This book is billed as a haunting Southern Gothic and because I loved a previous book from this author (What Moves the Dead), I jumped at the chance to read an advance copy!

This had major Charlaine Harris vibes but instead of vampires and werewolves we get a sassy ghost, a jar full of teeth, and some sinister rosebushes. Also some flirting with the handyman.

Honestly, I was bored for most of this book as it rambled through a truly ridiculous plot.

Thanks to Tor Nightfire and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. A House with Good Bones was published on March 28, 2023.

I am struggling to get into this one. I've tried picking this up several times whenever I'm in a spec fic/horror mood and it just doesn't capture me.

I was really excited by the premise and the author, hence requesting to review an early copy of it. But I think I need to dnf this 20% in and come back to it at a later date. Possibly in a different format? It still really sounds like my jam and I want to give it another shot.

I'm giving this a 2.5 stars. A 50%. A neutral rating, because I'm being forced to in this form. The 2.5 stars are for the quality of the prose -- so far so good. There isn't anything standing out about the writing that has caused me to dnf books in the past. It's just nothing in the first little bit is calling me to pick up the book again and continue on in the story.

T. Kingfisher never disappoints. I've always loved her main characters; they tend to be likeable, realistic, funny women who don't shy away from an adventure...even if that adventure is a little spooky. They're different enough to make each book seem unique, but similar enough that I know going into a book that I'm going to connect with them. Sam was no different, and this was a fun twist on a haunted house that kept me guessing. Also, the bug factor thoroughly creeped me out a few times, which was great as I'm not easily creeped out.

Whenever people ask for scary book recommendations, T. Kingfisher is my go to. She's scary AND fun, a winning combination.

T. Kingfisher is such a wonderful story teller. This one both made me laugh and cringe at horror of what happens in this story. Highly recommend for a pretty fast and very entertaining read.

If you’ve read books by T.Kingfisher before, you should know what kind of style to expect for this book. It was dark, humorous, outlandish, and grotesque, all things I love about their books. This one was a little slow to at the beginning, but I think most of their books are like that, and they build up nicely. And once it got going I couldn’t stop reading! I highly recommend if you’re looking for something with gothic horror vibes

3/5 stars - a good, quick horror read by Kingfisher, but not my mist favorite. I loved the vultures; I loved Sam and her super sassy attitude and random bug facts. I sort of felt the build wasn't quite as fast enough to totally keep me captivated the whole time. I will never quite look at roses the same way again.

T. Kingfisher's latest, A House With Good Bones, definitely lands on the fun end of the horror spectrum, a perfect read for those who like their horror to be more spooky, less scary. The story is a simple set up of a woman returning to her family home and things being a little... off. If this sounds familiar, it's because T. Kingfisher has written two other horror novels with this exact same trope. It wore a little thin for me this time around. The book is paced well, I liked the details about insects, but this was ultimately a little forgettable.

4/5 — This book had me both cackling and creeped the eff out! Needless to say, I really enjoyed it. I read my first T. Kingfisher book last year (What Moves the Dead) and was very excited to pick up A House With Good Bones. This story follows Sam Montgomery, a PhD archeological entomologist, who returns home to check on her mother while her current dig site/project is on hold. Sam quickly realizes something "off" with both her mom and the house. Before she knows it, she's in way over her head as long buried family secrets are uncovered. This fresh, unique take on a haunted house is equally entertaining as it is undeniably chilling.

What I've come to learn is that Kingfisher has a way with writing horror. Specifically, she incorporates a lightness & humor that you don't usually see in Gothic Horror novels. It almost feels like a "cozy horror" story, if that is even considered a genre!? I loved Sam's character, she was such a riot! The story is told in her POV & being inside of her mind/hearing her thoughts was a real treat. She is obsessed with British crime shows, boxed wine and bugs.. her sarcasm and lack of filter had me actually laughing out loud. The book was fast-paced and I never quite knew what was going to happen next. I wanted to keep turning the page to see how Sam and the others dealt with all the weird things happening around the house. The underlying sense of unease made the book creepy in all the right ways. You couldn't pay me to step foot in that house!

Kingfisher has solidly become a “I will read anything you write” author for me. The tone of this was just perfect: a little gothic, a little witty, a little tense, then a LOT weird. My only quibble is how quickly it went from “something’s weird” to “I don’t even know how to describe what I’m reading”. And I loved it—it just felt like a VERY quick shift.

Highly recommend for anyone who enjoyed Kingfisher’s other title, What Moves the Dead, or really anything with familial dread… and roses.

A House with Good Bones by T. Kingfisher

This book is NOT what I was expecting. To be honest, I nearly gave up on it as it moved almost sluggishly along setting the scene for a very quick action-packed ending. Nettle & Bone was my introduction to this author and that book was the reason I requested reading this one. It is my guess that the two books I have read so far are two extremes of the author’s writing. I might need to read a third to come to a conclusion on what I really think of this author’s work.

What I liked:
* Samantha “Sam” Myrtle Montgomery: 32 years old, PhD in archaeonentomology, bugs are her thing, had a weird childhood, comes from a strange background, claims she is fat and embraces it as her heredity, learns more about her ancestry and abilities as the story progresses
* Edie: Sam’s mother, resilient, had a rather crazy backstory, widowed young, worked hard to provide for her son and daughter, anxious for a reason that becomes apparent at the story progresses
* The creep-factor and where it led…lots of crumbs sprinkled in the slow start that led to the conclusion
* Gail: neighbor to Edie and Edie’s mother, disliked by Gran Mae (Edie’s mother), wildlife rehabilitator, referred to as a witch
* Phil and his grandfather – played parts in the story
* The elements of paranormal and magic – would have liked more of this and perhaps earlier in the story
* Brad: Sam’s brother and a man who seems strong and willing to be there for his mother, sister, and wife
* Finally reaching the last page

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Wished it had been a bit faster paced in the beginning and that I could have better related to Sam

Did I enjoy this book? On the fence about this one
Would I read more by this author? I think so, if the synopsis caught my eye

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Tor/Forge for the ARC – This is my honest review.

Star rating is difficult. I felt it should be published so a 4 with NetGalley and 2 for it being ‘okay’ to me and that leaves an average of 3 overall.

After reading a couple of this author’s books, I’m thinking Kingfisher might make my auto-buy list.

Sam is an archaeoentomologist, a profession I’d never heard of, and studies insects in archaeological remains. Which sounds so cool to me – and yes, I realize that may sound weird to many people. Her current dig was shut down for several weeks, so she’s heading to NC to visit her mother. The visit is also to check on the mental status of her mother since Sam’s brother says something seems off with her. Sam isn’t home for long before she notices several oddities – a lack of insects in the beautiful backyard rose garden, a gang of vultures hanging around the house, and odd sticky notes her mom posted around the house. Then there’s the jar of teeth she finds in the backyard.

Sam is such an easy character to like. She’s witty, intelligent, cares deeply for her mother, and her internal monologue is hilarious. Neighbor and master gardener Phil has no problem keeping up with her, and he’s the kind of guy who isn’t afraid to jump right in and help out when he’s needed. As a woman of science, Sam struggles to find a rational explanation for all the bizarre occurrences. She soon realizes not everything in the world can be explained by science. As a warning, if insects freak you out, these vivid descriptions may cause you to feel phantom bugs crawling up your spine.

With the rose garden being such a prominent part of the story, I loved that most chapters begin with decriptions of various types of roses I’ve never heard of. I’ll never look at rose bushes in quite the same way again. I’d be remiss if I didn’t give a shoutout to Hermes – undoubtedly the coolest vulture I’ve come across.

This novel is an engaging blend of horror injected with humorous moments that I enjoyed from the first page. You may want to keep a can of insect repellent close by while reading.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is the second T. Kingfisher book I’ve read and they’ve definitely become a favorite author of mine. There are a lot of gothic horror vibes that I very much enjoy, perfect amount of creepiness and no overly disgusting bits that you sometimes get in horror (I’m looking at you, My Best Friend’s Exorcism). My preferred genre of horror is paranormal and T. Kingfisher’s style is perfect for the type of paranormal I usually look for.

From the minute I saw this incredible cover, I knew I wanted to read this book. The contrast between the clean lines and elegance of the home with the haunting vulture silhouette was an immediate attention grabber, made even better when you realize the formal wallpaper is patterned with skulls 💀🖤

The cover art is the perfect symbolism for this southern gothic story of the darkness and rot hidden beneath the formal traditions of family and society.

Sam is an archaeological entomologist, which is a crazy cool career. When her dig is postponed, she returns to her family home in North Carolina. But things don’t make sense at home: her mom is skittish and seems unwell, and the family home is being reverted back to the days of her childhood, when her domineering grandmother was the head of the family. And what’s with all the vultures that seem to be keeping watch?

As the story progresses, it is alternately funny, smart, and creepy, with a well written atmosphere that becomes more and more unsettling. If you’ve enjoyed the recent trend in “nature horror” then this is probably right up your alley and Sam’s love of bugs and references to her work are fun enhancements to the reader’s experience.

Thank you to @netgalley and @tornightfire for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. A House with Good Bones is out now!

Okay, I really wanted to like this. I hate having to start a review this way, but it's the honest to God truth.
I just kept waiting for things to happen, other than the description of bugs. I definitely giggled throughout at the main character's wit, though. Which is why I've given it three stars. I liked her.

When the book finally took off, it was near the end and it felt a little rushed and sort of hard to follow. Maybe it's because I'm more of a horror/thriller reader than a sci-fi/spec fiction with a twist kind of reader, but it just wasn't for me. However, I'm sure there are SO many readers that will dig this the most. :)

Thanks to NetGalley for the Arc!

T. Kingfisher is one of those authors I don't even need to think about putting on hold at the library. Her books are fun, engaging, and most importantly, scary as hell. Her ability to draw you in and send a shiver down your spine is incredible.

While I have absolutely adored all of the books I've read by her so far, A House With Good Bones tragically is not making her top three for me. It's difficult to judge because the plot was interesting, and I generally enjoyed the main character - but I just didn't want to be in her head quite so much. For such a short book, the plot seemed to drag a bit for the first 3/4ths of the book, and then hit you like a ton of bricks. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but with this the pacing was not really to my taste. I don't want to get into spoiler territory so I'm going to leave it at that.

Overall, this is still a fantastic book, but compared to some of her others, it didn't quite land as well as I hoped.

Thank you so much to Tor and NetGalley for the free e-ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was a fun, if a little off the rails towards the end.

I loved just about all of the characters. Sam was a fantastic heroine with an extremely refreshing take on someone dealing with a strange, confusing, and horrifying situation. A few of the side characters were also great to read (Gail is the MVP here).

Towards the beginning, the sense of tension felt through Sam's perspective was so, so good. Just the right amount of buildup before the climax!

Really the only kind of problem I had with the book/plot was that after the tension climaxed it kept going a little too far. It went past what had been the initial main focus and into an area that was just a little too much and pushed the book slightly past deliciously tense gothic horror and into being a bit silly.

Overall, a very enjoyable time. 3/5.

I really enjoyed this creepy yet funny novel from T. Kingfisher. I liked the entomologist angle, as well as the vultures! It was certainly in the gothic horror, and the house itself was creepy. Great writing, quick to read but very enjoyable.

I am a huge fan of T. Kingfisher and her creepy quirky stories. She develops unique storylines and knows how to keep you on the edge of your seat. A House With Good Bones is, by far, the most disturbing story I have read by Kingfisher. I couldn't wait to figure out what was happening in that house.
I look forward to seeing what Kingfisher comes up with next.

This is the first T. Kingfisher book I’ve read and I love her writing style! The plot is entirely creepy and perfect for both seasoned horror lovers and those who want to get into the genre. There is magical realism, paranormal aspects, and so many vultures! At just over 300 pages, this is a quick, entertaining read.

I wouldn’t necessarily call the beginning a slow burn but the creepy factor definitely ramped up at the end! I loved that the MC is an entomologist - it’s definitely not a common career included in fiction but it worked so well for this story!

Read this one if you’re a fan of:
- quirky families
- long treks across Texas
- odd pets
- overcoming insecurities to release your inner badass

I received an advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

Another wonderfully creepy read from Kingfisher. A little thin around the ending (the last chapters get a little MCU CGI slurry feeling), but the writing and the specificity of the characters are so good that it doesn't really matter.