The Meadows

"A decades-old murder. A strange, blood-thirsty cult. And a house full of spirits. The Meadows is a gripping supernatural thriller in which the monsters may be vampires, demons, or flesh and blood. It is a nightmare that will make you believe it could easily happen to you."

Scarlett battled with drug addiction and went to rehab. Once she got back on her feet she bought an old abandoned house to fix up. She transform it into a luxury bed and breakfast, but then strange things start to happen.

It was night time when I started reading this, that didn't last long, I had to finish it during the day! This was one scary good thriller, just in time for Halloween.

#TheMeadows #NetGalley
Pub Date: 19 Oct 2018

A very old murder and Blood thirsty cult and house full of ghosts. The Meadows is a very good book. . There is Monsters and Vampires and demon's .I think you will enjoy..

Nice spooky story, perfect for Halloween! The main character did annoy me alittle, she was a bit wimpy acting for me. It was a very fast story, had to make myself stop reading late lastnight. This was a page turner!! Loved it!!

The first half of this story deserves 5 stars hands down. I was riveted to the pages, couldn't flip 'em fast enough.

Then, the edge of your seat 'what the hell is going on?' lost its luster. The second-half went on for far too long, and I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as the first half.

5 stars for the first-half, 3 stars for the second. Overall rating 4 stars.

Scarlett DeHaven has found what she thinks will be her salvation from addiction, and rushes to buy The Meadows. Her plans for restoring the grand old house are what she's pinning her continued sobriety on. But soon strange happenings have her shaken.

The book was pretty fast paced, and the characters well developed - sometimes Scarlett was a bit disappointing with an immature attitude. The supernatural aspects of the book were spooky, and not overly done. I read it within a few hours, and it was an entertaining story.

I thought this book was wonderfully thought out and engaging, from the main character's life and relationships to the nightmarish things surrounding the house. It was spooky and so realistic, I felt like I was right there being driven crazy by things out of my control. This is everything I look for in a horror novel. Excellent book.

Scarlett DeHaven (lol at that name) is looking for salvation. Salvation and redemption from her past addictions. After leaving rehab, she quickly purchases "The Meadows", a large abandoned house full of mystery. Putting all her hopes into making this her fresh start, with a bed and breakfast, things quickly take a turn to the strange. Voices and noises, strangers and cryptic warnings. And then...a hidden tunnel is found underneath the house, with a history of use by a cult for satanic rituals.

This is a fast paced, terrifying story - that seems to be the beginning of a series from London Clarke. I can't wait to see where this goes. This was the perfect read for this time of year, when every shadow and every creak in the night is scary.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I couldn’t put this book down until I finished it.. I found the story and the characters really interesting. What’s not to love with a haunted house, and a young woman trying to open a bed and breakfast and lots of other interesting things that she encounters on the way. I will look for more from this author and look forward to reading her next book.

The Meadows
by London Clarke
2018
Carfax Abbey Publishing

Scarlett DeHaven has been sober for over two years. Her addiction to alcohol and pills has been a constant reminder of her past, and she is determined to leave her past in Nashville and move to the Shenandoah Valley. It seemed like the perfect setting to start fresh.
Scarlett purchases a huge old dilapidated mansion for millions, money is nothing to her. She dreams of rehabbing the 15,000 sq ft mansion complete with indoor swimming pool and indoor gardens into a Bed & Breakfast.
This mansion 'The Meadows' has a past of its own and it has not interest in starting fresh. It doesn't want to move forward, the house has a secret of its own....its own underground brotherhood....its own cult of blood thirsty monsters.
Scarlett's sobriety is tested when she realizes the only place in town is a pub. When she begins to see apparitions in the house, curtains moving in windows, lights mysteriously turning on and construction men terrified to return, she decides its time to delve into the history of this mansion, its secrets and demons. Things get even creepier when a tunnel system is found under the house, and its alter used for blood rituals, vampires and demons. The only way to fight demons is with a demonologist and a psychic, shes already put over 5 million into this mansion, shes not walking away.
Will Scarlett ever be the sole owner and possessor of 'The Meadow"? Can old habits ever be changed?
Terrifying and disturbing paranormal thriller. London Clarke has given us a fast paced tale of terror that draws you into its spooky atmosphere and characters. Its a page turner that will stick in your head....Creepy!
I can't wait for book 2 of this series.
Thanks to BooksGoSocial and the author, London Clarke as well as netgalley for this ARC for review.
#TheMeadows #netgalley

A brilliantly creepy and wonderfully written book, the only real issue for me was the ending which was not as strong as the rest of the book. However, despite this I really enjoyed reading this book which provides some genuine scares and creepy moments.

We follow Scarlett, a recovering alcoholic, who buys The Meadows in order to transform it into a B and B. However, the house is hiding some secrets that are now starting to come out of the woodwork.

Scarlett is an interesting and multidimensional main character. Her decision making is sometimes flawed but as a reader you still feel a degree of sympathy for her. As she is our only narrator we only see things from her perspective meaning that there are moments of confusion for the reader as she discovers what is going on. Stella, Hunter, Ryan and Mia were all amazing characters, providing a great cast to follow along with and I think that the book may benefit from a multi perspective retelling, as it would be interesting to see events through the eyes of these characters. Although the single narrative does not detract from the overall enjoyment of the book, I think that some of the scary elements could have been enhanced if we had been shown them rather than just told about them through the narrative.

I also thought that this book gave too much away during the first chapter, and that it may be extraneous as we cover the same story later in the story. It may be worth, therefore, removing this chapter and starting straight with Scarlett as some of the creepiness is lost by knowing who is behind the whole thing.

Equally the twist at the end was reasonably predictable and not really that shocking. Added to the fact that the ending itself was confusing and there is no explaination as to what is going to happen as a result of the events at the house means that I left the book feeling slightly dissatisfied and hoping that there will be a sequel in order to explain the consequences of these events.

However, that being said, I really enjoyed reading this book and the creepiness was maintained throughout. There are some really scary scenes and moments dotted throughout. It is a great Halloween read. Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an Arc of this book in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

This was so well written, I had no idea how immersed I'd get in this story.
The main character aggravated me a whole lot with the choices she made but even so. . . It made sense with all that was going on.
Certain parts portrayed fear and terrifying scenes in ways I've never read before, almost made me scared to read at night, in the dark, with just the light of my kindle to see by.
The emotion all felt genuine, the interactions, the thoughts.
This author knows a thing or two about people and how they work and move through life.
I'm actually looking forward to the next book in this series if that's what it ends up being anyway, but even if it's just a sequel I'm really excited.
Nobody better ever let me throw down 5 mil for a demon infested mansion tho, and if I did I'd be like SEE YA MONEY! cause there's no way I'd be stubborn enough to stick around through all of what went on in there.

A decades-old murder. A strange, blood-thirsty cult. And a house full of spirits. If you're looking for a good scare this is the book. The pacing for The Meadows was perfect. Not once did I feel like this book slowed down where I was becoming bored. It is definitely a fast-paced thriller, but it's not too fast paced in the sense that you have no clue what just happened

This one initially attracted me with a mention of a cult in description. But then there were all these detractors…unknown author, unknown publisher, horrid choice of a name for the main character, (actually, having read this, all around questionable name choices), but ok, gave it a try. And it turned out to be a pleasant surprise. I mean, yes, there are vampires, of course there are vampires, just look at the author’s photo, pure goth there, but the book itself was a lot of fun to read. The protagonist is the abysmally named Scarlett DeHaven (like something straight out of a bodice ripper, isn’t it), but then again at least it isn’t Angel. And, of course, she is no angel, she’s an addict and an alcoholic, straight out of rehab, who decided it’s time for a fresh start and sinks millions (lucrative career as a modern country song writer…yikes and generous daddy) into an abandoned derelict mansion (yes, a gothic mansion, naturally) with the idea of turning it into a B’n’B. The minute she gets there she energetically jumps off the wagon, but nevertheless proceeds with the renovations. But things get in a way. Because the mansion appears to be haunted, possessed and used for cult rituals. Yes, a triple whammy. Because apparently this is the sort of thing one might expect when buying a property on a whim without doing any due diligence. Initially Scarlett insists she doesn’t care about the place’s dark past, but very soon it gets to be too much and no amount of alcohol is enough and then it’s time to call the exorcist. So, ok, when I describe it that way, it kinda sounds silly, but it’s actually surprisingly well written, atmospheric and dynamic with the right degree of realism to the dramatic writing and, contrary to expectations, a surprising lack of vapidity when it came to the female characters. A great October read read a month too late. The author might have introduced entirely too many elements into the haunting of the Meadows Mansion, but she juggled it all nicely and wrapped things up nicely also. Although inexplicably there appears to be a sequel in the works, since this is subtitled as book one. So yeah, well done, London Clarke, for just about completely subverting expectations, pleasantly surprising and generally entertaining way more than anyone has any right to expect from a random book about vampires. Thanks Netgalley.

I thought this was quite spooky and I was impressed by the depth of the main character. Very well done and unique. I recommend this to any fan of horror.

Before I begin, can I just say that I'm a newcomer to NetGalley but I am slowly becoming their biggest fan.  It is a great platform where avid readers can get free copies of ARC's and review them.  I've been a book worm my whole life and just recently heard of this awesome site.  So kudos to you NetGalley, keep being awesome.

Moving on...

I have been on a serious hunt to find a book that took scaring me to a whole new level.  I have come close in the past with "BirdBox" by Josh Malerman, "Heart-Shaped Box" by Joe Hill and then recently "Penpal" by Dathan Auerbach.  These three books caused my anxiety level to rise a little because each one had that element of "the fear of the unknown," but I still did not get that feeling I get when watching a horror movie, where I need to cover my eyes until the cost is clear.  "I Will Be Gone in the Dark," by Michelle McNamara scared me to where I did not want to be alone in my house for a little while, but I'm not counting it in this post, because that book is true crime- hence it REALLY HAPPENED IN REAL LIFE.  Totally different situation.

Cue NetGalley.  I had just finished "Anonymous Girl" by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, which I had gotten an advanced copy both through NetGalley and St. Martins Press, and I was back to searching for a horrifying story to read.  Again, I know book lovers will say "never judge a book by it's cover," and though I am a huge culprit of doing just that, sometimes it works out in my favor.  I stumbled upon "The Meadows," by London Clarke, and the cover alone drew me to it.  It is a haunting picture of a girl with her back to the camera, staring at a large, eerie house, enveloped in woods and fog.  Then came the synopsis:

"A decades-old murder.  A strange, blood-thirsty cult.  And a house full of spirits..."

Oh, okay NetGalley, you got my undivided attention.

You continue to read on and find that the book is about a recovering drug addict, song-writer from Nashville, who moves to Virginia for a new start after a stint in rehab, and decides to try and run a B&B.  The story you get though is so much more then that.

Scarlett DeHaven is a 30- something recovering drug and alcohol addict who has made a name for herself in Nashville as a song writer and overall hot mess.  After almost drowning in a pool at a party, Scarlett completes a 5-month stint in rehab and comes out knowing she needs a do-over. She gets an email one day from a realtor she had contacted while high, with a listing for a beautiful gothic mansion in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley.  Scarlett relocates to Virginia and begins to work on restoring this beautiful home to turn into a bed and breakfast.

From here things start to take a turn for the creepy and eventually the worst.  First Scarlett sees shadows throughout the home, or hears a noise here or there.  Mainly normal things that come with purchasing a home over 100 years old.  Scarlett's best friend from Nashville arrives at one point and you find Scarlett starting to fall off the wagon.  The story then questions whether the MC is actually seeing things or if she is hallucinating due to her addiction.  The author gets the reader to really question whether we can believe what Scarlett is saying and seeing is real or if it's all in her mind.

I read some reviews where the readers did not like Scarlett, but I kind of loved her.  You have a main character who is struggling with demons of her own, attempting to start a new life, and finds herself battling real demons as well (along with spirits and vampire cults).  She has awful characteristics: selfish, does not care about anyone but herself, continuously places herself in high risk situations.  But with those flaws, you find a woman who is trying to be this strong person and right the wrongs of her past, and I really bought into it.

This book scared the ever living hell out of me.  I read it in two days and found myself staying up until 2 am reading, for the first time in I don't know when.  What I loved was how I was utterly afraid to continue to read, but had to continue to read because I needed to know what happened next.  The words, from the page to my brain, played out like a supernatural horror movie and I could not get enough of it.  I constantly found myself saying "Get out of there!" or "No! Don't go in that room." and just praying that these characters don't die. All the while hoping I could fall asleep that night and not have nightmares.

I also had this undeniable fear that this really good book was going to take a turn for the worst and have an awful ending.  And although it was not the strongest of endings, I was thoroughly satisfied with it.

For this being London Clarke's second novel, I really hope she continues writing books like this.  I loved this emotional rollercoaster she took me on and it was exactly what I had been looking for.

-Britain
@callemarie- Litsy
@bookreader_craftbeerlover - Instagram

Meet Scarlett. She’s a songwriter and she’s made quite a name for herself in the country music industry. She’s been in rehab but now she’s back on the wagon and determined to turn the page. She moves from country music capital Nashville, Tennessee, to the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, where she’s bought a mansion and surrounding grounds: The Meadows. Her plan is to restore the mansion to its former glory and turn it into a B&B, but what she doesn’t realise is that The Meadows has a rich history of violent events and ensuing deaths. I don’t have to tell you that the setting is particularly gothic; one look at the deliciously spooky cover should tell you all you need to know: an old gigantic mansion in the woods, now what could be more gothic than that?! Add a few shadows lurking in the dark, mysterious foul-smelling tunnels and a vicious vampire cult, and you’ve got yourself a perfectly creepy read.
I have absolutely nothing in common with Scarlett but I liked her anyway. She hit rock bottom and fought her way back up, only to be knocked down again by the events at “The Meadows”. Even when people are starting to get hurt, she stubbornly refuses to leave and she fights back as well as she can (Hmm, stubborn, eh? Well, maybe we do have something in common 😉).
This story has it all: secrets and mystery, a little bit of romance, ghosts and ghost busters, demons and a demonologist, blood-thirsty nutters. At times it scared the living daylights out of me.
So if you’re in the market for a good ghost story with all the trimmings, I can certainly recommend this one!

Thanks to London Clarke and NetGalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, this is a gripping story. It is about the dark history of a mansion that is brought to life by Scarlett. Creepy enough for me.
Thank you Netgalley for this nice book.

Horrifying read! I love horror reads and this one did not disappoint. It scared me so much that I refused to read it after dark. Definitely a four 🌟 read. I will look for other books by this author.

Creepy, atmospheric, lots of twists and turns - what more do you want in a book. Really good storyline and strong characters which kept it all moving. fab read

Thankyou to NetGalley, BooksGoSocial and the author, London Clarke, for the opportunity to read a digital copy of The Meadows in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
I really enjoyed reading this book. The author has presented a very creepy and atmospheric read that keeps the reader hooked. Well worth staying up into the early hours of the morning to finish it. I certainly cannot wait to read more from this author.

This book is a bit creepy and super fun to read.  If you like things that go bump in the night, this book is for you.  I enjoyed it! I love dark and spooky with little something different on the side.  A creepy house and so much more caught my attention in this book. I could picture parts of this book and house in my mind.  What a great mansion!  *This book was given to me for free at my request from NetGalley and I provided this voluntary review.*

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for release of the book in exchange for an honest review.

The synopsis on this book is what drew me in. It did not let me down. It was a bit dark and almost creepy at times but I enjoyed it.

If you like a book with demons, vampires, and monsters, you will like this book. I suggest giving it a shot.

Not my usual genre but I have to say that WOW this is one hell of a read.
A very old murder, a blood thirsty cult and more ghosts and demons than you can throw a stick at. The premise of this book has been done before but this one is so much more. Plenty of blood and gore, atmospheric and chilling and kept me reading late into the night. A ghost story that will have the hairs standing up on the back of your neck and checking for strange noises. I loved it, definitely one o f the better ghost stories I have read and almost five stars.
I would like to thank the author, BooksGoSocial and Netgalley for the advanced copy in return for giving an honest review.

I waited longer than I should've to start this book, and I regret that. Once I started, I couldn't put it down and that was admittedly unexpected for me once I realized the subject matter. The mention of a cult in the bio is entirely what drew me in, but the horror and supernatural aspects are a little out of my usual realm. In spite of that, I was hooked and kept wanting more.

Like any thriller/mystery book, I had my suspicions about characters just as I was rooting for others. While a lot of my speculations were confirmed, it didn't come across as predictable, which I liked. I really can't praise this book enough. It makes me want to give horror books more of a chance. The only negative were quite a few typos and grammatical errors but that's likely to be expected in an arc copy of a book.

Future books involving these characters are a must have, and I love the potential of it revolving around Hunter's new life as well as another spin off involving Scarlett or Vera. The options are endless but all would be great tales.

THE MEADOWS is one SCARY novel! The author finely tunes the tension, drawing the reader along to follow the feckless, definitely self-destructive, heroine, an acclaimed songwriter, as she battles her addictions, not very successfully. But the real question becomes: Is she hallucinating from alcohol and controlled substances, or are these apparitions, manifestations, sounds, voices, actually REAL? Is this property, the size of an estate, actually HAUNTED? Or has falling off the wagon after five months simply created sights, sounds, touch, in her mind? Either way, our protagonist is in deep trouble. DEEP trouble. She's sunk about $5 million into buying a property in the scenic Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, where she studied for her undergraduate degree at Shenandoah University. She intends to renovate, then open the house as a bed-and-breakfast, and attract "leaf peepers," newlyweds, couples celebrating anniversaries, plus businesspersons and corporate "retreats." An admirable goal, one which will not be accomplished unless the house is cleared of its "other" inhabitants; and unless Scarlett can find a way to stop the rising death toll. The house is already notorious for mass murders occurring in 1986, including paranormal elements, and had been abandoned for over 30 years. Scarlett is trapped between a rock and a hard place, and possibly there may be no earthly solution.

Whew, let me say that I have actually read this book twice and both times it held my interest from the first to the last page. Our protagonist had a rough start. She, after getting clean, decided to open a bed and breakfast in a house that was abandoned that like her, had a checkered past. Scarlet soon learns that something is not guide right. She begins to hear voices, see strangers appear and writings on the wall that she does not understand. Shenandoah Valley is just the place for her to be because of her memories. She did get better there with rehab and so why not “rehab” the abandoned house. As the reader I was so enthralled in the story that it felt as though I was part of it. ISO you wanted Scarlet to find a way to stop the nightmares and get rid of whatever she was battling. It soon became clear that she had a fight on her hands. The author is an excellent story teller with an uncanny way of bringing the characters together in a way that is dynamic and profound. If you enjoy scary stories that seem as though they are happening right before your very eyes, don’t wait…….. get this book. You WILL love it.