I loved this book! It's well-written, enjoyable, and a great read. Kate Moretti did a great job of writing in a way that captures the readers attention, and makes you not want to put it down until you're finished! I would highly recommend it!

What an absolutely amazing gothic thriller. I was caught up immediately and read it almost straight through.

"Girls of Brackenhill" by Kate Moretti is a psychological thriller that weaves together family secrets and mysterious events in a Gothic setting. The novel introduces an atmospheric landscape with the imposing Brackenhill mansion, but the suspenseful promise is occasionally undermined by pacing issues. The characters, while interesting, lack certain dimensions that would make them more relatable or memorable. The plot, while gripping at times, is burdened by some predictable elements that may lessen the overall impact for seasoned thriller enthusiasts. Despite these shortcomings, Moretti successfully creates a haunting atmosphere and delivers some unexpected twists that keep the reader engaged in the unfolding mystery.

3 stars

I always look forward to reading Kate Moretti and Girls of Brackenhill provided me with an amazingly gothic and eerie tale of sisters, secrets, and a creepy old castle. There are quite a few moving parts in this story, and while I did see some things coming so it wasn't as twisty as I had hoped it would be, it was still everything else I could want. There is a ghost story side that I truly loved, and I don't think the basement rooms of Brackenhill will ever leave my mind. The book alternates between Hannah's viewpoint in both past and present, and through "then" chapters we come to understand what her relationship was like with her sister and what their home life was like. There are some heartbreaking aspects to the story to be sure, but the supernatural elements and mystery are the larger chunks of what makes the plot.

The audiobook is on Kindle Unlimited so I obviously couldn't resist grabbing that, and I really enjoyed listening to Sarah Mollo-Christensen. While I wouldn't rank this in my top 10 as far as audiobooks go, it was still very, very good, and I really enjoyed the narration. I do have to say that I was a little disappointed by the loose ends that were left at the end, and I would have loved some explanation on more than one thing. For someone who prefers closure over ambiguousness, I was left a little unsatisfied, but I don't think everyone is going to have this problem. I thought Girls of Brackenhill was a slower burn as opposed to being fast-paced but it fit the storyline perfectly and I honestly wouldn't have had it any other way. Another stunner from Moretti with a gorgeous cover to boot, and I can't wait to see what's coming for us in her next novel!

It was a great thriller story. I loved the plot and characters. I wanted a bit more of an ending. This wasn't really a thriller as much as a slow-burn mystery with more questions than answers at the end.

I was so excited to read this book!! I love mysteries and thrillers and this one did not disappoint!! Thank you net galley for this advanced copy!! I was very invested in the story and loved the twists.

Hannah’s family own a castle that has been in their family for generations and it’s haunted – maybe. The estate seems to have a mind of its own with rooms and hallways appearing and disappearing randomly.

Hannah’s aunt dies in a car crash leaving behind her terminally ill husband. So Hannah goes over to the castle to arrange her aunt’s funeral and a care home or hospice for her uncle. This is the first time Hannah has returned to the castle since she was a child when she and her sister used to summer there every year. Until her sister disappeared and was never heard from again, nor her body found.

When Hannah returns, she starts to remember things long forgotten and then starts asking the locals questions about her aunt when human remains are found on the estate grounds. What happened to Hannah’s sister and what secrets were her aunt hiding?

I gave this book 4 stars, honestly, it was probably more like 3.5 but I rounded up because it felt nearer the 4 than 3. The way the story builds around Hannah is really good and I liked Hannah as a character. I enjoyed the way things unravelled. However, I did start to suspect the twist about two-thirds of the way in. Which is probably just enough for it not to annoy me whilst making me feel smart for figuring it out. The atmosphere was good and I really liked the eerie basement with an uncertain number of rooms and doors. However, what the ‘haunted house’ feel reminded me of was another book I read that year called ‘It Will Just Be Us’ by Jo Kaplan where the haunted house is much more creepy, as is the story as a whole. That being said the building of the story and the intrigue were well done and I would be interested in reading more by Kate Moretti.

One of my favorite books by this author. I love when the past and present intersect in a way that makes us question what we remember.

I’ve enjoyed the authors books in the past and found her writing to be strong but this one wasn’t up to par for me. It felt disjointed and I was never connected

This was such a hard one to rate as the mystery was going well until the end when I was left with several unanswered questions. I also wasn’t that keen on the dialogue as some lines had me scratching my head in confusion as it didn’t sound like the way people speak.

Did not finish. I could not connect with Girls of Brackenhill by Kate Moretti. I will not be reading/finishing this one. Thank you, netgalley and publisher for the early copy!

With the death of her aunt, Hannah returns to the castle she spent summers during her teenage years. This was the site of the most tragic event of her youth - the disappearance of her sister. When human bones are found on the grounds, Hannah becomes determined to find out who the identity of the body as well as uncover other mysteries of the castle.

Unlikeable characters that are compensated for through the haunted, atmospheric feel of the novel. I loved that! Although the story lacked some originality as I feel I’ve read versions of this storyline in other books, it was still interesting, I love a book with a haunted theme!

I really wanted to love this book, but I just didn’t. The characters weren’t very likable and the story felt too drawn out at times, but then rushed the next. I felt there were a lot of inconsistencies with the story as well. Overall not a fan.

I am always a push over for a good gothic ! Kaye Moretti gives us just that written in dual timeline. Perfectly paced and excellent writing.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read and review this book. While this title is no longer within the realm of my current reading interests I appreciate the opportunity in receiving an ARC.

I had a hard time putting this book down! Hannah receives a call that her aunt has been in a car accident and she needs to come quickly. Hannah used to spend every summer at her aunt's home, Brackenhill, but after a tragedy they grew apart. When Hannah returns to Brackenhill she's confronted with reminders of her past and begins to unravel the mystery of what happened to her older sister.
This book is told in multiple time frames so it's easy to understand what happened in the past and how that affects the now. I did feel that the main character was a bit flighty but overall it did not affect my enjoyment of the book.
I definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys am engaging thriller.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Kate Moretti should teach a class on "how to grab your reader in seven words or less" because WOW. From the beginning I was hooked on this story. This is a slow burn so if you're looking for a quick thriller this would probably not be the first I'd recommend. This also has some trigger warnings that should be introduced early on: pedophilia and sexual assault.

While this started out VERY strong, I do think it lost a little muster at the end, which seemed a little too far-fetched for my taste. However, it is solid all the way through.

I received an advance copy; all thoughts are my own.

Part suspense thriller, part ghost story, this is not what I expected. After having read two other novels by this author, both more pure thrillers, this one took me by surprise.

Make no mistake, the setting is the star of the show here. Brackenhill, a remote castle embedded in the Catskill mountains. Erected on a thousand acre plot, the square-built stone structure boasted four turrets on each corner with a courtyard in the middle. A place for imagination to run amok. With thirty-three rooms, turrets, circular staircases, labyrinthine basement rooms, locked doors, and secret passageways, I loved every stone of it. (BTW, there is a real castle in the Catskills named Dundas Castle, which I’m sure inspired the author). I’ll likely forget the story in years to come, but I will never forget the setting.

The protagonist, at first likeable, seemed to turn flakier as the story progressed. With memory lapses and sleep-walking episodes, Hannah seemed to be suffering from PTSD. The plot was as labyrinthine as the castle’s basement and though the first two-thirds of the book was compelling, for me, the ending let it down.

A domino-like, though slightly weak denouement followed themes of parental grief, teenage envy, mental-illness, guilt, and of course family secrets. A slow-paced, gothic-toned thriller that will be enjoyed by many.

An interesting and suspenseful gothic suspense novel written in dual timeline. A fast paced read with good writing.