What if your green thumb was so good that you could control your entire garden? That is the focal point for this Victorian Era story. Harriet Hunt is a quiet girl who really only has one friend, Eunice. With her father missing (and Harriet the main suspect) and Eunice moving off to the country with her husband, Harriet finds her self attracted to the almost too perfect Christian. As time progresses, she starts to wonder if Christian is more like her father than she thought.

I was intrigued by the idea of this story but ultimately it left me feeling as if I was consistently waiting for the next thing to happen. Personally, I felt as if the first couple of chapters could have been combined. It wasn’t so much that the story took a while to get started, but rather it felt as if I was given too much information. I know this might be a pro for other readers. I personally felt like I was internally wanting the story to “get to the point”.

I developed such a love hate relationship with Harriet. Sometimes I really loved how she put herself out there and didn’t care what people thought about her. Other times I struggled to understand why she ignored so many red flags from the people around her. Ultimately, I was able to understand that the abuse her father inflicted upon her did much more than just physical damage.

I loved every interaction with Christian’s cousins. Can I have a whole book about the two of them? The dynamic and confidence that they gave Harriet was amazing. This was my favorite part of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia for this opportunity to review.

I’ll begin by saying that this book was not for me.
Having read the blurb i thought this was going to be a cozy, magical realism book, so i expected the magical part being more relevant to the plot. I also didn’t like the narrator, in fact i couldn’t always follow along. If i had the physical version i would have probably enjoyed more, but since i didn’t i wasn’t even connected to any character.
For anyone interested in this book by the plot i would suggest reading it, and not listening to the audiobook.

A fantastical exploration of coming of age after long term abuse. Iverson's magical garden world and Anna Burnett's emotional narration hooked me from the first thirty seconds. I devoured this book in one day.
Iverson takes a heavy complicated subject, infuses it with magic, and produces a beautifully dark cozy story that keeps you reading. While I thought I knew what was going to happen from the first chapter, there were some surprises that caught me pleasantly off guard.
The main character, while often frustrating, was extremely well written and relatable for people with PTSD from long term abuse. The development of her relationship with people and the garden are very well written and beautiful.
I also really loved the exploration of how gender plays a role in abuse and recovery.
Overall, a hauntingly beautiful historical fantasy that leaves you feeling positive after a roller-coaster of emotions.

What a cute, unique story. It’s like The Secret Garden all grown up. Of course as all grown up things, there are secrets we have to find the answers to on our own. What a fun journey!

Chelsea Iversen's The Peculiar Garden of Harriet Hunt is a haunting and empowering tale that blends historical fiction with a touch of dark fantasy. Set in 19th-century London, the story follows Harriet, a woman grappling with loss, debt, and a patriarchal society that seeks to control her. Harriet’s garden, her only refuge, soon reveals an eerie magic that mirrors her inner strength and emotions. As she uncovers secrets about her father’s disappearance, Harriet must face both the dangers of the outside world and the mysterious power rooted in her sanctuary. Iversen weaves an atmospheric narrative full of suspense, resilience, and a touch of the supernatural, making it a gripping read for fans of gothic and feminist fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. Loved this book. Great narration and one heck of a story. I absolutely devoured this book within one day. I couldn’t put it down.

The perfect amount of dark, gothic, botanical that I've been reading lovely. It was a lovely story and I can't wait to recommend it to friends!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book was ok in my opinion. If anything this book was very depressing to read. I just couldn't find myself getting engaged with the characters or the plot, unfortunately.

The Peculiar Garden of Harriet Hunt is a story of finding your voice and independence.

Harriet is a woman controlled by horrible men in her life, and her frustrations are mirrored in her wild untamable garden. There were some items of violence that were a bit difficult to read but I thought this was a wonderful story of found family and the power of friendships. The end of this novel really brought everything together and I loved how all the stories wrapped up.

I would say this is very light magical realism/fantasy. It has the feel of a cozy fantasy for fans of that genre.

I enjoyed the narrator, and I was lucky enough to be able to follow along with the digital copy. I finished it but the story just fell a bit flat for me and had to keep going back and reread or found myself not following along. I was expecting more development and it Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC and ALC
3 Star

This book was so beautifully written, and the characters were endearing (if they were supposed to be…). There are definitely plenty of dark elements to the story - from the loss of parents to the powerlessness women experience. Harriet’s character development was wonderful to read, and I loved that her garden was basically its own cast of characters. All in all just a really lovely book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

The Peculiar Garden of Harriet Hunt is a magical, immersive historical fantasy novel with a dark atmosphere reminiscent of The Secret Garden that hooked me from the start.

This one was lovely. It was moody, dark, sweet, and twisty. I loved the historical setting and incorporation of eerie plant magic. The characters and character development were wonderful, and I adored the lush prose. The plot was entertaining, and the ending was satisfying. I highly recommend this one!

Anna Burnett’s narration was beautiful. Her voice and accents for Harriet and the other characters were splendid, and I adored how her performance further immersed me in the story.

Thank you to the publisher for the free ALC!

Thank you Sourcebooks for my #gifted ARC and thank you Recorded Books for my #gifted listening copy of The Peculiar Garden of Harriet Hunt! #sourcebooks #sourcebookslandmark #bookmarked #ThePeculiarGardenofHarrietHunt #RecordedBooks #netgalley

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐫 𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐭 𝐇𝐮𝐧𝐭
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞𝐚 𝐈𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐧
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫: 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐭
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟑, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒

I was drawn to this book by its stunning cover and unique description. While it’s not like anything I would typically read, I was intrigued by Harriet from the start. It was a blend of fantasy and magical realism with a gothic atmosphere. Harriet was such an interesting character and I loved everything about her. Perhaps what I enjoyed the most was the feminist undertones and the focus on female friendship throughout the book. This book had themes of men who treated Harriet badly, and the friendship aspect felt so important in the midst of all the darkness that Harriet experienced with her bad relationships with men. Despite the cover, this book definitely had some dark themes and focused on loss and taking control of our lives. I definitely enjoyed this book and I’m glad I picked it up.

🎧I listened to the audiobook, which was expertly narrated by Anna Burnett. Burnett did such a phenomenal job drawing the reader in and captivating the essence of Harriet. I thought the audio was truly perfect. I did switch between the print and audio a few times, and truly loved my time listening to the audio.

Posted on Goodreads on November 29, 2024: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around November 29, 2024: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on December 3, 2024
**-will post on designated date

Apparently, magical realism is becoming my jam. From the moment I saw the stunning cover, intriguing title, and captivating synopsis, I knew I had to read this book.

Described as "a lush, enchanting story of a woman who must use the magic of the fantastical plants that adorn her crumbling estate in Victorian London to thwart the dark plots of the men around her," this modern-day gothic fairy tale delivers a spellbinding tale of resilience and self-discovery.

At the heart of the story is Harriet, a 17-year-old girl trapped in a crumbling estate, burdened by her father’s mysterious disappearance and the crushing debts he left behind. Known as “peculiar” around town, Harriet lives a solitary life until a detective’s investigation into her father’s disappearance puts her under suspicion. To escape scrutiny, she marries a seemingly kind man, only to realize she’s exchanged one nightmare for another.

As Harriet uncovers the secrets of her father’s disappearance, her husband’s cruelty, and the true power of her magical garden, she learns how far her strength and magic can take her. This story beautifully blends Victorian gothic vibes with feminist themes, as Harriet ultimately takes charge of her destiny—with a little help from her girlfriends.

While the ending was absolutely spectacular, I wish the book had reached some of its big revelations a little sooner. Still, the journey to the conclusion was well worth it. I'm giving this book 4 1/2 stars (rounded up to 5).

Thank you, NetGalley and RBmedia, for the ALC of this enchanting read!

Okay, so like, this book was such a vibe! 🌿✨ The lush, magical garden, the creepy gothic vibes, and Harriet’s whole "I’m-quirky-and-don’t-fit-in" thing totally pulled me in. The story felt like a mix of dark fairy tale and those moody, old-timey dramas where women have to deal with awful men, you know? Harriet was super relatable in that “trying to find her power” way, even if some of her choices had me like, girl, noooo! 😅

That said, it kinda dragged in the middle—like, the pacing was a little "meh"—and some of the darker moments were heavier than I expected. The magical garden? Absolute chef’s kiss. Harriet’s decisions? A little frustrating, TBH. But overall, it had that cozy-yet-creepy thing going on, which is totally my jam, even if it wasn’t OMG amazing.

Big thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion! 💚

I truly feel like I would have appreciated this book more if I read a physical copy; however, that wasn't the case. I listened to the audiobook, and I personally did not like the narrator. Because of my dislike of her, I couldn't stay immersed in the story.

4 ☆
The cover art is beautiful!

The title and the cover art give me "The Secret Garden" vibes, and I love it.

Harriet Hunt is completely alone. Her father disappeared months ago, leaving her to wander the halls of Sunnyside House, dwelling on a past she'd rather keep buried. Harriet's garden is special. It's a wild place full of twisting ivy, vibrant plums, and a quiet power that buzzes like bees. Caring for this place and keeping it from running rampant through the streets of her London suburb is Harriet's purpose—the perfect modern fairytale about women taking control of their lives—with a little help from the magic within them.

The story was good. The pacing was a little weird in the beginning and the middle, but the storyline was good. Check the trigger warnings before reading, as it does have some domestic violence in the story.

The audiobook was good. The narrator did a good job telling the story and bringing the characters alive.

Thank you, NetGalley, and RB Media for the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

This is a dark, claustrophobic gothic tale steeped in domestic violence. Fantastical themes make it feel like an old fairytale. The book's heavy, sinister feeling was done very well, keeping me interested enough to read it in one sitting while nursing a cold. The writing was beautiful, and the story felt gloomy and lush. Harriet is a character you want to win against all the evil in her world. The ending was eh, just ehhhh.

With that said, if you are going in expecting Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries or The Spellshop, you will be disappointed. It feels more like the films Crimson Peak and Dragonwyck than either of those books. 90% of this isn't a cozy green witch book; it's darker magical realism and should be marketed as such.

**3 Stars: *The Peculiar Garden of Harriet Hunt***

This historical fantasy opens with a slow start, and while the premise of a magical garden responding to Harriet's emotions intrigued me, the story lost momentum with its focus on a predictable and lackluster love triangle. Despite these drawbacks, the narrator's performance added depth and kept me listening. Harriet’s journey of self-discovery and the garden's eerie magic had potential, but uneven pacing and underdeveloped relationships left the overall experience feeling uneven.

Following her mother's death, Harriet was abused and hidden away by her father for the majority of her childhood. Now he's been missing for months and an inspector is sniffing around suspicious of Harriet and what happened to her father.

If it wasn't for the inspector, Harriet would be perfectly content to live alone. After all she has her garden. One that is so attune to her emotions and needs that the plants often rush to her aid when needed.

As the inspector becomes more and more of a problem, Harriet decides a hasty marriage to a new suitor is just the thing to protect her. But, like most men in this book, he ain't no good either.

When the terrible plans laid by her father and husband come to light the garden bursts forth like never before to rescue its beloved Harriet.

My thoughts: I HATE how naive Harriet is. I get it, it makes sense she's been locked up and hidden away for years, but she's trusting and ignorant to the point of stupidity and it greatly annoyed me. Lack of any real communication is also a major theme throughout the book. Overall it's not the worst book I've ever read, but it's not one I'll be in a hurry to recommend.