horror

Review: Night Shoot by David Sodergren

~ megs14malloy

Night ShootNight Shoot by David Sodergren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Night Shoot was independently published back in 2019, and I’ve owned a paperback copy ever since. For some reason unknown to man, I’ve yet to pick it up though.

When I saw that Tantor, aka. RB Media, was releasing an audio copy, it’s first time in audiobook format, I was elated. It was finally time to pick up this stunning Horror novel that’s been haunting my shelves for almost a decade.

In this story, we follow a group of student filmmakers trying to complete a project for Uni. The setting of the film will be the remote Crawford Manor estate, which is owned by the Uncle of one of the students.

They’re given rules at the start. Certain places within the home that are off limits and a strict directive to depart by 8 p.m., but after their lead actress quits, throwing off their schedule, they feel like they’ve accomplished nothing by the time they’re supposed to be wrapping up. Nevertheless, they do leave the premises; for now.

After leaving, the group has a deep chat and decides an impromptu night shoot is a must if they’re to have any hope of completing the project. Thus, they proceed to break back into the property to continue filming. Who in the crowd thinks that’s a smart decision?

As one would imagine, things start going to pot pretty quickly. It’s clear they’re not alone within the Manor, but they could never imagine how brutal and twisted their night would become.

Y’all, this was so fun. It’s like the ghastly Horror movies of my youth. I loved how Sodergren channeled all those f*ed up vibes here. This felt like a film brought to life on the page. I could picture everything, it had all the classic stereotypical characters and compelling set-up.

I thought the audiobook was great as well. The narrator successfully brought great energy to the characters as the intensity continued to build. It got fairly disgusting towards the end, NGL. My toes are still curling. I had a blast!

This is not for the weak-stomached, anyone unaccustomed to gore, or anyone wanting to try Horror for the first time. Maybe you want to dip your toes into that Horror pool, but trust me, Sodergren is looking to shove you in the deep end.

For anyone who loves Horror films though, particularly those released in the 70s and 80s, this is a must read. You’ll feel like you’ve been transported back to your younger days. The days of copious blood, guts and final girls.

Thank you so much to the publisher of the new audiobook, Tantor Media, for providing me with a copy to listen to. This was great and I can’t wait to read more from D. Sodergren!

View all my reviews

Review: The Summer Fun Massacre by Craig DiLouie

~ megs14malloy

The Summer Fun MassacreThe Summer Fun Massacre by Craig DiLouie
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**2.5-stars rounded up**

The Summer Fun Massacre features a unique take on the Tradition Slasher. In this book, we follow the police officer who arrives on the scene too late to prevent a tragedy.

For Tom, our MC, this kind of tragedy has struck twice in his life. Once in 1983, when the girl he was dating, Mary, ended up the final girl in a brutal Summer Camp slaying, and again in 1992, when another massacre occurs after the camp reopens. Tom is the 1st-officer responding to the scene.

That’s pretty much all the massacre you’re gonna get, the aftermath. We follow Tom in the days following as he deals with his complex emotions on both crimes and tries to solve them before they happen again.

I don’t know, y’all. I had high hopes for this one, but unfortunately, I feel like I am generously rounding up. I found it slow and boring; not a good match for my tastes, especially considering what I was expecting.

I wanted Summer Camp vibes and the massacre to be on page. Not a Summer Camp, named Summer Fun, that plays only a peripheral role in the story. I received zero ‘camp’ from this, and I’m salty about it.

I’m rounding up to 3-stars, not because I enjoyed the book, but because I believe others could. The writing is fluid, and Tom is well-developed as a character.

Even though I’m disappointed by the trajectory of the narrative overall, I do appreciate what DiLouie was doing here, switching up the perspective of a Traditional Slasher. I think that was a risk, and if he was comfortable going for it, I’m gonna support that.

I think that idea, to explore a different angle, and bring something new to the subgenre is a great idea, just for me, the content was dull as dirt.

At the end of the day, it lacked the fun and excitement I was looking for, and I feel like the title, though in a way, what the book is about, is sort of misleading. Fun was not had in my experience, and I needed more massacre as well.

With all this being said, just because this wasn’t necessarily my cup of tea doesn’t mean it won’t work for you. I can be a picky-B, so take what I say with a grain of salt. If this sounds interesting to you, give it go. You could be finding a new favorite.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Run For It, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

Even though this wasn’t a win for me, could I be convinced to read the sequel? Yeah, most likely. Yes.

View all my reviews

Review: Crone by Keith Rosson

~ megs14malloy

CroneCrone by Keith Rosson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

🖤💚🖤💚🖤💚🖤💚🖤💚🖤💚🖤

Keith Rosson captured my heart and my full attention last year with Coffin Moon. There was something so devilishly-good about that book. The setting, the grittiness of the plot, the characters; it was a whole mood. It all worked for me and has remained in my mind ever since.

To say that I was excited to get an early-copy of this novel, Crone, would be putting it so mildly it wouldn’t even register. I was stoked for this and as you can tell from my rating, I wasn’t disappointed for a moment.

This novel matches Coffin Moon in tone, so if you also enjoyed that one, I would highly recommend reading this as well. The big difference would be while Coffin Moon is a bit of a vampiric romp, Crone is for the witches in the crowd.

This continues the classic dark Crime Fiction feel that Coffin Moon brought, and is actually even set in the same area of the United States, just in a later time period.

This story follows Eli Lamp, an ex-detective, turned addict, turned ex-addict, whose daughter disappeared 10-years ago. Eli’s battled his emotions since Hannah’s been gone, but the guilt and grief frequently overwhelm him.

Due to a certain incident Eli got himself involved in while investigating Hannah’s disappearance, he’s also now indebted to a local drug gang, the Crooked Wheel. They utilize his skills as an enforcer. It’s a dark road he’s traveled.

We also follow a young woman named Avery. Avery was actually Hannah’s best friend, and the two were together on the night that Hannah disappeared. Like Eli, Hannah has also really struggled since that night. The guilt and shame she’s felt since Hannah disappeared has definitely defined the trajectory of her life so far.

Avery fled their small town as soon as she graduated high school, unable to stand the whispers and looks any longer. Recently though, she’s been having extremely vivid dreams of Hannah calling her back.

After the boss of the Crooked Wheel’s son is found brutally murdered, he asks Eli to investigate it, so they can bring the killer to justice. If Eli’s successful, he won’t owe them any longer. He’ll be a free man.

His investigation brings him into the orbit of Avery, recently returned to town, a girl he never thought he’d see again. Soon the two are entwined in a search for answers that all link back to the night their dear Hannah disappeared.

Contrary to everything they might believe in, signs point to a mysterious something lurking the woods. A something with a bent back, black eyes and claws. No one wants to say witch, but it’s a thought…

This is such a beautifully-devastating story. My heart aches with the weight of it. It’s gritty and violent, showcasing the worst acts that humans can do unto each other.

There’s also a rawness to it all, with humanity just bleeding off the page. Rosson does such an incredible job of examining dark emotions, such as guilt, grief and self-doubt, even hate. This is vengeance-fueled story, much like Coffin Moon, and I was completely invested.

I loved the direction Rosson ultimately went with this. I will say the way he laid it all out, it’s not a path I would typically enjoy, but I think in this case, just because of the overall emotion of the story, it actually worked. He pulled it off.

If you’ve never read Rosson before, you’ve got time. Pick up Coffin Moon before this one releases in September. If you like that vibe, you should absolutely pick this one up as well.

Also, I definitely recommend this for fans of Witchy stories, particularly if you’re itching for something opposite of all the Cozy Witchy vibes we seem to be getting lately.

This is full stop a Horror novel. It’s violent, gory and full of complicated topics and emotions. It’s absolutely stellar and I cannot wait for a hard copy to take residence on my shelves.

Thank you to the publisher, Random House, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This will definitely be making my Best Books of 2026 list!!!

View all my reviews

Review: Headlights by C.J. Leede

~ megs14malloy

HeadlightsHeadlights by C.J. Leede
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Headlights is an exciting blend of Horror and Crime Fiction that is both thrilling and horrifying. Set in Colorado, this story is sure to creep under your skin until its profound, and admittedly, head-scratching conclusion.

On what should be his last day as a Special Agent with the FBI, Danny Stansfield, gets an unexpected call that it’s happening again. This news forces Danny to return to Denver, a city he fled 4-years previously.

It’s difficult to describe the string of cases that this book features. They’re clearly all related, but he’s never gotten satisfactory answers as to the who and why. Basically, seemingly innocent people are found wandering wearing the skins of victims they have butchered.

These skin-wearers have no recollection how they ended up where they are, or how they could’ve done what they’ve done. It doesn’t make sense. The most disturbing detail, besides the skin suit of course, is that each is found with a strand of a stranger’s hair tied around their tongues.

These individuals have never even met the people that have been murdered, whose skins have been torn from their bodies. What are the connections, and if he couldn’t figure it out before, how can Danny solve these mysteries now?

In this latest case though, there seems to be a twist, a person left who may hold the answers he seeks. Danny is determined to find out.

The deeper he’s pulled back into the cycle of death and depravity, the more Danny is forced to face the demons of his past. Aspects of his traumatic childhood are popping up all around him in a truly haunting fashion.

Will Danny be able to piece it all together, before he, or someone he loves, ends up as the killer’s next victim?

Every time I pick up a C.J. Leede book, I feel like I’m getting a new peek into her breadth as an author. I think for me, as far as tone and set-up, Headlights has been my favorite.

I actually rated American Rapture slightly higher, with 4.5-stars, but reflecting on it now, I feel that had more to do with the emotions I was having after reading the Author’s Note at the end. That gutted me.

Overall though, this one is definitely the closest match to my reading tastes.

The audiobook, narrated by Andrew Eiden, fits the narrative so well. Eiden’s narration has a bit of an old Detective Noir feel to it, that I felt paired so well with Danny’s perspective. It brought the Crime aspect to the forefront, yet carried through nicely into the Horror as well.

I would recommend the audiobook format, should it be available to you. It helped pull me into the story from the very start, as I was so entranced by Eiden’s delivery.

In addition to Eiden’s delivery, Danny has such a compelling backstory as well. I loved piecing that all together over the course of the book. You could tell from the start that he is truly haunted by his childhood, and I liked how Leede chose to reveal all that entails to the Reader.

There was certainly plenty to unpack. There was a lot of sensory things that would trigger memories for him, which made me really empathize with him, as I think that’s something we can all sort of relate to in one way or another.

It was more than just places he had been, there was also a lot of music, or other media involved, and certain smells, just things that would immediately take him back to when he was a kid. It was all very interesting.

Additionally, there’s connections to one of my favorite novels of all time. I was quite surprised when those details started popping up, and I wasn’t sure if I was reading too much into it, seeing connections that didn’t exist, but before long, it’s clear you’re supposed to be picking up on those.

I can imagine some Readers getting to those moments, or hearing about them, and feeling this is Copy Cat, but IMO it felt more true to life that that, if that makes sense.

To me, it was that this character had found an inspiration in, or an explanation in, this novel and I feel like that’s something a lot of us have experienced before. The cool part about this, was that the novel in question, is a real novel, and it’s a popular one, to say the least.

I will say that towards the end, the direction it went, it left me with some questions. Now that’s necessarily a bad thing, I don’t mind things left open-ended, or anything like that, I just feel like in this case, it actually got a little rushed and maybe slightly confusing.

I do plan to get a hard copy for my collection though, and would love to read it again, so perhaps on reread, I’ll be able to piece together more of the bigger picture concepts.

At the end of the day, I had a great time with this. I would recommend it to any Horror Reader, but also to Readers of Dark Crime Fiction, such as The Chestnut Man, The Echo Man, Come With Me, or Bone White.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Tor Nightfire and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I’ll pick up anything written by C.J. Leede.

Keep ’em coming!

View all my reviews

Review: Dollface by Lindy Ryan

~ megs14malloy

DollfaceDollface by Lindy Ryan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up **

Lindy Ryan’s Dollface is Finlay Donovan for Slasher Girlies.

This story follows a Horror author named Jill, who because of her husband’s work has to move to suburban New Jersey. It’s a big deal, because she’s moving away from her younger sister, who she’s very close with, and also, she’s not going to know a single person.

Regardless, Jill has to make the most of it and that’s exactly what she intends to do. Not long after move in, a friendly neighbor ends up popping by and inviting Jill to join the PTA of the school Jill’s young son will be attending.

With her Michael Myers tee-shirts and Final Girl coffee mug, Jill is not your typical PTA Mommy, but you gotta do what you gotta do when you’re the new girl.

As Jill starts settling in, unpacking and starting a routine, a plastic-masked serial killer starts slashing their way through her new town. It seems it’s time for Jill to put her Final Girl energy to the test. Will she be able to unmask the killer before she ends up being the last girl standing?

This was really cute. I had a lot of fun with it. I always enjoy Ryan’s humor and it was on full display here. It’s not perfect of course, the ending was a little confusing and felt rushed, but it fit what I was looking for when I picked it up, which made me happy.

It’s just one of those books you have to go into ready for this to get OTT-wild. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, which is something I appreciate. I’m here for a good time. I’m rarely looking to invest big brain energy in my reads.

My entire work day is spent on big brain tasks. In my free time, I like to relax and have fun. Lindy Ryan delivered that for me here.

The audiobook is a great way to take in this story as well. Voiced by the great Stephanie Németh-Parker, the story truly came to life with her narration.

I don’t think one is planned, but as with any Slasher, I would definitely partake in the sequel if there were one forthcoming. I could see some different directions this could go in, and I’d love to read from Jill’s perspective again.

Thank you to the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I love Lindy Ryan’s dark sense of humor, and I definitely plan on picking up any of her future releases!

View all my reviews

Review: Backstabbers by Eliza Jabore

~ megs14malloy

Backstabbers: A NovelBackstabbers: A Novel by Eliza Jabore
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Backstabbers features a Girls Adventure Trip gone bad. Some of us may have been on a few bad Girls’ Trips ourselves, but trust me, not like this.

Or at least I hope not…

We’re following 3 besties: Jade, Zoe and Stef. Jade is our narrator, and it’s quickly clear that each of the women has their own role within their tight knit friend group.

Zoe is the sun the other two revolve around. Not necessarily because she’s a shiny embalm of all that is good, but more because she’s such a powerful force that steam rolls over everybody else, regardless of their thoughts or opinions.

Jade is our pragmatic one and Stef is light and carefree, the epitome of being along for the ride. Somehow though, despite their vastly different personalities, the trio has stuck together through thick and thin for many years.

They love traveling together and their latest trip has brought them to the Pacific Northwest for a 3-day hike on Washington’s Bones Hollow Trail. For the experienced hikers in the crowd, be prepared to be annoyed.

During their hike they’ve been listening to a True Crime podcast. Yes, you read that right. Without headphones whilst walking the splendor of nature on a hiking adventure they’ve been blasting a True Crime podcast on the trail.

The podcast has put them on edge, as it’s discussing a serial killer known to hunt on the Bones Hollow Trail; the very trail they’re currently traversing.

Meanwhile, Zoe has the great idea to do a little bushwhacking to find the location of a waterfall that she insists isn’t far from the trail. While trying to make their way there however, Stef ends up badly twisting her ankle. She can’t put any weight on it, so her friends need to assist her if they have any hope of getting out of there.

Zoe insists returning to the trail, an uphill battle through uncut terrain, would be futile. She asserts they continue moving forward. She says eventually, they’ll reach a road.

Though they don’t come across a road, or the waterfall, they do come across a cabin, and it looks like someone is home. That’s when the real nightmare begins.

Backstabbers is a great debut. It’s fun and intense in the same ways a B-Horror flick is fun and intense. I had moments of real frustration with the characters, but I believe that’s the intent of the author and it did add to my enjoyment.

I love those moments in the midst of a Horror movie, when you’re screaming at the characters, don’t go in there, why are you going upstairs, don’t drink that, and on and on.

This novel had those moments in spades. It felt very cinematic to me. I could picture everything unfolding perfectly in my mind, and seriously, I think this would make a very fun movie.

I had the pleasure of Buddy Reading this one with a friend and we both ended up having fun with it. We were definitely laughing at all the terrible decisions being made. I mean from the very start I’m like, what are these girls doing??

But let’s get real, if they only made good choices, it would be a short and boring book. So, cheers to bad choices!!

It’s also very fast-paced. After they discover the cabin it’s pretty intense from there forward. It’s full of twists, and though so of them were pretty wild, that’s what I’m here for.

I think if you’re looking for the ultimate Girls’ Trip gone bad, this one is a great choice. As Travel Horror goes, this is a ton of fun. It doesn’t take itself too seriously either, and I always appreciate that.

Thank you to the publisher, Bantam, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I hope Eliza Jabore stays in this lane, because I could definitely do with some more of this!

View all my reviews

Review: House of Idyll by Delilah S. Dawson

~ megs14malloy

House of IdyllHouse of Idyll by Delilah S. Dawson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

After Angelina, a struggling singer/songwriter, loses her job she’s unsure how or what to do next. Then she gets the offer of a lifetime to join an experimental luxury compound run by the most famous band in the world, Black Idyll.

Now you or I may read this and be like, wait, she’s gonna join a cult? I mean, my brain goes there immediately when I hear words like ‘experimental’ and ‘compound’ put together.

Angelina jumps on it though, without really knowing anything about what she’s getting herself into. She moves to the compound, where she has all of her needs provided for her: food, lodging, clothing and she has nothing but time to work on her music.

Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it?

I finished this at the end of April, and I put off writing a review because I had mixed feelings. Initially, I had rounded up to 4-stars, but as I try to write this review, I realize I don’t remember much about the story.

It was just sort of okay for me. It was quite predictable and though somewhat fun in the moment, it certainly didn’t do anything groundbreaking, or obviously memorable.

I did still enjoy it. I know I may sound a little salty right now, but for the brief period of time I was reading it, it’s a shortie, I was relatively invested. Nevertheless, I think a 3.5-star is a proper rating based on my experience.

I love stories featuring music, or musicians, so that element was a definite plus for me. The atmosphere, as far as the compound went, was also well-imagined and I appreciate how far Dawson took it to the dark side.

Additionally, I liked how it wrapped-up. I felt like it was as satisfying an ending as you could get with this particular set-up. Overall, I would say this was compelling enough in the moment, but didn’t leave a lasting impression.

I would recommend it for Readers who enjoy stories featuring rock bands, cult stories, or fever dream type elements. Of course, I would also recommend it to anyone who has enjoyed Dawson’s work in the past.

Thank you to the publisher, Titan Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This is actually the first I’ve read from Dawson, but I’m looking forward to more!

View all my reviews

Review: Abyss by Nicholas Binge

~ megs14malloy

AbyssAbyss by Nicholas Binge
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Setting eyes on this cover for the first time, I judged and I wanted. Then I read the synopsis. I don’t watch a lot of shows, so have never watched Severance, but I know Lovecraft, and I certainly know corporate horror and existential dread.

Just check in with me any Sunday evening…

This novella follows Joe, who post-pandemic finds himself not living up to his potential. He’s been out of work, but he’s close to dire straights and it’s high time he found something.

Just when he’s thinking it’s hopeless he ends up securing an admin position with a company called Ponos. He’s not expecting much, the most he’s hoping for is a reliable paycheck every week.

Even though he’s filled with a nervous energy, on his 1st-day Joe successfully makes his way to the Ponos building and enters. Expecting the normal 1st-day at a new job song and dance. What he gets is anything but. What he gets is horrifying to think about.

If you ever wanted a book that feels like a post-apocalyptic version of The Office meets H.P. Lovecraft, this one is definitely for you. I did feel at times like it was quite heavy-handed on the commentary, but valid nonetheless and I wouldn’t say it impeded my enjoyment that much.

Personally, I enjoy when commentary is there, but allows the Reader to think more for themselves. With this personal preference aside, I see you, Nicholas Binge and I hear you.

Thinking about other Horror novellas, this was actually what I wanted Coup de Grâce to be as far as the creepy, claustrophobic vibes. I was given the want to escape; a need to flee. I was confused about what was happening and I walked away thinking, what the hell did I just read.

Spoiler alert: that’s a good thing.

I would recommend this to Horror Readers looking for something strange and oddly compelling with a solid nod to Lovecraft. Bonus if you love stark, desperate landscapes, whether inside or out.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Tor Nightfire and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. This is the first I’ve read from Binge, but I’m definitely going to be picking up more!

View all my reviews

Review: Accumulation by Aimee Pokwatka

~ megs14malloy

AccumulationAccumulation by Aimee Pokwatka
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Accumulation follows Tennessee Cherish, who goes by Tenn, and her family; husband, Ward and their two children, Anders and Aisling. They also have an adorable dog, Gogo, who makes frequent appearances throughout the book.

Though she had some early success as a documentary filmmaker, by the time we meet her, Tenn is a stay-at-home Mom, a role shift she continually grapples with over the course of the story.

The family has just moved from North Carolina to New York state after Ward buys Tenn her dream home. The historic home is larger than anywhere they’ve ever lived, and the large property provides plenty of room for the active family to spread out.

It’s a huge move though, and both children begin acting strangely. Tenn assumes it’s the move throwing them off, but with Ward working around the clock, she feels very unsupported trying to deal with it all.

Other very bizarre things are taking place within the home, but Tenn’s so distracted just trying to get them all on track after the move that she hardly notices. That is until the disturbing occurrences turn dangerous. Soon Tenn feels like she’s fighting for her life and that of her family.

She needs to figure out what’s haunting this house, what’s haunting her, if she wants to stand a chance of protecting her sanity, and keeping her family together.

Accumulation had me gripped for the vast majority of the book. I found everything happening in the house to be fascinating. Additionally, I enjoyed Tenn’s perspective. I found it refreshing that she wasn’t your stereotypical, cookie-cutter, fictional Mom.

The set-up was giving me Amityville Horror vibes, the 2005 movie remake, starring Ryan Reynolds and Melissa George, specifically. I certainly wasn’t mad about that.

The young couple and their beautiful children moving into a historic home in New York. The unsettling little things kicking off pretty quickly. There’s a creepy doll, a babysitter scene, and a lot involving the attic. It was all so well done.

The vibes were solid, and I’m nothing if not an atmosphere girlie. I anticipated rating this very highly. I was completely invested, even getting angry at Ward’s behavior and her overall circumstances on Tenn’s behalf. Who was moving that doll around?

Unfortunately, the last 10% sucked that enthusiasm down a couple notches, and though I was sad about it initially, I know it’s just a personal taste issue.

If I had my way, the concluding scenes wouldn’t have wrapped up quite so quickly, or easily, after that nail-biting build. Nevertheless, for the majority of the book I was at the edge of my seat and loving the exploration of domesticity and motherhood.

Nevertheless, I would absolutely recommend this to Horror Readers who are atmosphere and vibes Readers like myself. Also, if you want a slightly different take on a haunted house, I feel like this would scratch that itch.

Thank you to the publisher, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I really enjoyed Pokwatka’s character work and concepts. I’m looking forward to reading more from her in the future!

View all my reviews

Review: The Caretaker by Marcus Kliewer

~ megs14malloy

The CaretakerThe Caretaker by Marcus Kliewer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

Follow the rites…

The Caretaker is one of those books that I’m blessed enough to get a chance to read early, and then I can’t wait for everyone else to read because I need to talk about it!

This story captured my full attention and did not let up the entire way through. I read it in a day and it left me with A LOT to think about. I was doing mental gymnastics trying to keep up with everything Kliewer was throwing at me, and honestly, it was exhilarating.

Macy Mullins, our MC, is a young woman a bit down on her luck, who needs to scramble to support not only herself, but her little sister, Jemma. After a string of failed job interviews, Macy is still on the hunt when an enticing ad on Craig’s List catches her eye:

EXCITING OPPORTUNITY:
Caretaker urgently needed. Three days of work. Competitive pay. Serious applicants ONLY.

Macy applies and ends up securing an interview. She meets with the woman who she would be working for, and although it’s an unusual meeting, to say the least, Macy can’t afford to be picky.

As an outside observer, I may have been screaming at Macy to not agree to take the job, but I also can’t pay Macy’s bills, so she does what she has to do and she accepts.

It’s only 3-days work, where she’ll have to stay at the woman’s house in the wilderness of Oregon and take care of her house. How bad could it possibly get?

Y’all, it can get bad. I think we all know this. Even Macy probably knew this, but like I said, she really didn’t have much of a choice. The first thing that really captured me about this book was how realistic and well-developed Macy was as a protagonist.

While I’ve never experienced some of the things that Macy had been through, I couldn’t help by feel connected to her struggles. I had such empathy for her while she was just working through her own thoughts.

I also felt like I was going on this journey with her. The house, the property, the weirdness of the whole circumstance was seeping off the page and into my brain. It felt tactile to me. I was feeling it all; transported.

The synopsis describes this as a waking nightmare, and I can’t think of a better way to put it. There were scenes that played into some of my own fears and left me absolutely chilled to the bone and my blood pumping.

I need to get a physical copy, because I’ll be reading it again. It’s twisted, layered and I would love to take more time with it. Now that I know the end, I feel I could pick up more of the smaller pieces I may have missed on this first go.

Upon completion, I sat and just stared at the wall for a good 4-to-5 minutes. Yes, that’s a good thing. If this doesn’t leave you with an existential crisis, I’m not sure what will.

At this end of the day, I found this wildly-entertaining. It’s highly-consummable, gripping and disturbing. It’s going to stick in my mind for a long, long time.

Thank you to the publisher, Atria, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This is the first I’ve read from this author, but you better believe I’ll be picking up more.

View all my reviews