Happy Sunday all!
Thrilled to share with you today my review for this creepy and atmospheric story! This was a group read and I’m glad I had friends to discuss this one with!💀
My Thoughts
Creepy. Atmospheric. Haunting.
Lexie Elliot Will completely transport you to this Erie Scottish house with her descriptive writing. I could feel the cold and contempt seeping from the house. The house has a life of its own and is probably the most dynamic character in the book. This is a slow burner that combines mystery, suspense, and magical realism.
Ailsa inherits a house, well half a house. The other half belongs to her father who she has not seen for over 20 years. Unable to sell the house until her father is found, or pronounced dead; Ailsa moves into the house along with her half sister Carrie. It doesn’t take Ailsa Long to figure out the house has a mind and a heartbeat of its own. Not only that she discovers a intruder in the house her very first night there. Then things start appearing and disappearing, noises are heard and there is that feeling of being watched at all times. A dead fox at the door, fire alarms going off, and the flies… oh the flies! Just thinking about the flies gives me the heebie-jeebies! So is the house friend or foe? Is it warning her or scaring her off?
For the most part I really liked this book it was so atmospheric and evocative. However some parts were extremely slow. Also as much as I enjoyed the magical realism element of this book, I wish it had been explored a little more in depth. Time folding? I was left with a few questions I would have liked answered. I recommend this to people who enjoy descriptive writing, a slower burn, and a touch of magic.
*** many thanks to Berkley for my copy of this book ***
About the Book
An eerie, old Scottish manor in the middle of nowhere that’s now hers.
Ailsa Calder has inherited half of a house. The other half belongs to a man who disappeared without a trace twenty-seven years ago—her father.
Leaving London behind to settle the inheritance from her mother’s estate, Ailsa returns to her childhood home, nestled amongst the craggy peaks of the Scottish Highlands, joined by the half-sister who’s almost a stranger to her.
Ailsa can’t escape the claustrophobic feeling that the house itself is watching her—as if her past hungers to consume her. She also can’t ignore how the neighborhood animals refuse to set one foot within the gates of the garden.
When the first nighttime intruder shows up, Ailsa fears that the manor’s careless rugged beauty could cost her everything.
The Besties
Kendall @ Sunflower Book Lover
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Berit Talks Books 
Oh this seemed exciting in most parts… A house which reacts sounds fun.. But the flies… Eeeks that would give me nightmares
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Sounds good!
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I have read some mixed reviews on this story. I still think I will give it a go. Glad you mostly enjoyed it, Berit!
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Sounds scary and some houses can be very creepy. There’s always a reason for a concentration of flies. Yucko!
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Thanks this book definitely had a creepy house and those flies, yuck is right!
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Certainly sounds creepy but interesting. Too bad about the magical realism not being well developed though. The flies bit scares me already. Great review.
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The magical realism might work for you, just didn’t work for me, actually Kenzie and I are talking about it right now she loved it those flies, yikes!
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