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taytastic's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Is it cheesy and over the top? Yes. Was I genuinely so stressed that I read the last page to comfort myself also yes. It walks the line between comedy and a poignant story about friendship, femininity and guilt. I thoroughly enjoyed my time reading this one.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction and Animal death
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
ashiebmast72's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Addiction, Body horror, Child death, and Death
renpuspita's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Apparently, the key to exorcise demon that roamed in your neighborhood is the female friendship. Better yet, the female friendship between housewives
Nope, not kidding. I know those sentences sounds like shonen anime or manga slogan, but the main theme for Suburban Hell is the friendship between the suburban housewives in Winchester, Illinois. Suburban Hell is Maureen Kilmer's debut horror book and honestly this book have some debut's weakness. But, I'm having fun while reading this although some things can be glaring. More about that later.
Suburban Hell told entirely from Amy's first PoV. Together with her "outcast" housewives neighbor, namely Melissa, Jess and Liz, they create a place just for them to relax without spouses or children distribution. Little they know when they toast above She Shed (the place), Liz got possessed by demonic entity and things going downhill. Balancing housewives duty, social life and paranoia induced by demon-Liz attacks, Amy got her hand full. Luckily, she still have Melissa and Jess, although she need to encourage them to join her cause in order to save Liz.
This book kinda remind me of Southern Book Club Guide's to Slaying Vampire by Grady Hendrix. The premise is the same, outcast housewives club that facing an evil force in order to save their family and neighborhood. But, Suburban Hell's horror vibes are lighter compare to the former. Yeah, there's demonic appearance, but it's slightly spooky and creepy. Not the kind that give me heebies jeebies. The story can be mundane to read since you will read Amy do her housewives responsibility and caring for her children, so some chapter can be too slow to read. However, the chapters also shorts, providing a fast read and the mystery also suspense will make you glued to the page.
I like how Kilmer portrayed the friendship between Amy, Melissa, Jess and Liz; and make them all different in personality. Melissa is strict but come from a religiously fanatic parents and she is the hardest to convinced while it come to saving Liz. Jess is a carefree and also the youngest of the four, often provide comic relief with her snarky remarks. Liz is...kind and we only get a glimpse about her from Amy's PoV because she being possessed for 99% amount of this book. Then, we will delve into Amy, since she is the main character, how she still grieving for her sister's death and her drive to save people she loved is what make her determined to save Liz rather than sold her house and moving away in order to protect her children.
However, I think the demonic entity's explanation is the weakest link of this book. I don't get why the demon come to possess Liz now rather than years ago and the reason just explained by Amy's deduction. The demon didn't bother to explain themselves and just focus to wreak havoc in the neighborhood. I don't know how the demon become the demon at all, lol. More like a vengeful ghost, but then later they become a demon? The conclusion behind the exorcism feel anticlimatic, although hints for something sinister to come in the future. But, since this book is apparently a standalone, that left to reader to interpreted it. Anyway, I like the way Kilmer write the spouses in this book. I prepare myself to read about cheating spouses especially when Kilmer write Amy's husband often do overtime and business trip. BUT, Mark (Amy's husband) is far from cheating husband! He's so supportive to Amy even he didn't believe 100% when Amy explained there was a demon possessing Liz. Even Melissa's husband and Jess's boyfriend seems cool. It's refreshing to read when there's no cheating husband or wives, lel.
I will recommend Suburban Hell if you want to read a light horror with demonic possession and female friendship among the housewives of suburban.
Nope, not kidding. I know those sentences sounds like shonen anime or manga slogan, but the main theme for Suburban Hell is the friendship between the suburban housewives in Winchester, Illinois. Suburban Hell is Maureen Kilmer's debut horror book and honestly this book have some debut's weakness. But, I'm having fun while reading this although some things can be glaring. More about that later.
Suburban Hell told entirely from Amy's first PoV. Together with her "outcast" housewives neighbor, namely Melissa, Jess and Liz, they create a place just for them to relax without spouses or children distribution. Little they know when they toast above She Shed (the place), Liz got possessed by demonic entity and things going downhill. Balancing housewives duty, social life and paranoia induced by demon-Liz attacks, Amy got her hand full. Luckily, she still have Melissa and Jess, although she need to encourage them to join her cause in order to save Liz.
This book kinda remind me of Southern Book Club Guide's to Slaying Vampire by Grady Hendrix. The premise is the same, outcast housewives club that facing an evil force in order to save their family and neighborhood. But, Suburban Hell's horror vibes are lighter compare to the former. Yeah, there's demonic appearance, but it's slightly spooky and creepy. Not the kind that give me heebies jeebies. The story can be mundane to read since you will read Amy do her housewives responsibility and caring for her children, so some chapter can be too slow to read. However, the chapters also shorts, providing a fast read and the mystery also suspense will make you glued to the page.
I like how Kilmer portrayed the friendship between Amy, Melissa, Jess and Liz; and make them all different in personality. Melissa is strict but come from a religiously fanatic parents and she is the hardest to convinced while it come to saving Liz. Jess is a carefree and also the youngest of the four, often provide comic relief with her snarky remarks. Liz is...kind and we only get a glimpse about her from Amy's PoV because she being possessed for 99% amount of this book. Then, we will delve into Amy, since she is the main character, how she still grieving for her sister's death and her drive to save people she loved is what make her determined to save Liz rather than sold her house and moving away in order to protect her children.
However, I think the demonic entity's explanation is the weakest link of this book. I don't get why the demon come to possess Liz now rather than years ago and the reason just explained by Amy's deduction. The demon didn't bother to explain themselves and just focus to wreak havoc in the neighborhood. I don't know how the demon become the demon at all, lol. More like a vengeful ghost, but then later they become a demon? The conclusion behind the exorcism feel anticlimatic, although hints for something sinister to come in the future. But, since this book is apparently a standalone, that left to reader to interpreted it. Anyway, I like the way Kilmer write the spouses in this book. I prepare myself to read about cheating spouses especially when Kilmer write Amy's husband often do overtime and business trip. BUT, Mark (Amy's husband) is far from cheating husband! He's so supportive to Amy even he didn't believe 100% when Amy explained there was a demon possessing Liz. Even Melissa's husband and Jess's boyfriend seems cool. It's refreshing to read when there's no cheating husband or wives, lel.
I will recommend Suburban Hell if you want to read a light horror with demonic possession and female friendship among the housewives of suburban.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Grief, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Child death and Murder
amaranth_wytch's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Death, Blood, Grief, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Religious bigotry, and Murder
a_novel_craving's review against another edition
funny
tense
fast-paced
2.0
It was fine. Not really scary, but a little funny. It was a very easy read, but the ending felt very rushed and far too simple.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Cursing, Death, Blood, Lesbophobia, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
jackieyvette's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Think Suburgatory, mixed with Desperate Housewives and My Best Friend's Exorcism. You get a good little story about friendship, love and a lot of wine.
Crying score: nope
Crying score: nope
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, and Alcohol
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, and Grief
hexedmaiden's review against another edition
funny
slow-paced
3.0
Imagine a rag tag team of moms and one of them gets possessed. Now they have to balance motherhood & exorcising their best friend. It has the quirkiness of an 80s horror comedy film.
While I was side-eying the use of rap music to scare the other white neighbors and treating like whatever Ed & Lorraine Warren say on possession as gospel. I do have to say that I did have fun with this book.
Definitely would suggest this to people who maybe want a light horror novel or like the vibe of spooky Desperate Housewives or something like it.
While I was side-eying the use of rap music to scare the other white neighbors and treating like whatever Ed & Lorraine Warren say on possession as gospel. I do have to say that I did have fun with this book.
Definitely would suggest this to people who maybe want a light horror novel or like the vibe of spooky Desperate Housewives or something like it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, and Violence
Minor: Child death, Death, and Blood
readerfromtheblacklagoon's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
aitanavec's review against another edition
dark
funny
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I quite really enjoyed it. It was funny at times, not very scary, but it had its tense moments, and I loved the friendship between the women.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Grief
Moderate: Addiction, Body horror, Drug abuse, Religious bigotry, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child death, Blood, and Murder
thiscryptidreads's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
For every mom, past your 20's and possibly dreading the next PTA meeting this one is for you. This book is light, fun and about the power of friendship.
Content Warnings
Minor: Addiction, Mental illness, and Religious bigotry