Wednesday, 19 September 2012
Published May 1, 2012 by Walker Books Australia
Source: the publisher
Rating: 4 paws
From the blurb: Freya Jackson Kramer has done some stupid things before, but this is the first time they’ve been splashed across Facebook. When she escapes to Vinegar House for the holidays, she thinks she’s leaving her troubles behind. But Freya’s troubles are just beginning.
How will she deal with her manipulative cousin, Rumer? How can she avoid the ex-love of her life, Luke Hart? And what secrets lie in the locked attic?
Love Notes from Vinegar House by Karen Tayleur is set in a
seaside village called Homsea. Freya Jackson Kramer has lived there all her
life. Unfortunately her Nanna, who lives overseas, becomes ill and her mother
and father take off to visit her. Freya gets sent to stay with her Grandmother
Florence at Vinegar House, the creepy old family home up on a cliff, just
outside of town. While there Freya has to put up with her bossy cousin, Rumor,
and the boy she used to love, Luke as well as odd occurrences.
I knew was going to enjoy this book from the very first
page. Freya’s personality leapt out at me and I found her to be funny and
entertaining. She’s a middle child and has grown up visiting Vinegar House for
family occasions with her parents, siblings and extended family. When she was
little she couldn’t wait to grow up so she could play with the big kids, her
older sister Isabella, as well as her cousins, including bossy Rumor. The
adults have always referred to Rumor as having ‘special circumstances’ but
Freya has never known what that meant, other than something to do with Rumor’s
mother dying when she was young.
Freya refers to a recent incident that occurred at a party
recently so she’s not too upset that Vinegar House doesn’t have internet as she
wants to stay away from Facebook, sure that everyone hates her. Unfortunately
it means she doesn’t have a lot to do while staying with her Grandmother. The house
is very old and felt incredibly creepy. It’s cold, damp, creaky and odd things
start happening while Freya and Rumor are staying there; taps running and
splashing sounds coming from a bathroom, as well as flashes of light in the
attic which is always kept locked. Freya is also upset because Luke, her old
crush, is working at Vinegar House and she is sure that he and Rumor are back
together, once again making her feel left out.
We learn a lot about Freya, Luke and her cousins via
flashbacks to previous holidays at the beach and at Vinegar House. Rumor has
always been vying for control and comes across as quite mean; I kept picturing
her as Sasha from the new tv show, Bunheads.
I kept waiting for this to be really scary but instead it
was creepy, thrilling and I was in suspense for most of the novel. I liked the intricacies
of the relationships between different family members and felt that the mystery
came together well at the end. I thought the setting was really well done, I
could easily picture the beachy town of Homsea and I felt like I was staying in
Vinegar House with Freya, walking down dark passageways and breathing in that
old house scent.
Love Notes from Vinegar House is a wonderful blend of contemporary
and gothic fiction, with an intriguing mystery and an adorable main character,
it’s sure to please readers of YA.
Thank you to the wonderful people at Walker Books Australia
for my review copy.
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24 comments:
Gosh, this sounds AMAZING Mandee! I've had my eye on this one for awhile actually and while I did think it would be really creepy like you, I'm glad it was a novel with rich relationships and a compelling mystery as that always draws me in more than a horror story. I also love that feeling when you know, just from the first page itself, that you're going to love a book. It's such a fantastic feeling to have when picking up a novel and Freya truly seems to be a character I'm going to love! Wonderful, wonderful review, dear! You've convinced me that I need to buy this one ASAP! :)
This definitely sounds intriguing! I'd love to check it out, if only because I'd love to learn more about Freya's character.
I am pretty sure I remarked on this somewhere but I do like the name of this book! It really does sound creepy, I think it certain cases it's even more chilling than being scared. Freya sounds fab! Lovely review, Mandee. :D
Ooh, this looks good. When will people learn -- nothing good ever comes from an attic!
Oh crap, I almost bought this but I didn't! I remember Shirley really liked this one, but the blurb doesn't really give you a good sense of what the book is about. Seeing your review and the magic word "gothic" makes me wish I'd purchased it. Grrrr.
Wendy @ The Midnight Garden
new2 me. new2m. i want . gr8 review
Oh my gosh, I'm so intrigued by the sound of this book! I can't tell if it's paranormal or not which I LOVE. It seems like it could go either way, trying to confuse you along the way. I'm not a big fan of scary but I definitely enjoy a bit of creepy/thrilling here and there. Thanks for bringing this book to my attention it's officially going on my tbr list.
Okay, this book is skipping the wish list and going straight to the shopping car, it sounds really amazing :D
Thanks so much for putting it on my radar.
:D
I love the sound of this book! I've only read a small handful of review for it, but all of them have been positive. The creepy description of the house is really appealing to me right now. :) Brilliant review, Mandee!
Oooh this one looks amazing! It sounds like I would absolutely love it.
Also, I love the title so much. <3
Wonderful review, Mandee!
Wow, this sounds really awesome! :)
And I definitely think I could relate to it.
I like the creepy aspect of the story.
Wonderful review!
Gothic contemporary YA fiction you say?
SOLD.
Freya sounds like my kind of character as well. :-)
This does sound fantastic. I like that Freya has a fun and entertaining personality. And I wonder what's up with Rumor. I'll have to try and track this down sometime. Thanks for introducing it!
Ooh this sounds really good. I'm glad it's not creepy and suspenseful instead of downright scary. The house makes me think of the one in The Woman in Black (at least the Dan Radcliffe version, since that's the only one I've seen...haha).
-Lauren
Oooh, I love creepy suspenseful reads. This one sounds really good. I like that even though she's trying to hide from some things, she'll have to face others to get some peace. Really interesting.
I can never resist a creepy story, especially when it's so well done. I think I want to meet Freya too, she sounds like an amazing heroine. I don't remember ever seeing this book before, thanks for bringing it to my attention. I have to get a copy somehow.
Wonderful review!
Ohh I have seen this one floating around the bookstore I work in, and I have picked it up to read the back a couple of times and put it back down. But now that I know you read it and enjoyed it, I might just have to finally buy it! PS. A HARDBACK VERSION OF SECOND CHANCE SUMMER - MORGAN MATSON AND YOU HAVEN'T READ IT?! *twitch* You must read it!! :D
- Amy
Following the Reader
I love beach towns. And I know I'm super weird but old creepy houses on cliffs are so cool and pretty to me! LOL I would love to live in one! Really curious about the odd occurrences going on.
I haven't heard of this book before now but it sounds really intriguing and so mysterious! Freya sounds like a great main character and one I would quite enjoy.
This one is definitely going on my TBR pile - thanks for sharing your wonderful review.
This sounds interesting, a nice creepy read. Lovely review, hopefully this one makes it to the states.
Oh this sounds fun, a great main character and a creepy suspensful setting with lots of atmospheric tension! Awesome!
Sometimes it takes time to warm up to the protagonist, so I love that Freya won you over from the first page! Creepy, haunting houses kind of excite me too... well, reading about them does. Not so sure actually being in one would :P You have made me really, really intrigued to read this. Fantastic review! Definitely on my book-radar now :D
This sounds like a lovely read Mandee. Freya seems to be a very likeable character and i love that Facebook has been used as a catalyst for her down fall.
What an interesting title!! Not heard of this one. Creepy and thrilling, sounds interesting yet not scary:D
Mich
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