Compared to their other books, this one is my least favorite. I love Gothic thrillers, but there was just something about this one that was just meh for me.

It's a house they all grew up in. . .full of nostalgia, and a love of place and family associated throughout the years during their childhood visits. They never could realized how deep the reap goes back. . .

I'm not generally a horror girl. But since I've found T Kingfisher, my genre pref list is listing toward horror. . .and Sam Montgomery is one of the funniest protagonists around! If she gets booted from her protagonist gig, or her archaeoentomologist career, she could be an awesome standup comic! So many of the characters had me in their grips - Gran Mae - a fierce grandma, Gail the Super Neighbor, Phil - we all need a Phil, Hermes, complete with rats, and ever ready Brother Brad on Stand By in AZ. And Mom? Well. . .she was the one to be rescued, and Sam + her TK avengers did it!

A fantastically funny-creepy story. After reading it, you'll never look at roses, vultures or ladybugs the same way.

My wand summons 5 10-ft tall stars, formed by locally swarming lady bugs.

*A sincere thank you to T. Kingfisher, Macmillan-Tor/Forge, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and independently review.*

I great slow burn of a horror novel that makes you question everything as things start to get scary.

All the wit and warmth I've come to expect from this author; this one is Southern Gothic, I guess? Kinda? I really liked it. I'm always going to be invested in an overweight, early-30s, snarky archaeoentomologist, and as always the supporting cast are fun, too - admittedly I thought this book was going to go easy on the horror, based on the first few chapters, so I spent most of it breezing through, enjoying the ride, all 'aren't vultures cute?' and 'gee, lady, your grandma was so mean', and then woooow, that ending. What a corker. Enjoyed the 90s-style epilogue, too.

I don't think i realized this was a gothic horror until I started it, but it was ok.
Typically not my favorite genre, but the author kept it going and I ended up liking it.
Thankful for the ARC

T.Kingfisher will forever be in my top favorite authors! The storytelling portrayed from them, Makes you want to keep reading and hooks you until the very end of the book!

Although this story was a little predictable vs some of their other books, the aspect of a creepy haunted house with mentions of vultures hanging around is all I ever need to read a spooky horror book!

The story takes place with two children and their mother. After the children receive some weird phone calls from their mother, The daughter decides it is maybe time to check up on their mother. Once the daughter gets to the mothers residence, things don't seem as they used to be. Is their mother sick and losing her mind? Or is there more to the naked eye?

5 star read for me!

I am not a horror reader and have been trying to expand my horizons into uncomfortable territories. T. Kingfisher has been the perfect author to get into horror with and is fast becoming an instant read for me. A House With Good Bones is about Sam, an archaeoentomologist, who is returning to her childhood home to find the house, and her mother, a bit... off. I know fungus has been having it's fun in the horror genre the last couple of years and it's fun to see some bug based horror, especially through a more scientific lens. My one and only gripe with the book is that the end conclusion seemed to come to fast for me, but I find that is often the case with novellas.

I absolutely love how T. Kingfisher writes characters, I felt attached to this mc from page one. I love the cozy witty banter, the comfort of the writing, so, so good! That being said, I did feel a little lost as this story grew wild and out of control. I am a huge fan of events spiraling, but this one felt a little clunky. I'm not sure if it was that I couldn't completely visualize what was going on, if I needed more description. But also I felt like a huge part of this book was our mc coming to the realization that the house was haunted and like... yeah of course it was. And then suddenly EVERYTHING WAS HAPPENING.
Of course I loved the biological explanations, not sure how T. Kingfisher makes me fascinated about bugs, like wow that takes talent. I literally want pet vultures now. I'll forever be picking up her books because of the characters, the humor, and the cozy vibes.

This was a novel that had me hooked from the beginning. I couldn't wait to see what would happen next and was flipping the pages reading chapter after chapter and couldn't put this one down. I recommend this one!

T. Kingfisher writing horror is always going to work for me. If you’re coming to A House with Good Bones for the kind of over-the-top, grotesque tropes that sometimes characterize the horror genre - this is not the book for you. But if you like a more subtle, intentional building of tension and weirdness this is a perfect choice.

I particularly appreciated how this focused on the impact of a grandparents' abuse, and how that trauma translates across generations. Kingfisher was able to frame a discussion with nuance around how a grandparent can act with how they believe is love but leaves behind a hurt that is passed through to future generations. I love horror with a message, and this book did everything right in this aspect.

The length of this book is halfway between a novel and a novella but it feels like it was exactly as long as it needed to be. The pacing was solid, the pieces of information scattered throughout the pages leading a very clear path to the conclusion (more clear, in retrospect), and the dialogue was natural while also being key to the plot. For all the times Kingsher’s stories sometimes don’t hook me with their characters, she will also deliver with her prose.

If you like a horror novel more rooted in Southern Gothic overtures without gratuitous gore, A House with Good Bones is going to deliver. The sensation of reading this will stick with me, even if I can tell the plot and characters will fade - which is all I’m really going to ask for from the genre.

Thank you to the publisher Tor Nightfire for providing an e-ARC via NetGalley for an honest review.

I hate to say this but I was bored for most of this book. I just kept waiting for something to happen and by the time it did, I had lost interest. I liked the tone of the book and thought it had a lot of potential but it failed to deliver.

This was a delightful Southern gothic horror. I enjoyed the humor and narration style, but I also found some scenes creepy and disturbing, which is just what I want from a gothic horror novel. I cannot wait to read more from T. Kingfisher!!

Thoroughly creepy -- T. Kingfisher is soooo good at making me go NOPE & put the book down for a second, while grinning in delight. However, this gets 3 stars because the ending fell kinda flat for me. This is something that also keeps happening for her books with me -- they either NAIL the ending, or they really don't, in my opinion. Def still recommend tho, especially if you like one-winged vultures being adorable.

"A House With Good Bones" by T. Kingfisher offers a blend of charm and mystery. The plot unfolds steadily, focusing on both the house's renovation and the protagonist's personal growth. Kingfisher's writing is engaging, though some narrative elements feel predictable. The book strikes a balance between warmth and intrigue, making for an enjoyable but not particularly groundbreaking read.

TW: Language, fat shaming, toxic relationships, abusive relationship parent death, drinking

*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:"Mom seems off."Her brother's words echo in Sam Montgomery's ear as she turns onto the quiet North Carolina street where their mother lives alone.She brushes the thought away as she climbs the front steps. Sam's excited for this rare extended visit, and looking forward to nights with just the two of them, drinking boxed wine, watching murder mystery shows, and guessing who the killer is long before the characters figure it out.But stepping inside, she quickly realizes home isn’t what it used to be. Gone is the warm, cluttered charm her mom is known for; now the walls are painted a sterile white. Her mom jumps at the smallest noises and looks over her shoulder even when she’s the only person in the room. And when Sam steps out back to clear her head, she finds a jar of teeth hidden beneath the magazine-worthy rose bushes, and vultures are circling the garden from above.To find out what’s got her mom so frightened in her own home, Sam will go digging for the truth. But some secrets are better left buried.
Release Date: March 28th, 2023
Genre: Horror
Pages: 233
Rating: ⭐

What I Liked:
1. References to 80s cartoons
2. I enjoyed the writing style - it flowed

What I Didn't Like:
1. All the references to bugs
2. Not horror
3. Sam comes off as a whiny person
4. Was boring

Overall Thoughts:
Take a drink everytime bug(s) is mentioned because I was absolutely annoyed at the 124 uses of bug, 83 bugs, 88 ladybug, and 57 ladybugs. It's too much! The book is only 233 pages. It's like this book is 45% the form of bug(s) & ladybug(s).

I kept waiting and waiting and WAITING for something to happen that was scary/creepy. How is this labeled horror?

I was just exhausted about reading about;
• Her mother's health
• Bugs
• Why the bugs aren't on the roses (seriously wtf does it matter that they aren't there?)

Final Thoughts:
I made it to page 117, so 50% into the book and I was just not having a good time. The writing is nice and I was curious about the story but it's just the subject manner that dragged this story down. I was so bored of it. It was like listening to the same person just complain over and over about the same thing.

I don't care about bugs and I didn't know her mother well enough from character development to care about how she used to be. The book keeps reminding you how the mother was but we are just told it and we never read about. Made it not have any feelings toward it.

3.5/5

I really enjoyed this book. T. Kingfisher is becoming a favorite.

While I did enjoy the book it took a bit of a turn at the end and feel apart a bit for me. It was slightly unexpected but not in a good way which is why this book is a 3.5 and not a 5. Overall I am glad I read it and am becoming a T. Kingfisher fan girl.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for honest feedback. T Kingfisher has become an absolute must read for me, perfect for fans of Good Omens and Grady Hendrix.

This book, where to start? I loved the story, I was looking for a good and creepy book and this hit the spot. WE have already purchased it for our library and it is getting lots of love!

This creepy story will resonate with anyone who has done battle with recalcitrant roses or recalcitrant family members. This is a perfect story for the long hot days of August when the flowers are in full bloom, but a hint of decay is right around the corner.

First of all, I have to say I loved the main character, Sam. She had the perfect level of snark that felt very real, complete with little tangents where her brain would seem to side track a bit before coming back to the task at hand. It made her feel very natural, very believable and very relatable.

The story itself builds the tension very well, and the resulting climax was a nail biter for sure. All in all this was a great read. Highly recommend.