R.L. Stine meets Urban Legend in the next twisty horror novel by New York Times bestselling author Vincent Ralph.
“Ready or not. Whatever you do. The Hiding Boy is coming for you.”
Sixteen-year-old Nate Campbell grew up in the shadow of Murder Road – a street cursed by the vengeful spirit of the Hiding Boy.
Every few years, for nearly six decades, a different house on that street has been the scene of a tragedy.
Nate and his family move to a new town as they try to outrun the curse once and for all. But, when he is pulled into his new friends’ urban legend club, new ghost stories merge with old until there is nowhere left to run.
Vincent Ralph is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of YA thrillers 14 Ways to Die, Lock the Doors, Secrets Never Die, and One House Left. He is an Edgar Award nominee, winner of the Southern Schools Book Award, and the author of picture book A Boy Called Book. The first two novels in the Bleak Haven series - Dead Fake and Night Terror - will be published in January 2026.
This paranormal thriller meets horror novel gave me mixed vibes. After reading a few rave reviews, I was expecting something more mind-blowing, and honestly, until I reached the last third, I wasn’t sure what the hell I was reading. There were too many mysteries, unanswered questions about the hiding boy, why the entire family was running away, and why a group of kids was so obsessed with facing urban legends as if they were chasing their own deaths!
I also had a hard time connecting with the characters, who weren't layered enough and left me wondering why Nate fell for Max and what made her so special. Later, we learn more about the trio: Max has a soft spot for a couple next door, a wife suffering from dementia, and her devoted husband who used to give free candies to her when she was a kid. We also learn that Tyler is trying to cope with the high expectations of his crowded family, struggling to decide between sports and science, while Seb is still haunted by his family loss, grieving his big brother who died in a car accident in front of his eyes.
As for Nate, who might be the hero of our story, we know he comes from a broken family that might be running away from something related to Murder Road, where tragedies have struck the place several times, connected with the urban legend of the hiding boy, as they all suffer from insomnia. Why is the entire family dysfunctional? Why does Nate, a shy, skinny, introverted 16-year-old boy, do everything to avoid befriending three teenagers who are adamant about turning their group into a quartet to include him?
Until the last third, question marks were hanging over my head like bubble balloons. I felt like I was taking a long walk in the dark, trying to gather pieces, and I also hoped for some twist that would make this slow-burn horror path more interesting. There were some juicy parts, like the news columns found in the locker and the quartet’s urban legend explorations, that hinted at something eerie about Nate lurking sinister things. But when I reached the last third, with not-so-unexpected twists and explanations, along with some more semi-twists thrown our way, I thought, okay, things started to get interesting, and I also enjoyed the irritating conclusion that fit well with the entire nature of the plotline.
Overall, this book was slow-paced, and the characters didn't evoke much sympathy, but the writing style was unique, and the execution of events was refreshing, smart, and totally different from other books in the same genre. There were no clichés or stereotypical incidents that make you roll your eyes. That's why, even though I got a little impatient at first, I continued to read and tried to come up with some theories. Luckily, I couldn't predict the main twist, which increased my enjoyment.
That’s why I’m rounding up from 3.5 to 4 stars for reading something different and unexpectedly smart. I'm looking forward to reading more works by the author. The refreshing writing style absolutely intrigued me.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books for providing me with this digital review copy in exchange for my honest opinions.
I really enjoyed One House Left. It deserves its comp to R.L. Stine, though this is better written...
I sort of totally kid. I love R.L. Stine and appreciate all of his work and his contribution to the Horror space. I still read his books today and will continue to do so, well, forever.
Anytime I see a new release compared to Stine's stories, I am going to check it out. It's the Publishers doing their work. They sold me. Sometimes it pays off, other times not so much. Happy to report it def paid off here.
This story follows 16-year old, Nate Campbell, who grew up on a cursed street, dubbed Murder Road, haunted by a vengeful spirit known only as The Hiding Boy.
Every few years a different house on the street is plagued by some sort of violent tragedy. Nate and his family, trying to outrun the curse, move to a new town at the start of this story and that is where we pick up with Nate.
We follow him as he navigates being the new kid, while also trying to outrun his past. Will he be able to do so? Is it even possible to escape from the clutches of Murder Road?
I was hooked into this one from the start. It was giving me total Fear Street vibes with the narration style and the way the MC, Nate, presented his story.
He was pulled into a clique of friends at his new school, led by the strong-willed, Max, who love learning about and exploring urban legends. Little did they know that Nate was actually living one.
Max seemed like such a cool girl to me. I loved her. Everything about the way she was described and the confidence with which she carried herself, she was def my fave in this one!
There's all sorts of mystery throughout this story as well. I had so many questions. I didn't really know what was going on half the time, purposefully on the author's part, and it kept me hella intrigued.
People were acting strangely, Nate was receiving mysterious threatening messages, it wasn't quite clear the circumstances under which Nate's family left their old home; there was so much I wanted to know.
That's one way to keep you furiously flipping pages!
There was a huge twist around the 70%-point, that legit left my jaw on the floor. I couldn't believe what was happening and it totally changed my perspective on everything. I felt that was so well played by the author.
As far as reveals go, it was definitely one I did NOT expect!
I also loved the escalation of this story. It was like a snowball rolling down hill. The pacing was very well done.
There's a lot that I appreciated about this story, but I won't risk saying more because I don't want to spoil anything. Just know, I was impressed.
Overall, I loved how the concept of Urban Legends was used by the author to tell this story. I found the characters so compelling, especially my girl, Max. As YA Horror novels go, this is at towards the top of the class!
Thank you to the publisher, Wednesday Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. This is the 2nd-book I have read from Vincent Ralph and I'm definitely seeing a progression in his work.
I am not sure I agree that this is R. L. Stine meets urban legends because the style was very different. It was a good young adult thriller, but it was drawn out in a way R. L. Stine never was. I listened to the audiobook of this one and I liked the narrator a lot. I thought he did a great job bringing the main character to life, and when there were chapters starring other characters he transitioned well to making those feel real too. Nate and his family have been moving frequently and it is clear they are running from something horrific. Nate has survived by not getting attached and he hopes to be invisible at this newest stop too. He bumps into a group of three friends and he can’t help but become attached even when the three of them tell him they are a group that likes to try urban legends. This book wasn’t scary but it was fun (even if I saw the twist coming). I do love urban legends so the story of the hiding boy was definitely an interesting one. I do think the story could have moved faster, but over all it was.
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Aug. 27, 2024
Vincent Ralph’s new YA horror novel, “One House Left” is a terrifying exploration of four teenagers and an urban legend come to life.
“Ready or Not, whatever you do, The Hiding Boy is coming for you”.
Nathan Campbell knows what the true story of Cherry Tree Lane, nicknamed “Murder Road”, and he, and his family, have been on the run from its terrifying secrets, trying to outrun the curse. At his latest school, Nate tries to stick to himself but is soon under the spell of local girl, Maxine, and her small group of friends, obsessed with urban legends. As much as Nate tries to hide his history, Max and her friends soon discover Nate’s connection to the “Murder Road” urban legend and are desperate to investigate, leading to a night of bloodshed and terror where not everyone will survive.
Vincent Ralph has a way of understanding his YA audience, introducing naïve and anxious characters that are believable and honest. The first half of “House” is narrated by Nate, and the last half is narrated by Max. In between chapters there are snippets of haunting dreams that have terrorized Nate as a result of his involvement with “The Hiding Boy”, all culminating in one heck of a final twist.
The beginning of the novel was innocent yet spooky, as Nate and his friends naively investigate urban legends but, toward the end, the plot takes a legitimately terrifying turn that reminded me a little bit of Stephen King’s “It”, where all the characters are faced with their worst fears and secrets of their past that they must confront in order to survive. I loved all of the scary components- the haunted neighbourhood, the urban legends, the “Hiding Boy”- and I managed to feel a connection to the characters, even though I haven’t been part of the YA audience in a decade (or more).
I read “Secrets Never Die” by Ralph, which got me used to his unique writing style that reoccurred in “House”. His language is easy to read, designed for a YA audience without all of the current generations’ ridiculous slang and verbiage, but there is something unique about it that had me re-reading a few passages, thinking I had missed important plot points (I hadn’t).
“House” is clever, haunting and gripping, and Ralph connects with audience, young and older alike, in creative ways. I look forward to reading more of Ralph’s scary stories in the future!
I received a free copy of, One House Left, by Vincent Ralph, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Nate Campbell has heard about urban legends before, he thought moving would help, but he learned there was more then one, urban legend. This was a different kind of story, but was a little confusing at times, but all in all a nice story.
The description touts One House Left as an "R.L. Stine meets Urban Legend" novel. But it's not even close to the spine tingliness of an R.L. Stine book.
I expected more based on the description as I wanted a nail-biting horror story that would keep me turning the pages. Instead, all I got was a lukewarm and boring teen drama that left me shaking my head.
The characters are fairly vanilla and nothing about any of them stands out. Except for maybe the female club member whose character I remember simply because of her masculine name, Max.
Needless to say, I wasn't impressed with what I read, and at 33% I gave up forging ahead. I'll probably read the author's prior novel just to see if my perception changes. Until then, however, One House Left is a one star DNF for me.
I received a DRC from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. This review is completely my own and reflects my honest thoughts and opinions.
TW/CW: Language, fighting, toxic family relationships, dementia, death of loved one, grieving, depression, anxiety, death of sibling, bullying, family drama, blood, gory scenes
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book: Sixteen-year-old Nate Campbell grew up in the shadow of Murder Road – a street cursed by the vengeful spirit of the Hiding Boy.
Every few years, for nearly six decades, a different house on that street has been the scene of a tragedy.Nate and his family move to a new town as they try to outrun the curse once and for all. But, when he is pulled into his new friends’ urban legend club, new ghost stories merge with old until there is nowhere left to run. Release Date: August 27th, 2024 Genre: Horror Pages: 320 Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
What I Liked: 1. The plot sounded creepy 2. Short chapters 3. Reads fast
What I Didn't Like: 1. Read too YA 2. Characters feel repetitive 3. Teenage romance 4. Not horror - more mystery feeling
Overall Thoughts:
{{Disclaimer: I write my review as I read}}
Calling the road Murder Road remind me of a book called Murder Road by Simone St. James, which also talks about a road of death.
I wish the teenagers were more interesting. So far it feels like Nate is coming off very one dimensional, Hazel just keeps calling the boy she left behind, and Roman is fighting for money.
If Nate knows that his urban legend is real why would he want to risk making another urban legend real? Wouldn't he want to not be anywhere near another one?
Did you know that Nates grandmother died? Yeah, you'll only hear about it every chapter and almost every 5 pages.
They all go to Murder Road and in the boys house (not sure if this house has been vacant since the 60s the town hasn't knocked it down) they are locked away from Nate, we suddenly change character pov to Max's. Why?? This is weird. Then Seb & Tyler's.
They are lost in this haunted house and Seb just died but suddenly in the middle of all of this we have Tyler over here questioning his life decisions and whether he should take a school scholarship. What???
The house turns into this 1408 Stephen King ghost thing where their spirts from their pasts and worries of their lives kill(try) to them off.
Tyler and Max survive. The police even talk about how the town should knock down the 5 houses and yeah why aren't they?? How is the town doing this since they've had so many people killed at these places.
So we now know that Roman is responsible for the death of 5 bodies and feeding the house people just because Roman interrupted the curse to knock the door down saving the other kids (I guess).
Oh they killed Hazel's boyfriend in the house.
I'm confused why they wouldn't approach the town about knocking the houses down to see if it'll stop the curse they have, but they don't even try that path they just jump into leading people to the houses.
In theory then since Roman broke up the houses killing those people that broke in and broke the door down what did that mean that little girl that saved Max and Tyler but also be haunted and have to lure people to houses? She interrupted the natural order of things.
So it's 6 months later and they are knocking the houses down starting with the one where Seb died in. Magically Nate and his family is able to just blend into this huge crowd and you're going to tell me not one person recognizes any of them. Like how is that even possible. They grew up in this town and no one recognizes them especially since Max had put out a podcast saying they were on the lookout for them and they had disappeared but they just get in watch the house get knocked down and sneak out.
Final Thoughts: This book reminded me of The Craft. That a new girl that had the final power showed up and gave the existing group the power they were missing. Nate is that character that shows up to make the urban legends come alive.
It's never explained how the urban legends came true when they were around Nate. It's never explained and kind of seemed an after thought to a storyline that was pretty massive.
I wanted to like this story but it all just felt very meh to me. The characters weren't interesting and at times could come off annoying. The tone of the book was too YA. There was the twist of Nate framing the group, but it seemed so out of character to the person we had been following around and reading his thoughts that suddenly he'd set his friends up to be murdered.
In the end though I don't know if I'll remember much from this book. Wasn't terrible but also wasn't very memorable.
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
So dull.
When I first opened this book I was intrigued by the author's writing style and captivated by the lore. The first couple of chapters were fine, and I excused the slow pacing as the book was establishing its world and characters. But this slow pacing continued and continued, and continued for the entire book.
I am not opposed to a slow mystery, especially if the book is honing in on its character's development- but this one did no such thing. The characters felt very flat, and the mystery was poorly developed to me. I kept reading, expecting it to get better- but everything just dragged on so much. The few suspenseful moments early in the book didn't develop into anything interesting. This author attempts to create character development by giving us these weird glimpses of the side character's lives and backstories. Though these tangents make sense given the end of the story, they are uninteresting and don't do anything to heighten the story.
Then there's the twist. I won't go into too many details, to avoid spoiler territory, but I found the in the last few chapters of the novel dull and uninspiring. I didn't see it coming, because it was never once hinted at- not because it was a good twist. We are suddenly given random tidbits of backstory on the characters leading up to this moment, which would have served the story better- had it been told to us at the beginning of the book. The twist could have worked pretty well, had it been set up better from the start- had the story been tightened up and less rambly. I also found the author's overall writing style weakened towards the end of the book, and it was a sludge to get through.
I don't find this book comparable to R.L. Stine or any other young adult mystery/thriller writer for that matter. I feel this story had a lot of potential, but the author just dragged it on for far too long- without any real focus. I never felt compelled by the mystery, and the stakes just feel so low throughout the book. This was a tough one for me to get through, I am interested in reading some of the author's other work to see how it compares, but this one was a miss for me.
Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's for the pre-release copy of One House Left by Vincent Ralph. Here are my honest thoughts.
This one was a lot of fun, but it also had some pacing issues. I felt like there was a lot of repetition -
Family life: parents doing their thing, brother fighting and coming home late, sister crying on the phone, oh, I can't tell my family that I have friends
Friend group: I need to stay away. I don't want to. I'm gonna stay away. Okay, I'll hang out.
School: Oh look, another note/article.
All of this repetition made the first half of the book a bit of a slog, even though there were some interesting things sprinkled in to help make it still hold a bit of my attention, and I mean the urban legend parts, of course.
Once the 75% mark hit though, the story accelerated really fast, and skyrocketed straight towards an ending that was impossible to see coming because of the unreliable nature of the storytelling method.
All in all, it was really fun when it was fun, but the pacing issue knocked off a star for me. Recommended for Vincent Ralph fans, YA horror fans, and slow burns.
Thank you to the publisher and author for this ARC! When reading the synopsis of this book, I was really excited topossibly get an early copy and dive in! Unfortunately, I struggled to contact with both the story and the characters. The pacing felt off and unnecessarily drawn out. Some themes of the story were most certainly creepy, but not enough to keep my attention. I have enjoyed other books by this author, but this one wasn't my favorite.
“One House Left” has all the makings for the perfect YA horror, if you’re looking for a break from your usual reads with enough urban legends to pique your interest, and enough creepy components to give you the chills this is for you.
The plot follows a dysfunctional family who are always on the move due to some ominous secret they are harbouring that is causing them to just act super weird and suspect.
When the new kid miraculously makes fast friends with a group at school they immediately open up about all the urban legends and ghost stories surrounding the town. When these stories begin to merge with the ones that Nate’s family are trying to outrun will him and his family be able to escape this time.
This was a fun read I would recommend if you are looking for an adventurous paranormal thriller.
Thank you to st martins press, Wednesday books, Vincent Ralph and Netgalley for the EARC!
𝒪𝓃𝑒 𝐻𝑜𝓊𝓈𝑒 𝐿𝑒𝒻𝓉 𝒷𝓎 𝒱𝒾𝓃𝒸𝑒𝓃𝓉 𝑅𝒶𝓁𝓅𝒽. Thank you @netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for my #gifted copy! My opinion is my own and voluntary.
𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬
Nate and his family have been moving from house to house for years, always seeming to be on the run from something. Now Nate is living near Murder Road, the street in which the Hiding Boy lurks, waiting for his next victims.
Nate has never been one to make friends, but this time, it’s different. He meets a girl who changes his whole world. Nate is dragged into his new friends’ urban legend club. A club in which they test the accuracy of an urban legend.
Are urban legends real? Who is leaving threatening notes for Nate and why are all these supernatural happenings occuring?
When Nate and his group of friends, want to test out the legend of the Hiding Boy and Murder Road, Nate reluctantly agrees but not before begging his new friend to runaway with him.
What is Nate and his family hiding? Can this group survive the Hiding Boy?
𝓜𝔂 𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼: ☁️☁️☁️
Definitely reminiscent of R.L. Stine and Christopher Pike! This was a CHILLING YA supernatural HORROR! It is on par with Rachel Harrison’s “The Return”. This book kept me in-rapt attention! I started out with the e-book then switched to the audio. The narrator NAILED it! Spooky with a very nice TWISTY surprise at the end!
House Left by Vincent Ralph Holy freak-a-roni. This book blew my mind. Nate and his family are on the run.. trouble is, it’s not a thing they can run from. Nate doesn’t want to make friends. Friends mean something to leave behind but when a small group of misfits befriend him.. he cannot help wanting to join. I loved it. The misfits take on urban legends in their spare time.. since Nate joined.. they seem to be becoming real… I love the supernatural tones in this book. The book is so twisty and I never figured out what would happen at the end!! Blown away! If you love a horror thriller… this one.. this oneeeee 4.5 stars
This was a great young adult paranormal thriller. One House Left immediately had me intrigued by the story and its urban legends. This was a fast paced read with some good twists. This book also had creepy vibes and a few good horror elements, making it a great YA read for the spooky season.
"Ready or not. Whatever you do. The Hiding Boy is coming for you."
Thank you St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the ARC !
In One House Left, a troubled teen befriends a group of classmates obsessed with urban legends. However, they don't know that he is at the heart of one of the most famous, and deadliest, urban legends of America. He lived next to the Murder Road...
I really liked this book ! It has shades of Fear Street. The spooky vibes were immaculate and I was fascinated by the expansive lore of the Murder Road. At first, I thought there were too many threads being spun as I was reading it, but then everything came together in a riveting climax, full of twists and turns.
Book: One House Left Author: Vincent Ralph Rating: 2 Out of 5 Stars
I would like to thank the publisher, Wednesday Books, for sending me an ARC. I loved Secrets Never Die by this author. I read it last year and thought the horror elements of it were well done. I was super excited when I got offered an ARC for this one. However, it ended up being a miss for me and I am very sad about it. I do hate it whenever I end up not enjoying a book.
In this one, we follow Nate, who grew up on Murder Road, which is exactly like it sounds. It is said that the street is cursed by an evil spirit called the Hiding Boy. Every couple of years for the past sixty years, a house is chosen and something bad happens. Once your house is chosen, there is escaping it. He and his family have been running for a long time. They fear the curse and have to get away from it. Nate has learned that it is best not to put down roots because the curse always finds them. Everything seems okay in this new town. Nate has even made friends, which is something that he normally does not do. However, these new friends are the local urban legend club and he quickly finds himself sucked into it. Now, it seems that what he has been trying to get away from has found him or is it just another story?
Vincent does a great job at setting the scene and this is no different. We are given this story about Murder Road, then we are transported into Nate’s world. We don’t have a full understanding of what is going on. We know Nate’s family is running from some big secret. We don’t know if it’s supernatural or not, but something is very wrong in his family. I love it whenever books hide things from their readers. I know a lot of readers do not like this, but I find that it does add to the story. It adds a sense of mystery and unknownness to the book.
I had a very difficult time connecting to the characters. I know that I just said that I like it whenever we don’t know everything. However, I like having enough to connect with the characters. I felt that the characters were a bit underdeveloped. They all blended. Now, Vincent did try to give them all a voice and their personality, but I just didn’t mesh with them.
The plot is slow. Normally, I don’t mind a slow book, but the pacing didn’t fit with the story. This setup does require a bit of a faster pace. I get having a slower pace to set up the world and the premise, but I don’t know. I found that it didn’t work for me. It made the whole thing, again, seem underdeveloped and flat. I thought that the start of the book did set up the story wonderfully, but it felt like it didn’t advance beyond that. It’s hard to put this into words without spoiling the story too much. Just know that it didn’t work for me.
Overall, this was a miss for me. I am interested in reading more by this author because I did enjoy another book by him.
This is a fantastically creepy novel about a cursed boy and a family who can't escape the terrors of their past.
They call it Murder Road. A street in a small town where brutal and unexplained murders happen each year on a certain day tinside different houses. It's an urban legend about the "Hiding Boy" and a curse he placed on the street after the death of his mother.
Nate and his family are running from place to place trying to outrun this curse. They know it's very real and with good reason.
Nate is in high school and reluctantly makes friends with a trio who like to test urban legends.
This is the setup to what is going to be a horrifying narrative. The author has done a great job of setting up all the pieces and saving the most dark twisted secrets until the end.
Part coming of age, part family trauma, and terrifying supernatural encounters will keep you on the edge of your seat until the end. I highly recommend this book.
I received an ARC of this book through Netgalley with no consideration. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.
There is something in my past, from which I'm running from, but let me never talk about it, neither the actual horror element.
Let me rant for half of the book about something vague that you have to guess, cuz I dont know how to develop a story, so I'm going to go back to talking about my past being sad, because, well, that's the whole story.
Oh, and I saw this girl in school, towards whom I feel attraction. Let me talk about it for 20 pages, and then? Of course, let me talk about how sad my past is to cover up the fact that nothing is happening in this story.
Absolute trash. What I described in the past three paragraphs is the whole story.
I really enjoyed this young adult thriller. It’s the perfect read for the spooky season and it gave me major Fear Street vibes.
This book is about a group of kids that are obsessed with urban legends and finding out if they are true. This seems like a good idea until someone ends up dead.
If you are a fan of the paranormal or urban legends this is one worth picking up.
Thank you @Wednesdaybooks for sending me a gifted copy of the book.
4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ One House Left Author: Vincent Ralph Horror/Thriller
Thank you so much Netgalley and Wednesday Books for this ARC! This was a good, fast paced thriller read. Another perfect ease into the beginning of spooky season! Nate and his family are haunted by a curse on their street. A different home is targeted every few years. They decide to try and move and evade tragedy once and for all. Nate becomes friends with a group of kids from his new school that are avid adventurers of urban legends. Both stories begin to mix in this twisty thriller read. Highly recommend if you want a short, fast paced, spooky book to kick off September!
Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC!
“Ready or not, whatever you do, the hiding boy is coming for you…”
I have been in my “YA Thriller/Horror” era lately and this book definitely fit the bill! A family running from a twisted urban legend…a teenage boy trying to keep from making friends so the curse doesn’t come to them. And the first new people he meets are urban legend chasers!
I definitely agreed with the RL Stine comparison and got a bit of a Goosebumps vibe reading this book! Though a bit predictable, this book was really a fun read. I had the audio and I thought the narrator did a great job bringing the story/characters to life and amping up the suspense. A great read for the spooky season if you enjoy your books being spooky but still fun :)
”The Last House Left” is out now. This review will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_botle) shortly :)
I was soo excited to read this one. The synopsis sounded soo good and right up my Alley. However, I didn’t love this one. I didn’t hate it. I was super curious to see where this was going and learn about the back story, but I was pretty disappointed. However, as I kept reading, I still wanted to finish it out and see it through. Pretty middle of the road for me.
One House Left is a super twisty and fun urban legend horror story perfect for teens or adults looking for a lighter read. I’ve started getting more into NA and YA when I need a breather from my normal reads, and this book was an amazing break. The writing was well done and I enjoyed the character development as Nate and his siblings navigated being new in town…. Again.
I was pleasantly surprised by a twist that caught me totally off guard and had to rewind my audiobook to make sure that I heard it correctly. Ralph is definitely a writer that knows how to keep readers on their toes and I look forward to seeking out more of his work!!
I listened to this one on audio and the narrators absolutely crushed it!!
Check this one out if you like horror, urban legends, things that go bump in the night, and if you grew up in the cult of R. L. Stine.
**Thank you to NetGalley, Wednesday Books, and Spotify Audiobooks for the ALC of this title!**
"Ready or not. Whatever you do. The Hiding Boy is coming for you."
This was such a dark little horror story. A whole block is a part of urban legend and the murders and deaths are horrible. A family on the run - you are with the youngest kid's POV. It's the 4th move in 3 years, as they run from the urban legend, the Hiding Boy.
I loved the twists in this one. It isn't often I get to read about Urban Legends and this one had such an interesting premise and history. The POV was perfect, really detailed the confusion and the tension in the family while also juggling these new schools. The struggle to want to make friends but wonder if its worth it.
When I hit the beginning of Part 2, my jaw was on the ground! So many good twists in this one. The ending was perfect! I loved it!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
I have mixed feelings about this book. The premise was intriguing, but the execution was lacking. It was also compared to R.L. Stine and sadly, I don’t agree with that. The beginning was confusing and felt really disjointed to me. Everything moved along so slow and I never really felt a connection to any of the characters! By the time the twist happened, I had already lost interest. I’m a big fan of YA horror, but sadly this book just wasn’t for me.
This book starts with a mystery and then talks about the mystery without solving it for forever. You are like 3/4 way through the book and wondering what the hell happened to this family and I just felt like….i wasn’t getting enough information to keep me interested. I was interested in the curse, but I dunno. I just didn’t like how this book played out and I didn’t like the twist. It was eh
This was a good story for middle school readers. When I requested I didn’t realize that. Urban Legend creepy stuff, sign me up. Perfect for spooky season.
Thank you to Wednesday Books and Vincent Ralph for the opportunity.