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House of Ash and Bone
The Haunted meets House of Salt and Sorrows in this young adult debut horror by acclaimed Canadian master of the macabre Joel A. Sutherland.
Seventeen-year-old Josephine Jagger is a talented writer with special abilities she doesn't fully understand. Over the years she has developed methods to cope with the voices she hears in her head, but the old house her family has inherited in Vermont makes Josephine question what's real and what's not more than anything she's ever encountered before. It's filled with shadows, and whispers, and the unshakable feeling of being watched. Josephine then catches her first glimpse of a shadowy woman with long hair, pale skin, an impossibly wide smile and hollow pits for eyes. Her name is Dorcas, the ghost of a witch who died three hundred years ago. She has summoned the family to Vermont to ensnare them — then consume them — in order to rise from the grave and live again . . .
Seventeen-year-old Josephine Jagger is a talented writer with special abilities she doesn't fully understand. Over the years she has developed methods to cope with the voices she hears in her head, but the old house her family has inherited in Vermont makes Josephine question what's real and what's not more than anything she's ever encountered before. It's filled with shadows, and whispers, and the unshakable feeling of being watched. Josephine then catches her first glimpse of a shadowy woman with long hair, pale skin, an impossibly wide smile and hollow pits for eyes. Her name is Dorcas, the ghost of a witch who died three hundred years ago. She has summoned the family to Vermont to ensnare them — then consume them — in order to rise from the grave and live again . . .
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 5, 2023
11 people are currently reading
4883 people want to read
About the author
Joel A. Sutherland
43 books137 followersJoel A. Sutherland is the Silver Birch and Hackmatack Award-winning author of Be a Writing Superstar, numerous books in the Haunted Canada series, and Summer's End. His new series, Haunted, including The House Next Door, Kill Screen, Night of the Living Dolls and Field of Screams, has been praised by Goosebumps author R.L. Stine. Joel's short fiction has appeared in many anthologies and magazines, including Blood Lite II & III (Pocket Books) and Cemetery Dance Magazine, alongside the likes of Stephen King and Neil Gaiman.
He is a two-time juror for the Bram Stoker Award, the John Spray Mystery Award, and the Monica Hughes Award for Science Fiction & Fantasy. He is also the founder of the DarkLit Fest, a literary event that has welcomed Guests of Honour Kelley Armstrong and Joy Fielding.
Joel appeared as "The Barbarian Librarian" on the Canadian edition of the hit television show Wipeout, making it all the way to the third round and proving that librarians can be just as tough and crazy as anyone else. He has a Masters of Information and Library Studies from Aberystwyth University in Wales and lives in southeastern Ontario with his family, where he is always on the lookout for ghosts.
He is a two-time juror for the Bram Stoker Award, the John Spray Mystery Award, and the Monica Hughes Award for Science Fiction & Fantasy. He is also the founder of the DarkLit Fest, a literary event that has welcomed Guests of Honour Kelley Armstrong and Joy Fielding.
Joel appeared as "The Barbarian Librarian" on the Canadian edition of the hit television show Wipeout, making it all the way to the third round and proving that librarians can be just as tough and crazy as anyone else. He has a Masters of Information and Library Studies from Aberystwyth University in Wales and lives in southeastern Ontario with his family, where he is always on the lookout for ghosts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews
September 10, 2023
This was a really well done young adult horror. I sometimes find young adult horror to be too cheesy, but I felt like this one did a good balance. I did think it was a little more of a slow burn than I would have liked. The big twists at the end were pretty predictable but I still found it to be a creepy, haunting story that I devoured in one sitting. Josephine and her family have been struggling but when her father gets the news that he has inherited a house from his great aunt her parents decide to test it out by going and visiting for a week to see if they like it. Josephine doesn’t need her special talent of hearing peoples thoughts to know that this will likely become their new home. But it doesn’t take long for Josephine to realize there is something wrong with the house and there is something there haunting them. Unfortunately her family doesn’t notice anything and if they do they forget about it instantly. It’s up to Josephine and any allies she can meet to try to save her family.
May 1, 2023
THANKS TO NETGALLEY FOR THIS REVIEW COPY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.
Josephine's family has unexpectedly inherited a home in Vermont from their great-grandaunt. The Family has decided to celebrate Christmas there to check the lifestyle of that particular small town, moving there permanently is also an option as the financial situation is tight. No one knows that Josephine has special abilities that are not even in her control and she had made a mess in the past and doesn't want to repeat it. Something is bothering her, that new house has shadows lurking in the corners and the atmosphere is shady. Except for Josephine, everyone loves the house and everything about it. She has to single-handedly figure out the mystery and save her family.
I avoid reading Horror as I don't get the point. I decided to try horror this year so decided to read it plus cover was interesting. This book is directed toward a younger audience so I get why some things were in a certain way. But I still think that story was dragged. Many characters felt like filler especially the younger sister and so many pages were dedicated to her day-to-day eating habits. The story was catered to the audience who preferred suspense over a fast-paced story. In a nutshell, this book wasn't for me and I skimmed it a lot.
Josephine's family has unexpectedly inherited a home in Vermont from their great-grandaunt. The Family has decided to celebrate Christmas there to check the lifestyle of that particular small town, moving there permanently is also an option as the financial situation is tight. No one knows that Josephine has special abilities that are not even in her control and she had made a mess in the past and doesn't want to repeat it. Something is bothering her, that new house has shadows lurking in the corners and the atmosphere is shady. Except for Josephine, everyone loves the house and everything about it. She has to single-handedly figure out the mystery and save her family.
I avoid reading Horror as I don't get the point. I decided to try horror this year so decided to read it plus cover was interesting. This book is directed toward a younger audience so I get why some things were in a certain way. But I still think that story was dragged. Many characters felt like filler especially the younger sister and so many pages were dedicated to her day-to-day eating habits. The story was catered to the audience who preferred suspense over a fast-paced story. In a nutshell, this book wasn't for me and I skimmed it a lot.
October 13, 2023
When I purchased this book, I was captured by the cover art. I didn’t realize that this was YA, which is completely my fault for not researching more because I don’t tend to enjoy YA by default.
I actually started off really enjoying this book, the atmosphere was incredibly creepy and trippy. However has things progressed the vibe was more and more young adult, which is exactly what it’s supposed to be I know but as a result, I enjoyed it less and less.
It was a bit cheesy and as the twists started to uncover themselves I had already become detached from the story so unfortunately I couldn’t find it in me to really care about what was happening.
All this to say if you enjoy YA, you might really like this. It just wasn’t for me personally.
I actually started off really enjoying this book, the atmosphere was incredibly creepy and trippy. However has things progressed the vibe was more and more young adult, which is exactly what it’s supposed to be I know but as a result, I enjoyed it less and less.
It was a bit cheesy and as the twists started to uncover themselves I had already become detached from the story so unfortunately I couldn’t find it in me to really care about what was happening.
All this to say if you enjoy YA, you might really like this. It just wasn’t for me personally.
September 9, 2023
Was it intentional that all the daughters had names very similar to Little Women (including Louisa!)
The biggest struggle was the age...Josephine was supposed to be 16. She read a lot younger and behaved a lot younger. Had she been 13 it would have made more sense.
Also more swearing in this book than in the last 5 adult books I've read!
The biggest struggle was the age...Josephine was supposed to be 16. She read a lot younger and behaved a lot younger. Had she been 13 it would have made more sense.
Also more swearing in this book than in the last 5 adult books I've read!
October 14, 2023
This was CREEPY AF and if you only read one book this #SpookySeason I highly recommend it be this one!! A twisty YA horror story that sees a young girl travelling to a haunted house with her family only to find its possessed by an evil witch. There are a few gruesome scenes involving eyeballs and dismemberment but on the whole it's fairly tame. I loved the dark family secrets and the connection to the Salem witch trials. This was fantastic on audio and just incredibly well plotted and written with a great ending!
September 16, 2023
Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this book! It was absolutely amazing. I was sucked in from the very beginning. This book was completely different from any other book I have ever read. The story was so enticing and kept me on the edge of my seat. The characters had so many layers to them. The mystery and suspense was fantastic. I’m excited to read more by this author! Well done!
October 13, 2023
Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada for an advance review copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Out Sept 5, 2023
⭐⭐⭐
House of Ash and Bone is an interesting coming of age story set against a backdrop of hauntings and witches.
Josephine's family has just inherited a house at the perfect time and when they arrive, it seems like the perfect house. The Jagger family is smitten, almost like they're under a spell. Josephine finds out that not everything is what it seems and has to save her family.
I will say I really enjoyed the last 30% of this book the most. The beginning and middle felt like they didn't really know what they wanted to be. Sometimes the dialogue felt forced and almost middle grade, but the next paragraph would have quite a few f-bombs. The end really did being it together though with some fun twists and a fast paced fun ending.
Out Sept 5, 2023
⭐⭐⭐
House of Ash and Bone is an interesting coming of age story set against a backdrop of hauntings and witches.
Josephine's family has just inherited a house at the perfect time and when they arrive, it seems like the perfect house. The Jagger family is smitten, almost like they're under a spell. Josephine finds out that not everything is what it seems and has to save her family.
I will say I really enjoyed the last 30% of this book the most. The beginning and middle felt like they didn't really know what they wanted to be. Sometimes the dialogue felt forced and almost middle grade, but the next paragraph would have quite a few f-bombs. The end really did being it together though with some fun twists and a fast paced fun ending.
March 24, 2023
4.25/5 stars! The cover of this book was super creepy, which made me extremely excited to read it. This is a YA horror story that hits all the right notes. The storyline itself was edgy and kept me guessing, which is what I want in my horror books. The only part I didn't really enjoy was the use of third-person. It didn't seem to match the tone of the story as well as I think first-person would have.
I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review
I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review
October 20, 2025
2.5 stars. The endorsement quote on the front of this book says “I wish I hadn’t decided to read this after dark.” They’re not kidding! I found this book to be genuinely scary. A deeply unsettling sort of scary. House of Ash and Bone ended up being a daylight only sort of read for me!
This was strongly reminiscent of a middle grade Goosebumps type of horror book. However, it had YA level content (language, some pretty extreme gore, and overall fear factor), which made for an odd combo. It’s marketed as YA, so I know that’s the target audience, but the main character Josephine, who we are told is 17, felt much younger than that to me. Her internal thought process felt a lot closer to the way a 12 or 13 year old might think.
I appreciated the nods to Brothers Grimm fairytales throughout the story. I was also impressed by a particularly creative twist I didn’t see coming, part way through the book! Unfortunately, I had quite a few issues with the execution of the story. Characters felt underdeveloped and flat. Also, as is sometimes the case with middle grade books, I felt that the author didn’t fully trust his readers to come to their own conclusions regarding the plot. Everything was explicitly told to us and interpreted for us, rather than shown. And even with everything spelled out for us, character decisions still didn’t make sense sometimes.
While I didn’t personally enjoy this book as much as I would’ve hoped, here’s who I think would be most likely to enjoy House of Ash and Bone:
- If you enjoyed the goriest of Brothers Grimm fairytales, and are looking for a story with even more gore
- If it’s more about the action and jump scares of a horror story for you, and not so much the psychological depth of horror
- If you like books that feel like the main character is barely retaining their grip on their sanity
- If you’re a fan of R.L. Stine’s writing style, particularly when it comes to Goosebumps
Thanks to the publisher, Tundra Books, who sent me a physical copy to read and review.
This was strongly reminiscent of a middle grade Goosebumps type of horror book. However, it had YA level content (language, some pretty extreme gore, and overall fear factor), which made for an odd combo. It’s marketed as YA, so I know that’s the target audience, but the main character Josephine, who we are told is 17, felt much younger than that to me. Her internal thought process felt a lot closer to the way a 12 or 13 year old might think.
I appreciated the nods to Brothers Grimm fairytales throughout the story. I was also impressed by a particularly creative twist I didn’t see coming, part way through the book! Unfortunately, I had quite a few issues with the execution of the story. Characters felt underdeveloped and flat. Also, as is sometimes the case with middle grade books, I felt that the author didn’t fully trust his readers to come to their own conclusions regarding the plot. Everything was explicitly told to us and interpreted for us, rather than shown. And even with everything spelled out for us, character decisions still didn’t make sense sometimes.
While I didn’t personally enjoy this book as much as I would’ve hoped, here’s who I think would be most likely to enjoy House of Ash and Bone:
- If you enjoyed the goriest of Brothers Grimm fairytales, and are looking for a story with even more gore
- If it’s more about the action and jump scares of a horror story for you, and not so much the psychological depth of horror
- If you like books that feel like the main character is barely retaining their grip on their sanity
- If you’re a fan of R.L. Stine’s writing style, particularly when it comes to Goosebumps
Thanks to the publisher, Tundra Books, who sent me a physical copy to read and review.
November 16, 2023
A family moves to a creepy old house in the rural part of New England and must deal with a spectral menace. This could have easily tread old ground and been a banal read. But Joel Sutherland deftly navigated those pitfalls and crafted a plot that was original and well paced. The plot unfolded well, and the narration reliability, crucial to the story, was well done. He did a very good job with keeping you confused as to all the characters motivations and even their existence. The atmosphere was suitably murky and even his flashbacks to the main characters past was handled well. He kept you guessing and that is a crucial element to this type of story.
September 1, 2025
So good! Before I read, all the reviews were mixed so I was a bit skeptical but the book was so good! It had some very creepy and scary moments, and great characters. Usually if I read YA horror, it’s not scary or stupid but this one was neither of those!
👍
👍
March 19, 2023
The book was interesting and kept me guessing. The author using third person threw me off, but that’s just me having a preference for first person. It made me feel disconnected from the characters. I like the mystery involved and the articulation of the storyline and plot. Would recommend to a young YA audience!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
#NetGallery
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
#NetGallery
August 27, 2025
Yeah... Not for me. The story doesn't make any sense.
September 6, 2023
This is a dark book that has well developed characters. I love how the author chose to end the book. A very well done book that I would recommend! Special Thank You to Joel A Sutherland, Penguin Random House Canada, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy prior to publication in exchange for an honest review.
January 15, 2024
I loved this book! It is highly underrated. It was the perfect YA horror book, it kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time and the plot twist was perfection, it left me staring at my wall!! (Most of the YA horrors are cringy but this wasn’t)
October 8, 2023
House of Ash and Bone
Author: Joel A. Sutherland
Publisher: Penguin Random House Canada
Publication Date September 5th, 2023.
A family from Amherst, NY inherits an old, creepy house in the middle of Vermont and decides to spend the winter holiday there. Seventeen-year-old Josephine must protect her family from Dorcas, the ghost of a witch who died three hundred years ago. I was blown away by how much I enjoyed this book. The author's vivid description created an eerie and immersive atmosphere that sent shivers down my spine. The plot was a rollercoaster of suspense and unexpected twists. This book could easily be adapted into a horror movie, love The Conjuring" vibes I got from it. The main character Josephine's journey of self-discovery is beautifully portrayed by the author, making her a character you can easily root for. Overall, if you are looking for an introduction to the horror genre or if you are an avid horror reader, you will love reading "The House of Ash and Bone"! I want to thank Net Galley and Penguin Random House Canada for the advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.
Author: Joel A. Sutherland
Publisher: Penguin Random House Canada
Publication Date September 5th, 2023.
A family from Amherst, NY inherits an old, creepy house in the middle of Vermont and decides to spend the winter holiday there. Seventeen-year-old Josephine must protect her family from Dorcas, the ghost of a witch who died three hundred years ago. I was blown away by how much I enjoyed this book. The author's vivid description created an eerie and immersive atmosphere that sent shivers down my spine. The plot was a rollercoaster of suspense and unexpected twists. This book could easily be adapted into a horror movie, love The Conjuring" vibes I got from it. The main character Josephine's journey of self-discovery is beautifully portrayed by the author, making her a character you can easily root for. Overall, if you are looking for an introduction to the horror genre or if you are an avid horror reader, you will love reading "The House of Ash and Bone"! I want to thank Net Galley and Penguin Random House Canada for the advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 30, 2024
2nd book of 2024, and 2nd book I have read probably in 4 years. I love the characters, I love some of the new "concepts". I love how he writes and how he painted a picture.
Without giving much away, I very much enjoyed this book. Now there were a few things I felt were heavy influence of another very popular series. But all in all a good read, good atmosphere. Perfect for a rainy day read, a night chapter(or 4) and a good book for a ....fire ♡
Without giving much away, I very much enjoyed this book. Now there were a few things I felt were heavy influence of another very popular series. But all in all a good read, good atmosphere. Perfect for a rainy day read, a night chapter(or 4) and a good book for a ....fire ♡
December 12, 2023
Can we talk about this super creepy cover! I had to read it as soon as I saw it. This book was wild. You are not really sure who to trust. Things are not always what they seem. I loved not knowing the things. I would have a theory one minute then it was disproved the next. That ending sure got me! I did not see it coming. I will definitely be reading more by this author.
September 30, 2025
Reviewed by Toby's Nerd-Cave Library.
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Josephine is a 17 year old writer living with her parents and four sisters, but she is very much different from them. She hears thoughts and can see things others can’t. Her abilities have been kept a secret from them and the rest of the world her whole life, and even she doesn't know the extent of her own abilities, but she has developed various methods to keep her and her family safe from herself. Then they unexpectedly inherit an old house belonging to her Fathers never before heard of Great Aunt Mercy. The house is full of shadows and whispers and too-good-to-be-true bedrooms and pantries filled with to-good-to-be-real food, and things start to get a bit wonky with their memories, and only Josie sees the patterns of forgetting, and the ancient ghost of the Evil Witch who lured the family to Vermont and intends to use them to resurrect herself.
I’m really enjoying this book so far, it would also make a really great horror movie. Usually YA horror is too cheesy and predictable, with a few jump scares and insipid teen banter, but this was one of the best ones I’ve read in a good long while. The writing style is unique and almost poetic, and just flows, and has on occasion some delightfully vulgar dialog, and I was immediately sucked into the story. The author does a really good job of setting up the characters and backstory in Part 1. And in Part 2 & 3, the level of suspense and tension just keeps rising chapter after chapter, revealing just a hint more of the history behind the Witch’s ghost and the mysterious house, leaving the reader gripping the book with white knuckles desperate to find out what happens next.
It's so hard for the reader to tell what's “real” and what's in Josie's head that it just adds to the mystery and suspense. As the book concludes in Part 4, we get a more detailed view of what's going on ‘behind the curtains’ so to speak, and we learn more of the background and motivations of the main characters, as well as the Witch, Dorcas. It all starts coming together with some questions answered, and earlier foreshadowing clues become more apparent, with all the details seeming to click flawlessly into place, and the reader is definitely ready to have the big Explanations. The big twists at the end aren't overly predictable in my opinion, and went very well with the overall themes of the story.
I like how the climax scenes are so much more gory than I was expecting from a YA book; the partial cannibalism, the physical and mental tortures endured by both child and adult, the sheer amount of evil you feel from the witch is apparent in every way the author describes her movements and mannerisms. The ending was definitely different than I was expecting, and the author left it wide open for a sequel, which I really hope will happen. Overall this was a fantastically dark YA Horror novel, and I’d recommend it to anyone who likes this genre.
Thank you to the Librarything Early Reviewers Club, the Publishers, Tundra Books, and the Author, Joel A. Sutherland, for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
.
Josephine is a 17 year old writer living with her parents and four sisters, but she is very much different from them. She hears thoughts and can see things others can’t. Her abilities have been kept a secret from them and the rest of the world her whole life, and even she doesn't know the extent of her own abilities, but she has developed various methods to keep her and her family safe from herself. Then they unexpectedly inherit an old house belonging to her Fathers never before heard of Great Aunt Mercy. The house is full of shadows and whispers and too-good-to-be-true bedrooms and pantries filled with to-good-to-be-real food, and things start to get a bit wonky with their memories, and only Josie sees the patterns of forgetting, and the ancient ghost of the Evil Witch who lured the family to Vermont and intends to use them to resurrect herself.
I’m really enjoying this book so far, it would also make a really great horror movie. Usually YA horror is too cheesy and predictable, with a few jump scares and insipid teen banter, but this was one of the best ones I’ve read in a good long while. The writing style is unique and almost poetic, and just flows, and has on occasion some delightfully vulgar dialog, and I was immediately sucked into the story. The author does a really good job of setting up the characters and backstory in Part 1. And in Part 2 & 3, the level of suspense and tension just keeps rising chapter after chapter, revealing just a hint more of the history behind the Witch’s ghost and the mysterious house, leaving the reader gripping the book with white knuckles desperate to find out what happens next.
It's so hard for the reader to tell what's “real” and what's in Josie's head that it just adds to the mystery and suspense. As the book concludes in Part 4, we get a more detailed view of what's going on ‘behind the curtains’ so to speak, and we learn more of the background and motivations of the main characters, as well as the Witch, Dorcas. It all starts coming together with some questions answered, and earlier foreshadowing clues become more apparent, with all the details seeming to click flawlessly into place, and the reader is definitely ready to have the big Explanations. The big twists at the end aren't overly predictable in my opinion, and went very well with the overall themes of the story.
I like how the climax scenes are so much more gory than I was expecting from a YA book; the partial cannibalism, the physical and mental tortures endured by both child and adult, the sheer amount of evil you feel from the witch is apparent in every way the author describes her movements and mannerisms. The ending was definitely different than I was expecting, and the author left it wide open for a sequel, which I really hope will happen. Overall this was a fantastically dark YA Horror novel, and I’d recommend it to anyone who likes this genre.
Thank you to the Librarything Early Reviewers Club, the Publishers, Tundra Books, and the Author, Joel A. Sutherland, for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 28, 2023
I received a review copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.
To say this book was a real surprise is quite the understatement. I genuinely was not expecting it to be as spooky and dark as it was!
House of Ash and Bone starts with Josephine Jagger in a van with her four sisters and her parents, travelling for a week's vacation between Christmas and New Year's at an old house in Vermont that has been left to them by their heretofore unknown great-great aunt Mercy.
The spookiness starts right away, with the stately old home having not only enough bedrooms for each girl to have her own but each room has a closet containing something they are deeply interested in - musical instruments, paints and accessories, jewellery and vintage clothes, and for Josephine a library of her favourite books. Josie starts to notice that she and her family are forgetting things almost as soon as they happen and she soon sees a terrifying eyeless woman. I really enjoyed how Sutherland worked in the real history of witch trials and a real 4 year old child accused of witchcraft.
The horror is actually much more sophisticated than I expected, to Sutherland's credit, while still retaining the mindset of a 17 year old girl not only unsure of what is happening but of all aspects of herself. As well as hitting some classics of the ghost/haunted house genre, there's some aspects of The Dionaea House, a truly creepy viral online horror story about a house that is more than it seems and that devours its inhabitants, in the book that I absolutely love. The way the family kept forgetting everything that happened was very well done, adding a level of tension.
PS: I really liked that there were small parts of Josie questioning her sexuality. Just enough to make Josie feel more real.
To say this book was a real surprise is quite the understatement. I genuinely was not expecting it to be as spooky and dark as it was!
House of Ash and Bone starts with Josephine Jagger in a van with her four sisters and her parents, travelling for a week's vacation between Christmas and New Year's at an old house in Vermont that has been left to them by their heretofore unknown great-great aunt Mercy.
The spookiness starts right away, with the stately old home having not only enough bedrooms for each girl to have her own but each room has a closet containing something they are deeply interested in - musical instruments, paints and accessories, jewellery and vintage clothes, and for Josephine a library of her favourite books. Josie starts to notice that she and her family are forgetting things almost as soon as they happen and she soon sees a terrifying eyeless woman. I really enjoyed how Sutherland worked in the real history of witch trials and a real 4 year old child accused of witchcraft.
The horror is actually much more sophisticated than I expected, to Sutherland's credit, while still retaining the mindset of a 17 year old girl not only unsure of what is happening but of all aspects of herself. As well as hitting some classics of the ghost/haunted house genre, there's some aspects of The Dionaea House, a truly creepy viral online horror story about a house that is more than it seems and that devours its inhabitants, in the book that I absolutely love. The way the family kept forgetting everything that happened was very well done, adding a level of tension.
PS: I really liked that there were small parts of Josie questioning her sexuality. Just enough to make Josie feel more real.
October 9, 2023
Really creepy, absolutely fulfilled the Spooky SZN vibes I was looking for!
I liked how Sutherland took a real name from the Salem Witch Trials and imagined his own story for her - love that kind of stuff!
The only critiques I would give is that there were just a few details about the curse & the witch/ghost that I felt were a bit off and didn't seem to make sense. One that threw me off was the manner and dialogue that Dorcas used when she spoke - her language and vocab sounded more as if she were a modern-day spirit, not one that technically died in the 1600/1700's.
Also there were a couple brief scenes of gore that were obviously just added for shock factor which felt forced. Like when Dorcas bites off a good chunk of the boy's cheek (which by the description of it he should be physically scarred for life) but then afterwards his parents just put a bandage over it like "oh well no big deal".... whaaat? Same with Josephine's pinky - she's now forever missing a pinky and the ending was like oh well. Don't add scenes of gore just for shock.
But other than those couple of things the book was fantastic and I truly admire Sutherland's writing!
I liked how Sutherland took a real name from the Salem Witch Trials and imagined his own story for her - love that kind of stuff!
The only critiques I would give is that there were just a few details about the curse & the witch/ghost that I felt were a bit off and didn't seem to make sense. One that threw me off was the manner and dialogue that Dorcas used when she spoke - her language and vocab sounded more as if she were a modern-day spirit, not one that technically died in the 1600/1700's.
Also there were a couple brief scenes of gore that were obviously just added for shock factor which felt forced. Like when Dorcas bites off a good chunk of the boy's cheek (which by the description of it he should be physically scarred for life) but then afterwards his parents just put a bandage over it like "oh well no big deal".... whaaat? Same with Josephine's pinky - she's now forever missing a pinky and the ending was like oh well. Don't add scenes of gore just for shock.
But other than those couple of things the book was fantastic and I truly admire Sutherland's writing!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 29, 2023
House of Ash and Bone has everything a horror novel needs. Creepy house, check, ghosts, witches, and minor gore... check, check, and check! The suspense was perfectly paced and kept me turning the pages.
With everyone's memories being messed with, there was not a lot of character development, but the plot and small character developments were enough to propel the story along. Josephine hearing the thoughts of others could have easily been abused, giving her more information than her character should have, but I never felt like it was overused. I was glad to see her ability tied into the story and wasn't just a plot crutch.
Overall, this was an incredible spooky season read that every horror fan should add to their list. Don't let its Young Adult classification scare you away!
Thank you, Tundra Books, Penguin Random House, and LibraryThing, for my copy of this excellent novel!
With everyone's memories being messed with, there was not a lot of character development, but the plot and small character developments were enough to propel the story along. Josephine hearing the thoughts of others could have easily been abused, giving her more information than her character should have, but I never felt like it was overused. I was glad to see her ability tied into the story and wasn't just a plot crutch.
Overall, this was an incredible spooky season read that every horror fan should add to their list. Don't let its Young Adult classification scare you away!
Thank you, Tundra Books, Penguin Random House, and LibraryThing, for my copy of this excellent novel!
October 18, 2023
Oof, I’m glad I’m an early morning reader, because I’d be way too creeped out reading this one at night! 😂
This is a ghost story and a story about witchcraft, magic, and all the good stuff in between.
It’s a book that makes you wonder if what’s happening is real, is it imagined, or something else? The main character’s isolation from anyone who can help her, drives up the creepy factor, and makes the novel more suspenseful.
I felt the ending left us on a bit of a cliffhanger - you can use your imagination to decide what happens next, but I’m thinking this may not be the last we see a certain someone. 👀
This was really fun, and if you’re looking for a quick read that will get your pulse up - make sure you check it out!
A big thanks to the author and publisher for my gifted copy! 🖤
This is a ghost story and a story about witchcraft, magic, and all the good stuff in between.
It’s a book that makes you wonder if what’s happening is real, is it imagined, or something else? The main character’s isolation from anyone who can help her, drives up the creepy factor, and makes the novel more suspenseful.
I felt the ending left us on a bit of a cliffhanger - you can use your imagination to decide what happens next, but I’m thinking this may not be the last we see a certain someone. 👀
This was really fun, and if you’re looking for a quick read that will get your pulse up - make sure you check it out!
A big thanks to the author and publisher for my gifted copy! 🖤
November 6, 2023
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. #readtundra
A good young adult horror book. This story follows Josephine and her family—mom, dad and sisters—when they unexpectedly inherit a house and make a trip to go check it out. Things seem suspicious right at the beginning, but Josephine is the only one who takes notice, with the two main reasons being that she has special powers and that the other members of her family have begun experiencing collective memory loss. As the story unfolds Josephine discovers the long and sinister history of the house and how her family has been lured there to serve as an evil entity’s way of becoming immortal. While having a good premise and a plot that I could easily picture being a movie, I feel like some of the descriptions of the every day things that Josephine did were a bit of an overkill. The story moved at a moderate pace, but I still found myself needing to take breaks from reading because I would get a bit bored. Not to say that the story was boring, but there were some parts that could have been omitted or at least shortened. Also, some elements in Josephine discovering a solution weren’t entirely believable to me. I do think it was an interesting story and a unique take on the haunted house trope so I would recommend reading this book.
A good young adult horror book. This story follows Josephine and her family—mom, dad and sisters—when they unexpectedly inherit a house and make a trip to go check it out. Things seem suspicious right at the beginning, but Josephine is the only one who takes notice, with the two main reasons being that she has special powers and that the other members of her family have begun experiencing collective memory loss. As the story unfolds Josephine discovers the long and sinister history of the house and how her family has been lured there to serve as an evil entity’s way of becoming immortal. While having a good premise and a plot that I could easily picture being a movie, I feel like some of the descriptions of the every day things that Josephine did were a bit of an overkill. The story moved at a moderate pace, but I still found myself needing to take breaks from reading because I would get a bit bored. Not to say that the story was boring, but there were some parts that could have been omitted or at least shortened. Also, some elements in Josephine discovering a solution weren’t entirely believable to me. I do think it was an interesting story and a unique take on the haunted house trope so I would recommend reading this book.
October 13, 2023
House of Ash and Bone was a creepy haunted house horror novel for young adults with witches, familiars, curses, and so much at risk for one family and the small town the house occupies.
House of Ash and Bone follows Josephine and her family as they spend their Christmas vacation at her father's long-lost great-aunt's house after her passing. They were surprised to hear of the aunt they never knew he had and were even more surprised when they found out that he had inherited her house in the middle of nowhere in a small town.
Josephine immediately knows that something is wrong, not only with the attorney of the estate but also with the house when something strange begins to happen with the family. Everything is too perfect, despite the lapse in memory. The food is too good, the rooms seem to be made specifically for each member, and everyone is more than happy to stay. Then, Josephine encounters a creature with an all-too-wide smile, pale skin, and an eyeless face. The creature... witch, named Dorcas, is determined to trap the family there and complete a ritual to raise her from the dead. Josephine has to save herself and her family before they are doomed.
House of Ash and Bone follows Josephine and her family as they spend their Christmas vacation at her father's long-lost great-aunt's house after her passing. They were surprised to hear of the aunt they never knew he had and were even more surprised when they found out that he had inherited her house in the middle of nowhere in a small town.
Josephine immediately knows that something is wrong, not only with the attorney of the estate but also with the house when something strange begins to happen with the family. Everything is too perfect, despite the lapse in memory. The food is too good, the rooms seem to be made specifically for each member, and everyone is more than happy to stay. Then, Josephine encounters a creature with an all-too-wide smile, pale skin, and an eyeless face. The creature... witch, named Dorcas, is determined to trap the family there and complete a ritual to raise her from the dead. Josephine has to save herself and her family before they are doomed.
December 30, 2023
A little on the cheesy side, but definitely dark. This read like a middle grade horror novel but with plenty of foul language. When Josephine and their family find out they have inherited a big old house in Canaan; the news couldn't have come at a better time. There family is in dire financial straights and this could be just the thing they need to get back on track. The house is big and creepy and better than they expected - there are five big bedrooms, one for each daughter and the rooms seem perfectly suited to each of them. So why does Josephine feel ill at ease? Soon her memory starts to go foggy and soon she starts to suspect that they aren't the only ones living in the house. Genuinely creepy at moments, but there was somehow both a lot and not a lot going on at the same time. Just an ok novel with a meh ending.
October 19, 2023
If something seems too good to be true, it is!
This book had me invested from the first page! Thank you #NetGalley for letting me read an ARC of this! This is the best (non-smutty) book I have read in a LONG time!
This book had me invested from the first page! Thank you #NetGalley for letting me read an ARC of this! This is the best (non-smutty) book I have read in a LONG time!
December 12, 2023
Can we talk about this super creepy cover! I had to read it as soon as I saw it. This book was wild. You are not really sure who to trust. Things are not always what they seem. I loved not knowing the things. I would have a theory one minute then it was disproved the next. That ending sure got me! I did not see it coming. I will definitely be reading more by this author. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the arc in exchange for my honest review.
February 12, 2024
Loved this!!
September 17, 2024
This was a good book.
I like how it was a mix of YA and Horror.
The store was really good and kept me interested throughout the whole book.
It had just enough of the paranormal horror factor. I kept finding myself wanting to know more about each character and the secrets they held.
The ending for me, it was that perfect ending that leaves you wondering if there will be more or not.
I like how it was a mix of YA and Horror.
The store was really good and kept me interested throughout the whole book.
It had just enough of the paranormal horror factor. I kept finding myself wanting to know more about each character and the secrets they held.
The ending for me, it was that perfect ending that leaves you wondering if there will be more or not.
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