House of Madness by Sara Harris - Book Tour & Review + Giveaway
House of Madness
by Sara Harris
Genre:
Paranormal Thriller
Paranormal Thriller
Can You Ever Truly Put the Past Behind You?
Tim and Adelaide Smithfield are haunted by memories of loss too raw to
forget, and too painful to remember. Their 11-year-old daughter,
Michaela, has her own set of sensory processing challenges, not to
mention an overwhelming sense of guilt that she might be at the root
of her parents’ problems.
forget, and too painful to remember. Their 11-year-old daughter,
Michaela, has her own set of sensory processing challenges, not to
mention an overwhelming sense of guilt that she might be at the root
of her parents’ problems.
The sprawling ranch house on the outskirts of the quaint West Texas town
of Big Spring promises a fresh start for a young family on the verge of collapse.
of Big Spring promises a fresh start for a young family on the verge of collapse.
But the house is haunted by memories of its own… and a guilt that West
Texas’ famed thunderstorms can’t wash away.
Texas’ famed thunderstorms can’t wash away.
When the Smithfield family moves into their new home, they aren't prepared at all for what they're about to deal with. Michaela, the little girl, starts talking to what her parents assume is an imaginary friend. But then strange things start happening, and when they find out their house may be haunted, they'll have to uncover the disturbing truth before it's too late.
I was intrigued and curious when I first read the synopsis. I enjoy a good haunted house story every now and again, so I figured I'd give it a whirl. While I did enjoy the premise, I did wish the book was a little longer. It felt a bit rushed to me, and I wanted more of the story. More plot development, more character development...just more. I think it would have been even more awesome had it been fleshed out a bit.
I can't say I really connected to any of the characters, although I did feel bad for certain people. And, of course, there are a couple of characters you'll absolutely despise. They're pretty awful.
The ending made me sad. I actually got super emotional and cried pretty hard, but to be honest, I was dealing with some of my own personal grief, and the ending sort of triggered me. So, I suppose if you're an emotional disaster like me, be prepared to tear up at the end.
Overall, I thought House of Madness was a decent, quick read, but it left me wanting more. I'm rating it 3.5 stars. If you like horror/haunted house stories, give this one a chance. You just might like it. :)
Sara is a mother of four, animal lover and advocate, and conservationist.
Little House on the Prairie, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, and Lonesome
Dove are among her favorite shows/movies and books. Sara holds her
B.A. in History and is the author of the historical romance series,
An Everlasting Heart, from 5 Prince Publishing and recently debuted
into the children's book realm with Chunky Sugars (5 Prince Kids),
written for her own chunky baby.
Little House on the Prairie, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, and Lonesome
Dove are among her favorite shows/movies and books. Sara holds her
B.A. in History and is the author of the historical romance series,
An Everlasting Heart, from 5 Prince Publishing and recently debuted
into the children's book realm with Chunky Sugars (5 Prince Kids),
written for her own chunky baby.
Follow the tour HERE for exclusive excerpts, guest posts and a giveaway!
1 Comments
Great review, thanks for sharing your thoughts on this one :)
ReplyDeletePlease try not to spam posts with the same comments over and over again. Authors like seeing thoughtful comments about their books, not the same old, "I like the cover" or "sounds good" comments. While that is nice, putting some real thought and effort in is appreciated. Thank you.