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beatrizmonteiro's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
kice7788's review against another edition
3.0
I am a little disappointed in this book! It started off strong then I hit the wall. It was so slow and boring until the end. I cannot stand books like that. I want excited and can’t put it down throughout the whole book not just the last 80 or so pages. I saw the twist coming and the ending was boring!! I hate saying this because the cover was beautiful and the overall plot was amazing but how it was put together didn’t fall into place.
marilynw's review against another edition
3.0
Beneath the Stairs by Jennifer Fawcett
The synopsis of Beneath the Stairs lured me in with it's mention of a haunted house, a family murdered in that house, and how past events are coming back to haunt two women, twenty years after they last entered the deserted house. In the present day, Clare's best friend from her teens, Abby, has ventured to the house, alone, and tried to commit suicide. Abby is now in a coma and Clare has come back to offer support to Abby and her family, at the request of Abby's mother. Clare has her own personal trauma that might have been induced by Abby's strange text messages a few months earlier.
The story had potential but it got bogged down is too many side issues. There is one character who got a lot of book time who just turned his parts of the story into a rambling, meandering wander down his memory lane, which added nothing to the story. The girls' younger days could have been condensed. And, of course, the characters make really eye rolling decisions when it comes to a world involving a haunted house where murders took place.
Then we come to the end of the book and some very important matters are just "covered over". I'd love to mention the things that didn't work for me at all but those things would be spoilers for the story. I was so put out by the actions of the people in this book but also that threads were left dangling, threads that should have been dealt with in the epilogue, if no where else. I read this book with Susan and Mary Beth and they got a real earful from me.
Publication: February 22nd 2022
Thank you to Atria Books/Simon & Schuster and Edelweiss for this ARC.
The synopsis of Beneath the Stairs lured me in with it's mention of a haunted house, a family murdered in that house, and how past events are coming back to haunt two women, twenty years after they last entered the deserted house. In the present day, Clare's best friend from her teens, Abby, has ventured to the house, alone, and tried to commit suicide. Abby is now in a coma and Clare has come back to offer support to Abby and her family, at the request of Abby's mother. Clare has her own personal trauma that might have been induced by Abby's strange text messages a few months earlier.
The story had potential but it got bogged down is too many side issues. There is one character who got a lot of book time who just turned his parts of the story into a rambling, meandering wander down his memory lane, which added nothing to the story. The girls' younger days could have been condensed. And, of course, the characters make really eye rolling decisions when it comes to a world involving a haunted house where murders took place.
Then we come to the end of the book and some very important matters are just "covered over". I'd love to mention the things that didn't work for me at all but those things would be spoilers for the story. I was so put out by the actions of the people in this book but also that threads were left dangling, threads that should have been dealt with in the epilogue, if no where else. I read this book with Susan and Mary Beth and they got a real earful from me.
Publication: February 22nd 2022
Thank you to Atria Books/Simon & Schuster and Edelweiss for this ARC.
annfran's review against another edition
4.0
really, really liked this! it was maybe a skosh too spooky for a bedtime book, but i’m a weenie and it was fun!
librarian_wenn's review against another edition
3.0
While it was an intriguing story I found it to be long and drawn out. It had some bits of romance that I'm not really into. I was hoping for a bit more crazy creepiness.
colorfulleo92's review against another edition
3.0
There isn't many thrillers nor crime I've completely loved and enjoyed think I judge them more critical. This one was an okay read, mildly entertaining but not something I found very "page turnery" or " I have to find out what happen next". But not a bad read
bergamotandbooks's review against another edition
5.0
Hello first 5 Star book of the year! I'm sad that it took me so long to pick this one up.
BENEATH THE STAIRS was compulsively readable (I even found the audio book to keep myself immersed in the story!) I don't typically get overly emotionally invested in books either, but this one made me cry AND make sure to turn on the lights before I went to bed.
A fabulous multilayered, spooky read about a cursed murder house, the bonds of friendship and the trauma that can come with growing up too fast.
TW: quite a few, so double check before you pick this one up.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for my arc!
BENEATH THE STAIRS was compulsively readable (I even found the audio book to keep myself immersed in the story!) I don't typically get overly emotionally invested in books either, but this one made me cry AND make sure to turn on the lights before I went to bed.
A fabulous multilayered, spooky read about a cursed murder house, the bonds of friendship and the trauma that can come with growing up too fast.
TW: quite a few, so double check before you pick this one up.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for my arc!
booksnbiceps's review against another edition
5.0
Murder mystery with a haunted house. PERFECT for Spooky Season! I LOVED this book. My favorite of the year!! I would give it 10 stars if I could, I loved it that much.
embermichele's review against another edition
5.0
4.5
I couldn't stop turning the pages! I LOVE ghost stories and I have had paranormal experiences. I love books where it's laid out as actually being paranormal and has history to the story like this one did.
I liked how it was mostly character driven and you follow the lives of these people and how one haunted night affected the rest of their lives.
I loved reading the different timelines and POVs to see what happened in this one house in the past.
I did feel like some little things didn't really get cleared up in the end but I really liked the overall ending of this book.
If you are a fan of Simone St. James who also writes paranormal suspense then you will probably like this!
I couldn't stop turning the pages! I LOVE ghost stories and I have had paranormal experiences. I love books where it's laid out as actually being paranormal and has history to the story like this one did.
I liked how it was mostly character driven and you follow the lives of these people and how one haunted night affected the rest of their lives.
I loved reading the different timelines and POVs to see what happened in this one house in the past.
I did feel like some little things didn't really get cleared up in the end but I really liked the overall ending of this book.
If you are a fan of Simone St. James who also writes paranormal suspense then you will probably like this!
stephisbooked's review against another edition
4.0
I was reading this book alone on a bright sunny day and something made a noise (my pipes?) and I almost jumped out of my seat. This is definitely a creepy, haunting, and atmospheric debut novel that will put you on edge. It has a slow burn but it very suspenseful throughout the entire story. I liked the childhood storyline the best - it reminded me a lot of when the characters were younger in It. Let’s just say I won’t be entering any abandoned houses anytime soon.