The House in the Pines

The House in the Pines

  • Downloads:2680
  • Type:Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date:2023-01-19 06:52:25
  • Update Date:2025-09-06
  • Status:finish
  • Author:Ana Reyes
  • ISBN:0593186710
  • Environment:PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle

Summary

A REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK

Armed with only hazy memories, a woman who long ago witnessed her friend's sudden, mysterious death, and has since spent her life trying to forget, sets out to track down answers。 What she uncovers, deep in the woods, is hardly to be believed。。。。


Maya was a high school senior when her best friend, Aubrey, mysteriously dropped dead in front of the enigmatic man named Frank whom they'd been spending time with all summer。

Seven years later, Maya lives in Boston with a loving boyfriend and is kicking the secret addiction that has allowed her to cope with what happened years ago, the gaps in her memories, and the lost time that she can't account for。 But her past comes rushing back when she comes across a recent YouTube video in which a young woman suddenly keels over and dies in a diner while sitting across from none other than Frank。 Plunged into the trauma that has defined her life, Maya heads to her Berkshires hometown to relive that fateful summer--the influence Frank once had on her and the obsessive jealousy that nearly destroyed her friendship with Aubrey。

At her mother's house, she excavates fragments of her past and notices hidden messages in her deceased Guatemalan father's book that didn't stand out to her earlier。 To save herself, she must understand a story written before she was born, but time keeps running out, and soon, all roads are leading back to Frank's cabin。。。。

Utterly unique and captivating, The House in the Pines keeps you guessing about whether we can ever fully confront the past and return home。

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Reviews

Katie

I listened on audible and perhaps would have liked it more if I read instead。 While I found the overall theme of this book interesting, the story confused me and jumped around a lot。 The characters seemed flat and I was underwhelmed。

Ashley

I really like this debut suspenseful story。 After seeing another woman drop dead the same way her best friend did 7 years prior, while in the presence of the same person, Maya knows she has to go home and face everything she has been running from。 She knows Frank is someone to fear but why? Read if you enjoy or are looking for magical realism in your suspense。 I enjoyed the twists and couldn't figure them out。 The story moves at a slow pace it felt worth it in the end。 The discussions around add I really like this debut suspenseful story。 After seeing another woman drop dead the same way her best friend did 7 years prior, while in the presence of the same person, Maya knows she has to go home and face everything she has been running from。 She knows Frank is someone to fear but why? Read if you enjoy or are looking for magical realism in your suspense。 I enjoyed the twists and couldn't figure them out。 The story moves at a slow pace it felt worth it in the end。 The discussions around addiction, withdrawal and recovery were all a nice touch that I didn't expect to enjoy as much。 。。。more

Molly

3。5 stars⭐️ I enjoyed this and it kept my interest but i think i expected more wow factor with the outcome and what happened etc!

Steph Sanford

3。5 ⭐️

Pam

Easy, quick exciting read 。。。Though I did get confused at points as to where I was in the story 。。。。 Some of the storytelling was not as clear as it may have been but an interesting concept for sure。

Kristen

Took a while to get into the story。 Shifts between time periods were confusing at times。 The "bad guy's" methods were predictable。 It wasn't a great book, but not terrible either。 Took a while to get into the story。 Shifts between time periods were confusing at times。 The "bad guy's" methods were predictable。 It wasn't a great book, but not terrible either。 。。。more

Melanie Marie

Underwhelming book……。not one of my favorites。

Genna

3。5。 It could have been 4 but who is ruby?!?!

Ginny Muse

Interesting- Not a perfect story, but pretty good。 More thoughts to come -

Carolynn Wilcox

Won’t say too much, but enjoyed this read! Refreshing to read a story from the lens of a protagonist with a diverse background。 Intriguing premise & was grateful this author didn’t succumb to the pull of adding graphic elements just for shock value。

Thomas Riddell

The House in the Pines is a psychological thriller that tugged me into its pages, and it wouldn't let me go。As a senior in high school Maya secretly used the medication Klonopin, which she secured from a friend, to help her cope with the death of another friend, Aubrey。 Aubrey mysteriously dropped dead in front of an attractive man named Frank after they both spent time with him during the summer。Maya moved on in life and eventually met a guy who she lives with in Boston。 She attempts to kick th The House in the Pines is a psychological thriller that tugged me into its pages, and it wouldn't let me go。As a senior in high school Maya secretly used the medication Klonopin, which she secured from a friend, to help her cope with the death of another friend, Aubrey。 Aubrey mysteriously dropped dead in front of an attractive man named Frank after they both spent time with him during the summer。Maya moved on in life and eventually met a guy who she lives with in Boston。 She attempts to kick the addiction, but she keeps the fact that she is using from her boyfriend, and she also hides other issues from him。 She has gaps in her memory and other bits of lost time that she can't account for。 All of these issues resurface as she watches a You Tube video, that has gone viral, of a girl who keels over in a diner。 Sitting across from her? Frank。 As the trauma of that past time threatens her current life and relationships, Maya returns to her hometown to look for answers。While frantically looking for clues that will explain the mystery of how these incidents surrounding Frank happened, she is lured to Franks cabin in the woods。 It's there where things become clearer; revealing to her how sinister Frank really is。The House in the Pines is a psychological thriller that tugged me into its pages, and it wouldn't let me go。 The mysterious plot was truly captivating, intriguing and there was a magic about the story that pushed it to even higher heights。 This debut novel has hit #1 on best seller lists and it's not a surprise。 The author has a firm grip on the tools that are needed to pen a great story, and this is, a great story。 It explores our minds and forces us to think about all of the levels of evil, masquerading as coming from good and caring people。 The ending is even more powerful and thought provoking。 This is a must read! 。。。more

Bookish Miranda

This is a solid debut novel that I enjoyed for the most part。

Theresa Munroe

I wasn't sure how I felt about this novel when I first started reading it, but it definitely surprised me by the end。 As I read other reviews, they kept mentioning it was insanely suspenseful, and I felt like I was missing something。 It starts off slow, especially considering you're linking her weird behaviour to her withdrawal, mixed with lack of sleep, and drinking, but it takes an unexpected turn。 As the novel progresses, more and more information is revealed as she's tying to piece together I wasn't sure how I felt about this novel when I first started reading it, but it definitely surprised me by the end。 As I read other reviews, they kept mentioning it was insanely suspenseful, and I felt like I was missing something。 It starts off slow, especially considering you're linking her weird behaviour to her withdrawal, mixed with lack of sleep, and drinking, but it takes an unexpected turn。 As the novel progresses, more and more information is revealed as she's tying to piece together this weirdness as well。 When it's finally revealed what's happening, you're taken back as the result。 It's definitely a unique storyline and I haven't read anything like it。 Now that I've finished it, I can honestly say that I enjoyed it and I highly recommend it, if you want a new look on suspense。 。。。more

Tasha Chamberlain

2。5 stars。 Very meh

Brenda Vega

Definitely a slow start, it took me a couple chapters to really get into it but once I did I couldn’t put it down。 Ana Reyes writes a unique thriller with a satisfying ending。 It kept me wondering what was hidden and what the hell Frank did。 I was worried for Maya for most of the book tbh but was happy with the resolution。 Solid book, solid author

Amy Bushmeyer

3。5 starsIt took a bit to hook me, but once it did it took off。

Kathleen

Ugh- this book has no ending, zero resolution and a bunch of half baked, far-fetched ideas about what really happened。 Incredibly frustrating book。

A_Stylish_Bookworm

Thank you @prhaudio for a copy of this audiobook。 This was an interesting premise about the death of 2 woman in a small town that are 10 years apart。 The story is told through Maya's POV with both past and present timeline and how they till together through her former boyfriend, Frank。 I really enjoy the idea of mind manipulation and how it can potentially lead you to do things you don't want to do。 Thank you @prhaudio for a copy of this audiobook。 This was an interesting premise about the death of 2 woman in a small town that are 10 years apart。 The story is told through Maya's POV with both past and present timeline and how they till together through her former boyfriend, Frank。 I really enjoy the idea of mind manipulation and how it can potentially lead you to do things you don't want to do。 。。。more

Jenna Morlock

If you read one book in 2023, please let it be this one。A mystery/thriller with a much deeper, significant, important theme。I never really understood what it meant when someone called a book “stunning”… but this book, is STUNNING。 Beautifully written, emotional, & a plot so unique it’s immediately gripping。 I loved every minute of it。 Another addition to my all-time-favorites list。

Cait

Eh it was okay。。 the ending lost me。

Leslie - Shobizreads

I listened to the audiobook version of this thriller (Thanks to Librofm)。 The narrator was amazing, great at holding my interest and engaging the reader。 However, the premise of this story allows for moving back and forth between present day and several years ago which can be confusing in the audio book format and easy to lose your place and be confused。Maya has blocked out memories about how her best friend Aubrey died years ago, inexplicably dropping dead while in the presence of Frank (a man I listened to the audiobook version of this thriller (Thanks to Librofm)。 The narrator was amazing, great at holding my interest and engaging the reader。 However, the premise of this story allows for moving back and forth between present day and several years ago which can be confusing in the audio book format and easy to lose your place and be confused。Maya has blocked out memories about how her best friend Aubrey died years ago, inexplicably dropping dead while in the presence of Frank (a man that seemed to be responsible but never touched Maya's friend)。 Present day - Maya sees a video where the same thing happens to a girl in the dinner and it looks like it was the same man, Frank, sitting there next to the woman who drops dead without explanation。This new video brings back Maya's memories of those days and the fact that there are gaps in her memory from that day。 So, she returns to her hometown, works on repairing her relationship with her mom, discovers a journal from her father that she never knew and finds Frank。This psychological thriller had a lot of promise for me, playing with memory & manipulation, but it also relied on an unreliable narrator due to mental illness and drug/alcohol addiction。 So at the end of the day, this was just a middle of the road thriller for me。I think I would have possibly enjoyed a print/ebook copy where it was easier to follow the timeline/events。 。。。more

ShadesOfUwu

A nice little pick-me-up thriller。 The ending could have been a little better。

The Blessed Little Life

A very exciting mystery/thriller novel about the subtlety of memory。 Such a good read!

Angela Bistline

Ugh, did not like this at all。

Kate Wetekamm

I loved this book, and being unsure if the narrator was reliable or not。 I thought the relationships were compelling- in particular the mother/daughter relationship。

Steffany

I was really interested in this story and then the end tried to tidy things up too quickly and missed some opportunities to meaningfully circle back to things or close some plot lines in more satisfying ways。 Would still recommend this read。

Vanessa Menezes

The plot was definitely unique and kept me intrigued till the end。 But, I was expecting a better ending。。。

Jennifer Wilson

Boring! Ending was ok。

Elisa

Okay。

Brooklyne Smith

Although I saw the ending coming from a mile away, it was still worth the read。 Easy vacay read!