2.5 Stars



The Book At A Glance

Thiago never cared for gadgets, but when his wife Vera insisted on buying Itza—“the world’s most advanced smart speaker”—he went along with it. At first, the device was just another oddity among the condo’s cold spots and scratching in the walls. But soon, eerie packages began arriving, strange music played at night, and Itza lit up empty rooms. Then tragedy struck: Vera was killed, leaving Thiago drowning in grief while the Itza kept whispering in the dark. Desperate for peace, Thiago retreats to a remote Colorado cabin, but isolation brings no safety. Haunted by guilt, stalked by something monstrous that thrives on his sorrow, Thiago realizes he can’t escape the evil that’s followed him.

Bookish Thoughts

I first came across this book on BookTok, and the premise immediately hooked me. It felt like the perfect atmospheric read to dive into for the fall and Halloween season—dark, eerie, and unsettling in all the right ways. I love when a story combines spooky vibes with deeper themes. When you’re in the mood for a horror novel steeped in grief, the eerie unknown, the dead stirring back to life, and a twisty ending that just might leave you unsettled and questioning everything.




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My Review


This horror novel weaves together themes of grief and the supernatural. At its core, it follows a man mourning the loss of his wife while unsettling, inexplicable things begin happening in their home. The story is divided into four parts: the first two explore his raw grief and the eerie disturbances surrounding him. I thought the author captured the weight of loss beautifully—the writing truly conveys what it feels like to live in the aftermath of losing someone you love. The unsettling moments in the house kept me intrigued; I wanted to understand their cause. Were they connected to his wife’s death? Was it something as simple as a faulty device, or something darker?


This novel also made me so skeptical of technology. The things that were happening with the Itza were absolutely terrifying—lights flickering, eerie music playing in empty rooms, and the device seemingly watching Thiago’s every move. It really makes you think about how much we rely on our gadgets, and what could happen if they were used against us… or if they somehow gained a mind of their own.


Unfortunately, the last two sections of the book lost me. The introduction of a demon and the protagonist’s frantic attempts to escape blurred the story’s direction and left me confused. Instead of tying the threads together, the ending raised more questions than answers.


Overall, I’d rate this one a 2.5 out of 5. The opening half was excellent, with vivid depictions of grief and compelling suspense, but the final act unraveled and left me feeling unsatisfied.

“I’m afraid that when we die, we end up wherever we always thought we’d end up. If we want to go to heaven, we go to heaven. If we believe in reincarnation, we come back as a baby or an animal or a tree. If we think we’re going to hell, we’ll burn forever, and we’ll never realize that we were the ones to put ourselves there.”

Gus Moreno
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Other Books by the Author

Some of the author’s other beloved titles include When I Lay My Vengeance Upon Thee books.

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Literary Pairing

The Fisherman by John Langan makes an excellent companion to This Thing Between Us by Gus Moreno, as both novels plunge into the depths of grief while weaving in cosmic and supernatural horror. Moreno channels his story through a haunted smart speaker and the unsettling presence of technology, while Langan grounds his in fishing trips that slowly unravel into mythic, otherworldly terror. Read together, they reveal how personal tragedy can open a doorway to something vast, uncanny, and terrifying. A perfect pairing for readers who crave horror that is both intimate and cosmic.

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Shelf To Table

Blood Orange Coffee Cake: A bright and flavorful twist on a classic treat, featuring a soft, buttery crumb infused with the sweet-tart essence of blood oranges. Topped with a zesty citrus glaze or crunchy streusel





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