This book was enjoyable and easy to devour. I felt it was a thriller mixed with horror with amazing written detail that you could actually see and hear/feel if you closed your eyes. I loved the premise of the book, though I did have a feeling that pharma/government was involved in some way or another. I loved how his time across seas in the army connected with the story as well. I will definitely recommend this book to my thriller / horror readers!!

WYM you didn't want a creature feature? No, it is NOT the Mothman... BUT! hehe, we are kind of close.

"This whole goddamned place is cursed."

Thank you, Netgalley and SNE Horror Llc, for the Advanced Copy to review!
You know, I sometimes have to be pivot in horror to view it from a different perspective. I didn't have to do this here. J.J. Alo has a very interesting take on horror, specifically within the Creature Feature portion of the genre. This is really well done, and exceeded my expectations. Starting at the cover, which will end up drawing you in, you are immediately unsettled from setting to storyline. You have gruesome murders, followed by the introduction of a very troubled MMC, whom has a few bad qualities and issues stemming from past trauma. These issues wreak havoc in his personal life, and fully come to fruition when some of the neighbors go missing and the mystery as to why starts to unravel. In addition to an army of cats sitting sentinel to witness the unraveling of this neighborhood, which is seemingly becoming abandoned, and a monster lurking in the woods, The Street Between the Pines is unraveling and so is Curtis.

"It invaded his brain like a freshwater parasite, slowly feeding on cell tissue, disrupting his neural network. Incorruptible, until there was nothing left."

"Looking back at the creature, he realized they shared commonalities. He, too, had been created, so to speak, to kill--had killed, indiscriminately and without remorse. Maybe he was an abomination. But he imagined this thing must feel scared, alone, mostly confused..."


I really enjoyed the blending of elements in this story. You can tell J.J. Alo is a fan of the genre, because there is homage and inspiration layered in each portion of the plot. Curtis gives off a little bit of an Ash Williams vibe, and he is the only thing standing in between this mysterious monster and the safety of himself, his family and his neighborhood. Let's just hope he can get past his own demons in order to save everyone. I only have a few criticisms and they relate to the pacing of the story. At certain points, it feels a little draggy due to, what I feel like is, too much filler. If we cut out a bit of the excess meat, so to speak, it could be a quick paced and action-filled horror novella that would really rip your throat out -- but that's just my opinion and I loved it nonetheless! Lets be honest -- at the end of the day, aren't we all just a little misunderstood?

"And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul..."

I really enjoyed reading this book, it had that horror element that I wanted and enjoyed about the genre. It uses the psychological element that I was hoping for in a New England horror novel. The characters were everything that I was looking for and enjoyed the overall feel of this, the characters worked well in this universe and was invested in the world.

This book was a pleasant surprise.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, as it was a quick read and a good time.

Street Between the Pines" by JJ Alo is a gripping and atmospheric horror story that definitely delivers on the scares. The plot is well-paced, and the character development is a strong point, allowing you to become invested in their fates as they navigate the increasingly terrifying events. The author doesn't shy away from the gory details, which adds to the palpable sense of dread.

However, I did find some of the depictions of female characters to be jarring. The trope of women being portrayed as either morbidly obese or constantly yelling in curlers felt stereotypical and unnecessary, detracting from the otherwise well-crafted narrative. While I understand the need to establish certain character traits, the reliance on these particular tropes felt outdated and somewhat distracting.

Despite this, the overall story, the chilling atmosphere, and the effective scares earn "The Street Between the Pines" a solid four stars. If you're a fan of horror that doesn't hold back, this book is worth a read, just be prepared for some potentially problematic character portrayals.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Rating: 3 Stars
Spice Rating: 0
Publish Date: March 14th 2023
Will I purchase a physical copy? Possibly.

I want to first start out saying this was well written, I do have mixed feelings on the book if you like creatures in your thriller books I would recommend. I figured out the final twist pretty early on and I think it was a little to descriptive but overall an enjoyable read.

The Street Between the Pines by J.J. Alo presents a charming, nostalgic tale that blends elements of small-town life and mystery. The atmosphere is cozy and evocative, capturing the feeling of a place that’s both familiar and full of secrets. Alo’s writing is engaging, and the descriptions of the town and its characters are vivid, making it easy to imagine yourself walking down the street between the pines.

While the premise is promising, the pacing can feel uneven at times, and the plot unfolds a bit slowly. Some readers might find themselves longing for more depth in the characters and the mystery itself, as the story doesn’t delve as deeply into its potential twists and turns as it could have. Despite these issues, the book has its moments of warmth and intrigue, making it a pleasant read for fans of small-town mysteries with a nostalgic feel.

Overall, The Street Between the Pines is an enjoyable, light read that offers an atmospheric glimpse into a town full of secrets. It’s not the most gripping mystery, but it’s still a pleasant way to spend an afternoon.

The Street Between the Pines by J.J. Allo

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


I am very impressed with this book, considering this is the author’s debut.. and it was this well crafted.. I will surely reach whatever else he puts out.

The author has beautifully weaved a complex story in this horror book, and that honestly rarely happens. These characters are real, fully fleshed out, and you understand and can empathize with their experiences. I can understand after reading this book why the blurbs had Stephen King comparisons! His writing, much like King’s is a true character study! He is very intentional with every detail that he has added to the book.

This book was like peeling back the layers of an onion. There is so much going on as we follow Curtis, a hard working father with a unsavory past, that is trying his best just to stay strong and stay afloat while things just keep happening around him, whether it’s from exterior forces or the ghosts in his own head. He is a combat veteran that is still trying to deal with PTSD, and the description in the book is tragically beautiful. In his home life, strange things are happening in his neighborhood, which sends him down one spiral after another to try to understand and save his family.

The gore in this book was great, the pacing was great, it was a very character driven horror, so if that’s up your alley, definitely check this out!

Unfortunately this book wasn’t for me. It was overly descriptive in parts and seemed too much detail for me—how many gallons of this and that, it doesn’t matter to me. I’m sorry, I wanted to love this especially with that cover!

This was a fun thriller/supernatural read, and I was impressed for how well it was written as a debut.

I had a heck of a time figuring out where this story was headed up until 80% of the way through, but I was glad to see how well the plot wrapped up. There was a lot of supernatural elements mixed with urban mythology which was a well-done combo for this book and its urban-ish setting

Both the internal and external dialogue were unique and honestly quite fun to read through. I felt that it brough a level of real emotion to a genre that typically focuses more on plot than characters. I noticed some character development, not as much as most books but more than I was expecting for the genre as a whole.

"Street Between the Pines," a horror novel, presents an intriguing premise, hinting at a potentially unsettling atmosphere. Unfortunately, the execution fell short of its promise for me. While the author clearly aimed for a sense of dread and mystery, I struggled to connect with the characters, which ultimately hindered my investment in the story.

One of the main issues I encountered was the character development. I found it difficult to empathize with their motivations or understand their reactions to the increasingly strange events unfolding around them. This lack of connection made it challenging to feel genuine fear or suspense. Additionally, some of the conversations felt forced and, at times, even annoying. Dialogue should enhance the story, but in this case, it often felt like a distraction, pulling me out of the narrative.

Despite these criticisms, I do see potential in the core concept of "Street Between the Pines." The setting and the hints of a lurking, unseen threat are promising, and with some revisions, this story could truly deliver on its horror potential. I believe that a deeper exploration of the characters' backstories and a more refined approach to dialogue would significantly improve the overall impact.

Ultimately, while "Street Between the Pines" didn't fully resonate with me, it's not without its merits. I would recommend it with caution to readers who are particularly drawn to atmospheric horror, but I would also advise them to be prepared for some frustrating moments. This book feels like a first draft that needs a little more polish to reach its full potential.

I really enjoyed The Street Between the Pines. From someone who is not a big reader I found it an easy read. I found the pacing of the story perfect as there was always something going on but not too much to make it confusing. I also liked how there weren't to many characters.
For myself it was a really good read, and I would be interested in reading other books by this author in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC.

.J. Alo's The Street Between the Pines is a compelling fusion of horror, psychological thriller, and science fiction, set against the eerie backdrop of Hock Island, Connecticut. The narrative centers on Curtis Reynolds, a Gulf War veteran grappling with PTSD and a manslaughter conviction, who returns home to confront not only personal demons but also a series of mysterious and gruesome events plaguing his community.

Alo masterfully intertwines elements of suspense and horror, creating an atmosphere thick with tension. The novel delves deep into themes of trauma, redemption, and the blurred lines between reality and nightmare. As Curtis navigates his troubled past and the enigmatic occurrences on Forest Street, readers are drawn into a labyrinth of secrets and existential dread.

The Street Between the Pines is not just a tale of terror but also a profound exploration of the human psyche and the monsters that lurk within and around us. Alo's evocative storytelling and complex character development make this novel a standout in contemporary horror literature.

I’m sad to say this book was not for me.

The synopsis was great, and combined with that fantastic cover art, it really made me want to read the book.

Sadly, the writing style didn’t work for me. There was way too much detail about the most mundane things (do I care how many gallons Curtis’s rubbish bin is? No, I do not, especially when there are four pages detailing how he’s cleaning his garden up.) Some sentences I had to read twice (or more) because I couldn’t make them make sense. In some cases I thought the word choices were unusual, as though the author had gone through with a thesaurus, replacing perfectly serviceable words with words they felt were more ‘impressive’.
The dialogue felt unnatural; it didn’t flow in the way you would expect people to actually speak.

I skimmed over huge amounts of this to get to the creature feature parts. Ultimately, though, it was just a slog and not an enjoyable reading experience for me.

This book had some interesting elements. It also drug in a few places. It was unique in what was taking place. I don’t want to give anything away. The descriptions were decent.

Thank you Netgalley, J J Alo and SNE Horror Llc | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles for the eArc of The Street Between the Pines.

This is a slow burn psychological thriller with a creature feature horror element. J J Alo struck a nice balance between the elements of horror, mystery but felt that it fell a little flat on the psychological elements for me. The pacing of this book was good and consistent and our characters were well fleshed out. I really did enjoy this book but I do feel that something was missing but can't put my finger on it.

3 stars

A wild ride of a psychological thriller. It had me on the edge of my seat throughout the book. Really enjoyed reading it. Writing style was great and kept me intrigued

I love 80s horror movies and generally the macabre as well, so when I was given the opportunity to read The Street Between the Pines, I was excited to find that J.J. Also incorporated exactly that into his story. It was a nostalgic ride through many different aspects including slasher films, creature films, and references to being a kid in the 80’s and 90’s. The characters were raw and multi-layered which gave more to the story. The imagery was unique and painted the idea of what a Southern New England Horror story would include. Many twists and turns and interesting surprises abound. If you’re a fan of all the above, Stranger Things, and/or cats, you’re going to love this book. I look forward to reading more from this author!

A pretty good creature feature.

I have mixed feelings about this story. Firstly I'll point out the good stuff.
The creature feature parts of this were an absolute treat. They were both written well and also paced nicely. Giving just enough detail without revealing the true identity of the creature. The author's writing was concise and extremely descriptive throughout, but here lies what has led me to only award 3 stars.
I felt that the story got kinda buried under lots of unnecessary backstories for each of the characters. I'm talking pages on pages explaining about a relationship or how someone felt. It's unfortunate because other than this it would've been a much more complete novel.
Unfortunately, the devil did live in the detail.

This was well done, but not for me. The detail and writing was good. The horror scenes were very detailed and exciting. The pace of the story was a little slow for me, but it was clearly done to build suspense. I also didn't care for the type of "monsters" (to not give it away). Like I said it was not in my wheelhouse, but may be a good first for others.