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3.26 AVERAGE
3.26 AVERAGE
2.5 stars??
ok i decided to finish this. I’m still not sure about the rating since i don’t know how i feel about this book. But i really like the ending, the twist was nice.
ok i decided to finish this. I’m still not sure about the rating since i don’t know how i feel about this book. But i really like the ending, the twist was nice.
(3.5) I haven't been very lucky with thriller so far this year but I'm very happy to say this one was worth the read!
The writing style won't be for everyone, it's very casual and mostly in the form of journal entries. However my main criteria for thrillers is to be surprise by at least some of the twist and.... I thought I knew what was what... I was wrong!
If you're looking for a book you won't want to put down, I recommend it!
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The writing style won't be for everyone, it's very casual and mostly in the form of journal entries. However my main criteria for thrillers is to be surprise by at least some of the twist and.... I thought I knew what was what... I was wrong!
If you're looking for a book you won't want to put down, I recommend it!
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I actually finished reading The New Neighbors a few weeks ago but have been struggling somewhat with writing this review. I've been reading so many mystery/thrillers lately that I think I'm starting to develop a pretty high expectation for new ones I pick up. With the synopsis above I thought this was going to be a heart-stopping, fast-paced sort of thriller but I didn't find that to be the case. That isn't to say it wasn't enjoyable, it was. It just wasn't quite what I was expecting. Let me explain...
The beginning starts with the police outside Jack and Syd's new house and goes back in time to have them both, separately, tell the reader what happened from their own viewpoint. It's written almost as a confessional or diary, being somewhat informal and even funny at times. I loved this way of letting things unfold! However, as I neared the 50% mark and both characters were still being incredibly vague about absolutely everything, I began to get a little fed up and just wanted pieces to begin falling into place. And when those pieces did in fact fall I found the revelations to be somewhat anti-climatic and not that surprising. I just didn't find it all that "thrilling".
Something else I did enjoy, and which I wasn't expecting, was the more domestic drama aspect of the story. Both of these characters had incredibly hard childhoods, especially Syd, and seeing how those childhood traumas reached their ugly fingers into the characters' adult lives, influencing the kind of people they became and the actions they would take, was interesting. I think I might have enjoyed the story more if I went into the reading thinking this was more family drama then psychological thriller.
The New Neighbors, while definitely not what I would consider a "page turner", was still a quick and enjoyable read. There are still a few twists to satisfy a mystery reader, although I can't say they were all that hard to see coming. I love the way the author first presented the story, with the back and forth confessional style between Jack and Syd, and I would very much like to read other stories in this format as I think it could prove an excellent way to throw shocks and twists into a reading experience. While not a homerun for me I am still interested to see what else the author might have coming out next.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley.
In this twisty psychological thriller a young couple finally buy what should be the house of their dreams. They can hardly believe their luck when their low bid to purchase the property is accepted but it soon becomes clear that the house is not the dream they hoped it would be.
There are some really creepy moments in this story and it takes a very dark turn later on. However, in the beginning there is quite a bit of humour. There are lots of amusing nods to movies, TV and books. The references to Stephen King's Pet Sematary and The Shining were particularly clever I thought and these pop culture references made me laugh out loud a couple of times. I wasn't laughing by the end though...
In this twisty psychological thriller a young couple finally buy what should be the house of their dreams. They can hardly believe their luck when their low bid to purchase the property is accepted but it soon becomes clear that the house is not the dream they hoped it would be.
There are some really creepy moments in this story and it takes a very dark turn later on. However, in the beginning there is quite a bit of humour. There are lots of amusing nods to movies, TV and books. The references to Stephen King's Pet Sematary and The Shining were particularly clever I thought and these pop culture references made me laugh out loud a couple of times. I wasn't laughing by the end though...
’This thing I’ve planned for so carefully: it has all gone drastically, horribly wrong.’’
Well, this proved to be a very difficult review for me to write. Not because I didn't like the book, obviously. I didn’t just ‘’like’’ it, I enjoyed it so much that I started composing bits and pieces of my review at around 50% mark. The ‘’problem’’ is that there are so many twists and turns and hidden secrets in the story that I was terrified I would slip up and spoil everything. So, this is going to be short.
We follow the story of Syd and Jack, a young couple who has just been offered a deal for a house that they’ve never believed would come to them. The house is an impressive building, in a beautiful London neighbourhood and it is as if it ‘’chose’’ them for its owners. However, Jack has a feeling that there is something dodgy with the house and especially with the circumstances under which the previous owner left all of his belongings behind to start a new life in Australia following a woman he met online.
The writing style is something that I haven’t seen recently and it is engaging and makes the book flow nicely. It is an exchange- in written form- between Syd and Jack, their experiences before they met each other, their life together, an attempt to clarify their thoughts and make sense of the things that have happened to them.Because of this technique, we don't have elaborate speeches and complex descriptions. We have clear interactions and everyday language, but given in a coherent way, as if we’re eavesdropping the discussion between two people, as if we’re reading their diaries.There is nothing pretentious and Simon Lelic has done a wonderful job.
To say anything about the characters is a risk, because I’m unable to refer to them without giving away parts of the plot. I’m just going to say that Syd and Jack are people you will care about and they will lead you safely throughout the story. Syd was especially interesting, a complex character that was well-matched to her more vulnerable, more thoughtful partner.Also, there are two ‘’fathers’’ whose behaviour is going to a) make you furious, and b) give you nightmares.
The moments where the writer takes us back in time and lets us into the past of the characters are amazingly composed and they are integral to the whole story. They aren’t just background information, they are linked to the troubles of the present. Here is where writers show their ability to go back and forth in time, all the while keeping the readers interested and invested in the plot. I’m saying this because one could risk a comparison between ‘’The House’’ and ‘’The Upstairs Room’’. And yet, these books couldn’t have been more different. ‘’The House’’ achieved everything ‘’The Upstairs Rooms’’ tried to do and failed.
Simon Lelic has created a unique thriller. It starts with suspicions that something paranormal might have taken over the house, it has strong elements of domestic thriller and themes like violence, secrets, despair, the wish to right the wrong and learning to live with wounds that refuse to heal. It is a novel that will not disappoint you and thank God I concluded this review without any spoilers.
Many thanks to Penguin UK and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Well, this proved to be a very difficult review for me to write. Not because I didn't like the book, obviously. I didn’t just ‘’like’’ it, I enjoyed it so much that I started composing bits and pieces of my review at around 50% mark. The ‘’problem’’ is that there are so many twists and turns and hidden secrets in the story that I was terrified I would slip up and spoil everything. So, this is going to be short.
We follow the story of Syd and Jack, a young couple who has just been offered a deal for a house that they’ve never believed would come to them. The house is an impressive building, in a beautiful London neighbourhood and it is as if it ‘’chose’’ them for its owners. However, Jack has a feeling that there is something dodgy with the house and especially with the circumstances under which the previous owner left all of his belongings behind to start a new life in Australia following a woman he met online.
The writing style is something that I haven’t seen recently and it is engaging and makes the book flow nicely. It is an exchange- in written form- between Syd and Jack, their experiences before they met each other, their life together, an attempt to clarify their thoughts and make sense of the things that have happened to them.Because of this technique, we don't have elaborate speeches and complex descriptions. We have clear interactions and everyday language, but given in a coherent way, as if we’re eavesdropping the discussion between two people, as if we’re reading their diaries.There is nothing pretentious and Simon Lelic has done a wonderful job.
To say anything about the characters is a risk, because I’m unable to refer to them without giving away parts of the plot. I’m just going to say that Syd and Jack are people you will care about and they will lead you safely throughout the story. Syd was especially interesting, a complex character that was well-matched to her more vulnerable, more thoughtful partner.Also, there are two ‘’fathers’’ whose behaviour is going to a) make you furious, and b) give you nightmares.
The moments where the writer takes us back in time and lets us into the past of the characters are amazingly composed and they are integral to the whole story. They aren’t just background information, they are linked to the troubles of the present. Here is where writers show their ability to go back and forth in time, all the while keeping the readers interested and invested in the plot. I’m saying this because one could risk a comparison between ‘’The House’’ and ‘’The Upstairs Room’’. And yet, these books couldn’t have been more different. ‘’The House’’ achieved everything ‘’The Upstairs Rooms’’ tried to do and failed.
Simon Lelic has created a unique thriller. It starts with suspicions that something paranormal might have taken over the house, it has strong elements of domestic thriller and themes like violence, secrets, despair, the wish to right the wrong and learning to live with wounds that refuse to heal. It is a novel that will not disappoint you and thank God I concluded this review without any spoilers.
Many thanks to Penguin UK and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for a copy of this book to read. My honest opinion follows.
Syd and Jack found a "too good to be true" house in London. It's affordable and the former owner left behind all of his belongings - dead animals and everything! But not all is at it seems in their new house. The couple begin to uncover a few things that aren't quite right. Then when a murder takes place in their back yard the police start coming around to ask questions.
The synopsis for this book really drew me in. I stayed for the unique story telling style. In this book Jack and Syd take turns sharing their point of view about what happened leading up to this murder. The book has a diary feel too it. I love alternating POVs in a book and this was a nice way to do it. However, I didn't love the book.
I wanted more. I needed more action, a better ending. The reveal of who murdered whom and why was very ho-hum for this reader. I don't believe this will be a story I remember well in a few weeks.
Syd and Jack found a "too good to be true" house in London. It's affordable and the former owner left behind all of his belongings - dead animals and everything! But not all is at it seems in their new house. The couple begin to uncover a few things that aren't quite right. Then when a murder takes place in their back yard the police start coming around to ask questions.
The synopsis for this book really drew me in. I stayed for the unique story telling style. In this book Jack and Syd take turns sharing their point of view about what happened leading up to this murder. The book has a diary feel too it. I love alternating POVs in a book and this was a nice way to do it. However, I didn't love the book.
I wanted more. I needed more action, a better ending. The reveal of who murdered whom and why was very ho-hum for this reader. I don't believe this will be a story I remember well in a few weeks.
Jack and Syd move into the house a year ago. It was their dream home with loads of space in the perfect location. One day they start to smell a bad smell, so they investigate and Jack finds a grisly discovery in the attic, only Jack and Syd chose to ignore it, which was a mistake because now someone has been murdered outside their back door and now the police are watching them both.
The first part of the story is told by journal entries and I was very keen to find out where the story was going. However, after that I got a bit bored waiting and then it wasn’t what I was expecting anyway.
I can’t really say if I enjoyed this book or not.
The first part of the story is told by journal entries and I was very keen to find out where the story was going. However, after that I got a bit bored waiting and then it wasn’t what I was expecting anyway.
I can’t really say if I enjoyed this book or not.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD!!
I love a good mystery book, which is why I was so thrilled to have received an e-ARC of this one from FirstToRead! There are so many elements to it that leave you with goosebumps. The plot is crazy and filled with so many twists. I did not see the ending coming at all.
I loved how the POV switched between the two main characters. Their perspectives were both so different, and you almost got an entirely different story from both of them. However, it all comes full circle in the end, and it leaves you questioning how you didn't see it coming. This is definitely a new favorite of mine.
If you are looking for a good mystery, I definitely recommend this one! I can't get it across enough that this book was just amazing.
I love a good mystery book, which is why I was so thrilled to have received an e-ARC of this one from FirstToRead! There are so many elements to it that leave you with goosebumps. The plot is crazy and filled with so many twists. I did not see the ending coming at all.
I loved how the POV switched between the two main characters. Their perspectives were both so different, and you almost got an entirely different story from both of them. However, it all comes full circle in the end, and it leaves you questioning how you didn't see it coming. This is definitely a new favorite of mine.
If you are looking for a good mystery, I definitely recommend this one! I can't get it across enough that this book was just amazing.