Not my usual type of book. I found it intriguing and appreciated the approach, but it gave me nightmares! I think I wanted a slightly different ending but I understand the choice.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

This goes outside of my usual genres that I pick from, but I really enjoyed this one. I love the narrative follows "the woman" in present day and the man investigating her past. What a great way to keep up the suspense! I would definitely recommend.

"Old Soul" by Susan Barker just may be the best book I read this year. It is a perfect example of my favorite genre, literary horror. "Old Soul" is dark and unsettling, not just because of the plot, but also because of the author's incredible talent with language. Her words paint a vivid picture and I was positively enthralled. I don't think I have ever read a more beautifully crafted, but also incredibly terrifying, novel. I was completely consumed by the author's world and I stayed up late at night, turning the pages faster and faster so I could get some relief from the tension and fear. The prose is hypnotic and I almost felt like I was in a waking dream while reading. This is a book I won't soon forget and now I can't wait to read all of Ms. Barker's previous works.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the privilege of reading this absolute gem of a novel. Five well-earned stars!

When I picked up 𝙊𝙡𝙙 𝙎𝙤𝙪𝙡 𝙗𝙮 𝙎𝙪𝙨𝙖𝙣 𝘽𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙧, I had no idea what I was in for. I thought it’d be a creepy little read, but wow—it was so good.

The story kicks off with Jake and Mariko meeting randomly at an airport in Osaka. They’re strangers, but they quickly realize they have something dark in common—both lost loved ones to brutal, mysterious deaths, and in both cases, an eerie, ageless woman showed up right before it happened. That connection sets Jake on a mission across continents and centuries to uncover the truth about this “old soul.” Along the way, he gathers stories from others who’ve crossed paths with her, each more chilling than the last, until he finally finds Theo, a dying sculptor in New Mexico, who might just have the answers Jake’s looking for.

Not going to lie—it took me a bit to get into the story, but once I did, I was invested and binge-read it. The way the author writes is chef’s kiss—she’s so good at building tension and weaving all these different stories together. I loved how the chapters switched between Jake’s investigation and glimpses into the sinister woman’s perspective.

The mix of literary horror and emotion is spot on. And don’t even get me started on the atmosphere—every setting, from busy cities to lonely, eerie landscapes, feels so real. And the ending? I loved it!

Also, if you’re expecting jump scares or blood-curdling terror, this isn’t that kind of horror. Instead, it’s sinister, unsettling, and brilliantly layered—a mix of literary horror and emotional depth.

If you love books that are a little dark, a little creepy, and a lot unforgettable, you have to add Old Soul to your TBR.

Thanks to @putnambooks & @netgalley for the Digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for providing an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Happy Publication Day, "Old Soul," and may you have many anniversaries ahead--but please don't offer us to the Tyrant :)
What a roller coaster ride this literary horror novel turned out to be. "Old Soul" is centered around a woman who never ages, and never dies...as long as she offers her sacrifices on time to her God. The novel shifts between the perspective of people close to her victims (interviewed by Jake, whose friend was one of the people the woman has sacrificed) and the unnamed woman now trying to make a last minute offering that can prologue her life once again. It's a story about selfishness, loss of humanity and the search for a kindred soul, all brought down by revenge. Each character introduced is complex, the writing is smooth and tight, the writer trusts its audience to understand what is going on without dumping a bunch of details on us, and the story is layered expertly. The only issue I had was at the end: some rules for the offerings were introduced and them being broken didn't lead to the outcome that had been prepared. I'm not sure if this was an error in the ARC, a point the author was trying to make, or an error that snuck in unintentionally. This is the only reason why I'm not giving the book a full 5 stars, but a 4.5, which has to be rounded up.

A well-crafted, well-written literary horror novel. Old Soul is the story of a woman with many names and many identities, that takes the lives/souls of others through their likeness. There is a dark entity living inside her and it must feed in order for the woman to stay alive. Jake and Mariko discover their mutual losses over dinner and the common denominator is this woman. Jake goes on the hunt to find her.
There is no happy ending here and the story won't go the way you'd wish. But it is worth reading.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for this digital e-arc.*

If you're looking for a Faustian bargain type book, you're in the right place. We mainly follow Jake as he tries to learn more about the mysterious woman. He meets others along the way that have also had encounters with her. They had similar experiences, but the lady went by many different names. Everywhere she goes something sinister takes place. I really enjoyed reading this one, the chapter structure isn't traditional and the book jumps back and forth in time. But I was gripped and couldn't stop reading it once I got to the 20% mark.

This is literary horror, so there is gore towards the end. Also check out the CWs for this one, if you're thinking about reading it.

When I saw the premise of this novel I had to read it, luckily I was approved. This is a story about a man's Odyssey to uncover the truth about his friend's mysterious death and the strange Woman connected to it, as he digs deeper he discovers countless other similar tales about this woman over different time periods and locations, but all follow the same patters and description. The writing flows effortlessly and while there are many POVs, it is very easy to follow and absorb, you get sucked right into this horror-mystery. I think this is going to be a huge hit. The prose is very beautiful and natural as well, What's interesting is you also get the villain's POV which I didn't like at first but ultimately came to love. Thanks to net gallery for my copy, and I highly recommend this one.

Thank you so much to Susan Barker, Penguin Publishing Group, G.P. Putnam's Sons, and NetGalley for providing this free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Old Soul follows a vengeful amateur historian who is working to uncover the mystery of the death of his late best friend. The main culprit: An ageless woman who has left her mark on a number of people over the centuries on a quest for life.

I am not going to lie, it did take me about 30% to fully get into the story. Old Soul is a bit unique in that the chapters throughout do not follow just one person. The characters we see the most of is our researcher Jake, who oftentimes includes his own feedback and notes both during character testimonies and after. While his own testimony does get revealed in the latter half of the book, it does feel that the buildup and references up until then have been earned.

I did enjoy getting immersed in a number of the character testimonies included. So much that I momentarily forgot that this novel is not an anthology. By the individual testimonies end, I did enjoy connecting all the dots as we as the reader collected all of the information. It is very satisfying to see how certain characters are connected and why. Ultimately I went into reading this having a completely different idea of what I was going into. I am pleasantly surprised by the complexities and enjoyability of this story. While the ending itself might feel abrupt, it felt like the only realistic way this could have ended with the characters we have followed.

Advertised as literary horror, Old Soul is a slow burn of psychological horror. Bouncing from continent to continent and time period to time period, I found myself invested in the individual story of each victim, and really appreciated the subtle way the tension slowly ratchets up bit by bit. There is much that is good about this book. However, I still somehow arrived at the end wondering, What did I just read? I'm not disappointed, but I also didn't spark a love connection with this one.

Oh my gosh I don't even know what to say about this book. First of all, the opening chapters of this book were incredibly compelling and sucked me in immediately. I loved the writing style (I typically enjoy and am never bothered by the lack of quotations) and the vibe was unsettling off the bat. I also enjoyed the narrative structure of hearing the testimonies of all these different characters. However, I did find myself more engaged with some stories than others. Lastly, the ending really upset me, just because of the type of reader I am and what I look for in resolution to stories. But that's a me problem not a book problem!


SPOILERS:
I did not enjoy that everyone--literally everyone--died. I am not even bothered by the evil conquered good at this moment. However, I don't like getting attached to characters only for them all to die! I wish at least Jake survived.

From a tragic passing 11 years earlier, to Mariko and her twin’s untimely passing, Jake finally has a connection and maybe an answer to the long gone friend, but not forgotten Lena and her death as this connection sends him on a new journey.

A novel of old gods, a tyrant, and a woman with a camera; it takes quite a bit to really explain anything. I went into this one blind and about 60 pages in, I had to read an excerpt cause I was still confused. Since the story kept following different perspectives and introducing new characters to tell their story, it almost felt like reading a collection of short stories with a slow to get there common theme.

Each story is intriguing but nothing really furthers the plot or character development - like is there really a plot anyway? The writing is good and the story could be unsettling and some testimonies were stronger than others. The plot had a little more drive near the end but it felt a little too late.

This was a very unique horror story. There aren’t any “monsters” or pop scares but this story really terrifies you in the most subtle way. The collector goes by many names and has crossed centuries of time to make her collections for the tyrant. We meet him very briefly and while he is not a direct character in the book, his presence is in every page. What does she collect you ask? Souls. Her victims don’t even know it’s happening before they are too far gone. The collector is beautiful, glamorous, charming and all she wants is to take your picture. Her gift is capturing your essence through her photography. By the time you realize something is wrong, you have days left and it’s much too late. The only issue I had was the number of characters. It was a bit much to follow but I was fascinated by their stories and their encounter with the collector.

I wanted to love this book, and in the beginning I did, but it lost momentum for me. I wanted more horror. I wanted more. You can tell that the author did their research and truly loved writing this. For me, I just needed more momentum more horror for the ending to be worth it

This is a tough book to review.
Elements of the story felt scary, but they were the ones removed from the central aspect of what was being told.
The main narrative itself felt too distant, too removed.
And so, I found myself fractured while I was reading.

I do hope this finds its readers, as I think it’s an experimental piece of horror, and had parts I enjoyed. Overall, it wasn’t entirely for me.

Thank you Netgalley & G.P. Putnam’s Sons Publishing for an eARC ♥️

_Holy Cow, This Book Is Good!_

Susan Barker's writing is insane - it's like she's weaving a spell that draws you in and refuses to let go. I mean, I've read some creepy books in my time, but this one takes the cake.
The story's about Jake, a guy who's trying to uncover the truth behind a mysterious woman who's killing people in some seriously weird ways. Like, their internal organs are all reversed. It's freaky, man. And the more Jake learns about this woman, the more he realizes that she's not just a killer - she's something else entirely.
As Jake digs deeper, he discovers that he's not the only one searching for answers. There are others out there who've encountered this woman, and they're all trying to figure out what's going on. It's like a big puzzle, and Jake's determined to solve it.
What I loved about this book is how original it is. The writing's smart, the characters are complex, and the plot's twisty and unpredictable. It's like a rollercoaster ride of emotions - you're scared, you're curious, you're invested.🤯
I also appreciated how Susan Barker explored themes of grief, trauma, and the supernatural. It's clear that Barker's done her research, and the result is a story that's both thought-provoking and terrifying.
If you're a fan of horror, suspense, or just great storytelling, you need to read this book. Trust me, it's worth it. But be warned: this book is not for the faint of heart. It's dark, it's twisted and I absolutely loved it🤩

4 🌟

Beautifully written and upsetting in a quiet, ponderous sort of way. The horror here isn't in-your-face screams, but something that worms into the back of your brain and takes root there, spreading discontent and paranoia.

I found the lack of quotation marks off-putting at first, but I adapted quickly, and it honestly suits the story.

This one will stick with me for awhile.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

DNF at 20% because the plot was too slow. I did enjoy the characters and getting to learn more about them. The setting was really moody and dark.

Strangers Jake and Mariko meet by chance when they both miss their plane at the Osaka airport. Over dinner, they realize they are connected in a very upsetting way — each has had a loved one die gruesomely, shortly after the same woman entered their lives. This revelation sends Jake on a quest to unravel the mystery of this woman, chasing her backwards from the present, meeting the loved ones of her victims, and following clues across the miles and years. He presents these heart-wrenching stories in chapters. As the stories converge, the true nature of what Jake and Mariko are up against is revealed—a centuries-old reign of terror and death.

The author has written a gripping read that will captivate fans of psychological horror, literary fiction, and philosophical thrillers. At times, I was so involved in this story that I enjoyed this part horror, part western and part thriller showing ancient evil in a new way.

I'm not completely sure how I feel about this book. It was weird and at times confusing, but it also pulled off an unsettling vibe really well. I was definitely pulled in every time I started reading, even if I felt a bit lost at times. I struggled with the lack of quotation marks and didn't care for that, but that's probably just a matter of personal preference.

I definitely think a lot of people will enjoy this, it's very mysterious and creepy.