This book left me disturbed and confused, but in a good way. I love horror movies, especially slashers so l was hoping this book would give me that feeling those types of movies do. It definitely achieved that!
The book is told in parts of the past and present, and with pieces of the screen play scattered throughout the chapters. The order of the chapters threw me off a little but l'm assuming the timeline of things was purposeful to give the book it's confusing and eerie vibe.
The ending was interesting and left you with an unsettling feeling. As a whole, the book really makes you ponder the monsters inside us and who people really are on the inside. There were a few things I wished were expanded on like the origin of the mask and the meaning behind the teens doing what they did to the Thin Kid.
Overall a good choice if you love disturbing and unsettling horror movies!

While I love horror and I quite enjoy Paul Tremblay, this book was a DNF for me. Filmmaking and Hollywood are so far removed from my way of life, I have a very difficult time relating to the characters. The complaining and the egos drive me insane. The story of the mask intrigued me, just not enough for me to stick with it.

Super uncomfortable read that is basically just a bunch of bullying. I was expecting more of a creepy haunted film set vibe, instead I was reading about unhinged characters treating our MC like crap in an uncomfortable/psychological bullying way. Will not recommend sadly but appreciative for the opportunity to check it out.

It seems like a trend recently to have horror novels about cursed horror movies and what happens when people reboot them or try to finish the original production. Out of all the examples, Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay is definitely my favorite. It just had this extremely eerie atmosphere throughout the entire story that I really enjoyed.

The story takes place both in the early 90s when a group of guerilla filmmakers set out to make Horror Movie and in the present day when the movie is being rebooted. Only one of the original cast members is still around, and we get to see his view on how the movie became this cult phenomenon online even though only 3 scenes of it were ever released. It was fun to see the commentary on the horror community, horror conventions, and the experience of having a book adapted into a movie. There were definitely some comments in the book that seemed like Paul Tremblay referencing what happened when his book The Cabin at the End of the World was adapted into the movie Knock at the Cabin.

Something that I appreciated about the book was the feeling of ambiguity and going back and forth on what I thought was real and what was manufactured. Also, the book includes a lot of the script for the movie, but it isn’t written in the traditional screenplay format. It adds so much to the creepy atmosphere of the story. What happens in the movie is so unsettling along with all the things surrounding the production that started to go wrong.

I definitely recommend this book! It’s a fascinating take on the “cursed movie” subgenre. There are compelling characters, disturbing moments, a unique writing style, and interesting commentary on horror movies and Hollywood. Overall I had a great time reading this book.

Damn. This book is brilliant. My stomach got queasy and my psyche unsettled. Perfect horror book for fans of Stephen King and Grady Hendrix.
Told through nonlinear timelines, one when the original indie low-budget movie was being filmed, one set in present day when the only cast member left is part of a re-boot, and another with the actual movie/scenes themselves we get a perfect 360 view of making a horror movie. Or is the view really what it takes to make a perfect monster? Read and find out.

Oh the irony of the title. This book needs to be a movie (which I could never watch in a million years because it would scare the crap out of me and I wouldn't be able to sleep for a month). Netflix are you listening?

A "cursed film" novel and a remake of the original that only contained three scenes, one of the original stars comes back for the reboot. I absolutely loved this book and needed to know what the heck happened on the original film set. I love Paul Tremblay's works and this one is no exception! I loved the uneasiness I felt while reading this and would absolutely recommend this to fans of horror movies!

Thank you for this ARC.
I have mixed emotions because I've been a horror fan since a child. I've seen this novel done before in previous short films and podcasts. For any new reader though, read this book slowly. You will definitely imagine yourself in this passage of mystery and disturbances. Tremblay is a good writer. I guess that with this piece, he wanted to pay respect to some of our old stories that have been forgotten.
I just reviewed Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay. #HorrorMovie #NetGalley

Horror Movie is all I want for a summer thriller! Wow. I loved the back and forth between timelines as we slowly discovered what happened to the original cast of the Horror Movie. Though this book felt a little slow-burn at times, I think that added to the excitement of the plot twists. This was a treat to read.

If you love horror movies or have ever dabbled in film making, this is for you! I enjoyed every second of Horror Movie and am kicking myself for never having read Tremblay before. The writing style worked brilliantly weaving the screenplay throughout and the execution of building anticipation was top notch. I want to add a particular shout out to the chapters on horror conventions, as a former con-goer this was absolutely nostalgic and spot on.

Paul Tremblay has been an auto-read/auto-buy author for years since Disappearance at Devil's Rock. Countless books later, still entertaining without missing a beat. This speaks for the current state of movies, were I long for the originals and original time period (movies made in the 80s and 90s), and then decades later where they wanna make a reboot. Think of them rebooting Blair Witch in the time period, and that will make you think of this book. Truly entertaining once again.

I loved Paul Tremblay's "The Cabin at the End of the World" and "Survivor Song" and liked "A Head Full of Ghosts" but didn't care for "The Pallbearers Club." So, I didn't know what to expect going into "Horror Movie." The premise sounded intriguing, but unfortunately, the execution didn't quite live up to my expectations.

Thirty years ago, a small group of twenty-something filmmakers decided to make a horror movie on a shoestring budget. Although the film was completed, it was never fully released--only parts were uploaded to YouTube, just enough to gain a cult following. Now, Hollywood has decided to "reboot" the film on a much bigger scale. Only one of the original cast members is still alive, and he has been recruited as a consultant and to reprise parts of his role as "The Thin Kid.” Will this version successfully live up to the fanbase's expectations? And, what is more important, will the cast members survive the filming?

Spanning two timelines and incorporating the original script into the storyline, Tremblay does a tightrope walk between the filming of both versions of the "Horror Movie." The book slowly reveals what happened to the original cast members—sometimes a bit too slowly. Told in the first person by "The Thin Kid," there are times when the level of detail is overwhelming, spanning multiple pages. I skimmed parts because they didn't seem to move the story forward. The story also bogged down in the middle, but the ending was satisfying enough to overcome both problems. I liked this book, but it doesn't rank up there with some of Tremblay's other novels. 3/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and William Morrow, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is June 11, 2024.

This is my first with Paul Tremblay and I went into it semi-blind as to not spoil a good title and cover that initially caught my attention. I wanted to love this book and was expecting an action packed thriller but had difficulty connecting with the writing style and references made. I was still determined to not let it deter me from the final closing of the curtains.

It’s a screen play first person narrative with duo timelines. The story centers around 4 teenagers and their low budget horror film that never made it to final production, for reasons unknown. There are a lot of rumors and speculation behind its making and only one of the remaining original casts is alive to star in an upcoming reboot of the movie with the same name.

There are open-ended questions and themes regarding death, suicide, and one’s inner demons that echo throughout this book. If you enjoy sinister, slow burn, brooding, and movie script horror, I would highly recommend reading this. Otherwise, I gave it a 3 stars (which is average) because there was no desire to DNF even though I couldn’t relate to the eccentric MMC and not to mention that shocker ending that left me high and dry feeling rather odd, as in “what in the world did I just read?”




Many thanks to William Morrow for my advance digital copy of Horror Movie.

I received a complimentary eARC copy of HORROR MOVIE by Paul Tremblay from William Morrow Books for an honest review.

HORROR MOVIE follows the making of a movie. In 1993 a small group of filmmakers made a movie called Horror Movie, a film that never made it to screen. Only a few clips have been released, but still it has gained notoriety and a cult following. In the present day, there's a move to remake the movie for release.

The man who played one of the pivotal rolls, known only as "The Thin Kid" has been making the rounds on the convention circuit on his notoriety from his roll in the film, even though his own recollections of everything that happened are less than pristine. The original film resulted in tragedy (or tragedies) and the memories begin to come back the more involved he gets in the new production.

I have enjoyed Paul Tremblay's books in the past, so I went into this one with high hopes. There was a lot that I liked about it, but in the end it never fully drew me into the story. This falls firmly in the category of "weird horror" in my mind and I think it is definitely the type of book that will click for some people more than others.

The story is told in multiple timelines. In the present we see the reboot process. In the past we get two stories, one the actual narrative of how this film was made. We also get segments of the original script, following the movie as it was filmed back in 1993. The lines between timelines begin to blur over time as does the distinction between movie and reality. I think this blurring of reality was done really well and it definitely had me questioning things along the way.

The back and forth between script and reality felt a bit disjointed for me. Because we're following a script with stage directions, I think there was a bit of a feeling of an outsider looking in instead of feeling really in the story. I found myself being interested, but it took me 10 days to finish the book which isn't usual for me.

I did see that the cast for the audiobook is a lengthy list and I think there is a lot of potential for this to be fantastic on audio!

Huge thanks to Netgalley and William Morrow for the eARC of Horror Movie!

I have a particular affinity for horror books that focus on cursed horror movie/media so I was super excited to be approved for an eARC for this one. This is also my first Paul Tremblay novel so I was eager to see how I found his writing.

There are a lot of things in this book that worked for me that might not work for others, but the biggest one of these would be the story telling. This is told in past and present timelines but not chronologically, and we also get sections of the actual movie script as well which almost serves as a third timeline, considering the movie was never fully released to the public. It took me a bit to get into but once I had a grasp on the who/what/whens, I found this formatting to be really engaging and compelling.

I loved the script inclusion and I am eager to see how that is done in the print format, I hope it leans into the multi-media format for it.

The plot of the titular "Horror Movie" was my favorite part of this book. The way things were described and written out in the script made me wish it actually was a real movie. If it was real, I am sure it would be one I would like watching. The narrative built around the movie was also interesting, especially to see how the movie characters' personalities overlap, inspire, and even dictate our main characters' personalities. I just think this whole premise and narrative was clever and well done, to me.

I have raved about this book so far, so why 4.5 stars? The ending. I won't spoil anything of course, but I felt like the ending was a bit too fourth-wall breaking? I get the point, but it didn't sit well with me and detracted from the air of mystery built around the story. I honestly don't know what I would have rather been done in the end, but I think things just could have went slightly differently.

Regardless, highly recommend this one if you also like horror books about cursed movies/media!!

Thank you Paul Tremblay, NetGalley, and William Morrow for the ARC! Oh Paul, I wanted to like this more, but unfortunately I just don't. This was not my first Tremblay book (and hey, I'm holding out hope that it won't be my last) but I feel similarly about this one as I have with some of his previous books. I feel like Paul has these intriguing ideas but, after the first chapter, doesn't know what he wants to do with them. As a result, this book feels weirdly convoluted as it shifts back and forth between timelines, almost as if he himself didn't know what the hell was going to happen until the moment he wrote it down. I'm guessing this is purposeful, but it just didn't work for me and in my opinion, took away from the suspense.

I also have to address the elephant in the room (AKA the script of the so-called "cursed" movie imbedded in the story). This is the script of the movie that resulted in fan theories, a cult-like following, and literal deaths keep in mind. Um. I...would not watch this movie. It fully acknowledges that it's not a "traditional" screenplay but that's putting it lightly. It was a little too amateurish and pretentious for me to take seriously or find creepy. Think of that annoying guy in your screenwriting class who loved boring, artsy movies. This could've been his screenplay.

Like his other books and, symbolically, through this unfinished and mysterious movie, Paul yet again has an ambiguous ending that raises more questions than it answers. This is annoying to me and seems like a cop-out for an ending that could've actually been good. Some people would like it I think. I did not.

I can fully acknowledge that Tremblay is a horror fan though! I think this book is a great ode to horror movies and the horror community in general. Additionally, I do think his prose (sans screenplay) was enough to keep me reading (hey Paul, I didn't DNF even though I thought about it!).

Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ /5
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A supposedly cursed, film that was never actually released, gains a cult following for its truly disturbing horror. When original parts of the film and script are shared with the public, Hollywood jumps at the chance to make a reboot. The original ‘Thin Kid’ - the only original left- has been asked to come back for the new film. Is diving deep into absolute terrors past and present worth resurrecting Horror Movie?
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GOOD HEAVENS WHAT A RIDE. This story was so fascinating and a very fast read. Claustrophobic, thoughtful, a total earworm (can I use that phrase for a book?). Exploring the film past and present is surreal and truly scary. There is definitely a part that freaked me out big time and made its way into my dreams… AND THEN. Have you ever seen the meme of Celine Dione singing warm ups? Brooooo breeeeeeew broooo ooo ooo ? Well later on in the book, another scene made me Celine Dion warm up in my head and kept me up that night 😂 Maybe I should stop reading before bed….
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This story gave me nutty dreams and made me wig out. What a wonder! Paul, you never cease to amaze, entertain, and make me think!
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Thank you NetGalley for sending me an ARC in exchange for a review 🎬

I don't know where to even begin with this one...
I'm a huge fan of Tremblay's work, so I was more than a little excited to get my hands on an ARC for 'Horror Movie' (thanks NetGalley + William Morrow!)
This novel follows the only surviving cast member of a DIY arthouse horror flick shot in the 90's.
We're told the film was never released in full, only a handful of scenes got uploaded to youtube.
Despite this, the film managed to earn itself a cult-like following due to lore surrounding the movie and the unfortunate fates of those involved in making it.
Our narrator, whom I'm now realizing is never actually named in the novel (I don't think?!), played the role of "The Thin Kid" in the film. Throughout this story we follow him down memory lane and on his journey to be a part of the films reboot.
Chapters switch between past and present day and we get snippets of the original screen play as well.
This book does an excellent job of dialing up the tension, while keeping you guessing and wondering if anything really *truly* terrible is ever going to happen, or if the movie's lore is just that- made up theories and speculation from online horror fans.
Tremblay has a fantastic way of writing horror stories that feel genuinely grounded in reality, in part due to his complex and multifaceted characters, but also because his horror often deals with the darkest parts of the human experience/psyche.
If you're looking for a quick and delicious horror read this summer- I cannot recommend this one enough!
4.5/5

I was excited by the idea of this book. It starts id strong and then meanders a lot. By the end it was fine. I don't much by Tremblay and I think there is a lot of interesting story bits for his fans, I was definitely like "what?!" a lot, and I like weird, what exclamation stories. Just missing something.

This is definitely a what the hell did I just read the moment. And I mean this is the best possible way!
This is my first Paul Tramblay book, so I am not sure if this is his writing style or not, but this was so different, and I loved it.
Spent the whole time just wanting to know what the F happened on that movie set!

What. A. Snoozefest. I was so bored during this entire.book, and kept wondering when it would finally turn around. Hint: it never did. Almost didn't finish it, but I wanted to see how it ended. The ending had to be good, right? Wrong. Honestly don't waste your time with this one. Being slated as a horror book is questionable since there was literally zero horror in the book.