nostalgic supernatural tech horror

As a 90s kid this was incredibly nostalgic. We're following a librarian who realizes there's an eigth grader that is struggling with something more than homework and her peers. And because she can't help but stick her nose into this small town drama, she gets incredibly involved.

I loved this book from start to finish. The characters felt real, the horror started almost immediately in the best way, and I can't wait to read more from Jimmy Juliano.

I was intrigued by the premise but I found this one to be too simple and ultimately didn't work for me. I'm not certain if it's meant to be classified as young adult but the characters felt immature and the story felt too simple to work as piece of adult fiction. It failed to hold my attention so I gave myself permission to let it go.

I requested this one because it might be an upcoming title I would like to review on my Youtube Channel. However, after reading the first several chapters I have determined that this book does not suit my tastes. So I decided to DNF this one.

It’s the year 2000 and Piper has just moved to Clover Creek to work as a public library clerk. When visiting the local middle school she immediately knows something is off with the new girl Avery. She won’t touch any technology, and her mother is with her at all times. The local rumors are that the mom is a witch and something supernatural killed the other half of their family. Piper befriends Avery after considering how lonely she must be and quickly realizes there’s some substance to these rumors…

This book was SO CREEPY. The eerie sense of dread I felt as the story developed further and further… reading in the dark on my kindle and turning around to make sure nothing was behind me 💀 Juliano yet again creates an utterly original tale that leaves you with a sinking feeling in your stomach long after finishing.

If you’re a horror fan you’ll enjoy 13 Months Haunted! Look out for it on August 12 when it publishes 📚 in the meantime, pick up Dead Eleven!

Piper Lowery, a library clerk who also volunteers at a local middle school, notices something off about new eighth-grader Avery Wallace, who refuses to use any technology and is shadowed by her mother all day long, wherever she goes. Rumors circulate that Avery's mother is a witch, and that a supernatural event or strange virus killed Avery's father and sister. Feeling for Avery's isolation, Piper tries to befriend her, but soon discovers a dark and spreading presence within Avery, leading to dangerous outcomes for anyone who gets close.

I just love the way Jimmy Juliano writes! His nostalgic horror lens lands just right for me, and his stories draw me in right away. Similar to his debut, Dead Eleven, 13 Months Haunted sets the stage for 90's and 00's lovers to be reimmersed into a simpler time within the world of technology. I had a blast reading this and trying to figure out what the actual hell was going on! This book also delivered in the scare department, as I felt there were some legitimately creepy scenes! While this was definitely its own unique story, I definitely caught some vibes of some specific mid 2000's horror films, but I will refrain from naming those as I think they could be slightly spoilers for the reader. A personal connection I have to his writing is that I was born and raised in Illinois, but have lived in Wisconsin for the past 17 years, and he lives and works in the Chicago area and his book settings have a lot of mentions of areas that are very familiar to me across both states. I'm officially a Jimmy Juliano fan after giving both of his books 5 stars!

Loved the premise, enjoyed the writing style, but was a little let down with the execution. The first half of this had me invested, reminding me of old urban legends and while the Y2K nostalgia bait was a bit overdone at times, it was fun, too. It had it's creepy moments that intrigued me and had me wanting to know more, but the final parts just didn't quite deliver.

I did like the epilogue though. It made me mad and the characters were not very bright at the end there, but it was a fun way to end things.

3 solid stars.

The first half of this book was great! Had me sucked in and eager to get answers, but by the time we hit part 3 it lost steam. The second half of this fell so flat and was just incredibly long for no reason. Some of it felt like info dumps, filling in any answer to the questions that came in the first half without any satisfactions.

The characters drove me crazy at times. Just all around stupid. Don't get me started on the ending. The Y2K nostalgia was fun but at times it felt like you were getting hit by so many references.

I did like it enough to check out Jimmy's other work and future work, but this one could have been better and was disappointing to me that what started strong ended up the way it did.

Thank you to netgalley and publishers for the arc!

This book is like someone dug up an old Gateway desktop, booted up AOL, and summoned a damn ghost with a dial-up tone. 13 Months Haunted hits that early-2000s internet paranoia sweet spot—away messages, cryptic forums, and creepy-as-hell popups that feel like they’re watching you back. Piper’s stuck in a digital curse that unfolds month by month, and it’s got that slow-burn dread you don’t notice ’til you realize you’ve been clenching your jaw since page 40.

It’s weird, nostalgic, and just off-kilter enough to feel fresh—like if The Ring had a baby with Are You Afraid of the Dark? but raised it on Reddit creepypasta. Some of the characters felt like NPCs from an old RPG, but honestly, I didn’t care. The vibes were immaculate. If you ever had a MySpace profile with emo lyrics in your bio, this book will haunt you in the best way. Solid 4 outta 5—you’ll keep checking your phone after, just to make sure nothing’s… glitching.

Jimmy Juliano’s 13 Months Haunted delivers a creepy premise and early 2000s nostalgia with eerie charm. The slow-burn mystery builds tension well, though some twists feel predictable and the pacing sags mid-story. Still, Piper’s perspective adds heart, and the haunting concept is inventive. Chilling in parts, but not quite as sharp as it promises

This one is really good! It’s the second book by Jimmy Juliano - no sophomore slump here. It’s set in the year 2000, right at the early stages of the internet era. It’s kind of a mix between a ghost story and possession story that revolves around a teenage girl who is convinced some evil presence is following her, and the young librarian determined to help her.

It’s effectively spooky and a fun walk down memory lane for this middle age guy who very much remembers what the internet was like in 2000

2.5 ⭐️ rounded up

I was pulled in by the premise of this book, and I feel like it had a lot of potential. However, reading this kind of felt like watching a B rated sci-fi horror film.

I appreciated the Y2K nostalgic feel this book gave, but the main character frustrated me quite a bit and there were some serious plot holes that got filled in at the end almost as an afterthought. The entire ending as a whole was also completely unsatisfying for me.

Thank you to Dutton Books and NetGalley for providing this book to me early in exchange for an honest review. All reviews will be posted to my socials (Instagram, NetGalley, Fable, and Goodreads).

I Don’t even know where to start with my thoughts on this one. First word that comes to mind after finishing? WOAH. Like, seriously WOAH.
A killer computer virus is spreading… but why? Where did it come from? I tore through this book like it was a legit urban legend from the early 2000s. Couldn’t put it down. It’s eerie, unsettling, and soaked in dread from beginning to end. Also yes, my morbid curiosity absolutely got the better of me. Every single time that creepy blue website “link” popped up on my Kindle I clicked it. Every. Damn. Time. Half-hoping it would crash my device and summon something. (That's probably weird)
And that ending? OMG. Existential crisis. Mild paranoia. Loved it soooo very much.
Jimmy sir after Dead Eleven and now this? You're officially on my permanent auto-buy list. No antivirus strong enough to keep me away from whatever you write next. 5 stars 🌟

First thank you netgalley for the ARC it was very much a walk down memory lane with all of the nostalgia I loved this book. The beginning was a tad slow for me but it picked up in a big way. I really enjoyed the characters and and the plot

"From Dead Eleven author Jimmy Juliano, a twisty, edge-of-your-seat novel about a unique haunting in the early 2000s.

Piper Lowery, a public library clerk in charge of liaising with the local middle school, can tell right away there's something strange about the new girl in eighth grade. Avery Wallace won't touch any kind of technology, not even the computers at the library, and her mother comes to school with her every day, refusing to leave her side - not even when Avery uses the restroom.

And then there are the rumors, the whispers Piper hears from kids in the hallway and parents around town: Avery's mother is a witch. Her sister and father were killed by something supernatural. A strange virus killed them.

Seeing how isolated and lonely Avery is, Piper befriends her but quickly realizes it might just be the worst decision she's ever made. Because there's something dark inside Avery Wallace, and it's spreading..."

If you had an evil spawn of Satan baby wouldn't you home school it?

I hate to knock this read, but it just didn't hold my attention the way I'd hoped. It could have been wrong book, wrong timing. I will still keep my eyes out for future Juliano reads!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was a fan of Juliana’s first book, and was excited to receive this arc. Unfortunately this book was hit or miss for me. The story was engaging, and the writing style flowed well…but the middle section dragged and the ending was a little underwhelming. Still a fan and will read whatever he comes up with next, this one was just a bit of a disappointment.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of 13 Months Haunted.

I've never read this author before so I was excited my request was approved.

Great cover and interesting premise caught my eyes.

13 Months Haunted is a modern, tech-y twist on The Ring with supernatural elements featuring Piper Lowery, a young librarian, who befriends a haunted tween girl named Avery and her mom.

There were aspects of the narrative I liked, especially as to how it relates to the rise of A.I.. and our dependence on social media and Internet, how socially connected most of us are but still socially isolated.

I.loved the 2000s nostalgia though it got a bit heavy handed. I guess the author really loved Napster like so many of us did back in those days.

The characters weren't bad, I liked Piper and her love of the outdoors and of course, I love all dogs and pets in a narrative.

On the other hand, the narrative wasn't urgent: I wasn't scared or unsettled in any way.

I was hoping for more scares, more horror or supernatural-y stuff.

The narrative dragged midway through especially with the info dumping.

Things take a turn for disbelief suspension toward the end when everything comes to a head.

This could have been darker, scarier, more horror-y, but the author didn't go there, which is too bad.

I did like the ending though I saw it coming.

Anders is writing his thesis on viral phenomenon which leads him to a relative named Piper. Piper Lowery was a small-town librarian in northern Wisconsin. Through a scary story contest she is running, she meets Avery, a new student who's mother will not leave her side. Rumors have been started about the new girl and her family's past and Piper takes a special interest in looking out for this odd new student. Piper starts to learn about Avery's past through her sinister stories and eventually experiences the horrors she's lived through.

This was an incredibly well written supernatural thriller.

Author "Jimmy Julliano" delivers another haunting tale!
I highly enjoyed "13 Months Haunted" which drew me into the written web of suspense and the unknown.
A must-read for horror enthusiasts who appreciate layered storytelling and spreading terror.

Thank you to the publisher and thank you to NetGalley for the chance to review this e-ARC. Full review will be available soon

This was fast paced and easy to read. It brought to mind his previous novel, Dead Eleven but this time I. The 2000s rather than the 90s.