[3DV]⋙ Download Free The Haunting of Pico Patrick Kampman 9780983592228 Books

The Haunting of Pico Patrick Kampman 9780983592228 Books

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The Haunting of Pico Patrick Kampman 9780983592228 Books

If I get to choose between teen angst or ghosts and creepiness as the frame for a wise, funny teen coming of age tale, I'll take the ghosts every time, and I'll certainly take Patrick Kampman's ghosts.

Asian adoptee Chris moves with his family from the big city to tiny Pico, Texas, and he's not sure this is going to be a good move. We start right off with his opening days at school and get an immediate feel for how Kampman is going to handle this story line. The standard approach is some bullying by the football team, mean girls, racist comments, sneering small minded teachers and all of that sort of thing. But no, Kampman moves in an entirely different direction.

Chris meets and almost immediately develops a tight circle of interesting friends. And get this - they are funny, insightful and worth reading about. They fill Chris in on the ghosty history of his new house and just like that we are in a teen dramedy version of Scooby-Doo, with girl issues, some sharp and witty cross-talk, and a lot of wry and deadpan observations about school, family, small towns, being adopted, being Asian in Texas, and, of course, teen life. Did not see that coming.

Meanwhile, the two, (or three or more), interrelated supernatural storylines keep rolling along, providing a scary kick from time to time and giving everybody a reason to keep talking and doing things. A lot of the plotting is vague around the edges and some things that seem important just end up window dressing. There are a few loose ends and a head scratcher or two, but this is a ghost story not a math textbook, and everything doesn't have to add up for the reader to have a good time.

Bottom line - I liked our hero's vibe and attitude, even if he was a bit gormless at times. I liked the strong and capable teen girls, who held their own just fine. I enjoyed the rest of the pals, the secondary characters, Chris's family, and even the bad guys. This was a very appealing ensemble cast, and between the well rendered small town atmosphere, the sharp writing, and the knowing generosity of the author this ended up being a very entertaining read. A nice find.

(Please note that I found this book a while ago while browsing Amazon Kindle freebies. It is currently a kindleunlimited choice. I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)


Tags : The Haunting of Pico [Patrick Kampman] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Pico, Texas is full of secrets, as Chris discovers when his family unwittingly moves into the town’s haunted house. As an Asian adoptee relocating from a big city,Patrick Kampman,The Haunting of Pico,Dark Fiction,0983592225,FICTION Fantasy Contemporary

The Haunting of Pico Patrick Kampman 9780983592228 Books Reviews

This was an interesting and very enjoyable read. Realistic dialogue from solidly drawn characters. Especially enjoyed Chris, the main character, and his interactions with his parents, sister and peers. Subtle clues helped to provide suspense without giving away the ending. Satisfying ending. Looking forward to more adventures with Chris as he explores his new town.
Yes i meant to give this title 5 stars- i really enjoyed all of patricks other books,but i found myself wanting to put the book in the dead folder(pun intended) of my kindle because i like lots of action and mayhem and there wasnt that much action in the book- and yet i was fascinated by the story-i felt it was probably more suited to the young adult market - but i couldnt put it down- it was a great read- loved it!!! Patrick more please!- regards Mark
This was a book I couldn't put down even though it's aimed at the YA audience. I'm definitely not in the YA demographic anymore, but who'd have ever thought I'd be so wrapped up in the story that I couldn't set it down until finding out what happened at that damned school dance!

THE HAUNTING OF PICO should entertain most readers, young and not so young. And, oh, this is a horror novel. After you're finished with it, try his other horror novel CHANCE IN HELL. It's equally good.The Cowboy's Baby
I wouldn't have read this one had I realized it was YA but once I start something I try to finish it. I thought this whole book was a mess. The parents in this book were present during every ghost event but never heard a thing. There were a few violent attacks by the ghost but not once did any adult come to investigate. Why teenagers would find a body in a basement and not get an adult just seemed totally ridiculous and then they go off in the night to bury it. Right. Rose appears to be a vampire type character..but this is never really explained. She attempts to take the main character "Chris" towards the end of the book and once again, he just seems to go off merrily with her without asking for help. Sorry I can't recommend this book. It was just a hot mess.
This is a really good book. I'm sure this was meant for a younger audience than I but I really enjoyed it....well, almost all of it. the very end has left me puzzled. Perhaps someone else who has read it can enlighten me? Before I start adding spoilers, I do highly recommend this book. It kept my interest, the characters were very well written and it's a really good story, 4 solid stars.

Now....SPOILERS BELOW

Ok, I'm enjoying this book, moving along, waiting to hear what Rose is all about and how she ties into Charlotte and Emily and the missing children and then abruptly as if he were writing this story in a classroom and all the sudden the teacher says "5 minutes", suddenly Rose is telling Chris he has to come with her or his friends will die and he just say's ok? Then all the sudden the friends come along, have all the answers and end it all and then they want to put Rose in the cellar? Huh? First off, who is Rose? Why is she here? What does she have to do with Charlotte and Emily? What about all the other kids that disappeared? What did she do with them and why? If she's now dead and you just brought up a dead body from the cellar because it was haunting you, why on earth would you put another body down there? Is that the set up for book two and I missed it somehow? I'm left with more questions than I should. I think the last chapter needs to be re-written and Rose needs to be explained. Can anyone clear this up for me? I enjoyed 99% of this book, if only the last chapter could be better defined, I'd give it 5 stars.
If I get to choose between teen angst or ghosts and creepiness as the frame for a wise, funny teen coming of age tale, I'll take the ghosts every time, and I'll certainly take Patrick Kampman's ghosts.

Asian adoptee Chris moves with his family from the big city to tiny Pico, Texas, and he's not sure this is going to be a good move. We start right off with his opening days at school and get an immediate feel for how Kampman is going to handle this story line. The standard approach is some bullying by the football team, mean girls, racist comments, sneering small minded teachers and all of that sort of thing. But no, Kampman moves in an entirely different direction.

Chris meets and almost immediately develops a tight circle of interesting friends. And get this - they are funny, insightful and worth reading about. They fill Chris in on the ghosty history of his new house and just like that we are in a teen dramedy version of Scooby-Doo, with girl issues, some sharp and witty cross-talk, and a lot of wry and deadpan observations about school, family, small towns, being adopted, being Asian in Texas, and, of course, teen life. Did not see that coming.

Meanwhile, the two, (or three or more), interrelated supernatural storylines keep rolling along, providing a scary kick from time to time and giving everybody a reason to keep talking and doing things. A lot of the plotting is vague around the edges and some things that seem important just end up window dressing. There are a few loose ends and a head scratcher or two, but this is a ghost story not a math textbook, and everything doesn't have to add up for the reader to have a good time.

Bottom line - I liked our hero's vibe and attitude, even if he was a bit gormless at times. I liked the strong and capable teen girls, who held their own just fine. I enjoyed the rest of the pals, the secondary characters, Chris's family, and even the bad guys. This was a very appealing ensemble cast, and between the well rendered small town atmosphere, the sharp writing, and the knowing generosity of the author this ended up being a very entertaining read. A nice find.

(Please note that I found this book a while ago while browsing freebies. It is currently a kindleunlimited choice. I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)