Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read this eARC!

The only issue I had with this book was the pacing, it was very slow for most of the book. HOWEVER, this was such a good story. I want to put a quick CW for suicide/trypophobia. This had the creepy, atmospheric vibes that sent shivers up my spine, I've only felt that kind of eeriness with House Of Hollow and it set the tone of the book. A creepy florist, a brother who ends up dead, now Holly is having nightmares and feels like things are growing inside her...

The plot twist was not what I expected but the details get creepier the more you learn about Dane's death. Honestly, I couldn't put this book down and I can't wait to pick up a physical copy next year!

This book had a very unique story like. In the end, I found the plot twist to still be surprising…without spoilers, I knew parts of it but didn’t realize the full extent. While I did enjoy the story, I’m only giving 3 stars because I found the pacing a bit slow…this took me much longer to get through than usual because I kept putting it down. But overall it was a very interesting read, and thriller/suspense readers would very much enjoy it.

This book was just a little bit out of my comfort zone, but I have to admit, I loved every minute of it!

Creepy, atmospheric and weird. Loved my time reading this beautiful written horror book. A slow build plot with such good creepy vibes. While I at first struggled with following Holly and her pov, I really loved the ride for this.

The weird obsessions, the uncomfortable atmosphere and the bizarre things really worked for me! Excited to see more from this author!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc!

Crazy, creepy, and intense! I liked this even more than I thought I would.

It’s very unique, with great storytelling. I consumed this book. The characters are wonderfully written.

Definitely one of the best books I’ve read this year!!

ARC Review -- Spoiler free

Premise

Our main character takes it upon herself to uncover the truth about her brother's suicide, even if that means getting close to the prime suspect -- his mysterious girlfriend.

Quick Review

While an interesting premise and perfectly spooky book to read for October, this book fell short in a few ways for me. However, it's a quick read with accessible writing -- so it may be for you if you want an easy spooky read with southern gothic vibes.

Long Review

The main fault I found with this book was the writing style. There was a lot of telling instead of showing, which kept me from really getting hooked. We also got long blocks of text showcasing what the main character was thinking in a given moment, which made scenes feel choppy and also weighed down the plot. The main character also struck me as a little one-note instead of a nuanced, fleshed-out person.

The plot itself was interesting enough, with a unique villain and villain motivation. I do wish we'd gotten a bit more atmosphere, but the touches of Savannah we got were nice and really set the mood.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC! This book is set to be published in February 2023.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing us to receive an arc in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts and opinions are my own.


Creepy, gothic, dark, spooky-
Perfection. Loved it. Need more!

I was too excited for SPF. A story that was both compelling and intriguing.

Such Pretty Flowers by K. L. Cerra was a unique and crazy story.
I enjoyed following Holly's journey to find out what really happened to her younger brother Dane.
Police ruled his death as a suicide brought on by psychosis.
But after getting her brothers un-nerving text message “Get it out of me.” Holly isn't so sure now.
Starting her own investigation Holly sets out to find the truth. And starts looking into her brothers mysterious girlfriend Maura.
And what follows Holly after is a world of secrets she was prepared for.

First, this cover is just so pretty. It's one of my favorites for sure.
I loved the story-line. The characters are so interesting.
And Holly immediately pulled me into her crazy and wild world.
The mystery was captivating, I couldn't read it fast enough to see how this story ended.
The writing was stellar and I enjoyed the hell out this one.
I felt it was a bit slower than I originally anticipated.
Overall, a solid read. And I look forward to reading more books from Cerra.

Random House, Ballantine & Bantam,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this eARC!

After receiving a mysterious text message from her brother saying “ Get it out of me” and then being notified that he was found cleaved open in the beautiful Savannah townhouse of his girlfriend, Maura.... Holly knows something is suspicious and she is determined to find out what really happened to her brother. Holly and her brother are close and she noticed that he has started acting strange ever since he began dating his rich and strange botanist girlfriend Maura. When Holly’s roommate plans on moving out what better opportunity than to move in with Maura and snoop around to discover what she might be hiding. Yet the more time she spends with Maura the more she finds herself drawn to Maura and falling for her... yet there is something sinister happening, from the strange black roses that might be feeding on blood, Maura’s strange high society friends, Holly’s brother’s drawings and messages.... and the nightmares that plague her. Yet the more Holly dives into the mystery of her brother’s death the more she feels like she is in danger... and that she might be next. This was an interesting horror/mystery that really plays on the floral horrors. The story starts off interesting but lags a bit in the middle but definitely picks up in the final portion of the book. This book is a fun spooky read!

*Thanks Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

The opening of this novel was captivating and really intrigued me, however as the pages went on, the writing declined. I found myself increasingly frustrated with the lack of story progression. It just seemed like all the writer focused on mastering was the opening, rather than the plot.

This was really creepy! Maura scared the crap out of me, and Holly's grief was almost palpable. I really liked the complexity of each of the characters, as well as the horror aspect. My only complaint is that it took a really long time to get started. Things were just a little eerie for most of the book before the true horror started, and I got a little bored.

A horror novel where plants take over?

When I first started reading this, I initially thought this was a Hades and Persephone horror novel? But then the story took a completely different direction and definitely suprised me.

Holly was always close with her younger brother Dane. But when he started to become ill they drifted apart, now leaving Holly with immense guilt as she attends his funeral after he committed suicide. She finds out that her brother had moved in with his recent girlfriend Maura, and the more she talks to her, the more unease and secrets begin to emerge. Thinking that something seems off, Holly decides to find the truth surrounding Maura and her brother – even if it puts her own life in danger.

I really enjoyed the author’s writing. The atmosphere was fantastic; I loved that it was set in Savannah, GA, and that the author included some of its local lore. It made me think I knew what was going to happen, but I was surprised! It was a bit of a slow burn, but thanks to the atmosphere and the characters, I never found it boring. I wouldn’t necessarily classify it as horror, but suspense? Most definitely.

Holly was a great protagonist – her guilt was a realistic flaw that informed her decisions, and she had positive attributes that made her relatable/likeable. In fact, all of the characters felt well developed and well written, making it easy to get lost in their stories. I loved how Maura was written and the insights we were given into her history and thoughts. And as someone from the south, I appreciated that the author knew how to make the use of “y’all” feel authentic. One last thing – the romance was excellently done and added to the atmosphere of the work in that it was treated more like a compulsion or obsession than a traditional romance.

This was a unique and weird Southern Gothic read which I highly recommend – I became so absorbed in it that I finished it in a day (and stayed up much too late on a work night). My thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for allowing me to read and review this work, which will be published February 7th, 2023. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Oh wow… definitely an amazing thriller! Y’all have got to read this one if you are ready for a suspenseful ride. Absolutely loved the ending and the characters really sucked you into the storyline.

Eh, just so so for me. I liked the writing but where it was heading became clear early on and the MC's choices just seemed very stupid. And the premise with the flowers wasn't believable to me.

Thank you for the chance to read this Such Pretty Flowers.

That said, there’s nothing I can point out that I liked very much or disliked, only that I found this book an absolute slog to get through.

The premise was interesting and the flowers and how they were treated was fascinating and I loved all those ideas, but I think this is a story where the pacing, or the hidden parts or the main character just made the book such a chore to read.

Holly’s brother Dane commits suicide. Holly thinks there’s something suspicious about his fiancé Maura. She becomes friends with Maura and moves into her creepy Gothic house with her. Strange eerie things begin to happen. She thinks what happened to her brother may happen to her.
This was a very thrilling read and I didn’t want to put it down at night.
Thanks NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for the chance to read this ARC!

After the death of her brother, Dane, Holly finds herself drawn to Dane's enigmatic girlfriend, Maura. Initially, Holly suspects Maura of being involved in Dane's death, so she moves into Maura's gothic townhouse in hopes of finding some clues about what really happened. Set in historic Savannah, with lush descriptions of flowers and botany, this book it quite atmospheric and dark.

The relationship between Holly and Maura is so frustrating and messy, and it just adds to the tension threaded throughout the whole book. There are so many directions I suspected this might take, but I could never have guessed where the story went. The final quarter of the book was a wild ride.

It was creepy and weird and gross and yet I couldn't stop reading. I wanted a bit more of a smooth and detailed resolution. There were a couple of questions left unanswered but it wasn't a deal breaker for me. Fans of gothic literature and botany will especially enjoy this.

The cover of this book is gorgeous, and the premise made me request it asap. However, the execution was a bit too slow-going and even, at times, bland for my taste. This is *clearly* just a me issue, though.

Oh my gosh this book was so creepy. So well written. This book would have been perfect for an October release with the spooky vibes!!