I will read ANYTHING J.D. Barker writes! I spent most of this dark story whispering to myself, “wth is going on?” I could hardly stand the suspense! Because “for a haunted house to be born, somebody has to die” and boy is this a creepy, bone chilling haunted house story!

David Spivey has just inherited his grandmother’s estate, located on a small island off the shore of New Castle, NH. He and his best friend, Billy Hasler, are looking forward to one last summer before their senior year in high school living it up in Spivey’s new house. Spivey wants to create a haunted house out of it and for that they need the help of an aspiring teen witch, Alesia. But what none of these teens can know is that the house is already haunted by an ancient curse that has plagued generations of kids before them. And before the spine tingling and explosive ending, some of them may not survive.

This is honestly the haunted house story of all haunted house stories! I hope the editor keeps Barker’s Author’s Note placed one chapter before the concluding chapter where he may or may not reveal that some parts of this story are based on researched fact. WHAT???? I highly recommend getting your hands on this one and read it during spooky season, you won’t be disappointed!

Thank you Netgalley, Hampton Creek Press/Simon and Schuster, and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be available for purchase on May 13, 2025

This was a chilling story of a private island with a lot of dark history. I found this book incredibly interesting. I really enjoyed this book and its story lines. There were times I felt that there were inconsistencies in the story line, and a few unanswered questions.
This was my first J.D. Barker book and I will be looking for another!

Big thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and J.D. Barker for the opportunity to read an ARC of "Something I Keep Upstairs".

This was a creepy, fantastic read! “Something I Keep Upstairs” is my first JD Barker novel, and it definitely won’t be my last. The atmosphere created was absolutely chilling, and the suspense never let up. Even though this book is over 400 pages, it never felt long while reading — a rare and impressive accomplishment. I was completely hooked from the eerie opening to the final, chilling page.

The creepiness is magnified by the fact that the island and house are real places, which made the story even more unsettling. The way the author blended friendship, sacrifice, and supernatural horror felt fresh and deeply immersive. Every twist kept me on edge, and the slow reveal of the island’s dark history was perfectly paced.

Thank you to NetGalley, RBMedia, and Hampton Creek Press for the ALC and e-arc in exchange for my honest review!

This book feels like a 90’s horror done right. It starts off as what feels like a classic ghost story and it quickly spirals into a blend of witches, grief and psychological torment. It’s “small-town secrets” meets “paranormal rot” with a creeping sense of lingering claustrophobia.

The danger isn’t universal, it’s personal. Only a few see it and that makes it hit harder. You’re not safe in numbers when no one else even realizes there’s a threat. And yes, the teenage characters are built like actual smart people and not caricatures of angst.

The atmosphere is immaculate. A remote island with a forever changing house, ghosts and too much silence. It’s eery, brutal in the right ways and relentlessly beautiful.

4.0 🌟

this book had me hooked from the start! what begins as a fun summer hangout with friends on an island quickly turns into pure nightmare fuel 💀. creepy mansions, lurking shadows, and danger around every corner—it’s a wild ride. the sense of dread just keeps building, and when things take a dark turn, you won’t be able to look away.

but honestly, what stood out most was the friendships. even with all the chaos and creepy vibes, the way the characters stuck together hit different 🩷. it’s dark, chilling, and full of tension, but those bonds really shined through. jd barker knows how to keep you on edge while giving you characters you care about! 📚✨

This was a tremendous read.
A chiller, set in a sleepy New England town, which follows a group of teenage friends and the strange goings on around a small island just offshore. Expect things to get a little crazy.
This was so well written, the pacing was maybe a little slow but the chills and thrills more than made up for this. If you like supernatural horror then this will most certainly be a good choice for a spooky read.
Fantastic!!

eerie, chilling tale set on a small, isolated island in New England, guaranteed to get the hair on the back of your neck standing to attention.

Billy's best friend Spivey has just inherited a small island complete with a house from the grandmother he never really knew.  It does however, come with a number of conditions that must be adhered to in order for him to keep his inheritance - of course, sometimes rules aren't always easy to keep, especially where teenagers are concerned.  When Billy, Spivey and their friends spend time on the island over the summer, strange things begin to occur and a presence is awakened and must be fed and satisfied, to the detriment of people in the local town.

I enjoyed this read but felt the 1st half was a little slow and the build up to the storyline took longer than I would have liked.  I was also unsure whether this was written as a YA novel as it felt that way to me (perhaps I'm just getting old!). There were characters you couldn't help but love and some you couldn't help but dislike - I would have loved to have seen a bit more development of some of the main protagonists to give a better understanding of their motivations and behaviour. The book touches on a number of themes including friendship, the lengths some might go to, to get what they want, and betrayal of trust.  

It was interesting to read the note by the author at the end of the story which gave fascinating context to how the story came about - make sure you read this bit! 

Thank you to NetGalley, Hampton Creek Press House and Simon and Schuster for the opportunity to read and review this book.
⭐⭐⭐.5

This is what I call "smooth reading". Everything just flows and I can committ 100 percent to the experience because everything just works. This is a stunning book with a very interesting story.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

A thousand per cent YES!!! If you've read anything by J.D. and enjoyed it, you will absolutely love this one too! Huge thanks to the author and Netgalley for allowing me to go through an advanced copy before release day. I thoroughly enjoyed it! The depth of the characters, their relationship to each other, the plot, the subplot... everything was done with such detail and finesse that nothing felt out of place, no sentence or chapter was fluff. J.D. takes you on such a beautiful journey through a realm you never want to leave. Billy, Spivey, and Kira are caught in a tailspin of a journey when Spivey's grandma leaves her property (a whole island!) to him in her will. Secrets, generational connections, and some spooky events are all unleashed as soon as they set foot on the island.

How does JD write such wonderful complex books without plot holes or things going over my head?! As always, I was fully consumed in the world created by the author and enjoyed each step of the way. This paranormal thriller started as a slow burn and finished with an action packed ending. The characters were well developed. Chief Whaley was my favorite. He didn’t feel like a stereotypical cop and I worried the whole book that something might happen to him.

Thank you NetGalley and Hampton Creek Press / Simon & Schuster for this ARC. This review will be shared on NetGalley and Goodreads.

Pub Date May 13 2025

I really enjoyed this. The story was very intricate and the characters were interesting. I do feel that it could have been a little shorter and that would have made the story stronger. I feel that some of the suspense was lost at times. Overall this was great and I definitely recommend if you like spooky houses, curses, possession, ghosts, and mind tricks.

Thank you for allowing me to read this book as an ARC.
I was very excited to get to read this book, however. It did not quite meet my expectations.
The story starts developing fast and with a lot going on as well as some background information. But then i felt like it was in a never ending loop with no action and nothing really noteworthy happening. A lot of all that could have been cut down.
Then again, towards the end, everything happened all at once and it felt like the world was crashing down around me.
The book also is filled with lots of paranormal activities which are usually not to my liking. 3 🌟 read for me

Note: this is a translated version of the original review, written in spanish.

Rating: 4.4 Stars.

Before starting this review, I want to thank Hampton Creek Press and Simon & Schuster for sending me an advanced copy of this novel for review.
I love how I always find out about new J.D. Barker books through Netgalley. Last year, the exact same thing happened to me with "Behind a Closed Door," a novel that was among the best thriller books I read in 2024.

This time, Barker presents us with a haunted house story, set on Wood Island, New Hampshire. And this is the first thing I want to highlight about the novel. The locations where the story takes place are real: the town of New Castle, the café, the island, and the other places the characters visit. Additionally, there are a few events that occur in the novel that were also real, especially one involving two bodies found on the island, which we learn about relatively early in the novel.

Personally, I enjoy when authors create stories that take place in real places, as I feel it helps strengthen the lore of those locations. I really liked the note JD Barker left at the end, where he mentions that there are cities and towns that are against using those places for horror novels, but in the case of New Castle, people were happy to tell Barker everything that had happened in the town to inspire the author. The residents of New Castle definitely understood the assignment.

While this is a horror story, which differs from the author's other novels I read, which are more thriller-oriented, "Something We Keep Upstairs" maintains the characteristic elements of Barker's novels. No character is safe in this book; in fact, there's a greater chance of dying than of staying alive in this story, and I found this interesting, as it reminds us of how fragile life is, and that no matter how much of a protagonist we are, it doesn't necessarily mean we'll emerge unscathed from our story.

I've mentioned this in previous reviews, but I think it's important to remember: J.D. Barker is not an author recommended for sensitive readers. In this novel, for example, you'll find strong scenes involving murder, suicide, bodies being burned, and much more. So if these kinds of scenes disturb you in a horror novel, it's best not to read it. On the other hand, if you're an experienced horror reader or have lost that sensitivity in books, give this novel a try; you'll undoubtedly enjoy it.

Now, several ghosts appear in the novel, and they play a very important role. This role is completely linked to Emerson, the entity found on Wood Island and who will be the novel's main antagonist. Barker presents the idea that ghosts don't necessarily remain at the age at which the person dies, but can return to the age they most remember or enjoyed, or even, in the case of people who die very young, they can age a couple of years, as is the case with one character in the novel (whose narrative arc I really enjoyed).

Ultimately, "Something We Keep Upstairs" is a story I really enjoyed. Its chapters are mostly short, which helps make for a more agile read. The truth is, I found the pages flying by, as I was so hooked on the story. If you're looking for a haunted house story, this is the perfect one for you.

When you finish a book and actually question if it was true or not you know the book was good enough to pull you in and make an impact.

I came upon this book after seeing an ad for a content to spent a night on a “haunted” small island off the coast of New Hampshire. I entered as my husband would love it and then promptly went to NetGalley to see if it was available to read early and it was.

I did start it and realized that I needed to be in a certain head space to get through it so I put it aside for a bit until I saw the audiobook become available to review as well. That told me to get on it as publishing day was approaching. I decided to request it and do an immersion read of it and I am so glad that I did.

As far as the audio, the story lends itself very well to the format as you feel like you’re sitting in on the MMC just telling you the story. That story however is very detailed and long so following along with my eyeballs allowed me to stay engaged and not fall asleep at parts.

The book is supposedly fiction with some true things sprinkled in. I’ll admit it’s hard if not impossible to parse out what those facts are beyond it being a very read place complete with the real businesses and other places that make up the area. The authors note at the end give a good overview of this so be sure to read it. You could even read it first as it won’t spoil the story.

The narrator Michael Crouch did a good job with the MMC, a 17 year old boys recitation. I felt like the character was indeed telling me the story. However, he struggled when he had to read other character voices, many times not having any change in his tone but other times putting on an accent that didn’t fit with the area (in my opinion) which took me out of the story a bit.

I do think the book was unnecessarily long for what it had to offer but as I said above, the audiobook helped with that. I listened to it at 1.75x speed. Anything behind that became too hard to understand even with reading along. However, I will say that the book definitely spooked me! I’m not so sure I would want to win the completion at this point to stay on the island in the house!

The book comes out on May 13, 2025

I am thankful to have gotten a complimentary audio ALC from RB Media and the eARC from Hampton Creek Press through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

4.25⭐️

This started off really slow but the second half was amazinggg. It was eerie, unsettling, and twisty! The plot was engaging and the writing was suspenseful. I didn’t like the characters though. Also, there were some explicit and weird scenes that really didn’t need to be there. The ending was good but I wasn’t happy with it; I wish it had gone in a different direction. All that being said, this one’s definitely worth a read.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: ANOTHER BANGER FROM BARKER!!! I would give this more than 5 stars if I could. I absolutely loved everything about it.

This book is around 500 pages, but I was never bored. I didn't want it to end. Even the author's note after the book was interesting.

This book looks like a typical haunted house story from the cover, but it is so much more. It blends ghosts, witches, New England spookiness, along with a few other horror themes I won't go into because I don't want to give anything away. There is a lot going on, but it all WORKS. I was completely captivated. I read a ton of horror, and this felt so fresh. The main characters are teenagers, but aren't annoying, which is impressive on its own. The setting of the small, isolated island is intriguing. Every element of this book was spot on for me.

Run, don't walk, to pick this one up when it comes out next month. It's the perfect Summer book. A big thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

I’m genuinely grateful I had the chance to read Something I Keep Upstairs by J.D. Barker before its release date. What a ride.

From page one, the tension is palpable. Every chapter ends in a cliffhanger, making this one of those rare books you keep telling yourself you'll read “just one more page”... until it’s 3 a.m. and you’re still going.

What impressed me most is how seamlessly Barker weaves fact and fiction. The story feels otherworldly, yet disturbingly real. And it’s not just a feeling—if you follow the author’s note and start Googling, you’ll discover just how much of the background is grounded in reality. That blurred line between truth and invention adds a whole extra layer of depth.

The atmosphere is thick, the pacing relentless, and the unease constant. It’s horror, yes, but it’s also psychological, immersive, and razor-sharp. Barker doesn’t just tell a story, he builds a world that feels lived-in and deeply unsettling.

You know it’s going to be a bad idea when the summer plan includes no adults and a creepy island house with a mysterious past. But seventeen-year-old Billy and his best friend David go anyway—because what could go wrong, right? Spoiler: everything.

This book is creepy, twisted, and totally unputdownable. J.D. Barker masterfully mixes teenage banter with bone-deep dread. The vibes are off from the moment they set foot on the island, and things only get darker from there. The pacing? Quick. The tension? Palpable. The attic? Yeah… don’t go up there.

It’s part horror, part coming-of-age, and all nightmare fuel. Barker gives us friendship, fear, and a sinister force that’s been waiting way too long to be disturbed.

If you like haunted houses, ancient evil, and twisty summer thrillers with teeth, Something I Keep Upstairs is your next must-read. But seriously—maybe sleep with a nightlight.

Thanks to Hampton Creek Press for this advance copy via NetGalley for my honest, voluntary review.

#SomethingIKeepUpstairs #JDBarker #HorrorBooks #SummerThriller #BookReview #CreepyReads #TBR #NetGalley #HamptonCreekPress #May2025

J.D. Barker world-builds with the best of them, delivering a richly historical and multilayered haunted house/haunted island story with a fantastically twisty plot and vivid characterization. No stone or pebble goes unturned by the author as the reader is plunged into this unnerving, character-driven tale and the sinister mysteries of a seemingly normal house on a small island off the coast of New Hampshire. (Be Sure to Read the Author’s Note)

When David Spivey inherits a mysterious island from his dead aunt who was long estranged from his parents, his best friend, Billy, our narrator, takes us on a creepy and terrifying journey. Characters, major and minor, shine. Darkly at times. Quite darkly. As does the masterfully crafted historical aspect of this novel which is what made it a solid 4.5/5 stars in my mind, rounded up to 5/5.

Building cold dread, creeping, disturbing, enigmatic, the rules…any book with rules, well, you know rules are meant to be broken! When a rule is broken, the house begins to reveal itself.

Is it the house? The island? Something more?

How far does it reach? You may be surprised.

Highly recommend this one for readers who enjoy King and also enjoy psychological thrillers and suspense. Each chapter ends on enough of a cliffhanger to keep you reading. As you closer to the end, the cliffhangers become more compelling, the pacing faster, more furious, and I loved that aspect.

This book was really good. J.D. Barker just has a way of writing things that make my hairs stand on end. It was a little slow in the beginning but it definitely paid off.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this arc.