What a sinister, creepy, perplexing read that held a sense of dread and foreboding that kept me coming back for 'just one more chapter.' I will admit that I almost put this book down when there was early dialogue about supernatural events, as that is not a genre that I typically enjoy. But I continued to read and detected clues that had me guessing if something criminal or supernatural was at work, and I had revolving theories of who was involved! I am so glad that I continued reading and experienced the many twists and turns, and the astounding conclusion.

The story is written in two alternating timelines following the perspective of two mothers who go to extreme lengths to protect their children. Alex runs from an abusive relationship and arrives in Pine Ridge, an eco, off-the-grid village, with her teenage son and baby girl. Dark and disturbing events begin to occur within her family from the moment of their arrival to the village, that include an eerie local legend about a witch who steals children. Renee lived in the farmhouse on the hill six years before until her teenage son mysteriously disappeared. History begins to repeat itself as the author masterfully weaves the timelines together.

I highly recommend this book. Grab a cup of tea, find a cozy spot for reading, and leave the lights on!

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books, and Anna Downs for the Advanced E-reader copy. I am writing this review voluntarily.

A single mother arrives at an eco village with her her teenaged son and infant daughter, hoping to build a new life. Things aren't looking good right off the bat when she discovers a dead bird in a cardboard box at the front door of their new home. Thus begins a convoluted tale about grief, loss, and coping. Told from two perspectives, this will keep readers guessing.

This book was a page turner from beginning to end. Very captivating with amazing character development. A woman in the woods and a unexplained history. And then, unexpected accidents and unexplained sadistic gifts. What is going on. Who can she trust? And is her family safe? In a neighborhood so perfect on her outside - it is sure ugly and full of secrets when you start to get down to it on the inside. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I had zero expectations going into this one and I vaguley remembered the synopsis. I'm so glad I decided to just jump in not knowing a whole lot about the author or the storyline because this was such a fun surprise!

It truly was a really good read and I'm a bit puzzled by some of the lower reviews for it. This had a great premises and a wonderful back drop. I had so much fun reading and while some things were predictable others definitely weren't.

A fun engaging read that I think more like me, fans of both mysteries and thrillers, will really enjoy.


*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

I remember enjoying Anna Downes first novel so I was pretty stoked to get my hands on this one. I didn’t realize just how much time would be spent talking about kids and parenting with very little actual plot to keep me entertained. I ended up skipping the middle of this entirely just because I was bored and annoyed, and I don’t feel like I missed much at all. This one’s not for me.

Review of Uncorrected Digital Galley

Fleeing an abusive relationship, Alexandra Ives, leaves Sydney with her son, Oliver, and baby daughter, Kara. They settle in Pine Ridge, a rural ecovillage built on what once was farmland. Peaceful and welcoming [for the most part], Alex tries to settle in, but fourteen-year-old Ollie hadn’t wanted to move and eight-month-old Kara seems to fuss most of the time.

However, Alex is on edge because of a series of unsettling events. Soon it becomes apparent that there is danger in Pine Ridge and she must find a way to keep her children safe.

Is Stuart behind the upsetting events in Pine Ridge or is there something malevolent in the village?

=========

Told in two timelines, this dark, unsettling tale focuses on Renee and Michael Kellerman and their son, Gabriel, in the past, Alex, Ollie, and Kara in the present. Both women find themselves in difficult situations; but when Renee’s son, Gabriel, goes missing, her world falls apart. In the present story, Alex fears for Ollie’s safety and she swiftly takes action when the unthinkable occurs. Despite her sleep deprivation [Kara is teething], Alex puts the welfare of the children first and does all she can to make their transition to the [somewhat cultish-feeling] ecovillage as easy as possible, especially for Ollie.

With well-drawn characters, a strong sense of place, and an ultra-creepy plot that twists with unexpected revelations, readers will find it difficult to set this one aside before turning the final page. The narrative alternates between the events of the past with Renee and Gabriel that reveal the backstory; in the present, the story focuses on Alex’s family. But the connection between the two women remains elusive until an unexpected reveal late in the compelling story that changes everything readers think they know.

There’s an underlying sense of dread that permeates the telling of the tale; the danger is real, the suspense is palpable, and the [slightly disappointing] denouement is sure to be a surprise.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books and NetGalley
#TheShadowHouse #NetGalley

This is a very creepy and atmospheric thriller. I enjoyed the setting and the local legends tied to the community. The writing was descriptive and inspiring.

I received this book as an ARC and this is my review. I loved this book! It exceeds the creep factor and is filled with flawed characters. The story is interesting and leaves the reader guessing and the twists and turns make the reader gasp and shudder. It is set in Australia and that adds to the overall impression of wild and untamed incidents. I totally recommend this book to any reader who enjoys a good, creepy adventure.

The Shadow house by Anna Downs is definitely a page turner. I was immediately sucked into the atmosphere of pine ridge. Alex , a single mother of two moves into a eco village called Pine Ridge after escaping a abusive relationship. She struggles with her infant Kara and her teenage son Ollie, who isn’t very happy with the move.

The alternative storyline shows us the story of Renee , whose son Gabe was taken away by the witch according to the local legend.

Few days into the move , pine ridge doesn’t seem like the peaceful village like it seems on the surface. Creepy things start happening.First the bones , then the doll and the blood.. After that , the witch will take your kid away. Everything from the local legend starts happening and Alex should do everything to protect her son.

I loved the atmosphere in this one. Anna, has done an exceptional job in building up the creepy atmosphere around pine ridge. I personally could not put the book down. The story was well paced and the characters were well written and I was able to connect with them. There are lot of red herrings throughout the novel that kept me guessing.

So why 3ish stars ? It’s the ending. I felt , for the amount of tension the book built up , the ending felt so simple. That’s it ? Was how I felt.

I’ll definitely check out her other books.

Wowza, another perfect hit from Anna Downes! Such a fun writing style, with deliciously dark characters! Kept me on the edge of my seat throughout, with plenty of twist turns, chills, thrills, and shocks! A must read for Fans of Downes first book, as this one might even be better! Plan on an unputdownable, fast paced, and absolutely intriguing read! Cannot recommend enough!

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy of The Shadow house
Alex, a single mother-of-two, is determined to make a fresh start for her and her children. In an effort to escape her troubled past, she seeks refuge in a rural community. Pine Ridge is idyllic; the surrounding forests are beautiful and the locals welcoming. Mostly.

But Alex finds that she may have disturbed barely hidden secrets in her new home. As a chain of bizarre events is set off, events eerily familiar to those who have lived there for years, Alex realizes that she and her family might be in greater danger than ever before. And that the only way to protect them all is to confront the shadows lurking in Pine Ridge.

ARC given in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! I didn’t know what I was getting into when I started this book! I thoroughly enjoyed all the twists and turns and it’s very rare that I can’t predict what’s coming next but this book had me totally stumped until the very end. I enjoyed how the characters evolved in their environment and all the old folklore about witches in the woods was really entertaining. I would definitely recommend and look forward to reading other books by Anna Downes!

Loved this book! Anna Downes style of writing is so fun to read. The characters were well thought out and the their stories intertwined seamlessly. Loved the original plot of this book and the setting. If you like an eerie read that keeps you guessing till the end you will love this book!

Alex is running from an abusive marriage. She seems to keep choosing relationships that are harmful.
She has come to Pine Ridge to escape and start anew. But her son, hates constantly moving and the baby screams constantly making Alex unhinged. The Pines seems like the perfect place, but now it seems like she and her children may be in danger.

This book pulls you right into Alex’s high-tension plight. This mother of two is doing the best she can, seeking a place of solace, a new rural community to keep her children happy and safe.

At first glance, picturesque Pine Ridge checks all the boxes, an exciting new start for this small family. In the shadows of the forest surrounding Pine Ridge lies a dark history and rumors of a witch who patiently lurks nearby.

The illusion of protection falls away when gruesome gifts begin to arrive, bizarre tokens left on the doorstep by a menace thought to be a rumor. Pine Ridge may not be the refuge Alex originally thought it was.

I really liked the creepy vibe lying just below the surface throughout the story as we decipher what is real and what is idle gossip, to discover hidden truths of this seemingly idyllic community.

I'd like to thank NetGalley and Minotaur Books for an advanced copy of The Shadow House for my unbiased evaluation. 4 stars

The Shadow House is the story of a mother, who has chosen to run away from her problems her entire life, until she gets to Pine Ridge, a closed community. As a person who is used to bad things happening to her, she is not surprised when bad things begin to happen to her at Pine Ridge too. The story is about a mother who has to protect her children and stop whatever curse has been started, which if the curse is fulfilled will end with the disappearance of her son.

The story line and character development was ok. The review I read, said I would be on the edge of my seat with anticipation, I was not. It took me quite a bit of time to read the book, as I just wasn’t anxious to get back to it.

Alex and her 2 children are looking for a fresh start in a rural ecovillage called Pine Ridge. They are expecting their new home to be a very safe place to live. Alex may actually find the peace in her life that she seeks. That is…until the boxes start to arrive. Then Alex is informed about something terrible happening at Pine Ridge years ago. Will her and her children every be safe here?

I enjoyed this story and feel that the author created a creepy feel from beginning to end. The ecovillage concept was really interesting and something a bit different from your typical thriller book. I enjoyed the vivid descriptions of the setting which seemed like a beautiful place. I can highly recommend THE SHADOW HOUSE for thriller and mystery lovers.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for my ARC in exchange for my honest review

This review will be posted to my Instagram Blog (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.

A wonxerful creepy start and an ending that was wo xerful in tying loose ends together. However, the middle seemed lacking. Alex and her son move out of the city to an eco commune and it is there that weird creepy things begin to happen. I wanted to live the book but found myself wanting to finish it quickly.

“You know the story, don’t you? The witch? The one who takes kids? First the bones, then the doll, then the blood. Things arrive, and then she takes you.”

“Something is coming, something monstrous . . .”

“No one there, nothing unusual. Just shadows.”

This was my first book I’ve read by Anna Downes, a new author for me. I want to start off by listing the positives. I really enjoyed the Australian setting; I don’t read a lot of books that take place there and it was fun learning more about it and the lingo. I also thought the beginning captured me with its creepiness and definitely pulled me in. And the last 25% of the book was edge of your seat suspense where all the pieces started locking into place. I found the ending very satisfying and I liked how the alternate views of Alex and Renee all came together nicely.

So why the 3 stars? Although the beginning and ending were so good, it was that middle 50% that I thought really needed some editing. Frankly, a lot of it was boring and didn’t make me want to stop what I was doing and want to devour the book. At times it was a chore. I don’t expect for a book to be 100% suspenseful or edge of your seat, but the middle was just lacking something special. So in the end, I did like the book and thus the 3 stars.

*I received this book free from Netgalley and publisher St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review.

If Oscars were given out for opening chapters of a book, I’d hope Anna Downes would get one for this one. The opening chapter was deliciously creepy and drew me in right away. I instantly wanted to keep going.

Alex is such a broken character. With a teenager (who’s good at being a teenager) and a baby still being breastfed, she’s clearly worn out and looking for something new. Add that she’s running from an abusive relationship and you have a woman so mentally exhausted even the smallest shadows will play on her mind.

Alex’s story is told in the first person point of view (my favorite!) so we’re treated to the internal monologues of a person trying to stay connected with her disengaged teenaged son who clearly needs his mother now more than ever yet still care for a baby whose basic needs seem all consuming. I liked her instantly. I felt her weariness at life over all, her desire to constantly run away and her fierce love for her children.

Renee’s story is told in 3rd person but we are also treated to a kaleidoscope of emotion. I placed Renee at around the same age as Alex. While Alex has a baby to contend with, Renee has two overbearing, interruptive and opinionated parents to deal with. She feels their constant judgment of her as a wife and a mother while standing in the gap between them and her husband and her son, trying to keep the peace.

In the midst of all of this is a creepy force attempting to steal their children and their lives. It disrupts the very fabric of the lives of these two women at the very worst of times. It plays on their minds, steals their peace and leaves both women hopeless.

I really loved how these two stories were written. The events in Alex’s and Renee’s lives are lived perpendicular to each other at first but later in the story, they intersect in a most shocking reveal which I did not see coming.

I loved the ending, how just when you thought it was all over, it really wasn’t. Not until the very end and I have to say, I was so pleased with the ending each character got. It wasn’t unbelievable in any way.

If I have a critique at all, it’s how Renee’s parents were written. They could have been written as the insane, overbearing, judgmental people they were without adding in the Christian element. This is more of a personal remark as we Christians are almost always portrayed as Bible-thumping, unloving, calling Satan down, unreasonable people when most of us are not and most of us would not act like they did with our families. That being said, I will also add that it works well in this story. Go figure.

My recommendation is to read this! It’s not scary but it is creepy and will keep you engaged from the first page to the very last.