Loved this! Creepy house books are always my favourite, and this absolutely delivered. I really enjoyed Samantha Mabry's prose, and the way the characters were written. They were interesting and had me invested. The way the mystery unraveled was also fantastic. Highly recomend!

Clever Creatures of the Night by Samantha Mabry is an interesting story that engages readers with the subtle pieces of the mystery. The story is unique with the blur between reality and the past as the reader tries to figure what, if anything, is actually happening as Case tries to find her missing friend.

One of the standout elements of the novel is the characterization of Case with her background and the pieces of her story that were placed throughout the book as she tries to solve the mystery. I did wish there was some more emotion from Case towards the end of the novel, but everything wrapped up nicely at the end.

The pacing of the book was both extremely fast-paced since it takes place in just one day but it also felt slow due to the little pieces of the mystery that were given to the reader. I didn’t find it as suspenseful as a thriller/horror/mystery novel should be; I think the pieces of the mystery were just too subtle to really engage the reader in what was going on. Case kept thinking creepy things were happening at the house and with the cast of characters, but nothing felt very impactful until the second half of the book.

Mabry’s descriptions were well-written and engaging; I enjoyed the details of the environment, which helped me picture what was going on in the book. I just think the atmosphere needed a little more development to really capture the thriller/horror feel of the genre. The book worked well as a mystery through the subtle clues; the horror/thriller aspect just needed more tension.

This book keeps the reader in suspense as the main character navigates through the storyline with lots of plot twists. You start off thinking this is a supernatural story but end up with a plausible ending that throws for a loop.

I've always had a soft spot for stories that revolve around complex characters, and this book delivered exactly that. From the very beginning, I found myself both disliking and feeling an unexpected solidarity with Case. She's not your typical goody-two-shoes heroine, but a complicated protagonist with layers that peel off as you read through. It's been a while since I've encountered such a character, and I think this nuance fit seamlessly into the eerie tapestry of the story.

The plot is a roller coaster of emotions. Not in the usual bombastic way where you can easily pinpoint the highs and lows. Instead, it's the kind of story where, on the surface, not a lot seems to be happening, but underneath, there's a whirlpool of events, emotions, and revelations. It's intriguing in the best way possible. The pace was so gripping that I breezed through "Clever Creatures of the Night" faster than I've read any other book recently.

Of course, the eerie undertone provided by Drea's enigmatic roommates and the unexplainable aggressive behavior of the animals adds another layer to the story. It's not just about a missing friend; it's about an environment that's almost alive, hinting at darker secrets and possible dangers at every turn.

Samantha Mabry's writing and character development are commendable. This book is perfect for those who love literary horror with strong character arcs and atmospheric settings. While there were minor elements I felt could be improved, overall, it's a solid 4-star read.

The premise is great, the carryout I am not sure was able to carry out the intention. This did have me questioning what was happening and I enjoyed the unreliable friendships, but I think it needed longer and more.

I really really loved this cover but I was a bit let down by the book. The premise sounded really exciting, but the writing a little juvenile. I know that sounds obvious as I am an adult reading a book for young readers, but it felt condescending in the way it was written rather than being strategically developmentally appropriate. The story was still fun and, again, that cover! I’m just not sure I’ll be recommending it to my kiddos.

Thanks NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for a honest review. This was a unique book, but overall it just wasn’t enough. I liked how it takes place within a 24 hour period of time, but that also left very little room for development. Had it not been so short though, I’m not sure if I would have finished it. I was expecting a horror/thriller book by the synopsis, but I did not find it to be creepy or suspenseful at all. Case made for an interesting character and an admirable one to find out what happened to her friend, but the way things wrapped up was disappointing after pushing through the story.

My only real complaint with this novella is that I wish it was a novel. I loved the plot, the characters, and the mystery, but I feel that it could have used more room to breathe and develop the characters more slowly.

The story takes place in Texas after a natural disaster, and it seems that the situation leaves several teams to fend for themselves. Case, the main character, I summoned to her house, her best friend lives in with several other teenagers. However, when she arrives, Dreya is nowhere to be found. Maybe the best description of this would be a commune meets Lord of the Flies. The main character also has trauma from being in a house, fire previously and having a deadbeat parent. Case, who has very “final girl” energy, has to piece the mystery together with pages from Andrea’s journal and letters.

There are parts this book I really like, and are smart and told him the third person as is typical for the horror-esque genre. There are creepy things beyond who lives in the house, like the feral hogs surrounding the property. It’s hard to know who to trust, etc.

I think two things it was lacking for me is that we don’t have enough to really care Andrea is missing other than it matters to case. Since it’s third person, I think a little more about that relationship foundation could be laid first. The payoff was also a little disappointing.

This is a very engaging, very strange book. The cover and premise drew me in immediately, and the main character kept me reading until the very end. I do think the comps to 'The Honeys' and 'Mexican Gothic' do the book a bit of a disservice, in that the focus is more on cli-fi (there's a dystopian micro-climate-apocalypse element that isn't discussed in the synopsis and I think would really be good to let readers know about) and potential creepy things for the majority of the book, rather than hardcore supernatural horror. Nature is red in tooth and claw here all throughout, though, so I somewhat get the comparisons. I loved the main character and the way the author discusses her chronic pain issues, traumatic injury/scarring, and her family trauma--she's such a deep character. I thought the ending was a bit unsatisfying, but up until that point it was a really engaging ride--less 'fun' and more contemplative and disturbing, though.

“Clever Creatures of the Night” by Samantha Mabry is a gripping horror story. When Case arrives at a West Texas home to visit her best friend Drea, Drea is nowhere to be found. Drea’s roommates avoid all questions and Case knows that something terrible must have happened. A quick read, in a setting of a weird rural utopian fantasy, recommend to anyone wanting something creepy that can be read in an evening.