Horror is not for everyone, and this book will not be for everyone... BUT IT WAS FOR ME!
It gets you right from the start with the and by the time things start to unravel, you're already in and feel like part of the story itself.
I say definitely be aware of your triggers going in and understand that emotional pain can be just as hurtful as physical, especially when we are facing these things head on.
PLEASE READ THIS BOOK.

This is the kind of horror novel that won’t be for everyone, but when it gets into the right hands, it will be devoured. I’ve seen other reviews where this is either a hit or a miss, for me, it was a hit. This book is for the weirdos that like to get that strange itch scratched because this book will scratch it. The pacing was done well, the characters made sense and the ending was realistic enough for me.

This started strong for me, I enjoyed exploring the concept that a true crime podcast could do more harm than good. I also liked the moments where the deceased friend reached out to him, reminiscent of An American Werewolf in London. However… I quickly began to lose interest. You mean to tell me that you either have mold growing out of you or are hallucinating mold growing out of you and you decide to sit down and write, record, edit and publish a podcast?!??

This book did have lots of descriptive horror and some interesting scenes, but overall it felt disjointed and didn’t hold my attention very well. I think there may be an audience for it, but I don’t think it’s me.

Not my personal taste in writing style, but I appreciate what Hull’s cinematic eye brings to his storytelling, and I think I’d really enjoy it as a film. Readers who enjoy plot-driven narratives over immersive world-building will like the pacing of it, so I’ll definitely be recommending it and writing a review for the shelf. Love the back story for this novel, Hull’s personal connection to the setting, and his clear passion for this project.

Chilling, gory and devastating story!
Paul returns to his home town after he is called out over problematic behaviour. (its unsettling to use the word "canceled" as a term for their main characters being held accountable)
upon arriving not only is he dealing with the backlash of the towns citizens feelings about his podcast but also the deaths of dear friends who have been committing suicide on his familys property: 8114 Farm
Terrifying secrets, disturbing body horror and a dark legend infecting the minds of the town
Paul works to uncover not only his fears but the truth of the gruesome deaths
I recommend for any vc andrews and stephan king fans

8114 by Joshua Hull is a supernatural horror novel that grips you from its eerie start to its relentless, chilling conclusion. Following Paul, a flawed yet relatable protagonist, the story delves into his return to a decaying hometown and a childhood home steeped in tragedy. What begins as a quest for answers spirals into a nightmarish exploration of memory, trauma, and sinister forces.

Hull’s storytelling is masterful, blending psychological horror with vivid imagery that lingers long after you’ve turned the last page. Pop culture references and podcast elements add a unique flair, making the narrative feel both modern and deeply unsettling. While the story’s pacing builds steadily, the tension crescendos into an unforgettable climax that will leave you stunned.

A perfect read for fans of The Haunting of Hill House or Sinister, 8114 is a standout addition to the genre. Keep the lights on for this one.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #ClashBooks for the ARC!

This novella has similar vibes to John Darnielle's "Devil House," a book I had A LOT of feelings about, most of them negative. Like Devil House, 8114 has an unreliable narrator creating true crime entertainment, bending some of th facts of the crime to fit their own agenda. There are some interesting formatting decisions going on in this novel as well. It's a transcript of a true crime podcast and italics and bold are used interchangeably to indicate emphasis. This book isn't bad, it's just not my thing.

The good
It's short

The not-so-good
Weird formatting

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

Paul Early is a podcaster, Mostly because he really doesn’t know what else to do. He starts with a story of a student that he went to school with, Adam Benny, who was missing. Paul did not think about the repercussions of his actions from this podcast. When his world starts to crumble around him, Paul is suddenly called back to his hometown where he finds that one of his best friends committed suicide in the house where he was raised.
8114 South State Road 67 is more than a childhood home, it is a place of history and horror. A place of secrets, infection, disease, rot and contagion. It is a place that is calling Paul Early back because of his mistakes, and it is hungry. This book is immersive, cinematic and graphic. Hull perfectly mixes supernatural, horror and psychological thriller elements, peppered with some dark humor making this a must read for horror fans.

An interesting take on a ‘haunted house’. Fresh, modern, VERY CREEPY, gory. An excellent choice for anyone who loves a haunted house story or who loves true crime podcasts….or who hates them? Thank you NetGalley!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

I loved the concept of this book, but truthfully I found it quite hard to get into. While I enjoyed the podcast format, I found the characters to be unlikeable to the point where I didn’t care about what happened to them. I unfortunately did not finish this book as I just wasn’t invested in the story.

Hull has written an ambitious new horror novel, for fans of The Blair Witch Project or author Catriona Ward. When his old friend dies in his childhood home, Paul returns armed with his podcast determined to find out what happened to his friend, and unravel the haunting of 8114. I had such high hopes for this book, and while I absolutely loved the plot, it did feel as though important things kind of just….. happened, without any building, or background to form the significance. Hull’s writing is very reminiscent of how a movie would play itself out. I absolutely loved the idea, plot, and parts of the book but this overall missed the mark for my personal taste.

So I really wanted to love this. However, it was hard to get invested in the story largely because the main character was so unlikable. The constant pop culture references started to become very overused and boring, and it just felt very forced. For the parts that were spooky and scary I have to give credit. The stories being told - the blackened woman, the coven, the rhyme - were sufficiently creepy. However, it wasn't enough to hold a story together.

Immediately, the writing style wasn't for me and I hated the main character. I can't finish this in good faith cause I don't expect to like it. I was actually excited about it cause I love the premise, it sounds so good and I see a lot of people mention this had good potential, but I just can't read a book I can't stand.

Incredibly fun and creepy read. I honestly wish it was longer. The premise of this book would make an incredible movie.

I’m stunned. This book was a wild ride filled with dread, anguish and so much horror. I loved every minute of it, ha ha. It kept me on the edge of my seat from the beginning and that ending made me gasp out loud!

And yup, I bit my nails of while reading because this story stressed me out, ha ha. I’m so excited to read more from Joshua Hull in the years to come. 8114 is highly recommended by me!

This was a quick, somewhat entertaining read. The premise was interesting and the podcast elements were a nice modern touch. However, the characters seemed underdeveloped and the way the book was written felt like it might translate better on film than as a book (visuals and body horror elements especially). Unfortunately I don't think I would necessarily recommend it to anyone besides those who might just want an easy fast-paced horror story, but I didn't dislike it either.

In the traditional haunted house story, the tension usually comes from the fact the protagonist must stay within the house. Oftentimes, they’ve just purchased the place or inherited it. They are employed to caretake the house or are forced to live next door to it. The biggest scares in these stories may occur when the ghost pops out of the closet, but the true terror in these tales is that the characters are trapped. Yes, the Luntz’s could leave their home in Amityville to go to work on the grocery store, but every night they still came home to sleep beside their spectral roommates.

Joshua Hull ups the ante in his latest book, 8114 (out Aug. 26, 2025 from Clash Books), with a story where it’s not just a house that is haunted, it’s an entire town. Paul Early is an investigative podcaster whose bad-faith reporting has landed him in hot water just as he discovers terrible personal news. His childhood best friend has died by suicide inside Paul’s abandoned family home at the edge of town. Hungry for answers, Paul turns to the same podcasting skills that got him canceled to try to piece together what drove his friend to such an act. But there is something much more sinister lurking in this small Indiana town, and the closer Paul gets to the truth, the more lethal things become.

In a world of increasingly literary haunt novels, 8114 is a breath of fresh air. Readers are not left to wonder if the horrors Paul Early is facing are all in his head or a manifestation of trauma. Instead, Hull boldly makes his monsters real, visible, and threatening from moment one. Supernatural creatures burst from lacerations on skin, while demons lurk in the shadows of everyday locations. Dead friends drop by for a quick chat, while gangs of ghosts can be seen by more than one townsperson.

It’s this imagery that will stick with readers after they close 8114, and that comes as so surprise. Hull’s most recent success is as the script writer for the film Glorious, a cosmic horror-comedy about a man’s encounter with an eldritch god in a rest-stop bathroom. That cinematic eye is on full display here as characters see disturbing figures in one moment and then find them gone the next. Or, when a scene spirals into out-of-control body horror only for reality to snap back into focus and reveal none of these terrible events happened.

Horror movie fans will likely enjoy seeing this very film-centric technique explored on the page, but they may also lament the lack of rich internal life that comes with this approach. In film, we must understand the character’s feelings and motivations through their words and actions. While in books, we’re gifted the ability to dive deeply into their minds. Hull’s first-person novel certainly allows readers into Paul’s mind, but what they’ll find there is fairly surface. This is not a character with a rich internal life. His motivations are simple: untangle the mystery, save himself and his friends, and maybe get the girl in the end. The source of the haunting is revealed, but the reasons for it are basic. Even Paul’s belief that he is the reason so many lives have been ruined is discussed but never truly examined. What did he do on his podcast that was so uncouth? Why does his high school girlfriend consider him a fuck up?

But these questions and others are easily set aside as Hull lays out the track and sends readers on a fast-paced thrill ride they are sure to enjoy. 8114 is a refreshingly fun horror story sure to connect with horror hounds ready for a good old fashioned haunting.

Unfortunately, this book was a DNF for me. I made it about a third of the way through the book and just could not make myself keep going. While the overall plot sounds intriguing and I did enjoy the podcast elements of the story, the writing style and the characters fall flat.

This was an interesting novella, and I loved the idea of a true crime podcaster having to deal with someone who did not want to be found. The author did a fantastic job crafting the atmosphere and vibes with this one.

Whilst the cover for this book was intriguing and really cool, the writing was overall poor. I can understand what was being attempted here, and I think it could've been truly scary and worthy of finishing IF the development and strong author voice was there. I DNF this at 34%.

The author voice was incredibly flat and held no presence, instead it sounded like a stroppy teenager trying too hard to be edgy, ultimately making it hard to think it belonged to a forty old man - but then again, saying that, maybe that was actually quite realistic. The fact that 'sigh' was actually written in the book was an example of this, which occurred one too many times.

The characters were unrefined, the pacing rushed, with the book overall lacking any real writing finesse. The horror was incredibly underdeveloped, and spoon fed. The dialogue was also disjointed and did not flow naturally, instead sounding like a weird narration instead of being spoken by an actual person in the moment.

Overall, I was not able to finish this book due to the overwhelming problems I had whilst reading this.