Maya, whose best friend died in front of her at 17 under mysterious circumstances, goes back to her childhood home to confront Frank, the man she believes was involved in her death. The premise of this novel sounded intriguing to me. Maya's family history made for a good story. I felt all of the characters were fleshed out well and their decisions made sense. For me, the the flashbacks were good, but the other characters' backstories and extra details didn't always contribute to the plot. I also felt some parts of the book were repetitive, certain plot points, character traits, and backstory details were rehashed too often. The novel is marketed as "psychological suspense" and while it did touch on some psychological topics, it didn't seem all that psychological in the characterization or in the reading experience. I thought it was a pretty straightforward story without much in the way of suspense or twists.
Thanks to netgalley for this digital ARC

This was a slow-burn mystery that intrigued me from the beginning. I loved the premise and had an inkling of what was going to happen early, but I kept reading and hoping that I was right. The shifting back and forth from past to present filled in gaps in the story, but was a bit disjointed and confusing. There was no delineation between chapters, so when there was a time switch, it took a while to figure out where we were. Additionally, the sections about Maya's father and her Guatemalan family were interesting but seemed to be part of a different book. I kept waiting for them to tie in some way or have significance, but they didn’t.

Thank you to Netgalley and Ana Reyes for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

In The House in the Pines, we are folowing Maya, a young woman who is going through klonopin withdrawals and and dealing with her insomnia by applying a liberal amount of alcohol. Still grieving the shocking loss of her best friend Aubrey who died--suddenly and in strange circumstances-- seven years prior, Maya sees a YouTube video recording a recent death that occurred in a diner. A death that seems terribly familar to her friend's Sitting across from the dead woman just happens to be the man that was also with Maya's and Aubrey on that tragic day seven years prior. Frank--the man that Maya had begun dating and found herself falling for. And who, despite having having no proof, she suspected was responsible for Aubrey's death. Frank, of whom though her memories of their time together are strangely hazy, she vividly and violently dreams of every night.

At times both swiftly-paced as well as a bit of a slow-burn, The House in the Pines was a compelling and thought provoking read, engaging the reader in explorations of loss and regret, of memory and madness, and how the past can sometimes offer deceptive and dangerous refuge. I think I see the weird, uncommon stuff embedded in a story long before I see more basic motives and logistics, so I didn't find this twist especially twisty, but appreciate its inclusion and it provided an interesting angle.

I received an advance copy from NetGalley and Dutton Books in exchange for an honest review.

This debut thriller from Ana Reyes needs to be on your January 2023 reading list! It was that good.

Maya has spent seven years trying to escape the past and what happened during those late summer days when she meet a boy, fell hard for him and then accused him of killing her best friend.

One night she comes across a video that catches the moment another women drops dead in front of this same ex-boyfriend.

No one believed her seven years ago. Instead they treated her for mental illness and put her on strong medications.

Now withdrawing from these medications, will Maya uncover the truth or will she confirm everyone’s fears for her mental stability?

You won’t find out until the very end of this well written thriller.

5 out of 5 stars

This is the crazy mind-twisting story of Maya, an addict going through Klonopin withdrawal and trying to regulate with alcohol. In this withdrawal haze, she leaves her fiance to rummage up old memories to try to find answers behind her best friend's mysterious untimely death.

This story is told in Maya’s perspective and switches between current time and past tense when her best friend, Audrey, was still alive. The author, Ana Reyes, is able to brilliantly define which is past tense and which is current day without having the identify each chapter as “then” and “now.”

The entire story has you wondering… Why is this happening? What are the answers? What is really going on? How did he do it? And then the answers unfurl and suddenly everything makes sense. I spent most of the book so frustrated that no one believed Maya because she was an addict, but did I believe her? What is real and what is just real to her? It really is a brain bender until the very end. And what I love most is Maya is the hero of her own story. She doesn’t rely on anyone but herself. That bravery and self-awareness makes me say HELL YEAH!!!

I originally requested this ARC from NetGalley because I loved the cover and the description drew me in. I was ecstatic to be chosen to review this. So thank you Penguin Group and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book. It’s set to publish in January 2023. An absolute must read for anyone looking for a different kind of psychological thriller.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of The House in the Pines by Ana Reyes.

I'm not quite sure how to rate this as there were parts that I loved and hated about it. The mystery and story around it were good and unpredictable. The unreliable narrator aspect I enjoyed aside from the addiction aspect. I am a firm believer that authors should not write from an addicts perspective unless they have gone through it first hand. I can honestly say that someone going through withdrawal would definitely not be spending all their time trying to solve murders. This was a slow burner that I overall enjoyed but felt could of left a little bit out. Good start for a debut author.

this is a debut novel, it deals with Maya trying to remember what happened when her friend aubrey was killed. it has a duel timeline. enjoyable read

A very interesting plot but not much else. The story moved slow, and while I kept waiting for something major to happen, it never did. It was also pretty predictable about halfway through. That being said, I did like the idea of it and would definitely read other books from this author.

The plot was fast-paced but confusing. The unreliable narrator was unlikable, which isn't necessarily a deal-breaker for readers, but then the plot would have to be engaging enough to make up for it and its not. I wouldn't pick this for a book club selection, as I think too many readers would grow frustrated with the book and characters. An okay book, but perhaps needed some tighter editing.

Not bad for a debut book.. but definitely not one of my favorites. We have an unreliable narrator.. who is going through klonopin withdrawals and coping with alcohol.. with some very hazy memories from her past that are different to the surface when she sees an internet video of a woman dying in a cafe. The woman just happens to be with a man that was also with her best friend when she suddenly died.. coincidence?

This was definitely fast paced, but at times it was confusing as to when things were happening— as there were flashbacks but they weren’t called out and we’re not present from the beginning. Overall, I thought the story was a little far fetched and the characters were pretty unlikeable at times which led me to three stars.

When a YouTube video of a woman dying catches Maya's attention, her blood runs cold. Not only did she just watch a woman die sitting in front of a man that she recognized, but her own best friend died the same way and in front of the same man. When Maya was 17, she watched her best friend fall over and die while arguing with Maya's new, mysterious boyfriend, Frank. Reliving horrible memories and bordering on having a manic episode, Maya must return home to confront Frank and figure out what happened to her best friend and the woman in the YouTube video.

This is Ana Reyes' debut novel and I applaud her for that. This was a good book and an interesting read with different concepts than what we normally see these days. However, I cannot give it 5 stars. The main issue I had was the pacing of the story. It felt like it drug on and when a chapter came that was a flashback - I was seriously confused. The flashback chapters don't start right away and are introduced well into the book without any warning. It would have been better if the flashbacks were integrated throughout. Also, I felt like I was reading two separate books - one about Maya and Frank and one about Maya and her ancestry. I feel as if the latter could have been removed and the story would have still been just as good, if not better.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for an opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

The House in the Pines follows Maya, a flawed and tenacious addict / heroine as she deals with withdrawals while also being forced to confront a life defining moment, the moment her best friend died. 7 years after the tragedy a man from Maya’s past, whom she believes is responsible for her friend’s death, is once again present when a young woman suddenly dies on camera. Maya returns home to confront her demons - both past and present.

This thriller has so many layers too it and will keep you on your toes. In addition to being a propulsive thriller, this book sheds light on how grief is often so complicated, and manages to tie in some Guatemalan history - especially regarding the US backed coup and subsequent civil war. The House in the Pines is both character and plot driven, with a lot going on, and it works so wonderfully for this story line. I highly recommend this book!

Maya is an addict struggling to cope with her difficult past which includes the loss of her best friend Aubrey and her ex Frank.

This entire read is not what I expected. Fast paced, and a semi non dependable m.c. you are definitely in for a crazy ride. The only thing I didn't love was the unraveling of the mystery and the end. I feel like the book was amazing but the ending just fell a little flat.

Overall, if you like psychological thrillers I'd recommend.

4/5 ⭐️
I enjoyed this! I loved the plot and how fast paced everything was! The characters weren’t pretty cool as well, although a bit annoying at times.

What a debut novel! Told in a dual storyline set in the past and today - with Maya trying to piece together what had happened in the past when it comes to her best friend Aubrey’s death. Once another woman, Cristina, is killed in almost the exact same fashion, Maya cannot stop herself from trying to find if the two deaths are connected.

The big twist in this book was so unexpected but SO good! My jaw dropped, I audibly spoke the words ‘what the fuck’ a couple of times. The sleuth detective work of Maya, not giving up no matter what anyone said to try to discredit her was a work of art! I absolutely adored this book, it was easy to fly through and it was a great story and super easy to follow along. Great debut novel, i can’t wait to read whatever this author puts out in the future.

3.5***
This psychological thriller is from a debut author! It is fast paced and kept me vested for more.
Memories of her best friend's death have kept Maya under the influence of self medicating to forget the past. Her friend Aubrey died in front of a man named Frank that they were both interested in and almost split their friendship.

It has taken Maya years to process the healing and space between her childhood home. A You-Tube video surfaces of a woman dying in a restaurant in front of Frank and this brings all the nightmares to the surface. Maya travels back to The House in the Pines to confront her fears and find the truth behind Frank's manipulation.

A quick-read with a lot of punch to it! It highlights how our memory can put aside the truth to help us survive.
Thank you NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Dutton for this title in exchange for my honest review.

Interesting premise and well written. The chapters that flashed back to Maya’s earlier memories added layer upon layer of clues to help influence guesses of what was going on and how someone could possibly kill two people with no sign of it.

I really enjoyed this book! I was hooked from the beginning and it kept me glued to my seat the whole time!

How do I start off?
Well, I read this in two sittings. I loved it. If a book has the woods in the title or cover i'm sold and this did not disappoint. I loved it and I am going to buy it when it comes out in January.

I truly enjoyed this book. The author kept me guessing right to the very end. Without giving clues to what happens, this book makes me want to do a bit of research..... The jumping back and forth in time was a bit confusing at times, but easy enough to figure it out. This book kept me reading late into the night!!