I received an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review

I mean, “The Craft” already exists so none of this was necessary. Whatever compared this to “The Secret History” was smoking something, but it was enjoyable enough. Solid three. Passes the time but you don’t really need it

This book is listed as YA but to me it wasn’t even in that category. Our main character is an adult who reflects back on her youth. It read like a Ruth Ware book to me. The writing was beautiful and the story definitely grasped my attention, but again I wouldn’t categorize this as YA. I think sometimes because there’s a teenager in it people feel the need to have it fall in that category. Other then it being in the wrong book genre, I really enjoyed the story

"Every breath, every moment, possessed with an illusion of glamor, of filthy decadence, purely because it was ours, we two our own radical world, a star collapsing inward and bursting, gorgeous, in the dark."

I received a free e-ARC through NetGalley from the publishers at St. Martin's Press. Trigger warnings: Everything, probably. Death, child death, parent death, car accidents, rape, violence, violence against women, abuse, abusive households, blood, fires, drug/alcohol use, grief, mental illness, depression.

After a tragic car accident claims the lives of her father and little sister, Violet joins Elm Hollow Academy, an all-girls private school most notable for being the site of witch trials and burnings a few centuries ago. Almost immediately, she finds herself drawn to a group of three girls--Robin, Alex, and Grace--who are part of an advanced, secret study group with their favorite teacher, Annabel. Though Annabel insists that witchcraft is little more than mythology, the girls decide to dabble, focusing their revenge on the men in their lives who have wronged them.

The Furies fills a desperate need in the dark academia genre for female main characters, and it has almost nothing but powerful, complex women in it, along with a side wlw relationship. I love novels about toxic girl friendships, and Violet and Robin's has all the hallmarks of love, infatuation, violence, and codependency. While much of the novel is about revenge against men (some in particular, but also as a whole), it's at least as much about how girls relate to one another, especially at that age, and how nobody can mess you up better than your best friend. I don't necessarily like Robin (or Violet), but I can see why they're drawn to each other. It's Whores on the Hill with witchcraft (only not as good).

However, the book isn't as strong in other areas. The writing is distractingly pretentious, with adult Violet pointlessly reflecting on past events. This is par for the course in dark academia, but when I'm reading The Secret History or If We Were Villains, I know in my head that it's pretentious, but I don't feel like it is while I’m reading because it’s just that good; it isn't taking my attention off the story. The writing in The Furies isn't quite good enough to pull that off, and it just comes off as overly wordy and shallowly philosophical. It also circles back too many times to Annabel's lectures, which are repetitive and not terribly enlightening. I may have enjoyed it more as a teenager, but as an adult, I've heard smarter people talk about more interesting things.

The plot is a little shaky as well. The novel starts with the startling tableau of a dead girl posed on a swing, and it's an image that haunts the entire novel and will probably survive long after I've forgotten the rest of the plot (along with the image of a bleeding wych elm--awesome). I was still with Lowe when the girls invoked the Furies to take revenge on Violet's rapist, with interesting consequences. (Is it magic? Is it coincidence? I like that the book never settles firmly on either side.) But from there, it gets a bit silly. The bodies pile up as the girls grow more confident in their murders (because it's a gateway thing, apparently), and it's less believable with each new body. For all the time we spend sloshing around in Violet's head, there isn't enough motivation for all the deaths.

My sense at the beginning of the novel, when Violet utterly failed to react to the deaths of her family members, was that the novel was trying too hard to be edgy, and it's my sense at the end as well. Every character is high on at least two substances all the time, everything reeks of rot (what kind of place is this?), and most of the mysteries surrounding the murders are left as just that. It's a solid premise that doesn't live up to its potential, but it's a first novel. I wouldn't be opposed to seeing how Lowe's talent develops in future books.

I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to review this book!

I loved the synopsis of the book, but I didn't feel that the novel lived up to that hype. The first chapter was great, luring the reader in with the description of a dead girl on a swing. It was so visual and descriptive. However, from there, things just got muddy and complicated.

The book is told from Violet's point of view, but even from the beginning, it's clear to see that she has emotional problems. The only survivor in a crash that killed her sister and father, she is oddly detached from the accident and their memory. She is also not attached to her mother. In fact, she's almost sociopathic in the way she sees life. When she gets into the new school, she immediately teams up with Robin, Alex and Grace, the beautiful outsiders.

What happens next is a wild descent into the occult, but that seems like just an excuse for these teenage girls to exact their revenge on those that wrong them. All four girls are emotionless, except for Robin, who is nearly manic in her reactions to life around her. The novel dissolves into a state of booze and drugs, with witchcraft casually thrown in as a hook to keep the reader involved.

All in all, I honestly just felt that this was the story of four sociopaths that go on a spree to hurt those that slight them.

I so wanted this story to be similar to the movie, The Craft. If only it were. Oh well. I found parts of the story engaging, while the other bits were not interesting at all. I would have to say this is a mixed bag. The idea of the schools' history and the group's interest in witchcraft is fascinating, but aside from that their story itself was filled with too many predictable events and cliches.

Thanks to NetGalley for a Kindle ARC of The Furies.

First, I love the cover and I was seduced by the blurb and cover art which was the primary reason for my request.

After the tragic death of her father and little sister, Violet is set to an elite boarding school in an English coastal town. She is lonely, isolated and depressed.

Naturally, she is selected by Robin, one of a trio of girls the student body whisper about (like in the Craft).

What follows is magic, mayhem, revenge and death. Lots of death.

Yet, something was lacking.

First, there's no sense of place. I didn't realize the setting was in the UK until Robin said, "Fancy a smoke?"

Violet calls her mother 'mother' or 'mum' and this usage is inconsistently applied throughout the novel.

Where exactly is this school?

Violet doesn't board at school but returns home every night. Okay.

Second, Violet is a strange character. There's something flat about her affect. I understand she's depressed and lonely but she speaks in an almost formal, adult-ish way. It was hard to believe she was just 16.

The writing was good but not believable for a bunch of angst-ridden teenage girls.

Third, there are many triggers here including sexual violence, rape, and domestic abuse, but these themes were used to move the plot forward, not to make a point or use as a platform to empower the main characters.

Fourth, numerous scenes that featured the teachers giving their lessons were otherworldly boring.

I understand these digressions related to the myth of the Furies and the legend behind the school's legacy and what the girls' were planning but I don't read so I can feel like I'm in a classroom. I finished school and I don't want to go back. Unless it's for fun. Reading about learning is not fun.

Fifth, there was a lack of urgency. There was plenty of exposition and explaining and the girls hanging out but a serious dearth of tension.

When bad things happened, they occurred off screen, so the readers don't experience it first hand, only through the girls.

I loved the story of The Furies and the legend behind the school but I wanted more "The Craft," mayhem, darkness, conflict between the girls and their actions.

It was disappointing that the girls never understood the consequences of their actions, and I understand when you're young, you feel invincible. That nothing can touch you. That nothing can harm you.

In the end, it felt like Violet had never evolved. She hadn't matured or learned from her mistakes.

In a way, I felt Violet was more dangerous than Robin, and it would have been interesting to see this possibility more fleshed out.

This wasn't for me but others might like it.

(Mean Girls + The Craft) x Murder = The Furies
A YA page turner that readers will keep contemplating long after the last page. Perfect for fans of Ruth Ware.

On paper I should have absolutely loved this book, but something about it just left me feeling disconnected from the story. It follows Violet as she recovers from the tragic death of her father and younger sister in a car accident while also becoming the new girl at a prestigious private school. Once there, she finds herself embroiled in a group of girls and what follows is an exploration of the ways in which girls can impact upon one another at an impressionable age. Also, throw in a late nineties setting and a little bit of witchcraft and it should be a recipe for perfection, but it just didn't quite work for me. I really liked the writing, which was much more lyrical than I expected, but I think my issues were with the plotting, which seemed a little disjointed and haphazard at times. I also felt that some elements stretched the suspension of disbelief too far to be credible, which threw me out of the story. What I would say is that there is a real authenticity to the relationships between the girls at the core of the novel - so much so, that it made me genuinely uncomfortable at times how easily influenced they were by each other. I also thought that the author tackled some difficult topics with grace and compassion, but overall, I was unfortunately left feeling a little disappointed.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The Furies is a dark, beautifully written thriller about toxic friendship, loss and female power. Violet, the main character, hopes for something of a fresh start when she transfers to the exclusive Elm Hollow school in the wake of a family tragedy. Instead, she quickly bonds with a group of female 'outsiders', and their propensity for revenge, violence and an interest in the supernatural ultimately changes the course of Violet's life forever. Lowe has written a wonderfully dark and incisive thriller, which had me gripped until the very end. Reminiscent of Megan Abbott's work, as well as 90s classic The Craft, this is a gem.

The new girl Violet is a scholarship student at her new school and she feels very much alone. She is accepted by a group of three girls and can't believe her good fortune to have friends. There are hints about the girl she replaced but the only information Violet learns is the girl disappeared. What follows is a disturbing story about how easy it is to influence an unhappy girl into a life of drugs, drinking and calling upon the ancient furies to help them exact revenge.

The book is well written and the characters are skillfully crafted. I didn't care for total lack of morals most of the characters demonstrated.

I received an Advanced Readers Copy from St Martin's Press through NetGalley. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.
#Furies #NetGalley

A mad bad teen angst book with severe consequences for the hormonal girls who partake in a ghoulish cult.
Is it paranormal? Is it really the manifestation of the Greek furies enacting vengeance? Or is it the feverish violence of homicidal teenagers whipping themselves into a frenzy? That's for you to find out!
This is an excellent novel that I finished in one sitting, and I highly recommend for the YA readers who like it a little darker!

The Furies is a wonderful, dark and incredibly rich thriller/supernatural novel. The book is so well built and fast paced that I wasn't able to put it down till I reached the end. I was absolutely captivated by the atmosphere and characters.

Overall tells an interesting narrative with a complex main character and interesting surrounding characters. Most of the characters featured in the narrative are well fleshed out and have their own personality. Thoroughly enjoyed this one.

The blurb for this sounded great and I heard some good things from other readers, so I must admit I was a little disappointed.
Violet is 16, and after the death of her father and sister in a car accident and being home-schooled for year 11, her mother uses the insurance money to send her to a fancy girls' school with a reputation for excellence.
Violet is drawn to Robin and her friends and before long is part of their group of students receiving extra lessons from enigmatic teacher Annabel.
A lot happens in this book - witchcraft, murder, abuse, drugs and more but some how it didn't work for me.
The main characters (including the teachers and parents) are all quite unlikable. Despite being victims themselves, Violet and her friends don't elicit much sympathy.
There was something that felt a little too American for me to believe this was set in an English coastal town.
Some of the art and literature discussed was interesting and the premise is appealing but unfortunately this just wasn't for me.
Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced copy in return for an honest review.

I was sent this ARC in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley.

For me, the biggest sell of this book was the blurb. And I feel like it was one of the most trivial points of the book. The killer was unexpected but in the worst way possible because it didn't make any sense of the impact the plot.
The dialogue was unrealistic, the choice of tense meant that there was a real lack of tension throughout the book and overall my level of engagement was very low.
The discussion of domestic abuse, grief and assault were used to further the plot rather than inspire a discussion about them and although this is fine, I felt that the writer could have interwoven these themes in a more intriguing way.
I enjoyed the second half of the novel (after chapter five) but I was still disappointed because of the potential the book had. The ending just didn't hit hard enough and it felt like [author:Katie Lowe|14205906] ran out of time when writing.

The Furies is yet another book that I am always craving- the kind of book with teens, secrets, and horrifying revelations! This book kept me on my toes and put a big smile on my face. I know it's going to be a hit among the YA generation as well as adult readers.

I'm afraid this just didn't work for me. The topic has been "done" before, and better (see, for example, The Secret History, or the more recent If We Were Villains). Some sloppy editing bounced me out of the story as well. The author is British; so is the main character. Why then does she use the name Mom? If this was consistently applied, ok, but she alternates between Mum and Mom even on the same page, with no rhyme or reason for the switch, making me think maybe she'd been told to use "Mom" (for the American market?) and then the book wasn't thoroughly copy-edited. That alone wouldn't have turned me off, but the story never really took hold for me and I found it difficult to get through.

I was drawn to this book having enjoyed other books based on the myth of Furies. This, a women's cult and a murder mystery told me this would be an ideal reading choice for me. It wasn't. Here's why...

The magical ability of Furies is alluded to in a foggy way, using vague descriptions of rituals found in books and possible results of spells cast- it's down to the reader to choose between coincidence and direct impact.
The book is based around the wrath of women, their ability to exact violent revenge when slighted and how readily these acts are ignored.

Whilst I understand the need to fit into a group, especially for a teenager, the actions they become complicit in are extreme in so many books.
It bothers me no end that these characters dont seem to have a limit to what they'll do for acceptance. I would put this down to my age difference but even as a teen I thought the same way.
The Furies is a shining example of this point. Peer pressure and insecurity lead Violet to participate in all sorts of criminal activity, she knows its wrong but thinks little about the consequences before or afterward.
I found it very strange the way she consistently brushed off all sorts of traumatizing events with seemingly little ramification.

I wasn't a fan of the long passages of dialogue from teachers throughout the novel. I was never one for dissecting historical works in school and I don't really want to read random excerpts of someone else doing so.
Whilst I'm sure they held intelligent interpretations and added subtext to the overall story, in all honesty I had to skim them.
However these parts would definitely appeal to those who do enjoy art- it's just not my thing.

In 1998, in a Little town near the sea, a series of unfortunate events end up with the death of a 16-year old girl. She was found on a swing in the school grounds. Not known cause of death, no witnesses, nobody knew what happened.

That is what most people think, but now, several years later, we are going to unveil the mysteries behind this fatal event. Violet, our protagonist and one of the closest friends of the girl on the swing, is going to tell us how it all started and of course, how everything ended the way it did.

How far are you able to go for someone you love? Will this person do the same for you? Are you sure? These are the questions that we are going to face throughout the book. We are going to experience the pain of being the invisible one, and later, the fear of being rejected. A fear so intense, that you do not need to be drunk or drugged to do things you may regret.

Reading this book was not easy, it is so well and clearly written that you can feel almost everything that is happening. It is so beautifully described that you are going to feel scared, disturbed and unsettled, but this is not going to stop you from finishing the book. Lowe works out perfectly the balance between the thrilling mystery and the dark mythical artifices that when put together, create the perfect scenery.

Obsession, friendship, witchcraft and murder, a magnificent dark fairy-tale that will leave you wanting for more. Even if you know that you are going to make a terrifying discovery, “The Furies” will captivate you until the very end.

I would like to thank NetGalley, and Jordan Hanley from St. Martin’s Press for sending me the book and for giving me the opportunity to read this brilliant work.

This was a “coming of age” novel about Violet, an unhappy, lost sixteen year old who was the sole survivor of an automobile accident that killed her father and young sister. Her mother, a background character who had not been in the car, exists by drinking and self loathing. Violet gets a scholarship to an exclusive girls’ school and becomes involved with three other girls and a teacher who is espousing witchcraft. She is generally lost, drunk, stoned and distant from everyone other than her friends. There are deaths and some areas of self discovery. It is not a genre I generally read, however it is well done and I am sure anyone who enjoys skirting the paranormal will quickly become engrossed. Thanks to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC for an honest review.

Thanks to St Martin's Press, Netgalley and Katie Lowe for the review copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

'It is the actions of men that make them vengeful, not through mismanagement or absence, as the text says, but out of cruelty and selfish desire.'
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This book was great, a coming of age story with some dark magic thrown in the mix. The story centres around Violet, who is starting at a private school, after the unfortunate death of her Dad and little Sister. She meets a girl called Robin who she becomes instantly obsessed with, but Robin's friend recently went missing and weirdly bares a striking resemblance to Violet.
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What I loved about this one was at any one moment I couldn't tell what was going to happen on the next few pages, there was so many unexpected twists and turns, that I found it really hard to put down. Lowe really knew how to make the reader uncomfortable and portrayed the toxic relations between the 4 girls so well. I also loved all of Annabel's classes and the references to the fates and furies.
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This one is going to be released in October 2019 and I highly recommend you pick it up 😁