As a mom who is anti Mom-Mafia (ya know, the snooty cul-de-sac queens of the PTA) this book was comical and sweet on friendships (but not the eye roll kind of sweet) and a touch creepy. Most of us can relate to at least one character.
Will definitely read more from Maureen Kilmer!

This was a fun read. It's all about the setting. The horror story is one we've heard many times over the years. The cast of characters are people we've met before in sitcoms and novels with small groups of tight knit friends. The setting, however, gives these the absolute right spin. It's funny but not so much it overshadows the horror. Same the other way around. The writing was fantastic and kept me reading from start to finish. Excellent book.

I really enjoyed this book. I love horror movies and have been trying to read more horror books. The writing was good and it kept me intrigued throughout the book. I could not put it down. My only complaint is that I never truly felt scared. These are the movies that tend to really scare me. Anything supernatural and I can’t sleep at night…which I love! This just didn’t get me to that level. But if you enjoy horror, particularly Grady Hendrix, this has that sort of feel. You would probably really enjoy this book as much as I did.

This was the most fun I have had reading a book in a long time. I inhaled it one sitting! Loved every second of it! Demonic housewives is a whole vibe and I’m here for it.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Penguin Group Putnam and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Horror, comedy. A little bit of everything in this one. It was definitely worth the read.

Suburban mom- gone haunted.
These moms just wanted a place to hang and call their own and The Shed was born.
What they didn't realize was the demon they dug up with that dirt.
Amy, Jess, and Melissa soon realize their friend Liz is acting SUPER odd... things happening to her, their children, their homes- what is going on!?

The 3 Moms need to stop this and get their friend back- what will it take?

I didn't want to put this book down! Gave me serious Desperate Housewives meets My best Friend's exorcism!
I related to this so much as a mother and wife, I absolutely loved it. I will most definitely be reading more books by Maureen Kilmer in the future! I know this was a horror-comedy but some really good points were made through the book, once things have begun to come to light, and it really is relatable as a mom who has gone through postpartum depression and anxiety- so easy to lose yourself when you're a mom/ wife.

The ending was also awesome!

“Moms were the ones who had to fix problems. From small things like a skinned knee, to bigger ones like supernatural forces trying to take over our families. It was up to us to save the neighborhood. “

When a demon is unleashed on a neighborhood during construction of a She Shed, a group of moms has to find out how to save their friend.

I blew through this in a day. Categorized as a light horror book, it reads the way most contemporary romances do and will keep you from wanting to put it down. With a comedic tone to it at times, it’ll appeal to fans of comedic horror movies like “Werewolf Within” or “Scare Me”.

Be on the look out for this one at the end of September.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC of this!

Suburban Hell was a book I could not resist based on title alone. I enjoy stories about the darker side of suburbia in general…so finding something by this title in the horror section of NetGalley lured me into reading this fun book.

The author lures the reader into this horror comedy with strong female characters who struggle with a work/family balance and the banalities of suburban life. For comfort and escape, they develop their own fringe community/club called the She Shed. The dynamic that the women share in this setting is reminiscent of Grady Hendrix’s The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires. (And fans of his work will definitely enjoy this book) However, Suburban Hell still manages to be a very original story.

The first half of this book reads more like a comedy on everyday life of PTA moms struggling to fit into the suburban culture. The snappy dialogue and witty observations make it feel like a light, breezy read….until the first horror hits.

The horrific incident that makes the plot suspenseful involves violence to animals. However, the violence itself is not exposed, rather the evidence of the violence is. People who find themselves sensitive to innocent animals being killed (like myself) might find this troublesome, however the author does an excellent job interweaving dark humor with the situation immediately afterward. Not going too deep into the disturbing nature of this but focusing on hilarity of interchanges around this situation made this novel read more like a comedy.

However, some of my favorite supernatural horror tropes are still woven throughout the story: playing with Ouija boards, imaginary friends that are not imaginary and demons play a role in the story as well. The notion of demons initially gets a character who grew up in a conservative mega church but has denounced that upbringing and is discussed yet again when another neighbor tries to proselytize the main character. The author maintains a very lighthearted approach to these supernatural themes throughout the whole book.
Suburban Hell checked off a lot of boxes on a lot of my favorite things in horror fiction, so I found it impossible to put down. Maureen Kilmer has a gift for comedy, I laughed so much while reading this story. This is a very impressive debut novel that I would recommend to anyone in the mood for a light, humorous read with supernatural themes.

Five stars! What a fun ride! In this novel, four best friends in a Chicago suburban subdivision get together monthly for a wine, ahem movie, night. They decide to build a She Shed in one of their backyards. When they christen the construction spot and break ground a foul smell is released and the next day their friend Liz is seemingly possessed. The other three women must figure out what has happened while dealing with demonic assaults and running their normal suburban mom lives. A perfect mix of scary and snarky. The women were fleshed out, not caricatures, and their friendship really shown through. The ending was slightly anticlimactic but it didn't spoil the book.

Suburban Hell had me intrigued as soon as I read the synopsis. Four mom friends unknowingly unleash a demon into their neighborhood? Um…count me in! I thought this was a great story. It has a little bit of everything in it; horror, comedy, life lessons, great friendships, mom and family struggles. It’s so relatable to everyday family life (besides the demon part) that it really pulled me into the story and made me feel connected to the characters. I thought this was an interesting plot for a book and really enjoyed reading the crazy mission this group of friends goes on to try and save their friend, families and neighborhood.

*(I received an e-book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way changed or influenced my views or opinions.)

Yesss I will be buying a physical copy when this is released.

I flew through this. Such an easy read, would’ve been perfect around October. I loved the ending I just wish the exorcism would’ve been longer instead of just one chapter and that Amelia would’ve had a stronger role. The relationship between Amelia and the MC’s daughter was the perfect amount of creepy. I was happy to see a group of friends save the day and not the spouse. I mean the husband is usually clueless in these types of stories anyway but it was nice to read a book centered around friendship instead of romance

When I saw this cover on NetGalley, I clicked request immediately! This book was such a great combination of horror and humor and I loved it.
If you have ever seen the 1980s film, "The Burbs," this book reminded me of a modern female version of it!
Liz, Jess, Melissa, and Amy live in a cookie cutter neighborhood outside of Chicago. Everyone has the same grass, the moms are all part of the PTA, and wine nights are scheduled like clock work.
At their most recent wine night, the women toast to the groundbreaking of the new She Shed being built at Liz's house. The next day, things start to go array. Liz is acting strange, the air is foul, and threats are coming from all around them. The remaining three friends have to work together to save their neighborhood- and their lives.

I was captivated by this book from the very first chapter. There was no time wasted in getting to the ominous mood and I love that in my horrors. There was a lot of humor sprinkled throughout the book in a way that is very relatable to any wife or mom. Each character is likeable and I think any reader can identify themselves in one of these women, as they were written to cover a range of personalities and dynamics. This book is going to be a fantastic fall release and the cover is one of my favorite covers I have come across!

I cannot wait for more thrilling stories from Maureen Kilmer!

I honestly struggled with the star rating system here. I think if I were being completely honest, it would be like a 3.5/5 but I’m rounding up at this point. There was a lot to like with Suburban Hell but also quite a few things that made it a bit lackluster. And ironically enough some of it’s best parts are a part of it’s not so great parts.

I will always love a good wholesome story about the power of friendship, and especially one that’s about women friendship. We definitely need more representation of healthy female friendship that's not riddled with backstabbing, revolving around men, putting down other women, or stereotypical toxic women stereotypes, etc… in the media. And that’s where Suburban Hell shines. The friendship between Amy, Jess, Melissa, and Liz, is amazing. They’re supportive, fun, and always willing to help each other out. Hell, I wish I had friends like them! They’re all quite different in their own ways but that’s what works for them, and I really do think they all kind of round each other out.

The issue? It started to sound slightly preachy in some parts, and definitely cheesy in others. But hey it’s wholesome, and nice to read. The other issue is the ladies kind of each have their own suburban mom stereotype role that almost feels maybe a tad too “cookie cutter”. And to be honest Melissa just stole the whole show. I loved her, she’s a hoot! And her thinking? So relatable! Even more so than Amy, our main protagonist here. What about everyone else? Meh. Their husbands were all meh, even their kids were meh.

Another thing I loved, is as a Midwesterner it was nice and fun to read all the little nods and tidbits about the Midwest. But at the same time, I have a feeling if you weren’t from the Midwest or are familiar with the culture here, it might feel a bit like fillers. There are also a bit of references that seem to gear towards a very specific target audience. It almost feels like it boxed itself in a bit too much, when it could have had an opportunity to grasp a larger audience that would enjoy this book, if maybe they could catch and understand those little bits and pieces.

So for anyone who isn't a woman, a mom or familiar with the suburbs/Midwest, maybe this isn’t going to be their relatable cup of tea. But I really do think for the intended audience, this book would be quite enjoyable and a good read overall.
But I’m sorry to say, my only real pressing problem with Suburban Hell and had prevented me from rating this book any higher, is that it just wasn’t scary to me. The synopsis had my expectations going in a different direction than what the book actually delivered. I was looking forward to crazy suburban neighborhood mayhem, maybe a bit more blood and demonic activities.
Although, I really don’t think that’s on the author, and maybe more to do with me and my expectations going into the book.
Overall I still enjoyed it, if not a pinch disappointed as a hardcore horror fan, that I wasn’t more scared or disturbed after the reading.

And lastly, a big thank you to Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for this ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons for letting me read and review this eARC.

When the seemingly perfect suburban neighborhood has a darkness set in that happens to be coming from Amy Foster’s neighbor she is determined to figure out what is happening to her friend.

This was a PAGE TURNER. I was so hooked from the get go. Amy and her tight knit circle of moms is thrown off when weird and often spooky things start happening with their friend Liz - who isn’t really seeming like the woman they’ve all come to know and love.

They endure A LOT of really intense and scary events which leads them to teaming up to protect the suburbs that they love and their friend.

There’s humor, some scares, and a whole lot of badass women. I loved it!

I can’t say enough good things about this book. I predict it’s going to be a bestseller when it comes out! I requested this book on NetGalley because the cover drew me in and then I read the description. It was Bad Moms meets My Best Friends Exorcism. I was so freaking happy when they approved me to read this ARC.

This book revolves around four suburban moms who aren’t the same as most of the cookie cutter women in the neighborhood. They each have their own entertaining personalities where the reader can really relate to at least one if not all of the women.

It all starts at their monthly get together for a wine/movie night. Just a normal night where you drink and laugh with your friends then end up summoning a demon that possesses one of them. The rest of the story is the unpossesed three trying to figure out what happened to their friend, Liz, and being physically and mentally assaulted by their demon/friend. There is a Roomba incident that has me giving side eye to my little harmless vaccuum. The women can either band together by harnessing the power of friendship or crumble and give up leaving behind their homes and normalcy.

When this comes out please read it! If you are into horror comedies or fun authors like Grady Hendrix then you’ll love this book. It’s due to come out at the end of September.

This book in 3 words: Dark. Shocking. Hilarious.

Suburban Hell takes us to the suburbs of Chicago, where 4 women uncover something hellish while planning to build a she-shed.

This book is such a deliciously dark treat. It goes all-in on making fun of suburban living/families today, all the while creating characters and events you could basically reach out and grab. This book felt so realistic but also has an aspect of a demon... which means, in my opinion, the author did a stellar job. It's also a bit heartfelt... and now I know you're reading this being like, HOW IS IT POSSIBLE? It's hard to explain...but it just works!

I really liked our main character, Amy. I feel like there's many ways readers can relate to her... friendships, family dynamics, loss. I was happy to see such a developed character in this genre... which I'm going with soft horror-comedy. Also, the inner monologue of our MC feels genuine and funny... she was so likeable.

My only complaint was I wanted a little more from the ending - felt like it may have went by too fast, but still a very enjoyable read.

I did get some Grady Hendrix and Chuck Palahniuk vibes (more Hendrix than Palahniuk). This one was fun... I recommend!

This book just wasn't for me and I DNFed it at 30%. I couldn't connect to any of the characters. Everyone seemed stuck up. There was no horror to be found, just gore. I didn't appreciate the dead baby rabbits scene at all. I'm sure others might like this book, but it just didn't draw me in. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the arc in return for an honest review!

I really, really enjoyed this book. I love horror books and I really loved the biting comedy this one had. There were a few writing choices that took me out of the story a little bit, like how the dialogue from the mom's often didn't use contractions, or how some of the last lines in chapters felt almost clickbaity to make me move on to the next chapter. I didn't really agree with having Heather possessed at the end. It seemed like they'd gotten rid of Mavis, so was this just a different demon who slipped through? Why Heather? But overall, I loved the tone of the book and I loved the pacing.

Suburban Hell tells the story of best friends, neighbors, and moms Amy, Melissa, Jess, and Liz, whose wine and movie nights are their precious hours to be together and be themselves. After Liz starts construction on a She Shed in her backyard (a permanent home for their get-togethers), weird things start happening in the neighborhood. The most concerning changes start happening to Liz, who seems to be an entirely different person now. Or is she even still a person at all? It's up to Amy, Melissa, and Jess to get to the bottom of what's wrong with Liz, get their friend back, and save the neighborhood. Oh, and take care of the kids, have successful careers, and plan the annual summer carnival.

I'm not a mom, so I worried that I wouldn't be able to connect to the main characters, but I really liked them! They all had unique personalities, and all seemed like normal people you could meet in everyday life. Amy was the most fleshed out, and we get the story from her perspective. I liked that we got to see details of what Amy's day-to-day was like. I liked that it touched on the anxiety she felt when dealing with the situation with Liz, her job interview, and the carnival planning. I thought her actions and reactions were very realistic, as well as Melissa's and Jess's. I loved all of their families! They were all different, but all supportive and loving. Tony, Mark, and Del had their own personalities, and their interactions with their families were genuine. I would have loved to read more about them and their wives as couples.

I don't think comparing this story to Grady Hendrix or Bad Moms is doing it any favors. Although it's classified as horror, I didn't find any of the "horror" parts scary or disturbing. At most, some of the scenes depicting injuries could be seen as gory, but that doesn't mean they were scary. Also while our four friends do deal with pettiness from some of their neighbors, it wasn't on the level of Bad Moms. There were not many humorous sections of the book either. If anything I would classify this as general or women's fiction. It's more about the relationships between the four friends, and them going through this traumatic event together. It's light-hearted, sure, but it's not horror or comedy, and I think it's setting itself up for disappointment when it says it's both of those things.

Overall, I thought the book was cute and breezed through it. However, the plot is jumbled in terms of a deeper message. It's unclear that it has one until the last quarter of the book, when inner monologues begin about how moms have always been the ones with the biggest burdens and have always been the ones working behind the scenes and doing the hardest jobs. Talk turns to isolation and how it takes a village to raise a child. Amy reveals that she felt isolated when she first moved to the neighborhood and was saved when she met her three friends. There's talk of her sister June, who died of an overdose, who up until this point, had only been briefly mentioned once or twice. Apparently she was a large part of Amy's life and her death sent her spiraling.

This book does a lot of telling rather than showing. We're told about how important June was to Amy, but never shown through memories or items in Amy's house or anything. At the end, a rabbit crosses Amy's path and she says it's a sign from June, but I don't remember anything about a rabbit representing June. We're told that mothers bare the burden, even now in this neighborhood, but no scenes depict this in the story. All the husbands are supportive and caring (except Tim, screw Tim), shown sharing the work and being there for their wives. There seem to be neighborhood support systems set up between groups of people. I felt that even between those who didn't get along so well, if one of them needed help with their kids or something, no one in the neighborhood would have turned them down. We're told that this carnival is a huge deal, but it's barely mentioned in terms of planning, comes together off-screen. and is given only a short chapter of coverage. In my opinion, it did nothing to progress the plot and was unneeded.

I thought the ending was fine. I thought the way they saved Liz was fine. I wasn't a huge fan of the epilogue, but that's fine. Overall I thought the book was fine. I think it will be a fun read for any fan of contemporary, light fiction, but may be a disappointment for those hoping for true horror.

Funny? Yes.
Scary? Oh yeah.
Chick-Lit? Not even close. I'm a guy and I loved it. I can't think of any reader who wouldn't love it, except maybe satanists, and they hate everything.

Whispering Farms, the upscale neighborhood that Amy calls home, is about to be in some hellacious trouble.
This is the community that helped Amy recover from tragedy, by providing what she had been looking for her entire life: True friends.
And she'll fight the devil to keep 'em.

As a child of the 80's, I couldn't help thinking about Poltergeist and the Exorcist, but this novel is so much more than scary.
It's also hilarious. And the focus on good friends and family touched my heart.