I’m usually a fan of this author’s books, but I just don’t enjoy books that deal with the supernatural. If you like this sort of scary book that delves into the supernatural world, you’ll probably enjoy this one.

Let me start off by saying "I love J.D. Barker." After reading "Something I Keep Upstairs" I still love his work. This one was scary. I didn't know what was coming next. I did like the characters and I think that's why I was sucked in right from the beginning.

Something I Keep Upstairs | ARC review✨

Blurb:
For a haunted house to be born, somebody has to die.

In the sleepy coastal town of New Castle, New Hampshire, seventeen-year-old Billy Hasler’s life is about to take a terrifying turn. When his best friend David Spivey inherits a mysterious house on a nearby island, it seems like the perfect place to spend their final summer before heading off to college. No parents. No police. No responsibilities.

As they dig into the island’s dark past, they awaken an ancient evil that has influenced generations. What begins as an innocent summer adventure quickly descends into a nightmare.

My 💭
This one left me feeling uneasy the whole book. I didn’t really identify with any of the characters, but as a whole, I think this was a solid storyline with good creepy elements. The house itself was basically a character in the story, which I found to be a unique aspect that really made the book creepier.

I read this because I loved JD Barker’s The Fourth Monkey series. This was different from that but still quite good!

Four stars from me⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you @netgalley for the chance to read and review this ahead of time!

This releases May 13, 2025📖

Something I Keep Upstairs by J.D. Barker. A chilling, haunted house ghost story filled with dread and supernatural elements. Slowing building with ever increasing terror this mystery is good read for horror fans. Who or What is Emerson Author's notes at the end offers a new dimension to the story.
Thank you to the author, Hampton Creek Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

A house on an island in New Hampshire, a group of teenagers, a creepy lawyer, and horror/supernatural elements.
I felt that certain descriptions in this book around a specific character reminded me of Joe Hill’s NOS4A2- which I really liked!
But… this kind of dragged on and on.
I felt like this could have been so much better if it wasn’t so long- the last 25% off the book took me forever to finish reading.
I did appreciate the author’s note regarding his inspiration for the characters/setting.
I rated ⭐️⭐️⭐️ -but do plan to read another book by this author. I did enjoy the atmospheric writing style and would like to see what else this author has to offer.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

This book creeped me out in the best way! From the start, Something I Keep Upstairs pulls you into that classic “one last summer” vibe—freedom, adventure, no responsibilities…until things take a seriously dark turn.

Billy and David’s friendship felt so real and relatable, which made their descent into horror even more intense. The island setting was eerie and atmospheric, almost like a character itself. The way the author built suspense had me constantly on edge, flipping pages way past bedtime.

The only reason I’m giving this four stars instead of five is that some moments dragged just a little, and I wanted even more answers about the island’s history. But overall, this is the kind of haunted house story that lingers in your mind long after you turn the last page. A must-read for horror fans who love slow-building dread and deep, unsettling mysteries.

When spivey's grandma passes and leaves him an island that's been in her family for generations, he and his best friend Billy feel they've won the lottery. With the summer before their senior year just ahead, they begin planning their days filled with partying with their friends, girls, and enjoying being teens. When weird things begin to happen to spivey, Billy, and their group of friends, it becomes obvious that the island is hiding a secret. A secret that has been going on since way before their time. A secret once revealed ties their whole town together and might be the end to them all.

WHAT AN AMAZING READ! the first 5 star review I've ever given. This book had me going from the first chapter. It had the nice slow incline line a roller coaster, and BOY that feeling when you go over the first bump, only to find out this roller coaster has several more climaxes! The book was easy to follow with a plot I didn't see coming, and had me on the edge of my seat until the very end. Thank you so much for letting me read this book!

Couldn’t finish this one. Tried my best to finish since I love Most J.D Barker books but this one was not it for me. There was a lot going on and a lot of fluff throughout the entire book really dragging it out. About halfway I thought The book was picking up but it became more supernatural which just is not for me.

Disappointing!

I’ve been a big fan of all of J.D. Barker’s standalone books, and anticipated being a big fan of his upcoming new book, Something I Keep Upstairs, as well. Sadly, after finishing ii this came to a halt, making it a book I cannot recommend.

My primary reasons for being disappointed are as follows: (1) unusual for a book by J.D. Barker, the characters were thinly developed causing me to not be able to like or relate to them very much; (2) again atypical of Barker’s books whose plots move at a fast, hard-to-put down pace, the pace of this book didn’t pick until over one-third of the way into it, and moved in “fits and starts” once it did. That is, while the book has some good plot twists and surprises, for me they were “too few, too late” to keep me engrossed in the for long periods of time; (3), Particularly annoying is that several of its strange, eerie “goings on” were confusing and too difficult to keep track of; causing me at times to not care much about the outcome of these activities; and, (4) Something I Keep Upstairs is an example of “less is more”, in that it could have benefited from editing that eliminated about 50 pages of its length.

#Something I Keep Upstairs #Net Galley

I was intrigued by J.D. Barker’s Something I Keep Upstairs, However sadly it was not to my liking. I found it a long and hard read, with a lot of characters, of which I couldn't connect with. In it's defence I'm not normally into the supernatural, so this may have some basis for my opinion.

Whilst there were some good twists and turns, it really wasn't a page turner for me.

Thank you for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book and I apologise for not being more thorough on my review of the storyline - I don't think I could give it a just overview.

This is my first book from JD Barker and WOW!!!! IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT! kept me guessing with a hint of creepy vibes, but nothing too scary. Five stars!! What a great read!

Oh my gosh I loved this book and couldn't put it down! What a good mystery thriller that kept me guessing till the end. The characters were engaging and I just really enjoyed the book. Didn't see the ending coming. Would love to go and stay at the house!

I was beyond thrilled to get my hands on this as an ARC read, and JD Barker completely blew me away with this one! I went in expecting a solid haunted house story, but what I got was so much more. This book isn’t just a haunted house story; that’s only the tip of the iceberg. The deeper you go, the more twisted, mind-bending, and absolutely gripping it becomes.

Barker’s writing is nothing short of phenomenal. He knows exactly how to hook you from the start and doesn’t let go, weaving together spine-chilling horror with the kind of thriller elements that keep you on edge the entire time. The twists, the turns... this book kept me guessing until the very last page.

I already knew Barker was a brilliant thriller writer from The Fourth Monkey, but after reading this? I think horror might just be where he shines the brightest. I truly hope he continues down this path because I need more of this from him. Without a doubt, this book has earned a spot in my top 10, and I can’t wait to see what he does next!

My first read by J.D Barker and Wow! I will definitely be keeping an eye out for more!

What would you do for anything you could dream of?

Something I keep upstairs is definitely something that will keep you up! It was the perfect blend of YA and horror! I loved the sprinkling of actual real history in the story.

The switch between narrators kept you on the edge of your seat but then you’d be so hooked you didn’t want to switch back. There were twists and turns, some of which I never saw coming,

Overall I would say perfect gothic atmosphere, compelling storyline to keep you up, and moral dilemmas that made you question what would you do?

Overall I would give this a 4/5, with some parts being abit more slow and quite confusing until it’s all wrapped up.

Don’t forget to feed Emerson

I requested this book not realizing that it was a supernatural type of book. People who read these type of books may enjoy it more than I had.
The plot of the book wasn’t all that bad and the twists were definitely interesting. I do feel that it was a little drawn out.

Something I keep upstairs was a lot different then any other novel I have read by JD Barker, and I have read most of them. This book is YA which is not my favorite so I will start with that. I am used to his books being fast paced and a lot of action this was a slow burn, but did have intrigue that kept me reading. There were parts that I found myself skimming and wanting to get to the next part. This book did had an interesting paranormal aspect, overall it was good, just not as great as his other novels.

This haunting exploration delves deep into the complexities of friendship and sacrifice, revealing the darkness that often lurks beneath the surface.
Barker masterfully crafts a narrative that keeps you on the edge of your seat, drawing you into a world where loyalty is tested and shadows threaten to consume the light. The characters are richly developed, making their struggles and triumphs feel personal and relatable. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys psychological thrillers with emotional depth. Don’t miss out on this chilling journey

This is a really spine-chilling read with such classic elements of horror stories as a haunted house, the occult and local gossips about a house's past. It really is rather scary, even for a horror story buff like me.

Thank you for the ARC copy of this book. I really enjoyed it and rate it 4/5 stars.

This book is set in a small coastal New England town. A group of high school students get pulled into a centuries old bargain with a haunted house. The story is told from the view points of 17 year old Billy and the chief of police Whaley who is in his late 30’s or early 40’s. Billy’s best friend inherits an old house on an island of granite from his grandmother. There are rules he must strictly follow in order to keep ownership of the house. If you follow the rules and take care of the house the house will take care of you. If you break the rules someone must pay. This is not usually a POV that I can connect with but I actually really enjoyed it. I loved the dark and mysterious nature of the story. Yes, there is sort of a murder mystery element but for the most part I would classify this as a horror. The paranormal and occult elements fit the story line perfectly.

JD Barker is an author I love to read, however, this book was a little different than what I had read before. But I thoroughly enjoyed it!

This was a dark and chilling story of evil. As the story progressed it gripped me more and more and I could not read fast enough to get to what was happening. I told a friend of mine this book was so good it felt as though I was watching a movie, that is how detailed and good it was. This made my heart race and I felt like I was so caught up in the story of Billy, Spivy, Chief Whaley and the rest of the characters. This was a great story with some twists and horror. I enjoyed it immensely and cannot wait until it is published so I can buy a copy.