Wow. Just WOW.

This book sucked me in from the beginning. I felt myself immediately relating to the narrator and her friends as “suburban moms” with kiddos just starting summer break.

I did not anticipate the swift change from lighthearted and witty to dark and demonizing. This book gave me “Dead to Me” meets “Amityville Horror” vibes. I could not put it down but the details had me needed a couple breaks! So scary!

My only critique would be the backstory with the drug-addicted sister. I don’t feel as though it added anything to the story and could have been left out.

Suburban Hell felt like the adult cousin of My Best Friend's Exorcism. A creepy story with the high stakes of losing your best friend at the center, with a little humor mixed in. Maybe not for all audiences, but it definitely worked for me!


You might enjoy this if you like:
•Stories about friendship
•Demons and possession
•Mom life
•Suburbia
•Books that read easy but have depth

Suburban Hell had female friendship I could appreciate and a husband that was supportive instead of the cliché. There are horror elements but no terror. I didn’t connect with the characters the way I wanted to but I still had an enjoyable time

Suburban Hell by Maureen Kilmer is such an interesting read. I related to a lot of the feelings and emotions of the moms who lived in this neighborhood, with the exception of all the demons and hell stuff. This was actually scarier than i thought it would be. I loved Amy's loyalty and her determination to do what was right for her friend. The banter between the friends was also top notch. This is a great book for spooky season.

It’s been some time since I’ve had a book scare me and yet feel lighthearted as this one. My Best Friends Exorcism meets Desperate House Wives. Funny moments speckled with scares and chills. If this is Kilmer’s first horror novel I can’t wait to see what else she has to offer.

Suburban Hell was a very interesting book to read. It had a similar atmospheric vibe to The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix, one of my favorite books. The characters were all interesting, the story, while there are plenty of supernatural stories out there, was still unique. I really enjoyed this one and would give it a 4 star rating.

The only thing about the book I didn't love were parts of the book seemed forgotten. One of the main characters children fell and hurt her knee. The mother came over and held a hand over it, but when the mothers friend appeared at the event they were having, the mother left and the daughters knee was forgotten. Did she bandage it up? It wasn't said.

Another instance like that happened with the family's dog. The rumba they had glitched and hurt the dog. In the chapter it says the dogs front paws were bleeding. But then it doesn't say if the main character took care of the dog later on. She just focused on her friends. It was never said if the dog was taken to the vet or needed its paws wrapped.

Instances like that takes me out of the story because it makes me feel like they don't belong if the author doesn't follow up on what's been written.

Otherwise, the story was good and interesting and I enjoyed this book!

This book was a little different for me. I love humor and the way the author did it in this book was PERFECTION I got all of the jokes, I had to hold back from laughing out loud for real. Now, why is this book different outside of the humor? Well this book offers more than that, we have suburban moms saving the world, saving their town from this evil thing that’s plaguing their town, their families, and even one of the moms named Liz. I swear this book would make a great comedy horror film on Netflix, I know I am not the only one to even think it. I would never think to read a genre like this, but I can say honestly that I enjoyed it in so many levels. Thanks Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Suburban Hell was such a surprisingly fun horror novel. A group of four very different mothers live an ordinary life in a quiet Chicago suburb. But then, during a monthly movie (wine) night, the women give a toast to the site of a future She Shed in Liz's back yard, a space they can finally claim as their own. There's a charge in the air, and by the next day, things begin to feel wrong. Throughout the summer, there's a demonic Roomba, an American Girl doll that seems to have a life of her own, and a completely altered Liz who's undergone a transformation for the worse. Her friends Amy, Melissa, and Jess are understandably worried and are determined to make things right again.

I loved the mix of horror elements and typical suburban scenes - carnivals, Target trips, and pool visits with the kids. It made the book more light-hearted, even though there were some creepy moments throughout the book. The story also shed a light on the power of friendship, the determination of mothers, and the effects of loss. I always appreciate when a page-turning novel carries a little more depth than just a series of actions and reactions from the characters. I love books like this, and I look forward to whatever comes next from the author.

"A Chicago cul-de-sac is about to get a new neighbor...of the demonic kind."

This book is best described as the Real Housewives with a demonic possession - and it is so much fun! The characters and female friendships are so well written. The four main characters are different and the same all at once. They lean into their friendship (and wine night!) to get through the struggles of motherhood, marriage, other PTO moms, etc. When one of them decides to build a proper She Shed as a place for them to host wine night a demonic force is released and the ride begins.
I read a lot of thrillers with edge-of-your-seat twists and turns - but that is not this book. It was easy to see where the story was going, the magic was in the characters and their relationships with some spookiness sprinkled on top. I absolutely loved this book from beginning to end. You do not need to be a horror fan to enjoy this book - dare I call it cozy horror?
Suburban Hell is the perfect book to add to your list of fall reads!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this ARC.
Release Date scheduled for August 30, 2022.

From the publisher:
A Chicago cul-de-sac is about to get a new neighbor...of the demonic kind.

Amy Foster considers herself lucky. After she left the city and moved to the suburbs, she found her place quickly with neighbors Liz, Jess, and Melissa, snarking together from the outskirts of the PTA crowd. One night during their monthly wine get-together, the crew concoct a plan for a clubhouse She Shed in Liz’s backyard—a space for just them, no spouses or kids allowed.

But the night after they christen the She Shed, things start to feel . . . off. They didn’t expect Liz’s little home-improvement project to release a demonic force that turns their quiet enclave into something out of a nightmare. And that’s before the homeowners’ association gets wind of it.

Even the calmest moms can’t justify the strange burn marks, self-moving dolls, and horrible smells surrounding their possessed friend, Liz. Together, Amy, Jess, and Melissa must fight the evil spirit to save Liz and the neighborhood . . . before the suburbs go completely to hell.

My thoughts:

The story is told from Amy's point of view. Once Liz has been possessed, it's Amy's drive that keeps the ladies going seeking a way to save her. And while all this is going on, she somehow volunteered to organize a school carnival. Amy is a devoted parent, spouse, and friend.

The book is well-written. The plot moves along at a good rate. There's plenty going on. And in addition there is building suspense and a good dose of humor.

Overall, I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. I love the combination of horror and humor. It made me think of both The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix and the program Desperate Housewives. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy light horror with a good infusion of humor. I will definitely be looking for Maureen Kilmer's next book.

Suburban Hell is expected out August 30th, 2022 from G.P. Putnam's Sons.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect my review.

5/5 Stars!

If you love books by Grady Hendrix, you’ll LOVE Suburban Hell. It’s like if My Best Friend’s Exorcism and Desperate Housewives had a baby.

The story is about Amy, Liz, Jess, and Melissa. Four women who have bonded during wine and movie nights. It’s a monthly routine for them and they discuss having a “she-shed” to further give them a type of escape from their everyday life. However, when Liz breaks ground in her backyard to build the she-shed, something evil emerges. Liz is not the same afterwards and it’s up to the rest of the group to save their friend and their entire neighborhood.

This book was the perfect balance of humor and horror. The conversations between the women felt so realistic. Each woman had her own quirks and behaviors that felt organic. They felt like a real group of friends. The elements of horror were also fantastic. Creepy dolls, hallucinations, and possession! I personally don’t mind a fair amount of gore but i actually enjoyed that this book was mostly tension and creepy stuff. I do feel like the ending was done so the author could write a sequel or spin off of some kind. I don’t mind it though! The ending was still really good.

I’m so pleasantly pleased with this book and I look forward to more horror from Maureen Kilmer.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a fun, lighthearted horror about what happens when a suburban housewife becomes possessed. It also had a commentary on motherhood and adult female friendships which was unexpected but really appreciated. Suburban Hell was such a fun read that kept me coming back to it. I actually got sucked in to the point I actually jumped when someone came up behind me which doesn’t happen often anymore. If you are interested, I’d recommend giving this book a shot. And check in on your friends. They just might need you to perform an exorcism!

thank you to netgalley and g.p. putnam sons for the arc of suburban hell!

i had so much fun reading this story. i feel like it was a super interesting take on comedic horror by having it be set in the suburbs and be told through the perspective of amy, a mother of two. there was a really nice balance between horror elements like the demon taking over liz’s body and a murderous vacuum, and motherly elements like amy being rangled into being in charge of the pta’s summer carnival.

i think my one complaint is the consistent use of the phrasing “i would soon to come find out” or “i was wrong about this” etc bc it feels almost like a fourth wall break but with not the best execution.

overall though i would recommend this to anyone looking for a not too scary horror book this fall! thanks again to the publisher for this advanced copy.

Objectively, this isn’t a bad book. I just really struggled to get into it. Best described as horror comedy, it felt very much like Grady Hendrix's "The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires" except nowhere near as good. There were moments where I knew the writer was trying to be funny and I think that’s the key word: trying. The humor was just a huge miss for me. I wanted more scares and oomph. The entire book was basically just the main character Amy complaining about anything and everything. The group of friends, including Amy, all seemed like they had super interesting backstories and I wish it had been fleshed out more. I also wish we got to see a bit more of Liz before she got possessed because I didn’t really care or feel invested in the group’s friendship before things took a turn. What did I like? Amy made a lot of great horror/pop culture references, Kilmer did great poking fun at motherhood and the suburban lifestyle, and I liked the demon’s backstory. The book has some great early reviews and I feel like this book just wasn’t for me so don’t let my review deter you!

I was highly anticipating this book as it sounded like such a fun time, but unfortunately I didn’t have the best time with it. While I love horror comedy movies/TV shows, I struggle to enjoy these types of stories in the book form. This reminded me of Finlay Donovan is Killing It, which I also didn’t really enjoy.

I never felt like I really connected with the characters or really understood their friendship that mostly seemed driven by the convenience of proximity. While there are some more graphic details in a few scenes, this book remains a very light cozy horror and I was wanting it to really go there at times. It sort of felt like watching a Halloween special of a Disney show, which certainly has its audience but it just didn’t really work for me.

My favorite part was reading about a haunted Roomba attacking the women as it was just SO ridiculous and over the top (a haunted Roomba would make for a GREAT short story).

All in all, this one just wasn’t really for me but I do think people who like this genre would have fun with this one.

Thank you to the publisher for granting me access to an ARC via NetGalley.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4. Suburban Hell was a fun story about a group of 4 friends living in the suburbs and one of the friends becomes possessed by a demon after breaking ground on her She Shed build. I didn't find this story to be scary at all, great book for beginner horror readers or readers who don't like gore and like their horror books more on the PG13 side. This book takes place in late Summer through early Fall and is a perfect read to kick off spooky season. You will definitely feel all the suburbs mom vibes. I loved the loyalty of the friends throughout this book. Parts of this book reminded me of the Tom Hanks movie The Burbs. Great read, I definitely recommend checking it out!

OK, so in all honesty this arc request was due solely to the incredible cover art and I LOVED the title. It reminds me of something that I can't quite put my finger on just yet but I love it all the same.

I was REALLY surprised to find out that this is a DEBUT novel because it was THAT GOOD. Suburban Hell reminded me a lot of Grady Hendrix's My Best Friend's Exorcism.

This book was a TON of fun, had relatable/likeable characters, and I really enjoyed the depth of character of Amy who is unfortunately dealing with the loss of her sister due to addiction. Bleak.

I don't want to give too much of the plot away, but I will say this story is something that EVERYONE should read as there is at least SOMETHING that anyone can relate to (grief, friendship, motherhood, love and loss, suburban life, the power of forgiveness, etc).

I don't know if the author plans on writing a sequel but I hope they do.

My ONLY complaint is that there was some animal stuff in there that is a major trigger for me so heads up for anyone who might be sensitive to that type of stuff. Solid 4/5 stars.

Im actually not a huge horror fan but desperate housewives meets the exorcist got me and it delivered . While yes there are plenty of horror moments with double jointed occurrences, demented roombas, and demonic dolls, there’s also a big emphasis on community. As the moms of this neighborhood are infiltrated by a demonic spirit they realize that how important they are to their relationships. I was also very fond of lot having to read another mom book where are the husbands are assholes, they’re sometimes clueless but most were actually supportive. It was an extremely fun ride through wine nights, school carnivals and too many life instances that took on an edge in the plot. It was a story of found families and actually an introspective piece on women friendships.

When I applied for this ARC I had envisioned Desperate Housewives meets the Exorcist. That's what I got however it was not as intense as I expected from this book. I think the author might have been going for a lighter and not very detailed horror novel and that's what you get with this book.

I feel like the story was kind of choppy. Maybe that isn't the best word. Anyway, IMO a lot of potentially impossible details were not added which would have obviously extended the length of the book but would have greatly increased the . Again that is just my opinion.

Ꮢ𝖊ɑ𝒹 𝘵һⅈ𝓼 𝘣օօ𝚔 ⅈ𝚏
👹 you don't like super scary books and want something a bit creepy for Halloween season
👹 you enjoy YA novels
👹 you want a book that is an easier read

This was a fun read for anyone looking to read something fitting for spooky season. Nothing in it was too scary, and some things that were meant to be scary actually were goofy. I wouldn't call this a "must read" or a book that "you can't put down" but it was fun to pass the time.