Just finished *The House in the Pines*, and wow—this book is a rollercoaster. The premise hooked me immediately: Maya’s haunted by her best friend’s mysterious death years ago, and when a viral video shows another woman dying in the same way near the same man (Frank), she spirals into obsession. The author nails the eerie, dreamlike tone—those transitions between past and present? Disorienting in the best way, like stumbling through Maya’s fractured memories.

But let’s be real: some chapters dragged. The middle section felt like wading through molasses, and Frank’s character? Underwhelming. For someone billed as this terrifying puppetmaster, his motives stayed frustratingly vague. And that ending? A cliffhanger that left me groaning—no resolution, just a rushed ‘aha!’ moment.

Still, I couldn’t put it down. The portrayal of Maya’s mental health struggles was raw and relatable—her paranoia, the gaslighting, the way everyone dismisses her as ‘unstable.’ And that *method* of murder? Chillingly creative (no spoilers, but it involves something mundane turned sinister).

Verdict: A solid 3.5/5. Perfect for a lazy weekend if you love psychological mind-benders, but don’t expect airtight plotting. Also… why call it ‘The House in the Pines’ when it’s literally always called ‘the cabin in the woods’? Hilarious.