This is one of those great creepy books that keep you reading long into the night! Holly is devastated when her brother, Dane commits suicide because he'd sent her an odd text the night before and the circumstances surrounding his death are very odd. And when she meets his girlfriend, Maura she is in for many surprises as this woman is strange but welcoming and Holly gets caught up in a relationship with her that is brazen and defies expectations. Needless to say, I put everything off until I finished this as it got under my skin (maybe literally) and I found myself racing through the pages! Be prepared for a nightmarish read as it is nothing you will expect...but it's mesmerizing!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

⚠️BOOK REVIEW⚠️
(minor spoilers)

When Holly’s brother Dane commits gruesome suicide, Holly is certain his girlfriend Maura is behind it somehow. All because of a cryptic text Holly received from him the night of his death. As Holly takes it upon herself to get to the bottom of this tragedy that struck her brother and her family, she finds herself being weaved deeper and deeper into Maura’s intricate web of mystery and intrigue. Or is it one of murder?

This read is alluringly thrilling with an impossibly impulsive mystery woven throughout. I’ve read quite a few sibling downfall mysteries lately, and I specifically loved the creepiness and sensuality throughout this one. Cerra absolutely nailed the tone here, and I truly think this story would make a great film.

It’s a quick read that kept me guessing until the very end. The ‘twist’ is clever and true to the tone and character behavior.

However, I do think the relationship between the protagonist (Holly) and antagonist (as we later learn, is Maura) could have been better fleshed out. It would have added some core components I felt were missing in the storyline between the two and their hastily developed relationship. (Their whole relationship reminded me of a fever dream.) And, being a shorter read, it most definitely had room for page count. This story had great bones, but even the foundation of a house without walls and a roof is only studs. I also felt like the ending was rushed and terribly anticlimactic. Matias being at the townhouse in the end seemed to serve no purpose?

All that being said, this mystery/thriller gets a solid 3-star from me. I would recommend it to those who love creepy horror elements in their books without the grotesque-ness of slasher books. And props to you if you could even guess the ending— I surely couldn’t!

This book was sent to me through #NetGalley in exchange for review.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This story was so creepy and I devoured every second. This was the perfect spooky read for October.

When Random House sent me an email notifying me that I was pre-approved to read this, I hesitated. The cover pulled me in, but the mixed reviews made me hesitate. I'm honestly having a hard time putting my finger on what I feel is an appropriate star rating for it.

Holly is a young 20-something living in Savannah, dealing with the aftermath of her family life when her brother gruesomely kills himself in the townhouse he shares with his girlfriend. Eventually, she ends up moving in with this girlfriend, Maura, in an attempt to get closer to her and try to figure out what caused her brother to commit suicide. From there the book slowly edges into strange horror.

I'm having a hard time rating it, because while I read it in its entirety in one day, there were some major holes in the plot, and the climax of the book felt too easy. Things wrapped up very quickly, and altogether too neatly in my opinion. I was left feeling fairly unsatisfied. That said, I think I will be giving this book 3.5 stars rounding down, simply because of the issues I am having personally with the plot and questions I am left with no answers for.

Thank you to Random House Ballantine and NetGalley for the electronic ARC of this for review.

This was a very strange read. I was highly intrigued by the premise and the blurb, and the cover is absolutely stunning. It started off really strongly for me, pulling me in from the get-go- but about 40% in it started getting, well, weird. And the weird just kept getting weirder - and not in an engaging and interesting way that had me furiously turning pages to find out what's happening but more in a way that had me slowly and almost reluctantly turning them because I really didn't know that I cared to see what came next...

I like weird and creepy tales as much as the next guy (actually, probably more than the next guy), but something about this one just kept making me scrunch my nose and want to stop reading. I'm not sure exactly why - it's not that I was so turned off by the way the relationship between Maura and Holly developed (although the ick factor there, due to her dead brother, was high), or that I was too creeped out by the blood drinking roses or Maura's mercurial and ominous behavior to continue reading. It's more like I just suddenly realized that I was turning pages to turn pages, rather than to see what happened next.

I lost interest and I'm not exactly sure when or why. I never get halfway through a book and then decide not to finish it - if I've committed myself that far I usually at least skim to the end to see what the twist or reveal was. But I just lost the threads of this one so intensely that I didn't even want to do that. I'll give it three stars for the first half of the book, but I honestly can't rate it beyond that point because I couldn't find myself interested enough to finish. This one just wasn't for me...

The premise of this book was gorgeously alluring – a Southern gothic mystery, featuring a murder mystery, queer main characters, and carnivorous plants – but unfortunately, I came away mostly disappointed.

This book did some things well: its main character was well-portrayed in her "messy" stage of young adulthood, and the premise is really, really promising; there's a lot of good ideas underlying the plot and the character dynamics.

The execution, however, falls flat. The atmosphere isn't well-established enough for the book to really feel Gothic, and the setting was very underutilized. The characters weren't developed enough to keep my attention, and every time it felt like we started to get some complexity, or details which would make us emotionally invested, the thread got mysteriously dropped and never picked back up (like Maura's relationship with her mother). The ending was predictable and dissatisfying, and in all, the story felt like it didn't really GO anywhere.

Not for me, at the end of the day, despite the extremely promising synopsis. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-ARC!

The synopsis for this title intrigued me immediately. I had never requested a book so fast in my life. However, after reading said book, I have found that the synopsis leaves the reader expecting way more from this book than there actually is. Do not get me wrong, I enjoyed this book. The story's ambiance is immaculate, the twist is fun, and the plot is incredibly well-structured. But, my problem with the story is that the twist is practically revealed midway through the story, and it never deepens. The twist is all there is, and while the story wraps up well in the end, it feels very anti-climatic. I felt robbed after reading it because I felt I was missing out on all the synopsis promised. While the story has a strong plot and beautiful writing, that simply was just not enough for me. However, I would include this novel in my classroom if teaching in a high school setting because it is an exciting read that excludes inappropriate elements for students, such as explicit sexual content and inappropriate language.

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release.

This book had me in a tug-of-war. I loved the start, and the plot and gore-y descriptions were right up my alley, but somewhere in the middle I felt a bit lost, and I think that was because I couldn't relate to the main character/her choices at ALL. The book itself was well-written and had a very interesting plot, but personally my lack of interest in the MC made me lose focus of the plot because it felt like effort I didn't want to exert just to get to the end and say I'd finished it.

This was a good story by a new author for me. Kept me guessing, engaged with the characters and flow. Look forward to more.

I’d like to first start off by saying that this southern gothic horror genre was something I have never read before. I went way out of my comfort zone with this one, but figured I’d give it a shot. Like I expected, I found most of the plot to leave me with a weird uncomfortable feeling. The story was very creepy and there was underlying haunting/unsettling vibes throughout the entire book that kept me on edge, in a good way or a bad way, I couldn’t tell you. My skin was crawling the whole time though.

We start right off with the suicide of Holly’s brother shortly after he sends her a cryptic text.
Holly has a hard time wrapping her head around this, and cant help but suspect something being off about Maura, who her brother had been dating and living with. Their relationship always seemed odd and was very fast paced, so Holly begins to suspect that Maura isn’t who she seems and isn't as innocent as she portrays herself to be.

Her brother had become very paranoid in his final days, he told her that something sinister is growing inside of him, leaving Holly very confused trying to decipher whether it was his delusions talking or if something was actually going on behind close doors… perhaps in connection with his strange relationship with Maura.

When circumstances cause Holly to move in with Maura, she uses this opportunity to spy, trying to find out if Maura is hiding something that could explain everything. It doesn’t take long for Holly to discover that Maura is lying about things and is keeping many secrets, such as a mysterious greenhouse and ominous basement, perfect for keeping something locked away.

While continuously investigating, Holly finds herself consumed by Maura’s presence and is thinking of little else but her. So of course, this leads to Holly feeling drawn towards her, and she battles with a sudden attraction that sends her head spinning. Holly is overcome with guilt, doubt, and feels like she is betraying her brother. Not only that, but can anything good really come out of these feelings? Or will she end up just as delusional as her brother, ultimately meeting the same end?

There were a few plot holes and some things I felt were left unresolved, so overall I’m giving it 3 stars.
But if you enjoy thrillers, horror, or just a super dark and unique storyline, then this is the book for you. You’ll be on the edge of your seat anxiously looking for the answers Holly desperately seeks, and trust me when I say what’s to be uncovered is truly horrific and surprising. Make sure to check for trigger warnings such as: gore, suicide, and unsettling topics. This is not for the faintest of hearts.

This one was not for me. It was a very exciting premise and started off strong for me but about 45% in it became very tedious and never really picked back up. It felt like a good idea that just fizzled.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House publishers for this eARC. This book had so much potential, but it was so boring. I literally had no idea what the plot was 50% in. The romance was an odd addition and things seemed to just be thrown out there at random. In addition, this was not heavy on the horror like I was hoping. Overall, very disappointed.

This was a great psychological thriller. Holly’s brother, Dane, manifested mental illness in his final semester of art school, becoming paranoid and delusional, and finally killing himself in a rather horrific manner. Holly and Dane had been close growing up, but Holly had distanced herself from Dane when he became ill, unable to handle it. The night he died, he sent her a text saying his girlfriend, Maura, wanted him to play a game with her, just in case something happened to him.

Holly believes that Maura knows more about the events of that night than she is saying, and that she might be responsible. She and Maura meet to talk and there is a strange connection between them. Circumstances result in Holly temporarily moving in with Maura, which she sees as an opportunity to snoop. What she finds is confusing. Maura is a florist with an impressive greenhouse and an eclectic mix of plants/flowers. Her friends/clients praise her as powerful and a great healer, and she does have a side business involving medicinal tonics. Maura does have a genuine desire to help others, but her methods are not only unconventional but unethical and illegal. She is also very manipulative, as well as mercurial, keeping Holly off-balance. Maura's secrets are unexpected and deadly.

I liked the interactions between Holly and Maura, and how the author used Maura's words and actions to keep Holly off-balance, unsure what to believe, and what is happening to her. I also liked that Dane uses his childhood experiences with his sister, as well as his hobbies, to send her a message, albeit one that Holly will not discover until it is too late. The story has plenty of surprises and a good amount of creepiness.

I received a copy of the e-book via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

As always, thank you to NetGalley for this arc! For fans of Summer Sons by Lee Mandelo, Such Pretty Flowers is what I would describe as a southern gothic with a floral twist perhaps? We follow our main character Holly as she tries to deal with the recent death of her brother and the many ways it just doesn’t add up to her. His mysterious illness and strange last message to her push her to begin investigating is life, and more importantly, his girlfriend. Holly finds herself instantly drawn to the strange Maura in more ways than one. Holly is what the kids would call a mess, but I have to say, I do respect it. Her motivations do seem a tad lost sometimes and she moves a tad fast with Maura, but she knows what she wants here and she isn’t going to stop until she gets answers. I do have to say that the pacing of this story is a bit strange, but the story moves itself along well enough. Regardless, I would say I do recommend this book and to definitely look out for it in Feb 2023!

I wanted to see if roses really would drink blood. Unfortunately, I passed out before the experiment was completed. No, I didn't!

We do have some blood-drinking roses in Such Pretty Flowers. Got some body horror, a dastardly villainess, things growing inside of people and a mouse, and tea and wine our protagonist would be better off not drinking. I shouted at her, "Don't drink that!" but shouting at fictional characters does no good.

Speaking of the protagonist, she isn't very interesting. I wanted her to take up a hobby beyond drinking questionable tinctures. Well, she had a fear of irregular circles, but that's a lousy conversation starter. Maybe not. I'd probably talk to somebody who is afraid of lily pad pods.

So, we have this original idea, but the characters keep doing unoriginal things. Every character managed to roll their eyeballs, smirk, bite their lips (one of them until she tasted blood which I swear is in every book I read lately.) Even a statue of a cherub had a smirk!

I have crawled on my knees to beg editors to erase all the eyeball rolling, smirking, and lip biting. I have burned out two smirk-o-meters and three eyeball-roll-o-meters. And yet, it continues.

Four stars for originality of plot, but one star for the use of the same ol' same ol' that everybody seems to be using.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bantam for allowing me to read and review an eARC of Such Pretty Flowers.

This book is really weird. The characters are unlikeable. The plot is bizarre. The setting and atmosphere are gloomy and smothering. It’s everything I expected it to be based on the description, and it’s one of the strongest Southern Gothics I have read in a long time.

I really enjoyed this and I think it will be very popular among book clubs. This is certainly an “acquired taste” kind of story, but for readers who appreciate bizarre, atmospheric Southern Gothic, Such Pretty Flowers will hit the spot.

Book review

“Get it out get it out oh god get it out of me”
That was the last text Holly received from her brother Dane the night he was found dead. Police are saying it was suicide but something about the whole situation isn’t sitting right with Holly. Determined to find out what that last text meant, Holly moves into Danes place.

When I first started this I was absolutely hooked, the description of how Danes body was found drew me in! Who doesn’t love some gore? Also the way Maura was portrayed was eerie and I wanted to know what was going on.

Unfortunately this lost its appeal rather quickly for me. The main character Holly made so many stupid decisions that I didn’t sympathize with her one bit. When the book started getting heavily focused on the flower aspect I found myself very bored, like I get that’s the point of the book (the flowers not being bored) but it was just a lot.

Reading this book felt like such a chore for me and ultimately it was a huge letdown. The big reveal at the end fell flat and wasn’t all that thrilling at all, this also dragged but I guess that’s what you get with a gothic horror?

This book is marketed as a queer horror and I want to know where exactly it shows or states that Holly falls in love with Maura. From what I gathered she found her strangely pretty but I don’t think she was falling for her. It’s pretty misleading in my opinion to market this as such, yes they have “moments” but I didn’t get the feeling that either loved each other or really found each other all day attractive.

Thank you NetGalley and to the publishers for granting me access to this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Despite boasting a very intriguing premise, “Such Pretty Flowers” was just too weirdly bizarre for my personal liking. The characters were not at all likeable and the story itself was anything but scary. That said, it is well written, and for those that enjoy reading strange, dark, gothic stories that venture into the realm of improbability, then this one will be right up your alley! For me, not so much.

Review Copy

3.5 stars rounded up

SUCH PRETTY FLOWERS, such an easy read, but such a hard review. I pretty much figured out the what of it, but the why of it didn't make a whole lotta sense. And the forensics? What forensics? That alone should deduct a couple of stars, but I dunno, suspension of belief, maybe.

I guess if you're looking for a book to to read in a day and not think about, this might be the one. I need to get it out of my head.

Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for the chance to read and review K. L. Cerra's 'Such Pretty Flowers.'

This was a fun and speedy gothic read - I read in a few hours and loved it. I was drawn to the description and as a recently transplanted Savannahian was attracted to the prospect of seeing how the author leveraged the history and atmosphere of the city.

It's a tale of suicide, death, botany-based illnesses, intrigue, deceit, eroticism, and detective work in which a bereaved sister tries to discover the real cause of her brothers madness and death by cleaving to the woman she believes was the cause of it.

It plays out at a really snappy pace and does manage to get some of the flavor of Savannah into the story.

I'd have loved to have seen the author delve more deeply into the 'villain's' 'side business' and her clientele since I think that would've added richness to the broader story and more opportunities to bring the city into the narrative. I think it would've filled in a couple of the other unexplored elements and loose ends. Maura's seemingly endless wealth, was she really one of four daughters of a Connecticut mother?

Sometimes longer doesn't mean better when it comes to novels but I think in this case, another hundred pages exploring Maura's existence would've added to the richness and enjoyment.

Nevertheless, a highly enjoyable quick horror tale.