The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall

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Emily Reads Everything

I was sent this book directly from the publisher. My first book mail ever! I was looking forward to reading it because it looked creepy. I grew up reading Stephen King, Dean Koontz and Bentley Little. Horror novels were my first loves. Unfortunately, I have yet to find a ya novel that really scares me. I still have faith, it will come.

Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall is no different, so if horror isn’t for you, you have no worries. I don’t think this book will scare you at all. However, it was delightfully eerie. Delia and her parents move into a creepy old mansion left to her by an aunt. This mansion was once used as an asylum for the “Care and Correction of Troubled Women”. Delia realizes show more right away that there is something wrong in the house and begs her parents to leave. They listen about as well as you would expect. It was at this point in the book that everything changed for me.

Going into this story, I thought it would be typical. There’s a formula that works with scary stories.

The main character discovers something and no one believes her. The she stumbles on an ally and together they investigate and solve the problem. This was what I was expecting but not at all what happened. Something happens to Delia that absolutely blew my mind. View Spoiler » I always try to figure out where the book is going and what the author has planned. I know meta-thinking books is frowned upon, but I also flip to the end of murder mysteries. Its my nature.

This book was such a good story because it was unexpected. I had a lot of preconceived notions going into it but not one ended up being correct. This story really snuck up on me. I didn’t think that I would like it. I thought it would be boring and formulaic but it was anything but that. I spent the entire book wondering what could possibly happen next.

If creepy is your think and you like surprises, definitely check out this book. show less

Recipe for a Young Adult horror novel: Abandoned mental hospital for troubled girls: check. Dark power that has issues with being left behind: check. Teenaged narrator who is a troubled girl, with her parents not trusting her: check. Ghosts: check. Narrator who is killed in the first 100 pages but still has no problem narrating: wait, what?

Our narrator is Delia Piven, who has just inherited said abandoned mental hospital from an aunt she never met, but did correspond with for a short time. Aunt Cordelia lived in the asylum, but died outside the property, walking on the side of the road. Delia and her family here there for the week, to clean up the place and make it ready for sale. They will be “camping out” in the asylum during show more this time; that first night, all hell breaks loose. And that is pretty close to a literal statement; Delia is killed that first night.

Delia then spends time getting used to being a ghost- how to walk through walls, how to manipulate solids, mourning the loss of her family, friends, and dreams of her life ahead, and getting to know the other ghosts (there’s a lot of them on the property). Some ghosts seem friendly; some are malevolent. And there is some evil power there that won’t let any of them go… not off the property or to where ever people go after they die. When Delia’s family returns, the evil comes to life, and Delia has to figure out how to defeat it to save her family.

There are some things that made me wonder, like why Delia could manipulate salt, even with cardboard, when no one else could get close to it, but I liked the book over all. Delia’s younger sister, an annoying tween in the first part, matures into kickass young woman. There is one young male ghost, but he’s just incidental, not a love interest and certainly not a hero who saves the day. It’s all about girl power! I’d call it thriller rather than horror, although there are certainly creepy moments, and it’s a quick, stay up all night, read. show less

The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall was so good I had trouble putting it down. It's a fast paced, eerily creepy story about a 16 year old named Delia who inherits her great aunt Cordelia's house. Only it's not just a house, it was an asylum for troubled women that earned the nickname of Hysteria Hall. Oh, and it's a tad bit haunted. It doesn't take long for her to figure out that something isn't right, and that this 'something' has no intention of letting her leave.

The book spans the length of 4 years. During that time Delia learns more about the asylums history and after some unfortunate events involving her family (her little sister Janie in particular) she becomes determined to put an end to the evil that has kept numerous ghosts show more trapped for the last century.

By no means was this a terrifying read but it is a YA book so I didn't expect it to be super scary. It actually had a bit of an American Horror Story feel to it which I liked.
I'd say this is definitely worth reading if you're a fan of ghost stories and haunted asylums. show less

There is a really good book in here, even though the book as is is disappointingly lacking. With a great editor, The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall could be a thrilling, scary read, with a fascinating mystery to solve.

But the mystery, in fact, all the exciting parts, essentially get buried in the last third of the book. Alender spends page after page describing how time can slow down for ghosts, and makes the reader feel each minute of the years a ghost might spend lying on the grass or sitting in a room. Then, in the last third, secrets are revealed, foes are fought, and every page is full of action. But all the reveals and running around, while really interesting, feel really rushed as well.

I wish that Alender had made this a shorter show more book. If she had cut out some of the more repetitive parts, there would have been more room to explore the core of the book-the mystery behind Hysteria Hall, and what that means for all who have entered its doors. This would have made the book great, instead of just okay. show less

The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall was definitely refreshing after reading Asylum and attempting to begin Sanctum. There's a great blend of creepiness and suspense, as well as teenage angst and sadness. I didn't guess the "twist" or the ending, which always excites me. This is a book that I would definitely read again and would like to have in my home library. I can't wait to read more from Katie Alender.

It does not take Delia long to figure out that something terribly wrong is going on at the house she inherited. But her parents will not listen and refuse to let Delia leave the house. Before the night is over, Deila will become one of The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall.

I loved this book. Delia is a strong and interesting character. The other ghosts of the house are also compelling. And Delia's sister proves to be made of tougher stuff than you would have thought. The book is wonderfully creepy but not gross or terribly bloody. I think teens will really enjoy this book.

I loved Katie Alender’s Bad Girls Don’t Die series. I was ecstatic to find out she had written another horror ghost story. Miss Alender did not disappoint me with the Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall.

This was a book I didn’t want to put down. I would have read it all in one sitting too had it not been for real life getting in they way.

I loved all the characters and felt they were well written. Florence was my favorite character though for some reason.

The story line was well written. Plus, I love horror stories where an old house is involved.

Yes, some of the plot twists are predictable, and there were times I had some unanswered questions, but I still loved the book.

I would definitely recommend this book. I’m hoping Miss Alender will show more write another horror ghost story soon. She’s definitely one of my favorite authors. show less