Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Unavailable
    Haunting Violet
    Unavailable
    Haunting Violet
    Unavailable
    Haunting Violet
    Ebook334 pages5 hours

    Haunting Violet

    By Alyxandra Harvey

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    Violet Willoughby doesn't believe in ghosts. But they believe in her. After spending years participating in her mother's elaborate ruse as a fraudulent medium, Violet is about as skeptical as they come in all matters supernatural. Now that she is being visited by a very persistent ghost, one who suffered a violent death, Violet can no longer ignore her unique ability. She must figure out what this ghost is trying to communicate, and quickly because the killer is still on the loose.
    Afraid of ruining her chance to escape her mother's scheming through an advantageous marriage, Violet must keep her ability secret. The only person who can help her is Colin, a friend she's known since childhood, and whom she has grown to love. He understands the true Violet, but helping her on this path means they might never be together. Can Violet find a way to help this ghost without ruining her own chance at a future free of lies?
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBloomsbury Publishing
    Release dateJun 21, 2011
    ISBN9780802723260
    Unavailable
    Haunting Violet
    Author

    Alyxandra Harvey

    Alyxandra Harvey lives in a stone Victorian house in Ontario, Canada, with a few resident ghosts who are allowed to stay as long they keep company manners. She also lives with assorted dogs (at least one corgi) and her husband. She likes vanilla tea, tattoos, and books. She is sometimes fueled by literary rage. She is the author of the Drake Chronicles, Haunting Violet, the Witches of London Trilogy, and Red.

    Read more from Alyxandra Harvey

    Related to Haunting Violet

    Related ebooks

    Children's For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      The WITCH GIRL

      Oct 20, 2021

      The WITCH GIRL
      6 min read

    • Article

      The Man I Should Have Married

      Dec 29, 2019

      The Man I Should Have Married
      11 min read

    • Article

      Tomorrows

      Mar 15, 2022

      The night, as most nights, was like a dream. At ten, once I’d fed the dog the last scraps off the stove. Once I’d cursed the cat for scratching up my mama’s antique furniture, then welcomed him back into my arms. Once I’d slicked my hair into a ponyt

      26 min read

    • Article

      The Witch GIRL

      Oct 24, 2023

      The Witch GIRL
      6 min read

    • Article

      Heave’s Whisky

      Feb 27, 2024

      Heave’s Whisky
      7 min read

    • Article

      Evidence

      Mar 6, 2023

      Evidence
      25 min read

    • Article

      The Ruins

      Aug 5, 2021

      The Ruins
      6 min read

    • Article

      The Family Plot

      May 7, 2020

      The Family Plot
      10 min read

    • Article

      Notes on Etiquette

      Mar 1, 2019

      Notes on Etiquette
      10 min read

    • Article

      The Postmenopausal Fairy Tale

      Feb 4, 2019

      The Postmenopausal Fairy Tale
      9 min read

    • Article

      Six Sonnets

      Jan 1, 2021

      Goldenrod, I could say, you know, everybody wants somethingfrom me, but, well, everybody wants something and nobody wantsnothing from me, goldenrod, towhead, beast. Goldenrod, you packthe meadows like gold-plated sardines. I have heart palpitationsbu

      3 min read

    • Article

      Estella’s Fate

      May 17, 2023

      Estella’s Fate
      7 min read

    • Article

      Estella’s Fate

      May 17, 2023

      Estella’s Fate
      7 min read

    • Article

      The Duplex

      Jun 9, 2020

      I moved to Los Angeles to sing. When was this? August? June? I was twenty-nine, and those were shapeless months, when the days blended together and I refused to pull them apart. My landlord was unusually close to her adult son. His name was Jeffrey,

      21 min read

    • Article

      The Leather Coat

      Apr 4, 2024

      The Leather Coat
      6 min read

    • Article

      Tis The Season

      Nov 2, 2022

      Tis The Season
      2 min read

    • Article

      Now That I’ve Arrived

      Dec 30, 2020

      Now That I’ve Arrived
      5 min read

    • Article

      Mrs Macarthur’s Secret Diary

      Jun 17, 2020

      Mrs Macarthur’s Secret Diary
      7 min read

    • Article

      Shanda

      Jan 1, 2024

      Shanda
      13 min read

    • Article

      All Of Us Here

      Jun 4, 2020

      All Of Us Here
      6 min read

    • Article

      In Dogs We Trust

      Jan 18, 2022

      In Dogs We Trust
      6 min read

    • Article

      Mrs Macarthur’s Secret Diary

      Jun 17, 2020

      Mrs Macarthur’s Secret Diary
      7 min read

    • Article

      Ice cream DREAMS

      Jul 28, 2021

      Ice cream DREAMS
      8 min read

    • Article

      'Tis The Season

      Nov 2, 2022

      'Tis The Season
      2 min read

    • Article

      Cricket Ceague

      Apr 1, 2019

      Penelope Berkeley, age 9 Mars Hill, NC Night had fallen, and Luna awoke from where she had been sleeping in a cornfield. She moved steadily through the stalks with barely a sound, keeping her eyes on the glittering glass rooftop of the greenhouse in

      7 min read

    • Article

      A PRECIOUS Moment In Time

      Jun 17, 2019

      There’s something about Lambrook Hall that always draws me back and I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve been here. I don’t really care if it’s hundreds, to be honest. I can’t resist it. I’m in the dining room again now. Not the ballroom or the lib

      6 min read

    • Article

      Supportive Husband

      Sep 12, 2023

      There were less intimate places available, so it was odd when a woman took the seat directly facing mine across the subway aisle. I looked up from my book and right back down: a couple of months before, we’d gone home together. She had a Southern acc

      22 min read

    • Article

      Lineal Gaps

      Apr 6, 2021

      Lineal Gaps
      15 min read

    • Article

      Ice cream DREAMS

      Aug 4, 2021

      Ice cream DREAMS
      8 min read

    Reviews for Haunting Violet

    4/5

    112 ratings28 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 3/5
      On the list of reading everything else that Alyxandra had written (that wasn't my deeeeeeply beloved Drake Chronicles that I could go on and on and on about for ages) I picked this one up. I'm intrigued by the way the power worked in this one, and I loved the Bronte-an sense of darkness and time period setting.

      It was lovely as a fast week read, but not something I desperately needed. Not that I would turn down another book written in the series!
    • 4/5
      The Good Stuff Wonderful love story intertwined with ghost story - perfection!!! Ghosts - thank you, I love me good ghost stories and there are so very few these days Gothic feel, reminds me of those fabulous Victoria Holt novels I read when I was a young teen - this is a compliment, those books made me fall in love with reading Perfect for reading on a dark and stormy night Enjoyed the relationship between Violet and Lord Jaspar Violet is an absolutely delightfully likeable character. I fell in love with her immediately Fabulous dialogue Hooked me in from the very first paragraph - kept me up till 1 am reading. I was very hard pressed to put the damn thing down Please Alyxandra, write more of these, there are so very few well written Gothic ghost stories Perfect uses of humour There was a ghost dog, how can you not love a story that has a ghost dog The Not So Good Stuff Wanted more No redeeming qualities in Violet's mother - she felt more like a caricature than an actual fully fleshed characterFavorite Quotes/Passages " I'd made her angry and vulnerable and I didn't need to be told she wouldn't forgive me for it. I knew girls like Tabitha - I'd been raised by one. She would need some kind of revenge.""I wandered through the huge room with its towering walls of books. There were so many to choose from. It was better than chocolate cream biscuits, better than Xavier's kiss-and nearly as good as Colin's.""You look lovely, and more importantly, you're positively glowing with ectoplasm."4 Dewey'sI picked this up at Forster's Book Garden Ltd in Bolton after meeting Alyxandra at OLA
    • 4/5
      Violet's mother is a fake medium and she uses Violet help have fake seances, so no one is more shocked then Violet herself when Violet actually starts seeing ghosts and spirits while on a visit to a wealthy estate for her mother's grand rising up in the world. Violet begins seeing the ghost of a girl who was murdered a year ago and starts to investigate which is difficult in a world where proper behavior and corsets rule the drawing room.

      I should have read this such a long time ago as it's been sitting on my shelf for probably a year or more at this point. Harvey is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I loved all of the details on how seances were faked and the slang of the day. Violet was definitely a kick butt heroine who knew to take help when it was needed. While I wasn't expecting the murder I do have to say that I felt Violet barked up the wrong tree for much too long. I also loved Colin. I like Harvey's romances a lot. Yes her characters fall in love but they don't get so lost in each other that the rest of the plot feels lost, which I really appreciate these days in a YA book.
    • 4/5
      I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5 only because it seemed to drag for me so much in the beginning. I loved the story though, and the characters were well written. And though it's hard to let some characters go and not wish for an entire series devoted to them, I feel that this worked well as a stand alone book. I also liked the bit of romance between the main character and her chosen man, and how it wasn't overt and didn't distract from the mystery of the main plot.
    • 5/5
      I liked it, and I wanted to give it only 4 stars, but I didn't have a reason to not give it five stars! It was very good read, good ending, just beautiful
    • 4/5
      I’ve been underwhelmed by a lot of so-called historical books lately, but I’ve also found some unexpected gems–The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell and Haunting Violet. I loved this book. Its heroine, Violet, is not a forward-thinking lady escaping the shackles of society. She’s a fake trying to make her way through society without getting caught. I loved her, I loved the romance. In short, YAY! [Aug. 2011]
    • 4/5
      Girl is part of a con team, but girl really starts seeing ghosts, so what does girl do? A well done story, a murder mystery perfect for the YA crowd, and a nice little potential romance. I liked it.
    • 4/5
      Another book that I have been trying to get off my tbr pile. And I must say that I am happy with it. I totally was not expecting it to be a historical book. It is a great read!What I loved most about this book is the plot. We have a girl who trudges along with her mom who is a con artist. She pretend to speak to the dead be she can not. She does magic tricks and such to make her clients believe in ghost. And then for no reason, Violet all of the sudden can see ghost. As you can imagine, this makes the mother very happy cause she thinks her daughter is actually pretending all of it as well. Like she is finally coming into the family business. I like Violet. She is typical girl doing her best to please her every non-pleasing mother. Violet goes by her guts and helps her mother no matter what. I do not like this women and for Violet to help her well, she is lucky.The love interest in the book is typical yet redeeming. They long for each other yet they can't have each other since Violet's mother is pushing her to marry a man of "good standing." The secret love is adoring and one that the reader will be rooting for.Whats most interesting is the whole ghost mystery. Violet stumbles upon a ghost who is murdered and is now trying to solving the murder. This part is fun. I liked watching Violet solve clues, see through the ghost eyes, and figure out the murder. During this part is sort of reminded me of play the game of Clue.Haunting Violet is an enchanting ghost story that keeps you reading till the end. The vividness of the ghost feelings and thoughts make your hair raise. Undeniably scary good, Haunting Violet is compelling.
    • 5/5
      Awesome.The writing in Haunting Violet is absolutely beautiful.This was my first historical paranormal romance, and I loved every second if it!The characters, the creepy mansions, the chilling ghost tales, England!It was all very, very good.
    • 4/5
      This was a nice change for me. It's a historical YA with a paranormal twist to it. I normally don't read historical, but this one I enjoyed a lot!Violet and Colin have been friends since forever. They both deal with Violet's mother's nasty temper and her little schemes. Her mother is a con-artist who pretends she can see and speak to the dead. All of Violet's life has been pretty much doing anything and whatever her mother says. Colin who isn't related to them at all just sticks around.Being so used to her mothers "seances" and knowing what part she has to play it in all, Violet doesn't really see anything in her life changing anytime soon. Well, except maybe that her mother is trying to marry her off to a rich young man. They are off to another show and when they arrive Violet did not expect visiting the ghost she begins to see. The ghost wants Violet's help in finding her murderer.At times I felt so bad for Violet. Her mother really didn't care about her unless it would somehow benefit her. She used Violet and Colin for her own pleasure and money. She knew how to pick pockets, and at such a young age Colin and Violet learned how to pretty much survive on their own.The romance in Haunting Violet was a nice change for me. Colin and Violet have been close since they were little, and as they got older slowly begin to have feelings for each other. Colin was always there for her like a big brother and best friend. He wasn't over whelming or to controlling. It was perfect! THEY were perfect for each other. Colin made sure he did whatever he could to help her and protect her.Haunting Violet is very sad and suspenseful, but with a happy ending. I really enjoyed it and I hope Alyxandra Harvey gives us some more of Colin and Violet in another book. A great read!4 out of 5 Stars!
    • 4/5
      Synopsis:Violet Willoughby doesn't believe in ghosts. But they believe in her. After spending years participating in her mother's elaborate ruse as a fraudulent medium, Violet is about as skeptical as they come in all matters supernatural. Now that she is being visited by a very persistent ghost, one who suffered a violent death, Violet can no longer ignore her unique ability. She must figure out what this ghost is trying to communicate, and quickly because the killer is still on the loose.Afraid of ruining her chance to escape her mother's scheming through an advantageous marriage, Violet must keep her ability secret. The only person who can help her is Colin, a friend she's known since childhood, and whom she has grown to love. He understands the true Violet, but helping her on this path means they might never be together. Can Violet find a way to help this ghost without ruining her own chance at a future free of lies?Review:This is a great Victorian ghost story. Told by Violet it isn't just a ghost story, it tells her tale of lies, deception and acceptance across the class system of 19th century England.Violet's mother has been deceiving the gentry with parlour tricks, pretending to be a Medium or Spiritualist for any that will pay. With Violet is her childhood friend Colin, who her mother took in off the street. Together they fall into an adventure and along with Violet's friend Elizabeth who is a Duke's daughter (and doesn't know of Violets true past) they try and discover who murder poor Rowena.In the beginning Violet is just an ordinary lower/middle class girl. Her nasty mother constantly threatens her with tales of working as a seamstress until her fingers bleed so Violet does whatever her mother bids her to do. Sadly Violet can do nothing to get away from her station in life other than go along with her mothers wishes. When Violet arrives at Lord Jaspers house she starts seeing ghosts. What bothered me here was Violets reaction to her discovery. Instead of trying to figure out why the ghosts want her to purvey their messages she ignores them and pretends they aren't there. Except poor dead Rowena won't leave her alone. Xavier is a trademans son whose parents have been accepted in society because they are wealthy. When Xavier expresses his wish to marry Violet she doesn't know whether to accept. She likes him enough but has no romantic feelings towards him. But she does have feelings for Colin and he himself expresses as much to Violet. I couldn't help feeling that the romantic side of the book was a little forced. Especially as Colin, who Violet had known all her life, suddenly tells Violet how he feels. Why now?Eventually Violets mother's secret is found out and, disgraced, they return to London and are set upon by an angry mob. Violets saving grace is Colin. She finally understands that he only stays in employment with her mother for her. But at what cost?This book was unexpectedly good. I loved Violet and I understood why she was so afriad to get out from her mothers shadow. And Elizabeth was funny and kind to Violet all the way through.The only things I can criticise are small. Firstly Autumn is referred to on one occassion as Fall. England doesn't have Fall, its an American name for the season. And also if the author wanted authenticity she could have written 'neighborhood' in the english way as 'neighbourhood'.Other than that it was great to read a stand alone book, without having a whole series to go through to reach a conclusion. I enjoyed it and would gladly read more from Harvey.
    • 4/5
      Violet has a very interesting life. Why? She is not what everyone thinks and, in fact, she is more than she thinks. First there is the fine lady that she has become now, daughter of a marvelous medium who is intriguing a lot of wealthy families. But her second life is far more sad, her mother is nothing but a liar. Her medium abilities? Lies. Her love for her daughter? Lies. Her house? Another lie; she got it after lying to a poor old lady during years and received it as inheritance.What for everybody else looks like her mother's workers for Violet is family. Colin, her best friend, was also raised by her mother not because she cared but because he would help her perform her acts. And Marjie, who was working on the streets, was also saved by her mother to become the housemade.Of course, being part of this game, Violet didn't believe in ghost or mediums, she knew better than that. Until one day, during one of the biggest performances her mother was doing in Lord Jasper's house (a very wealthy and known man) a ghost appeared in front of her. This ghost, a girl's ghost, was dripping water to the floor while moving her lips as if trying to say something that couldn't be said because it was obvious she had been strangled to death.From that moment on Violet began to wonder if she was going nuts or if, in fact, ghosts could be real... But ghosts were one more thing in her increasing list of problems: her mom was always trying to set her up with some rich kid, Colin was always behind her back teasing and helping, even complicating things with stolen kisses and fine ladies were always saying nasty things about her mother (sadly most of them were kind of true...). Good thing her best friend, Elizabeth, was always sweet, supportive and funny. But Violet was afraid that if the big charade their life had become was discovered no one, not even Elizabeth, would forgive her.But someone is lurking in the shadows and Rowena's ghost holds all the answers Violet needs to catch the killer.Personal opinion:You know what I like best about this book? Is auto-conclusive. Yes, I LOVE series but the waiting is so... so... tiring sometimes, you know? With Haunting Violet I had a crazy, intense ride where ghosts were behind every corner and Colin was behind every shadow.Sorry, I think I fell in love with him. His part in this book wasn't big but it was important for Violet's decisions. Supportive, caring, protective, sweet and tender, that's Colin's description. Who wouldn't want a guy like that?!Violet's mother was annoying. More than annoying I would say, but that's the way it had to be. And the victorian setting of the book creates an amazing background for the readers to enjoy.
    • 5/5
      This book takes place in the 1800's. A mother who is a fake spiritualist is trying to get from rags to fluently wealthy by lying about having the gift of mediumship while struggling to keep from appearing her age. She puts her daughter,Violet to rig up the rooms in which she is to hold her seances along with the help of Colin whom she took under her care as a young boy and serves as her footman,or searvant, He is truly there to protect Violet. Violet surprisingly inherits the gift by seeing a girl Rewanda who has been murdered and wants the murderer found out. This book drags you in and is hard to put down. Enttwined with a few comic relief moments,with romance and mystery. I enjoyed reading this book and look forward to reading some more from this author.
    • 4/5
      I'm not usually into period mystery books, but this was a pleasant surprise. I loved how Violet was living the lie for her mother and then she ends up having true gifts, great irony.
    • 5/5
      In Victorian London, Violet has been helping her mother stage fake seances for years. She does not enjoy it, but she has no where to go so she does it, despite guilty feelings. So there really is no bigger skeptic than Violet. But on a trip to a country house for a set of seances at a country house, Violet starts feeling and seeing creepy things. Once at the estate, it only gets worse as Violet starts seeing ghosts all around her and one in particular, the desperate ghost of a young girl who was murdered. WOW, I LOVED this book. It is creepy and clever and sweet. I thought the descriptions of the society in Victorian England were spot on. I also liked the links to the Spiritualist movement of the time. Violet is a likeable character as are her friends, Elizabeth and Colin. There is a sweet story of growing love that does not overshadow the ghost story. Violet's mother is a perfect wicked woman with no redeeming characteristics at all. The ghosts are all sorts, scary, funny and furry. I loved this book so much that I was willing to forgive the use of the word "snuck" on more than one occasion. This book is suitable for tweens as well as teens. Anyone who likes a nice historical ghost story should enjoy this book.
    • 4/5
      An interesting book which could have benefited with being longer. Violet is the only daughter of a fake social-climbing medium who is embroiled in her mother's schemes to fleece money from the unwary. Along the way Violet discovers her own genuine ability to see ghosts and ends up solving a murder.There wasn't enough detail to make this a truly great book. There is a whole wealth of information on Victorian mediums (fake and otherwise) which would have added to the storyline. Also Harvey touches on the social norms and etiquette of the period, but doesn't really expand on it. For me this left the story lacking depth and believability. Everything is a bit hurried, as though the author wanted to mention things without developing them.
    • 4/5
      Haunting Violet is really very good. There are some reasonably frightening scenes in Haunting Violet. Creepy enough, that I became uncomfortable reading it sitting alone, in the dark, by the campfire, on our recent camping trip, and that's a good thing. I quite liked Violet, and although I wished she were more outwardly spunky, she had enough secret spunk to make her interesting. If I have one issue, it's that no one in the book speaks as though they live in the 1860s. The characters are all very much people of the 2000s plopped into an 1860 framework. I highly doubt that this detail would bother many modern readers, however as someone who reads a great deal of period literature, I found it distracting. Still, the murder mystery was satisfyingly mysterious, and the love story was sweet. An all round good read.
    • 5/5
      Violet Willoughby has spent her life as part of her mother's fraudulent medium/spiritualist act. More skeptical than not only those who come to her mother's readings, but just about anyone else, Violet does not believe in spirits or ghosts.Except they seem to believe in her.A very persistent, very stubborn ghost is now making herself known to Violet. A ghost who seems to have died a violent death and won't just go away.Violet's going to have to figure out what the ghost wants and if she can accomplish it.That and if this new found ability is going to ruin Violet's plans of getting away from her mother once and for all through marriage. Of course, the only person who can help her is Colin, the friend she's had since childhood who works for her mother - and might pose a different sort of problem for her potential marriage.Can Violet manage to resolve it all --and without her life falling apart?There are not enough good things I can say about this book! Haunting Violet is the kind of book that makes me love that I have a blog because maybe just one person will read this post who wasn't planning on reading the book already and then will . . . and maybe then they'll tell someone how splendiferous it is! (Well, maybe not using that exact word.) It's just that good of a book.Set in the 1870s, Haunting Violet is historical fiction and the historical details seem to be accurate and really add to the story's depth and the readers' enjoyment of it.Chock full of mystery, intrigue and drama, but also the humor and kick butt heroines that Alyxandra Harvey displayed such a talent for in her Drake Chronicles series, this standalone has something (so much, really) for everyone. And while her heroine might not be one to swoon, Harvey has once again created a very swoon worthy male character in Colin (I'm more than a little bit in love with him, I think).Alyxandra Harvey crafts such brilliant stories and (as with the Drake Chronicles books) I love the relationships between her characters so, so much that I almost hate for the book to be over - except that they all find such brilliant resolutions that I can't really hate it.(Can't say that I would hate for this to be a series, though-or for the characters to happen to show up in another of the author's books ;-))A magnificent mystery, love story, historical fiction tale, and ghost story to boot, I cannot recommend this one enough!
    • 5/5
      HAUNTING VIOLET, by Alyxandra Harvey, is probably one of the best books I have read this year. So if you are not a gushing-type person, feel free to walk away now. Harvey is most known for her Drake Chronicle's series, following the lives of a vampire family and it's many children. Haunting Violet is a twist in the other direction, focusing on a girl in the 1800's who assists her phony 'Spiritualist' mother, while coming into her own and actually seeing spirits herself. Violet is my personal hero. She was raised by a single mother who is a hack, traipsing around the higher class residences pretending she can speak to the deceased. Violet and her mother are not wealthy, but are very good at appearing so. By sewing their own clothes and created the illusion of real seances, they manage to get by. One of the reasons why Violet is so fabulous is the way she deals with her incredibly annoying and naive mother. Violet's mother is selfish and ruthless, and when times get rough she is the only one who matters. There were times I wanted to reach inside the book and pummel her for her actions. There was definitely more than one villain in this book and she is definitely included. Besides dealing with her mother, I felt bad that Violet had to grow up so fast at such a young age. A skilled pickpocket and helper to the ruse that was their only source of income, she needed to toughen up very quickly. Also, her mother pushed Violet's prospects of finding a husband who could take care of them financially no matter how she felt, or how much she lied about herself. But to ease the tension in Violet's life there was Colin (swoon). He lived and worked for the Willoughby's as whatever was needed from him. Violet and Colin grew up together and eventually started to share more romantic inclinations toward each other as they grew up. I loved the relationship between these two. They both were in the same situations together and they got to know each and every part of each other's personality and still liked each other! Harvey created some electric chemistry between these two and I anticipated each scene they were in together.Along with loving the characters. I absolutely loved the story. I have found ghost stories a hit or miss with me, but this one was (obviously) a hit. Violet and her plump but loyal friend, Elizabeth (who I wouldn't mind having as a best friend!), worked together to try and solve the murder of a young ghost girl that kept appearing to Violet.Another extraordinary thing about this book (I told you tons of gushing!) is Harvey's prose. I found myself getting lost in the flowing words that created a beautiful setting and amazing circumstances for her characters. Along with the setting and eerie circumstances surrounding the death of the young girl, I thoroughly enjoyed this 'murder mystery' type book.
    • 4/5
      Summary: Violet Willoughby has seen too much to believe in ghosts. Her mother is a medium - a fake medium, that is - who uses the standard set of tricks to convince the spiritualism-crazed members of London society that she actually can communicate with the dead. Violet's tired of the lies, but knows that revealing the truth would send her and her mother back into the gutter, so she goes along with it, despite knowing that there are no real ghosts. But then at a retreat at the country estate of Lord Jasper, a prominent spiritualist, Violet starts seeing things that can't be real: most prominently, the transparent figure of a pale young woman, who inflicts Violet with terrible visions of drowning. Violet realizes that this must be the ghost of Rowena, the heir to the neighboring estate, who died in a tragic yet mysterious accident the previous year. But as Rowena ghost grows more and more insistent, Violet starts to think that it might not have been an accident after all... and the spirits of the dead will give her no rest until she uncovers the truth.Review: While I've mostly grown out of my pre-teen and teenage fascination with horror novels, I still like a good ghost story now and again, and if it's a Victorian ghost story with a pinch of romance, so much the better. Haunting Violet is a solid ghost story/murder mystery, and is one of those books that I absolutely would have devoured as a teen. As an adult, it didn't quite bowl me over, but was certainly an enjoyable read.Although I knew before I started that Harvey was adept at writing historical fiction - sections of Blood Feud are set in the French Revolution - she's so good at writing modern, action-packed, snarky-banter-heavy stories that it took me a while to get into Haunting Violet's quieter, more historical tone. I don't mean to imply that this book is lacking in action; on the contrary, the plot keeps up a swift pace throughout, with plenty of small touches of humor. But as interesting as fake séances are, they just don't get the heart pounding in the same way as a giant bloody vampire battle, y'know?I also thought that this book had too many living characters, and not enough dead ones. It hews fairly closely to murder mystery conventions, complete with attempts on the detective's life and a rash of sudden suspicious behavior from all involved. That's all well and good, but I felt like there were a few too many suspects for any one of them to make a particularly effective red herring, and I figured out the murderer pretty early on. I also wish there had been more ghosts other than Rowena. There are a few effectively creepy scenes in which Violet is surrounded by ghosts, all of them demanding something from her, but for the most part she only has fleeting contact with a few ghosts other than the drowned girl. I felt like the story could have used a supernatural subplot to add some emotional heft and to balance things out. 4 out of 5 stars.Recommendation: All things considered, this book provided a solid, creepy, atmospheric ghost story that kept me reading past my bedtime. Recommended for fans of Victorian spiritualism in fiction, teen ghost stories, and if I could send a copy backwards in time, my 13-year-old self.
    • 5/5
      Violet is the daughter of a woman who is working as a Medium in London in 1872 at the height of the Spiritualist craze. Her mother is a fraud (or charlatan in Victorian terms) but Violet has not option but to assist her. They are invited to a English Country weekend by Sir Jasper and, once there, Violet really begins to see ghosts. They scare her witless because she doesn't believe in ghosts. But one very persistent one wants Violet to solve her murder.
    • 4/5
      The Faery’s ViewHaunting Violet is such an apropos name for Alyxandra Harvey’s break –away from The Drake Chronicles! It is full of ghosts, thrills, romance but it’s also a murder mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end. The most surprising aspect of Haunting Violet is that it is not only a paranormal romance but it is also, in my opinion, a very accurate historical paranormal romance set in the year of 1872.Violet, the illegitimate daughter of a charlatan Spiritualist, has known very little love from her mother and along with Colin, an Irish orphan her mother allowed to live with them purely for the labor he provides, they all play a part in her mother’s scheming séances of those that are grieving and wanting to get in touch with those that have passed on. Violet and Colin have always looked out for each other and as they’ve gotten older Violet has started having different ‘feelings’ for Colin. Like the way her heart flutters when his hair falls over his brow or when she notices the muscles he’s developed as he’s gotten older. Colin has made living with her mother tolerable. Over the years her mother has made quite the name for herself in the Spiritualist circles because of her ‘successful’ yet deceitful séances. When an invitation arrives to visit the wealthy Lord Jasper, a known Spiritualist, at his country estate, she sees this as an opportunity that not only furthers her success but also to marry off Violet to the wealthiest bidder. Upon arrival at Lord Jasper’s exquisite estate, Violet is presented as a lady and the gentlemen are taken in by her beauty and sweet nature. The other young ladies are immediately jealous and catty-particularly a beautiful girl named Tabitha. One girl, Elizabeth, quickly becomes a fast friend and makes Violet feel terrible about lying to her about who she really is. One thing that is extremely pleasant from Violets normal life: she has never seen so much food before, slept in a bed that was so soft nor has she ever had so much free time to read. The free time doesn’t last long though, eventually Violet starts to actually see a ghost, which is impossible because Violet doesn’t believe in ghosts! Violet can’t ignore it though; the ghost is identical to Tabitha, if fact it’s her identical twin that drowned a year ago despite the fact that she was an excellent swimmer. Foul play is afoot and it’s up to Violet, Colin and Elizabeth to find out before the murder kills Violet next.Haunting Violet surprised me; I must confess that I’m not really big on ‘ghost’ books! Alyxandra Harvey did such an excellent job in her portrayal of the times that I almost felt as if I were transported to the late 1800’s. The descriptive was such that it was interesting and at times, humorous-I was never bored, in fact, I was fascinated. Violets character was so very likable! She is courageous, determined to do what’s right and cares deeply for others. The plot was amazing and unlike anything I’ve read before, it held so many elements while holding true to story. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a great ghost story but also to those who enjoy romance, intrigue and mystery.
    • 3/5
      When her mother’s fake séance goes wrong, Violet is forced to step up. Her newfound spiritual powers will either make her the newest superstar or kill her when an avenging young girl wants Violet to solve her death. I fell in love with Alyxandra Harvey’s debut novel (Hearts at Stake), but fell shortly out of love with her two sequels. For me, Haunting Violet was a welcoming read as it strayed away from the vampires and into the realm of ghosts. Different readers have different preferences when it comes to books. I, myself, love paranormal romances. They’re like chocolate. But gluttony is a sin and too much can give a girl a stomachache. Haunting Violet was just another paranormal romance that had me intrigued, but I soon discovered (in addition to many other paranormal books) that it was a disappointment. Before I start talking about what I found troubling about Haunting Violet, let’s start with some happy thoughts. I found the premise exciting. Violet was a well-likeable girl who didn’t throw tantrums when things didn’t go her way. Her love interests were sweet and one of them bordered on sexy (but not the dark, dangerous and bad sexy). One particular character that stood out that I am sure many of the readers will not like was Violet’s mother. I found her to be such a fascinating character that has had her ups-and-downs. She was a housemaid that was forced to go to on her own when she was found pregnant. She created a world for herself, clothed and fed Violet. There is a deep level of resentment she holds against Violet and it’s understandable. While she wasn’t the most well-liked character, she was one of the strongest and I could feel her charisma through the pages.I found Haunting Violet to be less than stellar and in need of a clear direction. The random bumbling to towns and the hazy plotline left me turning to another book. What I expected was a good mystery with an air of forbidden romance as Violet deftly lays down the clues of the death. Instead I read about Violet suddenly founding herself fancying her mother’s helper Colin (who, as Harvey keeps bringing up, used to always tease Violet and hide bugs in her things when they were younger). Her new self-consciousness around him is only bolstered when the charming (and again as Harvey keeps pointing out, the wealthy) Xavier tries to court Violet. Kissing two guys in one day? What a scandal! Haunting Violet is an endless barrage of names and gossip that serves absolutely no purpose besides confusing the readers from trying to figure out the murderer. And that’s really hard to do when the entire thing gets dropped for a couple of chapters as Violet suddenly has amazing spiritual powers and understands the “third eye” from reading a book. In one day. I wished that Harvey spent more time taking time to explain the little details. Her mother’s affair; Colin’s history with his mother; Marjorie, the family’s maid I’m guessing, seems to vanish in thin air; Lord Jasper’s “powers” and his dead wife. Haunting Violet has a good framework. It was the finer points, the lack of details or too many details in certain areas that drove the book to nowhere.
    • 4/5
      Historical fantasy is one of my favorite genres and one I don't read nearly often enough. It has been hard, in the past, to find well-written works that fit the category...slowly but surely, that seems to be changing. Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey definitely fit the bill.Violet lives in the late 19th century with her mother and a couple of servants (including the delectable Colin). Her mom is basically a crook - she goes around pretending to be a medium and drags Violet and Colin into her schemes. They have to help her put on the "show" that convinces people she is legit. When they are invited to a house party with upper crust guests, Violet's mother is thrilled - thinking that it'll open the door to a lot of other work. Unfortunately - the work starts a little early for Violet. Is that a real ghost following her around for once?I loved the plot of this novel - Violet's path to discovering the identity of the ghost followed by trying to help her find peace leads to a lot of interesting discoveries about herself and the people around her. It also leads to some legit creepy scenes - she has both other ghosts and living people on her trail. She doesn't go it alone though, her good friend Elizabeth is an eager participant in the adventures. Also, she can always count on Colin to do his best to keep her safe.Colin is one awesome dude, of the patiently-waiting-in-the-wings-he-has-wanted-her-forever variety. He watches while Violet's mom tries to make her marry for money...then decides he isn't gonna stand for any of that. Their developing romance from what was obviously a life-long friendship was very satisfying; I loved them together!So, the combination of historical details, paranormal creepiness, romance and family drama made for one heck of a great read. I definitely recommend picking this up!
    • 5/5
      Summary: Violet’s mother is a medium who travels all over the country to sit for the most influential members of society. Unfortunately for Violet, her mother is a hack—she can’t really talk to ghosts, so she relies on Violet to help pull off her stunts. When a girl dripping wet with bruises around her neck appears at one of Violet’s mother’s sittings, Violet discovers that she, unlike her mother, can actually see the dead. And this dead girl wants Violet to expose her murderer. My thoughts: Haunting Violet is a spellbinding historical fantasy about ghosts, false mediums, and navigating the social classes in the nineteenth century. Alyxandra Harvey’s writing is fabulous, and has a thoroughly classy, fancy, old-timey feel to it. She leaves the reader in much suspense—as soon as the ghost girl makes her appearance, the story kicks into gear and doesn’t stop until the final pages. Guessing Rowena’s murderer is near impossible (I had a prediction, but was completely wrong), which made for a great mystery. Violet is a protagonist I easily warmed to. She’s trapped in a horrible situation, but she can still see humor or irony in almost anything. Her distaste for high society is nothing new in terms of historical fantasy, but Violet’s quips and whispers to her friend Elizabeth (an equally, if not more fun character than the protagonist) are very amusing. And as for the boys in the story…there is an obvious choice for Violet, but he is a sweet, respectable type who is instantly endearing. The accent doesn’t hurt, either. Overall, Haunting Violet is a fantastic historical fantasy. I fell in love with its lush setting, fun protagonist, and intriguing mystery. Fans of the paranormal and murder mysteries will delight in the book’s excellent display of both qualities.
    • 5/5
      Behind the Victorian curtain lurks a secret fascination with the after-life. The science and seance of mediums, performance, magic and paranormal are invited into the drawing rooms of elite society and pray on the grief stricken and bored. The Gothic darkness paired with the proper etiquette of the era makes for a scandalised mixture that is both historically interesting as well as mesmerizing. The macabre halls, hauntings and visual images are authentic and remind me of The Castle of Otranto by Horace Warpole, a classic example of gothic horror. Although Violet's character might feel modern at times, it is vital to remember that women of her situation were allowed greater freedoms. Her spirit is captivating and her mother a perfect Victorian villain set on exploiting whatever she can to survive in a world where men determine and control everything.
    • 4/5
      Review courtesy of All Things Urban FantasyHAUNTING VIOLET by Alyxandra Harvey is a huge departure from her popular YA vampires series, The Drake Chronicles. At it’s heart, it’s a murder mystery, but one embroiled with ghosts and romance and an atmospheric setting so vivid that I felt transported to mid 1800’s England for several engrossing hours.The narrative voice in HAUNTING VIOLET was fantastic. Violet’s way of looking at the world and her situation was fascinating. Given her circumstances, a poor girl forced into a life of grifting and pickpocketing to help her charlatan Spiritualist mother con grieving people out of money, she easily could have become a character so deeply mired in self-pity that nothing could pull her out, or have been so bitter and waspish that readers wouldn’t care about her plight. But Violet was neither those things. She was capable and determined and felt deeply for those around her. If she could have found a way out of her life she would have taken it. Speaking of Violet, I always begin historical novels with a giant fear: that the author will impose modern sensibilities and ideas into a time period were they don’t belong. Thankfully Harvey doesn’t do that. Apart from a few words and expressions that were a bit too modern, Violet is 100% believable as a product of her time. She fully understands the rules of the time period that she lives in and doesn’t rage against them in a way that would be completely foreign to a character from that time. Rather, like a Jane Austen heroine, she is smart enough to find ways to make those constraints work for her. I admired that about her immensely.HAUNTING VIOLET is very different from The Drake Chronicles. It has a more serious and mature tone. There is still quite a bit of humor sprinkled throughout, but it is more of a witty humor. And I can’t overlook the romance which was really beautiful to experience. The book is written as a standalone novel, but I can easily imagine it turning into a series and hope that the sales of this spooky historical mystery warrant more stories about Violet.Sexual Content:Kissing
    • 5/5
      Violet Willoughby does not believe in ghosts. She has been forced, from a young age, to help her fraudulent, spiritualist/medium mother con her grieving customers to believe that she can contact the dearly departed. With the help of Colin, her mother's assistant, her mother has been able to give Violet a semi-decent life, passing her off as more of a lady than the pauper that she really is. When Violet's mother is invited to the estate of Lord Jasper to once again play the part of medium, Violet is not too thrilled. For she knows she must play the part, not only to help her mother, but also so that young, wealthy Xavier takes notice of her. Although her feelings for Xavier may not be as strong as what she feels for Colin, she knows that Xavier won't be too critical about her past. But Violet soon realizes her love problems are the least of her worries, since shortly, after their arrival at the estate Violet begins to see the ghost of a dead girl. Although at first, she refuses to believe it, the dead girl is rather adamant that Violet help her not only protect her sibling but also solve the mystery of her murder. I was rather surprised by how much I actually enjoyed this story. Foremost, the historical aspect of it was what grasped my attention. I love stories (especially YA) that have a historical setting and Ms. Harvey accurately depicted London in the late nineteenth century. Secondly I love a good ghost story... and Haunting Violet was definitely that. The parts where Violet encounters a ghost were spine-tingling. I loved the atmospheric changes like a dramatic change in the wind, or water slowly creeping around her feet, or when she would walk into a room how all the ghosts would suddenly stop and stare at her... it was downright creepy. All in all, I thought Finding Violet had a lot of my favorite things all wrapped up to make it the perfect package. The mystery, romance, historical setting and paranormal aspects really held my attention. Not to mention there were a few twists and turns in there that I did not see coming. It was fun and fast-paced, had great characters, a mystery to be solved and ghosts.... I honestly couldn't ask for more.