One House Left
Publication date: August 27, 2024

Thank you Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, and Ralph Vincent for this ARC eBook in exchange for my honest review.

4.75 / 5

Ok, so ...

I wish I had possessed this book when I was a young adult, along with the hundreds of other YA novels... But it was still an absolute pleasure reading it as a middle aged man, cuz this is one of the best YA horror novels I've read.

This book was so many wonderful things ...

The secrets we keep....
Our need for connection....
Our need for someone who sees and accepts us; imperfections and all....

A scary, beautiful, funny, touching coming of age story.
Lots of eerieness, atmosphere and heart.
(I've seen comparisons to R.L. Stein... but, objectively, this has much better writing.)

This was pure nostalgia... in the sense that this story reminded me of every great horror movie and novel I watched and read when I was younger. It had me thinking of so many of my favorites, and I was looking them up... This is the type of YA novel that truly reminded me of why I fell in love with horror in the first place.

The audio book was excellent as well. The narrator is extremely talented, and read the story beautifully!

(Full review and thoughts on publication date)

It’s getting to be horror season! One House Left is the next spooky listen. Fans of R.L. Stein will love this book!

I really loved this! One House Left was a fun, quick read and was surprisingly brutal for a YA book.

We follow Nate and his family who are on the run from "The Hiding Boy" proving that urban legends are real. Nate is reluctant to get close to anyone in this new town, but eventually becomes friends with Max, Seb, and Tyler. These three are obsessed with urban legends. Little do they know, Nate has firsthand experience with an urban legend.

This book started off a little slow while we explored the backstory, and certain parts were a little confusing like why Nate's family was on the run. However, it all came together in the last third to the point that I was on the edge of my seat. The ending really surprised me as I was not expecting it at all. The characters were very three dimensional, and their different personalities and motivations were well developed. There were also a lot of scenes that made me really emotional - like trying not to ugly cry. Overall, this was a fun book filled with murder, creepy urban legends, and multiple emotional moments.

This was creepy. I felt like I didn't fully grasp what was actually going on for a good amount of the story. But the narrator truly had me freaked out while listening.

3.5⭐️
I am thankful to have gotten the audio ARC for free from Netgalley and Spotify Audio so I can leave my voluntary and honest review.

This one was hard to rate to be honest as it didn’t hold my interest the way it should have. I kept stopping and starting the audio several times over many days when o usually consume an audio book rather quickly.

The narrators regular voice was fine. A bit slow so it had to be sped up to make it easier to listen to but that is common and something that’s easily fixed.

The one thing that was unnerving to me was when the book opens he uses this voice that is supposed to be creepy and mysterious. It is but it’s also unsettling. It’s creepy is a bad way as opposed to setting an environment for the book. It’s hard to put into words especially without giving spoilers. He goes back into that voice at certain parts of the book. This actually made me anxious not knowing when those chapters would happen. That probably impacted the stopping and starting and thus didn’t allow me to get into a flow to enjoy it.

However, my experience may not be yours! Especially if you read the physical book. I may give this another go when it is released on August 27th 2024 as I do like the description and the story itself.
So this may be the perfect book for you going into “spooky season” of reading for Halloween / Fall.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC in audiobook format.

Vincent Ralph’s One House Left is a gripping horror novel that masterfully blends urban legends with a chilling narrative. The audiobook, brought to life by a talented ensemble of narrators, immerses listeners in a world where the past and present collide in terrifying ways.

The story follows 16-year-old Nate Campbell, who moves to a new town with his family, hoping to escape the dark history of “Murder Road” – a street cursed by the vengeful spirit known as the Hiding Boy. Despite their efforts to start anew, Nate finds himself drawn into the mysteries of his new town, especially when he joins a group of friends obsessed with investigating urban legends. As the Hell Chasers, Nate and his friends delve into the eerie tales surrounding the Hiding Boy, leading them back to the horrors of Cherry Tree Lane.

The audiobook’s narration is a standout feature. Pete Cross, Jesse Vilinsky, Andre Santana, TJ Clark, and Gary Tiedemann each bring their unique strengths to the table, creating a dynamic and engaging listening experience. Their performances add depth to the characters and enhance the suspenseful atmosphere of the story. The varied voices help distinguish the characters, making it easy for listeners to follow the plot and become invested in their fates.

Ralph’s writing is both tight and evocative, keeping listeners on the edge of their seats. The themes of friendship, courage, and the struggle against unseen forces are woven seamlessly into the narrative. The story’s pacing is well-balanced, with moments of intense action interspersed with quieter, more reflective scenes. This balance allows for a deeper exploration of the characters’ motivations and fears.

One House Left is a must-listen for fans of horror and urban legends. The combination of Ralph’s compelling storytelling and the narrators’ exceptional performances makes this audiobook a standout in its genre. Whether you’re a long-time horror enthusiast or new to the genre, this tale of haunted streets and relentless spirits is sure to captivate and terrify.

Looking for more from this author!

Having worked as a children’s and YA librarian for years, I’ve read a number of books in this genre. Some have been outstanding, some have been downright terrible. This one falls squarely in the middle. While the plot line is intriguing, the characters never really jelled for me, or seemed authentic

I was so excited for this book, but it really fell dull and flat for me. It was so slow and just very confusing, a little all over the place. I could not continue as I just did not find myself interested or invested at all.

I have mixed feelings about this book. The premise was intriguing, but the execution was lacking. It was also compared to R.L. Stine and sadly, I don’t agree with that. The beginning was confusing and felt really disjointed to me. Everything moved along so slow and I never really felt a connection to any of the characters! By the time the twist happened, I had already lost interest. I’m a big fan of YA horror, but sadly this book just wasn’t for me.

DNF. I also got an ARC for the digital copy of this book. I just couldn’t get into it. When. I saw the audiobook I figured I’d give it another try. But man was I bored. I was in a space where I didn’t care at all about the story or characters

This book is amazing. If you are looking for a book that is creepy and scary, as well as having folk tale involved. Now, I have never heard of the ones talked about in this book, but I for sure know I will never be trying them. I can see this book having people trying some of them as they are definitely on the scale of a way of scaring each other. The characters are enjoyable, and honestly, you get to like them and wonder why they are constantly on the move. I won't spoil it, but you will definitely be surprised with this read. I'm a chicken when it comes to certain things, and this is not a book I would read or listen to at night. The narrator did an amazing job and brought the scary into the book.

So corny. I know I’m not the target audience for this book but I do enjoy YA. We’re following a misfit teen who’s the new kid at school. He gets caught us in this paranormal friend group. At no point was I invested.