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The Body
The Body
is a pulse-pounding supernatural horror story from bestselling author Bethany C. Morrow, where one woman must survive a series of bizarre and escalating attacks on her marriage.
Mavis broke from her parents’ congregation years ago, but she still hasn’t recovered. Their impossible expectations and soul-shredding critiques have dug deep into her mind, and she’s taunted by the knowledge that even when she’s done nothing wrong, she’ll never be right.
Now Mavis is afraid she’s about to lose the only thing she has: her husband, Jerrod. The man she’s always known was too good to be true. No one thinks she deserves him—not even after surviving the serial cheater they wanted her to stick by—and soon they’ll all find out they were right.
Mavis is already unraveling when a brush with death shows her what real fear looks like. Soon, she’s under constant attack from all directions. As the assaults turn increasingly vicious and bizarre, Mavis realizes that Hell isn’t reserved for the afterlife.
And sinner or not, no one is coming to save her.
Mavis broke from her parents’ congregation years ago, but she still hasn’t recovered. Their impossible expectations and soul-shredding critiques have dug deep into her mind, and she’s taunted by the knowledge that even when she’s done nothing wrong, she’ll never be right.
Now Mavis is afraid she’s about to lose the only thing she has: her husband, Jerrod. The man she’s always known was too good to be true. No one thinks she deserves him—not even after surviving the serial cheater they wanted her to stick by—and soon they’ll all find out they were right.
Mavis is already unraveling when a brush with death shows her what real fear looks like. Soon, she’s under constant attack from all directions. As the assaults turn increasingly vicious and bizarre, Mavis realizes that Hell isn’t reserved for the afterlife.
And sinner or not, no one is coming to save her.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published February 10, 2026
172 people are currently reading
15769 people want to read
About the author
Bethany C. Morrow
14 books1,485 followersBethany C Morrow is a national bestselling author.
Her young adult novels include A Song Below Water, A Chorus Rises, and the Little Women remix, So Many Beginnings, and she is editor/contributor to the young adult anthology Take The Mic, which won the 2020 ILA Social Justice in Literature award.
Her adult novels include Mem, and the social horror, Cherish Farrah. Her upcoming release, The Body, is a churchianity horror.
Honored as SLJ Gold Selections, a Locus, Fiyah, and Audie finalist for Best YA Novel, and an Indies Introduce and Indie next pick, her work has been featured in The LA Times, Forbes, Bustle, Buzzfeed, and more. She is included on USA TODAY's list of 100 Black novelists and fiction writers you should read.
Her young adult novels include A Song Below Water, A Chorus Rises, and the Little Women remix, So Many Beginnings, and she is editor/contributor to the young adult anthology Take The Mic, which won the 2020 ILA Social Justice in Literature award.
Her adult novels include Mem, and the social horror, Cherish Farrah. Her upcoming release, The Body, is a churchianity horror.
Honored as SLJ Gold Selections, a Locus, Fiyah, and Audie finalist for Best YA Novel, and an Indies Introduce and Indie next pick, her work has been featured in The LA Times, Forbes, Bustle, Buzzfeed, and more. She is included on USA TODAY's list of 100 Black novelists and fiction writers you should read.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 409 reviews
January 19, 2026
This horror mystery novel was very entertaining and was much like a fever dream to me. It starts off very strong, slows down in the middle, then slowly builds up towards the end. To me, this novel is unsettling and different. I am a huge fan of the horror and thriller genre’s and I will say that this was a decent read for me, not the worst and not the best. It is gripping and it has supernatural and religious elements in it. With this book being under 300 pages, a lot happens in it!
Some of the themes that this novel explores are the consequences of oath, gaslighting and identity. It does come with gore in the book, just a heads up for readers that can’t handle gore in a horror book. This novel was well executed and easy to read. Even though this book was disturbing, I still found it enjoyable and interesting. Overall, I give this book a solid 3 out of 5 stars! This gave me the book “Sister, Maiden, Monster” by Lucy A. Snyder vibes!
Thank you to NetGalley, author Bethany C. Morrow and Tor Publishing Group for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
This book is expected to be released on February 10, 2026!
Some of the themes that this novel explores are the consequences of oath, gaslighting and identity. It does come with gore in the book, just a heads up for readers that can’t handle gore in a horror book. This novel was well executed and easy to read. Even though this book was disturbing, I still found it enjoyable and interesting. Overall, I give this book a solid 3 out of 5 stars! This gave me the book “Sister, Maiden, Monster” by Lucy A. Snyder vibes!
Thank you to NetGalley, author Bethany C. Morrow and Tor Publishing Group for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
This book is expected to be released on February 10, 2026!
November 23, 2025
⭐️ ⭐️ 1/2
Characters can be flawed and morally precarious, but still likable. They can also be unblemished and virtuous, but detestable. I found these characters to be located in the netherworld between, equally amoral and repugnant.
Ok, let me start by saying I typically don’t like horror stories centering around religious circumstance, so for a book to overcome this requires other aspects to be so impressive that they extinguish my preconceptions. That was definitely not the case here. I found the plot to be unmoving and devoid of purpose. There were no reasons offered to explain why any of this happened. The character work, as already explained, didn’t resonate. The writing was good, so there’s that, but I found little else to take pleasure in.
Characters can be flawed and morally precarious, but still likable. They can also be unblemished and virtuous, but detestable. I found these characters to be located in the netherworld between, equally amoral and repugnant.
Ok, let me start by saying I typically don’t like horror stories centering around religious circumstance, so for a book to overcome this requires other aspects to be so impressive that they extinguish my preconceptions. That was definitely not the case here. I found the plot to be unmoving and devoid of purpose. There were no reasons offered to explain why any of this happened. The character work, as already explained, didn’t resonate. The writing was good, so there’s that, but I found little else to take pleasure in.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Body by Bethany Morrow is an unholy union of religious horror, obsessive devotion, female rage, and supernatural phenomena. Mavis was born and raised in the church, something that has inflicted extreme emotional trauma on her psyche and etched religious discord into her very soul. Mavis has been led to believe that her only value as a woman is to become a compliant daughter and dutiful wife, something she obviously experiences significant moral dissonance over. She finally steps away from the church, but hyper religious deprogramming is arduous, and she understandably faces a lot of doubt trying to navigate who she is outside of the congregation and marriage. No one thinks she is deserving of her marriage to Jerrod Dwyer nor her status as Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Carson’s only child. The pressure of perfection and sanctimonious judgement has been crushing for Mavis to bear, but she has always smiled and suffered silently, rarely cracking to expose the pain and anger seething underneath. Mavis’ illusion of perfect poise and control is already slipping when Death seemingly begins to hunt the couple, each bloody encounter escalating in ferocity and brutality. Fueled by fear, self-loathing, paranoia, and rage, Mavis will undergo a cataclysmic conversion of self, finally realizing she has more power than she initially thought, and she might not really need salvation after all.
This is a book to pick up if you enjoyed Jordan Peele movies---it has a similar creepy atmosphere heightened by increasing suspicion, and the audience doesn’t ever really have a solid grasp on what exactly is so wrong under an ostensibly normal exterior until it’s too late. I thought the story was good, though at times the plot got dragged down by pacing issues and then lurched forward abruptly. Specifically, Mavis’ tendency to launch into long internal monologues of self-flagellation was a little over done, and there were a couple spots where the writing jumps so suddenly into a key story point, it was a bit disorienting and hard to follow. This was remedied by simply rereading the parts, but it happened more than once. I feel that the author was trying to create an unreliable narrator situation, but it wasn’t clearly executed. Overall, this was an entertaining story and a quick read, so I do recommend it to thriller enthusiasts!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for the ARC and the opportunity to share what I think! All opinions are my own.
This is a book to pick up if you enjoyed Jordan Peele movies---it has a similar creepy atmosphere heightened by increasing suspicion, and the audience doesn’t ever really have a solid grasp on what exactly is so wrong under an ostensibly normal exterior until it’s too late. I thought the story was good, though at times the plot got dragged down by pacing issues and then lurched forward abruptly. Specifically, Mavis’ tendency to launch into long internal monologues of self-flagellation was a little over done, and there were a couple spots where the writing jumps so suddenly into a key story point, it was a bit disorienting and hard to follow. This was remedied by simply rereading the parts, but it happened more than once. I feel that the author was trying to create an unreliable narrator situation, but it wasn’t clearly executed. Overall, this was an entertaining story and a quick read, so I do recommend it to thriller enthusiasts!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for the ARC and the opportunity to share what I think! All opinions are my own.
January 25, 2026
storyline was dumb and all the characters were dumb
February 14, 2026
The Body
by Bethany C. Morrow
Thriller
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: Feb 10, 2026
Tor Publishing Group
Ages: 16+
After a failed engagement, because her fiancé kept cheating, Mavis' parents blamed her for not accepting and forgiving, thus the failure was her fault. Now, years later, and seven years into her marriage to Jerrod, a man she feels is too good to be true, she fears she is about to lose him because she isn't a good enough wife, and his itch is going to destroy their marriage, but she suspects he has already satisfied it.
On her way home, she is struck by another car that went through a red light, then, while home recovering, there's someone is digging in their backyard in the middle of the night. And as the days progress, there are more threats against her.
Because of the blurb, I really thought this was going to be a twisted mystery of scary, but nope, instead it was a lot of internal rambling of a woman with low self esteem, groomed by her religious parents, cheated on by a man her parents forced upon her, then blamed her for being a bad person when she breaks off the engagement because of his cheating.
Her insecurities continue and grow as the years progress, put there and constantly fed by her disapproving parents, Jerrod's parents, and the congregation Mavis distanced herself from.
As for the supernatural element, zzzzz... The only interesting thing that happened was … spoiler... but it was only a blip in a dragging monologue by a woman so messed in the head by cruel parents and the church that she does … spoiler... which.... spoiler....
The spoilers were the only thing that brought a little bit of life to the story. The ending, eh. Makes me dislike her more.
I'm kicking myself for not DNFing this when I told myself to, but instead skimmed it and wasted time. Other than the religion, there's nothing that I would consider scary, so this is more of a thriller with a wannabe supernatural element.
I can only remember three violent scenes in this story, similar to what you can see on TV, but no adult content other than a mention here and there. Overall, it's suitable for readers sixteen and older, though I doubt younger readers would enjoy it.
1 Star
by Bethany C. Morrow
Thriller
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: Feb 10, 2026
Tor Publishing Group
Ages: 16+
After a failed engagement, because her fiancé kept cheating, Mavis' parents blamed her for not accepting and forgiving, thus the failure was her fault. Now, years later, and seven years into her marriage to Jerrod, a man she feels is too good to be true, she fears she is about to lose him because she isn't a good enough wife, and his itch is going to destroy their marriage, but she suspects he has already satisfied it.
On her way home, she is struck by another car that went through a red light, then, while home recovering, there's someone is digging in their backyard in the middle of the night. And as the days progress, there are more threats against her.
Because of the blurb, I really thought this was going to be a twisted mystery of scary, but nope, instead it was a lot of internal rambling of a woman with low self esteem, groomed by her religious parents, cheated on by a man her parents forced upon her, then blamed her for being a bad person when she breaks off the engagement because of his cheating.
Her insecurities continue and grow as the years progress, put there and constantly fed by her disapproving parents, Jerrod's parents, and the congregation Mavis distanced herself from.
As for the supernatural element, zzzzz... The only interesting thing that happened was … spoiler... but it was only a blip in a dragging monologue by a woman so messed in the head by cruel parents and the church that she does … spoiler... which.... spoiler....
The spoilers were the only thing that brought a little bit of life to the story. The ending, eh. Makes me dislike her more.
I'm kicking myself for not DNFing this when I told myself to, but instead skimmed it and wasted time. Other than the religion, there's nothing that I would consider scary, so this is more of a thriller with a wannabe supernatural element.
I can only remember three violent scenes in this story, similar to what you can see on TV, but no adult content other than a mention here and there. Overall, it's suitable for readers sixteen and older, though I doubt younger readers would enjoy it.
1 Star
December 1, 2025
This book triggered me in every which way. 😮💨
Bethany C. Morrow’s 2026 horror novel, THE BODY, is in the top five most anticipated reads for me. With a short synopsis (don’t look up spoilers) and an absolutely captivating cover, I knew this was something I must read. Thank you @tornightfire for my gifted copy!
I am going to keep the synopsis review short because that’s where this book wins. After Mavis is in a car accident, she begins to wonder if she’s being targeted. She left her parents’ congregation years ago, but family is forever. 😬
The book opens strong with a visceral panic attack and the promise of cult-shadowed horror, but the momentum slips as the story sinks too deeply into Mavis’ limited perspective. I wish the book went deeper and darker, but it kept me turning the pages regardless. While the concept behind the bizarre attacks is clever, the pacing drags and supporting characters—especially Mavis’s husband Jerrod—never feel fully developed, making it hard to invest in the emotional stakes. If you pick up this book, you’ll know exactly why it triggered me (IYKYK).
THE BODY has sharp moments of discomfort and an engaging throughline of feminine rage and religious trauma. The ending was actually my favorite part of the story because it ends perfectly. Readers who appreciate unreliable narrators and slow-burn unease will definitely enjoy this one. It reminded me very much of the movie Midsommar meets Daisy Pearce’s Something in the Walls. I’m curious to see what this author has next for readers in the horror space. STARS: 3, PUB: 2/10/26
Bethany C. Morrow’s 2026 horror novel, THE BODY, is in the top five most anticipated reads for me. With a short synopsis (don’t look up spoilers) and an absolutely captivating cover, I knew this was something I must read. Thank you @tornightfire for my gifted copy!
I am going to keep the synopsis review short because that’s where this book wins. After Mavis is in a car accident, she begins to wonder if she’s being targeted. She left her parents’ congregation years ago, but family is forever. 😬
The book opens strong with a visceral panic attack and the promise of cult-shadowed horror, but the momentum slips as the story sinks too deeply into Mavis’ limited perspective. I wish the book went deeper and darker, but it kept me turning the pages regardless. While the concept behind the bizarre attacks is clever, the pacing drags and supporting characters—especially Mavis’s husband Jerrod—never feel fully developed, making it hard to invest in the emotional stakes. If you pick up this book, you’ll know exactly why it triggered me (IYKYK).
THE BODY has sharp moments of discomfort and an engaging throughline of feminine rage and religious trauma. The ending was actually my favorite part of the story because it ends perfectly. Readers who appreciate unreliable narrators and slow-burn unease will definitely enjoy this one. It reminded me very much of the movie Midsommar meets Daisy Pearce’s Something in the Walls. I’m curious to see what this author has next for readers in the horror space. STARS: 3, PUB: 2/10/26
November 16, 2025
Okay, first off, I feel so bad not finishing this, but I just really couldn't connect with it.
Mavis grew up in a super religious family, but escaped (kind of? she does seem to have a relationship with her parents) and married Jerrod, who is ~perfect~. (Note: he's written so perfectly, at least for a while, that he comes across as very bland, like cardboard.) When she's in a car accident, things begin to unravel in her life.
I stopped after the gruesome scene of her and her husband defending against a home invasion. I like horror, but the scene read, at least to me, as being shocking just for shock's sake, as opposed to something that furthers the story.
I'm at least 40% in and I just can't read this anymore. In addition to the uninspired plot, the writing is terrible. Pronouns exist! You don't need to repeat Mavis' name endlessly. It gets really old after a while.
Thank you to NetGalley for the free copy.
Mavis grew up in a super religious family, but escaped (kind of? she does seem to have a relationship with her parents) and married Jerrod, who is ~perfect~. (Note: he's written so perfectly, at least for a while, that he comes across as very bland, like cardboard.) When she's in a car accident, things begin to unravel in her life.
I stopped after the gruesome scene of her and her husband defending against a home invasion. I like horror, but the scene read, at least to me, as being shocking just for shock's sake, as opposed to something that furthers the story.
I'm at least 40% in and I just can't read this anymore. In addition to the uninspired plot, the writing is terrible. Pronouns exist! You don't need to repeat Mavis' name endlessly. It gets really old after a while.
Thank you to NetGalley for the free copy.
January 30, 2026
2.5 ⭐️
The Body by Bethany Morrow starts off strong with Mavis’ accident and the shocking, horrific events that follow. The opening immediately grabs your attention and sets a dark, unsettling tone. Unfortunately, after that strong beginning, the story slows down considerably. The middle and ending feel like long, which made it hard to stay fully engaged.
While I understood Mavis’ mission to uncover who is responsible for the horrific acts happening to her, I struggled to connect with her as a character. I didn’t find her particularly likable, which made it harder to stay invested in her journey.
The Body by Bethany Morrow starts off strong with Mavis’ accident and the shocking, horrific events that follow. The opening immediately grabs your attention and sets a dark, unsettling tone. Unfortunately, after that strong beginning, the story slows down considerably. The middle and ending feel like long, which made it hard to stay fully engaged.
While I understood Mavis’ mission to uncover who is responsible for the horrific acts happening to her, I struggled to connect with her as a character. I didn’t find her particularly likable, which made it harder to stay invested in her journey.
Read
January 31, 2026I'm generally a fan of religious horror, but this definitely takes a different tack than other things I've read with the plot centering on a somewhat niche religious practice that wasn't part of the religious communities I grew up in, but is apparently common in certain churches.
It follows a married couple who no longer attend the church they were married in. Mavis is injured in a car accident at the start of the book, and as things unfold we learn more about her marriage, their families, and their complicated histories with religion. It's propulsive and gruesome, touching on the misogyny that too often pops up in the uneven application of morality standards. The characters are all very unlikeable which probably won't work for everyone, but I would be interested to see more in this genre from Morrow. The audio narration is done pretty well. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
It follows a married couple who no longer attend the church they were married in. Mavis is injured in a car accident at the start of the book, and as things unfold we learn more about her marriage, their families, and their complicated histories with religion. It's propulsive and gruesome, touching on the misogyny that too often pops up in the uneven application of morality standards. The characters are all very unlikeable which probably won't work for everyone, but I would be interested to see more in this genre from Morrow. The audio narration is done pretty well. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
February 22, 2026
This was a very interesting use of marital vows within horror!
February 10, 2026
Thank you netgalley for the arc. this was not for me and felt poorly written. i wonder how many times the author wrote the word “baby.” it was so laughable that it kept taking me
out of the story. the premise sounded amazing and the execution was not there, unfortunately.
out of the story. the premise sounded amazing and the execution was not there, unfortunately.
January 5, 2026
Review in the January 2026 issue of Library Journal
Three Words That Describe This Book: religious cult horror, secrets and trauma, supernatural thriller
This is a supernatural horror about a marriage under attack.
Or it is a psychological suspense novel about a woman with serious family trauma and secrets who is unreliable and mentally unstable.
Or it is a cult horror novel about a church and a congregation that require vows not be broken or else-- and the or else is not just terrifying to think about-- readers see the consequences ion the page
Or it is all of the above and that combination makes the novel more enjoyable to readers. It can be what they want it to be with the author doing the work to make it work for all readers.
Draft Review: Readers are introduced to Mavis as she is rushing home, clearly preoccupied and nervous, as her car is hit by a driver who ran a red light, landing her in the hospital, an eye-catching and unsettling start to the story of Mavis and Jerrod as they enter the seven year itch stage of their marriage. In the next few days, the couple faces more threats on their lives, attacked by people they know, action that clearly invite readers to ask themselves if they are reading a domestic suspense novel with an unreliable but clearly trauma inflicted narrator. Or is this a supernatural, cult horror novel about a church dealing out horrific penalties to those who break their vows? The answer very well could be both, and readers are invited to dig deeply into their own discomfort as they turn the pages in an attempt to unearth the truth.
Verdict: Morrow delivers a thrilling reading experience that feels like Gone Girl by GIllian Flynn collided with Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle glazed with an overcoat of Model Home by Rivers Solomon.
The entire book is only from Mavis' POV and she is clearly unreliable. She knows she is and she reveals why to the reader slowly over time. And she makes bad choices. But also, this church her parents are leaders in-- wow. They are intense. And not complying, especially by breaking your wedding vows-- is VERY bad.
Oh and there is lots of digging
Now, are the attacks against Mavis and Jerrod (her husband), are they really happening or is Mavis the victim of severe trauma. I think both.
A book that can be described as Gone Girl by Flynn meets Camp Damascus by Tingle, with the family trauma and psychological horror as seen in books like Model Home by Solomon.
Three Words That Describe This Book: religious cult horror, secrets and trauma, supernatural thriller
This is a supernatural horror about a marriage under attack.
Or it is a psychological suspense novel about a woman with serious family trauma and secrets who is unreliable and mentally unstable.
Or it is a cult horror novel about a church and a congregation that require vows not be broken or else-- and the or else is not just terrifying to think about-- readers see the consequences ion the page
Or it is all of the above and that combination makes the novel more enjoyable to readers. It can be what they want it to be with the author doing the work to make it work for all readers.
Draft Review: Readers are introduced to Mavis as she is rushing home, clearly preoccupied and nervous, as her car is hit by a driver who ran a red light, landing her in the hospital, an eye-catching and unsettling start to the story of Mavis and Jerrod as they enter the seven year itch stage of their marriage. In the next few days, the couple faces more threats on their lives, attacked by people they know, action that clearly invite readers to ask themselves if they are reading a domestic suspense novel with an unreliable but clearly trauma inflicted narrator. Or is this a supernatural, cult horror novel about a church dealing out horrific penalties to those who break their vows? The answer very well could be both, and readers are invited to dig deeply into their own discomfort as they turn the pages in an attempt to unearth the truth.
Verdict: Morrow delivers a thrilling reading experience that feels like Gone Girl by GIllian Flynn collided with Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle glazed with an overcoat of Model Home by Rivers Solomon.
The entire book is only from Mavis' POV and she is clearly unreliable. She knows she is and she reveals why to the reader slowly over time. And she makes bad choices. But also, this church her parents are leaders in-- wow. They are intense. And not complying, especially by breaking your wedding vows-- is VERY bad.
Oh and there is lots of digging
Now, are the attacks against Mavis and Jerrod (her husband), are they really happening or is Mavis the victim of severe trauma. I think both.
A book that can be described as Gone Girl by Flynn meets Camp Damascus by Tingle, with the family trauma and psychological horror as seen in books like Model Home by Solomon.
February 27, 2026
THE BODY is a horror story steeped in religious background, with a supernatural edge. Starting off strong this book will do what it set out to do and that is to draw you in.
Mavis freed herself from her parents' congregation but still struggles to fully shake it. Afraid of losing the only relationship she has left, she must survive a series of escalating attacks on her marriage. But no one believes she is worthy of Jerrod, even though she knows he is too good to be true. But as she is attacked from all sides, she is beginning to unravel and soon she will soon realize who really owns her soul.
While I enjoyed the supernatural horror and how the story escalated, I still found it dragging in parts. The self-flagellation with Mavis grew draining at times and I struggled to move past it. But all in all, it was an entertaining enough read and with under 300 pages I recommend for a quick read.
Mavis freed herself from her parents' congregation but still struggles to fully shake it. Afraid of losing the only relationship she has left, she must survive a series of escalating attacks on her marriage. But no one believes she is worthy of Jerrod, even though she knows he is too good to be true. But as she is attacked from all sides, she is beginning to unravel and soon she will soon realize who really owns her soul.
While I enjoyed the supernatural horror and how the story escalated, I still found it dragging in parts. The self-flagellation with Mavis grew draining at times and I struggled to move past it. But all in all, it was an entertaining enough read and with under 300 pages I recommend for a quick read.
August 14, 2025
ARC review
This was that oddly coincidental kind of horror that makes you feel like both you and the main character are losing your mind lol The synopsis says ‘bizarre attacks on marriage’ yeah that and some lol. Honoring your marital vows might be the only thing that saves you but if you break them chillleeee you just might have to suffer the consequences.
I can appreciate that this isn’t just scary for scary’s sake. However, there were parts of the story that had me ready to just throw the damn book because uhh hello girl are you cool? If you’re into religious cult horror this might just be for you.
This was that oddly coincidental kind of horror that makes you feel like both you and the main character are losing your mind lol The synopsis says ‘bizarre attacks on marriage’ yeah that and some lol. Honoring your marital vows might be the only thing that saves you but if you break them chillleeee you just might have to suffer the consequences.
I can appreciate that this isn’t just scary for scary’s sake. However, there were parts of the story that had me ready to just throw the damn book because uhh hello girl are you cool? If you’re into religious cult horror this might just be for you.
Read
January 7, 2026
Book Riot’s Most Anticipated Books of 2026:
The moment I first laid eyes on the red shovel and stained glass on this cover, my brain immediately went, "Oh yeah, that's some church horror." My suspicions were confirmed when I saw Bethany C. Morrow describe The Body as being about the horror of churchianity, Godless religion, and of abuse begetting abuse. My own body is likely wholly unprepared for The Body, but in Morrow's capable hands, I look forward to what promises to be an absolutely bloody reckoning. —Vanessa Diaz
The moment I first laid eyes on the red shovel and stained glass on this cover, my brain immediately went, "Oh yeah, that's some church horror." My suspicions were confirmed when I saw Bethany C. Morrow describe The Body as being about the horror of churchianity, Godless religion, and of abuse begetting abuse. My own body is likely wholly unprepared for The Body, but in Morrow's capable hands, I look forward to what promises to be an absolutely bloody reckoning. —Vanessa Diaz
March 21, 2026
1 ⭐
First off, thank you to Bethany C. Morrow and Tor Publishing Group for allowing me to read this early. I couldn't finish this book. I read 48% and it just wasn't for me. From what I read, I didn't find anything to be "horror" or suspenseful. But I understand how some might find church cult drama and hardly (imo) descriptive, unaliving horror. The biggest horror for me was the disjointed babbling by Mavis and the lack of explanation of situations, but over-explaining unimportant things with a whole chapter. This book definitely fell short for me.
First off, thank you to Bethany C. Morrow and Tor Publishing Group for allowing me to read this early. I couldn't finish this book. I read 48% and it just wasn't for me. From what I read, I didn't find anything to be "horror" or suspenseful. But I understand how some might find church cult drama and hardly (imo) descriptive, unaliving horror. The biggest horror for me was the disjointed babbling by Mavis and the lack of explanation of situations, but over-explaining unimportant things with a whole chapter. This book definitely fell short for me.
January 19, 2026
Got an arc through Libro.fm
So as I mentioned before the ending of Cherish Farrah still haunts me to this day, one of my fav thrillers, so I had high expectations for this one! And I think that was the issue, was my own expectations. Don’t get me wrong, I liked this, just not quite as much.
This has some incredible depictions of anxiety, spiraling, panic attacks, etc. I deeply related to mavis on that front, it reminded me of myself and my own anxiety spirals before I got medicated. I also appreciated that she wasn’t necessarily a “good” person, like just because she’s been emotionally abused and has these spirals, she doesn’t have to be the perfect victim. She makes some god awful decisions and fuck ups and that made her feel more like a rounded person to me. You can be horrified by the stupid shit she does and still not wanna see her suffer at this level.
I think my biggest issue was with the ending: it didn’t feel quite in line with the rest of the book. Mavis has done awful things by this point but I don’t think she deserved to end up in the position she was in the epilogue. I felt she should have to contend with her actions outside without being pulled back into the sphere of her abusers, if that makes any sense?
So yeah, overall a solidly disturbing book!
So as I mentioned before the ending of Cherish Farrah still haunts me to this day, one of my fav thrillers, so I had high expectations for this one! And I think that was the issue, was my own expectations. Don’t get me wrong, I liked this, just not quite as much.
This has some incredible depictions of anxiety, spiraling, panic attacks, etc. I deeply related to mavis on that front, it reminded me of myself and my own anxiety spirals before I got medicated. I also appreciated that she wasn’t necessarily a “good” person, like just because she’s been emotionally abused and has these spirals, she doesn’t have to be the perfect victim. She makes some god awful decisions and fuck ups and that made her feel more like a rounded person to me. You can be horrified by the stupid shit she does and still not wanna see her suffer at this level.
I think my biggest issue was with the ending: it didn’t feel quite in line with the rest of the book. Mavis has done awful things by this point but I don’t think she deserved to end up in the position she was in the epilogue. I felt she should have to contend with her actions outside without being pulled back into the sphere of her abusers, if that makes any sense?
So yeah, overall a solidly disturbing book!
February 5, 2026
A twisted tale of epic proportions
Hinderance, blasphemy, domineering parents; religious affiliations, pious thoughts only.
Victimizing one’s own child, bringing them down to the lowest level, making them feel as if they are unworthy of love-made to feel as if nothing said nor done is ever good enough
A hard read, emotionally angry, watching the conditioning of ill thoughts take its toll
The thoughts, uncontrollable at times as they flood the brain, making the victim almost neurotic, panic and anxiety inducing
Makes one want to throttle the character out of frustration!!
Thanks to TOR Nightfire for this arc and try a new author!
Hinderance, blasphemy, domineering parents; religious affiliations, pious thoughts only.
Victimizing one’s own child, bringing them down to the lowest level, making them feel as if they are unworthy of love-made to feel as if nothing said nor done is ever good enough
A hard read, emotionally angry, watching the conditioning of ill thoughts take its toll
The thoughts, uncontrollable at times as they flood the brain, making the victim almost neurotic, panic and anxiety inducing
Makes one want to throttle the character out of frustration!!
Thanks to TOR Nightfire for this arc and try a new author!
Want to read
July 24, 2025I loved a previous deliciously dark horror story from this author! Can't wait to read this one!
February 27, 2026
2.75/5 stars rounded up
Did not finish
January 29, 2026This book was not for me. It felt very abrupt and I didn’t really know what the point of the story was. One thing I will say is that fight scene in the bedroom that was gruesome and graphic and done really well!!! I ate that scene up!!!! I made it to 50% of the book and it just wasn’t gripping enough for me! It didn’t give me horror and the storyline wasn’t suspenseful enough for me. The start with the digging and all was super intriguing and that just fell off and I was not feeling it. I can see why this may be for some people. If you like fast paced action packed books this may not be for you. If you are looking for a slow burn type of book with bits and pieces of creepy elements you will eat this up!
February 18, 2026
1.5/5. (the only positive is the first chapter)
I read this to earn a Goodreads' bookmark - and dear hell did I make the wrong choice (if you do those challenges, pick something else! I beg you!). I really really wanted to DNF, but I didn't want to chance it on another book and wanted to get back to my TBR pile, so I pushed through.
This was AWFUL and has become one of only a handful of books I have rated under 2 stars.
I know exactly how this drivel got published: the first chapter was fantastic. Visceral and raw, best description of a car crash I have ever read from the perspective of someone experiencing an accident. This chapter is where the author put every single ounce of her effort - then that effort jumped off a cliff and perished unceremoniously on the rocks below.
This book can be summed up in 3 words: "talon thoughts" and "softens"
Talon thoughts. She softens. Talon thoughts. She softens. Talon thoughts. She softens. Talon thoughts. She softens. Talon thoughts. Softens. Talon thoughts. Softens. Talon thoughts. Softens. Talon thoughts. Softens. Talon thoughts. Softens. Talon thoughts. Softens.
...there, I saved you a couple of hours of reading. Midway through I thought that if I read the word "talon/s" again I would throw my Kindle across the room. I didn't - but I wanted to. And for the ungodly amount of times the author uses the word "soften/s", this junk must at least have been AI assisted (but not generated; AI would have done a better job with cohesion and plot development).
The plot was a word we are not supposed to use that means dumb. Unrelentingly that word, with the level of that word increasing exponentially on every page. The main character is also unrelentingly obnoxious, with the same exponential increase.
Is she mentally ill or is there something supernatural going on with the "vow" and the congregation? 🤷♀️ We don't know. And unlike in a book like "The Turn of the Screw" where the ambiguity is productive, here it is just confusing. A muddled mess.
If you somehow obtained a physical copy of this, don't walk - run to your nearest trash bin, open the lid, toss it in, and bury it with the rest of the refuse.
I read this to earn a Goodreads' bookmark - and dear hell did I make the wrong choice (if you do those challenges, pick something else! I beg you!). I really really wanted to DNF, but I didn't want to chance it on another book and wanted to get back to my TBR pile, so I pushed through.
This was AWFUL and has become one of only a handful of books I have rated under 2 stars.
I know exactly how this drivel got published: the first chapter was fantastic. Visceral and raw, best description of a car crash I have ever read from the perspective of someone experiencing an accident. This chapter is where the author put every single ounce of her effort - then that effort jumped off a cliff and perished unceremoniously on the rocks below.
This book can be summed up in 3 words: "talon thoughts" and "softens"
Talon thoughts. She softens. Talon thoughts. She softens. Talon thoughts. She softens. Talon thoughts. She softens. Talon thoughts. Softens. Talon thoughts. Softens. Talon thoughts. Softens. Talon thoughts. Softens. Talon thoughts. Softens. Talon thoughts. Softens.
...there, I saved you a couple of hours of reading. Midway through I thought that if I read the word "talon/s" again I would throw my Kindle across the room. I didn't - but I wanted to. And for the ungodly amount of times the author uses the word "soften/s", this junk must at least have been AI assisted (but not generated; AI would have done a better job with cohesion and plot development).
The plot was a word we are not supposed to use that means dumb. Unrelentingly that word, with the level of that word increasing exponentially on every page. The main character is also unrelentingly obnoxious, with the same exponential increase.
Is she mentally ill or is there something supernatural going on with the "vow" and the congregation? 🤷♀️ We don't know. And unlike in a book like "The Turn of the Screw" where the ambiguity is productive, here it is just confusing. A muddled mess.
If you somehow obtained a physical copy of this, don't walk - run to your nearest trash bin, open the lid, toss it in, and bury it with the rest of the refuse.
March 10, 2026
2/2.5 ⭐️ because i was honestly kinda struggeling with this one. I think it’s mostly just because the book wasn’t my vibe AT ALL. Like all the churchy religious mariage stuff? Hell no. (Can’t believe anybody actually wants that stuff). The husband calling her ‘baby’ in basically every sentence? Hell to the no no. (Like i feel actual disgust). I couldn’t sympathise with anyone in the novel at all, even though the first two chapters really lured me in and sounded promising. I also thought many situations not to be realistic, where the hell are the police interrogations etc. I really wanted to like this story but i didn’t.
March 9, 2026
Wow. What a flop.
The synopsis of this sounded really intriguing. I was really looking forward the religious horror and cultish elements and unfortunately it did not deliver. This was not really even a horror book but more of a drama focusing heavily on the marital issues of the couple. The concept of the actual issue in the book was really cool but the execution was honestly bad.
The synopsis of this sounded really intriguing. I was really looking forward the religious horror and cultish elements and unfortunately it did not deliver. This was not really even a horror book but more of a drama focusing heavily on the marital issues of the couple. The concept of the actual issue in the book was really cool but the execution was honestly bad.
February 12, 2026
This was just weird, not bad weird but I really don’t know what I just read. Mavis ends up leaving her parents congregation after her abusive ex, well, abuses her and parents allow it. After that, there’s weird and strange happenings that occur and seem to be the cause of her not listening to her “womanly duties” & obeying her parents. Very culty & definitely hazy.
February 20, 2026
Bonkers, really gruesome and brutal. read if you liked Weapons and are terrified of religion!
*my only major gripe is over the title. idk why it is called The Body when there are a. lot. of bodies.***
*my only major gripe is over the title. idk why it is called The Body when there are a. lot. of bodies.***
March 8, 2026
Ughhhhhh 😩 I really wanted to love this one, but it just didn’t land for me. I kept waiting for it to pull me in, but instead I found myself getting bored. The pacing felt slow and the story kind of jumped around which made it hard for me to stay engaged.
Thank you Macmillan Audio for the gifted ALC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you Macmillan Audio for the gifted ALC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
I don't know how to feel about this book... it's marketed as a supernatural horror, but reads more as if it's wanting to be a literary horror (?), in my opinion. The main character is unlikeable (even if she has my sympathy for the trauma she went through), an unreliable narrator, and the religious overtones were odd. I pushed myself to finish it, just because more and more Final Destination-type things were happening and I wanted to see how it all ended, but I'm not surprised that others have DNF'd.
Thanks to Tor Nightfire for the gifted copy.
Website | Bookstagram | BookTok
Thanks to Tor Nightfire for the gifted copy.
Website | Bookstagram | BookTok
January 24, 2026
Rating: 3 / 5
Format: eARC via NetGalley
The Body by Bethany C. Morrow is a psychological thriller horror novel. The main character, Mavis, has separated from her parents’ church congregation after marrying her husband, Jerrod. Although this separation has been beneficial to Mavis for her emotional and mental well-being, to heal from the frequent gaslighting, self-blaming, and to better find her own identity, the church and specifically the oaths she and her husband shared with its congregation cannot be escaped easily.
The story starts off with Mavis surviving a car crash, and things get more chaotic while she tries to understand why she is continually being physically attacked. Throughout the novel, Mavis’s history with the church and her upbringing is featured to explain her difficulties with both herself and relationships with those around her. Morrow does a good job creating a suspenseful and thrilling atmosphere, though there is a lot of telling, especially with the info-dumping of Mavis’s backstory, which I would have enjoyed more showing instead. The book features suspense, tension, paranoia, cult-like churches, gore, and body horror. This book heavily focuses on the areas of marriage, church, and infidelity. Based on this, I could easily see this book as a pick for popular book boxes such as Book of the Month or Aardvark for their readers that enjoy psychological thriller horror stories featuring the elements mentioned.
Thank you, Tor Publishing Group, for providing me with this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Format: eARC via NetGalley
The Body by Bethany C. Morrow is a psychological thriller horror novel. The main character, Mavis, has separated from her parents’ church congregation after marrying her husband, Jerrod. Although this separation has been beneficial to Mavis for her emotional and mental well-being, to heal from the frequent gaslighting, self-blaming, and to better find her own identity, the church and specifically the oaths she and her husband shared with its congregation cannot be escaped easily.
The story starts off with Mavis surviving a car crash, and things get more chaotic while she tries to understand why she is continually being physically attacked. Throughout the novel, Mavis’s history with the church and her upbringing is featured to explain her difficulties with both herself and relationships with those around her. Morrow does a good job creating a suspenseful and thrilling atmosphere, though there is a lot of telling, especially with the info-dumping of Mavis’s backstory, which I would have enjoyed more showing instead. The book features suspense, tension, paranoia, cult-like churches, gore, and body horror. This book heavily focuses on the areas of marriage, church, and infidelity. Based on this, I could easily see this book as a pick for popular book boxes such as Book of the Month or Aardvark for their readers that enjoy psychological thriller horror stories featuring the elements mentioned.
Thank you, Tor Publishing Group, for providing me with this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
February 8, 2026
I was provided an ARC and ALC of this book via Netgalley, all opinion are my own.
This was so creepy and intense, I don't usually have to take breaks from horror books, but I had to put this down and read something while I was reading this. I'm not sure how to classify what type of horror book this is. While this does have some paranormal/magical realism (I think), I think I would classify this more in the social horror category. Morrow's books tend to fall in that space and this one is an unsettling commentary on religion, power dynamics, misogyny, morality, and more.
Mavis was brought what I would consider by two religious zealots. She never could quite live up to her parents expectations, and when she didn't marry the man they wanted their judgement and guilt trips become almost unbearable. When she finally gets married and breaks away from their church, she is still harshly judged, but Mavis is able to gain a bit of control over her life or so she thinks. Now seven years into her marriage, she suspects that something is wrong and takes things into her own hands. Her choices and actions lead her down a path of gruesome attacks on herself and her marriage that have her turning back to the two people she least wants advice from.
This book was unexpected, and while Mavis seems naive at times and you are often left asking "what did you think would happen?" Her upbringing and desire to please lead to a reckoning when she finally lets her rage out and she has to come to terms with the consequences. The ending was equally unexpected, but it fits the story perfectly. This felt like a fever dream the whole time where you weren't sure if Mavis was actually experiencing what was going on or if was all made up. It had moments of "gore" but they weren't over the top, most of the horror was phycological and trauma based as Mavis comes to terms with what is going on and the things she has experienced and been told to accept. I'm not usually one for religious or cult horror but this was dark and creepy in the best way!
This was so creepy and intense, I don't usually have to take breaks from horror books, but I had to put this down and read something while I was reading this. I'm not sure how to classify what type of horror book this is. While this does have some paranormal/magical realism (I think), I think I would classify this more in the social horror category. Morrow's books tend to fall in that space and this one is an unsettling commentary on religion, power dynamics, misogyny, morality, and more.
Mavis was brought what I would consider by two religious zealots. She never could quite live up to her parents expectations, and when she didn't marry the man they wanted their judgement and guilt trips become almost unbearable. When she finally gets married and breaks away from their church, she is still harshly judged, but Mavis is able to gain a bit of control over her life or so she thinks. Now seven years into her marriage, she suspects that something is wrong and takes things into her own hands. Her choices and actions lead her down a path of gruesome attacks on herself and her marriage that have her turning back to the two people she least wants advice from.
This book was unexpected, and while Mavis seems naive at times and you are often left asking "what did you think would happen?" Her upbringing and desire to please lead to a reckoning when she finally lets her rage out and she has to come to terms with the consequences. The ending was equally unexpected, but it fits the story perfectly. This felt like a fever dream the whole time where you weren't sure if Mavis was actually experiencing what was going on or if was all made up. It had moments of "gore" but they weren't over the top, most of the horror was phycological and trauma based as Mavis comes to terms with what is going on and the things she has experienced and been told to accept. I'm not usually one for religious or cult horror but this was dark and creepy in the best way!
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