Reviews with content warning for Death - The Spite House

The Ross family is desperate for money, a place to stay, and above all anonymity. So the advertisement for a short stay in a haunted house is perfect for them. After all, they've had experience with death, and ghosts, and fear. Never mind that the last people to stay in the house ran away from it in terror and went straight to a mental hospital. Never mind that the creepy old lady who owns the house and runs the town has ulterior motives for keeping them near. Never mind that the man who built the house still looks out from the fourth floor window of the house he built to spite a bunch of orphans. The Ross family is there to make something happen, even if Eric doesn't admit as much to his daughters.

This was an interesting take on a haunted house. We know right away that ghosts are real, so there's no hundred pages of jump scares and figures seen out of the corner of one's eye. Open the door and those ghosts are on the other side like hello, what took you so long? The whole town walks around seen ghosts every day. The question isn't whether the house is haunted, it's whether being haunted is worth the money. It's certainly worth reading about.

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kermit_the_wrong's review against another edition

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dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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megaden's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

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adiajamille's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

4.5

There were a couple little questions that didn’t get answered enough for me. But it was mysterious, and engaging. I also think it’d make a really great show, because there’s so many stories to tell, and details that would make for a great experience.

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amyparsons's review against another edition

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dark tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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maryellen's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

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archaicrobin's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The Spite House is not your usual haunted house story and that’s one of the reasons I enjoyed it so much. Eric is on the run with his teenage daughter Dess and his youngest daughter Stacy for reasons we do not know until much later. Struggling to make ends meet from motel to motel Eric sees a very generous offer in the paper to stay in a haunted house and prove that spirits are real. Thinking it’s too good to be true he interviews and is immediately given the job. However, upon entering the Spite House it becomes clear that this house is not only haunted, but that the haunting is not your typical bumps in the night type of phenomenon. The houses rich and dark history makes the slow unraveling of what’s really going on an intriguing mystery.

In addition to the unique plot, what also really struck me about this book was the strong family dynamic that propels this story. I loved the characters, especially the eldest daughter Dess and could relate to the connection she had with her dad and sister. Every decision made in this book stems from personal choices to protect each other, giving it another element entirely. This story is a southern gothic with an interesting twist on the haunted house narrative and also a look at the strength of love and what we’re willing to do for those we care about.

While I did enjoy this book, I do recognize it is not for everyone. The writing can be repetitive at times and it is the definition of a slow burn horror. I also didn’t find this novel
scary, so if you’re looking for a terrifying read this one will fall flat for you.

If you love haunted house stories, especially those that differ from the norm, and enjoy strong characters, The Spite House is one I would reccomend!

Content Warnings

sabrinalefebvre's review against another edition

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challenging dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

4.5 ⭐️

I don’t understand the low rating this book has. I know that weirder or horror books usually get a lower rating but this was so good.

I loved all the characters. Stacy was such an interesting perspective, I loved seeing the perspective if a protective father and Dess felt like a real person.

And this is a debut novel! Can’t wait to read more of his work.

I do wish it was a bit longer, so we could have had more scenes in the house, both past and present.

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