I may be an outlier with this one. I found a lot of the informational aspects of this novel to be stiltedly academic and off-putting. The main character was outright infuriating at times. Not enough happened to really engage me in the first half of the book. The prose itself was fine.

Beneath the Poet's House was such an unusual story! Christa Carmen employed beloved tropes in a fresh and compelling way, which is quite the accomplishment given her use of Poe, the most beloved gothic figure aside from the Brontes and Mary Shelley. By using seances, haunted historical houses, and the question of madness in a contemporary story, she was able to immerse us in the comforts of familiar gothic devices, and kept it believable by having contemporary people who shun technology enough to make the story move forward, but not enough to remove them from a realistic scenario. They romanticized transcendentalism without removing themselves from the comforts of cars and phones, more like a limited calorie diet, but with technology. This made every moment believable, especially because our main character romanticized every red flag her new love interested presented, while also questioning it. Christa Carmen gave us layers like this, which made for one of the best books I read this year. Highly recommend. I'll be interviewing her for my show in a few weeks.

Thank you to the author, narrator, publisher and Net Galley for providing a free e-audio of this title in exchange for my review.

I really wanted to like this book. The description sounded interesting, but I hated the main character so much, it was hard to really get into the book. And it seemed really far fetched. I love Edgar Allen Poe and American history, but this one didn't deliver for me at all.

1 star for 'did not like it'

Whew. This one is a rollercoaster! First off, the writing is stunning. Christa Carmen is extremely talented in that her writing manages to be equal parts hauntingly beautiful and compelling. This is one of those books where it is very easy to get completely lost in the story's world due to her excellent story-telling.

Second, the main character is awesome. This is not one of those stereotypical FMCs that needs a man to solve her problems; Saoirse is fiercely independent, will stop at absolutely nothing, and her tenacity will have you rooting for her to prevail every step of the way!

While it is not necessary to be an Edgar Allan Poe connoisseur, if you are familiar with Poe's work, then you will appreciate the subtle (and not so subtle) literary references throughout. Overall, a great read that I will not be forgetting anytime soon!

Thank you to Christa Carmen, Brilliance Publishing, & NetGalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

Beneath the Poet's House is a wonderfully twisted and captivating read that is based in Providence, Rhode Island and centered around Edgar Allan Poe and Sarah Helen Whitman. Many of the characters in this novel have unique characteristics, which all add tremendously to the story. The book is incredibly well-written, and the author did a great job weaving in poetry as well as some historical facts. The last half of the book had me on the edge of my seat! The author brought the horror I was anticipating without being over the top. I can't wait for this book to be published so I can grab my copy!
Thank you NetGalley, Brilliance Publishing, and Crista Carmen for this incredible ARC!

(4.5 Stars) Many thanks to @netgalley and the author for the #gifted advanced digital and audiobook copies!

Novelist Saoirse White is still grappling with the death of her husband when she decides to start over in Providence, Rhode Island. Seeking inspiration to reignite her writing career, she rents the historic Whitman House, once home to Sarah Helen Whitman, a 19th-century poet and spiritualist famously courted by Edgar Allan Poe.

Saoirse quickly connects with three eccentric transcendentalists obsessed with the Whitman House and soon begins a romance with Emmit Powell, a globally acclaimed author and professor at Brown University. But as she settles into this new chapter, Saoirse can’t shake the feeling that the house is hiding dark secrets. The past and present blur, and she begins to wonder: is she unraveling, or is someone deliberately trying to harm her?

Like Carmen’s 2023 release, The Daughters of Block Island, this story beautifully blends fact and fiction. Rooted in the history of Edgar Allan Poe and Sarah Helen Whitman, Beneath the Poet’s House pays homage to Poe and Whitman’s haunting legacies while weaving a wholly original and mesmerizing tale. What starts as a slow-burn exploration of grief and inspiration quickly crescendos into a pulse-pounding psychological and physical thriller. The result is a deeply satisfying, intensely gripping story that will leave you breathless.

Linda Jones delivers another stellar solo narration, bringing both the eerie and emotional elements to life. Fans of Carmen’s previous work will love her performance and her ability to make the characters and setting feel vivid and real.

If you enjoy smart thrillers steeped in historical detail, I can’t recommend Beneath the Poet’s House and The Daughters of Block Island enough. Both books will have you itching to explore Rhode Island’s rich history and mysterious allure.

This one was rather odd. It was interesting but odd at the same time.
As a grieving widow, Saoirse moved into Providence, and not only that into the home of Sarah Helen Whitman the spiritualist who once was involved with Edgar Allen Poe. However, on the night that she is moving in she makes some peculiar new friends that are performing seance to try to communicate with Whitman, and while she does see it as odd she welcomes them as friends.
After she goes to a career fair she meets Emmit and soon she starts dating him. While in the relationship Saoirse pushes the limits on not taking her medications on time, drinking alcohol, and participating in some questionable behaviors and actions with him. I understand discovering yourself and how you fit into a new lifestyle, especially after changes like the death of a husband. Saoirse's husband had a heart attack while she was visiting her mother and she found his body three days after he passed away, it is something that has left scars on her and she sometimes swats and nonexistent flies swarming around her—almost kind of like PTSD.
The longer she dates Emmit she starts noticing similarities between Edgar Allen Poe and his story and then he becomes increasingly jealous of her spending time with other people.
Now there were some unexpected twists along the way, however, there were several moments where I was considering DNF-ing the book but I stuck with it and I rather enjoyed the ending. I enjoyed the way the book was written and enjoyed how the narrative flowed.
I was given the audiobook to review and the narrator fit the story perfectly and it was quite enjoyable. Thank you Netgalley and Brilliance Publishing for this opportunity!

I went into this, not knowing what to expect at all because I completely forgot the synopsis lol but I was so pleasantly surprised with what a weird journey it was. I would definitely recommend going in blind if possible and just enjoying the ride. I was never left too much in the dark as to what was actually going on in a way that made it un enjoyable, but there were just enough weird, twists, and turns and unsettling moments that you needed to know what was going to happen next.
I also really liked the narrator of this one!

If you love poetry, this is a great fictional story for you. The wonderful, lyrical prose makes this an enjoyable read. It's full of gothic details and an overall moody vibe. Although I wasn't sure I'd enjoy this book after the first chapter, I fell into this quite easily once Saoirse moves into this historical house and finds a séance underway in her basement! As she forms friendships in the town and explores the relationship between Whitman and Poe, we get a sense of uneasiness as to how this story will unfold. Her meeting and then budding relationship with Emmit left me frustrated with Saoirse because of all the red flags she seemed smart enough to see, but didn't. I don't want to delve too deep into this as I don't want to give too much information away. Recommend for the poetry lovers out there.

Great narration, too! I did have to speed it up to 1.75 as it was read a bit slow for me.

Thank you to Brilliance Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC - it was appreciated!

Beneath the Poet's House has all the elements that make it thrilling.

The author has a beautiful way with words. The prose is poetic and immersive, and I found myself appreciating the lyrical flow of the narrative.

The atmosphere is rich and vivid, with a sense of place that helps draw you into the world of the book. It’s clear that a lot of care went into crafting the setting.

At one point I dnf-ed it, thinking it was predictable and childish, but I have to admit that I was wrong. This was indeed a fun book (in an eerie way).

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for giving me the chance to review the audiobook version of Beneath the Poet's House.

I don’t know much about Edgar Allan Poe and his onetime love, fellow poet Sarah Whitman, but you better believe I googled as I read, because it was so incredible and whimsical. I loved the idea of Stone Tape Theory, and Poe and Whitman’s love replaying in present time.

Beneath the Poet’s House was exactly what you’d imagine it to be. It was gothic, historic, spooky, dark, and suffocating. Incredibly well written, it kept my attention from start to finish. And that’s saying something, because I sometimes struggle with historical fiction. But historical thriller? Yeah, I’m here for that.

Overall, I really loved this. It transported me to historical Victorian homes, slick cobblestone roads, and dark green velvet. It was a much needed escape right now.

Also? The men in this story are the reason women choose the bear.