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The Companion
The other orphans say Margot is lucky. Lucky to survive the horrible accident that killed her family. Lucky to have her own room because she wakes up screaming every night.
And finally, lucky to be chosen by a prestigious family to live at their remote country estate.
But it wasn't luck that made the Suttons rescue Margot from her bleak existence at the group home. Margot was hand-picked to be a companion to their silent, mysterious daughter, Agatha. At first, helping with Agatha - and getting to know her handsome older brother - seems much better than the group home. But soon, the isolated, gothic house begins playing tricks on Margot’s mind, making her question everything she believes about the Suttons... and herself.
Margot’s bad dreams may have stopped when she came to live with Agatha – but the real nightmare has just begun.
Listening Length: 8 hours.
And finally, lucky to be chosen by a prestigious family to live at their remote country estate.
But it wasn't luck that made the Suttons rescue Margot from her bleak existence at the group home. Margot was hand-picked to be a companion to their silent, mysterious daughter, Agatha. At first, helping with Agatha - and getting to know her handsome older brother - seems much better than the group home. But soon, the isolated, gothic house begins playing tricks on Margot’s mind, making her question everything she believes about the Suttons... and herself.
Margot’s bad dreams may have stopped when she came to live with Agatha – but the real nightmare has just begun.
Listening Length: 8 hours.
Audible Audio
First published August 25, 2020
289 people are currently reading
31269 people want to read
About the author
Katie Alender
25 books2,749 followersKatie Alender (rhymes with “calendar”!) grew up in South Florida. She is the third of four children (three girls and a boy) and the child of three very loving and encouraging parents.
She attended high school at the Palm Beach County School of the Arts, studying Communication Arts. From there, she went on to the Florida State University Film School, which led her to Los Angeles, where she worked in TV production and development before becoming an author.
She enjoys writing, reading, sewing (especially quilts), and hanging out with her husband, her daughters, and her dogs, Scooter and Frodo.
Her first brush with publication was the article “So You Want to Live On Mars?” published in Sassy magazine in December 1991.
Source: http://katiealender.com
She attended high school at the Palm Beach County School of the Arts, studying Communication Arts. From there, she went on to the Florida State University Film School, which led her to Los Angeles, where she worked in TV production and development before becoming an author.
She enjoys writing, reading, sewing (especially quilts), and hanging out with her husband, her daughters, and her dogs, Scooter and Frodo.
Her first brush with publication was the article “So You Want to Live On Mars?” published in Sassy magazine in December 1991.
Source: http://katiealender.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,569 reviews
May 3, 2021
Okay! My chest is tightened a lot like I’m wearing the most uncomfortable bodice for an entire day! So many times I wanted to throw my e-reader and started to run from this book because it’s truly disturbing, intense, giving you nightmares when you’re awake and sitting at your dinner table, accidentally pouring down hot coffee on your arm because you’re so focused on storyline which makes you more absentminded dumbsh*t! But you cannot give up because it’s so addictive!
Let’s make a small introduction about the plot line:
The orphans around the group home, especially Tam, a troublemaker insisted you call Margot lucky. No she wasn’t lottery winner or everything she touches doesn’t turn into a gold.
She was lucky because she was the only survivor of a tragic car accident. She was alive as her entire family: including parents and siblings lost their lives. At least she had a beautiful family. She was never neglected, abused, abandoned by choice.
And now rich, powerful, golden hearted Sutton family are volunteered to adopt her. Mr. Sutton( call him John, he’s in friendly terms, cool guy who never spends his time at home, buries his head into his work.) pays his due to her deceased father who also saved his life a few years ago by taking care of Margot. And Laura seems like so caring, friendly. They’re too good to be true, right?
BUT... yes, of course there’s a catch. They have a beautiful, brilliant, shiny daughter named Agatha who recently stopped talking and cut her entire connection with the outer world.
Suttons talked with so many psychiatrists who advised them their daughter needed a connection with the people on her own age. So they kindly request Margot to be Agatha’s companion!
Well, sharing a same nursery, enduring deadly glares of Agatha are not appropriate living conditions for Margot but where can she go if she rejects them? Her spot at the group home is already replaced which means she can be forced to live in the institution! Maybe she shouldn’t force her luck at all.
At least she has better clothes, eating good food and Laura’s maternal instincts are strong enough to treat her like another daughter. And let’s not forget Agatha’s charming brother she has a crush on.
But... another catch is coming up: she starts to see notes written on the wall warning her to leave the place, seeing things, finding notes about Lily: who the hell is she? What happened to her cat?
Slowly her reality is getting more distorted at each day. She suffers from hallucinations, more terrifying nightmares and the gothic, dark, claustrophobic house starts to turn into her prison cell. Is she getting mad? Does somebody try to make her sick? Who’s playing mind games with her?
I felt like a volcano who is getting so close to erupt! I barely breathed, gritted my teeth, clenched my fists. It was tremendously nerve bending, mind clenching, soul crushing, frustrating, disturbing reading. But unfortunately you cannot put it down. You’re already held captive and you need to find out how the story goes and endure the high tension building as you bite your entire cushions and rest of your cushions till your mouth fills with cotton pieces.
Did I enjoy it? Of course I did? Didn’t you see the cover? It’s so obvious there’s something sinister waiting for you inside.
I highly recommend to lovers of gothic, suffocating, high tension, dark, psychological thriller lovers who never gets bored to use their spidey senses to solve the mind games.
Let’s make a small introduction about the plot line:
The orphans around the group home, especially Tam, a troublemaker insisted you call Margot lucky. No she wasn’t lottery winner or everything she touches doesn’t turn into a gold.
She was lucky because she was the only survivor of a tragic car accident. She was alive as her entire family: including parents and siblings lost their lives. At least she had a beautiful family. She was never neglected, abused, abandoned by choice.
And now rich, powerful, golden hearted Sutton family are volunteered to adopt her. Mr. Sutton( call him John, he’s in friendly terms, cool guy who never spends his time at home, buries his head into his work.) pays his due to her deceased father who also saved his life a few years ago by taking care of Margot. And Laura seems like so caring, friendly. They’re too good to be true, right?
BUT... yes, of course there’s a catch. They have a beautiful, brilliant, shiny daughter named Agatha who recently stopped talking and cut her entire connection with the outer world.
Suttons talked with so many psychiatrists who advised them their daughter needed a connection with the people on her own age. So they kindly request Margot to be Agatha’s companion!
Well, sharing a same nursery, enduring deadly glares of Agatha are not appropriate living conditions for Margot but where can she go if she rejects them? Her spot at the group home is already replaced which means she can be forced to live in the institution! Maybe she shouldn’t force her luck at all.
At least she has better clothes, eating good food and Laura’s maternal instincts are strong enough to treat her like another daughter. And let’s not forget Agatha’s charming brother she has a crush on.
But... another catch is coming up: she starts to see notes written on the wall warning her to leave the place, seeing things, finding notes about Lily: who the hell is she? What happened to her cat?
Slowly her reality is getting more distorted at each day. She suffers from hallucinations, more terrifying nightmares and the gothic, dark, claustrophobic house starts to turn into her prison cell. Is she getting mad? Does somebody try to make her sick? Who’s playing mind games with her?
I felt like a volcano who is getting so close to erupt! I barely breathed, gritted my teeth, clenched my fists. It was tremendously nerve bending, mind clenching, soul crushing, frustrating, disturbing reading. But unfortunately you cannot put it down. You’re already held captive and you need to find out how the story goes and endure the high tension building as you bite your entire cushions and rest of your cushions till your mouth fills with cotton pieces.
Did I enjoy it? Of course I did? Didn’t you see the cover? It’s so obvious there’s something sinister waiting for you inside.
I highly recommend to lovers of gothic, suffocating, high tension, dark, psychological thriller lovers who never gets bored to use their spidey senses to solve the mind games.
October 13, 2020
Margot survives a horrific car accident that claims the lives of her mother, father, and two sisters leaving her as an orphan. Wishing she was dead and also wondering why she is alive she tries to exist in the orphanage with the others. One day, low and behold, it appears the Sutton family are coming to take Margot back to their secluded estate in the country. Mr. Sutton claims that Margot's father had saved his life in college so when they had learned of the tragedy they felt it only right to take in and care for his daughter.
Margot wants to make this work. She will do anything to stay out of the state institution so she tries her hardest to be the best little orphan a family could want.
However, something is strange that Margot can't quite put her finger on when the Suttons enlighten her on the real reason she is there: To be a companion to their silent daughter, Agatha.
This was a very good YA horror book. The writing was witty and Margot was an enjoyable character. The atmosphere is thick with tension and had me wondering from the first page what was going on. And that cover? I love it. A perfect example of how something so simple as a spoon and some pins can give you a sense of dread. I will say that this book isn't so much scary as it is unsettling. Perfect for October! 4 stars!
I won a copy of this ARC on BookishFirst, thank you!!!
Margot wants to make this work. She will do anything to stay out of the state institution so she tries her hardest to be the best little orphan a family could want.
However, something is strange that Margot can't quite put her finger on when the Suttons enlighten her on the real reason she is there: To be a companion to their silent daughter, Agatha.
This was a very good YA horror book. The writing was witty and Margot was an enjoyable character. The atmosphere is thick with tension and had me wondering from the first page what was going on. And that cover? I love it. A perfect example of how something so simple as a spoon and some pins can give you a sense of dread. I will say that this book isn't so much scary as it is unsettling. Perfect for October! 4 stars!
I won a copy of this ARC on BookishFirst, thank you!!!
October 28, 2021
An excellent, young-adult, horror story, The Companion, is creepy and delivers lots of chills and thrills. This is well-written too and has a nice, steady build up to the ending. The teenagers in it are sensible and sweet and try their best. You know who the evil one is pretty early on, but it is still a satisfying read. I love the cover art too, the spoon with the nails really sums up the heart of this scary gem.
October 28, 2020
CW:
2.5 Stars
Well there were definitely some chilling moments, but overall this didn't quite deliver in the thriller department for me.
There were some brilliantly gothic elements in this novel - a large creepy mansion in an isolated area, a grieving and traumatised orphan, a disturbed and slightly menacing girl, and parents (one distant and inaccessible, and the other claustrophobically close) who want a 'companion' for their unwell daughter. Unfortunately, a random, awkward and unnecessary romance acted like a big anchor and dragged this book down into the depths of 'just okay for me'. It's such a shame because there were some pretty hair raising moments dotted throughout this book. I love a good romance but only when it makes sense for the characters and the story. If Barrett had been removed, the story would have pretty much remained the same. This just comes down to personal preference. Just okay for me.
2.5 Stars
Well there were definitely some chilling moments, but overall this didn't quite deliver in the thriller department for me.
There were some brilliantly gothic elements in this novel - a large creepy mansion in an isolated area, a grieving and traumatised orphan, a disturbed and slightly menacing girl, and parents (one distant and inaccessible, and the other claustrophobically close) who want a 'companion' for their unwell daughter. Unfortunately, a random, awkward and unnecessary romance acted like a big anchor and dragged this book down into the depths of 'just okay for me'. It's such a shame because there were some pretty hair raising moments dotted throughout this book. I love a good romance but only when it makes sense for the characters and the story. If Barrett had been removed, the story would have pretty much remained the same. This just comes down to personal preference. Just okay for me.
September 24, 2020
"So I lay in the dark without making a sound, waiting and wanting to die. Three months later, I was still waiting."
THE COMPANION is a creepy and addictive YA thriller that put me on edge. Sixteen-year old Margot is orphaned when her family dies in an accident, and she ends up in a group home for several months. The other girls consider her "lucky" when a prestigious family takes her into their home, a remote Gothic mansion in the country. But there's a catch — Margot was chosen because the Sutton family wants her to be a companion to their silent and curious daughter, Agatha.
Copeland Hall may be beautiful and grand, but Margot can sense that something is off. She slowly uncovers its disturbing history, while always looking over her shoulder. What secrets are lurking in the shadows of the ominous manor, and what's behind the locked garden gate?
Margot was a compelling character, and I loved the bravery and humor she kept throughout the book. Agatha was a mystery! I enjoyed the unique bond that formed between the two girls. You knew there was something just below the surface that Agatha so badly wanted to say.....
THE COMPANION was an intriguing mystery, and though I guessed right at some of the twists, it was an enjoyable read. If you're looking for a tense and eerie page-turner perfect for the spooky season, this is it!
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through BookishFirst in exchange for an honest review.
THE COMPANION is a creepy and addictive YA thriller that put me on edge. Sixteen-year old Margot is orphaned when her family dies in an accident, and she ends up in a group home for several months. The other girls consider her "lucky" when a prestigious family takes her into their home, a remote Gothic mansion in the country. But there's a catch — Margot was chosen because the Sutton family wants her to be a companion to their silent and curious daughter, Agatha.
Copeland Hall may be beautiful and grand, but Margot can sense that something is off. She slowly uncovers its disturbing history, while always looking over her shoulder. What secrets are lurking in the shadows of the ominous manor, and what's behind the locked garden gate?
Margot was a compelling character, and I loved the bravery and humor she kept throughout the book. Agatha was a mystery! I enjoyed the unique bond that formed between the two girls. You knew there was something just below the surface that Agatha so badly wanted to say.....
THE COMPANION was an intriguing mystery, and though I guessed right at some of the twists, it was an enjoyable read. If you're looking for a tense and eerie page-turner perfect for the spooky season, this is it!
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through BookishFirst in exchange for an honest review.
October 13, 2021
This book was like a train wreck waiting to happen. From that goosebump-worthy cover image of nails on a spoon to the tragic beginning in the story, I felt like standing in front of an oncoming train. Imagine that kind of a scenario, where you know that the train with all its horns blaring and whistling bells rushing into the station and you are on the tracks, frozen and rooted to the spot. Not that I have taken that risk, but that scenario was screaming in my mind as I delved into this psychological thriller by Katie Alender.
Margot was supposed to be lucky; she’s getting to escape the dreary orphanage and move into a stately mansion in the country to be the companion to the heiress of Sutton house but as always, the gift comes with a heavy price. The gothic elements of the story with its green wing and closed doors and the spooky cemetery work wonderfully to create a sinking sensation in the reader. The mystery element of the story is not too hard to guess at, but knowing that doesn’t take away anything from the tale as we are made to sit and feel every creeping uneasiness that the author creates.
The romance segment with Barrett provides the lighter element in this dark and claustrophobic story and I absolutely loved the character of Margot whose unfathomable grief creates a void in the reader’s heart.
If you are a fan of gothic thriller, don’t worry about the YA tag, just go ahead and read it. It is that good.
Freaking fantastic. ☔☔☔☔☔
This review is published in my blog Rain'n'Books, ##Goodreads, ##Amazon India, ##Book Bub, ##Medium.com, ##Facebook, ##Twitter.
Margot was supposed to be lucky; she’s getting to escape the dreary orphanage and move into a stately mansion in the country to be the companion to the heiress of Sutton house but as always, the gift comes with a heavy price. The gothic elements of the story with its green wing and closed doors and the spooky cemetery work wonderfully to create a sinking sensation in the reader. The mystery element of the story is not too hard to guess at, but knowing that doesn’t take away anything from the tale as we are made to sit and feel every creeping uneasiness that the author creates.
The romance segment with Barrett provides the lighter element in this dark and claustrophobic story and I absolutely loved the character of Margot whose unfathomable grief creates a void in the reader’s heart.
If you are a fan of gothic thriller, don’t worry about the YA tag, just go ahead and read it. It is that good.
Freaking fantastic. ☔☔☔☔☔
This review is published in my blog Rain'n'Books, ##Goodreads, ##Amazon India, ##Book Bub, ##Medium.com, ##Facebook, ##Twitter.
June 3, 2021
Wow! Fan's of V.C. Andrews, you are going to love this book. Can't say much without giving away the plot. Just that it was creepy and surreal.
November 15, 2020
KATIE PLEASE WILL YOU TELL ME WHEN THIS RELEASES??? I have been checking for two years, I need to know when my not-guilty pleasure read author’s next book comes out 🙏🏻
Review: this wasn’t as thrilling and crazy and horrific as Katie’s other books have been, but it was still a fun ride. I think it dragged a bit in the middle when it was already pretty clear what had been happening so I would’ve loved either to move along to the final conflict or have more of an escalation of the weird stuff.
Review: this wasn’t as thrilling and crazy and horrific as Katie’s other books have been, but it was still a fun ride. I think it dragged a bit in the middle when it was already pretty clear what had been happening so I would’ve loved either to move along to the final conflict or have more of an escalation of the weird stuff.
August 16, 2020
Thank you PenguinTeen for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Companion was one of the creepiest books I have ever read. It isn’t gory or what you would expect from a horror novel. The author would casually writte in tiny hints about what was going on that made you super uneasy, and left you with some chills coursing through your body. When I tell you I could not stop reading this because it was that insane and gripping, I am not lying at all. Once I was around 80 pages into the book, it became so riveting that I had to keep going, but at the same time I didn’t want to because my stomach was in knots and I had goosebumps because it was so disturbing.
“So I lay in the dark without making a sound, waiting and wanting to die. Three months later, I was still waiting.”
Margot, the main character is dealing with a huge tragedy, her entire family was in a car accident and died except for her. She gets put into a group home, and a couple weeks of staying there, a mysterious rich family wants to adopt her. They said they knew her dad and wanted to repay his kindness, so they take her under their wing. Margot finds out soon enough that these people weren’t just being kind, they needed her help in a way. Laura and John’s daughter had an “accident” and her brain doesn’t work the way it should. She can do basic things such as feed herself, walk around, and go to the bathroom but that’s about all she can. Laura wanted to have Margot come into the family and be Agatha’s companion. To sit with her and just basically watch her and make sure she is okay.
Right away, things are just a little off at this mansion of a house. Laura will say things that are a little strange, and John is always away for work. Slowly, we get more and more little tidbits about what is really going on at this house. My heart was racing when I hit the last 100 pages or so and I could not believe what I was reading. The Companion is a seriously messed up book, but I loved every minute of it. I loved Margot and the storyline. I’m not usually into a slower paced thriller, but this one was exceptionally written. It was so unnerving and freaky that I had to stop myself from reading and just breathe. I honestly hope this will be a huge hit in the horror/thriller department because it was perfection.
The Companion was one of the creepiest books I have ever read. It isn’t gory or what you would expect from a horror novel. The author would casually writte in tiny hints about what was going on that made you super uneasy, and left you with some chills coursing through your body. When I tell you I could not stop reading this because it was that insane and gripping, I am not lying at all. Once I was around 80 pages into the book, it became so riveting that I had to keep going, but at the same time I didn’t want to because my stomach was in knots and I had goosebumps because it was so disturbing.
“So I lay in the dark without making a sound, waiting and wanting to die. Three months later, I was still waiting.”
Margot, the main character is dealing with a huge tragedy, her entire family was in a car accident and died except for her. She gets put into a group home, and a couple weeks of staying there, a mysterious rich family wants to adopt her. They said they knew her dad and wanted to repay his kindness, so they take her under their wing. Margot finds out soon enough that these people weren’t just being kind, they needed her help in a way. Laura and John’s daughter had an “accident” and her brain doesn’t work the way it should. She can do basic things such as feed herself, walk around, and go to the bathroom but that’s about all she can. Laura wanted to have Margot come into the family and be Agatha’s companion. To sit with her and just basically watch her and make sure she is okay.
Right away, things are just a little off at this mansion of a house. Laura will say things that are a little strange, and John is always away for work. Slowly, we get more and more little tidbits about what is really going on at this house. My heart was racing when I hit the last 100 pages or so and I could not believe what I was reading. The Companion is a seriously messed up book, but I loved every minute of it. I loved Margot and the storyline. I’m not usually into a slower paced thriller, but this one was exceptionally written. It was so unnerving and freaky that I had to stop myself from reading and just breathe. I honestly hope this will be a huge hit in the horror/thriller department because it was perfection.
September 14, 2020
Great sign I was already creeped out by Chapter 5. When Chapter 7 came around.....nope no nope Margot run, run away now. The next chapter the book took a straight nose dive. Agatha was the only saving grace of this book and even her power over the writing was taken away.
Then after a while the atmosphere which was so potent dulled down to a simmer. Honestly I just got through reading back to back amazing twisty reads and this book suffered even more for it. Before you say it, yes I know I'm judgmental. But I also know that this is my review so scram. I won't lower my expectations just because it had an easy writing style.
By Chapter 4 I already had figured out the culprit and by 7 the motive. What more was there to learn? Who lived and who died. Besides Agatha, I didn't relate or care for any of the other characters. To me they felt dry and unrealistic. Margot's character was agonizingly obtuse. Even the romance felt carelessly tossed in to try to pry our eyes away from what we already knew.
Although I did think Taylor Meskimen did a great job narrating with one exception. Garrett. His voice seemed underage and miniscule. Bare with me my complaining is almost over. Even near the end of the story I learned that one of the main characters were a contradiction in and of themself.
To sum it up Agatha should have been the main bases of all that was unholy. Barrett should have never existed. Margot needed to grow a brain before I strangled her and most importantly in a thriller there should have been a twist.
Yeah feel free to burn me for my unpopular opinions down in the comments below. This compilation of complaining contradictions has been brought to you by Oolong tea. Nothing says this ramble was to long like Oolong.
Then after a while the atmosphere which was so potent dulled down to a simmer. Honestly I just got through reading back to back amazing twisty reads and this book suffered even more for it. Before you say it, yes I know I'm judgmental. But I also know that this is my review so scram. I won't lower my expectations just because it had an easy writing style.
By Chapter 4 I already had figured out the culprit and by 7 the motive. What more was there to learn? Who lived and who died. Besides Agatha, I didn't relate or care for any of the other characters. To me they felt dry and unrealistic. Margot's character was agonizingly obtuse. Even the romance felt carelessly tossed in to try to pry our eyes away from what we already knew.
Although I did think Taylor Meskimen did a great job narrating with one exception. Garrett. His voice seemed underage and miniscule. Bare with me my complaining is almost over. Even near the end of the story I learned that one of the main characters were a contradiction in and of themself.
To sum it up Agatha should have been the main bases of all that was unholy. Barrett should have never existed. Margot needed to grow a brain before I strangled her and most importantly in a thriller there should have been a twist.
Yeah feel free to burn me for my unpopular opinions down in the comments below. This compilation of complaining contradictions has been brought to you by Oolong tea. Nothing says this ramble was to long like Oolong.
November 26, 2020
This is one of those thrillers that I got to the end of and kind of felt like, “Hm, okay, was that worth it?” I am not sure it was!
I DID like
I DID like
August 4, 2020
This was so addicting I accidentally binge-read the last 300 pages. Oops.
I’ve tried reading a couple of YA horror books before. They were…eh to say the least. So I went into this, turned off all my lights, turned on my phone, and read. And as I slowly felt tendrils of fear crawl up my spine, I realized: wow, this is actually a horror story of quality caliber. It’s not gory and gruesome, or even shockingly exciting in the way of action. No, it reminds me ever so slightly of Jane Eyre, with a huge mansion, but something always seems slightly…off. And that’s the kind of horror that gets me, the incredible combination of creepy atmosphere and suspicious characters. I loved this.
Margot is an interesting dilemma for me. I liked her well enough don’t get me wrong! However, there were times when I felt that she was too eager to please Laura, a little too ignorant of the things happening around her. in all fairness though, this behavior makes sense as the book goes on and we come to understand her character more. I also really loved and appreciated Margot and Agatha’s friendship!
I LOVED the dynamic here. We have a husband who’s hardly ever home, a mother who is caring but has strangely strict rules, and a daughter who hardly speaks or reacts at all. (And I mean, later on we have the Handsome Older Brother but I digress* for now). And this all takes place in a gothic-y mansion.
One of my favorite aspects was actually the perfectly written contrast between the “darker” parts of the story (forbidden rooms, scenes at night) and the “lighter” parts (the bright garden, a “meaningless” conversation here or there). It enhanced the atmosphere by making everything totally unreliable which I think was an absolutely brilliant move on the author’s part.
*am i…actually showing self-control????? this might never happen again let’s enjoy it while it lasts-
Plot-wise, I think normally I would be bored. We hardly move away from the mansion, and a lot of the thrills and chills are psychologically induced. But the author has such a compelling writing style, and keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout the entire book! I found a couple of things a bit obvious, but luckily I didn’t really mind.
As for the romance…I uh…didn’t think it really added to the story. Like yes, I loved getting to see the characters becoming more fleshed out as they become more vulnerable and open with each other. But I also wasn’t feeling the romantic aspects of it. Like cool, they like each other. It felt a little insta-lovey to me at first, but I do think it was resolved rather well in the end.
Honestly? I don’t want to say too much more because spoilers*. But I was pleasantly surprised by how good this was, and I really want to check out the author’s other books. If you’re searching for a good creepy read that won’t terrify you but give you a proper amount of chills, or even anything with a gothic twist, I’d highly recommend this one!
*i have been known to spoil things before irl accidentally but NOT TODAY MY FRIENDS.
________________________________________________
this is absolutely amazing, a twisty horror story with a gothic undertone. i am extremely impressed. full rtc!
a huge thank you to the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I’ve tried reading a couple of YA horror books before. They were…eh to say the least. So I went into this, turned off all my lights, turned on my phone, and read. And as I slowly felt tendrils of fear crawl up my spine, I realized: wow, this is actually a horror story of quality caliber. It’s not gory and gruesome, or even shockingly exciting in the way of action. No, it reminds me ever so slightly of Jane Eyre, with a huge mansion, but something always seems slightly…off. And that’s the kind of horror that gets me, the incredible combination of creepy atmosphere and suspicious characters. I loved this.
Margot is an interesting dilemma for me. I liked her well enough don’t get me wrong! However, there were times when I felt that she was too eager to please Laura, a little too ignorant of the things happening around her. in all fairness though, this behavior makes sense as the book goes on and we come to understand her character more. I also really loved and appreciated Margot and Agatha’s friendship!
I LOVED the dynamic here. We have a husband who’s hardly ever home, a mother who is caring but has strangely strict rules, and a daughter who hardly speaks or reacts at all. (And I mean, later on we have the Handsome Older Brother but I digress* for now). And this all takes place in a gothic-y mansion.
One of my favorite aspects was actually the perfectly written contrast between the “darker” parts of the story (forbidden rooms, scenes at night) and the “lighter” parts (the bright garden, a “meaningless” conversation here or there). It enhanced the atmosphere by making everything totally unreliable which I think was an absolutely brilliant move on the author’s part.
*am i…actually showing self-control????? this might never happen again let’s enjoy it while it lasts-
Plot-wise, I think normally I would be bored. We hardly move away from the mansion, and a lot of the thrills and chills are psychologically induced. But the author has such a compelling writing style, and keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout the entire book! I found a couple of things a bit obvious, but luckily I didn’t really mind.
As for the romance…I uh…didn’t think it really added to the story. Like yes, I loved getting to see the characters becoming more fleshed out as they become more vulnerable and open with each other. But I also wasn’t feeling the romantic aspects of it. Like cool, they like each other. It felt a little insta-lovey to me at first, but I do think it was resolved rather well in the end.
Honestly? I don’t want to say too much more because spoilers*. But I was pleasantly surprised by how good this was, and I really want to check out the author’s other books. If you’re searching for a good creepy read that won’t terrify you but give you a proper amount of chills, or even anything with a gothic twist, I’d highly recommend this one!
*i have been known to spoil things before irl accidentally but NOT TODAY MY FRIENDS.
________________________________________________
this is absolutely amazing, a twisty horror story with a gothic undertone. i am extremely impressed. full rtc!
a huge thank you to the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
December 6, 2021
“Lies pile up.
And then they bury you.”
I am DISTURBED
TRAUMATIZED
SCARRED FOR LIFE
ok maybe a bit too much
BUT
wowww what a freakin' book it was
I LOVE and HATE it at the same time
I love it because of how much it made me uncomfortable and terrified but also hate it because it made me feel those things?
I know that not everyone would like it and find it as scary as I did. So it depends on the person. It's definitely not a horror book, but a psychological thriller. It was DARK and if you read or watched Coraline I'm pretty sure you would enjoy this book. I don't want to give any spoilers but I found many interesting themes that are similar and are also in Coraline, which made me like this book even more.
Just the vibes and the feelings this book gives are really uncomfortable. Like NEXT LEVEL. I felt alone and hopeless and found myself praying for the main character lol. The characters, the plot, and how the things turned out at the end... they were all so good. I think everyone should give this one a chance.
And then they bury you.”
I am DISTURBED
TRAUMATIZED
SCARRED FOR LIFE
ok maybe a bit too much
BUT
wowww what a freakin' book it was
I LOVE and HATE it at the same time
I love it because of how much it made me uncomfortable and terrified but also hate it because it made me feel those things?
I know that not everyone would like it and find it as scary as I did. So it depends on the person. It's definitely not a horror book, but a psychological thriller. It was DARK and if you read or watched Coraline I'm pretty sure you would enjoy this book. I don't want to give any spoilers but I found many interesting themes that are similar and are also in Coraline, which made me like this book even more.
Just the vibes and the feelings this book gives are really uncomfortable. Like NEXT LEVEL. I felt alone and hopeless and found myself praying for the main character lol. The characters, the plot, and how the things turned out at the end... they were all so good. I think everyone should give this one a chance.
August 30, 2020
The Companion is a fantastic YA gothic horror novel that slowly builds atmosphere and becomes increasingly disturbing. I don't want to say too much and spoil this one, but it follows a teen girl who was the only survivor of a tragic accident that killed her family. She ends up in the foster care system, but is considered a difficult case because of nightmares that wake her screaming every night. Everything changes when an elite family offers to take her in as a companion for their nearly catatonic daughter, but things are not as they seem and this slowly becomes a dark psychological thriller.
Again, I don't want to say too much here, but I thoroughly enjoyed my time with it and it definitely delivers on the creep factor by the end of the book. One other thing I appreciated is this offers believable reasons for the isolation of the main character AND for why she stays in an increasingly bad situation. Often books will gloss over those things, so I appreciated how it created this more believable scenario that makes it even more disturbing. I want to talk about some of the larger themes here and offer content warnings (beyond the obvious grief and trauma), but these are spoilery so read at your own risk!
*************SPOILERS AHEAD**************
I loved it! I received an advance copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Content warnings include: grief, loss of family, PTSD, depictions of vomit, suicidal ideation etc.
Again, I don't want to say too much here, but I thoroughly enjoyed my time with it and it definitely delivers on the creep factor by the end of the book. One other thing I appreciated is this offers believable reasons for the isolation of the main character AND for why she stays in an increasingly bad situation. Often books will gloss over those things, so I appreciated how it created this more believable scenario that makes it even more disturbing. I want to talk about some of the larger themes here and offer content warnings (beyond the obvious grief and trauma), but these are spoilery so read at your own risk!
*************SPOILERS AHEAD**************
I loved it! I received an advance copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Content warnings include: grief, loss of family, PTSD, depictions of vomit, suicidal ideation etc.
June 24, 2023
If ever a book NEEDED to be made into a movie, it’s THE COMPANION. A recently orphaned Margot arrives at Copeland Hall, a country family estate/mansion with a dark history and locked wings. Her job is to be a companion to Laura Copeland’s daughter Agatha, a newly catatonic teen. Laura seems nice, key word being seems. Agatha seems to be more aware of her surroundings than her mother admits. But nothing is as it seems, maybe not even Margot.
Creepily atmospheric, THE COMPANION prickled the my neck hair and gave me goosebumps. Margot wasn’t a dumb victim. While I wanted to tell her not to trust Laura, she didn’t do the stupid things teens in horror movies make viewers scream. Smart and resourceful, her Achilles’ Heel, wanting to trust and be loved didn’t make her lose all logic. I loved that she had enough in her hurting heart to care deeply for Agatha.
Katie Alender dots all her Is and crosses all her Ts, so I always understood why characters were acting in certain ways, if not immediately then eventually, though not in a way that feels too neat.
THE COMPANION is a masterclass in how to write the perfect thriller/horror story.
Creepily atmospheric, THE COMPANION prickled the my neck hair and gave me goosebumps. Margot wasn’t a dumb victim. While I wanted to tell her not to trust Laura, she didn’t do the stupid things teens in horror movies make viewers scream. Smart and resourceful, her Achilles’ Heel, wanting to trust and be loved didn’t make her lose all logic. I loved that she had enough in her hurting heart to care deeply for Agatha.
Katie Alender dots all her Is and crosses all her Ts, so I always understood why characters were acting in certain ways, if not immediately then eventually, though not in a way that feels too neat.
THE COMPANION is a masterclass in how to write the perfect thriller/horror story.
October 17, 2020
I like where the story was going but it was a little flat for me. The writing was a bit too descriptive... it made it feel amateur and unnecessary. Based on the summary I thought there would be a bit more intensity to the thriller aspect of the book.
The weird romance bit felt forced and more of a fluff. It didn’t help the plot that much.
In saying this all, I did like Margot and thought she was a great character. The author also did a great job with making Laura seem certifiably insane.
The weird romance bit felt forced and more of a fluff. It didn’t help the plot that much.
In saying this all, I did like Margot and thought she was a great character. The author also did a great job with making Laura seem certifiably insane.
August 12, 2022
accidentally deleted my first review.
this is creepy but predictable. i liked it enough to finish it, but i felt the romance was out of place.
this is creepy but predictable. i liked it enough to finish it, but i felt the romance was out of place.
September 1, 2020
If you want spooky scary ‘this book give me nightmare’ type of read, this book probably isn’t the one. Does it keep you on edge? Yes. Does it have an eerie scary factor? Yes. But just enough that i can read it at night and can sleep afterwards.
August 29, 2022
This book is very VERY slow. If you're looking for an edge of the seat read, I would definitely not recommend this. I was 60% and, yeah the family was weird and the house was kind of a little bit creepy but nothing really happened. If anything I would put this in with YA romance which completely threw me. Right when Brandon... was his name Brandon... Bryce? Byatt? I don't even know his name. Anyway. I went in expecting one thing and got a mediocre, frankly boring read instead. 2 stars for... I don't really know. It just feels like not something that I hated but not something that I liked either.
May 23, 2022
It's not very common for me to love a YA book from the first page to the last, but I'm very proud to say that this book I definitely did! I was shocked by how much I thoroughly enjoyed this book and how it kept my interest the whole time while reading it. I expect for there to be boring parts in books but to be honest I wasn't bored at all while reading this one. It went a whole different direction then what I had expected which really make my 5 star rating set in stone. I enjoyed the characters and liked how they all had just enough of a back story to make me feel like I really knew these characters.
November 22, 2020
Sonu beni maalesef tatmin etmedi ve Margot'a gerçekten sinirlendim. Kurgu sonunda çok daha güzel bir yere evrilebilirdi ve bence kitapta biraz daha vahşilik olabilirdi. İşte o zaman tadından yenmezdi. Aslında kitaptan ve konusundan uzun uzun bahsetmek istiyordum, ama o sonu pek beğenmediğim için tüm hevesim kaçtı. Ortalamanın üstünde bir kitap değildi maalesef. Bir günde okunabilecek, çıtır çerezlik bir kitap.
December 15, 2020
Everyone in this book was fucking weird. I love it.
September 12, 2021
Damn!! That was amazing!!! Overall it had lots of minor flaws in the plot and some of the character development, but overall it was super creepy, and that was what I was looking for!
May 29, 2023
This was a little slow-moving but I loved the creepy atmosphere. It was like a modern YA gothic. I would have liked a little more explanation as to why tho... Still, this was a fun read.
September 10, 2020
This was exactly the type of chilling suspense novel my fall-loving, pumpkin-spice drinking, black heart needed! I recall reading another Alender book, Bad Girls Don't Die, years ago and not loving it as much. It is clear that Alender's writing has evolved in the past decade, and I am here for it!
Margot is orphaned when her entire family dies in a car wreck. She is the lone survivor. After a few short weeks in a group home, she is taken in as a ward by a wealthy lawyer and his family. Richard Sutton was in law school with Margot's father, and since Margot's dad saved him from drowning once, he feels it's his duty to look after Margot.
They live in a large, historic manor in the country. It belongs to his wife, Laura, and Margot is to be the companion to their near-comatose teenage daughter, Agatha. But the house holds secrets, and as they begin to unravel, Margot wonders if it's safe for her to stay.
What I liked most about this was the characterization. This wasn't your usual thrill-seeking suspense novel. Everyone in it had a story, for good or for bad, and in addition to being in a spooky and weird, old house, Margot was also dealing with the trauma of losing her entire family. She felt like a real person, dealing with real things.
I probably could have done without the romance. In fact, it sort of made the middle of this drag. I wanted more thrills and chills, and I got them in the end. Although I did solve the mystery long before Margot, I still stuck it out until the nail-biting conclusion.
If you are looking for a spooky read to prep you for Halloween, this is it!
Margot is orphaned when her entire family dies in a car wreck. She is the lone survivor. After a few short weeks in a group home, she is taken in as a ward by a wealthy lawyer and his family. Richard Sutton was in law school with Margot's father, and since Margot's dad saved him from drowning once, he feels it's his duty to look after Margot.
They live in a large, historic manor in the country. It belongs to his wife, Laura, and Margot is to be the companion to their near-comatose teenage daughter, Agatha. But the house holds secrets, and as they begin to unravel, Margot wonders if it's safe for her to stay.
What I liked most about this was the characterization. This wasn't your usual thrill-seeking suspense novel. Everyone in it had a story, for good or for bad, and in addition to being in a spooky and weird, old house, Margot was also dealing with the trauma of losing her entire family. She felt like a real person, dealing with real things.
I probably could have done without the romance. In fact, it sort of made the middle of this drag. I wanted more thrills and chills, and I got them in the end. Although I did solve the mystery long before Margot, I still stuck it out until the nail-biting conclusion.
If you are looking for a spooky read to prep you for Halloween, this is it!
Read
November 30, 2021Margot is rescued from a home for orphaned children by a friend of her now-deceased father. Now, she's to take on the role as companion for Agatha, the family's daughter who is weak, sick, and kept in a nursery room for constant care. It's not ideal, but Margot knows she's lucky to be here, even if it means dealing with the creepy old house, the mysterious words appearing in her sleeping area, all of the rooms she's not to be in. . .
It's Laura, the mother, who is especially suspicious, regularly wanting to talk to Margot about how things are going in a way Margot doesn't trust. And she's right for not trusting: Laura's stories don't add up, and every new thing Margot discovers only further paints a picture of a woman creating a web of lies about who she is, about what happened to Agatha, and about what the future might hold for Margot.
A delicious modern gothic, the hints here aren't meant to lead to a huge twist ending. If you've read a book with these elements, you know what'll happen, but it's a fun, satisfying ride. The way this gothic story is set in modern times is especially clever and compelling. Alender has a knack for well-paced, visual writing, and this one is no exception.
It's Laura, the mother, who is especially suspicious, regularly wanting to talk to Margot about how things are going in a way Margot doesn't trust. And she's right for not trusting: Laura's stories don't add up, and every new thing Margot discovers only further paints a picture of a woman creating a web of lies about who she is, about what happened to Agatha, and about what the future might hold for Margot.
A delicious modern gothic, the hints here aren't meant to lead to a huge twist ending. If you've read a book with these elements, you know what'll happen, but it's a fun, satisfying ride. The way this gothic story is set in modern times is especially clever and compelling. Alender has a knack for well-paced, visual writing, and this one is no exception.
April 25, 2022
"You knew it wasn’t going to be like some fairy tale where you’re the princess in the tower and the prince comes and kisses you and suddenly everything is great.
It was more like he came to the castle, found me in the tower, kissed me and woke me up, and then left without slaying the dragon."
WOW.
This was insanely creepy, twisted, and good. It gave me Mexican Gothic vibes, if Mexican Gothic was written properly (and not ruined by its ridiculous ending).
You know how often, while reading a horror/thriller book, you find yourself screaming at the main character NOT TO DO THAT, THEY'RE GETTING THEMSELVES IN DANGER, facepalming and wondering how can someone be that reckless and stupid? Well, that doesn't happen in this book.
I loved Margot and how she dealt with the situation she was pushed into.
Doubt I would've been alive by the end of the book if I were in her shoes.
It was more like he came to the castle, found me in the tower, kissed me and woke me up, and then left without slaying the dragon."
WOW.
This was insanely creepy, twisted, and good. It gave me Mexican Gothic vibes, if Mexican Gothic was written properly (and not ruined by its ridiculous ending).
You know how often, while reading a horror/thriller book, you find yourself screaming at the main character NOT TO DO THAT, THEY'RE GETTING THEMSELVES IN DANGER, facepalming and wondering how can someone be that reckless and stupid? Well, that doesn't happen in this book.
I loved Margot and how she dealt with the situation she was pushed into.
Doubt I would've been alive by the end of the book if I were in her shoes.
July 24, 2020
Whoa so creepy & twisty! Loved this! Margot at the age of 16 has been through too much tragedy, so to hear that an opulent (Copeland/Sutton) family wants to take her in is a dream come true. Well things aren’t what it appears but where else can Margot go? There are secrets and history surrounding Copeland Hall and the generations of the Copeland family that Margot soon discovers! Thank you to Penguin Teen for an ebook ARC. This is my honest review.
April 26, 2021
Όταν η οικογένεια της Μάργκοτ χάνεται σε ένα αυτοκινητιστικό ατύχημα μία πλούσια οικογένεια η οποία είχε χρέος στον πατέρα της την υιοθετεί. Όλα καλά μέχρι εδώ. Το πρόβλημα στην όλη υπόθεση είναι ότι η συγγραφέας αντί να δημιουργήσει δύσκολες καταστάσεις που θα κρατήσουν απορροφημένο τον αναγνώστη στο βιβλίο και να προσπαθήσει να δώσει λύσεις κάνει ακριβώς το αντίθετο και δημιουργεί ένα κλίμα εξαιρετικά βολικό ώστε να πει όσο πιο εύκολα και συγγραφικώς ανεμπόδιστα γίνεται την ιστοριούλα της. Για παράδειγμα δε γίνεται η ηρωίδα να είναι τόσο αγαθιάρα και αφελής και να μην καταλαβαίνει παρά μόνο στο τέλος της ιστορίας ότι της ρίχνουν υπνωτικά μέσα στο φλιτζάνι της. Πόσο στόκος πρέπει να είσαι; Αλλά είπαμε, αν αυτό βολεύει τη συγγραφέα τότε αυτό θα συνεχίσει να συμβαίνει καθ' όλη τη διάρκεια του βιβλίου. Επίσης όλα αυτά διαδραματίζονται σε μία έπαυλη η οποία είναι εντελώς απομακρυσμένη από άλλους ανθρώπους, (αυτό να το δεχτώ), αλλά πάσχει και απο παντελή έλλειψη τεχνολογίας. Μόνο ότι ανάβουν φωτιά χτυπώντας πέτρες δεν μας έχει πει η συγγραφέας. Πόσο βολικό όλο αυτό για τη συγγραφέα και άβολο για τον αναγνώστη; Γλιτώστε τα λεφτά σας.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 25, 2020
This was so addicting, what the fuck.
First of all I was looking for something spooky to read this month, and while there were some moments that creeped me out, I wasn't actually scared at all. Kind of a bummer, because I was looking for something scary.
However, I ended up relly enjoying this. Especially the way Agatha is portrayed through the eyes of Margot, that was so interesting to see. Also, I loved how they slowly start to like each other, that was really sweet.
I don't think the romantic interest was strictly necessary, but it didn't last very long so I'm okay with that. I was kind of cheesy, though.
And lastly, I absolutely loved how the last chapters close the 'mistery' on who's writing on the walls. That was the only thing I didn't see coming and it was great.
First of all I was looking for something spooky to read this month, and while there were some moments that creeped me out, I wasn't actually scared at all. Kind of a bummer, because I was looking for something scary.
However, I ended up relly enjoying this. Especially the way Agatha is portrayed through the eyes of Margot, that was so interesting to see. Also, I loved how they slowly start to like each other, that was really sweet.
I don't think the romantic interest was strictly necessary, but it didn't last very long so I'm okay with that. I was kind of cheesy, though.
And lastly, I absolutely loved how the last chapters close the 'mistery' on who's writing on the walls. That was the only thing I didn't see coming and it was great.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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