thrillyourdarlings 's review for:

It Was Her House First by Cherie Priest

4.0

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i love when writers actually have a story to tell rather than just falling into the same old tropes. haunted house stories can be so good and so varied, and in the last few years i've read a handful that have really pushed the boundaries on what it means to haunt a house. this one is no exception. i love that this book is weird, mysterious, and fun instead of just trying to be scary. it reminded me of being a teenager and doing dumb and dangerous things with my friends. someone could have dictated our experiences together with a totally foreboding narrative, but the more authentic take would have been to just let us experience whatever wild things happened to us through our own perspectives. sometimes that might come off as creepy, while most of the time it would probably a little goofy -- but either way, it would be honest. this book trusts the characters enough to let them tell their own stories in their own way and it really works. i enjoyed ronnie and kate, as well as bartholomew and venita. everything made sense to me and kept me engaged throughout. would definitely recommend!

thanks to poisoned pen press for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!