For my next read, I chose The 13th Floor by Jack Steen.
This asylum has always had a missing floor. The thirteenth.
Every Halloween, the building unlocks the door, and this time, it was my turn for an invite. I would have turned it down, but I wasn’t given a choice.
And when the doors opened, I met a man waiting in the dark. Pastor Cole. A killer who preached salvation and killed you with a smile.
I’ve heard a lot of confessions from the dying, but his was different. He didn’t want forgiveness. He wanted witnesses.
He said the thirteenth floor was his church–that the voices behind the walls were his congregation. He said the Matron still keeps his sermons running. Now the lights hum, the walls breathe, and something keeps whispering my name. I should’ve never stepped into that elevator.
The 13th Floor — every floor has a secret. Only the 13th keeps the dead.
I really wanted to love this one. The premise had everything I usually enjoy—creepy setting, psychological horror, and that unsettling, claustrophobic feel of being trapped somewhere you shouldn’t be. And at times, it did deliver on that atmosphere.
But overall, this one just didn’t quite land for me.
The story felt disjointed and, at times, confusing. I found myself rereading sections, trying to piece together what was happening and who was actually narrating. Some chapters felt repetitive, almost like I was being told the same things in slightly different ways, which made it hard to stay fully engaged.
That said, I know this could absolutely just be a “me” thing. Not every book is going to hit the same way for every reader, and that’s okay. I’m still really glad I gave it a try—and I’m definitely not giving up on finding my next great read.
On to the next one. 📚