When I say this book didn’t disappoint. This book kept me on the edge of my seat. This was one of my highly anticipated books of the year, I can’t wait to see what this author brings into the world next

The main character was flat and boring, the plot dragged, and the writing told far more than it showed. Also the only POC character was the help???

Atmosphere was great and I was engaged enough by the mystery, so 3.5 stars.

This was a super good and atmospheric story! I connected right away to the main character and loved watching everything unfold with her new job!

To begin with, the cover is absolutely gorgeous! I love how it tells a story all on it's own.
All the Dead Lie Down is a well written gothic YA story based in coastal Maine. The story reminds me very much of Bly Manor on Netflix, and that was the main draw for me. The main character, Marin, nannies a couple of girls at Lovelace Manor. There, she experiences haunting situations, difficult charges and a sweet romance. The story keeps you guessing until the very end.

Thank you Harper Collins, Kyrie McCauley, and Netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Marin is grieving the loss of her mom, when Alice, her mom’s childhood friend, invites her to what seems to be the perfect escape — a nanny position watching Alice’s girls in their sprawling seaside estate. But the young girls are troubled and more than a handful, and no one seems to want to explain Alice’s frighteningly intense mood swings. Without much warning, Alice’s eldest daughter Evie makes a surprise appearance at home, who Marin finds herself increasingly drawn to. Love and fear and fantasy converge for Marin, as she quickly learns there’s far more to Alice’s invitation than she signed up for.

Although the ending is a little uneven — the mad-dash nature of events changes the tone of the book from deliciously thrilling, lingering borderline horror vibes to something else entirely — I was completely immersed in this gorgeously written story. Spooky, sly and sensual, ALL THE DEAD LIE DOWN is utterly unputdownable.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.*

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would love to write a full review. However, Harper Collins has yet to reach a fair deal with members of the Harper Collins union, who have been on strike for more than fifty days. Out of respect for the union, I will not be providing a full review at this time. Feedback will be edited once the union receives a fair contract.

The Haunting of Bly Manor meets House of salt and Sorrows in this young adult sapphic gothic romance about a girl who becomes the nanny of two girls in a strange family filled with darks secrets and death. Marin Blythe needs a change of scenery after her mother’s death. She is surprised to receive an invitation from Alice Lovelace, an acclaimed horror author and childhood friend of Marin’s mother. Alice offers Marin a job: become the nanny to her children in exchange for room and board. Marin soon finds herself arriving at the steps of the Lovelace House, in coastal Maine. Marin discovers that the young girls are strange... with their pranks escalating constantly to near attempts of murdering her. It also doesn’t help that she begins to find strange things around the estate and her room, from dead animals to blood trails. The girls include: Thea, who hosts funerals for her dolls and Wren who does everything in her power to try and drive Marin away including trying to feed her belladonna berries.Then Alice’s oldest daughter Evie makes a surprise return from school and Marin finds herself completely drawn in by Evie. Evie is mysterious and has etheral grace, and there is a connection between them but Marin can’t help but notice that Evie is hiding something from her. Marin soon finds herself spiraling down a path to try and solve the mysterious of Lovelace House and Evie, as well as figuring out what is truly happening around her from the dead animals to the strange behavior of the family. This one was a strange read for me, at first I found myself really interested but then I felt myself drifting further and further into disinterest. While the story has a beautiful gothic atmosphere the mystery itself and romance was not that great and the thing that threw me off the most was that it felt like it was suppose to be a gothic or something older but then would drop in modern day language and things that took out from the vibe. Overall, I can definitely see the influence of The Haunting of Bly Manor on the story and I think fans of gothic romance would have a fun time with it.
*Thanks Netgalley and HarperCollins Children's Books, Katherine Tegen Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

This book is beautiful and haunting, and the writing is atmospheric. I support this author, but not the publishing house due to the Harper Collins Strike. Please visit the HCPUNION Instagram for more information about the strike and how you can help those employees.

All The Dead Lie Down is a beautifully written haunting tale about a girl named Marin who is invited to nanny for an old friend of her mother’s after her mother’s tragic death. The friend happens to be Marin’s favorite horror novelist, Alice Lovelace, and the mansion is said to be haunted. Marin is in charge of the two younger girls, Wren and Thea, and things start to go awry right off the bat.

This book has all the spooky things - old cemeteries, crypts, monsters in the woods, necromancy, lots of dead things, and tons of twists and turns. It’s definitely a page turner and the reveals at the end were really surprising. There’s a sapphic romance between Marin and Evie, the oldest sister, which is really sweet, and I also loved the found family aspect. This is the perfect winter read and I would recommend it if you want a horror that isn’t too over the top scary.

Thank you to HarperCollins Children’s Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

After the unexpected death of her mother Cordelia, Marin is offered a live-in nanny position with her mother’s childhood friend, Alice Lovelace. Alice Lovelace also just so happens to be an incredible horror novelist; Marin is a huge fan and has read all of her books. Alice has three daughters, two younger girls Thea and Wren, who Marin is responsible for watching over, and an older daughter named Evie who is around Marin’s age.

Things get creepy as soon as Marin arrives. Nothing is really as it seems and there’s definitely some secrets that are just waiting to be revealed. This story is a lot of fun, and it was so thrilling to bear witness to the twists and turns that blow your mind with each page. Evie and Marin’s adventures are creepy and fun - I really enjoyed the way their relationship unfolds, it’s very sweet.

Something I really enjoy is when authors associate smells/scents with their characters. Kyrie McCauley does a great job of making sure we can smell what’s going on in every scene, even when the aromas aren’t so pleasant. I appreciate the detail that went into making sure the readers could smell the hint of cinnamon every time we spent time with Evie. Marin becomes so intoxicated with it.

I had a lot of fun reading this book and connecting with these characters. As someone who nannies myself, I fantasized about scenarios where I was a live-in nanny for my favorite author.

The ending definitely blew me away - I was hooked from the start!

I highly recommend this book to those who enjoy psychological thrillers, necromancy, and unexpected romance. If you like peeling back the layers of an onion to discover more secrets - then this is definitely a novel you must read! It’s definitely YOUNG-ADULT and would probably be most enjoyed by teens, but that didn’t stop this 32-year-old lady from loving it.

Thank you so much to HarperCollins and NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review!

What an absolutely beautiful tale. The perfect amount of twists and turns, all of which surprised me. Kyrie McCauley’s masterful storytellings painted a darkly compelling storm, quietly raging at Lovelace house. The storm may quietly rage through the night, but come dawn, there will be damage.
After Marin’s mother passed away unexpectedly, she’s offered a nanny position by a woman who was once friends with her mother. Not just any woman. Alice Lovelace: one of the greatest horror novelists of our time.
Room and board in an all out *estate*, in exchange for watching a couple of kids during the day? Yes, please.
But right away, things aren’t what they seem at Lovelace house. From the house grounds to its occupants.
Can Marin find out what cursed Lovelace house? Or will she die trying?

I couldn’t get enough of this sapphic, gothic mystery. 5 stars. Lovelace house and grounds will be the setting of many a nightmare, I’m sure.

What I would have done for a book like this when I was in my teens. It was the perfect combination of horror, suspense, and light romance. The slowly blossoming romance between Marin and Evie was done well. The fragility and newness came through in the story.

Reading this as a mature adult, I had no issue with reading or completing it. Was it my favorite or would I read it again? No, but it is perfect for its target audience, and I can think of at least one teenager I would recommend this to. There was nothing overtly sexual and the language was tame enough for teens.

The ending fell a little flat for me. I expected a more defined outcome.

Thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this.

I used to read nothing but horror then Stephen King ruined that for me. I won’t get into the reasons for that here. I just wanted to say that it has been a long time since I have taken a chance on a horror story and I have to say I am glad I did.

I really enjoyed the story. I got wrapped up in the characters and really started to care about what happened to them.

There is nothing I dislike more than a bratty kid, I am glad the story turned that around right quick or I may not have made it through the whole thing.

Seriously though, it is a good story with some twists and turns you might not have guessed were coming and a few you might guess. Nothing overly scary or dread worthy but still creepily good.

This cover is beautiful! I really enjoyed this book.
It was a little cliche at times but I didn't mind. It was still enjoyable and had a few twists of its own.

It takes place on a gloomy seaside estate, surrounded by woods, and a family graveyard.
If you like YA Gothic Horror/ Gothic Romance, family curses, gloomy atmosphere, and sapphic love stories, check this one out!

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for granting me a copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.

Horror stories are not my typical go books, but wow I really enjoyed this one. There is also a bit of romance between the two characters, Marin and Evie, so that was a plus.

The strange things that happen at Lovelace House are talked about by the town so it is known by everyone prior to Marin being invited there to serve as a nanny for, Alice Hallowel, her mother's childhood friends two younger children.

The creepy thing that happen in this house just keep getting creepier and creepier and at times everyone seems to be suspect.

When Evie, the oldest daughter returns from bording school unexpectedly, she becomes my main suspect. However, later I begin to doubt that theory.

There are several unexpected twists and turns throughout the story and the ending just blew me away.

Highly recommend. Not a typical haunted house/horror story.

**I received a free advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review**

This is, perhaps, one of the most hauntingly beautiful modern gothic novels I've read in a very long time.

McCauley's writing is atmospheric and poignant—beautiful and imagery-ladened but not too purple that it feels forced—and the intimate tale of loss, grief, and magic she weaves is proof of that. Our protagonist, Marin, carries her ghosts with her in everything she does and her sadness is palpable. When she is asked to be a live-in nanny for her mother's old friend, esteemed horror fiction writer Alice Lovelace, the last thing she expects to find is a broken, decomposing family that ends up becoming like her own.

While Marin and Evie, the eldest Lovelace daughter and Marin's love interest, both feel much older than their teenage years allow for, their blossoming affection helps to ground readers in the midst of even the darkest, most turbulent scenes. Fans of the Romantic macabre will love this novel: stormy estates on remote peninsulas, family shame and secrets, morbid curiosities and decay, and so much more wait on every page.

The novel has its pitfalls. For one, Alice is critically underutilized and sadly undeveloped, though it's understandable given the younger skew of the audience. Additionally, the ending feels rushed and much of the "action" doesn't start until the 50% mark, but all in all, this was absolutely worth a sleepless night spent reading under the covers because I couldn't stop turning the page.

Rating a very high 4.5 stars (4.75, if we want to be more precise).

This book had me pretty hooked from the beginning. I was intrigued right when the car dropped the main character off and mentioned that family being cursed, I had to know more. As I read this book and little bits of information started to come into play I was shocked, terrified, amazed, and finally all of it made sense. It was really a book that kept me on the edge of my seat trying to figure out what was going on. I give it 4 stars because I feel like there are still some questions that I was left with but overall it was such a fun read!!

I will not be reviewing this book while the HarperCollins Union is on strike. Until fair wages, diversity and job security are negotiated, I will not cross the picket line and post my review. When the strike ends, I will happily review this book.

All the Dead Lie Down was a fantastic atmospheric thriller that had me hooked from the first page. I loved the descriptions, and felt like I was in this story with the MC. For those who enjoyed The Companion by Kate Alender, stick around and read this, you won’t be disappointed!

I loved it! I was looking for something that was similar to Belladonna, one of my favorites from last year. This seemed like it might fit the bill and I’m so glad I tried it! I usually don’t like stories where someone goes to a creepy place to watch children so I was expecting to dislike that aspect of the story. I also don’t love horror so I was surprised to find myself sucked in and okay with the horror elements of the book. So read it even if you’re not usually into horror! This was a great way to start the year of books.