#Incidents Around the House

[books-and-cookies]

5 SECOND REVIEW

[hungryfictions]

lowering my 2 star goodreads review to 1 star because everyone else is stupid and artificially inflating the rating with 5 stars. it’s called balancing the scales, honey

[lilibetbombshell]

[headinbookishclouds]

Incidents around The House by Josh Malerman

Incidents around the house scarred me. I finished the book late into the night so when I was getting ready to sleep, I kept eyeing the closet in my room. Imagining the terrors that poor Bela faced terrified me. Utilising the perspective of an 8 year old child was such a unique method of navigating the monster in the book, ultimately enhancing the urgency and hopelessness the characters felt. 

I wasn’t aware of this choice when I started the book. When I first saw the narration style, I was pretty dismayed because the storytelling felt a little awkward to me. It did take a few chapters to get used to, so I’m super glad that I stuck around. Bela was such a charming narrator and the childness of her nativity and innocence as she interacted with Other Mommy (OM) ensured that a level of mystery was always present. Kids say pretty weird stuff all the time and so it was believable when the adults in her life didn’t take her seriously. The tension that was slowly building up was gradual but intense - I thought only Bela could see OM, but then others could hear OM and finally people other than Bela could see OM. This gradual increase in intensity spiked around the quarter mark of the book and then it got even more intense. There is basically no break for poor Bela’s family - they are constantly on the move from one point to the other, trying their best to run from OM. 

OM remains largely a mystery which I appreciated. The circumstances surrounding her as well as who or what she is remain vague. While I would have loved knowing more, I think having less answers amplified the horror aspect of the novel because the aspects that you do know are so terrifying already. The ending was also made more terrifying knowing what happened to the family but still wondering regardless. 

I highly recommend the book and if you’re unsure about starting it because of the narration style, just read it!

4/5

See my review on GR!

[madlovenovelist]

Most Anticipated New Book Releases June 2024

There was a substantial but not ridiculous new release list for June 2024 to file through. Maybe I’m in a bit of a mood, or there weren’t many titles that I found appealing, because there were only three that I definitely want to get my hands on… the rest sound interesting but given I’m now on a book buying ban, I’m not sure if I’ll pick up. But still I find the premise intriguing. With four…

[mylifeinfiction]

Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman

". . . is it so crazy to say that maybe what we see in the dark is the truth too?"

Josh Malerman's Incidents Around the House is a truly terrifying, immediately immersive horror story about eight-year-old Bela, who is being haunted—or rather, hunted—by an increasingly malevolent entity called Other Mommy. It's an effectively eerie exploration of a world where innocence is coveted while simultaneously being snatched from our children at earlier and earlier ages; an affecting analysis of the fragile complexities of childhood, parenthood and marriage that understands and reflects upon the overwhelming confusion, sacrifices and dread that accompany each.

By making us experience these exceedingly shocking incidents through Bela's point-of-view, Malerman forces us to steep in her fear and disorientation as her innocent, safe world crumbles around her, implementing unique structure and riveting prose to construct these incidents in a manner that fills them with unbearable tension and genuine—drop the book and check the closet—terror.

Through the creative storytelling and the unrelenting, hopeless horror with which these pages are teeming, Malerman creates a masterfully written piece of horror fiction that is—in addition to being a thematically rich and relevant meditation on the loss of innocence—believe it or not, actually scary.

"Yes, this is innocence lost."

9/10

-Timothy Patrick Boyer.

[inabooknook]

Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman

Man what a wild ride. The story is about a little girl who starts seeing someone called "Other Mommy", and the effects on herself and her parents. The writing was well done, from the viewpoint of a young child, and very compelling. So much so that I legitimately read this in a day. The character development was amazing, making it very clearly something that you could NOT put down unless you absolutely had to! I found myself sneaking off to read a few pages throughout different parts of the day, and I am sure it will be no different for anyone else. I would highly recommend this if you enjoy thrillers or horror, or any of Josh Malerman's previous books.

This ebook was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[steddie-island]

This book showed up in the mail yesterday and I finished it this morning. This was so fucking creepy, and was written in a way that made it feel so real. Slight spoiler (with mentioning nothing about the plot) this does not have a happy ending. But it is 5/5⭐️ and is one of my top reads of the year. Holy shit.

[ohnoitsjoee]

Other mommy.

[nfinitefreetime]

#REVIEW: Incidents Around the House, by Josh Malerman

Fuuuuuuhuhuhuhuuuuuuuuuuck. I … uh … nope. Nope. I’m going to go put this book in the freezer, and it’s going to stay in there, forever, and I’m going to be very very happy that I started reading it in the morning (and finished it by noon) because being up at 3 AM last night reading this and then trying to sleep would not have worked very well. Nope. Uh-uh. Noooooooope.

[libraryofbaxobab]

July 3, 2024:

This was wild. You think you know where a story about a kid scared of "Other Mommy" who lives in their closet is going, but I promise you do not.

I hesitate to go into the things that make this book unique because of spoilers, which I'm not usually this careful about but in this case I think it's important to not be able to guess. That was certainly part of the fun for me.

I'll just say it gets painful. I mean, any horror around a kid usually will, but again not quite in the way you'd think. Ugh this review does not do this book justice, it was just really, really good.

8.5/10 #WhatsKenyaReading

[deludedimages]

Review for Josh Malerman's Incidents Around The House

Josh’s novella collection, Spin A Black Yarn, was one of my favorite books of last year. I read it in two days. I talk about it enough that my wife has told me to stop. When I got the Netgalley approval, I didn’t know what I was getting into. It took me to some places—not the places I wanted to go—and scared me. I would have read it in a day, but I needed breaks from the seriously freaky things…

[fishareglorious]

new idea: chess.com chatfic starring constantine playing chess during workhours and her opponents being the kids from SPDM. its basically like the breakaway incident but no one dies and its really jsut this middle-aged woman lording her wins over a bunch of twelve year olds in chess.com chatlogs

[1980ssunflower]

🏡💙So Good to See You!💛☔

[insomniacirl]

I just really need to point out that Charlie Slimecicle is a man KNOWN for his acting skills (In JRWI and just a multitude of videos and streams where he's created lore), his narration skills, writing skills, etc, etc.

Case and point, he managed to make thousands of people become genuinely emotionally attached to a Minecraft egg and his character of the grieving father, going through all stages of mourning and becoming murderous in his grief- in about a weeks time.

And his acting on Just Roll With It and the places where he really gets to shine through with those skills are just fucking incredible obviously.

NOW IMAGINE CHARLIE SLIMECICLE ON THE GEN LOSS SET. ON THE SET FOR AN ANALOGUE HORROR. WHERE HE CAN ACT. AND PLAY A PART IN A FUCKING AWESOME HORROR SERIES.

[mylifeinfiction]

My Most Anticipated Books of 2024!

Each year, I plan on making an effort to read more of my favorite authors' backlogs. However, each year I also get caught up in the incredible slate of new releases I find myself needing to read. 2024 looks like yet another year that will find me building my reading schedule around my new-release library. These are the ones I’m most excited about, so far…

1. You Like It Darker by Stephen King

I'm not the biggest fan of short story collections. But, I'm a bigger fan of Stephen King than I am not a fan of short story collections, so, unsurprisingly, this is my most anticipated read of 2024... if only for Rattlesnakes.

2. Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman

I’ve yet to read a Malerman that I haven't (at least) thoroughly enjoyed. And I'm already hearing amazing things about this one, whose story sounds genuinely terrifying.

3. The Angel of Indian Lake by Stephen Graham Jones

I had some serious issues with My Heart is a Chainsaw, but overall really enjoyed the book, and was blown away by its ultra-violent climax. Don't Fear the Reaper corrected the issues and doubled down on the action and violence. Whatever he delivers with The Angel of Indian Lake is sure to be a pitch-perfect ending for the badass final girl that is Jade Daniels, and I can't wait to experience it with her.

4. I Was a Teenage Slasher by Stephen Graham Jones

I get two Stephen Graham Jones books, this year?!? Awesome! This one sounds as fun as its gimmick sounds interesting.

5. All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker

I adored We Begin at the End, and while I still haven't taken the dive into his backlog, I've been waiting for his next book ever since the moment I finished that one.

6. City in Ruins by Don Winslow

Excited to wrap up this crime trilogy, but dreading the fact that this is supposedly Winslow's final book.

7. The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton

I really enjoyed The Devil and the Dark Water, and have had The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle for years (though I still haven't gotten to it). The premise and stakes in this one make me all the more excited.

8. Middle of the Night by Riley Sager

Riley Sager isn't a favorite, but he always seems to deliver books that are enjoyable, quick reads... so count me in.

9. The Queen by Nick Cutter

I've yet to read anything by Cutter, but have heard amazing things about The Troop and The Deep, and that's more than enough to get this one on this list. Hopefully I'll get to at least one of those two before this one drops.

10. Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay

I've had major issues with Tremblay's endings of pretty much every book of his that I've read so far. I'm sure there's something better that could take this spot, but the premise here has this dorky cinephile ready to read. There's no doubt I'm either going to love this book or absolutely hate it!

These are definitely not the only books I’m excited for, this year. But the others have either somehow flown under my radar, or have simply not been announced yet.

What books are y’all most looking forward to in 2024?

Enjoy!

-Timothy Patrick Boyer.