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The Nightmare House
In this spooky middle grade novel perfect for fans of Small Spaces , Doll Bones , and V. E. Schwab, a young girl’s deepest fears take on terrifying new life when she confronts a supernatural foe who can manipulate her nightmares.
Penny Hope used to be brave, but that was before she met the Fear Maker. Years later, he still haunts her dreams―a tall, thin man with red eyes, in a haunted house in the woods, who devours human souls and leaves his victims' eyes hollow and empty. Penny’s beloved grandma tells her to write down these nightmares as poems in her notebook. But then Penny starts seeing blank-eyed people in the waking world, too. She’s the only one who notices.
As more people around her fall prey to the Fear Maker, Penny must gather her courage once and for all to save the souls of those she loves. With the help of her notebook and a new friend, she ventures to the Fear Maker’s house. But the house is a labyrinth of nightmares and tricks―and the Fear Maker’s fun is just beginning.
In this just-scary-enough monster story that’s also about dealing with relentless anxiety, see how far a penny’s worth of hope will take you when you enter Sarah Allen’s The Nightmare House .
Penny Hope used to be brave, but that was before she met the Fear Maker. Years later, he still haunts her dreams―a tall, thin man with red eyes, in a haunted house in the woods, who devours human souls and leaves his victims' eyes hollow and empty. Penny’s beloved grandma tells her to write down these nightmares as poems in her notebook. But then Penny starts seeing blank-eyed people in the waking world, too. She’s the only one who notices.
As more people around her fall prey to the Fear Maker, Penny must gather her courage once and for all to save the souls of those she loves. With the help of her notebook and a new friend, she ventures to the Fear Maker’s house. But the house is a labyrinth of nightmares and tricks―and the Fear Maker’s fun is just beginning.
In this just-scary-enough monster story that’s also about dealing with relentless anxiety, see how far a penny’s worth of hope will take you when you enter Sarah Allen’s The Nightmare House .
272 pages, Hardcover
Published August 8, 2023
10 people are currently reading
283 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Allen
5 books177 followersSarah Allen is an award winning author whose books are filled with quirky, neurodiverse characters, STEAM elements, and a sense of finding Joy in the weirdest and most unlikely of places. Her books have been Jr. Library Guild selections, Whitney Award winners, A Mighty Girl Best Of pick, and state award winners. Sarah received her MFA in creative writing from BYU and regularly teaches at writing conferences and presents at schools across the country. She lives in Florida with her two fluffy black cats! Learn more at her website: https://www.sarahallenbooks.com/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
September 4, 2023
I can’t begin to put into words what this book meant to me. The anxiety, the sunflowers, the Fear Maker, the Gardener. This is my perfect spooky middle grade book, seamlessly weaving in faith elements in lyrical prose. The perfect allegory. This is my new favorite middle grade book of all time. I’m speechless. 🥹
March 9, 2024
I enjoyed the author’s other books but this one is just isn’t for me. It was unnecessarily long and the characters lacked connection with the writing.
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February 5, 2024When reviewing a middle-grade book, I always struggle with the fact that I am not the intended audience. I am no longer a child, and I readily confess I sometimes find it hard to imagine how I might have responded to a certain book had I read it when I was younger (sometimes, but not always; some books I know I would have loved and devoured!). This review is therefore about my experiences as an adult reading this book, though I do try and keep in mind how a child might respond to it.
Let me begin by saying I can clearly see the love and attention that went into it; that’s always a good and heartening thing to notice when reading anything, and I truly believe that love and enthusiasm and earnestness can really elevate a book and make reading it a pleasurable experience even if a book has a lot of flaws.
And this book does have some flaws. I think it could have been so much better if the first half (!) had been better. As it stands, I felt it was slow and repetitive, and it felt this way for one reason that I believe could (and should) have been caught during the editing process: I was not convinced of the danger that Penny was in. Yes, she starts to see people with white eyes and we are told this means the Fear Maker has stolen their souls, and at some later point we learn that the Fear Maker grows stronger with every soul he takes, but this didn’t feel like an active threat to me because the people with the white eyes might be scary but they don’t DO anything. Neither does the Fear Maker (apart from stealing people’s soul off-page). It probably doesn’t help that the people whose souls get stolen don’t mean anything to Penny (at least at first) so yeah, it’s scary for her to see those people, but it’s nothing more than that. And it’s a shame, because this could have been so scary! As it stands, seeing a nurse you’ve never met before just smile at you with white eyes is probably really creepy IRL, but it’s not creepy enough for a middle-grade book.
The problem I had with the first half also points to a deeper, structural problem: it’s only in the final third of the book that Penny decides to confront the Fear Maker and travels to his house. This part was creepy and riveting, and I wanted so much more of it! This should have been at least half of the book, perhaps even more (like what Lora Senf did with The Clackity). Now, it just felt like too little, too late.
It wasn’t all bad, though. The inclusion of poetry was fun, and I hope it will really captivate some younger readers and make them excited about poetry. The reworking of Shakespeare’s sonnet 130 was brilliant! I also loved the covert Van Gogh references throughout.
Overall, I think this book will definitely appeal to some people and it has lots of heart, but it could have benefitted from another round of structural rewrites.
Let me begin by saying I can clearly see the love and attention that went into it; that’s always a good and heartening thing to notice when reading anything, and I truly believe that love and enthusiasm and earnestness can really elevate a book and make reading it a pleasurable experience even if a book has a lot of flaws.
And this book does have some flaws. I think it could have been so much better if the first half (!) had been better. As it stands, I felt it was slow and repetitive, and it felt this way for one reason that I believe could (and should) have been caught during the editing process: I was not convinced of the danger that Penny was in. Yes, she starts to see people with white eyes and we are told this means the Fear Maker has stolen their souls, and at some later point we learn that the Fear Maker grows stronger with every soul he takes, but this didn’t feel like an active threat to me because the people with the white eyes might be scary but they don’t DO anything. Neither does the Fear Maker (apart from stealing people’s soul off-page). It probably doesn’t help that the people whose souls get stolen don’t mean anything to Penny (at least at first) so yeah, it’s scary for her to see those people, but it’s nothing more than that. And it’s a shame, because this could have been so scary! As it stands, seeing a nurse you’ve never met before just smile at you with white eyes is probably really creepy IRL, but it’s not creepy enough for a middle-grade book.
The problem I had with the first half also points to a deeper, structural problem: it’s only in the final third of the book that Penny decides to confront the Fear Maker and travels to his house. This part was creepy and riveting, and I wanted so much more of it! This should have been at least half of the book, perhaps even more (like what Lora Senf did with The Clackity). Now, it just felt like too little, too late.
It wasn’t all bad, though. The inclusion of poetry was fun, and I hope it will really captivate some younger readers and make them excited about poetry. The reworking of Shakespeare’s sonnet 130 was brilliant! I also loved the covert Van Gogh references throughout.
Overall, I think this book will definitely appeal to some people and it has lots of heart, but it could have benefitted from another round of structural rewrites.
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August 8, 2023Thank you to Edelweiss+ and Farrar, Straus & Giroux for an eARC of this book.
It’s not often the words “psychological thriller” come to mind when discussing a middle-grade book, but that’s exactly what I thought as I went on the emotional roller coaster ride of THE NIGHTMARE HOUSE. The Fear Maker has haunted Penny since she first encountered him when she was seven. Her anxiety has progressively worsened, and the blank-eyed people have started appearing more frequently. After her grandma suffers a heart episode, the fear quickly spreads, and Penny realizes she has to face the Fear Maker in his own house if she wants to save her family and those she cares about. Although Penny has a new friend to help her and finds courage from The Gardener, she must draw on her inner strength to face her nightmares and the Fear Maker before he destroys her world.
I most enjoyed the prominent role that poetry plays in this story. Penny shares several poems throughout the book, which help root the story in Penny’s mind. The lyrical writing is something I’ve come to love from this author, and though this book is very different from her previous ones, her keen understanding of the Fear Maker and his power clearly is clearly reflect by it. Despite the dark aspects of the story, there is enough hope and light to keep the reader walking toward it, and Penny’s grandma and her friend Aarush provide a counterbalance to the fear. I love a book that has the power to mess with my own mind, and I think readers who experience fear and anxiety in their lives will relate to so many aspects of it. As some of the story takes place on Halloween, it’s a fantastic book to add to your collection for the upcoming spooky season.
It’s not often the words “psychological thriller” come to mind when discussing a middle-grade book, but that’s exactly what I thought as I went on the emotional roller coaster ride of THE NIGHTMARE HOUSE. The Fear Maker has haunted Penny since she first encountered him when she was seven. Her anxiety has progressively worsened, and the blank-eyed people have started appearing more frequently. After her grandma suffers a heart episode, the fear quickly spreads, and Penny realizes she has to face the Fear Maker in his own house if she wants to save her family and those she cares about. Although Penny has a new friend to help her and finds courage from The Gardener, she must draw on her inner strength to face her nightmares and the Fear Maker before he destroys her world.
I most enjoyed the prominent role that poetry plays in this story. Penny shares several poems throughout the book, which help root the story in Penny’s mind. The lyrical writing is something I’ve come to love from this author, and though this book is very different from her previous ones, her keen understanding of the Fear Maker and his power clearly is clearly reflect by it. Despite the dark aspects of the story, there is enough hope and light to keep the reader walking toward it, and Penny’s grandma and her friend Aarush provide a counterbalance to the fear. I love a book that has the power to mess with my own mind, and I think readers who experience fear and anxiety in their lives will relate to so many aspects of it. As some of the story takes place on Halloween, it’s a fantastic book to add to your collection for the upcoming spooky season.
September 18, 2023
Pretty deep for a middle grade novel. Not a fan of the poetry, but that's a "me" thing. I loved Penny and the friendship that blossomed. Great development.
October 16, 2023
Nominated for 2023 Cybils Award
I found this book gripping and suspenseful -- watching Penny struggle with her fears, wondering if they are real, wondering if she is losing her sanity, wondering if she is losing her Grandmother, and then making a friend to help her through. I liked how she assembled her strengths, taking courage from the mysterious Gardener, her family, her friendship, and ultimately herself.
I was a bit troubled by the overlap with mental illness. The effects of the Fear Eater did seem to closely parallel things that could be diagnosable, and in the real world the supply of magical sunflower seeds is limited. Also I'm a bit poetry adverse and lots of this story is told in Penny's poems. Sometimes they are just reflecting her emotions but sometimes they are actually telling the plot. This might be a plus for some people!
I'm not sure if kids are really into this kind of interior story. May need some testing.
I found this book gripping and suspenseful -- watching Penny struggle with her fears, wondering if they are real, wondering if she is losing her sanity, wondering if she is losing her Grandmother, and then making a friend to help her through. I liked how she assembled her strengths, taking courage from the mysterious Gardener, her family, her friendship, and ultimately herself.
I was a bit troubled by the overlap with mental illness. The effects of the Fear Eater did seem to closely parallel things that could be diagnosable, and in the real world the supply of magical sunflower seeds is limited. Also I'm a bit poetry adverse and lots of this story is told in Penny's poems. Sometimes they are just reflecting her emotions but sometimes they are actually telling the plot. This might be a plus for some people!
I'm not sure if kids are really into this kind of interior story. May need some testing.
nope-dnf
February 7, 2024Dnf 8%. I can tell that this book is not going to be more than a 3 star for me.
It just feels random. I'm confused why the mc has built this whole narrative in her head of this nightmare man. And what was that thing about eating a seed? Some apple appeared when she gave a piece of candy to the monster and she ate the seed. And she still feels it in her belly like. I don't know, it's just simply not worth my time to continue reading for something that's not going to be more than a mid read.
It just feels random. I'm confused why the mc has built this whole narrative in her head of this nightmare man. And what was that thing about eating a seed? Some apple appeared when she gave a piece of candy to the monster and she ate the seed. And she still feels it in her belly like. I don't know, it's just simply not worth my time to continue reading for something that's not going to be more than a mid read.
November 13, 2024
Amazing book with scariness incorporated
March 12, 2024
This book follows Penny, a young girl that lives in fear after being nice to the monster under her bed. She sees the changes in people around her that is being sucked in by the Fear Maker! Her new friend, Aarush and her must defeat the Fea Maker before it's too late! I did enjoy the book and loved the sunflower world!
April 23, 2023
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Penny Hope is eleven and has been struggling with an entity she calls the Fear Maker since she was seven years old and ate a candy apple left by the monster on Halloween Night. She didn't use to be afraid of everything, but now has nightmares and sees people out in public who look like they have blank eyes, although her mother doesn't seem to see them that way. She is sad that her grandmother, who had lived with the family for quite some time, is now in the Olympus Assisted Living facilty. She visits, but it's not the same. Her grandmother was the one she sought for comfort, and while the journal her grandmother gave her is helpful, she is still plagued by the Fear Maker. She meets a boy, Aarush, at her grandmother's place, and the two become friends and try to figure out the mystery of the people with blank eyes. There are some times when Penny can envision a bright, sunlit world where she doesn't have anxiety, and she gets some release from writing poetry in her notebook, but even with Aarush as a friend, she struggles, especially since more and more people in their lives seem to be changing. She and Aarush decide to go to the Fear Maker's house to confront him and hopeful get their lives back. Will they be able to?
Strengths: Penny struggles to get by while dealing on a daily basis with the Fear Maker's presence in her life, but has enough determination and support from her grandmother to try to conquer her fears. I appreciated that while the grandmother was in an assisted care facility, this was not portrayed as a horrible thing, and the grandmother was still able to support Penny. The blank eyed people around Penny will put people in mind of Gaiman's Coraline, and this had a good dose of scary moments.
Weaknesses: The cover makes this look very young, and given Penny's age, this might be a more successfu book with elementary school students.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who like Malinenko's This Appearing House or Reynold's Izzy at the End of the World.
Penny Hope is eleven and has been struggling with an entity she calls the Fear Maker since she was seven years old and ate a candy apple left by the monster on Halloween Night. She didn't use to be afraid of everything, but now has nightmares and sees people out in public who look like they have blank eyes, although her mother doesn't seem to see them that way. She is sad that her grandmother, who had lived with the family for quite some time, is now in the Olympus Assisted Living facilty. She visits, but it's not the same. Her grandmother was the one she sought for comfort, and while the journal her grandmother gave her is helpful, she is still plagued by the Fear Maker. She meets a boy, Aarush, at her grandmother's place, and the two become friends and try to figure out the mystery of the people with blank eyes. There are some times when Penny can envision a bright, sunlit world where she doesn't have anxiety, and she gets some release from writing poetry in her notebook, but even with Aarush as a friend, she struggles, especially since more and more people in their lives seem to be changing. She and Aarush decide to go to the Fear Maker's house to confront him and hopeful get their lives back. Will they be able to?
Strengths: Penny struggles to get by while dealing on a daily basis with the Fear Maker's presence in her life, but has enough determination and support from her grandmother to try to conquer her fears. I appreciated that while the grandmother was in an assisted care facility, this was not portrayed as a horrible thing, and the grandmother was still able to support Penny. The blank eyed people around Penny will put people in mind of Gaiman's Coraline, and this had a good dose of scary moments.
Weaknesses: The cover makes this look very young, and given Penny's age, this might be a more successfu book with elementary school students.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who like Malinenko's This Appearing House or Reynold's Izzy at the End of the World.
July 22, 2023
Thanks to Edelweiss Plus for the digital ARC.
4.5 rounded up to 5!
Well, I know this one is going to have to be on the shelves as it gets you from minute one and it had me thinking and guessing about things all along. Penny Hope is the main character (and what a great name!) and she meets the Fear Maker on Halloween night when she is about 7 and the strength of the Fear Maker has been getting stronger as she is getting older. She needs to figure out how to protect those who have been the most affected (can't say more as I don't want to give spoilers!). Great supporting characters!
And I have to say how much I enjoyed the format with the prose interspersed with poetry! The poetry will provide a lot of opportunity for discussion and if you're an educator, I think there are a lot of amazing things that could be done with it in terms of interpreting and discussion, but also in inspiring writing of poetry.
The nightmare aspect of this one is something that a lot of kids will love, but there is a constant personal exploration for Penny as well. This will be a great book to talk to kids about as there are layers to this one that will be interesting to see how they connect with. This is a great story about fear, anxiety, friendship, growth, and coming into your own and seeing your own strength.
4.5 rounded up to 5!
Well, I know this one is going to have to be on the shelves as it gets you from minute one and it had me thinking and guessing about things all along. Penny Hope is the main character (and what a great name!) and she meets the Fear Maker on Halloween night when she is about 7 and the strength of the Fear Maker has been getting stronger as she is getting older. She needs to figure out how to protect those who have been the most affected (can't say more as I don't want to give spoilers!). Great supporting characters!
And I have to say how much I enjoyed the format with the prose interspersed with poetry! The poetry will provide a lot of opportunity for discussion and if you're an educator, I think there are a lot of amazing things that could be done with it in terms of interpreting and discussion, but also in inspiring writing of poetry.
The nightmare aspect of this one is something that a lot of kids will love, but there is a constant personal exploration for Penny as well. This will be a great book to talk to kids about as there are layers to this one that will be interesting to see how they connect with. This is a great story about fear, anxiety, friendship, growth, and coming into your own and seeing your own strength.
September 11, 2023
I am so glad that I found this amazing Spooky Middle Grade read! The Nightmare House is a creepy and wonderful story about a little girl named Penny who, after an incident one Halloween, is plagued by nightmares and anxiety caused by the Fear Maker. As Penny struggles day to day with the constant anxiety, she tries to keep much of it to herself so as not to upset those around her, and for fear that she will not be believed. Then, one day while she is visiting her Grandma, she meets a boy named Aarush, and they become fast friends. The story takes off from there as Penny tries to find a way to defeat the Fear Maker before it consumes all that she loves.
I adored Penny - her bravery, strength, kindness and heart. Even though she is struggling with something so scary and debilitating, she never gives up. The setting itself is wonderful as well, from Fall fairs to creepy woods, to a beautiful sunflower field to the halls of a school. It adds such a richness and interest to the story. I appreciate the side characters and their stories - how her grandmother, a poet, loves and supports her, and encourages her to write her fears out through poetry. The Fear Maker himself is scary and nefarious, and is such an excellent representation of fear and anxiety. On the topic of Penny’s anxiety, I feel like it was represented extremely well - realistic and respectful, and written in a way that captures the overwhelming thoughts and feelings that come along with it. Another aspect of the story that I really enjoyed was the use of various types of poetry used throughout the novel. It was interesting and beautiful and very unique. I truly loved this story and cannot recommend it enough.
I adored Penny - her bravery, strength, kindness and heart. Even though she is struggling with something so scary and debilitating, she never gives up. The setting itself is wonderful as well, from Fall fairs to creepy woods, to a beautiful sunflower field to the halls of a school. It adds such a richness and interest to the story. I appreciate the side characters and their stories - how her grandmother, a poet, loves and supports her, and encourages her to write her fears out through poetry. The Fear Maker himself is scary and nefarious, and is such an excellent representation of fear and anxiety. On the topic of Penny’s anxiety, I feel like it was represented extremely well - realistic and respectful, and written in a way that captures the overwhelming thoughts and feelings that come along with it. Another aspect of the story that I really enjoyed was the use of various types of poetry used throughout the novel. It was interesting and beautiful and very unique. I truly loved this story and cannot recommend it enough.
August 30, 2023
This was a spooky, gripping horror novel for middle grade readers. With elements reminiscent of Neil Gaiman's Coraline, Penny is one girl having to face down unspeakable terrors to save her parents. From the first page, I was gripped by this incredibly creepy story. Personally, I liked the incorporation of poems related to different chapters to help tell the story in another format. I really like the psychological elements of this book, and how Penny received help from those around her but was also an agent in her own life.
I'm a big fan of horror and so I like to think about what horror stories are actually telling us. This is another heartfelt horror novel (can I say that?) for fans of The Clackity or Small Spaces.
Bonus points for learning Sarah Allen attended my Alma Mater!
I'm a big fan of horror and so I like to think about what horror stories are actually telling us. This is another heartfelt horror novel (can I say that?) for fans of The Clackity or Small Spaces.
Bonus points for learning Sarah Allen attended my Alma Mater!
November 21, 2023
Five stars may seem drastic…
At first, I did not agree with the interpretation of an eleven-year-old. I am a middle school teacher, looking at my own students, Penny just seemed too childish. Kids nowadays want as well as act so grown. However, she soon began to win me over.
The core of this book left me to find the fear within my own life and confront it, knowing I hold the power. I didn’t like it, but I loved it.
I loved what this book stood for. I cannot wait to read it once my little ones are a bit older. I will also be sharing this with my students as part of a book study.
On a random note, I loved the author. I happen to run into her packing up and closing a book signing. But she still shared candy with my long haired, wild little guy and signed my book lol.
Thank you <3.
At first, I did not agree with the interpretation of an eleven-year-old. I am a middle school teacher, looking at my own students, Penny just seemed too childish. Kids nowadays want as well as act so grown. However, she soon began to win me over.
The core of this book left me to find the fear within my own life and confront it, knowing I hold the power. I didn’t like it, but I loved it.
I loved what this book stood for. I cannot wait to read it once my little ones are a bit older. I will also be sharing this with my students as part of a book study.
On a random note, I loved the author. I happen to run into her packing up and closing a book signing. But she still shared candy with my long haired, wild little guy and signed my book lol.
Thank you <3.
April 26, 2025
(please read entire rating!)
This book was shockingly eerie. From the cover, you would expect something along the lines of younger types of horror, but when I began reading, it made me fear for sleepless nights. I loved the way the author wove the horror into the book, making the moments when she seemed courageous a lot stronger than most books.
The only reason it isn't five stars is because the ending was a little anticlimactic. The endingw as vivid and described in great detail, but there wasn't really much of a fight. I was hoping that it would've been more dramatic.
Other than that, I really enjoyed this book. Would reccomend.
This book was shockingly eerie. From the cover, you would expect something along the lines of younger types of horror, but when I began reading, it made me fear for sleepless nights. I loved the way the author wove the horror into the book, making the moments when she seemed courageous a lot stronger than most books.
The only reason it isn't five stars is because the ending was a little anticlimactic. The endingw as vivid and described in great detail, but there wasn't really much of a fight. I was hoping that it would've been more dramatic.
Other than that, I really enjoyed this book. Would reccomend.
October 15, 2023
I’ve been reading a LOT of middle grade horror lately, and I have to say this is one of my favorites. If you’re a writer, there’s so much to love here. Sarah Allen’s prose is so literary (esp for middle grade), she uses the present tense (bonus points), and her ability to paint emotion is just scary good. Even the narrative chapters (which are sandwiched by poems the main character has written) read like pure poetry. Such great Halloween vibes here and a heartfelt commentary on using creativity to combat anxiety!
October 5, 2023
I liked this one enough. It's basically a giant allegory for living with anxiety and depression. The world building needs some help, it stalled by the mid-point, and I think I would have preferred the monster stay just a figment of the imagination as we are essentially left with a very watered down Pennywise, but the use of poetry to describe whats coming or what just happened in the coming chapter was a nice touch and I liked the characters.
October 14, 2023
This is a middle grade book but even as a grown woman I genuinely enjoyed it. I came across it in the new releases section at the library and just thought it sounded like a perfect spooky read for Halloween! It was definitely spooky! I read most of it in the middle of the night and I was fully creeped out before going to bed. lol 😂 I highly recommend this to horror fans of all ages and especially to any Coraline fans because it has a similar vibe.
April 4, 2024
I read this book because it was an "available now" on libby and I do not regret it. It was not my typical read (I'm a fantasy/sci-fi reader most of the time) but I enjoyed this. The fear-maker kind of reminded me of mental illness and the crippling effects that it has on your social and emotional state. It really resonated with me in this way. I gave it three stars because it wasn't my favorite read, but it is one that I definitely recommend.
November 5, 2024
Great concept, but the execution was poorly done. There were moments in this book that were genuinely intriguing. I love the themes explored in this book and some of the scares were quite effective but still child appropriate. However, I left this book not caring about any of the characters beyond ‘this is a child, I don’t want children to get hurt’, and even then I never felt like she was in any real danger.
October 22, 2023
I can’t decide if students will like this book with its disjointed plot—part anxiety and depression and part actual haunted house.I don’t even know what genre to label it. I feel like only really savvy readers will get this book and very few of those savvy readers will actually want to read it with the elementary cover.
December 2, 2023
4/5
loved this! all the characters were very enjoyable and penny was very relatable. the ending was probably my favorite part of the book. i loved the theme, relatability, and pretty much everything! the poems were very cool.
loved this! all the characters were very enjoyable and penny was very relatable. the ending was probably my favorite part of the book. i loved the theme, relatability, and pretty much everything! the poems were very cool.
September 17, 2023
This was the perfect kind of scary for elementary aged readers. I did notice a few details that weren't very clear and a little confusing, but I think its great for the right reader.
October 25, 2023
Vividly creepy with a main character who is relatable for anyone who's ever been afraid.
November 9, 2023
Incredible ending and perfectly creepy. Loved this middle grade novel.
January 2, 2024
Rating/review withheld until after the Whitney Awards judging has been completed.
February 25, 2024
True to its name, this book gave me nightmares. The poems were beautiful. The scary parts were scary. So much to think about.
December 15, 2024
“Maybe the blank-eyed people are just the nightmares finally cracking my brain like a rotten nut.”
Loved The Nightmare House. Smart, surreal and brilliantly unsettling! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Loved The Nightmare House. Smart, surreal and brilliantly unsettling! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
January 7, 2026
3 1/2 stars
It doesn't take much to get me sucked into a world and plot, but it certainly takes a lot to get me to care about a book's characters, and Sarah Allen does not fail on ANY ACCOUNTS. Never have I red such an incredibly authentic depiction of anxiety, so clear and nuanced, never once feeling cliché. Allen and Kelli Garland (narrator) did such an outstanding job of conveying emotion, which instantly connected me to Penny and her struggles. This is a MUST-read for any fans of middle-grade horror. That being said, the beginning and end weren't as interesting to me as the meat of the story, but keep in mind I'm not the intended audience.
It doesn't take much to get me sucked into a world and plot, but it certainly takes a lot to get me to care about a book's characters, and Sarah Allen does not fail on ANY ACCOUNTS. Never have I red such an incredibly authentic depiction of anxiety, so clear and nuanced, never once feeling cliché. Allen and Kelli Garland (narrator) did such an outstanding job of conveying emotion, which instantly connected me to Penny and her struggles. This is a MUST-read for any fans of middle-grade horror. That being said, the beginning and end weren't as interesting to me as the meat of the story, but keep in mind I'm not the intended audience.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews