At the start of this novel I expected something a bit creepier - I loved the idea of an old house filled with junk and mysteries. However I did struggle slightly with the narrative style of the novel - part confessional, part personal letter - and I did thin the novel didn't flow well at times. But the premise was good, and I liked the twists and turns.

I wasn’t sure about this book to begin with tbh, however once it got going I was in for the long haul.

Syd & Jack buy a house in London; the prefect house (well Syd loves it and Jack isn’t so sure but goes ahead anyway as the offer was low and the house was huge!). They also make a pretty unsavory discovery in their attic, and choose to totally ignore it as the house is perfect. Go figure?!

However that’s the story, it’s actually quite creepy in places and made me feel quite uncomfortable sometimes. It’s actaully quite hard to review without giving much away, there are seriously a lot of twists you don’t see coming and I really loved the book. It had me hooked and when I wasn’t reading it I was thinking about reading it haha.

The story is told through diary entries from Jack & Syd and it all flowed quite well giving you a great insight into both characters both now and in the past. The things that shaped their lives as people and also how they met tc before the “house”. Jack & Syd are likable and you’ll really enjoy learning more about them.

All I can say is get it and read it you won’t regret it, a seriously creepy and good read where you will be hooked from start to finish!

‘The House’ by Simon Lelic that was published on 17/8
.........Yes it was a good read and yes I enjoyed it!!!!! A very dark and at times unsettlmg pyschological thriller based around a couple their families and the couples new house,.... but tbh I found it a bit long winded, I liked the way the two main characters were writing the book to each other ie one chapter was Syd then the next chapter would be Jack replying to her and what she had written, this wasn’t for the whole book but a fair amount, all the writing was ‘chatty’ like a friend(s) was telling you the story, I found both main characters at times annoying and wanted them to ‘get on with it’, ALL the characters were well described and well written and easy to visualise
There were twists and turns in the book but a fair amount of melodrama to get to them
All in all I am pleased I read this book and would recommend it, its quirky and different and the ‘chatty’ style I mentioned refreshing and interesting

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to have an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

I was really excited to read this book, after reading the synopsis. However after a few chapters in, it was obviously not what I was expecting it to be. Based on the brief description and the title, I had been expecting something paranormal. I was gripped when Jack made a discovery in the attic and the name on the box had me thinking all sorts of spooky things about the house...

I was deeply disappointed when the story went down the thriller route. Even more disappointed when the story became far more far-fetched than any ghost story I've ever read.

Great twist at the end, which I didn't see coming. Well written, with chapters alternating between the two main characters of the story. However, not my cuppa I'm afraid.

Can I just say that I’m really disappointed? Like really, really, really disappointed. I wished for The House on NetGalley, absolutely gutted to find out that the publisher was no longer sending out ARCs when it had such a gripping and compelling synopsis, but a few days later (ta-DA), my wish had been granted. So thank you to Penguin but this book is just a no from me.
The main reason why I was drawn to The House, was that it just sounded like the perfect thriller/mystery/don’t-read-in-the-dark book that I’ve been searching for, for a long (long) time. But its reality didn’t match up to that.
I don’t know if it was marketed wrong, or if I’m just stone cold when it comes to this sort of subject matter, but it just didn’t fit into any of those genres. Although I can see why they had such a problem, because I wouldn’t know what to categorise it as either. Because, instead of focussing on the mystery of the creepy house (aka one of the archetypal horror settings) and the (hopefully) terrifying things happening within its walls, the novel chose to focus on the failings of the two people living there, Jack and Sydney.
And boy, did they have failings.
Without getting into too many details, let’s just say that those two should NOT be a couple. They were self-destructive and paranoid, and far too supposedly self-aware to be making some of the ridiculous decisions that they kept making.
Reading about the two of them was like watching one of those really bad and dramatic soap operas that my grandma really likes. And the analogy really works, because it was like the book was repeatedly being affected by extensive retconning (aka Retroactive Continuity). Plot points would be shoved in that I assume were supposed to be shocking and twisty, and yet they felt like an out-of-the-blue afterthought. Supposedly, this was because The House was written in a journal/letter/who-knows-what format and Simon Lelic was attempting to portray Jack and Sydney as unreliable, but it came off clunky and badly-written.
If I’m continuing to be honest, the only thing I’ve truly gained from The House is an overwhelming feeling of disappointment and dreams of what could have been. Oh, The House, how I wish I had loved you. Here is to hoping that the next thriller that I read, is finally the one I’ve been looking for.

Good book with a solid storyline with plenty of twists. Really enjoyed it. Highly recommended. A real thriller.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon Lelic for the copy of this book. I agreed to give my unbiased opinion voluntarily.

The House

Hot dang, this book was great, it really lived up to the blurb, which completely grabbed me and then didn't let me go until the last page!

This is a fantastic thriller that will have you holding your breath with suspense. This is a must read for all fans of psychological thrillers who like their head messed with a bit! Five big shiny stars from purplebookstand.

I was lucky to be provided with an ARC of this book and I voluntarily provided this review.

Thank you to Penguin Books UK for granting my wish on Netgalley for a copy of this book to read and review. This book was not at all what I expected but I really enjoyed it. Life has never been good for Syd but when she moves into her own house in London with her boyfriend her past comes back to haunt her

Thank you to Netgalley for a complimentary copy of this book.

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...

This was a GREAT book and kept me turning the pages late into the night. Lots of interesting characters and hints at peculiar back stories and strange happenings. I didn't see the ending coming until right towards the end. Excitingly written and well worth a read - but perhaps not if you've just moved into a new house!

The House by Simon Lelic is a psychological thriller about abuse, lies and murder. I found this book hard to follow in parts as it was written as diary entries from two different people. The story had many twists and turns and kept me guessing until the end. I would like to thank NetGalley and Penguin Books UK for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Life is too short to waste your time on a book you're skim reading, so I decided to throw this one in the Did-Not-Finish pile. I stopped reading at 20% because I found the male and female protagonists dull, and I didn't find the narrative style with their his-and-hers, diary-like viewpoints gripping at all.

This book has all the ingredients of a splendid read. There is an intriguing plot with well defined characters and some interesting background and social issues. Jack and Syd tell their stories separately in first person. This in itself highlights the differences in people's perception of the world and those around them because of their life experiences, personalities, flaws and coping mechanisms. There is a good mix of humour against a backcloth of incredibly horrific backgrounds especially with Syd and the little girl Elsie whom she befriends. Syd is a damaged soul after the abuse from her sadistic father and Jack is insecure because his parents seemed to condemn instead of encourage him. I wasn't convinced that Jack and Syd were a good match as they may not be able to bolster each other up through the ups and downs over the years because they are both weak. But this is food for thought and debateable as their situation may bring them closer. A lot of shocks throughout this book which makes it a riveting read. I shall post this to amazon.co.uk, GoodReads and my blog. Thank you for letting me read it.

I really enjoyed this book. It was well written, original, with interesting and complex characters and I couldn't put it down. It is told from alternating POV of two main characters Jack and Syd, who just moved in together in their 'forever' house. From then on, the story took me on a roller coaster ride full of twists and turns. The book pleasantly surprised me (it wasn't at all what I expected from the blurb) and I'll gladly read more from the author.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

This novel is about a couple Jack and Syd who move into their new home and it seems like the perfect place to settle down in. They then discover something in their attic and ignoring it was a big mistake..
I found this a bit of a slow start but soon picked its pace up and turned into a great and suspenseful read. Well built characters and a good strong story line this book held on to my interest until the end. The ending was very well done and there's plenty of cliff hanger chapters littered throughout the book.
An enjoyable read all round.

I did not enjoy this book to start with and nearly gave up after the first few 'journal entries', which alternated between the two main characters, Syd and Jack. The young couple had recently bought a house in London (their low offer having been accepted to the surprise of them both) and the story told of their new life settling into the big house, surrounded by all the possessions of the previous owner who had left very suddenly.

I initially did not like the short sentences and simplistic style, nor the overly emotional musings of Syd regarding her past . I also thought that the journal entries were more like 'streams of consciousness' than pieces of writing. However, I'm really glad I persevered with this book as it became gradually more interesting and eventually became completely engrossing. The mysterious events mentioned but not explained by the two characters early on were initially annoying, but soon I wanted to find out more and just had to keep reading. I thought that some of the manipulative behaviour exhibited by one particular character was not realistic or even possible, but perhaps I'm being naive.

Overall, a worthwhile read if you like mysteries, with a satisfactory ending.

Thanks to Net Galley & Penguin Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.
This book is part mystery and part Murder. An excellent read
The House, full of the previous owners life and full of character. Jack and Syd can’t quite believe their low offer has been accepted and they are the proud owners of their first home and what they hope will be their forever house.
Syd has had a traumatic childhood, a father who physically and mentally abused her and this has left her with major trust issues.
Jack is kind, trusting and wants to help people and this leads to trouble for him at work as he bends the rules to help a desperate family.
As they sleep at night the house makes its own noises, rattles and creaks, but has someone else been in their house, who has touched Syds cheek in the night as she sleep.
Syd learns that her father has been released from prison on parole, the old terrors, constantly looking over her shoulder begin. She knows he will be watching them, knows he will be out for revenge, The story picks up pace, the couple are struggling with the things that are happening around them, jack is suspended from wok, accused of murder and finds himself in a prison cell.
You must read the book to find out more 4.5 stars.

When I first started reading this book I actually gave up because of all the swearing in the first few pages. I subsequently read several positive reviews and decided to try it once more.

I still found the initial pages annoying in their unnecessarily frequent use of the F word but then the narrator of this section actually says she will stop and I was engrossed in the intrigue.

The story is told by the main characters, Syd and Jack, who write their own interpretation of events as they unfold. A dark, psychological thriller with interesting twists that keep the reader hooked to the very end.

This book was a disappointment. I liked the first 100 pages or so and it started out with an interesting premise. A couple move into a house they bought for a steal with the condition that they have to clear out the previous owners belongings. As they do this, a "disturbing discovery" in made in the attic by Jack, the boyfriend, who decides to not tell his girlfriend for no apparent reason. Meanwhile, Syd (the girlfriend) befriends in a very odd way the little girl that lives in the house behind theirs who seems to be hiding something. As the book progresses the perspective shifts from Jack to Syd as you discover they're writing their "versions" of what happens (you find out why later) and that's where the story fell apart for me. The synopsis gave me a strong suspense vibe, maybe even horror, but turned out to be more sad than anything else. There was a "who dun it" (sorta) but the twist was predictable and underwhelming by the time it finally came around. The only real positive I can give this book is that it's a fast read, so at least you won't waste too much time on it if you're as disappointed as I was with the plot.

Prefer not to leave a bad review suffice to say this was not for me.

So the story is written for the most part as journal entries between Syd and Jack. They are recalling the events that led them to a certain point in the novel. At first, I found this a cool concept. They keep hinting at some bad thing that happened to them, and every time they hinted at it, I became more eager to find out what it was. It was also weird/interesting how they responded to each others' entries. However, that was probably the only thing I really enjoyed about the story. The themes that this story revolved around were sad but common ones in this genre so I wasn't really blown away by anything. I also found the plot to be a tad bit predictable. I never felt connected to the characters, and I pretty much lost interest around the 30% mark. I kept reading because I didn't find the writing style terrible and I just wanted to make sure that my predictions were correct (and they were). There was a lot of hype around this book, and quite a few people liked it. However, I wasn't one of them. This really wasn't much of a thriller for me. And the house didn't play as much of a central role as I had hoped. This novel gets 2/5 stars from me, and only because I liked the writing style.