Thank you, NetGalley, Freiling Publishing, and the author for a chance to read the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Owing to its timely subject matter, historical notes, and scientific insight, I was drawn to this novel. I'm not sure what I expected from it, but I was pleasantly freaked out, intrigued, and fascinated throughout the entire book. The Vines is a story that takes you from the present day to as back as 1904 and ties together modern advances in microbiology and vaccination with historical background and it was well researched and made you believe the history of it all. Definitely a timely escape! It felt a little stiff and unnatural in some instances and it made it hard to connect with the characters. Even so, I enjoy them a lot!
The Vines blends stunning imagery, enthralling characters, and a twisting and turning storyline that wraps up in a satisfying conclusion that left me craving more. Looking forward to the sequel!

Hmmmm, this book was a mix of really good and all over the place. I found the beginning very confusing, kind of wish the author started with the past to explain Cora from the start. It took me a while to understand what was going on with the plot. This was definitely more sci fi than I'm used to as well, so perhaps if I enjoyed that more this book would have worked better for me.
However, I absolutely loved Cora's character and reading about her history was fascinating. I wish there was more but then I love love historical fiction. I also enjoyed Typhoid Mary making an appearance, very interesting.
Thanks Netgalley!

Good story, very timely. Off the coast of New York is North Brother Island. Once known for the human experiments and it’s now closed and sadly dilapidated hospital. Finn, a young man goes exploring and happens on the view of a young badly scarred woman as she bathes away dirt and grime. The sight of her strong, muscular but severely scarred body captivates him and he is lured back to the island to find out more about this woman and rescue her if necessary. As Finn delves more and more into the background of the old hospital and the experiments that were performed there he discovers more secrets of his own family including a grandfather with a history of working with the Nazis.

When I read synopsis for this book, I was bought. But reading it I felt little let down.
This type of writing was not really my cup of tea. And it was little slow read for me. Maybe I just wasn't in a good mood for this book.
Only 3 stars.

I really enjoyed this book. It hooked me right away, and I couldn't wait to finish it.
I had no notions about what the premise was when I started reading, as it was far down on my list, but I was pleasantly surprise, shocked and horrified at every turn. Its not your typical thriller type book in my opinion, but there were a few times I raced through chapters to see what was going to happen next. I can't wait for the next book to see where it goes. I would definitely recommend.

I couldn’t get into this novel. The writing wasn’t strong enough to grip me. It felt dismally YA and uninspired.

Thanks to #NetGalley for an Advanced Reader's Copy of #TheVines

Story: 4 stars
Writing (historical fiction chapters): 4
Writing (present day chapters): 2
Overall: 3

I love horror, and because I'm a glutton for punishment, I was really excited about the idea of a horror novel set around contagious and deadly diseases. The storyline didn't disappoint, and is honestly the only reason I stuck through this book, to see if it could make up for some very awkward writing. The chapters that were in written in present-day (2007-08) were just painful to read at times, with really stilted dialogue and one-dimensional characters. Yet, the chapters set in the past were really enjoyable! Maybe stilted dialogue just isn't as obvious when it's set in Victorian times *shrug*

Unfortunately, the story had to come to its climax in modern times, so it all came off as awkward and cheesy. Although I'm intrigued by the story and somewhat curious how it will turn out, I won't be seeking out the next in the series.

I was not prepared for The Vines when I began to read it. I imagined a historical romantic thriller, and found a story of family, torture, and science. There was also an element of fantasy/magic (or, alternatively, unexplained science) that surprised me--which was fine, as I am a fan of the genre.

While the story is told by several narrators, the primary characters are Cora, a woman who carries multiple deadly diseases but does not age or die--at least while she lives on the island--and Finn, the youngest member of the family that spent more than a hundred years studying her, looking for the cure to all disease. Mostly. There's a period of time beginning in the 30s with an aggressive Nazi doctor, at which I almost put down the book for good. Still, I was curious about the answers, so I picked it back up--and was disappointed by the abrupt ending, where none of the big questions were answered. Assuming there's a second book down the line, I can't say I'm all that interested in reading it.

While the plot kept me curious, reading The Vines was a bit more arduous than I was used to. It doesn't help that the book still has grammatical errors and formatting issues; it's also written in a way where, many times, I wasn't sure what character was saying what dialogue. Two voices frequently shared paragraphs. Sometimes going back and re-reading from a page or two earlier would help; often, it didn't. Also in terms of writing style, the prose often read as disjointed, which characters leaping from one thought to another without connecting themes. I have ADHD, and it reminded me of the way my brain works--which could be very frustrating to a neurotypical reader.

As a character, Cora is well-rounded and interesting character, even if she goes through little development in over 100 years (she's busy with Nazi doctors, so I can forgive her for this). The others are frequently one-dimensional, and the romance I expected from the blurb falls flat and is off-putting. There's a moment where Finn describes Cora's naked torso, and the first thing he thinks is "Her breasts are perfect." This is a woman riddled with 100 years worth of scars--some from surgery, some from torture--and this line (and many similar) made me think about putting down the book for good. Some of the characterizations of women were equally frustrating.

Finally, as a side note, The Vines incorporates two other languages in dialogue--Irish and German. My knowledge of the languages are elementary, but I still found multiple errors in their use.

Everyday, the news reveals more deaths that have occurred from coronavirus. So of course, this book peaked my curiosity. It takes you back to the early 1900s with the deadly diseases - measles, scarlet fever, tuberculosis and typhus - that has taken thousands of lives. Then the book brings you forward to more recent years with Ebola, cancer and Lyme disease. Is there no end?

The author writes about four generations of doctors -- Otto, Ulrich, Rollie and Kristian - in the Gettler family. They hold their secret tight to do what they believe is within their right in search of the perfect vaccine. Patients in the early 1900s with diseases were transported to the North Brother Island near New York City where the doctors treated patients. The island map is located in the beginning of the book which shows the tuberculosis pavilion, nurse's home, tennis courts, morgue, church and physicians' home as well as many other buildings. As vaccines were discovered, this health establishment was finally shut down in 1963.

Rollie's son, Finn, didn't become a doctor but was curious about what was going on at North Brother Island all those years. His father, Rollie, and brother, Kristian, spent a considerable amount of time away from their home at the island. Finn decided to explore this place taken over by vines in 2007 and finds a beautiful young woman, Cora, with a body of scars still there. She was left behind and said she was their human guinea pig. The question is: should a woman endure intense pain with experiments to save thousands for medical research.

The book is suspenseful with a surprise ending. The fact-finding research to produce this book is impressive along with the author's imagination for this historical novel. However, parts made me cringe.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGallery for allowing me to read this advanced copy.

I was hesitant to read a book that is somewhat relatable to the current COVID-19 pandemic. What I liked about it was the back and forth between past and present. I kept guessing and was interested about the past. Great book.

The Author
Writes like
Your friend who
Sends every part of their text message
As a different
Text Message
It was really difficult to try and get through this novel, and the premise was super exciting, too. DNF

Reading this book in the midst of the current pandemic made it that much more relevant. Even though it is fiction, could this be really happening somewhere, to someone? The Vines kept my attention from the first page. I was rooting for Cora the entire time. Loved the family connections: not so much what they did, but the tale the way it was woven. My only reason for 4 and not 5 stars is the way it ended. I felt it was just an abrupt ending, and realize that hopefully, there will soon be a sequel. I want to know what happens! This book would make an outstanding film, in my opinion. An excellent read, highly recommend.

2.5/5 Stars

The Vines by Shelley Nolden is a multiple POV horror novel that spans from the early 1900s to the early 2000s. This multi-generation family story follows generations of microbiologists/virologists and calls into question a powerful ethics question of how much one can overlook for the progression of science and mankind.

Our story begins when one of our main characters Finn discovers a woman on North Brother Island. Intrigued by her story, Finn seeks to learn about this woman’s past and soon begins to unravel his family’s dark and turbulent history.
In our dual perspective we follow a woman named Cora in the early 1900s as she and her sister are sent to Riverside Hospital to quarantine due to a Typhoid outbreak. Cora soon becomes a guinea pig for one of the doctors on site.

What I liked:
I really enjoyed the historical background to modern advances in microbiology, virology and vaccine development. The mystery of what happens to Cora kept me engaged as a reader, and in our other timelines I was also very interested to learn more about this mysterious woman Finn finds on this secluded island.

What I didn’t quite like:

This book requires suspension of disbelief. That’s as much as I can say without giving spoilers. The Vines is also heavily character driven, which was a bummer for me because I couldn’t root for any of the characters. I usually love character-driven books, but the characters in The Vines came off as flat and one-dimensional. Their dialogue felt forced and was filled with multiple cliches. It felt like the author wanted us to relate with her characters but this in itself felt forced.

My other criticism has to do with the plot advancement. There are constant time jumps in the novel and multiple character perspectives. This constant shift in narrative felt jarring and it really took me out of the story. I wish the shifts in perspective felt more cohesive.

A stunning piece of work. Regardless of the 2020 nCov-19 epidemic this work of fiction really hits home. Spanning over 100 years of family and the search for a panacea. Brutal in its telling, heartbreaking in its loss of lives and of love, you'll find yourself burning through the pages at a rate of knots.

This book started off great. Then it jumped into the past. Then the present. Then the past. Then the present. Then 5 minutes later. So on & so on. I never heard of North Brother Island in NYC. I will have to look it up. It's odd to me to have never heard of it being a New Jersey native. I feel like I'm the only person who didn't love this book. I've yet to come across a review of less than 4 stars. Yet here I am, giving this 2. It's sad as I usually love historical fiction.

My first problem, I have mentioned. The constant time line jump around. I hated it. I would have much preferred we started in the past & moved forward.

My next problem is the torment & abuse the main character went through. At some point there must be a bright light in all of her misery. Right? Please? Come on. You've got to be kidding me! Nope. It's just misery stacked on misery for Cora. Thanks so much for that.

My third problem is the length of the book. It did not need to be this long. It just didn't. Seriously why? So we could drag out how horrible people can be?

My fourth problem (sort of) is I was given the impression by the description that there might be something going on with the flora & fauna on the island. Something unnatural. Yet, it's just invasive. Nothing eerie or spooky about it.

My final problem is the end or lack thereof. I thought this was a standalone novel. Nope. It just stops. Want to find out what happens next? Well you have to wait for the next book. No thanks. I'll pass.

THE VINES by Nolden was a *wild* ride! A brief synopsis: Finn and his family are full of scientists and doctors; their main goal has been working with diseases and their eradication of them from the human population. Decades of research has gone into this, so the family has an island outside of Manhattan that they have used to conduct their work. When Finn discovers a mysterious woman on the now-abandoned island, he tries to befriend her to uncover the progress his family has made but ends up unraveling so much more. The main focus other than Finn is Cora, the mysterious woman. Her story was my favorite part of the entire novel and Nolden really captured who this woman was. Without giving spoilers, this book felt written to me to be one of female empowerment but also of turmoil and chaos and how women, in particular, respond to that. At times, the story could feel disjointed - especially in the beginning - but once you get through the first handful of chapters, it really takes off. There are a few twists and that ending...whew.

I enjoyed this book I thought it was really engaging I don’t know if it was suspenseful enough and if I would read it again.

The plot sounded interesting and different from my typical reads, so I was looking forward to reading it. However, it didn't meet my expectations.

Prior to this book, I'd never heard of the abandoned islands in New York that once housed people of quarantinable illnesses. It ends with an unexpected cliffhanger. Sadly, if there's a follow-up book, I doubt I'll read it. There was just too much jumping around, which was confusing. It just didn't hold my attention.

Excellent weaving of past and present made The Vines a book I could not put down. Historical fiction meets mystery/thriller meets a dash of sci-fi, all combining into a compelling story of humanity. Timely and in a sense educational, The Vines will definitely be a talked about book in 2021.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

DNF @ 20%

I picked up The Vines because NetGalley had a copy available for review without publisher approval. I also want to preface my review by saying I don’t like to DNF books. I picked up The Vines and put it back down multiple times, yet no matter how many times I tried, I could not get into the novel.

The plot is the reason that I decided to read The Vines because of how interesting the description sounded. Cora is the sole inhabitant of Riverside Hospital on North Brother Island in New York. She’s lived alone for over a hundred years, her body housing diseases like typhus, measles, and tuberculosis. When Finn meets her, he’s shocked to find anyone living on the island, and even more shocked when he realizes his family’s history might have something to do with it.

The reason this book didn’t resonate with me was the flat writing. It was hard to enjoy the book because the characters were difficult to connect with and don’t feel like real people. Furthermore, there was information overload in the first couple chapters, which in my opinion caused the book to feel very lifeless and didn't give me any reason to push myself through.
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One thing I did like about the novel was the concept. I never knew that there were abandoned islands in New York that once housed people of quarantinable illnesses. While I don’t have an interest in finishing the book, I do want to learn more about the people who once lived on the island.

Rating: 1/5 While this book didn’t work for me, I think anyone who likes to read cool concepts and science fiction debuts might enjoy the plot. Overall, The Vines was definitely a disappointment for me.

This review will be posted on all accounts listed in my bio around mid-March, close to the book’s release date.