3.5 stars rounded up to 4

I love a good haunted house story, but I will say this one is a lot deeper than the typical haunted house story. It's definitely literary horror, but subtle literary horror (if the word "horror" scares you because you think of blood and gore and jump scares, don't worry; that's not here).

I think this one is the kind of book you should go into blindly, so I don't want to spoil too much about the plot. I'll just say it's about siblings returning to their childhood home upon the death of their parents. They grew up as a Black family in a predominantly white neighborhood and throughout the book, we get lots of flashbacks to their childhood.

This is also the kind of book I think I would have enjoyed better in physical form. The writing is really beautiful and there's an eeriness to it that just wasn't captured on audio for me (no fault of the narrator; more my fault due to how I am as an audiobook listener). I do want to check out more books from Rivers Solomon as this was my first!

Model Home was a refreshing take on haunted house stories and I appreciated its originality. I found myself loosing interest in certain parts of the book but it finished strong. Model Home was my first Rivers Solomon book and I plan to read more of their work!

MODEL HOME is an easy five star for me. Rivers Solomon is always so impressive in their writing, and I loved the dynamics of parenthood and siblinghood that were discussed in this book.

Actual Rating 3.5

TW: Pedophilia, Abuse, Graphic Sex Scene

I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect going into this one. It certainly isn’t your typical horror but was certainly horrific, with an emphasis on psychological horror. The author’s writing contributed much to the darkness of this read – they didn’t hold back from writing aggressively, yet still lyrically and at times horrendous. It was an odd combination that worked really well for this book.

Similarly, the author doesn’t shy away from dark topics, some of which were difficult to read about (check TW). The characters are all messed up in their own ways, which added to the heaviness of this read. The incorporation of childhood and repressed traumas added much to the characters and the book as a whole. I really liked the relationship between the siblings and how well the author highlighted the complexity of those relationships.

If you’re interested in a dark, psychological horror that explores themes of race, identity, gender, childhood trauma, guilt, family, and more, then you’ve come to the right place. My thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Wow. This book was *a lot*. It's the first I've read from Rivers Solomon and while I don't know that I would jump right into another of their books, I will definitely be open to reading more from them.

This is the story of a family who have drifted apart over the years, especially Ezri, who has moved to another country, after they grew up in a haunted house in an affluent suburb of Dallas, TX. They all return home when they are having trouble getting in touch with their parents, who still live in the haunted house.

This is a really dark book, and I strongly encourage folks to check the CWs, because even for myself, who is not easily triggered, it was a lot.

Somewhat similar to how Chuck Tingle writes horror, in that homophobia and a homophobic society are the horror, in Model Home the real events and racism of the Maxwell family's past are the horror. The book does an excellent job of revealing just enough as the story goes along to keep you guessing right up until the end.

I'll be honest, after reading Rivers Solomon's other book, The Deep, I did not expect this to be so dark and honestly kind of frightening. It did have a really good message and the storytelling was phenomenal all the same.

I am so glad I received and audio arc of Model Home because it really felt like it took the creepier elements of the story to the next level!

3.5 stars rounded to 3! I will start this by saying I am a SUCKER for haunted house novels. Anything haunted house related, sign me up. Add in LGBTQ representation and we have a winning combo. The writing in this is what sort of threw me for a loop. In some moments, I adored the way the story unfolded and at others I was a little thrown off. I do think that that is more a fault of my own and not the authors, however. Overall, this was a wildly different take on the haunted house trope and the ending was wild!

Quick blurb from publisher: Rivers Solomon turns the haunted-house story on its head, unearthing the dark legacies of segregation and racism in the suburban American South. Unbridled, raw, and daring, Model Home is the story of secret histories uncovered, and of a queer family battling for their right to live, grieve, and heal amid the terrors of contemporary American life.

Thanks netgalley for the ARC/ALC!

This one wasn’t for me but this author is a talent. I will still recommend their work without hesitation.

So, I really liked some of this: the "woman without a face" imagery, the horror of a black family moving into a white neighborhood, the trauma of being in abusive household, and, also, just the relationships between the siblings. But ultimately, this book was not for me. I had a hard time following it sometimes because it jumped around so much, and because the narrator went on several long rants. My ADHD does not take kindly to getting side tracked like that. Also, honestly, I hated the ending. The reveals changed the story from ruminations on interesting topics to a ridiculous thriller, in my opinion. Also, some of this just made me uncomfortable, but that's definitely a me-problem. There are some storylines that I don't like reading about and this had one of them.

No complaints about the narrator though. They did a good job with the material.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

This is my first Rivers Solomon book, and I now absolutely understand the hype around their work. While I anticipated a "haunted house" horror story, this novel was ultimately so much more than that. Yes, there were certainly elements of horror and suspense, and I was genuinely afraid for Ezri the entire time. But the book's strengths lie in the character development, the narrative voice, the relationships between family members, and the development and reveal of the thing that has been haunting them all along. I also thought Gabby Beans' narration was exceptional, and I highly recommend the audiobook format. (Although, truth be told, I had both an audio and physical copy, and I enjoyed going back and forth between the two so that I could highlight my favorite passages.) To truly enjoy this book, I think it is best to go in knowing as little as possible, so I will leave my review at that. Thank you so much to NetGalley for my advanced copy. I'm looking forward to reading more of Solomon's writing in the future.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the gifted audiobook copy!

Rating: 4.5 / 5

MODEL HOME by Rivers Solomon follows Ezri Maxwell and their two sisters. Ezri has been called back to Texas by their sisters when something has happened to their parents. Their parents still live in the home the Maxwell siblings grew up in, a home that they each left far behind as soon as they were able. It is a home that never felt safe and always had an air of menace around it.

Returning back to their roots, forced to deal with tragedy, the siblings begin to remember more about their childhood days and the traumas they went through. As they ask more questions and speak about the unspoken, more answers come to light.

All I knew going into this book is that I have really enjoyed Rivers Solomon's writing in the past and that this was promoted as a "new kind of haunted-house novel". I think it does live up to that label, but it also maybe sets up some wrong expectations. This is a book much more focused on family and identity and trauma than an actual haunting, so I wouldn't recommend this book to those looking for a haunted house story".

That said, this book grabbed my attention very quickly and I think it played with the tropes of a haunted house well in the mix with everything else going on. I really enjoyed Ezri as our main character and the relationship we see with their daughter and their sisters as they go through everything this book contains. The book lived up to my hopes with Rivers Solomon's writing as well.

MODEL HOME just came out in October, so it is available now!

Three adult siblings return to their parents' haunted Texas home, the only one owned by people of color in an otherwise white neighborhood, when one of them receives unsettling text messages but can't get any response. A horrific discovery awaits, and from that point on the siblings begin to uncover disturbing truths about their upbringing.

This was truly one of the most f*cked-up books I've ever read/listened to (I listened to the audio for this one and the narrator hit all the right notes). I don't read horror, hardly ever, but the themes of race, gender and sexual identity, and family drew me to this one, not to mention the haunted house aspect.

I thought the story was compelling but it seemed to wander a bit in places. All in all, a unique and unforgettable book that was beyond my expectations.

Trigger warnings for mental illness, racism, child ab*se, p*dophilia, disordered eating, s*icide, and animal harm.

3.5 stars.

Not for me. I requested this to read in October, as I always like to stock up on "spooky stories" to get me in the Halloween mood. This wasn't quite what I expected, and not my favorite.

This is a book that demands to be read at least twice. While there is a story of a "haunted house" on the surface, it isn't really what you would traditionally think of. There is a lot more going on below the surface with this one, most of it revolving around politics of race and class in the United States. Very nicely written but sometimes a bit dense to get through; read this one close and more than once.

"The comfort of a particular history, no matter how horrid it might be. Its ours. A magic only we can weave."

MODEL HOME by @rivers.solomon is not your normal haunted house story so be ready to be taken through a not-so-fun-house of unexpected horrors. Thank you to the author, @netgalley and the publishers @mcdbooks and @macmillan.audio for the e-ARC and audio-ARC.

🏠🏠🏠

After the death of their parents, Ezri and their two sisters go back to the home they grew up in to sort out their family affairs but they are greeted with more questions and an outpouring of childhood memories and trauma. A mostly wealthy white neighborhood, the family moved in when the kids were young and their mother was desperate to be the most perfect family on the block going so far as you telling them to be slivers meaning quiet, well-behaved and barely seen or heard. Very soon after the family moved in dark, scary things started happening in the house that the siblings have all but tried to bury in their memories.

Overwhelmed by the reasons they originally moved to England with their daughter Elijah in tow, Ezri begins unpacking more than they originally bargained for.

🏠🏠🏠

Bedazzlingly spooky and deeply layered with an undertone of anxiety, this dual-timeline story weaves a tense family entanglement built on suffering in silence and the dangerous facade of perfection or in this case, "black Excellence." A whole new level of exposing the family's dirty laundry is a major theme and the discussion about the siblings remembering events differently was one that really hit home as I have often found the same with my siblings - "Jarring. The different versions of events we all have."

There are so many trigger warnings here including childhood sexual and emotional trauma, deeply seeded racism, wild parental expectations and being "othered." There is a lot going on here and I would not be surprised if I pick this one up again for a reread someday as it is so compelling but I suspect I did not catch all the intricate layers. This one was definitely hard to read but well worth the effort.

This novel started our slow but quickly grew into a suspenseful read that I didn't want to stop. I'm not someone who normally likes haunted house stories but this one worked because the focus really wasn't about this house.

This novel also leans heavily into social commentary and representation for black, queer neurodiverse individuals. The author does not shy away from those aspects but instead weaves them into the narrative. The story was also surprisingly adult with plenty of “adult situations”. I find it refreshing when author's don't sensor themselves.

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Model Home was my second attempt at reading a Rivers Solomon novel, but unfortunately, it fell flat for me again. I was initially drawn in by the unique premise—a haunted house story centered on the hidden horrors families leave behind, exploring trauma and generational pain as the real ghosts lurking in the home. It sounded like a fresh and intriguing approach to the haunted house genre, one that would examine the weight of family secrets and unresolved issues as lingering presences.

However, the writing style made it challenging for me to stay immersed. At times, I couldn’t tell if events were actually unfolding or if they were metaphors, blurring the line between reality and symbolism in a way that felt disorienting rather than engaging. While I appreciate the ambition and artistry, the style just wasn’t for me. Still, thank you to the publishers for the early copy!

Thank you to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus, and Giroux for providing an arc, and to Macmillan Audio for providing an advanced audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
Model Home releases October 1, 2024

“This house lures in animals with a death wish.”

Model Home was such a disjointed read, and I’m unsure if that was due to the main character having a dissociative disorder, or if it was just the writing style in general.

I struggled with the inconsistencies of quotation mark placement and only choosing to use them for dialogue half of the time.
I found that the audiobook did a poor job reflecting that Ezri and Elijah moved from England to America as there were no distinct British accents.

If you’re looking for a traditional haunted house story, this isn’t it. However, if you like when a book’s horror is defined by racism and trauma (similar to The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson), with a focus on family drama told through the lens of a gender-fluid main character, then this might be for you.

I can’t say if it was the narrator or the actual story but I had a hard time with this story. It to me was so all over the place. I had read so many great reviews but honestly for me it just wasn’t there unfortunately. I listed to this thru audiobooks and my mind would hust wander and it just couldn’t hold my attention very long. I am glad that so many others did enjoy it tho

4.5 rounded down. I reallyyyy loved this. It's been a while since I read <i>The Deep</i> so I was thrilled to be reminded just how lyrical and haunting Solomon's writing is. While this isn't the first book to use the "haunted house as trauma" metaphor, it's executed in a way that I found very moving. Solomon writes so intentionally and emotionally about mental illness, racism, queerness, and family trauma. I especially recommend this as an audiobook.