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None of This Is Real
Not yet published
Expected 2 Mar 27 A gripping, gut-wrenching ghost story for fans of The Haunting of Hill House, from the author of The Violent Season and Missing Dead Girls.
Two years ago, Roe Devlin's older brother Cy shot and killed his two best friends and himself. Roe's family changed their name and fled to a new town, attempting to run from the shadow of what Cy had done.
Even with a new last name, Roe knew her past wouldn't stay hidden. But she'd hoped for more time before it crawled out of its grave and onto a note found tucked in her locker one afternoon along with a threatening I KNOW WHAT THEY DID. Her real name followed her, along with all the darkness and secrets attached to it, regardless of how many miles she and her family had put between themselves and what happened.
Roe sets out to find the person behind the note. Soon, the same darkness that terrified her brother shows itself to Roe, making it harder and harder to discern what's real and what isn't.
As she unearths more of the bones her family has kept buried for years, Roe realizes that to save herself, she must do whatever she can to stop those secrets from ever getting out. But whatever haunts her family is determined to finish what it started no matter what.
Two years ago, Roe Devlin's older brother Cy shot and killed his two best friends and himself. Roe's family changed their name and fled to a new town, attempting to run from the shadow of what Cy had done.
Even with a new last name, Roe knew her past wouldn't stay hidden. But she'd hoped for more time before it crawled out of its grave and onto a note found tucked in her locker one afternoon along with a threatening I KNOW WHAT THEY DID. Her real name followed her, along with all the darkness and secrets attached to it, regardless of how many miles she and her family had put between themselves and what happened.
Roe sets out to find the person behind the note. Soon, the same darkness that terrified her brother shows itself to Roe, making it harder and harder to discern what's real and what isn't.
As she unearths more of the bones her family has kept buried for years, Roe realizes that to save herself, she must do whatever she can to stop those secrets from ever getting out. But whatever haunts her family is determined to finish what it started no matter what.
Kindle Edition
Expected publication March 2, 2027
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
September 13, 2026
"Hasn’t anyone ever told you that you have the off-putting resting bitch face of someone who puts razor blades in Halloween candy?”
Lately, these horror/thrillers have been hit or miss for me. You have to travel through some mediocre ones to get to a fantastic few. This one was part of those few.
This started off eerie and ended the same way. I was afraid the ending was going to ruin it all and I thought it did. Well, that is until I truly got to the end and I was shocked. Holy s**t! This was so good! Talk about a hair-raisingly twisted spooky time!
‘None of This is Real’ was a great read and fast paced. Don’t be turned off by snooty high school drama because it’s so much more than that. If you love twisted thrillers then this won’t disappoint!
Lately, these horror/thrillers have been hit or miss for me. You have to travel through some mediocre ones to get to a fantastic few. This one was part of those few.
This started off eerie and ended the same way. I was afraid the ending was going to ruin it all and I thought it did. Well, that is until I truly got to the end and I was shocked. Holy s**t! This was so good! Talk about a hair-raisingly twisted spooky time!
‘None of This is Real’ was a great read and fast paced. Don’t be turned off by snooty high school drama because it’s so much more than that. If you love twisted thrillers then this won’t disappoint!
September 20, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC. This was my first Sara Walters book and it won’t be my last. This was a very hard to put down psychological thriller, with twists all the way until the end. It’s a very dark read about a well to do family, and the lengths they are willing to go to protect their reputation. This follows Roe our main character who lost her brother tragically a couple years prior, and everything is not as it seems. I enjoyed her found family aspects within here, giving her a break from the real life at hand. I enjoyed the twists and writing style.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I am so happy I got an arc of this book and on my birthday weekend no less. Sara Walters is one of my favorite authors and I have been excited to read this book as soon as I found out about it, and it did not disappoint.
This was a fantastic mind bendy horror that did what it needed to it. Walters writing is spectacular as always, beautiful proses that make you not want to put the book down.
This was a different narrative from Walters other books which I was unsure about when I first read the synopsis but wow I was blown away. It really stayed true to Walters style with unreliable narration, and messed up characters with mess up relationships. But also the added horror elements was chiefs kiss, fits in perfectly with the types of proses Walters writes as well as an extremely compelling mystery that had me hooked.
Another great story from Walters 4 stars.
This was a fantastic mind bendy horror that did what it needed to it. Walters writing is spectacular as always, beautiful proses that make you not want to put the book down.
This was a different narrative from Walters other books which I was unsure about when I first read the synopsis but wow I was blown away. It really stayed true to Walters style with unreliable narration, and messed up characters with mess up relationships. But also the added horror elements was chiefs kiss, fits in perfectly with the types of proses Walters writes as well as an extremely compelling mystery that had me hooked.
Another great story from Walters 4 stars.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
“None of This Is Real” by Sara Walters pulled me headfirst into a deeply unsettling psychological spiral where I eventually trusted absolutely no one. Before going into this review, I do want to note that this is a pretty dark and heavy YA book. Content warnings include drug use, suicide, domestic abuse and some blood/gore.
Two years before the main story, Roe Devlin’s older brother Cy killed two of his best friends before taking his own life. Afterward, Roe’s family changed their name and moved away, hoping they could leave the past behind. However, Roe’s past comes crashing back when she finds a threatening note in her locker basically telling her that someone knows who she really is and what her family did. And just when she starts trying to figure out who is behind it, the same strange things that tormented Cy begin happening to her.
Cue the paranoia.
Roe starts seeing and hearing things that may or may not be real, and the entire book keeps you questioning whether something supernatural is happening or whether Roe is following the same terrifying path as her brother. Is there a curse? A haunting? Is someone deliberately messing with her? Is Roe having some kind of psychological breakdown? Any of these are real possibilities.
And every time I thought I had figured it out, the book basically slapped my theory out of my hands. Every character became suspicious. Every conversation felt like it had a hidden meaning. Every new piece of information made me rethink something I thought I understood five chapters earlier.
The atmosphere is really good, too. There is this constant feeling that something is wrong, even when nothing particularly creepy is happening. It's eerie, uncomfortable, and increasingly claustrophobic, like the entire world is closing in around Roe. There are also some genuinely creepy supernatural moments and unsettling imagery that made this feel much darker than your average YA thriller.
One thing I really appreciated was how the story handles the darker subject matter. Roe and her siblings come from an absolutely horrific family environment, and their parents are genuinely awful people. The book explores abuse, violence, manipulation, trauma, and the way someone's upbringing can have a massive impact on their mental health and sense of self. These aren't just thrown into the story for cheap shock value. The family history actually matters to the characters and to the mystery.
The more Roe uncovers about her family, the worse everything gets. There are even multimedia sections, including podcast transcripts and online posts, that reveal additional pieces of the family's history and how they accumulated their wealth. These little additions worked really well because they slowly build this bigger picture of just how deeply messed up Roe's childhood was.
I also really loved the found-family aspect. Roe's friends, especially Rinnie, give her something she desperately needs: people who actually care about her. Their friendship provides some much-needed warmth and humor in a story that otherwise gets very dark, and I loved seeing Roe have people in her corner.
The story does have a few pacing issues. There are moments where Roe discovers information that the reader already learned through Cy's chapters, so some of the mystery feels a little repetitive. I also occasionally wished the book would lean even harder into the horror. It is definitely creepy, but it's more of a psychological/supernatural thriller than an outright horror novel, and I think a little more horror could have pushed this into five-star territory for me.
The dual timeline with Cy's perspective was really interesting, though. Seeing his descent into increasingly disturbing experiences gives you information about what happened two years earlier while simultaneously making you wonder whether Roe is now experiencing the exact same thing. And because the story keeps blurring the line between psychological and supernatural explanations, you never quite know what you're supposed to believe.
Then we get to the ending. All I’ll say is that it’s dark and unexpected.
Overall, there are multiple twists, and some of them completely changed how I understood what had happened. The final revelations also make the family's history even more disturbing and really drive home the book's themes about consequences, trauma, paranoia, and the fragility of the mind.
I really enjoyed this one. It was atmospheric, twisty, unsettling, and incredibly easy to binge, and I will definitely continue reading books by Walters.
“None of This Is Real” by Sara Walters pulled me headfirst into a deeply unsettling psychological spiral where I eventually trusted absolutely no one. Before going into this review, I do want to note that this is a pretty dark and heavy YA book. Content warnings include drug use, suicide, domestic abuse and some blood/gore.
Two years before the main story, Roe Devlin’s older brother Cy killed two of his best friends before taking his own life. Afterward, Roe’s family changed their name and moved away, hoping they could leave the past behind. However, Roe’s past comes crashing back when she finds a threatening note in her locker basically telling her that someone knows who she really is and what her family did. And just when she starts trying to figure out who is behind it, the same strange things that tormented Cy begin happening to her.
Cue the paranoia.
Roe starts seeing and hearing things that may or may not be real, and the entire book keeps you questioning whether something supernatural is happening or whether Roe is following the same terrifying path as her brother. Is there a curse? A haunting? Is someone deliberately messing with her? Is Roe having some kind of psychological breakdown? Any of these are real possibilities.
And every time I thought I had figured it out, the book basically slapped my theory out of my hands. Every character became suspicious. Every conversation felt like it had a hidden meaning. Every new piece of information made me rethink something I thought I understood five chapters earlier.
The atmosphere is really good, too. There is this constant feeling that something is wrong, even when nothing particularly creepy is happening. It's eerie, uncomfortable, and increasingly claustrophobic, like the entire world is closing in around Roe. There are also some genuinely creepy supernatural moments and unsettling imagery that made this feel much darker than your average YA thriller.
One thing I really appreciated was how the story handles the darker subject matter. Roe and her siblings come from an absolutely horrific family environment, and their parents are genuinely awful people. The book explores abuse, violence, manipulation, trauma, and the way someone's upbringing can have a massive impact on their mental health and sense of self. These aren't just thrown into the story for cheap shock value. The family history actually matters to the characters and to the mystery.
The more Roe uncovers about her family, the worse everything gets. There are even multimedia sections, including podcast transcripts and online posts, that reveal additional pieces of the family's history and how they accumulated their wealth. These little additions worked really well because they slowly build this bigger picture of just how deeply messed up Roe's childhood was.
I also really loved the found-family aspect. Roe's friends, especially Rinnie, give her something she desperately needs: people who actually care about her. Their friendship provides some much-needed warmth and humor in a story that otherwise gets very dark, and I loved seeing Roe have people in her corner.
The story does have a few pacing issues. There are moments where Roe discovers information that the reader already learned through Cy's chapters, so some of the mystery feels a little repetitive. I also occasionally wished the book would lean even harder into the horror. It is definitely creepy, but it's more of a psychological/supernatural thriller than an outright horror novel, and I think a little more horror could have pushed this into five-star territory for me.
The dual timeline with Cy's perspective was really interesting, though. Seeing his descent into increasingly disturbing experiences gives you information about what happened two years earlier while simultaneously making you wonder whether Roe is now experiencing the exact same thing. And because the story keeps blurring the line between psychological and supernatural explanations, you never quite know what you're supposed to believe.
Then we get to the ending. All I’ll say is that it’s dark and unexpected.
Overall, there are multiple twists, and some of them completely changed how I understood what had happened. The final revelations also make the family's history even more disturbing and really drive home the book's themes about consequences, trauma, paranoia, and the fragility of the mind.
I really enjoyed this one. It was atmospheric, twisty, unsettling, and incredibly easy to binge, and I will definitely continue reading books by Walters.
September 21, 2026
This is my first read from Sara Walters and I have such mixed feeling about this. Unfortunately the main one I feel is disappointment. This started off in such a gripping way. The story then mellowed out, I thought we were going to get a mystery where Roe would investigate what was going on, rather than just leaving it. From 5% to 50% it was honestly not that exciting. I liked the sapphic romance, I just wish it was specifically stated what they were to each other. They clearly had chemistry and I really liked their interactions, but it ended up falling flat and the romance was forgotten about until the last page. It did start picking up a bit around the 50% mark, I enjoyed the POV changes, I thought they added more suspense to the situation. The imagery was well written, especially the gorier parts. Some of what happened I could predict, but there were other parts that really, really shocked me. That's where I got excited and genuinely started feeling like this could be a new favourite, but then the last 5% happened and it honestly ruined the excitement I was feeling. It was very rushed and Roe's actions didn't feel thought out enough. I also don't feel like they were detailed enough. This plot was so heavily packed it needed more pages to fully dive into everything that had happened and what was happening. I think it would've been a good idea to do dual POV with Roe and Cy as the narrators, going back and forth between past and present. I would've liked to have eyes in his head whilst everything was going on with him when it was. I am honestly just so disappointed with the way that it ended, its all I've been able to think about. Its left in a way that could lead to another book, but I don't think it needed to be like that. It could've been one fulfilling book. I genuinely think this had so much potential, it was gripping and it showcased a lot of important issues very well. But overall, I think it needed extra depth and explanation, as well as a more even pace.
I will definitely consider reading Sara's other books. I think she has great attributes to her books that can create a five star read for me if coupled with the things I mentioned. I don't not recommend this book, it was entertaining and it did have a good plot-line, I just personally needed more. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc, all opinions are my own.
I will definitely consider reading Sara's other books. I think she has great attributes to her books that can create a five star read for me if coupled with the things I mentioned. I don't not recommend this book, it was entertaining and it did have a good plot-line, I just personally needed more. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc, all opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Sara Walters is egregiously underrated in the YA thriller scene, although it feels reductive to call her novels thrillers. They are incisive depictions of teenage characters who feel authentic and tangible, despite their grim circumstances.
There is something magical about the way Walters writes her characters and develops the incredibly moody atmospheres they exist in. Her descriptions are vivid and her prose is rich with imagery, whilst still being understated. If I had to pick one word to describe her writing I would say controlled. Everything feels intentional and deliberate.
I was extremely excited for None of This Is Real, having previously devoured The Violent Season and Missing Dead Girls. Like Walters' other novels, None of This Is Real is anchored by a protagonist operating from a limited scope of knowledge, and the reader is left with an uneasy awareness of this limitation. Steeped in supernatural visions and an ominous sense of the past bearing down on the present, the most compelling element of None of This Is Real is the protagonist, and her complicated relationship with herself and others.
In addition to her brilliant prose and well developed characters, I really appreciate how Walters engages sensitively with serious subject matter, and offers it the appropriate reverence. Too often, thriller novels treat topics like abuse and violence as plot points or shock value. Walters ensures her novels stay grounded in the real world weight of these subjects, and her writing is all the better for it.
There is something magical about the way Walters writes her characters and develops the incredibly moody atmospheres they exist in. Her descriptions are vivid and her prose is rich with imagery, whilst still being understated. If I had to pick one word to describe her writing I would say controlled. Everything feels intentional and deliberate.
I was extremely excited for None of This Is Real, having previously devoured The Violent Season and Missing Dead Girls. Like Walters' other novels, None of This Is Real is anchored by a protagonist operating from a limited scope of knowledge, and the reader is left with an uneasy awareness of this limitation. Steeped in supernatural visions and an ominous sense of the past bearing down on the present, the most compelling element of None of This Is Real is the protagonist, and her complicated relationship with herself and others.
In addition to her brilliant prose and well developed characters, I really appreciate how Walters engages sensitively with serious subject matter, and offers it the appropriate reverence. Too often, thriller novels treat topics like abuse and violence as plot points or shock value. Walters ensures her novels stay grounded in the real world weight of these subjects, and her writing is all the better for it.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
So, you know how you’re browsing NetGalley looking for something to scratch that spooky-season itch, and you spot a book that you think was written by the author responsible for one of the best ghost stories you’ve ever read? Filled with excitement, you hit the request button. A little while later, you get the email that your wish has been granted.
Only to discover, with a sinking feeling, that the book is not written by the great British author Sarah Waters, but by the relatively unknown YA author Sara Walters.
With a sigh, you give it a shot. Because every ARC deserves a fair chance.
Two weeks later, you still haven’t finished the book and decide to skim the last 25 percent so you can at least provide some feedback.
And the feedback is this: *None of This Is Real* is not a bad book. It’s creepy and atmospheric, and I can see exactly why its intended audience might enjoy it. Unfortunately, it is also painfully formulaic YA, and that formula is simply not for me.
There is absolutely no shame in enjoying a book that hits all the expected YA beats. That formula sells a lot of books and, more importantly, gets young people reading. I suspect the readers this was written for may like it quite a bit.
I am simply not one of them.
Only to discover, with a sinking feeling, that the book is not written by the great British author Sarah Waters, but by the relatively unknown YA author Sara Walters.
With a sigh, you give it a shot. Because every ARC deserves a fair chance.
Two weeks later, you still haven’t finished the book and decide to skim the last 25 percent so you can at least provide some feedback.
And the feedback is this: *None of This Is Real* is not a bad book. It’s creepy and atmospheric, and I can see exactly why its intended audience might enjoy it. Unfortunately, it is also painfully formulaic YA, and that formula is simply not for me.
There is absolutely no shame in enjoying a book that hits all the expected YA beats. That formula sells a lot of books and, more importantly, gets young people reading. I suspect the readers this was written for may like it quite a bit.
I am simply not one of them.
September 9, 2026
WHAT was this book???
I genuinely loved it. I went in expecting a creepy thriller and instead got dragged into a full-blown psychological spiral where I trusted absolutely NOBODY.
Every time I thought I had worked something out, I was immediately proven wrong. Like girl, I was TRYING. I had theories. I had suspicions. I was connecting dots that probably didn’t even exist. And then the book would throw something else at me and I’d just sit there like ??????
The atmosphere was so damn creepy too. There was this constant feeling that something was seriously off and I was basically suspicious of everyone breathing.
The characters were messy, complicated and questionable and I ate that shit UP.
I love when a book makes me question what’s actually happening because apparently I enjoy suffering.
I finished this and immediately needed to stare into space and process what the hell I’d just read!
Thank you so much to NetGalley for the eARC 🖤
I genuinely loved it. I went in expecting a creepy thriller and instead got dragged into a full-blown psychological spiral where I trusted absolutely NOBODY.
Every time I thought I had worked something out, I was immediately proven wrong. Like girl, I was TRYING. I had theories. I had suspicions. I was connecting dots that probably didn’t even exist. And then the book would throw something else at me and I’d just sit there like ??????
The atmosphere was so damn creepy too. There was this constant feeling that something was seriously off and I was basically suspicious of everyone breathing.
The characters were messy, complicated and questionable and I ate that shit UP.
I love when a book makes me question what’s actually happening because apparently I enjoy suffering.
I finished this and immediately needed to stare into space and process what the hell I’d just read!
Thank you so much to NetGalley for the eARC 🖤
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
None of This Is Real is the type of book I like to read without trying to guess what’s going to happen next.
That’s what I did, and was taken on a ride!
The storytelling is really effective. The information was laid out in a way where it felt like I was the character discovering everything in real time, providing the details needed without overdoing it or sharing too little.
I also really loved the characters. I loved reading about the relationship between Roe and her friends, and her siblings.
I felt so many different emotions while reading. It was unsettling, and it made me angry and sad.
This was not what I was expecting at all and I was immediately hooked and thrilled from the very start!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
That’s what I did, and was taken on a ride!
The storytelling is really effective. The information was laid out in a way where it felt like I was the character discovering everything in real time, providing the details needed without overdoing it or sharing too little.
I also really loved the characters. I loved reading about the relationship between Roe and her friends, and her siblings.
I felt so many different emotions while reading. It was unsettling, and it made me angry and sad.
This was not what I was expecting at all and I was immediately hooked and thrilled from the very start!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
None of This Is Real is a horror novel about a family with some seriously dark secrets buried under the surface.
I genuinely enjoyed this so much. I do wish it had leaned a little more into the horror side of things because, if it had, this probably would’ve been a five-star read for me. Still, it was definitely eerie and uncomfortable in a way that really worked.
I loved the writing, I liked where the story went, and it was just such an easy book to get through. The pacing kept me hooked the whole time, and I ended up finishing it in less than three hours.
Overall, such a quick and gripping read. I just wanted a tiny bit more horror, but I had a really good time with this one.
I genuinely enjoyed this so much. I do wish it had leaned a little more into the horror side of things because, if it had, this probably would’ve been a five-star read for me. Still, it was definitely eerie and uncomfortable in a way that really worked.
I loved the writing, I liked where the story went, and it was just such an easy book to get through. The pacing kept me hooked the whole time, and I ended up finishing it in less than three hours.
Overall, such a quick and gripping read. I just wanted a tiny bit more horror, but I had a really good time with this one.
Currently Reading
September 7, 2026⤷⊹started: sept 7th, 2026
- finished: tbd
Thanks to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Fire, and Sara Walters for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
── ✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: ✦ :･ﾟ✧:･ﾟ✧ ───
✦ PRE-READ ✦
history has had me in a freaking CHOKEHOLD (and it's only the first week of school) so I think I need something just to chill out with. all the romcom books in my accepted arc list are kinda looking cringe so I turned to this cool thriller. from what i've heard, I think it's a representation of schizophrenia so i'm kinda excited to see what the author does with that. as someone who LOVES using psych concepts in writing/etc, I can't wait.
- finished: tbd
Thanks to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Fire, and Sara Walters for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
── ✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: ✦ :･ﾟ✧:･ﾟ✧ ───
✦ PRE-READ ✦
history has had me in a freaking CHOKEHOLD (and it's only the first week of school) so I think I need something just to chill out with. all the romcom books in my accepted arc list are kinda looking cringe so I turned to this cool thriller. from what i've heard, I think it's a representation of schizophrenia so i'm kinda excited to see what the author does with that. as someone who LOVES using psych concepts in writing/etc, I can't wait.
September 17, 2026
Rounded up to 2.5
I made it about 30% into this book before I started getting really bored. At that point, I began skimming the chapters, and honestly, I was still able to follow what was happening.
The concept sounded promising, but the execution fell flat for me. The pacing was very slow in the beginning, and I struggled to connect with or care about any of the characters or the choices they were making.
This might appeal to readers who enjoy a very gradual, slow-burn mystery, but unfortunately, it just wasn’t for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc
I made it about 30% into this book before I started getting really bored. At that point, I began skimming the chapters, and honestly, I was still able to follow what was happening.
The concept sounded promising, but the execution fell flat for me. The pacing was very slow in the beginning, and I struggled to connect with or care about any of the characters or the choices they were making.
This might appeal to readers who enjoy a very gradual, slow-burn mystery, but unfortunately, it just wasn’t for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc
September 24, 2026
4 ⭐️
i really enjoyed this! it had me hooked from the beginning. i enjoyed getting the different POV’s in the timelines. i love the relationships that are also shown in the book. the complexity between the parents and roe, lily being so disconnected. getting cy’s timeline in the past was very interesting in building the story behind what happened. i definitely want to check out more books by this author!
i really enjoyed this! it had me hooked from the beginning. i enjoyed getting the different POV’s in the timelines. i love the relationships that are also shown in the book. the complexity between the parents and roe, lily being so disconnected. getting cy’s timeline in the past was very interesting in building the story behind what happened. i definitely want to check out more books by this author!
September 16, 2026
ARC- thrilling but too much spiral for me
September 13, 2026
This was really good. I liked the characters and the family dynamics were so messed up. There’s a murder mystery involved and lots of secrets. Some ghost action. All in all, a good addition to the YA world.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews