Customer Reviews

The Presence: A Ghost Story

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book isn't the best book i've read but it is one thrilling book. Full of chills by the presence or ghost confined to St.Matthews Church in Pasodina. The ghost lurers long dark haired big eyed ladies to live with him forever. He's killed over six ladies and has each one of them painted by him in a frame. He paints there picture to show that he loved each girl the same. Now he's lonely and Catherine happens to be there having a problem Noah, the presence can possibly fix by his love and his powers that each of his girls thought exist. Now Catherine is his next victim and she is warned by one of Noah's victims that got away from him, what she was in for. I recommend
this book to you if you like horror and fantasy. This book will have you guessing to the end if Catherine will survive and get away from Noah with his bone chilling tactics to have Catherine as his forever. In the book he tries to lurer Catherine back into her past of killing her friend which is spooky and horrifying.

Every now and then, while I am at the library, I will pick a random book out to read, and sometimes they turn out to be great books, sometimes they suck. But luckily enough, when I picked "The Presence" by Eve Bunting, I picked right.

I am a sucker for ghost stories, so right off the bat, I had to pick this, but that didn't mean I expected it to be good, nope. Exactly the opposite, I thought it would be quite bad, quite ordinary. But it is not.

The Presence is one of those rare stories that tells the tale of not only how one girl copes with loss, but how many cope with loss. And it does it well, this is the second book I have read recently on this issues, the other being "Pop Princess", but out of the two, I would have to say that this one is better. For a few reasons: 1. the humans are'nt walking cliches. The people are quite real, everything seems quite real, while keeping a somwhat surreal atmosphere. 2. The author doesn't fall into the same traps as Rachel Cohn, despite uses the same basic story, except in a different setting. The character in this is coping in a different way, but she comes off as very likeable, unlike the lead in "Pop Princess".

Now, I know, you're probably going, "Geez, you must've hated that book!", actually, I loved it, but I think that it didn't succeed on the same level as The Presence. The Presence really captures Catherine's pain, by slowly revealing it to us throughout the novel instead of telling us right off the bat. It has an air of mystery too it, also because of the ghost she encounters, Noah, he is very mysterious, and his past is revealed slowly as well, keeping us wondering exactly why he is this way, until the end. :)

The book doesn't end in a snug package, but it does end nicely. It didn't feel contrived, or unnatural, I liked the way it ended, because it shows us a little more than some novels show, but also a little less at the same time. :)

Anyways, I know I haven't been overly descriptive, but I think it is best to leave you wondering, this book unravels its tale slowly, but it keeps you reading till the very end. And that is why I cannot reveal more without guilt, it just wouldn't be right. :D

God Bless & *enjoy* ~Amy

The book Presence by Eve Bunting is such a great book. I just kept on reading and reading it without putting it down. That's why I finished the book in 3 days. The way Eve Bunting describes the story is just remarkable! I could just picture the sequence of events in my head. My favorite part was when Catherine started to see all those girls that looked like her. She was so shocked. And I would be too if I saw all these girls that had almost the exact face as me. I would recommend this book to anyone especially 12 years and up. This book is great!

After the tragic death of her best friend Kirsty, seventeen-year-old Catherine goes to stay with her grandma in Pasadena, California. She hopes that this will help her recover her tortured mind.
While visiting, Catherine meets a handsome stranger who claims he can channel the dead. He says she can get her in touch with to Kirsty. Frightened by his icy touch, but drawn in by the thought of relieving her guilt, Catherine sets off to meet him at the Saint Mathew's Church. Then she questions Noah's truth. Why can no one else see him? Why can't he leave the church? Why is the air always so cold when she's near him? And most importantly, is he real?
When old Dottie Lovelace gives her a warning, Catherine doesn't know if she should trust Noah. What exactly does he want from her? How does she know that what Dottie's diary says is true? How could Noah have been the same age then as he is now? Catherine notices that all the other girls that seem to have known him look like her, and they all disappeared mysteriously after meeting him. How can she save herself before she falls into his trap? How do you get rid of something that has already died?
Full of mysteries, The Presence is a thrilling book that you can't get your nose out of! A wonderful book that is guaranteed to send chills down everyone's spine!

Seventeen-year-old Cathrine has been feeling guilty ever since the death of her pen pal and best friend Kristy who was visiting from Scotland.
She goes to stay with her grandmother in California the escape from the town where memories of that night hang in the air. But at the church where her grandmother works Cathrine hears a strange voice saying her name.
Then she meets Noah a strange boy who everyone else ignores. He promises he can help Cathrine talk to Kristy.
But when she gets a gift from a strange old women...a warning of sorts she isn't sure about Noah anymore...What is it that he wants from her?

A very creepy and well told story about guilt, letting go, ghosts, and love.

I found the story to be very absorbing and thrilling. I was really interested in find out more about the car crash and Noah.
I came to care for the characters such as Cathrine and Collin, and wondering how their relationship would go.
I do wish there was more information on Noah, i felt like i wanted to know more about what drove him down the path he took.

Seventeen-year-old Cathrine has been feeling guilty ever since the death of her pen pal and best friend Kristy who was visting from scotland.
She goes to stay with her grandmother in Califorina the escape from the town where memories of that night hang in the air. But at the church where her grandmother works Cathrine hears a strange voice saying her name.
Then she meets Noah a strange boy who everyone else ignores. He promises he can help Cathrine talk to Kristy.
But when she gets a gift from a strange old women...a warning of sorts she isn't sure about Noah anymore...What is it that he wants from her?


A very creepy and well told story about guilt, letting go, ghosts, and love.

This is not the type of book that you should read right before you are going to sleep in a dark room. Just take it from someone who knows...

Catherine is grieving a loss, and she goes to visit her grandmother in Pasadena. I can't really tell you more, since I for one don't want to spoil anything. The book is short and sweet, and I guarantee you that it is as original and intriguing as any. The sequence of events begins to unravel right at the beginning, and if you're not hooked right away then you obviously don't share my same opinion that this is worth four stars.

This book ir really outstanding. Even at the first page makes you want to read more until you finish it. I realy liked this book and I bet anyone in all ages will like to read it too. It's the best mistery ghost book that will give you chills. I enjoyed reading this book and I will read it again!

It is immature and terribly predictable, even for YA standards. I wanted so to like it, enjoying a good ghost story, but it just seemed to poorly executed. I think it would have been more interesting to me if the reader would not know the intentions of Noah. To take a ride with Catherine so to speak.