Hi all!

Welcome back! In September, we read Incidents Around The House by Josh Malerman for The You’ll Read Too Bookclub! Spoilers ahead!

Quick Reminder: This month we are reading ‘The Blonde Dies First’ by Joelle Wellington.

Today I’m going to give a quick plot summary, plus my overall star/scare-factor ratings. Then I will share the discussion topics and trivia questions. Please include all of your answers and opinions down below. I want to know exactly what you thought. I’ll also leave the answers to the trivia questions at the very bottom of the post. Without further ado, let’s get into it!

INCIDENTS AROUND THE HOUSE BY JOSH MALERMAN – SEPTEMBER 2024

PLOT SUMMARY

To eight-year-old Bela, her family is her world. There’s Mommy, Daddo, and Grandma Ruth. But there is also Other Mommy, a malevolent entity who asks her every day: “Can I go inside your heart?” When horrifying incidents around the house signal that Other Mommy is growing tired of asking Bela the same question, she understands that unless she says yes, her family must pay. 

OVERALL STAR RATING 

I gave it 4/5 stars. It received such a high rating from me, because it was unbelievably scary. If you’re a fan of It Follows and Coraline, this is the story for you! Sadly, I also found it super relatable. Like the protagonist, I too was forced to grow up early because of a ‘haunted home.’ It details the loss of innocence and the darkness that comes from an unstable childhood. On a lighter note, I enjoyed the format. I was able to breeze through it in a couple of days. The first-person perspective from the child added to the authenticity of her trauma. My main issue was the ending felt rushed and a little bit confusing. I also found the parents themselves, especially the mother, to be wildly irresponsible. I was judging a lot of their decisions. 

OVERALL SCARE-FACTOR RATING

I gave it a scare-factor rating of 5/5! It has been such a long time since I felt this unsettled by a book. The description of the Other Mommy completely freaked me out. Moreover, knowing she could appear at any point, anywhere, was terrifying. That toilet scene will haunt my nightmares for years to come! The horror is what makes this story a success. Without it, I don’t think it would’ve impressed me half as much. 

DISCUSSION TOPICS 

1.) Did you enjoy the format and the way this story was told – from the perspective of a child? 

Yes! As mentioned above, I found the format very enjoyable. It made the reading experience quick and pleasant. If you’re in a reading slump, I recommend this book to help you out of it. Writing from the perspective of Bela was a great choice by the author. It made her experience that much more authentic. 

2.) In your opinion, who or what did Other Mommy represent? 

I think Other Mommy represented who Bela’s actual mother wished she could be. The entity itself symbolised the inner turmoil she was holding onto and keeping from her family. 

3.) Why do you think Bela losing her innocence wasn’t enough to vanquish Other Mommy? 

I am still not entirely sure why it wasn’t enough. My book club members speculated that perhaps Bela lost her innocence long before the big, dark secret was revealed. As to why she ended up saying yes to Other Mommy? I think she felt it was the only way to save her parents marriage. I would love to know what you think. 

TRIVIA QUESTIONS 

Easy: What did Bela call her father? 

Medium: What word did Bela use to refer to bringing a friend back to life? 

Hard: What was the name of the first small town the family escaped to?

I hope you enjoyed the book club discussion. As mentioned above, share all of your thoughts in the comments below! If you have any feedback/suggestions to improve the book club, please let me know. I look forward to talking to you all next month! Thanks for reading!

Peace & Love xoxo

TRIVIA ANSWERS: Easy: ‘Daddo’. Medium: ‘Carnation’. Hard: Goblin.