“What I do recall is colored by what’s in the Book. Instead of memories, I have excerpts. It’s like looking at a photograph of a photograph. The framing is off. The colors are dulled. The image is slightly dark.”

I have been eyeing this book for a while when I saw several GR friends read it. Luckily, it was on sale on Amazon now and since I was in the mood for some horror and something that would scare me, I bought it and immediately started reading it.

This book consists of two POV. One is our MC, Maggie who is now returning to Baneberry Hall after inheriting the big house from her dad. The other is Maggie’s Dad, or more precisely the book he has written based on what happened 25 years ago. Maggie’s life has been defined by the Book. People coming to her, it made her an outcast, plus, she is constantly wondering what is true or what is not. Because her parents? Didn’t want to tell her anything. I really loved that we get to read both about Maggie but also get to read her dad’s book. I have to say I love loved both a lot. Though I loved the Book a bit more as it was more horror than Maggie’s POV. Maggie’s POV was mostly mystery/thriller, whereas the Book was just delightful and pure horror.

I could also so understand why Maggie did what I normally wouldn’t have liked in horror/thriller, go to the big house she was warned about. A typical horror stupidity is what I call that normally. But in this one I could so understand her wanting to do that. She needed answers and if her parents didn’t want to give those, and one of them was even dead now and so couldn’t give the answers… then let’s go in and figure things out.

The book is spooky and scary. Both Maggie and the Book had me on the edge of my seat (or hiding in my bed at later hours). It was full of twists and turns, secrets and spooky things. There is never a dull moment, instead every moment kept you stuck to the pages. I wanted to know all that happened. What was true and what was false? What really happened in the house and why did the family flee the house so abruptly? We get more and more answers and more and more clues as the story progresses and I love how the author wrote this story.

I loved that Maggie never gave up. Even when things got scary. Even when things seemed to really coincide with her dad’s work. Even when things went truly wrong. She was determined to figure things out. To make something out of this house (though I definitely missed seeing her work on the house, I mean it was mentioned a few times… but she barely did anything, not even strip some wallpaper).

I liked that we also saw that it wasn’t just Maggie’s family who was affected by the events of 25-years ago. We see also how it affected the town. How people aren’t too happy with the Book.

In the end I really thought it was x, or maybe even y, but dang that ending just flipped me right over and had me spinning. I won’t spoil anything, but everything I thought this was IT, this was the true ending, something would happen that would flip everything over again, and HOLY CRAP.

All in all, HIGHLY recommended if you are into horror/thriller. This one is wonderfully written and I definitely plan of reading the other books by this author someday.