I am not sure how to review or classify this book. So I will do what I always do in this case, and just spill my thoughts and let you decide:

The writing: I thought the writing was really well done. I could picture the school and the characters. I was drawn into the world.

The feels: It had a real gothic feel to it.

The story: The story was really good. BUT There were a few things in there, that I knew immediately some of what was going to happen. I don't know how you could have hidden it, since you needed to mention it, but I would think "ok, this means XXX" and I was right.

I am not sure it was a horror, a mystery, what? But does it really matter?

Overall: I enjoyed the book. Did I love it? No, but I liked it alot. I think it was just too gothic for me. So if that's up your alley, you will probably love it.

I do want to thank the author, the publisher and #netgalley for the ARC which did not impact my review.

The comparison to Riley Sagar’s books is accurate, but I should have paid more attention to that, as I find Sagar’s books shallow and a bit silly (although fun), and this book follows suit. There are no surprises here - everything unfolds as you’d expect from the blurb, the characters are fairly surface-level, and the writing style is functional. I found this a bit of a slog but it’s just that it wasn’t for me - fans of Riley Sagar, or anyone wanting a fairly by-the-numbers read to pass the time will enjoy this.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the eARC.
I loved the cover of this book and was looking forward to a good spooky read, but unfortunately it was not to be. Almost from the beginning it was obvious to me what was happening and I felt Claudia, the mother of the little boy, Henry, was too weak; signing contracts without reading them, doing innumerable chores for the school without complaining or being suspicious or questioning what was going on. To me it felt cult-like from the start and I got a bit bored and skipped to the end. Sorry!

The best I can say for this is that it was entertaining. Unfortunately it achieves that end through shallow writing and a villain so over the top as to come off as silly rather than threatening.

Thank you Crooked Lane and Negalley for the ARC copy!

I can say that this book did let me down a bit. I am a huge fan of psychological thrillers so when I started this one I was so excited. I was quite let down.

Claudia's son, Henry, is having behavioral issues at school and she just does not know what to do with him. As a result- his teacher recommends the Hawthorne School as a joke, but, to Claudia, it is not a joke. She ends up taking Henry on a tour of the school and is sucked in immediately- almost trance-like!

While I feel the book has good elements it just was not for me. It was seemingly predictable and only a few elements really were surprising. I would say this is not for fans of Riley Sager because you will be very let down!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Much appreciated.
#NetGalley #CrookedLaneBooks #SylviePerry
The Hawthorne School is beautiful and peaceful. They value nature and play over academics. Sounds too wonderful to be true for single mother, Claudia Vera and her son, Henry. Henry’s behavior problems have baffled many teachers in traditional schools, but at the Hawthorne School, he is calm and tranquil. But, when something seems too good to be true, it usually is.
This book is addicting!!! I couldn’t put it down. It reminded me of a Riley Sager book and I LOVE Riley Sager. Each chapter gave just a little of the plot until I was slavering for the rest. Little by little, the author gave us a gripping and suspenseful story with characters we rooted for. Claudia is very relatable because so many of us, as parents, worry constantly that we are doing what is truly best for our children. When she is told by the director of the school that she and her son are both exceptional and she is the most exceptional mother. Henry is an extremely difficult and precocious child and she is at a loss of what to do. Every teacher has given up on him but the Hawthorne School embraces him and his behavior problems disappear. The plot is fairly straightforward from the beginning. You have an idea about what's going on when you start. This allows you to relax and notice all the little details and pay attention to what Claudia misses.
It’s suspenseful and full of heart. Delicious!
As rewarding as this book is, a few improvements could be made. I don’t usually say this, but I wish it had been longer. The ending, while adequate, could have been better. It seemed, just a little, anticlimactic. Don’t misunderstand me, I liked the events that took place. I just wish that the events were a bit more satisfying. In addition to the ending, I noticed some plot holes that were slightly bothersome.
This book has been added to list of top ten favorite thrillers. I definitely can’t wait to see more from Ms. Perry.

This book was a bit hit and miss to be honest. I feel like it had a lot of potential, but it wasn't always realized as much as it could have been.
The beginning was pretty good, the writing was really atmospheric when it came to the school and I loved the vibes, but the story didn't focus strongly enough on the school setting for my taste. Instead, a lot of the plot was about Claudia's everyday life, which was honestly just pretty boring. A lot of the scenes weren't really relevant to the story and I would have preferred if the reader had seen more of the school instead.
Claudia as a character was pretty likable, she was authentic and it was easy to understand and empathize with her emotions. I feel like less focus could have been on her and more on Henry instead because he seemed kind of forgotten sometimes.
The story lost the pacing a bit towards the end, I felt like the ending wasn't really suspenseful or a real surprise, because it wasn't hard to guess where the story would be going. I still enjoyed reading it, but a few more exciting plot twists would have helped the suspense. Still, this was a fast and easy read and still enjoyable.

Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for allowing me to read an arc of The Hawthorne School. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is - how many times have we all heard this? The story started off great and this book was creepy, until we find out what is going on. I'm not sure why it felt like everything fell apart, but it did for me. It might have been a good idea, but the execution was off - it seemed rushed. Then the ending didn't exactly make sense to me. But I really enjoyed most of the book and it kept me wondering what was going on. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4

This was fun! Great psychological thriller. Kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end! Ceremonies in the woods, cult like behaviors, creepy feels. I loved it!

THE HAWTHORNE SCHOOL was quite a creepy little story. It was well written but unfortunately, I thought the plot was just too obvious. It was easy to guess where to story was going early on, so it was not terribly suspenseful.

Single mom Claudia Morgan is at her wits end; her four year old son is acting out at preschool. It’s clear that Henry needs a different type of learning environment so when she hears about the Hawthorne School, she’s thrilled. Their unusual curriculum and focus on the arts and outdoor play seems like the perfect solution. Tuition is pricey, but the school has agreed to let Claudia volunteer their in exchange for Henry’s schooling. Henry goes from being an angry child to a very quiet, subservient one. On the surface this seems wonderful, but when her son starts talking about strange rituals in the woods and strange rules, Claudia becomes worried. This is an intelligent and twisted tale of manipulation and abuse of power

I love a good WTF twist, but it only works if the plot is good enough to pull it off. Unfortunately, while The Hawthorne School has plenty of shocking moments, it was a pretty big miss for me. I couldn't connect with the protagonist or the storyline, and the writing felt a bit stiff. However, the premise is intriguing and could have led to a really fun reveal.

DNF @ 28%

At the very outset, I'd like to emphasise how much I hate to leave a book midway. It feels unfair to a writer who has clearly gone to great lengths to put material down on paper. This is the case moreso when the central idea of the book is as intriguing as The Hawthorne School's is.

Alas, I never found myself invested in the world occupied by Claudia, who is, mind you, again very interesting as a character - not as self-assured and put-together as other protagonists, just someone who wants the best for her kid and is willing to work her backside off to get it for him.

It never flies off the page, and the book, or that of it which I managed to read, felt tedious. There was little world-building and far too much of the reader spending time with Claudia's internal conundrum, which was a tad bit overstated.

It never really got going for me, and I couldn't bring myself to finish it, which is a shame because I really really liked the central idea. There is a lack of tension in the writing and there never seems to be a reason to keep going relentlessly.

Thank you, Net Galley and Crooked Lane Books, for the ARC.

I'm a sucker for a good book in a school setting and I loved this one! Claudia is a single mother to son Henry who is four and is having trouble at his public school. So when she hears about The Hawthorne School from a neighbor, she immediately checks it out. It appears to be perfect for Henry as the headmistress adores him and he behaves well. Added to that is the fact tuition will be waived if Claudia does some volunteer work there. What could possibly go wrong? But this school is not all it's cracked up to be and sinister forces lurk beneath the surface. Lots of great twists and turns until the shocking conclusion.

Oh boy, what a great psychological thriller! The Hawthorne School will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

In this story, Claudia, a single parent who has her hands full with her four-year-old son, Henry. Feeling she cannot handle it all alone she finds an advertisement for The Hawthorn School. Upon further inspection, she thinks this is the answer to her problems.

Things are not as they appear and when Henry starts talking about ceremonies in the woods Claudia knows something is not right with this school

Highly recommend!

Claudia has reached her wits end with her 4 year old son, Henry. He's constantly getting in trouble at his preschool and rebelling at home, wearing Claudia out. She's a young single mother working as a massage therapist and raising him on her own, with no friends or family for support. After another talking-to from his preschool, she decides to look into a school with a different approach to teaching - The Hawthorne School.

She visits on a whim and is greeted warmly and shown around the magnificent grounds. The school is nature-based and focuses on kids being kids - playing outside for hours, making crafts, engaging in art and music. It's exactly what Claudia wants for Henry, but she worries the tuition and his behavior will keep them from being accepted. Yet, after providing financial documentation, the head of Hawthorne, Zelma, agrees that she can work off the tuition with volunteer hours. It's everything Claudia could hope for - is it too good to be true?

Yes, of course. She senses something off with the way the kids and teachers interact - parents are almost an afterthought. She's given menial tasks and long hours that she doesn't remember agreeing to. She never sees other parents and there are hardly any workers to maintain such a large establishment. Even sweet Zelma is no longer as welcoming and understanding. And what is the deal with the 'little green' herbal supplement that is included in everything they eat and drink?

Even though she has second thoughts, she continues on for Henry's sake, as his enthusiasm for learning is greater than ever, his behavior nowhere near as rebellious as before. At least, not when he's at school. Anywhere else, he seems worse, only wanting to be at Hawthorne with his teacher. The more Claudia learns about the place, the more doubts she has, but trying to break away isn't as easy as it should be. She thought The Hawthorne School was the answer to her prayers, but it has turned into a nightmare.

You know where this story is going right from the start. By offering the vulnerable and exhausted young parent everything she could hope for with all expenses taken care of, Zelma ensures Claudia's cooperation and gratitude. Her dependence on the school increases steadily and she allows them to control most aspects of her life. Any reader will see the similarities to a cult much sooner than Claudia does. She's quite a weak and naïve female character, not even reading the enrollment forms she signs, just blindly trusting them to be fine. She takes too long to catch on to every suspicious word or action, and there are so many! I understand the story wouldn't function otherwise, but I just have no sympathy for characters like this. It's still an enjoyable story, just one I've read so many times before.

Book Review for The Hawthorne School
Full feature for this title will be posted at: @cattleboobooks on Instagram!

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

When I saw that the description mentions Riley Sager, I knew that I had to read this book right away. I am a huge fan of Riley Sager's books. His book Lock Every Door is on my list of top 5 favorite thrillers. As I read more and more thrillers, I find that I am drawn to atmospheric, gothic thrillers about haunted or creepy locations. I've read The Sanatorium and Madam, both released this year, but I didn't really enjoy them On the other hand, I feel like The Hawthorne School is on the same level as Riley Sager's, and I will be adding it to my list of favorite thrillers. Thank you again to the publisher for this opportunity to review the book before it's released!

The Hawthorne School by Sylvie Perry is about Claudia, a single mother to enrolls her young child Henry in an out-of-the-way convent-turned-school with a very liberal, almost strange teaching philosophy. She can't afford a lot, so she's thrilled when they allow her to pay what she can and make up the rest by volunteering at the school. The school turns out to be a lifesaver, too, as Henry enjoys it a lot more than his previous public school. But soon, strange things start happening. The local townsfolk say that there are rumors about the school, and Claudia starts to notice that not everything at the school is what it seems.

Here is an excerpt from Chapter 1 when the school itself is introduced:

"THE HAWTHORNE SCHOOL stands rooted on its hill, surrounded by woods and fields. A breeze rustles its coat of wet and trembling vines so that it seems to breathe in and out like a living being. Its black window panes glint at the tiny boy, and he pulls on the arm of his young mother. She pulls back, not letting him go, although he twists his little hand in hers, trying to get free, trying to run from her and toward the enchantment.
...
Once a convent, The Hawthorne School reaches its gothic peaks toward heaven while small pale faces carved into the moldings gape in mute astonishment at the two people below.
The air is heavy with the scent of wood fires and damp earth. Green maple leaves shake with each breeze. The sun sends spears through the clouds, and the vines and trees sparkle.
...
This is the moment when The Hawthorne School inhales new life."

Overall, The Hawthorne School has the best Gothic atmosphere in any thriller that I've read this year. It blows similar books like Madam and The Sanatorium out of the water. It definitely deserves comparison to the great writers of this genre, such as Riley Sager. It reminded me of his books Lock Every Door and Home Before Dark. I didn't want to put this book down, but I had to at night, because I didn't want to get nightmares about buildings in forests. If you're intrigued by the description above, or if you're a fan of creepy locations and Gothic atmospheres, like me, you won't regret checking out this book when it comes out in December!