Twenty years ago, Catherine Whitley was the victim of a horrible crime. Betrayed by her friends, including the boy she loved, she was left to die when the Rock Harbor Opera House caught fire, taking a disturbing secret with her to her grave.
Seventeen-year-old Heath Ingram was driving the night his Jeep careened off the road, killing three of his closest friends. Once a popular, outgoing athlete, Heath now suffers from severe depression and crippling anxiety. His parents decide to send him to stay with his uncle in Rock Harbor, Oregon for the summer, praying that by getting away he will be able to put this awful tragedy behind him.
When Heath starts working at the newly renovated Rock Harbor Opera House, he meets Molly, a young dancer who awakens in him a desire to start over and move on. But, when he begins having visions of a half-burned girl in a white dress, he starts to think he may be slipping even further over the edge.
As the apparent hauntings become more intense, Heath begins to fear for his safety. With the help of his friend Josie, Heath discovers an unsettling secret that ties the mysterious girl to both their families. When two of their friends die unexpectedly, Josie and Heath realize that something, or someone, is after the children of those who wronged Catherine, and they are next.
Recommended: Yes.
Book Tour ~The Weeping by O' Dell Hutchinson~
Welcome to one of the blog book tour stops for The Weeping! It's been a real pleasure to be part of it. The Weeping by O' Dell Hutchinson was a book that found amazing for a paranormal read. Recommend you read: Review of The Weeping by O' Dell Hutchinson [below].
That way you can discover for yourself just how how good, no , -fantastic- it is. Oh, and also check out a guest post about the author, O' Dell Hutchinson , connected to the book. Will be coming up soon later today along with a chance to win one, signed, hardcover copy of "The Weeping" through a Giveaway here at the blog. Here is the post to enter for the Giveaway: Guest Post/Giveaway of O'Dell's Top 10 Best Book to Movie Adaptations in The Weeping Book Tour
Enjoy!
About The Weeping
Recommended Ages: 14 and Up
In a town named Rock Harbor, Oregon a harbored secret comes to haunt Heath Ingram a newcomer to town who's father, Phillip Ingram, along with his friends Melanie Plummer, Jason Fenley, and Noah Hull were responsible for the wrongdoing towards Catherine Whitley. Catherine was always a troubled girl and completely in love with Heath's father, Phillip, yet Phillip wasn't as devoted to her as she was. As high school ends, he breaks things off and one of his own friends, Noah, rapes her. Saddened by further awful events in life Catherine starts to become emotionally unstable. A time later later after she starts to believe that Phillip may want her back, a fire at a theatre she along with Melanie, Jason Fenley, and Noah Hull are at starts up. Catherine tragically dies but not before suffering and giving in the weeping of despair at feeling being betrayed by all the friends she thought she knew.
Heath being Phillip's son is now a young adult himself who happens to look so much in appearance to his father. Having just gained a job as his Uncle Vic's theatre while is the newly revived, Rock Harbor Opera House, makes him discover that maybe just maybe having a resemblance to his father is a bad thing. Considering the ghost of Catherine is haunting him believing he's his father. And Catherine's ghost is incredibly creepy and vengeful!
The Weeping was one of type of reads that right off take off makes you want to be into it. Heath has suffered from a recent tragedy and it's really hard for him to get past it. You get a lot of his guilt and frustration that does seem realistic. Especially considering that he has several meetings with a therapist in The Weeping where he's obviously gone through a lot and isn't psycho but he's immensely troubled. Even in times of the serious moments of emotional turbulence O'Dell Hutchinson managed to keep this light tone. For example in one of Heath's first meeting with his therapist in who happens to be his father's friend Melanie, he mentions:
I'm not the least bit excited about today's adventure. The therapist is an old high school friend of my father's, which immediately puts me on edge. If she is anything like my shrink in Seattle, I'm doomed to a long, annoying summer. I'm tired of talking about my feelings. I'm sick of discussing the healing process and the stages of grief. There's nothing left to say. Nothing will change what happened. It's not as if my feelings are a cavity that can be drilled and then refilled, the pain gone, the tooth good as new. It's not that easy.
My dad parks the car in front of a small olive-green house. Great. My shrink works from home. She's not even good enough to have her own office. I imagine a fat woman in a fuzzy, pink bathrobe and bunny slippers with ten cats sitting on her lap asking me to talk about my feelings. Maybe we'll just snack on Cheetos and Mt. Dew while watching episodes of Maury Povich and Judge Judy. How's that for therapy?
I reluctantly follow my parents up the sidewalk. The freshly mown lawn sparkles with morning dew, the roses surrounding the house bright and fragrant. A small plaque beside the door reads Melanie Plummer, MD. At least she has a plaque. That's very important.
We step inside where I expect to find Dr. Plummer sitting in a recliner, but instead a friendly, older woman greets us from behind a desk. There are no cats and no recliner. It actually looks somewhat like an office in here. As my mom gives the receptionist my name, a door opens and a very attractive woman with shoulder-length dark hair and piercing green eyes emerges.
"Oh. My. God. Phil?" Her voice is somewhat smoky, but not in a phlegmy sort of way. It reminds me of Demi Moore. She's casually dressed in a pink blouse and white pants. She doesn't look stuffy and rigid, or trashy. She moves across the floor and pulls my dad in for a hug. "It's been ages."
Which found just a nice snippet of relevant culture of the world that helps us better picture what he wants us to know. Demi Moore is just a fantastic comparison with us seeing this almost exotic, distinctive voice from Melanie. Also there's a hilarious but grimly serious reference toward the end of Norman Bates of Psycho. Yes the character development is so expertly built with: Heath: A guy who's a pretty good guy who carries a lot of guilt of his friends' deaths but is strong to eventually overcome it, Luke: a really care-free kind of guy, Josie: A sarcastic and pretty fun lesbian girl, and Molly the pretty girl that sure grabs Heath's attention even if he knows pursuing a relationship with her wouldn't be too great. The Weeping besides having amazing main/minor characters had a really perfect plot. Perfect since it had some interesting paranormal development in its ghost haunting and its details to it happening.
The writing always enjoyed. There is just this admirable quality in exposition of events that take place from the story's events to within the characters as well. O'Dell Hutchinson does pull of this male young adult perspective that draws a reader in. His writing is tantalizing and not brusque or just trying too hard. Basically writing you wouldn't mind spending your time in especially if you enjoy a fantastic layer of suspense and anticipation.
While, The Weeping was, of course, a ghost haunting tale its a surprise at what actually happens toward the end. Shock after shocks start hitting. Actually even before then that keep it an entertaining novel! Making it a fun psychological, ghost haunting story with some uniquely set paranormal usage ground into the experience. So nice. Recommend for fans of the paranormal this one.
Overall: Amazing read!
Genre: Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult
About the Author
O'Dell Hutchison was born in a small rural town in Idaho. After attending college in the Pacific northwest, he found his way to the Houston area in 1997. He currently lives in Katy, TX with his dog, Gia. By day, he is a Business Systems Analyst. In his free time, he tries (and fails) to work out regularly and eat healthy. He also acts and directs at various theaters around Houston.
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