This book scared the everliving hell out of me.

Joshua Hull is going to become a staple on my bookshelf. What an incredibly well done horror! I loved it.

The entire backstory of Adam Benny going missing, then Paul's best friend dying... Everything that followed was pure genius and I couldn't look away. I loved the podcast premise and I have no doubt this will make an incredible audiobook as well.

The images this book depicts still stay with me to this day. Terrifyingly gruesome, this was what I love about horror. Paul has been notified that his childhood best friend has committed suicide in his childhood home, so Paul goes back to investigate, hoping for closure. I love when a protagonist is flawed, and he knows it. He knew his childhood home was haunted, and I loved every minute of this book. Definitely for those who love haunted houses.

Joshua Hull's "8114" is a nicely done haunted house story, giving very strong found footage vibes, with an unapologetically flawed podcaster as the main character. What stood out for me, weren't the scary, hallucinatory scenes (though there are many, and honestly quite chiiling and hair-raising), or the bleak and sinister atmosphere throughout; it was the fact that several times the story reached a very significant moment, taking me right to the edge, with the promise of a crucial revelation or the giving of some background information (the history of the house, for example) - and then the author pulls back and the picture is never really filled. Strangely, this technique works, and it heightens the tension. People die (often horribly), investigations are never completed (for equally horrible reasons), even the podcast featuring centrally in the plot never finds closure (or has much of a point, really). And yet the battle between the house and the podcaster only deepens, picking up steam and adding layers over layers (witchcraft, demons, possession, occult mysteries). The result is an extremely satisfying, morally suspect but haunting and disturbing horror story, with graceful prose, annoying wit, and natural-sounding dialogue. This is everything one would want from a good horror novel!

I quite literally had to put it down and breathe because what the actual f*ck. Like thank you for making me dream things I wasn't before because I love staying up late. In all seriousness, this was so insanely good! It quite literally feels like a fever dream that won't end (this is a good thing). I was stressed, shocked, everything in between and still want more.

This was a fascinating and haunting journey that delves deep into psychological horror with a fresh, clever perspective. The authors writing builds tension masterfully, keeping me hooked from the very first page with its eerie atmosphere and unpredictable twists.
8114 is an impressive read that delivers thrills and thought-provoking moments in equal measure. A must-read for fans of horror that challenges the mind and lingers long after the final page!

This was such a great spooky Halloween book! Supernatural, spooky, quick read. Loved that there were added elements of the podcast transcript throughout the book. It took me time to read this book simply because of traveling and kids. But once I picked this book up I could not put it down! The ending definitely had a twist that I did not see coming. The writing was fantastic; it helped create great imagery with tons of detail. I really enjoy the deeper message that came along with all of the horror and supernatural elements. It would be a great mini series or movie. Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars

It is an excellent premise and has a lot of potential. The scenes are unapologetically scary, gory, disturbing and chilling. The commentary at some places is smart and funny. The imagery is horrifying.

However I was very put off by the unnecessary interruptions of crucial scenes which led to negligible worldbuilding. Also the ending was pretty offputting. I had to reread the last chapter in case I missed a page or the final podcast episode. A slightly better execution could have blown this book upto a no doubt 5 star horror book for sure.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC!

This was a surprisingly quick read, and I feel a little conflicted about it. On the one hand, it works well as a horror, and there are plenty of creepy and scary moments. On the other hand, I hated the main character.

Paul has come back to his hometown after his podcast, Adam Benny Is Missing, has blown up...in the wrong way. Adam was a schoolmate of Paul's when he was younger, and he disappeared suddenly after turning up at school severely beaten. Only Paul had the wrong idea, and it opened up a can of worms, leading to Adam himself telling Paul to stop. The tirade of hate and anger towards Paul causes him to put a stop to his podcast, and he's given the opportunity to go back home when he gets a call from his best friend, Matt. It's not a joyous reunion, though. He finds out that his other best friend, Kyle, has killed himself.

That's not the worst of it...Kyle killed himself at Paul's old house, 8114. Paul is, understandably, shocked and horrified at this - how could Luke do this? He'd only just welcomed a new baby with his wife and seemed happy. But then Paul starts experiencing weird things - he sees his dead friend, and when he visits his old house, he's reminded instantly that there's something wrong with it. He starts to hallucinate things, and there's a weird sense that people in the town also know that there's something wrong with the house, yet the centre of it all is Paul.

Lots of creepy things happen in this book, and Paul is an unreliable narrator, so you're not sure what's real and what he's just hallucinating. There are also lots of periods where he blacks out, so you're not even sure of what happened in between this because he isn't sure. The weird awareness of people in the town that there's something wrong with his old house just adds to the creepiness - there's no one who doesn't believe Paul when he says he's experiencing odd things. This isn't what normally happens in horror, so it was an interesting twist.

My main issue is that Paul is just so unlikeable. He's a 42-year-old man who acts like a 12-year-old. He points out many times that people get annoyed with him, always cracking jokes or never taking anything seriously. He's pretty self-absorbed and generally unlikable. He has no friends outside of his childhood best friends or a relationship. You find out more throughout the book that just adds to this—somehow Paul is aware of his faults yet just...doesn't care?

Take this...his podcast went bad when it turns out that Adam Benny was not actually missing, and he's now endangered the Benny family. He takes a very 'woe is me' point of view on this. So he goes home and finds out his best friend has killed himself and his old house is involved...and his first reaction is to make a new podcast? When his best friend hasn't even been buried yet? The weird thing is that everyone around Paul is aware of how freaking awful and parasitic this is. Not only does Paul instantly start a podcast about his barely dead best friend, but he also reveals confidential information about the incident that hasn't been released to the public, further angering the town and family.

And his reaction is just, 'It's not about me! it's about finding out what happened to Luke!' Like...Paul...we know what happened...he killed himself. You don't need a podcast for that; stop airing your poor friend's death to the masses. Even more bizarre is that Paul isn't particularly doing this because he's convinced he'll be the next big thing...it's like he just got the idea and can't possibly let go of it. Things get more creepy and odd, people tell him to stop and that he's making it worse and yet he doesn't because 'he needs to find out the truth'. There's a throwaway comment about how no one complains when Netflix makes documentaries about true crime, but my immediate thought was, 'They don't generally release a documentary within days of it happening'.

Don't even get me started on him flirting with his ex AT HIS BEST FRIENDS FUNERAL. Like wtf.

Either way, if you ignore how awful of a person Paul is, then this is a pretty good horror book with great supernatural elements.

Who doesn’t love a book by another Indiana native!
This book was creepy!!! I love podcasts and who doesn’t love a great haunted house troupe! I loved the jump scares within the pages and how Joshua made the imagery gruesome at times. While it felt rushed towards the end, I enjoyed the 80’s references to different movies and music. I also would love to know more or even the story behind the real house at 8114!

This book is insane. The story is insane. It's pure horror updated with all our new obsessions and devices. And I utterly loved it.
Welcome to the new "The evil dead" where no Ash will come to save you.

Paul is a podcaster that doens't make it right with his last program on an old school friend who suddendly disappeared. While he faces a total disaster, Paul is called back to his old hometown, where he suddendly starts a descent to hell.

8114 – which gives the book its title – is the house number of Paul's old home, a place that seems to be literally the mouth of hell.
As Paul’s memories of that place and his childhood resurface with overwhelming force, everything around him becomes hallucinatory; people die, and an ancient, malevolent, haunting revenge seems to take possession of the entire town.

"8114" is a hopeless, no-return journey into the obsessions of our society, where even the most ancient and classic of curses finds fertile ground to flourish. "8114" is one of those stories that’s impossible to put down and gives no respite. The perfect blend of reality and the dreamlike, hallucinatory realm, of common sense and pure horror, of logic and madness creates an ideal mix to send fear deep into your bones.

The descriptions have a cinematic quality (not by chance, the author comes from the world of cinema) and have the power to evoke extremely powerful imagery. The curse of "8114" is relentless and pestilential, feeding on the fears and weaknesses of those who encounter it. As we read about how it destroys the story’s characters, we can’t help but feel affected ourselves. 8114 is already a classic of the genre, and while it engages with our contemporary world – with podcasts, social media, followers, and Airbnb – it reminds us that what is ancient and profound is stronger than all our certainties and defenses.

Crime podcast are all the rage and that does not stop Paul from record his. The past comes back to haunt paul, when his childhood friend takes his life in his childhood home. Darker forces are at play here and things are not so simple as they originally appeared.

This was different to my usual horror tales as it had humour in it too but I think it made it even better! Loved this story and I will read more from the author. Excellent stuff!

Thanks to Clash Books and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I'm always very happy about an ARC and being able to give it a review! <3

I'm so glad I finally got to read this book. A podcaster who comes back to his old home to clarify what is happening in his old house? Sounds right up my alley.

The book doesn't have any unnecessary lengths - it gets straight to the point. It was scary and made it hard to sleep.I thought the story was great, the characters too... everything just fit together really good.I could also imagine that the audiobook for the book would be great - the podcast episodes were totally creepy! I can really imagine the interviews and the inexplicable and creepy noises.

The picture of the house at the end and the story about it gave me goosebumps. I won't forget this book anytime soon! An absolute must read if you want to be scared!

Spooky houses are a topic I know quite a bit about. I grew up in one and still live in one today. I can't say it's a fun experience, but it certainly makes for an interesting time. Whenever I find a book on this subject, I eagerly dive in, even though it often leads me to relive memories I would rather forget.

I knew what I was getting into with this book. It was terrifying and gave me a nightmare that left me shocked upon waking. I should have taken my own advice and slept with the light on, but I doubt that would have saved me from the burnt woman.

There was no hesitation in this book. The author got straight to the point, and it quickly crawled under my skin, bringing my worst nightmares to life. It's unsettling and doesn't relent until you reach the last page. I found myself loving the story, the layout, and the unhinged characters. It was all a demented treat.

8114 is a fantastic horror novel that I will be recommending until I lose my voice. Not much scares me in life, but this book had me feeling anxious. Even the ghost in my house was taken aback! Please don't overlook this incredible horror novel!

Do you need some creative inspo for your sleep paralysis demon? Sleeping TOO restfully at night? 8114 can help with these problems and so many more.

This book was such a fast-paced freak show and I loved every second of it. Incredibly dark and haunting, I read this one over the course of a day. After reading Mouth by this author earlier in the year, I was on high alert for more of his writing. I enjoy how candid and real his characters are (even when this means that they are maybe not people I would associate with in real life.)

With podcast scripts mixed in throughout the book, this was just enjoyable all around. Also for such a bleak horror - this book actually made me laugh out loud a couple of times. “Paranormal peanut gallery” may be my new favorite phrase.

Preorder this one or request on NetGalley now if you like horror, small towns, and haunted houses!

**Thank you to Clash Books and NetGalley for the eARC of this insane title!**

I enjoyed this book!
The last 50 pages had me hook, line & sinker. I feel it was a great take on how we must look at so much more than ourselves.
I loved the real world references to music and film. As a late eighties baby, I understood and enjoyed all the references.

I would recommend this book! I give it 4 out of 5 stars, simply as the beginning did not grip me as well as the end.

Between the unbearable main character and a story that felt like I was reading a shitty (and not in the fun way) horror movie led me to DNF’ing at 62%. Also it’s post election 2024 and I just really have no patience for annoying, self important dudes.

This was THE best book to read at Hallowe'en. It creeped me out and made me put it down several times, it's THAT intense. It's so twisted: possessed people kill their own children, a man gets sucked into the bowels of no.8114, a house no one should ever live in. Paul grew up there and he really should have stayed away. He foolishly comes back to his hometown after a disastrous podcast - does he learn from his mistake - NO, he goes ahead and starts a new podcast about 8114, oh and his school pal Kyle, whose suicide coincidentally brought him back... It's hard to like Paul, he's so self-obsessed and his actions escalate the horrors that surround him. He seems unable to think through his plans and the consequences of his podcasts, or who they hurt. It's an atmospheric and gripping read but there is no way I am visiting that house, I am firmly heading the other way...

Das Buch hat sich wirklich sehr spannend angehört, leider war die Umsetzung meiner Meinung nach etwas mangelhaft. Ich war ursprünglich ganz angetan davon, dass das Buch nur so wenige Seiten hat, leider ist aber nun genau das mein Kritikpunkt. Die ganze Geschichte ist sehr schnell eskalitert, man hatte keine Zeit, um sich mit den Charakteren vertraut zu machen und konnte dadurch auch keine Bindung zu irgendwem aufbauen. Der Horroraspekt hat dann sehr schnell überhand genommen und wurde teilweise echt repetitiv, zudem waren die Szenen auch nicht wirklich fesseld. Ich finde, das Buch hätte deutlich mehr Seiten benötigt um die Geschichte soweit ausschmücken zu können, dass sie auch wirklich athmosphärisch wird und einen in seinen Bann ziehen kann. Das Potenzial wäre auf jeden Fall da gewesen, so war aber leider das Nachwort, in welchem der Autore seine persönliche Beziehung zu dem Haus erklärt, der schaurigste Aspekt des Buches.

I didn’t make it to the end of this one unfortunately. I didn’t think the writing was that great, so combined with a story I was only half interested in, I couldn’t force myself through it to find out what the ending was!