This book was just…strange.

I adored _Dearest Josephine_, but the two I’ve read by this author since then (including this one) I could not get into, for varying reasons. The curse and mysticism elements in this one proved to be my personal downfall and why it’s a DNF. (They seemed doubly weird for being a Thomas Nelson-published book.)

I can’t say I’ll rush to pick up another by George, now that a couple in a row have fizzled.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I loved the setting in the swamps for this story. The dark and mysterious history of the main character’s past unraveled as the story went on and kept me intrigued. Great read! I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

If there’s one thing you should read Curses and Other Buried Things for, it’s the vibes. Set in Georgia, the book feels truly alive and rich, with lush descriptions of swamps and a small town where most people never leave and everyone knows you and your business. George spends time building out the town and its characters and I ended up being pretty invested in a lot of side characters, and loving the atmosphere she created. The book has a very strong start and while it ended weakly for me, it was still a fun journey.

The book is split between the perspectives of two women in the Prather family, one who supposedly cursed the women of the family to die tragically at a young age and the other a young girl who’s begun to experience signs of this curse. While both perspectives have their unique points and are utilized in the story, the problems both women go through and how their respective romances work out were repetitive and felt too easily earned. So many times, one of the women debates whether she should take a chance on romance or not and, because we’re getting the same dilemma from both women, it ends up feeling monotonous.

I enjoyed the ways George tackles multigenerational trauma for the most part. Putting an almost supernatural twist on it with a “curse” was great and I like how difficult the journey was for both women because of how their town, families, and lineage affect them. However, there are a few subtler elements though that George included and which weren’t as fleshed out as I wanted them to be such as the racial dynamics that she brings up.

I loved the premise of Curses and Other Buried Things and the first half, but the ending was suddenly very cheesy and the twist fell flat for me. It felt very on the nose and more message first than an organic ending to the story that we’ve been told so far. It’s a strange ending to an otherwise atmospheric book about self-fulfilling prophecies and a dark coming-of-age story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the copy!

I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are my own opinions.

I planned to read a chapter or two before bed, but I soon realized I gravely underestimated this book. It was the perfect mix of well-written characters, mystery, history, and thrillers. I loved the back and forth through time and the complex, yet familiar relationships the Yawn family members have.

I have never been to the South, but Caroline George did a tremendous job of setting a scene so clearly I'm there when I close my eyes.

A modern southern gothic thriller with a touch of the supernatural. I loved the story and was sucked into it immediately.

"Blood holds all kinds of curses. Mine holds more than most."

Caroline George really said "I'm going to come for Abby personally with this book" and I love her for it haha! Every book of hers has punched me in the gut in different ways, and this was no exception.

"Dearest Josephine" was about relationships that end suddenly and too soon, "The Summer We Forgot" was about relationships that slowly fade over time, and "Curses and Other Buried Things" is about the people who choose to stay in spite of all the reasons not to. It's about generational trauma and the things we inherit from those who go before us. It's heavier than George's other books, with themes of racism and mental health struggles, but it feels so real and raw and beautiful.

It's truly the kind of story to savor, and I'm glad I took my time. You truly get to know both Susana and Suzanna, and I cared about both of them so deeply by the time we reached the end. Like every one of George's books so far, I didn't know how it would end, but I loved it. I teared up multiple times, and I already can't wait to re-read it.

5 stars, for sure. Definitely some things to be aware of going in (stay safe, friends) but the author's note at the beginning does a good job of that (and the author's note at the end made me cry so... do with that what you will)

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review. The following opinions are my own.

This was very romance forward. Which is not for me. I was hoping for darker and more.

"Curses and Other Buried Things" certainly managed to conjure up some eerie and unsettling atmospheres, which I appreciated. However, despite the promising creepy vibes, I ultimately found the book to be rather dull. While there were aspects of the story that held my interest, I couldn't help but feel myself struggling to stay engaged as I read. It's a novel that had potential, but unfortunately, it didn't quite captivate me as I had hoped.

This is my first Caroline George book! This book had a great description,
But unfortunately for me the book just seemed boring to me. The writing didn't hold my attention. I thought it was very inappropriate to have the main characters sister to be living with her boyfriend. The author is Christian and should keep Christian values in her book. There was other things I found inappropriate as well. There was underage drinking, plus mentions of adult characters getting drunk.

The jumps between the past and the present was super confusing.


thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins for giving me the opportunity to read this book for free.

What an introduction to Caroline George! Her powerful writing transported me to the deep South and a community dug deep in traditions and curses. I could feel the humidity, smell the swamp, and hear the cicadas. The characters pulled me deep in the story, their struggle for life outside of family history compelling. Caroline George shows us all the power of words, spoken during high emotions and how those words wind around a community, influencing countless others. And ultimately how to break the hold of things with only perceived power. Above all, hope to find a way that way through has it's own power. And that power may be the strongest of all, if only a person is willing to find it and grab on tight. I loved how the curse started my journey through this story, but hope joined and finished with me. If this is what I can expect from Caroline George I can't wait for her next book. Her words paint a picture that I want to return to again and again. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

DNF @28%

I liked the idea of the plot, but the main character had no personality, so I found it difficult to care.

Curses and Other Buried things is a story about breaking through generational curses and lies. Susana is towards the end of high school when her 18th birthday approaches. For all of her life she has been fed the lore of what happens to women in her family at that age. Desperate not to fall prey to the curse Susana tries to outsmart the very thing that could kill her. In the process she uncovers shocking revelations and secrets. By the end she doesn't know who to trust or what to believe, only the truth can set her free.

This story gently covers the topics of mental health and unveils the hardships behind generational curses. It shows how believing the untruths about yourself can really affect you in the long run.

I love that Caroline George put herself out there by sharing some of her experiences with through the characters in this story.

The small town atmosphere and characters gave me Heart of Dixie and Steel Magnolia tv show/ movie vibes.

Similar to the author's previous book we get two stories that are beautifully weaved together. We get the story about the grandmother who started it all and also Susana, the present day reciever of the curse. Reading it like that kept me coming back for more, it kept the mystery of the overall story alive.

The characters were relatable and enjoyable, I appreciated what was done with Keziah Douglas.

My favorite parts of the story is probably the last leg of it, when all the lies and curses have surfaced and dealt with. It flowed really well with a satisfying ending.

I'm eager to see what this author has planed for her next book .

I received a complimentary copy of this book, the opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Jesus this was a good book. Speckled with a little bit of uncomfy moments this book was a good read. Thank you Netgalley.

Wow, this story is incredible! It's hard to put into words how beautiful, tragic, and yet redemptive this story is. The characters went on a journey through the past and the present and discovered secrets and life. I will be thinking about this story for a long time! Also, recommend the author's note. Highly highly recommend!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This dual timeline story had me hooked right from the beginning. This is the first book that I have read by Caroline George, and it will not be my last. Curses and Other Buried Things tells a story of families and their secrets and choices, and how that can affect later generations of the family. This book touched on many sensitive topics like racism, prejudice, family secrets seen as “curses”, generational trauma, and mental health. Caroline George writes the story in a way that shows the power of overcoming these “curses” by finding and telling the truth so that secrets and misconceptions have no power over members of a family.

I appreciated that this story was based on the author’s own family which brought an authenticity to the writing and made me feel like this book was relatable in many ways. The light mysticism to the story pulled the two timelines together well, and gave a great air of mystery. The original descendant, Suzanna Yawn, was so intriguing as was her life story. I did at times find her story to be the most interesting of the Suzanna’s, and found it hard to resist skipping ahead to learn more.

Although wrong choices were made by the characters in this book, the beauty of second chances was shown and how the past does not have to define a person or determine their future choices.

I want to thank the author Caroline George, Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for the free copy of the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Reading the synopsis, this book sounds promising but it just didn’t do it for me. I was expecting a much darker story with the mention of curses and witches, but this was not that. Romance plays a huge role in the plot and I don’t feel like it did much to help the storyline. I also had a lot of confusion around the names, there were multiple characters with some variation of the name Suzanna (Susan, Susana, Susannah, etc) so I sometimes forgot who was who. The pacing was also super slow in parts. And the ending was horrible, and felt out of place. All-in-all I did enjoy some aspects of the book, but I was hoping for more and feel like I may not have been the targeted audience.

Susana Prather is anxious as she approaches her eighteenth birthday. She is pretty sure she doesn't believe in curses but the general atmosphere around her, the looks from family members, gives her the feeling that some are waiting for the family curse to hit her. The curse that travels down through generations of her bloodline to each eldest daughter. The curse that took her mother into the swamp, never to be seen again. A curse that is sure to kill her after driving her mad.
I received a copy of this book by Caroline George, my first read by her, from the publisher through NetGalley and this is my opinion of it. It isn't blatant horror in my opinion, it is dark, moody and sometimes a bit confusing when stories switch between Susana and her ancestor. Through the generations there are various forms of the name Suzanna. That being said, there is beautiful writing with descriptive language that I appreciate so much. There are some great lines particularly toward the end of the book. If you enjoy a dark gothic type of story that has timeline changes, a bit of romance and a wicked twist, you may enjoy this book. It definitely could make me think about the superstitions and stories in my own family.

I didn't know what I was getting into when I asked for this book, and that turned out to be a good thing! It blew me away with the atmospheric language and misty-mysterious vibe. I love that the Southern Gothic story is set in multiple timelines, and that I accidentally learned a bit more about the people living in Georgia before the Civil War. The Muskogee connection was powerful and needed.



The plot follows a long line of Susanahs\Susans\Suzies, each cursed in her own way to ruin her life and\or die young. But the curse is more than just the women. It envelopes the whole town and all the people in it. The intertwining of the past and present is magical--and masterfully done-- and really puts a story to the idea of generational trauma. The swamp is a character itself, and it was a needy, clingy thing.



Of course, you can't have a ruined life without a love interest, and this is where the book got a little off for me. I hated that just loving someone could be wrong, and that Susana Prather's choices were so reactionary. I get that was part of the curse, but I wanted more modernity from the present-day characters. However, the ending was perfect. I've read other reviews that said it fell flat, but I feel like the fact that something so seemingly small could be the key is the point.

I can honestly say I've never needed the epilogue/author's notes more for any book. Thank you for such a marvelous display of how Southern families ignore trauma. In moving to a more northern state, I've had trouble explaining these concepts to people. No ONE in the south talks about hard topics. Everything is buried. So many secrets. And this book does the best job at peeling back the layers. It's a wonderful autumn read filled with scary swamps and magic. If anything to add, I'd have loved just a touch more paranormal but the fact that most of the book occurs within the main character's mind...priceless. it's a thriller!

At the heart of this book is a unique and darkly beautiful story of the role of folklore, religion, and generational trauma in our bloodlines.

It mixes historical fiction and Southern Gothic with a sprinkling of magical realism. The atmospheric way it was written oozed from the pages. Despite their flaws, the characters were multi-faceted and likable (always a big plus for me).

It would make a fantastic movie.

All that said, I had issues with the book, resulting in a 3-star rating.

First, the storyline had so much going on that it took a lot of work to follow. The Suzanna/Suzannah/Susan/Susie/Susana characters didn’t make it any easier.

Secondly, you know when you’re eating a big restaurant Cobb salad? It’s delicious, but you feel like you’re eating and eating and not getting anywhere, so you focus on eating all the good stuff. Eventually, you can’t take any more bites, and nothing but a bunch of lettuce remains on your plate.

That’s how this book felt. I wanted more of the “Cobb salad toppings” and less of the “lettuce,” so to speak.

The storyline got bogged down in repetitiveness and minor details. It was slow going, which left me frustrated as a reader.

My final issue is a personal pet peeve when reading: using obscure words when a simpler one would do just fine.

One of many examples from this book is using the word “sobriquet” instead of “nickname.”

It felt incredibly out of place, considering the mainly hillbilly southern dialect of most of the characters.

The book did pick up the pace for the final 20% or so, and moments at the ending gave me chills. The author’s note is essential to fully understanding the story.

I would like to give this book four or five stars, especially knowing how personal it is to the author and how creative it is. With the above issues fixed, it would be a five-star read.

As written, I will have to go with a solid three-star review.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.