Review of Deathly Alive

[Deretha Thompson]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Deathly Alive" by Lauren Bradley.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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Deathly Alive is a mild horror and thriller tale by Laurey Bradley. The plot revolves around four teenagers who discover by accident something supernatural and evil. Madeleine Cross, the only daughter of Mrs. Cross, died unexpectedly in the 60s at the hands of an evil she encountered by accident hidden in a mound underneath the church foundation. This evil turned out to be an old Viking lord, a revenant, who had been killed and trapped due to his crimes of persecution and hatred for Christians. Apparently when the church was built, it disrupted its prison, and it ravaged temporarily until Madeleine stole something from its lair, and the church was destroyed, which trapped it temporarily. ​ ​ ​

Six decades later, Madeleine's mother, Mrs. Cross, is killed by the revenant who had returned once more to wreak havoc and permanently free itself from its prison. This time, it is also after the four friends whom Madeleine had revealed herself to and hinted clues to help its destruction. Together with an aged college professor and his learned friend, Augie, they try to solve the puzzle that is the revenant and why it is linked to Madeleine, but nothing prepares them for the death, destruction, and close betrayals that lie in its wake. ​ ​ ​

On reading this book's description and seeing the genre it falls under, I knew I had to read it, and I was not disappointed. It has an amazing plot with very extensive descriptions of the events as they occurred, structured to captivate the reader's interest until the end. The characters were few and well-developed and represented the close-knit setting of the book in the small town of River Rock. The pacing had no lags; however, towards the end, it picked up, and the events played out quickly. I liked this book because of its plot and the theme of friendship and courage it passes across. ​ ​

My only dislike came from the fact that some of the plot did not sound believable to me; an example would be JJ thinking he was developing feelings for Madeleine. Apart from this, this book makes for a short, interesting read with lots of unexpected twists. I spotted about ten errors; however, they did not deter the reading experience. I'm rating this book 4 out of 5 stars due to these errors, and I recommend it to audiences who enjoy horror, thriller, and mystery-themed books. ​

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Deathly Alive
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[Pearl Flourish]

“Deathly Alive” weaves a compelling tale of supernatural intrigue, blending themes of friendship and courage. While some plot elements stretch believability, the story’s unexpected twists and well-developed characters make it an engaging read for horror and thriller enthusiasts.

[George Bastem]

Laurey Bradley weaves an intriguing horror tale with a captivating plot and well-developed characters. The mix of supernatural suspense and themes of friendship is engaging, though some parts feel a bit far-fetched. Despite a few errors, it’s an enjoyable, twist-filled read for fans of thrillers and mysteries.

[NetMassimo]

Despite the flaws you pointed out, this seems like a thriller with supernatural horror elements that can be engaging to fans of the genre thanks to its plot and well-developed characters. Thank you for your great review!