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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
sad
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
Cherie Priest creates a great mystery/horror novel in 'It Was Her House First.' Dark and atmospheric, the novel was fun to read. It included diary entries from one of the entities in the house, and input from the main character Ronnie, and the ghost of a former detective. Cherie Priest is an auto-read for me, and this book was no exception. 5 stars.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Yep! Ghosties and paranormal activities! Not usually my thing. BUT, when I go in to the book knowing that this is what I'm getting, and when the writing is as wonderful as it was here, I thoroughly enjoy a good gothic haunted house story! I will say that, true to form for me, I enjoyed one timeline over the other. Too much time was spent building the past when it could have been done quicker with more time spent developing the present events. I loved the imagery provided when Ronnie sees Venita! While I don't read a lot of this type of book, this felt unique and inventive. I also liked the strong relationships Ronnie built with both the ghosts and with Kate! That gave the story a much more rounded feel.
Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.
Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
By gar, it’s a good old fashioned haunted house story. The scares here are more psychological than jump; the reader knows more about what’s going on than the main character, but also, the main characters know more about their own backstories than the reader. Which is normal, I guess, but what is scary is the way these backstories meet up and intertwine to create the physical and psychological danger the (alive) MCs face.
The book jumps back and forth in time, and between points of view of the main character Ronnie and one of the ghosts haunting the house she’s bought sight unseen as a fixer-upper. I was intrigued from the first chapter and the way Venita’s machinations triggered the eventual actions of the book. The story picked up steam as it continued, revealed its secrets, and put Ronnie through the wringer. I highly recommend this book!
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
It Was Her House First had a really interesting premise that really drew me in from the start. It's told in multi-POV with diary entries for flashbacks. The diary entries are really beautifully written. As a whole, I don't know that this was the book for me. That pacing was really slow. It felt like it took to about 50% of the book for anything to truly start happening. Once it started though it just felt a little like too much going on. There was hauntings, renovations, nefarious neighbors and magic. It was just really busy. I think there was a lot of potential here but it just didn't live up to my expectation.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
This one had all the ghostie vibes I love!!! 👻
Loved the FMC Ronnie and the ghostly characters! If I owned a haunted house, this is how I’d want the ghosts to be! 😅
Cherie Priest knows how to write a great ghost story! Definitely recommend checking this one out if ghosts or haunted houses are your thing, like me! 👏
Thank you to partner Poisoned Pen Press for the gifted physical copy as well as NetGalley and Cherie Priest for the opportunity to read the eARC in exchange for my honest review! ❤️
Loved the FMC Ronnie and the ghostly characters! If I owned a haunted house, this is how I’d want the ghosts to be! 😅
Cherie Priest knows how to write a great ghost story! Definitely recommend checking this one out if ghosts or haunted houses are your thing, like me! 👏
Thank you to partner Poisoned Pen Press for the gifted physical copy as well as NetGalley and Cherie Priest for the opportunity to read the eARC in exchange for my honest review! ❤️
fast-paced
This is my second book by this author and just as I said for the first one. They would both make amazing creepy movies. A chilling, character-driven haunted house story that blends grief, history, and supernatural suspense in all the right ways.
Cherie Priest’s It Was Her House First is a slow-burning gothic ghost story set in a decaying West Seattle mansion. Ronnie Mitchell is a grieving woman who buys the house on impulse, and quickly realizes she’s not alone. Told through multiple perspectives (including the ghosts!), the novel is rich with atmosphere, emotional weight, and creeping dread.
The house itself is practically a character. oppressive, eerie, and unforgettable. Priest balances haunting suspense with heartfelt themes of loss and guilt, giving the story real emotional depth.
Minor pacing dips aside, this is an original, unsettling, and beautifully written entry into modern ghost fiction.
Highly recommend for fans of character-driven horror and gothic suspense.
Cherie Priest’s It Was Her House First is a slow-burning gothic ghost story set in a decaying West Seattle mansion. Ronnie Mitchell is a grieving woman who buys the house on impulse, and quickly realizes she’s not alone. Told through multiple perspectives (including the ghosts!), the novel is rich with atmosphere, emotional weight, and creeping dread.
The house itself is practically a character. oppressive, eerie, and unforgettable. Priest balances haunting suspense with heartfelt themes of loss and guilt, giving the story real emotional depth.
Minor pacing dips aside, this is an original, unsettling, and beautifully written entry into modern ghost fiction.
Highly recommend for fans of character-driven horror and gothic suspense.
dark
mysterious
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:
Complicated
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It was Her House First by Cherie Priest
Ronnie is still struggling with her grief from the loss of her brother, Ben. She recently bought a grand house in Seattle, sight unseen, using the money she got from his life insurance policy. She has big plans to restore it to its former glory. The house was owned by a Hollywood starlet almost 100 years ago. She lived there with her husband and daughter. All three perished, along with a family friend. Not to mention, the most recent owner passing away in the house. Even after hearing all the stories, Ronnie is still happy with her purchase. Her almost sister-in-law Kate thinks she is off her rocker, literally. And true, she's off her medication, but she is managing her anxiety just fine. Ronnie begins the process of cleaning up the house, getting estimates, and starting the repairs. She joked about the house being haunted, but she thinks she might have been right. When a stranger "befriends" Ronnie and Kate, the spirits in the house really seem to wake up. Can Ronnie figure out what the stranger is really after and figure out what truly happened to all the previous owners? Or will she end up with a similar fate?
I previously read Grave Reservations by this author and loved it, so I jumped at the chance to get an ARC of this one. The first part of the book is slower paced, but we do get a vivid description of the house, so it's worth it. It's my goal in life to buy an extremely old, decrepit, haunted house, so I really liked the descriptors. The second half is where all the action happens, and it is truly a thrill ride piecing everything together.
I received an ARC of this book, but these opinions are my own. I would like to thank the author, Cherie Priest, Poisoned Pen Press, and Net Galley for allowing me the privilege of reading her work. ❤️
It was Her House First by Cherie Priest
Ronnie is still struggling with her grief from the loss of her brother, Ben. She recently bought a grand house in Seattle, sight unseen, using the money she got from his life insurance policy. She has big plans to restore it to its former glory. The house was owned by a Hollywood starlet almost 100 years ago. She lived there with her husband and daughter. All three perished, along with a family friend. Not to mention, the most recent owner passing away in the house. Even after hearing all the stories, Ronnie is still happy with her purchase. Her almost sister-in-law Kate thinks she is off her rocker, literally. And true, she's off her medication, but she is managing her anxiety just fine. Ronnie begins the process of cleaning up the house, getting estimates, and starting the repairs. She joked about the house being haunted, but she thinks she might have been right. When a stranger "befriends" Ronnie and Kate, the spirits in the house really seem to wake up. Can Ronnie figure out what the stranger is really after and figure out what truly happened to all the previous owners? Or will she end up with a similar fate?
I previously read Grave Reservations by this author and loved it, so I jumped at the chance to get an ARC of this one. The first part of the book is slower paced, but we do get a vivid description of the house, so it's worth it. It's my goal in life to buy an extremely old, decrepit, haunted house, so I really liked the descriptors. The second half is where all the action happens, and it is truly a thrill ride piecing everything together.
I received an ARC of this book, but these opinions are my own. I would like to thank the author, Cherie Priest, Poisoned Pen Press, and Net Galley for allowing me the privilege of reading her work. ❤️
Cherie Priest’s new novel, It Was Her House First, follows Ronnie Mitchell after she purchases a run-down historic Seattle home, sight unseen, after her brother’s passing. She soon discovers she isn’t alone in the house since the long-dead former inhabitants are still in residence. Besides dealing with threats from the living, she’s struggling to rebuild her life after her loss while battling anxiety and grief.
This book wasn’t your typical ghost story in that these were not mindless ghosts. The author told the story from three perspectives: Ronnie’s, Venita Rost’s, and Bartholomew Sloan’s. The latter two are the former residents who stuck around after their untimely deaths. Like Ronnie, the ghosts had trauma that perhaps kept them in the house. They all had something in common: they were all mourning loss and dealing with their own ghosts, so to speak.
I wish there had been more detail about Bartholomew and the deal he made. The deal was mentioned throughout the story, there were hints here and there, but I was disappointed that it wasn't explained in more detail.
I love ghost stories and mysteries, so this book was right up my alley. It was fast-paced, and the story was intriguing. Each character had a clear voice, which helped move the plot. I couldn’t stop reading. Cherie Priest’s other books are certainly going to be my next reads!
Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read the eARC. All opinions are my own
This book wasn’t your typical ghost story in that these were not mindless ghosts. The author told the story from three perspectives: Ronnie’s, Venita Rost’s, and Bartholomew Sloan’s. The latter two are the former residents who stuck around after their untimely deaths. Like Ronnie, the ghosts had trauma that perhaps kept them in the house. They all had something in common: they were all mourning loss and dealing with their own ghosts, so to speak.
I wish there had been more detail about Bartholomew and the deal he made. The deal was mentioned throughout the story, there were hints here and there, but I was disappointed that it wasn't explained in more detail.
I love ghost stories and mysteries, so this book was right up my alley. It was fast-paced, and the story was intriguing. Each character had a clear voice, which helped move the plot. I couldn’t stop reading. Cherie Priest’s other books are certainly going to be my next reads!
Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read the eARC. All opinions are my own
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A short, unspoilered review:
This book started very slow and stayed slow until 70% into the book. It was interesting enough to keep reading, yet only really started showing the haunted house of this... haunted house story in the last 30% of the book. The book had some sentences that sounded very awkward and felt forced—ending oddly or having weird follow-ups. I originally wanted to give this book 2.5 stars, but the last 30% pulled it up to a 3.
This book started very slow and stayed slow until 70% into the book. It was interesting enough to keep reading, yet only really started showing the haunted house of this... haunted house story in the last 30% of the book. The book had some sentences that sounded very awkward and felt forced—ending oddly or having weird follow-ups. I originally wanted to give this book 2.5 stars, but the last 30% pulled it up to a 3.
==========================
A longer review with spoilers:
Seeing a lot of reviews being 4 stars or higher makes me feel like I'm looking at this way too critically... and I am aware that what I read is an ARC, so it might include some mistakes, etc. But I just know this book would've benefited from another round of editing before it was put out there. This is a 3-star review though, and not a 1-star review... so let's start with the things I did like.
Seeing a lot of reviews being 4 stars or higher makes me feel like I'm looking at this way too critically... and I am aware that what I read is an ARC, so it might include some mistakes, etc. But I just know this book would've benefited from another round of editing before it was put out there. This is a 3-star review though, and not a 1-star review... so let's start with the things I did like.
I feel like this book had a decently accurate portrayal of anxiety, showing the spiraling and how aware she is that it is happening—yet it being hard to get out of it sometimes. That is something I could very much relate to. I also really liked the mystery around the house and what happened to the main character's brother. How did the kid die in the house? What happened with the mirror? How did her brother die, and why does she feel responsible? Those questions really kept me reading. You slowly learned what happened, but it felt too slow?
Which brings us to what I didn't like in the book. Like I said in the shorter review, it had some sentences that felt very awkward, forced, and had odd follow-ups. To give a few examples:
In one of the chapters, there also was something that seemed like it was meant to be taken out? I'm not sure—there is nothing before or after it that makes it fit in the chapter. There were a lot of words in the book that I didn't fully understand, and when I looked them up, it felt like the words didn't really fit in the context? Example:
'I don’t have those qualifications, but I often helped out—and I osmosed enough practical information to be pretty useful on a jobsite in a pinch.'
Overall, I did enjoy my time with this book, but it was very slow, and it took a long time to finally make the plot happen. I also went into this book thinking it was a haunted house story, but I'd personally say it's really more of a mystery... house story? The haunting doesn't show itself until later, and even then, it isn't the main focus of the plot.
This book really could've benefited from another round of editing. It wasn't bad, but not great either. It's one of those books that is,,,just a book.
This book really could've benefited from another round of editing. It wasn't bad, but not great either. It's one of those books that is,,,just a book.