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Gnarled Hollow
Unemployed English professor Emily Murray has been given a chance of a lifetime: to work and study inside Gnarled Hollow, the former estate of one of her favorite authors. She doesn’t believe in the supernatural, but by the end of her first day, she knows something is wrong. The house has a disturbing habit of changing dimensions—and not just physical ones. Rooms go missing, doors close on their own, and time has a strange tendency to disappear. Emily is joined by other scholars, among them the beautiful art historian, Juniper Friend. Together they begin to research the history of the house, refusing to abandon their work despite the appearance of a mysterious, frightening presence. Spurred on by their desire to uncover the mysteries of Gnarled Hollow and its ghostly inhabitant, they’re determined to uncover the truth, even if it means risking their own lives.
Cover Artist: Sheri Halal
Genres: Crime & Mystery / Paranormal & Urban Fantasy / Romance
Cover Artist: Sheri Halal
Genres: Crime & Mystery / Paranormal & Urban Fantasy / Romance
314 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2018
19 people are currently reading
1008 people want to read
About the author
Charlotte Greene
13 books41 followersCharlotte Greene grew up in the American West in a loving family that supported her earliest creative endeavors. She began writing as a teenager and has never stopped. She now holds a doctorate in English, and she teaches a wide variety of courses in literature and women’s studies at a regional university in the South. When she’s not teaching or writing her next novel, she enjoys playing video games, traveling, and brewing hard cider. Charlotte is a longtime lover and one-time resident of the City of New Orleans. While she no longer lives in NOLA, she visits as often as possible.
Librarian note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Librarian note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
September 7, 2018
I really enjoyed this. This is the fifth book I have read by Greene and by far my favorite. The best way to describe this would be paranormal-mystery/crime, with a little romance. The paranormal is on the darker side, you could almost put a horror tag on this. I was well and truly creeped out at times. This would be a perfect book to read around Halloween time.
Emily is an English professor, who has just been laid off before reaching tenure. She is feeling bleak and a bit depressed with no new jobs on the horizon. When she gets a letter, inviting her to study the papers of an important deceased author, she hopes this is the break she needed. Little is known about the author’s life since she became a recluse in her estate of Gnarled Hollow until death. Emily and a few other scholars will be spending the summer living and learning about the estate, art, and the author’s diaries. But when Emily gets to Gnarled Hollow she quickly realizes there is something strange going on. Gnarled Hollow is hiding secrets that may put their lives in danger. Can Emily and her fellow scholars figure out the mystery before it is too late?
When I read the blurb for this book I was very excited to read this. This sounded like my kind of book. The book ended up being everything I was hoping for. I have to be honest that Greene felt like a new author to me. Not sure if she was just having fun writing this book, but I felt like it was a big step up from her previous books. I really hope she would consider writing more paranormal or mystery-crime books in the future.
As I mentioned above this book is a little dark, some violence, and touches on some disturbing subjects. I could easily see this as a movie that makes you jump and hold the covers up by your face. But it’s far from all dark. It has a very interesting mystery and a bit of a sweet romance. The main character of Emily was pretty easy to root for and get behind. Her blossoming romance with another scholar was a nice change of pace to have in the book. There are no explicit sex scenes, but with everything going on in the house, it might have felt a little odd to be reading about steamy sexy time in the middle of a haunted house.
In mentioning words like almost horror and violence, I hope I’m not putting people off. While yes this book is dark, but it wasn’t really graphic if that make sense. While I was jumpy and creeped out at times, I was never really scared. The book was more intense and hooked you in, not a stomach turning too hard to read kind of book. It had some good twists and kept me in suspense until the end. In fact I was a little sad when it ended. While this is longer than the average Bold Strokes Book, I would have loved even a little more.
I would absolutely recommend this to paranormal-crime/mystery fans. Because it is a bit dark and creepy, I know it might not appeal to everyone, but this was definitely my kind of book. I really hope Greene takes the opportunity to write more books in similar genres. I would love to read them if she does.
An ARC was given to me by BSB for a honest review.
Emily is an English professor, who has just been laid off before reaching tenure. She is feeling bleak and a bit depressed with no new jobs on the horizon. When she gets a letter, inviting her to study the papers of an important deceased author, she hopes this is the break she needed. Little is known about the author’s life since she became a recluse in her estate of Gnarled Hollow until death. Emily and a few other scholars will be spending the summer living and learning about the estate, art, and the author’s diaries. But when Emily gets to Gnarled Hollow she quickly realizes there is something strange going on. Gnarled Hollow is hiding secrets that may put their lives in danger. Can Emily and her fellow scholars figure out the mystery before it is too late?
When I read the blurb for this book I was very excited to read this. This sounded like my kind of book. The book ended up being everything I was hoping for. I have to be honest that Greene felt like a new author to me. Not sure if she was just having fun writing this book, but I felt like it was a big step up from her previous books. I really hope she would consider writing more paranormal or mystery-crime books in the future.
As I mentioned above this book is a little dark, some violence, and touches on some disturbing subjects. I could easily see this as a movie that makes you jump and hold the covers up by your face. But it’s far from all dark. It has a very interesting mystery and a bit of a sweet romance. The main character of Emily was pretty easy to root for and get behind. Her blossoming romance with another scholar was a nice change of pace to have in the book. There are no explicit sex scenes, but with everything going on in the house, it might have felt a little odd to be reading about steamy sexy time in the middle of a haunted house.
In mentioning words like almost horror and violence, I hope I’m not putting people off. While yes this book is dark, but it wasn’t really graphic if that make sense. While I was jumpy and creeped out at times, I was never really scared. The book was more intense and hooked you in, not a stomach turning too hard to read kind of book. It had some good twists and kept me in suspense until the end. In fact I was a little sad when it ended. While this is longer than the average Bold Strokes Book, I would have loved even a little more.
I would absolutely recommend this to paranormal-crime/mystery fans. Because it is a bit dark and creepy, I know it might not appeal to everyone, but this was definitely my kind of book. I really hope Greene takes the opportunity to write more books in similar genres. I would love to read them if she does.
An ARC was given to me by BSB for a honest review.
November 17, 2018
I did not like this book. I would've DNF'd it but between hoping it would get better and the fact that I wanted to give a proper review I trudged on until the end.
At its heart, this story is supposed to be a paranormal thriller. Paranormal I'll give it but thriller? No. I read at least half of this book in the dark and I didn't feel the least bit scared or on edge at any point. I'm a pretty big weenie when it comes to thrillers so that's saying something.
Largely this had to do with the matter of I DIDN'T CARE. And why? Mainly, because the characters were bland and inconsistent and where the story should've been show, the author decided to tell. Much of the time, when I read a book where I never connect with the characters I say something along the lines of "they felt like they were an arms length away". In this case, I couldn't touch them with a ten foot pole, nor did I want to. There was one character out of a handful that I liked and that was Mark.
A minor subplot is an f/f romance between Emily and Juniper but these two had NO chemistry together. In the entire book I think they had maybe one or two minor, minor conversations. They didn't communicate, any intimacy scenes were off page, and I can't even say that the sex scenes were fade-to-black. Blink and you'll miss them.
And, regarding this romance, I'm left shaking my head. So, no spoiler here since it happens so early, Emily and Juniper hook up. I've seen some other reviews say that they thought Emily came across as insecure and jealous and this was a turn off about Emily's character. I can agree but I found Juniper to blow hot and cold towards Emily the entire book so Emily's insecurity is not completely unwarranted. There's a scene where Emily is helping with a project for Juniper and she's physically suffering from it and Juniper snaps at her because she's messing up. What?! Juniper later apologizes but it was completely out of line in the first place. And, if you just hooked up with someone and have any sensitivity at all, do you willfully tune the other person out and dote on others? It was just weird. By the end of the book I thought both ladies were a mess and they could have each other.
And Emily and Juniper's reactions to situations around them were so inconsistent. Either be scared out of your wits or don't be. Half the time they were terrified and the rest of the time relaxed. Along with the romance, this is a large part where tell came into play. Emily would be deeply affected by an occurrence but then she'd be "calm and feel connected to the house" where there's some sort of affection there. Back and forth, back and forth. No.
Because I found the characters to be wooden and the cause and effect of behavior disjointed, the book lagged for me and events felt more over the top contrived. I just couldn't get sucked in.
I have more to rant but I'll put this behind a spoiler tag for those who haven't read the book.
I basically felt like I was watching a bad horror movie. And, seriously, a paranormal thriller book does not have to be perfect for me to love or even like it. "Banshee" by Jessica Dallas Owen is riddled with grammar issues but is the atmosphere eerie as hell? Yes. "Sometime Yesterday" by Yvonne Heidt was lacking in ways but did it get to me? Yep. Angela Peach uses exclamation points like her keyboard is stuck but she puts me on pins and needles and makes me feel gross for an entire read. And the list goes on.
What's good about the story?
When it came to the paranormal or the premise of the story, it was okay. It was a decent and interesting idea. If I was able to connect with the characters and their behaviors made sense I would've been more grabbed by the thriller aspect. I didn't find the mystery or plot reveals to be predictable. The descriptions were well-written. The house and grounds were characters. There was some diversity in the cast. Juniper, I'm assuming is non-white, Mark is black, and by the end we learn that Juniper is bisexual (earlier in the book this is hinted at but it wasn't entirely clear).
So many others enjoyed this read but as much as I tried, I could not. I can't recommend.
At its heart, this story is supposed to be a paranormal thriller. Paranormal I'll give it but thriller? No. I read at least half of this book in the dark and I didn't feel the least bit scared or on edge at any point. I'm a pretty big weenie when it comes to thrillers so that's saying something.
Largely this had to do with the matter of I DIDN'T CARE. And why? Mainly, because the characters were bland and inconsistent and where the story should've been show, the author decided to tell. Much of the time, when I read a book where I never connect with the characters I say something along the lines of "they felt like they were an arms length away". In this case, I couldn't touch them with a ten foot pole, nor did I want to. There was one character out of a handful that I liked and that was Mark.
A minor subplot is an f/f romance between Emily and Juniper but these two had NO chemistry together. In the entire book I think they had maybe one or two minor, minor conversations. They didn't communicate, any intimacy scenes were off page, and I can't even say that the sex scenes were fade-to-black. Blink and you'll miss them.
And, regarding this romance, I'm left shaking my head. So, no spoiler here since it happens so early, Emily and Juniper hook up. I've seen some other reviews say that they thought Emily came across as insecure and jealous and this was a turn off about Emily's character. I can agree but I found Juniper to blow hot and cold towards Emily the entire book so Emily's insecurity is not completely unwarranted. There's a scene where Emily is helping with a project for Juniper and she's physically suffering from it and Juniper snaps at her because she's messing up. What?! Juniper later apologizes but it was completely out of line in the first place. And, if you just hooked up with someone and have any sensitivity at all, do you willfully tune the other person out and dote on others? It was just weird. By the end of the book I thought both ladies were a mess and they could have each other.
And Emily and Juniper's reactions to situations around them were so inconsistent. Either be scared out of your wits or don't be. Half the time they were terrified and the rest of the time relaxed. Along with the romance, this is a large part where tell came into play. Emily would be deeply affected by an occurrence but then she'd be "calm and feel connected to the house" where there's some sort of affection there. Back and forth, back and forth. No.
Because I found the characters to be wooden and the cause and effect of behavior disjointed, the book lagged for me and events felt more over the top contrived. I just couldn't get sucked in.
I have more to rant but I'll put this behind a spoiler tag for those who haven't read the book.
I basically felt like I was watching a bad horror movie. And, seriously, a paranormal thriller book does not have to be perfect for me to love or even like it. "Banshee" by Jessica Dallas Owen is riddled with grammar issues but is the atmosphere eerie as hell? Yes. "Sometime Yesterday" by Yvonne Heidt was lacking in ways but did it get to me? Yep. Angela Peach uses exclamation points like her keyboard is stuck but she puts me on pins and needles and makes me feel gross for an entire read. And the list goes on.
What's good about the story?
When it came to the paranormal or the premise of the story, it was okay. It was a decent and interesting idea. If I was able to connect with the characters and their behaviors made sense I would've been more grabbed by the thriller aspect. I didn't find the mystery or plot reveals to be predictable. The descriptions were well-written. The house and grounds were characters. There was some diversity in the cast. Juniper, I'm assuming is non-white, Mark is black, and by the end we learn that Juniper is bisexual (earlier in the book this is hinted at but it wasn't entirely clear).
So many others enjoyed this read but as much as I tried, I could not. I can't recommend.
Read
October 24, 2018I tried. I really did. I wanted to like this. There isn't many reviews for this one but the ones that are there are all incredibly positive. However, it isn't working for me. At All.
Emily, the main character, is beyond annoying. We have an insta-love situation that is just ridiculous and completely unnecessary to the story. They've met for only a couple of hours and already Emily is completely possessive and jealous if June talks to anyone else. Emily is one needy hot mess of a woman that I'd rather not spend anymore time with.
More haunted house. Less romance. Just my opinion.
DNF - will not be included in my 2018 reading challenge.
Emily, the main character, is beyond annoying. We have an insta-love situation that is just ridiculous and completely unnecessary to the story. They've met for only a couple of hours and already Emily is completely possessive and jealous if June talks to anyone else. Emily is one needy hot mess of a woman that I'd rather not spend anymore time with.
More haunted house. Less romance. Just my opinion.
DNF - will not be included in my 2018 reading challenge.
September 1, 2019
My bed hair is scarier than this book.
I had expected to be thoroughly creeped out while reading this, instead I kept wondering where the scary parts were. I even went so far as to reading the book at night while home alone but I ended up just falling asleep on the couch and hurting my neck. *sigh*
The biggest reason why I didn't like this book so much is because I spent the majority of the time shaking my head at the downright stoopid™ actions of the characters. They could all leave at any moment but they chose to stay and for what? Career opportunities based on researching the house and its former inhabitants? I hate when I read a book about all these seemingly intelligent characters but the author makes their actions seem like they couldn't pour water out of a boot with the instructions on the heel.
As for the romance part of the book, if you find any let me know because I must have missed them.
So is there anything I did like? YES! Unfortunately mentioning any of it would be a spoiler but the overall mystery was great. The end of the book was fantastic and the author did a really good job unraveling the mystery behind all the crazy things that kept happening. She even managed to completely gross me out. And that's no easy task because I've seen all 8 seasons of Game of Thrones!
This book gets an overall 3,25* rating. It just didn't scare or disturb me enough but I already found another book that probably will get that job done. Lookin' at you Angela Peach :)
I had expected to be thoroughly creeped out while reading this, instead I kept wondering where the scary parts were. I even went so far as to reading the book at night while home alone but I ended up just falling asleep on the couch and hurting my neck. *sigh*
The biggest reason why I didn't like this book so much is because I spent the majority of the time shaking my head at the downright stoopid™ actions of the characters. They could all leave at any moment but they chose to stay and for what? Career opportunities based on researching the house and its former inhabitants? I hate when I read a book about all these seemingly intelligent characters but the author makes their actions seem like they couldn't pour water out of a boot with the instructions on the heel.
As for the romance part of the book, if you find any let me know because I must have missed them.
So is there anything I did like? YES! Unfortunately mentioning any of it would be a spoiler but the overall mystery was great. The end of the book was fantastic and the author did a really good job unraveling the mystery behind all the crazy things that kept happening. She even managed to completely gross me out. And that's no easy task because I've seen all 8 seasons of Game of Thrones!
This book gets an overall 3,25* rating. It just didn't scare or disturb me enough but I already found another book that probably will get that job done. Lookin' at you Angela Peach :)
September 7, 2018
I’m sure I have oxygen deprivation from the number of times I had to remind myself to breathe. Emily Murray, unemployed English professor, is in a downward spiral of apathy, binge-watching bad TV shows and hiding from her neighbours when she receives a letter offering her a unique opportunity. A relative of her favourite author, Margot Lewis, has inherited the Lewis estate and is putting together a team of academics to spend the summer at Gnarled Hollow, the dormant Lewis family home. Two English academics, a landscape historian, an architect and an art historian will be living together in the mansion while piecing together various aspects of its history. But not everyone is as excited as they are about being there.
This is a superbly crafted paranormal mystery/thriller. I had difficulty putting it down even when I really didn’t want to read anymore and I’m sure it’s shaved years off my life. I’ve been sitting here trying to put into words all the things I want to say about the characters and the cleverness of the plot but what it comes down to is this: if you’re a paranormal/mystery/crime/thriller fan then read this. It is fantastic. Oh, and there’s romance too.
Book received from Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.
This is a superbly crafted paranormal mystery/thriller. I had difficulty putting it down even when I really didn’t want to read anymore and I’m sure it’s shaved years off my life. I’ve been sitting here trying to put into words all the things I want to say about the characters and the cleverness of the plot but what it comes down to is this: if you’re a paranormal/mystery/crime/thriller fan then read this. It is fantastic. Oh, and there’s romance too.
Book received from Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.
August 30, 2018
It takes a lot to creep me out, but Gnarled Hollow managed to give me the chills. I think Charlotte Greene did a fabulous job with this contemporary Gothic mystery suspense (I think it suits her even better than her romance material).
Be prepared, because the weird and unexplainable starts as soon as our heroine, English professor Emily Murray, travels to Gnarled Hollow. And once she’s inside the locked gates of the estate and joined by her research companions the mysterious events begin to come thick and fast. It starts with missing time, a mysterious woman seen through a window on the top floor, doors that open and close by itself but it escalates into something much more sinister and even life threatening. The author makes sure you are on the edge of your seat and stay there from beginning to end.
I am not going to summarize the story because it would take away from the mystery and it is best to let it slowly unravel as you read along. I can tell you that apart from Emily I didn’t really trust any of the other characters at first because they were written with a certain ambiguity and it really enhanced the plot. Well done! I loved the sweet romance blossoming between Emily and art historian Juniper (June) Friend. It wasn’t the main focus of course but it created some levity.
So yes it was spooky and eerie and sometimes violent and it dipped lightly into horror from time to time, but don’t let that deter you. Reading mystery/horror is not really my bag but I enjoyed myself immensely. The suspense had a nice build-up and the story is very engaging throughout.
f/f the intimate scenes are fade to black but it suits the story.
Themes: the Lewis Family are not giving up their dark secrets easily, I loved the little art bits scattered throughout the story, poor Emily gets knocked around quite a bit.
5 stars
* A free copy was provided by Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books Inc. for an honest review.
Be prepared, because the weird and unexplainable starts as soon as our heroine, English professor Emily Murray, travels to Gnarled Hollow. And once she’s inside the locked gates of the estate and joined by her research companions the mysterious events begin to come thick and fast. It starts with missing time, a mysterious woman seen through a window on the top floor, doors that open and close by itself but it escalates into something much more sinister and even life threatening. The author makes sure you are on the edge of your seat and stay there from beginning to end.
I am not going to summarize the story because it would take away from the mystery and it is best to let it slowly unravel as you read along. I can tell you that apart from Emily I didn’t really trust any of the other characters at first because they were written with a certain ambiguity and it really enhanced the plot. Well done! I loved the sweet romance blossoming between Emily and art historian Juniper (June) Friend. It wasn’t the main focus of course but it created some levity.
So yes it was spooky and eerie and sometimes violent and it dipped lightly into horror from time to time, but don’t let that deter you. Reading mystery/horror is not really my bag but I enjoyed myself immensely. The suspense had a nice build-up and the story is very engaging throughout.
f/f the intimate scenes are fade to black but it suits the story.
Themes: the Lewis Family are not giving up their dark secrets easily, I loved the little art bits scattered throughout the story, poor Emily gets knocked around quite a bit.
5 stars
* A free copy was provided by Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books Inc. for an honest review.
August 29, 2019
Two ladies and two gents in a haunted mansion started Gnarled Hollow. Sounds familiar? Two important members missing though, a Great Dane and The Mystery Machine.
In conjunction with Scooby-Doo and Gang's upcoming 5Oth Birthday:
Match the Catchphrase to the Character!
Norville 'Shaggy' Rogers, Fred Ward, Daphne Blake, Scooby-Doo, and Velma Dinkley.
Q. Jinkies -
Y. Zoinks -
R. Jeepers -
X. Looks like we've got another mystery on our hands -
C. Ruh-roh--RAGGY -
Bonus questions
1. "And I'd have gotten away with it, too, if it weren't for those meddling kids" -
2. "Lemme at 'em! LEMME AT 'EM!!" -
After so many years, I still love the show - the unique/ hilarious hallway chase scenes and the unmasking of the villains.
Gnarled Hollow started well with the eerie feeling arriving early and stayed on until almost to the end but the one major problem I had with it was, I absolutely hate the lead:( Her insecurities made me want to pull out my hair and call one of the aunts! Let's be honest, how many of you when watching horror/thriller wished upon the stars for one of the characters to 'go' first?
I'll start,
Don't Breathe - Money
House of Wax - Dalton
The Ring 2 - Jake Pierce
Gnarled Hollow - Main Character
And the 'romance' was totally unnecessary as they went from strangers to bonking each other so soon. Now affection and lust I can understand but the attachment part was truly unbelievable.
Anyway, great execution on creating an emotionally charged, disorientating atmosphere with healthy heapings of melodrama and horror. Recommended:D
Scare Level - You can read this with the lights off.
Vs The House - I 💕 The House more
In conjunction with Scooby-Doo and Gang's upcoming 5Oth Birthday:
Match the Catchphrase to the Character!
Norville 'Shaggy' Rogers, Fred Ward, Daphne Blake, Scooby-Doo, and Velma Dinkley.
Q. Jinkies -
Y. Zoinks -
R. Jeepers -
X. Looks like we've got another mystery on our hands -
C. Ruh-roh--RAGGY -
Bonus questions
1. "And I'd have gotten away with it, too, if it weren't for those meddling kids" -
2. "Lemme at 'em! LEMME AT 'EM!!" -
After so many years, I still love the show - the unique/ hilarious hallway chase scenes and the unmasking of the villains.
Gnarled Hollow started well with the eerie feeling arriving early and stayed on until almost to the end but the one major problem I had with it was, I absolutely hate the lead:( Her insecurities made me want to pull out my hair and call one of the aunts! Let's be honest, how many of you when watching horror/thriller wished upon the stars for one of the characters to 'go' first?
I'll start,
Don't Breathe - Money
House of Wax - Dalton
The Ring 2 - Jake Pierce
Gnarled Hollow - Main Character
And the 'romance' was totally unnecessary as they went from strangers to bonking each other so soon. Now affection and lust I can understand but the attachment part was truly unbelievable.
Anyway, great execution on creating an emotionally charged, disorientating atmosphere with healthy heapings of melodrama and horror. Recommended:D
Scare Level - You can read this with the lights off.
Vs The House - I 💕 The House more
November 1, 2018
Gnarled Hollow is a perfectly creepy way to pass Halloween, if you find yourself stuck in the house... alone.
The book starts out to be a pretty typical horror story. A group of experts in various fields are invited to study an old, abandoned 19th century mansion. Strange things happen, as is the usual case with these things. Thankfully, the book goes much deeper than the usual horror tropes. The investigation is more detailed and involved, the mystery is satisfyingly complex, the revelations surprisingly dark and.. . And there's a wicked twist. The scary and creepy parts should give horror lovers some memorable hair-raising moments, if not a good scare (works best if read alone in the dark 😊). It's quite the page turner. In fact, if rating on the story alone, for reader engagement and chills, I'd give it 4.75.
But where it falters slightly is in the romance and character development, especially of the two leads. Main protagonist Emily is a literature prof who's just been laid off by cutbacks in education funding. From her group interactions, you get that she's quite introverted and socially anxious, always second guessing herself and saying stuff based on what she thinks people might want to hear. Being jobless has added to her insecurity. When beautiful art historian June arrives at the mansion, she's immediately smitten. And June seems to be flirting with her. Or isn't she? The mixed signals get even more confusing when the other experts arrive, all men. And June instantly hits it off with them too, especially the hunky guy. Is Emily reading June wrong? From the build up I assumed these would be major plot points. But Emily's confusion and feelings of alienation were pretty much forgotten as the hauntings and the mystery deepened. Emily went from "not even sure June was gay" to being the love of her life because of their circumstances. Gnarled Hollow wasn't just good at haunting, it's also quite the matchmaker. :)
4.35 stars
The book starts out to be a pretty typical horror story. A group of experts in various fields are invited to study an old, abandoned 19th century mansion. Strange things happen, as is the usual case with these things. Thankfully, the book goes much deeper than the usual horror tropes. The investigation is more detailed and involved, the mystery is satisfyingly complex, the revelations surprisingly dark and.. . And there's a wicked twist. The scary and creepy parts should give horror lovers some memorable hair-raising moments, if not a good scare (works best if read alone in the dark 😊). It's quite the page turner. In fact, if rating on the story alone, for reader engagement and chills, I'd give it 4.75.
But where it falters slightly is in the romance and character development, especially of the two leads. Main protagonist Emily is a literature prof who's just been laid off by cutbacks in education funding. From her group interactions, you get that she's quite introverted and socially anxious, always second guessing herself and saying stuff based on what she thinks people might want to hear. Being jobless has added to her insecurity. When beautiful art historian June arrives at the mansion, she's immediately smitten. And June seems to be flirting with her. Or isn't she? The mixed signals get even more confusing when the other experts arrive, all men. And June instantly hits it off with them too, especially the hunky guy. Is Emily reading June wrong? From the build up I assumed these would be major plot points. But Emily's confusion and feelings of alienation were pretty much forgotten as the hauntings and the mystery deepened. Emily went from "not even sure June was gay" to being the love of her life because of their circumstances. Gnarled Hollow wasn't just good at haunting, it's also quite the matchmaker. :)
4.35 stars
November 7, 2018
I'll admit I wasn't quite sure if I'd like this book. But I love it when the author proves me wrong. I loved it!
It just go's to show that we don't really know a person as well as we think we do.
Are ghost stories real? I'm reading this at Halloween so it's a perfectly good question. I personally like to think there are some truths. And this book has made me in to a kind of believer.
I was sitting in bed reading this and the electric went out. Do I have to explain my reaction? Lets just say it made me jump. It was only a brief power cut and I nearly jumped into the loft. Oh hell I'm not going there!!!!
This is definitely one to read. Just read during the day. Enjoy!
*ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley*
It just go's to show that we don't really know a person as well as we think we do.
Are ghost stories real? I'm reading this at Halloween so it's a perfectly good question. I personally like to think there are some truths. And this book has made me in to a kind of believer.
I was sitting in bed reading this and the electric went out. Do I have to explain my reaction? Lets just say it made me jump. It was only a brief power cut and I nearly jumped into the loft. Oh hell I'm not going there!!!!
This is definitely one to read. Just read during the day. Enjoy!
*ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley*
October 30, 2018
Recently laid off from her tenure track as an English Professor, Emily Murry can’t turn down the chance to study the journals of one of her favourite authors. Joined by another early 20th century literature specialist and historians of art, architecture and landscape, Emily and the team have the summer to work out the secrets of Gnarled Hollow on behalf of the new owner.
What they soon discover is a house full of mystery, cruelty and pain; unhappy childhoods, miserable lives, tortured artists and nasty secrets. The author Emily so loved, somehow a lost voice from a famous social set, turns out to be somebody completely unexpected, and the story of her life, and that of her siblings, tests the specialists employed to investigate in ways they could never have imagined.
Hands up I am not a horror reader, or film watcher, I don’t do ghosts and things that go bump in the night, but this had me hooked from the start.
Emily is a wholly sympathetic character who engages the reader from the opening scenes. Her need for the work, along with her desire to study the author, puts her in a position of vulnerability from the beginning. When Gnarled Hollow starts playing its tricks it is impossible not to get swept up in the fear of the situation, but also the drive to find out why the house is as it is.
The other main characters are well drawn, each playing a role, each reacting differently to the unfolding situation, giving us an interesting psychological study of how people react to the paranormal. The gentle romance between Emily and June is both a sub plot and adds a strand of the angst, but definitely doesn’t define the book; this is a paranormal mystery/horror first, a historical who-dunnit second and only then a romance.
The language and descriptions are excellent, it is easy to visualise the house, grounds and specific rooms; the creepy bathroom, the 1920’s pool house, the claustrophobic steam room and the attic prison. Greene has done an outstanding job of weaving in all sorts of layers; mysterious patterns in the gardens, missing rooms, odd disappearances, blandly boring journals, unknown artwork, and each mystery is eventually revealed as part of the horrific whole.
Combined with intensely emotional descriptions of the fear the characters experience as they are targeted by the tortured spirit and this book is genuinely a page turner... not only could I not sleep after reading it, I didn’t want to put it down. And the resolution, the tying up of ends and completion of the story arc is excellent, a very satisfying read.
I’m not converted, but I thoroughly enjoyed pushing my ghostly boundaries; highly recommended and perfect for Halloween.
What they soon discover is a house full of mystery, cruelty and pain; unhappy childhoods, miserable lives, tortured artists and nasty secrets. The author Emily so loved, somehow a lost voice from a famous social set, turns out to be somebody completely unexpected, and the story of her life, and that of her siblings, tests the specialists employed to investigate in ways they could never have imagined.
Hands up I am not a horror reader, or film watcher, I don’t do ghosts and things that go bump in the night, but this had me hooked from the start.
Emily is a wholly sympathetic character who engages the reader from the opening scenes. Her need for the work, along with her desire to study the author, puts her in a position of vulnerability from the beginning. When Gnarled Hollow starts playing its tricks it is impossible not to get swept up in the fear of the situation, but also the drive to find out why the house is as it is.
The other main characters are well drawn, each playing a role, each reacting differently to the unfolding situation, giving us an interesting psychological study of how people react to the paranormal. The gentle romance between Emily and June is both a sub plot and adds a strand of the angst, but definitely doesn’t define the book; this is a paranormal mystery/horror first, a historical who-dunnit second and only then a romance.
The language and descriptions are excellent, it is easy to visualise the house, grounds and specific rooms; the creepy bathroom, the 1920’s pool house, the claustrophobic steam room and the attic prison. Greene has done an outstanding job of weaving in all sorts of layers; mysterious patterns in the gardens, missing rooms, odd disappearances, blandly boring journals, unknown artwork, and each mystery is eventually revealed as part of the horrific whole.
Combined with intensely emotional descriptions of the fear the characters experience as they are targeted by the tortured spirit and this book is genuinely a page turner... not only could I not sleep after reading it, I didn’t want to put it down. And the resolution, the tying up of ends and completion of the story arc is excellent, a very satisfying read.
I’m not converted, but I thoroughly enjoyed pushing my ghostly boundaries; highly recommended and perfect for Halloween.
December 28, 2019
I've loved this book and yet I am not a fan of stories with haunted houses and ghosts. and more accustomed to seeing Ms Greene in the pure register of romance.
I have found here, the atmosphere of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, but also some short stories by Edgar Allan Poe.
Emily Murray, a professor at a university, finds herself out of work, because of budget cuts. After a major depression, she is offered by the new owner of Gnarled Hollow, to come to work on the writings of famous author fallen into obsolescence but interresting from literary point of view.
Emily finds herself with other experts, a specialist in art, another in English literature, another architectural specialist, and a specialist in gardens organisation. But as soon as they arrive, everything seems bizzare, the manor produces anxiety, provoking phenomena and Gnarled Hollow has secrets that can put the life of the five characters in danger. Will they be able to decode what happens there?
I repeat, I'm not a fan of this kind of book where ghosts and haunted events, which react in a house. But here, not only does it speak to us of a haunted house, but also of fear, danger, and human psychology.
The romance is set a little aside, but what is interesting are the reactions, the doubts, the denial of the characters, and each with their personality, their specialty approach, and who react to these phenomena differently, and it's this which is the strength of this book beyond the paranormal.
All these elements, psychology, romance, even if it is found in background, as well as the reparations of the house make of this book, a strange mix, which is scary, speaks to us of mixture of people, which together will try to solve this mystery.
I highly recommend this book, which surprised me a lot, by the strength of its story.
I have found here, the atmosphere of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, but also some short stories by Edgar Allan Poe.
Emily Murray, a professor at a university, finds herself out of work, because of budget cuts. After a major depression, she is offered by the new owner of Gnarled Hollow, to come to work on the writings of famous author fallen into obsolescence but interresting from literary point of view.
Emily finds herself with other experts, a specialist in art, another in English literature, another architectural specialist, and a specialist in gardens organisation. But as soon as they arrive, everything seems bizzare, the manor produces anxiety, provoking phenomena and Gnarled Hollow has secrets that can put the life of the five characters in danger. Will they be able to decode what happens there?
I repeat, I'm not a fan of this kind of book where ghosts and haunted events, which react in a house. But here, not only does it speak to us of a haunted house, but also of fear, danger, and human psychology.
The romance is set a little aside, but what is interesting are the reactions, the doubts, the denial of the characters, and each with their personality, their specialty approach, and who react to these phenomena differently, and it's this which is the strength of this book beyond the paranormal.
All these elements, psychology, romance, even if it is found in background, as well as the reparations of the house make of this book, a strange mix, which is scary, speaks to us of mixture of people, which together will try to solve this mystery.
I highly recommend this book, which surprised me a lot, by the strength of its story.
August 23, 2019
Oh wow! This story is amazing and it kept me enthralled for hours on end! This is the first book that I've read from this author and I must admit that she blew my mind with the way she brought Emily, Juniper and the other characters to life for me and she even gave the house its own unique personality as well. It takes a lot to scare me but boy, oh boy, I was clutching my kindle for dear life while I was shouting at the screen, begging Emily and Juniper to get as far away from Gnarled Hollow as possible. I'm a huge sucker for paranormal/supernatural stories with a romantic theme in it and this story definitely gave me everything that I wanted and more because I was able to connect with Emily and Juniper and I had the time of my life with trying to get to the bottom of all the bizarre things that were happening at Gnarled Hollow. I'll definitely be on the lookout for more books from this superb author!
May 26, 2019
I quite enjoyed Gnarled Hollow. This reads like an old fashioned haunted house book - which may or may not be your cup of tea - and its plot and characters are probably more in line with that type of book rather than standard paranormal lesfic novels. The author is definitely using The Haunting of Hill House (the book, not the movie or the series) as her inspiration and I have a very soft spot in my heart for that book which may be why I enjoyed this one so much. There are similar themes and circumstances as in Hill House, but Greene takes the story and updates, expands and makes it her own. The basic story surrounds a group of five academics who are invited to spend a summer at Gnarled Hollows by the new owner, a distant relative of a reclusive American author who was a lesser known member of the post WWI "Lost Generation" of artists. What could possibly go wrong? Hmmm .... lots.
Greene captures the atmosphere necessary for a good haunting story - there's a nice eerie vibe throughout with odd things happening that the cast of characters spend an inordinate amount of time trying to rationalize as they gather for cocktails in the late afternoon. Add to that some unexpected thrills and chills as something in the house tries to kill off the guests and I was quite happy. Greene even includes a creepy as f*** housekeeper and her groundskeeper husband (omigod ... what is a haunted house story without a creepy housekeeper who keeps letting everyone know she doesn't stay past dark). As the book progresses, everyone but Emily is becoming slightly unhinged at the events but they press on (because, that's what academics do - publish or perish) to find out the House's secrets. The back story behind the house and the family who lived there is revealed in pieces with some red herrings and some rather horrible revelations. Greene doesn't fall into the trap of having to explain away everything odd happening - the damned house is haunted - and lose the creepiness of the story as a result. Nor does she let the backstory fall to pieces by going too overboard - you can match what happened in the past to what is happening in the present.
I'm iffy on the characters - at times they seemed inconsistent and not fleshed out. But if you read this like an ode to Haunting of Hill House, the focus on the atmosphere rather than the characters, and the main characters in that book were Nell and Hill House itself - with the House seducing Nell to stay. Emily is definitely a Nell character - beaten down, insecure and really a mouse - but unlike in The Haunting of Hill House, Greene gives Emily a more proactive role and she manages to grow in self assurance and escape the seductive grasp of the house. Gnarled Hollow also seems to play a rather prominent role - with the characters themselves starting to realize that the house doesn't want them to look too deeply into why things are so odd in the house.
There is a romance of sorts between Emily and Juniper which made me happy - in Hill House, Nell, the insecure and unsure heroine, becomes entranced and obsessed with Theo, the flamboyant flirt. There's so much subtext in that relationship - but in Gnarled Hollow, Emily is attracted to the Juniper, the flamboyant flirt, and they actually hook up. Yay! But the relationship is odd - Emily's insecurity and jealousy seems to be fed by Juniper's continued flirting with Chris and neither of them acknowledging to the others that they are sleeping together.
Overall an enjoyable read and quite different from the usual type of books that fall into the lesfic paranormal category.
Greene captures the atmosphere necessary for a good haunting story - there's a nice eerie vibe throughout with odd things happening that the cast of characters spend an inordinate amount of time trying to rationalize as they gather for cocktails in the late afternoon. Add to that some unexpected thrills and chills as something in the house tries to kill off the guests and I was quite happy. Greene even includes a creepy as f*** housekeeper and her groundskeeper husband (omigod ... what is a haunted house story without a creepy housekeeper who keeps letting everyone know she doesn't stay past dark). As the book progresses, everyone but Emily is becoming slightly unhinged at the events but they press on (because, that's what academics do - publish or perish) to find out the House's secrets. The back story behind the house and the family who lived there is revealed in pieces with some red herrings and some rather horrible revelations. Greene doesn't fall into the trap of having to explain away everything odd happening - the damned house is haunted - and lose the creepiness of the story as a result. Nor does she let the backstory fall to pieces by going too overboard - you can match what happened in the past to what is happening in the present.
I'm iffy on the characters - at times they seemed inconsistent and not fleshed out. But if you read this like an ode to Haunting of Hill House, the focus on the atmosphere rather than the characters, and the main characters in that book were Nell and Hill House itself - with the House seducing Nell to stay. Emily is definitely a Nell character - beaten down, insecure and really a mouse - but unlike in The Haunting of Hill House, Greene gives Emily a more proactive role and she manages to grow in self assurance and escape the seductive grasp of the house. Gnarled Hollow also seems to play a rather prominent role - with the characters themselves starting to realize that the house doesn't want them to look too deeply into why things are so odd in the house.
There is a romance of sorts between Emily and Juniper which made me happy - in Hill House, Nell, the insecure and unsure heroine, becomes entranced and obsessed with Theo, the flamboyant flirt. There's so much subtext in that relationship - but in Gnarled Hollow, Emily is attracted to the Juniper, the flamboyant flirt, and they actually hook up. Yay! But the relationship is odd - Emily's insecurity and jealousy seems to be fed by Juniper's continued flirting with Chris and neither of them acknowledging to the others that they are sleeping together.
Overall an enjoyable read and quite different from the usual type of books that fall into the lesfic paranormal category.
September 8, 2018
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
OH MY GOSH. Guys, this book was just too good. I have been looking around for something like this, books with haunted houses, maybe even (a bit) in the style of Darcy Coates. And I found it in this book. It never had a boring moment, you will be on the seat of your chair all the time, and you may just not be able to sleep or walk around at night easily (I know I didn’t, as I read part of this book before I went to sleep, bad bad idea).
Meet Emily Murray, she just got fired from her job at the university, but an opportunity knocks on her door. Does she want to spend her summer at a big house in the country to study the works of one of her favourite authors: Margot Lewis? Of course, what else would you expect, our girl is instantly interested. And so a summer full of creepy things, hauntings, but also romance, will start.
Yup, you read that right, there is also romance, but surprise, this one wasn’t going for the obvious choice so many authors make. You won’t see a MxF relationship, oh no, we got ourselves a sweet FxF relationship. I was a bit worried if the romance would fit this book, because it is still mystery/horror, but I loved it, I was eagerly looking for those sweet and soft moments away from the horror and the creepiness. June and Emily just fit together like two puzzle pieces. I did like that they both worked to be together, it wasn’t just oh we are together and done, oh no, we see Emily’s thoughts, and see how she starts to love June. But that she is also worried about how things would go after this summer. Does June love her or just see her as a casual fling? The author did a great job on writing this romance, it was believable, fun, and made you root for these girls.
I do have to say at one point I was worried for the romance, but I shouldn’t have worried.
The house was properly creepy. Really, thanks to the descriptions I just wanted to stay away. Far away. But not only the house and all the things that happened, the gardens/pool were also a place of nope. The things that happened to our characters were haunted, spooky, and I was definitely creeped out. Doors that close on their own, time loss, a girl looking out of the window. The author did a magnificent job slowly revealing more creepy things about the house. About the presence (or presences) lurking there. And then we slowly found out about what happened in the house so many years ago. Oh my goodness! If you thought you found out one thing, wait until the next thing is revealed.
Emily was a very nice character, I liked her instantly, maybe also because of how she felt about herself and how she felt as if she was an outsider. I can totally relate to her. I loved how strong she was and how hard she worked on breaking those codes (Margot Lewis loved codes). I was impressed that, instead of letting someone else do it due to how Jim was, she went to Jim multiple times to talk to him or to give him help.
June! Next to Emily my favourite character. She was just so much fun, and I loved how dedicated she was about her work/studying all the art stuff. Plus, even though she was clearly frightened, I liked how she stayed. For Emily.
I am not sure how I felt about Jim. He was by far my least favourite character from the book. It also didn’t help that THAT happened to him, but even before that he was a dick. I get that he was afraid, and probably didn’t want to let the fear in, but he did some things that just pissed me off. I guess I should say good job to the author for writing him that well.
Mark, I liked how he was instantly a believer due to what he saw. How he didn’t dismiss it (like some other characters). How he listened to Emily, and also later on became quite a strong character. Sure, he was afraid, but he wanted to dig deeper, he wanted to find out all he could. He was also the one to find out several things due to what he does for work, things that really turned some stuff upside down for our characters and their situation. Who knew that a house could change dimensions!
Why Emily felt so at home in the home? At least I could call it that. Sure, she had her moments of frights, and at times felt pretty out of place. I definitely had a suspicion on the matter, even some theories. As we found out more (and certain events happened) I settled on one theory, and I was delighted to see it confirmed! How fun! It fits so well. It is kind of a thing that you see more often in haunted houses books, but I love seeing them.
I also liked seeing the characters work/study. They have such interesting fields/hobbies. From art to English to gardening. I loved seeing them discover new things in the house based on what they did as work/hobby.
All in all, an exciting book that won’t let you go until the end. You will just be as invested as the characters to solve this mystery. Even if that means not sleeping at night. I would recommend it to everyone!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
OH MY GOSH. Guys, this book was just too good. I have been looking around for something like this, books with haunted houses, maybe even (a bit) in the style of Darcy Coates. And I found it in this book. It never had a boring moment, you will be on the seat of your chair all the time, and you may just not be able to sleep or walk around at night easily (I know I didn’t, as I read part of this book before I went to sleep, bad bad idea).
Meet Emily Murray, she just got fired from her job at the university, but an opportunity knocks on her door. Does she want to spend her summer at a big house in the country to study the works of one of her favourite authors: Margot Lewis? Of course, what else would you expect, our girl is instantly interested. And so a summer full of creepy things, hauntings, but also romance, will start.
Yup, you read that right, there is also romance, but surprise, this one wasn’t going for the obvious choice so many authors make. You won’t see a MxF relationship, oh no, we got ourselves a sweet FxF relationship. I was a bit worried if the romance would fit this book, because it is still mystery/horror, but I loved it, I was eagerly looking for those sweet and soft moments away from the horror and the creepiness. June and Emily just fit together like two puzzle pieces. I did like that they both worked to be together, it wasn’t just oh we are together and done, oh no, we see Emily’s thoughts, and see how she starts to love June. But that she is also worried about how things would go after this summer. Does June love her or just see her as a casual fling? The author did a great job on writing this romance, it was believable, fun, and made you root for these girls.
I do have to say at one point I was worried for the romance, but I shouldn’t have worried.
The house was properly creepy. Really, thanks to the descriptions I just wanted to stay away. Far away. But not only the house and all the things that happened, the gardens/pool were also a place of nope. The things that happened to our characters were haunted, spooky, and I was definitely creeped out. Doors that close on their own, time loss, a girl looking out of the window. The author did a magnificent job slowly revealing more creepy things about the house. About the presence (or presences) lurking there. And then we slowly found out about what happened in the house so many years ago. Oh my goodness! If you thought you found out one thing, wait until the next thing is revealed.
Emily was a very nice character, I liked her instantly, maybe also because of how she felt about herself and how she felt as if she was an outsider. I can totally relate to her. I loved how strong she was and how hard she worked on breaking those codes (Margot Lewis loved codes). I was impressed that, instead of letting someone else do it due to how Jim was, she went to Jim multiple times to talk to him or to give him help.
June! Next to Emily my favourite character. She was just so much fun, and I loved how dedicated she was about her work/studying all the art stuff. Plus, even though she was clearly frightened, I liked how she stayed. For Emily.
I am not sure how I felt about Jim. He was by far my least favourite character from the book. It also didn’t help that THAT happened to him, but even before that he was a dick. I get that he was afraid, and probably didn’t want to let the fear in, but he did some things that just pissed me off. I guess I should say good job to the author for writing him that well.
Mark, I liked how he was instantly a believer due to what he saw. How he didn’t dismiss it (like some other characters). How he listened to Emily, and also later on became quite a strong character. Sure, he was afraid, but he wanted to dig deeper, he wanted to find out all he could. He was also the one to find out several things due to what he does for work, things that really turned some stuff upside down for our characters and their situation. Who knew that a house could change dimensions!
Why Emily felt so at home in the home? At least I could call it that. Sure, she had her moments of frights, and at times felt pretty out of place. I definitely had a suspicion on the matter, even some theories. As we found out more (and certain events happened) I settled on one theory, and I was delighted to see it confirmed! How fun! It fits so well. It is kind of a thing that you see more often in haunted houses books, but I love seeing them.
I also liked seeing the characters work/study. They have such interesting fields/hobbies. From art to English to gardening. I loved seeing them discover new things in the house based on what they did as work/hobby.
All in all, an exciting book that won’t let you go until the end. You will just be as invested as the characters to solve this mystery. Even if that means not sleeping at night. I would recommend it to everyone!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
September 4, 2018
Thanks to Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for a review.
I spent my holiday weekend lost in books (and a couple of movies). It’s still summer here in North Carolina, and I am desperately trying to conjure fall. Creepy music. A couple of horror movies. And this book. It may be hovering around 90 for the next couple of weeks, but this book really got me in the fall mood.
Professor Emily Murray lost her tenure track in recent budget cuts, and she is trying to crawl out of a depression when she inquires about an opportunity to visit Gnarled Hollow, the family estate of the writer she’s spent her academic career studying. She’s not alone, however, along with Emily, another English professor, an architect, a landscape specialist, and an art historian have also been invited to uncover the mysteries of this old house. It becomes quickly clear soon after they arrive that the house is not only haunted, but there’s some weird time/space issues as well. They must work together to uncover the mystery if they want to make it out alive. Along the way, Emily and the art historian (Juniper Friend) find a bit more romance.
I really liked this book. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started it, other than hoping it was creepy, but there are multiple layers to the story. The romance isn’t the main plot-line, but it adds to the story, and for the most part I liked Emily and June’s relationship. If you’re worried about x-rated scenes, fear not. There is romance here, but none of it is explicit, deep kissing and the hint of more, that’s it really.
There are a lot of characters spanning different time periods, here, and I enjoy how the past and present come together to tell a bigger story. There are twists and turns, for sure, but they all seem to build, and none of them seem to come out of left field.
It comes out on September 11, but if you don’t mind waiting an extra couple of weeks, this book will make an excellent addition to your October TBR. The perfect way to call in the season, this one will keep you guessing and might even creep you out a little.
I spent my holiday weekend lost in books (and a couple of movies). It’s still summer here in North Carolina, and I am desperately trying to conjure fall. Creepy music. A couple of horror movies. And this book. It may be hovering around 90 for the next couple of weeks, but this book really got me in the fall mood.
Professor Emily Murray lost her tenure track in recent budget cuts, and she is trying to crawl out of a depression when she inquires about an opportunity to visit Gnarled Hollow, the family estate of the writer she’s spent her academic career studying. She’s not alone, however, along with Emily, another English professor, an architect, a landscape specialist, and an art historian have also been invited to uncover the mysteries of this old house. It becomes quickly clear soon after they arrive that the house is not only haunted, but there’s some weird time/space issues as well. They must work together to uncover the mystery if they want to make it out alive. Along the way, Emily and the art historian (Juniper Friend) find a bit more romance.
I really liked this book. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started it, other than hoping it was creepy, but there are multiple layers to the story. The romance isn’t the main plot-line, but it adds to the story, and for the most part I liked Emily and June’s relationship. If you’re worried about x-rated scenes, fear not. There is romance here, but none of it is explicit, deep kissing and the hint of more, that’s it really.
There are a lot of characters spanning different time periods, here, and I enjoy how the past and present come together to tell a bigger story. There are twists and turns, for sure, but they all seem to build, and none of them seem to come out of left field.
It comes out on September 11, but if you don’t mind waiting an extra couple of weeks, this book will make an excellent addition to your October TBR. The perfect way to call in the season, this one will keep you guessing and might even creep you out a little.
September 14, 2019
The plot felt kinda forced. Even though it was entertaining, the emotions of the characters were getting mixed up and for that reason felt forced.
At one point the character is really scared and doesn't mind admitting that and the next the other characters say "but she's not scared like we are!". Well she was, like a page ago, but now instead she's the badass that wasn't scared all along. I'm confused from just writing that.
The dramatic end was really off putting for me, I even took some more time to finish.
Some parts didn't make any sense to me either unfortunately.
The action seemed awkward. And don't get me wrong, I do know it's supposed to be fiction, but it was just weird, if it tried getting to some Poe creepiness it wasn't even close for me.
At one point the character is really scared and doesn't mind admitting that and the next the other characters say "but she's not scared like we are!". Well she was, like a page ago, but now instead she's the badass that wasn't scared all along. I'm confused from just writing that.
The dramatic end was really off putting for me, I even took some more time to finish.
Some parts didn't make any sense to me either unfortunately.
The action seemed awkward. And don't get me wrong, I do know it's supposed to be fiction, but it was just weird, if it tried getting to some Poe creepiness it wasn't even close for me.
September 13, 2018
I received a copy of this book from Bold Strokes Books via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This story follows Emily Murray, an out of work English Professor, who has only recently lost her job due to budget cuts. She finds herself wallowing in depression when she receives a call about a letter she sent a long while ago. The call is from Ruth Bigsby, the current heir and owner of Gnarled Hollow, the house where recluse author, Margot Lewis, once lived. Emily is excited as she's done work on Margot's publication before and is keen to find out more about her and her work. Ruth has organised a small group of academics to travel out to Gnarled Hollow and stay for the summer, each a leader in their respective fields. June - Art History, Mark - Architecture, Jim - English, the same as Emily, and Chris - Landscape, Emily is excited until she hears Jim's name mentioned, as she hasn't told Ruth about her unfortunate unemployment. However, all is soon forgotten once she reaches Gnarled Hollow, and the true mystery begins. What is going on at the house? Is it haunted? What happened to the previous occupants? And what is wrong with the house itself?
Wow, I was incredibly surprised at how much I enjoyed this story. From the word go, I was completely hooked. I loved that the odd occurrences started happening virtually straight away, it really piqued my interest. The story itself was fantastic, suspense, a little horror and a touch of romance really wound together beautifully to create such an enjoyable romp through the story of Gnarled Hollow. I found myself endeared to the characters almost immediately, though Jim took a little while for me to get to like, by the end, I found myself liking his character a lot. The character development was done well, especially considering this is a stand alone novel, it was done without rushing or info dumping and I think that made me like the characters more. They each had distinct personalities which I've found can sometimes be hard to convey, especially in a stand alones. I felt that the romance aspect of the story was also done tastefully, it was not meant to shock which I've found some books with LGBTQ themes aim for, and I found myself rooting for the couple the whole way. Though I have to say, Emily's constant worrying about glances and slight touches did irk me a bit, especially with all the other things going on in the house at the same time. Maybe this was meant to display Emily's self consciousness a little more, I'm not sure.
The mystery was riveting, I had to know what happened next, and I was DYING to find out what was behind the happenings in the house, and the strangeness of the house itself. It was done incredibly well and I had NO idea how it was going to turn out until it was revealed, I love this in a mystery of any kind. It's not as much fun to read if you've already worked out the answers and the characters aren't there yet.
The pacing of the story was brilliant, and I can't fault it at all. It was a smooth ride in all ways and I'm a little sad that I've finished it. I would happily re-read this book again, maybe I'd pick up small things that I'd missed previously?
There was definite creep factor which I loved. It's hard to find books, even in the horror genre, that actually manage to give me that creep factor that I'm looking for, so I was incredibly please. The setting was beautiful and I didn't feel like the story was rushed at any point, which I've found can sometimes happen with single books not part of a series or trilogy.
I highly recommend this book, and I'm keen as to check out other works by this author. If you're out for a good mystery with great characters and a bit of creep, this is for you.
This story follows Emily Murray, an out of work English Professor, who has only recently lost her job due to budget cuts. She finds herself wallowing in depression when she receives a call about a letter she sent a long while ago. The call is from Ruth Bigsby, the current heir and owner of Gnarled Hollow, the house where recluse author, Margot Lewis, once lived. Emily is excited as she's done work on Margot's publication before and is keen to find out more about her and her work. Ruth has organised a small group of academics to travel out to Gnarled Hollow and stay for the summer, each a leader in their respective fields. June - Art History, Mark - Architecture, Jim - English, the same as Emily, and Chris - Landscape, Emily is excited until she hears Jim's name mentioned, as she hasn't told Ruth about her unfortunate unemployment. However, all is soon forgotten once she reaches Gnarled Hollow, and the true mystery begins. What is going on at the house? Is it haunted? What happened to the previous occupants? And what is wrong with the house itself?
Wow, I was incredibly surprised at how much I enjoyed this story. From the word go, I was completely hooked. I loved that the odd occurrences started happening virtually straight away, it really piqued my interest. The story itself was fantastic, suspense, a little horror and a touch of romance really wound together beautifully to create such an enjoyable romp through the story of Gnarled Hollow. I found myself endeared to the characters almost immediately, though Jim took a little while for me to get to like, by the end, I found myself liking his character a lot. The character development was done well, especially considering this is a stand alone novel, it was done without rushing or info dumping and I think that made me like the characters more. They each had distinct personalities which I've found can sometimes be hard to convey, especially in a stand alones. I felt that the romance aspect of the story was also done tastefully, it was not meant to shock which I've found some books with LGBTQ themes aim for, and I found myself rooting for the couple the whole way. Though I have to say, Emily's constant worrying about glances and slight touches did irk me a bit, especially with all the other things going on in the house at the same time. Maybe this was meant to display Emily's self consciousness a little more, I'm not sure.
The mystery was riveting, I had to know what happened next, and I was DYING to find out what was behind the happenings in the house, and the strangeness of the house itself. It was done incredibly well and I had NO idea how it was going to turn out until it was revealed, I love this in a mystery of any kind. It's not as much fun to read if you've already worked out the answers and the characters aren't there yet.
The pacing of the story was brilliant, and I can't fault it at all. It was a smooth ride in all ways and I'm a little sad that I've finished it. I would happily re-read this book again, maybe I'd pick up small things that I'd missed previously?
There was definite creep factor which I loved. It's hard to find books, even in the horror genre, that actually manage to give me that creep factor that I'm looking for, so I was incredibly please. The setting was beautiful and I didn't feel like the story was rushed at any point, which I've found can sometimes happen with single books not part of a series or trilogy.
I highly recommend this book, and I'm keen as to check out other works by this author. If you're out for a good mystery with great characters and a bit of creep, this is for you.
October 25, 2018
3.5 stars. This was a deliciously creepy gothic haunted house story, with a side of romance. The protagonist is Emily, an out-of-work English professor. She gets an invitation to do some research at Gnarled Hollow, the family home of late author Margot Lewis. Once she gets there, things get weird and creepy, and she also begins to fall for June, another researcher wishing at the house. I really enjoyed the eerie atmosphere of the book, and had fun reading it.
*I received a free pre-release copy of this ebook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
*I received a free pre-release copy of this ebook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 21, 2018
Don't skip this one. A captivating and haunting story about a group of scholars hired to research an inherited estate. There were so many things happening from spooky to terrifying. Every character and plot point was necessary. Excellently written to bring conclusion to all of the suspenseful dealings. LOVED this. Now one of my favorites.
September 13, 2018
2.5.
English professor Dr. Emily Murray recently lost her position due to university cutbacks. Depressed, she accepts a timely job offer to live in New England for the summer at a house called Gnarled Hollow, which was the home of the reclusive writer Margot Lewis, one of Emily's subjects of research. She shares the house with Jim, another English professor; Mark, an architect; June, an art historian; and Chris, a landscape historian (or something like that). But they soon realize not all is as it seems.
Unfortunately, I thought I would like this a lot more than I actually did. I'd seen good buzz and was excited for a creepy ghost story. I think my underwhelmed reaction comes down to not really connecting with the writing style and not getting a good sense of the characters. I found the writing to be relatively simple and unexciting.
I love literature, so I was excited to see an English professor protagonist who had to solve a mystery about a famous writer. But Emily kind of let me down. To a point, I understood her negative thoughts about herself because depression is a jerk. But so many of them revolve around June that I would've enjoyed it more had there been no relationship at all. I was also disappointed in the mystery. I wanted more from Emily and Jim's decoding of Margot's journals, and I definitely wasn't prepared for incest to pop up. I'm mentioning it so that other readers can be aware before they go in!
The relationship between Emily and June didn't have enough build-up. Emily latches onto June right away and gets weirdly possessive when it seems like June is flirting with some of the guys.I got the sense that Emily's attachment was because June is the only other woman in the house. They don't even talk that much before they get involved, and while their relationship is supposed to give readers a break from the darkness of the house mystery, it didn't really do that for me because it happened too fast. I would've liked to see a slower burn.
There was a moment in their relationship that made me uncomfortable, too, that wasn't resolved as well as I would've liked. One afternoon, Emily helps June photograph the paintings in the house. She has to hold up lights, and it's been established that she's short and thin. "June snapped at her a couple of times for moving the light, despite her visibly shaking arms." That seemed like an extreme reaction, especially since they're sort of in a relationship. June does apologize, but Emily brushes it off, and I got the sense the reader was supposed to, too.
This sounds pretty negative, but I just want to explain the reasons I didn't love it. Not every book is for every reader! It definitely kept me reading, though, because I wanted to figure out the mystery.
Thanks to NetGalley, Bold Strokes Books, and Charlotte Greene for the e-copy.
English professor Dr. Emily Murray recently lost her position due to university cutbacks. Depressed, she accepts a timely job offer to live in New England for the summer at a house called Gnarled Hollow, which was the home of the reclusive writer Margot Lewis, one of Emily's subjects of research. She shares the house with Jim, another English professor; Mark, an architect; June, an art historian; and Chris, a landscape historian (or something like that). But they soon realize not all is as it seems.
Unfortunately, I thought I would like this a lot more than I actually did. I'd seen good buzz and was excited for a creepy ghost story. I think my underwhelmed reaction comes down to not really connecting with the writing style and not getting a good sense of the characters. I found the writing to be relatively simple and unexciting.
I love literature, so I was excited to see an English professor protagonist who had to solve a mystery about a famous writer. But Emily kind of let me down. To a point, I understood her negative thoughts about herself because depression is a jerk. But so many of them revolve around June that I would've enjoyed it more had there been no relationship at all. I was also disappointed in the mystery. I wanted more from Emily and Jim's decoding of Margot's journals, and I definitely wasn't prepared for incest to pop up. I'm mentioning it so that other readers can be aware before they go in!
The relationship between Emily and June didn't have enough build-up. Emily latches onto June right away and gets weirdly possessive when it seems like June is flirting with some of the guys.I got the sense that Emily's attachment was because June is the only other woman in the house. They don't even talk that much before they get involved, and while their relationship is supposed to give readers a break from the darkness of the house mystery, it didn't really do that for me because it happened too fast. I would've liked to see a slower burn.
There was a moment in their relationship that made me uncomfortable, too, that wasn't resolved as well as I would've liked. One afternoon, Emily helps June photograph the paintings in the house. She has to hold up lights, and it's been established that she's short and thin. "June snapped at her a couple of times for moving the light, despite her visibly shaking arms." That seemed like an extreme reaction, especially since they're sort of in a relationship. June does apologize, but Emily brushes it off, and I got the sense the reader was supposed to, too.
This sounds pretty negative, but I just want to explain the reasons I didn't love it. Not every book is for every reader! It definitely kept me reading, though, because I wanted to figure out the mystery.
Thanks to NetGalley, Bold Strokes Books, and Charlotte Greene for the e-copy.
September 18, 2019
Scared myself to death, but hauntingly beautiful!!!
Emily Murray gets the opportunity of a lifetime when she is invited to work and study at Gnarled Hollow. Along with a small group of academic professionals from a variety of fields, they begin the research and some creepy goings on eventually have them questioning if there is more to their assignment than meets the eye. Emily finds herself thrown into an adventure, but she ends up getting so much more than she bargained for, professionally, personally, and mentally.
This was truly amazing!!! Horror usually isn’t my thing and although I really think this story would make an awesome film for all you supernatural/horror lovers, I probably wouldn’t make it to the end of the film. So, I am glad Charlotte decided to write this fantastic story, because I got to enjoy every thrilling moment of this!!!
So I had my heart beating at rapid speeds, and my mind working overtime with this thought provoking story. I love something truly unique and this story delivers on this front. Piecing together the mystery of Gnarled Hollow was both fascinating, and scary as hell. It takes talent to put that much suspense and thrill into words that build the picture so vividly, painting descriptions that you can imagine perfectly and see as you read. I got myself scared, biting my nails, and sitting on the edge of my seat. I was frightened and fascinated, but despite my overactive imagination playing tricks on me and making me literally scream every time something creepy happened I felt compelled to read on, even in the dark and late at night. It was literally that good I didn’t want to put it down.
I loved every moment! Seriously, even if I had a few sleepless nights. I would read it again in a heartbeat, and I bet in film, or audio this would be totally superb!
Emily is a very insecure character, yet her bravery astounded me! I could never do what she did at Gnarled Hollow and I totally admire her for every bit of her fear she faced. Most people (me included) would have gone running for the hills after one moment there! She was very clever as well, as were all the characters, really fascinating me with their fields and knowledge. Emily felt like the outsider but really she was the one keeping everyone connect with her uniqueness. Her relationship with June is sweet, but it doesn’t overshadow the main story and thrills that build all the tension. It was amazing to see how intimate and sweet they were with one another, especially in more intense times throughout the story.
Just AMAZING!!!! This was my first Charlotte Greene and it won’t be my last, even if they are horrors! I am sold!
Emily Murray gets the opportunity of a lifetime when she is invited to work and study at Gnarled Hollow. Along with a small group of academic professionals from a variety of fields, they begin the research and some creepy goings on eventually have them questioning if there is more to their assignment than meets the eye. Emily finds herself thrown into an adventure, but she ends up getting so much more than she bargained for, professionally, personally, and mentally.
This was truly amazing!!! Horror usually isn’t my thing and although I really think this story would make an awesome film for all you supernatural/horror lovers, I probably wouldn’t make it to the end of the film. So, I am glad Charlotte decided to write this fantastic story, because I got to enjoy every thrilling moment of this!!!
So I had my heart beating at rapid speeds, and my mind working overtime with this thought provoking story. I love something truly unique and this story delivers on this front. Piecing together the mystery of Gnarled Hollow was both fascinating, and scary as hell. It takes talent to put that much suspense and thrill into words that build the picture so vividly, painting descriptions that you can imagine perfectly and see as you read. I got myself scared, biting my nails, and sitting on the edge of my seat. I was frightened and fascinated, but despite my overactive imagination playing tricks on me and making me literally scream every time something creepy happened I felt compelled to read on, even in the dark and late at night. It was literally that good I didn’t want to put it down.
I loved every moment! Seriously, even if I had a few sleepless nights. I would read it again in a heartbeat, and I bet in film, or audio this would be totally superb!
Emily is a very insecure character, yet her bravery astounded me! I could never do what she did at Gnarled Hollow and I totally admire her for every bit of her fear she faced. Most people (me included) would have gone running for the hills after one moment there! She was very clever as well, as were all the characters, really fascinating me with their fields and knowledge. Emily felt like the outsider but really she was the one keeping everyone connect with her uniqueness. Her relationship with June is sweet, but it doesn’t overshadow the main story and thrills that build all the tension. It was amazing to see how intimate and sweet they were with one another, especially in more intense times throughout the story.
Just AMAZING!!!! This was my first Charlotte Greene and it won’t be my last, even if they are horrors! I am sold!
September 7, 2018
'Gnarled Hollow' by Charlotte Greene is one very exciting and wild paranormal/haunted house/ghost story. The story grabs you from the very beginning and holds you as a captive reader until the surprising end.
The main character, Emily Murray, has been chosen along with several other scholars to live and research the mansion called Gnarled Hollow, which happened to be the former home of one of her favorite authors. Strange things begin to happen to Emily even before she gets to the mansion and the paranormal activities only grow in strength as they all try to live and study at the mansion. Emily also becomes close to June Friend, the art historian who was hired to study the artwork in the house, and together they work to solve the mystery of Gnarled Hollow.
It has been a while since I've read a paranormal story, but I've always loved a good ghost story so I decided to try it. I was not disappointed. The story really does hook you from the very beginning and doesn't let go until the last page. This book is most definitely worth reading. I do urge you to let your family know you might be yelling things to your book or tablet such as, "Don't go in there!" or "Don't let that door close behind you!"
The main character, Emily Murray, has been chosen along with several other scholars to live and research the mansion called Gnarled Hollow, which happened to be the former home of one of her favorite authors. Strange things begin to happen to Emily even before she gets to the mansion and the paranormal activities only grow in strength as they all try to live and study at the mansion. Emily also becomes close to June Friend, the art historian who was hired to study the artwork in the house, and together they work to solve the mystery of Gnarled Hollow.
It has been a while since I've read a paranormal story, but I've always loved a good ghost story so I decided to try it. I was not disappointed. The story really does hook you from the very beginning and doesn't let go until the last page. This book is most definitely worth reading. I do urge you to let your family know you might be yelling things to your book or tablet such as, "Don't go in there!" or "Don't let that door close behind you!"
September 9, 2018
I received an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley
I saw another reviewer describe this book as 'Hill House meets House of Leaves' and I would definitely say that's an accurate description. Also apparently there is nothing scarier to me than a house that is not the size it's supposed to be because before this book I would have cited House of Leaves as the only horror book to actually freak me out but I'm definitely going to have to add this one to the list. I started it at night and boy was that a mistake. Then I decided to finish it up in the bright light of morning ...only to realize that was also a mistake because not only was I alone in the house but I also had to shower before going to work. #oops
The author describes this book as mystery and paranormal but I would almost describe it as a straight up horror novel [that includes a mystery and a bit of romance]. The writing is incredibly descriptive and creepy and you can basically picture all the scenes in your head as if they were being shot for a horror movie, which I love. I picked this up almost solely for the F/F romance and was surprised by how involved and creepy the plot actually was. I would definitely be interested in reading other books from this author.
I saw another reviewer describe this book as 'Hill House meets House of Leaves' and I would definitely say that's an accurate description. Also apparently there is nothing scarier to me than a house that is not the size it's supposed to be because before this book I would have cited House of Leaves as the only horror book to actually freak me out but I'm definitely going to have to add this one to the list. I started it at night and boy was that a mistake. Then I decided to finish it up in the bright light of morning ...only to realize that was also a mistake because not only was I alone in the house but I also had to shower before going to work. #oops
The author describes this book as mystery and paranormal but I would almost describe it as a straight up horror novel [that includes a mystery and a bit of romance]. The writing is incredibly descriptive and creepy and you can basically picture all the scenes in your head as if they were being shot for a horror movie, which I love. I picked this up almost solely for the F/F romance and was surprised by how involved and creepy the plot actually was. I would definitely be interested in reading other books from this author.
May 9, 2019
I've already been told that I'm being tough on this book but I did like it - as you can tell by the three stars (identified as "liked it" by the tool tip).
Gnarled Hollow is a pretty good haunted house story. It's similar to Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House, which isn't a bad thing at all. I loved that book. And I enjoyed this one. I think I was expecting more of a thriller. Which is clearly my fault since it's a paranormal novel.
I might have really liked it (worthy of 4 Goodreads stars) had Jim (and Chris to a lesser degree) not been so over-the-top in their douchiness. But that was incredibly off putting for me.
I certainly would read more from Ms. Greene. I truly liked the story and ghosts and some of the concepts she used.
Gnarled Hollow is a pretty good haunted house story. It's similar to Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House, which isn't a bad thing at all. I loved that book. And I enjoyed this one. I think I was expecting more of a thriller. Which is clearly my fault since it's a paranormal novel.
I might have really liked it (worthy of 4 Goodreads stars) had Jim (and Chris to a lesser degree) not been so over-the-top in their douchiness. But that was incredibly off putting for me.
I certainly would read more from Ms. Greene. I truly liked the story and ghosts and some of the concepts she used.
September 7, 2018
wow, this story is truly amazing, the writing is beautiful remarkable even and the drama was on point it’s not scary. Sad, edgy and mysterious is more like it. AT first i did not like Emily seems too submissive but as the story went on she kinda let go of her shyness “in away” and started to take control. June was also a character that I did not like something was off about her but still she grow on me and by the end of the book I saw how they fit in away together.
I highly recommend this one of the best books I read this year. Bravo to the author.
One note the romance is very limited so if you’re looking for that mainly it’s not your book you wont be disappointed tho, its well developed story
I’m so grateful they gave me free copy in exchange for a review
I highly recommend this one of the best books I read this year. Bravo to the author.
One note the romance is very limited so if you’re looking for that mainly it’s not your book you wont be disappointed tho, its well developed story
I’m so grateful they gave me free copy in exchange for a review
September 6, 2018
I enjoyed this dark, creepy ghost story very much. Many reviewers have compared this one to Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House, which I can certainly see. But to me it was more reminiscent of the late, great Barbara Michael’s ghost stories. Just terrific. I hope Greene writes more books in this genre!
Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC ebook to review.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC ebook to review.
October 17, 2018
Normally, I'm not one to read books that'll scare me into staying awake, and for a little bit, that's what this one did. But I had a really hard time putting it down. I don't read horror, so I have no idea if the premise of this book is original, but it was sure new to me! I had to keep reading to find out what was so weird about the house. Doors that close on their own? Sure, I have those at my house. But that's where the similarity ends, thank goodness.
I enjoyed the way the past was brought forward, the spontaneity of the aggression of the house...and there is aggression and danger, believe me. The way each of the characters responds to the house, to each other and to their jobs is fascinating.
In the end, I stayed up far later than I should have to finish this, and even though I'm not one for things that go bump in the night, I really hope there's another book to follow this one. I'll just read it with the lights on.
I enjoyed the way the past was brought forward, the spontaneity of the aggression of the house...and there is aggression and danger, believe me. The way each of the characters responds to the house, to each other and to their jobs is fascinating.
In the end, I stayed up far later than I should have to finish this, and even though I'm not one for things that go bump in the night, I really hope there's another book to follow this one. I'll just read it with the lights on.
May 9, 2025
The haunting of the hill house vibes but the lesbians get a happy ending
April 25, 2020
I was looked for something else to read and ended up reading this book. The tags on the book vary a bit from mystery, paranormal, horror to romance, so I was interested to see what label would fit for me. For me it would fall in paranormal and mystery category and for that I really enjoyed the book. I will not go into detail to avoid spoilers, but I kept wondering what had happened to the house and its inhabitants and how the story would unfold. I was however never creeped out, but I guess this depends from person to person. The only part that I really did not feel was the romance between Emily and June. They are both scholars hired to study varying parts of the Lewis history together with three others. Emily has some character development, although not too much, the real character development is actually in the house, but June was a flat and uninteresting character. At the end of the book I still had no idea what type of character June was. In the beginning se appeared to be manipulative, maybe even using Emily, and at the end of the book she seems deeply in love with her, I just could not figure her out. Together there was no communication between the two and no chemistry. So, basically the romance part could have been skipped for me, or perhaps just started with them as a couple? Romance or not, I still really liked the book for the reasons mentioned above.
November 14, 2018
I really enjoy this book. The way to describe it is mystery-crime-paranormanl with a side of romance. It was dark and creepy I could totally see this as a movie in a way I did because it remind me of movie The Haunting with Liam Neeson Catherine Zeta-Jones Owen Wilson and Lilli Taylor. I'm not going give the story away but Emily was my favorite character I like her romance with June at first the other characters were a bit suspicious especially Jim when he got piss at Emily about the journals. I was happy when I figure out why the house was connect to Emily more then the others. Overall I enjoy the read.
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