Review: Nearly Departed

Title: Nearly Departed
Author: Rook Hastings
Series: Weirdsville #1
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication date: 04 February 2010
Paperback: 266 pages
Y.A: Horror
My rating: 5/10

Summary:

'I've seen a ghost,' said Emily.
'Well not seen one exactly. Heard one. At least, I think I have...'

Woodsville is not like other towns. Night falls a little earlier there, the shadows are darker and denser, and everyone knows it's a place where strange things happen. Even if they won't admit it.

Bethan would prefer to be anywhere but here. Jay has his theories, but isn't ready to share. Hashim sees more than he'll say, while Kelly's demons are all too flesh and blood. But Emily's freak-out brings them out of denial and face to face with the supernatural.

Anywhere else, Friday night would be date night. But not in Weirdsville...

My thoughts:

Initially I thought this would be a really creepy weird read based on the beginning which - I'll be honest - freaked me out!

I wanted the book to carry on the way it did but sadly I got more and more disappointed. It was one of those situations where I really didn't want to carry on reading but I was already half way through so felt obligated to.

Initially the characters were really fun to read about. There was Hashim who was the class looker and loved to crack unfunny jokes and there was Jay, the class geek with insane theories on the world as we know it. Beth, who thought the students were all a joke and Kelly, miss popularity. They were all completely the opposite which made for great scenes in the book.

The problem for me was that the story itself was too cheesy. It was easily ignored at first but as I read on it became a little unbearable. There were just too many clichés.

It did have it's creepy parts though. Nearly Departed is a book that shouldn't be read before bedtime that's for sure!

Overall it was a great read until about half way through where it becomes an overload of cheese. Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be reading the next in the series.

Rook Hastings:

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