The Uninvited audiobook

Mama paled. "Are you saying that you and Peter killed a man tonight?""No." Father shook his head. "That wasn't a man. He was a German." Yet another instance where I pick up a Cat Winters novel and the real world just melts away.Firstly, you should know that this isn't supposed to be a YA book, unlike Winters' other marvelous works - In the Shadow of Blackbirds and The Cure for Dreaming - but I do think that all her books have a lot of crossover appeal. The romance is more mature, more sexual, and the characters themselves are in their mid-to-late twenties, but that's where the differences end.Winters is a master at blending horrifying historical fact with beautifully eerie supernatural elements. This is her second story set in 1918 America, a time when America's young men were sent to their deaths in Europe, and the home front was fighting an entirely different war against the Spanish influenza pandemic. Hospitals were full, untrained young women were performing nurse duties, and the scent of death constantly filled the air.But The Uninvited is also different from Winters' In the Shadow of Blackbirds because it tells another story - a dark underside to American life in 1918. In 1918, being "American" was of utmost importance and the American Protective League roamed the streets looking for German sympathizers. German immigrants were often murdered and the police didn't care enough to investigate the crimes. It was a time of panic, suspicion and xenophobia. “The world’s about to end. I can feel it in the marrow of my bones." When Ivy Rowan's father and brother murder a German man, she leaves home and gets taken in by an old acquaintance. Unable to cope with the shame she feels on behalf of her family, she approaches the dead man's brother - Daniel - in an attempt to alleviate her guilt and offer some solace.From this, their relationship develops. What starts as a means of seeking comfort on both their parts becomes something more. But both Ivy and Daniel must constantly keep looking over their shoulder. The APL is on the warpath and they certainly wouldn't take kindly to a romance between a German man and an American woman. It's a sensual, frightening and eye-opening book. The author once again crafts wonderful female characters and develops complex and humourous relationships between them. It's so strange how the book can be at once a quiet, introspective read and a fast-paced, supernatural adventure through the horrors of history. I impatiently wait for her next book, adult, YA or otherwise.Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Youtube

* Review has minor spoilers *1918, the last year of the first world war and the first of the Influenza/Spanish flu pandemic that infected hundreds of millions and killed millions. It was a killer of a year and this is when The Uninvited happens.Music teacher Ivy Rowan sees dead people,The Uninvited as she calls them. Seeing The Uninvited heralds the death of someone significant to Ivy's life. After being struck down by the flu for days, Ivy wakes up to a commotion in their home, her father and youngest brother have killed a young German business owner to avenge the death of Ivy's oldest brother, Billy, in the war. Unable to stomach what her family had done, Ivy packs up and leave for town. There , she learns that the world at war had been upended further by the flu pandemic. Everyone's angry and afraid of being struck and of losing loved ones, they want somebody to blame, so they take all the rage and the fear out on the German immigrants. “There is a pain in me. A knife blade”—I balled my hand against my stomach—“wedged in my gut. I want to be rid of it. I want to finally live.” The world has gone cray and all Ivy wants to do is to atone for the sins of her family, so she seeks out Daniel Schendel, the brother of the murdered man. She is understandably met with hostility, but after a while, with persistence and some compromise, Ivy and Daniel form a shaky and forbidden relationship built on desperation for some respite from loneliness and pretense of hope, amid the death and destruction. "The head makes war, but the heart makes peace. And thankfully, the heart ends up ruling more than not." I've been saying this for months now, my tolerance for romance is very low, so I expected to despise Daniel's and Ivy's insta-lust and inevitable romance, but I do not. Yes, you read that right. I felt the reluctance, the anger, the guilt, the denial and the despair every time they climbed up the stairs to Daniel's apartment, but alone together in that pocket of paradise, everything else fades away. I guess that why the romance in this book worked for me, it's distilled and, it seemed to me, came with an expiration date, what with the deadly flu and anti-German sentiments at their doorsteps.At the same time, Ivy is drawn to the new make-shift jazz club that grows bigger in attendance with each passing night. She also finds purpose anew when she signs up as a driver for Red Cross, transporting the sick and the dying to hospitals and recovery facilities. "Hope is the thing with feathersThat perches in the soul,And sings the tune without the words,And never stops at all..." Ivy is finally living the life she'd always wanted, but then The Uninvited starts showing up again, and Ivy is desperate to find out who she will lose this time.This is the first of the many Cat Winters books I will be reading. I am not a fan of historical fiction, but Cat Winters may have converted me to one. She shows us historical events in micro without diluting the horror and the despair, and deftly weaves supernatural elements to it. Her characters are also well fleshed out but I must point out her brilliance in writing strong, distinguishable female characters in context with the time period, who have positive and mature relationships with each other.As great as this book turned out to be, I can't help but feel misled by the blurb. I somehow expected the novel to focus on Ivy’s life-long gift. I kept waiting for her to use her gift but it didn't happen and at some point set the book aside because it dragged on for a bit, thus the 4 stars instead of 5. I persisted because I am the captain of the Ivy-Daniel ship, so naturally I wanted to find out where my ship is headed to, and boy did I found out. I was rewarded for my persistence.If you got to this part of my rambling, kudos to you for your patience, and if you plan to read The Uninvited, I recommend that you completely divest yourself of any expectations, especially if you've read the blurb. My utmost recommendation though is to...

It’s 1918. World War I is on the brink of finishing, but that doesn’t mean the situation is good or desirable at all. There is an atmosphere filled with hatred towards the Germans in the U.S., and there is the influenza to deal with too, so you see, there’s nothing desirable about it.The women in Ivy Rowan’s family have the “ability” of seeing ghosts of dead people. The last ghost she saw was like a premonition of her brother’s death – she saw the ghost and not long after, she was noticed her brother was killed – and now she keeps on seeing more of them. Thus, she leaves town and settles in another place, where she meets Daniel Schendel, a German whose brother was killed by Ivy’s brother and father.I admit at first I didn’t like Ivy’s and Daniel’s relatioship – it felt like insta-love for me. The more I read, though, the more I actually liked them together. Because they were realistic. Because they had real problems that prevented them of being happy together. Because Daniel was looked like an animal, and Ivy as a whore for spending time with a German.This brings me to my next point, that is, the atmosphere. You can feel all the hatred and xenophobia floating there. You can see how hard life was for the people being despised just because of their origins. And not only that – it was also the time of the influenza, so it reeked of death and loss as well.The book might seem very quiet, uneventful and calm, but at the same time, it is very violent and full of tension. For example, Daniel is always worried for his life, and Ivy is too worried for him and herself. There is also the sadness that comes with seeing all the people die not only because of the war but also because of the flu.I have to praise the writing as well, because it got me completely sucked in from page one, and this surprised me a lot, since I am not the one who enjoys romance in a daily basis. The writing fits perfectly the setting: It is apparently calm, but it is full of sadness, and it was beautiful.The Uninvited is a novel I really recommend, but don’t go thinking it’s going to be a paranormal mystery, because it’s not. Nonetheless, I thought it was very good. If you’re not patient with romance (as I am), I say try to forget about it. I promise it will be worth it. Cat Winters has talent and I will certainly try more of her books.

The head makes war, but the heart makes peace and, thankfully, the heart ends up ruling more than not. This tale is utterly haunting - not in the way I expected when deciding to read this book, but still in a great way. I thought this would be a creepy ghost story before the backdrop of WWI. Instead I got a story about a small town in Illinois during WWI that was struck by Influenza and the monstrosities humans do to one another. Creepy in its own way. It wasn't until the 85% mark that the supernatural element really dominated. In retrospect, however, that wasn't bad. It might not have been the horror story I wanted but the description of that small town, the sickness, the paranoia turning neighbour against neighbour, the discrimination that was almost too silly if it wasn't for the internment camps and personal tragedies, ...The tragic events afflicting immigrants reminded me of my relatives fleeing to the US before WWI and I'm still wondering if they had to endure such things as well (can't ask them anymore because they are dead). I kind of saw that last part of the ghost story / reveal coming, but the execution was so beautiful, and the overall atmosphere so wonderfully haunting (it reminded me a bit of The Others, a horror movie with Nicole Kidman) that it didn't matter at all. Definitely a strength of this book is the poetry (especially that of Emily Dickinson since I love her work as much as the protagonist) and references to classical music, J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan and, of course, Jazz. The only thing marring my enjoyment of this audio version was the horrible German accent of the narrator (funnily enough, the Polish parts were pronounced better) and some inaccurate German words. What I positively loved and want to point out especially is that this was not a typical YA book with a girl and, eventually, a boy and sappy love scenes or relationship drama. In fact, the characters could be of any age and it wouldn't make a difference; the relationship between the two protagonists was quite unusual too. Everything about this story was delicate and tasteful and beautiful (mirrored by the way the story was read by Emily Woo Zeller). Strangely, although technically this is a story about loss and death, it is far more a story about how to live (and how important that is), about finding the light.

4.5 starsAfter two literary successes for young adults, the amazing Cat Winters is back with The Uninvited, a breathtaking story about a 25-year-old girl fighting the heavy burden of her family’s sins. Winters takes us back to final days of World War I, right in the middle of the 1918 flu pandemic, and although it’s not her first foray into that very same time period, The Uninvited stands on its own two feet, beautiful and incomparable with anything she’s done before.The psychology of war is a dreadful thing. The hate, the whispers, dehumanization, strengthened by very loud and convincing propaganda, combine to create an atmosphere of fear and turn regular people into mindless monsters. Winters’ understanding of this phenomenon, of the mass hysteria that is so easily created when people fear for their lives, is profound. Ivy’s father is one of those war-made monsters, and so is her 17-year-old brother. After they kill a German business owner in their small town, Ivy leaves home, ridden with guilt, to somehow make things right. For all her innocence, Ivy has a backbone of steel. Her moral compass is impeccable and her bravery is astounding. It takes a great person to swim out of that pool of hate and see things for what they are, and our Ivy manages beautifully. It’s not something that happens from one moment to the next, but the process itself is a thing to behold.The unconventional romance is one of this book’s many strengths. Bonded by a terrible tragedy and more guilt than two people should ever carry, Ivy and Daniel find solace in each other, first physically, and then emotionally. It’s a long, painful road filled with surprises, but it’s one worth taking, even when you’re crying your eyes out. While it doesn’t quite reach the literary heights of In the Shadow of Blackbirds (then again, I suspect nothing ever will), The Uninvited is a flawless story by one of my favorite authors in the world. The magic of Cat Winters is very much alive and it seems to be a gift that just keeps on giving.

“Some spirits get stuck in the places where they died. […] Some struggle to complete a task they didn’t finish when they were alive. Others, they roam the earth, unsettled, restless, unsure what to do or where they belong. And then there are the lucky ones…” In the midst of the final days of World War I, there is no peaceful end in sight in the town of Buchanan, Illinois. The hatred towards Germans continues to grow and the recent outbreak of Spanish influenza has many blaming the Germans for releasing the sickness. Most German residents have been ran out of town, but two brothers who own a furniture business still remain. One night, the violence escalates and one of the brothers ends up murdered. “The world’s about to end. I can feel it in the marrow of my bones. I’m worried I’m about to miss out on a few things in life that shouldn’t be missed.” Recovering from her own bout of influenza, Ivy sees the ghost of her grandmother only to discover a short while later that her father and brother have killed a young German business-owner. The women of the Rowan family are known for being able to see the ghosts of loved ones, but only when death is imminent. Ivy has remained at home, up until the age of twenty-five, in an attempt to shelter her brothers from their fathers violence. When her older brother Billy enlists and dies in battle, their fathers violence cannot be restrained. This recent act of violence on an innocent human being is enough to compel her to finally leave her childhood home and live her life. She takes up residence with a charismatic war widow by the name of May Dover and begins to drive an ambulance for the Red Cross. Her instincts keep telling her to seek out the surviving brother and do whatever she possibly can to free herself of the guilt her family has brought down upon her shoulders. “Out there” – he nodded toward the window – “is chaos. In here, it’s paradise. We found paradise, Liebling. But you have to keep coming back to make it stay.” When Ivy Rowan first approaches the furniture shop, she finds Daniel Schendel on his hands and knees scrubbing blood from the floorboards. His attempts to run Ivy off fall on deaf ears but instead their lonely souls find peace with one another. Together the two form the most frenetic of bonds, similar to the jazz music that flows through his bedroom window well into the nighttime. Within the walls of his apartment, they find freedom regardless of their heritage but when Ivy begins to see the ghost of her brother Billy, she begins to fear that the small life she’s built for herself is about to come crumbling down and she worries who around her is about to end up dead.I could not have been more pleased with this book. Most definitely a new addition to my favorites shelf, The Uninvited is achingly lovely and possesses a most unexpected twist that is both harrowing yet hopeful. While the romance is a major factor in the story, it also touches on the more serious aspects of the time. The racism, the hatred, the narrow-mindedness, the deaths. It accurately portrays the difficulty in adapting to the times, living in a society that forces your hatred of a culture or constantly risking your own loyalties to be put into question. Her role as an ambulance driver makes Ivy a most memorable character and I loved this addition to her fascinating story. Truly a wonderful historical fiction tale with a most interesting dash of paranormal that will delight adult readers and Winters’ existing YA fans.I received this book free from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The women in Ivy Rowan's family has always had the gift to see the dead. But the ghost of loved ones always heralds impending death. On an evening in October 1918, 25-year-old Ivy sees granny Letty just for a moment, but an hour later her father and brother killed a man. Ivy then decides to leave the farm and move to the city... The Uninvited is a book that took me completely by surprise. The cover and blurb made it out to be a much darker story than it was and I was in the beginning disappointed that it just seemed to be about Ivy breaking away from her old life, beginning a new life away from the farm and starting to see the brother of the man her father and brother had killed. Nothing bad with that if that's what you're after. It was just not that I wanted. I wanted ghosts and creepiness. I wanted to Ivy to see ghosts, but the only one she seemed to see now and then was Billy, her brother that died in the war. I did enjoy ivy's relationship with Daniel.But then something happened. I quite enjoyed the story as it was thought that at least it was enjoyable for the moment when WHAM everything was turned on its head in a twist I hadn't seen coming and then a page or two later WHAM twist number two happened. The book went from good to freaking great in just a couple of pages. I mean the last 20% was brilliant. And the ending was perfect...It's hard to rate this book since the book, for the most part, were good, but not great, that is until the last 20% when everything just went fantastic. But in the end, I gave it 4 stars and I'm looking forward to reading more from Cat Winter.Thanks to William Morrow and Edelweiss for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

*Review en español en mi blog: https://backstreetbooksblog.wordpress...It's been a long time since a historical fiction book (or any book) caused me the feelings "The Uninvited" made me feel. With a beautiful history of World War I seen from the American side, Cat Winters created one of the best books I ever read. American nationalism, an epidemic of deadly flu and a "paranormal" touch make this story set during the year of 1918 a book worth reading.I loved every single second of this book. It perfectly captures the atmosphere that was experienced in the United States during World War I. Nationalism is something that arises in its most radical way during a period of war, and in the USA the open rejection of the Germans was something that marked the lives of many immigrants from that country who were in America and who were not to blame. "Are you saying that you and Peter killed a man tonight?""No," Father shook his head. "That was not a man. He was a German." I enjoy reading books that do not portray Germans as the only bad guys in history. And this book shows that it was not only the people within Europe who suffered the consequences of the War by giving us a clear example of this, with German families that, although far from the conflict, flee and suffer rejection solely by their nationality.The context of the story is complemented in a wonderful way with each of the secondary characters who fill it: nurses who risk their lives to run an ambulance looking for patients with the flu, widows who lost their husbands in the war, German families displaced by racism, young people to whom the war permanently changed.Within this beautiful story a romance takes place and I swear ir captivated me completely. In the midst of so many bad things happening, the love between the main characters causes you to get involved in a more sentimental way into the story. It is not a romance that feels forced, it is not a cheesy romance and it doesn't feel out of place, it is one in which given the circumstances in which it occurs is strong, passionate and beautiful.The ending ... just perfect. I can not say anything else without ruining the story and I could not forgive myself if I ruined this wonderful book for someone. All I will say is that it left me breathless, literally, without air. Highly recommended book!

Thank you so much Saanchi for recommending this wonderful book. (her review)The Uninvited is set in America during World War I when the infamous 1918 influenza pandemic hit the country. Its an era of jazz, fear, death, romance and xenophobia. Mama paled. “Are you saying that you and Peter killed a man tonight?” “No.” Father shook his head. “That wasn’t a man. He was a German.” Ivy is an all-American girl in her mid-twenties (considered too old for a girl to be unmarried during that time) who has just lost one of her brothers to war. Her father and the remaining brother have murdered a local German shopkeeper in anger and grief. Not able to digest such meaningless violence, Ivy decides its time to leave her parents' house and live life on her own.Lot of things happen to her. She starts sharing room with a young widow. She starts helping two Red Cross nurses in driving around an ambulance to pick up Influenza victims. She starts falling in love with the murdered German's brother, Daniel. During a time, when even playing German music is considered an unpatriotic act, sharing a bed with one definitely makes her a target for the more aggressive patriots. Her town is polluted with hatred, disease, death and repercussions of war. Her heart is gripped by guilt and fear. Her soul is revelling in jazz music and uninhibited love-making. “Ach.” He reached out and tucked a stray strand of my hair behind my ear. “Du begehrst mich.” "Ach. You desire Me." The music, in fact, plays a very important role in this book. I suggest anyone reading this book, should do so while listening to the soundtracks mentioned in the book. Both Daniel and Ivy share a deep connection through their love of music. Here are some YouTube links I found while reading, all of them mentioned by the characters:Gun-Cotton Rag by Merle Von HagenSLIPPERY HANK by Earl Fuller's Famous Jazz BandJelly Rolls Blue by Ferd MortonTiger Rag by Original Dixieland Jas BandJoe Turner Blues by Wilbur SweatmanI'm Sorry I Made You Cry by Henry BurrLast Night was the End of the World by Henry BurrI have never listened to Jazz or Ragtime much, but after this book I have become aa fan of these genres. Its sensual, glamorous, romantic, soothing and haunting; just like this novel.The fact that Ivy can see spirits of her deceased loved ones gives a beautiful horror undertone to the story. Reading this book was scary in both the normal and paranormal sense. The research done is extensive and deep. I read about many of the historical occurrences in Wikipedia that are mentioned in the story and its amazing how Miss Winters has brought together reality and fiction. She truly brought 1918 Illinois to life and when I finished the last chapter I had to remind myself who I was and where I was. If this doesn't prove that Cat Winters is an amazing story-teller then I don't know what will.

Cat Winters is known for her beautifully detailed, creative, and imaginative worlds. Worlds that transport you back in time to another place and more often than not, to something other.It is for all these reasons that I didn't hesitate to pick up The Uninvited. I needed that small taste of the other she is so gifted at creating. I needed the beautiful world I knew she could paint and more than that, I needed something unique, original, and enchanting.Winter's has an amazing ability to blend history with fiction and give us just a touch of the macabre along with a hint of romance that truly makes her novels stand out and shine.I love this era. So much happens, good and bad and Winter's managed to show the best and worst of both sides. Prejudices, war, death, sickness, but also love, honor, and women really coming out into the world and taking charge. I loved Ivy's role in the story. How she didn't stand by and let those around her take charge of her life. She didn't let them lead her around or bully her. She saw what she wanted and she went after it. She helped those that needed it, regardless of color, social standing, gender, or origin. She was strong, determined and I loved her character because of it.The slight paranormal aspect that Winter's weaved into the storyline gave this just enough of that otherwordliness that I have come to crave from her writing and put enough spin and twist on the story that I truly, didn't see the end coming. Winter's once again created an imaginative tale that despite it's slow start, had me turning the pages eager for more.

Every time I read a book by Cat Winters, I go into it thinking 'yes, I'm sooo ready for a nice historical during World War I!' and I always come out with an emotional kick to my feels. She writes historical so realistic and she holds nothing back, she doesn't glorify what the world was like in 1918 and I so love that. This book had an amazing setting; America, 1918-racism, illness, jazz music. It's a time when young men are being sent to their deaths in war and everyone is also fighting against the epidemic of the Spanish Influenza. Death was everywhere. "The world's about to end. I can feel it in the marrow of my bones."When Ivy's father and brother murder a German man, Ivy flees and tries to rid herself of the guilt she feels by approaching his brother, Daniel. From there, a relationship develops between them, where they both connect through their own pain and through the jazz music that plays across the street. The only thing is this book didn't have as much of a supernatural aspect as I was expecting. The synopsis leads you to believe the story is mostly about how Ivy can see dead spirits but that's really more in the background. The story is definitely more fixated on the war and the Spanish Influenza and how it impacted people but for me that wasn't a problem, although I wish her seeing spirits had been touched on a bit more!This book was full of so many things. Cat Winter's writing is beautiful and I love the way she can describe the setting. It had me completely sucked in. This book was painfully eye opening and honest, but beautiful all at the same time. I will definitely be eagerly awaiting Cat Winters next books!Check out my review on my blog!

This was SO, SO GOOD! Set during the first World War and the influenza outbreak of 1918, the novel follows Ivy, a small-town American girl who leaves home for the first time at age 25 after discovering her father and brother have murdered a local German man out of retaliation for her second brother's death during the war. Ivy has always been blessed/cursed with the ability to see the dead, who appear as harbingers to warn of impending tragedy; and with people dying in droves from war and influenza, she's receiving more and more uninvited visitors, leaving her wondering who she's going to lose next. Yes, the tone is spooky, but at its core, this book is a heartwarming romance about Ivy and a German man named Daniel, who heal each other with compassion, friendship, and eventually love. (Oh, and sex. Lots and lots of sex.) :) I'm not going to reveal too many details, because this is the kind of book that MUST NOT BE SPOILED, so when you pick this up, resist the urge to peek at the ending. Take my word for it: the end is perfect! I couldn't have asked for a more fitting outcome for these characters.Love, love, love this one! Go forth and grab it! With Halloween right around the corner, this would make an excellent October book club selection.

This review was originally posted on It Starts at Midnight So, as you may know (or maybe you don't, I don't know what you know), I adored Cat Winters' The Cure For Dreaming. Like, all time favorite-status adored. Obviously, when this book popped up on Edelweiss, I knew it needed to be consumed by me as soon as possible. Good news- It did not disappoint! And now, we shall talk about all the reasons why:Cat Winters is an absolute master of historical fiction.How can someone who was very obviously not alive in the early twentieth century make me feel like she was? I do not know, and that is the genius behind this. Obviously, Ms. Winters has done her research incredibly thoroughly, but it goes beyond that. She somehow gets to the emotions behind how I'd assume a real twenty-something woman would feel in this era. How I would likely feel in this era, really. It's a strange feeling, as though I am actually getting a legitimate glimpse into the past. The world building and characterization are extremely vivid, which ultimately leads to it being extremely thought provoking as well as entertaining.I adore reading about history, especially this time period (and I really only found that out via Cat Winters' work, so there's that), but it is also terrifying to realize that this isn't all fiction. Of course, this story is, but the events as a whole? Nope. The Spanish Influenza epidemic was very real, the war was very real, and the hate for Germans was real. Also real? The complete bullshit that women went through on the regular. After I read a Cat Winters book, I basically spend the next half hour silently thanking every suffragette for her work and paving the way for women. We may have a long way to go, but we sure have come a very long way, which Cat illustrates remarkably well.There is mystery abound! This is not just a run of the mill historical fiction, oh no. There is a supernatural element, but also a very real life mystery going on. Of course, Ivy knows that her father and brother were the murderers, but she doesn't have any answers beyond that, and she seeks them. How could you not if you knew your family was behind such a heinous crime? Add to it that she is seeing the dead and is terrified that she may lose someone else close to her, and you've got a young lady that needs some answers, stat! Romance & SwoonsSo, I don't want to say too much about the romance, but it's pretty great. These characters may not have a lot in common at first glance, but delving deeper into their lives, they have both suffered loss, and being treated as "less than", and it just works. Fabulous side characters, complex familial relationships and friendshipsIvy is not the only star that shines in this book. She befriends a war widow who takes her in when she must leave home, she meets some incredibly courageous volunteers who help with the influenza outbreak, and she has a heartbreaking but beautiful relationship with her mom. Her relationships with her living brother and father are obviously strained, but still intricate. And even after Ivy leaves home, her family is still front and center in her life. Bottom Line: Cat Winters has officially become an auto-buy author for me. Her stories are gorgeously vivid, inspirational, and multifaceted. Need I even say more? **Copy provided from publisher for review**

“I admit, I had seen a ghost or two.” Ivy has the uncanny ability to see ghosts.The women in her family have always been this way. Just before someone is about to die, Ivy will see the ghost of a loved one. A warning or a curse though it may be, Ivy has grown used to her strange gift.In 1918, war is plaguing every street and the Spanish influenza is raging in town. From house to house, people are dropping like flies. Death hangs heavy in the air.Ivy has recently recovered from the sickness herself and sets off to live in town, putting distance between the farmhouse where she grew up and her cruel brother and father live.The Uninvited explores so many interesting topics, such as feminism, the plights of war, and the shaming of an entire race because America was at war with Germany.Ivy's father and brother killed a German man, but they don't see it as the horrifying murder that Ivy does. They think of him as a traitor, a "Kraut," not even a person. Being part German myself, this affected me even more deeply.Ivy feels horribly guilty over the death and seeks out the dead German's brother, Daniel, to apologize to him. They form an odd friendship of sorts.As always, Cat Winters' prose was charming, beautiful, atmospheric, and easy to read. I liked being in Ivy's spirited mind that reminded me of Winters' other heroines in her YA books, Mary Shelley and Olivia Mead.I loved the ending to this book. There was a plot twist that took me by surprise and added so much more to the story. It made me think back on everything I'd read and changed my perception of all the characters.Another showcase of marvelous storytelling by the author.