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tangiblereads's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I received The Night Guest as a #netgalleyarc and enjoyed it. The frivolous pink cover seems almost like a joke when you read the book. The layout with extremely short chapters, including one with one sentence, seemed like a space filler. I didn't like that. And the story itself ends at 90% which I don't like either. Although the ending is odd and the main character could have made better decisions to help herself, the story was somewhat predictable and I was entertained. It was eerie, kinda creepy, raunchy at times, and fun. Definitely unique. I especially liked the commentary about how female concerns are never taken seriously and females are expected to make others comfortable. I can relate.
mel_c_bell's review
5.0
An absolute masterpiece of feminine rage 🤌🏼 ! Or maybe feminine frustration is a better description.
I read this in about two hours. I could not put it down.
What do you do when you can't even trust yourself? Self-medicate, exercise, be impulsive, work harder... 🤷🏻♀️
There is so much story packed into this little novella; many of the chapters are only one sentence, but the impact is strong. I enjoyed the writing style and how the narration barely starts to bleed with stream-of-consciousness in parts. You feel like you are spiraling with the MC for a few pages and then settling again. It's a real rollercoaster.
Side note: I was so invested in the neighborhood cats.
I read this in about two hours. I could not put it down.
What do you do when you can't even trust yourself? Self-medicate, exercise, be impulsive, work harder... 🤷🏻♀️
There is so much story packed into this little novella; many of the chapters are only one sentence, but the impact is strong. I enjoyed the writing style and how the narration barely starts to bleed with stream-of-consciousness in parts. You feel like you are spiraling with the MC for a few pages and then settling again. It's a real rollercoaster.
Side note: I was so invested in the neighborhood cats.
isaiahh's review
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
The Night Guest was a wild ride of a book! It's short, but it definitely packs a punch.
We follow Iðunn as she wakes up everyday exhausted, no matter what she tries (exercising, eating more, taking vitamins or sleeping pills,...). There's seemingly nothing wrong with her, but after she buys a smart watch and realises she walked 40,000 steps during the night, everything goes downhill. She wakes up sore and with bruises, or with her fingernails ruined and bloody; and she is desperate to understand what is happening to her.
Keeping a brisk pace and told through an unreliable and somewhat detached voice, this is almost a perfect short horror book. I personally thought it suffered from being a tad too short (though I had no problem with the one line chapters-they built the tension wonderfully), I would have liked some more character development; and the ending did nothing for me. I like open endings, but only to a certain point, and this one was past it.
All in all, though, a great quick read if you want some good psychological horror!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc of The Night Guest in exchange for a review.
We follow Iðunn as she wakes up everyday exhausted, no matter what she tries (exercising, eating more, taking vitamins or sleeping pills,...). There's seemingly nothing wrong with her, but after she buys a smart watch and realises she walked 40,000 steps during the night, everything goes downhill. She wakes up sore and with bruises, or with her fingernails ruined and bloody; and she is desperate to understand what is happening to her.
Keeping a brisk pace and told through an unreliable and somewhat detached voice, this is almost a perfect short horror book. I personally thought it suffered from being a tad too short (though I had no problem with the one line chapters-they built the tension wonderfully), I would have liked some more character development; and the ending did nothing for me. I like open endings, but only to a certain point, and this one was past it.
All in all, though, a great quick read if you want some good psychological horror!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc of The Night Guest in exchange for a review.
morguebooks's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
thetinydemon's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
lidoffadaffodil's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Animal death
laurenleyendolibros's review
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
melisbooked's review
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
When the horrors of the monotony of life turn into a terrifying quest to discover the truth behind a blurred reality.
A heart pounding dive into the depths of the psyche of a young woman who, after reeling from the death of her sister, begins to notice strange occurrences happening each time she wakes up. Her body is bruised, her nails are torn to shreds. Trying to keep up the farce of normalcy, she goes in search for answers from health care professionals and family and friends. When she can't find the answers she is looking for, she begins to question herself and find her own ways to figure out:
What happens to her at night? Where does she go and why?
I enjoyed the unreliable narrator, and although controversial, the ending. It had me flipping back and forth to see if there was anything I missed! This was a psychological thriller that really kept me guessing the entire time and wondering where the story would take me. I also enjoyed the fact that there were elements of women vs. the void.
Overall, I am so thankful to Netgalley (mil gracias!) for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A heart pounding dive into the depths of the psyche of a young woman who, after reeling from the death of her sister, begins to notice strange occurrences happening each time she wakes up. Her body is bruised, her nails are torn to shreds. Trying to keep up the farce of normalcy, she goes in search for answers from health care professionals and family and friends. When she can't find the answers she is looking for, she begins to question herself and find her own ways to figure out:
What happens to her at night? Where does she go and why?
I enjoyed the unreliable narrator, and although controversial, the ending. It had me flipping back and forth to see if there was anything I missed! This was a psychological thriller that really kept me guessing the entire time and wondering where the story would take me. I also enjoyed the fact that there were elements of women vs. the void.
Overall, I am so thankful to Netgalley (mil gracias!) for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
maddie408's review against another edition
2.0
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC in return for an honest review!
The Night Guest was quite the ride. The story revolves around a woman who wakes up each morning feeling tired, her body exhausted and does not know what she could have done to cause this. It snowballs from there, turning spooky interweaving her family and relationships. I personally thought this story needed more depth. The ending was quite abrupt and felt too quick, not really answering many questions that I had. It left the story very open ended which as a reader reading a thriller, I was expecting more. I also found the characters to be quite unlikeable, including the main character. She had many disturbing thoughts and her inner monologue was not one I really enjoyed experiencing. I think this story had great potential and I did finish it quickly, but I found myself frustrated with the lack of storyline and ending.
The Night Guest was quite the ride. The story revolves around a woman who wakes up each morning feeling tired, her body exhausted and does not know what she could have done to cause this. It snowballs from there, turning spooky interweaving her family and relationships. I personally thought this story needed more depth. The ending was quite abrupt and felt too quick, not really answering many questions that I had. It left the story very open ended which as a reader reading a thriller, I was expecting more. I also found the characters to be quite unlikeable, including the main character. She had many disturbing thoughts and her inner monologue was not one I really enjoyed experiencing. I think this story had great potential and I did finish it quickly, but I found myself frustrated with the lack of storyline and ending.