An engrossing gothic mystery... The Lies of Alma Blackwell by Amanda Glaze (Review & Mood Board) #newbooks #bookx #yalit #yabooks #witches #ghoststories #gothic #TheLiesOfAlmaBlackwell #TBRBeyondTours #AmandaGlaze @tbrbeyondtours @UnionSqandCo

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The Lies of Alma Blackwell

By Amanda Glaze

Young Adult Gothic Mystery, Romance, Paranormal

Hardcover & eBook, 384 Pages

August 27, 2024 by Union Square & Co.

Summary

Atmospheric and sweepingly romantic, this gothic mystery tells the story of a girl poised to inherit a famously haunted California mansion and a stranger who arrives with a dark warning...

For over a century, the Blackwells have protected the town of Hollow Cliff from vengeful spirits.

Seventeen-year-old Nev is ready to take over for her ailing grandmother as the town’s witch protector—unlike her mother, who left when Nev was a child and never looked back.

When a stranger arrives at Blackwell House of Spirits to fill a tour guide opening, Nev reluctantly offers him the job.

Nev doesn’t trust Cal. He knows more than he’s letting on about Blackwell House—and about Nev herself.

But Nev soon learns that she has been lied to her whole life. By following the trail of clues left behind in Blackwell House by her most powerful witch ancestor, Nev uncovers an unspeakable legacy of murder and lies...and realizes that a stranger may be the one person she can trust.

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My Review

THE LIES OF ALMA BLACKWELL is one of those stories that grips you from the beginning and never lets go. Skillfully written with likable characters and a plot full of mystery, it's a story that keeps readers guessing and engrossed as they figure things out along with the characters. Highly recommended to YA paranormal fans who like a bit of magic in their contemporary gothic stories.

Read this book if you like:
- Gothic-feeling stories
- Possible ghosts in the closet
- Witchy magic
- Small, coastal towns
- Shrouded mystery
- Likeable characters
- Sweet romance

This story sucked me in from the first page. The author did such a fabulous job of creating this small town and a house shrouded in shadows of mystery. The ghost-like and gothic feeling was definitely prevalent. I could literally feel the atmosphere flow from the pages. The characters were interesting and likable with their own unanswered questions. I never felt like there was an info dump or like I was being told the story. Instead, I got to experience the mystery with the characters and figure things out as they did. I also really loved Nev as well as Cal. There were some proper villains as well as some morally gray characters. I enjoyed the emotional and suspenseful way this story intensified as it met its climax and then resolved in a sweet ending.

In the end, was it what I wished for? I really enjoyed this one, including that it was a standalone. Definitely a page-turner, and one I'd recommend to YA paranormal or gothic fans!

Content: Some swearing (a few s-words), some abuse and ritual violence/sacrifice, nondescriptive murder, a lesbian relationship.
Source: I received a complimentary copy through TBR & Beyond Tours, which did not require a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Mood Board

About the Author

Amanda Glaze writes witchy books about determined girls. Her bestselling debut novel, The Second Death of Edie and Violet Bond, was a Barnes & Noble Book Club pick and a Rise Booklist Honoree. She grew up in Northern California where she spent most of her time with her nose in a book or putting on plays with friends. Since then, she’s lived many lives: as a bookseller, a theater director, and an Emmy award-winning film and television producer. When she’s not running off to the mountains, she lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their two cat familiars.

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Did you read this author's debut? Have you read any other ghost stories? What are your thoughts on this one?