This one wasn't for me in the end. I like that the premise starts strong, but then kind of tapers off. The serial killer father's storyline loses relevance and kind of makes no sense in the end. I had forgotten several things that were supposed to be of importance. I love the cover though

I was drawn to this book by the gorgeous cover and a promise of a spooky, haunted house story. Unfortunately, I didn't really care for the plot or the characters. Vera is summoned back to her old house by her mom, who lives there alone. Vera's dad just happened to be a serial killer but he's gone now. What's in the basement? Creepy things happen and Vera quickly regrets coming home. I thought I would really like this but I just cannot figure out why I didn't like it at all. Perhaps its just the writing style I didn't enjoy. And for a horror book, there just weren't enough scares for me.

The premise starts strong, but the action falls slightly flat in the middle. In personifying the house, the serial killer father's storyline loses structure and begins to blend in the background. It loses its relevance until the end. However, I had almost forgotten about being scared of Dad by then.

This books has many layers, all of them creepy. I found the critique of true crime fanatics from the perspective of the child of a convicted serial killer to be fascinating.

Woof. This has been a real hit or miss for folks, like most Sarah Gailey is. I didn't hate this one as much as other did, but it also isn't my favorite Gailey I've read by any means. While there were the bones of a good story for me, I struggled with the pacing and understanding exactly why characters chose to do the things they did. A bit of a miss, but I will continue to pick up more from Gailey in the future.

This book covered creepy house, sick parents, a mysterious dark presence...check check check! Vera comes home after years to help her ailing mother and has to also deal with an artist who's moved in and is using her mother. Things start to unravel at the house when unexplained things start happening.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy of this title in exchange for honest feedback. Sarah Gailey once again has an incisive take on abusive relationships told through a horror lens

Stars: 2.5 out of 5.

The blurb for this book is what drew me in, and for the first 50% of the book I was a happy camper joyfully following the story and getting creeped out by the excellent descriptions... Then the book started to drag. The descriptions were still excellent, but there was no "meat" to them. There are episodes that didn't bring anything to the story but took up extra pages, like when Vera drives several towns over to go to a bar... only to leave because the bartender is too chatty. That added nothing to the overall story or Vera's character that we didn't' already know. And of course the ending was a total miss for me. I expected a twist, but what the author choose for a twist simply didn't work and made no sense, at least for me.

So this leaves me with a sense of frustration and disappointment. I was ready to love this book to pieces and give it my first 5 stars of 2024... then I was so mad I almost 1-stared it. But upon reflection and some cooling down, I will give it 2.5 stars for the excellent first half.

I think the biggest problem is that there are no good people in this story. Vera is an awful person. The more you read about her, the less you want to spend time with her. I mean it's one thing to have mixed feelings about how you should feel about your father. On one hand, he is a serial killer that literally tortured and murdered people in the basement of his house. On the other hand, he is still your dad, and he loved you when your mother really didn't. So I understand why Vera still loves him and clings to her memories of him, and why she feels guilty about it.

But as the book progresses and you discover more and more of Vera's past, things turn very creepy and plain wrong. Just reading about her childhood and her reactions to what her father did made me feel dirty on the inside. Not a feeling I particularly enjoy, thank you very much. Also, not a character I want to root for. And I cared less and less for Vera the more the book progressed, so I quickly lost interest.

All the other characters are just as awful and honestly got everything they deserved, but also, not interesting to follow along with. So this left me with a protagonist I ended up hating and a story I grew more and more disinterested in. So this was a miss for me.

PS: I received an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I always appreciate Gailey's writing style and narrative - it requires thought and introspection to see their metaphors and analogies and draw conclusions based on what is happening in reality. The setting of this book was definitely a great choice - who doesn't love a creepy 'haunted' house with ties to familial trauma.

I didn’t personally care for this book, but I know a lot of other people seemed to go bananas for it. I think this means it just wasn’t for me. I found it to be a bit rambling. The mystery behind what happened to the protagonist and her family and the past was intriguing. The ending didn’t land for me.

This book is captivating and twisted at the same time. As I delve into this review, I want to give you a sense of the experience of reading it without revealing too much, which is why I’ll offer you some hints in the form of other works that have a similar vibe. You might get a lot from the plot though, so consider this to be your “SPOILER” sign;

This work is an exhilarating blend of ‘Bunny’ by Mona Awad, ‘The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires’ by Grady Hendrix, elements reminiscent of Monster House, and a uniquely twisted take on Encanto. Within its pages lies a thrilling concoction of mystery and suspense that kept me engrossed, leaving me unsure of its direction but thoroughly captivated throughout. The narrative flowed smoothly, making it an effortless yet intriguing read. The characters were compelling, adding depth to the storyline. If any of the aforementioned works resonate with your tastes, I wholeheartedly recommend diving into this gripping tale.

Although I generally enjoyed the author's use of metaphor and simile to create vivid imagery of dark, disturbing, creepy things…. the writing is a little too thick with metaphors, and the writing was overly redundant.

Coming home isn't easy when your home is the location of a former serial killer... who was your father. This is where he buried the bodies. *insert goosebumps here*

Vera is struggling with returning home, which is quite literally the scene of the crime(s). To make matters worse, there are creepy notes being left around the house, in her father's handwriting. Her money is on the mysterious new renter they have living in their back guesthouse, but he swears it's not him.

There are so many secrets buried deep within this house, and Vera will discover them all, if it's the last thing she does. *dun dun dun*

I loved this book, and read it during Halloween last year! It was perfect for spooky season, and lowkey gave me nightmares (which is kind of a good thing... or at least a testament to how truly creepy it is)

5/5 Stars.

*Gifted by Netgalley & Tor Books, thank you! All opinions are my own.

This started slow, but I think that was necessary to set the eerie tone. I loved this one up until the end. I wish it had gone in a more serial killer-esque route, but that's just me. I think this will be a great read for the spooky season.

Fast paced thriller, full of suspense and intrigue. I enjoyed reading this one, it did remind me of some other books I’d read but none the less a good read

The first half of this book for me was absolutely fantastic. We follow our main character, Vera, who is going back to her family home for the first time in years as her mother is passing away. You learn very early on that Vera's father was actually a serial killer, and killed his victims in that house. Vera clearly finds it difficult to deal with the fact that this was the case, while still having fond, loving memories of her father. She begins to go through things in the house to clear it out, but comes across things that take her back to these memories.

We also follow Vera as a child, around the age of 11 or 12, before she finds out her father is a serial killer, as well as after the fact. I found these parts fascinating, especially how the father reacted in certain scenarios, being such a loving father in one instance, and a ruthless killer in the next. I thought that was extremely well done.

Unfortunately, the book took a turn that I didn't particularly enjoy. It is such a shame because I went from absolutely loving it to finding it just okay. This is the first book I've picked up by Gailey, but I'd definitely give her books another go as I enjoyed the writing.

Cover is obviously one of the most beautiful covers out there right now. This story held my attention and I was incredibly invested the whole time. The writing was beautiful and oddly detached, which worked for the personality of the MC. The ending of this book will be make or break for readers. The ending wasn't for me, but didn't ruin it either.

I love Sarah Gailey. Their unique perspective on the world makes every story something completely different than any book you can read from anyone else. This book is full of atmospheric unsettling horror, with a quietly unlikable narrator and creeping dread.
Overall, the story was on the far side of bleak for my personal taste, but I would recommend it to readers who are more inclined toward grim reads. Perfect for fans of literary horror.

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me advance access to this title. I really enjoyed reading this story and look forward to reading more from this author. As a reader, I am really motivated by character driven stories and I found myself quickly becoming immersed in these characters’ lives. Full review to come.

This book had a good atmosphere and creepy elements. It did feel like just the run of the mill haunted house story. Not fantastic but not terrible. I’ll add it to my shelf🤣