This book is similar to and then there were none. The plot involves a group of strangers and acquaintances called to a mansion for a will reading and they get picked off one by one. I usually enjoy stories like this but I found the supernatural elements felt campy and unrealistic. It’s a good story with a fun plot but the added dangers of the manor was somewhat unbelievable to me as a reader.

Ah, I think a book (and ARC at that 😲) finally pulled me out from my months long reading slump!

How To Survive A Horror Story was not exactly what I was expecting from the title, and as per usual, I only read the title before going into the book.

At first, it was a huge nostalgic blast that seemed like a mix of both the 1999 movie The Haunting and the remake of House on Haunted Hill, both of which I loved... but then the story takes a turn of its own.

You're pulled into the lives and characters of multiple people, and you quickly get a taste of who they are, or maybe just who they're perceived to be...

As the story and horrors (awful but not graphic) unfold, the story takes on more of a mystery/psychological thriller roll, having you question what's happening, the intent of the "game" and who everyone really is.

All the guests have to do is follow the simple rules - solve the riddle and progress to the next room... but do they have what it takes to figure it all out before they're, errrr, the game is finished?

I highly recommend checking out "How To Survive A Story" by Mallory Arnold, out July 8th!

Thank you, @netgalley @poisonedpenpress and @malwriteswords for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!

A fun, quick read. This is a locked haunted house horror story that is fast paced with a little bit of a mystery thrown in.... , all put together to keep you reading to the very end.. Never a dull moment 4 stars

This book was entertaining, captivating with its fast paced storyline, really disturbing at some points (in a scary good way). Overall a great read and would recommend to friends interested in this genre!

I love the cover of this book, it is very intriguing.
I had a hard time getting into this book, the characters were introduced quickly and I didn’t really connect to anyone. I started it several times and was not able to finish it because it did not hold my attention. Disappointed because I thought it was promising at first glance.

Fall for the House of Usher (TV series) meets And Then There Were None with a dash of Knives Out energy. Loved it, thrilling, scary and funny. A great book to indulge in

3.75 ⭐️

Locked room mystery with a horror house twist. What a fun, different read! I don't read a lot of horror so the gore was a little much for me. But I enjoyed like 75-80% of the book. The last 20% bumped it down from 4 stars though. I didn't like the twist and I was disappointed with how the ending turned out. I was hoping good would prevail!! Justice for Buck.

Nonetheless, I had fun reading and enjoyed the troubled cast of characters. I'm looking forwarding to reading Arnold's next!

I knew I was going to love this book, simply by the title and cover...yes one shouldn't judge a book on this basis alone but I was totally right, and I am absolutely thrilled to have been able to read it before it's publication this summer!

The story begins as a thrilling mystery: seven people are invited to the will reading of a very famous horror author, all with supposed links to the deceased but all holding much, much darker secrets than you would ever have guessed. Without spoilers, the story takes a very dark turn (think Willy Wonka mixed with Escape Room) and over a very clever multiple narrative, you begin second guessing yourself about who the true monster of the story is.

As a child one of my favourite scary movies was Monster House, and this book literally brought it to life but with that extra kick of horror I now adore as an adult. In some ways I can't quite comprehend what I've just read about, but it was delicious and addictive and my imagination has spiralled with the writing! Thank you so much NetGalley for approving me to read this book early, I cannot wait to see it soar upon publication and read others' views on this fantastic debut novel.

How to Survive a Horror Story was a fun horror book. It has one of my favorite tropes of people being locked in a mansion with no way out. It's funny, but also has moments that are scary. I would recommend to people looking for a horror book with a healthy dose of humor in it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an ARC of How to Survive a Horror Story.

This was an interesting concept! I was drawn in by the spooky setting and the motley cast of characters, but I quickly tired as the story really dragged on through the middle. The writing is overly descriptive in a way that does not add to the story and the book would benefit from being 50-100 pages shorter. I also really struggled to understand what genre this was supposed to fall into. It isn't scary enough to be horror, it is too gory to be a cozy mystery, and it isn't twisty enough to be a thriller. Overall, it just felt like it still needs a lot of work.

2.5 stars

This was like… a deranged Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Except instead of spoiled, sugar addicted kids, it had greedy, selfish adults with dark secrets. Instead of Oompa Loompas, we get Gia.

After the death of famous horror author Mortimer Queen, seven strangers are invited to his manor for the reading of his will. Though they all have reasons to be confused or suspicious about the invite, greed and curiosity draws them in. What follows is a twisted game in which they must solve puzzles and face their past misdeeds - or fall victim to the manor itself.

I thought this was a unique and intriguing concept, and the mystery of the weird, murderous house grabbed my interest right away. However, though both the beginning and the end had my undivided attention, the middle dragged a lot, and I had a really hard time convincing myself to pick this book back up each time. It takes until around the 25% mark to really introduce the conflict, and once it did, I found everything a bit silly and ridiculous. This is not my usual genre, so I’m definitely not an expert, but I think this reads more like a dark comedy than a horror or thriller. If it leaned into that a bit more, I think I would have enjoyed it more.

At the beginning of the story, the characters have a discussion about what makes a horror story great - the journey, the characters, or the gory deaths. In this book, I thought the journey was the best part. Having the characters move through the house solving puzzles that force them to reflect on their past mistakes was such a cool concept. However, the more I read, the more I realized I didn’t actually care about any of them. It switched back and forth between their point of views, and I kept getting stuck when certain characters came up because I just wasn’t interested. Some of them were truly unlikable, while others just didn’t intrigue me. When the “gory deaths” occurred, only a few of them actually packed a punch.

Unfortunately, this one just wasn’t a good fit for me. However, it is a quick and easy read, and if you enjoy locked door mysteries, horror (dark comedy?), and sort of weird, sort of gross stories about vengeance and revenge, this might be for you!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for my honest review! Out July 8th.

It started out so well and strong and then suddenly everything started getting ridiculous. As the book progressed, my frustration grew and pushing through just became a chore.
I think the main issue was the author's indecisiveness about the genre. She was stuck at every corner trying to choose between horror and thriller, she tried mixing both genres together, but I think it came out lame and kind of vague.
The book didn't deliver for either genre, and leaving aside the structure and plot line, the characters were all pretty lame. Also, the fact that there was one character who actually didn't deserve to be there was just wild for me.
I think the idea was great as a concept, but the execution was extremely weak.
It was a miss for me.
*I received an ARC of this book through netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

Darkly funny and surprisingly heartfelt, this book turns fear into fuel with sharp writing and relatable anxiety. It’s part self-help, part satire, and totally original. A great read if you’ve ever laughed nervously through a panic attack.

How to Survive a Horror Story is a wild ride. I enjoyed the story from start to finish. There are some life lessons hidden in this book!

I recommend this novel to all readers who love mysteries, drama, and horror.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this ARC!

A beautiful debut and a wonderful novel to start getting into horror. The humor intertwined in the novel softens the blows of dread and horror throughout, making it a palatable meal, instead of a plate to choke down. I love the premise of a dark entity drawing from people that.... write dark entities. I could not recommend this enough, and while it originally wasn't on my preorder list, it was immediately added.

Rate this book 4.5 out of 5
This was such a great read! I’ve never read horror before, so I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect, but How to Survive a Horror Story completely surprised me—in the best way. It wasn’t your typical horror story full of just scares and gore. Instead, it had this unique blend of mystery, suspense, and a touch of dark humor that kept me turning the pages.

What really hooked me was the mystery behind why all the characters were in the house. I kept trying to figure it out right alongside them, and the tension just built in such a compelling way. I found myself constantly wondering what the ending was going to be, and I genuinely didn’t see it coming.

If you're someone who hasn't read horror before (like me), this is a fantastic place to start. Highly recommend!

This was definitely an original plot! It keeps you engrossed the whole way through. The characters are not likeable, per se, but they aren’t supposed to be, so don’t let that deter you from getting into the story. The payoff at the end is well worth it. That said, it’s also pretty gross with its vivid horror imagery--if you’re into that stuff (as I am), this will be a book you definitely want to read.

This one had a cool premise, but it didn’t really land for me. The idea of a spooky game in a haunted manor had potential, but the execution felt kind of clunky. The pacing was uneven, the characters didn’t stand out much, and the scares were more quirky than creepy.

It wasn’t a total miss—there were some fun moments and clever lines—but overall, it just didn’t hook me the way I hoped. I wanted more tension, more atmosphere, and more depth. If you’re really into locked-room mysteries with a horror twist, it might work for you, but it just wasn’t my thing.

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Seven authors have been invited to the home of Mortimer Queen, a legendary horror author, to hear his last will and testament. Each of them has a history with the author that makes them question why he would even leave them in the will. But how can they resist. They are soon to discover that they are actually there to play a game. Play if you want to survive.

This was a unique twist on the locked room trope. I enjoyed the way it all played out and the short stories thrown in. I thought I knew how it would end but I was wrong and am not disappointed. I could tell from the first page it would be good and was immediately hooked.

Release Date: 8 July 2025

How do you survive a horror story? If you’re inside Queen Manor… the odds aren’t in your favour.

Mallory Arnold’s debut is an absolute thrill—darkly funny, full of meta-horror charm, and dripping in dread. A group of writers is lured to a will reading that quickly turns into something far more sinister. The challenge? Solve riddles and escape Queen Manor, or be devoured by it. Literally.

This novel plays gleefully with classic horror tropes: the haunted house 👻, the locked-room setup 🔐, the group of strangers with secrets 🕵️‍♂️, even the cursed legacy 🩸. Told through multiple POVs, it delivers both pace and personality, while inviting readers to consider the price of fame, ambition, and what stories we’re willing to tell—or bury.

I really enjoyed this one. The concept had me hooked from the beginning, and once I suspended my disbelief and just went along for the ride 🎢, I was completely invested. The shifting viewpoints added depth, and the tone struck a clever balance between satire and suspense. It’s sharp, self-aware, and at times even heartfelt.

There’s affection and disdain woven through every character—and that’s part of the fun. You’re not always sure who to root for, but you do want to see who (if anyone) makes it out alive 🪦.

This is a strong debut and a must-read for fans of smart, trope-savvy horror with a wickedly literary edge ✍️. Think Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone meets The Fall of the House of Usher—with teeth.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.