thenewschureview 's review for:

The House in the Pines by Ana Reyes

3.0

dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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🌲 🔑Book Review🔑🌲

The House in the Pines by Ana Reyes

⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5)

Maya was seventeen when her best friend, Aubrey, collapsed and died in front of Frank, a much older man Maya had been seeing that summer. Seven years later, Maya is living in Boston with her boyfriend, Dan, and trying to kick a secret drug addiction when she stumbles upon a viral video of another young woman suddenly dying—again, while sitting across from Frank. Haunted by hazy memories and gaps in her past, Maya returns to her Berkshires hometown to confront Frank, her trauma, and a story that stretches back to her late father's Guatemalan heritage and mysterious book.

👍 What worked:

 ✔️ Creepy, atmospheric setup with an unreliable narrator—are Maya's suspicions real, or is her fragile state of mind leading her astray?

 ✔️ The blend of folklore, family history, and psychological suspense added an original layer.

 ✔️ Past and present timelines kept me curious about the truth behind Aubrey's death.

 ✔️ Themes of addiction, trust, manipulation, and memory give weight to the thriller aspects.

👎 What didn't work:

• The first half drags with Maya's inner turmoil, addiction, and anxiety overshadowing the suspense.
• Frank never felt as sinister or chilling as the setup promised—more unsettling than truly terrifying.
• Supporting characters (like Dan and his family) felt underdeveloped and mainly served to push the plot along.
• The final revelation was far-fetched, and the ending, though it tied up threads, still left things vague and slightly unsatisfying.

✨ Final thoughts:

The House in the Pines is an intriguing debut that delivers atmosphere and mystery but stumbles in pacing and payoff. The unreliable narrator angle kept me hooked, and the last quarter had me racing through pages, but the conclusion felt more implausible than chilling. If you enjoy psychological thrillers with foggy memories, folklore undertones, and flawed narrators, this one might be worth picking up.