"Haunt Sweet Home" by Sarah Pinsker is a paranormal fiction novella. At 1.0 speed, the audiobook runs 3 hrs 41 minutes. It is narrated by Jennifer Blom, Jess Nahikian, Matt Godfrey, and Robb Moreira. I didn't like the voice of the narrator doing the main character, Mara.

Mara is a young adult about 25 years old, who isn't really sure what she wants to do with her life. She gets a job with help from a cousin, as a P.A. for a TV show about haunted houses. It is monotonous and deceptive work until one time there seems to be more at work than human efforts. I did not really like this book. Your mileage (enjoyment) may vary.

Characters - 3/5
Writing - 3/5
Plot - 2/5
Pacing - 3/5
Unputdownability - 3/5
Enjoyment - 2/5
Narration - 3/5
Cover - 3/5
Overall - 22/8 = 2 6/8 rounded up to 3 stars

Thank you to Netgalley, MacMillan Audio, and Sarah Pinsker for providing me with this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Sarah Pinsker for an advanced audio copy of Haunt Sweet Home in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a pretty solid novella, combining haunted houses and reality tv with a dash of family drama added in. It was on the lighter, cozier side of the horror genre, but it was a great way to start getting into the fall/spooky vibe reading.

The audiobook was very well done. All of the narrators were great and distinctive. I love how they produced the little segments of the reality show. It blended very nicely with the segments following Mara.

I was hoping for something with a little more grit, a little creepier, but overall it was still an entertaining, quick listen.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for sending me an early copy of this audiobook! All opinions are my own!

If you're looking for a mildly spooky, fun and light read to start of spooky season, this might be the book for you! I really liked the kitschy paranormal TV show setting and how fun that part of it was. It offset a lot of the deeper parts and gave it such a fun background.

I wish that the paranormal part had been a bigger part of the storyline. Most of it was just scaring the houseowners, which was fun, but not what had originally drawn me to the story. I wish there had been a longer buildup to the paranormal and most in depth of discovering it. But maybe that's part of the novella issue.

If you're looking for a fun few hours, check this one otu!

This book was really entertaining at first, but somewhere down the line it really didn’t work for me! It was very short and caught my attention but around 15% in i really started to dislike where the story was going. That said I did end up finishing the book but it was slightly a bit predictable.


2.5⭐️Thank You to the publisher for the gifted copy of this audiobook!

This book has a lot of fun elements to offer: haunted houses, reality TV shows, complex family dynamics, and wood carving (I love artsy stuff!). It was a quick listen via audio as well.

However, the unraveling of the mystery felt a little too obvious, and more than being scared or stressed for the MC over the situation, I felt like I was watching two friends or siblings bicker with each other. I would have loved to see more of the reality tv dynamics as well as spend a little more time in the haunted houses, especially if actually creepy things happened. It wasn’t a bad time, just not my favorite. I’d check it out if you’re looking for a quick palette cleanser that isn’t too dark.

ARC received from Macmillan Audio via Netgalley.

This novella is perfect for #SpookySeason

It's truly one-of-a-kind, blending a behind-the-scenes reality TV feel with a cozy paranormal tale that also has a touch of light horror. It's unique as it intertwines a journey of self-discovery within a horror-filled, atmospheric setting.

I loved how it manages to be slightly satirical while still delivering a chilling and haunting experience!

✨ Hauntingly Kitsch ✨

Haunt Sweet Home is a super fun, super quick read that takes a look at the “reality” of reality tv! Full of manufactured plotlines, humorous hijinks and…paranormal activity?? 👻

📺 Reality TV
👻 Paranormal Activity
🏚️ Home Renovations
🧭 Finding Yourself
🏎️ Quick Read
🔍 Mystery

Method Read: 🎧
Jennifer Blom, Jess Nahikian, Matt Godfrey & Robb Moreira did a fantastic job bringing the story to life!

Thank you Macmillan Audio for sending me a copy!

Love a story about coming into yourself as a person that accomplishes that goal via Ghosts, and I love a story about someone with a weird job, so this had a lot going for it. Prose style and audiobook narrator left a little to be desired, for my taste.

Thanks, Macmillan Audio, for the gifted audiobook. #macaudio24 (Available now.)

I love it when a short book can still pack an emotional wallop and make me smile. This novella was quietly eerie while still having a ton of fun (if those two things can coexist). Aimless twenty-something Mara is the human personification of a shrug. She has no real ambition and has never been good at anything until she joins her cousin’s ghost hunting/home makeover reality show. Her job? Make creepy things happen while not getting caught.

Only…creepy things start happening that Mara isn’t causing. I do not typically read “horror,” but this was very light. There are no real scarey elements, just some supernatural aspects, delivered with snark and humor. This would be a good choice if you’re a wimp but still want to participate in “spooky season.”

The audio performances added to the story, with “recordings” of the shows mixed in with Mara’s point of view. Narrator Blom captured her dry and sarcastic tone edged with lethargy.

This was a hauntingly fun read. Home makeover TV mixed with ghost hunters. Maria's job is to create these spooky events but when odd things start happening she starts second guessing if they have found a real haunted house.

My only complaint was the ending felt rushed and I would have enjoyed another 25 or more pages once Marla had figured things out. I did not realize going into it how short it was so felt surprised when it abruptly ended.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for an advanced audiobook for review.

Great story, thoroughly enjoyed this one and the main character is absolutely someone I'd be friends with in real life.

Haunt Sweet Home is a light, spooky read that blends paranormal elements with a reality TV show twist. Following Mara as she works behind the scenes of a ghost-hunting home makeover show, the story combines eerie moments with self-discovery. The full-cast audiobook performance adds a fun layer, especially during the TV show script sections, making it a quick and enjoyable listen. The concept is creative, though it doesn’t quite leave a lasting impression.

While the premise was intriguing, the pacing felt off at times, and the supernatural elements weren’t fully explored. Mara’s character journey adds emotional depth, but I found myself wanting more from the overall plot. Still, if you’re into a mix of mild horror and self-exploration, it’s worth checking out for a fun, casual listen.

This novel is perfect for people in the middle of a venn diagram with one side labeled "horror" and the other labeled "HGTV." It was a fun, quick listen, and the audiobook was well done! I loved the full-cast readings of the TV show scripts between chapters. I did end up giving this only three stars because it didn't provide a super lasting impression, but I do think it would make a great spooky ready for a slow autumn morning!

Haunt Sweet Home was a “lighter” horror novel if that’s a thing in the horror genre. Maybe I should say it’s a nice twist on a paranormal genre. It was a paranormal horror meets self exploration. This was quick and I enjoyed the reality tv show plot. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks @macmillan.audio for a copy of this audiobook! I think it will be a hit for those looking for spooky vibes this fall.

Mara is excited when her cousin lands her a job in production of Haunt Sweet Home. The haunted home/makerover reality show is a huge hit but she knows she needs to be on her best behavior as the lowest person on the totem pole. While the show is creating “hauntings,” some weird things begin to happen to Mara, and she wonders if it’s all as fake as she thought it was.

Love me a good haunted house. Well, ok, fine. I don’t really like to go to haunted houses, but I do love reading about them! This story was so dang fun and I loved every second of it! I did it on audio which was the perfect way to read it, as it felt a bit like a podcast at times. I just needed to know if there was legit some haunting going on or if it was all fabricated for the show. Overall I really enjoyed this one!

Thank you to @Torbooks for my gifted copy of this book!

A nice, short ghost story (that's really about self-discovery.) Definitely not a "scary" read, but I was hooked.

This was a very quick little read that kinda confused me, but also was kind of a good story. At first, I just thought it was a normal haunted house story but it’s not really a haunted house and I won’t give away any spoilers.

I wasn’t the biggest fan of the story, plot being embedded in the reality TV show plot. It almost felt superfluous and not really needed for a good story. I think that was what threw me off the most. I think the actual haunting story would have had more impact if it had stood on its own. I think the story is pretty original and I really liked that about it. I also liked the ending and it slowly, but all at once is revealed, almost like the curtain gets pulled back at just the right timing.

I loved the dry tone of the narrator and have recommended this title already, it is also featured in our upcoming genre study. I haven’t read anything by the author and look forward to more by them!

**Review: "Haunt Sweet Home" by Sarah Pinsker** (3.5/5)

*Haunt Sweet Home* is a fun blend of spooky vibes and self-discovery, following Mara as she works behind the scenes of a ghost-hunting/home makeover reality show. The eerie elements—fog machines, staged scares, and mysterious happenings on set—are entertaining, and Mara’s journey toward confronting her own insecurities adds emotional depth.

However, while the setup is great, the story fell flat for me at times. The supernatural elements weren’t explored as much as I hoped, and the pacing dragged in places because nothing really happened. It intrigued me and I wanted to love it, but I wish it had been longer to fully flesh out both the scares and Mara’s character development.

This book was a page turner from beginning to end. A woman down on her luck with not much ambition picks up a job with her cousin as support on a haunted house fixer upper show. She makes an unsuspected friend and some weird things start happening. There are unsuspecting occurrences with twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the end. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.