The way the majority of the book is written makes much more sense once something is revealed, but the majority of the book reads like a surreal, young adult horror novel and that wasn't really my jam. I do think that once there is some light shed on the reasoning it makes the whole thing work.

Thanks to Netgalley and Jo Nesbo for this advanced reader copy. This book is a tough read and I tried a few times to get into the story but had to give up.

It sounds so good but it wasn't for me. I didnt like the writing style and I couldn't keep focus. This may be a book for someone but it is not me.

No thank you to constant and casual fatphobia, homophobia, and misogyny, among other derogatory actions and language towards other things. I stopped reading at 20%, but our main character is derogatory from the very beginning.

Excellent! This book was downright creepy! The author's style reminded me of early Stephen King novels. I read this in two days because I could not put it down. Just when you thought you had figured it out, everything changed again. Great suspense!

I've been planning to read Jo Nesbo's Harry Hole series for a while. When I saw this novel on NetGalley in the horror section, I decided to grab it while I could. Nesbo is better known as a crime writer, but horror has had a resurgence in popularity lately, and I was curious to see if he could be successful in this other genre. And the answer is ... Mostly. The concept of the book was reminiscent of early Stephen King: a kid witnesses his friend getting eaten by a telephone. When he tells the authorities what happened, no one believes him -- and why would they? The bizarre and brutal supernatural killings continue through the first sixty percent of the book; then suddenly there is a shift in the timeline. I don't want to spoil anything, so I'll focus on the first part of the book. The protagonist is not always the most likable kid, but it's understandable because he's experienced a lot of loss in his early life. In spite of the nonsensical murders, the story was intriguing enough for me to continue, but I didn't always feel connected to the plot. The violence was just too ... strange ... for me to relate to. King's books horror novels function as metaphors for the human experience (alcoholism and abuse in The Shining, for example). And this book eventually does that, too. Again, I don't want to spoil anything by over-explaining the story. But it does pick up in the third and final section of the book, when everything starts to click into place and the reader understands what is really happening.

I still intend to read Nesbo's crime thrillers at some point. And if he writes more horror novels, I'll probably pick those up, too.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my opinions.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Jo Nesbø for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of The Night House.

Richard is new to Ballantyne, moving in with his aunt and uncle after his parents died in a tragic fire. But when his friend gets sucked into a telephone on one of their outings, he becomes the prime suspect. No one believes his story- and why would they? As more and more weird things start happening around Richard, he sets out to learn about the evil force that has invaded his life. Not everything is as it seems.

I would rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. This was one of the best horror books I have ever read. I could not put it down, and each of the three parts had a new twist that was completely shocking while also fitting into the narrative. I especially loved how everything was tied together in the end. Despite being a psychological rollercoaster, The Night House was somehow able to tie everything together into an amazing ending. I wish I could read this book again for the first time.

If you are someone who loves horror books with unforeseen twists, then you need to read this book. It releases on October 3, 2023, and will be the perfect book to ring in the Halloween season.

2.5/5, rounded up to 3. spoiler: Part 3 verged more on irritating than engaging due to promotion of stereotypes and stigma related to mental illness.

“You know who I am. She's going to burn. The one you love is going to burn. There's not a thing you can do about it.”

To say I’m a huge Jo Nesbo fan would be an understatement!

After getting a little over halfway through The Night House, I stopped and double checked the genre because I was certain I requested this from NG’s horror section and I was also certain it was dubbed “adult horror”. But the first half was anything but. It was childrens horror, YA at the most.
…..But then came the juke.
Then another. And another😳

And while this book may not be my favorite JN, you wouldn’t have known it if you’d watched me read it. I flipped through these pages like I was a damn gymnast because I had to know where the hell it was going! All that said, I actually enjoyed it.

Just gimme all future Nesbo novels because I’m never going to stop reading his work! I love his Harry Hole series and I absolutely devoured The Son! Just ughh, so damn good! ………………(Ooph, I digressed -- my bad.)

Big thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Pub date: 10.3.2023.

So I have had books by this author on my shelf for a while that I keep meaning to read. After finishing The Night House, I'm ready to tackle those books LOL

This is a very fun and twisty (although easily predictable) horror story. I absolutely loved the writing and the feel of the story. It has Tales From the Crypt vibes, which for me, is great. It's campy and a tad geeky but I really enjoyed it.

It's absolutely perfect for Spooktober and one I highly recommend for those who seek strange and spooky but don't want overly gory. This releases on October 3 so it's also perfect timing for the Spooky season.

I sincerely appreciate the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

✨New NetGalley ARC Review✨

The Night House by Jo Nesbo ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“When the voices call, don’t answer” ☎️ 🩸

I read the uncorrected proof copy of this book and am thoroughly impressed. I highly recommend purchasing a copy when it becomes available.

Release Day: Oct 3rd, 2023. Set your calendars!

This book falls into the horror and psychological thriller categories. It definitely reminds me of the Silent Patient mixed with Stephen King!

This book kept me guessing and had a twist at the end. I enjoy books that are split up until multiple parts and this one was split into 3. I feel when it’s split up a bit, it makes it easier to keep up with different time frames and point of views. I really enjoyed how the book covered the main character as a young boy and as an adult man later.

The book started out strong in the first chapter and my first thought was “what in the world” (in a good way). Then throughout the book I kept asking myself, “I wonder what this kid is really seeing” or “I wonder why everybody is treating him like he’s crazy” then boom, the twists and turns hit! I did not see the ending coming and it was a “wow” realization moment for sure!

“A dream within a dream. Edgar Allen Poe”

Triggers: Death, Bullying, Mental Heath, Gore

#netgalley #netgalleyreview #bookreview #thenighthouse #jonesbo #horror #thriller #thesilentpatient #stephenking #edgarallanpoe

This book is a wild ride from start to finish… and possibly beyond.

WIthout giving too much away, the book follows the MC, Richard, who is orphaned and now living with his aunt and uncle in a small town. You get the sense early on that he can be a bit of a bully and leans into that reputation. Early on, a series of strange events start to occur, all with Richard being the common denominator and positioning him as the culprit. He has to find the source of these traumatic events in order to prove his innocence.

I personally didn’t find any point in the book to be moving slowly. It seemed like there was constantly something happening or tension the entire time–I had a hard time putting it down. There are also enough twists to keep you on your toes. It’s scary, it’s gorey, it’s visceral, and it did in fact give me a few nightmares when I stayed up too late reading it in bed.

I finished the book about a week ago and am still thinking about the ending and the implications of it. I thought the story was well paced and structured, in a way that, when you get to the end, it really doesn’t feel like the end. And that ambiguity really makes the book have a lasting impression, rather than feeling disappointing in any way. It really leaves a lot up to you, to question and consider.

If you’re a fan of horror and thrillers, you will definitely enjoy this book. From the cover, it may appear as a haunted house kind of horror story, but it really goes beyond that and the mystery of it will keep you hooked.

Was excited to receive my early copy of The Night House by Jo Nesbo and it’s my first book my him although I’ve wanted to read his crime fiction forever.

The Night House is not that. It’s horror. It’s old school horror.

It’s REAL old school horror. And I loved it.

This was perfect as a pre cursor to spooky season and it was super clever too.

You get three parts here and each part is a twisty revelation! I don’t want to ruin it so just read this one. Fun, spooky and brilliant too.

Think: Shutter Island as a horror flick! I’m so glad I devoured this one! Such a great read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

I devoured this book, what an amazing and chilling thrill ride. Expertly written, and graphic scenes. Loved every part.

I usually like anything written by Jo Nesbo, especially the Harry Hole books. but this short story was start and stop all the way through. I get that there was some trauma in Richard's life. loved the idea that a phone booth telephone could consume a person and that a person could be transformed into a bug. but the rest was just hard to follow.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with an advanced reader copy.

As a lover of anything spooky, the cover of Jo Nesbo’s latest book pulled me right in. And Part One of the story left me with so many questions that just needed to be answered; so I stayed.

The Night House tells the story of young Richard, a recently orphaned 14 year old city boy, who has moved to the middle of nowhere with his foster family. The rural town makes the perfect conditions for mayhem to ensue. And it does when one of the towns children goes missing. With the bad reputation Richard has built himself, he is the prime suspect in this tight knit community's missing persons case.

This book was the true definition of a page turner. I blew through it. As a reader I was trying to make sense of this mystery, I just HAD to know how it ended. I definitely recommend this one. Some may find it a slow burn if you aren’t used to reading suspense but the ending is worth it.

This review is for an ARC copy received from the publisher through NetGalley! This review is all my own thoughts and opinions!

Anyone else absolutely ready for spooky season!?

This book is set in three parts and I saw closer to the edge of my chair by the end of each one. The writing style reads like a cross between the recent ‘IT’ movies and The Twilight Zone – it felt very classic-cult-horror-movie type of nostalgic and balanced, with a youthful disregard for consequences. The main character, Richard, is set in three different but woven timelines, blurring the lines between reality, fiction, and nightmare. All of the side characters appear in each timeline, but not everything seems to line up (on purpose). I enjoyed Nesbo’s descriptions, very detailed but not overdone. Not overly gory, reads more like a thriller. A couple of content warnings in this one, including bullying, verbal abuse, traumatic memories, mentions of possible $exual a$$ault, and homicide/suicide. The length of the book was a total sell for me, less than 200 pages and each page felt necessary, no fluff. Overall, I really enjoyed this book – I ate it up in two days (only because I had to work and sleep). Super big fan of this one and would pick up another Jo Nesbo book because of it. Would love to give this 4.5 out of 5 stars.

My first Jo Nesbo book and I loved it! The story in three parts folded and unfolded on itself brilliantly. I loved the spooky supernatural vibe and the ultimate revelation. Thoroughly enjoyable! Many thanks to Netgalley for access to the uncorrected arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Net Galley for the free ARC. Interesting to See Nesbo write a horror story after all the detective stuff. I liked the effort!

This started with a classic horror element (reminded me of Stephen King), which quickly turned into a suspense plot that I needed to know what came next. The book has three different parts and each had an unexpected turn of events that tickled my curiosity. I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for a horror read that is not just a series of unexplained paranormal events.