"Is Christmas really the best time of the year?"
You Better Watch Out is the Christmas thriller that you do not want to miss! This book drew me in by the cover and had me turning pages until the end. I was captivated from the beginning and I enjoyed all of the twist and turns. This was written really well and the ending was so well done. All of the characters in this were interesting. Overall, this was such a fun and easy read that I loved a lot. I would recommend this one to any reader especially if you love a good thriller. Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for this amazing read in exchange of my honest review of You Better Watch Out.

🔪 You Better Watch Out - James Murray, Darren Wearmouth

3.5 ⭐️- Where are my impractical joker fans?! This one’s written by our very own Murr! I love Christmas, thrillers, and the ADKs and this one had all 3! This is definitely filled with blood and guts so if that’s not your thing, find yourself another Christmas thriller.

This is short and easy to binge. The audiobook is about 6 hours long and really well done. I wish there was less characters because at times, I did confuse them, but I eventually got the hang of it. I needed a Christmas thriller to mix up with all the romance that comes with holiday books. This was thrilling with twists and turns and deaths I didn’t see coming. Definitely recommend for thriller fans looking for something a little different. Also for fans of “No Exit” by Taylor Adams!

this was a fine, fast-paced thriller. it’s a short book which makes for a quick read. it serves its purpose but it’s being marketed as a holiday themed thriller but the story has nothing to do with the holidays at all except that it’s set at Christmas time.

Oh, the weather outside is frightful, and so is this book… holy hell was this a gory horror book!

I have been in a major horror/thriller kick lately so when I was approved for an ARC of this book I thought it was a perfect way to get in the holiday season. There were less holiday elements than I thought there would be based on the title and cover but there were some Christmas themes throughout - there were decorations, one particular holiday song, and the events of the book too place before/on Christmas.

I love a slasher book/movie and I also love multiple POVs so those parts of the book were a win for me. That being said, the twist was one that I called correctly and it was fairly obvious where it was going, which dropped it down from a 4 to a 3.5 for me.. The gore was also a bit much, particularly in one scene, but it was certainly imaginative! Jigsaw from SAW would have been impressed. It was a wild ride for sure and definitely keeps your interest!

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This book follows a group of people who wake up in an abandoned town during a blizzard. They all remember doing something and then being knocked out. Things quickly go downhill when they realize that this town is not what it seems and they are all in danger. They also all have their own secrets. This book is a bit Christmasy because it is set during Christmas and there are Christmas decorations around this town but the plot of this book is not super Christmasy in itself.

I really enjoyed this book! A lot of other reviews said that it's unbelievable and far-fetched, which it is, but I still liked it. If you go into it expecting a ridiculous thriller/horror, I think you will enjoy it. This book reminds me of those ridiculous horror movies that are so over the top that they are a bit humorous as well.

I thought the premise was interesting and I really liked this abandoned town idea. While it is pretty far-fetched, I thought it was unique and fun to read. It was also a quick read because I wanted to figure out what was going on. It almost read like a Christmas horror version of the Twilight Zone.

I was not a huge fan of the ending unfortunately. I will not say why here since it will spoil it. I will say that a few things didn't seem wrapped up in the end so that bugged me a bit.

I don't think this book is for everyone but it worked for me. If you're a fan of campy horror that is far-fetched and a bit ridiculous, I would recommend this one!

This was such a fun gory slasher! Fast paced, read in one sitting! Loved the killers POV! This was like a holiday version of Saw in the best way possible! The writer always captures his audience immediately & grips you throughout the sordid ride!

I know Murr from Impractical Jokers, so I was expecting a funny Christmas mystery. This was definitely more of a thriller, even veering into horror — not what I expected, but I was happily surprised. The pace was nice and quick, throwing us right into the action from page one. It felt like Saw with a dash of Christmas thrown in, and had a great twist.

This was definitely not what I expected. Soooo it’s way gorier than I thought, and there’s some pretty insanely thought out torturous deaths. Not my normal type of book, but the plot twist was pretty good. It’s easy to get through, and if you’re into gore it’s perfect for the Christmas season!

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martins Press for the copy of this ARC! This is out now.

What could be more fun around the holidays than a Christmas Slasher?

You Better Watch Out is quick-paced, full of gore and guts, and had a great end-twist that I really liked. The characters are all complicated and criminals, some with lesser offenses and others with major ones. It was atmospheric and perfect for cozying up on a cold winter night with a hot drink and nothing else to do. My husband and I used to love watching Impractical Jokers, so I was excited to see how this went, and it was pretty enjoyable. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for my eARC. You Better Watch Out is available now, just in time for the holiday season!

Very gory, and not very Christmas-y. A good twist but I didn't care for the ending. The epilogue helped a bit.

📚 Book Review 📚

TITLE: You Better Watch Out
AUTHOR: James S. Murray and Darren Wearmouth
GENRE: Suspense/Thriller
RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)

This latest book by writing duo James S. Murray (“Murr” from the tv show Impractical Jokers) and Darren Wearmouth takes place during winter in a small town in upstate NY. While this is described as a Christmas thriller, it’s not Christmas-themed, and merely takes place at Christmas time. If you’ve read other books by this writing team, you know you’re in for some gruesome and cringy moments. This book is no exception. If you’re sensitive to violence and blood/gore, you may want to read this one with caution.

Our main character, Eddie, has made a career out of theft and robbery. While attempting to rob an older couple outside of a convenience store, things don’t go according to his plan. He eventually wakes up after being knocked out and finds himself trapped in a manufactured replica of the town he lives in. There are others that have arrived in the same way, and they learn they all have something bad in common. This group has to figure out a way to stay alive and get out as soon as possible. I can’t say much more without giving spoilers. I thought I knew what was happening but discovered I was wrong. I didn’t expect the ending twists, so that was fun. This is a unique “Dexter-esque” plot that I really enjoyed. If you’re a suspense/thriller reader who can handle some real ick, check it out!

*Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for this advanced reader’s copy.

Wow! Who would have thought that Murr was so dark and messed up!? This normally isn’t my type of story. I don’t like books where the characters just die one by one but I had to read it because Murr wrote it. This ended up being 3.5 for me. The plot is great. I did guess the major twist but I still enjoyed the book. I would have rated 4 stars but it was too gory for me. I had to skim over some parts. I love how the end makes you wonder if we could possibly see a sequel. I would immediately read it.

I loved this book and was enthralled with the writing. I loved the character study. Would read more from the author!

The blurb of this book talks about Jessica Kane, and while she is one of the main characters in this book, it should've had Eddie's name instead. Most of the story centers around Eddie, as we see how he was captured, kidnapped and woke up in a strange place.

Eddie is a small time thief who promised himself "one more job & I'm out". He sees an elderly couple and scopes them out & decides that they are easy targets; especially when he notices the woman's designer bag & a bunch of cash in her bag. He helps them with their bags (the older man is in a wheelchair), and as he finishes putting the bags in the trunk the older man stands up & injects Eddie with something.. he then passes out.
Once Eddie regains consciousness, he sees that he is in some type of replica town of where he just was. He ventures out to see if he is alone & sees a bar. He goes into the bar where he meets 2 other people - Trinity & Jessica.
They are all wary of each other because they each do not know how or why they are where they are. They all leave the bar together to "explore" and meet another captured person, Greg. The 4 then see a church to escape the brutal cold and find yet another captured individual Tank.
To make a long story short, they are all picked off one by one.

This book kind of reminds me of a Christmas time Saw movie, given the people are kidnapped, have no idea how they wound up where they are & are pretty much trapped in an unknown place.

It was a bit predictable, IMO. I kind of guessed what happened closer to the end.
I feel like the epilogue should've been from the capturer's POV, with how they choose the individuals, scope them out, and plan everything.

Overall, this book was just okay and isn't for everyone. It is definitely a horror book so if you don't horror you won't enjoy this.

Perfect book from transitioning from Halloween to Christmas reads. Loved the 70s and 80s cheesy slasher movie vibes it gave. Was a fun read would recommend to anyone that’s a horror movie fan and doesn’t mind the gore. Had a great time reading this

ᴀᴜᴅɪᴏʙᴏᴏᴋ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ || YOU BETTER WATCH OUT [thank you to @netgalley @stmartinspress for my #gifted copy!]

Title: You Better Watch Out
Author: James S. Murray & Darren Wearmouth
Genre: Thriller
Format: 🎧 Audio
Star Rating: ★★★☆☆
Narrator: Barrie Kreinik
Narration: ★★★★☆

ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ:
Jessica Kane has forty-eight hours until Christmas, but holiday cheer is the last thing on her mind when she wakes up bloodied and trapped in an eerie, abandoned town. All she remembers is going for a run before being attacked. Now, she's surrounded by five strangers with stories just as chilling as her own. Desperately searching for a way out, Jessica realizes someone is hunting them down, eliminating them one by one in a sick game she can’t escape. As she watches her fellow captives fall, Jessica knows she’s next—unless she can outsmart a killer who always seems one step ahead.

ᴍʏ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛꜱ:
This was a fun little holiday thriller! It sort of reminded me of if Dexter ran the Saw movie franchise…but in a good way?

The deaths were amazing, not too gory but still gave you a mental picture, and you never knew who to trust (or if you could trust anyone at all)! The narrator did a great job of keeping the mystery alive and did all of the POVs very well!

I will say that I did guess the ending, kind of. But it was still exciting to see everything play out!

ʀᴇᴀᴅ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ:
Slasher Horror
Revenge Plots
Dexter-Esque Serial Killers
Unreliable Narrators
Multiple Narrators
Slight Gore

ᴅᴇᴛᴀɪʟꜱ:
GR: 3.83 ⭐️
# of Pages: 240
Pub Date: October 15, 2024

This horror thriller plunges readers into the chilling, artificial town of Old Forge, New York, where Eddie wakes up in a blizzard with no memory of how he got there. He soon learns he’s not alone—he’s trapped with a ragtag group of characters, all of whom are struggling to escape this nightmarish place. As they band together to find a way out, they quickly realize they are being hunted, and one by one, they meet horrific ends.

For those who revel in gory slasher tales, this novel delivers relentless suspense and graphic violence, all set against a backdrop that hints at a twisted holiday theme. The pacing is fast and frenetic, with a predictable progression as the characters are picked off, leading to a conclusion that might leave you questioning the plot’s credibility.

While I appreciated the sheer intensity of the narrative, I found it a bit overwhelming with its nonstop brutality. The audiobook experience added another layer, but the single narrator’s inability to differentiate between the characters’ voices detracted from the overall impact. If you enjoy thrillers packed with bloodshed and don’t mind a touch of absurdity, this story may be just the dark ride you’re looking for.

I can always count on James S. Murray and Darren Wearmouth to break my soul into a million pieces with each of their books and You Better Watch Out is no different!

You Better Watch Out is quick to action, totally gut-punching, and had me staying up way too late at night to try to squeeze in a few more pages.

Six strangers wake up in a deserted town. They've all been kidnapped. They start getting murdered one by one.

I've been going into books blind, but I should have looked a little closer at this one. 🤣 It was GORY. If you like scary movies like the Saw franchise, you'll love this one. It was a bit much for me, but I did like the twist at the end.

I love the cover, title and concept of the book. Overall it was a good read and I liked it just a bit slower paced for me. I think many will love the book and would recommend it to readers