Thank you to Netgalley for my very first ALC/ARC!
This book was marketed as mystery/thriller, but I would definitely call it horror. I'm not a huge horror reader, especially not body horror, so it threw me for a loop. I still enjoyed it for the most part, though! This book twists and turns until the very end and leaves you guessing. The conclusion had me on the floor.

Scary, smart, and expertly narrated. A recommended first purchase in all formats for collections where horror is popular.

Nat Cassidy writes so well about grief, motherhood, and the monsters that live inside of us all. This book is disturbing, disgusting (Mostly just Frank) and downright creepy. The Depford seems like such an amazing opportunity that quite literally sucks the very marrow from certain tenants. Scenes of insectile horror now scar my brain for life and I don't think there are many authors that can spin a tale quite like Cassidy can. A horror book that nests in the brain and then cracks your insides open.

I just finished Mary by @catnassidy, so I was excited to dive into his newest book! I was not expecting this Salems lot vibes, but it was so good and creepy! Greats twists to this story and I flew through it. Thanks @netgalley for an advanced copy of this audiobook and ebook. This book will be published on October 31st!

I love Nat Cassidy. I find it amazing that he can write an experience that he has not lived in such an authentic way. But then I also think that just speaks to the level of care that he takes with his work, which is admirable.
This is one of the best books I have read this year. I loved the character work, how multifaceted and real the characters felt. I find that sometimes in horror this is overlooked. I enjoyed the take on vampires and it absolutely delivered on the Rosemary's Baby meets Salem's Lot premise.
I will also say that there is an afterword that is read by the author that gutted me. In it, Cassidy talks about some of the things that he went through in the process of writing this book, and it resonated with me so much that I had to listen to it twice. I think Cassidy has become an auto-buy author for me.
The audiobook was also very well produced and I loved the narrator. I would recommend this book!

OH MY GOD, THIS BOOK WAS INCREDIBLE!!!!!! Such a great modern horror! It grips you from the very beginning and it does not disappoint. It's truly a masterpiece!

The plot has everything, from family drama to psychological horror, to folklore. The characters are so well developed and touching, that I ended up caring for all of them. There are lots of triggers, but they're necessary for the story. The result is a delightfully frightening book with a bad ass main character.

Cassidy masterfully weaves a tale that makes you uncomfortable, creates tension and keeps you at the edge of your seat. He offers thought-provoking insight into important topics, and writes genuinely flawed and real characters.

This is a book about new motherhood and many other things, such as ableism, antisemitism, depression, the need for acceptance and grief. There are plenty of unsettling imagery and actions, but it's all needed to drive the plot home. The unique story takes you on a very personal and grueling journey and it will make you feel vulnerable and seeing all at once. It's all incredibly poignant.

The personal note at the end was so emotional and close to home! I really appreciate being able to hear that last part. It meant a lot.

Overall this was a very spooky, unique, shocking and entertaining book that will surely stay with me for a long time. I will also never be able to look at a gargoyle again, but I guess that's neither here nor there.

I would like to express my gratitude for having received an audiobook copy of this from MacMillan audio and NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I did not love this one...and I think that it was a me problem and not an author or story problem. I will definitely give Nat Cassiday another shot.

The setting is so good. I love a creepy manhattan vibe. I enjoyed the characters, Reid was meh, I aligned with Ana’s PPD. The audiobook was a great listen during this spooky season.

Nat Cassidy's newest horror novel, NESTLINGS, is the best modern horror novel I've ever read in my life. Hear me out before you clap back, but I'm so excited for horror fans to read this book.

When Ana and her husband Reid win the NYC housing lottery, they're given the opportunity to move to the luxurious Deptford—a beautiful pre-war luxury apartment building with beautiful views of Central Park. Ana and Reid need this opportunity as they've been struggling with their own trauma recently. Ana has recently given birth after many failed attempts to their daughter Charlie. After giving birth, Ana was left paralyzed and is wheelchair bound and has resentment toward her husband and daughter due to her immobility. This new apartment is a fresh start for this family. However, when they move into the Deptford, Ana and Reid begin to notice that its residents are very peculiar in more ways than one. Things just aren't making sense, especially when they start noticing needle-like bite marks on their daughter.

THIS BOOK IS INCREDIBLE. A horror masterpiece—I said what I said! This story has it all: family drama, horror, psychological thriller, and suspense; and it's done so well and organically. I loved every character, the Greene family (Ana, Reid, Charlie) and all of the Deptford's unique residents. This book dives into many different types of storylines, but has many triggers, including parental trauma, child endangerment and abuse, postpartum depression, suicide ideation, ableism, antisemitism, racism, and sexism. That being said, they're necessary for the messaging that happens in this book. Also to note, this book has major Jewish representation, which I haven't seen in much modern horror lately (I can't say more, but IYKYK by the end what I mean). I really hope Nat ventures back into this universe in some capacity because my only regret is that it's over. Nat Cassidy, you are a genius.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC! This was a wild jack-of-all-trades — an examination of grief, marriage, parenthood, and religion sewed together by underlying fear and (rightful) paranoia.

The genre of horror knows entity-possessed homes like the back of its hand, and Nestlings meets that like a handshake. Descriptions of the Depford feel eerie and gripping, and with a newborn baby and newfound struggles, Ana and Reid are the perfect candidates of this building's neurosis.

The buildup was slow and stodgy at times, but the latter half really amped up the tension and claustrophobia. I'm still a bit...uncertain? about the ending — mostly because I felt the author struggled with depicting motherhood from a woman's perspective.

I enjoyed this nonetheless, especially the imagery of gargoyles atop the Depford. (It felt very Weeping Angels a la Doctor Who)

Also shoutout to the character Isaac who said something towards the end that I haven't stopped thinking about, which was: "When we speak of creatures like the vampire, we speak of metaphors. We give them little Achilles heels so we can feel but tell me. What vulnerabilities does grief have? How would a hero defeat that monster?"

3 / 5 ⭐️'ˢ

“Nestlings” By Nat Cassidy

📕 Edition: Audiobook & eBook

While I enjoyed the overall narrative, I was not a fan of the ending. The baby 💩 scene though… omg you go from 😂 to 😱!

My main gripe, other than the ending, was with the audiobook format. The chapter structure was confusing, with numbered sections that the narrator referenced. I often found myself lost, thinking these were chapter titles. It forced me to switch to the ebook to understand the layout.

Despite these issues, Cassidy's ability to weave a tale of unease and paranoia is impressive. The subtle, needle-like bite marks on the baby added a chilling element to the plot, leaving me with a sense of lingering dread.

In the end, "Nestlings" is a captivating read, albeit with some structural challenges in the audiobook format. The storytelling is unique, and if you can overlook the minor hiccups, you'll be in for a mysterious and unsettling journey.

Thank you @NetGalley, Nat Cassidy and @Macmillanaudio for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Nestlings releases October 31st!

The complicated birth of their first child left Ana completely different. Paralyzed and struggling mentally and physically, things change dramatically when her and Reid hit the affordable housing lotto. They've won an apartment in the Debtford, but things take a dark turn once they've moved in.

Nestlings is another one of my favorite books of 2023!! Nat Cassidy KILLED it. When food delivery workers refuse to deliver Ana and Reid's food to their building, I immediately knew something creepy was going on. Unexplained marks on the baby?? No thank you. I felt helpless for Ana while I was reading the pages and just felt terrified them. Nat Cassidy did a phenomenal job, bringing this story to life, and creating a relatable sense of grief and helplessness. Not only was I feeling all the things, but the descriptive scenes that included bugs, really bugged me out. My imagination was going WILD. I highly recommend you pick this book up! If you're a mood reader/seasonal reader that likes to read based on the season we are in... pick it up this spooky season, It's out 10/31/23. It is worth it. I would give a million stars if I could!

AND I kept seeing that Nestlings is comparable to Rosemary's baby... so naturally I started reading it.

Thank you so much NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Tor Nightfire for my gifted copy and the chance to read and review it honestly.

Happy reading!

ARC audiobook provided in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed the narration and how some parts are from the author himself! It all flowed very smoothly and did the characters justice. The story definitely falls in the horror category but there’s so much more to that. It sucked me in from the very beginning and I loved all the vampire and Jewish references. It really made for an interesting concept and all the characters are so well developed, I definitely felt for Ana, especially being disabled myself. If you’re into horror or even looking for a spooky Halloween read, check this book out!

Thanks to NetGalley & Macmillan Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Nat Cassidy has instantly become my favorite horror author. When I say this book haunted me, I mean it, in the best way.

The relationship between Ana & Reid is both beautiful and frustrating. They both struggle through so much devastation & continuous transitions in their relationship. I appreciate that resentment as a new mother is touched on, & Ana has a solid reason for it.
While they think they’ve won the lottery to move into a dream apartment, they quickly realize they’ve moved into a hell scape. What’s real anymore?

This felt like American Horror Story Hotel meets Rosemarys Baby, except good. Really good. So good that I was waking up after reading this & seeing things at night that most certainly weren’t there. If you like feeling spooked, this is it!

This was a great Halloween read! I love books where houses are characters and this one qualifies there. I am always a little skeptical when blurbs use other books to describe the book it is blurbing because the comparisons are rarely apt and I am usually disappointed and just wish that they would let the book be it's own thing...BUT Rosemary's Baby meets 'Salem's Lot is a pretty good starting point for this book. I can see both influences, but this story is also definitely its own thing too.
The tension in this book is great. There is a bit more "ick" than I usually like but it works in this story. And I really enjoyed the unique version of a classic monster that Cassidy portrays in this book. I like how the book uses both human horrors as well as the supernatural to make a really good creepy book.
Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an advance listening copy for review.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. When I first saw the summary on this book, it gave me Rosemary’s Baby feels and I immediately needed to make a request for this book. Thankfully my request was approved for the audiobook version and I dove right in to listen. Ana and Reid and their 1 yr. old daughter Charlie had entered their names for an apartment lottery in the beautiful sought after Deptford Apartments located right across the street from Central Park. While doing a walkthrough of the apartment, Ana started to get some vibes and wasn’t feeling quite comfortable with them taking the apartment. Part of her hesitancy was because she is in a wheel chair and what would happen if she needed to get to the bottom floor of the building in a fire and if she were alone. In the end they took the apartment and while Reid was away at work that is when Ana started to notice different things in the building and she started having weird nightmares. Also why will none of the restaurant delivery drivers come into the building to deliver their meals? I did like this book as it was a different genre than what I usually read and it’s always nice to mix it up a little. Enjoy!!

“Bugs and madness”

This book was the perfect vibe to listen to while working alone during Halloween season. I kept checking out our work windows to make sure nothing was watching me.
Nat Cassidy’s descriptions of some of the surroundings and what people were doing made my skin crawl and gave me solid visceral reactions.
I this is definitely a new favorite spin on the vampire genre and will definitely be recommending it to friend who enjoy creepy vampire stories.

Thank you so much Net Gallery, McMillan audio and Torr books for the advanced reader copy. I seriously can’t wait to pick up a physical copy up.

In true Nat Cassidy form, you know you’ll get a darkly twisted tale.

This story revolves around a couple and their baby that wins a lottery for a new apartment. Strange things begin to happen after moving into the seemingly perfect home that leave the FMC unsettled. Is it ghosts, monsters, or something else entirely? You’ll be sucked into to this book from the beginning, I highly suggest the read!

Outstandingly creepy! This book did not scare me and yet it scared me. I did not get frightened while reading but the feelings that came over me when I was alone or getting ready to fall asleep then I would feel scared as if the things in this book had happened to me or my family. If you like spooky books that don’t have a bunch of gore this one is perfect!!

One of the best horror stories I’ve read in a while!! I love me a good vampire novel/flick. Nat Cassidy is so great at what he does. Modern day horror written about people with modern day problems. The trials and tribulations that the couple faces are insane yet so realistic for many.