I have been a fan of Paul Tremblay for several years, so I was excited to read his latest novel. Unfortunately, this novel just did not work for me. The writing itself is fine, although the author does indulge himself in some self-satisfying humor that is often not enjoyable for the reader. I found the story hard to stay engaged with and the ending was just weird and disorienting. I somewhat enjoyed the Gen X vibe, being from that generation myself. for those who truly enjoy horror, there is plenty of gore if that is your thing. I just found this novel to be choppy (no pun intended), full of unsympathetic characters, and overall just kind of annoying.

Good morning Netgalley. I am here today to give you a small review for Horror Movie by Paul Trembley.. I want you guys all to know I do love this author. So is this bias? You tell me. But this book was really good. And honestly good is different for everyone. I really did feel like ive read something like this before. But I think this was done a bit better. Something that made the book even better was for the week I was reading it the weather was storming. Like dark and miserable. Perfect for this book. It was all a vibe.

This book was different than other cursed film books I've read, but I can say definitively that this one is my favorite. And to add to that, I think this is my favorite book by Tremblay. Paul has a talent for giving us very unique books and this is another shining example.

The structure of the book may not work for everyone, jumping between past and present with the screenplay inserts. But I loved it and thought it was totally unique and made the story leap off the page.

One of my favorite things about this book was the way some of the scenes are really sticking with me. No spoilers but there are definitely a few scenes that will be burned into your brain....and that ending....shocking, weird and fantastic.

Thank you to the William Morrow and NetGalley for providing an eArc. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Horror Movie.

This is not the first book I've read that revolves around a cursed horror movie or a remake of a classic horror movie being made - it's a popular trope and I'm starting to get tired of it.

But, I always hope the next book featuring this theme will shock and amaze me.

Horror Movie did not for a number of reasons:

1. I like the author's premises but after reading a few of his books, with the exception of his short story collection, it's fair for me to say the author's writing isn't my 'cup of tea.' That's fine - there are plenty of authors out there that I like and will eventually get to read.

2. I'm not a fan of novels written in script format, a little bit is okay if it drives the narrative forward, but it doesn't here. It wasn't a true screenplay format since screenplays don't contain background info, exposition, how the characters are feeling and their motivations, but nearly half of the narrative is written in this way.

And it's boring...so so boring.

3. The main character is the Thin Kid's POV, someone we don't really know all that well except he plays a titular role in the horror movie that was almost made. The rest of the team met unfortunate and 'cursed' ends.

4. What's the point of the story? It's not scary, not by a long shot, so is it suppose to be existential? The mask represents our fears and deepest, darkest desires and if we all wore one we'd all be monsters?

5. I saw the ending coming a mile away. And no, I still wasn't scared.

The author isn't my cup of tea but I'm grateful for the opportunity to read the ARC.

I loved this! ♥️ most horror novels tend to lean more thriller genre to me, but this one actually gave me nightmares (read before bed at your own risk). I see paul's novels praised by many fellow booktubers that I trust for good recommendations. the summary of this particular book seemed like the one I would be most interested in, so I'm glad horror story was my first paul tremblay read!

my only critiques are that the transitions from past, present, and script pov seemed a little abrupt. I'm not sure if that was intentional, just the author's voice/style of writing, or if there are still edits to be made since I read the arc edition as well as the fact that this was my first time reading and getting a feel for this author. there were a couple things I found to be minuscule discrepancies, but they overall had no effect to the plot and again may possibly be edited by the time this novel is officially released.

I really appreciated the nostalgic 90s feel and the fun concept of a horror movie and script being intertwined into a novel. not just anyone can pull that off. masks being a central part of the horror also doesn't work for everyone, but I feel that it was done extremely well in this story. it felt like reading an adult version of goosebumps (and the most memorable goosebumps movie in my opinion), yet again a subtle nod to the 90s. another element I liked, intentional or not, was that the author gives you just enough information to develop thoughts on each character and differentiate between them all, while leaving plenty of room to speculate on their backstories and their true inner thoughts, motives, and traits. the creativity, the "weird horror" of it all, the cover all worked for me. the way this ended leaves plenty of questions for the reader, and while I sometimes hear people don't appreciate unclear endings, I would still recommend giving this one a chance. there is definitely and "ending", but I personally have found it fun to speculate and reflect on after finishing this story.

thank you, net galley, for allowing me to read an arc of horror story by paul tremblay in exchange for my honest review. I will definitely be reading more by paul tremblay in the future.

This is unlike any book I've ever read. Horror movie combines the telling of the present and the past with the script for a movie that no one ever got to see, seamlessly blending them all together until the reader can't be sure what's fact or fiction. I love the way this book is set up. It unfolds in such a smart way, I trusted the narrator right up until I didn't, and then I had to second guess everything I'd been told. It's a wild ride from start to finish.
I'm not sure I could tell you what this book is about. As a former film worker, I empathized a lot with the characters as they were making the movie. Film sets can be highly toxic pressure cookers, where you're willing to sacrifice more than is normal because there is only the now to make it right. A lot of the time there is no second chances, no do overs, no reshoots, no "fix it in post", you either get it right then and there or you just don't get the shot. Tremblay lets that dark side unfold slowly, putting you on the spot only when he knows you'll think it makes sense to risk it all.
I think this book also says a lot about artistry and the narcissism that can often accompany having talent. I was impressed by how Tremblay was able to sculpt his characters in this way, where they aren't complete assholes, but they are totally self involved. Despite their motivations, their selfishness, I still felt deeply for them and aches at their losses.
This is a book that I'll be recommending to film lovers and horror lovers alike, mostly because I need someone to talk to about that ending. Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this advanced copy of the novel in exchange for my honest review. This is the first horror book I have read this year, as well as one of my first 5 star reviews. I absolutely adored this novel and would highly recommend it to anyone interested in unreliable narration, documentation of the slow descent into madness, and genuinely creepy characters. I love novels that go between past and present, this had that as well as the added bonus of also being intercut with the script for the movie the characters were creating. I appreciated Cleo's notes in the margins of the screenplay, however unrealistic that would be as far as actual screenplays go. One of my favorite quotes from this novel: "My theory is that we’re in hell. Some of us are demons and some of us make demons because we don’t know what else to do." I understood this quote by Cleo more than I ever thought I would, some of the toughest things to read were her thoughts about suicidal ideation. She was such a defined character to me, all of them had depth and intrigue that kept me hoping for them even as I already knew their fates. This was only my second of Paul Tremblay's novels I've read, I will definitely be reading more in the future. This was definitely reminiscent of another of my favorites from last year, "Mister Magic"! Fans of that will enjoy this immensely as well.

This is on me for not reading the synopsis beforehand but this was not what I was expecting. I found the formatting of the story to be a little tough to get into but around 30% I got the flow. This book was not as horrific/scary as I was hoping for until the ending which I felt was rushed. Overall I enjoyed the book and would recommend it as the story is written well and the characters are great. 3.5 stars

I was expecting something else - I'm sure I was expecting monsters and dark hallways and maybe flickering lights but instead there's a darker story here about what? The inevitableness of evil? This is a story about a group of kids who decide to make a movie and how that movie slowly overtakes them - changes them - makes them into something else. BUT an argument could also be made that the movie didn't change them at all, that they were always going to be this way, that this movie was just a way of letting it all out.
I enjoyed this format - the switching from Then to Now, reading through the screenplay - this worked much better for me than the format of The Pallbearer's Club which I really wanted to love, but just couldn't get into. If you're a fan of Paul Tremblay you're going to eat this up.

Paul Tremblay has done it again!! This was so good. I couldn’t put it down. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

What an unsettling book! Horror Movie is about the remake of a 1993 horror movie that some think is cursed. It is surprising that the movie is being remade because it was never released to the public. Only a few clips of the movie were released online and a cult following arose. Our narrator is know as the "Thin Kid" in the movie. He takes us through the original making of the movie and through the steps of the remake where he has plans for his own ending. Also thrown in is the original screenplay. At first I was not sure I liked the addition of the screenplay but by the time I got a quarter of the way through the book, I loved it. Reading the screenplay somehow made the book even more terrifying and at times I felt like I was watching a movie. I don't want to write too much more because I don't want to give away spoilers and also because I am not sure how to describe the experience of reading this book. I do think someone should make a movie off of the screen play written in this book. I think it would be one of the most horrifying movies I have seen.

A little slow and repetitive in the middle, but a truly creepy atmospheric horror novel about four young people making a horror movie in the 90s that was never fully released, and the film being remade in the present. The characters are great, and slasher film lovers will love this. The ending was unexpected, and leaves the reader a little unsure about what was really happened and what didn't.

3 stars

I’m going to be in the minority here. This wasn’t great. I love Tremblay, and this definitely has his signature, but it just isn’t his best.

I felt like I was stuck, with no forward movement (and honestly that might be the point here). The MC/narrator was the only one that felt even remotely developed and all the supporting characters were pretty flat. I had trouble remembering the difference between the 2 girls. There wasn’t much of a surprise to be had, so holding on through the whole book didn’t even feel like it paid off. I feel like I’ve been reading this book for months or years, and it’s been 3 days.
I’m exhausted now.

I really enjoyed this book! The structure alternates between the script of a piece of lost media, a disturbing horror movie that has risen to mythological status due to tragic events around the production, and an “audiobook” being written and narrated by an actor from the film. I did not find the structure confusing or difficult at all. I think the switches between the two were masterfully done, quickly answering necessary questions when they popped up but not revealing everything too soon.

As I was reading I literally forgot it was fiction. I kept catching myself wanting to google the YouTube videos mentioned and dive in to the Reddit threads. You can tell this book was made with so much knowledge and love of the horror movie genre (and if it wasn’t then Mr Tremblay fooled me!) There’s a part toward the end within the stage direction in one of the script sections and it was just so well done. Tremblay somehow put the exact dread you get from watching a horror movie down on paper.

There were definitely a few parts I didn’t love, and it ended up being a little lackluster toward the end but I still absolutely enjoyed it as a whole.

No major content warnings, definitely not *extreme* horror but the book does contain body horror and violence as well as suicide/discussions of suicidal ideation in so be aware of that.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for early access!

I have yet to read something by Paul Tremblay that I don’t like and Horror Movie is no exception. It's weird and creepy and I really enjoyed it.

It tells the story of a supposedly cursed horror movie. The flashbacks show us glimpses into the movie’s production and the gruesome events that took place while the current timeline explores the aftermath, the lore surrounding the movie and the production of its reboot.

Much like Paul Tremblay’s previous books, Horror Movie also has an ambiguous quality which a lot of readers typically don’t like but which is exactly my kind of horror.

However, I do think that Horror Movie is far less ambiguous than his other books, which probably makes it more widely appealing. So I would recommend this to those who, for example, didn’t like The Pallbearers Club and were looking for a more “mainstream” horror book.

But that is also the reason why it was not a perfect 5-star read for me personally. That and because the story, including the characters, just wasn’t as memorable as some of his other books that I prefer. That said, I really enjoyed Horror Movie and will continue to read everything that Paul Tremblay writes.

Many thanks to the publisher William Morrow and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

"The mask is ugly and grotesque and familiar, and we cannot stop staring at it because all monsters are mirrors".

Brilliant.

Reading this book felt like taking a walk in an unfamiliar landscape, searching for a source of the creeping dread you're feeling then hearing a small "crack". You look down at your feet and realize you've walked out to the middle of a frozen lake and the ice under your feet may or may not be thick enough to hold you. Maybe it would be, but every chapter of this book is like the author handing you a stone, making you heavier and heavier.....

This book was incredible. The story of a horror movie that got made but never released, that may have been cursed, or is that just an urban legend? Told from the point of view of the one surviving cast member, the "Thin Kid", in multiple timelines and including exerts from the screenplay and filming, this story just builds and builds. The main characters include Valentina the director, Cleo the screenwriter, and Karson the cast member. Four friends filming a visionary horror movie and we are right there for every terrifying scene.

If you are a fan of horror, this book is for you. If you love a slow burn build, this is for you. If you love scary scenes that really go there, this is for you. If you're scared of what's under your bed, but can't help looking over the edge, this book is for you.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and William Morrow books for the eArc of this book.

5/5

I don’t often finish a book and love everything about it, but this one was definitely one of them. It was such a masterful descent into madness in both past and present storylines and I absolutely loved the ride.

The past was a great look into the horror of what had happened while filming the movie and where things started to go wrong. There was that uncanny feeling of something not being right but people were too anxious to finish and let things slide more and more. Then the present intertwined perfectly in between, mirroring the same decline, the same wrongness but finally wanting to finish what had started.

It was so well done, I really loved the story and the atmosphere it had. I really felt that dread all throughout and it really delivered by the end. Highly recommend this one!

Paul Trembley's Horror Movie reads like the Scream of the 2020s. One part period piece, one part screenplay, and finally one part unreliable narrator. As you read you will find you think you know what happened only to find your ideas changing after each chapter.

A very wild ride! This book started out a little slow, but the building up was necessary to really understand what was happening in each timeline. The smart twists and subtle references keep you trying to guess what happened at the end of the original Horror Movie. I am looking forward to reading this book again as an audiobook!

An unsettling, original and unforgettable novel that sucks you in and holds you captive until the very last page.
As a small group of friends come together to make their vision of a horror movie, this book takes us from their making of the movie, to the protagonists telling of what happened in the original movie shoot, through to what came after and into the Hollywood reboot.
Told in parts in the form of a bit of the script, to the protagonist’s making of an audiobook, it took a little while to settle into the writing format but once you get reeled into the book it is an excellent read.
The book is made even more mysterious as we never learn the protagonists name, only his screen characters name, The Thin Kid.
This isn’t a slasher, gory horror story and the film they set out to make wasn’t either, but it’s definitely a psychological horror.
Lines start to blur between what is real and what actually happened with some plot twists that will have you doubting your memory and the reliability of the narrator.
What was real and what is myth surrounding the original movie that never got released? After finishing the book I’m still not sure, but in a good, mysterious way, and as for the ending? WTF?
In the best way possible, what the hell have I just read?
Full of eerie, creepy scenes I could actually see this working as an actual movie. I know I would watch it!
A great book by a very talented author, this is definitely a book to be added to your tbr pile!