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These Fleeting Shadows
The Haunting of Hill House meets Knives Out in a bid for an inheritance that will leave Helen Vaughan either rich...or dead.
Helen Vaughan doesn't know why she and her mother left their ancestral home at Harrowstone Hall, called Harrow, or why they haven't spoken to their extended family since. So when her grandfather dies, she's shocked to learn that he has left everything—the house, the grounds, and the money—to her. The inheritance comes with one condition: she must stay on the grounds of Harrow for one full year, or she'll be left with nothing.
There is more at stake than money. For as long as she can remember, Harrow has haunted Helen's dreams—and now those dreams have become a waking nightmare. Helen knows that if she is going to survive the year, she needs to uncover the secrets of Harrow. Why is the house built like a labyrinth? What is digging the holes that appear in the woods each night? And why does the house itself seem to be making her sick?
With each twisted revelation, Helen questions what she knows about Harrow, her family, and even herself. She no longer wonders if she wants to leave…but if she can.
Helen Vaughan doesn't know why she and her mother left their ancestral home at Harrowstone Hall, called Harrow, or why they haven't spoken to their extended family since. So when her grandfather dies, she's shocked to learn that he has left everything—the house, the grounds, and the money—to her. The inheritance comes with one condition: she must stay on the grounds of Harrow for one full year, or she'll be left with nothing.
There is more at stake than money. For as long as she can remember, Harrow has haunted Helen's dreams—and now those dreams have become a waking nightmare. Helen knows that if she is going to survive the year, she needs to uncover the secrets of Harrow. Why is the house built like a labyrinth? What is digging the holes that appear in the woods each night? And why does the house itself seem to be making her sick?
With each twisted revelation, Helen questions what she knows about Harrow, her family, and even herself. She no longer wonders if she wants to leave…but if she can.
365 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 9, 2022
465 people are currently reading
23645 people want to read
About the author
Kate Alice Marshall
20 books5,848 followersKate Alice Marshall is the author of thrillers and horror for all ages. Her YA and Middle grade books include I AM STILL ALIVE, RULES FOR VANISHING, and THIRTEENS. Her adult thrillers include WHAT LIES IN THE WOODS and NO ONE CAN KNOW.
She lives outside of Seattle with her husband, two dogs named Vonnegut and Octavia, and two kids. They all conspire to keep her on her toes.
She lives outside of Seattle with her husband, two dogs named Vonnegut and Octavia, and two kids. They all conspire to keep her on her toes.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,229 reviews
September 11, 2025
In These Fleeting Shadows we meet Helen Vaughan. Helen is a girl with a murky past and a slightly haunted present.
She knows that when she was very young, she and her Mom fled their ancestral home, Harrowstone Hall, where their extended family still live, but she has no idea why.
They never discuss it. They don't talk about the family, about why they left, nothing. It's just a giant black hole of nothingness looming over Helen's entire life.
Then the notification arrives that her grandfather has passed away. They're asked to come to Harrow for the funeral and surprisingly, her Mom agrees. They're actually going.
Once there, Helen is swept up into Harrow immediately. Meeting her strange family, the eerie house and grounds, its a lot to take in.
When she receives the news of the inheritance, it's even more overwhelming. The grandfather she barely knew left everything to her? Everything? Really? And what's this clause about her having to stay in the house for one-year in order to receive everything?
She decides to give it a go.
Life at Harrow is disturbing. The people eccentric, the house itself a haunted labyrinth of confusion. It's hard to tell if there is anyone Helen can trust. Can she even trust herself?
I don't really know what to say about this novel. There were many things about it that I enjoyed, but I also found it to be convoluted, with certain events being very difficult to track.
The premise is great. We love an inheritance story, particularly ones set at a gothic mansion. Add in bizarre family members and we're still on the right track.
A protagonist feeling haunted, unsure if her dreams are just that, or repressed memories? I'll grab the popcorn. I'm still here for it.
I think where it really started losing me was the nature of the house, which really is the essence of the story. The reason behind the family doing what they were doing. It just lost me. It moved from where I thought it was going to something else entirely.
At the heart of the story, this reminded me of Kiersten White's release, Hide. There's a similar vein running through here that ran through that novel. Frankly, I didn't enjoy it in either place.
In the Author's Note at the end, Kate Alice Marshall writes a bit about being inspired by Arthur Machen's The Great God Pan to write this story. It sounds like this is in fact a modern-reimagining of that tale.
I wish I would have known that before. I think that could have made this story more impactful for me. Also, I would have loved to have read that original source material prior to picking this one up.
Either way, this ended up being a mixed bag for me. I fell in love with the cover, but eventually fell out of love with the content. The beginning was great, with a very promising set-up.
I loved the atmosphere created once they arrived at Harrow. By the mid-way point though, my interest was waning and by the end, I was looking forward to it being over.
While this story wasn't necessarily to my liking, I still love Kate Alice Marshall's writing and the risks she is willing to take with her stories.
These Fleeting Shadows may not have been a hit for me, but I'm confident that so many Readers will absolutely love this. I look forward to seeing what Marshall will serve us next!
She knows that when she was very young, she and her Mom fled their ancestral home, Harrowstone Hall, where their extended family still live, but she has no idea why.
They never discuss it. They don't talk about the family, about why they left, nothing. It's just a giant black hole of nothingness looming over Helen's entire life.
Then the notification arrives that her grandfather has passed away. They're asked to come to Harrow for the funeral and surprisingly, her Mom agrees. They're actually going.
Once there, Helen is swept up into Harrow immediately. Meeting her strange family, the eerie house and grounds, its a lot to take in.
When she receives the news of the inheritance, it's even more overwhelming. The grandfather she barely knew left everything to her? Everything? Really? And what's this clause about her having to stay in the house for one-year in order to receive everything?
She decides to give it a go.
Life at Harrow is disturbing. The people eccentric, the house itself a haunted labyrinth of confusion. It's hard to tell if there is anyone Helen can trust. Can she even trust herself?
I don't really know what to say about this novel. There were many things about it that I enjoyed, but I also found it to be convoluted, with certain events being very difficult to track.
The premise is great. We love an inheritance story, particularly ones set at a gothic mansion. Add in bizarre family members and we're still on the right track.
A protagonist feeling haunted, unsure if her dreams are just that, or repressed memories? I'll grab the popcorn. I'm still here for it.
I think where it really started losing me was the nature of the house, which really is the essence of the story. The reason behind the family doing what they were doing. It just lost me. It moved from where I thought it was going to something else entirely.
At the heart of the story, this reminded me of Kiersten White's release, Hide. There's a similar vein running through here that ran through that novel. Frankly, I didn't enjoy it in either place.
In the Author's Note at the end, Kate Alice Marshall writes a bit about being inspired by Arthur Machen's The Great God Pan to write this story. It sounds like this is in fact a modern-reimagining of that tale.
I wish I would have known that before. I think that could have made this story more impactful for me. Also, I would have loved to have read that original source material prior to picking this one up.
Either way, this ended up being a mixed bag for me. I fell in love with the cover, but eventually fell out of love with the content. The beginning was great, with a very promising set-up.
I loved the atmosphere created once they arrived at Harrow. By the mid-way point though, my interest was waning and by the end, I was looking forward to it being over.
While this story wasn't necessarily to my liking, I still love Kate Alice Marshall's writing and the risks she is willing to take with her stories.
These Fleeting Shadows may not have been a hit for me, but I'm confident that so many Readers will absolutely love this. I look forward to seeing what Marshall will serve us next!
August 4, 2022
I was hoping for creepy gothic, haunted house vibes and MAN did this deliver!
These Fleeting Shadows is a YA gothic horror novel about a teen girl who inherits a mysterious estate after the death of her estranged grandfather. But in order to inherit, she must remain on the grounds for an entire year and then undergo a ritual where the house will accept her as mistress. But not everyone wants her to inherit and something dark is lurking in the history of the house.... Also there is a very pretty witch girl who lives in a cottage on the grounds. *ahem*
This was creepy, disorienting, sometimes disturbing, and a major theme of the book is missing and murdered girls. It's also about cycles of violence, tainted heritage, and the corruption of power. And how, throughout history, agency and personhood have been denied those who are different, misunderstood, or marginalized. And thus their abuse justified. It's not a light book, but it the execution is excellent and I found the conclusion to be very satisfying. Definitely a fan. I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Content warnings include body horror, murder, gore, violence, abuse, misogyny, grief, references to sexual assault, experimentation, mutilation.
These Fleeting Shadows is a YA gothic horror novel about a teen girl who inherits a mysterious estate after the death of her estranged grandfather. But in order to inherit, she must remain on the grounds for an entire year and then undergo a ritual where the house will accept her as mistress. But not everyone wants her to inherit and something dark is lurking in the history of the house.... Also there is a very pretty witch girl who lives in a cottage on the grounds. *ahem*
This was creepy, disorienting, sometimes disturbing, and a major theme of the book is missing and murdered girls. It's also about cycles of violence, tainted heritage, and the corruption of power. And how, throughout history, agency and personhood have been denied those who are different, misunderstood, or marginalized. And thus their abuse justified. It's not a light book, but it the execution is excellent and I found the conclusion to be very satisfying. Definitely a fan. I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Content warnings include body horror, murder, gore, violence, abuse, misogyny, grief, references to sexual assault, experimentation, mutilation.
December 14, 2022
It doesn't matter what this book is about, Kate Alice Marshall is on my insta-buy list. But look at this quote and tell me you don't want to know more. I dare you.
06.09.2021 We got a little more info and I NEED IT. "THESE FLEETING SHADOWS is The Haunting of Hill House meets Knives Out in a bid for an inheritance that will leave Helen Vaughan either rich...or dead. With a queer romance will keep you turning pages and jump scares that will keep the lights on!"
06.09.2021 We got a little more info and I NEED IT. "THESE FLEETING SHADOWS is The Haunting of Hill House meets Knives Out in a bid for an inheritance that will leave Helen Vaughan either rich...or dead. With a queer romance will keep you turning pages and jump scares that will keep the lights on!"
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August 31, 2022
DNFed, but got through a good chunk of it. This is what happens when you have a cool idea but can't execute it well. The beginning of These Fleeting Shadows was awesome, but it quickly fell into "generic YA" mode really quickly. Id love to say that anything about this one stands out, but it got instantly boring, especially when the romance was introduced.
November 11, 2024
This was a super fun and fast-paced paranormal YA horror.
I know that Mike Flanagan sticks to older, classic horror stories but oh man, this would be amazing adapted in the same style as The Haunting of Hill House and Bly Manor.
I know that Mike Flanagan sticks to older, classic horror stories but oh man, this would be amazing adapted in the same style as The Haunting of Hill House and Bly Manor.
September 12, 2022
Helen Vaughan and her mother fled her families home at Harrowstone Hall, called Harrow. She has no idea why and why they don’t talk much to their family anymore.
They return back for her grandfather’s funeral and finds out this man who has barely known her – left everything to her. The house, the grounds, and money all to her as long as she stays at the house for one year.
Helen decides to do it, not only for the money but also to get to the bottom of things. She needs to know why her grandfather picked her when there were so many other choices. Helen has also always felt different growing up and that no one liked her. She knows there is something about Harrow that will give her these answers. What she finds out is not even close to what she had expected.
These Fleeting Shadows is a mixture of thriller and horror. Marshall never fails to create a creepy story with a twist. The revelations only bring on more questions to the point where you have to keep reading. When you think you know where it’s going, there is much more to it. I can’t wait to see what Marshall has in store for us next!
Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book.
Check out my review on: https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/th...
——————-
I just received an ARC and i've never been so excited in my whole life!!!!! Shout out to Sam, Kaitlin, Penguin Random House, and of course Kate Alice Marshall for blessing us with her mind.
They return back for her grandfather’s funeral and finds out this man who has barely known her – left everything to her. The house, the grounds, and money all to her as long as she stays at the house for one year.
Helen decides to do it, not only for the money but also to get to the bottom of things. She needs to know why her grandfather picked her when there were so many other choices. Helen has also always felt different growing up and that no one liked her. She knows there is something about Harrow that will give her these answers. What she finds out is not even close to what she had expected.
These Fleeting Shadows is a mixture of thriller and horror. Marshall never fails to create a creepy story with a twist. The revelations only bring on more questions to the point where you have to keep reading. When you think you know where it’s going, there is much more to it. I can’t wait to see what Marshall has in store for us next!
Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book.
Check out my review on: https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/th...
——————-
I just received an ARC and i've never been so excited in my whole life!!!!! Shout out to Sam, Kaitlin, Penguin Random House, and of course Kate Alice Marshall for blessing us with her mind.
![Profile Image for julia ☆ [owls reads].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1636739475i%2F5520447._UX200_CR0%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
August 20, 2022
More mixed feelings from me! I think my problem with These Fleeting Shadows was that it was trying to do too many things at once. There were too many horror elements slapped together to create this story and that ended up leaving me a bit confused as some plot points started coming together.
I really enjoyed the writing here and the initial premise as it was set in the beginning of the book. Harrow as a house filled with secrets and too many shadows was a fantastic setting and I do think Marshall succeeded in making it a really creepy haunted house. The Vaughan family as a whole as well, together with their inheritance, was also pretty intriguing since it was obvious there were a loooot of messed up people there lol
The book started losing me when the eldritch aspects of it started to become more prevalent in the story. It was rather confusing how Marshall decided to develop that from Helen's perspective and the way that was presented through the writing with the short sentences and cuts. I couldn't keep track of some of those scenes for the life of me and had a hard time understanding what the heck was going on with everyone.
The ending also started to drag a little? I felt like some of the revelations could have done with a little more build up. That was a bit disappointing since I really really loved what Marshall was trying to do with that concept regarding the dark soul, but the execution wasn't my favorite in any way.
The queer romance was a pleasant surprise! Though I thought it could have been better developed as well.
I really enjoyed the writing here and the initial premise as it was set in the beginning of the book. Harrow as a house filled with secrets and too many shadows was a fantastic setting and I do think Marshall succeeded in making it a really creepy haunted house. The Vaughan family as a whole as well, together with their inheritance, was also pretty intriguing since it was obvious there were a loooot of messed up people there lol
The book started losing me when the eldritch aspects of it started to become more prevalent in the story. It was rather confusing how Marshall decided to develop that from Helen's perspective and the way that was presented through the writing with the short sentences and cuts. I couldn't keep track of some of those scenes for the life of me and had a hard time understanding what the heck was going on with everyone.
The ending also started to drag a little? I felt like some of the revelations could have done with a little more build up. That was a bit disappointing since I really really loved what Marshall was trying to do with that concept regarding the dark soul, but the execution wasn't my favorite in any way.
The queer romance was a pleasant surprise! Though I thought it could have been better developed as well.
July 22, 2022
i have no idea what just happened
January 16, 2023
Wow
This was really really good I'll think of more great things to say about this book when I post my full review.
Full review: I loved every second of this. Gothic romance (lesbian) that really did a great job of playing with the concepts in "The Great God Pan" and making it its own. I also hated how "The Great God Pan" ended and loved how Marshall ended this. If you haven't read that story, read it, and then come back to this book. You are going to love the little Easter eggs you get.
"These Fleeting Shadows" follows 17 year old Helen Vaughan who returns with her mother and her mother's longtime boyfriend, Simon to her mother's ancestral home, Harrow. All Helen knows is that she had nightmares about the place and her mother has done her best to keep Helen away from the house. However, the trio returns after Helen's grandfather dies. Things take a turn though when it's revealed that her grandfather left Harrow and money to Helen if she agrees to stay for a year never leaving the grounds. Helen though learns more about Harrow through her friendship with her cousins (Desmond and Celia) and the witch that is tied to her family history.
I thought this was well done. You may not root for Helen when all is revealed. But I did. I loved how this character was set up and how it ties back to Arthur Machen's work. That's all I will say to not spoil.
The other characters like Desmond, Blythe, etc. were done well. I just thought this was so good. I could not stop reading and could not put this book down.
The flow was really good. I saw some readers had some trouble with getting through, but I didn't have that issue.
The setting of Harrow was creepy. You know there is a wrongness in the house (just like Hill House) and then when things are revealed (slowly) you realize why the house is wrong and the family line is beyond broken.
The ending was really well done. Just because nothing comes to a neat solution. Instead it's something that Machen would have liked i think.
This was really really good I'll think of more great things to say about this book when I post my full review.
Full review: I loved every second of this. Gothic romance (lesbian) that really did a great job of playing with the concepts in "The Great God Pan" and making it its own. I also hated how "The Great God Pan" ended and loved how Marshall ended this. If you haven't read that story, read it, and then come back to this book. You are going to love the little Easter eggs you get.
"These Fleeting Shadows" follows 17 year old Helen Vaughan who returns with her mother and her mother's longtime boyfriend, Simon to her mother's ancestral home, Harrow. All Helen knows is that she had nightmares about the place and her mother has done her best to keep Helen away from the house. However, the trio returns after Helen's grandfather dies. Things take a turn though when it's revealed that her grandfather left Harrow and money to Helen if she agrees to stay for a year never leaving the grounds. Helen though learns more about Harrow through her friendship with her cousins (Desmond and Celia) and the witch that is tied to her family history.
I thought this was well done. You may not root for Helen when all is revealed. But I did. I loved how this character was set up and how it ties back to Arthur Machen's work. That's all I will say to not spoil.
The other characters like Desmond, Blythe, etc. were done well. I just thought this was so good. I could not stop reading and could not put this book down.
The flow was really good. I saw some readers had some trouble with getting through, but I didn't have that issue.
The setting of Harrow was creepy. You know there is a wrongness in the house (just like Hill House) and then when things are revealed (slowly) you realize why the house is wrong and the family line is beyond broken.
The ending was really well done. Just because nothing comes to a neat solution. Instead it's something that Machen would have liked i think.
August 29, 2022
LOVED THIS BOOK!!!
Definitely one of my favorites of the year!
Was this everything I wanted and then some? YES. Kate Alice Marshall knows how to write YA horror/gothic horror. I devoured this book, literally once I started reading it I couldn't stop reading it.
These Fleeting Shadows had everything I wanted, murder, mystery, creepy mansion, even creepier family members, and a curse.
We're following Helen who is a teenage girl who just inherited her families huge gothic mansion from her grandfather who she barely knows. The catch is she has to live there for one year to reap the benefits. Strange things happen at the house after dark, and you aren't to leave after dark and go outside. Girls have been going missing for years and people in town think it's their family taking them.
Helen was such a fully developed character who I loved so much. I loved seeing her faults and weaknesses and also her strengths throughout the book. I never felt bored even though this was a bigger book. I was on the edge of my seat and was actually a little scared reading it at night. The things that go bump in the night had me reading with the lights on.
The plot twist of this book was absolute perfection and I didn't see it coming, but yet it was so realistic that if I reread this I could see the clues. This had major Knives Out and The Haunting of Hill House vibes and I loved every minute reading this. The ending was exactly what I wanted and I wasn't left with any unanswered questions.
Seriously, if you want a good horror book read any of the authors books!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Definitely one of my favorites of the year!
Was this everything I wanted and then some? YES. Kate Alice Marshall knows how to write YA horror/gothic horror. I devoured this book, literally once I started reading it I couldn't stop reading it.
These Fleeting Shadows had everything I wanted, murder, mystery, creepy mansion, even creepier family members, and a curse.
We're following Helen who is a teenage girl who just inherited her families huge gothic mansion from her grandfather who she barely knows. The catch is she has to live there for one year to reap the benefits. Strange things happen at the house after dark, and you aren't to leave after dark and go outside. Girls have been going missing for years and people in town think it's their family taking them.
Helen was such a fully developed character who I loved so much. I loved seeing her faults and weaknesses and also her strengths throughout the book. I never felt bored even though this was a bigger book. I was on the edge of my seat and was actually a little scared reading it at night. The things that go bump in the night had me reading with the lights on.
The plot twist of this book was absolute perfection and I didn't see it coming, but yet it was so realistic that if I reread this I could see the clues. This had major Knives Out and The Haunting of Hill House vibes and I loved every minute reading this. The ending was exactly what I wanted and I wasn't left with any unanswered questions.
Seriously, if you want a good horror book read any of the authors books!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 2, 2022
I would describe this as horror mystery and it really worked for me! It was a great blend of the creepy vibes and scares that you would want from a horror novel, along with some thought provoking themes and character growth. Really enjoyed this one!
October 2, 2022
The eerie, twisting, haunting Gothic aesthetic and atmosphere that this story conveys, alone, makes it worthwhile. Lovely and immersive, I got sucked down the rabbit hole of Harrow from the first chapter--Kate Alice Marshall's writing is a joy to read.
September 11, 2022
spooky and sapphic, that's what we love
April 9, 2023
This was a slow burn story that descends into absolute chaos during the final chapters, and I'm kinda obsessed with how well it managed to switch up on me, dragging me along for the ride. The way it subtly twisted into this incredible feminist retelling of The Great God Pan was so clever.
This feels like a little bit of a mash up of the Inheritance Games (girl gets left a giant weird house, loads of money and all the family problems but she has to stay there for a year). Bly Manor (the girl of the house and the girl in the woods also they're lesbians) and just a little bit of Sandman (godlike entity trapped a big house's basement).
While the first half or so of the book felt quite slow, it was constantly dropping clues about what would happen at the end, and I think this is going to hold up so well to a re-read, rediscovering all the clues I missed the first time round. I'm going to be thinking about this book for a long time.
This feels like a little bit of a mash up of the Inheritance Games (girl gets left a giant weird house, loads of money and all the family problems but she has to stay there for a year). Bly Manor (the girl of the house and the girl in the woods also they're lesbians) and just a little bit of Sandman (godlike entity trapped a big house's basement).
While the first half or so of the book felt quite slow, it was constantly dropping clues about what would happen at the end, and I think this is going to hold up so well to a re-read, rediscovering all the clues I missed the first time round. I'm going to be thinking about this book for a long time.
July 10, 2022
I really wanted to love this story. I absolutely loved Knives out and Haunting of Hill House is one of my favorite books/shows. The comparison between this and that, set me up with high expectations. However, I felt like These Fleeting Shadows didn't live up to the expectations it set out for itself.
I really struggled to connect with the main character, Helen. I felt she was hollow at best. But it wasn't just her I had trouble connecting with. All of the characters felt unlikeable, even the ones I think we were supposed to like. Bryony was the closest character that could come to likable, but even that is a stretch.
The plot was...a lot? I don't know how else to describe it with spoiling it, but it felt like it was trying to hard to stand out by pulling a plot twist. And the twist makes sense, it was just weird. I wanted to read this book because I was expecting at best a quirky, gothic mystery a la Knives Out or a haunting ghost experience like Haunting of Hill House. But it was none of the things.
I did like the creepy, gothic atmosphere Katie Alice Marshall described. I think it created a spooky vibe that would interest some readers.
I really struggled to connect with the main character, Helen. I felt she was hollow at best. But it wasn't just her I had trouble connecting with. All of the characters felt unlikeable, even the ones I think we were supposed to like. Bryony was the closest character that could come to likable, but even that is a stretch.
The plot was...a lot? I don't know how else to describe it with spoiling it, but it felt like it was trying to hard to stand out by pulling a plot twist. And the twist makes sense, it was just weird. I wanted to read this book because I was expecting at best a quirky, gothic mystery a la Knives Out or a haunting ghost experience like Haunting of Hill House. But it was none of the things.
I did like the creepy, gothic atmosphere Katie Alice Marshall described. I think it created a spooky vibe that would interest some readers.
September 20, 2022
this was, unfortunately, disappointing—but nonetheless atmospheric, creepy, and powered by kate alice marshall's vivid prose. full review to come!
many thanks to penguin random house canada for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
many thanks to penguin random house canada for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 11, 2022
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ -- Love the cover on this one!
I loved every minute of this book. Spooky. Creepy. Atmospheric. Please, for the love of god Netflix, make this into a mini series!
I loved every minute of this book. Spooky. Creepy. Atmospheric. Please, for the love of god Netflix, make this into a mini series!
Read
August 17, 2022Dnf 50% I have never successfully finished a book by this author 😭
September 16, 2022
It's through tears I write this review.
This book was just amazing.
Helen is such an extremely relatable girl for me. Someone who always knew that people wouldn't love her for long enough to count and was so lost on why she had to be hated instead.
This mystery and story was so beyond heartbreaking and grotesque I loved it so much.
I am so glad I read this but I can't really tell you everything why for no real reason.
This book was just amazing.
Helen is such an extremely relatable girl for me. Someone who always knew that people wouldn't love her for long enough to count and was so lost on why she had to be hated instead.
This mystery and story was so beyond heartbreaking and grotesque I loved it so much.
I am so glad I read this but I can't really tell you everything why for no real reason.
September 16, 2022
Rep: sapphic mc, sapphic li, Black side character
CWs: gore, child death, blood, body horror
CWs: gore, child death, blood, body horror
September 8, 2024
Gothic and paranormal....I thought this would be everything that I wanted, but it was a bit too much. It wasn't a bit too much in the extreme sense. I don't want to give away spoilers. This book was well written, and I can see why many loved it. It's not my typical read. I didn't hate it, and u didn't love it. I went into it blind. I should've read the about, so that is on me.
February 20, 2023
Sadly not for me. I have really enjoyed Kate Alice Marshall in the past, but this one read way too YA for me. I'm not sure if it's different from the previous, or if I just don't like YA anymore. I found it to be overly dramatic, but still enjoyed the ideas. I think if this had been an adult novel with more focus on the Other and the mythology rather than the characters interpersonal relationships and who likes whom, I would have enjoyed it more.
November 23, 2022
4 1/2 ⭐️ This was a fantastic read. Dark and full of surprises with a well done lead character, plenty of villains and a sweet sapphic romance. I may write an actual review later but if I don’t, I highly recommend it to dark fiction fans.
January 27, 2025
A decent audiobook but a needlessly complicated and kinda gross horror. There were some good characters. Not her best.
November 22, 2022
I read These Fleeting Shadows this past week with the Horror Spotlight discord group.
I am such a fan of Kate Alice Marshall. Marshall's books are always so imaginatively dark. These Fleeting Shadows was weird and romantic and heartbreaking, and I loved it.
Helen's grandfather passed away, and he left her Harrowstone Hall and his fortune. There was a catch to the inheritance and the rest of Helen's family was left out of the will. There are a lot of family secrets in the Vaughan family, and Harrowstone Hall is a strange place. You can tell things definitely aren't as they seem. Dreams and reality intertwine in the halls of Harrow and in the minds of the people who stay there.
These Fleeting Shadows has been described as Knives Out meets The Haunting of Hill House which sounds lighter and more humorous than the tone we actually get in These Fleeting Shadows. These Fleeting Shadows is dark and cosmic and maddening. It's H.P. Lovecraft meets Arthur Machen meets Kate Alice Marshall. It brought back the same unsettled feelings I felt in Our Last Echoes. It's also Sapphic and beautiful.
I loved the characters in These Fleeting Shadows. I couldn't help but feel for our main character Helen. She and her mother fled Harrow when she was young, but Helen didn't know why. She grew up only having her mother and Simon (her mother's boyfriend). With the help of the Harrow Witch and her cousins, she slowly unravels all of the Vaughan family secrets during the time she is forced to spend in Harrow.
If you've never read Kate Alice Marshall, you can absolutely start here. It's a great introduction to what her books are like, and I think These Fleeting Shadows has a stronger ending than her other books. If you are already a fan of Kate Alice Marshall, this is a must read.
4.5 stars
Source: preordered purchase. This is a review of my reading experience.
I am such a fan of Kate Alice Marshall. Marshall's books are always so imaginatively dark. These Fleeting Shadows was weird and romantic and heartbreaking, and I loved it.
Helen's grandfather passed away, and he left her Harrowstone Hall and his fortune. There was a catch to the inheritance and the rest of Helen's family was left out of the will. There are a lot of family secrets in the Vaughan family, and Harrowstone Hall is a strange place. You can tell things definitely aren't as they seem. Dreams and reality intertwine in the halls of Harrow and in the minds of the people who stay there.
These Fleeting Shadows has been described as Knives Out meets The Haunting of Hill House which sounds lighter and more humorous than the tone we actually get in These Fleeting Shadows. These Fleeting Shadows is dark and cosmic and maddening. It's H.P. Lovecraft meets Arthur Machen meets Kate Alice Marshall. It brought back the same unsettled feelings I felt in Our Last Echoes. It's also Sapphic and beautiful.
I loved the characters in These Fleeting Shadows. I couldn't help but feel for our main character Helen. She and her mother fled Harrow when she was young, but Helen didn't know why. She grew up only having her mother and Simon (her mother's boyfriend). With the help of the Harrow Witch and her cousins, she slowly unravels all of the Vaughan family secrets during the time she is forced to spend in Harrow.
If you've never read Kate Alice Marshall, you can absolutely start here. It's a great introduction to what her books are like, and I think These Fleeting Shadows has a stronger ending than her other books. If you are already a fan of Kate Alice Marshall, this is a must read.
4.5 stars
Source: preordered purchase. This is a review of my reading experience.
September 10, 2022
3.5/5 stars.
Nicely spooky and entertaining but nowhere near mindblowing and a little juvenile at times. I really liked that it was sapphic tho !
Nicely spooky and entertaining but nowhere near mindblowing and a little juvenile at times. I really liked that it was sapphic tho !
November 10, 2025
4.0/5
This is a YA gothic haunted house story and I’m rating it on a YA scale. If I was rating it as an adult novel I’d give it a 3.0.
Kate Alice Marshall weaves a unique reimagining of Arthur Manchen’s 1894 novella, The Great God Pan. In this version, sacrificial women and girls are finally given voice and historically patriarchal assumptions are dismantled. There’s even a sweet little sapphic love story between witch and ghost thrown into the mix.
This is a YA gothic haunted house story and I’m rating it on a YA scale. If I was rating it as an adult novel I’d give it a 3.0.
Kate Alice Marshall weaves a unique reimagining of Arthur Manchen’s 1894 novella, The Great God Pan. In this version, sacrificial women and girls are finally given voice and historically patriarchal assumptions are dismantled. There’s even a sweet little sapphic love story between witch and ghost thrown into the mix.
June 14, 2023
”I promise to tell you the truth. But first, I have to lie.”
TW: adult/minor relationship, blood, body horror, child death*, confinement, death, gore, grief, gun violence, homophobia, human sacrifice, injury/injury detail, kidnapping, medical content, medical trauma, misogyny, murder, pregnancy, racism, violence, vomit.
I’m super bummed and conflicted on my feelings for this one.
I think a lot of that conflict is because, as much as I liked certain aspects of the book, I disliked the plot and the direction it took.
So, for example, I loved the setting. I love the spooky, almost-alive house and the nature-covered witch cottage.
I actually really enjoyed the cast of characters. Even those we despise, actually had a presence rather than just being ominous stick figures. And the characters we’re meant to love, were genuinely likable. The humor in this book actually cracked me up a few times.
I even liked the romance, which has been super rare for me lately.
However….
The actual point of the book, the reveals, the horror of it all… I just did not like it. I get what the author was doing and to some degree, I think they succeeded. But I also feel like this book wanted to be too many things and didn’t hit the mark with most of them.
This paired with so much violence (implied or otherwise) against children, was just… not a pleasant reading experience. I get that horror is meant to make you uncomfortable, but I really wish I had known going in that children were the main recipients of the violence and horror in this book. That’s on me for not checking harder for content warnings, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have a right to feel uncomfortable.
I’m sad this didn’t work for me, especially since I did enjoy parts of the book, but what I didn’t enjoy massively outshined the rest.
TW: adult/minor relationship, blood, body horror, child death*, confinement, death, gore, grief, gun violence, homophobia, human sacrifice, injury/injury detail, kidnapping, medical content, medical trauma, misogyny, murder, pregnancy, racism, violence, vomit.
I’m super bummed and conflicted on my feelings for this one.
I think a lot of that conflict is because, as much as I liked certain aspects of the book, I disliked the plot and the direction it took.
So, for example, I loved the setting. I love the spooky, almost-alive house and the nature-covered witch cottage.
I actually really enjoyed the cast of characters. Even those we despise, actually had a presence rather than just being ominous stick figures. And the characters we’re meant to love, were genuinely likable. The humor in this book actually cracked me up a few times.
I even liked the romance, which has been super rare for me lately.
However….
The actual point of the book, the reveals, the horror of it all… I just did not like it. I get what the author was doing and to some degree, I think they succeeded. But I also feel like this book wanted to be too many things and didn’t hit the mark with most of them.
This paired with so much violence (implied or otherwise) against children, was just… not a pleasant reading experience. I get that horror is meant to make you uncomfortable, but I really wish I had known going in that children were the main recipients of the violence and horror in this book. That’s on me for not checking harder for content warnings, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have a right to feel uncomfortable.
I’m sad this didn’t work for me, especially since I did enjoy parts of the book, but what I didn’t enjoy massively outshined the rest.
July 19, 2024
I really wanted to like this book, but it was not my favorite. It sounded like a great mystery/horror read but I felt disconnected with the story and the characters. It was still enjoyable.
Throughout the book it was slow paced and very confusing to me at some points. I did like the clues and the mystery about the Harrow house. The confusing and weird things that kept happening to the main character, Helen, kept me interested throughout most of the book but at times the pacing felt slow to me and I had to remind myself to keep reading.
The parts of this book that I really enjoyed were her interactions and relationships with Bryony, Desmond, and Cecilia. Helen's relationship with Bryony was kind of an insta-love romance, but I still liked it.
I think that one of the issues I was having with this book was the writing style and how confusing it was. On some of the authors descriptions, I could not picture the scene.
Although I thought I would enjoy it more I still recommend this book if it sounds like something you would read.
Read this book if you like:
-YA horror
-a good mystery
-plot twists
-sapphic books
Thank you Penguin Young Readers Group for an ARC.
Throughout the book it was slow paced and very confusing to me at some points. I did like the clues and the mystery about the Harrow house. The confusing and weird things that kept happening to the main character, Helen, kept me interested throughout most of the book but at times the pacing felt slow to me and I had to remind myself to keep reading.
The parts of this book that I really enjoyed were her interactions and relationships with Bryony, Desmond, and Cecilia. Helen's relationship with Bryony was kind of an insta-love romance, but I still liked it.
I think that one of the issues I was having with this book was the writing style and how confusing it was. On some of the authors descriptions, I could not picture the scene.
Although I thought I would enjoy it more I still recommend this book if it sounds like something you would read.
Read this book if you like:
-YA horror
-a good mystery
-plot twists
-sapphic books
Thank you Penguin Young Readers Group for an ARC.
August 14, 2022
Now this was the YA Horror I’ve been waiting for! It’s creepy AF and I had the hardest time putting it down.
Helen is forced back to her childhood home of Harrow. It turns out her sadistic grandfather put together an elaborate plot to get her back to the house after he will’s (he literally changed his will and then died) her back to take over as Mistress of the place. Now she’s forced to live there for a year but when things start happening and she starts losing time she becomes determined to uncover its secrets.
With the help of some unlikely friends, including the “Witch” of Harrow, there may be more than secrets to be uncovered. This was the perfect mix of thriller and horror. I was definitely creeped out throughout the story and would definitely recommend it for those who pick up horror during the spooky season! You will not be disappointed.
Helen is forced back to her childhood home of Harrow. It turns out her sadistic grandfather put together an elaborate plot to get her back to the house after he will’s (he literally changed his will and then died) her back to take over as Mistress of the place. Now she’s forced to live there for a year but when things start happening and she starts losing time she becomes determined to uncover its secrets.
With the help of some unlikely friends, including the “Witch” of Harrow, there may be more than secrets to be uncovered. This was the perfect mix of thriller and horror. I was definitely creeped out throughout the story and would definitely recommend it for those who pick up horror during the spooky season! You will not be disappointed.
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