Suburban Hell by Maureen Kilmer
Product Details
Web ID: 15414165Doesn't Live Up to the Hype
I snapped this up because if you compare something to MBFE you better believe that I’m gonna read it. I’m forever chasing the high of an exceptionally good possession story. Unfortunately this book didn’t live up to the hype for me. To me this seemed on the surface like a mixture of The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires and My Best Friend’s Exorcism but sadly it just fell flat. I was never blown away by anything that happened, it seemed like the author was maybe afraid to take this story where it really needed to go in all aspects; the horror, the friendships, the stakes, the possession, the backstory. However I know this was the author’s debut novel and I’m ready and willing to read more from them. I think this author could be very good, they just need to push a little further!
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Friendship is magic! Mostly…..
Suburban Hell(Maureen Kilmer) was such a fun and easy horror read. It falls firmly between Darcy Coates territory and Grady Hendrix. Smidge of humor, lots of friendship, and a whole lot of possession. It was a beautiful bit of story about how four women save one another from certain doom. About how their friendship is what makes their lives so unique and special, what holds each one up. Kilmer does a great job fleshing our each character in a way that makes her lifelike and realistic, and the demonic bits are both fun and lean into the same sort of crazy as a tamed Exorcist. Absolutely a read worth taking the time for, and a lot of fun!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Mom wine groups and demons
This cute little suburban romp is centered around four friends in a tight knit yet cliquey neighborhood in the suburbs of Chicago, IL. With a little possession and horror thrown in this mixes funny, and scary so well I want to read it again. This was definitely my kind of book. I never knew that quirky, sarcastic possession stories were my thing until now and I’m hoping for more of anything from this author. The women in the story Amy, Liz, Jess, and Melissa and the group you want to be apart of, they mock the PTA crowd that is always perfect every time they leave their houses and somehow do everything and then some and just all around seem perfect. This group after a tough meeting decided to drink a little wine and get some much deserved girl-time in and in the midst of the get together Liz decides to build a “she-shed” for them all for their now monthly meetings. What happens next turns this funny mom/family story into a horror story. Can this neighborhood withstand a demon possessing one of its own? I was definitely creeped out during a few of the scenes but could totally picture myself doing everything they all were doing. The characters were well developed and I wanted to get to know each and every one of them more. I love when a conversations in books feel real and this felt like i was a fly on the wall with these lovely ladies. I binged this read in under a day and wanted more and more. This book has it all and then some. Great fun characters a serious plot with some great snark. The cover is amazing and best of all this is a debut from it’s author. Can’t wait to see what comes next. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam / G.P. Putnam’s Sons for this provided copy in exchange for my honest review.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Great for Halloween reading
I just completed Suburban Hell by Maureen Kilmer. This is perfect for spooky season reading. The cover is gorgeous in a creepy neighborhood way. The story involves 4 friends/neighbors (all women). There is a she-shed in the works that is haunted. This reminded a lot of The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires with so many of the same vibes but not quite as dark. The resolution felt a little rushed but it was still good. I liked all the characters except for one of the husbands. He was an idiot. So put this one on your Halloween TBRs. I gave it 4 stars.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Buffy meets Desperate Housewives
Who knew a She Shed could cause so much trouble. This book was so good I read it in one day. It's a neighborhood moms version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer with the right mix of friendship, comedy, and horror.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Fun chick-lit and horror combo
If you enjoy chick lit and horror, then Suburban Hell by Maureen Kilmer may be just what you are looking for! I’ve been an avid fan of horror since I was seven (yes, really!), so for me to find a book that combines darkness with chick lit, which is usually a much lighter read, was a fun experience. While the four female characters were written really well, I wish Kilmer had developed the men a bit more. They often felt like caricatures of a fifties housewife or a businessman who only cares about money… which is fine, but they needed a bit more depth. And I really wish Amy’s daughter’s powers would have been explored more too. I did enjoy some of the graphic horror parts, and I will never trust my Roomba again. Suburban Hell also included some heavier feminist topics if you decide to take a deeper look at the story and not just enjoy it as a beach read. For a debut novel, Kilmer is a welcome addition to both genres, and I’m interested to see what she comes up with next.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Mom's fighting a demonic spirt in the burbs!
Suburban Mom's take on a paranormal haunting of one of their best friends in Suburban Hell. Its NOT enough we have the home owners association, mini-vans, crazy neighbors and NOW we've got to fight the evil spirits. YES suburban Mom's can do it ALL and fit it on the calendar! When one of the ladies decides she wants to build a She Shed, ALL Hell breaks loose in the sub-division. The hole unearths a spirit that takes over one of the ladies, so her friends come to her rescue. But first there are Targets runs, PTA events, block parties and kids to shuffle around to save her life. This debut novel was absolutely funny, and the levelheadedness they maintained while fighting demonic spirits was spot on in the lives of Moms. Nothing can keep this group of womanfrom staying on track with their daily family calendar of activities and errands. Thank G.P. Putnam's Son for the ARC of this novel to read and review.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Both a hoot and a serious horror story
This is a very unique and entertaining horror story set in suburban Chicago. Four very good friends who live in the same neighborhood decide they need a She Shed to escape husbands and children. When the foundation hole is dug in Liz's backyard, she undergoes changes in personality and behavior that lead Amy to believe that evil demons are to blame. The story moves back and forth between a normal suburban summer and a terrifying evil presence. Very strongly drawn characters, lots of action, and realistic family and community scenes make this an excellent read. It is both a hoot and a serious horror story, just begging to be a feature-length movie! Thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam, and G.P. Putnam's Sons for providing an ARC.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com