While this novel was a slow start for me, I quickly was entranced by the author’s prose and the main character’s quick wit. This horror story builds quickly towards the end, with a strong lead up to the finish, which is quite satisfying and plays out well. I loved that the main character was an archeologist - it’s a perfect addition to the plot and gives the novel and the character a lot of dimension.

This is tough because my only reason for this not getting 5 stars from me was that I just didn't connect with it. Likely my fault and not that of the book, which hit all of the points a novel should hit, and well, but...

This is what I love about T. Kingfisher's horror books - that amazing mix of humor and creepy moments. This one, like the other books I've read for this author, was easy to fall into and to want to keep reading. I loved the main character Sam with her sarcasm and how she tried to rationalize the weird seemed so realistic. This is a slow build of a story but has some good uncomfortable and scary moments that kept me up.

If you enjoyed The Hollow Places, I think you will enjoy this one as well, I think this might be my favorite from this author now and I cannot wait for read more!

Thank you to netgalley and the author for the e-arc!

Solid haunted house horror novel. Kingfisher always manages to put a fresh face on horror tropes with an eye to the macabre.

T Kingfisher DOES NOT MISS. This is southern gothic in a way that feels so fresh and grounded and scary AF. Her heroines always feel so devastatingly normal that it makes the scares all the more scary. Add in a whole host of amazing side characters and quite the twist and this book is unputdownable.

This was my first T Kingfisher book and let me tell you I am impressed.

This book was eerie and creepy at the same time. Perfect for spooky season!

If you haven't lived in a housing development with a bewildering amount of cul-de-sacs smushed up against older rural farmhouses with extreme gardens/yards where the inhabitant is almost certainly a witch... well then you haven't, but if you read this book you'll find out what it was like (minus a lot of supernatural shenanigans).

Sam, who studies bug life in archaeological dig sites, finds herself furloughed from a project and decides to visit her mother in North Carolina where she grew up. She soon discovers that something is terribly, terribly wrong, and aided by Kingfisher's typically charming and warty cast of supporting characters, sets out to root out the problem.

This was a really fun folk horror novella. I really loved the main character, who is unapologetically fat and just a delightful protagonist. The themes of generational trauma and unresolved cultural issues that exist in the south was well done and gave the story depth. While the pacing at the beginning felt a little off to me, with Sam's inner monologue slightly repetitive, it picks up quickly and doesn't slow down.

The cameos from real-life figures in 20th century spiritualism Aleister Crowley and Jack Parsons were also highly amusing and woven into the narrative in a fun way.

A gobble-worthy treat for Kingfisher's fans and a good entry point for readers new to her horror novels.

4.25 stars

I absolutely love how Kingfisher writes! It’s so easy and flows just perfect! This book really sucked me in. I enjoy the little pieces and clues without giving anything away. The characters were perfect too, I just fell in love with mom. Plus, on a different note, look at that cover…just gorgeous!

I have read two other novels by Kingfisher and I have to say I absolutely love the way she writes. I was so happy to receive this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I can always count on this author to weave a creepy, twisted and incredibly original plot and story line. In this story we are introduced to Sam Montgomery (an insect archaeologist) who decides to return home for a visit. upon hearing from her brother that something is a little off with their mother. She comes to find out that is exactly the case. From a vulture lurking on the mailbox, to a literally “insect less” garden, to strange visions and nightmares, Sam struggles to uncover the meaning behind it all. Her usually liberal, somewhat wacky mother has taken to saying prayers before meals and redecorating and painting the house in subdued colors which oddly bring back memories of Sam’s grandmother who lived there previously. (This is not a good sign and very alarming to Sam) Strange occurrences continue to happen as the story escalates to a crazy, nightmarish climax. This was such a great read. I loved all the quirky characters and the many odd and horrific twists. Once again Kingfisher did not disappoint!

A southern gothic featuring an old family home, vultures, roses, and hauntings. When Samantha Montgomery’s archeology expedition is cut short she decides to visit her mother again after her brother calls her with concern. Now she is coming back to their old family home where they lived with Grandma Mae... a cruel old woman who made their lives miserable and had passed away. Upon arrival Sam is met with a huge vulture perched on the mailbox staring at the house... if that wasn’t a bad sign, she then sees her mother who looks worse for wear and is acting extremely strange, it doesn’t help that Sam begins to see strange things herself, hearing her grandmother’s voice and the strange rose bushes that grow in the garden that have no bugs.... which should be impossible. Now Sam finds herself begin to suspect something much more implausible is going on... and her memories of her childhood with her grandmother begin to resurface... soon she’ll dig deeper in dark family secrets and find herself facing off against horrors she never expected. I absolutely loved reading this one, it was such a fun southern gothic and I loved the use of roses and vultures in it. Seriously this was a great read!

*Thanks Netgalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge, Tor Nightfire for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

A House With Good Bones is a fun, quirky, and exciting ride of a ghost story. Our protagonist, Sam, easily pulls you right in and keeps you fully engaged with her conversational narration; and it’s fun to watch her slowly wrap her scientific mind around the reality of magic and ghosts. That leads me to my biggest point: this story was just as entertaining as it was eerie.

The one thing I am coming to appreciate about Kingfisher’s writing, above all, is just how funny it can be. I have never been so amused reading horror. The best thing about it is that the humour- for me, anyhow- doesn’t take anything away from the horror. It just all works together to make a richer reading experience. I was still plenty creeped out by all the weirdness going down in Gran Mae’s house. I’ve come to judge the merit of a horror novel not by how edge-of-your-seat, can’t-read-fast-enough thrilling it is, but by how much of an excitable, running commentary I keep for my husband. You know I’m really into the story if I can’t stop interrupting my own reading, just to tell my husband how screwed the characters are or how creepy-crazy things are getting. As I read this one, I just couldn’t shut up.

I also love when I’m able to recognise people I know in books, and Sam reminds me so much of my own biologist sister that I’m considering buying her a copy, when it releases. My inner pop culture geek was positively screaming when Aleister Crowley made his way into the narrative (fun unrelated fact- Jimmy Page, of Led Zeppelin, bought Boleskine House, because he was just that much of a Crowley fanboy). Little connections like that always amuse me endlessly, and they always make the story seem all the more real.

I can’t wait for this to hit the shelves.

I think at this point I can say there isn't a horror (or any other genre) I won't read from T.Kingfisher. Would it be impossible to just have the arc's sent to me without me requesting them? Pretty please?

I started reading this the moment this digital ARC found its way to my Netgalley shelf. and I regret nothing!

This was such an interesting take on a haunted house story filled with unique visuals and pervaded by a perfect sense of ominous dread. I felt an immediate connection to our protagonist, a single woman in her 30s with an unconventional career and passions as she navigated a prolonged visit to her childhood home where things aren't quite right... with the house and her mother.

Why are there so many vultures? And why do I absolutely want one as a pet? (but probably only Hermes in his pancake form)

This book left me on the edge of my seat several times as I navigated my way through this unraveling gothic horror garden. I am so glad that this was my first T. Kingfisher experience.

My thanks to NetGalley for making an eARC of this book available to me.

This is the perfect book to read on a stormy night, assuming you don't want to be able to sleep until the following day. It moves from disturbing to scary to downright terrifying.

The author continues to present us with well developed characters who feel real, and who we can't help but root for as they dig themselves into and out of some horrifying situations. We get vultures and ladybugs and roses and good family and bad family and good neighbors and bad neighbors and plenty of bug-talk.

First off, thank you so much to #Netgalley, the publisher and especially the author for this ARC!

Okay so T. Kingfisher is in my top 3 favorite authors…. This book was incredible! I love every book they have written, they are so easy to read and keep you on the edge of your seat. When I got the ARC for this book I actually did a little dance I was so excited! My favorite book by them this far was the hollow ones but this book gave that a run for its money…. This book was so creepy and atmospheric and I already preordered a copy for my own collection. Do yourself a favor, go in as blind as you can to this book and enjoy!

My fifth Kingfisher read and, needless to say, I’m a huge fan. I really love her writing style. Her stories are just so original and a breath of fresh air into the horror genre. This one, The Hollow Places, and The Twisted Ones have hilariously relatable protagonists that act like people who haven’t caught on to the fact that they’re living a horror story, and it really reminds me of how a normal person would act if the unexplained started happening to them. I also love when characters have a science background! The main character, Sam, is an archaeologist that specializes in entomology and I loved reading her try to rational everything happening to her, all the way down to applying the scientific method. I learned quite a bit about bugs, too!

A House with Good Bones is an excellent addition to her roster of horror with her quintessential humor, no romance (although this one does have a straight, male side character), North Carolina backdrop, the uncanny in the mundane, and iconic animals. I loved the building tension and how Kingfisher created so much uneasiness before everything cranks up in the last quarter of the book. And why is it that the grandparents always have something crazy going on in her books? Because same, my grandma literally lives in a haunted house. Is it weird that this book made me want a pet vulture? You can say it, I know it’s weird. Overall, recommend to fans of light horror, first person narrative, and haunted house stories with funny protagonists.

I requested a digital copy in order to sample the prose on my phone (since I don't have a eReader) before requesting a physical copy for review. My review will be based on the physical ARC I read (if I qualify)

A House With Good Bones builds with a slow eerie sensation. The characters are well-rounded and fit perfectly with the story. This isn’t your typical haunted house story, it was much creepier than others I have read with a chilling ending.

Highly recommended to fans who love haunting, creepy horror.

ARC was provided by NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge in exchange for an honest review. Expected Pub Date: March 28, 2023

Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan-Tor/Forge, and T. Kingfisher for this eGalley copy of A House With Good Bones.

Kingsolver has done it again! The characterization is solid, the plot captivating, and the horror visceral. And then the twist?!? Excellent.

T. Kingfisher is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors of all time. I absolutely love her writing style, and her horror novels are always unique and completely chilling. I love a good haunted house story, but Kingfisher takes it to the next level with A House With Good Bones. I really like how much thought Kingfisher puts into her main characters: they're not just cookie-cutter final girls. Sam was a great main character, and I liked the fun facts and witty remarks her knowledge of insects brought to the story. The tension was built up perfectly as Sam struggled to figure out why her mother was acting so strange. The last bit of the book was unbelievably creepy, and I don't think I'll ever want to have a rose garden now. 5/5 stars.