Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
The synopsis of this book sounded interesting to me so I requested a copy to read.
Unfortunately, I have tried reading this book on 2 separate occasions and during this 2nd attempt, I have
decided to stop reading this book
and state that this book just wasn't for me.

Jonathan Maberry weaves a gripping supernatural thriller with Rain Thomas, a raw and compelling protagonist haunted by her past. As she delves into a mysterious world filled with voices, lost time, and eerie occurrences, the novel expertly blurs the lines between reality and nightmare, keeping readers on edge till the very end. Prepare for an adrenaline-pumping ride as Rain's quest to save someone she loves challenges the boundaries of sanity and draws you into a gripping tale of darkness and redemption.

As usual, Jonathan Maberry has written a book that is un-put-down-able.

Everything he writes is amazing. He is an expert at writing about regular everyday people who are flawed but still likeable and placing those people into situations so unique that readers can't stop until they have read the entire book.

GLIMPSE is a fantastic story. I rate it as 5+ out of 5 Stars and highly recommended it.

St. Martin's Press and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of Glimpse. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

Glimpse is a thriller with supernatural creatures and things that go bump in the night. The veil between the real world and the nightmare realm is lifted, as the characters glimpse an alternate reality.

For me, Glimpse was like a cross between Thinner by Richard Bachman, The X-Files, and A Nightmare on Elm Street. Rain Thomas is not a very successful main character, as the portrayal of her as weak in the beginning sets a tone for the rest of the book. I am a fan of the supernatural, as the imagination it takes to put together a cohesive, believable book despite the fictional framework is usually inspiring. I did not find the book to be all that original and I was expecting more by this veteran author. For these reasons, I would be hesitant to recommend Glimpse to other readers.

I am HUGE fan of Stephen King, which most of you already know, especially if you’ve been a reader of my blog for a while. When I read the synopsis of this one I instantly had Stephen King vibes and was so excited to read something in this genre by someone else. There were so many times I actually thought I was reading one of Stephen Kings novels, but on the other hand I was getting frustrated because I could clearly tell it wasn’t by my beloved (lol). I found the whole concept of the book completely interesting and enjoyed seeing how everything was going to play out.

I very much enjoyed the section talking about addicts and their (our main character and her friends) daily struggles. It went in to some extreme detail which may be a bit sensitive for other readers, but I appreciated the grit and realness portrayed. Rain was an extremely unreliable main character, which I absolutely loved. At many points I found it hard to follow her thought process through certain experiences, but I think this is what was supposed to be happening throughout.

Overall I enjoyed the book as a whole, Their were many problematic issues throughout (I’m no newbie to this type of problematic content, due to reading so much Stephen King), so be warned that many parts will make you roll your eyes, or even get frustrated. Also I need to mention there is a lot of adult content (sexual, etc,), so if that is bothersome to you, I would steer away. If you are a fan of Stephen King I would absolutely tell you to give this one a try, because it was very interesting and different.

In this paranormal mystery/horror novel, the main character, Rain, is a recovering drug addict who has been plagued by nightmares about the child that she gave up for adoption when she was 15. As the story begins, she awakens only to later find that she has lost an entire day. She and her recovering addict friends find that they are having nightmares about the same place and they set out to find out what is going on in order to try to save themselves and possibly the world from their nightmares.

In yet another example of a disappointing read, I was hoping to be blown away by this idea of an alternate reality viewed through broken lenses. Instead, I was not so much blown away as breathed on. The premise is a bit like NOS4A2 with an alternate reality where bad things happen. Glimpse is darker with its abuse, drug use, and despair. So much despair. Yet, while I enjoyed the novel and was spooked at times, I never fell into the story. I was always one step removed from it. There was nothing to connect me to Rain. She is sympathetic but not empathetic. I could not place myself into her shoes; there is too much of her life to which she only references in passing and in the most generic of terms making it difficult to understand her motivations and experiences. Without that connection, everything that happens to her becomes like a movie, where you know exactly where you are and how much time is passing as you watch.

Also, there is too little character development or at least character backstory to explain why Rain's connections become vital to her future success in beating the big bad. I know a story about alternate realities is fantastical enough already, so this should not be that big of a deal. Yet, for me, it is. There is an element of suspension of disbelief required, and it isn't about the bad guys or the nightmares haunting her.

So, while Glimpse is not a bad story, it is not one that kept me engaged, engrossed, or entertained. I found myself reading it for the sake of reading it with no care about Rain or her fate. I was not particularly scared, horrified, or even a bit on edge. It was a disappointing novel that I would have been better skipping.

Jonathan Maberry is one of the great storytellers of our time. He creates characters and situations that leave readers guessing until the very end. Glimpse is no different. He is able to tell Rain's story in a way that sucks the reader into the pages. I LOVED EVERY PART OF THIS BOOK!

2 1/2 Stars
This book was a struggle for me to finish. Perhaps because of the heavy paranormal aspect, or perhaps by the storyline that just seemed disjointed and all over the place. The only thing I liked about it was the ending, although it was not enough to redeem the rest of the book for me. I do think it was well written and those that like the genre will like the book. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t a book I enjoyed.

3.5*
Well, that was certainly different....!

What would you do if you woke up one morning to realize you missed out on an entire day!
That’s exactly what happened to Rain as she set off for a job interview, only to discover she’d missed her appointment by 24 hours!

On her way to the missed interview, Rain encounters an unusual elderly woman who gives her a cracked, but very exceptional pair of glasses. Somehow they allow Rain to see more clearly than she ever did before.
How wonderful! But now she’s seeing things that could not possibly be real. Rain’s life slowly begins imploding as well as those of her friends around her. Why does everyone seem to be sharing the same nightmares and visions?

This book is definitely out of my comfort zone. It has elements of horror combined with the supernatural. Normally those are genres that I wouldn’t touch. But every once in a while you need to step outside your bubble, right? 🙈

This is one of those dark, creepy reads you’d want to lose yourself in, but wary not to read after dark! A slow read that builds to a very satisfying ending. If you enjoy a book that leans a little more towards horror than thriller then this might be a great fit for you!

Thank you to NetGalley, St Martin’s Press and Jonathan Maberry for granting my wish.

When I saw the cover and read the publisher's blurb for Glimpse by author John Maberry, I was expecting a thriller with supernatural elements sort of on the lines of John Connolly and Simon Toyne, two writers I enjoy quite a lot. This was not that. It's more horror than thriller, a genre I am not particularly fond of. It took me a while to decide to write a review as I always feel a stab of guilt critiquing a book in a genre I tend to avoid. However, in this case, I felt there were enough to recommend it albeit not for me. This is the first book I have read by Maberry and, on the plus side, I will say that he is clearly a very good writer. His descriptions of the drug addicted main protagonist's nightmarish adventures are, to say the least, vivid - hallucinogenic and, well, nightmarish. Overall, though I struggled to read it and, to be honest, only made it about half-way through, I suspect that, for fans of - horror thrillers? - it would be a hella good read.

<i>Thanks to Netgalley and St martin's Press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review</i>

"They're his nightbirds. They always watch you. They want to steal your time"

Whatever you do don't say his name.....

Glimpse by Jonathan Maberry is a chilling story that bridges nightmares and reality to it's raw core.

Our main character Rain wakes up getting ready for a job interview. Rain is a recovering addict trying to get her life back on track. Rain has a very strange encounter.... while getting ready for her interview the shower curtain starts moving on it's own. But, no window is open in her bathroom... how can something move on it's own?

Rain quickly starts to spiral down into a world that is real or wait is it a nightmare with ghosts? Rain starts to have these strange dreams where I guess I would categorize them as your own demons and fears. I felt like I was hallucinating at some point reading some of these "events" that Rain experiences. I have to give the author Jonathan props.... this was definitely on the stranger side but also very creative on his part.

This was a little slow for my taste and I was waiting for something to pop out and grab me. But, it just didn't. I would say this is a slow-building horror story. I'm not sure I was categorize this as a mystery.

There is the typical theme of good vs evil in this novel. Whatever you do.... don't say his name ;).

One of the things that I did not like was characters called "Gay Bob" and "Straight Bob" in this novel. This really bothered me and I could not get past these names at all. I'm not sure where the author was going with this and why this was necessary?

Overall, 3 stars. It was just an ok read for me.... loved the short chapters too!! :)

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for granting my wish in exchange for my honest review.
Published to GR: 3/24/18
Publication date: 3/27/18

“Time is a scalpel,” said Doctor Nine , “and hope is the whetstone that keeps it sharp.”

Well, I'm in the minority, it seems, on this book. Lots of rave reviews but there won't be one from me.

I wanted to love this book because I think Jonathan Maberry is a darn fine author. I did love part of the book - the ending. But I pretty much hated the other 98% of the story. So I can't give a rave review based on that.

I like some cohesion in the books I read. I feel like this book was written by an indie author (not the Jonathan Maberry I've read and enjoyed) but someone drawing inspiration from fever dreams and on a psychedelic drug spree. It felt like random bits of prose were laid to the page as the author's brain circuits misfired.

The story leaned heavily on metaphysics, spirituality, and the supernatural - not my cup of tea.

There were some bright spots where the book reminded me of THINNER by Richard Bachman (aka Stephen King).

Oh, and dang the book seemed interminable - I didn't think I'd ever reach the last page.

I've always hated ALICE IN WONDERLAND too so if you enjoyed it, you will probably like this tale.

I received this book from St. Martin's Press through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.

The book blurb for Glimpse by Jonathan Maberry starts off calling it a chilling thriller but to me thriller are generally real people and real events with maybe the occasional touch of supernatural. Glimpse however already tells a reader that it is blending reality and nightmares so to me this one lands much more into the horror side of things.

The book starts off with the main character Rain having awakened to get ready for her job interview, a recovering addict she struggles day to day and that includes finding a good steady job. While in the bathroom getting ready though Rain has her first encounter that begins to show her things are not quite a normal day with the shower curtain moving on it’s own and then thinking she felt something behind it.

After the eventful time just getting out of the house already dropping readers into the what in the world is going on category Rain has more happen on the way to her interview. A woman offers her reading glasses when Rain finds she forgot her, Rain sees things in these glasses that are not really there, then upon arriving Rain finds she’s missed an entire day in her own life when she finds out she’s a day late for the interview.

These events are just the beginning for Rain as she finds herself tumbling into her own nightmares. I think at times reading the whole book almost made me feel like I’d become an addict myself and had slipped into hallucinations. Learning of Rain’s nightmares and how she became who she was and the events happening to her were definitely what I’d call on the strange side.

For me this one read a little on the slow side too thus my lowered rating, of course I will readily admit that I often have no patience and want all the answers now now now and tend to think things are building slowly. The story eventually became a good vs evil type of thing and the answers began to fall into place. Oh and a slightly small pet peeve with this one was a couple of characters named Gay Bob and Straight Bob…. everyone had somewhat weird names but I kept waiting for Sponge Bob to jump in with these two so yeah, just an annoyance that also kept me from falling in love. In the end though I actually did quite like how it all wrapped up so I’d say this one turned out to be an OK read for me by the end.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Glimpse is a story of recovery, atoning for past mistakes, and facing fears. Maberry has had near success in Hollywood in the past, and Glimpse would make for an engaging adaptation on the silver screen and could make him more of a household name. Maberry has stated it is his favorite thing he has ever written. His most devoted readers of his ongoing series will surely clamor for more entries, but Glimpse stands alone as another page turning addition to his list of works.

I'd not read Maberry before and I'm not a regular reader of horror, so much of this was unfamiliar territory to me. That said, the story of Rain is intriguing and quite complex. The question of what was real and what was not kept dogging me. I put this down several times but picked it up again and finished it because I really did want to know what was going on. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Maberry created intriguing characters, threw in a dog, and wrote a novel I suspect horror fans will swallow in one sitting.

*Thanks to Netgalley & St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for a review*

Expected publication: March 27, 2018

Publisher's Summary:
Rain is a young woman trying to rebuild herself after years of drug addiction and abuse. Ten years ago, at age sixteen, she gave up her baby after the father, her first love, dies in Iraq. Now, three years clean and on the way to a job interview, Rain borrows a pair of reading glasses from an old lady on a Brooklyn train. The lenses are cracked and through the crack she catches a glimpse of a little boy running and screaming. The boy looks so much like Rain’s dead lover. Like their son must look now.

Rain realizes that the glasses give her quick glimpses of her lost son, Dylan, who needs her to find him. Dylan is important to our damaged, hopeless world. But he’s in terrible trouble because evil creatures - the Shadow People - are trying to corrupt and destroy him. If Dylan dies, then hope dies.

__________________________________

Where should I start? I was hooked from the first word. Rain's is a compelling story that had me on the edge of my seat the entire read. This novel has on the components of a chilling yet fascinating read. Rain is a dynamic character whose vulnerabilities make her intriguing and reader's can't help but be entranced by her journey. Maberry does what he does best, write with purpose that is both satisfying for those wanting creative, well developed characterization, action, an interesting plot and enough creepy horror elements to have you sleeping with the lights on and checking all nooks and crannies for any number of evil creatures!

I read in chunks and with the lights on to savor the experience and soothe my overactive imagination. Maberry remains one of my absolute favorite authors. I devour everything he publishes and pine until I have another fix!

Final rating: ALL THE STARS!!!!!!

While I *LOVED* Jonathan Maberry's Joe Ledger and Rot & Ruin series, I *liked* this book. While a good read, it didn't capture my imagination like his other stories. However, that being said, it is still a decent read and I would recommend it!

This may be the creepiest story I have read in a long time. Jonathan Maberry has created a world of shadows and pain. But he has also created a world of hope. One simple word to drive away the chaos. Just, whatever you do, don't say his name.

Forced to give up her child at the age of sixteen, recovering drug addict Rain now lives a life in the shadows of regret and plagued by nightmares. When she finds herself running extraordinarily late for a job interview, she's discovers she's even later than imagined - Rain has, inexplicably, lost an entire day and has no memory of the twenty-four hours between Thursday and Saturday. Dejected, Rain encounters a mysterious woman on her train ride home who gives her a pair of cracked glasses and then vanishes. When looking through the fractured lens, Rain catches glimpse of people otherwise unseen...including a strange young boy in the company of an even stranger, older man - a man she knows as Doctor Nine, a man who has been haunting her nightmares.

Jonathan Maberry is a hugely prolific author, and one that I wish I could say I've read more of over the years. Although he's perhaps best known for his Joe Ledger series, I've only previously read his zombie stuff, the YA Rot & Ruin series and Dead of Night. I enjoyed those five titles quite a lot, but they did little to prepare me for what to expect here.

Glimpse is a far cry from those zombie thrillers, and Maberry crafts here a complicated, twisty, layered work of horror. I spent a good long while puzzling over how the various pieces and characters fit together while Maberry constructed and slowly built this tapestry of damaged characters and haunting encounters within New York and the strange, ethereal land of The Fire Zone. This is an assuredly more complex story than those earlier, straight-forward zombie pulps. It also has a surprising amount of depth to it, and the amount of information and story within belies the page count. When I say Glimpse feels like a much longer work, I mean this in the best possible sense. This one's a dense little sucker, hefty in its ideas and methodical execution.

Glimpse also feels a heck of a lot like the offspring of Joe Hill's NOS4A2, and I couldn't help but wonder how inspired Maberry was by that earlier work, or if this book would have existed without Hill's influence. There's a lot of commonalities between the two books, circling a number of similar themes and occurrences, and while they share a lot of the same genetic material (a strange villain capable of maneuvering between this world and another by way of a uniquely identifiable classic car, and The Fire Zone is almost a direct inverse of Christmasland), Glimpse stands well enough on its own, and Maberry is certainly comfortable enough in his own authorial skin, for this work to feel similar without being a derivative retread of the other.

At it's core, Maberry is writing about hope and redemption, of fighting for a better life in times of hopelessness. I would have liked to have seen more of the nicely creepy Doctor Nine, but the apocalyptic intonations and mythological folklore baked into the character are absolutely wonderful. Glimpse slowly builds toward a catastrophic, potentially apocalyptic, climax whose scale so terrifyingly casts a huge shadow over the characters that you can't help but feel a foreboding sense of hopelessness. The question then, of course, is how, or even if, Rain and her small support group of recovering addicts, can possibly overcome the all-encompassing terror surrounding them.

It's heady stuff, and Maberry does a remarkable job strumming all the various strings he's pulled together here. Glimpse is loaded with great characters, and I'd be remiss not to mention the tattooed psychic PI, Monk, who deserves a book of his own one day, and some very well depicted moments of fright and terror. All of this is wrapped up in a mind- and time-bending, perfectly executed, package.

[Note: I received an advanced copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley.]