Thank you NetGalley and Tor for the ARC! This is a great psychological, twisty read. This book is full of gothic horror and a disturbing cult where no one is safe and escape seems impossible. It's a great read for the fall.

Book Title: Little Eve
Author: Catriona Ward
Publisher: Macmillan-Tor/Forge
Genre: Mystery/Thriller, Horror
Pub Date: October 11, 2022
My Rating: 3.4 stars

I was attracted to this as I read and actually liked [book: The Last House on Needless Street] it was certainly a different read for me and turned out better than expected.
I went into this one trying NOT to have a high expectation.

Sisters ‘Little Eve’ and Dinah are two orphans who live in a mansion with Uncle and their 'family' ~ two other children and two women. The mansion is located on Altnaharra, off the Coast of Scotland.
Eve loves it there. It is all she knows save for the memories of a woman singing. She and her 'sister' Dinah are close, and Eve hopes one day to inherit Uncle's power. Dinah hopes for something else.

As war breaks out, things change drastically. Eve begins to question the things and people in her life. Then one night there is a terrible, terrible storm.

Book starts out with ‘The Author’s Note’ (I always love reading both the author’s notes as well as the acknowledgements so this was great that it was at the beginning and not at the end. However, the end has some fun things ~ the Acknowledgements and a ‘Readers Guide’

Want to thank NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for October 11, 2022

I really, really tried to like this one. There were things I liked and things I didn’t. I loved the setting and the time period, I didn’t like the actual story though. It was kind of confusing, and parts did not make sense to me. Idk, others may like this, it just was not my cup of tea.

I haven’t read this author’s previous books so I had no expectations coming in. That being said, after a slow start, I enjoyed this book, centered on a child named Eve who is raised within a cult off the coast of Scotland.

I had a hard time getting into the book initially and wasn’t sure exactly what was going on. To be honest, I’m not sure I still understood everything after I finished. That being said, I really enjoyed the last 70% of the book, once I got a better idea of what was happening. Eve’s questioning and subsequent realization of what she is dealing with was interesting to me and felt authentic of someone of her age. I also always enjoy when an author isn’t afraid to kill off primary characters. The end is the book was good and provided some twists that I did not see coming.

Overall, this was an interesting horror book. I always say I don’t like reading about cults but then I often enjoy many of these books after all. I didn’t feel like I truly understood everything but the character development, the surprises, and the dark content kept me fully immersed. I’d give it 3.5 stars at the end of the day. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange doe an honest review.

Evelyn is raised in a mysterious, reclusive family unit on a secluded isle in rural Scotland. Along with other adolescents Dinah, Abel, and Elizabeth, there are three adults: Nora, Alice, and Uncle. Uncle is the Adder, an intimidating leader imbued with powers by the ocean-deity they worship and serve. The story begins with a shocking act of violence that has left everyone on the island except Dinah dead.

This was an awesome ride. I have never read anything by this author before but I have heard good things and wanted to try this one even though horror/thriller is not my typical genre. And I am so glad I did! This is a strong book, well-written, with excellent scenery, leaning a little gothic although I thought she could've committed more to the house-as-a-character vibe, but what really stands out is how engrossing the story-telling is. I well and truly felt like I was being read a ghost story or watching a spooky movie, I could feel the rain falling and the stonework crumbling around me. Even though you know (from chapter 1) more or less how the characters' stories will end up, there is still a great sense of mystery, foreboding, and feels like a big 'reveal' is coming. Perfect for spooky season!

On the down side, I felt the story dragged a bit after the 50% mark. It definitely slowed down and I was more likely to put the book down and pick up my phone. I also wish there had been a bit of the actual "big reveal" feeling written into the characters' narration (does that make sense?). A lot of really shocking things happen (spoilers here>) we, along with Eve, find out that the truth about Him and the benison, and the honey, the truth about Uncle's past, and what he does during the ceremonies, about Dinah's betrayal, about her mother! twice!, but Eve/our narrator delivers most of this information in a flat affect, letting her sadness and mourning wash over us, but felt none of her shock. Even when Abel has killed himself, she sort of gives us this information in a way that makes it feel as though it was an inevitability. I'm torn on this subject because I like the way it was given to us, in this slow-moving gothicky sort of tone, rather than in earth-shattering revelations, but looking back on it, it feels untrue to the story and I think is part of what made the story drag a bit.

Also, this is just a personal preference, but I kind of wish we had been left with one or two questions about Eve's character/motivations at the very end. I would like a hint that perhaps things did not go exactly as she has said they went... perhaps she is hiding something, in the end? But anyway the ending was nice and neat and can't complain about that. A good book and a great story!

Thank you Netgalley, author, and the publishers for allowing me the opportunity to read this e-arc.

"The world changes at night. Bad things from the beginning of the earth roam in the dark."

Cults of any kind just fascinate me. The power these leaders hold over their "followers" just makes my mind start going. It's intriguing to see and to read about. Yes, I'm weird but that's nothing new.

Catriona and I didn't start our reading relationship off on the right foot. The first novel I read by her was The Last House on Needless Street and that book was a huge letdown. The cat with deep thoughts was my favorite part. Since it didn't make my eyeballs bleed, I thought I would give this author another chance to wow me. This book turned my frown down towards the pits of hell even further.

I couldn't even finish this one. The writing didn't suck me into the story and the characters were too dull for my liking. It was like watching paint dry. No fun at all. The best thing about this was the cover. I'm sad at how sad this book made me.

There was a paragraph in this book that stopped me in my tracks. I mean, I could be overreacting but you be the judge of this. I know that I don't like it.
"Nora blows out the candle, then goes shuffling along the corridor. I hear her groan. She is so fat; no wonder."

Little Eve was supposed to be the book that brought the author and me closer together but it actually tore us apart even further. I think I'm done with books by this author. Well, Catriona, it was fun while it lasted but it's bon voyage for now.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tor Nightfire, and Catriona Ward for the advanced copy of Little Eve in exchange for my honest review.

I knew going into this book that there is a certain "WTF-ness" to Ward's writing (it's something I love about her) but I still struggled with this one regardless. I truly felt like I had no idea what was going on until about 75% into the book. It felt almost too literary for my taste.

I found the last portion of the book entertaining, albeit a little predictable. I can definitely see why this was an award winning novel, it's just not 100% my taste.

Little Eve was originally published in 2018 but will be out in the US for the first time on October 11!

I received an advanced copy of Little Eve from Netgalley and was excited because I’ve heard great things about Catriona Ward. This book was deliciously dark and gothic, a perfect Scottish setting for the coming fall days. It was a tale about a secluded “family” living in a rundown castle on an island with strange rituals and preparing for the end of days. In the opening pages, a villager delivering food to the castle discovers their bodies, all missing an eye. Everyone in the family is dead except for Dinah, who is barely alive. From there, Dinah tells us the story about life on the island and with Uncle, the leader of their cult. She unravels the mystery of that fateful day and we learn the truth about their lives and their deaths.

The writing was haunting and gripping and the story was disturbing, so this won’t be for more sensitive readers. I found it perfectly creepy and it only crossed my personal lines in the tiniest of ways, which made the story that much more enthralling. Little Eve will be published on October 11, 2022 and is available to be pre-ordered. Did I say this is the perfect October read for those of us who enjoy the scarier side of things? Because it is. And I’m planning to read more by this author as the season shifts because I have a feeling I’m going to love all of her work.

This is a very dark, gothic tale that I’m sure will be appeal to all those who enjoy such tales. I have to confess this is not a genre that I usually read but felt I should give such a popular author a try. However, it was a little too dark and disturbing for me, so I can’t say I enjoyed reading it, but I can appreciate it was well written and plotted, with a chilling and atmospheric setting, steeped in horror and tension.

On an island cut off from the north coast of Scotland by a causeway, the crumbling castle of Altnaharra sits on an island of the same name, isolated and secluded. Inherited by Col John Bearings in 1898 on his return from India, he has taken up residence with two women and a number of foundling children, establishing a strange cult. Iron gates keep visitors out and the members of his household segregated from the world, ready to accept his beliefs and punishments as they ready themselves for the end of days. Goods would be delivered to the gates where payment was waiting and it was in 1921 on one such trip to the island that led the local butcher to discover a gruesome scene. What led up that event is gradually revealed as members of the cult tell their horrific accounts of life on Altnaharra.

The cult itself is well imagined, with its members competing against each other for Bearings attention and love but also needing to cling together to survive their daily struggles. The tension builds slowly as the bleak setting and the characters set the scene, and there are some clever twists and turns in the tale that fans of Catriona Ward are sure to enjoy.

This is a thoroughly gripping story of a strange cult on the northern shore of England during the 1930’s. The story begins with the ritual murder of several people. From there, the plot backtracks to show how the events played out.
The story is told through the eyes of two primary characters. The interesting thing is how the characters see their lives as being completely ordinary when, in fact, they are horrible. The cult is ruled by a man who calls himself Uncle, and he rules the women and children with an iron fist. As the story unfolds and more and more clues are revealed, it becomes clear that he is a madman.
I could not put this book down!

This book started out a little slow. But Ward knows how to bring the slow burn into a raging fire. There were so many twists and turns - some I saw coming and others that just smacked me up the side of the head. I enjoyed reading this book. Ward is a great author and I can't wait to read more books from her.

I don't believe there is anyone writing in the Thriller/Horror genre that does psychological horror as consistantly well as Catriana Ward. She takes the twists and turns that revitalized the Mystery/Thriller genre years back and applies them to reach the tortured depth of the human soul again and again. For this reason she is an auto-read for me!

If Catriona Ward ever writes a phone book, I am here for it! I'll read anything by her! Little Eve was fantastically creepy gothic at its best! More twists and turns than a gothic staircase. Great writing and the story kept me glued to the very satisfying end!

Catriona Ward blew me away with The Last House on Needless Street and Sundial. I was thrilled to hear that she had another book coming out this fall and I am grateful to have been given an advanced copy. Little did I know that this is not a new book to her catalogue, but actually the second book she's ever written. It has never been published in the US, but it will now. And THANK GOD! Boy, this book did not disappoint one bit. It was gothic, atmospheric, mysterious and disorienting (in the best way possible). See synopsis from Amazon:
—
From Catriona Ward, the international bestselling author of The Last House on Needless Street comes Little Eve, a heart-pounding tale of faith and family, with a devastating twist.

Winner of the Shirley Jackson Award for Best Novel.

“A great day is upon us. He is coming. The world will be washed away.”

On the wind-battered isle of Altnaharra, off the wildest coast of Scotland, a clan prepares to bring about the end of the world and its imminent rebirth.

The Adder is coming and one of their number will inherit its powers. They all want the honor, but young Eve is willing to do anything for the distinction.

A reckoning beyond Eve’s imagination begins when Chief Inspector Black arrives to investigate a brutal murder and their sacred ceremony goes terribly wrong.

And soon all the secrets of Altnaharra will be uncovered."
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The author did such a great job of creating a sense of place. It was very evocative and I really felt like is was on the isle of Altnaharra.. The storyline twisted and turned in such an awesome way and I loved how it unfolded. I'm learning that, when reading a book by this author, it is best to let it happen, to wash over you and experience it as it's happening. Don't try and figure it out. Just go with it.

This book was just excellent. Many thanks to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for the advanced copy. It was a pleasure to experience this story. Little Eve will be available October 11, 2022.

Okay I don't know what is going on here.. The Last House on Needless Street was absolutely amazing. I listened to it as an audiobook and was absolutely enraptured by the way Ward used language and the world she created. Since then I've tried to read both of her subsequent books and simply struggled from the opening pages.. I'm wondering if this is a case where the audiobooks somehow resonate better with me. That doesn't usually happen - I am a reader not a listener by nature - but I can't imagine what other explanation there is for the wildly different response I've had to the three books.

This one did not work for me, in the same way that Sundial did not. I was drawn in by the description, as I was with Sundial, and yet somehow just never connected to the characters or story. With Needless Street that connection happened straightaway - and my only surmise at this point is the audiobook versus written word format. So I will definitely be checking that out in future because I am highly intrigued by the concept here and would dearly love to be able to make it through to the end...

Catriona Ward’s dark stories are masterpieces. The beginning of this was a little hard to follow, however I find that is common with these kinds of stories. Cult + semi-paranormal + unreliable narrators. Once I got into the flow of the writing style I was completely immersed in Eve and Dinah and Altnarharra’s story. This was absolutely insane, and yet could easily be a true story the way the world is.
I loved the small secrets that lead you toward the end of this story and what ultimately happened. The little stepping stones to where the madness of Uncle’s disturbing world was headed were so well done. I absolutely love CW’s style of writing and her way of doing horror in non-traditional ways. She is able to easily use popular tropes and completely bend them to her will. I read Sundial first and then this and she is now an auto-buy author for me.

Little Eve is so dark and creepy! I loved every second of it. It opens with a disturbing crime scene off the coast of Scotland and then jumps back to years before the crime while you try to figure out how our characters ended up there. This novel is more of a slow burn with rising tension on each page. There are a few different character perspectives and timelines to really keep you guessing. I also love a good twist and Catriona Ward definitely delivered. If you’re looking for a sinister, culty, gothic novel, THIS IS IT!

I am a ride or die Catriona Ward fan. Months after I finished Sundial, I still have nightmares about it. That's impressive. So impressive, in fact, that I will read anything else you put in front of me by Catriona. Enter Little Eve.

Little Eve is set on the Scottish isle of Altnaharra in the early 1900's. The story follows Evelyn and her "family" as they're being indoctrinated by "Uncle", the family patriarch and a self proclaimed deity of sorts. The book opens with a gruesome tragedy and walks the reader back in time through the journey the family took to reach such a climax.

The way Catriona is able to unravel the threads of a plot and slowly weave them back together into something entirely new multiple times over is truly what sets her apart. I am such a fan of the dark and atmospheric backdrop the book had. I felt several times like I had "figured out" what was going on, only to be completely shocked several times. I thought the book started off slow and it took me some time to truly grasp the plot, but I came to appreciate that as it lent an even starker contrast to the ride I felt like I was on by the end. Once again, Catriona has left me thinking of a book over and over even after the last page.

Thanks so much to Tor Nightfire as well as Netgalley for the opportunity to read this and share my thoughts ahead of the US release.

A truly gothic, creepy, unsettling and engrossing story from Catriona Ward. Every single character in this story is fascinating in their own right but you will be captivated by Eve and her struggles with her perceptions of reality, right and wrong, and the faith she puts into her family. This is a story of murder but true to Ward’s storytelling it becomes so much more. Don’t miss this one. Thanks to Nightfire and NetGalley for an advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.