horror

Review: Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman

~ megs14malloy ~ Leave a comment

Incidents Around the HouseIncidents Around the House by Josh Malerman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars rounded up**

On its own, this may have been a 4-star read, but the story mixed with the stellar audiobook narration made this such a fun and memorable experience.

I thought this was fantastically-eerie, and I appreciated the nods to the town of Goblin from Malerman’s earlier work. The horror imagery was also so well-imagined.

For me, Josh Malerman is an author who I either love his work, or don’t. Luckily, this was a complete success. I would say this is my favorite of his books that I’ve read so far.

In this story, we are following Bela, an 8-year old girl, who is perpetually haunted by a malevolent being she has taken to calling Other Mommy.

At first, Bela sees Other Mommy as a friend, but over time Other Mommy has grown a lot scarier, and a lot more persistent in her efforts to get Bela to ‘let her into her heart’.

When horrifying incidents begin happening around the house, it becomes clear that Other Mommy is getting tired of waiting. It’s growing bolder and seemingly more powerful. Even Bela’s parents can no longer explain away Other Mommy as being a figment of their daughter’s imagination.

They need help, which they seek outside the home, but nothing they try seems to work. They are desperate to keep Bela safe, but soon cracks within her parents marriage become craters.

Will they be able to reforge their family bonds for the good of them all, and hopefully banish Other Mommy forever, or will they ultimately fall under its evil influence?

This book instantly captured my attention. The audiobook, brilliantly-narrated by Delanie Nicole Gill, felt so authentic. Though 18-years old, I believe, Gill’s narrative voice actually felt like that of an 8-year old girl; no shade intended. The delivery was impeccable.

Getting this all from the perspective of an 8-year old, with age appropriate logic, made this feel creepier than it may otherwise have been. It also made the story feel unique and will stick in my mind for a long time.

I also appreciated how quickly Malerman kicked off the action and introduced us to Other Mommy. There’s not a lot of beating around the bush here. You’re just in it.

My favorite character in this story was Grandma Ruth. I love this type of character. An older one, who feels safe and wise, that comes in and helps the floundering younger people.

Grandma Ruth also added a bit of lightness to an otherwise dark-filled story. I loved how much she loved her family, and those relationships all felt very realistic.

There’s also some occult elements included, which I enjoyed. Overall, I feel like it’s a well-rounded story that built nicely in intensity throughout. I was fully invested in it.

I would absolutely recommend this to Horror Readers of all types. In particular, I would recommend the audiobook format, as I just feel it was so well done.

Thank you to the publisher, Del Rey, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This makes me more jazzed about Malerman than ever. I can’t wait for his next release!

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Review: The Madness by Dawn Kurtagich

~ megs14malloy

The MadnessThe Madness by Dawn Kurtagich
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was, wow…Dawn Kurtagich, I see you and appreciate you. This book is my tastes to an absolute tee.

Have you ever read a book and thought, this author and I share a brain, because that’s what I’m thinking right now.

I didn’t even realize this was an actual Dracula reimagining. As one of my favorite novels of all time, I love to see how current authors spin a tale influenced by that story. Kurtagich absolutely nailed it!

I highly recommend the audio format, should you have access to it. It’s narrated by one of my favorite narrators of all time, Imogen Church, and her inflection lends itself perfectly to this narrative.

This story is everything you would expect from the cover. It’s haunting, atmospheric and gripping. What you may not expect is how modern it is, as well as how impactful the characters arcs become.

I can’t believe it’s taken me so long to pick up a novel by Kurtagich, but I’ll tell you what, I won’t be waiting long until I pick up more. If they’re this good, I may have a new favorite author on my hands.

Thank you to the publisher, Graydon House, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This will definitely be on my Most Surprising List of 2024!!

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Review: Bitter Is the Heart by Mina Hardy

~ megs14malloy

Bitter Is the HeartBitter Is the Heart by Mina Hardy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars rounded up**

Bitter is the Heart took me by surprise. This story grabbed hold of me from the first chapter and never let go.

It was shocking, upsetting, disgusting, disturbing, toe-curling and eye-opening all at once.

In this novel we follow Tamar Glass, a woman haunted by childhood trauma who suddenly finds herself stuck caring for her abusive elderly mother, Ruth.

Tamar as a main character had my heart from the start. When I say she is haunted by her childhood, I mean it. There’s so much to unpack as far as her past relationship with her mother, as well as her father’s death, and even her relationship with her sister, Lovey.

Tamar is also starting to feel the effects of menopause and she has been through a divorce and is now on her own for the first time as an adult. Then mother arrives.

Ruth, Tamar’s mother, is reintroduced to her life in a disturbing way. Tamar wakes one night to find her Mom looming in the dark of her bedroom.

Ruth had been living in an Assisted Living facility 15-miles away and she had never been to Tamar’s house. How the heck did she end up there?

That scene set the tone for the entire novel. Hardy built out this story so well. She built the drama continuously. It’s brutal at times, but I was with Tamar all the way. I think some interactions between Tamar and Ruth could be shocking to some, but I feel like they felt natural and made perfect sense to me.

I feel like this book could have hit especially hard for me because I am close to the same point in my life that Tamar is, and while I can’t say I’ve been through the family struggles that she has, I can relate to a lot of the other aspects of her experiences.

I love that after her divorce she had returned to her hometown after a long period of time away. This did allow her to reconnect with people from her past, including her high school boyfriend, Miguel, who plays an important role in this story.

Incidentally, I also had a hs-boyfriend named Miguel…

There were so many scenes in this that left me with absolute chills, jaw on the floor, completely disturbed and needing more information. Once Ruth gets kicked out of her Assisted Living facility and moves in with Tamar, there was no turning back. It was high speed ahead.

Additionally, I loved the religious elements of this. Tamara is Jewish, and the Jewish faith was incorporated into this story in a big way. I had never read anything where it was done to this extent, and with this many impactful conversations. I feel like this will stand out in my memory because of that representation.

The only negative I can think of was there was a scene involving a puppy that I had to skip through. You’ll see it coming, Readers sensitive to animal content beware. Besides that, I was completely enamored with this story.

I noticed the synopsis recommends this for fans of Cassandra Khaw and T. Kingfisher. The Khaw comp I don’t get at all. I do see Kingfisher, for sure. While Hardy doesn’t include as much dark humor as Kingfisher does, the Domestic Horror elements and Tamar’s dry delivery of her thoughts do line up with things such as A House with Good Bones, The Hollow Places and The Twisted Ones.

When I was reading this I kept thinking of Ainslie Hogarth’s Motherthing, which I really enjoyed a couple years ago. I ended up connecting with this one more though because I feel like this has a more cohesive and traditional narrative style, which was easier for me to follow.

I also saw my friend, Crystal, compare this to My Darling Girl by Jennifer McMahon and I completely agree with that. I can’t believe I didn’t think of that myself while reading it.

If you enjoyed any of the books or authors listed above, you need to check this out. If you enjoy Domestic Horror, or Horror that incorporates Religious elements, you need to pick this up. If you just love Horror and always enjoy diving into a fun, disturbing story, you need to pick this up.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Crooked Lane Books and Dreamscape Media, for providing me with copies to read and review. The audiobook was so well done. I loved this and can’t wait for more from Mina Hardy!

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Rereading The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

~ megs14malloy

The Haunting of Hill HouseThe Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

🧡🖤🧡🖤🧡🖤🧡🖤🧡🖤🧡🖤🧡

I first read The Haunting of Hill House in 2019. The only relationship I’d had with this story prior to that was via the 1999-film, The Haunting, starring Lily Taylor as Eleanor, Catherine Zeta-Jones as Theo, and Owen Wilson as Luke.

I freaking loved that movie. I owned it on VHS ((yes, I know)) and watched it all the time. So, as you might expect, my first time reading this original source material, my mind focused in on comparing this novel with that movie.

This time around, I picked it up for a Book Club discussion. I wanted the story fresh in mind, even going so far as to annotate my new paperback edition.

On the night of Book Club, I was only at page 103 on my reread. Obviously, I knew the story so wasn’t concerned about spoilers, but was definitely interested in what everyone had to say. I found the insight of other Readers so enlightening and it did help to focus my attention on different themes in the book this time around.

One of my biggest takeaways this time was a enhanced appreciation for Jackson’s impeccable character work; particularly for Eleanor and Theodora.

I was surprised seeing some of the comments on Theo. It took me aback to see that quite a few Readers perceived her as a villain, that maybe a harsh term; more that she mistreated Eleanor, and I’ve never felt that about her.

In fact, Theodora is my favorite character in the story. I can see where those thoughts came from though, but I have always viewed it more as Eleanor’s misconceptions on the relationship and on Theo’s behavior, than it actually being something Theo was doing purposefully, or with malice.

Again I was struck by the atmosphere and overall feel of Hill House. I loved how Jackson developed a true sense of place within this story. Hill House felt like a character unto itself, which is something I always appreciate in a story.

Upon completion, I actually decided to bump my original rating up from a 4 to a 5-star. I didn’t think I would end up doing that, but I feel like I appreciated everything about this so much more upon reread.

I would highly recommend this novel for anyone who loves stories with a gothic, haunting feel and phenomenal character work. IMO. this is an absolute modern-day classic and should be read at least once in your lifetime.

If you are interested in my thoughts from my first time reading this one, please continue below…

Original:

When I was in college, a little film called The Haunting was released. Starring Lily Taylor, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Owen Wilson, this Supernatural Horror flick was essentially a modern re-imagining of The Haunting of Hill House.

My Mom and I went see it at the theater and I promptly fell in love.

Soon after, I was able to buy it on VHS ((I know, right!?!)) and commenced watching it 2,638,450 times. I wish this was an exaggeration, but sadly, it is not.

I had never read the original source material. As a matter of fact, this is the first time that I have read this 1959-Classic of Horror fiction.

I finally decided to pick it up, spurred on by the celebration of ‘Women in Horror Fiction’ month.

I listened to the audiobook and was able to get through it quite quickly.

It is a short book, at just under 200-pages, and the narrator was absolutely fabulous. I was so invested in the story. Her voice was mesmerizing and seemed to transport me into that damn house!

I think my early love of the film version, The Haunting, really helped me to imagine the whole narrative.

I will say, after listening to this, that they did a great job in casting that film.

Seriously, Lily Taylor IS Nell. I loved Jackson’s creation of her character.

The mousy, sheltered girl who finally gains her freedom after what had to be a traumatic experience of years caring for her ailing mother.

I know, I know. Meg, this is supposed to be a book review, but I couldn’t write this review without mentioning that movie, as I know it has impacted my reading experience.

I truly enjoyed this book. The build-up, the atmosphere and the suspense. It was such a ride.

I thought the supernatural, or alleged supernatural elements, were so well done.

I had many spine-chilling, look over your shoulder, moments with this. It was great time.

The character interactions were a high point. I believed their relationships and connections to one another.

Each feeling compelled to participate for their own, very different, reasons. I especially enjoyed the complex relationship between Nell and Theo. Then we get to the ending…

Things were rolling along so nicely and then, POOF, we are finished.

A friend of mine explained it as such: it’s like she was writing this great book and then she just got tired of writing it. I agree with that completely.

Done with this project, drop mic, exit.

Even with this in mind though, I did really enjoy my time with this story. I may even revisit it again someday.

This should be appreciated for the great piece of Classic Horror literature that it truly is. It has influenced so many other stories and for that, I doff my cap to Shirley Jackson.

A true pioneer in the genre.

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Review: Dearest by Jacquie Walters

~ megs14malloy

DearestDearest by Jacquie Walters
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

💙❤️💙❤️💙❤️💙❤️💙❤️💙❤️💙

Dearest is a unique take on the New Mother story and an impressive debut. I really enjoyed the topics explored, as well as the Supernatural bits and Body Horror.

In this story we are following, Flora, who just had her first child, a girl, Iris, 6-weeks ago. Iris arrived a little early and unfortunately, Flora’s husband is still deployed, so she’s left to navigate these early stages of 1st-time parenthood alone. As adorable as Iris is, it’s not an easy thing.

As time passes, Flora feels herself slipping. Her sleep-deprived brain is playing tricks on her and she’s struggling navigating the endless lonely days.

When it reaches the point where Flora feels like she’s losing it, she receives an unexpected visitor; her estranged mother. Even though her mom hasn’t been a part of her life in years, Flora hesitantly accepts the help being offering.

Her mother agrees to stay with her and Iris, at least until her husband returns.

Even with her mother around, Flora is still experiencing odd occurrences that cause her to believe something is going on in the house, or like someone is after her and Iris. Is it in her head, or are there actually much darker forces at work?

I enjoyed this quite a bit. The audiobook was fabulously narrated by the author herself, which I felt was a nice touch. It felt like experiencing the story exactly how the author wanted it to be told, and I think she did a great job with it.

Stories of new motherhood are sometimes tough for me to relate to, or become invested in. NGL, I’ve had a few that have annoyed the heck out of me, but I never felt that way here and had no problem becoming invested in Flora’s story.

I did love the overall mysterious vibe and how in depth it explored feelings of isolation, as well as the oftentimes complicated mother-daughter relationship. Additionally, Walters’s Horror descriptions were great, including some stellar Body Horror, which I always love to see.

I would recommend this to Readers who enjoy women-centered Horror, or weird is it supernatural, is it not stories. I would also highly recommend the audiobook format, should you have that available to you.

Thank you to the publisher, Hachette Audio and Mulholland Books, for providing me copies to read and review. If this Walters debut, I cannot wait to see what’s up next!

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Review: We Kept Her In the Cellar by W.R. Gorman

~ megs14malloy

We Kept Her In the CellarWe Kept Her In the Cellar by W.R. Gorman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

 

**4.5-stars**

We Kept Her In the Cellar is a wildly-imaginative and uber-dark Cinderella reimagining. As it turns out, it’s also the Dark Fairy Tale of my slightly-disturbed dreams.

This story follows Eunice, who at the beginning of our tale is just 11-years old and her mother is about to be married to a man who has a daughter, Cinderella.

The blending of the families is rife with unsettling occurrences from the very start.

Eunice learns the rules for dealing with Cinderella, but it’s not an easy life. She basically takes on the role of caregiver, even when she herself is a child.

Cinderella has dark and terrifying powers. It’s almost impossible for her interact with the rest of the world. She needs to be handled at all times. Hence why the family keeps her mostly imprisoned in their cellar.

After Eunice, now 18, befriends charming Prince Credence, she begins to see the possibilities outside of their home. Why should she be shackled within like Cinderella? She’s done nothing wrong and wants a life.

Eunice even receives an invitation to the Prince’s Ball and is determined to go. This could be her chance to break free.

However, on the night she’s set to go, it’s actually Cinderella who breaks free with disastrous consequences. Using her vast eldritch powers, Cinderella ends up attending the Ball and enrapturing the Prince with her beauty and grace.

At midnight, she leaves behind a trail of destruction and a single green glass slipper. I think you know a bit of what happens from there, or do you?

I read the synopsis of this so long ago, that by the time I got around to picking it up, I had actually forgotten it was a Cinderella reimagining.

I was expecting Horror and I certainly got that, but I also got enough of my Dark Fairy Tale fix to last me a good long while. This one is going to stick in my brain, that’s for sure.

By 5% in, W.R. Gorman had my jaw on the floor. This story waits no time to take off. It’s 0-to-60 with this one.

I loved Eunice as a character and loved learning all about Cinderella along with her. To think, Eunice had a fairly normal life until her mother needed to remarry. That’s the choice that changed her life forever.

Eunice’s younger sister Hortense was only 5-years old when Cinderella arrived. Cinderella’s needs required a lot of Eunice’s time and I felt bad for poor Hortense, who didn’t really understand why her beloved older sister, Eunice, no longer had the time to play with her.

It really did a number on this family. I liked Cinderella’s father. I felt for him. It seemed like he was also doing the best he could, and he did really seem to care for Eunice, Hortense and their mother.

Cinderella was like nothing I had ever read before. She never ceased to surprise and amaze me with her powers and actions. When I say this, read it as, she’s terrifying.

This story was so engaging. It sucked me in. I loved the choices Gorman made as far the connections with the original Cinderella story and how twisted they are here. It’s incredibly clever and inspired.

The Body Horror is fantastic and there’s a lot of it, which we love to see. I’m talking super cringe, toe-curling moments on the regular. Also, I did listen to the audiobook which was fabulous. It is narrated by EJ Lavery, whose voice work definitely added to the dark whimsy of this tale.

My only complaint is I felt it was resolved a little too easily. After this gloriously-grotesque and dark build-up, I was a wee surprised at how quickly it wrapped up.

I did like the delightful little tid-bit we learned at the end though, regarding the aftermath, or lingering result of it all. In a way though, you could just look at this as a compliment. It just means I wanted more.

Honestly, I could read another entire volume following this cast of characters and set within this world. C’mon, Gorman, how about a sequel!?

Thank you so much to the publishers, Crooked Lane Books and HighBridge Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review.

I would absolutely recommend this story to Horror Readers, and Dark Fairy Tale Readers, particularly if you love a lot of Body Horror. I can’t wait for more from this author!

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Review: Dead Eleven by Jimmy Juliano

~ megs14malloy

Dead ElevenDead Eleven by Jimmy Juliano
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A super unique and thought-provoking story, with a wonderfully-produced audiobook to boot. I’m so glad I finally made time for Dead Eleven.

I’ll admit, it took me a minute to adjust to the flow of this one, and by a minute, I mean about 15%, but once I did, OMG, I couldn’t stop. I needed answers.

This is such a fascinating set-up. I really don’t want to say too much about the plot, as I feel like it would be best enjoyed if you go in knowing as little as possible.

We do mainly follow three distinct POVs. Willow, her brother, Harper, and a teenage girl, Lily. As I met these characters at the beginning of the story, each one was more interesting than the last. It was hard to be introduced to them and not walk away with a million questions.

My mind was spinning in such a fun way. As you are told in the synopsis, the meat of this story is set on Clifford Island, and the questions revolve around the island itself.

It’s an odd place, with the residents seemingly stuck on one day in 1994. Lily has grown up there, but both Willow and Harper travel there from away.

Their observations are a large part of how you, the Reader, learn about the traditions and practices on this island. Lily though, seems fed up with the way things are; like she’s willing to make a change. Will these three individuals be the actors that finally cause a change on Clifford?

While the ultimate trope, or ideas used to explain what is going on, aren’t my favorite, this is probably the best I’ve seen it done. I was really impressed with this.

I loved the unsettling vibes that Juliano successfully carried throughout this detailed narrative. This is such a fantastic debut. I’ll be on the end of my seat until I know what this author plans to release next. If it is half as good as this, we’re in for a treat.

If you are a Horror Reader who craves a creepy atmosphere, full of mysterious dangers and lots of captivating characters, you absolutely need to give this one a shot. It’s perfect for this time of year!

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Review: Don’t Eat the Pie by Monique Asher

~ megs14malloy

Don't Eat the PieDon’t Eat the Pie by Monique Asher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Don’t Eat the Pie is an intriguing Horror story following a mother-daughter duo, Sam and Emma.

This book features a mysterious atmosphere, creepy characters, and luckily, quite a few tropes I tend to enjoy.

I’ve read a few reviews of this novel and many mention comps to Rosemary’s Baby. I absolutely see that, but I would add that it’s Rosemary’s Baby mixed with The Skeleton Key.

Do y’all remember that movie? It released in 2005 and starred the beautiful, Kate Hudson; set in New Orleans and contained some great supernatural Folk Horror elements. This book was definitely giving me all that.

The Southern Gothic vibes, the protagonists being new to town, the locals behaving strangely, particularly on the home-front. It’s all very intriguing and definitely succeeded in pulling me in.

It’s set on Camillia Island and the island helped add to the mystery. I think it’s mentioned that like only around 40-people actually reside there, so it’s super small and feels very remote; not a lot of outside influence.

Sam and Emma move there after Sam marries Ben, and his mom, who lives on the island gets sick. Emma wasn’t thrilled about the move, but it’s padded a bit by one of her friends, as well as her Aunt and cousin, going along for a bit; at least for the Summer.

I liked the back and forth of the perspectives between Sam and Emma. It really helped to build out their relationship, as well as their current circumstances.

They were both experiencing different things on Camilia Island and it was the totality of their experiences that really created the suspense and mystery.

I felt the author did a great job of creating a sense of danger within this atmosphere. It felt unsettling, even when you weren’t sure what you were really being unsettled by and I love that sort of reading experience.

The audiobook does have dual narration, which is perfect for providing distinction between Emma and Sam. I liked that aspect as it made me feel like I was actually listening to the two women tell their story.

While some parts felt a little drawn out, and certain details towards the end got a little muddled, overall, I had a great time with this story. It kept me on my toes.

I’ve never read from this author before, but I would definitely be interested in picking up more of their work. Particularly, if they have this same dark Southern atmosphere. We love to see it.

Thank you to the publisher, Dreamscape Media, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

This book deserves more buzz, and I hope it starts getting it soon. It’s a perfect Spooky Season read!!!

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Rereading ‘Salem’s Lot by Stephen King

~ megs14malloy

'Salem's Lot‘Salem’s Lot by Stephen King
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

As with many King’s, I loved this even more upon reread.

This story will always hold a special place in my heart, but more than that, I’m considering proclaiming it my FAVORITE BOOK OF ALL TIME!!!

🖤💚🖤💚🖤💚🖤💚🖤💚🖤💚🖤

‘Salem’s Lot was the first King novel I ever read. I’m not being hyperbolic when I say it shaped who I am as a Reader.

The year was 1987, I was 9-years old and I have never turned back. Surprisingly, this is one of the few early-Kings that up until now, I had only read once. I’m so excited that I finally revisited this childhood favorite!

The standout to me, as with most King novels, is the detailed character work and incredibly-palpable sense of place. This book also has some terrifying scenes as the drama builds, and it’s truly hard to put down once you start.

I love this entire cast, Ben and Mark, as well as Father Callahan, being personal favorites. As luck would have it, MAX is set to release an new adaptation of this one and I am anxiously-anticipating it. I can’t wait to see how they choose to bring it to the screen.

King’s stories are always better as books, but the trailer looks promising. I’m willing to give it a shot.

If you haven’t read this before, you should. An absolute classic and besides Dracula, arguably the best vampire novel ever written. It’s perfect for this time of year, as you can sit back and truly let the atmosphere overtake you.

There’s nothing else I really feel compelled to say about this. I love it so much, it would be impossible to capture in words how special this story is to me. This won’t be the last time I read it, that’s for sure.

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Review: The Store by Bentley Little

~ megs14malloy

The StoreThe Store by Bentley Little
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

❤️🖤❤️🖤❤️🖤❤️🖤❤️🖤❤️

Social Horror is one of my favorite subgenres of Horror.

For me, it’s a safe way to explore and consider a lot of pressing issues plaguing society. It feels safer than being out in the real world anyway.

Clever authors are able to create stories that reflect society back to us, making the issues maybe more in your face than a quieter, more literary-style narrative would.

The issues are exaggerated, but not to an extent that lessens their significance, it’s done more in a way that says, how ridiculous is this that this happens?

I feel like in the past few years, Social Horror has had a real heyday. Rightly, as there’s a lot of oppressive societal issues that deserve this spotlight and attention.

The Store, published in 1996, explores a major topic that was of very serious concern at that time, which was the expansion of certain retailers in small town markets.

Reading this I was transported back in time. I graduated high school in 1996, and the circumstance set-up brilliantly in this story by Little, actually happened in my hometown of Oxford, Maine.

If you grew up in small town America, and are around the same age as me, let’s just say Gen X, you may find this book as horrifyingly relatable as I did, and I would definitely recommend it. Who doesn’t love a terrifying trip down memory lane?

Before Wal-Mart came to town, our area was populated with family-run businesses. You know the kind where you know the owners and their kids go to school with you.

After the Wal-Mart announcement, like why are they coming to some random town in the mountains of Maine, now we all know, but at that time, it was a puzzler, I remember the adults in my life were not happy.

They tried to put up a fight, as did many others, but all to no avail. A piece of real estate was purchased, previously home to nothing but trees and wildlife, this was stripped and the largest building, by far, in our area was erected.

Within a few years, when I would go home to visit, after leaving for college, most small businesses had closed. Now when I go back to the area, it’s hardly recognizable as the place I once knew and called home. You would be very hard pressed to find a family-run business now.

Bentley Little beautifully captured this unique period of time in such a brilliant way. I feel like, after scanning some other reviews, this story would be most appreciated by those of us who may have shared in this type of experience.

I think for those who watched this scenario play out, it’s very easy to get into the mindset of these characters and to understand their motivations and the types of pressures they were experiencing.

I love how Little told this story as well. You get snippets from numerous characters that help to build out the town and the events occuring with the coming of The Store.

For many Readers, you can think of it as a sort of Stephen King style, ala Salem’s Lot or Needful Things, where you get a piece here and there from characters all over town to create a sense of place and building drama. I love that style, as it really allows you to dig into what makes these places tick.

Our main focus however is Bill, his wife, Ginny, and their two teenage daughters, Samantha and Shannon. Their involvement with The Store provided me with all I needed to keep me absolutely glued to the pages.

This is a truly unsettling story. I loved the Horror elements, the uncomfortability I felt while reading it, it was no joke. Little definitely didn’t hold back on the horrors of The Store.

Overall, I was really impressed with this. I’ve heard so much about Bentley Little, and even own a few of his books, but this is the first one I have picked up. I am definitely interested in getting to more from this author.

If they are anything like this one, I’m in for a good time!

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