What do you think?
Rate this book
Quaint Folk
The Wicker Man meets The Twisted Ones in Bitter Karella’s Quaint Folk—a queer folk horror novel that peels back the idyllic veneer of a seemingly perfect island town to reveal the rot beneath.
From the outside, it looks like Jessica has the perfect life. She's a stay-at-home mom, married to a man with a respectable job, raising a son they adore. Her family is as wholesome as all-American pie. But deep down, Jessica knows there's something wrong with her; she knows she can't escape her past.
When her husband’s job has them move abroad, Jessica thinks this is her chance for a fresh start. On the remote island of Hasenhurst, the modern world can’t get in. The people there grow their own herbs, make their own jam, and mind their own business. They believe in folk tales and the power of dreams. They tell visitors, we’re a quaint, quiet people. The right sort of family would do well here.
Jessica is determined to be the right kind of person for a family—and a life—like this. But as she tries to befriend the townsfolk and learn their ways, she soon realizes that beneath the town’s cozy idyll, something sickly-sweet and rotten lays buried...
From the outside, it looks like Jessica has the perfect life. She's a stay-at-home mom, married to a man with a respectable job, raising a son they adore. Her family is as wholesome as all-American pie. But deep down, Jessica knows there's something wrong with her; she knows she can't escape her past.
When her husband’s job has them move abroad, Jessica thinks this is her chance for a fresh start. On the remote island of Hasenhurst, the modern world can’t get in. The people there grow their own herbs, make their own jam, and mind their own business. They believe in folk tales and the power of dreams. They tell visitors, we’re a quaint, quiet people. The right sort of family would do well here.
Jessica is determined to be the right kind of person for a family—and a life—like this. But as she tries to befriend the townsfolk and learn their ways, she soon realizes that beneath the town’s cozy idyll, something sickly-sweet and rotten lays buried...
10 pages, Audiobook
First published October 6, 2026
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 206 reviews
September 10, 2026
What a weird little book with the perfect weird little cover. It's described as "cottage gore" and while I will put that onto the list of my favorite genres immediately, I think that this book left room for improvement in many ways. It's such a weird time and I was completely captivated by that, but things also got a bit convoluted and messy in the end. The story follows a family moving from the US to a remote British island for the summer because the father got work there. He kinda works in tech and it's unclear to everyone what he could possibly be doing on an island where the wi-fi signal isn't just spotty but simply nonexistent. But that's not Jessica's problem. She will be the ever-smiling and caring wife, supporting her husband in every way. She also wants to support their child Sandy, but she is really struggling with understanding their nonbinary and witchy identity lately. The whole family is out of place in the small town of Hasenhurst, where people are really into rabbits, live a modest life and still value the old ways. Long story short: things are just a little weird there. The people look and act like characters in a children's book and everyone has a silly name and often wears cute costumes. They are all really excited for the Tigglestide festival that's just around the corner and everyone makes sure that they are on their best behavior because Round Robin will come to town and he will punish everyone who is out of line. What could possibly go wrong in such a charming place?
The author did a great job with creating an atmosphere of creeping dread. There are only a few visceral scenes in the entire book and the town people are mostly friendly, but I always had the feeling that Jessica and Sandy were in constant danger (I couldn't care less about Greg, the father). It's still more of a weird-horror than a scary-horror book in my opinion. A whole what-the-hell-am-I-reading-here moment. I was quite on board for that, but some things also ended up being unsatisfactory and led nowhere in the end. I still don't understand why Greg would ever be sent to this island in the first place, even though it was revealed what he was working on. I just hated him. Jessica and Sandy were both very over-the-top, but I got a good grasp on their personalities as the story went on. The problem with them was that they had so much going on that their plotlines also ended in unsatisfactory ways and rather abruptly. I also think that the actual message of the book got muddled in between all the weirdness and I'm not sure what I'm supposed to take from this story. Something about the desire to belong? About conformity being an illusion and obedience being a trap? About rabbits being untrustworthy? I don't really know and the ending left many questions unanswered. But I guess it was a weird ending for a weird book and thus fitting. Overall this felt like an old-timey children's book on drugs, and I do mean that as a compliment. 3.5 stars.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK | Run For It for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
The author did a great job with creating an atmosphere of creeping dread. There are only a few visceral scenes in the entire book and the town people are mostly friendly, but I always had the feeling that Jessica and Sandy were in constant danger (I couldn't care less about Greg, the father). It's still more of a weird-horror than a scary-horror book in my opinion. A whole what-the-hell-am-I-reading-here moment. I was quite on board for that, but some things also ended up being unsatisfactory and led nowhere in the end. I still don't understand why Greg would ever be sent to this island in the first place, even though it was revealed what he was working on. I just hated him. Jessica and Sandy were both very over-the-top, but I got a good grasp on their personalities as the story went on. The problem with them was that they had so much going on that their plotlines also ended in unsatisfactory ways and rather abruptly. I also think that the actual message of the book got muddled in between all the weirdness and I'm not sure what I'm supposed to take from this story. Something about the desire to belong? About conformity being an illusion and obedience being a trap? About rabbits being untrustworthy? I don't really know and the ending left many questions unanswered. But I guess it was a weird ending for a weird book and thus fitting. Overall this felt like an old-timey children's book on drugs, and I do mean that as a compliment. 3.5 stars.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK | Run For It for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
October 20, 2026
Oh this one was WEIRD. It follows an American family of 3. Jessica, Greg and their teenager Sandy who take a vacation to a small British village that is on the cusp of a holiday tradition, Tigglestide. Every chapter is a day closer to the big event. What is it? A day where Round Robin (think Santa Clause sorta but it’s a rabbit!) comes to reward well behaved people and right the wrongs to bad people..
It’s a big day for local folk.
Luckily Sandy considers themself an eclectic folkloric witch and recognizes all the strange signs that something is definitely wrong in not only the old house they’re staying at, but the local tradition as well.
This has an extremely slow build up so be prepared for that. Nothing “horror” happens until halfway through the book. It really sets you into the facade of this quaint British village and its overly friendly occupants until things finally start to reveal themselves.
I followed along with the audiobook and physical copy and that really brought this story to life. My brain sometimes struggles to come up with lively character dialogue and the narrator did such an awesome job with all the British accents, which sometimes involved singing. Because of course you can’t have a weird cult without ritualistic songs, right?
I enjoyed this. It is weird and confusing and slow and maybe not the best pay off ending in the world but I was sat the whole time with anticipation.
It’s a big day for local folk.
Luckily Sandy considers themself an eclectic folkloric witch and recognizes all the strange signs that something is definitely wrong in not only the old house they’re staying at, but the local tradition as well.
This has an extremely slow build up so be prepared for that. Nothing “horror” happens until halfway through the book. It really sets you into the facade of this quaint British village and its overly friendly occupants until things finally start to reveal themselves.
I followed along with the audiobook and physical copy and that really brought this story to life. My brain sometimes struggles to come up with lively character dialogue and the narrator did such an awesome job with all the British accents, which sometimes involved singing. Because of course you can’t have a weird cult without ritualistic songs, right?
I enjoyed this. It is weird and confusing and slow and maybe not the best pay off ending in the world but I was sat the whole time with anticipation.
August 28, 2026
Quaint Folk by Bitter Karella is deeply unsettling folk horror that starts with a charming small-town atmosphere in the small fictional Scottish village of Hasenhurst. The story gradually builds before revealing something much darker underneath. The strange traditions, disturbing behavior, and growing sense that the town itself is watching create a constant feeling of dread. As the story progresses, the line between ordinary life and nightmare becomes increasingly blurred.
Some may take issue with the intentionally ambiguous ending which can make it feel confusing. The central idea is that Hasenhurst’s folklore may not simply be an objectively existing supernatural force. The story suggests that belief, conformity, and collective storytelling give the folklore its power.
The important revelation is that the people of Hasenhurst aren’t simply following an old superstition. The community’s ideas about who is “right” and who is “wrong” become a mechanism for enforcing conformity. People who don’t fit the town’s expectations can effectively become the targets of its mythology. The pressure to conform can survive even after the immediate supernatural threat appears to be over.
I give this one a strong recommendation with 4 stars. The novel will be released October 6, 2026. Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read in advance.
Some may take issue with the intentionally ambiguous ending which can make it feel confusing. The central idea is that Hasenhurst’s folklore may not simply be an objectively existing supernatural force. The story suggests that belief, conformity, and collective storytelling give the folklore its power.
The important revelation is that the people of Hasenhurst aren’t simply following an old superstition. The community’s ideas about who is “right” and who is “wrong” become a mechanism for enforcing conformity. People who don’t fit the town’s expectations can effectively become the targets of its mythology. The pressure to conform can survive even after the immediate supernatural threat appears to be over.
I give this one a strong recommendation with 4 stars. The novel will be released October 6, 2026. Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read in advance.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Review in the September 2026 issue of Booklist and on the blog: https://raforall.blogspot.com/2026/09... (link line 9/10/29 at 7 am)
Three Words That Describe This Book: great world building, folk horror, tongue in cheek
Other words: fun, witchy, queer norm, of course-- quaint and traditions-- these are words used throughout the story and they begin cozy and slowly and deliberately build to creepy and then terrifying. That was very well done.
This book is fun, original and smart. But the smart, sardonic parts are subversively hidden by the horror fun. Karella understands horror, like really understands the genre. They play with all of it in a way that horror fans will love. Everything is just tongue-in-cheek enough. It never goes too far. And readers could just enjoy the story without engaging in the satire but when you do, it is better.
Now on to the story itself. We have a third person omniscient narration style where the reader is able to be in Jessica's POV and Sandy's. Jessica is the mom, a bit of a ditz, a homemaker with really no identity or personality, married to Greg a VP at a generic internet company that Jessica has no idea what it does. She supports her husband and looks pretty. Is she happy, no? But she really doesn't;t expect to be.
Sandy is the 15 year old nonbinary, purple haired kid in the family. First, I love that Sandy just is non binary. The parents do not care. They correct others as to Sandy's pronouns and everyone is just fine with it. This is always a treat, a story where someone is queer and just existing as queer and the fact that they are queer is not a key part of the story. But Sandy is also an aspiring witch. Their parents think this is a cute hobby, but Sandy is very serious about it. Something readers learn fairly quickly.
The family moves to the British island of Hasenhurst. The dad is sent there over the summer to help move the remote, quaint, and traditional island and its people into the 21st Century with his company's help.
Readers know through Chapter 0 though, even before the family makes the trip, that the house they will be staying in holds secrets and has powers. This allows unease to settle over the story even before readers start hearing about how "quaint" and dedicated to tradition this island is. There is the fog and the moors once they get there to help set the stage, but readers already know not to trust the friendly locals.
This works very well because it allows Karella to double down on the world building of Hasenhurst and push how far they can take it juxtaposing the silly with the horror. In the hands of a less talented author this would have been a mess. Really only Chuck Tingle can do this as well.
The story also has a great frame to increase the pacing, dread, and horror as from the start readers are told everything is unfolding leading up to "Tigglestide." We have these headings even before we arrive in Hasenhurst, way before we all start to learn (along with Jessica, Sandy, and Greg) what it is. The story begins with One Week Till Tigglestide Eve and goes to Tigglestide Day for the ending. This compressed time frame is a great pace increasing device. This is a 300+ page book and there is a lot of world building that has to happen, but the fake days/holidays marking the time before Tigglestide comes are perfect. As we march closer even the names of the days that lead up to Tigglestide get more unsettling.
This is a folk horror that leans in to its folk horror. And I don;t want to say much more than that. You want to enjoy a sold read that doesn't take itself too seriously even though it is consciously constructed with intention and then also makes sure to hide the effort so that readers can enjoy it (but I see you Karella), this is a solid choice.
Also I haven't even mentioned the quotes at the top of the chapters that are from fiction books.Theses add a lot of context to the world and help to ratchet up the unease throughout the story.
A perfect read for fans of Chuck Tingle-- the same vibes-- smart, irreverent, fun, all told with a deep understanding of the genre of horror. But if readers want folk horror that is similar try Slewfoot by Brom or Stay Buried by Jennifer McMahon.
The marketing says Wicker Man meets Twisted Ones (Kingfisher) which works but the comps I have are more precise as to the type of reader who will enjoy this one. The publisher comps are more trying to ride coattails than actually think about the reader.
Three Words That Describe This Book: great world building, folk horror, tongue in cheek
Other words: fun, witchy, queer norm, of course-- quaint and traditions-- these are words used throughout the story and they begin cozy and slowly and deliberately build to creepy and then terrifying. That was very well done.
This book is fun, original and smart. But the smart, sardonic parts are subversively hidden by the horror fun. Karella understands horror, like really understands the genre. They play with all of it in a way that horror fans will love. Everything is just tongue-in-cheek enough. It never goes too far. And readers could just enjoy the story without engaging in the satire but when you do, it is better.
Now on to the story itself. We have a third person omniscient narration style where the reader is able to be in Jessica's POV and Sandy's. Jessica is the mom, a bit of a ditz, a homemaker with really no identity or personality, married to Greg a VP at a generic internet company that Jessica has no idea what it does. She supports her husband and looks pretty. Is she happy, no? But she really doesn't;t expect to be.
Sandy is the 15 year old nonbinary, purple haired kid in the family. First, I love that Sandy just is non binary. The parents do not care. They correct others as to Sandy's pronouns and everyone is just fine with it. This is always a treat, a story where someone is queer and just existing as queer and the fact that they are queer is not a key part of the story. But Sandy is also an aspiring witch. Their parents think this is a cute hobby, but Sandy is very serious about it. Something readers learn fairly quickly.
The family moves to the British island of Hasenhurst. The dad is sent there over the summer to help move the remote, quaint, and traditional island and its people into the 21st Century with his company's help.
Readers know through Chapter 0 though, even before the family makes the trip, that the house they will be staying in holds secrets and has powers. This allows unease to settle over the story even before readers start hearing about how "quaint" and dedicated to tradition this island is. There is the fog and the moors once they get there to help set the stage, but readers already know not to trust the friendly locals.
This works very well because it allows Karella to double down on the world building of Hasenhurst and push how far they can take it juxtaposing the silly with the horror. In the hands of a less talented author this would have been a mess. Really only Chuck Tingle can do this as well.
The story also has a great frame to increase the pacing, dread, and horror as from the start readers are told everything is unfolding leading up to "Tigglestide." We have these headings even before we arrive in Hasenhurst, way before we all start to learn (along with Jessica, Sandy, and Greg) what it is. The story begins with One Week Till Tigglestide Eve and goes to Tigglestide Day for the ending. This compressed time frame is a great pace increasing device. This is a 300+ page book and there is a lot of world building that has to happen, but the fake days/holidays marking the time before Tigglestide comes are perfect. As we march closer even the names of the days that lead up to Tigglestide get more unsettling.
This is a folk horror that leans in to its folk horror. And I don;t want to say much more than that. You want to enjoy a sold read that doesn't take itself too seriously even though it is consciously constructed with intention and then also makes sure to hide the effort so that readers can enjoy it (but I see you Karella), this is a solid choice.
Also I haven't even mentioned the quotes at the top of the chapters that are from fiction books.Theses add a lot of context to the world and help to ratchet up the unease throughout the story.
A perfect read for fans of Chuck Tingle-- the same vibes-- smart, irreverent, fun, all told with a deep understanding of the genre of horror. But if readers want folk horror that is similar try Slewfoot by Brom or Stay Buried by Jennifer McMahon.
The marketing says Wicker Man meets Twisted Ones (Kingfisher) which works but the comps I have are more precise as to the type of reader who will enjoy this one. The publisher comps are more trying to ride coattails than actually think about the reader.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Quaint Folk is the perfect book to read for summerween (even if the story actually takes place more in winter but shhhhh), like if we aren't already adding folk horror to our summerween reading plans, we absolutely should be!
In Quaint Folk we follow Jessica, her husband Greg, and 15 year old child Sandy as they travel to Hasenhurst for Greg's job. At a glance Hasenhurst is an idyllic village to live in, where all the residents are friendly, the children are suspiciously well behaved, and the modern world seems not to have touched the island. However, things are not quite what they seem as the village prepares for the impending holiday of Tigglestide.
While reading this I was fully in love with the aesthetics and the tone of the book. The aesthetics were very Wicker Man (the 1973 movie, not the 2006 Nic Cage remake) with a metric fuckton of rabbits, people in fun, silly costumes, and cute woodland creatures in waistcoats. LOOOOVVVEEE! The tone also did lean more horror comedy than horror which did take me aback initially but once I leaned more into the comedic tone I was back to having a good time. I think the author did a fantastic job of building a sense of creeping dread throughout the book and making you feel like something isn't quite right in Hasenhurst even while you're giggling at the dialogue.
I also really enjoyed following Jessica's and Sandy's journeys throughout this book. Jessica is trying desperately to blend in due to past religious trauma and a previous relationship that ended badly, both of which she's trying to cover up by throwing herself into the town's celebration of Tigglestide. Sandy is Jessica & Greg's kid who is a nonbinary folkloric witch who knows something's up in this village and is doing their best to get to the bottom of it. Jessica and Sandy frequently clash in their ideas of what's going on and this definitely adds to the overall drama of everything else going on. There's also a subplot with Jessica and the lord mayor's wife, Molly, but we can't get into it because of mild spoilers, but Jessica & Molly were some of my favorite parts of the book.
I think what stopped this from being a 5 star read however was there was a lot of stuff going on. There was a trying to get Hasenhurst into the modern age subplot, a Round Robin subplot, Sandy's investigation subplot, Jessica's feelings about her parents, past relationship, Molly, struggling with fully accepting Sandy's identity, and failing marriage with Greg subplot and honestly it was a little too much. Also Jessica is writing a book during all of this too and I thought it was cute but it didn't really go anywhere. There was a point where I thought Jessica being a writer would tie into one of the subplots but it didn't so it ended up being just yet another thing to keep track of. A lot of really amazing ideas that weren't fully developed unfortunately.
Also I'll be the first to say it, I was a little confused by the ending as it was a bit ambiguous but I think a reread when this is published might resolve my confusion. Overall a really good addition in the folk horror genre, Bitter Karella is an author I'd like to keep my eye on to see what they come out with next in the future.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance DRC and provide an honest review, all opinions are my own.
In Quaint Folk we follow Jessica, her husband Greg, and 15 year old child Sandy as they travel to Hasenhurst for Greg's job. At a glance Hasenhurst is an idyllic village to live in, where all the residents are friendly, the children are suspiciously well behaved, and the modern world seems not to have touched the island. However, things are not quite what they seem as the village prepares for the impending holiday of Tigglestide.
While reading this I was fully in love with the aesthetics and the tone of the book. The aesthetics were very Wicker Man (the 1973 movie, not the 2006 Nic Cage remake) with a metric fuckton of rabbits, people in fun, silly costumes, and cute woodland creatures in waistcoats. LOOOOVVVEEE! The tone also did lean more horror comedy than horror which did take me aback initially but once I leaned more into the comedic tone I was back to having a good time. I think the author did a fantastic job of building a sense of creeping dread throughout the book and making you feel like something isn't quite right in Hasenhurst even while you're giggling at the dialogue.
I also really enjoyed following Jessica's and Sandy's journeys throughout this book. Jessica is trying desperately to blend in due to past religious trauma and a previous relationship that ended badly, both of which she's trying to cover up by throwing herself into the town's celebration of Tigglestide. Sandy is Jessica & Greg's kid who is a nonbinary folkloric witch who knows something's up in this village and is doing their best to get to the bottom of it. Jessica and Sandy frequently clash in their ideas of what's going on and this definitely adds to the overall drama of everything else going on. There's also a subplot with Jessica and the lord mayor's wife, Molly, but we can't get into it because of mild spoilers, but Jessica & Molly were some of my favorite parts of the book.
I think what stopped this from being a 5 star read however was there was a lot of stuff going on. There was a trying to get Hasenhurst into the modern age subplot, a Round Robin subplot, Sandy's investigation subplot, Jessica's feelings about her parents, past relationship, Molly, struggling with fully accepting Sandy's identity, and failing marriage with Greg subplot and honestly it was a little too much. Also Jessica is writing a book during all of this too and I thought it was cute but it didn't really go anywhere. There was a point where I thought Jessica being a writer would tie into one of the subplots but it didn't so it ended up being just yet another thing to keep track of. A lot of really amazing ideas that weren't fully developed unfortunately.
Also I'll be the first to say it, I was a little confused by the ending as it was a bit ambiguous but I think a reread when this is published might resolve my confusion. Overall a really good addition in the folk horror genre, Bitter Karella is an author I'd like to keep my eye on to see what they come out with next in the future.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance DRC and provide an honest review, all opinions are my own.
October 20, 2026
🎧📚 Tandem Review 🎧📚
Thank you @orbit for the gifted physical copy.
Title: Quaint Folk
Author: Bitter Karella
Pages: 336
Narrator: Eva Kaminsky
Duration: 9 hours 49 minutes
Genre: Folk Horrors
Pub Date: October 6, 2026
~~~~<<<<<<<<
🎧📚 Synopsis 🎧📚
A queer folk horror novel that peels back the idyllic veneer of a seemingly perfect island town to reveal the rot beneath.
🎧📚 My Thoughts 🎧📚
This reminded me of the same vibes as Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. But queer and darker. There was a lot of humor that leaned into the absurd and it mixed so well with the darker more sinister aspects of the story.
This is one of those stories where you really just have to trust the process. I floundered back-and-forth between liking characters and despising them. There was times where I was confused, and times where I felt like I could guess what was going on. Overall, the story really kept me on my toes and kept my mind going.
This is definitely a novel where I'm gonna have to sit with the ending and ponder it for a while. I feel like I really liked the ending in some aspects, and in other I felt like it was a little too open for me.
Overall, I found this to be very weird and delightful. Well, there were some aspects that I liked more than others. I found that I really enjoyed my experience with this book. I cannot wait for the next book by this author.
🎧📚 Narration 🎧📚
The narrator absolutely nailed this book. I feel like the accents and the emotion that she gave the characters was absolutely spot on for how I was imagining them.
~~~~~~~~~
🎧📚 Read if You Like 🎧📚
* Absurd horror
* Religious trauma
* Folklore
~~~~~~~~~
🏷️
#audiobookreview #audiobookrecommendation #bookstagram #quaintfolk #bitterkarella
Thank you @orbit for the gifted physical copy.
Title: Quaint Folk
Author: Bitter Karella
Pages: 336
Narrator: Eva Kaminsky
Duration: 9 hours 49 minutes
Genre: Folk Horrors
Pub Date: October 6, 2026
~~~~<<<<<<<<
🎧📚 Synopsis 🎧📚
A queer folk horror novel that peels back the idyllic veneer of a seemingly perfect island town to reveal the rot beneath.
🎧📚 My Thoughts 🎧📚
This reminded me of the same vibes as Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. But queer and darker. There was a lot of humor that leaned into the absurd and it mixed so well with the darker more sinister aspects of the story.
This is one of those stories where you really just have to trust the process. I floundered back-and-forth between liking characters and despising them. There was times where I was confused, and times where I felt like I could guess what was going on. Overall, the story really kept me on my toes and kept my mind going.
This is definitely a novel where I'm gonna have to sit with the ending and ponder it for a while. I feel like I really liked the ending in some aspects, and in other I felt like it was a little too open for me.
Overall, I found this to be very weird and delightful. Well, there were some aspects that I liked more than others. I found that I really enjoyed my experience with this book. I cannot wait for the next book by this author.
🎧📚 Narration 🎧📚
The narrator absolutely nailed this book. I feel like the accents and the emotion that she gave the characters was absolutely spot on for how I was imagining them.
~~~~~~~~~
🎧📚 Read if You Like 🎧📚
* Absurd horror
* Religious trauma
* Folklore
~~~~~~~~~
🏷️
#audiobookreview #audiobookrecommendation #bookstagram #quaintfolk #bitterkarella
September 12, 2026
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley. Thanks to all involved!
I rated this book 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
Happy Tigglestide all! This is a folk horror and I saw someone call it “cottage gore” which I thought really summed it up (side note: this book isn’t splatter punk as I’ve seen this authors other books described as which I was happy to see because that’s not my thing- I wondered so I thought I’d mention in case anyone else did). All the characters and places and event in this book seems really idyllic and lovely but you can see the cracks in it all and sense the underlying….wrongness of everything. There are some moments that reallyyyyy were unsettling and just down right made my skin crawl (the return to the last tuppances house, the bar scene with Greg the husband at the end and pretty much anything to do with ole round Robbin) I feel like the characters were all really worked out well and they had flaws but in a way that made them more real.
The only things I’d change about this book is there’s some repetition that I feel could be cut out and maybe trim this down a bit. And I felt it started a little slow and it did take me a little bit to really get into the book but at about half way in I was really invested.
I rated this book 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
Happy Tigglestide all! This is a folk horror and I saw someone call it “cottage gore” which I thought really summed it up (side note: this book isn’t splatter punk as I’ve seen this authors other books described as which I was happy to see because that’s not my thing- I wondered so I thought I’d mention in case anyone else did). All the characters and places and event in this book seems really idyllic and lovely but you can see the cracks in it all and sense the underlying….wrongness of everything. There are some moments that reallyyyyy were unsettling and just down right made my skin crawl (the return to the last tuppances house, the bar scene with Greg the husband at the end and pretty much anything to do with ole round Robbin) I feel like the characters were all really worked out well and they had flaws but in a way that made them more real.
The only things I’d change about this book is there’s some repetition that I feel could be cut out and maybe trim this down a bit. And I felt it started a little slow and it did take me a little bit to really get into the book but at about half way in I was really invested.
October 16, 2026
Fellow lovers of Widow's Bay, this is the horror book for you! We've got a weird little coastal town with strange traditions, a hidden supernatural force, and a framing of tongue in cheek satire.
Quaint Folk follows closeted lesbian Jessica, her milk toast corporate husband, and their rebellious witch obsessed child as they are relocated to the village of Hasenhurst in the UK for the summer. Jessica has sacrificed everything to fit into the stay-at-home heterosexual box that her parents wanted her to conform to, however that has all been upended when their child comes out as non-binary. This pressure to conform to the 'right kind of person' is further increased when Jessica sees the perfect families populating Hasenhurst. As Jessica and her family spend more time with the people of Hasenhurst it becomes clear that their strange local holidays and reverence for a local hare spirit are not quaint traditions but something ominous.
This book strikes a great balance of being cozy, comedic, horrifying, and tense. Jessica also makes for a really great protagonist that you as the reader can sympathize with but also love to hate. I had such a great time with this and I'll definitely be reaching for one of Karella's other novels when I need another horror fix.
CW: gore, transphobia, homophobia, religious trauma
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Quaint Folk follows closeted lesbian Jessica, her milk toast corporate husband, and their rebellious witch obsessed child as they are relocated to the village of Hasenhurst in the UK for the summer. Jessica has sacrificed everything to fit into the stay-at-home heterosexual box that her parents wanted her to conform to, however that has all been upended when their child comes out as non-binary. This pressure to conform to the 'right kind of person' is further increased when Jessica sees the perfect families populating Hasenhurst. As Jessica and her family spend more time with the people of Hasenhurst it becomes clear that their strange local holidays and reverence for a local hare spirit are not quaint traditions but something ominous.
This book strikes a great balance of being cozy, comedic, horrifying, and tense. Jessica also makes for a really great protagonist that you as the reader can sympathize with but also love to hate. I had such a great time with this and I'll definitely be reaching for one of Karella's other novels when I need another horror fix.
CW: gore, transphobia, homophobia, religious trauma
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
June 5, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the author Bitter Karella for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
I am writing this review as someone in their 30’s, living an openly queer life for over a decade.
I finished the book, but ultimately I did not enjoy it due to potent queer-phobic themes. The book is advertised as queer and marketed to a queer audience, and the author as well is queer. There are two queer protagonists — a 15 year old non-binary protagonist, and their closeted lesbian vs bisexual mother who is unhappily married to a man. This much was apparent in the book’s synopsis and I requested the review copy knowing this much. However, the author constantly writes it so that supporting characters criticize the protagonists’ queerness: dredges up Jessica’s homophobic parents in nearly every scene, frequently digs at the non-binary teen’s identity exploration, and is otherwise very heavy-handed on harmful perspectives of queer people while granting grace after grace to the aloof, cisgendered husband, Greg.
Likely it is that the author is writing from personal experience, and this may be why it struck me so heavily. I was expecting horror, I was expecting satire, I was expecting psychological unease… I wasn’t expecting the book to feel so anti-queer, even though it boasted a predominantly queer cast. This absolutely negatively impacted my ability to enjoy the book, and I feel that other readers need to know beforehand. Frankly, this book made me sad.
Strip away these complaints and the book is good and has the potential to be great. Karella is skilled at contrasting a satyrical and over-the-top British town with the uneasy horrors that the night brings — the grotesque, the bitter, the psychologically harrowing. It reads like an adult “A Series of Unfortunate Events.”
I am writing this review as someone in their 30’s, living an openly queer life for over a decade.
I finished the book, but ultimately I did not enjoy it due to potent queer-phobic themes. The book is advertised as queer and marketed to a queer audience, and the author as well is queer. There are two queer protagonists — a 15 year old non-binary protagonist, and their closeted lesbian vs bisexual mother who is unhappily married to a man. This much was apparent in the book’s synopsis and I requested the review copy knowing this much. However, the author constantly writes it so that supporting characters criticize the protagonists’ queerness: dredges up Jessica’s homophobic parents in nearly every scene, frequently digs at the non-binary teen’s identity exploration, and is otherwise very heavy-handed on harmful perspectives of queer people while granting grace after grace to the aloof, cisgendered husband, Greg.
Likely it is that the author is writing from personal experience, and this may be why it struck me so heavily. I was expecting horror, I was expecting satire, I was expecting psychological unease… I wasn’t expecting the book to feel so anti-queer, even though it boasted a predominantly queer cast. This absolutely negatively impacted my ability to enjoy the book, and I feel that other readers need to know beforehand. Frankly, this book made me sad.
Strip away these complaints and the book is good and has the potential to be great. Karella is skilled at contrasting a satyrical and over-the-top British town with the uneasy horrors that the night brings — the grotesque, the bitter, the psychologically harrowing. It reads like an adult “A Series of Unfortunate Events.”
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
*Thank you to Union Square and Orbit for a complimentary arc of Quaint Folk. All opinions expressed are my own.*
The synopsis for Quaint Folk immediately piqued my interest, and while the cover definitely caught my eye, it was the description of “cottage gore” that made me pick it up the second I got my copy. I proceeded to inhale it like there was nothing else on earth I should be doing except disappear into its pages - and what a weird place to disappear into.
The sheer weirdness of this story was enthralling in its own right. The atmospheric dread builds beautifully, and the lore surrounding the island had me completely captivated. There’s something wonderfully unsettling about the world being created here, where even the more ordinary elements carry an undercurrent of unease.
That said, while I loved the story and its entire weird, eccentric vibe, I also found it frequently messy. There were multiple points where things didn’t quite make sense to me, and several plotlines seemed to have so much happening within them that they eventually felt like they weren’t going anywhere, or had me loosing track of where they went. By the time I reached the end, I was left wondering exactly what I was supposed to make of everything I had just experienced. Which felt just as weird as the story, because I had such a good time reading it.
I think Quaint Folk may have peaked a little too early for me. The further I got into the story, the more confused I became in the back of my head, and at times it felt like the book was trying to do a little too much at once. There were so many intriguing ideas that I occasionally wished the story would slow down and give some of them more room to settle into place.
Regardless of the messier elements, though, this is a great horror story. Not necessarily a scary horror, but an excellent weird one. I’m genuinely curious to see whether a reread would make everything click more naturally, because the lore, atmosphere, and eccentric plot were engaging enough that I never wanted to put it down.
If you’re looking for a different kind of horror - one where even the friendliest characters can leave you feeling vaguely uneasy - Quaint Folk is certainly worth wandering into.
The synopsis for Quaint Folk immediately piqued my interest, and while the cover definitely caught my eye, it was the description of “cottage gore” that made me pick it up the second I got my copy. I proceeded to inhale it like there was nothing else on earth I should be doing except disappear into its pages - and what a weird place to disappear into.
The sheer weirdness of this story was enthralling in its own right. The atmospheric dread builds beautifully, and the lore surrounding the island had me completely captivated. There’s something wonderfully unsettling about the world being created here, where even the more ordinary elements carry an undercurrent of unease.
That said, while I loved the story and its entire weird, eccentric vibe, I also found it frequently messy. There were multiple points where things didn’t quite make sense to me, and several plotlines seemed to have so much happening within them that they eventually felt like they weren’t going anywhere, or had me loosing track of where they went. By the time I reached the end, I was left wondering exactly what I was supposed to make of everything I had just experienced. Which felt just as weird as the story, because I had such a good time reading it.
I think Quaint Folk may have peaked a little too early for me. The further I got into the story, the more confused I became in the back of my head, and at times it felt like the book was trying to do a little too much at once. There were so many intriguing ideas that I occasionally wished the story would slow down and give some of them more room to settle into place.
Regardless of the messier elements, though, this is a great horror story. Not necessarily a scary horror, but an excellent weird one. I’m genuinely curious to see whether a reread would make everything click more naturally, because the lore, atmosphere, and eccentric plot were engaging enough that I never wanted to put it down.
If you’re looking for a different kind of horror - one where even the friendliest characters can leave you feeling vaguely uneasy - Quaint Folk is certainly worth wandering into.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
It’s Tigglestide, folks! You better act right before Round Robin comes and you make him angry….
Quaint Folk follows a family that has been chosen to move abroad for the father’s special work project. They soon arrive at a remote island town that gets by without the use of modern electronics, who firmly believe in fairytales, and only will accept “the right kind of family.”
They try to fit in and embrace traditions as they have arrived during one of the town’s holidays, but something is not right here and although everyone seems overly sweet… the truth is seeping through.
This is a weirddd book but it's my kind of weird. The town has fully been indoctrinated into the belief of what seems to be a fairytale. There are a ton of folky aspects with a sense of creeping dread. The main characters we hear from are Jessica, the mother and Sandy, the child as they try to adapt to this new town and their way of life. Jessica is insufferable and is clearly dealing with massive amounts of internalized homophobia while actively attempting to raise a nonbinary child. Sandy is the only one that knows something fucking whacky is going on but of course no one everrr listens to the non-binary witch with colorful hair and strong opinions.
Quaint Folk follows a family that has been chosen to move abroad for the father’s special work project. They soon arrive at a remote island town that gets by without the use of modern electronics, who firmly believe in fairytales, and only will accept “the right kind of family.”
They try to fit in and embrace traditions as they have arrived during one of the town’s holidays, but something is not right here and although everyone seems overly sweet… the truth is seeping through.
This is a weirddd book but it's my kind of weird. The town has fully been indoctrinated into the belief of what seems to be a fairytale. There are a ton of folky aspects with a sense of creeping dread. The main characters we hear from are Jessica, the mother and Sandy, the child as they try to adapt to this new town and their way of life. Jessica is insufferable and is clearly dealing with massive amounts of internalized homophobia while actively attempting to raise a nonbinary child. Sandy is the only one that knows something fucking whacky is going on but of course no one everrr listens to the non-binary witch with colorful hair and strong opinions.
October 8, 2026
I was dosed in the best way when Quaint Folk by Bitter Karella landed on my shelf. It transported me to another place across the pond. Jessica met the locals and fell in love with the town. The townsfolk were preparing for a local holiday that she had never heard about. She thinks that she will make herself into the right kind of person to fulfill her wifely duties and present herself in the perfect way…by not lusting for the neighbor’s wife. Her non-binary teen, Sandy with their purple hair, throws everyone off. Something much deeper is behind the town’s facade of success. I enjoyed a book within a book, a folk tale, and town/family dynamics. What’s perceived as what is right for the majority isn’t always what is right for you. ARC was provided by Orbit Books/Run For It via NetGalley. I received an advance reading copy for free and I am leaving this feedback voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I settled in with my morning coffee and Bitter Karella’s Quaint Folk, thinking a charming little island village sounded like a wonderful place to spend a chilly fall morning. Thank you to Run For It the gifted book.. Why is it that every fictional town promising a peaceful, old-fashioned lifestyle inevitably has something horrifying hiding behind the homemade jam?
This is my first Bitter Karella novel, and what an introduction!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Jessica appears to have everything she should want: a respectable husband, a lovely family, and a comfortable life. When her husband Greg accepts a job abroad, the family relocates to Hasenhurst, an isolated island village where technology is practically nonexistent and everyone seems suspiciously cheerful.
The residents make their own preserves, embrace peculiar traditions, and insist they’re simply quaint, quiet people. Naturally, I immediately distrusted every single one of them.
Jessica desperately wants to fit in, but she’s also hiding parts of herself that she’s spent years trying to forget. Meanwhile, her nonbinary teenager, Sandy, has absolutely no interest in pretending to be someone they’re not.
I found Sandy particularly interesting. Their relationship with Jessica brings an emotional layer to a story that could easily have relied entirely on creepy villagers and bizarre rituals. Jessica frustrated me at times, especially when she couldn’t recognize the contradictions in her own behavior.
And then there’s Round Robin. Let’s just say I’ll never look at certain woodland creatures quite the same way again.
What surprised me was the humor. Between the ridiculous village customs, exaggerated British expressions, and increasingly questionable festivities, I found myself laughing when I probably should have been concerned.
Beneath all that wonderfully strange folk horror is a story about identity, religious expectations, repression, and the terrible things people will do to belong.
The ending leaves plenty to think about, although I wouldn’t have complained about a few more answers.
An unusual, unsettling October read that makes small-town living look considerably less appealing.
What’s the creepiest fictional town you’ve ever visited through a book?
#QuaintFolk #BitterKarella #FolkHorror #HorrorBooks #Bookstagram #QueerHorror #HalloweenReads
This is my first Bitter Karella novel, and what an introduction!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Jessica appears to have everything she should want: a respectable husband, a lovely family, and a comfortable life. When her husband Greg accepts a job abroad, the family relocates to Hasenhurst, an isolated island village where technology is practically nonexistent and everyone seems suspiciously cheerful.
The residents make their own preserves, embrace peculiar traditions, and insist they’re simply quaint, quiet people. Naturally, I immediately distrusted every single one of them.
Jessica desperately wants to fit in, but she’s also hiding parts of herself that she’s spent years trying to forget. Meanwhile, her nonbinary teenager, Sandy, has absolutely no interest in pretending to be someone they’re not.
I found Sandy particularly interesting. Their relationship with Jessica brings an emotional layer to a story that could easily have relied entirely on creepy villagers and bizarre rituals. Jessica frustrated me at times, especially when she couldn’t recognize the contradictions in her own behavior.
And then there’s Round Robin. Let’s just say I’ll never look at certain woodland creatures quite the same way again.
What surprised me was the humor. Between the ridiculous village customs, exaggerated British expressions, and increasingly questionable festivities, I found myself laughing when I probably should have been concerned.
Beneath all that wonderfully strange folk horror is a story about identity, religious expectations, repression, and the terrible things people will do to belong.
The ending leaves plenty to think about, although I wouldn’t have complained about a few more answers.
An unusual, unsettling October read that makes small-town living look considerably less appealing.
What’s the creepiest fictional town you’ve ever visited through a book?
#QuaintFolk #BitterKarella #FolkHorror #HorrorBooks #Bookstagram #QueerHorror #HalloweenReads
October 12, 2026
First off, absolutely stunning cover. I knew I needed the arc when I saw it. Onto the actual book, I love books with eerie atmospheres, the ones that are more suitably classed as strange/weird horror rather than scary horror, and that's exactly what this book is.
The writing and narrative did a good job of creating such a haunting mood and presenting the underlying messages of the story without being too blatant. I loved reading about Sandy and Jess although Sandy's storyline seemed to be drowned about halfway through in the overwhelming amount of plotlines and threads. I also am not the biggest fan of the open ending and unanswered questions even if I can see how it adds to the creepiness of the book.
I got an arc from orbit books in exchange for an honest review
The writing and narrative did a good job of creating such a haunting mood and presenting the underlying messages of the story without being too blatant. I loved reading about Sandy and Jess although Sandy's storyline seemed to be drowned about halfway through in the overwhelming amount of plotlines and threads. I also am not the biggest fan of the open ending and unanswered questions even if I can see how it adds to the creepiness of the book.
I got an arc from orbit books in exchange for an honest review
October 11, 2026
(Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC, views are my own)
I enjoyed some of the commentary in this - schools going to the extreme of removing certain letters from the name of public schools absolutely does not feel so far removed given recent protests on teaching inclusion in schools near me.
I liked Jessica - how she thinks about someone when she does not remember their name, or when her husband is talking work that she does not understand it she just inserts [technical gibberish].
I was a bit confused by the ending. I saw where it was going as the town had some strange superstitions, but it felt like there were things missing.
I enjoyed some of the commentary in this - schools going to the extreme of removing certain letters from the name of public schools absolutely does not feel so far removed given recent protests on teaching inclusion in schools near me.
I liked Jessica - how she thinks about someone when she does not remember their name, or when her husband is talking work that she does not understand it she just inserts [technical gibberish].
I was a bit confused by the ending. I saw where it was going as the town had some strange superstitions, but it felt like there were things missing.
September 10, 2026
I’m a bit torn on this one. I wanted to rate it higher, as on paper I should love this. It’s very reminiscent of The Wicker Man, which I love, and it has a great and unique sense of humour that I can fully appreciate. But I just struggled to pick this up and keep it in my hands.
Based on the description, I knew the pacing would be slow, but perhaps it was just a bit too slow for me, and at times the discussion around the characters’ backstories and natures felt a little repetitive. I also would have liked more action and payoff at the end after such a long build up.
I would still highly recommend this to fans of folklore and horror. I imagine I’ll be in the minority here, but I was left wanting a bit more.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free ARC provided in exchange for my honest review.
Based on the description, I knew the pacing would be slow, but perhaps it was just a bit too slow for me, and at times the discussion around the characters’ backstories and natures felt a little repetitive. I also would have liked more action and payoff at the end after such a long build up.
I would still highly recommend this to fans of folklore and horror. I imagine I’ll be in the minority here, but I was left wanting a bit more.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free ARC provided in exchange for my honest review.
Read
July 5, 2026🌾🩸 Quaint Folk 🩸🌾
📖 Bookish Thoughts
My full review will be shared closer to the publication date.
✨ What to Expect
• Queer Folk Horror
• Creepy Small Town
• Isolated Island
• Family Secrets
• Psychological Horror
_ _ __
📅 Pub Date: October 6, 2026
Thank you to Orbit Books, and NetGalley for the advanced copy.
📖 Bookish Thoughts
My full review will be shared closer to the publication date.
✨ What to Expect
• Queer Folk Horror
• Creepy Small Town
• Isolated Island
• Family Secrets
• Psychological Horror
_ _ __
📅 Pub Date: October 6, 2026
Thank you to Orbit Books, and NetGalley for the advanced copy.
May 27, 2026
Thank you NetGallery for the eARC!
Wow. What a book.
I need like five deep dive video essays, a podcast episode, an author breakdown, and so so much more content for this book. I want to get into it all: the characters, how 2020 affected the youth, closeted marriage, the hare, and ahh!! I don’t know where to start talking about this book and where to end.
If you love fever-dream adjacent, queer bs, cult chaos, this is the one to read.
Just read it. Please.
Wow. What a book.
I need like five deep dive video essays, a podcast episode, an author breakdown, and so so much more content for this book. I want to get into it all: the characters, how 2020 affected the youth, closeted marriage, the hare, and ahh!! I don’t know where to start talking about this book and where to end.
If you love fever-dream adjacent, queer bs, cult chaos, this is the one to read.
Just read it. Please.
October 27, 2026
This was such a cover buy, extra points for being such a floppy paperback. I really enjoyed this but I found it really slow - as in when I was reading it, it felt fast, but when I'm away from the book, I didn't want to continue. It was a strange experience.
The book follows Jessica, a self proclaimed trophy wife, and her teen Sandy who's non-binary and into folklore and magic (also the dad, Greg, but he's useless). The family move from America to a small island in the UK for Greg's job.
In this island, everyone's very traditional and has to follow the societal norms, lest Round Robin gets you. Imagine children trying to be good for Santa Claus.
As they continue to live there, they realise things aren't as they seem and they're in more danger than they thought.
It's something you should go into without know much about.
It's very creepy and I do recommend if you want to be frightened in this wintery season.
Themes and info to note:
• 3rd POV, limited to Sandy and Jessica
• Graphic scenes
• Trauma
• Self acceptance and rejection
• Religion and folklore
• LGBTQ intolerance
Personal thoughts (can be spoilery):
I utterly loved how Jessica embraced and accepted Sandy as non-binary (she was very intolerant of their love for magic though, but a win is a win). She wanted to bond with her child and realised there were no stories that Sandy could relate to, so she CREATED a whole big story with a lesbian princess and knight who go on adventures. This was so adorable. Especially as she's always self deprecating herself as not being anything but a trophy wife. She does ruin it though at the end when she's all broken and is proper mean to sandy, which sends them into their own spiral.
I was confused quite a lot and was let down a bit about the ending. No idea how round robin worked, but that's the point of horror I guess. Where they don't explain everything. I'm new to this genre
The book follows Jessica, a self proclaimed trophy wife, and her teen Sandy who's non-binary and into folklore and magic (also the dad, Greg, but he's useless). The family move from America to a small island in the UK for Greg's job.
In this island, everyone's very traditional and has to follow the societal norms, lest Round Robin gets you. Imagine children trying to be good for Santa Claus.
As they continue to live there, they realise things aren't as they seem and they're in more danger than they thought.
It's something you should go into without know much about.
It's very creepy and I do recommend if you want to be frightened in this wintery season.
Themes and info to note:
• 3rd POV, limited to Sandy and Jessica
• Graphic scenes
• Trauma
• Self acceptance and rejection
• Religion and folklore
• LGBTQ intolerance
Personal thoughts (can be spoilery):
I utterly loved how Jessica embraced and accepted Sandy as non-binary (she was very intolerant of their love for magic though, but a win is a win). She wanted to bond with her child and realised there were no stories that Sandy could relate to, so she CREATED a whole big story with a lesbian princess and knight who go on adventures. This was so adorable. Especially as she's always self deprecating herself as not being anything but a trophy wife. She does ruin it though at the end when she's all broken and is proper mean to sandy, which sends them into their own spiral.
I was confused quite a lot and was let down a bit about the ending. No idea how round robin worked, but that's the point of horror I guess. Where they don't explain everything. I'm new to this genre
October 9, 2026
"do you think that just because something is made up, it isn't real?"
this book was so weird, but fortunately for me, it was exactly my brand of weird. i’ve heard it be called “cottage gore” and that’s exactly the perfect way to describe it, inspired by fairytale/folk-esque elements and leaning into the 1973 wicker man aesthetic. something is certainly not right in the quaint town of hasenhurst, full of the happiest people you will ever meet that feel like they’ve been taking directly out of the 1950s, exaggerated british expressions and all. living a modest life with traditional family value and boasting of the “old ways”, some would say they’re the “right kind of people”, but everyone is…odd. they use absurd names for things that feel like they’re directly taken out of an old british slang book, and it always feels like there’s something more going on behind the facade they so perpetually host, like a mask that is always about to crack. as you read on, you reveal how deep the town’s indoctrination goes, and how far they will push to keep their traditions and lore alive. at its core, this story is about identity, repression, and the innate desire to belong or to conform to societal expectations. ultimately, our reality is what we choose to give power to, and while society dictates our existence, it does not exist in a vacuum. memory, values, and what is considered to be tradition is in many ways malleable, as people actively choose which histories and experiences they would like to remember and pass on to others, usually to their own benefit.
tonally, this book was an absolute joy. i found myself cracking up at the humourous, satirical nature of the writing style while grappling with very heavy themes, and found myself actively laughing during very questionable and tense moments due to perfectly placed comic relief. if this book is any indication, i have a very strong feeling i will enjoy bitter karella’s other works, and i am so excited to explore them in the future!
this book was so weird, but fortunately for me, it was exactly my brand of weird. i’ve heard it be called “cottage gore” and that’s exactly the perfect way to describe it, inspired by fairytale/folk-esque elements and leaning into the 1973 wicker man aesthetic. something is certainly not right in the quaint town of hasenhurst, full of the happiest people you will ever meet that feel like they’ve been taking directly out of the 1950s, exaggerated british expressions and all. living a modest life with traditional family value and boasting of the “old ways”, some would say they’re the “right kind of people”, but everyone is…odd. they use absurd names for things that feel like they’re directly taken out of an old british slang book, and it always feels like there’s something more going on behind the facade they so perpetually host, like a mask that is always about to crack. as you read on, you reveal how deep the town’s indoctrination goes, and how far they will push to keep their traditions and lore alive. at its core, this story is about identity, repression, and the innate desire to belong or to conform to societal expectations. ultimately, our reality is what we choose to give power to, and while society dictates our existence, it does not exist in a vacuum. memory, values, and what is considered to be tradition is in many ways malleable, as people actively choose which histories and experiences they would like to remember and pass on to others, usually to their own benefit.
tonally, this book was an absolute joy. i found myself cracking up at the humourous, satirical nature of the writing style while grappling with very heavy themes, and found myself actively laughing during very questionable and tense moments due to perfectly placed comic relief. if this book is any indication, i have a very strong feeling i will enjoy bitter karella’s other works, and i am so excited to explore them in the future!
October 5, 2026
A Cottage-core Acid Trip From Hell?
Quaint Folk by Bitter Karella is a weird book. It’s a freaky little acid trip trapped within a novel. It feels like someone took a cozy cottage-core village, covered it in homemade jam, floral wallpaper, and aggressively polite smiles, then hid a screaming nightmare underneath it all. When Jessica moves her family to the isolated island town of Hasenhurst, she's desperate to become the "right sort" of wife, mother, and person. Meanwhile, her nonbinary child Sandy immediately realizes something is deeply off about the town's obsession with tradition, conformity, and the upcoming Tigglestide celebration. Sandy also has a minor affinity with hares and witchcraft and as the Tigglestide celebration approaches, things take a turn for the bizarre.
I’ve read both of Bitter Karella’s books now and I have to say that they are strange fiction. Like truly weird, but in a good way! It’s like going to Narnia or Wonderland and taking a bunch of party drugs. However, the terror is pervasive even if the “understanding” isn’t. I don’t fancy myself cool enough to have fully grasped all of the pieces of this story. And it’s almost written in its own language, but I still grasped the cool themes of family, identity, and that sense of being willing to sell your soul to find those things. Bitter Karella balances absurd humor, queer horror, witchcraft, family dysfunction, and social satire in a way that should not work nearly as well as it does. I found myself laughing at one page, feeling deeply uncomfortable on the next, and then immediately needing to know what bizarre thing was going to happen after that. Quaint Folk is folk horror for anyone who's ever looked at a picture-perfect village and thought “this feels off!”
Quaint Folk by Bitter Karella is a weird book. It’s a freaky little acid trip trapped within a novel. It feels like someone took a cozy cottage-core village, covered it in homemade jam, floral wallpaper, and aggressively polite smiles, then hid a screaming nightmare underneath it all. When Jessica moves her family to the isolated island town of Hasenhurst, she's desperate to become the "right sort" of wife, mother, and person. Meanwhile, her nonbinary child Sandy immediately realizes something is deeply off about the town's obsession with tradition, conformity, and the upcoming Tigglestide celebration. Sandy also has a minor affinity with hares and witchcraft and as the Tigglestide celebration approaches, things take a turn for the bizarre.
I’ve read both of Bitter Karella’s books now and I have to say that they are strange fiction. Like truly weird, but in a good way! It’s like going to Narnia or Wonderland and taking a bunch of party drugs. However, the terror is pervasive even if the “understanding” isn’t. I don’t fancy myself cool enough to have fully grasped all of the pieces of this story. And it’s almost written in its own language, but I still grasped the cool themes of family, identity, and that sense of being willing to sell your soul to find those things. Bitter Karella balances absurd humor, queer horror, witchcraft, family dysfunction, and social satire in a way that should not work nearly as well as it does. I found myself laughing at one page, feeling deeply uncomfortable on the next, and then immediately needing to know what bizarre thing was going to happen after that. Quaint Folk is folk horror for anyone who's ever looked at a picture-perfect village and thought “this feels off!”
Did Not Finish
September 24, 2026 Review of advanced reader copy received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
Sadly I think this book was just not for me and ended up being a dnf. There are plenty of people out there who I think will enjoy this story and the authors approach, I’m just not one of them.
I tried several times to connect to the story but it just wasn’t happening for me. However the premise and the folklore horror aspect of an isolated town are very intriguing. I liked that the author went outside of American folk horror, which I don’t particularly see a lot of. I will be keeping an eye out for other work from the author in the future as I do enjoy their storytelling and atmosphere building!
Sadly I think this book was just not for me and ended up being a dnf. There are plenty of people out there who I think will enjoy this story and the authors approach, I’m just not one of them.
I tried several times to connect to the story but it just wasn’t happening for me. However the premise and the folklore horror aspect of an isolated town are very intriguing. I liked that the author went outside of American folk horror, which I don’t particularly see a lot of. I will be keeping an eye out for other work from the author in the future as I do enjoy their storytelling and atmosphere building!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
First thing I would like to compliment the cover. One of the big reasons I wanted to read this was the cover; the second was folk horror. I do find folk horror very interesting. This book follows a less typical nuclear family that travels to a small island off England called Hasenhurst as part of the father, Greg's job at some kind of tech company. Greg is honestly the most nothingburger character in this book, but we don't really see all that much of him so that makes sense. Jessica is the mother, and says she's trying her best, but is she really? We hear a good bit about her past including her feelings on religion and her previous romantic relationship with a woman. This couple has one child, Sandy, a non-binary witch. I think the point is the stereotypes are overexaggerated for all characters: Greg is the absent but affable dad, Jessica is the happy homemaker type with a "dark secret", and Sandy is the rebel child, but the town is also overly exaggerated in their small-town demeanors and traditions. Although I can see the statements trying to be made and some things are meant to give you a chuckle, I found myself wondering when we were going to get to the point. Unfortunately, the point is just a discussion of conformity. Which is fine, but not really what I was looking for in a book like this. I would also like to say I really dislike all the mentions of Molly's appearance. I get it. She's fat. Can we stop now?
I do think there is an audience for this book. I actually think it would be very interesting as a movie.
2.5 stars
*Thank you to Orbit/Run For It and NetGalley for the eARC. All thoughts are my own. Also thank you to Ariel for buddy reading!*
I do think there is an audience for this book. I actually think it would be very interesting as a movie.
2.5 stars
*Thank you to Orbit/Run For It and NetGalley for the eARC. All thoughts are my own. Also thank you to Ariel for buddy reading!*
October 11, 2026
Very disappointing. I seem to be one of the few reviewers who actually bought the book, seduced by the blurb and the nice cover. The whole book is just a patronizing parody of rural England as imagined by a US American who has never actually been to the UK. All the folklore and customs are made up, which would be fine if the author meant it and it wasn't all ironic. All characters (including the protagonists) are one dimensional and/or exaggerated in a way that is supposed to be funny but isn't. Local accents, idioms and slang words are jumbled up and used in the wrong way, and even the house the story takes place in is described as an American Queen Anne style house like the one in Practical Magic, no old country house in the UK looks like that.
As for the actual plot, it is thin. The house's previous owner might have been a witch, not very interesting or unexpected, especially as the young protagonist claims to be a witch as well. The supernatural mainly seems to be confined to the characters' nightmares. The trans teen protagonist is constantly criticised for their purple hair and trans identity which might reflect the author's own experience, but is somewhat jarring in this otherwise very unrealistic story. The mother is a closeted lesbian but like almost everyone else so unlikeable that you do not really care about her feelings. The father has no defining characteristics at all, he is just the plot's excuse for the American family spending the summer in the UK. There are endless unfunny local quirks and customs that are never explained even within the story, which makes them fall flat, no matter how many times the author repeats them. E.g. If "crunkle" sausages are so funny and quaint, at least give us a proper description of the actual dish. What do they look like, taste like? How do you make and cook them? When and with which sides do you eat them? If the whole book is about a weird old fashioned place full of local folklore and customs, give the reader some explanations, otherwise the world building does not work. The same applies to the author's lazyness in failing to come up with some technical terms about the father's job and the company he works for, whose brand name is repated ad nauseam, but without description of what they actually do. As a result of all this, the story is not engaging, let alone actually scary. One of the worst books I've read in years.
As for the actual plot, it is thin. The house's previous owner might have been a witch, not very interesting or unexpected, especially as the young protagonist claims to be a witch as well. The supernatural mainly seems to be confined to the characters' nightmares. The trans teen protagonist is constantly criticised for their purple hair and trans identity which might reflect the author's own experience, but is somewhat jarring in this otherwise very unrealistic story. The mother is a closeted lesbian but like almost everyone else so unlikeable that you do not really care about her feelings. The father has no defining characteristics at all, he is just the plot's excuse for the American family spending the summer in the UK. There are endless unfunny local quirks and customs that are never explained even within the story, which makes them fall flat, no matter how many times the author repeats them. E.g. If "crunkle" sausages are so funny and quaint, at least give us a proper description of the actual dish. What do they look like, taste like? How do you make and cook them? When and with which sides do you eat them? If the whole book is about a weird old fashioned place full of local folklore and customs, give the reader some explanations, otherwise the world building does not work. The same applies to the author's lazyness in failing to come up with some technical terms about the father's job and the company he works for, whose brand name is repated ad nauseam, but without description of what they actually do. As a result of all this, the story is not engaging, let alone actually scary. One of the worst books I've read in years.
October 13, 2026
Thank you Netgalley, Orbit Books, and Run For It for the ARC of this book!
Quaint Folk by Bitter Karella is a demented-fairytale-fever dream of a book and I had a blast reading it. Jessica was a hoot I wanted a lot more of her and I wanted her to be a bit more unhinged. I normally don’t care for folk horror very much, but this book held my interest and went some crazy places that I really liked.
The ending will frustrate a lot of readers (no spoilers)it frustrated me a bit. But, I do think it fits the narrative and who we know the characters to be. There were some loose ends, some unexplained plot points, some nonsensical explanations, but I think those things added to the whimsy of this book. Amazing read for October!
Quaint Folk by Bitter Karella is a demented-fairytale-fever dream of a book and I had a blast reading it. Jessica was a hoot I wanted a lot more of her and I wanted her to be a bit more unhinged. I normally don’t care for folk horror very much, but this book held my interest and went some crazy places that I really liked.
The ending will frustrate a lot of readers (no spoilers)it frustrated me a bit. But, I do think it fits the narrative and who we know the characters to be. There were some loose ends, some unexplained plot points, some nonsensical explanations, but I think those things added to the whimsy of this book. Amazing read for October!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is a story I didn't know I needed until is curled up in my lap and took a nibble at my jugular. This has all the best elements, isolated community, old gods, hyperaware teens, creepy(in the nicest way) townsfolk, and an overburdened and overwhelmed mother who yearns to break her mold. I fell so deeply in love with this book because of the cracks in the facade and the emergence of secrets.
Thank-you, Orbit Books and Bitter Karella, for this complimentary copy. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Thank-you, Orbit Books and Bitter Karella, for this complimentary copy. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
May 21, 2026
4 ⭐️
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC!
What happens when you decide to go on a business trip with your family to a quirky little British town with weird customs, a famous witchy author, and its own board game?!? You end up being indoctrinated into a cult… or religion… or whatever Tigglestide really is.
I really enjoyed this, it was a cool twist on a weird and isolated town. Unfortunately, the scariest thing about this was there is a chatbot in the town.
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC!
What happens when you decide to go on a business trip with your family to a quirky little British town with weird customs, a famous witchy author, and its own board game?!? You end up being indoctrinated into a cult… or religion… or whatever Tigglestide really is.
I really enjoyed this, it was a cool twist on a weird and isolated town. Unfortunately, the scariest thing about this was there is a chatbot in the town.
Read
October 28, 2026Rtc
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
There were some things in this book that did not totally make sense, but I sure had fun reading it!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I love the idea of this book, that folklore gets its power from the community it builds, and the conformity to the tradition. It feels real, and creepy.
What I didn’t love about this book unfortunately was the confusion of the timeline… most of the reveal of what’s unfolding in the town with Hollyoak House and everyone else just doesn’t hold up when you think too deeply about things happening decades ago versus now… maybe I’m missing something but it felt like it just wasn’t fleshed out well.
I did like the ambiguity of the end, and I do think this author is someone I’d pick up again and again.
What I didn’t love about this book unfortunately was the confusion of the timeline… most of the reveal of what’s unfolding in the town with Hollyoak House and everyone else just doesn’t hold up when you think too deeply about things happening decades ago versus now… maybe I’m missing something but it felt like it just wasn’t fleshed out well.
I did like the ambiguity of the end, and I do think this author is someone I’d pick up again and again.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 206 reviews