Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC. Mina Ellis is a recent graduate of psychology. Sam is a journalist who debunks the supernatural. When his latest supernatural assignment’s subject is an adolescent girl, one he secretly hopes is legit, he immediately thinks of his recent introduction to Mina. Persuading her is not difficult as she also has a vested interest in whether this girl is truly being haunted.
I gave this 4 stars. Some parts feel disjointed from the whole of the story. The horror is a slow build but gets there in the end. I was highly interested and held captive while reading. I would recommend this!

At first, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from this book, but I ended up enjoying it more than I thought, especially reading it late at night. It gave off a vibe similar to The Exorcist, but with a witch—though it’s possible there might not even be one at all. The writing was engaging, and I loved the small-town atmosphere. That said, the ending left me with a lot of unanswered questions, and I really wish there had been more clarity. Huge thanks to NetGalley for providing access to the ARC!

I absolutely love reading anything about hauntings and witches. The start of the book was great. I wanted to keep reading to know more of what’s going on. This was slow paced and suspenseful. While there were chilling aspects, I kept waiting for more and never got that “something” I thought this book would have. It’s a somewhat creepy story. However, I don’t feel as if this accomplishes a thing particularly unique or memorable.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley.

This book started off really good! I was 100% on board, engrossed in the narrative, and kind of freaking out a little bit and wondering what was real and what wasn’t. I was so excited that I finally found a horror novel that was actually grabbing my attention! However, my excitement was short-lived because the story completely derailed (IMO) in the second half.

I noticed about halfway through that while I was still intrigued, I was also hoping for some reveals to start occurring that would move the story along… and that didn’t happen. There wasn’t a lot of actual story or character development happening, and so much information was being repeated that it became noticeable. The last 25% or so of the book ran off in another direction that not only felt really convoluted and out of left field, but also created numerous plot holes and unanswered questions! By the end of the book, all I could do was shake my head.

I was excited about this book, but ultimately it didn’t work for me.

Thank you @netgalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for an eARC of this book, which I have read and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Dark, spooky, twisty, suspenseful and UNPUTDOWNABLE! Mina is newly graduated from college as a psychologist and is busy planning her upcoming wedding. She has never recovered from her brother’s death and attends a bereavement support group. It is there that she meets journalist, Sam, who calls her one day with a proposition. There is a young girl, Alice, who lives in a small town. She is suffering from the delusion that she is a witch. Sam hopes to write the big story that will propel his career. Mina hopes to heal this girl, proving she has what it takes in the mental health field. But what they uncover is much more sinister than either expected. The small town of Banathel holds many dark secrets that will take Sam and Mina on a dark journey that could cost them everything.

The beginning of this book really spooked me and wasn’t sure I could handle it since I struggle with evil paranormal tropes. But I was soon captivated by this story and it went places I was not expecting. This book is going in my top favorites at the end of the year. Definitely cannot wait to see what this author writes next!

Thank you Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be available for purchase on February 25, 2025

This book starts out very promising. Mina is a child psychologist who goes to the small town of Banathel to evaluate Alice, who is cursed by a witch. Banathel also has a deep history of witchcraft, so the citizens are desperate for answers. Is Alice cursed or is she making it up? The witchy parts of the story are done well and feel creepy. The descriptions surrounding the unexplained events Alice goes through are gross and disturbing. I was really excited to find out if Alice was haunted or not. 

Then I got 2/3 of the way into it, and it turned into a completely different book. The ending felt unfocused and left so much unanswered. If the beginning and ending were different books, they would be great reads. I was pretty disappointed in this one and the characters didn’t really do it for me. Mina is a child psychologist but didn’t do much talking with Alice. 

Overall, I gave it 2 stars because I really did like the witchy parts of this book and I wish Pearce would have stuck with that. 

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press-Minotaur Books for this eARC to review. All opinions are my own. This book is available on February 25, 2025. 

Read if you like:
🧙 Witches
❓ Unanswered Questions
🏡 Small Town Drama

This book was eerie from the first chapter to the very last page page! I was engrossed the whole time, and I loved all the characters! I have never read anything else by author, but I look forward to reading more other work in the future!!

Something in the Walls is an atmospheric, slow burn mystery/horror book about a young psychologist who investigates the case of a teenage girl who is claimed to be haunted by a witch. Mina is a recent graduate, engaged to an aloof educated man, and still mourning the death of her younger brother from several years prior. In a grief support group, she meets Sam, a journalist who is mourning the loss of his younger daughter. Both feel responsible for their losses, and it propels them to try to help Alice, a girl who lives in a small town and has been “cursed” since she broke the witches’ bottle at an abandoned house.

We’re not entirely sure what is happening and why. Is Alice actually haunted, is she suffering from a mental disorder, is the town suffering mass hysteria? Mina and Sam are invited to stay with Alice’s family amid a terrible heat wave in the late 1980s. Strange things keep occurring and we’re not sure why. The writing and atmosphere are so creepy. This was not a book I enjoyed reading late at night! The story is a little repetitive and slow for the first 2/3, but really picks up at the end. Though I had a suspicion as to what was happening, the last quarter of the book took me by surprise. There is so much action, and by the end, you’re wondering if Mina is even a reliable narrator. I listened to the audiobook, which was perfectly narrated by Ana Clements.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for providing this ebook and audiobook. All thoughts are my own.

I recently finished reading Something In The Walls and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. As a recent grad and newbie child psychologist, Mina gets thrown into a small town with a possible possessed/witchy girl and things get creepy real quick. This book has all the vibes I love - witches, possession, small town hysteria - but also has a dark and unsettling undertone. Overall, it was a page-turner and I couldn’t put it down. Shoutout to the talented author for keeping me on the edge of my seat.

What a creepy and strange read! So much to digest in this story…it did keep me entertained until the end.

I was super intrigued by this book, but it really fell flat for me. I did not love the characters and found myself just ready for it to end. I also felt that there was a lot left that wasn’t wrapped up well.

This was the first book I attempted to read a few weeks after the death of a family member. While Pearce's writing is exceptional, I almost needed to stop reading given how the themes of the book related to the loss of the ones we love. Honestly, the first few chapters were so good -- and the hook so strong -- that I couldn't stop. Was it a little difficult? Yes, but only because I could so strongly relate to wanting desperately to reconnect with those who have passed on and the question of how on earth we're supposed to just go one with life after such a loss.

I loved the character of Mina, but I am always a sucker for a great unreliable narrator with her own demons. The house seemed almost like another main character, as did the town, and I found myself experiencing the claustrophobia of it all -- as well as the chills. This is excellent, slow-burn, psychological horror, and despite my hesitation due to how triggering the themes were due to my recent loss, I raced through it until the end.

I am a HUGE fan of Pearce's writing and excited to read whatever she writes next!

Thank you for allowing me to read this book in advance.

Modern day witch hunt meets supernatural thriller. It was a well written book. Lots of mystery. I did enjoy reading it.
The story focuses on Mina, a recent child psychologist graduate. With something troubling from her past, she decides to try and help a girl from another town that seems to be haunted or possessed by a witch.
Mina is sure there is something else going on and intends to dive deep into this girl’s mind and find out the truth. But, as she talks and assesses the girl, she realizes that maybe there is something sinister working against them both.

Mina has just graduated as a child psychologist and ready to get to work and help children who went through losses like she did as a child, when she watched her brother die. She is engaged to a successful man, however the only thing she looks forward to is a grief group therapy. This is where she meets Sam, whose daughter died. He is a journalist and soon recruits her to travel to a small town to evaluate a young girl who is being accused of being possessed by a witch. As Alice and Sam arrive in this town, they realize it is steeped in witch lore and that there is much more than meets the eye happening in this sleepy, idyllic-appearing town.

I really liked the overall concept of this book. The writing and pacing was good. However, what I didn’t like is that there was a lot of loose ends making it feel like the build up of the book came to an unfinished end.

Thank you NetGalley and St.Martin’s Press for this ARC.

𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰

𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬
𝐃𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐲 𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐞
𝐒𝐭. 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧’𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬- 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐮𝐫 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐅𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟐𝟓 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓
𝟓⭐️

Happy Monday! How was everyone’s weekend? My daughter has been super sick so we’ve snuggled all weekend with our books and movies.

I love a good horror book once in awhile, a creepy book that isn’t overly scary, but creepy enough that I will only read it with the lights on is my favorite! 𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐛𝐲 author Daisy Pearce was the perfect pick for my horror craving- This was such a fun, modern day witchy tale, with lots of darkness and creepy vibes.

The author did such a great job creating this story and her writing style flows so well. She incorporated folklore, paranormal aspects, murder, multiple storylines, into one perfect plot! The characters were well developed, many unreliable which worked well for this specific story.

100% recccomend adding this one to your TBR! 𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬 releases in February of 2025, so set yourself a reminder! I really hope we get more from this author, loved this book so much and want more! Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the early copy!

A modern day witch hunt with a twist. This book had some creep value to it that I enjoyed. The unexpected ending was not what i anticipated but it was entertaining.
A good trip!

Something sinister is brewing in Banathal; a small village in Britain with a history of superstition and witchcraft. Inexperienced child psychologist, Mina, takes her first job to help a 13-year old girl supposedly haunted by a witch living within her walls. Soon, Mina’s past-filled trauma bubbles up to the surface, making it more intense to support Alice. Secrets of the town start to become uncovered, such as how they deal with the evil that lurks among them, until Mina is in too deep herself.

This book is creepy with supernatural thrilling elements. The ending was not what I expected, in a good way. I enjoyed Daisy Pearce’s writing and ability to build suspense throughout the book.

Fresh out of school child psychologist Mina gets the opportunity of a lifetime to consult on the case of a 13 year old girl Alice Webber. Alice claims she's being haunted by a witch, and the whole town agrees.

I really liked this book! It was so creepy that I was actually hesitant to read it alone or at night. I love a book where I'm constantly asking, "Is this a real paranormal situation or is there a practical explanation?" This one kept me guessing the whole way through!

Dislikes: I did guess the twist. I also felt like the way to get us to the creepy parts (meeting Sam at grief group and him enlisting Mina's help) felt a little weak. I didn't care much for the B plot, but the main story was awesome!

Thanks to net galley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review!

Mina is a child psychologist who meets a journalist named Sam at a grief club. Mina is mourning the loss of her brother, who died several years ago, while Sam is mourning the loss of his daughter. Sam invites Mina with him to investigate the case of Alice, a teenager who with a mysterious illness who is thought to be possessed by a witch.
Upon arriving in Banathel, it becomes clear that many people in the town believe in the haunting as they wait outside Alice's home begging her to use her powers to commune with the dead. Mina has learned about mass psychogenic illness, and tries to convince herself and everybody else that this is really what's happening here. But both her and Sam secretly hope that Alice really does have powers so that they can reconnect with their lost loved ones. Mina tries to evaluate Alice while also uncovering the history of witchcraft in Banathel, to discover why people are so convinced that Alice is haunted... and what the town thinks they should do about it.
During the entire investigation, there's also a massive heatwave, which adds to the atmosphere but doesn't really contribute as much to the plot as I thought it would.
The writing was suspenseful and creepy, and the body horror had me cringing. My biggest complaint is that the plot didn't live up to the writing because there was nothing very special about the story. Everything was rather predictable and although the climax was gripping and well written, it just wasn't enough to make the story stand out among all of the other witchy/ghosty stories out there.
I don't (consciously) remember seeing comparisons to Midsommar before reading the book, but it did actually come to mind while reading, just because the main character was surrounded by mass hysteria which she became sucked into.
Overall, for any lovers of suspenseful horror, and paranormal witch stories, this is an entertaining and fast read. There definitely aren't any dull moments and this book will be sure to creep you out with its unsettling descriptions and graphic climax.

Mina is a psychologist who is asked my a journalist Sam to go an investigate the weird things that are happening young Alice Webber. She claims there is a witch in her chimney. She’s hearing things, seeing things, and multiple deaths surround her “witchy” situation. Mina gets caught up in the mystery and ends up uncovering more than she bargained for and now she’s put herself in danger!

This book kept me on the edge of my seat the WHOLE time.