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All the Dead Lie Down
The Haunting of Bly Manor meets House of Salt and Sorrows in award-winning author Kyrie McCauley's contemporary YA gothic romance about a dark family lineage, the ghosts of grief, and the lines we'll cross for love.
The Sleeping House was very much awake . . .
Days after a tragedy leaves Marin Blythe alone in the world, she receives a surprising invitation from Alice Lovelace--an acclaimed horror writer and childhood friend of Marin's mother. Alice offers her a nanny position at Lovelace House, the family's coastal Maine estate.
Marin accepts and soon finds herself minding Alice's peculiar girls. Thea buries her dolls one by one, hosting a series of funerals, while Wren does everything in her power to drive Marin away. Then Alice's eldest daughter returns home unexpectedly. Evie Hallowell is every bit as strange as her younger sisters, and yet Marin is quickly drawn in by Evie's compelling behavior and ethereal grace.
But as Marin settles in, she can't escape the anxiety that follows her like a shadow. Dead birds appear in Marin's room. The children's pranks escalate. Something dangerous lurks in the woods, leaving mutilated animals in its wake. All is not well at Lovelace House, and Marin must unravel its secrets before they consume her.
The Sleeping House was very much awake . . .
Days after a tragedy leaves Marin Blythe alone in the world, she receives a surprising invitation from Alice Lovelace--an acclaimed horror writer and childhood friend of Marin's mother. Alice offers her a nanny position at Lovelace House, the family's coastal Maine estate.
Marin accepts and soon finds herself minding Alice's peculiar girls. Thea buries her dolls one by one, hosting a series of funerals, while Wren does everything in her power to drive Marin away. Then Alice's eldest daughter returns home unexpectedly. Evie Hallowell is every bit as strange as her younger sisters, and yet Marin is quickly drawn in by Evie's compelling behavior and ethereal grace.
But as Marin settles in, she can't escape the anxiety that follows her like a shadow. Dead birds appear in Marin's room. The children's pranks escalate. Something dangerous lurks in the woods, leaving mutilated animals in its wake. All is not well at Lovelace House, and Marin must unravel its secrets before they consume her.
363 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 16, 2023
162 people are currently reading
18845 people want to read
About the author
Kyrie McCauley
5 books348 followersKyrie McCauley spent her childhood climbing trees in dresses and reading books during class. She is the author of If These Wings Could Fly, recipient of the 2021 William C. Morris Award.
Kyrie holds a Master of Science in Social Policy from the University of Pennsylvania, and has worked in advocacy and development for non-profit organizations. She lives near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with her family, three rescue cats, and a dog that eats books and is never sorry.
Kyrie holds a Master of Science in Social Policy from the University of Pennsylvania, and has worked in advocacy and development for non-profit organizations. She lives near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with her family, three rescue cats, and a dog that eats books and is never sorry.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 844 reviews
December 25, 2023
Haunting by Bly Manor meets Shining with “the return of living dead” vibes: this brilliant and extra creepy gothic horror novel scared the living daylights out of me!
I loved the claustrophobic house theme! I loved the creepy sisters who are pulling the meanest and most terrifying pranks on their nanny ! I loved the dysfunctional family theme! And I loved each character’s unique way to deal with their own grief! Everything about this book makes your hair on your neck stand up, keeping you on your toes! At some chapters, I honestly wanted to crawl under my bed or hide inside my closet! It’s darker and more frightening wild ride than I expected!
Big twists and revelations in the end are also scream worthy and shocking!
Only thing held me back to give me five stars was instant love story between Marin and Evie. Don’t get me wrong; I never say no to good romance blended in gothic horror but it seems like romantic scenes abruptly inserted between high tension thriller chapters and even though they helped us take a peaceful breath after getting extra disturbed from the dark scenes, they also affected the dramatic impact just a little.
Overall: the conclusion was still good. Some twists were unforeseeable and shocking! Giving my four darkest, queer, gothic, living dead stars!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins Children’s Books/ Katherine Tegen Books for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
I loved the claustrophobic house theme! I loved the creepy sisters who are pulling the meanest and most terrifying pranks on their nanny ! I loved the dysfunctional family theme! And I loved each character’s unique way to deal with their own grief! Everything about this book makes your hair on your neck stand up, keeping you on your toes! At some chapters, I honestly wanted to crawl under my bed or hide inside my closet! It’s darker and more frightening wild ride than I expected!
Big twists and revelations in the end are also scream worthy and shocking!
Only thing held me back to give me five stars was instant love story between Marin and Evie. Don’t get me wrong; I never say no to good romance blended in gothic horror but it seems like romantic scenes abruptly inserted between high tension thriller chapters and even though they helped us take a peaceful breath after getting extra disturbed from the dark scenes, they also affected the dramatic impact just a little.
Overall: the conclusion was still good. Some twists were unforeseeable and shocking! Giving my four darkest, queer, gothic, living dead stars!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins Children’s Books/ Katherine Tegen Books for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
October 16, 2025
[this is me, bringing attention to one of my most underrated faves]
''The Haunting of Bly Manor meets [etc]'' could've meant unachievable expectations but Kyrie delivered.
Beautifully haunting.
''The Haunting of Bly Manor meets [etc]'' could've meant unachievable expectations but Kyrie delivered.
Beautifully haunting.
May 19, 2023
I’m going to admit that I was very bored most of the time but it still wasn’t a bad book, if that makes sense. Much more fantasy oriented than I expected instead of horror but since it’s YA, I should’ve known that. I wish it was spooky thought because it wasn't at all, it just felt rather stereotypical and flat. I also do feel like she was trying to make it like a lot of other stories. I liked the sapphic romance though! I think this is more of a 2 stars but.. I'm feeling generous today.
Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book.
Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book.
June 11, 2023
for fans of House of Hollow, Horrid, What Moves the Dead, A House with Good Bones, and probably more that my 12:30am brain can't think of rn because I stayed up to finish this super eerie, twisty, decently gory book! new favorite YA horror for sure.
November 13, 2022
**4.5 but rounding up**
What a twisted little thing.
“All the Dead Lie Down” drives us to a haunted house, or at least that’s what the locals believe, as Marin takes a summer job as a nanny for the two young daughters of her favorite author and former friend of her late mother. Battling the hazing that comes with caring for children she finds that some of the pranks are too frightening to be conjured by children and with the arrival of the eldest Lovelace, Marin uncovers more than just a few skeletons in the closet.
This very much feels like The Haunting of Bly Manor in a way that doesn’t feel like a copy but rather an unnerving tale of curses and family secrets against the backdrop of a gloomy seaside estate.
I really loved the build of this book as it lets you question how much if any of the creepy occurrences are real or just a bit of fun conjured up by a couple of kids who love torturing their Nannie’s until they eventually quit. There’s a few moments in here that I actually laughed out loud over the sass of the two girls and the exasperation Marin felt trying to keep up with them.
There was not a single moment or character that I didn’t enjoy as I raced through this book anxious to see how it ends and that was refreshing after a bit of a slump. I think the plot moved along nicely allowing this organic build to the climax and there isn’t a question I feel was left unanswered as I finished which I was a bit worried about as I went along as sometimes books or shows that try to capture that unnerving dread tend to do in the final beats.
Despite its May release date I think a hot cup of tea, wood wick candle and dark clouds outside is just what is needed before stepping foot into the Lovelace estate and all the fun it has to offer.
**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review!**
What a twisted little thing.
“All the Dead Lie Down” drives us to a haunted house, or at least that’s what the locals believe, as Marin takes a summer job as a nanny for the two young daughters of her favorite author and former friend of her late mother. Battling the hazing that comes with caring for children she finds that some of the pranks are too frightening to be conjured by children and with the arrival of the eldest Lovelace, Marin uncovers more than just a few skeletons in the closet.
This very much feels like The Haunting of Bly Manor in a way that doesn’t feel like a copy but rather an unnerving tale of curses and family secrets against the backdrop of a gloomy seaside estate.
I really loved the build of this book as it lets you question how much if any of the creepy occurrences are real or just a bit of fun conjured up by a couple of kids who love torturing their Nannie’s until they eventually quit. There’s a few moments in here that I actually laughed out loud over the sass of the two girls and the exasperation Marin felt trying to keep up with them.
There was not a single moment or character that I didn’t enjoy as I raced through this book anxious to see how it ends and that was refreshing after a bit of a slump. I think the plot moved along nicely allowing this organic build to the climax and there isn’t a question I feel was left unanswered as I finished which I was a bit worried about as I went along as sometimes books or shows that try to capture that unnerving dread tend to do in the final beats.
Despite its May release date I think a hot cup of tea, wood wick candle and dark clouds outside is just what is needed before stepping foot into the Lovelace estate and all the fun it has to offer.
**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review!**
February 13, 2025
☆5 STARS!!!
⁀➷🪦 oh, goddamn, my pain fits in the palm of your freezing hand. so the author crawled into my brain and wrote the entire book from there bc this had EVERYTHING I EVER WANTED IN A BOOK? oh my god, i have not loved a standalone book like this in a hot minute?!! i swear ever since reading a lesson in vengeance, ive been chasing this gothic sapphic novel high and now it’s finally been MET.
”there was no great mutiny within her at the surrender, no worry or fear. it was as simple as loving evie, and letting evie love her in return.”
｡ﾟﾟ･｡･ﾟﾟ｡
ﾟ。 marin blythe
ﾟ･｡･ she is me, me is she! her anxiety was so well written, and not in an overdone cliche way to fit the plot at all. i adored reading her monologue because in one way, the prose was so pretty, but the other way, some sentences straight up being ‘i want to kiss her’ is so unimaginably real and i love her for it LMFAO. ugh, she’s such a cutie, and her style is my fav thing ever!!
｡ﾟﾟ･｡･ﾟﾟ｡
ﾟ。 evie hallowell
ﾟ･｡･ when i tell you i will never get sick of the femme blonde rich lesbian trope I WILL NEVER GET SICK OF IT. she was so so intriguing, for a good portion of the book i was dead terrified she was going to betray us?? i think im traumatized by other sapphic books i fear… but NOO she was the sweetest loveliest princess ever, many kisses for her. plus, her style was GORG. i just know she’s beautiful.
romance! my bio quite literally says probably reading sapphic dark academia — of COURSE the romance was my fav ever?!! they were so cute, i found all their interactions to be adorable. the book was more romance heavy and the interactions could sometimes be repetitive, but truly IDC they were so gobsmackingly adorable❤️🩹❤️🩹 their interactions in the apple orchard, drinking cinnamon whisky together, playing piano in the library, marin’s snow white lipstick — the imagery was so beautiful it was tangible i swear?? i love lesbians!!!
plot! SO SO COOL. more magical than a mystery, but i loved it. the concept was very cool, and yes the plot was a bit slow imo, but i’m someone who loves character heavy books so not much of a problem for me!! from the moment the book started with creepy kids in a gothic mansion to corpses everywhere, yeah you got my attention… what. didn’t like wren at first and honestly was convinced the kids were demons, but grew to love the entire family ugh!! plus that ending had my anxiety bursting at the seams oh my GOD. i was genuinely terrified. i have faced too many tragic sapphic betrayals/endings, so for this to be a HAPPY ENDING?? IVE NEVER BEEN BETTER.
writing! prose was perfect!! appreciated how the story was cut up into 3 parts and opened up with quotes from literally my favs emily dickinson & mary shelley like??? yes get the sapphic lit women out here!! and how each chapter was named a nursery rhyme?? added so much to the spookiness!!
”how’s one to know, i’d meet you where the spirit meets the bones?”
overall…
def one of my fav books EVER. i will be thinking about it for a LONG time. this book had everything i adore from a sapphic couple, horror, supernatural powers, poetry, BEAUTIFUL aesthetics, a happy ending, and lovable characters?!!! also props to the author for writing actually cute outfits bc i swear some authors simply have no clue… ugh will be thinking of marin+evie, (THEYRE SO IVY BY TAYLOR SWIFT CODED.) will be thinking of them FOREVER.
——
rtc omg i love gothic lesbians so much
⁀➷🪦 oh, goddamn, my pain fits in the palm of your freezing hand. so the author crawled into my brain and wrote the entire book from there bc this had EVERYTHING I EVER WANTED IN A BOOK? oh my god, i have not loved a standalone book like this in a hot minute?!! i swear ever since reading a lesson in vengeance, ive been chasing this gothic sapphic novel high and now it’s finally been MET.
”there was no great mutiny within her at the surrender, no worry or fear. it was as simple as loving evie, and letting evie love her in return.”
｡ﾟﾟ･｡･ﾟﾟ｡
ﾟ。 marin blythe
ﾟ･｡･ she is me, me is she! her anxiety was so well written, and not in an overdone cliche way to fit the plot at all. i adored reading her monologue because in one way, the prose was so pretty, but the other way, some sentences straight up being ‘i want to kiss her’ is so unimaginably real and i love her for it LMFAO. ugh, she’s such a cutie, and her style is my fav thing ever!!
｡ﾟﾟ･｡･ﾟﾟ｡
ﾟ。 evie hallowell
ﾟ･｡･ when i tell you i will never get sick of the femme blonde rich lesbian trope I WILL NEVER GET SICK OF IT. she was so so intriguing, for a good portion of the book i was dead terrified she was going to betray us?? i think im traumatized by other sapphic books i fear… but NOO she was the sweetest loveliest princess ever, many kisses for her. plus, her style was GORG. i just know she’s beautiful.
romance! my bio quite literally says probably reading sapphic dark academia — of COURSE the romance was my fav ever?!! they were so cute, i found all their interactions to be adorable. the book was more romance heavy and the interactions could sometimes be repetitive, but truly IDC they were so gobsmackingly adorable❤️🩹❤️🩹 their interactions in the apple orchard, drinking cinnamon whisky together, playing piano in the library, marin’s snow white lipstick — the imagery was so beautiful it was tangible i swear?? i love lesbians!!!
plot! SO SO COOL. more magical than a mystery, but i loved it. the concept was very cool, and yes the plot was a bit slow imo, but i’m someone who loves character heavy books so not much of a problem for me!! from the moment the book started with creepy kids in a gothic mansion to corpses everywhere, yeah you got my attention… what. didn’t like wren at first and honestly was convinced the kids were demons, but grew to love the entire family ugh!! plus that ending had my anxiety bursting at the seams oh my GOD. i was genuinely terrified. i have faced too many tragic sapphic betrayals/endings, so for this to be a HAPPY ENDING?? IVE NEVER BEEN BETTER.
writing! prose was perfect!! appreciated how the story was cut up into 3 parts and opened up with quotes from literally my favs emily dickinson & mary shelley like??? yes get the sapphic lit women out here!! and how each chapter was named a nursery rhyme?? added so much to the spookiness!!
”how’s one to know, i’d meet you where the spirit meets the bones?”
overall…
def one of my fav books EVER. i will be thinking about it for a LONG time. this book had everything i adore from a sapphic couple, horror, supernatural powers, poetry, BEAUTIFUL aesthetics, a happy ending, and lovable characters?!!! also props to the author for writing actually cute outfits bc i swear some authors simply have no clue… ugh will be thinking of marin+evie, (THEYRE SO IVY BY TAYLOR SWIFT CODED.) will be thinking of them FOREVER.
——
rtc omg i love gothic lesbians so much
November 6, 2023
I received and ARC from Edelweiss
TW: animal death & animal corpses/decay, purposeful killing of animals, train accident (fatal), drowning, fire, murder of a child, gruesome injuries & dead bodies, light body horror
3.8
I think this is a perfect book for those who want to dip their toes into horror, and for those who like a healthy balance between a dark aesthetic and moments of hope and levity.
This book definitely enjoys a Gothic Horror leaning aesthetic, and the bones and the sprawling estate fit with greenhouse and ancient cemetery really make this setting feel real and get your ready for the story being told. I appreciate how much this is a "girl comes to be a nanny, is immediately isolated and over her head" classic piece of horror, but in a way that still feels modern even while leaning into that dressing.
There are a lot of secrets at play in this book and I think McCauley hints at them well throughout. The foreshadowing was sometimes a little too opaque, but all in all it was fun to find clues. I also loved the reveal of
I say this is a good book for beginners to horror and those who like a bit of lightness mixed in, because this is not a book that ramps up the tension consistently or takes itself completely seriously. That's certainly not a bad thing for everyone, but the inclusion of so many of those mundane and lighthearted moments more or less ignoring the strange and dangerous reality in front of them made it feel unfocused to me, and made the tension feel overly slack.
I also wanted to want to root on the romance more. In a two dimensional way it's cute, but it all felt so quick and uncomplicated that it really didn't match the tone of the main story and felt too much like it was forcibly becoming the "relief".
This is a creepy tale of possibly haunted houses, family secrets, and curses. There's a lot of fun to be had, particularly for those looking for a bit of a lighter start with the genre.
TW: animal death & animal corpses/decay, purposeful killing of animals, train accident (fatal), drowning, fire, murder of a child, gruesome injuries & dead bodies, light body horror
3.8
I think this is a perfect book for those who want to dip their toes into horror, and for those who like a healthy balance between a dark aesthetic and moments of hope and levity.
This book definitely enjoys a Gothic Horror leaning aesthetic, and the bones and the sprawling estate fit with greenhouse and ancient cemetery really make this setting feel real and get your ready for the story being told. I appreciate how much this is a "girl comes to be a nanny, is immediately isolated and over her head" classic piece of horror, but in a way that still feels modern even while leaning into that dressing.
There are a lot of secrets at play in this book and I think McCauley hints at them well throughout. The foreshadowing was sometimes a little too opaque, but all in all it was fun to find clues. I also loved the reveal of
I say this is a good book for beginners to horror and those who like a bit of lightness mixed in, because this is not a book that ramps up the tension consistently or takes itself completely seriously. That's certainly not a bad thing for everyone, but the inclusion of so many of those mundane and lighthearted moments more or less ignoring the strange and dangerous reality in front of them made it feel unfocused to me, and made the tension feel overly slack.
I also wanted to want to root on the romance more. In a two dimensional way it's cute, but it all felt so quick and uncomplicated that it really didn't match the tone of the main story and felt too much like it was forcibly becoming the "relief".
This is a creepy tale of possibly haunted houses, family secrets, and curses. There's a lot of fun to be had, particularly for those looking for a bit of a lighter start with the genre.
October 10, 2023
If you liked House of Hollow and Horrid then I think you will love this book. This was weird, unsettling, and just plain spooky. I loved it! I so enjoy books where the house is a character just as much as the people. The coastal setting was a perfect addition to the already sinister vibes. Marin, Evie, Wren, Thea, and Neera were wonderful characters and I found myself attaching to Marin pretty quickly. I was hooked from the first chapter and really couldn't put this book down once I got going. This was a perfect, creepy October read and would definitely recommend.
October 26, 2022
McCauley’s writing is as gorgeous as her story is gruesome, filled with a creeping dread that gets into your bones and holds you in thrall. Lovelace House and its creepy, charming inhabitants felt utterly real to me, and I held my breath through every step Marin took into their darkness. All the Dead Lie Down is the best sapphic horror I’ve read in years.
June 13, 2023
3,0 ✨✨✨
(Audiobook)
(Audiobook)
October 20, 2025
.𖥔 ݁ ˖ִ ࣪⚝₊ ⊹˚ 5 stars!!
⁀➴ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴀᴠᴇʏᴀʀᴅ ᴡᴀꜱ ꜱɪʟᴇɴᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀʏ ᴅᴏᴡɴ.
⊱ ۫ ׅ ✧ omg stop I love this book so much.
This has everything I love in a book, mystery, secrecy, plot twists, sapphic, isolated from society, eerie, gory, necromancy, walking dead, generational cemetery and house, the atmosphere was just top-tier🤌
⊹ ࣪ ˖ 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘥 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘳, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘸𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘥𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘵𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘭𝘺.
𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯, 𝘢𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘥𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘩𝘴. 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘴𝘪𝘻𝘦, 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘌𝘷𝘪𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘯𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘳 𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨.
𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳, 𝘯𝘰 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘳. 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘌𝘷𝘪𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘌𝘷𝘪𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯. 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘌𝘷𝘪𝘦'𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘬𝘢𝘨𝘦.
I adore these characters soooo much!!
I thought Wren and Thea were creepy at the beginning, but when I found out why, they were just looking out for Evie 😭🫶
Evie is possibly my favorite character, she was so brave with everything going on, even if she blamed herself, she kept looking out for her sisters and Marin.🥹🫶
I love Marin sooo much!! She never judged Evie or got scared away because of her. Did she feel hurt by Evie's secrecy? Yes, as one does. But she also understood why. And I also related so much to her constant paranoia, I also need to stop thinking the world is out to get me 😔✋️
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁༉‧₊˚.
ᯓ★ 𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦, 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘺 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘭𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘥. 𝘈𝘵 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵, 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘦, 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘮𝘪𝘥𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘢, 𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦. 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦-𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘥𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦, 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘴, 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘬𝘦.
𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘳'𝘴 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 -𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘴-𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥'𝘴 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘢𝘯 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘦𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳'𝘴 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘱, 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘴.
-𝘈𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦, 𝘙𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘦𝘮 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨'
꒷꒦︶꒷꒦︶ ๋ ࣭ ⭑꒷꒦
⁀➴ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴀᴠᴇʏᴀʀᴅ ᴡᴀꜱ ꜱɪʟᴇɴᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀʏ ᴅᴏᴡɴ.
⊱ ۫ ׅ ✧ omg stop I love this book so much.
This has everything I love in a book, mystery, secrecy, plot twists, sapphic, isolated from society, eerie, gory, necromancy, walking dead, generational cemetery and house, the atmosphere was just top-tier🤌
⊹ ࣪ ˖ 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘥 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘳, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘸𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘥𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘵𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘭𝘺.
𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯, 𝘢𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘥𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘩𝘴. 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘴𝘪𝘻𝘦, 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘌𝘷𝘪𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘯𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘳 𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨.
𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳, 𝘯𝘰 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘳. 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘌𝘷𝘪𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘌𝘷𝘪𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯. 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘌𝘷𝘪𝘦'𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘬𝘢𝘨𝘦.
I adore these characters soooo much!!
I thought Wren and Thea were creepy at the beginning, but when I found out why, they were just looking out for Evie 😭🫶
Evie is possibly my favorite character, she was so brave with everything going on, even if she blamed herself, she kept looking out for her sisters and Marin.🥹🫶
I love Marin sooo much!! She never judged Evie or got scared away because of her. Did she feel hurt by Evie's secrecy? Yes, as one does. But she also understood why. And I also related so much to her constant paranoia, I also need to stop thinking the world is out to get me 😔✋️
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁༉‧₊˚.
ᯓ★ 𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦, 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘺 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘭𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘥. 𝘈𝘵 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵, 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘦, 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘮𝘪𝘥𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘢, 𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦. 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦-𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘥𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦, 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘴, 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘬𝘦.
𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘳'𝘴 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 -𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘴-𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥'𝘴 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘢𝘯 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘦𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳'𝘴 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘱, 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘴.
-𝘈𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦, 𝘙𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘦𝘮 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨'
꒷꒦︶꒷꒦︶ ๋ ࣭ ⭑꒷꒦
April 17, 2023
Please note that I received this via NetGalley. This did not affect my rating or review.
I really liked the setup and reveals. A great LGBT YA Gothic horror novel! The main character and the house with the spooky estate was a great setting as well.
"All the Dead Lie Down" follows Marin Blythe who ends up taking a position as a nanny, to a family her mother knew when she was a child, the Lovelace's. Alice Lovelace, is a famous horror author with three children, Thea, Wren, and Evie. Evie is away at school so Alice needs Marin to help her with the children. The family is still recovering from the accidental death of Alice's husband, and father to the three girls. Marin though feels as if something is wrong at the Lovelace Estate. The woods seem dark and menacing. And the birds seem to die and then disappear once again. When Evie returns from boarding school, Marin finds herself drawn to her and to finding out what secrets the Lovelace's are hiding.
I thought Marin was a great YA character. Not a pushover, and definitely not a Mary Sue. She takes Thea and Wren on (dealing with awful pranks) but realizes that something seems off with Alice. She finds herself falling for Evie, but realizes that something is going on that she doesn't understand.
The other characters all have quirks and I love that we slowly get pieces to a puzzle that Marin is trying to figure out. I also laughed a few times (mostly with the little girls).
I loved the writing and thought the setting of the estate was very Gothic and spooky.
The ending was very creepy and I liked the final resolution. At times though you think that Evie and Marin could be a bit older, but you realize they are older in a way because of everything they have gone through.
I really liked the setup and reveals. A great LGBT YA Gothic horror novel! The main character and the house with the spooky estate was a great setting as well.
"All the Dead Lie Down" follows Marin Blythe who ends up taking a position as a nanny, to a family her mother knew when she was a child, the Lovelace's. Alice Lovelace, is a famous horror author with three children, Thea, Wren, and Evie. Evie is away at school so Alice needs Marin to help her with the children. The family is still recovering from the accidental death of Alice's husband, and father to the three girls. Marin though feels as if something is wrong at the Lovelace Estate. The woods seem dark and menacing. And the birds seem to die and then disappear once again. When Evie returns from boarding school, Marin finds herself drawn to her and to finding out what secrets the Lovelace's are hiding.
I thought Marin was a great YA character. Not a pushover, and definitely not a Mary Sue. She takes Thea and Wren on (dealing with awful pranks) but realizes that something seems off with Alice. She finds herself falling for Evie, but realizes that something is going on that she doesn't understand.
The other characters all have quirks and I love that we slowly get pieces to a puzzle that Marin is trying to figure out. I also laughed a few times (mostly with the little girls).
I loved the writing and thought the setting of the estate was very Gothic and spooky.
The ending was very creepy and I liked the final resolution. At times though you think that Evie and Marin could be a bit older, but you realize they are older in a way because of everything they have gone through.
February 5, 2025
4 / 5 🌟
“it was as simple as loving evie, and letting evie love her in return. marin broke to pieces in evie’s arms and found beauty in the wreckage.”
i loved this book a lot. it was atmospheric and spooky, but also cosy and romantic. it started off a little bit slow but by 15% things kicked off and never stopped to slow down, not even once. the plot was marvellous and executed very well in my opinion. you’ll love this if you’re an enjoyer of fantasy, horror or both. plus, there’s a sapphic romance in here too which gives it even more points.
“it was as simple as loving evie, and letting evie love her in return. marin broke to pieces in evie’s arms and found beauty in the wreckage.”
i loved this book a lot. it was atmospheric and spooky, but also cosy and romantic. it started off a little bit slow but by 15% things kicked off and never stopped to slow down, not even once. the plot was marvellous and executed very well in my opinion. you’ll love this if you’re an enjoyer of fantasy, horror or both. plus, there’s a sapphic romance in here too which gives it even more points.
October 21, 2024
This was giving gothic YA supernatural horror vibes all combined with a sweet Sapphic romance. Think turn of the screw meets night of the living dead slash pet Cemetery and you'll get the gist, but all with perhaps more of a spooky flavour and less of the graphic horror. Anyway, it was suitably creepy and atmospheric. It was perhaps a tad slow to take off and get to the point hence my lower score and for the first say two-thirds of this I was tad bored. The last part was fast-paced and it was my favourite part.
It's all told from seventeen-year-old Marin Blythe's POV who after the death of her mother is invited to spend the summer nannying for an old friend of her mother's Alive Lovelace. Marin with no place else to go jumps at the offer especially as she is also a big fan of Alice's horror novels.
Lovelace house is vast both inside and out. Marin's new charges Wren and Thea are intent on driving her away especially Wren who is bloody relentless. When Evie the oldest sibling arrives home from school ahead of time Marin is instantly smitten. But It's also not long before she realises that Evie and Lovelace house holds many secrets and these secrets could be dangerous.
So I enjoyed some parts of this more than others, it was well written and It did a great job at providing a suspenseful atmosphere. There did seem to be a lack of broader background included, so the nearby town and a lot of backstory aren't explored further which did let this down somewhat as we were very much operating in an isolated Bubble. The slow pace also wasn't conducive to retaining my attention and the last third of this was the strongest segment as a whole.
Don't go into this expecting some graphic horror-style read it's more subtle than that maybe macabre is the correct term here. It YA so plays perfectly for its intended audience. The portrayed romance was sweet and not in any way explicit and I enjoyed the bond that developed naturally between Marin and Evie. Their relationship was another plus point for me and it felt authentic. There were no great surprises here but I wasn't expecting there to be and overall this one was an easy read.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
April 17, 2023
Thank you HarperCollins for the ARC!
If there are three things I love in a horror novel, it’s the following. 1) A haunted house and an atmospheric setting. It creates a close, tense setting that ramps up the tension and adds a sense of claustrophobia that I absolutely love. 2) A romance subplot to temper the creepy. In the case of All the Dead Lie Down, the romance between Marin and Evie was realistic, emotional and full of sapphic longing. I loved it! 3) creepy children and a deer that’s *not quite right* aka creepy, crawly horror elements that mix body horror, plain unsettlement and nature elements. Needless to say, AtDLD checked all my boxes and I loved the story!
The pacing and characterisation was spot on and there wasn’t a moment I was bored or felt like scenes were unnecessary. Marin was a great MC and I really felt for her anxiety and desire to find her place in the world. She was both cautious and prone to worry and courageous when others were counting on her. I thought she was very well rounded and really enjoyed spending time in her head. I loved her blossoming relationship with Evie and thought their romance was both very sweet and realistic for their age. The mystery of Evie’s family was woven nicely in and I was genuinely shocked by some of the twists near the end. I’d highly recommend this book and a think readers who enjoy a bit of horror in an atmospheric, northeastern setting with a bit of romance will love it!
If there are three things I love in a horror novel, it’s the following. 1) A haunted house and an atmospheric setting. It creates a close, tense setting that ramps up the tension and adds a sense of claustrophobia that I absolutely love. 2) A romance subplot to temper the creepy. In the case of All the Dead Lie Down, the romance between Marin and Evie was realistic, emotional and full of sapphic longing. I loved it! 3) creepy children and a deer that’s *not quite right* aka creepy, crawly horror elements that mix body horror, plain unsettlement and nature elements. Needless to say, AtDLD checked all my boxes and I loved the story!
The pacing and characterisation was spot on and there wasn’t a moment I was bored or felt like scenes were unnecessary. Marin was a great MC and I really felt for her anxiety and desire to find her place in the world. She was both cautious and prone to worry and courageous when others were counting on her. I thought she was very well rounded and really enjoyed spending time in her head. I loved her blossoming relationship with Evie and thought their romance was both very sweet and realistic for their age. The mystery of Evie’s family was woven nicely in and I was genuinely shocked by some of the twists near the end. I’d highly recommend this book and a think readers who enjoy a bit of horror in an atmospheric, northeastern setting with a bit of romance will love it!
August 21, 2023
2023 reads: 259/350
4.5
shortly after marin is orphaned, she receives an invitation to nanny at lovelace house. with nowhere else to go, marin accepts, but quickly realizes the girls are quite odd. then, the eldest daughter returns from school, and marin feels a strong pull toward her. but marin still can’t shake the anxiety about all the strange happenings around the house, and has to wonder if this job is worth it.
i don’t know what exactly makes creepy kids such a good horror theme, but i think this part of the book was so good. one girl is doing everything in her power to get marin to leave, and the other is much nicer, but still really creepy. i also loved the setting and how perfectly it tied into the spooky theme.
i highly recommend to anyone interested in a sapphic gothic book.
4.5
shortly after marin is orphaned, she receives an invitation to nanny at lovelace house. with nowhere else to go, marin accepts, but quickly realizes the girls are quite odd. then, the eldest daughter returns from school, and marin feels a strong pull toward her. but marin still can’t shake the anxiety about all the strange happenings around the house, and has to wonder if this job is worth it.
i don’t know what exactly makes creepy kids such a good horror theme, but i think this part of the book was so good. one girl is doing everything in her power to get marin to leave, and the other is much nicer, but still really creepy. i also loved the setting and how perfectly it tied into the spooky theme.
i highly recommend to anyone interested in a sapphic gothic book.
November 11, 2022
Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins Publishing for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Marin fell of the stupid tree and hit every branch on the way down.
The little girls' characters were stereotypical and over-the-top. Instead of making them creepy, it made them tacky.
A lot of unrealistic situations, especially the behavior of the characters. The dialogue was ridiculous at times.
By the end of part two, I was begging this book to end already.
It came off as a Bly Manor rip-off at the beginning, but the story improved a bit. It was still very predictable and cliché.
Decent spooky moments.
The romance wasn't bad.
Evie was pretty much the only likeable character.
Very atmospheric.
Short chapters.
Marin fell of the stupid tree and hit every branch on the way down.
The little girls' characters were stereotypical and over-the-top. Instead of making them creepy, it made them tacky.
A lot of unrealistic situations, especially the behavior of the characters. The dialogue was ridiculous at times.
By the end of part two, I was begging this book to end already.
It came off as a Bly Manor rip-off at the beginning, but the story improved a bit. It was still very predictable and cliché.
Decent spooky moments.
The romance wasn't bad.
Evie was pretty much the only likeable character.
Very atmospheric.
Short chapters.
August 17, 2023
If you liked What Moves the Dead by T Kingfisher, House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin Craig I think you’ll really like this one.
I loved the macabre elements of death, grief, and a creepy historical New England house with SUCH a creepy family 😂 the plot twists were wild
I loved the macabre elements of death, grief, and a creepy historical New England house with SUCH a creepy family 😂 the plot twists were wild
June 2, 2023
A thrilling and creepy YA read. Marin finds herself working for a distant family friend of her mother's. There is something off at Lovelace House, though, and Marin is determined to find out if it's the house or the family.
May 16, 2023
Pitched as The Haunting of Bly Manor meets House of Salt and Shadows, All the Dead Lie Down is a title with a romantic gothic plot line that immediately grabbed my attention when I noticed it on NetGalley. However, this book unfortunately ended up not being for me. While the book feels quite slow overall, I appreciated its easy prose and enjoyed reading from the main character’s point of view.
An aspect that took me out multiple times was that the teen characters often had dialogue that made them sound much older, while the children characters were more inconsistent, at times seeming very much their young age and other times sounding more like teenagers. The time period and general setting also felt vague and hard to pin down. I assumed it was present day, especially since there is a line referencing the band, Paramore but then other little details like how they dressed, manner of speech, and way of life felt archaic at times.
Another disappointing element was the forced romance. The main character had little chemistry with the love interest, other than immediately being obsessed with her lips and acting like a lovesick puppy the minute she showed up.
Overall, I feel like the synopsis didn’t match what the novel actually delivered and I was expecting something much more atmospheric and creepy. All The Dead Lie Down might be something I’d recommend to a reader who had never read in the paranormal realm before but other than that, I’d say skip this one.
Thanks to NetGalley and Katherine Tegen Books for providing me with a digital copy in exchange for review.
An aspect that took me out multiple times was that the teen characters often had dialogue that made them sound much older, while the children characters were more inconsistent, at times seeming very much their young age and other times sounding more like teenagers. The time period and general setting also felt vague and hard to pin down. I assumed it was present day, especially since there is a line referencing the band, Paramore but then other little details like how they dressed, manner of speech, and way of life felt archaic at times.
Another disappointing element was the forced romance. The main character had little chemistry with the love interest, other than immediately being obsessed with her lips and acting like a lovesick puppy the minute she showed up.
Overall, I feel like the synopsis didn’t match what the novel actually delivered and I was expecting something much more atmospheric and creepy. All The Dead Lie Down might be something I’d recommend to a reader who had never read in the paranormal realm before but other than that, I’d say skip this one.
Thanks to NetGalley and Katherine Tegen Books for providing me with a digital copy in exchange for review.
May 18, 2023
“Everyone’s grief looks different.”
Either a 4 or a 4.5 star read for me; I haven't quite made up my mind. I was hooked on the idea of The Haunting of Bly Manor in bookform, and I loved Kyrie McCauley's If These Wings Could Fly, so I had high hopes for this one.All the Dead Lie Down lived up to most of those and was a few tweaks away form a 5-star favourite.
Still a fantastic YA novel that mixes grief, horror and romance, dripping with gothic atmosphere and characters I won't forget.
Full review to come.
Either a 4 or a 4.5 star read for me; I haven't quite made up my mind. I was hooked on the idea of The Haunting of Bly Manor in bookform, and I loved Kyrie McCauley's If These Wings Could Fly, so I had high hopes for this one.All the Dead Lie Down lived up to most of those and was a few tweaks away form a 5-star favourite.
Still a fantastic YA novel that mixes grief, horror and romance, dripping with gothic atmosphere and characters I won't forget.
Full review to come.
September 20, 2023
If you love a book with necromancy, creepy houses, the walking dead (not the show), witty troublesome kids, and a wonderful sapphic romance? Pick up this book as soon as you can! I know it says I’ve been reading this for longer than the 3 sittings it took me to finish this book, but it was truly so compelling! My god! Another amazing queer spooky season read!
January 12, 2023
Remember I told you guys I was looking for a fantasy book that blows my mind? I think I got it!
The book takes you on a ride within the Lovelace house. A combination of magic and horror, the book is about Marin who receives a letter to be a nanny at Lovelace House. Now that she has lost everything, this seems like a good start. But the girls are weird and there is something unnerving about the house. 🏡. As she is settling down, the level of incidents occurring at the house increases with the return of the eldest daughter. The game of death and shadows has begun!
I loved the whole plot for all its detailed descriptions and inter-relationships between the characters. Also, you might be thinking that there are not many twists, but I can assure you the second half is filled with them. What's more to adore? a secret fondness budding between two poles apart characters.
Thank you @this_is_edelweiss @kyriemccauley @harperteen @epicreads for the Digital ARC.
Genre: #horror #fantasy #ya #lgbt
Rating: 5/5
The book takes you on a ride within the Lovelace house. A combination of magic and horror, the book is about Marin who receives a letter to be a nanny at Lovelace House. Now that she has lost everything, this seems like a good start. But the girls are weird and there is something unnerving about the house. 🏡. As she is settling down, the level of incidents occurring at the house increases with the return of the eldest daughter. The game of death and shadows has begun!
I loved the whole plot for all its detailed descriptions and inter-relationships between the characters. Also, you might be thinking that there are not many twists, but I can assure you the second half is filled with them. What's more to adore? a secret fondness budding between two poles apart characters.
Thank you @this_is_edelweiss @kyriemccauley @harperteen @epicreads for the Digital ARC.
Genre: #horror #fantasy #ya #lgbt
Rating: 5/5
July 23, 2023
4.5/5 stars
i need everyone and their mothers to read this book NOW. sapphic gothic horror excellence is here!
i need everyone and their mothers to read this book NOW. sapphic gothic horror excellence is here!
September 28, 2025
I am obsessed with this book—from beginning to end.
Cozy horror and wuhluwuh romance, woven into a dark gothic family mystery—and it’s absolutely beautifully done!
The characters are sweet like cinnamon, some are intriguing, some horrible, others lovable.
Did I mention already that I’m OBSESSED with this book? Okay. I'm glad you noticed.
(The only part that didn’t quite work for me was the short zombie walk scene. It fit the plot, but for me it didn’t match the vibe.)
Cozy horror and wuhluwuh romance, woven into a dark gothic family mystery—and it’s absolutely beautifully done!
The characters are sweet like cinnamon, some are intriguing, some horrible, others lovable.
Did I mention already that I’m OBSESSED with this book? Okay. I'm glad you noticed.
(The only part that didn’t quite work for me was the short zombie walk scene. It fit the plot, but for me it didn’t match the vibe.)
June 20, 2023
Deeply atmospheric, wonderfully twisted and surprisingly tender, All the Dead Lie Down was a beautifully twisted, dark and haunting story of the love between family, sisters and two girls drawn together by curses and secrets. This is my second book by Kyrie McCauley and it certainly won't be my last. She has a true talent for story telling and I can't wait to read whatever story she decides to tell next.
TW: panic attacks, anxiety
TW: panic attacks, anxiety
November 9, 2023
“All women have a goth phase, we all need to mourn. Some of us just choose to show it on the outside.”
🎧Listened via audiobook🎧
All the Dead Lie Down follows the story of Marin who becomes the nanny to her mother's former childhood friend/famous horror novelist. It is set in a crumbling, Gothic seaside mansion with two feral little girls as her charges. Soon, their older sister returns from boarding school and Marin and Evie find themselves drawn into each other's orbits.
The atmosphere in this book was the perfect eerie setting for a spine chilling horror novel. I loved the way that everything slowly unraveled as Marin unfurled the mysteries of the Lovelace family. Her romance with Evie was soft and tender, and it was so sweet seeing the two girls band together to protect the younger sisters. The horror aspect slowly unfurled and was cleverly done. The ramifications of Evie's power slowly lead to escalating horror and gore. This was a great YA horror read!
Hear more of my thoughts in my October Wrap Up on my BookTube channel!
🎧Listened via audiobook🎧
All the Dead Lie Down follows the story of Marin who becomes the nanny to her mother's former childhood friend/famous horror novelist. It is set in a crumbling, Gothic seaside mansion with two feral little girls as her charges. Soon, their older sister returns from boarding school and Marin and Evie find themselves drawn into each other's orbits.
The atmosphere in this book was the perfect eerie setting for a spine chilling horror novel. I loved the way that everything slowly unraveled as Marin unfurled the mysteries of the Lovelace family. Her romance with Evie was soft and tender, and it was so sweet seeing the two girls band together to protect the younger sisters. The horror aspect slowly unfurled and was cleverly done. The ramifications of Evie's power slowly lead to escalating horror and gore. This was a great YA horror read!
Hear more of my thoughts in my October Wrap Up on my BookTube channel!
January 10, 2025
An eerie, twisted tale that submerges you alongside the main character, Marin - and it won’t let you up for air until the very last page. This isn’t an in-your-face-horror, it’s more of a creeping unease and sense of dread that builds as the story goes. There were a lot of plot twists that I didn’t see coming, each darker than the last. The romance was really sweet, and brought a lot of levity to the story, although I wish I could have seen even more depth from Marin and Evie. I also kind of wanted the story to lean more into the creepier aspects, but I still appreciate the subtle terrors of Lovelace House. Overall, All the Dead Lie Down was the perfect read for spooky season.
November 19, 2024
This was a pretty good book but a little slow to start. I enjoyed the story overall and the mysteries that were unraveled through out the book. I must say though that the romance just wasn’t hitting for me, the author just didn’t write it in a way that gave it enough emotional depth. It just seemed rushed and kind of shallow for them to become that enthralled with one another so quickly…
The ending was pretty good and thrilling though. The only problem I had with the ending was that the magic system was suddenly all over the place and really hard follow/understand how it worked especially toward the very end.
The ending was pretty good and thrilling though. The only problem I had with the ending was that the magic system was suddenly all over the place and really hard follow/understand how it worked especially toward the very end.
August 26, 2023
I devoured this book. This type of story is why I read. The writing was pretty good but could have been more complex at times. I love the title and cover. There were a few things that were unnecessary, leading to my 4 star review instead of 5. I will keep my eye on this author.
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