Cierniowy Dwór

by Isabel Strychacz, Dariusz Radziejewski (Translator)

Czas wrócić tam, gdzie wszystko się zaczęło…

Blisko pięć lat temu rodzina Peartree uciekła ze swojego domu – Cierniowego Dworu. To tu pewnej nocy zaginęła Avery, najstarsza siostra Lii i Ali. Gdy zbliża się piąta rocznica tamtego wieczoru, Lia nieustannie odczuwa obecność Avery, a wspomnienia z Cierniowego Dworu nie dają jej spokoju. Kiedy Ali znika po tajemniczym telefonie, w którym prosi, by Lia jej nie szukała, ta nie ma wyjścia, jak tylko zrobić coś, czego obawia się najbardziej. Po raz ostatni chce wrócić do Cierniowego Dworu, odnaleźć siostry i odkryć prawdę o swojej przeszłości.

Genres: Horror, Young Adult, Gothic, Mystery, Audiobook, Paranormal, Fantasy

336 pages, Paperback

First published August 20, 2024

About the author

Isabel Strychacz is the author of the YA novel Starling (2021) and upcoming House of Thorns (out 2024). She grew up in a small town in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she read all the books she could find and wrote the books she couldn’t.

She received two degrees in English/Creative Writing and History from Mills College in Oakland, California, and is getting her MFA degree in Creative Writing from Manchester Metropolitan University.

She currently lives in the heart of England with her husband Henry and daughter Imogen, and she works as a copywriter for a PR & Communications agency.

Strychacz is pronounced STREE-cash

Reviews

[Brend · Rating 3 out of 5]

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

AND she has great eyebrows

[Patty (IheartYA311) · Rating 4 out of 5]

House of Thorns was on my TBR for months before publication. While I enjoyed the writing style, the flip flop between first POV and second POV felt choppy. I generally prefer third POV. The story is fascinating and unique, but it always irks me when the why/how isn't answered by the conclusion. Still - overall one of the best books I've read recently.

If you love active book communities, check out LiterALLy BOOKiSh Book Club (on Facebook)! Games, giveaways, discussions, reviews, bingo, swaps, pen pals, traveling books, and a lot more!

[Elisabeth Sunseri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Simon and Schuster and Netgalley for the e-ARC!

I was so excited for the chance to read “House of Thorns,” an upcoming YA horror / gothic, as it checked all my boxes - spooky atmosphere, ancestral trauma, and plenty of poetic prose. “House of Thorns,” which follows Lia and her sister Ali as they return to their childhood home of Brier Hall, explores the trauma of two sisters whose lives were torn apart by their sister Avery’s sudden disappearance five years prior to the start of the novel.

“House of Thorns,” which is pitched as an atmospheric mystery/ horror in the vein of “The Haunting of Hill House” and “What Remains of Edith Finch” (IYKYN), definitely delivers on the vibes. The story is engaging right from the beginning, and Strychacz utilizes imagery and symbolism to weave a portrait of Brier that is as beautiful as it is unsettling. The prose was really lovely - I found myself highlighting multiple lines from the book, which I rarely do - and it was clear that Strychacz has a true love of the gothic novel. This book felt like a love letter to horror literature, and the inspirations shined through while still the story still felt fresh and new.

My favorite part of the book was the relationship between Lia and Ali. It felt true-to-life and as complex as any real sisterhood, and I appreciated that Lia and Ali manifested their traumas in such different ways. I did find myself wanting a little bit more depth on their relationship with their mother and the ways that their roles have affected their lives as a whole (Lia plays the role of the “golden child” whereas Ali has acted out) as well as how the time has affected Lia’s relationships with others. There is a secondary romance between Lia and her childhood friend, Rafferty, which takes a back seat (appropriately) to the terrifying events at Brier and to her evolving relationship with Ali.

As a whole, the book was engaging and moves at a rapid pace towards a conclusion that felt equal parts unsettling and satisfying. I loved the sisterly dynamics at play, and the romance was sweet yet subtle enough to not take away from the main plot. Excited to read more from this author!

[Elle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, I really liked this. There was room for some improvement but it scratched my itch for a story reminiscent of Hill House.

[Sam Donovan · Rating 3 out of 5]

i didn't love or hate anything about this. i just feel very average towards it. i think it's an interesting premise and has good horror elements following sisters and a spooky house. the descriptions were good but i didn't love the characters which made it hard to care more about what was happening. i think this will really work for some but sadly wasn't entirely for me

[Sarah Esmae Wolfe · Rating 5 out of 5]

HOUSE OF THORNS is a perfect spooky season read! If you think this sounds interesting you should definitely pick it up. Isabel Strychacz knows how to write sisters and sentient houses. I enjoyed her debut novel and she has improved upon it in both writing and storytelling in House of Thorns. Also an EXCELLENT audiobook narrator helps!

Reminiscent of Flanagan's Haunting of Hill House, Briar Hall haunts 18-year-old Lia and her sister Ali long after they fled the house five years ago. It's a bit slow moving as they don't actually get to the house until almost halfway through but I was never bored. The tension stays tight and intrigue is high the whole way through.

There was a hint of a romance that made me nervous, considering all the young adult novels I've read that the romance overtakes the story, but this was not the case. It played more of a background role and, though he was Lia's childhood crush, his part in this story is the childhood friend witness of the sisters and to the happenings at Briar Hall.

House of Thorns deals with topics like trauma, grief, and addiction that are so well portrayed and the twist is one of my favorite tropes so of course I had to give it five stars. It's actually something I wished Flanagan's Haunting of Hill House leaned more into so I was very happy with this rendition. Isabel Strychacz is an autobuy author for me and I look forward to what she will come out with next!

[Lourdes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley for this e-ARC.

I was drawn to this book first by the eerie cover and title, and the synopsis just sold me. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. It had those creepy haunted house vibes and the constant questioning of what’s real or not. I wasn’t actually as spooked as I thought I would be but it didn’t bother me. This book is not only about the mysterious haunting of a passed down family home but it’s also a story about sisters. I felt for these sisters and their strong will to be there for one another even when things got weird and unexplainable. I was able to predict and solve some of the mysteries which didn’t bother me too much. This book reminded me of The Haunting of Hill House ( which I’ve only seen the show of). I could imagine this being a very cool Netflix show. That plot twist was cool in my opinion and the end! I don’t know what to think about the end as I am still processing what I read. I gave this 4 stars because it kept me wanting more and I was constantly thinking about it when I wasn’t reading it. I also think it was beautifully written in a lyrical sort of way. It made the creepy things seem enchanting.

[Starr ❇✌❇ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC from Edelweiss
TW: addiction, missing person
3.5

This is the kind of book that's more atmosphere than anything else.
There's certainly some very creepy, definitely ominous moments. I enjoyed this book while I was reading it- I was absorbed, and could vividly put myself right into this strange house.
In some ways, too, this book felt a bit like one of my favorite games of all time, Oxenfree. The investigation and loneliness, the attempt at communication with you don't even know what, all in the hopes of saving someone you love and getting everyone out alive.

The issue is- everyone feels super flat. The relationships are one note, the characters seem to have one goal and personality trait per person, and the romance came out of nowhere and didn't develop.
That's the case for the plot, too- there's good bones, but it never really makes it where it needs to be. I feel like everything would have had so much more bang with some more solid connections, instead of leaning on the flat and trying to bury too much.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars

This is a haunted historic family house book. And I'm not sure it really adds much to that niche. But at the same time, it's not really a bad ghost story. It's just kind of a book.

I guess there is slightly more to say here, but I'll dig into some of those thoughts in my full review, publishing August 16, 2024 at Gateway Reviews. Swing by if you get the chance and leave me a comment there!

Note: I was provided with an ARC by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.

[Brittany McCann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very interesting and unique experience. I can definitely see why it is said to have been inspired by the Haunting of Hill House.

Author Isabel Strychacz beautifully creates the atmospheric house and that same feeling of something being "off." This has more in common with the television show than Shirley Jackson's novel, but that is a positive thing to me.

Lia returns to her childhood home to look for her sister. Her older sister went missing years ago, and it tore her family apart.

Secrets within the house will unveil what happened to her sister, but the search could destroy all Lia has left of herself.

The relationships could have been a bit more robust, but this book was more about that house.

A great read, worthy of 4 stars!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even without reading the synopsis, I instantly saw the parallels to The Haunting of Hill House. This was fun. I got to feel the insanity, sadness, and horror the sisters felt.

[B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Isabel is the QUEEN of sentient houses. This was fucking brilliant. I’ve been waiting for her next book since Starling and it certainly did not disappoint. Haunting, lyrical, magical, thrilling, and perfect. I live inside her words and every time they just draw me in and sink into me and don’t let go. I live for the way these stories stay inside me. She has a gift and none of you are doing yourselves any favors by not reading all of them.

[Czytajez · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5

połączenie Domu sióstr marnotrawnych, Dzikich dziewczyn i Gallanta

„Cierniowy dwór” to jedna z tych książek, które od pierwszych stron budują duszny, mroczny klimat i nie wypuszczają czytelnika aż do końca. To opowieść o powrocie do miejsca, które mimo prób zapomnienia, pozostaje w pamięci - o starym, nawiedzonym domu i demonach, które czają się nie tylko w kątach, ale także w umyśle.

Główna postać po latach wraca do rodzinnej posiadłości, by uporządkować sprawy, które zostawiła za sobą. Szybko okazuje się, że dom skrywa znacznie więcej tajemnic, niż się spodziewała. Przeszłość zaczyna do niej wracać w postaci niepokojących wspomnień, dziwnych symboli i sytuacji, które trudno racjonalnie wyjaśnić. To właśnie tu świetnie działają retrospekcje - są płynne, naturalne i naprawdę pomagają wejść pod skórę bohaterce. Dzięki nim historia nabiera głębi, a atmosfera robi się jeszcze gęstsza.

Książka ma w sobie coś z „Dzikich dziewczyn”, „Domu sióstr marnotrawnych” i „Gallanta” - połączenie rodzinnych sekretów, mrocznego domu i subtelnej grozy. Ale mimo tych skojarzeń, „Cierniowy dwór” ma swój własny wyjątkowy styl.

Czyta się ją naprawdę szybko. Napięcie rośnie stopniowo, ale konsekwentnie, a każda kolejna scena sprawia, że chce się wiedzieć, co jeszcze kryje to miejsce. Autorka pisze ładnym, obrazowym językiem, który tworzy atmosferę, ale nie męczy. Dialogi są naturalne, opisów jest tyle, ile trzeba, a narracja płynie bez zgrzytów.

Muszę też dodać, że pierwsza połowa podobała mi się bardziej - klimat był wtedy najgęstszy, a napięcie świetnie budowane. Później miałam wrażenie, że czegoś mi zabrakło, choć możliwe, że to kwestia tego, że ostatnio czytam sporo książek w podobnym klimacie i trochę trudniej mnie zaskoczyć. Niemniej jeśli lubicie wspomniane wyżej tytuły albo generalnie takie mroczne, tajemnicze historie, to zdecydowanie warto po nią sięgnąć.

To świetnie skonstruowana, klimatyczna powieść - idealna dla osób, które lubią historie o starych domach, powracających sekretach i niepokojącym napięciu, które nie pozwala odłożyć książki. Jeśli szukasz czegoś wciągającego, mrocznego, ale bez przesadnej grozy, „Cierniowy dwór” będzie naprawdę dobrym wyborem.

[Aldana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am still speechless about this book because, in all honesty, it was so captivating. This book tells the story of the Peartree girls, three sisters that inherit the house of their now 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 dead father, that they never really knew (not out main character at least) & given their circumstances, they decide to inhabit said house. Brier Hall is big & interesting & full of secrets. Brier Hall is a house with memories & sometimes, memories haunt the bravest person out there.⠀
I liked it from beginning to end, 𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 the ending, i think the book has a way to draw you in, to keep you on your toes, to reveal the mysteries 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 at the right time. It's been a while since i read a book this captivating, this beautifully crafted work that made me think of Shirley Jackson & her haunted house, of Nell & her many siblings, of a emotionally unavailable mother trying to live with what life has given, & taken, her. Lia with the never ending burden of being the perfect child, Ali trying to escape reality & the ever young Avery who got lost in time. Each one of the girls have something that makes them relatable, nuanced, resilient. ⠀
I really liked the whole book. I'm neutral to the romance, but i 𝘥𝘪𝘥 like that there was barely any of it throughout the book, since it's not a genre, or one within another, that i consume. But it's for the readers who like the teenage love, the rebuilding bridges type of romance.⠀
All in all, a perfect way to 𝘢𝘭𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 end august. I want to thank netgalley, s&s and Isabel again for the arc. I very much enjoyed it!

[szyszka_czyta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pięć lat temu rodzina Peartree uciekła ze swojego domu. Pewnej nocy zaginęła Avery, najstarsza z trzech sióstr. Gdy zbliża się piąta rocznica, Lia mocno odczuwa obecność zaginionej siostry. Po tajemniczym telefonie następna z sióstr - Ali, znika. Lia postanawia wrócić do Cierniowego Dworu i rozliczyć się z przeszłością.

„Cierniowy dwór” to powieść, która łączy baśniowy mrok z klimatem współczesnej grozy i delikatną, ale wyraźnie wyczuwalną nutą romantycznego napięcia. Autorka buduje historię, w której emocje bohaterów splatają się z dziką, nieujarzmioną naturą.

To historia o świecie, w którym magia nie jest czymś oczywistym - jest raczej jak cień: obecna, ale nieuchwytna. W centrum fabuły stoi tajemniczy dwór opleciony cierniami i legendą o pewnej dziewczynie. Dom, który jest pełnoprawnym bohaterem, żyje, czuje i wzywa swoich mieszkańców, nie daje spokoju, choć starali się od niego uciec. Autorka bawi się konwencją gotyckiej baśni, ale osadza ją we współczesnej emocjonalności, dzięki czemu książka jest mroczna, liryczna i oddziałuje na czytelnika.

Od samego początku wyczuwalna jest tajemnica. Historia pełna niedopowiedzeń, gdzie traumatyczne wydarzenie padło cieniem na całą rodzinę. Tajemnicza posiadłość, rodzina pełna sekretów oraz bohaterzy uwikłani w emocjonalne dylematy. Mroczna, gęsta i niepokojąca opowieść w baśniowym klimacie, pełna zaskoczeń i nieoczywistych rozwiązań. Sensualna, melancholijna, a chwilami wręcz hipnotyczna, to powieść która przyciąga i otula klimatem, niż skupia się na szybkim tempie.

Idealna dla miłośników historii z pogranicza rzeczywistości i baśni oraz na jesienne wieczory, polecam 💛

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

TW: anxiety, addiction, panic attacks, the ocean


I really enjoyed this, it was creepy and intriguing and I always love a story about sisters who care about each other.

The author's description of Lia's anxiety almost triggered my own it was so good.

Such an interesting take on the haunted house genre, and how the author describes the house and grounds is such a perfect Gothic mess that I loved.

There's a sweet third plot line that adds a little romance, which I enjoyed.

4 stars instead of five because the ending got a little weird and the explanation of the house lost the spooky vibe plus was a bit too HEA (for me) for a horror novel, even YA horror.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is for every person who watched The Haunting of Hill House and it got them excited to read the Shirley Jackson book it was inspired by. Those who were then disappointed that it was very much not the same . House of Thorns by Isabel Strychacz is the book those fans of the show were looking for. A YA Gothic horror with multiple POVs, the strong bond of sisters, and a sentient house haunted by memories.
.

[Roberta R. (Offbeat YA) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excerpt from my review - originally published at Offbeat YA.

Pros: Fresh, atmospheric take on the haunted/magical/evil house trope. Engaging (if sometimes flawed) characters.
Cons: The first section is a bit lackluster. There's some confusion about the protagonist's age. The addiction theme is ultimately brushed aside.
WARNING! Grief, panic attacks, anxiety/PTSD, drug and alcohol abuse (offscreen), near-drowning, death of a parent who no longer lives with the family.
Will appeal to: Those who like creepy, but not downright gruesome stories. Those who enjoy sisterly dynamics and a pinch of childhood-friends romance. Most of all, those who are fond of mysterious houses and shifting realities.

First off...DISCLAIMER: I requested this title on Edelweiss. Thanks to Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (Simon Teen) for providing a temporary ecopy. This didn't influence my review in any way.

ON THE HOUSE

I've been reading so many supernatural (or in one case, multiverse) books with houses at their center lately, and yet each and every one of them has managed to bring something different (and creative) to the table. I can happily report that House of Thorns is no exception. I'll be honest...it's a bit of a slow burn, and at first I thought it was a fairly run-of-the-mill modern gothic story, but when the mystery about the house started to get unraveled, I was hooked. Told from teen and kid Lia's perspectives, with the interpolation of some chapters from Brier Hall's point of view (which is not a gimmick, but a narrative device that does add a pivotal angle to the story, plus it's really cool), House of Thorns is a novel that blurs the lines between the past and the present, the haunter and the haunted - and even the ultimately familiar trope at its core feels fresh and exciting (OK, a bit heartbreaking too) in this context. While on the surface a tale of (strained) sisterly relationships and childhood trauma, on a deeper level HOT is about the need to belong and to find someone who will fill our empty spaces, a need embodied by the emotional entanglement between a young woman and a house who loves her back - if in a twisted way. Which makes for a melancholic and creepy narrative that works very well with the supernatural, time-bending quality of the story and the sisterhood theme. [...]

Whole review here.

[Emily Butler · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was a fun one, definitely haunting of hill house vibes. A pretty classic haunted house story, nothing crazy or special and honestly there were times where I had no idea what was going on but still a fun spooky story nonetheless.

[Cassidy]

Thanks to Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for this ARC! House of Thorns by Isabel Strychacz comes out on August 20, 2024.

[Risa · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars, rounded down.

1 star for the vibes. 1.5 stars for the beautiful lines that appeared more often than not.

Knowing how I usually feel after I finish a 3-star book, I didn’t feel that this book was that enjoyable. Thus, I had to round down.


I was going to give this book 2.75 stars, and round it up to 3 stars. But the ending was so disappointing to me that I had no choice but to knock down my rating.

I wanted, and even expected, this book to be more spooky than it was. And it started off giving spooky vibes, until the big reveal as to what was going on with the house. That was an unexpected turn that made me not enjoy the story as much. So that was a big let down, as I feel like the setup was there but the delivery was not.

Also, the mysterious magic woven into this book just didn’t work for me. I don’t mind a soft magic system, but I feel like the way that this world worked just didn’t make sense in terms of the events that were happening. Also, I felt that the characters made a lot of assumptions as to what was going on and how to overcome it, and they were always right, just from guessing. They didn’t have to work hard to piece together clues or anything like that—everything just fell into place, and I didn’t like that.

Basically I was promised stakes, and those stakes faded as the story went on.

The one positive that I alluded to earlier was that this author can clearly write. She had a lot a beautiful lines, and one liners that were well-executed. However, some of the repetition we got while being in Lia’s mind was annoying, and made her lovely prose sound juvenile, in a way that was inconsistent as far as the voice goes. But having said all that, I would be open to reading more of this author’s books in the future, potentially.





NOTES I TOOK WHILE READING:

- One chapter in, and the writing is fine. Some lines are actually really good. Though the way our main character described how looks in the mirror was a little cringe.

- While I appreciate how authentic Lia’s panic attack (for lack of a better word) came across in the open chapter. It felt a little…too soon? Like, I feel like we didn’t know Lia, her situation, the world, well enough to really feel like we’re settled in and can understand why she feels this way.

- Oh, I wasn’t expecting the flashback chapters told in second POV…interesting choice.

- I like the detail of Ali and Lia’s previous relationship, and how their names are similar.



- Okay so I’m more than an hour in, and I gotta say that this author is clearly a talented writer on a line level—she definitely has some beautiful lines every so often. But in terms of plot…the pacing is really, really slow. I’m gonna try to finish the book since it’s short…but yeah.


- This book is a lot of recollection for what happened BEFORE the story starts. I’m all for flashbacks, and I know we need to know some history in order to understand Lia’s situation. But I feel like there’s too much backstory, especially for a book this short.

- I will say though, that I appreciate the spooky descriptions in this book. I like how vivid those are.


- Hooray—22% into the book, and we’re finally going to Briar Hall!


- I actually wish we had more of the flashbacks in the second-tense. Those are cool and different.


- Huh, that scene with Raferdy was… interesting. I mean, I get why there’s awkwardness ands some coldness between them. But even he knows the houses bad news, so…I kinda wish he’d given her a bit more grace in the situation.


- Oh interesting…so the second-tense POV is actually the Briar Patch?

- Aww, that’s nice that Raferdy brought her dinner.

- Their second conversation is nice…but it honestly makes this book feel like a sequel. Like, I feel the emotion between Raferdy and Lia, but I don’t feel connected to it, because I wasn’t present when everything went wrong, and the backstory we got on their relationship felt distant, if that makes sense.


- Wait…Raferdy is telling Lia that Brier Hall isn’t haunted… but in the previous chapter, he was telling her not to go back to Brier Hall because it’s bad news. Why?? That doesn’t make sense to me.


- Also, I amend my previous statement…we are still not in the house yet. (Annoying.)


- Yay, chapter 12 - we’re finally inside the house (~44% into the story)!


- Some of the repetition (in Lia’s thoughts) is a bit repetitive, to be honest. It ruins the otherwise beautiful lines that the author delivers.


- Why the heck did Raferdy go to the house with Lia, and then leave her side??? They should’ve stayed together!!!


- Ruh roh - I have a feeling the house possessed Avery, and now it’s possessing Ali.


- I know I’m supposed to be creeped out (or at least I assume I should be), given what’s Lia’s seeing in the house. But I’m not? Like it’s obviously strange and bizarre, and the vibes are good… but I was expecting/hoping to be more freaked out by what was happening.


- So Lia wants Raf to stay (I get it, he’s the LI). But where the hell is Ali in all of this? I don’t understand why these three keep separating from each other in this weird house.


- Hooray, we found Avery already (ch15). Oop never mind, she ran away.

- I’m 65% through this book (at the start chapter 17), and I still feel like this book has no solid plot. Like yes, Lia was hoping to find Ali… which she did, and then she let her leave her sight multiple times. And then Lia says she stayed because she got a glimpse of (who she believed to be) Avery… but then doesn’t really do anything about that? Like every time Lia sees Avery, Avery takes off and runs away. And so, while I understand Lia wanting to stay and try to get her oldest sister back, she’s not really making any true effort—like, the house is just affecting her, and she’s just letting it. Like, once Lia got into the house, her agency vanished.


- The lore about the Red Lake—how it was created from drowning a town—was really interesting. I wish we got more about that in the book!

- I really love the lore about the Briar family too! That’s very compelling!


- “I think we’ve been haunting ourselves.” Huh, that was an interesting twist I wasn’t expecting. I thought it would be a darker force causing this chaos, especially given the drowned town that connects to the Briar family.


- Okay I know we’re in a time loop, but how did Lia know exactly what to do? How did she know that she needed to go into her mother’s office and scare her, like the night they left? How did she know she was the one who haunted her past selves (even just as opposed to it having been Ali or Raf)??


- Well, I’m glad they found Avery with an hour left of the book. I’m curious to know how or why all three sisters ending up in this weird no-mans-land place.

- How the heck did Rafferdy managed to randomly appear, on the sea, in some boat? How???? It’s so random!!

- I respect Lia for sacrificing herself so her sisters can escape though. But it only lasted a second, so…yay, I guess.

- Wait so…Lia seeing the underwater town was cool. But I thought the Briar family escaped from the drowned town…so why was she seeing it?

- Wait, Rafferdy didn’t even hear her…he just “knew”??? Oh c’mon!!!

- Okay but…clearly that house wanted a sister (Lia) to stay. So why did the house just let them leave? And close the gate and shut off the lights? Like I know Lia secretly still feels a pull to the place but like…this ending felt way too easy, and not earned at all.

- I mean, I’m glad Rafferdy and Lia had their first kiss. But I’m still annoyed that the ending (not that I wanted the sisters to not escape…but it just felt too convenient and easy).

- I would’ve liked to see their mother’s reunion with Avery, and what that was like, as I don’t feel like we really got to see Avery’s relationship with their mother through the flashbacks.

- Okay so… I can appreciate that at the very end, Lia is still feeling a secret pull to the house. And Briar says that it let the sisters go, but it knows that Lia will be back and it’ll be waiting—I like the spookiness of it, and I think it opens up space for potentially another book in this world. But I still don’t like how easy the ending was, that the house just let them leave. Especially because, as of writing this, there doesn’t seem to be any plans for a sequel. So this reads more like an open ended ending than anything, and it felt like the author didn’t know how to end it so the sisters defeated the house/the curse.


- The one thing I liked about this book was that it was short and not too complicated, so I could fly through it while listening in the background. But I also feel like the plot could’ve been stronger and better executed, overall. So I don’t see this story as being memorable for me personally.

[MyNeverEndingTBRList · Rating 3 out of 5]

The narrator of this audiobook was a good choice. I enjoyed it, especially the idea of the house having a POV. But hey, 'it's just a house' right?

However, there was only a couple chapters that felt spooky for me. So if you like a little spook, but not a scary book, this is an entertaining read.

3.5 stars

[Leah Holbrook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strychacz weaves a coming-of-age, paranormal thriller in House of Thorns. The tension and conflict pay-off for the reader. The character development and voice are compelling. This story is riveting. I couldn't put it down.

[Chanali Elisabeth Elisabeth Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gothic, Compelling, Intriguing. I was hooked from chapter one to the final chapter.

[Rohanne Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book! I felt the pacing was a little off in places and didn’t LOVE the ending but I loved the writing style and the parts from the houses point of view were great. I think this book could’ve been better but I look forward to seeing what else this author writes.

[Melanie Evans · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hated the protagonists, hated the story. Barely made it through this

[Rowen H. · Rating 2 out of 5]

If Mike Flanagan's Hill House adaptation was infinitely less compelling and had zero gay people

[Nicole Austin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

"House of Thorns" by Isabel Strychacz is a captivating YA ghost story that will haunt your mind long after you turn the final page. This book definitely reminded me of “The Haunting of Hill House,” and I absolutely loved it, especially as I was trying to figure out the secrets of the house alongside the characters. Some parts of the mystery are a bit confusing as you try to figure out what’s actually going on and what’s real (just like with “The Haunting of Hill House”), but it’s all worth it in the end.

Set in the eerie halls of Brier Hall, this book follows Lia who returns to her childhood home with her sister Ali and childhood friend Rafferty in search of their missing sister, Avery. The house itself becomes a character in its own right, with its sentient nature adding layers of complexity to the story. Strychacz's storytelling is hauntingly lyrical, drawing you into a world where the line between reality and the supernatural blurs. While I wouldn’t really consider this book to be a horror story, there were definitely some creepy elements throughout.

The characters are the heart of the story, with Lia, Ali, and Rafferty forming a compelling trio whose bonds are tested by the mysteries lurking within Brier Hall. The sisterly relationships are particularly well-developed, with Strychacz capturing the depth of love and nostalgia that comes with siblinghood. The way that the relationship between Lia and Ali developed was very engaging as they came to terms with their shared trauma. I do wish there were more moments between the two of them, but the ending with their developed relationship was quite satisfying.

The romance between Lia and Rafferty adds a sweet touch to the story without overshadowing the main plot, making it a perfect read for fans of supernatural YA with a hint of romance. The romance between them was sweet (I love the childhood friends to lovers troupe) though I don’t think it was necessary. However, Strychacz made sure the main focus throughout the book was on sisterly love, which I appreciated. I did find myself craving more answers as the story unfolds, particularly regarding the mysteries surrounding Brier Hall and its dark history. The pace was pretty fast, and I really like how the book ended.

Overall, "House of Thorns" is a must-read for fans of atmospheric supernatural mystery and heartfelt storytelling. Isabel Strychacz's mastery of suspense and emotion will leave readers eagerly awaiting her next chilling tale.

[Blake Barrington · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

ARC review

I've never really been someone to read horror novels. I'm sensitive. I read something that disturbs me and I can't let it out of my mind for days.

I know this book is something I'm going to think about for a long time.

This story is spooky in all the best ways. It reminds me a lot of Rose Red by Stephen King (really creepy miniseries! I never read the book). It also gave me Oxenfree vibes, so if you've played that and loved it, I think you'll love this (and for similar reasons, both endings freaked me out); there was also a bit of What Remains of Edith Finch, with the dark family history and the ending. Brier Hall is spooky as heck and definitely on the list of fictional places I NEVER would want to visit.

The haunting and the later explanation for what's causing it (at least, on some level) is fascinating. I had a feeling about the direction it was going due to a couple of incidents after they first arrived at the hall and having it confirmed was such fun. I love when authors set up the foreshadowing so well that I can theorize about what's going on and it be true.

I really loved Lia. Her anger and grief were so well-written; she didn't feel like a "cookie cutter" type of protagonist. She was an individual. Rafferty was all right, but I didn't love him the same way that I did Lia or even her sister, Ali (and as for missing sister Avery...well, you'll have to read and find out 😉). Lia, Ali, and Avery were all so connected to the plot, while Rafferty felt a little like a tag-along. Which I suppose he was, not being a Brier or Peartree. The childhood-friends-to-lovers was cute, but was vastly overshadowed by the plot and eerie house.

There's a thing or two that's never explained in the book that I wish were, but the story itself didn't really need the answers. The story is complete...isn't it...?

Overall, I really enjoyed this story and I feel great affection for the Peatree sisters. Part of me wants to see how their lives to go on and the other part of me is too afraid of what a sequel could rain down on them. I'm so glad I got the chance to read an ARC and I can't wait for it to be out for everyone in August.

If you enjoy spooky stories, television shows like Hill House and its kind, video games like What Remains of Edith Finch and Oxenfree, or really enjoy ghost shows, I think you would very much like this!

[Diana]

\współpraca reklamowa books4ya\
Cierniowy dwór to historia na pograniczu. Z jednej strony z każdą stroną wydaje się trochę zawiła i popaprana, a z drugiej dotyka w zupełnie inny sposób utraty osoby, którą wszystko scalała. Pokazując różne oblicza żałoby. Nie spodziewałam się takiej historii.

Co znajdziecie w środku;
☾ vibe: serial Dark {Netflix}
𓆸 narrację pierwszoosobową od strony głównej bohaterki Lia oraz trzecioosobową od strony dworu;
𖠿 różne etapy żałoby oraz destrukcja w jaką popadają siostry;
𓆸 mroczny klimat który niejako przypomina pętlę czasową;
𖠿 przyjaciel z dzieciństwa który okazuje się kimś więcej;
𓆸 tajemnica pomieszana z różnymi tragediami rozegranymi we dworze;
𖠿 druga szansa?

"Cierniowy dwór kochał nas bardzo mocno. Z całej siły, podstępnie. Kochał nas tak bardzo, że nie chciał nas wypuścić".
Czasem mawia się, że stare domy mają duszę. Są na swój sposób osobliwe i unikatowe. Jednak odkąd czytam książki jeszcze nie spotkałam się z tak dziwaczną perspektywą miejsca w którym się mieszka. Początkowe rozdziały, we wspomnieniach głównej bohaterki pokazują że coś jest bardzo nie tak jednak nie do końca jesteśmy w stanie uchwycić słaby punkt albo co wywołuje taki stan rzeczy. W książce pojawia się kilka razy perspektywa samego dworu i ma to swój urok, ale z drugiej strony trochę przechodzą ciarki. Ma się wrażenie, że dwór ma wręcz obsesję na punkcie sióstr.
Chociaż książka skupia się na "zaginionej" siostrze to dwie pozostałe wcale nie jest aż tak nijakie. Każda z nich wybrała inny mechanizm obronny, a przez to widzimy różne maski jakie pokazują społeczeństwu. Ich uczucia są bardzo silne, wręcz niszczycielskie. Mimo to wydaje się, że cierniowy dwór to główny bohater. A zagadka jego istnienia to taka wisienka na torcie. Nie powiem jest trochę fizyki poplątanej z matematyką, daje to uczucie klimatu nadprzyrodzonego ale to końcówka sprawia, że fabuła pozostawia nas z różnymi emocjami.
Cierniowy dwór to poniekąd unikatowa książka. Zakończenie sprawia, że wiele wydarzeń staje się wątpliwymi i aż ma się ochotę przeczytać niektóre fragmenty jeszcze raz. Spotkałam się już z perspektywami osób, ale rzeczy "martwych" pierwszy raz. Ciężko o niej zapomnieć, ale też się w niej nie pogubić.