It's been a bit since I've come across a really good creature horror, and this book presented such a compelling perspective! The creatures were intriguing, and I found the lore surrounding them really interesting. Beyond the creatures, what stood out to me was Cassidy's willingness to tackle the challenging themes of parenthood, disability, and mental health with honesty and depth.

Ultimately, "Nestlings" is a compelling and emotionally charged horror story that delves into the complexities of motherhood against the eerie backdrop of an exclusive New York City residential building. As a reader who thoroughly enjoyed the book, I highly recommend it to those seeking a dark and thought-provoking narrative.

Thank you to NetGalley, Nat Cassidy and Tor publishing group for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. I feel like this is a book that I’m going to be thinking about and digesting for a while. My first thoughts when I finished where wtf did I actually just read and wow. Take that as you will. It was an easy and addicting read with lots of trigger warnings. It’s so unique and twisted.

Thank you NetGalley for sharing this book with me early to read and review. This book wasn’t my favorite but I do love bits of it and know others will too!

Nat Cassidy has done it again. I was scared and disgusted, and I loved every minute of it. Ultimately, not my favorite of his books (shout out to Mary), but I really enjoyed this and loved the setting and the nods to Rosemary's Baby. I couldn't put it down!

Motherhood is a NIGHTMARE in the Deptford! This book is FLAWLESS!

Ana and her husband Reid win an apartment in the New York in Manhattan's exclusive Central Park area. It is over 100 years old and is known for the exquisite but SO SO creepy Gargoyles that grace the rooftops and corners. What they do not know....is what is lurking inside this apartment building!

Forget the references to 'Salem's Lot'! Take Jeffrey Konvitzs' "The Sentinel" and Levin's "Rosemary's Baby" and throw in a bit of Del Toro "The Strain" and you give birth (no pun intended here...lol) to "Nestlings" by Nat Cassidy.
I listened to the audio book and I noticed that it is narrated by the author....so, naturally I thougth that the author was going to be a woman. Wrong!

I have been reading horror for over 55 years, and NEVER have I been so scared and creeped out by a tale of horror that lurks in the darkness and flows thru the veins of EVIL as this one did and does! It is a flawless tale of a young couple getting ready to celebrate their young baby girl; Charlie's first birthday, and it is a day they are soon to never forget! What happens in this book is so well and perfectly written that it is one that I place on my shelf of Horror Classics! And to think that I had never heard of this author until I had seen the creepy as hell cover come across my Everand account and HAD to listen to it! It was released on Halloween of 2023 and let me tell you you MUST read or better yet, listen to it! You will never forget it. It is one that takes on vampires, horror and the darkness unlike any others. It was Flawless!! And with me not being a fan of the vampire lore; this is one that I will read again and again!

Whatever you do, MAKE SURE you read or listen to (in his own voice) the Authors Note at the end of the book. Made me cry.

5 🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸All the WAY!!!

I read MARY by Nat Cassidy some years back. I loved it. The homage to CARRIE by Stephen King was evident and now, back with NESTLINGS, there are homages to AMITYVILLE, SALEM'S LOT, and even sprinklings of the OMEN. This book is a dark and horrific read but the emotions are palpable and the underpinnings of care make this linger with you long after the story is over.
Nat Cassidy is a writer to watch and most importantly a writer to read!

Alright, buckle up, folks! Nestlings by Nat Cassidy takes you on a wild ride—gripping, shocking, and seriously creepy! From the hooking synopsis to the immersive listening experience, I was legit blown away. Trying to set this book aside was like wrestling a grizzly bear because I was fully sucked into this expertly crafted page-turner.

Ana and Reid are in the thick of major life changes and stress. Ana, post-wheelchair after popping out their daughter Charlie, leans heavily on Reid, who's now juggling the caretaker gig for both his wife and the little one. Bagging an apartment in the swanky Deptford building seems like a dream—stunning architecture, Central Park views, the whole shebang. Sure, the other residents are a tad quirky, but dream location and affordable housing? Count them in.

Moving is a pain on its own, but Deptford? That's a whole new level of bonkers...

WOWZA! This is horror cranked up to eleven. The tension, the creeping dread, that feeling that something's off—it had me hooked. I'm all about books that make my hair stand on end, and Nestlings delivers. Deptford sets the stage perfectly for this modern horror with a hint of old-time spookiness.

If you're after amazement, spooks, shocks, and top-notch entertainment, you've struck gold! Seriously, it's that darn good. The writing is top-notch, with vivid descriptions that threw me right into the thick of it, and the pacing is on point. Nestlings played out like a blockbuster in my mind, and no surprise there given the author's background in the entertainment biz.

I went for the audiobook, and the narration? Pure magic. Don't sleep on the author's personal and moving note; it's a must-read.

Well-crafted, shocking, had me gripping the edge of my seat, entertaining, and good luck trying to pry it from your hands! Nat Cassidy should absolutely be on your radar.

4.5 stars

Big "Rosemary's Baby" vibes. Wonderfully creepy book! The pacing was terrific, the protagonist rootworthy. As a mom, though, I hated the ending.

A perfect read for a cold winter's day. Nestlings is the kind of slow burn horror I really enjoy. A bit of a slow burn but terribly horrifying with some humor mixed in.

It is January 4th and I think I have already found a contender for one of my favorite books of 2024. Nestlings by Nat Cassidy is one I’m having a hard time letting go of. I initially picked this book up because of the incredible cover. Then I saw a blurb that described it as a mash-up of Rosemary’s Baby and Salem’s Lot. Count me in! And while I did see the inspiration Cassidy drew from those two classics, what he created stands on its own and to my mind is equally as good.

Everything about this book worked for me. The premise was interesting and there are many surprising and eerie scenes. The Deptford, an old luxury NYC apartment building complete with gargoyles, had all the urban gothic vibes I could want. But what sets this book apart is the pacing. Cassidy knows how to build suspense and dread without ever giving away exactly where he is going. I had an incredibly hard time putting this one down when other duties called and I was counting the minutes until I could reenter the horrifying space that is the Deptford. And did he nail the ending? I’m not sure, but I can’t stop thinking about it and that is the best compliment I know how to give. Thank you to @netgalley and @tornightfire for an e-arc of this book.

"Nestlings" by Nat Cassidy takes readers on a gripping rollercoaster ride through the tumultuous lives of Ana and Reid, a couple desperately in need of a break. The aftermath of a complicated childbirth leaves Ana paralyzed, bitter, and wrestling with a myriad of challenges. Cassidy weaves a narrative that skillfully combines the horrors of 'Salem's Lot with the eerie tension of Rosemary's Baby.

While the characters may not reach the enduring depth of Stephen King's creations, Ana and Reid shine brightly in their own right, portraying the complexities of relationships strained by trauma. The author skillfully taps into the visceral anxieties that accompany parenthood, with scenes that had my anxiety soaring.

The narrative is infused with a palpable creepiness, earning it a solid 10 out of 10 on the creep factor scale. The mystery deepens as Reid dismisses Ana's unease, leaving readers to grapple with disturbing events and needle-like bite marks on their baby.

As the last book I started in 2023, "Nestlings" became my first 5-star read in 2024. The ending, though potentially divisive, felt fitting for a story of this nature. Cassidy navigates the challenges of concluding such a tale with finesse, solidifying "Nestlings" as a must-read for fans of psychological horror and supernatural thrillers.

Book Review: Nestlings by Nat Cassidy. 🧛‍♀️
 
Description: 
Ana and Reid need a break. The horrifically complicated birth of their first child has left Ana paralyzed, bitter, and struggling―with mobility, with her relationship with Reid, with resentment for her baby. Reid dismisses disturbing events and Ana’s deep unease and paranoia, but he can’t explain the needle-like bite marks on their baby.
 
My Thoughts:
Overall, this book was fine but it didn’t quite steal my heart. The vampire premise felt a bit overused – stories like these need a unique twist to hook me. I couldn’t find that special connection with any of the characters, and the baby, didn’t deliver the scare I anticipated. I felt like the other characters (the residents) needed more character development for a fuller experience.
 
However, the ending brought some entertainment, but I’m starting to think this horror style isn’t my cup of tea. It really reminded me of authors work like Grady Hendrix, and Carissa Orlando’s “The September House.” If you like those, this might be up your alley. Some parts got a tad cheesy – just not my vibe. I did also enjoy the body horror and those gripping ending scenes. It really painted a vivid picture of a creepy hotel, making it easy to visualise the eerie happenings.
 
Loved the author’s notes at the end, but for me it needed more grittiness. Totally get though that it’s just not my writing style.
 
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this in exchange for my review.

Razor sharp and suspenseful, Nat Cassidy is quickly becoming one of my all time favorite authors. Nestlings is the second novel I've read by him, but I am a firm autobuy/read-anything fan for life now.

Horror can be difficult to write because there is a need to be able to build tension effectively. Nat has this ability down in spades. Not only is the suspense built in ways that harken to the King of Horror (Stephen!), Nat seems to be building his own particular brand.

I could not put this book down and I eagerly await what comes next.

Horrifying, bleakly funny, touching. Enjoyed my time with this one.

Thank you to the publisher and to the author for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Deptford is known for celebrities, exquisite architecture, and views of Central Park. Despite its high profile, it remains somewhat of a mystery, as its residents are extremely protective of their privacy within its walls. However, for Reid and Ana, the Deptford represents a new start and presents a financial opportunity they can't possibly turn down.

Cassidy sets the tone of the novel in the very first sentence of the novel. "We don't belong here." Ana feels that something is off while touring the apartment and that feeling only grows stronger as they are settling in. Oh, not for Ried though. Reid is completely charmed by the Deptford and its odd residents, leaving Ana alone with that creeping sense of unease. The dread multiplies with each little oddity as Ana insists that something is wrong with the Deptford and something is wrong with Charlie.

Cassidy has thoughtfully created characters with authenticity, and the worries and dilemmas they face are utterly relatable. Ana's paranoia parallels that of Polanski's Rosemary but what Cassidy has created here is its own being. Ana is not only haunted by the occurrences of the Deptford, but also by the trauma of Charlie's birth, the night she and Reid don't talk about, and by the changes in her own body. Ensnared by their circumstances, the atmospheric horror surges forward until Ana is caught up in uncertainty about the meaning and purpose of her life as well as the environmental apprehension.

I can't really say anything else about the plot without giving things away but it definitely takes an even weirder turn than I initially expected. If you want a break for something unusual with relatable characters, creeping dread, and an epilogue that is the epitome of a sad smile, then Nestlings should be the next pick off your TBR.

Nestlings is horror at its best. Ana and Reid’s problems are so real that you become involved in their lives and don’t notice the dangers as they slowly pile up. I was thoroughly creeped out the entire time: haunted building, haunted people - both the main characters and everyone else, in different ways. The conclusion is shocking, horrific and haunting. I was provided an ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a fun and wild ride of a horror. The description of Rosemary's Baby meets Salom's Lot is absolutely perfect. Nat Cassidy writes horror so viscerally and really makes you feel everything the characters are feeling. As a woman who just had a baby, I particularly enjoyed the postpartum discussions and just that element to the story. I was definitely sad at parts at the ending, but I understand why Cassidy chose to end it the way he did.

The author's note really made this book that much better. I love when authors get personal and discuss how a particular came to fruition and what it means to them.

I will continue to pick up this author!

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would!

This biggest issue I had with the book was the pacing of it all and I kind of wish the ending had played out a bit differently. HOWEVER, I did love how creepy the descriptions of the creatures were and just the sense of dread surrounding the whole plot. Kind of reminded me of how I felt reading Lock Every Door by Riley Sager, in the way that the building they lived in felt like its own character.

Also, if you are looking for huge Salem’s Lot vibes, look no further because you have found them here!

This kind of horror slowly gets under your skin, gives you goosebumps, and makes you look twice at the shadows when you take the dog out at night. Ana and Reid are recovering from the traumatic birth of their daughter, Charlie. Ana is now wheelchair-bound, which has impacted her along with the expected postpartum slump, and she's not feeling bonded to her daughter as much as she'd like to. They are both overtired, overworked, and living in a teeny apartment. So when the call comes to live in the Deptford building, they jump at the chance. But where are all the other tenants? Why don't delivery men bring food to their door? What about all of those rumors of people who jump? Inch by inch, moment by moment, Ana feels that things are very wrong in the building, even as Reid falls more and more under its spell. Their daughter is initially restless and irritable in the building, with small bite marks and excessive screaming. But then, she seems just at home. This story is such well-written horror, weaving a story with such incredible imagery and evocative language that I didn't want to put it down. I loved it. I wanted more. But at the same time, I wanted to be sure it wasn't real. It seeped into my real world and got in the nooks and crannies of my day, as every good horror book does.

I went into this with no expectations. I had not, and still haven’t, read MARY by Cassidy, but I had heard really good things about it so I was hoping for a good story.
Wow, did I get a good story. Nestlings starts off slow, but it’s not a slow story. Sounds confusing? I swear it makes sense to me - nothing really happens right away, but behind the character building, you can feel this sort of tension building very slowly. Once the ROSEMARY’S BABY-like events start kicking off, you realize that it was actually there all along just waiting for the right moment. It’s an intense one, and the punches are fully felt every time. The feeling of unease is so well done with this.
There’s a lot of comparisons out there as to what NESTLINGS is like, and I think most of them are correct, however they’re also wrong. This is its own thing, and Cassidy played it oh so well.