This is an excellent debut horror novel, reminiscent of the 2017 horror-thriller film, Get Out (with an emphasis on eugenics and generational trauma rather than racism) - it was fun to read, emotionally heavy at all the right places, intricately plotted and with a strong, satisfying ending! In fact, it doesn't even read like a typical debut as far as pacing and characterization are concerned; though the rather weak premise and its awkward execution may put some people off from staying with the book after the first third. Indeed, for the basic idea to work (that is, a group of people exploring the impact of their abruptly discovering a horrible family history), the main character, Olivia, has to somehow accept the email invitation of Eleanor, a little known. estranged cousin living in the Colorado mountains, literally in the middle of nowhere. If one can get over Olivia's bizarre thought processes in this part of the story, there's a huge treat waiting right after: a story full of tension, mystery and suspense, incredible twists, and scary monsters! and that's just the tip of the iceberg: Olivia herself carries her own trauma (psychologically and physically both), and her choice to bring her boyfriend and her younger sister along complicates the story so much, one can hardly put the book down! By the time I realized what "the Shadow Family" actually is, I was already hooked!

It's easy to recommend this book to horror readers: it checks all the right boxes, leaves no questions unanswered, interestingly plays with different story formats, and delivers exactly what it promises: an entertaining adventure full of horrifying secrets, terrifying revelations, and enormously relatable characters.

Did I read this book because my name is also C Morris? Maybe! But I also loved the cover, so I thought those reasons alone were good enough to request it on NetGalley.

The Shadow Family is a fun little horror story. It's like The Fall Of The House Of Usher meets Us which I loved. Dark family secrets, a gothic house that's rotting from the inside, a touch of a body horror, and characters willing to sacrifice absolutely anything.

At only 199 pages, this is the perfect length for an entertaining horror like this, keeping you on your toes, but wrapping up quickly enough to keep you fully engaged.

At times I found the dialogue quite "youthful" and almost like a teenage boy had written some of the dialogue. I didn't enjoy this YA feel to it at times, but this was my only negative, and fortunately it wasn't used too often.

Other than that, I had a lot of fun with this book. A great read if you like a quick, fun and effective horror.

THANKS TO NETGALLEY!!!! I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH I CAN'T EVEN FORM WORDS

I have no Idea what attracted me to this book, I just remember seeing the cover and was like WOAH I NEED TO READ THAT ASAP! Almost a month after it debuted I found it and read it all in the same day i was Approved! & OMG I'm so glad i did !!

I could NOT read this book fast enough, from the start i was completely immersed into this book, I could not put it down, I was literally reading it while I was cooking and would not let myself fall asleep until it was over, then I just couldn't fall asleep after because in my head i was going over everything that happened!

Ok for one I love when an author can write in the horror genre and it not just be STAB STAB STAB the entire book like this corny 90s slashers! (2nd I loved when the author actually brought up the horrible 90s horror scene and made a joke out of it! We compared everything we did to a horror movie back then for like no reason and it was so so fun) I Absolutely love when a horror or thriller (or whatever type of writer) can pull off making us laugh also, the slow build between you know it's about to get creepy and the cheesy funny one liners is just artistic! The writing in the book is the best type of "Slow Burn" You can ever feel, I love when everything isn't just corny jump scares and blood/guts but it builds up to being creepy, when you can build a good foundation to a horror story, it's like being at the top of a roller coaster and knowing what's about to happen is going to be the best/scariest thing that's about to happen to you and being so fricken excited nothing exists but that feeling!! I am trying my hardest here to describe what I loved about this book but there's just something about the way he writes that I can not put into words! The line "I bet it wasn't even her birthday" Is going to be so famously iconic I'm going to use it for everything! The back story on the sisters, the way they kept referencing the man in yellow, and The character build on creepy long lost cousin Eleanor- AHHHH I just can't!! YOU just have to read it and experience it for yourself!!

I shared it to everyone I know on goodreads and I Want to make a tiktok about it so bad screaming for everyone to go read it But Idek how to use tiktok!!! I have to find out how just to get this book noticed more!

I know this book just came out but I am here for this author's writing and I am so excited to see what he does next! "If the universe hands you a passion—write novels and scare whoever’s willing to read them" I AM SO WILLING PLEASE SCARE THE CRAP OUT OF ME FOR LIFE!!! Give Willow all the treats for supporting you on your writing Journey <3

Trigger Warnings for Sexual Assault and Child Abduction

Teen Oliva is not like the other girls her age, she’s certainly apart from the crowd measuring key moments in life against Romones lyrics and aware the botched attempt to kidnap her has a kid (which resulted in the loss of a leg), is used as a cautionary tale for others. She is a stark contrast to her sister Amy the cheerleader and all-round popular girl and Olivas boyfriend a handsome school sporting legend.

When Oliva receives an email from a long-lost cousin asking to connect and offering 25k for the pleasure, Oliva finds she can’t resist. This results in the trio taking a trip to a remote stormy mountain where the story of the Shadow Family begins to unfold.

This is a gory and in places explicit read, loved the use of news articles to underpin the story and the banter between the trio, also apricated that there were no real heroes just a group trying to survive.

This could have been just another teen led horror, I definitely got Point Horror vibes at the start, but it quickly matured and became more like a Point Horror and Richard Laymon love child.

I get what the author was trying to do, but it just wasn’t my thing. So far-fetched and ridiculous + snarky humor isn’t what I love in horror. So this is not a bad book, but a not my thing. I’m the problem it’s me.

This is exactly what would happen if you were to respond to an email from that Nigerian prince who is looking to leave you a big inheritance. The fact that anyone would fall for this scam is beyond me, and maybe if the FMC looked more in need of money, I would've understood. Let's not forget that it is mentioned in the book that she has been offered a movie deal about her kidnapping, but she refused. So now what, she wants some easy money just by going to a birthday party? This seems silly even thinking about it, but this was the first reason this story did not click with me.

The other reason is that the ending felt so flat for me. Without giving away any spoilers, we have no conclusive ending, and don't get me wrong, I am not looking for a happy ending, I am just looking for an ending. This one felt like there was more to the story, and I would be okay with a book two, but as a standalone, I feel like I read this book for absolutely no reward at the end, no answer to my questions, no nothing really.

These two reasons are why I deducted 2 stars from my rating, but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy this crazy ride. I really enjoyed the creepy vibes and the weird atmosphere, and I love cults, so this was a perfect read in this sense.

I just started reading horror, and this is splatterpunk horror, which is something I've really enjoyed lately, so if you are in the mood for that, give this book a go. I promise you won't be disappointed. There is tension and weird vibes throughout this whole book, and I felt like I was transported right next to the characters, and I love it when a book does that, when it has that immersive writing style.

All in all, this was an interesting read, perfect for Summerween if you wanna read it in the Summer, or perfect for the cold Autumn days. I'm really happy I picked this one up.

Thank you NetGalley and C.K. Morris for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion! Needless to say, as always, all thoughts are my own and I have not been influenced in any way.

A wild adult horror mystery ride. This one is enjoyably dark. The story has a mysterious start which turns out to be central to understanding the whole story. But then you are led down dark corridors to an ending that I certainly didn’t expect. Thank you to C. K. Morris and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

People’s self-interest will usually prevail. Out of nowhere, Olivia is contacted by a long-lost cousin, Eleanor, inviting her to her 18th birthday. While all the red flags should be screaming at Olivia not to go to the middle of nowhere in the mountains, Eleanor has offered her 25 grand and money speaks louder. What ensues is something out of a nightmare.
Overall, it just wasn’t my cup of tea.
TW: rape

#ThxNetGalley #C.K.Morris #TheShadowFamily

The Shadow Family by C.K. Morris was obtained directly from the publisher and I chose to review it. I had never read this author before and I would read more by them if given the opportunity. This book starts kind of slow but once it get going it is a quick read and a wild ride. Some of the scenes were surprising in that they went above and beyond in terms of horror and gore than I am accustomed to in todays writing style. I say that in a very good manner. If you or someone you buy gifts for likes gore and horror and all things 1980's horror, give this book a read. The horror season is fast approaching us as well.

Thank you NetGalley and to the author for the e-reader arc!

I don't typically reach for horror, but I've been on a real horror kick lately - this novel really upped that desire to read more! The Shadow Family follows Olivia Fitzbelt as she navigates generational trauma in the Colorado mountains. Accompanied by her sister, Amy, and boyfriend, Keenan, Olivia travels to see an estranged cousin, Eleanor. The trio unravels the family history as mystery after mystery is revealed.

I loved how much Morris builds suspense and background - really bringing the characters to fruition before delving into the horror and more gruesome elements of the story. I felt as though those moments really hit home because the characters were more fleshed out, and it helped develop that sense of ~the other~ and what the shadow family entails.

The novel is rife with twists that made me audibly gasp and reconsider previous plot elements, keeping me engaged and wanting to tear through. I appreciate how Morris looped back to previous plot elements and kept the story feeling concise and tied together well, especially incorporating the mixed-media cuts to get a new perspective on the characters.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed C.K. Morris' The Shadow Family, and I would love to read another novel by him!

C.K. Morris & NetGalley, thank you for the opportunity of reading this lovely novella and providing my honest rating/review.

Multiple POV, News Articles, and Emails.
Always love when an author includes different types of writing that keep the reader engaged. It's like you're more involved while reading the book.

Above all, please check your trigger warnings as ,everyone's mental state is of the most importance.

This book was a quick read but a wild ride. Reason you should check trigger warnings is because this author really has a way with some disgusting scenes and the details he proves are above average! I did love reading this book and would 100% want a reread of it during spooky season.

This was not what I was expecting and unfortunately I could not get past the first few chapters. I usually give a book a chance but this was not my choice of reading material and did not appeal to me. I would suggest anyone else giving it a go as you may enjoy it more than I did.

An exciting and gross story with a punch.
There's all kind of nastiness going on and I mean the kind that makes you go ....euwww.
The characters are great and genuine. The story is told brilliantly with a lot of humour and cultural references.

This book was beyond creepy, I went into it thinking it was going to be a scary story but it was freakishly frightening. I enjoyed the characters and the plot. Also fantastic ending. I loved how ghoulish the entire story became. Thank you so much NetGalley for this ARC

For the most part, the writing is excellent. There were a few dodgy moments like pronouns where the subject wasn't clear and being too vague to cloud things in mystery, but overall the writing and the story in general is great.

The book's tone goes off the rails for me. The first half of the book reads like it is a young adult novel, with unrealistic teenagers and some cringy dialogue, and mostly a creepy vibe instead of any big scares. The second half of the book edges toward an extreme horror novel to me. While there are plenty of people who enjoy that, I feel like it should be made a little clearer that the book will go to some dark places.

This book is a shot of pure adrenaline. Reading it felt like watching an action-packed, plot-driven movie—it's fast, wild, and gory in all the ways a great slasher horror should be.

While the prose can be clunky at times and the journal entries feel overused, none of that mattered in the end. The sheer narrative momentum of this story is unstoppable. With its believable characters caught in an interesting plot, the book builds to a fever pitch that makes it impossible to put down.

By the end, I was completely hooked—holding my breath, eyes glued to the page, desperate to know what would happen next. A memorable and thrilling read.

I'll start by saying horror isn’t a genre I typically reach for. The last horror book I remember reading was Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and that was back in middle school. I was obsessed with that series. The stories were so creepy, but I couldn’t stop reading them, and don't get me started on the illustrations. But when I read the description of this story, I was intrigued enough to give it a shot and was glad I did!

The story begins when Olivia gets an email from a long-lost cousin she’s never met, inviting her to a remote residence to help celebrate her birthday. Right away, you can tell something suspicious is going on.

We follow the mystery of the murders happening in Pitkin County through media snippets, while also following Olivia and her companions as they respond to this strange invitation. The different POVs helped move the story along. They added depth to the characters and helped explain their individual motivations. I especially liked Keenan’s character. He was realistic and questioned when something felt wrong, but still supported Olivia. He was the voice of reason and a true ride-or-die boyfriend. My only complaint is that some of the POV switches felt a bit abrupt. There were a few moments where I had to flip back to figure out whose perspective I was reading from.

If you’re looking to dip your toes into horror, this is a great place to start. It’s short and easy to get through, with just the right blend of mystery, creepiness, and gore. The characters are interesting, and the story has a haunting family history that pulls you in.

Just a heads-up—definitely check the trigger warnings before diving in.

Hang on to your hats and definitely don't be eating anything when you read this extremely disturbing and gory tale of the darkest of family secrets including inbreeding, worship of an eldritch god, and psychosis.

Olivia is seventeen years old. She has a prosthetic leg after she escaped a kidnapping attempt years before. When she gets an email from a distant cousin inviting her to a birthday party along with $25,000 , she's suspicious but she desperately needs the money. Her sister Amy and boyfriend Keenan go with her up to a remote cabin/mansion deep in the Colorado wilderness almost.

And let's just say that things are going to get absolutely brutal, deliciously disgusting, and very terrifying. This book surprised me with it's graphic depictions but a good surprise. I wasn't expecting that at all based on the description but is it ever effective. I was glued to the pages and read it in one sitting. This novel will make for a sleepless night or at least one filled with nightmares. I highly recommend it.

A well written story that kept me hooked from the very beginning.
The characters draw you in and keeps you flipping the pages.
The characters were all realistic and very well developed.
I really enjoyed the writing style. I found myself hooked, turning the pages.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC. This review contains my honest, unbiased opinion.

As soon as I started reading this I was sucked into the story. Literally read the whole book in the space of an afternoon. It was one of those books I didn’t want to end but at the same time I desperately needed to know what was going to happen.

Extremely gory and does include SA, so anyone who finds that triggering, you may be best off skipping this one.

”You know what I realised?" Olivia said. "I bet it wasn't even that bitch's birthday”
After everything I read in this book, this line still cracked me up.