Just when I thought i had this one figured out. It stopped me in my tracks. I didn't see most of it coming until it did. I'm glad I was able to read this one. So good.

This genre is not my typical go-to , but it seemed interesting enough to give it a chance. The story is interesting in that it is more supernatural spooky than just a typical crime related thriller, which I appreciated.

I enjoyed the time jumps, the narration taking us through different points in the main character's life. The way the author tells us the events helps lead up to the ultimate twist which was a nice surprise. Since I don't often read this genre, I didn't see the twist until I was right on top of it.

For the thriller genre this was a fun read. I read it in a single day just so I could get to the end. I needed to find out what was actually going on. The horror element is what pushed it to a 4 from me instead of a 3.

This suburban horror was greatly suspenseful and packed with unease. Tragedy after tragedy weigh heavily on main characters Ben and Amber. When the fires of the past are finally snuffed and the truth is laid bare, readers will be surprised to see who these characters really are!

A very gripping story. I was interested in both the young kids and adult versions of the story. I found myself wanting the kids portion to become less and less and I felt like I fully understand how bad the situation was far before it kept being drilled into the story. It came to feel that the ongoing assaults were just trying to build shock factor. I thought that may have retracted from the overall story and could have edited down some of that. It got so bad that by halfway through the kids stories I was no longer believing anyone would be friends with this kid, and there would be no way that he would not have been in trouble with the law multiple times and in serious fashion. The fact no one told on him ever just felt insane and made me lose the buy-in I had hoped to maintain. Less could be more. I enjoyed the writing, and the feelings the writer developed were stirring. story concept is a 5.
Thank you for the Arc

This book gave off an unsettling, disturbing, look behind your shoulder kind of feel.

Quick synopsis: Amber, her husband Ben and two kids have just moved in to her recently deceased parent’s house. As soon as they move in, strange things begin to happen. Amber starts seeing things within the closets and mirrors. It’s not just things that she’s seeing she also is having other sensory type feelings. There are two timelines one in the present and one in the past revisiting Amber’s childhood. To go any further would involve spoilers so that’s just the basic gist of it.

I found the present timeline very confusing, which coincided with what Amber was feeling. I was grasping for answers as much as Amber was. The past timeline was ultimately my favorite because while it was completely disturbing to me, it gave a good glimpse into what made these characters who they were in the present day. The ending gave a nice little twist which pulled everything together well but then it became too drawn out. There was a point that I think it should’ve ended, but then it kept going that it kind of gave me a bit of an eye roll. But that’s just a minor quibble.

Thinking back onto the novel as a whole it almost seemed like there were two genres intertwined, the thriller aspect, and then the horror aspect. There was one component /character that I felt didn’t fit both of those aspects and was kind of a loose end. But other than that, both genres were woven together really well.

This is a great spooky season read and definitely a bit on the disturbing side. Maybe make sure your doors are locked and you have your nightlight plugged in.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

I actually really enjoyed this book. It was spooky pretty much through the whole book. I like the duel timelines. I didn’t guess the twist until the end. I felt the book was pretty well developed and didn’t have a lot of plot holes. Would definitely recommend to anyone as we approach the Halloween season!

I found 80% of this story to be pretty boring and over the top. It’s filled with unlikable characters which was hard for me to continue to read about, and although the ending is satisfying, I still found the ghostly plot a bit weird and hard to take seriously and I just thought it could of been written better.

These Familiar Walls is the kind of horror that creeps under your skin and stays there. C.J. Dotson takes suburban life, with its cul-de-sacs and supposedly safe routines, and twists it into something brutal.

Amber’s story unfolds in two timelines: the late nineties, when a lonely girl falls in love with a boy with fire in his veins and nothing in his eyes, and the present day, when that choice returns to claim her family home. The story begins as trauma and grief but moves into full-blown supernatural terror. The house itself breathes and listens, her reflection refuses to obey, and shadows whisper the secrets Amber thought she buried decades ago.

What I loved most is how this novel balances raw violence with psychological dread. The pacing is relentless., This book left me unsettled in the best way.

#cjdotson #thesefamiliarwalls #stmartinspress

Wow, this entranced me from start to finish! My heart was pounding and I found myself making excuses to slip away and read more. A truly captivating story.

This was definitely a chilling suburban horror novel that caught me off guard. This is a hard book to review without giving spoilers but I found myself intrigued which kept me turning the pages!

When Amber and her husband and 2 kids move into her family home after the brutal double murder of her parents, the house doesn’t seem to want them there. We go back and forth in time to Amber’s childhood friend who was the one who later returned to murder her parents.

I will say things were not what they seemed in this book. The twist at the end really shocked me and that’s hard to do!

When I chose to read this book, I had never heard of the author before and, so, I did not know what to expect, which means I didn't go in having high hopes. I was surprised with how much I kept picking this book back up to not only see what would happen next, but to figure out what the heck was going on! This book opened in a way that really captured me, something thrilling with a mystery left hanging, but I was sure I had figured it out very early on. While some parts of this book may feel like you've figured it out, lean into the things that don't make sense to you yet and let it carry you to the end. There were definitely some twists and things that did make sense later, while I was still able to have that feeling of "yep, I did call that part at least!" Trying to leave this vague for an early review, but if you like horror and hauntings this will satisfy that itch. Perfect for a fall read. Is the main character seeing something paranormal or having perceptual disturbances? It's one of those that you'll have to work out (or find out at the end). I felt like that there was a satisfying end to the book as well in that you aren't left wondering. This book jumps back-and-forth between two time periods, sometimes three, but it is very easy to follow and understand what's happening and why. There were some parts that I wish were explored more, but I liked the length of this book and was okay not having those explored and imagining some things. There aren't extra "nobody" characters and I definitely had some scared moments reading this book in bed, in the dark, alone at night! It made sense that the setting was the house in question throughout the book, but the reader should also be prepared for the story to pretty much all take place there so no change of scenery although the differing times help with that. I would read more by this author and happy I gave it a chance. I rated this a 4.75, but 5 when there are no "in-between" ratings.

Whew! What a read! This book hooked me from the very start! It definitely starts out rather gruesome with a double homicide and then we dive into the weird and creepy! Odd reflections, sounds, shadows, whispers, flames, confusion, trance-like states, etc. I was invested and found it hard to put the book down. I figured out one of the main twists part way through, but in the last 40 pages there were several other twists that I did not see coming! It was definitely great for a horror/thriller, kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat, so to speak. I also enjoyed how it went from present day to the past so you could gain some insight into the background for the FMC.

HONESTLY if it wasn't for the ending I would have given this 2 stars. I won't spoil anything but the entire book I kept wondering why these characters were acting this way and after finishing the book it ended up making sense.

Whew! What a read! This book hooked me from the very start! It definitely starts out rather gruesome with a double homicide and then we dive into the weird and creepy! Odd reflections, sounds, shadows, whispers, flames, confusion, trance-like states, etc. I was invested and found it hard to put the book down. I figured out one of the main twists part way through, but in the last 40 pages there were several other twists that I did not see coming! It was definitely great for a horror/thriller, kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat, so to speak. I also enjoyed how it went from present day to the past so you could gain some insight into the background for the FMC.

Some potential triggering content:
- Animal abuse
- Child harming another child
- Mentally skewed viewpoint
- Arson
- Homicides
- Revenge

haunting blend of supernatural horror and psychological suspense that lingers long after the final fiery climax. What begins as a brutal home invasion spirals into a chilling haunted house tale where grief, memory, and malevolence collide. Just when you think you’ve figured it out, Dotson drops a devastating twist that reframes everything. This is a masterpiece for modern horror.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for giving me the privilege of reading this advanced copy! This was my first one and what an experience. I can honestly say this story was gripping, horrifying and left me gasping. I’m typically the kind of reader who can see a plot twist fairly quickly but C. J. Dotson got me good in “These Familiar Walls” Without giving spoilers I can say I was truly afraid to read this book home alone, the scenes played out in my head and stayed with me long after I put it down. I love a good dual timeline that helps with giving context to current situations the characters are facing. I wish this book was coming out this fall so that I could recommend it for a fall TBR but nonetheless I will tell all my spooky readers to pick up this paranormal, psychological thriller!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.

The best way I can describe this book is brutal. The twists are brutal, the plot is brutal, it's just all around a brutal book. Just when you think you've got it all figured out, Dotson comes in with another brutal twist.

This was such a fun read. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

C.J. Dotson’s “These Familiar Walls” is a haunting, gut-punch of a story that combines supernatural horror with psychological suspense, leaving you unsettled long after the final fiery climax that shows the power of a mother’s love.

The story begins with a brutal home invasion that claims the lives of Amber’s estranged parents. In the wake of the tragedy, Amber, her husband, and their two young children move into the family home—a decision that almost immediately proves chilling. What should be a fresh start quickly devolves into a waking nightmare. Strange occurrences plague Amber: ghostly figures in mirrors, intrusive thoughts, and an eerie sense that her mind and even her family is no longer her own.

Told in shifting timelines between the pandemic-era present and Amber’s turbulent childhood, Dotson skillfully weaves a dual narrative. In the past, we meet Nathan, the unsettling neighbor boy whose sociopathic tendencies leave deep scars on Amber and her sister, Hannah. In the present, the haunting inside the house forces Amber to confront not only lingering trauma but also disturbing parallels between Nathan’s past obsessions and her own family’s unraveling.

The supernatural tension is relentless, with the house itself seemingly conspiring against its occupants as both Amber and her husband become obsessed with fire, which is how Amber’s sister died in the recent past. Dotson doesn’t rely solely on ghostly scares; the story also digs into complex family dynamics, grief, and the blurred lines between memory, madness, and malevolence. While Nathan clearly demonstrated sociopathic tendencies as a young adult, you can also tell something isn’t quite right with Amber as well. The setting of the Covid-19 pandemic adds a claustrophobic edge, amplifying the isolation and dread.

Just when you think you’ve pieced the story together, Dotson delivers a devastating twist around the 80% mark that redefines everything you thought you knew about the characters and their past. It’s bold, shocking, and transforms the story from a chilling haunted house tale into something far darker and more layered. The conclusion, which is a chaotic, fiery reckoning, ties the threads together in a way that is both horrifying and strangely poignant, highlighting the power of choices, consequences, and a mother’s desperate love.

With atmospheric writing, disturbing characters, and twists that will blindside even seasoned horror readers, “These Familiar Walls” is a standout in contemporary horror fiction. Perfect for fans of anyone who craves a story where the terror seeps under your skin, this book proves that sometimes the most frightening walls are the ones we know best.

3.5 stars rounded to 4

I found this strangely satisfying. Rather than growing and changing, the characters' natures are revealed as present circumstances dredge up the past. The plot was comforting in its familiarity yet original enough to be entertaining