3.5 stars. The writing of this book was phenomenal. I wanted to highlight every other sentence simply because the prose read so well. The characters were also incredibly fleshed out. The biggest reason for the mid rating was that the ending wasn't what I wanted. There were signs that the story would end one way and it ended a bit more predictably than I'd hoped, but it still read well for a hundred-something-page horror story. *SPOILER INCOMING* I was convinced that The Mouth was an allegory for dementia and was really disappointed when it wasn't, but the fantastical elements played out nicely. I enjoyed reading it, and I would read it again, but I wanted a bit more of a *gasp* plot twist than what I received. Overall, a wonderful story told.

Rating: 4/5 ⭐️

Thank you to the author for approving my request, and netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Ken allenwood is an author by profession. What's interesting and something which draws people to him is, the fact that he's super old. Ancient even. He's had dementia, and a rather weird past. And Elijah, a 13 yr who has way too much spare time on his hands, often comes to meet Ken. Spending his time listening to the threads Ken weaves for him, sometimes believing them and sometimes not. Tierney, who's a relative of Elijahs’ ,is a caretaker at the elderly home, where Ken resides. Eventually, Ken's dementia progressing. With gruesome murders taking place, Elijah and Tierney grow curious as well as worried, about to the fact that Ken might have an underlying connection to them. Almost, as if it's a puzzle, they begin to connect the pieces of Ken's rambles to the horrible events that creep closer, adding in their own interpretations.


What I liked:
1. The writing!! The prose was beautiful. I also loved how bible- esque the prose was in the beginning. Authentic.
2. Plot: kept me wondering and deducing all the while I was reading.
3. The length: With the perfect amount of pages, this was binge-able, and a great read to pick up after a bad slump.
4. The horror and the gore were vivid. Loved it.

What I disliked:
1. The last plot twist: My deductions were wrong, and highly off mark, yet, I felt a bit underwhelmed with the ending. But it made sense.

Genuinely good read!