Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book. This was CREEPY and I loved it! The alternating timeline was so well done on this book and kept me engaged in this story. The descriptive writing really made me feel like I was there. Overall a great read

A Good Home for Children is a creepy spooky story. The book was told in two POV in two different timelines 1976 and 2017. In the present Orla and her husband move into the mansion that sits on the edge of the cliffs in Dorset with their two children. In 1976 Lydia moved into the house with her employer Sara and her four children after the death of the children’s father. Lydia and Orla both experienced hearing voices and doors opening and shutting and some of the children talking about imaginary friends. I loved this book it was very well written and I couldn’t put it down for wanting to know what was going to happen next. This would have been a five star if not for the open ending, which I’m not a fan of, but regardless it was a wonderful book that I highly recommend if you like a good ghost story. Thank you Netgalley for my arc.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read and review this book .

Unfortunately the book was not up my alley.

This book is beautifully written. I don't usually copy quotes out of books, but this one really spoke to me.

This book is a creepy Gothic story with dual timelines, and the boundaries between the timelines feel so thin. It's not a faced paced scary book, but more of a slow creeping decay.

I was a bit worried when Nick started accusing Orla of being a drunk mom who was seeing things, I am very tired of 'drunk lady is an unreliable narrator' as a trope. But, thankfully, I think this book handled it well.

A Good House for Children by Kate Collins is a captivating Gothic mystery that weaves together the lives of two women, Orla and Lydia, who inhabit the same grand Georgian house, The Reeve, on the Dorset cliffs, decades apart. Set against a backdrop of motherhood, tragedy, and imaginary friends, this feminist tale explores themes of madness and the value of a woman's work.

The story begins when Orla, a former painter and lover, becomes a mother and wife. Her husband, Nick, convinces her that their city apartment has become too small for their growing family. Seeking more space for their children, he purchases The Reeve, a sprawling mansion with beautiful grounds. But as Orla settles into the house, strange occurrences unsettle her. She hears voices, doors open and close on their own, and her son Sam, who hasn't spoken in months, befriends an imaginary companion with dubious intentions.

Forty years earlier, Lydia enters The Reeve as a live-in nanny for a grieving family. Like Orla, she senses intangible presences in the house and fears for the safety of the children under her care. Yet, both women find themselves dismissed as hysterical, their stories attributed to overactive imaginations and excessive time spent with children.

The novel masterfully juxtaposes the experiences of Orla and Lydia, offering glimpses into their parallel journeys and the secrets concealed within the house. As readers delve deeper into the narrative, the tension builds, leaving us questioning whether both families are headed for tragedy and whether Orla and Lydia are truly perceiving supernatural forces or simply succumbing to their own fears.

A Good House for Children is an atmospheric read that transports readers to the isolated cliffs of Dorset. The author expertly crafts an eerie ambiance, filled with suspense and a sense of mounting unease. While not overtly terrifying, the book's chilling and spooky undertones create a deliciously unsettling atmosphere, reminiscent of classic Gothic tales. As I turned the pages, I could vividly imagine the sprawling house and feel the weight of isolation pressing upon the characters.

The strength of this novel lies in its ability to transport readers to a different time and place, where mystery and suspense reign supreme. The dual narrative allows for a deeper understanding of the house's history and the women who have inhabited it. The author skillfully explores the complexities of motherhood, delving into the fears, sacrifices, and resilience of these women.

In conclusion, A Good House for Children is an absorbing Gothic mystery that will keep readers engrossed until the very last page. Kate Collins' storytelling prowess shines through as she expertly blends elements of the supernatural with themes of motherhood and the enduring struggle for women's voices to be heard. This book is a must-read for fans of atmospheric tales, and I highly recommend it to anyone seeking a thrilling and thought-provoking reading experience.

Thank you to Netgalley and Mariner Books for this ARC.
A Good House for Children by Kate Collins was a beautifully gothic story told in different POV's by Lydia (1970's) and Orla (2018).
This books dives into heavy topics like grief, depression and self worth while maintaining a creepy atmosphere throughout. It is told in a way that makes you feel what the characters are feeling, going through the emotions as if you were there with them.
My only reason for a 4 out of 5 stars is because I felt that the ending could have explain more instead of been left so open but regardless its a book that I would recommend.
What an amazing debut novel, I will definitely look forward to read more from this Author.

One thing that I liked about this book was the two separate timelines. I feel like normally people don’t go for that or find them frustrating, but for me personally, I love it and it helps my brain engaged. I however was NOT a fan of the open ending. Lol those frustrate me soooo bad, but again, personal preference. I’d give it 3.5 stars, but I rounded up and did 4.

This debut novel is an atmospheric Gothic tale perfect for fans of Shirley Jackson or Daphne Du Maurier. Orla is an artist and mother suddenly living in an isolated mansion on the cliffs of the English coast when she begins to realize they aren't alone. Decades earlier, a nanny looking after three grieving children becomes fearful for their safety, in this house with secrets.

This was good...creepy, Gothic haunted house story told in 2 timelines. Was it phenomenal, no, but it was entertaining and I love a good haunted house book.
Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Some books just immediately click and you find yourself so invested that you can't stop thinking about reading more. This is how I felt about A Good House for Children by Kate Collins. I actually stayed up way too late to finish the book.

Haunted houses are my all time favorite trope. Families moving into an old house hoping for a new start that will fix all their problems only to make them all worse. Orla and Nick have two children, Sam and Bridie. Sam has stopped talking and his parents hope that a move to a small beach town will bring back his voice. I immediately liked Orla and majorly disliked her husband, Nick, who just seemed like a jerk! I loved Claude and Alice. They made me feel comforted and I liked that Orla had someone on her side finally.

The scenery was described so beautifully but also in a way that left you uneasy. It is discussed in the book how people believe nature is always kind in the countryside and the truth is far from it. I loved the house despite its spooky moments. I could perfectly imagine Orla in her studio surrounded by ocean views painting Sam's portrait. I also loved the characters of Sam and Phillip. Both so sweet and quiet.

I really enjoyed the split perspectives of Orla in the present and Lydia in the 70's. Seeing the reoccurring patterns helped the reader catch on to little details more easily.

I highly recommend reading if you are a fan of Darcy Coates and Wendy Webb. Thank you to NetGalley and Kate Collins and team for the opportunity to read A Good House for Children. I have written this review voluntarily.

Kate Collins did a great job building an atmosphere that was unsettling and creepy. Beginning was a touch slow, but once it got going, I really enjoyed it.

This story follows 2 different families, years apart, living in the same home with unsettling characteristics. It was written well, but a tad slow for me.

Thank you to the publisher for this ARC. This is an atmospheric read with some clever twists on the classic haunted house story. I quite enjoyed the elements of slippery/elastic time, horror, and motherhood. This is one of those rare books where I thought a little more story/explanation could help the author stick the landing. (Usually, I think authors need to say less!) There are some intriguing hints about the longer, darker history of the house and town, but they remained in the background. I wish they had been explored a bit more. Overall, this was an enjoyable and spooky read.

A Good House For Children by Kate Collins is a spooky, spellbinding contemporary gothic haunted house story, following Orla, a former artist/current mother who acquiesces to her husband's wishes that the family pick up and move to a grand old house in a small village by the sea. The villagers hint at the house being "bad" and a string of deeply unsettling things begin to occur, both in past and present timelines. A feminist ghost story with a haunted house where time isn't quite fixed or linear, A Good House For Children is gorgeously creepy with many marvelously cozy elements, and the writing was lovely & soothing like the author also writes about knitting & baking in their spare time.

Thank you so much Netgalley for the chance to read this advanced copy in exchange for a review!
I absolutely love psychology thrillers so I was very excited when I was approved for this read! Could not put it down!

In two different times, two families move into The Reeve, a sprawling home in Dorset a little away from the village with views of the sea. In twisting, haunting moments, the house reveals itself to them in sinister ways.

I'll be honest-it was slow going at first. I'm very picky about metaphors, and some of the ones at the front of this book didn't strike me the right way. But after forty pages or so, I was absolutely hooked. The book reminded me a bit of Helen Oyeymi's White Is for Witching. The house never gets a voice, but its felt as a character throughout the tale, infecting the lives of the women who would try to protect children within its walls. The other title that comes to mind is the short story The Yellow Wallpaper, which I think I'll now see in a different light. Perhaps the walls are to blame.

My absolute favorite part of this novel is the way the haunting is carried out. Early in the novel the lives of these women, happening decades apart, creep into each other in strange and subtle ways. The overlapping moments almost created more anxiety, as you waited for the events of one household to leech into another. I think there's a fine line with these types of choices, that they can become overbearing or predictable, but Collins always found a way to surprise me with the most subtle, deft moments.

I'm all about creepy books, and this one fit the bill. I can't wait to recommend it to others once it gets published. I imagine I'll be thinking about the Reeve and its unraveling for a long time to come.

A Good House For Children Review!

Thank you so much Mariner Books and Netgalley for this gifted e-copy, in exchange for an honest review! A Good House for Children comes out July 4, 2023!

Another nanny book, another immediate request! Plus this book had to do with a haunted house, so I was immediately sold. A Good House for Children was a 3.5/5 ⭐️ for me! This book reminded me VERY slightly of American Horror Story: Murder House. The setting was an old house with povs switching back and for from the 70s to 2017 and people in the house were being killed off. There were some incredibly creepy parts to this book, otherwise it was a little dry. I was expecting more to go on throughout the story! Overall a very eerie read with lots of children, it was fun!

A towering home and two women decades apart set the stage in this Gothic book which touches on motherhood, tragedy, and imaginary friends.

Orla's husband, Nick, decides that their small apartment in the city is now too small for them and purchases a Georgian house, The Reeve, on the Dorset cliffs. It is a good place to raise children, he says. It is HUGE, sits high and is away from the village. It needs work, lots of work but he knows they can make it work. But Nick will be spending the week in the city working, while Orla and their two children will live full-time in the home where she doesn't feel comfortable. Orla is seeing and hearing things and her son Sam has an imaginary friend.

Lydia was a live-in nanny for a mother mourning the loss of her husband. The family moved into the grand Georgian house, The Reeve, on the Dorset cliffs decades before Orla and her family. Soon Lydia became concerned about the safety of the children in her care. She feels a presence in the home and the children seem to have imaginary friends.

No one believes either Lydia or Orla when the women report what they are experiencing. Both are considered tired and overworked women caring for young children. But those in the village know that something isn't quite right in the home. There has been talk, but....

This was a great Gothic mystery about a grand home with a history. This book is told through the past and the present time as readers get to see what is occurring in both times and what each woman is facing. Is the house haunted? Just what is going on?

This was an absorbing read and I loved the creepiness of it. It is not scary but does have that chilling, spooky feel. I could see this book playing out like a movie in my mind. Great gothic feel. I could feel the isolation and the tension and mounting unease in each time period.

A great Gothic mystery.

This book was a trip. There were some pretty spooky weird stuff, and I really loved the ending. I personally got a little mixed up with some of the storylines, but eventually the flow found itself. A good eerie book!

This is one of those situations where I was very interested in the book, I liked the story, the atmosphere, I was engrossed and then I was done and felt like I missed something. I enjoyed so many aspects but felt like it didn't fully come together.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher