I received an advanced digital edition in order to provide an honest review. Thank you to Inkshares and Netgalley for the chance to read and review!

VIOLET by Scott Thomas finds main character Kris Barlow and her daughter dealing with the loss of their husband and father in a car accident. As a bold move to try to reset their lives and get away from the aftermath, Kris decides to pack up her daughter and go back to the lake house where she and her parents summered many years before. Though the home by Lost Lake is the place where Kris said goodbye to her own dying mother, she has built the home up in her memories as an idyllic place to spend a summer.

From the very beginning, things do not go according to plan. It turns out that her father has let the summer house go to rot and it is in terrible disrepair when Kris and her daughter arrive. The town has undergone some disturbing changes as well, and Kris soon learns that the town has seen its share of tragedies, largely centered around children around her daughter's age. Things are not all as idyllic as Kris wants to remember and something evil has taken hold.

Kris loses herself a bit in the house repairs and investigating the downturn of the town, while her daughter Sadie plays and explores the house. Soon it seems that Sadie is settling in and getting better, breaking out of her shell of grief a bit more, but Kris senses there is something more sinister going on around her. Kris must begin to reconsider her memories of the house and the town and try to unravel the potential dangers to her daughter.

This book is incredibly well written! Scott Thomas has a way of developing an eerie atmosphere in his use of language that I loved. I wouldn't call this a fast paced novel, the language takes time to read and it can't be rushed, but it is so worth the effort. Heading into fall, this had the creepy and eerie vibes I have been craving! There were definitely a few few gasp worthy moments in the story which I appreciated!

This story involves a lot of mysteries which are uncovered as the story progresses. Each of the deaths in the book (Kris' husband and her mother, the idyllic lake house Kris remembers and the bustling vacation town of her memories) are fleshed out as the narrative continues with well paced reveals. The play on memory and false memories is something that I find very interesting in novels.

The writing style is very detailed and that may not be for everyone, especially if you are looking for nonstop action in a plot driven novel. I really enjoyed the way the language developed, building up the atmosphere and the characters. Though a slower read, it kept me 100% hooked to keep reading!

VIOLET is out on 9/24/2019 and I highly recommend you get a copy for a perfect fall read!

Reviews will be posted on 9/18/2019 on my blog, Instagram and Goodreads with publication day reminders on Instagram. Links will be added once posted. Retail site reviews will be posted on publication day.

Grief is a terrible thing. You can miss time/hours to grief.

In Violet, Kris Barlow is still dealing with the death of her mother three decades prior. Then when her husband is killed in a car accident - Kris returns to the first place that she knew hurt, pain and loss: the summer house of Lost Lake.

But something isn't right - there is a darkness and quiet to the town. The darkness of evil has blanketed the town and Kris and her daughter must deal.

Scott Thomas defies genre with this book. It's scary, it's emotional, it's powerful. He's someone to watch out for.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

DNF @ 50%

I was expecting non-stop creepiness and for things to actually happen. Got halfway through it and nothing happened at all. I’ve read over two hundred pages and was bored out of my mind because nothing was happening. Was not invested in any of the characters and just couldn’t continue.

What you get is a very simplistic backstory with hints of something lurking in the dark. Not for me and I’ll be taking his other book off of my tbr.

After reading the synopsis for Violet on NetGalley, I knew I had to read it. I love a good psychological horror, and this book seemed extremely promising.

The story starts off at an excruciatingly slow pace, and was packed full of unnecessary detail. I mean, did we really need an in depth description of how Kris brushed her teeth? Definitely not. For the first half of the book, I really struggled to get in to it, and was desperate for it to improve.

Well I certainly got what I hoped for with the second half. Once the story picked up, I really struggled to put it down. It became increasingly tense and unsettling with every single page, and was sending constant shivers down my spine. I also think that being a parent made Violet so much more difficult to read, because you see some of your biggest fears as a parent lived out in the book, and it certainly makes parts of the story rather difficult to read. However, there was one thing that did bother me throughout the entire book , and that was the way that adults were referring to parents as mummy and daddy, it had me totally cringing.

The characters were very well written, and explored in great detail. Kris was particularly well written, and the style of writing really made you feel as though you were inside her head, and experiencing the entire terrifying ordeal with her. The way Thomas portrayed the emotions of grief in Violet was better than any that I’ve ever read, and he really captured what it is like to lose someone who you love so much.

Although the start of Violet was a struggle to get through, the book definitely redeemed itself, and as a whole, it was a rather good read. The slow start will be reflected in my rating.

Thank you to NetGalley and InkShares for my ARC copy of Violet, in exchange for an honest review.

I give Violet 3.5/5 rating.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free e-ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review

Typically, I do not read horror novels because I am a scared little wimp when it comes to creepy things, BUT I gave this one a go because I just wanted to see if I liked it, and I DID.

There are definitely scary elements and parts where I got the heebie jeebies, but it is more of a psychological horror than a Boo! Scary monster under the bed, in the closet, around the corner!

I really did enjoy reading this story.

The characters are fun and believable. Sheriff Ben could've been featured a little bit more *wink* but that is just a personal preference.

The writing is extremely detailed, which could be painful for readers who want something more fast-paced. Seriously, the details of her cleaning the house inspired me to really get to cleaning up around my own place (I didn't of course, but I definitely thought about it more than usual).

I think what really impresses me most with this story is the ending. FINALLY a horror novel where I didn't feel like the author took the easy way out of things. It is difficult to discuss why I personally liked it so much without spoiling, so I will stop there, but I truly enjoyed it.

Also, this is my first Scott Thomas novel. If you have read Kill Creek, just be aware that this is apparently not the same exact novel. Shocker! I would think this is a good thing, but others seem to not like that Thomas proved that he has a range of talent with writing.

Overall, 4/5 stars. It was refreshing and something different than what I am used to. I definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a little bit of scary in their life, with just a touch of spooky and a heap of psychological trauma. Tis the season. Happy fall and happy reading!

Scott Thomas is a frustratingly inconsistent writer. Just like in Kill Creek, Violet has some sections that are brilliantly written. Unfortunately, he also relies on similes so often that they quickly became a distraction that completely removed me from the story on several occasions.

Don’t get me wrong, similes can be a great literary device when used sparingly. Sometimes, they even represent the best lines in fiction. But overusing them waters down their impact and shows that the author needed a literary crutch to get their words across.

In Kill Creek, Thomas used more than 700 similes (yes, it got so ridiculous that I actually counted) in 416 pages. That’s approximately 1.7 similes per page. There were even times when two similes were worked into the same long sentence.

I had high hopes that Violet would show Thomas stretching his wings. I wanted to see a book that contained his good story ideas and otherwise solid writing without relying so much on similes. By the end of the first chapter, though, I knew that Violet was going to contain just as many (if not more) similes.

If someone decided to make the similes into a drinking game, they’d die of alcohol poisoning by page 50. They are used so frequently, in fact, that I found myself rolling my eyes and cringing at most of them.

The few pages that don’t contain Thomas’ favorite literary device are very captivating and well written. Overall, though, I couldn’t enjoy the story because it relied way too heavy on similes to set the scene.

I really hope Thomas moves past this because I think he could be a truly amazing writer. It’s so important to keep stretching and not get mired in one spot simply because a book happened to become a huge hit after a major marketing campaign. Thomas deserves better. His readers deserve better too. A discerning editor could have turned Violet into a much more enjoyable read.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC.

3.5 ⭐'s To The Galaxy!!

I will open this by saying that I enjoyed this book!

I just noticed that many have opened and closed this book fairly quickly. So, I will warn you that this is a really slow burn, snail paced story...BUT, I promise it gets to where it needs to go. This is a lengthy wordy and detailed read, but it's not necessarily bad, you just need to give it time.

The elements of horror roll out slowly and quietly, but it all comes together. This is not jump out at you horror, this is psychological.

If you are coming in expecting Kill Creek, that's definitely not what this is. Not at all.

Scott Thomas wrote a very enjoyable book, it gave me a uneasy feeling as the tension built until I finally had to read through the last portion because I just wanted to reach the ending.

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Overall, I recommend this book. I will remind you to read this through and do not make comparisons between Mr. Thomas' debut novel and this one.

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I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Kris and her daughter, Sadie, go to Kris’s childhood lake house following the death of Kris’s husband. Kris hasn’t been to the house on Lost Lake since she was a girl close to Sadie’s age, but the house is calling to her. Like Sadie, she lost a parent as a child; her mom died of cancer in this house. Krissy Parker is now Dr. Kris Barlow and the house on Lost Lake has been left “to rot”. Kris and Sadie clean and mend, and bring the house back to life - in more than one way. Meanwhile, the adjacent town of Pacington is an eerie place where many young girls have gone missing. What is worse - the town or the lake house? Frankly, it is all pretty scary.
My favorite part of Scott Thomas’s second novel is Kris’s discovery of her mom’s favorite mix tape. Her mom’s favorite songs, perfectly separated by a 2 second pause, is a perfect soundtrack. I’ve been listening to a playlist I made of all these songs. Listening to The Killing Moon by Echo and the Bunnymen as the book concludes is perfection.
Scott Thomas’s first book, Kill Creek, is a terrifying haunted house book. This one is more of slow burn but equally as scary. And so well-written. If “literary horror” is a genre, Scott Thomas is killing it with his first two books.

It took me about half way through to finally decide I should stick with this book, due to the overly descriptive, long winded writing. After the midway point, it got better, the action and suspense picked up, but it was still very ambiguous and not a "horror" story, more of a when will we figure out what they are seeing and who it is story.
I have not read this author before now. It was just ok for me.

This was my first Scott Thomas book. I was immediately hooked. I loved the writing it was like a horror moving playing in my head. It was intense and had me gasping and creeped me out. Definitely recommend!

In the introductory letter to my advance reader copy, the editor talks a little bit about the horror genre and the glass ceiling Stephen King has inadvertently created with his legacy. How authors in other genres don't have to "compete" with an entity on King's scale in order to receive notice.

He's right and he makes a very valid point, with no fault owing to King. One of the earliest hooks King used that attracted me, and I assume other readers, is branding. No other writer at that time, to my knowledge, was writing the "everyday" into his stories. These were characters who drank Coke, who bought Charmin and Cheerios, wore John Deere caps. Most of all, to my impressionable 14-year-old brain then, was the use of music. Songs and lyrics were used not only within the story but as chapter intros and they gave a greater depth, meaning and relevance to the whole. One became the other.

In other words, King's characters become us, you and me. In horror fiction particularly, that is a very vital current to be able to tap into. In order for good horror to work, it has to find the current that runs through its readers to form a solid base while being unique enough to jolt individual paranoias.

And that is a loyal, strong bond only equally gifted writers can compete against. The publisher is correct when he states other writers within the genre have things to say. Modern, diverse, exciting, terrifying things that still feed on fears as old as mankind itself.

Yes, Scott Thomas is one of those writers and this book is an extremely good example. I've read reviewers who claim he is copying King. No, he isn't. As in music, there's a limited number of basic notes so too, in fiction, there's a limited number of themes. This book is a very powerful character-driven exploration of grief. I loved Kris and Sadie both. This is one of those rare books where there is no bad guy, no great evil but instead, just the various ways the mind can shift in response to the things we are powerless to change.

And there's a playlist. How I love a good playlist!

Scott Thomas’ new novel Violet is a slow burn that deals with hauntings on a new level. This sure fire hit should start cementing Thomas into one of the greats of horror literature for a new generation.

The story starts out with Kris and her daughter trying to get over the grief of a husband and father from a tragic car accident that has left the daughter somewhat mute and the mother anger due to the situation of the car accident. This is what the novel uses as a starting point.

The novel is a slow burn harking back to the days of gothic horror using environment, emotions and situation to build its horror brew. It deals with traditional hauntings but also hauntings of people’s own past and childhood. False memories and feelings are explored and Thomas does a brilliant job of dealing with go back to our childhood past which we may believe is idyllic but holds a darker secret when explored.

The characters and environment are fantastically described and the pace, although slow for some modern readers sets the pace and is better because of it. Every nuance and character study is explored and the feeling of loss prevails throughout the narrative. The strong characters lend support for this thought processed plot which is a rewarding read for people who like their horror more Hereditary than The Conjuring.

The plot is finely detailed and it is rewarding to find an author who takes their time and slowly unravels their plot without using violent overtures or shock value to get their point across. Thomas has up the ante since his previous novel Kill Creek and has given fans a new book written in a different vein. On a face value, this novel sounds intriguing but it is far more than its parts and this is a personal triumph for a writer already distinguishing himself apart from his contemporaries. He is like the horror version of Donna Trait which is no mean feat and he smashes this.

Overall, this is an excellent novel that works on the many facets of haunting and emotional grief. It explores the past and how it wraps itself around our present. We may try to run but the past is always there lingering slightly out of focus from the corner of our eye. This is one of my favourite novels of the year and I can’t wait to see what Thomas will come up with in the future because he is outstandingly good. A slow burn that delivers for the readers who want atmosphere instead of shock value, whilst twisting the knife to its ultimate conclusion.

You know when you're buddy reading a book with two buddies, and you leave them behind 'coz you just can't stop reading…

Violet is an incredible detailed story about a recently widowed woman named Kris, and her daughter Sadie. Both are grieving, and the slow pacing mixed with the heavy descriptions and overlong conversations only make the story feel more believable, as if everything is happening in slow motion.

This book was so creepy that I found myself often checking the door handle of my bedroom to make sure that no one was going to turn it.

This book gives me chills just thinking about it. I'd run a hot bath and read and have chills despite boiling myself to death at the time. It's way more than horror, it is way more than a cheap scare, it is as deep as Lost Lake itself. I need to get myself a copy of Kill Creek!

4 violets

Thanks to NetGalley, Scott Thomas and Inkshares for providing me an ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

Well crafted, this book gave me the heebie jeebies, and I could picture it as a movie. Newly widowed Kris Barlow needs to comfort her 8-yr old daughter Sadie, who is traumatized by the sudden death of her father.
Remembering how the family's summer cottage on Lost Lake in Kansas comforted her after her own mother's death Kris takes Sadie to the cottage for the summer. Here she encounters a litany of horrors including the presence of her long ago imaginary friend.
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and appreciate having had the opportunity to read it.

VIOLET is the second major release from Scott Thomas. The first being KILL CREEK, which I adored. I liked this book as well, but not quite as much.

Kris Barlow and her daughter Sadie have recently suffered a tragedy that will change their lives forever. Sadie has now gone from a lively young girl to a quiet withdrawn one. In an effort to take their minds off things, Kris decides that they will spend their summer at a cabin on Lost Lake where she used to go as a child with her parents. They discover the home in a serious state of disrepair which keeps them busy for a while and Kris begins to see positive changes in Sadie's behavior. When they go into town, though, they get strange looks; one townie even tells Kris she needs to keep a close eye on her daughter in this town. Not long after that, back at the cabin Kris hears Sadie talking and giggling and thinks she is finally on the road to recovery. But is she really? Will they get the emotional healing they were seeking? Why were the townsfolk acting so strangely? You'll have to read VIOLET to find out!

I love a slow burning story, (see my reviews of Straub's GHOST STORY and/or Thomas Tryon's HARVEST HOME), and this one does start off slowly-but I was all hey, no worries, it's cool. But about 100 pages later I wasn't finding it so cool. Don't get me wrong, time was spent describing the town and its residents, (fine) the complicated goings on within the Barlow family, (fine), but the incredibly detailed sanding of the deck and the cleaning of rooms? Not so much.

If I set that aside and just focus on the family mysteries and how they unfurled, I feel more satisfied. Mr. Thomas had me intrigued with the story, which is why I kept going, but even in that area, I felt like it took too long for anything of substance to happen. Lots of teasers and a little foreshadowing will only hold me for so long. When the action did start though, I was glued and I dug the denouement in a BIG WAY(!), I just felt like it took too long to get there and It pains me to say it.

One thing that worked for me on all levels is the music featured. (Kris finds an old mix tape and plays it almost continuously when working on or in the cabin). For me, even when the music wasn't mentioned, I was still hearing it in my mind, playing behind the scenes I was witnessing. I thought that was done deftly and I appreciate the skill required for it to blend in the way it did.

I seem to be in the minority on this book as most of my reviewing clan seem to have loved it. All I can say is, please remember this is just my opinion, and if you were thinking of giving VIOLET a try, please do! I probably just read it wrong. I DO recommend this book, in spite of the things I've mentioned, but I was hoping so hard to LOVE it, and it just didn't happen.

Recommended!

*Thank you to Inkshares and to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it.*

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It started off by grabbing my full attention. This wavered a bit, but I stuck with the book and it didn't take long before I couldn't put it down. You know how sometimes you're in the middle of a book and while you're at work, you keep thinking - I can't wait to get home and pick up the book? Well, this is that sort of book.

The story held just the right amount of creepiness for me. A widowed mother with a mysterious background, a grieving daughter, a house no one wants to live in, and an overall spooky town melds to create the perfect horror story. Woven into the paranormal are other aspects like prescription drug addiction, the death of a family member (or several), and how we all romanticize our childhoods.

I listened to the Audible version of Kill Creek, but this story is SO much better. It'll give you goose bumps.

Ugh I wanted so bad to like this one. When I read the creepy description, I was super excited. But it all just fell so flat for me. I mean, it was okay, I just had better and higher expectations. May try giving it another try in the future but I definitely wanted a lot more.

I did not like this book.
I know I'm in the minority, and I feel weird because it's rated so highly, but it took me forever to finish because guess what...
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NOTHING HAPPENS.

Kris cleans. Sadie plays with an imaginary friend. Town folk act creepy.
But nothing happens. Kris just cleans some more. Wonders where her pills went. Has a drink. Sadie plays with her imaginary friend. Town folk act creepy.

I enjoyed it at first. I thought it was almost like The Shining redux. With a really slow burn. A really slow burn. A really really really.... oh, so it's not really a burn, it's actually just maybe a smolder that doesn't ever take hold.

And then *BLAM* there's a confrontation, the big climax, and it's pretty good I'll give it that! Exciting, scary, confusing, satisfying.... and then a funeral. A slow, slow funeral. A bunch of nothing after. Nothing nothing nothing.

Obviously either there's something I didn't get, or the book just isn't for me. It wasn't bad enough for me to hate it because it had me going for a while, and the confrontation was grand, but there is nothing here for me to say "I liked it." So I have to give it 2 stars.

Many thanks to NetGalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I just couldn't get there. And I'm so glad it's finally over.
[I posted this on Goodreads but did not add it to my blog]

3.5/5.0 Stars

I cried, I laughed, and I cringed. VIOLET is the first book that I’ve read by Scott Thomas, and I must say, I really like his writing. KILL CREEK is the next book of his on my TBR list, and I can’t wait!

VIOLET is a touching relatable story that’s centered around grief. The only issue I had when reading this book was regarding what felt like a lot of added, unnecessary details, which slowed down the pacing quite a bit. This is my personal take on the narrative and other readers may feel differently.

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkshares Publishing for providing me with an advanced copy of VIOLET in exchange for an honest review.

So firstly, let me just start by saying that this was such an amazing slow burn of a book. The whole first half or so was such a great story of how a wife and mother, Kris Barlow, was working through her grief due to recently losing her husband while also trying to hold it together for her eight-year-old daughter. I loved the close relationship dynamic that Thomas developed between mother and daughter. ⁣
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She decides to return to her childhood summer home on Lost Lake, which was where she first dealt with loss when she had to say goodbye to her mother as her battle with cancer ended in the lake house in 1988. ⁣
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She hopes that by revisiting the once idyllic lake in Pacington that she will overcome her grief and help her daughter smile again. What happens is not exactly as she had planned. ⁣
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Upon arriving at the lake house, the sense of dread and an ominous presence is almost immediate. Sadie was both a grieving, innocent child and at the same time so creepy in the way her mother would overhear her giggling and talking to seemingly no one at all. Or so Kris thought.......⁣
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Enter Violet...spooky childhood imaginary friend extraordinaire! Then there’s the missing girls of Pacington. Where have they all gone over the years? And why is there a lady who stares out across the lake towards Kris and Sadie’s lake house? Things get really eerie really quickly. ⁣
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I gave this one four black hearts simply because I wish it wasn’t quite to slow to start out. However, once it picked up, the creep was real, and I had a hard time putting it down!⁣
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**This book was provided to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**⁣