This is a YA horror about the teenage daughter of a famous horror movie director. When her father is mysteriously stabbed in their city apartment, Lola is sent to live with the grandmother she has never met, in the small town where her mother, who left when Lola was 5, grew up. While trapped in Harrow Lake, a tiny, stuck-in-the-past town with an eerie collection of terrifying urban legends and superstitions, Lola begins to pulled into a horror story of her own.

I LOVED this book. I am always a sucker for a good horror, and this book is a prime example of why I love the genre so much. The horror is internal as well as external, it means something, it takes the character on a journey she needed to take, and allows her to confront things that she never could have in the light of day. The elements of gothic literature, the themes of the past, of decay, of a heroine imprisoned by them. Chef's kiss. 10/10.
My only complaint is that the ending didn't wrap up all of it's loose strings. Which is really just a personal preference for me, but I do wish there had been a little more closure.

*Thank you to Penguin Teen for sending me a Netgalley ARC!

Okay, so going into this I didn't expect much creepiness or horror, because it's labeled as YA. Let me tell you, it was so frightening and scary in some parts that I had to take a breather from reading. I absolutely loved how well this was written,and how I was literally on the edge of my seat the entire time frantically flipping each page to find out what's going on.

We follow our main character Lola, who's father gets stabbed and ends up in the hospital. Since he can't take care of her, and Lola's mom is out of the picture he sends her to live with her grandmother at Harrow Lake. This creepy little town is where her dad filmed his first horror movie and met Lola's mother for the first time, she actually starred in the movie. Strange things keep happening while Lola is in Harrow Lake and she wants to get to the bottom of it. She also wants to know why her mom left her years ago and never looked back, and being in her mother's home town she might be able to get some answers.

"Look, these stories - small-town legends about monsters or demons or evil spirits - they're all just an excuse for people to avoid seeing the real monsters all around them."

Let me tell you, this book has everything. A local legend that is so spine-chilling it gave me goosebumps, an awesome plot full of suspense, great world building, and characters that are well developed. Harrow Lake is a fast paced read that has you itching for more after every page. I really loved the horror aspect and thought it wasn't over the top, but definitely scary. The only thing that made me not give this five stars was the ending. Yes it was a good ending, but I wanted so much more. It has this huge twist and I thought the ending was going to be spectacular because of the buildup. It was just an alright ending and I still have some questions that were never answered. Harrow Lake did exceed my expectations and I can't wait to read more from this author.

I have been on a horror/thriller kick lately and when I saw this one I knew i had to read it!
This is a twisty creepy thriller about the daughter of a horror film director who thinks she isn't afraid of anything..until she gets to Harrow Lake.
I loved this one! If you're looking for something to raise the bair on the back of your neck and have you jumping at every sound then this one of for you.

“You know, some people think this place changes people who stay too long, and not in a good way. Like there’s something in the water here that feeds the badness deep down inside a person and makes it grow stronger. Sometimes . . . I think there’s something to that.”

Harrow Lake legitimately gave me chills. I realize that’s the point of a horror story, but honestly I had a difficult time reading this story at night, and I definitely had to have my eyes on the door when I did choose to read after dark. Kat Ellis definitely weaves a story that makes it hard to tell what is real and what is not, and begs the question which horrors are worse, the real ones or the imagined ones?

Lola Nox is shipped off to Harrow Lake to stay with her grandmother after her dad is brutally stabbed and hospitalized. Harrow Lake is where her dad, Nolan, filmed a horror movie based on the town and where he met her mother, Lorelei, and made her a star. The town is creepy to say the least, and shrouded with a tragic past and seemingly stuck in the 20’s. She meets some people you don’t know whether or not she should trust, and she experiences some terrifying things that you’re not sure as the reader if you should believe. Saying anything more than that would spoil the book. So, I’ll leave it with saying that this book is creepy, but it’s also unputdownable. I found myself hesitant to continue because I was scared of what might happen, but also turning pages because I had to know. It probably doesn’t make sense, but this is a great read, and I am almost sad there wasn’t MORE story to keep me in the town if Harrow Lake.

Harrow Lake by Kat Ellis is a unique thriller with serious horror story vibes but also addresses some delicate social issues.

Lola, the daughter of famous horror film director, Nolan Nox, is sent to Harrow Lake, the town where his most famous movie was filmed after Nolan is brutally attacked. Harrow Lake just happens to be the place where the mother who abandoned her, Lorelei, grew up and was cast as the movies lead. Sent to stay with a cold and unfriendly grandmother that she doesn’t know, Lola discovers that Harrow Lake is a town full of secrets and superstitions that are eerily similar and strangely related to the movie, Night Jar that was filmed there.

The movie and book monster, Mr. Jitters reminded me of every scary thing that hides in the dark or under my bed, never quite sure what it is only that it’s the scariest thing you’ll ever see and sure to drag you off and eat you! Yikes! The plot is really fast moving and the last 30% of the book flew by as an anxiety provoking, edge of you seat, what in tarnation’s going to happen situation. The atmosphere is creepy and almost surreal, the characters interesting with some surprising developments along the way.

If you’re looking for an entertaining YA thriller that skillfully blends in bone-chilling horror and suspense, Harrow Lake is a great choice!

Thank you to Penguin Teen and Kat Eliis for gifting me a DRC of Harrow Lake in exchange for my honest review!

CW: References to suicide, violence, and incest.

**Disclaimer: I received a free advanced reader's copy of Harrow Lake by Kat Ellis through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this opportunity.
Harrow Lake by Kat Ellis is a stand-alone novel. It's classified as a young adult horror novel and deals with some rather sensitive topics, so readers beware. It's about a girl named Lola who is learning more about her family history in a rather spooky small town. Harrow Lake, according to NetGalley, is set to be published on August 25th, 2020. I gave it five stars on Goodreads.

Here's the summary from NetGalley:
A can't-put-down, creepy thriller about the daughter of a horror film director who's not afraid of anything--until she gets to Harrow Lake.
Things I know about Harrow Lake:
1. It's where my father shot his most disturbing slasher film.
2. There's something not right about this town.
Lola Nox is the daughter of a celebrated horror filmmaker--she thinks nothing can scare her.
But when her father is brutally attacked in their New York apartment, she's quickly packed off to live with a grandmother she's never met in Harrow Lake, the eerie town where her father's most iconic horror movie was shot. The locals are weirdly obsessed with the film that put their town on the map--and there are strange disappearances, which the police seem determined to explain away. 
And there's someone--or something--stalking her every move.
The more Lola discovers about the town, the more terrifying it becomes. Because Lola's got secrets of her own. And if she can't find a way out of Harrow Lake, they might just be the death of her.
Harrow Lake was a book I hadn't heard of, but the cover and then the synopsis drew me in. I don't usually read horror novels but I was really curious and honestly I had a great time reading this book. I am going to keep my review somewhat vague because I don't want to spoil any of the reveals, but I will mention that there is implied references to sexual abuse by a parent and some gore, so be careful if those things are triggering for you.
I absolutely loved this book. I'm not usually the type to get freaked out by a book and the contents of it, despite definitely getting freaked out by watching horror movies. However, this book was actually giving me the heebie jeebies, and one night I actually had to put the book down because I was getting freaked out and didn't want to have nightmares. So that was something that definitely made this horror novel standout for me.
Kat Ellis did a really good job of building the suspense and making you wonder how much of this stuff is real versus how much of it is in Lola's, the protagonist's, head. There are a lot of eerie and vague details that are sprinkled through out that all build up to the culmination of the novel. You're never really sure how reliable Lola is, and you're definitely not sure how reliable the other characters in the book are.
The basic premise of this book was fantastic. I loved the set up of her father getting attacked and then her having to visit the town where everything in her life began. Small towns can be spooky at the best of times, but this one was definitely next level spooky. The entire town was on the verge of collapse, both literally and figuratively, and it was filled with locals who all knew more about Lola's mom than she did. It was also filled with all kinds of small town superstitions that Lola found herself buying into, which really added to the is this real or is it in her head.
On the whole, I highly recommend this book and think that you should check it out if you're at all interested.

Not a bad little story. There were a few plot holes, but this was overall pretty enjoyable. If you like your books a little spooky, this might be for you. I only wish it had been fully committed to the scary story that it set up. All the descriptions of the Nightjar movie and the town frozen in time really would make a good setup to a horror movie. Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book!

It isn't often I pick up a book in the horror genre, I am so glad I did. Harrow Lake was a darkly fantastic ride through a small creepy town and the folklore that shapes our lives. The novel focuses around Lola Nox, the daughter of a famed Horror movie director. Lola's life goes from bad to worse when her father is brutally attacked in their New York Apartment and Lola is quickly sent to live with her maternal grandmother in a nowhere town. The nowhere town happens to be Harrow Lake, the site of Lola's father's biggest movie, and her mother's hometown.
Lola's character development was great, even with her as an unreliable narrator, she's easy to root for and feel like you're right there with her. The relationships are very real, but the reader won't understand why until the very end. I found parts of Harrow Lake to be significantly creepy and I will never be able to think of teeth in the same way ever again. I wasn't surprised by the conclusion but the twist was so so so satisfying. If you love a fast paced and creepy novel, read Harrow Lake!

Why You Should Read It: I got an e-book ARC of Harrow Lake through NetGalley, and may I just say, hoooooooly shit. I absolutely devoured this book. It had a steady pace of suspense and shocks that made sure it didn’t feel overdone while keeping you on edge for the whole thing. There’s monsters of the magical and mundane varieties, family drama, a town seemingly frozen in time, some things that I’m still not sure if they really happened or not, a creepy grandmother, a ventriloquist dummy, peeling wallpaper, and so much more. It’s just filled with ever horror trope you could imagine and yet it somehow isn’t? It’s not that it subverts the tropes, necessarily, it’s that the things that seem like tropes end up doing something different than you expect, even if it’s just slightly different. By the last few chapters, I was certain I had figured out what was going on, and I was right…kind of. There’s still so much I don’t understand, but not in the “this book is bad because it didn’t explain this” kind of way. It’s more in the “wait…but does that mean…” kind of way. Like it’s a good kind of “I don’t understand,” not a bad kind. Fans of horror, suspense, and thrillers are going to love this book when it hits the shelves in August, and I’m going to continue going to sleep thinking, “wait, does that mean…” for the next two weeks probably.

Why You Should Have It in Your Library: After finishing this book, I immediately told our purchasing department that we need a copy of it for our YA section. It’s such a good book, folks, and your YA readers are sure to love it as well. I don’t really know how else to sell this to you other than telling you how fanastic it is. I’m literally obsessed, and I am definitely going to be buying a copy of it for myself so I can reread over and over again.

Review posted 5/12 across all links in bio for Write Reads blog tour- Please see my website for fully formatted review.

Harrow Lake By Kat Ellis

Welcome to my stop on the Write Reads Ultimate Blog Tour for Harrow Lake by Kat Ellis! Please note that Harrow Lake is released this month, May 2020, in the UK! However, it doesn't release in the United States until August 25, 2020. Keep an eye out for it during these two release dates, worldwide! Harrow Lake also features two completely different covers, which you can note in my featured image, below! The cover in the top left-hand corner of the image is the cover for the United States. The cover utilized in the tour banner (created by our wonderful Noly @ The Artsy Reader-- both an angel of a person and an amazing site- please go check her out) is the cover for Harrow Lake, across the pond! Hope that helps.

Thank you to the Write Reads for organizing this blog tour and RandomHouse for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Summary: A can’t-put-down, creepy thriller about the daughter of a horror film director who’s not afraid of anything—until she gets to Harrow Lake.

Things I know about Harrow Lake:
1. It’s where my father shot his most disturbing slasher film.
2. There’s something not right about this town. Lola Nox is the daughter of a celebrated horror filmmaker—she thinks nothing can scare her. But when her father is brutally attacked in their New York apartment, she’s quickly packed off to live with a grandmother she’s never met in Harrow Lake, the eerie town where her father’s most iconic horror movie was shot. The locals are weirdly obsessed with the film that put their town on the map—and there are strange disappearances, which the police seem determined to explain away. And there’s someone—or something—stalking her every move. The more Lola discovers about the town, the more terrifying it becomes. Because Lola’s got secrets of her own. And if she can’t find a way out of Harrow Lake, they might just be the death of her.

The Good

Kat Ellis gets something dead right (no pun intended). Lola and her interactions with others are spot on. The more I read the more I find that I am a lover of the absurd and the snarky. Disclaimer, as I've said before, I have a very dark and twisted sense of humor. What I find acceptable humor in certain situations, may not be for others. In fact, others might find not only inappropriate but completely offensive. To me, everyone has different ways of coping and I completely understand developing a dark sense of humor/sarcasm as a defense mechanism. This is what I've done to deal with not just severe childhood trauma but other points of trauma.

For the more faint of heart there is also dead panned sarcasm between Lola and her grandmother. While looking for her missing suitcase, her mother's arts and crafts disappear.

Lola: "Could the jitterbugs perhaps be in the same place you didn't put my suitcase?"

Out of context, this may not quite hit the mark, but there are many pure sarcastic and more, very dark and twisted hysterical moments throughout Harrow Lake that I very much appreciated.

The gothic vibe of the town (not necessarily the town people, who were a bit cookie cutter) but the town itself, which often felt like a living, breathing character, was very well done.

There were, at times a good creepiness vibe. At times, because once you figure out what is going on that gets lost pretty quickly.

The Bad

Let me say this upfront. None of what I'm about to say is because Harrow Lake is a Young Adult novel. I've said everything below about Adult books in this category. In fact, I've said a lot of it, quite recently. I said it about both The Guest List and You Are Not Alone. The only difference is that Harrow Lake got a couple things right whereas the former two didn't get ANYTHING right.

First off, in my opinion and to no fault of Kat Ellis or Harrow Lake, this book was labeled as the correct genre. It is not a horror book. It is a Psychological Thriller. There are few books that are clear cut in genres. Most blend through different genres. This is a clear-cut psychological thriller that doesn't even bend into horror, in my opinion. Had I known that going in, I would have come out with a much different impression. I still would have had issues with it, but I would have had a more favorable view of it. There is no way this should have ever been put out as a horror book.

Next, Harrow book is highly predictable, with a lot of cookie cutter characters. I'm just going to leave it at that because of spoilers.

The Ugly

The whiteness factor. Ok, Lola even points out, herself that Harrow Lake is all white and how different it is coming from NYC. But it was like I almost felt Ellis purposefully put that there to let herself off the hook. So,no one could say anything to her. I'm not saying that every book has to have all the representation. I've read books that aren't always diverse. Something just really bugged me out about how this was done. It was like it was purposefully done and pointed out for CYA.

Last, and this is my biggest and again, I'm going to keep this spoiler free. That means this is going to be vague. Otherwise, I'm going to have to do what I did with my review of the Guest List, where I had the second part with the spoilers, and I don't think that is necessary. Here's the thing.

There are A LOT of heavy themes that end up coming into play during Harrow Lake. That is great if they are done well. Many Young Adult and Adult Psychological Thrillers have a chance to address heavy themes and do them well. Those are the best ones. However, when it goes bad? It crashes and burns in huge ways. Harrow Lake crashes like the Titanic on this front. I'm sorry, but it does. It never ends up dealing with the fallout from it. The ending is just... like getting to the climax of a movie and someone pulls the plug.

Overall, it just misses too much and is way too uneven. And where it misses? It misses big.

I did not expect to enjoy Harrow Lake because it starts out like so many trite teen horror flicks: Girl visit her missing mom’s hometown and learns about its spooky local legend, weird things start to happen, girl starts to think spooky local legend might be true. Complicating this story for Lola is the fact that her mom’s hometown served as the backdrop for one of her horror film director father’s most famous flicks — the very flick, in fact, where he met her mom. And Lola’s not at her grandmother’s house in Harrow Lake (where her cell phone doesn’t even get reception!) because she wants to be — she’s there because someone attacked her dad in their NYC apartment, and her father’s bodyguard wanted to get her out of danger — and the media attention. So Lola’s stuck in the town haunted by Mr. Jitters, with a grandmother she’s never met, and a town full of movie memorabilia and ambivalent feelings about her mother. It has all the markers of a traditional horror movie, right? But just when you’re ready to roll your eyes, this book surprises you — because the really horrible things aren’t always what we think they are, and people are more complicated than any simple local legend. There are definitely some horror movie moments, so steer clear if those freak you out, but this book surprised me in a good way. More feminist horror novels like this one, please.

Superbly spooky!
Everyone has secrets. Some people--and places--hide their secrets better than others. Eventually, though, secrets have a way of coming out.
Author Kat Ellis has captured her characters' secrets and slowly unveils them, one deliciously dangerous morsel at a time. This book should come with a warning--Don't read it after dark if you can help it. And definitely don't read it if you're home alone. Mr. Jitters may be out there. Waiting. For you.

Harrow Lake is an eerie, haunting and tension filled read with a fast paced plot. Very easy to get swept away by and read in one sitting.