One House Left
Vincent Ralph
3.75⭐️

Pub Date: 8/27/2024

I'm hot and cold on this one. I definitely enjoyed this book and binged it in 2 days. The mystery of why Nate's family kept moving and the dysfunctional personalities and weird coping skills they have definitely intrigued me. I also liked how more of the story unfolds and it was written so gradually. The "dreams" are a nice touch but honestly felt that they could've either revealed more or just do away with it. New kid in town integrated into a group with a penchant for pursuing urban legends has this certain attraction to readers. As all horror books/films go, I was very affected by how the characters would pursue and agree to go through with things that they know are dangerous. It drove me a little insane trying to mentally tell these people NOT to do what they did. There were also certain things that Nate (MC) did that were so dumb but this was answered later on and it satisfied me. Part 2, the climax, was a little confusing as they changed POVs from Nate at part 1 to the rest of the friends at part 2. It appeared more chaotic which I felt was appropriate. The ending was okay, I would've loved this to be scarier though. But I guess it's okay for something YA.

Overall, this is a very entertaining, bingeable paranormal thriller read.

Thank you Netgalley, Wednesday Books for a gifted e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Vincent Ralph and St Martin’s Press for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Interesting concept but it took too long for me personally to get to the good parts and the twisty bits. I loved the last 15% of the book but I was starting to wonder if there was even going to be a twist.

One House Left by Vincent Ralph delivers a suspenseful and gripping narrative that keeps readers on edge with its dark twists and turns. Ralph's atmospheric writing and well-crafted suspense make this thriller a compelling and intense read.

This novel is so much more than it appears at first glance. The storytelling pulls you in and doesn’t let go throughout the whole thing. The author deftly knows how to reel you in and then give you some slack to decide how you feel about the characters and their situations. The plot is original because it seems so common and overdone that the nuances and twists that come almost from the start make it unlike any other book. I especially enjoyed the resilience of the characters and how their own pasts and tragedies shaped them.

I typically steer clear of YA because I find myself annoyed and too judgy and it just doesn’t seem fair to review a book knowing I may not like it, but I took a chance on One House Left and you know what, I wasn’t annoyed with it.

Given it is YA, the horror is light, but I found it enjoyable and I really liked the end twist. I would consider this like a more mature take on an R.L. Stine Fear Street book, and I mean that in the highest of compliments. I listened to this on audio and the narrators were great. Many thanks to Wednesday Books for my advanced audiobook. One House Left is to be published 8/27, just in time for spooky season to begin!

This one was likened to R. L. Stine and Urban Legend. So my expectations were pretty high which I think really did this book a disservice. A novel similar to R. L. Stine’s style…this was not. It definitely has the juvenile vibe but that’s about where it ends as far as similarities.

I don’t typically read YA as it’s not usually my favorite…totally my fault for reading this one to begin with. I just never really connected with this novel or any of the characters. The story just felt a bit clunky and disjointed to me. Even the audio narration I think used different voices and tones but it didn’t work for this one at least not for me because it was like I was reading a different story entirely.

I will say the ending was better than the beginning because the pacing picked up.

I didn’t hate it but also couldn’t really tell you much about it either. It was decent enough that I finished it.

If you’re into YA novels and enjoy Urban Legends/Folklore in a small town and murder road types of stories you might enjoy this one. It sorta reminded me of that Nic Cage movie, Longlegs at the end but with kids.

There were definitely parts of this that creeped me out real good (I live in an old Victorian house, and reading this in the dark on my Kindle while it rained made for a fun experience in auditory hallucinations!) but the longer it went on, the less interested I became. What started as a meditation on fear and shared grief slowly devolved into a straight-up ghost story. (And the less said about the nearly-incoherent part two, the better.)

By the time the final page was turned, I was no longer scared or feeling sorry for this cast of characters, I was just annoyed by the turns the story had taken.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC.

This book is so creepy. What on earth. I wanted to reach in and save the kids so badly. This is certainly one that I have continued to think about since finishing.

“If they hadn’t known each other so well, they might have seen relief or happiness or excitement. Instead, they saw only terror. ”
Here are reasons to read the YA Horror book:

Urban Lore - Nate and his family grew up on the street of an Urban Lore where many murders happened
New Family - Now they have moved and are the new family on the street
Follow the mystery - He befriends a new group whose purpose is to follow and discover these urban legends

So I am not 100% sure how to talk about this book. It’s very creepy and you think you have a handle on what has happened here. But when you get to the end, it turns out to be even more sinister than you think. And I wasn’t prepared for it because there really weren't a whole lot of clues about it. I would say if you want a book where you just follow the story without a lot of knowing what is happening, this one's for you.

While One House Left is more thriller than horror, it is still a fun YA read. The pacing is fast and the action comes in at all the right moments to keep the story moving.

The urban legends work well within the overall story and some of them were even ones I had not heard of before, which is always a good thing. I would have liked more on the creepy factor, but I still recommend this paranormal thriller.

I tried so hard to get into One House Left. I loved the idea of the folklore and the creepy house that made a town so infamous for its brutality of horrific happenings. I really did enjoy all the incorporations of the urban legends and there were definitely some creepy momenets. However the band of characters just made it fell flat for me. It could have been a truly terrifying book if the characters didn't also make it feel like a high school horror drama. I think other readers will be able to get past this and enjoy the story and the horrors it has to offer, I just couldn't get past the characters.

My Rating: 2.5 stars out of 5

This one is billed as R.L Stine meets Urban Legend, and that alone was enough to intrigue me as I passed my collection of Fear Street novels down to my children. And in some aspects, I was reminded of those novels, but in others I felt pretty let down.

To begin with Cherry Tree Lane aka Murder Road doesn't exactly feature prominently in the first half of this story. Sure, we get a few crumbs here and there about people who have died (or in one case nearly died) and the legend of the hiding boy, but then the story changes gears to what could be any other small town in America as Nate and his family have once again had to move, but what isn't made clear is what exactly is chasing them. The family has rules about not getting attached to places or people, but somehow Nate is unable to stay away from Max, and her two other friends Tyler and Seb aka the Hell Chasers - a group of friends who explore urban legends trying to prove (or more often than not disprove) whether or not urban legends are true.

And this is where I started running into issues. All of the characters lacked depth for me, including Nate and his family. I didn't care about any of them, or their supposed issues. Frankly, when the group found themselves in danger, I didn't care about that either, or whether any of them would survive.

The haunted house aspect of it, didn't grip me the way I feel the author intended for it to either, at times pushing too much in your face when a more subtle approach I feel would have worked better. Even with everything going on, there wasn't an urgency for me much less anything resembling anything other than mild interest. In fact, I put this novel down in the middle of the big event and went to sleep if that tells you anything.

However, the twist was surprising and not something that I saw coming, so I will say that saved this one for me a bit. I just wish the rest of the novel would have lived up to the potential that I saw in certain chapters.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

The description touts One House Left as an "R.L. Stine meets Urban Legend" novel. But it's not even close to the spine tingliness of an R.L. Stine book.

I expected more based on the description as I wanted a nail-biting horror story that would keep me turning the pages. Instead, all I got was a lukewarm and boring teen drama that left me shaking my head.

The characters are fairly vanilla and nothing about any of them stands out. Except for maybe the female club member whose character I remember simply because of her masculine name, Max.

Needless to say, I wasn't impressed with what I read, and at 33% I have up forging ahead. I'll probably read the author's prior novel just to see if my perception changes. Until then, however, One House Left is a one star DNF for me.

I received a DRC from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. This review is completely my own and reflects my honest thoughts and opinions.

A creepy and gripping read about a group of friends who decide to check out a mysterious old house with a dark history. As they dig into its secrets, things get really intense and scary. Ralph does a great job creating a spooky atmosphere that keeps you hooked and on edge.
The mix of suspense and supernatural twists makes the book a thrilling ride. If you’re into creepy thrillers and enjoy a good scare, this book is definitely worth checking out!

This paranormal thriller with horror elements left me with mixed feelings. Despite the rave reviews, I was expecting a more groundbreaking experience, and it wasn't until the final third of the book that things started to make sense. Until then, I was perplexed by numerous unresolved questions: the mystery of the hiding boy, the reasons behind the family's flight, and why a group of kids seemed obsessed with confronting urban legends as if they were seeking their own demise.

I also struggled to connect with the characters, who felt somewhat underdeveloped. Nate's infatuation with Max seemed unconvincing, and it wasn't clear what made her stand out. As the story progresses, we learn more about the trio: Max's compassion for a neighbor with dementia and her husband, Tyler's struggle between sports and science amidst high family expectations, and Seb's ongoing grief over his brother’s tragic death.

Nate, potentially the hero, comes from a dysfunctional family with a mysterious link to Murder Road—a place plagued by tragedies and tied to the urban legend of the hiding boy. The family's insomnia adds another layer of unease. I found myself questioning why Nate, a shy and introverted 16-year-old, would go to such lengths to avoid joining the trio’s group.

Until the last third, I felt like I was wandering in the dark, piecing together clues and hoping for a twist to make the slow-burn horror more engaging. While there were intriguing moments, such as the eerie news columns and the group's exploration of urban legends, the plot's twists and explanations in the final third, though not entirely surprising, brought some resolution. The conclusion, while irritating, fit well with the story's overall tone.

Overall, the book was slow-paced and its characters didn't evoke much empathy, but the unique writing style and the fresh approach to the genre were commendable. There were no clichés or predictable scenarios, which kept me engaged despite initial impatience. The main twist was unpredictable, which enhanced my enjoyment.

I’m rounding up from 3.5 to 4 stars for its originality and clever execution. I look forward to reading more from this author. Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books for the digital review copy in exchange for my honest opinions.

This isn’t comparable to R. L. Sting in the slightest bit. Stone gives his readers a protagonist worth caring about, scenes that go somewhere, and good writing. The beginning of this book teases ideas without giving any substance. I failed to see what anyone enjoyed about this story.

I thought this story sounded like the perfect pick for a Summerween read. It had all the makings for a spooky read but it was disappointing to me. I had a hard time getting into a good flow with the writing style and it was confusing and repetitive at times. Sadly I don't think this story was for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the chance to read this in exchange of an honest review.

Paranormal thriller mixed with some horror, had me hooked from the beginning to the end due to the writing style.
Yes, there were a lot of unanswered questions at the beginning which kind of bothered me. But I found it a fast read, and once you got to the end, questions were being answered.
Parts of the story were slow. The characters were a bit hard to relate to at the beginning, but again, once you continued to read, you got to understand each character better. Broken families, perfect families, etc.
overall, I really enjoyed this story and the fact that it was based around urban legends.
I did not expect a large part of the storyline which made it that much better.

This was a fun story. I really enjoyed it. A 16 year old boy moves from a neighborhood where he grew up where every year a new house is hit with a tragedy. He moves with his family to a different neighborhood to find out it his new neighborhood there are other ghost stories. He can’t seem to outrun this.

Vincent Ralph is one of my favorite thriller writers! This one did not disappoint, full of creepy atmosphere and all the tension. I would love for it to be made into a mini series or tv movie!