Dark and atmospheric with plenty of suspense, Girls of Brackenhill is a fun thriller. If you’re a fan of gothic mysteries with a hint of the supernatural to spice things up, this is for you. This ghosty story goes great with a big plate of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies made from scratch. 🍪 👻

The book alternates between past and present events. Gradually, the many layers to the sudden disappearances and deaths that have taken place at Brackenhill Castle are revealed. This book is more of a slow burn, but I enjoyed the sinister tones of the story.

I kept reading because I needed to know what happened and how it ended. I liked the character dynamics, but did feel like something was missing between my connection with them and some things felt a little two dimensional. However, that didn’t stop me from enjoying this thriller and I still had a fun time trying to guess where it would go. Overall, this was a tense and interesting read.

Out today!! 11/1 “ Girls of Brakenhill” by Katie Moretti had all the spooky feels for this time of year.
Hannah is called back to the castle on the hill where she spent her summers until her sister’s disappearance. 17 years later her aunt dies in a tragic car accident and this leads to all the mysteries and memories being unearthed form her past. Loved the Pa references as that’s where I am from and always enjoy Katie Moretti’s stories but this one had a rushed ending. Everything got tied up but a little to suddenly for me. Enjoyed the setting and feel for the Halloween season.


#julesbookshelf #arc #netgalley #girlsofbrackenhill #katiemoretti #goodreads

Girls of Brackenhill begins with a twisty, malevolent feel and a fantastic premise about a missing teen and family secrets set in a remote Gothic castle in the Catskill Mountains.

But this wasn't an edge-of-my-seat kind of read, despite the eeriness of the plot and setting. Instead, it focuses on Hannah who isn't an easy person to like. She's abrupt, immature and self-centred so with only her POV, it made for a good unreliable narrator, but sometimes a frustrating read. The mystery lost its initial momentum when the plot became repetitive and the pacing choppy. I also think things got more complicated than they had to be - the plot, Hannah's issues and one location (the basement) I still cannot envision. It didn't make sense to me why any basement would be set up like that.

The tension and pacing pick up towards the end as the pieces fall into place and I was eager for a big twist! But the ending left me confused with its unresolved issues and more questions than answers. Definitely not the satisfying conclusion I had been anticipating.

If you're reading this for its eerie atmosphere, dysfunctional family dynamic featuring an unreliable narrator, then you're in for a treat. But if you're looking for a riveting suspense read that has twists and a satisfying ending that resolves all of the threads of the story, then this book will not tick all the boxes.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to the publisher for providing me with a complimentary digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Gripping, ghostly and perfect for the season! Girls of Brackenhill was spooky, intriguing, and suspenseful right from the beginning and through the last page. After her Aunt's unexpected death, Hannah is thrown back in time to the summer when she was 15 and her 17 year old sister, Julia, disappeared while they were visiting her aunt & uncle at their castle on the hill. As Hannah now handles the funeral of her aunt and the end of life care for her cancer stricken uncle, some secrets that were never meant to be unearthed come to light, putting Hannah at risk. Hannah also starts to remember the forgotten days after Julia went missing. Can she resolve the mystery before she becomes another one of the missing girls? Highly recommend this thrilling read!

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com

Another typical story. One sister dies at a young age, years later as an adult another sister wants answers and in the process digs up family secrets.

The story was fine even though a bit worn out. I really didn’t like Hannah, I found her really whiny even in the now sections of the book. Yeah at 15 maybe but not at 30ish. No matter how much I tried I couldn’t find a way to like Hannah.

I liked the suspense part well enough but the rest just didn’t sit well with me.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a thrilling, chilling and riveting gothic ghost story. A haunted castle, the mysterious disappearance of two girls that was never resolved, the discovery of human remains on the property of said haunted castle. What could be more creepy? Well, this book right here will keep you up all night just glued to your seat turning those pages. Just don't read this in the dark as any little bump in the night will unglue you from your seat as you'll be jumping a mile high! Wonderfully written. This was a very enjoyable story.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy

After the death of her aunt Fae, Hannah returns to Brackenhill, the home in which her teen sister, Julia, disappeared from 17 years ago. There, she uncovers many secrets and mysteries from the past.

This started out as a great Halloween read, and I found it suspenseful, creepy, and mysterious. The ending was somewhat surprising but overall, I found it implausible and way too over the top. The Vanishing Year (4 stars) remains my favorite by this author.

Location: Rockwell, New York

I received an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Girls of Brackenhill is a slow burn mystery where the narrative goes back and forth between present day and Hannah's childhood summers at Brackenhill leading up to Julia's disappearance. Recommended for fans of suspense, family drama, and coming of age.

Content Warnings:








pedophilia; sexual assault 

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. The opinions in this review are honest and my own.

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Kate Moretti, and Thomas & Mercer for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

When seeking a story guaranteed to offer strong plot lines, stellar characters, and twists at every turn, one need look no further than the work of Kate Moretti. She uses these and other ingredients to keep the reader on the edge of their seat in her latest thriller, Girls of Brackenhill, where a woman is forced to return to her past in order to put her present in order. Recommended to those who need a surprise or two in their reading experience.

It was a call out of the blue that shocked Hannah more than anything. Her Aunt Fae had been in a horrible car accident and Hannah’s presence was urgently requested. Agreeing to take the six hour journey, Hannah and her fiancé make their way to sort things out, which includes time spent at the Brackenhill, an isolated piece of property that locals call a haunted castle, but Fae and her partner call home. Brackenhill has a long and sordid history as being home to many mysterious goings-on over the years, which may be why the locals have given it such an ominous reputation. It is also the last place Hannah’s sister, Julia, was ever seen.

Once Hannah learns and comes to terms with Fae’s death in the accident, she must determine how to deal with her uncle, who has been clinging to life for a long while and still lives in Brackenhill. Hannah agrees to stay at on the property to put things in order, though the past comes bubbling back to the surface. Over a number of summers, Hannah and Julia spent their time here, getting into teenage trouble and finding love. However, after Julia went missing, Hannah left and never returned. It’s been seventeen years, yet for Hannah it seems like yesterday.

When Wyatt McCarran arrives at the door, another layer of Hannah’s past comes crashing back. While Wyatt is now a police officer investigating Fae’s accident, he was Hannah’s first love and the boy who broke her heart. Awkward and yet trying not to let it engulf them, Hannah and Wyatt seek to put the past in order while also deal with the issues at hand. This is further complicated when a jaw bone is found on the Brackenhill property, leaving the possibility open that it could belong to Julia.

As Hannah spends even more time at Brackenhill, some of her troubled past comes to the surface and she begins to question much of her life over those summers. New mysteries emerge and Hannah is not prepared to ignore things, which proves troubling to many. Hannah learns more about some of the gaps she could not have understood as a teenager, though these prove to be more painful than she could have predicted.

Hannah’s troubles with sleepwalking return while she is at Brackenhill, causing her more grief than she could have imagined. While trying to settle her uncle as he slips into his final days, Hannah remains determined to discover what happened to Fae and how it may relate to Julia’s disappearance. Brackenhill may have a sordid history, but it is a handful of locals who hold the key to solving the mystery, each possessing their own piece of the puzzle. It’s up to Hannah to bring it all together before she falls apart!

Having read one of Karen Moretti’s novels before, I knew a little of what I ought to expect with this piece. That being said, there is a constant curiosity as to what the narrative will bring and how things will come together in the end. Moretti strings the reader along with some great work in two time periods, meshing them together effectively when needed to add impact to her work.

Hannah’s role as protagonist is obvious, but there is a lot about her that remains veiled in mystery. The reader slowly discovers what they need to know throughout the narrative, which splits between present day and flashbacks. This builds a solid foundation of backstory, though the gaps are plentiful and the reader is forced to piece things together for themselves. Hannah’s growth in the present time hinges on her understanding of that past, as she reestablishes old connections and tries not to let them cloud her judgement.

Moretti’s use of supporting characters helps solidify the strength of the novel, in my opinion. The two timelines can be difficult to juggle while also being essential to understand the central plot. These characters both support Hannah in her discovery, as well as impede her on occasion. Moretti creates great development for all involved and injects effective banter to offer depth to her plot, without confusing the reader with too many threads to manage.

The story works well and builds throughout, using the two timelines to weave a strong foundation. There are moments the reader is thrust into the middle of one mystery, only to find themselves learning about another. The intensity of the narrative never dissipates, which is fuelled by Moretti’s use of short chapters to keep the reader on their toes. There is no time to breathe, let alone put the book down, which adds to the book’s allure. Mysteries intertwine and a set of characters leave the reader guessing about how Brackenhill might tie it all together. Those familiar with Moretti’s work and curious readers alike will take something away from this book, likely solidifying their desire to find more by the author in short order.

Kudos, Madam Moretti, for another strong piece. I can rely on you to always bring something unique to my reading experience.

Brackenhill castle definitely deserves five stars for its atmospheric nature and it's creepy vibes. I wouldn't have minded if there had been more of the story featuring the house and it's history. The castle was definitely my favorite character if you can say that about a house.

The mystery, on the other hand, while it was well written, it was just a bit predictable and the ending was borderline cliche. I feel like I have read endings similar to this one on several different occasions. However, I wouldn't discourage anyone from giving it a try. I felt a little disappointed by the ending but up until then the story did manage to hold my attention.

I'm afraid I've read too many books similar to this. The domestic thriller genre is rife with stories such as this and I do not find the author's writing style to be particularly competent. Still, I'm sure that it will appeal to many other readers.

This book had a great premise- a missing sister, creepy castle and an unexpected death. Perfect for this time of year.

It started out with a bang and even the first couple of chapters kept up the momentum. It was atmospheric and the writing kept that feeling throughout, that being said there were aspects that left me wondering - like the basement. The castle setting had more of an English feel to me vs in US, but whatever.

Hannah was an unreliable narrator, she told the story with flash backs as her relationship with her sister is revealed. I couldn’t connect to her, her behaviour was too flighty, impulsive and didn’t always jive with her thoughts. Her relationship and treatment with her fiancé was odd and I felt sorry for him. .

All in all I kept reading because I was genuinely curious about what happened in the past. But there were scenes that left me confused (one I think I've blocked from memory) and situations unrealistic. The pacing slowed down and to be honest the ending left me somewhat confused with unanswered questions.

Girls of Brackenhill releases Nov 1st. My thanks to the publisher (via Netgalley) for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

// 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊 / 𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝗪 //⁣⁣
⁣⁣
Title: #GirlsOfBrackenhill⁣⁣
Author: #KateMoretti⁣⁣
Publisher: @amazonpublishing⁣⁣
Pub Date: 11/1/2020⁣⁣
Type: #Paperback #ARC⁣⁣
Total Pages: 330⁣⁣⁣
Genre: #Mystery #Thriller⁣ ⁣⁣
Must Read Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⁣.💫⁣⁣
⁣
My Thoughts:⁣⁣
⁣⁣
I'll come right out and say it ... I really, really, REALLY wanted to love this book more. It promised all of the elements that I love in a book of this genre: a spooky atmosphere, a haunted house, troubled characters with a storied past and lots of family secrets. But somewhere along the line, I lost interest 😢 I've read other novels by Moretti that I loved, but this unfortunately will not be a top choice for me. I really struggled with the pacing on this one (it was super slow in the beginning and then it unravelled too fast in the second half with a very abrupt and confusing ending.) I wanted more from the house too ... there were certain chapters that mentioned a Labyrinth in the basement where some CREEPY things happened, but there was no further mention of WHY. Thank you to the team at Amazon Publishing for my advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review. ⁣⁣

As a kid, Hannah spent several summers at Brackenhill, her aunt and uncle's beautiful mansion in the Catskills. Joined by her older sister, Julia, they enjoyed a peaceful time away from their troubled mother and her boyfriend. But that final summer, Hannah made the journey home alone after Julia disappeared. Now, seventeen years later, Hannah is back at Brackenhill, accompanied by her calm and steady fiance Huck, to deal with the aftermath of her Aunt Fae's death. Her uncle Stuart is quite ill and Hannah must handle the necessary affairs. But once at Brackenhill, long buried memories flood to the surface, along with some undiscovered family secrets.

"She'd escaped Brackenhill once. She could do it again."

I read this completely captivating thriller in one breathless day. It's such a wonderfully eerie and ghostly mystery that excellently captures the spooky atmosphere of Brackenhill. I'm all for a read with a creepy castle, ghostly happenings, and a history of missing girls. Told in a then (Hannah and Julia's summers at Brackenhill) and now format, Moretti sucks you in from the beginning, making the reader feel as if they are a part of the haunted happenings at Brackenhill.

"The Ghost Girls of Brackenhill are an urban legend."

The result is a twisted and dark story--a true Gothic ghost tale. I figured out a few pieces, but still found this impossible to put down. Moretti excels at weaving in the devastation of family secrets and small town mystery. As Hannah unravels the mystery of her family history and her sister's disappearance, we do as well, and you'll share her sense of dread and the overall foreboding that sweeps across the pages.

I wished the ending offered a bit more resolution, but this is an excellent, haunting, and spooky supernatural read. You'll be madly flipping the pages (with the lights on)! 4+ stars.

I received a copy of this novel from Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer in return for an unbiased review.

Hannah has created a life for herself far from the hilltop castle Brackenhill where she spent summers with her sister, Julia. She’s put those memories behind her and moved on with her life, newly engaged to a reliable man named Huck. Then comes a phone call in the middle of the night: her estranged aunt Fae has been in a terrible car accident, she needs to come immediately.

By the time Hannah and Huck arrive, Fae has died from her injuries. Now Hannah has some explaining to do because Huck has never been told about Brackenhill or the mysteries surrounding it. The summer Hannah turned fifteen, her seventeen-year-old sister disappeared from Brackenhill. Hannah never returned to visit her aunt Fae or uncle Stuart again; rumors began that they had something to do with Julia’s disappearance.
At the heart of that final summer was Hannah’s first love, Wyatt, who is now the police officer in charge of the investigation into Fae’s death.

Eager to forget the returning memories, Hannah is focused on the upcoming service for aunt Fae and finding permanent care for her dying uncle Stuart so she can return to her life with Huck.

But then a human jaw bone is found on the property.
Now, Hannah is determined to find out what happened to her sister and what secrets Brackenhill is hiding.

This was a suspenseful gothic mystery with plenty of paranormal possibilities to make Girls of Brackenhill a great spooky season read! I enjoy foreboding old castles, family secrets, and some unexpected twists - and this novel delivers on all those!
I was swept up in the atmosphere and enjoyed how the castle basically became a main character. While some of the story was predictable, there were so many elements that kept me guessing and I enjoyed the fact that I was still left with a few questions at the end; I was satisfied with the ending and loved the mystery that readers are left with!

Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Girls of Brackenhill is scheduled for release on November 1, 2020.

Thank you, Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing me with an ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Girls Of Brackenhill by Kate Moretti is a gothic mystery thriller that is perfect for the spooky season. Creepy mansion on a hilltop with vast forest grounds surrounding it was the ideal setting for this novel. I knew when I read the synopsis that I would be all over this book in a heartbeat, and I wasn't wrong. After reading Home Before Dark, I was craving something similar, and when I saw this one, I knew I hit the jackpot. The spookiness, the haunted or not feeling, the creepy things, and paranormal events just added to the intrigue and mystery of this book.

The story follows Hannah, who is called back to the storybook mansion on Catskill mountains - to take care of her uncle after a tragic event. She goes back to the castle with her paper-perfect fiancé and uncovers secrets that were long buried. Her presence sets off a chain of events that unfurls further and leaves Hannah doubting what is real and what's not. 16years ago, she left the castle without her sister Julia - who disappeared under mysterious circumstances. At the mansion, Hannah starts to figure out the truth of the traumatic events that made her confused, leaving more questions unanswered.

Overall I had a great time reading this book. It was a captivating and a compelling read. I also enjoyed the paranormal aspects of the story giving the mansion the perfect creepy vibe to engross the reader. I am rating the book 4 stars, and I highly recommend checking it out. It's a good book to read during the fall time. The atmospheric and paranormal ambiance combined with a mysterious mansion and missing girls is guaranteed to hook you in. If you liked Home Before Dark type of books, then this one will be perfect for you.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishing house and the author for the opportunity to read a complimentary advance reader copy of this book in return for a review based upon my honest opinion.

This is the first book I have read by this author. I am not sure how I felt about this book. I didn’t love the book but I didn’t hate it either. There were some really good moments in it and the overall storyline was interesting, I really enjoyed the main character but something about this book just didn’t hold my attention. I kept putting it down and coming back to it and I eventually did finish it. I feel like the characters just didn’t connect with me. I enjoyed most of the twists of the storyline and like the creepy castle, there were lots of things I liked, I just didn’t find the overall story was cohesive.

This was an enjoyable read. Very atmospheric perfect for the time of the year. I liked the writing too.
It's about a woman who returns to her old town and of course, secrets start to come out. It has dark academia vibes if you're into that.
Thanks a lot to the publisher and NG for this copy.

YES. I feel like this is the kind of story that's perfect for 'spooky season'. This isn't a ghost story - it's a grief story - set inside of a castle in the woods.

Hannah travels back to her Aunt Fae's castle in a small town in the Catskills after her aunt has died. Her uncle is also on the verge of death. Hannah is the only remaining member of her family. She hasn't been back to the castle in 17 years...not since her sister disappeared, not since the summer of her first love, not since everything went bad.

This book twists and turns like a winding road down a mountain. There is a heft to this book, I could feel the darkness and heaviness of the castle and of Hannah's grief.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A crumbling gothic castle in the Catskills, missing girls, deaths, apparitions and some family secrets best left alone all make up this mystery.

Hannah receives a phone call in the middle of the night telling her that her Aunt Fae has been grievously injured in a car accident. Apart from Fae's husband Stuart, who is near death from cancer, Hannah is Fae's closest relative but Hannah hasn't seen Fae for seventeen years. Not since she and her older sister Julia used to spend there summers with Fae and Stuart at Brackenhill Castle on a rambling estate in the Catskills. For five years the girls enjoyed their summers there until the last summer when Hannah was 15 and Julia 17. Nothing was the same that summer and then towards the end Julia disappeared.

Hannah had mostly put her time at Brackenhill behind her and got on with her life, while missing Julia and wondering what happened to her. She's recently engaged to Huck, a lovely dependable man who agrees to come with her to Brackenhill but knows nothing about it or Hannah's time there. Despite the three hour drive to get there, she doesn't fill him in, so it's all a bit of a shock when they arrive at the castle. Hannah soon realises there is a lot she doesn't know about Fae and also about Julia's last summer with her. When it's time for her to return home, Huck goes alone and Hannah stays to get answers to her questions, slowly unravelling as time goes on.

Although I enjoyed the novel, I found the pacing of the book a little slow initially, with most of the secrets unfolding in the second half. I was also somewhat disappointed in the almost cliched device used for the big revelation of what happened to Julia. I was expecting something a little more cunning to top off the main mystery, although we are left wondering if its the right explanation. I was also expecting a more creepy, atmospheric feel to the story with the crumbling mansion and the appearance of ghosts from time to time but it never got very scary, expect perhaps for the time the girls explored the creepy basement with it's many tiny rooms.