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3.38 AVERAGE
3.38 AVERAGE
This one had me HOOKED! Definitely one of the better thrillers I’ve read!
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Sarah Slade is trying to start fresh as the new owner of the notorious Black Wood House, a murder-suicide scene she hopes to transform into content for her lifestyle blog & a distraction from her crumbling marriage. But as she renovates, it becomes clear that painting over the past doesn’t bury it—builders act strangely, accidents pile up, and the footsteps in the attic grow harder to ignore. When threatening notes begin to appear and paranoia sets in, Sarah suspects everyone—from her husband to the house itself—might be out to destroy her. As the home’s sinister presence intensifies, her grip on reality begins to fracture, forcing Sarah to confront whether her carefully built lies—and the secrets she hides—are worth the cost of losing everything, including her mind.
Did a combo of physical & audio.
This is a haunted house thriller about a woman struggling with her mental health where the buildup, unfortunately, did not pay off in the end. The premise is nothing original, but it was entertaining (for the most part). I will say, please listen to/read the author's note - it's sobering, but I thought it gave some very vulnerable insight into her headspace during the course of writing this book, along with great resources for those dealing with issues similar to the FMC.
Did a combo of physical & audio.
This is a haunted house thriller about a woman struggling with her mental health where the buildup, unfortunately, did not pay off in the end. The premise is nothing original, but it was entertaining (for the most part). I will say, please listen to/read the author's note - it's sobering, but I thought it gave some very vulnerable insight into her headspace during the course of writing this book, along with great resources for those dealing with issues similar to the FMC.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Cursing, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Alcohol
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Death, Suicide
Minor: Infidelity, Vomit, Stalking
This book follows an influencer who has just bought an infamous murder house in order to renovate it but is beginning to think she might have bitten off more than she can chew.
I was excited for this book as haunted houses is one of my favourite horror tropes but unfortunately, this book wasn't very good. This was sold to me as a horror book but it ended up feeling much more like a thriller with horror elements than a horror book. I did like the first quarter or so of the book and there were some creepy scenes that had me on edge and excited for where the book was going to go. However, I didn't like the direction the book ended up going in and I hated the ending. I also didn't really connect to any of the characters and found them boring.
I did like the slight mixed media element with the news articles flashing forward letting you know something big was going to happen but that was a very small element of the book. I also feel like more could have been done with the influencer gimmick as it felt very underutilized. Overall, I think thriller readers could enjoy this (just going in with the right expectations) but it wasn't for me.
I was excited for this book as haunted houses is one of my favourite horror tropes but unfortunately, this book wasn't very good. This was sold to me as a horror book but it ended up feeling much more like a thriller with horror elements than a horror book. I did like the first quarter or so of the book and there were some creepy scenes that had me on edge and excited for where the book was going to go. However, I didn't like the direction the book ended up going in and I hated the ending. I also didn't really connect to any of the characters and found them boring.
I did like the slight mixed media element with the news articles flashing forward letting you know something big was going to happen but that was a very small element of the book. I also feel like more could have been done with the influencer gimmick as it felt very underutilized. Overall, I think thriller readers could enjoy this (just going in with the right expectations) but it wasn't for me.
This debut psychological thriller/horror novel was my September Book of the Month pick and I am so glad I picked this one. It was good and kept me interested throughout most of the book until the end when I couldn't put it down or turn the pages fast enough. Although I was very intrigued by Sarah Slade, the main character throughout was Black Wood House itself. This haunting, shocking, dark and twisted story came to a very strange, disturbing conclusion that I am still thinking about almost a week after finish it.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I looooooved this book, like could not put it down-devoured it-didn’t want it to end. I loved the darkness, the complicated, yet intriguing main character. Give me creepy house. Give me f*cked up characters (in the best way possible). Give me real life issues with a dash of thrill and suspense. I want more of this author. More of the way she sees the world and writes! Five stars allllllll the way!
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was an aggressively stupid book.
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I almost DNF’d this one, but pressed on because it wasn’t very long. I hated the main character, though I’m sure that’s sort of the point, and found the main source ofher decent into madness, carbon monoxide poisoning , to be quite predictabledue to a very popular/viral Reddit post from several years ago that included a user paranoid about their landlord breaking into their apartment and leaving strange notes on Post-its . Perhaps the author was inspired by that story?
This simply wasn’t the book for me.
This simply wasn’t the book for me.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
First off I want to thank Netgalley for letting me read and review this book.
THE STRANGER UPSTAIRS BY LISA M. MATLIN
Out 9/26/23
I cannot believe that this was Lisa Matlin’s debut novel. It was so good! I got Amity vibes and The Watcher vibes. All the while being nothing at all like those.
She is obviously a talented writer! This is definitely one of my favorite thrillers I’ve read this year!
I can’t wait to see what else comes from her mind.
THE STRANGER UPSTAIRS BY LISA M. MATLIN
Out 9/26/23
I cannot believe that this was Lisa Matlin’s debut novel. It was so good! I got Amity vibes and The Watcher vibes. All the while being nothing at all like those.
She is obviously a talented writer! This is definitely one of my favorite thrillers I’ve read this year!
I can’t wait to see what else comes from her mind.