This is a novel like nothing I've ever read before. The take on anxiety and depression here is equal parts horrifying and enlightening. The narrator is clearly unreliable, but at the same time it feels easy to find yourself completely understanding what they're going through while also being completely horrified by what they're describing. This was an absolutely fascinating debut novel and I can't wait to see what this author does next.

This book has some really interesting and intriguing themes. That space between sleep and awake can be a kind of scary space, and you can be left vulnerable in that state, both in body and mind.

This was very much stream of consciousness and while some of the visuals were really unique and well done, I just didn’t feel like I got enough of the story to really know what was going on at any moment.

Michael F Simpson ‘Hypnagogia,, what can I say about this book. I really don’t want to spoil things for others so I’ll just say the following. An intimate, heavy, deep story written like a stream of consciousness which deep dives into the psyche of the LC. This is a very detailed, intricate story about Hypnagogia and reads as such. (I also will add this is a very triggering book if you suffer from mental disorders like myself but such beautifully written) I felt as if I was pulled through every page and couldn’t help but find similarities.This is an exceptionally well written short story that even though intense offered a really good insight to disorders like this and what it’s like to leave with them. I offer my review without any spoilers as I really feel a reader needs a clear mind settling in with this story and even though I connected with this book not everyone will. I will be reading this when I have the physical copy and definitely will be added to my favourite reads list.

Thank you to Michael F Simpson, NetGalley and Victory Editing for an advanced copy of Hypnagogia

Hypnagogia by Michael F Simpson presents a chilling premise that delves into the depths of psychological horror. the excerpt promises a gripping narrative centered around a young woman's eerie encounter with her own reflection, blurring the lines between reality and nightmare. the writing style is undeniably captivating, with vivid imagery that evokes a sense of unease and foreboding. Simpson skillfully portrays the protagonist's struggle with her inner demons, making the reader question the boundary between sanity and madness. however, while the premise and writing are strong, the execution falls short in certain aspects. the story's heavy reliance on imagery sometimes overshadows character development and plot progression, making it a challenging read. a tighter focus on dialogue and narrative pacing would have enhanced the reader's engagement. despite its flaws, Hypnagogia remains a haunting exploration of the human psyche, offering a unique blend of horror and introspection. with some adjustments to its structure and pacing, it has the potential to become a truly unforgettable tale.

thank you to NetGalley, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, and Michael F Simpson for allowing me to access this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. unfortunately, I DNF at 43%.

The first chapter of the novel, while very disorienting and stream of conscious, hooked me in. Chapter two and beyond lost me. The plot, when there is something resembling as such, is very obviously about mental illness and running from the past. However the rambling stream of conscious narrative, the fragmented sentences, the surreal descriptions, and the lack of distinct character voice all make for a confusing and jumbled reading. If one decides to read this short novel, I would definitely recommend taking the time to read and reread passages. Again unfortunately, I decided to DNF as I was losing the plot more and more, page by page.

my girlies (gender neutral) with sleep disorders and a love for Greek mythology reference, rise up (or be made to crawl on your belly to enter the kingdom of darkness) because this book is for you. This story is bat sh*t crazy—literally and figuratively
And oh how I loved it!
I was emotional
I was disturbed
I was delirious
I was CONSUMED!
I do wish that the story was a little less ambiguous and offered more insight into the background of our main character and the relationship with her father and the other characters we are introduced to. I think that would have further propelled my emotional investment and put it in the 5 star category for me. This book is quite hard to explain without spoiling anything so I will abandon that pursuit and just say that if you enjoy reading horror books about mental health with hallucinogenic stream of consciousness vibes, then look no further.
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

The premise of this book is both terrifying and extremely well written. Its creepy, a little relatable, and make you question reality. Our main character struggles to disconnect "the Other Body" from the reality of a teen girl struggling with her mental health. The visuals and gory descriptions depict a dysmorphic image of a monster hiding inside our main character. While I believe that the premise and writing is incredible, the story is hard to get through. It's written with more imagery then story and dialogue. If this book were 40 pages shorter with less imagery or 150 pages longer with a slower descent into the dysmorphia and more characterization, this would have been a much stronger story.

The writing style of this book is definitely specific. The sentences are mostly short, or if long often cut with punctuation. The vocabulary is also quite repetitive and it makes it very tedious to read. I understand that this is probably due to the fact that the narration follows the stream of consciousness style but it truly did not work for me. If this book had not been given to me by NetGalley (thank you !) I probably would have dnf it. Some of the writing was just not good like when the protagonist “quietly squeal”. “out the corner of my eye, I noticed one of its shadows. One of its shadows because, [...] it had several [...] But this one shadow moved all wrong [...] of pure shadowy reflection”. That’s just too many use of the word shadow in one paragraph even if the goal is too emphasize how weird the shadow is. Sometimes adjectives are used because they sound interesting but do not make any sense at all in the context of the sentence. For example “hypnagogic fingernails”, what does it mean???
I do feel that the writing improves in the second half.

As for the content : the story is quite confusing. We are following the thoughts of a teenage girl plagued by visions of a creature she calls The Other Body. I had a really tough time trying to understand what happens and what this creature was. At first I thought it was a representation of body dysphoria (especially since they talk about getting new names) and thought this was a clever twist on horror. But 35% of the way through it appears that I was completely mistaken. I unfortunately do not have much to say about the story because I was utterly confused the whole time. It deals with theme of mental health, suicide, body horror, mirrors, mentally ill fathers, and anxiety.

This book was not for me but if you enjoy stream of consciousness writing, automatic writing, confusing horror, or surrealism it coud be for you. It is also a short read.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an ARC.

This book provides an intricate exploration of Hypnagogia, delving into the depths of confusion, anxiety, depression, hallucinations and pain. With each following sentence, the protagonist's torment is vividly expressed. I was genuinely astonished by the depth of emotion a person can experience. The writing is truly beautiful and touchy. One must go through the book to seize it's impact.

Thank you NetGalley for this copy and review opportunity.

A truly different read.
I was hooked by the cover and the description and immediately wished to get the book, which didn’t disappoint. The story starts as written in the description, with a girl standing in front of a mirror and watching the reflection — the Other Body, a monstrous being not at all like the girl herself.
The plot is secondary to the language and descriptions, and the whole story reads almost as a stream of consciousness — but more like a stream of emotions and words. I was mesmerized by the way this book is written. The words used by the author are like mirror shards — sharp and beautiful, but also cutting the skin.
And it was too much for me. The language is so overwhelmingly perfect, that the story lacked a plot that could allow the reader to rest from the beauty of words in the mundanity of actions. By the end of the book I was so stressed by feeling all the emotions, that I just couldn't care more.
I guess if it was just a short story, that wouldn’t be the problem, but with a whole novella it’s just too much.
Still, waiting for further releases from the author — it is definitely a writing I want more of.

Thank you NetGalley for this copy.

Thank you to NetGalley for an early release read and Michael Simpson for what is in this short yet very heavy novel.
What a unique read that covers a very important topic. I will politely point out that this is a wonderful but very triggering read, especially if you have or currently suffer from depression and/or anxiety. This is a HUGE acknowledgement, but I encourage you to wait to read this if you are feeling especially low. Wait till you feel you are in a good place and then step in and dare I say, even recommend those around you to read this novel, even if all doesn't pertain specifically to the same extent, being in those shoes will be an eye opener. For myself, having dealt with and still deal with depression, this was a tough read. I saw myself in so much of this as the story unfolded. It was jarring yet at the same time I felt seen, and recognition goes very far and does a lot of good. A huge thank you again to Michael Simpson.

Whiteness a young girl unravel at the seams with depression and anxiety while her friends and family at the periphery gaining little hold to aid her. The creature that haunts her may to be just a reflection in a mirror, or it could be something more dangerous, more sinister. The first 43% roughly is so darkly written and well with all that depression feels like. It's truly immersive. She is torn in essentially two parts of her own existence that are in a constant deadly battle.

After this stage, you get exposed to something vital to her identity and to her possibility of survival. Someone we know just hints of comes in to full focus. Fair warning, for this part, there's some intense body horror introduced so those who are here for some frightening scenes...yeah. So vivid and so frightening!

The last part is kind of an acid trip dream haze, which is so spot on for it's purpose. This has such amazing detail in it for this part and has a feel of action and suspense that I felt on a raw level. I wish I could share with you my theory of what happens in the 2nd and 3rd part, but I don't do spoilers. You'll just have to trust me and take the plunge.

this was something out of the ordinary when it comes to the kind of books i have read, but i figured it would be nice to slowly dive into the world of thrillers and horror as a genre that i would hopefully pick up again in the future.

upon reading hypnogogia, it truly was an unsettling piece of literature because of the way that it is written. hypnogagia is written from the very perspective of a young girl who’s having trouble with herself as she stares into a mirror seeing her reflection not in a way that she had always known to be herself. and so we follow her as she tries to find a way to get out of the grasp of what she calls “the other body”.

for those of you who aren’t aware, hypnogagia is a mental illness that many people have experienced and are still experiencing. i was curious as to how the author will execute this into something that is from a place of empathy.

but for me, this book doesn’t seem to tackle into the illness itself and it basically just shows the character’s experience instead which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, however, some people might misinterpret hypnogagia into something so gruesome and dangerous.

if you think you might have hypnogagia or if you have it now, i might suggest for you to look up content warnings on this one because this isn’t a light read for sure.

it was also confusing most of the time as it demands a deep level of understanding from the reader.

aside from these, ( i can’t believe i’m saying this but.. ) the main character reminds me of my inner monologue in the past. i have struggled with a lot of things and i must say that this book captures the atmosphere so well of being so far away from yourself. it’s like the feeling of wanting to get out of my skin every time i’m overstimulated.

on a final note, i do want to commend the author for his writing. it was well done and i could feel the emotion and the turmoil the character was going through. i do think this would be better as one of those A24 movies idk maybe it’s just me but it actually felt like one of those. i gave this a 3.75 star rating !

thank you so much to NetGalley also for this copy !

This was interesting enough, but I did find it difficult to follow. I really like the protagonist though and the writing was very atmospheric. Unfortunately, not really for me, but I’m sure it’ll find its readers.

The hypnagogic state is the brief time, between waking and sleep, when reality begins to warp, and the world becomes a little more hallucinatory. Conscious thought begins to dissolve into waves of early dreams.
This book reads like the hypnagogic state: thoughts untethered and set loose into and out of a dreamscape. It feels as though we are on a bizarre ride in the narrator’s head as she relates her experiences through a confusing stream of consciousness. We never really know who, what or where we are or what is happening. I really wanted to love this book because I experience sleep paralysis and hypnagogia myself. Unfortunately I found that my patience was tested as I tried to make some sense of what I was reading. I think that readers of weird fiction will enjoy this more than others might. Like so many dreams, I found the story to be somewhat out of focus, hard to follow, full of imagery, but lacking a path to follow. Thank you #Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review #Hypnagogia.

This is an intimate study on anxiety and mental illness. For being a short read it’s quite a heavy one. The author uses the mirror image as a guide in experiencing the turmoil the main character is going through in her day to day life. At times almost lyrical but definitely heartbreaking, this story will leave the reader with a lot to think about. It’s been described as a fever dream and that the best way to imagine it.

In Michael F. Simpson's "Hypnagogia," readers are plunged into the turbulent psyche of LC, a young woman ensnared between the realms of wakefulness and nightmarish dreams, her life overshadowed by severe anxiety and depression. This narrative is not for the faint-hearted, addressing the raw, often unspoken realities of mental illness with an unflinching eye. Simpson’s portrayal is vivid, unsettling, and undeniably authentic, hinting at his personal familiarity with the subject matter, as acknowledged in the author's note.

The structure of "Hypnagogia" is akin to navigating a fever dream—a labyrinthine journey through the protagonist's fragmented consciousness, where the boundary between reality and illusion blurs and shifts with disorienting precision. This stylistic choice, while compelling, may pose a challenge for readers as they attempt to discern the tangible from the psychological, making parts of the story feel like a stream of consciousness that demands patience and openness to fully engage with and appreciate.

Despite the potential for profound connection and insight, "Hypnagogia" is admittedly not a book for everyone. Its heavy themes and complex narrative style demand a specific kind of reader—one prepared for a deep dive into the psyche of a character whose reality is as fragmented as their thoughts. It is a book that should be approached with caution, bearing in mind the necessity of trigger warnings for sensitive content.

Ultimately, "Hypnagogia" stands as a poignant, if challenging, exploration of the human mind in crisis. Simpson's ability to weave despair, trauma, and the quest for understanding into a narrative that is both poetic and raw is commendable, offering a powerful commentary on the nature of mental illness. Though not universally accessible, for those willing to navigate its complexities, "Hypnagogia" offers a unique and unforgettable literary experience.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley for an advanced copy of Hypnagogia.

Firstly I would like to thank Michael F Simpson , Witching hole publications and NetGalley for providing me with and advanced copy of Hypnagogia to read and review.

The short novel is certainly quite a heavy read with a unique style of writing. In all honesty it is unlike any other book I have read before. As an avid reader of horror and splatterpunk It was the cover that initially attracted me to the title and I found the synopsis to be very intriguing.
The book is definitely a solo journey that the reader should embark upon with an open mind and no pre conceived ideas or notions. I also feel that even though the novel is short, reading should be staggered for comprehension purposes and for the reader to fully immerse themselves.

The whole book is very surreal , fragmented and confusing. Whilst I can fully appreciate what the author was trying to convey that the mirror reflects the central character's inner demons and her mental health struggles . In other words showing a reflection of another part of herself - the part she is trying to keep hidden , I just found the whole story too weirdly structured . It took me a while to fully engage and then I became lost within the wordiness of it .

Artistically its a work of genius to articulate the feelings of despair and the overload of thoughts in such a contemporary and claustrophobic style. I'm sure every reader will take something significantly different away from this book , but unfortunately on this occasion it wasn't a book for me . With a heavy heart I have to admit that I had to DNF at 30 percent. I found the book a struggle as I was in complete bewilderment and couldn't follow it at all . This is actually the first book that I have read that I couldn't bring myself to finish .

Regardless thankyou for giving me the opportunity to read the title before publication

#NetGalley #Hypnagogia

I didn’t enjoy this book nearly as much as I thought I would. The synopsis intrigued me but it’s a bit of a mess imo. It’s hard to follow what’s going on. Prose is not too flowery but definitely reads a bit clunky and everywhere. At times I felt the writing came off juvenile or YA. I didn’t enjoy the conversation between the main character LC and her friends because it often didn’t make sense.

Spoiler

The suicide was random and literally out of nowhere. It completely threw me off


Not the book for me DNF 25%

I really thought the concept of horror to depict the struggle with mental health was a great idea and felt very authentic. i did struggle a lot with the writing (so many short and stilted sentences that felt bulky and repetitive.) even though the imagery was there.

i would love to see this book go through more edits to make the dialogue and story feel more fluid

i will say, the concept was interesting but god, this was a dense one. the prose was so long-winded and i could tell what the author was trying to get at but it just didn't land for me. it was so hard to follow, and the way the characters spoke was totally bizarre--i know it's to elucidate the protag's deteriorating state, but no one's five year old sister speaks like that.