My heart is still pounding

What just happened ? I’m an adult, how did a book shake me to my core ? Well, when you are Christina Henry, you know how to skillfully craft a book that will consume and frighten even the coldest of folks.

I know I know. This is crazy . I can read Stephen King and not even bat an eye but I tell ya, this one is good, real good .

It might have been the whole spooky, horror house or maybe it was the secrets and twists that just kept on coming .

I think you should find out for yourself …

Teaser :

A single mother working in the gothic mansion of a reclusive horror director stumbles upon terrifying secrets in the captivating new novel from the national bestselling author of Good Girls Don't Die and Horseman.

Harry Adams has always loved horror movies, so it’s not a total coincidence that she took the job cleaning house for movie director Javier Castillo. His forbidding graystone Chicago mansion, Bright Horses, is filled from top to bottom with terrifying props and costumes, as well as glittering awards from his career making films that thrilled audiences—until family tragedy and scandal forced him to vanish from the industry.

Javier values discretion, and Harry has always tried to clean the house immaculately, keep her head down, and keep her job safe—she needs the money to support her son. But then she starts hearing noises from behind a locked door. Noises that sound remarkably like a human voice calling for help, even though Javier lives alone and never has visitors. Harry knows that not asking questions is a vital part of working for Javier, but she soon finds that the sinister house may be home to secrets she can’t ignore.

The House That Horror Built was a fun possession story that will have you guessing till the last page. The beginning of this book started off so strong for me. It was creepy and interesting. The middle was a bit slow but that ending was great. Idk what I was expecting but it was not that twist. I would highly recommend this one to anyone who loves horror.
3/5 Stars

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an arc copy in exchange for my honest review.

3.25 stars…

I enjoyed this, even though not a whole lot happens. I liked Harry. She was strong and smart in the face of everything thrown at her. But this wasn’t really horror, like it is pitched as.

This is really character driven, with some exciting moments in the plot happening here and there. There just wasn’t enough happening…

Single mom of a teenager, Harry gets a housecleaning job for a prolific horror film maker. The mysterious man is reclusive and secretive, but that’s fine with Harry. She gets her job done with discretion. She begins to hear strange noises in the house behind locked doors… and these secrets WANT to come out.

While I liked our protagonist, this book was a lot of just in her head… There was very little action and a lot of thought process.

All in all this was interesting. Harry and her son had a great relationship. The time they spend in the house was some my favorite parts of the book. I just wish there was a little more unsettled vibes here.

Christina Henry's "The House That Horror Built" promises a spine-tingling journey into the depths of terror, but ultimately delivers a mixed bag of frights and frustrations, earning a modest three-star rating.

The story itself gave more of a fiction vibe and not a horror vibe. The story of Harry the house cleaner seemed to overshadow anything creepy. It was a slow moving plotline that didn't come to a head until the very end, but by that point I was far from thrilled with finishing the book and really only did to tie up lose ends.

I love Christina Henry, but this story was not her finest. 3 out of 5 stars.

I've tried several, several times to get into this book, even making it 1/4 through and I still can't find the ability to care. I'm so sad, I had high hopes!

While the story definitely kept me intrigued with the 'Is it paranormal or all in their head?' question, I can't say I was invested. I like the reclusive horror director and the struggling single mom, but Harry's past is so glossed over after Gabe's birth. I was enjoying the flashbacks and getting to know her more and see her growth, but it literally just stopped at a point and felt kinda wasted. But I did enjoy Harry's relationship with Gabe in the present - there's a real camaraderie to make the best of the struggles they face without placing hardships or blame on the other. While I was interested in Javier's past and the struggles he had with his family, again, I felt like it was just glossed over and we really didn't get to spend time with him in the past as he's really struggling with his relationships within his family. But I have to say, the ending was the most disappointing for me, it rushed and didn't feel complete. But not in an open-ended kinda way, but in a let's end the story in the middle of a chapter way.

I think all the elements of this story are great, being a huge horror movie fan myself, but I wanted...more.

A retelling of Rebecca?! Say less, I was SOLD. Sadly, this just couldn't compare to the classic. Maybe that's more of a "me" problem because it's one of my top 5 books of all time. Many parts of this felt juvenile to me, there were a few good scary parts but nothing to really write home about. The writing is YA and that's not for me, especially when it comes to horror. I think I had my hopes too high and it fell short.

I loved all the creepy descriptions of the house from the movie souvenirs, to strange voices, things that move and bump in the walls it all set the perfect setting for this book to spook you. Harry wasn’t sure if what she was hearing, seeing, feeling was real or her imagination. The intensity just builds until you can’t wait to see what is behind the locked door.

Javier Castillo is one rich eccentric that likes to have his ego stroked. He now thinks he has found a replacement son in Gabe.

The ending that just shocked me as I thought I figured it out. The images of the end will freak you out and stick with you.

Need a fast pace,creepy book to make you scared of the sounds in the night-this is it!

A Christina Henry book grabs you from page one and doesn't let go. Her latest novel, "The House That Horror Built" is the same. What a book!

A fast paced and eery read that you might not want to read when you’re home alone. Harry had taken a job to clean the house of famed horror movie director, Javier Castillo and while absolutely enthralled, she very quickly realized the downward spiral things are taking. Noises in the house and things that weren’t there before. It’s the perfect haunted house with great twists and turns to keep you on your seat.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one! From the very beginning to the very end, I felt the erriness and need to know what was going to happen next! This is exactly the type of read I needed to pull me out of a reading slump.

Intro to horror.
A little of this and that.
Enjoyable read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️

I write haiku reviews on Instagram but am happy to provide more feedback.

Harry is a single mom who is trying to keep her head above water and give her 14-year-old son a better life than she had. She gets a housekeeping job at the famous Javier Castillo’s house, a horror movie director. No one knows that he ran away to Chicago after his son and wife disappeared, and Harry doesn't plan on letting the secret out. But the longer she works there, the more she starts wondering if his house is haunted.

The reader spends a lot of time in Harry's head as the book is filled with a lot of inner dialogue. While the reader gets to understand the main character very well, it means there isn't much time to develop dialogue with others. There also was a large lack in action.

I enjoyed the reveal at the end and the wrap up, I found the rest of the book a bit boring. The scenes meant to be scary were not large enough or detailed enough to make an impact. I didn't feel like much happened in this book.

This was like watching a grade B horror movie. There was so much repetition throughout the book and it still needs to be edited. . Over and over Harry would ask why no one could smell the costume but her, and over and over ad nauseum about being poor, wanting to give Gabe all she could, how this was her job, the details of cleaning each item again and again. It made for tiresome reading.
While the plot was good, the ending was predictable and too abrupt. There was never an explanation of why the reporter kept following her home, no surprise who the culprit turned out to be.

The House That Horror Built by Christina Henry is the first book that I have read by this author. It has you both laughing and thinking what is really wrong with this house. Harry is a single mother raising a teenaged son. People are trying to get their lives back in order after the restrictions of the pandimic has lifted. Harry takes a job a cleaner for an Oscar Winning Director. She cleans his house 3 days a week. She has to make sure that all of his memorbillia are carefully cleaned every week. Harry and her son Gabe are huge movie buffs especially the horror genre. Javier Castillo, has a very perticuliar way everything has to be done. Harry soon starts to hear noises coming from the one room that is always locked and never cleaned by her. Is it the house she wonders or eveything else that is going on in her life. This is for fans of Jennifer McMahon, Riley Sager, T. Kingfishter, Stepehn Graham Jones, and Grady Hendrix. I want to think both NetGalley and Berkly Publishing for letting me read an advanced copy of this book.

Thank you Netgalley for the eARC.

Harry is a young mom who will do anything for her son, even if it means working in the house of a reclusive Hollywood horror director filled with creepy props from all of his films.

This was a fun, creepy book that had my head turning until the very last page. The relationship between Harry and her son Gabe is very sweet. She is a loving mother who does her best in tough situations and does everything she can to protect her son.

I still haven't gotten used to the pandemic being referenced in books, but it was handled well in this book and felt like a natural part of the story.

This is my first Christina Henry book but it will definitely not be my last. She crafts horror stories well and keeps you on your toes until the end.

Harry Adams, a horror movie enthusiast, finds herself cleaning the eerie mansion of movie director Javier Castillo in Christina Henry's latest novel, The House That Horror Built. As she delves deeper into the secrets of Bright Horses, she uncovers chilling mysteries that test her loyalty to her employer and put her and her son in danger.

From the moment Harry steps foot into Bright Horses, readers are drawn into a world of suspense and intrigue. The detailed descriptions of the mansion's terrifying props and costumes set the perfect stage for the unfolding mystery. Javier Castillo's enigmatic character adds an air of uncertainty to the plot, keeping readers on edge as they try to unravel his dark past.

As Harry begins to hear strange noises behind locked doors, the tension escalates, leading to heart-pounding moments that will leave readers gripping the edge of their seats. Henry expertly weaves together moments of suspense, fear, and unknown elements that make for a truly gripping read. Each page turn brings new revelations and twists that keep readers guessing until the very end.

The dynamic between Harry and her son Gabe adds a layer of emotional depth to the story. Readers will find themselves invested in their well-being as they navigate through the dangers lurking within Bright Horses as well as just trying to make it in life. Henry does an excellent job of developing these characters, making them relatable and endearing to readers.

Christina Henry's writing shines in The House That Horror Built, showcasing her talent for crafting compelling narratives that blend horror with mystery seamlessly. And while this is a story revolving around a mysterious house and characters, it is as much about the bound between mother and son.

The House That Horror Built is a thrilling and captivating story. Christina Henry delivers a masterful narrative filled with suspense, mystery, and unforgettable characters that will stay with readers long after they finish the book.

Thank you NetGalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review! This is a novel clearly written as an ode to all things horror movies - directing, acting, props, possessions… This novel is a differnt take from previous Christina Henry books I’ve read and while the atmosphere was amazing, a few things didn’t work for me. The pacing of the story was extremely slow the first 80% and then wrapped up faster than I would have liked. I wish the characters would have had to encounter the dark goings-on in the house more often and with greater detail. I think if you like more chilling rather than gory horror, you would enjoy this book. The characters were also flat and I wish we would have felt more from them through the story. Would definitely read from this author again!

Thank you NetGalley for providing a reading copy. This book had sprinkles of horror blended with mystery and suspense and a general sense of uneasiness throughout the book. It's a slow burn for awhile then something happens in only a few lines that shocks and scares you then another large section that's a bit slow. I had part of the ending figured out but not all of it. I enjoyed the moments of dread I experienced and the setting really made the story come alive.