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3.38 AVERAGE
3.38 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
tense
fast-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
It took every ounce of my will power to finish this book. So bad.
I loved the cover and the premise. The first part of this book definitely had me interested. The middle not as much. The last bit actually had me hooked again. I didn’t love it, but it was an okay read for me. I just wasn’t invested in any of the characters (except Reaper of course). I’d give this author another try.
Would you buy a house where a brutal murder took place? Well influencer/ therapist Sarah Slater did m, she bought Black Wood House. She compares fixing the house to how she helps fix her patients, and she believes once her followers see this, she will sell the house and make a ton of money. Behind closed doors Sarah’s marriage is falling apart and you begin realize Sarah has a dark past she’s running from. Sarah begins to realizes the "murder house" is more than she signed up for, it has peeling wallpaper, strange occurrences at night, contractors refusing to come out and help, and the neighbors have made it very clear she’s not wanted there. We watch as Sarah begins to spiral out of control becoming paranoid and insisting that she hears the previous murder victims echoing in her ears: "Don't kill me. Don't kill me. Don't kill me."
Sarah with her cat reaper are left alone to confront the house and she wonders . . . is it all worth it? Is someone lurking in the dark or is it the house forcing her out?
Sarah with her cat reaper are left alone to confront the house and she wonders . . . is it all worth it? Is someone lurking in the dark or is it the house forcing her out?
DNF @ 75%
So close to finishing, but since the audiobook was due at the library and had a waitlist AND I wasn't enjoying this, I decided to admit defeat and count this as a DNF.
For some reason this story just never grabbed me and pulled me in.
So close to finishing, but since the audiobook was due at the library and had a waitlist AND I wasn't enjoying this, I decided to admit defeat and count this as a DNF.
For some reason this story just never grabbed me and pulled me in.
This cover was initially what made me want to read this book. This is a good psychological thriller. Parts were predictable but overall a good debut novel. I love when the house is a character on it's one. I did not like the MC but I think that adds to the book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book.
I graciously received an e-ARC of The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa M. Matlin. This is my true and unprompted review:
While it took me a bit to get to this book (both the e-ARC I received and the physical copy I ended up getting from BOTM), it did not disappoint. Holy. Hell. The twists, the turns, the psychological aspect of it, THE ENDING!!!! This book truly had me on the edge of my seat the ENTIRE way through. I don't give out a lot of 5 stars...mostly 3 stars with the occasional 4 or 4.5 thrown in, but there aren't enough stars available to give this book. I loved it so freaking much! Lisa M. Matlin very easily just became one of my auto-buy authors!
A HUGE, GINORMOUS thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for letting me have my hands on this gem!
While it took me a bit to get to this book (both the e-ARC I received and the physical copy I ended up getting from BOTM), it did not disappoint. Holy. Hell. The twists, the turns, the psychological aspect of it, THE ENDING!!!! This book truly had me on the edge of my seat the ENTIRE way through. I don't give out a lot of 5 stars...mostly 3 stars with the occasional 4 or 4.5 thrown in, but there aren't enough stars available to give this book. I loved it so freaking much! Lisa M. Matlin very easily just became one of my auto-buy authors!
A HUGE, GINORMOUS thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for letting me have my hands on this gem!
Really fun debut! Sarah was a very interesting character and I loved the twists and turns. Just enough twists without it being over the top, some creepy imagery and writing. Overall a fun time!
It was okay. I thought it was trying to hard to be "different" than other thriller books that it lost the mark.