I definitely recommend checking out Chandra’s (wherethereadergrows on Instagram) review as well because she hit the nail on the head. I was expecting a thriller, not a slower suspense read, so that alone ruined the experience for me. The main character being unreliable because of their substance use is something we’ve seen in so many books in this genre. I think I was hoping for something a little more. The folklore was the highlight for me, hands down, so that was a bright spot! I think if you love these slower suspense books and those pesky unreliable narrators, then this should 100% be on your TBR.

I really enjoyed this book! The intrigue and mystery kept me guessing what was going on. There was a hint of magical realism throughout which gave the possibility of any type of ending. Although the majority of the book was exciting, the ending fell a little flat for me. It may have been because I was expecting a different outcome but I felt it was a bit rushed. Overall, this is an interesting book that I would encourage anyone to read!

I really enjoyed this!
We’re following our MC, Maya, as she investigates a man from her past, Frank, who she thinks is responsible for the strange deaths of several women.
I found the mystery pretty interesting, but the ending was a bit predictable. What I found I really loved about this story was getting to know Maya. There were a lot of layers to her in regards to her relationship with her parents, a drug addiction, her past unhealthy relationship with a partner, mental illness, and also managing grief over loss of a loved one. In addition, I appreciated the background we got on her Guatemalan culture.
All in all, a well told, gripping story

*3.5 stars rounded up.

Poor Maya! She became addicted to Klonopin which was prescribed by her therapist for anxiety after her best friend Aubrey died suddenly when they were just 17. Maya believed her ex-boyfriend Frank had somehow killed Aubrey but there was no proof.

Now seven years later, Maya's college classmate who was suppling her with the drugs has stopped answering her calls so she decides to quit cold turkey. Alcohol helps with some of the withdrawal symptoms but she just can't sleep. Night after night...

Browsing the internet late one night, she watches a YouTube video of a young woman suddenly dying. She is sitting at a table in a diner with Frank, yes the same Frank, when it happens. Maya is convinced this is proof she was right all along! She returns to her hometown of Pittsfield, MA, to dig deeper. What she discovers is pretty diabolical.

I actually rather enjoyed this debut thriller which gives the reader a close look at addiction. I could sense where the answer to the mystery was heading because of Maya's descriptions of the perception of a loss of time but I still thought the twist was nicely done. I also enjoyed the small visit to Guatemala Maya makes to meet her father's family. Going back and forth in time became a bit confusing so I thought chapter heads labeled THEN and NOW would have been helpful.

I received an arc from the author and publisher via NetGalley. Many thanks for the opportunity. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

Quick Take: Maya, an unreliable narrator, is moving on with her life after the unexpected death of her best friend in high school. When another girl dies in the presence of the same man her friend did years ago, she is determined to prove that this man killed both girls. She travels back to her hometown and the house in the pines that has haunted her life.

This sounded so good on paper and was an instant grab for me but it fell a little short. Maya’s thoughts were too scattered for me and I felt lost in the plot line. The ending was also a little far-fetched.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Randomhouse for my eARC in exchange for my honest review

This was a slow start for me but once the story picked up I had a hard time putting down. I liked the characters, the atmosphere / setting. It was delightfully creepy.

In typical Reese Witherspoon fashion, she picked the most Reese book ever. If you are fans of BIG LITTLE LIES or LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE then you will LOVE this book.

I struggle SO HARD with books like this because it's SO MUCH filler. I typically don't reach for fiction books, but add in a little suspense / psychological thriller aspects and I'll give it a go. I enjoyed the premise but that main character was SO HARD to feel attached to. I read so much filler on her thoughts and feelings and her life but I feel like SHE wasn't even connected to herself. Everything was so whatever to her, and like if you don't give a shit about your own boyfriend, why should I?

This book definitely picked up in the last third of the book and made me happy I didn't DNF it. It was so smart and really shocking. I honestly don't think I've ever heard a story quite like this one and I loved how unique it was. It had a lot of magic, mystery, and a kind of magical realism feel.

I know this book is already making waves everywhere, and this would be the BEST movie. I seriously hope Hello Sunshine picks this one up.

Overall, would I recommend this to everyone? no. If you are a fiction fan, then absolutely.

Don't be fooled by the eerie book jacket or blurbs, "The House in the Pines" is not at all thrilling. It does set up a rather chilling mystery in its opening moments, but the stakes remain so low throughout the resulting chapters that it never builds into anything other than a decent concept.

The book started great, interesting characters. Unique premise that drew me in. The ending fell flat.

This book is so fast paced and such an amazing thriller! Its so chilling and I love the psychological tension that the book makes you feel.

This book is about a woman who has been dealing with some serious trauma since her best friend dies in front of her when she was 18. She thinks her Boy friend at the time had something to do with it but there is no proof. Years later another person dies without explanation with her ex BF present. She know she has to figure out what it going on and starts to investigate yourself. What she discovers will change her life forever.

This book was a little dull for me but overall i enjoyed it! I think this would be a good book to read if your just looking for something simple - I picture laying on a beach in the sun reading this book!

If you like Psychological Thrillers you will likely enjoy this book.

A video has been circulating on YouTube of a woman who died suddenly while sitting at a booth in a local diner, and it’s all caught on the diner camera. No foul play, at least from the camera angle. But when Maya sees this video, she noticed one wrong thing: Frank. Seeing Frank in the booth next to that woman instantly sends Maya down memory lane. It transports her to the time when her best friend Aubrey did the same thing. No foul play but she died and the common factor: Frank.

Determined to find Frank and figure out what he did to the woman in the diner and Aubrey, Maya begins a journey to also recover missing memories of her time with Frank. The problem is Maya is also going through withdraw from long-term prescription use and is drinking heavily to try to allow herself to function. Is all of this real or is she becoming paranoid?

This book! I couldn’t stop reading. I know an unreliable narrator is not exactly everyone’s favorite trope, but it works. I stayed up so late finishing this book and there were several parts where I got chills because of the creep factor. If you like mind games and psychology and psychological thrillers, then grab this book because you will love it.

There is a lot of telling and internal exposition which makes it hard for me to connect with. The writing itself seemed alright

I absolutely loved this book. I can’t wait to see what else this author writes. She writes a great psychological thriller with a twist. Maya the main character suffers from drug withdrawal and the fact that she witnessed her best friend’s murder. She does not have very many people that believe in her due to mental health issues in her family but Dan her boyfriend shows up to her in the end.

This story has potential triggers— manipulation, gaslighting, addiction, etc. that could be traumatizing for some.

SYNOPSIS: Maya met Frank in high school, and quickly became absolutely infatuated in him; she loved spending time with him, and always had a great time— except for large swaths of time she seems to black out and can’t remember. Everything changed the day her best friend suddenly dropped dead during her senior year of high school.

Ever since then, Maya has been convinced that Frank was responsible for her friends death, but had no proof. Though she sought psychological help when she was younger, she has continued to suffer with mental health and dependency issues (Klonopin). While going through withdrawal, Maya happens to stumble across a YouTube video of Frank and another girl sitting across from each other in a diner— suddenly, the other girl drops dead. The video brings all of her suppressed trauma back to the surface, and she heads back home to investigate, and hopefully get her memories back. Can Maya regain her erased memories, unravel the series of events of her past, and solve the mystery behind her friends death— and the fascination with Frank’s cabin?

REVIEW: I enjoyed this book, but I also enjoy psychological thrillers. The story was somewhat predictable, but had some twists and turns that kept me engaged and wanting to read more. I found myself especially empathetic with the main character. Overall, I found Maya to be a character I could relate to, and I would definitely recommend this stand-alone novel to anyone who appreciates this genre.

It was okay...I was unimpressed with the "twist" about what was happened to Maya as a teen and what he did to the other girls.

I had a hard time staying engaged throughout the book and the story often didn’t make sense to me. I think it ended up being too far-fetched for my liking and the unreliable narrator trope didn't work for me.

This book has a 3.2 rating on Goodreads, so my expectations were pretty low going into this one. But, it was the February pick for one of my book clubs, so onward!

It's hard to comment on this book without spoilers, so here's what I'll say:

1. It was a super quick read.

2. I'm impressed this is a debut novel, as the writing style was easy to digest.

But, the story just didn't work for me. The pacing seemed off and the plot itself was a little too far fetched for me.

However, it did keep me engaged, so for that reason it deserves ⭐⭐⭐.

I have to say that I liked this book up until the "big reveal" but it just was disappointing to me at that point. The writing is beautiful though and you're immediately drawn into the story. It's an easy read that's enjoyable, even through the disappointing bits. I'd still recommend it, just don't expect a huge reveal because there isn't one.

I'd like to thank the publisher, author and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for a review.

Good read. It kept me engaged the entire time. I liked the past/present nature of this book and how this book gives insight into the ways we all deal with situations differently. Enjoyable read.