Off the battered coast of Scotland is a little island known as Altnaharra. Here lives a small group of individuals, maybe even a bit of a family, who are fairly private and have minimal contact with the townspeople on the mainland. It's been a while since they've been seen or heard from, and it's quickly discovered why. Their bodies are discovered in a strange configuration, bird-ridden, their right eyes taken from their sockets. But one is missing. What horror happened here? The story goes much deeper than what the surface suggests: sacred ceremonies, powers gained, the end of the world, but also betrayal, family, and sacrifice.

What I loved:
- I love that Cat Ward continues to "do it again." This is everything I love in a horror novel! Horror and suspense, cultish themes, solid twists, a good heap of the gothic, and multiple POVs (one in the past moving forward along the timeline leading to the big reveals, and one in the present after all is said and done).
- I loved the characters. The villain(s) were exactly that, and I readily cheered for those who were vulnerable that they would come out on top strong conquerors. There were characters to connect to, love, and root for, and other characters to hate and wish for their demise.
- Cat's writing style is fantastic. She has a very unique voice that seems to separate her from mainstream horror novelists, and her stories never seem to lack that 'extra' element, that something special that puts the story in a level above the usual. She expertly weaves storylines in a tapestry that isn't so convoluted that the reader would get lost, but that is complex enough that we spend much of the novel working to unweave her tale (in the best sense) and find little nuggets of twists and reveals along the way. And just when you think you've got it all figured out, you missed a thread.
- Cat knows how to build up a tense, gothic atmosphere. Things aren't right immediately, and we all know it, even before anything is revealed. And things continue to not feel right, because she continues to shows us that things are off. I love when tension builds in horror novel like this - that looming sense of feeling a little bit smothered and choked by the gloom and the wrongness, but not too much ... just enough. Just enough of the eerie and the wrong that we can't stop reading until we find out what that tap is behind the door, or what that itch is that needs to be scratched. And even when we think we've discovered it, something else comes creeping up behind.

What I didn't love:
- I love being able to write these kind of reviews where I get to this part and can say confidently, "There wasn't really anything I didn't love," and that's that.

Overall:
All of the stars. I. Love. Catriona Ward. She has turned into an autobuy/autoread author for me, 100%. The first book I read of hers was The Last House on Needless Street, and oh, what an instant fan I became! Then came Sundial, which was entirely different but oh, so good. And here we are with Little Eve, another entirely different read but that, in every way, delivers on suspense, gothic horror, and cultish vibes. I read this one for the first time in August of 2021 (UK edition published by Gollancz), but it's being published now in the States by Tor Nightfire and so I just HAD to revisit it. Put Cat Ward on your auto-buy list. I loved this story, the characters, the way it was all woven together and delivered, and that it was such a great reading experience. It's a book I'll be passing off to every friend that can handle it!

A huge thank you, as always, to Netgalley and Tor Nightfire for the e-ARC! This one publishes October 11, 2022!

The formatting of this book made it almost unreadable, obviously this wouldn't be a problem with the finished copy. Aside from that, while I loved The Last House on Needless Street and Sundial, Little Eve didn't draw me in like the previous two books.

The Queen of the creepiest horror stories is back. Little Eve was actually Catriona's second book and is horrifically creepy and similar to SUNDIAL and THE LAST HOUSE ON NEEDLESS STREET. As always, there are twists within twists and a heavy gothic atmosphere that encompasses the entire story.

Little Eve, opens with a scene of horror. We learn soon after that Eve and Dinah are two orphan girls living in tiny cult community in the early 1900's on the Isle of Altnaharra in Scotland. The cult leader, "Uncle" has very strict rules and keeps the girls and other women very isolated from the real world. Uncle has the "family" continuously practice rituals preparing for the end of days. As Eve begins to wonder about the outside world and whether Uncle's teachings are truly "right," Uncle tightens his control and imparts more and more inhumane punishments. What should Eve do to escape? If you like Creepy Supernatural tales, twisty thrillers that will keep you up at night (and haunt your during the day) or just loved Ward's past work, Little Eve is the book for you!
#Macmillan #Tor.Forge #Tor #NetGalley #LittleEve #CatrionaWard

Little Eve by Catriona Ward is a Must Read… soooo good! A Brilliantly written Gothic Mystery Horror with twists and wtf moments.
The story Starts with a gruesome scene that takes place on New Years in 1921. The story is told back and forth from the past to the future, mostly told from two ‘sisters’ Dinah and Eve. It is set in Scotland on the isle of Altnaharra with a small cult-like ‘family’ ran by a man they call ‘Uncle’.
There are many secrets, ceremonies, betrayals, murders and much much more.
I highly recommend. Little Eve is released in the U.S. on October 11, 2022.
Thank you NetGalley & Macmillan- Tor/Forge for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Catriona Ward with another book written just for me! My first exposure to her was with the excellent SUNDIAL which I read earlier this year, and this novel didn't disappoint. I understand completely how this won a Shirley Jackson award; Little Eve was a fever dream that never let up. A chilling Gothic, complete with crumbling seaside castle and unreliable narrator, I had trouble putting down my galley copy.

Full of twists and turns and a palpable sense of dread that never lets up. The setting was incredible, I felt like I could smell the ruined castle of Altnaharra and head the barking of the sea lions.

FFO gothics, psychological horror, cults

Give it up for Catriona Ward and Little Eve! This is my first book of hers but I have heard amazing things about Needless Street so am glad I got the chance to check this one out on NetGalley!

I had a hard time at the start of this novel getting my bearings with the writing style and the language as it was used in the 1920s. But once I got used to that this novel had me HOOKED.

Little Eve is the disturbing, dark, mysterious story of a cult-like ‘family’ living on the isle of Altnaharra and preparing for the day in which He comes. When the town butcher comes to the isle to deliver a parcel of meat he discovers a grizzly scene in which all but one are dead. We then dive into the past to unravel the events that led us to that fateful night.

This was probably my absolute favourite ending of the horrors/mysteries that I have read. It was beautiful and did not leave me wishing for more.

Alternating between two timelines, Little Eve follows Eve and Dinah, who grew up together on the island of Altnaharra under the creepy, watchful eye of cult leader "Uncle." We meet Eve as a child--an active member of the adder-worshipping cult--and Dinah as a haunted adult, the only survivor of the gruesome mass murder that wiped out all other Altnaharra residents. Though the book contains instances of pagan rituals and sinister hallucinations, the real horror stems from the Uncle character, who employs evil tactics of emotional manipulation, physical and psychological violence, and fear-mongering to maintain complete control over what he calls his "family."

A dark exploration of fact versus fiction and reality versus manipulation that challenges the dichotomy between past and present. Because even though years have passed since Dinah made it off the island, it never really freed her. Dinah's enduring trauma is far more chilling than any of the gothic tropes or plot devices.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. This book is dark, eerie and full of mystery. Unfortunately for me there were parts I didn’t like and I ended up struggling to finish it. Perhaps it was the writing style as I can’t really flaw the plot. It just didn’t do it for me.

Wow! This was more of a thrill ride than I was prepared for and I loved it! Dark, atmospheric and a strong sense of the hidden corners of the human psyche - I couldn’t put it down. It made me question everything I was reading, and while I guessed one of the ending plot twists, it still solidly would be a 4.5 ⭐️ read for me. Ward writes in a way which makes you feel every twisted thought, every drop of rain, every cold intention, as if it was your own.

Little Eve by Catriona Ward was received directly from the publisher and I chose to review it. I had never heard of this author before and I was tentative to read a book described by others as "gothic." The book was pretty slow and dialogue-heavy, which usually makes me skim through the book. This one I actually did not skim as the dialogue was interesting and easy to read. If you, or someone you buy gifts for like this author or "gothic" tales, please give this book a read.

4 stars

This was a surprising read. I did not know what to expect going in to this book, and every time I felt I had a handle on both the plot and the genre (horror, gothic, psychological suspense, mystery, coming-of-age), the book pivoted, and I couldn't stop reading. The characters are well-drawn, the setting is the bleakest of gothics, and the plot moved in a way that is hard to describe but kept me turning pages. Much like the award it won, I would recommend this to readers who enjoy more cerebral horror/gothic like Shirley Jackson or more recent gothic novels like Silvia Moreno-Garcia's Mexican Gothic.

A splendidly gothic horror with an elusive titular character who grows up in an isolated cult in which nothing is as it seems.

I very rarely DNF an ARC but I just couldn’t manage finishing this book. I generally don’t mind a bit of gore but really struggled with some of the content in Little Eve and decided this one wasn’t for me. Fans of dreamy, gothic horror with a plot that creeps along will likely love this story but unfortunately it was too much for me. The writing is excellent and the author is a talented storyteller so I’m giving this 3 stars despite being unable to read more than about 50%

A grippingly addictive gothic mystery.
I could not put this book down! Disturbing, and clever, this book had me at the edge of my seat the entire time.
This was the first book I have read by Ward but I am absolutely a fan now.
A masterful genius with atmospheric writing, I highly recommend Little Eve.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge, Tor Nightfire for the ARC of this eBook in exchange for my honest review.

Little Eve was an interesting read. It was a little different than what I'm used to - I found this one more fantasy than thriller, whereas I found Ward's other books to be more thriller/mystery-focused. I didn't love it like I loved The Last House on Needless Street, but there is no doubt that Ward is an exceptional writer and I always enjoy the journey she takes me on.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

Set in an isolated castle on the Scottish Coast, Little Eve jumps between timelines over the course of about 30 years during the early 19th century. It’s dark, atmospheric, gothic, cultish and so so good! The first 20% was a bit slow for me but when it picked up, I didn’t want to stop reading. Eve is a confused, orphan girl, living in a cult with other children and women, ran by a creep they call “Uncle” who manipulates and controls the way any good cult leader would do.

I was constantly wondering if they believed what Uncle was telling them, or whether they were happy there or not. I loved the end twist, which I was expecting but still pretty happy with. Little Eve will be published October 11th, thanks to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for my advanced copy.

Little Eve blew me away. So carefully woven. I had to make myself put it down to sleep last night and greedily finished it this morning.

Wow. I loved this book!! I can see why it got so much acclaim and love honestly. This is a lush horror story with gorgeous prose. This gothic tale is mesmerizing, i loved the atmosphere and the cult plot was fast paced and very interesting. Both Dinah and Eve were very compelling characters, the plot and twists were interwoven in a magnificiente way.

I started reading this book yesterday and I just couldn’t stop . This book isn’t very good it is freaking awesome. Oh my I have a book hangover from this book. If you’re a fan of gothic horror this book is for
you .

Little Eve by Catriona Ward

Gahhhh this book was goooood!! I thought it was a fantastic mishmosh of Gothic horror, whodunit, and wtf.

Definitely worth checking out when it comes out in the U.S. in October.