Skip to main content

Member Reviews

Actual Rating: 3.5/5

——————Mild Spoilers——————
This one turned out to be a fun, eerie read that kept my attention from the start. The setting—a small Southern town in a post-pandemic world—felt fresh and grounded, with just enough tension simmering beneath the surface to make you uneasy. The atmosphere builds nicely over the first half, and the creeping sense that something is off keeps you turning the pages.

Billie, the main character, is navigating a strained marriage and an unsettling new life in Julianna. When she starts connecting with a local man named Jamie, things get messy. Jamie is basically a walking red flag (girl, run) and I genuinely appreciated that Billie eventually picks up on it instead of falling headfirst into the “mysterious hot guy” trap.

Still, there were moments where I found myself rolling my eyes at her decisions. Trusting the wrong people, putting herself (and her daughter) in increasingly dangerous situations—it felt a little hard to believe sometimes. And there’s a scene toward the end that literally said “and everybody clapped”—it grated on me because it was so corny.

The ending ties up a little too perfectly for my taste, especially given how messy and sinister things get in the buildup, but that’s pretty common in thrillers. Overall, though, Gothictown was a compelling story with a great setting, and even when it was predictable, it never felt stale. I enjoyed the ride—a decent, uneasy read that had me theorizing the whole time.

I am deeply grateful to NetGalley and RBmedia for this opportunity to read a digital ARC and provide my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Southern Gothic that completely pulled me in! The premise of buying a house for $100 sounds too good to be true to Billie and Peter Hope, and of course it is. They soon realize that beneath Juliana's charming small town vibe lurks something much darker.

Perfect blend of suspense that gave me eerie vibes! The atmosphere of the town was almost claustrophobic. I loved the mix of psychological tension, light horror and social commentary. If you enjoy gothic fiction with a modern twist and a touch of horror, definitely worth the read!

Was this review helpful?

This was GOOD. Huge thanks to NetGalley for letting me listen to this one. I loved the vibes of Gentle Juliana. I also may be reading too much into this- but I’m taking away that it is our job to question tradition and those in power when they are harming others. A very applicable message right now.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to the author, narrator, publisher and Net Galley for providing a free e-audio version of this title in exchange for my review.

I really, really wish publishers would stop say thing things such as "elements of Shirley Jackson's The Lottery" or comparing a mystery to Agatha Christie. That sets me up to expect a really great, twisted, well written and well thought out book. And they really never are, are they?

From the first few minutes of the audio, my mind went to John Saul - I loved his books and often miss the fact that he doesn't write any longer. This had the spooky, creepy feel - the first chapter or so gave more of a feeling of a gothic novel than the title did. Something else I remember about John Saul was that any time something seems to good to be true, it is. It. Always. Is! With the old house as a character in the book (it really is), The September House also came to mind.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was spooky, good, creepy.

Was this review helpful?

Narration: Excellent- she captured everyone’s different voices and added little accents to perfection. Sometimes single narration pulls me out of a story, but hers worked.

Story: 3.5 stars. Very interesting premise, but I guess I expected MORE? Idk it was enjoyable but it almost felt like I’ve seen the movie before. More “creepy small town” than “southern gothic” vibes.

Was this review helpful?

A creep read that is guaranteed to make you question everything you thought you knew about any small town, including yours. A great atmospheric read!

Was this review helpful?

With the current trend of returning to small-town living, this book really hits differently than it may have 10 years ago. As we all search for belonging and community in the post-pandemic world, Gothictown is the exemplar of allowing this desire to go to far, impeding all warning signs. A classic thriller, in which the reader is made aware of the monster behind the curtain from the beginning and is suspensefully waiting for the characters to pull the drawstring back to reveal its ominous presence.

Billie Hope, a big-city restauranteur receives an amazing offer and relocates her family to a small-town in the South. But cracks soon appear within the facade of this idyllic community, and something vicious and deadly seems to be leaking out, giving Billie's family nightmares and upsetting her family's bonds. Billie finds herself caught between spectres from the past and the real dangers of the present, trying to untangle the truth.

Apart from the thrilling plot, Gothictown deals with modern marriage dynamics, family bonds and communication, and reflections about the role one's ego plays in their choices. I would highly recommend to any reader that enjoys mysteries, suspense, and/or who dabbles in the supernatural.

Was this review helpful?

🥀Gentle Juliana🥀

First of all, I'm not sure how this one is flying under the radar. It was so darn good! it kept me on edge and wanting to know what was going on with the town, the people, and those creepy dreams. It's definitely a thriller/mystery with horror undertones.

I. ATE. IT. UP.

They had me at a small town in Georgia, I live across the river in South Carolina and the way it's described, I could very well have passed this town at any given time, if it were real!

Billy, one day, get an email notifying her of an opportunity to purchase a home for $100 in a small town in Georgia. Billy, Peter (hubby), Mere(child), and their cat relocate to Juliana, a charming southern town, and they begin their new life that seems too good to be true, and that last part might be right.

▪︎Creepy small town & residents
▪︎Secrets
▪︎Domestic drama
▪︎Spooky dreams
▪︎A cat 🐈

On the narration:
I loved the narrator southern accent on this book, really felt close to home (literally) while listening to her, the way she changed between characters was good as well, as you could tell when there was a different character and not just the same monotone voice.

On the story:
I enjoyed the build-up and characters and their background, and I loved the family interactions that felt realistic. Liked the back and forth between then and now explaining the town, its residents, and their history on how things came to be. Overall, I enjoyed the pacing, the story, and the atmosphere it built, and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a southern thriller/mystery!

I would like to thank NetGalley and RBmedia for the opportunity to listen to the audiobook version in exchange for an honest review

Was this review helpful?

Gothictown audiobook review
Wanted to start off by thanking netgally, RB Media, and Emily Carpenter for the ARC of this audio book.

Oh. My. God.
That could about sum up this entire review. This isn’t my usually go-to genre to read/listen to, but I was ABSOLUTELY strapped in for this story. I truly could not put it down from start to finish.

The twists, the turns, the subtle horror and intrigue, were all beautifully written. Part of what really kept me hooked on this book was also the Narrator Cassandra Campbell who did such a phenomenal job of portraying Billie and the emotions she infused into her narration.

This book is categorized as a mystery/thriller, but I loved the hints of horror you got in there as well. Not the gory, shock-and-awe sort of horror, but the type where you can feel the madness creeping in all around you, backing you into that corner, and you have no idea how the main character will ever escape the situation they’re in. The tension was beautifully written and intensely captivating, as were the snippets of backstory we got throughout the book.

If Emily Carpenter’s other works are anything like this one, I have quite a few titles to be stacking on top of my never ending TBR in the future 💀.

Overall rating- 5✨
Narrator- 5✨

Was this review helpful?

The beginning hit some very specific notes for me on a personal level (i.e. leaving NY to move to a smaller town). I really loved Billie and Peter as a couple and was heartbroken for them by the end. This was a really solid small-town-with-sinister-citizens mystery. And Cassandra Campbell always does a nice job of narrating.

Was this review helpful?

After hearing all the rave reviews, I was rather disappointed. I expected a lot more out of this book.
There was some creepy stuff, don't get me wrong, but as someone who plays Silent Hill, I expected a lot more out of "The Elders." And the ending? I mean, really? That's how they get taken down?
The book gets three stars for those moments that are truly terrifying especially the building of families.

I wasn't keen on the narrator and their lack of handling of the Southern accents. They should have gotten a Southern who could have used the main character's basic voice.

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed this creepy audiobook!

Billy, Peter & Mere needed a fresh start. A small Georgian town was holding an ‘initiative’ to boost their economy, providing houses for $100. They decided country living would be good for them all. So they up and moved from New York to Julianna Georgia.

The house they bought was built in the 1800s and had plenty of vacant land to explore. As they were settling into their new life, they slowly discovered the townspeople were eccentric, to say the least.

Strange happenings, long held secrets, sacrifices, ghosts, missing people, unexpected deaths. I was fully invested in the story!

The narrator did a great job! I definitely think it added to the whole experience.

Was this review helpful?

I am super glad I had the time to listen to this story all in one sitting (a long drive)! This book hooked me right from the email that Billie gets out of the blue that seems to check off all the marks for the perfect life. A beautiful house with tons of land for only $100? And a chance to reopen her restaurant after Covid killed the first one? I mean, personally I would be backing away slowly from this definitely sounds too good to be true, but it makes for a thrilling book! And I mean, she and her family do get all those things...plus nightmares, secrets, overly friendly residents of the strangely named town of Juliana, hidden treasures, and sadly also murder. I did enjoy the slow twisting of reality and the reasons for what was happening in the town were delightfully creepy horror (the past bits really heightened the tension!)and kept me listening closely to see if Billie and her family could make it out alive, or if they too would become victims of Juliana for the greater good of course.

This was a fun horror book to listen to and the narrator did a wonderful job in bring the scenery and characters to life in the quaint town of Juliana!

Was this review helpful?

Creepy southern small town with lots of sketchy characters. This is exactly my idea of a horror movie where you don't know what is happening until the very end. You don't know who to trust and that is how it draws you in. If you love this kind of thriller/horror then this book is for you! Thank you RB Media for the incredible audiobook. The narration was fantastic, just the right amount of spookiness!

Was this review helpful?

So first things first, the narrator did an amazing job. I could listen to her all day, the way she read the story really drew me in. The story itself was well written, I loved the small-town setting it took place in. Nothing like a creepy small town with sketchy, secretive people to set up a horror story and add to the tension. It was a good read that had me on edge.

Was this review helpful?

Welcome to gentle Juliana, where you can have it all … if you pay the price.

Synopsis
Billie Hope receives an email, giving her the opportunity to move to Juliana, Georgia and buy a house for just $100. After some discussion with her husband, they agree to move down with their daughter to enjoy a slower pace of life. But things that seem too good to be true often are.

What I enjoyed
Characters - Billie is an interesting main character - I couldn't ever fully decide how I felt about her. I enjoyed getting a window into the relationship dynamics with her husband and daughter. The townspeople are what you want in a creepy small town story.
Plot - Easy to follow and not particularly twisty.
Pacing - Decently slow until the last quarter of the book. The slower pace in the beginning helps to build on the atmosphere.
Narration - Fit well with the story.
Vibes - Immaculate. ✨

What didn't work as well for me
Town history flashbacks - I liked getting these flashbacks and understand why they're important to the story, but I felt the placement of some of them was odd and took away from some of the intrigue that could have been fostered by a later reveal.

I'm giving this 4 stars because even though the flashbacks sometimes pulled me out of the story, it gave me all the unsettling feelings I want in a mystery/thriller like this. I'd recommend this book to mood readers looking for a spooky slow burn mystery.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this audiobook for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

** spoiler alert ** Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington publishers for allowing me to listen to this as an AUDIO ARC. I have to say horror and thriller is usually not a genre I like because Im skiddish and scare easily, but I was really intrigued with the description of this book. I am SO glad that I took the leap to listen to this. I was so invested in Gothictown! After reading this book, I just thought to myself, how cool it would be to have this as a movie adaptation! This is a story about following your dreams which sometimes can be a nightmare. I loved the main family, Billy, Peter and Mare. (I could be misp the names since this was an audio). I very much was rooting for them, and kept thinking to myself if I wouldve made the same choices. And lets be honest with what Julianna has to offer, I think I wouldve taken the same leap of faith. Billy the MFC was someone relatable, someone you felt empathy, fear, regret, and determination for. Peter, oh poor sweet Peter. I did not expect any of what happened. My heart broke for him, for Mare, and for Billy. Every choice has a consequence. What this book emphasized to me, is sometimes there are no ghosts or demons but instead are acted out by those who give them life. I LOVED this story. It did have me thinking about legalities also. This is a book that will have you laying down at night thinking about what happened. I dont want to give too much away, but all I can say is oh sweet Julianna. The narrator did an excellent job depicting all characters, genders and ages!

Was this review helpful?

Southern Gothic with cults is such a guilty pleasure!

Received a free audio copy from NetGalley.

........................................................................................................

Was this review helpful?

If something seems too good to be true... that's because it usually is. However, Billie and Peter didn't seem too worried about the offer to buy a house in Georgia for a whopping $100, because they've been wanting buy something of their own and get out of New York. After settling in, they begin to question their decision. The town seems strange and suddenly Peter is experiencing insomnia.

While I thought the start was bit slow, I enjoyed this book. I thought the characters were fairly likeable (though they certainly have questionable moments?). The setting was picturesque small southern town with tight-knit, tight-lipped residents.

I did feel like this was a thriller more than a horror novel, but regardless - I enjoyed it. I liked the end and thought Emily did a great job at wrapping the story up.

Thank you to RBMedia and NetGalley for the ALC. I thought the narrator did a great job.

Was this review helpful?

"There’s something about Juliana, something off-kilter and menacing beneath its famous Southern hospitality. No matter how much Billie longed for her family to come here, she’s starting to wonder how, and whether, they’ll ever leave."

OK, say it with me now- if you get an offer that seems too good to be true, it probably is. Especially if it's an email offering you a chance to buy a house in a little Georgian town for $100. Like, if you accept this off, you may as well collect your Darwin Award too.

Billie and her family take the offer of purchasing a hundred dollar house and find out there is also a business grant available for Billie to open a restaurant in town. The offer couldn't come at a better time, since Billie had to close her insanely popular New York restaurant due to the pandemic. A new start is just what the family needs... but not in this Stepford-like community.

Although you know everything is going to bad, the story is still intriguing and I really enjoyed the characters. You get invested in what happens to Billie and her family (not giving too much away) but the "and everyone clapped" moment made me roll my eyes.

Overall, a creepy story that may make you wonder about your cat :)

I received a free audiobook copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

Was this review helpful?