Sam is on furlough from her job as an entomologist and is using the time to visit her mom. Her mom lives in the family home that once belonged to her Maternal grandmother. As soon as Sam steps inside the house she can tell that something is off with her mom. She's painted the normally vibrant walls a dull boring hue. Many pieces of artwork that her grandmother loved were once again hung. Even though Sam's grandmother was an extremely strict woman and was openly vocal of her distaste, her mom won't utter a word that does anything except praise her. This is very odd as they always had common ground of their dislike for the woman who has long since passed away. Sam won't stop until she gets to the bottom of this absurdity.

I struggled with the beginning of this. I hate bugs and the descriptiveness of them was too much. It also lasted FAR too long for my liking. Once we were very well established that Sam is an entomologist extraordinaire the story progressed on a bit slowly. I would have liked more actual background for other characters too. Once we get to the meat of the story things flowed very well and I was surprised by the turn the story took. The ending is great and so worth getting through the first part for. Overall, the book is like the title, it has good bones.

Oh this book was so amusing and enjoyable throughout. The funny moments had me dying, but they’re very subtle humor so you aren’t going to end up with a joke on page but they’re the best best thing. I loved this one. It bloomed slow like a rose and then suddenly it flourished—and boy did this book flourish! Wow I loved this book was presented and executed perfectly! The writing style made it very easy to just fall into this and get caught up. I finished this in day and highly recommend!

Ah! I always find myself feeling strangely refreshed after reading a Kingfisher horror novel. They’re witty and humorous in the kind of way that goes “it’s either crack a joke right now or scream bloody murder and screaming feels extra counter-productive” (which, let’s be honest, is exactly how I would address a terrifying situation). The protagonists are smart and a little weird and usually hard-done-by in a way that makes them both resilient and relatable. We get little passing “racism is bad” quips that fit the vibe of “I grew up white in the south and I still got out as soon as I could” - as in we don’t ignore the racist systems or histories and the white characters are embarrassed and horrified by the casual racism perpetuated by their older relatives.

Things got extra weird when the switch flipped from “vaguely unsettling” Southern Gothic to “absolute bonkers” horror (but that’s just the nature of the genre and Kingfisher still handles that better than most), but it maintains the elements of horror with a bit of that token ridiculousness. Because no one wants to be reunited with their dead racist, abusive, gaslighting grandmother.

A House With Good Bones
by T. Kingfisher
Narrated by Mary Robinette Kowal
Pub Date: 28 Mar 2023
Macmillan Audio
General Fiction (Adult)
Rating 5/5

I enjoy gothic tales, especially those involving haunted houses. T. Kingfisher has a knack for combining chilling moments with humor. Though the plot is dark, I was giggling throughout at the added wit. Mary Robinette Kowal is an excellent narrator and kept me intrigued. The clarity and uniqueness of her voice makes the characters stand out. This 2023 book by T. Kingfisher was much anticipated and delivered. The House With Good Bones audiobook exceeded my expectations.

Synopsis:
As Sam steps through her mom's front door she hears her brother's words in her head, "mom seems off". She is eager to spend more time with her mom watching murder mysteries and drinking wine during her extended stay. Upon observing her mom, Sam realizes she is very nervous and believes someone is watching her. The house is indeed different in some way.

When Sam discovers a jar of teeth outside underneath her grandmother's cherished rose bushes, she wonders what is really taking place with the strange occurrences. Her mom's house is being circled by vultures. Why is that? Will Sam realize that some secrets are better left alone?

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for sharing this wonderful audiobook with me. I appreciate your kindness.

Sam has been waylaid from the archeological dig where she is an archaeoentomologist (think ancient bugs) so she is going to stay with her mother in her childhood home until things are sorted at the job site. When she arrives, her mother seems thinner and has uncharacteristically made some changes to the house. In fact, things seem to be reverting back to they way they were when Sam’s Gran Mae owned the house. Gran Mae was a hateful old woman who threatened Samantha with imaginary “underground children” and called her “little piggy” when she was a child.

Sam is an intelligent and humorous character I liked immediately and Mary Robinette Kowal’s narration is excellent. This is such a great gothic tale with family drama. I loved everything about this and would highly recommend it on audio. This is my first book by this author and I’d love a recommendation of what to read of hers next.

“The finest Malbec cardboard can buy.” And still laughing about “squeezing the wine udder.”

“Like many family dynamics, it didn’t have to be healthy, it just had to work.”

Thank you @netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this fantastic novel prior to publication date.

A House With Good Bones is an excellent addition to the haunted house category. It starts off feeling like a light-hearted story, but quickly evolves into strange events in the home. I loved how the MC’s profession as an entomologist added to both the humor and the grotesque of the story. The narrator was great and the reading added to the intensity of the story.

*4 stars*

This was a creeping, atmospheric southern gothic. The kind of horror that gets under your skin that I’ve come to expect from T. Kingfisher. A beautiful story of generational trauma.

I would have liked a little more exploration of the grandfather but it was a fun heartfelt read that kept me on the edge of my seat nonetheless. T. Kingfisher has the great ability to combine the supernatural with the natural world and this was no exception. I think this would be a great read for fans of What Moves the Dead and The Twisted Ones especially.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ALC of this work. All opinions in this review are my own.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance audiobook copy of A House With Good Bones by T. Kingfisher in exchange for an honest review. I have really been enjoying T. Kingfisher's books, the are witty and exciting, not to mention terrifying. I'm not sure how one combines terrifying and hilarious, but Kingfisher does. I really liked the characters and the storyline and the narrator.

Another great creepy magical realism horror from T. Kingfisher.

Sam comes home to stay with her mother temporarily. But when she arrives her mother seems very nervous and more anxious than ever. Why has her mother restyled the house and reverted it back to her grandmother's bland style which is the complete opposite of there mothers? Why does her mother act if something is watching them, besides the increasing number of vultures hanging about?

If you liked The Hollow Places or The Twisted Ones then you will like this one.

As usually a compelling a creepy forbiding through out the story. I also really enjoyed Sams character and personality. Although she did not meet her grandmother's expectations of a "lady" she was unapologetically herself.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for an advanced audiobook for review.

I loved this one! I can’t believe this was my very first Kingfisher book! Now I just have to read them all 🤷🏻‍♀️

Creepy, chilling, paranormal and atmospheric. Excellent descriptive horror scenes - especially near the end. Also including some humour from our female MC that made me literally laugh out loud. This was such a perfect little spooky read that was highly enjoyable. Fantastic characters, loved the mystery of everything going on. Thought everything played out perfectly!

Thank you Tor Nightfire for the advanced copy!

Out March 28th, 2023 !

T. Kingfisher never misses for me! I have read all but one of her horror novels at this point and they are all so different. I thought this was the quirkiest of the bunch and maybe that is why it is my favourite! There is some horrifying imaginary mixed with humour. T. Kingfisher always manages to find that perfect balance, which is such a hard thing to pull off!

A House With Good Bones by T. Kingfisher is a fast paced gothic horror. If it's blood, guts, and gore you are looking for then this is not the book for you. It is very atmospheric and creepy and many of the bug descriptions will have your skin crawling. I enjoyed the narrator's energy throughout the book. She was pleasant to listen to and easy to understand.

This is my first T. Kingfisher novel and I will definitely be picking up more of her work in the future. I loved the comedic charm that the female main character possessed. At times I would get so enraptured in the witty thoughts of said character I would forget I was reading a horror novel until it quickly transitioned into the creepy crawlies! I would highly recommend this book to someone who might be new to the horror genre.

I've been really enjoying T Kingfisher's mix of dark and humorous. This cover caught my attention and knew it would be another unique story from the author. This was great, did not disappoint. I enjoyed the audio narration and the family dynamics. I thought the bug and plant information was interesting but not overly studious. The story was fast paced and quite mysterious and I enjoyed all the characters, even the evil grandmother. This was definitely another win from this author. I gave it 5 stars.

“A haunting Southern Gothic from an award-winning master of suspense, A House With Good Bones explores the dark, twisted roots lurking just beneath the veneer of a perfect home and family.“

Gah. This book came at the perfect time.

I needed something twisty and turn-y and wonderfully creepy.

This book was all these things AND a WHOLE BAG OF ALL DRESSED CHIPS.

First off, the cover is fantastic. I love the tiny skulls hidden in the wallpaper, and the shadow.

The main character has my undying devotion. I love that she’s got a weird job she loves. I love that she communicates with people around her (no Misunderstanding Tropes here). I love her skepticism, and her hilarious inner dialogue.

I loved the setting. Normally, you get a good, old, gothic house for a good, old gothic tale. Nope. It’s cookie-cutter housing in the ‘burbs for this tale.

I loved the quirky neighbours. I loved the galloping vultures. I loved the post-it notes. I even loved the mewling fetuses.

I might have liked a final showdown with Gran Mae, but other than that, sign me up for this author’s entire back catalogue.

I’m here for it.

9/10

Thanks to NetGalley, Tor Publishing Group, and Macmillan Audio for this ARC.

The humor is here, though the horror doesn't quite land.

A House With Good Bones is a slow burn horror story centered around a cursed house, with an ending that would make a fantastic cinematic experience. Although the story itself is interesting, spot-on Southern, and hits the right beats, it fails to evoke the suspense or genuine scariness a good horror tale needs.

The story deftly reaches beyond its starting trope, with neighbors, extended family, furloughed jobs all filling in life and color outside the single cursed location. Unique touches like vultures and an archaeo-entomologist MC are fresh and new, and I love that T Kingfisher consistently manages to surprise me with things I've never found in a book before.

Mary Robinette Kowal as narrator makes the audiobook an easy enjoyable listen. My only struggle was the main character's very young attitude and voice contrasted with the much older (dare I say doddery?) voice for her potential love interest. By book's end, I was still struggling to reconcile a relationship between the mental images of each conjured by their very specific voices - and mostly failing to do so.

I alternated between print and audio for this book. I have to say, the audio was hilarious. I’m not sure that Sam’s sarcasm is fully expressed in print. The narrator, Mary Robinette Kowal, really embraced Sam’s character and made her story shine. Sam is a quirky southern single woman, from a strange family. There is no other way to deal with this, then to make jokes and strange observations. I loved her!
Let’s talk about Sam’s family. Her grandmother would want you to believe they are “totally normal”, but as you get deeper into the book you realize they are not. Do normal families tell their young children that if they don’t say their prayers then the underground children will come and get them? What exactly are the underground children? Wellllllll…… that’s where things get really interesting, and a bit terrifying.
A House With Good Bones is a good horror mix. It’s not too scary, but the parts that are supposed to be stuck with you. Wait til you get to those last few chapters.. seriously. Only T. Kingfisher can come up with an ending like that.

I love T. Kingfisher books! Her characters are all so quirky and full of humor that contrast the dark horror style of her settings and plot so well. I will say this one started off slower than her others for me, maybe because it's a lot of bug knowledge from our MC. I switched between the audio and a physical copy and would recommend the audio if you prefer reading that way. The narrator, Mary Robinette Kowal was fantastic! Another fun and creepy story I would recommend. Thank you to @tornightfire @Macmillan.audio & @netgalley for my physical copy and ALC.

This is definitely a slow burn gothic horror. The story really got exciting around 65% in- and stayed in high gear until the very end. It was very easy and enjoyable to listen to, and I was entertained the entire time. The imagery was fantastic - I loved the roses and old magic and how that played a role in the story.

The ladybugs were so creepy. I think I will read this in print format when it comes out so that I can really experience some of the beautiful language used. Sometimes it is harder to appreciate the nuances in an audiobook.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys suspenseful books and bloodline magic.

More family drama then straight horror. The characters were well written and felt very real. A quick read if your in the mood for some drama with a dash of horror.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for sending me an audiobook arc of this title.

Even though I'm not a fan of horror, I wanted to read this after enjoying the authors recent work 'What moves the dead', and I think this is the perfect level of horror for me because it's more creepy than gore filled which is just right in my opinion.

I thought the story was interesting, and from the beginning I was intrigued and I thought I knew what was happening, but had to see it play out. I thought Sam was a good character who I could empathize with from the get go, and liked that she was an entomologist which worked so well with the plot. The house, the vultures, the flowers, the atmosphere it just all worked and made the already quick story fly by.

I am now a fan of this author and will check out what they write in the future.