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Dark House #2
Return to the Dark House
Ivy Jensen survived the Dark House once, but can she make it out a second time?
Two months have passed since Ivy narrowly escaped the Nightmare Elf's grip, but the memories of Parker, Natalie, Shayla, Frankie, and Garth continue to haunt her. Their killer is still out there-somewhere. The police trail has gone cold, though, and it's up to Ivy to piece together the clues to find him.
When a cryptic video arrives in her in-box, Ivy finds herself back in the spotlight, this time on a twisted scavenger hunt through the dark, ancient halls of a long-forgotten Gothic building.
Ivy's not alone, either. Taylor Monroe has returned to the scene. But can Taylor be trusted? Or is she another pawn in the Nightmare Elf's deadly game?
Two months have passed since Ivy narrowly escaped the Nightmare Elf's grip, but the memories of Parker, Natalie, Shayla, Frankie, and Garth continue to haunt her. Their killer is still out there-somewhere. The police trail has gone cold, though, and it's up to Ivy to piece together the clues to find him.
When a cryptic video arrives in her in-box, Ivy finds herself back in the spotlight, this time on a twisted scavenger hunt through the dark, ancient halls of a long-forgotten Gothic building.
Ivy's not alone, either. Taylor Monroe has returned to the scene. But can Taylor be trusted? Or is she another pawn in the Nightmare Elf's deadly game?
368 pages, Paperback
First published July 21, 2015
About the author
Laurie Faria Stolarz
26 books3,151 followersLaurie Faria Stolarz grew up in Salem, MA, attended Merrimack College, and received an MFA in Creative Writing from Emerson College in Boston.
Laurie Faria Stolarz is an American author of young adult fiction novels, best known for her Blue is for Nightmares series. Her works, which feature teenage protagonists, blend elements found in mystery and romance novels.
Stolarz found sales success with her first novel, Blue is for Nightmares, and followed it up with three more titles in the series, White is for Magic, Silver is for Secrets, and Red is for Remembrance, as well as a companion graphic novel, Black is for Beginnings. Stolarz is also the author of the Touch series (Deadly Little Secret, Deadly Little Lies, Deadly Little Games, Deadly Little Voices, and Deadly Little Lessons), as well as Bleed and Project 17. With more than two million books sold worldwide, Stolarz's titles have been named on various awards list.
Laurie Faria Stolarz is an American author of young adult fiction novels, best known for her Blue is for Nightmares series. Her works, which feature teenage protagonists, blend elements found in mystery and romance novels.
Stolarz found sales success with her first novel, Blue is for Nightmares, and followed it up with three more titles in the series, White is for Magic, Silver is for Secrets, and Red is for Remembrance, as well as a companion graphic novel, Black is for Beginnings. Stolarz is also the author of the Touch series (Deadly Little Secret, Deadly Little Lies, Deadly Little Games, Deadly Little Voices, and Deadly Little Lessons), as well as Bleed and Project 17. With more than two million books sold worldwide, Stolarz's titles have been named on various awards list.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 180 reviews
August 7, 2015
"I'm stronger than my fears.
Bigger than this moment.
What I need to accomplish is more important than being scared."
What an amazing book 2. This one was creepier, scarier and gorier than the first one. And it packs a bigger punch, because by now I love these characters. I am rooting Ivy on - hoping and praying she will find everyone alive.
And this one finally answers our questions. What spooked the missing girl? And what did those messages mean? And why? Why is he doing this?
This one absolutely had me on the edge of my seat. You must read it at night, in the dark, by candlelight if you can. Love it and hope for a book 3 right along with me :) Laurie Faria Stolarz, you keep writing - I'll keep reading!
Bigger than this moment.
What I need to accomplish is more important than being scared."
What an amazing book 2. This one was creepier, scarier and gorier than the first one. And it packs a bigger punch, because by now I love these characters. I am rooting Ivy on - hoping and praying she will find everyone alive.
And this one finally answers our questions. What spooked the missing girl? And what did those messages mean? And why? Why is he doing this?
This one absolutely had me on the edge of my seat. You must read it at night, in the dark, by candlelight if you can. Love it and hope for a book 3 right along with me :) Laurie Faria Stolarz, you keep writing - I'll keep reading!
March 10, 2016
I recently read Welcome to the Dark House, the first book in this series, and was blown away by it! I've had some pretty bad experiences with YA horror so I didn't have high hopes, but I was pleasantly surprised. So obviously I got the second book as soon as possible and blew through it in less than a day! It did not disappoint.
Return to the Dark House picks up a few months after Ivy Jensen escaped the amusement park, leaving her new friends behind. The first several chapters show Ivy's point of view as she battles with the memories of the Dark House and the guilt of leaving others behind. Everyone thinks she's crazy and the cops are annoyed by her insistence on helping with the case. But no headway has been made and Ivy can't stand idly by. Once again, Ivy is an incredibly strong character. I didn't quite understand her deep feelings for Parker considering the length of their relationship in book one, but I can appreciate that she hadn't had many meaningful relationships since her parents died years earlier.
Cue a new(ish) character: Taylor. Taylor was an interesting addition to an already interesting cast of characters. Unfortunately, I found her more irritating than anything. She was constantly spouting off tidbits about classic horror films in the midst of some insane life or death situation, which seemed pretty unreal. Still, I thought she was a decent character and a good balance for Ivy. Together Taylor and Ivy set out to help the others who might still be alive and find out who the "Nightmare Elf" is in the process.
I.Loved.This.Book. The Dark House series is really unlike any other horror I've read. Throughout the first book I wasn't sure if it was truly paranormal or not, but this one clears that right up. Book two not only furthers this terrifying story, but gives something of a behind the scenes look at the nightmare itself. This one is set in a mansion in the woods, which, while not as creepy as an abandoned amusement park (in my opinion) was still really ominous and I really thought it worked great in the story!
I don't know if there will be a book three since the ending seemed to leave it kind of open. It wrapped up the story enough to be a mostly satisfying ending, but it could definitely do with a third book to round it out. If you're a fan of the horror genre, please give this one a try!
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
Want to read
October 15, 2014Omgggg this needs to come out nowwwwwww
October 17, 2015
3.5 stars not as good as the first book. If you liked the first one, this is a nice continuation. There is sort of a cliff hanger, so I'm not sure if this is the end of the "series" or if there will be one more. There is some unfinished business.
In the first book there are 6 POV's the contestants that are participating in a once in a lifetime film directed by a cult classic director. The Nighmare Elf is the monster of the films and the cast are going to star along side him. The first book is a great YA slasher book very similar to most gory horror flicks. I absolutely loved it. It was as scary as any Jason film.
In this book the movie is shooting its sequel and there are a few recurring cast mates. There is 2 main POV's and the atmosphere is just as scary as the last book. The reason for a lower rating is because it was kind of slow. There wasn't much action in this one. A very cat and mouse thriller. I would love to visit the haunted school and figure out the clues in real life (sans danger). I think it would be an awesome thrill Halloween activity like some people build mazes in their fields. Someone definitely needs to recreate this haunted school and have them follow clues as well.
I want to buy the first book and if I do then I have to buy this one as well. It just makes sense, but I don't think I would read this one again unless of course I were to create my own haunted house :D
In the first book there are 6 POV's the contestants that are participating in a once in a lifetime film directed by a cult classic director. The Nighmare Elf is the monster of the films and the cast are going to star along side him. The first book is a great YA slasher book very similar to most gory horror flicks. I absolutely loved it. It was as scary as any Jason film.
In this book the movie is shooting its sequel and there are a few recurring cast mates. There is 2 main POV's and the atmosphere is just as scary as the last book. The reason for a lower rating is because it was kind of slow. There wasn't much action in this one. A very cat and mouse thriller. I would love to visit the haunted school and figure out the clues in real life (sans danger). I think it would be an awesome thrill Halloween activity like some people build mazes in their fields. Someone definitely needs to recreate this haunted school and have them follow clues as well.
I want to buy the first book and if I do then I have to buy this one as well. It just makes sense, but I don't think I would read this one again unless of course I were to create my own haunted house :D
May 29, 2018
I really shouldn't have even attempted reading this. I thought the first book was pretty cliche and silly but this one is even worse. It took me awhile to read because I didn't want to pick it up ever - I was bored and couldn't have cared less what happened to any of these people. I like Taylor a little but not enough to save the story.
Review to come
Review to come
October 11, 2018
Return to the Dark House is Laurie Faria Stolarz's conclusion to the Dark House duology and I have to say, it was still pretty spooky! It was eerie and perhaps just a bit more terrifying than its predecessor! Things haven't changed much for Ivy since she escaped the madman who had kept her and the other teenagers hostage all weekend long. And almost a year later, it seems the killer is ready for round 2!
When we open up, Ivy is in a mental hospital after experiencing everything that she did, but over time, she gets better and is able to leave. Everyone believes she's given up her quest to single handedly track down the killer. Not that that's what she wants to do, what she wants is to find the others, Parker especially since she had to leave him that night. She's positive that the others are alive as well and wants nothing more than to rescue them.
This time around we get to meet Taylor, the mysterious seventh victim who was missing from the start of the first book. It turns out she had her reasons for cutting out early with the Dark House weekend getaway and it basically saved her life. Though her life has not been easy or kind since she survived that horrible fate and most everyone in her school blames her for what happened to everyone else.
Ivy and Taylor end up teaming up together when they both start getting mysterious messages from the Dark Elf. Now more than ever, Ivy is convinced that this mysterious murderer is the same one who killed her parents all those years ago. He's trying to lure them out to "star" in his next picture with the promise of safety for all her friends that he's taken if she were to come along.
Soon Ivy and Taylor find themselves in a brand new horror house filled with gruesome happenings and a murderer who enjoys playing mind games! This was a seriously twisted read that had me reading the pages as fast as I could to see what the outcome would be! It's the kind of read that must be read in one sitting apparently, as I almost did just that! It's simply, unputdownable!
It's hard to say which book might be creepier than the other! Both have their own levels of creepiness, I honestly can't decide if one was scarier than the other! They were pretty equal in that area! Though I will say that I was sad that Ivy was mostly on her own for this one! I enjoyed her interactions with Parker in the first book, even if I thought it was a little cheesy that they were falling in love after a day! Lol.
Although, what I found to be a tad upsetting about this book were the lack of answers! Perhaps that's the way of things with horror/slasher films. You never really know who the killer is--though the police "supposedly" do--you don't get the why's of all the questions you have, you don't even get the where's or what's to a few of the other unanswered questions. And since this is the last and final book, I was a bit crushed by those lack of answers. But again, maybe this is the way things go in the movies that I don't watch. Having a highly active imagination I could never stomach the slasher films!
There are still sooo many things I wish I knew the answers to, mostly ones from the first book cliffhangers as well. Though I feel like I can guess the simple answer to some of those and have that be what it was, but there are way too many WTF questions that popped up in this one that don't get elaborated on! It's mindblowingly annoying...yet at the same time, entertaining! I really feel like it's Laurie's intent to drive us mad with the lack of answers! I just sooo wish that this wasn't the final book!
If you're looking for that spine-tingling horror/thriller read I would highly recommend The Dark House duology! Yes, the ending does leave you craving answers that just aren't there, but in a way, it kind of works for the story! This was definitely an amazingly awesome read that I would recommend in a heartbeat!
Overall Rating 4.95/5 stars
When we open up, Ivy is in a mental hospital after experiencing everything that she did, but over time, she gets better and is able to leave. Everyone believes she's given up her quest to single handedly track down the killer. Not that that's what she wants to do, what she wants is to find the others, Parker especially since she had to leave him that night. She's positive that the others are alive as well and wants nothing more than to rescue them.
This time around we get to meet Taylor, the mysterious seventh victim who was missing from the start of the first book. It turns out she had her reasons for cutting out early with the Dark House weekend getaway and it basically saved her life. Though her life has not been easy or kind since she survived that horrible fate and most everyone in her school blames her for what happened to everyone else.
Ivy and Taylor end up teaming up together when they both start getting mysterious messages from the Dark Elf. Now more than ever, Ivy is convinced that this mysterious murderer is the same one who killed her parents all those years ago. He's trying to lure them out to "star" in his next picture with the promise of safety for all her friends that he's taken if she were to come along.
Soon Ivy and Taylor find themselves in a brand new horror house filled with gruesome happenings and a murderer who enjoys playing mind games! This was a seriously twisted read that had me reading the pages as fast as I could to see what the outcome would be! It's the kind of read that must be read in one sitting apparently, as I almost did just that! It's simply, unputdownable!
It's hard to say which book might be creepier than the other! Both have their own levels of creepiness, I honestly can't decide if one was scarier than the other! They were pretty equal in that area! Though I will say that I was sad that Ivy was mostly on her own for this one! I enjoyed her interactions with Parker in the first book, even if I thought it was a little cheesy that they were falling in love after a day! Lol.
Although, what I found to be a tad upsetting about this book were the lack of answers! Perhaps that's the way of things with horror/slasher films. You never really know who the killer is--though the police "supposedly" do--you don't get the why's of all the questions you have, you don't even get the where's or what's to a few of the other unanswered questions. And since this is the last and final book, I was a bit crushed by those lack of answers. But again, maybe this is the way things go in the movies that I don't watch. Having a highly active imagination I could never stomach the slasher films!
There are still sooo many things I wish I knew the answers to, mostly ones from the first book cliffhangers as well. Though I feel like I can guess the simple answer to some of those and have that be what it was, but there are way too many WTF questions that popped up in this one that don't get elaborated on! It's mindblowingly annoying...yet at the same time, entertaining! I really feel like it's Laurie's intent to drive us mad with the lack of answers! I just sooo wish that this wasn't the final book!
If you're looking for that spine-tingling horror/thriller read I would highly recommend The Dark House duology! Yes, the ending does leave you craving answers that just aren't there, but in a way, it kind of works for the story! This was definitely an amazingly awesome read that I would recommend in a heartbeat!
Overall Rating 4.95/5 stars
February 28, 2021
It's so, so frustrating to read the final book in a duology and be given no answers whatsoever. Who's the killer? Dunno. Why was the game made? Dunno. How did they catch him? They didn't. This was a confusing mess and Taylor was such a useless addition.
August 28, 2023
Great book! I read in a couple of days. Picked up where the first one left off and continued right on. I really wanted to know the connection of the killer and Ivy. But no go. Lol.
August 7, 2015
Oh! My! Gosh! My heart is still in my throat! I LOVED this book and I REALLY hope there is going to be a third one!!
The characters are all so believable and this book delved more into Taylor's character than book 1. I adored her! :o) Ivy (MC) was absolutely amazing, strong, brave, and somewhat stupid! LOL Several kids faced a killer in book 1 and in this book they (some of them) come up against him again.
Seriously, the end of this book my heart was pounding and I could feel myself racing to read it faster to see what the ending was going to be. Who was going to survive or not.
Recommendation:I love Laurie Stolarz and I loved this series...I still hope there will be another book. This book is definitely worth reading and it's better than book 1! I can't wait to see some future reviews on it.
The characters are all so believable and this book delved more into Taylor's character than book 1. I adored her! :o) Ivy (MC) was absolutely amazing, strong, brave, and somewhat stupid! LOL Several kids faced a killer in book 1 and in this book they (some of them) come up against him again.
Seriously, the end of this book my heart was pounding and I could feel myself racing to read it faster to see what the ending was going to be. Who was going to survive or not.
Recommendation:I love Laurie Stolarz and I loved this series...I still hope there will be another book. This book is definitely worth reading and it's better than book 1! I can't wait to see some future reviews on it.
September 6, 2015
I'm probably the only person who doesn't think this book is as good as the first one in the series.
Unlike book 1, this book was a little slow and at times, boring. I didn't think it was that scary. I missed the multiple POVs in book 1 which back then brought about so many feelings in me.
Overall, it was good, but maybe I had expected too much, that's why I ended up a bit disappointed.
Unlike book 1, this book was a little slow and at times, boring. I didn't think it was that scary. I missed the multiple POVs in book 1 which back then brought about so many feelings in me.
Overall, it was good, but maybe I had expected too much, that's why I ended up a bit disappointed.
Want to read
September 15, 2014Expected publication: July 21st 2015
Want to read
October 11, 2014CanNOT wait!
July 19, 2015
Laurie Stolarz is brilliant and these books provide so much creepy fun! I can't wait to see what Ivy does next :)
February 7, 2017
4.5 stars
Even enjoyed this more than the first book! It's definitely a loooot more creepy!
Even enjoyed this more than the first book! It's definitely a loooot more creepy!
February 24, 2016
3.5 stars, making this one a bit better than the previous book, however due to several things, it still lacked something.
Like all my other reviews I will try to keep my review spoiler-free, but I want to address the things that bothered me as well, so those will be going under the spoiler tags.
Unlike the previous book we don't have a lot of POVs, thank Lord for that. That was something that bothered me in the previous book. But in this one we have Ivy (a lot), Taylor (a bit), Natalie/a (a tiny bit), and a mystery person (though we quickly figure out who it is). It is a breath of relief that we don't have a lot of characters. It made it easier to follow the characters, though I have to say that Taylor and Ivy's voices were really close to each other, so every time I popped out of the book and then back again, I had to check who was speaking. :)
Ivy, ah Ivy. While in the first book it annoyed me how much she just stood out, she was the only one in the bunch of characters who hated the horror genre and had her own reason to be there, this book however, it annoyed me how stereotypical horror dumb she was. You know, she is the kind of girl whom you are screaming at during horror movies. Like: "Noooo, don't go through that door!" or "Noooo, you stupid person, don't listen to that person, arggghhhhhh."
While I can imagine why Ivy is like this, she wants to solve the mystery, she wants to get that Elf behind bars, however.... it just got really annoying how she stalked the police endlessly, didn't care about her medicines, did everything everyone warned her about, endangered more people and in the end fucked up quite a few things. All because she wanted to solve the fucking case.
And yes, at times I was cheering for her, for being so brave (which doesn't mean she wasn't also stupid though), for trying so hard. She is a pretty strong girl, even with all the stuff happening in her life (prior to this and now). Many a girl would probably have given up/worse than that. So yes, I have to say, applause for Ivy for being so strong, for never giving up what she wants, for continuing with this, even when everything is so dark, so gloomy and so endlessly dark.
But, I will also have to shake my head at the way she does things. How she lies her way through life, how she stalks people, how she just doesn't get people.
Taylor, ah Taylor, our mystery girl from the first book. The girl that got away, the girl that abandoned ship and left all of the others in a sinking ship of doom and death.
I wasn't sure what to expect from her, I could imagine why one would run away, but I think it would have been better if she had been stronger. Even in the later parts she is so weak. Generally she was only thinking of herself, of getting out of stuff. And while those are good reactions, and considering her past, they have been drilled in her mind. But, I wish she would have grown out of that or at least would have shown some more power.
Of course, she was also pretty awesome. She really cares about Ivy (going to great lengths for her), about the others, and she really showed that she was determined to at least try, even though her first sense was to run away and go to the police.
I felt sorry for her and what happened to her in the beginning/middle of the book. While she did do all that, no one deserves all that shit from people who weren't even there. I think most of those judging Taylor, would have done the same thing. It is just something that is proven quite a few times. Not many people would take action when things turn really scary.
I think out of all the POVs, she was my favourite.
Then we have the POV of Natalie/a, and a certain someone else. I have to be honest, I never really liked Natalie/a, that voice thing? It just was not that fitting, and it made the girl come over as fake, as desperate, and it made the story less believable (I know, it is already pretty unbelievable, but any credibility it might have, is just blown away with that Harris stuff).
The certain someone else POV? I was interested in the beginning, but around the middle I just started flipping through it, it was just not my cup of tea.
This time, instead of a creepy movie set/house/park, we have a new setting of a boarding school/Gothic house. I just love it. When I heard it would be the setting, I was delighted and so happy! As most probably know by now, I love boarding school settings, and it even gets better when it is horror/paranormal!
I was seriously creeped out during many of the parts and I was really just flying through the pages to get to the conclusion. To find out what happened to our other characters. Are they alive? Are they dead? Why did the murderer/Elf/whatever else do this? It was really interesting, but sadly, it took a while for the book to really find that excitement. Quite a big part of the book is just about Ivy finding out more, about Taylor and her life, about both of them getting together, and it takes quite some time to get to the scary/awesome boarding school parts. So just be warned, if you expect the whole book to be about it (or at least a big part), just like me, you will be (a bit) disappointed.
I didn't like the police at all. Sure, I can imagine that they are trying their best, but it just felt weird that someone like Ivy knew more, had more leads and did her best way more than them. Maybe this isn't true, but it is the feeling I got throughout the book.
Now for the last part, the ending, which I will put in spoiler tags, as this is quite a big spoiler, but I seriously need to rage a bit about it.
All in all, it was a decent book, but due to various stuff I can't give it more than 3.5 stars (with the added note as specified in the spoiler).
Would I recommend this series? On the one hand, yes. It is a pretty fun series and it has good moments, but if you don't like a certain type of ending, I wouldn't recommend it.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
Like all my other reviews I will try to keep my review spoiler-free, but I want to address the things that bothered me as well, so those will be going under the spoiler tags.
Unlike the previous book we don't have a lot of POVs, thank Lord for that. That was something that bothered me in the previous book. But in this one we have Ivy (a lot), Taylor (a bit), Natalie/a (a tiny bit), and a mystery person (though we quickly figure out who it is). It is a breath of relief that we don't have a lot of characters. It made it easier to follow the characters, though I have to say that Taylor and Ivy's voices were really close to each other, so every time I popped out of the book and then back again, I had to check who was speaking. :)
Ivy, ah Ivy. While in the first book it annoyed me how much she just stood out, she was the only one in the bunch of characters who hated the horror genre and had her own reason to be there, this book however, it annoyed me how stereotypical horror dumb she was. You know, she is the kind of girl whom you are screaming at during horror movies. Like: "Noooo, don't go through that door!" or "Noooo, you stupid person, don't listen to that person, arggghhhhhh."
While I can imagine why Ivy is like this, she wants to solve the mystery, she wants to get that Elf behind bars, however.... it just got really annoying how she stalked the police endlessly, didn't care about her medicines, did everything everyone warned her about, endangered more people and in the end fucked up quite a few things. All because she wanted to solve the fucking case.
And yes, at times I was cheering for her, for being so brave (which doesn't mean she wasn't also stupid though), for trying so hard. She is a pretty strong girl, even with all the stuff happening in her life (prior to this and now). Many a girl would probably have given up/worse than that. So yes, I have to say, applause for Ivy for being so strong, for never giving up what she wants, for continuing with this, even when everything is so dark, so gloomy and so endlessly dark.
But, I will also have to shake my head at the way she does things. How she lies her way through life, how she stalks people, how she just doesn't get people.
Taylor, ah Taylor, our mystery girl from the first book. The girl that got away, the girl that abandoned ship and left all of the others in a sinking ship of doom and death.
I wasn't sure what to expect from her, I could imagine why one would run away, but I think it would have been better if she had been stronger. Even in the later parts she is so weak. Generally she was only thinking of herself, of getting out of stuff. And while those are good reactions, and considering her past, they have been drilled in her mind. But, I wish she would have grown out of that or at least would have shown some more power.
Of course, she was also pretty awesome. She really cares about Ivy (going to great lengths for her), about the others, and she really showed that she was determined to at least try, even though her first sense was to run away and go to the police.
I felt sorry for her and what happened to her in the beginning/middle of the book. While she did do all that, no one deserves all that shit from people who weren't even there. I think most of those judging Taylor, would have done the same thing. It is just something that is proven quite a few times. Not many people would take action when things turn really scary.
I think out of all the POVs, she was my favourite.
Then we have the POV of Natalie/a, and a certain someone else. I have to be honest, I never really liked Natalie/a, that voice thing? It just was not that fitting, and it made the girl come over as fake, as desperate, and it made the story less believable (I know, it is already pretty unbelievable, but any credibility it might have, is just blown away with that Harris stuff).
The certain someone else POV? I was interested in the beginning, but around the middle I just started flipping through it, it was just not my cup of tea.
This time, instead of a creepy movie set/house/park, we have a new setting of a boarding school/Gothic house. I just love it. When I heard it would be the setting, I was delighted and so happy! As most probably know by now, I love boarding school settings, and it even gets better when it is horror/paranormal!
I was seriously creeped out during many of the parts and I was really just flying through the pages to get to the conclusion. To find out what happened to our other characters. Are they alive? Are they dead? Why did the murderer/Elf/whatever else do this? It was really interesting, but sadly, it took a while for the book to really find that excitement. Quite a big part of the book is just about Ivy finding out more, about Taylor and her life, about both of them getting together, and it takes quite some time to get to the scary/awesome boarding school parts. So just be warned, if you expect the whole book to be about it (or at least a big part), just like me, you will be (a bit) disappointed.
I didn't like the police at all. Sure, I can imagine that they are trying their best, but it just felt weird that someone like Ivy knew more, had more leads and did her best way more than them. Maybe this isn't true, but it is the feeling I got throughout the book.
Now for the last part, the ending, which I will put in spoiler tags, as this is quite a big spoiler, but I seriously need to rage a bit about it.
All in all, it was a decent book, but due to various stuff I can't give it more than 3.5 stars (with the added note as specified in the spoiler).
Would I recommend this series? On the one hand, yes. It is a pretty fun series and it has good moments, but if you don't like a certain type of ending, I wouldn't recommend it.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
December 8, 2021
I raced through this one almost as fast as I did the first one. I found that it started a bit slow, but once we got into the middle and all of the action it flew by. I had to know what was going to happen, and I had to get answers.
Ivy is a really interesting character because she’s so fixated on this traumatic thing, but I thought she felt realistic. The author also did a good job of conveying the strangeness and the terror of the second half. I liked Taylor and I’m glad we got to see more of her in this one.
The pacing was pretty good. The plot is a bit ridiculous but I am so into it so I don’t care. The ending has me so frustrated because I just want some actual answers!!
Ivy is a really interesting character because she’s so fixated on this traumatic thing, but I thought she felt realistic. The author also did a good job of conveying the strangeness and the terror of the second half. I liked Taylor and I’m glad we got to see more of her in this one.
The pacing was pretty good. The plot is a bit ridiculous but I am so into it so I don’t care. The ending has me so frustrated because I just want some actual answers!!
October 28, 2019
This book is about this girl who is having dreams of this criminal. If you like suspicion, scary, mystery, and many more, this book is for you. The mystery is really really suspicious so if you want to read it then read it because I feel like I told you enough to make you want to read it !
January 17, 2020
This is a fantastic mysterious book and I loved reading every page of it!
January 17, 2022
Quick disclaimer: This review is spoiler-free for book 2 and has super minor spoilers for book 1. It's also very long. That's how many issues I have for just the non-spoilery parts of this abomination.
Yikes.
I still cannot believe that this is the author of Jane Anonymous. Return to the Dark House was very much the same thing that Welcome to the Darkhouse was, a referential non-slasher with one-dimensional characters and a plot that could have been condensed into one-third of the book's size.
I will say, it was better than book one, but only slightly so. With that being said, my rating for book 1 is three stars while my rating for book 2 is two stars. Why? Because, while the author's work has improved since, my exasperation with this series and its ridiculous (and not in a fun way) plot ruined my enjoyment of this.
I mean, here's a minor non-spoilery plot breakdown of book 2: After surviving the Dark House contest, where participants were forced to live out their worst nightmares in a very literal sense, Ivy has been placed in a psychiatric facility and then released, only for the killer to contact her and lure her to an abandoned gothic mansion (not so much as lure as he tells her to go there and she obeys like the spineless little dog that she is) in the middle of nowhere. There, she and fellow survive Taylor are now forced to partake in the killer's nightmare to save their friends, who by the way (minor spoiler for book 1 even though it was super obvious) are not dead.
FIRST of all, Ivy and Taylor don't go to the police because the killer tells them not to. Also, Ivy is afraid that going to the police again (since she's been pestering them nonstop after her escape) will place her back in the psychiatric facility.
NONE OF THIS IS BELIEVABLE. The killer is not omnipotent, he will not harm you or your friends if you share the situation with someone close to you and ask them to speak to the police on your behalf in case you're being watched.
But I get it, for the plot to work the police need to be out of the picture. So here's an idea: take a page out of every slasher ever and have the police not believe Ivy about the Dark House in the first place. After the events of book 1, no evidence has been found except a deactivated email address and Taylor's testimony (the same Taylor who disappeared in the early chapters of book one and never actually witnessed the horrors that took place).
It would be so easy for the police to claim that Ivy is not mentally stable and made up the whole thing. Also, considering that book 1 took place over the span of two days, it's very likely that Ivy wouldn't know or remember the other participants' last names, therefore unable to prove their disappearances.
Qualm 2: Where is the killer getting such resources?! Seriously, we've only seen one villain but there are actors, holograms, set pieces, drivers (?!), audio recordings, etc. involved in the projects. If the killer is working alone (something that has never been confirmed but heavily implied) where is he getting any of this stuff????
My last problem with the plot, before I talk about the characters, is the potentially supernatural stuff going on???? I understand that there was supposed to be a book 3 where we likely would've gotten a full explanation but I have to ask:
1. Is it or is it not supernatural? There are mentions of ghosts and whatever but they always come from unreliable sources and everything "spooky" the main characters personally come across can be easily explained away with the high-end tech the killer has so...which is it?
2. Why is this even relevant? If there are truly supernatural aspects to the story, they aren't nearly prominent enough to have any impact on the plot. If you take them out, nothing changes. If there are no supernatural events, why make it seem like there may be? Again, it's not relevant to the plot and isn't a big enough mystery for me to care.
Lastly, I have to mention the characters even though this review is about the same length as the essay which I am choosing not to write for my gothic literature class because I "don't have enough time."
Ivy is a boring final girl with no interesting qualities and I cannot imagine why she is so special to the killer. Nothing about her is worth all this effort.
Taylor was enjoyable until she did something so stupid and out of character that I just ????? However, the number of horror references this girl makes. Seriously, no fan of horror name drops Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Carrie in the same sentence.
Where the references in The Mary Shelley Club showcased the author's genuine love for horror, the references in return to the Dark House seem like the author's Google search results.
And lastly the love interest, Parker. He knew Ivy for two days and then wrote her letters in captivity signed "love Parker." He was also totally useless and served no purpose for the story besides giving Ivy a reason to want to return to the killer's clutches, but that role could have been filled by anyone else.
I'm so over this, when will I finally read a good YA horror?
Yikes.
I still cannot believe that this is the author of Jane Anonymous. Return to the Dark House was very much the same thing that Welcome to the Darkhouse was, a referential non-slasher with one-dimensional characters and a plot that could have been condensed into one-third of the book's size.
I will say, it was better than book one, but only slightly so. With that being said, my rating for book 1 is three stars while my rating for book 2 is two stars. Why? Because, while the author's work has improved since, my exasperation with this series and its ridiculous (and not in a fun way) plot ruined my enjoyment of this.
I mean, here's a minor non-spoilery plot breakdown of book 2: After surviving the Dark House contest, where participants were forced to live out their worst nightmares in a very literal sense, Ivy has been placed in a psychiatric facility and then released, only for the killer to contact her and lure her to an abandoned gothic mansion (not so much as lure as he tells her to go there and she obeys like the spineless little dog that she is) in the middle of nowhere. There, she and fellow survive Taylor are now forced to partake in the killer's nightmare to save their friends, who by the way (minor spoiler for book 1 even though it was super obvious) are not dead.
FIRST of all, Ivy and Taylor don't go to the police because the killer tells them not to. Also, Ivy is afraid that going to the police again (since she's been pestering them nonstop after her escape) will place her back in the psychiatric facility.
NONE OF THIS IS BELIEVABLE. The killer is not omnipotent, he will not harm you or your friends if you share the situation with someone close to you and ask them to speak to the police on your behalf in case you're being watched.
But I get it, for the plot to work the police need to be out of the picture. So here's an idea: take a page out of every slasher ever and have the police not believe Ivy about the Dark House in the first place. After the events of book 1, no evidence has been found except a deactivated email address and Taylor's testimony (the same Taylor who disappeared in the early chapters of book one and never actually witnessed the horrors that took place).
It would be so easy for the police to claim that Ivy is not mentally stable and made up the whole thing. Also, considering that book 1 took place over the span of two days, it's very likely that Ivy wouldn't know or remember the other participants' last names, therefore unable to prove their disappearances.
Qualm 2: Where is the killer getting such resources?! Seriously, we've only seen one villain but there are actors, holograms, set pieces, drivers (?!), audio recordings, etc. involved in the projects. If the killer is working alone (something that has never been confirmed but heavily implied) where is he getting any of this stuff????
My last problem with the plot, before I talk about the characters, is the potentially supernatural stuff going on???? I understand that there was supposed to be a book 3 where we likely would've gotten a full explanation but I have to ask:
1. Is it or is it not supernatural? There are mentions of ghosts and whatever but they always come from unreliable sources and everything "spooky" the main characters personally come across can be easily explained away with the high-end tech the killer has so...which is it?
2. Why is this even relevant? If there are truly supernatural aspects to the story, they aren't nearly prominent enough to have any impact on the plot. If you take them out, nothing changes. If there are no supernatural events, why make it seem like there may be? Again, it's not relevant to the plot and isn't a big enough mystery for me to care.
Lastly, I have to mention the characters even though this review is about the same length as the essay which I am choosing not to write for my gothic literature class because I "don't have enough time."
Ivy is a boring final girl with no interesting qualities and I cannot imagine why she is so special to the killer. Nothing about her is worth all this effort.
Taylor was enjoyable until she did something so stupid and out of character that I just ????? However, the number of horror references this girl makes. Seriously, no fan of horror name drops Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Carrie in the same sentence.
Where the references in The Mary Shelley Club showcased the author's genuine love for horror, the references in return to the Dark House seem like the author's Google search results.
And lastly the love interest, Parker. He knew Ivy for two days and then wrote her letters in captivity signed "love Parker." He was also totally useless and served no purpose for the story besides giving Ivy a reason to want to return to the killer's clutches, but that role could have been filled by anyone else.
I'm so over this, when will I finally read a good YA horror?
February 27, 2020
This and other reviews can be found on The Psychotic Nerd
MY THOUGHTS
After reading Welcome to the Dark House, I definitely needed to read this book. This was a great conclusion to the duology. I still didn't love it, but it did make an entertaining thriller.
Ivy escaped the Dark House, but it still haunts her. She may be alive, but what happened to the others? What happened to Parker? And the one who orchestrated the game is still out there. When she receives cryptic messages, Ivy realizes that the game is not over. She might be able to save the others, but now she has Taylor, the girl who was supposed to be in the game, there to help her.
The ending of Welcome to the Dark House had quite a few unanswered questions. This book definitely attempts to answer them. Ivy is a very different character than book one. She has just survived another terrifying event and she is obsessed with solving the mystery of what happened to the others and who was behind it, but the professionals aren't getting anywhere near solving it. This frustrates her so she takes matters in her own hands. This causes her to make some questionable decisions because she is so desperate to help her friends. It is hard to relate to her at times, but it is understandable that her head is not in the best place.
It is interesting that we finally meet Taylor. Taylor was meant to be a part of the Dark House, but she ran off when she realized something was up. Even though she did not go through the terrifying events of book one, she is still in a tough spot. Many of her classmates blame her for what happened because she could have prevented the tragedies. I don't think she could have done anything to stop it, but this is their logic. I loved that we got to meet Taylor and the odd friendship that pops up between Taylor and Ivy, as both girls certainly need friends. The book is dual perspective between them but, unfortunately, their voices were very similar. Taylor has some sarcasm and spunk, but that didn't always show through. It was especially difficult to tell them apart within long dialogue scenes.
I absolutely loved the amusement park scenes in book one and found them both terrifying and thrilling. In this book, we get the classic creepy house, with a mix of scavenger hunt. This was also very terrifying, and even though I guessed at some things ahead of time, I really had no idea where the book was headed! The first half of the book was a bit slow, but once the characters were in this new setting, the pace really picked up! I think I still found the setting in book one more thrilling and different, but this was still a thrilling end.
IN CONCLUSION
Overall, I did like this book. It won't go down on my favorites list, it has its fair share of problems, but I did find this book and the previous book entertaining.
MY THOUGHTS
After reading Welcome to the Dark House, I definitely needed to read this book. This was a great conclusion to the duology. I still didn't love it, but it did make an entertaining thriller.
Ivy escaped the Dark House, but it still haunts her. She may be alive, but what happened to the others? What happened to Parker? And the one who orchestrated the game is still out there. When she receives cryptic messages, Ivy realizes that the game is not over. She might be able to save the others, but now she has Taylor, the girl who was supposed to be in the game, there to help her.
The ending of Welcome to the Dark House had quite a few unanswered questions. This book definitely attempts to answer them. Ivy is a very different character than book one. She has just survived another terrifying event and she is obsessed with solving the mystery of what happened to the others and who was behind it, but the professionals aren't getting anywhere near solving it. This frustrates her so she takes matters in her own hands. This causes her to make some questionable decisions because she is so desperate to help her friends. It is hard to relate to her at times, but it is understandable that her head is not in the best place.
It is interesting that we finally meet Taylor. Taylor was meant to be a part of the Dark House, but she ran off when she realized something was up. Even though she did not go through the terrifying events of book one, she is still in a tough spot. Many of her classmates blame her for what happened because she could have prevented the tragedies. I don't think she could have done anything to stop it, but this is their logic. I loved that we got to meet Taylor and the odd friendship that pops up between Taylor and Ivy, as both girls certainly need friends. The book is dual perspective between them but, unfortunately, their voices were very similar. Taylor has some sarcasm and spunk, but that didn't always show through. It was especially difficult to tell them apart within long dialogue scenes.
I absolutely loved the amusement park scenes in book one and found them both terrifying and thrilling. In this book, we get the classic creepy house, with a mix of scavenger hunt. This was also very terrifying, and even though I guessed at some things ahead of time, I really had no idea where the book was headed! The first half of the book was a bit slow, but once the characters were in this new setting, the pace really picked up! I think I still found the setting in book one more thrilling and different, but this was still a thrilling end.
IN CONCLUSION
Overall, I did like this book. It won't go down on my favorites list, it has its fair share of problems, but I did find this book and the previous book entertaining.
August 2, 2019
I hate it when the sequel sucks all of the excitement out, and leaves you with a blah ending.
Honestly, the first book should've been left as it was. That way, the reader could have imagined any ending fit to his/her liking, rather than have to bear with the ACTUAL ending that the author provided us with.
None of my questions about the killer - and his entire fiasco with the Dark House in book 1 - was answered. (Was Midge as crazy as him; his accomplice, perhaps, or just a hired actress??? She was never mentioned again.)
Why were Natalie and Parker specifically spared, as well? (Though I can guess about Parker.) Most of all, why did he take a break from his killing spree to focus on stalking Ivy? What was so special about her that he just couldn't resist?
I speed-read this to clear up the confusion, but I am STILL confused and VERY disappointed.
Honestly, the first book should've been left as it was. That way, the reader could have imagined any ending fit to his/her liking, rather than have to bear with the ACTUAL ending that the author provided us with.
None of my questions about the killer - and his entire fiasco with the Dark House in book 1 - was answered. (Was Midge as crazy as him; his accomplice, perhaps, or just a hired actress??? She was never mentioned again.)
Why were Natalie and Parker specifically spared, as well? (Though I can guess about Parker.) Most of all, why did he take a break from his killing spree to focus on stalking Ivy? What was so special about her that he just couldn't resist?
I speed-read this to clear up the confusion, but I am STILL confused and VERY disappointed.
May 6, 2016
I loved the first Dark House book, so when the library got this in for me, I couldn't wait to read it.
Two months have passed since Ivy survived the nightmarish events that the Nightmare Elf put her and a bunch of other essay winners through. Now she's in the hospital, still unable to forget about the other kids--especially Parker. She believes they're still alive and constantly hounds Detective Thomas because he won't take her seriously and keeps dismissing her theories.
So she decides to behave, and when she's released she gets a job doing something she loves. She takes her medication and pretends everything is okay. But things won't be okay until the killer is caught.
When she receives a weird video and gets in touch with the only other survivor, Ivy is determined to face the killer ruining her life. And that leads her to the abandoned August Preparatory School...
Man, I really enjoyed this book! It's nothing like the first one in terms of story, because it takes a whole new direction, but the spooky factor is still TOTALLY there.
It was so good to see how much Ivy had changed. Even though she couldn't let go of what happened, and was pretty much obsessed with the kids 'killed' at the Dark House, she was stronger. In this installment, Ivy is more convinced than ever that her paranoia about being watched is justified.
Getting some background into the killer's childhood was eerie. And I really liked Taylor. She was funny and interesting, and just as flawed as all the other characters.
Oh, and the last half of the book (especially everything that happens in that freaky school) is amazing. So creepy and fast-paced, the tension totally shredded my nerves. Love that. Awesome!
I'm glad a lot of answers were provided, but I really hope that there'll be another book to answer the rest.
After two failed attempts at reading what I hoped would be horrorish stories, this one didn't let me down. :)
Two months have passed since Ivy survived the nightmarish events that the Nightmare Elf put her and a bunch of other essay winners through. Now she's in the hospital, still unable to forget about the other kids--especially Parker. She believes they're still alive and constantly hounds Detective Thomas because he won't take her seriously and keeps dismissing her theories.
So she decides to behave, and when she's released she gets a job doing something she loves. She takes her medication and pretends everything is okay. But things won't be okay until the killer is caught.
When she receives a weird video and gets in touch with the only other survivor, Ivy is determined to face the killer ruining her life. And that leads her to the abandoned August Preparatory School...
Man, I really enjoyed this book! It's nothing like the first one in terms of story, because it takes a whole new direction, but the spooky factor is still TOTALLY there.
It was so good to see how much Ivy had changed. Even though she couldn't let go of what happened, and was pretty much obsessed with the kids 'killed' at the Dark House, she was stronger. In this installment, Ivy is more convinced than ever that her paranoia about being watched is justified.
Getting some background into the killer's childhood was eerie. And I really liked Taylor. She was funny and interesting, and just as flawed as all the other characters.
Oh, and the last half of the book (especially everything that happens in that freaky school) is amazing. So creepy and fast-paced, the tension totally shredded my nerves. Love that. Awesome!
I'm glad a lot of answers were provided, but I really hope that there'll be another book to answer the rest.
After two failed attempts at reading what I hoped would be horrorish stories, this one didn't let me down. :)
July 24, 2015
I gave the first book five stars. I decided to give this book only four stars because of the way the book ended. I loved every other part except for the end.
I felt like the end was rushed into two chapters, and I'm not including the part where Ivy fights the killer. I'm talking about the after stuff. I wanted to see more of Parker and Ivy. The epilogue wasn't tallying great either. I was hope to see if Parker would come back, but that didn't happen.
Another thing I didn't like was that it raises the question is there going to be a third book.
Everything I loved about it? Getting to meet Taylor and the whole entire August Prep school. When Ivy finally got to the end, my heart was racing. I wa scared for her, Natalie, and Parker. I was sad to hear of the fate of the others, but I was crying when Ivy finally found Parker.
Overall, despite the ending, I loved this book!!!
I felt like the end was rushed into two chapters, and I'm not including the part where Ivy fights the killer. I'm talking about the after stuff. I wanted to see more of Parker and Ivy. The epilogue wasn't tallying great either. I was hope to see if Parker would come back, but that didn't happen.
Another thing I didn't like was that it raises the question is there going to be a third book.
Everything I loved about it? Getting to meet Taylor and the whole entire August Prep school. When Ivy finally got to the end, my heart was racing. I wa scared for her, Natalie, and Parker. I was sad to hear of the fate of the others, but I was crying when Ivy finally found Parker.
Overall, despite the ending, I loved this book!!!
June 4, 2017
Ivy Jensen survived the Dark House once, but can she make it out a second time?
Two months have passed since Ivy narrowly escaped the Nightmare Elf’s grip, but the memories of Parker, Natalie, Shayla, Frankie, and Garth continue to haunt her. Their killer is still out there—somewhere. The police trail has gone cold, though, and it’s up to Ivy to piece together the clues to find him.
When a cryptic video arrives in her inbox, Ivy soon finds herself back in the spotlight, this time on a twisted scavenger hunt through the dark, ancient halls of a long-forgotten Gothic school building. Ivy’s not alone, either. Taylor Monroe has returned to the scene. But can Taylor be trusted? Or is she another pawn in the Nightmare Elf’s deadly game?
Laurie Faria Stolarz crafts a mesmerizing thriller that will leave readers looking over their shoulders.
Two months have passed since Ivy narrowly escaped the Nightmare Elf’s grip, but the memories of Parker, Natalie, Shayla, Frankie, and Garth continue to haunt her. Their killer is still out there—somewhere. The police trail has gone cold, though, and it’s up to Ivy to piece together the clues to find him.
When a cryptic video arrives in her inbox, Ivy soon finds herself back in the spotlight, this time on a twisted scavenger hunt through the dark, ancient halls of a long-forgotten Gothic school building. Ivy’s not alone, either. Taylor Monroe has returned to the scene. But can Taylor be trusted? Or is she another pawn in the Nightmare Elf’s deadly game?
Laurie Faria Stolarz crafts a mesmerizing thriller that will leave readers looking over their shoulders.
August 20, 2015
The sequel to Welcome to the Dark House was thrilling and action packed. It picks up a couple of months after the end of the first book. You alternate between a few different perspectives, two of which are Ivy and Taylor. It was nice to get to meet Taylor and learn what she saw in the Dark House that scared her so much that she ran off. You do get to see some of the characters from the last book and the others you learn what their fate was.
The ending was a good one, but did seem rushed. You do get many answers but at the same time the end leaves certain things open giving the impression that there may be another book. At least I hope that there is another book. I would love to see some justice delivered.
The ending was a good one, but did seem rushed. You do get many answers but at the same time the end leaves certain things open giving the impression that there may be another book. At least I hope that there is another book. I would love to see some justice delivered.
July 25, 2015
This book was so, so intense. I read the first book in this series last October, for Halloween, and I absolutely loved it. I wasn't even afraid that this book would suffer from the Lame Sequel Disease, just because I KNEW it would be amazing. And it was! I just love the main character, Ivy, to death (no pun intended), and the writing style is just so easy to read. Also, this book was insane, and filled with shiver-worthy moments. Two thumbs up.
August 15, 2016
Gosh, I hope there is a third one of these. Initially I was very hesitant to do a full horror novel, but this series has me enraptured and I am always surprised by the twists that Laurie Faria Stolarz creates. I loved the introduction of Taylor in this one, and I felt that the abandoned building was yet another interesting setting that fit with the story. I hope the publishers pick this up for a third series because I really can't wait to finish this ride.
March 30, 2016
I really don't have coherent thoughts on this but being a lover of horror this read just like a movie and I loved it. It's a fantastic continuation that doesn't feel like the duology was supposed to be one book that was split into two. It stands on its own well and answers questions from the first that the reader was left with and adds its own cliffhanger at the end.
If you liked the first book, I highly recommend this one.
If you liked the first book, I highly recommend this one.
September 2, 2015
This was an intense sequel to an amazing first book. I was quickly caught up in Ivy's life, struggles, and her horrifying experiences. Ivy was a really strong female main character who continued to hope and strive to find her friends. Taylor was an exciting new viewpoint that you didn't get in the first book. She was also a strong female main character.
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