This book was straight-up terrifying.
From the first page, the tension had me on edge, and it only got worse (in the best way). The writing is so vivid it felt like I was trapped inside a horror movie and let me tell you, I was not okay. The buildup was insane, the scares were brutal, and the ending? Unhinged. I had to sit there and process for a minute.
If you're a horror fan, this is a must-read. But fair warning this one is dark, so be sure to check trigger warnings.
Big thanks to @clashbooks and @netgalley for the eARC! I'll be sleeping with the lights on now.

I... I don't have words.

Joshua Hull's novel 8114 is a love letter to many generations of horror. It draws references from King, from Blumhouse films, from cult classics, to anything in between. A story about obsession as much as possession, there are some truly unsettling portions of this book that is the literary equivalent of being bludgeoned to death with a 2x4 covered in black rot.

When this comes out, DO NOT MISS IT.

My first horror novel, and I am completely blown away ! The horror was really well written, not in a typical scary or ‘jump-scare’ way, but in a more unsettling manner, giving everything a very eerie feeling. One thing I especially enjoyed in this novel, was how the writer weaves such an overall tone of nostalgia through the story. In all honesty, I would read a whole book about their childhood days in that town, that’s how good it was written.
I do have to say that I would have liked a bit more balance between the ‘scary’ and ‘non-scary’ parts, because at a certain point in the book, I just knew each chapter would have some horror in it, while I would have liked more suspense of not knowing when something scary would happen… Another thing that I would like to mention, is that I would have liked seeing Paul freak out more about the things happening to him and around him. I have to say that he remained pretty chill and calm through it all, while I would be going from one breakdown to another, but perhaps that’s just me lol.
In general a really well-written and captivating story, one I would definitely recommend !

Recently I’ve been reading horror books which are missing the horror element but not this one! This book has given me chills and made me feel so immersed in the story that I was actually looking over my shoulder as I moved through the book. The pacing at the start is a teeny bit slow but once it gets going it just doesn’t stop. The vivid descriptions really helped to bring everything life (or death depending on how you look at it!)

Do make sure to read the acknowledgment and author notes at the end - very interesting to see the inspiration behind the story!

This book started off on such a strong note, and I was hooked right from the first chapter. The pacing and the buildup were so gripping that I ended up finishing the entire book in just two days because I couldn’t wait to find out how it would all unfold. The writing was incredibly addictive, and the author did a great job of keeping me engaged until the very last page.

However, as much as I enjoyed the journey, I found myself feeling a bit disappointed by the ending. It felt like the story was leading up to something bigger — maybe a deeper mystery or a more detailed backstory that would explain why the house was haunted. But that resolution never really came, and I was left wanting more answers.

That being said, I don’t regret reading it at all. It was my first time picking up a book by this author, and despite the ending not living up to my expectations, I truly enjoyed their writing style. I’m definitely curious to explore more of their work and see what other stories they have to offer.

Fast, entertaining read with some genuinely creepy moments. The small town setting and characters drew me in from the start and, at just a little over 200 pages, this book packs a punch! I look forward to more from the author and appreciate the opportunity to read in advance. I’ll be sharing with my horror-loving friends!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

DNF at 14%. I hate giving up on books, but this one just wasn't for me. I loved the premise and the cover, but could not stand the narrator/protagonist, and the writing style was very jarring for the genre. We're given so much information at the beginning, it almost feels like when you're watching a coming-of-age flick and the narrator has a record scratch moment and goes, "Yep, that's me--you're probably wondering how I got here." That can work in horror, but it's hard to get into the story when it's followed up with a bunch of information dumping.

Paul is instantly unlikeable to me, too; there's no reason for me to like him, except that he's the protagonist. When the first "jumpscare" occurred, I gave up and realized this book was not for me. The story could be tighter, the narration less muddled with wholly unnecessary details, and the formatting with random italics and bolding could be taken down a notch. It's a bummer, because so many people are praising this book. I wanted to like it, but just couldn't get into it. I won't be posting my review on Goodreads or anything just yet, because a lot can happen between now and the publishing date. Maybe I'll try and revisit it in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley, Joshua Hull & CLASH Books for the oppurtunity to review this ARC!


Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Publication Date: August 26th, 2025

Synopsis:

After returning to his hometown, Paul, the beleaguered host of a small-time podcast, discovers a longtime friend committed suicide in the dilapidated ruins of Paul’s childhood home. Desperate to find answers, Paul interviews friends and locals hoping to find closure. He finds himself in a chilling downward spiral of his memories and the land he grew up on. Has his past caught up with him or is there something far more sinister at play?

Joshua Hull, screenwriter of Glorious, brings an edge of horror film expertise to this story of small-town haunting, trauma, and grief that just won’t let go. 8114 roots out the rot of a small town’s past and unravels the memories we must face to survive the present.

Review:

WOW. That's all I could say for about an hour or so after I finished this book. From the beginning this fast-paced, supernatural horror had me HOOKED (no seriously, I finished it in a few hours). Dark, sinister, and mysterious - the book had me locked in from the very start to finish, leaving my mouth wide open at the end. This book was, in all accounts - HORROR.

From the beginning this book will not only have you hooked but will mess with your mind. A supernatural horror that had me ricocheting from page to page in a constant state of WTF, almost nauseating in its perpetual and unrelenting atmosphere of dread. The way Hull describes the scenes, the ghosts, the demons, and murders....true horror. He knows how to create the most creepy and bone-chilling atomshepere. Even hours later, I canot get the imagery out of my thoughts. Hull absolutely nailed it; even the absolutely, insuffereable, unreliable narrorator Paul.

This book would go so well on the big screen and in audiobook format. I cannot wait until the book is published so I can get my hands on a physical copy and add it to my library!



TW: child death, murder, suicide, blood, gore, self-harm, violence

Paul, a disgraced podcaster, returns to his small hometown after learning that his longtime friend died by suicide on his family’s property. Determined to uncover the truth, Paul launches a new podcast investigating the mysterious circumstances surrounding his friend’s death.

This was a fast and entertaining read. I loved the small town setting and the paranormal elements. There were some creepy and gory moments that I enjoyed!

There were quite a few horror film references throughout the book that got to be a little repetitive after a while.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and I would recommend it to lovers of small town horror fiction.

While the premise was nice, the writing was... not what I expected. I wanted more from the characters because I felt that what was on the front cover and the front flap was not what we were given.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC copy of this book! I looked at the themes of this book and felt like this would be an exciting one for me.

Overall, the book did have some creepiness and darkness to it that paid homage to some horror movies of the past. I thought the author really wanted to capture that terror and fear from the reader. The writing style did not quite hit right for me, I think it needed more editing. The narrator was constantly named which I think takes the reader out of "zone" when they're into it. However, this book was not super long and I think the writer wanted to fit as much as he could into that page length.

Still a pretty good horror novel that does capture some dark and scary themes.

With immersive atmosphere and compelling character development, I enjoyed this unique renovation of the haunted house genre.

An unsettling small town horror novel, 8114 - much like a malignant mold - creeps in under your skin and grabs hold, not letting go until the last page. After the implosion of his debut podcasting effort, Paul heads home to deal with the suicide of a childhood friend in his old house. Once there, he begins to investigate, and podcast, his friend's death, the mystery surrounding it, and the nature of his childhood home itself. As he does so, he faces pressure from the townspeople, his producer Rachel, and the dark entity intent on destroying his life and those of everyone he holds dear.

In such a short novel, Hull manages to craft some delightfully terrifying moments. The disturbing lore swirling around his childhood home is intriguing and feels fresh. The structure switches between narrative form and interviews as Paul launches his second ill-fated podcast in the wake of his home town return. As such, the pace is speedy, but as a result, the characters feel incomplete and surface-level. Nevertheless, there are certain images, and disturbing nursery rhymes, this book conjured in my mind that I won't soon be forgetting.

There are three things that I truly adore: horror stories, podcasts incorporated somehow into storylines, and stories based on true events. So, I was super hyper ultra excited about 8114. Great premise, strong beginning, and, honestly, a pretty promising execution in the first half of the novel.
I have to admit that I was hooked and wanted more of the story. Joshua Hull has done a good job creating a suspenseful and trippy environment where you don't actually know what is going on, nor what is going to happen. The strange encounters the main character experiences are unexpected, seemingly out of nowhere, and bizarre, to say the least—adding the perfect amount of weirdness.
Another win for me is the dark humor. However, I have to admit that sometimes it does not hit the mark, as the inner dialogue of the main character does not match his age.

There are a couple of things that made me rate the book on the lower side.
First, Paul, the main character, is not particularly likable. In fact, he can be annoying, selfish, and quite irrational.
Second, the podcast storyline didn't do it for me. I was expecting it to be more developed, engaging, and a bigger part of the story overall.
Third, I don't think the mystery was well explained or well developed. It felt like many different motives were thrown together to create horror scenes that didn’t make much sense. The idea is there, but the details—the most important part of the story—are missing. This is frustrating because you can see the potential, but just when you start to grasp some of the details, the scene gets cut for some reason, and you never get to dive deeper or fully understand it.
Fourth, using italics and bold can be beneficial for a text, but only when done consciously. Having to constantly adapt to the font changes can be distracting.
And lastly, going back to the details—for me, the novel lacked some descriptions. Dialogue naturally makes the text dynamic, but in a story where you need to understand the reasoning behind some pretty gruesome events, a little less over-the-top inner monologue and a little more explanation wouldn’t hurt.

Overall, the potential is there! The start of the story and its soul are too. What’s lacking is a little bit of depth.

This was a good horror novel, fast paced, had some great atmosphere & dread, and some very disturbing imagery. There was no holding back and a few moments of shock. I really enjoyed this book and will read more of Joshua Hull's books. Recommended.

I really enjoyed the story and the concept!
The only thing was the writing style; the overuse of italics and bolds was excessive and uncalled for. You can make a statement and have powerful sentences without the need to use other fonts.

This one was...not for me. While the premise was interesting I found the main character very vexing. The horror was better suited to film or television media as it revolved primarily around jumpscares. I'd love to see this adapted as a different form of media, maybe even a podcast.

This book was up and down for me. It would draw me in and then totally take me out, it would feel really well connected and then kind of disjointed and choppy. The premise of this story was really good and fairly well executed. Hull did a good job at setting the scenes and environment. But at some points a little too much, mostly when our MC first goes back to his home town. I really didn’t care too much for our MC. He was just kind of meh, nothing really out of the ordinary, kind of a blank skate personality and personally he didn’t seem as alarmed or freaked out about what he was experiencing as I feel like he should have been, cause shit does get crazy. I would have liked a little bit more about our MC’s childhood in 8114 as the house is described as being riddled with death, so knowing how he was able to make it out of his childhood would have been interesting to know more about. Hull did a great job at making the scary scenes tense and frightening without being too over the top, like I was genuinely creeped out and uncomfortable at many points. Overall this felt like a mid level book for me, I think it would be WAY better as an audiobook experience. I’d recommend this book for people who like movies/books like It, Haunting of Hill House and Bly Manor, What Moves The Dead, and Smile.

It failed to make me scared, it failed to create the eeri ambiance, somehow the writing feels forced. Looking like it forcing me to feel scared, and it also felt scared writting. Sorry it didn't work for me. Need editor.

✨8114: Book Thoughts✨

8114 by Joshua Hull

Special thanks to NetGalley and @clashbooks for the ARC of this one!

If you’re thinking of picking this one up, buckle up for a wild ride! It’s got gore, unreliable narrators, a podcast element, and some CREEPY scenes.

Be sure to check your content warnings as well just because this one goes DARK at times.

The book follows Paul who returns home after a frantic call from his friend Matt. Their childhood friend Kyle went to Paul’s house and killed himself. Paul, having recently botched a podcast, decides to get to the bottom of Kyle’s mysterious death. But the more he digs, the more messed up the book gets. There are twists and death around every corner. He sees the ghost of his deceased friend. Paul also starts seeing shadow people behind his friends.

This book is fast paced and will begin messing with your mind from the first chapter! If you’re looking for something quick and dark, this book is for you. Paul is not a very likable main character. He reminded me a lot of Jack Sparks from the novel The Last Days of Jack Sparks.

Release date: 08/26/25
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️