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13 Months Haunted
From Dead Eleven author Jimmy Juliano, a twisty, edge-of-your-seat novel about a unique haunting in the early 2000s
Piper Lowery, a public library clerk in charge of liaising with the local middle school, can tell right away there’s something strange about the new girl in eighth grade. Avery Wallace won’t touch any kind of technology, not even the computers at the library, and her mother comes to school with her every day, refusing to leave her side—not even when Avery uses the restroom.
And then there are the rumors, the whispers Piper hears from kids in the hallway and parents around Avery’s mother is a witch. Her sister and father were killed by something supernatural. A strange virus killed them.
Seeing how isolated and lonely Avery is, Piper befriends her but quickly realizes it might just be the worst decision she’s ever made. Because there’s something dark inside Avery Wallace, and it’s spreading . . .
Piper Lowery, a public library clerk in charge of liaising with the local middle school, can tell right away there’s something strange about the new girl in eighth grade. Avery Wallace won’t touch any kind of technology, not even the computers at the library, and her mother comes to school with her every day, refusing to leave her side—not even when Avery uses the restroom.
And then there are the rumors, the whispers Piper hears from kids in the hallway and parents around Avery’s mother is a witch. Her sister and father were killed by something supernatural. A strange virus killed them.
Seeing how isolated and lonely Avery is, Piper befriends her but quickly realizes it might just be the worst decision she’s ever made. Because there’s something dark inside Avery Wallace, and it’s spreading . . .
384 pages, Hardcover
First published August 12, 2025
155 people are currently reading
15683 people want to read
About the author
Jimmy Juliano
2 books440 followersJimmy Juliano is a writer and high school educator. Several of his stories have gone viral on the Reddit “NoSleep” forum, and his debut novel DEAD ELEVEN is currently in development at A+E Studios. He lives outside Chicago with his wife, daughter, and miniature Goldendoodle.
DEAD ELEVEN will be published on June 27, 2023 by Dutton Books. Pre-order and more info: www.jimmyjuliano.com
DEAD ELEVEN will be published on June 27, 2023 by Dutton Books. Pre-order and more info: www.jimmyjuliano.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 546 reviews
March 22, 2025
Are you pining for the early aughts? Do you miss the days of dial-up internet and NSYNC? Because, if so, I've got the book for you! This book is so early 2000s that it made me want to go put on some low-rise jeans and a Gap tee and pop Jagged Little Pill into the CD player. In the first few chapters alone, there's mention of AOL and “You've Got Mail!” and Napster and web journals and ER and The Matrix and Y2K and Ask Jeeves and Yahoo and Britney Spears and The Blair Witch Project and the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Walkman cassette players and burning music CDs and, well, you get the point. I'm a little surprised that Christina Aguilera herself didn't magically pop out of this book and read it to me out loud.
But, yeah, overall this was an entertaining read. It's creepy but not scary-scary, and it certainly has an original premise. It's perhaps not the most plausible storyline – it definitely requires some (okay, a lot of) suspension of disbelief to accept the eventual explanation for what's happening to Avery – but it's a horror novel so I suppose that's to be expected to a certain extent. It does get rather sci-fi-y toward the end, so that's something to be aware of if you're not a fan of the genre. I'm not entirely sure how plausible the technology-related bits are, but since I was an English major, eh, whatever. It works for me.
I did really enjoy the ending of this book, which is a rarity for me and horror novels – that's where they always seem to fall apart, IMO. I can't say that it wasn't a little predictable, but how else was it going to end, really? Thanks,Obama Anders.
Oh, and if you're wondering if the dog lives:
13 Months Haunted is a supernatural horror of a different sort, and I'm actually surprised by how much I enjoyed it considering the unexpected route it took to its conclusion (for the most part, I am not a sci-fi fan). The premise is clever and the characters (mostly) likeable and Ripley deserves all the pets. 3.95 stars, rounded up.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Dutton for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is August 12, 2025.
But, yeah, overall this was an entertaining read. It's creepy but not scary-scary, and it certainly has an original premise. It's perhaps not the most plausible storyline – it definitely requires some (okay, a lot of) suspension of disbelief to accept the eventual explanation for what's happening to Avery – but it's a horror novel so I suppose that's to be expected to a certain extent. It does get rather sci-fi-y toward the end, so that's something to be aware of if you're not a fan of the genre. I'm not entirely sure how plausible the technology-related bits are, but since I was an English major, eh, whatever. It works for me.
I did really enjoy the ending of this book, which is a rarity for me and horror novels – that's where they always seem to fall apart, IMO. I can't say that it wasn't a little predictable, but how else was it going to end, really? Thanks,
Oh, and if you're wondering if the dog lives:
13 Months Haunted is a supernatural horror of a different sort, and I'm actually surprised by how much I enjoyed it considering the unexpected route it took to its conclusion (for the most part, I am not a sci-fi fan). The premise is clever and the characters (mostly) likeable and Ripley deserves all the pets. 3.95 stars, rounded up.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Dutton for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is August 12, 2025.
October 4, 2025
1/5 ★ DNF at 25%
I have to quit this one before I fall into a full reading slump, especially since I’ve heard it doesn’t get better past where I am now. I felt disconnected from every character and the setting, and there wasn’t enough description or buildup for me to care about the story.
This was one of my most anticipated books after loving Dead Eleven, so I’m disappointed to not finish.
Hope others enjoy it more than I did!
I have to quit this one before I fall into a full reading slump, especially since I’ve heard it doesn’t get better past where I am now. I felt disconnected from every character and the setting, and there wasn’t enough description or buildup for me to care about the story.
This was one of my most anticipated books after loving Dead Eleven, so I’m disappointed to not finish.
Hope others enjoy it more than I did!
August 13, 2025
13 Months Haunted" is an eerie, adrenaline-pumping horror novel that flawlessly blends early 2000s nostalgia with spine-chilling supernatural suspense. Jimmy Juliano masterfully weaves an unsettling tale of isolation, technology, and the kind of horror that lurks in the spaces we least expect.
Piper Lowery, a small-town librarian, never expected her job to lead her into a nightmare. But when she befriends Avery Wallace—the strange new eighth grader who refuses to touch technology and whose mother never leaves her side—her life takes a terrifying turn. As whispers of dark family secrets spread and unexplainable events unfold, Piper realizes that something sinister is following her. Something that won’t stop until it finds a new home.
Juliano’s storytelling is immersive, with fast-paced, tension-filled chapters and a clever mixed-media format that makes the horror feel disturbingly real. The book crackles with a creeping sense of dread, balancing psychological tension with moments that feel ripped from a late-night urban legend thread. And let’s talk about the setting—if you lived through the Y2K era, the references to dial-up internet, chatrooms, and pre-social media paranoia will hit you with both nostalgia and unease.
This isn’t just a ghost story—it’s a deeply unsettling exploration of fear, memory, and the digital imprints we leave behind. Fans of The Ring, Stranger Things, and Dead Eleven will devour this one. Just don’t read it alone at night—you’ve been warned.
A huge thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Dutton | Dutton for sharing this remarkable horror novel's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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Piper Lowery, a small-town librarian, never expected her job to lead her into a nightmare. But when she befriends Avery Wallace—the strange new eighth grader who refuses to touch technology and whose mother never leaves her side—her life takes a terrifying turn. As whispers of dark family secrets spread and unexplainable events unfold, Piper realizes that something sinister is following her. Something that won’t stop until it finds a new home.
Juliano’s storytelling is immersive, with fast-paced, tension-filled chapters and a clever mixed-media format that makes the horror feel disturbingly real. The book crackles with a creeping sense of dread, balancing psychological tension with moments that feel ripped from a late-night urban legend thread. And let’s talk about the setting—if you lived through the Y2K era, the references to dial-up internet, chatrooms, and pre-social media paranoia will hit you with both nostalgia and unease.
This isn’t just a ghost story—it’s a deeply unsettling exploration of fear, memory, and the digital imprints we leave behind. Fans of The Ring, Stranger Things, and Dead Eleven will devour this one. Just don’t read it alone at night—you’ve been warned.
A huge thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Dutton | Dutton for sharing this remarkable horror novel's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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November 15, 2025
**3.5-stars rounded up**
13 Months Haunted follows Piper Lowery, a public librarian, who meets a strange young girl while volunteering at the local middle school.
The events of Piper's tale take place in the 1990s, but the set-up of the story itself, is Piper actually relaying these events to an interested relative. I did think that was a fun and slightly-different way to present this story.
The young girl's name is Avery and she is new to the school. She does have some odd behaviors, but the oddest thing about her is the fact that her mother attends school with her, sits in all Avery's classes, and literally tails her daughter like a shadow, even to the restroom.
Piper begins hearing rumors about Avery and her Mom. They're sort of the talk of the town. People say the Mom is a witch, that they fled their old town after Avery's sister and father were killed by a supernatural force.
While Piper finds this a bit extreme, there is something off about the mother-daughter duo. Through multiple interactions, Piper ends up befriending them and the rest proceeds from there.
This book started off great. It captured my attention early and I loved the small town setting, and the fact that the main action takes place in the 1990s; definitely a nostalgic period for me.
I was about the same age as Piper was during this same time period, so I could relate to a lot of what she was experiencing starting out her life as a young adult. There's also a lot of focus on the new, popular use of the internet.
For people who grew up using the internet from the time they were small children, let it be known, it was very different for those of us who never really had access, or even email, until around college-age. It was like a wild-west landscape. Unless you were in IT, you didn't really know what was going on, or how it worked.
Piper has a blog and she shares a lot on it. It was really more of a diary for her and she does relate the odd goings-on after she meets Avery for the first time.
So, there are some fun details involving that whole aspect of her life as well, particularly after she starts getting comments on what she's posting. It added a bit of a mixed media element, which I do tend to enjoy.
I loved the mystery surrounding Avery and her Mom as well. I really wanted to know the truth about them, and their past. Was something supernatural actually at play?
Even though the rumors circulating about them were fairly vicious, Piper comes to learn that there may have been some truth to them, but how much? She starts digging in with force, really out of an effort to try to help Avery, and I enjoyed those amateur sleuthing components.
Unfortunately for me, eventually the intrigue started to wear off. I'm not sure exactly why, but the plot just seemed to drag for me after about the halfway point.
I had theories, none of which I was particularly confident in, but it did start to seem repetitive and took me over 2-weeks to finish. I can't explain why I felt this way about it.
I just think once the initial mystery of what was going on with Avery was out of the way, it sort of lost it's main excitement factor. I did like the way it wrapped-up though. I felt the conclusion interesting to contemplate. There were some real repercussions there at the end.
Overall, I did find this to be an interesting and unique story. Although some of it did seem a little drawn out to me, I did love the ending and overriding premise. Additionally, the mysterious elements were solid, as were the details of Piper's amateur investigation.
Thank you to the publisher, Dutton, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Juliano is very talented. I love his concepts and will continue picking up his work for a long time to come!
13 Months Haunted follows Piper Lowery, a public librarian, who meets a strange young girl while volunteering at the local middle school.
The events of Piper's tale take place in the 1990s, but the set-up of the story itself, is Piper actually relaying these events to an interested relative. I did think that was a fun and slightly-different way to present this story.
The young girl's name is Avery and she is new to the school. She does have some odd behaviors, but the oddest thing about her is the fact that her mother attends school with her, sits in all Avery's classes, and literally tails her daughter like a shadow, even to the restroom.
Piper begins hearing rumors about Avery and her Mom. They're sort of the talk of the town. People say the Mom is a witch, that they fled their old town after Avery's sister and father were killed by a supernatural force.
While Piper finds this a bit extreme, there is something off about the mother-daughter duo. Through multiple interactions, Piper ends up befriending them and the rest proceeds from there.
This book started off great. It captured my attention early and I loved the small town setting, and the fact that the main action takes place in the 1990s; definitely a nostalgic period for me.
I was about the same age as Piper was during this same time period, so I could relate to a lot of what she was experiencing starting out her life as a young adult. There's also a lot of focus on the new, popular use of the internet.
For people who grew up using the internet from the time they were small children, let it be known, it was very different for those of us who never really had access, or even email, until around college-age. It was like a wild-west landscape. Unless you were in IT, you didn't really know what was going on, or how it worked.
Piper has a blog and she shares a lot on it. It was really more of a diary for her and she does relate the odd goings-on after she meets Avery for the first time.
So, there are some fun details involving that whole aspect of her life as well, particularly after she starts getting comments on what she's posting. It added a bit of a mixed media element, which I do tend to enjoy.
I loved the mystery surrounding Avery and her Mom as well. I really wanted to know the truth about them, and their past. Was something supernatural actually at play?
Even though the rumors circulating about them were fairly vicious, Piper comes to learn that there may have been some truth to them, but how much? She starts digging in with force, really out of an effort to try to help Avery, and I enjoyed those amateur sleuthing components.
Unfortunately for me, eventually the intrigue started to wear off. I'm not sure exactly why, but the plot just seemed to drag for me after about the halfway point.
I had theories, none of which I was particularly confident in, but it did start to seem repetitive and took me over 2-weeks to finish. I can't explain why I felt this way about it.
I just think once the initial mystery of what was going on with Avery was out of the way, it sort of lost it's main excitement factor. I did like the way it wrapped-up though. I felt the conclusion interesting to contemplate. There were some real repercussions there at the end.
Overall, I did find this to be an interesting and unique story. Although some of it did seem a little drawn out to me, I did love the ending and overriding premise. Additionally, the mysterious elements were solid, as were the details of Piper's amateur investigation.
Thank you to the publisher, Dutton, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Juliano is very talented. I love his concepts and will continue picking up his work for a long time to come!
April 10, 2025
SO MUCH NOSTALGIA! I loved this!
March 20, 2025
Anders is writing a college thesis on the “viral phenomenon”: what makes things go viral and the history of the phenomenon, specifically in the ages of the early internet. His research brings him across a relative named Piper and that’s where our story really begins as we flash back the year 2000.
Twenty-two-year-old Piper Lowery is the local library clerk in small-town Clover Creek when she comes across Avery, a young girl who just moved to town with her mother. Immediately, rumors about the odd young girl and her family’s past begin to circle. When Piper hosts a scary story contest for Halloween, Avery enters a particularly unsettling story, one that Piper can’t shake. Feeling some pity and amazement toward Avery and her stories, Piper takes Avery under her wing but soon realizes that there is something much darker within the young girl.
Similar to Juliano’s previous novel Dead Eleven, 13 Months Haunted plays out with some epistolary pieces. Rather than a focus on the 90’s though, this time Juliano focused his sight on the early 2000’s, complete with remnants of the Y2K scare, online blogging, dial-up internet, ask jeeves, and illegal music downloads for CD burning.
It’s a fast-paced, easy to consume novel that didn’t feel anywhere close to its 384 pages; combining the horrors of early internet and a fresh, unique twist on the supernatural, plus an ending that is so deliciously satisfying.
Thank you Dutton Books for the early copy in exchange for an honest review. Available Aug 12 2025
👹
Twenty-two-year-old Piper Lowery is the local library clerk in small-town Clover Creek when she comes across Avery, a young girl who just moved to town with her mother. Immediately, rumors about the odd young girl and her family’s past begin to circle. When Piper hosts a scary story contest for Halloween, Avery enters a particularly unsettling story, one that Piper can’t shake. Feeling some pity and amazement toward Avery and her stories, Piper takes Avery under her wing but soon realizes that there is something much darker within the young girl.
Similar to Juliano’s previous novel Dead Eleven, 13 Months Haunted plays out with some epistolary pieces. Rather than a focus on the 90’s though, this time Juliano focused his sight on the early 2000’s, complete with remnants of the Y2K scare, online blogging, dial-up internet, ask jeeves, and illegal music downloads for CD burning.
It’s a fast-paced, easy to consume novel that didn’t feel anywhere close to its 384 pages; combining the horrors of early internet and a fresh, unique twist on the supernatural, plus an ending that is so deliciously satisfying.
Thank you Dutton Books for the early copy in exchange for an honest review. Available Aug 12 2025
👹
June 5, 2025
ARC for review. To be published August 12, 2025.
3.5 stars
Piper Lowery is a library clerk in Wisconsin (I think. Pretty sure it’s Wisconsin. Could be wrong about that, though. But it’s a Wisconsinish state.) and she comes into contact with Avery Wallace, an eighth grader new to her school who is having some issues. Her mother is with her 24/7, even in the bathroom, she won’t use any type of computer and she’s being bullied. Piper intervenes in a bullying episode and then finds the instigator dead in his home.
As Piper becomes closer to Avery and her mother, Susan, she learns more about their history and the frightening things that have been going on. Rumors about Avery are rampant because something is terribly wrong.
I loved Juliano’s DEAD ELEVEN so I was really looking forward to this. I liked that it was mostly set in 2000, heyday of Napster and dial up. While the big bad here didn’t seem like the most innovative choice in 2025 the book was done well and I liked the framework (a story told in present day, looking back twenty five years) and the ending. So, it was good, but just shy of great.
3.5 stars
Piper Lowery is a library clerk in Wisconsin (I think. Pretty sure it’s Wisconsin. Could be wrong about that, though. But it’s a Wisconsinish state.) and she comes into contact with Avery Wallace, an eighth grader new to her school who is having some issues. Her mother is with her 24/7, even in the bathroom, she won’t use any type of computer and she’s being bullied. Piper intervenes in a bullying episode and then finds the instigator dead in his home.
As Piper becomes closer to Avery and her mother, Susan, she learns more about their history and the frightening things that have been going on. Rumors about Avery are rampant because something is terribly wrong.
I loved Juliano’s DEAD ELEVEN so I was really looking forward to this. I liked that it was mostly set in 2000, heyday of Napster and dial up. While the big bad here didn’t seem like the most innovative choice in 2025 the book was done well and I liked the framework (a story told in present day, looking back twenty five years) and the ending. So, it was good, but just shy of great.
August 29, 2025
Any author that can seamlessly integrate mix cassette tapes, Geraldo Rivera, Napster, chain e-mails, witchcraft, hauntings, Halloween, and the early Dark Web is a bit of a genius, in my opinion. Also, slightly mentally unstable.
Jimmy Juliano's debut novel, "Dead Eleven" was a sleeper hit, a damn good creepy horror novel that wowed me from beginning to end. But could the guy replicate his success? Could he write another horror hit that would scare my socks off?
The answer is "yes". "13 Months Haunted" is, besides a love letter to the Aughts (the early 2000s) and the rise of the Internet, a downright spooky little "haunted computer/program" tale. It's "Tron" meets "The Exorcist".
I'm feeling generous and nice, so I can't in good conscience give a detailed plot summary and risk dropping spoilers. Hell, I feel that I gave away to much already in the last couple paragraphs.
Just read it. And if you get any pop-ups or weird notices on your device, DON'T OPEN THEM!
Jimmy Juliano's debut novel, "Dead Eleven" was a sleeper hit, a damn good creepy horror novel that wowed me from beginning to end. But could the guy replicate his success? Could he write another horror hit that would scare my socks off?
The answer is "yes". "13 Months Haunted" is, besides a love letter to the Aughts (the early 2000s) and the rise of the Internet, a downright spooky little "haunted computer/program" tale. It's "Tron" meets "The Exorcist".
I'm feeling generous and nice, so I can't in good conscience give a detailed plot summary and risk dropping spoilers. Hell, I feel that I gave away to much already in the last couple paragraphs.
Just read it. And if you get any pop-ups or weird notices on your device, DON'T OPEN THEM!
October 27, 2025
I had previously read Jimmy Juliano's Dead Eleven and enjoyed its nostalgic vibes and eerie storyline. So when I saw a new book by him, I immediately put it in my TBR. Now my thoughts on 13 Months Haunted.
It has a unique plot, centered around a young girl and her mother, plus it involves a librarian as a main character, so how could I not? The story was way too convoluted then I feel like it had to be. When you get to the end and find out how this virus works, it's just asking too much of the reader to suspend disbelief and go with it. Now, it is a well written book and is certainly spooky throughout, but overall I felt letdown. Just not for me.
It has a unique plot, centered around a young girl and her mother, plus it involves a librarian as a main character, so how could I not? The story was way too convoluted then I feel like it had to be. When you get to the end and find out how this virus works, it's just asking too much of the reader to suspend disbelief and go with it. Now, it is a well written book and is certainly spooky throughout, but overall I felt letdown. Just not for me.
July 30, 2025
Mood: Meh
Current Jam: Everybody Hurts by R.E.M.
2.5 stars rounded up
Man, this was a really mixed bag for me. This really read like an (admittedly too long) urban legend that ends exactly how you think it will. I didn't think the 90's references were too much but I will say they did lose their charm after a while. And while the first half of the book is really strong and incredibly compelling, the second half drags and meanders to its contrived point.
The thing about the ending is once you learn exactly what happened, I feel like the author works too hard to explain it and overexplains it and then it stopped being scary. Honestly it was scary how silly the explanation was. I don't want to spoil anything for you if you want to read this but the bit about the videos embedded just kinda made me roll my eyes for some reason. Not because some kids looked at some messed up videos, as someone who looked at rotten dot com every morning before school I'm not saying I don't get why kids would look at weird stuff on the internet, it's just incorporating it further than that was dumb. We also get the classic "So and so, speak english!" when someone is talking about computers and nothing annoys me more than that. They're already "speaking english", what you mean is "I don't understand, can you elaborate?" Or maybe "Can you dumb it down for me?" The person literally just said words like "encrypted", "patterns", "data", and "algorithms".
Which leads me to my next point. Most of the characters were pretty insufferably stupid, Piper most of all. I get that computers are new at the time setting of this book and the average person didn't know a lot about computers yet. But it wasn't that, it was everything. I feel like everything everyone said to Piper was met with a blank look. Horror movies? I'm a scaredy cat, don't know 'em. Computers? I just know how to log in to AOL and that's it. The library? Oh idk, I just work here so I can hike every weekend. It's like anything that COULD be of assistance to her , she just shrugs and says "Idk".
Last question, what happened to Sam??? We just, never hear about him again and I would like to know?
Overall I think the premise is very good and from what I know about the author is he's gone viral on r/NoSleep a couple of times so I think I spy the issue. I think the author is used to short stories and is still trying to find his footing pacing wise with novels. I think he'll get there. I might recommend trying something not set or about the 90's yet, it might be reheating leftovers at this point but that's just my opinion. And obviously the most direct comparison here is The Ring which I'm going to read to round out July so I'm super interested to see how a book set in the (late) 90's compares to a book written in the (early) 90's.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Current Jam: Everybody Hurts by R.E.M.
2.5 stars rounded up
Man, this was a really mixed bag for me. This really read like an (admittedly too long) urban legend that ends exactly how you think it will. I didn't think the 90's references were too much but I will say they did lose their charm after a while. And while the first half of the book is really strong and incredibly compelling, the second half drags and meanders to its contrived point.
The thing about the ending is once you learn exactly what happened, I feel like the author works too hard to explain it and overexplains it and then it stopped being scary. Honestly it was scary how silly the explanation was. I don't want to spoil anything for you if you want to read this but the bit about the videos embedded just kinda made me roll my eyes for some reason. Not because some kids looked at some messed up videos, as someone who looked at rotten dot com every morning before school I'm not saying I don't get why kids would look at weird stuff on the internet, it's just incorporating it further than that was dumb. We also get the classic "So and so, speak english!" when someone is talking about computers and nothing annoys me more than that. They're already "speaking english", what you mean is "I don't understand, can you elaborate?" Or maybe "Can you dumb it down for me?" The person literally just said words like "encrypted", "patterns", "data", and "algorithms".
Which leads me to my next point. Most of the characters were pretty insufferably stupid, Piper most of all. I get that computers are new at the time setting of this book and the average person didn't know a lot about computers yet. But it wasn't that, it was everything. I feel like everything everyone said to Piper was met with a blank look. Horror movies? I'm a scaredy cat, don't know 'em. Computers? I just know how to log in to AOL and that's it. The library? Oh idk, I just work here so I can hike every weekend. It's like anything that COULD be of assistance to her , she just shrugs and says "Idk".
Last question, what happened to Sam??? We just, never hear about him again and I would like to know?
Overall I think the premise is very good and from what I know about the author is he's gone viral on r/NoSleep a couple of times so I think I spy the issue. I think the author is used to short stories and is still trying to find his footing pacing wise with novels. I think he'll get there. I might recommend trying something not set or about the 90's yet, it might be reheating leftovers at this point but that's just my opinion. And obviously the most direct comparison here is The Ring which I'm going to read to round out July so I'm super interested to see how a book set in the (late) 90's compares to a book written in the (early) 90's.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 6, 2025
4.75 stars - thank you Dutton for the early copy in exchange for my honest feedback
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT6f3uLms/
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT6f3uLms/
July 12, 2025
3 solid stars.
The first half of this book was great! Had me sucked in and eager to get answers, but by the time we hit part 3 it lost steam. The second half of this fell so flat and was just incredibly long for no reason. Some of it felt like info dumps, filling in any answer to the questions that came in the first half without any satisfactions.
The characters drove me crazy at times. Just all around stupid. Don't get me started on the ending. The Y2K nostalgia was fun but at times it felt like you were getting hit by so many references.
I did like it enough to check out Jimmy's other work and future work, but this one could have been better and was disappointing to me that what started strong ended up the way it did.
Thank you to netgalley and publishers for the arc!
The first half of this book was great! Had me sucked in and eager to get answers, but by the time we hit part 3 it lost steam. The second half of this fell so flat and was just incredibly long for no reason. Some of it felt like info dumps, filling in any answer to the questions that came in the first half without any satisfactions.
The characters drove me crazy at times. Just all around stupid. Don't get me started on the ending. The Y2K nostalgia was fun but at times it felt like you were getting hit by so many references.
I did like it enough to check out Jimmy's other work and future work, but this one could have been better and was disappointing to me that what started strong ended up the way it did.
Thank you to netgalley and publishers for the arc!
August 17, 2025
My dudes, I’m begging you. Please stopping writing female main characters. Men can star in horror books too, I promise. Writing women is not for everyone and that’s perfectly fine.
August 23, 2025
The story is about a library clerk named Piper who befriends Avery Wallace, a new eighth-grade student terrified of technology. Avery's family has a mysterious, tragic past involving a possible supernatural killing of her father and sister and rumours are spread about her mother being a witch. As Piper gets closer to Avery, she uncovers a chilling mystery involving ghostly apparitions and a spreading dark force, leading her into a dangerous situation tied to a sinister haunting.
What I really enjoyed about this book was the way it was told through Piper’s POV, her web diary entries, and Avery’s own diary. The early-2000s nostalgia added such a fun layer, and I loved how it was worked into the supernatural setting. The pacing felt consistent, and while the whole story kept me intrigued, the last few chapters really stood out and delivered an ending I loved.
Overall, this was a creepy, atmospheric read that’s perfect for spooky season!
What I really enjoyed about this book was the way it was told through Piper’s POV, her web diary entries, and Avery’s own diary. The early-2000s nostalgia added such a fun layer, and I loved how it was worked into the supernatural setting. The pacing felt consistent, and while the whole story kept me intrigued, the last few chapters really stood out and delivered an ending I loved.
Overall, this was a creepy, atmospheric read that’s perfect for spooky season!
November 4, 2025
I think this is my favorite horror release of 2025!
August 26, 2025
I am an absolute dunce for, once again, falling for great cover art and a fun-sounding premise. I didn’t notice that this was from the same author as Dead Eleven until after I'd finished it and came on here. Turns out I could basically recycle my review for Dead Eleven. To quote myself from two years ago "This is a don't judge a book by its cover situation. The cover is fantastic. The story wasn't."
Reading the glowing reviews for 13 Months Haunted, I have to wonder if we all read the same book?
My complaints then are the same now. Gossamer thin plot, no world-building, nostalgia that felt extremely obvious and in-your-face (except that also, they referenced Blues Traveler alongside Britney Spears and like, Eagle Eye Cherry, which didn’t make sense time-wise? Sorry, stupid thing to get hung up on, but still). The "currently listening to/current vibe" got old fast. It felt like the author was trying to undescerningly cram as much of 2000 as he could, to try to appeal to everyone. Love country? Here, have a Leanne Rhymes reference. Prefer alt-rock? Have some Filter...
The characters were two-dimensional and useless, the female MC being so hopelessly incompetent that it almost felt insulting.
And then the plot.
Yeah, another hackneyed, obvious cliché of a horror ending that we all saw coming from the blurb alone but still managed to seriously annoy me and make me feel ripped off. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
I am absolutely the fool, here, for being dazzled by a very well-composed cover image. This was a long, plodding, openly derivative slog. I can't come up with one redeeming feature. Except maybe that the dog lives, but even that felt shoehorned in.
Reading the glowing reviews for 13 Months Haunted, I have to wonder if we all read the same book?
My complaints then are the same now. Gossamer thin plot, no world-building, nostalgia that felt extremely obvious and in-your-face (except that also, they referenced Blues Traveler alongside Britney Spears and like, Eagle Eye Cherry, which didn’t make sense time-wise? Sorry, stupid thing to get hung up on, but still). The "currently listening to/current vibe" got old fast. It felt like the author was trying to undescerningly cram as much of 2000 as he could, to try to appeal to everyone. Love country? Here, have a Leanne Rhymes reference. Prefer alt-rock? Have some Filter...
The characters were two-dimensional and useless, the female MC being so hopelessly incompetent that it almost felt insulting.
And then the plot.
Yeah, another hackneyed, obvious cliché of a horror ending that we all saw coming from the blurb alone but still managed to seriously annoy me and make me feel ripped off. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
I am absolutely the fool, here, for being dazzled by a very well-composed cover image. This was a long, plodding, openly derivative slog. I can't come up with one redeeming feature. Except maybe that the dog lives, but even that felt shoehorned in.
October 30, 2025
3 stars
Brimming with nostalgia but light on actual horror, 13 Months Haunted immediately transported me back to the early 2000s—an era when online journaling and peer-to-peer file sharing felt like the peak of technology. As someone who lived though that time period as a teen, I appreciated the abundance of cultural references (Dial-up internet! Napster! RollerCoaster Tycoon!) woven throughout.
However, despite the richness of its worldbuilding, the horror itself feels tame and PG-13. I liked the idea of horror spreading through technology (a concept reminiscent of the movie The Ring), but the execution is frustratingly vague and lacks visual punch. Most of the scares happen 'off-screen', leaving little impact or any form of an iconic moment. The final reveal also over-explains with too much tech jargon (servers, RAM, coding) while still leaving the how and the why woefully unexplored.
13 Months Haunted has some clever ideas at its core, but the overall execution feels confused; the horror reads too juvenile—better suited for a YA audience—while the nostalgia clearly caters to readers who lived through the early 2000s. It ultimately feels like the setting came first, and the story was an under-cooked afterthought.
**The Book Troop Book Club October 2025 Selection**
Brimming with nostalgia but light on actual horror, 13 Months Haunted immediately transported me back to the early 2000s—an era when online journaling and peer-to-peer file sharing felt like the peak of technology. As someone who lived though that time period as a teen, I appreciated the abundance of cultural references (Dial-up internet! Napster! RollerCoaster Tycoon!) woven throughout.
However, despite the richness of its worldbuilding, the horror itself feels tame and PG-13. I liked the idea of horror spreading through technology (a concept reminiscent of the movie The Ring), but the execution is frustratingly vague and lacks visual punch. Most of the scares happen 'off-screen', leaving little impact or any form of an iconic moment. The final reveal also over-explains with too much tech jargon (servers, RAM, coding) while still leaving the how and the why woefully unexplored.
13 Months Haunted has some clever ideas at its core, but the overall execution feels confused; the horror reads too juvenile—better suited for a YA audience—while the nostalgia clearly caters to readers who lived through the early 2000s. It ultimately feels like the setting came first, and the story was an under-cooked afterthought.
**The Book Troop Book Club October 2025 Selection**
October 31, 2025
Current vibe: Annoyed
Current jam: I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow by The Soggy Bottom Boys and Dan Tyminski
This is an unfortunate DNF at page 207. I am not having a good time and I wish I could have downloaded this book from Napster.
I love the idea of this a lot but it was too much. I’ve been annoyed more than I havent been and I know enough of what happened that I don’t care if i finish this or not.
Here are some notes I was taking as I read. There are VAGUE SPOILERS BELOW but really nothing that will ruin the story. I’m not sure how much there even is to ruin.
The tech name dropping is a little much
Would some random principle in small town nowhere Wisconsin (population 1500) really be an early adopter of blackberry?
“Piper was close now. Ten feet from the door. She heard another scream, and then what sounded like a body tumbling down the stairs.
Then a crack.
It sounded like bone.
Another hideous scream, followed by a gargle.
Piper approached the door, her hand trembling.”
I have a very hard time believing she’s hearing someone fall down the stairs, much less a bone crack and gargle from OUTSIDE the house.
I’m really pulled out every time we get a pop culture reference because I HAVE to look up when it came out. And there’s A LOT of them.
I also don’t believe that Avery’s diary would be written the way it is. It’s too professional looking.
Why is piper shocked to see Avery and her mom at the library? She’s literally seen them here before.
"Well," Piper said haltingly, "if there's anything more I can do for Avery, please don't hesitate to reach out. I'm not at the school a whole lot, Just a couple times a month, and my schedule there isn't regular. But In more than happy to recommend more books, or work with her here at the library, or—"
"You took the words right out of my mouth," Susan said. "That's kind of why we're here. Avery really enjoys the library, and we were wondering if you'd be interested in doing a little tutoring. Helping Avery with her writing, things like that? She loves writing. Don't you, honey?"
Then on the next page: "Sure, wow," Piper said. "I'm happy to study with Avery, make something work whenever you think is best. If that's okay with Avery, of course."
THEY JUST SUGGESTED IT AND YOU AGREED, OF COURSE ITS OK!
Then the last line in that section: "I have some time right now," Piper said. "What do you want to do?"
So.. you’re AT WORK, on the clock, and you’re just going to do a whole tutoring session? ON THE CLOCK?
He shoves Napster down our throats but keeps mentioning them making playlists. You didn’t make playlists in 2000! You burned a CD or made a mixtape.
And what school computer club is letting you use chat rooms!?
She’s going on a long walk and downloading 37 songs on Napster. If we’re being generous and taking 15 minutes per song, that’s 9.5 HOURS!
“Piper had never heard of this, and she did a quick search on AskJeeves.com.” This is a good example of shoehorning y2k terms in wherever possible.
This was on the next page: “Curious, she returned to AskJeeves.com, and quickly found answers.”
Use AskJeeves.com the first time then just say “searched” after that.
This is a conversation with the teacher: but I want to tell them that the girl couldn't have downloaded him-"
"Sent him. He would've been the one to download it."
I know it’s earlyish for computers at this point and he’s old, but come one. Sent and downloaded aren’t that hard to understand.
“Burned a new playlist” you don’t burn a playlist, YOU BURN A CD!
OH MY GOD IT IS NOT A PLAYLIST
Current jam: I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow by The Soggy Bottom Boys and Dan Tyminski
This is an unfortunate DNF at page 207. I am not having a good time and I wish I could have downloaded this book from Napster.
I love the idea of this a lot but it was too much. I’ve been annoyed more than I havent been and I know enough of what happened that I don’t care if i finish this or not.
Here are some notes I was taking as I read. There are VAGUE SPOILERS BELOW but really nothing that will ruin the story. I’m not sure how much there even is to ruin.
The tech name dropping is a little much
Would some random principle in small town nowhere Wisconsin (population 1500) really be an early adopter of blackberry?
“Piper was close now. Ten feet from the door. She heard another scream, and then what sounded like a body tumbling down the stairs.
Then a crack.
It sounded like bone.
Another hideous scream, followed by a gargle.
Piper approached the door, her hand trembling.”
I have a very hard time believing she’s hearing someone fall down the stairs, much less a bone crack and gargle from OUTSIDE the house.
I’m really pulled out every time we get a pop culture reference because I HAVE to look up when it came out. And there’s A LOT of them.
I also don’t believe that Avery’s diary would be written the way it is. It’s too professional looking.
Why is piper shocked to see Avery and her mom at the library? She’s literally seen them here before.
"Well," Piper said haltingly, "if there's anything more I can do for Avery, please don't hesitate to reach out. I'm not at the school a whole lot, Just a couple times a month, and my schedule there isn't regular. But In more than happy to recommend more books, or work with her here at the library, or—"
"You took the words right out of my mouth," Susan said. "That's kind of why we're here. Avery really enjoys the library, and we were wondering if you'd be interested in doing a little tutoring. Helping Avery with her writing, things like that? She loves writing. Don't you, honey?"
Then on the next page: "Sure, wow," Piper said. "I'm happy to study with Avery, make something work whenever you think is best. If that's okay with Avery, of course."
THEY JUST SUGGESTED IT AND YOU AGREED, OF COURSE ITS OK!
Then the last line in that section: "I have some time right now," Piper said. "What do you want to do?"
So.. you’re AT WORK, on the clock, and you’re just going to do a whole tutoring session? ON THE CLOCK?
He shoves Napster down our throats but keeps mentioning them making playlists. You didn’t make playlists in 2000! You burned a CD or made a mixtape.
And what school computer club is letting you use chat rooms!?
She’s going on a long walk and downloading 37 songs on Napster. If we’re being generous and taking 15 minutes per song, that’s 9.5 HOURS!
“Piper had never heard of this, and she did a quick search on AskJeeves.com.” This is a good example of shoehorning y2k terms in wherever possible.
This was on the next page: “Curious, she returned to AskJeeves.com, and quickly found answers.”
Use AskJeeves.com the first time then just say “searched” after that.
This is a conversation with the teacher: but I want to tell them that the girl couldn't have downloaded him-"
"Sent him. He would've been the one to download it."
I know it’s earlyish for computers at this point and he’s old, but come one. Sent and downloaded aren’t that hard to understand.
“Burned a new playlist” you don’t burn a playlist, YOU BURN A CD!
OH MY GOD IT IS NOT A PLAYLIST
July 22, 2025
4.5 stars rounded up to 5! OKAY JIMMY, I SEE YOU.
13 Months Haunted was everything I didn't know I needed and more: endless nostalgic Y2K references, creepy scenes that made my skin crawl, and librarians as a main character. Not to mention it being set in my home state of WI which was truly just the cherry on this late 90's, early 2000's cake. I am so, so glad I got my hands on an early copy and can't wait to see everyone loving it too come August.
13 Months Haunted was everything I didn't know I needed and more: endless nostalgic Y2K references, creepy scenes that made my skin crawl, and librarians as a main character. Not to mention it being set in my home state of WI which was truly just the cherry on this late 90's, early 2000's cake. I am so, so glad I got my hands on an early copy and can't wait to see everyone loving it too come August.
November 3, 2025
Piper is the new librarian in town, tasked with administering a creepy story writing contest at the local middle school. There she discovers the weird new girl in town, Avery, who writes a great story but is the subject of bullies due to her strange mannerisms and the fact that her classroom aide is her mother, who never leaves her side. And worst of all, the rumors that her sister and father died because she used to live in a haunted house. Meaning only the best, Piper reaches out to Avery, seemingly with success. But when she sees the first body, she soon learns that not everything about Avery is a rumor, and there's something malevolent that came with her.
I really enjoyed Jimmy Juliano's debut novel, Dead Eleven, which brought us back to 1994, and his sophomore effort, a nostalgic jaunt to the year 2000, was yet another hit. All the music, the AOL and Internet dial-up, the Napster and other technology and pop culture references really brought me back to the start of the millennium. And the story is reminiscent of J-horror in the time period, especially properties like Ringu/The Ring and Pulse, and aspects of it feel like a period horror movie. The book keeps you intrigued and wondering just what's going on throughout, until finally explaining it towards the end, where it mostly makes sense, though you have to take the solution with a grain of salt or several. 4.5/5*
I really enjoyed Jimmy Juliano's debut novel, Dead Eleven, which brought us back to 1994, and his sophomore effort, a nostalgic jaunt to the year 2000, was yet another hit. All the music, the AOL and Internet dial-up, the Napster and other technology and pop culture references really brought me back to the start of the millennium. And the story is reminiscent of J-horror in the time period, especially properties like Ringu/The Ring and Pulse, and aspects of it feel like a period horror movie. The book keeps you intrigued and wondering just what's going on throughout, until finally explaining it towards the end, where it mostly makes sense, though you have to take the solution with a grain of salt or several. 4.5/5*
September 4, 2025
4.5 stars
Thanks to NetGalley and Dutton for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book was everything I wanted and nothing that I expected. For all of the horror and thriller books I read, this one was extremely refreshing, and I couldn't put it down.
The mixed media, the flashbacks - it was all beautifully pieced together to create a chilling story that went in directions and took turns I wasn't expecting. While everything came together nicely in the end, I still loved how we were all devastated at the same time. I love the nostalgia and Wisconsin setting.
This book is definitely deserving of more love and appreciation, and it's the perfect read for spooky season!
Thanks to NetGalley and Dutton for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book was everything I wanted and nothing that I expected. For all of the horror and thriller books I read, this one was extremely refreshing, and I couldn't put it down.
The mixed media, the flashbacks - it was all beautifully pieced together to create a chilling story that went in directions and took turns I wasn't expecting. While everything came together nicely in the end, I still loved how we were all devastated at the same time. I love the nostalgia and Wisconsin setting.
This book is definitely deserving of more love and appreciation, and it's the perfect read for spooky season!
July 31, 2025
The first third to half of this was intriguing - a strange girl, her hovering mother, an urban-legend like secret following them. The references to 2000s music and pop culture were fun for the nostalgia, but weren't overbearing. The second part of this felt a bit too long and meandering though. I'd say it's an inoffensive light horror with some fun nostalgia. I haven't read Dead Eleven from this author, but I might check it out on audio.
I'd recommend this if you're new to horror or want something a little lighter. This has some creepy scenes, but is overall pretty mild. I'd also recommend this if you like urban legends, small town dynamics, and 2000s nostalgia (computers, music, pop culture).
If you liked the computer elements of this and want something more fast paced, I'd recommend Such Lovely Skin by Tatiana Schlote-Bonne
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy for review.
I'd recommend this if you're new to horror or want something a little lighter. This has some creepy scenes, but is overall pretty mild. I'd also recommend this if you like urban legends, small town dynamics, and 2000s nostalgia (computers, music, pop culture).
If you liked the computer elements of this and want something more fast paced, I'd recommend Such Lovely Skin by Tatiana Schlote-Bonne
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy for review.
August 31, 2025
The premise of this book sounded so good and i wanted to love it so bad but I was just never pulled into the story. The writing style kept pulling me out of the story with the over explanation of early 2000’s technology. It never fully felt like the book was set in the early 2000’s, the setting felt forced and unnatural. Too many pop culture references thrown in your face and I never felt like I was immersed. I think this book would have been better written in 1st person than 3rd person, and I don’t think that often. The 3rd person narrative just didn’t work for this kind of story in my opinion. I never felt scared or like I was there with the characters, I felt like an outsider watching all of this happen.
August 6, 2025
@duttonbooks #partner
& @prhaudio #partner for the ALC
13 Months Haunted
A love letter to the early 2000’s horror movies.
Anders is working on his thesis which is a good thing he has a family member who has information he needs. Piper - his third cousin - has had experiences with a student who lived in a haunted house. And Anders is on his way to her house now.
Avery had been a student of Piper’s - she submitted a horror story that Piper couldn’t shake. Avery’s sibling and father had been killed. But what was happening in that house? Now Piper must figure it out - is it a haunting? Is it a computer virus that sends death your way?
Loved this spooky - creepy - little book so much. Seriously the perfect book for spooky season.
🎧 Also listened to the audio while following along and loved this audio. The early 2000’s dial-up tone for the blog entries were fantastic. Valerie Rose Lohman and Nicole Cash slayyyyyed it.
I fully enjoyed all the throwbacks to the early 2000’s - how has it been 25 years since then?? All the songs - EPIC! Napster! Remember when we had to record songs off the radio? Yep! The online journals - I had at least 3.
Seriously loved this book so much! You can’t see it but you know it’s there right behind you. Assaulting your personal space.
That ending! Oof!
& @prhaudio #partner for the ALC
13 Months Haunted
A love letter to the early 2000’s horror movies.
Anders is working on his thesis which is a good thing he has a family member who has information he needs. Piper - his third cousin - has had experiences with a student who lived in a haunted house. And Anders is on his way to her house now.
Avery had been a student of Piper’s - she submitted a horror story that Piper couldn’t shake. Avery’s sibling and father had been killed. But what was happening in that house? Now Piper must figure it out - is it a haunting? Is it a computer virus that sends death your way?
Loved this spooky - creepy - little book so much. Seriously the perfect book for spooky season.
🎧 Also listened to the audio while following along and loved this audio. The early 2000’s dial-up tone for the blog entries were fantastic. Valerie Rose Lohman and Nicole Cash slayyyyyed it.
I fully enjoyed all the throwbacks to the early 2000’s - how has it been 25 years since then?? All the songs - EPIC! Napster! Remember when we had to record songs off the radio? Yep! The online journals - I had at least 3.
Seriously loved this book so much! You can’t see it but you know it’s there right behind you. Assaulting your personal space.
That ending! Oof!
November 17, 2025
13 Months Haunted by Jimmy Juliano feels like a mature, adult-novel length Goosebumps book, and I mean that as a compliment for once.
If you like The Ring, but had to cover your eyes for parts of it, definitely check this book out. It's like a not-scary version of The Ring, but with a digital file instead of a VHS tape.
I liked it. I mean, it's a mild ride for sure, but a decent one.
And I suppose that's my biggest complaint, actually; this was far too PG for my tastes. Not just in its lack of horror, violence, gore, hell- even curse words, but also in that it over explains everything like I have the brain of a 13-year-old.
The author is a high school educator, and it shows.
BUT!
It's all in good fun. It's all competently written with interesting enough characters. Not to mention all the 1990's to early 2000's media references you've ever dreamed of. It's fast-paced and nostalgic and inoffensive.
I do need to say that the end drags on and on and on and I hate it when stories like this feel the need to over-explain every silly, little detail as if the audience can't connect a single dot on their own.
Again, making it feel more like a YA book than an adult one. Which isn't always bad, I guess.
But honestly, if I'm rating this as an adult book, I just can't give this higher than 3.25.
If it were the YA novel it was meant to be, I'd put a solid 4 stars on it.
If you like The Ring, but had to cover your eyes for parts of it, definitely check this book out. It's like a not-scary version of The Ring, but with a digital file instead of a VHS tape.
I liked it. I mean, it's a mild ride for sure, but a decent one.
And I suppose that's my biggest complaint, actually; this was far too PG for my tastes. Not just in its lack of horror, violence, gore, hell- even curse words, but also in that it over explains everything like I have the brain of a 13-year-old.
The author is a high school educator, and it shows.
BUT!
It's all in good fun. It's all competently written with interesting enough characters. Not to mention all the 1990's to early 2000's media references you've ever dreamed of. It's fast-paced and nostalgic and inoffensive.
I do need to say that the end drags on and on and on and I hate it when stories like this feel the need to over-explain every silly, little detail as if the audience can't connect a single dot on their own.
Again, making it feel more like a YA book than an adult one. Which isn't always bad, I guess.
But honestly, if I'm rating this as an adult book, I just can't give this higher than 3.25.
If it were the YA novel it was meant to be, I'd put a solid 4 stars on it.
September 14, 2025
Genuinely terrifying and fantastically unique. I read this in one sitting because I got so sucked in, then I got freaked out and had to know what the virus was. Perfect blend of nostalgia and horror and a must read for IT Follows fans
October 16, 2025
4.5 rounded up
August 31, 2025
Why do I feel like this author will be an auto-buy for me?
September 20, 2025
Piper is a local librarian for a small town. She runs a writing contest to write the spookiest story and goes to the local elementary school to let the kids know and try to drum up some stories. To her surprise, there's a new girl, Avery, who has a story and is really excited to join. But something is off about Avery. Her eyes dart around the room, she looks scared, and she has her mother sitting beside her. Piper gets the teacher alone to check what the story is and he tells her that her family suffered a horrible tragedy - both the sister and father died. There are rumors that the house Avery and her family lived in was haunted. That Avery or her mom are somehow to blame. Piper can't help it, she feels bad for the girl. And, after reading her scary story, she feels compelled to try to be a friend to the family and help them through the transition of a new town and school.
It starts with a reporter going to search out a woman named Piper - someone who had a viral moment that rumors seem to surround, but there's no concrete evidence of what it was. He goes to interview her and she tells her story. The story of Avery and Piper takes place in the 2000's and you'll recognize the tapes, early AOL and internet, slow modems and walkmans. It was fun to take this tour of the past and I loved the little pieces and parts I'd forgotten.
This was such a fun, unique story. It was easy to get wrapped up, trying to understand what the rules of the terrible thing were and what was happening. The deaths were brutal and I loved how each one gave us a little more insight as to what was going on.
Piper does have a pup named Riley. If you need to know - he's okay in the end.
It starts with a reporter going to search out a woman named Piper - someone who had a viral moment that rumors seem to surround, but there's no concrete evidence of what it was. He goes to interview her and she tells her story. The story of Avery and Piper takes place in the 2000's and you'll recognize the tapes, early AOL and internet, slow modems and walkmans. It was fun to take this tour of the past and I loved the little pieces and parts I'd forgotten.
This was such a fun, unique story. It was easy to get wrapped up, trying to understand what the rules of the terrible thing were and what was happening. The deaths were brutal and I loved how each one gave us a little more insight as to what was going on.
Piper does have a pup named Riley. If you need to know - he's okay in the end.
July 12, 2025
Loved the premise, enjoyed the writing style, but was a little let down with the execution. The first half of this had me invested, reminding me of old urban legends and while the Y2K nostalgia bait was a bit overdone at times, it was fun, too. It had it's creepy moments that intrigued me and had me wanting to know more, but the final parts just didn't quite deliver.
I did like the epilogue though. It made me mad and the characters were not very bright at the end there, but it was a fun way to end things.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for the ARC!
I did like the epilogue though. It made me mad and the characters were not very bright at the end there, but it was a fun way to end things.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for the ARC!
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