Reviews for the Experiment in Terror Series
This is a hard thing to keep track of. Most book blogs also post their reviews to Amazon and Good Reads and that’s where you can get the whole spectrum of people’s opinions, from “I hated it” to “meh” to “I loved it” to “Best book ever Imma gonna die omg.”
Darkhouse reviews
Red Fox reviews
The Benson reviews
Dead Sky Morning reviews
Lying Season reviews
On Demon Wings reviews
Other review blogs such as Forever Young Adult and Maryse’s Book Blog don’t post to Good Reads or Amazon but you can read their respective (and FUN!) reviews at their blogs by following the links above.
Here’s a sampling of some reviews, too:
REVIEWS FOR DARKHOUSE
”Have you ever heard the expression “book hangover”? Well, for me, a book hangover happens when you find a book that completely consumes you. It is all you can think about, and you walk around in a stupor for a few days. Guess what? That happened to me when I read Darkhouse.” — Bookish Babes
“A super thrill ride of a book. I devoured this book, seriously I did not want to put it down. I’m a big fan of ghost stories and ghost hunting in general so picking this up was a no-brainer for me.” — Naughty Between the Stacks
“Enter Perry Palomino’s world and expect to be riveted to your seat with the creepy story with paranormal overtures. This book was a mesmerizing read. At times, I found myself gripping the book tightly and turning the pages with the light on. Creepy atmosphere prevails in this story leaving goosebumps in its wake.” — Earth’s Book Nook
“Darkhouse by Karina Halle has to be the first book in many years to make me glad to be reading during the day. It was creepy, exciting, hilarious and down right one of the most entertaining books that made me want to hug my pillow.” — Seeing Night Reviews
“Darkhouse turned out unlike anything I’d expected. It drew me in from page one, with its easy-to-relate to, flawed but loveable characters, its fast pace, the unpredictable plot twists and its eerie, surreal atmosphere. If you’re searching for the scariest book of this season, then search no more. Darkhouse is exactly what you’re looking for.” — I Heart Reading
“With great lead characters such as Perry and Dex, this was a book that was hard to put down. Halle puts an interesting and entertaining view within the paranormal world filled with ghosts. I look forward to reading more from this author.” — Living Life Through Books
“I loved Darkhouse. Loved it, loved it, loved it. I can’t say it enough. I’ve never related to a character as much as I did to Perry Palomino.” - Pretty Opinionated
“If I were to create a genre for this book it would be a YA/Spooky Chicklit. What a combination! Yet everything flowed well and the characters were exceptionally fun to read. Kind of like a grown up R. L. Stine.…This is the perfect quick read for a dark and stormy summer night. It will keep your attention and keep you right on the edge of your seat until the last page is turned!” — A Chick Who Reads
“I’m a huge ghost hunter, paranormal investigating fan, making this book my cup of tea. This is a fun, character driven story with enough spooky paranormal elements to keep you on the edge of your seat but not scare you to death! The author brings the characters to life with her descriptive and splendid writing style, allowing the reader to connect with them almost instantly.” — Romancing the Darkside
Excerpts from Forever Young Adult’s Rave Review:
On Perry:
“Perry totally needs a BFF to have her back, ’cause the girl’s life has felt like one big slap in the face. It’s not easy to grow up struggling with your self-image, and your propensity for curves when your mom is a former model and your little sister takes after her completely. But Perry, I would be there for you. We could go thrifting for old band t-shirts and comfy boots, and you could bake pie, and I would totally eat it with you, and I would believe you when you told me about the weird things you see. Just don’t ask me to go to that lighthouse with you.“
On Perry + Dex:
“Perry and Dex. Oh, Dex and Perry. Dex, how I found you swoony with your 90′s eyebrow ring, I’ll never know. But somehow, those stormy eyes or yours won me over. But you guys, how you frustrate me with your flirtation and growing feelings for each other! This book keeps you on the edge of your seat asking the ‘will they or won’t they’ question, while building up sexual tension like boiling water in a teapot. All I can say is: they better.“
On the author:
“Halle’s first-person narrative is written in a breezy fashion that instantly made me feel like I could hang out with her protagonist. Perry has the voice of a true young woman –from her strengths to her idiosyncracies– including her sometimes-use of obscure adjectives and flowery description. She also writes some seriously scary shit. Like, not ‘give you nightmares’ scary, but full-on haunting suspense that left my pulse racing on more than one occasion. “
Read the rest HERE I beg ya.
Here’s what Charlie Courtland at Bitsy Bling Books had to say:
Five Stars for Darkhouse — a Rainy Summertime Read
“Darkhouse is seductively entertaining and I’m convinced that it has some secret ingredient (like the sauce on a Big Mac or the coffee beans at Starbucks) that makes it immediately addictive. Red Fox is coming out soon and I simply can’t wait (okay, maybe I’m begging a little) for the author to send me an advanced copy. What makes it so good? Perry is a reliable character: flawed, insecure, impulsive, but despite her own roadblocks she has a determination that the audience can clearly see even if she does not (yet). It is her self-awareness that makes the character appealing, trustworthy and honest.
Darkhouse is an example of a confident and assured author’s ‘voice.’ The writer connects with the characters, deeply understanding and channeling them onto the page. By the end I was convinced Perry was writing this story. I have no doubt that Perry and Dex are real–and they live through author Karina Halle.“
Read the rest of the review HERE at Bitsy Bling Books
The wonderful, colorful Jaki over at The Dog-Eared Page (now sparkly vampire free) wrote a pretty spot-on review of Darkhouse. Here are some excerpts I liked (though I did like all of the review):
“Nice to come across a heroine who can take care of herself, but isn’t some leather-wearing rock chick with gorgeous “raven” hair and “violet” eyes who squeezes herself into tiny sex queen outfits. *grin* And I think that’s what I loved the most about Perry – she’s normal.“
“While the supernatural part of the book – the haunted lighthouse – is essentially what the tale is about, I found myself more drawn in by the characterisation and voices. I loved Perry. She’s so lost in her life, no idea what she wants to do, just fumbling around trying to keep going. She’s funny and smart – but she’s not TOO funny, she’s not a one-liner for every little (or big) thing going on around her.“
“Dex is a strange strange character. Dude, this guy is weird! I honestly couldn’t work him out – one minute I was expecting him to do something totally evil or even mean to Perry, the next I was waiting for him to jump her bones…He’s a character I want to like, but I can’t work out if I do.“
Read the full review HERE.
And Candice over at the Baked in Vancouver blog included pictures(!) in her cute review. Here are some excerpts:
“Right from the start the main character, Perry Palomino, sucks you in with her relatable and sarcastic personality.“
“Not only had Darkhouse turned me into a sexy bitch, but it also left me craving answers. I contemplated paying Karina to tell me what happens at the end, but I know it will be far more interesting to explore and grow with these characters in the books to come. This series will no doubt have more twists then I can even begin to anticipate right now — and that is what a series should be. Addicting.“
Review from Style Symmetry
“I just finished reading Darkhouse by local Vancouver author and first time novelist Karina Halle and I’m wide eyed with my heart racing and itching for more. The main character Perry Palomino is a real person, a hard rock chick who is unsure of herself but willing to take any and all chances that life sends her way. It’s how you know that her life will continue to be exciting and relatable as we watch her grow as the series continues.” - Read the rest of the review HERE
Review from Lemonade Magazine
“Darkhouse tells the story of every day girl, Perry and quasi-web star Dex. The two suddenly become Ghost Hunters of sorts after checking out Perry’s Uncle’s haunted light house.
I LOVED the fact that this book was so raw. Sure the fact that it is published indie gives it a few quirks, such as some typos here and there and such, but let’s be honest folks.…if the entertainment quality is there, who the hell cares? Perry is such a loveable character and a great role model character for young female readers (who aren’t freaked out by scary books too easy) and her relationship with Dex is genius! It’s both relatable and funny, which makes it an enjoyable side story to the page turning paranormal side of Darkhouse.
The book can be pretty scary at times, mostly because of Halle’s way of making the dead both sad and jealous of the living. She paints the scenes very well and even makes you develop a soft spot for some of the more annoying characters (deep down I think Ada is pretty awesome). I really hope people catch on, because I can’t wait for more in this series!”
Review from Munchy’s Place
“As a first book I’d say this sets up the interaction between the major characters very well, at the end you are left wanting more, to know what happens not just in the work between them but also in their personal life.”
REVIEWS FOR RED FOX
“Perry and Dex are two charismatic and slightly crazy characters that carry you in kicking and screaming along for the ride. So far it’s been an awesome ride and I can’t wait to see where they go in the next.” — Naughty Between the Stacks
“The story itself deals with a new adventure or should I say, nightmarish weekend. This time confronting Navajo mythology, including skinwalkers, and framed by a New Mexico setting. Red Fox is unique because although it has a similar thread when compared to Darkhouse (the paranormal) it is not the same story, different setting. I liked the variation from haunting ghosts to Navajo shapeshifters and the characters reactions to the experience through their inexperience” - Bitsy Bling Books
“Once again Halle captivated me with her writing and unforgettable characters, I hope to read many more adventures with her ghost hunting gang and that more creepy stories are to come. I felt that Red Fox wasn’t as scary as Darkhouse but I loved that it was a different paranormal element, having them go on a different mysterious adventure every time is more exciting. Overall I highly recommend the Experiment in Terror series!” — Seeing Night Reviews
“I’ve made it abundantly clear that I loved Book 1 in the Experiment in Terror series, Darkhouse. Because I felt so strongly about that book, I was a little nervous to get started on Book 2, Red Fox. Crises averted, because I loved Red Fox even more (if that’s possible)!…I don’t think, short of being completely ridiculous, I can encourage you more strongly to read this series. It has quickly moved to the top of my favorites list. This book left me dying. I want to read Book 3, Dead Sky Morning, now.” — Bookish Babes
Once again, Candice over at Baked in Vancouver offered her humorous two cents on Red Fox, Book Two in the Experiment in Terror Series.
“As the story develops, we meet some new characters who truly illustrate my favourite parts about both of the novels so far — the dialogue. Karina has a way of writing dialogue that makes it feel like she recorded an actual conversation and then, like a stenographer, replays and writes it out word for word. It makes you feel like you are a fly on the wall, or in this case — a crow in Alburquerque.“
“From the first book, I had formed an opinion of Dex Foray that wasn’t the best. I found him arrogant and a little psychotic and frankly, I thought Perry could do better (even if they aren’t dating…but I’m calling it now). As you make your way deeper into Red Fox, you’re introduced to a softer side of the usually silent man. His vulnerability and new found emotions, made me want Perry to give him a rose at the next Bachelorette rose ceremony so that he sticks around for a bit. The relationship between them heads in all different directions, and believe me when I say that you’ll want to keep up. At one point I wanted to deboard the plane, get chased by a bear and go sit in a tree. Read the book. You’ll want to do that too.“
You can read the rest of the review HERE
REVIEW FOR DEAD SKY MORNING