Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman is a horror novel uniquely told from the perspective of 8-year-old Bella, who initially befriends Other Mommy, the entity living in her closet. Bella’s parents become increasingly concerned when unexplained incidents begin occurring at home. Other Mommy grows more and more impatient as Bella refuses to answer the disturbing question that Other Mommy will not stop asking.

I was hesitant to read this because horror books that involve entity’s haunting children is what truly terrifies me the most, but I decided to face my fear on a beach vacation, why not? The warm sunshine and soothing sound of waves crashing did not ease my fears. I had to continuously remind myself to breathe and relax my shoulders that were hiked up to my ears. I was so creeped out and terrified, but I couldn’t stop reading.

One thing that I didn’t expect from this book, but thoroughly enjoyed, was the one-on-one “conversations” Bella had throughout the book with her family members: Mommy, Grandma Ruth, and in particular Daddo. I enjoyed hearing the stories and life lessons the character’s shared, seeing them in vulnerable and flawed states. The lies and secrets exposed made me cringe, but I could not turn away from this dysfunctional family and the nightmare they were living in.

I finished the book while reading in bed on the last night of vacation. It was a warm night so I removed the covers from my feet and turned off the light. That lasted no more than 10 seconds before I imagined Other Mommy at the foot of my bed. Next, I noticed a flashing light near the ceiling and quickly turned the light on. It was the green light from the fire alarm. Phew!

Am I proud of myself for reading this fantastic horror book? Yes. Have my fears been eased? Absolutely not.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing, Del Rey, and Josh Malerman for the ebook ARC.

It is always a pleasure to rejoin Josh Malerman and his Malermanverse full of creepy town and even creepier hauntings. He is one of my favorite authors that is sure to weave an absolutely terrifying story and his latest, Incidents Around the House is no exception.

I tore through this story of Bela, a young girl who we are told is eight years old, but honestly, I felt she was written as a much younger character both in her thoughts that we get directly from her POV and her actions and this was my only complaint with the book. Bela is visited at first every night by an entity that she refers to as Other Mommy who repeatedly asks if she can "go into her heart". As Bela becomes more reluctant to give Other Mommy what she craves, Other Mommy becomes more and more insistent and more powerful.

Incidents around the house is first and foremost a haunted house story but is also so much more. There are themes of innocence and family secrets that make this quick read rather special. One thing is for certain, one of the biggest fears I have is keeping my children safe and Malerman always seems to tap into those fears perfectly with stories such as this and Bird Box.

Highly recommended for fans of Potergeist, The Exorcist, and Haunting of Hill House. I definitely got "bent neck lady" chills with this one and I do not scare easily.

Thank you to NetGalley, Josh Malerman, and Ballantine/Del Rey for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Net Galley and Del Rey for this book!

I did not go into this with high expectations, but I was utterly creeped out from the beginning. The premise is a little girl (our narrator) who is being haunted by this paranormal entity who wants to be her. The little girl and her family are terrorized by this entity to the point our narrator begins questioning if she should succumb to her wants.

I did not necessarily like the narrator and story being told from the little girl's perspective, but it did set the tone for this horror novel. This was truly creepy but not scary for me. I enjoyed the plot and how the story played out overall, however.

Unlike anything I've ever read before. I think this is one of the scariest novels I've ever read. To say anything of the plot would ultimately ruin the future reader's experience. My advice is to try to read this novel in one sitting to really ratchet up the tension. Highly highly recommended.

This was one of the creepier books I have ever read. It reminded me a little of a video game I played from a young child’s perspective. I think the world is a lot scarier when you are an adult looking through the eyes of a child. The writing of this one was simple, it was all the perspective of a child and unlike some writing this child presents as a child and not like an adult. The age is a little unclear but she’s young and reads like a young child. I’m not going to get into the plot, I think this book is better if you go in blind and slowly immerse yourself in this horror.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my e-ARC of Incidents Around the House!

𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔
🎥 loved the movie It Follows
👻 enjoy scary stories
📖 like quick reads with a lot of suspense
🧦 want a book that’ll scare the socks off you

• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓

To eight-year-old Bela, her family is her world. There’s Mommy, Daddo, and Grandma Ruth. But there is also Other Mommy, a malevolent entity who asks her every day: “Can I go inside your heart?” 

When horrifying incidents around the house signal that Other Mommy is growing tired of asking Bela the question over and over, Bela understands that unless she says yes, her family will soon pay.

Other Mommy is getting restless, stronger, bolder. Only the bonds of family can keep Bela safe, but other incidents show cracks in her parents’ marriage. The safety Bela relies on is about to unravel. 

But Other Mommy needs an answer.

• 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒

Wow! This was such a good read. I loved that the story was told from little Bela’s POV. Her age is never said, but I figured her to be around 7 years old or so. She is still young and innocent but also understanding more of the world around her. The suspense was really built up in this story, and it reminded me a bit of the movie It Follows (which I also loved) so I enjoyed that. I think this would make for a fantastic movie adaptation because Other Mommy sounds positively terrifying! I also enjoyed the wise words and moments thrown in by the adults in Bela’s life.

𝑮𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒎𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒔, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒔𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕'𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒘𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕, 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒔.

I started this book after dark and kept reading until I was finished, just a little after midnight. And I didn't go to sleep until it was light outside. All of my childhood fears, from the thing under the bed to the thing in my closet were suddenly inexplicably real.

I had no issue with the story being told from eight-year-old's Bela's POV. It took me a minute to get used to the stream of consciousness, no quotation marks, storytelling, but I quickly settled in. Something horrendous is in Bela's closet, something that Bela calls "The Other Mommy." They started off as friends, but Other Mommy has been asking Bela for something..."𝑪𝒂𝒏 𝑰 𝒈𝒐 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕?" and her patience is wearing thin. She's becoming bolder, more insistent.

What scared me the most about this book was that Other Mommy made her presence known to other people. When I got to the scene where Bela's mother saw her, I almost stopped reading for the night. But because I like to torture myself, I continued. When Bela's parents tried to flee with her, Other Mommy followed. It seemed as if there was no way to keep her safe...until they realized what was attracting her to Bela.

The ending left me with my mouth agape and reaching for the remote to watch cartoons. Creepy, genuinely unsettling, and filled with relentless dread. Thank you to Random House/Ballantine for the early copy. This title publishes June 2, 2024.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 (rounded up)
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Review: let me start off by saying I never read horror, but this year I’ve been a little more open. My whole life I’ve been scared of horror movies, ever since my dad told me we were watching Lord of the Rings but we accidentally saw The Ring. So the fact that this is my second horror in a month is a big thing.

This book is told from the perspective of a child. It took me a while to get into it, but a few chapters in it definitely added to the creepiness of the book. The child lives at home with her parents and starts getting a visitor named “other mommy.” Cue the creepiest, eerie, scary ride where her parents find out and they try to get her help. “Other mommy” starts appearing everywhere.

I read through the book so fast because I needed to know what would happen. I couldn’t imagine being in this type of situation, so I keep feeling so anxious (in a good way) to see how it was going to end. I loved seeing how the parents were handling the issue through the eyes of a child. I wish it was a little longer because it felt a little rushed at the end.

This book was intense. It was interesting to read it from a child’s perspective. It reminded me a lot of Coraline with the “other Mommy” aspect.

What I didn’t like at first was not having quotations around the dialogue. It kind of grew on me throughout the book but it was sometimes difficult to tell if someone was speaking or not.

I loved how the father “daddo” was always inspirational when he was talking to Bela. He was so calm with her throughout everything, while Mommy was angry, crazy, etc.

Some chapters were terrifying. The way that Chapter 8 ended. I screamed! I had to drop my phone and walk away for a few minutes before I could come back. 😅

The ending kind of confused me. I wasn’t exactly sure what the last 2 pages meant.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read the Advanced Readers copy.

This is a creepy book. I couldn't read it before bed. The things that make it creepiest is that it is told from a child's perspective, the haunting entity is inescapable, the desperation is palpable, and even though you, like me, will likely predict the ending way before it happens...it's still an absolutely terrifying conclusion.

Thank you (?) to NetGalley for the many nightmares to come.

This book was an easy enough book to read, but I’d have To say that reading a book from the perspective of a child is really difficult and sometimes gets confusing! I loved the storyline, but I wish it was creepier.

"Incidents Around the House" by Josh Malerman offers a chilling and unique horror story told from the perspective of eight-year-old Bela. The premise is intriguing, centering around Bela's encounters with a malevolent entity she calls "Other Mommy." This entity's eerie request, "Can I go inside your heart?" sets the stage for a series of terrifying events that put Bela and her troubled family in grave danger.

Malerman excels at creating an unsettling atmosphere. The tension builds steadily as Bela's parents' marriage begins to crumble, adding to the family's vulnerability. The portrayal of Bela's innocence contrasted with the sinister presence of Other Mommy is particularly effective, making the reader feel both protective of Bela and terrified for her.

However, the narrative style, entirely from Bela's perspective, can be both a strength and a weakness. While it adds authenticity and a unique voice, it also results in a somewhat limited and repetitive storytelling approach. The lack of quotation marks around dialogue and the simplistic language can be distracting and may not appeal to all readers.

Despite its strong atmosphere and chilling moments, the pacing of the story felt uneven at times. Some scenes dragged on, diminishing the overall impact of the horror. Additionally, the ending, while unsettling, was somewhat predictable and lacked the shock factor that many horror enthusiasts might be looking for.

Overall, "Incidents Around the House" is a solid horror novel with a unique narrative style and a compelling premise. While it may not be for everyone, fans of psychological horror and stories told through a child's perspective will likely find it a worthwhile read. Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

<b>Title:</b> Incidents Around The House
<b>Author:</b> Josh Malerman
FIVE STARS!

'Incidents Around The House' tells eight-year-old Bela's experience as her family is haunted by a chilling entity known as Other Mommy. I honestly don't scare easily and this is one of two books that has ever given me nightmares - so that is high praise for me!

Malerman has a unique way of describing certain events and characteristics that are so unsettling. So many "thanks, I hate it!" moments that disturbed me to my core. If you've been searching for that read to keep you up at night and make you keep a night light on, this is the one. Other Mommy will absolutely crawl under your skin. Just don't let her into your heart.


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I was able to receive an ARC of this book thanks to Netgally. I have been looking for a good horror book, and this one really did not disappoint!
The format threw me off, but once I got used to it, I actually liked it. The story was unique in that it was first person POV from a child.. I can envision this being made into a movie. It was definitely scary and I am not one who gets spooked easily!

The nitty-gritty: A top notch horror story that touches on some tough themes, Incidents Around the House is a scary, emotional and uniquely told tale.

This is my first Josh Malerman book, and I have to say it was a great one to start with. Incidents Around the House is an extremely unsettling possession story, made more unusual because it’s narrated by an eight-year-old girl named Bela, the focus of the demon. It’s also much more than just a story about a possession, and this extra layer—Bela’s parents’ fracturing marriage—adds so much depth and emotion to the tale. It’s also very scary, and I have to commend the author for being able to convey terror without any extraneous descriptions. Bela tells the entire story, so her narrative, along with dialog from the other characters, drives everything.

The plot is fairly simple. Bela has a “friend” she calls Other Mommy, an entity who lives in her closet and comes out at night to talk to her. Other Mommy is nice at first, but it always asks Bela a question that makes her uncomfortable: “Can I go into your heart?” Bela always says no, because Other Mommy explains that letting her in means they will switch places: Other Mommy will be inside Bela, and Bela will go somewhere else. Lately, though, Other Mommy has been popping up in other places, even outside the house, like when Bela and Mommy go to the park. Bela is getting scared, and one day when Mommy actually sees Other Mommy, her parents realize that something is terribly wrong and they need to figure out how to get rid of it.

As the family tries to formulate a plan, the cracks in Mommy and Daddo’s marriage begin to show, and the tension mounts until the reader feels like screaming. Having Bela narrate the story was a great choice, because she’s so innocent, and yet she understands on some level exactly what is happening between Mommy and Daddo. It’s chilling how astute an eight-year-old can be, and yes, I realize it’s an adult man who wrote the story, but I believed I was experiencing it through a child’s point of view. There are so many uncomfortable and heartbreaking moments between the characters, and I was amazed at Malerman’s ability to convey these emotions so well, considering how the story is formatted.

We only get glimpses of Other Mommy’s appearance, but these were enough to give me goosebumps—seriously, sometimes less is more! This is a story filled with uncertainties. The adults are blindsided by the appearance of Other Mommy and literally don’t know what to do about it. All they know is that this entity is threatening Bela, so they must figure it out. If you’re looking for a feel-good story, or at least a story with feel-good moments, I suggest finding something else to read. Incidents Around the House will make you uncomfortable, and that’s one thing all good horror has in common. Malerman takes some risks with this story and it made me appreciate his writing skills even more.

I think the ending will be controversial for some readers, and I’m still not sure how I feel about it, but ultimately I believe the author made the right choice. Incidents Around the House is a must read for horror fans and will give readers plenty to think about.

Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.

Josh Malerman has once again crafted a tale that leaves you feeling complete unease in the best of ways. In Incidents Around The House we are first introduced to our main character, a child who is being terrorized by her other mom who lives in her closet and wants to go into her heart. On top of having to deal with an actual monster sharing her room you find out she doesn't have the best home life to begin with creating an even more isolating situation for a child to be in.
Malerman's ability to turn a phrase keeps the dread and anticipation throughout the book as you hope that things will end okay but ultimately you know in your heart nothing will ever be okay again.

This is my first from the author after watching Bird Box. Even though I haven’t read that book at that time, the movie itself gave me nightmares so that’s why I dived in blindly and I don’t regret it.

It was told from the first person perspective of eight-year-old Bela, a girl who is being targeted by a ghost? Poltergeist or what entity I’m not sure but the presence is there. She calls it “OTHER MOMMY”. This “Other Mommy” is looking for carnation I mean I couldn’t comprehend what she’s talking about here I thought, woah does she want only a flower? But no it’s not. It’s far more dangerous thing that that. That presence need to reincarnation through Bella. She pretends to be friends with the vulnerable Bela, as she tries to manipulate her way in.

I felt the terrified and the desperation of Bella’s family and of Grandma. And wow I finished this like three a.m. I felt like I’m the Bella (internal body shudders)

Josh Malerman has always been able to nail down the creepy vibes. Several times while reading this, I got goosebumps and felt uneasy. Like I was being watched. The issue I had was pacing. I think since the story is told from the perspective of an eight-year-old girl. That could also be the reason for no quotation marks. However, that has always made things more difficult for me to read and stay engaged in the story. Also, while this story was short, it also felt like it dragged on too long.

Overall, I will always pick up books by Josh Malerman because I enjoy his stories and am always intrigued by what story he will tell next.

Incidents Around the House is a unique, chilling story told through the perspective of a vulnerable 8-year-old girl named Bela who is being haunted by an entity that calls itself “Other Mommy”.
I admit, it took a little while for me to get used to but in the end I loved that we got to experience the story entirely through Bela’s POV. It helped enhance the horror elements as you see her struggle with whether Other Mommy is truly bad. After all, she was like a friend in the beginning.

Being a mother to a toddler who recently went through a phase where he said he saw “boos” in our house and was genuinely scared, this definitely creeped me out.
Other Mommy could be truly terrifying at times and you can feel the desperation of Bela’s parents as they try to protect their daughter. While they search for someone to help them, they also have to confront secrets they’ve been keeping for far too long. The family drama added another layer to the story that kept me turning the pages.

The ending did leave me with some questions but I feel like that was intended as it's sure to keep you thinking about it long after you've finished.
If you love supernatural horror or enjoyed the Insidious movies, you should definitely pick this up!

A new book from the author of Bird Box about a young girl and an entity she calls Other Mommy.

I thought this was an interesting premise but having an eight year old narrator voice didn’t work for me.