You know all of those books about suburban neighborhoods where everyone hangs out together and the women have wineclub? This is that, kind of. Maureen Kilmer takes that and reveals the true hell it can be. I mean really. I appreciate some humor with my horror. Who doesn’t? If you said, “Me!” then you should skip this. This is for the rest of us.

We've all done it. You're scrolling through Pinterest and the idea hits. Your favorite DIY blog or magazine features one and your brain starts to turn. A popular Instagram account features one boho inspired snippet and you're hooked. You're dreaming of your very own She Shed. 

You think it'll be a place where you can get away with your friends, forget about work, have some delicious appetizers, or even have a few glasses of wine out there but what happens when that dream turns into a nightmare for the whole neighborhood? When breaking ground in your long awaited personal space wakes something up, what will it cost to save suburbia?

This was one of my most anticipated reads of the entire year and I LOVED IT. The writing was engaging and driven, the characters were enjoyable, and the story was creepy, quirky, and unique.

I received a copy of Suburban Hell from NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnem in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a horror story with other moments about a suburban mother who after finding a group of outcasts who don’t quite fit in with other mothers. Whether they have a slightly unconventional family, aren’t quite as rich as everyone else, or just see through the BS, all four of the women found friends in each other and plan on making She Shed in Liz’s backyard for somewhere they can get away from everything just to have some time to themselves.

However, when the ground is broken, a smell like death fills the air, and Liz starts acting even more aggressively, even toward her friends, and the stress of life becomes even harder on the friends and their lives.

I went into this looking for a comedic horror story with maybe a bit of reflection on suburban life, especially for women, and that’s how it starts, but besides moments where a roomba goes crazy and little moments like that, most of the story is rather serious in its tone. Liz herself only makes a few poignant cameos after she starts acting strange, and the reveal of what happened both makes sense, but I would have liked to see her interactions more.

The story takes a lot of time reflecting on Amy and her life as she spends most of her time taking care of her children, cooking for them and her husband, taking them to playdates and to different places to play, trying to take on running a carnival for the PTA, and looking for a job, which I’m not sure when she’d have time for when she only has a job to look for a job between looking after her children and keeping up with cleaning, cooking, and everything else. Not to mention, she looking to be a social worker.

It doesn’t just sound exhausting, it sounds impossible, even when her children go back to school.

The thing is, that part of the book is the meat of the book, with the horror of the book is just frosting. A bit there to emphasize parts of what is going on and the themes, but mostly lost in the book overall for long parts that made it feel like it stretched out into infinity. And that’s what made the story more of a 3-star for me. Perhaps if I was a suburban mother, the story just didn’t grab me. I found myself wanting the horror to draw me into the themes of the story, and instead, it was left to the side to connect to the character looking for a job and dealing with raising her children without connecting to them while weird things happened every once in a while as she snarked at them every once in a while and her friends made their own contributions here and there.

This cute little suburban romp is centered around four friends in a tight knit yet cliquey neighborhood in the suburbs of Chicago, IL. With a little possession and horror thrown in this mixes funny, and scary so well I want to read it again.

This was definitely my kind of book. I never knew that quirky, sarcastic possession stories were my thing until now and I’m hoping for more of anything from this author. The women in the story Amy, Liz, Jess, and Melissa and the group you want to be apart of, they mock the PTA crowd that is always perfect every time they leave their houses and somehow do everything and then some and just all around seem perfect. This group after a tough meeting decided to drink a little wine and get some much deserved girl-time in and in the midst of the get together Liz decides to build a “she-shed” for them all for their now monthly meetings.

What happens next turns this funny mom/family story into a horror story. Can this neighborhood withstand a demon possessing one of its own? I was definitely creeped out during a few of the scenes but could totally picture myself doing everything they all were doing. The characters were well developed and I wanted to get to know each and every one of them more. I love when a conversations in books feel real and this felt like i was a fly on the wall with these lovely ladies. I binged this read in under a day and wanted more and more.

This book has it all and then some. Great fun characters a serious plot with some great snark. The cover is amazing and best of all this is a debut from it’s author. Can’t wait to see what comes next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam / G.P. Putnam’s Sons for this provided copy in exchange for my honest review.

Suburban Hell is equal parts kitschy, terrifying and heartwarming. It's a satire-horror crossover about a group of suburban Moms dealing with demons. It has some shades of The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires, so if you loved that Hendrix class then you'll be a fan of this one!

I loved how fun this book was! It's the perfect Halloween read with just the right balance between creep and fun. I'd describe this as being similar to Grady Hendrix's novels, specifically Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires. Amy, Liz, Jess, and Melissa were such a fun group to follow and I loved seeing the parallels between real life and the mystical that they were dealing with. I'd recommend this for someone looking for a quick, spooky read that isn't too scary or anyone who likes Grady Hendrix and needs someone to tide them over before the next novel.

Amy, Liz, Jess and Melissa are a tight-knit group of friends and neighbors who get together for a monthly wine night. Liz is having a She Shed built for them in her back yard so they can briefly escape the mundanity of their lives. As construction begins, the excavators unearth a long-buried demonic force and Liz seemingly turns into a cruel bombshell overnight. Initially, the ladies think Liz might just be going through a mid-life crisis but when the demon begins to threaten them and their families, they band together to save their gentle, selfless friend and cast the spirit back to hell.

Suburban Hell is a delectable blend of character-driven horror and humor with underlying themes of friendship, grief, loss and sexism. A few scenes gave me the creeps but the violence and gore are very mild and the humor makes it easy to swallow. This fun, delightful story highlights the strength of women and mothers who shoulder the invisible mental, emotional and physical load to keep everything running smoothly within their families and communities—all while exorcising demons from their friends bodies. If you enjoy campy, light horror with a side of dark humor, I highly recommend this one.

I had a good time reading this book. I thought that it was really relatable as a white suburban mom. The satire was really funny, the demonic possession was just the right amount of horror for me, and I thought the characters and their relationships were very believable. I would have liked to see some diversity, that alone is my reason for giving it a 3 instead of a 4. It did seem like a long journey and then everything coming to a head in the last handful of pages. It sets up for a potential continuation? I'm not sure if there are other books planned but I will probably read them.

3.5/5

I can give this one a mild rec but I think you have to really be into suburban horror to fully enjoy it. Otherwise it may seem a little annoying. For me though, it was a mostly fun experience.

Thank you for this opportunity!

🧟‍♀️ A R C • R E V I E W 🧟‍♀️
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Title: Suburban Hell
Author: Maureen Kilmer
Rating: 4/5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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HAPPY PUB DAY to this gem of a book!!
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Suburban Hell is Maureen Kilmer's debut Horror novel that has the perfect amount of comedy thrown in there; this book was just fun. The characters were easily likeable, and the story flowed flawlessly . The witty dialogue and humor scattered through this one actually had me laughing out loud and really helped with the more suspenseful parts - and let me tell you some parts of this had my heart pounding out of my chest. I damn near had a heart attack at some of the really creepy parts Haha; it was awesome and everything that I definitely needed in a read this month!
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This is more than just a horror though, this story had depth to it. It was really unique in the fact that while it was a horror, it was also thrilling with the perfect comic relief, this also had some great messages thrown in there as well. This is a story about friendship, about dealing with one's losses, forgiving oneself and true growth in character. I really felt drawn to every aspect of this book and thoroughly enjoyed this one.
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I most definitely can see this one flying off the shelves as it has it all. Suburban Hell is going to be the perfect spooky season read but will also be the perfect book in between all of those extra scary reads! Suburban Hell is out today, and I highly recommend you don't sleep on this one!
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Huge thank you to @netgalley and @maureenkilmer and @penguingroupputname @gpputnamssons for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
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#pubdayreview #fourstars #fourstarreview #happypubday #netgalley #netgalleyreview #netgalleyearc #electronicadvancedreaderscopy #horrormixedwithcomedy #lessonsonfriendship #lessonsonforgivingoneself #truelaughoutloudmoments #wittydialogue #trulycreepyparts #sheshedgonewrong #demonicforces #seances #suburbanhell #maureenkilmer #penguingroupputnam #gpputnassons

This is like My Best Friend's Exorcism, Attack the Block and Bad Moms all wrapped into a fun horror ride. This book is everything you would expect it to be. We all know the suburbs can hide some big secrets, and this neighborhood is no exception.

Liz, Jess, Melissa, and Amy are best friends from the same suburb. Things start to turn weird though after they dedicate a spot in Liz’s backyard for their She Shed. Liz is acting weird and it’s up to Amy, Jess, and Melissa to figure things out. Can they save Liz, themselves, and their suburb from demonic clutches?

This book was great! I loved the characters so much; I feel like I would perfectly fit in with their mom group. This was a pretty quick read for me, because I had to know how it ended! I was surprised that the ending wrapped up so quickly; I thought we’d have a little more time with the ending events. Although, this didn’t take away from the story. I loved the aspect of this being a demon story but told within a mom group. I’m not a mom myself, but I’m older so I can still relate and see myself in this situation. It was a good spin to the genre. I hope this author sticks with writing horror stories. I’m really interested in seeing what they can cook up next!

Thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons for the ARC!

I could quite possibly write a half-dozen books using this title, but with different themes. But none of them would be as good as this one, obviously.

Amy, Liz, Jess, and Melissa have forged a deep friendship. In fact, Liz is building a she-shed in her backyard to give them their own space. But soon after breaking ground, Liz starts behaving strangely. And weird things happen. Weird, supernatural things. Amy wonders if Liz is possessed; as ludicrous as it sounds, their research at the local historical society combined with Amy's conversation with the house's previous resident makes it seem not so impossible.

But how will they get their friend back?

Although this is described as a horror novel, it is equal parts satire and humor. Anyone who has had children and lived in the suburbs, willingly or not (both having children and living in the suburbs), will find it hilarious. The horror aspects will not frighten most people. Except perhaps people like me who already know there's a burial ground nearby that the builders didn't respect. #SuburbanHell #NetGalley

Read this book if you like: Funny horror, strong friendships, mom life stories

Amy Foster has left the city and moved to the suburbs. She found her place quickly with neighbors Liz, Jess, and Melissa. One night during their monthly wine get-together, the crew concoct a plan for a clubhouse, She Shed in Liz's backyard. It's a space for just them, no spouses or kids allowed.

The night after they christen the She Shed, things start to feel off. Suddenly they are battling a demonic force and their friend is possessed. There are strange burn marks, self-moving dolls, and horrible smells surrounding Liz. Together, Amy, Jess, and Melissa must fight the evil spirit to save Liz and the neighborhood before the suburbs go completely to hell.

I loved this book. I love the fun type of horror. It reminds me of Desperate Housewives with some demons added in. 🤣 It was so funny and very entertaining. It has a great balance of humor and horror. I loved the friendship between the women. This felt like a real group of friends. Very well written. There were a few out of place parts that weren't needed for the story but I still loved it. Definitely get this one! It comes out August 30th!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, the author, and Penguin Group Putnam for the gifted ebook! ❤️

If you enjoy chick lit and horror, then Suburban Hell by Maureen Kilmer may be just what you are looking for!

I’ve been an avid fan of horror since I was seven (yes, really!), so for me to find a book that combines darkness with chick lit, which is usually a much lighter read, was a fun experience.

While the four female characters were written really well, I wish Kilmer had developed the men a bit more. They often felt like caricatures of a fifties housewife or a businessman who only cares about money… which is fine, but they needed a bit more depth. And I really wish Amy’s daughter’s powers would have been explored more too.

I did enjoy some of the graphic horror parts, and I will never trust my Roomba again. Suburban Hell also included some heavier feminist topics if you decide to take a deeper look at the story and not just enjoy it as a beach read.

For a debut novel, Kilmer is a welcome addition to both genres, and I’m interested to see what she comes up with next.

This book was awful… for my insomnia.

I stayed up nearly all night for two days in a row flying through this new horror novel by Maureen Kilmer. Suburban Hell is a story about four female friends and how important it is to find your own small village as an adult. Especially when you are all stuck in a suburb outside of Chicago and have never once been inclined to be a part of a HOA or PTA.

It is also a story about what happens when one of your group’s pillars becomes possessed by a malevolent demonic spirit of a woman long ago scorned, who just so happens to be hellbent on ensuring that no one ever feels joy in the neighborhood again.

Darkly funny, and wonderfully horrific, Suburban Hell by Maureen Kilmer really takes a look at the complexities of adult friendships as a whole, and sprinkles in a lot of centuries old evil to liven things up.

4.6578/5

We follow Amy and her 3 friends living the life in the suburbs where they gather every month for a “wine night”. One day, their friend Liz started acting a bit odd. Amy’s convinced that Liz is possessed by some demonic entity. So then Amy gathered up her friends to help Liz and the suburbs from evil.

If you like A Southern Bookclub’s Guide to Slaying Vampires and My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady Hendrix like I did, you will love this one. It’s the best parts of both books combined. This was so much fun to read and a bit ridiculous which makes it even better. Lots of creepy descriptions. I love the friendship the most. All the characters are so funny in their own way. I highly recommend!

Thank you @netgalley and @putnambooks for this arc! I am now in the hunt for more horror comedies. This is the perfect cozy spooky season read! 👻

I loved this book. Maureen Kilmer has written a fun book that many readers can enjoy. I read it in one sitting and then recommended it to my friends

Suburban Hell by Maureen Kilmer

A fun Horror story following four moms in suburbia trying to survive the summer’s long days of activities, tantrums, endless snacks, oh and demonic spirits plaguing their block. As if they need more on their plates.
We often hear it takes a village to raise children, but very rarely do we ever have one. So, when these four women find each other, their bond is as strong as their drinks. Straight up. Amy, Jess, Melissa, and Liz have found what many of us mom’s look for in each other, a community. Amy finally feels safe knowing they have each other’s backs and will stop at nothing to protect her found sisters. But that bond she treasures above all else is tested when a demon spirit begins to cause chaos and test what they believe is possible and what they are capable of.

I really enjoyed this book. It felt like The Exorcist meets The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires. All the scary goriness but with mommy pressures made this story more real and accessible. I loved the characters and humor they brought to what could have just been another story about a demon spirit. This mom group made it so much funnier but also made the stakes higher. I loved how all the drama of suburbia was woven into the story along with bigger real-life trauma. Any book that can make me simultaneously self-reflect on family dynamics but also terrified of a Rumba is going to be a big hit for sure.

Review will also be on Instagram and blog post on Publish date 8/30/22

Suburban Hell was the perfect title for this book because I literally felt like I was in a Surburban Hell, the PTA meeting moms, Pinterest perfect, block parties, and well-trimmed lawns with a dash of demonic possession and evil Rombas..

This wasn't scary but this was a fun, campy, read that was easy to digest. I loved the friendship between the women and them coming together battling the demon to save their friend. That wasn't' the only demon being confronted, watching Amy deal with the grief of the loss of her sister was done well and was interesting to read.

I highly recommend this book to fans of horror who want a fun palette cleanser, that will have you laughing and questioning if there really is Surburban towns like this still today.