
Member Reviews

***Arc provided to me by publisher in exchange for an honest review***
If half-ratings were available, I would give this book a 3.5. I genuinely enjoyed it and felt compelled to continue to turn the page. However, I think I was waiting for an unraveling that never occurred. I was waiting for the plot to descend into chaos, but that never quite happened. At least, nothing ever felt chaotic. Without giving spoilers, anything out-of-the-norm was accepted with curiosity by the narrator and even other side characters. This was beautiful in a way.
I did appreciate the representation of OCD in this book. This diagnosis is misunderstood and casually used by society. Although not everyone's OCD manifests as Cassie's did, I think it is important to continue to write characters with accurate depictions of mental illness. I will say reading some of the descriptions of her thoughts were disturbing, but that is the point and gives some cause to her actions. She chose a safe option by marrying her best friend of her youth because she doesn't feel safe from herself- her thoughts.
Although I didn't get the dramatic ending I was expecting, I didn't dislike the ending. Cassie was clearly not happy in the situation she was in and was treated so horribly by Eli. The ending was deserved on all fronts, for everyone involved. That's all I can say without spoiling anything.
Overall, I recommend this book. It is a short read- just over 200 pages and it does hook you pretty fast from jump. I look forward to seeing what Kerry Cullen writes in the future!

My Selling Pitch:
OCD girl tries on closeted trad wife and realizes she’s not a murderer despite what her intrusive thoughts tell her.
On my do not read list.
Pre-reading:
They give litfic horror some of the best covers.
(obviously potential spoilers from here on)
Thick of it:
OCD rep maybe? (Yup.)
I don’t know if people would get Donna Tartt just from a blazer but love her.
Oh god, is she lesbian me?
Lol, this is way too relatable.
You know, I was in until we left the city and then she started in about how these are all my unrequited loves, and I was like I no longer relate 😂
I am so bored by this book.
So bored.
I feel like maybe this is better horror if you don’t have these thoughts, but I’m like I have these thoughts although I’ve never been diagnosed, so it’s not particularly scary to me. I’m just like yeah, this is Tuesday. (To clarify though, there is a difference in that she worries she’ll perpetrate the violence. I don't have that. I just see the violence happening in the abstract.)
I'm bored to the point of DNF.
I’M SO BORED.
Lol does possessed masturbation still count as masturbation?
I mean she literally did kill her.
Well, that was shit.
Post-reading:
The first chapter really made me think I was gonna like this juicy lit fic, but then it nosedives into the most bland, nothing revenge thriller.
I didn’t care about any of the characters. Their small town secret reveals have been done to death.
The horror in this book comes solely from the main character’s intrusive thoughts so maybe if you’re not used to those, they’re more jarring and actually work to add some mood to this book. If like me, your brain also likes to chime in at the most inopportune times with projections of ‘lol wouldn’t it be crazy if people just died right now?’ this will not phase you. This is Tuesday.
Also, I’m so tired of reading revenge thrillers about the most milquetoast men. You expect me to believe the equivalent of a J name boy has women willing to kill over his painfully average dick? Be so for real.
There's no pretty prose to carry this. I guarantee you've read this plot before. There's really nothing to redeem it, and I highly recommend you don’t waste your time picking it up.
Who should read this:
Domestic thriller fans
OCD rep fans
Ideal reading time:
Winter
Do I want to reread this:
Nope.
Would I buy this:
Nope.
Similar books:
* Verity by Colleen Hoover-domestic thriller, good for her, unreliable narrator
* Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh-psychological horror, unreliable narrator, queer
* Man’s Best Friend by Alana B. Lytle-good for her revenge thriller
* Next to Heaven by James Frey-good for her revenge thriller
* Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker-magical realism, horror, social commentary, OCD rep
* Sugar by Mia Ballard-good for her revenge thriller
* None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell-unreliable narrator, good for her revenge thriller
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Simon Books #partner for the finished and digital copies and to Simon Audio for the ALC to review.
Oh my goodness, this book was fantastic! I think it is best to go in blind, so I will keep this high level. Also, the cover is deceiving; a bowl of fruit does not do this justice. But I digress. Cassie is our protagonist; she suffers from OCD as well as from making bad decisions. This was slow to get started, but I was vested, and then something happens about halfway through, and I was all in and could not get enough. I thought this was such a different story, very well done, and just the right length. Also, this is a debut, which I couldn’t believe. I think it’s more on the literary fiction side than horror, but I understand the classification. I am still thinking about this one after finishing it a week ago.

“Like, some people are dog people, or cat people, I’m more like a rat person. I find a dirty little crevice to live in and hoard my treasures there.”
l liked how relatable Cassie was. She was full of flaws, not knowing what she wanted and running away from problems instead of facing them. LOVED how disturbing this book made one feel, especially when Beth was in Cassie’s mind. The author does a wonderful job at targeting various topics such as religion, marriage, and death. And the twists? Although I did not like all the characters from the beginning, I did not see those twists coming. Under 250 pages, gothic vibes, dual POV. Dont miss out on this read!

I didn't know what to expect going into House of Beth, but it sure was one hell of a ride. It also makes me think about things because I have a lot of the same thoughts that Cassie has. I really enjoyed this book. I give it a 3.5.

It has now been a couple days since I have finished this book and I am still not quite sure how I feel about it, I am not sure I ever will. In my opinion this book got worse as it went on, I think that is mostly due to my personal preferences in genre. I would have enjoyed seeing how Cassie's life would have turned out should she have stayed in New York. Although I was not particularly fond of the story choices the writing is undeniably wonderful, I especially loved the portrayal of Cassie's intrusive thoughts. I will not lie, the ending of this book thoroughly agitated me. There were parts of this book that I did not love, but I will definitely read other works by this author.

Kerry Cullen's "House of Beth" promises a blend of literary fiction, gothic mystery, ghost story, and a love story, and while it delivers on much of its atmospheric potential, the execution can be a bit uneven, leading to a three-star experience. The novel delves into themes of coming home, queerness, belief, grief, and belonging, all set against a backdrop where the lines between life and afterlife are beautifully blurred.
Cullen's writing is undoubtedly the strongest element of this book. It's often described as tense, lush, and hauntingly beautiful, creating a melancholic and immersive atmosphere that draws you into the story. The gothic undertones are palpable, and the echoes of classics like "Rebecca" are evident in the "new wife obsessed with the late wife" dynamic, which adds an intriguing layer of psychological suspense. The characters, particularly the portrayal of OCD and intrusive thoughts, are handled with a commendable realism that adds depth to their struggles.
However, despite the strong writing and compelling themes, the pacing can be a significant hurdle. The beginning, while atmospheric, tends to be quite slow, which might test the patience of some readers waiting for the plot to fully ignite. While the slow burn contributes to the gothic feel, it occasionally felt like the story lingered too long in certain moments without enough forward momentum. Additionally, while the characters are well-developed in their internal lives, some readers might find the external plot to be glossed over or the overall narrative arc to feel a bit too neat, especially towards the conclusion.
In summary, "House of Beth" is a beautifully written and atmospheric novel that excels in its psychological depth and haunting mood. It's a solid choice for readers who appreciate literary fiction with a strong gothic sensibility and a focus on character introspection. However, its deliberate pacing and occasional narrative neatness prevent it from reaching its full potential, making it a good, but not great, read.

In the point of view of Cassie, an honest portrayal of self reflection opens up this story. Cassie is jaded, skeptical, with an almost given up on life attitude. Haven’t we all been there? Then Cassie reconnects with Eli, a childhood friendship flashback of her past. But he comes with kids in tow and her intrusive thoughts still remain.
With flashbacks, a coming of age literary feel, and Cassie, it left me wondering what I picked up to read. As this mostly felt like a spiraling female MC in the first half, I reminded myself this was supposed to be a horror genre. Cassie’s character felt undecided- the first 20% almost felt like a different character direction than the direction once the plot started to progress without transitions I wanted to see. There was a darkness in Cassie early on that felt neglected that I was missing. And the Beth chapters- I liked the reflection but each one felt different in construction early on which would throw me off.
I generally love what feels like a genre combining novel- typically stories that integrate literary and either thriller or horror. There are just a couple of- like Shy Girl and You Know What You Did - I would recommend prioritizing first. This did feel like it had another round or two of edits, particularly with the characters- but mostly a clever and intriguing read. For the back half of the story, I was preferring the Beth chapters and the journey of motherhood and the effect that it can have felt personal and honest. However the story was trying to say too much so I stayed confused on what it was trying to tell. This needed to be more concise for me and ideas streamlined.

when you can’t decide if you want a literary fiction, a horror, or a mystery, so you read “house of beth” to scratch all the itches.
“house of beth” follows cassie, a 20something in new york suffering from OCD that causes her to have violent thoughts about others. out of fear of her thoughts becoming reality, cassie breaks up with her girlfriend, leaves her job without notice, and returns to her childhood home in new jersey. while home, she runs into her childhood best friend, eli, and before we know it, the two have rekindled an untapped spark and are married. cassie assumes the role of stepmother for eli’s two children, who have been motherless since beth passed away in a mysterious “fall.” despite beth being gone, cassie can’t help but feel as though she is living in beth’s shadow, and that beth’s shadow might be watching her.
i don’t read a ton of horror novels, but i found this to be so interesting. it was a unique mix of genres, like i mentioned before. it had the character depth and analysis you’d get from a lit fic, the paranormal bits you’d get from a horror, and the lingering question of what /really/ happened to beth that you’d get from a thriller. the writing style was very compelling and binge-worthy. i read the second half of the book in one sitting because i just needed to see where things would go. it was also provided such an interesting lens through which to consider grief—grief of loved ones, grief for the things we could not do and the lives we did not get to live.
i found the pacing to be off, and that was my main issue with the book. cassie breaking up with her girlfriend, leaving her job, and moving back home all happened within the first, like, 15 pages of the book. and then her relationship with eli moved just as quickly, if not faster. i get that cullen wanted us to get to a certain point in the story, and that some of the pacing was intentional (as we would later learn), but it just felt uneven. and considering the book is under 250 pages, i think the narrative could have truly benefited from slowing down in some areas.
this was a very atmospheric, dark, emotional book, and i think it does well at melding together a few different genres that i think a lot of people could enjoy it.
3.5 stars rounded up.
thank you to simon and schuster for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book was both almost nothing I expected and almost everything I wanted.
We are following a woman grappling with harm OCD, who decides to blow up her life, return to her home town, and marry her childhood bestfriend who's recently a widower.
HUH.
This all happens in the very beginning of the book which is bonkers and so much fun. This book was so much queerer, darker, and tender than I was expecting. Also incredibly weird. I can't wait to read more from Kerry Cullen.

As much as I wanted to love House of Beth, I think this book fell victim to seriously misleading marketing. Based on the blurb, I was expecting something in the realm of supernatural horror—possession, exorcism, maybe even a haunted house vibe. Instead, what I got was a melancholic, literary exploration of bisexual identity, comphet (compulsory heterosexuality), and the quiet devastation of choosing what’s expected over what’s real.
At its core, House of Beth is the tragic story of a bisexual woman leaving an incredible, loving woman for a man—because that’s what she feels is “right.” And honestly, it left me gutted—not in a good, cathartic way, but more in a “why did we take this route?” kind of way. In what world would that ending ever feel satisfying?
I had such high expectations going in, but unfortunately, they all fell flat. It wasn’t the book I was promised, and it definitely wasn’t the story I hoped it would be. That said, I know others might connect with the themes more deeply—it just didn’t land for me.

🏡Book Review🏡
*
My thoughts- thank you so much @simonbooks and @kerrycullen for the gifted finished copy of House of Beth. This beauty released today and was a super fast 240 page read! I flew through this one in one sitting and I can’t recommend it enough. Cassie was a really complex protagonist and this was a fantastic ghost story. All in all, I’d say this is definitely worth the read if you’re looking for a wild horror read! Definitely one that I’ll be thinking about for a while! It unique, beautifully written, and a book that you just want to keep reading to see what happens next ! Let me tell you I did not see a single twist coming. 🤯
*
Rating- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
*
Summary- After a heart-wrenching breakup with her girlfriend and a shocking incident at her job, Cassie flees her life as an overworked assistant in New York for her hometown in New Jersey, along the Delaware. There, she reconnects with her high school best friend, Eli, now a widowed father of two. Their bond reignites, and within a few short months, Cassie is married to Eli, living in his house in the woods, homeschooling the kids, and getting to know her reserved neighbor, Joan.
But Cassie’s fresh start is less idyllic than she’d hoped. She grapples with harm OCD, her mind haunted by gory, graphic images. And she’s afraid that she’ll never measure up to Eli’s late spouse, who was a committed homemaker and traditional wife. No matter what Cassie does, Beth’s shadow still permeates every corner of their home.
Soon, Cassie starts hearing a voice narrating the house’s secrets. As she listens, the voice grows stronger, guiding Cassie down a path to uncover the truth about Beth’s untimely death.
*
QOTD- what are you currently reading to start this week off? I’m working on Confessjon on the 7:45 and listening to She Didn’t See it Coming (which I’m loving)!

The majority of what I loved and would want to talk about are what I consider to be spoilers, so this is, unfortunately, going to be a very generic review. I loved the twists and turns. I loved the queer and harm OCD representation. The latter isn't something I see often, but can be very triggering, so keep that in mind.
I also like that it's a blend of genres, however, that can also be a downfall. I did go into reading this thinking the vibes and overall feel of this book would be one thing, but it was completely different.
I did have a few issues with the pacing and felt some of the characters weren't as fleshed out as I would have liked.

OK so I didn't LOVE this book as a whole [my bad] BUT the ending shenanigans? Obsessed. I was indeed giggling.
I very much enjoyed exploring OCD in this book, loved the first chapter [love an avoidant girlie]. But when Cassie goes back to her home town all the way to part 2 of the book, the pacing felt off and I felt more distant from Cassie and the relationships she was building [and rebuilding], though this may have been intentional. And while I loved the ghostly antics toward the end, the death scene/bar fight/bear trap combo felt out of nowhere and they kind of overshadowed each other. But that's just my [somewhat lame] opinion.
I read this for a reading vlog for a readathon I was doing, and though I didn't end up loving the book, I featured the book in another video [day 5 of the readathon] as a ghostly presence lol and said Beth was haunting me. It was a hoot and a half and now all of my subscribers [as well as myself] love House of Beth [an icon forever, may she rest in peace]. So I ended up having a lot of fun with this book!
Also I may just be salty because I'm jealous that my last name isn't Cullen.

Really solid debut a la chaotic NJ bisexual Rebecca!! I expected this to go even more weird/horror route but I still found the story unique and did really enjoy it, especially the depiction of intrusive thoughts that don't end up villianizing the MC. Otherwise I don't want to spoil anything so you should just go read it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

A haunting and seductive tale of a young career woman who slides quickly into the role of stepmother, in a life that may still belong to someone else. Couldn't really connect with the main character. The ghost is so much more interesting.
*Special thanks to NetGalley and Simon &Schuster for this digital e-arc.*

This book was delightfully weird – in the absolute best possible way!
After abandoning her city job and relationship, the fickle Cassie finds herself back in her hometown. There, she quickly reconnects with her high school friend, Eli, whose wife, Beth, recently died in a tragic accident. With little preamble, Cassie and Eli marry, thrusting her into a life completely opposite to her New York existence. As she acclimates to Eli's children and their aloof neighbor, Joan, Cassie begins to obsess over Beth, unearthing a web of secrets and lies that takes a truly bizarre turn.
Cassie took some warming up to, but her journey and internal battle with OCD and intrusive thoughts offered powerful insights and resonated deeply. Ultimately, a compelling and well-paced read that I truly enjoyed. I had the weirdest dreams after finishing this book!
Huge thanks to @simonbooks and @kermichele for the gifted review copy! Look for this one on July 15th!

After finding her boss dead in the New York office, Cassie suddenly ghosts her job, breaks up with her girlfriend Lavender, and flees to her hometown in New Jersey. Here, she reconnects with her high school best friend, Eli, who is now a widowed father of two. Their bond reignites and, within a few short months, Cassie finds herself married to Eli, living in his house in the woods, adjusting to life as a wife and stepmother, and getting to know her reserved neighbour, Joan. But Cassie's fresh start isn't as idyllic as she'd hoped. She deals with harm OCD, her mind plagued by a barrage of gory and graphic images, and she struggles under the shadow of Eli's late wife, Beth, who was a committed homemaker and traditional wife. Soon, Cassie manages to connect with Beth in a way that surprises them both, and ultimately leads Cassie down a path to uncover the truth behind Beth's untimely death.
While House of Beth offers an intriguing premise, it falls short in its delivery. With chapters that alternate between Cassie and Beth's perspectives, I kept waiting for something good or interesting to happen, but it never did. Sometimes I thought it might, but nope. Despite the somewhat effective portrayal of harm OCD—something author Kerry Cullen struggles with personally—Cassie has little to offer as a character. Depressed and indifferent, she makes for an exceptionally boring character, even if parts of her are relatable. Cassie even lacks any rewarding character development throughout. If she were more compelling, I think it would've made a big difference. None of the other characters, aside from Beth, had much to offer either, though the kids were better personalities than you'd expect. The reading experience, then, was fairly dull. Fortunately, it's short at 240 pages.
It's impossible to talk further about the book's other intrigues and problems without spoiling it. There's nice prose dotted around, well-expressed sentiments, and some intriguing musings, but it reads like an early draft. It's written well enough, but desperately needs polishing. Cullen makes an effort to change her writing style between Cassie and Beth, in addition to some flashback scenes feeling like reflective diary entries. It's a strength that Beth's past felt rich. Cassie was fleshed out, too, but her character still felt flat. I wonder how the book would've turned out if Beth were the main character... if we followed her into the afterlife and Cassie never got point-of-view chapters.
House of Beth has themes of death, religion, mental illness, sexuality, the supernatural, feeling ostracised, motherhood, new family, and running away from yourself. Cullen does well in exploring these as she forces us to think about the choices that have led to our current lives and if we're happy with them. The entire book is rooted in sadness and nostalgia as the characters long for connection. Marketed as a horror, House of Beth is more of a literary fiction with darker themes as mentioned above. While it wasn't for me, I'm certain this book will find its audience. I trust that Cullen will improve if she keeps writing.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the eARC.
I refuse to spoil this one. Go in blind. Get ready for a weird, wild ride. This book was so unique and I loved every second with it.

From the start, I liked this book because of the OCD representation, which is typically underrated in literature. The way her OCD impacts her interpersonal relationships made her character seem more realistic and relatable. (Spoilers ahead!)
Unfortunately, the book started to fall for me when Beth made herself known in Cassie's head. The concept of this silent communication between the two was interesting, but because the novel leaned more towards literary fiction, this element felt a little off within this book. Overall, though, Cullen's newest novel was a quick and intriguing read and I'd recommend it to folks who enjoy a literary moment with a bit of supernatural elements sprinkled in.