When I requested this one I didn’t realize one of the authors was Murr from Impractical Jokers. Love that show and and he is multi talented as this was a great Christmas thriller. I didn’t see the twists at the end Coming at all! So glad I chose to listen to this one on audiobook, The narrator was perfect.

When Eddie decides to try and rob an elderly couple outside of a small-town grocery store two days before Christmas, he is attacked and wakes up hours later in the street. At first glance, the town seems to have been completely abandoned, but he soon finds other people who say they were also knocked unconscious and woke up alone. One by one, someone or something is trying to kill them all. But who, and why?

Okayyy, I would not have guessed that one of the guys from Impractical Jokers would co-author such a gruesome book! So dark, Murr! 😂 This short, inventive novel is really more horror than thriller. I seem to be dipping my toe into horror more and more lately and I don't hate it, but I wasn't ready for the level of gore in this book (yes, I know the gift-wrapped knife on the cover should have been a clue).

The plot twists and characters in this book made for a unique tale that had me on the edge of my seat until the end. The violence was a bit too absurd for me at times, but I'll chalk that up to the no-holds-barred nature of horror. Setting this book during Christmas and weaving in a holiday song with lyrics that are a bit creepy...well, it works.

Definitely worth a listen/read. I liked the audiobook narrator and thought she did a good job.

You Better What Out by James S Murray and Darren Wearmouth - If you are looking for a Christmas thriller - THIS BOOK IS IT! This book was everything! I need a sequel. The ending was mindblowing! No way anyone could ever guess it. I could not put this book down! READ THIS BOOK! Murr did GOOD!

I tried the audio-and DNFed around 30%

The premise and set up of this book sounds really interesting. Unfortunately, I just kept finding my mind wandering. I don't think I clicked with the audio narrator. I will absolutely give this one another try, but in physical format. I'd love to find out what is going on in this one!

This was a fun, bloody good horror read full of surprises. I actually laughed out loud when the addiction of one of the characters was revealed! Did not see that coming. Six strangers are kidnapped and held in a pseudo compound built to look like a small town. There is a killer on the loose who wants to hunt them down for sport. How will they survive when they don't know who to trust? This was a gory, slice and dice horror novel that was for me a quick and enjoyable read. I listened to the audio version of the book and the narrator was excellent. Recommended. 4 stars.

Many thanks to Net Galley and Macmillan Audio for a chance to read/listen to an ARC version of You Better Watch Out. All opinions are my own.

With a big thank you to MacMIllan Audio for the copy of this audio book, unfortunately this one was not for me. It had too much gore and not enough holiday spirit. I love the idea of a holiday horror/thriller book as a break from sugar sweet Hallmark type books, but this one was too much. I think what is inside did not match the cover at all. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review this book!

I don't the concept is new but the fact that it was right before Christmas was a bit exciting. I was invested in what was happening, and then when they found out what they were going to have to do to stay alive. I think the twist ending was pretty easy to see coming, but it still made the end a bit more exciting. Overall it was a really quick read and I think it's always nice when I have a holiday book that is not romance.

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.

This one definitely kept me interested, and I didn't expect the ending which was nice! I would read more by this author. The narrators did a good job.

Talk about a book that surprised me this year. For some odd reason I had the mentality that this book was YA, ladies and gents it is not. I absolutely loved this book, the audiobook was just perfection. From the very first minute it grabs you and it won’t let you go until the very end.

If you love suspenseful thrillers and holiday themed this is the perfect book to read. Not only the plot is full of twists and turns but the narrative is so misleading and that’s what makes it fun. When you think of Christmas, you think of family cheer, home cooking and lots of warmth. Our protagonist will not be enjoying none of that. They will be thrown into life or death scenarios and will have to work together to survive. These strangers are stranded in an abandoned city surrounded by holiday horror. That’s all you need to know going into this book. I am obsessed with these authors work and now I’ll be reading everything they’ve written.

WOWZERS. This was one crazy ride....Intriguing, gruesome and fast-paced- a weird mix of The Truman Show meets The Hunger Games (ish)....


I devoured this and genuinely loved every second. I did guess at a part of the ending, but not until it was almost over and it was like a lightbulb went off...but in a good way. I wasn't disappointed because it really thew me for a loop in the long run. I highly suggest staying away from this if you're squeamish- it's bloody and rough. Loved the premise, and even though the storyline was chilling, there were some cozy small-town vibes.

also...never going to Old Forge again ;-)

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

Could not get enough of this book! I was on edge the whole time. Full of great twist and the merry go round part is INSANE! Can’t wait to read more by these authors! Thanks NetGallery!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my copy of You Better Watch Out by James S. Murray; Darren Wearmouth Narrated by Barrie Kreinik in exchange for an honest review. It published October 25, 2024.
First off, I felt like the narration was very well-done. I highly recommend Barrie Kreinik's work.
I have to say, this was what I call a "Dad-book" I definitely feel like as a Christmas-loving mom, I was not the target audience. I found it to be a little too heavy on strong language for me, and for a holiday-themed book. I did find the story itself interesting, but I had a hard time enjoying it between all the language and other things that happened, (No spoilers here!).
I think if you're not bothered by strong language and violence in a holiday book, then you might be drawn to this one.

Started off super cheesy to me. The trapped together trope can sometimes be hit or miss. The last third of the book was pretty decent. I didn't guess who was behind everything, but after you finish the book it's so obvious. Wasn't the best book I've ever read, but definitely not the worst either.

3.5/5 stars

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the advanced listening copy!

Super quick, fast paced thriller novella, set at Christmas time! This was great on audio and super easy to listen to in all one go while cleaning the house. Very suspenseful and slightly gory at times, which I don't love, but there wasn't enough to take away from the rest of the book. I did predict the main twist but still was intrigued by the way things played out.

🎅🏼Book Review🎅🏼
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Summary- Forty-eight hours until Christmas, Jessica Kane wakes up with blurred vision, ears ringing, and in excruciating pain. A gash in her head and blood running down her face, the last thing she remembers is going for a run and something or someone hitting her in the head.

It doesn't take her long to realize she is trapped in an unknown, deserted town with five other strangers who share similar stories of being attacked and stranded there. Unsure why and how they got there, she knows one thing for certain, she has to find a way out.

That becomes nearly impossible when someone is meticulously orchestrating their deaths, one by one, and the only thing Jessica can do is watch the life leave their eyes.

The fenced-in town is the killer’s very own playground and there's nowhere left to hide... she better watch out because she could be next.
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Rating- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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My Thoughts- I actually adored this book! I was wildly hesitant but also excited to read this one ? Who knew Murr from Impractical Jokers could write ?! This was a super fun Christmasy themed mystery that gave me major Stephen King Joe Hill vibes. I cannot recommend this one enough and can totally see it being adapted into a Netflix Movie. The only Con was that @macmillianaudio really should have had Murr read this one! Fun Fact- Murr lives a town over from us, we sometimes see him at our local farmers market in the summer!
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QOTD- for my US Bookstagram pals, are you planning to vote today or did you do early voting? For my international friends what are your plans for today? I’m going to spend the night a nervous mess while I wait for these results. 🫣Please vote, people have fought so hard for your ability to vote in a free/fair election. 💙
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You better Watch out by James S. Murray; Darren Wearmouth

A bunch of strangers wake up together in an abandoned town… Each of them were abducted.. Each of them have shady pasts and each one of them is dying in the most heinous ways… Who put them there and why do they want these people dead?

OMFGGGGG This book scared me half to death. I was absolutely terrified!! You think you know what is going on and why then BOOM the ending FLOORED ME!!!! The narration was on point on this one. I can’t believe this book wasn’t a horror. If you are into thrillers you need to add this book to your list. The characters were all well written and the storyline was magnificent.

The writing was amazing and I literally have nothing bad to say about this book. So glad I read it for the spooky season. Damn thing almost sent me into cardiac arrest! I was basically clutching my pearls!!

5 solid gold stars!!

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

Jessica wakes up somewhere unfamiliar and soon realizes she was taken and injured. But she’s not alone! Several people are in the same position but each one has a different back story. Together they try to figure out what exactly happened and who wants them there.

Honestly I saw “Murr” and had to check it out. I was pleasantly surprised! This story was interesting from the start. It was super fast paced and short with an ending that may lead to another book possibly? I loved the Christmas setting in a horror book. There was a little gore, good characters, and a solid mystery. Super fun read!

This audiobook was narrated by Barrie Kreinik. The story sounded great and they kept me engaged from beginning to end!

Thank you so much to Netgalley, the authors, and Macmillan Audio for providing this free ARC. This is my honest review. This published on October 15th.

I have posted my review on Goodreads, my Facebook book club, and will make a TikTok to post before the pub date raving about this book!

Absolutely loved this holiday thriller I think there's not enough of them out there and they're so much fun. It kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I didn't see the ending coming and loved that.