Author # Jo Kaplan has a new novel'# It Will Just Be Us'. A horror novel about two sisters and a haunted house that never sleeps. A suspense and thriller to check out!!🌟🐾🐾
Thank you,
#Netgalley, # Jo Kaplan, and # Crooked Lane Books for the advanced copy

Rating - 3.5 Stars!
Firstly I would like to highlight the unique concept regarding haunted houses on which this story is based on which was a complete new experience (a good one!) for me. I liked the story arc regarding Clementine and Meriday as well as the Swamp Witch.
I loved the claustrophobic feeling I got which traversing through this house along with our characters because for me a true gothic story should give you claustrophobia. There were some creepy scenes especially at the end which gave me the chills.
I loved the atmosphere as well as the setting of the haunted house.
I had two problems with this book i.e. the pacing and the writing style.
Firstly the story was extremely slow moving with so many metaphors scattered throughout that I skipped parts just to sidestep the dreaded metaphors. Secondly for 50% of the book nothing scary happens and I was just waiting for the creepy/scary moments. On a side note I hated Sam, Lizzie and their mother. The relationship between them was so lackluster and almost nonexistent.
Overall an unique take on haunted houses but lacking in a lot of areas. Loved that ending though! It gave me the perfect OH MY GOD! feel that I've been waiting for throughout the book.

Thanks to Netgalley and the author for providing me a review copy.

This book is fascinating. It is told in parts, and part one occasionally felt a bit laborious to me, but everything after that had me thoroughly invested. Sam is a likeable character, and her reactions to the family’s notoriety around town are really relatable. Like, she doesn’t feel good about it, but she also likes to use it to her advantage when she’s feeling frustrated or maybe even a bit mean-spirited. I get that.

And the way the house holds onto echoes of the past, and perhaps even the future was a fun and unique take on a ghost story – so, there are ghosts, yes, but there are also moments in time that replay themselves – meaning even those currently living may make an appearance in these echoes.

I can’t imagine what it would be like to live like the Wakefields do! Everything is just a big tangle of memories that are pleasant, neutral, and unpleasant, just forever playing out around them.

And the faceless boy, and the female specter that has haunted Sam since childhood were super creepy. There is also a swamp witch, and if any of you out there know me, you probably know I’m a tad obsessed with swamp witches as a concept for some reason, so this was really right up my alley.

Honestly, if I were to wish for one thing, it would be to spend more time with her, although the amount of time that was devoted to her fit perfectly into the story – I just want more because I do (so, umm, no real reason).

If you want a spooky, atmospheric, traditional, but also non-traditional gothic ghost story, this might be just the thing.

Spooky yet unremarkable. Fraught with familial drama and generic tropes, I found reading this book to be a bit of a chore. I’m always a fan of scary houses and strange histories, but this one was tough to wrap my head around, and the overall dysthymia of the book was more annoying than atmospheric.

Thank you, Crooked Lane Books, for the advanced copy. The opinions are my own.

A decaying mansion on the edge of a swamp. Two sisters who have had a falling out living under the same roof. One of them is pregnant. Mom is a bit of an alcoholic. A house filled with ghosts. One of those ghost a faceless boy who tortured animals and might have a connection to the family. What could go wrong?

I loved this book. When I think I’ve gothic horror novels, this will be the one I think of. The slow burn pacing gives you time to sink into the true horror of the story and the mansion. This story is layered and so well done. The last third of this book will leave you truly terrified.

The setting for this books was so perfect. I would 💯 live in a scary mansion by a swamp. It’s my aesthetic. Add a room that’s never been opened and no one knows where the key is? That’s my catnip.

The way this house is haunted is interesting, but it also might be confusing. It replays memories and sometimes I had to reread a passage to be sure what happened. It gave my Haunting of Bly Manor vibes on the note for sure.

Looking for a spooky read? You can’t go wrong with It Will Just Be Us. It’s been out since September 2020, so definitely grab a copy.

Thank you to Crooked Lane and Netgalley for my review copy.

This is a unique, gothic horror story that reaches a shocking conclusion.
At first, the book is a bit slow in the build up of characters and history of the haunted house at the center of the tale. But within the blink of an eye, it is page-turning suspense and intrigue.
The story itself centers around sisters who come back to the haunted mansion of their childhood, to live with their mother while awaiting the birth of the eldest sister’s baby. While all the women of the house seem to be attuned to the supernatural occurrences, they each respond differently.
The way the house shows the past, present and future is a clever idea for the story and interesting how the author weaves the characters from different time periods together in this magical place. I enjoyed the story and the ending is a complete surprise. One that’s worth waiting for!
If you want a haunted ghost story, this book is for you!
#ItWillJustBeUs #Netgalley #CrookedLaneBooks

(4.5)
This was so so close to being a five star read. And it has ultimately turned out to be an all time favorite haunted house story.
This is the kind of haunted house story where the house is almost a character on its own. And probably my favorite character in the book at that. The atmosphere that the house created made this such a dark and creepy read. I also really loved the writing style, which, also added to the atmosphere of the book. It wasn’t flowery writing but almost like lyrical writing and I loved it! This authors work has truly left me at a loss for words...
I’d recommend this for anyone who liked ‘we have always lived in the castle’ by Shirley Jackson as this book has similar aspects and vibes to it. And also to anyone who has a love for haunted houses and ghost stories. Please consider picking this one up!
Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the Arc!

I loved this book! Seriously, it reminded me of all my favorite haunted house books. Two sisters move back home to their haunted ancestral mansion to live with their eccentric and agoraphobic mom. The haunting in this book was very unique and there were some chapters that left me very spooked. If you love a good haunted house story, buy this book.! I will definitely buy another book by Jo Kaplan.

Sam and her mom, Agnes live in their family's old creepy mansion. Which just so happens to be haunted by the memories and spirits of the past. Late one night, Sam's pregnant sister Elizabeth arrives at the door, suitcase in hand, as she's left her husband. That's when things change and Sam starts seeing a weird spirit of a boy with a not fully formed face and an X where each of his eyes should be. This is similar to another spirit Sam can see, except this one can talk to her across time and is violent toward her. Who is this spirit and why is he trying to hurt her? That's all I can tell you about the plot without spoiling it for you.

This book is really atmospheric. Which means the first half or so is a little slow, but if you can stay with it, the second half really picks up. We get to know a lot about the history of the house, our three main characters, and the spirits that also share the house. To me, you really need that to get to the second half and what happens. Overall, I think this is an excellent book that has a great plot, characters you really get to know, even if they aren't always likable, and a plot that wows in the end.

Thank you to Crooked Lane, author Jo Kaplan, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

First up thank you for allowing me to read or try this book. I have been eager to read this one since I got in a few months ago, but wanted to save it for Halloweentober. Something spoooky for the right time.
HOWEVER, I barely reached 10% and almost fell asleep. I was utterly confused as well. I thought this would just be a fun ghost story with a locked room and tons of mystery and maybe some more stuff given that her sister is pregnant and I know that can be a catalyst for spooky events (yes, I have seen and read too many horror). But instead it is a long-winded tale with way too many descriptive words for everything (really, you could sometimes just cut a sentence in half by just getting rid of all the descriptive words). And then there is the ultra confusing part of it all... that apparently they can see and hear past, present and future voices and imprints? That just confused the fuck out of me. I was just reading normally, thinking that maybe she just was going back in her memories, but apparently she truly saw it all happen in front of her, just like how her mom later on just watched our MC and her sister as kids while they were playing? And they couldn't shout to find people in the house because that may confuse and collide with past/present/future and would just mean chaos? WTF? It was at this point I just lost all interest in the story. I wanted a normal, not too confusing and fun haunted house experience, not something like this. Thank you.

4.5 stars!
Sam lives in a haunted house with her mother and pregnant sister, Liz. The Wakefield Manor is located in the Grand Dismal Swamp and has been passed through generations of dark history of their family that has dealt with slavery, abuse and illness. The house shows apparitions of it’s past inhabitants until Liz moves back in after a separation with her husband at eight months pregnant. The house begins to show Sam disturbing snippets of her future nephew, Julian. The house that Sam felt safe in and always thought she understood as the curator of her family’s genealogy begins to feel like an enemy and stranger as the energy shifts. Sam soon becomes obsessed with preventing her sister’s death and nephew’s birth while trying to navigate what is reality.

THIS is the book you need to read for spooky October. Yes, it came out in September. But this is totally a Halloween read. It was an extremely well executed Southern gothic tale that reminded me of a mix of The Haunting of Hill House (tv show, not the book...the book is very different) and The Shining. Sam’s character is developed in a way that makes you question whether she is really losing it or if the house is just warping her mind. The setting is very eerie in the swamp and the history of the house lends to the creepiness that seeps into every part of the story. The imagery in some parts with Julian had my skin crawling. The only thing I didn’t love was the incorporation of a “witch” as a main motif - witches just aren’t my jam. If you love the horror genre, check this one out. You will not be disappointed - I promise.

What. The. F**k. Did. I. Just. Read?!?!?!

This is, no joke, one of the darkest, creepiest, most original horror stories I have EVER read. EVER. I am honestly still sitting here in shock with my jaw dropped wide open even though I finished reading the last page 10 minutes ago. I am flat out stunned. THAT ENDING?! OH. MY. GOD. The last 50 pages, in general?! A complete blur.

Kaplan’s use of purple prose throughout the book is phenomenal - at certain points, you think she’s just drawing us away from the plot to elaborate on things that don’t or won’t add much to the story, but it’s completely the opposite. Every sentence of this book has a purpose. Additionally, her intricate, descriptive writing helps draw such vivid pictures in your mind of the labyrinthine Wakefield Mansion (as well as its many previous inhabitants). The gothic style of writing is reminiscent of some classic Shirley Jackson novels (I think the fact that this book focuses on a haunted family mansion only reinforces that) - however, I feel like Kaplan’s storytelling and writing come together to create such a uniquely terrifying & intriguing story that stands on its own. I couldn’t stop turning the page! Unlike most books classified as “horror,” this one ACTUALLY scared me **at least** once every chapter. It’s extremely stressful, tense, anxiety-inducing, and downright CREEPY.

All in all, this is a MUST READ for anyone that loves horror! One of the best books I’ve read in a long time. I’m still shocked by the crazy ending and how unsettling it was. It completely took me by surprise. Not at all what I expected... Just SO well done & SO well-written!

A big thank you to Jo Kaplan, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. I can’t wait for Kaplan to come out with some more great gothic fiction!

It Will Just Be Us was quite interesting. The story focuses on the Wakefield house, a house haunted by memories. It's quite commonplace to see ghosts in and out of the house from the different Wakefield generations. Sam is living with her mother, Agnes. Sam's sister, and Agnes' daughter, Elizabeth comes back home to stay after leaving her husband. Elizabeth is also heavily pregnant. Sam starts seeing a new vision when Elizabeth moves in, one that seems to be connected to the room in the house that they have always been prohibited from entering. She quickly realizes this new vision is not like the others and is a very bad omen.

I enjoyed this book tremendously. It started off a bit strangely but the story quickly drew me in. The author quite skillfully created an atmosphere full of dread, which is necessary in books of this genre. Before Sam could realize who the vision was, I already had an idea and so that revelation was not surprising. I also loved how the author threw in extra ghost stories in the book.

Anyone who enjoys ghost stories would definitely enjoy this book'. I would definitely love to read more of this author's work.

There's mention of suicide in the book which may be a trigger. Due to some quite intense scenes which may be frightening for younger readers, I would suggest this book is read by older teens and adults.

I really wanted to love this book. Synopsis wise it should have been a win for me but unfortunately it fell flat. I don't mind dark and disturbing, but pacing and tension is important to me and this book lacked sorely in that area. Overall I felt the descriptions were too wordy and overly dramatic. The first 3/4 of the book just drug on for me. Toward the end the tension did pick up and in some ways the story redeemed itself. The faceless boy, scary. A house with a memory, pretty brilliant. There are definitely some creepy parts. I would consider trying another book by this author since maybe this one just wasn't a good match for me.

Thank you Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for an advanced digital copy of the book for my honest review.

This was so spooky!! A very satisfying haunted house read. I think it would be the perfect read for the upcoming fall and especially October.

When I first read this, the words swam right in front of my eyes, like welp, gotta take it slow with this one! It cast off an eerie vibe right from the very start. I even had to do a double take because I didn't take what the speaker said, literally. I have no inkling as to how it will eventually end and that just made me even curious. Now, I'm NOT one to be easily scared but as I got deeper into the story, I just can't bring myself to turn off the lights. That lady with X marks for eyes is unfortunately seared into my brain. It almost feels as if the house in the story is slowly devouring the house that I live in, making it haunted and weird. Either I'm losing my mind or this book is just brilliantly written. Eh, it's got to be the latter!

A surreal and atmospheric read perfect for the upcoming spooky season, "It Will Just Be Us" is a haunting look into Wakefield house, where memories resurface at a whim and time is all but linear.

Sam is familiar with the weirdness of Wakefield, the swamp waiting to suck you down into its depths forever in the backyard, the labyrinth of rooms built by her mad ancestors, ghosts appearing in the halls to relive bygone days, and the locked room at the end of the upstairs hall that has called to her since she was a little girl. But when Sam’s pregnant sister, Elizabeth, moves back in after a fight with her husband, the mostly harmless but certainly haunted parts of Wakefield start to become a lot more dangerous.

A mix of tried-and-true horror tropes and a new take on time as an element of horror, "It Will Just Be Us" is a great new addition to the Gothic horror and haunted house genres. With moments of incredible literary strength and vivid description, the book will have readers avidly flipping pages, not knowing what happens next and eager to see what waits around the next corner. And even for those that may guess at the ending, the prediction will do nothing to lessen the tension and creep factor which builds to a wild ride of an action-packed ending that will have you reading late into the night.

Unfortunately, these last chapters are marred by the slapped-on, summarized ending, which makes the story seems as if it really gets going after the events of the novel have ended, sucking some of the suspense out of the conclusion. Some readers will surely be wanting a sequel as they turn the last pages.

But the greatest strength of the novel is the way it works with time. Switching perspectives, POVs, and even trying at second person, the novel includes so many writer-don’ts that it should honestly be an utter failure, and yet, it works. With only a few messy moments that are quickly glossed over, the book is a resounding success despite the risky writing style.

A worthwhile read for horror lovers, I rated "It will Just Be Us" 4 out of 5 stars.

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an honest review!

For all that has ever been, the house remembers. It is a house haunted by memory.

Samantha lives with her mother in a house, haunted not by ghosts, but memories. She is used to viewing snippets from her family history, but when her pregnant sister moves back in, a new and vicious entity appears, one that does not seem to be from the past at all.

This was an interesting read, one that I enjoyed yet couldn't find completely satisfying. Samantha is our main character and honestly, I am slightly conflicted about her. For the most part, she was a character I enjoyed. She had a fascinating job and an open minded view of the world, refreshing after my last read. She had strong convictions and a healthy curiosity. The way she interacted with her house and its memories was appealing to me, and is basically how I think I would do things. However, her behaviour was somewhat immature in a lot of ways. She just read younger to me than she actually was.

Elizabeth and Agnes were good characters in their own ways. Agnes especially was deeply flawed and this makes her actions in regards to atonement perfectly heart breaking. It was also wonderful to observe their family dynamic and interactions, grounding the otherwise unusual story in a reality readers are familiar with.

The ancestral home of the Wakefields and the swamp that neighbours it are great settings for the story. The house was a unique take on the haunted house setting, prompting readers to consider the differences between ghosts and memories, and what kinds of memories your home might project. The physical aspects of the house are bizarre and twisty, reminding me a great deal of the Winchester Mystery House.

The swamp, hiding its own secrets, is ventured into from time to time as well, a focal point of Samantha's passion for archaeology. It makes for a mysterious and claustrophobic setting, as relevant to the various generations of the Wakefield family as their home.

The story itself is perhaps less unique than other aspects of the novel. There were plot points that were somewhat predictable. And, while I am generally not a reader that prefers everything to be explicitly stated, some further explanation here and there could have improved my enjoyment and understanding. I also feel that, if the pacing was more consistent, some of my issues would not have existed.

What I find to have been particularly effective about It Will Just Be Us was the overall atmosphere, helped along by an intricate and beautiful (though occasionally overblown) style of writing. The lyrical descriptions and prioritised details lend themselves to an eerie, dreamlike feeling. If you are the kind of reader who doesn't enjoy lots of detail however, you may not enjoy the writing style as much as I did. Truly, when I reflect on my time with the book, it is the odd feeling it evoked within me that stands out.

So, while I found myself coming out of It Will Just Be Us feeling as if something was missing, i had a good time with it, and would recommend it to readers who enjoy mystery, horror, and a unique twist on a well established horror subgenre.

I love haunted house stories and this book absolutely delivers! It takes a common horror trope and produces something fresh. It has ghosts, both literal and figurative. It plays with the idea of memory and fate. It deals with monsters, both dead and living. It’s about motherhood and sisterhood and family, and what one will do to protect it.

If you want a fast-paced horror, this isn’t it. This is a slow burn to savour, to let get under your skin. The writing is gorgeous. I thought the characters feel authentic and emotionally resonant. I loved the atmospheric setting of the mansion and the surrounding swamps. The final third is incredibly tense, it actually left me breathless. I have to say though that the book has some heavy subject matter. Grief is a shadow and it lingers when the story ends. But I absolutely loved it. One of my favourites of the year!

I seem to be in a rut lately when it comes to books. Either that or I've managed to run into a mess of mediocre stories. Books that aren't bad, that are worth the read, but they don't stand out as something I'll remember later. This one doesn't fall into that category, and it's definitely not mediocre, but it does have its issues. It's a rare thing for me not to finish a book, but I very nearly did just that with It Will Just Be Us. The first half was way too bogged down in flowery prose. Now, I get wanting to paint a picture for the reader, and I get creating an atmosphere, especially when it comes to getting that creepy Gothic feel like this one has. The problem is this one went completely over the top with nearly everything mentioned. I'm all for setting a scene, but some things can be left to the imagination. Some descriptions had such odd and overly flowery wording that they just didn't work. Fortunately, things started to improve just about the time that I was ready to give up. The second half of this book is where it really starts to shine. It's thoroughly creepy, and it kept me up into the wee hours, reading to see how it would all play out while listening to every noise my own house decided to make. Like I said, creepy! I won't go into the details because I feel like too much information could ruin the vibe of this one, especially if you already know what to expect. In the end, I split the difference between the irritating first half and the stellar second half for a middle of the road rating. My advice would be to grit your teeth and persevere to get to the last half, and then it's everything a sinister thriller should be.