Science Fiction & Fantasy
![Trang Thanh Tran - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_B0BWF8T6J7.jpg)
She Is a Haunting
This house eats and is eaten . . .
"A riveting debut from a remarkable new voice! Trang Thanh Tran weaves an impressive gothic mystery in which Jade's father is determined to restore a decrepit home to its former glory and Jade is the only person who feels the soul-crushing devastation of colonialism lingering within its walls." --Angeline Boulley, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Firekeeper's Daughter
A House with a terrifying appetite haunts a broken family in this atmospheric horror, perfect for fans of Mexican Gothic.
When Jade Nguyen arrives in Vietnam for a visit with her estranged father, she has one goal: survive five weeks pretending to be a happy family in the French colonial house Ba is restoring. She's always lied to fit in, so if she's straight enough, Vietnamese enough, American enough, she can get out with the college money he promised.
But the house has other plans. Night after night, Jade wakes up paralyzed. The walls exude a thrumming sound while bugs leave their legs and feelers in places they don't belong. She finds curious traces of her ancestors in the gardens they once tended. And at night Jade can't ignore the ghost of the beautiful bride who leaves cryptic warnings: Don't eat.
Neither Ba nor her sweet sister Lily believe that there is anything strange happening. With help from a delinquent girl, Jade will prove this house--the home they have always wanted--will not rest until it destroys them. Maybe, this time, she can keep her family together. As she roots out the house's rot, she must also face the truth of who she is and who she must become to save them all.
"A riveting debut from a remarkable new voice! Trang Thanh Tran weaves an impressive gothic mystery in which Jade's father is determined to restore a decrepit home to its former glory and Jade is the only person who feels the soul-crushing devastation of colonialism lingering within its walls." --Angeline Boulley, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Firekeeper's Daughter
A House with a terrifying appetite haunts a broken family in this atmospheric horror, perfect for fans of Mexican Gothic.
When Jade Nguyen arrives in Vietnam for a visit with her estranged father, she has one goal: survive five weeks pretending to be a happy family in the French colonial house Ba is restoring. She's always lied to fit in, so if she's straight enough, Vietnamese enough, American enough, she can get out with the college money he promised.
But the house has other plans. Night after night, Jade wakes up paralyzed. The walls exude a thrumming sound while bugs leave their legs and feelers in places they don't belong. She finds curious traces of her ancestors in the gardens they once tended. And at night Jade can't ignore the ghost of the beautiful bride who leaves cryptic warnings: Don't eat.
Neither Ba nor her sweet sister Lily believe that there is anything strange happening. With help from a delinquent girl, Jade will prove this house--the home they have always wanted--will not rest until it destroys them. Maybe, this time, she can keep her family together. As she roots out the house's rot, she must also face the truth of who she is and who she must become to save them all.
Editorial Reviews
"A riveting debut from a remarkable new voice! Trang Thanh Tran weaves an impressive gothic mystery in which Jade's father is determined to restore a decrepit home to its former glory and Jade is the only person who feels the soul-crushing devastation of colonialism lingering within its walls." ―Angeline Boulley, #1 New York Times bestselling author of FIREKEEPER'S DAUGHTER
"She Is a Haunting is exactly the kind of book I love--gorgeous prose, a deliciously terrifying atmosphere, incisive thematic resonance, and a gloriously complex heroine. Jade is an unforgettable character, all tender longings and sharp edges, and readers everywhere will root for her just as hard as I did. Put it on your shelf next to Rebecca and The Haunting of Hill House. An incredible, riveting debut." ―Claire Legrand, New York Times bestselling author of FURYBORN and SAWKILL GIRLS
"This exquisitely disturbing tale of identity and colonialism and intergenerational trauma will eat its way under your skin and live there forever. Read this one with the lights on. I'm ready to be haunted by whatever Trang Thanh Tran writes next." ―Emily X.R. Pan, New York Times bestselling author
"She Is a Haunting is a beguiling feast of a book that drew me in immediately with its exquisitely unsettling atmosphere, vivid prose, and creeping horrors-both supernatural and all too human." ―Kate Alice Marshall, author of I AM STILL ALIVE and RULES FOR VANISHING
"Electric and unsettling with a deliciously rich theme readers will sink their teeth into, She Is a Haunting is my absolute favorite new entry in the gothic genre. Layers of identity, fright, and heartfelt romance are tenderly laid one over the other, creating a richly complex story that questions the very nature of a haunting. Trang Thanh Tran is a force to be reckoned with." ―Courtney Gould, award-winning author of THE DEAD AND THE DARK
"A satisfying blend of traditional horror with modern themes and concerns. Both the ghosts and the humans in this richly layered work are alluring and deadly." ―Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"A welcome addition to the quickly growing canon of culturally diverse, queer horror . . . [that] teens with a penchant for the grotesque will delight in unfolding, bit by rotting bit." ―
"She Is a Haunting is exactly the kind of book I love--gorgeous prose, a deliciously terrifying atmosphere, incisive thematic resonance, and a gloriously complex heroine. Jade is an unforgettable character, all tender longings and sharp edges, and readers everywhere will root for her just as hard as I did. Put it on your shelf next to Rebecca and The Haunting of Hill House. An incredible, riveting debut." ―Claire Legrand, New York Times bestselling author of FURYBORN and SAWKILL GIRLS
"This exquisitely disturbing tale of identity and colonialism and intergenerational trauma will eat its way under your skin and live there forever. Read this one with the lights on. I'm ready to be haunted by whatever Trang Thanh Tran writes next." ―Emily X.R. Pan, New York Times bestselling author
"She Is a Haunting is a beguiling feast of a book that drew me in immediately with its exquisitely unsettling atmosphere, vivid prose, and creeping horrors-both supernatural and all too human." ―Kate Alice Marshall, author of I AM STILL ALIVE and RULES FOR VANISHING
"Electric and unsettling with a deliciously rich theme readers will sink their teeth into, She Is a Haunting is my absolute favorite new entry in the gothic genre. Layers of identity, fright, and heartfelt romance are tenderly laid one over the other, creating a richly complex story that questions the very nature of a haunting. Trang Thanh Tran is a force to be reckoned with." ―Courtney Gould, award-winning author of THE DEAD AND THE DARK
"A satisfying blend of traditional horror with modern themes and concerns. Both the ghosts and the humans in this richly layered work are alluring and deadly." ―Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"A welcome addition to the quickly growing canon of culturally diverse, queer horror . . . [that] teens with a penchant for the grotesque will delight in unfolding, bit by rotting bit." ―
Readers Top Reviews
D.D.
Thank you to the author, Trang Thanh Tran, publisher Bloomsbury USA Children's Books, and NetGalley as always, for an advance digital copy of SHE IS A HAUNTING. Jade agrees, as a favor to her long-suffering mother, to stomach a five-week visit to Vietnam, to her father's ramshackle estate that he's trying perpetually to fix up. But the house is full of shifting things and soon Jade's feelings start to shift-- feelings about her time with her father and other family, her time in his house, her time in Vietnam, who's Vietnam she inhabits and inhabits her. This YA book builds a sophisticated narrative with an interesting form. It's a story about imperialism and violence against an entire people, as much as it is about skittering insects and spoiled food on the dinner plate. Though, I'm not sure I caught all the symbolism. Unfortunately, I didn't favor the writing style. Also, I got lost in this story more than once, and was forced to backtrack to gain my bearings, and the ending felt abrupt. I still recommend SHE IS A HAUNTING because the concept is original. Rating: 🦗🦗🦗 / 5 bugs in the kitchen Recommend? Yes Finished: February 25 2023 Read this if you like: 🌏 Stories about Vietnam 👩🏻 Diverse voices and stories 🏚 Haunted houses 👻 Possession ☠️ Horror stories
KarenD.D.
Truth be told, there is a lot to love in this book. Jade is a relatable character with layered, complex feelings about her identity, her family, and the space she wants to carve for herself in the world. Tran made this book feel as though it was written from experience. The scenes between Jade and her father are particularly heartbreaking, and there was a sense of rawness there that made their every interaction painfully real. The narrative surrounding Jade’s diasporic experiences is as barefaced as it is informative. The point is not to present a comfortable account of past and present events, but to be honest in their portrayal. The mystery had me hooked from the first page and dragged me willingly along until the very last. The way the author describes the house and everything that happens within its walls is both beautiful and deranged, and in a way, that is the perfect descriptor for this book. It starts off quietly, with a sense of discomfort and strange occurrences that can be written off by Jade’s father and sister. The reader is, perhaps, even more aware than Jade, as we are privy to chapters from the house’s point of view. As short as they were, I found these sequences particularly disquieting. There is nothing quite as chilling as realizing your house is alive and wants to consume you, body and soul. In fact, much of this book is a slow descent into madness, growing ever darker with every step closer to solving the mystery. As someone who occasionally suffers from sleep paralysis, I found the moments in which Jade is unable to move while the house and its otherworldly inhabitants play with her mind particularly terrifying. Most of the thrills in this book are more disconcerting than anything else, but if you’re easily disturbed by insects or rotten food, proceed with caution. But if you can stomach it, the visuals will undoubtedly serve you exactly what you ordered. I’ll admit, this one gave me nightmares, though I found it was all worth it in the end.
