scott_thelibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
Is this book perfect? No. But, I couldn't care less because it was hella fun! I love escape room horror, and this book didn't disappoint. I think my only complaint is that the ending felt open ended. The only reason this is a complaint is because I didn't want it to end. This is my first time reading Duncan Ralston, but it won't be my last. He created a fun escape room horror novel that felt like the love child of Escape Room (2019) and Cabin in the Woods (2011); two films that I love. Ralston did a fabulous job of creating the lore that was used in each level of the escape room and created some really fun characters. The book definitely kept me on my toes, especially when ! That really shocked me because I thought that character would make it to the end.
I highly recommend this book to horror and escape room lovers. It's a quick read and so much fun! I really hope that we get a sequel...
Spoiler
Joy diedI highly recommend this book to horror and escape room lovers. It's a quick read and so much fun! I really hope that we get a sequel...
leel154's review against another edition
3.75
This reminded me of the movie Escape Room. I thought it was fun, the deaths were creative, and I liked how the rooms connected to the people. I didn’t like the ending, but I usually don’t like that trope.
Spoiler
not a fan of rituals and cult-like corporations making a sacrifice and that reminded me of Cabin in the Woodslucasgarner's review against another edition
1.0
Stopped about 75% of the way through when I realized my brain was no longer retaining what I was reading due to caring so little for what was happening. I love puzzles and horror, and movies like Saw, Escape Room, and Cube are some of my favorites, so it seemed natural this would be a good one for me. Unfortunately, the set up that is the first half of the book almost is incredibly boring and poorly sets up uninteresting 2d characters. The characterization is so bad that you don’t even care if they live or die, you just forget that they are there, summed up by little more than their profession. I kept going to see how the traps were, and they were just as boring and poorly written as the rest of the book. Everyone seemed awfully glad to sacrifice themselves, which made each trap too easy to solve and it never felt like there were ever any stakes. This book will probably do a better job of torturing you than the traps inside will.
lizlegge's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars
I read “Puzzle House” over the course of three days- it was fairly short and I couldn’t wait to see what happened next. If “Saw” and “The Cabin in the Woods” had a baby, it would be “Puzzle House”.
The puzzles were very creative and I was trying to solve them alongside the characters. Some of the descriptions of the puzzle rooms were a bit confusing, and I had trouble picturing it in my head. There were also a few bits of dialog where a lot of characters were having a conversation, and sometimes it wasn’t explicit who said what. This took me out of my reading “rhythm”, as I had to back track a bit and try to piece the conversation together.
I wish the author had included a bit more about the motive behind the puzzles. It is kind of glossed over and generalized, but I would’ve preferred more details, and how all the characters were wrapped up in it. The last 20-15% of the book also felt a bit rushed.
There is a bit of gore, but nothing that made me squeamish. If you can make it through the “Saw” movies, gore-wise this novel will be a piece of cake.
Overall, it was an enjoyable, short read that was perfect for the start of the spooky season
I read “Puzzle House” over the course of three days- it was fairly short and I couldn’t wait to see what happened next. If “Saw” and “The Cabin in the Woods” had a baby, it would be “Puzzle House”.
The puzzles were very creative and I was trying to solve them alongside the characters. Some of the descriptions of the puzzle rooms were a bit confusing, and I had trouble picturing it in my head. There were also a few bits of dialog where a lot of characters were having a conversation, and sometimes it wasn’t explicit who said what. This took me out of my reading “rhythm”, as I had to back track a bit and try to piece the conversation together.
I wish the author had included a bit more about the motive behind the puzzles. It is kind of glossed over and generalized, but I would’ve preferred more details, and how all the characters were wrapped up in it. The last 20-15% of the book also felt a bit rushed.
There is a bit of gore, but nothing that made me squeamish. If you can make it through the “Saw” movies, gore-wise this novel will be a piece of cake.
Overall, it was an enjoyable, short read that was perfect for the start of the spooky season
jelenar620's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.75
paperwitches's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Puzzle house is about a recently deceased and mysterious 'master puzzlemaker' bequeathing all of his assets to 6 mysterious individuals he has either a: not met or b: disliked. The only catch? They have to show up in person, and play his puzzles with some sinister undertones.
This book was so many things at once. Addicting, tense, mysterious, fun, adventurous, and scary. I had JUST finished a marathon of saw before picking this book up, and I'm so glad I did. Jigsaw would be Alexei's BFFL. The first few chapters had me by the throat, and I ended up finishing this thing extremely fast just because of the fact that it's pacing was so well done. As well as it's action scenes. It was extremely entertaining, a perfect read when you are already missing October and waiting for winter. Almost all aspects of it, writing, prose, are greatly done.
However, a lot of the character's do end up being stereotypes. For the MC's (this is a multi-pov book by the way) this did not hurt them. I would've appreciated more backstory development for them, but I enjoyed them all a LOT. The caricatures begin to harm, when it includes the villain. He was very 'twists mustache evilly'. I still did enjoy him, but I feel I would've been a lot more horrified if he had more realistic motivations. The ending, for the most part, dispelled all the tension and ruined the conclusion. This is the only reason I gave 4.0 out of 5 stars.
Overall, if these got solved it would easily be a 5 star read for me. I greatly enjoyed it and am greatful to Netgalley and Wicked House Publishing for the opportunity to review this! I am voluntarily leaving this review.
This book was so many things at once. Addicting, tense, mysterious, fun, adventurous, and scary. I had JUST finished a marathon of saw before picking this book up, and I'm so glad I did. Jigsaw would be Alexei's BFFL. The first few chapters had me by the throat, and I ended up finishing this thing extremely fast just because of the fact that it's pacing was so well done. As well as it's action scenes. It was extremely entertaining, a perfect read when you are already missing October and waiting for winter. Almost all aspects of it, writing, prose, are greatly done.
However, a lot of the character's do end up being stereotypes. For the MC's (this is a multi-pov book by the way) this did not hurt them. I would've appreciated more backstory development for them, but I enjoyed them all a LOT. The caricatures begin to harm, when it includes the villain. He was very 'twists mustache evilly'. I still did enjoy him, but I feel I would've been a lot more horrified if he had more realistic motivations. The ending, for the most part, dispelled all the tension and ruined the conclusion. This is the only reason I gave 4.0 out of 5 stars.
Overall, if these got solved it would easily be a 5 star read for me. I greatly enjoyed it and am greatful to Netgalley and Wicked House Publishing for the opportunity to review this! I am voluntarily leaving this review.
launew's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0