House of Harrow

by Cassandra Celia

From bitter Witch’s candle glow,

A crow and rat weave tales of woe,

Mayhem regards, Flea watcheth soon,

The horrors beneath her beldam loon.



Up on the hill, children are prey,

The catlike game Witch loves to play,

Their crying souls could ne’er survive,

Her hunger fed, though still alive



Beware Harrow, shadow, Hag of Wax,

Too late! She comes. The crone attacks!

Genres: Horror

204 pages, Paperback

Published June 17, 2025

About the author

Cassandra Celia (they/them) is a Maryland bookseller turned author who writes dark, weird, and horrific lit fiction. Their work includes The Elric Undoing and their newest release, House of Harrow. They’re obsessed with stories that blur the lines between love and death, beauty and rot, and endings that don’t feel like endings at all. Cassandra finds inspiration in haunting art, unsettling media, and has a particular fondness for angry, scorned women clawing their way through the dark.

Stay up to date by visiting their website, www.cassandracelia.carrd.co.

Reviews

[unstable.books · Rating 5 out of 5]

*will return for a review when I’ve gathered my thoughts but WOW*

Okay, let's just say this book quite literally blew my mind. The story is of Harrow, a mean ass witch, who has a certain ... affinity? Specific tastes? Her entire home and surrounding property are stuck, quite literally under her rule. Anyway, I digress. We get our POV from Mayhem, a crow and Flea, a rat, who live in this literal house of horrors. I don't want to say a whole lot more about the plot itself simply because you have to read this to experience it. Cass has a clear talent for storytelling, and she broaches the very ... sensitive topics at hand with such care. Harrow's story is a grotesque one, steeped in darkness and depravity. I, for one, could not look away. I devoured this in one day. Cass, thank you so much for trusting us with your book. Please get this on you To Be Read immediately and pick it up when it releases June 17, 2025!

[Damon R. Caraway · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark, brutal, and beautifully written! 🖤🐁🐦‍⬛🩸

Cassandra Celia writes a brutal witch’s tale that treads outside of the traditional telling of folklore witchery in a few ways, but the wax candle morphing body of the witch Harrow is mesmerizing as you read it and ramps her creepiness level up quite a few notches.

The children that Harrow has trapped in her house are haunting and are still with me after the reading. The orphaned and unwanted castaways of a nearby village, are easy pickings for Harrow and she feeds off of their fear… and their bodies. It is dark and you have been warned.

The familiars, a crow named Mayhem and Flea the rat, do their best to stay out of Harrow’s way and lead a fearful existence in her darkly magical house which is constantly changing walls for doors and so on making it difficult to find your way out.

Mayhem and Flea are alternating narrators and their perspectives are perfectly written. You will root for the children and once their characters are rounded out, you will pull for Flea and Mayhem as well. Be careful though, there is nothing happy about this horror, at all.

[Adam Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Review - House of Harrow by Cassandra Celia Where to begin? First of all, thank you to Cass for trusting me with a very early copy of this beautiful and horrifying book. Second, Cassandra Celia is quickly building a catalog of books that overflow with beautiful writing, pain, horror, and the kind of honesty and rawness in the emotions that is really remarkable.

As much as I absolutely love The Elric Undoing, this book has taken its place as my favorite book that she has written. It’s gothic, it’s grotesque, it’s gory, and it’s disturbing, but somehow it’s also absolutely beautiful and heartfelt at the same time.

Harrow is a character that is fascinating in her awfulness, but at her core she is intensely sad and lonely. Think about the witches from fairy tales and then ramp up the ruthlessness by 1000 and you’re starting to approach the depths of depravity this character is capable of in this book.

The other two main characters, a crow named Mayhem and a rat named Flea are so real that you almost forget they aren’t human at times. The characterization on these animals is incredible and I honestly don’t know which one is my favorite, ok it’s Flea.

This book is 💯 why I love indie horror. While I think any horror fan will pick this up and love it, it feels like finding my own special treasure and I want to share it with as many people as possible. Get it this June, you won’t regret it!

[Ali O · Rating 5 out of 5]

House of Harrow by Cassandra Celia
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
A deeply intense, and disturbing grief horror story. This story is told through the eyes of a crow, Mayhem, and a rat, Flea. Along with the Mayhem and Flea, there’s Harrow the evil witch made up of dripping wax, and then the poor children who get trapped in her house of misery with never ending mazes.
This is a deep and dark story of sadness, grief, creepiness and gory bloody horrors.

This story is very unique, descriptive, emotional and well written. The ending really surprised me!

*It’s out now! Check it out!!*
🩸🐀🩸🐦‍⬛🩸 🕯️🩸

(Check for triggers)

[Milt Theo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This started as a horror story, but it slowly became something else: dark fantasy, dark fairy tale, or something in between. The story is about a children-devouring witch figure made of wax (I'm not 100% sure about that) and her house on the hill (a house made of wax as well, but I'm not entirely sure about that either); constantly present are also a crow, Mayhem, with its own subversive agenda, and a rat, Flea(bag), with a survivor-type mentality. Oh, and some kids, who try to get out of the witch's house, a labyrinthine domicile of flowing insanity, within which survival is never guaranteed. The plot is essentially a game session (reminiscent of the online game "Granny"), as everybody and their grandmother try to survive the house, all the while the witch herself acting very weirdly and totally capriciously towards everyone else (the animals included). Many scenes of chasing, hide n' seek, and murder follow. My complaint is that this goes on for so long, it soon becomes repetitive and its message trite and pointless; at least I myself couldn't find anything that couldn't be said in the length of a short story. The ending shows great promise; but the ambiguity flattened it a bit, turning it from a potential allegory of abuse, survival, and despair, to a smart gimmick or a quirky twist. Not bad, but some things hit harder when left unsaid.

[J.A. Barrios · Rating 5 out of 5]

A modern classic folktale

This chilling tale pulled me in with its poetic imagery, reading like a classic folktale. I especially enjoyed the “as if the house itself exhaled a cold breath," it gave me a shiver.

House of Harrow works as a nightmarish labyrinth while abandoned children attempt to find their way out. Harrow, the grotesque wax hag, lurks between the walls, toying with her prey before she indulges upon their flesh.

The story is split between two perspectives: Flea, the dutiful rat providing minimum comfort to the children in between their terror. And Mayhem, a crow who waits for his scraps by the windowsill, watching Harrow while attempting to keep his distance. Distance from the wax-dripping clutches of the witch and distance from his own compassion for the children.

Both POVs we're great and very relatable. I am partial to crows so I would of course choose team Mayhem, but Flea was very sweet.

All of Harrow’s imagery was disgusting but in the best of ways. The scene with the wax mannequins… yea, those were creepy as hell! It reminded me of the mannequins in Silent Hill 3 but worse.

The ending got a little too “wild" for me and I didn't really get it at first. I slept on it and came back to the final chapter this morning and reread it slower with more focus. I feel better about it. Some real crazy, fantastical imagery though, would be very cool to experience that visually.

This was a good read. Fast paced but still rich with detail and haunting imagery. Good gore, but not excessive. Relatable characters. Yeah, you should def read this.

[Carrie (scary.carrie.reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The general concept of this story was great, and the imagery was fantastic. I was definitely getting Brothers Grimm/dark fairy tale vibes. It was like watching a Tim Burton movie, but bloodier. The wax witch was horrible in the best kind of way. The story being told through the POVs of a rat and a crow was really cool. Unfortunately, I didn’t connect with any of the characters.

I think had the characters been fleshed out further, I would’ve enjoyed the story more. I especially wanted to know more about the wax witch. I liked the ending, but again, I wish there had been more. I feel like I was really only seeing a glimpse of something instead of the full picture. Overall, I thought this was an interesting story and beautifully written, but it did not leave the emotional impact that I look for when reading. These are just my opinions, and as always, your mileage may vary.

Check it out if you like:

* Dark fairy tales
* Stories about fighting your own nature
* Stories with animal POVs
* Gruesome deaths
* Unexpected twists
* The feeling of wax drying on your skin

My rating:

3.75 / 5⭐️ (rounded up to 4/5)

[Jules · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, Cassandra Celia, for an ARC of House of Harrow. I found the synopsis intriguing: a wax woman who steals children to eat them.
It was beautifully written, Cassandra does a wonderful job at describing Harrow and the house on the hill in eloquent detail. However, I do not think House of Harrow is for me. I did enjoy certain scenes and it did invoke some sympathy, but I still have some unanswered questions…or maybe I just didn’t get Harrow’s love and desperation. Either way, I still suggest it’s worth a read, especially for those who enjoy gothic horror.

[Stefany Krantz · Rating 5 out of 5]

🐦‍⬛ Book Review 🐀

First, this book was so beautifully written. The prose was decadent and delicious, and it gave me Grimm’s Fairytale vibes. I can see this being a Halloween horror story told around a campfire or an old legend told to misbehaving children. I absolutely loved it. We have alternating viewpoints from a crow and a rat who are trapped in this waxy labyrinth with a child eating witch. They are desperate for freedom as well as these poor forgotten children but Harrow, Harrow’s hungry and lonely and doesn’t take well to people leaving her. This was so much fun. I’m definitely gonna keep it out for a reread at Halloween! Drops June 17th! Two days after my birthday! Grab a copy and immerse yourself into the waxy, witchy world of Harrow, Mayhem, and Flea.

Huge thanks to @twinsandtalent and @authorcassandracelia for the ARC! June 17th!

From bitter Witch’s candle glow,

A crow and rat weave tales of woe,

Mayhem regards, Flea watcheth soon,

The horrors beneath her beldam loon.

Up on the hill, children are prey,

The catlike game Witch loves to play,

Their crying souls could ne’er survive,

Her hunger fed, though still alive.

Beware Harrow, shadow, Hag of wax,

Too late! She comes. The crone attacks.

#bookstagrammer #bookstagram #horrorbookstagram #horror #horrorbooks #indieauthorsofinstagram #supportindieauthors #witchybooks #fairytales #nightmares #bookreview #bookrecommendation

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄 by Cassandra Celia
➡️ ɢʀᴀʙ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ:
° Love gothic horror that’s as dark as it gets
° Crave atmospheric, unsettling stories
° Are fascinated by legends of "𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘭 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩"
° Want a visceral, mind-bending ride you can read in one sitting

➡️ ɪᴛ'ꜱ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ:
This story starts like a ����𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙚: an evil witch steals children and traps them in her rotting house, playing a deadly game of cat and mouse before eventually 𝙙𝙚𝙫𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 them. But then the focus shifts to the trapped kids trying to outwit the witch and escape, all while two strange observers—Flea the rat and Mayhem the crow—watch from the shadows.

➡️ ᴛʜʀɪʟʟ-ᴏ-ᴍᴇᴛᴇʀ: 🖤🖤🖤🖤
The vibe here is 𝘽𝙇𝙀𝘼𝙆. I felt the tension clawing at me from the first page, and the gothic prose is dripping with dread. It’s short, brutal, and unflinching. If you can handle stories where the stakes are literally life and death (and very dark), you want to pick this one up. Especially if you’re into cosmic horror, chilling atmosphere, and stories that aren’t afraid to face the darkness, you’ll love this.

The ending? Let’s just say it felt like my brain got twisted into a knot in the best possible way—strange, mind-melting, and 𝙨𝙤 creative. There’s no light here, but that’s kind of the point. It's not so much the outcome but rather enjoying the dark journey along the way.

[ScarlettAnomalyReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was very creepy and I enjoyed it, it was like a dark horror fairy-tale, and I’m not sure fairy-tale is the right word really, because, this was anything but light and for me, that phrase makes me think of some possible hope, but for these kids?

Hope is not something I’d hold out for.

If you like twisted dark takes on some of those old tales many of us remember, this will be a hit for you, I think my only real complaint would have been, it could have been a little shorter and more ambiguous to really hit hard on the horror, but that is personal preference for reading and my own horror level when it comes to what I think is creepy.

What did I love?

That we got multiple POV’s, and I loved thinking, oh I know this old story, but folks, I did NOT know this story, the dark, horrific bloody magic that infused this book, it really made this work and helped keep me invested, needing to know, how this whole thing was going to wrap up.

House of Harrow?
A devastating and horrifying wink at Hansel and Gretal in a way you might not have thought about yet, and if you like twisted takes on things that were already on the horrifying side, this will be a must read for you.

Don’t think it’s all candy and nice, this is more like horrifying and spite.

[Alej · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book because the author is local to my area and she’s doing a signing at a Barnes and Noble near me. I saw a post about it on the B&N Instagram, and I thought the cover looked disturbing and mysterious so I decided to give it a shot. I am glad I did.

The last couple of weeks I have been craving something scary, even though we’re in the middle of the summer, and this delivered. It is brutal, it is relatively gorey, it is cruel, and it is unflinching. However I also found it oddly beautiful at times. Definitely not just a mindless murder house horror story. The story is a little vague, on purpose, but y’know the whole horror as a metaphor for trauma is a bit long in the tooth these days. I still enjoyed what it had to say in that regard though, and unlike its movie contemporaries that try that route, it actually showed the monsters being monsters. Some of the kills in this book knocked the breath out of my chest. They felt like I got hit by a sledgehammer every time because they’re so raw, and because you expect the brief moments of defiance from the victims to MEAN something.

Good clean fun!

[Amber Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

House of Harrow by Cassandra Celia
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (all the stars!)

A witch 🧙‍♀️,  a rat 🐁, and a crow 🐦‍⬛... all in a gruesome story with different points of view and sharing the same horrors.

This is a wild ride of what feels like a Gothic horror fairytale. This story is written so beautifully. It feels weird saying that about a horror story, but it is beautiful writing! The style was so unique to anything else and very captivating. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this horror through the eyes of the crow and the rat. Cassandra brought to life this story and wrote it in a way of feeling completely original. The pacing kept me engrossed, not allowing me to put it down and becoming almost frantic towards the end.  I read it in a day! It becomes more and more unhinged in a way to keep you reading to the end. There is also a really cool Spotify Playlist to check out that goes with the book!

I'll be impatiently waiting for any new horror Cassandra throws at us.

And BTW, team Rat 🐁!

[Billie Wiley · Rating 5 out of 5]

🕯️ A Haunting Like No Other, Told by the Most Unlikely Heroes

House of Harrow by Cassandra Celia is a masterpiece in gothic storytelling, where horror creeps through every candlelit corridor and salvation comes from feathers and fur. Narrated by a clever crow and a soft-hearted rat, this tale breathes fresh life into the haunted house genre.

The wax-draped witch who resides in Harrow doesn’t just haunt the halls, she hungers. Her twisted game of hide-and-seek with the children she traps is chilling, but it’s the deep bond between our two animal guides that tugs at the heart. The crow sees what others can’t. The rat listens when all else is silent. Together, they risk everything to save the innocent.

Celia’s writing is lyrical and otherworldly, painting fear with a brush dipped in poetry and shadow. This story feels like a dark fairytale passed down in whispers, destined to nest in your imagination.

Five luminous stars. But don't go in alone.

[Jim Donohue · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first started reading this book and realized the unique POVs that it offered, I was a little skeptical and wondered if it would be for me.
But I read.
And kept reading.
And found myself putting other things off so that I could find out what happens next.
And when I had finished, I realized that I had just read one of the most unique, enchanting Horror Books that I'd read in quite a long time.
Ms. Celia has created a horrifying world where the most brutal, ungodly attacks are witnessed by two non-human members of the castle, and they are powerless to do anything about it. As a reader, we feel their horror, we feel their frustration and, like them, we wish we could stop the terror.
But the only way to do that would be to stop reading, but if you do that, take my word, you'd be missing one of the great reading experiences of the last dozen or so years.
I'm hard pressed to come up with a more unique, more elegant Horror novel in recent memory than House of Harrow.

[David Washburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous prose is wrapped neatly in this unconventional gothic horror book. What sets this apart is its risks it takes in following alternatinvg perspectives of a rat and a crow as they navigate the ever-changing horrors that make up the House of Harrow.

The antagonist, the wax woman, is veiled very well to the reader early on and I will say, I am not someone who typically enjoys the gothic style, I just get bored with it and often find the payoff doesn't land with me, but this one was an outlier. It was slower to get going but once I figured out what the dstory was doing I flew through the rest.

This one is absolutely worth checking out. It's a clinic on creative writing and finding beauty in simple sentences.

[Tanya Kolb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What a story! I am honored to get to read this book early.

This book, very much, has the feel of Poe. The setting is brilliant. This was a Gothic game of cat and mouse. I loved the POVs of Flea and Mayhem. I couldn't make up my mind if I loved them or felt sorry for them. I think I'm team Mayhem! This evil queen of wax was one messed up villain! I think I'm in love with this house. What happened to the children was awful, but they were almost background characters. I'm not sure what that says about me! 😬

I was not ready for that ending! It reminded me of the years that I spent reading SK's Dark Tower series, only to reach that ending! 😆
I loved it!

[Christine HorrorReaderWeekend · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a different and terrifying reading experience! Celia has created an immersive and mind bending interpretation of the haunted house.

The book begins with a truly scary and deeply disquieting witch, with her prisoners: terrified children, a crow and a rat. All are trapped with the witch’s home, a crumbling and shifting mansion. It seems like you know where this is going, predator and prey and hopefully a happy ending.

But, oh no. Celia creates a surprising houseful of actions, reactions and relationships. And I was turning pages and getting more anxious and invested and ultimately SHOCKED.

House of Harrow felt new and remarkable.

[Jennifer Loschiavo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish i was a better painter/sketch artist because the visuals from this book are ridiculously inspiring. Some of the scenes although grotesque, are also so impeccably written i can picture them perfectly. To the point where i felt, smelled, and even tasted some things that i probably didn’t want to taste. This could be considered horror poetry, this should be studied and discussed. The turmoil mayhem, harrow, and flea went through mentally and physically was catastrophic. This was one house of wax that i Didn’t want people to die in. If they want to remake that movie they should reference this book and do it right… just sayin! This book is going to stick with me for a while.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

An irresistible dark gothic fairytale. So much fun and dread to have here, whether it's the titular hag made of wax in her strange house atop the hill or the gruesome death scenes or the perspectives of the rat and crow you get into, or the fast plot that keeps you intrigued and guessing at an underlying mystery. The combination of lyrical prose and fun haunted house atmosphere sets the reader up for a blast of a time punctuated with introspective creepy moments that don't disappoint. And what a wild ending. Cassandra Celia is an up and coming horror star to definitely check out!

[Brittany Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

House of Harrow is a unique dark fairytale horror. Told by Mayhem and Flea's point of view.
Just wanting love and to never be left Harrows house of horror is both heartbreaking and the edge of your seat breathtaking. Is it all a game or is it more than that?

At roughly 170 pages this read is quick and captivating. Not for the faint of heart. This one is a leap from my typical genre but I found it to be poetic and heartbreaking. I was easily captured by Flea and Mayhem both creatures stole my heart and held tightly..

[William Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

HANSEL AND GRETAL, move over: HOUSE OF HARROW is here and it means business. While Cassandra Celia's latest feels at time violent and cruel, the dual perspectives of the pair of unique protagonists weaves hope into the despair that echoes across every wax-laden page. Undeniably original yet simultaneously a love letter to our beloved Brothers Grimm, HOUSE OF HARROW will find you in the clutches of our titular witch from beginning to end.

[Paige Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting read. It’s like horror and fairy-tale came together and became one… which made for a creepy and twisted read. I liked it. It was a little repetitive but I still enjoyed it.

House of Harrow is a story about a witch literally made of wax who devours children. I mean enough said there😬🫣 It’s like a game of cat and mouse essentially. Those who enter face the wrath of the witch. *insert creepy cackle here*

[Danielle (Danni) Vinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I honestly don't know what this story is about, but enjoyed it immensely, and I say that even given the gruesome nature of it all. Mayhem, the crow...Harrow, the hag...Flea, the rat. These are the three characters in this genuinely creepy tale. I absolutely loved the writing. It's extremely visual, and for someone like me who sees the story in my head as I'm reading, this was a phantasmagorical treat. The illustrations throughout are wonderful. I loved it.

[Austrian Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Something dark and dangerous, spotted out in the wilds of Austria.
I had the pleasure of seeing this take shape, grow, and growl, and snagged one for the shelf at home.
House of Harrow is Cassandra Celia's love letter to witches, fairy tales, and unspeakable cruelty. It is a tribute to fear, to disfigurement, to cruelty. It allows you to witness, to despair. And to choose to believe in the fairy tale, no matter how much it costs.
Really loved this one.
Highly recommended.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Jen Poteet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is incredibly descriptive and well written. I could picture the house and every creature in it. I loved that the story was told from the crow and rat’s perspective. The ending was very unexpected. So why am I giving it a four? The gruesome deaths of the children were a bit too much for me. Is this horror? Absolutely. It will haunt the shit out of you. And I know for some folks this will be a five.

[Morgan Watkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was sad, and gross, and grotesque....I loved it! A tidal wave of emotions you're not sure you should be feeling with details that will make your skin crawl. I devoured this book and loved every minute of it.

[Rachel Browning · Rating 5 out of 5]

House of Harrow by Cassandra Celia is a grotesque, disturbing, and hauntingly beautiful. Told through the eyes of a crow and a rat, this horror story follows the twisted horrors surrounding a witch made of wax who wants to be loved by the things she loves. Uniquely written and deeply unsettling.

[John Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

A scene in someone else’s nightmare, this story of a crow, a rat and a wax woman playing a lethal game in an everlasting house is a phantasmagoric delight. Completely unique and very much in its own world, I can’t wait to revisit this one again.

[Rikki Goodwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Claustrophobic, immersive, and absolutely devastating.