This book was a challenge to read because I wanted to like it more than I did. It was a challenge to start reading from the start. The whole time I kept telling myself to keep pushing forward because I want to see how Irish folklore is woven through horror, but it wasn't worth it. The narrative was off putting from the start. It felt stilted and not engaging then made off handed comments that really took me out of the moment that felt a little unjust such as one about "Arabs and Jews holding grudges." While I imagine this is there to put me in the mind of a character, it felt as if this character came out of nowhere and I wasn't personally ready to care.

I'm wondering if maybe I try again, that might help now that I have a fuller picture of the book, but it was also on me for having particular expectations. I wanted a Brom style book/narrative incorporating Irish folklore.

Knock Knock, Open Wide by Neil Sharpson blends horror and Celtic myth into a story that feels like a fever dream at times. Etain is on her way home from a party when she discovers a corpse on the side of the road. In an attempt to do what she thinks is right, she takes the corpse to a near by farmhouse. This one act ends up traumatizing her for life before it is over with. Twenty years later, Betty is in college and is entranced by Aisling. As the two grow closer, Betty begins to discover darks secrets about Aisling’s past. But what happens when those secrets decide to resurface?

I went into this book completely blind. The cover just drew me in and I knew I had to read it and I’m so glad I did. The lore and myth in this book is done so well because it blends seamlessly into the narrative. This book starts off really strong and creepy and ends the same way. There are parts in the middle that were a little slow. Betty and Aisling’s relationship development bogged down the spooky parts of this book but it helped me feel more connected to the characters.

There are a lot of parts of this book that are wild. It will go from feeling completely normal, like a contemporary book, to just going off the wall. I feel like the abrupt nature of the tonal changes is very much on purpose. This book is going to be something people either love or can’t get through. I don’t see there being a lot of middle ground.

I enjoyed it for the most part. I wish there would have been more of the creepy atmosphere in the slower parts just because when the atmosphere was great, the vibes of this book were perfect. I love a fresh horror book and I think this one really delivers. So if you are like me and you are always looking for something new in the horror genre and you like learning about different mythology and folklore, this is a fantastic book to pick up.

Really wonderful, creepy and engaging on every front! The themes were interesting and the book was beautifully written. Highly recommended to readers of horror especially.

Generational trauma ✔️
Creepy kids show ✔️
Unsettling unseen evil force ✔️
Sapphic romance ✔️
Mommy issues ✔️
Completely and utterly terror-inducing ✔️

Check, check, check please!

Such a fun, page turning read that focuses on on all of the above. It was everything I wanted and more, and I would kill for a prequel novella or something that focuses on the beginnings of how "it" all started with Puckeen.

I received an arc of this book through Netgalley and Tor Publishing Group in exchange for a review.

This book is atmospheric; the author does a wonderful job of setting the scene… it’s creepy, it’s gothic, it screams legend and myth, and it has piqued my curiosity around Irish history and folklore.

I won’t lie, there were moments, especially in the chapters from the past, that were confusing and felt like I was either tripping on hallucinogenics, or delirious with fever. Once I embraced the sense of confusion, it really added to the spooky vibes of the story - so I don’t consider that to be a bad thing, necessarily.

Some parts of this book remind me of the show Midnight Mass on Netflix - the religion, priesthood, mysterious disappearances, and the supernatural elements.

Overall I enjoyed this and finished it in a day.

What an exceedingly and fantastically creepy book. I loved how Irish the book felt -- not just in how it discussed folklore and the sídhe (usually uncanny & fucking terrifying), but also in its depictions of Irish culture and society. (Maybe this just stood out to me since I've read several books on modern Ireland recently, but it made the story feel even more rooted and terrifying and real.)

There were, however, two issues that kept me from giving 5 stars. Though I couldn't put my finger on it, there was something that felt like it was missing from Betty & Ashling's relationship; it was good, but I guess I wish it had felt a little more robust. Second, the author decided to make the chief villain a fat, slobbering, disgusting man. Really? fatness equaling evil in literature is first of all offensive af, but also just lazy writing. Am I supposed to be disgusted that he's fat & eating? I'm not, I'm more disgusted by what the villain has actually done.

That being said, I still enjoyed this book quite a lot -- it creeped me out more than any horror book in recent memory. Definitely would recommend.

This book was strange and uncanny and had me actively seeking out more horror novels that touch on the fae. I devoured it whole. Just excellent.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

It was great to learn more about Irish folklore, so that really drew me in further to the story as it went along. It dragged here and there, but over all it was a quick, spooky story, that makes me want to learn more Irish heritage!

I requested this one because it might be an upcoming title I would like to review on my Youtube Channel. However, after reading the first several chapters I have determined that this book does not suit my tastes. So I decided to DNF this one.

This book was grotesque and scary in all the best ways! I really enjoyed the interweaving of Irish myth and modern horror.

This ARC was selected for this reviewer's media outlet. This reviewer is in contact with the publicists attached to this release. Please contact this reviewer directly if you have any questions.

(I received this book from the editor and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)
I love Celtic myth. Since the very first time I visited the Library of Trinity College, in Dublin, while I was temporarily living at Glasnevin no less, and I was amazed by everything they told us, I have been reading about myths and folk tales on and off and have always wanted to go back and learn more. I know, I know, this is a strange way to start a review, I don’t usually share any autobiographical facts, but I really needed you to understand how eager I was to read Neil Sharpson’s second novel before going ahead.
Knock Knock, Open Wide did not disappoint. While reading, its eeriness and its mystery crept as vermin from the scariest nightmare and burrowed deep; The first scene itself was enough to feel the dangers of a world described with such amazing detail by the author that I hope I don’t need to interact with any wooden boxes any time soon.
I really loved the characters as well, the importance of each and every one of them in different portions of the story. I dreaded to go back in time and see what was happening to Etain, Kate or Pat, even if I needed the information. At the same time, I was also extremely frightened for Ash and Betty (and Etain, and Kate, and Pat).
I particularly enjoyed realizing the author was taking me on a different road to the one I was expecting, and that I was only being able to see the twists once I was already there, about to fall into the precipice they were hiding behind an everyday conversation.
I could go on and on, and I would only have good things to say about it.
A true triumph, simply put. One of the best horror novels of the year without any doubts.

Knock Knock, Open Wide by Neil Sharpson was an interesting and unique story.

Neil Sharpson deftly weaves an engaging storyline. I didn’t know what to expect going into this book but it surprised me in the best way possible.
The story unfolds with masterful pacing and the characters are well developed and keep the book engaging throughout.
And the plot is full of twists and turns that keep the reader guessing until the very end.
Knock Knock, Open Wide is a atmospheric read that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

I really wanted to love this book but sadly the style was not for me.

I will not be posting to social media as I did DNF this book.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the e-arc.

Heart pounding thriller that left me on the edge of my seat. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. Definitely one of the best books this year.

An unspeakable night, the mysterious disappearance of a girl and her sudden reappearance, a children’s tv show... and the blood that connects it all. A mixture of horror and Celtic myth, this is a story about broken family bounds, love, and the veiled forces that guide Irish life. Told both in past and present, in the past, Etain Larkin is a girl driving home. fresh from her new engagement only to find a corpse on a dark country road deep into the Irish countryside. She takes the corpse to a remote farmhouse... but little does she know this is the night that begins the unspeakable horror that will bring her to the brink of sanity. Etain is marked as a missing person... until she suddenly reappears and will not speak of what happened to her when she disappeared. Two decades later, Betty Fitzpatrick will arrive at college in Dublin and fall in love with the drama society and particularly the beautiful and troubled Ashling Mallen. But Ashling has a secret and a very troubled family... in fact her mother just so happens to be Etain. Ashling’s twin sister was kidnapped when she was young and her mother Etain has turned into an alcoholic.... but Ashling is sure there is a connection between a children’s show and her family’s horrors. The children’s show stars a small black goat puppet who lives in a box but only comes out if you don’t behave.... only he never comes out... well almost.... and the door between the unknown will soon be unleashed. Ashling will face madness and horrors she never expected as she tries to figure out what happened to her family and how to stop the evil. This book was giving me Channel Zero Season 1 vibes, and that was a true horror show. I had a blast with this one, it was dark, mysterious, and one heck of a story. I love that you get the sense of unease and horror with every event and how the horror ramps up with every step Ashling takes to unraveling the events of her family’s past. Seriously this was such a fun read, perfect for horror fans.

*Thanks Netgalley and Tor Publishing Group, Tor Nightfire for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*