A Christmas-y (snow, winter, small town) horror? Somehow this one managed to feel a little cozy even though it was definitely a horror with some creature-feature and other aspects thrown in. It felt new and fresh - excited to see what this author does next!

This book was so strange and I loved it! Following a couple called Holly and Brian as they make their way to a small snowy town for a short trip to try and save their relationship, things quickly get derailed by a creature in the snow.

The atmosphere of this book was brilliant. The descriptions of the snow and cold were everything I wanted, as was the small town setting and cast of characters. My heart went out to Holly, Brian, and Sheriff Kendra, but I also really enjoyed the nuggets of information that fleshed out all of the side characters too. I also loved that the creature plotline didn’t follow a typical route and instead charted its own—far weirder—path. I perhaps could have done with one or two more moments of gore, mainly because I absolutely ate up the moments we did get!

This is the perfect horror novel to curl up with on a cold winter night!

The start of the book hits you in the face with the isolation and claustrophobia and gets the old adrenaline going.
The humour got me, it just sneaks up and pops its little head out.
As we are going through the story you feel
enveloped by the monster and unsure what is going on but I wasn’t confused, just felt like I was there along for the ride.
I read this on the edge of my seat constantly wondering what was coming next and what was behind all the madness.
The ending is very satisfying and I felt a great sense of completion for want of a better word. I enjoyed every aspect of this story and will look for more from this author.

Our Winter Monster - Dennis Mahoney 
Soho Press
1/28/25

Ok, so ...

Our Winter Monster. What a fitting title. 
This book is ... Hmm 🤔  What is this book, exactly ...

To me, this book is all the shades of seasonal depression. 
What the hell do I mean by that? I'm not entirely sure, to be frank ... but I know I mean it as a compliment ... 

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I was WITH this couple as I read this book... I was in THEIR world. (and once you read this, you'll see why that's a scary-ass place to be, and not a'tall what you'd call cheerful.)

The premise is awesome, and there's really so much to unpack within these pages. It did take me a minute to orient myself, because the novel goes from zero to sixty straight away ... But once acclimated, I suggest buckling up cuz the emotional and physical journey we take with this couple gets crazy rather quickly.

Dennis Mahoney is performing a constant balancing act ... between dark, bloody horror and a fiercely beating heart ... between the outrageously absurd and the deeply profound ... between wild originality and a sense of the familiar ... between tragedy and triumph. 

This is a horror novel with something bigger to say ... a story that seeps in and, before you know it, chills you to the marrow. (I actually read it twice to fully absorb it.)

I really enjoyed my time with all the characters, and enjoyed their personal story arc's.

One of the things I love most about the horror genre is how trauma often becomes allegorical for much more universal fears that many of us have ... and we can see our own personal traumas reflected back at us, within a collective, shared experience ... and there's comfort in that; our feelings being seen ... and your fears being validated. 

(Ok, so that review felt a bit cryptic and all over the place. Spelled out very simply: This book is a whole vibe. I'm gagged. My flabber was gasted. And I can't wait to recommend it to others.) 

4 / 5

Full review on day of publication.

I received an ARC eBook from Netgalley in exchange for honest feedback.

I really enjoyed this. It's hard to describe what the author is doing here because it feels unique, but I would describe this as a mix of cozy horror (wintry small town vibes - I might re-read over Christmas) and visceral creature feature, with some bits and pieces of other horror subgenres mixed in. Despite throwing together a lot of disparate elements and a few major twists that might not seem like they'd work together on paper, in my opinion everything just somehow pulled together - and pulled together really well. This felt cohesive and has a strong message but it was conveyed with skill and nuance - I never felt like this was heavy-handed. This book is good with sitting in contradictions and grey areas which I loved. The characters were my favourite part. I strongly enjoyed following the Sheriff and the main couple, Holly and Brian. Overall, really excellent horror that feels like it's bringing something new to the table. I'm excited to read more from this author.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Holly and Brian have decided to take a weekend away to see if they can save their relationship. They recently had a traumatic event happened and it totally changed the dynamics in their relationship as well as their daily lives. As they are driving to the village, there is a horrible blizzard that is getting progressively worse. They have an accident and then everything goes into chaos.

I wasn't sure what to expect with this book but it was an interesting look at how trauma can effect everything in a person's life and if you don't talk about it or try to deal with it then it will explode. I still question if the monster was real or if it was just their way of dealing with everything.

There was a side plot that I was very intrigued by and would have loved more from that storyline.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

As mistifying as it is terrifying, Our Winter Monster is masterfully written. Between the pages of this supernatural thriller are powerful insights that speak to the human condition as well as terrible, mysterious, and monstrous things. Mahoney weaves fascinating parallels in the dynamics between several characters in the story, illustrating the often relatable "yin-yang" quality of interpersonal relationships. This would be a perfect Book Club read, because it's a book that keeps you thinking at the end. There is so much to dissect in this unique and gripping tale. Our Winter Monster will keep you frozen until you've finished the last page.

Thank you to Soho Press and Hell's Hundred for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This was a solid read, after a slightly slow start, the pacing picked up and carried the book well to its ending. I liked the concept, especially as someone with experience of the disorienting Northeast snow storms. It definitely lent well to being very atmospheric, dark, a feeling of lost and changing shapes where you cannot see them. It was also a short read, able to start and finish in one day. I think although I enjoyed the book, I was looking for more horror. It was there, it lingered. And there were shocking moments of it, but for sections of the book, I didn't feel that tenseness I was looking for. The first twist came early and the second revelation didn't seem to fit in well with the story. I thought both were good on their own, but coming together felt busy, not horror. The characters grew on me, and I think the sections leading up to the Bad Date were actually my favorite parts of the book. they were tense and primed in their mundane-ness that created the most anticipation from any other parts of the book. Again, overall I think this was a solid read, interesting concept, and good characters that raced across the page.

I was so intrigued by the cover of the novel and the summary, but unfortunately the content of the book did not live up to my expectations. The writing was incredibly generic and felt very detached from the characters--as readers, we learned more about the characters, especially the main characters, through explicit 'telling' rather than 'showing' which was disappointing. I really wanted to like this novel, but ultimately the plot fell flat with even flatter characters.

2.5 stars
Thank you to Soho Press and Netgalley for the ARC.

This book disappointed me and because of that it is hard to put my thoughts into a constructive review. Here are a few pros and cons of the book through my opinions.

Pros
Holly and Kendra as characters were very strong.
Kendra did previously have a girlfriend (natural LGBTQIA+ rep)
Characters were impacted or murdered by the creature. The author wasn’t afraid to pull punches there.
The unexpected serial killer! I would have loved it if the plot was a cat-and-mouse game between them and the monster couple instead of what we got.

Cons
I was not a fan of the boyfriend Brian. I found him very off-putting with how frustrating he was.
How the reveal with the monster was handled. I wanted that part to be tense and climatic but the revelation that they were the monster was just simply their flowing in the sentence. It didn’t have the impact of a central twist.
I felt there was no reasoning on how they came to stop the change or what magical construct allowed their mutual relationship problems to manifest into a physical monster.

Read in just a couple of sittings. A fresh take on people turning into monsters combined with the struggles that trauma can cause to a relationship. Thoroughly enjoyable.

A couple decides to go on vacation to a small ski resort town. An accident happens as a devastating blizzard with whiteout conditions hits. What follows is a story about emotional trauma, strained relationships, and a monster in the snow.

This isn't your typical monster story. Yes, there's a creature formed from snow and ice and it ravages anything in it's way, except for this couple who are on the brink of being pulled apart because of something which happened a year earlier that changed them both. They get separated after the accident and they both encounter this monster yet they remain basically unharmed as those around them are brutally murdered by it.

The sheriff of the town has also recently lost her girlfriend and is being pressured about another couple who went missing a few months earlier. They've never been found. Now a new couple seems to be eluding her as horrifying things happen whenever they're around.

The secret of this creature is something you don't see a lot in horror novels. And it's a refreshing and original take on how monsters are created and what is their purpose for existing.

With some unique kills, several character arcs (including a burgeoning serial killer), and an action packed narrative with some twists and turns, I recommend this novel.

I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the editor for sending me an advance copy of this upcoming title. Your hard work and dedication to this project are truly commendable, and I am incredibly honored to have the opportunity to review it before its official release.

The depth and quality of this work are a testament to your meticulous attention to detail and your passion for bringing exceptional stories to life. From the engaging narrative to the well-developed characters, it's clear that a tremendous amount of effort has gone into every aspect of this book.

I am genuinely excited about this title and eager to share my thoughts and insights. Having the chance to read it in advance has been a wonderful experience, and I am confident that readers will be just as captivated by it as I am.

Thank you once again for this incredible opportunity. Your support and trust in my feedback mean a great deal to me. I look forward to continuing to work together and witnessing the success of this fantastic book.

Dennis Mahoney's latest novel is a maelstrom of suspense and action that careens through the reader's imagination with the elegance of a choreographed performance. The relentlessly compelling narrative carries the reader breathless from beginning to end. Through parallel journeys, both mental and physical, the author adds real intellectual depth to the story of a couple struggling to repair their relationship after a traumatic incident by vacationing in the mountains, only to find themselves chased by an impossible monster through a devastating blizzard. Vivid imagery paired with genuine characters and dialogue conspire to create a convincing reality out of what would otherwise be an amorphous fantasy. The story addresses questions of ontology and epistemology almost, but not quite, too big for a paranormal novel. Even the Acknowledgements section is composed with genuine wit and an enlightening perspective that is rare to find in any genre. Fans of Daniel Church and Taylor Adams' Our Last Night will be especially pleased with this moving, insightful thriller.

A big thank you to Soho Press and Netgalley for the ARC.

I loved this scary, suspenseful, and imaginative novel. So original and so much fun to read, a fantastic exploration of trauma and its lasting effects and also a great monster story.

Read as an ARC.

This has a really good plot. It took me a while to get into it. The plot twist just came out of nowhere. It didn't build up. It was... you turn the page, and oh ok. There's one answer. Overall, I did enjoy this book. I loved Holly's and Brian's dynamic. It really portrays trauma and how one deals with it.

So, Brian and Hiolly? The are two people breaking mirrors left and right, while walking under ladders living under dark clouds. These are two seriously unlucky people.

Now, I love books set in the snow, the cold, the ice, and this definitely was. I’m not such a big fan of monsters, but this, this actually worked, in an odd way.

Holly and Brian’s relationship has been suffering and this weekend away is a last shot at making things better…..since that one winter night and all that came after, which you know will be slowly teased out and, in this case, is really disappointing and is incredibly sexist, though maybe not so much from the author as from the character. Hard to know.

Anyway, they are headed to a ski resort in the middle of a blizzard. So, so smart. That always goes well. Especially if your relationship is on the brink. They crash.

Meanwhile the local Sheriff is fielding calls about a potential couple in trouble a mere seven weeks after another couple was lost in the snow. And the office is getting calls about mysterious happenings around town. Could the two be related?

Why, yes! Yes, yes they could. Interesting book with an odd little twist. Not exactly sure what it means, if anything, on top of what Holly and Brian have already been through. I liked it.

This is truly an odd read. Set in the middle of a blizzard during one terrifying night, Our Winter Monster introduces the reader to Brian and Holly, a couple at odds with themselves.
They were only trying to repair a damaged relationship that got belted with a brick during The Bad Date one year earlier. Brian grew weaker; Holly went all Amazon. Then, one fateful night, heading to a small town's B&B, the couple collided with a snowbank.
Everything went wonky.
In the nearby small town, sheriff Kendra, a black female lesbian, wrestles with a missing couple of tourists, disappeared for over six weeks. Will the blizzard vanish more tourists?
Brian and Holly are at odds after the crash. Where are they? What have they become? And why is there a ten foot snow monster tearing up the town?
Dennis Mahoney turns a dark, snowy night into a bizarro world with supercharged metaphors ripping up a peaceful landscape. And what really happened to the first missing couple?
A relentless sheriff battles the odds (and the monster) to make it through the night where mangled cars, buildings and bodies add to the strangest storm on record.
Bundle up and keep a very open mind. Our Winter Monster is fast-paced, furious and downright weird.