"Malorie" by Josh Malerman is a thrilling and suspenseful sequel to his bestselling novel "Bird Box." Malerman's writing is masterful, with a tense and gripping narrative that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. The characters are well-drawn and sympathetic, particularly Malorie herself, who is a complex and compelling protagonist. While the story can be a bit convoluted at times, Malerman manages to tie everything together in a satisfying and emotional conclusion. Overall, "Malorie" is a worthy follow-up to "Bird Box" that is sure to please fans of the horror and suspense genres.

Why did it take me so long to read Malorie? was a scared of it not living to my expectations? maybe, but I ended up loving this book and devouring it. I was worried about the ending, but I felt satisfied. There's some revelations that I never saw coming which I really enjoyed.
Recommended.

I'll admit my expectations were low for this after not loving Birdbox. So im not surprised I liked this even less.
This book just didn't feel needed.
It did start off interesting enough but soon the plot went in a direction that I didn’t care about. It just made less and less sense to me. The plot felt forced. Some reveals made no sense especially based on things we found out earlier on.
The characters felt flat. They were just what they needed to be in whatever situation and nothing else.
I'm glad the book was short and fast paced otherwise this would have dragged and made me dislike it more.

Josh Malerman hits it out of the park with his paranoia-inducing sequel to Bird Box. Set 10 years after the events of the original, it sees an older Malorie, now mother to teenage children (Tom and Olivia), again risk the creature-filled wilds of the outdoors when she receives news that her family may be alive.

Where the original was a white-knuckle thrill ride from start to finish, this is a deeper and more mature book from Malerman that draws its unease as much from the psychological fears of its characters than the unnamed creatures that roam outside. Tom and Olivia are growing up and want to reconnect with the world. This terrifies Malorie, who has grown used to her stringent yet safe cocoon of rules. And so when they do venture outside, it triggers a whole myriad of internal demons for Malerman to explore.

Malerman draws on this paranoia to drive you through the book. Every interaction and situation is magnified by these fears, every decision – no matter how trivial – feels like life or death. And just when you can’t hold your breath any longer, come the twists and revelations.

Malorie is a fine book and reaffirms Malerman’s standing as one of horror’s must read authors.

Malorie is the much anticipated follow-up to Josh Malerman’s brilliant Bird Box. I loved the first book. The movie was pretty good too, though as with all such things, the book was better.

I must admit I was a little surprised to see a sequel, and a little concerned – could Malerman pull off the double?

Well, I really enjoyed Malorie. It was tense, pacy and with a similar feeling of dread to the original book. The creatures are still an ever-present deadly menace to anyone who dares to steal a glance. Malorie is still fiercely protective of her kids, and Olympia and Tom (no longer Boy and Girl from the first book) are growing up.

Short version – if you read the first book, you’re going to want to read this one. I rattled through it in a day. And if Sandra Bullock is up for the film, I’ll watch that too.

Great stuff. Recommended.

I received a free eARC of Malorie but that has in no way influenced my review.

Malorie is the sequel to the astonishingly good Bird Box which I read last year. I loved Bird Box. Actually, I more than loved it and it's the proud holder of the title 'Emma's biggest book hangover'. Nothing else on my TBR could even begin to compete with Bird Box for weeks and weeks after. If you haven't read it, that REALLY needs to change. Which is why I was so excited about reading Malorie.

Having survived the creatures terrifying arrival, and the dawning of a brand new, frightening world, Malorie is still doing everything in her power to make sure she and her two children - Tom and Olympia - remain safe, sane and alive. They've followed the rules for 17 long, arduous years and survived when many others haven't. All because of Malorie; her fear and her paranoia. But the children are teenagers now and Tom, in particular, wants to spread his wings. No teenager, no matter what terrifying world they live in, wants to listen to their mother! So when a stranger turns up at their door with news of the creatures and tales of other people's experiences, people who lived to tell someone else their story, Tom is all ears. Malorie's fear drives the stranger away but he leaves behind some papers. Papers which will change everything for Malorie and her children...

Before I go any further, I need to stick my neck out and say I don't think this book will work as a standalone. I think you need to have read Bird Box, or at least watched the Netflix series (which I admit, I haven't seen myself), before reading Malorie. Both books are set in a very different world and Bird Box gives you the base you need to enjoy and fully understand the reasons and actions of Malorie in this latest instalment. The reader really needs to understand the character and her motivations to grasp the full impact of this novel.

Before picking up this book and reading the blurb, I was nervous to find out where the author was going to take the story. Malorie and her young children were put through hell on earth in Bird Box, and then some! So I was quite relieved to find out the story had moved on a number of years and both children are now in their mid-teens with their own thoughts, feelings and fears. And although I don't expect life in the 'new world' will ever be the norm (for those who were born before the creatures arrival, anyway), there is more of an understanding and acceptance of the situation. People are still opening their eyes and looking at the creatures. People are still going mad. People are still violently destroying their friends and family as a result. The creatures cannot be beaten. They are not going away. They have to be lived with, like it or not. But the characters have adjusted and I found that fascinating.

I've mentioned about ten times already in this review how much I love Bird Box. But Malorie felt a very different book. Did I enjoy Malorie as much as Bird Box? No, but I think that can be said for the large majority of books out there. The pace felt slower, the shocks and surprises fewer, the threat felt reduced from the first book. But what ties the books together so well (apart from the phenomenal Malorie) is the journey. I was completely immersed in the trio's trek across Michigan. It had me on the edge of my seat waiting for something terrible to happen. And then it does...

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes but I really believe you will get so much more out of it if you're familiar with Bird Box. Malorie is a good sequel to a book I adore and I'm glad I read it. I'm glad I got to spend a little more time with an unforgettable character. But I have a feeling this may be the last we see of Malorie Walsh. The ending felt a little too neat and tidy for a continuation but we will see. Recommended.

I chose to read and review an eARC of Malorie. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

**3.5 stars rounded up to 4 for NetGalley, Goodreads, Amazon & Waterstones**

I really enjoyed Bird Box but I think I enjoyed this more. Bird Box was a difficult read for me, having two small children, so Malorie - set 10+ years later was much more bearable.
The book starts off with chaos and yet again Malorie and the kids are forced to find another home and safe haven.
With an equally perilous journey as Bird Box Malorie, this time had the help but also the drama that teenage children bring - the battling of wills and needs for independence teemed with Malorie's distrust and paranoia made for an interesting dynamic.
This was a great read but not quite as 'edge of your seat' reading as Bird Box.

I’ve never read any of Josh Malerman’s books before including Bird Box, the predecessor to Malorie however, having received several assurances that I should be fine jumping into this sequel without having experienced first book, I decided to bite the bullet.

In effect, Malorie can be read as a standalone though there are a few key points about the setting readers should know, however, the book plays catch up with you for those things very quickly.

Malorie was reasonably straightforward in its style and an easier read than I was expecting. Josh Malerman has an incredible imagination and I really enjoyed the story for its entertainment value. I loved following protagonist Malorie, and her teenage children, Tom and Olympia on their journey, and finding out whether they fulfilled what they’d hoped to achieve, whilst learning a few lessons about themselves and each other. The author's characterisation was impressive and I was the most taken by Tom, the proactive, curious inventor, though overprotective Malorie and the cautious Olympia were also well created and developed.

In this scary tale, the unexpected is never far away and I flew through this book, finishing it in one sitting. A very highly recommended read for horror fans.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Orion Publishing via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

Bird box was my favorite book, and it was the one which started me on the path of horror. I started loving the genre, thanks to Josh Malerman.

Then came this book which had me all kinds of excited. I wanted to go back to the world where blindfold was the norm. A hope of a new world where people lived without blindfolds, where her parents supposedly resided caused Malorie to leave the safe place with her kids Tom and Olympia.

A well woven plot line, lovable known characters bit who were new to me, and an eerie atmosphere to the prose which I read/listened to.

It was slightly slow paced compared to the first with many repetitive ways of address, but those were nary some minor points. The writing drew me in with its eerie setting. The narrator did a good job to keep me invested in the plot.

Overall, an entertaining read/listen.

Malorie is the sequel to the smash-hit success Bird Box, and although it doesn't live up to the standards of the first book, it is still a thoroughly decent thriller which I enjoyed immensely. I would say you need to read Bird Box before this as they are directly linked and you'll gain a much better overall experience that way. The story picks up several years after the original and Malorie and her children, Tom and Olympia are just about surviving the New World. When a census taker appears at their door Malorie refuses to let him in and he leaves but not before leaving behind a list of names; names of some of the survivors who have come together in the hope of creating a society in which they can live without blindfolds and in harmony with one another. Malorie decides to read the list and is shocked to discover that two of the people on the list are known to her; they are her parents. And so she bravely sets off with both Tom and Olympia on a terrifying journey to search for them. She is aware that there is a good chance she will not survive and danger lurks around every corner but the prospect of being united in freedom proves too much to resist.

This is a superbly woven tale that holds your attention from the get-go and of course Malerman’s signature spine-chilling atmosphere and sense of creeping unease exist for the entirety of the story. It's taut and tightly plotted, which is to be expected from such a talented writer, and stands out amongst a sea of books in the genre due to its originality and creativity. This is an entertaining and tension-filled read with a cast you quickly become invested in. I definitely don't recommend reading this into the night as it is full of intense and palpable dread. It's thought-provoking too and I myself thought about it long after the final page had been turned. It was great to be able to return to the world and discover how the characters are getting on as it was very much like reconciling with old friends. You are on edge throughout as it was never clear just where the threats would arise from. The worldbuilding is some of the best and seeing exactly how the characters managed to survive was gripping. Many thanks to Orion for an ARC.

Malorie is a sequel to Malerman's Birdbox. Birdbox has been made into a successful TV series. I haven't seen that, so if you haven't be warned, I may be inadvertently spoiling something for you! Though, if you haven't already read Birdbox, I think you should before you read Malorie or watch the series.

Malorie is set in the same world as Birdbox, a USA invaded by "creatures" seeing which sends the viewer into a frenzy leading them to kill others and then themselves. Wise people, "safe" people, live "by the fold" - swathing their eyes in cloth, never uncovering them or opening them unless they have explored their surroundings and are satisfied that no creature is present. People stay indoors, windows painted over, and distrust each other. For who knows who may have seen a creature?

The Malorie of the title is a young woman, who we saw previously navigate the new world, eventually to arrive at a school for the blind which provided her and her two kids a haven. The new book picks up this story six years later, and sees them forced to leave the school, setting up in an abandoned summer camp. Here, the horrors Malorie has experienced push her into a style of fierce, even over protective parenting. Tom, 16, and Olympia, 13 are bright children who have grown up in the new world. They understand the dangers, but they haven't faced the trauma Malorie has, of losing everything. Tom especially is restless and inventive and Malorie often has to tell him "no". Olympia - whose birth we saw in Birdbox - has her own secrets.

This is a short novel, and one I raced through over a couple of days. It's less about the practicalities of survival post-apocalypse than it is about the moral, psychological and cultural aspects. Malerman doesn't bother to explain where the food comes, from or precisely how it's possible for sighted people to survive while denying themselves that sense. More important is the sense of loss, of a world having been stolen away, the rage at the creatures that Malorie shows - but which she also feels at Gary, the man who broke up her previous sanctuary. Gary represents those who deny the threat posed by the creatures.

Reading all this during the time of covid lockdown made the story come vividly alive for me. Everyone - everyone "safe" - is isolated, alone or in small groups, largely indoors. Contact with others is minimal, in case their sanity is compromised. Some wild people out there deny the situation, getting others into danger. And people wait - for what? For answers? For a solution (a vaccine?) Malerman can't have intended this but his timing seems impeccable.

Against this background, Malorie is very much a story about growing up, taking risks and letting go. Malorie the woman has sacrificed such a lot, been so hard on those kids and on herself, teaching them the lessons of survival she has learned so painfully herself. Of course they - or Tom at least - resent her (Olympia sees herself as a peacemaker between the other two). The story - essentially of how the sanctuary at camp Yadin ends and of what follows - is not hard to predict, but Malerman delivers it with such verve, such aplomb, that the pages blur past. Malorie, especially, comes out of those pages and speaks for herself: I felt such empathy with her, while also being appalled at much of what she is doing. Fixated on saving the "teens" from the creatures, she ignores or doesn't even imagine other problems and dangers: universal human problems, and very specific dangers. There were times when I was shouting to her, times when I was crying with her. It's that involving.

Tom and Olympia are also well drawn - over-confident, enthusiastic Tom, mature, self-controlled Olympia. Despite the weird circumstances they've grown up in and live in, Malerman makes them human, familiar, as growing teens and as people. You want to know more about them, you wish them the space to grow and flourish.

It's a superb book, carrying the story of Birdbox forward in new ways, supplying answers and hard lessons which are intimately built on what went before.

Strongly recommended.

The sequel to Bird Box picks up Malorie's story at the Janet Tucker School for the Blind and that's as much of the plot as I'm gonna share as I don't want to ruin this book for anyone!
What I can say is Malerman really cranks up the tension in this scary piece of story-telling - the horror of the unseen, the constant fear of every unexpected sound, the distrust of strangers and the fact that the simplest of tasks are fraught with danger mean that there's a constant nervous, edgy pulse at the heart of this book. There is also a big warm beating heart - the love of one woman for her family, and the lengths that she'll go to to keep her nearest and dearest safe.
There are also interesting parallels to be drawn between the wearing of blindfolds and our current need to wear facemasks - with a section of society not wanting to wear them, believing the effects of the monsters are fake news and just mass hysteria....
A great sequel, packed with some truly nerve-shredding passages. Don't read it alone!

I love being apart of this world and Josh Malerman's writing is fun, I'm always kept entertained. These are the creepiest creatures I've ever came across but I feel like the story could have been fine left at Bird Box, I didn't like the fact that the creatures were made less scary and more approachable.

I was first introduced to Birdbox through Netflix, and I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, so when I saw the second book was available, I had to read it! This was really thrilling from start to finish, as the world had no rest from the creatures that cause whoever sees them to commit suicide 17 years on from the first case. We follow Tom and Olympia as teenagers as they grapple the dark world around them, Malorie as tense as ever. Things however grow in risk as she finds out her parents are alive a short journey away. A brilliant novel with many twists and turns. I highly recommend

Malorie by Josh Malerman
I hadn't read Bird Box when I got this book, so I read Bird Box, then went straight into Malorie. I read both books in 4 days. I rarely if ever read two books by one author back to back and never read two from a series together.
I dont tend to read much dystopian type books and when I started Bird Box I thought I was out of my comfort zone, i was wrong! I loved both books and was hooked from the start.
I had this whole book playing like a movie in my head and I was willing the characters on. I was so invested in their story.
I am so glad I was able to read both together so I could follow their story.
If you enjoyed Bird Box then this book is a must read!!

I enjoyed this book, I think if I had perhaps read the first one, I might not have enjoyed it as much. It’s gripping, keeps you on the edge of your seat and not one to be read into the night!

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

I loved Birdbox and have recommended it to so many people! In fact I didn’t even watch the recent Netflix movie as I didn’t want to ruin the book in my head. It was an outstanding and unique book that I don’t think needed a sequel but ofcourse I was excited to know it had one! Unfortunately although just as creepy in atmosphere and content, my first thought was in fact correct and this sequel didn’t live up to its predecessor. It felt like it had been written as a screenplay sequel and not a literary one so I expect to see this on Netflix in the near future (except I won’t lol)

I literally let out a squeal when I saw Malorie available to request on Netgalley. As a huge Birdbox fan, this was the sequel I didn't even realise I needed!

Malorie hits the ground running as we are plunged directly into the action. Two years after Malorie and the children arrived at the blind school, chaos ensues. It appears that the blind may not be as immune as they thought and the creatures powers may have evolved somehow.

Fast forward ten years, Malorie, Tom and Olympia, now sixteen, are living in a new place of safety. Malorie still lives by the blindfold, she is mentally exhausted, still living on her nerves and now dealing with rebellious teens. But a knock on the door is about to change their lives completely and possibly plunge them into further darkness.

This is a book to keep you up at night - fraught with tension and nailbitingly good. Tense, terrifying, gripping, thrilling and with the same sense of dread as Birdbox, prepare yourself to go back into the world where the simple act of looking can send you insane. - loved it 5/5

Having read and enjoyed Bird Box, I was intrigued by a sequel, not really knowing where the plot would go. However, I was really impressed. I did think that the plot lost momentum a little midway through but by the end, I was enthralled again.

This book was definitely creepier than Birdbox in my opinion. It was quite thrilling. Just watch out when you're reading it, maybe not at night when you're alone :)

I liked the writing and the story. I think it was a good sequel.

Thanks a lot to NG and the publisher for this copy.