I had a really good time.
I thought the pacing was good.
The story progressed really well and left me with some things to think about at the end.

I knew this was going to be short, but wow, Joe Hill made every word count. This is a story about death, how it’s always there, unavoidable, and he manages to capture that in just 30 pages. I wanted a little more—but at the same time, it felt like just the right amount. I’ve read The Pram and NOS4A2, and with each one, Hill’s style pulls me in more. He’s not about flashy scares; instead, his stories slowly build this sense of unease that sneaks up on you.

The characters in Ushers felt authentic, and the dialogue flowed naturally. Even though I saw the ending coming, I enjoyed the way he got us there. There’s so much to dig into and think about. I just finished it, but something tells me this one will stick with me for a long time.

A very, very short but chilling story. Concise but impactful. Am I the last person alive to realize that Joe Hill is Steven King’s son?

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this arc.

Joe Hill is a master of short fiction but I’ve never felt as weirdly uplifted from his work the way I felt here!

Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Pub date: 1st of Nov 2024
Rating: 2.5/5 rounded up

Aw man. This was okay. It was entertaining but it was just too short. Definitely not spooky-spooky or anything, but I enjoyed the overall vibe and I wish it was a bit longer. I also don't know what more to say about it - I mean, the book itself is like not even 30 pages, so that's pretty much it.

4.8 stars!

Spine-tingling indeed! It was a good fast-paced short story read. This is the kind of story that would be fit to become a whole novel but can also be perfectly told as a novella.

The setting, the build-up, the plot, and the ending oh everything was great!

Definitely recommended. (I also love the fact that I was able to read and digest this while I was on public transpo)

I didn't give a perfect 5 since I had more questions that were left unanswered. I was engrossed!

Thank you to Amazon Original Stories for the arc through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review ✨️

Perfect snippet of a story that left me wanting more if it was available but still satisfied and happy with the ride. That’s exactly what I want a short story to do.

For such a short novella, this one really packs a punch. I enjoyed the writing, vibe, and pacing and would for sure recommend this to anyone looking for a short but spooky read.

This was a bite sized novella that I absolutely devoured in about 20 minutes. I couldn't put it down and I didn't want it to end! It was so unique and packed such a punch for such a short read. It's actually something I might come back to in a couple weeks to re-read.

Really clever and well done. Absolutely recommend!

Thank you Amazon first reads!

I enjoyed this short story the writing was engaging and kept me wanting to know what happened next. I am a fan of Joe hill and look forward to more from him in the future. I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for a chance to read this book for an honest review.

a very short, very weird and kind of creepy story. even though it was just under 30 pages long, it still
a) weirded me out
b) made me kinda sad!
maybe i need to get into more joe hill writing!

Holy crap! The last line of this book, woof. Not that I should be surprised, Joe Hill does this to me every single time. This was a cool concept that was executed amazingly. Ushers are under thirty pages, but somehow Hill stuffed an entire story into it. One that I had no idea how it was going to end, not even when he laid out it so nicely in the moment. I'm still not sure exactly what the Ushers were, but they were both cool and creepy, and I like that work on a scale system. This was a great quick, creepy read, and I cannot thank NetGalley enough for a chance to read it early. Though maybe don't read it at 9 am with your coffee like I did. That was an odd way to start my day because this book lingered with me, despite how short it was.

Small but mighty story! The author fit a full length novel into only 28 pages and it is incredible! Thrilled to have discovered this author.

I am so thankful to Amazon Publishing, Joe Hill, and Netgalley for granting me advanced access to this galley before publication day. I really enjoyed the dialogue and plot of this book and can’t wait to chat this one up with my friends!

This is the second of Joe Hill’s short stories that I’ve read, and he has me wanting so much more!

His writing has me hooked, but not in a way that’s straight forward scary. This and The Pram were both eerie in a slow paced way. There wasn’t massive jumpscares, or ghosts, or anything like that but he is easily able to build an eerie scene and give chills right to the very end.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the review copy of Ushers! I’ll certainly be bumping up the rest of his book very soon on the tbr

I've always had a little trouble with short stories as they mostly left me unsatisfied. That was not the case with Ushers. There was so much thought and thrill and detail put into the short 22 pages I didn't even look up until the end. This is a story that will definitely stick with me for awhile.

This is a great short story. I can see it really working in a high school English class for so many different things. Though the ending was pretty predictable the build up was great. Characters were real and relatable. Smooth dialog.

Joe Hill’s Ushers is a spine-chilling ride that showcases Martin Lorensen, a young counselor whose quick wit and mysterious luck have saved him from multiple deadly incidents. His rapid-fire responses and clever comebacks keep the FBI on edge, making them question if he’s a mere survivor or something darker. Hill expertly builds suspense, taking us from a tense interrogation to a jaw-dropping finale. For fans of horror and psychological thrills, Ushers is a pulse-pounding, quick read that leaves you breathless and craving more.

For a short story it was interesting. I like how they were call ushers. And how the boy can see them. And not help without the people. Thanks for writing it.

Wow! That was an incredibly impressive, well done story to fit into only 28 pages! Absolutely adding this author to my must read list!