A strong start and excellently spooky sample. Looks to be a brilliant Autumn read and I cannot wait to devour the whole thing!

Wow, that was scary! Written so well, which created the heart pacing atmosphere. This is the start to a longer novel where a child has been missing for 6days and comes back with no explanation.
I am looking forward to read the full text!

This is a review of the teaser extract I received from Net Galley in return for an honest review.

The chapters that I read were very reminiscent of Stephen King, and the chilling tone of the book manifested itself in the hairs on my arms standing to attention and my scalp starting to creep. At first, it seems a complete departure from Perks, but once the book gets going, the way that Chbosky manages to really get inside a kid's head and verbalize what matters really comes to the fore.

The extract ended all too soon for my liking and I'm counting the days to the general release of the book so I can continue reading.

I enjoyed the sampler it made for an intriguing start. Will be interested to see how the story progresses.

I really enjoyed this sampler! There's a sense of creeping dread and I look forward to reading the full novel.

I really didn't get on with this book at all. I found Chbosky's writing style much too florid and yet it still didn't give me enough information about the characters to truly care. At 720 pages it could have done with some serious editing, as there was a lot of repition. And I found the religious analogy at the centre to be completely ridiculous. I feel like Chbosky is trying to come up with his own version of Stranger Things and failing, though to a certain extent I can see how this would work much better on screen than on the page. All in all, a disappontment.

*** ARC provided by Netgalley via the publisher in exchange for an honest review. ***

I'm super excited for the release of this book in October. Having read Perks of Being a Wallflower a number of times I think that I was always going to be chomping at the bit to read this book.

This is just a short extract from the book but it really drew me in and made me certain that I'll be reading the full book as soon as it is available!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2931497564?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

I haven't read a Stephen Chbosky book before (I know, crazy) so thought I;'d start out with this sampler, and wow I actually can't wait to read the full book, it seems so intriguing. It's definitely been put onto my list of reads this year.

Intriguing start to the story. I am unsure if this is a horror story for an adult or young adult audience though since the writing at times seems less fleshed out. I know Chbosky is a well-loved author but I haven't read the Perks of Being a Wallflower so this may just be this writers style.

I also was not a fan of the runon sentences, it was quite distracting and pulled me out of the story rather than engaging me. I don't know if this is an error or the style of writing, however.

A very apt release for October and I will be interested to see where the novel goes next.

I've only read Perks of a Wallflower this year, which I adored, but I know it was an important read to many growing up, so I was excited by the hype to find that Stephen had written this book after a twenty year gap
And this extract delivers! It is written in a similar beautifully honest and concise self-commentary style, has an amazing pace that leaves me on a gripping cliffhanger!
I give it five star

I never read Perks of Being a Wallflower but I did see the movie. Imaginary Friend is a very different piece of writing. It is spooky, creepy and very intriguing! I look forward to the rest of the book when it comes out!

Ok, there are SO many feelings and points to raise with this sampler of upcoming release 'Imaginary Friend' by Stephen Chbosky!
Firstly, as with Adrian McKinty's 'The Chain' I am now teetering on a knife edge of suspense willing the days to pass until I can get myself a copy and also haunted by both David and  Christopher's stories.

There are 2 parts, the first about a little boy named David who is clearly terrified of something he has done or is thought to have done so he sneaks out of his house and runs away. As a parent this absolutely went through me, his journey across the streets, at night, on his own...all the shivers in the world were at my beck and call despite last night being too hot to sleep!

What made the first little boy,David, run away from home and is the hissing lady real or imaginary? What happened to that little boy after he went into the Mission Street Woods?
Why did Christopher's mum start running and keep on running?
Was Christopher's father crazy or did something more sinister happen to him?
Is the imaginary friend going to be a friend or foe....

Skipping forward from then  to now, we are introduced to Christopher, another young boy who has ended up in Mill Grove with his mother following the death of his father.

My heart absolutely went out to Chris, he appears to have dyslexia from what he says about reading and letters, his struggles to make sense of things in and out of school are just heart wrenching and brutally honest..I am so hopeful that his mum who is absolutely trying to do her best for both of them and Chris get out of this situation that they are in,and that they hve someone who will help them!

What happened and is still happening in the Mission Street Woods is going to gnaw away at me for months, the realness with which Stephen Chbosky writes is so vivid, so clear that in only a few chapters he has nailed my attention and I want to keep going-but I can't, it's a sampler, it ended way too soon! But also at the perfect sweet spot between agony and anticipation with time to catch up on other things that this author has written.

Thanks so much for letting me read this!

So creepy and intriguing, this extract drew me in immediately. I can’t wait to read the full book when it’s out - very different from his other work!

I never read Perks of Being a Wallflower so had no idea what to expect from this author. I loved the excerpt, I found it spooky, full of intrigue and promise of a great book to come. Every child has an imaginary friend, right?
I would definitely be eager to read the full book when it is published.

OMG, I need this book right now! It looks like a very good Halloween read with its spooky and creepy feel. These 6 chapters hooked me right away and I can't wait to read it.

Thanks a lot for this extract!

I don't really like reading extracts and don't request them. I didn't realise that this was an extract, don't remember it saying so! Saying that it seemed ok and I will properly look out for it in October.

Just wow. I absolutely NEED to read the full book RIGHT NOW. I will definitely be picking this up in October - the perfect spooky and creepy read.

I was never a huge fan of Stephen Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I neither liked, nor disliked the novel but one thing I could not comprehend was the hype that surrounded the book. Which is why I was slightly sceptical upon hearing of Chbosky releasing a second novel, twenty years after the first.

Imaginary Friend surrounds Christopher and his mother Kate who is desperate for a better life for her son. Kate and Christopher have fled an abusive household with the hopes of starting a fresh new life. Just when they think they have found the perfect off the grid town, Christopher disappears for six days with no trace or evidence. Christopher emerges from the woodlands on the outskirts of town physically unharmed but mentally, a different boy. Christopher can hear a voice, a voice that only he can hear in his head and it is instructing him to build a treehouse or the people of the town will never be the same again. Christopher and his mother find themselves caught in the middle of a war between good and evil, a fight for their lives.
This description captured me instantly and despite the lengthy 700+ pages, I just wanted to read more! When I seen a sample of Imaginary Friend on NetGalley I requested it almost instantly. I did not expect to be granted the sample, but I was thankful and thrilled and could not wait to begin.

My first thought whilst reading through the sample was the TV programme Stranger Things. So far, Imaginary Friend is giving me spooky and supernatural vibes. There is a subtle horror aspect to the thrilling content of the book so far and I really like it. I am feeling both curious and nervous whilst reading the sample and that is exactly what I wanted from the book. I like how the perspective is written in third person but primarily from the point of view of Christopher and we therefore experience the very direct and literal thought processes of a child experiencing the situation. However, even though Christopher may not be able to read between the lines and understand various situations properly, the reader can, and the writing style does not take away from this at all. The style almost allows an instant attachment to form between the reader and Christopher, the writing style draws you in and leaves you continually wanting more. I enjoy the dual perspective between Christopher and his mother because the reader can experience each of their lives as the characters would. It adds more depth to the story. I find the pace of the book to be about right so far and I am intrigued to continue reading and finding out what happens when the full book is released.

I would like to thank NetGalley for allowing me access to the sample of Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chbosky. I enjoyed reading this six-chapter sample, it was like nothing I have ever read before and I will be purchasing the finished book when it is released. It is going to be the perfect October read, spooky and thrilling!

Wow! I can already tell i'm going to love this book just from this teaser.
The writing was captivating and suspenseful, the characters were intriguing and the plot is fascinating.

I can't wait to pick up this book and see how everything pans out.

I’ve heard about this book so I was delighted to be given the opportunity to read a bit of it! To be completely honest I wasn’t sure if it was my type of book however the author does a really good job of drawing you in and it’s definitely got me very intrigued to find out more.