Once again I’m linking up again with Vicky at I’d Rather Be At The Beach who hosts a post every Tuesday for people to share the first chapter/paragraph of the book they are reading, or thinking of reading soon.

This week, I’m sharing a book I picked up at the library for no other reason that the cover was pink – very pink.  I know that’s terribly superficial but sometimes I just can’t help judging books by their covers, which is exactly what I’ve done here.  Once home, I checked it out on Goodreads and was relieved to see good reviews – not so relieved to see it’s a young adult horror story but you can’t have everything right?  Anyway, I’m giving it a go. Here’s what it’s about…

Following the death of her mother in a terrible fire, Jemima flees to the remote Isle of Skye, to take up a job at a school for girls. There she finds herself tormented by the mystery of what really happened that night.

Then Jemima receives a box of Frozen Charlotte dolls from a mystery sender and she begins to remember – a séance with the dolls, a violent argument with her step-father and the inferno that destroyed their home. And when it seems that the dolls are triggering a series of accidents at the school, Jemima realizes she must stop the demonic spirits possessing the dolls – whatever it takes.

 

And here’s how it starts…

“Don’t be frightened yet,” the voice says.  “I’ll tell you when it’s time to be frightened…”

I turn, looking over my shoulder, but there is nobody there and I am alone once again at Whiteladies – that house of confused spirits and cracked china dolls and slaughtered horses. From somewhere downstairs a grandfather clock counts down the six hours in deep, melancholy tolls and, like a magnetic force, my eyes are drawn with a terrible irresistibility to the door at the end of the corridor.  Nothing else exists in the entire world but that door.  It is closed but I can hear someone sobbing.  On, on, on.  I must help them.  I must open that door.  I must do something.  Now.  While I still can.

What do you think? Would you keep reading?

Emma x