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.

In Kosa, John Durgin tells a sinister horror story, weaving fairy tale elements from both Hansel & Gretel and Rapunzel into the novel. It’s a reading experience filled with chills and thrills; mystery and violence.

Things I loved:
-Multiple perspectives. The different characters and time jumps in this novel really served it well. I loved how abrupt some of the transitions were- you never knew which characters would make it to the end of the story!
-Kosa’s plight. With as claustrophobic of a setting for our protagonist, I felt the author managed to do a lot with the character. It was easy to root for her, even if you weren’t sure if she would take a moral turn for the worse or the better.
-Setting. The house was creepy! The basement was creepy! The woods were foreboding! Bad vibes all around and I was into it.

Things I could have loved more:
-Conclusion. The last 1/5 or so of the novel really lost a lot of steam for me. I’m not sure if that’s because it started to feel more like an action novel than a horror novel, but there was just A LOT going on. It felt a little rushed.
-Croatian witch. Marta felt very one-dimensional. I don’t feel the magic of the story was explained enough. It sat in that spot of ‘you told us enough to make us curious and then withheld an explanation’. Again, this dampened my enjoyment of the novel in the conclusion.
-Repetitive writing. Too much focus on how creepy the cats were every time they were in a scene. Tons of hair eating. Many mentions of an ‘open floor plan’. It felt like the writing could’ve been tightened up a bit.

All in all, this was a fun read and I would certainly give something else by the author a shot! This is perfect for folks who like dark fairy tales or horror injected with some menacing magic.

Thanks to DarkLit Press for the opportunity to read this ahead of its official release!

Top 3 I've read this year. This is an 20 on a 10 scale. Fast and descriptive. I do read alot sometimes it takes awhile but Kosa was tore through. It just got more anxious and needing to finish. This is begging for a book 2(or more). Durgin is a can't miss author that needs to be considered with the big names. It could easily be seen as a movie/show. Thank you for the great read and will purchase to have in my collection

I loved this folkloric horror story, the brutality of it all, and the fact that it managed to make me care for the characters.

This is described as a Rapunzel retelling and I do get the reference but it was also so much more than that. It was scary, it was emotional and it was very brutal, like I said before. But I love this author’s writing, even if it felt a bit disjointed at times, I think he has a knack for writing horror based on folklore, I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more from this author.

If the writing in general had been smoother, I’d be rating this much higher. Still, a fun and creepy read that I do recommend if you’re into retellings or folklore.

I won't say this is a horror version of Rapunzel because original fairy tales are already pretty horrific. So it's a different version of the story. A little slow at some mid points but the beginning, 1st chapter specifically is very creepy, like opening of Stolen Tongues creepy. The ending brings it all together with a lot of action and more than makes up for the slower parts. The author has courteously placed content warnings at the end of the book for those that wish to see them, although this is definitely not an extreme horror.

Possible spoilers
Part 1
It all starts with a father trying to provide for his family, after losing his job and spending money on drugs, he decides to rob an old woman’s home.
But somethings not quite right, the cats being the first part! When he steals an orb filled with green light, barely escaping the woman and her familiars, things go south at home.
His pregnant wife touched the glowing orb to her stomach and the light disappears and pain arrives in her womb.
It does not end well for Bridgett and Alan..
Part 2
6 years later and a family vacationing at their boss’s home runs into the old woman, Kosa’s mother.
Bryce is to be her new playmate, but all loose ends need to be tied up…
Part 3
Kosa is 16 and knows more about mothers problems and deeds, and has figured out how to move about the house more.
Ian’s wife died on the trail and he has been obsessed with trying to figure it out. His sister invites him to the same house Bryce’s family stayed in years ago for Christmas. While there his nephew, Sammy, goes missing in the woods.
Part 4
The climax, and man is it great! I don’t want to give too much away.

The build up through parts one and two are great but I could not stop reading through all of part 3 and 4.

I’m a huge fan of this author so grabbing this to read was a no brainer, but I didn’t love this story as much as his others. The premise is great, the “villain” intriguing & unique…however the characters fell flat for me. I just didn’t connect with them, they felt very one dimensional. Because of this, I wasn’t invested in their arcs or their fate in the end. Will definitely read more from in the future though based on his other novels!

Unfortunately the writing style really doesn't work for me. It didn't flow well. I almost felt like I was reading a list or textbook.

The beginning of this story foretold just how great it was going to be. It is extremely well written and the characters, especially Kosa, are unique. John does a great job telling a dark horror story that keeps you hanging off the edge of your seat. Definitely add John Durgin as an author whose stories are worth reading everytime.

Prepare to be captivated and unsettled in equal measure as you delve into the dark and twisted realms of Kosa. In this sinister retelling of a classic fairytale, the author weaves an enchanting narrative that takes you on a wild ride. Kosa stands as a testament to the author's ability to reimagine and redefine the familiar. Kosa will linger in the reader's mind, and is a reminder that even the most enchanting tales can harbor dark secrets. Thank you to NetGalley, DarkLit Press and John Durgin for allowing me to review this ARC.

This is Durgin's best yet. Kosa starts strong and doesn't let you down the whole way! This pulls heavily and darkly from a classic fairy tale. It will pull you in from the beginning, and it doesn't stop.