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My Darling Dreadful Thing
In a world where the dead can wake and walk among us, what is truly real?
Roos Beckman has a spirit companion only she can see. Ruth—strange, corpse-like, and dead for centuries—is the only good thing in Roos’ life, which is filled with sordid backroom séances organized by her mother. That is, until wealthy young widow Agnes Knoop attends one of these séances and asks Roos to come live with her at the crumbling estate she inherited upon the death of her husband. The manor is unsettling, but the attraction between Roos and Agnes is palpable. So how does someone end up dead?
Roos is caught red-handed, but she claims a spirit is the culprit. Doctor Montague, a psychologist tasked with finding out whether Roos can be considered mentally fit to stand trial, suspects she’s created an elaborate fantasy to protect her from what really happened. But Roos knows spirits are real; she's loved one of them. She'll have to prove her innocence and her sanity, or lose everything.
Roos Beckman has a spirit companion only she can see. Ruth—strange, corpse-like, and dead for centuries—is the only good thing in Roos’ life, which is filled with sordid backroom séances organized by her mother. That is, until wealthy young widow Agnes Knoop attends one of these séances and asks Roos to come live with her at the crumbling estate she inherited upon the death of her husband. The manor is unsettling, but the attraction between Roos and Agnes is palpable. So how does someone end up dead?
Roos is caught red-handed, but she claims a spirit is the culprit. Doctor Montague, a psychologist tasked with finding out whether Roos can be considered mentally fit to stand trial, suspects she’s created an elaborate fantasy to protect her from what really happened. But Roos knows spirits are real; she's loved one of them. She'll have to prove her innocence and her sanity, or lose everything.
375 pages, Paperback
First published May 14, 2024
About the author
Johanna van Veen
3 books213 followersJohanna van Veen grew up in the Netherlands with her two sisters. She received an MA in English Literature with a specialization in early modern literature, as well as an MA Book and Digital Media with a specialization in early modern book history.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 932 reviews
July 24, 2024
Clearly influenced by the Master of the Macabre, Edgar Allan Poe, Johanna Van Veen masterfully officiates a most unholy marriage of the macabre, the supernatural, and the tragically beautiful in her debut horror novel, My Darling Dreadful Thing. One of Poe’s most haunting tales, The Fall of the House of Usher, provides the gothic architecture Van Veen builds from. Similarities immediately visible include a thematic presence of claustrophobia and isolation, death and decay, and myth and madness. The Rozentuin, the decaying family manor, is also likened to a living and breathing thing, dying out with the end of the Knoop bloodline. As expected, the Knoop siblings, Thomas and Willemijn, are uncomfortably dependent on each other and so emotionally entangled together the reader immediately detects the symptoms of a sick, incestuous relationship between the two. Thomas’ wife, Agnes, is revolted by their relationship but stays for her fondness of the family manor and meager prospects should she divorce her husband.
Roos Beckman appears to be a powerful spiritual medium, easily subverting critics and holding steadfast believers bewitched with her preternatural gifts during staged séances held at her mother’s house. Roos has her Ruth, a spirit companion whom she permits frequent bodily possessions to deliver the expected theatrics during these sessions. Roos’ Mama exploits her child’s “madness” for capital gain by hosting these séances to prey on grief, financially consuming the most severely afflicted individuals with mortally wounded and agonized souls. Living in the Netherlands during the 1950’s, Roos should have some level of independence and have access to a few promising avenues for her future as a young woman, but her Mama has isolated and controlled her so totally, she is instead half starved, both physically and mentally, with no regular food or knowledge of the world. Agnes Knoop is a wealthy widow who first appears as a potential patron Mama is trying to impress, but during the séance where Roos pretends to channel Agnes’ dead husband with Ruth’s help, things go far beyond what was initially planned. Agnes offers to outright buy Roos, and disgustingly, Mama sells her daughter. As fearful as Roos is to leave, she’s also hopeful and suspicious that Agnes can see and feel much more than she’s admitting to.
When Roos and Ruth arrive at the Rozentuin with Agnes, Thomas Knoop is already dead, and there is a mysterious, intractable illness plaguing Willemijn Knoop, swiftly ushering the last living member of the Knoop family tree to a premature grave. Roos and Ruth are finally happy and starting to allow themselves to feel happier things in life, but they can’t escape a creeping feeling there is something sinister a foot at the Rozentuin, one that Agnes is fearful of acknowledging at all and Willemijn delights in provoking. This is a propulsive page turner since the author does such an excellent job at crawling under the reader’s skin using tantalizing clues and grotesque incidents around the house. Her writing is dissonantly lyrical and darkly atmospheric, which effectively conveys a peculiarly unsettling tone throughout the book. Roos and Agnes’ relationship is one sapphic love story that seems damned from the very beginning, but it is so lovely and gentle and true, even death will have trouble holding them apart. For her love of Agnes, Roos is desperately trying to fix what may be wrong, but the harder she tries, the deeper she digs into dark, derelict spaces she doesn’t belong, and before long, reality is cracking, time is running out, and death will come knocking to be let inside…Echoing Poe, Van Veen buries the reader in some archly disturbing truths, but she tunnels even deeper into the reader’s psyche by deftly conducting a postmortem examination on something we are all dying to possess but fearful to keep---love. I can’t give enough praise for this book, and as a hopeless romantic, I need some time to stitch back together my own bleeding heart and mourn for Roos and Agnes. Read this book. It’s horrifying but also tragically, queerly beautiful.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC and the opportunity to share what I think! All opinions are my own. Publication date was May 14th!
Roos Beckman appears to be a powerful spiritual medium, easily subverting critics and holding steadfast believers bewitched with her preternatural gifts during staged séances held at her mother’s house. Roos has her Ruth, a spirit companion whom she permits frequent bodily possessions to deliver the expected theatrics during these sessions. Roos’ Mama exploits her child’s “madness” for capital gain by hosting these séances to prey on grief, financially consuming the most severely afflicted individuals with mortally wounded and agonized souls. Living in the Netherlands during the 1950’s, Roos should have some level of independence and have access to a few promising avenues for her future as a young woman, but her Mama has isolated and controlled her so totally, she is instead half starved, both physically and mentally, with no regular food or knowledge of the world. Agnes Knoop is a wealthy widow who first appears as a potential patron Mama is trying to impress, but during the séance where Roos pretends to channel Agnes’ dead husband with Ruth’s help, things go far beyond what was initially planned. Agnes offers to outright buy Roos, and disgustingly, Mama sells her daughter. As fearful as Roos is to leave, she’s also hopeful and suspicious that Agnes can see and feel much more than she’s admitting to.
When Roos and Ruth arrive at the Rozentuin with Agnes, Thomas Knoop is already dead, and there is a mysterious, intractable illness plaguing Willemijn Knoop, swiftly ushering the last living member of the Knoop family tree to a premature grave. Roos and Ruth are finally happy and starting to allow themselves to feel happier things in life, but they can’t escape a creeping feeling there is something sinister a foot at the Rozentuin, one that Agnes is fearful of acknowledging at all and Willemijn delights in provoking. This is a propulsive page turner since the author does such an excellent job at crawling under the reader’s skin using tantalizing clues and grotesque incidents around the house. Her writing is dissonantly lyrical and darkly atmospheric, which effectively conveys a peculiarly unsettling tone throughout the book. Roos and Agnes’ relationship is one sapphic love story that seems damned from the very beginning, but it is so lovely and gentle and true, even death will have trouble holding them apart. For her love of Agnes, Roos is desperately trying to fix what may be wrong, but the harder she tries, the deeper she digs into dark, derelict spaces she doesn’t belong, and before long, reality is cracking, time is running out, and death will come knocking to be let inside…Echoing Poe, Van Veen buries the reader in some archly disturbing truths, but she tunnels even deeper into the reader’s psyche by deftly conducting a postmortem examination on something we are all dying to possess but fearful to keep---love. I can’t give enough praise for this book, and as a hopeless romantic, I need some time to stitch back together my own bleeding heart and mourn for Roos and Agnes. Read this book. It’s horrifying but also tragically, queerly beautiful.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC and the opportunity to share what I think! All opinions are my own. Publication date was May 14th!
July 18, 2024
”It’s a dangerous thing, to try and give someone everything. One day, you might find you’ve given away things you should’ve kept. Some parts of us must remain inviolate if we are to survive as a person.”
this was such a unique story, a queer horror that revolves around two women: Roos and Agnes. Roos has a spirit companion named Ruth who has been with her through all the hard times. when Ruth has a chance to leave her abusive situation by way of Agnes, they start to connect and eventually fall for one another. i really enjoyed the added aspect of the interviews interwoven between Roos’ past and the present— where she’s being investigated as a suspect for Angnes’ death. there’s a lot of mention on whether both women were in a proper state of mind and if the ghosts that inhabited their bodies were just a figment of their imagination. i lived for the dreadful tone and dark atmosphere too.
once again, im here bc of the cover🥀
this was such a unique story, a queer horror that revolves around two women: Roos and Agnes. Roos has a spirit companion named Ruth who has been with her through all the hard times. when Ruth has a chance to leave her abusive situation by way of Agnes, they start to connect and eventually fall for one another. i really enjoyed the added aspect of the interviews interwoven between Roos’ past and the present— where she’s being investigated as a suspect for Angnes’ death. there’s a lot of mention on whether both women were in a proper state of mind and if the ghosts that inhabited their bodies were just a figment of their imagination. i lived for the dreadful tone and dark atmosphere too.
November 24, 2023
So, on the first page, we meet our main character, a young woman with quite a unique friend – a bestie who can actually possess her body. They, along with Mama, use this talent to hold fake seances for grieving clients. But things take an unexpected turn during one of their sessions, and suddenly, they find themselves in a decrepit mansion with more than just secrets to uncover.
I absolutely loved the hybrid first person and epistolary narration in this book. We get to uncover the chilling details of a horrific incident involving our main character through a clever blend of first person accounts and tantalizing doctor's reports filled with dialogue. The constant doubt cast by the doctor's sections adds an extra layer of intrigue to an already unreliable narrator. I was left questioning everything, never sure what to believe. It's a brilliantly sharp, witty, and edgy storytelling technique that kept me hooked from start to finish.
The author's reverence for the Gothic genre is palpable, evident in the exquisitely crafted descriptions of eerie and dilapidated settings, the lingering influence of the past on every character, and the use of paranormal elements.
It's dark, it's gothic, it's sapphic, and I absolutely adored every single moment devouring this!.
I absolutely loved the hybrid first person and epistolary narration in this book. We get to uncover the chilling details of a horrific incident involving our main character through a clever blend of first person accounts and tantalizing doctor's reports filled with dialogue. The constant doubt cast by the doctor's sections adds an extra layer of intrigue to an already unreliable narrator. I was left questioning everything, never sure what to believe. It's a brilliantly sharp, witty, and edgy storytelling technique that kept me hooked from start to finish.
The author's reverence for the Gothic genre is palpable, evident in the exquisitely crafted descriptions of eerie and dilapidated settings, the lingering influence of the past on every character, and the use of paranormal elements.
It's dark, it's gothic, it's sapphic, and I absolutely adored every single moment devouring this!.
April 4, 2024
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ ½
Genre: Horror + LGBTQ
This is a novel that incorporates elements of horror, gothic, and queer literature into its narrative. Roos Beckman is the main character in this tale, and she is in possession of a unique ability from the beginning. While her age in the story is not explicitly mentioned, she is mature enough and knows what she is doing. Her mother makes good use of this ability by forcing Roos to attend all the gatherings where people want to make contact with the deceased. Roos acts as the medium at these gatherings.
A number of significant characters, such as Ruth, who is a spirit that has been around for centuries and travels with the main character, are responsible for altering the course of the story and moving the plot forward. Agnes, a wealthy young widow, develops feelings for Roos and eventually asks her to move in with her in her manor.
The novel has such an eerie atmosphere, be it the setting or the séances. They all contributed to making it such a haunting story. I think the book is well-written, and the author has the ability to make the situations very intriguing.
I enjoyed reading it and recommend it to fans of the horror genre, especially the supernatural one. I just wish the characters were more developed. Although the main character is multifaceted, I really wish the book invested more in making the reader understand more about Roos by telling us her background story. I wouldn’t say I was a big fan of the queer love story here, but I think it was effective overall. Just be sure to check the trigger warnings before you decide to read the book since it has many disturbing themes.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.
Genre: Horror + LGBTQ
This is a novel that incorporates elements of horror, gothic, and queer literature into its narrative. Roos Beckman is the main character in this tale, and she is in possession of a unique ability from the beginning. While her age in the story is not explicitly mentioned, she is mature enough and knows what she is doing. Her mother makes good use of this ability by forcing Roos to attend all the gatherings where people want to make contact with the deceased. Roos acts as the medium at these gatherings.
A number of significant characters, such as Ruth, who is a spirit that has been around for centuries and travels with the main character, are responsible for altering the course of the story and moving the plot forward. Agnes, a wealthy young widow, develops feelings for Roos and eventually asks her to move in with her in her manor.
The novel has such an eerie atmosphere, be it the setting or the séances. They all contributed to making it such a haunting story. I think the book is well-written, and the author has the ability to make the situations very intriguing.
I enjoyed reading it and recommend it to fans of the horror genre, especially the supernatural one. I just wish the characters were more developed. Although the main character is multifaceted, I really wish the book invested more in making the reader understand more about Roos by telling us her background story. I wouldn’t say I was a big fan of the queer love story here, but I think it was effective overall. Just be sure to check the trigger warnings before you decide to read the book since it has many disturbing themes.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.
March 3, 2024
Thank you to Poised Pen Press and Netgalley @Netgalley for the e-arc. All thoughts are my own.
Unofficial Summary:
Roos has a spirit companion only she can see, that is until a wealthy young widow attends a séance and asks Roos to come live with her. Turns our Agness Knoop also has a spirit companion. The manor they live in is unsettling, but the attraction between Roos and Agness is palpable.
So how does someone end up dead? And is a spirit the culprit? Doctor Montague is determined to find out.
Review:
This is one of my favorite gothic books in a long time. Usually, gothic books tend to be so slow paced that I get a little bored in the process despite loving them, but that was not the case here. The pacing on this book was wonderful and carried on with a nice clip that held my interest throughout and propelled me through the pages nicely. Roos was a fascinating character and I love how we got to know her and really see her character grow over the course of the book. Though I do think that more could have happened with her, and she did do some things I found disappointing, I still really enjoyed her as a character. The side characters were also fun and really added depth to the story. Mrs. Knoop’s sister-in-law was quite the character and sure did like to stir the pot. The sapphic element was light, and left to the reader, but I enjoyed how it was done. It felt very true to the time. I also appreciated the inclusion of the doctor’s sessions with Roos. It was a fun way to unravel what had happened with Mrs. K.
This was a wonderfully written gothic tale and I couldn’t believe it was a debut. It was fantastic.
Unofficial Summary:
Roos has a spirit companion only she can see, that is until a wealthy young widow attends a séance and asks Roos to come live with her. Turns our Agness Knoop also has a spirit companion. The manor they live in is unsettling, but the attraction between Roos and Agness is palpable.
So how does someone end up dead? And is a spirit the culprit? Doctor Montague is determined to find out.
Review:
This is one of my favorite gothic books in a long time. Usually, gothic books tend to be so slow paced that I get a little bored in the process despite loving them, but that was not the case here. The pacing on this book was wonderful and carried on with a nice clip that held my interest throughout and propelled me through the pages nicely. Roos was a fascinating character and I love how we got to know her and really see her character grow over the course of the book. Though I do think that more could have happened with her, and she did do some things I found disappointing, I still really enjoyed her as a character. The side characters were also fun and really added depth to the story. Mrs. Knoop’s sister-in-law was quite the character and sure did like to stir the pot. The sapphic element was light, and left to the reader, but I enjoyed how it was done. It felt very true to the time. I also appreciated the inclusion of the doctor’s sessions with Roos. It was a fun way to unravel what had happened with Mrs. K.
This was a wonderfully written gothic tale and I couldn’t believe it was a debut. It was fantastic.
April 3, 2024
My Darling Dreadful Thing is an extremely touching gothic tale about two women who find each other and bond through their connections with their spirit companions. This story was heartbreaking and lovely and terrifying wrapped in a beautiful little package. The main theme discussion the spiritual connection vs mental illness, and how I/we can't see it, it can't be real. Can it?
This story was wonderfully written, the characters and the world crafting was exquisite. I can not say enough good things about My Darling Dreadful Thing. It is a must read if you don't mind some very vivid descriptions of the dead. 5 stars 👻✨✨✨✨🌟
This story was wonderfully written, the characters and the world crafting was exquisite. I can not say enough good things about My Darling Dreadful Thing. It is a must read if you don't mind some very vivid descriptions of the dead. 5 stars 👻✨✨✨✨🌟
January 23, 2024
This book is wonderfully creative!! I love the LGBT+ inclusivity, the dark ambiance, supernatural elements, and characters that you learn about bit by bit. The premise keeps you guessing as you try to figure out motives for actions taken. I love the relationship between the two protagonists. My lesbian heart wishes they could have connected earlier in the story, but it made the small touches/interactions all the more sweet. I highly recommend this book and can’t wait for the next from this author!
June 4, 2024
This was an enjoyable read, perfectly spooky with all the classic elements of a good gothic read: naive girl is whisked away to crumbling estate by mysterious and attractive love interest (but this time, the love is sapphic), love interest starts acting withdrawn and secretive, and innocent protagonist stumbles on big, shocking secret.
Yet somehow, this one didn't manage to fully blow me away. Maybe precisely because it had all the elements of a classic gothic read: the whole thing felt a bit predictable. The big scandalous secret (which I won't reveal because spoilers) was a trope that felt tired and overdone within this genre.
The themes of racism and colonialism were what made this different and interesting, especially as a Dutch person who rarely reads about this part of our past in a fiction setting like this, but they were not integrated enough for it to make sense for the story. It could have worked so well as the main point of tension in this story, the cause for the power imbalance in the relationship between Agnes and Thomas. In a way, it was, but the implications of a rich, powerful man marrying an immigrant from a former Dutch colony in a time where racism was still very prevalent and normalised should have been much larger than was touched upon now.
Overall, a nice gothic read, but not one I think I would return to in the future.
Yet somehow, this one didn't manage to fully blow me away. Maybe precisely because it had all the elements of a classic gothic read: the whole thing felt a bit predictable. The big scandalous secret (which I won't reveal because spoilers) was a trope that felt tired and overdone within this genre.
The themes of racism and colonialism were what made this different and interesting, especially as a Dutch person who rarely reads about this part of our past in a fiction setting like this, but they were not integrated enough for it to make sense for the story. It could have worked so well as the main point of tension in this story, the cause for the power imbalance in the relationship between Agnes and Thomas. In a way, it was, but the implications of a rich, powerful man marrying an immigrant from a former Dutch colony in a time where racism was still very prevalent and normalised should have been much larger than was touched upon now.
Overall, a nice gothic read, but not one I think I would return to in the future.
August 16, 2024
Read this if you're a lesbian in love with Cate Blanchett and Michelle Yeoh.
TW but this would have been at the front center of tumblr posts had it come out in 2013. The emo girls would have taken the selfh*** conversations and reblog them to death
TW but this would have been at the front center of tumblr posts had it come out in 2013. The emo girls would have taken the selfh*** conversations and reblog them to death
April 29, 2024
The premise of this was so interesting. I find myself super intrigued up until 30% and then everything seems to drag on and on forever. The pacing was not good..
Even when she moved into the house, nothing eventful really happened. In fact, throughout the whole book, nothing happened. You have mentioned here and there, but otherwise, nothing. Then the last 20%, you think something interesting or crazy gonna happen. Nope, nada. It was so anticlimactic and disappointing… even to the end..
But, thank you for the available arc, NetGalley!
Even when she moved into the house, nothing eventful really happened. In fact, throughout the whole book, nothing happened. You have mentioned here and there, but otherwise, nothing. Then the last 20%, you think something interesting or crazy gonna happen. Nope, nada. It was so anticlimactic and disappointing… even to the end..
But, thank you for the available arc, NetGalley!
December 8, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.
What a stunning debut! I was hooked right away. Perfect for the spooky seasons of autumn and winter. With seances, spirit companions, mystery, darkness, and overwhelming/all consuming love, readers won’t be able to put this one down. The characters were so engaging and eerie; having hauntings and secrets that slowly come to light. Definitely a must read! And can we just stop and swoon over that cover?!
What a stunning debut! I was hooked right away. Perfect for the spooky seasons of autumn and winter. With seances, spirit companions, mystery, darkness, and overwhelming/all consuming love, readers won’t be able to put this one down. The characters were so engaging and eerie; having hauntings and secrets that slowly come to light. Definitely a must read! And can we just stop and swoon over that cover?!
February 25, 2024
Filled with disgusting displays of intimacy, casual cannibalism, and a queer love story, one might think My Dreadful Darling would be a more exciting read.
Now don't get me wrong, I think this book is well written. The author displays great skill in setting a tone and making that tone flip your stomach. Unfortunately, I found this book a bit of a slog to read.
Roos is, as one might guess, an unusual girl. Her manner of speech is said to be out dated for the time and she's described to act. Well. Ill-adjusted. I think this is written well, Roos and her darling Ruth speak and act alike. Considering one of them is a hundreds-year-old mummified corpse, the duo certainly have an off-putting flair to them. The issue is, other characters, even the supposedly more well adjusted, seem to speak and act in ways that could only be to serve the reader.
I get the feeling the author was afraid to let the reader float in uncertainty. The book is written as Roos telling her doctor the events of her life leading up to the book's Main Event. I feel like that decision led to a lot of actions being over-explained either by Roos or by characters explicitly telling Roos. There's honestly an egregious amount of telling versus showing in this book and I feel that is what made it so hard to get through.
At no point in this story did I wonder 'Oh gosh, what could possibly happen next?' Because I had already been told. We are told very early into the book what to expect from its ending and I'm really not sure why the author made this decision. There is very little guesswork needed to put the story together. Other story beats are introduced, sure, but they are introduced in such a way that any questions you could have about them are almost immediately answered, or could be easily assumed.
I wanted to like this book. There are many reasons to like this book! The style is eerie and beautiful, the setting is interesting, the cast is even more interesting! I just think that the author went about it in... Not the wrong way, but I definitely think there was a better way. As much potential as this book has, I'm really not sure if I'd recommend it or not.
If you enjoy themes of queerness in horror, off-putting levels of intimacy, slow-burn horror, or just really liked the movie Crimson Peak; you might just like this book.
Now don't get me wrong, I think this book is well written. The author displays great skill in setting a tone and making that tone flip your stomach. Unfortunately, I found this book a bit of a slog to read.
Roos is, as one might guess, an unusual girl. Her manner of speech is said to be out dated for the time and she's described to act. Well. Ill-adjusted. I think this is written well, Roos and her darling Ruth speak and act alike. Considering one of them is a hundreds-year-old mummified corpse, the duo certainly have an off-putting flair to them. The issue is, other characters, even the supposedly more well adjusted, seem to speak and act in ways that could only be to serve the reader.
I get the feeling the author was afraid to let the reader float in uncertainty. The book is written as Roos telling her doctor the events of her life leading up to the book's Main Event. I feel like that decision led to a lot of actions being over-explained either by Roos or by characters explicitly telling Roos. There's honestly an egregious amount of telling versus showing in this book and I feel that is what made it so hard to get through.
At no point in this story did I wonder 'Oh gosh, what could possibly happen next?' Because I had already been told. We are told very early into the book what to expect from its ending and I'm really not sure why the author made this decision. There is very little guesswork needed to put the story together. Other story beats are introduced, sure, but they are introduced in such a way that any questions you could have about them are almost immediately answered, or could be easily assumed.
I wanted to like this book. There are many reasons to like this book! The style is eerie and beautiful, the setting is interesting, the cast is even more interesting! I just think that the author went about it in... Not the wrong way, but I definitely think there was a better way. As much potential as this book has, I'm really not sure if I'd recommend it or not.
If you enjoy themes of queerness in horror, off-putting levels of intimacy, slow-burn horror, or just really liked the movie Crimson Peak; you might just like this book.
May 24, 2024
My Darling Dreadful Thing had a lot of potential - a gothic setting and dark atmosphere, a crumbling family estate, séances… a spirit companion! But sadly it didn’t fully live up to my expectations.
We follow the character of Roos, who holds séances with her mother, giving the impression of being a powerful medium. The truth is that she has a spirit companion who she lets possess her during these séances to help deliver all the theatrics! Having a spirit companion actually sounds pretty cool - being able to see and communicate with the undead (in a non-creepy way). Roos, however, is not treated well by her mother and after a wealthy widow offers to buy Roos, her mother accepts. So off she goes to live with this widow in a gothic and intriguing crumbling estate.
I don’t think this is meant to be YA, but it read like YA to me (cue Seinfeld - not that there’s anything wrong with that - but it’s just not my vibe). From what I remember Roos is actually early 20s but she read much younger to me - maybe as a result of her abusive history - either way, the prose read quite simplistic at times.
Some effectively creepy imagery and the time period of the 1950s in the Netherlands were the aspects of this book that I really enjoyed. There is also a sapphic romance that injected some heart into the story! Worth checking out if any of this appeals to you - especially for that stunning cover! 3 stars.
We follow the character of Roos, who holds séances with her mother, giving the impression of being a powerful medium. The truth is that she has a spirit companion who she lets possess her during these séances to help deliver all the theatrics! Having a spirit companion actually sounds pretty cool - being able to see and communicate with the undead (in a non-creepy way). Roos, however, is not treated well by her mother and after a wealthy widow offers to buy Roos, her mother accepts. So off she goes to live with this widow in a gothic and intriguing crumbling estate.
I don’t think this is meant to be YA, but it read like YA to me (cue Seinfeld - not that there’s anything wrong with that - but it’s just not my vibe). From what I remember Roos is actually early 20s but she read much younger to me - maybe as a result of her abusive history - either way, the prose read quite simplistic at times.
Some effectively creepy imagery and the time period of the 1950s in the Netherlands were the aspects of this book that I really enjoyed. There is also a sapphic romance that injected some heart into the story! Worth checking out if any of this appeals to you - especially for that stunning cover! 3 stars.
August 28, 2024
4.5⭐️
“His love made monsters of us both”
OMG! I. LOVED. THIS!
“His love made monsters of us both”
OMG! I. LOVED. THIS!
July 9, 2024
"There’s a reason the word ‘haunting’ is rarely used in a positive way. To never be free of someone, well, that’s not always a comfort."
In My Darling Dreadful Thing, debut author Johanna van Veen draws on the tropes of Gothic fiction, resulting in a novel that feels entirely original while also paying homage to classics of the genre. At once a horror story and a love story, it’s unlike anything I’ve read before.
Roos Beckman is a young woman with an extraordinary gift: She can talk to spirits. Well, a spirit, anyway: that of her best friend and spirit companion, Ruth. Both Roos and Ruth are exploited by Roos’s mother, who forces them to perform for strangers during backroom séances. But then one of those strangers, a young widow named Agnes Knoop, offers Ruth the opportunity to come live with her on her crumbling estate, Rozentuin. As Roos and Agnes grow closer, it becomes increasingly difficult to deny the attraction between them…or to avoid the tragedy that awaits them – because months later, Roos is accused of murder.
Set in The Netherlands in the years after World War II, My Darling Dreadful Thing is narrated by Roos in the first person as she tells her story to a psychologist tasked with determining if she is fit to stand trial. This structure works well, giving the book a propulsive quality as Roos’s story unfolds. We know, from snippets of transcripts from Roos’s sessions with the psychologist, that something very bad happens at Rozentuin – we just don’t know exactly what it is. The pacing is deliberate, and the book doesn’t give up its secrets too early, instead revealing them at perfect moments in the narrative.
As with all the best Gothic novels, van Veen’s writing is dark and descriptive, full of macabre imagery, laced with melancholy and dread as she weaves a story that is both gorgeous and gruesome – a story about love, life and death, dysfunctional relationships and abuse, prejudice, and female autonomy that is just as affecting as it is unsettling. Roos is a sympathetic protagonist: naïve, tentative, but with strength and determination at her core. Her relationship with Ruth is fascinating, complex and almost heartbreakingly tender.
Modern in its themes but classically Gothic in its execution, My Darling Dreadful Thing is an inventive and impressive debut that has me eager to read whatever Johanna van Veen writes next.
March 22, 2024
Some things are so horrible that the only sane response is a bit of madness.
Thank you poisoned pen Press and Netgalley for the wonderful ARC in exchange of an honest review.
From the page 1 till end, the story of Roos had me in its grip and I just couldn't stop reading. I was constantly on the edge for what happens next.
My darling dreadful thing starts with Roos assisting her mama perform fake seances. Roos has a spirit companion only she can see and talk to and that's what makes her different. Her mama doesn't treat her right. When Agnes enters in her life, there's a hope that her life would be better. Agnes is looking for a companionship after her husband's death.
Along with this story in the past, there's a story which goes on in the present where Doctor Montague is interviewing a patient for a possible crime she committed. The patient is of course Roos and someone has died under suspicious circumstances. Intermingling with Roos' past and present, it was very interesting to read and kept me glued to the book.
Happy. Such a funny little word, don't you think? Perhaps not so hard a state to achieve, but nearly impossible to maintain, and different for everyone.
There are many secrets and twists in the story. I loved how almost all main characters were women.
The book sets the gloomy and dark atmosphere and the whole experience feels chilling. Overall I loved it.
Finally - You must laugh or else go mad.
Thank you poisoned pen Press and Netgalley for the wonderful ARC in exchange of an honest review.
From the page 1 till end, the story of Roos had me in its grip and I just couldn't stop reading. I was constantly on the edge for what happens next.
My darling dreadful thing starts with Roos assisting her mama perform fake seances. Roos has a spirit companion only she can see and talk to and that's what makes her different. Her mama doesn't treat her right. When Agnes enters in her life, there's a hope that her life would be better. Agnes is looking for a companionship after her husband's death.
Along with this story in the past, there's a story which goes on in the present where Doctor Montague is interviewing a patient for a possible crime she committed. The patient is of course Roos and someone has died under suspicious circumstances. Intermingling with Roos' past and present, it was very interesting to read and kept me glued to the book.
Happy. Such a funny little word, don't you think? Perhaps not so hard a state to achieve, but nearly impossible to maintain, and different for everyone.
There are many secrets and twists in the story. I loved how almost all main characters were women.
The book sets the gloomy and dark atmosphere and the whole experience feels chilling. Overall I loved it.
Finally - You must laugh or else go mad.
April 4, 2024
Is it premature to say this is my favorite book of 2024? Probably. But I don't see how another book is going to be able to top this one for me.
A blend of women's fict, sapphic romance, paranormal and psychological horror written into a dark, beautiful, Gothic [debut!! 🤯] novel. My Darling Dreadful Thing is a tragedy at the surface, but a love story at it's bones.
"I can't think right now. If I do, I'll think and feel too much."
We meet FMC Roos as a small child, terrified and abused by "Mama" and forced to perform in fraudulent séances. Ruth, a ghost, is bonded to Roos; her only companion and form of solace.
"I wanted to make her happy more than I wanted anything else."
Eventually Roos is sold to a widow Agnes Knoop. Together they live in the derelict family estate Rozentuin, and find love and understanding in each other. The past doesn't stay buried, and comes to haunt them. Roos must choose between Ruth and Agnes .
"There's a reason the word 'haunting' is rarely used in a positive way. To never be free of someone, well, that's not always a comfort."
I finished reading a few days ago and still haven't gotten this story off of my mind. Heartbreaking, eerie, and unputdownable. I will definitely be buying myself the physical book the moment it is published on May 14th for my home library.
Thank you to SourceBooks, PoisonedPenPress, and NetGalley for the advanced review e-copy. I am leaving an honest review voluntarily.
5⭐
A blend of women's fict, sapphic romance, paranormal and psychological horror written into a dark, beautiful, Gothic [debut!! 🤯] novel. My Darling Dreadful Thing is a tragedy at the surface, but a love story at it's bones.
"I can't think right now. If I do, I'll think and feel too much."
We meet FMC Roos as a small child, terrified and abused by "Mama" and forced to perform in fraudulent séances. Ruth, a ghost, is bonded to Roos; her only companion and form of solace.
"I wanted to make her happy more than I wanted anything else."
Eventually Roos is sold to a widow Agnes Knoop. Together they live in the derelict family estate Rozentuin, and find love and understanding in each other. The past doesn't stay buried, and comes to haunt them. Roos must choose between Ruth and Agnes .
"There's a reason the word 'haunting' is rarely used in a positive way. To never be free of someone, well, that's not always a comfort."
I finished reading a few days ago and still haven't gotten this story off of my mind. Heartbreaking, eerie, and unputdownable. I will definitely be buying myself the physical book the moment it is published on May 14th for my home library.
Thank you to SourceBooks, PoisonedPenPress, and NetGalley for the advanced review e-copy. I am leaving an honest review voluntarily.
5⭐
May 4, 2024
What I liked about this book was how unique the story was. Spirit companions who appear as partially decomposed/mummified corpses, making cracking noises as they absentmindedly move their broken jaws back and forth, able to possess their bound hosts, yet viewed as well loved bosom buddies? So perfectly horrible! The suspense leading up to learning why Roos is being evaluated by a physician to judge whether or not she is fit to stand trial was well done, too.
But there were so many places where the writing was just lacking. Most characters were extremely one dimensional (villains especially were evil through and through, with nary a redeeming quality among them). I was never sure exactly what time period the story was supposed to be taking place in (as soon as I thought I had it pegged, some anachronistic detail would show up and throw me off). And all that suspense ultimately built up to a climax that just kind of fizzled and fell flat.
Some very good ideas here, but unfortunately the execution did not work for me.
But there were so many places where the writing was just lacking. Most characters were extremely one dimensional (villains especially were evil through and through, with nary a redeeming quality among them). I was never sure exactly what time period the story was supposed to be taking place in (as soon as I thought I had it pegged, some anachronistic detail would show up and throw me off). And all that suspense ultimately built up to a climax that just kind of fizzled and fell flat.
Some very good ideas here, but unfortunately the execution did not work for me.
June 19, 2024
It’s incredibly hard to write a masterful gothic horror book and this was just that. It was like reading Alice Madness Returns (the game) and it was horrifying, filled with trauma, sorrowful, and exquisitely beautiful.
Just yes.
Just yes.
July 3, 2024
Crimson Peak but make it worse, unfortunately. I gave this 3 stars at first, but then I remembered I’m The Grinch, and I got carried away writing a long review. I was planning to be brief and just kept having thoughts. Story of my life!
First of all, I think this is a debut novel with debut novel problems, not a totally bad book. If the premise sounds interesting to you, I’d actually say give it a shot! This was fully not my taste and I think that may have skewed my opinion; I wasn’t expecting the thriller/mystery angle to take over. I was expecting more of the horror / sapphic love story vibe, but if you're looking more for the former, you may really enjoy this book.
As for things I liked about this, the beginning was awesome. The descriptions of the spirits genuinely creeped me out, I loved the graverobbing scene, and I wanted to love it as a whole. But I didn’t, and I think that’s because this feels half-researched and half-finished to me.
Although you can tell there was some research done, and I appreciate that, a lot of the time it felt like very surface-level research to excuse using these things as plot devices rather than an actual investment in portraying something. Especially with the wishy-washy is she / isn’t she sanity stuff with Roos by the end.
My big problem with this book was that after 20%, I felt like the writing fell off and was almost the way I draft my own creative writing: as big, uninspired blocks of ‘here’s what needs to happen’ without imagery, without characterization, without any depth beyond the surface, because you just need to get it out on the page before you go back and edit the crap out of it. It’s like a chunky outline of what the rest of the book was supposed to be, and while it’s not necessarily bad, it isn’t particularly nuanced.
We’re told what our protagonist feels, we have an idea of the trauma that makes her so desperate to please and afraid of abandonment, but at the same time, most of her actions somehow feel like they’re coming out of nowhere. Like we should be seeing tons more buildup to Roos’ reactions, or spend more time with her before she just starts spouting off “here’s what I wanted, here’s what I was afraid of, here’s XYZ, I did this to keep her loving me”. Okay, yes, that’s all fine and good, but how did we get to the point of you being so obsessed with her that you would do it? Where are all these scenes??
We skip past weeks and months at a time with the briefest of descriptions, such as an explanation of how Roos has become healthier over time from a diet that doesn’t consist of starvation, and absolutely no insight as to what’s happening with the characters or Roos’ mindset during that time. Just her physical changes. Because Roos doesn’t really get any character building after the first 20%, all these missing bits seem as though they should have been considered integral, and perhaps as though they were cut to make the whole thing seem more “Gothic” and “mysterious”, which (if it’s the case at all) was an extremely bad choice. It takes all the emotional depth away from this novel and makes the sex and romance scenes incredibly jarring. It isn’t that I find Roos’ actions out of place for someone with her trauma, it’s that we don’t get to see why and how she changes and attaches, we’re just meant to accept it all at face value and skip over it to leave space for the big dramatic horror sequences. The end result is a "missing chapters" vibe, which is probably not what the author was going for.
Another thing I find interesting is the repeated claims that this is a love story. Our first introduction to this assertion is in the author’s note at the beginning that mentions possible triggers and directs you to the Q&A at the end for more information about her efforts to treat issues such as mental illness and homophobia through history with the accuracy and respect they deserve—this is all great! Except for this part:
I would, and will, heavily challenge that idea. I absolutely do not see this as a love story in any way, shape, or form, and I have a ton of questions for anyone who does, the first of which being “why?” and “how?” (This isn’t me knocking this view, it’s legitimate curiosity as to what other people are picking up on that I’m possibly missing! My sardonicism does take time off every now and then lol.)
First of all, I have absolutely no idea who the author means when they’re talking about this “love story”—Agnes and Roos, or Ruth and Roos? Roos and her relationship with herself?? I really couldn’t say, because zero love or romance exists between any pairing. There’s only trauma, impulse, and mental illness. The sex is so boring and dispassionate, there’s so little connection between the characters that the sex actually feels awkward to read, and the feelings these people experience for each other really don’t appear to be anything beyond the severe stress of their lives and their trauma bonding them together. I can’t say I understood why that sex scene between Agnes and Roos even happened—the interest they had in each other seemed entirely transactional until the author began to insist on this “love” aspect and Roos suddenly being torn between Agnes and Ruth, which brings me right back to the point about all the stuff it felt like we skipped. There’s just something missing here that I can’t put my finger on!
Second, everything about the beginning of this book implies that Roos and Ruth should end up together, but in practice, we see very little of them—calling someone darling and my love all the time isn’t really the same as an actual love story or buildup, especially when it’s just Ruth doing it, and Ruth barely gets screen time after the first 20%. The 'love' aspect between Roos and Ruth that's promised by the synopsis comes in at about 95% and I wish it had been the whole book.
I also was not expecting the incest (it took me far too long to realize this was Crimson Peak and so this was a natural step for the plot lmao), and I felt like the story could have gone without it. It sort of came out of nowhere, and while I don’t have a problem with including this subject matter, I think it needs to be handled a bit better than this. This book got real weird real fast at the end in ways it didn’t need to, and unfortunately, the latter 80% was not as fun or solidly laid out as the beginning. The whole way this book handled sex was sort of strange, and while I'm not necessarily knocking the book for including this theme, I am getting really tired of historical lesbian fiction in which one or both has sexual trauma from a man, and I don’t think this book handled it especially well. Just once, I would like to read historical lesbian fiction that does not include misery and rape.
Final gripe was that the language was a little over-stylized at times, very His Girl Friday. The book does comment on Roos having outdated stilted speech, but everyone sort of talks like they're in a drama flick, not just her.
Overall, this just didn’t come together the way I wanted it to. Another halfway-there shelf addition.
First of all, I think this is a debut novel with debut novel problems, not a totally bad book. If the premise sounds interesting to you, I’d actually say give it a shot! This was fully not my taste and I think that may have skewed my opinion; I wasn’t expecting the thriller/mystery angle to take over. I was expecting more of the horror / sapphic love story vibe, but if you're looking more for the former, you may really enjoy this book.
As for things I liked about this, the beginning was awesome. The descriptions of the spirits genuinely creeped me out, I loved the graverobbing scene, and I wanted to love it as a whole. But I didn’t, and I think that’s because this feels half-researched and half-finished to me.
Although you can tell there was some research done, and I appreciate that, a lot of the time it felt like very surface-level research to excuse using these things as plot devices rather than an actual investment in portraying something. Especially with the wishy-washy is she / isn’t she sanity stuff with Roos by the end.
My big problem with this book was that after 20%, I felt like the writing fell off and was almost the way I draft my own creative writing: as big, uninspired blocks of ‘here’s what needs to happen’ without imagery, without characterization, without any depth beyond the surface, because you just need to get it out on the page before you go back and edit the crap out of it. It’s like a chunky outline of what the rest of the book was supposed to be, and while it’s not necessarily bad, it isn’t particularly nuanced.
We’re told what our protagonist feels, we have an idea of the trauma that makes her so desperate to please and afraid of abandonment, but at the same time, most of her actions somehow feel like they’re coming out of nowhere. Like we should be seeing tons more buildup to Roos’ reactions, or spend more time with her before she just starts spouting off “here’s what I wanted, here’s what I was afraid of, here’s XYZ, I did this to keep her loving me”. Okay, yes, that’s all fine and good, but how did we get to the point of you being so obsessed with her that you would do it? Where are all these scenes??
We skip past weeks and months at a time with the briefest of descriptions, such as an explanation of how Roos has become healthier over time from a diet that doesn’t consist of starvation, and absolutely no insight as to what’s happening with the characters or Roos’ mindset during that time. Just her physical changes. Because Roos doesn’t really get any character building after the first 20%, all these missing bits seem as though they should have been considered integral, and perhaps as though they were cut to make the whole thing seem more “Gothic” and “mysterious”, which (if it’s the case at all) was an extremely bad choice. It takes all the emotional depth away from this novel and makes the sex and romance scenes incredibly jarring. It isn’t that I find Roos’ actions out of place for someone with her trauma, it’s that we don’t get to see why and how she changes and attaches, we’re just meant to accept it all at face value and skip over it to leave space for the big dramatic horror sequences. The end result is a "missing chapters" vibe, which is probably not what the author was going for.
Another thing I find interesting is the repeated claims that this is a love story. Our first introduction to this assertion is in the author’s note at the beginning that mentions possible triggers and directs you to the Q&A at the end for more information about her efforts to treat issues such as mental illness and homophobia through history with the accuracy and respect they deserve—this is all great! Except for this part:
These are dark themes indeed. I hope they will not deter you from reading this novel for two simple reasons:
[…] 2. If you strip down My Darling Dreadful Thing until nothing remains but its essence, you will not find a horrific secret at its very heart. You will find, instead, a love story.
I would, and will, heavily challenge that idea. I absolutely do not see this as a love story in any way, shape, or form, and I have a ton of questions for anyone who does, the first of which being “why?” and “how?” (This isn’t me knocking this view, it’s legitimate curiosity as to what other people are picking up on that I’m possibly missing! My sardonicism does take time off every now and then lol.)
First of all, I have absolutely no idea who the author means when they’re talking about this “love story”—Agnes and Roos, or Ruth and Roos? Roos and her relationship with herself?? I really couldn’t say, because zero love or romance exists between any pairing. There’s only trauma, impulse, and mental illness. The sex is so boring and dispassionate, there’s so little connection between the characters that the sex actually feels awkward to read, and the feelings these people experience for each other really don’t appear to be anything beyond the severe stress of their lives and their trauma bonding them together. I can’t say I understood why that sex scene between Agnes and Roos even happened—the interest they had in each other seemed entirely transactional until the author began to insist on this “love” aspect and Roos suddenly being torn between Agnes and Ruth, which brings me right back to the point about all the stuff it felt like we skipped. There’s just something missing here that I can’t put my finger on!
Second, everything about the beginning of this book implies that Roos and Ruth should end up together, but in practice, we see very little of them—calling someone darling and my love all the time isn’t really the same as an actual love story or buildup, especially when it’s just Ruth doing it, and Ruth barely gets screen time after the first 20%. The 'love' aspect between Roos and Ruth that's promised by the synopsis comes in at about 95% and I wish it had been the whole book.
I also was not expecting the incest (it took me far too long to realize this was Crimson Peak and so this was a natural step for the plot lmao), and I felt like the story could have gone without it. It sort of came out of nowhere, and while I don’t have a problem with including this subject matter, I think it needs to be handled a bit better than this. This book got real weird real fast at the end in ways it didn’t need to, and unfortunately, the latter 80% was not as fun or solidly laid out as the beginning. The whole way this book handled sex was sort of strange, and while I'm not necessarily knocking the book for including this theme, I am getting really tired of historical lesbian fiction in which one or both has sexual trauma from a man, and I don’t think this book handled it especially well. Just once, I would like to read historical lesbian fiction that does not include misery and rape.
Final gripe was that the language was a little over-stylized at times, very His Girl Friday. The book does comment on Roos having outdated stilted speech, but everyone sort of talks like they're in a drama flick, not just her.
Overall, this just didn’t come together the way I wanted it to. Another halfway-there shelf addition.
July 1, 2024
Corpse Bride meets Crimson Peak, but queer and macabre veeery macabre.
May 26, 2024
A really good sapphic gothic novel, about a young woman haunted by a ghost (« a spirit-companion ») which protects her from her “Mama”’s abuse. There’s a great gothic manor surrounded by bogs, a young and beautiful widow, ghosts… the novel tackled racism and mental illness (or perception of mental illness) and I really liked the interludes between the main character and a psychiatrist from after the facts of the novel. Kept me enthralled and I loved the atmosphere of the story, clearly a gothic tale with shades of horror but never too much, and at its heart a tragic love story
July 6, 2024
I didn't realize until after I was done that My Darling Dreadful Thing is Johanna van Veen's debut novel, and I have to say it blew me away. This was an extraordinarily creepy book that had excellent gothic elements as well as a unique plotline. I didn't read the synopsis before starting, so I had no idea what the book was about; I only knew I loved the cover and found it so irresistible that I had to have it. This was great supernatural suspense as well as a Sapphic love story and I really enjoyed the different elements the author used like excerpts from Roos’s psychologist appointments. I would recommend going in blind as it made the story that much more interesting to me as I watched the truth of everything slowly unravel.
Being the audiophile that I am, I listened to the audiobook, and I loved it! I thought Jess Nesling did a wonderful job and she fully embodied the characters and the book as a whole. I was super impressed. There are definitely some triggers lurking in here, so I would recommend checking out StoryGraph prior to reading. I can be a squeamish reader and while there was some gore it wasn’t anything that made me set down my food. That is me personally though, so some people might find it better not to eat while reading this. 😉 My Darling Dreadful Thing is a fresh addition to the horror genre and I loved every minute of it!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Being the audiophile that I am, I listened to the audiobook, and I loved it! I thought Jess Nesling did a wonderful job and she fully embodied the characters and the book as a whole. I was super impressed. There are definitely some triggers lurking in here, so I would recommend checking out StoryGraph prior to reading. I can be a squeamish reader and while there was some gore it wasn’t anything that made me set down my food. That is me personally though, so some people might find it better not to eat while reading this. 😉 My Darling Dreadful Thing is a fresh addition to the horror genre and I loved every minute of it!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
July 2, 2024
i think on an emotional reaction level, this is like a 3-3.5 for me, but the writing and language of some of the visual descriptions were so solidly great throughout, that it gets that half star bump for that alone. this is a visual treat (well... lol actually a lot of it is visual descriptions of dead ghosts gross bodies, but like, in an awesome and achingly beautiful way). and roos as a pov is lovely. this is def sapphic, but do not go in for the romance--this is a tragic, horror novel, first. like... you know from page (idk exactly which but very early on) that agnes is dead from the first jump. but... this is also a novel very ghost focused. so. ya know. there are possibilties still in the end, bittersweet and horrific tho they maybe are.
i had a really great time with this overall. i enjoyed alternating between the audio and my kindle, which i've never rlly done before much. the narrator was wonderful, and i'll absolutely look out for more from this author in the future, bc queer horror is one of my fav things ever, and we need more of them.
(i would say trigger warnings for: child abuse, rape, incest, domestic abuse, and... like, mental health being potentially weaponized? none of this is explicit or particularly graphic, some is only mentioned but def peppered through the novel, so go in with that in mind).
i had a really great time with this overall. i enjoyed alternating between the audio and my kindle, which i've never rlly done before much. the narrator was wonderful, and i'll absolutely look out for more from this author in the future, bc queer horror is one of my fav things ever, and we need more of them.
(i would say trigger warnings for: child abuse, rape, incest, domestic abuse, and... like, mental health being potentially weaponized? none of this is explicit or particularly graphic, some is only mentioned but def peppered through the novel, so go in with that in mind).
May 25, 2024
Kocham historie o duchach i girlies, które z nimi rozmawiają. Było mrocznie (czułam się cały czas jakbym chodziła po starym zamczysku w nocy), smutno i niesamowicie angażująco. Nie zawsze taki sposób narracji, tj proces/przesłuchania wrzucone pomiędzy historię, się sprawdza, ale moim zdaniem tutaj to działa na jej korzyść. Siedziałam do późna, żeby dowiedzieć się co się wydarzyło 😩
July 16, 2024
we love sapphic stories!! especially when ghosts are involved!!!
February 21, 2024
I would like to introduce everyone to the first horror book of 2024 that I know for certain is in the running for my top of the year. This book was freaking amazing. I do not know how to describe it without saying that it is at its heart a love story, but it is so much more than that. This was a breathtaking and original story that I do not think I will ever be able to forget.
Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC. I cannot wait to have the physical copy in my hands this May.
Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC. I cannot wait to have the physical copy in my hands this May.
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August 12, 2024not for me. dnf at 37%
May 9, 2024
I loved this book soooo freaking much! I completely ate it up and sped all the way through it.
It is the PERFECT amount of historical fiction, paranormal, haunting, poetic, mysterious… all of the elements to this book are in perfect harmony and balanced so well, nothing is over the top or over done.
The characters are alluring, the setting feels right. The intrigue about class, politics, race all things relevant to the time frame are posed in a way that is interesting and informative to the reader.
I have absolutely nothing bad to say about this book it has my full seal of approval and recommendation! Please give this a read!
Thank you to Poisened Pen Press, Johanna Van Veen and Netgalley for the EARC.
Publish date May 14th 💜💜💜
It is the PERFECT amount of historical fiction, paranormal, haunting, poetic, mysterious… all of the elements to this book are in perfect harmony and balanced so well, nothing is over the top or over done.
The characters are alluring, the setting feels right. The intrigue about class, politics, race all things relevant to the time frame are posed in a way that is interesting and informative to the reader.
I have absolutely nothing bad to say about this book it has my full seal of approval and recommendation! Please give this a read!
Thank you to Poisened Pen Press, Johanna Van Veen and Netgalley for the EARC.
Publish date May 14th 💜💜💜
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September 1, 2024Gothic love story at its spooky finest. A unique way to do haunting and ghosts with a healthy dose of bog.
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