This was a quick, creepy read that kept me on edge the entire time. I will say that I'd wished I'd known about the animal harm in this book when I picked it up. That is one thing I don't like reading about. I was getting inklings as we crept along and then bam! Murdered cats...

For the most part, I enjoyed my time with this novella. It was definitely horrific and anxiety inducing, though the ending was a bit of a letdown. It was very ambiguous, and you never really get confirmation of what exactly was happening. I ended up just being a little confused by it.

Thank you to Netgalley, Tor Publishing Group and Tor Nightfire for the e-arc of this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ALC!

Wow, this was a hyper-fast read. I couldn’t stop and read it in one sitting. Fast-paced story and short chapters make this a compelling horror that will have you glued to the pages or headphones. 96% of this was excellent, but the ending simply did not deliver. Lackluster, vague and abrupt - the ending left me dissatisfied and wanting so much more from what was a great novella up until the final chapter.

This book kept me reading from start to finish. I found the one line chapters odd. It was a psychological thriller about mental health. The animal torture was a bit odd/too much. I'm thankful it wasn't descriptive. I was a bit confused on the ending.

I’ve heard hype surrounding this short novel, so I had to check out The Night Guest for myself. I read it in one sitting, and it was easy to get lost in. The myriad of questions swirling around this poor woman and what is torturing her is absorbing, but it ends so abruptly and without more detail I was left disappointed and wanting more.

The overall manic feeling while also trying to uncover the mystery surrounding Iðunn’s illness was intoxicating, intense, and quite creepy. I love how short and random the chapters are, and I do think there is a great discussion that could he had about mental health and dealing with loss but making it a thriller and the abrupt ending with zero explanation ruined the whole experience. I would’ve preferred a concrete solution to one that is ambiguous and up to interpretation.

I had high hopes for this novel, but it all came crashing down in an instant.

The Night Guest was one of the fast paced books a ever read you will be on the edge of your seat when reading this book thank you NetGalley for the advance copy

This was unsettling and disturbing in the best way. You never quite get your feet underneath you, and I think that was the point.

Major content warning: cats/animal cruelty and death. It happens.

This took me about an hour and a half to read. The chapters are concise, and the story is captivating, escalating quickly. If you have read Come Closer by Sara Gran, where a woman wonders what is wrong with her, this novella gives the same vibes. The health issues and the mentions of women advocating for their bodies and healthcare--not being gaslit or dismissed by healthcare professionals, not being treated like you're "hysterical" because you think something is seriously wrong with your body, are legit. So relatable.
The first 95% or so is premium horror reading.
The last part is a little maddening. I honestly feel a little letdown. Ambiguity is fine but this feels like punishment. I invested, I pushed all my chips in to call the bluff and when the cards were flipped over, it just wasn't enough, I'm afraid. I'm eager to talk to other readers and read more reviews to see if anyone has a theory here that makes sense.
Update:
After discussing this with other fans of the book, we have determined a working theory that has me feeling more satisfied with the ending. Also, take a peek at the original Icelandic book cover, it confirms said working theory.
Enjoy!

Waking up every morning being more tired than when you went to bed. Going to the doctor to get zero answers. Having friends give you their input on how to fix everything. Finally finding out that every night you spend the night (as you are asleep) roaming the town. This was a quick read. I wish the ending would have played out just a little more, but a good book to choose.

This was such a fun and fast read for me. The plot drew me in and I was captivated by page 1! This was creepy and intense, but absolutely recommended!

I could not put this one down.

It’s a fast read, incredibly evocative, dark, and grim. The Icelandic authors aren’t afraid to go there and this was a horror novel that felt like someone losing control and not dealing with the crap in their life.

I wanted to know what was going on and was horrified the further the story went on. Not for the faint of heart.

Comparable comps: Eric LaRocca, Ian Reid

Trigger warnings: animal death, abuse

2.5 stars!

This book made me really anxious. I think it's just very high on health anxiety, and that made me stressed for the main character. On the bright side, it was a quick read and I was definitely pulled in but the ENDING pulled it wayyyyy down. I don't always hate an ambiguous ending, but this one was a little toooo ambiguous for me. Also, I felt very sad about the animal death and I do think that is worth mentioning so people are aware!

Thank you to Netgalley and Tor Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I haven't read something this fast in awhile!
This story is intriguing from the start and more so that it takes place in Iceland. I also enjoyed that some chapters were so short, even one sentence; as for me it added to the suspense and anxiety that the character was experiencing. I had plenty of theories, and to be honest it can be interpreted in so many ways based on your experience and beliefs. It was truly an exciting read and the ending was interesting. I say if you're looking for something short and a suspension story; definitely grab this for a creepy night in!

A psychological thriller originally published in Iceland, now translated into English.

It’s a pretty short, fast-paced read with short chapters (some just one sentence long) about a woman who wakes fatigued and never well-rested, desperately looking for help from doctors to know what’s wrong. She buys a step-counting watch to track her exercise, but after leaving it on before going to bed, she discovers she walked 40,000 steps in the night, and what’s actually afflicting her unfolds from there.

The main character (iðunn) right off the bat comes across as anxious, maybe a bit like a hypochondriac though she’s right that something is wrong (how women are treated in diagnostic medicine is commented on, as well as general patriarchy), but as the story progresses, it’s clear there’s something more disturbing going on. Her trying to figure out what’s happening while she’s asleep raised the tension, and her deterioration was both unsettling and fascinating to watch. To the end I’m still not quite sure what was actually happened, but I think the open-endedness leaves a lot of room for people to discuss their theories and thoughts. I see this is classified as horror, but I think of this is a very well-done thriller.

Thanks to Netgalley for the eARC!

🅐 🅡 🅒 • 🅡 🅔 🅥 🅘 🅔 🅦

To simply put it without talking much about it because it’s a book you have to read to experience…If you are looking for a creepy horror type read that’s fast paced and just long enough to give you some questionable dreams…this book is for you. I enjoyed this. There are some trigger warnings within this book so be sure to read your tw’s before diving in.

This book definitely builds and creates some form of anxiety or tension until the end and before you know it you’re at the end asking what you just read but not in a bad way of course 👀

I will be sharing this gem with those bookish friends of mine that I believe this would tickle their fancy with the type of book this is. Watch for this novella to opt out on your shelves September 03, 2024

Thank you @netgalley , @tornightfire and author for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

Oh my gosh, I'm so mad at myself for forgetting to review this! I read it back in May and loved it:

Another win for my collection of "unwell women" book favorites! I basically grimaced in discomfort the whole way through this. The level of psychological mind fuckery is top tier. My only complaint?? I wanted MORE!!

I devoured this book in one sitting. Absolutely could not put it down. I really enjoyed the mystery and suspense of it all.

The story itself was fast past and easy to read and then all of a sudden the ending hits like a ton of bricks.

First of all Thanks to Netgalley and Nightfire for a free digital copy. Have to say this is one of the fastest reads I have done lol. I am so sorry to give the book a 3 star rating. The ending is kind of what killed it for me, no pun intended. It just left me hanging wondering what happens next. Wondering is there a sequel coming or something. Just missed the mark for me. Not bone chllling enough for me.

A wonderful psychological/possession story. I’ve seen others compare this to Sarah Gran’s Come Closer, which I can see a resemblance too as well, but I find this book to be equally effective in the scares and storytelling.

The short chapters give the book a rollercoaster effect, making it very fast paced and giving it a cinematic quality. I read it in one evening and was fully along for the ride.

Very much enjoyed this one.

A thriller about a woman who has constant fatigue. She is desperate for a solution and agrees to wear a watch that will track her sleep. When she wakes up after wearing it, she learns she has walked thousands of steps in her sleep. She has no idea what she was doing and no one believes her.

I thought this was an interesting premise but I found it slow. I think perhaps something with the thriller aspect got lost in translation (literally).

A study into the terrors of sleepwalking, with a side of loss and grief. The Night Guest leans into mental illness, and how one recovers from trauma after trauma (if you recover at all, and what that touches in our everyday lives.
This was a very fast read, a short 208 pages, which was probably the perfect length. I was a little turned off by the ending, and wanted a bit more from it. Overall a 3.5 rounded to a 4 here.