Well that was just a tad creepy. A fast paced suspense thriller, with a touch of horror, this one certainly kept me on the edge of my seat. I found The Night Guest to be a dark, mysterious and a spine chilling read and I was totally engrossed in the story, which I read at night - bad move! I slept with one eye open 🤣

I really enjoyed this one and I'll be keen to read more from this author!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for an eARC of this book to read and review. Expected publication date is September 3rd, 2024.

3/5 Stars

TL;DR - A fast, creepy read that had me hooked and did not let go…until it did. The overly-ambiguous ending left a lot to be desired, and I’m still trying to make sense of it.

Big thanks to Tor, Tor Nightfire, and NetGalley for providing the ARC for this book in exchange for an honest review!

***Trigger Warnings for: medical gaslighting, chronic illness, brief implied eating disorder, brief on-page sex, mentioned death of a sibling, blood/gore, animal abuse and death (cats), vomiting, mentioned drowning, first-person depiction of being drugged, and implied/off-page attempted rape.***

‘The Night Guest’ by Hildur Knútsdóttir is an Icelandic novella-in-translation about Iðunn, a young woman living in Reykjavík who begins to wake up every morning exhausted, in pain, and covered in bruises and scratches. Everyone tells her to eat better, set a sleep schedule, and count her steps with a pedometer, but nothing helps. And then, one morning, she realizes she’s been walking in her sleep…

Oh, the conflicting emotions on this one!

The writing is clean and concise, and with a dry sense of humor that I really appreciate, and the author does an incredible job of slowly amping up the tension, building layer upon layer of dread and unease. The pipeline from “oh” to “oh no” to “OH NO!” is absolutely flawless.

Iðunn herself is an interesting and relatable character — as a chronic illness girlie myself, I really empathize with the gaslighting and dismissal she faces while trying to figure out what’s going on.

But then the ending! Or, really, lack thereof. There’s just the barest hint of creepiness that’s not at all explained, and the ending is left extremely ambiguous, which is not at all my cup of tea. If we’d just gotten tiny bit more explanation, this could have been a 5-star read for me, but as is, I can’t in all good conscience give it higher than a 3. It’s such a shame, too, because everything else about this book is executed so masterfully and is right up my alley.

(I couldn’t find any solid theories in other reviews, so if you’re confused like me, here’s what I think: the creature is her sister who drowned and came back as something other, and was…mind-controlling her? Using some kind of sympathetic link? Best I can do.)

Final Thoughts:

I heartily enjoyed the first 99% of this book, but that ending is probably the biggest let-down of any book I’ve read this year. Super bummed. Will not be purchasing a physical copy.

What can I say, but this book is Nordic psychological horror at its finest. The Night Guest is eerie. It's foreboding. It's unsettling. It peels layer after layer until the very end. It's chilling to the core.

Iðunn wakes up every day exhausted. Her life if Reykjavik is straightforward - work, friends, parents, home- and since she appears to be sleeping fairly well, she has no idea what's causing her body fatigue. Doctor after doctor fails to find anything wrong with her. But when she sleeps with a monitor on her one night, she finds she's walked nearly 40,000 steps in her sleep. More concerning is that blood on her face and hands that doesn't appear to be hers...

I was hanging on every word from the very first page. I was enthralled. I was terrified. I devoured it in one sitting. I couldn't look away but at the same time I was wondering 'wtf am I reading?'. When I started to get an inkling of what was causing Iðunn's sleep deprivation, I had an idea of what was happening, and I couldn't wait to see it play out.

What else made it so bingeable?
✨️ Fast paced
✨️ <200 pages
✨️ Short chapters

My only wish for this book would have been an ending that felt less abrupt... I was surprised to turn the page and suddenly find it over. It left me wanting just a little more.

Thank you to tor nightfire and netgalley for my earc/arc. Consider adding this book to your spooky season tbr when it pubs Sept 3!

It’s interesting to read this as a young adult woman. Within the first 2 chapters I truly understood the way the main character was feeling. Feeling ill and having your symptoms dismissed. I think turning this experience into a horror novel is brilliant.

The setting is wonderful! Iceland!! I enjoyed the tension but I did think that it was slow at times.

I could have lived without the dead cats. That was upsetting. Also wish there was a trigger warning. I think that is a general thought for all books to have trigger warnings.

Over all a very interesting horror novel.

The Night Guest by Hildur Knutsdottir is a chilling horror novella that masterfully builds suspense through its portrayal of a woman suffering from severe sleep deprivation. The protagonist, isolated and struggling to make sense of her worsening condition, begins waking up with mysterious bruises, leading her to question what is happening during the hours she can’t remember. Knutsdottir expertly crafts a narrative filled with dread and uncertainty, making readers question the reliability of the protagonist’s experiences. This novella is a gripping exploration of fear, insomnia, and the blurry line between reality and nightmare.

The Night Guest is a haunting and thought-provoking novel that blends psychological suspense with supernatural elements. Hildur Knútsdóttir’s debut is a standout in the genre, offering a compelling and immersive reading experience that will stay with readers long after the final page.

You hear horror stories of what can happen while sleepwalking, but don’t think about the consequences if you suffer from it or how to treat it/help others with it.

This was a quick read with very short chapters, which made it even easier to say just a couple more and realize you’ve finished it.

It was a pretty slow burn at the beginning. I enjoyed the build up and the sense of dread and anxiety that grew in our lead character; as I felt it growing within me as I kept reading as well. The ending came so abruptly that I ended up with more questions than answers afterwards.

I’d be so curious to read other works by Knútsdóttir!

Thank you so much to the author, Hildur Knútsdóttir, Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley for the eARC of The Night Guest!

TW: assumed animal harm (off page).

This one was not for me. At first I thought the book was good and it had me going wanting to find out what had happened to the main character. The ending left much to be desired and was confusing. I'm still not entirely sure I followed what was going on. Then the cat murders were just unnecessary. I adore cats so those parts were extremely difficult to read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced reader copy!

Iðunn is waking up exhausted everyday and starting to develop mysterious bruises. As she looks for traditional and nontraditional cures she makes a startling discovery. Somehow at night she is taking more than 40,000 steps. Where is she going and what is she doing? As Iðunn starts taking desperate measures to figure it out her past makes its presence known.

This short horror novel was really able to create a deeply unsettling atmosphere and prey on the fear of the unknown. The creative use of short clipped sentences really helps the reader feel when the character begins to truly unravel. I did feel the ending was a bit lackluster and felt it was a little rushed. Although, it did remind me of some classic horror movie tropes.

Trigger warning!!!
This books involved dead cats.

A psychological horror novella that I flew through. I was super intrigued with the story. The main character was waking up severely tired with bruises, body pains and blood stains. After the doctor does a thorough examination and tests, she can only think it’s psychological.
She thinks it may be sleepwalking and invests in a fitness watch to track her activity and discovers something much sinister going on.
I loved this story I really did. The pacing was fast and the translation was perfect but the ending was a bit of a letdown.
I’ll still recommend this book as it is super eerie and gets under your skin!

I really loved this short horror novella. The way it was written keeps the reader engaged and the story was so interesting to follow. I wasn't super happy with how it ended, but overall I enjoyed it and look forward to reading from this author again.

I read this in just a few hours because I couldn't put it down. So dark, so unique! I really liked it and it had a perfect ending. If you are looking for a quick thriller that is kind of paranormal but kind of not, give this a try! I especially loved the setting so I doubly recommend this if you have been to Reykjavik!

The Night Guest comes out next week on September 3, 2024, and you can purchase HERE!

Sometimes I imagine that if I say little enough, people will find me mysterious. That they'll begin to imagine that I have this rich inner life. That I think deeply but have no need to show off, that my ideas are too precious for careless babble, that I carefully select where I choose to shine.

I want to be like ... There was this silent man at a party I once went to somewhere near Vesturbajarlaugin. He barely said a word all night but still everything revolved around him. The women tried to catch his eye, the men tried to make him laugh. But he just sat there silently-and for some reason we were all convinced that he must be the smartest man in the room.

I have gradually come to the conclusion that this tactic only works for men. If you are a woman who is silent, then people assume you're stupid and have nothing remarkable to say.

I went into this one blind and I'm glad I did. I wasn't expecting anything in particular and as just along for the ride.

Anyone who has a chronic illness and has dealt with trying to get answers from doctors will definitely relate to the beginning of this book...I know I did. Thankfully, with what followed, I could not relate.

This was a twisting journey into finding out what the MC was doing in her sleep. And if it was sleepwalking, where was she going and why?

Enjoyable quick read. 4⭐️

As always, thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to have an advanced ebook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Short chapters anyone? Cause this book has them!

But seriously, beyond that, The Night Guest took a firm hold on me and didn't let go until the very end. Iðunn was a likable, relatable main character, and I found myself genuinely invested in following her downward spiral into madness. It was chilling and unlike anything I've read in the past. Was the ending ambiguous? Yes. But did it just work for this novel? Absolutely. Easy five stars.


Thank you @netgalley and @tornightfire for the ARC ebook!

Unique premise, unreliable narrator, psychological terror, and mysterious nighttime events -- all add up to a tightly-woven, creepy, horrifying tale of a woman falling apart. Is it psychosis or something supernatural? The ambiguity is marvelous.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Tor Nightfire for providing me with an advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review!

As a person who suffers from random bouts of insomnia, this book grabbed my attention from the beginning. I needed to know what was happening to Iounn while they were “sleeping,” but at the same time I dreaded finding out. The story is structured in such a way that creates a sense of propulsion. The chapters are short and the plot moves along quickly. The story is so short (~200 pages) that I hate to give much away. I will say that, as the story progresses, the main character’s behavior becomes more and more erratic, making you question whether it’s the result of their fatigue or if something else is going on. The ending is definitely left open to interpretation but I was satisfied with it. Overall, I enjoyed this book, but there were a few details I wish had been expanded. Still a very solid read!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ /5
Recommend ✔️

Thank you, Netgalley, Hildur Knutsdottir, and Tor Publishing Group for the ebook! Wow! What did I just read?! What a trip this was! Had all the great aspects I love in a thriller ... short chapters, creepy what is going on, and a banger ending! A quick must read!!!

This book was chilling! I was hooked. The ending fell flat to me, but since I absolutely loved the remaining 98%, I still recommend this to everyone!

This short read was fast and chilling, I loved that I had no idea what was going on but the descend into madness was spectacular. I mean, can you imagine not knowing what you doing, where you’re going or why are you waking up bloody? INSANE!
I finished this one in less than an hour, nothing was wasted and some of the chapters were literally a sentence. This one would’ve been a 5 for me if it wasn’t because of the abrupt ending that just left me with the “what tf just happened”, it definitely leaves you thinking and trying to figured out what was going on.
Definitely check out the trigger warning specially since there is some animal cruelty against Cats.

🩸🩸🩸🩸/5

This is my honest opinion and thank you for the advanced readers copy. A chilling tale of a doctor who has had strange occurrences and feels terribly ill everyday when she wakes, without any idea what has been happening. Until one day she stays up and starts setting traps for herself to find out what is happening to her. I will say this is a fast paced and easy read that you can devour in one sitting. To me their was a language barrier with the names but other then that it was fine. I gave it a 3 as it left me with so many questions after finishing it.