A lean, mean terror machine of a book. A perfect balance of showing and telling and leaving just enough between the lines to cultivate true fear of the narrators whose hands we have taken as we follow them into the darkness. Tremblay's scariest book since A Head Full of Ghosts.

Horror Movie is a highly original horror novel that builds tension slowly. Normally I prefer something a bit more fast paced but the slow burn of this horror novel really worked. I enjoyed this one immensely.

In a way, this reminded me of an adult version of Goosebumps: The Haunted Mask, and that’s a good thing! Big fan of Paul Tremblay, and though this wasn’t my favorite story of his, I did love the writing and was curious to see how it all wrapped up.

Ty to Netgalley for the ARC!

This is the second book I have read by the author, the first being Head Full of Ghosts. Just like that work, I was a little underwhelmed by the scares. I did read this book in one afternoon, so it is a very quick read and obviously held me captivated.

A Horror Movie has almost wrapped up filming when a tragedy strikes. Years later after three scenes from the movie are released, horror fans create enough buzz that the studios think it is time to remake this movie. The man who played “The Thin Kid” in the original has been appearing at conventions and keeping the fans clamoring for more. As the last surviving cast member he has been asked to help with the remake by giving insight to the secrets behind the screenplay as well as reprising his original role in a few scenes. Memories resurface as filming begins making for a tense, unsettling and jaw dropping finale.

This is a tough one for me to review. First of all I loved the writing style. Switching between the past and present helped build a lot of tension and dread. Sprinkled throughout the past and present storyline were sections of the original movie script giving insight and details which also added to the tension. This unconventional style really worked although it was a slow build. Gradually, Tremblay just kept chipping away at my psyche making me feel more uncomfortable, and uneasy as the story progressed. The ending was an unexpected shock and left me with more questions than answers. I want to know more about the origin of the mask, the motivation for the original script and the original characters back stories. This was well written, a good premise but left me wanting more.

3 ⭐️
Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

With a book with this title, I was expecting something way more than what I read. This lacked a spooky, horror element and lacked excitement. Also I listened to part of this book and had to switch to the print version because the audio was really annoying with the screenplay set up and all the noises associated with that.

If you loved, “The Cabin at the End of the World,” then you’re in for a treat. This is a gripping read that will resonate with fans of psychological thrillers and horror fiction alike, blending elements of suspense with an exploration of the human psyche and the haunting power of nostalgia.

This book dives into the unsettling world of guerrilla filmmaking, where a small group of young filmmakers created a notorious and disturbing horror film over four intense weeks in June 1993. Despite only three scenes being released, the film has garnered a cult-like following, prompting Hollywood to consider a high-budget reboot three decades later.

The novel blurs the boundaries between past and present, reality and fantasy, as the protagonist confronts his own demons while grappling with the demands of remaking a film that once led to tragedy. The story unfolds with a palpable sense of suspense and psychological depth, exploring themes of obsession, artistic integrity, and the cost of revisiting traumatic memories.

Through vivid storytelling, the author captures the dark allure of the horror genre and the complexities of the entertainment industry. The protagonist's journey is both compelling and haunting, offering us a glimpse into the shadows of filmmaking and the sacrifices made for cinematic artistry.

Thanks #NetGalley for my advance copy of this book. #HorrorMovieBook

I am a longtime fan of horror books and movies. I started out reading Stephen King books in junior high, in my bedroom late at night while everyone else was asleep. It’s always been my favorite genre. So I was a little surprised at my reaction to Horror Movie. I don’t usually get shocked or scared, but this book was so disturbing and unsettling, it really shook me to my core. I was hooked and horrified right from the beginning, and I could tell that this wasn’t going to be typical horror.

Horror Movie is the story of a group of novice filmmakers - teenagers - in 1993 and the movie that haunts their lives. The story is told by the actor that played Thin Kid, who is also the only surviving member of the shoot. The movie was never released, which is big clue that something was very wrong about this movie. However, a few scenes were eventually released online and consequently, it’s got quite a cult following.

From Tremblay. “I just happened to have this idea based on how dangerous The Texas Chain Saw Massacre set was, and wondered what if something really horrible had happened that stopped that movie being made.”

That’s really the only description you need to realize that this book is going to be darker and more horrific than possibly anything you’ve ever read. Personally, that makes me want to read it even more, but this won’t be for everyone. There are several deeply unsettling moments in Horror Movie, and at the core it’s about people acting horribly just because they can. And that might be the most frightening thing of all.

I loved it and highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys dark horror.

4.5 stars for Horror Movie and my thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the eARC!

A of all: what the fuck, Paul.

Horror Movie follows a non-linear timeline of the making of an indie horror movie in the 90s and the aftermath of nearly everyone involved. I could be wrong, but getting to the end and realizing I didn't learn the narrator's name was almost as chilling as what happened in the trailer.

I really like the idea of "what makes a monster" being a theme in the novel, both in the movie the kids are making and the life the Thin Kid actor is living in the present day. People look at him and want him to be the scary kid he portrayed in the movie, but he's just an aging actor with bad jokes. They let their guard down around him.

The reveal about what happened to Cleo was shocking and I wasn't expecting it to be that graphic. I'm glad we got little snippets about the immediate aftermath and what happened to the rest of the cast and crew.

All in all, the ending was a little out of nowhere and I'll have to read the last 10% again to fully get it all, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it's just another one of Tremblay's masterpieces.

I'm not quite sure how I feel about this book. I was sucked right into the story and didn't want to put it down, but the timeline jumping was a bit rough.

A slow burn and sometimes a little lost in the time frame of the story line, I felt they blended together without any notice.

This was such an incredible piece of 90s nostalgia mixed with horror. The writing was beautiful and I loved every second of it.

Creepy and surreal, a commentary on fear, death and becoming.

When a horror film becomes real in ways you’ll never imagine, the heightened tension a taut string around your soul, you’ll journey through what pretends to be mundanity while peeking through your fingers. With characters that slither off the page and a setting with teeth, this literary foray into our collective obsession with fright seethes and titillates. I think you’ll love the disturbing imagery, stressful set up, and constrained mania.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy. These opinions are my own.

This book is a movie screenplay/ behind the scenes story with an unreliable narrator leading us around. We see what he wants us to see, know what he wants us to know, and get sucked into lies and possible delusions.

Besides, what to me was a (on and off) confusing storyline (again, unreliable narrator), I kept thinking there was something deeper going on. At least, that's the way it hit for me.

It made me think about how someone can truly be a monster when they don't have to show their true face. There are no repercussions because it's not really them. It's the mask or persona (or keyboard) they're hiding behind.

Also, sometimes we become the person or thing that others see us as or even want us to be. We give into that because sometimes it's easier to be that version instead of fighting to be seen as who we really are inside.

Maybe I'm looking a bit too deeply at this storyline. But, these are just a couple of thoughts I had while reading.

For me, the ending was partly anticipated and mostly shocking, if that makes sense. In any case, it was the best part of the story for me.

I gave this 3.5 stars rounded up to 4⭐️.

Also, I listened to the audiobook while reading this, and I found it helped me through parts that would've been much more confusing. Great narrators, and they made it a very interesting, organic experience.

As always, I want to thank Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced ebook copy of this book.

4.5⭐️ Pure psychological horror at its finest! I will be the first to admit that I do not scare easily. I find most horror tropes to be overdone and predictable. In Horror Movie, readers are taken along for the ride as The Thin Kid (we never get a name) alternates between narrating the present reboot of a film he starred in back in the 1990s and the past, reliving the original filming. We are given information as needed and the ever increasing dread and what the hell is happening make this novel stand out as a master class in horror storytelling.

For fans of cursed object storylines and The Blair Witch Project, Horror Movie will not disappoint.

Thank you to NetGalley, Paul Tremblay, and William Morrow for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

Excellent horror novel. I haven't read one like this in a while, so it was great! Definitely gives an eerie vibe off. I loved it especially the ending, that was great.

I love that part of the novel was set in the 90's, which was a great time, and in current times. That made for a fun way to reveal information to the reader as well as the mixed media of the book, with the script portions.

I liked that the book revealed things at meticulously the right time, in order to give the slow burn feel. It was not rushed, it did not provide revelations at ill times, it was well crafted.

Paul Tremblay is an author I must pick up now. All new releases from here on out will be a pre order for me.

I could not get into the back and forth of storytelling and script reading. I felt there was a lot of buildup but nothing pushing me to turn the next page.

This is my first Paul Tremblay novel, having recently watched and enjoyed M. Night Shyamalan's adaptation of his "The Cabin at the End of the World". I'm glad I finally gave one of his novels a shot, as there is plenty to like in "Horror Movie" for both genre fans and lovers of literary fiction.

In "Horror Movie", we learn about the titular independent film having been made in the early 90s but never released due to an on-set tragedy. Over the years, its status as a possibly Cursed Film has grown online, so its of no surprise when decades later, Hollywood is attempting a reboot with the involvement of the original's sole survivor –the amateur actor behind the mask of the movie's main monster, known simply as the Thin Kid. Said actor (introduced by Valentina, the original "Horror Movie" director, to Cleo, it's writer, as just a "Weird Guy" she met at a bar once) is also the novel's main narrative voice, purportedly writing an audiobook of his life as related to everything "Horror Movie" related, both now and then.

It's through Weird Guy/Thin Kid's vantage point, intercut with pieces of "Horror Movie"'s screenplay, that Tremblay weaves the mysterious tale of what happened during its filming as well as what might be in store for those who attempt to finally bring it to screens.

Although the novel is at its root a satisfyingly scary monster origin story, I also enjoyed how it navigates and satirizes the current Hollywood landscape, exploring things like nostalgia, method acting and modern fandom in ways that felt organic to the story. Now... let's see who is brave enough to attempt to turn "Horror Movie" into a real film!

Tremblay is a master at taking great ideas and turning them into mediocre books. I realize how shitty that sounds but it's not ENTIRELY meant to be shitty.

I've read every book Paul has published and I don't think I've rated any of them over 3 stars. The concepts he writes about are brilliant, the ideas he has for his stories are genius, but his writing and storytelling just don't get me all the way there.

I've read some other reviews for Horror Movie and the word slow-burn is used in a few of them. I think if you're using the term "slow-burn", it's because you're too nice to say "boring".

Don't give me a "slow-burn" for 250 pages and then make the last 35 exciting. I'm not going to make it to the last 35 pages and I'm going to think your book is boring.

I read what I could, will try to find an audiobook of it somewhere and listen to it. I do like Tremblay as an author and I'm probably just a cranky, old fart.

A dark twisted journey in the making of a horror movie and the lore behind it. Intentionally disjointed to have the reader feeling as uncomfortable as the viewers, we jump between the script, the past, the present, and bits in between. It’s hard to discern what’s film vs. what’s reality. As usual Tremblay leaves you wondering is this supernatural, or just the stuff of human depravity. Dark and disturbing then ending will have you pondering it well past you turning the page.