4.75/5

I was actually able to get a physical copy early of this one. The setting was unique for this type of horror story and the focus on real human psychology and real problems that couples face after the birth of a child were superb. Don't miss this one if you like horror thats spooky but also makes you think.

This was an interesting take on vampires! I definitely enjoyed it not being a typical vampire novel and was pleasantly surprised at being creeped out throughout the book!

This was a great blend of 'Rosemary's Baby' and 'Salem's Lot' with a touch of The Shining thrown in and I really enjoyed it. The setting of a high end Manhattan apartment building with a secretive past was very fun and definitely ominous in places, with a great sense of claustrophobia and being trapped. The creepiness builds slowly and the disintegration of the Greene couple is really well done, as is the fear Ana has that something is wrong with her baby. I thought the direction of the plot was interesting and the narrative was paced well throughout, although the ending did feel a little bit rushed. Overall, I thought this was a great second offering from Nat Cassidy and I will continue to pick up his books.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

You know when you first move into a new place and every creak and groan of the house "settling" makes your nerves rattle? How everything is unfamiliar despite being your home? When all the shadows and light don't feel right? This novel encapsulates that unease from page one. Nat Cassidy has captured such horror realism in Ana and I will need to see a chiropractor for all the tension that built while reading this!

I can see where others might think the pacing is slow, but with a story as delicate as this, I think it is necessary and expected. Ana's voice is so strong and I really loved getting to know her - faults and all. In a genre where fully fleshed-out characters usually don't get the time of day, I was happy to settle into Ana's life and watch the story play out through her eyes (but as a big fan of Mary - Nat's first novel, I'm biased.)

So structurally sound and eloquently written, Nestlings is a true horror novel and one of the best I've read this year.

Any fan of Stephen King or slow-burn horror will enjoy this spectacular, perfectly spooky read!

P.S. Don't skip the afterword from Cassidy! It is worth it!

Lastly, Reid can choke. :)

A simple story that gets more complicated after every chapter read. I kept reading past my bedtime to find out how the story ends. It’s a funny, scary, well written and action packed story. The last few chapters are mind blowing. I loved the author’s note/acknowledgements/afterword. “Grief is the space between two states of being: who you were and who you are.” Thanks to Tor Nightfire and NetGalley for the ARC. Thanks Nat Cassidy for another great book. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. #NetGalley #tornightfire #nestlings #natcassidy #horror

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 another win for me by Nat Cassidy. This book was all things spooky while hitting home and making me think about life. Highly recommend and love the authors note. Such a special touch.

First let me preface by saying I loved that there’s content warnings at the beginning of the book, I think it’s something all authors should do! Now onto the review.

The book is told through switching POVs between Ana and Reid mostly, but occasionally we get POVs from some minor characters. I was immediately pulled in and didn’t want to put this one down! The writing is atmospheric with Very tense, eerie vibes. I had goosebumps, felt like I was being watched and general creepy crawlies while reading (do not recommend reading at night right before bed)

It slowed a bit in the middle but overall the pacing was well done! The character development was also fantastic, I really liked Ana and watching her grow throughout the novel. Although both MCs were well written, Ana was so complex and had great depth to her!

This novel is incredibly written in its exploration of grief and motherhood. The topics of postpartum, disability, and infertility were well written/handled with care! I loved the acknowledgements as well! I’ve never been so moved by an authors note!

Nestlings is a unique horror novel in terms of the plot and adding to some horror lore with a new twist. If you like horror novels or movies/shows, I’d highly recommend! Nestlings is marketed as Salem’s Lot meets Rosemary’s Baby, but it also gave me Midnight Mass vibes. I’ll definitely be checking out more of Cassidy’s horror novels!

Rating: 4.5 rounded to 4

I will also say that if you read this PLEASE read and/or listen to the notes and acknowledgements at the end from the author. While the book scared me, the additional notes made me cry and got me in my feels. So I highly recommend it.

NESTLINGS follows new-ish parents, Ana and Reid, when their names are pulled in the residence lottery and they’re moving into their new, better apartment in the renown Deptford building in New York. Ana suffered a traumatic injury during childbirth that left her paralyzed and in a wheelchair. After an extremely tough postpartum period, during which time Ana and Reid had to deal with their anti-semetic and overall problematic landlord hounding them constantly.

Getting this new apartment was supposed to be a relief, but quickly Ana starts to notice some strange behavior with their daughter, Charlie, and otherwise odd happenings around the building. All the while, Reid is becoming more and more obsessed with the Deptford building and its history.

The plot is unique, surprising, and definitely scary. It’s really interesting how Cassidy weaved this story together and I thoroughly enjoyed the whole ride. There were a couple times toward the end where I thought I knew how it would end but was continually surprised and intrigued by the character’s choices. Without giving anything away, the ending is unexpected and will leave you wanting but in a good way, I promise. It ends exactly how it should even though it’s not what I would call a happy ending. But when is it ever in a horror novel?

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced audio copy in exchange for an honest review!

I'm fascinated with concepts of home, so this one hit me hard in the best way. As a mother who went through postpartum depression, this was a double-whammy.

Cassidy really nails home how grief feels. The entire book is drenched in it, positively dripping with grief. The suspense and eeriness in the beginning is built perfectly. There was so much tension at the end of some chapters that I just had to keep going, I couldn't put it down. I was disgustingly enthralled with all the monsters, and especially how monstrous the actual human characters in this book could be. A fantastic addition to any horror bookshelf.

Real Rating: 3.5 / 5 Stars

Fantastic concept. Great imagery. Creepy baby. Great antagonists.

I just wish it hadn’t been predictable and, well, boring. For a book that had the potential to terrify the absolute crud out of me and make me hang on to every page or even every sentence, this book was remarkably dull.

My problem is solely with the two parents in this story: Reid and Ana. It’s in their predictability as characters and as tropes. I found myself two or even three steps ahead of both of them throughout the book.

Of course Reid did that.

I bet Ana is going to…oh look, she did.

I knew Reid was going to make that decision.

Ugh, Ana.

Down to the ending of the book, I knew exactly who these characters were and it wasn’t the familiarity of an old friend or the recognition of like to like. It was, “I’ve read so many characters just like you and I’ve danced this dance before. I know how this ends.”

In the end, I only kept reading to see if I would be surprised. I wasn’t. I wish I had been.

I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. This review is offered without any recompense.Thank you.

File Under: Body Horror/Disability Representation/Domestic Thriller/Horror/Psychological Thriller/Supernatural Horror/Suspense Thriller/Vampire Fiction

A horror masterpiece. This is going to be a book I won’t be forgetting for a long time. Such a unique look on motherhood. I devoured this in one sitting and I look forward to reading more from this author.

This gave some elements of AHS hotel &666 Park Avenue, Rosemary's baby.

This is my first book by Nat Cassidy, I really enjoyed the writing style and the authors note at the end that shined some light on how and why things in the story came to be.

I liked how my perception of characters (Ana and Reid) changed from how I felt about them at the start of the book vs the end of the book. This also had some really awesomely gross body horror that I had a lot of fun with, like the super. The residents of Deptford seemed unique, I wish they were fleshed out more, I would have loved to know more about their lives/histories.

The ending was a little underwhelming, if I am being honest, I wanted the ending to make me go "WOW" but it was just an "oh, okay" outcome. Also, very very unrealistic that there were no questions asked about the "explanation". If you've read the book you'll probably know what I mean.

Read this book if you like: supernatural, creature features, community horror, gothic horror, slow burns, body horror, vampires,

Thanks to netgalley and Tor Publishing Group, Tor Nightfire for sharing a digital copy for me to read and review, as always, opinions are my own 🤘🏻💀🤘🏻

Truly one of the best horror novels I've read in a while. The dangers of antisemitism told through a lens of Salem's Lot meets Rosemary's Baby provided an incredibly thought-provoking and haunting story and I couldn't recommend this more.

TW: Language, racism, covid mention, fertility, death of parent, anxiety, depression, postpartum depression, attempted death by suicide, sex, drug addiction, racism, sexism, drinking, alcoholism, anti-semitism, use of c-word, domestic abuse

*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:
Ana and Reid needed a lucky 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. That's about to change with the words any New Yorker would love to hear―affordable housing lottery.

They've won an apartment in the Deptford, one of Manhattan's most revered buildings with beautiful vistas of Central Park and stunning architecture.

Reid dismisses disturbing events and Ana’s deep unease and paranoia as the price of living in New York―people are odd―but he can't explain the needle-like bite marks on the baby.
Release Date: October 31st, 2023
Genre: Horror
Pages: 304
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

What I Liked:
1. Loved the friendship w/ Ana & Georgia
2. Writing style was addictive
3. Story flowed
4. Loved the afterward

What I Didn't Like:
1. The constant stopping of them almost mentioning the time with the knife
2. Some parts were so slow

Overall Thoughts:
Found it odd that Ana didn't know she couldn't walk until the next day. When you give birth the nurses make you walk around or to the bathroom so they know you are okay.

At first I really enjoyed the relationship between Ana and Reid but as we slowly kept reading you realize that Reid has nothing but hatred for Ana. He feels weighed down by having to take care of her. I didn't really get that Ana was bitter about her daughter. If it was there I guess I missed it. If anything she should be biter toward Reid because he is in and out of the house so much just leaving her to do the work, which is insane since she has a job. He constantly forgets about the things she needs but always remembers what he wants. He takes hour long lunches and even has time to browse a bookstore. I think the author nailed how a person can hate and blame someone they love for something that isn't their fault. They both wanted a child but Ana is paying that price.

The part where Reid tells Ana that she doesn't love their daughter like he doesn't but he's so quick to sign her offer to the vampires in exchange for home security and a job. Crazy. Total gaslighting. I liked how similar it was to Rosemary's Baby minus the devil.

Final Thoughts:
Honestly I was a little bored with the story for about half of the book and then it really picked up. I could see the Salems Lot meets Rosemary's Baby in this story. The story that makes the woman driven crazy while the man is so completely obvious to anything even happening. Even when shit goes down he only cares about what's going to happen to/for him.

I had a good time reading this book. I look forward to other titles by this author

Also wanted to say that the author's note was worth it to read. He put the work into the book. That's refreshing to see.

How could a horror story be so motivating and inspirational?! It really touches on survival and grief.

I wasn’t sure I’d be able to stomach a story centered around pregnancy and a baby. I knew there were some heavy trigger warnings and that scared me a little. OK, maybe a lot. But I read it anyways. And... I loved it!

New parents, Ana and Reid, are constantly down on their luck. They just can’t seem to catch a break. After struggles to get pregnant, they are finally blessed with a baby, but of course not without a cost... Ana suffered a spinal injury during delivery and is now wheelchair bound. Oh, and they live in a terrible apartment in Brooklyn with the world’s worst racist and sexist landlord. But life seems to find a silver lining when they are the lucky pick for a housing lottery in Manhattan’s most desirable, historic building that overlooks Central Park. But then odd things start to happen...

The tension in this scary story builds slowly, little by little, until it becomes too much to contain. The pressure of it all comes to a disturbingly and climactic satisfying end. A big monstrous explosion of pain, horror, and gore.

Both Ana and Reid have unlikable qualities, but they feel so real it’s scary. So many of us struggle with wanting better, wanting more. Sometimes postpartum hits, hard. Sometimes you hate your job and want the satisfying middle finger to scream out loud. But the baby won’t stop crying... The baby won’t eat... Ana can’t stand her baby. Reid can’t stand his wife. The apartment tenants just adore the baby... a little too much.

I could go on and on gushing about this horror. But perhaps you should just read it yourself. It hits that perfect spot for wanting to be scared and creeped out; wanting to be frozen in shock, mouth agape, and ask yourself, “did that really just happen?!” Of all the horror books I’ve read (so far!), this is *chef’s kiss* the best!

Thank you to @NetGalley and @tornightfire for this free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review

“We don’t belong here.”

My god, people. Cassidy can write! Nestlings felt layered, full of slow-building dread, and deeply personal. I loved it as much, if not more, than Mary.

One of the things I appreciate most about Cassidy’s work is his knack for writing believable, authentic female characters, and MC Ana was no exception. She is salty AF (totally warranted), and her refusal to “just be grateful” feels like an outright rebellion that had me shouting, “hell yes,” as I dove deeper into her story. Also, the book captures postpartum depression so well, so beautifully, that it took my breath away.

In the Author’s Note (Read. It.), Cassidy discusses the concept of emotional homelessness, the periods of overwhelming grief in one’s life. For him, it happened in 2021; for you, it could be another year. Either way, he wants you to think about grief as a transitional phase between who you used to be and who you are now. Nestlings is a tribute to loss, the existential fear and dread that comes with it, and the innate powerlessness of humans who only exist here for a fleeting moment with no apparent purpose other than being alive “just because.”

This book made me think about big things. It covers themes ranging from the question of what makes a home a home, ableism, antisemitism, and the human will to go on surviving despite the devastation left behind when everything falls apart.

I highly recommend picking up this book. It's fantastic!

Part Salem's Lot, part Rosemary's Baby is both an apt description, and barely more than a starting point for this book. Cassidy pays tribute to horror classics, and it's easy to feel his love for the genre in these pages, but Nestlings also strives to bring a modern sensibility. From the lingering atmosphere of (post) pandemic America to a younger couple struggling to make ends meet to the current pressures of parenting, Cassidy packs an awful lot into a 300 page book, yet manages to create an immersive story with enticing narrative flow and genuine creeps. Cassidy's Afterwords make for required reading, so if you're an afterword skipper, I'd suggest you don't. Those final two cents add an extra layer of empathy and understanding to a book already plumbing the depths of the human experience. At this point, I'll show up for anything Nat Cassidy unleashes on the world.

This book is described as a Rosemary’s Baby meets Salem’s Lot. I would agree that fans of those books would probably enjoy this novel. Definitely don’t skip the author’s note at the end for how his 2021 shaped this story. I used both audio and e-book format for this title. The narrator was engaging and the characters were distinct without being silly. Will recommend. Thanks to TOR and Netgalley for access to this title for review.

Set in an exclusive New York City residential building, this horror novel follows Ana, Reid and their baby, Charlie, as they move in hoping to accommodate to their new reality. Ana ended up in a wheelchair, Reid hates his job and Charlie won't stop crying. Soon enough, they realize that this building is an evil worse than what their lives have been lately.

This book was everything I expected it to be, from simple but eerie situations to shockingly disgusting scenes. There were scenes where I quite literally jumped, a reaction I expected only from horror movies and never thought I'd encounter in a book, since the act of reading a jump scare takes more time than simply watching it (so I have time to prepare myself). I was even hesitant to read this at night!

I loved how the characters were fleshed out! The author gives them realistic fears and anxieties, thus making them more real and easier to empathize with. No matter how disgusted or uneasy I felt, I never wanted to stop reading this. The writing sucks you in from the start, always providing the reader with a good ratio of dialogue and descriptions.

Highly recommend to every horror lover, as well as anyone that wants to read something scary for Halloween!

The nitty-gritty: Disturbing and creepy, Nestlings is the perfect horror story to curl up with this Halloween.

Nestlings arrives just in time for Halloween, and I couldn’t have picked a better book to end October with. Nat Cassidy takes inspiration from several familiar horror stories and combines them into a thoroughly unique, imaginative and creepy tale. And when I say “creepy,” I mean it. Cassidy’s imagery is terrifying at times, and he’s tapped into a couple of my personal fears (weird creatures running up and down walls and on the ceiling will never fail to scare me to death! Probably a hangover from the Buffy episode "Listening to Fear".) Nestlings has an old school horror vibe that I loved—think vintage Stephen King—but it’s set in the present. 

Ana and Reid Greene have just won the housing lottery. After a long wait, they’ve finally been accepted to the swanky Deptford Apartments, a historical building with views of Manhattan’s Central Park. They move into their 18th floor apartment with their one-year-old daughter Charlie, excited to be leaving Brooklyn (and a horrible landlord) behind. Ana feels some stress being up so high, because she’s been in a wheelchair for the past eleven months, but she’s eager to make a fresh start with her family after a very tough year.

Right away, however, Ana senses something “off” about the Deptford. Charlie seems upset and won’t stop crying. Ana looks out the window one day and notices the building’s famous gargoyles—which were there the day before—are gone. When Reid orders take-out, the delivery people refuse to enter the building. One day, Ana hears crying coming from the apartment next door, and she discovers something very unsettling. And what’s up with the creepy concierge? Ana knows they don’t belong here, but how to convince Reid?

Reid, on the other hand, is fascinated by the history of the Deptford, although as far as he can tell, only one book about it has been published. When he wanders into a hidden corridor off the lobby and meets a charismatic older woman named Camilla Varné, he’s drawn into a secret world of glamor. But when Charlie attacks and bites another child at her birthday party, Ana and Reid know something has to be done. Something terrible is wrong with their daughter, and as a mother, Ana will do anything to protect her.

Cassidy’s Deptford reminded me of the Bramford from Rosemary’s Baby, and he did a great job of creating a creepy atmosphere right from the first page. From the outside, tourists stop and gawk at the building and the stone gargoyles that adorn the rooftops. But inside, things get weird. The highly sought after apartments are oddly quiet; hallways disappear into the dark, only to become dead ends; in one disturbing scene, Ana takes a stroll in the building’s courtyard and finds herself lost and trapped. Yes, there is something wrong with the Deptford, and all these little “wrong” things slowly add up to something horrific. The author lives in New York City, and he’s done a great job of making the descriptions and ambiance of the city feel authentic.

Ana and Reid are the perfect married couple—at first. They have been through a lot. Ana went through IVF in order to get pregnant, which was a struggle in itself. And then during labor, her legs became paralyzed after a weird reaction to the epidural she was given. And so she left the hospital in a wheelchair, not knowing if the paralysis was temporary or not. Reid was suddenly faced with not only a newborn to care for, but a wife who required constant care. On top of all this, they lived in a Brooklyn apartment that came with an asshole of an apartment manger named Frank. Moving into the Deptford meant they could leave Frank behind—that is until Frank shows up at their new place to terrorize them. The Deptford should have been a fresh start for the family, but this is horror, so nope. Moving only made everything worse.

Ana was my favorite character. Not only has she gritted her teeth and adapted to life in a wheelchair, but she’s embraced her new lifestyle, which I thought was a nice way to approach her disability. And if you think running from creepy monster-like creatures is scary, try running from them in a wheelchair when you’re on the top floor of an apartment building. There is one nail-biting scene where Ana has to crawl down eighteen flights of steps, and it was one of my favorite scenes in the book. Ana has also dealt with postpartum depression (on top of everything else!), and she still has flashes of wishing she didn’t have a baby. It was heartbreaking to read about, and Cassidy puts a horrific spin on it by making it true: there is something wrong with Charlie, so maybe her feelings are justified.

Reid’s character is the perfect foil for Ana. He sort of reminded me of Jack Torrance in The Shining. Not the crazy, killer Jack Torrance, but the one who is seduced by the Overlook Hotel. Reid is obsessed with the Deptford, especially a tragic event that happened on the roof called the Plummet of 1919, and you can see he’s slowly pulling away from the rest of his family, especially when he meets Camilla.

The final climax, when the reader finally learns the truth about the Deptford, is very weird and to be honest didn’t completely make sense. But it was suitably gross, and I thought it worked. What I loved, though, was the ending, which jumps ahead five years. That’s where the emotional punch hits hard, and I thought it was so well done.

Nat Cassidy includes a rather long Author’s Note at the end, explaining his personal reasons for writing the story as well as a list of influences. He mentions Rosemary’s Baby and Salem's Lot in particular, but savvy readers will recognize other well known books and movies as well. It was the personal bits that interested me the most. I always appreciate when authors open up about their struggles, and some of the things Ana and Reid experience in the story echo the author’s experiences. I guess what I’m trying to say is, it’s definitely worth reading.

I had a blast reading Nestlings, and I can’t wait to see what Nat Cassidy does next.

Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.