Reaping Autumn

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

I am not an omen of death. I hope.

It isn't easy fitting in when your closest friend is a ghost. Autumn just wants to understand her unholy powers before she hurts anyone else. But when a desperate spirit leads her into the forest, she uncovers a string of disappearances and a terror stalking in the shadows. With one foot in the realm of the dead, she must work with an unlikely group to confront Greenfield's secrets before the forest swallows someone else.

- Urban paranormal horror

- Latina protagonist

- Ghosts, grief & girlhood

- Hidden town secrets

- Reluctant hero

- Coming of age meets murder mystery

This book comes with a Spotify playlist to help set the mood:Click hereGet more atReapingAutumn.com

(BTW, I just had a baby and chapters take me a bit. So if it says I'm on hiatus, I'm not. I'm just slow.)

Please enjoy! Review and comment if you like it!

Shout code here!

Information

Status
Hiatus
Year
2023
Author
NickKidd

Tags

FEMALE LEADSUPERNATURALSCHOOL LIFEPSYCHOLOGICALHORRORLOW FANTASYMYSTERYURBAN FANTASYCONTEMPORARYPROGRESSION

Royal Road Stats

Rating
4.8/ 5.0
Followers
539
Views
47,236

Chapters(30 total)

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!

Community Reviews(10)

  • An Actual KiwiRoyal Road
    ★★★★★ 5.0
    I don't usually read stuff like this, but I'm glad I did. Reaping autumn is, in my limited experience, a great addition to its genre.
    Style:
    This is my least favourite aspect of the story, though it's just a pet peeve and nothing else. I just don't like when stories are written in the present tense. Apart from that no issues with style. The writing itself is very fluid and sufficiently descriptive.
    Story:
    Without getting into spoilers, the story is very solid, if somewhat generic. You have the reject girl with a mysterious dad, who has powers she's only now beginning to discover, yadda yadda. But it's all very well written and I like where it's going.
    Grammar:
    No mistakes as far as I could tell.
    Character:
    The characters so far are pretty clearly defined, the mc obviously being the most fleshed out with her own distinct voice and style. There are no generic trope characters, which is always nice.
    So yeah, check it out if you're a supernatural/horror fan, and even if you aren't it might still be worth a read.
    Word count Word count Word count Word count Word count Word count Word count Word count Word count Word count Word count Word count Word count.
  • ArgyleSkyRoyal Road
    ★★★★★ 5.0
    I have been blown away by this story. The pacing of the story is good and immediately grabs your attention. The prose matches the story and it feels like you are walking through the spooky atmosphere with the characters.
    As the story progresses, we meet a range of different characters that all have their own purposes and arcs. Just when you think you have everything figured out, something new happens to make you question everything. There is a character that I have repeatedly questioned their loyalty to Autumn and what their end game is - are they truly trying to help her or are they leading her toward her own ruin?
    I love that Autumn knows that she can see ghosts, but hasn't put the other puzzle pieces together yet - so the reader gets to experience unraveling the mysteries of the town and her identity alongside her. I also love that the story blends the supernatural elements with her being a high school girl trying to avoid bullies and get through her classes.
    It has been a wild ride following Autumn's story this far and I am really excited to find out what happens next. I am glad that you do not shy away from difficult things happening to the characters, but embrace them and push them to continue forward.
  • BJ ChampagneRoyal Road
    ★★★★★ 5.0
    Reaping Autumn follows the macabre adventures of a troubled high school girl with supernatural powers. While a certainly in the paranormal/horror genre, it is also a contemporary coming of age story. Not only does Autumn face the supernatural but also the award teenage years. This insight into her personal life allows us to sympathize with her. She is a flesh-and-bones human not some near-superhuman monster hunter.
    The story is both well-paced and well written. The imagery is vivid, yet penned with some restraint. The prose is among some of them most polished that I’ve read here on Royal Road.
    Clearly, the author is passionate about writing this story and especially about his character. This can be felt on every page.
    Highly recommended.
  • BardLyreRoyal Road
    ★★★★★ 5.0
    This is an exceptionally assured and confident piece of horror writing. The author crashes you into a sinister and unsettling world and asks you to hold on while all sorts of oddness unfolds around you. There are not that many stories on RR that take their time to build the horror in this way - the regular upload schedule often needs people to fall into the cliff - cliff - cliff schedule - so it is nice to find a tale that resists this impulse.
    The MC is very relatable, whilst also having quite amazing powers. I did have a moment of worry that this was going to be a bit 'I see dead people' but this was very, very quickly dispelled. Also, there is some kickass art to supplement the story telling that is very much worth your time to checkout.
    The style and grammar are also real strengths. It always helps when you're not tiptoeing your way through the typos! The prose flows in a lovely way, even if there is quite some close joy spent on some pretty brutal and ghastly descriptions. These are all well handled, though, and add much to the boding atmosphere the author is seeking to create.
    Overall, this is great. Would thoroughly recommend for all those who enjoy a good scare
  • Bookman9Royal Road
    ★★★★★ 5.0
    Reaping Autumn delivers a gripping tale of horror, plunging readers into a world of the supernatural where ghosts and mythical monsters exist. The environmental setting is detailed and yet not overly done, avoiding info dumps. The tension during the dreaded chase scenes and haunting encounters are simply marvelous. The author did a great job keeping me on the toes of what was about to happen next. The action sequences are intense, evoking a sense of fear and urgency as the characters are relentlessly pursued by the monster.
    The mystery surrounding the victim's death and transformation into a ghost is palpable, heightening the suspense throughout. The author also skillfully balances Autumn's normal life with her ghost-hunting adventures, creating a nice contrast between what's normal and what's strange.
    Autumn emerges as a relatable and compelling protagonist, grappling with her ability to see ghosts and facing off against bullies. Despite her loner status, she possesses a compassionate nature and a thirst for adventure, driving her to solve mysteries and confront the unknown.
    The dynamic between Autumn and Maggie, the chipper ghost, adds depth to the story, with their banter providing moments of levity amidst the darkness. Autumn's growing openness to Maggie after the attempt at pushing her away further enriches their relationship. I'm looking forward to how Maggie is going to add to the plot moving forward.
    With the addition of characters like Hannah and JJ, the story takes on the vibe of a modern-day Scooby-Doo gang (albeit darker and more grim), adding layers of camaraderie and teamwork to the narrative. Overall, Reaping Autumn is a thrilling read that will captivate fans of horror and supernatural fiction alike.
  • FlameCabbageRoyal Road
    ★★★★★ 5.0
    It's been a long while since I read a paranormal story like this but I really enjoyed it. Autumn and her powers are very interesting and so is the town and world she is in. The story is still rather short right now, but in that short amount of time, I found myself very attached to Autumn and both fearful and eager to see where the story takes her.
    Style: The prose is very good. Easy to read but also very descriptive when it needs to be. It was especially good in the scarier parts of the story, and the horror aspect as she made her way through a haunted place gave me goosebumps. During the more thrilling parts of the story, my heart was racing.
    Grammar: Overall very good. No issues or mistakes I could see. The author has obviously edited their story very well.
    Story: Very interesting. We're still learning about Autumn and her powers, along with the various mysteries around her town and the world at large. It seems very well-paced, and I can't wait for more chapters to see how the latest mystery ends and also learn more about the world as a whole and Autumn's place in it.
    Characters: I feel like the characters are very well written so far. Autumn very much feels like a real person, and I can see how her powers and circumstances have shaped her character. She's a character that's very easy to sympathize with and like. We haven't had too much time with other characters so far, but I can see the potential there.
    In conclusion, I would definitely recommend this story. It's well written with a sympathetic and compelling character, as well as a mysterious and strange world to explore. I very much look forward to future chapters. My only complaint is how long it might be until I can read so much of the story again.
  • HA-GreeneRoyal Road
    ★★★★★ 5.0
    You craft quite the well-woven narrative, threading the dark and disturbing nature of hauntings and the lingering dead into Autumn's life. Its a real challenge to grasp that sort of story-telling without crossing the line into too heavy handed, or otherwise falling short, but you pull it off just right. I can tell that this will be a story I want to invest more time into, not only for the strengths you have presented, but the mysteries too.
    Stylistically, A+. Just awesome work.
    Story, same. You have built up where we are going and I am highly invested in where it ends up.
    Grammar, likewise. No flaws stood out.
    Characters, all of them have unique voices, strengths, and flaws. Autumn is a wonderful protagonist. She's just a girl that doesn't want this burden, but life has insisted she face it, and so she does. Even when it gets hard. Even when it means certain death. She does what she has to do. Hannah and JJ shine brightest when in the woods together with her. Dr. Ward is giving serious red herring vibes, but I don't believe he has sinister motives lurking in the dark. And Maggie is a real delight, and I love that she stuck around when all Autumn wanted was to push her away in the moment. I'm especially curious about Autumn's late father, and I believe we haven't seen the last of him in just these little references.
    In closing, you've gained a new fan. I look forward to finding out what the future holds for Autumn and her grudgingly growing friends.
  • InsomniacsRoyal Road
    ★★★★★ 5.0
    You've got a real talent for storytelling, weaving together the chilling world of hauntings with Autumn's own struggles in a way that's both haunting and captivating. It's not easy to strike that balance without going overboard or falling short, but you've nailed it. I'm already hooked and eager to dive deeper into this story, both for its strengths and the mysteries it holds.
    Your writing style is top-notch, and I love the fpov. I think it is done very nicely.
    The story itself has me hooked and invested in where it's headed.
    And your grammar is pretty good, nothing that I can spot that sounds wrong or out of place.
    Your characters are all so vivid and unique, each with their own voices, strengths, and flaws. Autumn is my favorite character (duh, shes the main one), just a regular girl thrust into extraordinary circumstances, yet she faces them with remarkable courage. Hannah and JJ are at their best when they're by her side in the woods. Dr. Ward adds an air of mystery, though I'm not entirely convinced he's up to something sinister. And Maggie's loyalty, even when Autumn pushes her away, adds a lovely touch to the story.
  • LuesatoraRoyal Road
    ★★★★★ 5.0
    I thoroughly enjoy a good horror story and I could not ask for a better one than this.
    A dark and beguiling tale about a teenage girl coming to terms with a terrifying power that she didn't ask for and doesn't want. A spooky town that may or may not hold some dark secrets. More ghosts than you can poke a non-corporeal stick at; some friendly, others decidedly not friendly. Topped off with some slightly more tangible threats that seem like they have stepped right out of a nightmare.
    A story that is well written and well paced. The characters are believable and endearing. An interesting setting and a good dose of mystery that will leave you wanting more.
    You would be terribly remiss to pass on this story.
  • OsheRoyal Road
    ★★★★★ 5.0
    First of all, I really like the setting of the story hahaha. Anyway, I found this story through combing the horror genre of rr and I'm glad I decided to read it because I usually try to stack chapters whenever I found horror novels because horror novels is so few and I want to read a long story that will satisfy my horror cravings. This story is gold and it's worth the wait for the next chapters because MC is such an interesting character. I will try to stack for more chapter so that it can become my stress reliever as the semester also start.