Review for Gateways

Gateways: The Initiation by Michele Casteel is the first book in a new series. The book follows Melanie and her four friends as they deal with a horror which they have mistakenly unleashed. The girls are all High School seniors and appear to have a penchant for the unknown. One evening, the girls all gather at Melanie’s house and they decide to try out the new Quija Board. It starts off innocent enough, until the ghost which they’ve contacted begins to become more and more aggressive. Frightened by the turn of the events the girls give the Quija Board a rest. Unfortunately for them, the damage has already been done. The spirit has been unleashed and it refuses to leave. So the girls must gather courage and finally send this unknown entity back whence it came.

Gateways was filled with the unexpected, at times I felt as though I was reading a script for a movie. I have always enjoyed an intriguing ghost story and Gateways managed to whet my appetite. My one concern however, is the length of the book. The book was only 66 pages long; therefore, a lot of the scenes came across as rushed at times. Also, the characters would have been better developed as a result of a longer book. Perhaps I am being a bit picky because I am so accustomed to reading much longer books (sometimes too long). I haven’t read a book as short as this one since grade school. However, thankfully, Gateways did keep me glued to each page and I was anxious to know what exciting turn Casteel would take the reader on next.

Gateways ends on just the right note and readers are left with the impression that there are more books to follow. I look forward to delving further into the adventurous world of Melanie and her supernaturally inquisitive friends.