This haunting exploration delves deep into the complexities of friendship and sacrifice, revealing the darkness that often lurks beneath the surface.
Barker masterfully crafts a narrative that keeps you on the edge of your seat, drawing you into a world where loyalty is tested and shadows threaten to consume the light. The characters are richly developed, making their struggles and triumphs feel personal and relatable. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys psychological thrillers with emotional depth. Don’t miss out on this chilling journey

This is a really spine-chilling read with such classic elements of horror stories as a haunted house, the occult and local gossips about a house's past. It really is rather scary, even for a horror story buff like me.

Thank you for the ARC copy of this book. I really enjoyed it and rate it 4/5 stars.

This book is set in a small coastal New England town. A group of high school students get pulled into a centuries old bargain with a haunted house. The story is told from the view points of 17 year old Billy and the chief of police Whaley who is in his late 30’s or early 40’s. Billy’s best friend inherits an old house on an island of granite from his grandmother. There are rules he must strictly follow in order to keep ownership of the house. If you follow the rules and take care of the house the house will take care of you. If you break the rules someone must pay. This is not usually a POV that I can connect with but I actually really enjoyed it. I loved the dark and mysterious nature of the story. Yes, there is sort of a murder mystery element but for the most part I would classify this as a horror. The paranormal and occult elements fit the story line perfectly.

JD Barker is an author I love to read, however, this book was a little different than what I had read before. But I thoroughly enjoyed it!

This was a dark and chilling story of evil. As the story progressed it gripped me more and more and I could not read fast enough to get to what was happening. I told a friend of mine this book was so good it felt as though I was watching a movie, that is how detailed and good it was. This made my heart race and I felt like I was so caught up in the story of Billy, Spivy, Chief Whaley and the rest of the characters. This was a great story with some twists and horror. I enjoyed it immensely and cannot wait until it is published so I can buy a copy.

I absolutely love J.D barker!!! I was so excited to see a new book of his and even more excited to get early ARC of this copy. Thank you NetGalley and publisher. It’s definitely different from his other books but flat out good ghost story I really enjoyed!

Something I Keep Upstairs is a haunted house tale with a twist. Set in coastal New England, the story follows a group of teens interested in the occult, one of whom has inherited his grandmother’s home on a private island between New Hampshire and Maine. Spivey struggles to fit in with his peers in part because of his recurrent cancer, but finds popularity in the freedom the island provides from parental and legal oversight. Parties abound, but there are rules: if you are there after dark you must stay until morning and don’t forget to feed Emerson among them. But who is Emerson? And how is Spivey’s the only vintage New England home without a haunted history … or is it? The tight-knit group unravels as Spivey battles cancer, the group fights their parents and the law, and eventually each other as their Lord of the Flies-like existence proves that young adults really do need supervision.

King-esque in its depiction of young love and friendships, the novel starts slowly with Spivey’s backstory and his eventual taking over of his grandmother’s home. Once he gets into the house, the story gains momentum, and about halfway in, I was hooked. However, there’s a reversal as the teens try to make a haunted house, which is a premise I’d have loved to see explored rather than what ends up being the case. A few too many points of view shifts, some clunky historical sections, and the police/disappearance side stories detract from what was really a cool premise. I was into the photos, the rules, and what was going on in the basement before the, uh, ritual. If I had to mark where this whole thing went off track, that was it. Bringing in the parental backstories and the procedural aspect felt like I was reading a different story, which can best be described as disjointed and verbose.

Overall, I liked Something I Keep Upstairs, but it’s not my favorite JD Barker. I would recommend it for fans of stories featuring teen characters, meandering mysteries with historical and supernatural elements, and longer fiction that really digs into the minutia of location and superstition without a sense of cohesion. What’s up with Wood Island? I’m still not one hundred percent sure, but it’s creepy.

Something I Keep Upstairs by J.D. Barker

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really enjoyed the concept of this novel. Set on an island off the coast of New Hampshire , JD Barker created a chilly, haunting tale that spanned generations. This book is one I won’t forget

An island off the coast of New Hampshire sets the stage for this creepy and chilling tale. While this book does focus on the creepy old mansion, its history, and the house rules, it also showcases friendship, love, sacrifice and suffering.

Billy and his friends have their futures in front of them. It is the summer before they all go off to college. It should be a summer of fun in the sun, good times, good friends, and adventure. But when his best friend, David Spivey interstates a mysterious home on an island, and Billy, David and their group of friends begin to party, things change from fun in the sun to shadows, darkness, and danger. Something there had been lurking and waiting and now it has been awakened!

J.D. Barker has created a dark, chilling and haunting tale of evil that has lurked for generations. Things take a dark turn and as more is revealed, learned, and experienced by the characters, I felt as if I were right there with them as a silent observer. I enjoyed the emphasis on friendship, secrets, obligation, and sacrifice. But the friendships are what shinned through the darkness for me. There were quite a few characters in this book, but they all have a part to play along the way.

This was a dark tale full of dread, tension, and eeriness. There is a sense of unease flowing throughout the book which only grows stronger as the pages turn. This kept my attention and had me wanting to know what was going to happen next!

*Be sure to read the author's note at the end of the book!

I loved reading this book! it caught my attention the minute I began reading it. I loved the formatting of it and how the days were the real chapters, and the mini chapters within the chapter.
I kept spectating on what I thought was going on and by the end I was mind blown because I was definitely wrong the whole time.
im glad I got the closer I needed after the authors note, because I was about to rage if it was left open ended like I thought it was going to be.
I've never read anything from this author before and I'm glad I gave them a chance with this book!

Yes! This was amazing! Definitely a must read for anyone that loves great characters and a fantastic world building.

Huge thank you to Net Galley and Hampton Creek Press for an ARC for an honest review!

My first actual paranormal book and my first J. D. Barker book. What a thrilling entry into both! I was beyond impressed with the ghost tale as well as the writing of the author.

I enjoyed so much learning there was actual history to some of this, and yes to the google I go! The ambiance and tone set out in the beginning really had a gripping pull and I just couldn’t get enough. There were SO many twists, so many questions, everything left me wanting more and more.

With every change of narrator, it was almost a laugh out loud, not because anything was funny, but because we were left off at such a point of distress, it’s almost frustrating — not to mention the frustrations you’re reading back into by switching back to the other. Such a way to keep me going and seriously couldn’t put it down.

My mind just couldn’t keep up with all the theories I had, each one never correct—and I really enjoy the spooky! This is definitely one I’ll purchase and re-read in the future, and will be adding his other works to my ever growing to be read pile, somewhere closer to the front :)

10/10 for me.

This was my first time reading anything by J.D.Barker and it certainly won't be the last!
From the first page I was addicted. I loved the pace of the story, the characters, the story and how it was set in real towns (I Googled them, had a nosey on Google maps and now I want to visit 😀).
This had everything I love in books, supernatural, thriller, horror and being kept guessing 🤣.
Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC.

A mysterious island off the coast of Maine has a history of mysterious happenings. Generations of teens have partied there, disappeared there and when they die, their spirits return there. Who or what is the mysterious "Emerson" who needs to be kept fed? Who set up the "rules" for the island and what price will need to be paid for breaking any of them? Readers will follow this generation's group of teens as they discover the haunting secrets of the island and decide whether or not to join Emerson in exchange for what they desire most.

Switching between the teens narrative and that of the local police chief who is trying to solve a missing person's case, readers will be drawn into a world of "what if"? Could these experiences be real or are we on a journey written by an author who is living in an alternate reality?

This is not my typical reading fare and I did find it a bit predictable in places. I guess if you are a reader of paranormal/horror fiction, this one could be for you.

I thought this was a great horror story! It's a somewhat complicated plot about a haunted island that everyone is just dying to be a part of. The tension was maintained and the teenage characters were likeable, for the most part, with a bit of the usual rivalries and bullying. It captured small town life really well, where everyone knows everyone else's business. I was scratching my head a bit at the quick turn-around of the kid dynamics at the end, especially between the two main characters.

Thanks to Net Galley and the author for an ARC to read and review.

My first thought after reading this book, why did I ever stop reading JD Barker? I loved his 4MK series....such a great series, but I haven't read any of his stuff since. That's what happens with a mountainous TBR.

So I'm back, JD, and oh how I have missed your writing. Something I Keep Upstairs is horror at its finest. I was absorbed in the characters and by the atmosphere of New England and Wood Island. The plot sucked me in right away and the short chapters had me wanting more with every little carrot that was dangled in front of me. The story went places I never imagined and I loved every page of it. This is not for the squeamish, it is damn scary. There are definitely some 'unnatural' things that occur, but I don't want to say any more and spoil it.

It's early in the year, but this one is sure to be on my best of 2025 list.

This banger hits shelves on May 13, 2025. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing an eArc. All opinions are my own.

This book wasn’t really my type. The plot felt quite drqgged making it hard to stay engaged. The character development was quite slow, which made it difficult to connect with the story. While the twist was interesting, it didn’t feel impactful enough to make up for the slow pacing. At times, I even had to take breaks because I just couldn’t stay invested. Overall, it had potential, but it didn’t fully meet my expectations.

My Rating: 2.5 stars out of 5

DISCLAIMER #1: If you do read this book (or have read this book), make sure you read PAST the author's note at the end as there is actually another chapter of the story that comes after.

This book is ..... interesting, although a bit dull and too long winded at times for my tastes. In fact, numerous times during the first half, I contemplated just marking it as a DNF and moving on with my life. I get it, build up is important to any story, but this one seemed to go out of it's way to either be filled with pointless details that didn't matter to the story as a whole, or repeat information we had already been told. Also, while I know this is just a personal pet peeve of mine, as well as a certain character's "catch phrase", if I ever see the words "Nik nok" again, I might actually make good on my threat to throw my kindle into the street. Those two words were so overused that it started to literally make me rage every time I saw them because they never made sense in any context (and that's even after you take into consideration they are a play on Tik Tok something the character in question supposedly couldn't say as a child and was based off of a book title, but then shouldn't the words have been Nick nock)?

Told between alternating points of view between teenager Billy as he recounts those days spent on the island with his friends and the things that happened there, and Chief Whaley as he is desperately trying to piece together a mystery that few people can comprehend, I sometimes wondered just how (or if) these stories would intersect.

And then at around the half-way mark everything starts to change. At first, I thought this was just another case of teenagers being dumb and getting into things they didn't understand, until it became apparent that they did understand. Or at least, they understood more than they were letting on. And that was when things started to get interesting (and in some cases more than a little disturbing). Now, you would think that at this point the tide would have turned (no pun intended), and I would have been hooked right? Yeah.... not so much. Because you see somehow even in the midst of all of the creepy, paranormal things happening there were still sections of this story that were just.... boring.

To give credit where it is due, there were a few twists that I hadn't seen coming, but even those were not enough to save this novel from being more than two and half stars for me as when the novel ended I was still left with questions. Mainly about the house and how it fared after certain events that took place the night of the storm, and some of the inhabitants of the island and where they ended up after things had concluded (I can't say more than that unfortunately without giving away spoilers).

Going back to my first disclaimer, there is an author's note after it would appear the story ends. In said author's note we learn how they decided against renaming the locations to fictional ones, and instead insist that certain parts of this story are actually true. Now while I went down a rabbit hole of trying to ascertain if any of that was true or not, I did find websites dedicated to legends and ghost stories surrounding Wood Island, but nothing that corroborated anything said in this story as far as bodies being found on the specified dates.

However, in a weird turn of events, there is also another final chapter to this story that I almost missed that came AFTER that, which I found a little odd. Why not put the author's note at the start of the novel to have people wondering throughout which parts might be true (even if most of it sounds farfetched to even those of us who do believe in the paranormal)?

I saw someone say that this book is perfect for fans of Stephen King, and maybe they are right. He is another long-winded author whose books tend to fall short for me while being favorites among others. I may one day give this author another shot, but I do recommend if you like a lot of detailed world-building with a heaping of paranormal activities.

DISCLAIMER #2: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

When I requested this ARC, I wasn't aware that there was a supernatural theme, which is definitely not a genre I typically read. I pushed through, but it was a struggle for me.

If you enjoy supernatural/haunted ghost stories, then this book is for you.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion/review.

Thank you for the ARC. This is my first book by this author. I’ve heard his 4MK series was phenomenal so I was hoping this book would be that. It was a big miss for me. It was really slow the first half and I almost didn’t want to pick it up but I pushed through to the end. Nik nok!

I want to start by thanking J.D. Bakrker for trusting me with your book before publication. I very much enjoyed reading it and I will be gushing about you in my review.

This book was so well written. I want more! I want to know what happens when they relite the furnace. I want to know what happens after they light the dyamite, or did they even get it lite? I love the back and forth with the time.

I am not huge on time travel, but it fits well with this story. The historical information is my favorite part of the book. I loved being able to look up Wood Island and it really be there with the house, light house, widows walk and all. I am huge into books that bring in history of places. I now what to travel to New Castel and Wood Island to see it all for myself.

J.D. I love how your brain works. This book will likely be on my top 5 of the year. I started out with a 4 stars but the more I think about the book the more I can't find anything wrong with it.

The twist with Benny.... That was icing on the cake. I didn't see that coming at all. Very well played.
Kira's death was hid so well that I didn't see it until they were in the water and she was trying to save him. That was when it clicked for me.
Emerson still confuses the hell out of me. Was he the house? Was he under the house? Was he something other than then the house? Was he Marson?
Marson, very well written. Was all the Lockwoods just Marson? Was Emerson Marson? Was Marson Emerson? No one will ever know!
Billy MMC was written perfectly. I don't think anyone else could have made him, him.
David, that poor soul. You could see how he didn't want any of this to happen to his friends. He was just a pawn in everyone else's greed.
Alesia was so confusing and just a lost soul used by her mother to also get what she wanted. It was like her mother had her only for that one reason.

This book had me hook line and sinker. I only wished I had read it slower so it would have lasted longer.