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Saturday, June 26, 2021

Review: The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward

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The Last House on Needless Street
by Catriona Ward

Thanks so much to Tor Nightfire for this amazing free book.

Publisher: Nightfire
Publish Date: September 28, 2021
Hardcover
352 Pages
Standalone
Genre: Horror

In a boarded-up house on a dead-end street at the edge of the wild Washington woods lives a family of three.

A teenage girl who isn’t allowed outside, not after last time.
A man who drinks alone in front of his TV, trying to ignore the gaps in his memory.
And a house cat who loves napping and reading the Bible.

An unspeakable secret binds them together, but when a new neighbor moves in next door, what is buried out among the birch trees may come back to haunt them all.

My Review:


Well slap my ass and call me a cat.  I am equal parts still utterly baffled and entirely impressed and let me tell you why... without telling you too much because it's best to go into this with only knowing what the vague synopsis tells you.

For 85% of this book, I had a look of puzzlement on my face that surely created a new wrinkle somewhere but I'm A-freaking-OK with it because of what the last 15% (or less probably) did in bringing it all together when I didn't think that was going to be possible.... but alas, Ward gave it to me good here.  We get a few perspectives throughout the read and Olivia, the cat, was my favorite throughout.  Yes, we get the POV of a cat and it's glorious.  It wasn't until one shocking reveal that the little clues left throughout starting pinging in my head... ping, ping, ping, PING, PING, MF-ING PING!  That's when I did that little shake of the head that you do when you're impressed with just how crazy everything sounded but then also made so much damn sense.  But I did figure out the next part but only because surely, that's the only way it COULD go, am I right? *wink*  But seriously, it was the thread ups after THAT that really got to me and I could hear something going "oh... OH..." and realized, it was me. 

Now, after all of this, why not the full stars? Because for 85% of it, I was UTTERLY CONFUSED - I had no idea what was happening and yet I was very much intrigued.  But I also truly am impressed with the geniusness of Ward and I implore you to make sure to read the Afterword after you pick up this book to read (because you WILL, right?).  I realize that the utterly confused to brilliant is still leaving me in a state of awe but damn, sometimes it just didn't feel like an enjoyable read and I felt myself wanting to put it down at times but was compelled not to.  Catriona, did you put a spell on this book? 😏 (I approve.)

Ahhhh - this one is going to stick to my bones for a long time.  I eagerly await whatever Ward has for us next.  Definitely get this one on your TBR, readers... and stick with it until the end.  Meow.

★★★★

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