"The House in the Pines" is chilling, atmospheric, and haunting. It kept me guessing and, at times, somewhat confused. The writing is lovely, and it is easy to be pulled in to the characters and story. Recommended for those who enjoy mystery/thrillers. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I received this arc from netgally in exchange for an honest review. I picked ir out soley on the title! I liked the book but wish the transiton between time lapses was smoother like maybe a dated chapter title? I enjoyed the plot until about 2/3 in when it just became wildy inplausible in my opinion. I was hoping for a ghost story somehow. This is still a good suspense novel and was interesting however. I would reccomend it for a quick read.

I think the strength of this book is that for a long time readers will question if our protagonist suffers from mental illness or is afflicted by the supernatural; that lack of clarity is what kept my interest in finishing the book. Without a doubt, this will make a cool show, however.

This psychological thriller debut is sure to keep you on your toes and on the edge of your seat. The House in the Pines follows our (unreliable) narrator Maya, as she attempts to find some answers about her best friend’s mysterious death. ⁣
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Reyes’s writing is atmospheric, and really draws you in from the start. Maya’s character is very complicated, and her experiences really intrigued me. The plot does get pretty intricate, but the great thing Reyes does is make it not feel so convoluted. The story felt fresh and unique, and because of all the twists and turns, I didn’t really see the ending coming! ⁣
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Overall, I think this was a strong debut, and I can’t wait to read more from Reyes.

The premise for The House in the Pines was interesting but unfortunately, I don't think it was executed well. I never felt connected to any of the characters so had a hard time rooting for them as a result. I could see the plot coming a mile off. I have no doubt that there are readers who will enjoy Reyes' take on the ways memories distort and the nature of friendship but it wasn't for me.

Armed with only hazy memories, a woman who long ago witnessed her friend’s sudden, mysterious death, and has since spent her life trying to forget, sets out to track down answers. What she uncovers, deep in the woods, is hardly to be believed....

Maya was a high school senior when her best friend, Aubrey, mysteriously dropped dead in front of the enigmatic man named Frank whom they’d been spending time with all summer.

Seven years later, Maya lives in Boston with a loving boyfriend and is kicking the secret addiction that has allowed her to cope with what happened years ago, the gaps in her memories, and the lost time that she can’t account for. But her past comes rushing back when she comes across a recent YouTube video in which a young woman suddenly keels over and dies in a diner while sitting across from none other than Frank. Plunged into the trauma that has defined her life, Maya heads to her Berkshires hometown to relive that fateful summer—the influence Frank once had on her and the obsessive jealousy that nearly destroyed her friendship with Aubrey.

At her mother’s house, she excavates fragments of her past and notices hidden messages in her deceased Guatemalan father’s book that didn’t stand out to her earlier. To save herself, she must understand a story written before she was born, but time keeps running out, and soon, all roads are leading back to Frank’s cabin....

Utterly unique and captivating, The House in the Pines keeps you guessing about whether we can ever fully confront the past and return home.

I really didn’t think this thriller did much. The premise sounded very interesting and I was excited for the twist but it didn’t seem believable. I also didn’t like how this book wrapped up in the end, there’s no real conclusion as to what’s going to happen with Frank. Overall I’m disappointed in this one.

Thank you so much @DuttonBooks for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review (Release Date | 03 January 2023)

SYNOPSIS | Maya stumbles across a viral YouTube video of a young woman dying while sitting across a diner table from her male companion. This is the exact same way her best friend died after high school and upon closer inspection, the male is Maya's old boyfriend from around the same time period.

WHAT I LIKED:
- appreciated that the author went out of the box with the plot

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
- unreliable narrator suffering from Klonopin withdrawals (can we just stop with the substance abuse trope?!)
- the pacing was so slow to the point that I was struggling to stay engaged
- the heavy focus on the past
- the Guatemalan backstory (although was interesting) didn't really add anything to the story

A spooky book that captured a vivid atmosphere and strong sense of mood and place. I was drawn in by the imagery and enjoyed following the main character in her hunt for the truth. The time
jumps kept me guessing and engaged and I loved the characters- even those with tiny parts were fully formed and felt like real people. A contemporary gothic thriller- great fun!

It was a treat to speak with Ana Reyes about her writing process on the Oh! Murder podcast: link below.

The House in The Pines
By Ana Reyes

I enjoyed reading this book and the very interesting premise really had my attention and what kept me listening to the fantastic audio book and flipping those pages. I thought this was a strong debut novel that many thriller lovers will enjoy to read.

This book started off grabbing my attention and keeping me turning the page. However, at some point it felt a little forced and too wordy, which pulled me out of the story. Although I initially didn't want to stop reading, I eventually had to force myself to keep reading. I do think that the characters were well written and that the suspense built nicely - some areas were just a bit overly written for me. This definitely is a matter of preference, I like edge of your seat thrillers with non stop action - that wasn't this book.
The ending was a bit far fetched for me as well. I think that the overall story was interesting, it just didn't completely deliver for me.

2.5 Stars

I’m late to reading this and my store is already selling these by the case load. Our customers are loving it and I see why. It isn’t making the top of my list like Willingham’s books but I was sucked in quickly and kept wanting to go back to it. I was walking into walls reading this while I got more tea. A great read for mystery fans even if it won’t be 5 stars.

The House in the Pines, by Ana Reyes, had all the makings of a 5 star read for me. Maya is in High School and her best friend dies suddenly. Aubrey, mysterious death will haunt Maya for years time. Could she have something different? Modern day, 7 years later Maya is living in Boston, with her boyfriend. She should be living her best life but she is trapped with her problems. Her past comes back to haunt her. Frank, is the person who was with Aubrey before she died and now he is with another girl that suddenly dies. Maya, feels she has to go to her hometown to set things straight. While home she remembers her last, tries to piece it together and tries to make things right. She finds a manuscript of her father’s and remembers him. This story seemed disjointed. To many sub plots, too much going on. I started to lose interest. Like I said this story had a tone of potential.. Its an unpopular opinion but this wasn’t the book for me. I gave it three stars.. I want to thank Netgalley and Ana Reyes for my copy for an honest review. It was my pleasure to read and review it. It wasn’t my cup of tea but I would give it a try. Let me know your thoughts.

This book started off just the way I like my psychological thrillers. It drew me, had me thinking and was thrilling. However the end was disappointing it felt a little bit rushed and a bit far fetched for me.

Things I did like though were the way the author mixed in the links with Maya and her Guatemalan heritage that along with the mysterious nature of her Dads book was what drew me in most.

Overall an ok read, I think the premise behind the story was there however it got a bit disconnected towards the end.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an e.-ARC of The House in the Pines by Ana Reyes.
The House in the Pines is a mystery that did a good job keeping me guessing and in suspense. However, I feel that the author added too much irrelevant information about the character's family that slowed down the book.
Overall, it was a good read, but not great.

I really enjoyed The House in the Pines. It keeps you guessing throughout. I’d recommend to anyone that likes thrillers and psychological fiction.

An interesting premise, beautifully packaged but ultimately not a compelling payoff.

I think this could have made a fantastic story for younger readers but as an adult novel it doesn’t really hold up and I found the antagonist not convincing.

Thanks to NetGalley. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5

Thanks NetGalley but I really struggled to finish this one. Love this genre but this title was just so far fetched and missed the mark so many times I wanted to give up! Would not recommend to library patrons.

Maya watched her best friend Aubrey die. It's haunted her for years. She believes a mysterious boy named Frank who seems to keep popping into her life is the one who killed Aubrey. Years after the incident, Maya is living with her boyfriend in Boston, when she comes across a video of a girl who dies in the exact same way as her best friend. She knows Frank is behind it. However, since the traumatic event of watching her best friend die, Maya has become addicted to medication and rarely sleeps, which has her credibility questioned by those around her.

Maya decides to visit her mother while also conducting her own investigation into Aubrey's death, the recent video of the girl, and Frank. While at home, she comes across the manuscript her deceased father had been writing and discovers the secret messages hidden within its pages. Maya must decipher these mysteries in order to understand how Frank keeps coming back into her life and what secrets he's been keeping.

This was a WILD ride. Although, I'm not quite sure the book was accurately marketed. It's categorized as a mystery/thriller, which it is, but there is also a sci-fi/fantasy or even horror element that becomes prominent later in the story. At first I thought this was going to be a ghost story, but then things went in a totally different direction. The ending was the only thing that fell flat for me. It felt unfinished. I would recommend this book, though.

Some readers may be intrigued by the spooky description and continue reading to the final revelation, as most mystery readers are conditioned to do. It was a tough read for me, as I wasn’t committed to the characters or the pacing, and it held few thrills.