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3.38 AVERAGE
3.38 AVERAGE
Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy of this book. The description had so much promise, but unfortunately the execution just didn't work for me. I felt the narrative kept circling around what was going on with the house and how people in the town were or weren't involved and the issues of what the main character's husband was actually up to. It seems like stronger editing could have helped to flesh out several elements of the plot that seemed to languish. The end of the book where an additional point of view was brought in to help tie up a few loose ends felt off to me. Parts of the ending felt like a serious reach and the author left some questions outstanding that I felt should have been resolved.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The more I thought about it and discussed the book the more questions I found weren’t answered.
DNFed early on. I couldn't stand the writing or the main character.
dark
mysterious
tense
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time I loved trying to piece everything together as the story unfolded. I definitely want to read more from this author!
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Murder, Alcohol
I rarely read books in one day. So when I tell you The Stranger Upstairs kept me on my toes all day until I turned the last page, you can imagine how addictive this story is. I loved how the horror elements mixed with the thriller tone and how the house felt like a character in its own. The atmosphere was top-notch and the tension building more and more with each page kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish.
The unreliable narrator added another layer of tension and it all led to a climax that made this book unputdownable. I was also surprised to find in the days that followed that I was still thinking about this book and was almost ready to continue reading, only to realize that I had already finished it. I'm not sure what that says about my enjoyment, but I take it as a good sign.
It wasn't perfect though, we have some loose ends and pretty big plot holes. As well as an ending that some might consider convenient (I won’t say they’re wrong) but overall I had such a good time reading this book that it wasn’t too difficult for me to overlook these few inconveniences. The Stranger Upstairs was a strong debut and Lisa M. Matlin is now a new author I’m sure to follow.
The unreliable narrator added another layer of tension and it all led to a climax that made this book unputdownable. I was also surprised to find in the days that followed that I was still thinking about this book and was almost ready to continue reading, only to realize that I had already finished it. I'm not sure what that says about my enjoyment, but I take it as a good sign.
It wasn't perfect though, we have some loose ends and pretty big plot holes. As well as an ending that some might consider convenient (I won’t say they’re wrong) but overall I had such a good time reading this book that it wasn’t too difficult for me to overlook these few inconveniences. The Stranger Upstairs was a strong debut and Lisa M. Matlin is now a new author I’m sure to follow.