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The Night Birds
The next gripping, atmospheric horror novel from New York Times bestselling author Christopher Golden, set in a deteriorated, half-sunken freighter ship off the coast of Galveston, TX.
Charlie Book and Ruby Cahill have history. After their love ended in heartbreak years ago, they never expected to see each other again.
Now, as part of his work for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Book lives aboard the Christabel, a 19th century freighter half-sunken off the shore of Galveston. Over many years, a massive forest of mangrove trees has grown up through the deck of the ship, creating a startlingly beautiful enigma Book calls the Floating Forest. As a powerful storm churns through the Gulf, he intends to sleep on board as usual.
But when he arrives at the dock, he’s stunned to find Ruby there waiting for him. And she’s not alone. With her are a mysterious woman and her infant child, asking Book to hide them safely aboard the Christabel while they're on the run. Only it isn’t the police who are after them, it’s a coven of witches the woman, Mae, has fled, stealing away the helpless infant for whom the coven had hideous plans…or so Mae claims.
It’s lunacy and Book wants nothing to do with it. But after the way he and Ruby ended things, and the unspoken pain between them, he can’t refuse. Yet even as he brings them out to the ruined ship and its floating forest, there are shadowed figures looming back in Galveston, waiting out the storm. And despite the worsening wind and rain, the night birds are flying, scouring the coastline for their prey.
Charlie Book and Ruby Cahill have history. After their love ended in heartbreak years ago, they never expected to see each other again.
Now, as part of his work for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Book lives aboard the Christabel, a 19th century freighter half-sunken off the shore of Galveston. Over many years, a massive forest of mangrove trees has grown up through the deck of the ship, creating a startlingly beautiful enigma Book calls the Floating Forest. As a powerful storm churns through the Gulf, he intends to sleep on board as usual.
But when he arrives at the dock, he’s stunned to find Ruby there waiting for him. And she’s not alone. With her are a mysterious woman and her infant child, asking Book to hide them safely aboard the Christabel while they're on the run. Only it isn’t the police who are after them, it’s a coven of witches the woman, Mae, has fled, stealing away the helpless infant for whom the coven had hideous plans…or so Mae claims.
It’s lunacy and Book wants nothing to do with it. But after the way he and Ruby ended things, and the unspoken pain between them, he can’t refuse. Yet even as he brings them out to the ruined ship and its floating forest, there are shadowed figures looming back in Galveston, waiting out the storm. And despite the worsening wind and rain, the night birds are flying, scouring the coastline for their prey.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 6, 2025
109 people are currently reading
17870 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Golden
798 books2,961 followersCHRISTOPHER GOLDEN is the New York Times bestselling, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of such novels as Road of Bones, Ararat, Snowblind, Of Saints and Shadows, and Red Hands. With Mike Mignola, he is the co-creator of the Outerverse comic book universe, including such series as Baltimore, Joe Golem: Occult Detective, and Lady Baltimore. As an editor, he has worked on the short story anthologies Seize the Night, Dark Cities, and The New Dead, among others, and he has also written and co-written comic books, video games, screenplays, and a network television pilot. Golden co-hosts the podcast Defenders Dialogue with horror author Brian Keene. In 2015 he founded the popular Merrimack Valley Halloween Book Festival. He was born and raised in Massachusetts, where he still lives with his family. His work has been nominated for the British Fantasy Award, the Eisner Award, and multiple Shirley Jackson Awards. For the Bram Stoker Awards, Golden has been nominated ten times in eight different categories. His original novels have been published in more than fifteen languages in countries around the world. Please visit him at www.christophergolden.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 424 reviews
January 9, 2025
Eh, I think maybe I need to accept that Christopher Golden isn't one of my favorite horror authors. There's nothing particularly wrong with this book, but it was just a very middle-of-the-road read for me and I wasn't super invested in the outcome or any of its characters. But, overall, it was … fine. This, probably not so coincidentally, is the way I've felt about most of his novels that I've read (although I did like The House of Last Resort more than a lot of other reviewers seemed to, so go figure). They're always entertaining-ish but never something to write home about.
I do have to give Golden props for being able to write atmospheric prose, though. This book, especially the first half or so, is super dark and atmospheric and creepy and full of foreboding. You know something bad is going to happen, but the story takes its sweet time getting there and it's incredibly suspenseful.
Once the action finally starts, however, all hell really breaks loose. There are witches (not-witches?) everywhere and everyone is running around trying to stay alive. Unfortunately, this is the part where I mostly lost interest. I was rooting for Boot's three coworkers and was a little invested in their side story, but I just didn't care at all about the main characters. Maybe it's because you don't really learn a whole lot about them other than the whole “relationship gone sour” stuff? I dunno, but I kind of just kept hoping that the (not-)witches would kill them quickly so it could be over and done with.
The setting, though, is fantastic. A floating forest that's risen up from an old sunken freighter in the Gulf of Mexico? Yes, please! It would have been the perfect setting for a haunted house (ship?) type story, and I'm a little sad that this book didn't veer at all into that direction. Not-witches and a haunted floating forest? Now there's a storyline that could've held my attention. Unfortunately, there are no ghosts to be found in this one, only (not-)witches and creepy birds.
This book did give me a bit of insight into my own capacity for self-sacrifice (and general lack of bravery), because I would have given the baby to the witches when they first showed up in Ruby's backyard. Of course, I'm the person who adopted a toddler so that I could completely avoid ever having to touch a baby (they're so … squishy), so perhaps I'm in the minority here. But let this be a warning to all my friends and family and general acquaintances – if you're ever running from a coven of very irritated witches with a mini-human in tow, don't come to my house (or, should I ever acquire one, to my sunken freighter off the coast of Galveston).
My rating: 3.3 stars, rounded down. Die-hard Christopher Golden fans might enjoy this one more than I did, but overall it was a pretty average horror read for me.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is May 6, 2025.
I do have to give Golden props for being able to write atmospheric prose, though. This book, especially the first half or so, is super dark and atmospheric and creepy and full of foreboding. You know something bad is going to happen, but the story takes its sweet time getting there and it's incredibly suspenseful.
Once the action finally starts, however, all hell really breaks loose. There are witches (not-witches?) everywhere and everyone is running around trying to stay alive. Unfortunately, this is the part where I mostly lost interest. I was rooting for Boot's three coworkers and was a little invested in their side story, but I just didn't care at all about the main characters. Maybe it's because you don't really learn a whole lot about them other than the whole “relationship gone sour” stuff? I dunno, but I kind of just kept hoping that the (not-)witches would kill them quickly so it could be over and done with.
The setting, though, is fantastic. A floating forest that's risen up from an old sunken freighter in the Gulf of Mexico? Yes, please! It would have been the perfect setting for a haunted house (ship?) type story, and I'm a little sad that this book didn't veer at all into that direction. Not-witches and a haunted floating forest? Now there's a storyline that could've held my attention. Unfortunately, there are no ghosts to be found in this one, only (not-)witches and creepy birds.
This book did give me a bit of insight into my own capacity for self-sacrifice (and general lack of bravery), because I would have given the baby to the witches when they first showed up in Ruby's backyard. Of course, I'm the person who adopted a toddler so that I could completely avoid ever having to touch a baby (they're so … squishy), so perhaps I'm in the minority here. But let this be a warning to all my friends and family and general acquaintances – if you're ever running from a coven of very irritated witches with a mini-human in tow, don't come to my house (or, should I ever acquire one, to my sunken freighter off the coast of Galveston).
My rating: 3.3 stars, rounded down. Die-hard Christopher Golden fans might enjoy this one more than I did, but overall it was a pretty average horror read for me.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is May 6, 2025.
June 2, 2025
3 1/2 stars. Barely.
September 6, 2025
Dark, creepy and hella atmospheric, The Night Birds is a wildly-entertaining ride of nail-biting intensity. Christopher Golden does this type of Folk Horror so well, IMO.
Maybe you're like me, and though you appreciate the majesty and beauty of birds, they also creep you the heck out? If so, you should read this. Picturing myself in the shoes of some of these characters gave me absolute chills.
This story is set in Galvaston, Texas, and mainly revolves around a group of characters researching the Christabel, a 19th century freighter that lies half-sunken in waters shadowed by eerie mangroves and other wildlife.
With a vicious storm bearing down, most of the small crew abandon the Christabel, choosing to stay on dry land while they wait it out. Charlie Book, their leader, however, chooses to stay on board as usual. The ship has weathered many storms. It's not going anywhere.
When he arrives on the docks after dinner, preparing to head back out to the Christabel, he's shocked by the sudden appearance of his ex-girlfriend, Ruby. She's begging him for help and protection, and she's not alone.
With her is a mysterious woman, Mae, as well as an infant. They're bedraggled and clearly on the run, but from what?
Even though he has big reservations about the situation, Book can't refuse Ruby. If she's in danger, he wants to help. Thus, he shuttles them all out to the Christabel.
Meanwhile, with the coming storm, something else seems to be coming, lurking in the dark and stormy night. Using shadows as cover and hiding a ravenous evil.
As forces close in on the Christabel, Book's team senses that something is amiss and they try desperately to get back to the ship to help their friend. Little do they know, the storm is the least of their problems now.
I became invested in this story so quickly. I love Christopher Golden in general, and feel really comfortable with his writing style. It has such a classic Horror feel for me, and I love how he takes care to set a scene and pulls the Reader into his character's lives.
He creates characters you want to succeed; to be okay, to live. I was rooting for Book and Ruby, as well as the side characters, Luisa, Gerald and Alan, the entire way through.
This would honestly make a great movie; good versus evil battling it out amongst the mangroves. I was on the edge of my seat and horrified as it unfolded. It was non-stop punches the entire second-half.
Some of it did get a little difficult to track as the action and intensity built up, but that could just be because of the speed at which I was reading it. I was so desperate to find out how this was going to conclude, I was flying through.
This is a witchy story, which is alluded to in the synopsis, as well as mentioned in the genre tags, but I just want to be clear, this is dark stuff; ancient stuff. The imagery involved, it's heavy and excellent to read if you love Horror.
Overall, I had a great time with this. It's so fun and addictive. I couldn't put it down. I loved the atmosphere and characters, as well as the horror imagery throughout.
Thank you to the publisher, St. Martin's Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I cannot wait to see what Golden releases next!!!
Maybe you're like me, and though you appreciate the majesty and beauty of birds, they also creep you the heck out? If so, you should read this. Picturing myself in the shoes of some of these characters gave me absolute chills.
This story is set in Galvaston, Texas, and mainly revolves around a group of characters researching the Christabel, a 19th century freighter that lies half-sunken in waters shadowed by eerie mangroves and other wildlife.
With a vicious storm bearing down, most of the small crew abandon the Christabel, choosing to stay on dry land while they wait it out. Charlie Book, their leader, however, chooses to stay on board as usual. The ship has weathered many storms. It's not going anywhere.
When he arrives on the docks after dinner, preparing to head back out to the Christabel, he's shocked by the sudden appearance of his ex-girlfriend, Ruby. She's begging him for help and protection, and she's not alone.
With her is a mysterious woman, Mae, as well as an infant. They're bedraggled and clearly on the run, but from what?
Even though he has big reservations about the situation, Book can't refuse Ruby. If she's in danger, he wants to help. Thus, he shuttles them all out to the Christabel.
Meanwhile, with the coming storm, something else seems to be coming, lurking in the dark and stormy night. Using shadows as cover and hiding a ravenous evil.
As forces close in on the Christabel, Book's team senses that something is amiss and they try desperately to get back to the ship to help their friend. Little do they know, the storm is the least of their problems now.
I became invested in this story so quickly. I love Christopher Golden in general, and feel really comfortable with his writing style. It has such a classic Horror feel for me, and I love how he takes care to set a scene and pulls the Reader into his character's lives.
He creates characters you want to succeed; to be okay, to live. I was rooting for Book and Ruby, as well as the side characters, Luisa, Gerald and Alan, the entire way through.
This would honestly make a great movie; good versus evil battling it out amongst the mangroves. I was on the edge of my seat and horrified as it unfolded. It was non-stop punches the entire second-half.
Some of it did get a little difficult to track as the action and intensity built up, but that could just be because of the speed at which I was reading it. I was so desperate to find out how this was going to conclude, I was flying through.
This is a witchy story, which is alluded to in the synopsis, as well as mentioned in the genre tags, but I just want to be clear, this is dark stuff; ancient stuff. The imagery involved, it's heavy and excellent to read if you love Horror.
Overall, I had a great time with this. It's so fun and addictive. I couldn't put it down. I loved the atmosphere and characters, as well as the horror imagery throughout.
Thank you to the publisher, St. Martin's Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I cannot wait to see what Golden releases next!!!
June 29, 2025
Boat setting, creepy murderous witches and a baby up for sacrifice. Good plot, great writing, worth the read👍 horror was just mild tho.
May 5, 2025
2.5 ☆
the first 40% was intriguing, but the longer it went on the more disconnected i felt. the characters just came across so dull, i really didn’t care what would happen to them. i actually did like the horror elements and the atmospheric writing but it wasn’t enough to carry the whole story for me. even though there was a lot happening, it still managed to feel drawn out and everything that was thrown into the plot felt messy. there was potential for sure, but the execution fell flat.
↣ many thanks to NetGalley, the author and St. Martin’s Press for the arc, all opinions are my own.
the first 40% was intriguing, but the longer it went on the more disconnected i felt. the characters just came across so dull, i really didn’t care what would happen to them. i actually did like the horror elements and the atmospheric writing but it wasn’t enough to carry the whole story for me. even though there was a lot happening, it still managed to feel drawn out and everything that was thrown into the plot felt messy. there was potential for sure, but the execution fell flat.
↣ many thanks to NetGalley, the author and St. Martin’s Press for the arc, all opinions are my own.
May 22, 2025
He watched the tangled black silhouettes of the floating mangrove forest. The broken masts and the one remaining smokestack looked like the ruins of a lost city in the jungle. The wind bent branches so that it looked as if things were moving up there. Moving, slipping from one tree to the next, watching him. A bird shifted on a branch. He saw its eyes glisten. When it cried out, its voice sounded almost like a warning.--------------------------------------
The best cooking tools often made the best murder weapons.So, picture this. Galveston. Big storm coming. A ship, the Christabel, grounded on Pelican Island, has become a mangrove nursery, and serves as a research vessel. The lead researcher, Charlie Book, plans to weather the storm there. His assistants will ride it out in hotels. But complications. His ex shows up at his door with her late sister’s girlfriend and baby in tow. They are eager to flee to the ship, as they are being pursued by a band of witches, the Night Birds of the title.
Where did you get the idea for The Night Birds, and how different is the finished story from what you originally conceived?
Like many stories, it started with two ideas that felt linked to me: these two women on the run with a baby, pursued by…well, let’s call them the Night Birds…and the story of Book and Ruby, whose deep love was shattered by tragedy, and who are thrown back together again in the shadow of their past pain.
The missing ingredient was the Christabel, which is based on a real freighter that sits half-sunken off the coast of Australia. That forest of hemlock trees is real, it’s just on the other side of the world from where I’ve set it. - from the Paul Semel interview
Christopher Golden - image from Girl Meets Monster
I have enjoyed enough Christopher Golden novels to know that the tale will be fast paced, that the baddies will be fun, scary, and creatively conceived. We know we can count on the pressure, the action, the tension to keep ramping up, with only occasional breathers. We can count on Golden to dig up an obscure piece of mythology around which to structure the story. So far so good.
For me, it’s in the same arena as my novel Road Of Bones. In fact, in my mind, it takes place in the same fictional world. I like to dig deeply into certain horror tropes and legends about evil and monsters and then get work imagining what the roots might have been of those tropes and legends. It’s a common theme in my work going back decades. - from the Paul Semel interviewWe can count on appealing leads. Charlie Book is a bona fide good guy, Ruby functions as a mother protector, and really, what is more moral high ground than that? That they have a romantic history adds opportunities for introspection, and theoretically reconciliation. But who knows? And then there is the matter of survivability. Not everyone makes it. There will certainly be a body count. There will be danger aplenty, the weather and the witches catalyzing each other to ramp up the peril. A baby in danger. Two parental sorts trying to protect him from dark forces. What’s not to like?
Austin Butler and Jodie Comer in The Bikeriders - image from Far Out Magazine - Credits: Far Out / 20th Century FOX Canada - Golden sees them as Book and Ruby
The merging of witchiness and night birds is fun, even though it can get a bit confusing when owls and other dark birds join nighthawks in the aviary. The secondary characters offer the necessary support, fleshing out the story as we progress from baby-in peril to baby-safety-resolved-or-not.
Aldis Hodge - image from Y!entertainment - credit Prime Video - Golden sees him as Gerald
But there are sometimes elements in a story that just go a step too far. The most famous one is the Jump the Shark episode of the 1970s sit-com, Happy Days. I am sorry to report that there is one of those here. I do not want to go into detail about the specifics, but when this particular element was introduced, and repeated, it caused recurring chafing from eye-rolling, and detracted from the feeling of terror the author was trying to induce. Tittering is clearly not the desired reaction in a book of this sort. Maybe it will work for you, but, even though most of the elements of a fun horror novel are there, that one killed the book for me. I did finish it, but that oner aspect of this shark that seemed less scary than silly.
Jenna Ortega - image from Television Academy - Golden sees her as Luisa
This won’t stop me from picking up Golden’s next one. I have quite enjoyed his prior work. But this one ruffled my feathers the wrong way.
Was this witchcraft, or was it less about what they could do and more about the malice in them? They were called night weavers, and Ruby thought what they really meant was that they sowed malignance and darkness to advance their own needs. She’d known people who did the same thing in their lives, but without the slightest hint of witchcraft.Review posted - 5/16/25
Publication date – 5/6/25
I received an ARE of The Night Birds from St. Martin’s Press in return for a fair review. Thanks, folks, and thanks to NetGalley for facilitating.
This review will soon be cross-posted on my site, Coot’s Reviews. Stop by and say Hi!
=============================EXTRA STUFF
Links to Golden’s personal, FB, Instagram, and Twitter pages
Interviews
-----PaulSemel.com - Exclusive Interview: “The Night Birds” Author Christopher Golden by Paul Semel
-----Tewskbury Library - AUTHOR HOUR IN MASSACHUSETTS: Bram Stoker Award Winners Cynthia Pelayo & Christopher Golden - video - 58:58
My reviews of prior books by Golden
----------2022 - Road of Bones
----------2023 - All Hallows
----------2024 - The House of Last Resort
Item of Interest
-----Slavorum - Stratim
June 21, 2025
This is my first experience with this author, I'll admit I skimmed through the plot so we could say went into it blindly -- the cover caught my eye for sure😍 safe to say I have missed picking up horror books -- however this was more entertaining type of creepy not actually creepy. If you're looking for / love atmospheric reads then I highly recommend! Also if you love books that give you visuals-- the imagery is🤌🏻 Another aspect I really enjoyed about this read is the way the author writes his characters, he will have you rooting for them for the get-go till the very end
Plot Summary
Charlie Book, a scientist working for Texas Parks and Wildlife, has made an unusual home aboard the old wreck of the Christabel—a half-sunken, rusting ship off the coast of Galveston that's been overtaken by thick mangroves, turning the rotting vessel into a strange, floating forest. One stormy night, his quiet life is interrupted when his ex-girlfriend Ruby shows up unexpectedly with another woman and a baby; claiming that a coven of witches is after them and that these witches want to use the baby in a dark ritual to bring something ancient and evil back to life.
Plot Summary
Charlie Book, a scientist working for Texas Parks and Wildlife, has made an unusual home aboard the old wreck of the Christabel—a half-sunken, rusting ship off the coast of Galveston that's been overtaken by thick mangroves, turning the rotting vessel into a strange, floating forest. One stormy night, his quiet life is interrupted when his ex-girlfriend Ruby shows up unexpectedly with another woman and a baby; claiming that a coven of witches is after them and that these witches want to use the baby in a dark ritual to bring something ancient and evil back to life.
May 11, 2025
I requested this one because I really liked the cover and the concept, and those things paid off. What a creepy, atmospheric adventure this was!
The strongest selling point this book has right off the bat is the setting. It’s so unique: most of it takes place on a big rusty ship that’s permanently docked due to a forest growing up through its deck. The Christabel is still inhabitable for a research team, but they’re literally sleeping and working amidst tree roots and wildlife while they’re on board. It’s such a cool idea! And the story pretty much all takes place at night, too, so I only read it after the sun went down. I recommend that method. Bonus points if it’s raining.
If you can, light a candle or two. It’ll really set the mood.
The blurb makes it sound like this could be a monster horror, but it’s not, really. I don’t want to be too spoilery since the description chooses not to mention certain things, so I’ll say that the “shadowy figures” pursuing the main characters are actually powerful women and hopefully you can read between those lines. The horror imagery in this is pretty badass and violent, and I was a fan. If you want gore, you’ll get it, but it’s not constant or over the top.
The story kept me invested and the characters were flawed and believable. There was a moment when one of the antagonists was talking about how human beings are evil and only care about themselves, and it made me think about that meme that says: “When the villain is lowkey making a lot of sense.”
I highly recommend this one to people who like spooky, ritualistic elements in their horror and don’t need things to be too grounded in reality to have a good time.
Thank you to NetGalley and to the Publisher for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Biggest TW: Miscarriage, Animal harm, Mention of Suicide
The strongest selling point this book has right off the bat is the setting. It’s so unique: most of it takes place on a big rusty ship that’s permanently docked due to a forest growing up through its deck. The Christabel is still inhabitable for a research team, but they’re literally sleeping and working amidst tree roots and wildlife while they’re on board. It’s such a cool idea! And the story pretty much all takes place at night, too, so I only read it after the sun went down. I recommend that method. Bonus points if it’s raining.
If you can, light a candle or two. It’ll really set the mood.
The blurb makes it sound like this could be a monster horror, but it’s not, really. I don’t want to be too spoilery since the description chooses not to mention certain things, so I’ll say that the “shadowy figures” pursuing the main characters are actually powerful women and hopefully you can read between those lines. The horror imagery in this is pretty badass and violent, and I was a fan. If you want gore, you’ll get it, but it’s not constant or over the top.
The story kept me invested and the characters were flawed and believable. There was a moment when one of the antagonists was talking about how human beings are evil and only care about themselves, and it made me think about that meme that says: “When the villain is lowkey making a lot of sense.”
I highly recommend this one to people who like spooky, ritualistic elements in their horror and don’t need things to be too grounded in reality to have a good time.
Thank you to NetGalley and to the Publisher for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Biggest TW: Miscarriage, Animal harm, Mention of Suicide
May 19, 2025
2.5 Stars
I found this horror novel to be quite underwhelming. I have read novels by this author before and I expected a fun easy page turner. Unfortunately this one fell flat for me.
I found the characters to be flat and honestly found the plot uninteresting. I didn't expect or need to one to be a new favourite but I was quite let down by the reading experience.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
I found this horror novel to be quite underwhelming. I have read novels by this author before and I expected a fun easy page turner. Unfortunately this one fell flat for me.
I found the characters to be flat and honestly found the plot uninteresting. I didn't expect or need to one to be a new favourite but I was quite let down by the reading experience.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
May 16, 2025
“Cruel of you, Mae. To let this poor thing put herself between you and your punishment,” said the bony woman. “We can smell that little baby. We’ve got his scent. Bring him out now. Our patience wanes.” p105
Final Review
The plot here is a little unruly but the character development is awesome and more than makes up for it. This one sort of defies characterization, but I consider it a supernatural suspense novel. It's not horrible or horrifying enough to be horror! At least not for the first half of the book.
As good as it was, the animal horror element of this one wasn't really my bag. I didn't find it that original and I really hate reading about harm to animals or animal death. Especially if it's not tightly connected to the plot or character work. This element seemed thrown in for creepiness factor, but it made me feel bad. Not scared.
My 3 Favorite Things:
✔️ This isn't quite what I expected (thriller) but the suspense is laid intricately and I'm invested despite a slow start. And despite being slow, the first halfm is creepy and just good reading.
✔️ Great villains; not-so-great harbingers.
✔️ The character development in this one is maybe my favorite thing. The mmc is very likeable to me and I really enjoyed his interactions with the other characters. Also, setting-as-character worked really well here, being a giant half-sunk cruise ship in a hurricane.
trigger warning: cruelty to animals, animal horror, natural disasters, storms
Thank you to the author Christopher Golden, publishers St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an accessible digital arc of THE NIGHT BIRDS. All views are mine.
Final Review
The plot here is a little unruly but the character development is awesome and more than makes up for it. This one sort of defies characterization, but I consider it a supernatural suspense novel. It's not horrible or horrifying enough to be horror! At least not for the first half of the book.
As good as it was, the animal horror element of this one wasn't really my bag. I didn't find it that original and I really hate reading about harm to animals or animal death. Especially if it's not tightly connected to the plot or character work. This element seemed thrown in for creepiness factor, but it made me feel bad. Not scared.
My 3 Favorite Things:
✔️ This isn't quite what I expected (thriller) but the suspense is laid intricately and I'm invested despite a slow start. And despite being slow, the first halfm is creepy and just good reading.
✔️ Great villains; not-so-great harbingers.
✔️ The character development in this one is maybe my favorite thing. The mmc is very likeable to me and I really enjoyed his interactions with the other characters. Also, setting-as-character worked really well here, being a giant half-sunk cruise ship in a hurricane.
trigger warning: cruelty to animals, animal horror, natural disasters, storms
Thank you to the author Christopher Golden, publishers St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an accessible digital arc of THE NIGHT BIRDS. All views are mine.
September 2, 2025
I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via the publishers Titan Books.
The Night Birds is a dark, creepy, and filled with unease horror story that keeps you on edge from start to finish.
Charlie Book lives out at an island on a sunken old freighter he and his team are working on to study the wildlife and nature both on and off the abandoned ship.
One stormy night, his ex, Ruby, turns up with another woman and a baby asking for his help. They want to stay with him during the middle of a storm, on the freighter claiming they need to hide and fast as their lives are in mortal danger. Book doesn't hesitate to help them and takes them out to the freighter. It's only when they get on board that he begins to regret his decision. He still has feelings for Ruby. He can't make his mind up about her strange companion and their wild tale about the baby and who they're running from when it is revealed, which makes him question reality. As the storm whips up in intensity, so does the atmosphere in the book, and as we go between his team back on dry land and the horrors each and every character is experiencing and facing, the book turns more and more captivating. As each character begins being picked off one by one, who will be the survivor, and what fate lies in store for them and the baby that stands in the midst of them all.
If you love dark and witchy horror, folktales and myths, and dark magic, you won't want to miss reading this.
The Night Birds is a dark, creepy, and filled with unease horror story that keeps you on edge from start to finish.
Charlie Book lives out at an island on a sunken old freighter he and his team are working on to study the wildlife and nature both on and off the abandoned ship.
One stormy night, his ex, Ruby, turns up with another woman and a baby asking for his help. They want to stay with him during the middle of a storm, on the freighter claiming they need to hide and fast as their lives are in mortal danger. Book doesn't hesitate to help them and takes them out to the freighter. It's only when they get on board that he begins to regret his decision. He still has feelings for Ruby. He can't make his mind up about her strange companion and their wild tale about the baby and who they're running from when it is revealed, which makes him question reality. As the storm whips up in intensity, so does the atmosphere in the book, and as we go between his team back on dry land and the horrors each and every character is experiencing and facing, the book turns more and more captivating. As each character begins being picked off one by one, who will be the survivor, and what fate lies in store for them and the baby that stands in the midst of them all.
If you love dark and witchy horror, folktales and myths, and dark magic, you won't want to miss reading this.
December 12, 2025
A great use of atmosphere and tight, whip-fast plotting make this a thriller with occult-horror bones. The characters all feel rich and complete, and the dynamics between the various characters also feels vibrant and multi-dimensional. Even the ancillary characters are giving a little back story, not that it really affects the role they play in the narrative but enough to not just make them feel genuine but also to make you care about them. The narrative is pretty straight-forward, and it takes a good quarter of the book to really set the scene and build up the readers’ experience of the characters, but once it gets moving it doesn’t stop. The story takes place, for the most part, over the course of a single night, which makes everything feel urgent. The bulk of the action sees the characters trapped on a sunken freighter that has become a unique biosphere for a mangrove tree forest, and the sense of place is intense and really well-developed, providing a sense of claustrophobia that works perfectly with the urgency of the plotting. The story explores themes of regret, forgiveness, and responsibility, all while offering a unique take on witches, some intense action scenes, and great visuals that feel cinematic and enduring. The writing is fast-paced and intense, always moving quickly, never letting the reader linger, in the same way the characters are forced to act without having time for plans, and it makes this story hard to put down.
December 23, 2025
Just a quick one as it’s Christmas and I’m busy!
As usual for Mr. Golden, this horror/thriller starts running and just keeps going. Clear, lucid writing that draws you directly into the story. Three dimensional characters that really live, breathe, love, hate and suffer. Main characters Book and Ruby just exist. Beautiful descriptive passages that make you close your eyes and take a breath. There are creepy scenes, there are hideous scenes, this one runs the gamut. An atmosphere that drips dread. Action scenes that run at full throttle. This engages your senses. Its malevolence is set at full tilt boogie. A strong, gratifying ending that leaves nothing unanswered. A dynamite read.
As usual for Mr. Golden, this horror/thriller starts running and just keeps going. Clear, lucid writing that draws you directly into the story. Three dimensional characters that really live, breathe, love, hate and suffer. Main characters Book and Ruby just exist. Beautiful descriptive passages that make you close your eyes and take a breath. There are creepy scenes, there are hideous scenes, this one runs the gamut. An atmosphere that drips dread. Action scenes that run at full throttle. This engages your senses. Its malevolence is set at full tilt boogie. A strong, gratifying ending that leaves nothing unanswered. A dynamite read.
July 12, 2025
This was a fantastic, atmospheric, non-pretentious ride! Christopher Golden has a way of drawing the reader right in, without bogging down the story with unnecessary filler. He manages to weave an intricate tale that flows and engages. The characters are interesting, yet flawed, making them relatable. His ability to create a scene is unmeasured and just when you think you know what is going to happen, you don't. Well done! I read this in 24 hours. I look forward to reading more of Christopher's work.
February 7, 2025
ARC for review. To be published May 6, 2024.
3 stars
Charlie Book works for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and as a perk (if you want to consider it that) of his job he lives aboard the “Christobel,” a half sunken 19th century freighter off the coast of Galveston that he and his co-workers are working to restore with an eye toward making it a state park. A forest of mangroves is growing through the deck. And, as the action is going to take place on this vessel, hang on to your hats my friends, because this is going to shock and amaze you….a storm is a’comin.
He heads to the boat one night and finds his former paramour, Ruby Cahill, waiting on the dock, along with another woman and a baby. Ruby says a coven of witches is after them and they need to hide. Book agrees. Calamity follows.
Here’s some free advice: if a man named Charlie Book ever approaches you run far, far away. Knowing him is a recipe for disaster. Sure, he seems all nice, like someone you could count on, but count on this…you’re gonna die. Doesn’t seem like such a great guy now, does he?
This was decent, nothing bad, nothing great. I liked it fine.
3 stars
Charlie Book works for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and as a perk (if you want to consider it that) of his job he lives aboard the “Christobel,” a half sunken 19th century freighter off the coast of Galveston that he and his co-workers are working to restore with an eye toward making it a state park. A forest of mangroves is growing through the deck. And, as the action is going to take place on this vessel, hang on to your hats my friends, because this is going to shock and amaze you….a storm is a’comin.
He heads to the boat one night and finds his former paramour, Ruby Cahill, waiting on the dock, along with another woman and a baby. Ruby says a coven of witches is after them and they need to hide. Book agrees. Calamity follows.
Here’s some free advice: if a man named Charlie Book ever approaches you run far, far away. Knowing him is a recipe for disaster. Sure, he seems all nice, like someone you could count on, but count on this…you’re gonna die. Doesn’t seem like such a great guy now, does he?
This was decent, nothing bad, nothing great. I liked it fine.
April 1, 2025
Review in the April 1 & 15, 2025 issue of Booklist and on the blog: https://raforall.blogspot.com/2025/04... (link live on 4/3/25)
Three Words That Describe This Book: pervasive unease, multiple povs, captivating
A perfect example of a Horror-Thriller.
More words: trapped, witches, balance of character and action, original and captivating world building, heartbreakingly beautiful, every detail matters (one of my favorite things and something that makes a book rise to the top of the top), entertaining from start to finish.
Original setting. The unease is pervasive because of the setting-- a sunken ship that has become a mangrove and a hurricane. But also the title-- every time a bird is mentioned, even before you learn the "truth" you as a reader are a bit uneasy.
Golden does superior world building here-- both the ship but also the witchcraft and its original. HE is also great at developing characters (sympathy and flaws) and place without sacrificing the action and keeping the plot moving forward. He does that in every book, but here it is top of his game.
The characters-- Book and Ruby are the main ones, but POV is spread to a few other key figures (no spoilers) and the details and information the reader gets from those chapters is important. Not a word is wasted here. We see the characters, flaws and all, and we sympathize with them. No POV is unnecessary tot he story and our enjoyment of it.
Golden is already a must buy at your library, but this one will be an easy handsell to anyone who likes supernatural thrillers. bonus if they like witches or sunken ships.
But please note-- it is Horror first and Thriller second. Not a 50-50 split. The tone and the storyline are Horror first.
This reminded me of ARARAT and ROAD OF BONES-- two of Golden's best ever. But for readalikes, I think it is for readers in the Venn diagram who liked Hex by Thomas Olde Huevelt (the witch parts and the bleak and menacing tone) and This Wretched Valley by Jenny Kiefer (the trapped trope and the multiple point of view for character development that keeps the story moving). Also both Horror books that appeal to a wide audience.
Laid Barron fans will like this one. The Troop by Cutter also a good readalike.
Three Words That Describe This Book: pervasive unease, multiple povs, captivating
A perfect example of a Horror-Thriller.
More words: trapped, witches, balance of character and action, original and captivating world building, heartbreakingly beautiful, every detail matters (one of my favorite things and something that makes a book rise to the top of the top), entertaining from start to finish.
Original setting. The unease is pervasive because of the setting-- a sunken ship that has become a mangrove and a hurricane. But also the title-- every time a bird is mentioned, even before you learn the "truth" you as a reader are a bit uneasy.
Golden does superior world building here-- both the ship but also the witchcraft and its original. HE is also great at developing characters (sympathy and flaws) and place without sacrificing the action and keeping the plot moving forward. He does that in every book, but here it is top of his game.
The characters-- Book and Ruby are the main ones, but POV is spread to a few other key figures (no spoilers) and the details and information the reader gets from those chapters is important. Not a word is wasted here. We see the characters, flaws and all, and we sympathize with them. No POV is unnecessary tot he story and our enjoyment of it.
Golden is already a must buy at your library, but this one will be an easy handsell to anyone who likes supernatural thrillers. bonus if they like witches or sunken ships.
But please note-- it is Horror first and Thriller second. Not a 50-50 split. The tone and the storyline are Horror first.
This reminded me of ARARAT and ROAD OF BONES-- two of Golden's best ever. But for readalikes, I think it is for readers in the Venn diagram who liked Hex by Thomas Olde Huevelt (the witch parts and the bleak and menacing tone) and This Wretched Valley by Jenny Kiefer (the trapped trope and the multiple point of view for character development that keeps the story moving). Also both Horror books that appeal to a wide audience.
Laid Barron fans will like this one. The Troop by Cutter also a good readalike.
July 6, 2025
3,0 ✨✨✨
(Audiobook)
(Audiobook)
June 11, 2025
This was a fine horror novel, set on a wreck in a Mangrove forest during a horrible storm, where the main characters try to keep a group of evil witches from gaining access to the baby they mean to kill.
That setup in itself was fine - it was not the spookiest horror I've ever read, and while the setting was cool, I also felt like it was not utilized to its full potential. The character dynamics were solid, with two of the protagonists being each other's ex.
If it was just that, this would have been a perfectly pleasant 4 star read. But something about it just felt... very wrong.
I do want to say first that there is nothing wrong with writing evil witches. But I had just recently read a book where the way the witches were painted as the antagonists felt off, due to the combination of loss of agency, suffering and objectification that the (female, underage) characters were subjected to. It left a bad taste in my mouth.
And while Night Birds does not have the same issues as that other book, here, too, there was a wrongness to how the witches were set up as antagonists. There just is something about taking a group of women, giving them an abusive past, making them reject society and instead find empowerment in witchcraft and female community, and then portray them as lazy, egocentric, man-hating baby-killers of pure evil who (mostly) cannot be reasoned with. It just smacks of the propaganda that has been used for centuries, if not millenia, to undermine, manipulate, hurt, and kill women.
I do wonder if maybe I am being a bit too sensitive, if I don't interpret a bit too much into the plot of a silly horror novel that isn't that deep.... except then the book ends with I was speechless.
So I did not have a bad reading experience with this at all. It's a fine horror novel. But it also left me with a distinct feeling that this is not a book that was written for a non-male audience, or with a non-male audience in mind, or with any sort of reflection of or thought about the history of witches and women and magic (or feminism).
That setup in itself was fine - it was not the spookiest horror I've ever read, and while the setting was cool, I also felt like it was not utilized to its full potential. The character dynamics were solid, with two of the protagonists being each other's ex.
If it was just that, this would have been a perfectly pleasant 4 star read. But something about it just felt... very wrong.
I do want to say first that there is nothing wrong with writing evil witches. But I had just recently read a book where the way the witches were painted as the antagonists felt off, due to the combination of loss of agency, suffering and objectification that the (female, underage) characters were subjected to. It left a bad taste in my mouth.
And while Night Birds does not have the same issues as that other book, here, too, there was a wrongness to how the witches were set up as antagonists. There just is something about taking a group of women, giving them an abusive past, making them reject society and instead find empowerment in witchcraft and female community, and then portray them as lazy, egocentric, man-hating baby-killers of pure evil who (mostly) cannot be reasoned with. It just smacks of the propaganda that has been used for centuries, if not millenia, to undermine, manipulate, hurt, and kill women.
I do wonder if maybe I am being a bit too sensitive, if I don't interpret a bit too much into the plot of a silly horror novel that isn't that deep.... except then the book ends with I was speechless.
So I did not have a bad reading experience with this at all. It's a fine horror novel. But it also left me with a distinct feeling that this is not a book that was written for a non-male audience, or with a non-male audience in mind, or with any sort of reflection of or thought about the history of witches and women and magic (or feminism).
May 15, 2025
“You don’t need to believe something for it to be true.”
Dark, old witchcraft. This is not the 'eye of newt' silly love potion variety. This is dark magic, old and frightening.
Book works on a scientific research old freightliner that grounded long ago. It's a stormy night, storm of the century maybe, and he's decided to watch the old boat while the storm hits. But before he can get there, he's approached by 2 desperate women and a baby. One of them, his ex-girlfriend, says they are in trouble and need to hide. He was already going out to the ship, so he takes them with him.
What follows is the longest night of all their lives. It's a dark story, full of horrors hard to imagine. The author does a great job of setting the stage and making things feel creepy. Information and truths are doled out sparingly and it kept the suspense and fright level high. The ending was so good. Highly entertaining.
Dark, old witchcraft. This is not the 'eye of newt' silly love potion variety. This is dark magic, old and frightening.
Book works on a scientific research old freightliner that grounded long ago. It's a stormy night, storm of the century maybe, and he's decided to watch the old boat while the storm hits. But before he can get there, he's approached by 2 desperate women and a baby. One of them, his ex-girlfriend, says they are in trouble and need to hide. He was already going out to the ship, so he takes them with him.
What follows is the longest night of all their lives. It's a dark story, full of horrors hard to imagine. The author does a great job of setting the stage and making things feel creepy. Information and truths are doled out sparingly and it kept the suspense and fright level high. The ending was so good. Highly entertaining.
May 10, 2025
Although Christopher Golden has written many books, I have only read one other prior to this one. Since I enjoyed it, I thought I would try another. I like some of the horror genre, especially witches. When I saw this one involved a coven of witches I couldn't resist.
Description:
Charlie Book and Ruby Cahill have history. After their love ended in heartbreak years ago, they never expected to see each other again.
Now, as part of his work for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Book lives aboard the Christabel, a 19th century freighter half-sunken off the shore of Galveston. Over many years, a massive forest of mangrove trees has grown up through the deck of the ship, creating a startlingly beautiful enigma Book calls the Floating Forest. As a powerful storm churns through the Gulf, he intends to sleep on board as usual.
But when he arrives at the dock, he’s stunned to find Ruby there waiting for him. And she’s not alone. With her are a mysterious woman and her infant child, asking Book to hide them safely aboard the Christabel while they're on the run. Only it isn’t the police who are after them, it’s a coven of witches the woman, Mae, has fled, stealing away the helpless infant for whom the coven had hideous plans…or so Mae claims.
It’s lunacy and Book wants nothing to do with it. But after the way he and Ruby ended things, and the unspoken pain between them, he can’t refuse. Yet even as he brings them out to the ruined ship and its floating forest, there are shadowed figures looming back in Galveston, waiting out the storm. And despite the worsening wind and rain, the night birds are flying, scouring the coastline for their prey.
My Thoughts:
I loved the atmosphere of the old sunken freighter with the mangroves growing through it. It was the perfect backdrop for this story and provided a haunting feel. The hurricane raging outside gave it even more menace. The witches were really scary and they were definitely not the good sort of witches I usually read about. There's a lot of action and the book is fast-paced. It kept me on edge wondering what else was coming. Overall a great horror/thriller read.
Thanks to St. Martin's Press through Netgalley for an advance copy.
Description:
Charlie Book and Ruby Cahill have history. After their love ended in heartbreak years ago, they never expected to see each other again.
Now, as part of his work for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Book lives aboard the Christabel, a 19th century freighter half-sunken off the shore of Galveston. Over many years, a massive forest of mangrove trees has grown up through the deck of the ship, creating a startlingly beautiful enigma Book calls the Floating Forest. As a powerful storm churns through the Gulf, he intends to sleep on board as usual.
But when he arrives at the dock, he’s stunned to find Ruby there waiting for him. And she’s not alone. With her are a mysterious woman and her infant child, asking Book to hide them safely aboard the Christabel while they're on the run. Only it isn’t the police who are after them, it’s a coven of witches the woman, Mae, has fled, stealing away the helpless infant for whom the coven had hideous plans…or so Mae claims.
It’s lunacy and Book wants nothing to do with it. But after the way he and Ruby ended things, and the unspoken pain between them, he can’t refuse. Yet even as he brings them out to the ruined ship and its floating forest, there are shadowed figures looming back in Galveston, waiting out the storm. And despite the worsening wind and rain, the night birds are flying, scouring the coastline for their prey.
My Thoughts:
I loved the atmosphere of the old sunken freighter with the mangroves growing through it. It was the perfect backdrop for this story and provided a haunting feel. The hurricane raging outside gave it even more menace. The witches were really scary and they were definitely not the good sort of witches I usually read about. There's a lot of action and the book is fast-paced. It kept me on edge wondering what else was coming. Overall a great horror/thriller read.
Thanks to St. Martin's Press through Netgalley for an advance copy.
May 15, 2025
Atmospheric supernatural triller/ horror (?). Actions packed and fast paced. I really liked the settings, witches and creepy birds.
The minus for me was that I didn’t care much about the characters ( except baby of course:)) . I feel that the main minus for me - is not enough of the characters development.
But I enjoyed enough, it was fun to read. 3.5/5 ⭐️
Thanks to the NetGalley and to the publisher for providing the advanced copy of this book.
The minus for me was that I didn’t care much about the characters ( except baby of course:)) . I feel that the main minus for me - is not enough of the characters development.
But I enjoyed enough, it was fun to read. 3.5/5 ⭐️
Thanks to the NetGalley and to the publisher for providing the advanced copy of this book.
May 23, 2025
3.75/5 stars
April 29, 2025
It takes a lot for a book to genuinely scare me but The Night Birds had me sooo creeped out. I truly can’t think of a better more atmospheric setting than a floating ship wreck with a forest growing in it. Add in some witchiness and a hurricane-like storm and I’m IN.
I usually don’t read much horror but the cover and synopsis of this one drew me in. The ending made me remember what I usually steer clear of the genre (which is my fault!) but I still loved it overall!
I know I’m gonna be thinking of this creepy book for a while.
Thank to NetGalley for this ARC!
I usually don’t read much horror but the cover and synopsis of this one drew me in. The ending made me remember what I usually steer clear of the genre (which is my fault!) but I still loved it overall!
I know I’m gonna be thinking of this creepy book for a while.
Thank to NetGalley for this ARC!
May 1, 2025
The setting of The Night Birds has to be one of the coolest in any novel I’ve read: Most of the book takes place aboard a 19th century freighter ship rusting off the coast of Galveston, Texas called the Christobel, home to a floating mangrove forest. If you think that’s the perfect setting for a creepy story, you’re right. Although, I did ultimately wish The Night Birds was a bit scarier.
I think the publisher’s description gives too much of the plot away, so here’s all you really need to know: A researcher for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department named Charlie Book is about to settle in for a stormy night aboard the abandoned ship he calls home, when his ex-girlfriend, Ruby, shows up unexpectedly – with a strange woman and an infant in tow. They’re on the run, and they need Book to hide them aboard the Christobel where they won’t be found by the people hunting them. The story the women tell Book is harrowing and fantastical, utterly unbelievable…until Book sees the truth of it for himself. Meanwhile, the weather is getting worse, and shadows are moving in the mangrove forest…
Christopher Golden always seems to come up with really intriguing, fresh ideas for his horror plots, and The Night Birds is no exception. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that deals with the idea of witches in quite this way; Golden’s version is so interesting and creepy, and I actually wanted more of the lore than he gives us. The story builds and builds with layers of foreboding and mounting dread, laced with disturbing imagery; it’s so atmospheric, and there’s so much tension in the first half of the book.
Unfortunately, though, just when I should have been really invested in the fates of the characters, I started to lose interest. Perhaps there were too many characters to keep track of and they weren’t developed quite enough, or maybe it was because I wanted Golden to utilize the mangrove forest more than he did. Maybe it was because the characters were in a chaotic scenario, and the way everything unfolded read somewhat messy on the page. For whatever reason, I was left feeling like The Night Birds didn’t fully live up to its potential. It’s a good horror novel, but not a great one. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the early reading opportunity.
I think the publisher’s description gives too much of the plot away, so here’s all you really need to know: A researcher for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department named Charlie Book is about to settle in for a stormy night aboard the abandoned ship he calls home, when his ex-girlfriend, Ruby, shows up unexpectedly – with a strange woman and an infant in tow. They’re on the run, and they need Book to hide them aboard the Christobel where they won’t be found by the people hunting them. The story the women tell Book is harrowing and fantastical, utterly unbelievable…until Book sees the truth of it for himself. Meanwhile, the weather is getting worse, and shadows are moving in the mangrove forest…
Christopher Golden always seems to come up with really intriguing, fresh ideas for his horror plots, and The Night Birds is no exception. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that deals with the idea of witches in quite this way; Golden’s version is so interesting and creepy, and I actually wanted more of the lore than he gives us. The story builds and builds with layers of foreboding and mounting dread, laced with disturbing imagery; it’s so atmospheric, and there’s so much tension in the first half of the book.
Unfortunately, though, just when I should have been really invested in the fates of the characters, I started to lose interest. Perhaps there were too many characters to keep track of and they weren’t developed quite enough, or maybe it was because I wanted Golden to utilize the mangrove forest more than he did. Maybe it was because the characters were in a chaotic scenario, and the way everything unfolded read somewhat messy on the page. For whatever reason, I was left feeling like The Night Birds didn’t fully live up to its potential. It’s a good horror novel, but not a great one. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the early reading opportunity.
June 18, 2025
Golden goes wild in his new supernatural thriller. 🐦⬛ 🦉 🌊 ⛈️
There’s two women on the run with a baby, a wrecked ship 🚢 parasitized by mangrove trees offering sanctuary, a group of murderous creatures after them. Oh and a hurricane has arrived on top of everything.
It’s weird, it’s interesting, and somehow spellbinding ✨ . I honestly didn’t think I’d enjoy this book, but it hooked me.
I really didn’t get the “villians’” history, I mean Icelandic culture hasn’t been around that long compared to other lands, and yet the characters are calling the group prehistoric? Huh? I’m a bit crabby 🦀 about this explanation, didn’t love the ending, but enjoyed everything else.
There’s two women on the run with a baby, a wrecked ship 🚢 parasitized by mangrove trees offering sanctuary, a group of murderous creatures after them. Oh and a hurricane has arrived on top of everything.
It’s weird, it’s interesting, and somehow spellbinding ✨ . I honestly didn’t think I’d enjoy this book, but it hooked me.
I really didn’t get the “villians’” history, I mean Icelandic culture hasn’t been around that long compared to other lands, and yet the characters are calling the group prehistoric? Huh? I’m a bit crabby 🦀 about this explanation, didn’t love the ending, but enjoyed everything else.
February 20, 2025
The Night Birds is a supernatural thriller set in a raging storm on a half-sunken 19th-century freighter. Top that for atmosphere!
Ruby is home alone when a strange woman carrying a baby practically bursts through her door with an incredible story and a plea for help. She finds it all beyond belief until she is confronted with the terrifying proof.
Charlie is preparing to ride out the storm alone when Ruby shows up. He has not seen or spoken to her since their painful break-up, but even though she won't answer his questions he doesn't turn her away when she needs a place to hide. Hide from what, you ask? The coven that wants to sacrifice the baby so that the Ur-witch (the original witch who is the reason stories of witchcraft are told) can be permanently resurrected.
I love folklore and folk horror so resurrecting some old world legends in the modern day was a hit with me. True love, fractured family bonds, partial revelations and broken hearts ratcheted up the tension in between the terror and kept me engaged with the characters.
My thanks to St. Martin's Press for the e-ARC.
Ruby is home alone when a strange woman carrying a baby practically bursts through her door with an incredible story and a plea for help. She finds it all beyond belief until she is confronted with the terrifying proof.
Charlie is preparing to ride out the storm alone when Ruby shows up. He has not seen or spoken to her since their painful break-up, but even though she won't answer his questions he doesn't turn her away when she needs a place to hide. Hide from what, you ask? The coven that wants to sacrifice the baby so that the Ur-witch (the original witch who is the reason stories of witchcraft are told) can be permanently resurrected.
I love folklore and folk horror so resurrecting some old world legends in the modern day was a hit with me. True love, fractured family bonds, partial revelations and broken hearts ratcheted up the tension in between the terror and kept me engaged with the characters.
My thanks to St. Martin's Press for the e-ARC.
April 23, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a free e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I think Christopher Golden is becoming a middle of the road author for me. I really enjoyed All Hallows, but this and his previous book were just a little underwhelming. This book involves witches, sacrifices, very atmospheric setting, and new beginnings. The characters throughout are just not captivating. None of them really turned out to be likeable, and you have a hard time rooting for anyone throughout the story.
I'm also kind of disappointed because I thought the story might gear more towards some paranormal with the freighter being haunted. It did not go in that direction at all, unfortunately. I wanted to be invested in the story, but I found my mind wandering frequently and had to keep going back to read parts I partially skimmed through.
I would still try another book from the author, as you can still say his books are entertaining once you've completed them.
I think Christopher Golden is becoming a middle of the road author for me. I really enjoyed All Hallows, but this and his previous book were just a little underwhelming. This book involves witches, sacrifices, very atmospheric setting, and new beginnings. The characters throughout are just not captivating. None of them really turned out to be likeable, and you have a hard time rooting for anyone throughout the story.
I'm also kind of disappointed because I thought the story might gear more towards some paranormal with the freighter being haunted. It did not go in that direction at all, unfortunately. I wanted to be invested in the story, but I found my mind wandering frequently and had to keep going back to read parts I partially skimmed through.
I would still try another book from the author, as you can still say his books are entertaining once you've completed them.
June 24, 2025
This has got to be the WORST book by Christopher Gloden EVER!
Wow, when I first started this, it was slow, I had to admit, but I really had hope that it was going to be creepy. Oh, my god......when the nightbirds started turning into the 'coven' of witches, it became so stupid and silly that you just wanted to get thru this god awful ecological mess of a so called Horror novel. Normally I love his writings.......NOT THIS TIME! Would not recommend you to waste the money on this one....check it out somewhere online for free.
1 SNOOOOOOOze. So what.
Wow, when I first started this, it was slow, I had to admit, but I really had hope that it was going to be creepy. Oh, my god......when the nightbirds started turning into the 'coven' of witches, it became so stupid and silly that you just wanted to get thru this god awful ecological mess of a so called Horror novel. Normally I love his writings.......NOT THIS TIME! Would not recommend you to waste the money on this one....check it out somewhere online for free.
1 SNOOOOOOOze. So what.
April 12, 2025
First things first, the setting in this novel is so damn cool. It’s a floating forest inside a half sunken ship. So you have a partially submerged wheelhouse area, where someone can work and sort of sleep. But then you have this amazing forest of mangrove trees, with roots descending into the bottom of the ship and out rusty holes. I would totally visit this place if it were real, and safe..
This book takes place in one day, and is nonstop action through the whole book. Everything is heightened because of the intense storm throwing winds and rain that can flip a boat. When Ruby shows up with the baby, and Book brings her to the ship to protect her, you know it’s about to get real. Oh and then the witches come. Freaking scary as hell, ancient shape shifting, crone faced witches that just want to sacrifice that baby. Which means the rest of the story is protecting the baby.
Wow. I mean, wow. It was a white knuckle ride until the end. Epic battle scenes, a totally locked room vibe, in the dark, while being chased. No one is safe, and it’s totally fine.
This book takes place in one day, and is nonstop action through the whole book. Everything is heightened because of the intense storm throwing winds and rain that can flip a boat. When Ruby shows up with the baby, and Book brings her to the ship to protect her, you know it’s about to get real. Oh and then the witches come. Freaking scary as hell, ancient shape shifting, crone faced witches that just want to sacrifice that baby. Which means the rest of the story is protecting the baby.
Wow. I mean, wow. It was a white knuckle ride until the end. Epic battle scenes, a totally locked room vibe, in the dark, while being chased. No one is safe, and it’s totally fine.
October 28, 2025
My second Christopher Golden novel for this October, so I was already aware of his style.
Firstly, the cover is gorgeous and certified eye catching - it's nice to see what the Christabel looks like.
Though just like The House of Last Resort, Golden excels at description and the set up of an old 19th century freighter with a massive forest of mangrove trees growing through the deck makes for an excellent setting.
The story follows three main characters in Charlie Book who has been living aboard and studying the Christabel, his ex Ruby who shows up at the boat asking for help alongside another women and baby in tow.
It does have some nice tension, whilst Charlie and Ruby's past has an extra layer of intrigue.
Not quite as action packed as I'd have hoped - but still builds for some good soild atmospheric horror.
Firstly, the cover is gorgeous and certified eye catching - it's nice to see what the Christabel looks like.
Though just like The House of Last Resort, Golden excels at description and the set up of an old 19th century freighter with a massive forest of mangrove trees growing through the deck makes for an excellent setting.
The story follows three main characters in Charlie Book who has been living aboard and studying the Christabel, his ex Ruby who shows up at the boat asking for help alongside another women and baby in tow.
It does have some nice tension, whilst Charlie and Ruby's past has an extra layer of intrigue.
Not quite as action packed as I'd have hoped - but still builds for some good soild atmospheric horror.
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