4/5 stars
It felt odd to be reading Mary: The Summoning (Goodreads | Amazon) during the summer. This book is creepy YA horror novel, the type of book that should be read on a crisp October day, as the sun sinks below the horizon, not on a hot day in the middle of July.
This book has just the right amount of suspense and quite a few surprises along the way. Almost every young girl has tried to summon Bloody Mary at some point in her life (why did that seem like such a good idea?), so it's hard not be drawn into the creepy ghost story since it feels like it could've easily happened to you. The descriptions of Mary were appropriately creepy and the book gave her a backstory that every young girl wondered about. It doesn't just summon Bloody Mary, but attempts to answer "Who is Bloody Mary?" This is probably the strength of the novel, it doesn't just create a monster but creates a character who becomes a monster with a backstory and motivation.
I was surprised by how much I liked this book. Even though the characters weren't completely fleshed out, they didn't fall into the popular-girl stereotype I expected and for the most part didn't fall into the trap of girl-against-girl hatred you often see. Instead, as stupid as their choices may have been, this group of four friends attempted to watch out for each other and all their in-fighting was understandable.
If you're looking for a Halloween read (you should be!) then this book will fit your needs perfectly. Mary: The Summoning is YA horror, a difficult genre to master, done really well.
I received an advanced reading e-book in exchange for an honest review.
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