3.5 stars.

(I originally discovered Catriona Ward with "The Last House on Needless Street" which is now one of my all time favourite books, I knew that I absolutely had to read all her work.)

This turned out to be not what I was expecting but I did enjoy it. A dark and mysterious whodunit set in the early 1900s. This was a slow burn but full of vivid imagery, twists and turns. There were parts that had me confused, mainly within the first half of the book that began to piece together and make sense towards the end but some things were missing, I felt I just needed a little bit more.
The story was character driven and I was really rooting for some and others I wanted to push off the cliff myself.

Overall, I had fun with this book. I read this as an ebook but I'm fairly confident that I will purchase a physical copy to re-read later in time. I think my biggest disconnect from the story was having to pause to look up meaning on a handful of words because the writing was fitting for that time period.

#LittleEve #NetGalley.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan/ Tor- Forge for sharing the digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my authentic review.

This is my first book by Catriona Ward, but I'm definitely going to read more. The different revelations throughout the book were skillfully done, the characters were incredibly real and fully fleshed out. I devoured this book and it left me with so many questions in a good way - I wanted to absorb more of this world, these people, where they came from and what led them down the paths they chose. I'll be recommending this to a lot of people.

I'm not surprised that this won the Shirley Jackson award. This book lands squarely on the crossroad of literary fiction and horror, the language is gorgeous, the setting tangible, and our protagonist reminds me of the narrator of We Have Always Live in this Castle. Trigger warnings for child abuse! This story was compulsively readable even when at times I wanted to shut the pages on the dark cult that follows the Adder and inhabits the moated castle in the Scottish highlands. Catriona Ward has a wicked imagination, and I will now be looking for her other books.

I absolutely loved Little Eve. The prose is beautiful, scary, and tense, creating an atmosphere that makes it feel like you are there with Eve. The story will keep you enthralled and guessing what will happen next.

This being the fourth of Ms Ward’s novels that I’ve read (Rawblood, Needless Street and Sundial being the previous), I kind of knew what to expect going in… beautiful, lyrical prose. Writing that absorbed me so fully that I actually thought I was in these places at times. And to be able to guess at least one twist, but never see the rest coming.

Little Eve did NOT disappoint. I had a bit of trouble with the language at first (I am a “dumb American”, after all), but it’s not something that I couldn’t get past. By the time I was about 20% in, I couldn’t put it down. I finished it in one sitting, only because I didn’t move.

I need Catriona Ward to write more books, because after reading this novel (and really before, if I’m being honest), she has become an auto-buy author for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tor Nightfire and Catriona Ward for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. Little Eve will be available in the US on October 11th, 2022.

This is the second book I've read from Catriona Ward and she is quickly becoming one of my new favourite authors.
Little Eve is, simply put, a story about faith and family and what both of those things look and feel like. It's about the limits we can push ourselves to (or be pushed to by others) in the name of something bigger than ourselves.
We get to see things from Eve And Dinah's points of view as we learn about the events leading up to a tragedy on a small Scottish island in the early 1900's.
It's beautifully written despite the grim subject matter. I loved it.

Please find attached my YouTube video review as well.

Thank you to Netgalley and Tor Nightfire for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

After reading The Last House on Needless a Street and Sundial, I was keen to get my hands on Little Eve. Catriona Ward has not let me down yet and only continues to impress me.

Little Eve opens with the discovery of a horrible tragedy, and right away the reader is thrust into the bleak, unusual circumstances on the Scottish isle of Altnaharra. Eve lives in the dilapidated castle on Altnaharra with her family. The family consists of 3 siblings, 2 women who are not her mother, and her Uncle, who calls himself the Adder. Secluded from the rest of the world, they practice a cult-like religion and are waiting for the world to end and be reborn. The story follows Eve as she tries to come into her own and impress her god, but she'll discover that not everything is as she wishes it would be.

Little Even is a head-first dive into gothic immersion, and the tone is completely different from Ward's first two novels. The prose is reminiscent of Shirley Jackson and Edgar Allen Poe, and I am impressed with Ward's ability to shift her writing style to suit the specific type of story. Throughout the whole story the reader will question what is real and what is not real right along with Eve; and perhaps be torn between whether to root for her or vilify her. While a little slow in the beginning, Little Eve becomes more engrossing as the story unfolds and eventually evolves into a page turner you won't want to put down.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59808007-little-eve?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=RMX257sp2F&rank=1

I had enjoyed Sundial by Catriona Ward, so I was excited to read the next book by Ms. Ward. This had the writing style that I enjoyed from Sundial and I could see the improvement from that book to this book. It had what I was looking for in a Gothic Horror novel. As always the characters were beautifully done and I loved the setting of this novel, Overall I really enjoyed reading this book and look forward to more in the future.

"Here is the jar with its pale contents. It is yours now. I hope it haunts your nights. I think it will. Perhaps I will never send this. If I do, I will post it from another town. Do not look for me. You owe me that. D"

This is an absolutely ghastly book - in the very best way. It’s dark, creepy, and sometimes tender. And as with the other book I’ve read by Ward, it handles a horrible subject with unexpected care. The horror does not come from the sensationalizing of a terrible act, but from how that act is allowed to happen and the repercussions.
So many mysteries and thrillers are built around a big twist, and you can see it from a mile away. Because that’s all that there is to the story - the one idea, the big reveal. But no so in this book. The characters are deeply strange but deeply realized. The story unfolds with perfect timing, with plenty of plot developments to make this a true page turner.
Ward is a masterful writer, and I hope to read more!
Review of ARC provided by Netgalley

This being the fourth of Ms Ward’s novels that I’ve read (Rawblood, Needless Street and Sundial being the previous), I kind of knew what to expect going in… beautiful, lyrical prose. Writing that absorbed me so fully that I actually thought I was in these places at times. And to be able to guess at least one twist, but never see the rest coming.

Little Eve did NOT disappoint. I had a bit of trouble with the language at first (I am a “dumb American”, after all), but it’s not something that I couldn’t get past. By the time I was about 20% in, I couldn’t put it down. I finished it in one sitting, only because I didn’t move.

I need Catriona Ward to write more books, because after reading this novel (and really before, if I’m being honest), she has become an auto-buy author for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tor Nightfire and Catriona Ward for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. Little Eve will be available in the US on October 11th, 2022.

Though wildly different in place and setting from the previous books I had read by Catriona Ward, (The Last House on Needless Street and Sundial) the hallucinatory gothic mysteries playing out in the pages of Little Eve were equally, if not twice as compelling. I didn't quite know what sort of story this was, or where it was going, when I began reading of this enigmatic, isolated family living in a strange, crumbling castle at the watery edge of a small village. As the tale unfolded and I began to settle in, a slew of things happened, murderous things, secret and sacred and brutal things, melancholic and tender things. As the past and present converged, these things twisted in and upon one another, and my "settling in" became increasingly UNsettled...but of course in the very best, Catriona Wardiest-sort-of-way.

I devoured this gothic, dark novel by Catriona Ward. The prose was perfectly written, the plot masterfully plotted. The reader doesn't know whom to trust and is kept guessing the whole time.

I wasn't entirely sure what to expect when I picked up this book, but whatever it was, it wasn't this. This book had me wrapped in it's clutches from page one and oh my gosh did this book deliver. It was a gothic, culty book that had me mesmerized by its descriptions and plot. Highly recommend it.

Catriona Ward has knocked my socks off again!!!!

Gothic, dark and mesmerizing. I did not want to put this book down!

The book opens with a horrible, horrible discovery....

Little Eve lives with Uncle and her 'family' on the grey Isle of 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....

Who is telling the truth? What can be trusted?

Woohoo! Ward is on her game in this book. It is equally disturbing and gripping! It is always brilliant!

This was such a clever and perfectly plotted book. It is atmospheric, gothic and oozing with tension. The characters were interesting and while you might root for some; others are quite nasty, and you will want to boo and hiss at them. There are quite a few twists and turns throughout this book and as the layers are pulled away, the book becomes more and more gruesome. Don't let that hold you back, as this book is riveting and so well done.

If you have read Ward before you know she is creative and adept at writing vivid and brilliant scenes. I felt as if I was a fly (or shall I say bee) on the wall, watching as the events unfold at Altnaharra.

Ward fans will be delighted.

Gothic, well written and atmospheric!

Highly recommend!

Not going to lie, sometimes I feel like I'm chasing the high of #lasthouseonneedlessstreet

I am happy to report that LITTLE EVE gave me the fix I was looking for from Catriona Ward! I actually took this with me to read while camping over the long weekend and I went to bed "early" both nights just so I could binge this one. Full of unspeakable horror, LITTLE EVE speaks to family ties and the lengths we will go to protect our darkest secrets.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for my #gifted copy for #review

Little Eve by Catriona Ward
Ever read a book that was so enthralling it was difficult to start another because nothing reads as good? This is the problem I'm having after reading Catriona Ward’s “Little Eve”. Dark, atmospheric and filled with the most fascinating of characters, ward weaves together a plot about psychological manipulation and survival. Evelyn or “little Eve”, is an adolescent girl who lives at Altnahara, a castle on an island a small distance from the coast of Scotland. Evelyn's family is an unusual one. Two women and three other children. The head of the family is a man referred to as “uncle”, or at times, he is terrifyingly referred to as The Adder. When a man from the mainland arrives to deliver meat, he discovers the dead bodies of several inhabitants, each wrapped in white shrouds and missing an eye. All are dead except for 16-year-old Dinah, who accuses the missing Eve of the murders. The author writes alternating chapters in the voices of both Dinah and Eve. Hence, we, the readers, get a telling of events and consequences that is satisfying at the end. This is my first encounter with Catriona Ward’s writing, and I am so excited to have found a new favourite author. Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for the free copy.

“Little Eve” by Catriona Ward is a dark, gothic, horror novel, that primarily follows two young girls living in a cult. They, along with two other children, and two women, follow the teachings that “Uncle” has set before them. The book describes their daily life, and how their minds react to their traumas and abuse. The writing is very well thought out, descriptive and very poetic! The book did have some confusing moments, but overall was a very pleasant read. This was the first book I’ve read of Ward’s but it will not be my last! Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the ARC!

Unfortunately, this was a did-not-finish book for me. The writing is solid, the story sounded so promising but I couldn't connect with the characters. Perhaps it was that the story was set in 1919 or mysticism and witchcraft beliefs. For people who enjoy this kind of book (I definitely recommend reading the other reviews), I'm 100% confident they will enjoy it.

I've rated it 4/5 because it's well-written and solid story, just not for me.

This book was a very certain vibe. Cult/witch/ritualistic/gory and dark taking place in Scotland in the early 1900s.

What made it hard for me to get into?

This book took me a while to get into because of the writing, not that it was bad, it was just the style it was written in. It felt authentic but it was just personally hard for me to follow and feel immersed and I. think having audio would have helped moved the story along and help me get into it more.

Some parts were also very graphic and gory and while this usually doesn’t bug me, it was a lot this time.

I didn’t feel fully invested as I do with others.

What was cool?
This book was dark with a capital D and I think it would make an excellent horror film or show.

There were expected and unexpected villains.

A scary and horror premise.

There was a gruesome element that I wanted to look away from but couldn’t look away from.

If you want something different, horror, gruesome, and a bit cult and ritualistic? I would check this out!

I am going to be honest. This book sounded really good but was just not for me. It was a little hard for me to understand what was going on. I do not think I would suggest this one.