This is so weird. Is this poetry? Is this horror? Is this fantasy? I have no idea but I love it. I read this in one sitting pacing, heart pounding, anxiety riddled. Would recommend.

On their first date, seventeen-year-olds James and Amelia went canoeing on a lake and discovered a normal but unusual house at the bottom of the lake.
They were deeply fascinated by it, and decided to dive deeper to explore it, not knowing that their lives would change forever.
A House At The Bottom Of A Lake is a very original, appalling thriller brimful of mysteries and hideousness! I highly recommend it to fans of such genre!
Josh Malerman is an outstanding author who is adept at transforming ordinary letters and words into extraordinary hair-raising suspenseful thrillers.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Del Rey/Random House for this enjoyable thriller.
#NetGalley
#AHouseAtTheBottomOfALake

Malerman is undeniably on fire. I have yet to be unimpressed by something he has written, and as a picky, selfish reader like myself, that's a powerful statement.

Malerman draws you into each story with wonderfully written characters and a plot that continuously develops, leading you to keep reading one more chapter, just one more, until the books is finished.

Well this was real weird and creepy little book! I don’t always read horror, but I liked Bird Box and was really intrigued when I heard about this one. Two teens on a first date to a lake come across a fully submerged, fully furnished house and can’t seem to stop themselves from exploring it. Pretty quickly their romantic feelings and this compulsion to explore get tangled up and things start to get creepy. I couldn’t put it down, I had to know the answers to the questions the main characters agreed not to ask, for fear of breaking the spell. Why? How? ...Who?

I'm embarrassed by how long it took me to read this short novella. I just couldn't stay focused while reading, probably because I felt like I was holding my breath the entire time I was reading. The atmosphere and vibe of this story can be explained with one word: unsettling. The story wasn't necessarily scary, which made me even more uncomfortable reading because you just know something isn't right with everything. I was interested in this mystery house and what the secret behind it was and I loved watching James and Amelia fall in love. It felt so realistic reading about these two kids getting to know each other and being nervous around each other, while simultaneously exploring this strange underwater house. I can see why a lot of people might be upset or confused by the ending but I liked how things ended a bit more open ended.

Suspend reality, curl up in your favorite reading spot, have a couple hours to binge, grab your favorite drink, and don't ask how or why!

This book sucks you in and won't let go. The setting itself is almost a character in the story. The story was creepy, but the reader is also always aware that the main characters are under water and relying on an air hose. This to me was even scarier than the story. I read it so quickly, all the while feeling claustrophobic, that I might need to go back to enjoy the decsriptions I flew over.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read a proof of this book.

I was very excited to get my hands on this book because I am a huge fan of "Bird Box" by this same author. I found "A House at the Bottom of a Lake" to be absolutely exhilarating! I was on edge and had chills pretty much the entire time I read this book, which is not normal for me and I read and watch A LOT of horror. Just something about it that's hard to put into words. Just read it! If you are a fan of horror or fantasy bordering on horror - read it! I will say it does lose one star from me because the ending just felt.. I don't know.. flat. I do not regret reading it due to this though. I just wish there were an extended ending somewhere or a sequel coming out.

I think this is categorized incorrectly as horror. Maybe mystery or thriller. I like the premise of this story and it was a quick read.

This was an incredibly spooky and unsettling book about first love. Framed by two teens exploring an impossible house at a bottom of a lake, they fall in love but begin to wonder what th reality of the house may mean for them. This kept me on the edge of my seat, heart racing. The ending was a little disappointing, but it still works for the most part.

The first half of the book really had me interested. I was willing to suspend my disbelief and follow the rules of the world that was being built, but the second half really threw me. I was expecting some payoff and ultimately was left confused. I didn't need everything spelled out to me, but there was a shift from things feeling like magical realism to more metaphorical and that just didn't work for me. Maybe if it felt more metaphorical earlier on I may have liked it more, but I was hoping this story would push a bit more and get deeper into horror.

This was the freakiest book I have ever read. It was extremely verbose with no characterization. I was very disappointed.

I received an ebook ARC from NetGalley and this is my voluntary, honest review.

Sort of a crazy-weird love story. Not actually what you'd expect from the debut novelist of "The Bird Box". This is not a post-apocalyptic horror novel. But, rather a graceful magical novella spiced with nostalgia and a burgeoning relationship between two seventeen-year olds. Amelia enters the hardware store searching for a hose replacement, but this is forgotten when mutual sparks fly when she encounters James. James is smitten at first site of Amelia and immediately proposes an unusual first date. Not a coffee or movie date, but a canoe trip, next Saturday morning. The first lake is beautiful but doesn't compare to the gorgeous smaller connecting second lake. While traversing this lake they notice a small drainage tunnel and cannot help but explore. The canoe barely fits the narrow passage and unexpectedly they are expelled into yet a third lake. Much smaller and not as pretty, but yet has a sense of overwhelming isolation and wonder. As they journey around the lake a sudden bizarre event occurs. As they gaze into the waters they note the impossible presence of a house submerged at the bottom of the lake. Unable to avoid their wonderment, they dive into the lake to explore this phenomena. How could a two-story house, fully furnished, with even a basement exist? James is perplexed how nothing is floating inside ... it all seems to defy the natural laws of science. They decide to take scuba lessons and return to conduct a thorough investigation. As their obsession to explore expands, so does their feelings for each other. What starts as an infatuation, gradually grows into a loving relationship. Amelia insists that they not ask, the "hows and whys" of the house ( almost a pleading not to burst the "magical bubble" )
Malerman utilizes short enchanting chapters from each teenager's point of view to create a fast paced and propulsive narrative. An unexpected sense of dread and foreboding pervades the tale ... waiting for the proverbial sinister shoe to drop.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House - Ballantine Publishing for providing an Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review.

So, I like everyone else really enjoyed Bird Box and I had heard of this book or lets call it a novella. So when it popped up on netgalley I was very excited. Obviously it is a short novella, so you can read it in one sitting. My biggest problem is how it is being marketed right now. THIS IS NOT HORROR. Friends, this is not even scary. This is not a thriller either. Perhaps a little mystery, but we get no resolve there.

Here is your quick rundown of the story. Teens meet, decide on a date, and go canoeing on said date. While canoeing they find secret lake #1 then find secret lake #2. Secret lake 2 is weird and the fish float sideways and wow there is a house under the lake. Kids are curious and start to explore. House is in perfect condition just underwater. And there we go, there is the whole story. Things go bump in the house. Kids get scared but keep coming. Things are weird. The end.

No joke, that's it. It is not at all scary or what I would call horror. I think the publishers are doing Mr. Malerman a disservice by calling it that. Readers expecting one thing are going to be very disappointed. Just like I was.

2.5 stars rounded to 3 because honestly if it had been marketed differently I would have expected a different story.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publishers, and the author for an advanced copy to read and review.

Hmmmm...still not sure what I just read. It's not horror. It's not scary. It's a little more twilight zone wtf.

"Taking turns in a crazy place. Sounded like...like love"

But it's a twilight zone episode that explores the awkwardness of falling in love and (view spoiler)

Unique for sure. Dreamlike at times. But there is so much left unexplored that leaves the reader scratching their head. But I'm guessing that is the point from the author who wrote Bird Box.

***Copy obtained from Random House Publishing-Ballantine via Netgalley***

What starts out as a first date for two teenagers turns into a summer filled with adventure, mystery, love, and edging the bounds of their bravery.

I'm still trying to process what I just read, and to be honest, I'm not sure if I'll ever "figure it out" or not. That being said, I enjoyed this horror novella. It was suspenseful, and the writing was picturesque. I kept turning page after page to figure out what was going to happen to our main characters. A HOUSE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE was short, but sweet. 3 out of 5 stars

Thank you to Josh Malerman, @netgalley, and the publisher for an advanced copy of this republished book in exchange for an honest review.

I did not enjoy this books as the other books he's written. It was sufficiently creepy. A good atmosphere and a fairly unique premise, but I didn't feel as invested in these characters as I have in other characters that Malerman has created. Overall I liked it, but just didn't get in to it as much.

The story opens them moment after James unexpectedly asked Amelia out on a first date to canoe and picnic at a nearby lake. They're both 17, so achingly young and fresh. It's the beginning of summer, James is working at his dad's hardware store for the summer, Amelia is working at a grocery story. The beginning of summer feels like a fresh starts and they both carry so little responsibility or obligations - are you feeling nostalgic for your youth yet? They're both so sweet and awkward as they embark on their date. They borrow a canoe and take it out on a lake, which connects to another smaller lake. Then they notice a small tunnel - which the canoe barely squeezes through - which leads to another, totally deserted third lake. They're surprised - why has no one mentioned this third lake to them before? Is it secret? Unknown? Then, they're stunned to discover a large house standing at the bottom of this lake. Of course they're curious and devise ways to explore the house more and more, as their relationship grows and they explore each other as well.

I had to mull this story over for awhile before I could review it. I thought it was a sweet and beautiful story. I think that the whole story was about first love, and the house was symbolic of that first love. They're surprised to find it, they think they've made a new discovery that no one else has ever found before. Curiosity grows to obsession - they're thinking about the house every moment that they're not there. I can remember feeling this angst and all these crazy feelings when I was young and first in love. The story really evoked for me those feelings of a young and fresh new love. But we all know how this usually goes. When you ask they why and how questions - that's when things start to unravel. And when it's over and gone, at first you feel like you can't go on living without it. But you do. Then one day, you look back and almost can't remember what all the fuss was about. I thought it was very well written. I'm not sure I would classify it as horror exactly. It was definitely creepy and atmospheric. I'm a little claustrophobic - the squeezing through the tunnel had my heart thumping. And I've always had a fear of getting trapped underwater - that uneasy feeling makes multiple appearances throughout the story. Overall, I thought it was very original and effective at creating feelings. Personally, I didn't find it super-compelling. I'm not sure I can put my finger on why, but I didn't find myself racing from page to page to see what happened next. I guess it's not that kind of story, it's more one that you savor rather than racing through. I didn't love it, but there was a lot that I liked about it. I gave it 3 1/2 stars, rounded up to 4. Thank you to Random House and Netgalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This roughly 100 page novella is so incredibly engaging from the first page. I caught myself realizing my eyes were really wide or focused or my mouth was gaping open because the book was so intense. There’s something so scary about the unknown and unseen... just waiting for something to happen. I could feel adrenaline just waiting to rush through my veins. I am actually surprised by the low GoodReads rating, because I loved this book so much. But I recognize it might not be for everyone. Especially with how ambiguously it ended.

My biggest gripe (and basically a CW for other Indigenous readers) is the use of “spirit animals” when the characters were joking about something. Non-Native people need to let that phrase go and find an alternative.

I let this novella sit in my head for a bit. It was creepy and it was engaging. I have serious claustrophobia and the combination of being underwater, in a house, and in a constricting suit all heightened the creepy factor for me. I live around and kayak on a nice little lake a few yards from my house. I may look at those little quiet coves differently from now on. However, I am still torn about whether or not I actually liked this story. It made a start in many directions that left me unsatisfied.

Let’s look at characters. Not the two teenagers. They are more background. Slightly described setting. They definitely don’t act like people and they aren’t fleshed out at all. No, I mean the house. The house is described and acts far more than like a living thing than anyone else in the story. I would have loved for the jumping from thoughts between characters to have jumped to the house at some point. I once had a student write a story from three points of view- a girl, death, and nothing. Now, that sounds a little precocious of a 5th grader, but I thought of her and the voice she could have given the house as the adult she must now be,

Because of the way each was written, I was very let down by the ending. I don’t want to say more, but it felt like a cop out. It felt like the author either didn’t have a clear way to wrap it up or they simply got to their word limit. I’m ok with open ended endings but they have to make sense to the story and they have to still satisfy. I think I would like to read full length novels by this author to see how he handles endings and characters in a full length book.