I really struggled with this book, I could not connect with any of the characters and there was no introduction to the backstory, you are just thrown into the middle of a narrative without knowing why these children are hiding out or who the people are that are looking for them. I see from other reviews that there is a previous book which may help but this one just was not for me. The most interesting character was the most wicked!
Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my opinion but I think this is best read in order written.

Lucy & her brother Paul, along with Dorothy & David are in hiding. They are about to give evidence in a trial against a fanatical religious sect. They have been brought up in this environment, away from the worls normal teenagers experience.

They are brought to a foster home in Wales. This house is owned by two eccentric sisters. Miss Marilyn is an academic who has little time for them & the other sister is a fanatical cook, who none the less manages to provide some sort stable environment for the four of them.

Always on the lookout for members of the sect the four begin to experience a slightly more normal life. However members of the sect are determined to keep their secrets & are not afraid to remove anyone who challenges this.

I didn't realise that this was part of a trilogy. I thoroughly enjoyed it as a stand alone & I think I will keep it that way- although there is always the possibility that my curiosity will get the better of me when book three appears!

Thanks to Netgalley & the publishers for letting me read & review this book

The Big House was a fun and quick read. The story follows 4 siblings who escape a cult, that are put into protective custody because they are standing trial as key witnesses to testify against "Magnifico", the cult leader.

I had no idea this was a series, I read as a stand-alone. This is a rare YA Novel, that's a mystery thriller that keeps the reader engaged with the story.

This is my honest opinion.

Rating 3.5

I couldn't quite get into this. Its not a bad read but just wasn't for me. Perhaps this is petty but the name "Magnifico" just sounded so childish to me and I couldn't take it seriously. Perhaps it would have helped if I had read the prior books in the series.

The Big House is a great story. I too read it as a stand-alone and not as part of the series. However, not reading the other book makes no difference at all.
The story follows 4 kids who belonged to two different families but have integrated to become a family all-together, after suffering family problems revolving around a religious sect. They are in need of protection, and thus, move to a 'safe house' in a new area far from home.
While they try to start a 'normal' different life, they are being searched for and once discovered, the story takes a lot of twists and turns until the very end. The unity these teenagers show in the face of uncertainty is greatly inspiring.
Overall, the story was a quick read, has no complexity to confuse, and is a straight-forward but action and dramatic paced write. I would definitely recommend it to a friend.

Thanking NetGalley and Larche Davies for a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.

I tried to read this book, even though it is really different from what I would normally read. I liked the story line based on the blurb, but simply could not get into it with all the dystopian stuff going on. Had it been set in current times, not the future or some parallel universe, then I probably would have enjoyed it.

I gave up reading this book quite quickly. Sorry.

This book had me gripped from the get go. Trying to distinguish who were the bad guys and who were the good guys was more tricky than I thought at first. A good few unexpected twists and turns for good measure too. I'll be looking out for the author in the future.

This was a good mystery, it was well written with great characters and a great plot. I really felt the danger and was on the edge of my seat reading it.

The Big House was an enjoyable read, and to an extent it had the feel of a YA novel. Four young people have escaped from a religious sect that keeps children locked up in communes, and disposes of them by lethal injection when they have become surplus to requirements. Dorothy, David, Lucy and Paul have made a vow never to be separated and to keep one another safe at all costs. Plenty of thrills and suspense, this was a book that was never dull. Dealing with the issue of trust and reconnecting with the outside world, it developed beautifully into a tale of courage and resilience against the odds. Ultimately, the feel good ending was saved from being too saccharine by the fact that one of the Magnifico's minions was still at large. There is potential for this story to continue and I would be interested in reading the continuing saga if there was to be another book. Whilst the sect and their manner of disposal was brutal, this was an easy read and I devoured it in one sitting. For fans of suspense and thrills and spills I don't hesitate to recommend it.

WOW! I didn't realise this book was a sequel and in my opinion that didn't matter. I easily read and, thoroughly enjoyed this novel as a stand alone book although I must confess I'm quite eager to read the first and I have my fingers and toes crossed for a third in the series. The book opens with four children ( two sets of bothers and sisters) whom have been raised and recently escaped from a cult, being sent to Wales to hide prior to providing evidence at the ensuring trials of the cult leaders. The plot follows this move along with the new situations the children then find themselves in and what they do to accept and thrive in them. A brilliantly positive book with a great cast of characters driven by the children themselves. I enjoyed every aspect of this read and it really made me nostalgic for novels of my childhood such as the Famous Five etc all be it with more mature characters and subject matter. A brilliant read for both YA and adults alike. Thankyou to Netgalley for this advanced copy.

I probably should have read Larche Davies's previous book, The Fathers House, so that I had some reference to characters and events, but The Big House was still a fun read.

Lucy and her friends are fighting against Magnifico and his fanatical sect. Knowing that their lives are in danger, they are sent out of town and into foster care in Wales - one place that Magnifico's followers do not exist. Knowing they can't reveal any of the secrets of their lives within the sect, they are challenged with the outside world. And as is always the case....Magnifico's followers know exactly how to find and get the information that they need.

Clearly this is written to be part of a series and I may go back and read the first book. Cults and out of the ordinary religions are fascinating and this is an exciting a new way to dig in.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Absolutely fantastic had me gripped!!! Loved it! Can't wait for more from.this author. Storyline was great, characters were easy to.connect with

Thank you for the advanced copy

Great read. The author wrote a story that was interesting and moved at a pace that kept me engaged. The characters were easy to invest in.

I didn’t realise this was a sequel til I got to the end. It’s listed as Adult Fiction but I fthink it would be better suited for YA audience.
Honestly I’m not sure what to put for this review since I didn’t enjoy it and found characters irritating. Would have been nice to have a normal realistic person or two...

This ARC is courtesy of netgalley - all thoughts and opinions are mine and unbiased

This is part of a series but I think also standalone as a great read

The cover is what drew me in initially and certainly does the job - congratulations to whoever is responsible

This is clever and original. Grabbed my attention from the first page to last. I now need to go back to book 1 and read, reread this and then get hold of book 3. Then I will be completely satisfied !!!

A fantastic summer read

Evidently The Big House by Larche Davies is a sequel to her first book, The Fathers House. I did not realize that while reading this book although upon reaching the last chapter it was clearly written with at least one more book to come.

I found it to be a quick read, I read it in one day, it took perhaps 4 hours in total. It seems to be written as a YA but I think adults will find it interesting as well. It is about four children, three of whom are teenagers who have escaped from a cult. Two of the children grew up together in a communal setting while the other two sound as if they are more recently connected with each other and who grew up alone. They are expected to testify against the cult, have been on the run and now will be hidden away together until after the trials.

There is some action as the cultists obviously do not want the children to testify and are prepared to stop them by any means necessary.

I won't give away any details but what is it with books that everyone is special in some particular way, no one is ordinary and things have a way of working out, often in some spectacular fashion? I guess since it doesn't happen in real life, it my as well happen in print. That is where it lost me... As much as I may want everything to work out well, especially for characters I like or feel bad for, everything can't be peachy for everyone. The odds are against it and real life just isn't that tidy.

The Big House is refreshingly original. I really enjoyed the writing and the overall story and premise. Page turning addicting. Must read!