Iain Reid is incredible at building tension and unease. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves I'm Thinking of Ending Things! This is definitely a great book for buddy reads and discussions! It will be published September 27th! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I’m unsure I understood this book… or maybe I understood it a bit too well…

Iain Reid delivered a short tale of madness that blurred all the lines.

Penny, an older aged protagonist, finds herself moving to a hospice/home care facility after an accident at her home, where she has lived alone for too many years. She brought so much to the story with her reflections of her past, her relationships with her partner and her art. Her conversations with Hilbert, another patient in the house, were great, and gave depth to the book. Her immersion into Six Cedars, the hospice/house care facility, was uncomfortable and weird - which I liked at first, but there was just too much influencing the storyline.

What made me unsure was the fact that the story mixed Penny’s path into dementia with horror elements, and whenever I was veering towards believing it was one of the two, the other would surface as a stronger option. Penny was an unreliable narrator, but she was so unreliable that the story itself felt forced. Towards the end of the book we are given small pieces of information that leads to believing in one thing, but the very ending of the book doesn’t solidify neither paths.

I enjoyed the prose and many of the interactions between Penny and Hilbert - in particular the ones about art and math. But, for me, this book would have been better if it hadn’t had any of the forced horror elements - in my opinion they didn't add to the story and stopped me from committing to the unknown aspect of Penny's unreliability.

Maybe this was the goal of the book: leave the reader speculating, unsure of the reality, not trusting Penny and her senses. For some reason that didn’t sit well with me. This book made me sad in a negative way, and by the end of it I couldn’t make any sense of what I had read.

Sadly, it was a two stars. I do believe this book has the potential to be well received by the horror community, but it wasn't for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Gallery/Scout Press for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Iain Reid's book We Spread is going to be a huge hit for book clubs. It is possible for five people to read this novel and present five different interpretations of it. Readers will be curious about the unknown aspects behind Reid's story, but will they ever be revealed?

Synopsis:
After a devastating fall, Penny 89, is placed in a small high-end care center. At first, all appears to be well while Penny adjusts to her newly acquired environment. As time passes, Penny begins to feel a strong sense of unease and distrust. What is Penny experiencing? Is it the normal aging process or is something more sinister taking place?

We Spread by Iain Reid is a brilliant book that captured my heart. It is masterfully written and addresses a difficult topic. Though I related deeply to the book, I understand that we are all different. It may not be suitable for everyone. Be sure to check the trigger warnings before reading.

We Spread by Iain Reid is available on September 27th.
(5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

While reading Iain Reid's story, I was touched to the very core of my being. Thank you, NetGalley and Gallery Books, (Gallery/ Scout Press), for sharing this book with me.

Oh, this book, We Spread, slayed me! It hooked me and then slowly reeled me in.

I had no choice.

I was gasping for air. There would be no escape.

What the hell is this? Is it horror? Is it sci-fi?
Is it suspense? A psychological thriller?
Yes. Yes. Yes. And yes.

Ian Reid is a genius. Everything on the surface looks okay but when you look closely...Is that a crack, a hole, a mirror into another dimension?

Are connections breaking down, or mutating, spreading undetected, invisible? Are the threads intertwining, forming something entirely new; different but not?

Damn, he knows how to ratchet up the tension.
Was I holding my breath?

So many angles. Is nothing as it appears or is it the betrayal of the mind that sometimes comes with age? The familiar turned on end. A hall of mirrors Which version is real? Are any of them real?

Just the four of them, locked in this house in the middle of a damn forest. She won't even let them go outside. It's too dangerous. Is it more dangerous inside or out? Sometimes they wrestle with their versions of reality, Sometimes it's just easier to give in. Fight! Fight! Is there even anything to revolt against? It feels like Groundhog Day. Is time just an illusion?

Do you hear the whispering, the murmuring?
Put on your headphones. Drown them out!
What the hell? What is that on your skin?

Stay productive. Stay productive and you'll live longer. Is living longer always a reasonable goal? When is it time to let go.

Penny wants to float. Float Penny! Float!

Amazing! Just amazing!

I received a drc from the publisher via Netgalley.
Publication slated for 9-27-22. Preorder or put it on hold at your local library.













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Penny, an elder artist, is moved to a long-term care residence after an accident. At first the home is a dream come true, but quickly Penny grows uneasy and paranoid when passages of time go unaccounted for. Is old age the cause of her missing memories or is something more nefarious at play? For fans psychological thrillers and unreliable narrators.

I enjoyed this book, not quite as much as Reid's other novels, but it still gave me those unsettling feelings. I liked that there was no indication of a timeline or any dates, it really left the reader feeling as confused and paranoid as our main character.

Reid is such a beguiling writer. I have really enjoyed all three of his books. This book had the requisite weirdness, but I had a stronger feeling of where it was headed. I still very much enjoyed the experience. I was particularly intrigued by the lichen idea. There is a sense of “what is going on here?” with no easy answers. Hopefully, this isn’t the experience of most elder care facilities.

Iain Reid has an uncanny ability to twist and turn simple narratives into something else, something darker, something strange and unexpected. He's achieved this feat again with We Spread. A rumination on aging, the failing of memory, and the brevity of life itself, all with a trademarked style of subterfuge. You never really know what's actually going on until it's revealed little by little. If you're looking for an insightful, and at times disturbing, examination of age and mortality, look no further.

Reid does it again. Brilliant, spare, on point prose. Creeping unease. The brutal, tender, and careless indignities of old age and caregiving. A complex and layered finish.

No one captures the loneliness and terror of everyday life the way Iain Reid does. I loved both his former novels but this one is ... what do I say? A masterpiece? All right. I will say it. It's a masterpiece for the way it defines the indignities of old age. It allows me to experience the disorienting terror of everyday life when you are very old, and when you are losing your memories, and when you are completely at the mercy of those caregivers you've been assigned to, after some other person in your life decides you can't take care of yourself any longer--caregivers who may be good at what they do but who have no interest in you or history with you and who don't love you and yet they have complete power over you. They are the ones to decide how they cut your hair--do they listen to your idea, or just start cutting, assuming you're too far gone to really have an opinion? What choice do you have but to eat the food they put in front of you? How do you object to their constant infantilization of you when you are in fact helpless and losing most of your 'self' as the memories fade? There are familiar layers of non-knowingness to this novel that point in the direction of "horror story" and just maybe there is some sort of scary experiment going on and just maybe the protagonist is slowly being absorbed into a giant fungal entity ... but none of that was necessary to believe in, as anything more than a manifestation of one quiet lonely elderly mind ... I chose to read the novel as a profound meditation on what is lost, day by day, when our age catches up with us and when our minds begin to break down in ways nearly as predictable as what is happening to our bodies, as we approach the end.

A gripping story, full of mystery and love.

Penny was living in an old apartment where You're her partner the painte. He died and she was left alone in the apartment and she would look at his old paintings and she was very lonely because she retired from her job She started to have problems eating and then she fell and the part of manager took her to a place where her partner set up when she got too old to take care of herself. The place was really beautiful and she met a lot of interesting people there and and she liked it at 1st First. Then she met some people and she started to paint again as well but there's a lot of twist in terms in this book and it's interesting how you need to communicate with people. Old people should not be isolated they need to be around people and do things and keep their mind active. Penny was starting to go down hill but when she moved to this place she started to get better They were structured to her everyday life and things to do instead of wandering around an old apartment. There's a really crazy ending you'll like it

First, have you read and/or seen "I Am Thinking of Ending Things?" If so, you are in the proper mindset for this story. I Am Thinking was like a dream and controversial in my house. Personally I loved it and still think about it!

In We Spread, we meet Penny, an 89 year old woman, who is alone, a widow and moving to an assisted living facility. Reid's writing hints at horrors to come, and although they are not always explicitly described, a sense of foreboding shadows the entire book.

As time passes, Penny isn't sure if she is present in the moment or drifting back into her mind. She struggles to hold on to lucidity and determine if the individuals she is interacting with are truly outside of her mind. It's a nightmare really, and she isn't sure how to deal with it or end the experience.

If you have read Iain Reid before you are used to unresolved questions at the conclusion. You are also used to flashing back and thinking about his books long after they have been finished! If you would like a book that questions the meaning of life in a unique manner, a tale with psychological horror and science fiction elements, or are just a fan of Iain Reid, grab We Spread!


Cons: unanswered questions, kinda obvious what was poppin off in spooksville (less)
flag. #galleryBooks #Gallery #Netgalley #Netgallyredas #WeSpread #IainReid

This book was so creepy and hard to put down. This author has a way of writing that just gives you a sense of dread like you’re SURE something horrible is about to happen even if you only have a few subtle clues that something is off.

This is about a woman who enters a long term care facility, who assure her that she made the arrangements herself but she doesn’t remember doing it. Weird things start to happen that leave you wondering and hooked into reading more and more.

I loved the way this left me confused as to whether Penny was crazy, the house was crazy, or I was crazy. I loved the writing style and I loved the way it took you quickly from scene to scene which added to the element of confusion which ultimately made this book so good,

Oh boy.

This is going to be one of those books that everyone loves and I’m going to be like…it was okay (ducking).

The book is beautiful and ethereal and…I have no idea what happened in the book. Don’t get me wrong, I read it. And I totally loved Penny. And I understood that the unreliability of her narrative was directly related to her age.

But the book hints at so much going on and never, ever gives us a single answer. Again, I have no idea what actually happened in the book!

It was a lovely experience, but not a satisfying read.

I do think that people who are satisfied with a beautiful turn of phrase, truly lovely characterization, and all-encompassing emotion will adore this. I just prefer something, anything, concrete.

• ARC via Publisher

This is another great read by this author. It was a fast and easy read that pulls you in and makes you question what exactly is going on? What is really happening here? You're left wondering with unanswered questions at the end. It reads almost like a fever dream or nightmare that Penny can't wake up from. It explores the theme of always wanting more time which quickly makes you realize more time is not always a good thing and that things are meaningless if they do not ever end, if they aren't finished, if they were to go on forever. Many people want to live longer or forever but it would eventually end up being meaningless, unsatisfying, and dull to live that long. Highly recommend reading this one if you have enjoyed the author's previous books and like me love this style of writing and suspense and exploration of deep topics. I received an advance readers copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy!

OMG!! What a ride I had reading this book. I want to thank the publisher and author for this advance copy of this book. I was not prepared for the twists and turns in this story and following Penny was so much fun. Definitely a Psychological thriller that you need to read. I enjoyed the plot and how short this book was, quick read and you wouldn't want to put this one down. I liked the setting as well perfect place for a spooky read. Will for sure be reading more from this author. Highly recommend.

A good novel, but not my cup of tea. I found it anxiety producing and confusing in parts. I’m a bit tired, too, of the unreliable narrator trope.

This book started off great, but quickly unraveled around the 70% mark. I've never read from Iain Reid before, but I can see why his novels are so popular. He does a fantastic job making you care about the main character. He also excels at creating a mood/creepy atmosphere. Reid's writing makes you think. The scariest thing in life is the fear of growing old and losing our memory. Feeling helpless and depending on others to take care of us is scary. I don't think the ending really paid off for me. I was expecting more. I wanted a little more mystery. It was pretty obvious what the twist early on. A solid novel, but a bit of a letdown.

TW: Suicide, cancer, loss of loved one, mourning, dementia,

*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:Penny, an artist, has lived in the same apartment for decades, surrounded by the artifacts and keepsakes of her long life. She is resigned to the mundane rituals of old age, until things start to slip. Before her longtime partner passed away years earlier, provisions were made, unbeknownst to her, for a room in a unique long-term care residence, where Penny finds herself after one too many “incidents.”Initially, surrounded by peers, conversing, eating, sleeping, looking out at the beautiful woods that surround the house, all is well. She even begins to paint again. But as the days start to blur together, Penny—with a growing sense of unrest and distrust—starts to lose her grip on the passage of time and on her place in the world. Is she succumbing to the subtly destructive effects of aging, or is she an unknowing participant in something more unsettling?
Release Date: 2022, September 27th
Genre: Sci-Fi/Horror
Pages: 304
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

What I Liked:
1. God the writing is just beautiful
2. The story sucked me in & I had go keep reading
3. Penny breaks my heart

What I Didn't Like:
1. Some parts come off confusing

Overall Thoughts:"Why is anything scary? It can only be scary if it's inescapable"

I seriously did not want to stop reading this. I was even reading this at my meet & greet with Riley Sager.

My heart went out for Penny as she struggled to hold on to her independence while still trying to be lucid enough to know what was happening around her. She was such an interesting character and I felt her pain of growing old. I went along with her feeling every fear and the hopelessness she dealt with. I wanted to hug her and tell her it was okay.

The theme in this book is that everyone grows old. Everyone will die. Everyone wants to go peaceful and with their minds intact even at the end. For our poor Penny she thinks she has it still together but she's losing time. She doesn't know what is real or what is her nightmares.

There are parts in this book when you are convinced that she is not losing her mind but that the elusive Shelley really is out to do something to the other characters, Penny included. For moments you are just as confused as Penny and you just don't now what's real and what is the nightmare.

As usual Iain does a fantastic job holding your attention and forcing you to feel what it means to be an elderly person with the struggles of the world. I felt every emotion that Penny felt.

Penny is so scared just like everyone is of dying and she can't just accept that it's going to happen to her one day.

I believe that every person that is with her is the personality of her;
Ruth is the fun carefree one who loves to entertain and laugh. She never married or had children and was able travel.

Hilbert is smart and still has his intelligence. Something that Penny is scared of losing.

Pete is her nightmare of being so out of it she doesn't know what's going on. She's just this old elderly person.

Shelley has the beauty and age she no longer owns. The energy to come and go.

Jack is trapped in this job unable to leave just like Penny was trapped in a relationship for years unable to get out.

It's hard to say if the ending was real. Did Penny really jump off the cliff? At this point penny has become an unreliable narrator we no longer know what is real and what is imaginary.

"The tragedy of life isn’t that the end comes. That’s the gift . Without an end, there’s nothing. There’s no meaning. Do you see? A moment isn’t a moment. A moment is an eternity. A moment should mean something. It should be everything.”

Final Thoughts: This book nade me sad. I know that the author was close with his grandmother so much so they went on a roadtrip together. I imagine from that trip his grandmother told him many of her worries of aging. I'm always a fan of Iain Reid. He blows me away with his writing and stories.

Recommend For:
• Complex story telling
• Unreliable narrator
• Story about aging

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Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own thoughts.

I don’t know how to start writing this… I just finished this one yesterday and my thoughts are still all over the place.

I should probably start by saying this is my third book from this author, so I was so prepared for another fantastic read.

And it was.

This is a short, fast-paced and very entertaining read which I feel like I read it in no time since I was so invested in it.

The prose, the premise and theme are something I really enjoyed so that may be why I got hooked from the very first page.

The isolated and unsettling atmosphere, the ambiguity and questions left unanswered, and the unreliable narrator made this eerie.

And although I like my books to have conclusive endings and this one hadn’t, it felt right and intended.

So, like Iain Reid’s other novels I can say this one is definitely thought-provoking and despite the conclusion, a solid read.

(Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with the ARC)