Such Pretty Flowers is such a pretty title for such a twisted book! I loved it and all of the craziness! I’ll never look at flowers the same !!!

Content warning: mental health and suicide are mentioned

My top books of 2022 list just expanded this evening! Such Pretty Flowers is a dark, twisty, southern gothic with some tastefully executed body horror.

After receiving a concerning text from her brother, Holly is determined to figure out what caused her brother to take his own life. This quickly leads to her moving in with her brother's unusual fiance, Maura. As Holly digs deeper into the relationship, Maura's behavior becomes even more unsettling. From clingy to cold, Maura flips moods in an uncanny way. The local socialite scene thinks she's a gifted botanist, but Holly suspects something more sinister.

wow. this book definitely took its time to build up to the story, but i thoroughly enjoyed it. the horror elements were so well done and the writing was extremely compelling. the only reason why i rated this less than 4 stars is that the story felt a bit too dragged in some places, and there were certain plot choices i didn't enjoy. other than that, this was a very fun and creepy read

What do you think of when you see the horror genre?

For me its gore. Despite all the horror books I’ve read my mind still goes to gore when I see horror, but I haven’t had gore in a horror in a long time. How scary could this one be with such a gorgeous cover anyway? This one was a gothic horror, and honestly, I’m not entirely sure what that means, but everyone I’ve read described this way has been a hit for me, so I keep reading them lol.

Holly just lost her brother, Dane, and before he died, he sent a message that Holly is desperate to figure out. Shortly after Dane dies, Holly connects with Maura, Dane’s girlfriend. As they forge a friendship, Holly moves into Maura’s townhouse and their friendship becomes more. Holly starts to get an odd feeling about Maura and things that she is harboring some dark secrets. Can Holly figure out what Maura is into before she ends up dead like Dane?

I loved this gothic horror with a touch of LGBTQ romance. It was delightfully beautiful in the storytelling. I enjoyed how well the characters were developed and we got to know Holly and Maura. I had a sneaking suspicion that Maura wasn’t quite all there lol. What she ended up being was amazing though and I was eating it up! This book was vivid and imaginative and made me go eww at least once.

Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher, Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, @randomhouse, for my advanced e-arc in exchange for this honest review. I recommend you check this one out February 7th!

The premise of this book gave me high hopes, but unfortunately it did not live up to expectations. The setting was underutilized, the characters were undeveloped, and the plot was poorly constructed, all making the big reveal at the denouement more than a little lackluster. This one needed more time in the editing/rewriting phase.

Holly is devastated when her younger brother Dan kills himself. The more she considers his actions and words, the more she believes someone knows more than they are telling. Who is that person? Holly believes Dan’s girlfriend Maura knows more than she is saying and she will make one bad decision after another to uncover the truth.
As Holly is drawn closer to Maura, things about her life and her relationship with Dan just don’t add up. Hollys attraction to Maura was in a word disturbing, but the more she uncovers about her, the question becomes will she escape her spell. I’m not sure if I understood all that Maura was involved in. I might’ve liked some more explanations but the story is told entirely from Holly’s perspective so that really couldn’t happen. Maura does explain some of who she is and what she has done, but I would’ve appreciated a bit more backstory.
Don’t get me wrong it was a page turning mystery, I just found it hard to feel sympathy for Holly. It did give off plenty of creepy Gothic vibes and I just wish I had felt more of a connection to Holly. I did love all of Maura’s creepy plants and flowers. I’m a fan of black roses though Such Pretty Flowers might make me like them just a little less.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for ARC!

The premise of this book was right up my alley: a Southern gothic mystery, and carnivorous plants – but unfortunately, I came away mostly disappointed.

The atmosphere isn't well-established enough for the book to really feel Gothic. The characters weren't developed enough to keep my attention. Somewhere in the middle I felt a bit lost. I think it was because I could not relate to the main character.

Typically, I like dark books, but this was a little too dark and depressing. Several warnings:
-Suicide
-Drugs and alcohol/roofies
-Depression, anxiety

Not for me, at the end of the day, despite the extremely promising synopsis.

#SuchPrettyFlowers #NetGalley
A fun read
Get it out of me.”
It was the last message Holly received from her brother, Dane, before he was found cleaved open in the lavish Savannah townhouse of his girlfriend, Maura. Police ruled his death a suicide sparked by psychosis, but Holly can’t shake the idea that something else must have happened—something involving another message he sent earlier that night about a “game” Maura wanted to play. Determined to discover the truth, Holly begins to stalk Maura, a magnetic, black-eyed florist with a penchant for carnivorous plants. But what begins as an investigation quickly veers into a fixation that lures Holly into the depths of Maura’s world: Savannah high society, eerie black roses, and a whisper of something more sinister. Soon Holly is feeling a dark attraction to the one woman she shouldn’t trust. As Holly falls deeper for Maura and her secrets, she’s left with only one choice: find out what happened to Dane or meet the same fate.
An original story with lots of twists. Waiting for more books by the same author.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bantam for giving me an advance copy.

I normally gravitate to dark books like this. However this book was just too dark and depressing. The sadness overwhelmed the actually story and just wasn't for me.

After Holly's brother allegedly dies by suicide, she decides to investigate further, and is drawn into a relationship with his mysterious and creepy girlfriend. The author does a great job of ratcheting up the suspense, and Holly is a likeable, realistic character. Although she doesn't always make good choices, you can understand why she feels compelled to keep pursuing the truth, even when things get weird and dangerous. If you like creepy horror novels, this one's for you!

I loved it! Intriguing and alluring with a touch of disturbing all rolled into one well written novel. Nothing was predictable so it was one of those books you can't put down. Great author.

“Get it out of me.”
It was the last message Holly received from her brother, Dane, before he was found cleaved open in his fiancée’s lavish Savannah townhouse. Police ruled his death a suicide sparked by psychosis, but Holly can’t shake the idea that something else must have happened... Something involving another message he sent that night, the one that mentioned a “game” his fiancée, Maura, wanted to play… Determined to discover the truth, Holly begins to stalk Maura. But what begins as an investigation quickly veers into a darker fixation, one that lures Holly into the depths of Maura’s world: Savannah high society, eerie black roses, and a whisper of something more sinister. Soon, Holly is feeling a dark attraction to the one woman she shouldn’t trust. As Holly falls deeper for Maura and her secrets, she’s left with only one choice: find out what happened to Dane... before she meets the same fate.
I was expecting a horror novel, but I just didn't feel it. There were dark gothic vibes from this book which I enjoyed. I couldn't connect with the main character mostly because she did not feel like a strong character. The writing was good. I can say that I absolutely love this cover and could not get enough of the feeling the book gives.

Ooh, a southern gothic with a spooky/supernatural twinge to it! Very different read. I really enjoyed the overall plot, the imagery and descriptive language was excellent, and the characters were well fleshed out. There was a great sense of urgency and it was a Ray creative storyline. Ultimately I found the inclusion of the supernatural element kind of took away from the story - it felt unnecessary and detracted from the believability. In my opinion it would’ve been better if Maura was just poisoning people/dosing them with herbs rather than growing parasitic flowers inside them. I also thought it was super off-putting that Holly engaged in a sexual relationship with her brother’s ex. Like, very soon after his death. In the same bed that her brother used to sleep in. *Shudder* that’s just creepy, and not in a gothic novel type way, just in a gross way.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bantam Press for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review. This was a 3.5 rounded up to 4 for me.

Holly's brother kills himself in a particularly violent way. Holly's guilt over her backing away from him during his mental health crisis, spurs her to investigate. She also is attracted and fascinated by his girlfriend with an intense and sinister presence, she gets involved with her and find herself getting lost in the horror of the situation she finds. Parts of this book worked very well for me, got involved right away and read it quickly. I got the metaphors she was trying to create but had to suspend belief many times as it went further along, so that direction/horror was less interesting to me. but others will probably love it

The pitch for this book was right up my alley: Southern, Gothic, murder mystery with LGBTQA themes. Chef's kiss!

But the execution was anything but. The book's "Gothic horror" elements are campy, and too well-telegraphed. The protagonist calls attention to the antagonist's suspicious behavior from the get-go, instead of the author allowing the unsettling mystery to build. And the protagonist allows herself to be put into precarious situations, the dangers of which she is NOT naive about, which makes her unsympathetic. For instance, Common Sense 101: Don't accept purple tea that makes you dizzy from the woman you think murdered your brother.

But more than the book's campy, dopey attempts at paranormal horror, the book's biggest flaw is that it actually has too many realistic triggers or cringe-inducing moments. Before you can lose yourself in the paranormal horror, there is a whole third of the book devoted to the death-by-suicide of a family member, and the grief of the protagonist. If, dear reader, you are someone who is sensitive to drama (as I am), you should have fair warning about what's in this book:

- Suicide
- Dead sibling
- Fighting parents
- Parent with cancer/Cancer death
- Drugs and alcohol/roofies
- Dead animals (mice)
- Viscera and exposed organs
- Overhearing roommates having sex
- Overhearing roommates unfriending you in your hour of grief
- Depression, anxiety, avoidance, grief

I started avoiding this book, because instead of getting lost in the fantasy of it all, I was instead being jarringly reminded of all the painful moments from my own life that I /turn to reading/ to help cope with! This book was sloppy, sometimes too over-the-top, sometimes depressing and mundane; it didn't try nearly hard enough to tie its themes together and build a story that makes the reader want to invest in it. This book made me sad, anxious, annoyed and impatient. Not the vibe I was pitched, and not the vibe it was going for I'm sure.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the copy of Such Pretty Flowers. This is a creepy, hypnotic read. Once I got started, I had a tough time putting the book down because of the writing and the story. Holly is curious, naive and needy, which makes her the perfect target. Maura is alluring but repulsive at the same time. There is some action near the end, but the book is mostly atmospheric and foreboding, crossing into horror territory at times. I was disappointed in the end and the reveal because they felt too simple and neat and I thought the story deserved a more intriguing conclusion.
If you’re looking for an enthralling read and don’t mind a little horror this might be the book for you.

Reviewed for NetGalley:

What a creepy, strange book, but in a good way.

Holly coming to terms with her brother’s passing, befriends his ex, Maura to try to uncover why her brother took his own life.

Surprising, intriguing, and off the wall.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

***


I am so grateful to the publisher for reaching out on this one. I was immediately drawn into the narrative.

Holly's brother has seemingly taken his own life in a bizarre and gruesome way. It was a shock to everyone he knew. Holly needs answers and decides to seek those out in Maura, her late brother's fiance. Things just get more confusing from there.

I enjoyed the structure of the story. It's modern and interspersed with text messaging, an element I found interesting.

About a quarter through the book,
I was full of questions and really didn't know where the book would go. Thriller? Murder? Speculative? Even at the halfway mark, it wasn't evident.

Without spoiling things, I'll say that it's messed up and the tail end of the book is non-stop action.

This was an original and thrilling read.

2.5-3 stars
Such a good premise just not fully developed. It almost gets there but then just kind of falls flat. I think with a good rewrite and edit this could really be a great book!

I'll be honest, I requested this book first because of the GORGEOUS cover. And second because of how interesting it sounded!

Unfortunately I found it to be just weird and I started losing interest about halfway. :(

Thank you for the opportunity to read this!