Chapter by Chapter

Just the title of author Laurie Faria Stolarz’sWelcome to the Dark House was enough to get me interested in reading. I’ve been meaning to read Stolarz’s Blue is for Nightmares novels and getting the chance to read Welcome to the Dark House seemed like a good chance to see what her writing is like. After getting past the description I knew immediately that this was a novel that I would eat up in one sitting. My attention was caught, my curiosity was piqued and (thankfully) this is one of those reads that I don’t regret reading at all. It was a mash-up of all my favorite things horror and left me with chills.

Welcome to the Dark House is the story of six teenagers, all from various backgrounds, who are about to have the trip of their lives. After entering a contest for Justin Blake, a horror film director with a major cult following, and writing about their worst nightmares—six characters are brought together to face their ultimate fears. For Ivy Jensen, it’s an opportunity to educate herself. For the other characters it’s the chance to meet their idol Justin Blake himself. But what once looked like a simple vacation suddenly turns sinister when the teens are trapped in an amusement park where inability to face their fears means sudden death.

Welcome to the Dark House is a novel unlike any other that I’ve read. I’m all for novels that are potentially about killers or slashers. That adrenaline rush is the best thing ever. Welcome to the Dark House is a horror movie turned into writing. With Welcome to the Dark House you get a novel that is very SAW meets Final Destination meets reality TV. It is such a unique idea that will reel readers in and keep them interested until the very last page.

The novel has a strong opening that keeps you hooked. The writing for Welcome to the Dark House was very impressive. It takes a lot for a novel to keep me turning pages without getting bored or noticing that I’m going through it so quickly. I absolutely loved every second of reading Welcome to the Dark Houseand was more than satisfied with its ending.

Usually any novels that have more than three main characters leaves me iffy. Half the time the characters personalities all blend together and I forget who is who. Not the case in Welcome to the Dark House. The characters are all very different. The fact that their stories are all told in the first person could have potentially been a disaster but it wasn’t. I loved these characters to bits and watching how they handled entering the Dark House was very entertaining.

The plot for Welcome to the Dark House is straightforward at first. A group of teenagers sign up for a whole lot more than they bargained for and suddenly they’re in a fight for their lives. What Welcome to the Dark House lacks is some realism. I’ll admit that while reading I ignored a lot of the plot holes that showed up but afterward, I was left with a handful of unanswered questions and doubts toward the plot’s credibility.

For a novel that kept my heart-pounding from start to finish and left me saying “Oh my god,” every dozen pages, I have to say that Welcome to the Dark Housewas a read that surprised me with how awesome it was.

I would recommend Welcome to the Dark House to any readers who are looking for a novel that will keep them on the edge of their seat. Any readers who are big fans of horror or want a novel that is all about not-dying while also facing some scariness should definitely give this novel a look. Plus, with it being fall and Halloween coming up, this is the perfect novel to get you in the spirit.