Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman

Title: Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Del Rey

Release Date: June 25, 2024

Who would have thought that a thriller told from the POV of a child would be so compelling and scary? I sure didn't. Josh Malerman perfectly captures the confusion, terror, and heartbreak that this young girl, Bela, is feeling from the very first page. It may be disconcerting to some but Bela's POV really works.

Bela's life consists of her Mommy, Daddo, and Grandma Ruth. What her family doesn't know is that Bela also relies on an entity called Other Mommy that lives in her closet. Other Mommy starts out friendly and Bela quickly becomes attached to her. As time goes on, Other Mommy starts to ask disturbing questions and doing things that scare Bela. She starts to question whether she and Other Mommy were ever really friends, or if Other Mommy has bad plans for her.

Other Mommy starts getting bolder. She starts showing herself to other people. Bela's parents are terrified and their strained relationship starts to buckle under the pressure. Bela wonders what will happen if she says yes to Other Mommy's questions? Will she be able to make Other Mommy go away? Can she save her family?

I'm glad I read this book during the day as some parts of the story were absolutely chilling. Certain parts are still stuck in my head and creeping me out. Don't worry, no spoilers, you'll have to read and be terrified for yourself to understand. The scares are masterfully written and that they are being experienced from Bela's point of view really heightens the terror.

I finished this book in five hours. I just could not put it down. It's fast paced but in such a way as to keep the tension level high. Josh Malerman is an exceptional storyteller and this book will keep you on edge until the very last line. I would love to see this made into a movie. I highly recommend reading this with the lights on and I promise you will never look at your closet the same way again. 

So many thanks to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and Del Rey for the advanced reader copy of an incredible book.

Man's Best Friend by Alana B. Lytle

Title: Man's Best Friend by Alana B Lytle

Publisher: Penguin Group Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons

Release Date: May 14, 2024 

I requested this book based upon the blurb. Sadly, it did not live up to expectations.

El is a failed actress turned bakery employee. She's almost 30 but is wandering aimlessly through life. The one thing that she dwells on is her 8th grade year. She was on scholarship to an exclusive school and was befriended by Anna and Julia. They were everything that El wished she could be, wealthy and popular. She was determined to one day be just like them.

At one of Julia's parties, El bumps into a man named Bryce. He's not super attractive and he's kind of a loner but he and El start dating. She starts calling out from her job and alienating her friends. After moving in with Bryce, she begins noticing red flags about him, but they are co-dependent on each other in a toxic way. She soon finds out the truth about him. What will she do with the truth?

There are zero likable characters in this book. El is narcissistic, lazy, desperate, and worst of all whiny. Bryce is bland and unassuming and clingy. The side characters are just as bad, a typical portrayal of rich people who all are self-absorbed with major drug and alcohol problems. 

The bits of suspense that seemed interesting were rushed through or glossed over. The dream sequences and parts about the dogs were jarring and pulled you out of the story. The writing itself was good but the story fell flat. It was a struggle to finish the book and the ending was unbelievable. Based on the author's writing style, I would like to see what they come up with next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the advance reader copy to review.

Everyone Who Can Forgive Me Is Dead by Jenny Hollander

Title: Everyone Who Can Forgive Me Is Dead by Jenny Hollander

Publisher: St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books

Release Date: February 6, 2024

Charlie Colbert is the editor-in-chief of a major magazine who seemingly has the perfect life. She's successful at her job and engaged to a wealthy heir to a publishing empire. One thing she's hell-bent on forgetting is an event from her past. A survivor of "Scarlet Christmas", Charlie suffers from memory loss and survivor's guilt. She wants nothing more than to move on but a relative of one of the victims wants to dig everything up. They want to release a movie about the events of that night.

Charlie doesn't want that to happen. She's afraid that the truth will come out about that night and the lies she has built her life on will unravel. She's desperate to stop the films release and is worried about the lengths she will go to.

Told from Charlie's point of view, the book alternates between the present and through the past. The past is told as Charlie has sessions with her therapist in an effort to recover the pieces of the past that she's forgotten. As the movie's release is announced it's a race to figure out what happened, and figure out why she's carrying so much guilt. Will the answers crumble her carefully constructed life?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There were a few twists and turns that kept me guessing. The ending was okay, with everything tied up neatly, but it worked for this book. It's a solid debut novel, and I'm looking forward to seeing what the author comes up with next.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Minotaur Books for an advance reader copy of this book.