I read each episode as they were published, and was thrilled when they were all compiled together and I could re-read them in chunks. It only got better the second time through, too. Purrazzi's writing really shines with character development, and Kyle was one heck of a main character. He was immature at parts, yes, but you could also sense the emotional distress he was experiencing as he searched for his missing brother. He's willing to go to any lengths to figure out what happened, and I would imagine that if I was in his position, I would start losing my mind, too.
The stories are downright scary, but not in an overdone type of way, which is my main complaint when I read this genre. It was well-balanced, and I found myself sucked into the story without being scared out of it. There are heart-pounding moments, then moments that give you time to breathe, and moments that let you into the family dynamics. And that is really what this story is about: family. The theme is explored in multiple ways: parents/adult children, siblings (brothers in particular), stepparents... all of these are so well done you sometimes forget you're reading a horror serial. Well, until the terrifying, creepy scenes.
My favorite story of the series was The Coal Mansion. The setting was a southern estate. The ghosts? Slaves. I mean seriously. Creepy vibes GALORE.
I highly recommend this series to anyone who is a fan of psychological thrillers, scary ghost stories, and well-written characters. The side nod to EAP (The Raven is still one of my all-time favorite poems) is subtle yet classic. The series is also on Kindle Unlimited, which was a plus for me. Happy reading, friends!
