Texas Gothic

I really loved Texas Gothic. This book was a perfect blend of mystery, paranormal and romance. Texas Gothic is like a paranormal Nancy Drew and I could not put it down once I started it.

Rosemary Clement-Moore has a perfect balance of mystery and paranormal in Texas Gothic. The paranormal aspect of

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the book did not feel overpowering; instead, the paranormal aspect of ghosts was weaved into the story and felt normal. This story worked on so many levels. I loved the regular mystery related to the bodies being found on the McCulloch farm and then the paranormal mystery of why the ghost is haunting Amy. Both mysteries wove together perfectly and kept me on the edge of my seat.

I really loved the characters of Texas Gothic. Amy was a great main character. Amy had spunk. She is the odd one out of in her family. The Goodnights are all into the paranormal, being witches and stuff, but Amy tries to keep stay sane and keep people from saying bad things about her family. I loved how Amy tried so hard to stay the normal one in her family, but could had her own special powers that draw her back into the paranormal world which is the norm for the Goodnights. One of my favorite things in this book was the relationship between Ben and Amy. Ben and Amy had great back and forth exchanges. When Amy and Ben first met, I couldn’t help but laugh at the situation. Ben and Amy’s exchanges were filled with snark and sass. I loved it. And of course it was filled with sexual tension. Their relationship was perfect in my opinion.

I loved the mystery in this book. I literally did not know who the culprits were. Rosemary Clement-Moore kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I stayed up until 3 am reading this and did not care because I was so engrossed into the story.

It's really hard to put my emotions into words while reading this book. I truly loved it and really have no way to describe how this book made me feel. It's another one of those awesome books that I just truly love. It had that special something that just makes a book awesome.

Texas Gothic sweeps you up into it’s world and takes you for a great ride. The writing is fluid and blends together mystery and paranormal perfectly. Once you start reading you will not want to stop reading. Rosemary Clement-Moore has created a great mystery that I cannot wait to reread. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a great mystery book with interesting paranormal elements. Definitely a reread for me!

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Amy Goodnight is not your average run of the mill high school graduate. No, she'd like you to keep thinking she's the normal on in her family that is full of witches.

When her grandmother decides to take a vacation overseas, she entrusts Amy and her sister Phin with her ranch. The Goodnight Ranch

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to be exact. Amy is left doing all the outdoor chores while Phin does the inside (read: easier) chores. Those tree-climbing goats are a hoot, especially when under unfortunate circumstances, she has to run outside to shoo off a cow in her underwear. She ends up meeting her neighbor while shooing said cow away in her underwear. After realizing she left the gate open and the goats loose, he helps her wrangle them up and place them back in the pen.

Talks of ghosts begin, and Amy takes an immediate dislike to her handsome savior. He is rude to her, and doesn't mind saying what's on his mind. But little does he know how much truth there is to these ghost stories.

Full of twists and turns, and a romance that blooms from nothing, this book kept me turning the pages to find out what would happen next to Amaryllis.

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Texas Gothic is actually one of those that I really didn't have any expectations for. It was one of those books that I just picked up randomly at the library because a) it was available, b) it looked semi-interesting and c) it was about Texas, my home state -who could I say no to that? Now, I

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wouldn't say that I disliked Texas Gothic. I didn't love it, but I thought it was a very solid novel and it was worth taking the time to read.

Young Amy is spending her summer vacation working at her family's ranch in central Texas. Though she's descended from a line of witches, she's tried to stay out of it, but as things start to turn up on the ranch, it's becomes more difficult. Bodies start to show up, and Amy starts to sense ghosts haunting the ranch. It's up to her to protect the ranch, not to mention stay alive.

Man, I was actually thinking I'd like this book better, but I just didn't. I thought I'd be all over the setting but again -just wasn't. Texas Gothic takes place in Texas hill county, down near Austin. As a lifetime resident of the Dallas-area in northeast Texas, I really couldn't relate to the hills, caves, or ranch discussed in this book. Plus there's the many references to the UT Longhorns, while I know this helps add to setting, it just made me upset because I'm a Sooner.

The plot itself is still pretty interesting. The haunting aspect of the novel was genuinely creepy and builds a spellbinding tone that kept me reading. The characters, especially Amy, were just okay to me. There were spouts of fun, witty and honest dialog, which helped, but I just didn't relate to them very closely and felt like they were a little hazy. The writing was solid, but a tiny bit rigid.

Despite some flaws, Texas Gothic delivers a solid novel that's a haunting read for those when enjoy a good subtle horror novel. Part horror novel, part thriller and part contemporary novel, Texas Gothic kept me reading and guessing up until the very end.

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There are two things that Clement-Moore does fantabulously: community and swoony guys. The ranch town in which Amy and Phin are spending their summer is great. It's not the setting, really, that's great; it's the people in it. They make this small town believable. There's the crazy grandad, the

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close-minded town folk, the local pothead, the nerdy college students, the local "royal" family, and the brooding son of those royals. We don't get to know all of these characters well; this is not a crowded book. And yet, these are not stock characters. Altogether, they are the town. They give the town a feel and a history. They make it a place. The town bar and the community picnics are just where they hang out.

And then there's the guy. Le sigh. Now, I'll be the first to admit that I have a weakness for rugged folk who wear cowboy hats unironically. But even if that's not your thing, this guy is sooo great. Ben McCulloch, literally the guy next door, is so swoony and angsty and responsible and gentlemanly. I fell for him, and hard, long before Amy figured out why Ben made her feel both frustrated and fluttery at the same time. Mark, one of those nerdy college students, isn't so bad either. His sweet and awkward flirting with Phin is so cute! The best part about both of them, though, is that they are both completely devoid of cheese. There is no heavy-handed romance talk or gazing into one another's eyes.

So the guys and the cast of characters are what made Texas Gothic great for me. Amy and Phin's relationship, the complicated ghost story, the small town rumors and legends, and the ranching drama were all added perks for me. These aspects of the story were just as strong as the ones I loved, and they might be what makes this a great book for you.

Book source: Philly Free Library

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Amy Goodnight is the gatekeeper between the normal world and her family's supernatural, kitchen-witch lifestyle. All she wants is a normal existence...or at least that's what she tells herself. So when she goes to house-sit for her Aunt Hyacinth for the summer with her sister Phin (Delphinium!)

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she's not expecting anything too out of the ordinary. First she's accosted verbally by Ben McCullough, a boy about her age who is part of a family with a 'ghost' problem who resents her family's hocus pocus. Then a spirit attaches itself to her and wants her to find what happened to him. Plus, there's a dig site where Ben's family was building a bridge and multiple human remains have been found. Add that to threatening notes, slashed tires, and hot makeout sessions alternating with verbal blowouts with Ben. Mix it all together and Amy is in for one helluva summer! I truly enjoyed this book. I'm not completely in love with it because it just didn't connect with my heart the same way it did with my funny-bone, but I do like the twists and turns that keep you going and the snarky sense of humor shared by Amy and the author. Also, Phin is a wonderful supporting character, good-hearted and genius smarts, but totally commonsense and human interaction clueless. I really enjoyed the surprise visit by their cousin Daisy, who has a connection to spirits of the dead. It makes for some fun times. Plus, all the college kids from the dig site were a really great addition to the narrative and added to the flavor of the book. I really liked how Clement-Moore drew from actual historical events and places in Texas. Amaryllis 'Amy' Goodnight was a self-sufficient, likeable heroine who was in search of her own purpose in life and the place she fits into her family AND into the rest of the world. It was really awesome to tag along for the ride as she figured it out. Overall a very enjoyable read and definitely worth the time spent. I would recommend this to people who don't mind a heroine who is an older teenager (Amy is newly a high school graduate), a fast-paced story and fun characters who keep you hooked. This book is a true slice of Southern sweet potato pie and you should only dig in if you're not afraid of calories!

VERDICT: 4/5 Stars

*No money was exchanged for this review. This book is now available in stores and online.*

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Amy and her sister, Phin, are taking care of their aunt's herb farm and livestock. This farm is surrounded by a much larger ranch. Amy and Phin are part of an unusual family that is known for its magical powers. Amy however tries to downplay this aspect of her family and tries to keep them looking

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as normal as possible. But when a long dead body is discovered on the neighboring ranch, Phin and Amy can't help getting involved and it is not long before their special talents come into play. A ghost has attached itself to Amy and she can't seem to get rid of it until she "finds" him. So obviously there is more than one body on the other ranch. Add to the ghostly problem, a doubting hunk who Amy can't stop thinking about, and a town that seems to blame her family for all the supernatural problems that are occuring and Amy is at a loss for what to do. She will have to rely on the very talents and instincts she has fought to hide, to solve the mystery of the "Mad Monk" as the ghost is known in town.

This was a fun book. Rosemary Clement-Moore writes young adult paranormal that is slightly creepy, somewhat mysterious and always romantic. There is another book coming out about Amy's cousin, Daisy, I can't wait.

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So, hooray for Texas Gothic! This is how you write paranormal YA, although the focus wasn’t so much on the romance as it was on the actual story.

First of all, I love the Goodnight girls. Amy could be a cousin to Maggie Quinn, as they’re both snarky, level-headed psychic girl detectives with a

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knack for uncovering trouble, but she steps out in her own in a big way. I like how Amy keeps her ideas for normality in check with her world of the supernatural; while she’s not fond of being sucked into ghost plots and relying on magic, she does find the trappings of the supernatural cozy. She finds a way to reconcile both of these worlds without having abandoned one for the other and it completely works. Her sister Phin tends to agree more with the supernatural, but her use of SCIENCE! to enhance and better her dealings with hosts and haunted sites made her one of my favorite characters. I loved it every time Phin went off on a technobabble about how her gadgets worked.

While Amy falls into the trap of the “Slap-slap-kiss” trope with designated love interest Ben, I did like a lot of their interactions and banter with each other. Ben does come off as unapproachable at first, but as the two interact more, he does really care about Amy and about his ranch. The things that were mysterious about him were mysterious for good reason, not to build up useless tension that doesn’t go anywhere. I liked the fact that they were able to work together and be friendly, instead of just bickering until they finally made out.

Also, I loved the UT dig team. The fact that majority of the members, save for the non-anthropology students, are game to let two girls with reputations for being ‘weird’ test out ghost-hunting equipment. They’re a great side cast to the story.

The use of how magic works here draws on traditional spells, but works for Clement-Moore’s personal use for the Goodnights. (She notes that none of the spells were real.) There’s very clear rules about how spells are used, but stand out and they don’t feel like they’ve been copied and pasted from an amateur Wiccan site.

The setting really works too. The big ranch setting, with the number of historical conflicts make Texas a perfect back-drop for a creepy ghost story and the number of legends that Amy picks up on feel like they’ve been ingrained in the local consciousness for some time. The only thing I didn’t like about the main ghost legend essential to the plot—the Mad Monk of the McCulloch Ranch—never got explained fully. And while I liked the use of families with long-lasting grudges, particularly the McCulloch/Kelly feud, it’s never really used beyond setting up the antagonists.

Texas Gothic was the most fun I had reading a book this summer—I had a huge grin on my face the whole time, and I really got into the story. I have nitpicks about the plot, but it didn’t spoil my overall enjoyment. If you haven’t read Rosemary Clement-Moore’s books before, I HIGHLY recommend starting with this.

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I gave this book 100 pages to get interesting but, for me, it just wasn't. I kept waiting and waiting for the story to kick off but unfortunately all I got out of those first 100 pages was some flirtations with a cowboy and a ghostly occurence that was just boring.

There is a chance that this story

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becomes absolutely fabulous later on in the novel but I'm afraid I don't have the patience to wait for it.

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The first time Amy Goodnight meets Ben whose family owns att the property around her aunt's ranch, she's in her underwear trying to cope with something else that has gone wrong. The two of them fall into a love/hate relationship. He has issues with her family and their strangeness and she'd like to

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find someone who can accept that sometimes her family just are that strange.

When an old grave is discovered, she has to bring some long-dormant skills to bear, however this opens a can of worms and things just keep getting stranger.

I liked this one, Amy is very much the conciliator and one who keeps the truth from being too known. The family witchcrafting is mostly secret and kept that way by disbelief. I liked how it was handled. The relationship was well handled as well but there were times that I wasn't sure where the two were going with it all.

Entertaining, light read. Interesting world building. Would like to read more set in this world.

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Amy Goodnight is the "normal" one in her family of paranormal practitioners until and her sister Phin watch over their aunt's farm while she's away. Strange occurrences on the neighboring McCulloch ranch have the townspeople talking about "The Mad Monk", a legendary ghost known for knocking his

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victims on the head. Ben McCulloch is tired of hearing about the ghost but can't ignore that something unusual is going on - and it's not just his inexplicable attraction to Amy. Good characters and a story peppered with romantic tension and humor. The villain is too obvious but the setting and plot involve events from early American history. With the Goodnights' range of abilities and Amy headed for college, the author has plenty of options for interesting sequels.

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A pair of disclaimers: I’m not really the target audience of this book (since I’m not a YA girl). Perhaps countering that, though, I have something of a fan-boy crush on the author since I think she’s a fabulous panelist. If you ever get to see her at a convention, give her a listen.

I liked

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the book fairly well, but… since comparisons to her other work are inevitable… I didn’t like it as much as I liked her Maggie Quinn books. For some reason, I did not find this book’s Amy Goodnight to be as engaging as Maggie Quinn, and a lot of that boiled down to the narrative voice. I’ll at least grant her this much, considering that both books were written first person from the POV of an 18-19 year old girl, their narrative styles were noticeably different. I guess I just liked Maggie’s voice better.

The other thing that set me against the book from the start was the subject matter. It’s a ghost story. While Maggie is off fighting demons and closing off interdimensional portals, this story is about a ghost haunting a Texas ranch. It was well done, and the ghostly interactions were not overdone, but real life “ghost hunters” annoy the shit out of me. No offense to you personally if you’re one of them, but I have a hard time not crying bullshit on them. As such, I was not primed to enjoy a ghost story.

Now, having said that, it was well done and believable, not so much because the character believed, but because the character did not want to believe. She acknowledged that yes, it could very well be a true ghost out there causing problems, but she did not want that to be true. That was enough to quiet my inner skeptic enough to go along for the ride.

And it was a fun ride. There were heroes and villains, lust and greed, real danger, and real consequences. It was not just a scary weekend listening to stairs creak. It was a little adventure that actually got to the bottom of things.

So, I can actually recommend it to others, but given my pre-existing annoyance with things ghost-related, I probably would not have recommended it to myself.

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got to page 50 and couldn't read any more. Maybe I wasn't in good form, I don't know but will not try to read it again as all I can remember is that I struggled with it.

Absolutely charming! Amy is a smart and practical member of a witchy family (literally), and despairs of ever being judged "normal." And then the neighboring farm (the owners of which hold a grudge against the Goodnights) appears to uncover a ghost and Amy and her science-witchy sister must figure

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out how to stop the haunting.

Throw in a very adorable boy-next-door , and this was completely delightful!

Highly recommended!

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I liked this quite well, but another reader will like it more. I tend to like less real-world settings, but the story is tight and the mystery compelling.

I liked this quite well, but another reader will like it more. I tend to like less real-world settings, but the story is tight and the mystery compelling.

I've just ordered my copy and I might receive it this Wednesday. I'm so excited!! The cover is beautiful!

I tend to adore books that take place in my home state. I don't even know the area that Texas Gothic takes place in but it's in Texas so it was definitely worth a shot. I also met Rosemary Clement-Moore, and she's fabulous. :D The description had me at witch, and I love books that involve them.



Amy

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is an intelligent, level-headed girl. She tries her best to be normal, but it's not easy at Goodnight Farm. She's attracted the attention of a ghost, and she's not happy about it. Ben is the hottie next door. He and Amy clash because he refuses to believe in any sort of magic. Although I found this frustrating since Amy is trying to be as normal as possible, but whatevs. :P I admire Ben because he's strong when his family needs him. The author has done a magnificent job of creating characters. Each one is full of depth, and could easily have their own spinoff stories.

I loved the family dynamic. Phin and Amy are sisters. Phin is older, although less mature in many ways. Phin doesn't know how to socialize with people, and had me giggling throughout the book. It reminded me a lot of how my siblings and I behave around each other.

The pacing was great, and nothing felt rushed. Just when you think things will be calm, the ghost decides to strike. There are quite a few twists. Events take place that I wasn't expecting at all.

Texas Gothic was a fun ghost story. I recommend for those that like a lot of sarcasm in their MC.

Great, Fun, Light!

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17-year-old Amy Goodnight is the "normal" one among her family of witches, or so she claims, as the narrator of this sassy, supernatural romance. (How normal, though, when she’s caught outside in her underwear yelling at a cow?) Amy and her sister are caring for their aunt’s herb farm when Amy

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unwittingly attracts a powerful ghost, whose appearance coincides with the discovery of human remains at the neighboring ranch. She also attracts the attention of 19-year-old Ben McCulloch, her acerbic ranch neighbor who doesn't believe in spells, ghosts, or anything paranormal. But suspicions are raised and soon everyone in town is talking about the accidents and the strange lights and sounds coming from the site where Ben’s family is trying to build a bridge. Is it the “Mad Monk”, a local legend, or is Amy’s ghost somehow involved? Part mystery and romance, with a dash of forensics, history and humor, this fast-paced ghost story gains a lot from its rich Texas setting and distinctive cast of characters. A fun read for middle school and older. Suggest this along with “The Ghosts of Ashbury High” by Jaclyn Moriarty for another original look at gothic ghost stories or Maureen Johnson's "The Name of the Star" for similar voice and paranormal setting.

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First I have to add, what a beautiful cover this is. Normally we never “judge a book by it's’ cover” but this one is so eye catching and lovely so, yes, I am guilty of this. Just for this one.

It’s been awhile since I’ve had a book that made me laugh as much as this one! Amy is such a

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likable character, one that you can relate to and instantly befriend if she were in your class/neighborhood/work place. It makes the story enjoyable to read, and adds more personality to the book. Supporting cast around Amy also do a great job and are fun to read as well. Her sister Phin is such a great laugh and fun to read. Amy has a pretty kooky family to begin with which adds more to her imperfections and makes her all the more likable.

The romance aspect was cute and fun to read. To be expected as the main central theme is seen with a comedic light. Loved Amy and Ben hating each other first and then it grows to love. Yes it sounds pretty cliche and very Harlequin Romance. It’s over done isn’t it? I’ll accept it for this time. If it’s done with likable characters, then it makes the romance bearable.

Onto the plot itself. It was well done. A mystery with supernatural elements to it. It’s a well rounded book with plenty of other elements drawn in without making the plot confusing or all over the place. It’s well written, and enjoyable. I couldn’t really compare this with anything else that I have read in the past although Nancy Drew with supernatural powers comes pretty close. Although the plot was great and everything in it was a joy to read, 400 and more pages is just a little too much. Maybe there was just too many ‘fillers’ in the book added to make it this long. It’s not necessary. Short books are okay too, we have a huge pile to go through as readers. :)

Overall worth a read. Love it for the comedy factor and a well written murder mystery with paranormal elements. Also love it for the well written characters featured.

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Synopsis from Amazon: Amy Goodnight's family is far from normal. She comes from a line of witches, but tries her best to stay far outside the family business. Her summer gig? Ranch-sitting for her aunt with her wacky but beautiful sister. Only the Goodnight Ranch is even less normal than it

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normally is. Bodies are being discovered, a ghost is on the prowl, and everywhere she turns, the hot neighbor cowboy is in her face.

This story read like a Scooby Doo mystery. But in a good way. It was a lighthearted paranormal romance with a sense of humor. The Houdini goats had me from page two. I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series.

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What is with this tiny synopsis? It doesn't begin to encompass what goes on in this crazy, wonderful, creepy, mysterious book! I've had high hopes for this one since discovering it's beautiful cover and hearing that it would be about witches, ghosts, and cowboys---and it did not let me down. Some

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highlights:

One of the best first lines I've seen in a long time:
"The goat was in the tree again. " (pg. 1)

One of the most spot-on explanations of the appeal of cowboys:
"It wasn't just that he was muscular and tan, with broad shoulders and big, long-fingered hands. It was that I'd seen him ride that horse, and I knew his brawn wasn't just for show. There was something practical and capable about that strength that made my insides flutter in an extremely galling way." (pg. 80).

And the absolute best first-meeting scene of the main character and the love interest. Read it---I almost guarantee you'll agree with me on this point. The scene where they first meet is so awkwardly hilarious.

Texas Gothic was chock full of great characters. Amy is smart, sharp-witted, and downright ballsy at times. She has grown up in her eccentric family of witches and magic and come to a point in her life where she is just grasping on to "normal" with all her might. Her older sister, Phin, is so much more quirky and accepting of their family's eccentricities, but just as intelligent. I loved the family dynamic---along with their cousin, their aunt, and their mom, they were the kind of family I love to read: sometimes they are embarrassing, sometimes they get under each other's skin, but they're always there for each other when it counts. I really liked Ben. He and Amy had no shortage of bickering matches, and some of his judgements seemed a little harsh at first, but there was a lot more to him: protectiveness, integrity, sadness, and sacrifice. It had me constantly rooting for the two of them to take off the boxing gloves and get together! I loved Grandpa Mac! Such a character---some of my favorites scenes were his interactions with Phin.

This is a fun mystery, with the classic feel of a modern Nancy Drew who-done-it. There were clues and suspicions and motives all around! There were some genuinely creepy moments in this one---the kinds that make you check the shadows the next time you walk outside at night. One or two tiny drags in the pacing for me within the first 100 pages, but altogether, a fantastic story. This was, as far as I can tell, a stand-alone book, so I may have to read it again sometimes because I know I will miss these characters!

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I really enjoyed this book. A wonderful mix of paranormal fun...not too creepy, but enough to lace the mystery with paranormal effects.
Great read!