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Brother
From the bestselling horror author of "Within These Walls" and "The Bird Eater" comes a brand-new novel of terror that follows a teenager determined to break from his family's unconventional--and deeply disturbing--traditions.
Deep in the heart of Appalachia stands a crooked farmhouse miles from any road. The Morrows keep to themselves, and it's served them well so far. When girls go missing off the side of the highway, the cops don't knock on their door. Which is a good thing, seeing as to what's buried in the Morrows' backyard.
But nineteen-year-old Michael Morrow isn't like the rest of his family. He doesn't take pleasure in the screams that echo through the trees. Michael pines for normalcy, and he's sure that someday he'll see the world beyond West Virginia. When he meets Alice, a pretty girl working at a record shop in the small nearby town of Dahlia, he's immediately smitten. For a moment, he nearly forgets about the monster he's become. But his brother, Rebel, is all too eager to remind Michael of his place...
Deep in the heart of Appalachia stands a crooked farmhouse miles from any road. The Morrows keep to themselves, and it's served them well so far. When girls go missing off the side of the highway, the cops don't knock on their door. Which is a good thing, seeing as to what's buried in the Morrows' backyard.
But nineteen-year-old Michael Morrow isn't like the rest of his family. He doesn't take pleasure in the screams that echo through the trees. Michael pines for normalcy, and he's sure that someday he'll see the world beyond West Virginia. When he meets Alice, a pretty girl working at a record shop in the small nearby town of Dahlia, he's immediately smitten. For a moment, he nearly forgets about the monster he's become. But his brother, Rebel, is all too eager to remind Michael of his place...
336 pages, ebook
First published September 29, 2015
5841 people are currently reading
114673 people want to read
About the author
Ania Ahlborn
20 books7,538 followersBorn in Ciechanow Poland, Ania has always been drawn to the darker, mysterious, and sometimes morbid sides of life. Her earliest childhood memory is of crawling through a hole in the chain link fence that separated her family home from the large wooded cemetery next door. She’d spend hours among the headstones, breaking up bouquets of silk flowers so that everyone had their equal share.
Author of nine novels, Ania's books have been lauded by the likes of Publisher's Weekly, The New York Daily News, and The New York Times. Some titles have been optioned for film.
Hailing from Albuquerque, New Mexico, Ania currently lives in Greenville, South Carolina.
For more from Ania, visit her site, or connect via social media on Facebook and Twitter.
Web: http://www.aniaahlborn.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aniaahlborn
Twitter: @aniaahlborn
Author of nine novels, Ania's books have been lauded by the likes of Publisher's Weekly, The New York Daily News, and The New York Times. Some titles have been optioned for film.
Hailing from Albuquerque, New Mexico, Ania currently lives in Greenville, South Carolina.
For more from Ania, visit her site, or connect via social media on Facebook and Twitter.
Web: http://www.aniaahlborn.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aniaahlborn
Twitter: @aniaahlborn
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 10,652 reviews
September 13, 2025
Rebel raised an eyebrow in approval. Good idea, he said.
A party ain't a party without a splash of red.
Brother is my first Ania Ahlborn book and far from my last.
I cannot tell you how much it pleases me to have found a new horror author to obsess over!
This book, set deep in the heart of Appalachia, is extremely disturbing. In fact, if you aren't disturbed by this, I'm not sure we can be friends.
It is so well written, although horrifying, it feels 100% plausible. I mean, why couldn't this happen?
It could totally happen, right?
It is horrible and dreadful, but it could happen. Nothing is scarier than mankind and their capacity to harm one another. At least not to me.
This book follows the Morrow Family, but in particular Michael Morrow, the second son and the one who doesn't quite fit in. Michael was adopted into the family and has since been well-conditioned in the Morrow ways.
The skill of Ahlborn's writing was on full display in the intricacies of the familial relationships. The relationship between Michael and his sister, Misty, was heartbreaking and that between Michael and his brother, Reb, the most disturbing and dysfunctional of all.
I loved to watch the evolution of the relationships and the way Michael's outlook begins to change when he befriends someone from outside the home.
Even after this happens though, loyalty to the family remains one of the most important themes in his world.
I really became attached to Michael as a character. As morally grey as he was, he seemed like the one shining light in this gloomy, hostile world.
I wanted him to be free, to escape from the clutches of his grim reality. I wanted to help him.
It's weird to me how a character, by no means a perfect person, can become so loved, instilling such heavy feelings of empathy in a reader.
This to me is a sign of exceptional character writing and I can't wait to read more from her.
Also, just a side note, loved the references to The Shining. I always love to see King lore pop up in other fiction. It makes my Constant Reader heart so happy!
A party ain't a party without a splash of red.
Brother is my first Ania Ahlborn book and far from my last.
I cannot tell you how much it pleases me to have found a new horror author to obsess over!
This book, set deep in the heart of Appalachia, is extremely disturbing. In fact, if you aren't disturbed by this, I'm not sure we can be friends.
It is so well written, although horrifying, it feels 100% plausible. I mean, why couldn't this happen?
It could totally happen, right?
It is horrible and dreadful, but it could happen. Nothing is scarier than mankind and their capacity to harm one another. At least not to me.
This book follows the Morrow Family, but in particular Michael Morrow, the second son and the one who doesn't quite fit in. Michael was adopted into the family and has since been well-conditioned in the Morrow ways.
The skill of Ahlborn's writing was on full display in the intricacies of the familial relationships. The relationship between Michael and his sister, Misty, was heartbreaking and that between Michael and his brother, Reb, the most disturbing and dysfunctional of all.
I loved to watch the evolution of the relationships and the way Michael's outlook begins to change when he befriends someone from outside the home.
Even after this happens though, loyalty to the family remains one of the most important themes in his world.
I really became attached to Michael as a character. As morally grey as he was, he seemed like the one shining light in this gloomy, hostile world.
I wanted him to be free, to escape from the clutches of his grim reality. I wanted to help him.
It's weird to me how a character, by no means a perfect person, can become so loved, instilling such heavy feelings of empathy in a reader.
This to me is a sign of exceptional character writing and I can't wait to read more from her.
Also, just a side note, loved the references to The Shining. I always love to see King lore pop up in other fiction. It makes my Constant Reader heart so happy!
October 18, 2022
what the fuck 😭😭😭😭
November 1, 2015
I saw this book pop up on Netgalley and my eyes locked in on it like it was a big old piece of chocolate cake. Appalachian family gone bad?
I was way excited.
Then Netgalley yanked that rug from under my feet. They denied me.
I gave no shits! I begged! I pleaded! Then thank Tom Cruise a friendgot tired of me whiningtook pity on my poor soul and gifted me a copy.
Now for the actual book instead of my tale of woe.
You have the Morrow family. Living in the backwoods, peace and quiet in their little farmhouse.
Because they are so far out that no one can hear the screams!
Just your typical clan. Wade is the dad of the house. He might be a puss. The only time he steps up to the plate is when he teaches his young son to "field dress" some critters.
Then you have Momma...Momma wears the pants in this family. No question about it. Momma stays in the kitchen a lot, except for when she gets a hankering for one of "her girls."
Throw in a music loving sister and older psycho brother who has decided his name should be "Reb" and you have a really close family.
Reb had decided to find something better than the family dog though and he picked the family up a younger brother.
Young brother Michael goes along with the family. Because he really has to provide for the family because times is rough.
Then he gets to go to a nearby record store with Reb. They meet two girls and Michael starts to question his family values.
This story took a turn that I was not expecting. It became more than just your typical horror.
I LOVED it. This week has been all kinds of real life crazy for me and I guess it's fitting that I finished this craziness on Halloween night.
Five full big old rednecky stars.
This part earned a star all by itself.
"I dunno. I guess I like that Dorothy gets to escape to a place where it's colorful and magical instead of livin' in Kansas all her life." He paused, then added, "Those flying monkeys were pretty good too."
It's Halloween and that is my favorite holiday..so everyone gets a mention.
You have Kelly, Zoeytron, Jennifer, Sh3lly, Carol, Kimberly, Steve, Michael, Kristi, Mommacat and
Sha..Everyone of these reviews loved this book and we are that group of WTF'ers who are hard to please.
Goes to show a woman can do horror.
I was way excited.
Then Netgalley yanked that rug from under my feet. They denied me.
I gave no shits! I begged! I pleaded! Then thank Tom Cruise a friend
Now for the actual book instead of my tale of woe.
You have the Morrow family. Living in the backwoods, peace and quiet in their little farmhouse.
Because they are so far out that no one can hear the screams!
Just your typical clan. Wade is the dad of the house. He might be a puss. The only time he steps up to the plate is when he teaches his young son to "field dress" some critters.
Then you have Momma...Momma wears the pants in this family. No question about it. Momma stays in the kitchen a lot, except for when she gets a hankering for one of "her girls."
Throw in a music loving sister and older psycho brother who has decided his name should be "Reb" and you have a really close family.
Reb had decided to find something better than the family dog though and he picked the family up a younger brother.
Young brother Michael goes along with the family. Because he really has to provide for the family because times is rough.
Then he gets to go to a nearby record store with Reb. They meet two girls and Michael starts to question his family values.
This story took a turn that I was not expecting. It became more than just your typical horror.
I LOVED it. This week has been all kinds of real life crazy for me and I guess it's fitting that I finished this craziness on Halloween night.
Five full big old rednecky stars.
This part earned a star all by itself.
"I dunno. I guess I like that Dorothy gets to escape to a place where it's colorful and magical instead of livin' in Kansas all her life." He paused, then added, "Those flying monkeys were pretty good too."
It's Halloween and that is my favorite holiday..so everyone gets a mention.
You have Kelly, Zoeytron, Jennifer, Sh3lly, Carol, Kimberly, Steve, Michael, Kristi, Mommacat and
Sha..Everyone of these reviews loved this book and we are that group of WTF'ers who are hard to please.
Goes to show a woman can do horror.
February 6, 2017
Once in awhile, the stars align and I binge read a book. To me, a binge is where you don't stop reading until it's done. I've done this a few other times, but it's rare--you know, adulting and life and what not tends to prevent this from happening. (plus I love my sleep, gawd I love sleep)
So I binged this book. I binged the HELL out of this one. The weird thing, it was calling to me from my bookshelf. I'd be reading the Stand or East of Eden (my current reads) and this book was stalking me. "Read me, Sadie. Read me alllll up!"
So I was off yesterday. And alone. It was dark and rainy. I picked it up at around 3 or 4PM and I stopped to eat dinner (a baked potato) chat with the family (hey, how's life, yeah? Okay, I'm going to bed)
and then I turned the lights off to sleep at page 237. (like 100 pages left)
There was really no good place to stop reading. I forced myself to quit. I'm not going to tell you what this book is about, you can read the description for that.
I'm just going to tell you that this book clamped its blood stained jaws around my throat and held me underwater until I came up for air, I gulped a few breaths and then the book twisted my guts into a knot. Then, it broke my heart into a million pieces. Michael!
It left me with thoughts about family, tragedy, generational sins, consequences, violence, vulnerability and loss. The author had a story to tell and she grabbed both sides of my face in her hands and with wild eyes and a tremble in her voice--with urgency and aggression, she told me this story and now I'll never, ever forget it. Ever. I'm an addict now. Ania Ahlborn can force feed me whatever other sick stories she has in store for me. She just claimed her position in my collection of favorite horror authors--a place no other woman has sat before.
And before I go, let me say: This book IS HORROR. Terrifying. The Morrow family, collectively is evil in the flesh. Individually, Rebel scared me the most. DO NOT read this book if your cup of tea is like "milk and honey" because this cup of tea is "blood and gore". It's awful and beautiful at the same time. Don't say I didn't warn you. But if you like your tea murky and dirty, then by all means--let me pass you the cup and saucer.
*wink*
So I binged this book. I binged the HELL out of this one. The weird thing, it was calling to me from my bookshelf. I'd be reading the Stand or East of Eden (my current reads) and this book was stalking me. "Read me, Sadie. Read me alllll up!"
So I was off yesterday. And alone. It was dark and rainy. I picked it up at around 3 or 4PM and I stopped to eat dinner (a baked potato) chat with the family (hey, how's life, yeah? Okay, I'm going to bed)
and then I turned the lights off to sleep at page 237. (like 100 pages left)
There was really no good place to stop reading. I forced myself to quit. I'm not going to tell you what this book is about, you can read the description for that.
I'm just going to tell you that this book clamped its blood stained jaws around my throat and held me underwater until I came up for air, I gulped a few breaths and then the book twisted my guts into a knot. Then, it broke my heart into a million pieces. Michael!
It left me with thoughts about family, tragedy, generational sins, consequences, violence, vulnerability and loss. The author had a story to tell and she grabbed both sides of my face in her hands and with wild eyes and a tremble in her voice--with urgency and aggression, she told me this story and now I'll never, ever forget it. Ever. I'm an addict now. Ania Ahlborn can force feed me whatever other sick stories she has in store for me. She just claimed her position in my collection of favorite horror authors--a place no other woman has sat before.
And before I go, let me say: This book IS HORROR. Terrifying. The Morrow family, collectively is evil in the flesh. Individually, Rebel scared me the most. DO NOT read this book if your cup of tea is like "milk and honey" because this cup of tea is "blood and gore". It's awful and beautiful at the same time. Don't say I didn't warn you. But if you like your tea murky and dirty, then by all means--let me pass you the cup and saucer.
*wink*
April 5, 2023
Ania Ahlborn meets Texas Chain Saw Massacre. In this novel you'll meet the Morrows family (not morons, LOL), your typical hick family. But you'll seldom see a family that evil and backward. Wade, a Nam veteran, Claudine, the monster mother, two brothers (Reb and Michael, an adopted brother) and two daughters, Misty Dawn and Lauralynn. The boys often abduct hikers and tramps for their mother to kill. Of course the kidnapped girls are eaten and you'll hear nasty details about field dressing... but the interaction between Reb and Michael is it what the plot makes. Why is Reb so full of hatred against his younger adopted brother? Why does he plan revenge and how is it staged? Things get interesting when Reb and Michael befriend two girls working in a record store. Will they survive? Can Michael flee at the end? Loved the atmosphere, the reference to the 80s, music and movies of the 70s and 80s (Shining, Amityville), the uncanny atmosphere with premonitions all over and the incredible twist at the end. There are also some very gory scenes inside so be warned. You'll also learn what happened to both girls in the course of action. This is great storytelling from a great author. You will be taken from the first page. Absolutely enjoyed this terrifying tale and couldn't put it down. Her best book so far. Highly recommended!
April 7, 2025
★☆☆☆☆½
This book was disappointing for a multitude of reasons. Starting with the Goodreads writeup that initially piqued my interest: “Deep in the heart of Appalachia stands a crooked farmhouse . . .” Yada yada yada. Something about missing girls, deeply disturbing traditions, buried secrets or treasure or . . . what exactly? I wasn’t sure, but I could only imagine some kind of crazy hillbilly story chock-full of madness and mayhem! Considering the string of luck I’d had with Hick Lit stories, and the book’s high rating among my friends, picking it up seemed like a no-brainer.
However, the first thing I noticed when I finally cracked open the spine was that this book wasn’t really Hick Lit at all. It started with more of a Texas Chainsaw Massacre vibe before it sank into a deep lull. Strike one!
The teen angst scenes of a burgeoning love-at-first-sight crush between the story’s timid protagonist, Michael, and a girl at the record store were downright painful to read. 🤦♂️ Strike two! But thankfully the story moved along and things began to pick up with flashbacks that exposed a troubled family history.
Starting with the fact that Michael’s brother, Rebel, was a raging asshole who bullied Michael and treated him like a slave. Along with Momma getting her kicks from verbally abusing and slapping around his sister, Misty. All the while, their dad, Wade, just sat there . . . oblivious. Never acknowledging any abuse or wrongdoing, never lifting a finger to put a stop to it. So I couldn’t help but wonder if he was adlebrained or just indifferent because he did absolutely nothing throughout the entire story.
But, you know what? There weren’t any chains on Michael or Misty. No locked doors or guns to their heads. I know he was scared, but he was no longer a little kid. In fact, he was easily the most physically imposing person in the entire house. What bothered me most was that he claimed to love his sister fiercely and pledged to do whatever it took to protect her, but time and time again he did nothing when she was beaten black and blue.
I just didn’t get it. Not only was Michael a coward and a liar, but he was also an idiot, so it was really hard to pull for the guy when I was constantly yelling at him to, “WAKE THE FUCK UP!” But honestly, I couldn’t have cared less about any of these lowlifes and quickly began to lose interest in the story altogether. Strike three!
I should have stopped there—thrown in the towel at 30%—but when I glanced back at all those glowing reviews, I couldn’t help but wonder what I was missing, so I stuck with it. And that’s when the unthinkable happened.
All along the flashbacks had been hinting at something truly depraved, and when Rebel began to target an older woman who didn’t fit their profile things started to click. Then when they nabbed her and she cried out a single word, all the puzzle pieces fell into place for me to solve the mystery not even halfway through the book. Ugh. 🤦♂️
The rest of the story played out like a slow-motion train wreck. I couldn’t look away. Wishin’ and hopin’ and thinkin’ and prayin’ for a miracle that, sadly, just wasn’t in the cards.
However, despite its shortcomings and annoyances the story did manage to end on a perfect note, so kudos for that.
This book was disappointing for a multitude of reasons. Starting with the Goodreads writeup that initially piqued my interest: “Deep in the heart of Appalachia stands a crooked farmhouse . . .” Yada yada yada. Something about missing girls, deeply disturbing traditions, buried secrets or treasure or . . . what exactly? I wasn’t sure, but I could only imagine some kind of crazy hillbilly story chock-full of madness and mayhem! Considering the string of luck I’d had with Hick Lit stories, and the book’s high rating among my friends, picking it up seemed like a no-brainer.
However, the first thing I noticed when I finally cracked open the spine was that this book wasn’t really Hick Lit at all. It started with more of a Texas Chainsaw Massacre vibe before it sank into a deep lull. Strike one!
The teen angst scenes of a burgeoning love-at-first-sight crush between the story’s timid protagonist, Michael, and a girl at the record store were downright painful to read. 🤦♂️ Strike two! But thankfully the story moved along and things began to pick up with flashbacks that exposed a troubled family history.
Starting with the fact that Michael’s brother, Rebel, was a raging asshole who bullied Michael and treated him like a slave. Along with Momma getting her kicks from verbally abusing and slapping around his sister, Misty. All the while, their dad, Wade, just sat there . . . oblivious. Never acknowledging any abuse or wrongdoing, never lifting a finger to put a stop to it. So I couldn’t help but wonder if he was adlebrained or just indifferent because he did absolutely nothing throughout the entire story.
But, you know what? There weren’t any chains on Michael or Misty. No locked doors or guns to their heads. I know he was scared, but he was no longer a little kid. In fact, he was easily the most physically imposing person in the entire house. What bothered me most was that he claimed to love his sister fiercely and pledged to do whatever it took to protect her, but time and time again he did nothing when she was beaten black and blue.
I just didn’t get it. Not only was Michael a coward and a liar, but he was also an idiot, so it was really hard to pull for the guy when I was constantly yelling at him to, “WAKE THE FUCK UP!” But honestly, I couldn’t have cared less about any of these lowlifes and quickly began to lose interest in the story altogether. Strike three!
I should have stopped there—thrown in the towel at 30%—but when I glanced back at all those glowing reviews, I couldn’t help but wonder what I was missing, so I stuck with it. And that’s when the unthinkable happened.
All along the flashbacks had been hinting at something truly depraved, and when Rebel began to target an older woman who didn’t fit their profile things started to click. Then when they nabbed her and she cried out a single word, all the puzzle pieces fell into place for me to solve the mystery not even halfway through the book. Ugh. 🤦♂️
The rest of the story played out like a slow-motion train wreck. I couldn’t look away. Wishin’ and hopin’ and thinkin’ and prayin’ for a miracle that, sadly, just wasn’t in the cards.
However, despite its shortcomings and annoyances the story did manage to end on a perfect note, so kudos for that.
November 10, 2023
My second Kindle read.
I read 32% of this at work and thought 'the writing isn't very good but the plot is fairly interesting'. Jump-cut to the next day where I'm laying on the living room floor, clutching my Kindle in sweaty palms, unwilling to rise and do my errands until the book is done. I wasn't just gripped. I was throttled. I couldn't stop reading. It had me by the THROAT.
If you're a fan of Verity, I think this book could be for you. Not because they share any plot points or characteristics at ALL. But because the bonkers, off the cuff, unhinged rollercoaster ride of a story is a similar reading experience with this book.
This went from 'it's good but I don't understand the hype' to 'I will shove this down every throat I come in contact with for the rest of time' real fast.
What an absolutely exhilarating ride this book was. Now I need to pick up every other book this author's ever written.
I read 32% of this at work and thought 'the writing isn't very good but the plot is fairly interesting'. Jump-cut to the next day where I'm laying on the living room floor, clutching my Kindle in sweaty palms, unwilling to rise and do my errands until the book is done. I wasn't just gripped. I was throttled. I couldn't stop reading. It had me by the THROAT.
If you're a fan of Verity, I think this book could be for you. Not because they share any plot points or characteristics at ALL. But because the bonkers, off the cuff, unhinged rollercoaster ride of a story is a similar reading experience with this book.
This went from 'it's good but I don't understand the hype' to 'I will shove this down every throat I come in contact with for the rest of time' real fast.
What an absolutely exhilarating ride this book was. Now I need to pick up every other book this author's ever written.
October 2, 2015
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
“You’re a goddamn psycho,” he said.
“You and me both, brother.”
First, can I just say that I LOVE being the first of my friends to review a book – especially when they earn all 5 Stars from my stingy self. To all of you who were denied the ARC, I’m so sorry. You must have done simply horrible things in your past life. Lucky for me I’m an angel, so I got approved. Good news is, the publication date has already come and gone so you don’t have to wait any longer in order to score a copy.
Alright, enough with my gloating – let’s get on with the show . . .
^^^See what just happened there???? That’s what I felt like while reading this book. I got myself all geared up for a good slasher story and then WHAM! Totally blindsided.
Now, that’s not to say this wasn’t a stabby selection. On the contrary, it was indeed. It even featured a little something extra . . .
But I’m getting ahead of myself. Brother begins in the heart of Appalachia where we meet the Morrow family – a hermitlike clan who live way back in the sticks. It’s in a farmhouse where we are introduced to Momma and Wade and their children Reb, Michael and Misty Dawn. The time is late ‘79/early ‘80, but due to their rural life in Dahlia, West Virginia the record player still spins a variety of Beach Boys, Neil Diamond (yes!), and ABBA and the only company they ever get are the girls Reb and Michael bring home to Momma . . .
“Them’s the perks of livin’ out in the wilderness, Momma had once said. You scream and scream and ain’t nobody around to hear.”
So I was expecting (and received) blood and gore. What I did not plan for was for such a deep story. The getting there was all the fun (???? – if you’re nuts like Mitchell). As for my reaction? I don’t do so well with feelings. They tend to make me all . . . .
This book made me have a lot of them. It also proved once again that . . .
“Sometimes things only make sense in retrospect.”
What a tangled web was woven. Oh and I’m totally getting ready to go there, so all of you haters who think a woman can’t write some seriously f*&^ed up stuff? Keep on keepin’ on. Ania Ahlborn, you ain’t right girl! (And that makes me love you.) THIS is the next motherf*&^ing Gone Girl.
Recommended to? Anyone who finds a two-for-one Groupon for therapy and will share it with me.
“You’re a goddamn psycho,” he said.
“You and me both, brother.”
First, can I just say that I LOVE being the first of my friends to review a book – especially when they earn all 5 Stars from my stingy self. To all of you who were denied the ARC, I’m so sorry. You must have done simply horrible things in your past life. Lucky for me I’m an angel, so I got approved. Good news is, the publication date has already come and gone so you don’t have to wait any longer in order to score a copy.
Alright, enough with my gloating – let’s get on with the show . . .
^^^See what just happened there???? That’s what I felt like while reading this book. I got myself all geared up for a good slasher story and then WHAM! Totally blindsided.
Now, that’s not to say this wasn’t a stabby selection. On the contrary, it was indeed. It even featured a little something extra . . .
But I’m getting ahead of myself. Brother begins in the heart of Appalachia where we meet the Morrow family – a hermitlike clan who live way back in the sticks. It’s in a farmhouse where we are introduced to Momma and Wade and their children Reb, Michael and Misty Dawn. The time is late ‘79/early ‘80, but due to their rural life in Dahlia, West Virginia the record player still spins a variety of Beach Boys, Neil Diamond (yes!), and ABBA and the only company they ever get are the girls Reb and Michael bring home to Momma . . .
“Them’s the perks of livin’ out in the wilderness, Momma had once said. You scream and scream and ain’t nobody around to hear.”
So I was expecting (and received) blood and gore. What I did not plan for was for such a deep story. The getting there was all the fun (???? – if you’re nuts like Mitchell). As for my reaction? I don’t do so well with feelings. They tend to make me all . . . .
This book made me have a lot of them. It also proved once again that . . .
“Sometimes things only make sense in retrospect.”
What a tangled web was woven. Oh and I’m totally getting ready to go there, so all of you haters who think a woman can’t write some seriously f*&^ed up stuff? Keep on keepin’ on. Ania Ahlborn, you ain’t right girl! (And that makes me love you.) THIS is the next motherf*&^ing Gone Girl.
Recommended to? Anyone who finds a two-for-one Groupon for therapy and will share it with me.
October 12, 2020
4.5 stars
One of the most gory, graphic books I’ve ever read but damn what a good story.
See my full thoughts here: https://youtu.be/ZO7sc4ouDqc
One of the most gory, graphic books I’ve ever read but damn what a good story.
See my full thoughts here: https://youtu.be/ZO7sc4ouDqc
July 19, 2025
Also posted on littafi.com
Amazing storytelling and writing.
I was completely hooked from the very first page! Michael Morrow has done vile things; unspeakable and repellent, very typically evil.
But still...does innocence and goodness remain within or are one's deeds the determining factor?
The Morrow family commit abhorrent and cruel acts as is their norm but then, by which criteria are we to condemn?
Vedic philosophy says that the Vish and Shiv are both aspects of the divine; creative and destructive energies, ying and yang; different sides to the same coin.
Are they destroying (and killing) so that new life may be created or is there no discernable philosophical/metaphysical explanation?
Is evil, violence, and destruction inevitable within the context of human societies and living systems as a whole?
Krishnamurti says, "Belief is corruption because behind belief and morality lurks the 'mine', the self... we consider the belief in God, the belief in something, as religion."
I'll go further and say that the human mind works to understand the world and its relation to it using belief systems, we believe in good and evil, right, wrong, acceptable, etc. But he continues with,
"One society will condemn those who believe in God, and another society will condemn those who do not. They are both the same. So, religion (and other abstract concepts) becomes a matter of belief, and belief acts and has a corresponding influence on the mind; the mind then can never be free. But it is only in freedom that you can find out what is true, what is God,... your very belief projects what you think ought to be".
In so doing, can we finally understand and come to grips with evil? But I digress, Ania Ahlborn has created an atmospheric thriller that's made me think of evil, its effects and consequences; and whether it's possible to be redeemed from it. A literary thriller masterpiece!
2023 Read
Amazing storytelling and writing.
I was completely hooked from the very first page! Michael Morrow has done vile things; unspeakable and repellent, very typically evil.
But still...does innocence and goodness remain within or are one's deeds the determining factor?
The Morrow family commit abhorrent and cruel acts as is their norm but then, by which criteria are we to condemn?
Vedic philosophy says that the Vish and Shiv are both aspects of the divine; creative and destructive energies, ying and yang; different sides to the same coin.
Are they destroying (and killing) so that new life may be created or is there no discernable philosophical/metaphysical explanation?
Is evil, violence, and destruction inevitable within the context of human societies and living systems as a whole?
Krishnamurti says, "Belief is corruption because behind belief and morality lurks the 'mine', the self... we consider the belief in God, the belief in something, as religion."
I'll go further and say that the human mind works to understand the world and its relation to it using belief systems, we believe in good and evil, right, wrong, acceptable, etc. But he continues with,
"One society will condemn those who believe in God, and another society will condemn those who do not. They are both the same. So, religion (and other abstract concepts) becomes a matter of belief, and belief acts and has a corresponding influence on the mind; the mind then can never be free. But it is only in freedom that you can find out what is true, what is God,... your very belief projects what you think ought to be".
In so doing, can we finally understand and come to grips with evil? But I digress, Ania Ahlborn has created an atmospheric thriller that's made me think of evil, its effects and consequences; and whether it's possible to be redeemed from it. A literary thriller masterpiece!
2023 Read
July 19, 2022
disappointed me the way i disappointed my father as a child.
October 9, 2015
5 TWISTED Stars for "Brother"! I loved it! Every once in awhile I venture out of my comfort zone and enter the dark genre of horror! I'm so glad I picked this book! Ania Ahlborn did a fantastic job in telling this crazy story!
The Morrow's are a dysfunctional family of serial killers living in the Appalachians of West Virginia. They are all evil except for Michael. He has a heart and yearns to leave the family's psycho den after he meets sweet Alice at the record store. The only problem is his complete psycho brother, Rebel, who is constantly breathing down his back!
Michael always felt different from the rest of the Morrow clan and through flashbacks we learn more about what the early years were like for him and why he is so different from the other Morrow children: Reb, Misty and Lauralynn. This crazy book will keep you flipping the pages long into the night! It might even shock you in the end!
Highly recommended for fans of horror and people like me who want a little something different and are not too squeamish!
The Morrow's are a dysfunctional family of serial killers living in the Appalachians of West Virginia. They are all evil except for Michael. He has a heart and yearns to leave the family's psycho den after he meets sweet Alice at the record store. The only problem is his complete psycho brother, Rebel, who is constantly breathing down his back!
Michael always felt different from the rest of the Morrow clan and through flashbacks we learn more about what the early years were like for him and why he is so different from the other Morrow children: Reb, Misty and Lauralynn. This crazy book will keep you flipping the pages long into the night! It might even shock you in the end!
Highly recommended for fans of horror and people like me who want a little something different and are not too squeamish!
November 11, 2015
*** 3 Oh' Brother Stars***
It appears I'm in the minority once again :-(
I finished Brother last night and well..... I didn't love it :-(
With that said, I honestly believe the reason lies with me. I read a lot of fucked up stories, so while most readers had this reaction while reading . . .
My, as well as Carla's reaction ( yeah, I'm throwing her under the bus with me ) was more along the lines of this . . .
We I wanted more gore. . . violence.... fuckery ...Hell, All of the Above. My biggest problem with the book were the characters themeselves. I had a difficult time wrapping my head around their actions. I'd like to explain but in doing so I fear I will spoil the story. I will try my best not to, but just in case, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE do not open the spoiler tag until you've read the book.
With all my rambling aside, Brother wasn't a bad story by any means. It definitely pushed some of my emotional buttons ---> Rage, thanks to Rebel. Frustration, thanks to Michael, & heartbreak, thanks to Misty, yet the characters felt emotionless. Go figure.
Brother has numerous 5 star reviews by much more normal reviewers than I . Please read their reviews and decide if this Brother from another mother is the right guy for you.
It appears I'm in the minority once again :-(
I finished Brother last night and well..... I didn't love it :-(
With that said, I honestly believe the reason lies with me. I read a lot of fucked up stories, so while most readers had this reaction while reading . . .
My, as well as Carla's reaction ( yeah, I'm throwing her under the bus with me ) was more along the lines of this . . .
With all my rambling aside, Brother wasn't a bad story by any means. It definitely pushed some of my emotional buttons ---> Rage, thanks to Rebel. Frustration, thanks to Michael, & heartbreak, thanks to Misty, yet the characters felt emotionless. Go figure.
Brother has numerous 5 star reviews by much more normal reviewers than I . Please read their reviews and decide if this Brother from another mother is the right guy for you.
November 25, 2025
“Brother” by Ania Ahlborn was one hell of a read. I’ve been a massive fan of her work for years now, and many horror readers consider this her best novel. I can easily see why, because it was an impressive read.
Before I dive into my review, here are all the trigger warnings I found while reading…
- Parental abuse (mental and physical)
- Violence against animals
- Homophobic slurs
- Rape
- Cannibalism
If any of these trigger you, please do not read this novel. Moving along, Ahlborn’s writing style is incredible, as she knows how to craft an engaging story, develop memorable characters, and bring the horror. Reading this novel felt like an inside look into a family similar to the one in the legendary horror movie, “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.”
Imagine getting a deep look at the minds of each member of a psychotic family like that, and that is how it felt here. It’s a modern twist on a sick and twisted family of killers with a whole lot of bloodshed.
There are many layers in this novel, especially in the dynamic between Michael and his brother, Reb. My goodness, Reb was quite the insane character. Demented and sadistic are the first words that come to mind when thinking about what he brought to the story.
Even though I enjoyed this story for the most part, especially all the atmospheric building, some parts dragged on. This was evident whenever the story shifted between past and present timelines. It was interesting to get a backstory on several of the characters, but these chapters were too heavy with dialogue and not enough horror. At times, it disrupted the natural reading flow, as I was more interested in the present than the past.
The good news was that this wasn’t an ongoing issue from beginning to end; once I hit the 75% mark, the suspense and climactic race to the end were brilliantly written. There was so much gore and bloodshed that it made my horror-loving heart very happy.
Please don’t worry, I’d never spoil anything for my fellow horror readers, but there were several insane reveals in this novel that blew my mind. I didn’t see them coming at all, and it just added even more awesomeness to this novel. It also made up for those parts that dragged on, and overall, it picked things up tremendously. These plot twists and reveals blew my mind.
The ending was fantastic, and one I did not see coming. I was shocked, to say the least, but everything wrapped up nicely, and once again, Ahlborn delivered. I was delighted with how this bloodbath all ended.
I give “Brother” by Ania Ahlborn a 4/5 for being a terrific read, and one I will remember for a very long time. It’s more of a slasher novel, with a sociopathic killer family, that shows the dynamic layers of what that looks like through the lens of two brothers. If this novel didn’t have parts that dragged on due to that alternating timeline of the past and the present, this would have easily been a perfect 5-Star read. Either way, I love Ahlborn and look forward to reading more of her books, which I have several waiting for me on my TBR, and anything else she writes in the future.
Before I dive into my review, here are all the trigger warnings I found while reading…
- Parental abuse (mental and physical)
- Violence against animals
- Homophobic slurs
- Rape
- Cannibalism
If any of these trigger you, please do not read this novel. Moving along, Ahlborn’s writing style is incredible, as she knows how to craft an engaging story, develop memorable characters, and bring the horror. Reading this novel felt like an inside look into a family similar to the one in the legendary horror movie, “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.”
Imagine getting a deep look at the minds of each member of a psychotic family like that, and that is how it felt here. It’s a modern twist on a sick and twisted family of killers with a whole lot of bloodshed.
There are many layers in this novel, especially in the dynamic between Michael and his brother, Reb. My goodness, Reb was quite the insane character. Demented and sadistic are the first words that come to mind when thinking about what he brought to the story.
Even though I enjoyed this story for the most part, especially all the atmospheric building, some parts dragged on. This was evident whenever the story shifted between past and present timelines. It was interesting to get a backstory on several of the characters, but these chapters were too heavy with dialogue and not enough horror. At times, it disrupted the natural reading flow, as I was more interested in the present than the past.
The good news was that this wasn’t an ongoing issue from beginning to end; once I hit the 75% mark, the suspense and climactic race to the end were brilliantly written. There was so much gore and bloodshed that it made my horror-loving heart very happy.
Please don’t worry, I’d never spoil anything for my fellow horror readers, but there were several insane reveals in this novel that blew my mind. I didn’t see them coming at all, and it just added even more awesomeness to this novel. It also made up for those parts that dragged on, and overall, it picked things up tremendously. These plot twists and reveals blew my mind.
The ending was fantastic, and one I did not see coming. I was shocked, to say the least, but everything wrapped up nicely, and once again, Ahlborn delivered. I was delighted with how this bloodbath all ended.
I give “Brother” by Ania Ahlborn a 4/5 for being a terrific read, and one I will remember for a very long time. It’s more of a slasher novel, with a sociopathic killer family, that shows the dynamic layers of what that looks like through the lens of two brothers. If this novel didn’t have parts that dragged on due to that alternating timeline of the past and the present, this would have easily been a perfect 5-Star read. Either way, I love Ahlborn and look forward to reading more of her books, which I have several waiting for me on my TBR, and anything else she writes in the future.
January 23, 2018
A story about a family of serial cannibal killers and not just that. The levels of depravity described here are shocking. I would call them dysfunctional, except for them being way tooo functional, just from a very different part of spectre.
I'm not gonna spoil it further...
Q:
He waited for the girl to lose her voice. That screaming bothered him, though he’d never admit it. It gave him nightmares, but he never complained. He only wished Momma would kill them while the sun was shining rather than waiting ’til dark. If it didn’t matter how hard they screamed, Michael didn’t get what the difference would be. ... On the lawn, strips of silver tape clung to the girl’s ankles just above her bare feet, but her hands were still secured in front of her by the wrists. ...
Misty kept as much distance between herself and Momma’s “hobby” as she could, but it didn’t keep her from partaking in the spoils. She hated the screaming and all the blood, but she loved the shiny things the girls left behind—rings and bracelets, necklaces and earrings. She had a whole collection of artifacts hoarded in her top dresser drawer. (c)
Q:
He wanted to place his hand on her shoulder, to tell her that it would be okay, that Momma usually
made it quick. But he doubted the girl wanted such reassurance. ...
“I’m sorry,” he told her, then he hefted her onto his shoulders.
The next time he’d be alone with her they’d be down in the cellar.
The next time he’d see her, she’d be undeniably dead. (c)
Q:
Reb had pushed him down that staircase a few times in the past. Once... It was a wonder he hadn’t broken his neck—no doubt Rebel’s intent. Momma had rushed to see what all the ruckus was about, only to scold her eldest son from the bottom of the staircase. You break this house and I’ll make you rebuild it with your two bare hands, Ray! And then she had shot Michael a look and told him to Get up off of that floor before returning to her TV show. (c)
Q:
The Morrows had swept down from heaven like angels and plucked him out of harm’s way, swaddled him and taken him into their home when nobody else had wanted him. In a world where he owed them everything, he often reminded himself that this—the basement, the bodies, the blood—was his bounden duty. He had been saved. (c)
Q:
He loved the fact that she wasn’t afraid to act silly or look dumb, or to tell him about her dead dad and her depressed mom, as though they’d been friends their entire lives. He wished he could be just as open, spill everything about himself and get it off his chest. He wanted to tell her about his family—about Misty Dawn and how she liked to dance to old hokey records and cheesy pop music, about Rebel and how Michael was afraid of him but they were still best friends. He wanted to tell her about his first time down in the basement at the age of ten, how Wade had locked him in there with a dead girl and wouldn’t let Michael out until he field dressed her the way he would have any other kill. But he knew he couldn’t tell her any of those things, and it made it hard to look her in the eye. (c)
Q:
He remembered the way Reb had made him toss his most favorite things into a hole in the ground. The way he had made him bury them as if to remind Michael that, without Reb’s permission, he wasn’t allowed to love or dream or be anything.
It was rule number one. (c)
Q:
Michael willed her to keep going. To not give up. To fight.
She had to make it, or it was all for nothing.
She had to get to the car, or Rebel would win, even in death.
The world began to go dark and soft around the edges. (c)
Q:
She was his Fate, delivering him from a life of horror, saving him from himself. (c)
I'm not gonna spoil it further...
Q:
He waited for the girl to lose her voice. That screaming bothered him, though he’d never admit it. It gave him nightmares, but he never complained. He only wished Momma would kill them while the sun was shining rather than waiting ’til dark. If it didn’t matter how hard they screamed, Michael didn’t get what the difference would be. ... On the lawn, strips of silver tape clung to the girl’s ankles just above her bare feet, but her hands were still secured in front of her by the wrists. ...
Misty kept as much distance between herself and Momma’s “hobby” as she could, but it didn’t keep her from partaking in the spoils. She hated the screaming and all the blood, but she loved the shiny things the girls left behind—rings and bracelets, necklaces and earrings. She had a whole collection of artifacts hoarded in her top dresser drawer. (c)
Q:
He wanted to place his hand on her shoulder, to tell her that it would be okay, that Momma usually
made it quick. But he doubted the girl wanted such reassurance. ...
“I’m sorry,” he told her, then he hefted her onto his shoulders.
The next time he’d be alone with her they’d be down in the cellar.
The next time he’d see her, she’d be undeniably dead. (c)
Q:
Reb had pushed him down that staircase a few times in the past. Once... It was a wonder he hadn’t broken his neck—no doubt Rebel’s intent. Momma had rushed to see what all the ruckus was about, only to scold her eldest son from the bottom of the staircase. You break this house and I’ll make you rebuild it with your two bare hands, Ray! And then she had shot Michael a look and told him to Get up off of that floor before returning to her TV show. (c)
Q:
The Morrows had swept down from heaven like angels and plucked him out of harm’s way, swaddled him and taken him into their home when nobody else had wanted him. In a world where he owed them everything, he often reminded himself that this—the basement, the bodies, the blood—was his bounden duty. He had been saved. (c)
Q:
He loved the fact that she wasn’t afraid to act silly or look dumb, or to tell him about her dead dad and her depressed mom, as though they’d been friends their entire lives. He wished he could be just as open, spill everything about himself and get it off his chest. He wanted to tell her about his family—about Misty Dawn and how she liked to dance to old hokey records and cheesy pop music, about Rebel and how Michael was afraid of him but they were still best friends. He wanted to tell her about his first time down in the basement at the age of ten, how Wade had locked him in there with a dead girl and wouldn’t let Michael out until he field dressed her the way he would have any other kill. But he knew he couldn’t tell her any of those things, and it made it hard to look her in the eye. (c)
Q:
He remembered the way Reb had made him toss his most favorite things into a hole in the ground. The way he had made him bury them as if to remind Michael that, without Reb’s permission, he wasn’t allowed to love or dream or be anything.
It was rule number one. (c)
Q:
Michael willed her to keep going. To not give up. To fight.
She had to make it, or it was all for nothing.
She had to get to the car, or Rebel would win, even in death.
The world began to go dark and soft around the edges. (c)
Q:
She was his Fate, delivering him from a life of horror, saving him from himself. (c)
November 3, 2015
OMG! or should I just say OH BROTHER! Either way, 4.5 Stars for this totally F'd Up dysfunctional family read.
A girl screaming bloody murder is how it all begins, but that's not really important. What happens when Momma Claudine disciplines her boys and girls or needs to quench her thirst is, and throughout the story, what you will find is disgustingly gruesome, brutal and just plain nasty!
And, just when you think the worst is over, you'll be shocked and grossed out beyond your wildest dreams, and it still won't be over as there is the double whammy of an ending!
And, believe it or not, when this story of family horrors is finally over, there is devastating sadness.
November 9, 2019
“A party ain’t a party without a splash of red.”
The Morrows are a family residing in a secluded farmhouse, far in the Appalachians — far enough that nobody outside of the family can hear the screams...
If you asked me to describe this book in three words, I would choose the following: brutal, disturbing and tense. So basically any Ania Ahlborn book, right?!
If you think your family is fucked up... meet the Morrows. Families who commit heinous acts together, stay together - is that how it goes?? Ahlborn develops her characters so well that we actually feel sympathy for one of the family members, because you can see right away that he is different - he isn’t straight-up evil like the rest of the clan! And boy, are they evil. What a cast of twisted, depraved individuals! I loved it!
I can’t recall the last time I read a book where the tension was just so palpable... the dread continually builds throughout the entire novel to a dizzying finale that is spattered with blood. Just how I like it!!
Not every horror book can easily elicit a range of different emotions and allow you to form those emotional connections, but this one put me through the wringer. I was angry, frustrated, sad, heartbroken... This one ticks all the damn boxes!
Ahlborn goes to the darkest places imaginable, she has yet to disappoint me and that is why I will continue to hail her as the Queen of Horror! If I didn’t know she was one of the most genuine and lovely people, I would be shit scared of her.
A must for horror fans! 5 stars.
The Morrows are a family residing in a secluded farmhouse, far in the Appalachians — far enough that nobody outside of the family can hear the screams...
If you asked me to describe this book in three words, I would choose the following: brutal, disturbing and tense. So basically any Ania Ahlborn book, right?!
If you think your family is fucked up... meet the Morrows. Families who commit heinous acts together, stay together - is that how it goes?? Ahlborn develops her characters so well that we actually feel sympathy for one of the family members, because you can see right away that he is different - he isn’t straight-up evil like the rest of the clan! And boy, are they evil. What a cast of twisted, depraved individuals! I loved it!
I can’t recall the last time I read a book where the tension was just so palpable... the dread continually builds throughout the entire novel to a dizzying finale that is spattered with blood. Just how I like it!!
Not every horror book can easily elicit a range of different emotions and allow you to form those emotional connections, but this one put me through the wringer. I was angry, frustrated, sad, heartbroken... This one ticks all the damn boxes!
Ahlborn goes to the darkest places imaginable, she has yet to disappoint me and that is why I will continue to hail her as the Queen of Horror! If I didn’t know she was one of the most genuine and lovely people, I would be shit scared of her.
A must for horror fans! 5 stars.
January 10, 2016
1/10/16: $1.99 at Amazon!
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
I thought that this book was absolutely fantastic! I have not been so mesmerized by a book in a long time. This book was incredibly bloody, incredibly twisted, and just absolutely awesome. I realize that I almost missed out on this book. I didn't even take a second look at this title when it was on NetGalley. When I noticed a couple of great reviews on Goodreads, I put my name on the list at the local library because I am always ready for a great book. If I had only known how good this one was going to be, I doubt that I would have waited nearly as patiently.
This is the story of Micheal and his family, the Morrows. This family is not your average family. Not at all. This family is a group of twisted sick people. The kind of people that you hope to never cross paths with during your lifetime. They live in a secluded house where it is easier to hide some of their hobbies from the general population.
Micheal seems like a rather nice guy....all things considered. Micheal spends the majority of his time with his brother, Reb. I really can't think of anything nice to say about Reb. He really has no redeeming qualities that I can think of. His sister, Misty, is really just trying to get through each day. Wade, the father, is quiet and really seems to be taking orders most of the time. Momma is unpredictable and frightening.
This book grabbed me on the first page...literally page 1! I found this story very hard to put down. There was a section where I wanted it to be just a little bloodier but I kept turning the pages and my wishes were granted. I was enjoying this nice bloody story when things took an unexpected twist. This story actually took several turns that I did not see coming. The way that the story ended was mind boggling.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys horror. There is a lot of blood and violence in this one so it may not be the perfect book for everyone but I found it to be a much welcome surprise. This is the first book by Ania Ahlborn that I have read but I have already purchased a couple of additional titles that I hope to read soon.
Initial Thoughts
That was freaking fantastic! A bloody and twisted story that I loved every moment of. That ending absolutely blew me away. I honestly can't even think straight right now.
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
I thought that this book was absolutely fantastic! I have not been so mesmerized by a book in a long time. This book was incredibly bloody, incredibly twisted, and just absolutely awesome. I realize that I almost missed out on this book. I didn't even take a second look at this title when it was on NetGalley. When I noticed a couple of great reviews on Goodreads, I put my name on the list at the local library because I am always ready for a great book. If I had only known how good this one was going to be, I doubt that I would have waited nearly as patiently.
This is the story of Micheal and his family, the Morrows. This family is not your average family. Not at all. This family is a group of twisted sick people. The kind of people that you hope to never cross paths with during your lifetime. They live in a secluded house where it is easier to hide some of their hobbies from the general population.
Micheal seems like a rather nice guy....all things considered. Micheal spends the majority of his time with his brother, Reb. I really can't think of anything nice to say about Reb. He really has no redeeming qualities that I can think of. His sister, Misty, is really just trying to get through each day. Wade, the father, is quiet and really seems to be taking orders most of the time. Momma is unpredictable and frightening.
This book grabbed me on the first page...literally page 1! I found this story very hard to put down. There was a section where I wanted it to be just a little bloodier but I kept turning the pages and my wishes were granted. I was enjoying this nice bloody story when things took an unexpected twist. This story actually took several turns that I did not see coming. The way that the story ended was mind boggling.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys horror. There is a lot of blood and violence in this one so it may not be the perfect book for everyone but I found it to be a much welcome surprise. This is the first book by Ania Ahlborn that I have read but I have already purchased a couple of additional titles that I hope to read soon.
Initial Thoughts
That was freaking fantastic! A bloody and twisted story that I loved every moment of. That ending absolutely blew me away. I honestly can't even think straight right now.
April 5, 2024
"People were much easier to deal with when they were dead."
Initial Thoughts
A big thanks to Dan Corey for recommending this book and a new author to me. Who doesn't love discovering a new author? Not that Ania Ahlborn is someone I hadn't heard of. She's a fairly big name in the horror genre. Not saying she's anywhere near the likes of Stephen King or Dean Koontz, but I had seen a bit of buzz surrounding her and particularly this book.
I knew going in that it centred around a family of crazed killers, out in the backwoods, and to be brutally honest I do love those types of stories. Give me Texas Chainsaw Massacre or the Hills Have Eyes and I'm a happy guy. Yes I know I have a problem. You're not the first person to mention it.
Then there's books like Kealan Patrick Burke's Kin and Jack Ketchum's Off Season. Both brutally fantastic and definitely my idea of a good time. So if Brother was anything like those two I knew I was in for a treat.
The Story
The story follows the Morrow family and their strange tradition of abducting young women out on the backroads of West Virginia, before brutally murdering them. Yes, you read that right! They don't even buy them dinner first. Straight down to business for these crazy bastards. What an uncaring bunch of psychopaths.
But not everything is sunshine and rainbows for the Morrow family. Their adopted son Michael clearly has a problem with their violent tendencies and begins to dream of a normal life. Despite his active involvement in the carnage, you never quite get the idea that it's by choice.
Things start with a bang as Michael waits in his room listening to the screams of a woman being tortured on the front lawn. He's waiting for sadistic matriarch Claudine to call him down to get involved in the fun. Trust me, she is not a lady you say 'no' to.
It isn't long before Michael, full of guilt and remorse, meets Alice who works in a local record store. It's full on Insta-love, just add water, and it isn't long before the pair are thinking of running away together. But that's not something that twisted older brother Rebel is going to let happen. Not before he's had his evil way with them.
The Writing
Ania Ahlborn's prose are a bit of a mixed bag. Easy to get into with a steady flow and some nice description. She does a fantastic job of nailing the setting. I really got a feel for rural West Virginia, with those dusty back roads and dense forests. All done with a hot and sweaty southern gothic flavour.
There's some great horror scenes and the first few pages had me thinking of the Hills Have Eyes. But about halfway through the pace slows down and things start to get repetitive. There was a noticeable drop off in quality and a number of cheesy lines started to creep in. It felt like things were getting stretched out and I got to be honest, there were points where I was getting bored.
"He couldn't imagine anyone being happy in that house. Anytime he heard laughter inside, it seemed as though the rooms sucked up the sound and squelched it beneath a veil of discoloured wallpaper. If that house were alive, it would feed on happiness and breathe out nothing but screaming and hate. "
The Characters
The word I'd use here is 'potential.' Brother definitely had some interesting characters. I just don't think they were developed effectively. Again, that's a matter of opinion and my opinion doesn't count for s*#t in the literary world. But there it is anyway.
One of the main issues is that the story is told from Michael's POV. And although he's a complex individual, with a lot of internal turmoil, he was also slightly annoying. His weakness and apathy really started to grate on me. I get the point! He rejects the serial killer lifestyle and is a contrast to the other family members. But he is just not a likeable character. And when you're inside his noggin for the whole of the narrative it presents a bit of a problem.
You're probably sick and tired of me banging on about how I hate romance... but that isn't going to stop me. Michael and Alice's budding relationship is a focal point of the novel and its pretty horrible if I'm being honest. Alice is hot stuff and Michael is a borderline mute with zero social skills. Yet she is instantly drawn to him and can't get enough. Even though she struggles to get eye contact with him, nevermind a stimulating conversation. Give me a break! This does not happen in real life and was a big reason for the lull in the middle of this story.
The rest of the family were a whole lot better. Particularly Momma (Claudine) who is absolutely bonkers and pretty terrifying. She was the one who drove the sadistic behavior and her madness infects those around her. I'd have just like to have seen a bit more work put into her.
"Them's the perks of livin' out in the wilderness, Momma had once said. You scream and scream and ain't nobody around to hear."
Then there's Michael's brother Rebel who I found initially fascinating. He's challenging Momma on the psychopath leader board and is impossible to control. With a name like that what do you expect? But as the story progressed some pretty noticeable inconsistencies started to creep in with his character that became a distraction. Like him being an inbred redneck but then instantly charming the pants off some hot young ladies. Let me know what you think.
Final Thoughts
I really wanted to love this book. The premise is so far up my street it's in my front room. The potential was huge. But the execution just wasn't there and I finished feeling slightly disappointed.
Don't get me wrong. There is some good stuff in here and I can imagine a lot of people having a good time with it. But when the writing and characters don't gel with you then it's always going to be difficult. For me, if you're looking for a story that revolves around a family of serial killers then check out Kin by Kealan Patrick Burke. It's far superior! I don't need to keep saying 'in my opinion' do I? No. Cool!
Thanks for reading and... Cheers!
Ania Ahlborn
July 30, 2021
3.5 “A party ain’t a party without a splash of red” stars ⭐
Michael is just a regular 19 year old boy, who's shy, sweet and a little awkward. Except he's not really a regular boy because his family? They're a bunch of serial killers; and if that wasn't enough, they're also cannibals. For years Michael has struggled to come to terms with their lifestyle, he just wants to be normal, but with Reb as his elder brother, the chances are bleak. He's there, always watching, always ready to remind his little brother of exactly what they are.
Although the story was initially a little slow, it did get better and have quite a number of plot twists along the way, so I'd say it was a pretty good read.
P. S. Thank you for reading this with me, Alka! I love sharing my theories with you, even if they turn out to be utter nonsense 😂💕
Michael is just a regular 19 year old boy, who's shy, sweet and a little awkward. Except he's not really a regular boy because his family? They're a bunch of serial killers; and if that wasn't enough, they're also cannibals. For years Michael has struggled to come to terms with their lifestyle, he just wants to be normal, but with Reb as his elder brother, the chances are bleak. He's there, always watching, always ready to remind his little brother of exactly what they are.
“You’re a goddamn psycho.”
“You and me both, brother”.
Although the story was initially a little slow, it did get better and have quite a number of plot twists along the way, so I'd say it was a pretty good read.
P. S. Thank you for reading this with me, Alka! I love sharing my theories with you, even if they turn out to be utter nonsense 😂💕
July 22, 2022
Not bad. Kinda funny to me and I don’t know why.
There wasn’t enough gore, I guess. Nothing about the story gave me something to think about other than wanting to kick the asshole Reb. I mean, all too cliched and boring for the most part.
Let me give you an idea so you’d know what you’re getting into.
1. Cannibalistic family, a farmhouse miles away from any road (the typical “killer-family-with-a-twisted-hunger-for-flesh-preferrably-young-girls-with-strawberry-blonde-hair.”)
2. Cringey Instalove turned into something warped and gross.
3. Very consistent monster of a brother.
4. Mother from hell.
A bit entertaining, yep but, I expected something more. I wanted something more from it!
There wasn’t enough gore, I guess. Nothing about the story gave me something to think about other than wanting to kick the asshole Reb. I mean, all too cliched and boring for the most part.
Let me give you an idea so you’d know what you’re getting into.
1. Cannibalistic family, a farmhouse miles away from any road (the typical “killer-family-with-a-twisted-hunger-for-flesh-preferrably-young-girls-with-strawberry-blonde-hair.”)
2. Cringey Instalove turned into something warped and gross.
3. Very consistent monster of a brother.
4. Mother from hell.
A bit entertaining, yep but, I expected something more. I wanted something more from it!
December 8, 2025
did i immediately guess all of the twists? yes. was this still an absolutely wild ride? also yes
April 5, 2023
With Brother, I felt as though I was waiting with bated breath for the next horrifying, gory, moment to happen.
The Morrow family are, for lack of a better term, fucked up. Completely morally corrupt. They live in a farm, secluded in the back-woods of Appalachia. This is where all the horrors take place.
I couldn’t help but feel some sympathy for the adoptive son of the family, Michael. Even though he commits some of the worst evils. He was brought up this way, forced into this mad family. But he wants a way out.
He meets a girl called Alice who works in a record store in the town. This gives him the motivation he needs try and run away from this town, shed his horrifically dark past.
But his older brother, Rebel, is about to remind him that he won’t be able to escape the monster that he has become…
Brother does not lack in 70s/80s pop culture references, everything from The Shining to David Bowie to The Cure.
That ending had such a killer twist! This was one hell of a messed up ride from start to finish.
The Morrow family are, for lack of a better term, fucked up. Completely morally corrupt. They live in a farm, secluded in the back-woods of Appalachia. This is where all the horrors take place.
I couldn’t help but feel some sympathy for the adoptive son of the family, Michael. Even though he commits some of the worst evils. He was brought up this way, forced into this mad family. But he wants a way out.
He meets a girl called Alice who works in a record store in the town. This gives him the motivation he needs try and run away from this town, shed his horrifically dark past.
But his older brother, Rebel, is about to remind him that he won’t be able to escape the monster that he has become…
Brother does not lack in 70s/80s pop culture references, everything from The Shining to David Bowie to The Cure.
That ending had such a killer twist! This was one hell of a messed up ride from start to finish.
October 27, 2015
Far away from any pain-in-the-arse neighbors within screaming distance, there sits an old farmhouse. Listing slightly to the side, its angles all askew, it has a basement that should be avoided at all costs. The dynamics of the residents living within the house take center stage, and we find the Morrow family to be as skewed as their living quarters. They have always lived off the land, hunting in the nearby woods to put meat on the table. Momma is hollow-eyed and likes knives. Do not get her riled up. Oh, and dinner is always at six.
The more I read from Ania Ahlborn, the better I like her. There is an easy familiarity between her words and the darkness she creates in her novels. If it suits your taste to read a book and be filled with dread, look no further. The tension fraught betwixt and between these pages is thick enough that you could cut it with one of Momma’s knives. Brother will chew you up and not spit you out until the very last page.
The more I read from Ania Ahlborn, the better I like her. There is an easy familiarity between her words and the darkness she creates in her novels. If it suits your taste to read a book and be filled with dread, look no further. The tension fraught betwixt and between these pages is thick enough that you could cut it with one of Momma’s knives. Brother will chew you up and not spit you out until the very last page.
August 26, 2022
Absolutely incredible. Think coming of age story with cannibalistic serial killers. Probably had one of the best endings in a horror novel I’ve read in years!!
March 18, 2019
Now that was a horror novel! Dangggg, I am shook to the core by Ania Ahlborn's
Brother
. What a sick, twisted, and demented story—and I loved every second of it!
Michael Morrow lives in a secluded farmhouse, buried into the woods of West Virginia, and he lives with his parents Claudine and Wade, his sister Misty, and his brother Ray (nicknamed Rebel). The Morrow family leads a very unconventional life, and they typically keep to themselves. However, there's moments that the family likes to dabble in grotesque forms of survival—whether that includes crime, theft, or murder. The family thrives on conning innocent people so they can get by, but Michael doesn't share the same interests as his family. Michael does not have the same cannibalistic desires and the taste for murder that his brother and parents do—and that will work against him. As Michael gets older, he wants to escape the world that he's living in, and when he meets Alice at a record store, he may just do that.
Ok, wow.
Brother holds NOTHING back in terms of horror and shock-value. If you are triggered by violent crime and rape, please make sure to skip this book. That being said, I was glued to the book like a moth to a flame. I could not put this book down even if I tried. It was scary, realistic, and utterly sinister. At times, I even caught myself cringing more than I ever have with a book, and that shocked me. I loved this story, and even had a nightmare last night after I fell asleep. That's the key to writing an amazing horror story, and I cannot wait to dive into Ms. Ahlborn's previous works. I think I found a new favorite author.
Michael Morrow lives in a secluded farmhouse, buried into the woods of West Virginia, and he lives with his parents Claudine and Wade, his sister Misty, and his brother Ray (nicknamed Rebel). The Morrow family leads a very unconventional life, and they typically keep to themselves. However, there's moments that the family likes to dabble in grotesque forms of survival—whether that includes crime, theft, or murder. The family thrives on conning innocent people so they can get by, but Michael doesn't share the same interests as his family. Michael does not have the same cannibalistic desires and the taste for murder that his brother and parents do—and that will work against him. As Michael gets older, he wants to escape the world that he's living in, and when he meets Alice at a record store, he may just do that.
Ok, wow.
Brother holds NOTHING back in terms of horror and shock-value. If you are triggered by violent crime and rape, please make sure to skip this book. That being said, I was glued to the book like a moth to a flame. I could not put this book down even if I tried. It was scary, realistic, and utterly sinister. At times, I even caught myself cringing more than I ever have with a book, and that shocked me. I loved this story, and even had a nightmare last night after I fell asleep. That's the key to writing an amazing horror story, and I cannot wait to dive into Ms. Ahlborn's previous works. I think I found a new favorite author.
May 31, 2025
What an incredible read!
This book sells the heart and soul of young teenager who lives with the worst family imaginable. The suspense is intense for the first half and the payoff in the second half is incredible. Everything was done for with the intention of having the biggest impact and he succeeded on every turn!
The first half you already get to know the characters and feel for them and it makes what happens later on all the more intense. By the time you get to the climax, you don’t think things can get more crazy, but it does end this book is incredible for it!
This book sells the heart and soul of young teenager who lives with the worst family imaginable. The suspense is intense for the first half and the payoff in the second half is incredible. Everything was done for with the intention of having the biggest impact and he succeeded on every turn!
The first half you already get to know the characters and feel for them and it makes what happens later on all the more intense. By the time you get to the climax, you don’t think things can get more crazy, but it does end this book is incredible for it!
January 3, 2016
ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review
Disturbing!!!!! That is one word that comes to mind when I read BROTHER by Ania Ahlborn. This book literally was utterly chilling, twisted and sinister. It was one of those dark reads that frighten you to the core on how disturbing and psychotic one family is. The Morrow family takes the meaning deadly to a whole new level.
They say blood is thicker than water. But in the case of The Morrow family, blood unites them and binds them as they enjoy the kidnapping and killing of young women. In this crazy family, the mother is the most brutal one out of all them. She enjoys the kill, the blood, the screams, and of course the torture. And accompanying her, is her evil eldest son, Reb. Reb uses his authoritative figure to manipulate his siblings especially his younger brother, Michael. He thinks of Michael as nothing but weak and stupid. Reb has always been jealous of Michael and so he plots away his plan to really suck in Michael into the family rituals of enjoying the kill. As much as Michael wants to escape from his family and personal hell, the threat of what Reb would do to the one girl that he is attracted to makes him fearful and wants to stay behind to make sure Reb doesn't do anything to harm the girl. But as Reb learns of his brother's plan to runaway, his plan of revenge is set in motion... And so Michael must decide how far will he go to be the good obeying brother that he is...or will he end up following in his brother's footsteps?
Ms. Ahlborn delivers one of the most twisted and sinister reads that I have read. As you are immersed into the story, you could practically feel the screams radiating off the pages as blood and torture are taking place on the Morrow's compound.The writing was well-written and Ms. Ahlborn perfectly paints a vivid picture with her words and story-telling of the living hell and cruelty that is taking place in the Morrow household. In the gruesome and deadly tale, the author perfectly captures the psychotic minds of each member of the household. The killings, the lies, the betrayal, and the revenge are perfectly incorporated in this dark psychological thriller. So if you enjoy the crazy, dark, frightening, hair-raising, and evil twisted reads then I suggest you give BROTHER a try.
Review can also be found on Four Chicks Flipping Pages: http://fourchicksflippingpages.weebly...Ania Ahlborn
Disturbing!!!!! That is one word that comes to mind when I read BROTHER by Ania Ahlborn. This book literally was utterly chilling, twisted and sinister. It was one of those dark reads that frighten you to the core on how disturbing and psychotic one family is. The Morrow family takes the meaning deadly to a whole new level.
They say blood is thicker than water. But in the case of The Morrow family, blood unites them and binds them as they enjoy the kidnapping and killing of young women. In this crazy family, the mother is the most brutal one out of all them. She enjoys the kill, the blood, the screams, and of course the torture. And accompanying her, is her evil eldest son, Reb. Reb uses his authoritative figure to manipulate his siblings especially his younger brother, Michael. He thinks of Michael as nothing but weak and stupid. Reb has always been jealous of Michael and so he plots away his plan to really suck in Michael into the family rituals of enjoying the kill. As much as Michael wants to escape from his family and personal hell, the threat of what Reb would do to the one girl that he is attracted to makes him fearful and wants to stay behind to make sure Reb doesn't do anything to harm the girl. But as Reb learns of his brother's plan to runaway, his plan of revenge is set in motion... And so Michael must decide how far will he go to be the good obeying brother that he is...or will he end up following in his brother's footsteps?
Ms. Ahlborn delivers one of the most twisted and sinister reads that I have read. As you are immersed into the story, you could practically feel the screams radiating off the pages as blood and torture are taking place on the Morrow's compound.The writing was well-written and Ms. Ahlborn perfectly paints a vivid picture with her words and story-telling of the living hell and cruelty that is taking place in the Morrow household. In the gruesome and deadly tale, the author perfectly captures the psychotic minds of each member of the household. The killings, the lies, the betrayal, and the revenge are perfectly incorporated in this dark psychological thriller. So if you enjoy the crazy, dark, frightening, hair-raising, and evil twisted reads then I suggest you give BROTHER a try.
Review can also be found on Four Chicks Flipping Pages: http://fourchicksflippingpages.weebly...Ania Ahlborn
July 3, 2022
BRB as I stare into the void …. I’m gonna need a minute.
September 11, 2022
This was a reread. Still an interesting story but don't have much to say at the moment
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This was an strange story with a very messed up family. However Michael the 19 year old in the family doesn't really enjoy the same sinister activities as the rest of his family. It's more of a 3.7 stars for me. I think the book was very successful in creating a creepy and disturbing atmospheric. It's intense and is page turnery. However I wasn't quite able to get invested in the story but I might just have read the book in the wrong time. I plan to reread this in the future to see if my feelings of this changes. Sometimes even if I'm very much drawn to a specific genre, a book might still not been read at the right time
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This was an strange story with a very messed up family. However Michael the 19 year old in the family doesn't really enjoy the same sinister activities as the rest of his family. It's more of a 3.7 stars for me. I think the book was very successful in creating a creepy and disturbing atmospheric. It's intense and is page turnery. However I wasn't quite able to get invested in the story but I might just have read the book in the wrong time. I plan to reread this in the future to see if my feelings of this changes. Sometimes even if I'm very much drawn to a specific genre, a book might still not been read at the right time
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