This book was a quick read; I think it would have worked better as a short story or novella. There was some extraneous material that I think could have been cut, but was necessary to have it a full-length novel. The story is unique, and a little fantastical (yes, a house underwater).

The book isn't is captivating as Bird Box, and I don't really see this one playing out (at least in its current form) as a full length movie. If you're looking for an easy read with a unique plot line, though, this book will do it.

Character-wise, I really didn't feel any connection to the two main characters. At first, they seemed like teenage adventurers, by the second half of the book they've become lovers, so their identity feels a little inconsistent. The mystery of the house looms much larger over the characters' stories. Maybe that is why it doesn't compare to Bird Box, I was genuinely interested in what was going to happen to those characters. In this book, my thoughts were, well just go tell someone what you've seen. I mean, you don't think these people would be posting this on social media in this day in age?

I'm not one to spoil endings, but I will say that it didn't exactly go the way I was thinking, which it not a bad thing. I think good thrillers are unpredictable.

Overall, a good read for some entertainment. Don't expect it to linger with you or be profound in its themes, but you will get something unique.

A House at the Bottom of the Lake, by Josh Malerman, will have you gripping the pages through the creepy, haunting, and twisted story of beauty and terror. Josh Malerman does a superb job creating a story with the highest level of spookiness and chills! Although a story of two teenagers searching through a house at the bottom of a lake is an unexpected and unusual setting, Josh Malerman demonstrates his expertise at creating the perfect mood by making everything feel so realistic in the most unusual of places. You cannot read The House at the Bottom of the Lake without feeling like you are living within the dark, twisted, bone chilling, and mysterious hideaway. A House at the Bottom of the Lake is more that just a phenomenal book...it’s an unsettling literary experience that will keep you hanging onto every word! Josh Malerman has a powerful strength and extraordinary gifted talent of taking the worst possible real life fears and turning them into twisted realities that you are living, and not just reading about. His characters are young and innocent, so the dark, scary, and twisty environment escalates the intrigue and horror. His portrayal of the environment and experiences the two seventeen year olds shared will draw you in and are sure to give you spine tingling shivers page by page. The House on the Lake is an unputdownable book of young love and old haunts. A must read 5 star book that will stick with you, pull you in, and make it impossible to escape without finishing the book!
Amelia and James agree to go on a special and unique first date and stumble upon a lake that no one has ever talked about. The secrecy and mystery of their discovery compels them to continue exploring. Their attraction to one another and the lake is irresistible. Their magical discovery is haunting, but they can’t seem to leave and both agree to keep their hideaway a secret. The house is beautiful, eerie, and terrifying. They are fascinated with the otherworldly and addicting appeal of such a magnificent hidden house. As their intrigue of the house increases, their relationship also grows. Filled with high paced tension, rushed adrenaline, insurmountable intensity and the enthralling fears of horrific foreboding, readers hooked from the very beginning. It is a thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat, and remind you of what it feels like to be scared of the dark. It is such an unnerving and pulse pounding plot in an environment where you’ll lose all sense of direction and reality, and get lost in the deepest fears of what can only be found in an underwater trap. The ending is interesting and questionable, although I think Malerman did a brilliant job of leaving the reader with as many questions as answers.
Thank you Josh Malerman, Random House Publishing Group -Ballantine, and Netgalley for allowing me the privilege of reading The House at the Bottom of the Lake. My feedback is voluntary and expresses my honest opinions.

I’m just...really confused. I have no idea what any of this was supposed to mean. Why does this exist? What is the point of this story? The ending was absolutly disappointing. I hated it. Actually I hated almost everything about this which is sad because I thought I would love it.

The characters are dull and childish and annoyed me because they just seemed...well to be honest they seemed really unintelligent. Their conversations were weird and not realistic. There wasn’t really a point to anything.

The only thing I did like was some of the underwater house exploration parts. That’s the only reason I gave two stars. But for someone who loves spooky things AND underwater involvement I think this is one of the worst things I’ve ever finished lmao. And really I only did so to catch up with my reading goals. 😬

This book really left me wanting more, and knowing that there is not a sequel which will give me answers is actually quite annoying. I loved the imagery that Josh created in my mind with his colorful descriptions and scenic atmosphere. What I didn't love was the abrupt and unfulfilling ending, and the odd choice to do an underwater sex scene. Wish I had more answers after reading this.

After agreeing to a first date of a canoe trip, Amelia rows with James to a third lake that no one in town has ever mentioned. What follows from there can only be described as a fascinating, magical adventure that the two must hide from others to keep their secret. I found this book to be haunting as well as atmospheric in the sense that it had to be a dream. Yet, to James and Amelia, it became an obsession. I am not sure how or if I would have explored this house underwater. Once inside the house, how spooky to view this house in a way that it seemed as thought a fully functioning house was dropped in the water. There times I thought the house was benevolent but other times the house was quite scary. Even the ending was left to the reader to decide what happened.

After reading and loving Bird Box, I knew I had to read more from the author. I can’t explain how uncomfortable and claustrophobic this book made me as I read it, but in a good way.

It’s a simple story about 2 17 year olds who go on a first day and find a house at the bottom of a lake. What’s not so simple is how finding that house helped form their relationship and change their lives. It definitely had a very open ended ending so if that is not your thing then you won’t like this book, but I love finishing a book and wonder what I just read!

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book. I absolutely loved it and I know it will be with me for a very long time.

James and Amelia are two seventeen year old kids, awkwardly embarking on their first date, while canoeing on this date - they end up finding something unbelievable, an entire house at the bottom of a lake. This house becomes their sacred space, something that just the two of them know about. However, they might not be as alone as they think they are.

I flew through this book way faster that I planned too, but the way Malerman converts the excitement, and fear of the main characters it was too good to put down, I couldn’t not push on to find out what would happen next.

The dialogue, the questionable choices, the awkwardness, and the thought processes of James and Amelia feel very real, very much the way two seventeen year olds going on their first date, and then finding this amazing house would act, speak and think. 
While the characters themselves aren’t complex, I don’t know much about James or Amelia other than where they work and that they’re in love with each other - but it doesn’t matter because the story isn’t about them. It’s about their experience together, finding the house, exploring the house, and honestly I love that. I love that there wasn’t a ton of filler characters or filler scenes that had nothing to do with the actual story. It keeps the story fast flowing and exciting.

I was enthralled by this story from the very beginning. Malerman writes in a way that feels natural, without being overly wordy or dramatic the way that some horror/thriller authors seem to be. Nothing feels forced, or like I am being told that I should feel afraid, I actually felt concern, and fear for the characters.

I loved this book, and I can definitely see myself returning to read it again and again.

I really enjoyed this quick read, it was such an interesting idea. I wanted more when it ended! I enjoyed the characters, the setting, and of course, the house.

First of all, I'm not really sure why a large consensus of people have decided that this isn't horror. It absolutely read to me like a horror book, albeit one that's more oriented to young adults. Horror encompasses so many different elements and other genres, with the main element being that it unnerves or frightens you in some way- sometimes horror only disquiets you. Horror isn't always mind-numbingly terrifying or gory.

That being said, I did enjoy the eerier aspects of this story, and found the main idea of it intriguing. This is a book I've wanted to read for some time now, purely because the idea of it caught hold of me and apparently never let go. However, while I did enjoy this novella in general, I do feel unsatisfied with the ending and overall story. I'm not opposed to vague endings, ones that leave a lot of questions and give little answers; I'm not even against abrupt endings if they're executed properly.

However, this just felt... incomplete. I feel like I missed something, some major and overarching message of the story that I just can't put my finger on. The ending and the story itself seem very metaphorical, but in a way that I can't even begin to guess at or figure out.

In general, it's an interesting idea and I would say it's at least worth a read. Definitely kept my interest throughout. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free copy in exchange for an honest review!

This book kept me reading although I would have loved more explanation. But that's just me as a reader. I think the mystery of it will work for a lot of readers.

Two teens on a first date stumble on something that by many accounts shouldn't exist. A fully furnished, in good condition, house at the bottom of a lake.

This book does and amazing job and creating a truly tense and anxious atmosphere. I felt uncomfortable the entire time reading this it was so well described. I felt the pressure of the water and the creeping darkness. I was really unnerved.

I also kind of like the ambiguous ending but can understand how that can be a hit or a miss with some people.

However, I wasn't this biggest fan of this short book. I don't really feel like the characters were that developed and even though the characters themselves promise to not as how or why... I don't get why. I'm not sure I get the purpose of the house... or the story really.

Thank you NetGalley for the review copy

Interesting premise!
Definitely not what I had initially expected, which is always welcome!
Metaphorically, I understand this is all about young love, first love. I also felt like a lot could have been linked to addiction. Whether that be love/familiarity/drugs etc.

A little surrealism, a little horror, all together excellent. Malerman is a master of his craft. I enjoyed this story immensely.... though I'm not sure I really understood the ending.

I loved Bird Box so much I got everyone from my friends to my therapist to read it. I also assumed Malerman's other books would be five-star reads. Not the case. If A House at the Bottom of the Lake wasn't such a short novella, I would have thrown it on the DNF pile and called it a day.

Here's the thing: this is a re-release. The book was originally published by a small press in 2016 and is being republished by Random House in 2021. For that reason, I was baffled that they hadn't already edited out the poor transitions, the head hopping, and all of the other novice mistakes that didn't seem like they would fly with a top five publishing house. That said, my copy is an ARC, so there's a good chance the final version that hits the shelf in 2021 won't be so rough around the edges.

While this is marketed as horror, it's really a story that explores what happens when two people fall in love. My biggest issue with the story is that I wasn't convinced there was any chemistry between the two main characters at all. The dialogue fell flat and too much of the story relied on internal monologues.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an e-ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Thank you @netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. ⁣⁣⠀
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This was an eerily odd book. It gives you that weird disturbing vibe, that something just isn’t right. It has hints of scary moments and moments that are just perplexing. ⁣⁣⠀
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Two teens on a date, find a house at the bottom of a lake. Intrigued by the discovery, they decide to explore it. Using scuba gear, they investigate and they find the house in pristine condition. There is no water damage as one would expect, and objects are not floating around. Kitchenware, books, tables are all in a position as if this house was in a normal neighborhood, and not underwater. ⁣⁣⠀
How this could be is a mystery. ⁣⁣⠀
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The teens spend most of their time together, falling in love, and hanging out on the lake exploring the mysteries of the house under. Intrigue quickly turns into obsession, for both of them. ⁣⁣⠀
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Even as some scary things begin to happen in the house, and away from it, the couple can’t help but come back. ⁣⁣⠀
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This is a short book, only about 200 pages. I’m not sure if it’s a novella or perhaps a longer short story. It’s a quick read that leaves you wondering what just happened.⁣⁣⠀
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The end was interesting. I’m not exactly sure what it was meant to convey. I’m still trying to figure it out. ⁣⁣⠀
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Overall, it was a quick creepy read with a lot left open to interpretation. It was my mysterious enough that I’m ok with it not having a conclusive ending. ⁣⁣⠀
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This would be a great book to read and discuss. ⁣⁣⠀
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Ummm...I don’t really know what to say. I found myself rereading at different parts of the story because I thought I missed something.
Two teenagers falling in love for the first time. A summer romance that takes place on a lake. Amelia and James are on a date paddling in the water when they look down and see a roof and then upon further inspection a house at the bottom of a lake! It consumes them and they don’t know if the love they feel is for each other or for this secret house that they are exploring. and without this adventure, who are they?
It was a short book and left way too much unanswered throughout and at the end. That being said, if you enjoy drawing your own conclusions about different scenes in a book, then go for it.
Thank you netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This was a creepy, quick read. I was pulled in from the beginning, but I was left wanting to know more.

An earlier work by Malerman, and really more of a novella. The story is magical and spooky with a great setting — only wish there was more.

"It was true then; they'd both seen it. A house. Submerged. A rooftop beneath the surface. And yet, it was so dark down there..."

Man oh man, what did I just read?! This novella is very difficult to review, let me tell you. At some places it feels almost like a YA novella, at some places it feels like a horror, but mostly it feels like an eerie romance novella. Originally I would have given this one 3.5 stars but the fact that I keep reminiscing over it combined with the fact that I could not put it down has prompted me to give it 4 stars.

Two teenagers James and Amelia, go canoeing on a lake for their first date in the summer. Both are extremely nervous and excited. They discover a hidden lake off a set of lakes they are canoeing on and decide to check it out. It is perfect. Serene, quaint, beautiful and it is all theirs. The perfect spot for young love. They discover a secret that changes everything, a house below the lake. An entire house just sitting beneath them underwater. Naturally they want to explore it and learn more. However, the more they explore the more it feels as if they are being watched.

This novella kept me engaged the whole way through. It is very reminiscent of a Stephen King or Joe Hill novella. I kept wanting to explore this mysterious house with James and Amelia and learn its secrets with them. The eeriness and uncertainty of what was down there kept me flying through the pages waiting for something spooky to happen.

I'm having a hard time determining who the intended audience should be. If you are looking for something different and light, this is for you. I cannot say that it is a YA romance and I cannot say that it is a horror, but perhaps it is some odd hybrid of the two. I have been a huge fan of Josh Malerman for some time now. Birdbox, Inspection and Unbury Carol are all amazing novels in their own right and something very unique to themselves. The same goes for A House at the Bottom of a Lake. It is very unique, in itself and among his other works. I will definitely be pondering over this one for some time. Over the subject, the mystery of the house, and that ending...

3.5/5

James and Amelia, both seventeen years old, meet at James' father's hardware store. James has seen Amelia before and finally works up the courage to ask her on a date. The two decide to go canoeing on his uncle's lake - a private spot that overlooks the mountains.

On their date, they venture to an adjacent lake and realize that if they can maneuver the canoe through a large pipe, a third lake may be on the other end. Risking getting stuck and damaging the canoe, the teens go for it and after some struggle, end up in a third, even more secluded lake.

At first, the third lake seems unimpressive compared to the others. It has an old smell, like something unused and the views aren't nearly as spectacular. However, as they paddle around, they soon realize there is a house under the water. It has been completely submerged though there are no other signs of life or residences nearby. Intrigued, James and Amelia decide to explore further, jumping in and venturing as far as their lungs will allow. It becomes readily apparent that they'll need scuba gear in order to explore more, and when Amelia realizes that the house is fully furnished, the teens decide to do whatever it takes to get back to their underwater house.

As the teens spend more and more time at the lake and beneath the water exploring the house, their attitudes start to change as if a magnetic pull is keeping them by the water. They start spending nights on a hand built raft and feel an ache whenever they have to leave. But something dark seems to be watching them as well. It's unclear if the house has some darker force within it and because the teens vowed not to ask 'how' or 'why', they may never know how the house ended up beneath the lake or why it seems to have mysterious powers.

This was an incredibly intriguing novella. I was hooked from the first page and basically read it in a single sitting. However, it left me wanting more. There was a lot of suspense but I'm not really sure what it built up to. I'm also not entirely sure I understand what happened - but maybe that's the point?

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this novella.