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Sourwood

Not yet published
Expected 24 Mar 26
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Reed and Leighton never imagined they would meet their grandparents or discover the place their family came from. The roots of their family tree had been concealed by their parents and all their secrets died with them. That is until the siblings received a call from their estranged grandmother, Violet.

After years of searching Violet finally found them, but she gives them surprising news. Their grandfather Royce will pass soon and a sizable inheritance awaits them on one condition—they pay a visit to Ashfeld Manor, their ancestral home.

The siblings, each with their own hidden motivations, agree. But nothing at Ashfeld Manor is as it seems: the house is falling apart, a humming noise fills the stale air, the sourwood trees around the property are rotting, and a strange creature roams the night sky.

As they uncover the roots of their family tree, Reed and Leighton unveil horrific secrets that will forever transform them. Together they must save each other from their cursed bloodline.

Unknown Binding

Expected publication March 24, 2026

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114 people want to read

About the author

Logan Spurgeon

5 books20 followers
Logan Spurgeon is a speculative fiction author living in Lexington, Kentucky. After leaving a doomsday cult, he revived his dream of being a writer. He is the author of HINTERLAND (December 6, 2025), SOURWOOD (March 24, 2026), and THE HOUSE ON GARENT HILL (December 2026).

When he’s not crafting new stories, Logan loves spending time hiking, taking care of plants, cooking, making art, or having good conversations around the table.

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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
Profile Image for Charlie.
114 reviews3 followers
did-not-finish
March 4, 2026
DNF at 50%.

Here are my thoughts of the book until the point that I read it:
It has an interesting beginning and premise, I liked the ouroboros-and-breaking-cycle vibes and the decaying nature aspects of the book. It's very slow paced, though, and it has long descriptions of mundane activities which was sometimes frustrating to read, the writing felt very YA and oh god every time i read it I zoned out so hard I ended up not paying attention at all. Still, thank you so much for the ARC, Netgalley, and Quill & Crow publisher! This was my honest and unbiased opinion.
Profile Image for Niall Hetherington.
121 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
February 23, 2026
I am extremely reluctant to ever give too harsh a review to books. Film is a bit different, especially given that I’m usually reviewing something produced by a Goliath studio with more money than sense, with books it’s very different. Whether you’re Stephen King or Stephen Smith there is one commonality amongst all authors – it takes effort to write a book and no part of me wants to be the cynic who comes along with a sledgehammer to tarnish all that work. I say all this so it is clear that the issues I raise with in this review only stem from a desire to be constructive in my criticism and I should clarify right up at the top here that I do recommend this as a read, just not as strongly as I wish I did unfortunately.

Sourwood finds our two leads Reed and Leighton traveling to meet their grandparents for the first time. They had been raised to know nothing about them, their father even going as far as changing his surname to remove all association with them. My immediate vibe reading this took me to M Night Shyamalan’s The Visit (one of his more underrated films in my opinion) and for the early parts of the book I was really enjoying the sinister underbelly I could feel permeating throughout, though I had some trepidation around what I thought was an obvious conclusion. Still, even stories with the most wrote and cliche plot beats can still be enjoyable and well written reads.

Where the cracks started to appear for me was with the mid section of the book. We fairly quickly understand that all is not right with these grandparents and then we have to take the typical detours such as finding some small bits of detail from the locals etc. Again, these are typical plot beats and can be absolutely fine but it is in a revision sense that they affect the book, mainly that once Reed and Leighton return to the house for the first time after being given these strong indications that all is not ok, I felt that the character behaviours were not believable from there on. A lot of what unfolds from about the 100th page on stems from two characters who are laid out as being extremely close and protective of each other suddenly seeming to chose separation instead in a very uncharacteristic fashion. A big complaint I often have with books and other content in the horror genre is that often the thrills and scares are conjured via poor character choices. We have that issue here too.

Related but relatively minor to the above, I felt that Reed goes without a lot of development for the most part. He seems to singlemindedly exist to protect Leighton and that’s that. Some more fleshing out would have helped my bonding to him as a character. Leighton does get a bit more attention in that regard although I will point out that a particular character detail regarding Leighton that gets introduced felt a little perfunctory and gratuitous. Were it to have ended up as a significant plot point I would revise that assessment but as it is it seemed to serve no purpose in character or plot progression, even though it was revealed and references as though it would.

But that’s enough with the negative, and again I need to stress that it is only intended as constructive criticism through observations. What I liked about this book I liked a lot. The setting, some (most) of the descriptive imagery, the mythology established. All really good points for me. I could see, feel and hear Ashfeld Manor and it really helped me get absolutely absorbed in the book at times. In particular some descriptions around the…darker side of the house…are extremely vivid and adeptly delivered.

Where I’d ultimately land in assessing Sourwood is that it certainly does more well than it doesn’t. Whilst my complaints might be strong they are in the minority. My main observation really would be that I felt I needed more, particularly in the mid section, even more context via flashback etc. At ~200 pages we sit in that midpoint between novella and novel and whilst a 200 page novel is perfectly fine, for me it has to achieve all that is required in terms of giving characters and plot depth and I feel that this is where Sourwood fell a little short. Were it to have been a slightly shorter short story, or a slightly longer novel with more meat on the bone then I probably would have been able to see it more favourably.

As always massive thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.

2.5/5
Profile Image for ReadingRexIsBooked.
167 reviews1 follower
February 26, 2026
I received this book as an Advanced Readers Copy through NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to be one of the first to read this Horror novel.

This is my opinion of my experience while reading this book via an EBook copy. I was not given any incentives to alter or sway my opinion. These thoughts are my own.

To start I was interested in this book because of the cover and the genre. I struggle with horror keeping my interest and feel that it is hard to write a true horror book that gives me the creeps or makes me feel like it's a page turner.

Well this book DELIVERED!!! This is easily a one day read (under 300 pages).

Let's start with the basics. This book is a dual POV between a brother (Reed) and a sister (Leighton). They were raised by their now deceased parents and were secluded from knowing anything about their parents past hometown. Their Paternal grandparents reach out because Grandfather is dying and there is an inheritance. The story unfolds from there. You have a brother and sister who only have each other and no other family since their parents death. Now they have an opportunity to know more about their parents and their extended family due the invitation to the Ashfeld Manor following their parents untimely death.

This starts the story with a sense of understanding the pressure of surviving day to day demands, the grief of loss, and the desperation of holding on to a little more of what you lost. The story grips you from the very start!!! Warning: the prologue did give away a little bit of the ending but I still did not expect the emotional rollercoaster I experienced in the last chapter and the epilogue!

The first half of the story felt repetitive to me in some parts of Reed's POV BUT it all makes sense in the end. He's the protective older brother and as the story continues you see a shift in their bond where they want two different things but it all makes sense in the end! No part of this was boring to me, it gave me the creeps in some parts, it made me ask myself if I read this already and if I myself had amnesia. There is blood and gore (which I enjoyed and winced while reading).

MY FAVORITE PART of this story was how the author described things in this book! The wording he used to paint the picture really made it easy to have a movie playing in my head. Something as simple as describing a sky or the manor or the field was done in such a descriptive way that it felt like I was looking at it on through the page. Very impressive!

The book had creepy, eerie, scary, gory moments throughout. Especially with the weird Grandmother.

WHAT I DID NOT EXPECT in this book was to get emotionally attached to the bond between brother and sister. I felt the shift in the bond as the story progressed but the bond is what had me CRYING in the last chapter and the epilogue.

WHAT I DID NOT LIKE: ****** I will hide this next part due to a small spoiler (which I believe is insignificant to the story but still a spoiler): *****SPOILER START
SPOILER END*****

overall I say this is a good 4 stars and will recommend this book to others. I liked that it was short and quick to the point. The author could have made it longer to give us more back story on the parents or the grandparents or the history of the family dating back centuries BUT I liked the length a lot because it made it bingeable.
8 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
February 10, 2026
Sourwood is a gothic horror following siblings Reed and Leighton as they return to their ancestral home, Ashfeld Manor, and meet their estranged grandmother, Violet, and grandfather, Royce. Nothing is as it seems in the old house, but Reed is motivated by an inheritance to see the visit out, and Leighton is motivated by Reed. By the time the two begin to realize why their parents ran as far as they could from Ashfeld Manor, it might already be too late for them to do the same.

A lot is done well in this book. The writing is rich and atmospheric. The worldbuilding is strong, and Ashfeld Manor is a decadently grim setting. Violet is an especially interesting antagonist, with her history almost but not quite endearing her to readers and her grandchildren. I enjoyed piecing together her troubling backstory; that was one of several great reveals throughout the book. What haunts the halls of Ashfeld Manor was unexpected and offered some unique twists in a crowded genre. Overall, the book succeeds handily as a horror.

Where this book lost me a bit was the pacing. The POV alternates between Reed and Leighton. At the beginning of the book, when they were uncovering all the strangeness in Ashfeld Manor and we were exploring their motivations, this worked alright. As they explored more and grew farther apart in what they knew and were doing, the switches became somewhat jarring. Just as something interesting would happen to the one, the next chapter would come and there would be a different dilemma facing the other. This made the back half of the book a challenge for me, slowing the action when it should have been accelerating to the climax. The climax itself was somewhat undermined by the prologue, set decades after the body of the work, revealing that Leighton makes it out.

I picked up this book in part because it was listed as LGBTQ+. I believe the categorization comes from Leighton being trans. I'm hesitant to bring it up as some may consider it a spoiler (it's revealed about 40% through the book), but it has next to no plot relevance. I appreciate the inclusion and representation, but I'm frustrated by how it was handled. Other facets of the plot could make Leighton being a trans woman relevant, but it's never tied together that way. There's one scene where her estrogen pills become an issue with her grandmother, but there's never a payoff from that conflict. Given how short this book was, I don't think the scenes dealing with Leighton's gender earned their keep. I wish her identity was explored more fully and worked into the plot (which places a heavy emphasis on generations of brother/sister Ashfeld children).

Thank you to Quill & Crow Publishing House and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!
Profile Image for Hannah Rebekah.
Author 5 books30 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
February 15, 2026
I was first drawn to this book because I kept seeing the author post it on Threads and the cover looked interesting. When I saw it on Netgalley and read the summary, I knew I had no choice. You can always catch me with these kinds of storylines.

Sourwood is a story about two siblings who are contacted by their aging grandmother. She implores them to come visit because their grandfather is dying and he’d really, really like to meet them before that happens. Now, if it were just that, the two MC, Reed and Leighton, probably wouldn’t have gone. These are people that their parents, long deceased, never discussed with them and their parents always had good reasons for what they did.

But life is tough as Reed struggles to support both of them and at the mention of an inheritance…

Things become weird from the moment they begin to drive up the driveway. The estate is nothing like Reed had dreamed or hoped. Their grandmother not only seems to be losing her mind but obviously has it out immediately for Leighton. Though they came to say goodbye to their grandfather, each day they are met with the excuse that he is ‘too unwell.’ Which was funny because, uh, yeah, he was dying. Whole point of the phone call, right?

There’s not a lot I can reveal about the plot without spoiling things, but I will say that this was not a storyline I expected. I am not a fan of (***) and when it was revealed in this book, I will admit that I felt momentarily let down. Set that aside, though. (***) doesn’t even matter. In the end, this book comes down to Reed and Leighton’s relationship above all else and it was a beautiful, tragic thing to read. Their story was more than enough to make me forget about (***), which is saying something, since it’s a huge part of the story.

My heart hurt to read this book. Even now, days later, just thinking about it makes my chest feel heavy. It gave me Blaine Daigle’s “A Dark Roux” vibes, which is definitely a high compliment. That is to say, it hurt but I needed it to because the story absolutely needed to end the way that it did to make it perfect.

(Sidenote: The way that Leighton’s secret was dealt with I felt was very refreshing. I would recommend the book for that alone.)

In the end, I definitely enjoyed this book, and I would recommend it to readers who want something that hurts, something where you never quite know what is going on and for fans of (***.) I look forward to the day that the paperback comes out of this book, as $30 hardcovers are a bit out of my price range, but it’s definitely one I want to add to my collection.
Profile Image for Maggie’s Book Nook.
4 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
March 8, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book for my honest review. I have a lot of thoughts and opinions about this book apparently.

This book is about 2 siblings that lost their parents in a car accident and sometime later (years maybe?) they get a call from a woman claiming to be their grandmother. She tells them that their grandpa is dying and there is an inheritance for them. They just need to come to the estate before he passes away.

There's a mystery, there's a creature, there's weird family moments. I believe this book is being marketed as an adult horror novel, but it feels like it's written with a YA style.

Time: This book states that it takes place in the 70's, but there's nothing about this book that feels 70's. It feels like a modern day story. Just without cellphones or internet. Ultimately - stating at the beginning that it takes place in 1976, I feel, ends up hurting the story along the way.

Setting: I actually think the setting is one of the stronger aspects in the book. Small town, gated estate, a dilapidated house, and it has these rare sourwood trees. There are bees that harvest pollen from the flowers that people find addicting.

Everything below will most likely be spoilers. You have been warned...

What I did like about the book: The creature is the most fleshed out aspect in the whole book. You get how it moves, how it eats, the sounds it makes. It was terrifying in the best way.

All the parts I didn't like:
Characters: The book switches back and forth between 2 POV's, Reed and Leighton.

Reed- he is very 2 dimensional. Most of his segments are very repetitive. "Oh I'm thirsty." "I have debt and need money." There isn't a lot of character building, sadly.

Leighton- Now this will be a spoiler, and that is probably the reason I dislike this book the most. You are about halfway through the book before it tells you about her being trans and it comes across like it's supposed to be this big twist. Up until this point, the book is leaning into gender roles and what that may or may not have to do with the big family mystery. And reading it, I thought it was going to use her gender as a bigger plot device.

Using someone's identity as a plot device, a twist, a gimmick is wrong and disrespectful. It honestly feels like the author wrote up to this point in the book with that intention and then realized it was bad and needed to shift gears. Her gender isn't really brought up for the rest of the book and it moves away from the overall family mystery . It does try to make the coming out a sibling bonding thing, but over all it feels like it fell short.

Don't even get me started about the hormone therapy injections... remember it's the 70's. Something like that was very rare unless you got it on the black market or went to a university for experimental testing. Not saying it is completely impossible, but VERY unlikely to have happened. It just took me out of the story.

What this book needed: More time!
-Flesh out your story and nail down, fine tune your mystery. There are characters we don't actually "discover" answers about. Yet, somehow we know what happened to them.
-Develop your characters more. There aren't a lot of characters in this book, so give us more backstory on them. Then we actually know who we are cheering for and who we hate and WHY. We get a little bit of this, but who are these people. How did they get to here and now. What was it like for them.
-Show us a deeper connection with the siblings before the house we have reason to want to follow them to the end of the book

This author has good bones for this book, but it's not developed or edited.
-There are ages that don't line up. (Reed was 14 when his parents died and had to take care of his "little sister", but Leighton was 18?)
-Inconsistencies (a reappearing necklace for when it can be used as a plot point?)
-The prologue gives away the ending of the book (you know who lives and who doesn't right away)

Would I recommend this book? I'm sorry, but no.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Chrysanthi Gatidou.
25 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
February 12, 2026
𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ ⋆📖⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָ Kindly provided by NetGalley 𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ ⋆📖⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָ

The book completely surprised me—in the best way possible.

From the very first pages, there’s this quiet, almost unsettling atmosphere that settles in and refuses to leave. Spurgeon writes with a kind of restrained intensity that makes everything feel intimate and personal, like you’re slowly uncovering something fragile and dangerous at the same time. The setting feels alive—heavy, humid, and layered with history—and it seeps into every interaction and decision the characters make.

What really stayed with me, though, was the emotional depth. The characters aren’t just going through events; they’re carrying grief, memory, guilt, and longing in ways that feel painfully real. No one feels flat or convenient. Even when I didn’t agree with certain choices, I understood them—and that’s always the mark of strong writing for me.

There’s also a subtle tension running underneath the entire story. It’s not loud or overly dramatic, but it’s persistent. You feel like something is always just beneath the surface, waiting. And when moments finally unfold, they land with weight rather than shock value.

Spurgeon’s prose is lyrical without being pretentious. There’s a rhythm to it—almost melancholic at times—that perfectly matches the tone of the story. I found myself rereading certain passages just because they were beautifully written.

Sourwood isn’t a fast, flashy read. It’s immersive. It asks you to slow down and sit with discomfort, with ambiguity, with the complicated nature of people and place. And honestly? I loved that about it.

If you enjoy character-driven stories with atmosphere you can practically breathe in, this one is absolutely worth your time. It lingered with me long after I turned the final page—and those are always the books that matter most.
Profile Image for R.E. Holding.
Author 7 books25 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
February 18, 2026
There's a lot to like about Sourwood: the setting, the unusual (addictive) sourwood trees, the odd antagonists, and the creepy reveal. There are a few things I think could have made the surprises more "surprisey" and the more reflective moments shinier.

This is spoiler territory, so I recommend not reading this part. If you choose to ignore me and read anyway, you should still read Sourwood for yourself.



Overall, I liked Sourwood - the descriptions of the gothic home made me want to shower, and the honey pods reminded me of the cotton candy cocoons in Killer Clowns from Outer Space. I could almost taste the sourwood for myself. Any story that makes me react like that has done its job :)
Profile Image for Maureen Madray.
51 reviews3 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
February 24, 2026
‘Sourwood’ is one of my most anticipated horror books this year after having the massively enjoying an ARC of ‘Hinterland’ last year by Logan Spurgeon. You wanna talk about underrated horror books/authors?!

If you have not read ‘Hinterland’ - do so! It’s the atmospheric mountain cult horror you didn’t even know you needed. I adored it. And ‘Sourwood’ sure as hell didn’t disappoint!

‘Sourwood’ follows two orphaned siblings who have been beaten down by every day life. Little did they know the dark past that their parents hid from them regarding their paternal ancestry….. when the promise of an inheritance and found family comes into play in the form of their long lost grandparents whom they’ve never met….how could they resist?

However their reunion with their grandparents proves anything but warm and welcoming. And as time passes the true horror of their family curse emerges to show its true face.

Unexplained sickness, missing memories, familial sacrifice, flesh-imbued honey, a Grandmother who haunts instead of cherishes, and a Grandfather who wants to…..well I can’t say - you will find no spoilers here!!

Are you thirsty for more of this tale? Be sure NOT to drink the sourwood tea as you partake in this grisly story….the consequences could be….dire.

✨If I had to describe this book in 10 keywords I’d use:
Sticky, unsettling, shadowed, heartbreaking, oozing, cursed, predatory, incestuous, emotional, dark. ✨

Huge thank you to Logan Spurgeon, Quill and Crow Publishing, and NetGalley for my ARC of this exquisite title! All opinions expressed here are honest and my own.
Profile Image for Mary.
433 reviews11 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
February 10, 2026
Reed and Leighton are orphaned when their parents die together in a car accident. Reed struggles to support his sister, working several jobs and taking out loans, for the two of the to survived. All they have is each other since their parents refused to tell them anything about their grandparents. Out of the blue Reed receives an invitation from his father's mother inviting her grandchildren to the family estate, Ashfeld Manor. In exchange for a visit Reed will become the inherit the entire estate....which would solve all of their money problems and get loan sharks off his back.
As the siblings arrive at the estate Reed is overcome by an unquenchable thirst. HIs grandmother, Violet, fawns over him. She treats Leighton with disdain. Suspicion and distrust grows within Leighton, while Reed develops an odd craving for the Sourwood tree sap, the Sourwood Honey and the well water. Inheriting Ashfeld Manor comes with a steep price.

Sourwood is an excellent tale of greed, curses, monsters and devotion, love and promises. The writing is excellent and it creates an effective ambience for the storyline, Excellent character development is evident for Reed, Leighton and Violet. I would recommend #Sourwood to readers who enjoy tales of transformation, both good and bad. Some people transform into monsters, others transform into their true selves....like a butterfly from a chrysalis.
Thank you #netgalley for the opportunity to read #Sourwood. I enjoyed this book very much.
Profile Image for Jennifer.
2,342 reviews38 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
February 27, 2026
I absolutely loved Hinterland by this author so when I saw he had a new book coming out I couldn't wait to read it. I wanted to love this one just as much, but unfortunately it didn't work so well for me. There were a few chapters near the end that I enjoyed that pushed my rating up a bit (I am really like 2.5, but rounded up) and I wish the rest of the book would have been as much fun.

One of the big issues I had with this story was the prologue. You know what does/doesn't happen to one of the main characters so when you get towards the end and it is like oh no! What will happen to them?? There is no tension because you already know. So that was an odd choice as I wanted tension! But the rest of the story also was missing that tension for me. I should have felt more intrigued by the things that were happening and I didn't really. Something with the writing of this one didn't work for me. It felt more YA I guess? I don't know. I don't really know why it was just meh for me.

The other issue is the characters were not very deep. Like I don't know much about them except their parents died, Reed is really thirsty and has debt so he needs this inheritance, and he is determined to take care of his sister. The sister Leighton was a tad better as she was so cynical about this whole thing so it was more fun to read her chapters, but still not great. It wasn't awful, I did finish the book and like I said a few of the later chapters were fun, but overall it was just okay.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book
Profile Image for Kendra.
11 reviews
February 14, 2026
If you enjoy creepy suspense where the tension is so thick you can practically feel it, Sourwood delivers. From the moment Reed and Leighton, two siblings visiting their grandparents, arrive at the manor, you know something is deeply wrong, and the fun lies in hunting for clues alongside them.

The story is told through dual perspectives, which was a brilliant choice. Getting into both Reed’s and Leighton’s heads helped me understand their individual motivations and secrets, making the stakes feel much higher. I was also incredibly impressed by the plot twists. This isn't your run-of-the-mill "creepy grandparent" story. The author subverts those tropes in ways I truly didn’t see coming.

The world-building is immersive and atmospheric. The sinister bees making sourwood honey and the rotting trees create a perfect sense of dread. At its core, this is a dark exploration of greed and family loyalty. Unlike many horror-thrillers that leave you hanging, this book has a highly satisfying ending. It ties up the mysteries without leaving them frustratingly open, which made the final page feel earned.

Sourwood is a gripping, atmospheric horror-thriller that kept me guessing until the very end. If you want a "haunted house" story that feels fresh and genuinely unsettling, put this on your TBR.

Thanks to NetGallery and Quill & Crow Publishing House for the Advance Reader Copy.
Profile Image for Chip Hardbody.
9 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
February 22, 2026
ARC Review: Thank you to NetGalley and Logan Spurgeon for the advance copy!

Sourwood is one of the most inventive twists on a timeless premise I've encountered in a very long time, and I literally could not put this book down!
- Reed and Leighton are likable and believable siblings, intelligent but human in their decision-making
- Violet is a suitably unsettling presence, and her vacillation between "kindly grandmother" and "looming matriarch" is genuinely terrifying at times
- The atmosphere of Ashfeld manor and the surrounding property is beautifully realized, both oppressive and enticing
- Spurgeon's writing is quick and well-paced, moving the plot along quickly without feeling rushed
- My absolute favorite part of this book is the theme of not allowing your outward appearance or "bloodline" to determine who you are as a person. Leighton's journey as a trans woman and Reed's fight against the role thrust upon him by his grandparents were emotional and fleshed out nicely

I absolutely loved this book, and am grateful to have been provided an ARC by NetGalley and Logan Spurgeon! That being said, I did find myself wanting more Ashfeld lore and particularly a better explanation/deep dive into the family lineage. Maybe that's a good thing, though; there's room for more story here, and I would love to read anything else about the Ashfelds.

I'll be rereading this story and recommending it to many of my friends!
Profile Image for james.
150 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
February 21, 2026
Two siblings visit their estranged grandparents house after they are promised inheritance.

Spurgeon excels in atmosphere and tension-building. The reader is allowed to immerse themselves in an unsettling and eerily described estate. The mysteries arise from strange aspects of Leighton and Reed's experience; things that might be easily ignored by themselves, but altogether paint a creepy picture.

Personally, it was a slow start for me, however once the mysteries started being unravelled it was enthralling and I couldn't stop reading. The direction the story went in felt unique, and managed to tie everything together in an extremely satisfying way. I thought that the truth of the inheritance was very clever.

There were some specific aspects of the novel that tied into the mystery that I thought were specifically genius, however, I don't want to spoil them.

I also think that exploring the themes of tradition's ties to exclusion and how it harms itself were great.

Overall a solid horror with strong descriptions and a thrilling latter half.
29 reviews1 follower
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
February 24, 2026
Sourwood follows Reed and Leighton who never thought they would get the opportunity to meet their grandparents or learn about their family. Their parents kept all information about their family from them. One day, their grandmother calls out of the blue letting them know their grandfather is about to pass and is leaving them a sizable inheritance. The only condition is that they must come to Ashfeld Manor. They both agree but soon begin to regret it when things aren’t what they hoped they would be at the Manor. Secrets come out and they must do everything they can to save each other from their cursed bloodline. This book brought so many emotions out and I needed to keep reading to see how it ended for the siblings. The plot, pacing, and characters were all enjoyable and cohesive for me. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it. Thank you, Logan Spurgeon, Quill & Crow Publishing House, and NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Profile Image for Caroline Lewis.
555 reviews11 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
February 19, 2026
Long lost relatives gifting you a mansion in a remote setting? There was no decision to make here. I was simply compelled to read it. A suitable amount of creepiness awaited me within the pages, with two main characters I was drawn to and a strange grandmother with obvious ulterior motives. There was plenty of suspense and a dash of gruesome elements. I think I would have preferred less casualties and I did get annoyed with the overuse of the phrase "tilted his head" but overall I was very entertained, mystified and creeped out, all good qualities in a horror novel.

I received this arc from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
Profile Image for Adrianna Heaney-velu.
1,092 reviews15 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
March 1, 2026
“Remembrance is a curse, as is forgetting.”

“Sourwood,” by Logan Spurgeon

This book was quiet and creeping stories that settled into my bones inside of jump scares. The atmosphere was everything, spooky gothic mansion with complicated memories and family secrets. The bee imagery was so strong throughout the book, and I adored it. It added a slightly surreal, almost suffocating texture with the story. The trans FMC and mentally ill grandmother were icing on the cake.
4 out of 5 stars, I wish it was longer.

-Mental Illness
-Trans FMC
-Bee Imagery
-Gothic
-Horror
-Family Secrets

Thank you for the ARC, Netgalley.

“Dreams, after all, were things with wings.”
Profile Image for Terry.
1,090 reviews35 followers
February 15, 2026
I enjoyed this book and the characters Reed & Lei.
They head off to meet distant grandparents who I have to say are awful. Hidden secrets and creepy house too.
Though I’d have loved to see the house. The descriptions of it were spot on. The gardens too.
The characters as they got to know more about each other in the family just filled out loads. A slow build but an interesting one, definitely worth the wait.
Inheritance is one thing, this is way in the other direction.
Very good read.
Profile Image for Andrew.
10 reviews1 follower
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
February 18, 2026
This is a really good suspenseful read that really has you wondering what exactly is happening in Ashfeld manor. The characters are interesting and have a compelling reason to pursue and remain with their grandparents who have reached out to them after their parents have severed all ties with them. Worth a read if you're looking for something unusual that still feels comfortable in the horror genre.
Profile Image for TBRBooks.
108 reviews8 followers
February 21, 2026
Sourwood by Logan Spurgeon

Arc Review

An unsettling story about two siblings who go to meet their grandparents after their parents death. This entire book had me feeling anxious. The way Spurgeon wrote and detailed everything was amazing. As much as it gave me an unsettling feeling I enjoyed every page of Sourwood.

Thank you so much Quill & Crow Publishing House and @Netgalley for the opportunity to arc read Sourwood.
Profile Image for Samuel White.
149 reviews1 follower
February 5, 2026
I went into Sourwood expecting a familiar setup, the kids visit a spooky grandmother’s house, but the story quickly proved to be far more inventive. Spurgeon takes that well-worn premise in an unexpected direction, creating an atmosphere that’s genuinely eerie rather than predictable. A smart, unsettling read that kept me hooked.
Profile Image for Jenn.
357 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
March 9, 2026
This was an interesting read. It was creepy but at times I did not feel a character connection. It was haunting and had some memorable moments. If you like a gothic, slow read give this a try. It started strong but just lost my attention in the middle. Thank you to Quill & Crow publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read.
3 star
Profile Image for Bree.
102 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
February 1, 2026
i really enjoyed this! the writing is very well done and the story kept me interested the whole time. the atmosphere is so eerie and unsettling. this gives like flowers in the attic meets mexican gothic and as those are two lf my favorite books, i was HOOKED.
Profile Image for Samantha  Hehr.
330 reviews7 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
February 13, 2026
This is not just another story of inheriting a house with secrets.
Bees make honey from the sourwood trees. One taste is all you need to be put under the houses' spell.
Profile Image for Katie O’Reilly.
711 reviews14 followers
March 5, 2026
4.5 🌟💫

“There was something different about the sourwood honey. . .”

Unmissable, unforgettable, depraved and tragic, rotting from within.

Thoroughly enjoyable gothic horror 🍯
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