There were positives and negatives for me - I enjoyed the creepy moments but there were many moments often felt like an anti climax unforutunately.

I have no major criticisms other than the fact it simply did not click for me at this time. I thought the story was fine but the failed to pull me in or excite me. I may revisit this in the future but for now I will pause.

I requested this one because it might be an upcoming title I would like to review on my Youtube Channel. However, after reading the first several chapters I have determined that this book does not suit my tastes. So I decided to DNF this one.

If Ira Levin wrote a slightly campy tale about a mysterious island, creepy occurrences, and lots of pie, maybe it would look a little like this.

What’s funny is that I wrote the above line prior to finishing the book. As I typed it, I did not it yet know that Monique Asher would actually mention Levin in her acknowledgements. I was simply noting my thoughts as they came to me. This tells you, fellow readers, how successful she was in her objective, as the Levin vibe was there, one hundred percent!

I truly appreciated the complicated family dynamics of this story. I think Asher was thorough in developing her main characters’ relationship issues, and she set up Sam’s vulnerability well, although I was often quite frustrated with Sam’s naïveté!

I believe the main problem for me here was overexposure. This reminded me of a number of stories that I’ve already experienced, and not just through Ira Levin’s writing. If I were less inclined to follow horror, I may have found this deliciously satisfying. It was entertaining, and some fellow horror fans might not mind its comfortable predictability, but I’m a glutton for the punishment of extreme anxiety as I hold my breath, fearing what might happen when I turn the page. While this had its eerie moments, as well as perfectly ramped up tension at the climax, nothing left me feeling shocked or deeply unsettled.

I am immensely grateful to Rising Action Publishing Co and NetGalley for my copy. All opinions are my own.

Don’t eat the pie was definitely not a bad read. I think a lot of people would enjoy this book and if anyone asked me for horror recommendations I would give them this book.

But it just wasn’t really for me. It didn’t catch my attention as I wanted it to. There was not always as much action as I would’ve liked and when there was something happening I often felt a bit underwhelmed.
If I’m being honest I didn’t really read what the book was about. I tend to think that going in blind is the best thing to do but it can also backfire. I had expectations based on the title book and the fact that this is a horror book which I shouldn’t have made.
If you read the premise you will probably enjoy this because you’ll know what type of horror book this is. And it might not be my type.

I unfortunately also didn’t really feel a connection to the characters. Even though this books is from two povs - the mother and the daughter - I did not care about them at all. 50% was told from Sam’s pov (the mother) but I felt like I didn’t know her at all and like she was some side character.

So to summarize, it was not for me. I do truly believe that a lot of people would enjoy this so if you’re reading this please don’t let my review turn you away from trying out Don’t Eat The Pie by Monique Asher.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is a gothic horror story that reminds me of Rosemary's Baby with the creepy happenings, strange people, and a woman becoming pregnant after a "party" gets bizarre.

It's set on an island that appears idyllic at first. Colorful flowers everywhere, friendly people, and beautiful homes. But it's almost TOO perfect for our protagonist and her family. She's getting married to a great guy and they're going to live on the island with his mother. Right next door is his former home. A home he abandoned when his last wife died.

Yeah, things start getting freaky almost right away. There are shadows seen in the windows. People start behaving oddly. And nobody is willing to answer questions about the island and residents. This place has some very dark dreadful secrets but they get pushed aside as superstition.

Samantha already has a teen daughter and she doesn't want to have any more children. Their past is filled with trauma as well. But after a strange pie party one night, she finds herself pregnant.

And things are going to go off the rails from here. This is a very atmospheric creepy novel and it will have you looking over your shoulder! I highly recommend it.