I have to admit: I have a soft spot for books set in my area. Doesn't matter if it's the fringes of the capital district, I will most definitely read it. When I read the summary and saw Girls of Brackenhill was set in a castle in the Catskills, I immediately requested it.

When Hannah receives word in the middle of the night that her estranged Aunt Fae has been in a car accident, she and her fiance make the four-hour drive to her twice-summer home, a castle hidden in the Castkills, to handle affairs. Shortly after they arrive, Fae dies, and with her death, Hannah finds herself in the middle of multiple investigations. Was her aunt's death an accident, or was something more sinister at play? Caught in between multiple situations, the past and present vie for control, forcing Hannah to delve into the mysterious disappearance of not just her sister, but multiple girls in the small town. And all the while, the castle calls to her, drawing her into its darkness.

So, while this book is set in Upstate NY, this had a southern Gothic feel. From the sprawling castle, elaborate, rich architecture, decades of ghosts, family secrets, and the small-town rumor mill, this hit all the notes of a southern family saga. I quite liked that aspect and was more interested in the overarching mysteries than the more immediate question of whether Fae's death was an accident, murder, or suicide (although, admittedly, suicide never really seemed to be in the scope of possibility). A strange cast of characters with secrets, Moretti did a wonderful job with Hannah's flashbacks to the two summers of youth spent at Brackenhill, interweaving the drama to fully develop characters who never get voices of their own.

Hannah was a flawed, conflicted character dealing with guilt, grief, and a never-ending period of transition. Stagnant and left without closure, she realizes that while she's built a life in Virginia with Huck, there's something keeping her from feeling fully alive. Most of the internal conflict revolves around these issues: Hannah persuading herself to return to Virginia, Hannah questioning her love for Huck, Hannah trying to figure out what really happened to her sister. At times, her back and forth felt daunting and a little repetitive. Her struggle is quite clear from the first few pages, and having her search for validation continuously, from every character she talks to, felt desperate and unnecessary. Then again, that's exactly how I would characterize Hannah, so possibly this is the point of her constant need for approval to stay.

Brackenhill itself is very much its own character. It reminded me of the Mohonk Mountain House, and because of this, Moretti's imagery felt especially realistic and beautiful. This is an area where she thrives, as certain scenes are described so crisply and vividly that it felt like I was in the room with the characters. I most appreciated the basement, a labyrinthine void I would've loved to see more of. If you're a fan of visual novels with haunting backstories, this is going to be the book for you.

Complex and nostalgic, Girls of Brackenhill is a wonderful take on a coming-of-youth ghost story spanning generations. Thank you to Thomas and Mercer and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for review consideration.

Thank you to @netgalley and the publishers for granting g me this #ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Girls of Brackenhill was a roller coaster of a story. The story centers around Hannah, who is haunted by her sister’s mysterious disappearance 17 years ago. The summers spent at the castle were filled with magic and wonder, until one summer when Hannah returned home, but Julia never did. This story is about Hannah and how she has to return to her past in order to create a normal future, and what she uncovers is more than shocking! The author, Kate Moretti does a fantastic job at leaving each chapter on a great cliff hanger, causing the reading to rip through to the next page and continue this intense mystery. With so many strange events occurring through the story, it does make the reader wonder if the character is crazy or if maybe the castle really is haunted! Even at the end of this book I still had questions!! I give this thriller 🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷/5! Hold on tight because this is one crazy with a ton of twists and turns!

Girls of Brackenhill by Kate Moretti is a gothic, ghost mystery set in the Catskill Mountains. When Hannah receives the news her aunt was in a tragic car accident and her uncle is gravely ill, she must leave her life in Virginia and go back to the castle where her and her older sister, Julia, spent their summers. That was until Julia disappeared, and was never heard from again. When Hannah returns, memories from all those years ago start flooding in. As Hannah starts remembering everything she suppressed all those yeas ago the truth of what really happened back then is devastating. The secrets of the family, the rumors of the castle the small town opinions of what really went on 17 years before...it’s too much for Hannah to handle. When all the ugly truths come to light, the fallout will be traumatic.

I really enjoyed this gothic mystery. The characters are well developed and the mystery of the past will really surprise you. You will need an open mind of the paranormal to help understand the dark surprises you will find with each turning page. It was a very well written and interesting Storyline!

I would like to thank Netgalley, Thomas & Mercer publisher and Kate Moretti for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great book that I devoured in a short period of time. Hannah is in her late 20s , newly engaged, living in Virginia, when she receives a call that her estranged Aunt Fae has been killed in a care accident and she is listed as her next of kin. Hannah spent summers with Fae and Fae's husband, Stuart, as a child, but lost contact with her when Hannah's sister, Julia, disappeared that last summer. She drags her fiance, Huck, with her and heads to NY, to the crumbling castle where she spent those summers, to take care of Fae's arrangements and also figure out what to do with her uncle Stuart, who is terminally ill and fully incapacitated. Once there, Hannah experiences some creepy things and starts having sleepwalking incidents that seem to relate back to the summer when Julia disappeared.

This book had an air of creepiness the whole way through. The chapters alternate between the current time and various times from the summers that Hannah and Julia spent at the castle. These all converge to the point where Hannah starts remembering things she had repressed for all of those years. I thought Hannah was a believable character, though not altogether likeable. She made decisions that frustrated me in terms of her treatment of Huck (and Julia, when they were younger), and her obsession with her first boyfriend, Wyatt. However. she was also brave and scrappy. As the book moves to the conclusion, you learn more things about Hannah's past, which do help you understand why she might not always be making the best decisions.

The ending was wild and I didn't see it coming. It also left me with feeling of being unsettled, which I enjoyed- that's a good way to tell a book will stick with me. I'd definitely recommend this book to those who like mysteries as well as stories with a supernatural vibe.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked this book, it was a big slow at first but i really liked the main character and her persistance and the many layered mystery. I guessed some of it but it didn't take anything away and it left with me other questions. would love to talk to others about it. this is a 4.5 for me but i will rate it up

Synopsis:
Girls of Brackenhill dives into the life of a woman named Hannah and her adventures as a child - along with her sister - the summers spent at her aunt and uncle’s home at Brackenhill.

Being the only living family member, Hannah receives a phone in the middle of the night of her aunt’s auto accident, Hannah and her fiancé drive the six hours to Brackenhill to ensure things are in order for both Hannah’s aunt and uncle.

However, being back at Brackenhill 17 years after her sister’s disappearance, Hannah dives into the unknown to find out what exactly happened to Julia all those years ago.

My review:

1) I felt this story was dragging and repetitive. Example: The reader doesn’t need to be constantly reminded that it’s been seventeen years since the disappearance of Hannah’s sister; I got that after the fifth reminder.

2) Please make sure the editor really edits the grammar. I know this was an uncorrected copy but it seemed like every few paragraphs there was a grammatical or spelling error.

3) I pretty much figured out about Hannah’s secret 30% into the book. Again, the repetitive explanations of Hannah’s case kind of revealed what she did.

4) I didn’t get into the novel until 60% into the book, when the action really took place. Overall it wasn’t a bad novel, but it’s one I wouldn’t re-read.

A Gothic extravaganza, the book recounts the story of woman returning to what she viewed as a summer paradise in her only teens, only to come face to face with unsolved murders, repressed memories and a constantly escalating sense of tension.
Although this was a little overwritten for my taste, the story was compelling and I finished the book in a day!

Girls of Brackenhill might be the first novel of Kate Moretti's I've read, but it certainly won't be my last! You have an incredible setting in the Brackenhill castle, vibrant, messy characters, and time-hopping that adds to the plot. When Hannah abruptly finds out that her Aunt Faye has been in a car accident and she needs to revisit the place where her sister Julia went missing years before, her shiny, unproblematic life with fiance Huck is immediately overturned. When she arrives at the castle where she and her sister spent several summers, moments from her past start flooding back and continues as she becomes reacquainted with the people who lived "down the hill". It's a roller coaster ride of a story that you won't be able to put down! Closure-loving me didn't do well with Hannah's trauma-related memory lapses; I wanted more loose ends tied up!

Creepy, twisty, mysterious Brackenhill castle seems to bewitch its occupants. Hannah spent her childhood summers here but left after her sister's unsolved disappearance years earlier. Now she's been called back after her aunt's sudden death, and all the events she tried to stuff into oblivion are swirling around her. Definitely a page turner. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
Recommended

A twisty, turny, witchy thriller which will keep you guessing throughout. Great characterisation and writing, the story itself a little bit less great (but not bad by any means!)

Let’s start with the cons. At times I struggled through the story. It lagged in a lot of places and seemed to drag on. Hannah wasn’t a very likable character but maybe that was the point. I found myself many times putting the book aside and doing something else but I refused to give up on the book! I hoped it wouldn’t disappoint me.

What I DID enjoy about the book, was all the mystery behind Brackenhill. There’s stories and the history behind the families that have lived there. We got just a taste and I wanted more! I did enjoy the “THEN” scenes. The secrets and lies made for some really great twists. One I did not see coming. Nice. I’m really glad I didn’t give up on the book.

All of that being said, this is a pretty good read. If you can be patient, the payoff is worth it. I wasn’t disappointed. I was pleased at the ending! I am curious about more books by this author and will look into them. I give this 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars.

What an amazing mystery that will keep you guessing. Hannah is finally coming back to Brackenhill after he Aunt Fae dies. She hasn't been there since her sister, Julia, disappeared. That was the summer that changed everything

As Hannah and her fiance, Huck, arrange the final affairs of Aunt Fae and make arrangements for Uncle Stuart, suspicion grows. Was Aunt Fae's accident really just an accident.

However, when the local detective turns out to be Hannah's teenage boyfriend, Wyatt, the memories come flooding back. What happened that summer. Where did Julia go?

This book will keep you guessing and wanting more at the same time. Wonderfully descriptive to the point that you feel as if you are there witnessing everything.

Thanks #netgalley for the advance copy of #thegirlsofbrackenhill to review.

I typically don’t read anything ghost related but I will say, this book had me hooked from beginning to end. Kept me engaged and wanting to know what happened.

Definitely recommend if your looking for something to capture and maintain your interest.

Thank you #netgalley and #thomas&mercer for the eARC.

After the sudden death of her aunt, Hannah returns with her new fiancé to the place where her sister Julia mysteriously disappeared seventeen years earlier. For five summers, Hannah and Julia lived with their aunt and uncle in Brackenhill castle high up in the Catskills Mountains. A castle that houses many family secrets that, much like the strange occurrences, will come to haunt her again.

From the very beginning, Kate Moretti's novel kept me on the edge of my seat, with just enough creepiness to fall into my new favorite genre - paranormal thrillers. Hannah's story is told using flashbacks to the five years prior to Julia's disappearance amongst the eerie backdrop of her current stay in Brackenhill.

I loved the idea of Brackenhill, a two hundred year old castle with enough history to almost feel like a character in and of itself. Moretti's writing truly brought everything to life, and her characters were incredibly well developed. While I wouldn't necessarily call Hannah a likable character, I found myself relating so much to parts of her personality as a teenager who felt like her own quick wit and sarcastic tongue make her hard to love and accept.

I've honestly been struggling with thrillers lately, as I have found many of the twists and turns of many hyped novels to be eyeroll-worthy and far fetched. Then there was this. I enjoyed this story so much that even when my theories proved to be correct, I found myself truly excited in the execution.

Overall, Girls of Brackenhill has easily made it's way into my top five of 2020 thus far, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who likes a bit of a scare with their thrills. (4.89/5)

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Thomas and Mercer, and Kate Moretti for the opportunity to read and review this in exchange of an honest review.

An amazing Gothic thriller! A ghost story at heart involving a number of disappearances linked together in a stone castle. Beautifully written, haunting thriller. Hight recommend to anyone who loves a good ghost story.

Girls of Brackenhill is a chilling and riveting read from author Kate Moretti! To say I devoured this book would be an understatement. I honestly couldn't put it down in fear that I would miss something! While I know that's not possible as the writing inside stays the same I still couldn't let go! If you're a fan of the authors previous books you won't want to miss this one! Excellent!

Girls of Brackenhill is a mystery set inside an old, eerie castle, which provided a wonderful atmosphere to this book. Hannah’s sister vanished years earlier during their last summer spent with their aunt and uncle. Hannah learns that Brackenhill has a sordid history during her search for answers into her sister’s disappearance and her own history.

I really enjoyed the atmospheric quality that the setting added to this book. Overall, I enjoyed the pacing and the timelines that switched between past and present. Girls of Brackenhill kept me guessing up until the very last haunting page.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer publishing for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book and provide my honest feedback.

This is my first book by Kate Moretti..... I loved it. It was so different than the other books I have been reading lately. It was very much a GHOST story.... which is not always my thing, but I absolutely loved it. Moretti drew me in and held me all the way to the end. Hannah was a fun character.... I went back and forth on if I loved her or not. She was super human.... sometimes I was cheering for her and sometimes I was angry at her and sometimes I was annoyed with her.... she was a great character. I actually felt very similar feelings for Wyatt. I also loved the ending... which was completely different than I imagined it would be! I few things to note... I felt the goodreads summary didn't entice me the way they usually do, I wasn't as drawn to it as others... Also again I absolutely love and appreciate getting advanced copies I just wish they would always include the number of pages. I will add that to my blog post as soon as I know.

Thank you Net Galley and Thomas & Mercer for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
**
I love this book. Don't let the length of time it took me to read this deter you. It's this dang coronavirus that had it had for me to get into anything honestly. But Kate Moretti has done a fantastic job creating a twisted haunting tale.
**
Now a grown woman, Hanna, is returning to Brackenhill; A looming castle perched on a hill. Brackenhill once held a dear place in her heart. Her mother would send Hanna and her older sister Julia here during the summers to spend time with their Aunt Fae; and possibly just get the kids out of the house.
The first few summers there were nothing shy of magical. Then on their last summer there things were changing. Julia no longer wanted to include Hanna in things... Julia befriended Ellie and all but left Hanna behind. Strange this is though; Ellie is a missing girl... ran away they say the year before the girls last fated summer there.
The reason it was their last summer was because Julia went missing. Hanna has thought her whole light the Julia just ran away. The town people blamed Fae. You see, Julia wasn't the first girl to go missing from Brackenhill. But will she be the last?
*
Seriously I can't stress enough how much I enjoyed reading this book. It gave me just the right amount of crazy people, haunted house, pitch fork town people vibes. I loved this can hope to be reading more by Kate in the near future. :) 3.5 star round up to 4 for me

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a honest review, thank you for that.
Girls of Brackenhill is a book that has everything, mystery lies and secrets. A definite must read. Read all in one sitting.