“Another… 50 pages than I probably needed.”

Look, I love Paul Tremblay. The man can craft suspense like nobody’s business, and Another definitely kept me turning the pages. But somewhere around the midpoint, I started wondering if I was trapped in the book myself—just endlessly wandering through unsettling ambiguity, waiting for the next big moment. It’s tense, it’s eerie, it’s got that signature Tremblay what-the-hell-is-even-happening vibe… but it also felt like it took the scenic route when a shortcut would’ve done just fine.

That said, the dude knows how to mess with your head in the best way, and when the payoff comes, it’s worth it. Not my favorite of his, but still better than 90% of the horror books out there. Would I read his grocery list? Probably. Would I hope it had a little more urgency than this one? Also yes.

Just finished reading Another by Paul Tremblay, anticipating another thrilling ride. Unfortunately, this middle grade horror missed the mark for me. The pacing was super slow and it dragged on longer than I hoped. I’m all about that spine-tingling suspense, but it didn’t deliver until the very end, leaving me feeling bored along the way. Total bummer since I usually love his works!

In 2025, I’m reading books written by women. But once I found out that Paul Tremblay had written a Middle Grade horror book, I knew I’d have to make an exception. And I’m happy to say that Tremblay didn’t disappoint me.

A lonely boy without any friends meets a boy named Morel. The strange thing is that Morel appears to be made from clay, not flesh. As the two become closer, the MC becomes terrified that he’s losing his place within his family. Is he capable of standing up for himself? Find out by reading this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free ARC. This review contains my honest, unbiased opinion.

the master of horror has gifted us with a young adult novel that is just as scary as his adult books !

*****Thank you Net Galley for supplying this book in exchange for my honest review*****
I’m not sure if this is Paul’s first journey into young adult, but this man knows how to do it! This was horrifying creepy, regardless of age, yet not so spooky that your young ones will be up all night. Thoroughly enjoyed this!

Tremblay is one of my favorite contemporary horror writers and I could never pass up the chance to read some of his new work. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this middle-grade horror story. The premise was clever, creepy, and filled with some horrendous imagery that I will never unsee. And, as with any solid book, regardless of its target demographic, it had themes I could easily relate to.

Thank you, Netgalley, for the ARC!

I was raised on Goosebumps and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, eventually leading to Fear Street, and Christopher Pike books. Which is to say, middle grade horror is my guilty pleasure.

I was surprised to see this from Paul Tremblay and was so excited to be approved for the e-ARC. I really loved the story, and truly believe other middle grade readers will enjoy it, as well. The book was well-paced and creepy. It's definitely reminiscent of Goosebumps, and reminds me of like a ya version of Hitchcock Presents. This is a homerun from Paul Tremblay.

I inhaled this book. I read it over two days and just couldn't put it down. It is not my first Paul Tremblay book, but it is hist first young adult book. I think he hit it out of the park. I already knew he could do creepy. I was a big fan of Cabin at the End of the world. I was very surprised by the depth and inspiration of this book. It happens near the tail end of the pandemic and really paints a picture of how kids struggled with virtual learning. I know in real life it was a struggle for many, including my own kids. Kids were bored and lonely and so many fell behind. This sets the stage for a great twisty read that i didn't know how it would end. I love the creepiness, but compared to his others books there was very little violence. I think it would be appropriate for a young adult. The character in the book is in middle school and that fits very well. however, I think the target audience would be a little older, perhaps late high school. It is a smart book with great characters and plot. I highly recommend it.

I wasn’t aware that this was a youth novel, however I did really enjoy it! Something 12 year old me would’ve devoured, dark and creepy from beginning to end.

Middle Grade Spore-ror! Where have you been all my life?!

This book was so creepy and I loved every moment of it. The story was was a wild, horror filled rollercoaster with some uniquely unsettling scenes. The tension and anxiety I felt while reading this one is unparalleled- I found myself flying through pages unable to put the story down- I had to know what was going to happen. I will never look at a phone, or a mushroom the same way ever again. This book was so much to read.

Interesting in premise, I found the writing to be hard to follow and I was not a fan of the main character. there were one or two supporting characters that stood out to me but all in all, one that I will not revisit.

My 5th grade students will be producing a class generated review to come soon :) They have been very invested in this storyline and are more than excited to give this book an honest review!

Nightmare fuel

The pandemic really did a number on us all, particularly children, and poor Casey is one more of many, but his story is quite unique. The isolation, among other incidents, had our MC Casey suffering with anxiety and no longer feeling he had a connection with his peers, especially after the "zoom incident." One day, his parents have had a friend come over for a sleepover, except.. he doesn't know who this is. Things start getting more and more weird, and something just isn't right with his new pal.

First of all, sir, this is children's fiction. Why is my 36 year old self so frigging creeped out!

The eeriness and creeping dread with this fast read was uncanny! The frustration and confusion Casey felt as well as his feelings of isolation and trying to make connections even though his inner warning lights kept going off. Morel of the story was, always trust your gut.

This was an exquisite, fast, horrorful read for children and adults alike. Felt like a modern Goosebumps with extra creepiness sprinkled in.

I would love to thank NetGalley and HarperCollins for the opportunity to read and review this e-book ARC.

I really enjoyed this! I've been looking forward to this book for a long time and I'm so excited I got approved for the ARC. I am a big fan of Paul Tremblay and this is a great middle grade horror book. It reminded me a lot of Goosebumps. This book taps into childhood fears and I really enjoyed the backdrop of the pandemic and zoom adding to a new generation's fear. It made the story feel more relatable to kids today.

Paul Tremblay is an absolute master of adult horror and I was very interested in seeing what he was going to do with the boundaries of a middle grade novel. Well, he absolutely hit it out of the park with this one because it is one of the best middle grade horror books I’ve read in years.

Tremblay taps into the core fears that all kids have. Someone taking their agency away, their parents being powerless, unable or unwilling to save them, and ultimately of being replaced and forgotten.

This book starts off so gloriously mysterious and it doesn’t let up until the very end. As I read I enjoyed it both on the level of a reader that is just enthralled with a great story, as well as a teacher knowing this book is going to be a favorite of my students.

Tremblay is one of my favorite writers and he shows here again why, with an emotionally resonant, scary story that I read in one sitting.

Big fan of the author, a bit wary of this foray into young adult lit. No need to worry- the Tremblay I'm a fan of was present on every page- no punches pulled, nothing dumbed-down for younger readers. Also, had a Bodysnatchers/ reverse-Coraline thing that was rather ingenious. I got a lot out of it- I would imagine middle-sch0olers would as well.

I really, really liked this. I also can’t wait to suggest it to every one of my students. As a middle school teacher, I feel like I can normally tell when my students won’t connect to a main character because they’ve so clearly been written by a grown up. Casey feels like a middle schooler and I mean that as the highest compliment.

I have been a fan of some of Tremblay's adult books but others were definitely not for me. I was wondering how much I would like his middle grade work and I have to say that I loved it. It might have been my 2nd favorite of all the books of his that I have read so far. I think he does a great job bringing in the creep and dread factor. It deals with topics that are relevant to middle graders but also universal feelings and situations that we all face about belonging, isolation and loneliness. I really liked this one!

What a fun and thrilling middle grade story. It’s always refreshing when an adult author is able to transition their storytelling to younger audiences. This was very reminiscent of stories I would have wanted to read as a child. I also like the personal struggles that Casey dealt with and had to overcome. I think a lot of kids could relate to this story of lost identity and having to find themselves again.

Thank you PaulTremblay for “Another” book that I could not put down. I was completely absorbed in this tale of accepting a gift from a stranger, mind metamorphosis, a scary telephone, insidious pollen and a doppelgänger. I thought I’d take a short reading break…..and ended up reading this
Do not trust the stranger who bring you presents — they could very well be playing a trick. Casey is a lonely friendless boy and he is gifted with a friend….a boy made of clay who becomes more and more like a real boy as days go by. To avoid a spoiler I’ll just say that even those that you think are wicked may prove you wrong.
Big thanks for,#netgalley for allowing me to read and review #Another by #PaulTremblay.