Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc.

The Red Possession was a creepy, unsettling read that took the very real physical and emotional changes of perimenopause and twisted them into something much more sinister. I loved the idea of a woman questioning whether what she’s experiencing is her body betraying her, her mind unraveling, or something truly supernatural.
Viv was an interesting protagonist, and I appreciated having a woman in her forties at the center of a horror story. She’s already dealing with a painful breakup and frightening changes to her body when things begin getting even stranger. The mysterious appearances of blood and uncontrollable bursts of rage create an increasing sense that something is terribly wrong. Then there’s the Devil’s Heart Diamond, a cursed family heirloom that immediately had me thinking, Viv, maybe we shouldn’t keep that in the house!
The ambiguity surrounding what Viv can trust was one of my favorite parts. Between conflicting explanations, a psychic medium with questionable credibility, people in her life who may have their own motivations, and Viv’s increasing doubts about her own senses, there’s a wonderful feeling of uncertainty running through the story.
I also liked that the horror felt connected to Viv’s anger, grief, and fear rather than simply relying on supernatural scares. There’s something particularly disturbing about not being able to trust your own body or emotions, and the story uses that vulnerability to create an increasingly claustrophobic atmosphere. The cursed diamond and the evil attached to it add another layer of dread as Viv realizes there may be far more happening to her than hormones alone can explain.
A few elements could have used more development for me, and there were moments when I wanted the pacing to move a little faster, which kept this from reaching five stars. Still, I thought the premise was original, the atmosphere was effectively creepy, and Viv was a protagonist I wanted to see fight her way through everything being thrown at her.
The Red Possession is a dark and disturbing story about rage, grief, trauma, and the terror of feeling like you’re losing control of yourself. If you like psychological horror with supernatural elements, complicated characters, cursed objects, and a creeping sense that something is very, very wrong, this is one to check out.

Wowwwww!!! This was creepy, entertaining and addictive!

I think every perimenopausal woman could immediately relate to the frustration of hormones but this book to it to another level and through in the creepy factor.

Loved loved love this book!!

This was creepy, unsettling, and definitely got under my skin. I loved the psychological horror vibe and how tense it felt throughout. Such a disturbing but addictive read!

“The Red Possession” by Jenna Moquin had me hooked from the start! This one was creepy, unsettling, and suspenseful, and I couldn’t put it down! It’s a great thriller with supernatural elements that kept me on edge and wanting to know what would happen next. It’s definitely a creepy and intense read!

This one was an intensely creepy, heart-pounding horror story that had me completely on edge and reading with the lights on! It’s such an addictively dark, spine-chilling ride packed with terrifying supernatural forces, suffocating dread, and a relentless build of tension, delivering jaw-dropping scares and an unhinged, haunting atmosphere that will leave you absolutely paralyzed with suspense!

The Red Possession
Jenna Moquin
Pub date: October 13, 2026

Jenna is a wonderful author and this is the second book I’ve read of hers.

The storyline in The Red Possession was great but I got lost a few times with some of the characters, which was easy to figure out after reading a bit more. Relatable, tense, and deeply atmospheric—a fast-paced read for fans of psychological suspense.

Thank you to Anne at Victory Editing and NetGalley Co-op for an early ARC in exchange for my review.

The Red Possession is a dark, engaging story that blends psychological tension with a touch of the supernatural in a way that feels both unsettling and believable. I liked how Moquin builds the horror around personal vulnerability and the slow unraveling of control rather than big dramatic moments. The possession element is handled with a steady, character‑focused approach that made the emotional parts land just as strongly as the eerie ones. A solid, memorable read that balances horror and humanity really well.

Received as an ARC from NetGalley

It was a good read. Viv was a bit unhinged with her visions and her actions. The demon got the best of her. It was an interesting read. At times it did feel like it was dragging

Apparently forty-something wasn't already complicated enough. Now we're adding demonic possession.

Viv Marshall is newly single, perimenopausal, furious at basically everyone, and increasingly convinced something is wrong with her. Hot flashes? Sure. Mood swings? Fine. But unexplained blood appearing around the house and violent thoughts that seem to be getting harder to control?

That feels a little outside the normal hormonal brochure.

Then Viv discovers the Devil's Heart Diamond, a cursed family heirloom with a history that suggests her body might not actually be the biggest problem here.

This premise is wild, and I mean that as a compliment.

What I liked most about The Red Possession was how Jenna Moquin takes the very real experience of a woman being told that frightening changes are simply hormones, stress, or age and asks: What if everyone dismissing her is wrong?

There's possession and supernatural horror here, but there's also anger, grief, trauma, aging, and the terrifying experience of no longer trusting your own mind or body. Add a questionable psychic, a cursed diamond, an ex who wants back into the picture, and some spectacularly inappropriate internal thoughts, and Viv certainly isn't having the quiet midlife reset she probably envisioned.

I just wanted the book to go harder.

The creepy moments worked, but there were stretches where I felt like I was waiting for the story to fully unleash the horror promised by that fantastic setup. The pacing occasionally dragged, and I wanted a little more clarity and development around some of the supernatural elements.

But boring premise? Absolutely not.

There are a thousand possession stories out there. I can't remember another one that made me wonder whether the protagonist needed an exorcist, hormone replacement therapy, or possibly both.

Give this one to the horror reader who wants something different. If female rage, body horror, cursed family heirlooms, psychological uncertainty, dark humor, and supernatural horror sound like your particular brand of nightmare, The Red Possession deserves a spot on your October TBR.

Thank you to Victory Editing, NetGalley, and Jenna Moquin for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book is the first horror/ supernatural genre I have ever read. The starting of the book was good: creepy and hooked.
The connection of Viv and Bruce was somewhat keep me reading through. I like how she decided to be stronger to fight the demon and protect Bruce. The end was shocked and unexpected to me.

Only downside is that I am not sure what the point of the boyfriend character in this story because seems like it was not necessary in the story. Anything related to the boyfriend makes me want to skip.

Overall, it is kind of book you can finish in one sit for relax and not want to invest too much in each character. It can be good recommended for new fans of character-focused horror.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc.

The tension, the dark romance, and the messy characters kept me interested. It was intense, spicy, and definitely not for the faint of heart. If you love dark romance with a possessive edge this one is worth picking up.