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3.26 AVERAGE
3.26 AVERAGE
Originally posted on:> http://www.laurapatriciarose.co.uk/2017/08/blog-tour-house.html#more
Can you believe I have had The House sitting on my to-be-read pile since December last year?? It has been taunting me to read it ever since then with it's creepy cover that gives me the shivers, but wanted to put off reading it until closer to publication day.
Jack and Syd think their dreams have come true when they put in a low offer on an expensive house in London and they get accepted. They both can't believe their luck, until they make a grisly discovery in the attic.
Initially I found The House an incredibly creepy read and thinking that it felt more like a horror story than a thriller. I was hyper aware of every noise in my home whilst reading this, so the creeped out factor on the Richter scale was pretty high. I also wasn't sure about the two main characters dialogue through a diary at first, especially as I didn't take to Syd's character. However don't let this put you off as it does get into a more storylike feel as the story progresses and you do get a really deep inside view of both the main characters- or do you?
The House is incredibly clever at hiding things from you as you go and even hiding things from the characters themselves. I think this is unreliable narration at it's very best- there was a lot I could not even get a whisper of guess at and this is partly what makes The House so compelling. A lot of the time I had to make sure I read this in daylight or when my boyfriend was at home with me, or it would have been too scary otherwise. Simon's writing is absolute brilliant, it's addictive, creepy and fantastic at throwing you off the scent.
Hugely suspenseful and full of shocking twists, The House is such a gripping read.
Can you believe I have had The House sitting on my to-be-read pile since December last year?? It has been taunting me to read it ever since then with it's creepy cover that gives me the shivers, but wanted to put off reading it until closer to publication day.
Jack and Syd think their dreams have come true when they put in a low offer on an expensive house in London and they get accepted. They both can't believe their luck, until they make a grisly discovery in the attic.
Initially I found The House an incredibly creepy read and thinking that it felt more like a horror story than a thriller. I was hyper aware of every noise in my home whilst reading this, so the creeped out factor on the Richter scale was pretty high. I also wasn't sure about the two main characters dialogue through a diary at first, especially as I didn't take to Syd's character. However don't let this put you off as it does get into a more storylike feel as the story progresses and you do get a really deep inside view of both the main characters- or do you?
The House is incredibly clever at hiding things from you as you go and even hiding things from the characters themselves. I think this is unreliable narration at it's very best- there was a lot I could not even get a whisper of guess at and this is partly what makes The House so compelling. A lot of the time I had to make sure I read this in daylight or when my boyfriend was at home with me, or it would have been too scary otherwise. Simon's writing is absolute brilliant, it's addictive, creepy and fantastic at throwing you off the scent.
Hugely suspenseful and full of shocking twists, The House is such a gripping read.
Jack and Syd finally move in together after four years into a house that they did not expect to get for the price they offered. The man who was selling it wanted the house to go to a young couple. Strange things start happening in the house as well as a strange discovery in the loft. Then there is a murder that will make them regret ever moving there...
This book is told in diary entries between Syd and Jack in order to co-author a manuscript to give to the police. I really enjoyed this format. The things that happen in the house are creepy and although I knew from the start that this was not a ghost story it definitely had the feel of one. Through the diary entries it becomes apparent that both Jack and Syd were keeping secrets from each other. Particularly Syd. This is the start of their downfall. There are mentions of abuse within this book, so if this is a trigger for you I would suggest that you give this one a miss.
This book is told in diary entries between Syd and Jack in order to co-author a manuscript to give to the police. I really enjoyed this format. The things that happen in the house are creepy and although I knew from the start that this was not a ghost story it definitely had the feel of one. Through the diary entries it becomes apparent that both Jack and Syd were keeping secrets from each other. Particularly Syd. This is the start of their downfall. There are mentions of abuse within this book, so if this is a trigger for you I would suggest that you give this one a miss.
Thanks to Berkley Pub for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
I'm a huge fan of the domestic thrillers, so after reading the synopsis for THE NEW NEIGHBORS I was immediately intrigued! This was my introduction to Simon Lelic, and I will definitely be getting more of his work after this one. As a warning, this does depict domestic abuse towards children and teenagers.
Sydney and Jack are struggling to find themselves a home. Something they can own and not have to deal with landlords or roommates anymore - that's the goal for most couples wanting to settle down together. They stumble across a house that Sydney loves and Jack has reservations about, they put in a bid knowing that they probably won't get it, but to their surprise the seller picks them. The previous owner had left all of his belongings in the house, like old photos, furniture, and much more. One such item that has been haunting Jack was a mangled cat in the attic and a shoe box filled with items from a young girl (the previous owner had no children).
Sydney makes friends with a neighbor, teenager Elsie. She finds herself drawn to Elsie because of their shared struggles. Elsie's father abuses her, which mirrors Sydney's own childhood nightmares. After Sydney and Jack become involved in the situation, things begin to spiral out of control. After Elsie's father is found murdered in their backyard, all eyes are on them. Who committed the murder? Is there something more sinister happening?
I loved how uniquely this story was told. In back and forth journal entries, We see the communications between Jack and Sydney as they tell the story of what happened to them - before and after the murder. There were a few red herrings thrown into the mix and I did not see the ending coming. I definitely thought I had it figured out, but Lelic did a great job misleading us. The journal entries and short chapters made for a quick read. What is happening in the house? Who left the shoebox? Who killed Elsie's father?
If you're looking for a good domestic thriller, then I would highly recommend picking this one up! Just the right amount of suspense and character building to keep you invested plus a red herring or two to keep you on your toes!
I give this 5/5 stars!
I'm a huge fan of the domestic thrillers, so after reading the synopsis for THE NEW NEIGHBORS I was immediately intrigued! This was my introduction to Simon Lelic, and I will definitely be getting more of his work after this one. As a warning, this does depict domestic abuse towards children and teenagers.
Sydney and Jack are struggling to find themselves a home. Something they can own and not have to deal with landlords or roommates anymore - that's the goal for most couples wanting to settle down together. They stumble across a house that Sydney loves and Jack has reservations about, they put in a bid knowing that they probably won't get it, but to their surprise the seller picks them. The previous owner had left all of his belongings in the house, like old photos, furniture, and much more. One such item that has been haunting Jack was a mangled cat in the attic and a shoe box filled with items from a young girl (the previous owner had no children).
Sydney makes friends with a neighbor, teenager Elsie. She finds herself drawn to Elsie because of their shared struggles. Elsie's father abuses her, which mirrors Sydney's own childhood nightmares. After Sydney and Jack become involved in the situation, things begin to spiral out of control. After Elsie's father is found murdered in their backyard, all eyes are on them. Who committed the murder? Is there something more sinister happening?
I loved how uniquely this story was told. In back and forth journal entries, We see the communications between Jack and Sydney as they tell the story of what happened to them - before and after the murder. There were a few red herrings thrown into the mix and I did not see the ending coming. I definitely thought I had it figured out, but Lelic did a great job misleading us. The journal entries and short chapters made for a quick read. What is happening in the house? Who left the shoebox? Who killed Elsie's father?
If you're looking for a good domestic thriller, then I would highly recommend picking this one up! Just the right amount of suspense and character building to keep you invested plus a red herring or two to keep you on your toes!
I give this 5/5 stars!
If someone told me that I would be reading loads of thrillers in the future, I wouldn't have believed them. I do like reading the odd one or two here and there, but I find that thrillers tend to be a bit samey. However, The House was a different type of thriller and a type that I haven't read before.
What if your perfect home turned out to be the scene of the perfect crime?
Londoners Jack and Syd moved into the house a year ago. It seemed like their dream home: tons of space, the perfect location, and a friendly owner who wanted a young couple to have it. So when they made a grisly discovery in the attic, Jack and Syd chose to ignore it. That was a mistake. Because someone has just been murdered. Right outside their back door.
And now the police are watching them...
One of the things that I really liked about this book was that the whole mystery was told from the two perspectives of our main characters: Jack and Syd. They are writing their own 'book' about what happened to them you can see them writing back to each other as the story goes on. Another thing that intrigued me about this book was that we don't actually know what's happened for quite a while. I didn't read the blurb for this book so I didn't know that someone had been murdered right outside Jack and Syd's house. And because I didn't know that, all of the mystery that was building up to the reader finding out what had happened just kept me reading on because I really wanted to find out what each little mystery meant.
My final verdict? I was impressed in how Simon wrapped it all up and the massive reveal didn't seem that far-fetched, but it did at the same time? Is that possible? I can understand where Lelic is coming from with the whole reveal and I can understand why that would happen, but in order for that reveal to work, there had to be a lot of far-fetched things that had to happen and big leaps and bounds that just didn't make sense. The reveal would have worked so much better if these things didn't happen.
I didn't really think much of the character of Syd either. I thought she was really rude and came across and harsh and abrupt and I just couldn't connect with her at all.
BUT! I really did like Lelic's conversational way of writing and it helped me ease into the story much easier and the use of the first-person point of view was handy because it meant that following the story was easier as well.
Overall, this book was a really good, fast-paced read but the reveal and the whole wrap-up of the mysteries ruined it for me. It's always the reveals that ruin a thriller book for me. They're never as good as I want them to be which is annoying.
Warning: this book has triggers for suicide and self-harm.
Disclaimer: this book was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
What if your perfect home turned out to be the scene of the perfect crime?
Londoners Jack and Syd moved into the house a year ago. It seemed like their dream home: tons of space, the perfect location, and a friendly owner who wanted a young couple to have it. So when they made a grisly discovery in the attic, Jack and Syd chose to ignore it. That was a mistake. Because someone has just been murdered. Right outside their back door.
And now the police are watching them...
One of the things that I really liked about this book was that the whole mystery was told from the two perspectives of our main characters: Jack and Syd. They are writing their own 'book' about what happened to them you can see them writing back to each other as the story goes on. Another thing that intrigued me about this book was that we don't actually know what's happened for quite a while. I didn't read the blurb for this book so I didn't know that someone had been murdered right outside Jack and Syd's house. And because I didn't know that, all of the mystery that was building up to the reader finding out what had happened just kept me reading on because I really wanted to find out what each little mystery meant.
"She would have called Evan an oily, misogynistic creep, and perhaps also pointed out that it was attitudes to women like his that had kept our society rooted in the dark ages and political power in the hands of the privileged, penis-wielding few."
- The House, Simon Lelic
My final verdict? I was impressed in how Simon wrapped it all up and the massive reveal didn't seem that far-fetched, but it did at the same time? Is that possible? I can understand where Lelic is coming from with the whole reveal and I can understand why that would happen, but in order for that reveal to work, there had to be a lot of far-fetched things that had to happen and big leaps and bounds that just didn't make sense. The reveal would have worked so much better if these things didn't happen.
I didn't really think much of the character of Syd either. I thought she was really rude and came across and harsh and abrupt and I just couldn't connect with her at all.
BUT! I really did like Lelic's conversational way of writing and it helped me ease into the story much easier and the use of the first-person point of view was handy because it meant that following the story was easier as well.
Overall, this book was a really good, fast-paced read but the reveal and the whole wrap-up of the mysteries ruined it for me. It's always the reveals that ruin a thriller book for me. They're never as good as I want them to be which is annoying.
Warning: this book has triggers for suicide and self-harm.
Disclaimer: this book was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Another new author to add to my reading list. I really enjoyed this book. It may start out as a type of ghost story/haunted house read but it isn't; as the book jacket will tell you. It does have a few creepy parts (which I love) but it is more a thriller. It's written from the points of view of the two main characters and often switches back and forth between the two for each chapter. There is a lot going on but it really keeps you engrossed in the story; trying to figure it out, and wondering what will happen next. Another recommended read.
Reviews from my blog here: http://www.lifewithemilyblog.com/2018/05/may-2018-reading-list-reviews.html
After spending what felt like forever finding their perfect home, Jack and Syd finally found it. A great location and they got it for a great price. But as the saying goes, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Soon after moving in Jack makes a disturbing discovery in the attic meanwhile Syd begins wondering about the girl next door. Something doesn’t make sense. But each of them keep their findings to themselves as to not worry the other. But when someone turns up dead behind their house, the police get involved and they aren’t sure what to think or believe. I thought this was a fantastic book, told in two alternating perspectives of the main characters, Jack and Syd. The story gets dark really quick and the story took a surprising turn…which I was all about! Definitely give this a read if you’re looking for a quick thriller!
After spending what felt like forever finding their perfect home, Jack and Syd finally found it. A great location and they got it for a great price. But as the saying goes, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Soon after moving in Jack makes a disturbing discovery in the attic meanwhile Syd begins wondering about the girl next door. Something doesn’t make sense. But each of them keep their findings to themselves as to not worry the other. But when someone turns up dead behind their house, the police get involved and they aren’t sure what to think or believe. I thought this was a fantastic book, told in two alternating perspectives of the main characters, Jack and Syd. The story gets dark really quick and the story took a surprising turn…which I was all about! Definitely give this a read if you’re looking for a quick thriller!
The back-and-forth between Jack and Syd rings true. In some ways it makes the situation between them worse as they get some of their harshest and hardest feelings down on paper between them. They’re having to hash things out in a tone neither has dealt with before. And as the narrative involves events that can be hard to prove at best, particularly once the police get involved, believing in each other has never been so tricky.
The families involved in this tale–Jack’s and Syd’s, as well as neighbor Elsie’s–are outrageously nasty, but also believably so. (If you’ve dealt with manipulative and abusive people in real life you’ll probably find some of the family members’ behaviors disturbingly familiar; consider this your warning if you aren’t up to reading about abuse.) Things spiral downward for the couple (Jack loses his job; Syd returns to drug use) and for Elsie as well, whose father puts her in the hospital. It’s depressingly hard to read about if you aren’t ready for it, but it rings true.
The structure was a bit odd. Sometimes one of the two people will have more than one section in a row, so you really have to pay attention to which name begins a chapter and not just rely on alternating chapters. The two character voices need a little more differentiation in my opinion. There’s also some confusion once we jump into and through the present events and thus the whole thing isn’t really being told the same way any more. The good part is that there’s a really nice wind-up like you want in a traditional mystery toward the end. There are plenty of hints and clues and ways for you to figure things out (or not) depending on what you pick up on.
NOTE: Free book provided by publisher for review
First posted on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2018/04/review-the-new-neighbors-simon-lelic/
The families involved in this tale–Jack’s and Syd’s, as well as neighbor Elsie’s–are outrageously nasty, but also believably so. (If you’ve dealt with manipulative and abusive people in real life you’ll probably find some of the family members’ behaviors disturbingly familiar; consider this your warning if you aren’t up to reading about abuse.) Things spiral downward for the couple (Jack loses his job; Syd returns to drug use) and for Elsie as well, whose father puts her in the hospital. It’s depressingly hard to read about if you aren’t ready for it, but it rings true.
The structure was a bit odd. Sometimes one of the two people will have more than one section in a row, so you really have to pay attention to which name begins a chapter and not just rely on alternating chapters. The two character voices need a little more differentiation in my opinion. There’s also some confusion once we jump into and through the present events and thus the whole thing isn’t really being told the same way any more. The good part is that there’s a really nice wind-up like you want in a traditional mystery toward the end. There are plenty of hints and clues and ways for you to figure things out (or not) depending on what you pick up on.
NOTE: Free book provided by publisher for review
First posted on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2018/04/review-the-new-neighbors-simon-lelic/
Thanks to netgalley for providing this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.
From the outset, this is a strange and ambitious book. The concept of characters alternating writing out their points of view doesn't really work as both sound very similar. It was the most Londony London book that ever did London but at no point does it matter that this book takes place in London. I live in London, I love London, it was completely irrelevant to this story but was brought up so often it was annoying. So much of it was implausible to the point of distraction. I also found Sydney's weird personal facts a very bizarre touch, you can always tell it's a man trying to write a woman when he feels the need to stress that she's not fat and then bring up her weight. Particularly good was that we're also told she's had 13 sexual partners, which again, is totally irrelevant and actually goes against the character's drug addled, troubled, acting persona.
It's slightly freaky only initially when you're unsure of what's going on with the cold hands in the house, but then becomes essentially misery lit and we're just told over and over about little girls being beaten and abused.
The author mentions that Jack is suspicious of Bart and Sydney's relationship but gives no grounds for any reasonable reader to think the same, or even for us to suspect anything.
I'm struggling to think of anything positive other than it was a fast read. Super disappointing and I feel a bit cheated for the time I spent reading it.
From the outset, this is a strange and ambitious book. The concept of characters alternating writing out their points of view doesn't really work as both sound very similar. It was the most Londony London book that ever did London but at no point does it matter that this book takes place in London. I live in London, I love London, it was completely irrelevant to this story but was brought up so often it was annoying. So much of it was implausible to the point of distraction. I also found Sydney's weird personal facts a very bizarre touch, you can always tell it's a man trying to write a woman when he feels the need to stress that she's not fat and then bring up her weight. Particularly good was that we're also told she's had 13 sexual partners, which again, is totally irrelevant and actually goes against the character's drug addled, troubled, acting persona.
It's slightly freaky only initially when you're unsure of what's going on with the cold hands in the house, but then becomes essentially misery lit and we're just told over and over about little girls being beaten and abused.
The author mentions that Jack is suspicious of Bart and Sydney's relationship but gives no grounds for any reasonable reader to think the same, or even for us to suspect anything.
I'm struggling to think of anything positive other than it was a fast read. Super disappointing and I feel a bit cheated for the time I spent reading it.