ARC Review: The Lies of Alma Blackwell by Amanda Glaze

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Lies of Alma Blackwell by Amanda Glaze
Published by Union Square and Co on August 27, 2024
Genres: YA Paranormal
Pages: 384
Source: the publisher
Format: ARC
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My Rating:

Blurb:

Atmospheric and sweepingly romantic, this gothic mystery tells the story of a girl poised to inherit a famously haunted California mansion and a stranger who arrives with a dark warning…

For over a century, the Blackwells have protected the town of Hollow Cliff from vengeful spirits.

Seventeen-year-old Nev is ready to take over for her ailing grandmother as the town’s witch protector—unlike her mother, who left when Nev was a child and never looked back.

When a stranger arrives at Blackwell House of Spirits to fill a tour guide opening, Nev reluctantly offers him the job.

Nev doesn’t trust Cal. He knows more than he’s letting on about Blackwell House—and about Nev herself.

But Nev soon learns that she has been lied to her whole life. By following the trail of clues left behind in Blackwell House by her most powerful witch ancestor, Nev uncovers an unspeakable legacy of murder and lies…and realizes that a stranger may be the one person she can trust.

My Review

This was a very interesting and unique tale. There were some twists I didn’t see coming, and some things I thought were going to be one way, but I was overthinking as I read. In the end I was kind of just completely satisfied with the uniqueness of the story and the mystery.

There were a lot of twists and turns, both for the characters and for me as I tried to figure out what was going on. We start out with one story of why the town is cursed and why people end up drowning, etc. Although I didn’t quite get the answer on that like I was expecting when all was revealed at the end. The history of the people who died, and the family, the Blackwell family who set up the wards/spell/charms to save the rest of the town of course had it’s own version changed by the people who were behind it all.

The first time that Nev gets a vision that links her to the path and some unknown people and facts about the beloved Alma is of course a scary time for her. And it is confusing as to why she ends up almost jumping out of the window of the house. But thank goodness for Cal being there to save her. Like Nev, I was frustrated with Cal keeping things and being mysterious, although at one point, his reasoning becomes clear, it’s more than just not telling her to not upset her. It really is not telling her to keep her safe, physically/mentally safe.

While the town itself was very interesting and added to the setting and atmosphere of the story, for me it was the visions of the past, of when it all began, and who really started it, that grabbed my attention and hooked me. I kept hoping for more of that time, because there were the really evil people, and the really dramatic storyline. Of course I felt for Nev when she finds out a secret about her mother and grandmother, and that also added to the suspense and emotion.

The cover of this book is definitely the tone of the story, and I really enjoyed this book. It’s another I can’t wait to share with my students in my school library. When I realized that this author also wrote another book I really enjoyed, The Second Death of Edie and Violet Bond, then I understood why this was so good!