Title: Love Notes
From Vinegar House
Author: Karen
Tayleur
Publisher: Black
Dog Books/Walker Books
Release Date: May
1st 2012
Rating: 3 out of
5
Description: “There are some things you should know
about me if we are going to be friends. Like I don’t believe in ghosts.”
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? This is a book
for readers who believe in ghosts, for readers who disbelieve, and for those
who are still sitting on the fence
Love Notes From Vinegar House by
Karen Tayleur is an enjoyable Aussie read with a creepy gothic atmosphere, suspicious
characters, and a witty perceptive protagonist.
Freya is stuck at Vinegar house
for the holidays with her grandmother due to unforseen circumstances. Whilst
staying at the house strange occurrences, mysterious notes, and hidden secrets
in the locked attic start to affect its residents. Also adding to Freya’s
misery is the presence of her unpleasant cousin Rumer, a gloomy live-in
companion and her long time crush Luke Hart. Despite the peculiar ghost mystery
and the gothic atmosphere, the book was not as frightening as I thought it
would be. However the book’s setting at Vinegar House is certainly eerie and
frightening, allowing the old, crumbling, gothic structure with its sordid past
appear as a prominent character instead of just a backdrop.
The majority of the book is made
up of anecdotal stories Freya recalls about her family and the house. The plot
moves steadily setting up the mystery then picks up steam towards the last 20%
where the actual mystery unfolds. The strength of this story is in the
fantastic familial relationships that Karen has created. The childhood stories
that Freya reminisces about were endearing and reminded me about my own
childhood. It’s nice to read a story with strong family ties where the
relationships felt very authentic and genuine.
Freya has a great voice full of
sarcasm and a great sense of humour that helps pull the reader into the story.
Freya has a lot to deal with, and she handles the situation rationally and
courageously. Rumer was portrayed
as a very selfish bratty older member of the family. Grandma Vinegar and Mrs
Skelton with their old, cranky ways and rules were very entertaining. The
romantic relationship between Freya and Luke seemed a little rushed to me. Their
misunderstandings were overcome very easily to coincide with the ending. The
book also had an inclination to tell us about the characters feeling instead of
showing us.
Love Notes At Vinegar House is a fast
fun read with a gothic atmosphere and spooky mystery. Like the book suggests,
maybe it will convince you to believe in ghosts.
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