A thrilling and chilling read that will have you hooked. Lots of chills in this novel. Looking forward to more titles by this author.

Carnage follows 16-year-old Nate, even as his family settles in a new town and he begrudgingly makes new friends. The first deaths on Cherry Tree Lane, later dubbed “Murder Road” by the community when it happened in 1963. Over the years, through the murders that followed, the legend told of the Hiding Boy, who partnered with evil to curse the street and its inhabitants. Why? After Nate and his family move away from there, he lands at Montgomery-Oakes High, where he meets the self-proclaimed Urban Legends Club: Max, Tyler, and Seb. This group of friends are obsessed with investigating urban legends. They decide to invite Nate to The Urban Legends Club. They go after the most gruesome of them all (urban legends)—the Hiding Boy. It’s back on Cherry Tree Lane that these tales are shocking and bloody. Is there really a “Hiding Boy?”

The author keeps readers on edge and they’ll wonder why Nate’s family moved away. If what the Hell Chasers experience is real, what truths lie behind it? The climactic scene is in chaos. It’s a fascinating horror and mystery novel.

This is an exciting book that becomes more and more scary as it goes along. Nate is a sympathetic character, and he's new to the neighborhood after being forced to move from place to place to place with his family. It was interesting to learn more about his back story as we were experiencing an urban legend come to life on "Murder Road." Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this.

Book review for One House Left by Vincent Ralph. Releases 8.27.24

Book summary: R.L. Stine meets Urban Legend in the next twisty horror novel by New York Times bestselling author Vincent Ralph.

“Ready or not. Whatever you do. The Hiding Boy is coming for you.”

Sixteen-year-old Nate Campbell grew up in the shadow of Murder Road – a street cursed by the vengeful spirit of the Hiding Boy.

Every few years, for nearly six decades, a different house on that street has been the scene of a tragedy.

Nate and his family move to a new town as they try to outrun the curse once and for all. But, when he is pulled into his new friends’ urban legend club, new ghost stories merge with old until there is nowhere left to run.

Book Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was very intrigued from the book description. Growing up, I was a huge R. L. Stine fan and loved Urban Legends. The book starts slow building into the characters and the world surrounding them. I expected more when Nate and his friends would go out and try the urban legends they heard about. It fell flat and the mystery could have been developed more.

I did not like the ending. It was a twist that I didn’t see coming and not a good twist at that. The story just became weird at this point.

I was hoping for more with this story. Better storytelling leading into the mystery. The book had potential and I wished we were given more with it. It could have been a lot creepier but it just started getting weird and I didn’t enjoy it at the end.

3.5 for this spooky YA read. It felt a bit angsty and predictable at first. But then, boom. That twist hit and I most definitely has not been expecting it. Which boosted it up to a 3.5

With R.L. Stine vibes, "One House Left" by Vincent Ralph creates a thriller with paranormal elements. Additionally, it has a touch of YA horror as well.

Going in forgetting it was more YA focused, the book left me intrigued nonetheless. I finished this is literal hours because the twists kept my interest.

The book was rather slow paced at times and that grated on my patience. However, I think there will be plenty of fans of this one. It also left me curious about Vincent Ralph's backlist as this is my first book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for this gifted copy.

I didn't love this or hate this. It kept me entertained and the short chapters kept me focused and wanting to keep reading. I'll admit I did not see the ending coming, and I love when that happens. The twist was one I wasn't expecting and it didn't let me down in the way so many other twists in books have. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is looking for a quick thriller to read.

Try as I might, I could not get into this book. It just didn't seem to flow easily and it was slow moving.

“Ready or not. Whatever you do. The Hiding Boy is coming for you.”

This paranormal thriller had a really intriguing premise! I found the writing style very unique too. And liked the inclusion of urban legends.

I loved the short chapters! And did like that it switched POVs in the last part. Although I didn’t necessarily connect strongly with any of the characters.

I found it to be a slow burn until parts two and three and then it picked up pace. I was curious how it would all come together as a lot going on, but it did conclude nicely.

This one definitely will give you creepy vibes for spooky season!🖤

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to review this ARC with honesty.

So this is the first time reading this author and I believe this is YA horror so I knew going in that it would a bit different from other things I've read (mostly adult horror and thriller.) That being said, I was taken aback by some of the gruesome details that it showcased in the different urban tales (not a bad thing, just surprised) and it kept me entertained about two thirds of the way in - where things kind of went sideways. I'm not going to say it is a very confusing book but to me, it was. And I say this because it very well could have been. That being said, I was left just - numb to the characters. I won't say names of characters to avoid spoilers but certain places where said characters end up was just - off.

It was an okay read, I would probably still read another from this author. I'm not just not sure it hit right near the end.

My Rating: 2.75 (rounded up) 3

3.5 stars rounded up. This was an interesting ride of a book. I went into expecting a horror/ghost story. And that's what I got. Sort of.

I wasn't really sure what was going on a lot of the time, but it was creepy and fun with some twists that made me wonder what I'd missed.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

3.5 stars

Nate has just moved to a new school, his family constantly relocating to try to avoid the curse of the Hiding Boy, an urban legend that's led to the entire street he grew up on being home to horrific murders. But when he finds out his new friends at school are in an urban legend club where they test them out to see which are real, he worries his past will catch up with him.

I love a good urban legend, so I was excited for the club plotline, and the scenes of the kids testing out different legends were creepy and fun. I also really enjoyed the mixed media elements like newspaper stories documenting the various Hiding Boy murders throughout the decades. The author did a great job of infusing the different stories with enough panache that you could see them being retold and glamorized through years of retelling. I didn't particularly care about any of the characters themselves, though, so when the big twist hit 3/4 of the way through I was surprised, but not as invested as I might have been if I loved the characters. I also had some logistics questions about that twist that made me roll my eyes a little. 

Overall this was a fun and quick read if you're looking for a spooky season pallette cleanser. Thanks to Wednesday Books and the author for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

One step and your hooked.
It's a coaster of emotions has you read this, all the while never really knowing what's truly going on. A true plot twister and nail biter, as you don't know who to trust or what to believe. Things are not as they seem.

The author keeps the reader in a perpetual dual state of on the edge of the seat and at ease. It's so weird. Half the time, you feel like everything is fine and the other your waiting for the other shoe to drop and someone to die or something. Nice adrenal rush. I don't want to ruin anything, but the plot is definitely able to drive this story to the end with characters that keep you engaged.

** Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion **

I really enjoyed this book. It had all of the elements of a good creepy horror thriller, all rolled up into one book. I like the main character, Nate and could imagine how he felt moving through the novel. Enjoyed the idea of urban legends and myths. Reminded me of some of my younger camping years. I really enjoyed the unexpected ending. I would definitely recommend this to all who enjoy a YA thriller.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this advance copy.

One House Left by Vincent Ralph

Holy freak-a-roni. This book blew my mind. Nate and his family are on the run.. trouble is, it’s not a thing they can run from.

Nate doesn’t want to make friends. Friends mean something to leave behind but when a small group of misfits befriend him.. he cannot help wanting to join.

I loved it. The misfits take on urban legends in their spare time.. since Nate joined.. they seem to be becoming real…

I love the supernatural tones in this book. The book is so twisty and I never figured out what would happen at the end!! Blown away!

If you love a horror thriller… this one.. this oneeeee

4.5 stars

Amazing concept. Way too long of an execution. I almost gave up on this, was hooked back in when the twist was exposed at about 90%. The wrap up was also a bit mid.

Thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher for this ARCCin exchange for an honest review.

This book just didn't work for me.

I didn't connect with the writing style at all.
The characters felt flat, dull, one-dimensional.

DNF

I found this book very enjoyable. It ended in a twist that I did not see coming!
Nate and his family move around a lot. They used to live on Murder Road, a street that was cursed. Someone must die in every house on the street. Nate is trying to out run the curse but nothing his family does keeps the curse at bay for long. After the last town, Nate vows that he won't make friends. A group of kids at his new high school are chasing urban legends and Nate can't help but begin to like them. Is he putting them in danger just by being their friends? Nate knows something dark is brewing, but can he keep the curse at bay?

Thank you to Vincent Ralph, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I wasn't the biggest fan of this book. It was confusing at times, but also repetitive. The characters were annoying at some parts and I couldn't connect to any of them.

This also seemed more like a Young Adult book than anything else.

I just finished this bok book anf i dont even know what i read. It was creepy . I was confused and i was also on the esge of my seat for most of this book. First book by the author and i enjoyed it but i didnt love it but i told myself to read more male authors. And making it a horror novel im always 100 percent willing to read it. Thr only thing i disliked about this horror novel was the characters