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rumpfie's review against another edition
4.0
Read it because it was nominated for Best Horror of 2019. It was good... not really what I would consider horror but I liked it a lot.
thisjaelynn's review against another edition
4.0
4.5
Another solid modern ghost story from Jennifer McMahon! I will admit, I spent a lot of the book thinking "What kind of white people B.S. are you pulling??" at the main characters, but in a good way that made me want to keep reading to see what would happen next!
Another solid modern ghost story from Jennifer McMahon! I will admit, I spent a lot of the book thinking "What kind of white people B.S. are you pulling??" at the main characters, but in a good way that made me want to keep reading to see what would happen next!
marytreybig's review against another edition
4.0
I love this author’s writing! She completely captivates me. This book had weird pacing, slow in some parts and rushed in others, but I enjoyed it.
themysterymaven's review against another edition
5.0
I think we’ve all had that moment… You drive by a dilapidated house, paint peeled, roof rotted and in ruin, weeds winding their way through the yard, seemingly only darkness and dust within…and you think, “Now, that’s a haunted house!” And if you’re like me, your mind wonders at the story of it, who lived there, and how did its history unravel to abandonment?
But now flip that script, and what if someone were building a brand new house…and decided to make it haunted?? What if along with the new windows, siding, shingles, and shutters a curious mix of materials were added in, repurposed from places that tell of tragedy and terror?
And that brings me to this novel, and this is the kind of book that if you were to ask me what kind of stories I seek out to read, it would be one exactly like this! Jennifer McMahon is a sublime storyteller who crafts the most unique thrillers blended with an almost folkloric cadence, and at times, she will weave in supernatural elements, but I love how you never know which tales will wind that way.
In this one, she expertly creates a mystery that almost consumes our main character, a teacher who decides to move to the country with her husband, build a home by hand, and becomes slowly entranced by the history of the land, which was once owned by a woman hanged for witchcraft…in the early 1900s. The more she learns, the deeper her connection to the past unfolds, especially as she finds artifacts in the area to incorporate into the house, such as a beam beautifully carved from the actual hanging tree. These past stories then begin to intricately intertwine with the present, intersecting with the disappearance of a local woman.
This is my fourth book from this author, and it is my favorite! It’s atmospheric, it’s well-written, and I so boldly thought I’d deduced some of the over-arching twists…and I did not.
But now flip that script, and what if someone were building a brand new house…and decided to make it haunted?? What if along with the new windows, siding, shingles, and shutters a curious mix of materials were added in, repurposed from places that tell of tragedy and terror?
And that brings me to this novel, and this is the kind of book that if you were to ask me what kind of stories I seek out to read, it would be one exactly like this! Jennifer McMahon is a sublime storyteller who crafts the most unique thrillers blended with an almost folkloric cadence, and at times, she will weave in supernatural elements, but I love how you never know which tales will wind that way.
In this one, she expertly creates a mystery that almost consumes our main character, a teacher who decides to move to the country with her husband, build a home by hand, and becomes slowly entranced by the history of the land, which was once owned by a woman hanged for witchcraft…in the early 1900s. The more she learns, the deeper her connection to the past unfolds, especially as she finds artifacts in the area to incorporate into the house, such as a beam beautifully carved from the actual hanging tree. These past stories then begin to intricately intertwine with the present, intersecting with the disappearance of a local woman.
This is my fourth book from this author, and it is my favorite! It’s atmospheric, it’s well-written, and I so boldly thought I’d deduced some of the over-arching twists…and I did not.
burningupasun's review against another edition
3.0
It was okay? I think I wanted it to be spookier than it was. It wasn't too hard to figure out what was going on/what was gonna happen. It wasn't bad though!
krystal_lacelle's review against another edition
4.0
This is the second book I’ve read from this author. I’ve noticed these books are not “can’t put it down, can’t stop reading” type story telling. Which isn’t bad. I kind of enjoy how I take my time with these books. I find myself enjoying the lingering after I read a bit, thinking about the characters and events.
The Invited was a great story. An enjoyable ghost story, with witches, and magick. The mystery aspect of the book wasn’t predictable for me throughout most of it, until nearing the end. I wouldn’t say I was surprised, I had my suspicions.
The author can really paint a picture and you can picture yourself right there in the bog chasing ghosts.
I could read this anytime of year, but super happy I saved it for spooky season.
The Invited was a great story. An enjoyable ghost story, with witches, and magick. The mystery aspect of the book wasn’t predictable for me throughout most of it, until nearing the end. I wouldn’t say I was surprised, I had my suspicions.
The author can really paint a picture and you can picture yourself right there in the bog chasing ghosts.
I could read this anytime of year, but super happy I saved it for spooky season.
avakom's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
vacantbones's review against another edition
3.0
While Olive's story ultimately ended up saving this book for me, I found Helen and Nate to be unbearable in their obsessions! The writing was good enough to keep me reading, but ultimately this is more a lukewarm domestic drama than a bone chilling horror tale.
teganbeesebooks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75