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Messages From The Dead
"One of the best horror novellas of the year…will define Deluca as a master horror writer for years to come." —TT Zuma, Horror World
Donna had never been like other girls.
She was raised by her enigmatic grandmother, who held séances in her parlor, mystifying strangers who came to their home on smoky summer nights seeking messages from deceased loved ones.
Year later, she's settled into a normal life with her husband Joe, and attending art school at Castell Community College in the evenings with her best friend Andrea. But Castell is much more than a school.
Once home to a children's hospital, the ghosts of the restless dead still roam the darkened hallways, and now they want something from Donna…and they'll stop at nothing to get it…
Donna had never been like other girls.
She was raised by her enigmatic grandmother, who held séances in her parlor, mystifying strangers who came to their home on smoky summer nights seeking messages from deceased loved ones.
Year later, she's settled into a normal life with her husband Joe, and attending art school at Castell Community College in the evenings with her best friend Andrea. But Castell is much more than a school.
Once home to a children's hospital, the ghosts of the restless dead still roam the darkened hallways, and now they want something from Donna…and they'll stop at nothing to get it…
96 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2013
3 people are currently reading
56 people want to read
About the author
Sandy DeLuca
101 books38 followersSandy DeLuca has been a painter since 1985. Her worked has been exhibited in college galleries, hair salons, tattoo parlors, bookstores and traditional galleries. Her art has been purchased throughout the United States, Canada, Asia and Europe. In addition, she has painted cover art and interior art for publications which have reached worldwide audiences.
She has been a writer since the late 80’s, penning nonfiction articles and photography for magazines and newsletters--throughout the 90’s. One of her claims to fame is writing under the pen name Autumn Raindancer. Two of her poetic chants were published under that pen in the popular New Age book TO RIDE A SILVER BROOMSTICK (Silver Ravenwolf).
She created GODDESS OF THE BAY publishing in the late 90’s, producing several anthologies and a string of small press magazines. From 2001 to 2003 she edited and owned DECEMBER GIRL PRESS, producing novels and short story collections.
She was a finalist for the BRAM STOKER for poetry award in 2001 and 2014.
At present she is a fulltime writer and painter. She’s written and published five novels, two poetry collections and several novellas. Her most ecent novella HELL'S DOOR, will be released from DARKFUSE in September, 2013. She is assistant curator at NEW HOPE GALLERY, in Cranston, RI and continues to exhibit her art in local venues.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
July 20, 2013
Sandy Deluca has a distinct writing style which I love. This novella was no exception.
Donna is taking art classes at a local college which used to be a hospital for children. Of course the classes are held at night, which makes the school/hospital even more creepy.
To class, Donna brings with her a past which involves a grandmother holding seances, and having strange meetings in the night.
That's all that I will say about the plot, for fear of spoiling something.
I will say that this novella has some extraordinarily creepy scenes that are going to haunt my dreams for a while. The only problem I had with this story was that it ended too quickly. Nevertheless, I loved the ending. Recommended for fans of ghost stories and dark fiction.
Donna is taking art classes at a local college which used to be a hospital for children. Of course the classes are held at night, which makes the school/hospital even more creepy.
To class, Donna brings with her a past which involves a grandmother holding seances, and having strange meetings in the night.
That's all that I will say about the plot, for fear of spoiling something.
I will say that this novella has some extraordinarily creepy scenes that are going to haunt my dreams for a while. The only problem I had with this story was that it ended too quickly. Nevertheless, I loved the ending. Recommended for fans of ghost stories and dark fiction.
October 5, 2013
I finished Messages From The Dead this morning. This is the third book by Sandy I have read and enjoyed them all. I love the atmosphere she creates while telling her story. You get that eerie, creepy feeling along with the main character as you read the story. I gave it 3 1/2 stars. I enjoyed the journey but wish the ending was better and not so sudden. I think you could of made the story longer and had more details about the hospital (children) and the grandmother and made the ending a little longer. But that's my opinion and that is what reviews are for.
July 24, 2013
A breath.
A breeze.
A subtle movement in the trees.
A voice.
A cry.
A whispered lie.
A stroke.
A touch.
A hold so tight.
Waiting to drag me into the night.
by Nikki
High drama, low impact. A slow boil of a read. The pacing doesn't make you want to stick around.
Although DeLuca's voice is unique, it may be that it is not for me.
A breeze.
A subtle movement in the trees.
A voice.
A cry.
A whispered lie.
A stroke.
A touch.
A hold so tight.
Waiting to drag me into the night.
by Nikki
High drama, low impact. A slow boil of a read. The pacing doesn't make you want to stick around.
Although DeLuca's voice is unique, it may be that it is not for me.
April 3, 2018
3.5*
Donna has grown up with her grandmother Lena who can commune with the dead. Now that Donna is an adult, she finds that the dead also seek her out.
Donna is an aspiring artist who decides to start night classes to work on her art. The college used to be a children's hospital for those suffering from tuberculosis. Once there, Donna starts to experience strange sightings and things take a turn for the worse when her friend Andrea goes missing.
Ms Deluca has created some nice atmosphere with this read, there's nothing creepier than children in a horror story and some of the scenes are quite intense. This read made me question what was reality and what was Donna's visions, hallucinations or dreams. Some things in the book, I feel, aren't explained well enough. Such as why certain people died, what the children wanted and how the occult fitted into the storyline. Some things may have been put in there as red herrings, if they were it was very effective but caused this reader a bit of confusion.
Another issue for me was the pacing, there were some really great scenes where atmosphere was built up nicely but then the story would switch to something different and the atmosphere would be lost. Some more info regarding the hospital and the relationship between Donna and her grandmother would have been great to include as well.
All in all, this was a nice read and I would recommend it for those wanting a creepy ghost story. I look forward to reading some more of Ms DeLuca's work.
Read as one of Darkfuse books of the month.
Donna has grown up with her grandmother Lena who can commune with the dead. Now that Donna is an adult, she finds that the dead also seek her out.
Donna is an aspiring artist who decides to start night classes to work on her art. The college used to be a children's hospital for those suffering from tuberculosis. Once there, Donna starts to experience strange sightings and things take a turn for the worse when her friend Andrea goes missing.
Ms Deluca has created some nice atmosphere with this read, there's nothing creepier than children in a horror story and some of the scenes are quite intense. This read made me question what was reality and what was Donna's visions, hallucinations or dreams. Some things in the book, I feel, aren't explained well enough. Such as why certain people died, what the children wanted and how the occult fitted into the storyline. Some things may have been put in there as red herrings, if they were it was very effective but caused this reader a bit of confusion.
Another issue for me was the pacing, there were some really great scenes where atmosphere was built up nicely but then the story would switch to something different and the atmosphere would be lost. Some more info regarding the hospital and the relationship between Donna and her grandmother would have been great to include as well.
All in all, this was a nice read and I would recommend it for those wanting a creepy ghost story. I look forward to reading some more of Ms DeLuca's work.
Read as one of Darkfuse books of the month.
September 5, 2013
This is the story of Donna. She is sent to be raised by her grandmother after the murder of her mother and abandonment of her father. Lena is no ordinary grandma however, she holds séances and speaks to the dead, and soon Donna realises she has the same gifts. Fast forward a few years and Donna is now a troubled adult., unhappy in her marriage and searching for more to life. She enrols in an art course at Castell Community College. Castell used to be a children's hospital, and the dead are not resting easy. The have an agenda and they need Donna to realise their plans. Plans that will tear at the fabric of Donna's family and soul and send her to the brink of madness....
This started off nicely, setting the scene and giving hints on what was to come. Then like a rocket it took off. I had intended to read half of it and then go to sleep but I could not put it down. It was equally creepy and scary. Donna was solid as the lead, wondering what was going on and vulnerable in her descent into madness. It was a novella but a lot of action was packed into it and the pace kept going until the exciting end. This story made a pleasant change from the dark gore-fests I have been reading lately! If you like creepy ghost stories, then this is definitely for you.
This started off nicely, setting the scene and giving hints on what was to come. Then like a rocket it took off. I had intended to read half of it and then go to sleep but I could not put it down. It was equally creepy and scary. Donna was solid as the lead, wondering what was going on and vulnerable in her descent into madness. It was a novella but a lot of action was packed into it and the pace kept going until the exciting end. This story made a pleasant change from the dark gore-fests I have been reading lately! If you like creepy ghost stories, then this is definitely for you.
July 19, 2013
Sandy DeLuca has an almost "poetic" way with her words. This is a haunting novella of ghostly visions, guilty consciouses, and dark art. Each scene is portrayed so vividly, that you feel a part of Donna, herself, as she stumbles through...trying to make sense out of the world and visions around her. My only complaint would be that the conclusion seemed to come about rather abruptly for my taste, after the tremendous build-up and questions posed along the way. Love her style! Recommended.
February 25, 2014
I think Sandy likes to mess with people's heads. Lol. Great little novella. Check it out.
August 29, 2013
As with all of DeLuca's wonderful stories, this is a captivating and freshly woven tale that you can't put down. I know that's a very over-used phrase, but it is true for her works.
Donna is an artist, a closet lesbian of sorts. Lonely and confused, even after marriage, she decides to return to college and pursue an art career. The college she chooses is local, once a hospital for tubercular children. And she's psychic, which makes for a most interesting mix of elements. And yes, there are ghosts with an evil bent. Ghosts that can reach into this world and inflict pain. You find yourself rooting for Donna to find strength to overcome the evil and realize her own profound psychic powers. Does she manage to overcome them? Read the novella and find out! Two thumbs up! http://www.amazon.com/Messages-from-t...
August 30, 2013
As with all of DeLuca's wonderful stories, this is a captivating and freshly woven tale that you can't put down. I know that's a very over-used phrase, but it is true for her works.
Donna is an artist, a closet lesbian of sorts. Lonely and confused, even after marriage, she decides to return to college and pursue an art career. The college she chooses is local, once a hospital for tubercular children. And she's psychic, which makes for a most interesting mix of elements. And yes, there are ghosts with an evil bent. Ghosts that can reach into this world and inflict pain. You find yourself rooting for Donna to find strength to overcome the evil and realize her own profound psychic powers. Does she manage to overcome them? Read the novella and find out! Two thumbs up! http://www.amazon.com/Messages-from-t...
Donna is an artist, a closet lesbian of sorts. Lonely and confused, even after marriage, she decides to return to college and pursue an art career. The college she chooses is local, once a hospital for tubercular children. And she's psychic, which makes for a most interesting mix of elements. And yes, there are ghosts with an evil bent. Ghosts that can reach into this world and inflict pain. You find yourself rooting for Donna to find strength to overcome the evil and realize her own profound psychic powers. Does she manage to overcome them? Read the novella and find out! Two thumbs up! http://www.amazon.com/Messages-from-t...
July 9, 2013
If you were placing bets on what places in your town were haunted, I'm pretty sure the community college would be about the last place you'd put money on. My community college had all the haunting atmosphere of a telco call center. Castell Community College, on the other hand, is about as creepy as any institution of higher learning could be.
Donna's life was been one heartbreak after the next. As a child, her father abandoned her and her mother. Then her mother was killed by a boyfriend while Donna slept in the adjacent room. Now Donna's married to Jonathan, a good man, but a man she doesn't love anymore. She wants to leave him, but can never bring herself to walk out the door for the last time. Her plan is to hone her skills as a painter by attending the art school at Castell Community College, while saving the money she makes from her artwork to pay for a proper education in New York. But, while Donna might be tormented by guilt in relation to her crumbling marriage, the true torment is building within the walls of the school as spirits seemingly awaken, calling to her.
Messages from the Dead had a very well-designed, modern gothic atmosphere, as Sandy DeLuca presented Donna's tumultuous personal life in juxtaposition to the increasingly morbid hauntings at Castell. With the author also an accomplished painter, that aspect of Donna's life was brought out to full vibrancy. And while DeLuca may not share in Donna's cheating heart or clairvoyant abilities, those were also wrung for all they were worth.
Castell felt utterly ominous, once serving as a children's hospital and site for some atrocities against the children, and more than one mysterious death. If not for Donna's innate ability to see spirits, I might be left to wonder how so many people could attend the school without incident, while Donna's attendance incrementally reveals such a malevolent presence creeping through its corridors. Her instructor, her classmates, the kindly security guard, just about everyone of flesh and bone in the place feels like they could just as easily exist as specters--and perhaps some do--keeping Donna off-balance at every turn.
The novella didn't exactly knock my socks off, it was really hard to put down and had that subtle tone reminiscent of Sara Gran's Come Closer and Sarah Langan's Audrey's Door. The dread comes slowly like a rising tide and you have to ask yourself as you read what will do in Donna first: the ghosts or herself.
Donna's life was been one heartbreak after the next. As a child, her father abandoned her and her mother. Then her mother was killed by a boyfriend while Donna slept in the adjacent room. Now Donna's married to Jonathan, a good man, but a man she doesn't love anymore. She wants to leave him, but can never bring herself to walk out the door for the last time. Her plan is to hone her skills as a painter by attending the art school at Castell Community College, while saving the money she makes from her artwork to pay for a proper education in New York. But, while Donna might be tormented by guilt in relation to her crumbling marriage, the true torment is building within the walls of the school as spirits seemingly awaken, calling to her.
Messages from the Dead had a very well-designed, modern gothic atmosphere, as Sandy DeLuca presented Donna's tumultuous personal life in juxtaposition to the increasingly morbid hauntings at Castell. With the author also an accomplished painter, that aspect of Donna's life was brought out to full vibrancy. And while DeLuca may not share in Donna's cheating heart or clairvoyant abilities, those were also wrung for all they were worth.
Castell felt utterly ominous, once serving as a children's hospital and site for some atrocities against the children, and more than one mysterious death. If not for Donna's innate ability to see spirits, I might be left to wonder how so many people could attend the school without incident, while Donna's attendance incrementally reveals such a malevolent presence creeping through its corridors. Her instructor, her classmates, the kindly security guard, just about everyone of flesh and bone in the place feels like they could just as easily exist as specters--and perhaps some do--keeping Donna off-balance at every turn.
The novella didn't exactly knock my socks off, it was really hard to put down and had that subtle tone reminiscent of Sara Gran's Come Closer and Sarah Langan's Audrey's Door. The dread comes slowly like a rising tide and you have to ask yourself as you read what will do in Donna first: the ghosts or herself.
July 18, 2013
Confession time: I've been somewhat ruined on ghosts after Peter Straub's amazing Ghost Story. Said that about vampires after Matheson's I am Legend and King's Salem's Lot (and of course Stoker's classic) but have still been impressed with a few tales here and there. Don't even get me started on zombies (and yet recently I enjoyed a zombie tale). The point being that any new ghost story I read starts at a reading disadvantage because my mind wants to compare (probably too much) to other great ghost stories rather than evaluate the story on its own merit. I know this definitely impacted my feelings on Joe Hill's Heart-Shaped Box.
That said, the strengths in Sandy DeLuca's Messages From The Dead novella don't derive from the ghost story angle, but in the characterization, particularly the first person narrative, which at first I wasn't sure I'd like (usually, first person POV in horror gives me a letdown in the fear department that the narrator/main character won't die or face enough danger to give me chills). DeLuca skillfully tells a tale about and from a woman, Donna, with a depressing past--something I've noticed as a recurring theme in the author's tales. No problem there, I enjoy reading about fresh, flawed characters.
Donna was raised by her grandmother who held séances. I wondered if the story might go kinda Harry Houdinish (Houdini had a notable career besides magic in unmasking frauds and trying to discover how to communicate with the dead), and I almost hoped that Donna would go that route and try to call fraud on the dead, but instead it was a legitimate (and less creative to this reader) supernatural event.
Fast forward to Donna's adulthood and her encountering a college with a disturbing past (another common DeLuca theme). I found Donna's parts with her past and her grandmother more entertaining than the present and what happened in the college. I also enjoyed Donna's painting (something the author does in real life according to the bio section) and how that fit into the story. The author manages to pull everything together in the ending, making this an unpredictable, enjoyable read. Adding this to the ghost stories I liked file, but not for the reasons most readers probably will. 3.25 stars. 1,562 Kindle locations.
That said, the strengths in Sandy DeLuca's Messages From The Dead novella don't derive from the ghost story angle, but in the characterization, particularly the first person narrative, which at first I wasn't sure I'd like (usually, first person POV in horror gives me a letdown in the fear department that the narrator/main character won't die or face enough danger to give me chills). DeLuca skillfully tells a tale about and from a woman, Donna, with a depressing past--something I've noticed as a recurring theme in the author's tales. No problem there, I enjoy reading about fresh, flawed characters.
Donna was raised by her grandmother who held séances. I wondered if the story might go kinda Harry Houdinish (Houdini had a notable career besides magic in unmasking frauds and trying to discover how to communicate with the dead), and I almost hoped that Donna would go that route and try to call fraud on the dead, but instead it was a legitimate (and less creative to this reader) supernatural event.
Fast forward to Donna's adulthood and her encountering a college with a disturbing past (another common DeLuca theme). I found Donna's parts with her past and her grandmother more entertaining than the present and what happened in the college. I also enjoyed Donna's painting (something the author does in real life according to the bio section) and how that fit into the story. The author manages to pull everything together in the ending, making this an unpredictable, enjoyable read. Adding this to the ghost stories I liked file, but not for the reasons most readers probably will. 3.25 stars. 1,562 Kindle locations.
September 17, 2013
The atmosphere of Messages from the Dead by Sandy DeLuca is what makes this novella a riveting read. First and foremost is the community college and former pediatric hospital for kids with tuberculosis. The corridors lead Donna and the reader into realms of terror. Corners made up entirely of shadows and wisps of smoke, staircases that lead to impossible heights and depths, basements that contain unimaginable instruments of misery. The descriptions are marvelous, and reminded me in many ways of the Overlook Hotel from The Shining. It’s not often where a haunted location comes to life, and Ms. DeLuca pulls it off. There are numerous hauntings (I’ll come back to this later) involving children, troubling adults and missing young women. Many are chilling and quite creative. The present day interactions between Donna and her grandmother, a practitioner of the dark arts, are well presented – as are past reminiscences of Donna’s childhood living with her grandmother.
A note about the passages describing the hauntings. I think there are too many of them. While some are nicely done and are illustrative of how ghost stories can be well written, some are also repetitive and lackluster. I felt that some could be left out, with the result being a couple of strong jolts which stand alone instead of being watered down by additional accounts which were vaguely familiar to previous incidents. An unintended consequence of repeated ghostly visits is that the reader is well ahead of Donna in realizing that certain folks are ghosts (more than a few times, I felt like yelling, “Come on, Donna, get with the program! That’s a ghost! How can you be so dense?”) The author also introduces a minor character towards the end that results in an unnecessary subplot (a sexual relationship), the outcome of which doesn’t do much for the story. As result, when the shocking conclusion arrives, it feels rather abrupt relative to the frequent and repeated hauntings that came previously.
Despite these minor flaws, Messages from the Dead is a blast – a real nifty ghost story.
A note about the passages describing the hauntings. I think there are too many of them. While some are nicely done and are illustrative of how ghost stories can be well written, some are also repetitive and lackluster. I felt that some could be left out, with the result being a couple of strong jolts which stand alone instead of being watered down by additional accounts which were vaguely familiar to previous incidents. An unintended consequence of repeated ghostly visits is that the reader is well ahead of Donna in realizing that certain folks are ghosts (more than a few times, I felt like yelling, “Come on, Donna, get with the program! That’s a ghost! How can you be so dense?”) The author also introduces a minor character towards the end that results in an unnecessary subplot (a sexual relationship), the outcome of which doesn’t do much for the story. As result, when the shocking conclusion arrives, it feels rather abrupt relative to the frequent and repeated hauntings that came previously.
Despite these minor flaws, Messages from the Dead is a blast – a real nifty ghost story.
July 15, 2013
Sandy DeLuca’s novella Messages from the Dead is literally about messages from the dead. Our protagonist Donna has been rather strange of late to say the least. Her grandmother was a medium and held séances to commune with the dead. In an attempt to escape her bizarre upbringing, she marries, has children, and tries to assimilate into “normal” society. The dead however, will not stay quiet. Her university was once the site of a children’s hospital and voices from the grave demand Donna’s attention for their own end.
DeLuca’s writing is crisp and her descriptions are vivid. She draws the reader in with well-executed details. Chapter ten for example, opens with a conversation between Donna and Alex. As Donna describes the horrific deaths in the long-vanished hospital, a feeling of dread and fear rests just below the surface of her prose. DeLuca doesn’t bludgeon the reader with the obvious, but instead allows the characters to explore, uncover, and reveal the dark secrets slowly. Her characters are well-developed, believable, and we feel the growing sense of terror they’re experiencing as the plot develops.
The first-person narrative works well here as we, like Donna, are never sure of the next moment or the next disturbing event. The uncertainty creates a tension throughout the work. My only issue was the length. The story builds to a wonderful climax, but then seems to just end rather abruptly. Rather than develop the ghosts as unique characters, DeLuca chooses to use them more as a collective haunting and the novella becomes focused on the paranormal event rather than character. Had this been flipped, the story might have been drawn out further and developed into a full-length book.
A minor flaw in a great story however. It reads well, moves along quickly, and keeps you in a tense ball of fear. Nicely done.
Originally published at Horror Novel Reviews
DeLuca’s writing is crisp and her descriptions are vivid. She draws the reader in with well-executed details. Chapter ten for example, opens with a conversation between Donna and Alex. As Donna describes the horrific deaths in the long-vanished hospital, a feeling of dread and fear rests just below the surface of her prose. DeLuca doesn’t bludgeon the reader with the obvious, but instead allows the characters to explore, uncover, and reveal the dark secrets slowly. Her characters are well-developed, believable, and we feel the growing sense of terror they’re experiencing as the plot develops.
The first-person narrative works well here as we, like Donna, are never sure of the next moment or the next disturbing event. The uncertainty creates a tension throughout the work. My only issue was the length. The story builds to a wonderful climax, but then seems to just end rather abruptly. Rather than develop the ghosts as unique characters, DeLuca chooses to use them more as a collective haunting and the novella becomes focused on the paranormal event rather than character. Had this been flipped, the story might have been drawn out further and developed into a full-length book.
A minor flaw in a great story however. It reads well, moves along quickly, and keeps you in a tense ball of fear. Nicely done.
Originally published at Horror Novel Reviews
July 8, 2013
Read my full review: http://bit.ly/11uZ6iZ
My opinion: I had heard Ms. DeLuca's name before as she is published by one of my favorite "creepy" publishing houses, Darkfuse Publishing. When the opportunity came for me to review one of her works I jumped at it. I was not disappointed. This will not be the last from this author.
There was a feeling to this novella that had me reminiscing about my favorite ghost writer, Clare McNally. I must admit that, although the characters were well developed, I felt the story was kind of rushed. I would have liked to have seen this longer than the about 100 pages that it was. Gotta say that this short little book had some rockin' twists woven in masterfully.
For $2.99, this book is a bargain. I would EASILY pay that cost and not even blink an eye!
My opinion: I had heard Ms. DeLuca's name before as she is published by one of my favorite "creepy" publishing houses, Darkfuse Publishing. When the opportunity came for me to review one of her works I jumped at it. I was not disappointed. This will not be the last from this author.
There was a feeling to this novella that had me reminiscing about my favorite ghost writer, Clare McNally. I must admit that, although the characters were well developed, I felt the story was kind of rushed. I would have liked to have seen this longer than the about 100 pages that it was. Gotta say that this short little book had some rockin' twists woven in masterfully.
For $2.99, this book is a bargain. I would EASILY pay that cost and not even blink an eye!
July 23, 2013
GOTHIC READERS BOOK CLUB CHOICE AWARD WINNER
Sandy DeLuca's new novella is a classic example of modern Gothic literature. Her protagonist Donna was raised in a strange and mystic household, but she flees from her bizarre upbringing into the 'normal' world of kids, a job, and a marriage. But like many a Gothic tale, she cannot escape the long, dark shadows that lurk just out of sight. Horrors and terror will not remain buried, and Donna must confront her own nightmares as well as those of the distant past. Complete with a hospital and its sinister past, Messages from the Dead is a frightening tale.
If You Like: Henry James, Algernon Blackwood, Sheridan Le Fanu
http://gothicreadersbookclub.blogspot...
Sandy DeLuca's new novella is a classic example of modern Gothic literature. Her protagonist Donna was raised in a strange and mystic household, but she flees from her bizarre upbringing into the 'normal' world of kids, a job, and a marriage. But like many a Gothic tale, she cannot escape the long, dark shadows that lurk just out of sight. Horrors and terror will not remain buried, and Donna must confront her own nightmares as well as those of the distant past. Complete with a hospital and its sinister past, Messages from the Dead is a frightening tale.
If You Like: Henry James, Algernon Blackwood, Sheridan Le Fanu
http://gothicreadersbookclub.blogspot...
August 3, 2016
The thing that stands out most in this novella is DeLuca's writing style. It is sparse and cold which makes the story slightly confusing. I couldn't decide if that was by design or a flaw in the author's style. Either way, the confusion plays well into this story as it follows the heroine as she attempts to understand the haunting events going on around her.
4 STARS
4 STARS
July 15, 2013
Donna is familiar with ghosts after being raised by her grandmother Lena.
Lena talks to the dead.
Years later while attending Castle Community College, Donna realizes that she does too...
A very good novella from Sandy DeLuca. Reads quick with some genuinely creepy moments.
Lena talks to the dead.
Years later while attending Castle Community College, Donna realizes that she does too...
A very good novella from Sandy DeLuca. Reads quick with some genuinely creepy moments.
September 4, 2013
Mixed Messages:
I'd like to begin by saying that I enjoyed the novella and read it quickly in one brief sitting. The pace is good, the atmosphere creepy, and the pages seem to turn themselves. I liked the author's misdirection and the fact that I found myself questioning who was dead and who wasn't. However, as I ended this journey, I found myself left with more questions than answers and would like to address some of what confused me. Messages from the Dead left me perplexed on many levels. Having never read this author's work before, I'm unsure if this was intentional or not, but my instinct says it's not.
SPOILER ALERT: Read no further unless you've read the book and would like to review my discussion of the aforementioned elements.
First, the title didn't seem to quite fit once the punchline, though disjointed as it felt, was revealed. There was no actual message, no advice, no plodding, no clues left by the ghosts, just the main character being threatened and attacked by one ghost and seeing and conversing with several others. If the author was conveying that their message was simply that they wanted to live again, then the title still just doesn't connect those dots since what was actually said and done by these ghosts wouldn't convey such a message to any logical thinker. I believe the ghosts' actions were all purposeful, driving the main character to an intended outcome, but this still causes me to feel as if the word, "messages" is out of place. Perhaps motivations, motives, desires, endgame, fury, or pleas would have been a better word choice.
There was so much more the author could have done with this story; the set-up was phenomenal. It just didn't play out in a manner that felt satisfying, because of too many missed opportunities. It turns out my guesses regarding which characters were living or dead were correct, but it would have been so much better if they hadn't been. I thought for a bit that Donna herself was dead, that grandmother Lana was dead all along, and that perhaps the husband, Joe, might have actually been her deceased father or a deceased husband. It turns out, though, that Joe was an unsubstantial, undeveloped, and unnecessary character. I also thought that perhaps Alex was a ghost at one point, and that maybe the community college didn't exist at all, that it was instead an abandoned hospital, since everyone Donna interacted with at this school, except Alex, was a ghost, or in Andrea's case, eventually became one. I was disappointed that the only item inside the mysterious Victorian box of worth was the photo of Lana and Charlie. This wasn't a big reveal, because I had figured that part out already due to too many literary cues and clues (the man in the room, the man outside on the porch, and the statue belonging to Lana that Charlie claims he gave to someone long ago), but even if I hadn't, it just simply wasn't a big wow moment.
I felt confused by the art theme. It reads a bit like the author's own interest in painting just made it's way into the story, with the mysterious, unexplained and unexplored art deity Mada and "charmed" art supplies having nothing to do with the story at all. A couple extraneous elements can serve as misdirection and are a good way to hide a surprise, but too many of these elements causes a reader like myself to feel lost and confused among what is essentially filler. That's what Mada, charmed art supplies, the missing or deceased father that we never learn anything about, and the out of place husband, Joe, all felt like to me.
The ending itself felt disjointed as well. I get that Lana, Charlie, Ben, and the children were given another chance at life and that, it seems, that Donna herself was given another chance by being made young again, but this outcome feels as if it belongs in another story, one with a different set-up. My favorite part of the ending, though, is the idea that this cycle could have repeated itself numerous times. I asked myself, "Wouldn't it be awesome if Donna hadn't been fully aware of events when she looked into the mirror finding herself a child again?" but this idea didn't come directly from the author and is yet another missed opportunity.
Overall, I have to give it 3 stars. I'd give it 3 1/2 stars if I could, because the pace and set-up are worth 4, but as a whole, because of the unaddressed items, too many extraneous elements and confusing filler, I have to give it 3. It's worth a read, absolutely, but it's just simply not cohesive. The novella is more like multiple ideas strung together than a finished piece.
DISCLAIMER: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I'd like to begin by saying that I enjoyed the novella and read it quickly in one brief sitting. The pace is good, the atmosphere creepy, and the pages seem to turn themselves. I liked the author's misdirection and the fact that I found myself questioning who was dead and who wasn't. However, as I ended this journey, I found myself left with more questions than answers and would like to address some of what confused me. Messages from the Dead left me perplexed on many levels. Having never read this author's work before, I'm unsure if this was intentional or not, but my instinct says it's not.
SPOILER ALERT: Read no further unless you've read the book and would like to review my discussion of the aforementioned elements.
First, the title didn't seem to quite fit once the punchline, though disjointed as it felt, was revealed. There was no actual message, no advice, no plodding, no clues left by the ghosts, just the main character being threatened and attacked by one ghost and seeing and conversing with several others. If the author was conveying that their message was simply that they wanted to live again, then the title still just doesn't connect those dots since what was actually said and done by these ghosts wouldn't convey such a message to any logical thinker. I believe the ghosts' actions were all purposeful, driving the main character to an intended outcome, but this still causes me to feel as if the word, "messages" is out of place. Perhaps motivations, motives, desires, endgame, fury, or pleas would have been a better word choice.
There was so much more the author could have done with this story; the set-up was phenomenal. It just didn't play out in a manner that felt satisfying, because of too many missed opportunities. It turns out my guesses regarding which characters were living or dead were correct, but it would have been so much better if they hadn't been. I thought for a bit that Donna herself was dead, that grandmother Lana was dead all along, and that perhaps the husband, Joe, might have actually been her deceased father or a deceased husband. It turns out, though, that Joe was an unsubstantial, undeveloped, and unnecessary character. I also thought that perhaps Alex was a ghost at one point, and that maybe the community college didn't exist at all, that it was instead an abandoned hospital, since everyone Donna interacted with at this school, except Alex, was a ghost, or in Andrea's case, eventually became one. I was disappointed that the only item inside the mysterious Victorian box of worth was the photo of Lana and Charlie. This wasn't a big reveal, because I had figured that part out already due to too many literary cues and clues (the man in the room, the man outside on the porch, and the statue belonging to Lana that Charlie claims he gave to someone long ago), but even if I hadn't, it just simply wasn't a big wow moment.
I felt confused by the art theme. It reads a bit like the author's own interest in painting just made it's way into the story, with the mysterious, unexplained and unexplored art deity Mada and "charmed" art supplies having nothing to do with the story at all. A couple extraneous elements can serve as misdirection and are a good way to hide a surprise, but too many of these elements causes a reader like myself to feel lost and confused among what is essentially filler. That's what Mada, charmed art supplies, the missing or deceased father that we never learn anything about, and the out of place husband, Joe, all felt like to me.
The ending itself felt disjointed as well. I get that Lana, Charlie, Ben, and the children were given another chance at life and that, it seems, that Donna herself was given another chance by being made young again, but this outcome feels as if it belongs in another story, one with a different set-up. My favorite part of the ending, though, is the idea that this cycle could have repeated itself numerous times. I asked myself, "Wouldn't it be awesome if Donna hadn't been fully aware of events when she looked into the mirror finding herself a child again?" but this idea didn't come directly from the author and is yet another missed opportunity.
Overall, I have to give it 3 stars. I'd give it 3 1/2 stars if I could, because the pace and set-up are worth 4, but as a whole, because of the unaddressed items, too many extraneous elements and confusing filler, I have to give it 3. It's worth a read, absolutely, but it's just simply not cohesive. The novella is more like multiple ideas strung together than a finished piece.
DISCLAIMER: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
July 31, 2013
Review originally published here: http://www.iheartreading.net/reviews/...
Donna’s grandma was way into spirits. She claimed to be a medium and held séances in her parlor, all while Donna watched and learned more about the spirit life. However, Donna tries to stay as far away from the dead as possible. When she grows up, she gets married, and does everything to have a normal life. Things start to go wrong when she starts attending art school at Castell Community College. Castell isn’t a regular school. It was once a children’s hospital, and nowadays the hallways are still crowded with those dead children’s souls…
I’m usually a big fan of ghosts. I love ghost stories, in all shapes and forms. However, Messages from the Dead was a giant dissapointment for me. There’s no suspense build up. The book starts out with showing us the ghosts almost right away, and we learn early on Donna’s community college was once a children’s hospital, still haunted by the dead. There was no giant mystery to solve. A lot of things that should’ve had a purpose, didn’t. So many things were completely radom, which was terribly annoying. The story also felt rushed, like the author had wanted to finish it as quickly as possible.
A lot of people seem to like the novella, but for me it didn’t have a lot of qualities. The first person narrative worked somewhat well, but didn’t entirely convince me. There wasn’t enough tension. The story was predictable, and at times, boring. The ghosts weren’t scary at all. I felt like the character, Donna, wasn’t really developed, too many things were left unsolved, and in general, this book just didn’t work for me.
Donna’s grandma was way into spirits. She claimed to be a medium and held séances in her parlor, all while Donna watched and learned more about the spirit life. However, Donna tries to stay as far away from the dead as possible. When she grows up, she gets married, and does everything to have a normal life. Things start to go wrong when she starts attending art school at Castell Community College. Castell isn’t a regular school. It was once a children’s hospital, and nowadays the hallways are still crowded with those dead children’s souls…
I’m usually a big fan of ghosts. I love ghost stories, in all shapes and forms. However, Messages from the Dead was a giant dissapointment for me. There’s no suspense build up. The book starts out with showing us the ghosts almost right away, and we learn early on Donna’s community college was once a children’s hospital, still haunted by the dead. There was no giant mystery to solve. A lot of things that should’ve had a purpose, didn’t. So many things were completely radom, which was terribly annoying. The story also felt rushed, like the author had wanted to finish it as quickly as possible.
A lot of people seem to like the novella, but for me it didn’t have a lot of qualities. The first person narrative worked somewhat well, but didn’t entirely convince me. There wasn’t enough tension. The story was predictable, and at times, boring. The ghosts weren’t scary at all. I felt like the character, Donna, wasn’t really developed, too many things were left unsolved, and in general, this book just didn’t work for me.
July 29, 2013
I enjoyed this short novella as it has Donna who had an odd upbringing. Tragedy has surrounded her, by her father leaving her and her mother, then her mother being killed by a boyfriend while she slept. Donna's grandmother then takes her in, and she is a medium who has seances and communes with the dead. Donna then marries and to get away from an unhappy marriage enrolls in school so she can enhance her artistic abilities as a painter with the idea using her artwork to save and pay for school in New York. School is definitely not what she expected. She sees spirits, and all are not welcoming. Very good story, plenty of scare to keep you up reading at night! Just keep the shades drawn and the lights on!
September 10, 2013
Another awesome Sandy DeLuca novella! I truly enjoy how the main character, Donna, became so lifelike and believable for me. I started this early afternoon and lost the next three and a half hours as I disappeared into the story.
Donna is a wife, a hard worker, an artist, and has a dream to go to art school – a dream that comes true for her.
From her first day at Castell Community College things feel a little off for her. She begins to see things that are not there, talk to those who no longer exist, and tries not to crumble under the pressure from her art teacher Alex.
The ending was nowhere near what I would have expected, but after reading another novella from the same author I should have expected it. For me, it fit very well with her style of writing.
Donna is a wife, a hard worker, an artist, and has a dream to go to art school – a dream that comes true for her.
From her first day at Castell Community College things feel a little off for her. She begins to see things that are not there, talk to those who no longer exist, and tries not to crumble under the pressure from her art teacher Alex.
The ending was nowhere near what I would have expected, but after reading another novella from the same author I should have expected it. For me, it fit very well with her style of writing.
July 30, 2014
Donna is taking an art class at night at a local college that used to be a hospital for children where experiments were performed on them. Things are going fairly well for her until she starts encountering children there that seem to be missing for years. The creepiness factor starts when she realizes that some of the people she interacts with are not living and the can still hurt her and want something from her.
This is my first novella by Ms. DeLuca and I absolutely loved her style of writing. The words flowed perfectly and kept me wanting to read more. I did find the ending rather abrupt and open to interpretation though.
This is my first novella by Ms. DeLuca and I absolutely loved her style of writing. The words flowed perfectly and kept me wanting to read more. I did find the ending rather abrupt and open to interpretation though.
October 13, 2014
I was given a copy from the publisher for an honest review.
This felt a little disjointed to me. I had no problem getting into the story. The plot is interesting. I felt the characters could have developed more, I felt. I didn't connect with any of the characters. Just not sure at this point what it was I read.
This felt a little disjointed to me. I had no problem getting into the story. The plot is interesting. I felt the characters could have developed more, I felt. I didn't connect with any of the characters. Just not sure at this point what it was I read.
August 4, 2014
Creepy and spooky with lots of twirling, swirling, twisting, rising and disappearing fog, smoke, and mist. A haunted college that at one time was a tuberculosis hospital for children. These children are waiting for just the right person to come along to release them from their horrors.
And she does come and her name is Donna....
And she does come and her name is Donna....
October 4, 2013
Full disclosure, I only got through 3/4 of the book, but just couldn't go any further. I was into the storyline, but the writing is so choppy and all over the place, I was finding myself more irritated than entertained.
July 19, 2013
Beautiful imagery at time but overwrought.
If it had been any longer, I wouldn't have been able to finish.
My least favorite Dark Fuse title to date.
If it had been any longer, I wouldn't have been able to finish.
My least favorite Dark Fuse title to date.
May 1, 2014
Excellent ghost story. Creepy atmosphere and interesting characters. Highly recommended.
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