not really my kind of book, too far fetched for me, i have no understanding of witchcraft so was a bit adrift throughout it - however if witchcrafts your thing then you'll love this!

This book is a wild ride for sure, it starts out with a bang. The first 5% is fast paced. Then till about 50% it slows down and alternates between now day and past times laying intricate storylines which at first seems slow but the buildup is worth the wait. The last 50% of the book had me turning on my flashlight so there was light in my room. Had me staring at the closet with goosebumps on my arms and feeling watched. Then when the big reveal comes I was over here like “um, what in tarnish just happened.” This book is really well written and it keeps you on the edge of your seat. I had trouble sleeping and I kept picking up this book. Which was both a good thing and a bad thing. Great because I got further in the book and bad because I still felt like I was being watched and severely creeped out. This is a great book if you’re looking for something fast paced, action packed and has you feeling nostalgic about childhood.

The title & blurb of this really caught my attention when I received it to read. It pulled me in at first but then it gets slower & a bit bogged down. I really wanted the horror aspect to start to get going. I wanted to like this book more. The two characters you’re following for starters, aren’t that likeable. They bicker, a lot. But the time the supernatural aspects begin to unfold, I was already a bit checked out. They were the most interesting parts but it perhaps was a little too late.

This is the first book I’ve read by the author & while it wasn’t a perfect read for me, I can see myself giving her another try. Based on the technical aspects of her writing, which is really well done.

Stephen king lovers, this is the book for you! Eerie tale which gives the reader a dash of grief, a splash of terror, death, and a great atmospheric, small town setting.
Yup, reminiscent of vintage King! Loved it!
Thanks to NetGalley, sourcebooks, and the author for giving me an e- arc in exchange for my honest review.
Will be adding a physical copy of this to my collection.

The Drowning House promises an atmospheric house horror story. Although the atmosphere is absolutely thick and menacing, it didn't quite nail the horror aspect for me. The pace got very slow throughout the middle and there were a few loose ends I found myself pondering at the end of the book. I almost wish the dual timeline was the 50s and present day rather than when the characters were children.

I did love a lot of elements in this book though; the dual timeline, ancient magic, and the whole concept of a house washing ashore. This might be a good book for people just getting into horror or who enjoy a mild creep-out rather than unsettling and pure horror.

Steeped in slow-burn atmosphere, The Drowning House is part ghost story, part mystery, and part fantasy. Truth be told, I was hoping for more horror and action a little sooner, but overall an entertaining and chilling tale.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a review copy!

I was eager to love this book. The premise was intriguing, and I pushed through to the 80% mark, hoping for a payoff. Unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be. While I expected a horror story, the narrative leaned more towards fantasy, which might explain my disappointment.

The majority of the story focused on character research and travel, with very little ghostly activity. The main characters were also somewhat irritating. Overall, the pace was too slow, and the plot lacked substance. I dislike leaving negative reviews, but honesty is important. If this book is on your reading list, please don't let my opinion deter you – it might be a perfect fit for someone else.

The house that mysteically ends up on the shore of a beach. Whats the story? Read this book to go on a heart pumping ride!

Cherie Priest delivers yet another spine tingling tale! The Drowning House, to me, was a fun mix of horror genres with a touch of retro campy ghost movies!

Her writing is as always phenomenal even though sometimes in The Drowning House I had a bit of trouble following along, sometimes she's just very descriptive!

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC

Wow, what a unique story line; I don’t think I’ve ever come across a book like this. With that being said, I loved this book. The atmosphere that was created by this plot line was genius and the characters were written with so much care and thought.

"The Drowning House" by Cherie Priest has all of the elements I love in a book. Mysterious appearance and disappearances, a 'haunted' house and possibly ghosts? Yes, please! That said, this was a fail for me.

Simon Culpepper and his grandmother, Mrs. Culpepper live near a beach. One day, a mysterious house washes up and Mrs Culpepper drops dead, and everything changes. Simon reaches out to his two friends, Leo and Melissa, asking for their help, but then HE disappears. Melissa and Leo have never really gotten along so the two must put their differences aside to find their Simon.

The story itself was interesting. However, my attention would wander as there are time jumps and narrator switches. Both Leo and Melissa weren't particularly redeemable or...good people at all. The pacing of the story was a bit split as well. The first half was slow, building up the danger of the situation, but then kind of dragged until the second half where everything started to fall into place.

I think this will be a good read for some people who enjoy these kinds of spooky tales, but this one didn't click for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this opportunity.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It held my attention and I needed to know more of what happened. The Drowning House is a story of two friends coming back together, Melissa and Leo, to help their friend, Simon, after he leaves a strange voice message and an e-mail. When Melissa and Leo arrive, Simon is nowhere to be seen. The two friends look for him and discover something washed up on the beach.

The intricate detail used to further the plot and how Cherie wove everything together was very clever. The bickering and back and forth between Leo and Melissa is very realistic, and when truly needed, they unite as a solid front.

The Drowning House is a compelling thriller set in a storm-wracked PNW community. Simon goes missing and his childhood friends, who never quite liked each other, must work together to solve the mystery. I loved the atmospheric writing and the characters. I don't love supernatural elements to my thrillers, just as a general rule, and The Drowning House definitely has a supernatural element. I would say if you enjoy the supernatural slant of Chuck Wendig or Riley Sager, then you will like The Drowning House.

From the first chapter, The Drowning House creates a sense of menace that is tangible. As the book moves on, whether in the past or the present, the sense of danger is always there. It is not blatant, but just there, barely below the words.

The main characters Melissa and Leo were part of a trio who grew up together. The third part of the trio, Simon, they both loved but not so much each other. They tumble through childhood with Melissa and Leo getting along to stay friends with Leo. As adults, they remain in contact with Simon but not with each other. When something happens to Simon, Melissa, and Leo have to work together. Unfortunately, they do not realize what is working against them and how little chance they have.

When I first moved to the United States from the tropics, I lived in an old house with a dirt basement with the hatch doors outside. The description of the basement in the book is perfect. It is disturbing and sinister and fifty years on I still hate going down into basements. The basement is just one example of why I enjoyed this book. That sense of menace below the words until it burst free.
I received a copy of The Drowning House from Netgalley. I read the book and wrote an honest review.

I was very intrigued by the premise of this one. However, I don’t think the book was entirely for me. While there were certainly creepy moments in the story, it wasn’t the horror read I was looking for. I did think the atmosphere was great and if you enjoy a slow burn mystery with fantastical elements, I think this could be for you!

Unfortunately, this one wasn't fully for me. It wasn't a bad story, not at all. I just expected more hints of horror, which is why I won't judge the book unfairly. Sometimes a story just doesn't really resonate with you personally, but you can tell others will likely love it a lot.

I went into The Drowning House looking for a horror-mystery novel. While it is certainly a mystery, I felt the book didn’t quite deliver on the horror elements that I was hoping for. It does successfully build up a generally creepy atmosphere but once it really starts getting somewhere with the mystery plotline, it becomes more of a fantasy story than anything else. A mystery with a bit of a fantastical twist could still be really interesting to me, but unfortunately the direction the investigation takes (and especially the way it is resolved) were very unsatisfying. I also struggled with a lot of the book’s dialogue. The way most characters in the story speak felt very stilted and unnatural at times. The strongest aspect of the book was without question its setting. By the time you get to the third act, the island almost feels like its own character, or rather a force of nature that itself is trying to prevent our heroes from completing their mission. Speaking of the characters, our two leads are strongly written. It is clear early on in the book that they are both very flawed people that seem to harbor a resentment towards their childhood home and even each other. I think the way they butt heads as they try to find their missing friend was handled very well.
The Drowning House presents a compelling mystery with a strong atmosphere and well written characters. Unfortunately, an unsatisfying resolution and some fairly weak dialogue prevented me from really getting into it. Still, I think it is pretty breezy to get through and I think it would make for a very solid read for fans of mysteries with a bit of a supernatural twist.

Simon Culpepper disappears the night that a storm washes a dark house ashore. The same night that his extremely elderly grandmother expires on the beach. Simon's two closest friends will have to set aside their petty jealousies and come together, to save the island that raised them both, and Simon with it.

Buckle up, buttercup. This one is a wild ride. I was entranced from the very beginning and couldn't wait for the revelations to leap from the page. This book is rich with atmosphere and very real characters, who are flawed in familiar ways. I was riveted, and I'm sure you will be too. Thank you to Netgalley and Poison Pen Press for the review copy.

Summary: During a storm, a mysterious and frightening housewreck washes up on the private beach of a residence on Marrowstone Island. The owner of the property, an elderly Mrs. Culpepper, drops dead on the beach at the sight. Her grandson, thirtysomething Simon Culpepper, vanishes from the same beach shortly afterward. Simon’s childhood friends, Leo and Melissa, rush to Simon’s aid and are alarmed that they cannot find him anywhere. The police don’t have the resources to do an extensive search and don’t appear overly concerned about Simon’s disappearance. The two friends put aside past differences and rivalries in a desperate attempt to find Simon and figure out the sinister mysteries surrounding the history of Mrs. Culpepper’s house before Simon is lost to them forever.

Thoughts: This chilling and atmospheric horror novel is a page-turner! When Leo and Melissa initially arrive at the island, they assume that Simon will turn up and are concerned, but not panicked. However as those hours turn into days and frightening events begin to occur at the house, Leo and Melissa are forced to face the fact that Simon did not disappear voluntarily and that the house has terrible secrets in its past that are connected to the dripping, rotting housewreck on the beach.

Marrowstone Island is an actual island located in Puget Sound, Washington State. It has a very small year-round population and is frequented by tourists in the summer months. I discovered that Nordy’s actually was the general store and did burn down, but has now been rebuilt. I love the way in which Leo and Melissa arrive at the truth with a series of flashbacks to their childhood days spent at Mrs. Culpepper’s house and an investigation of the various snippets of information they can parse through in the present.

I felt that the ending of the final chapter was satisfying, and the Epilogue was completely unnecessary, but that is a minor complaint. Overall, this was a suspenseful read and a cracking good story. Highly recommend!

I went into this book thinking mystery/thriller but it had more fantasy vibes than I expected. I never really felt connected to the main characters so it was hard to keep my interest.