My expectations were high going into this book and I was worried I was going to be let down. I should have trusted the genius that is Catriona Ward because this is a really good book. Ward’s writing is captivating as she weaves what begins as a coming of age story. It is during the first half of the novel that I fell in love. I loved the characters and and that allowed me to really connect with the novel. They seemed real and broken and I was drawn into their world.
The story eventually morphs into a mystery that becomes ever darker and more bizarre until we eventually head into horror territory. I liked this trajectory but it did become a little confusing. But not to worry, everything eventually makes sense. This is a complicated and layered story but it is definitely worth the effort and that is all I’m going to say. Just read the book. Ward has a brilliance to her writing that really excites me and I can’t wait to see what she does next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. This book. One of my most anticipated of the year from a favorite author of mine and it did not disappoint. I will say I don't think it's a favorite of Ward's for me because I did find the book to become very confusing in the end. I will say that I think what added to my confusion was simply the format of the book from the file NetGalley transferred to my kindle. The spacing was what threw me off the most. Luckily though, I have ordered a hardcover copy and that arrived in the mail today. Once I was 30% of the way through I knew I needed this one for my shelves. I would go into this book basically blind or at least go in knowing that what you read in the synopsis is both true and not. Ward is known for her twisty ways and this might be her most twisty of them all! Her writing is captivating as always and I think from a pure prose standpoint, she is one of the greatest. She is able to create such a dark and tense atmosphere and once again makes the setting of her novel come to life as a character of its own. I can see this being confusing for people in the end or people not liking the direction that the story ultimately goes but I loved it and these characters will be in my heart for a long time. Definitely recommend it if you have read Ward before or if you are looking for a thriller book that leans heavily on horror elements.

Looking Glass Sound is my third book from Catriona Ward and once again I’m blown away with the twist that she conjured up. With a story that is horrific, heartbreaking, and unique, Catriona Ward takes you on a rollercoaster ride then leaves you with a shattered mind that craves a second run. I tried to write a description for this wild and incredible novel, but it’s impossible for me to leave out spoilers. From the beginning there are twists and turns that make writing a spoiler-free, catchy description damn near impossible, so I cheated and included the description from the publisher

(This is where I inserted the description from the Tor Nightfire website)

2.5

I was excited to get this arc but it was a let down. Slow and boring. I did not care whatsoever about what was happening or about any of the characters. I was hoping it was going to be more of a fever dream novel but it just didn’t reach that level.

3.5 rounding up. After hearing that Catriona Ward was a great voice in the horror-sphere I was so excited to read this. I thought the writing was great and the storyline super engaging. I did have a hard time following it at points and was left feeling a. little bit "WTF" lol but I've heard that's how her books are supposed to go. I loved all of the layers and tangled mess that the author wove and I truly would recommend it to thriller/horror fans.

Ⓑⓞⓞⓚ Ⓡⓔⓥⓘⓔⓦ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝕃𝕠𝕠𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝔾𝕝𝕒𝕤𝕤 𝕊𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕕
𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮 𝗪𝗮𝗿𝗱
Thriller
352 pages

Sʜᴏᴿᴛ Sʏɴᴏᴘsɪs

The story of summer friends and the dark effects of what they uncover.

As adults, the gritty past is captured in a book that becomes well-known. The question is, where did the story truly come from? What really happened in Whistler Bay?

Mʸ Tᴴᴼᵁᴳᴴᵀs

Looking Glass Sound is an intricate series of knots unraveling one by one to show us the truth of these characters and their story.

I found myself confused at times. The story is a book about a book about another book. That leads to some confusion.

Even so, I wanted to find out what happened. I like the unexpected in a book, and this has it in droves. The ending was the biggest surprise to me.

I suggest you don’t read multiple books with this one in the mix. You really need to focus to keep everything straight.

This story is like juggling too many balls and trying to keep them all going. You can do it if you focus hard, but you might still drop a few and might not know how to get them back in the mix.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing this ebook for me to read and review.

Amazing. I am not going to lie, this book was almost a 2 star, then almost a dnf but the last 100 pages of this book were absolutely everything. This will be in my favorites of the year for sure. I love this author and this one was just so smart

Whoa, as someone else said, this one is a brain bender. Very meta. Makes you want to go back and reread it as soon as you finish! And I did go back and reread parts of it... I enjoyed the story and only found it mildly confusing.

I love her books, but this one was twisted and kind of a gross creepy way. The sexual content was disturbing and unexpected. More than her other books, this one jumped the shark too many times, though I will still say it was very creative and twisty.

Early copy received from netgalley and Tor to voluntarily Read and review.

I struggled at first with the digital format of this one, but started listening on audio that was definitely the best way to enjoy this one.

The story had me hooked from the start and had me coming up with all sorts of crazy theories of what I thought was happening, but after the first section I can admit that I really had no idea what was going on.

It got a little confusing towards the end as the stories and characters started to converge. It was difficult to determine what was actually happening and what was part of the story, but overall I enjoyed it.

This is one I think would benefit from a re-read to full grasp the concepts and storylines.

Not going to lie, I was nervous going in because the Last House on Needless Street wasn't my favorite or anything, but Catriona Ward surprised me. I thought the blend of Coming of Age story and horror was well done and felt perfect against the Maine coast.

I wanted to love this one so much more than I did, I think I set my expectations too high based on how much I loved Last House on Needles Street.

I loved the character of Wilder. The beginning of the book with his memoir of his time at the cottage at Whistlers Bay was the best part of the book imo.

Once the story progresses and the memoir is followed with a book, and another book with liberties and name changes etc. it started to lose me. I think the author was using this as a way to add depth and layers to the story but it just became muddled. I don't mind unreliable narrators but the whole book just felt unreliable and confusing.

Atmospherically it was great, the writing itself was well done, I highlighted several passages because they were so great. But overall the POVs/books within the book took away from the plot and writing for me.

3 Stars - I liked it but didn't love it.

This book was incredible. Slow moving and beautifully written, Catriona Ward created a story that I will think about for awhile. I want to say more, but it could be considered spoilery, so all I'm going to say is, if you like the author's writing and you love atmospheric reads, pick this up.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for my honest review.

DNF'd at 69%

I came to the realization that this is just not my cup of tea; and I have far too many other teas to try that are waiting impatiently for me.

I really, really hoped this book would come around, but the convolution was suffocating. What a disappointment!

<i>Thanks to Tor Nightfire and NetGalley for this free ARC in exchange for an honest review.</i>

I was super excited to receive this ARC because I LOVED Sundial and The Last House on Needless Street. Well, add this book to that list! This author is a master of creating the most unexpected scenarios.

Catriona Ward offers up another mind-bending and twisty tale filled with psychological horror and metaphysical dread. This book was an insane read, and I'd expect nothing less from this author.

The story is told across several timelines through several POVs, and can be separated into three distinct parts:

Wilder is a strange boy who is bullied at his school. He and his family vacation at Whistler Bay for the summer in his recently deceased uncle's cottage. He befriends two other kids in the area and the three of them get into trouble all summer. Meanwhile, "The Dagger Man", the legend of the local murderer which has previously plagued the bay, resurfaces, and with it comes life-altering trauma.

We then follow Wilder into college, where he struggles to deal with the events of that fateful summer through writing with the intent of publishing a memoir one day. Wilder meets a boy, Sky, who encourages him to write everything down about his past to get the closure he needs. The two fall in love, but Wilder is ultimately betrayed when Sky steals the folder of all Wilder's writings to turn it into a book of his own.

This last part is where it gets trippy. Wilder returns to Whistler Bay as an adult. He is losing his sight, seeing things, hearing things, and he confuses these hallucinations with reality. Wilder is consumed by bitter rage toward Sky and decides to get revenge on him by writing a book about Sky's betrayal, to expose him, in similar style to Sky's own book.

This is the most basic summary I can provide of this book without revealing major plot points and twists. At its core, this is a coming of age novel. Withheld are details of murder, witchcraft, suicide, and ghosts; love, homosexuality, betrayal, alcoholism, friendship, and family. There are so many layers to this book. It was so fun to read and I never could have guessed where each of the twists and turns led.

Looking Glass Sound, ah, I’m still thinking about you 6 weeks later! First off, I love Cat Ward, make no mistake and one of the reasons I love her writing is for her sheer ability to pull one off on me. So, goes without saying, that LGS did just that.

I want to point out that it takes an open mind to read this, hang in there in the beginning and don’t give up because the journey is well worth it. Wards writing is descriptive, disturbing, and will get under your skin for a long time to come.

Highly recommend this one!

I made it 50% of the way through this book but sadly lost interest only 25% in. I enjoyed the atmospheric descriptions of the town near the water and all of the nautical themes, and the gruesome descriptions of what was found in the sea. However once Wilder went off to college it felt like a different book and it was difficult to maintain my attention in what was going on.

I think if the entire first part was a horror novella, that would have been perfect.

This book was genuinely brilliant. The plot was so intricate and bizarre in the best way. By the end, I had almost no idea what was fake and what wasn't, and I loved that. Catriona is an amazing writer and I feel like I love her style more and more with each book I pick up. This was such a unique story and I haven't stopped thinking about it.

Catriona Ward possesses an incredibly unique creative talent, and I absolutely love her books.

What sets her apart is her ability to instil fear without relying on excessive gore, monstrous creatures, or overly detailed descriptions. Instead, Ward delves into the recesses of your mind, provoking thought and discomfort. In “Looking Glass Sound,” the horror element is concentrated in a single, unforgettable scene that lingers in your thoughts long after reading. The remainder of the book grapples with the aftermath of that chilling moment, taking readers on an emotional journey alongside the characters as they grapple with lasting trauma.

The characters in this story are rich and evocative, with Wilder’s outcast persona drawing immediate empathy. The seaside backdrop during the summer, filled with stolen moments and fleeting friendships, adds a layer of immersion that is almost tangible, allowing readers to smell the sea and experience the joy of newfound connections.

The narrative style, featuring multiple perspectives and time shifts, mirrors fragmented thoughts, creating an unsettling and slightly disorienting atmosphere. However, it all comes together brilliantly in the end.

The book needs to be devoured in a single sitting, requiring your full attention. It’s a fantastic and immersive read that captivates from start to finish. All the stars for this book!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I read a digital ARC of Looking Glass Soung and IMMEDIATELY left my house to pick up a physical copy when I finished. I had to get it in the hands of friends so that we could discuss, because this one is WILD.

What I loved:
-The story/mystery in the first part of the book immediately grabbed me and I loved the way the plot unfolded.
-Ward is a very descriptive writer and there are scenes that will vividly live in my head forever.
-I loved the “ah ha” moments when I realized the tie ins between the big reveals and earlier events.

Other thoughts:
-Ward books are never what they seem to be on the surface. As the story deepened, the layers sometimes became confusing. But I think that the questioning of “what’s real, what just happened?” is the point 😃
-I feel like the official blurbs and synopsis don’t really give a true picture of the story, so it’s best to go in blind.

This book will bend your brain and make you question every chapter. If you’re looking for a dark story full of murder, betrayal and obsession, this might be one for you. I definitely recommend reading the physical copy, it makes it easier to go back and double check your memory every time you think “wait, what?!?”

Thank you @netgalley and @tornightfire for the advanced copy!