3.5 stars
Woah, what did I just read? Very creepy indeed!!!

This was the perfect Halloween read. Dark and foreboding with a suspenseful build-up. This gothic horror story captured my attention early on and kept me glued to the audiobook. It had so many spooky elements that I love.

The plot involves a father with 7 year old twin daughters. Their mother suddenly died about 10 months ago. The father is having a difficult time coping and parenting. One day, the twins alert their father to a shape shifter man who visits them at night. They refer to him as Black Mamba. Their father isn't quite sure what to make of this information, so consults with his psychotherapist sister in law. She advises that it is just the girls' imaginary friend, a way of coping with their mother's death. However, as more strange things start happening, and more history about their house comes to light, both father and auntie aren't sure what to make of the situation.

It takes a special kind of book to send chills up my spine, and this one managed to do that. However, the reason it lost stars for me was because the lead up to the ending became somewhat convoluted and confusing. I wasn't sure what was going on and if it was in the present or past timeline (since the story occasionally bounced back and forth between two timelines). I also thought the house history could've been better fleshed out and weaved into the plot. It felt a bit like an afterthought. If the ending had been as strong as the rest of the book, it would easily have been five stars.

The narration was also hit and miss for me. The female narrator was strong, but the male narrator's performance was a bit flat for my taste. I think a more dynamic reader would've made the story pop more.

Thank you ##NetGalley and #DreamScapeMedia for an advanced audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Poisoned Pen Press, Sourcebooks, and Netgalley for the ALC!

I spent most of my commute to work listening to this! We have two narrators, one for Julia and one for Alfie. The accents on both narrators are definitely heavy but once I got used to their voices it was easier to follow along. I preferred Julia's narrator over Alfie as I felt Alfie was very monotone with no real depth. Overall I think the audio version of this novel made the story go by quicker.

This one was just okay for me. I can definitely see why so many people would love it. An eerie Gothic tale with House of haunted Hill vibes and The Whisper Man. Unfortunately it just wasn't for me.

This started off pretty eerie! Twin girls that have an imaginary friend that takes form of a black mamba snake after their mother dies. I hate snakes so this was very creepy, especially after googling what a black mamba looks like, lol!

Very well done on audio with alternating narrators.

Great for spooky season, but slightly underwhelming ending.

Creepy, slow burn, and atmospheric, this audiobook was a gem! Brilliant narration and very well paced! The character development was well thought out.

This book had a great creepy vibe and I enjoyed both of the narrators. I'm not sure I was that invested in the characters though. I felt I was plodding through the plot rather than anticipating the plot twists. This book was fine, but not one I would reread. I give it 3/5 stars.

I so picked this one on the cover alone. It definitely has the creep value. Kids seeing a black mamba and a man in the house that no one else sees. Unfortunately at times I was a little confused and I didn't connect with the two narrators.

I did get chills with the girls and their sights. I did spend a lot of time trying to figure who, if anyone was reliable and if there was a paranormal presence.

I both listened and read this one and thought Jonathan Johns did the creepy atmosphere well as the male narrator and Jodie Harris brought the sane calming presence of Julia to life.

Horror has been hit or miss for me lately, so definitely read other reviews before making your decision as this could just be a wrong time read for me.

3 stars.

"Let Him In" by William Friend is, unfortunately, a mixed bag. I had such high hopes for this haunted house/possible ghost/possible possession story, but it fell short. I love it when horror stories combine with grief because I think there's a lot of exploration to be had in their crossover. The ball gets dropped here, though. I struggled to remain interested in this book. It's very predictable, but the author thinks he's being clever. While there is some creepy imagery here and there where the twins are concerned (less scary, more unsettling), these moments weren't enough to hold my interest as a whole. There's a religious element added in towards the middle to end of the story that doesn't feel fully formed and explored properly. I wanted more of that aspect because it could have made it more compelling. I did enjoy the dual narration for the most part.

Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and William Friend for the complimentary ALC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

This book was not my cup of tea, but I can see how others enjoyed it. I felt like I was missing something. I thought maybe I requested the second book in a series. I was entertained, albeit confused at times.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

“Daddy, there’s a man in our room...”

Adjusting to life as a widower and single dad, Alfie is struggling to accept his new normal. But as his twin daughters wake him up one evening claiming there is a shadowy figure in their room, Alfie begins to worry that his struggles to adapt have caused his girls to create an imaginary friend. Until, of course, he begins to see and feel strange things in their home.
The premise of this story is so creepy. Imagine your children talking about an invisible "friend" in your home while strange things are happening that make you begin question if this "friend" is more than just their imagination. I will say that if this story focused more on the "friend" and happenings surrounding that and less on the back story of the main characters it would have been SO scary. All of the elements where there for this story to go from creepy to goosebump inducing scary.
This is a great story and perfect for those who like their spooky reads a little less spooky. But that ending, just wow.

⭐⭐⭐💫 (3.5)

Thank you to @netgalley @poisonedpenpress and @dreamscape_media for the gifted copy of this book.

This book unfortunately was a struggle to hold my attention. But thank you again for the ARC audiobook.

This book was everything I needed it to be, dark and creepy - unreliable and full of grief! I love grief horror (which is a strange thing to say) everyone deals with death in a different way and to see it play out in a horror book is great. The twins in this book are the perfect amount of innocent and eerie. Loved it!

I will only speak on the audiobook version of "Let Him In" here. The narration and pacing are particularly well done and contribute to the overall atmosphere.

When I saw this book offered, I added it to my spooky season listening immediately. The premise and cover were perfection! However, it wasn’t for me. I was never really interested in the storyline or characters. It left me confused and wanting more.

More of a familial psychological slowburn, the 2014 film The Babadook is probably the immediate comparison for Let Him In (I won't be surprised if it was a key reference during the inception of this novel), where familial grief is a recurring theme throughout. In addition to showing a man suffering from grief (we can always use more depiction of men being vulnerable), the narrative propels forward smoothly with brisk pacing, precise writing (reminds me of Lisa Jewell), and there are enough moments of creepy imagery that warrant its label as a horror novel.

One thing Let Him In is overshadowed by is the feeling of déjà vu — even though there are sprinkles of unexpected flourish (such as the history of the house, as well as the family's religious background), the overarching plot is very familiar (especially if you've seen The Babadook), and following the expected trajectory, therefore dampening its overall impact. The inclusion of a romance subplot also feels unnecessary, too light-touched to deem relevant, or not pushed far enough to add the layer of guilt towards character development.

As a whole, Let Him In was competently told and I was entertained (especially the audiobook, which is expertly narrated by its dual narrators). Just be aware it's more of a psychological drama utilizing horror tropes rather than a full-on scary story, and its mileage will be determined by how much media one has consumed that explores this type of scenario. Will make for a solid library loan.

My Goodreads review reads as follows "Giiirrrllll you got knocked up by a demon 🤭" and I think I'm going to leave it at that.

Let Him In was a chilling story of an imaginary friend. The premise was unique, and the loved that several of the characters were pairs of twins - it added a new level of eeriness and suspense. With a heavy theme of death and grief, I found myself very invested in the characters. The ending gave me goosebumps! This was a perfect book to read during spooky season.

The pacing and tone of the narration perfectly complement the suspenseful nature of the plot, making it difficult to pause or stop listening. The audio production quality is excellent, ensuring clear and immersive storytelling.

Overall, the audiobook version of "Let Him In" is a highly recommended choice for fans of psychological thrillers and supernatural horror.

Oh man. I wanted to love this book so much. I will say this has some good creepy kids moments, and I liked the character of black mamba. However, I think this book had a hard time focusing down it's horror elements. I wish we'd had the imaginary friend and just gone with it rather than trying to introduce haunted houses and ghosts etc.

There was also a relationship in here I really didn't like and felt very unnecessary. The very end could have made it worth it, but unfortunately, took the safe route. Sadly didn't work for me.

I did think the narration was good with dual narrators.

A death in the family and how people deal with it. this touches on grief a lot. But the horror twist and how it starts out one way ten takes a dark turn. I felt overwhelmed and underwhelmed at the same time. I was left confused and wanting more and uncomfortable which might be the point of the book but this wasn't for me. but might be for someone else.

Thank you NetGalley for this audio arc in exchange for my honest review.