The Harvest
I felt hooked from the beginning when Katrina was delivering the music boxes to each family member, preying on their unique fears and phobias. Through the box delivery, the personality of each character was also brought out. Cadwyn is physically tough with a heart of gold. Mina is hyper focused and a skeptic of the Bell Witch legend. Bathsheba is demanding and intense and cares only about herself and her dog. Osgood is trying to figure out who to put his trust in for survival. Once the four chosen members enter the woods, the pace picks up. I enjoyed seeing of the ways that Katrina came up to terrify the family, where their keys were ultimately hidden and the changing dynamics of the group in the wood. The Bell farm was particularly grotesque as well as the location of Bathsheba's key. I definitely want to know more about Katrina, it seems that she was an actual Witch and tricked the Bell family even when she was alive and then got angry that they prospered anyway. I would be interested in hearing more from her side of the story or seeing the four families finally getting revenge for the centuries of torture and deaths.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
Sacrificial Grounds
Sacrificial Grounds is the second book in the Bell Witch series and I would highly recommend reading book one first in order to get to know the characters and what they went through. Sacrificial Grounds dives right into the action as Basheba and Mina work out their relationship. I was really glad that this book dove more into the characters, especially Basheba. More of Basheba's family history is revealed along with the intense training she received from a young age that makes her a brutal warrior against the witch and the events of her past that have created her persona. More of the history of the Bell Witch herself is also disclosed, along with the Witch's influence on the town of Black River. This book is more of a fight against the humans who reap the benefits of keeping the Bell Witch happy; however, this does not mean that there is any less gore or supernatural activity. Basheba shows off exactly how much of a killing machine she really is and while the Witch is not at her strongest, she is still able to send a message to the four descendants of her accusers. I'm really interested to see what happens now that they have tried to end the curse.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
The Witch Cave
I really enjoyed the first two books of the Bell Witch series and would highly recommend reading those first in order to understand the Witch, her harvest and what builds the unwavering relationship between these four characters. The Witch Cave amps up the intensity with the group trying to outwit both Katrina and the cult. All of the characters are still wonderful and continue to grow. I enjoyed seeing Mina stands up to her family once again and tries to learn everything she can about how to kill a ghost. Ozzie uses his family's money for good and learns how to deep sea dive as he comes to the realization that he is not the weakest link in the group. Cadwyn continued to amaze me with his levelheadedness, caring and medical skill. I appreciated learning more about his time caring foris little brother, Abraham after his trial in the Witch Woods. This gave a lot of insight into his character as well as showed Katrina's power as she transported Cadwyn back to the abandoned psychiatric hospital in Massachusetts where Abraham spent his last days. Basheba also continued to be a fierce powerhouse along with her dog Buck. More of her history is revealed along with her families entanglements with the darker side of humanity and a creature called the Leviathan. The writing continuously builds apprehension as fearsome creatures and obstacles created especially for each character get in their way. The story ends with an unexpected bang and I can't wait to see what the next book brings.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
Spring Slaughter
Spring Slaughter is the fourth book in the Bell Witch series and I would definitely recommend reading these books in sequential order to get to know the characters, their relationships and the history of the Bell Witch. As the book opened, I was glad to see Basheba and Cadwyn's relationship enduring even if it is highly unconventional. Mina and Ozzie have grown a lot since the first book and have proved themselves useful to the group in unexpected ways. The threat for this book isn't as direct as the other books. It seems as if Katrina is back to her old tricks in a different way, but the relationship with Claudia is confusing. The suspense is masterfully built as with the other books in the series with the horror creeping in and then crashing down in gory glory. I liked that we learned a little bit more about Basheba's Kraken as well as some of the feelings of the family elders. It was interesting to see Basheba and Cadwyn put at a bit of a disadvantage while the others had to come to their aid. The ending might have taken care of the immediate threat but left everyone with a lot more questions than answers, I can't wait to dive into the next book.
The Leviathan
The Leviathan is the fifth book in The Bell Witch series and definitely needs to be read in order. The Leviathan jumps right into the action with ghastly hauntings and gory minotaur attacks and doesn't let up as the group faces multiple demons, the wrath of the kraken, Basheba's grandmother's snake, demon dogs and multiple ghosts of the people offered up to the kraken over the years. The Leviathan shows us a big dose of insight into the mysteries of Basheba's Allaway side of the family and her home. I enjoyed exploring The Leviathan and it's hidden passageways even if each nook and cranny offered up another horror. I was amazed at Basheba's secrets and her history with the kraken. Through their trials at the Leviathan, the group strengthens in their dedication to one another as they have to make difficult decisions about survival. With some big changes and new knowledge, I can't wait to see what is in store for them in the last book of the series.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.