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riveting_reads's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 stars. Book #1 of Spring Fling-O-Ween and sadly I was disappointed by this one! A readathon vlog is coming with more of my thoughts soon.
kyvenn's review against another edition
4.0
This book terrified me.. but I was happy with the ending! I do feel like there was some things left unknown. I wanted to know/have more, but overall I think it was a good debut novel! I am so happy atria books sent me an ARC of it to read!
veroperovero's review against another edition
4.0
This was a fun read. It straddles the line between thriller and horror, supernatural and real. Humans can be more dangerous than ghosts- but we don’t really know the culprit behind the traumatic events until the end. I look forward to reading Fawcett’s future work. This was an excellent and chilling debut.
redheadlibrarian979's review against another edition
5.0
I was looking for something different to read, I wanted spooky, but I don't deal well with horror and tend to have nightmares. Jennifer Fawcett's Beneath the Stairs was the perfect book for me. This book jumps between multiple timelines and characters. The main character is Clare and a lot of the story focuses on her & her best friend Abby, their story is told in 2 different times, 1998 when they are teenagers and first visit the local "cursed" house, and then modern day as they deal with fallout from childhood trauma. Part of the story is told in 1936, when the house is being built, and then we get part of the story told in 1965, about the only family to have lived in the house.
If you are looking for a super scary ghost story, or a bloody horror book, this book isn't going to satisfy you. I didn't have nightmares. I ended feeling sad for the ghost. The book was wrapped up in a very satisfying, kind of feel good, way. The details of the mystery were revealed slowly, I didn't guess exactly where the story was going until just before it was revealed. The author definitely kept me hooked. I really enjoyed this book, and will be watching for more from this author. Thank you NetGalley for the eARC!
If you are looking for a super scary ghost story, or a bloody horror book, this book isn't going to satisfy you. I didn't have nightmares. I ended feeling sad for the ghost. The book was wrapped up in a very satisfying, kind of feel good, way. The details of the mystery were revealed slowly, I didn't guess exactly where the story was going until just before it was revealed. The author definitely kept me hooked. I really enjoyed this book, and will be watching for more from this author. Thank you NetGalley for the eARC!
kaceylaine's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The title piqued my curiosity! The suspense surrounding the Octagon House gave me an eerie feeling!
telercoi's review against another edition
5.0
Oooooh this is just a good old fashioned haunted house book, just well written and familiar without being tired and with characters you want to root for. Like the spooky equivalent of a good warm bath. 5 stars for sheer enjoyment factor
bookishblondegirl's review against another edition
3.0
This review will be posted on my IG on 02/09
In this supernatural thriller, Clare returns to her hometown after her childhood best friend was found unresponsive in the Octagon House, an abandoned home with a violent past in which Clare and her friend had a life-altering experience in as teenagers. Clare must unravel the mystery of the Octagon House, and figure out how to make things right and save her friend's, and her own, life.
As far as atmosphere, this was great. The Octagon House was really creepy and you definitely got the unnerving sense that the author was trying to evoke. The imagery of the dilapidated house and its features (notably the basement door) was very tangible and easy to imagine, which can be credited to the author's skill. I wouldn't necessarily say that I was ever scared, but I was creeped out and really invested in finding out what was happening.
While I enjoyed the fleshing out of certain characters, particularly Clare and Abby, as it made me emotionally invested in them, some of the flashback scenes in this book seemed unnecessary and like it was just serving to draw out the plot so that the ending might seem more suspenseful.
Speaking of the ending...I was underwhelmed. The climactic scene of the story didn't feel that high-stakes, and the 'twist' didn't quite work for me. Certain aspects of the story felt unresolved in the end, and this irresolution contradicted the emotional themes of moving on, finding closure, and facing things that you had previously left unspoken.
I still enjoyed reading this, and I genuinely think it is a strong debut novel. I think Jennifer Fawcett is an author to keep an eye on, and I'm excited to see what she'll do in the future. Much appreciation to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing me access to this in exchange for my unbiased review!
In this supernatural thriller, Clare returns to her hometown after her childhood best friend was found unresponsive in the Octagon House, an abandoned home with a violent past in which Clare and her friend had a life-altering experience in as teenagers. Clare must unravel the mystery of the Octagon House, and figure out how to make things right and save her friend's, and her own, life.
As far as atmosphere, this was great. The Octagon House was really creepy and you definitely got the unnerving sense that the author was trying to evoke. The imagery of the dilapidated house and its features (notably the basement door) was very tangible and easy to imagine, which can be credited to the author's skill. I wouldn't necessarily say that I was ever scared, but I was creeped out and really invested in finding out what was happening.
While I enjoyed the fleshing out of certain characters, particularly Clare and Abby, as it made me emotionally invested in them, some of the flashback scenes in this book seemed unnecessary and like it was just serving to draw out the plot so that the ending might seem more suspenseful.
Speaking of the ending...I was underwhelmed. The climactic scene of the story didn't feel that high-stakes, and the 'twist' didn't quite work for me. Certain aspects of the story felt unresolved in the end, and this irresolution contradicted the emotional themes of moving on, finding closure, and facing things that you had previously left unspoken.
I still enjoyed reading this, and I genuinely think it is a strong debut novel. I think Jennifer Fawcett is an author to keep an eye on, and I'm excited to see what she'll do in the future. Much appreciation to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing me access to this in exchange for my unbiased review!
kristins911's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
purple676's review against another edition
3.0
dnf at 63%
I wanted to be scared instead I was bored.
It was way too long, a lot of parts should have been cut out, like the the boring teen drama. I might come back to it later i don’t know
I wanted to be scared instead I was bored.
It was way too long, a lot of parts should have been cut out, like the the boring teen drama. I might come back to it later i don’t know