maggietoussaint55's review
4.0
This book provides insight into the underbelly of human behavior. Two home invaders capture a family new to California. The family is instructed to go about their normal routine, with the added codicil of following three rules. The penalty for disobedience is torture.
Gripping and horrifying in its own way. Not for the faint of heart.
Maggie Toussaint aka Rigel Carson for Muddy Rose Reviews
Gripping and horrifying in its own way. Not for the faint of heart.
Maggie Toussaint aka Rigel Carson for Muddy Rose Reviews
charshorrorcorner's review
5.0
4.5/5 stars!
A home invasion story which differs in the fact that in this case, the invaders are actually moving in for a week or so.
I've been wanting to read something from The Behrg, and since I pre-ordered his latest book, I was eligible for a free download of one of his previous books-I chose HOUSEBROKEN, and here we are.
This story had so many twists and turns I had a hard time keeping up. This villain stood apart from the many hundreds of villains I've read about previously-that and the extremely fast pace had me hanging on until the final words were spoken.
Other than perhaps being a bit too long, this book was excellent. The narrator wasn't very skilled with female voices in my opinion, but his voicing of the villain was very good.
Recommended!
A home invasion story which differs in the fact that in this case, the invaders are actually moving in for a week or so.
I've been wanting to read something from The Behrg, and since I pre-ordered his latest book, I was eligible for a free download of one of his previous books-I chose HOUSEBROKEN, and here we are.
This story had so many twists and turns I had a hard time keeping up. This villain stood apart from the many hundreds of villains I've read about previously-that and the extremely fast pace had me hanging on until the final words were spoken.
Other than perhaps being a bit too long, this book was excellent. The narrator wasn't very skilled with female voices in my opinion, but his voicing of the villain was very good.
Recommended!
lauriereadslohf's review
4.0
This is a book that is absolutely not for everyone. Honesty, I feared it wasn’t for me because I have a weak spot when it comes to animals being harmed but I kept going because my friends' reviews convinced me not to be a quitter. I’m going to warn you though if you cannot handle please be very careful when picking this up. I nearly put the audio down forever after a certain scene because it was graphic and it hurt me to the very core.
With that said, this book turned out to be a very surprising and brutal, horrific thriller. It is not for the squeamish but if you can handle the rougher stuff you might not be sorry you read it.
Blake is a wealthy guy who has started a new job and relocated his family to Malibu. He gets up one morning and steps in dog poo. The poor dog is a little out of sorts with the move but Blake, being the awful person he is, rubs the dog's nose in it and leaves the poop sitting there on the floor for his wife to clean up! FOR HIS WIFE TO CLEAN UP!!. AFTER HE STEPPED IN IT! I apologize for screaming but damn what a jerk! He is totally deserving of death from the get-go. I hoped it would happen soon but then there wouldn’t be much of a story then, I suppose. Soon after a stranger rings the doorbell asking for an interview and everything goes sideways from that moment on.
This book takes some wild and unexpected turns and no one here is exactly as they present and I liked that best about this story. The characterization and tension are so well done. It kept me guessing and it has some secrets! It’s violent and cruel and it will make you cringe. It gave me some major Funny Games vibes at times and trust me there is nothing funny about that movie! As I listened, I kept thinking “why am I doing this to myself?” and I still cannot answer that question properly. In the end, I would not reread this book but it was a compelling and horrifying story that surprised me and I’m glad I saw it through to the very end.
As for the audio? The narration was absolutely excellent and spot-on when it came to the men but oh sweet Satan the lady voice! The lady voice will send shivers down your spine with its unidentifiable accent and piercing falsetto but it does break up the tension, so there’s that.
I’m going with a four here, I think. I hate number ratings but they’re a necessary evil. Read this story only if you want to give all bell ringing people a hard side-eye for the rest of your life.
Spoiler
dog deathWith that said, this book turned out to be a very surprising and brutal, horrific thriller. It is not for the squeamish but if you can handle the rougher stuff you might not be sorry you read it.
Blake is a wealthy guy who has started a new job and relocated his family to Malibu. He gets up one morning and steps in dog poo. The poor dog is a little out of sorts with the move but Blake, being the awful person he is, rubs the dog's nose in it and leaves the poop sitting there on the floor for his wife to clean up! FOR HIS WIFE TO CLEAN UP!!. AFTER HE STEPPED IN IT! I apologize for screaming but damn what a jerk! He is totally deserving of death from the get-go. I hoped it would happen soon but then there wouldn’t be much of a story then, I suppose. Soon after a stranger rings the doorbell asking for an interview and everything goes sideways from that moment on.
This book takes some wild and unexpected turns and no one here is exactly as they present and I liked that best about this story. The characterization and tension are so well done. It kept me guessing and it has some secrets! It’s violent and cruel and it will make you cringe. It gave me some major Funny Games vibes at times and trust me there is nothing funny about that movie! As I listened, I kept thinking “why am I doing this to myself?” and I still cannot answer that question properly. In the end, I would not reread this book but it was a compelling and horrifying story that surprised me and I’m glad I saw it through to the very end.
As for the audio? The narration was absolutely excellent and spot-on when it came to the men but oh sweet Satan the lady voice! The lady voice will send shivers down your spine with its unidentifiable accent and piercing falsetto but it does break up the tension, so there’s that.
I’m going with a four here, I think. I hate number ratings but they’re a necessary evil. Read this story only if you want to give all bell ringing people a hard side-eye for the rest of your life.
rebeccacarter's review
5.0
As I was reading this book, I couldn't imagine where it was going to lead me. It seems preposterous at first. Why would a complete stranger inflict so much torture on a family? And yes, some of it is quite graphic. However, as I neared the end, the story has twists that bring it all into focus, and the ending is just right for the horror to continue.
bibliophilebookclub's review
3.0
Also on bibliophilebookclub.wordpress.com
I was given a copy of Housebroken to review by Maxine over at BookLover Catlady.
I have no idea where to start with this book! I started it on Friday at lunchtime, and I finished it last night (Saturday) after spending the most part of the evening racing through it. I guess that's a good sign.
Goodreads describes Housebroken as follows:
"It was a kidnapping, but in all the wrong ways. No ransom, no demands; there was nothing they wanted--other than to observe."
When Blake Crochet and his family are taken hostage in their own home, they are forced to act out their everyday lives under the observance of two psychotic kidnappers. Each moment Blake must pit the decision to follow their captors' rules against the potential catastrophe of a failed escape.
He soon learns that the consequences of both action and inaction are more terrifying than he imagined. As Blake's life erodes beneath him, secrets come to light that threaten to destroy his family before their kidnappers have a chance.
Secrets carry consequences too.
As the motives behind the kidnapping are revealed, Blake must sacrifice everything to hold on to the ever-shifting definition of what his family has become. In his battle for survival, he will face the ultimate consequence: for to fight a devil, you may have to become one yourself.
I hadn't heard of this book before I started it so I had no idea what the premise of the book was. Once I started reading it, it quickly became evident that it wasn't your run of the mill kidnapping book. Imagine being housebound by two maniacs, just to be observed!
Blake and his wife Jenna, along with their son Adam have recently moved into a beautiful mansion in LA, however, happiness hasn't followed. There is obvious strain in the marriage, and this begins to become more evident as you get into the book. A stranger appears at their door, and their life is changed forever.
I don't want to go into the plot, but the only way I can describe this book is that it's one of the most brutal, screwed up books that I have read in a long time. There is violence (serious violence!!!), murder, torture, psychological abuse and so much more in Housebroken. For want of a better phrase, it's an assault of the senses!
12 hours after finishing it, and I'm still thinking about it! Housebroken is adrenaline pumping action mixed with the creepiest of psychological torture and then some! Don't even get me started on the last 10% of the book! Most of that time was spent with my mouth open and going "huh?! What just happened!!!!". I gave it three stars on Goodreads. Well worth a read if you want something different to the usual kidnapping story.
I was given a copy of Housebroken to review by Maxine over at BookLover Catlady.
I have no idea where to start with this book! I started it on Friday at lunchtime, and I finished it last night (Saturday) after spending the most part of the evening racing through it. I guess that's a good sign.
Goodreads describes Housebroken as follows:
"It was a kidnapping, but in all the wrong ways. No ransom, no demands; there was nothing they wanted--other than to observe."
When Blake Crochet and his family are taken hostage in their own home, they are forced to act out their everyday lives under the observance of two psychotic kidnappers. Each moment Blake must pit the decision to follow their captors' rules against the potential catastrophe of a failed escape.
He soon learns that the consequences of both action and inaction are more terrifying than he imagined. As Blake's life erodes beneath him, secrets come to light that threaten to destroy his family before their kidnappers have a chance.
Secrets carry consequences too.
As the motives behind the kidnapping are revealed, Blake must sacrifice everything to hold on to the ever-shifting definition of what his family has become. In his battle for survival, he will face the ultimate consequence: for to fight a devil, you may have to become one yourself.
I hadn't heard of this book before I started it so I had no idea what the premise of the book was. Once I started reading it, it quickly became evident that it wasn't your run of the mill kidnapping book. Imagine being housebound by two maniacs, just to be observed!
Blake and his wife Jenna, along with their son Adam have recently moved into a beautiful mansion in LA, however, happiness hasn't followed. There is obvious strain in the marriage, and this begins to become more evident as you get into the book. A stranger appears at their door, and their life is changed forever.
I don't want to go into the plot, but the only way I can describe this book is that it's one of the most brutal, screwed up books that I have read in a long time. There is violence (serious violence!!!), murder, torture, psychological abuse and so much more in Housebroken. For want of a better phrase, it's an assault of the senses!
12 hours after finishing it, and I'm still thinking about it! Housebroken is adrenaline pumping action mixed with the creepiest of psychological torture and then some! Don't even get me started on the last 10% of the book! Most of that time was spent with my mouth open and going "huh?! What just happened!!!!". I gave it three stars on Goodreads. Well worth a read if you want something different to the usual kidnapping story.
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