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The Cabin on Souder Hill
Michelle and Cliff Stage bought their isolated vacation cabin in the mountains of North Carolina with hopes of repairing their eighteen-year marriage. But when Cliff disappears one night searching for the source of a mysterious light in the woods, Michelle's life will change in unimaginable ways. After the sheriff's department fails to find him, Michelle scrambles down the same dark mountainside alone, the strange, beckoning light her only guide.
What she discovers is a cabin, identical to theirs, housing a life she barely recognizes--and a husband she hardly knows. Cliff is a changed man. Now caring and considerate, no longer a manipulative womanizer, he is also missing a finger. He claims that Cassie, their teenage daughter, is dead, killed in a car accident over a year ago. Michelle knows that's not possible--Cassie had phoned her from Atlanta only hours before. Even when shown Cassie's grave, Michelle refuses to accept she's gone.
Michelle wants her daughter and her life back, and the only clue to what has happened is a man named Pink. A real estate agent and the man who years earlier built Michelle and Cliff's cabin, Pink was rumored to have killed his wife and buried her on the property then vanished never to be seen again. But in Michelle's new reality, Pink and his wife still reside in town and Pink's smile-splashed billboards are everywhere. To get back to the world where her daughter exists, Michelle must unravel the mystery of Pink while questioning her very reality--and her sanity. Haunting, atmospheric, and deeply thought-provoking, The Cabin on Souder Hill questions the very nature of our existence and the choices we make to form it.
What she discovers is a cabin, identical to theirs, housing a life she barely recognizes--and a husband she hardly knows. Cliff is a changed man. Now caring and considerate, no longer a manipulative womanizer, he is also missing a finger. He claims that Cassie, their teenage daughter, is dead, killed in a car accident over a year ago. Michelle knows that's not possible--Cassie had phoned her from Atlanta only hours before. Even when shown Cassie's grave, Michelle refuses to accept she's gone.
Michelle wants her daughter and her life back, and the only clue to what has happened is a man named Pink. A real estate agent and the man who years earlier built Michelle and Cliff's cabin, Pink was rumored to have killed his wife and buried her on the property then vanished never to be seen again. But in Michelle's new reality, Pink and his wife still reside in town and Pink's smile-splashed billboards are everywhere. To get back to the world where her daughter exists, Michelle must unravel the mystery of Pink while questioning her very reality--and her sanity. Haunting, atmospheric, and deeply thought-provoking, The Cabin on Souder Hill questions the very nature of our existence and the choices we make to form it.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published September 29, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 211 reviews
April 2, 2020
That was fun. And weird. Very weird.
I'm not even sure how to explain this one and I don't want to give anything away. Read the synopsis and if that intrigues you then I urge you to give this a try.
This book has witchcraft. This book has incestuous relationships. This book is surprisingly very humorous when you consider the other two things. Don't ask me how Lonnie Busch manages to pull this off but pull it off he does. I was giggling the entire time. Pink, our lecherous real estate agent, should have been someone I detested but he was so damn endearing. And funny, so funny. He's kind of like a perv with a heart of gold, if that makes any sense. I have never met a character quite like him.
All in all this book was a winner for me but I just wouldn't be me if I didn't complain about something so here goes: The adjective Queer. For the love of all that is holy stop using that adjective.
The first few times the adjective was used I ignored it. No biggie, right? After what must have been the 5th time I took note of every mention:
1. "the queer mound"
2. "queer sitting position"
3. "queer and troublesome"
4. "queer appearance"
5. "queer crease"
6. "queer otherworldliness"
7. "queer tingle"
8. "queer ramblings"
9. "acting queer"
10. "fled the queer"
11. "queer iridescent colors"
12."queerly rough"
13. "how queer it felt"
14. "it was...queer"
You get my drift?!
Still with my complaint aside I enjoyed the heck out of this one. 4 stars!
Thank you to Edelweiss and Blackstone Publishing for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This sounds so strange and mysterious and like everything I could ever ask for in a book! 😍
I'm not even sure how to explain this one and I don't want to give anything away. Read the synopsis and if that intrigues you then I urge you to give this a try.
This book has witchcraft. This book has incestuous relationships. This book is surprisingly very humorous when you consider the other two things. Don't ask me how Lonnie Busch manages to pull this off but pull it off he does. I was giggling the entire time. Pink, our lecherous real estate agent, should have been someone I detested but he was so damn endearing. And funny, so funny. He's kind of like a perv with a heart of gold, if that makes any sense. I have never met a character quite like him.
All in all this book was a winner for me but I just wouldn't be me if I didn't complain about something so here goes: The adjective Queer. For the love of all that is holy stop using that adjective.
The first few times the adjective was used I ignored it. No biggie, right? After what must have been the 5th time I took note of every mention:
1. "the queer mound"
2. "queer sitting position"
3. "queer and troublesome"
4. "queer appearance"
5. "queer crease"
6. "queer otherworldliness"
7. "queer tingle"
8. "queer ramblings"
9. "acting queer"
10. "fled the queer"
11. "queer iridescent colors"
12."queerly rough"
13. "how queer it felt"
14. "it was...queer"
You get my drift?!
Still with my complaint aside I enjoyed the heck out of this one. 4 stars!
Thank you to Edelweiss and Blackstone Publishing for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This sounds so strange and mysterious and like everything I could ever ask for in a book! 😍
September 28, 2021
The Cabin on Souder Hill is not a suspense thriller novel, nor is it a horror novel. This book is more of a supernatural thriller. If you're looking for a story with supernatural elements and weird twists, then this book may interest you. The book starts solidly but soon it goes off in too many directions which were more confusing rather than thrilling.
Michelle and Cliff Stage have bought their isolated vacation cabin in the mountains of North Carolina with hopes of repairing their eighteen-year marriage. But when Cliff disappears one night searching for the source of a mysterious light in the woods, Michelle's life will change in unimaginable ways. After the sheriff's department fails to find him, Michelle scrambles down the same dark mountainside alone, the strange, beckoning light her only guide.
What she discovers is a cabin, identical to theirs, housing a life she barely recognizes--and a husband she hardly knows. Cliff is a changed man, their teenage daughter, is dead, killed in a car accident over a year ago. Michelle wants her daughter and her life back and to get back to the world where her daughter exists, Michelle must unravel the mystery of the Cabin on Souder Hill.
The story starts solidly and I assumed the focus would be more on multiple timelines and alternate universes, but past the halfway point, the plot got really complicated with witches, incest, murder & more weird happenings. If you are looking for a logical explanation by the end of this whole mess, the story does not provide much. The first half of the book was good but the story went really downhill from there.
The characters were irritating and so I didn't care for many of them. Some parts of the story were narrated from other characters’ perspectives but none of them really went anywhere and were pointless in the end.
Overall, The Cabin on Souder Hill is an interesting read if you are looking for a mind-bending speculative mystery. However, this book was just too confusing and left many mysteries unresolved. There were just too many things going on without any real resolution in the end. The story had immense potential the way it started but in the end, it leaves you with more questions than answers.
Many thanks to the publishers HarperCollins and Edelweiss for the ARC.
April 9, 2020
2.75/3
Michelle and Cliff purchased their cabin in the woods hoping to repair their crumbling marriage. But one night, Cliff disappears after seeing lights in the woods, and Michelle's life will never be the same. When the Sheriff can't locate Cliff, Michelle decides to go looking and finds a cabin in the woods - identical to theirs and her husband is there but he is missing a finger and tells her their daughter is dead. She thinks he has lost his mind.... or has she lost her mind? Or could there possibly something else entirely going on?
Woods, witchcraft, cabins, real estate, marriage, incest......
This is most likely one of the strangest books I have read - EVER! Seriously, half the time I was reading it, I didn't know what to make of it, let alone could decide if I even liked it. But then slightly before the end, things became interesting and made sense.
Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and Edelweiss for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Michelle and Cliff purchased their cabin in the woods hoping to repair their crumbling marriage. But one night, Cliff disappears after seeing lights in the woods, and Michelle's life will never be the same. When the Sheriff can't locate Cliff, Michelle decides to go looking and finds a cabin in the woods - identical to theirs and her husband is there but he is missing a finger and tells her their daughter is dead. She thinks he has lost his mind.... or has she lost her mind? Or could there possibly something else entirely going on?
Woods, witchcraft, cabins, real estate, marriage, incest......
This is most likely one of the strangest books I have read - EVER! Seriously, half the time I was reading it, I didn't know what to make of it, let alone could decide if I even liked it. But then slightly before the end, things became interesting and made sense.
Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and Edelweiss for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
April 23, 2020
DEPRESSING WITH AN EXTRA SIDE OF WEIRD
This review has been difficult for me to start writing. My thoughts are jumbled just like the book. So bear with me and I apologize if the review is not very concise.
I'll just start with the basic premise:
Husband & wife are at a cabin for weekend trying to repair marriage. Husband sees light in woods, goes down the hill to inspect, doesn't return. Wife then follows after in search of him. She is certain she went downhill but somehow ends up back at her cabin. Where she finds her husband inside, claiming she is the one who has been missing. She realizes that all is not right. While everything appears to be the same, and the man looks like her husband, nothing and no one is as she remembers them. Not all her memories exist anymore. The big change being, that this husband is telling her that her daughter died a year ago, where as just before she climbed down that hill she was on the phone talking to her daughter. This at face value, is a story of multi-dimensions and what it takes for the woman to find her way back to her daughter, if that world still exists.
This is not a suspense thriller novel, nor is it a horror novel. It's a literary atmospheric drama. The book is meant to be thought provoking. With the existence of multiple dimensions, and the rippling effects one bad decision can have on that person and everyone else near them. Also, it dives into questioning whether you can truly escape bad decisions and start over in another "place" or "dimension".
Unfortunately, I felt zero provoked or thoughtful to any of those ideas while reading. The plot simply wasn't good enough, nor the writing to capture these thoughtful elements. I felt mostly depressed, that no matter how you looked at the situations, there was always someone going to get hurt or their life ruined. There was no happy ending to be had, which made it hard to want to keep reading. There were also sub-plots that were presented but then they fell by the wayside, such as the couples marriage. No real resolutions of any kind. I think another reason this was doomed from the start is because the original "bad decision" is so awful that no one would ever think you could ever make that right as it involves incest (not a spoiler). Incest kind of shuts down my thought provoking brain cells. I already know that's going to ruin everyone's lives no matter what dimension you're living in.
Overall, it feels like everyone is doomed from the beginning and I felt sad and depressed reading this. There were a few lighter moments, in particular, one character that really grew on you, but then the author squashed that light as well. Unfortunately, I believe the author was not successful at creating a cohesive story line nor producing a deep thought provoking read. Therefore I would not recommend this book.
*Thank you to Blackstone Publishing via Edelweiss and NetGalley for access to the digital review copy
This review has been difficult for me to start writing. My thoughts are jumbled just like the book. So bear with me and I apologize if the review is not very concise.
I'll just start with the basic premise:
Husband & wife are at a cabin for weekend trying to repair marriage. Husband sees light in woods, goes down the hill to inspect, doesn't return. Wife then follows after in search of him. She is certain she went downhill but somehow ends up back at her cabin. Where she finds her husband inside, claiming she is the one who has been missing. She realizes that all is not right. While everything appears to be the same, and the man looks like her husband, nothing and no one is as she remembers them. Not all her memories exist anymore. The big change being, that this husband is telling her that her daughter died a year ago, where as just before she climbed down that hill she was on the phone talking to her daughter. This at face value, is a story of multi-dimensions and what it takes for the woman to find her way back to her daughter, if that world still exists.
This is not a suspense thriller novel, nor is it a horror novel. It's a literary atmospheric drama. The book is meant to be thought provoking. With the existence of multiple dimensions, and the rippling effects one bad decision can have on that person and everyone else near them. Also, it dives into questioning whether you can truly escape bad decisions and start over in another "place" or "dimension".
Unfortunately, I felt zero provoked or thoughtful to any of those ideas while reading. The plot simply wasn't good enough, nor the writing to capture these thoughtful elements. I felt mostly depressed, that no matter how you looked at the situations, there was always someone going to get hurt or their life ruined. There was no happy ending to be had, which made it hard to want to keep reading. There were also sub-plots that were presented but then they fell by the wayside, such as the couples marriage. No real resolutions of any kind. I think another reason this was doomed from the start is because the original "bad decision" is so awful that no one would ever think you could ever make that right as it involves incest (not a spoiler). Incest kind of shuts down my thought provoking brain cells. I already know that's going to ruin everyone's lives no matter what dimension you're living in.
Overall, it feels like everyone is doomed from the beginning and I felt sad and depressed reading this. There were a few lighter moments, in particular, one character that really grew on you, but then the author squashed that light as well. Unfortunately, I believe the author was not successful at creating a cohesive story line nor producing a deep thought provoking read. Therefore I would not recommend this book.
*Thank you to Blackstone Publishing via Edelweiss and NetGalley for access to the digital review copy
June 28, 2020
I appreciate what this book was trying to do, but it just fell flat for me. Initially I was intrigued by the premise, and after reading multiple reviews, I assumed the focus would be more on multiple timelines and alternate universes, but it was really just an inaccurate focus on Wiccan culture and shock value. Surprisingly, for a book with witchcraft, incest, and all around bizarre confusing behavior, this book felt... not as dark and suspenseful as I imagined? Overall, I'm just not the right reader for The Cabin on Souder Hill, but I do hope those who would enjoy this story cross paths with it.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
April 21, 2020
I wish to thank NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the early opportunity to read The Cabin on Souder Hill in return for an honest review. I regret to say that I struggled with the book. I believe that many readers may enjoy it and should not be deterred by my misgivings.
At first, I believed I was reading your typical psychological/domestic mystery which centred on the troubled marriage of Michelle and Cliff. Was Michelle undergoing a psychotic episode or neurological damage from a forgotten injury? Could she be the victim of a conspiracy to make her doubt past memories and present reality? Was she an unreliable narrator? Then came suggestions and hints of the supernatural, witchcraft, time travel and alternate realities. Next Pink and his unsavoury family are introduced with Pink’s very different reputation past and future. He seems to be the key to solve the mystery.
I felt the book went off in too many directions with themes I enjoy separately. I was feeling bewilderment rather than suspense. It was a book I can't easily fit into any category.
That being said, it is just my personal opinion. I feel that others may be enthralled by this puzzling tale.
At first, I believed I was reading your typical psychological/domestic mystery which centred on the troubled marriage of Michelle and Cliff. Was Michelle undergoing a psychotic episode or neurological damage from a forgotten injury? Could she be the victim of a conspiracy to make her doubt past memories and present reality? Was she an unreliable narrator? Then came suggestions and hints of the supernatural, witchcraft, time travel and alternate realities. Next Pink and his unsavoury family are introduced with Pink’s very different reputation past and future. He seems to be the key to solve the mystery.
I felt the book went off in too many directions with themes I enjoy separately. I was feeling bewilderment rather than suspense. It was a book I can't easily fit into any category.
That being said, it is just my personal opinion. I feel that others may be enthralled by this puzzling tale.
September 30, 2020
The Cabin on Souder Hill by Lonnie Busch is a psychological thriller.
First, let me thank Edelweiss, the publisher Blackstone Publishing, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
My Synopsis: (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Cliff and Michelle Stage are staying at their cabin in the mountains, hoping to repair a rather shaky marriage. Cliff disappears one night, while searching for the source of a strange light. Michelle calls in the sheriff, but they have no luck finding her missing husband. He does tell her about Pink Souder, the man who had built her cabin. Apparently, he too had disappeared, but everyone assumes he killed his wife Isabelle before he left, not that they found her body. Michelle calls her daughter, but decides not to tell Cassie that her father is missing, instead allowing her daughter's happiness about being made captain of the swim team to take precedence. That night, Michelle decides to makes her own way down the mountain following the elusive light.
When she finds a cabin almost identical to hers, she also finds Cliff. But this Cliff is different, and he claims their daughter was killed in a car accident over a year ago, where he also lost his finger. When they get back to Atlanta, her sister confirms the story.
Michelle is unable to accept the changes around her. All she wants is to get her daughter back. She returns to the cabin to find answers, but there are none. She does, however find the local real estate agent Pink Souder, and apparently his wife is very much alive. Michelle's confusion is evident, and everywhere she turns brings her new surprises.
Is she losing her mind?
My Opinions:
Okay, I have no problem with multiple realities/dimensions, unreliable narrators, or supernatural phenomena, etc. I don't even mind "weird". However, this book was just confusing, went in too many directions, and left a few things unresolved.
The characters were well thought-out, and although I didn't care for many of them, I did end up feeling sorry for a number of them. The whole premise of the book showed such promise. However, the method used to convey the story, sort of destroyed it.
Now, I may be in the minority on this one, and that's okay (it won't be the first time), but it just wasn't for me. That doesn't mean I won't try the next book this author delivers.
For a more complete review of this book and others (including author information and quotations), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
First, let me thank Edelweiss, the publisher Blackstone Publishing, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
My Synopsis: (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Cliff and Michelle Stage are staying at their cabin in the mountains, hoping to repair a rather shaky marriage. Cliff disappears one night, while searching for the source of a strange light. Michelle calls in the sheriff, but they have no luck finding her missing husband. He does tell her about Pink Souder, the man who had built her cabin. Apparently, he too had disappeared, but everyone assumes he killed his wife Isabelle before he left, not that they found her body. Michelle calls her daughter, but decides not to tell Cassie that her father is missing, instead allowing her daughter's happiness about being made captain of the swim team to take precedence. That night, Michelle decides to makes her own way down the mountain following the elusive light.
When she finds a cabin almost identical to hers, she also finds Cliff. But this Cliff is different, and he claims their daughter was killed in a car accident over a year ago, where he also lost his finger. When they get back to Atlanta, her sister confirms the story.
Michelle is unable to accept the changes around her. All she wants is to get her daughter back. She returns to the cabin to find answers, but there are none. She does, however find the local real estate agent Pink Souder, and apparently his wife is very much alive. Michelle's confusion is evident, and everywhere she turns brings her new surprises.
Is she losing her mind?
My Opinions:
Okay, I have no problem with multiple realities/dimensions, unreliable narrators, or supernatural phenomena, etc. I don't even mind "weird". However, this book was just confusing, went in too many directions, and left a few things unresolved.
The characters were well thought-out, and although I didn't care for many of them, I did end up feeling sorry for a number of them. The whole premise of the book showed such promise. However, the method used to convey the story, sort of destroyed it.
Now, I may be in the minority on this one, and that's okay (it won't be the first time), but it just wasn't for me. That doesn't mean I won't try the next book this author delivers.
For a more complete review of this book and others (including author information and quotations), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
December 19, 2022
From what I had briefly read about this book, I prepared myself to suspend reality when I commenced listening. I was intrigued at first, but later in the book, I became increasingly confused, then felt rather sickened by a big revelation...I did persevere, however, having felt rather warm towards one character, which surprised me!
November 9, 2020
3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2020/11/08/...
The Cabin on Souder Hill was a weird book, but in a good way—for the most part. I’m just glad that I came prepared for some of that strangeness, otherwise I probably would have been more nonplussed, because not gonna lie, this one was a very different kind of mystery.
At the heart of this story are Michelle and Cliff Stage, a married couple whose eighteen-year marriage is now on the rocks. Trying to repair the relationship after finding out her husband has been unfaithful has been hard, but Michelle is hoping that spending time together—just the two of them, without their teenage daughter Cassie—will do the trick. Hence, their new vacation cabin in the isolated mountains of North Carolina. One freezing night though, Cliff notices a mysterious light in the woods, and goes out to investigate. When he fails to return hours lately, a frantic Michelle contacts the sheriff’s department about his disappearance but gets no help. She decides to take matters into her own hands, venturing out into the woods to search for Cliff on her own. However, when those efforts eventually come to naught, Michelle staggers back to the cabin, worried and exhausted, only to come home to a reality she doesn’t recognize.
For one thing, Cliff is there to greet her with relief, claiming that she had been the one who was missing. He had contacted the sheriff, who now stands in their home, having no memory of speaking to her earlier about Cliff’s disappearance. To Michelle’s astonishment, her husband is also a changed man. No longer the brash and controlling brute who had cheated on her, he has become gentler and more sensitive. And he is missing a finger. When pressed on it though, Cliff is reluctant to explain, thinking that shock and exposure had affected her memory. Panicked with confusion, Michelle demands answers, and her whole world is shattered when he finally explains that he been in a car accident over a year ago—an accident that also killed their daughter.
Deep down, Michelle knows that can’t be true. She had just spoken to Cassie on the phone earlier that day. But apparently there had been a funeral, and Michelle is even shown the grave. Still, she refuses to accept that Cassie is gone, or that this is even her world. Michelle knows that it must have something to do with what happened to her in the woods that night. Returning to mountains, she seeks out the help of realtor Pink Souder (who had supposedly built their cabin), as well as his family of Wiccan practitioners who may hold the key to the mystery of their shifting realities.
I’ve tried to keep it as straightforward as possible, but this is a tale that grows more twisted and complicated by the second. I’ll tell you right now, if you are looking for a logical explanation by the end of this whole mess, you’re not going to get it. The first half of the book was easy enough to understand at least, but past the halfway point, the plot really turns into a quagmire which takes some effort to follow.
In spite of that though, I had quite a bit of fun with this one. The element of magic and Wicca was a welcome addition to the story, even if it didn’t feature as prominently as I expected. The mystery was what really mattered, with Michelle’s terrifying situation carrying most of the momentum, though we also had sections where other characters’ perspectives took over. One of these belongs to Pink, though by the end of the book, I couldn’t help but wonder just how relevant these other POVs were. Not going to spoil anything here, of course, but it really didn’t take long to figure out how everything would go down—even if you didn’t know the details, you could determine the mood. There was a sense of futility and hopelessness to it all, and ironically, accepting that was what ultimately made it easier to let go and simply let the story take me where it wanted.
Again, sorry for being vague, but The Cabin on Souder Hill was just a very odd book. It’s not going to be everyone’s cup of tea, but there’s no question that it’s an interesting read if you’re in the mood for a weird journey or are into mind-bending speculative mysteries.
Audiobook Comments: The Cabin on Souder Hill is the kind of audiobook that could have used multiple narrators to make it a more immersive, but Sarah Mollo-Christensen carried a great performance, nonetheless. Her portrayal of Michelle was incredible, where she was able to convey the full range of thoughts and emotions going through the character’s mind as she lived through her ordeal. It was a good listen overall.
The Cabin on Souder Hill was a weird book, but in a good way—for the most part. I’m just glad that I came prepared for some of that strangeness, otherwise I probably would have been more nonplussed, because not gonna lie, this one was a very different kind of mystery.
At the heart of this story are Michelle and Cliff Stage, a married couple whose eighteen-year marriage is now on the rocks. Trying to repair the relationship after finding out her husband has been unfaithful has been hard, but Michelle is hoping that spending time together—just the two of them, without their teenage daughter Cassie—will do the trick. Hence, their new vacation cabin in the isolated mountains of North Carolina. One freezing night though, Cliff notices a mysterious light in the woods, and goes out to investigate. When he fails to return hours lately, a frantic Michelle contacts the sheriff’s department about his disappearance but gets no help. She decides to take matters into her own hands, venturing out into the woods to search for Cliff on her own. However, when those efforts eventually come to naught, Michelle staggers back to the cabin, worried and exhausted, only to come home to a reality she doesn’t recognize.
For one thing, Cliff is there to greet her with relief, claiming that she had been the one who was missing. He had contacted the sheriff, who now stands in their home, having no memory of speaking to her earlier about Cliff’s disappearance. To Michelle’s astonishment, her husband is also a changed man. No longer the brash and controlling brute who had cheated on her, he has become gentler and more sensitive. And he is missing a finger. When pressed on it though, Cliff is reluctant to explain, thinking that shock and exposure had affected her memory. Panicked with confusion, Michelle demands answers, and her whole world is shattered when he finally explains that he been in a car accident over a year ago—an accident that also killed their daughter.
Deep down, Michelle knows that can’t be true. She had just spoken to Cassie on the phone earlier that day. But apparently there had been a funeral, and Michelle is even shown the grave. Still, she refuses to accept that Cassie is gone, or that this is even her world. Michelle knows that it must have something to do with what happened to her in the woods that night. Returning to mountains, she seeks out the help of realtor Pink Souder (who had supposedly built their cabin), as well as his family of Wiccan practitioners who may hold the key to the mystery of their shifting realities.
I’ve tried to keep it as straightforward as possible, but this is a tale that grows more twisted and complicated by the second. I’ll tell you right now, if you are looking for a logical explanation by the end of this whole mess, you’re not going to get it. The first half of the book was easy enough to understand at least, but past the halfway point, the plot really turns into a quagmire which takes some effort to follow.
In spite of that though, I had quite a bit of fun with this one. The element of magic and Wicca was a welcome addition to the story, even if it didn’t feature as prominently as I expected. The mystery was what really mattered, with Michelle’s terrifying situation carrying most of the momentum, though we also had sections where other characters’ perspectives took over. One of these belongs to Pink, though by the end of the book, I couldn’t help but wonder just how relevant these other POVs were. Not going to spoil anything here, of course, but it really didn’t take long to figure out how everything would go down—even if you didn’t know the details, you could determine the mood. There was a sense of futility and hopelessness to it all, and ironically, accepting that was what ultimately made it easier to let go and simply let the story take me where it wanted.
Again, sorry for being vague, but The Cabin on Souder Hill was just a very odd book. It’s not going to be everyone’s cup of tea, but there’s no question that it’s an interesting read if you’re in the mood for a weird journey or are into mind-bending speculative mysteries.
Audiobook Comments: The Cabin on Souder Hill is the kind of audiobook that could have used multiple narrators to make it a more immersive, but Sarah Mollo-Christensen carried a great performance, nonetheless. Her portrayal of Michelle was incredible, where she was able to convey the full range of thoughts and emotions going through the character’s mind as she lived through her ordeal. It was a good listen overall.
January 4, 2021
I loved this book. It brought me back to the days of Twin Peaks with its interesting characters and twisted circumstances. Mixed with a bit of dark sci-fi, witchcraft and David Lynchian weirdness, The Cabin on Souder Hill is a total winner. I couldn't break away from this novel.
5 Stars *****
5 Stars *****
September 28, 2020
Y’all I really wanted to like this book but it was just a ★★★ for me. I only give ★ and ★★ ratings if I DNF a book and I did finish this book. The concept is really great, and I enjoyed the premise but it felt sooooo long, and it’s only 300pages!
Michelle stumbles into an alternative realty, after going searching for her husband who goes missing at their cabin on Souder hill. In this alternative reality, she learns about witches and that the original owner of her cabin, is still alive and well. This new reality is close enough to the Michelle’s reality, that it was sometimes hard to keep track of which reality things needed to be in. Utilmately this is a story of the efforts one women makes to get back to her reality but also to understand what is really ‘real’ around her.
Marked down as a thriller/ mystery, this book fell more under supernatural for me. It was 1/3 mystery, 1/3 witchy, and 1/3 trying to be horror story. The main theme of the book though really threw this into the supernatural realm and genre. The multiple dimensional aspect also could put this book under a sci-fi genre as well. This book is a bit all over the place and just placing it in a genre really reinforces that.
While I loved the original concept and plot behind the story, I honestly was a bit bored and found it hard to get through the story. I think there were just too many things going on without a solid execution. I hoped the ending would save it for me but atlas, I still don’t feel that any real resolution was achieved. I appreciated what the book was trying to do but the story fell flat for me.
I hope you enjoyed my thoughts on The Cabin on Souder Hill. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my instagram @speakingof_books. This book comes out September 29th, big thanks to Blackstone Publishing for my Advanced Copy.
Michelle stumbles into an alternative realty, after going searching for her husband who goes missing at their cabin on Souder hill. In this alternative reality, she learns about witches and that the original owner of her cabin, is still alive and well. This new reality is close enough to the Michelle’s reality, that it was sometimes hard to keep track of which reality things needed to be in. Utilmately this is a story of the efforts one women makes to get back to her reality but also to understand what is really ‘real’ around her.
Marked down as a thriller/ mystery, this book fell more under supernatural for me. It was 1/3 mystery, 1/3 witchy, and 1/3 trying to be horror story. The main theme of the book though really threw this into the supernatural realm and genre. The multiple dimensional aspect also could put this book under a sci-fi genre as well. This book is a bit all over the place and just placing it in a genre really reinforces that.
While I loved the original concept and plot behind the story, I honestly was a bit bored and found it hard to get through the story. I think there were just too many things going on without a solid execution. I hoped the ending would save it for me but atlas, I still don’t feel that any real resolution was achieved. I appreciated what the book was trying to do but the story fell flat for me.
I hope you enjoyed my thoughts on The Cabin on Souder Hill. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my instagram @speakingof_books. This book comes out September 29th, big thanks to Blackstone Publishing for my Advanced Copy.
August 21, 2022
so this is a fun thriller with fantabulism,; i would have given it a 4.5 star but i couldn't get past the author's use of the word "queer." it seemed like EVERY time something could be described as ~strange in the novel, they used "queer." it was even used twice a paragraph at one point. it was used quite often even when any other word could have been used and it just really stood out and was uncomfortable... it's when it had gotten to the point where i'd counted at least ten instances that it totally killed the book for me. i just don't understand why it got past edits lol
April 11, 2022
I have little to add to the very cogent reviews here, except to say that I was disappointed that this book had such a rotten core. The long-held secrets about Pink and his wife and sister-in-law were stomach-churning. As to Michelle, I completely understood her intense drive to hold on to her daughter at any cost. I found the book difficult to read - too many sub-plots, too many questions unanswered, too much inaccuracy about Wicca. Definitely not the book for me!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 22, 2023
The first half of the book was actually rlly good. Nothing made sense, but that's kind of the point. But in the other half, the author kinda lost me with the incest and the witches thing. Still a good book tho.
September 16, 2020
Thank you NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book screamed “The Shack” from me. I think there was so much potential but the book did not deliver. I never felt connected to the characters because there was no substance to their backstories. This book could have had a really in-depth conversation about loss, acceptance, and forgiveness but everything was just swept under the rug.
Overall I felt the book was okay. I would probably pass on recommending it to friends.
This book screamed “The Shack” from me. I think there was so much potential but the book did not deliver. I never felt connected to the characters because there was no substance to their backstories. This book could have had a really in-depth conversation about loss, acceptance, and forgiveness but everything was just swept under the rug.
Overall I felt the book was okay. I would probably pass on recommending it to friends.
dnf
June 19, 2021I had such high hopes for this book, I wanted a captivating mystery with a paranormal edge and The Cabin on Souder Hill seemed like it fit my requirements. That wasn’t the case. I ended up DNFing this book after about 50%, I had just lost all interest. The story wasn’t holding my attention and I didn’t feel invested in any of the characters.
Maybe it was the pacing, it was too slow and meandering to be considered exciting and nail-biting, which, I don’t mind if instead the story builds up slowly, ramping up the tension and atmosphere as it goes. But The Cabin on Souder Hill didn’t do that either. It just plodded along leaving me in its wake with absolutely no interest in seeing where it was meandering off to.
I can see how some readers may enjoy this slower paced style, with its cast of odd, not quite likable characters. I had almost a Twin Peaks style quirkiness to it, which normally I would appreciate, but in this case it just wasn’t doing it for me.
Maybe it was the pacing, it was too slow and meandering to be considered exciting and nail-biting, which, I don’t mind if instead the story builds up slowly, ramping up the tension and atmosphere as it goes. But The Cabin on Souder Hill didn’t do that either. It just plodded along leaving me in its wake with absolutely no interest in seeing where it was meandering off to.
I can see how some readers may enjoy this slower paced style, with its cast of odd, not quite likable characters. I had almost a Twin Peaks style quirkiness to it, which normally I would appreciate, but in this case it just wasn’t doing it for me.
April 29, 2020
This book started off atmospheric and creepy and then just got straight up weird and annoying. I got up to 70% before deciding to set this aside.
It's not a thriller or a horror, but more of a suspense/drama with some light supernatural cliché elements. As a former Wiccan the witch and Wiccan parts were super frustrating to read. I know this is fiction, but geeeez way to completely not research anything and stick to misconceptions.
There's a heavy dose of fat phobia throughout the whole book around one character that wasn't necessary and was just gross. This dude also goes on for pages about women's nipples and it added nothing to the story.🙄
TRIGGER WARNINGS FOR: incest, suicide, misandry and fat phobia.
It's not a thriller or a horror, but more of a suspense/drama with some light supernatural cliché elements. As a former Wiccan the witch and Wiccan parts were super frustrating to read. I know this is fiction, but geeeez way to completely not research anything and stick to misconceptions.
There's a heavy dose of fat phobia throughout the whole book around one character that wasn't necessary and was just gross. This dude also goes on for pages about women's nipples and it added nothing to the story.🙄
TRIGGER WARNINGS FOR: incest, suicide, misandry and fat phobia.
August 6, 2023
another free Audible I found and it didn’t disappoint! I can see why some people wouldn’t like it or find it weird. I love weird books that make me question everything. It was funny, it was a little sad, and everything between
May 27, 2022
The plot was too disjointed and didn't really go anywhere for about 80% of the book. The last 20% was the best part.
September 28, 2023
An unlikeable book filled with thoroughly unlikeable characters.
November 22, 2022
I didn't care for the witchcraft twist. If one more person asked what's going on one more time! smh The incest between Pink (what kind of name is this?), his wife and sister-in-law was a little too much for me. The author needed a thesaurus. The word 'queer' was overused. Strange, puzzling, odd or disquieting would've sufficed. I only gave this book one star because zero wasn't an option. No thank you.
January 27, 2022
One heck of a Roller-coaster ride
I loved almost everything about this book.
However, I personally wasnt happy with the ending, but thats just my preference. It was left so open and that keeps me wondering.
It was still a thrilling ride from beginning to ending.
I loved almost everything about this book.
However, I personally wasnt happy with the ending, but thats just my preference. It was left so open and that keeps me wondering.
It was still a thrilling ride from beginning to ending.
September 17, 2020
Disclosure: I was provided an ARC of this novel in exchange for my review, however all opinions are my own.
How would I described this book? Weird? Creepy? One of the most bizarre books I've had the chance to read this year. Is this bad? Not totally. This is one of those books that digs under your skin, begs for you to continue when you get to the end of the chapter, because the strange goings on just beg for you to find out what's behind them.
Usually I start with what I did like the book and then move onto what I didn't. But this time I'm switching that. There are a lot of really out there unsavory moments that just made me cringe when I read this book. They made me want to put it down, to not finish. I really didn't like Michelle that much even though I feel like the point of it was to feel badly for her. In a lot of ways she just drove me ever so slightly crazy and I didn't care enough about her to want to continue.
Oddly, the savoir or this book, for me, was Pink Souder. If you read this book you'll see why this is a weird choice for me. But by the end I actually felt incredibly sad for him, wanted more for him. He story is what really pulled me into, kept me going. I think a lot of this book is spent with women trying to control Pink and Pink trying to make his way through however he knew how. He is far from a perfect character but towards the end I just wanted something different for him.
I'm not sure what to say about this book I wasn't even sure how to rate it. I guess if you're up for something strange, check it out. But be prepared: it's not what you think.
How would I described this book? Weird? Creepy? One of the most bizarre books I've had the chance to read this year. Is this bad? Not totally. This is one of those books that digs under your skin, begs for you to continue when you get to the end of the chapter, because the strange goings on just beg for you to find out what's behind them.
Usually I start with what I did like the book and then move onto what I didn't. But this time I'm switching that. There are a lot of really out there unsavory moments that just made me cringe when I read this book. They made me want to put it down, to not finish. I really didn't like Michelle that much even though I feel like the point of it was to feel badly for her. In a lot of ways she just drove me ever so slightly crazy and I didn't care enough about her to want to continue.
Oddly, the savoir or this book, for me, was Pink Souder. If you read this book you'll see why this is a weird choice for me. But by the end I actually felt incredibly sad for him, wanted more for him. He story is what really pulled me into, kept me going. I think a lot of this book is spent with women trying to control Pink and Pink trying to make his way through however he knew how. He is far from a perfect character but towards the end I just wanted something different for him.
I'm not sure what to say about this book I wasn't even sure how to rate it. I guess if you're up for something strange, check it out. But be prepared: it's not what you think.
September 29, 2020
Happy pub today to this thriller/mystery from @blackstonepublishing. Michelle and her husband, Cliff, are trying to repair their relationship by spending a “romantic” weekend away at their cabin in Souder Hill. Late the first night of their trip, Cliff becomes fascinated with a light down the hill. He’s convinced that there weren’t supposed to be any other dwellings around and takes off to investigate. When Michelle wakes up the next morning, Cliff is missing. After a day of searching with the police, Michelle returns to the cabin the next night and sees the lights herself. She stumbles across another cabin and finds Cliff but soon realizes this is not the same man that she came to Souder Hill with, even though he looks the same.
This novel started out promising. The beginning gives off creepy vibes that got me interested but this was just A LOT packed into this story. Witches, incest, murder, alternate realities & more! The characters were irritating and vulgar but simultaneously fascinating as they all seemed intent on self destruction. It was a bit too long for me and that took away from the premise that initially had me hooked. I did like Busch’s style of writing as it reflected his characters stream of consciousness, which I have always been a fan of. His writing style was what saved this from a lower rating. The ending dragged out but it did leave me feeling as though justice was served.
This novel started out promising. The beginning gives off creepy vibes that got me interested but this was just A LOT packed into this story. Witches, incest, murder, alternate realities & more! The characters were irritating and vulgar but simultaneously fascinating as they all seemed intent on self destruction. It was a bit too long for me and that took away from the premise that initially had me hooked. I did like Busch’s style of writing as it reflected his characters stream of consciousness, which I have always been a fan of. His writing style was what saved this from a lower rating. The ending dragged out but it did leave me feeling as though justice was served.
October 5, 2020
The Cabin on Souder Hill was a really interesting read. It had some seriously spooky vibes and the whole story was a psychological rollercoaster!
I felt that the idea of the story was really good. It starts out as a missing person mystery but takes a pretty wild turn when the whole story FLIPS! I won't say too much as the twist kind of sets up the rest of the story, but let me say, I was pretty shook!
I do enjoy psychological thrillers but this one kind of fell short for a couple different reasons. First off, too much time was spent on the main characters frustration and anger. It was important to understand how the character felt but also, that left less time for actually solving the mystery and I would have rather read about that!
Second, there is a magical element to this story but it's HARDLY talked about until the end. It's hinted at throughout the whole story but nothing happens and then even when something did happen it wasn't really that amazing.
Lastly, one of the male main characters was so weirdly sexual and just the things he thought and said throughout the book seemed unnecessary to the story and was just uncomfortable. I liked his character but the sexual aspect of his story added nothing in my opinion and just took away from his story line.
I felt like this book was okay... I enjoyed parts of it and the story wrapped up well at the end which I liked. However, this book just fell flat. There was so much that could have been expanded on (like the magical elements and the mystery solving).
I would recommend this book if you like a psychological thriller/mystery that focuses a lot on character/ back story. It kept the reader in the dark throughout so you get to solve the mystery with the characters which can be fun!
I felt that the idea of the story was really good. It starts out as a missing person mystery but takes a pretty wild turn when the whole story FLIPS! I won't say too much as the twist kind of sets up the rest of the story, but let me say, I was pretty shook!
I do enjoy psychological thrillers but this one kind of fell short for a couple different reasons. First off, too much time was spent on the main characters frustration and anger. It was important to understand how the character felt but also, that left less time for actually solving the mystery and I would have rather read about that!
Second, there is a magical element to this story but it's HARDLY talked about until the end. It's hinted at throughout the whole story but nothing happens and then even when something did happen it wasn't really that amazing.
Lastly, one of the male main characters was so weirdly sexual and just the things he thought and said throughout the book seemed unnecessary to the story and was just uncomfortable. I liked his character but the sexual aspect of his story added nothing in my opinion and just took away from his story line.
I felt like this book was okay... I enjoyed parts of it and the story wrapped up well at the end which I liked. However, this book just fell flat. There was so much that could have been expanded on (like the magical elements and the mystery solving).
I would recommend this book if you like a psychological thriller/mystery that focuses a lot on character/ back story. It kept the reader in the dark throughout so you get to solve the mystery with the characters which can be fun!
August 12, 2024
The idea of this book seemed fun but nothing really happened. The portal was the result of some witchy stuff that occurred due to Pink’s adoptive Mom trying to save him from their dimension, where she (and the rest of the town) believed he killed his wife (turns out it was the sister-in-law….but plot twist his wife and sister-in-law were really his siblings….*vomits*). There were several sexual encounters between sister-in-law and Pink in the book…..why?
Michelle fell into this alternate dimension while searching for her husband and spends weeks trying to find her way back. Eventually Pink’s mother tells her how to get back and she has her take Pink with her because his wife’s ghost is calling to him or something from their actual world?
Pink has no memory of hopping to the reality number 2 but remembers everything from reality 2 when he unknowingly jumps back to reality 1 with Michelle. There he is met with the police trying to arrest him for supposedly killing his wife (which was the sister/sister-in-law). Pink ends up dying by suicide by cop and Michelle reunites with her daughter and husband. Michelle decides to finally separate from her husband (he had an affair at some point and they were already on the rocks) and begin a new chapter in her life. *yawn* The end.
Michelle fell into this alternate dimension while searching for her husband and spends weeks trying to find her way back. Eventually Pink’s mother tells her how to get back and she has her take Pink with her because his wife’s ghost is calling to him or something from their actual world?
Pink has no memory of hopping to the reality number 2 but remembers everything from reality 2 when he unknowingly jumps back to reality 1 with Michelle. There he is met with the police trying to arrest him for supposedly killing his wife (which was the sister/sister-in-law). Pink ends up dying by suicide by cop and Michelle reunites with her daughter and husband. Michelle decides to finally separate from her husband (he had an affair at some point and they were already on the rocks) and begin a new chapter in her life. *yawn* The end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 2, 2023
I listened to this on Audible and did NOT like the narration. Story had potential, but the characters were unlikeable. I didn’t really like any of them. Ending was a disappointment too. Long winded, lots of arguing between characters, weak plot. I only finished it because to wanted to find out how it was all tied together, but am left feeling *meh.*
March 8, 2024
Interesting book.
Cliff and Michelle purchases a cabin in the woods. Cliff disappears one night searching for a light in the woods. After the sheriff’s department fails to find him, Michelle decides to go find him. She discovers a cabin, identical to theirs, a life she barely recognized. Her husband is a changed man. He claims their daughter is dead even though Michelle talked to her an hour ago…..
This is a good read.
Cliff and Michelle purchases a cabin in the woods. Cliff disappears one night searching for a light in the woods. After the sheriff’s department fails to find him, Michelle decides to go find him. She discovers a cabin, identical to theirs, a life she barely recognized. Her husband is a changed man. He claims their daughter is dead even though Michelle talked to her an hour ago…..
This is a good read.
August 18, 2023
Liked the story, intriguing, but found myself either entirely ambivalent towards, or in a state of active dislike, of every single character. Continued to listen (audiobook) to resolve the story, but found little that was interesting or redeeming in any character, particularly Pink
May 22, 2022
Can't have a story about the south without some incest. All the characters annoy me. I only wanted to see what happens so 2 stars for being so crazy I kept listening.
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