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The Hive
An epic, Lovecraftian horror novel in the vein of Black River Orchard and American Elsewhere about a small town that becomes obsessed with a series of random objects left strewn across their town in the aftermath of a storm. From the Bram Stoker award-nominated and bestselling author of Come with Me.
The residents of Mariner's Cove are changing…
In the aftermath of a violent storm, a collective obsession is rapidly developing among the people of this quaint suburban neighborhood. Random, everyday items left scattered upon the lawns, the streets, and the shoreline all seem to call out to them. There is an item for almost everyone, and each item has a certain hold over the person who finds it—a hold that soon turns into unwavering infatuation. They hide their items from each other, obsess over them, and they will do anything—anything—to protect them.
The collective hum of bees' wings...
A young boy finds himself the possessor of a strange and inexplicable power. Is the arrival of this power linked to the increasingly odd and dangerous behavior of the residents of Mariner's Cove? Has he been granted this power in order to thwart whatever is about to happen in this small, bayside community, or is there a more sinister purpose?
All hail the Dragon...
All eyes are on him now.
The residents of Mariner's Cove are watching.
They move as one, like a solitary organism, and will do anything to succeed in their single-minded purpose.
They will not be stopped.
The residents of Mariner's Cove are changing…
In the aftermath of a violent storm, a collective obsession is rapidly developing among the people of this quaint suburban neighborhood. Random, everyday items left scattered upon the lawns, the streets, and the shoreline all seem to call out to them. There is an item for almost everyone, and each item has a certain hold over the person who finds it—a hold that soon turns into unwavering infatuation. They hide their items from each other, obsess over them, and they will do anything—anything—to protect them.
The collective hum of bees' wings...
A young boy finds himself the possessor of a strange and inexplicable power. Is the arrival of this power linked to the increasingly odd and dangerous behavior of the residents of Mariner's Cove? Has he been granted this power in order to thwart whatever is about to happen in this small, bayside community, or is there a more sinister purpose?
All hail the Dragon...
All eyes are on him now.
The residents of Mariner's Cove are watching.
They move as one, like a solitary organism, and will do anything to succeed in their single-minded purpose.
They will not be stopped.
768 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 14, 2026
175 people are currently reading
1948 people want to read
About the author
Ronald Malfi
74 books3,964 followersRonald Malfi is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling, award-winning author of many novels and novellas in the horror, mystery, and thriller genres. In 2011, his novel, Floating Staircase, was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award for best novel by the Horror Writers Association, and also won a gold IPPY award. In 2024, he was presented with the prestigious William G. Wilson Award for Adult Fiction by the Maryland Library Association. Perhaps his most well-received novel, Come with Me (2021), about a man who learns a dark secret about his wife after she's killed, has received stellar reviews, including a starred review from BookPage, and Publishers Weekly has said, "Malfi impresses in this taut, supernaturally tinged mystery... and sticks the landing with a powerful denouement. There’s plenty here to enjoy."
His most recent novels include Senseless (2025) and Small Town Horror (2024), both of which received favorable reviews and saw Malfi stretch his authorial voice.
Come with Me (2021) and Black Mouth (2022), tackle themes of grief and loss, and of the effects of childhood trauma and alcoholism, respectively. Both books have been critically praised, with Publishers Weekly calling Black Mouth a "standout" book of the year. These novels were followed by Ghostwritten (2022), a collection of four subtly-linked novellas about haunted books and the power of the written word. Ghostwritten received a starred review from Publishers Weekly, which called the book a "wonderfully meta collection...vibrantly imagined," and that "Malfi makes reading about the perils of reading a terrifying delight."
Among his most popular works is December Park, a coming-of-age thriller set in the '90s, wherein five teenage boys take up the hunt for a child murderer in their hometown of Harting Farms, Maryland. In interviews, Malfi has expressed that this is his most autobiographical book to date. In 2015, this novel was awarded the Beverly Hills International Book Award for best suspense novel. It has been optioned several times for film.
Bone White (2017), about a man searching for his lost twin brother in a haunted Alaskan mining town, was touted as "an elegant, twisted, gripping slow-burn of a novel that burrows under the skin and nestles deep," by RT Book Reviews, and has also been optioned for television by Fox21/Disney and Amazon Studios.
His novels Little Girls (2015) and The Night Parade (2016) explore broken families forced to endure horrific and extraordinary circumstances, which has become the hallmark for Malfi's brand of intimate, lyrical horror fiction.
His earlier works, such as Via Dolorosa (2007) and Passenger (2008) explored characters with lost or confused identities, wherein Malfi experimented with the ultimate unreliable narrators. He maintained this trend in his award-winning novel, Floating Staircase (2011), which the author has suggested contains "multiple endings for the astute reader."
His more "monstery" novels, such as Snow (2010) and The Narrows (2012) still resonate with his inimitable brand of literary cadence and focus on character and story over plot. Both books were highly regarded by fans and reviewers in the genre.
A bit of a departure, Malfi published the crime drama Shamrock Alley in 2009, based on the true exploits of his own father, a former Secret Service agent. The book was optioned several times for film.
Ronald Malfi was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1977, the eldest of four children, and eventually relocated to Maryland, where he currently resides along the Chesapeake Bay.
When he's not writing, he's performing with the rock band VEER, who can be found at veerband.net and wherever you stream your music.
Visit
His most recent novels include Senseless (2025) and Small Town Horror (2024), both of which received favorable reviews and saw Malfi stretch his authorial voice.
Come with Me (2021) and Black Mouth (2022), tackle themes of grief and loss, and of the effects of childhood trauma and alcoholism, respectively. Both books have been critically praised, with Publishers Weekly calling Black Mouth a "standout" book of the year. These novels were followed by Ghostwritten (2022), a collection of four subtly-linked novellas about haunted books and the power of the written word. Ghostwritten received a starred review from Publishers Weekly, which called the book a "wonderfully meta collection...vibrantly imagined," and that "Malfi makes reading about the perils of reading a terrifying delight."
Among his most popular works is December Park, a coming-of-age thriller set in the '90s, wherein five teenage boys take up the hunt for a child murderer in their hometown of Harting Farms, Maryland. In interviews, Malfi has expressed that this is his most autobiographical book to date. In 2015, this novel was awarded the Beverly Hills International Book Award for best suspense novel. It has been optioned several times for film.
Bone White (2017), about a man searching for his lost twin brother in a haunted Alaskan mining town, was touted as "an elegant, twisted, gripping slow-burn of a novel that burrows under the skin and nestles deep," by RT Book Reviews, and has also been optioned for television by Fox21/Disney and Amazon Studios.
His novels Little Girls (2015) and The Night Parade (2016) explore broken families forced to endure horrific and extraordinary circumstances, which has become the hallmark for Malfi's brand of intimate, lyrical horror fiction.
His earlier works, such as Via Dolorosa (2007) and Passenger (2008) explored characters with lost or confused identities, wherein Malfi experimented with the ultimate unreliable narrators. He maintained this trend in his award-winning novel, Floating Staircase (2011), which the author has suggested contains "multiple endings for the astute reader."
His more "monstery" novels, such as Snow (2010) and The Narrows (2012) still resonate with his inimitable brand of literary cadence and focus on character and story over plot. Both books were highly regarded by fans and reviewers in the genre.
A bit of a departure, Malfi published the crime drama Shamrock Alley in 2009, based on the true exploits of his own father, a former Secret Service agent. The book was optioned several times for film.
Ronald Malfi was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1977, the eldest of four children, and eventually relocated to Maryland, where he currently resides along the Chesapeake Bay.
When he's not writing, he's performing with the rock band VEER, who can be found at veerband.net and wherever you stream your music.
Visit
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
February 4, 2026
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Needful Things meets Dr Sleep meets The Tommyknockers meets King Sorrow, but only if you took the best parts of those books and smushed them together into a pile of cosmic, non-derivative, macabre deliciousness.
Originally written over a decade ago, this one sat in the trunk until the world was ready to receive it, and until Malfi was established enough to put the finishing touches on it. This feels very different than anything he’s written before. It’s ethereal, off-kilter, and inexplicably uncanny. The evil they face is nameless, faceless, and almost entirely unexplained, and yet it somehow feels wholly understandable.
I wouldn’t recommend this for someone just discovering Malfi for the first time. It requires patience, and a willingness to work for a payoff that’s set up one carefully placed word at a time.
I put this among my favorites of his books, which is saying a lot because he’s my favorite author whose name doesn’t rhyme with even ring. It won’t be for everyone, but it feels right for me.
Needful Things meets Dr Sleep meets The Tommyknockers meets King Sorrow, but only if you took the best parts of those books and smushed them together into a pile of cosmic, non-derivative, macabre deliciousness.
Originally written over a decade ago, this one sat in the trunk until the world was ready to receive it, and until Malfi was established enough to put the finishing touches on it. This feels very different than anything he’s written before. It’s ethereal, off-kilter, and inexplicably uncanny. The evil they face is nameless, faceless, and almost entirely unexplained, and yet it somehow feels wholly understandable.
I wouldn’t recommend this for someone just discovering Malfi for the first time. It requires patience, and a willingness to work for a payoff that’s set up one carefully placed word at a time.
I put this among my favorites of his books, which is saying a lot because he’s my favorite author whose name doesn’t rhyme with even ring. It won’t be for everyone, but it feels right for me.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Mariners Cove, a small town along the Chesapeake Bay, is cleaning up after a rather volatile storm left a ton of debris scattered around. During the cleanup effort, some of the objects appear to have certain effects on those who find them. They begin having nightmares, as well as hearing voices within their minds. The novel follows several of those different neighbors as they try to piece together what is happening to them along with why these objects have such an important significance on them.
There are a ton of different characters introduced, some getting a little bit more page time than others. So much so that not a ton really happens until 3/4 of the way through. What is tricky with the novel of this length is that there needs to be something to keep the reader motivated to move forward. I thought the character aspect was done really well, but the novel needed a few payouts or action dripped in along the way. It just seemed like so much time was dedicated to rehashing so much of what we already knew. But as I said, from a character development standpoint, there were certain characters that I thought were done really well, specifically Brian.
Being as long as it was, I feel it could’ve benefited from doing one of two things. Either trimming down some of the number of characters we met (I’m not a fan of this option as I thought this aspect was done really well) or adding a little bit more development that moved the plot along a bit sooner. Just throw a few bones the readers’ way to make them feel invested to continue on. The ending was tied up rather nicely. It just felt rather rushed when it did get there.
This was definitely a solid 3.5-star novel. I liked the plot in general and felt that there was good characterization amongst some of the characters. The length and pacing were a bit of the issue for me. As in aside… As the title might suggest, bees do play a significant role, so for any of those afraid of bees, keep that in mind. 🐝
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
There are a ton of different characters introduced, some getting a little bit more page time than others. So much so that not a ton really happens until 3/4 of the way through. What is tricky with the novel of this length is that there needs to be something to keep the reader motivated to move forward. I thought the character aspect was done really well, but the novel needed a few payouts or action dripped in along the way. It just seemed like so much time was dedicated to rehashing so much of what we already knew. But as I said, from a character development standpoint, there were certain characters that I thought were done really well, specifically Brian.
Being as long as it was, I feel it could’ve benefited from doing one of two things. Either trimming down some of the number of characters we met (I’m not a fan of this option as I thought this aspect was done really well) or adding a little bit more development that moved the plot along a bit sooner. Just throw a few bones the readers’ way to make them feel invested to continue on. The ending was tied up rather nicely. It just felt rather rushed when it did get there.
This was definitely a solid 3.5-star novel. I liked the plot in general and felt that there was good characterization amongst some of the characters. The length and pacing were a bit of the issue for me. As in aside… As the title might suggest, bees do play a significant role, so for any of those afraid of bees, keep that in mind. 🐝
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 27, 2026
Ronald Malfi is the king of small town horror stories. I don’t care what you say! He’s one of the best at setting the most eerie atmospheres, lingering foreboding, and unsettling characters. The Hive is no different. However, this one is his longest novel to date and it’s an investment. You have to take your time with it and just know the payoff is definitely worth it.
A violent storm crashes through the town of Mariner’s Cove. People start to change and some can feel the humming. There is an underlying obsession among them. Something is taking over their minds. Oh, and get ready for the bees.
I think true Malfi fans will enjoy The Hive as they are already familiar with his slow burning style. This is another character driven horror novel that Malfi expertly weaved. I highly enjoyed it and think you will too. Pre-order your copy!
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pub date 4-14
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
ARC received, yaay. So excited for this. Thank you Titan Books for the copy :D
_____
Ronald Malfi’s ’The Hive’ is an eerie, mind-bending dive into Lovecraftian cosmic horror that manages to stay under your skin long after the final page. For fans of the genre, especially those who enjoy a side of small-town dread, this story is a masterclass in atmosphere, even if it tests your patience along the way.
A fair warning for the squeamish: if you have a phobia of insects, proceed with extreme caution. The book is crawling with bees, expect a lot of stings, welts, and visceral descriptions that will make your skin crawl.
The novel excels at building a sense of "unsettling small-town vibes" that anchors the more otherworldly elements of the plot. Without spoiling the plot and mystery, let’s just say Malfi weaves together a classic but effective mix of tropes: a struggling but deeply loving parent, a child gifted with psychic powers, and a cast of strange, fully-fledged characters whose lives eventually collide in a satisfying "full circle" conclusion. Sprinkle in there the concept of a Hive mind and you get your creepy, disturbing story.
The Pace is a double-edged sword
This is a slow burn in every sense of the word. While the story is undeniably intriguing and creepy, the length is its primary drawback. There is a significant amount of "filler" and fluff that makes the narrative feel daunting. I’ll be honest: I put the book down several times because the pacing felt discouraged by its own density. It feels as though Malfi tried to give the reader everything, resulting in character depth that, at times, borders on excessive.
The bright side is that it is so rich and expansive that it would make a phenomenal TV series, where the "fluff" would have more room to breathe as episodic world-building.
Despite the need for a tighter edit, ‘The Hive’ is impossible not to enjoy if you have the stamina for it. It’s a haunting, complex journey that rewards the reader for sticking through the slower chapters. If you can handle the sting of the length, the payoff is well worth the wait.
Many, many thanks to Ronald Malfi,Titan Books, and NetGalley for the ARC. This is a voluntary review, reflecting solely my opinion.
_____
Ronald Malfi’s ’The Hive’ is an eerie, mind-bending dive into Lovecraftian cosmic horror that manages to stay under your skin long after the final page. For fans of the genre, especially those who enjoy a side of small-town dread, this story is a masterclass in atmosphere, even if it tests your patience along the way.
A fair warning for the squeamish: if you have a phobia of insects, proceed with extreme caution. The book is crawling with bees, expect a lot of stings, welts, and visceral descriptions that will make your skin crawl.
The novel excels at building a sense of "unsettling small-town vibes" that anchors the more otherworldly elements of the plot. Without spoiling the plot and mystery, let’s just say Malfi weaves together a classic but effective mix of tropes: a struggling but deeply loving parent, a child gifted with psychic powers, and a cast of strange, fully-fledged characters whose lives eventually collide in a satisfying "full circle" conclusion. Sprinkle in there the concept of a Hive mind and you get your creepy, disturbing story.
The Pace is a double-edged sword
This is a slow burn in every sense of the word. While the story is undeniably intriguing and creepy, the length is its primary drawback. There is a significant amount of "filler" and fluff that makes the narrative feel daunting. I’ll be honest: I put the book down several times because the pacing felt discouraged by its own density. It feels as though Malfi tried to give the reader everything, resulting in character depth that, at times, borders on excessive.
The bright side is that it is so rich and expansive that it would make a phenomenal TV series, where the "fluff" would have more room to breathe as episodic world-building.
Despite the need for a tighter edit, ‘The Hive’ is impossible not to enjoy if you have the stamina for it. It’s a haunting, complex journey that rewards the reader for sticking through the slower chapters. If you can handle the sting of the length, the payoff is well worth the wait.
Many, many thanks to Ronald Malfi,Titan Books, and NetGalley for the ARC. This is a voluntary review, reflecting solely my opinion.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
As a big fan of Malfi's work.. I am so sad I didn't enjoy this. It started off very promising, the premise was very intriguing and I felt invested in most of the various characters. My main issue with this book was that it felt like it was trying to do too many things at once that it lost my interest trying to piece them all together. By the second half I was just no longer invested and with it being such a long book, that's just a recipe for disaster.
Read
February 21, 2026review to come !!
Want to Read
January 27, 2026ARC received!!! Thank you so much, Titan Books. This is one of my most anticipated releases of 2026, and I cannot wait to pick it up!!! This will be read soon.
Did Not Finish
March 8, 2026DNF @ 73%
I normally like Malfi's stuff, but good lord is The Hive ever a slog. And not just a slog but a sssssssssssssslllllloooooooooooooogggggggggggg. It feels unending, and the repetition of entire scenes makes it feel like I've been reading the same chunk of chapters over and over and over for damn near ever now. I'm hard-pressed to recall another book I've read that has so little forward momentum coupled so much self-indulgence.
I opened up The Hive again this morning, unable to muster any enthusiasm whatsoever, to Chapter 41: Door-Becomes-Chair, a tagline the characters have been saying ad nauseam. I swear I've read this phrase about 10,000 times already -- I don't need a whole damn chapter about it!
That's it, I'm done. As the kids might say, I just can't even anymore with all this. Hundreds and hundreds of pages of what has felt like pure pointlessness, so much time right down the shitter. I'm out.
I normally like Malfi's stuff, but good lord is The Hive ever a slog. And not just a slog but a sssssssssssssslllllloooooooooooooogggggggggggg. It feels unending, and the repetition of entire scenes makes it feel like I've been reading the same chunk of chapters over and over and over for damn near ever now. I'm hard-pressed to recall another book I've read that has so little forward momentum coupled so much self-indulgence.
I opened up The Hive again this morning, unable to muster any enthusiasm whatsoever, to Chapter 41: Door-Becomes-Chair, a tagline the characters have been saying ad nauseam. I swear I've read this phrase about 10,000 times already -- I don't need a whole damn chapter about it!
That's it, I'm done. As the kids might say, I just can't even anymore with all this. Hundreds and hundreds of pages of what has felt like pure pointlessness, so much time right down the shitter. I'm out.
Want to Read
September 24, 2025I'm in - no matter what! I love this author!! 2026 let's goo!
April 20, 2026
3.75 rounded up
The Hive
General Thoughts:
I picked this book up as an ARC. I had no idea it was almost 800 pages long in e-book form lol I do not think this book necessarily earned all of those pages. However, it was a decent read that I quite enjoyed for the duration of the read. The ending was climatic and emotional, and felt very satisfying. The author did a great job of building the sense of dread and claustrophobia and panic throughout the characters and situation.
I will say, I predicted some things throughout the novel as well as as a main component of the ending, about halfway through the book. But it still unraveled in a very interesting way that made me satisfied, even though it had some predictability associated with it. I really enjoyed some of the horror elements during my read such as descriptions of body gore and ultimately the horrific happenstance of baser human instincts being activated. This book isn't so much jump out at you scary as it is a collective feeling of dread that continues to build to a climax.
I think the page count alone gives you the idea this is gonna be a bit of a slow burn. But I feel like too many of the POV's got too bloated with descriptions and spent too much time talking about things that ultimately didn't seem to matter in the grand scheme of the book. I really feel like this could've been paired down quite a bit and still given what it gave. That being said, I also feel like there were just too many POV's for me. There were several people that seemed like they were going to be heavy hitters and got a lot of POV time in the beginning, then eventually just paired down and became nothing characters. They had no real position in the end and I felt like they honestly could've been skipped completely. It made the POV's that were the main POV's get less page time, and ultimately might've lessened my emotional attachment to those characters.
I will say I am a bit biased in one way and that's that this book definitely made me feel nostalgic for younger Stephen King. This was a weird and mystical blend of Needful Things and the Shining.
I did really enjoy the supernatural aspect of this.
Overall, I do not regret my time with this novel, but I do feel like I've been reading this book for about half of my life at this point so I'm ready to move on lol if you're a big fan of really thick tomes and a slow burn this might be right up your alley.
Things to Love:
* Building of dread
* Interesting characters
* Mystery that begs to be satisfied
* Nostalgic horror feeling
Things to Question:
* Many POV's with unnecessary details
* Doesn't necessarily earn its pages
Book Stats:
📖: 768 pages
Genre: horror
Publisher: Titan
Format: eARC
Series: Standalone
Audiobook Stats:
⏰: 25 hours 38 minutes
🎤: Paul Bellantoni
Publisher: Tantor Media
Format: Single narrator/multiple POV
Was the narration good??
This was my first novel narrated by this narrator and it took me a minute to fully to get into it. The author's voice was not what I was expecting for some of the characters and it's always really hard for a narrator with such a deep voice to accurately and fairly depict female characters for me. However, this narrator ended up being really, really enjoyed by me. I still don't think he did the female voices a lot of justice however he didn't try to overdo it which helped. But his voice for some of the darker aspects of this novel was absolutely amazing and I want to read more horror books narrated by this narrator
Disclaimer: I read this book as a gifted eARC through NetGalley and a self purchased audiobook. All opinions are my own. This is my honest and voluntary review.
The Hive
General Thoughts:
I picked this book up as an ARC. I had no idea it was almost 800 pages long in e-book form lol I do not think this book necessarily earned all of those pages. However, it was a decent read that I quite enjoyed for the duration of the read. The ending was climatic and emotional, and felt very satisfying. The author did a great job of building the sense of dread and claustrophobia and panic throughout the characters and situation.
I will say, I predicted some things throughout the novel as well as as a main component of the ending, about halfway through the book. But it still unraveled in a very interesting way that made me satisfied, even though it had some predictability associated with it. I really enjoyed some of the horror elements during my read such as descriptions of body gore and ultimately the horrific happenstance of baser human instincts being activated. This book isn't so much jump out at you scary as it is a collective feeling of dread that continues to build to a climax.
I think the page count alone gives you the idea this is gonna be a bit of a slow burn. But I feel like too many of the POV's got too bloated with descriptions and spent too much time talking about things that ultimately didn't seem to matter in the grand scheme of the book. I really feel like this could've been paired down quite a bit and still given what it gave. That being said, I also feel like there were just too many POV's for me. There were several people that seemed like they were going to be heavy hitters and got a lot of POV time in the beginning, then eventually just paired down and became nothing characters. They had no real position in the end and I felt like they honestly could've been skipped completely. It made the POV's that were the main POV's get less page time, and ultimately might've lessened my emotional attachment to those characters.
I will say I am a bit biased in one way and that's that this book definitely made me feel nostalgic for younger Stephen King. This was a weird and mystical blend of Needful Things and the Shining.
I did really enjoy the supernatural aspect of this.
Overall, I do not regret my time with this novel, but I do feel like I've been reading this book for about half of my life at this point so I'm ready to move on lol if you're a big fan of really thick tomes and a slow burn this might be right up your alley.
Things to Love:
* Building of dread
* Interesting characters
* Mystery that begs to be satisfied
* Nostalgic horror feeling
Things to Question:
* Many POV's with unnecessary details
* Doesn't necessarily earn its pages
Book Stats:
📖: 768 pages
Genre: horror
Publisher: Titan
Format: eARC
Series: Standalone
Audiobook Stats:
⏰: 25 hours 38 minutes
🎤: Paul Bellantoni
Publisher: Tantor Media
Format: Single narrator/multiple POV
Was the narration good??
This was my first novel narrated by this narrator and it took me a minute to fully to get into it. The author's voice was not what I was expecting for some of the characters and it's always really hard for a narrator with such a deep voice to accurately and fairly depict female characters for me. However, this narrator ended up being really, really enjoyed by me. I still don't think he did the female voices a lot of justice however he didn't try to overdo it which helped. But his voice for some of the darker aspects of this novel was absolutely amazing and I want to read more horror books narrated by this narrator
Disclaimer: I read this book as a gifted eARC through NetGalley and a self purchased audiobook. All opinions are my own. This is my honest and voluntary review.
April 28, 2026
Malfi has crafted a detailed and dread inducing cosmic horror. The anxiety and tension are slow building at first, but then culminate in a wild and chaotic conclusion.
I did find that my growing interest from the beginning tapered off somewhat in the middle, and at times the story felt VERY long. There were moments that would reel me back in and helped me to keep reading to find out what happens. Then the activity and intrigue amps up towards the end- so definitely a rollercoaster of a read.
The characters were very well crafted and the highlight of the story, and this does make me want to try out more books from this author again.
Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Titan Books for a copy!
I did find that my growing interest from the beginning tapered off somewhat in the middle, and at times the story felt VERY long. There were moments that would reel me back in and helped me to keep reading to find out what happens. Then the activity and intrigue amps up towards the end- so definitely a rollercoaster of a read.
The characters were very well crafted and the highlight of the story, and this does make me want to try out more books from this author again.
Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Titan Books for a copy!
April 24, 2026
3.75 stars
This one is a little hard to rate. Writing is good, as Malfi generally is, so I enjoyed reading it. The story is interesting but also very slow progressing and quite meticulous in how it is set out.
This is where your mileage may vary. Personally I ended up enjoying it, but at the same time I can see how some people might not want to take so many pages to get to the Endgame (as it is even referred to in the book).
This one is a little hard to rate. Writing is good, as Malfi generally is, so I enjoyed reading it. The story is interesting but also very slow progressing and quite meticulous in how it is set out.
This is where your mileage may vary. Personally I ended up enjoying it, but at the same time I can see how some people might not want to take so many pages to get to the Endgame (as it is even referred to in the book).
April 2, 2026
DNF and should have bailed way sooner. I have never had a book put me into a reading slump before, until I read The Hive.
Granted, the premise is intriguing. But, god, this book is bloated. Every chapter, every paragraph, almost every sentence could be halved and it would still run long. The cast of characters is too big and sprawling, yet they all seem to just be slightly tweaked copies of each other, and the story moves at the pace of a tortoise having an afternoon stroll.
This was my first time reading Malfi and was not a positive experience. It came across as a tribute act Stephen King. In fact, the only positive I took from this was a true appreciation of how good King is at the longer works. People often criticise his lengthier stuff, but at least he knows how to keep your attention and keep the story moving.
As for The Hive, I’m just glad I can finally make it buzz off.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the review copy.
Granted, the premise is intriguing. But, god, this book is bloated. Every chapter, every paragraph, almost every sentence could be halved and it would still run long. The cast of characters is too big and sprawling, yet they all seem to just be slightly tweaked copies of each other, and the story moves at the pace of a tortoise having an afternoon stroll.
This was my first time reading Malfi and was not a positive experience. It came across as a tribute act Stephen King. In fact, the only positive I took from this was a true appreciation of how good King is at the longer works. People often criticise his lengthier stuff, but at least he knows how to keep your attention and keep the story moving.
As for The Hive, I’m just glad I can finally make it buzz off.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the review copy.
Want to Read
January 16, 2026The new Ronald Malfi! Can't wait for this one, the premise sounds like a vintage Stephen King or something.
Malfi is 5 for 5 for me with the books I've read of his so far, and I have no intention of slowing down now. Definitely my favorite horror author right now!
Malfi is 5 for 5 for me with the books I've read of his so far, and I have no intention of slowing down now. Definitely my favorite horror author right now!
April 28, 2026
So I read The Hive and now I don’t trust household objects.
A door? Suspicious.
A chair? Definitely plotting.
A colander? I’m not saying it’s evil… but I’m watching it.
This book is basically: “what if random junk ruined your life?”
And somehow… it works far too well. A storm hits. Objects wash up. People pick them up… and that’s it. Game over. Instant obsession. Like “forget career, family, basic hygiene—I have a door to think about now” levels of commitment. It sounds ridiculous. It is ridiculous.
Malfi then calmly turns it into nightmare fuel.
The town slowly unravels. Everyone gets a little… off. Then a lot off. Then you’re sitting there thinking, “yeah I’d probably also ruin my life over a mysterious object,” which is not a comforting realisation.
Characters? Easy 5 stars. Big cast, but no one feels like filler.
Cory and Uncle Brian = emotional damage in human form.
Michael Danver = man vs door (door is winning).
Stinger = absolutely not, lock the doors, burn the house.
Story? 3 stars. It’s slow. Proper slow. But it’s deliberate. It builds. It connects. And when it clicks, it’s one of those “ohhh… that’s actually very clever” moments.
Dread? Constant. No breaks. No tea pauses. Just a steady hum of “something is wrong” from start to finish. It doesn’t jump scare you. It just stands in the corner of the room… watching.
End result: 4 stars. Brilliant characters. Relentless atmosphere. A weird, slow-burning story that sticks with you.
Also… if you see a random object on the beach?...LEAVE IT THERE!
A door? Suspicious.
A chair? Definitely plotting.
A colander? I’m not saying it’s evil… but I’m watching it.
This book is basically: “what if random junk ruined your life?”
And somehow… it works far too well. A storm hits. Objects wash up. People pick them up… and that’s it. Game over. Instant obsession. Like “forget career, family, basic hygiene—I have a door to think about now” levels of commitment. It sounds ridiculous. It is ridiculous.
Malfi then calmly turns it into nightmare fuel.
The town slowly unravels. Everyone gets a little… off. Then a lot off. Then you’re sitting there thinking, “yeah I’d probably also ruin my life over a mysterious object,” which is not a comforting realisation.
Characters? Easy 5 stars. Big cast, but no one feels like filler.
Cory and Uncle Brian = emotional damage in human form.
Michael Danver = man vs door (door is winning).
Stinger = absolutely not, lock the doors, burn the house.
Story? 3 stars. It’s slow. Proper slow. But it’s deliberate. It builds. It connects. And when it clicks, it’s one of those “ohhh… that’s actually very clever” moments.
Dread? Constant. No breaks. No tea pauses. Just a steady hum of “something is wrong” from start to finish. It doesn’t jump scare you. It just stands in the corner of the room… watching.
End result: 4 stars. Brilliant characters. Relentless atmosphere. A weird, slow-burning story that sticks with you.
Also… if you see a random object on the beach?...LEAVE IT THERE!
April 6, 2026
I finished this beast of a novel!
After a huge storm, many residents of Mariner’s Cove discover random objects and become obsessed with them. Several people begin to demonstrate telepathy, strange symbols are drawn in public spaces, and all-around weirdness ensues.
The Hive is a tome of a novel, featuring an ensemble cast and a constantly shifting third person POV. While there were many characters, I never had any difficulty telling them apart, as Malfi is so good at establishing memorable, complex characters.
I’d describe the pace of this novel as slow, as it gradually builds dread, allows you time to get to know each character and their motivations, and reveals pieces of the lore surrounding what is causing all of the mayhem and strange happenings in Mariner’s Cove. I will admit that the pacing slows to a glacial pace in the middle to latter third of the book before the final act.
It is impossible not to compare The Hive to Stephen King tomes, in particular The Tommyknockers and Needful Things. The Hive plays with those themes of small town dynamics, obsession, and addiction like those King novels do so well. I was so intrigued by many of the characters, including Cory, his mother, and uncle. And Stinger and his mother were quite the pair😬
If you enjoy longer horror novels like the King books I mentioned above, especially with slow burn elements, bug horror, body horror, and cosmic horror, I recommend you check this one out. I had a fun time reading it!
This was another hit for me from Malfi.
Thanks to Titan Books for an eARC for review on NetGalley!
After a huge storm, many residents of Mariner’s Cove discover random objects and become obsessed with them. Several people begin to demonstrate telepathy, strange symbols are drawn in public spaces, and all-around weirdness ensues.
The Hive is a tome of a novel, featuring an ensemble cast and a constantly shifting third person POV. While there were many characters, I never had any difficulty telling them apart, as Malfi is so good at establishing memorable, complex characters.
I’d describe the pace of this novel as slow, as it gradually builds dread, allows you time to get to know each character and their motivations, and reveals pieces of the lore surrounding what is causing all of the mayhem and strange happenings in Mariner’s Cove. I will admit that the pacing slows to a glacial pace in the middle to latter third of the book before the final act.
It is impossible not to compare The Hive to Stephen King tomes, in particular The Tommyknockers and Needful Things. The Hive plays with those themes of small town dynamics, obsession, and addiction like those King novels do so well. I was so intrigued by many of the characters, including Cory, his mother, and uncle. And Stinger and his mother were quite the pair😬
If you enjoy longer horror novels like the King books I mentioned above, especially with slow burn elements, bug horror, body horror, and cosmic horror, I recommend you check this one out. I had a fun time reading it!
This was another hit for me from Malfi.
Thanks to Titan Books for an eARC for review on NetGalley!
March 23, 2026
Ronald Malfi’s The Hive is set in fictional Mariners Cove, a mixed neighborhood of rich and not so rich people. After a vicious storm, some of these neighbors find themselves fixated on random object and experiencing unusual behaviors. They start to work together with specific roles much like a beehive with The Hivemaster overseeing the activities of the neighbors in preparation for ENDGAME.
The storyline is unique and the characters are relatable. Much of the book is grounded in the metaphysical with the characters reading minds, predicting outcomes, and moving objects with their minds. Malfi fits this into the storyline in such a way that it blends in seamlessly.
I read this as an ARC and I recommend it for those who appreciate Malfi’s writing and metaphysical thrillers. On a deeper level, it is a story about family, neighbors, and community.
The storyline is unique and the characters are relatable. Much of the book is grounded in the metaphysical with the characters reading minds, predicting outcomes, and moving objects with their minds. Malfi fits this into the storyline in such a way that it blends in seamlessly.
I read this as an ARC and I recommend it for those who appreciate Malfi’s writing and metaphysical thrillers. On a deeper level, it is a story about family, neighbors, and community.
April 15, 2026
This was an epic, sweeping, and unique horror novel that really gets under your skin.
The residents of Mariner’s Cove, all driven to a collective obsession after a powerful storm sweeps through one night, leaving objects scattered for the town’s people to find. These found objects become a maddening obsession that drives them to a collective purpose.
There are so many storylines, that all slowly lead to the same place. The way these threads come together is brilliant. The dread building starts from the first few pages and doesn’t let up. It’s very much a slow burn, epic and spiraling horror. The reader very much feels the slow decent into madness from a wide array of perspectives. The tale itself is unique, even if the small town setting with paranormal activity is not. I found myself engrossed in the weirdness of it all.
With that said, although I think the story itself was enthralling and masterfully done, the pacing was not it for me. The middle 40% of this book was a bit of a slog to get through, there are SO many storylines happening and honestly, I didn’t feel invested in most of them. The tone was set that Ellen, Cory and Brian were the main characters, yet they had seemingly little actual story time compared to the other (over a half dozen) characters. I honestly found myself frankly, not caring much for those perspectives as the novel progressed.
There are many repetitive chapters, that seem to add little meat to the story. When they characters are introduced, it would seem they would have a more central arc in the story but most of the just end up being filler. I really could have done without the majority of them. Maybe a chapter or two, but not spanning multiple chapters through the book.
The ending kind of confounds me, it’s seemingly wrapped up, which I very much appreciate. However, some of it felt rushed after the intricately crafted build up, it’s over in the blink of an eye and we still don’t have a lot of questions answered. I suppose perhaps it was purposeful, as confusion was a central theme for the characters in their descent into obsessive madness, but as the reader it was annoying and left me wanting.
If you like epic, spiraling, slow burn horror this is a book for you. For me, although I found the actual story to be compelling, the delivery was a challenge. I could have done without about 40% of this book, which would have helped with my pacing issues and my apathy towards many of the characters.
The residents of Mariner’s Cove, all driven to a collective obsession after a powerful storm sweeps through one night, leaving objects scattered for the town’s people to find. These found objects become a maddening obsession that drives them to a collective purpose.
There are so many storylines, that all slowly lead to the same place. The way these threads come together is brilliant. The dread building starts from the first few pages and doesn’t let up. It’s very much a slow burn, epic and spiraling horror. The reader very much feels the slow decent into madness from a wide array of perspectives. The tale itself is unique, even if the small town setting with paranormal activity is not. I found myself engrossed in the weirdness of it all.
With that said, although I think the story itself was enthralling and masterfully done, the pacing was not it for me. The middle 40% of this book was a bit of a slog to get through, there are SO many storylines happening and honestly, I didn’t feel invested in most of them. The tone was set that Ellen, Cory and Brian were the main characters, yet they had seemingly little actual story time compared to the other (over a half dozen) characters. I honestly found myself frankly, not caring much for those perspectives as the novel progressed.
There are many repetitive chapters, that seem to add little meat to the story. When they characters are introduced, it would seem they would have a more central arc in the story but most of the just end up being filler. I really could have done without the majority of them. Maybe a chapter or two, but not spanning multiple chapters through the book.
The ending kind of confounds me, it’s seemingly wrapped up, which I very much appreciate. However, some of it felt rushed after the intricately crafted build up, it’s over in the blink of an eye and we still don’t have a lot of questions answered. I suppose perhaps it was purposeful, as confusion was a central theme for the characters in their descent into obsessive madness, but as the reader it was annoying and left me wanting.
If you like epic, spiraling, slow burn horror this is a book for you. For me, although I found the actual story to be compelling, the delivery was a challenge. I could have done without about 40% of this book, which would have helped with my pacing issues and my apathy towards many of the characters.
April 20, 2026
I was a little late requesting a review copy of this one, but the publisher granted it to me anyway and so I wasted no time and dove right in!
What a chunky and intimidating guy this was! I cannot remember the last time I read a book this long. The closest I've been was when I read Bury Your Bones in the Midnight Soil which clocked in at over 500 pages. And I've never read anything by Malfi before so this felt like quite the risk for me. Think about how many more books I could have read in the span of time I was reading this one?! I heard my gigantic TBR pile collectively sigh when they saw me open this one on my kindle.
The Hive takes place in a small town pummeled by a bizarre storm. When the skies clear, the residents of Mariner’s Cove head out to assess the damage — only to find themselves strangely drawn to random bits of debris scattered across lawns, trees, and water: a colander, a bike wheel, wire hangers, even someone’s front door. They don’t know why, only that they must protect these objects at all costs.
Those afflicted begin having vivid dreams — climbing a metal structure high in the sky, seeing strange symbols that slowly reveal themselves as instructions. There’s something they need to build. Something important. And Malfi makes you wait until the final quarter to find out what it is.
God, this thing was long. And I’m not convinced it needed to be. Malfi could’ve shaved off a good two hundred pages by trimming the repetition. Still, he does a solid job introducing the (many) main characters and keeping their bizarre storylines straight while gradually ramping up the tension and WTF energy.
Not a book I’ll be shouting from the mountaintops about, but not one I’d tell you to skip either. Worth the read — just maybe not at this length.
What a chunky and intimidating guy this was! I cannot remember the last time I read a book this long. The closest I've been was when I read Bury Your Bones in the Midnight Soil which clocked in at over 500 pages. And I've never read anything by Malfi before so this felt like quite the risk for me. Think about how many more books I could have read in the span of time I was reading this one?! I heard my gigantic TBR pile collectively sigh when they saw me open this one on my kindle.
The Hive takes place in a small town pummeled by a bizarre storm. When the skies clear, the residents of Mariner’s Cove head out to assess the damage — only to find themselves strangely drawn to random bits of debris scattered across lawns, trees, and water: a colander, a bike wheel, wire hangers, even someone’s front door. They don’t know why, only that they must protect these objects at all costs.
Those afflicted begin having vivid dreams — climbing a metal structure high in the sky, seeing strange symbols that slowly reveal themselves as instructions. There’s something they need to build. Something important. And Malfi makes you wait until the final quarter to find out what it is.
God, this thing was long. And I’m not convinced it needed to be. Malfi could’ve shaved off a good two hundred pages by trimming the repetition. Still, he does a solid job introducing the (many) main characters and keeping their bizarre storylines straight while gradually ramping up the tension and WTF energy.
Not a book I’ll be shouting from the mountaintops about, but not one I’d tell you to skip either. Worth the read — just maybe not at this length.
April 17, 2026
3.5 😩🫣 I wish we could do .5 ratings bc I can’t give this a solid 4.
#ad much love for my finished copy @titanbooks #partner
The Hive
It’s the year of the dragon…
The Storm came and when it was over some people were much different than they were the night before. There’s this insistence buzzing noise that those changed hear. They’re all having recurring nightmares and have some type of compulsive. It’s almost like they’re all part of a collective - a hive.
Things are changing; something is coming.
I was so excited for this book. Malfi has written some of my favorite horror reads, but I’m not sure how I feel about this book. There was 2828273 characters and storylines happening all at once and it felt like a bit too much. It wasn’t hard to follow the story, but I didn’t feel particularly engaged by it.
There was a lot happening here but I feel the execution just fell short for me. It wasn’t bad but it wasn’t good either. I can’t really pinpoint it but it was just missing something.
I really got back into the story around page 200 but then it’d lose me again. It’d come back around and I’d be into it again, then not. This lasted all (almost) 700 pages. In and out.
What I liked: the slow progressive change that was happening. Cory and Ellen. Ellen the single mother trying to just get by but then has her son who is realizing things are changing and has powers. The symbols and weirdness of the book. The bees and the buzzing, the wire hanger obsession 😭
Malfi is a talented writer and though his talent does shine here I feel it also fell a little short. Maybe this is one of those books that would make for a better movie than read? Idk.
Def loved the overall theme.
#ad much love for my finished copy @titanbooks #partner
The Hive
It’s the year of the dragon…
The Storm came and when it was over some people were much different than they were the night before. There’s this insistence buzzing noise that those changed hear. They’re all having recurring nightmares and have some type of compulsive. It’s almost like they’re all part of a collective - a hive.
Things are changing; something is coming.
I was so excited for this book. Malfi has written some of my favorite horror reads, but I’m not sure how I feel about this book. There was 2828273 characters and storylines happening all at once and it felt like a bit too much. It wasn’t hard to follow the story, but I didn’t feel particularly engaged by it.
There was a lot happening here but I feel the execution just fell short for me. It wasn’t bad but it wasn’t good either. I can’t really pinpoint it but it was just missing something.
I really got back into the story around page 200 but then it’d lose me again. It’d come back around and I’d be into it again, then not. This lasted all (almost) 700 pages. In and out.
What I liked: the slow progressive change that was happening. Cory and Ellen. Ellen the single mother trying to just get by but then has her son who is realizing things are changing and has powers. The symbols and weirdness of the book. The bees and the buzzing, the wire hanger obsession 😭
Malfi is a talented writer and though his talent does shine here I feel it also fell a little short. Maybe this is one of those books that would make for a better movie than read? Idk.
Def loved the overall theme.
April 1, 2026
Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher @titanbooks for the ARC of 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙷𝚒𝚟𝚎 by Ronald Malfi 🙌
𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 𝟭𝟰𝘁𝗵!
——-
After a huge storm sweeps across the town of Mariner’s Cove, residents find themselves obsessively collecting what seems like random items and becoming very possessive of them. Items like a door, a colander and wire coat hangers. The residents take up a ‘hive mind’ type of attitude and come together for a common purpose. One that is out of this world.
——
I’m going to start by saying I’m not generally a fan of Lovecraftian/Cosmic horror. I am, however, a fan of Malfi but I just couldn’t get into this one. The pacing was just so slow and I felt like for the length of the book, not much really happened. It just felt so long! I did want to keep reading tho because I still felt a sense of buildup and suspense and a need to know what was going to happen. There was a giant mysterious puzzle to solve. Unfortunately when we did get to the finale, it kind of fell flat. There was no excitement, just… oh. That’s it?
On a positive note, I thought the one main family of characters was really well done and had some interesting back stories. They were definitely my favorite part of the story. There were also a lot of side characters and different viewpoints that were well done. Malfi always does a great job creating his cast.
I’m giving this one 2.75 stars. I do think this would make a really cool mini series tho!
𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 𝟭𝟰𝘁𝗵!
——-
After a huge storm sweeps across the town of Mariner’s Cove, residents find themselves obsessively collecting what seems like random items and becoming very possessive of them. Items like a door, a colander and wire coat hangers. The residents take up a ‘hive mind’ type of attitude and come together for a common purpose. One that is out of this world.
——
I’m going to start by saying I’m not generally a fan of Lovecraftian/Cosmic horror. I am, however, a fan of Malfi but I just couldn’t get into this one. The pacing was just so slow and I felt like for the length of the book, not much really happened. It just felt so long! I did want to keep reading tho because I still felt a sense of buildup and suspense and a need to know what was going to happen. There was a giant mysterious puzzle to solve. Unfortunately when we did get to the finale, it kind of fell flat. There was no excitement, just… oh. That’s it?
On a positive note, I thought the one main family of characters was really well done and had some interesting back stories. They were definitely my favorite part of the story. There were also a lot of side characters and different viewpoints that were well done. Malfi always does a great job creating his cast.
I’m giving this one 2.75 stars. I do think this would make a really cool mini series tho!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I loved the idea of the story but this didn't hit the way I hoped. I was really invested in the story up until the half point, but then I started to lose interest. I understand when stories are over 600 pages that there will be some filler, but the story got repetitive and overwritten. I didn’t understand why certain things were so focused on when it didn’t make a difference in the end.
March 29, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!
I haven’t had the chance to read all that much of Malfi, but I’ve heard good things. Unfortunately, I don’t feel that this was the best possible entry point for me. I get the concept behind this, but I just feel like it was a really ham-fisted attempt at a cosmic horror.
It felt like there were too many characters trying to be fleshed out at once, and it also seemed like there was too much that was trying to be done. The metaphors were overt and not well conceptualised, and the cosmic horror didn’t so much crawl over my skin as it did limp.
There were some moments that I felt were decently done, and I saw flashes of good writing in there, but it was far and few between. There’s a difference between a slow burn and a book that doesn’t really go anywhere at all. It was simply too many pages for such little story.
I think there was also something off about the characters that were developed, and I didn’t find myself connecting to any of them. I was left feeling like I really didn’t care about what happened to the characters, and it was definitely a bit of a drag to get through.
I’m cautiously optimistic that I’ll be able to find more of Malfi that I’ll actually enjoy, but for now, I’ll hold out that hope.
I haven’t had the chance to read all that much of Malfi, but I’ve heard good things. Unfortunately, I don’t feel that this was the best possible entry point for me. I get the concept behind this, but I just feel like it was a really ham-fisted attempt at a cosmic horror.
It felt like there were too many characters trying to be fleshed out at once, and it also seemed like there was too much that was trying to be done. The metaphors were overt and not well conceptualised, and the cosmic horror didn’t so much crawl over my skin as it did limp.
There were some moments that I felt were decently done, and I saw flashes of good writing in there, but it was far and few between. There’s a difference between a slow burn and a book that doesn’t really go anywhere at all. It was simply too many pages for such little story.
I think there was also something off about the characters that were developed, and I didn’t find myself connecting to any of them. I was left feeling like I really didn’t care about what happened to the characters, and it was definitely a bit of a drag to get through.
I’m cautiously optimistic that I’ll be able to find more of Malfi that I’ll actually enjoy, but for now, I’ll hold out that hope.
February 28, 2026
Arc. Thank you NetGalley and TitanBooks for an arc of this book in return for an honest review!!
Wow it’s been a while since I’ve been this upset about an anticipated read. I’ve heard nothing but incredible reviews about Ronald Malfi so I was very excited to get this arc! This book is for the folks who love a sloooooooooooooow burn. This book could’ve easily been 200-300 pages less. There were SO many POVs to keep track of that it was an actual chore to keep remembering who all these people were. And the worst part??????? I slogged through this because surely there wasn’t going to be a cliched ending right? It just HAD to get better right???! No. Woof that was a ROUGH READ. If you love Lovecraftian/Orwellian stories, you might enjoy this book! I also really had trouble with the dialogue in this. A modern 10 year old would not know what a rotary phone is. Land lines????? No way?????? Also something that totally gave me the ick was when the author wrote “she said teenagerly” EWWW. You can tell this author is SO out of touch with reality and modernity. I wish I had DNFd @50%
Wow it’s been a while since I’ve been this upset about an anticipated read. I’ve heard nothing but incredible reviews about Ronald Malfi so I was very excited to get this arc! This book is for the folks who love a sloooooooooooooow burn. This book could’ve easily been 200-300 pages less. There were SO many POVs to keep track of that it was an actual chore to keep remembering who all these people were. And the worst part??????? I slogged through this because surely there wasn’t going to be a cliched ending right? It just HAD to get better right???! No. Woof that was a ROUGH READ. If you love Lovecraftian/Orwellian stories, you might enjoy this book! I also really had trouble with the dialogue in this. A modern 10 year old would not know what a rotary phone is. Land lines????? No way?????? Also something that totally gave me the ick was when the author wrote “she said teenagerly” EWWW. You can tell this author is SO out of touch with reality and modernity. I wish I had DNFd @50%
April 16, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher!
I'd previously read an ARC of Senseless, the previous book by Ronald Malfi, and as a horror lover, I decided to give this one a whirl as well. I remember not being in love with Senseless, but not hating it either.
Unfortunately, this one just didn't do it for me.
It had the promise of something interesting, and I could see the plot and horror building around it. One of the comparisons is Black River Orchard, which I can see. They both have that 'town becoming obsessed/hive mind mentality,' but whereas I loved the former, The Hive just never quite got off the ground for me.
The main issue is that I felt it was just too...wordy? There was too much telling, not enough showing. I get that there's something creepy and weird, but it just didn't get there for me. I spent too long trying to figure out what the characters were even saying or thinking that the plot itself got lost. The problem here is that I didn't feel very connected to any of the characters as a result; I didn't care about Brian's problems, I wasn't invested in Cory, etc. I know Malfi is a beloved horror author, and I remember it took me a while to fully get into Senseless (and I even had to persevere), but this time I just couldn't do it.
Which is annoying, because I love horror, and I like it when weird things happen. I wish I'd enjoyed this, but I just didn't. I still hold hope for his future works, though!
I'd previously read an ARC of Senseless, the previous book by Ronald Malfi, and as a horror lover, I decided to give this one a whirl as well. I remember not being in love with Senseless, but not hating it either.
Unfortunately, this one just didn't do it for me.
It had the promise of something interesting, and I could see the plot and horror building around it. One of the comparisons is Black River Orchard, which I can see. They both have that 'town becoming obsessed/hive mind mentality,' but whereas I loved the former, The Hive just never quite got off the ground for me.
The main issue is that I felt it was just too...wordy? There was too much telling, not enough showing. I get that there's something creepy and weird, but it just didn't get there for me. I spent too long trying to figure out what the characters were even saying or thinking that the plot itself got lost. The problem here is that I didn't feel very connected to any of the characters as a result; I didn't care about Brian's problems, I wasn't invested in Cory, etc. I know Malfi is a beloved horror author, and I remember it took me a while to fully get into Senseless (and I even had to persevere), but this time I just couldn't do it.
Which is annoying, because I love horror, and I like it when weird things happen. I wish I'd enjoyed this, but I just didn't. I still hold hope for his future works, though!
April 27, 2026
Welp… I’m officially bummed! This was one of my most anticipated books of the year (if not the most). Ronald Malfi is one of my favorite authors, so I REALLY wanted to love this, but it was really just not very good. This is more cosmic horror/Lovecraftian than his usual work, and I found it to be a lot less enjoyable. This started off SO strong and I was really invested through the first half of the book, but ironically, the entire story fell apart for me once the puzzle pieces started to connect. This ended up being really repetitive and dragged out, and the plot just stopped being engaging and interesting once “The Hive” actually came together. For a book that’s almost 800 pages, I expected a lot more/better PLOT content. I also kept wondering why Stinger’s sections were giving me deja vu, until I realized that he was just very similar to Toby Kampen (“The Fly”) from “Senseless”. Sadly, this is barely 3 stars for me, saved only by Malfi’s signature writing style and an interesting first half of the book.
March 24, 2026
This is the 5th book I’ve read by Ronald Malfi (Come With Me 5 stars, Snow 3, Ghostwritten 4, Senseless 5).
The Hive starts off with an intense (supernatural? 🐉) storm that sets the stage for the rest of this wild ride.
There were a bunch of characters, multiple threads, and it can felt a little chaotic at times, but it all feeds into that swarming 🐝, consuming vibe. It got easier as the stories and characters developed. The weirdness builds really well. There were moments that genuinely grossed me out. Not gore, but when it came, I was wincing grabbing at my fingers.
Overall I really enjoyed it. Creepy, unsettling, a little gross, and very Malfi.
The Hive starts off with an intense (supernatural? 🐉) storm that sets the stage for the rest of this wild ride.
There were a bunch of characters, multiple threads, and it can felt a little chaotic at times, but it all feeds into that swarming 🐝, consuming vibe. It got easier as the stories and characters developed. The weirdness builds really well. There were moments that genuinely grossed me out. Not gore, but when it came, I was wincing grabbing at my fingers.
Overall I really enjoyed it. Creepy, unsettling, a little gross, and very Malfi.
Did Not Finish
April 23, 2026I liked a lot of his earlier stuff, but either of my taste has been changing, which is possible or I gotta be really picky of books. I try to read. This but no way… I did not connect
This is the second book of his DNF!
This is the second book of his DNF!
March 6, 2026
This one just wasn’t for me really, I didn’t find any of the characters or the plot all that interesting so it was doomed for the disappointment pile. It also felt really long.
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