Body of Water by Adam Godfrey is a new take on body horror, isolation, and the ways people process grief and trauma. It boasts of inspiration from The Mist and The Last of Us, though I didn't see similarities to the latter aside from the apocalyptic element. The Tremors vibes were cool, however.

Despite the refrences, I really struggled to enjoy this, which is weird because I am absolutely terrified of drowning and large bodies of water. And also being trapped with strangers? Nah, I'm good. I really wanted to be terrified. My biggest problem with Body of Water is that it gets super bogged down with repetition. The same descriptions of the characters' fear, same depictions of the monster, and even the dialogue, stilted and unnatural as it is, repeats itself throughout the story. There are only so many ways to describe water movement, but still. Because of this, I think a lot of the tension and true horror of the situation is lost. It had its creepy moments for sure, but I wasn't terrified, sadly.

The next sections here are a bit spoiler-y so feel free to skip over: I wasn't impressed with the ending; its the newer equivalent to "and then they awoke, realizing it was all a dream...Or was it?" It doesn't feel like a plot twist, just that the story-rug is pulled out from underneath you and the author jumps out with a "Gotcha! It was a simulation the whole time!" I don't know, it comes off as a cop-out to me. And I can't tell if the epilogue makes it better or worse. I like the insinuation that Lauren isn't dead, but everything that led up to this event is very 'meh.'

Also, this is the second science-fiction thriller book I've read where severe unnatural climate or weather disasters are an important factor in the main character's fabricated reality, which, while isn't a lot, its still specific enough that I noted it. The first book being Justin Cronin's The Ferryman. Weird.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark, NetGalley, and the author for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book is claustrophobic and chilling. A grieving dad and his teen daughter stop at a roadside diner—and suddenly they’re trapped inside by armed strangers and a sentient body of water that’s deadlier than any storm. It’s part The Mist, part The Last of Us, but soaked in emotional grief and real human fear. The tension builds slow then snaps with a twist that left readers stunned. Godfrey nails atmosphere and raw emotion while keeping you turning pages. For fans of survival horror with heart and a supernatural edge.

The book started off good and kept me intrigued. Unfortunately, I did not like the ending. It did not really come to a good conclusion that made sense to me and I enjoyed.

Ok, so where to start...I got right into this book. It was fast paced in the beginning. You meet the main characters, get a bit of a feel for who they are then BAM...craziness starts. The plot of the book was very original and scared me a bit wondering what was actually going on. Then towards the middle of the book, I lost my mojo for reading it. I was a bit disinterested. Maybe it was just slower than the beginning, but I don't really know what it was. However, with that said, like 70% into it, it picked back up and wowwwwwza!!! The ending left me stupefied. I got almost to the end and was shocked and amazed and wanted to go back and read it all again to figure out parts I had missed now that I knew how it actually ended. Loved it. Struggled a bit, but with I would have just paid attention because it all comes together great/shocking at the end.

I thought the ending of this book terrible and negated everything that came before. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher.

Glen Masters and his daughter, Lauren, are on a bonding trip. Since his wife died, he's been barely able to keep things together. They stop for a restroom break and to have a bite to eat. All of a sudden, two men burst into the diner, one with a gun. They have a crazy story about living water attacking and killing people. Now they are all trapped...
I really enjoyed this book. I basically read it in one sitting. It kept me on the edge of my seat, and the plot twist at the end? I definitely didn't see it coming. Highly recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley in advance for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

Body of Water is a creepy, suspenseful story that reminds me of Stephen King's The Mist. I liked it a lot except for the ending, which is why I rated it three stars instead of four. It's a good read for those interested in horror and family tragedies. I look forward to future titles from the author.

I am a library associate and received an advance copy from #NetGalley.

Six years ago, Glen lost his wife in a tragic accident. He decides to take a road trip with his now teenage daughter Lauren to try and reconnect. They stop at a roadside diner for a break, and two armed men enter, ranting about a mysterious water that is attacking people, and they refuse to let the patrons leave the diner, stating all their lives are in danger. Body Of Water is a suspenseful, thought provoking story that will stay with you long after the book ends. The story has Twilight Zone episode vibes, combining some sci-if and horror elements, but with a tragic and tender backstory that offsets the more disturbing scenes. The ending, which may be divisive, brings everything into focus, and forces the reader to look at the book and characters in a completely different light. While the book may lag in certain spots, it doesn’t diminish the overall impact of this clever story. This may go under the radar, but it’s truly a great read. Five stars! I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was hooked from the first concept, sentient, murderous water! It feels like a classic horror idea, old-school and brilliantly eerie. The pace is unhurried, focusing on atmosphere and character development rather than fast-moving plot. Though it’s not entirely character-driven. It unfolds slowly, letting the mood sink in.

Body of water was an amazing read!! It kept me on my toes the entire book! If you love a good thriller, I highly suggest reading Body of Water!!!!

A haunting, oppressive and visceral story! When I read the Adam Godfrey’s “Body of Water” synopsis, I was immediately intrigued to read it. However, I was partially apprehensive due to the apocalyptic element. This isn’t a genre I typically prefer. Luckily, I didn’t find it terribly intrusive. Godfrey skillfully balanced the personal and apocalyptic elements.

The plot centered on Glen Masters, who was still grieving his wife’s death six years earlier. He set out on a road trip through the Appalachian Mountains with his teenage daughter, Lauren, hoping to reconnect with her. Their journey took a harrowing turn at a roadside diner when armed men burst in, shouted about a rumored “living water” that destroyed people nearby. What started out as a prank escalated into terror when the diners found themselves on lockdown, trapped between deranged gunmen and a deadly, supernatural entity that appeared to be water itself.

Adam Godfrey delivered both a devastating and deeply human narrative. “Body of Water” pulled me under with grief, love, and fear—and didn’t let go until the very end. I appreciated how Godfrey balanced fear with feeling and therefore created an immersive fusion of psychological, supernatural, and survival horror. Likewise, Godfrey excelled at building unease through sensory detail. I particularly liked how He used sharp and haunting imagery to evoke dread. It made me feel every breath of tension making it an immersive read.

All in all, “Body of Water” wasn’t just a supernatural thriller—it’s an intense, emotionally driven story about loss, the strength of family connections, and the fight to survive. I recommend this for readers who enjoy stories where the paranormal is rooted in emotional trauma, drawn to stories with strong parent-child dynamics, and like claustrophobic, high-stakes survival scenarios.

Thanks Net Galley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an advance copy of Adam Godfrey’s “Body of Water” in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars

✨✨✨There’s something wrong with the water….✨✨✨

Ahhh!!! That ending!!!!!!!!!!!

Body of Water captured my interest right away, but honestly I did struggle somewhere around the middle to stay invested. I think it just needed a little more action in the middle there. I sure am glad I kept reading though, because it picked back up quickly and that plot twist was INCREDIBLE!!! 👏 👏

In the blurb where it says this is like The Mist meets The Last of Us, that is pretty accurate. Other than the plot twist, my favorite part of this book was the atmosphere. I’m a huge sucker for excellent atmospheric writing. I really enjoyed this one!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free ebook copy in exchange for an honest review. This book is expected to be released September 23, 2025.

This is one of those crazy books that gets crazier with every page! Glen and daughter, Lauren are on a road trip when they get stranded in a diner during a storm.. But apparently the water has a mind of its own and is personified as a monster. The novel is about so many things: conspiracy theories, PTSD, but mostly about people of all ethnicities coming together in a crisis!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

4.5 rounded up

My heart was racing 85% of this book. This may be one of the best paranormal thrillers I've ever read. I was able to figure out part of the big twist at the end, however, nothing prepared me for everything that was going to happen. The ending was phenomenal, and one that will sit with me for a while.

I'm going to go ahead and call Adam Godfrey a literary genius, ok?

The way the plot twist comes at you in this one will have you shaking your head in disbelief after realizing there were so many hidden moments that you didn’t even notice that lead RIGHT to the major omg moment. I feel like this one could be a great movie. I went into it hoping for something similar to Stephen Kings The Mist and I really did get what I was hoping for. The world building was insane but I would’ve loved to see more of the Water. I feel like there could be so many books after this one just opening up the world more!

Thank you for this Arc sourcebooks!

Eerie and disturbing tale of suspense that is reminiscent of Stephen King's early writing. This book will ensure that you never again contemplate a body of water, whether a puddle or a river...without a shudder of dread/horror shuddering down your backbone... Recommended read.

4.5 Stars

WOW!! I was kind of blown away by Body of Water. This is a slow burn thriller, that explores a father/daughter relationship amidst the backdrop of sentient water that is causing a possible apocalyptic event. Godfrey creates great tension with eight strangers isolated in a diner, and the panic that ensues as they try to work together to survive.

Each of the different characters' personalities kept the story interesting, and I loved seeing the relationship development between the two main characters, as they faced uncertain moments. The story itself is really great and I loved it for what it was (there's a really good The Last of Us vibe), but the twist at the end, was definitely mind-blowing and I absolutely loved it!!

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐨 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭:
* Trauma
* Gore/Horror
* Tension & Suspense
* Loss & Grief
* The Last of Us Vibe
* Slow Burn
* Complicated Relationships

𝐈𝐬 𝐈𝐭 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐲?
🥶 (No)

If you love slow burn thrillers with complex characters and situations, and a fight for survival against the unexpected, then I would highly recommend Body of Water.

This is my first time reading Adam Godfrey but I'll definitely be back for more! I picked this book up yesterday and finished it this morning. It was that hard to put down! I loved that the threat was something almost impossible to avoid, water!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this digital arc!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me access this book!

Still not sure how I want to rate this, though it was definitely a 2 or 3 star read for me and anything I say to give my reasons for that rating will spoil the plot, so you are warned. First, the description read like a sci-Fi horror/thriller which is very much up my alley, but instead it was a sci-Fi more like the matrix, but without the dramatics of a dystopian government regime. Instead, someone wants to rewrite history for themself and (based on the ending) does so successfully while potentially bringing something truly apocalyptic with it.

The idea that everything was happening inside the main character’s head was interesting, but ultimately left me feel annoyed that I’d spent time reading the book. I understand it’s meant to be a take on processing grief in a unique and experimental way, but it just distasteful. Especially given that the main character was so desperate to change the choice he made that it seems like he sacrificed his wife’s place in reality to bring his daughter back to life, while terrifying the daughter in the process. If this had been billed better and given more of a hint at the twist, I might have liked it better, but it just felt hollow to me after the grief of losing all the characters in terrible ways only to learn they never really existed.

This was an addictive thriller with a hawk dropping twist I did not see coming.

This was so clever. The characters were all intriguing in their own right. The creepy undercurrent really pushed the suspense. This is definitely the kind of book you want to go back and read again because you'll see so many things you missed.