Spooky Season Read And Review By Char

With the spooky season starting, how would you feel about reading a haunted house story? What if you could experience the ghost’s perspective while also understanding the current owner’s? That’s precisely what happens to Ronnie in ‘It Was Her House First’, by Cherie Priest. Please uncover the story of the ghosts and what haunts them as they haunt Ronnie.

Ronnie doesn’t know it yet, but her fate rests in the hands of the dead. Silent film star Venita Rost’s malevolent spirit lurks spider-like in her cliffside mansion, a once-beautiful home that’s claimed countless unlucky souls. And she’s not alone. Snared in her terrible web, Inspector Bartholomew Sloan—her eternal nemesis—watches her wreak havoc in helpless horror, shackled by his own guilt and Venita’s unrelenting wrath. Now the house has yet another new owner. This time it’s Ronnie Mitchell, a grieving woman who buys the run-down place sight unseen. She arrives armed with an unexpected inheritance, a strong background in renovation, and a blissful ignorance regarding the house’s blood-soaked history. But her arrival has stirred up more than just dust and decay. In the shadows, unseen eyes watch. Then, a man comes knocking. He brings wild stories and a thinly veiled jealousy, as well as a secret connection to the house that can only lead to violence. Venita’s fury awakens, and a deadly game unfolds. Caught between a vengeful ghost and a ruthless living threat, Ronnie’s skepticism crumbles. The line between living and dead isn’t as sharp as it seems, and she realizes too late that in Venita’s house, survival might be just an illusion.

I love books that have haunted houses. I was the kid who laughed in haunted houses because I could predict when people were going to jump out at me, or I’d point them out to the people behind us. True Story! So I can’t help but pick up spooky books with haunted houses. This one really hit me because you get to read not only through the current owner’s point of view but also from the ghosts’ perspective. It’s almost like an origin story for this house. Isn’t that interesting? I didn’t find this book as creepy or scary as I wanted, but I still couldn’t put it down. I wanted more and more, and even when it ended, I still found myself wanting more. Ronnie’s character development was beautifully written as she explored her grief, mental health, and the process of renovating a house she had bought. Cody felt like the best little villain and a character you wanted to love, but was so much fun to hate.  Although I didn’t find this book spooky, I still really enjoyed it.