I truly thought I would like this one but it was not for me. I started to enjoy it but it got to be a little too much for me and boring at times. I didnt really read the description before reading so that is probably on me as to why I am not a huge fan.

At the Bottom of the Garden is haunting, lyrical, and quietly unsettling in the best possible way. Camilla Bruce has this uncanny ability to blur the line between fantasy and reality, and in this novel, she weaves folklore, trauma, and memory into something darkly beautiful and deeply affecting.

From the start, I was drawn into the strange, intimate world Bruce creates, where childhood imagination masks something much more sinister. The atmosphere is thick with unease, yet there’s also a fragile kind of magic that lingers on every page. It left me questioning what was real, and whether that even mattered.

Bruce doesn’t just tell a story; she evokes a feeling, one that stayed with me long after I finished. If you enjoy your fiction eerie, emotionally complex, and tinged with the otherworldly, At the Bottom of the Garden is an unforgettable read.

I closed the book both chilled and in awe.

Such a great mood but the story ultimately was only okay for me. I loved the way it was written and the tone.

Spooky, creepy, with all the perfect spine-chilling vibes. What more could you ask for if you are looking for a mystery/thriller to keep you guessing the ending and make you want to keep reading all night!?!?

I liked this one more than I was expecting. While I wouldn't classify it as gothic, it was a nice slightly eerie story.

Thank you to Del Rey #partner for the copies and to PRH Audio for the ALC to review.

What a different concept that worked so well, and I was thoroughly entertained throughout this book! This one is perfect for spooky season, but at the same time, it was a nice mental break to read this in the blazing Texas heat. The audio was amazing; it really enhanced the story here. Clara Woods is basically a serial killer and does not care. You wrong her? You will die and end up in her garden. No one knows what she is up to, and she’s fine with that. UNTIL. She is to take in her nieces, Lily and Violet, as the closest surviving relatives if anything happens to their parents, and so when it does, she reluctantly agrees, thinking, what will a couple of kids know, right? And they have a nice inheritance coming, so might as well get her hands on that while she’s at it. Well, turns out, Violet can see all of Clara’s ghosts at the bottom of the garden and call them back into existence. And before you know it, here they are, causing havoc on Clara, and the girls are now a liability….

Like I said, this was a different and unique concept that was super fun to see how it would play out. I loved the ghosts, Lily, and Violet, and loved to hate Clara. Once I started this one, it ended up being a one-sitting read; I had to know how it would end.

Clara Woods is a self-proclaimed murderess who’s perfectly content with her crimes—until her quiet life is disrupted by the arrival of her orphaned nieces, Lily and Violet, after their wealthy parents die in a tragic accident. Clara, motivated by greed and a desire to fund her diamond jewelry legacy, reluctantly takes them in.

This gives Lemony Snicket vibes.

Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey for this ARC!

I like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me a chance to read.

There are books that are written with the angle of being true to the time period, there are books that are not. I think if the author attempted to write closer to the time period the book was set in I'd enjoy it more. It just felt too modern and too... off the mark. Not creepy enough.

If people don't mind a modern voice (first person) to the book, then they won't have a problem with this.

I have really loved some of this author's previous books and I had high hopes for this one. Sadly, it didn't live up to my expectations.

AT THE BOTTOM OF THE GARDEN is a gothic tale, where killer Clara Woods inherits two eerie nieces who disrupt her quiet life with their unsettling paranormal abilities. As Violet summons Clara’s buried past, the girls become a threat to her secrets and her future.

I was really intrigued by the tag line, however, the book felt rather slow. The multiple POVs gave a great insight into the different characters, but I also feel like it slowed the book down and made it feel like a chore to read at times. I really liked what Camilla Bruce was doing with the story, so perhaps her writing in a different setting would be a more profound and better paced story.

The story starts off strong with the cynical Aunt Clara, acting as the closest living relative of two recently orphaned daughters from her passed brother. She accepts the girls as part of her grand scheme to getting rich and leaving behind a legacy since they have a hefty inheritance. Points of view alternate between Clara; Lily, the eldest of the two girls at fourteen; and Violet, nine. I much preferred the girls’ point of view, especially Violet. I found Clara’s point of view to be dull and, quite honestly, cheesy. She gives off big Count Olaf vibes which... who doesn’t love Count Olaf BUT it felt very… young adult… and like she was just a caricature of an evil villain rather than a real person.

The narrative was repetitive, monotonous, and failed to dazzle me like the synopsis did.

I enjoyed the multiple POVs from Clara, Lily and Violet and thought the girls sounded sweet, if not a little bit odd. It was set up to be a creepy, gothic tale but I don't think it hit the mark. I enjoyed reading this but thought it was sometimes too drawn out and that things should have progressed better, or differently. I ended up listening to the audiobook which really helped, otherwise I don't know if I would have gotten through!

I enjoyed this author's past few books and for the most part have enjoyed her plot and writing. However, sometimes the endings do feel like they could have used a bit of editing/I expected the pace to pick up a bit, and for me that was the issue with this particular title. Some elements of the plot were a bit repetitive as well. Thank you to Netgalley for the advance review copy.

We follow two girls name Lily and Violet, they become orphans after their parents tragic accident. Aunt Clara finds herself into the role as a caretaker for the girls. Clara is thrilled by the fact that she will be receiving some of their inheritance but things start taking a turn. This book featured multiple POV. I did enjoy the storyline but found it a bit slow pace and the ending predictable It felt a bit YA for me. This book is still worth a read.


Thank you NetGalley for the Ebook!

3.5 stars but rounded up to 4.

I received an advance ebook copy of At the Bottom of the Garden by Camilla Bruce from netgalley.

So, 3.5 stars because it starts out slow and takes a bit to get anywhere. But once it picks up, it's worth it so keep going!

Murder. Ghosts. Revenge. I really enjoyed this book after it started to pick up. Once it hooked me, I couldn't put it down.

This book was fine but nothing ground-breaking. I enjoyed it well enough, but I probably won’t go out of my way to recommend it.

Clara is a murderer and she doesn't seem to care as long as she gets what she wants. When her brother and his wife are killed in an accident, she becomes the guardian of their two girls. She's happy to do it so she can get some of their assets. The only problem is one of the girls can see ghosts. She starts to see some of Clara's victims, which becomes a problem.

The beginning gave me vibes of A Series of Unfortunate Events and I became nervous for the girls. Gothic novels aren't what I usually go for but I thought I would give it a try. Unfortunately it was not for me. I'm not big on ghost stories so I can't recommend it. That doesn't mean others won't like it. It just wasn't for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is one of those great books that you want to read around Halloween. Woven with reality and supernatural elements, this book will not disappoint those who love to delve into a good mystery. Reminiscent of the writer, Riley Sager, Bruce tells a fascinating story of a woman who has a lot of secrets she wants to keep. This book had me interested until the very end.

A dark and eerie tale with a touch of gothic ambiance. Violet’s ability to community with the dead introduces an eerie and unsettling dynamic, as it forces Clara to confront the consequences of her crimes. The pacing is a little uneven at times but overall a good read.
Many thanks to Random House and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book was eerie and atmospheric. I love that we get Multi-POV for Clara, Lily, and Violet. This book was fun and filled with haunts of the paranormal kind and the family drama kind.