It also centers an intimate friendship between young women discovering their sexuality.
I'll stop myself from saying anymore, but if this is your vibe you should absolutely pick it up! It's going to stick with with me for a long time and I want to read more from this author. I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher, all opinions are my own.
April 19, 2024
3.5 stars
April 11, 2024
Review to come.
April 3, 2024
3.5 Stars, rounded up.
This was not a horror novel, like I thought it would be. Instead it was a very sad love story, with some horror elements, of course. There was more to it than that, but for the most part that's how it read to me. I enjoyed it but wouldn't recommend it for anyone looking for an actual horror novel that will keep you up at night!
This was not a horror novel, like I thought it would be. Instead it was a very sad love story, with some horror elements, of course. There was more to it than that, but for the most part that's how it read to me. I enjoyed it but wouldn't recommend it for anyone looking for an actual horror novel that will keep you up at night!
January 11, 2024
STAR review in the Dec. 1, 2023 issue of Booklist and on the blog: https://raforall.blogspot.com/2023/12...
Three Words: Suburban Malaise, Riveting, Character Driven story
So much more soon but for now, if you loved The Rust Maidens, this is better but similar.
Should easily have another LAMBDA literary award nomination for bisexual fiction again with this one, she won last year for Reluctant Immortals and this is a better novel (which is saying a lot)
The strength of women when they work together-- a theme in all her books.
Compelling, riveting, great characters, suburban ennui, very original supernatural situation/monster, thought provoking, heartbreakingly beautiful.
A mixture of The Ghost That Ate Us by Kraus and Hailey Piper- Queen of Teeth-- and Lucy Snyder--Sister, Maiden, Monster-- for the female driven original Cosmic goodness.
Also for fans of Severance by Ling Ma-- so many of the same issues with family and background but a must larger catastrophe and Blake Crouch.
But really this is like Rust Maidens all grown up. I realize there is a "grown-up" dual story line in Rust Maidens, but this is like Rusty Maidens older sister.
Three Words: Suburban Malaise, Riveting, Character Driven story
So much more soon but for now, if you loved The Rust Maidens, this is better but similar.
Should easily have another LAMBDA literary award nomination for bisexual fiction again with this one, she won last year for Reluctant Immortals and this is a better novel (which is saying a lot)
The strength of women when they work together-- a theme in all her books.
Compelling, riveting, great characters, suburban ennui, very original supernatural situation/monster, thought provoking, heartbreakingly beautiful.
A mixture of The Ghost That Ate Us by Kraus and Hailey Piper- Queen of Teeth-- and Lucy Snyder--Sister, Maiden, Monster-- for the female driven original Cosmic goodness.
Also for fans of Severance by Ling Ma-- so many of the same issues with family and background but a must larger catastrophe and Blake Crouch.
But really this is like Rust Maidens all grown up. I realize there is a "grown-up" dual story line in Rust Maidens, but this is like Rusty Maidens older sister.
March 17, 2024
I attempted multiple times to write a somewhat coherent review of what I liked with maybe some plot depiction. But I just can't.
Every sentence seems not enough, belittling the book.
It is a very tender exploration on haunting - how people conjure one or become one. It is very compassionate and hopeful, yet still horrific, creepy and eerie.
It kind of reminds me of the subverted monster from "Just like Home" by S. Gailey.
Additionally, the writing is very poetic. I am thankful that I'm reading it now and not during my teen years, as there would be a huuuge temptation to tattoo a bunch of quotes from this book all over myself lol.
Every sentence seems not enough, belittling the book.
It is a very tender exploration on haunting - how people conjure one or become one. It is very compassionate and hopeful, yet still horrific, creepy and eerie.
It kind of reminds me of the subverted monster from "Just like Home" by S. Gailey.
Additionally, the writing is very poetic. I am thankful that I'm reading it now and not during my teen years, as there would be a huuuge temptation to tattoo a bunch of quotes from this book all over myself lol.
April 20, 2024
3.5⭐ This author has a way of writing her female characters that I love. Definitely got attached to them. But I wanted more story from one of the 4 friends. The book was good,but I wanted more. I remember feeling the same way about Rust Maidens which was another 3 ⭐
December 30, 2023
This was a beautifully written book, a perfect blend of suspense, paranormal and horror made it one of the most original ghost stories I've read, I loved the refreshing take of the haunted house trope, whats better than one haunted house? A block full of em, weaved throughout the haunting prose is an underlying theme of facing the past you might not necessarily want too in order to move forward, I thought the whole premise of the story worked perfectly for this, the descriptions really encapsulated the whole melancholy mood and sense of sorrow the story had, the book felt draped in sepia tones, a completely absorbing emotional tale that kept me engaged throughout, Kistes writing is almost lyrical, it dances across the page and you can't help but get swept along, highly recommend to fans of suburban gothics who are looking for something a bit different, Thankyou to the wonderful sagapress for the eARC
February 5, 2024
I loved this! It was so original and hit so many different areas. There was horror, there was family drama, there was sci-fi.
Quick Synopsis: Talitha used to live on a "haunted street" called Velkwood. Her and her four friends left before the street just up and vanished. Of course, this is now brought up and being reinvestigated via documentaries etc.. Great blurb, right? Yes!!! Nope not giving any more away
What I liked: this touched upon every genre possible, and I could not put this down. It held my attention from page 1. This is a very short book and while i feel it filled those pages, I wanted more on the history of the street and Enid. That would have been awesome to delve into those two areas.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
Quick Synopsis: Talitha used to live on a "haunted street" called Velkwood. Her and her four friends left before the street just up and vanished. Of course, this is now brought up and being reinvestigated via documentaries etc.. Great blurb, right? Yes!!! Nope not giving any more away
What I liked: this touched upon every genre possible, and I could not put this down. It held my attention from page 1. This is a very short book and while i feel it filled those pages, I wanted more on the history of the street and Enid. That would have been awesome to delve into those two areas.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
February 27, 2024
Thanks to the author, publisher, and Goodreads for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review. This is a well written novel with an interesting paranormal horror story. I found the book easy to read and the ending was good. I'm not a fan of romance and there might have been just s little too much of that for my liking. 3.25 🌟
March 28, 2024
3.5/5 stars rounded up
A modern ghost story in which a strange event turns a complete neighbourhood into a ghost town overnight. Years down the line, the three sole survivors of the night return to the now quarantined area, in search of answers and closure. This had a few elements I adored, but overall left me just a little underwhelmed. I was reminded a lot of Catfish Rolling with regards to the themes, and couldn’t help feeling like it came up short in that comparison.
Full review to come.
A modern ghost story in which a strange event turns a complete neighbourhood into a ghost town overnight. Years down the line, the three sole survivors of the night return to the now quarantined area, in search of answers and closure. This had a few elements I adored, but overall left me just a little underwhelmed. I was reminded a lot of Catfish Rolling with regards to the themes, and couldn’t help feeling like it came up short in that comparison.
Full review to come.
September 20, 2023
Velkwood Vicinity. That's what they call it. The neighborhood that mysteriously disappeared turning everyone inside into ghosts and allowing only three teenage girls, Talitha, Brett and Grace, to escape. Over the years, investigations have taken place with no conclusions on what caused the neighborhood to vanish. The neighborhood can still be vaguely seen but there is an impassible barrier that won't let anyone or anything back in except the three girls. No drones, no helicopters and no other people.
Twenty years later, a researcher reaches out to the girls to help him determined what really happened to the neighborhood and the people left "living" there. Talitha lost her mother and sister to this supernatural tragedy and agrees to go back home and finally face what happened. Is her family dead or alive or something in between? Did their actions that night unexpectedly cause this paranormal event? Talitha has to decide where she really belongs. Is it where she came from or where she is going?
This is a very unique and original ghost story. I have never read anything similar. All of the characters are extremely relatable especially because of their numerous flaws. The author does a remarkable job describing the girls' devastating childhoods and letting you feel their pain and desperation. The story looks at the toll of ones' past shame, grief and guilt has on their life and future decisions. It is also an examination of family and how you cannot escape them and the marks they leave on you.
I highly recommend this book.
Twenty years later, a researcher reaches out to the girls to help him determined what really happened to the neighborhood and the people left "living" there. Talitha lost her mother and sister to this supernatural tragedy and agrees to go back home and finally face what happened. Is her family dead or alive or something in between? Did their actions that night unexpectedly cause this paranormal event? Talitha has to decide where she really belongs. Is it where she came from or where she is going?
This is a very unique and original ghost story. I have never read anything similar. All of the characters are extremely relatable especially because of their numerous flaws. The author does a remarkable job describing the girls' devastating childhoods and letting you feel their pain and desperation. The story looks at the toll of ones' past shame, grief and guilt has on their life and future decisions. It is also an examination of family and how you cannot escape them and the marks they leave on you.
I highly recommend this book.
March 9, 2024
Twenty years ago, the Velkwood Vicinity became shielded behind a barrier that nobody could breach, except for three women who survived. Ever since, the ares has been investigated by paranormal researchers and documentary makers.
Talitha Velkwood, namesake of the little subdivision with eight houses, is approached by Jack to go back in and help him with his research. Having avoided anything to do with her childhood home, she reluctantly agrees. What will she find when she sets foot in her old neighborhood? Will the secrets the three have been harboring for the last 20 years finally come to light?
This slow burn tale was quite enjoyable. I liked Talitha and felt she and her two childhood friends were well fleshed out. I was quite intrigued by the plot, and it kept me interested throughout the book. The book looks at the perils of suburban living and how people tend to "look the other way" so that their own skeletons don't see the light of day. I also liked how the subplot of Brett and Talitha unfolded, from their youth and understanding sexuality, through the end of the book. The only minor issue was some repetition, including the same adjective being used repeatedly. Overall, this is one thar I'll be thinking about for a while.
My thanks to Saga Press, author Gwendolyn Kiste, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book. My opinions are my own.
Talitha Velkwood, namesake of the little subdivision with eight houses, is approached by Jack to go back in and help him with his research. Having avoided anything to do with her childhood home, she reluctantly agrees. What will she find when she sets foot in her old neighborhood? Will the secrets the three have been harboring for the last 20 years finally come to light?
This slow burn tale was quite enjoyable. I liked Talitha and felt she and her two childhood friends were well fleshed out. I was quite intrigued by the plot, and it kept me interested throughout the book. The book looks at the perils of suburban living and how people tend to "look the other way" so that their own skeletons don't see the light of day. I also liked how the subplot of Brett and Talitha unfolded, from their youth and understanding sexuality, through the end of the book. The only minor issue was some repetition, including the same adjective being used repeatedly. Overall, this is one thar I'll be thinking about for a while.
My thanks to Saga Press, author Gwendolyn Kiste, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book. My opinions are my own.
September 29, 2023
The Haunting of Velkwood has a unique story in that the “ghosts” may be dead……or maybe not?
This is definitely a character-driven novel, where the characters take center stage over the setting or plot. I really liked the two main protagonists, and thought they were well rounded and relatable. I had a bit of a problem with the plot.A few things are left unexplained, and I would have liked more background on one of the minor characters.
Thank you for allowing me to read this ARC! Receiving this book as an ARC did not influence my opinion in any way.
This is definitely a character-driven novel, where the characters take center stage over the setting or plot. I really liked the two main protagonists, and thought they were well rounded and relatable. I had a bit of a problem with the plot.A few things are left unexplained, and I would have liked more background on one of the minor characters.
Thank you for allowing me to read this ARC! Receiving this book as an ARC did not influence my opinion in any way.
December 30, 2023
The Haunting of Velkwood is a unique ghost story! A mix of gothic, supernatural vibes but in a suburb. I really enjoyed that the haunting part was just a suburban street 😂 growing up in the burbs has its own horrors. This one reminded me of a very spooky Area X situation from Annihilation! I loved all the themes explored in it this one and highly recommend if you're looking for a very unique, and emotional ghost story. I do wish it was a little longer- the ending felt a bit rushed for me but overall it was great! 4.5
Thanks, netgalley for this arc!
Thanks, netgalley for this arc!
February 26, 2024
Named after the family of Talitha Velkwood, the Velkwood Vicinity is a small street composed of eight houses that abruptly became completely inaccessible for most people and electronics. Hazy to the naked eye, only Talita and her childhood friends and neighbors Brett and Grace seem able to pass into the street following their departure from it twenty years prior.
As the Velkwood Vicinity remains the subject of vast amounts of speculation, one day Talita is approached by a new researcher with the intention of returning to the neighborhood to investigate it. Although she initially refuses, a new discovery leads Talita back to Velkwood and the mysteries that surround it.
The Haunting of Velkwood is an atmospheric and unsettling novel. On its surface, the random disappearance of a whole street and the questionable fates of its inhabitants-are they living, dead or something in-between-is quite eerie. But as the story develops, its many layers unfurl: the nature of small neighborhoods and its inhabitants, the strict adherence to conformity and the habit of callous neglect to preserve a fragile illusion of peace.
More than a typical ghost story, The Haunting of Velkwood delves into the nature of trauma: how it can attach to us, shape us and lead to us living incomplete lives while wrapped in its shadow. There are depictions of different forms of abuse and homophobia, for those who may be uncomfortable with those topics.
The novel is slightly more character-driven than plot-driven, with most of the focus on Talitha and Brett and their brittle relationship. Seemingly two opposite sides of the coin: with Talitha drifting aimlessly through her life with barely a presence and Brett racking up achievements and attention. Yet it’s painful way they dance around one another, the inevitable push and pull that they’ve become accustomed to and the way in which things change once Talitha returns to their old neighborhood that remain engrossing.
While I do wish that some of the secondary characters had been given more development, some of the revelations involving them were unexpected. Tension does build in the last third of the novel as the danger of the Velkwood Vicinity grows and the ramifications of repeated exposure to it become apparent.
Talita is eventually forced to make a choice: does she live in the past and the famiscle of comfort it may bring or does she grasp the future and all the uncertainty that it brings?
The Haunting of Velkwood is a wonderful written and thought-provoking novel. Thank you to NetGalley, Saga Press Books and Gwendolyn Kiste for providing access to this ebook. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
As the Velkwood Vicinity remains the subject of vast amounts of speculation, one day Talita is approached by a new researcher with the intention of returning to the neighborhood to investigate it. Although she initially refuses, a new discovery leads Talita back to Velkwood and the mysteries that surround it.
The Haunting of Velkwood is an atmospheric and unsettling novel. On its surface, the random disappearance of a whole street and the questionable fates of its inhabitants-are they living, dead or something in-between-is quite eerie. But as the story develops, its many layers unfurl: the nature of small neighborhoods and its inhabitants, the strict adherence to conformity and the habit of callous neglect to preserve a fragile illusion of peace.
More than a typical ghost story, The Haunting of Velkwood delves into the nature of trauma: how it can attach to us, shape us and lead to us living incomplete lives while wrapped in its shadow. There are depictions of different forms of abuse and homophobia, for those who may be uncomfortable with those topics.
The novel is slightly more character-driven than plot-driven, with most of the focus on Talitha and Brett and their brittle relationship. Seemingly two opposite sides of the coin: with Talitha drifting aimlessly through her life with barely a presence and Brett racking up achievements and attention. Yet it’s painful way they dance around one another, the inevitable push and pull that they’ve become accustomed to and the way in which things change once Talitha returns to their old neighborhood that remain engrossing.
While I do wish that some of the secondary characters had been given more development, some of the revelations involving them were unexpected. Tension does build in the last third of the novel as the danger of the Velkwood Vicinity grows and the ramifications of repeated exposure to it become apparent.
Talita is eventually forced to make a choice: does she live in the past and the famiscle of comfort it may bring or does she grasp the future and all the uncertainty that it brings?
The Haunting of Velkwood is a wonderful written and thought-provoking novel. Thank you to NetGalley, Saga Press Books and Gwendolyn Kiste for providing access to this ebook. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
March 10, 2024
Just as Talitha Velkwood ventures back to her childhood home, Gwendolyn Kiste returns to familiar topics from her past works, exploring the traumas and abuses of youth, female friendships, and the ways in which our own personal histories continue to haunt, all set against the backdrop of an all too-familiar suburban gothic.
Talitha hasn't been home in twenty years. She spent her entire childhood seeking a way to escape, and was finally gifted that chance when her entire neighborhood was swallowed by a supernatural event. Only Talitha and her two closest (and now estranged) friends, Brett and Grace, made it out. When a researcher contacts her with the promise of money, Talitha is forced by circumstance to return. Her mother and sister still haunt their home, along with the other unfortunate families trapped within the timeless veil of the Velkwood Vicinity, and Talitha sees this an opportunity to not only fix things but to finally save her sister.
After passing through the veil and stepping into her own past, Talitha herself becomes the ghost haunting the homes she grew up and played in as her past and present begin to converge. Forced to deal with the violence and secrets of her and her friends' past, Kiste explores the thin line -- if such a line even exists -- separating past and present, and the ways in which one can influence the other.
The Haunting of Velkwood is a tender gothic focused on the exploration of Talitha and her history. Even outside the veil of the Velkwood Vicinity she's practically a ghost, perpetually in limbo as she floats from job to job, house to house, never building her own life or consecrating her present as she attempts to escape the past. By returning home, Talitha has no choice but to face the consequences of her past actions, exploring her old life, prior loves, and suburban secrets of sexual abuse and murder. There's no escaping the ghosts of our past, but the real question here is whether or not they can be conquered before they destroy us and those we hold dear.
Talitha hasn't been home in twenty years. She spent her entire childhood seeking a way to escape, and was finally gifted that chance when her entire neighborhood was swallowed by a supernatural event. Only Talitha and her two closest (and now estranged) friends, Brett and Grace, made it out. When a researcher contacts her with the promise of money, Talitha is forced by circumstance to return. Her mother and sister still haunt their home, along with the other unfortunate families trapped within the timeless veil of the Velkwood Vicinity, and Talitha sees this an opportunity to not only fix things but to finally save her sister.
After passing through the veil and stepping into her own past, Talitha herself becomes the ghost haunting the homes she grew up and played in as her past and present begin to converge. Forced to deal with the violence and secrets of her and her friends' past, Kiste explores the thin line -- if such a line even exists -- separating past and present, and the ways in which one can influence the other.
The Haunting of Velkwood is a tender gothic focused on the exploration of Talitha and her history. Even outside the veil of the Velkwood Vicinity she's practically a ghost, perpetually in limbo as she floats from job to job, house to house, never building her own life or consecrating her present as she attempts to escape the past. By returning home, Talitha has no choice but to face the consequences of her past actions, exploring her old life, prior loves, and suburban secrets of sexual abuse and murder. There's no escaping the ghosts of our past, but the real question here is whether or not they can be conquered before they destroy us and those we hold dear.
April 1, 2024
I've been faithfully reading Kiste's recent novels, hoping that they'll be close to the magic of And Her Smile Will Untether the Universe. They are not. This will be the last one. Lots of horror fans love this kind of prose, but I (with I suppose an empty heart) don't:
Kiste gets accolades from lots of "bestselling" authors, and does not need my approval.
With a full tank, the rental car surges down the street, past the carcass of our small town. Empty storefronts, empty houses, empty hearts. This little speck on the map was on its way out years ago, and our street was the final nail in a coffin the world built for us.
Kiste gets accolades from lots of "bestselling" authors, and does not need my approval.
January 6, 2024
This was an intriguing book. It started off very strong. The intrigue was high. The horror and creeping sense of dread was well done. The tone was a perfect match to how it felt like this story should be told.
The length is just right, no place really felt like it was dragging. I enjoyed the complex relationship between Talitha and Brett. This is my second novel by Kiste and I think I liked it a little more than the first (Reluctant Immortals).
Overall, I think it’s a solid 4 star read.
I’m giving it 3 stars ultimately because it took a turn in the latter half that was a personal turn off for me. I think it was handled delicately and with the weight the situation deserved, it just wasn’t something I enjoyed reading about.
Some plot spoilers:
Again, I want to state that I think it was handled appropriately, and not gratuitous, it just detracted from my personal enjoyment is all.
Trigger warnings:
I would continue to read from Kiste.
The length is just right, no place really felt like it was dragging. I enjoyed the complex relationship between Talitha and Brett. This is my second novel by Kiste and I think I liked it a little more than the first (Reluctant Immortals).
Overall, I think it’s a solid 4 star read.
I’m giving it 3 stars ultimately because it took a turn in the latter half that was a personal turn off for me. I think it was handled delicately and with the weight the situation deserved, it just wasn’t something I enjoyed reading about.
Some plot spoilers:
Again, I want to state that I think it was handled appropriately, and not gratuitous, it just detracted from my personal enjoyment is all.
Trigger warnings:
I would continue to read from Kiste.
March 7, 2024
This book was mostly a miss for me. The writing was well done, but that was pretty much the only thing that I liked. I didn't think the characters were very interesting. They weren't very well developed, especially the side characters. But even the MC didn't feel like a fully fleshed out person and I couldn't connect to her at all. I also wasn't a big fan of the plot. There isn't really an explanation at the end about what's happening. It's kind of like "Oh, we did this magic thingy somehow and we don't know why but let's just get together and another magical thing will happen again!" I wanted more from the story than just bumbling around, hoping something happens. I also didn't like how the main conflict between the MC and another character is lack of communication. If these two characters acted their age and simply talked to each other half the conflict of the book would have disappeared. And that's not the kind of story I want to read. I want something more interesting than "I'm scared to tell her how I feel."
I don't think this is a bad book, but I wish the author had developed the story a little bit more and had a more interesting plot.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for my honest opinion.
I don't think this is a bad book, but I wish the author had developed the story a little bit more and had a more interesting plot.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for my honest opinion.
February 22, 2024
A grief laden novel about a neighborhood shrouded by a veil that has been impenetrable for twenty years except by three surviving residents. College students at the time of the incident, now in their forties, confused and haunted by the past and the people they were forced to leave behind in the Velkwood Vincinity. Now one survivor is ready to confront the past and return to Velkwood to try to set things right.
This was mysterious, sad, and strange right up to the very last page. I think some ideas in here didn’t feel fully realized and fully fleshed out, but the rest of the book had a lot of emotion and I found this really hard to put down. My first read by Kiste and definitely not my last.
This was mysterious, sad, and strange right up to the very last page. I think some ideas in here didn’t feel fully realized and fully fleshed out, but the rest of the book had a lot of emotion and I found this really hard to put down. My first read by Kiste and definitely not my last.
April 18, 2024
This had an interesting idea but was rather poorly executed and ultimately forgettable. Honestly, this feels like a rough draft that had some interesting ideas but needed quite a bit more work. It feels very thin, and not just because its less than 250 pages.
For one, this is barely a horror. The horror elements are minimal and kind of disappointing. I'm still not sure I even understand them, really. At first it seemed like the neighborhood was trapped in a cycle of repeating their last day, but then that didn't seem to be the case, or only sort of the case. It couldn't seem to decide what it wanted to do.
In the beginning it felt like it was mysterious and creepy because Talitha kept alluding to the things they had done, or the things that happened that night, but it ended up being a let down. It didn't really work because it's in the first person so it mostly just meant Talitha thinking abstractly about things without actually thinking about them, which was strange. It would have been better in third person, without being in her head. But then even when we get to these reveals, they ended up being kind of lackluster. They feel really big and grandiose and mysterious in the beginning but they're presented in such a boring, off-hand way that it felt really anticlimactic.
I'll give this points for being sapphic and about two women who were kept apart because of homophobia and came back together. But I also wish their romance had been a bit more fleshed out. I didn't really feel it, and even halfway through the book was wondering if Grace and Enid were the sapphic element, only to find out it was Talitha and Brett. More could have been done to establish their feelings for each other earlier.
In addition to that, basically any character who wasn't Talitha or Brett felt extremely flat. Jack was just there to be a ghost researcher and cute. He was perhaps the most "fleshed out" character after Brett. Sophie existed entirely to be the baby sister Talitha wanted to rescue. It took her twenty years to decide she wanted to rescue said sister, but whatever. Grace did absolutely nothing. You could have removed Grace and the story wouldn't have changed. Enid existed just to be the weird magical element, I guess, and honestly I think that weakened the story because I was more interested in what the hell was going on with her than anything else.
I can't help but use my editor brain and think of how with a few tweaks this story could have been way more interesting.
I just think there was so much potential and it could have been really interesting. I love the version of it I made in my head. But the actual story itself? Pretty boring. It couldn't decide what it wanted to be. Ultimately disappointing and forgettable. Also what kind of name is Talitha? Or Enid? Or Brett for a girl. Some of these name choices were just so weird.
For one, this is barely a horror. The horror elements are minimal and kind of disappointing. I'm still not sure I even understand them, really. At first it seemed like the neighborhood was trapped in a cycle of repeating their last day, but then that didn't seem to be the case, or only sort of the case. It couldn't seem to decide what it wanted to do.
In the beginning it felt like it was mysterious and creepy because Talitha kept alluding to the things they had done, or the things that happened that night, but it ended up being a let down. It didn't really work because it's in the first person so it mostly just meant Talitha thinking abstractly about things without actually thinking about them, which was strange. It would have been better in third person, without being in her head. But then even when we get to these reveals, they ended up being kind of lackluster. They feel really big and grandiose and mysterious in the beginning but they're presented in such a boring, off-hand way that it felt really anticlimactic.
I'll give this points for being sapphic and about two women who were kept apart because of homophobia and came back together. But I also wish their romance had been a bit more fleshed out. I didn't really feel it, and even halfway through the book was wondering if Grace and Enid were the sapphic element, only to find out it was Talitha and Brett. More could have been done to establish their feelings for each other earlier.
In addition to that, basically any character who wasn't Talitha or Brett felt extremely flat. Jack was just there to be a ghost researcher and cute. He was perhaps the most "fleshed out" character after Brett. Sophie existed entirely to be the baby sister Talitha wanted to rescue. It took her twenty years to decide she wanted to rescue said sister, but whatever. Grace did absolutely nothing. You could have removed Grace and the story wouldn't have changed. Enid existed just to be the weird magical element, I guess, and honestly I think that weakened the story because I was more interested in what the hell was going on with her than anything else.
I can't help but use my editor brain and think of how with a few tweaks this story could have been way more interesting.
I just think there was so much potential and it could have been really interesting. I love the version of it I made in my head. But the actual story itself? Pretty boring. It couldn't decide what it wanted to be. Ultimately disappointing and forgettable. Also what kind of name is Talitha? Or Enid? Or Brett for a girl. Some of these name choices were just so weird.
February 29, 2024
This book follows three friends who are dealing with loss. When their neighborhood and families all disappear and become ghosts, they are left with only each other for support and endless media spotlight. When Talitha is offered an opportunity to go back and look for her younger sister, she seizes the opportunity. As things slowly begin to unfold, we find out that not only the people are stuck in Velkwood, but so is the truth of what happened there. A short quick read that I could not put down.
January 24, 2024
In a typical ghost story, a living person is haunted by the dead soul of someone long since passed. The Haunting of Velkwood seems to turn this concept on its head: what if, instead of being haunted by dead loved ones, a person were haunted by a place? What is the psychic residue that stays with a person from a site of conflict? How would that residue affect not just how a person lives, but how they perceive themselves and perceive the world?
The question opens up the trope of a haunting for new symbolic engagement, so that "haunting" can become metaphor or allegory for much deeper human issues, and in Kiste's case, The Haunting of Velkwood becomes a space to interrogate how past traumas and social stigmas act to trap us in cyclical hauntings of our own feelings of inadequacy, shame, or oppression.
Central to the book is queerness and how bigotry is allowed to hide and fester in many communities. The book tackles small-town "genteelness" in a way that shows how easy it is to hide behind "one's business" in order to not stand up for injustices or abuse. There's some very heavy topics tucked away inside the book, but what stands out most prominently is the way that how we talk about (or don't talk about) queerness can cause lasting residual shame and hurt--and that hurt cannot be quickly or easily resolved. It isn't so easy to just exorcise the ghost of bigotry and trauma.
The rest of the book is just as symbolically heavy and messy, with the plot weaving back and forth in a haze of vague concepts related to a neighborhood haunting, some of which serves powerful function and some of which seems still yet undefined. I think some of the book's messiness is part of the point, directly mirroring how meaning-making itself is so difficult to perform when working through the haze of memory and emotions like guilt, but I did still find myself a little lost to the book's sense of urgency because of its very strangeness.
Nevertheless, The Haunting of Velkwood is a powerful piece of fiction, a useful tool in a much broader conversation about coming into one's sexuality and how difficult that process can be when policed by our social connections. In a way, the book is about the difficulty of maturity at all, about how the decisions we make can feel heavy and unjust, and how rewriting ourselves is a perpetual labor that may not ever actually end. But that's also the point of having to work through trauma and emotional mistreatment: to work on ourselves so that we can move from pain to hope.
Disclosure statement: I received an advance copy of The Haunting of Velkwood from Saga Press and the author. My opinions shared in this review are authentically my own and have not been influenced in any way by either publisher or author.
The question opens up the trope of a haunting for new symbolic engagement, so that "haunting" can become metaphor or allegory for much deeper human issues, and in Kiste's case, The Haunting of Velkwood becomes a space to interrogate how past traumas and social stigmas act to trap us in cyclical hauntings of our own feelings of inadequacy, shame, or oppression.
Central to the book is queerness and how bigotry is allowed to hide and fester in many communities. The book tackles small-town "genteelness" in a way that shows how easy it is to hide behind "one's business" in order to not stand up for injustices or abuse. There's some very heavy topics tucked away inside the book, but what stands out most prominently is the way that how we talk about (or don't talk about) queerness can cause lasting residual shame and hurt--and that hurt cannot be quickly or easily resolved. It isn't so easy to just exorcise the ghost of bigotry and trauma.
The rest of the book is just as symbolically heavy and messy, with the plot weaving back and forth in a haze of vague concepts related to a neighborhood haunting, some of which serves powerful function and some of which seems still yet undefined. I think some of the book's messiness is part of the point, directly mirroring how meaning-making itself is so difficult to perform when working through the haze of memory and emotions like guilt, but I did still find myself a little lost to the book's sense of urgency because of its very strangeness.
Nevertheless, The Haunting of Velkwood is a powerful piece of fiction, a useful tool in a much broader conversation about coming into one's sexuality and how difficult that process can be when policed by our social connections. In a way, the book is about the difficulty of maturity at all, about how the decisions we make can feel heavy and unjust, and how rewriting ourselves is a perpetual labor that may not ever actually end. But that's also the point of having to work through trauma and emotional mistreatment: to work on ourselves so that we can move from pain to hope.
Disclosure statement: I received an advance copy of The Haunting of Velkwood from Saga Press and the author. My opinions shared in this review are authentically my own and have not been influenced in any way by either publisher or author.
February 27, 2024
All our families believed we belonged on this block, nestled in our pretty little houses. But we didn't just break ground here. We broke everything.
Although I was impressed with the originality of Gwendolyn Kiste's first novel, Reluctant Immortals, I didn't love it, but I couldn't resist picking up her second book when I read the description. And I'm so glad I did, because The Haunting of Velkwood is something special and entirely unique.
Twenty years ago, the world was rocked by the tragedy of the Velkwood Vicinity, when an entire street and its inhabitants disappeared behind an impenetrable, otherworldly barrier that could be breached only by the three college girls who escaped. In the years since, the anomaly has been the topic of sensationalist and occult journalists and pseudo-science investigators. And as the twentieth anniversary approaches, Talitha Velkwood, whose family the street was named for, is approached by one of those investigators. Talitha was one of the girls who escaped Velkwood Street -- and now he wants her to go back in.
The Haunting of Velkwood is a speculative horror novel about a haunted place -- but one that's not necessarily haunted in the way you'd expect, or at least not entirely. It's about the past's tendency to haunt the present, how long-ago trauma can attach to and shape a person until it's addressed -- and can often continue to do so even after it's addressed. It's about the dark side of suburbia, the cost of holding secrets, the consequences of inaction and looking the other way in an attempt to maintain appearances. It's also a love story, about how love too is a kind of haunting.
If I wanted anything from The Haunting of Velkwood, I just wanted more. I wanted Kiste to delve more deeply into the history of the neighborhood and provide more character background for some of the residents (specifically Enid). I wanted just a bit more explanation about the paranormal elements, too, although I do appreciate that a lot of it was left open to interpretation.
Despite the more sorrowful and strange aspects of the plot, there's something about The Haunting of Velkwood that feels uplifting and empowering. It's a moody, darkly absorbing novel that's just as emotional as it is eerie, and I was captivated by it from the first page to the last.
March 4, 2024
This had such an odd yet fascinating premise, three childhood friends are the only survivors after everyone else in their neighborhood is turned into ghosts. It was really eerie and super unsettling and I had no idea what to really expect from it but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It’s part psychological suspense, part gothic horror and that combo worked well for me. I don’t want to spoil anything but the themes were powerful and memorable. If you want something unique try this.
February 29, 2024
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Title: The Haunting of Velkwood by Gwendolyn
Publication Date- 03/05/24
Publisher- Saga Press
Overall Rating- 3 out of 5 stars (DNF @ 50 percent)
Review: Review copy given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I really wanted to love this novel, give it a chance you may like it. Let’s talk about some of the good things. It’s a very unique story, with diverse characters, and a sci-fi feeling without being too in depth. You might like this book if you like fever dream stories, I do not so that is a me problem. Essentially our main character is going back and forth between two worlds after her neighborhood disappeared and in ways turned into a ghost. I did like that the neighborhood was it’s own character but with this and many other things I wish we would have gotten more about that. More detail, more description, a lot of the story felt rushed but not fast paced. When she travels back to her neighborhood the world is different and described as almost having a yellow tinted film over it. I just don’t enjoy fever dream stories very much so I will own that.
I think I could have pushed through and finished if we would have gotten more from the characters and if the story didn’t feel so rushed. You can tell the author has a lot of potential and really wonderful and unique ideas. I would have loved it if we went back and forth in time to be able to connect with the past more. Granted, I didn’t finish the novel so I imagine there is a lot I’m missing here and maybe these things show up in the latter half. The main character is in her 40’s and just didn’t feel like she was written that way. I felt like we were living in her early college years, she didn’t show a lot of emotional maturity or wisdom I would hope for in a mature character.
Again, I truly think this author has a lot of potential and I hope they will continue to publish books. We need more LGBTQ representation across genres. This is not a bad book and worth giving it a shot. I just can’t justify pushing through when I’m not connected to the characters and their story. I was also at times, a little put off by some of the wording and interactions between characters that felt immature. All in all I feel like a 3 star rating sums up my experience with the first half.
Title: The Haunting of Velkwood by Gwendolyn
Publication Date- 03/05/24
Publisher- Saga Press
Overall Rating- 3 out of 5 stars (DNF @ 50 percent)
Review: Review copy given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I really wanted to love this novel, give it a chance you may like it. Let’s talk about some of the good things. It’s a very unique story, with diverse characters, and a sci-fi feeling without being too in depth. You might like this book if you like fever dream stories, I do not so that is a me problem. Essentially our main character is going back and forth between two worlds after her neighborhood disappeared and in ways turned into a ghost. I did like that the neighborhood was it’s own character but with this and many other things I wish we would have gotten more about that. More detail, more description, a lot of the story felt rushed but not fast paced. When she travels back to her neighborhood the world is different and described as almost having a yellow tinted film over it. I just don’t enjoy fever dream stories very much so I will own that.
I think I could have pushed through and finished if we would have gotten more from the characters and if the story didn’t feel so rushed. You can tell the author has a lot of potential and really wonderful and unique ideas. I would have loved it if we went back and forth in time to be able to connect with the past more. Granted, I didn’t finish the novel so I imagine there is a lot I’m missing here and maybe these things show up in the latter half. The main character is in her 40’s and just didn’t feel like she was written that way. I felt like we were living in her early college years, she didn’t show a lot of emotional maturity or wisdom I would hope for in a mature character.
Again, I truly think this author has a lot of potential and I hope they will continue to publish books. We need more LGBTQ representation across genres. This is not a bad book and worth giving it a shot. I just can’t justify pushing through when I’m not connected to the characters and their story. I was also at times, a little put off by some of the wording and interactions between characters that felt immature. All in all I feel like a 3 star rating sums up my experience with the first half.
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