YA Buddy Readers' Corner ♥ discussion

What was it like? Living in that house.

Maggie Holt is used to such questions. Twenty-five years ago, she and her parents, Ewan and Jess, moved into Baneberry Hall, a rambling Victorian estate in the Vermont woods. They spent three weeks there before fleeing in the dead of night, an ordeal Ewan later recounted in a nonfiction book called House of Horrors. His tale of ghostly happenings and encounters with malevolent spirits became a worldwide phenomenon, rivaling The Amityville Horror in popularity—and skepticism.

Today, Maggie is a restorer of old homes and too young to remember any of the events mentioned in her father’s book. But she also doesn’t believe a word of it. Ghosts, after all, don’t exist. When Maggie inherits Baneberry Hall after her father’s death, she returns to renovate the place to prepare it for sale. But her homecoming is anything but warm. People from the past, chronicled in House of Horrors, lurk in the shadows. And locals aren’t thrilled that their small town has been made infamous thanks to Maggie’s father. Even more unnerving is Baneberry Hall itself—a place filled with relics from another era that hint at a history of dark deeds. As Maggie experiences strange occurrences straight out of her father’s book, she starts to believe that what he wrote was more fact than fiction.

In the latest thriller from New York Times bestseller Riley Sager, a woman returns to the house made famous by her father’s bestselling horror memoir. Is the place really haunted by evil forces, as her father claimed? Or are there more earthbound—and dangerous—secrets hidden within its walls?

I hope it's ok if I join this BR! I'm so hyped for this book :D

Sure! The more the merrier!!

23%

I love a good ghost story and this is shaping up to be a good one.

(view spoiler)[What happened at that house that makes her mom not want her to go back? Did she have a close encounter with a ghost? I'm thinking yes (hide spoiler)]

@Jammin Jenny Omg I love a ghost story too but reading this in a dark room going to freak me out lol.

Just finished reading chapter 1 and the house tour.

(view spoiler)[ love its a book written in a book. I am too curious to know what made them run. I am going to be on pins and needles reading this. Lol (hide spoiler)]

Just finished reading chapter six and day 4

(view spoiler)[ Maggie determined to prove her dad book isnt real. I have some mini predictions. Hmm what if Maggie isnt maggie... Hmm.. She dont remember any of her past. But why??? (hide spoiler)]

Starting this after meeting (can’t read during it sadly!)

70%

(view spoiler)[

Wow, the sleepover was a terror - when the little girl Maggie had two friends over and then the ghosts attacked at night and everyone was screaming! That was crazy!!

And that psychiatrist - ooh I hated her saying they were all "imaginings" - what little did she know. (hide spoiler)]

Lesa wrote: "Just finished reading chapter six and day 4

[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I think Maggie is Maggie but she has blocked it all out of her mind because it was so bad (hide spoiler)]

Finished!

I loved this ghost story about a family haunted by a house and its former inhabitants. Bainbury Hall is a place where a daughter was killed, and it appears that ghosts are the cause. Great twists and turns in this story.

6%
(view spoiler)[I am so curious about all this weirdness! So this time around, our 'flashback' narrator is the dad instead of the main character and he's clearly an unreliable narrator, I really love how this author keeps a lot of the same story structures but also switches things up every time :D (hide spoiler)]

Just read the opening, and the subject is going to get under my skin I’m sure. Part of me thinks she should just ignore her legacy and get on with life.

Karen wrote: "Just read the opening, and the subject is going to get under my skin I’m sure. Part of me thinks she should just ignore her legacy and get on with life."

It might have been less traumatic if she did, but what price closure?

Did any of you guys watch the first season of American Horror Story? This book reminds me of it so freaking much!

17%
(view spoiler)[Hah! I was just starting to wonder when the handsome 40ish year old love interest would finally show up! We always get one of those in Riley Sager's books 😂

Very convenient that the old groundskeeper and housekeeper are now either dead or infirm. I wonder who Dane's father is? He skipped over that little detail quite fast, I wonder if I'm overthinking it or if there's something to it.

Also I reckon there's something hidden in the house, treasure? A dead body? We shall find out... (hide spoiler)]

22%
(view spoiler)["Everyone here has read it. If someone says they haven't, they're lying."

I know foreshadowing when I see it, I've got my eye on you Dane 👀

Also, 'ran away'? Yeah right. She's totally dead. (hide spoiler)]

32%
(view spoiler)[Ok I'm getting major alarm bells from from how Petra is being described. Also, she would be the same age as Dane give or take a year or two wouldn't she? Hmmmmmmm. He's going to turn out to have something to do with her disappearance, I just know it. (hide spoiler)]

Lesa wrote: "Just finished reading chapter six and day 4

[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[Omg YES I had the same thought! Like I know people can block out memories when they're traumatised but it feels so weird that she can't remember anything at all, seems suspicious to me... (hide spoiler)]

50%
(view spoiler)[Ok, so I was mostly joking when I earlier said that they'd find a dead body in the house but... This is fine 😂

Now that a body has actually been found just halfway into the story, I'm actually less convinced that Petra is really dead. If only Petra and Maggie were closer in age I'd have some more conspiracy theories. (hide spoiler)]

Sorry for spamming so much, I'm just really excited and have a lot of theories! :D

65%
(view spoiler)[Aha! I noticed the inconsistency with the bandage when she first looked through the photos right after we were told that she fell (according to the Book), I'm glad that this is actually a relevant clue and not just the author forgetting a detail.

The whole chandelier, record player, and bells ringing thing is creepy. The only explanation I can think of is that someone (Petra?) is hiding in the house. A fancy old house like this must have some hidden passageways right? Maybe the fireplaces are an entry point? A lot of attention gets drawn to the fireplaces so they must be relevant. Maybe Mrs Ditmer isn't as infirm as she seems to be. (hide spoiler)]

81%
(view spoiler)[Omg I think I figured it out. Dane isn't really the grandson of the groundskeeper is he? He's the kid from town that came in to help fix the ceiling after it broke and that's how he and Petra met right? Since she only started sneaking out after the Holts moved in? The timeline works! 👀

Kinda disappointed that all the creepy stuff was just Hannah sneaking in, I liked the Scooby Doo reference though! (hide spoiler)]

Finished!
(view spoiler)[Wow I was wrong about a lot of stuff! I was convinced up until the very end that Petra was still alive somehow.

I like that the author stayed mostly away from including a romance plot in this one, I didn't hate the romance in his previous books but they were never the strong point of the story.

Apart from a few things feeling a little contrived, (we never got an explanation for all those father/daughter deaths did we? Was it all just coincidence?) I was very happy with this book! Can't wait for his next one :D (hide spoiler)]

I’ve got sidetracked again, but have just read up to ch3. I love their enthusiasm at moving in, but their naïveté seems evident. How bad must it have been to have them moving out after twenty days? I completely understand adult Maggie’s desire to find out the truth of this place, but I’m already nervous about what will be in store for her.

Up to ch5. Really liking how this is setting up the atmosphere. Those involved are sceptical, and yet there doesn’t seem to be a rational explanation for what we’ve been told about so far.

I love the atmosphere too.

Ch 3 (view spoiler)[I love the back and forth between the heroines story and her fathers fictional tale of their time at Baneberry. I don’t blame her for wanting to know the truth of what happened. It’s always shadowed her life. (hide spoiler)]

Ch 10 (view spoiler)[Oh hell NO! That many snakes dropping from the mother f’n ceiling, no way Jose. Lord I hope he made that up because I don’t know how their hearts didn’t give out if it was true. Then again I’d have ran away and never returned after finding the one in the indigo room lol (hide spoiler)]

Ch 16 (view spoiler)[So I can’t help thinking old houses like this usually have secret passeways, doors etc. could it be someone is messing with her and did the same with her family. Maybe someone from the caretakers family. I want to belive it’s ghosts or something but this author seems to always steer clear of the paranormal. Humans are bad enough, we don’t need ghosts making life worse 😂 (hide spoiler)]

Finished (view spoiler)[Wow ok yeah I was bummed when things started to come to light but damn if it wasn’t like whiplash all the info dropped on our laps of who did what, why where etc. I really started thinking her mom was involved. And in a sense she was but what a convoluted mess lol. Love this authors stories. The story building is slow buts it’s addictive. (hide spoiler)]

Claire wrote: "6%
[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I usually hate even simple POV shifts but the back and forth between her present day and her fathers story really helped build tension and make me ask questions (hide spoiler)]

Claire wrote: "50%
Ok, so I was mostly joking when I earlier said that they'd find a dead body in the house but... This is fine 😂

Now that a body has actually been found just halfway into the story, I'm actually..."

(view spoiler)[Honestly good guess, I had zero clue what to think or expect. Aside from thinking maggies mom guilty I never once thought things would play out like they did lol (hide spoiler)]

Karen wrote: "I’ve got sidetracked again, but have just read up to ch3. I love their enthusiasm at moving in, but their naïveté seems evident. How bad must it have been to have them moving out after twenty days?..."

Its so sad her life growing up was so impacted by a book. I don’t blame her for wanting answers since no one seems to want to be honest with her. They defineitly had enthusiasm when they moved in, not that it lasted long lol

Just got up to ch9. Crystal, it’s kind of sad to see their evident enthusiasm for the place change so rapidly. At the moment there’s little you could honestly say wasn’t imagined-I’m waiting for something to pull the proverbial rug from under me, but it’s a case of will it be in the past events or with Maggie in the present?

Jammin Jenny wrote: "23%

I love a good ghost story and this is shaping up to be a good one.

[spoilers removed]"

Though her father is the one who wrote the book, it does seem her mother's reaction is more suggestive of a major incident.

Lesa wrote: "@Jammin Jenny Omg I love a ghost story too but reading this in a dark room going to freak me out lol.

Just finished reading chapter 1 and the house tour.

[spoilers removed]"
Totally agree with the book in a book - think it'll make it more suspenseful later as we learn details of the past while events are taking place now.

Lesa wrote: "Just finished reading chapter six and day 4

[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ That hadn't even occurred to me about Maggie. What makes you think she might not be who she thinks she is? (hide spoiler)]

❀ Crystal ✿ - wrote: "Ch 10 [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ You can imagine a deserted house might show signs of wildlife invading, but something so sinister...I'm with you, and think I'd have run a mile! (hide spoiler)]

Karen wrote: "❀ Crystal ✿ - wrote: "Ch 10 [spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I’d be moving out of state 😂 (hide spoiler)]

Up to ch20. (view spoiler)[ There are only two people we know of who have access to Maggie’s home (apart from her) so who’s selling those stolen items? I did wonder if the original crime would be linked to the original owner, though it doesn’t really explain what else has taken place. (hide spoiler)]

Jammin Jenny wrote: "70%



Wow, the sleepover was a terror - when the little girl Maggie had two friends over and then the ghosts attacked at night and everyone was screaming! That was crazy!!

And that psychiatrist -..."

(view spoiler)[ Her interview was certainly memorable! (hide spoiler)]

❀ Crystal ✿ - wrote: "Finished [spoilers removed]"

Completely agree, I was open-mouthed as more and more was dumped on our laps...any one of those suggestions would have been plausible/a good resolution. Seriously messed up scenario though.

Finished - review on home page. Can't wait to be able to discuss this with others in person. Loved the construction and really was quite taken back by the ending.

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Date changed. Restarting September 1th 2020. Happy Reading ☺

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16% (view spoiler)[So far this is interesting and I'm liking the spooky vibes. I can't believe Ewan still bought the house after hearing murders took place haha. That's like the start of a horror movie. I think the book will go with a more realistic route instead of something supernatural. Riley seems to prefer that method. Anyways, can't wait to read more! (hide spoiler)]

31%
(view spoiler)[I'm loving this book so much and I have so many questions. I don't believe a word Dane said, how can we be so sure he is telling the truth and all the others characters too? I don't believe nothing of her father's book too but I still intrigued how things are happening now happened before too so maybe what her father is not entirely false? But this book is getting better and I can't wait to read more. (hide spoiler)]

Emma☀️ wrote: "16% [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[But he could write a really good supernatural book if he wants, that book by Ewan is hella scary, imagine if that was the book. And totally agree! He always does that and I can't wait to see if any of my theories are wrong or correct. (hide spoiler)]

34% (view spoiler)[Hmm… I’m suspicious of Dane. The Chief mentioned that if someone told you that they haven’t read Ewan’s book, they’re lying. Dane said he hasn’t read the book… I’m keeping my eye on him. Also, something definitely happened for Petra to run away on the same night when the Holt’s ran away. I honestly think she’s dead. Maybe there will be a twist, who knows lol

I’m liking the book a lot, it’s giving me Haunting of Hill House vibes. I think someone might be living in the walls of the house or it’s just animals roaming around. That’s the only most realistic reason I could think of haha but I’m curious if it will take a supernatural turn.
Maggie doesn’t seem to remember anything. I wonder if she is suppressing her memories or it never happened at all, but the polaroids say otherwise. Need to read more! (hide spoiler)]

— Massiel wrote: "31%
[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[Yeah! I don't trust anyone in the book. I also think some parts of Ewan's book might be telling some truth but it's difficult to make out which parts are fact or fiction. Omg yess! This would have been a lot scarier if Ewan's book was the actual book lol (hide spoiler)]

52% (view spoiler)[Omg so there was a dead body, assumed to be Petra! I'm going to stay skeptical that the bones are truly Petra's until the forensics come in. I have a feeling that Petra and Indigo are somehow linked. The song that kept playing says "sixteen, going on seventeen". Both girls were sixteen. Hm... idk I have all these thoughts but I cannot connect the dots lol (hide spoiler)]

68% (view spoiler)[This is getting more and more intense. I can’t figure out what is real or not. But I definitely think Ewan might have fudged the truth a little in his book. I also think there are hidden passages in the house for people to sneak into. The house is old and big after all lol (hide spoiler)]