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Susan's Reviews's Reviews > The Last House on Needless Street
The Last House on Needless Street
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Susan's Reviews's review
bookshelves: audiobook-version, dark-thriller, diverse, lgbtq, netgalley, whoa-great-read
Jul 12, 2021
bookshelves: audiobook-version, dark-thriller, diverse, lgbtq, netgalley, whoa-great-read
Whaaaaaaaaaaat!?!?! I am officially all freaked out!!
. . . . . .
I was so close to DNFing this Audiobook because, at first, it was slow going, listening to Ted's description of his cloistered life with his daughter, Lauren, and his cat, Olivia. (I now admit that I should have paid a bit more attention to this part!)
Then, as the story progressed, the bizarre hints of something dark and horrible lurking in the background began to make me feel extremely anxious. I did suspect dissociative personality disorder, but not the extent of it, and that ginormous twist at the end had me shaking my head with bewilderment and spluttering, "but..... but..... but.....!"
This is a book you should read - or, as in my case, listen to - twice. (But I just don't think I could bear to listen to it again! Oh my nerves! My poor nerves!!)
Holy smokers, this was a jaw dropper!
I therefore highly encourage you to stick with it and get past the first few chapters. Nothing really makes total sense until the very end. Everyone has secrets that they are hiding, even Dee, who devotes her life to searching for her abducted sister, Lulu. The twists just kept coming: and that ending - I'm scarred for life now!
I totally understand why the movie rights for this novel were snatched up even before it hit the proverbial bookshelves.
I'm going to rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars just because I was so, so, so, so, so, so WRONG!!! And the part that I got right just did not matter in comparison! I've never been so flabbergasted in my life! You won't know what hit you in the end!
My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of the Audiobook, which was brilliantly narrated and dramatized by Christopher Ragland. His range of voice is incredible: and his imitation of female voices was equally superb and totally convincing!!
P.S. Here is a pic of Christopher Ragland: great looking AND a fabulous narrator!
(Please visit our Blog
We'd love to hear from you! Thanks!)
. . . . . .
I was so close to DNFing this Audiobook because, at first, it was slow going, listening to Ted's description of his cloistered life with his daughter, Lauren, and his cat, Olivia. (I now admit that I should have paid a bit more attention to this part!)
Then, as the story progressed, the bizarre hints of something dark and horrible lurking in the background began to make me feel extremely anxious. I did suspect dissociative personality disorder, but not the extent of it, and that ginormous twist at the end had me shaking my head with bewilderment and spluttering, "but..... but..... but.....!"
This is a book you should read - or, as in my case, listen to - twice. (But I just don't think I could bear to listen to it again! Oh my nerves! My poor nerves!!)
Holy smokers, this was a jaw dropper!
I therefore highly encourage you to stick with it and get past the first few chapters. Nothing really makes total sense until the very end. Everyone has secrets that they are hiding, even Dee, who devotes her life to searching for her abducted sister, Lulu. The twists just kept coming: and that ending - I'm scarred for life now!
I totally understand why the movie rights for this novel were snatched up even before it hit the proverbial bookshelves.
I'm going to rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars just because I was so, so, so, so, so, so WRONG!!! And the part that I got right just did not matter in comparison! I've never been so flabbergasted in my life! You won't know what hit you in the end!
My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of the Audiobook, which was brilliantly narrated and dramatized by Christopher Ragland. His range of voice is incredible: and his imitation of female voices was equally superb and totally convincing!!
P.S. Here is a pic of Christopher Ragland: great looking AND a fabulous narrator!
(Please visit our Blog
We'd love to hear from you! Thanks!)
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Reading Progress
July 11, 2021
–
Started Reading
July 12, 2021
– Shelved
July 13, 2021
– Shelved as:
audiobook-version
July 13, 2021
– Shelved as:
dark-thriller
July 13, 2021
– Shelved as:
diverse
July 13, 2021
– Shelved as:
lgbtq
July 13, 2021
– Shelved as:
netgalley
July 13, 2021
– Shelved as:
whoa-great-read
July 13, 2021
–
Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-50 of 73 (73 new)
message 1:
by
John
(new)
-
rated it 2 stars
Jul 13, 2021 02:20AM
Good one Susan, I've just teed it up to read.
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What a compelling review! It’s already on my list to read.
Pat (not getting friend updates currently) wrote: "What a compelling review! It’s already on my list to read."Paula, this is a very odd read! I had read other GR reviewer's comments and knew that I had to stick with it until things became less "huh??" Will I read any more of this author's books? I don't think my heart could stand it! Happy reading, Pat!
John wrote: "Good one Susan, I've just teed it up to read."Thanks John. I'm glad I heeded other GR reviewer's advice to keep reading/listening because I was scratching my head for the first half. But at the very end, you will be scrambling to remember things that were said or that happened in the beginning. Stephen King's endorsement also kept me going, despite that very odd beginning. It all clicks together very neatly in the end.
Happy reading, John!
I started this too! course, I immediately got busy with work so have made no progress but still. your review has me excited about it again!�
Kai wrote: "I started this too! course, I immediately got busy with work so have made no progress but still. your review has me excited about it again!�"Thanks! I know exactly what you mean: why, why, why do we have to work? Why can't they pay us to read books and listen to audiobooks? I hope you enjoy this one - well, as much as anyone can enjoy this type of horror/thriller genre! Can't wait to see your review on this one, Kai!
Great review, Susan. It’s an awesome book and I loved it as much as you. I think it’s going to be a fan favorite this year! Thanks. 🌺
Kat (Books are Comfort Food) wrote: "Great review, Susan. It’s an awesome book and I loved it as much as you. I think it’s going to be a fan favorite this year! Thanks. 🌺"I agree, it is going to do very well, because it got snapped up for a movie already. I only got the audiobook, not the ebook so when it arrives at my local library, I will read it a second time. Thanks Kat!
Great review ! Going on my tbr.
Fab review Susan! Gonna add it to my TBR list 🤗
Swaroop wrote: "Susan,Nice review - thank you, for sharing your thoughts!"
Thanks so much, Swaroop. I keep meaning to check your reviews as well. I have so many deadlines at work looming and so I have to whip up my reviews too quickly these days. I try to read other GR friends' reviews but, oie, I need to sleep too! I've resorted to listening to audiobooks as I drive around or if work has a bit of a lag, but usually spring, summer and fall are insane for me. Big sigh!
I hope you get a chance to read or listen to this one - but, remember, keep the lights on! Gave me the jitters: all these serial killers out there who look like everyday people! Yikes!
▪️Żᗩ▪� wrote: "Fab review Susan! Gonna add it to my TBR list 🤗"Thank you, Rita. I hope you get a chance to listen to the excellent audiobook, or read the book itself. I have to say, listening to the audiobook was like listening to a movie - so well done!
magical_bookcorner wrote: "Great review ! Going on my tbr."Thanks Magical Bookcorner, I really hope you get a chance to read or listen to this one.
Awesome review, Susan! Been hearing so much about this book, and I'm glad you loved it! Cannot wait to read it! :)
Yun wrote: "Awesome review, Susan! Been hearing so much about this book, and I'm glad you loved it! Cannot wait to read it! :)"I did enjoy this one - shuddering most of the way - so eerie, but I am glad I stuck with it to the end: just shattering and leaves you breathless. I'd heard other ŷ reviewers say similar things. I thought I would be immune: NOPE! Hope you get a chance to read this one, Yun. I will keep an eye out for your review.
(Work has been insane lately, so I haven't been checking the home page, but I will keep my eye out for more reviews on this one: it just cracks me up, how shocked and flabbergasted everyone is by that ending!)
Happy reading!
Fantastic review, Susan! I am glad you enjoyed this one so much and decided to stick with it.
I'm so glad you loved it too, and I thought Christopher Ragland did such an amazing job with the narration. Awesome review, Susan!
Kat wrote: "I'm so glad you loved it too, and I thought Christopher Ragland did such an amazing job with the narration. Awesome review, Susan!"Thanks Kat! I did enjoy this one, although I was a nervious wreck at the end! Serial killers freak me out!
Marilyn wrote: "Fantastic review, Susan! I am glad you enjoyed this one so much and decided to stick with it."Thanks Marilyn: yes, those first few chapters were tough going, but once the Cat started narrating the story - well! Who could resist?!
Trio wrote: "great review!"Thanks Trio - hope you get a chance to read this one before the movie comes out!
Awesome! I’m so looking forward to reading this book. I was so excited when I saw that a copy was free on Kindle, only to realize a few seconds after that it was only a sneak peek. I have to wait for its release in September.
NILTON wrote: "Awesome! I’m so looking forward to reading this book. I was so excited when I saw that a copy was free on Kindle, only to realize a few seconds after that it was only a sneak peek. I have to wait f..."Nilton, you should join NetGalley or go back to requesting ARCs if you already are a member. The ARCs are now available on a NetGalley Shelf ap that doesn't contain the usual Kindle OCR errors. I switch to Adobe Digital Editions when a Kindle OCR Arc has too many errors, because it spoils the experience for me. This audiobook is available as an ARC and is outsandingly good. I doubt that when I get the book from the library, that it will be as good as that audiobook. Raglan is pretty well known actor and he performed the heck out of this one. This one is a mind bender!
Stay well!
Thanks Susan! I’m a member of NetGalley, but I really don’t mind waiting as I do prefer to read the final product. I have so many books sitting on my shelves plus hundreds (over 6k) of ebooks.
NILTON wrote: "Thanks Susan! I’m a member of NetGalley, but I really don’t mind waiting as I do prefer to read the final product. I have so many books sitting on my shelves plus hundreds (over 6k) of ebooks."Wow, you are an avid reader, for sure. This last week, my allergies have been making me so sleeping and cranky. I don't think it is a good idea to write reviews when I am cranky and having a sinus headache from whatever is out there causing me grief. Work is getting crazy busy again and I have no energy to deal with it! But... we have to pay the rent, as the saying goes!
This sounds like a good one, Susan. I’ll check it out. Terrific review!
Thanks, Laurie. I listened to the audiobook and it was extremely well done! I had fun with the graphics because Ragland infused so much emotion and meaning into his narration, it was like listening to a movie. Really enjoyed this one, and I was utterly blown away by the reveal.
Terrific review, Susan! Such an original book.
Debra wrote: "Terrific review, Susan! Such an original book."Thanks, Debra. I totally agree with you on that comment. It still creeps into my mind every once in a while. Loved that I was so wrong about it, too! I hope you are finding some great reads. My allergies are so bad, and I am so cranky that I am not reading too many books, and switching to cookbooks and yoga books because nothing seems to be satisfying me lately. I hate to give an overly critical review when all I really need is for the pollen count to go down so I can breathe more easily and get a decent, uninterrupted night's sleep. I love summer, and flowers, and Nature... but right now I feel like I've been run over by a train and I'm sneezing all over the place. People run away from me like I have the plague! Oh dear!
Great review, Susan!! I’m happy you really loved it! 😁
Allison wrote: "Great review, Susan!! I’m happy you really loved it! 😁"Thanks Allison! I really enjoyed the audiobook - the narrator did an amazing job. Have you read this one yet, or listened to the audiobook. It has been optioned for a movie for Netflix, I believe. Can't wait to see it! Stay well, and happy reading!
Selena wrote: "Awesome review Susan!"Thanks so much, Selena. I love to have a bit of fun with my reviews! Stay well!
Love your review. Really Fun. I just found out I got approved for the book and Audio. I can’t wait to read it (well after the other 20 books I have in my stack). Glad you enjoyed it so much.
Kristine wrote: "Love your review. Really Fun. I just found out I got approved for the book and Audio. I can’t wait to read it (well after the other 20 books I have in my stack). Glad you enjoyed it so much."Thanks Kristine! I was only approved for the audiobook, which was fine. I would recommend listening to the book and reading along at the same time. The narrator was fabulous! Enjoy!
Suzanne wrote: "Love this review"Thanks so much! I had fun putting it together. The audiobook was outstanding! I hope you have a chance to listen to the audiobook, it was better than watching a movie! I took so many lovely walks while listening to this audiobook!
Stay well, Suzanne!
I'm happy that you stayed with it and it was a five star read for you! I loved this one - so unusual.
Susan wrote: "I'm happy that you stayed with it and it was a five star read for you! I loved this one - so unusual."Thanks Susan! "Unusual" is the perfect word to describe this one. I read Kat's review of the book and said to myself: hmmm, I have to check this out, her review was so intriguing. When I started listening, I thought, "Whaaaaat?" But I agree, I'm glad I stuck with it. Such a strange story, such a twisted, horrible tale. That such people exist in this world! Thanks for the comment, Susan: I love chatting about books! Stay well!
I almost gave up on this one……but like you I ended up enjoying it. Weird and wonderful
Sue wrote: "I almost gave up on this one……but like you I ended up enjoying it. Weird and wonderful"I hear you Sue. Did you listen to the audiobook or read the ARC? I was very glad I heard the audiobook because the narrator was FABULOUS. Such a varied and sometimes seductive voice!
Oh dear, better go turn on the a/c! Got myself all hot and bothered!
Susan, I love your review!! Your graphics are so fitting and hilarious!😂 And you are so right about the narrator! whoa...😮😌🤤💓 Nice photo.😊
Jodi wrote: "Susan, I love your review!! Your graphics are so fitting and hilarious!😂 And you are so right about the narrator! whoa...😮😌🤤💓 Nice photo.😊"Enjoy this one, Jodi! The narrator added another dimension to this novel. Not sure if I would have loved it as much if I were reading it, to be honest!
message 44:
by
Rosh (Off GR duty for a fortnight!)
(last edited Feb 16, 2022 09:38AM)
(new)
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rated it 5 stars
You spoke my heart, Susan! What a book this was! Outstanding! I went through the same feelings as yours: from an almost DNF to a "What the heck is this?!?!?" PS: Christopher Ragland looks as amazing as he sounds! 😍
RoshReviews wrote: "You spoke my heart, Susan! What a book this was! Outstanding! I went through the same feelings as yours: from an almost DNF to a "What the heck is this?!?!?" PS: Christopher Ragland looks as amazi..."
Oh Rosh, your comment made me smile, just when I needed one!
This was definitely a shocker of a book, and Ragland is soooo yummy!!! (Not that I'm objectifying him or anything.... but oie, pass the napkin, I'm drooling! Bad Sue!!! Okay, I promise I'll behave!) Hope you are staying well, Rosh, and getting in some great reading!
Susan
I'm so close to "DNFinf" it, but only because of this review I'll do my best to keep reading 😬
Julia wrote: "I'm so close to "DNFinf" it, but only because of this review I'll do my best to keep reading 😬"I know, I know!!!
I switched to the audiobook and it was AMAZING. The reader acted the entire story out. He was brilliant. It was like listening to a drama on the radio (which I have never done, but you get the picture!)
Seriously, you really need to listen to the audiobook to get the best out of this story!
Good luck!
Wow! good review. I've heard a lot about this book lately.
Lynn wrote: "Wow! good review. I've heard a lot about this book lately."Thank you, Lynn. It is being made into a movie. It got optioned even before it hit the shelves!
Take my advice and listen to the audiobook - the reader is an actor and did an excellent job. Even listening to the audiobook I wanted to stop reading this after the first couple of chapters because it was WEIRD AS HECK! And then you realize: oh, the main character has mental health issues - or something is rotten in Denmark and the cat is possessed!
Sounds interesting. I read a book before where the main character suffered from mental illness. I could never tell what was real and what was only in her mind.
