Little Eve is a gripping Gothic tale of a cult living on an island off the coast of Scotland. Everyone on the island is under the control of Uncle. The children only know what they have been taught to believe about the end of the world. This is a story of mind control and belief in one person. Is Eve the perpetrator of the evil that inhabits the island or is she a victim. You will decide!
I do not read much gothic horror but I really was drawn into this book. It is eerie and creepy and a good story all in one. I would definitely recommend giving this book a try.

Thank you to #netgalley, #CatrionaWard, and #Nightfire for an advanced copy of this book.
#LittleEve

This is the second book I've read by Catriona Ward, and I can now say she's one of my new favorite authors! The way she writes is completely captivating, utterly creepy, and always keeps me guessing until the very end.

Little Eve starts off with what appears to be a spooky, cultish mass murder event on a secluded isle. The book then jumps between the past (before the event) and the future (after the event), and the story slowly starts to unfold. However, the accounts of the two main narrators, Evelyn (who was blamed for the deaths) and Dinah (her "sister"), seem to be conflicting.

This is an absolute must read for anyone who enjoys gothic, paranormal horror stories. It definitely gave me "We Have Always Lived in the Castle" by Shirley Jackson vibes. Can't wait to read more from this author!!

I really enjoyed Ward's novel The Last House on Needless Street, so I was excited to try another of her stories. This one was very different, but was just as dark and chilling. I loved the setting, the characters and the story in general. So different from any other cult story I've read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for the ARC of Little Eve! This book was not published in the US when it first released in 2018, it is now being released in October of 2022.

This book didn’t completely win me over. It wasn’t amazing, but it wasn’t bad either. I think it felt too repetitive and long - there were definitely moments that could be cut from the story to enhance the pacing. I think the atmosphere was good primarily at the isle. The twist was interesting and not something I had initially pegged from the beginning so I will definitely give praise where it is due.

I think the time period was an odd choice, the story itself (being a gothic horror) felt like it was in a much older time aside from a few mentions of cars and the world wars.

If you enjoy reading about cults, this book is a good look into the abusive cycle that can happen in a cult.

I'm not a Gothic reader, but I've enjoyed Catriona's books before so figured I would give this a chance. I'm so glad I did. It was a little slow in the beginning but I've found you can't always judge a book always for the first 25%.

The characters are great and I loved the time period. Great mystery/thriller. Highly recommend.

Ward creates a fabulously dark, gothic setting for this thriller. The twists in this novel make it more of a thriller/mystery than horror; but the reader doesn't know who to trust or who is the evil doer in this story. Well written - I couldn't put it down!

This had everything I love in a book. It is well-written, it kept me intrigued the whole time, the setting was amazing, the characters were complex, the story was twisted… The only negatives of this book for me is that at first the structure seems a little confusing but it eventually all comes together in the end, and also that I finished this with one unanswered question. Usually that would make me take a star off but all the positives of this book keep it at 5 stars for me. This was quite different from her last novel The Last House On Needless Street and I liked this one a lot more. You should read this if you enjoy reading gothic fiction and especially if you like cult stories!

A special thanks to Netgalley, Macmillan-Tor/Forge, Tor Nightfire and Catirona Ward for this ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review. Little Eve will be published October 11, 2022.

This is a lovely bit of reading, but not so much for me. It began mysteriously and I was having trouble following the plot but I hung in there cause Ms Ward is a favorite author. The book went on and on with rather pleasing narrative and subtle glimpses into what appeared to be an alternate society (lots of clues to bring me to that conclusion). I finished the book in an attempt to discover what reality it is based on. Did not translate all of the clues but enough that I was somewhat surprised.

Little Eve had such a familiar vibe to Haunting of Hill House that I see why it won the Shirley Jackson award. There was an unreliable plot, a gothic & atmospheric setting, and an interesting and curious group of characters.

I found it a little slow to get into but then I had a feeling that something wasn’t adding up which then pulled me into the story. There were many moments that left me questioning what I read in previous chapters and I think the author did a great job with setting up those moments of shock and reveals.

There are some sensitive moments in this book so just be aware of that before jumping in (sexual assault) and those moments are heartbreaking as the characters become more aware of those situations.

Highly recommend this for the above reason. Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the eARC in exchange for my review.

(I will be posting on my Instagram closer to publication date/in September

I just finished ‘Little Eve’ by Catriona Ward and what a dark, twisty, and thrilling adventure it was!
‘Little Eve’ is a gothic murder mystery that takes place on the Isle of Altnharra off the secluded coast of Scotland in the early 1900s. Castle Altnaharra sits behind a gate on a peninsula off the mainland and the town of Loyal. The residents of Castle Altnaharra are orphans/strays who were brought there and led by a mysterious man whom they worshipped and called ‘Uncle.’ This ‘family’, who generally kept to themselves from the outside world, was preparing for the end of the world and its rebirth when shocking and brutal discoveries begin to surface. These findings lead to an investigation by a persistent Chief Inspector who eventually helps to uncover chilling secrets that lie behind the castle gate. During the investigation, we begin to wonder who can be trusted and who is telling the truth.

It’s an intense and complex story that involves cults, visions, worshipping, and bizarre rituals.

Catriona Ward does a brilliant job with vivid imagery and language/wording that sets the tone for this specific setting and timeframe. The story does jump around timelines, which can get confusing at first, but it’s best not to try too hard to predict what’s going to happen next. Instead, “ride the waves” as each detail in the story comes to you. The shocking truth will eventually unravel and you’ll begin to learn that not everything is as it seems. It will be an adventure you’ll want to continue thinking about once you’ve finished the book. It’s no wonder why Catriona Ward won the Shirley Jackson award for this novel.

‘Little Eve’ will be releasing in ebook and kindle format on October 11th 2022 - just in time for spooky season!

Thank you NetGalley and Tor/Forg for this ARC of ‘Little Eve’. Everything mentioned above is my own opinion.

LITTLE EVE, by Catriona Ward, is the third book I have read by this astounding author. Her books really stand out, for me, among others--her unique style is just one I can't put down. In this novel, Eve lives with her "family", ruled by a Patriarch known as "Uncle". There isn't much I can say about the plot itself, it's something you need to read yourself to fully appreciate.

The bond of "sisterhood" comes up quite frequently, and these characters are so well written that you feel you know them. The story is told between alternating times, with different POVs. The key is trying to figure out what the realstory is.

Ward's style of writing is complex, and requires focus on all the minute details in order to fully grasp the tale. However, once I started on it, I honestly didn't WANT to focus on anything else, as this book was so consuming. A dark tale, from a fantastic author that I can't wait to read more from.

Recommended.

We begin at the end in this story with an event that rattles the small town in which it is set. The reader is taken back in time to understand the events leading up to this tragedy. There are different piints of view throughout and the writing style trily puts an edge to the story. We are placed in the mind of the narrator, looking through their eyes. This pov has a powerful effect on how I viewed the story overall. In this first person, especially from Eve’s vantage point, I could truly connect with the characters.

I felt so many emotions reading- sadness, anger, regret, and even happiness. I wanted the characters to make so many different decisions but they just could not.

I feel like it is a very tragic coming of age story, into an age no one should grow into.

The author did a fantastic job of painting such vivid visual imagery. It was like i was watching it happen right in front if me.

I definitely recommend Little Eve. I finished it several days ago and im still replaying it in my mind. It left a deep impression.

Little Eve will be available October 10,2022. I think it would be a great fall read.

Trigger warnings: physical/mental abuses, child abuse, infant/child death, sexual abuses. Always be mindful of these triggers before reading.

I would like to thank NetGalley for this early arc for my honest review.

I am finding out that Catriona Ward is just not for me. I did not care for The House On Needless Street, and while I did like Little Eve better, it was still just ok for me. So many people like her novels though so I think its just me and something about the author’s writing just does not resonate with me.

I’m not a huge fan of gothic tale but this book? It really got me hooked and I was actually shocked by how fast I was reading this book!

Little Eve by Catriona Ward seems like a really great book.
The opening is moody and atmospheric.
Sadly the formatting kept throwing me out of this story. I know it is an uncorrected proof and not a final product but I would get to a really engaging part and then have it disrupted by -1 and then a few sentences later -0 inserted into the text.
So in fairness to the author and the story I think I will wait until publication and read it so I can get the full enjoyment of it.
Really looking forward to it.
Thank you to #NetGalley, #TorForge, and Catriona Ward for the ARC of #LittleEve.
See you in a few months for the actual review.

If you like a great Gothic tale with a mystery woven in, this is for you.
Set on a remote island off the coast of Scotland you can almost hear the wind blowing in this tale of a cult family and its leader…”Uncle”.
When you yell “uncle” it means you give in…..and that what the members of this family do or there is a punishment in store for you. Rich in folklore with a religious base, this little group is in constant preparedness for the coming of the apocalypse.
I did get confused with the mystical parts at times and would put the book aside but interest in the characters pulled me back in.
Who doesn’t like a little mystical madness now and then………a good read.

Little Eve is the first book by Catriona Ward that I've read and if this is a good indication of her writing then I'm looking forward to checking out her other books! Fascinating characters and an engrossing mystery had me reading this late into the night, not wanting to put it down.

My only reason for giving it 4 stars instead of 5 is because I was led to believe this was horror. Is the content disturbing? Yes. It's visceral and upsetting and sad. But I wouldn't classify this as a horror novel, personally. But wow, what a well-written story.

Ward has a new fan in me. She's now up there with Alex E. Harrow for new authors whose books I'll buy sight unseen.

This book was really creepy, which I am sure that was what the author was going for. Most of it takes place on a Scottish island in an abandoned castle. There is Uncle who appears to be a cult leader. A few young girls with no families to speak of, and two women. Uncle has total contril over them all and feeds them all fantastic stories to keep them in line. He punishes them when they don't obey, and as the story continues you realize he has not only taken control of their minds, but bodies as well. Little Eve will not go down without a fight.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book. I rate this story 3 out of 5, as it took me awhile to figure out just what was going on. It was a wee bit slow in parts.

Little Eve by Catriona Ward was originally published in 2018 but with the growing popularity of this author, it is getting rereleased this fall. This book follows a small clan that lives in an old castle in Scotland as they prepare for the end of the world and the coming of The Adder. One will be chosen to inherit the powers and everyone wants the honor, including our main character, Eve. When this book opens with a grisly scene, you know immediately that something did not go to plan. The story then begins to jump around the timeline and the truth is slowly revealed.

If that sounds like a crazy story, believe me, it is. Catriona Ward has officially proven that she is a modern horror queen with her ability to create these lush scenes with fully realized characters. Her brand of horror isn’t going to be for everyone. This is my third book by her and it’s the third time I have been dropped at the beginning of the story in a very confusing way. If you are someone who has to know what is going on at all times, you will not enjoy this book. I love starting Ward’s books and just enjoying the ride because I fully trust that by the end, I will have the answers I want.

Her books are so hard to talk about without giving spoilers. Every part of every book is weaved together in a brilliant manner. There are no wasted words. I think her books could be studied in a classroom setting. You have the surface story but there are also deeper topics that could be discussed. This book takes place during world war 1 and has things to discuss about the effects of war. There could also be a discussion around cults and religion.

I loved this book. I will be buying a physical copy as soon as I can and I look forward to reading everything this author writes in the future.

I ended up really liking this book although it took me a while to get into it. The first half of the book I was more than a little confused, trying to figure out what was going on. The second half made up for it and I ended up really enjoying the storyline and characters.