Reviews

House of Secrets by Darcy Coates

spooky_steven's review

3.0

This was just *ok*. Definitely one of the weaker Coates books I’ve read. It felt unnecessary & dragged things out only to reach a similar, less epic, ending as the first book.

2.5/5 scary monsters

kitanjo29's review

adventurous 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? No

4.25

hotsake's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

While not as good as the first book, this was still a worthwhile conclusion to the story.

burningupasun's review against another edition

3.0

3.5 again. It really wasn't BAD, I may have even liked parts of it better than the first one? I think if it hadn't been for Sophie's constant doubt and Joseph's refusal to tell her anything, ever, I would have liked it more. The cloudiness between them sort of dragged it down for me a bit. But I did like the parts about Kensington, and the ghosts, separate from the Grimlock. The scares and the anticipation of what might happen aren't as strong in this book, but I did like seeing Sophie take even more control and really be the one who drove the story and solved almost everything herself.

theirianthrope's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I don't think I liked this one quite as much as the first book, but still a very spooky, atmospheric read, and I loved getting more of Sophie and Joseph.

brii_brii's review against another edition

4.0

Part two of this series was so much stronger for me than the first. I truly loved this book. 

There is so much more plot in this one than in the first, and it was so strong. We have another haunted house, but more than just the monster possessing Elise, we also have the story of Miss Bishop, and I adored her. It was nice to have kind of a secondary mystery while trying to discover how to save Elise from her possession. 

This book definitely outshines the first for me, but it could be because we weren't busy laying the foundation for a marriage or explaining the monster from scratch. We already had that history there. 

Can't recommend this enough. Honestly, anything written by Darcy Coates is a win for me every time. Quick reads that aren't short on plot. 

welshiswhims's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

4.0

ramblings_ofa_booknerd's review

4.0

Sophie and Joseph have won the war against Grimlock and is staying at Sophie’s father’s house when they are summoned by Joseph’s uncle Garrett to Kensington as the nightmare has started again. The much feared and dreaded Grimlock which Sophie had believed to be destroyed after the Northwood burned to the ground is not actually dead but has attached itself to Garrett’s daughter Elise. Arriving at the dead town and seeing the dilapidated and crumbling mansion that is Kensington, Sophie becomes adamant in her decision in helping Joseph and Garrett defeat the monster.

House of Secrets is a fast-paced story with incidents happening one after another with the discovery of ghosts and decayed bodies in the collapsed part of the house and the dead town coming back to life with resurrected ghosts. The location and the menacing atmosphere add to the chill factor but I would have still loved to have more ominous and sinister occurrences with the Grimlock.

billybolt12's review

dark emotional fast-paced

5.0

literaryland_livin's review

4.0

Ghosts and Shadows series review

Sophie’s high Society life comes crashing down when her father reveals the secret of the families bankruptcy. Just as she is left reeling from this revelation her world is further rocked by the marriage proposal from a wealthy stranger, Mr. Argenton. The arrangement promises to help provide for Sophie’s family and siblings so yes becomes her only answer. Once in her new home of Northwood, Sophie begins to see haunting visions of blood dripping from the ceilings and inhuman beings stalking the manor’s grounds at night. Sophie now seemly trapped in her incredibly isolated home must not only fight to survive the ancient haunted halls, but also find a way to escape its deadly grasp forever.

I live for a haunted house story especially the ones of the gothic variety! From the moment poor ill fated Sophie steps foot on Mr. Argenton’s land I was feeling intense Crimson Peak vibes which is one of my absolute favorite movies of all time! The haunting solitude is painted perfectly in both of these novels which truly enhances the overall uneasy and creepy feel of the series. I read both works mostly at night which made every tense ghost field scene more frightening. What I hadn’t suspected going into the series was for it to have such a sweet romantic aspect to it. I was more than happy with this addition as again this truly helps the series fit into the gothic horror genre. The only complaint I have if one at all would have to be the cliffhanger ending of House of Shadows. As such I highly suggest having both works in your possession when beginning this series. Book 2 House of Secrets dives into the afflictions history that haunts the Argenton’s family and how to combat against it in greater detail than its predecessor which I truly enjoyed. Overall this series had all the old-fashioned ghostly horror I was looking for in a spooky read. I loved every second of these classic gothic haunted mysteries and recommend them to anyone who is looking for a quick, fast paced haunting period piece series that will leave you questioning all the creaks you hear in the night.