While the premise for this book was intriguing, I don't think Malerman pushed the horror as far as it could go. Maybe that was intentional. It's more of a somewhat doomed love story between two teenagers who are forging the first real romantic relationship they've ever had. The relationship itself and it's development through the teenagers' preoccupation with the house is the meat of the story. I had some trouble getting engaged with it since I notoriously dislike romances, but imagining the house and how strange and wonderful it seemed was entertaining.