Hi all!
Bonus post! Today I am back to review another new release – The Haunting of Leigh Harker – by my favourite horror author: Darcy Coates. It was officially published today, but I was permitted to read an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) thanks to NetGalley. This story follows Leigh Harker, whose quiet suburban home was her sanctuary for more than a decade, until things abruptly changed. Curtains open by themselves. Radios turn off and on and a dark figure looms in the shadows of her bedroom door at night, watching her, waiting for her to finally let down her guard enough to fall asleep. Pushed to her limits but unwilling to abandon her home, Leigh struggles to find answers. But each step forces her towards something more terrifying than she ever imagined…
As always, I am going to provide my honest thoughts and let you know whether I think it’s worth checking out or not. Without further ado, let’s get into it!
WHAT THIS BOOK DOES RIGHT
I want to start off by saying that this book is very different to anything Darcy has ever written before. The entire story feels like a fever dream, which made it interesting to guess what is real and what isn’t. The best part of the novel is the twist. I would highly recommend sticking with the plot (even if you’re confused in the beginning) because at about 100 pages in, you’ll start to understand what is happening. Once things are revealed, the pace picks up and the mystery is underfoot. It left me guessing until the end.
WHAT THIS BOOK DOES WRONG
This is not any fault of Darcy’s, but this book was marketed as her scariest novel ever written. Darcy is extremely skilled at creeping me out, so I had high expectations. Unfortunately, it barely raised a hair on the back of my neck. I wasn’t frightened in the slightest. After the big reveal, things seemed a lot less threatening. That disappointed me. Also, the build up to the twist was quite slow. I like a novel with a lot of dialogue, so if you’re anything like me, don’t go in expecting a lot. This book is mainly made up of poetic language and description. Once again, not a fault of the author, just personal preference.
OVERALL STAR RATING
I gave this book 3/5 stars. I didn’t love it but I didn’t hate it. Because it didn’t meet my expectations, it received a lower rating.
If you are interested, you can order a copy here.
I hope you enjoyed this honest review. Let me know your thoughts down below. Also, stay tuned for my ranking of every Darcy Coates novel coming soon. I appreciate all feedback. Thanks for reading!
Peace & Love xoxo
Disclaimer: This post contains a link to my Book Depository Affiliate. I am not being paid or sponsored for this post/products – all my thoughts/opinions are my own