This was one of the most twisty, incestuous, haunting thrillers I think I’ve ever read. When Holly‘s brother Dean dies due to “suicide”. The more Holly thinks about it the more she doesn’t believe it and thinks that his girlfriend Morrow May have had a hand in his death. So when she befriends her the last thing Holly expects is the fall for her brother‘s girlfriend but that’s exactly what she does. Morrow has a lavish townhouse and money and Holly gets swept up in the lifestyle but will she end up like her brother or will Holly and the strange girl have a happily ever after? This book was so freaking good! I thought this book was so different and so quirky and yes even haunting. When you’re reading a book and then all of a sudden you’re like… Oh right we don’t know if she’s a murderer or not? I just think that is the testament to the authors talent and I would definitely read more books and will by this author in the future. I highly recommend Such Pretty Flower's by KL Sarah I received this book from NetGalley and a publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

3/5 Stars

Main TW: Frequent mentions of descriptive s*icide.

Such Pretty Flowers is an eerie psychological thriller about a woman named Holly who becomes desperately obsessed with finding out what really caused her brother to take his own life—and his darkly mysterious girlfriend, whom he was living with when it happened. As Holly traces back his steps, she finds herself falling into a world of deadly and beautiful things; poisonous plants, and the ethereal, dark-eyed woman who grows them.

Touted to be a sapphic Southern Gothic thriller set in Savannah, GA (one of the most haunted cities in the US but the way), I was more than expecting a thick, haunting atmosphere, and glimpses into the rich history in every nook and cranny. Not to mention Maura, a walking string of belladonna in her own right, beautiful, wealthy, intelligent, and with a deadly green thumb. We had a delightful set up for something mind-bending and terrifying.

It's not a surprise that Holly falls into her trap, but it was a disappointment how easy it was to get her there.

First: I absolutely breezed through this book in like, six hours altogether. There were some absolutely beautiful lines in the prose and it was easy to pick up right where I left off. I couldn't help being immediately curious about Maura and her place in Dane's fate; and the strange webs of mystery that surrounded the entire affair. Dane's strange messages to Holly were engaging and set to move the story forward. I was completely down to watch Holly wiggle her way into solving this mystery.

Unfortunately, Holly's fatal flaw is that she is self-serving above all else. Instead of actively trying to figure out what was going on with her brother before he died, she spent most of the time half-heartedly snooping when she remembered to do so and the rest of the time being utterly obsessed and taken in by Maura, who, as interesting as she is, was so blatantly obvious about her machinations that it was infuriating to watch. Holly was supposedly suspicious of her from the beginning, and yet, had absolutely ZERO thought into any of the weird and unsettling things Maura did. Well, she did—after she'd get laid/kissed/generally fawned over by said potential murderer.

The one thread of this that actually came to any fruition at the end of the book was mentioned for maybe...three? pages dropped for the entire rest of the book, and then miraculously brought back up at the end to no real effect. Not to mention, the consequences of the whole situation created by an oddly well-meaning if completely deranged Maura, apparently had no...real...issues for Holly at the end. Which only served to make Dane's brutal and horrifying death feel like an ill-used tool more than anything else.

I came out of this really, really hating Holly. And I'm at least 80% sure that wasn't the intention. But she cared entirely more about her libido than she did about finding out what happened to Dane. And if it got her something she wanted, she was more than happy to throw her questions and concerns to the wayside at the moment. Just a bizarre protagonist type, especially when there wasn't really anyone else to root for.

It was a great idea that lacked follow-through to me. I heard poisonous plants, sapphic dark romance, and came running, but it felt like we were checking boxes more than we were really delving into the incredibly cool potential all of these plot points could have had.

3.5/5

I finished this book several days ago and have been sitting with my thoughts ever since. It was such a different read and when I finished I wasn’t sure if I liked it or hated it. Such a unique reading experience and definitely one that made me think long after I finished. I liked so many aspects, it was super creepy and unsettling and fairly fast paced. The southern gothic vibes were fantastic and it was so bizarre which I usually enjoy. I don’t think I picked up on it being gothic horror until after I started it and that’s not a genre I normally read. It’s just not usually my thing, but that’s sort of why I’m torn here. Things got really weird as the book went on and I think it was just a little too out there for me in the end. But the setting was awesome, the plot was pretty strong and the concept was original. If you like super strange and out there this could be for you.

This is a book I started and then "just one more chapter"-ed until I finished it at 2 am. So clearly, I loved it as I read it, but the more I think about it the more I appreciate the nuance and detail in the story. It's atmospheric and creepy on the surface, but the allegory for depression was just👌

The story takes place in Savannah, Georgia, and made me mad at myself for never visiting when I lived closer. The setting is peak Southern Gothic, full of haunted elements and eerily beautiful architecture, art, and plants. The plants! I'm a sucker for flower language and symbolism and that and the historical plant lore used here were really cool additions.

Holly, the main character, just lost her brother to a brutal su*cide, but the circumstances are suspicious, and she becomes fixated on uncovering the full story. Her brother's mysterious florist girlfriend, Maura, is at the top of her list. Problem is, Holly can't decide what kind of list that is. She's convinced Maura is hiding something about her brother's death, but she is also fascinated by her, and can't decide if she wants to be her or wants to be with her.

Both girls' grief and guilt tangle with desires to create a messy, toxic feedback loop. The intensity and blurred lines of female friendships and romances are very well-done here. As is Holly's retrospective relationship with her brother, and the complications of how family dynamics shift with age and the forming of new relationships. Also, I won't spoil it, but there was a very well-done twist on a fanfiction trope that I love and was excited to see in a traditionally published book.

Overall, the vibes of this book and Holly's situation are like when you know if you eat the decadent dessert it might make you sick later, but it's so indulgent that you can't resist doing it anyway. I mean that in the most complimentary way possible, and no, we don't need to examine what my lack of restraint when it comes to dessert means. Regardless, I will definitely be reading K.L. Cerra's future novels!

Thank you to #NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review of #SuchPrettyFlowers

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy. The setting/atmosphere of this book was everything you’d want a Southern gothic novel to have, but the plot and character development were lacking. It strayed from southern gothic to a weird botanical version of Misery and that was a big miss for me.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House for the advance copy of this southern gothic tale rife with carnivorous plants and even deadlier humans. If I'm not mistaken, I believe this is K.L. Cerra's debut novel-- and it absolutely stuns. Not only is it written in an easily digested prose (I literally read it in a night), but it is completely original and edge-of-your-seat thriller. Even with the title, I was not expecting the amount of botany knowledge-- which after some digging makes complete sense: the author herself is a fan of our leafier species. I was enraptured by the detail of each petal, and that coupled with the immersion in historical Savannah, Georgia brought the book to blooming life.

Inside these pages, we meet Holly. She has just lost her brother Dane to suicide, but something just doesn't feel right. Holly gets an inkling that she should take a closer look at Dane's girlfriend of five months, Maura, who had become the focus of his life until his strange illness had taken complete hold of him. It caused him to exhibit mental issues as well as neurological symptoms, and no one could explain its origin. With these mysteries in mind, Holly moves in with Maura and is immediately in way over her head. Maura is intoxicating and despite Holly's best efforts-- she falls for her and lets her guard down just enough for Maura to get under her skin.

This novel takes a look at grief and how desperate it can make you-- and how misguided other's attempts to 'help' can be. I really related to Holly and how out of place she felt. Her brother was one of the only things tethering her to the world, and when he left it so unexpectedly and horribly, it left her unmoored and searching for answers. Even as she tries to find them, she is also looking for someone else to ground her. This flaw brings Holly from the frying pan and into the fire-- and yet she never loses sight of her goal. This tenacity is the only thing that can save her in the end, and is a message to never stop searching for the truth.

Im not sure where to start with this. I liked the beginning and loved the end, but the middle lost me a bit. Right from the beginning we can all feel right along with Holly that something is off with Maura. Holly doesn't trust her and thinks that Maura had something to do with her brother Danes's death, so when the opportunity to watch Maura extra close comes up Holly takes it.
This is where Holly kind of lost me, I fully support what she did, and her plans, but things start going wrong almost from the start. Everything she does just seem to lead her into a closer relationship, and she becomes more and more obsessed with her. (which to be fair is in the synopsis I just didn't love how it played out on the page)
Now, there's a certain part where everything turns around and I get completely sucked into what's going on and didn't want to put it down. Everything gets creepier and more sinister as we start getting real answers to what's going on, and it was something I didn't see coming at all!

This was an entertaining read but the characters felt a little too flat for me, too one-dimensional.

I haven't read much for gothic books but let me tell you if they are like this book, then please sign me up!! This was weird and creepy thriller in the best way. Once you start reading this book you won't want to put it down. I also have to compliment the person that did the book cover. This has to be one of my favorite covers I have seen. I highly recommend this book and can't wait to read more books by K.L. Cerra.

Thanks NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine, Bantam for allowing me to read this ARC in advance.

This one was pretty wild.

Holly left in the aftermath of her brother Dane’s gruesome suicide begins a friendship with his girlfriend. Soon she’s moved into her gothic townhouse in Savannah and attempts to piece together the events leading up to his death.

I did finish this book in one sitting but I was left questioning a lot of things. The story felt a little too complex and I was rushing towards the end to get answers.

Overall it was interesting.

"So Maura wants to play this weird ass game with me and I figured I'd let you know in case anything happened"

Shortly after that text from her brother Dane, Holly receives another one that reads: "get it out of me" . And that's the last time she ever hears from him.

Dane was really struggling with his mental health so no one cared about those last texts he sent before he killed himself. Except Holly. She puts herself in situations to get closer to Dane's girlfriend, Maura, to find out if she had anything to do with it. Maura is suspicious, but also incredibly compelling to Holly.

This was definitely an original story. I really appreciated the originality, but it fell flat for me in a few ways. For one, Holly was such a one note character to follow. She puts herself in these situations like she has a plan, but it feels like she doesn't know what she's doing or why half the time. There's no rhyme or reason to her decision making. For a large middle section the plot felt aimless to nonexistent, and then finally got back on track towards the ending.

"Southern gothic" were the two words that drew me to read this book, but it doesn't serve those vibes at all. It's constantly mentioned that this is set in Savannah (especially in the beginning, like it's not necessary to remind everyone what city were in every other page). It really lacked in atmosphere for me.

Anyways this leans more towards the Wilder Girls style of horror than gothic ghosty horror. I'm still intrigued to see what this author comes out with next and I hope it's just as unique as this one.

ᔕᑌᑕᕼ ᑭᖇetty ᖴᒪoᗯeᖇᔕ
ᴷ ᴸ ᶜᴱᴿᴿᴬ

ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25 / 5


Review:
I received this ARC to review through NetGalley. I devoured it in a day. It kept me engaged and needing to know what happened next. I thought Cerra did a great job and depicting the emotional and mental imbalance that comes from losing a loved one and how our feelings and actions don’t always seem or feel rational and tend to be a bit impulsive. The story was a bit dark and twisted but in a beautiful and elegant way, it wasn’t gore filled or violent.
A very interesting take on what it means to help someone and care for someone who is sick or hurting. Make sure to check trigger warnings as is does discuss mental illnesses.

The premise of this story was quite complex. When Holly receives a strange text from her brother, she does not get to respond. When she learns of her brother’s suicide, she is determined to find out what happened. What she discovers can only be described as horrifying. I will not spoil the book for others reading this. Suffice it to say that this is one messed up book. You will think twice before trusting people ever again.

This book really just took me for a ride. I loved the build up, the character development, and the writing. I would definitely read more from this author!

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for sending me a digital ARC!

I knew immediately when I came across this book that I was going to be such a fan of the vibes. One of the author blurbs in the summary calls this a Southern Gothic, but I don't think I would categorize it as one... it feels less gothic and more like what I refer to in my head as "dark botany/earthcore." The atmosphere and aesthetics and just general weirdness of this book (which just gets weirder and weirder as we learn what's going on) were definitely my favorite part. It was so intriguing to see how things unfolded, and while there were definitely points in the middle where I was like "why tf is this happening right now," the ending was ultimately pretty satisfying.

The main issue that I think diminished my enjoyment of the story was the characters. It feels like it's supposed to be very character-driven, like we're seeing deep into these peoples' pain and darkness, but the writing didn't feel strong enough to make that really come through. And because the characters felt flat, their relationships- particularly the central relationship between the main character, Holly, and her dead brother's girlfriend, Maura- didn't impact me the way they were meant to. Which was disappointing, because I usually LOVE reading about toxic and obsessive sapphics (more books about those types of relationships please I'm begging), but here it was just okay.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced read of this book. This was an interesting read. "Get it out of me", was the last message Holly got from her brother, Dane. He was found in his fiancee's townhouse cleaved open. Holly can't believe how it happened, so she sets out to find the truth.

Did not finish book. Stopped at 45%.
This book was good but very anticlimactic. For that reason I DNF at 45%

What is it about Maura and what is she hiding in her greenhouse? Holly's brother Dane - gruesome death- was involved with Maura, who is beguiling to be sure. Even Holly who is normally sensible, finds herself falling for Maura after she moves in with her. But Maura's more than creepy and the Southern gothic thing looms large in this novel set in Savannah, that most atmospheric of cities. I liked this for the different vibe in the Maura-Holly relationship and the storytelling is nicely done. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

Enthralling story that sucks you in to a dark and sinister reality. I read this book in hours, I could not put it down. While Holly annoyed me at times, I was just as curious as her to figure out details of her brothers death. I think fans of Grady Hendrix would appreciate this Southern gothic read!

Dark, creative, and gruesome, Such Pretty Flowers was unexpected and hooked me from the beginning, but I struggled with the characters. Holly just lacked personality and it kind of ruined the book for me.