Thanks to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the audiobook ARC!

Black Mouth reminded me a lot of Stephen King's It. Which I'm sure the author probably hates to hear. But I mean it as a serious compliment. The plot was compelling, the characters were deep and well-developed. And the overall creepy tone ran throughout the book and kept it interesting and a little unsettling. The narration is also very well done and adds a lot to the experience. Kudos all around.

The thing with a Ronald Malfi book, you automatically know you're about to read something really good as soon as you turn to page 1. This book put me in the mind of Stephen King's IT but to be honest, I liked it much more because I found it more relatable.

This is the story of Jamie Warren, alcoholic and a big mess. He gets a message to go back home to the wilds of West Virginia to take care of his recently deceased mother's affairs and to arrange care for his mentally-challenged little brother who was still living at home with his mother. Weird things begin to happen as soon as he arrives and before long his two best friends from childhood are there with him in the "Black Mouth" of West Virginia.

Twenty year earlier, they had met a scruffy magician from a local carnival living in the local forest who soon begins to teach them card tricks around the fire and entice them with the promise of learning "real" magic. The price to pay for this magic is too high and all sort of horrible things begin to happen due to their association with the magician. The hell they have to go through to untangled themselves from his evil influence is nothing sort of amazing.

Loved this book. Even if you're not a fan of Stephen King's IT, you'll like Black Mouth.

Fantastic audiobook! I love Ronald Malfi’s writing and his characters are always so fleshed out and real that his stories instant snag my interest and he has truly become an autobuy author for me

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.

This one was creepy in such a good way. It deals with a lot of real life issues but approaches it so differently than the norm. I really did not know what to expect throughout and definitely enjoyed it. The narrator was great for this as well.

After his mother's death, Jamie Warren is forced to go to the one place he never wanted to see again - his childhood home. Jamie's brother, Dennis, is disabled and needs care. So Jamie goes home to West Virginia, to Black Mouth and all its memories. In the meantime, Jamie's childhood friend Mia sees something odd at a carnival - the magician that captivated her, Jamie, Dennis and their friend, Clay. Except in nearly twenty years, he hasn't aged...

Jamie, Dennis, Mia and Clay end up converging on Sutton's Quay in an attempt to find the magician who ruined their young lives. Flipping back and forth between the present and past, we are presented with a story about 3 friends + a mentally-handicapped brother that find more than they bargain for in the woods.

Coming of Age stories always seem to appeal to me. I don't search them out, but when I find them and read them, I always enjoy them. And this was no exception. Well-written and nostalgic, Malfi channels Bradbury (Something Wicked This Way Comes), Stephen King (IT), and Dan Simmons (Summer of Night). Definitely recommended!

Narrator did an excellent job and it was easy to lose myself in the story. All in all, a great read!

4⭐
I am learning that Ronald Malfi is becoming one of my favorite writers. His writing is very King-esque which I love. Black Mouth was such an emotional story. I really felt the love between the group, especially Jamie and Dennis. This was such an nerve wrecking tale of childhood, and the loss of innocence. We really learned how impressionable children are, and how evil some people can be. I can't wait to pick up the next book from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Titan books for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

ARC audiobook provided in exchange for an honest review.

Joe Hempel did an amazing job with the narration of this book! It’s not easy playing the role of multiple characters, both male and female, and he made it feel effortless! The story itself had me captivated the whole time and was very reminiscent of King’s IT mixed with a little Dreamcatcher. I enjoyed the different timelines and how each of the main characters backstories were built to perfection. I really would give this 4.5 stars, only missing a fraction because I felt the ending was missing a little something. I would definitely recommend to any horror fans, particularly dealing with magic and the paranormal.

4.5/5

This was the first book by this author that i’ve read, and i really enjoyed it. It’s kind of a cross between Something Wicked This Way Comes and Stephen King’s IT; but with it’s own voice.

This has definitely been my favorite horror novel of the year(’22) so far. It’s slow burn horror not jump scare horror and that’s right up my alley.

This also deals with a lot of real world issues in a pretty convincing way. Things like addiction, bullying, childhood truama, and depression. There are other triggers so you may want to check those before reading.

The story focuses on Jamie, and his small group of outcast that live near Black Mouth, which is an area of land where a mining tunnel collapsed in the past and is largely considered haunted. One day they meet a one-eyed vagabond in the woods and it all starts with a fateful question of “Do you want to see a magic trick?”

This cyclops of a magician starts off friendly enough, but gets darker and more manipulative as the story progresses.

The tale is told from Jamie’s perspective, now an adult and returning to Black Mouth for the first time in years and revisiting old wounds with flashbacks to the childhood events. It’s dark and gritty, the characters feel believable, and the atmosphere is on-point.

Joe Hempel provides the narration for the story and does a fantastic job delivering on a creepy story.

Thanks to Netgalley and Tantor Audio for providing me with a chance to get in on this book early. I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

REVIEW: Black Mouth by Ronald Malfi
 
RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Genre: Horror
Pages: 436 / Audiobook
 
PUB-DATE: 26th July 2022

First of all, thank you @netgalley, the publisher and RB Media for sending me the audio-book in exchange for an honest review!  Loved listening to the narrator Joe Hempel.

Many may not know that my first love of books, after getting over Enid Blyton's Famous Five series, was passed on to me by the wonderful horror books of Stephen King and to the same extent by those of Dean Koontz.

I’m glad to report that in Malfi I have found a disciple of King and Koontz! This is my first book by this author but certainly not my last. Reading Black Mouth reminded me why I fell in love with King’s books to start with.  It’s not just about the horror, but what kept me coming back for more was the unlikely friendship between the most diverse characters. Losers bound by something terrible who find themselves heroic and brave in the face of adversity.

In Malfi’s book we meet four awkward kids, who all live in disastrous and precarious family circumstances to say the least. They are ostracised by other children their age because they are awkward, nerdy or just different. One day they meet The Magician, a homeless man with an eyepatch who engages them in card tricks and magic stunts, until one night something really bad happens, changing their lives forever.

Told in two timelines, the 90’s and the present day, when Jamie, our MC, is forced to return to Black Mouth to look after his brother Dennis after the death of his mother. There he has to relive his nightmares from the past and finally meets his old friends after discovering that other children have died in mysterious circumstances. And all children were involved in some way with The Magician.   

If you loved IT by Stephen King, don’t miss out on this book!

Warning: Not for the faint-hearted.

Overall rating: 3.75 rounded up to 4 stars

I listened to the audio version of this book which I love to do for horror books. This was my first Ronald Malfi book so I cannot compare to his other books but this was definitely a great introduction to this author. The atmosphere he created was eerie and the premise is definitely one I will be thinking about in the days to come.

It was a little slow to get into but I think that comes from there being so many characters to introduce and intertwine. Once I really got into it, I did not want to stop listening and I flew through the rest of it. I will say there were a lot of storylines and they would pick up at odd times so it felt like there were some hard pivots in the story that I had to get on board with.

The description in this book was very intricate and really developed the world but sometimes the descriptions bordered on gratuitous for me and I think some of it could have been left out at no detriment to the story. There were parts toward the end that felt very disjointed for me but the way the events unfolded were described so viscerally that even though it felt off from the story I still felt like I was in the story.

If you like listening to your horror books I highly recommend this one. The narrator was very good at being distinct for each character and emotive without being over the top. Super enjoyable to listen to.

This book and writing style is very reminiscent of Stephen King but in a way I find more palatable and enjoyable. I think this is a really solid horror book and whether you are a seasoned fan of Malfi or just finding him for the first time I would recommend this. I also think it would be a fantastic movie. I can't wait to read more from this author!

Thanks so much to Netgalley and RB Media for an arc of this audiobook in exchange for my thoughts

I have read several Malfi books and enjoyed all of them. Black Mouth in usual Malfi style is dark and disturbing but very well written. I really enjoy the coming of age tales with supernatural horror interwoven in which Malfi does very well here. Recommend for any horror fans looking for a dark coming of age tale.

Thanks to Netgalley and RB Media for sending me an audiobook arc of this title.

"Black Mouth" Ronald Malfi 3/5

The story of an unsettled man, alcoholic with troublesome demeanor who happens to come back to his homeland to deal with his inside demons. Along with his friends and brother they travel back in memories, sending us a thrill that remains in their heads and derives from their actions.

When it comes to all the adventures taking place in childhood, the plot is really amazing. It is quite dark, suspenseful and creepy. I have always been fond of books written from the child's perspective, since it adds much spookiness to the innocent narration. Disturbed family lives of those small ones are really moving, so these parts are in my opinion the best in this book. I admire the writing style of Ronald Malfi, but I would be more content if he spent more time unraveling  particular scenes. Each time he built an intriguing, dark and atmospheric background to the scene, he cut the point of view too quickly. The action taking place "now" was for me not so interesting, and I would dream of cutting it shorter for the sake of enlarging "past" passages.

All the characters were unfortunately quite flat, hence difficult to differentiate, apart from the Magician, who was the dark horse of this story. An amazing portrait of the villain, a spooky man from the past who causes goosebumps whenever mentioned.

The writing style is flowery, all epithets, and contains many sophisticated adjectives and phrases. I would compare Malfi's writing style to King's manner of tale telling. 

I should also comment on the person reading, as I was listening to the audio version. In my opinion this man lacked any emotions and intonation, so I would recommend reading instead of listening to "Black Mouth".

A sincere thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Enjoyment: 5
Total rating: 4.93

When they were children, Jamie, his brother and their friends met a strange man who taught them strange magic that resulted in a horrible incident that followed them into adulthood.

Now a series of unusual events reunites them, and they know they must find the man who may as well be a monster.

Malfi's writing is superb. The quality of his prose is consistent and, in my opinion, flawless. He really has a gift for writing. He commits to the story he is telling and delivers multi-dimensional characters. Without question, the tension and atmosphere he builds draw the reader in.

Others might disagree with me, but I feel the decisive factor for how much a reader loves his stories lies with the characters. The more one relates to the characters, the more they might enjoy the book. Personally, I really connected with the characters. I am still thinking about Black Mouth weeks after finishing it.

Black Mouth is a haunting coming-of-age story. I have seen many people compare it to IT, and I can understand why they draw this parallel. They are both powerful coming-of-age stories with supernatural allegories. And this is where King fans might hate me because I feel that Black Mouth succeeds in everything IT failed - it is concise, each sentence has a purpose and is a crucial part of a story that is more than their sum. Malfi doesn't use cheap shock value thrills; rather, he relies on his characters' palpable emotions and allows their reaction to events to shape the horror.

With that said, I believe Black Mouth is the incenter of an equilateral triangle in which vertexes are IT, Something Wicked This Way Comes, and NOS4A2. (I don't know where all the math comes from, but it makes sense in my head). In other words, Black Mouth is an original coming-of-age story (we have to give Malfu credit here) that belongs with other powerful stories of its kind. Each has different things to offer, and Black Mouth delivers a relatability beyond the horror and extreme rites of passage his characters endure.

Joe Hempel's narration has impeccable pacing. It brings the tension the book evokes and brings Black Mouth to life.


Disclaimer: In exchange for an honest review, I am thankful to the publishers and NetGalley for providing a copy of Black Mouth

"Black Mouth" by Ronald Malfi is a creepy, atmospheric Horror story!

Estranged brothers, Jamie and Dennis Warren, and their two childhood friends, Clay Willis and Mia Tomasina, are back together again in their hometown of Sutton Quay, West Virginia. Recent incidents, eerily similar and reminiscent of something and someone from their past, is what pulls them back there.

Haunting memories and emotional scars from twenty-five years ago, drives each of them to find the stranger known to them as The Magician. Together, they are finally ready to confront that dark summer from their past so they can move on with their lives!

This is my first experience reading this author's work and it was a memorable one with creepy, atmospheric vibes of a Stephen King novel pulsing through the entire story and keeping me turning the pages.

But what really stood out to me about this story were the character building and back stories of the childhood friends. These four characters are solidly built, and the friendship is supported with each of their 'outsider' vulnerabilities; that 'thing' that drew them together in the first place. Jamie's character was a realistic portrayal of an alcoholic struggling with recovery, guilt, and reoccurring thoughts from a horrific childhood. This author knows how to create characters that pull the story forward and stick with you!

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Joe Hempel. His voicing was perfectly animated for several of the characters but not for all of them. The more I listened, the more familiar I became with his narration style, and it grew into an enjoyable experience.

The story did feel a little long and repetitive, something that could have been remedied with additional editing. However, overall, this was a great first-time experience with this author, and I will definitely partake again. I highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley, Tantor Audio, and Ronald Malfi for an ALC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review.

Okay so this book was touted as a book for lovers of Stephen King's It. I thought it also had elements of King's The Outsider as well.

Jamie, his special needs brother Dennis, and friends Mia and Clay grew up in Suttons Quay, West Virginia. A once vibrant town, Suttons Quay is now desolate in the wake of a mine collapse. The location of the collapse has been dubbed Black Mouth by the towns people, and living nearby the site is a black stain of sorts on the kids. For this reason they become very close to one another.

While strolling through the woods they come across a homeless man living amongst the trees (the Magician). He offers to make them his apprentices by teaching them various magic tricks and they are so elated that they overlook how strange and bedraggled he is. For his last and final trick he wants them to murder Dennis, but in the end, the kids refuse. Instead they start a fire in the woods, which unintentionally kills a woman and her newborn. The kids are sent away for the crime.

Moving on a decade later, Jamie was so traumatized by the past events that he has become an alcoholic, abandoning his brother in Black Mouth with their horrible mother.

Clay is a social worker who takes on the case of a woman accused of murdering her friend. She claims that the murderer was a man who resembles the Magician, and Clay begins to wonder whether the Magician is back at it again all these years later.

Mia now a famous horror movie director living in LA, spots who she believes is the Magician. She gets in touch with the rest of the crew, and getting the band back together, they attempt to piece together the mystery of the Magician so that they can get rid of him once and for all.

What I liked about the book: SPOILER ALERT, I do give away some things.

The characters were well developed and interesting. The pacing was good -- I never got bored and I did NOT have to increase the listening speed to 1.25x. While having similarities to It and The Outsider, it was a work apart. Yes the kids went back to their hometown to defeat a monster they met in their childhood, but it wasn't all supernatural -- the monster turned out to just be a man and his copy cat. I kind of liked that because while It was all fiction, this story had more real elements to it.

What I didn't like about the book:

The animal abuse. I know that writers use this to show how truly evil a person is, but really...I don't need to read that shit. I don't like. I don't appreciate it. I think most of the time its superfluous. It gives me fucking nightmares. I HATE graphic animal abuse. If you are like me, do yourself a favor and skip this part.

Other than that, I liked the book and would recommend it.

Ronald Malfi always blows me away with his writing. I had so much fun listening to this and I think it may be my favorite book of his yet. It was so easy to visualize and I supported the characters the entire time! It felt like Something Wicked This Way Comes meets It in a much more diverse and less cringy way. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys horror or is interesting in dipping their toes in the genre.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ronald Malfi for this audio-ARC in exchange for my honest feedback and review.

Jaime Warren grew up in a mining town known to those living there as Black Mouth. All of the children born in black mouth are a little off. Jaime his friends and his special needs brother Dennis are enthralled when they meet a magician one summer and become his apprentices. They begin learning magic tricks but the magician is trying to get them to sacrifice someone to find the well of magic. Things get out of hand and they find themselves in juvenile detention. Several years later after hearing the possibly of the magician getting more children into trouble Jaime, Clay, Mia, and Dennis all come back together to try and find this mysterious magician and make him pay.

Overall I really enjoyed this spooky slow burn horror novel. There were several places that seemed to repeat and drag a little for me. Listening to the narrator talking about Jaimie drinking and puking got to be a little much to me. Come With Me really grabbed me from the beginning and refused to let me go when I was done reading it. Black Mouth did not have that same affect on me. The otherworldly and possibly impossible paranormal did keep me on my feet and have me questioning my own sanity. I would absolutely love to see this play out on the big screen because of the uniqueness of this story.

The build up here was better than the ending for me, but overall this kept me reading and interested. I also really enjoyed the characters.

Ronald Malfi pens a great story. As usual.

Lots going on here with some very nice turns and creep outs. It may have lagged a wee here and there but Malfi knows how to write so those moments didn’t last long and then I was right back in it.

Joe Hempel nails the narration. As usual.

Joe had the perfect cadence and tone for this one. He never disappoints and always keeps the story moving along effortlessly.

One of the best books I’ve read this year.

In BLACK MOUTH, Ronald Malfi expertly crafts a world filled with stomach turning horrors and emotional tugs that just might leave you in tears. An incredible work of horror fiction. At one point I was cringing with dread and by the end of the book I was almost in tears as my friends resolved their conflict. Fans of Stephen King’s IT and Chuck Wendig’s THE HOUSE OF ACCIDENTS will likely love this book.