Witch (The Cursed Manuscripts) Paperback – May 13, 2021

My social media is flooded with new books, authors, and special offers. Back in May, I saw an ad for Iain Rob Wright’s Witch. I got it and put in in my TBR pile. Well, two nights ago I decided to plunge in.Jude and Ashley are two friends coming to the end of their Summer vacation from school. They are bored, and just passing the days away with nothing to do but hang out, spit on cars as they pass under a bridge, and kick aluminum cans. They are looking for just a bit of excitement, something out of the ordinary. They are chased by a group of bullies into a place that is known as the “Devil’s Den”, a group of trees that stand are at the bottom of a steep hill. Desperate to get away from the bullies, they go into the trees and find an abandoned farmhouse. Curiosity gets the better of them and they go inside. In one of the rooms, they find a woman bound to the ground by chains made of bone. They want to help her, leave to go home, and call the police. Upon investigation, the police find no one in the house and the kids are in trouble for a prank call. The kids go back the next day to help her, and soon the police become the least of their problems.I would love to tell more, but then that would spoil the book.Take it from me, if you are a fan of horror fiction, then this is a must-read. Mr. Wright has a talent for ratcheting up the tension until he snaps the spring and takes you along for the ride. At first, you are a willing participant, but then you realize that you are in a trap you cannot get out of. I needed to see how this one ended and just kept going through pages like potato chips. This one had all of the classic hallmarks of a really good horror story: Blood, gore, goo, witches, and a couple of kids caught up in a whirlwind of trouble. More importantly, it held my attention from beginning to end.I give this book 5 very enthusiastic bookmarks out of 5!

Iain Rob Wright is one of my favorite writers. He is reliable, consistent, and an amazing storyteller. For me, this is what saves this novel. I just couldn’t get into the plot and had to ask myself who this was targeting.... I am going to lean towards young adults. It’s not that the story was bad... just not for me. It was also a very short story. In this case, that was a good thing as I breezed right through it. Honestly, this should probably be a three star rating, but as Iain is awesome and such a superb storyteller, I will up my rating to a four.Let’s put it this way:1. You’re a twenty-something year old, and like slow, atmospheric horror like The Witch, It Follows, It Comes At Night, Wicker Man, etc... and have never read an Iain Rob Wright story..... GO FOR IT!Otherwise, Iain has a solid catalog of excellent novels and series that you can really dig into. Any of his other books are much better choice than this one, and I can highly recommend any of his series.

Overall, it was a good read but the ending was abrupt and left you with many questions regarding the main characters. What happens next? Is Ashley now the witch?

If you’re a fan of Iain Rob Wright’s work, and you are looking for something just a little different, this may fit that bill for you. A lot of readers and some reviewers are hung-up on the title including ‘The Cursed Manuscripts’ and there being nothing in the book about said manuscripts…this really wasn’t an issue for me as I just assumed this was a story in reference to just one of those manuscripts (I have enough of an imagination to allow myself to think beyond the pages and believe that there are actually hidden manuscripts out there that once read will cause strange things to occur).This was a highly entertaining, fast paced adventure down dark wooded paths to places not known by or previously explored by the main characters. The atmosphere is sinister and eerie with just enough twists and turns to make you keep your eyes open for what’s coming up ahead. A page turner that doesn't disappoint.From the back cover - “The Summer holidays are here and school’s out, but boredom quickly sets in for the penniless kids of the Redsow housing estate. In an effort to escape some local bullies, best friends, Ashley and Jude, decide to brave Devil’s Ditch, a place deep in the woods that everyone says is haunted.At first, everything seems fine, but then they discover an old farmhouse covered in weeds. There’s a naked woman chained up inside. Her name is Rose, and there’s something not quite right about her.”

This story has a strong, solid plot with well developed characters. It held my interest. I did notice that the language was a little thin. What I mean by this is the quality of the descriptive language used by the author. For example, Anne Rice in "Interview with the Vampire" gave extremely detailed and flowery descriptions of the sights and sounds of New Orleans as the settings for the book. The clothes the characters wore, their physical appearance were very specifically described so that you could practically see, feel, hear, and even smell the scenes. I found the descriptions in this book were a little thin. Otherwise, I found the book enjoyable. I'll continue with the series.

This story was better than l expected. The plot was consistent, but the ending had a twist I never saw coming! Well written!!

Really good story & fast read for me. Had a great flow & pulled you right in. I usually like my endings a little more defined, but that’s just me. I know a lot of people like the more “real life” ending. (I like tidy little bows in my entertainment. It’s the only place I have semblance of control.)

The book started super creepy, had me hooked through out. The ending was terrible. No closure. No idea how the characters ended their experience. Very disappointing

Nao é infantil. Li em ingles para aprimorar minha leitura. Vocabulário intermediário. Não tem muitas camadas na História. Facilita.Como historia: É um suspense meio previsivel, mas bem encaminhado. Nao chega a ser terror.

I very much enjoyed this book. The friendship of Ashley and Jude is a treasure. What they have to face as friends together against bullies, family and crazy adventures is what one would hope from friendship. Then, there is the witch and horrific happenings that grab the reader to continue on. Enjoyable read.

I cannot wait for another adventure. I loved the way the characters camera to life in the pages. I think everyone has faced a bully at some stage in life and can relate. Brilliant story, I did not want to end.

Came here after reading "the room upstairs" ... fancied his storytelling...the novel "witch" is so captivating and has made me want to read the full "cursed manuscripts"....

I started reading this book in the early afternoon and couldn't stop reading. It has the perfect atmosphere, tension and some parts are creepiness at it's best!