This book started off really good and I was very intrigued by it. A story told from a child’s point of view sounded interesting. Then, something happened and the story lost momentum and things were getting confusing. I didn’t like this as much as I thought I would.

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read an early copy of this book. I loved this book. The horror, the story, the way that it kept my attention was perfect.

Love love loved!!!!! The narration of Bella and other mommy were so so eerie. Other mommy genuinely scared me so badly.

Incidents Around the House is a haunting and innovative dive into the psychological and supernatural terror experienced through the eyes of an eight-year-old girl. Narrated by Bela, the story pulls readers into her tight-knit world of family and fear, where the lines between real danger and imagined threat blur with chilling effect.

“Can I go inside your heart?”

What makes Incidents Around the House particularly effective is its portrayal of horror through the lens of a child’s perspective. Bela’s voice is strikingly innocent, but it’s clear that she’s dealing with something far beyond her understanding. The way she processes terrifying events—like objects moving, unsettling sounds, and the increasing tensions within her family—gives the narrative a uniquely unsettling flavor. The reader is forced to confront the question: What if the most terrifying thing in a child’s life isn’t just the unknown, but the unraveling of their family, the very foundation of their safety?

Ultimately, Incidents Around the House isn’t just a supernatural thriller; it’s a meditation on the power of family, the fear of abandonment, and the lengths a child will go to in order to protect the ones they love. As Other Mommy grows bolder, so too does Bela’s understanding of what it means to confront the deepest, most terrifying parts of oneself—and the heartbreaking truth that sometimes, even love isn’t enough to stave off the darkness.

An area for improvement could be a deeper dive of Bela’s inner world. While Bela’s voice is already compelling, expanding on her internal struggles would heighten the emotional weight of the story. Providing more insight into her fears—both about Other Mommy and her fractured family—could make her emotional journey more poignant. For instance, the story could delve into Bela’s confusion and guilt over the cracks in her parents’ marriage, and how those feelings intersect with the supernatural events.

Thank you NetGalley for a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for allowing me to read this in exchange for my honest review. Ok this one was very strange, I'm not sure if I even understand the ending?! I still enjoyed it, it was very creepy but I also need someone to explain it to me. Still will recommend.

This book was really quite scary, and I found myself deeply invested in what was happening and how this family would find their way out of this situation. The narration is provided from the perspective of the eight year old girl at the center of the story, and this provides a unique but also captivating element to the story. I found the ending to be slightly predictable, but I still enjoyed this book.

I have been a fan of Josh Malerman since Goblin. This one definitely kept me reading but overall felt a little mediocre. The positives were that it kept to a good horror structure. It had lots of creepy moments. I just think the characters were a little bland, a little hard to visualize, and hard to get attached to. I will still read more Malerman because he does deliver horror, but I prefer Goblin to this one.

This was a CRAZY ride. This book was so creepy. The narrator was PERFECT. There were so many times I got goosebumps from what was happening. I really thought it would end in a totally different way than it did. Truly amazing and creepy story. 10/10

Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman was a hauntingly immersive experience. The novel is narrated from the perspective of eight-year-old Bela, whose life is upended by the presence of “Other Mommy,” a malevolent entity that emerges from her closet, persistently asking, “Can I go inside your heart?” 

Malerman masterfully captures the innocence and vulnerability of childhood, making Bela’s encounters with Other Mommy all the more chilling. The tension escalates as this sinister presence grows bolder, coinciding with cracks appearing in Bela’s parents’ marriage. The intertwining of supernatural horror with familial discord adds depth to the narrative, creating a story that’s both terrifying and emotionally resonant.

What struck me most was Malerman’s ability to evoke fear through subtlety. The descriptions of Other Mommy are deliberately vague, allowing readers to project their own fears onto the entity. This, combined with the atmospheric writing, kept me on edge throughout. The novel’s pacing is well-executed, with moments of calm that lull you into a false sense of security before delivering heart-pounding scares.

Incidents Around the House is more than just a horror story; it’s a poignant exploration of a family under strain, seen through the eyes of a child trying to make sense of the chaos around her. Malerman’s portrayal of Bela’s innocence amidst the unfolding terror is both heartbreaking and compelling.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Very Creepy Moments. Suspenseful. Book did lose me towards the middle. Struggled a bit to finish. Did not understand the point of the book/ the bag guys reasoning?! If that makes sense. Did not understand the ending.

**4.5-stars rounded up**

On its own, this may have been a 4-star read, but the story mixed with the stellar audiobook narration made this such a fun and memorable experience. I thought this was fantastically-eerie, and I appreciated the nods to the town of Goblin from Malerman's earlier work. The horror imagery was also so well-imagined.

For me, Josh Malerman is an author who I either love his work, or don't. Luckily, this was a complete success. I would say this is my favorite of his books that I've read so far.

In this story, we are following Bela, an 8-year old girl, who is perpetually haunted by a malevolent being she has taken to calling Other Mommy.
At first, Bela sees Other Mommy as a friend, but over time Other Mommy has grown a lot scarier, and a lot more persistent in her efforts to get Bela to 'let her into her heart'.

When horrifying incidents begin happening around the house, it becomes clear that Other Mommy is getting tired of waiting. It's growing bolder and seemingly more powerful. Even Bela's parents can no longer explain away Other Mommy as being a figment of their daughter's imagination.
They need help, which they seek outside the home, but nothing they try seems to work. They are desperate to keep Bela safe, but soon cracks within her parents marriage become craters.

Will they be able to reforge their family bonds for the good of them all, and hopefully banish Other Mommy forever, or will they ultimately fall under its evil influence?

This book instantly captured my attention. The audiobook, brilliantly-narrated by Delanie Nicole Gill, felt so authentic. Though 18-years old, I believe, Gill's narrative voice actually felt like that of an 8-year old girl; no shade intended. The delivery was impeccable. Getting this all from the perspective of an 8-year old, with age appropriate logic, made this feel creepier than it may otherwise have been. It also made the story feel unique and will stick in my mind for a long time.

I also appreciated how quickly Malerman kicked off the action and introduced us to Other Mommy. There's not a lot of beating around the bush here. You're just in it.

My favorite character in this story was Grandma Ruth. I love this type of character. An older one, who feels safe and wise, that comes in and helps the floundering younger people. Grandma Ruth also added a bit of lightness to an otherwise dark-filled story. I loved how much she loved her family, and those relationships all felt very realistic.

There's also some occult elements included, which I enjoyed. Overall, I feel like it's a well-rounded story that built nicely in intensity throughout. I was fully invested in it. I would absolutely recommend this to Horror Readers of all types. In particular, I would recommend the audiobook format, as I just feel it was so well done.

Thank you to the publisher, Del Rey, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This makes me more jazzed about Malerman than ever. I can't wait for his next release!

Another amazing Malerman book! What is it about children that makes a book even more creepy? Especially when the focus is the parent/child dynamic. This book explores trauma, specifically emotional trauma, incredibly well. Children are perceptive and smart and Malerman captures the nuance of age and understanding.

5/5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

It started soooooo good, I couldn’t put the book down, it was confusing on how the book was wrote but the author explained that, when you really get into the story it goes on smoothly, I like the 3rd part of the book best until the last part I was confused and super rushed, I did not liked it, it’s definitely I book I would not te read again, I do recommend it but I won’t say it’s the best cuz it was not but it was really creepy and it spooked me that I count even used the bathroom alone at night and I am an adult lol but the ending made it all go away, so NEXT!!!

I LOVED THIS BOOK. I was actually scared - and that does not happen to me, ever! The tension built, and built, and I had no idea where it was going to go. I thought the narrative being from the perspective of the child might be strange, but it worked. It worked so well. I just can’t say enough good things!

Creepy or what?!

I raced through this page-turner even though it gave me goosebumps more than once. For reals. The storytelling through Bela's POV was so unique, authentic and compelling. I was hooked from start to end.

The ominousness, the dread, the suspense...! It just builds and builds and kept me wondering what would happen next or how it would all unfold. The book also navigates some very interesting themes with flair and subtlety. Masterful execution, truly.

Not sure how I feel about the ending even now... but damn.

Josh Malerman, you master of horror you.

I was excited to read this book. Very interesting taken from the child’s perspective but at times it was a little weird.

Thank you, Netgalley, for the early ARC! So I had this ARC for a while and decided to reserve it for the Halloween season. I heard more and more about this book as the spooky season approached, and how scary it was, which piqued my interest in reading it. Well, when the time came, I chose to try immersive reading, and I am so glad I did! All praise to the little actor (not sure whether it was a real child actor) who read this dramatic and terrifying narrative. She did an excellent job and was so precious throughout the book, making you want to love and protect her.

Other things I liked: The tale was creepy, as many reviews noted, and there was a lot of tension thrown in. The author did an excellent job of keeping the plot moving at a constant pace, ensuring that it never seemed monotonous or uninteresting. Not to say there weren't some slow moments. I also enjoy the behaviors and descriptions of the entity, which I suppose I will call her.
Things I didn't like: I thought the book went on for a little longer than it needed to, and most of the topics that had nothing to do with the entity weren't really appealing to me. Also, the parents' tale was okay to me, and there were some of the things I was able to predict, but not the huge twist at the conclusion. Some of the characters were quite annoying, but I feel they were created that way to advance the plot and introduce new components.

Overall, I enjoyed the narrative, and it was really spooky, especially while listening to the audio. I think the finale fell a little short for me and felt hurried with all of the secrets finally being revealed, but perhaps it was the only way it could have ended. The voice acting was excellent and contributed significantly to the book's thrill, anxiety, and horror.

This was creepier than anything I’ve ever read. Maybe because Bela is so young and naive, maybe it’s because I have kids and this would terrify me, maybe it’s because Other Mommy is just a nightmare incarnate and there seems to be no escape.

This was an interesting and creepy format. It's not often you get a story from a child's perspective and I believe Josh Malerman did a good job in portraying this. This book was creepy and there were lots of secrets that you don't see coming. Definitely worth the read.

What a super well-written horror novel! I absolutely loved this story. I genuinely felt the suspense and unease as I was going through the story. I thought the characters were well thought out and loved that the ending was...well...you'll have to read it to find out.