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Within These Haunted Walls
In the shadowed depths of the Appalachian wilderness, the Harper family encounters a chilling legacy in their new home. Tormented by the vengeful spirit known as "Father," they find themselves caught in a horrifying cycle where reality begins to unravel. As the haunting escalates, each whisper and shadow pushes them closer to the brink of madness. Can the Harpers uncover the sinister past of their home and break free, or will they be consumed by the very walls meant to shelter them?
In this tale of terror, not all ghosts haunt; some hunt.
In this tale of terror, not all ghosts haunt; some hunt.
- GenresHorror
273 pages, Paperback
Published December 2, 2024
329 people are currently reading
239 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
January 9, 2025
An O.T.T. Haunting!
I really don't know what to make of this story, not my usual supernatural fayre, but full on over the top horror. The opinions of other 'Good Reads' reviewers seem similarly divided, with 55% awarding the story four stars and above and 45% giving it three stars and below. The moral of the story, if there is one, is don't buy an isolated property in the Appalachian mountains without first having done your homework.
I really don't know what to make of this story, not my usual supernatural fayre, but full on over the top horror. The opinions of other 'Good Reads' reviewers seem similarly divided, with 55% awarding the story four stars and above and 45% giving it three stars and below. The moral of the story, if there is one, is don't buy an isolated property in the Appalachian mountains without first having done your homework.
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February 22, 2025Well........what to say about this book.
I am not doing a small backstory so just giving thoughts on it.
I had seen the book over in a Facebook group making rounds and it looked good - the cover drew me in and the story sounded like it would be right up my alley however as great as the cover looks the story within is another matter. I felt that the story has some repetition and the story seemed to drag to me. Also there was some confusion for me within the story as it seemed one of the characters was in a dream state thinking something had happened but then I found out about two or three chapters later that it was all a dream but the whole chapter is the dream state. I also found within the story editing problems - two paragraphs back to back saying the same thing.
The story was creepy at first but then it just slowly starts to go south with the repetition and the story not moving forward. The haunting of the house never really gets off the ground at least in the beginning of the book as it seems only the forest on the property is haunted - not a lot of spooky happenings in the house itself. A few things but nothing scary where it is a "leave the light" on type of book.
Maybe down the road I will read something else by this author but this one is going on my dnf shelf with no rating. I don't rate books I don't finish.
I am not doing a small backstory so just giving thoughts on it.
I had seen the book over in a Facebook group making rounds and it looked good - the cover drew me in and the story sounded like it would be right up my alley however as great as the cover looks the story within is another matter. I felt that the story has some repetition and the story seemed to drag to me. Also there was some confusion for me within the story as it seemed one of the characters was in a dream state thinking something had happened but then I found out about two or three chapters later that it was all a dream but the whole chapter is the dream state. I also found within the story editing problems - two paragraphs back to back saying the same thing.
The story was creepy at first but then it just slowly starts to go south with the repetition and the story not moving forward. The haunting of the house never really gets off the ground at least in the beginning of the book as it seems only the forest on the property is haunted - not a lot of spooky happenings in the house itself. A few things but nothing scary where it is a "leave the light" on type of book.
Maybe down the road I will read something else by this author but this one is going on my dnf shelf with no rating. I don't rate books I don't finish.
November 29, 2024
It's books like this that make me never want to buy a house... ever. If you ever come across a large home, in the middle of nowhere for dirt cheap...run far away and run quickly.
This story was absolutely creepy and such an intense ride. The story behind the town and its curse was fascinating and a nice touch. I felt like I was losing my mind right along the unfortunate family. Overall, the pacing was great, and the ending left me so shook.
I can't wait to experience another book from Lewis!!
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
This story was absolutely creepy and such an intense ride. The story behind the town and its curse was fascinating and a nice touch. I felt like I was losing my mind right along the unfortunate family. Overall, the pacing was great, and the ending left me so shook.
I can't wait to experience another book from Lewis!!
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 21, 2025
3.5⭐️ I found the writing to be a bit repetitive and confusing, but I enjoyed the story overall. I missed the important dread feeling I crave in horror though. A spooky read that gave me a couple goosebumps.
December 12, 2024
4.50 🌟 rounded up
If you're looking for a very well-written paranormal horror haunting then you've come to the right place.
The Harper family which consists of John, Mary, and their two children Emma and Ben decidedly due to financial issues pick up and move from the big city to a small town in the middle of nowhere in the Appalachians for a great price, which is clearly to us all is never a good idea. The Harper family soon finds out the house is, you guessed it, haunted by a malevolent evil spirit of the previous owners.
This is an incredibly well-written atmospheric paranormal horror. Kit Lewis did an amazing job putting you smack dab in the middle of this spiraling horror. I could see, hear and viscerally feel the way the characters were feeling. So well written, a great cast of characters, the setting couldn't have been more perfect. This book was better, in my opinion than The September House. You don't have to agree with me, just go find out for yourself and you can thank me later.
The ending.... chefs kiss!
So, what are you waiting for? Go!
If you're looking for a very well-written paranormal horror haunting then you've come to the right place.
The Harper family which consists of John, Mary, and their two children Emma and Ben decidedly due to financial issues pick up and move from the big city to a small town in the middle of nowhere in the Appalachians for a great price, which is clearly to us all is never a good idea. The Harper family soon finds out the house is, you guessed it, haunted by a malevolent evil spirit of the previous owners.
This is an incredibly well-written atmospheric paranormal horror. Kit Lewis did an amazing job putting you smack dab in the middle of this spiraling horror. I could see, hear and viscerally feel the way the characters were feeling. So well written, a great cast of characters, the setting couldn't have been more perfect. This book was better, in my opinion than The September House. You don't have to agree with me, just go find out for yourself and you can thank me later.
The ending.... chefs kiss!
So, what are you waiting for? Go!
December 18, 2024
This one started off so strong and quickly fizzled out for me. Without spoilers, I feel like this story went no where. I’m left with lots of questions and reflecting on the plot itself, what all really happened? A whole lot of nothing.
While I understand the importance of feeling “mislead” and your mind being manipulated by Father/Harold in the book, it was hard to follow and honestly got kind of annoying after the third or fourth time it happened.
I stuck this one out, but it just wasn’t for me.
While I understand the importance of feeling “mislead” and your mind being manipulated by Father/Harold in the book, it was hard to follow and honestly got kind of annoying after the third or fourth time it happened.
I stuck this one out, but it just wasn’t for me.
December 2, 2024
Hoping for a fresh start, John and Mary move their family to a remote house in Appalachia. What appears to be a fixer-upper, in a quaint town, soon proves suspicious! Rumors around town and whispers in the pines become a malevolent reality. Soon the sinister secrets will reveal themselves and the whole family, will be forced to face the truth and consequences!
If you’re looking for paranormal and horror, definitely read this!! A horrific experience written remarkably! The author captures the true fear of living in a remote location and the paranormal! The scenes and atmosphere were vividly depicted!
Each character was written with impressive boldness. The dialogue expressed real emotions and fear!
I loved it!!! 🙌
Thank you for the opportunity to Beta and ARC! This is an honest review and reflection! ❤️
If you’re looking for paranormal and horror, definitely read this!! A horrific experience written remarkably! The author captures the true fear of living in a remote location and the paranormal! The scenes and atmosphere were vividly depicted!
Each character was written with impressive boldness. The dialogue expressed real emotions and fear!
I loved it!!! 🙌
Thank you for the opportunity to Beta and ARC! This is an honest review and reflection! ❤️
January 19, 2025
*Read as part of Winterween 2025*
I was so excited to read this one, but I unfortunately had to DNF at 42% due to far too many issues with the writing and not enough actual action occurring to keep me interested.
First, there’s a short exposition prologue which could’ve been done better. It is set in the 1950’s and I was intrigued by this. But actually it felt incredibly unnecessary after discovering the story of the book takes place in 2024, and the events which cause the haunting take place in the 1800’s…
And after meeting the villagers for the first time, the prologue becomes even more unnecessary as nothing is offered there that isn’t offered in one of the first few chapters.
There is a lot of repetition of the same story beats with the family, just in different words, for the first 20% of the book. A lot of similar conversations/arguments.
The characters are okay… I have my issues with John, the father, which I will get to in a moment. Mary, the mother, seems to be the only one who at least feels realistic to me.
Ben and Emma, their children, appear to be mere accessories. Emma especially. The girl is 15 and yet she doesn’t act like it at all. And I don’t mean because she had to grow up faster or that she helped to raise her brother prior to the opening chapters. I mean, other than a mention of IG and TikTok, (and unlike real teenagers, she literally called it IG in dialogue - not Instagram, or insta, but IG) she doesn’t feel like a teenage girl at all. She and Ben play outside a fair few times at the start - no idea what they’re playing, it’s never mentioned - and when things actually start happening, whether it’s the parents arguing within a metre of their children, or all the spooky happenings, or the bigger [spoiler] thing that affects the family in the book, Emma is barely even seen. She’s there but has no reaction, no pushing her parents to let her help or to be involved in any way. She’s essentially just a doll. She’s just there. That’s it. That’s the character.
I don’t usually care about this point, but there’s actually a lot of telling, with very little showing. Even in dialogue. It’s shown to us that one villager is slightly lying about something, to lighten the mood a bit and not worry Mary, but then Mary outright says what she’s thinking, almost in a narrator voice, and it’s so weird, because I have never met someone who talks like that.
To be honest, a lot of the dialogue feels really off and unrealistic, and some conversations just don’t work. It’s like the author edited the book but didn’t alter any dialogue after cutting small chunks out of conversations, so it’s all disjointed.
There’s even a conversation which gets repeated in its entirety straight away. Again, it’s like a massive editing error; as the conversation ends and Mary is reeling from it, it just starts over again? The exact same words are used for the most part, but then alternate wording is used for other parts, but the conversation is the same. Except Mary already knew the name of the person she was speaking to in the first part of the conversation, then when it repeats she asks who they are??? What???
What is most troubling for this horror book is that this book offered no tension and no mystery. Any questions are answered before they can even begin to form in the reader’s mind.
I don’t even feel a sense of unease or a creep factor because of this.
There’s not even a creeping fear of is it real/is it all just psychological, because the prologue and all of the villagers tell us immediately that it’s real.
The book feels like it could be a psychological horror, only it can’t be because we’ve already been told it’s real. But then if it’s a real horror, and we’re told that from the off, then what’s the point of the very long wait for anything to happen?
My main issue with the book is that John is simply not a good husband. And he is such a bad husband in this situation that ALL of the emotions I felt reading this are just anger, and directed at him, which I assume - considering this is a horror book and not a relationship drama - is not the author’s intention.
John has similar concerns to Mary but is just gaslighting her about it the whole time, which makes him increasingly hard to like as an MMC.
Mary just keeps getting eerie feelings throughout the first third of the book, which go nowhere and feel inconsequential. But she tries to discuss this with her husband and, even though we know that John hears the whistling too, he just brushes it off. Which would be fine were it not for the fact that any time Mary mentions it, he outright lies and proceeds to call her a “crazy lady” and tells her she’s “losing [her] shit.”!! (Actual quotes from the book).
I didn’t feel scared or creeped out by this book at all. The only thing I felt was angry at John for being a shitty gaslighter of a husband. But that’s not even close to being the point of the book. I can’t tell if the author just REALLY knows how to write crappy men, as John seems (after a lengthy argument) to still not understand that his wife is even upset, let alone why, when all she’s been doing for the past few chapters is explaining to him why she’s upset!
Either way, I can’t say I enjoyed this book much at all.
I was so excited to read this one, but I unfortunately had to DNF at 42% due to far too many issues with the writing and not enough actual action occurring to keep me interested.
First, there’s a short exposition prologue which could’ve been done better. It is set in the 1950’s and I was intrigued by this. But actually it felt incredibly unnecessary after discovering the story of the book takes place in 2024, and the events which cause the haunting take place in the 1800’s…
And after meeting the villagers for the first time, the prologue becomes even more unnecessary as nothing is offered there that isn’t offered in one of the first few chapters.
There is a lot of repetition of the same story beats with the family, just in different words, for the first 20% of the book. A lot of similar conversations/arguments.
The characters are okay… I have my issues with John, the father, which I will get to in a moment. Mary, the mother, seems to be the only one who at least feels realistic to me.
Ben and Emma, their children, appear to be mere accessories. Emma especially. The girl is 15 and yet she doesn’t act like it at all. And I don’t mean because she had to grow up faster or that she helped to raise her brother prior to the opening chapters. I mean, other than a mention of IG and TikTok, (and unlike real teenagers, she literally called it IG in dialogue - not Instagram, or insta, but IG) she doesn’t feel like a teenage girl at all. She and Ben play outside a fair few times at the start - no idea what they’re playing, it’s never mentioned - and when things actually start happening, whether it’s the parents arguing within a metre of their children, or all the spooky happenings, or the bigger [spoiler] thing that affects the family in the book, Emma is barely even seen. She’s there but has no reaction, no pushing her parents to let her help or to be involved in any way. She’s essentially just a doll. She’s just there. That’s it. That’s the character.
I don’t usually care about this point, but there’s actually a lot of telling, with very little showing. Even in dialogue. It’s shown to us that one villager is slightly lying about something, to lighten the mood a bit and not worry Mary, but then Mary outright says what she’s thinking, almost in a narrator voice, and it’s so weird, because I have never met someone who talks like that.
To be honest, a lot of the dialogue feels really off and unrealistic, and some conversations just don’t work. It’s like the author edited the book but didn’t alter any dialogue after cutting small chunks out of conversations, so it’s all disjointed.
There’s even a conversation which gets repeated in its entirety straight away. Again, it’s like a massive editing error; as the conversation ends and Mary is reeling from it, it just starts over again? The exact same words are used for the most part, but then alternate wording is used for other parts, but the conversation is the same. Except Mary already knew the name of the person she was speaking to in the first part of the conversation, then when it repeats she asks who they are??? What???
What is most troubling for this horror book is that this book offered no tension and no mystery. Any questions are answered before they can even begin to form in the reader’s mind.
I don’t even feel a sense of unease or a creep factor because of this.
There’s not even a creeping fear of is it real/is it all just psychological, because the prologue and all of the villagers tell us immediately that it’s real.
The book feels like it could be a psychological horror, only it can’t be because we’ve already been told it’s real. But then if it’s a real horror, and we’re told that from the off, then what’s the point of the very long wait for anything to happen?
My main issue with the book is that John is simply not a good husband. And he is such a bad husband in this situation that ALL of the emotions I felt reading this are just anger, and directed at him, which I assume - considering this is a horror book and not a relationship drama - is not the author’s intention.
John has similar concerns to Mary but is just gaslighting her about it the whole time, which makes him increasingly hard to like as an MMC.
Mary just keeps getting eerie feelings throughout the first third of the book, which go nowhere and feel inconsequential. But she tries to discuss this with her husband and, even though we know that John hears the whistling too, he just brushes it off. Which would be fine were it not for the fact that any time Mary mentions it, he outright lies and proceeds to call her a “crazy lady” and tells her she’s “losing [her] shit.”!! (Actual quotes from the book).
I didn’t feel scared or creeped out by this book at all. The only thing I felt was angry at John for being a shitty gaslighter of a husband. But that’s not even close to being the point of the book. I can’t tell if the author just REALLY knows how to write crappy men, as John seems (after a lengthy argument) to still not understand that his wife is even upset, let alone why, when all she’s been doing for the past few chapters is explaining to him why she’s upset!
Either way, I can’t say I enjoyed this book much at all.
January 21, 2025
The Harper family is ready for a new beginning so buying a house in the middle of nowhere sounds great! However, when Ben whistles at night, all insanity breaks loose! Literally…
You get all little bit of everything in this story!
There are a few errors, but I was still able to follow along and enjoy the story.
You get all little bit of everything in this story!
There are a few errors, but I was still able to follow along and enjoy the story.
December 5, 2024
This is a nightmarish story of a family leaving the city for an Appalachian town – and finding themselves being slowly and repetitively grinded down by a sinister supernatural force. For that reason, “Within These Haunted Walls” feels cruel, torturous, claustrophobic, and oppressive. The supernatural attacks are unfair (though neither gory nor morally degrading): they come in waves, painfully arduous, starting on the mother, then the children, all the while the father trying to rationalize everything. In fact, he’s being an annoying sceptic, rejecting all indications of their new house being set against them. And there are so many! Admittedly, as a veteran, he’s seen and experienced much worse situations; and the fact that the town keeps investing their fears with absurd folklore and obscure old legends, hardly makes it easier for the father to give in to his wife’s worries, and finally take them seriously. Unfortunately, the horror escalates, to the point that it’s no longer possible for anyone to deny that something terrifying haunts the house, and has been unintentionally let in: creepy children who were thought missing pay night visits to the house, whistling keeps coming from the basement, old diaries and journals paint a worrisome picture of past sins and unresolved questions of origins, retribution, and murder. And then the son disappears into the woods, and the true nightmare begins.
I really felt for the poor mother. Having experienced paranormal occurrences as a girl, she catches on pretty quickly on the worrisome situation she’s facing, and insists they move away from the area. Nobody listens; nobody cares for her anxious warnings, even though the husband tries to find ways to accommodate her “feelings” without alienating her. This makes Kit Lewis’ book one of those stories where you want to grab the father by the label and shake him up till he sees sense.
The ending felt a bit rushed to me. It provides closure, no ambiguity or loose ends left in this book – but as with Lewis’ previous novel, it is gruesome, even sadistic, and will certainly raise a few eyebrows!
I really felt for the poor mother. Having experienced paranormal occurrences as a girl, she catches on pretty quickly on the worrisome situation she’s facing, and insists they move away from the area. Nobody listens; nobody cares for her anxious warnings, even though the husband tries to find ways to accommodate her “feelings” without alienating her. This makes Kit Lewis’ book one of those stories where you want to grab the father by the label and shake him up till he sees sense.
The ending felt a bit rushed to me. It provides closure, no ambiguity or loose ends left in this book – but as with Lewis’ previous novel, it is gruesome, even sadistic, and will certainly raise a few eyebrows!
December 2, 2024
I come from a family of secrets so this novel hits right home with me. I do not know much about my mother’s side of the family so it would be easy for a generational curse to slip through the cracks. I was terrified right along with the mom. She was hearing things and seeing things that were definitely not the norm. Even worse was the fact that no one believed her. The craziness that was this novel rocketed to warp speed real fast. The forest can be a beautiful place and I love being in the forest. This forest though, not so much, the author described the forest in such a way that I felt trapped right along with the family. Then to receive no help from the townspeople was so infuriating. They knew something was off about the area and refused to help. When the real action began to take place, the mom had decided it was time to go and had everyone on the same page. Yet, as procrastination is the worst, the family was unable to escape their captor. If the reader is hoping for a happy ending then you will be disappointed but the ending is so chilling that you will avoid a forest at all costs.
December 15, 2024
Within These Haunted Walls
★★★★
Try not to whistle, or Father might come calling!
A family’s adventure takes them across the country to start anew in a quiet, quaint town. But, slowly, the widespread rural gossip about the area’s legendary and violent past burrows into their lives.
Within these Haunted Walls takes the reader on a whirling journey, following the Harpers. Fresh from leaving their lives behind on the west coast, they settle down in a small town near the Appalachians. But the pristine views, clean air, and friendly country vibes from their fellow residents quickly fade once they learn of the folklore haunting this small, rural town.
As the legend is told, Father still haunts the land, and his calling will ultimately prove their demise. Will the Harpers fall victim and lose their minds like so many families before them, or will their love and strength put a stop to the insanity?
This novel delivers with eeriness, tension, and grit, carrying you along for a wild ride where you have a front-row seat experiencing the slow deterioration of sanity and hope. A great, nerve-wracking novel oozing with Amityville and House vibes. Check it out.
★★★★
Try not to whistle, or Father might come calling!
A family’s adventure takes them across the country to start anew in a quiet, quaint town. But, slowly, the widespread rural gossip about the area’s legendary and violent past burrows into their lives.
Within these Haunted Walls takes the reader on a whirling journey, following the Harpers. Fresh from leaving their lives behind on the west coast, they settle down in a small town near the Appalachians. But the pristine views, clean air, and friendly country vibes from their fellow residents quickly fade once they learn of the folklore haunting this small, rural town.
As the legend is told, Father still haunts the land, and his calling will ultimately prove their demise. Will the Harpers fall victim and lose their minds like so many families before them, or will their love and strength put a stop to the insanity?
This novel delivers with eeriness, tension, and grit, carrying you along for a wild ride where you have a front-row seat experiencing the slow deterioration of sanity and hope. A great, nerve-wracking novel oozing with Amityville and House vibes. Check it out.
December 3, 2024
Saw what looked like a ramshackle run down shack while scrolling insta and had to stop and check this out, and I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this 😍🙏✨.
City slickers deciding for a change of pace and think yeah, Appalachia seems safe.
Folks, it was not.
I wanted to immediately say yes absolutely this is supernatural, has to be, but little pieces of the story kept making me doubt it, just enough to maybe, maybe? Who knows..
I loved this damn book, I was yelling at the father, the whole freaking time, I was anxious for the mom, hell everyone in the book honestly 😂😭.
This was wonderful, the story had me rushing to the end, to get answers, to know.
Looking forward to more from Kit Lewis Author
Within these Haunted Walls by Kit Lewis
Cover of the book is in red and black, with creepy freaking trees in the background of a ramshackle, creepy, absolutely sus cabin shack that, clearly has some shit going wrong.
Then the title in white.
I'm not good with physical descriptions, like very bad so don't judge this off that please!
City slickers deciding for a change of pace and think yeah, Appalachia seems safe.
Folks, it was not.
I wanted to immediately say yes absolutely this is supernatural, has to be, but little pieces of the story kept making me doubt it, just enough to maybe, maybe? Who knows..
I loved this damn book, I was yelling at the father, the whole freaking time, I was anxious for the mom, hell everyone in the book honestly 😂😭.
This was wonderful, the story had me rushing to the end, to get answers, to know.
Looking forward to more from Kit Lewis Author
Within these Haunted Walls by Kit Lewis
Cover of the book is in red and black, with creepy freaking trees in the background of a ramshackle, creepy, absolutely sus cabin shack that, clearly has some shit going wrong.
Then the title in white.
I'm not good with physical descriptions, like very bad so don't judge this off that please!
December 2, 2024
We have all been watching sinister scenes play out from the comfort of our living rooms. We access the situation with popcorn kernels in our teeth doing the absolute most with judging the main character on what they SHOULD have done.
This story was a lot like that for me because in truth I do not know what I would have done.
I read this and really had to rethink my maternal instincts because I am a WHOLE different individual when I am riddled in fear.
Kit Lewis landed creepy in this story and far exceeded the amount of “What the hell ?” I’ve encountered in a while.
Wicked house with some wicked people with some wicked behaviors you get the jist
This story was a lot like that for me because in truth I do not know what I would have done.
I read this and really had to rethink my maternal instincts because I am a WHOLE different individual when I am riddled in fear.
Kit Lewis landed creepy in this story and far exceeded the amount of “What the hell ?” I’ve encountered in a while.
Wicked house with some wicked people with some wicked behaviors you get the jist
June 17, 2025
Rule 1: research a house before you buy it. Especially if it’s in the Appalachian Mountains!!!
Rule 2: heed the town people’s warnings!!
Rule 3: don’t whistle in the woods something just might follow you back home.
4 ⭐️
Rule 2: heed the town people’s warnings!!
Rule 3: don’t whistle in the woods something just might follow you back home.
4 ⭐️
February 1, 2025
I was so close to DNF this book but I persisted! Everytime one of the characters said Babe I wanted to stop reading. The dialogue was so bland. The story could have been good but it became so muddled that I didn’t really know what was happening. I wouldn’t recommend
December 7, 2024
A family struggling to make ends meet decides to leave their expensive condo in the city and purchase a decaying, isolated Appalachian home with a sordid past. Someone is about to have some serious buyer's remorse.
I'm actually teetering between a 2.5 rating and a 3. I went ahead and left it rated up for this.
I'm going to make a somewhat odd observation about the cover. Some WALLS protect and some imprison would have been a much more effective tag line I think, but I'm actually loving the title font and that surprises me because I dont usually pay much attention to the font.
It has a great start with the prologue. Setting up the tone and establishing the "rules" to the folklore. I'm a fan of the outsiders move to an isolated community and the townsfolk are shady setting and this did just that.
It's got Amityville Horror and Salem's Lot vibes and I enjoyed that.
It started to fall off for me about 40% through though which is when the "hauntings" sort of begin. I want to chalk it up to pacing since it ramps up then just stops and then ramps up to stop again. Which plays into the "am I going crazy" or "is this real" feeling, but it was more hurtful than helpful.
I enjoyed the story itself, but I also feel like the story didn't know what it wanted to be. There were too many themes presented. Used the right way more than one literary device helps add to the unreliable narrator approach but there was just too much going on here for me and personally, doing dedicated chapter perspectives would have been beneficial in really selling it better.
Overall, I think this is a good read. I wouldn't call it great and if someone asked for a rec, I would probably throw it on the pile, but it wouldn't be too far up on the list.
Huge thank you to Kit Lewis for sending me a copy to review. I am forever grateful to creatives who want to share themselves with the world.
I'm actually teetering between a 2.5 rating and a 3. I went ahead and left it rated up for this.
I'm going to make a somewhat odd observation about the cover. Some WALLS protect and some imprison would have been a much more effective tag line I think, but I'm actually loving the title font and that surprises me because I dont usually pay much attention to the font.
It has a great start with the prologue. Setting up the tone and establishing the "rules" to the folklore. I'm a fan of the outsiders move to an isolated community and the townsfolk are shady setting and this did just that.
It's got Amityville Horror and Salem's Lot vibes and I enjoyed that.
It started to fall off for me about 40% through though which is when the "hauntings" sort of begin. I want to chalk it up to pacing since it ramps up then just stops and then ramps up to stop again. Which plays into the "am I going crazy" or "is this real" feeling, but it was more hurtful than helpful.
I enjoyed the story itself, but I also feel like the story didn't know what it wanted to be. There were too many themes presented. Used the right way more than one literary device helps add to the unreliable narrator approach but there was just too much going on here for me and personally, doing dedicated chapter perspectives would have been beneficial in really selling it better.
Overall, I think this is a good read. I wouldn't call it great and if someone asked for a rec, I would probably throw it on the pile, but it wouldn't be too far up on the list.
Huge thank you to Kit Lewis for sending me a copy to review. I am forever grateful to creatives who want to share themselves with the world.
May 5, 2025
Honestly, I'm unsure how I feel about this book.
The main characters gave me whiplash with how quickly they swung between madness and sanity.
about 50% of the story felt like it was about a husband gaslighting his wife,
and then suddenly—bam—a voice appears, influencing him and warping everything further.
I couldn’t tell if the ire I felt toward certain parts was justified or something the book wanted me to feel… so bravo for that eerie, unsettling vibe! It's definitely an unknown
The main characters gave me whiplash with how quickly they swung between madness and sanity.
about 50% of the story felt like it was about a husband gaslighting his wife,
and then suddenly—bam—a voice appears, influencing him and warping everything further.
I couldn’t tell if the ire I felt toward certain parts was justified or something the book wanted me to feel… so bravo for that eerie, unsettling vibe! It's definitely an unknown
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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July 21, 2025Sometimes when I'm unsure about a book, I don't give it a star rating out of what I consider to be fairness. I don't want to drag the book down, just because I found faults with it. That's the case with this one, unfortunately. I just...don't know what to rate it at all.
It started out okay, if a bit confusing. It went off the rails for me pretty early on, when the family makes their move. It took me ages to figure out what was going on, because of how things were written and jumped a bit. They moved from California to North Carolina, and it happened in the span of a couple of sentences. It made it seem like they only drove a few hours to their new home, and were just BOOM there. No mention of the incredibly long drive, nothing at all. I had to go back and re-read it a couple of times to figure out, yes, they were indeed coming to Appalachia from California.
After that, I don't even know. There was a lot of repetition. Pages of they did x, then they did x, then they had dinner, then it was quiet. A lot of it could have been trimmed down, or at least I think so anyway. The dreams blending with reality thing was also confusing at times. You'd think something was happening, and then it was a dream. Then something else would happen, now is this a dream or real?
I'm not sure if this book was self published or not? Really, it could have been good with some heavy editing. I'm an indie author, I get it totally. Paying editors is crazy expensive, so I usually have friends and family go over things for me if they're willing. If things had just been looked over, plot holes patched up, and some stuff removed, I think this could have been an easy 3.5 star read from me. I'm just grappling with it right now.
It started out okay, if a bit confusing. It went off the rails for me pretty early on, when the family makes their move. It took me ages to figure out what was going on, because of how things were written and jumped a bit. They moved from California to North Carolina, and it happened in the span of a couple of sentences. It made it seem like they only drove a few hours to their new home, and were just BOOM there. No mention of the incredibly long drive, nothing at all. I had to go back and re-read it a couple of times to figure out, yes, they were indeed coming to Appalachia from California.
After that, I don't even know. There was a lot of repetition. Pages of they did x, then they did x, then they had dinner, then it was quiet. A lot of it could have been trimmed down, or at least I think so anyway. The dreams blending with reality thing was also confusing at times. You'd think something was happening, and then it was a dream. Then something else would happen, now is this a dream or real?
I'm not sure if this book was self published or not? Really, it could have been good with some heavy editing. I'm an indie author, I get it totally. Paying editors is crazy expensive, so I usually have friends and family go over things for me if they're willing. If things had just been looked over, plot holes patched up, and some stuff removed, I think this could have been an easy 3.5 star read from me. I'm just grappling with it right now.
January 13, 2026
I was caught between rating this 2 or 3 stars but went for 3 because it did keep me somewhat engaged.
The Harper family struggling with the cost of living decide to relocate their family of 4 to the Appalachian mountains but things quickly become a haunting mystery to them.... the fact that this book is about a house set in the Appalachian Mountains should just hook you straight in, especially if you're already aware of what to do and not to do up there or if you believe those things like me.
The prologue was really good and engaging, it brought you straight into to history of the mountains and the folklore surrounding them. As someone who loves reading and learning about this place it felt like a perfect beginning for me.
I do believe in any good haunting book you have to have a bit of a "is this real" moment where you begin to doubt what you're seeing and feeling especially when the people around you keep quiet or don't experience what you have. I did enjoy that other characters straight up warned The Harpers about what not to do, but meeting these characters actually left me with more questions than answers.
I felt certain parts of the story could have been used more, like finding items from previous owners etc, I also think that personally Mrs H was too familiar at some points in the story when it came to trying to confront the hauntings, I understand why she came to the conclusions she did but it felt off.
Also sorry Mrs H but if my husband didn't believe me when I told him some spooky sh*t was happening, I'd would have left him there alone.
Overall the story felt like it dragged out and also ended too quickly, I can't even explain that but I'm sure some other readers felt the same way.
The Harper family struggling with the cost of living decide to relocate their family of 4 to the Appalachian mountains but things quickly become a haunting mystery to them.... the fact that this book is about a house set in the Appalachian Mountains should just hook you straight in, especially if you're already aware of what to do and not to do up there or if you believe those things like me.
The prologue was really good and engaging, it brought you straight into to history of the mountains and the folklore surrounding them. As someone who loves reading and learning about this place it felt like a perfect beginning for me.
I do believe in any good haunting book you have to have a bit of a "is this real" moment where you begin to doubt what you're seeing and feeling especially when the people around you keep quiet or don't experience what you have. I did enjoy that other characters straight up warned The Harpers about what not to do, but meeting these characters actually left me with more questions than answers.
I felt certain parts of the story could have been used more, like finding items from previous owners etc, I also think that personally Mrs H was too familiar at some points in the story when it came to trying to confront the hauntings, I understand why she came to the conclusions she did but it felt off.
Also sorry Mrs H but if my husband didn't believe me when I told him some spooky sh*t was happening, I'd would have left him there alone.
Overall the story felt like it dragged out and also ended too quickly, I can't even explain that but I'm sure some other readers felt the same way.
December 20, 2024
Kit Lewis has hit it out of the ballpark again in Within These Haunted Walls. It is a terrifying, scary supernatural tale set in the folklore riddled Appalachian backwoods. Only the folklore that John and Mary begin to hear when they stop at a local store is more real than they ever realized it could be.
If you’re ready to be drawn into the horrors that the house and surrounding woods begins to rain down on this family, then leave your lights on, doors locked and pull the covers over your head and be prepared to witness pure terror.
Everyone that has left a review so far has described their feelings after reading this story as only those who have witnessed the events and hauntings could do. This isn’t an all’s well that ends well story and Lewis has done a phenomenal job structuring and documenting a very well written supernatural horror story.
Be prepared to be scared, stay inside after dark, don’t go into the basement, and above all don’t move to an abandoned house in the Appalachian backwoods!
If you’re ready to be drawn into the horrors that the house and surrounding woods begins to rain down on this family, then leave your lights on, doors locked and pull the covers over your head and be prepared to witness pure terror.
Everyone that has left a review so far has described their feelings after reading this story as only those who have witnessed the events and hauntings could do. This isn’t an all’s well that ends well story and Lewis has done a phenomenal job structuring and documenting a very well written supernatural horror story.
Be prepared to be scared, stay inside after dark, don’t go into the basement, and above all don’t move to an abandoned house in the Appalachian backwoods!
February 20, 2025
Just wow
The Harper family, struggles with debt living in a big city, after deciding it best to sell. They move to a small town, but not Kong after being there Mary starts feeling like something is very wrong and when locals begin talking about old folk tales her fears and anxiety skyrocket.
The family struggles with knowing what is real, they hear whispers and whistles. Mary is having dreams, or are the visions. The Harper family is struggling with what is reality and what is in their minds.
There are so many things running through my head after reading this. Kit had me questioning my own sanity as the Harper family struggled with their own. The horror in this book had me physically sweating wanting to help this family. The way this book had me clutching my book just hoping everything happening was all just a dream. Then to top it all off THAT ENDING, it was literally one of the best endings a book could have. Truly a fantastically dark horror that gets into your head, twirling the darkness of it around every corner of your mind.
The Harper family, struggles with debt living in a big city, after deciding it best to sell. They move to a small town, but not Kong after being there Mary starts feeling like something is very wrong and when locals begin talking about old folk tales her fears and anxiety skyrocket.
The family struggles with knowing what is real, they hear whispers and whistles. Mary is having dreams, or are the visions. The Harper family is struggling with what is reality and what is in their minds.
There are so many things running through my head after reading this. Kit had me questioning my own sanity as the Harper family struggled with their own. The horror in this book had me physically sweating wanting to help this family. The way this book had me clutching my book just hoping everything happening was all just a dream. Then to top it all off THAT ENDING, it was literally one of the best endings a book could have. Truly a fantastically dark horror that gets into your head, twirling the darkness of it around every corner of your mind.
April 15, 2025
I was so looking forward to this, and it started off well but I ended up DNF at 36%. I found I was getting really frustrated with the writing and the editing and starting to hate the characters.
Sentences were muddled and the story had continuity issues such as the kids were sitting so engrossed in a film they didn't even really hear the parents say they were going somewhere, and then they were playing a meter away, and then they were engrossed in the end of the film again but then didn't get to see the end of the film 🤷
I also kept forgetting the kids ages as they both seemed to act like small kids, under 10ys id say, but the daughter was supposed to be 15 almost 16.
Sadly I don't think I'd recommend this to anyone but maybe with a decent editor it could be a fixer upper?
Sentences were muddled and the story had continuity issues such as the kids were sitting so engrossed in a film they didn't even really hear the parents say they were going somewhere, and then they were playing a meter away, and then they were engrossed in the end of the film again but then didn't get to see the end of the film 🤷
I also kept forgetting the kids ages as they both seemed to act like small kids, under 10ys id say, but the daughter was supposed to be 15 almost 16.
Sadly I don't think I'd recommend this to anyone but maybe with a decent editor it could be a fixer upper?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 19, 2025
The typical story of a young family with 1 boy and 1 girl relocating to the country to escape the high costs of city living. They secured an incredible deal on a house that needed some repairs after sitting empty for a while, and it was haunted by its former owner, Harold.
While I initially found the premise intriguing, I noticed my focus waning as I read. The narrative didn't fully capture my attention, making it tough to remember afterward. Instead of the usual pace that allows me to finish this length book in a day, this one took me three days, indicating a slower rhythm than I typically enjoy. Nevertheless, I chose to see it through to the end, finding enough interest that I never thought of DNFing it.
While I initially found the premise intriguing, I noticed my focus waning as I read. The narrative didn't fully capture my attention, making it tough to remember afterward. Instead of the usual pace that allows me to finish this length book in a day, this one took me three days, indicating a slower rhythm than I typically enjoy. Nevertheless, I chose to see it through to the end, finding enough interest that I never thought of DNFing it.
December 1, 2024
3.5 Stars for me:
The Harper family decides to move to an old house out in Appalachia. They make grave mistakes that invites the evil spirit of the prior owner in, driving them all to madness. The family, trapped by the house, try to figure out how to defeat the evil and get out!
I thought this was a fun, scary read! I liked how you read along as the family slowly goes insane and turns on each other. I quite enjoyed the ending as well!
I do agree with another reviewer that there is some repetitiveness and confusion, but overall I enjoyed the story.
Thank you to the author for allowing me to read this as an ARC!
The Harper family decides to move to an old house out in Appalachia. They make grave mistakes that invites the evil spirit of the prior owner in, driving them all to madness. The family, trapped by the house, try to figure out how to defeat the evil and get out!
I thought this was a fun, scary read! I liked how you read along as the family slowly goes insane and turns on each other. I quite enjoyed the ending as well!
I do agree with another reviewer that there is some repetitiveness and confusion, but overall I enjoyed the story.
Thank you to the author for allowing me to read this as an ARC!
November 30, 2024
3.5 ⭐️s rounded to 4 ⭐️s
Definitely a haunting tale with some creepy elements! 🫣 Lots of dread and despair!
I did get taken out of the story a few times by some repetitiveness, which in turn caused some confusion. Some things just didn’t make sense to me. 🤔
As always, I still encourage my fellow book peeps to check this book out, as not every book is for every person! 🫶
Thank you to Kit Lewis for the opportunity to read the eARC in exchange for my honest review! ❤️
Definitely a haunting tale with some creepy elements! 🫣 Lots of dread and despair!
I did get taken out of the story a few times by some repetitiveness, which in turn caused some confusion. Some things just didn’t make sense to me. 🤔
As always, I still encourage my fellow book peeps to check this book out, as not every book is for every person! 🫶
Thank you to Kit Lewis for the opportunity to read the eARC in exchange for my honest review! ❤️
March 25, 2025
Pretty good.
This is a good story, though a bit derivative. I thought it was well paced and the last chapter was the best written, most interesting, part of the book. I will say that losing consciousness did a lot of heavy lifting. Lots of fainting and bumps to the head. Overall it was readable for me, a person who is willing to put a book down if it's not a page turner, and I'd recommend it to folks who enjoy a Haunting. Will look for more books by the same author!
This is a good story, though a bit derivative. I thought it was well paced and the last chapter was the best written, most interesting, part of the book. I will say that losing consciousness did a lot of heavy lifting. Lots of fainting and bumps to the head. Overall it was readable for me, a person who is willing to put a book down if it's not a page turner, and I'd recommend it to folks who enjoy a Haunting. Will look for more books by the same author!
May 22, 2025
Started off strong but got very repetitive as it progressed
Although the book started off very strongly, and had a really good premises to build on, it got extremely repetitive as it progressed. It was a really good idea and it was very ominous at the beginning but it seems like the author kept using the same words in the same phrases throughout it that made it seem almost like you had already read certain chapters when you started a new one.
Although the book started off very strongly, and had a really good premises to build on, it got extremely repetitive as it progressed. It was a really good idea and it was very ominous at the beginning but it seems like the author kept using the same words in the same phrases throughout it that made it seem almost like you had already read certain chapters when you started a new one.
December 2, 2024
Yes!!! Absolutely loved this book. Not as gory as his last book. This one really had me afraid to walk outside at night. What the hell Kit, I didn’t think I’d be in my fourtues and afraid of the dark.
Do yourself a favor and give this book a read. The ending was a bit rushed, but maybe it’s because I just didn’t want it to end.
Do yourself a favor and give this book a read. The ending was a bit rushed, but maybe it’s because I just didn’t want it to end.
January 21, 2025
What
It kept shifting all over the place, and not in a good way. Family tries desperately to leave one night, then with no explanation why, they go shopping the next. The story is good, but the writing is terrible. I'm sorry. Its the first book here that I've given a bad review on.
It kept shifting all over the place, and not in a good way. Family tries desperately to leave one night, then with no explanation why, they go shopping the next. The story is good, but the writing is terrible. I'm sorry. Its the first book here that I've given a bad review on.
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