What do you think?
Rate this book
Experiment in Terror #5.5
Old Blood
A haunting novella from the Experiment in Terror Series...
From her harrowing introduction in Darkhouse, the spectre known as “Creepy Clown Lady” has been a constant fixture in Perry Palomino’s life. But beyond the horrid makeup and piercing stare lies Pippa, a woman just like everyone else.
Well, not quite.
When Perry discovered Pippa’s message to her and Dex on the EVP recordings, she thought she heard the last of the old woman’s message. She was wrong. In the novella Old Blood, Pippa relays the tale of her troubled and tortured past, revealing how an aspiring actress and loving mother fell into madness and how an unfathomable betrayal led to her untimely death.
For Perry, the repercussions of her message are life-shattering.
Old Blood is #5.5 in the series and occurs between books #5 On Demon Wings and #6 Into the Hollow
From her harrowing introduction in Darkhouse, the spectre known as “Creepy Clown Lady” has been a constant fixture in Perry Palomino’s life. But beyond the horrid makeup and piercing stare lies Pippa, a woman just like everyone else.
Well, not quite.
When Perry discovered Pippa’s message to her and Dex on the EVP recordings, she thought she heard the last of the old woman’s message. She was wrong. In the novella Old Blood, Pippa relays the tale of her troubled and tortured past, revealing how an aspiring actress and loving mother fell into madness and how an unfathomable betrayal led to her untimely death.
For Perry, the repercussions of her message are life-shattering.
Old Blood is #5.5 in the series and occurs between books #5 On Demon Wings and #6 Into the Hollow
93 pages, ebook
First published June 23, 2012
About the author
Karina Halle
131 books15.7k followersKarina Halle is a screenwriter, a former music & travel journalist, and the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of River of Shadows, A Nordic King, and The Royals Next Door, as well as seventy other wild and romantic reads. She holds a Bachelors degree in Journalism.
She, her musician husband, and their adopted pit bull, Bruce, live in a rainforest on an island off the coast of British Columbia during the summer, and in Los Angeles in the winter. For more information, visit www.authorkarinahalle.com/books.
Halle is represented by Root Literary and is both self-published, and published by Simon & Schuster, Hachette, Penguin, and Montlake. Her books have been published in numerous languages around the world.
Karina isn't on Goodreads and does NOT check her messages here - please contact her via Instagram (@authorhalle) instead :)
She, her musician husband, and their adopted pit bull, Bruce, live in a rainforest on an island off the coast of British Columbia during the summer, and in Los Angeles in the winter. For more information, visit www.authorkarinahalle.com/books.
Halle is represented by Root Literary and is both self-published, and published by Simon & Schuster, Hachette, Penguin, and Montlake. Her books have been published in numerous languages around the world.
Karina isn't on Goodreads and does NOT check her messages here - please contact her via Instagram (@authorhalle) instead :)
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 348 reviews
October 5, 2015
And the Buddy Read continues with the great Vilda!!
Final rating: 4/5 stars
Old Blood is a story of "Creepy Clown Lady" Pippa ...the constant through all experiment in terror books and the one person i have been interested in finding out about.
This novel was a heartbreaking, sad, crazy story of her life ... of all the things she had gone through from the moment she was born - until the end of her time. Her story is quite memorable, i felt her pain, her sadness.
I thought it was impossible to write a good characterization in a novella, but i was wrong. Karina Halle proved me wrong because Pippa was one of the best characterized characters ever. She was strong, likeable character.
No matter how it seemed, Pippa's story is quite relevant for the EIT fans. It gives you explanation of the world they live in, of Thin Veil and creatures that live there. And it also gives us insight of some other people's life... the childhood of Dex and his family, of Pippa's friends, lovers and descendants.
Overall: Great addition to the series!
____________________________________________
● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
____________________________________________
MY EXPERIMENT IN TERROR REVIEWS:
◉ Darkhouse (Experiment in Terror, #1)
◉ Red Fox (Experiment in Terror, #2)
◉ The Benson (Experiment in Terror, #2.5)
◉ Dead Sky Morning (Experiment in Terror, #3)
◉ Lying Season (Experiment in Terror, #4)
◉ On Demon Wings (Experiment in Terror, #5)
◉ Old Blood (Experiment in Terror, #5.5)
◉ The Dex-Files (Experiment in Terror, #5.7)
◉ Into the Hollow (Experiment in Terror, #6)
◉ And With Madness Comes the Light (Experiment in Terror, #6.5)
◉ Come Alive (Experiment in Terror, #7)
◉ Ashes to Ashes (Experiment in Terror, #8)
◉ Dust to Dust (Experiment in Terror, #9)
This review can be found on my blog: infinity-of-time.blogspot.com also known as...
Final rating: 4/5 stars
Old Blood is a story of "Creepy Clown Lady" Pippa ...the constant through all experiment in terror books and the one person i have been interested in finding out about.
This novel was a heartbreaking, sad, crazy story of her life ... of all the things she had gone through from the moment she was born - until the end of her time. Her story is quite memorable, i felt her pain, her sadness.
According to the records, I was born on a surprisingly cold day in May of 1925. There had been a rare snow storm that swept through the wooded valley where my father and mother lived in their tiny stone house and I was born under thick flannel sheets with the doctor coaxing me to breathe.
I regret that first breath.
I thought it was impossible to write a good characterization in a novella, but i was wrong. Karina Halle proved me wrong because Pippa was one of the best characterized characters ever. She was strong, likeable character.
No matter how it seemed, Pippa's story is quite relevant for the EIT fans. It gives you explanation of the world they live in, of Thin Veil and creatures that live there. And it also gives us insight of some other people's life... the childhood of Dex and his family, of Pippa's friends, lovers and descendants.
Overall: Great addition to the series!
I became insane, with long intervals of horrible sanity.
-Edgar Allan Poe
____________________________________________
● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
____________________________________________
MY EXPERIMENT IN TERROR REVIEWS:
◉ Darkhouse (Experiment in Terror, #1)
◉ Red Fox (Experiment in Terror, #2)
◉ The Benson (Experiment in Terror, #2.5)
◉ Dead Sky Morning (Experiment in Terror, #3)
◉ Lying Season (Experiment in Terror, #4)
◉ On Demon Wings (Experiment in Terror, #5)
◉ Old Blood (Experiment in Terror, #5.5)
◉ The Dex-Files (Experiment in Terror, #5.7)
◉ Into the Hollow (Experiment in Terror, #6)
◉ And With Madness Comes the Light (Experiment in Terror, #6.5)
◉ Come Alive (Experiment in Terror, #7)
◉ Ashes to Ashes (Experiment in Terror, #8)
◉ Dust to Dust (Experiment in Terror, #9)
This review can be found on my blog: infinity-of-time.blogspot.com also known as...
May 25, 2013
4 Stars
"It’s difficult to recall the many details of my life. All that stand out are the important moments, the moments, big and small, that shaped the path I chose."
The one constant, the catalyst and common denominator in the Experiment In Terror series, is the Creepy Clown Lady. Seeing by both of our heroes and communicating, always warning them, this ghost, won't go away.
But how can they both know her? How can't they remember her? What is her freaking deal?
This novella is her story. The major events that shaped her life. A letter to Dex and Perry and a plea... Not to make the same mistakes. Her last will and statement, her legacy of light and darkness.
The story of the woman behind the red lipstick.
An essential part in the series' mythology, this novella expands its limits. We learn more of the Otherside and what shaped our beloved characters.
Heartbreaking, you can't help but despair and wail by the injustice inflicted upon people. And always, that humans are worse than any ghost.
By writing this kind of backstory novellas, is how you create a complete fictional world, maintain a raving fan base and earn new readers. By not leaving stories untold and characters unexplored. You tell their stories and let you reader decide. More often than not they will love it.
An important factor is also, Karina Halle's ability to create three dimensional, distinctive good/bad characters without making them caricatures, but brutally realistic.
Don't skip this story. Read it, in it's meant order and you won't regret it.
This review can be found on my blog: infinity-of-time.blogspot.com also known as...
"It’s difficult to recall the many details of my life. All that stand out are the important moments, the moments, big and small, that shaped the path I chose."
The one constant, the catalyst and common denominator in the Experiment In Terror series, is the Creepy Clown Lady. Seeing by both of our heroes and communicating, always warning them, this ghost, won't go away.
But how can they both know her? How can't they remember her? What is her freaking deal?
This novella is her story. The major events that shaped her life. A letter to Dex and Perry and a plea... Not to make the same mistakes. Her last will and statement, her legacy of light and darkness.
The story of the woman behind the red lipstick.
An essential part in the series' mythology, this novella expands its limits. We learn more of the Otherside and what shaped our beloved characters.
Heartbreaking, you can't help but despair and wail by the injustice inflicted upon people. And always, that humans are worse than any ghost.
By writing this kind of backstory novellas, is how you create a complete fictional world, maintain a raving fan base and earn new readers. By not leaving stories untold and characters unexplored. You tell their stories and let you reader decide. More often than not they will love it.
An important factor is also, Karina Halle's ability to create three dimensional, distinctive good/bad characters without making them caricatures, but brutally realistic.
Don't skip this story. Read it, in it's meant order and you won't regret it.
This review can be found on my blog: infinity-of-time.blogspot.com also known as...
August 1, 2013
This was yet another winner from Karina Halle!
In this novella, we get to here the story of " The Creepy Clown Lady!!" Her name is Pippa Lindstrom and she was born and raised in Sweden and suffered the same affliction that Dex & Perry have. We learn about how she is connected to them, and also her brief life story.
It was nice getting some questions answered, and also neat having a glimpse into Dex's childhood. I have to admit that this story is very sad, and my heart broke for Pippa and what her life was like. For that matter, Dex and what he endured as a little boy made my heart bleed. It gives us a lot clearer of a picture into why he is the way he is.
I highly recommend this novella if you are reading and loving this series. I personally found the history to be very valuable and it has given me great insight into the characters and why they are the way they are! I would prefer to rate this one a 4.5 stars; and my only reason for the loss of half a mark is because there were a few editing mistakes. (Spelling, sometimes leaving a word out of the sentence...etc) The writing and story itself is brilliant and I was highly entertained!
In this novella, we get to here the story of " The Creepy Clown Lady!!" Her name is Pippa Lindstrom and she was born and raised in Sweden and suffered the same affliction that Dex & Perry have. We learn about how she is connected to them, and also her brief life story.
It was nice getting some questions answered, and also neat having a glimpse into Dex's childhood. I have to admit that this story is very sad, and my heart broke for Pippa and what her life was like. For that matter, Dex and what he endured as a little boy made my heart bleed. It gives us a lot clearer of a picture into why he is the way he is.
I highly recommend this novella if you are reading and loving this series. I personally found the history to be very valuable and it has given me great insight into the characters and why they are the way they are! I would prefer to rate this one a 4.5 stars; and my only reason for the loss of half a mark is because there were a few editing mistakes. (Spelling, sometimes leaving a word out of the sentence...etc) The writing and story itself is brilliant and I was highly entertained!
March 14, 2013
Just the blurb for this one is heartbreaking:
"When Perry discovered Pippa’s message to her and Dex on the EVP recordings, she thought she heard the last of the old woman’s message. She was wrong. In the novella Old Blood, Pippa relays the tale of her troubled and tortured past, revealing how an aspiring actress and loving mother fell into madness and how an unfathomable betrayal led to her untimely death. "
[image error]
If you've wondered about the crazy clown lady since book one, you don't have to look further than Old Blood. This tells the story of Pippa, who is Perry's grandmother and Dex's nanny. Her story starts as a little girl in Sweden, where she was born to a timid mother and a strict preacher father. She grew up quite alone, and her descent into a Perry-like madness started very young.
"According to the records, I was born on a surprisingly cold day in May of 1925. There had been a rare snow storm that swept through the wooded valley where my father and mother lived in their tiny stone house and I was born under thick flannel sheets with the doctor coaxing me to breathe.
I regret that first breath."
Pippa's story is reminiscent of Perry's trials during On Demon Wings, and it solidifies the fact that Perry's affinity for seeing ghosts and demons is inherited...which points to the question of Ada's abilities also, hmmm? Not only the descent into madness, but how alone she is during the course of her entire life, and her fight to stay sane amidst a world that is ready to write her off...and a daughter who eventually does.
We had hints in Lying Season that Pippa had a close connection to Dex also, and here is the proof...she was poor Dex's nanny for years before her daughter had her committed to a mental hospital. Poor, poor Dex! I think I needed some more background on him after what he did to Perry. I was so very angry with him, and rightly so...but after this novella, it's easier to feel empathy for him also.
" I didn't know at the time. But I knew then that what I saw was real and not real all at once. I was special. And not in a fortunate way..."
We all have our own demons. This shows the beginning for both Dex AND Perry. It's not an uplifting read, if you couldn't tell that already. We all know how it turns out in the end. But for me, it IS necessary to really grasp the severity of the situation that these two are in, to see what COULD happen, if they don't work through their insanity and rely on each other.
"When Perry discovered Pippa’s message to her and Dex on the EVP recordings, she thought she heard the last of the old woman’s message. She was wrong. In the novella Old Blood, Pippa relays the tale of her troubled and tortured past, revealing how an aspiring actress and loving mother fell into madness and how an unfathomable betrayal led to her untimely death. "
[image error]
If you've wondered about the crazy clown lady since book one, you don't have to look further than Old Blood. This tells the story of Pippa, who is Perry's grandmother and Dex's nanny. Her story starts as a little girl in Sweden, where she was born to a timid mother and a strict preacher father. She grew up quite alone, and her descent into a Perry-like madness started very young.
"According to the records, I was born on a surprisingly cold day in May of 1925. There had been a rare snow storm that swept through the wooded valley where my father and mother lived in their tiny stone house and I was born under thick flannel sheets with the doctor coaxing me to breathe.
I regret that first breath."
Pippa's story is reminiscent of Perry's trials during On Demon Wings, and it solidifies the fact that Perry's affinity for seeing ghosts and demons is inherited...which points to the question of Ada's abilities also, hmmm? Not only the descent into madness, but how alone she is during the course of her entire life, and her fight to stay sane amidst a world that is ready to write her off...and a daughter who eventually does.
We had hints in Lying Season that Pippa had a close connection to Dex also, and here is the proof...she was poor Dex's nanny for years before her daughter had her committed to a mental hospital. Poor, poor Dex! I think I needed some more background on him after what he did to Perry. I was so very angry with him, and rightly so...but after this novella, it's easier to feel empathy for him also.
" I didn't know at the time. But I knew then that what I saw was real and not real all at once. I was special. And not in a fortunate way..."
We all have our own demons. This shows the beginning for both Dex AND Perry. It's not an uplifting read, if you couldn't tell that already. We all know how it turns out in the end. But for me, it IS necessary to really grasp the severity of the situation that these two are in, to see what COULD happen, if they don't work through their insanity and rely on each other.
March 6, 2013
4 Sad Stars!!!
I feel really bad for Pippa. She had really hard and unhappy life. All she wanted to do was to pursue her dreams and find life changing love. Unfortunately, she never got that fulfillment in life and that broke my heart. I'm glad we got to find out how Pippa became Creepy Crown Lady but it was such a sad story. Overall, I love this series!!!! On to the next book!!!!
I feel really bad for Pippa. She had really hard and unhappy life. All she wanted to do was to pursue her dreams and find life changing love. Unfortunately, she never got that fulfillment in life and that broke my heart. I'm glad we got to find out how Pippa became Creepy Crown Lady but it was such a sad story. Overall, I love this series!!!! On to the next book!!!!
June 17, 2013
" All that stand out are the important moments, the moments, big and small, that shaped the path I chose. The same path that led me to my death. And led me to you both. "
This is Pippa's story and how she became the "creepy clown lady"...
And let me tell you her story is heartbreaking.
Sure she made mistakes and many times she was selfish. She was just flawed like everyone else and ultimately she didn't deserved that ending.
It's true that the people we love the most have the power to destroy us. We handle them the key in hope they'll treasure it and not trow it away.
So we learn how critical moments in her life shaped her path. We are the choices we make,right?
But if someone told you if you made a certain choice it would end badly for you? Would you still do it?
Gosh, learning Pippa's story is also learning more about Dex and Perry...and so many scenes, regarding Dex's childhood just infuriate me!!
Anyway, if you're reading the series, DON'T SKIP the novellas...I'll repeat...DO NOT SKIP the novellas!
Off to the next one ;)
August 12, 2016
I never thought it would be so crucial to get pippa's story, to get so many revelations.
Her story was definitely more than I was expecting. Her life started out so sad, since childhood with such a close minded father and unsupported mother.
Pippa's story was heartbreaking she really did try to find her dream and happiness. She made so many mistakes that were painful to watch but ultimately had such a impact on the future of Perry and Dex. But at the end of her time as heartbreaking as it was I was proud of her, of her final decision to try and protect those she loves.
I hope all EIT fans read her book it is a must read!!
Her story was definitely more than I was expecting. Her life started out so sad, since childhood with such a close minded father and unsupported mother.
Pippa's story was heartbreaking she really did try to find her dream and happiness. She made so many mistakes that were painful to watch but ultimately had such a impact on the future of Perry and Dex. But at the end of her time as heartbreaking as it was I was proud of her, of her final decision to try and protect those she loves.
I hope all EIT fans read her book it is a must read!!
August 28, 2013
This novella is written from Pippa's, aka the creepy clown lady, POV...and what a POV it is. The blurb states:
"Pippa, a woman just like everyone else.
Well, not quite."
and that's really true. We get to see the real Pippa, who she is and what happened. There's lots of answers in her story.
The question now is what impact those answers will have on Perry and Ada....and maybe Dex.
I enjoyed getting some insight on little Declan and Perry, well, mostly Perry's family but the story is really depressing. And what happened to Michael...or where is he?
It will be really interesting to see where things go from here.
"Pippa, a woman just like everyone else.
Well, not quite."
and that's really true. We get to see the real Pippa, who she is and what happened. There's lots of answers in her story.
The question now is what impact those answers will have on Perry and Ada....and maybe Dex.
I enjoyed getting some insight on little Declan and Perry, well, mostly Perry's family but the story is really depressing. And what happened to Michael...or where is he?
It will be really interesting to see where things go from here.
August 25, 2013
Who is the Creepy Clown Lady in the EIT series? Here's your chance to learn about her and her life. You find out how she is connected to both Perry & Dex.
Old Blood isn't a scary book per say until you decide to read it late at night in the dark. I had fallen asleep right after I read about Pippa meeting the little blonde girl who was at the bottom of the lake. The next thing I know I hear in a whispered voice, "Mom! Mom!"
I look up and there is a blonde girl standing next to my bed whispering to me. I screamed!!!
She keeps whispering, "Mom, something big is going to happen tonight."
I screamed, "WHAT?" At this point I've woken up my husband.
"Everyone keeps telling me something big is coming. A storm."
I yell, "Who is telling you this?"
She looked at me all dazed and confused and I realize my daughter was sleep walking. She turned around and went back to her room and slammed her door. Needless to say, I was wide awake after that because I was pretty freaked out. She was right, at 5 am we had big thunder and lightening storm which sent her running to our room. I asked her this morning who told her we were suppose to get a storm (because I knew nothing about the storm coming) and she said that she had a dream about a big storm.
SERIES:
Must be read in order. Continuing story.
Novellas:
(#2.5)(#5.5)(#5.7)(#6.5)
Old Blood isn't a scary book per say until you decide to read it late at night in the dark. I had fallen asleep right after I read about Pippa meeting the little blonde girl who was at the bottom of the lake. The next thing I know I hear in a whispered voice, "Mom! Mom!"
I look up and there is a blonde girl standing next to my bed whispering to me. I screamed!!!
She keeps whispering, "Mom, something big is going to happen tonight."
I screamed, "WHAT?" At this point I've woken up my husband.
"Everyone keeps telling me something big is coming. A storm."
I yell, "Who is telling you this?"
She looked at me all dazed and confused and I realize my daughter was sleep walking. She turned around and went back to her room and slammed her door. Needless to say, I was wide awake after that because I was pretty freaked out. She was right, at 5 am we had big thunder and lightening storm which sent her running to our room. I asked her this morning who told her we were suppose to get a storm (because I knew nothing about the storm coming) and she said that she had a dream about a big storm.
SERIES:
Must be read in order. Continuing story.
Novellas:
(#2.5)(#5.5)(#5.7)(#6.5)
June 29, 2012
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh !!!! Why did I have to read that ??!!! Just so you know , this is in reference to the first chapter of Into the Hollow , god I dont think I can wait till October to find out what happens next !!!!
"I must remember these little joys, I thought to myself. Even in death.
Wow wow and just wow ! Karina halle just keeps getting better and better with each book and this book was no exception . Old Blood is the creepy clown lady aka Pippa , Perry's grandmother's story . And man I've got to tell you , its sooo effin different from all the other EIT books that we've read ! Pippa's voice or her narrative style is very very different from Perry's . While Perry's narrative technique is more fun and sarcastic in nature , Pippa's is filled with sorrows , grief and regret . Sorrow' of the her life , grief of going through troubled times and regret of making mistakes that led to her confined and tragic death .
There were a lot of questions I found asking myself after I finished reading this book about which I cant go into details with because then my entire review might end up with spoilers !! But I think thats the beauty of Karina's writing . You cannot judge her characters on being right or wrong , or question their choices throughout this series . Its like saying , 'Everything happens for a reason '..
I think I've fallen in love with Dex a little more because of this book . The kind of upbringing that he had explains a lot about his attitude and behaviour .. Soo effin sad :(
On the whole , an awesome novella to an awesome series !! And then the teaser to book 6 in the end was like a sliver lining !! I WANT MORE LIKE RIGHT NOW !!
"I must remember these little joys, I thought to myself. Even in death.
Wow wow and just wow ! Karina halle just keeps getting better and better with each book and this book was no exception . Old Blood is the creepy clown lady aka Pippa , Perry's grandmother's story . And man I've got to tell you , its sooo effin different from all the other EIT books that we've read ! Pippa's voice or her narrative style is very very different from Perry's . While Perry's narrative technique is more fun and sarcastic in nature , Pippa's is filled with sorrows , grief and regret . Sorrow' of the her life , grief of going through troubled times and regret of making mistakes that led to her confined and tragic death .
There were a lot of questions I found asking myself after I finished reading this book about which I cant go into details with because then my entire review might end up with spoilers !! But I think thats the beauty of Karina's writing . You cannot judge her characters on being right or wrong , or question their choices throughout this series . Its like saying , 'Everything happens for a reason '..
I think I've fallen in love with Dex a little more because of this book . The kind of upbringing that he had explains a lot about his attitude and behaviour .. Soo effin sad :(
On the whole , an awesome novella to an awesome series !! And then the teaser to book 6 in the end was like a sliver lining !! I WANT MORE LIKE RIGHT NOW !!
June 17, 2013
We finally get to know the story of Pippa, also known as Creepy Clown Lady.
At this point in the series you already know who she was. If you don’t know that, go read the previous books and don't open the spoiler tag! :P
It was bittersweet knowing her story. In the end she died alone in a psychiatric hospital and life wasn't fair to her.
But there were a lot of sweet things in this book, and clarified a lot of things about the series.
I really liked Pippa and in a way, I was sad how her life turned out to be.
(Especially since Ingrid was apparently an ass since young age)
At this point in the series you already know who she was. If you don’t know that, go read the previous books and don't open the spoiler tag! :P
It was bittersweet knowing her story. In the end she died alone in a psychiatric hospital and life wasn't fair to her.
But there were a lot of sweet things in this book, and clarified a lot of things about the series.
I really liked Pippa and in a way, I was sad how her life turned out to be.
(Especially since Ingrid was apparently an ass since young age)
February 4, 2017
Firstly, when I start reading this novella I was sort of sceptical since it was not written in Perry or Dex point of view. But when I got into it I liked it. Writing was poetical, mesmerizing and some new info about Dex and Perry were revealed. All the EIT fans, this is a must read for us!!!
Pippa's story was sad, dramatic and full of sacrificies in order to achieve her dreams and trying to find her happiness. She lived in differend period under different circumstances but her life had similar path than Perry's. But I hope Perry's will have different ending...
Pippa's story was sad, dramatic and full of sacrificies in order to achieve her dreams and trying to find her happiness. She lived in differend period under different circumstances but her life had similar path than Perry's. But I hope Perry's will have different ending...
February 10, 2013
“Are we mentally different because we see ghosts or do we see ghosts because we are mentally different?”
I will admit it took me a while to get into this book, but that’s only because I was left on a cliffhanger at the end of the last book of the series, so to then swing out to a novella seemed a bit painful. Plus, I am so hyped up to get to the books that follow, I was daydreaming about Dex and Perry while reading. But Pippa’s story is so intriguing, it didn’t take me too long to get sucked in, and I absolutely loved it. She is a great character, and I see a lot of Perry in her (which is probably why I like her so much!)
“It’s like you have so much life and potential somewhere deep inside, some greater purpose that is dying to come out. But you don’t know what it is or how to reach it.”
First introduced as ‘Creepy Clown Lady’, Pippa has been appearing in the EIT books from the very beginning. And now that I know more about her, I want to go back and read all of those books again!! Her story is a sad one, and watching her fall into 'madness' was tragic, but she has a very important part to play in the overall plot of the series, particularly the ties that she shares with Perry and Dex (I loved the glimpses we got of them in their childhood. But oh little Declan… how my heart breaks for you!). And as Pippa tells her story, things suddenly start to make more sense as we get explanations for a lot of the ghosty goings on, as well as the creepy abilities and personal demons that Perry and Dex are dealing with in the current day, and the special bond that they share.
“Very few people with these abilities can find each other in all the worlds. When it happens, you know. It’s a magnet affect, a sense of finding your missing half, someone who gives off what you do and draws you in like they do to you.”
Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!! This was a great addition to the EIT series, and I can’t wait to dive back in with everything that I now know.
I will admit it took me a while to get into this book, but that’s only because I was left on a cliffhanger at the end of the last book of the series, so to then swing out to a novella seemed a bit painful. Plus, I am so hyped up to get to the books that follow, I was daydreaming about Dex and Perry while reading. But Pippa’s story is so intriguing, it didn’t take me too long to get sucked in, and I absolutely loved it. She is a great character, and I see a lot of Perry in her (which is probably why I like her so much!)
“It’s like you have so much life and potential somewhere deep inside, some greater purpose that is dying to come out. But you don’t know what it is or how to reach it.”
First introduced as ‘Creepy Clown Lady’, Pippa has been appearing in the EIT books from the very beginning. And now that I know more about her, I want to go back and read all of those books again!! Her story is a sad one, and watching her fall into 'madness' was tragic, but she has a very important part to play in the overall plot of the series, particularly the ties that she shares with Perry and Dex (I loved the glimpses we got of them in their childhood. But oh little Declan… how my heart breaks for you!). And as Pippa tells her story, things suddenly start to make more sense as we get explanations for a lot of the ghosty goings on, as well as the creepy abilities and personal demons that Perry and Dex are dealing with in the current day, and the special bond that they share.
“Very few people with these abilities can find each other in all the worlds. When it happens, you know. It’s a magnet affect, a sense of finding your missing half, someone who gives off what you do and draws you in like they do to you.”
Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!! This was a great addition to the EIT series, and I can’t wait to dive back in with everything that I now know.
June 1, 2013
Old Blood is a novella told from Pippa's (aka creepy clown lady) point of view. She is telling the heartbreaking story of her life.
I really appreciated that a lot of questions were answered in this book. I now have a better understanding of the thin veil/otherside and how Pippa's history is intertwined with Dex and Perry's lives. I was also surprised to see that there were quite a few similarities between Pippa's story and what we have seen of Perry's life so far. I am not going to go into specifics, though, because I don't want to spoil the story for anyone who has not read this novella.
This novella is a definite must read in the EIT series!
Memorable Quote
Ludi to Pippa: "It's like you have so much life and potential somewhere deep inside, some greater purpose that is dying to come out. But you don't know what it is or how to reach it. So it festers in this blue pool. I think of blue when I think of you Pippa. Blue, cooling, calming, like the sea, like your eyes. It soothes me to be with you."
I definitely thought this quote could describe Perry too.
I really appreciated that a lot of questions were answered in this book. I now have a better understanding of the thin veil/otherside and how Pippa's history is intertwined with Dex and Perry's lives. I was also surprised to see that there were quite a few similarities between Pippa's story and what we have seen of Perry's life so far. I am not going to go into specifics, though, because I don't want to spoil the story for anyone who has not read this novella.
This novella is a definite must read in the EIT series!
Memorable Quote
Ludi to Pippa: "It's like you have so much life and potential somewhere deep inside, some greater purpose that is dying to come out. But you don't know what it is or how to reach it. So it festers in this blue pool. I think of blue when I think of you Pippa. Blue, cooling, calming, like the sea, like your eyes. It soothes me to be with you."
I definitely thought this quote could describe Perry too.
July 22, 2013
♥♥♥ 4 STARS ♥♥♥
We finally get see the life of Pippa (A.K.A Creepy Clown Lady). It was so great to be able to see all things she went through and how she ended up how she is right now. I felt for how she was raised the events that took place in her life. I loved seeing how it all related to Perry and Dex, and how in some weird way, history seems to be kind of repeating itself. My heart broke for my Dexi Dex, that's what I call little boy Dex. His childhood was terrible. I desperately wanted to nurture the sad little boy that he was, the way Pippa was doing. Really enjoyed getting deeper understanding to Perry's roots. A definite must read.
November 1, 2020
I loved learning about Pippa’s background and finding out what led up to her “craziness.” I can understand why Pippa is trying so hard to help Perry because she doesn’t want the same outcome for her or Dex. Pippa was betrayed by the ones that claimed they loved her most. I’m so glad I am reading every single book and novella in this series. Each piece is so vitally important to the central storyline. This is such an addictive story!
January 13, 2014
This review is spoiler-free for the previous books in the series and Old Blood.
Old Blood was quite the disappointment. I've got to admit, even if I wasn't overly excited to read Pippa's story, I was curious about it. But in the end, her story fell flat for me.
There's a lot of telling-not-showing, I felt pretty detached from Pippa as character and while the things she had to deal with throughout her life are pretty sad and heartbreaking, I just didn't care that much. I guess I just liked her better as a side character in the series instead of the narrator of her own story.
Considering how much I love this series, it pains me to give this book only 3 stars. And the 3 stars aren't even for Pippa, they're for the little glimpses we get into Perry and Dex's childhoods. Even if this was quite the exhausting read that mostly dragged for me, I did love seeing these two as little kids and it was worth pushing through the rest just to get this little insight into their childhoods.
Overall, I'd recommend this novella to fans of the series but wouldn't say it's necessary to read it. You aren't missing out on much if you don't, though if you'd be happy to get glimpses into Perry and Dex's childhoods (like I was), then I'd definitely recommend giving this one a shot.
(Even if this fell flat for me, you're still pretty damn merveilleuse for recommending this series to me, Kiki.)
Old Blood was quite the disappointment. I've got to admit, even if I wasn't overly excited to read Pippa's story, I was curious about it. But in the end, her story fell flat for me.
There's a lot of telling-not-showing, I felt pretty detached from Pippa as character and while the things she had to deal with throughout her life are pretty sad and heartbreaking, I just didn't care that much. I guess I just liked her better as a side character in the series instead of the narrator of her own story.
Considering how much I love this series, it pains me to give this book only 3 stars. And the 3 stars aren't even for Pippa, they're for the little glimpses we get into Perry and Dex's childhoods. Even if this was quite the exhausting read that mostly dragged for me, I did love seeing these two as little kids and it was worth pushing through the rest just to get this little insight into their childhoods.
Overall, I'd recommend this novella to fans of the series but wouldn't say it's necessary to read it. You aren't missing out on much if you don't, though if you'd be happy to get glimpses into Perry and Dex's childhoods (like I was), then I'd definitely recommend giving this one a shot.
(Even if this fell flat for me, you're still pretty damn merveilleuse for recommending this series to me, Kiki.)
August 25, 2014
Was it the brief happiness I felt in the small things, the simple joys in my life? An accepting look or forgiving touch or sunshine in the backyard? Or was it the feeling if being deserted, abandoned, unknown and unloved? Either way, I died with an aching heart for the things I suffered through and the things I loved. In the end, it's all the same. In the end.
The blurb accurately describes this novella about Pippa, also known as "creepy clown lady," as haunting. I don't even know if that word does it justice. This book was full of such raw sorrow and heartache in every way. Pippa led such a sad, lonely life--a life similar to what Perry would live without Dex. It just makes me even more appreciative that she is taking the time to help these two lost souls find each other and battle together.
I'm glad to have heard Pippa's story. I'm glad more of the mystery has been uncovered.
I'm still trying.
The blurb accurately describes this novella about Pippa, also known as "creepy clown lady," as haunting. I don't even know if that word does it justice. This book was full of such raw sorrow and heartache in every way. Pippa led such a sad, lonely life--a life similar to what Perry would live without Dex. It just makes me even more appreciative that she is taking the time to help these two lost souls find each other and battle together.
I'm glad to have heard Pippa's story. I'm glad more of the mystery has been uncovered.
I'm still trying.
October 2, 2013
This story is key to understanding Dex and Perry and their connected origins by giving us the story of Pippa, "the Crazy Clown Lady" who has been haunting our protags since the beginning of The Experiment in Terror series. Karina does an amazing job telling the story from a completely new voice. I hadn't considered it before but now I want to go back and re-read the first five books with the insights gained from Old Blood.
Many reviewers and Pippa, herself, say she brought her tragedies on herself. I guess we all have a huge amount of control over our own fate but we do it blindly, not really knowing the consequences until it is too late to change the actions that precipitated them. Sure Pippa had warnings from the Other Side but who takes that kind of warning seriously? I mean really, sinners go to church all the time and keep on sinning! I guess I don't blame Pippa for bringing it on herself when it was a pure kind of love that motivated her all along, especially for her child, the children in her care and, eventually, her grandchildren. And the affair with Ludic? Well, it begat Pippa's daughter and granddaughter (Perry, the one and only). Without them there is no story to tell. I love fantasy that makes me think deep thoughts like this.
I also thoroughly enjoyed the ongoing reflection on the fine line between clairvoyance and mental illness. Pippa addresses this dissonance when she says of Regine, "Was she mentally ill because she drank all the time or did she drink all the time because she was mentally ill? I suppose the same question could be said about us too. Are we mentally different because we see ghosts or do we see ghosts because we are mentally different?" Pippa does acknowledge that she has differentiated between illness and difference; but in the end, you really cannot separate the questions.
And then there is the question that affects the narrative and the tension between both Dex and Perry in the ongoing saga, will seeing ghosts (and demons) drive them to an irrevocable point of insanity? Or will they find a way to embrace their differences for the betterment of the living and the dead? It remains to be seen . . . I know I am going crazy waiting to know more!
(This review is also on Amazon.)
Many reviewers and Pippa, herself, say she brought her tragedies on herself. I guess we all have a huge amount of control over our own fate but we do it blindly, not really knowing the consequences until it is too late to change the actions that precipitated them. Sure Pippa had warnings from the Other Side but who takes that kind of warning seriously? I mean really, sinners go to church all the time and keep on sinning! I guess I don't blame Pippa for bringing it on herself when it was a pure kind of love that motivated her all along, especially for her child, the children in her care and, eventually, her grandchildren. And the affair with Ludic? Well, it begat Pippa's daughter and granddaughter (Perry, the one and only). Without them there is no story to tell. I love fantasy that makes me think deep thoughts like this.
I also thoroughly enjoyed the ongoing reflection on the fine line between clairvoyance and mental illness. Pippa addresses this dissonance when she says of Regine, "Was she mentally ill because she drank all the time or did she drink all the time because she was mentally ill? I suppose the same question could be said about us too. Are we mentally different because we see ghosts or do we see ghosts because we are mentally different?" Pippa does acknowledge that she has differentiated between illness and difference; but in the end, you really cannot separate the questions.
And then there is the question that affects the narrative and the tension between both Dex and Perry in the ongoing saga, will seeing ghosts (and demons) drive them to an irrevocable point of insanity? Or will they find a way to embrace their differences for the betterment of the living and the dead? It remains to be seen . . . I know I am going crazy waiting to know more!
(This review is also on Amazon.)
March 27, 2017
Pippa me tiene desconcertada no se si me cae bien o regulín...
November 1, 2014
There are some spoilers here and there. They're not too bad since the book is already kind of boring and we already know how it ends but you've been warned. I recommend you read this after you've read the book though because this is also half rant and half review and might be incoherent at times to someone who doesn't know what I'm actually talking about.
I'm not sure what I was expecting, but this wasn't it. And I'm not sure where to begin either. It's strange that I have a lot to say about such a small book.
First of all it's a bit weird that a ghost had the patience to tell their whole life story like that. There was so much detail! If Pippa meant it as some sort of cautionary tale then a lot of it should have been shaved off or not be told at all. But that's not even the problem. I don't know why her story is so much like Perry's. Is it lack of creativity on the author's part or is there some sort of hidden meaning to it that I'm unaware of?
Her parents didn't believe her. Check. She wanted to be something glamorous but couldn't. Check. Her parents were opposed to this endeavor. Also check. She's had an abortion. Check. A secret abortion at that. Check. Secret because of her "dreams". Again check! She's been cheated on. Check. By the person who knocked her up. Check. Who is a selfish asshole. Double check!
Then there's this 'people are bad just because I think so' deal. With Perry it was Jenn. By the very end Jenn turned out to be bad and all but up till that very last moment, Perry had absolutely no reason to hate on her like that. Perry was the bad guy there, she was trying and succeeding in taking away Jenn's boyfriend but hey Jenn's the bad guy here! It was this unjustifiable hatred that made me try to excuse the bitchy actions of a character that I originally don't like or don't care for (Jenn).
Same goes for Pippa and Ingrid. Ingrid is supposed to be an ungrateful child who's hating on her mother until she eventually put her in an insane asylum where she eventually dies. And I do hate Ingrid, just not for these reasons because honestly put yourself in her shoes for a second here. Her mother has been always unstable, talking to the air and acting weird and twitchy and she's just a kid, she has the right to be wary.
Then she goes through a phase and leaves her mother. In away not unlike the way Pippa left her own mother, father and lover. Then she's good again and finds love with Daniel and things are better and she invites her mother to live with them after she sees how bad things have gone for her. She quits her dream job to take care of her mother. Isn't she entitled to a little bit of resentment?
And after she becomes unable to take care of her, they decide to get her to Sweden which is a decision that Pippa is fine with. But she goes berserk when she sees Ludie (her ex and Ingrid's biological father) and ends up trying to kill herself on the subway track. I'm sure Ingrid felt unqualified to take care of her mother after that and there was no way she could travel in her state and the only way this could be solved is by putting her away. It wasn't Ingrid being bad, it was her back against the wall. I don't think there was any other solutions available to her at that point.
I still very much hate her because she's a resentful ungrateful child who never once sympathized with her mother or even, from the looks of it, liked her. And I hate her, not for never giving her daughter the benefit of the doubt, but of being distant with her as well always making her feel bad about who she is just like she did with her mother like she's the only perfect person around to whom everyone should measure up.
Now let's go back to Pippa who's actually a little selfish herself. And she wonders where Ingrid got it from! The little girl never stood a chance between her asshole biological father and her selfish mother, I think she turned out OK. Pippa selfishly left her parents and lover against their will to chase fame. Then a lot of boring things happen. Bla bla bla and she gets married to a nice man called Karl who doesn't seem to have a flaw except maybe that he's a little boring. To her at least. Then she meets her ex and starts cheating on her husband. A lot. For a long time. Over a year. Then she gets pregnant. Not by her husband. She tries to run away with her lover who leaves her and she goes back to her husband not telling him about the affair or the baby and letting him assume it was his. She says she felt he knew but that doesn't make it any less horrible since he was nothing but good to her. Until the very end.
She leaves him and goes to NY with her daughter. She says she's doing it for Ingrid but that's not the only reason. She's actually hoping to see her ex again. Yep the one who abandoned her and his child and left for New York. Bla bla bla. Fast forward to the very end when she pulls Perry to the Other Side knowing full well that it's going to affect her power and ruin her life. She does it anyway. Then after she's dead, she wants to fix it by sticking around. As a ghost. To creep the hell out of Perry. Are you freaking kidding me? Jakob tried to tell her what to do over and over and over again and even though he was right. Every. Single. Time. She still doesn't listen to him. Even after death she's still a stubborn selfish brat. Gee I wonder where Ingrid got that from.
This novella's only saving grace was the period Pippa spent at the O'sheas household. Again Dex is the only interesting character. Even as a six year-old.
I'm not sure what I was expecting, but this wasn't it. And I'm not sure where to begin either. It's strange that I have a lot to say about such a small book.
First of all it's a bit weird that a ghost had the patience to tell their whole life story like that. There was so much detail! If Pippa meant it as some sort of cautionary tale then a lot of it should have been shaved off or not be told at all. But that's not even the problem. I don't know why her story is so much like Perry's. Is it lack of creativity on the author's part or is there some sort of hidden meaning to it that I'm unaware of?
Her parents didn't believe her. Check. She wanted to be something glamorous but couldn't. Check. Her parents were opposed to this endeavor. Also check. She's had an abortion. Check. A secret abortion at that. Check. Secret because of her "dreams". Again check! She's been cheated on. Check. By the person who knocked her up. Check. Who is a selfish asshole. Double check!
Then there's this 'people are bad just because I think so' deal. With Perry it was Jenn. By the very end Jenn turned out to be bad and all but up till that very last moment, Perry had absolutely no reason to hate on her like that. Perry was the bad guy there, she was trying and succeeding in taking away Jenn's boyfriend but hey Jenn's the bad guy here! It was this unjustifiable hatred that made me try to excuse the bitchy actions of a character that I originally don't like or don't care for (Jenn).
Same goes for Pippa and Ingrid. Ingrid is supposed to be an ungrateful child who's hating on her mother until she eventually put her in an insane asylum where she eventually dies. And I do hate Ingrid, just not for these reasons because honestly put yourself in her shoes for a second here. Her mother has been always unstable, talking to the air and acting weird and twitchy and she's just a kid, she has the right to be wary.
Then she goes through a phase and leaves her mother. In away not unlike the way Pippa left her own mother, father and lover. Then she's good again and finds love with Daniel and things are better and she invites her mother to live with them after she sees how bad things have gone for her. She quits her dream job to take care of her mother. Isn't she entitled to a little bit of resentment?
And after she becomes unable to take care of her, they decide to get her to Sweden which is a decision that Pippa is fine with. But she goes berserk when she sees Ludie (her ex and Ingrid's biological father) and ends up trying to kill herself on the subway track. I'm sure Ingrid felt unqualified to take care of her mother after that and there was no way she could travel in her state and the only way this could be solved is by putting her away. It wasn't Ingrid being bad, it was her back against the wall. I don't think there was any other solutions available to her at that point.
I still very much hate her because she's a resentful ungrateful child who never once sympathized with her mother or even, from the looks of it, liked her. And I hate her, not for never giving her daughter the benefit of the doubt, but of being distant with her as well always making her feel bad about who she is just like she did with her mother like she's the only perfect person around to whom everyone should measure up.
Now let's go back to Pippa who's actually a little selfish herself. And she wonders where Ingrid got it from! The little girl never stood a chance between her asshole biological father and her selfish mother, I think she turned out OK. Pippa selfishly left her parents and lover against their will to chase fame. Then a lot of boring things happen. Bla bla bla and she gets married to a nice man called Karl who doesn't seem to have a flaw except maybe that he's a little boring. To her at least. Then she meets her ex and starts cheating on her husband. A lot. For a long time. Over a year. Then she gets pregnant. Not by her husband. She tries to run away with her lover who leaves her and she goes back to her husband not telling him about the affair or the baby and letting him assume it was his. She says she felt he knew but that doesn't make it any less horrible since he was nothing but good to her. Until the very end.
She leaves him and goes to NY with her daughter. She says she's doing it for Ingrid but that's not the only reason. She's actually hoping to see her ex again. Yep the one who abandoned her and his child and left for New York. Bla bla bla. Fast forward to the very end when she pulls Perry to the Other Side knowing full well that it's going to affect her power and ruin her life. She does it anyway. Then after she's dead, she wants to fix it by sticking around. As a ghost. To creep the hell out of Perry. Are you freaking kidding me? Jakob tried to tell her what to do over and over and over again and even though he was right. Every. Single. Time. She still doesn't listen to him. Even after death she's still a stubborn selfish brat. Gee I wonder where Ingrid got that from.
This novella's only saving grace was the period Pippa spent at the O'sheas household. Again Dex is the only interesting character. Even as a six year-old.
May 9, 2013
I loved it!! 4 STARS for PIPPA!!!!!!!
Old Blood is a short novella in the Experiment in Terror series that falls between On Demon Wings and The Dex-Files. It is Pippa Lindstrom's story, who is Perry's maternal grandmother from Sweden, and Dex's nanny when he was a young boy.
This story is told in Pippa's point of view, and is laid out as a recording that she leaves for both Dex and Perry to listen to on the EVP device during their investigation of the Riverview Mental Hospital. It appears to be an attempt to not only tell them her story, but also to shed some light on the behavior of Perry's parents, and especially her mother. It also appears that she wants to give them an explanation for some of her choices in life, and to atone for any wrong-doings she may have inflicted upon them when they were young.
In the process, she also enlightens them to the history and the limits of her abilities. which may in turn shed light upon their own. The story begins when Pippa is just a young girl of around six, living with her parents in rural Sweden, and it spans her entire life, up until her death as an old woman. It is a very sad and emotional tale of her struggles in dealing with these special "gifts" that she has had all of her life. It encompasses her family life, her short career, the birth of her daughter Ingrid and her move to New York City. It also explains her continuous struggles to achieve love and companionship in her life, and the losing battle she fights to remain sane in light of her special "gifts."
"You have this...way about you. I can feel you from across the way, like you give off this energy. It's...a sadness."
I looked at him sharply. Sadness?
"It's like you have so much life and potential somewhere deep inside, some greater purpose that is dying to come out. But you don't know what it is or how to reach it. So it festers in this blue pool. I think of blue when I think of you Pippa. Blue, cooling, calming, like the sea, like your eyes. It soothes me to be with you."
In her story, she sheds a good deal of light on Dex and Perry's past. She describes Declan as a little boy of 6 his tumultuous family life with his brother Michael, his mother's deteriorating illness, and his father's eventual abandonment. She also explains her limited to nonexistent relationship with her granddaughter, and their shared abilities. Perry also will learn a good deal more about her own mother and father, Ingrid and Daniel after listening to this tape.
"Very few people with these abilities can find each other in all the worlds. When it happens, you know. It's a magnet effect, a sense of finding your missing half, someone who gives off what you do and draws you in like they do to you."
The story was fairly short, and very enlightening. It appears to be vital information that may explain things to both Dex and Perry. Things that may prove to be vital to both of their futures.
I enjoyed the story very much, but found myself in full Dex and Perry withdrawal by the end!!!!! Also, knowing that The Dex-Files was up next in the series had me about peeing in my pants for this one to be over... sorry, but that is the truth!!!
And I'll leave it there... 4 SAD and LONELY and DYING FROM ANTICIPATION STARS!!!!!!!
And here she is as a young lady...
Pippa Lindstrom
![]()
Old Blood is a short novella in the Experiment in Terror series that falls between On Demon Wings and The Dex-Files. It is Pippa Lindstrom's story, who is Perry's maternal grandmother from Sweden, and Dex's nanny when he was a young boy.
This story is told in Pippa's point of view, and is laid out as a recording that she leaves for both Dex and Perry to listen to on the EVP device during their investigation of the Riverview Mental Hospital. It appears to be an attempt to not only tell them her story, but also to shed some light on the behavior of Perry's parents, and especially her mother. It also appears that she wants to give them an explanation for some of her choices in life, and to atone for any wrong-doings she may have inflicted upon them when they were young.
In the process, she also enlightens them to the history and the limits of her abilities. which may in turn shed light upon their own. The story begins when Pippa is just a young girl of around six, living with her parents in rural Sweden, and it spans her entire life, up until her death as an old woman. It is a very sad and emotional tale of her struggles in dealing with these special "gifts" that she has had all of her life. It encompasses her family life, her short career, the birth of her daughter Ingrid and her move to New York City. It also explains her continuous struggles to achieve love and companionship in her life, and the losing battle she fights to remain sane in light of her special "gifts."
"You have this...way about you. I can feel you from across the way, like you give off this energy. It's...a sadness."
I looked at him sharply. Sadness?
"It's like you have so much life and potential somewhere deep inside, some greater purpose that is dying to come out. But you don't know what it is or how to reach it. So it festers in this blue pool. I think of blue when I think of you Pippa. Blue, cooling, calming, like the sea, like your eyes. It soothes me to be with you."
In her story, she sheds a good deal of light on Dex and Perry's past. She describes Declan as a little boy of 6 his tumultuous family life with his brother Michael, his mother's deteriorating illness, and his father's eventual abandonment. She also explains her limited to nonexistent relationship with her granddaughter, and their shared abilities. Perry also will learn a good deal more about her own mother and father, Ingrid and Daniel after listening to this tape.
"Very few people with these abilities can find each other in all the worlds. When it happens, you know. It's a magnet effect, a sense of finding your missing half, someone who gives off what you do and draws you in like they do to you."
The story was fairly short, and very enlightening. It appears to be vital information that may explain things to both Dex and Perry. Things that may prove to be vital to both of their futures.
I enjoyed the story very much, but found myself in full Dex and Perry withdrawal by the end!!!!! Also, knowing that The Dex-Files was up next in the series had me about peeing in my pants for this one to be over... sorry, but that is the truth!!!
And I'll leave it there... 4 SAD and LONELY and DYING FROM ANTICIPATION STARS!!!!!!!
And here she is as a young lady...
Pippa Lindstrom
May 8, 2013
3.5 STARS
But I'm rounding it up to 4 because the writing style is so very different from what I've come to know of Karina's but she pulled it off pretty well.
I must admit, I wasn't really that curious of Creepy Clown Lady's backstory and I read this as a bridge to the Dex novellas. But it was engaging enough and provided great insight to some of the other characters in the series. The early chapters were sluggish and as this was told as though through the EVP recordings at the end of Lying Season, I felt the narrative (and the reader) will tend to get lost in itself and forget that Pippa is actually speaking to Dex and Perry in this one.
But despite the rambling nature of the story and the slow start, one can't help but be sympathetic to Pippa. Her moments with Dex and Perry in their early years were all at once heartwarming and heartbreaking knowing what's already in store for them.
Either way, I died with an aching heart for the things I suffered through and the things I loved. In the end, it’s all the same.
In the end.
While the events in On Demon Wings and this novella are fueling my speculative imagination on what's waiting for me in Into the Hollow, I can't say I'm not excited to venture into Dex' mind next.
For that journey, I'm bringing a flashlight, road flares, a Bible and an extra change of underwear.
But I'm rounding it up to 4 because the writing style is so very different from what I've come to know of Karina's but she pulled it off pretty well.
I must admit, I wasn't really that curious of Creepy Clown Lady's backstory and I read this as a bridge to the Dex novellas. But it was engaging enough and provided great insight to some of the other characters in the series. The early chapters were sluggish and as this was told as though through the EVP recordings at the end of Lying Season, I felt the narrative (and the reader) will tend to get lost in itself and forget that Pippa is actually speaking to Dex and Perry in this one.
But despite the rambling nature of the story and the slow start, one can't help but be sympathetic to Pippa. Her moments with Dex and Perry in their early years were all at once heartwarming and heartbreaking knowing what's already in store for them.
Either way, I died with an aching heart for the things I suffered through and the things I loved. In the end, it’s all the same.
In the end.
While the events in On Demon Wings and this novella are fueling my speculative imagination on what's waiting for me in Into the Hollow, I can't say I'm not excited to venture into Dex' mind next.
For that journey, I'm bringing a flashlight, road flares, a Bible and an extra change of underwear.
March 17, 2013
“They say your life flashes before your eyes but mine didn’t flash. It crept along slowly and I was forced to relieve all the pain and the few fleeting moments of glory.”
This is Pippa's story, told from her POV, a life story filled with sadness, unfulfilled dreams, so much love given and not received and how choices we make change the path of not only our future but of those dear to us.
“Either way, I died with an aching heart for the things I suffered through and the things I loved. In the end, it’s all the same.
In the end.”
Creepy Clown Lady, my heart hurt for you, I shed tears reading your story and am glad I liked you and trusted you from that first time you made your appearance.
There are quite a few answers for all those questions raised in the previous books...pieces of puzzles falling into place, some suspicions proved right but others still remain. Very interesting to see how Dex and Perry will continue now that they've got all this knowledge.
“Are we mentally different because we see ghosts or do we see ghosts because we are mentally different?”
So I guess, I'm off on to the next one.
May 3, 2015
Even better the second time!
Can I give a novella a 6 star rating? Well, I am. This is one of my favorite installments in the series & one of the best novellas ... Ever.
Pippa. Oh sweet, misunderstood, creepy clown lady, Pippa. Her angst, hopes, dreams and eventual demise are all so friggin' tragic. And yet, she's such a strong willed and insightful character. Knowing what she accomplishes from the Thin Veil seems incredible, considering what a mess she made of her life (while living). Fate or choice? Regardless of which ... what happened to her is just plain old sad.
Life is such a precious commodity when you’re done living it.
...
I died with an aching heart for the things I suffered through and the things I loved. In the end, it’s all the same. In the end.
The thing I love most about this short read is the amount of insight into the overall story arch. And getting the brief glance at Dex in his childhood. So much is reveiled here ... after reading it the first (& even the 2nd) time I wanted to yell, Ah Ha! I get it!
So if you haven't ... Read it!
Can I give a novella a 6 star rating? Well, I am. This is one of my favorite installments in the series & one of the best novellas ... Ever.
Pippa. Oh sweet, misunderstood, creepy clown lady, Pippa. Her angst, hopes, dreams and eventual demise are all so friggin' tragic. And yet, she's such a strong willed and insightful character. Knowing what she accomplishes from the Thin Veil seems incredible, considering what a mess she made of her life (while living). Fate or choice? Regardless of which ... what happened to her is just plain old sad.
Life is such a precious commodity when you’re done living it.
...
I died with an aching heart for the things I suffered through and the things I loved. In the end, it’s all the same. In the end.
The thing I love most about this short read is the amount of insight into the overall story arch. And getting the brief glance at Dex in his childhood. So much is reveiled here ... after reading it the first (& even the 2nd) time I wanted to yell, Ah Ha! I get it!
So if you haven't ... Read it!
July 28, 2012
Pippa's story answers many questions that I had but also created many more questions. *Bonus* - the novella contains the first chapter of Into THe Hollow EIT #6!
July 2, 2012
Once again Karina Halle has whisked me away with her colorful descriptions to a different time and place as the story of Pippa unravels.
This was an amazing novella that is a must read in my opinion for anyone who has read the Experiment in Terror series books 1-5. Pippa has had a long and strenuous existence. For this being only a novella, although a lengthy one (Thanks Karina!), so much is explained and in such a wonderful format. I love that Pippa's story was a message to Dex and Perry. Her story is not a happy one but one filled with lots of emotions. Hope, lust, jealousy, heartbreak, love, regret, betrayal, sympathy. To start out on her journey with such hope and exhilaration, to the lonely and desolate ending it became. I was enraptured with this novella from start to finish.
I can't fault Pippa any choices she made in life. We all choose our own path and sometimes make wrong turns along the way. Yes, there are repercussions for those bad decisions, but she persevered and marched right on.
It was really sad to read about her relationship with her daughter Ingrid. I already didn't like how Ingrid treats Perry, but to now know the background information on how she treated her mother is just too cruel. OK, this is Emmy uncensored. What a selfish bitch!
To hear those words coming out of my daughter’s mouth hurt me more than anything in the world. She said them with such venom, such hatred. I wondered what I ever did wrong, why I deserved to be treated like this by someone whom I did nothing but love.
Pippa's transformation from that young girl at the lakeside to creepy clown lady is a heartbreaking story. But we gain so much insight into her character, learning more about her connections with both Dex and Perry, and how she will protect those she loves to the very end.... And beyond.
I love the glimpse we get into Dex's childhood. He had it rough. Seriously messed up and thank Odin Pippa was there to help him out. His mom was nucking futz I tell ya. But it was great to see that even as a young boy, he approached strangers with the ease and confidence he has as an adult. One of his many endearing qualities. :)
Side note: This novella contains the first chapter of book 6, Into the Hollow and HOLY CRAP!!! I CANNOT WAIT! With the crazy end of On Demon Wings, this is promising to be a wild ride ahead of us!
Review posted at Sinfully Delicious Book Reviews
This was an amazing novella that is a must read in my opinion for anyone who has read the Experiment in Terror series books 1-5. Pippa has had a long and strenuous existence. For this being only a novella, although a lengthy one (Thanks Karina!), so much is explained and in such a wonderful format. I love that Pippa's story was a message to Dex and Perry. Her story is not a happy one but one filled with lots of emotions. Hope, lust, jealousy, heartbreak, love, regret, betrayal, sympathy. To start out on her journey with such hope and exhilaration, to the lonely and desolate ending it became. I was enraptured with this novella from start to finish.
I can't fault Pippa any choices she made in life. We all choose our own path and sometimes make wrong turns along the way. Yes, there are repercussions for those bad decisions, but she persevered and marched right on.
It was really sad to read about her relationship with her daughter Ingrid. I already didn't like how Ingrid treats Perry, but to now know the background information on how she treated her mother is just too cruel. OK, this is Emmy uncensored. What a selfish bitch!
To hear those words coming out of my daughter’s mouth hurt me more than anything in the world. She said them with such venom, such hatred. I wondered what I ever did wrong, why I deserved to be treated like this by someone whom I did nothing but love.
Pippa's transformation from that young girl at the lakeside to creepy clown lady is a heartbreaking story. But we gain so much insight into her character, learning more about her connections with both Dex and Perry, and how she will protect those she loves to the very end.... And beyond.
I love the glimpse we get into Dex's childhood. He had it rough. Seriously messed up and thank Odin Pippa was there to help him out. His mom was nucking futz I tell ya. But it was great to see that even as a young boy, he approached strangers with the ease and confidence he has as an adult. One of his many endearing qualities. :)
Side note: This novella contains the first chapter of book 6, Into the Hollow and HOLY CRAP!!! I CANNOT WAIT! With the crazy end of On Demon Wings, this is promising to be a wild ride ahead of us!
Review posted at Sinfully Delicious Book Reviews
April 3, 2013
I died with an aching heart for the things I suffered through and the things I loved. In the end it’s all the same.
In the end.
After reading this I just want to crawl under a rock and wallow in my sorrow. I practically had to force myself to finish this book.
Old Blood is a short novella where we get a look at the life Pippa (creepy clown lady) led.
This is not a happily ever after type of story. This is a story about loss and heartbreak.
I don’t think there was a moment in the whole book where I didn’t want to cry. Old Blood was completely realistic in the sense that not everybody gets a happily ever after. Not everybody goes through struggles and comes out the other side unscathed. Some things she even brought upon herself but we all make mistakes and, although I could feel the pain she inflicted on others with her actions, I really couldn’t find it in myself to judge her.
Karina Halle did an amazing job at making me connect to the story. I really felt for Pippa. No matter what she did it seemed life couldn’t give her a break.
I was even able to better understand Dex more. Reading about some of the things Dex went through, a young boy just looking for love and attention, really pulled at my heart.
I had to keep trying.
I’m still trying.
For those reading the EIT series, I recommend picking up Old Blood. It gives you a better understanding of all the paranormal related topics in EIT and sheds some light on Dex's past.
In the end.
After reading this I just want to crawl under a rock and wallow in my sorrow. I practically had to force myself to finish this book.
Old Blood is a short novella where we get a look at the life Pippa (creepy clown lady) led.
This is not a happily ever after type of story. This is a story about loss and heartbreak.
I don’t think there was a moment in the whole book where I didn’t want to cry. Old Blood was completely realistic in the sense that not everybody gets a happily ever after. Not everybody goes through struggles and comes out the other side unscathed. Some things she even brought upon herself but we all make mistakes and, although I could feel the pain she inflicted on others with her actions, I really couldn’t find it in myself to judge her.
Karina Halle did an amazing job at making me connect to the story. I really felt for Pippa. No matter what she did it seemed life couldn’t give her a break.
I was even able to better understand Dex more. Reading about some of the things Dex went through, a young boy just looking for love and attention, really pulled at my heart.
I had to keep trying.
I’m still trying.
For those reading the EIT series, I recommend picking up Old Blood. It gives you a better understanding of all the paranormal related topics in EIT and sheds some light on Dex's past.
June 27, 2012
This is the story of the Creepy Clown Lady, later known as Pippa. I really can't tell you much about this novella without spoiling it, so I will just say, this helps brings several pieces together. You find out how Pippa is connected to both Dex and Perry. And how tragic her life was.
I did find myself feeling sorry for her and getting angry at her simultaneously. I suppose it is the whole "Hind sight is 20/20" but knowing some of the things I did, and some of the things she did, she continuously made terrible choices. But like I have said before, I don't always have to agree with characters decisions, as long as they are in character. So, she makes decisions that ultimately lead to her death. That is not a spoiler, you should know going into this she is dead. If you don't know that you should not read this yet.
While this story does answer several questions, it leaves me with new ones; Did Dex's mom see ghosts? What happened to his dad/mom/brother? Did Dex and Perry actually listen to this story on the tapes? Did they hear it together? What were their reactions?
I also want to know what happened to Dex between The Lying Season and On Demon Wings. Hopefully we get to find out in The Dex Files this summer. And maybe Miss Halle will be nice to us and release it early, like she did with Old Blood. :-)
OH! And it includes the first two chapters of Into The Hollows. GOOD LORD I cannot wait for that book. Get over yourselves and get together already!!! Ok, better now.
I did find myself feeling sorry for her and getting angry at her simultaneously. I suppose it is the whole "Hind sight is 20/20" but knowing some of the things I did, and some of the things she did, she continuously made terrible choices. But like I have said before, I don't always have to agree with characters decisions, as long as they are in character. So, she makes decisions that ultimately lead to her death. That is not a spoiler, you should know going into this she is dead. If you don't know that you should not read this yet.
While this story does answer several questions, it leaves me with new ones; Did Dex's mom see ghosts? What happened to his dad/mom/brother? Did Dex and Perry actually listen to this story on the tapes? Did they hear it together? What were their reactions?
I also want to know what happened to Dex between The Lying Season and On Demon Wings. Hopefully we get to find out in The Dex Files this summer. And maybe Miss Halle will be nice to us and release it early, like she did with Old Blood. :-)
OH! And it includes the first two chapters of Into The Hollows. GOOD LORD I cannot wait for that book. Get over yourselves and get together already!!! Ok, better now.
February 28, 2013
First, I want to say how impressed I am with Halle's planning of this series. It appears she had much of the ongoing plot mapped out before even starting the first book, and I can now see that in the minute details and clues that are interwoven throughout each book.
With that said, this novella was a quick and essential read for me to find answers to questions and to gain a better understanding of Perry and Declan's backgrounds and motivations. One of the foremost questions is who exactly is the crazy, creepy clown lady. She consistently appears throughout the series and her cryptic comments make the reader believe that she knows quite a lot about Perry and Dex. Old Blood explains Pippa's relationship to both both characters and, by telling Pippa's story, Halle provides greater clarity about why Perry began to see ghosts as a child. I also have a better understanding of why Dex behaves as he does (...maddeningly frustrating at times to me).
Pippa has her own poignant story of struggling to to find her way in the midst of love and loss. Pippa's character is strong, independent, daring to defy fate for the love of a daughter. The consequences of her decisions have impacted Perry's life in ways I couldn't have imagined until now.
I'm not a fan of novellas and tend to skip over them if possible when reading a series. However, Old Blood provides the transition readers need to move forward with the series.
With that said, this novella was a quick and essential read for me to find answers to questions and to gain a better understanding of Perry and Declan's backgrounds and motivations. One of the foremost questions is who exactly is the crazy, creepy clown lady. She consistently appears throughout the series and her cryptic comments make the reader believe that she knows quite a lot about Perry and Dex. Old Blood explains Pippa's relationship to both both characters and, by telling Pippa's story, Halle provides greater clarity about why Perry began to see ghosts as a child. I also have a better understanding of why Dex behaves as he does (...maddeningly frustrating at times to me).
Pippa has her own poignant story of struggling to to find her way in the midst of love and loss. Pippa's character is strong, independent, daring to defy fate for the love of a daughter. The consequences of her decisions have impacted Perry's life in ways I couldn't have imagined until now.
I'm not a fan of novellas and tend to skip over them if possible when reading a series. However, Old Blood provides the transition readers need to move forward with the series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 348 reviews