Thank you for letting me read this! JD Barker has done it again! Always keeps you on your toes. Once I started this book I needed to keep reading going. Definitely hard to put down.

J.D. Barker has a true talent for weaving intricate, mind-bending stories, and Something I Keep Upstairs is no exception. The depth and detail he puts into his writing are remarkable, creating a layered, atmospheric thriller that builds upon itself with every chapter.

Set in the eerie coastal town of New Castle, this novel follows Billy and his friends as they uncover the chilling secrets of a mysterious island. What starts as an innocent summer adventure quickly spirals into a psychological and supernatural nightmare. The way Barker slowly reveals the island’s dark history is masterful—each piece of information feels deliberately placed, pulling the reader deeper into the mystery.

The pacing keeps you engaged, and the twists make you question everything you thought you knew. It’s one of those books that lingers in your mind long after you turn the last page. While it’s undeniably complex, the story remains gripping and immersive until the very end.

I highly recommend Something I Keep Upstairs to fans of psychological thrillers who love stories with depth, detail, and plenty of unexpected turns. J.D. Barker delivers another chilling, unforgettable read!

What in the heck did I just read?? This story is definitely a mind bender! A teenage boy inherits a house on an island, and he and his friends take advantage of it one fateful summer. However, the house has a centuries old curse and the kids quickly realize. Some embrace it and some are horrified. The they find this has gone on for centuries.

I gave this book a 4 because it got kind of stagnant in the middle. The cliffhanger ending is frustrating, but I'm hoping there may be a second. 😁

Thank you to Net Galley and Hampton Creek press for gifting me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

“Nobody dies on that island, but that doesn’t mean they don’t come home. In the end, we all come home. In the end, that’s all we can do.”

Another claw digging thriller from J.D Barker.
Spivey gets news that his grandma he didn’t know had passed away, and she left everything to him. But everything was far more than he ever expected. In every way.
She left him an island, which she used to live. Her house. And everything in it. There are rules, in which you much follow. 6 teens spend their days learning the truth about where they are staying and must follow those rules.

This book took so many insane turns. Kept me on my toes and questioning WTF is happening right now!
If you love hauntings, occult, supernatural, love story and friendships you definitely need to drive hard into this thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley, J.D Barker, and Hampton Creek Press/ Simon & Schuster for a copy!

J.D. Barker once again proves his mastery of psychological suspense with Something I Keep Upstairs, a chilling and atmospheric thriller that lingers in the mind long after the final page. With his signature blend of eerie tension and razor-sharp storytelling, Barker crafts a gripping tale that blurs the lines between reality and the supernatural. In the quiet coastal town of New Castle, New Hampshire, seventeen-year-old Billy Hasler’s summer takes a terrifying turn. When his best friend David inherits a mysterious island house, their carefree plans unravel as they awaken an ancient evil lurking in its dark past. His intuitive writing style keeps readers on edge, balancing rich character development with heart-pounding suspense. Every twist is meticulously placed, making for an unforgettable reading experience. Something I Keep Upstairs is yet another testament to Barker’s brilliance. A must-read for a supernatural and horror fans alike.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Hampton Creek Press and Simon & Schuster for my ARC in exchange for an honest review. Publishing May 13th 2025.

“Something I keep upstairs is a haunting exploration of friendship, sacrifice and the darkness lurking just beyond our understanding.”

For me this was a supernatural thriller that kept me wondering what was actually happening which I love however it took so long for me to get into it. It felt like I was waiting to be gripped by the story for about a third of the book, possibly because I didn’t really feel like I cared enough about any of the characters. Overall without any spoilers I would still recommend because the story was eerie enough for me! 3/5 from me!

#somethingikeepupstairs #netgalley

I love haunted house books and this DID NOT disappoint. It kept me on my toes and I was looking at all dark corners very carefully. I may or may not have had a few nightmares.

Stephen King fanatics who want similar fare should definitely check this one out.

Something I Keep Upstairs is a very Kingian - it's got wise-cracking teenagers, a setting near Maine, spooky shit, and about 200 excess pages. The last point is most keenly felt in the first half of the book, which I really dragged for me; it felt like virtually nothing had happened about 40% of the way in.

However, after that, the pace picked up massively and the story really grabbed hold of me. I was intrigued by how the jigsaw pieces would come together, and I loved the idea of an unstoppable evil living through history.

I was left a little dissatisfied by the ending, but that's likely because I'm a "give me all the answers" type of guy. Overall, this was a fun, if slightly overlong, read. Not quite as good as Dracul, by the same author, but good enough that I'll look out more of his books.

The author has delivered a fast paced and deliciously wicked tale. The characters are well rounded and come across as believable, whether you love them or hate them. Full of twists and turns, it will keep you on the edge of your seat from the first page, trying to anticipate where this story will go.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hampton Creek Press / Simon & Schuster who provided me with a copy of this book. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Thank you J.D. Barker and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own and voluntary.

I really wanted to like this book! It sounded interesting and I was excited to start reading it, however that excitement was short lived. I typically read a book every 2-3 days, this one took me 23 days to dredge through. I had no desire to pick it up and read. I actually dreaded it. It was super slow and too long by a good 100 pages, if not more. I could not get into the characters at all, in fact, I don't recall a single one I actually cared for. I found myself skipping through a lot of the mundane and realizing that what I skipped made no difference because it was just rambling on. Sorry, not one I would recommend.

I had high hopes for this book since I LOOOVED the 4mk series but I was a bit let down. It was still a good horror story but felt like it was lacking excitement and could’ve ended much quicker and dragged on. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Stephen king books or anyone looking for a mysterious/horror story.

Supernatural
Haunted house
Witches
A dash of a love story
Spooky mysterious island
Multiple POV’s

This is probably the best horror novel I've read in a long, long time. J.D. Barker just keeps getting better at it. I had so many "oh my goodness" and "what the hell" moments during this read. The author's note gave me full body chills...the author's note!!! To say I loved this book is mild - I absolutely loved and thoroughly enjoyed this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the opportunity to read this ARC.
There were things that I loved about this book and things that I hated.
First, the characters may be young adults but this should not be considered a young adult novel. There are too many triggers. There is suicide in this book as it relates to self sacrifice. There is one scene that I felt could have been left out during a ritual.
I do like that this book is based on a real island in New Hampshire. You need to read the author’s note. It is really interesting. The fact that the island is real adds to the scariness
I liked most of the characters.
Billy’s friend David inherits an island from his grandmother. The island has rules that must be followed. So, of course the rules get broken. This is a story of friendship. I do love the characterization of Billy, and his devotion to his friends. Overall this book is a good scare but it comes with a lot of darkness.

If this book was a movie I don’t think I would be able to sleep for awhile.  The book starts out rather innocuous.  The Billy’s best friend’s Grandma dies leaving her grandson an island.  Cool isn’t it.  There are some weird rules but as a bunch of teenagers no one cares.  What could be better than a party island.  The best friend’s parents are freaking out but they weren’t that great of parents anyway so who cares.  Except they know something the teenagers don’t.  Or do they?  Things start to get weird then they get scary.  A few unexpected twists.  I am not sure whether I will sleep tonight but I don’t regret reading the book.

Barker does not disappoint with his attention to details in his books, including What I Keep Upstairs. This story is very thorough, which does make it a lengthier read, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. My genre usually doesn't include horror, but after seeing this was a new J.D. Barker novel I just had to read it, and I was not disappointed! It kind of gave me a Stephen King vibe. I finished this book a couple weeks ago, and I'm still thinking of it!

Thank you to Netgalley, Hampton Creek Press, and J.D. Barker for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Publication date for Something I Keep Upsatirs is May 13, 2025.

A group of friends start to spend more and more time on Wood Island, where their friend has inherited a house and innumerable secrets. Is it haunted? Something is definitely off about the ancient building…Follow the rules, and maybe you’ll survive.

“If a soul occupies a place, do parts of it soak into the wood? Like sweat or exhaled breaths? Where do those things go? Do the living own a place or are they simply borrowing from the dead?”

I’m so curious to know other readers’ thoughts on this one! For myself, there was so much I loved, but also had moments of annoyance.

First of all, the setting: a small island surrounded by rocks and shark infested waters was awesome. I loved the isolation. However, the description of the island itself felt lacking (aside from the house). In my head I pictured a tiny, rocky outcropping, but then found out it’s big enough for people to picnic on and fish off of.

The characters: this was hit or miss, as the majority are teens and somewhat annoying. “Nik Nok” had me wanting to punch things it drove me so crazy. NO! NO MORE WHATEVER THE HELL NIK NOK MEANS! I really enjoyed the adult characters and their complex relationships to each other, their families, and the town/island.

The plot: so creepy at times, but so confusing 30% of the time. What actually was happening here? I feel like I only had the vaguest understanding by the end. It was a bit of a rollercoaster between tense and freaky moments then boring sections. I do think the story could’ve been trimmed down to make it a faster pace overall.

“Nobody dies on that island, but that doesn’t mean they don’t come home. In the end, we all come home. In the end, that’s all we can do.”

I would like to point out that this book was quite unique- definitely give it a read and share your opinions!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Hampton Creek Press/ Simon & Schuster for a copy!

For a haunted house to be born, somebody has to die.

If Stephen King gave us Pennywise, JD Barker presents Emerson because "Emerson should always be fed"

First, a thank you to NetGalley, the author and Hampton Creek Press / Simon & Schuster for providing the eARC for the book
I was over the moon cause I am a JD Barker fan of his 4MK series.
and because of that, I was not daunted by the 492 pages.
In fact, I wanted it to be more.
I am hesitant between a 3.5 and 4 stars because, truthfully, this was my least favorite of Mr. Barker It started out extremely slow, detailed, and very irrelevant, however after the 38% mark I was very much engrossed and couldn't put it down

The book is told mainly through two perspectives
First person of 17-year old Billy Hasler and third person of Chief Cliff Whaley. Both protagonists thrust into the mysterious house of Wood Island in Castle Rock.

What started for Billy as a typical teenager summer getaway with his girlfriend Kira when his best Friend Spivey inherits the house from his late grandmother quickly turns into a horror nightmare when they awaken an ancient evil that has influenced generations.

As I mentioned, the book was very slow in the first third to the point that I concidered DNFing it. But, I am glad I powered up because what came next was thrilling and terrifying. I absolutely loved the twists and surprises that sprung. Many of which I did not see coming. One could tell that an extensive background research went into the book.

Imagine an entity that could grant you whatever wish your heart desires as long as you feed it. And what does IT require in return? oh just a simple token! And all tokens belong to Emerson!

I highly recommend reading this book if you like the macabre and paranormal.

here is what did not work for me

1- as I said, 1/3 of the book to be that slow would definitely deter many from continuing reading
2- It was long and detailed in parts where it shouldn't be, while other stories and characters deserved to be fleshed out but weren't.
3- personally, I thought that if we had multiple POVs where the main affected characters showed their background and motives instead of telling us would have been better.
4- because of that, I did not feel some characters' anguish, desperation or goals! How did Alesia and her mother truly accomplish all that? why did Kira do what she did? Who is this Matty and why is he so evil? And I wanted more of David Spivey, after all, he was the catalyst for the story.
5- The book is titled " Something I keep upstairs", but who is this "I"? The house belonged to Spivey and Billy was struggling against it! It didn't make sense to have the "I" refer to Billy!!
6- I thought the ending was a mix of WaW! and anti-climatic cause it did not make sense in the end.

Nevertheless, it was one of the best supernatural horror books I have read in a while.

J.D. Barker, just YES! You killed it in this book. This was a book that I could not stop reading. I could not put it down and I did not guess the twist. This was one of those books the minute you are done reading you are sitting there telling yourself, wait before you read it again so you can take it all in!

I really enjoyed this haunted horror. I did find it took a while to get into the story but once I was in I was hooked. Thank you to Netgalley and Hampton Creek Press/Simon &, Schuster for ARC.

If you like supernatural themes in your thrillers, check out JD Barker’s Something I Keep Upstairs. Barker knows how to weave a twisted plot, and I love that his books span many different themes and sub-genres of thrillers. I was intrigued by the supernatural elements of this book. When David Spivey inherits an old house on a secluded island, it seems like he and his friends are going to have the best summer, but things are not always what they appear when dark and sinister forces are at work. Did David Spivey, Billy Hasler, and friends unleash an ancient evil, or has it been on the island waiting for them for years?