*Thank you Netgalley for giving me a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited when I saw this book was coming out this summer. 😀 I am a huge fan of Cherie’s work. Her horror is so good! I could not wait to get started on this one.

The plot is basically two friends on a search and rescue mission trying to find their missing friend Simon. For most of the book, that is basically what it boils down to. In between the search, we get chapters of when the 3 adults were kids. Throw in some ghosts here and there, a few spooky ladies, and dark magic.

I have seen some reviewers say they found the plot too boring. They say nothing happens, it’s just people standing around getting nothing done. I personally loved the plot. It is filled with loss, grief, hope and having to adult. I was quickly hooked on what happened to Simon. I also really enjoyed the two estranged friends coming together to find Simon. It may have moved a little slow, but it never felt slow to me.

The Drowning House is a beautiful and sad story. I grew to care about each character. Even Melissa, who starts off very unlikable. It felt good seeing Leo and Melissa strengthen their strained friendship.

I was a little…. confused (?) by the big finale at the end though. The big baddie didn’t really seem to do much! Ok, maybe less confused and more disappointed more didn’t happen? It was OK…. just over pretty fast. Felt like not much time was dedicated to it.

Even though there was a little bit of disappointment at the very end, I enjoyed this book a lot. Another solid horror tittle under Cherie’s belt. I had a wonderful time in this world. The mystery had me on the edge of my seat and I enjoyed the characters a lot. This is a sad but beautiful story about friendship and growing up.

This book was gripping and hard to put down. It didn't feel like everything else you see out there, it felt very fresh. I really enjoyed this book!

When a book starts with an actual HOUSE washing up on a beach, you kinda gotta dive right in. When an elderly woman runs out onto said beach and is frightened so badly she drops dead, you’re kinda hooked. These aren’t spoilers, it’s in the book description. This book has dark spooky vibes in spades!

The Drowning House is heavy with character building. Luckily, I really liked our two main characters. Flawed, but honest and doing their best, the two childhood friends who are searching for the third of their trio are worth rooting for.

I enjoyed the reading experience of learning with the characters as they connect the dots while looking for their friend. There are a LOT of dots to connect. An ancient evil brought that house to the shore and it will take a lot of put it back down where it belongs. There is some interesting folk horror thrown in that I have since loved learning more about. Priest made interesting choices that I’ve never encountered before. The ending felt a little rushed, especially after the slow burn of the first part of the book. I felt a little breathless at the end! I recommend this book to anyone who loves a bit of the supernatural thrown in and don’t mind a slow burn read.

The Drowning House by Cherie Priest

Thank you to @poisonpenpress for the opportunity to read this #advancedreadercopy in exchange for my #honestbookreview! All thoughts are my own. This book is available now.

This was a creepy one! It had a similar feel to Where He Can’t Find You and Mister Lullaby in terms of heroic missions and paranormal elements. This was a very interesting concept and the end left me a little confused so I’m sure this is one that will stay with me as I work to unweave it in my mind. I recommend for someone looking for a fast-paced thriller with a good mystery and spooky vibes.


TWs: loss of a loved one, paranormal, magic, spells, disappearance, k*dnapping, dr*wning, m*talation, ars*n, more

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 4/5

I think this is a "read it for the vibes" situation, because it definitely delivers on that. although I really wanted even more of it. It's kind of a genre-blended story, a bit horror/supernatural with some fantastical elements. The atmosphere is the highlight. The premise and plot had so much potential. But the pacing was a little off and the characters weren't the most compelling for me. Solid three-star read for me, and I'd definitely read from this author in the future. If it sounds intriguing to you, I definitely think it's worth a read, it's just not going to be a favorite of the year for me.

The night the house washes up on shore on an isolated island Mrs. Culpepper dies, and Simon Culpepper goes missing. It is up to Simon's childhood friends, Melissa and Leo, to find out the mysteries of the house and their friend's disappearance.

The Drowning House has a fantastic premise, a mysterious house washes up on the shore. Who can resist such a unique setup. This book is a bit of a slow burn, but that gave the time to develop a wonderful friendship between Simon, Melissa, and Leo. Plus, their strong connection to Mrs. Culpepper. Ultimately, this book was a fun read with magic, ghosts, and friendship.

I would recommend this novel for those that like a haunting, mysteries, and don't mind a slow burn.

The Drowning House - Cherie Priest. This book is set on an island and some seriously eerie vibes. I found the plot to be quite excellent with some amazing writing.

I didn’t really connect with any of the characters which was a real shame. I usually need that to truly enjoy a book but this one was freaky enough I can overlook that this time.

I think if you like horror, you will love this one. 4 stars

Love this book and premise. I saw this book going around and was instantly interested. I half expected it to be about the underwater Tennessee City, but it's not what you expect at all and it keeps you hooked, constantly looking for more!

https://lynns-books.com/2024/08/13/review-the-drowning-house-by-cherie-priest/
4 of 5 stars
My Five Word TL:DR Review : Slow Building, Atmospheric, Character Led

I’ve had a little time to reflect on The Drowning House and I think that has helped me to really get my thoughts into order, although I’m sure this review will still morph into a rambling mess. So, to explain my short review above, this story does have a slow build up, which gives the author time to really set the scene. There is certainly plenty of atmosphere and chills and some, lets face it, outright horror and yes, this is a character led story with a couple of childhood friends, flung back together, not in the happiest circumstances that brings all their petty rivalries and jealousies to the fore before they can knuckle down and band together.

The story gets off to an incredible start. A terrible storm washes a derelict house up onto the beach, the owner of the beachfront, Mrs Culpepper appears to have died in shock, and her grandson Simon has disappeared mysteriously without a trace, but not before calling his childhood friend Melissa for help. Melissa and Leo – the other prong of this threesome friendship – appear at the house and try to take a look in the immediately obvious places to see if they can locate Simon. The local law enforcement are not really interested as Simon hasn’t been missing long enough to be classed as a missing person and they think he’s probably just staying with a friend, but Melissa and Leo know that he wouldn’t have simply abandoned his gran’s body on the beach. They do eventually take a look round the abandoned house, although it’s dangerous and ominous in equal measure. Baffled they return to Mrs Culpeppers house, determined to form a plan.

The story flits back and forth between the childhood versions of the three, spending seemingly idyllic holidays at the beach on this remote island. It immediately becomes clear that Simon was the glue that held the three together and also caused an almost competition of who he would like the most between Melissa and Leo, eventually leading to them drifting somewhat apart, although both remained in contact with Simon. Some of this resentment works itself into the story, the two almost competing again, determined to be the one to stay and find Simon, that is until they realise they’re going to really need each other.

The writing is superb. Priest has such a way with words, the descriptions, the dialogue, her ability to create atmosphere and tension and lets not forget the eventual horror. I did mention this is slow build and I did experience a little lull in momentum around the middle of the book, but then I gave my head a wobble and decided that patience is a virtue. I feel like I’m always trying to rush to the end of the book with indecent haste rather than savouring the words and sentences and the feelings they provoke. I can’t help but wonder when this happened really. I feel like the pacing of a book has become the key focus and this isn’t necessarily the case, it’s also about the momentum and, well, yes, the build up. Priest also has a way of not spoon feeding the reader, I don’t know if I’ve figured everything out about this story, even now, after giving it a deal of thought, but I like that this has made me think about it for so long after completion. And this was the same with another recent read by this author, Cinderwich, which was incredibly thought provoking. Anyway, I digress.

I loved the dual timelines, watching the three grow and eventually drift a little apart but determined to still hang on in there. Observing the three in childhood it soon becomes apparent there is more to Simon’s gran than originally meets the eye, not to mention something very unusual about the house in which she lives. All will eventually be revealed and I loved the twist in this respect.

This is a story that combines horror and the supernatural. It’s not a slasher fest so don’t be expecting that but it is definitely horror soaked nonetheless. I loved the inclusion of nordic type folklore and this strange almost unexplained evil. To be honest, I’m not entirely sure I have a complete grasp of the ‘evil’ here but I don’t think that was the real point of the story (or at least that’s my take home from this). At the end of the day this feels like a revisiting and settling of old scores, both on the part of Mrs Culpepper and the secrets she and her house were keeping, and also of these two old friends who came together in a most tetchy fashion until they realise their friendship is stronger that they thought and might be the only thing that keeps them alive.

So, to recap. Two spooky houses, both haunted not only by the past but actual ghosts that have been tormented along the line. A desperate search for answers. An evil and goosebump inspiring character that is definitely trying to break through some boundaries, for which he needs to get into Mrs Culpepper’s house. Two characters coming together and putting old rivalries to one side. A frantic madcap rush, during a storm no less, to try and thwart something catastrophic. Definitely not a ‘wham bam’ style story so if you want breakneck pacing then this might not be for you but I found myself desperate to know what was happening and I loved the writing and the chaotic ending. It’s slightly bittersweet in certain respects but I’m not going to say why.

Anyway, I can’t wait to see what Priest comes up with next.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

The Drowning House is the story of strange happenings on island off the coast of Seattle. A mysterious house appears during a storm. Can two friends who partly grew up on the island, solve the mystery?

Cherie Priest is clearly an adroit writer whose skills shine at scene setting and pacing. I especially appreciated the portrait of an island population wary of tourists with its our insular culture, that part felt very authentic, and the glimpse of a childhood spent with homemade slingshots and arguing about whether to use a guest bathroom felt super lived in. This book will be most liked by people who enjoy characterization via banter. Some of the talk bordered on banal, but that's how real friendship works too. I felt the character work was actually the highlight of the book.

And this is the kind of horror novel I especially enjoy, a mystery where, as we get to know the characters and see the plot unfold, we have to figure out -- what's going on? Ghosts? Fairies? Aliens? Psychics:? Delusions? This book twists in ways I did not expect.

There is no way I can talk about what didn't work for me without spoilers, and I would not dream of spoiling the secrets of the house. I'll just say I skimmed the last 20%, but there are a portion of readers for whom this will be absolute CATNIP and they'll love it. So I can't fault the book for it.

I do wish it were a little scarier, and the mystery solving was a tad less perfunctory, But I don't wish the book was longer.

Overall a very solid workaday horror novel.

I was totally intrigued by the synopsis of The Drowning House and had high hopes for it but it was just missing something. I can’t quite put my finger on what it was but it was something that left the story feeling incomplete to me. I like seeing Melissa and Leo put aside their awkward friendship differences and worked together to find their missing friend.


Thank you publishers and netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

The Drowning House
Cherie Priest

Thanks to Netgalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and Cherie Priest for an ARC eBook in exchange for my honest opinions.

Ok, so ...

After reading several books that didn't meet my expectations, I've come to a book that really exceeded them.

The Drowning House by Cherie Priest pulled me up and out of my reading slump. (like Mrs. Culpepper pulled Leo)
It has the feel of McDowell's The Elementals mixed with the vibe I got from Cherie's excellent gothic horror/mystery/thriller 'The Toll'. Yet, while I thoroughly enjoyed both of those novels, it's this one that easily takes the gold.

I loved so much about this book.
The writing is great, obviously; it's Cherie Priest. 😊
I loved the well-rounded characters, their individual journeys, the switching POV's, the timeline jumps between then and now.
I was interested in both, as well as all the character's journeys, which kept me engaged and eager to know what was going to be revealed next.

It also brought to mind a novel that I read years ago about two kids and a house that was still intact at the bottom of this flooded town or something. They dove down and maybe got stuck? (I feel like I'm mixing in elements of a movie called The Deep House now... I dunno.)

Anyway, this book was a wild ride, and I had fun. I enjoyed the mystery aspect, I found the complexities within the characters relationships to each other well written and intriguing, and I just had a good time throughout the whole book.
I highly recommend it, especially if you find yourself in the dark, watery depths of a reading slump. 😊

4/5

*Edit - LMAO, it's written right in a review before the synopsis. It says "Inhabits the same sandy block as Michael McDowell's The Elementals and Josh Malerman's A House at the Bottom of the Lake...." - Clay McLeod Chapman (I often don't read the reviews or even the synopsis, because sometimes they give away things I'd rather learn on my own. I like to go in to a book knowing little to nothing.)

First off...DISCLAIMER: I requested this title on NetGalley. Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press/Sourcebooks for providing an ecopy. This didn't influence my review in any way.

DOUBLE ROOM

How many books can you count that start with a housewreck? To the best of my knowledge, there are none; so I was immediately drawn to this story, where a dilapidated mansion washes up on a small town's shore causing the death of an old woman, Mrs Culpepper - not for the reasons you may expect - and the disappearance of her nephew Simon. I mean, the concept is awesome...though the aforementioned house ends up being of less consequence than I anticipated, while Mrs Culpepper's house is more central to the story (not only because Melissa and Leo, the two main characters, camp out in there). There are two levels to the mystery of the ominous mansion on the beach: one of them isn't particularly hard to crack, even before we get the wreckage's backstory (I'm referring to its origins - though where it's coming from NOW it's a different kettle of fish altogether, and we never get an answer for that, even if I have a theory), the rest is revealed bit by bit via some appalling discoveries the two protagonists make inside the other house, the one where they're staying, and thanks to some sniping of their own. The juxtaposition of typical thriller structure and supernatural content (namely, Norse magic/mythology) works very well, and the flashbacks into Melissa, Leo and Simon's childhood/young adulthood under Mrs Culpepper's wing are not only integral to the story (and necessary for character development), but also charming and poignant.

ASSEMBLY ROOM

For a book with a supernatural mystery at its core, The Drowning House is very character-driven - again, on two levels, since it intersects two temporal planes. The flashbacks give us clues about the mystery itself, but first and foremost offer a perspective of Melissa and Leo's friendship with Simon and with each other - though to be honest, Simon is the only thing they have in common. It was refreshing to have two middle-aged heroes (so to speak) for a change - Melissa is 46, Leo is 42. There's some intersectional diversity too, in that Leo is Latino, gay and fat (in his own words), though the last thing comes out of the blue and doesn't really have anything to do with...anything. Adult Leo and Melissa can come across as unlikeable at times, especially during bickering time, but their emotional baggage (mostly centered around Simon) makes them more human and genuine, and I enjoyed seeing them come together to save the day, along with some unexpected allies - though the flashbacks, especially the pre-teen ones, steal the scene with their authenticity and make you want to protect these children.
I do have a few qualms about this story...like, why didn't Mrs Culpepper try to destroy a certain object instead of simply rendering it dormant (for lack of a better word)? How can a middle-aged woman manage to lift a series of 40-pound tanks? (I know I'd break myself if I tried). And wouldn't forensics be able to see through Melissa and Leo's cover story? But I was able to suspend disbelief and devise an explanation, up to a point (though point N°1 still bothers me). All in all, I found The Drowning House to be a fascinating brew of mystery, magic and mended (though still imperfect) relationships, and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a supernatural thriller with strong character development.

3.5⭐ rounded up! entertaining and easy enough to read in a day or two. was not expecting horror fantasy instead of mystery thriller, but itas a pleasant surprise for me. thanks to netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the copy!

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press, Netgalley and Cherie Priest for the ARC!

A mysterious house on the beach, a friend gone missing…”The Drowning House” had an intense opening and didn’t let up on that pace at all. I enjoyed the banter between old friends Melissa and Leo as they tried to figure out what happened to Simon after the death of his beloved grandmother. The bits and pieces of history of both Mrs. Culpepper and the creepy beach house came out little by little until it culminated in an intense ending. Deeply dark and atmospheric, “The Drowning House” reminded me of a Darcy Coates book. If you enjoy dark and creepy, you will love this book!

”The Drowning House” is out now. This review will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly :)

The concept of this novel really caught my attention. I had no idea how the synopsis could pan out into a full fledged story, so I had to dive in and see what happened!

This book did not end up where I thought when I started reading. The concept and the excellent storytelling kept me going; the characters were well fleshed out and the descriptions top notch. This is one of the few instances where the main characters aren't all that likable or relatable, but it doesn't hurt the story or deter me from reading.

I wish the overall story was more clear and the ending was explained a little better. The first half was veering towards one conclusion, and then halfway through it was turned on it's head. That's fine, but I wish there was more built up and explained. A more fleshed out conclusion would have been excellent. The flashbacks in the first half were interesting, but they stopped and didn't quite fit into the overall narrative as much as I'd like.

I still liked this book and would be curious to read more from this author.

This was a really well written story with interesting characters. The story itself was good, too. There really wasn't anything wrong with the book that made it a 3/5 star read for me other than I just didn't enjoy it as much as some of the other stuff I've read recently. That just comes down to personal taste and not that this is a bad book. I just didn't love it.

Thanks NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

[ Huge thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this ARC! ]

"Tidebury House never sheltered anyone. That's not what it was for."

When Tidebury House rises from the waves to nestle on the shore of Marrowstone Island, it ends the life of Mrs. Culpepper and heralds the disappearance of her grandson Simon. The only hint to what happened lies in Simon's last communications. Melissa and Leo return to the island, determined to find their friend and learn the secrets of Tidebury House.

~ ~ ~

I really feel like the first thing I have to praise about this book is the writing. Priest did such as amazing job setting the vibe for this story. I was drawn in from page one, and I swear this book has the best opening paragraph of anything I've read this year.

After reading the first chapter, I had some hefty expectations for this book, and it really delivered for me. I had so much fun watching the story unfold. There were some coming of age vibes in the glimpses we get of the main character's childhoods. The mystery aspect was intriguing, and I was delighted by the direction the plot took. All of these things came together to make this an enticing read. Highly recommend to anyone who enjoys supernatural horror that leans a little into dark fantasy.

A dark stormy night… classic. A creepy, probably haunted house, or two? Also classic. An elderly woman with super secrets? Classic, classic, classic. The Drowning House has all the obviously classic markers of a solid haunted house story, but will surprise you every step of the way.

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This book was not for me. It really failed to grab my attention. This book was so slow in the beginning, I just didn't care to continue.

I hope others love this one.