I'm not much of a horror reader, but The Night Birds is horror in the way of terror (not too much gore). Christopher Golden does a fantastic job of transporting you into the story and making you actually FEEL the atmosphere. I don't necessarily love love stories in books like this, but it didn't draw too much away from the book overall. Very spooky and worth the read.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: May 6, 2025
Just off the coast of Galveston, Texas sits a deteriorated, half-sunken ship, abandoned and almost lost to nature. Charlie Book and his team have taken on the task of renewing it, to bring it to some of its former glory and turn it into a floating museum. But a storm is coming in, so the team decides to wait it out in a local hotel. All, of course, except for Charlie, who decides to hunker down onboard the “Christabel”, suffering through the storm in solitude. Until his ex-girlfriend, Ruby, shows up, with another young woman and a baby, in desperate need of help. Ruby tells a tale that Charlie can barely believe, about witchcraft and human sacrifice, until he starts to see it with his own eyes and soon, it isn’t just the storm that threatens the “Christabel”, and all the lives on it.
Author of “All Hallows” and “The House of Last Resort”, Christopher Golden’s new novel, “The Night Birds” is a dark and disturbing horror novel set on an abandoned ship in the middle of a rainstorm. You know, just in case you were worried it wouldn’t be scary enough.
Although the novel is narrated by Charlie, with other characters taking over the narration on some chapters, it is the atmosphere that makes this book the terrifying delight that it is. The romantic tension and unresolved issues between Charlie and Ruby are necessary and engaging, and both characters are flawed and human, making them easy to build a quick rapport with. Then Golden throws in the witch’s coven and their ability to transform into some pretty gruesome birdlike creatures and the ultimate horror novel is created.
Golden’s writing is top notch, completely immersing the writer in the plot with his grotesque depictions of the monsters, and pulling readers along for an action-packed adventure that goes up and down with the waves.
“The Night Birds” has all the hallmarks of a superb horror novel. This will be a must-read for Golden fans, but anyone who considers themselves a horror fiction fan will want to pick this one up, too. This is the third novel I’ve read by Golden and I’m so glad he keeps on delivering books like this that exceed my expectations. It goes without saying I’ll be eagerly waiting for his next work.

"The next gripping, atmospheric horror novel from New York Times bestselling author Christopher Golden, set in a deteriorated, half-sunken freighter ship off the coast of Galveston, TX.

Charlie Book and Ruby Cahill have history. After their love ended in heartbreak years ago, they never expected to see each other again.

Now, as part of his work for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Book lives aboard the Christabel, a 19th century freighter half-sunken off the shore of Galveston. Over many years, a massive forest of mangrove trees has grown up through the deck of the ship, creating a startlingly beautiful enigma Book calls the Floating Forest. As a powerful storm churns through the Gulf, he intends to sleep on board as usual.

But when he arrives at the dock, he's stunned to find Ruby there waiting for him. And she's not alone. With her are a mysterious woman and her infant child, asking Book to hide them safely aboard the Christabel while they're on the run. Only it isn't the police who are after them, it's a coven of witches the woman, Mae, has fled, stealing away the helpless infant for whom the coven had hideous plans...or so Mae claims.

It's lunacy and Book wants nothing to do with it. But after the way he and Ruby ended things, and the unspoken pain between them, he can't refuse. Yet even as he brings them out to the ruined ship and its floating forest, there are shadowed figures looming back in Galveston, waiting out the storm. And despite the worsening wind and rain, the night birds are flying, scouring the coastline for their prey."

Personally, I think he could have said no. But then again, we wouldn't have one of Christopher Golden's memorable stories it that were the case.

The setting of this one was absolutely perfect and I couldn’t help but imagining diving around the Christabel. When Charlie heads into a seemingly mild storm, back to the sunken freighter where he lives and works - he has no idea what is in store for him.

Christopher Golden has become an auto-read author for me so I probably only read the title of this one and it became one of my most anticipated for 2025. I had no idea there would be witches involved, and enjoyed the ebbs and flows of the story as they came with the rising tides and gale-force winds.

The main baddie in this one was incredibly scary, but I feel that the real horror lies in that idea that lost people are willing to go to extreme lengths to be found again. I really enjoyed this read and will be continuing my quest to read Golden’s backlist!

Check this one out if you love storms, horror, witches, and struggles for survival!

Mr. Golden brings us an atmospheric nautical horror novel complete with a floating forest that's risen up from a sunken freighter in the Gulf of Mexico and a coven of witches … at sea. What could possibly go wrong? It was great to see some old world legends in a modern day setting. It makes for an edge-of-your-seat, gory adventure. Mr. Golden has a talent for dropping us right in the middle of the action while maintaining a fast-paced feel throughout. Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC. You can check out this book when it publishes May, 06, 2025 wherever you buy your books.

I think this author is fantastic at creating cosy horror, thats not to say it isnt real creepy but it just feels comfy, maybe its because im a fan of this author am I making sense?, this was extremely atmospheric and haunting, immersive writing that plunges you right into the story, multiple POVs are executed well and I loved the setting, a sunken ship is creepy enough on its own! Golden creates characters that feel extremely real and I end up totally invested, loved this so much! Fans of horror/thrillers will love this!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a free e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I think Christopher Golden is becoming a middle of the road author for me. I really enjoyed All Hallows, but this and his previous book were just a little underwhelming. This book involves witches, sacrifices, very atmospheric setting, and new beginnings. The characters throughout are just not captivating. None of them really turned out to be likeable, and you have a hard time rooting for anyone throughout the story.

I'm also kind of disappointed because I thought the story might gear more towards some paranormal with the freighter being haunted. It did not go in that direction at all, unfortunately. I wanted to be invested in the story, but I found my mind wandering frequently and had to keep going back to read parts I partially skimmed through.

I would still try another book from the author, as you can still say his books are still entertaining once you've completed them.

I read this author's previous release and didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. Wanted to give them another shot and, unfortunately, I just think his stories don't work for me, though I did find this one to be slightly better than House of Last Resort. I would not dissuade anyone from reading it if they thought it sounded like something they'd like, but it just isn't for me.

The Night Birds is my first time experiencing the writing of Christopher Golden and I will hands down be reading them again in the future. I was completely captivating by the setting of the story. A forest that has grown from a falling apart, half-sunken freighter ship to form it's own little island of sorts. Our main characters are isolated here during an intense storm and the weather turns out to be the least of their worries. The Night Birds is a atmospheric, capturing, and thrilling paranormal horror filled with cults, violence, black magic, and protecting innocence at all costs.

A coven of witches, horrific Nightbirds, an innocent baby, and an isolated ship with its own ecosystem.

I wanted more…more of the mangroves and isolation factor and more about the ship as a character. I wanted that coldness and creepiness to sink into the hollows of my bones like Golden’s Road of Bones did, or in this case, the lashing storm and the darkness of the mangrove in the hull. I wanted to love this book, because Golden is incredible. He is! He’s an incredible writer and storyteller and his toughest competition is himself.

This is a good book. Well-written and plotted about witches and horrific doings and it’s not fair to superimpose what story I wanted it to be, what I craved, so I gave it 3.75/5 rounded up to 4.

I’ll read anything of Golden’s.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC to review!
Rating (on a scale of 1 to 5, 5 being excellent)
Quality of writing: 4
Pace: 4
Plot development: 4
Characters: 3
Enjoyability: 4
Ease of Reading: 5

Overall rating: 4 out of 5

4.5★

Another banger from Christopher Golden! This book had similar vibes to Road of Bones- the eeriness and Golden's signature style of writing horror that actually makes my skin crawl. Something about the feeling of being stalked by a monster in an isolated setting really does it for me. I learned from Road of Bones not to get attached to the characters and I'm glad I did because when I say no one is safe I really mean NO ONE is safe. This author is not afraid to go there and I really love that about his books. He also blends fantasy and horror in a way that really works for me. I know not everyone vibes with his style but I think his stories are fantastic.

I also discovered upon finishing this book that prior to the release of this novel Golden worked on a comic series Lady Baltimore: The Witch Queens that features the Ur Witches- the same type of witches found in The Night Birds. It was very cool having a visual to go with the descriptions in this novel. I haven’t finished the comic yet but I plan to. I did read All Hallows and found it very mid so I am hoping that one is just a dud. I plan to read more of this author’s backlist while I wait for his next release- at this point Golden is an auto-buy author for me and I just hope I continue loving his books in the future.

I've read quite a few books from Christopher Golden. He always does a slow burn, building dread scenario really well. His story about witches does the same and I enjoyed it very much. A man's estranged ex wife comes to him with a baby, desperate for help and on the run. The mystery continues to unravel and the body count continues to climb throughout the book. Can't say much more without spoilers. Give it a shot if you like witchy stories.

An edge of your seat read. I was not sure what this book was about but it gripped me from the beginning. I loved Christopher Golden's book All Hallows so I was excited to read this ARC. Ruby is at home one night and hears something in her backyard. She sees it's a woman holding an infant. The woman claims to be her estranged sister's girlfriend and the baby is Ruby's nephew. She then tells Ruby's her sister was murdered and that they need to run to save the baby from her sister's killers.

Ruby takes them all to seek out her former lover Charlie Book. Book is a scientist studying an old freighter called the Christabel that has been shipwrecked so long that a floating forest trees have taken residence through it. Due to an oncoming storm that has began the four of them seek refuge aboard the ship. However only one of them knows what is to come upon. An ancient evil has arrived and is willing to take down anyone that stands in the way of it getting that baby.

Christopher Golden has become an autoread author for me. The books are always so well developed and researched. This one is no different. Just enough reality to make it even more unsettling. Will purchase for home library and be recommending. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the copy.

Thank you for the opportunity to preview The Night Birds. Christopher Golden is a master storyteller when it comes to the horror genre. I have read all his novels and each one is so different and chilling.
In his new book he takes you to the sea. A group of scientists are working on an old sunken ship and their goals are to find out how the ship will survive in nature among other things.
Charlie Book leads his team in the research. Book and his team are on a short recess when a big storm hits. Book stays on the ship as usual to wait it out.
Ruby is a woman with a past that includes Book. But that is history and now she is alone.
One night a woman shows up at Rubys doorstep and she has a baby in tow. The woman used to be her sister’s lover. Her sister is dead according to this woman.
Her name is Mae and she’s in trouble.
Ruby takes her and the child to Book. They need help but they don’t tell him why. They tell him they need him to hide them for a few Few days.
Book is troubled but agrees and that is the beginning of a nightmare because what follows them is not human and has one goal in mind. The child. And Ruby is terrified she will lose her nephew.
But what follows has plans of their own. And they also will do everything to achieve that goal.
Very good. Very scary. 4 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for ARC of this book.
Set on a half sunk 19th century freighter in Galveston during a storm, Ruby has approached her former boyfriend for protection for her nephew, her sister’s girlfriend , as well as herself from a supernatural threat. Despite his disbelief, Book agrees to shelter them.
I felt the background for the characters was vague. I would have liked to have seen some more character development for the main characters. Otherwise, the book delivered a strong split that moved along at a brisk pace

The Night Birds is a supernatural thriller set in a raging storm on a half-sunken 19th-century freighter. Top that for atmosphere!

Ruby is home alone when a strange woman carrying a baby practically bursts through her door with an incredible story and a plea for help. She finds it all beyond belief until she is confronted with the terrifying proof.

Charlie is preparing to ride out the storm alone when Ruby shows up. He has not seen or spoken to her since their painful break-up, but even though she won't answer his questions he doesn't turn her away when she needs a place to hide. Hide from what, you ask? The coven that wants to sacrifice the baby so that the Ur-witch (the original witch who is the reason stories of witchcraft are told) can be permanently resurrected.

I love folklore and folk horror so resurrecting some old world legends in the modern day was a hit with me. True love, fractured family bonds, partial revelations and broken hearts ratcheted up the tension in between the terror and kept me engaged with the characters.

I was trying to think of the last time I read a scary witch story and...it's been a bit. Maybe Hex?

Most witches these days tend to be either the leather clad urban fantasy ones or the kitchen witch type. These? They're just pure evil.

Aside from our scary witches, we also have an amazing setting. I could see, hear and smell this place - it was so vivid.

I loved our characters, my heart broke more than once, and I want nothing to do with our witchy ones.

A great read!

If you have read Christopher Golden's other books, you know that he loves to set a scene. I loved the unique setting of a half submerged sunken ship. I did like the setting more than the characters but I enjoyed it all around. It is less supernatural horror and more what are they driven to do horror. I think this was such a great one.