Barking Madness
Ryan Hill, 2015
Pulse Publishing
491 pp.
ASIN: B010GDGZ6S (ebook format only)
Summary
Rosetta Harper and her family have just moved from Florida to a small, rural New England town. Her beauty and manipulative ways have quickly made her the center of attention and part of the "it" group at her new high school.
But all is not as it seems. She inadvertently becomes the target of a twisted series of events involving supernatural creatures, scary visions, and horrific nightmares that test her loyalties to her friends and family.
The story alternates POV between Rosetta and Michael.
Shortly after moving into Ashwood, Rose gets the attention of Tommy, a "popular" boy. After going to a party and heading home through the woods, the pair comes face to face with a massive wolf. They are attacked leaving Rose severely injured and Tommy dead. This physical attack results in Rose believing she is afflicted with something monstrous. Rose soon finds herself living in a world of ghosts and monsters.
Hearing screams from the road, Michael runs through the woods to find the source. What he finds will forever change his life. Rosetta Harper, the new girl who he has admired from afar is on the ground before him fighting for her life.
Her rescue will be the start of a slow-building, back and forth friendship that develops into a loving relationship. At first, Rose wants nothing to do with Michael. He isn't popular, a jock, or outgoing at all. He is completely out of her social circle, but as the story develops and Rose seeks to discover the truth about her past and her future, so does their connection.
Barking Madness is a coming of age, psychological thriller about a teenage girl coming to terms with the death of a boy at school and the terrifying events that follow. The characters are complex and believable with dark, sharp-witted humor.
The voices throughout the book are accurate and give an inside peek at the mind of teens in the complicated and awkward high school years. All the while, taking you on a thrilling journey to the truth.
Author Bio
• Birth—November 4, 1995
• Born—Greenwich, Connecticut, USA
• Raised—West Newbury, Massachusetts
• Education—University of Massachusetts, Amherst
• Currently—lives in Newbury, Massachusetts
His own words:
My name is Ryan Hill, and I am a fiction writer. My Debut novel, Barking Madness, is a dark and witty YA Psychological Thriller with lots of Paranormal twists and turns It is also a coming of age story that provides an inside peek at the mind of teens, in the complicated and awkward high school years.
The book features two protagonists with alternating POV’s and a psychotic killer. I really enjoyed creating the different layers of characters and relationships in the story and felt I was successful in building believable and distinctive personalities. The supporting characters have strong voices, as well, and will grab the reader’s attention.
I first started writing down ideas for my story in middle school, and in July, 2013, before my senior year, I decided to take the plunge and start writing my novel. After a lifetime of playing soccer, I quit the high school team, and unbeknownst to anyone, began writing. I was completely dedicated and had a complete manuscript in 8 months. Barking Madness was published by Pulse Publishing in August 2015.
I was born in Greenwich, Connecticut but now live in West Newbury, Massachusetts with my family. Currently, I am a sophomore at University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and pursuing a degree in English. When I’m not doing homework or writing, I can be found on my Xbox, at the gym, or watching a movie, as I am a huge fan of film.
With survival horror being my favorite genre, some of my favorite movies are Evil Dead 2, Jurassic Park, Jaws, Alien, The Shining, The Thing, Grindhouse, and Scream. But my all time favorite horror movie is An American Werewolf in London. I have a soft spot for werewolves, which is the main reason I included one in my novel Barking Madness. I don’t know what it is about them, but I just find them interesting. (From the author.)
Follow Ryan on Facebook.
Book Reviews
Wow holy hell what did I just read? Barking Madness I think I can safely say this title perfectly sums up this book, it's certainly an unusual and intriguing read. Make sure you allow plenty of time to read this as it's a very long full length novel with no cliffhanger!
#Minxcoco - Hashtag Minxes Love Books
Barking Madness has the common themes found in YA literature: young protagonists, set in high school and trying to find their way, and themselves, when everything around them seems to be in a state of change. However, it does not read like the typical YA. It is darker, not only in the style of writing, but also in some of its themes – domestic abuse, drug use, and suicide. This is obviously not a happy book. But the writing is actually one of the things I liked best about this novel. It is atmospheric.... I liked Barking Madness for its different spin on YA, and dealing with realities that teenagers face.
Nina Arquiza - Bookbed.org
Ryan Hill has nailed a great read.... I have to hand it to Ryan Hill, he nailed the negative teen persona and nailed it hard! Like a fly on the wall, the reader is privy to teens at their best and teens at their worst.... The language is blue, the drugs and drinking run wild and it becomes hard to separate their reality from Rose’s perception of reality. Looking for nailbiting intrigue, high teen angst and cruelty towards each other? In other words, how NOT to act?... a great read that will keep you guessing until the end.
Dii - Amazon Customer Review
A Thrilling Masterpiece. Barking Madness is indeed one incredible YA paranormal thriller that readers everywhere won't forget.... A must read novel that is compelling beyond belief. Characters that will shake everything you have come to know. Definitely an addictive story for all. I highly recommend this thrilling adventurous novel and rate it a five out of five stars. I look forward to more of Ryan Hill's amazing work in the future (5 stars).
Danielle Urban - Amazon Customer Review
Barking Madness by Ryan Hill is one awesome book that I will not soon forget! Wow, some parts still literally send chills up my spine.... The story flowed well, and the author writes very authentically, like how teens really act and talk... Does a great job of making us feel like we are really a part of the story, and I can't wait to read more from Mr. Hill in the future. Recommend for fans of thriller/suspense/fantasy/paranormal (4-5 stars).
Claire Middleton - Goodreads, Indie Book Reviewer
Discussion Questions
1. What did you think of the book Barking Madness? Were you engaged immediately, or did it take you a while to "get into it?" Did you find the beginning build up too slow or did you enjoy it?
2. Describe Rosetta and Michael's personality traits, motivations, inner qualities. Describe the dynamics between the main characters Rosetta and Michael. What is the relationship between Michael and Kyle? Do you admire or disapprove of them? Do they remind you of people you know or knew in high school? Can you believe that I wrote this as a senior in high school? Would it surprise you if I told you these characters are loosely based on people I know?
3. How has the past shaped Rosetta's and Michael's life? What lies ahead for Rosetta and Michael?
4. What are Rosetta and Michael's family dynamics like? Do they come from loving or dysfunctional families? Or a combination of both?
5. Do the main characters change by the end of the book? Do they grow or mature? Do they learn something about themselves and how the world works?
6. Is the plot engaging—does the story interest you? Is this a plot-driven book: a fast-paced page-turner? Or does the story unfold slowly with a focus on character development? Were you surprised by the plot's complications? Or did you find it predictable, even formulaic? Did the end leave you questioning what you read?
7. About the book's structure, does the time-line move forward chronologically...or back and forth between past and present? Does the author use a single viewpoint or shifting viewpoints? Why might the author have chosen to tell the story the way he did—and what difference does it make in the way you read or understand it? Did you enjoy the way it was written?
8. What main ideas—themes—does the author explore? (Consider the title, often a clue to a theme.) Did the title work with the storyline? Did you agree with the title?
9. What passages strike you as insightful, even profound? Perhaps a bit of dialog that's funny or poignant or that encapsulates a character? Maybe there's a particular comment that states the book's thematic concerns? Did you like the sarcastic, dark relationship between Michael and Kyle and Rose and Rosetta?
10. Is the ending satisfying? If so, why? If not, why not...and how would you change it?
11. If you could ask the author a question, what would you ask?
12. Has this novel been one that you've reflected back on? Do you agree with the way the teenagers in this book are portrayed? Are you empathetic to them? Is it believable? Do you think it's possible for teens to have lives this complicated? Is this a real world book or complete fantasy? Should it be classified as Psychological Thriller, Paranormal, or both?
(Questions courtesy of the author.)