Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

When Eve wakes up in a strange bed in a strange house on an island, she has no idea how she got there. As she explores, she finds a cast of strange characters and begins to realize that things just don't add up.

I don't know how to classify this book. I just know that I didn't enjoy it. First, it reads like a melodramatic YA novel. The MC is supposed to be 24, but is written like she's MAYBE 15. It was annoying. On top of that, there was nothing about any of the characters that made them feel real or fleshed out. The house was the most described and well-thought-out character of this book.

That leads me to the plot. This book just doesn't know what it wants to be. The "romance" is superfluous to the overarching plot and feels shoehorned in to add drama. The twists aren't really twists, and I knew almost immediately where the story was going. It just all felt very young, very juvenile, and far too superficial.

Eve Beckett has always loved a good mystery, but never dreamed she would become part of one. She has no memory of how she arrived at Lakeview Manor, on the Island of Esse, and soon realizes it is surrounded by water, and Eve has always been terrified of water. There is no way out. The inn caretakers are odd, the rooms of the Manor teleport and Eve begins seeing apparitions no one else can see.
When her identical twin, Lyn, also suddenly arrives at the Manor, with no idea how she got there, the sisters realize they need to find a way out. Find a way off the island of Esse. Eve has fallen for the caretakers' brother, Nick, though she was warned to avoid him, but it is too late. Nick is not what he seems, the Manor is not what it seems. Will Eve and Lyn ever find a way off this creepy island?
The characters are relatable, easy to become attached to and the flow of the story draws you into this suspenseful Gothic thriller. The pace was great, Some of the conversations were a bit silly, but overall this was a fantastic story and great book.
Recommended.
Thanks to #netgalley for sending this e-book ARC for fair review.
#netgalley #HouseOnTheLeft

Creepy story. Good storyline. Keep me engaged and wanting to know what's next. This is how you tell a creepy tale.

House On The Lake
Holly Hill Mangin
⭐️⭐️⭐️

Pure and simple I completely disliked this book, it was completely confusing and maybe I should re read it but I just couldn’t understand it. Too much going on in it. It just wasn’t intriguing to me at all.

The house on the lake by Holly Hill Mangin was a read I won’t forget….

Eve needs a retreat. One where she can unwind and recuperate. She remembers booking a week at Lakeview manor but how she got there, well that’s a mystery.

The whole manor is an oddity. Set on an island when she is deathly afraid of water? The rooms seem to be mismatched and in a state of disrepair. She seems to be the only visitor until her sister shows up.

The Manor has many secrets and the strange woman only Eve can see, has Eve believing that the island and the habitants there, are more than they first appear. The more Eve learns about how she got to the island and why, the deeper her fear runs….
Firstly I had no idea what the book was about when I started it. I was fascinated right from chapter one. I loved learning about Eve and the mystery of how she ended up on an island, especially when she is fearful of water. She had zero memory of how she got there.
I loved the setting of the manor and descriptions of the island. It was really quite a surreal read. I thought I had it figured out a few times but nope, the ending was a big twisty ball of holy moly!
Each character had depth and intrigue and I found the whole read so gripping that I was sad it was over. I love a good mystery and this one had a nice paranormal undertone that really hit all the high notes for me.
The writing was well done and I definitely would love to see more from this author!

4.5 stars! Seriously… I was pleasantly surprised by this book! Thank you to @netgalley @booksgosocial for my review copy

The House On The Lake was a good read, with some good, unexpected twists and turns.

I wanted a spooky read and I got a story that kept me on my toes, the pace was engaging I wasn't quick enough to turn the pages to find the truth.

The last twist shocked me, maybe I'd have liked a different ending but I've still enjoyed this read.

The House on the Lake by Holly Hill Mangin 4/5

Eve Beckett is on an island in an old manor with no recollection of how when came to be there. While on this island Eve starts experiencing paranormal things; a woman appearing and then suddenly not being there, her twin sister is there but isn't. Being in this old manor isn't the only puzzling Eve, but all that is unfolding before her is making Eve second guess herself and wonder if she'll ever make it off the island.

The House on the Lake is a phenomenal mystery & thriller read. The cover is what caught my attention and the story line left me speechless and in awe. This is truly a great read that is going to keep you guessing about what will happen next and keep you up all night wanting to find out what the next chapter has to offer.

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for an ARC that left me wanting more.

Eve Beckett wakes up disoriented in a room until she realizes that she is on a retreat. She has come to check out the house because it's something that her twin sister would like and possibly haunted.

Eve discovers she is the sole visitor until her sister, Lyn, walks into the kitchen. A huge house all to themselves. Eve is very confused as to how she ended up on the island surrounded by water, since she is deathly afraid of water. The two caretakers, Hammond and Gail are not much help.

Lyn seems to know something, but wants Eve to figure it out on her own.

While touring the home, Eve indeed encounters a ghost. Along with the ghost are two men, brothers, Nick and Ari, to whom Eve is drawn. Although her head sends warnings about one making it a battle of wills with herself.

The only way off the island is by boat and that means being near the water. Eve has a week to scout the island and figure out a way she is going to leave, when she finally makes contact with the ghost. Eve is about to find out that the answers she seeks to be there all the time, just hidden. Now she has a choice to make.

This was a good read with lots of twists and the ending surprised me because I didn't see it coming.

I received an ARC from NetGalley via BooksGoSocial and I have voluntarily reviewed this book.

This is a very difficult book to review without spoilers, but I will do my best. Eve wakes up in a strange room with no memory of how she got there or why she is there. Throw in that the house has a very Red Rose vibe with changing rooms, strange stuff, and a lot of secrets. Add in two very interesting caretakers, two brothers who both vie for Eve's attention, a mirror twin who also suddenly appears, and a ghost. Also, Eve is deathly afraid of water and yet somehow, she is on an island. That basically gives you the start of the book in a nutshell. Then you follow Eve as she investigates and tries to figure things out. As Gail puts it, she is on a retreat and must relax and reflect. You are left guessing as to what is actually going on until the very end. My only problem with the book was how abrupt the reveal seemed to be (hence 4 instead of 5 stars). I thought it was something completely different and the fast reveal felt forced. However, I did enjoy this book and the ending did leave me teary-eyed but also strangely hopeful. Unfortunately, to explain why would give the ending away. One thing I always wonder about books like these, is how on earth does the author write them? Do they start at the end and then fill in the pieces backwards? Or do they fill in details and then remove them? I had maybe slight inklings of where it was going but no real concrete idea. Reading this book was a lot of fun and Mangin's talent is obvious. I definitely recommend.

This booked hooked me from the beginning when Eve woke up on at a lake house surrounded by water~ which she is terrified of and would never go there intentionally. She has no recollection of how she even got there. The atmosphere in this read is creepy. So many twists. Would recommend reading.

**Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an electronic copy of this title in exchange for a fair and honest review**

What I was hoping for - a good read for spooky season with twists and turns and a touch of the paranormal

What I got - it looked like it was going to be a good mystery (How did she get to the house? Who are the other occupants? What happened to damage her relationship with her twin? Who is the ghostly figure?) but it turned into a predictable story - yes, I guessed what was going on - with a love triangle that felt like it was straight out of Twilight (brothers?!) and no real answers.

Maybe I missed the answers in my rush to get it finished but I did finish it so 3/5 seems a fair score.

The House on the Lake is Holly Hill Mangin's first book. One of those books that you should start reading right away. that until the very end, you won't fully understand what's happening due to the twists and turns. And whose personalities you won't soon forget.

Great debut!

Kept me guessing a lot. The ending was unexpected. Loved all the twists and turns.

Had a great mix of mystery, suspense, and that ending!

Well developed characters, great story flow and kept me engaged. And again - that ending!

1.5 stars

Waking up in a bed that isn't hers and room that isn't familiar, Eve Beckett is confused. Even worse, she looks out the window only to discover that she is on an island surrounded by her worst nightmare- water. She has zero memory as to how she got here.

You would think that Eve would have more questions. To be fair, she does seem to wonder why she has no memory of arriving here or why the caretakers of the home just keep telling her to 'Relax, Reflect, Release'. But...she kinda just goes with it?

I don't know how to review this book. I did find myself wondering what the hell was going on, but I wasn't enjoying myself. The dialogue is extremely cringey, there's strange romantic moments with men (brothers) that Eve meets and 5 minutes later is professing her love for, and the Gothic elements that I was hoping would save the story were disappointing at best.

Thanks to Netgalley and BooksGoSocial for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I didn't completely enjoy this book. The description really deceives you on the plot. I went into this thinking it was a horror novel, but I think I would classify this as a thriller/paranormal romance. I didn't like the romance love triangle aspect of this book. Also Lyn is referred to many times as the MC's (Eve) "mirror twin" and like, I had no idea what that meant. The core of the story I think could've been better executed. It was overall a hard plot to follow, there were too many things happening at once and it was hard to ignore and focus on one plot. I also found the beginning quite unrealistic. Eve wakes up on an island, unsure of how she got there. She's terrified of water so she wouldn't have taken a boat...and she just ignores this? I, personally, would have been freaking out and trying to find a way off the island by some other mode of transportation.

We start the story with Eve and her "mirror twin" Lyn who both arrive at a secluded house on an island with total amnesia of how they got there and they just.. roll with it? Eve goes so far to say "I need to talk to a doctor. I need a PET scan or a CT scan or a psychologist..." But, given the opportunity to leave she doesn't because she's scared of water (yup) and therefore scared of being on a boat.

I caught onto the gist of the house, the ghost, and the amnesia from the beginning and wanted to see how Eve got there.

I felt like Lyn was a throwaway character, which was later validated. The past "accident" Lyn had that was repeatedly referenced and was causing a rift between the two sisters wasn't clarified untill the last quarter of the book, and when it was it was like.. ? Alrighty then?

The brothers Ari and Nick had a lot of promise, I think the only character I enjoyed was Nick. But the dialogue left so much to be desired. Even in reading YA books I don't think I've ever read "Ha. Ha." written out in a normal conversation, and this character is a 24 year old woman?

I liked the ending once everything was said and done, and the gist of the plot has a lot of potential. But the execution, dialogue, competing romantic interests, and a lot of what felt like "filler" left me unsatisfied.

Firstly I loved the cover of this book, if I saw this on a shelf it would attract me straight away. The book had atmosphere, just when you thought you had a grip on the story, along came a twist. Well written with well crafted characters.

Eve Beckett finds herself a guest at the mysterious Lake House, but she has no memory of having arrived there. It is an unsettling realization because Lake House is set on an island, and Eve is deathly afraid of water. She would never have chosen to come here. But she stays on, because there is something about the paranormal that appeals to her. Then her sister, Lyn, shows up, also with no memory of having arrived there.

There is something odd about the place. The caretakers, Gail and Hammond, behave strangely. Good looking Nick, who is in charge of maintenance, warns her against his dangerous brother, Ari, who is equally handsome. Eve finds herself drawn to both brothers.

The house, which bears an air of mystery, is rather strange. Rooms keep moving around. Then there is a ghost, a woman only Eve can see. Who is she? And what does she want?

Eve has her hands full, between solving the mystery of the ghost, the house, and figuring out how she got there, besides resolving her feelings for both the brothers. Meanwhile, the house is on a slow decline, with parts of it crumbling and decaying.

Will Eve get back to her home safely before the house is destroyed? Or will she be trapped in this place?



The book is written in the first person present tense PoV of Eve.

It’s hard to believe that this is a debut novel. The writing is strong, the descriptions evocative, and I just loved the brooding artwork on the cover.

I liked the premise of two sisters, twins, taking on a mystery. There is a mystery in their shared past that needs to be resolved, something to do with an accident. The dynamics between them are in full display here.

Eve comes across as an unreliable narrator, as she can’t remember why she is at Lake House. She also has frequent episodes of zoning out.

The mystery itself took too long to be resolved, and I lost patience and interest. The dialogue between Eve and the brothers was cheesy. I did enjoy the parts concerning the house.

The basic premise of the book is rather clever when you think about it. I appreciated the psychology of it all. But the sudden shift from thriller to philosophy was slightly unsettling, particularly when one is expecting the book to pan out like a thriller.

Among the characters, only Nick and Ari seemed well drawn. Both had a strong sense of magnetism. Eve was someone I felt indifferent to. I wish she had figured things out sooner.

I guessed the twists early on in “The House on the Lake” but it was still an interesting read. The main character, Eve, wakes up in Lakeview Manor with no idea how she got there. She has a severe fear of water and the Manor is on an island with no sight of the mainland.

I recommend if you like fast paced, locked door mysteries.

Thank you @netgalley and @booksgosocialgroup for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to #netgalley for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. I went into this one pretty blind expecting a haunted house thriller read...whilst there was a haunted house it just wasn't the atmospheric, dark, thrillery type read I was hoping for. That being said, it did hold my interest enough to get to the end and the reveal of the twists. ⭐⭐#thehouseonthelake #hollyhillmangin #netgalley #goodreads #thestorygraph #litsy #tea_sipping_bookworm #amazonaustralia