Customer Reviews

All the Lovely Bad Ones

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have two boys. One of them is just about 8. This book is way above his reading level, but the story is wonderful!!

A brief synopsis: two kids - older tweens - go to stay at their grandmother's "haunted" inn. The two kids remind me of Fred and George from Harry Potter; they're just very mischievous. And their mischief wakes the ghosts at the inn.

There are "good" ghosts and "bad" ghosts, and it becomes apparent quickly which is which. There is a good mystery, a great amount of historical ambiance, and a very good personification of evil.

My boys love spooky stories. This one TOTALLY fit the bill. Not gross, not at all, just scary. The plot was so good that it captivated me, the out-loud reader.

I would highly recommend this book to kids in middle school, or, if you don't mind the subject matter, to younger boys. I find stuff like this increases my kids' desire to read as well as their vocab and attention span. But it IS scary, very much so! So, kids who are sensitive should avoid it.

(*)>

This was Mary Downing Hahn's BEST book yet!! I have passed my copy on to several others and they have really LOVED it as much as I have!! I can't wait to read it again!!!

Printed on the cover is "A Ghost Story." It is - complete with creaking floors, blood-curdling screams, and dark groves of trees. ALL THE LOVELY BAD ONES is your typical haunted house tale.

Sent to spend the summer with their grandmother, Travis and his sister, Corey, are in for the scare of their lives. As soon as they learn that the Vermont inn owned by their grandmother is haunted, Travis and Corey are thrilled to be there. Unfortunately, Grandmother has other thoughts. She really isn't interested in playing up the haunted angle to her guest, but Travis thinks that would be just the ticket to increase business.

Travis and Corey have a plan. They will use some costumes, a little make-up, and a blue flashlight to make just the right combination of sights and sounds to stir up some interest in the old inn. When word gets around that the long-dormant ghosts of Fox Hill Inn are active again, business will be booming. However, it was not part of the plan that the kids' antics would actually encourage the real ghosts to make a return of a very real kind.

Readers of Mary Downing Hahn's latest mystery are in for a treat. The ghosts in this story are not ready to settle down until some of the wrongs of the past are righted. Until that happens, the inhabitants of the old inn are victims of mysterious wild rampages that destroy their rooms and possessions, vicious physical assaults, and endless taunts and threats. Life at the inn will not be peaceful until the spirits of the past are appeased.

ALL THE LOVELY BAD ONES is an excellent addition to any mystery collection. It is especially perfect for middle grade readers looking for a quick read and a good scare.

Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"

I used to read all of Mary Downing Hahn's books when I was younger and I loved them all--'Doll in the Garden', 'Wait Till Helen Comes', 'Time for Andrew', etc. I started reading some of her older stories recently and it made me want to read more of her work. I bought five of her newer books last month and I decided I would read 'All the Lovely Bad Ones' first because it is set in Vermont, where I am from.

I was very interested in the story at first, but as I read on I noticed the main characters didn't have much of a personality other than they are "mischievous", and that kind of bored me. They didn't feel like real enough kids to me, so it was hard for me to care what happened to them or feel creeped out, even at the beginning. I thought the plot of the book was very cheesy and not in a good way, and there were too many plot holes for me to really get into the story. For example---(spoiler alert?!)---why couldn't the ghosts dig up Ada's account book from her grave themselves--why did they need Corey and Travis--if they are able to dig with shovels?

After I finished the book, I felt disappointed and thought maybe it's because I'm older now that I didn't enjoy the story and maybe I wouldn't enjoy anymore of Hahn's new books--that is, until I read 'Deep and Dark and Dangerous' which I liked a lot (a little too similar to 'Wait Till Helen Comes', but that's another review in itself). I might recommend this book if you're like me and want to read all of Hahn's books, or I suppose if you're age 13 or younger you may enjoy it more than I did (all the other reviews I've read on Amazon are extremely positive towards this book, which is great, but to me it was surprising!). It's unfortunately not a book I would see myself ever wanting to read again though.

I am 12 and I recently finished reading this book. A kid named Travis is the narrator, and I think he told this story fantastically. It seemed like he included every detail, and it didn't jump from place to place like many stories that I've read do. This story can be described as eerie and it always left you on the edge of your seat wondering what was going to happen next. This was my first book by Mary Downing Hahn, and I can honestly say I was not let down. It is now one of my favorie books, and Mary Downing Hahn is definitely one of my favorite authors. I would recommend this book to anyone, whether they like ghost stories or not. If they don't, they definitely will after reading this book!

all the lovely bad ones got me a little creaped out but after it was one of my favorite books and i wanted to get another book by Mary Downing Hahn so i did this book was great

all the lovely bad ones is a super good book it may give you the creeps but turns out to be the best book!
i love Mary Downing Hawns books the are super good.one time i was reading at night that night i had
nightmares about the book it sounds really scary but it is one of the best books ever!!!!

All the Lovely Bad Ones is a fast paced, atmospheric ghost story that will leave the reader wanting to finish it in one sitting. The main character, Travis and his younger sister, Corey, are sent to spend the summer at their Grandmother's Bed and Breakfast in Vermont, because their summer camp will no longer welcome them back, due to their mischievous behavior. When they learn that the Inn use to be haunted, they decide to have some fun and scare the guests. Unfortunately, the scares "awake" the real ghosts, both good and bad, and the children now have the responsibility of helping the good ghosts, so they can rest in peace.

The back story of the Inn, and how it came to be haunted was interesting and engaging. The overall plot is enjoyable and keeps the reader's interest. The writing is descriptive and pleasurable. One of the few complaints that I have is that the reader never really learns much about the main character and his sister. All the reader learns is that they are mischievous and enjoy having fun, often at the expense of others. We don't really learn anything about their family, or even their Grandmother. While it is usually nice to have this background information in a story and to be able to relate somewhat to the characters, ultimately it didn't affect my overall enjoyment of the book. My only other complaint was that the ghosts hang around quite a bit, and to a certain extent, almost don't seem like ghosts because they become somewhat commonplace towards the end of the novel, and in my opinion, make the book less scary than it could have been.

Overall, the wonderfully creepy atmosphere and haunting house feel make this a fun read and Hahn's fans won't be disappointed. Although the back story might be too much for some sensitive readers (dealing with child abuse and death), the ghost story part of it isn't too scarey for its intended audience of upper elementary school readers. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good ghost or haunted house story for a younger audience.

This is one of the best books ive read in my life! I love thrillers that make me have goosebumps and when I read this I sure got them! I would recommend this book to anyone that loves to read thrillers!!!

All the Lovely Bad Ones is a ghost story, but it has a great story behind it. In the beginning of the story nothing scary happens, but somehow the author keeps you reading. When the scary stuff starts happening it makes it even more interesting, and once you learn the story behind the ghosts it really weighs heavy on you. By the end of the book you have a mixure of feelings, the feeling of happiness but sadness too. It really is a great book, and it keeps you reading till the end. Lets just say I finished the book in less than 3 hours, I couldn't put it down. I have only read one other book by this author, Deep and Dark and Dangerous, and I am definitely looking foward to reading more books by her.