I might be two days early, but I'm still shouting out a happy book birthday to this one!
HOUSE OF THORNS
by Isabel Strychacz
Simon & Schuster
Young Adult Horror
304 pages
COMING...
AUGUST 20th!!!
In the vein of The Haunting of Hill House , a teen returns to the mysterious house from her past to search for her missing sister and uncover the truth of Brier Hall in this atmospheric and eerie modern gothic novel.
Lia Peartree is haunted—by memories, by her past, by secrets, by the ones she left behind. Five years ago, the Peartrees fled their home—the infamous ancestral Brier Hall—and never looked back. But her oldest sister went missing that night, and there’s been no sign of her since.
In the aftermath, the Peartrees are traumatized and get by however they can. Lia’s remaining sister Ali says yes to any bad idea, and Lia tries so desperately to be the perfect daughter that it’s tearing her apart. But as the five year anniversary of the night they left nears, Lia begins seeing her missing sister everywhere, and memories of Brier Hall won’t leave her alone.
When Ali disappears with no warning except a cryptic phone call—“don’t follow me when I’m gone”—Lia is sure she’s gone back to Brier Hall. Lia must go home one final time and face what haunts her in an effort to find her sisters and uncover the truth of her past.
Lia Peartree is haunted—by memories, by her past, by secrets, by the ones she left behind. Five years ago, the Peartrees fled their home—the infamous ancestral Brier Hall—and never looked back. But her oldest sister went missing that night, and there’s been no sign of her since.
In the aftermath, the Peartrees are traumatized and get by however they can. Lia’s remaining sister Ali says yes to any bad idea, and Lia tries so desperately to be the perfect daughter that it’s tearing her apart. But as the five year anniversary of the night they left nears, Lia begins seeing her missing sister everywhere, and memories of Brier Hall won’t leave her alone.
When Ali disappears with no warning except a cryptic phone call—“don’t follow me when I’m gone”—Lia is sure she’s gone back to Brier Hall. Lia must go home one final time and face what haunts her in an effort to find her sisters and uncover the truth of her past.
MY TIDBITS
With the slightly eerie feel, this paranormal read packs atmosphere and the magic of sisterly bonds.
This read circles the relationship of three sisters and a house with tons of secrets. There is a very slightly, spooky tone, but I wouldn't consider this one a horror or even a thriller. Instead, it takes a ghostly twist of hidden truths and turns it around pain and trauma, while exploring the amazing bonds sisters can share. There are heart-filled moments brimming with emotion, which hit in the right ways. All the while, the mysteries of the house and past mix in to create a potent mix.
There is a touch of romance, but this remains not only a side plot to the house and its mysteries but also to the main relationship between the sisters. Instead, this read holds a touch of beauty as it explores the development of the sisters' journey as well as their struggles and resolutions.
It's a lovely read which touches the heart and packs character depth. Just don't expect a true horror with chills and thrills.
And here she is...
Isabel Strychacz is from a small town in the San Francisco Bay Area. An alumna of Mills College with degrees in English and history, she is getting her MFA degree in creative writing from Manchester Metropolitan University. She currently lives in England with her husband and daughter where she works as a copywriter for a PR and communications agency. She’s the author of the novel Starling and House of Thorns. You can find her online @IsabelStrychaczAuthor (Instagram, TikTok, and Threads), @IsabelStrychacz (X, previously known as Twitter), and at IsabelStrychacz.com
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