This was insanely good and had me unable to put it down! This is everything I wanted from an experimentation book, and more. It dove so much deeper than just the experiment itself, giving us history and demons and occultism. Absolute *chefs kiss*.

I dont know what it is about horror stories involving eyes just give me the creeps. I realised very early on that this probably wasnt the best book for me to read before bed as it deals with sleep experiments and that state just before you fall asleep.

On that note though i loved this book its pacing was good, the creepy feels were brilliant. The only thing i would of liked was more on the original participants.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

A strange experiment about the colors and shapes someone sees behind their eyelids has had repercussions, especially for a high school teacher who lost his friends years ago during the first round twenty years in the past. His whole town suspected that he murdered his friends, while he was adamant that the Fovea Experiment is what started it all. When a young up-and-coming true crime YouTuber makes a video about the original case that goes viral, the suspicion is once again turned toward the teacher. When the daughter of the original scientist returns again with a new round of the experiments, deaths begin happening anew. Can he put a stop to it before it destroys his life again?

I have been searching for the feeling of the old school experiment-based creepypastas I read on sketchy forums when I was younger, and this definitely scratched that itch in a decent way. I appreciated that the story was told from different perspectives throughout the book to make it feel like something like this could happen to the everyday person. Your yoga teacher, your babysitter, or the one who got away.

One thing I would have loved for there to be more of would've been more of the experiments with more details about what was actually happening in the experiments to bring about the happenings of the novel. I also didn't feel very personally connected with the characters because of how fast-paced the novel is, but I didn't mind that aspect, because I wanted to keep the pages turning to find out what was going to happen next.

With that said, I don't think I'm ever going to see the colors and shapes behind my eyelids as I'm falling asleep without thinking of the Fovea Experiments! Overall, it was an entertaining fast paced read. People who love some gory, body horror novels will love this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Wicked House Publishing for providing me with this novel.

Thank you NetGalley and Wicked House Publishing for this ARC.

The same experiment. Twenty years later. One survivor. Can he stop it from happening again?

"The Fovea Experiments" by MJ Mars follows Josh, a seemingly "normal" schoolteacher, as the past he tried so hard to suppress begins to resurface. When Nala, one of his students, suggests his involvement in the mass hysteria of the Fovea Experiment through a true-crime Youtube video, he is forced to confront the horrors of his past. Twenty years later, the experiment is happening again and Josh may be the only one who can stop it.

I thoroughly enjoyed the concept behind the Fovea Experiments and it is unlike anything I have seen before. The characters are relatable and well-developed. I found myself so immersed in the novel that I did not think of "DNF-ing" it at any point. There was always something exciting to look forward to.

The scenes were set efficiently and added to the overall suspense of the novel. The novel is written in the third person and maintains a moderate pace for the first 85% of the book and gradually increases towards the end. The transitions between chapters are smooth and the chapters are an appropriate length. If I had one critique, it would be that the ending felt a bit rushed. I would have preferred if the ending was more developed.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this novel. If you enjoy disturbing horror novels, I definitely recommend the Fovea Experiments.

I loved this book!
I did not know what to expect and as I kept reading I found myself more surprised to find out more gruesome details. The book itself has many gory moments so if you are squeamish just prepare for the detail. As someone with the attention span on a 4 year old, I was fully enveloped in this story. The plot is solid in my opinion and although there are so many characters it's very easy to follow and not get confused. If you're looking for a quick, fun, and slightly disturbing book to read this might be the one for you :)

I enjoyed how creepy this book was but it was hard to feel attached to anyone because of how my povs this book had. Pacing was also a little slow in the middle and then the end felt a smidge rushed. Overall, this book gave me the creepy feelings I was looking for!

If you like short, snappy horror then please let me recommend The Fovea Experiments by M.J. Mars.

Gripping storyline and just the right amount of grotesque horror, deliciously vicious- The Fovea Experiments takes its reader into the cult life of bringing demons through human eyes.

I absolutely enjoyed the horror aspect but it wasn't just a mindless rampage- the story is thoughtful and engaging. It builds backstory and character connections driving it forward at a page turning pace.

Horror is one of my favourite genres from teen years and this book reaches all those bookish itches that a reader wants from a horror.

M. J. Mars will be an author I'll want to read more from.

My appreciation goes to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review The Fovea Experiments.

Well-written, thought-provoking and chilling story that is best to go into blind! I didn’t know what was happening with the experiment and the reveals were 🤯. Another winner by MJ Mars and highly recommended for horror and thriller readers! Thanks for the opportunity to read!

I just absolutely loved this book! First of all it’s well written, it goes smoothly, it’s easy to follow and the characters are well distinctive from one another!
The story is fantastic, I had no idea what was behind the whole experiment thing until it’s been actually revealed and I didn’t see that coming!
I loved how old ways communicated well with new way of young people today, it didn’t make me feel disconnected but quite the opposite, which was refreshing!

I absolutely recommend!

I really enjoyed the grotesque aspects of this book. There are moments that are genuinely disturbing in all the right ways. The twists kept me hooked, and I loved the fresh take on what “The Fovea Experiments” could be. It plays with urban horror and sleep science in a unique, unsettling way.

That said, some of the tension didn’t quite land for me. There were scenes where I felt like I should be scared, but the buildup didn’t deliver enough punch. The final act, while chaotic and full of promise, felt a bit underdeveloped, though I absolutely loved the ending. It was satisfying and sharp, and it left me wanting more.

If you’re into body horror, dark conspiracies, and modern-day occult vibes, this is worth picking up.

the book would benefit form one last editing round for pacing anf tension build.

I must thank NetGalley for sending me this ARC.

An 'experiment' about what people see when keeping their eyes closed before falling asleep ends in the weird deaths of many.

A teenager starts investigating what happened and it seems that someone is organising the same experiment all over again.

I can't spoil it, but I must say it's quite disturbing, yet engaging. I was gripped by this story. The only thing that bothered me was the fact that an incompetent person was describing as fat in a nasty way. Why associate the two things?

Other than that, there was nothing I found wrong with it. It reminded me of a folk tale I read in my childhood. Took a walk down memory lane. I loved the concept. And the fact that it doesn't go the way most people would expect it to.

What a great horror novel. I love that each chapter is from a different perspective to get a whole picture of the story. It’s very gory and very descriptive about what has happened to the victims. The ending was not expected, but it wrapped up the story very nicely. Read this if you love a good horror novel with gore, twists, and eye popping gasps.

Via Netgalley kun je allerlei boeken lezen die nog uit moeten komen in ruil voor een bespreking. Zo heb ik toch al best een aantal leuke boeken ontdekt, zo ook dit The Fovea Experiments van MJ Mars. Voor horrorliefhebbers die van wat bloederigheid en goorheid houden en die niet vies zijn van wat bovennatuurlijke en occulte elementen is dit een prima horrorverhaal.

Nala heeft een true-crime YouTubekanaal waar ze vertelt over oude moordzaken. Ze krijgt het dossier in handen dat gaat over tieners die in de jaren 2000 overleden nadat ze meededen aan een slaapexperiment. Ze komt erachter dat haar leraar de enige overlevende is van dit experiment en verdenkt hem ervan dat hij schuldig is aan de sterfgevallen van zijn vrienden. Toch verandert alles wanneer blijkt dat het slaapexperiment opnieuw plaatsvindt en dat de arts achter het experiment bereid is om tot het uiterste te gaan.

Onuitstaanbare personages
Mars heeft een heel fijne, makkelijk leesbare schrijfstijl en heeft gekozen voor een fijne opbouw, waarbij je vanuit verschillende perspectieven steeds meer te weten komt over wat er precies aan de hand is met de experimenten. Zoals het horror betaamt is er een aantal onuitstaanbare personages die het natuurlijk niet al te lang volhouden (lees: die al vrij snel op gruwelijke wijze aan hun einde komen). Daarentegen zijn de hoofdkarakters eigenlijk stuk voor stuk sympathiek en hoop je als lezer continu dat de waarheid aan het licht komt en er een einde komt aan de duistere praktijken rondom de experimenten.

Mars beschrijft zeer expliciet hoe de deelnemers aan het experiment één voor één sterven. Ze schrikt daarbij zeker niet terug voor gore, bloederige details. Het zijn experimenten die om de fovea draaien, een deel in het oog waar het zicht het scherpst is en in de dagen dat ik dit boek las, dacht ik toch wel even twee keer na voordat ik ’s avonds mijn ogen dichtdeed om te gaan slapen.

Uit de bocht
Zoals echter bij zoveel horrorverhalen vliegt de boel richting het einde een beetje uit de bocht. Ik houd ervan wanneer verhalen iets te maken hebben met het occulte, maar hier werd het me in de uitwerking uiteindelijk toch allemaal net wat te gortig. Ik kon dan ook niet helemaal meegaan in de wendingen die het verhaal in de laatste hoofdstukken neemt en die ik toch te ver van de realiteit vond staan.

Hoewel ik niet onverdeeld enthousiast ben over The Fovea Experiments, vond ik deze horror wel uiterst vermakelijk en zeker de eerste helft heb ik met ongelooflijk veel plezier gelezen. En daar gaat het natuurlijk allemaal om in horror, om te kunnen genieten van alles waar je eigenlijk niet van zou mogen genieten. Wat dat betreft is Mars met vlag en wimpel geslaagd.

Not at all what I was hoping for from this book. Cover goes so hard but the book itself ends up feeling like a mid level old-school creepypasta.

Personally, I am very much into the weird & wonderful side of YouTube and to be honest, I would probably subscribe to Nala’s channel!

I genuinely struggled to put this book down because it had me on edge the whole time I was reading it, and I needed to know what was going to happen. Although there were numerous characters mentioned throughout the novel, how it’s written makes it so much easier to digest, and I didn’t struggle remembering who was who.

The Fovea Experiments is the perfect length for a book of this genre and even though it was on the shorter side compared to others, it doesn’t mean it’s lacking in gore. There were times I genuinely had my face screwed up while reading some of what the characters were going through!

Well, this was a wild ride!
Fast-paced and terrifying. As a person who struggles with sleep, I did not need to read this!
The story picks up immediately and keeps going. No one is safe. I loved the occult aspect and using a sleep experiment to open up pathways for demons.
There were times it felt like too many characters were coming into play, but it all makes sense and is easy to follow.
A solid, quick read that was very satisfying until the end!

MJ has created an incredibly creepy tale here. Sleep experiments with participants dying in gruesome manners after attending. Yikes!!

I was definitely getting the heebie jeebies throughout the story. I can’t say that I overly liked or got to know any of the characters. It was so fast paced, probably extending the story would’ve worked in this case. If we had more time with the initial participants and the new ones, I think their deaths would’ve been more meaningful. Instead we zoom through a couple pages here and there with the current study attendees POVs, and then they… well… you know… ☠️

The ending was intense, but again, wayyy too quick. It didn’t feel meaningful for the main narrators that just went through an insane ordeal. Very “throw a bow on it” and DONE!

Definitely give it a read, but I personally do like some of the author’s other works of horror a bit more.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Wicked House Publishing for a copy!

Interesting concept but I just had a hard time with some of the important details. I don’t want to give anything away so this will be vague. Sorry.
Some things just cannot happen. Just because you are told about them doesn’t mean it will start happening. The shapes that you see when you close your eyes have always been there and we have all tried focusing on them to see what it may be. Participating in this experiment no way increased the likelihood that something was going to come through. Those running the experiment did nothing to the participants from what I read.
I couldn’t get past this and it clouded my whole experience

Thank you, NetGalley and MJ Mars, for the ARC. I leave this review voluntarily and happily. Also, thank you publishers for your hard work!

This was definitely a weird one. I had no idea what I was getting into. It definitely made me say what the fuck is going on once things started to happen. This book definitely makes you think twice about some things while you are falling asleep i can tell you that. It gave me goosebumps. The details had me cringing and the characters I really liked them and connected with the two main ones. A good warning if child death is not ok with you there is a scene in here and its descriptive. It made me cry and gods I really loved the character. There is definitely death throughout the book.

You think about all those experiments that ask for people to participate in this book will having you say HELL NO! By the end of it all. You just don't know what could happen out there. Or who the people behind the experiments really are. My words to you are be safe!

ARC Review -

Goodness what a ride! What happens when you read a book about sleep experiments? You don’t sleep 😆 I absolutely loved this book! It was so fast paced with so many twists! Do you remember reading about the Russian sleep experiment years ago on creepypasta? This gave me those vibes but even creepier. I found myself not wanting to pay attention to colors that would pop up in my sights whenever I closed my eyes 😆and I’m pretty sure I had a dream about cone shaped eyelids. I couldn’t put it down. There were multiple POVs from people that experienced the same thing and it was so interesting to see how it unfolded and how everyone was connected somehow.

BLUF: sleep experiments + the occult + mystery + horror