This is a reluctant DNF for me. I love suspenseful, creepy, horror stories. I love haunted house stories. But this a chore to read, and no matter how I try to push through it's not getting any better.

There's something off about the writing style. I keep having to reread paragraphs. Chapter to chapter, I frequently question if I'm missing something or if details have been omitted. I'm so confused about the main character's conflict. I read a review that said she had a major break up. I cannot remember where that was ever discussed, and if the author purposely omits that in the beginning for suspense, it's not suspenseful, just confusing.

The pacing is strange. There's an internal conflict, flashing lights, major disaster, then suddenly we're dress shopping? There's so much dialogue to lay out Scarlett's special, snarky character, and not enough effort to set the story.

I can't spend any more time on this book. It's reading way too slow and way too much work. But thank you NetGalley and Oblivion Publishing for a copy of this in exchange for my honest review.

There were many things I loved about the story, the characters and the whole atmosphere and cool action packed scenes we got in the second half.

Unfortunately this book felt too long for me and I feel like it would have benefited if it would have been edited down. We spend half of the story just building things up and this might discourage many readers to keep going.

The concept was one of my favorite things from the book. We have a small town that on Halloween night feels what it seems to be an earthquake. However they soon will find out that a strange building has dropped from the skies, a house.

No one can seem to figure out where it came from, how to get it or why this happened.

Our characters are a group of friends that are supposed to be more adult than they read. They definitely felt not mature enough for their age in the book. Scarlett is our main character. A youtuber that talks about horror movies and feels like she might need a break from social media. Together with her brother and friends they will find themselves way closer to the house than they should have.

The second act of the book had a great atmosphere and I loved the changing rooms, the fantasy mixed with horror and how we get to see the character's true colors and discover all their backstories.

This book was in general a good read but there is so much that could have been edited down in order to make it more accessible and entertaining since it dragged a bit in parts.

’When twenty-nine-year-old Scarlett Vantassel comes to the conclusion that her life doesn’t resemble any of the things she actually wanted for herself, she drops out of school and moves back home, attempting to reconnect with the people she left behind.

’But a shadow falls over her return one early October morning when a sinister house miraculously appears in the center of the city, sparking a media frenzy that attracts attention nationwide.’

THE HOUSE THAT FELL FROM THE SKY read like a mix between THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL (1999) meets a demented version of CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY meets Shirley Jackson’s THE LOTTERY.

Minus the demented doctors, Oompa Loompa’s, and stoning, of course, though death may be a guarantee for those who dare enter.

What would you do, how would you act if a huge house materialized out of nowhere smack dab in the middle of your town? Especially when the short buildup before the said event at the beginning of the book (excellent, by the way) had me saying out loud, ’Oh S#%!’

I personally would be pretty freaked out, yet curious. The characters in the book, however, at times don’t seem to be that bothered by the mysterious house; others are labeled as ’crazy’ early on for showing interest in this anomaly. It almost feels like business as usual among them.

Another bit of confusion is when two of the main characters, who are said to be an around thirty and older, act like juvenile delinquents when a few hours after the house appears, they decide to spend five hours leaving eight hundred pink balloons in the halls of their old high school as a prank.

If the characters were teenagers or younger, their dialogue and actions would be believable. The oldest is said to be around thirty-three, and the visual feel off by comparison.

I love the intermittent flashbacks of each of the main characters throughout, giving the reader a glimpse of some heartbreaking moments that lend to their struggles later in life.

As the mysteries of the house revealed, I must say Delaney’s writing is beautiful, passages I would share if they didn’t include spoilers.

Though THE HOUSE THAT FELL FROM THE SKY didn’t take off all the boxes for me, I do look forward to seeing what Patrick Delaney comes up with next.

One of my favorite passages, from the midway point in the book and that contains a perfect amount of creepy:

’”It made me see things,” he said with remorse. “It made me do things. I let them in. I let them in,” he rambled, slipped out of sanity, and checked in with madness.

”Let who in?”

The man gulped down the rest of the whiskey, slamming the glass down on the countertop. “Them.”’

Thank you, NetGalley and Oblivion Publishing, for loaning me an eGalley of THE HOUSE THAT FELL FROM THE SKY in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to, NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this book.

However, considering the size of my TBR stack, the large length of this book, and its inability to catch my attention, I will have to move it to my very small DNF stack for another time. This book is not drawing me in, nor have I felt any genuine interest to keep pushing myself through it. It's not like it's a quick book to move through, and I have so many other good books waiting for me. All of this and my new job changing my schedule up enough that I barely have time to read, equal me having to put this one down. That being said, I will try returning to it in a few months once I work through my TBR stack, and then give it another chance. When I do, I will update my reviews/feedback all around.

Again, thank you! My star rating is solely based on the fact I was not allowed to submit this feedback without one being attached.

DNR due to severe post-covid asthenia. Cause still being researched. Will review when possible. Sorry for this delay.

Who doesn’t love a good haunted house story? (I’m just living for the launch of The Haunting of Bly Manor). The House That Fell From the Sky gives a new twist to the genre. This is not your typical haunted house; it’s filled with complexities and, for the most part of the story, the characters can’t even get in! But when they do enter the house they are mind boggled. We, as readers, can really sense the confusion and fear of the four friends thanks to the author’s vivid descriptions and ability to build mystery and tension. I’m sure glad I never had to set foot in there!

The sad thing for me was, that while the premise of The House That Fell From the Sky showed promise, I personally wasn’t able to engage with the book. I think this mostly had to do with the characters. I found them underdeveloped and immature. Without the blurb, I would have assumed them teenagers and not in their late twenties. Admittedly, I did find the story itself a bit dragged out too with no real action until the end.

However, that’s just my word. I’ve read many reviews on Goodreads where the person really enjoyed The House That Fell From the Sky. So, if haunted houses really are your thing, I’d recommend heading over there first rather than taking my little ol’ review at face value.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

This was a really strong debut novel however I think the editing let the book down. At 500 plus pages there really was a lot of book to get through! The main characters should have been younger too, they certainly didn't act almost 30. That being said the story while they were in the house was pretty much what I hoped it would be - weird things happening, circular loops of the crazy house etc. I would like to read more by this author as I did enjoy his debut novel.

I am a big horror fan though I’ve never really branched into horror books. I am so glad I finally took the plunge.
This book was the first thing I thought about when I woke up, constantly trying to find time to keep reading this book.
Though it had a bit of a slow start I was intrigued. At around 35% it really picked up and there were a few twists and turns along the way.
I highly recommend this book to all horror fans out there.
Given the opportunity would you enter the house that fell from the sky? I know I would.
I found Scarlett’s character very relatable what with being an avid horror fan who never really knew where my place was in the world.
This book was very descriptive and really well written in my opinion.
I can’t wait to see what else Patrick R. Delaney has got in store for us.

I can’t continue reading this one. It’s just not believable to me. These adults trying to act and talk like teenagers. I mean get real.
I really am sorry but for me to enjoy a book it has to be somewhat believable. I read almost half and am giving up.

Thank you NetGalley, PatrickDelaney, OblivionPublishing. This my thoughts little as it is.

2/3 stars and please don’t waste your time. It’s just not that good. At least to me it’s not.

Let me begin this review by highlighting these characters should not be in their late 20's - it just doesn't work! They all sound like late teens which, for me, detracted from the story. Right, now that's out of the way, the novel itself sounds like a horror fans dream - mysterious house falls from the sky. However, it then moves in an odd direction with a 'sinister' organisation offering a cash prize to stay overnight in this house - a plot point which takes a long time to come. This novel is 500 pages long and, being honest, I felt that - the dialogue was long-winded, the main character frustrating especially when other characters felt more suited to the main, and the awkward dialogue for their supposed ages really threw me off. I did enjoy the house horror and this review is worth a star for this aspect alone. The issue I guess is it takes too long to build the journey and then feels like it doesn't go anywhere. Interested to read another novel by the author so long as the characters ages fit their tone!

Once again, I feel like a failure writing this. After giving the first part of this book a try, a whopping 147 pages, I just can't keep going.

The book just cannot suspend my disbelief. Our main characters are meant to be in their late twenties. They consistently speak and act like they're eighteen both in the present day and in their flashbacks. How? How does the passage of time not affect their characterization?

The worst part is that I feel this way about so many of the characters. Dale, Scarlett's father, reads like a stereotype. Jackson's perfectionist cop Dad? Stereotype. There's even an old grumpy diner owner. It's just so corny. The marketing around this book hyped its unique take on a haunted house so much that I really expected more.

Patrick R. Delaney has written a story with a huge concept and some more regular ones we all know, grief, friendships and the choices we make.

Scarlett Vantassel has a fantastic horror YouTube channel which she has taken a break from in an attempt to reconnect with the people she once loved. Its not long before a creepy house appears in her town of Winterview, bring unease and mystery. Pulled to this house by her friend Hannah, Scarlett must face horrors unimaginable.

It really warmed me to read of these characters friendships and bond. It is very clear that the main group of Scarletts friends are the real deal. The type of friends who really have your back. It annoys me and causes tension when one becomes unreasonable, but perfectly understandable as the experience grief. The character development really shows towards the end of the book.

What an unique plot. I felt that some description parts went on too long but I also felt that the author had such a great vision and understanding of this story that it needed to be in there to make sense. I really enjoyed the suspense of, how is this going to end? Why is the house there? When a book makes you question these things you generally don't give up on it and this kept my interest dispute the long descriptions.

I gave this 3 stars on Goodreads. Only because of the heavy description that did not suit me as a reader but it does not mean it won't suit someone else! If you like stranger things, this will be right up your alley. If you enjoy big descriptions that really set the horror and bizarre experiences these characters have, add it to your want to read list and sink your teeth in.

Thank you to Net Galley and Oblivion publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

I enjoyed this book. The characters were well likeable and the pace was spot on. The spooky vibe is what kept me reading. You know when you are watching a horror movie and it is the music or sound that puts you on edge? That noise makes it hard to turn away and that is what it felt like reading this book.

Ultimately, I felt like the ending was missing something. I've taken some time to put my finger on this feeling and I'm not sure I wanted a different ending but I do feel a little dissatisfied. I would still recommend this book though because it was a great journey!

Reading this book felt like a rollercoaster. But a long one. Is that good or bad? Depends on if you like rollercoasters! I do. It starts off strong. Scarlett is feeling pretty down. Her entire life is changing and she doesn't know where to go next. Back living with her father and working a dead end job. While thinking of filming her final vlog something huge happens. A loud noise, loss of power, weird lights, and then there is a giant house that seems to have just fallen from the sky. Sounds intriguing. You know they are getting into that house, right?

So, part of the lull was the time it took to get back to the house. At first it is all action, the army and some shady private security company descend on the town. Then....nothing. We do get to know more about the relationships between the four main characters (her dad just kind of disappears after being pretty cool in the beginning.) But this is where I put it down a lot in favor of other things. It's not that it isn't interesting and that there isn't a lot to learn about the characters, Scarlett's brother, his girlfriend, her best friend...but sometimes they just talked about stuff instead of showing us things and letting us experience it. Because of that, I don't think I ever really liked any of the characters that much.

Don't worry, though, it picks up again about halfway through.

The House. This house reminded me of House of Leaves without having to turn the book every direction to read it. It becomes a psychological thriller. You don't know what is real and what is just the house messing with you. That's the fun part. Everything is not tied up for you in a neat little bow, but it shouldn't be in a story like this. If you like haunted houses and narratives that mess with your mind, this is for you. It was for me.

I have been trying to finish this book since the beginning of August. That should have told me something right there. I finally just gave up and DNFed it at 30 percent. I was hoping for a really cool haunted house mystery a la [book:Hell House|33547] or [book:The Haunting of Hill House|89717] and that's not this book at all. I think the idea of a house falling from the sky was a good one, but the overall execution fell flat. I just didn't care enough to continue.

"The House that Fell from the Sky" follows Scarlett Vantassel. Scarlett is feeling restless with her life when one day in October a house falls from the sky. Of course the media and others wonder about the mysterious house (yeah if COVID taught me anything, it has taught me that humans are not as smart as we should be about things like this) and people are intrigued and want to know about the house. Scarlett's friend Hannah becomes obsessed with the house and when a private company buys the house (do not ask) they decide to do a lottery for people who will receive a large cash reward if they enter the house. Honestly this is some everyone is a moron book. Who would agree to do this? Not I says the woman who freaked out when she thought she heard her closet door opening by itself the other night.

I think the thing that just took me out of the book is that anyone would be all cool mysterious house that fell from the sky. It's up there with the people who keep finding unopened Egyptian tombs and wanting to go in. Maybe just leave things alone.

The development of Scarlett, Hannah, and Scarlett's brother and another friend was meh. I think what gets me the most is that I think Scarlett is 29 or 30 and she acts like a teen. I don't know if this book would have worked better if Delaney had aged down the character or what. I can't see adults being this reckless, but then again, COVID.

The writing was okay, I just got bored and DNFed at 30 percent. This book is over 500 pages and at that point it felt like nothing was happening and I refused to keep pushing myself to read and finish this book when it was obviously not working for me.

This one is really hard to rate. I didn't like the book until 75% into it. By then I had a bad attitude about it and just wanted it done and over with. I felt so confused on what was going on and why. it went back and forth in time. One section was dated which had me very confused. There were so many architectural terms and descriptions that I really didn't care for. It was a well described house. I was much more interested in the story of what was going on then that vivid of a description. The last 25% I was glued to my book though to see what the outcome was, so there was some redeeming there. It could have been a much shorter book than 573 pages. It took me forever to get through this because I just wasn't intrigued until the 75% mark. Thank you NetGalley for the copy of this book.

As the summary announced, a house mysteriously appeared out of nowhere and landed right in the city center.

If at the start, the only mystery lies in the origin of its appearance, an atmosphere of horror gradually settles while the first intrusions are made in the house, resulting in death and cases of sudden insanity.

I was initially embarrassed by the behavior of the heroes. They're supposed to be in their late twenties but quite honestly seemed to be barely half that age.

This house is a huge mystery. Initially, we try to understand the reason for its sudden appearance. Haloed with a frightening aura, all those who approach it feel something happening within them. A diffuse feeling. A dark feeling. Many feelings that cannot be explained but that leave a lasting impression. Anyone in their right mind would avoid this house.

Except Scarlett and her friends. This is exactly where the real age of heroes bothers me because I think any adult would exercise caution.

The action captivated me but at the same time, I felt like I was emerging from a huge fog. I felt like I didn't understand everything and at the same time, like I saw clearly in this story. This story arouses all possible emotions and their opposite and I think it is intended. The message we get from it is that we must reach the bottom of the abyss to finally find the way to the light.

The end of the story is bittersweet. Some elements leave us with a smile but others are sad to cry. It's incredible!

What I will say about The house that fell from the sky is that it's more than just a simple horror story. It is also an initiatory journey that we would never have guessed. A story about the importance of not losing yourself and staying loyal to the people you love.

I was so excited to read this book, as it featured many elements I often enjoy in my horror fiction: spooky houses, inexplicable events, and a troubled cast of characters haunted by their personal demons.

Sadly, this book fell flat for me. I didn't look forward to reading it, and I wasn't engaged. Usually, I cannot put down horror fiction and read them within a couple of days.

This missed the mark for me in all aspects.

DNF. The pace was to slow for me and it couldn’t hold my interest. I was given an advance copy by #netgalley in trade for an honest review.

Thanks, @netgalley and Oblivion Publishing for the ARC.

Publisher: Oblivion Publishing
Publish Date: September 1, 2020
Genre: Horror
Ratings: 3.5 stars

Synopsis from Google:
When twenty-nine-year-old Scarlett Vantassel comes to the conclusion that her life doesn't resemble any of the things she actually wanted for herself, she drops out of school and moves back home, attempting to reconnect with the people she left behind

My Thought:
Personally I think it didn’t have to be that long. The characters here are really good, I really liked that. It’s kinda hard to get into the book, at first, it’s a bit slow. The opening with the house arriving was good. Maybe if certain parts had been condensed a bit, it would've kept the pace and tenseness at a higher level.

I liked the relationship between the characters. One mention is that I really wish we'd gotten into the house a little bit sooner than we do because I read a couple of hundred pages and kept wondering if it was around the corner. Rather than build tension for me, this sort of just started making me want to rush past the stuff that didn't really seem to have anything to do with the actual plot. Mentions of character's appearances were a bit repetitive, and I could've done without certain bits that felt a little more like trimmable bulk than necessary weight.