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Reliquary
Not yet published
Expected 11 Aug 26Sometimes, you just want to belong.
When Claire’s fiancé mysteriously dies of an unknown neurological illness, seemingly destroying her chances at the belonging she’s sought, she’s prepared to sink back into the lonely life she lived before. Orphaned by a freak boating accident in her childhood, she never expected to find connection like she did with Elias, anyway. Even if sometimes, that connection seemed more like something he felt obligated to than something he wanted.
Their relationship wasn’t perfect—his coldness, his secrets, his strange aversion to the ocean—but what relationship is?
When Elias’s family reaches out—his incredibly wealthy family, from whom he was estranged—and invites Claire to a wake at their family home on a private island, Claire is given the chance to have connection again. To belong to something, just like she’s always wanted. Just like Elias knew she was desperate to have.
Even if that family is a little strange. Even if their home built partially into the sea stirs up memories of the accident that killed her parents and sister. Even if Ash, Elias’s older brother, seems insistent on Claire leaving as soon as possible.
Claire can’t bring herself to be lonely again. And as the strange circumstances of Elias’s familial connection with the sea becomes more and more apparent, her window for escape is rapidly closing.
Does she even want to?
When Claire’s fiancé mysteriously dies of an unknown neurological illness, seemingly destroying her chances at the belonging she’s sought, she’s prepared to sink back into the lonely life she lived before. Orphaned by a freak boating accident in her childhood, she never expected to find connection like she did with Elias, anyway. Even if sometimes, that connection seemed more like something he felt obligated to than something he wanted.
Their relationship wasn’t perfect—his coldness, his secrets, his strange aversion to the ocean—but what relationship is?
When Elias’s family reaches out—his incredibly wealthy family, from whom he was estranged—and invites Claire to a wake at their family home on a private island, Claire is given the chance to have connection again. To belong to something, just like she’s always wanted. Just like Elias knew she was desperate to have.
Even if that family is a little strange. Even if their home built partially into the sea stirs up memories of the accident that killed her parents and sister. Even if Ash, Elias’s older brother, seems insistent on Claire leaving as soon as possible.
Claire can’t bring herself to be lonely again. And as the strange circumstances of Elias’s familial connection with the sea becomes more and more apparent, her window for escape is rapidly closing.
Does she even want to?
300 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication August 11, 2026
7039 people want to read
About the author
Hannah Whitten
11 books4,461 followersHannah Whitten has been writing to amuse herself since she could hold a pen, and sometime in high school, figured out that what amused her might also amuse others. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, making music, or attempting to bake. She lives in Tennessee with her husband and children in a house ruled by a temperamental cat.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
August 9, 2025
Propulsive and completely impossible to put down, RELIQUARY seized me with uneasy dread and will make me think twice before tiptoeing into any ocean. Hannah Whitten is my new favorite voice in horror.
December 5, 2025
I’m so serious, I read this in maybe three hours bc I could not possibly put it down. I know it doesn’t come out till next summer, but I need a production team to jump on this STAT and get to making a full feature film. IM OBSESSED
February 10, 2026
First DNF of the year…
Incredibly 2D writing and characters; so flat in fact they could be used as bookmarks. Characters as emotional as a user manual, padded out by redundant phrases that refuse to die. Only 300 pages, yet somehow felt infinite. DNFed for self-preservation.
Incredibly 2D writing and characters; so flat in fact they could be used as bookmarks. Characters as emotional as a user manual, padded out by redundant phrases that refuse to die. Only 300 pages, yet somehow felt infinite. DNFed for self-preservation.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Reading for review in a future issue of Booklist
Three Words The Describe This Book: Sea Soaked Horror, Gothic, Intense Unease
Also-- horror about the uber wealthy, rich families with a monster secret to their success, an unreliable narrator who knows they are unreliable because of past trauma, trauma, Lovecraftian, disorientation-- the entire house is build down, into the water. That was cool and makes everything about this Gothic mansion on the seaside feel even more unsettling. Readers and Claire are disoriented from the start.
Solid pacing– details revealed slowly but steadily and in a realistic way.
Title is good (a container for holy relics- to secure them from public viewing) because it hits on a few levels within the story Whitten is telling.
Whitten is a Best Selling author for her fantasy books. This is a Horror title that will definitely appeal to dark fantasy readers, but it is Horror so that needs to be made clear to readers.
I am writing my LJ Horror Genre Preview right now, and "seas soaked horror" is one of my trends. As I went through the books coming out over the next few months, there are a lot. I am excited because the books are literally dripping with dread and fear and it is GREAT.
Claire is a damaged and unreliable narrator from the start. We know she lived through an accident as a teen-- on a boat-- that killed her whole family. We know that she lives her life purposely pushing her feelings down and not revealing the truth even to herself let alone her therapist. This she tells us. That means as readers we are already uncomfortable and know we cannot trust her but Claire is also very sympathetic because our distrust is not based on her nefarious behavior. We trust she will share her truth as the story goes on.
We only have Claire's perspective on all of this. We know as much as her, but we don;t know what she is hiding from herself.
And the sharing is well done here. The details we are given, all begin to matter and as Claire admits to herself her connection to the sea the other parts of the story start to fall into place.
Her fiancé dies and she is called to meet his parents-- uber wealthy for generations. They have a submarine company. It is well known. She has not met them, but they want her to come to have a funeral for Elias. He dies mysteriously, just dropped dead, and his brain was full of holes the doctors said. Also his strange large sea creature in their giant aquarium died as well.
When she gets there things are strange. She is led into a castle built on an island (where the road to get their retracts when not needed). It is perched on the end of the sea but the house is built down....so all of the living spaces are under the waterline.
The staff are odd, they have strange scars and injuries, and they are rarely seen.
Everyone is being very nice, but also strange. Elias' brother-- who shirked his responsibilities to the family and made Elias take his place, and the spaces of the other siblings all are trying to get her to leave of her own volition. But she is happy to be accepted, even if they are weird, and wants to belong.
The scene is set perfectly to go from uneasy and disorienting to all out terror and a desperate attempt for her to save herself.
The monster, its hold on the family, and the resolution are all satisfying. The terror is mixed with some sweetness and Claire's background and issues from thought out her life all play a part in the conclusion which I appreciated.
Whitten's story is solid and it will bring a lot of her fans to Horror. That makes me excited.
For readers who love sea monster stories in the vein of the EXCELLENT upcoming A Plagued Sea by Kim Bo-young (my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)
But also the confusion and disorientation of a family that clearly has a monstrous secret and they want the MC to pay a physical price for them like in Midnight Rooms by Coles or even Now You're One of Us by Nonami. And finally, I could not stop thinking about Alma Katsu's Fiend and the demon behind the immense wealth and success of the family featured there.
Three Words The Describe This Book: Sea Soaked Horror, Gothic, Intense Unease
Also-- horror about the uber wealthy, rich families with a monster secret to their success, an unreliable narrator who knows they are unreliable because of past trauma, trauma, Lovecraftian, disorientation-- the entire house is build down, into the water. That was cool and makes everything about this Gothic mansion on the seaside feel even more unsettling. Readers and Claire are disoriented from the start.
Solid pacing– details revealed slowly but steadily and in a realistic way.
Title is good (a container for holy relics- to secure them from public viewing) because it hits on a few levels within the story Whitten is telling.
Whitten is a Best Selling author for her fantasy books. This is a Horror title that will definitely appeal to dark fantasy readers, but it is Horror so that needs to be made clear to readers.
I am writing my LJ Horror Genre Preview right now, and "seas soaked horror" is one of my trends. As I went through the books coming out over the next few months, there are a lot. I am excited because the books are literally dripping with dread and fear and it is GREAT.
Claire is a damaged and unreliable narrator from the start. We know she lived through an accident as a teen-- on a boat-- that killed her whole family. We know that she lives her life purposely pushing her feelings down and not revealing the truth even to herself let alone her therapist. This she tells us. That means as readers we are already uncomfortable and know we cannot trust her but Claire is also very sympathetic because our distrust is not based on her nefarious behavior. We trust she will share her truth as the story goes on.
We only have Claire's perspective on all of this. We know as much as her, but we don;t know what she is hiding from herself.
And the sharing is well done here. The details we are given, all begin to matter and as Claire admits to herself her connection to the sea the other parts of the story start to fall into place.
Her fiancé dies and she is called to meet his parents-- uber wealthy for generations. They have a submarine company. It is well known. She has not met them, but they want her to come to have a funeral for Elias. He dies mysteriously, just dropped dead, and his brain was full of holes the doctors said. Also his strange large sea creature in their giant aquarium died as well.
When she gets there things are strange. She is led into a castle built on an island (where the road to get their retracts when not needed). It is perched on the end of the sea but the house is built down....so all of the living spaces are under the waterline.
The staff are odd, they have strange scars and injuries, and they are rarely seen.
Everyone is being very nice, but also strange. Elias' brother-- who shirked his responsibilities to the family and made Elias take his place, and the spaces of the other siblings all are trying to get her to leave of her own volition. But she is happy to be accepted, even if they are weird, and wants to belong.
The scene is set perfectly to go from uneasy and disorienting to all out terror and a desperate attempt for her to save herself.
The monster, its hold on the family, and the resolution are all satisfying. The terror is mixed with some sweetness and Claire's background and issues from thought out her life all play a part in the conclusion which I appreciated.
Whitten's story is solid and it will bring a lot of her fans to Horror. That makes me excited.
For readers who love sea monster stories in the vein of the EXCELLENT upcoming A Plagued Sea by Kim Bo-young (my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)
But also the confusion and disorientation of a family that clearly has a monstrous secret and they want the MC to pay a physical price for them like in Midnight Rooms by Coles or even Now You're One of Us by Nonami. And finally, I could not stop thinking about Alma Katsu's Fiend and the demon behind the immense wealth and success of the family featured there.
April 1, 2026
hmmm i need to sit with this for a bit. there were moments where i thought this could be a 5 star read. it opened in a way that reminded me of ready or not. the normie protagonist engaged to a super rich guy with a sketchy and sinister family, she wants to belong and gets way more than she bargained for when they turn out to be part of a creepy cult. the book opens with his death and her having to finally meet his family. it takes place underwater surrounded by sea creatures and such, but that element wasn’t used enough for my liking, we eventually see some spookiness but i would have liked a bit more. i did think the claustrophobic and thalassaphobia imagery was well described.
my biggest issue was actually the protagonist claire. her survival skills and critical thinking were terrible. i understand she was grieving, but she had no issues being rude and abrasive to Ash (the only compelling character imo) despite him clearly being the only one actually trying to help her. it was really frustrating to read. it made it difficult to root for claire. the side characters (elite and evil ashbury family) were also not as interesting as you’d expect. most of them even felt interchangeable and didn’t really have distinct voices.
i’m still giving this 4 stars for now because the concept was cool and i thought the ending felt fitting for a horror novel! the actual creature lore also felt well explained and not overly convoluted. i think Whitten’s writing shines in this genre and i truly hope she writes in it more! i just wish the characters were more impactful because it left the story feeling hollow. i did love Ash the MMC though so that’s something.
thank you Orbit books for the ARC!
my biggest issue was actually the protagonist claire. her survival skills and critical thinking were terrible. i understand she was grieving, but she had no issues being rude and abrasive to Ash (the only compelling character imo) despite him clearly being the only one actually trying to help her. it was really frustrating to read. it made it difficult to root for claire. the side characters (elite and evil ashbury family) were also not as interesting as you’d expect. most of them even felt interchangeable and didn’t really have distinct voices.
i’m still giving this 4 stars for now because the concept was cool and i thought the ending felt fitting for a horror novel! the actual creature lore also felt well explained and not overly convoluted. i think Whitten’s writing shines in this genre and i truly hope she writes in it more! i just wish the characters were more impactful because it left the story feeling hollow. i did love Ash the MMC though so that’s something.
thank you Orbit books for the ARC!
April 28, 2026
This book was not what I expected!! What a turn of events!! If you love sci-fi mixed with a leviathan god that feeds on pain, then this is for you. I honestly do not know how to explain this book without giving away any spoilers so I will just give a little snippet.
Claire is our FMC who just longs to be wanted. To be loved and cared for. To belong in a family. When her fiancé dies unexpectedly, his family invites her to their island and she feels like she just might get what she has always wanted. From the moment she gets the invite, weird things start to happen. Disturbing dreams of her deceased fiancé giving her vague messages. The island that seems deserted and the castle/cliffside house that is mostly underground, people throwing up seaweed and the staff have an interesting appetite. Claire ignores all these red flags because she believes that really want her to be part of the family, which they do but now in the way she thinks.
I can guarantee that you will not see the twists in this book or what the ending brings.
Thank you to the author, @orbitbooks and @netgalley for this gifted eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Claire is our FMC who just longs to be wanted. To be loved and cared for. To belong in a family. When her fiancé dies unexpectedly, his family invites her to their island and she feels like she just might get what she has always wanted. From the moment she gets the invite, weird things start to happen. Disturbing dreams of her deceased fiancé giving her vague messages. The island that seems deserted and the castle/cliffside house that is mostly underground, people throwing up seaweed and the staff have an interesting appetite. Claire ignores all these red flags because she believes that really want her to be part of the family, which they do but now in the way she thinks.
I can guarantee that you will not see the twists in this book or what the ending brings.
Thank you to the author, @orbitbooks and @netgalley for this gifted eARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 24, 2026
Received this arc from NetGalley and almost fainted because I did not expect to get accepted.
I was at a Hannah Whitten book signing a couple years ago or so when she said she was writing an ocean horror and the only thing she could tell us was that it was very squishy. So needless to say I’ve been waiting very impatiently to read this, and it did not disappoint. It is in fact very squishy. Could possibly be the squishiest book I’ve ever read.
I’m going to be vague because you should go into this knowing as little as possible for the full effect… but it started out intense and then just kept building from there. The whole atmosphere and build up was absolute perfection. I had a lot of fun reading this.
I was at a Hannah Whitten book signing a couple years ago or so when she said she was writing an ocean horror and the only thing she could tell us was that it was very squishy. So needless to say I’ve been waiting very impatiently to read this, and it did not disappoint. It is in fact very squishy. Could possibly be the squishiest book I’ve ever read.
I’m going to be vague because you should go into this knowing as little as possible for the full effect… but it started out intense and then just kept building from there. The whole atmosphere and build up was absolute perfection. I had a lot of fun reading this.
Read
December 23, 2025SO GOOD! One of my favorite reads this year! Loved it!! Add to your TBR for 2026.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
the only reason i am giving this 4 stars instead of 5 is because of my own personal issue of books being too contemporary and naming things specifically, like cyber trucks and netflix, simply because i don't like it and feel it prematurely ages a book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 31, 2026
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. all opinions are my own.
eat the rich!!!!!
ultra rich people are weird and selfish and, while i predicted a decent chunk of the plot, i was disgusted at the depths of depravity surrounding this family.
i flew through this book. it was weird girl lit fic x oceanic horror x ready or not (2019) and i had such a good time.
the opening chapters of this were so eerie and the author did a fantastic job at building that sense of dread, of wrongness, of pure, unadulterated terror. we, obviously, as readers know that something sinister is going on, so reading along as claire (quite literally) walks into the belly of the beast was so stressful in the best way.
the body horror was, well, horrific and the descriptions were so vivid. also if you have a fear of the ocean or claustrophobia in any way, i would recommend maybe avoiding this one.
i also love all things ocean related, and found that the atmosphere of this one was really well done. while i clearly appreciated all of the larger ocean related imagery, the little one off moments where the author would use marine-esque phrashing to describe things were my favorite.
also
eat the rich!!!!!
ultra rich people are weird and selfish and, while i predicted a decent chunk of the plot, i was disgusted at the depths of depravity surrounding this family.
i flew through this book. it was weird girl lit fic x oceanic horror x ready or not (2019) and i had such a good time.
the opening chapters of this were so eerie and the author did a fantastic job at building that sense of dread, of wrongness, of pure, unadulterated terror. we, obviously, as readers know that something sinister is going on, so reading along as claire (quite literally) walks into the belly of the beast was so stressful in the best way.
the body horror was, well, horrific and the descriptions were so vivid. also if you have a fear of the ocean or claustrophobia in any way, i would recommend maybe avoiding this one.
i also love all things ocean related, and found that the atmosphere of this one was really well done. while i clearly appreciated all of the larger ocean related imagery, the little one off moments where the author would use marine-esque phrashing to describe things were my favorite.
also
April 3, 2026
This feels like one of those books that was written specifically for me and with the fact that it releases on my birthday, I'm going to say it was haha.
Reliquary was everything I didn't know I needed at the exact time I needed it. This book was fast paced, unsettling, creepy and perfectly atmospheric. You can just feel the dread creeping in from the very first chapters and it never lets up. The descriptions of the body horror were so vivid and grotesque. The claustrophobia feeling was intense and the ending was perfect.
To sum it up, I loved every single thing about this book and you should preorder it!
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for the eARC
Reliquary was everything I didn't know I needed at the exact time I needed it. This book was fast paced, unsettling, creepy and perfectly atmospheric. You can just feel the dread creeping in from the very first chapters and it never lets up. The descriptions of the body horror were so vivid and grotesque. The claustrophobia feeling was intense and the ending was perfect.
To sum it up, I loved every single thing about this book and you should preorder it!
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for the eARC
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 24, 2026
Let me just say, I knew that I was going to love this book as soon as I read the dedication.
Claire’s seemingly perfect life falls apart when her fiancé passes unexpectedly - and she is lured to his family’s remote island home. Feeling welcomed into the family at first, she soon discovers old family secrets and a monster lurking just under the surface.
The writing was so atmospheric. I am not usually claustrophobic, but I could feel Claire’s fears through the writing. The foreshadowing to the horrors beneath, the depiction of grief, themes of guild, greed, and power. This was such an amazing book.
Truly though, the best way to experience this is to go into it blind, though I’d recommend staying away if you have thelassophobia. I loved the eldritch horror in this book, and I think the ending wrapped up beautifully.
This is just another reminder of the power of the ocean and why I don’t belong in it! I cannot wait for this to release and to have a physical copy!
Huge thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the early copy in exchange for a review!
Claire’s seemingly perfect life falls apart when her fiancé passes unexpectedly - and she is lured to his family’s remote island home. Feeling welcomed into the family at first, she soon discovers old family secrets and a monster lurking just under the surface.
The writing was so atmospheric. I am not usually claustrophobic, but I could feel Claire’s fears through the writing. The foreshadowing to the horrors beneath, the depiction of grief, themes of guild, greed, and power. This was such an amazing book.
Truly though, the best way to experience this is to go into it blind, though I’d recommend staying away if you have thelassophobia. I loved the eldritch horror in this book, and I think the ending wrapped up beautifully.
This is just another reminder of the power of the ocean and why I don’t belong in it! I cannot wait for this to release and to have a physical copy!
Huge thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the early copy in exchange for a review!
tbr-arc
January 15, 2026sign me up with all the tales told by haunted houses!
*thank you to Run For It for the ARC*
*thank you to Run For It for the ARC*
January 18, 2026
This book was written for everyone who joined the billionaires-on-oceangate-submarine vs the depths-of-the-ocean-and-mankind’s-hubris war on the side of the depths of the ocean and mankind’s hubris
May 5, 2026
i like Fantasy Hannah but i reallllllllllly like Horror Hannah
May 8, 2026
more horror please, Hannah!
October 19, 2025
4.5
An excellent switch from Hannah Whitten into horror! This comes out next summer, so a while away but a wonderful examination of abuse, mental health, and greed.
An excellent switch from Hannah Whitten into horror! This comes out next summer, so a while away but a wonderful examination of abuse, mental health, and greed.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 stars rounded down (so close to 5 though! My review explains why)
WOW. I breezed through this novel over one especially busy weekend: I could not put it down and came back to it during every free moment. And I discovered that I love body horror lit?! It's beautifully written, and most of the characters have nuance and depth, despite needing to play parts in the horror plot.
The good: character work is very strong.
- Claire - lives with guilt, secrets, low self-esteem, and craves family. Her decisions, while evoking "ahhhh! get out!" from the reader, make PERFECT sense for this character. It's a skill to craft a horror character who is believable and fun to read about and Hannah Whitten has done it.
- Elias - her dead fiancé, who (how refreshing!) is not *just* a dead fiancé and we get to know quite a lot about him and their relationship. From the first pages Elias seems abusive to the reader (not to Claire) and while that hunch is true, there is more to him and I liked how he was both unlikeable AND with some redeeming qualities. Characterizing him so well and in a non-obvious way allowed Claire's grief to be a strong driving force of the plot.
- Ash - Elias' older brother whom we meet solely through Claire's POV and she dislikes him. I am conflicted about Ash: he's a very interesting character and a sympathetic one, but (because Claire knows so little about him) we don't really get to "know" him. There are hints of romance here but it's quite problematic, and I'm glad the author does not fully go that route: leaving it to the reader to imagine what was Ash and Claire's "what if." (Also, the blurb of the novel does Ash some injustice: ).
The ugly (in a good way, because it's tentacle horror!) - the plot: highs and lows
- The beginning is amazing: creepy ocean horror is signaled very well and we know something ominous will happen but we don't know what.
- The middle part is unfortunately one of the reasos why I gave this book 4.5 over 5 stars: suddenly, it becomes "tell not show" as the characters try to overexplain to Claire what is happening. It was all interesting to read about but the delivery did not feel smooth. Also, this part was the most predictable.
-The finale was awesome: we knew where it's going but the author managed to surprise me and I liked how it wrapped the story in a truly satisfying way ().
The bad:
I would give this novel 5/5 stars if I read it fresh or a couple of years ago, but unfortunately some elements of the plot are very similar to Silvia Garcia Moreno's "The Mexican Gothic." I would recommend this novel to the fans of that vibe (and weirdly I like protagonist more in this one), but at the same time I don't like how it seems TOO similar and how, unlike, "The Mexican Gothic" it does not really say anything new about the society. In "The Mexican Gothic", the legacy of colonialism was a driving force of the horror and it made perfect sense. Here, I guess, the author tries to paint capitalism/old money greed as the "enemy" but it falls flat: she is not concerned with that plot point enough to land a punch. I read in the Acknowledgments that this novel was written a couple of years ago (between Whitten's "For the Wolf" which was published in 2021 and "For the Throne" which was published in 2022; so presumably the first draft occurred even before then) so maybe it felt more "fresh" when it was first written but in that case it was not "updated" enough between writing and publishing it. Also, sometimes I feel like it tries to make a commentary about the horrors of contemporary society (i.e. Claire muses that the police would be sympathetic to her because she presents as wealthy and white) but the author is afraid/hesitant to make a deeper point? It would be better if she drove it all the way or if she simply did not attempt such commentary and left it as an unassuming fun tentacle-horror-story. Since it attempts but is not something more, I have to round down my rating to 4.
Regardless of this one criticism, it was SO FUN to read! Please please read it if you like cult stories, Cthulhu stories, spooky ocean stories, horrors about rich families, and Emperor in BG3 ;)
I thank Netgalley and Orbit Books for an ARC in exchange for this honest review.
WOW. I breezed through this novel over one especially busy weekend: I could not put it down and came back to it during every free moment. And I discovered that I love body horror lit?! It's beautifully written, and most of the characters have nuance and depth, despite needing to play parts in the horror plot.
The good: character work is very strong.
- Claire - lives with guilt, secrets, low self-esteem, and craves family. Her decisions, while evoking "ahhhh! get out!" from the reader, make PERFECT sense for this character. It's a skill to craft a horror character who is believable and fun to read about and Hannah Whitten has done it.
- Elias - her dead fiancé, who (how refreshing!) is not *just* a dead fiancé and we get to know quite a lot about him and their relationship. From the first pages Elias seems abusive to the reader (not to Claire) and while that hunch is true, there is more to him and I liked how he was both unlikeable AND with some redeeming qualities. Characterizing him so well and in a non-obvious way allowed Claire's grief to be a strong driving force of the plot.
- Ash - Elias' older brother whom we meet solely through Claire's POV and she dislikes him. I am conflicted about Ash: he's a very interesting character and a sympathetic one, but (because Claire knows so little about him) we don't really get to "know" him. There are hints of romance here but it's quite problematic, and I'm glad the author does not fully go that route: leaving it to the reader to imagine what was Ash and Claire's "what if." (Also, the blurb of the novel does Ash some injustice: ).
The ugly (in a good way, because it's tentacle horror!) - the plot: highs and lows
- The beginning is amazing: creepy ocean horror is signaled very well and we know something ominous will happen but we don't know what.
- The middle part is unfortunately one of the reasos why I gave this book 4.5 over 5 stars: suddenly, it becomes "tell not show" as the characters try to overexplain to Claire what is happening. It was all interesting to read about but the delivery did not feel smooth. Also, this part was the most predictable.
-The finale was awesome: we knew where it's going but the author managed to surprise me and I liked how it wrapped the story in a truly satisfying way ().
The bad:
I would give this novel 5/5 stars if I read it fresh or a couple of years ago, but unfortunately some elements of the plot are very similar to Silvia Garcia Moreno's "The Mexican Gothic." I would recommend this novel to the fans of that vibe (and weirdly I like protagonist more in this one), but at the same time I don't like how it seems TOO similar and how, unlike, "The Mexican Gothic" it does not really say anything new about the society. In "The Mexican Gothic", the legacy of colonialism was a driving force of the horror and it made perfect sense. Here, I guess, the author tries to paint capitalism/old money greed as the "enemy" but it falls flat: she is not concerned with that plot point enough to land a punch. I read in the Acknowledgments that this novel was written a couple of years ago (between Whitten's "For the Wolf" which was published in 2021 and "For the Throne" which was published in 2022; so presumably the first draft occurred even before then) so maybe it felt more "fresh" when it was first written but in that case it was not "updated" enough between writing and publishing it. Also, sometimes I feel like it tries to make a commentary about the horrors of contemporary society (i.e. Claire muses that the police would be sympathetic to her because she presents as wealthy and white) but the author is afraid/hesitant to make a deeper point? It would be better if she drove it all the way or if she simply did not attempt such commentary and left it as an unassuming fun tentacle-horror-story. Since it attempts but is not something more, I have to round down my rating to 4.
Regardless of this one criticism, it was SO FUN to read! Please please read it if you like cult stories, Cthulhu stories, spooky ocean stories, horrors about rich families, and Emperor in BG3 ;)
I thank Netgalley and Orbit Books for an ARC in exchange for this honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Reliquary is teeming with tension that comes from atmosphere more than dread. The horror is there, grotesque and visceral, but it reads more like a thriller with eldritch undertones. I was never frightened, but I was consistently hooked and anxious. I could not put this book down once I started.
Part of that is almost certainly personal. Partway through, I made a connection to a half-remembered movie I watched sick and feverish in the early 2000s on the Syfy channel: . I don't think Whitten was influenced by the movie directly, but rather by HP Lovecraft's story. Once the similarities clicked, I had a rough sense of where things were heading, which took some of the surprise and horror out of the experience for me.
The story drops you immediately into yet another tragic event in Claire's life. It was a little disorienting at first, but the writing kept me moving and I quickly found myself deeply engrossed. The pacing stays consistent, the tension builds without slipping, and the setting does exactly what it needs to. That said, some of the reveals landed a bit heavily or felt obvious before they arrived, like who the voice on the answering machine belonged to.
The central themes come through as a cautionary tale about avoiding grief and emotion. The idea is that refusing to process those things leaves a person hollow, and that hollowness makes you easy to consume, both literally and figuratively. That's exactly what happens to Claire. Her emptiness makes her the perfect target for her fiancé, the Ashburys, and something more sinister. She drifts, letting the desires and beliefs of others move her around.
The themes do get stated outright at one point, which was the one moment where it felt a little heavier than necessary. It didn't need to be said. It didn't detract from the story, but as a reader I prefer the writing to trust me to draw those connections myself.
I found Claire difficult to connect with. At times she reads as flat, but I think that's intentional. She is emotionally closed off after an accident in her youth, full of guilt and deeply conflict-avoidant. We see that not just in how she responds to what's happening around her, but especially in what she chooses to share and withhold from her therapist. The way she grieves doesn't always make sense, and yet that also makes sense for the character. I think the disconnection is kind of the point. She reads flat because she has flattened herself. A hollow shell shaped by guilt and regret she refuses to process. It worked for me.
Her survival instincts, or lack of them, frustrated me more than once. I was right there with Ash thinking, "girl, do I need to spell it out for you? draw you a diagram? go!" But again, just because it frustrated me doesn't mean it wasn't exactly how that character would act given her background. She desperately wants to belong, to have a family, to be cared for. She's also spent most of her life convincing herself that some of what she's seen or experienced isn't real, so that constant self-doubt tracks. Whitten really understands the psychology of the characters and that shines through in her work.
The ending was fine for me and I did enjoy it. I think thematically, how it resolves for each character fits. But I was left wanting a little more. Something sharper or more satisfying. I'm not entirely sure what I wanted, just that it didn't quite land for me.
I genuinely enjoyed this read and look forward to seeing what other horror stories Whitten writes in the future. I will definitely read the next ones.
If you love atmospheric, character-driven stories with dark elements, and you're horror-curious without wanting full commitment to being scared, this is a great entry point. Thriller readers who want more thematic weight, or literary horror readers who prioritize mood and meaning over dread, will probably find a lot to enjoy here. This may not be for readers that prefer less interiority or reflection, or a more sinister, consuming sense of horror.
Thank you Orbit and Netgalley for the eARC!
Part of that is almost certainly personal. Partway through, I made a connection to a half-remembered movie I watched sick and feverish in the early 2000s on the Syfy channel: . I don't think Whitten was influenced by the movie directly, but rather by HP Lovecraft's story. Once the similarities clicked, I had a rough sense of where things were heading, which took some of the surprise and horror out of the experience for me.
The story drops you immediately into yet another tragic event in Claire's life. It was a little disorienting at first, but the writing kept me moving and I quickly found myself deeply engrossed. The pacing stays consistent, the tension builds without slipping, and the setting does exactly what it needs to. That said, some of the reveals landed a bit heavily or felt obvious before they arrived, like who the voice on the answering machine belonged to.
The central themes come through as a cautionary tale about avoiding grief and emotion. The idea is that refusing to process those things leaves a person hollow, and that hollowness makes you easy to consume, both literally and figuratively. That's exactly what happens to Claire. Her emptiness makes her the perfect target for her fiancé, the Ashburys, and something more sinister. She drifts, letting the desires and beliefs of others move her around.
The themes do get stated outright at one point, which was the one moment where it felt a little heavier than necessary. It didn't need to be said. It didn't detract from the story, but as a reader I prefer the writing to trust me to draw those connections myself.
I found Claire difficult to connect with. At times she reads as flat, but I think that's intentional. She is emotionally closed off after an accident in her youth, full of guilt and deeply conflict-avoidant. We see that not just in how she responds to what's happening around her, but especially in what she chooses to share and withhold from her therapist. The way she grieves doesn't always make sense, and yet that also makes sense for the character. I think the disconnection is kind of the point. She reads flat because she has flattened herself. A hollow shell shaped by guilt and regret she refuses to process. It worked for me.
Her survival instincts, or lack of them, frustrated me more than once. I was right there with Ash thinking, "girl, do I need to spell it out for you? draw you a diagram? go!" But again, just because it frustrated me doesn't mean it wasn't exactly how that character would act given her background. She desperately wants to belong, to have a family, to be cared for. She's also spent most of her life convincing herself that some of what she's seen or experienced isn't real, so that constant self-doubt tracks. Whitten really understands the psychology of the characters and that shines through in her work.
The ending was fine for me and I did enjoy it. I think thematically, how it resolves for each character fits. But I was left wanting a little more. Something sharper or more satisfying. I'm not entirely sure what I wanted, just that it didn't quite land for me.
I genuinely enjoyed this read and look forward to seeing what other horror stories Whitten writes in the future. I will definitely read the next ones.
If you love atmospheric, character-driven stories with dark elements, and you're horror-curious without wanting full commitment to being scared, this is a great entry point. Thriller readers who want more thematic weight, or literary horror readers who prioritize mood and meaning over dread, will probably find a lot to enjoy here. This may not be for readers that prefer less interiority or reflection, or a more sinister, consuming sense of horror.
Thank you Orbit and Netgalley for the eARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
As a huge fan of the Wilderwood and Nightshade Crown series, I was already beyond excited to dive into a standalone gothic horror by Hannah Whitten—and let me tell you, it absolutely delivers! If you love gothic thrillers, bizarre family dynamics packed with dark secrets, and psychological tension rooted in a heroine’s past, this book is calling your name.
The premise is instantly eerie. Claire’s world shatters when her fiancé, Elias, dies suddenly from an aneurysm. Their relationship wasn’t exactly perfect—Claire is still deeply grieving the tragic loss of her parents, while Elias had severed ties with his own family, wanting nothing to do with them. There were also unsettling hints that he controlled far too much of Claire’s life—emotionally and financially. So when he dies, what she feels isn’t just grief—it’s emptiness, abandonment, and a disorienting sense of being unmoored.
Then comes the unexpected invitation.
Audrey Ashbury, Elias’s estranged mother, reaches out and warmly invites Claire to attend a three-day wake at the family estate, Harrow Point. With no clear direction and nowhere else to turn, Claire accepts. Soon, she’s flown out on the Ashburys’ private plane to a remote, opulent estate that radiates both extreme wealth and something far more unsettling—an eerie, almost religious intensity woven into its walls.
From the moment she arrives, things feel… off.
The estate is claustrophobic and labyrinthine, made even worse by Claire’s severe fear of enclosed spaces—especially when she’s assigned to basement rooms accessible only by elevator. But that’s just the beginning. Elias had claimed he cut all ties with his family—so why do they seem to know so much about Claire? Why don’t they behave like a grieving family? Why are they showering her with attention, even celebrating her birthday with extravagant gifts?
And then there’s Ash—Elias’s stepbrother and apparent enemy—who watches Claire closely, questioning her every move. Their interactions are tense, charged, almost volatile, awakening a fierce anger in Claire she didn’t even know she was capable of.
Secrets seem to lurk in every corner of Harrow Point. The atmosphere grows heavier, more suffocating. Claire’s instincts scream at her to run—but the warnings don’t stop there. Her dead fiancé begins appearing in her dreams… urging her to leave.
Or is she even dreaming at all?
Yes, my friends—this book delivers everything: a bizarre and unsettling family reunion, a locked-room mystery, a deeply claustrophobic gothic setting, and a picture-perfect family that feels dangerously too good to be true. Add in disturbing, sensational twists and a creeping sense of dread, and you’ve got a horror-thriller that practically demands you grab your popcorn, sink into your coziest spot, and maybe—just maybe—lock your doors twice before you start reading.
If you’re already a fan of the author, or if you love gothic horror with sharp twists and psychological depth, I highly recommend going in blind. This one is seriously good.
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for providing me with a digital review copy of this eerie, unputdownable thriller in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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The premise is instantly eerie. Claire’s world shatters when her fiancé, Elias, dies suddenly from an aneurysm. Their relationship wasn’t exactly perfect—Claire is still deeply grieving the tragic loss of her parents, while Elias had severed ties with his own family, wanting nothing to do with them. There were also unsettling hints that he controlled far too much of Claire’s life—emotionally and financially. So when he dies, what she feels isn’t just grief—it’s emptiness, abandonment, and a disorienting sense of being unmoored.
Then comes the unexpected invitation.
Audrey Ashbury, Elias’s estranged mother, reaches out and warmly invites Claire to attend a three-day wake at the family estate, Harrow Point. With no clear direction and nowhere else to turn, Claire accepts. Soon, she’s flown out on the Ashburys’ private plane to a remote, opulent estate that radiates both extreme wealth and something far more unsettling—an eerie, almost religious intensity woven into its walls.
From the moment she arrives, things feel… off.
The estate is claustrophobic and labyrinthine, made even worse by Claire’s severe fear of enclosed spaces—especially when she’s assigned to basement rooms accessible only by elevator. But that’s just the beginning. Elias had claimed he cut all ties with his family—so why do they seem to know so much about Claire? Why don’t they behave like a grieving family? Why are they showering her with attention, even celebrating her birthday with extravagant gifts?
And then there’s Ash—Elias’s stepbrother and apparent enemy—who watches Claire closely, questioning her every move. Their interactions are tense, charged, almost volatile, awakening a fierce anger in Claire she didn’t even know she was capable of.
Secrets seem to lurk in every corner of Harrow Point. The atmosphere grows heavier, more suffocating. Claire’s instincts scream at her to run—but the warnings don’t stop there. Her dead fiancé begins appearing in her dreams… urging her to leave.
Or is she even dreaming at all?
Yes, my friends—this book delivers everything: a bizarre and unsettling family reunion, a locked-room mystery, a deeply claustrophobic gothic setting, and a picture-perfect family that feels dangerously too good to be true. Add in disturbing, sensational twists and a creeping sense of dread, and you’ve got a horror-thriller that practically demands you grab your popcorn, sink into your coziest spot, and maybe—just maybe—lock your doors twice before you start reading.
If you’re already a fan of the author, or if you love gothic horror with sharp twists and psychological depth, I highly recommend going in blind. This one is seriously good.
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for providing me with a digital review copy of this eerie, unputdownable thriller in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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May 4, 2026
3.5⭐️
Claire has always felt alone, ever since she was the sole survivor of a boating accident that killed her parents and sister when she was a teenager. That was until she became engaged to her fiancé, Elias. Elias finally made her feel like she mattered and that her life had purpose, even if he would get irrationally angry anytime Claire brought up actually planning a wedding. Claire’s tumultuous life takes another turn when she gets a call that Elias has suddenly died from an aneurysm.
Claire doesn’t know how to handle anything for Elias’s funeral or aftercare, so when Elias’s mother, with whom Elias was estranged from along with the rest of his family, contacts Claire and invites her to their family’s private island for Elias’s wake, Claire quickly agrees. Claire and Elias never spoke much about their pasts or families so Claire only knows that his family is exceedingly wealthy and owns an esteemed marine business.
Once Claire arrives at the family’s estate, she is constantly triggered by oddities from the house itself, which is built partially under the sea, and to the oddness of Elias’s assorted family members. Everyone is overall welcoming so Claire brushes off the oddities and assumes it is their own way of dealing with the grief from the loss of Elias.
Ash is Elias’s older brother, who was intended to take on the role of the business until he abandoned his duties and they fell upon Elias instead. Claire is most put off by Ash due to the perception of him she deigned from the brief times Elias spoke of him, but she soon realizes that he might be the only one who is trying to key Claire into why she was really invited to the estate.
Claire finally begins to listen to Ash when she begins to witness things that cannot logically be explained and he tries to help her escape, before it’s too late.
This was a very interesting change from Whitten’s typical romantasy writings and a well done foray into the horror genre. Claire’s obtuseness in questioning the things that were going on around her was a bit annoying, but I was definitely not expecting the story to go in the direction it did and it was overall well done and interesting.
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Claire has always felt alone, ever since she was the sole survivor of a boating accident that killed her parents and sister when she was a teenager. That was until she became engaged to her fiancé, Elias. Elias finally made her feel like she mattered and that her life had purpose, even if he would get irrationally angry anytime Claire brought up actually planning a wedding. Claire’s tumultuous life takes another turn when she gets a call that Elias has suddenly died from an aneurysm.
Claire doesn’t know how to handle anything for Elias’s funeral or aftercare, so when Elias’s mother, with whom Elias was estranged from along with the rest of his family, contacts Claire and invites her to their family’s private island for Elias’s wake, Claire quickly agrees. Claire and Elias never spoke much about their pasts or families so Claire only knows that his family is exceedingly wealthy and owns an esteemed marine business.
Once Claire arrives at the family’s estate, she is constantly triggered by oddities from the house itself, which is built partially under the sea, and to the oddness of Elias’s assorted family members. Everyone is overall welcoming so Claire brushes off the oddities and assumes it is their own way of dealing with the grief from the loss of Elias.
Ash is Elias’s older brother, who was intended to take on the role of the business until he abandoned his duties and they fell upon Elias instead. Claire is most put off by Ash due to the perception of him she deigned from the brief times Elias spoke of him, but she soon realizes that he might be the only one who is trying to key Claire into why she was really invited to the estate.
Claire finally begins to listen to Ash when she begins to witness things that cannot logically be explained and he tries to help her escape, before it’s too late.
This was a very interesting change from Whitten’s typical romantasy writings and a well done foray into the horror genre. Claire’s obtuseness in questioning the things that were going on around her was a bit annoying, but I was definitely not expecting the story to go in the direction it did and it was overall well done and interesting.
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.25/5 stars.
This was enjoyable. I have a soft spot for oceanic horror, so I immediately knew that I wanted to read this book. The atmosphere and the setting were pretty intriguing. Specifically once Claire reaches the isolated family home. I loved the descriptions of the house and the concept of the "ocean listening."
I wouldn't say that any of these characters were likable, but they certainly felt real. Their flaws made them feel realistic and relatable to me. If you're someone that looks for likable characters, then you will likely struggle with this. Not even the main character was likable, but she was interesting. I was curious about her backstory and her trauma. I appreciated seeing a main character openly discussing her mental health.
We learn about Elias through Claire's past experiences with him as he has already died by the start of the book. Honestly, not much to be desired with this guy. We learn about Elias's faults and his "good" moments. We also see Claire's obvious bias with Elias. There is a bit of a battle between Elias's good deeds versus his obvious faults within their relationship and it all felt very authentic. Elias's family also added a strange dynamic to this story. It reminded me a bit of the film Ready or Not.
I was a bit disappointed about the submarine and I felt as though this was an opportunity wasted. I really was hoping that the sub would play a larger role in this book. The concept of a tiny submarine in a large, open ocean makes me deeply uncomfortable, so naturally I was wishing for something to happen here.
I liked the gore, reveal, and how this book ended.
This was a solid read and I will likely purchase this book for my shelf once pub day hits. And I'm obsessed with this cover.
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
CW: Body horror, Death, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
This was enjoyable. I have a soft spot for oceanic horror, so I immediately knew that I wanted to read this book. The atmosphere and the setting were pretty intriguing. Specifically once Claire reaches the isolated family home. I loved the descriptions of the house and the concept of the "ocean listening."
I wouldn't say that any of these characters were likable, but they certainly felt real. Their flaws made them feel realistic and relatable to me. If you're someone that looks for likable characters, then you will likely struggle with this. Not even the main character was likable, but she was interesting. I was curious about her backstory and her trauma. I appreciated seeing a main character openly discussing her mental health.
We learn about Elias through Claire's past experiences with him as he has already died by the start of the book. Honestly, not much to be desired with this guy. We learn about Elias's faults and his "good" moments. We also see Claire's obvious bias with Elias. There is a bit of a battle between Elias's good deeds versus his obvious faults within their relationship and it all felt very authentic. Elias's family also added a strange dynamic to this story. It reminded me a bit of the film Ready or Not.
I was a bit disappointed about the submarine and I felt as though this was an opportunity wasted. I really was hoping that the sub would play a larger role in this book. The concept of a tiny submarine in a large, open ocean makes me deeply uncomfortable, so naturally I was wishing for something to happen here.
I liked the gore, reveal, and how this book ended.
This was a solid read and I will likely purchase this book for my shelf once pub day hits. And I'm obsessed with this cover.
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
CW: Body horror, Death, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Every book I have read by Hannah Whitten has easily been a 4- or 5-star read. Since this release steps away from her typical fantasy writing, I was incredibly excited to see her tackle a horror novel. First of all, the cover art is absolutely gorgeous! While I enjoyed the book overall, I found that Claire was not a very likable or relatable protagonist. The first half of the story felt a bit slow, but the pacing picked up significantly once Claire arrived on the island. The setting itself is fantastic. The island is super creepy, as are the staff and the house.
The mansion is uniquely built into the island rather than on top of it, which leads to some highly creative and vivid imagery. The plot follows Claire, whose fiancé, Elias, suddenly dies of an aneurysm. His sudden death leaves Claire feeling entirely alone again, echoing the childhood trauma of losing her parents and sister in a tragic boating accident. Though no relationship is perfect—and Claire occasionally felt lonely even when Elias was alive—his family suddenly reaches out to her. They invite her to their private island for his wake. Hoping to finally find a sense of belonging, Claire accepts the invitation. Elias’s family is eccentric, but as the saying goes, what insanely wealthy people aren't a bit peculiar? However, being on the island immediately puts Claire on edge due to her severe trauma with the sea and enclosed spaces. Elias’s brother, Ash, is the only family member who openly shows that he does not want her there. Despite the red flags, Claire chooses to stay and try to forge a bond with the family, remaining blind to the danger that was right in front of her all along.
Every book I have read by Hannah Whitten has easily been a 4- or 5-star read. Since this release steps away from her typical fantasy writing, I was incredibly excited to see her tackle a horror novel. First of all, the cover art is absolutely gorgeous! While I enjoyed the book overall, I found that Claire was not a very likable or relatable protagonist. The first half of the story felt a bit slow, but the pacing picked up significantly once Claire arrived on the island. The setting itself is fantastic. The island is super creepy, as are the staff and the house.
The mansion is uniquely built into the island rather than on top of it, which leads to some highly creative and vivid imagery. The plot follows Claire, whose fiancé, Elias, suddenly dies of an aneurysm. His sudden death leaves Claire feeling entirely alone again, echoing the childhood trauma of losing her parents and sister in a tragic boating accident. Though no relationship is perfect—and Claire occasionally felt lonely even when Elias was alive—his family suddenly reaches out to her. They invite her to their private island for his wake. Hoping to finally find a sense of belonging, Claire accepts the invitation. Elias’s family is eccentric, but as the saying goes, what insanely wealthy people aren't a bit peculiar? However, being on the island immediately puts Claire on edge due to her severe trauma with the sea and enclosed spaces. Elias’s brother, Ash, is the only family member who openly shows that he does not want her there. Despite the red flags, Claire chooses to stay and try to forge a bond with the family, remaining blind to the danger that was right in front of her all along.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Orbit Books for this gifted ARC!
Wow, wow pretty much sums up my feelings for this. I have read Hannah Whitten's fantasy books, so I figured I would love the writing and her storytelling in this horror book. I wasn't wrong, I loved this. It sucked me in from the beginning, the twists were twisting, and the horror aspect was really well done. It made me uncomfortable, it creeped me out, there were moments that my jaw dropped from what was happening, and I loved every second of it.
The characters in this book are so deeply flawed, but so incredibly interesting at the same time. I felt so much for Claire and everything that she endured as a child and then what she got roped into as an adult with her fiancé's family. She spent her childhood incredibly alone and lonely and at first she felt welcomed and wanted by her fiancé's family, but then things started to get really unsettling. This is an incredibly dark book, there is gore and violence, and a lot of death. But the sinister being in this was so compelling and made me want to know more about it.
If you're a horror fan I would totally recommend this. If you've read Hannah Whitten's other books, know that the writing is amazing as usual, but it is a completely different genre and so much darker. I preordered this immediately after finishing the book, I could see myself reading this again in the future. This releases August 11th and if you like horror I think it is absolutely worth the preorder!
*This ARC was given by Orbit Books through NetGalley, all opinions are my own.*
Wow, wow pretty much sums up my feelings for this. I have read Hannah Whitten's fantasy books, so I figured I would love the writing and her storytelling in this horror book. I wasn't wrong, I loved this. It sucked me in from the beginning, the twists were twisting, and the horror aspect was really well done. It made me uncomfortable, it creeped me out, there were moments that my jaw dropped from what was happening, and I loved every second of it.
The characters in this book are so deeply flawed, but so incredibly interesting at the same time. I felt so much for Claire and everything that she endured as a child and then what she got roped into as an adult with her fiancé's family. She spent her childhood incredibly alone and lonely and at first she felt welcomed and wanted by her fiancé's family, but then things started to get really unsettling. This is an incredibly dark book, there is gore and violence, and a lot of death. But the sinister being in this was so compelling and made me want to know more about it.
If you're a horror fan I would totally recommend this. If you've read Hannah Whitten's other books, know that the writing is amazing as usual, but it is a completely different genre and so much darker. I preordered this immediately after finishing the book, I could see myself reading this again in the future. This releases August 11th and if you like horror I think it is absolutely worth the preorder!
*This ARC was given by Orbit Books through NetGalley, all opinions are my own.*
April 5, 2026
I don’t read horror often, but when I do I usually gravitate towards those set in fantasy/historical contexts, so this was new for me. I received an ARC of this at the author’s signing event and as someone who is deeply unsettled by the thought of the unexplored ocean, this has the perfect premise. The sense of claustrophobia made me feel ill and I was so uncomfortable watching Claire put herself into situations that would have had me running, so I was hooked from the jump.
I wasn’t a huge fan of any of the characters, considering most of them are part of the 1% and cult members, but even Claire was a little too bland to be a final girl to root for. I wanted more from her as she realized what she had gotten herself into and was hoping for a little more growth before the end of the story.
Whitten invokes the distinction between terror and horror, and at what point one tips over into the other, and I think the novel does an excellent job at mirroring that in its tone. The story is driven by a sense of anxiety and dread that carries through about half of the novel before falling off pretty quickly. Once the monster is revealed, the anxiety tips over into more gore and body horror, which was well done but ultimately didn’t keep me fully engaged once the terror was stripped away. The conclusion felt a bit rushed but the message was clear and we love a literal eat the rich moment!
I wasn’t a huge fan of any of the characters, considering most of them are part of the 1% and cult members, but even Claire was a little too bland to be a final girl to root for. I wanted more from her as she realized what she had gotten herself into and was hoping for a little more growth before the end of the story.
Whitten invokes the distinction between terror and horror, and at what point one tips over into the other, and I think the novel does an excellent job at mirroring that in its tone. The story is driven by a sense of anxiety and dread that carries through about half of the novel before falling off pretty quickly. Once the monster is revealed, the anxiety tips over into more gore and body horror, which was well done but ultimately didn’t keep me fully engaged once the terror was stripped away. The conclusion felt a bit rushed but the message was clear and we love a literal eat the rich moment!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was a delightfully creepy, beautifully written novel. The story begins when Claire is notified of the sudden death of her fiance. Reeling from this loss, Claire is invited to attend a funeral with his family, a very wealth of individuals who reside and conduct maritime business on an isolated island in Maine. Claire has very few connections in life, and is still closed off to connection after a childhood trauma at sea left her orphaned and living with a (not especially amicable) aunt.
Claire is immediately accepted into her late fiance, Elias' family, and feels welcomed despite the odd design of their mansion and their somewhat odd religious practices. However, as time passes on the island, their connection with the ocean becomes odder, and it becomes more and more difficult for her to find a way out.
I will admit - I do not typically read horror novels, so this was very outside of my typical genre. I don't have much to compare it to, but I did actually enjoy it (more than I thought I would!). I absolutely love everything else Hannah Whitten has written and she did not disappoint with this one. It was thought provoking, had a similar gothic/creepy but artful writing style and such interesting characters. I really like the way that it concluded as well.
Would recommend to readers who like body horror (this was just on the edge of too gross for me) or want to give it a try!
Claire is immediately accepted into her late fiance, Elias' family, and feels welcomed despite the odd design of their mansion and their somewhat odd religious practices. However, as time passes on the island, their connection with the ocean becomes odder, and it becomes more and more difficult for her to find a way out.
I will admit - I do not typically read horror novels, so this was very outside of my typical genre. I don't have much to compare it to, but I did actually enjoy it (more than I thought I would!). I absolutely love everything else Hannah Whitten has written and she did not disappoint with this one. It was thought provoking, had a similar gothic/creepy but artful writing style and such interesting characters. I really like the way that it concluded as well.
Would recommend to readers who like body horror (this was just on the edge of too gross for me) or want to give it a try!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I received a NetGalley QR code widget of this book at a book con.
3.2 Stars.
While I’ve been reading a bunch of fantasy books, I also try to branch out into other genres, so I immediately picked this one up for its horror/thriller/mystery elements. However I’m afraid it didn’t live up to my expectations. It was a quick and somewhat fun read with a strong mysterious start, but it kind of fell off halfway through. It never fully compelled me, and it took me some effort to finish.
Things I liked about the book:
- The physical description of the sea god and everything else. I was able to vividly picture what the sea god looked like when it was Elias, and I was able to picture the Ashbury estate.
- The premise was interesting. A sea god possesses a family to experience human emotions, granting them wealth and protection in return. I wish the author dug deeper into where the sea god came from.
Things I didn’t quite like:
- The reveal of the sea god came too sudden and all at once. I didn’t feel a sense of creeping horror; The unveiling sort of just... slapped me in the face when the time came?
- The characters’ personalities fell flat. Claire, specifically, felt very two dimensional. She is defined almost entirely by the loss of her family, and beyond that, she comes across as a needy character who can’t move past her grief. Her past shouldn’t completely define who she is.
In the end, I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I had hoped, but I’m definitely not giving up on the genre.
3.2 Stars.
While I’ve been reading a bunch of fantasy books, I also try to branch out into other genres, so I immediately picked this one up for its horror/thriller/mystery elements. However I’m afraid it didn’t live up to my expectations. It was a quick and somewhat fun read with a strong mysterious start, but it kind of fell off halfway through. It never fully compelled me, and it took me some effort to finish.
Things I liked about the book:
- The physical description of the sea god and everything else. I was able to vividly picture what the sea god looked like when it was Elias, and I was able to picture the Ashbury estate.
- The premise was interesting. A sea god possesses a family to experience human emotions, granting them wealth and protection in return. I wish the author dug deeper into where the sea god came from.
Things I didn’t quite like:
- The reveal of the sea god came too sudden and all at once. I didn’t feel a sense of creeping horror; The unveiling sort of just... slapped me in the face when the time came?
- The characters’ personalities fell flat. Claire, specifically, felt very two dimensional. She is defined almost entirely by the loss of her family, and beyond that, she comes across as a needy character who can’t move past her grief. Her past shouldn’t completely define who she is.
In the end, I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I had hoped, but I’m definitely not giving up on the genre.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 3, 2026
3☆!
⤿ thank you to Netgalley and Orbit Books for providing me with a digital arc!
initial thoughts: I am so obsessed with this cover. It’s everything I want in a horror books cover - eerie, symbolic, and pops out color wise. I also love the plot of this book - anything to do with cliffside houses and deep seas always do it for me (it must be the asoue kid in me)!
synopsis: A young woman is lured to her late fiancé's remote island estate—only to uncover eerie family secrets, a haunting past, and a monstrous hunger stirring beneath the sea in this deliciously atmospheric horror debut from New York Times bestselling author Hannah Whitten.
final thoughts: I think I may have gone into this book with TOO high expectations. First let’s start with the positives: I really liked the display of claustrophobic in this book and especially with Claire - it made me feel also claustrophobic (which I’m usually not). I always was always at unease, especially in the first half of the book. Now, the negatives: once we hit the halfway mark, I felt like all the eerie elements of this book fell away and it was just satirical. I never felt spooked again and infact I found myself a bit bored.
Overall, a very short and quick read that was easy to get into and kept me hooked a lot of the time! Solid horror debut from Hannah Whitten!
⤿ thank you to Netgalley and Orbit Books for providing me with a digital arc!
initial thoughts: I am so obsessed with this cover. It’s everything I want in a horror books cover - eerie, symbolic, and pops out color wise. I also love the plot of this book - anything to do with cliffside houses and deep seas always do it for me (it must be the asoue kid in me)!
synopsis: A young woman is lured to her late fiancé's remote island estate—only to uncover eerie family secrets, a haunting past, and a monstrous hunger stirring beneath the sea in this deliciously atmospheric horror debut from New York Times bestselling author Hannah Whitten.
final thoughts: I think I may have gone into this book with TOO high expectations. First let’s start with the positives: I really liked the display of claustrophobic in this book and especially with Claire - it made me feel also claustrophobic (which I’m usually not). I always was always at unease, especially in the first half of the book. Now, the negatives: once we hit the halfway mark, I felt like all the eerie elements of this book fell away and it was just satirical. I never felt spooked again and infact I found myself a bit bored.
Overall, a very short and quick read that was easy to get into and kept me hooked a lot of the time! Solid horror debut from Hannah Whitten!
Review of advance copy
I enjoyed the beginning up until about the middle part of it. It was creepy, it was moody and I was there for all the vibes. I enjoyed that the story tried to be unique and it was not something I had read before. The writing also was very good. I liked that the story was a good length.
After the halfway point when things started to come together and I saw where it was going I started to loose interest. The mysterious eerie vibes went away and we were stuck with body horror, an eldritch horror and an open ended ending.
I found the descriptions gross and very detailed. They were vivid as the writing is good but they just didn’t work that well for me personally after the creepy vibes were gone. I thought the ending was also a bit wishy washy. Like the author tried to save the fmc and mc but I didn’t really feel grateful because they won against the “god”. The god felt weak and boring. I think most of these issues are a me problem but the whole story just didn’t click for me overall. It’s a solid 3.5 stars because it’s certainly memorable and I will round down because the ending didn’t satisfy me. Thank you to orbit books for this arc.
Grade
3/5 ⭐ overall
0/5 ❤️ romance
0/5 🌶️ spice
After the halfway point when things started to come together and I saw where it was going I started to loose interest. The mysterious eerie vibes went away and we were stuck with body horror, an eldritch horror and an open ended ending.
I found the descriptions gross and very detailed. They were vivid as the writing is good but they just didn’t work that well for me personally after the creepy vibes were gone. I thought the ending was also a bit wishy washy. Like the author tried to save the fmc and mc but I didn’t really feel grateful because they won against the “god”. The god felt weak and boring. I think most of these issues are a me problem but the whole story just didn’t click for me overall. It’s a solid 3.5 stars because it’s certainly memorable and I will round down because the ending didn’t satisfy me. Thank you to orbit books for this arc.
Grade
3/5 ⭐ overall
0/5 ❤️ romance
0/5 🌶️ spice
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received an ARC via NetGalley. I enjoyed The Foxglove King and figured I'd give this a shot. However, I did not notice the horror label, and that's on me. This book had way more horror and very descriptive gore than I'm comfortable with, and readers should know that going in. Lots of eyeballs falling out of sockets and flesh falling in globs off of bodies. Not really my cup of tea.
My skin crawling aside, I really did enjoy the story. It was weird, creative, and not like anything I've read before (but maybe that's just because I avoid horror). I think it was exactly as long as it needed to be. I get annoyed at filler for the sake of making a book longer, and that didn't happen here. I liked Claire and Ash. I definitely got annoyed at Claire ignoring every red flag that came her way, but that kind of got explained. The ending wrapped up nicely, and didn't leave me wondering what I'd just read. I will still avoid this genre in the future, but I wouldn't say I regret this read. It's probably a good beach read for horror readers.
My skin crawling aside, I really did enjoy the story. It was weird, creative, and not like anything I've read before (but maybe that's just because I avoid horror). I think it was exactly as long as it needed to be. I get annoyed at filler for the sake of making a book longer, and that didn't happen here. I liked Claire and Ash. I definitely got annoyed at Claire ignoring every red flag that came her way, but that kind of got explained. The ending wrapped up nicely, and didn't leave me wondering what I'd just read. I will still avoid this genre in the future, but I wouldn't say I regret this read. It's probably a good beach read for horror readers.
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