Firstly, I love the cover of this book! What a great design!

Secondly, this was definitely a spooky “cozy” horror story. Nothing too gruesome or scary, and there is hope for the characters.

It’s definitely a plot centred around grief and loss, and how we work our way through the darkness.

Definitely give this book a read, it’s a nice palate cleanser after a splatterpunk book in my opinion!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Timber Ghost Press for a copy!

Enjoyable atmospheric evening read. Loved the tone and the pace though I wish the spooky had been pushed a little further.

Wow, it is unreal to me that this was only 113 pages long, Caryn could have written a 600 page novel (and I kind of wish she had because it was so good) and I would have sat there and read it all in one sitting like I did this one.
It’s don’t-turn-the-lights-off-because-the-monster-will-get-you scary while at the same time being an exploration into grief, how we process or repress our emotions and the sacrifices that you are willing to make for the people you love.
I highly enjoyed this novella and I hope to read more from this author in the future!

I’m not usually a fan for short stories, especially horror stories. Mouse trap is one short story I couldn’t but down. I’m glad it was a short story because it got to the point right away.

This is not just a horror story but a story about how great tragedy can creat a ripple affect that can last a lifetime if you don’t fully heal. The horror and creepy stuff was short and to the point.

Mouse Trap is an enjoyable, haunted house horror story that can be read in a single sitting. The story explores grief and trauma in childhood, and the way that bleeds into our adulthood and the relationships we have with our families. This was delightfully spooky, and I would absolutely read it again.

Truly a terrifyingly good novel. This is one I could not read in the dark s it was so imaginative I was afraid to see things in the shadows. 10/10 recommend for a suspenseful thrilling ride.

Mouse Trap is a paranormal horror novella by Caryn Larrinaga. It follows Dakota Scott and her family’s torrent of grief around the death of Dakota’s youngest brother, Kai, as a child and now her adult brother, Lennox. These horrors are tied to their childhood home, and Dakota finds herself in the house’s clutches as its new owner.

The horror is, as the author describes it, quiet. While the book’s central antagonistic force is terrifying, its effect is subtle. The terror does ratchet up in the few final chapters, and this is where Larrinaga’s writing shines—or rather fades into the background of the story.

Larrinaga’s writing is capable, but I was aware of it almost the whole time. The mousetrap metaphor is multilayered and apt, though I do wish it had been introduced sooner in such a short novel.

In general, this story lacks *something* for me. The characters and plot are just underdone enough to be noticeable. Also, I do prefer faster-paced novels, and this one is slower, as it happens largely the on the psychological plane. We witness the story as Dakota perceives it, and her realizations and memories drive the story.

I think this novella would appeal to fans of Darcy Coates who are looking for something shorter. Personally, I would be willing to try other titles from Larrinaga in the future.

This is a great discussion of grief and how trauma makes it so you cannot fully process your emotions. How that holds you back and makes you feel more worthless everyday.
I enjoyed this book, but it was not enrapturing-- I could put it down and come back to it, which is not a bad thing. It discusses interesting topics all wound up in a supernatural bow.

This was the best quick horror read I’ve ever jumped into. I found myself legitimately scared while reading this. If you’ve ever been scared of the dark you know the power it has over you! Knowing there’s something sinister hiding within that darkness just made my skin crawl! I knocked this out in a matter of hours. I couldn’t get to the end fast enough.

Good middle of the road horror story, definitely worth looking into. Cool premise done decently and it ends up being a pretty quick read.

I really enjoyed this read! I found it spooky without being too cliche and I thought that the writing style was really easy to follow along. I would recommend this author and read more of their work.

Mouse Trap is an atmospheric ghostly tale. Dakota returns to her family home when her older brother passes away. The home has a painful history and it is not long before Dakota feels a strange pull to the home and its presence. I enjoyed the writing, the characters, and the set-up of this book. The haunted house trope feels original as the writing largely focuses on the emotional experience of the main character as she deals with the grief and trauma associated with the house. The main criticism I have with this book is that the climax and subsequent falling action feel as though they happen too quickly. I was invested in Dakota’s experience and could have spent some more time there.

Mouse trap was a really fun story. The plot was fast paced and fun. I loved how the author played with present and past events. The information was given to the reader in the perfect pace. The characters were interesting and fun. Tho they might have lacked a little dept. The relationships filled a little forced. Yet the story did make sense. I didn’t feel the scares I usually like. But I did liked how how it embodied the relationships and how they could change. The mixture between child play and adult life was an interesting concept. Overall a fun book to read.

Thank you net galley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A good, quick horror read that seemed like it couldn’t decide whether to be more psychological thriller or true horror at times. The tension builds at the perfect pace for the length leaving you scared just enough to want to keep reading.

4.5 stars*

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It’s really short, just over 100 pages on my e-reader but was fully developed with a fair amount of backstory. My one wish for this book, and the reason I cannot give 5 stars, is the fact that the author didn’t make the jump to full horror which could have added so much to the story.. Overall, a great read.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

***

This is another quick read. Despite only being a hundred or so pages, it's a full story with a developed plot and main character. I was impressed with the amount of detail the author was able to work into the book.

It's mildly creepy but a great little tale of overcoming awful things and leaving stronger.

Mouse trap was a super quick read at only about 100 pages. I loved the creepy vibe, however, I wish it had made the leap into a true horror story. Overall, It is definitely worth a read.

This was a decent, quick read but it felt like it was lacking in any real horror or suspense elements. I liked the board game element but at the end it didn’t felt like it really came together into anything too memorable.

I really enjoyed the pace of this. We get a decent amount of backstory on Dakota and Lennox without a lot of filler. I loved how quickly it got spooky and once we get to that part it never lets up. The ending was satisfying and this was overall a delightfully creepy read.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced e-reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

Dakota and her adoptive parents return to their former home to settle affairs and pack up belongings after her brother's sudden death in the house. They all knew he did not like to go out but his funeral drives that point home when the attendees are people he only ever knew from the internet.

Dakota and her parents have never recovered from the first death in the home 20 years ago. The house was meant to be a place full of love and laughter. They had planned to adopt many more children, adding on bedrooms as needed. After the death of their toddler staying in the home became unbearable, and the thought of more children was just too painful. Everyone eventually went their separate ways and only Lennox stayed behind, never wanting to leave the house.

Dakota is wracked with guilt over not having visited Lennox more, and when she learns the reason why he never left the house it's all the more heartbreaking.

Mouse Trap is more a story of grief and loss than the scares I was expecting.
It's heavy with guilt and regret, loneliness and despair. I would recommend it for fans of more subtle horror with a dose of family drama as opposed to anyone looking for chills.