I'm really not sure how I feel about One House Left. The idea of the story drew me in- Murder Road, a family on the run? Great set-up. However, I spent the first half of the book feeling like I'd missed some much needed backstory to help me understand the motivations and dynamics between the friends and Nate's family. I would have loved more time with the family - some seriously interesting dynamics to explore. The plot moves at a slow pace until the final act were it speeds up and the story is told from multiple POVs. This was the energy I was looking for in the first half of the book.

Ultimately I'm glad I read it. I'm a fan of Vincent Ralph's work and look forward to reading more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the gifted copy of the book.

Thank you NetGalley, Wednesday Books and author Vincent Ralph for the arc!

Ok. Who hasn’t been totally scared out of their wits at sleepovers or bonfires by animated narrations of urban legends and ghost stories!

Ya, me too!

This YA thriller capitalizes on those fright fests by dragging you straight into the reality of one such creepy tale and the group of friends who are chasing it down to prove it’s existence … but get way more than they bargained for.

The story kept me in suspense mode right to the end! There is also a pretty solid twist that caught me off guard! Check this one out if you are looking for something to tickle your eerie bone this spooky season! Would pair nicely with a broken down vehicle on a deserted road in the middle of the night!!

For a YA Thriller I thought it was pretty good. Spooky vibes. Loved the Urban Legends theme and how they drew the group of friends together. Nate and his family have to keep moving, and we don’t initially know why. He’s secretive and tries to not make friends (although he seems to want to), and again don’t know initially why. His family is odd and somewhat disconnected. Halfway through the book the POV changes, but the author was not good in letting the reader know, that made it a tad confusing (until I figured it out). I thought it ended well, even though I still have questions.

I thought this was a great YA spooky season book. Very creepy in the best way. I kept wanting to go back to it to find out what the heck was going on. I did get confused as the narrator seemed to change from Nate to Max near the end of the book. Not a huge deal though. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced reader’s copy.

This was definitely a slow burn horror. I spent probably 60% of the book confused and wondering what was going to happen. Then things got really intense and I couldn't put the book down!

I would likely recommend this one but just be warned that it takes a bit to fully suck you in.

Loved everything and the twist and turns kept me up all night I recommend this book to anyone who needs a good refresher.

This is a story that REALLY conveys that wherever you go, there you are.

This was for sure an interesting read! I wasn’t sure how I felt until the twist, which I LOVED. If you’re looking for a creepy read for the season, this is a unique, unsettling choice.

Thank you so much @macmillanusa @netgalley & @wednesdaybooks

Actually really enjoyed this! This was a perfect combo of thriller mixed with horror. It was more YA geared to me though. First book I have read by this author. It was pretty fast paced and kept you on your toes. It had a few silly moments at times but it was still a good read. Perfect book heading into spooky season! Thank you so much for the ARC!

A chilling thriller about a haunted house with a dark past. Ralph crafts a gripping tale of suspense and mystery that keeps readers on edge.

I thought this book was a pleasant surprise. Initially I was hesitant to start it as the main character is a 16 year old boy. Basically I could be his mom, so this was a bit out of my comfort zone. Then the more I read, it reminded me Stranger Things with the group of misfit kids and urban legends. I was convinced I knew where the story was headed only to be thrown in a completely different direction! It was so dark and twisted in the end. Overall very much enjoyed it. I made a Bookstagram review post that I have linked down below.

If your teens enjoy creepy horror stories, this one should be right up their alley. One House Left is a YA horror novel that delves into the supernatural, and urban legends. It also has a pretty good twist that I definitely did not see coming. I will admit that part of the book became a bit confusing to me, but I enjoyed it and felt the characters were fairly well-established. I definitely was predicting a different type of book!

Overall, this is a solid book that I think preteens and teens will enjoy. Not too gory, not too scary, just enough to give you some shivers. I enjoyed it!

I have been in a YA thriller reading era and loved this book. It had a lot of creepy town folklore intertwined with the story, and I loved all the adventures that the teens had trying out all the urban legends.

The one thing that I didn't entirely connect with was the ending of the book. It wasn't quite what I was expecting and it kind of ruined the story for me. It didn't necessarily ruin the book, but I wasn't expecting what happened.

This is a solid read for anyone who enjoys YA thrillers.

This was an interesting story with a shocking ending. It wasn't like anything I have ever read, and it definitely did not go the way I thought it was going to go. This would be a great pick for the upcoming spooky season.

Meeting new friends is hard. When Nate's family settles into a new town, new friends find him. What are the chances that they are obsessed with urban legends while he lives to escape one?

Vincent Ralph's *One House Left* is just a masterpiece in suspense and terror. The blend of supernatural horror with the eerie atmosphere of urban legends keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. Nate Campbell's journey is haunting and gripping, as the cursed history of Murder Road collides with the dark secrets of his new town. Ralph expertly weaves together chilling tales and unforgettable twists, creating a story that is impossible to put down. If you love a good scare, this book is a must-read! Consider keeping the lights on though.

Thank you Vincent Ralph, St. Martin's Press, and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

🏠Book Review🏠
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Summary- 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.
*
Rating- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
*
My thoughts- I’m so behind on book reviews but thank you so much Macmillan for the advanced copy which is signed and came with stickers!! I really enjoyed this one it is so wild and unexpected. Super fun YA thriller that has some wild twists you won’t see coming. I liked this one so much, the audio was fantastic. Nate and his family are just so fascinating to follow, I could not put this one down! Perfect for fans of urban legends and horror films! Be sure to grab it where books are sold today!
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QOTD- What is your favorite urban legend ?! Bloody Mary used to scare me so bad lol!
*

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

This was such a dark little horror story. A whole block is a part of urban legend and the murders and deaths are horrible. A family on the run - you are with the youngest kid's POV. It's the 4th move in 3 years, as they run from the urban legend, the Hiding Boy.

I loved the twists in this one. It isn't often I get to read about Urban Legends and this one had such an interesting premise and history. The POV was perfect, really detailed the confusion and the tension in the family while also juggling these new schools. The struggle to want to make friends but wonder if its worth it.

When I hit the beginning of Part 2, my jaw was on the ground! So many good twists in this one. The ending was perfect! I loved it!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

I enjoyed this quick thriller/horror tale.

It was a middle grade/YA thriller that I think a lot of kids will enjoy. The whole Urban Legend I think will never get old (for me anyways) and had me rereading and pulling late 90s/early 2000s movies and books for my kids that they instantly became obsessed with. And perfect time of year.

Will definitely be in my HS library.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was excited when I read the description of this book as it seemed like a fun spooky novel, but it fell short for me.

I didn't really connect with the characters or the storyline.

I'll give 3 stars though!

This was a good story for middle school readers. When I requested I didn’t realize that. Urban Legend creepy stuff, sign me up. Perfect for spooky season.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and Vincent Ralph for the opportunity.

<b>TW/CW: Language, fighting, toxic family relationships, dementia, death of loved one, grieving, depression, anxiety, death of sibling, bullying, family drama, blood, gory scenes </b>

<b><big>*****SPOILERS*****</b></big>
<b>About the book:</b>
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.
<b>Release Date:</b> August 27th, 2024
<b>Genre:</b> Horror
<b>Pages:</b> 320
<b>Rating:</b> ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

<b>What I Liked:</b>
1. The plot sounded creepy
2. Short chapters
3. Reads fast

<b>What I Didn't Like:</b>
1. Read too YA
2. Characters feel repetitive
3. Teenage romance
4. Not horror - more mystery feeling

<b>Overall Thoughts:</b>
<b><i><small>{{Disclaimer: I write my review as I read}}</small></i></b>

Calling the road Murder Road remind me of a book called <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/196614815-murder-road"<b>Murder Road by Simone St. James</b></a>, which also talks about a road of death.

I wish the teenagers were more interesting. So far it feels like Nate is coming off very one dimensional, Hazel just keeps calling the boy she left behind, and Roman is fighting for money.

If Nate knows that his urban legend is real why would he want to risk making another urban legend real? Wouldn't he want to not be anywhere near another one?

Did you know that Nates grandmother died? Yeah, you'll only hear about it every chapter and almost every 5 pages.

They all go to Murder Road and in the boys house (not sure if this house has been vacant since the 60s the town hasn't knocked it down) they are locked away from Nate, we suddenly change character pov to Max's. Why?? This is weird. Then Seb & Tyler's.

They are lost in this haunted house and Seb just died but suddenly in the middle of all of this we have Tyler over here questioning his life decisions and whether he should take a school scholarship. What???

The house turns into this 1408 Stephen King ghost thing where their spirts from their pasts and worries of their lives kill(try) to them off.

Tyler and Max survive. The police even talk about how the town should knock down the 5 houses and yeah why aren't they?? How is the town doing this since they've had so many people killed at these places.

So we now know that Roman is responsible for the death of 5 bodies and feeding the house people just because Roman interrupted the curse to knock the door down saving the other kids (I guess).

Oh they killed Hazel's boyfriend in the house.

I'm confused why they wouldn't approach the town about knocking the houses down to see if it'll stop the curse they have, but they don't even try that path they just jump into leading people to the houses.

In theory then since Roman broke up the houses killing those people that broke in and broke the door down what did that mean that little girl that saved Max and Tyler but also be haunted and have to lure people to houses? She interrupted the natural order of things.

So it's 6 months later and they are knocking the houses down starting with the one where Seb died in. Magically Nate and his family is able to just blend into this huge crowd and you're going to tell me not one person recognizes any of them. Like how is that even possible. They grew up in this town and no one recognizes them especially since Max had put out a podcast saying they were on the lookout for them and they had disappeared but they just get in watch the house get knocked down and sneak out.

<b>Final Thoughts:</b>
This book reminded me of The Craft. That a new girl that had the final power showed up and gave the existing group the power they were missing. Nate is that character that shows up to make the urban legends come alive.

It's never explained how the urban legends came true when they were around Nate. It's never explained and kind of seemed an after thought to a storyline that was pretty massive.

I wanted to like this story but it all just felt very meh to me. The characters weren't interesting and at times could come off annoying. The tone of the book was too YA. There was the twist of Nate framing the group, but it seemed so out of character to the person we had been following around and reading his thoughts that suddenly he'd set his friends up to be murdered.

In the end though I don't know if I'll remember much from this book. Wasn't terrible but also wasn't very memorable.

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<b><small>Thanks to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the ebook & Spotify Books for the audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.