First I want to thank Netgalley and Knopf publishing for providing me with an ARC copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Well this book was definitely interesting and gets your attention right from the start. Then it just gets a little to bizarre for me. The book is creepy and will make you want to turn the page, but it got too outlandish for my taste. The book is made up into three parts, the first part is the longest and part two and three are significantly shorter. I was about to give up on the book when part one ended and things started to make sense..so I kept reading. The ending did tie things up and the book finally made some sense, but I am on the fence on if I actually enjoyed this book or not.

This book is a short read, so if you like scary and spooky reads, this could work for you as it has those elements. The reading was well done and the author keeps you in suspense to figure out what the heck is going on. These things are why I gave it three stars. If I had enjoyed the actual story more and did find a lot of things so outlandish about the book, I would have rated it higher.

My reading theme so far this year has been horror. I can certainly say for the last few years I’ve consumed much more horror content than ever before and I'm thriving. The Night House by Jo Nesbø is the 7th book I’ve finished while heading towards my goal of 15 books read in 2023 and, as you might have guessed, it’s a horror. And while the title didn’t send shivers down my spine or have me sleeping with a night light, it was a decent horror all the same.

The Night House tells the story of Richard Elauved, a fourteen-year-old boy, who has recently moved to the small town of Ballantyne after losing both of his parents in a terrible house fire. His foster parents do what they can to make him feel welcome, but Richard seems determined to embrace his new position in Ballantyne as an outcast. After one of Richard’s only friends goes missing everyone suspects Richard has something to do with the disappearance, especially considering he is telling everyone that his friend was eaten by a phone booth.

The horror in The Night House starts right away and gives the reader an idea of what they can expect. The story is very well paced and I often found myself wishing I could read ahead to see how each chapter was going to end (of course I didn’t, what kind of person do you think I am?). On quite a few occasions the book reminded me of Stephen King’s IT. Oftentimes in stories like this when a young person is claiming to have seen something unbelievable it’s the adults that come off silly and ignorant for not believing and that’s pretty much the case here. That being said, most of Jo Nesbø’s characters in The Night House, both young and adult alike, end up redeeming themselves in some way so you don’t have to spend too much time wishing they weren’t so darn thick.

One criticism I have for The Night House is the way that the author describes anyone overweight as though they themselves are just as horrific as the man-eating phone booths. It left a sour taste in my mouth that Richard continuously calls one of his friends “Fatso.” I previously mentioned IT, which uses this same trope for the character Ben. Much like animals in horror films and books being killed, the “fat people are disgusting and terrifying” trope in horror feels overused and unnecessary.

What I enjoyed most about this book were the different themes that reappeared throughout its entirety. The Night House tackles guilt, forgiveness, loss, love, grief, bullying, mental illness and more in some truly unique ways. But it’s not forced on you all at one time. And the more you discover about each of Ballantyne’s unique resident’s, the more you’ll see how these themes relate to and affect Richard and his own personal struggles as well.

The Night House by Jo Jo Nesbø is a very good read and one that I would definitely recommend to my fellow horror fans. Without spoiling anything it’s difficult to go into detail, but you won’t be disappointed when you get to the real juicy stuff, I promise. And while I found some parts of the book slower than others, it has memorable characters, nice spooky feels and an unexpected ending. I received an advanced copy of the book, but definitely pick this one up when it officially releases (expected September 26th, 2023).

I just concluded my last book of the evening (lies) it’s only 10:21pm and that mean I have one last one in me before my head hits the pillow.

I know, I know, you think I’m crazy but after a wild birthday weekend the only way I know how to reset and recharge is when I sit down in my reading room with my books.

I saved the best for last (for the night)

Drumroll please…..

The Night House

I bounce around from thrillers to romcoms, I know, wild and drastically different but I love both so much!

A good friend of mine hooked me on Jo Nesbo a few years ago and I haven’t been the same since . I absolutely adore these books and The Night House, is no different! This book right here is literally and literary, everything.

I had to catch my breath a few times but never once lost interest. I was completely invested in the storyline from page one. I mean, this is to be expected, it’s Jo Nesbo, we are talking about.

I felt the electricity in my soul and my just couldn’t believe what I was reading . This book has bestseller written all over it.

Don’t believe me, I dare you, instead, find out for yourself. Here’s a teaser:

In the wake of his parents’ tragic deaths in a house fire, fourteen-year-old Richard Elauved has been sent to live with his aunt and uncle in the remote, insular town of Ballantyne. Richard quickly earns a reputation as an outcast, and when a classmate named Tom goes missing, everyone suspects the new, angry boy is responsible for his disappearance. No one believes him when he says the telephone booth out by the edge of the woods sucked Tom into the receiver like something out of a horror movie. No one, that is, except Karen, a beguiling fellow outsider who encourages Richard to pursue clues the police refuse to investigate. He traces the number that Tom prank-called from the phone booth to an abandoned house in the Mirror Forest. There he catches a glimpse of a terrifying face in the window. And then the voices begin to whisper in his ear . . .

She’s going to burn. The girl you love is going to burn. There’s nothing you can do about it.

When another classmate disappears, Richard must find a way to prove his innocence—and preserve his sanity—as he grapples with the dark magic that is possessing Ballantyne and pursuing his destruction.

Then again, Richard may not be the most reliable narrator of his own story . . .

This book was written SO well! It kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time I was reading it. The plot twists were amazing and had me questioning what was real. I read this in one sitting! The ending was so awesome and completely unexpected. I wish I could read this for the first time again!

Richard moves to a small town to live with foster parents after his parents die. Not only is he the new kid but he also has some anger issues, so he is an outcast along with two other boys who don't fit in either. When both boys disappear after spending time with Richard, he becomes a suspect in their disappearances. No one believes the strange and horrible stories he has about their disappearance other than his friend Karen. The next section skips ahead 15 years and makes you rethink what you learned about in the beginning. I love how timeless the story is and it reminds me of It with a strange evil presence in town. All the side characters (such as the local librarian or the man at the town dump) that help Richard add to the appeal of the story. This was a unique horror book and for this librarian I loved when the librarian saved the day at the end of the first part.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House UK, Vintage for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

This Is my first read from this author, I LOVED this book. It was so easy to get into and so weird and creepy right from the beginning. There were so many odd things going on and it was hard to know what was real and what wasn’t. There was a story within a story and I loved the different parts of this book. Jo Nesbo is such a fantastic writer and I couldn’t read it fast enough.

I loved that the action started near the beginning and didn’t let up.

This was a fast paced spooky book- I enjoyed it. The gore and twists kept coming! It was my first by Nesbo and I’m excited to check out more of his work!

Thank you, Jo Nesbo, for the ARC. I leave this review voluntarily and happily. Also, thank you, Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor, your hard work!

This book was so hard to put down. It was fast-paced, the horror was unsettling and sometimes funny, you didn't know what was going to happen next in some parts and the twists and turns just leave you wanting more!

Richard was a bully and said mean things to many people. It madevit to where he got his way and eventually got him in loads of trouble. Kids go missing, and no one believes him when he tells them the truth of what he saw. They all point their fingers at him, thinking he's killed them having him shipped off. He eventually escapes with others to try and save the one person who has believed him. Does he make it in time? Is all lost? Are you ready for all the twists and turns?

The only thing I may have a complaint about is the ending. Of course, I'd never expect such an ending it was kinda abrupt and a sudden change, but it was still a wonderful book. It's full of danger, strange deaths, and the unknown. Even magic.

Not my typical read. I wasn't sure what I was getting into as I began reading this. However boy am I glad I did. This book was genuinely a page turner and gave me the chills. I really don't want to go into too much detail as I'm scared I will give too much away or give spoilers because I think everyone deserves to read this book and enjoy it and it's full glory.

This was such a multi-leveled delight of a story! Just when I thought I had it all figured out, I was proved wrong time, and time again. I love that I couldn’t quite figure it out; I do love a good twisty thriller! Even better when I can’t pin it down. This fit the bill! I would definitely be interested to see more of this author.

3.5 Stars - this was a good quick read. The storyline was great and the characters were well developed.

What a story. Had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. This was a lot of fun with a unique twist to a classic tale. Read..enjoy... you're welcome

I liked the premise of the book, but there were a few continuity and grammar issues that took me out of the story for a moment. The three different sections, specifically part 1 and 2, were a bit trippy, but otherwise it was a good read!

This book was good, but not great. I’m not always a huge fan of horror, but I wanted to give this a try. The story follows Richard, you just don’t really know him though. The plot moves along quickly, and takes a few turns that I didn’t expect. Overall, it was good but I won’t be telling people to read it unless they love horror.

This was a good read! I'm still new into horror/thriller but I liked it a lot! I look forward to more by this author.

If you think a Stranger Things-Shutter Island mash-up in book form sounds like a good time, then this book is for you, my friend!

Our MC Richard is a big fat bully. He has been through some family trauma and takes it all out on the kids in his new school in Ballantyne. When his latest victim Tom gets sucked into the telephone after a prank call gone wrong, nobody believes him (surprise). As his life devolves into a full-on horror movie, Richard must find a way to prove his innocence or be the next victim.

The Night House cover promises creepy houses, mysterious events, and plenty of horror, and it delivers. The story was disorienting, frightening, and gory. While the first part has a distinct childish narrative voice, the plot takes a couple of left turns and shakes it up so that the story does not feel YA. Just when I thought I was in one place, BAM it takes off in another direction. A unique psychological thriller with strong creepy Halloween vibes, I plan on adding this to my Halloween collection once it's out in paperback!

Teenagers in books and television shows are portrayed as the most irritating individuals around. Yes, we were all teenagers once, but wow, these poor kids can't catch a break. So of course when they try to correct any, mistake they have made or caused, they are treated like a nuisance. Richard has been orphaned by a fire and taken in by relatives. It is not always easy for the new kid to fit in since no one really knows him. If things go wrong, it's easy to blame him. Is Tom's disappearance Richard's fault? Then it happens again. What is really going on here? Is Richard just an innocent misunderstood kid or is there a supernatural aspect at play here?
I read this asking myself why I was still reading in a good way. It was creepy and scary and oh-so good.

I received an e-arc from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.

Review Copy

I almost gave up on this book just two pages in, but then I slapped myself and said to myself, "Self, come on, you know better than that!" So, I kept reading, and it DID improve. Whew! But, lemme 'splain to you, now that I have finished this. It's Strange! It's a YA coming-of-age story that's a bit on the psychotic side.

It really is a strange little story that I never would have read if it hadn't been offered to me. But, honestly, once I saw that cover, I was hooked. I didn't think it was the greatest book of the year, but I was glad I read. It's a fast read that will satisfy certain cravings. Enjoy!

I’m sorry, I am not the audience for this book. I am a huge fan of Dean Koontz and Stephen King so the horror genre drew me to this book. I can get through the first chapter.

Phrases like,
“ I had moved to live with my relatives in this little shithole last autumn, just after my fourteenth birthday, and I had no idea what shitty little kids in shitholes like Ballantyne did to stop themselves from being bored to death..”
And
“ During a break earlier today Fatso told me about castes, only he said I was in the piranha caste, and that made me think of those fish that look like they have saw blades for teeth and can strip the flesh from an ox in a matter of minutes, so I couldn’t help thinking it sounded like a pretty cool caste. It wasn’t until Fatso said that I and my caste were lower than him, the big lard-ass, that I was obliged to hit him..”
Told me I didn’t want to read anymore.

I did not finish it and won’t be reviewing it anywhere else.

I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley, thank you! This book was very fast paced and I didn’t want to put it down, so… I didn’t and read it in a few hours! Each of the three parts of the story was compelling on its own, but layered together, made for a really horrific and compelling account that leaves the reader not knowing what to believe. That mirrors the overall feeling toward the protagonist, who is deeply connected to the antagonist, but how much and how deep that connection goes really varies depending on which part you’re in, part 1, 2, or 3. There are some elements of magic and maybe hints of possession, as well as maybe even zombies or something? It’s really interesting to pull back the layers and find the character counterparts of each different version of events. I enjoyed this book a lot and would give it somewhere between 4 and 4.5 stars.