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ma_bster's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Maybe it's because I binged 95% of the book in the middle of the night but this book scared the SHIT out of me. The scary scenes were incredibly effective especially when Bela goes to pee at Evelyn's house and ends up sitting on Other Mommy's lap . The story's arc feels a little predictable up until the end and the parents' characters could have been fleshed out more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Infidelity
Moderate: Cursing, Death, and Violence
Minor: Drug use and Death of parent
smithreads's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Alcohol
Minor: Cursing and Drug use
orizenda's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was a fun read. I don’t think I fully understand the meaning behind what was happening, but that’s ok. It was definitely creepy, but I wish there was more of other mommy and less of mommy lol I really didn’t like her. I will say, I love a good book told from a kids perspective
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Death, and Infidelity
shesflippinpages's review against another edition
challenging
dark
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
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
bookmeabreak's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I finished this yesterday but I been busy. I read horror stuff all the time and people say "ThIS wAs tHE scARieSt boOk IvE eVEr ReaD!" And I'm always like...it was fine. If it happened in real life I probably be worried if I saw it in a film I'd jump.
YALL! 😵💫😶🌫️
THIS WAS THE SCARIEST BOOK IVE EVER READ! Let me preface this by saying my version was an audiobook. The narrator they got for this book was an ace in the hole. There were a couple times very few that she flubbed the little girls voice and used the wrong one but I appreciated it cause it brought me back to reality kinda so I didn't get stuck in whatever scene was happening.
I don't know how old that narrator was but she did a great job. Enough that I believed everything Bella said from start to finish. I also enjoyed the character development of the story. Could they have added more? They can always add more but it was just enough and just subtly enough that you could enjoy the story and still care about everyone. Their flaws their confusion. Even some minor characters which usually I hate backgrounding minor characters but I liked how they did this by giving just enough but not enough to go why do we need this info.
I absolutely loved the fact that all of this is told from a child's point of view and the confusion she gets from beginning and end and the decisions she has to make to that scene toward the end where she gets mad and you kind of get mad with her cause "why right this second and you don't even know if it will work?" The end... Y'all if you read the end...I may have been a pile of mush as everything just unfolds. 😭 And the way they make her perceive it 😭😭
Honorable mention this book made me want to get Cane Corso's and get them trained. Such good doggos. No one ever explained why they were only trained for the first floor though. Doesn't matter in the grand scheme I think it's just weird that they were only trained for that.
I loved this book. 4.5 ⭐ Only points taken off for those couple missteps in voice change.
This was so good. I may listen again some day soon.
YALL! 😵💫😶🌫️
THIS WAS THE SCARIEST BOOK IVE EVER READ! Let me preface this by saying my version was an audiobook. The narrator they got for this book was an ace in the hole. There were a couple times very few that she flubbed the little girls voice and used the wrong one but I appreciated it cause it brought me back to reality kinda so I didn't get stuck in whatever scene was happening.
I don't know how old that narrator was but she did a great job. Enough that I believed everything Bella said from start to finish. I also enjoyed the character development of the story. Could they have added more? They can always add more but it was just enough and just subtly enough that you could enjoy the story and still care about everyone. Their flaws their confusion. Even some minor characters which usually I hate backgrounding minor characters but I liked how they did this by giving just enough but not enough to go why do we need this info.
I absolutely loved the fact that all of this is told from a child's point of view and the confusion she gets from beginning and end and the decisions she has to make to that scene toward the end where she gets mad and you kind of get mad with her cause "why right this second and you don't even know if it will work?" The end... Y'all if you read the end...I may have been a pile of mush as everything just unfolds. 😭 And the way they make her perceive it 😭😭
Honorable mention this book made me want to get Cane Corso's and get them trained. Such good doggos. No one ever explained why they were only trained for the first floor though. Doesn't matter in the grand scheme I think it's just weird that they were only trained for that.
I loved this book. 4.5 ⭐ Only points taken off for those couple missteps in voice change.
This was so good. I may listen again some day soon.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Stalking and Alcohol
Minor: Death and Death of parent
carolbagsbooks's review
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
Wow. This is one of the few books that has truely scared me. So reader, be prepared. It’s a rough ride, and it does NOT get better or have a happy ending… . My main gripe is that I found the mom to be pretty intolerable as a character, though I do think the author did a good job of creating her as a flawed character and acknowledging her shortcomings… but I just hated her.
I do agree with lots of people about the middle of the book being frustrating when they kept missing the conclusion that Bela was being haunted, not the house itself. But I did like how this story was more focused on how they attempted to deal with it (terribly) instead of proving its existence. I also couldn’t help but laughwhen that one ghost hunters guy’s sole goal/purpose was to see or touch a ghost? If this kid got haunted this easily… has he really never seen one before? I do wish there had been more lore about how it all started, I didn’t feel like we got enough of Lois either. She was only of the only adults I liked.
Also was the grandma gay for Evelyn? I hope so but since it was from the perspective of a eight year old, we may never know.
I do agree with lots of people about the middle of the book being frustrating when they kept missing the conclusion that Bela was being haunted, not the house itself. But I did like how this story was more focused on how they attempted to deal with it (terribly) instead of proving its existence. I also couldn’t help but laugh
Also was the grandma gay for Evelyn? I hope so but since it was from the perspective of a eight year old, we may never know.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Infidelity
sbgage's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, and Stalking
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Minor: Pregnancy
miw4everaly's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I was surprised by how much this book captured and kept my attention. I thought this would be more of a haunted house story, but I liked how it wasn't. It reminded me a lot of the Insidious movies (which is great). I even liked the ending and that's rare for me when it comes to horror books. I hope there are plans for a sequel because I would love to know what happens next.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Infidelity, Stalking, and Alcohol
diabro87's review against another edition
3.75
Really effective scares and atmosphere, less thematic impact than other books I've read lately.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, and Abandonment
gellyreads's review
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book has an excellent concept, a fairly great execution, and an ending that will make you feel feelings.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Death, Infidelity, and Alcohol