The Furies is a YA thriller with mean girls. It has complex characters and a storyline that most times I wasn't sure where it was going, but I guess that is the point of a thriller. There were many twists and turns, some that I wasn't expecting at all. I wasn't wild about the witchcraft aspect but I think it worked for this book.

I did have a hard time connecting to the characters but I believe others could and do connect and find this book interesting and thrilling, but I just don't think this book was for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martins for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was about 4 teenage girls and their time at a school that has had mysterious happenings. Violet is a new student and quickly forms a bond with Robin, which leads her to Alex and Grace. Violet has a painful backstory, but you don’t really learn anything about the other characters.

Reading this story about teenage girls getting into mysticism and the occult, I just kept thinking of the movie The Craft. This book wasn’t without action, but I found myself bored with overly described passages. It also felt like the plot was not really going anywhere, like major things happened but besides that we had a loop of the same few things happening. Just overall I had a hard time connecting although there were definitely elements there to make a good story.

A dark and amazing thriller, gripping and entertaining.
It's one of those books that keep you hooked till the last page and make you turn pages as fast as you can.
I liked the dark and creepy atmosphere, the well written cast of characters and the plot so full of twists and turns.
I look forward to reading another book by this author.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

I was not able to progress past chapter 2 of this book because I could not connect with the author's tone and the character's point of view.

This novel struggled to hold my attention. I felt that the descriptive writing was more distracting them helpful. It was written as if the author was trying to meet a minimum word requirement. The characters weren’t likable or really even memorable. There were many different plot points that seemed unnecessary. Overall it was a good idea that was executed poorly.

Violet, a 16 year old whose world was blown apart by the deaths of her father and sister, thinks she's going to get new start at the Elm Hollow Academy, a dodgy British school for girls. Not. What she's walked into is a bunch of mean girls and an unsolved murder. What happened to Emily, who disappeared a year ago? Alice, Grace, and Robin are. tight clique but Violet is, sadly for her, invited in to their study group by Anabel, one of their teachers. There's a lot of bad behavior here, a number of bad decisions, and a lingering sense of unease, especially for Violet. This is set in 1998, which is thankfully for everyone before the dawn of social media. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. This reads more like a YA crossover but that was ok by me- it's quick and entertaining.

Violet, a new student at Elm Hollow Academy, is desperate to fit in. When Alex, Grace & Robin show an interest in her and then she is invited to an advanced study group that they are in, led by their art teacher named Annabel. The purpose of the secret group is to delve into the school's long-buried history, and the school's founder and her interest in the occult. Unbeknownst to Annabel the 4 girls begin dabbling in the occult themselves. People begin dying and things are spiraling out of control. Just how far will these girls go to protect (or destroy) one another?
I had such high hopes for this book. There were parts that were really good but there parts that were just ok. I guess I was expecting more of a darker, twisted version of "Pretty Little Liars" , and this was more drugs, revenge, murder and trying to cover it up and blame other people, and a lot of teenage angst.

Actual star rating: 3 1/2 stars

Note: This review contains NO spoilers

Truth be told, The Furies gave me a combination of 'The Craft' and/or 'Heathers' vibe to it which is not too bad of a comparison since I loved both movies. The synopsis alone reveals a lot about what the book is about. I would have to say this was written well enough, but not enough to keep my interest. Needless to say, I continued reading since I did find the story intriguing. The Furies also delves into real issues that are currently being faced by many of young adults. Katie Lowe's writing incorporates these real issues into the story with direct respect, truth, and care. I found this dark coming-of-age story had depth and insight with a touch of mysticism. But, in the end of this book, was it "magic" or real.

I can say that this wasn't really "my cup of tea" per se, but The Furies had various elements, such as: mystery, witchcraft mythology, and coming-of-age elements, that kept me reading. Then, in the end, Katie Lowe leaves a thought-provoking and insightful ending that will give readers something to ponder over. This is a good start for a debut novel.

Reviewer: Jasmine

This story centers around a young girl who lost both her father and her sister in a tragic accident. She finds herself enrolled in a new boarding school, Elm Hollow Academy. It is rumored that the school has some questionable history with magic, witch trials from centuries before and missing girls. Violet feels out of place at the new school but is quickly invited into the small group that studies with the mysterious Annabel, who teaches “mythology”. Violet starts skipping school, going to parties outside of school and finds her self completely engrossed in the mystery of the missing girl Emily. Whom she has been told she bares a striking resemblance to. Things go from bad to worse for her and she finds herself in situations that have a dangerous side to them.

The story starts out with a bang with our narrator telling of the young girl being found dead. With no clue as to how she died or why, there were so many questions that needed to be answered. Combined with the mysterious rumors of the schools history and the events that place during the story, it’s creepy vibe kept me turning the pages to see what had really happened to the girl. Was is just rumors or was their something more sinister going on?

Violet our main character was just a young girl who has been through a lot in a short time. Having lost her father and sister and a mother who is grieving and has no time for her, I felt bad for her. I wanted her find some kind of peace but she doesn’t seem to find it here at the new school with her new friends. Speaking of her friends, they were a mixed bag for me. Robin, Alex and Grace have swept her up into their little group. But their little circle of friends is held together by manipulations, lies and secrets and were never held accountable for the things they did to each other and others. I understand that they are teenagers, but wow were they awful to each other.

While I did have issues with the girls and their unanswered actions it was the blend of witchcraft and mythology that I found intriguing and I couldn’t get enough of. Violet’s narration was well written and added a sense of doubt as to what was really happening and I was curious as to the events that led up to the opening scene of the posed young deceased girl that kept me reading. The big reveal towards the end of what happened to the girl was a surprise to me and was well played. In the end, I did enjoy this one and think that there will certainly be those who will love it.

The Furies is a dark private school story of girls battling for power and covering up lies and secrets. There are many dramatic events occur thru the year shape the friendships and drama. A lawless school system.

In 1998 a teenage girl is found dead. Found posed on a swing on her boarding school’s property wearing all white, but no one knows what happened to her except a select few, and one will never forget.

A year earlier Violet is a new student at Elm Hollow Academy. Quickly she is surrounded by the tales of the witch trials held on the property in the 17th century. Violet is hoping to escape the demons from her past, but is soon invited to an advanced study group held by the mysterious teacher Annabel.

Annabel does her best to convince the girls that her classes aren’t related to ancient rites and rituals, and that they are just history and mythology. But the more she tries to warn the girls off the topic, the more they are drawn to it, and the possibility that they can harness magic for themselves.

Violet gets quickly wrapped up in this lawless world, except the disappearance of a former member of the group keeps haunting her. And she happens to look exactly like her. As her friends actions quickly turn darker and spiral out of control, how far will they go to protect one another, or destroy each other?

I wanted to like this one so bad. I mean, It’s October, so what’s better than a story about teenage witches to start the month off?! The beginning is a very slow start. I found myself struggling to stay invested. Halfway through, things start to get a little interesting and pick up. This book is like Mean Girls with a witchy twist, and way more messed up. These girls are not friends… this is a cult. They are horrible to each other and someone ends up dead because of their actions. This was supposed to be suspenseful but I found myself not interested in the plot at all. I just wasn’t connected to any of the characters and did not find them all that likeable. I’ve seen mixed reviews for this title and I think it honestly just depends on your personal preferences!

Thank you @netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review!

I received an uncorrected digital galley for an honest review. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the chance to read and review! I was also lucky enough to win a giveaway copy of the physical ARC!

THE FURIES by Katie Howe opens with a 16 year old girl found dead on school property. From here the narrative jumps back in time. Our narrator Violet is a young woman who survived a tragic accident as is just starting back to school after a time away. Finding her way in a new private school, Katie is invited to join an exclusive group along with three other girls under the guidance of the school’s art teacher.

The town and the school have a history in the occult and while the teacher says she is telling the girls this history just as a past mythology for their little society, the girls’ interest in witchcraft is heightened. They begin to dabble in magic, wondering if they do have the ability to put it to use to enact their own plans of revenge.

I really went into THE FURIES wanting to like it, but I’m afraid it was just okay in the end. It definitely had some entertainment value and some creepiness, but I didn’t feel any real attachment to the characters or what they were going through. My attention was prone to wandering and while I did have some interest in finding out how the body at the beginning of the book came to be there, I wasn’t enmeshed in the story. As the narrator, Violet has been through a lot, but I didn’t feel any real emotional attachment to her grief and trauma.

Overall I think this was a book with a very interesting premise that was just a bit of a bad fit for me!

Really, really wanted to like this book but wasn't able to fully connect with any of the characters and the prose was way too descriptive for my liking. The slow burn also didn't help this and I found the book overall very bland and boring despite starting off so strong. The storyline felt a bit all over the place and never seemed to come together. It never fully lived up to the synopsis of witchcraft and murder.

If you're a fan of Bunny by Mona Awad then this one may be for you.

"The Furies" by Katie Lowe is "Mean Girls" and "The Craft" rolled into one. It is definitely geared toward young adult readers. Violet is admitted to a private school for girls after surviving a horrific accident. The school has a dark history, including witchcraft and murder. Violet becomes friends with three other girls and the four of them attend "special classes" taught in the clock tower. The story takes a dark turn when the girls decide to do a ritual designed to enact revenge on those who wrong them.

This book is filled with teenage drama and is a somewhat entertaining read, but I think I may just be a bit too old to enjoy it to its fully. As an adult, I was frustrated with the choices the characters kept making, especially the choices involving drugs and alcohol. I wish this book had been more about magic and less about teenage relationships, parties, and drugs. I also think the characters lacked depth and were mainly just stereotypes of different types of teenagers. However, this book had a very strong ending, one that I did not see coming. Overall, this book really wasn't for me, but I bet fans of YA will love it.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Katie Lowe, and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced digital copy of this book.

The Furies is a fast paced, dark thriller young adult book full of twists and turns. The story centers around Violet, who as a teenage was sent to a private school after tragedy struck her family. Toxic friendships, secrets and dark twists follow. The book was very well written and the characters were well developed. This one was difficult to put down! Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.75 out of 5 stars

I want to thank Netgalley and St.Martins Press for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Violet is a lonely, shy girl who live in a small, fading town. She doesn't want to fade along with the town. After the death of her sister and her Dad she feels like she is fading even more. Given the chance to attend the Elm Hollow Academy a private school for girls that just happens to the site for the 17th century witch trials. There she meets Robyn and her clique of friends who seem right out of "The Craft". Robin decides she will befriend Violet and invites her to a study group run by Ms. Annabel. Before she knows it Violet is involved in a dangerous and toxic friendship with Robin leading the way and leading the girls down some very toxic path. Violet finds herself falling under the spell (sorry for the pun) of Robin. There is magic and murder and Violet may never recover from all that she experiences in Elm Hollow.

The writing in this novel is poetic and beautiful, If I were just reviewing the book for that alone it would be a five star book all the way. I also want to say that the story it's self was fantastic and I enjoyed reading it. The reason that I bumped the novel down to three and a half stars is that for me that the characters were not very strong. Violet didn't have much of a voice and I do know that she is a meek character I felt as if we should be able to feel her a bit more. Robin was a good villain for the most part but she did feel a bit one note. All of that being said this book is so worth a read and it would be a great book to read around Halloween.

As soon as I read comparisons of The Furies by Katie Lowe to the movie, The Craft, I knew I would be reading it. I watched The Craft when it first came out, and many times since, and thoroughly enjoy it. The nods that Lowe did in The Furies filled that wonderful piece of nostalgia that I was looking for. But if you’ve never seen The Craft, (what is wrong with you!) you’ll still be able to enjoy the book.

Lowe did a wonderful job in slowly revealing the plot, but not so slow that you become bored. On some of the slower parts Lowe was sharing various information on art, culture, and witchy things, which I really enjoyed. It started getting (good) crazy towards the end when the various storylines were getting tied up. Lowe gives a great conclusion to The Furies, but still leaves enough of an uncertainty that I found myself thinking about the book and questioning some of the conclusions. I’m looking forward to discussing The Furies with my podcast partner, Jessica, at Books Don’t Review Themselves. I’m sure talking about it with her will bring about more insights that I didn’t even think about.

There was a hazy quality to this book that lent it a bit of mysticism and the feeling that you were looking into someone else’s memories but not having all the facts. At first this annoyed me a bit when a part of the story just segued into another without a concise break. A few times I had to go back to make sure I wasn’t missing something, but then realized that this is how Lowe was writing the book in order to play on the memories that were from many years ago. And it also gave the reader a feeling of wonder if they could truly believe the narrator as to what really happened.

The title works perfectly not only with the entities that help with the spells that the young women cast, but with the emotions that girls turning into women often feel. Girls and women are always told to be good and not cause any waves. They are supposed to think of others first and control their emotions. If they cry and yell then they are being hysterical. In The Furies, these young women are taking control of their lives and doing things that society considers not proper. Now I’m not saying you should go around killing people, but don’t give in. Stand up for what you believe in, do not let people gaslight you, and do things for yourself without always thinking of others first. If it harms none, do what you will.

This is definitely an intriguing novel, definitely a page turner. A little on the weird side, can get a bit confusing, some twists and turns along the way. Four girls at a private girls school are friends ( or are they?) and they have been selected by one of the fine arts teachers to join her in a secret study class that covers the history of the school plus expounds in women in history and the men who have tried to keep women down on art, literature, professions, etc. Witchcraft is threaded through the history of the school and soon these four girls are not so much interested in the history of things; they’re interested in the spells, incantations, rituals. Especially when it comes to getting back at those who have wronged them. Definitely some twists to the events going on.

An interesting storyline but I felt it was too drawn out. The concept of four girls at an elite college steeped in tradition. One tradition that isn't well known on campus is the practice of witchcraft.

A secret society led by the art teacher and consists of four girls who are chosen to carry on a centuries old practice of killing those who betray them or who represent a danger of their discovery.

No one is exempt from their practice and it is not beyond the realm of their killing one of their own..

Violet becomes a student and the academy and is soon friends with Robin grace & Alex. Robin is the so called head of the society and she draws Violet deeper and deeper in and soon Violet is truly one of them..

We see that even with the death of a member the society will continue for centuries as one girl in turn will choose 4 new members in time.

We are not given a timeline of how often the membership turns over but it appears to be fairly frequent.and there are several gruesome murders during Violet's time at the academy.






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Thank you to NetGalley, Katie Lowe and St. Martins Press for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

I tried really hard to get into this novel, but I found the lead up to the interesting parts way too long and I couldn't connect with any of these characters. This book just wasn't for me at this time. There was almost too many details and I got swamped down with all of them and forgot what was really going on.