I really enjoyed this creepy retelling of Rapunzel.

This book is fast paced and kept me engaged from the beginning all the way through to the end.

Most of the characters were likable and I was rooting for them(besides Marta, obviously 😅). I felt invested in them and cared about what happened to them.

Overall, I thought it was good and I enjoyed it!

Thank you to Netgalley and Darklit Press for the gifted copy!

A secluded mansion, a sinister secret and dark magic. Kosa is a more twisted retelling of the classic story of Rapunzel, sprinkled with a smattering of Hansel and Gretel, a touch of transformation and a hint of homicide.

Kosa follows the classic story in regards to an old witch who steals a baby for her own evil purposes, keeping her hidden away from the rest of the world while using Kosa’s hair to keep her young. The way in which she does so tho is quite… repulsive 😳. The witch will stop at nothing to take what she wants, and destroys anyone in her way with the help of her faithful felines.

Overall I found this one quite entertaining in a dark and disturbing way 😂. I’m actually not a huge fan of retellings 🫣, but this one made my cauldron bubble 😃.

A horrific retelling of Rapunzel, loved it! There was a lot of layers going on with the villain that made this book so much fun, I was on the edge of my seat the entire time and finished very quickly! Great work

Where do I even start with this masterpiece. Kosa by John Durgin had me intrigued from the first few pages.
Kosa gives Rapunzel/ hansel and gretal vibes but way way darker than what I expected. Love a good witch tale so I was hooked from the get go. Was super fun to see a well known few names from BOH nice touch!

This story was weird as hell, but really good. The cover put me off as I figured it indicated what the story was about. My bad, as this story was really good, and not what I imagined it was about. I enjoyed reading the Author’s note at the ending for the sort of idea for the story. I definitely wouldn’t have figured that out on my own, but now I completely see it.

So much death and so sad for Sammy and Kosa. Hopefully she turns out to be alright, although how I’m not sure. I was so sure Ian was going to make it, so that was a surprise. And Marta’s reservoirs of strength, even when seeming completely old.

Lacking all creative abilities, I’m never not impressed with the stories I’ve read since joining BOH and this one is just another superbly imaginative concept.

Thanks to John Durgin and DarkLit Press for the ARC.

Kosa by John Durgin

I’m going to keep this short and sweet as you can get plenty of well thought synopsis’ through reader reviews on Goodreads. First and foremost I’d like to give my sincere thanks to John Durgin, DarkLit Press, and NetGalley for allowing me to borrow and read a copy of John Durgin’s novel Kosa for a fair and honest review.

Wow!! Just, WOW!! You guys have got a winner on your hands and I’ve got a conundrum. Two months into the new year and I thought I’d already found my chosen, “Best Book of the Year.” But along comes, John Durgin’s - Kosa to throw a monkey wrench into my plans and muck it all up for me. Now instead of having just one book sitting in the winners circle I have two. Two, John! And one of them belongs to you!! You continue to surprise with each new publication. Kudos for Kosa!! It’s amazing!!

Kosa is the Most exciting, enthralling, enrapturing dark fantasy/fairy tale/horror story I have read in the last 37 years, and I mean that quite sincerely. It is wicked, dirty dog nasty in places. There are things that happen in here that I would not read to a child for fear of instilling psychological trauma. I’m not a wuss, just a practical mom and gma. If you’re one of those readers who feels you can’t be scared anymore by a book, even a well written one, then I encourage you to read through your mom or dad eyes… I guarantee ya you’ll wince and shiver too!!

This book just didn't work for me at all.

I found the writing clunky and amateurish. The dialogue didn't flow well and wasn't believable. The characters weren't developed or likable. The only thing that gave the story life was the over-the-top violence.

DFN

Thank you Netgalley, Darklit press and John Durgin for this eArc of Kosa.
I loved this twisted tale that runs along the same vein as Repunzal. The characters were well developed nd bonded with Kosa straight away. The narrative is well paced and grabs you from beginning to end with a nice amount of both psychological horror as well as in keeping with some very sinister folklore!

4.5 stars

Great twist on the Rapunzel/ Tangled tale.
Set over 16 yrs we watch young Kosa trapped doing witch Marta’s bidding in their isolated house in the woods. As with all this author’s work the last section of the book moves at breakneck speed, and no characters are safe.

If you like witches, familiars or traditional children's tales where bad things happen, this is for you.

Have gone off BBQs.

Hello Fellow Readers,

I may be dumb because when I first read the synopsis I didn't put together that this was a Rapunzel retelling, it was only as I was reading it, that it clicked in my brain. I love Horror fairy tale retellings, I was a big fan of the Grimm fairy tales as a child, and I am always seeking that spine-tingling, bone-chilling feeling I had with those fairy tales. 'Kosa' hits those marks, and more. From the beginning, Durgin hits you with dark tension that weaves and builds leaving you turning the page for more.

Kosa, the character, is so tragic. There's a lot that happens to her in this book that you can't believe she goes through, so if you are sensitive to certain things like body horror or child abuse you may want to stay away from this. Durgin does an amazing job of making you care about her, and root for her to at least make it out alive. This is a Rapunzel retelling so there is a lot of magical (and horror) stuff involving hair some of which I would have never thought about.

Overall, a great horror story and a perfect lights-off, late-night read.

This book was so dark bit in a good way!!!!

Was creepy and you would nevwr figure out what went wrong!!

I will read anything this author writes loved it

Thanks NetGalley for letting me read and review

2/5 stars

Rapunzel...but it's dark AF.

The gist: A terrifying witch gets her hands on Kosa (which is "hair" in Croatian, btw) - and secludes her away in a remote house in the woods. Things get dark.

So....this was an ARC (thanks, Netgalley!) and I didn't do my proper research before jumping on the chance to read a witch-based horror book. This was 100% my bad. I was NOT expecting how violent and gruesome this book was going to get. I hadn't checked any trigger warnings.

Cannibalism isn't my jam. This leaned a little too far into the "extreme horror" subgenre for me, and I didn't really enjoy reading it.

Points for a fun plot. Wasn't a fan of the writing (even apart from the violence stuff); I felt like the writing was often clunky, and the witch as a character was a little confusing.

This book wasn't for me...but if you are a fan of folktale/fairy tale inspired horror, and are okay with the more extreme sides of the genre: go for it.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. All views expressed are my own.

A man down on his luck decides its in his best interest to rob an old woman living alone in the middle of nowhere, only to set off a nightmarish chain of events that will haunt his family, and the town, for years to come. Kosa is a high stakes book fraught with tension at every turn. Equal turns terrifying and heartbreaking, this one simply doesn't let up. The plot of fraught with tense moment after tense moment, even though the plot is a little slow. But the slowness helps build the dread that permeates Kosa, building and building until the end. I absolutely loved this!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dark Lit Press for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily and all views expressed are my own.

This was a crazy, fantastic, weirdly creepy, read. It starts strong and fast with a man planning to rob a woman out in the woods and oh boy does it go COMPLETELY wrong. This was a great book and I honestly loved all the highs and lows that came with it. You have to give this one a try to see what I mean!

I was initially super intrigued by Kosa, a horror retelling of Rapunzel? Sign me up. The beginning had me hooked with its action packed and anxiety inducing scenes! I was in it. However, after the first punch, I’m sad to say the rest went downhill for me. I love the idea: a witch in the woods, missing children, a girl locked in an attic, an old lady who EATS HAIR, but it just didn’t land how I was hoping. The writing fell flat and I couldn't connect with the characters. Overall, it was just an okay read for me.

Rapunzel, but make it a fantasy/horror/crime book.

I really liked the premise of the book. Since many fairy tales were originally dark and were made lighter for modern children (specially the German ones), the idea of a modernised dark version of Rapunzel immediately caught my attention.

This book had a lot: disgusting/disturbing habits, dysfunctional family dynamic, fighting for the ones you love, betrayal, and a lot, a lot of mystery. I loved the twist to make the story more fitting to modern times and I think many crime fans interested in dipping their toes into horror/fantasy would enjoy this.

However, I did feel the story was lacking in some points. I did wish it explored other perspectives more, even if only via dialogue. It felt like unused ramifications that could have enriched the story even more.

Thanks NetGalley and the publishers for providing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

John Durgin does not disappoint with Kosa. It is loaded with horror, gore, and grief.

In this nod to Rapunzel, Durgin does an excellent job at setting the tone of the story and writing in a way that makes you not want to put the book down.

This book primarily follows the POV if Kosa and Ian. Kosa has been giving secluded in the woods with her "mother" for her entire life. She follows a strict set of rules and rituals.
Ian is dealing with the loss of his wife and not having the answers he needs to more forward with this life. A holiday visit forced upon him by his sister throws his life into a tailspin.

I don't want to go into a lot of detail but I will say this is a must read, especially for those who love to read about witches, curses, dark fairytales, and even cannibalism.

I was hoping to get to this one. I am sad that I was not able to read this before it was archived. I think it will be interesting read, and I will try to get a physical copy if I can find one for a reasonable price!

Thanks to NetGalley and DarkLit Press for allowing access to an advanced copy of Kosa.

4.5 rounded up to 5.

Kosa is a dark, horrific retelling of Rapunzel. A young girl, Kosa, is taken from her family by an evil witch because her hair possesses the power of eternal youth. As Kosa gets older, she learns more about her horrifying life and what the witch does in the confines of their home.

This book was probably one of the darkest books I've read within the last several months. John Durgin did such a fantastic job creating an atmosphere of complete dispair and darkness. Reading it I felt completely hopeless and couldn't see a happy ending. It was gruesome and disturbing without being too over-the-top, and all of the horrific elements definitely added to the story perfectly. I was so terrified of the witch, scenes from this novel were definitely fast-paced and nightmare-inducing. I also loved the lore added in about the witch's history, which wasn't much but still enough to give a good idea of how she came to be. This book was pure magic and horror, and it was everything I was hoping for and more. DEFINITELY check the trigger warnings for this book, because honestly most of the topics were very taboo and I don't see this being a book for everyone.

Awesome book. This is the first time I’ve read anything by this author but will definitely be seeking out more. I never really knew the story of Rapunzel so I had to look it up. Anyway, this is a great horror read. Check it out.