Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for a chance to read this novel in exchange for an honest review!

Oh my god!!! I don't even know where to start. This is the first Tremblay novel I've ever read, and it absolutely blew it out of the water for me.

The concept is something so up my alley, following an almost cryptic, cursed, and internet fueled horror film that never fully saw the light of day and the one man remaining from any of the cast and crew. We follow our narrator through his own novel, an audio book set to be released, of his time during the original filming in the 90s, called in by an old college friend to step up into the role, and then in the present day where he's set to help produce the reboot film. As someone who's ingrained themselves in the internet's horror sphere, I found this to be SO fun.

Tremblay is incredibly masterful in the balance of high emotion, humor, and horror. There were times when I was laughing out loud, and others where all I could feel was dread (I'm looking at you chapter 16...) There are also so many little nods to the horror movie genre that just feel so fun.

Our narrator is another part that I really enjoyed. Tremblay pulls off the unreliable narrator trope with ease, throwing in a scrambled timeline as well, just for some extra confusion that I really enjoyed. I know that's probably something that might not be everyone's thing, but it really worked for me. The inclusion of the films screenplay as the one sequential through-line was a really nice touch as well. The blurring of reality and film was just perfect.

I honestly won't be able to stop gushing about this book, and I'm so excited to get my hands on a physical, and audio copy when it comes out. Overall, just amazing. I'm so excited to dive into all of Tremblay's works now!

Ahhhhhh I loved this book! So so good! Super creepy atmosphere, loved the vibe! Will be thinking about this one for a long time.

3.5 stars

Deeply disturbing and terrifying in all the good ways. But OH MY! My mind is completely blown. I will be thinking about this one for a long time. The misdirection is ON POINT. This was quite an entertaining read in a very weird way.

My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you netgalley for the chance to read this advanced reader copy!

I was so excited to be approved for this arc! I absolutely love Paul Tremblay and this book did not disappoint!! So so good! Absolutely recommend!!

This is it, this is the one. The Paul Tremblay book I have been waiting and hoping for. If you’ve read my reviews of his other books, you know I always felt like his books were missing something. This one is the complete package.

In June 1993, a daring band of young guerrilla filmmakers embarked on a project to create "Horror Movie," a film that would become notorious for its disturbing content and art-house horror aesthetic. Remarkably, only three scenes from the film were ever publicly released, yet it managed to cultivate a fervent and dedicated fanbase. Now, three decades later, the industry clamors for a high-budget reboot, with the original's "Thin Kid," the sole survivor among the cast, at the heart of the resurgence. Haunted by the secrets of the original screenplay, the eerie circumstances of the shoot, and the catastrophic events that ensued—where artistic ambition crossed into realms of real-world horror—he is drawn back into the fold.

Horror Movie weaves an intricate and unsettling tapestry that challenges conventional horror storytelling, melding an unusual narrative format with deeply psychological and visceral elements. It deftly plays with the reader's expectations, starting off with an anticipation of a haunted movie set tale, only to veer off into a much darker, more complex exploration of human psyche and the macabre. The novel's structure—oscillating between past and present, interspersed with screenplay sections and an audiobook narrative—creates a unique reading experience that, despite initial complexity, captivates and engrosses.

The underlying horror of the story, is less about overt scares or ghostly apparitions and more about the disturbing depths of the human condition and the haunting aftermath of trauma. It is a reflection on the creation and consumption of horror itself, pondering whether the true terror lies not within the supernatural but within the very real capacity for human depravity. This thematic depth, coupled with a story that hooks readers early on and refuses to let go, marks the book as a compelling read for those who dare to delve into its darkness.

I was really excited to read this book, as I am a huge fan of horror books and movies. This book is a very slow burn, which I almost DNF'd multiple times. I continued to read hoping that it would pick up or something would happen. Unfortunately it didn't get interesting until about the last 5%. I did like the back and forth between timelines and script. Sometimes switching timelines can be hard to follow, but I thought the author executed it well. Adding in the script made for a different twist, which I liked. Overall I just wasn't impressed, and probably should have just DNF'd it.

I wanted to rate this book higher - it had so much potential and many chapters that were really great. The last 40% dragged on and lost the momentum setup in the first 60%. It made it so the ending was easily overlooked since I was bored by that point. Editing out some of the narrator’s introspection in the last 40% would help it wrap up better.

I did not finish this book. I think it reminded me too much of House of Leaves and I wasn’t the biggest fan.

The books starts out interesting and you are led to believe something shocking will happen based on the make protagonist, who comes across the final guy of sorts, but nothing shocking happens and the ending falls flat.

Yes, yes, yes! IF you could only pick up one Paul Tremblay book, this is the one. Honestly, you should read them all!

This one is super horror. Super terrifying and totally worth it. If you’re a fan definitely dive into this one!!

Paul Tremblay has become known for his complex, meta horror novels like A Head Full of Ghosts and The Pallbearer's Club - books that deliver a horror tale while also constantly questioning the limits and expectations of the genre, and often moving away from reliable narrators into realms of ambiguity and uncertainty. His newest book, the upcoming Horror Movie, doesn't go quite as far into meta games as Ghosts or Club, but it's a similarly complex tale that interrogates the "cursed film" genre, all while also thinking about the undercurrents of slasher and horror films, the complexities of art, and people's desire for the forbidden and the unknown. In its broadest terms, Horror Movie is the story of a remake of a cult horror film that was never released in full; instead, based off of three leaked scenes, a screenplay, and the lore around the filming, a remake that seeks to fully recreate the film has been launched, and the film's one surviving cast member narrates both the story of the remake and the original film, all intercut with that original screenplay. In some ways, it's less heady and complex than Tremblay's densest work (probably Ghosts), but that in no way makes it less heady and stimulating; rather than play with the standard slasher narrative (ground that's been tread a lot lately, even in good ways), Tremblay plunges into horror as an expression of inner pain and trauma, thinking about how it reflects the unease of the outcast or the violence that all of us are capable of. The end result is a strange little book, one that's hard to pin down; one moment, you're getting what feels like pretty thinly veiled satire of Tremblay's own Hollywood experience, and the next, you're dealing with an angry conversation between a demanding fan and a horror "icon." Sometimes, the screenplay is pure and utter horror; other times, it becomes painfully honest and devastating, revealing a broken soul whose art is an expression of her own turmoil. It all builds up to one of the more nightmarish endings that Tremblay has ever put on the page; whereas a lot of his books are constant unease and horror throughout, Horror Movie takes its time, slowly getting under your skin and unraveling things bit by bit until...well, you'll see. Tremblay's last couple of books - Survivor Song and Pallbearer - have been enjoyable but lesser, in my mind, than his earlier work, but Horror Movie feels like a return to form: a smart, insightful dive into horror that toys with the audience, asks them to question the genre they're in, but still delivers the goods and then some.

Paul Tremblay's latest novel, "Horror Movie" is every horror movie fans cup of scary, chilling, thrilling tea! All the goodness rolled into one book.

This was a book that really absorbs you from the very beginning. As it progresses, it became quite unsettling. For me, the vast majority of horror movies and books have fairly disposable characters and scenes that don’t really stick with you much after the conclusion. But the special ones in this genre can leave you with moments that will absolutely stick in your memory just from the sheer creativity of the mood that is established. Paul Tremblay’s “Horror Movie,” has several such scenes that have left me not only unsettled, but probing a central question of horror that is often ignored. This would be what the role of the reader and the viewer plays in the construction of such films and books. What responsibility the consumer of horror should have for pushing our artistic creators into these dark and unsettling places? This was a book where I had to pace myself and take it slowly just because it wasn’t a very fun or pleasing read, but at the same time, it seems like an essential book for fans of the genre.

I have read several books by Paul Tremblay and they are usually some of my favorites. A couple are hit or miss. This one is so very different yet similar to some of his other works. It is similar in the fact that he doesn't always give you all the details and leaves some things vague. I know this shouldn't bother me but it does. I want to know what happens. This is definitely a slow build tension book. All of the characters were really interesting and complex. However, my least favorite character is the main one. I am not sure why he does what he does. I know he deals with trauma, but then adds his own. I certainly didn't see the ending coming and that was a nice surprise, but I still don't quite understand why. No spoilers here. I am still not sure if I loved this book or just tolerated it. It may take a reread. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the free arc.

Horror Story is a cult classic film that nobody has ever seen; Only a couple of scenes were uploaded to You Tube and some script pages were leaked online. Despite nobody ever seeing the film, it is being remade following the original script. The plot jumps in time from the original filming, to the current filming and a little bit in-between, and includes scenes from the script. Because of the time jumps, the format was a little bit confusing at first, but was quick to get used to.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of Horror Story by Paul Tremblay in exchange for my honest review. I really enjoyed this one, it was creepy, and compelling, and so well written.

To put it shortly, the journey through this book makes for an unforgettable ending! The slow pace and eerie feeling tugs at all my classic horror heartstrings and I found myself flipping through pages like crazy by the end. It may not be for everyone if you're unwilling to read through a slow burn but the ending is worth it!

Incredibly thankful to have received the advanced copy for an honest review, thank you.

I really enjoyed this look at what makes a monster. I’m more of a horror reader than a horror film watcher, but I caught a few of the references to other works which were well done (also, is Karsten living in the House of Leaves house?) There’s these discussions that the characters go this is a bit pretentious of us but we care so deeply about this genre we have to have this discussion and as a film and literature student I was jumping for joy going yes yes yes lets make the viewer complicit lets talk about hallmarks of the genre and how to subvert expectations. Reminiscent of Mister Magic and My Heart Is A Chainsaw for their respective commitments to lost media and slasher exploration, Horror Movie is a quick but packed read which I enjoyed immensely. It releases June 11, 2024.


Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for an advance copy of this book!

Chilling and mesmerizing. I loved everything about this, from the 90s nostalgia to the multiple unraveling plots. The final chapter had me in a chokehold, Horror at its best.

Holy Cow my mind is blown this was definitely one of my favorite reads of 2024 so far! I can’t get it out of my head!