When it was pitched to me as "Rosemary's Baby meets Salem's Lot in New York City", I was interested. When I listened to Nat Cassidy talk about this book and he said it was, in part, a Jewish vampire story, I was sold. It more than delivered on those promises with a building that feels alive, some of the most horrific body horror I've ever read, and an extremely satisfying series of Chekov's guns going off at the end. 

Please publishers, give us more disabled protagonists and more Jewish horror!

Read this intriguing take on New York City, old buildings, family, disability, and Judaism from Nat Cassidy. Then read the afterword. Excellent book. 

"What does it mean to be a mother? But that was the trick. There was no one meaning." 

Reading Nestlings by Nat Cassidy was such an amazing experience. There were moments when I was scared to death and triggered by some of my biggest fears but the payout was so worth it. Cassidy managed to play on the readers' fears with the horror aspects while at the same time delivering such depth and substance. So many of these moments will live rent-free in my brain and still give me the creeps. I don't know about y'all, but creepy babies, bugs, gargoyles, and old, tall buildings with loads of secrets give me so much anxiety. When I finished this one, I literally exhaled and said, "Wow! This book was great!" 

The best part of this one was how Cassidy was able to weave in important themes to a NYC horror story without making it feel super heavy. The sweet spot was in the balance for sure. He showcased the horrors of the predatory housing system in NYC, the trauma of bed bug infestations, and the economic inequalities, especially in the healthcare system. I love how he explored Jewish identity and religiousness and wasn't afraid to challenge some longstanding beliefs or "curses." I could tell a lot of research and thought went into the representation of disability, motherhood, post-birth trauma and post-partum depression. It was handled with care and felt very personal. He really makes the reader take a deeper dive into ableism, grief from becoming disabled and parenthood based on one's own experiences with their parents. There was just so much to love about this one. 

If you love horror stories that are going to fill you with dread, make you feel uneasy in your own home and make your skin crawl then run and grab yourself a copy. Turn off the lights, light a candle, get a warm blanket and hot drink, and enjoy the ride. This is one of the best horror books I've read this year. Nat Cassidy is an official auto-buy author from now on. I've gotten to meet Cassidy on three occasions and he is such a genuinely nice person.

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Eerie. Apprehensive. Brave. 

🇺🇸 Set in a gothic-style Art Deco apartment across from Central Park in New York, USA 

POV: Told in third-person narration, we mainly follow a married couple grappling with the challenges of new parenthood and post-birth trauma. 

 

Mood Reading Match Up: 

-Infusions of grown-up Goosebumps vibes set against a gothic Manhattan backdrop. 

-Integrating folklore horror and mythological creatures into urban life 

-Strong, complex character studies (including the monsters) with gradually evolving atmospheric plots 

-Exploring themes and social commentary on luck, heritage, Jewish identity, the rawness of parenthood, birth trauma, and struggling with new parent identities. 

 

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🐺 Growls, Howls, and Tail Wags 🐕 

✏️ Writing: The writing style is direct and to the point, immediately drawing me in. 

 

🫥 Characters: The narrative provides a ‘fly on the wall’ perspective, mainly from Ana and Reid’s points of view, but also includes other characters when relevant. 

 

🗺️ Worldbuilding: The setting in Manhattan feels authentic and immersive, with sensory details that create a parallel universe feel. The lore around the building adds an extra layer of intrigue. 

 

🔥 Fuel: Suspense is masterfully built through scenes that lack context, keeping me guessing and engaged. 

 

🐇 Pacing: The pacing is well-executed, maintaining momentum even through intense scenes. 

 

🎬 Scenes: The novel has a cinematic quality, I want a movie/mini-series adaptation! 

 

💭 Random Thoughts: The portrayal of a parent struggling with bonding and resentment towards their child is handled with depth and realism, exploring the complexities and often unspoken aspects of parenthood. I love how this veers away from the typical mother-child bond, momma bear worship. 

 

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Content Heads-Up: Medical (birth injury). Disability (inaccessibility, paralysis). Ableism. Covid-19 (recall). Racist character (antisemitism). Anxiety, panic attacks (experienced, triggered). Toxic parent. Sexual content (consenting, relationship). Post-partum depression (recalled, insinuated). Unemployment. Suicidal thoughts, attempt. Sleep deprivation. Loss of a parent (recall, grief). Body horror (mutation, feeding, body fluids). 

Rep includes: Jewish American, differently-abled (wheelchair mobility) and White characters, delving into their experiences and traditions. 

 

Format: Library Digital via Libby. 

 

🤩 This was one of my Favourite Books of 2023

 

“Reviews are my musings 💖 powered by puppy snuggles 🐶 refined by my AI Bestie ✨”

Nat Cassidy is a wizard and I'm raptured by his writing. And his author's note is so heart touching.