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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
I don't know. This was a 5/5 until the last 40 pages. It was TOO twisty. A simple ending would have been creepier, IMO. I loved the supernatural, Hill House elements so much.
3.5 stars, rounding up
I'll admit, much like Lock Every Door, this book was difficult to put down. Also, as a self proclaimed wimp, the creepy factor was fairly high. I wanted to get to the bottom of the story and had a few incorrect guesses along the way. For me, that's a pretty good sign of a successful thriller.
**SPOILER content below**
The dad's letter to Maggie at the end. Would a dad really tell his daughter that he and her mom were going to a hotel to f*@$ like teenagers?! That was really odd and seemed so out of place.
In reflecting on the reveal, I keep thinking there are some plot holes but then realize I'm confusing the (father's) book version with the truth. I'm not sure if others would have that issue but I am.
Overall it was entertaining, creepy, and keeps you guessing. I have needed gripping stories lately and this one was certainly that.
I'll admit, much like Lock Every Door, this book was difficult to put down. Also, as a self proclaimed wimp, the creepy factor was fairly high. I wanted to get to the bottom of the story and had a few incorrect guesses along the way. For me, that's a pretty good sign of a successful thriller.
**SPOILER content below**
The dad's letter to Maggie at the end. Would a dad really tell his daughter that he and her mom were going to a hotel to f*@$ like teenagers?! That was really odd and seemed so out of place.
In reflecting on the reveal, I keep thinking there are some plot holes but then realize I'm confusing the (father's) book version with the truth. I'm not sure if others would have that issue but I am.
Overall it was entertaining, creepy, and keeps you guessing. I have needed gripping stories lately and this one was certainly that.
4 ‘hair raising, what the hell is happening’ stars
Ok! So look! I don’t read very many thriller, horror, ghost and haunted house stories, because I’m scary. I will watch every scary horror movie to be released and love every second of that thrill. But for me, books have always been more visceral. My imagination is too sharp, to keen, to real. This book shaved a year or two off my life, and the twists and turns made my jaw drop and me exclaim out loud, ‘WHAT IN THEE ENTIRE F*CK?!?’ Love it!
This is a wonderful paranormal(ghosts abound), haunted house(the house remembers), whodunnit(suspects everywhere), book within a book, thriller! It was so many things, and they all worked together to take me on an unexpected rollercoaster. I blazes through this story, NEEDING to know what was going on!
The format of this book bounces between two narratives. And they meet up for a stunning conclusion. I loved forming my own theories and having them embarrassingly shot down. Sager is really clever, he leads the reader and then pulls the rug. I love when an author traps me. And he got me; hook, line, sinker… Bastid!!
The fear factor for this book etched up the more I read. Last night I forgot I left my front door open and while reading I heard an ominous creak and damn near died. This book chilled me with some of its passages. I cannot wait to read more from Sager. Now that he’s on my radar, he’s here to stay.
Recommended.
Ok! So look! I don’t read very many thriller, horror, ghost and haunted house stories, because I’m scary. I will watch every scary horror movie to be released and love every second of that thrill. But for me, books have always been more visceral. My imagination is too sharp, to keen, to real. This book shaved a year or two off my life, and the twists and turns made my jaw drop and me exclaim out loud, ‘WHAT IN THEE ENTIRE F*CK?!?’ Love it!
This is a wonderful paranormal(ghosts abound), haunted house(the house remembers), whodunnit(suspects everywhere), book within a book, thriller! It was so many things, and they all worked together to take me on an unexpected rollercoaster. I blazes through this story, NEEDING to know what was going on!
The format of this book bounces between two narratives. And they meet up for a stunning conclusion. I loved forming my own theories and having them embarrassingly shot down. Sager is really clever, he leads the reader and then pulls the rug. I love when an author traps me. And he got me; hook, line, sinker… Bastid!!
The fear factor for this book etched up the more I read. Last night I forgot I left my front door open and while reading I heard an ominous creak and damn near died. This book chilled me with some of its passages. I cannot wait to read more from Sager. Now that he’s on my radar, he’s here to stay.
Recommended.
emotional
This could very easily be my favorite book of the year. It's been so long since I've actually been stumped by a horror/mystery. Every time I thought I had the ending, the book took a different approach. 10/10 recommend.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for gifting me with an eARC of this book.
I went into this a little bit apprehensively as I don't generally read horror, and especially not ghost stories. However, I was sucked in by the hype. And boy was it worth it!
I really enjoyed this book. It's worth noting this is my first Riley Sager book. And it did not disappoint. Were following two different characters in two different timelines. So we have excerpts from Ewan Holt's book 'House of Horrors' and then we have chapters from our main character who is Maggie, Ewan's daughter, 25 years after the "events" in her dads book.
I really enjoyed the back and forth between Ewan's book (within the book) and Maggie's chapters and seeing the story unfold on both sides. The story was very atmospheric. I'm a wuss and had to put the book down on two occasions because it was night time and I was scared HA! And I only saw part of the ending coming, but not all of it.
I do feel like this is more psychological thriller-esk than horror. But I really enjoyed it either way. I'll definitely be checking out more of their books.
I went into this a little bit apprehensively as I don't generally read horror, and especially not ghost stories. However, I was sucked in by the hype. And boy was it worth it!
I really enjoyed this book. It's worth noting this is my first Riley Sager book. And it did not disappoint. Were following two different characters in two different timelines. So we have excerpts from Ewan Holt's book 'House of Horrors' and then we have chapters from our main character who is Maggie, Ewan's daughter, 25 years after the "events" in her dads book.
I really enjoyed the back and forth between Ewan's book (within the book) and Maggie's chapters and seeing the story unfold on both sides. The story was very atmospheric. I'm a wuss and had to put the book down on two occasions because it was night time and I was scared HA! And I only saw part of the ending coming, but not all of it.
I do feel like this is more psychological thriller-esk than horror. But I really enjoyed it either way. I'll definitely be checking out more of their books.
mysterious
fast-paced
I love Sager's books, gasped out loud in this one. And the race to the end is thrilling.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix