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Incidents Around the House
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Horror (2024)A chilling horror novel about a haunting told from the perspective of a young girl whose troubled family is targeted by an entity she calls “Other Mommy,” from the New York Times bestselling author of Bird Box
To eight-year-old Bela, her family is her world. There’s Mommy, Daddo, and Grandma Ruth. But there is also Other Mommy, a malevolent entity who asks her every day: “Can I go inside your heart?”
When horrifying incidents around the house signal that Other Mommy is growing tired of asking Bela the same question, over and over . . . Bela understands that unless she says yes, soon her family must pay.
Other Mommy is getting restless, stronger, bolder. Only the bonds of family can keep Bela safe but other incidents show cracks in her parents' marriage. The safety Bela relies on is on the brink of unraveling.
But Other Mommy needs an answer.
Incidents Around the House is a chilling, wholly unique tale of true horror told by the child Bela. A story about a family as haunted as their home.
To eight-year-old Bela, her family is her world. There’s Mommy, Daddo, and Grandma Ruth. But there is also Other Mommy, a malevolent entity who asks her every day: “Can I go inside your heart?”
When horrifying incidents around the house signal that Other Mommy is growing tired of asking Bela the same question, over and over . . . Bela understands that unless she says yes, soon her family must pay.
Other Mommy is getting restless, stronger, bolder. Only the bonds of family can keep Bela safe but other incidents show cracks in her parents' marriage. The safety Bela relies on is on the brink of unraveling.
But Other Mommy needs an answer.
Incidents Around the House is a chilling, wholly unique tale of true horror told by the child Bela. A story about a family as haunted as their home.
367 pages, Hardcover
First published June 25, 2024
About the author
Josh Malerman
87 books7,792 followersJosh Malerman is the New York Times best selling author of BIRD BOX, MALORIE, GOBLIN, PEARL, GHOUL n THE CAPE, and more.
He's also one of two singer/songwriter for the rock band The High Strung.
He's also one of two singer/songwriter for the rock band The High Strung.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 11,000 reviews
October 26, 2024
unsure on if my bar for being scared by horror is extremely high or this book is another case of a thriller / horror being overhyped. the point of view was something i really enjoyed and i thought would bring the spooky factor into full affect with this book, when instead the author wrote the 8 year old like she was 4. meanwhile adults are having full on conversations with her like she is their co worker.
almost every adult in this book is a complete failure in so many ways, i didn’t find the ‘other mommy’ to be scary at all. it all became so repetitive and tired after 30%…. i mean do we learn nothing.
the ending is a whole other thing, the last 20% is confusing in a horrible way and feels like we left so many plot holes and just started doing things that made zero sense. and it was extremely predictable after everything.
overall, the beginning and the point of view at first had me hooked for the first 35%… after that we slowly (or i should actually say quickly) FELL AND ROLLED down hill.
almost every adult in this book is a complete failure in so many ways, i didn’t find the ‘other mommy’ to be scary at all. it all became so repetitive and tired after 30%…. i mean do we learn nothing.
the ending is a whole other thing, the last 20% is confusing in a horrible way and feels like we left so many plot holes and just started doing things that made zero sense. and it was extremely predictable after everything.
overall, the beginning and the point of view at first had me hooked for the first 35%… after that we slowly (or i should actually say quickly) FELL AND ROLLED down hill.
August 5, 2024
Absolutely terrifying, I loved it.
November 17, 2024
I think I've hurt my vocal cords after screaming too much! Well, Josh Malerman seemed to see through my bluff when I insisted I rarely get scared by horror movies and novels because real-life experiences are more terrifying than fiction. He raised the level of fear for pretentious readers like me a notch higher! Now, I'm on the verge of panicking, afraid to walk in my own house. Every cracking sound makes me jump down to the floor, covering my head with my hands and closing my eyes, counting to ten thousand. That's how my dear husband found me and took pictures, which he shared on his Insta, already garnering 15 thousand likes! I hate my life!
Anyways, writing a book review without giving too much away is the toughest job, especially for this book. I can barely say a few words to define the plot. Here they are: Little Bela meets her imaginary friend, "the other mother," who lives in her closet and sometimes appears at her bedside, chatting and giggling with her. She even mentioned her existence to her momma Ursula and daddo Russ, and they acted like it was a joke. But when the other mother talks about carnation or reincarnation, and Bela refuses to let her into her heart, things take a dark turn. As more days pass, Bela realizes the other mother is not her friend; she's an entity that truly wants to enter her heart, growing stronger and following her everywhere. When Bela's family's foundation starts crumbling down, the entity becomes even stronger.
Bela is not the only one who sees her, and there's no escaping this monstrous entity. It traces every step Bela takes. What happens if Bela decides to say yes? Can she save her family, or is there a way to kill the monster before it takes her heart? If there is, what would be the cost?
Oh boy! I've never been so scared by any book! It chilled me to my bones; my blood ran cold! I'm honestly whispering because I lost my voice from screaming at each chapter. I couldn't take it anymore and covered my eyes not to read more, but my prankster husband took the book, read aloud, and dropped it as he cried like a baby! I'm not exaggerating, guys; this book scared the living daylights out of me! But it's incredibly good! The narration style was like it's written by a child, which was a bit distracting, but it never failed to send shivers down my spine.
I cannot give less than 5 stars to this book, the fairest grade, but I warn you—it's extremely spine-tingling. You might want to leave a light on when you sleep for weeks and invite all your relatives to sleep in your living room together for a month. That's how frightening it is. But, absolutely, I recommend it to horror lovers looking for something creative and mind-blowing!
I hope this book gets adapted into a screenplay so I can hit the theaters to watch and scream through the scenes like an opera lady or young Jamie Lee Curtis.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing/Ballentine/Del Rey for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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Anyways, writing a book review without giving too much away is the toughest job, especially for this book. I can barely say a few words to define the plot. Here they are: Little Bela meets her imaginary friend, "the other mother," who lives in her closet and sometimes appears at her bedside, chatting and giggling with her. She even mentioned her existence to her momma Ursula and daddo Russ, and they acted like it was a joke. But when the other mother talks about carnation or reincarnation, and Bela refuses to let her into her heart, things take a dark turn. As more days pass, Bela realizes the other mother is not her friend; she's an entity that truly wants to enter her heart, growing stronger and following her everywhere. When Bela's family's foundation starts crumbling down, the entity becomes even stronger.
Bela is not the only one who sees her, and there's no escaping this monstrous entity. It traces every step Bela takes. What happens if Bela decides to say yes? Can she save her family, or is there a way to kill the monster before it takes her heart? If there is, what would be the cost?
Oh boy! I've never been so scared by any book! It chilled me to my bones; my blood ran cold! I'm honestly whispering because I lost my voice from screaming at each chapter. I couldn't take it anymore and covered my eyes not to read more, but my prankster husband took the book, read aloud, and dropped it as he cried like a baby! I'm not exaggerating, guys; this book scared the living daylights out of me! But it's incredibly good! The narration style was like it's written by a child, which was a bit distracting, but it never failed to send shivers down my spine.
I cannot give less than 5 stars to this book, the fairest grade, but I warn you—it's extremely spine-tingling. You might want to leave a light on when you sleep for weeks and invite all your relatives to sleep in your living room together for a month. That's how frightening it is. But, absolutely, I recommend it to horror lovers looking for something creative and mind-blowing!
I hope this book gets adapted into a screenplay so I can hit the theaters to watch and scream through the scenes like an opera lady or young Jamie Lee Curtis.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing/Ballentine/Del Rey for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
medium blog
September 23, 2024
Devoured in a single sitting.
June 16, 2024
The only incident around here is that I read this whole book. This is a very short read, and it took me forever to get through this. The choppy short sentences from eight year old Bela were painful to read, and this story was not creepy or scary to me at all! I kept waiting for something to happen, but it never did. I guess the ending is good, but if you can suffer through this to get there, then more power to you. This book is labeled as a horror novel, but I would label it as a children’s book.
Bela, Daddo, and Mommy all live together. Bela sees “Other Mommy”. “Other Mommy” lives in her closet. Now “other mommy” comes out of the closet. (Do you like my second grade sentences? Because this is what you’ll get throughout the whole book). Other Mommy comes to Bela everyday and asks to go inside her heart. Oh no, what should Bela do?
At first, only Bela could see “other mommy”, but now others can see her too. What is happening? How will we ever get rid of “other mommy”? If you’re curious, please read this book to find out.
There are many five star reviews for this book, and others are loving it. However, this book just didn’t work for me. I wanted to be scared, and I wasn’t at all. I would also read a few pages and doze off (which is not a good sign).
Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine, and the author for an ARC of this book in which I am leaving an honest review.
Publication date: June 25, 2024
Bela, Daddo, and Mommy all live together. Bela sees “Other Mommy”. “Other Mommy” lives in her closet. Now “other mommy” comes out of the closet. (Do you like my second grade sentences? Because this is what you’ll get throughout the whole book). Other Mommy comes to Bela everyday and asks to go inside her heart. Oh no, what should Bela do?
At first, only Bela could see “other mommy”, but now others can see her too. What is happening? How will we ever get rid of “other mommy”? If you’re curious, please read this book to find out.
There are many five star reviews for this book, and others are loving it. However, this book just didn’t work for me. I wanted to be scared, and I wasn’t at all. I would also read a few pages and doze off (which is not a good sign).
Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine, and the author for an ARC of this book in which I am leaving an honest review.
Publication date: June 25, 2024
June 27, 2024
Incidents Around the House was one of my most anticipated reads for 2024, and as it turns out my biggest letdown.
Pros:
The descriptions of Other Mommy’s appearance scared the bejeezus out of me.
It terrified me how the entity wasn’t just bound to the house, but could haunt Bela, anywhere, anytime.
Bela’s innocence, such as mispronouncing the word ‘reincarnation’ as ‘carnation’ unaware of just how much danger she was in freaked me out.
Cons:
All the characters were insufferable, including Bela.
Most of the plot was boring – endless discussions of sleeping arrangements, eating, drinking, dancing, arguing grew tiresome.
The ending was underwhelming.
I don’t mind a child narrator, nor it being written in a unique way to accommodate this. Room by Emma Donoghue 100% worked for me. The short, unstructured, unformatted sentences utilised here didn’t.
The dialogue was cringy.
What was with the existential rantings adults employed when talking to Bela? I’ve never heard of parents sprouting philosophy like this to an eight-year-old child. It was so weird.
I have Birdbox through audible, but not sure I’ll ever read it now. Someone please tell me it’s better than this?
My opinion is very much in the minority – most of my Goodreads friends have highly praised Incidents Around the House, but I’m unable to recommend this title.
Pros:
The descriptions of Other Mommy’s appearance scared the bejeezus out of me.
It terrified me how the entity wasn’t just bound to the house, but could haunt Bela, anywhere, anytime.
Bela’s innocence, such as mispronouncing the word ‘reincarnation’ as ‘carnation’ unaware of just how much danger she was in freaked me out.
Cons:
All the characters were insufferable, including Bela.
Most of the plot was boring – endless discussions of sleeping arrangements, eating, drinking, dancing, arguing grew tiresome.
The ending was underwhelming.
I don’t mind a child narrator, nor it being written in a unique way to accommodate this. Room by Emma Donoghue 100% worked for me. The short, unstructured, unformatted sentences utilised here didn’t.
The dialogue was cringy.
What was with the existential rantings adults employed when talking to Bela? I’ve never heard of parents sprouting philosophy like this to an eight-year-old child. It was so weird.
I have Birdbox through audible, but not sure I’ll ever read it now. Someone please tell me it’s better than this?
My opinion is very much in the minority – most of my Goodreads friends have highly praised Incidents Around the House, but I’m unable to recommend this title.
July 3, 2024
I think she’s getting closer. Even though she’s already in the house. Even though she sits next to me on my bed.
Closer. That’s the word I think of.
She used to just stand in the closet and stare at me. Then she came out. Then she started talking.
Then she started asking.
Yeah, I couldn't put this creepy book down.
When I read the description about "Other Mommy", my first thought was Coraline. But while both books are narrated by young girls who encounter a twisted malevolent version of their parents, Incidents Around the House is definitely not a book for children.
I didn't give it five stars because it got a little bit repetitive at one point in the middle, and , but I came close a few times. The story is pretty much everything I look for in horror-- genuinely scary, hard to look away from even as I feared to turn the page, with weird and complex family dynamics playing out in the background.
I don't always love books from a young child's perspective but Malerman did a good job here. Eight-year-old Bela was realistically naive without being too annoying.
I also felt it created a very particular kind of suspense as Bela still lives in a child's world of fairy tales and magic and so does not react to the horror on the same level as the reader. It was somehow worse to watch her engage curiously with the terrifying "Other Mommy" while I was screaming "oh my god, run!"
I guess this means I should stop putting it off and finally read Bird Box.
July 16, 2024
Things this book did well:
- Described the entity (“Other Mommy”, which, Coraline?) in a truly frightening way, such that I could not read this right before bed without needing a palate cleanser. Plus my house creaks too much.
Things this book failed at so badly that I can’t believe all the current ratings because all I could think about THE WHOLE BOOK was how bad these things were:
- Dialogue. What. Who is saying these things??
- Also, dialogue, more like monologue….. in the middle of all of this crazy shit, EACH character takes the time to sit down this child AT LEAST FIVE TIMES and give soliloquies that 1. are insane to say to a child and 2. nobody would ever actually say. Each one is chock full of some trying-to-be-deep metaphor or psuedo philosophy that was written for people to quote on goodreads. Sorry!!
- Plot. I get that things were chaotic but so much was going on and punctuated by so many speeches that it was… difficult to follow. Skipped over actual interesting things (hello Grandma???) in favor of repetition, describing the same things over and over. Nothing comes together in a satisfying way at any point.
- Concept. The sad part is that when they finally reveal what the entity’s target is and how they’re gonna solve it….. that’s like, actually an interesting idea that is subsequently blown up by 5 more of the most boring and repetitive monologues put to paper.
- Voice. The problem is that “little girl narrator” has been done so many times, sometimes to great effect, that when it’s bad… well. it’s bad. It was giving “what an adult man thinks a little girl thinks about and feels.”
I am so sorry I didn’t mean to go on this long but all the good reviews floored me and I got swept away
- Described the entity (“Other Mommy”, which, Coraline?) in a truly frightening way, such that I could not read this right before bed without needing a palate cleanser. Plus my house creaks too much.
Things this book failed at so badly that I can’t believe all the current ratings because all I could think about THE WHOLE BOOK was how bad these things were:
- Dialogue. What. Who is saying these things??
- Also, dialogue, more like monologue….. in the middle of all of this crazy shit, EACH character takes the time to sit down this child AT LEAST FIVE TIMES and give soliloquies that 1. are insane to say to a child and 2. nobody would ever actually say. Each one is chock full of some trying-to-be-deep metaphor or psuedo philosophy that was written for people to quote on goodreads. Sorry!!
- Plot. I get that things were chaotic but so much was going on and punctuated by so many speeches that it was… difficult to follow. Skipped over actual interesting things (hello Grandma???) in favor of repetition, describing the same things over and over. Nothing comes together in a satisfying way at any point.
- Concept. The sad part is that when they finally reveal what the entity’s target is and how they’re gonna solve it….. that’s like, actually an interesting idea that is subsequently blown up by 5 more of the most boring and repetitive monologues put to paper.
- Voice. The problem is that “little girl narrator” has been done so many times, sometimes to great effect, that when it’s bad… well. it’s bad. It was giving “what an adult man thinks a little girl thinks about and feels.”
I am so sorry I didn’t mean to go on this long but all the good reviews floored me and I got swept away
June 26, 2024
Genre: Horror, Paranormal
UPDATE: The Audible narrated by Delanie Nicole Gill is FANTASTIC
I don’t often read HORROR, and I didn’t even read BIRD BOX, but every once in a while, a book from this genre appeals to me-and this was one of them.
It was told ENTIRELY from the UNIQUE first person perspective of eight-year-old Bela, a girl who is being targeted by a ENTITY who calls itself her “OTHER MOMMY”.
YOU CAN RUN-BUT YOU CANNOT HIDE
“Other Mommy” is looking for carnation (reincarnation) as she wants to LIVE again…
“CAN I GO INSIDE YOUR HEART?”
She pretends to be friends with the vulnerable Bela, as she tries to manipulate her way in.
AND SHE IS GROWING IMPATIENT
I felt the DESPERATION of Daddo, Mommy and Grandma Ruth, as they try to save Bela.
And, I felt TERRIFIED for Bela.
Like the movie, “A Quiet Place” by John Krasinski and Michael Sarnoski (which I loved) the EVIL is lurking just out of view, but you can always FEEL its presence.
This story is accurately described as “a chilling horror novel about a haunting” and I think it would also translate well to the BIG SCREEN.
I finished this last night and I woke up, STILL THINKING about the ending!!
AVAILABLE NOW!
Thank You to Del Rey for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!
UPDATE: The Audible narrated by Delanie Nicole Gill is FANTASTIC
I don’t often read HORROR, and I didn’t even read BIRD BOX, but every once in a while, a book from this genre appeals to me-and this was one of them.
It was told ENTIRELY from the UNIQUE first person perspective of eight-year-old Bela, a girl who is being targeted by a ENTITY who calls itself her “OTHER MOMMY”.
YOU CAN RUN-BUT YOU CANNOT HIDE
“Other Mommy” is looking for carnation (reincarnation) as she wants to LIVE again…
“CAN I GO INSIDE YOUR HEART?”
She pretends to be friends with the vulnerable Bela, as she tries to manipulate her way in.
AND SHE IS GROWING IMPATIENT
I felt the DESPERATION of Daddo, Mommy and Grandma Ruth, as they try to save Bela.
And, I felt TERRIFIED for Bela.
Like the movie, “A Quiet Place” by John Krasinski and Michael Sarnoski (which I loved) the EVIL is lurking just out of view, but you can always FEEL its presence.
This story is accurately described as “a chilling horror novel about a haunting” and I think it would also translate well to the BIG SCREEN.
I finished this last night and I woke up, STILL THINKING about the ending!!
AVAILABLE NOW!
Thank You to Del Rey for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!
May 16, 2024
I could have finished this book last night, but I had to stop because it was super late and it was scaring the fu … uh, crap out of me. I actually did a marathon read of the remainder this morning so that I wouldn't have to read it past bedtime again. So, yeah, I guess that's pretty high praise for a horror novel? And I'm not one who usually gets super freaked out over what I read, either. It's kind of like an adult version of Coraline, except way, way scarier.
Honestly, I started out thinking that I wasn't going to like this book much. I'm not generally a huge fan of novels narrated by young children, and the narration in this one just seemed extra juvenile. There's also no quotation marks around the dialogue, which is something that normally drives me bonkers. By the time I was several chapters in, however, I was completely hooked. There's just something so very, very creepy about a child casually talking about such utterly terrifying events. And somehow the lack of quotation marks just adds to the creepiness of it? I have no idea why, but it does.
And this book is definitely terrifying. I'm a middle-aged adult woman and I couldn't handle reading it in the dark. I know I've already compared it to Coraline, but it could probably be more accurately described as Coraline meets Paranormal Activity. There are short bouts of terror followed by lots of panicked “Oh, shit, what was that and what do we do about it?” And Other Mommy is just so freaking creepy – she makes the demon from Paranormal Activity look like a fluffy (but admittedly menacing) kitten.
I have to say, though, that I did kind of see the ending coming. I mean, not the exact circumstances, of course, but the last few pages of this story weren't exactly a huge surprise. That's not to say that they weren't scary, because they were. I just think it's the only way that this book could have ended, really.
My overall rating: 4.8 stars, rounded up. Incidents Around the House is perhaps one of the scariest horror novels I've read since Stephen King's The Tommyknockers in the late 80s.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.
Honestly, I started out thinking that I wasn't going to like this book much. I'm not generally a huge fan of novels narrated by young children, and the narration in this one just seemed extra juvenile. There's also no quotation marks around the dialogue, which is something that normally drives me bonkers. By the time I was several chapters in, however, I was completely hooked. There's just something so very, very creepy about a child casually talking about such utterly terrifying events. And somehow the lack of quotation marks just adds to the creepiness of it? I have no idea why, but it does.
And this book is definitely terrifying. I'm a middle-aged adult woman and I couldn't handle reading it in the dark. I know I've already compared it to Coraline, but it could probably be more accurately described as Coraline meets Paranormal Activity. There are short bouts of terror followed by lots of panicked “Oh, shit, what was that and what do we do about it?” And Other Mommy is just so freaking creepy – she makes the demon from Paranormal Activity look like a fluffy (but admittedly menacing) kitten.
I have to say, though, that I did kind of see the ending coming. I mean, not the exact circumstances, of course, but the last few pages of this story weren't exactly a huge surprise. That's not to say that they weren't scary, because they were. I just think it's the only way that this book could have ended, really.
My overall rating: 4.8 stars, rounded up. Incidents Around the House is perhaps one of the scariest horror novels I've read since Stephen King's The Tommyknockers in the late 80s.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.
July 12, 2024
That was the most dog shit nothing book I’ve ever read. Did we all read the same book?
August 1, 2024
TERRIFYING!!!!
Probably the scariest thing I’ve ever read.
FRTC
Probably the scariest thing I’ve ever read.
FRTC
December 2, 2024
Average horror book, horrifyingly bad audiobook
(You can hear it here: https://youtu.be/afO3DCAJz0Y?si=TGRtz...)
Had to remove a star for that. Sadly this will be my last book by the author.
After Malorie and this, I'm done.
(You can hear it here: https://youtu.be/afO3DCAJz0Y?si=TGRtz...)
Had to remove a star for that. Sadly this will be my last book by the author.
After Malorie and this, I'm done.
July 16, 2024
Kids say creepy things. They regularly have imaginary friends and seem aware of things not readily visible to adults. They wage constant nocturnal warfare at bedtime, battling tooth and nail with nightmares and boogeymen…but what if these invisible monsters somehow became real? What if their once insubstantial, ephemeral grasp on the fabric of reality became corporeal, and they tore their way forth into our side, leaving the veil of separation in tatters? No one would be safe, inside or outside, day or night, awake or asleep.
From the author of Birdbox comes a new spine-chilling horror novel written in the POV of a haunted and hunted 8-year-old little girl named Bela. She is a lonely 8-year-old little girl who struggles to make friends and is much too perceptive of the adults around her. Mommy and Daddo appear to have life figured out, but their illusion of a happy family will start to deteriorate, leaving room for evil to slip inside. Bela starts to see the cracks in the foundation of her parents’ marriage, but her parents are too caught up in their own troubled lives to notice how she’s been affected or what’s been visiting her to give the comfort and attention she’s been missing. A demonic presence, known as Other Mommy, has been attracted to the family, and it makes itself comfortable by settling into shadows and dark spaces within the home. Problems between her parents start to gain momentum, creating a veritable feast of negative energy for a demonic entity. Other Mommy makes nightly visits with escalating frequency to befriend Bela and trick her into giving it what it desperately wants: an invitation to be inside her heart. After Bela finally realizes Other Mommy may not really be her friend, she tries to resist the entity on her own, but it only seems to agitate the thing more, making it more aggressive than it was before. She starts to believe she’s the reason her parents aren’t happy and her Other Mommy is acting different, so she begins to consider letting the malevolent creature into her heart by simply acquiescing to a seemingly innocent request: Can I go into your heart, Bela? Afterall, they were friends once, and friends do nice things for each other…
Josh Malerman knows how to scare the pants off people! I was absolutely possessed with a desperation to know what happens to this little girl and her troubled family; however, I got the heebs so bad I had to pace my reading, and even that didn’t stop the nightmares from visiting. This horror story mirrors the disturbing tale of Coraline with the presence of Other Mommy preying upon a conflicted and vulnerable young girl who realizes the entity’s true sinister intentions far too late. Coraline’s Other Mommy is believed to be the Beldam, a malicious witch who lures and bewitches neglected children with the end goal of possession and consumption. The Other Mommy in the novel similarly befriends and lulls Bela into a false sense of security and friendship and belonging. This was easily accomplished by preying on her innocence and loneliness. The Other Mommy can be viewed as a supernatural warning for parents who aren’t actively present and invested in their children’s lives; their absence in any capacity can leave a child very vulnerable and may garner the attention of real life evil, going undetected until damage has been done and innocence has been taken. Malerman’s writing is intentionally simplistic, which skillfully conveys a realistic and convincing childlike stream of consciousness. Initially, I was a bit leery about the story being written from a little girl’s POV since I incorrectly thought it would limit how scary the story could really be. If anything, it made the experience more dread inducing and distressing because it limits how much information the reader can get at once, which helps develop a stronger emotional attachment to the little girl by eliciting the same desperation and helplessness she was feeling. I think having restricted doses of information also tremendously intensified the thickening tension, ominous atmosphere, and sinister foreboding within the story. Malerman deftly brushes such vivid and horrifying illustrations into your mind’s eye you will feel like you are watching a horror movie come to life within your own head! Specifically, the way I envisioned Other Mommy manifesting and shifting around the house had my heart beating a lot faster!
Incidents around the House is the first book I have read from this author, and I absolutely loved this supernatural thriller, so I will definitely be reading more from Malerman’s collection of scary stories! I highly recommend reading this book but get ready for a good scare! Horror fans will quickly devour this demonic horror story… but even the most imperturbable could be frightened enough to check under the bed, secure the closet door, and sleep with the lights on…
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House & Ballentine, Del Rey for the ARC and the opportunity to share what I think! All opinions are my own. Publication is June 25th!
From the author of Birdbox comes a new spine-chilling horror novel written in the POV of a haunted and hunted 8-year-old little girl named Bela. She is a lonely 8-year-old little girl who struggles to make friends and is much too perceptive of the adults around her. Mommy and Daddo appear to have life figured out, but their illusion of a happy family will start to deteriorate, leaving room for evil to slip inside. Bela starts to see the cracks in the foundation of her parents’ marriage, but her parents are too caught up in their own troubled lives to notice how she’s been affected or what’s been visiting her to give the comfort and attention she’s been missing. A demonic presence, known as Other Mommy, has been attracted to the family, and it makes itself comfortable by settling into shadows and dark spaces within the home. Problems between her parents start to gain momentum, creating a veritable feast of negative energy for a demonic entity. Other Mommy makes nightly visits with escalating frequency to befriend Bela and trick her into giving it what it desperately wants: an invitation to be inside her heart. After Bela finally realizes Other Mommy may not really be her friend, she tries to resist the entity on her own, but it only seems to agitate the thing more, making it more aggressive than it was before. She starts to believe she’s the reason her parents aren’t happy and her Other Mommy is acting different, so she begins to consider letting the malevolent creature into her heart by simply acquiescing to a seemingly innocent request: Can I go into your heart, Bela? Afterall, they were friends once, and friends do nice things for each other…
Josh Malerman knows how to scare the pants off people! I was absolutely possessed with a desperation to know what happens to this little girl and her troubled family; however, I got the heebs so bad I had to pace my reading, and even that didn’t stop the nightmares from visiting. This horror story mirrors the disturbing tale of Coraline with the presence of Other Mommy preying upon a conflicted and vulnerable young girl who realizes the entity’s true sinister intentions far too late. Coraline’s Other Mommy is believed to be the Beldam, a malicious witch who lures and bewitches neglected children with the end goal of possession and consumption. The Other Mommy in the novel similarly befriends and lulls Bela into a false sense of security and friendship and belonging. This was easily accomplished by preying on her innocence and loneliness. The Other Mommy can be viewed as a supernatural warning for parents who aren’t actively present and invested in their children’s lives; their absence in any capacity can leave a child very vulnerable and may garner the attention of real life evil, going undetected until damage has been done and innocence has been taken. Malerman’s writing is intentionally simplistic, which skillfully conveys a realistic and convincing childlike stream of consciousness. Initially, I was a bit leery about the story being written from a little girl’s POV since I incorrectly thought it would limit how scary the story could really be. If anything, it made the experience more dread inducing and distressing because it limits how much information the reader can get at once, which helps develop a stronger emotional attachment to the little girl by eliciting the same desperation and helplessness she was feeling. I think having restricted doses of information also tremendously intensified the thickening tension, ominous atmosphere, and sinister foreboding within the story. Malerman deftly brushes such vivid and horrifying illustrations into your mind’s eye you will feel like you are watching a horror movie come to life within your own head! Specifically, the way I envisioned Other Mommy manifesting and shifting around the house had my heart beating a lot faster!
Incidents around the House is the first book I have read from this author, and I absolutely loved this supernatural thriller, so I will definitely be reading more from Malerman’s collection of scary stories! I highly recommend reading this book but get ready for a good scare! Horror fans will quickly devour this demonic horror story… but even the most imperturbable could be frightened enough to check under the bed, secure the closet door, and sleep with the lights on…
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House & Ballentine, Del Rey for the ARC and the opportunity to share what I think! All opinions are my own. Publication is June 25th!
October 19, 2024
I’m so disappointed! The first two-thirds of this book had me thinking this could be a five star read- I loved the child narration and I was genuinely feeling spooked. But the end of the book was a joke- a whole lot of nothing hidden behind a veil of rambling incoherent metaphors. Also, the characters were so unrealistic, especially the mom. Josh Malerman must have been SO wronged by a woman to create a character like her, my god was she awful. If anyone has any insight that I may have missed with the ending, please lmk.
February 14, 2025
**4.5-stars rounded up**
On its own, this may have been a 4-star read, but the story mixed with the stellar audiobook narration made this such a fun and memorable experience.
I thought this was fantastically-eerie, and I appreciated the nods to the town of Goblin from Malerman's earlier work. The horror imagery was also so well-imagined.
For me, Josh Malerman is an author who I either love his work, or don't. Luckily, this was a complete success. I would say this is my favorite of his books that I've read so far.
In this story, we are following Bela, an 8-year old girl, who is perpetually haunted by a malevolent being she has taken to calling Other Mommy.
At first, Bela sees Other Mommy as a friend, but over time Other Mommy has grown a lot scarier, and a lot more persistent in her efforts to get Bela to 'let her into her heart'.
When horrifying incidents begin happening around the house, it becomes clear that Other Mommy is getting tired of waiting. It's growing bolder and seemingly more powerful. Even Bela's parents can no longer explain away Other Mommy as being a figment of their daughter's imagination.
They need help, which they seek outside the home, but nothing they try seems to work. They are desperate to keep Bela safe, but soon cracks within her parents marriage become craters.
Will they be able to reforge their family bonds for the good of them all, and hopefully banish Other Mommy forever, or will they ultimately fall under its evil influence?
This book instantly captured my attention. The audiobook, brilliantly-narrated by Delanie Nicole Gill, felt so authentic. Though 18-years old, I believe, Gill's narrative voice actually felt like that of an 8-year old girl; no shade intended. The delivery was impeccable.
Getting this all from the perspective of an 8-year old, with age appropriate logic, made this feel creepier than it may otherwise have been. It also made the story feel unique and will stick in my mind for a long time.
I also appreciated how quickly Malerman kicked off the action and introduced us to Other Mommy. There's not a lot of beating around the bush here. You're just in it.
My favorite character in this story was Grandma Ruth. I love this type of character. An older one, who feels safe and wise, that comes in and helps the floundering younger people.
Grandma Ruth also added a bit of lightness to an otherwise dark-filled story. I loved how much she loved her family, and those relationships all felt very realistic.
There's also some occult elements included, which I enjoyed. Overall, I feel like it's a well-rounded story that built nicely in intensity throughout. I was fully invested in it.
I would absolutely recommend this to Horror Readers of all types. In particular, I would recommend the audiobook format, as I just feel it was so well done.
Thank you to the publisher, Del Rey, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This makes me more jazzed about Malerman than ever. I can't wait for his next release!
On its own, this may have been a 4-star read, but the story mixed with the stellar audiobook narration made this such a fun and memorable experience.
I thought this was fantastically-eerie, and I appreciated the nods to the town of Goblin from Malerman's earlier work. The horror imagery was also so well-imagined.
For me, Josh Malerman is an author who I either love his work, or don't. Luckily, this was a complete success. I would say this is my favorite of his books that I've read so far.
In this story, we are following Bela, an 8-year old girl, who is perpetually haunted by a malevolent being she has taken to calling Other Mommy.
At first, Bela sees Other Mommy as a friend, but over time Other Mommy has grown a lot scarier, and a lot more persistent in her efforts to get Bela to 'let her into her heart'.
When horrifying incidents begin happening around the house, it becomes clear that Other Mommy is getting tired of waiting. It's growing bolder and seemingly more powerful. Even Bela's parents can no longer explain away Other Mommy as being a figment of their daughter's imagination.
They need help, which they seek outside the home, but nothing they try seems to work. They are desperate to keep Bela safe, but soon cracks within her parents marriage become craters.
Will they be able to reforge their family bonds for the good of them all, and hopefully banish Other Mommy forever, or will they ultimately fall under its evil influence?
This book instantly captured my attention. The audiobook, brilliantly-narrated by Delanie Nicole Gill, felt so authentic. Though 18-years old, I believe, Gill's narrative voice actually felt like that of an 8-year old girl; no shade intended. The delivery was impeccable.
Getting this all from the perspective of an 8-year old, with age appropriate logic, made this feel creepier than it may otherwise have been. It also made the story feel unique and will stick in my mind for a long time.
I also appreciated how quickly Malerman kicked off the action and introduced us to Other Mommy. There's not a lot of beating around the bush here. You're just in it.
My favorite character in this story was Grandma Ruth. I love this type of character. An older one, who feels safe and wise, that comes in and helps the floundering younger people.
Grandma Ruth also added a bit of lightness to an otherwise dark-filled story. I loved how much she loved her family, and those relationships all felt very realistic.
There's also some occult elements included, which I enjoyed. Overall, I feel like it's a well-rounded story that built nicely in intensity throughout. I was fully invested in it.
I would absolutely recommend this to Horror Readers of all types. In particular, I would recommend the audiobook format, as I just feel it was so well done.
Thank you to the publisher, Del Rey, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This makes me more jazzed about Malerman than ever. I can't wait for his next release!
June 9, 2024
Whoa, buckle up, folks! This book has it all: creepy kids, haunted happenings, family drama, spine-chilling scenes, and jaw-dropping moments. I wasn't sure what I was getting into when I started this book, but what a pleasant surprise! I've been on the hunt for another creepy kid/haunting story after finishing a few similar ones, and this book totally delivered. Josh's imagination is off the charts!
Meet eight-year-old Bela. Her family means everything to her—there’s Mommy, Daddo, and Grandma Ruth. But then there's also Other Mommy, a sinister entity who asks her every day, "Can I go inside your heart?" When terrifying events around the house start to suggest that Other Mommy is getting tired of asking the same question over and over, Bela realizes that if she doesn’t say yes soon, her family might be in serious danger.
I picked this book up and simply couldn't put it down. Kudos to Josh for creating such a masterpiece! Huge thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for giving me the chance to read and review this ARC.
Meet eight-year-old Bela. Her family means everything to her—there’s Mommy, Daddo, and Grandma Ruth. But then there's also Other Mommy, a sinister entity who asks her every day, "Can I go inside your heart?" When terrifying events around the house start to suggest that Other Mommy is getting tired of asking the same question over and over, Bela realizes that if she doesn’t say yes soon, her family might be in serious danger.
I picked this book up and simply couldn't put it down. Kudos to Josh for creating such a masterpiece! Huge thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for giving me the chance to read and review this ARC.
December 4, 2024
*I re-read this book via audio from the library. This is one of those cases where the audio might be better than reading. The narrator, Delanie Nicole Gill was phenomenal. Being that this book is from the POV of a young girl, I wondered how the well the narrator would do. I needn't have worried, Ms. Gill kicked all kinds of ass in her performance. Bravo! Sometimes when I re-read a book my rating changes. My rating is already at 5, but if I could, I'd rate the audio a 10. Thank you to my local library for the free audio download. Libraries RULE!
ORIGINAL REVIEW
What a great year for horror fans everywhere! Why? There have already been a few books released this year that surely will be contenders for my Best Horror of 2024 list, and now I have added INCIDENTS AROUND THE HOUSE.
Young Bela has mentioned "Other Mommy" several times to her family, but no one seemed to be listening. Other Mommy lives in Bela's closet, or at least she used to. She used to be confined to Bela's room, but now she seems to be following Bela, even on a trip to the playground. No one is really paying attention though, until finally Bela's real mommy gets a glimpse of her. From that moment on the tension steadily hums as the scares get darker and more frequent. As Bela's parents search for answers, the only answer that they come up with is to tell Bela to continue saying "No" when Other Mommy asks her if she can come in to Bela's heart. What is Other mommy trying to accomplish? Why has she attached herself to Bela? You'll have to read this to find out!
Nearly 400 pages flew by in what seemed like seconds to me. I was so engaged with this severely dysfunctional family, I did not want to put this book down. The mystery of Other Mommy was intriguing as was the family's hunt for someone that could help them. Aside from all this, there were other family dramas occurring and all of that just added to the realistic feeling of this fast paced familial nightmare.
As a seasoned horror reader of 40 some odd years, rarely does a book actually scare me. I must admit though, that at times, this one did. The visual of Other Mommy as drawn by Malerman's incredible imagination is going to haunt me for a long, long time.
I say, BRAVO! My highest recommendation!
*ARC from publisher.*
ORIGINAL REVIEW
What a great year for horror fans everywhere! Why? There have already been a few books released this year that surely will be contenders for my Best Horror of 2024 list, and now I have added INCIDENTS AROUND THE HOUSE.
Young Bela has mentioned "Other Mommy" several times to her family, but no one seemed to be listening. Other Mommy lives in Bela's closet, or at least she used to. She used to be confined to Bela's room, but now she seems to be following Bela, even on a trip to the playground. No one is really paying attention though, until finally Bela's real mommy gets a glimpse of her. From that moment on the tension steadily hums as the scares get darker and more frequent. As Bela's parents search for answers, the only answer that they come up with is to tell Bela to continue saying "No" when Other Mommy asks her if she can come in to Bela's heart. What is Other mommy trying to accomplish? Why has she attached herself to Bela? You'll have to read this to find out!
Nearly 400 pages flew by in what seemed like seconds to me. I was so engaged with this severely dysfunctional family, I did not want to put this book down. The mystery of Other Mommy was intriguing as was the family's hunt for someone that could help them. Aside from all this, there were other family dramas occurring and all of that just added to the realistic feeling of this fast paced familial nightmare.
As a seasoned horror reader of 40 some odd years, rarely does a book actually scare me. I must admit though, that at times, this one did. The visual of Other Mommy as drawn by Malerman's incredible imagination is going to haunt me for a long, long time.
I say, BRAVO! My highest recommendation!
*ARC from publisher.*
May 17, 2024
"Can I go inside your heart?
Bela, a precocious 8 year old, loves her Mommy, Daddo, and Grandma Ruth more than anything in the world. Lately, though, there is Other Mommy that lives inside her closet and wants to be her friend. Before long, Other Mommy, is coming out of the closet and asking Bela things that make her uncomfortable. She mentions Other Mommy to her parents but of course they think it's the wild imaginings of a child.
Until, they have a house party with friends and one of those friends also sees Other Mommy causing her to run screaming from the house and confirming that their daughter was telling the truth.
Who or what is Other Mommy? You'll have to read this to find out!
Do you like to be scared? Then this is the book for YOU!!!
I worried that a book being narrated by an 8 year old would be too annoying and juvenile but I was so wrong. Bela gave this story authenticity and it was so effective in frightening me to see things through her eyes. Other Mommy is straight out of a nightmare. To see her parents fumble time and time again through this hellscape they now found themselves in really got under my skin. I wanted so badly for them to have a happy ending.
Josh Malerman didn't just knock this out of the park, he knocked it into another dimension. He blew me away with his debut, Bird Box, but nothing else I have read of his has impressed. I couldn't finish either Pearl or Daphne and I wondered what happened to the genius writer that created the world of Bird Box. Well, I've found him again. This is the caliber of work I have expected of him. Absolutely everything about this book worked for me. The dialogue, the atmosphere, the foreboding sense of dread had me shivering. A real peak through your fingers kind of book because the horror is inescapable. AND. IT. NEVER. LET'S. UP. So don't think your going to get comfortable at any time while reading this, you won't, and it's for that reason why I can't praise this book enough.
For me this is a horror lovers dream (nightmare?) come true! EVERY STAR IMAGINABLE! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing - Ballantine for my complimentary copy.
Bela, a precocious 8 year old, loves her Mommy, Daddo, and Grandma Ruth more than anything in the world. Lately, though, there is Other Mommy that lives inside her closet and wants to be her friend. Before long, Other Mommy, is coming out of the closet and asking Bela things that make her uncomfortable. She mentions Other Mommy to her parents but of course they think it's the wild imaginings of a child.
Until, they have a house party with friends and one of those friends also sees Other Mommy causing her to run screaming from the house and confirming that their daughter was telling the truth.
Who or what is Other Mommy? You'll have to read this to find out!
Do you like to be scared? Then this is the book for YOU!!!
I worried that a book being narrated by an 8 year old would be too annoying and juvenile but I was so wrong. Bela gave this story authenticity and it was so effective in frightening me to see things through her eyes. Other Mommy is straight out of a nightmare. To see her parents fumble time and time again through this hellscape they now found themselves in really got under my skin. I wanted so badly for them to have a happy ending.
Josh Malerman didn't just knock this out of the park, he knocked it into another dimension. He blew me away with his debut, Bird Box, but nothing else I have read of his has impressed. I couldn't finish either Pearl or Daphne and I wondered what happened to the genius writer that created the world of Bird Box. Well, I've found him again. This is the caliber of work I have expected of him. Absolutely everything about this book worked for me. The dialogue, the atmosphere, the foreboding sense of dread had me shivering. A real peak through your fingers kind of book because the horror is inescapable. AND. IT. NEVER. LET'S. UP. So don't think your going to get comfortable at any time while reading this, you won't, and it's for that reason why I can't praise this book enough.
For me this is a horror lovers dream (nightmare?) come true! EVERY STAR IMAGINABLE! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing - Ballantine for my complimentary copy.
June 29, 2024
DNF.
Written from a child’s perspective, the narrative was choppy & repetitive. An 8 year old? I feel like it read more like a child much younger. I was bored. The term “Daddo” really got under my skin too.
Written from a child’s perspective, the narrative was choppy & repetitive. An 8 year old? I feel like it read more like a child much younger. I was bored. The term “Daddo” really got under my skin too.
September 21, 2024
3.0 stars— Around this time every year, I begin searching for a good horror novel to read. I read some early reviews of “Incidents Around the House” that made me think that this might be a good way to begin my horror reading season. “Incidents” has an interesting premise: 8 year old Bella begins communicating with an entity that lives in her closet she refers to as ‘Other Mommy’. As her parents become more aware of what they initially believe to be an imaginary friend, they become more alarmed especially about the requests ‘Other Mommy’ makes of Bella. The book is entirely written from Bela’s perspective which definitely takes some getting used to. I definitely enjoyed the fast paced style of the writing, but as is the problems with many horror novels (and movies), the stupidity of the adult characters’ actions and reactions really destroyed what could have been a great novel. As ‘Other Mommy” begins revealing itself to the parents through sight and smell, they decide to leave the home and go stay with friends. The rest of the book can best be described as ‘wash, rinse, repeat’ ‘wash rinse repeat’. I don’t know how many times I mind-screamed at the characters ‘MOVING LOCATIONS DOESN’T WORK’ OTHER MOMMY IS MOBILE.’ They finally do but what they try is even more stupid than moving locations. The ending was well written but one most readers will easily predict early in the book. The book was very easy to get caught-up in so I hate to rate it too low, but redundancy and stupidity does not a good horror story make.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 2, 2024
“That’s the trick. The whole trick. With aging, with living, with enduring this life. It’s all about heart. How long can you maintain an open heart and an open mind in this world, how long can you sustain being kind to other people, no matter what they say or do.”
ok, Josh Malerman might’ve just redeemed himself for me with this one. Incidents Around the House is more of a psychological horror following a young girl named Bela and her parents Ursula and Russ. the horror of this story comes in the form of an entity called “other mommy” who’s attached itself to Bela under the fake guise of friendship. I’m happy to say that this did deliver on the supernatural/haunted elements with somefun creepy moments spread throughout. i wouldn’t say i cared for the characters necessarily though (especially Ursula who i wished would get kicked down the stairs by the ghost), but i found all the drama behind their family dynamic to be very entertaining and i was consistently curious the whole time. in the end, i actually felt bad for Bela, as she’s just a child who can’t really differentiate between this false sense of friendship and the real danger of this “other mommy” and what it plans to take from Bela..everything.
i also want to mention that the story is told through Bela’s pov, so it’s written in a way that shows that— through odd formatting and dialogue, with a added innocent coated lens. it could be distracting for some, but i feel like the author did a good job balancing the narrative overall.
thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the arc, all opinions are my own.
ok, Josh Malerman might’ve just redeemed himself for me with this one. Incidents Around the House is more of a psychological horror following a young girl named Bela and her parents Ursula and Russ. the horror of this story comes in the form of an entity called “other mommy” who’s attached itself to Bela under the fake guise of friendship. I’m happy to say that this did deliver on the supernatural/haunted elements with some
i also want to mention that the story is told through Bela’s pov, so it’s written in a way that shows that— through odd formatting and dialogue, with a added innocent coated lens. it could be distracting for some, but i feel like the author did a good job balancing the narrative overall.
thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the arc, all opinions are my own.
September 13, 2024
“Can I go inside your heart?”
Eight year-old Bela has been seeing someone in her closet. Other Mommy comes out at night pretending to be her friend and asks if she can go inside her heart. Bela becomes so frightened that she tells her parents about her. When others begin to see Other Mommy too, the family attempts to outrun Other Mommy and make her disappear.
I became a Josh Malerman fan after reading Bird Box, which scared the living daylights out of me. Since that book, I have read or attempted to read all of his other books. None of them are anywhere near the caliber of Bird Box. I was starting to wonder if it was a one-hit wonder for Malerman. Then I was given the opportunity to read Incidents Around the House. It seemed creepy and reviewers have been raving about this book as his next big hit. So, I listened to the audiobook while following along with the Ebook.
My thoughts:
Disappointing. While it is atmospheric, scary, and creepy, Incidents Around the House felt like a remake of the 1980s hit movie Poltergeist with Bela as Carol Anne. While Poltergeist actually had a plot that I could follow and made sense, I never really figured out why the boogie mama was in the closet. The plot just fell apart for me in the end. I pride myself on being able to understand the psychology behind deeper meanings, but this one just wasn’t clear. It seems that Malerman enjoys creating open endings, but after reading almost 400 pages, I NEEDED to know why.
Stylistically, this book will not appeal to everyone. The story is told from the perspective of an eight year-old and short and repetitive sentences are used over and over. The audiobook reader sounds like Minnie Mouse (probably an adult’s voice recorded at a higher pitch) and is grating on the ears. I sped the audio up to 1.5X which really made the repetition stand out.
I’m still waiting for Malerman to write another stand out horror novel. This just wasn’t it.
3.5/5 stars rounded down
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Ballantine for the ARC of IncidentsAround the House in exchange for an honest review.
Eight year-old Bela has been seeing someone in her closet. Other Mommy comes out at night pretending to be her friend and asks if she can go inside her heart. Bela becomes so frightened that she tells her parents about her. When others begin to see Other Mommy too, the family attempts to outrun Other Mommy and make her disappear.
I became a Josh Malerman fan after reading Bird Box, which scared the living daylights out of me. Since that book, I have read or attempted to read all of his other books. None of them are anywhere near the caliber of Bird Box. I was starting to wonder if it was a one-hit wonder for Malerman. Then I was given the opportunity to read Incidents Around the House. It seemed creepy and reviewers have been raving about this book as his next big hit. So, I listened to the audiobook while following along with the Ebook.
My thoughts:
Disappointing. While it is atmospheric, scary, and creepy, Incidents Around the House felt like a remake of the 1980s hit movie Poltergeist with Bela as Carol Anne. While Poltergeist actually had a plot that I could follow and made sense, I never really figured out why the boogie mama was in the closet. The plot just fell apart for me in the end. I pride myself on being able to understand the psychology behind deeper meanings, but this one just wasn’t clear. It seems that Malerman enjoys creating open endings, but after reading almost 400 pages, I NEEDED to know why.
Stylistically, this book will not appeal to everyone. The story is told from the perspective of an eight year-old and short and repetitive sentences are used over and over. The audiobook reader sounds like Minnie Mouse (probably an adult’s voice recorded at a higher pitch) and is grating on the ears. I sped the audio up to 1.5X which really made the repetition stand out.
I’m still waiting for Malerman to write another stand out horror novel. This just wasn’t it.
3.5/5 stars rounded down
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Ballantine for the ARC of IncidentsAround the House in exchange for an honest review.
June 29, 2024
0.25 stars
The Run-Down: Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman is a bloated, lazily written horror novel that produces boredom and irritation rather than fright.
Review:
I should have listened to my instincts. When I first read the blurb for Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman, I thought, well, that sounds trite. However, under the influence of the incredible buzz this book has generated as “the horror book that will be scary for people who normally don’t find horror scary” and “one of the most frightening reads of the year,” I decided— against my better judgment— to give it a try.
Absolutely no part of this book scared me in the slightest. The only sense of dread I felt was the dread of picking it up due to boredom. The nature and horror of the entity in question is laid bare within the first chapter; there is no tension, mystery, or revelations to be had throughout. The “horrifying” moments in the book are incredibly straightforward and uninspired, and most of the book consists of the same plot beats repeated in slightly different formats. The book can be summarized thusly: a demon called ‘Other Mommy’ wants to possess the protagonist, an eight-year-old girl named Bela, to achieve reincarnation, and her family freaks out.
It doesn’t help that Malerman clearly has no idea how to believably write from a child’s point of view. Bela isn’t stupid, exactly, but she’s so completely devoid of interiority and personality that it’s no wonder a demon wants to possess her—she’s basically a ready-made vessel. When we aren’t stuck in the head of a protagonist with no inner life whatsoever, we are listening to the clumsily-inserted ramblings of the adults in her life as they “philosophize” to her about life. Malerman was clearly more interested in the lives of Bela’s parents than he was in her life, so he should have just written the book from their perspectives instead of producing increasingly unrealistic moments for her to overhear her parents spill all of their inner thoughts and secrets when she pretends to be asleep. Furthermore, instead of letting the themes develop through the story, Malerman painstakingly spells out every moral and metaphor for the reader through the parents’ dialogue.
The plot really falls apart in the second half. Most of the time nothing is really happening, and when something does happen, it’s just a repeat of an earlier incident. Bizarrely, at one point, Furthermore, one of the central conflicts of the book—the state of the marriage between Bela’s parents—is fraught with misogyny.
I regret reading this book, but I have only myself to blame.
The Run-Down: Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman is a bloated, lazily written horror novel that produces boredom and irritation rather than fright.
Review:
I should have listened to my instincts. When I first read the blurb for Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman, I thought, well, that sounds trite. However, under the influence of the incredible buzz this book has generated as “the horror book that will be scary for people who normally don’t find horror scary” and “one of the most frightening reads of the year,” I decided— against my better judgment— to give it a try.
Absolutely no part of this book scared me in the slightest. The only sense of dread I felt was the dread of picking it up due to boredom. The nature and horror of the entity in question is laid bare within the first chapter; there is no tension, mystery, or revelations to be had throughout. The “horrifying” moments in the book are incredibly straightforward and uninspired, and most of the book consists of the same plot beats repeated in slightly different formats. The book can be summarized thusly: a demon called ‘Other Mommy’ wants to possess the protagonist, an eight-year-old girl named Bela, to achieve reincarnation, and her family freaks out.
It doesn’t help that Malerman clearly has no idea how to believably write from a child’s point of view. Bela isn’t stupid, exactly, but she’s so completely devoid of interiority and personality that it’s no wonder a demon wants to possess her—she’s basically a ready-made vessel. When we aren’t stuck in the head of a protagonist with no inner life whatsoever, we are listening to the clumsily-inserted ramblings of the adults in her life as they “philosophize” to her about life. Malerman was clearly more interested in the lives of Bela’s parents than he was in her life, so he should have just written the book from their perspectives instead of producing increasingly unrealistic moments for her to overhear her parents spill all of their inner thoughts and secrets when she pretends to be asleep. Furthermore, instead of letting the themes develop through the story, Malerman painstakingly spells out every moral and metaphor for the reader through the parents’ dialogue.
The plot really falls apart in the second half. Most of the time nothing is really happening, and when something does happen, it’s just a repeat of an earlier incident. Bizarrely, at one point, Furthermore, one of the central conflicts of the book—the state of the marriage between Bela’s parents—is fraught with misogyny.
I regret reading this book, but I have only myself to blame.
March 29, 2024
"I don't believe Josh Malerman simply wrote INCIDENTS AROUND THE HOUSE. I believe he lit some candles, uttered an incantation in a forbidden arcane language, took parchment and quill in hand, slipped into a deep trance, and when he awoke, this book had appeared. Because that's how it reads. This novel feels channeled, whispered onto the page by something unseen. Something malevolent. INCIDENTS AROUND THE HOUSE is a shocker, a modern horror classic that scared the absolute hell out of me."
--Jonathan Janz, Author of VEIL and CHILDREN OF THE DARK
--Jonathan Janz, Author of VEIL and CHILDREN OF THE DARK
July 20, 2024
Incidents Around the House started off better than I was anticipating, to be honest. Ignoring the fact that the synopsis states Bela is 8 years-old when she is clearly more like 6 on paper, and the oft-repeated and annoying endearment of "Daddo," I found myself happily immersed and pleasantly chilled by a couple of early encounters with Other Mommy. But the novel couldn't maintain that promising beginning.
I know a lot of people are loving this book, but for me, the story and the storytelling used here were not enough to sustain its novel length, even taking into account the unusual formatting that actually makes the book much shorter than it is. I guess what I'm trying to say, is that this would have been much better as a short story or short novella. I get that Malerman was trying to do something different by relating events entirely from Bela's perspective, but I think the story would have been better served, and I would have been more invested in the fates of the characters, if we got at least some brief interludes from an adult perspective (grandma's and Lois' for instance, not the insufferable Mommy and Daddo). And for all the time spent in Bela's perspective, I still don't feel like I was in her head, like I got to know her. Kids aren't blank slates. Even for their limited years, they have memories and should have more depth and associations in relating events and making connections. Other horror writers have relayed stories from a young child's perspective in a much more effective and believable way (Stephen King with Danny Torrance in The Shining, for example). And when the family here took their act on the road and unleashed Other Mommy on various and sundry of their friends and relatives, things got repetitive fast and any inkling of creepiness went out the window.
Ultimately, despite some early creepiness and the quite frightening descriptions of Other Mommy, the scariest thing about Incidents Around the House was how awful Bela's parents were.
I know a lot of people are loving this book, but for me, the story and the storytelling used here were not enough to sustain its novel length, even taking into account the unusual formatting that actually makes the book much shorter than it is. I guess what I'm trying to say, is that this would have been much better as a short story or short novella. I get that Malerman was trying to do something different by relating events entirely from Bela's perspective, but I think the story would have been better served, and I would have been more invested in the fates of the characters, if we got at least some brief interludes from an adult perspective (grandma's and Lois' for instance, not the insufferable Mommy and Daddo). And for all the time spent in Bela's perspective, I still don't feel like I was in her head, like I got to know her. Kids aren't blank slates. Even for their limited years, they have memories and should have more depth and associations in relating events and making connections. Other horror writers have relayed stories from a young child's perspective in a much more effective and believable way (Stephen King with Danny Torrance in The Shining, for example). And when the family here took their act on the road and unleashed Other Mommy on various and sundry of their friends and relatives, things got repetitive fast and any inkling of creepiness went out the window.
Ultimately, despite some early creepiness and the quite frightening descriptions of Other Mommy, the scariest thing about Incidents Around the House was how awful Bela's parents were.
July 27, 2024
I wish this was a longer review but I’ve got library books to read before they’re due. 🫣🤣
I’ll just try to give some quick thoughts about Incidents Around the House while it’s fresh in my mind.
Pros:
✔️ Lots of creepy moments and the description of Other Mommy was fantastic. I checked to see if my closets were closed every night before I went to bed!
✔️ Parents were insufferable but this was a plus for me. I love characters that pull emotion out me, even if it’s dislike.
It would almost be a relief for so she could get away from them. 🤷🏼♀️😂🤣
Cons:
✔️ This feels like it’s a bit longer than it needs to be. I know it’s written as an 8-year-old but there’s more repetition than I needed, especially on day to day activities.
✔️ The ending. I wanted something more or even less. I think it would have scared me more if I didn’t know
I’m definitely glad I read this! I finished it in a few days and I was gripped throughout the whole book.
I’ll just try to give some quick thoughts about Incidents Around the House while it’s fresh in my mind.
Pros:
✔️ Lots of creepy moments and the description of Other Mommy was fantastic. I checked to see if my closets were closed every night before I went to bed!
✔️ Parents were insufferable but this was a plus for me. I love characters that pull emotion out me, even if it’s dislike.
It would almost be a relief for so she could get away from them. 🤷🏼♀️😂🤣
Cons:
✔️ This feels like it’s a bit longer than it needs to be. I know it’s written as an 8-year-old but there’s more repetition than I needed, especially on day to day activities.
✔️ The ending. I wanted something more or even less. I think it would have scared me more if I didn’t know
I’m definitely glad I read this! I finished it in a few days and I was gripped throughout the whole book.
October 9, 2024
4.0 Stars
Video Review https://youtu.be/RdthP9SPEjE
I picked up this book with no expectations and found myself wonderfully surprised. Stories told from the perspective of children can be really hard to pull off. However this one ended up working well for me.
I found the narrative wonderfully unsettling. The concept of Other Mother was appealing, reminding me of Coraline.
Given the stylistic narrative, I think this novel would have worked better as a novella. I liked this story quite a bit but it felt too long to read such a unique voice.
All that being said, I would recommend this one to readers looking for a creepy read
Video Review https://youtu.be/RdthP9SPEjE
I picked up this book with no expectations and found myself wonderfully surprised. Stories told from the perspective of children can be really hard to pull off. However this one ended up working well for me.
I found the narrative wonderfully unsettling. The concept of Other Mother was appealing, reminding me of Coraline.
Given the stylistic narrative, I think this novel would have worked better as a novella. I liked this story quite a bit but it felt too long to read such a unique voice.
All that being said, I would recommend this one to readers looking for a creepy read
December 13, 2024
My goodness, was this one spine-tingling!!
Incidents Around the House, by Josh Malerman may be one of the creepiest novels I’ve read! Talk about a novel for adults about the actual bogeyman we ALL feared at one point as children, this was it! This was not only insanely original in its’ execution, but truly frightening, and it literally gave me the chills! This will undoubtedly be on many Best Horror of 2024 lists, and it’ll be very deserving of it!!
Told in a brilliantly unique way through the perspective of an eight-year-old girl named Bela, I immediately connected with this novel, finding it challenging to put this one down, reading it late into the night. As we begin reading, Bela has been the target of some sort of entity in her home she names ‘Other Mommy’ which lives in her closet, coming out initially at night to visit with her and ask her only one thing over and over: “Can I go inside your heart?” As the days progress, Other Mommy seemingly becomes bolder, appearing in other areas throughout the house, and becomes visible to more than just Bela. When Bela’s actual mommy catches a split-second image of Other Mommy one night, events quickly spiral and become more panicked as the family flees the safety of their home, seeking comfort at several friends’ homes. When Other Mommy follows them wherever they go, they realize there is no escaping this thing, and they must face it and somehow figure out how to banish it back to wherever it came from, but will they succeed, or will Other Mommy find a way into Bela's heart and 'reincarnate' into her as a new host?!
I really enjoyed the creep factor throughout this novel, finding the story somewhat like the horror film It Follows, which is probably one of the scariest films I’ve seen. I couldn’t help but empathize with the horrified family as they fled seeking refuge and safety elsewhere and then their despair as they finally realized there was no outrunning this thing and that it would follow Bela wherever she went. As the book progressed and I learned more about Bela's family, her parents specifically, the more I grew to really dislike her mother while also feeling really badly for Bela and her father. When it hinted that Other Mommy was attracted to Bela on account of her innocence, I feared where this one would go, and for the most part, I was correct! And despite predicting that aspect of the plot, this one STILL really rocked me to my core!
This is undoubtedly a 4-Star reading experience, and the only thing keeping it from being a 5-Star read was that the reader is left with little explanation as to what exactly this entity was, and why it targeted Bela (although it’s implied some!); I really wish the author had gone more into the origins of this evil being, and believe it would have added to the horror aspect of it. If there had been just a bit more of that information towards the end, I wouldn’t have been left gasping for answers and this would have received a perfect score. If you are okay with somewhat of an open-ended, unexplained ending, then you will be okay with this one, but if you sometimes struggle with this specific issue as I did, you might be as frustrated as I was upon turning the last page. Regardless, this was still a phenomenal horror novel that will probably stick with me for some time – one thing is certain, I will be leaving my closet doors open for at least a few nights now!
Incidents Around the House, by Josh Malerman may be one of the creepiest novels I’ve read! Talk about a novel for adults about the actual bogeyman we ALL feared at one point as children, this was it! This was not only insanely original in its’ execution, but truly frightening, and it literally gave me the chills! This will undoubtedly be on many Best Horror of 2024 lists, and it’ll be very deserving of it!!
Told in a brilliantly unique way through the perspective of an eight-year-old girl named Bela, I immediately connected with this novel, finding it challenging to put this one down, reading it late into the night. As we begin reading, Bela has been the target of some sort of entity in her home she names ‘Other Mommy’ which lives in her closet, coming out initially at night to visit with her and ask her only one thing over and over: “Can I go inside your heart?” As the days progress, Other Mommy seemingly becomes bolder, appearing in other areas throughout the house, and becomes visible to more than just Bela. When Bela’s actual mommy catches a split-second image of Other Mommy one night, events quickly spiral and become more panicked as the family flees the safety of their home, seeking comfort at several friends’ homes. When Other Mommy follows them wherever they go, they realize there is no escaping this thing, and they must face it and somehow figure out how to banish it back to wherever it came from, but will they succeed, or will Other Mommy find a way into Bela's heart and 'reincarnate' into her as a new host?!
I really enjoyed the creep factor throughout this novel, finding the story somewhat like the horror film It Follows, which is probably one of the scariest films I’ve seen. I couldn’t help but empathize with the horrified family as they fled seeking refuge and safety elsewhere and then their despair as they finally realized there was no outrunning this thing and that it would follow Bela wherever she went. As the book progressed and I learned more about Bela's family, her parents specifically, the more I grew to really dislike her mother while also feeling really badly for Bela and her father. When it hinted that Other Mommy was attracted to Bela on account of her innocence, I feared where this one would go, and for the most part, I was correct! And despite predicting that aspect of the plot, this one STILL really rocked me to my core!
This is undoubtedly a 4-Star reading experience, and the only thing keeping it from being a 5-Star read was that the reader is left with little explanation as to what exactly this entity was, and why it targeted Bela (although it’s implied some!); I really wish the author had gone more into the origins of this evil being, and believe it would have added to the horror aspect of it. If there had been just a bit more of that information towards the end, I wouldn’t have been left gasping for answers and this would have received a perfect score. If you are okay with somewhat of an open-ended, unexplained ending, then you will be okay with this one, but if you sometimes struggle with this specific issue as I did, you might be as frustrated as I was upon turning the last page. Regardless, this was still a phenomenal horror novel that will probably stick with me for some time – one thing is certain, I will be leaving my closet doors open for at least a few nights now!
September 25, 2024
2.5 stars
Incidents Around the House was my first read by Josh Malerman. Unfortunately, I had a hard time getting through the book. The book depicts the perspective of eight-year-old Bela. The transition between childish language and more advanced vocabulary made the reading experience disorienting. The absence of quotation marks for dialogues further exacerbated the challenge of distinguishing between spoken words and thoughts. This unconventional formatting often necessitated rereading to discern who the speaker is. Additionally, I found that the portrayal of the parental interactions with Bela seemed unrealistic due to the narrative being told from an eight-year-old child's point of view, which hindered the writing style, in my opinion, and my inability to connect with any of the characters.
Incidents Around the House was my first read by Josh Malerman. Unfortunately, I had a hard time getting through the book. The book depicts the perspective of eight-year-old Bela. The transition between childish language and more advanced vocabulary made the reading experience disorienting. The absence of quotation marks for dialogues further exacerbated the challenge of distinguishing between spoken words and thoughts. This unconventional formatting often necessitated rereading to discern who the speaker is. Additionally, I found that the portrayal of the parental interactions with Bela seemed unrealistic due to the narrative being told from an eight-year-old child's point of view, which hindered the writing style, in my opinion, and my inability to connect with any of the characters.
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