I'm upset with myself for not making this priority. I finished it in two days and now I'm trying to read everything Nat Cassidy has ever written. I think if I would have known this was a vampire story, I would have picked it up much faster. The creepy atmosphere, the sympathy you felt for the characters, and the side eyes you wanted to give the MC for not being honest with his wife add up to a great novel. I'll be thinking about this story for a VERY long time.

Recently, life hasn't been easy on Ana and Reid. A complicated birth with their first child, a daughter, Charlie, left Ana paralyzed, bitter and struggling to adjust. When their number gets pulled in a housing lottery, and they have the opportunity to move into the Deptford, a prestigious, historic NYC-apartment building, they can hardly believe their luck. This could be their fresh start. A chance to start anew, and with a fabulous address to boot.

Despite some reservations, they decide to accept the apartment and put their best efforts into their new beginning. Soon after they move in though, we all know where this is going, strange things start happening. They notice peculiar behavior with some residents and staff, as well as some mysterious little bite marks on Charlie. Well, I say they, but it truth, it's mostly Ana picking up on all the oddities. She's housebound after all, while Reid still gets to go to work and leave the building regularly.

Ana's unease grows as the days go by, and the tension in their marriage increases. Is Ana just being paranoid, or is something really go on there?
Reid has his own relationship with the building and its residents, and he's not sure he's buying what Ana is selling. Will the building be the downfall of their relationship? And who is paying attention to Charlie?

Though I didn't connect with this one quite in the same way that I did When the Wolf Comes Home, I was still invested and curious to see how far Cassidy was going to take the unsettling apartment building trope. Spoiler Alert: All the way!

I loved that part of the story. The creepy atmosphere was on point. I also like the claustrophobic feel of being in Ana's perspective, though that was the only thing I enjoyed about her perspective. Sorry. Personally, for almost the entire story, I wished we were just getting Reid's perspective, along with the various Interludes, because I found Ana to be so incredibly grating. Every time I was in her perspective, I just wanted to be out of it.

With this being said, in the Author's Note at the end, Cassidy did provide an explanation for the purpose behind some personality choices. I'm glad he covered that, and I respect his decision to write it that way, though not gonna lie, it did sort of deplete my enjoyment level a bit. Overall, small nit-picks aside, this is another GREAT story from Cassidy. The Publisher's comp to Rosemary's Baby meets Salem's Lot is apt, though the Rosemary's Baby inspiration felt the heavier of the two for me. Highly recommend for fans of that story, or stories like that. Also, I definitely recommend the audiobook, which was fabulously narrated and succeeded in pulling me in and engaging me with the story from the start.

Thank you to the publisher, Tor Nightfire and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. Even though it's taken me years to get to it, it was worth the wait. I'm excited to continue reading Cassidy's work. He's incredibly-talented, never failing to create well-developed characters, unsettling atmosphere and a compelling, fast-moving plot. This novel is a great example of all of those things!

I wanted to like this more than I did but I just didn’t vibe with it for some reason. I really loved Mary from this author so maybe my expectations were a bit too high.

Thank you for the free e-arc.

Nestlings by Nat Cassidy is a masterfully crafted horror novel that delves deep into themes of motherhood, disability, and the unsettling unknown. Drawing comparisons to Rosemary's Baby and 'Salem's Lot, Cassidy's narrative unfolds within the confines of an exclusive New York City apartment building, The Deptford, where a young couple, Ana and Reid, move in with their newborn daughter, Charlie. Ana, having been paralyzed during childbirth, grapples with postpartum depression and a growing sense of unease about their new home.

4.5⭐️

This was a wild ride! There was so much tension and dread. It was pretty creepy at times. It had me hooked from the beginning. I loved the atmosphere of the book. Very eerie. The writing is so well done. I’ve really enjoyed all his books I’ve read so far. They are definitely interesting and unique!

I own this and intend to read it in the future I'm just clearing this off my board to reduce stress. I will update when I read/review.

Great book! It had all the fears of growing up. Make a choice. Turn the page or close the book. Enter the darkness if you wish!

Will Cassidy ever write something I don’t like? Doubtful!

Such an eerie atmospheric read. The vibes were giving classic horror with a big ole splash of Cassidy. I was here for it and might have kept the lights on for this one.

Holy macaroni! This book made me want to sleep with the lights in, blankets over my head. It evoked classic Hollywood horror vibes while also dealing with relevant issues for the modern horror fan.

3.25/5✨

2023 release. Horror. Disability rep.

Nestlings follows the parents of a baby, who win a lottery to move into a luxury apartment that isn’t quite what it seems.

This wasn’t really my type of horror. I was never really frightened or creeped or appalled. That said, I appreciate what this book meant to the author, and how the author’s note highlighted the things I liked most about the book: the intricate character work, unapologetic disability rep, postpartum depression perspective, and glimpse into Jewish culture. Although I can’t say I enjoyed this in the way I usually do horror, it provided a nuanced depiction of a couple suffering through seemingly insurmountable circumstances. I’d recommend this to people who resonate with themes of extreme hardship, grief, and the difficulties of parenthood.

Note: Check Trigger Warnings

Cassidy has that type of writing style I get lost in. It is incredibly immersive and vivid. I can see every scene, every detail, he describes- he brings scenes to life in a way I haven’t read in a very long time.

Generally I was also pleasantly surprised by this one too, Mary was not my favourite plot wise (but as mentioned, the writing style has me hooked), but Nestlings was way more up my alley.

This book got off to a little bit of a slow start for me but that didn’t last very long. The sense of impending doom continued to build throughout the book as the terror inside this apartment building unfolded. As I read this novel, I had a very clear visual on what the apartment and building felt and looked like. One of the things I really enjoyed about this book was that the horror stemmed not only from the supernatural but also the psychological. By the ending I was completely creeped out and wanting to sleep with the lights on after checking to make sure all of the doors and windows were locked tight. The author describing the book as Rosemary’s Baby meets ‘Salem’s Lot was 100% spot on. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

NESTLINGS by Nat Cassidy is one of the best Horror novels I have read this year.

Every horror fan remembers the plot of Rosemary's Baby. NESTLINGS is also set in a fictional apartment building where strange things seem to happen with regularity.

I do not want to spoil the book by giving away too much of the plot, but here are a few of the reasons I am rating this book as 4 out of 5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

1. The main character is disabled - honestly, there are very few books in recent years whose protagonist has a disability and is not described as a weak, or flawed character. I cannot, off the top of my head, think of any other disabled characters in recent horror books, so I was thrilled that this lack of representation may be changing for the better.

2. The trope of a horror happening in a high rise apartment building is one I really enjoy.

3. The apartment building is a crazy expensive place to live, but the two main characters are not rich, they are not even well-off financially. They "won" the apartment in a lottery of people who put their names in to rent in that building on a scholarship-type basis. So, I like that the main characters are from a lower socioeconomic class.

4. Not only is the main character disabled, she is also pregnant. I like that the author shows that disabled women can get pregnant just like non-disabled women.

5. I loved all the creepiness

There are more reasons to love this book, but I will stop writing now so as not to inundate the readers of this review with too much detail.

Suffice it to say, if you do not already have NESTLINGS by Nat Cassidy on your #tbr (to be read) list, then you definitely should be adding it.

I rate this book as 4 out of 5 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

** Thank you to #NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book **

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I absolutely loved this contemporary take on Vampires ala Rosemary's Baby but in Nat Cassidy's voice. Nat Cassidy's stories always just hit home. They are quick paced, fun to read, horrorific, and bring the right punch re social commentary.

Nat Cassidy is perfect at weaving eerie atmospheres where nothing is out right wrong yet, but you can feel it along side the characters. Unsettling and hard to put down, I would recommend Nestlings to any horror fan.

An unexpected foray into the depths of relationships, marriage, parenthood, racism, ableism, etc., where horror lurks around every corner, all within a Salem's Lot meets Rosemary's Baby-esque plot.

Nestlings by: @catnassidy
This book has been a WILD ride. After having Mary be one of my top reads for 2022, I knew I needed to read Nestlings, and boy, it didn't disappoint! I'm not sure you can find a better Halloween read than this! Really reminds me of Rosemary's baby in a way. Please do read the TWs first though. Thank you to @macmillan.audio @tornightfire and @netgalley for the gifted ebook and audiobook!

I went into this with very high expectations because I absolutely loved Cassidy's debut, Mary: An Awakening of Terror. While I don't think that Nestlings is just as good, I do appreciate the story and its themes for what they were. My only gripe was the pacing.

This is a very interesting take on the vampire novel. Nat Cassidy is quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with in the horror community. The dynamic between the couple and their child while battling a disability and antisemitism kept the plot moving forward beautifully. I think there is great representation here and topics the reader community need more of. The ending was satisfying and complete.

This was incredible! Such a well written, provoking, and scary horror book! I highly recommend this to so many people. I was creeped out during it, but I was tearing up at the end as well. I highly suggest reading the author's note when you finish it.