This messed with my head and freaked me out. I read this and listened to it and am still unsettled. This is def going to be one of my fav horror books of the year.

I was pulled in by the cover, and title and was not disappointed. I enjoyed this new book by Paul Tremblay I have read a few of his others and enjoyed them as well. His writing style is a little different in this book and I appreciated that for this type of book. He goes back and forth from present to past and even includes pages of script with placement for the characters. I couldn’t give it a full four stars as I felt the ending was rushed and after such a huge buildup I was just left wanting something more in the end. I finished reading and just felt like it was a bit of a let down after all the characters had gone thru to just be over so quickly. In there end I did enjoy the book and am so thankful to the publisher, author, and a netgalley for this reading opportunity.

Paul Tremblay has perfected the art of true horror writing, his books are filled will terror and suspense and Horror Movie is his best yet.

Horror Movie is told through dueling timelines of the Past and Present, and is the story of a “cursed” horror movie, that was made, but never released due to the finale ending in tragedy.

Since being made, all the main people involved have died, one by one, with the exception of the villain of the movie, The Thin Kid.

The movie, which would acquire a type of cult following, inspires a remake, and The Thin Kid, is asked to participate. Through the course of the story, it becomes evident the effect the movie had on him, is intense and dark, and he’s stilling living with the fallout in the present day.

This is definitely the horror book of 2024, and is not to be missed.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

'Horror Movie' by Paul Tremblay
FIVE STARS!!
Releases tomorrow, June 11! Snag your copy now!!

Three decades ago, a group of amateur film-makers set out to make ‘Horror Movie’, a low-budget experimental horror film fueled by a blend of artistic ambition and a chilling backstory. However, tragedy struck on set, preventing the film’s full release. Yet, when snippets of the film surface online, a fervent cult-following emerges, igniting a clamor for a lavish reboot by movie producers.

In ‘Horror Movie,’ Tremblay masterfully weaves together interviews with the sole surviving cast member who portrayed ‘The Thin Kid’, excerpts from the original script, and fragments of memories from the original cast. True to Tremblay’s signature style, the narrative blurs the lines between reality and screenplay, resulting in an unsettling journey that gripped me until the final page.

Immersing oneself in ‘Horror Movie’ is akin to embarking on a descent into a realm where reality intertwines with the macabre artistry of filmmaking. Tremblay’s storytelling prowess shines as he skillfully crafts an experience that lingers long after the book is closed. I found myself unable to tear away from its grip until the chilling finale. ‘Horror Movie’ not only cements Tremblay’s status as an auto-buy author but also emerges as a standout contender for the best read of the year for me!

🎥 Perfect for fans of:
* Found footage & cursed films
* Psychological horror
* Mind-bending creepiness with really unique storytelling

Thank you so much to Netgalley and William Morrow for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I’ve already pre-ordered the special edition from Barnes & Noble and will be rereading the final copy asap! #HorrorMovie #NetGalley

Somebody, anybody, everybody go check on Paul Tremblay because WHAT?! And also WOW at the same time. I am not okay after reading this, and that is absolutely the point.

Paul Tremblay is always a good choice! I had to read this book because the blurb reminded me of a game I played and liked, Nightmare Frames. Anything about horror movies that get made but never actually shown will always suck me in!

This book…I’m not even sure what I read. All I do know it was super creepy and disturbing in parts. The multiple timelines did slow it a bit for me, but I did like the additions of the screenplay being intermixed. That said, this book is not for every reader. Honestly, it isn’t my favorite by Tremblay. I almost didn’t stick with it because character development is so off kilter, but the ending is worth the effort! I’d give this one 3.5 stars because of the pacing for me.

I have read other works by Paul Tremblay but "Horror Movie" is probably my favorite of his. It checked a lot of my boxes as a lover of horror movies as well as thriller books. I've read similarly themed books but I liked the dual timeline as well as the screenplay excerpts.

If you are a fan of Stephen Graham Jones or Grady Hendrix you will enjoy "Horror Movie".

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in advance of publication.

3.5 This is not my favorite of Tremblay's. The idea is original, but I found the plot and the pacing off. I think many readers will find it slow and ending when it should be just beginning. I liked the screenplay format--it provides a sense of grounding in a story that is sometimes confusing. As always, Tremblay's writing is solid and, overall, the story is creative and entertaining.

This was such a slow book with very little character development that just didn’t do it for me in the end.

Full review: I did not have much luck with horror books the past few weeks. I started "Horror Movie" more than a month ago and finally forced myself to finish it so I could move on. Honestly, I almost DNFed it a few times. There was nothing compelling to me about this book.

"Horror Movie" follows the only survivor of a horror movie from the 1990s. The narrator, is the so-called "Thin Kid" who played a kid in a movie called "Horror Movie" that starts to blur the lines between what is acceptable. We follow the back and forth between him in the past filming the movie, and in the present, about to be part of the 'reboot'. And then we also get to read the screenplay that the movie followed.

Eh. This wasn't good. Sorry, I can't really do books written as screenplays. I still to this day, have not read "Storm of the Century" because it started working my nerves too much. And this one wasn't that great because the screenplay gives you character motivations, etc. which I don't think any screenplay really does? I don't know. It just started taking me out after a while and I was so uninterested in it.

And I didn't really get the horror of the whole book/movie. We know upfront there was a tragedy and then it takes about 80 percent before we get there and it made zero sense and I maybe said okay and tried to move on.

The characters are shallow as anything. I didn't like "Thin Kid", Valentina, Cleo, etc. We never get enough time to spend with them to even really get what they are trying to do. The "Thin Kid" motivations for everything seem to change at the drop of a hat and I felt his character was just inconsistent.

The writing was so-so and the flow was pretty bad because of the above jumps between past, present, screenplay.

The ending was nonsensical. Yes, I understand what Tremblay was trying to do, I was just not that impressed with it and felt irritated. I honestly have only ever really enjoyed two of his novels and one stand alone short story. I may just need to move him to, you will never like him that much and stop reading his newest offerings.

Thank you to Paul Tremblay and William Morrow via NetGalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was the first Paul Tremblay book I’ve read and I’m now so excited to dig into his backlist! I found his writing style to be easily readable and very captivating. His characters are simultaneously authentic and plays on archetypical horror roles. This book is told between two timelines (Then and Now) and a screenplay. I thought Tremblay did a great job at navigating us through the story using all three of these narratives.

I look forward to seeing what Paul Tremblay writes next. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves teen slashers, the idea of a cursed film, and a character arc that gets wild.

Paul Tremblay's "Horror Movie" is captivating. The story weaves between past and present, blending scenes from the original film with real-life events. This narrative style constantly made me question reality and intent.

We are introduced to "The Thin Kid," the only surviving actor from the original movie. Now an adult, he lives in obscurity, with only three clips of the original film ever released online. These clips have gained a cult following, leading Hollywood to plan a remake of the unreleased movie.

I found this book thoroughly enjoyable. It starts as a slow burn but becomes increasingly compelling as more of the original film's hidden content is revealed. I’m eager to buy a physical copy and am grateful to Paul Tremblay and NetGalley for the early access ARC.

I read this at a similar time to reading Stephen Graham Jones' new novel "I Was a Teenage Slasher" and the subject matter although different, the tones of the main characters were so similar! Both have main characters that are reflecting on a time period and are clearly writing with an audience in mind as a sort of exposé and warning. In Horror Movie (the novel), our main character is the man who starred as "The Thin Kid" in Horror Movie (the movie that was never fully released except for three scenes) as he reflects on what went into creating this "cursed" film all those years ago and what it's been like filming the reboot (or remake depending on who you ask).

Tremblay does a great job of giving a nod to notorious horror films that have been said to be cursed. He also gives some insight into the film industry. The vibes I got while reading this book were eerie and chilling. It's soooo slow and the build-up gains in intensity. I loved the parallel between how the movie was supposed to make us feel (if it had ever been released) and how in reading the book we get the same feeling! Genius.

I did feel like this book dragged on and even though I recognize this was intentional for the reason I just stated, it did make me want to rush the book. What I loved most about this book were the descriptive flashback scenes of what took place during filming and how Tremblay blurred the lines between what actually happened and the reader realizing that the narrator is not only unreliable but is suspicious as we read the modern-day scenes. I also have to give a nod to the idea of "The Thin Kid" as a character and how well he is written. We feel bad for him but also want to stay away from him. The three other characters/cast mates that star with him are fascinating on their own too as they try to isolate the thin kid on and off the set to create an environment where the thin kid is just as alone on set as he is in the movie. There is a scene where the three classmates torture the thin kid and it's terrifying in a psychological way. We also learn that the man who played the thin kid is the only survivor and learning about how one particular cast member died during the filming is chilling. This is a really unique book with a horrifying ending.

This absolutely rocked. I think the screenplay format used for parts of the book was really fun, and I’d be really curious to see the finished book or audiobook even as I think that medium would lend very well to the story
I think the plot and pacing were great, and the overall message really had me thinking

I was SO excited when the publisher granted my wish for this book and it did not disappoint. I know "horror movie" is the trope of the summer, but I'm going to make a prediction and say this is the best one.

it did take me a while to get into the format, but once I realized that the narrator is creating an audiobook based on his experiences as the surviving cast member from the 90s movie and being involved in the present day remake, it made a lot more sense. I also didn't love the alternating chapters with the original screenplay at first, but I got into the groove with that too and after a while I realized that it is essential to the story.

This might not feel like a horror novel on the surface. There isn't much that's "scary," but that's not what this book is about. It's about the subtle undercurrent of horror that flows in all of us—it's about the potential for horror, I think. And that is scary! For the whole book I wondered WHY—why the kids did what they did. And there is no answer... and that makes it scarier.

Readers who like their stories tied up in a neat bow probably won't like this. But if you like ambiguous, open-ended narratives that will turn over and fester in your brain for weeks after, like I do, definitely pick this up.

Honestly I did not know what was going on until about 37%... buuut the ending? YES PLEASE. Multiple timelines which I have a love/hate relationship with but I thought this was written together nicely!

Many thanks to NetGalley for sending me an Advance Reader's Copy.

This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and I am still not sure how I feel about any of it BESIDES THE ENDING. The ending made the book worth reading, in my opinion. I enjoyed the multiple timelines even if it became confusing at times. Again, the ending was well worth the confusion.
Thank you to Netgalley and William Morrow for this ARC! I can't wait to see what others have to say about this one.

Paul Tremblay's Horror Movie is an unsettling and engrossing novel that explores the eerie and often terrifying world of a cursed film. Tremblay, known for his psychological horror, delivers a masterful narrative that blurs the lines between reality and fiction, creating a story that is as compelling as it is disturbing.

The novel begins in June 1993 when a group of young guerilla filmmakers spent four weeks creating Horror Movie, an art-house horror flick that quickly gained notoriety despite only three scenes ever being released. The film developed a cult following, and now, three decades later, Hollywood is planning a big-budget reboot. The unnamed protagonist, who played "The Thin Kid" in the original film, is the only surviving cast member and remembers all too well the bizarre and dangerous events that took place during the original production. As he revisits the past, his memories and the boundaries between reality and film start to blur. His journey through the production of the reboot and the haunting memories of the original film are both captivating and deeply disturbing.

Tremblay's writing is concise yet richly descriptive, creating a creeping sense of dread that permeates the entire novel. The narrative switches between the past and present, interweaving fragments of the original screenplay with the current production process, adding layers of complexity to the story. This structure effectively builds tension and keeps readers on edge. The themes of obsession, memory, and the impact of art on reality are explored with depth and nuance, making the story not only a horror novel but also a commentary on the power of film and the psychological toll it can take on its creators.

Horror Movie is a haunting and immersive read that will appeal to fans of psychological horror and the "cursed film" genre. Tremblay's ability to craft a story that is both deeply unsettling and thought-provoking makes this novel a standout in contemporary horror literature. The chilling atmosphere, combined with the intricate narrative structure, ensures that Horror Movie will linger in readers' minds long after they turn the final page.

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.

I wanted to enjoy this book since I am a big fan of Paul Tremblay’s prior work. However I just couldn’t get into it as much as I wanted to. I felt like the first section of the book was a bit dry and slow

I loved this book! Paul Tremblay has always been a fantastic story teller and this book finds him in top form! It kind of has a staccato rhythm, bouncing back and forth between the present and the early 90s. Books that are structured that way have always appealed to me, but this one has an added facet in that large parts of it are told in screenplay form. The tension and sense of foreboding build from the first pages and even though I dreaded what I suspected was coming, I couldn't stop reading! I've been telling people in the library where I work to not miss this book when it comes in, it's one of the must reads for the Summer. I can't wait until the physical copy arrives, I love the way it's packaged, both the cover and the red lining on the pages, fantastic design!!