j_hall85's review
5.0
The Thing meets Evil Dead meets It Follows! This book fulfilled all expectations and beyond. Thoroughly scratched a sci-fi/horror itch I was chasing.
horrorqueenx's review
5.0
Fun and nostalgic
I enjoyed The Unwelcome, as it had a very nostalgic vibe reminiscent of the Evil Dead and The Cabin in the Woods movies. A very campy feel to it. Not quite scary, but fun and with a main character just likeable enough to root for but very flawed as well, which I find important.
I enjoyed The Unwelcome, as it had a very nostalgic vibe reminiscent of the Evil Dead and The Cabin in the Woods movies. A very campy feel to it. Not quite scary, but fun and with a main character just likeable enough to root for but very flawed as well, which I find important.
history_bot's review
4.0
Kait Brecker has finally escaped her abusive relationship with Lutz Visgara, and to help put it all behind her, she's going on a weekend trip to an isolated cabin in the woods with friends. Well, one friend—Alice, her best friend from childhood. Alice's boyfriend Ben, who doesn't like or trust Kait, is providing the cabin, and acquaintance Riley is along for the ride. But they don't know what Lutz is capable of, and now he's on the mountain with them. And he'll go to any length to get Kait back.
Part character drama, part supernatural terror, The Unwelcome by Jacob Steven Mohr will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. But it's not just a plot-driven thriller—Mohr does a wonderful job introducing you to the characters and really making you understand them. Each has their own fears, loves, and motivations, and there are so many micro-relationships between characters. The way they interact is delightful and the group of characters was a real highlight of the book.
Mohr is also a master of creating tension. Domestic abuse can be a tough thing to depict respectfully, but when it's done well I think it creates a uniquely terrifying reader experience. It feels much more real than other horrors, even with supernatural twists like in The Unwelcome. Mohr manages to create a believable and very scary villain, and introduces the supernatural twist later in the story so we don't dismiss it out of hand (which is something I think a lot of books fall prey to).
Due to the proximity in which I read them, I couldn't help but compare this book to [b:Near the Bone|54735151|Near the Bone|Christina Henry|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1596024873l/54735151._SY75_.jpg|85382703] by Christina Henry, which I read a couple months ago and is already a favorite of the year. I was hesitant diving into this book because it did remind me so strongly of Near the Bone, and I was worried it'd be a let-down after that; but I'm happy to report that it absolutely lived up to my expectations and even excelled in places that Henry did not, like in character development and relationships.
If you're looking for a little isolation horror to remind you of cold wintry nights and chill you to the bone, The Unwelcome is a fantastic choice. It was quite the gem and I'm so happy to have picked it up, I'd recommend it to anyone.
--
Read this review and others over on my blog, The Library Cryptid.
The author provided a free copy of The Unwelcome in exchange for an honest review. I do my best to be as unbiased as possible in all of my reviews.
Part character drama, part supernatural terror, The Unwelcome by Jacob Steven Mohr will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. But it's not just a plot-driven thriller—Mohr does a wonderful job introducing you to the characters and really making you understand them. Each has their own fears, loves, and motivations, and there are so many micro-relationships between characters. The way they interact is delightful and the group of characters was a real highlight of the book.
Mohr is also a master of creating tension. Domestic abuse can be a tough thing to depict respectfully, but when it's done well I think it creates a uniquely terrifying reader experience. It feels much more real than other horrors, even with supernatural twists like in The Unwelcome. Mohr manages to create a believable and very scary villain, and introduces the supernatural twist later in the story so we don't dismiss it out of hand (which is something I think a lot of books fall prey to).
Due to the proximity in which I read them, I couldn't help but compare this book to [b:Near the Bone|54735151|Near the Bone|Christina Henry|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1596024873l/54735151._SY75_.jpg|85382703] by Christina Henry, which I read a couple months ago and is already a favorite of the year. I was hesitant diving into this book because it did remind me so strongly of Near the Bone, and I was worried it'd be a let-down after that; but I'm happy to report that it absolutely lived up to my expectations and even excelled in places that Henry did not, like in character development and relationships.
If you're looking for a little isolation horror to remind you of cold wintry nights and chill you to the bone, The Unwelcome is a fantastic choice. It was quite the gem and I'm so happy to have picked it up, I'd recommend it to anyone.
--
Read this review and others over on my blog, The Library Cryptid.
The author provided a free copy of The Unwelcome in exchange for an honest review. I do my best to be as unbiased as possible in all of my reviews.
rougoku's review
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
thegrimestreader's review
3.0
Mystery, suspense, very strange story, I was really excited to read it but found myself wanting to stop many times, it just didn’t hold my interest until the last two chapters.
readbydusk's review
3.0
The Unwelcome caught my eye with its fantastically surreal cover and the body-snatching premise. A character-driven tale, this book relies largely on its characters and their relationships with each other. While there’s a lot of confusing mind games and difficult conversations between the characters, the story is deliberate and precise. The writing is polished and the dialogue is strong. The pacing is even throughout with some brutal action sequences. I liked the body-snatching aspect which leads to incredibly tense scenes.
This is the kind of book that requires your concentration and unfortunately, I did feel my attention lagging at times. I didn’t really warm up to the four main characters – in fact, I was more interested in a supporting character, Jill, whose fate I found affecting. I think this might be a case of a mismatch between a reader and a book. I have no doubt this book would thrill horror readers; it was just not a favourite for me. But I will be sure to keep an eye out on the author’s future books.
CW: physical violence, domestic abuse
Thank you to the author for a review copy.
book blog | twitter | instagram
This is the kind of book that requires your concentration and unfortunately, I did feel my attention lagging at times. I didn’t really warm up to the four main characters – in fact, I was more interested in a supporting character, Jill, whose fate I found affecting. I think this might be a case of a mismatch between a reader and a book. I have no doubt this book would thrill horror readers; it was just not a favourite for me. But I will be sure to keep an eye out on the author’s future books.
CW: physical violence, domestic abuse
Thank you to the author for a review copy.
book blog | twitter | instagram
sharkbait18's review
I tried, God help me I tried but I just couldn't get through this. Can't pinpoint what I didn't like about this book but I didn't mesh with it.
hnlovely's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
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