Luckily I did not listen to this because I saw a trigger warning for violence against animals here before starting it. I do not tolerate anything containing that sort of content, and won't be purchasing for the collection either.

Nordic noir is one of my faves and this one did not disappoint! Short and (not so) sweet, this book is full of unsettling vibes making it perfect for your spooky season TBR!

Iðunn wakes up every morning exhausted, sore, and covered in bruises. She knows something is wrong but every test the doctors give her is normal. After taking some health advice from friends including walking more and eating better, Iðunn buys a smart watch to count her steps. One morning she wakes to find she forgot to take off her watch but it’s showing something strange. Somehow, it counted 40,000 steps overnight…while she slept. What is happening to her while she’s asleep? Where is she going? And why are her injuries becoming more severe yet no one seems to believe her?

This audiobook is only 2 hours and 42 minutes and I was completely engrossed the entire time. The narrator did a wonderful job setting the tone and expressing the confusion and fear felt by Iðunn. This book is short enough to finish in one sitting but long enough to not feel like a novella. There is gradual character development and nothing feels rushed. If you’re a fan of Nordic noir, psychological horror, and quick reads, definitely add this one to your list!

I absolutely loved the tone and relatability of the main character in this funky little surreal horror novella. It's very voicey and manages to offer decent commentary on broken families that have experienced trauma, shitty men who make dating awful, and the horrors of healthcare (particularly as a woman). Honestly as soon as it started, it was giving 5/5 energy!

But...

SPOILERS
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the animal deaths make me so sad 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

THE NIGHT GUEST review

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

🌑There’s nothing better than a quick little novella on audio! When I need a palette cleanser or something to break me out of a slump I always pick up a quick read! This one is short but definitely unsettling. 😅

🌑Here’s a summary of the plot:👇
A woman visits her doctor after suffering from constant fatigue. She sleeps at night but every morning wakes up exhausted. One night she falls asleep with a fitness device on and finds she’s walked 40,000 steps over night. What is her body doing while she’s asleep, and why does she keep waking up with scrapes and bruises??

🌑This would be a great book to get you ready for spooky season! It’s a bit graphic at parts so definitely check content warnings. The ending felt very open to me and honestly I would have like a biiiit more explanation/closure. It was very well done on audio and I’d definitely recommend listening to it! Overall I enjoyed this one and would recommend it!

🌑Thanks to @macmillan.audio for my digital copy!

I liked this, it was a faced paced read and it has turns at every corner. I saw some saying it was more of a horror then a thriller but I didn't really see it that way. At times I would space out and lose track of the story or get confused so maybe that's why.

3.5

This start out mysterious and got a little spooky which I enjoyed but for me the end brought the book down. The end of the book felt rushed and incomplete.

CW: Animal death

Narrator review: The narrator did a great job of bring the story to life.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC

I loved this short story so much. What a creepy tale with an original idea. This was definitely a win in the horror novella category.

Iounn wakes every morning exhausted with aches, pains, and bruises. Doctors can’t seem to figure out what’s wrong. Her friends offer helpful tips for feeling better, including a smartwatch to track her sleep. But what her smartwatch displays in the morning brings more questions than answers.

This novella oozes with hopelessness, panic, and fear. It comprises 100 chapters, some containing only a sentence or a few words. As the chapters click down, the dread and weariness build with Iuonn's blinding fatigue.

Mary Robinette Kowal not only translated the novel but also narrates it. Her narration truly brings the story to life! Each time Iuonn awoke in her bed, I felt a deep sense of dread as I anticipated her nightly activities.

Overall, I loved this one. But….but….2 things. I strongly believe that the book needs a trigger warning for animal cruelty/death at the start. Additionally, the ending is ambiguous, and I would love an epilogue to add a bit more insight. I have a few theories about the ending and would love to discuss them further if anyone is interested.

😴Book Review😴
*
Summary- Iðunn is in yet another doctor's office. She knows her constant fatigue is a sign that something's not right, but practitioners dismiss her symptoms and blood tests haven't revealed any cause.

When she talks to friends and family about it, the refrain is the same — have you tried eating better? exercising more? establishing a nighttime routine? She tries to follow their advice, buying everything from vitamins to sleeping pills to a step-counting watch. Nothing helps.

Until one night Iðunn falls asleep with the watch on, and wakes up to find she’s walked over 40,000 steps in the night . . .

What is happening when she’s asleep? Why is she waking up with increasingly disturbing injuries? And why won’t anyone believe her?
*
Rating- ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
*
My thoughts- this was such a super fun and unique read, it was very short and I just couldn’t put it down. I enjoyed Iðunn character, but I almost wish this was longer to really flesh out the ideas. The premise was interesting enough that this could have been much longer. The big part of this book that really killed it for me was the ending, it was so abrupt and unsatisfying. This one just left me wanting more.
*
QOTD- what are your plans for the weekend ?! I have no plans and no idea what we are up to and I’m so looking forward to it 😂💕

Finally a horror story to unsettle both you and your feline companion. I’ll start by saying there is a TW with this one (animal death) and I chose to glaze over those parts a bit. I initially listened to this one when I was sick and had quite the fever overnight. I actually went back and re-read the ARC the next day to make sure the fever dream-like qualities came from the book and not me. The creepiness was done really well in this one, the pacing of the buildup and the unnerving confusion were superb. My only complaint is that the ending was a bit abrupt and ambiguous. I’m a big fan of Mary Robinette Kowal and I thought her translation was really smooth. Kowal also narrates the audiobook and does a great job.

First, the translation on this book is amazing! I didn't realize it even required a translation until I was noting the information on goodreads about it. I enjoyed the book. It was a quick eerie journey that might be difficult for people struggling with mental health. However, it is worth mental dive of the main character to see how the stories plays out. It is a little bit eerie, immensely sad, and leaves a big impact with the ending.

TW/CW: Language, drinking, death of sibling, toxic family relationships, death of cat, blood, gore, sexual assault, cheating

*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:
Iðunn is in yet another doctor's office. She knows her constant fatigue is a sign that something's not right, but practitioners dismiss her symptoms and blood tests haven't revealed any cause.When she talks to friends and family about it, the refrain is the same ― have you tried eating better? exercising more? establishing a nighttime routine? She tries to follow their advice, buying everything from vitamins to sleeping pills to a step-counting watch. Nothing helps. Until one night Iðunn falls asleep with the watch on, and wakes up to find she’s walked over 40,000 steps in the night . . .
Release Date: September 3rd, 2024
Genre: Horror
Pages: 208
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

What I Liked:
1. Fast read
2. Unhinged woman
3. Writing style was good

What I Didn't Like:
1. Wish book was longer

Overall Thoughts:
{{Disclaimer: I write my review as I read}}

I wonder how she takes an omega-3 as it's derived from fish oil. If she's a vegetarian eating fish then that's actually called a pescatarian.

I had to laugh because Iðunn reads the article about sleepwalking and it says that drugs and alcohol can cause it, so rather than her mind going to maybe giving up those things she decides she needs medication to help. Maybe quit drinking before bed or drinking at all to help with your problem.

Sleeping with your dead sisters boyfriend might be something I would not be about. Kinda yuck.

Awe the poor cats are being killed.

Iðunn being drugged by Stephen. I hope that she attacks him. But wait her hands are covered in blood so maybe she did.

He's missing.

Never go down to the police station because they suspect you. And if you do go bring a lawyer. We at least they let her go.

Oh poo it's already over. Wish I coukd have stayed with Iounn a little longer.

Final Thoughts:
One of the reasons why I was so interested in reading this book was because I went to the doctor for fatigue but the Dr didn't even draw blood, but instead said I was getting old. It reminded me so much of that episode of Golden Girls where Dorothy goes for fatigue and the doctor also dismisses her. There's definitely a long line of doctors dismissing women for certain ailments rather than just doing their job and trying to figure out what's wrong.

I thought the writing style was good and it was even translated, which I know can make the writing at times harder to understand. This book didn't have that problem and I was able to understand what was happening.

It's a weird book but weird in a good way that made me need to know what was happening.

Like what?!? I don’t even know. I loved this book until the last few chapters then….. I’m speechless and left confused. Anyone else.. haven’t read it.. go listen to it! Let me know what you think because I have so many questions.




Thanks Netgalley for this advanced audio of The Night Guest.

I went in completely blind. I was hooked from the beginning of this audiobook. Loved the short chapters and I was definitely invested in this one. The chapters have such an eerie vibe and you just find yourself wanting to know what's going to happen. I was finished with this audiobook pretty quickly. I was surprised this was designated as a horror genre read. So I guess this is my first one. I've never read a horror genre book. It wasn't very horror-r like I would imagine it would be. My only gripe with this one is the abrupt ambiguous ending. What in the world!! I need more!! A bonus chapter, an epilogue? Give me something. This one was a 4 star experience for me. Thank you to Macmallian Audio, publisher and author for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Night Guest is a super interesting take on medical fears, the fear surrounding medical professionals not taking you seriously, and grief. Iðunn has been waking up feeling exhausted, with sore muscles and mysterious bruises on her body. She's gone to a number of doctors, she's talked to her all of her friends, yet no one seems to take her seriously and she doesn't know what to do. She ends up getting a pedometer watch, which reveals that she has been walking thousands of steps in the night, always to the same location. In order to solve the mystery of what she's done resulting in her being covered in scratches, bruises, and blood, Iðunn has to return to the mysterious spot by the waterfront where everything seems to be occurring in the night.

The Night Guest was super creepy and super compelling. The chapters are quick, which makes the reader keep wanting more. I was always invested in what was going to happen next, especially with all of Iðunn's dysfunctional relationships. As she begins to figure out what is happening to her, the story takes a dark turn. There is animal cruelty and violence in this story, although it is off the page we do see the results of this violence. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator, who is also the translator, did an excellent job with giving voice to the characters .I would recommend this book to those who enjoy horror mysteries and can stomach a bit of violence.

Well, I just listened to The Night Guest and not sure that I even know how to review it without giving away spoilers. It is a creepy thriller set in Iceland (translated to English) about a woman who wakes up in the morning with bruises, blood, etc. and so exhausted but she doesn’t know what she does when she sleeps. Oh, this was creepy. As someone with insomnia, I was intrigued by all of it and what was really happening in the middle of the night. I needed to know what all the little clues meant. Did I mention that it was creepy? If you want to get ready for spooky season, have at it!

Iðunn is always tired. She has gone to doctors, but they all say the same thing: they can’t find anything wrong with her. Blood tests reveal nothing and they want to stay away from any medication, for now, until they can figure out what is really going on. The advice Iðunn receives from her friends–eat better, exercise, go to bed sooner and have a routine–doesn’t do much to help either. She even goes so far as to buy an exercise watch with the hope that this will somehow hold the answers to why she isn’t sleeping and why, when she does, she is still so tired in the morning. One night Iðunn forgets to take off her watch when she goes to bed, waking to discover that she has traveled 40,000 steps in the night, coming back home with strange injuries that she has no memory of receiving. Where does Iðunn go at night, and why is she coming home dirty and bloody?

The Night Guest is a novella that I was excited to listen to based on its summary, but it was not at all what I was expecting or, frankly, hoping for. This novella has an insane amount of chapters and while I typically enjoy many short chapters, when it is done well, the amount within this novella was way too high. There were so many times throughout the audiobook where I spent more time listening to the number of the chapter than I did the action within the chapter, taking me completely out of the events and lessening my enjoyment of it. I was also rather put off by the ending as well. It has nothing to do with what happened exactly, it just seemed too unrelated to the story in some ways, and was rather abrupt as well. I had really high hopes for this audiobook, but it just wasn’t for me.

📖Pub Day Audiobook Review🎧 The Night Guest by Hildur Knutsdottir; translated by Mary Robinette Kowal 🐈‍⬛️🍷🛌

I truly had no idea what I was getting myself into when I requested this book. I thought hey, intriguing premise - a woman realizes that she doesn't know what is happening to her when she's asleep - and bonus, it's short, clocking in around 2 hours 45 minutes. But don't think you can rest easy - this book is a concentrated dose of the eerie and bizarre.

What I liked:
✍️ The style and structure of the storytelling. It's first person and told in our MC's sharp conversational tone. The author uses brevity to keep the pace quick - some chapters are just one sentence long, telling us what we need to know while also leaving us to fill in the blanks. I was drawn in and propelled to the end, finishing the same day I started.
😴 Our MC's inner monologue is often amusing and cutting. I was invested in her journey of trying to figure out what's wrong, and I appreciated the commentary about women's health complaints often being ignored. And then we are constrained solely to her limited perspective of what's going on, building tension.
🎙 The book's translator, Mary Robinette Kowal, narrates the audiobook. Her tone and expression was engaging and clearly conveyed the mood and MC's personality. I wonder if translating the book enhanced her ability to perform the narration, with all its nuances. Plus being able to hear the correct pronunciations of names was helpful. Highly recommend the audiobook experience.

Other thoughts:
☠️ There is violence against animals, specifically cats. Take care.
⁉️ This book leaves a lot to the reader's speculation and imagination. Would love to discuss with others how you interpret that WTF conclusion.

Overall, I recommend this book to fans of horror, off the wall stories, and Nordic vibes. Thank you to the Macmillan Audio Influencer Program for my copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Night Guest
by Hildur Knútsdóttir
Narrated by Mary Robinette Kowal

Thank you so much partner @tornightfire @macmillan.audio for the gifted copy & audiobook. #MacAudio2024

About the book 👇🏽
Iðunn is in yet another doctor's office. She knows her constant fatigue is a sign that something's not right, but practitioners dismiss her symptoms and blood tests haven't revealed any cause.

When she talks to friends and family about it, the refrain is the same — have you tried eating better? exercising more? establishing a nighttime routine? She tries to follow their advice, buying everything from vitamins to sleeping pills to a step-counting watch. Nothing helps.

Until one night Iðunn falls asleep with the watch on, and wakes up to find she’s walked over 40,000 steps in the night . . .

🍷 My thoughts:

Creepy and disturbing! If you’re looking for a fast and creepy read, this novella is it right here. Both the audiobook and physical book are equally unnerving. It’s important to know that there are deaths of cats and they aren’t of natural causes… so you may want to keep that in mind. I found this one harder to give a star rating to because although it creeped me out I was also confused by the ending. But that’s obviously a me problem. This little story packs quite the punch of unsettling scenes that made my eyebrows shoot straight to my hairline. It’s definitely a bizarre and unique* read/listen that you’ll be able to finish it so fast, it’s worth the read if the cat thing isn’t a hard pass for you. The Night Guest is out TODAY 9/3/24!

Happy reading 📖💤🍷

Iðunn is sleep deprived, but wakes with bruising, blood stains, etc. on her. Through the story we kind of learn what is happening, but this story just wasn't for me. There were killings involving cats and the ending was just so odd I was left trying to figure out what I just wasted my time reading.