"Girl in the Walls" seemed like it was right up my alley, with a creepy premise and an interesting storyline, so I was thrilled to get access to it via NetGalley. Unfortunately, the book fell so flat for me that I honestly could not finish it. Based on the premise of how NetGalley works, I have tried to always finish a book that I have been gifted to give it a fair and honest review, but I honestly just could not push my way through this one.

I got about 25-30% of the way through the book (after three days of reading it ... I just couldn't bring myself to pick it up) and decided that I had had enough: I felt that nothing much had happened plot-wise, and instead, we were being given short chapters about arbitrary aspects of the characters' lives that didn't move the story forward with any great impetus. The chapters about how Elise got to live in the walls of the Masons' house were vaguely interesting, but these were interspersed with chapters that focus on watching Eddie build a LEGO castle through a cupboard door, or about Elise watching the family rip up a carpet in the spare room while the children moan about it. To be fair, I may have enjoyed these interludes and snatches of character insight if I felt they were driving the plot along, but what I read of the book ended up feeling like a whole bunch of short stories that didn't quite fit together except that they had the same characters.

Loads of people seem to have loved this book, but I am just not one of them. Maybe I didn't read enough of the book to get to the onset of the true plot of the story - a lot of people say the action starts to pick up around 50-70% of the way through the book. If that's true, though, I'm sorry: I am not going to force myself that far into a book before things start happening. I feel that by 25% of the way into the book, I should at least feel like the premise of the book is starting to come alive and the action is beginning to get underway. In this book, I felt I was still a long way from anything happening. Ultimately, this is a DNF, and I am not sorry to say that: I did not enjoy this book and I feel I have given it a good try. Other people seem to love this book, but it really and truly was not for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and 4th Estate for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A fascinating premise of an orphaned girl hiding in the walls of her childhood home. Spooky, thought-provoking and very different. This would make a great film. Wonderfully written.

I Got Girl in the Wall by A.J Gnuse from NetGalley for a fair and honest review.

Girl in the Walls tells the story of a young girl named Elise, who after her parents die in a car crash, escapes from an orphanage and goes and lives in the walls of a house she used to live in.

This is one of those stories that have a wonderful premise of a girl living in a house that the main occupants do not know about, however in the reading of the book I felt it did not deliver what I was expecting from the book.

This may have been either the publicist's fault for raising the expectations, for the reader, or mine as a reader wanting more from the book than it was able to give.


This is nothing against the story or the writing style of the author A.J. Gnuse, which was very easy to read. With any time that the story had any peak of danger or mystery then this was built up and there was always some sort of pay off.

The problem was I was expecting more from the end of the book, as it seemed to fall at the last hurdle, as the ending was an obvious one, when as a reader, you work out why the story is set where and when it is.

I think for the right reader the Girl in the Walls by A.J Gnuse will be a really great book, however I felt I was who the book was marketed at, rather than who the book was written for.

This is because i feel the book would work more at a older teenager than a mature adult.

I was intrigued by the premise of the girl in the walls, it is pitched a a gothic story but I didn’t get this feeling whilst reading it, other reviewers have raved about it but I just didn’t feel it , it all felt unbelievable and I found myself getting annoyed with it, I can’t say the novel isn’t well written as AJ Gnuse describes things very well, it was just the big plot holes that unfortunately let it down.

I tried to like this book as the idea of it really appealed to me. However, I really couldn't connect with it. The writing was done really well, it just wasn't for me.

A very different story. An imaginative idea that someone can be living in your house without anyone knowing about it. There is a reason for this happening and the reader has huge sympathy for the girl. The things that happen are strangely believable and sometimes scary, leaving me looking over my shoulder!
The climate issues in the Deep South are also a factor.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book, was very keen to get back to it and recommend it!

I was sent a copy of Girl in the Walls by A.J. Gnuse to read and review by NetGalley. What a superb novel! Ingenious, engrossing, heart stopping, emotional, all of these things in a well written little masterpiece. I don’t really know what I can add – I don’t want to reflect on the story itself, I just want you to read it for yourselves and savour the wonderful writing of a perfect book!

I requested this book as I was intrigued by the blurb. This book did not disappoint and all the time I was unable to be reading it, I was waiting for the chance to get back to it and find out nor about Elise and her tricky living situation. Orphaned and put temporarily into care, she runs away and returns to her old house, and moves in, living there without the knowledge or consent of the present occupiers.
No spoilers here, but I will say the evocative language, the insightful flashbacks and descriptions make this book an absolute delight.

I would recommend it to the top end of middle grade, even 12-14
There are scenes of pursuit and attack which could be quite worrying for younger children, the aspect of living in the walls, as well as the one (veiled) reference to masturbation make this suitable for an older child.

An absolutely brilliant read.
Thanks to #NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ahead of publication in exchange for an honest review

Well written, haunting, one of a kind book. One of those you can’t put down once you start reading!

Don’t say I haven’t warned you!

Loved the short chapters, the story developed fairly quickly and kept getting more intense page by page! I was surprised with the turn this book took - expected a completely different story, nevertheless, I think the way this book developed was way better.

Such a beautiful, satisfying ending, fitting so well with the overall mood of this book.

This book was one of the most anticipated reads in 2021 for me and it did not disappoint! Would highly recommend it to everyone!

A truly weird book, I really found it quite boring, and could not get into it at all. A girl in the walls is about a young girl living in the walls of her old house creeping around while the family are out.

This book blends several genres beautifully to create a unique, gripping book about grief, family, friendship and the secrets our homes may contain. It has a Gothic feel that I really enjoyed and the most evocatively described setting! The beginning of the book gave real depth to the characters, but I enjoyed it even more when the pace increased and the novel built towards the climax. It's very different from anything I've read before, and I'll definitely check out more books by this author.

I really tried to get into this book, but not matter how hard I tried, I do not seem to be able to force myself to read it which is a shame. The writing is beautiful, however there's something about it that doesn't pull me into the a story that I should otherwise love.

This is a clear case it's me, not the book.

Wow. It's hard to find a book which is something truly unique, clever and beautiful, but this book ticks the boxes of all three. The premise is a girl living in the walls of her old house and I was interested in how the story would develop but certainly wasn't expecting to encounter what I did. A truly evil villain, whose background story is explored just enough to understand yet not enough to detract for the real evil he carries with him. The grief the girl holds and the whole plot of being where you were most loved really broke my heart. Easily, without a doubt a 5* read for me. A must read.

I'm grateful to @netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this in return for an honest review.

The Girl in the Walls is a unique story that I found myself being pulled in page by page, word by word. It was so different from anything I read before. Elise, the girl in the walls stole my heart more times than I could count as did Eddie. The author paints an intricately vivid world inside this house and even though I wasn't sure what was happening, there was something that kept me coming back to this book.

I am loathe to admit that I struggled with the first half of this book. The beginning captured my attention and I was drawn into Elise's story but nothing really happened after that and I didn't feel a sense of connection with the other characters. I wondered whether it was the book for me, but there was something, something that kept me opening it, to see what would happen to Elise. I'm so glad I did. This book, this story, from 53% completely took hold of me and I read the second half in one sitting. I couldn't put it down. It was tense, thrilling, and genuinely shocking from the moment Traust arrived. From that moment I was on tenterhooks and the story morphed into something dark and even a bit scary.

I loved the ending and felt it gave a real closure to the story and I closed the book with a smile.

It is truly deserving of 5 stars and even more. The author wove a tale that I won't forget for a long time.

"Girl in the Walls" is a bit different. It's well-written and a little bit creepy. I also found it very sad in parts. The characters are a tiny bit 2D for me and I would have liked them to be more solid - but maybe the author wrote them that way to highlight the main theme of the story. It was an interesting read, and I'll be looking forward to A.J. Gnuse's next book.

My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.

A very slow start for me. After I read the first few chapters I wasn't compelled to pick it up again for another week and a half.

That being said once I got into it the story was interesting and creepy - imagine someone living in your walls, in your house, unseen, unconfirmed and you thinking you're just going crazy.

Like I said - interesting and creepy. However, it would have been nice if the main character - Elise was directive instead of reactional, I think that's why I was so indifferent about her. Things were happening to her and she wasn't really doing anything other than existing - albeit in a strange way.

It really grew compelling towards the end when Brody was introduced - as annoying as he was, and when the brothers reached out to the... exterminator.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I felt this story was a bit sad and creepy.

It was about a young girl who had lost her parents.

So, sneaking back into her old house, she stays hidden from the family who now live there, by staying in the walls.

But when the house is empty, she’s moved round making herself like she’s living there instead if the family, that is until someone sees her.

Here's the book that fascinated me since the first day of its being available at NetGalley; I'm attracted to the girl's silhouette and the title.

When reading it, I'm not sure how to feel. Sadness, yes. I mean, come on, the girl is a little girl. The whole thing about missing and the cops did not found her like come on, even if this is not a crime and investigation book but child welfare is essential!

And let's just say that I can't put an image of what's going on and how certain things can make sense in a house that I don't know the system and how it was built. I keep on thinking is it possible? The 11 years old can do it, so yeah, she's little and thin, that might work.

But really where's the setting of this place; in a suburban area, close to the woods, close-knit community, near the river, or what? With everything happened and the neighbor not even realizing what's going on. I mean with a girl looking wildly with her hair sticking out and television was turned on in full volume (probably house these days have soundproof walls) when the owner all went out, so if that doesn't make anyone eager, then I don't know what will. But perhaps I'm not attentive enough to small details therefore can't blame the book. When in doubt used google, okay? They're great to provide side information! Well, let's just focused on what the book about instead of unnecessary details like mine.

The Girl in The Wall has the same vibe (where the stranger living inside your house) as Parasite and I See You (2019 film) but not that it involves any bloody scene and murder.

It creeps me out every time I watched a film about humans trespassing by silently living in your house, rooming everywhere, eat and wear what you wear. The whole family might go crazy or lose their mind, thinking there's an entity living among them. What's to do after finding out the truth? And who would believe you if it's not recorded on CCTV or you don't even place it in the first place? It could make someone lose their mind and that's clearly shown in this book.

All this book/film is screaming CAUTIOUS and BEWARE at you. You'll never know what could happen so better be careful.

Well, I wanted more than the book could give but have to remind myself that the audience probably younger readers so the author can't make it too bold. I did feel suspenseful but overall it was just an okay read; not many scenes that could make stirs me from my sit. But no doubt, it's still an emotional read.

Beautifully written literary Gothic – just too much of it

A.J. Gnuse’s story of a strange Louisiana house, an orphan girl, two brothers, one somewhere on the spectrum and another mainly neglected child was, in the main, beautifully done though that somewhat dying breed, an editor with an incisive scalpel who could identify where the narrative arc needed to work at a lick, and where lingering time added weight and depth, was missing.

This is a debut novel, but does not read like one, although some over literary ideas (mainly the sophisticated imaginary dialogues between the central character and Odin) did get overdone. Likewise, not one but two ‘dark Gothic’ tension building sequences with the villain of the piece felt over contrived, and could have been shortened, as his unresolved psychology monologues were, by this time, just getting in the way of the need for the ending to be reached

Which was beautifully, delicately done

I was grateful to receive this as a digital Arc, via NetGalley, and will certainly be interested to read future works by this author

Unfortunately this one fell flat for me. I felt the pacing was incredibly slow and only really started to pick up about 50% of the way in. I also don’t think the atmosphere was as creepy as I had hoped it would be based on the synopsis.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review.