This book does need some trigger warnings.

I think the narration was very well done. Well written to be 'read' in the form of an audio book. Sometimes I did have a little confusion with the switching in characters, but it was easily sorted out.

Parts of this book had me scared. Other parts had me questioning and confused (but in a good way, because I thought surely I had it figured out. But no, of course I didn't). Interesting twists leading to an ending I wasn't expecting.

Actual Rating 2.5

This one was a bit odd and is certainly more enjoyable if you don’t think about it too much. Don’t think about why an adult woman who is a child psychologist acts so naïve and clueless. Or why the same child psychologist spends most of her time talking to everyone but the child. Don’t think about why the ending is so predictable because every single thing that happens is pushing in that single direction. Don’t think about why the first half of the book feels like a completely different book than the second half.

Part of what lessened my enjoyment was the direction that the author chose for the antagonist/final solution. Personally, it just feels like a trope that’s been used so much in recent years that I was hoping for something more unique or interesting, a break from the standard. I was also hoping it would take a more supernatural turn and that more would come from that aspect at the end. I wanted so much more from the witch aspect, which had started off quite strong in the first portion of the work.

I quite liked the beginning of this one, but the aspects I liked and the tension/atmosphere quickly became lost as the book went on. My thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review

This book had a really interesting premise. I thought the author did a great job creating a creepy, chilling atmosphere. I liked the supernatural vibes throughout. I thought the pacing of the story was good, I didn't feel like there were any points where I was bored, but I was also not really on the edge of my seat. I think with this one I wanted just a little more. I thought the ending was good, with some really interesting plot twists that I enjoyed. Overall a good read, with a really great narrator on the audiobook.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy!

It wasn't a bad book, but it didn't capture me. I just didn't connect with the characters that much and never felt invested in the plot.

Insane! At no point did I even begin to guess what was going to happen in this book. The way everything ties together in the end is seamless. Such a good and atmospheric novel.

This is probably one of the creepiest books I’ve ever read. The story is scary and the audiobook narration by Ana Clements makes it almost unbearable. When the spooky, allegedly possessed girl speaks of the witch in the walls, Clements whispers in a way that my skin wasn’t just crawling, but taking off running! And the plot? What starts off as a solid scary story keeps turning the screws until the tension turns it into a horrific nightmare. I had no idea what was going on. Was Alice really possessed by a supernatural entity? Was there human agency behind it? The dynamics between child psychologist Mina and journalist Sam worked well, and I was invested in their story. But it was the town of Banathel that stole the show, in my opinion. The feeling of dread pervades the village and all its buildings, and the inhabitants are so well drawn and completely fleshed out that they seem real. Again, Ana Clements aces the audiobook performances, giving each of these characters their own voice. Highly recommended.
I chose to listen to this audiobook and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Macmillan Audio.

Review of Something in the Walls by Daisy Pearce

Daisy Pearce’s Something in the Walls is a masterful blend of psychological tension, folklore, and creeping horror that will grip you from the first page. Following Mina, a fledgling psychologist thrust into the unsettling world of a superstitious village, the novel skillfully balances an eerie atmosphere with Mina’s deeply personal struggles. The haunting setting of Banathel, steeped in sinister traditions, becomes a character in its own right, amplifying the suspense as Mina confronts both the town’s mysteries and her own haunting past.

Alice, the young girl at the center of the mystery, is an enigma whose chilling behavior keeps readers guessing—is she truly haunted, or is something far darker at play?

This is an unnervingly tense read that unravels at just the right pace, delivering twists that linger long after you close the book. Perfect for readers who crave intelligent and atmospheric thrillers.

Thank you Daisy Pearce, St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

DAMMMMMNNNN. This book is one of the best creepy/thrillers I've read in a long time. It hooked me immediately and kept me guessing the whole way. The old school spooky horror was chefs kiss. Loved it.

Looking for her first real paid experience after graduating school, child psychologist Mina teams up with Sam Webber, a reporter looking for an expert to help with a story. Traveling to a remote village, Sam introduces Mina to Alice Webber, a thirteen-year-old girl allegedly being haunted by a witch. Staying with the girl's family, the stakes are high for everyone-- Sam wants a breakout story, Mina wants a case to jump start her career, and Alice wants to be free of her supernatural tormentor.

This one had tons of potential, and I really enjoyed listening to it. There were some characters (like Mina's husband and Alice's dad) that I really disliked, but most of the story focuses on Sam, Mina and Alice and they were a very interesting crew, I liked the way their very different lives intersected in this case. I never really felt like this story got creepy to the level of 'The Haunting of Hill House' as suggested in the blurb, but I do think it got close, provided some creepy situation and made a good story. I would definitely try more from this author!

Ughhhhh... This one had SO much potential! Ok, so it's a psychological thriller with paranormal elements, which could have been scary. It started out strong, it's definitely atmospheric and had its creepy moments, but it just didn't really work for me. Yes, it's far fetched and requires that you suspend disbelief, but that wasn't even what bothered me. What got me was how fast the story slowed WAY down. Overall, it wasn't my favorite. Huge thanks to NetGalley, Daisy Pearce, and MacMillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

3.5⭐️
Thank you MacMillan Audio for the ALC!
The narrator did a great job with voicing all of the characters.
🖤Witchy/Paranormal
🖤Set in 1989
🖤Small Town
This was a creepy, atmospheric and witchy read. It was a bit slow at times and I’m not sure how I feel about the ending. I still have questions! But it still was a wild ride and I absolutely love witchy style books.

4 stars for the audiobook, 3 stars for the story.

Set in the 1980s, the unlikely duo of Mina, a recently graduated child psychologist, and Sam, a journalist, are brought together in a grief group. When Sam is drawn into the case of a potential possession/haunting of a young girl named Alice, he convinces Mina to join him to see if she can offer any help or insight.

This is a tough one to review because the story is a strange mash-up of horror and domestic thriller, which didn't ultimately work for me. Sam and Mina are drawn to this case because Alice claims she can speak with the dead, and they both hope to connect with lost loved ones. This takes a back seat in the beginning while much of the focus is on the very creepy experiences Alice has, which I truly found quite scary. When the story then shifts into a formulaic thriller, that most will be able to quickly figure out, I wasn't quite sure what the point of the whole haunting element was. The ending then involves some truly gross scenes that feel a little gratuitous and tiresome, while leaving a bunch of story elements unanswered.

It must be said that the audiobook production is fantastic, and the narrator, Ana Clements, is truly the reason why I ended up finishing this in the end. I will gladly seek out other books she has performed in the future.

While this didn't work for me, it will probably be best enjoyed by anyone interested in stories of horror, witches, and mass hysteria.

3.25⭐️

I wanted to like this book so badly! And it started off great! Unfortunately it quickly unravels and the story becomes very disconnected. There is a ton of content that has little point in forwarding the plot. It’s seems like it was written simple to try to make it “scary” , which to me wasn’t successful.

I am thankful to have gotten the audio ALC for free from Netgalley and Macmillan Audio to enjoy which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

So with that I’m going to focus on the audio narration. The narrator Ana Clement’s does a fine job however she speaks awfully slow. I needed to speed it up to 1.5x speed to make it listenable. I don’t feel the narration helped or hindered the story. I enjoyed the British accent.

This title comes out February 25 2025. It may be the right book for you if you enjoy psychological horror and the paranormal.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

Something in the Walls was ok. The story line was so far fetched that it wasn’t a realistic story. The characters were good but the story was just ok.

This book is weird and I love weird. Mina is a child psychologist who comes to work with a teen named Alice. Alice is a mess but as the story goes on we learn why. I loved the terms she used to describe potential things going on with Alice and I loved the unveiling of the mystery. The narration was wonderful!

I loved that this one is atmospheric and enjoyed the spooky witchy elements. The superstitions and small town mystery was enjoyable to read about and there are some truly unsettling scenes which I liked! The descriptions of the witch in the walls were great. For some reason, I couldn't seem to get fully attached to the characters, which did create a bit of a disconnect for me. Overall, I liked it! 3.5/5 stars rounded up to 4 for this review.

I wanted to like this one, but it ended up being too slow-paced for me. I flew through the first 60% in one sitting, but the last 40% really dragged. Even though it’s being marketed as a thriller, it felt more like folk horror to me.

My only other complaint was the narrator’s voice—it sounded like an elderly woman, even though the main character is supposed to be freshly out of grad school. That might just be me being picky, though!

I think some people will really enjoy this one, but unfortunately, it just wasn’t for me!

I really enjoyed this. I listened to the audiobook and the author was great, easy to listen to. This was well-written and multilayered! I felt like the characters were engaging and easy to follow, while being realistic. I enjoyed the suspense being built with the heat wave, poverty, and superstitions. Good read with an unpredictable ending.

This one really missed the mark for me. I was looking forward to it, but the characters felt unrealistic and the plot didn't hold my attention. While the setting was appealing, it wasn't enough to make up for the shortcomings of the story. Overall, it was quite a letdown.

Huge thank you to Macmillan Audio for the gifted audiobook.

Wow- that was a lot! I didn't read the synopsis before diving into this one, so I had no idea what to expect other than what the cover and title led me to believe so I was in for some surprises! I don't know why the cover led me to believe this would be a domestic thriller with someone hiding in someone's walls, but I was thrown for a major loop!

I probably wouldn't have picked this one up had I actually read the synopsis, since witches aren't something that I enjoy reading about typically. That being said, I don't regret reading it, so maybe the cover choice was a great one since it lured me in.

I was hooked right away and very invested in the life/story of the main character and child psychologist, Mina. She was such a unique character, and I had absolutely NO idea where this was going. It definitely surprised me, creeped me out, and had me on the edge of my seat!

I don't want to say much more since I think a lot of the appeal will be the element of surprise in this one.

The audiobook was narrated by one narrator, Ana Clements and she did a wonderful job!

If you're a fan of spooky/witchy reads this one may be for you.