Pros
Gothic Atmosphere: Reading this novel in many ways feels like stepping into Gothic classics like Jane Eyre or Rebecca. Kirsten Miller does an excellent job of creating the necessary creepy atmosphere, complete with rotting houses that have been restored to a less-than-perfect condition, girls fleeing in the night, and creaks and bumps at all the right moments. Miller provides the classic elements to bring her uncanny world of Louth to life.

Women Believing Women: The women of Louth--Bram newly included--listen to each other and respect each other's stories. They trust their guts, and they give each other the benefit of the doubt whenever they can. They are not rivals for each other. They are support networks against a harsh and callous world that would see them as insane or addicted or simply "trouble." Having a cast of women who believe each other and want to help it as refreshing and necessary in literature as it is in life.

Book Lovers: This book is not only fun for harkening back to old Gothic writing in its style, but Miller actively calls upon the names of those great Gothic writers, too. It turns out that our main character Bram is a fan of du Maurier and the Brontës, as well. Anyone that can appreciate the quality of Miller's writing will appreciate the callback to these literary ladies as well. It is great to see a new Gothic piece pay homage to its worthy predecessors.


Cons
Old-Fashioned: Though the Gothic nature of the writing and worldbuilding is excellent, it is also rather old-fashioned. A lot of terminology and phrasing harkens back to previous eras. There is a reason Rebecca has been given as a comparable book to this one. I don't mind the old-fashioned prose, but some will have a problem, especially because the narrator is supposedly a contemporary teenager. She feels like an old soul, certainly, and her voice might not resonate with every audience.

Reliance On Unspoken Need: Though this sort of "need" certainly falls into line with Gothic storytelling, I still take issue with it. Bram, from the very beginning, is often led by some unspoken "need" to do things--to stay in a particular room, to walk down a particular path, to ask a particular question... This sort of intuition is common in the genre, so it makes sense. However, it is one of my personal peeves when it comes to Gothic literature, and Miller does not always weave this "need" as carefully into the narrative structure as she should for the incredulity of it to be overlooked. Sometimes, that is, the "need" feels more random than genre-driven.

Nosy Questions: Bram is tactless. She is trying to get answers, of course, and she is tired of having her own story questioned, downplayed, ignored, and erased. It is great to have a character who pushes so hard to have the stories of women heard, especially women who have been victimized and then pushed out of the limelight where no one will see or hear them anymore. However, she feels a little too pushy at times. That is, she often goes overboard, doesn't read social cues, and doesn't apply any finesse when necessary. She kind of blunders through her interrogations, which is unfortunate indeed. Her goal is admirable, but her means of accomplishing it can be difficult to read.


Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
7/10

Fans of the not-quite-supernatural creepiness of Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre should take a look at this unsettling contemporary work. Those who enjoyed the spooky and haunted house of Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House should settle into Louth Manor alongside this modern day cast of characters.

When all is lost, Bram seeks refuge with the kind uncle who recently has lost just as much, but when Bram arrives at the mansion only to learn of the haunting deaths that linger. Desperate to prove the Dead Girls' story wrong and find their true killer, Bram dives headfirst into the frozen tales of deadly curses while trying to keep herself out of the ghostly grasps of the local lore.

I'm honestly not sure how I feel about this novel completely...it wasn't that I didn't like it, but I definitely didn't love it. The two stories did not run parallel with each other, but were broken and jarring when jumping back and forth in my opinion. I didn't really feel any sort of connection with the characters and honestly they fell a bit flat.

The mysterious story Bram uncovers was interesting and there were a few twists and turns, but overall I don't think I would recommend this to anyone in my reading circle,

This book is amazing! I highly recommend reading it! I loved it so much! The characters, the writing, the twist and turns! Everything!!! It kept me wanting more and I honestly didn’t want it to end! It was fast paced and kept me turning the pages. I didn’t get bored at all and wanted to figure out what happened. I didn’t expect a lot of the things that happened and was surprised to find everything out. I really enjoyed the book and can’t wait to read more by the author. Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for a copy of the arc in exchange for an honest review!

While there were a lot of aspects of this book that I thought I was going to like, overall DON'T TELL A SOUL had a number of unexplored paths and muddled outcomes. There were some really well done moments of horror and dread, with descriptions of unease and late night paranoia that I did like. I also liked that there was some examination of how so many ghost stories have women who are victimized, even through violence and death, or through those who think they are crazy because of their experiences. But building on that point, a lot of the messaging around that undercut itself as characters who were supposed to be actively questioning the dangers of victimizers (specifically violent men) would excuse the actions of other victimizers. Many a time people who were supposed to be making good points would say that our main character, had nothing to fear in the local small town men even though she was rightfully threatened by or wary of them. On top of that, we didnt' get a very good exploration of Bram's tragic past, with a lot more telling about her drug abuse and own victimization as opposed to showing it or slowly letting it come to light organically.

I had high hopes for DON'T TELL A SOUL, and overall it didn't quite live up to them.

**I was provided an electronic ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for honest review.**

Kirsten Miller presents a YA mystery thriller in Don't Tell a Soul. Readers follow Bram, a troubled girl going to live with her uncle in the country after something has happened to make her leave Manhattan. Bram soon follows that there are rumors about her uncle's manor being haunted, and begins to experience things that seem to be unexplainable. Of course, that just means Bram has to seek an explanation.

Miller's writing is readable and fast-paced, with a good build. Unfortunately, I never really got hooked, which left me a bit middle-of-the-road. It was interesting learning about all the small town rumors and secrets, and I felt that Miller did well at intertwining them. Everything established followed good logic and solid explanations, which is great, but contributed heavily to me finding the ending disappointing. I really wanted a paranormal thriller, and didn't find that here.

In addition, the characters were established, but I really wasn't invested in any of them. I never felt the stakes were high enough to be truly thrilling, and didn't particularly have enough attachment to care about the characters even if the stakes had been high.

That being said, I feel like this book would be great for its target audience of young adult, possibly folks new to the thriller genre, or folks interested in thrillers but don't actually want to feel scared. As an adult who knows their way around a thriller or two, the book came across as well-written but a little lackluster.

I do look forward to seeing what else Kirsten Miller comes out with in the future, and would be interested in potentially reading other works.

A gothic mansion. A cold winter town. Mysterious deaths. A mystifying mural. And one girl on a mission to find the dark truth that could possibly kill her.
This book was so addicting, enthralling, heart-pounding and suspenseful. I found myself staying awake to finish- I could feel the tension through the pages and it was honestly brilliant.
This book follows our protagonist Bram- a “troubled” teenager who has been sent to live with her uncle after some unfortunate circumstances in her hometown
Once settled in this new and strange small town, Bram is set on discovering the truth of the “dead girls”- girls who have mysteriously died in different eras in the house- and the truth about Lark- her uncle’s stepdaughter who burned part of the mansion down and went insane
However, everything is not what it seems and the haunting truth could doom Bram in the process...
This book had me guessing and doubting the entire time and the twists and turns were impeccably done- right until the end I honestly had no idea what would happen and I LOVED that! Highly recommend this one!

Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC!

Trigger Warnings: attempted rape and drug abuse

Bram moves from Manhattan, NY to escape her troubling past. She goes to live with her beloved Uncle in a small town in New York so she can get away from everything happening in Manhattan. Her uncle had bought and tried restoring an old house that was intended to be turned into an Inn at some point, but a fire broke out and killed her uncle's wife. Bram uncovers some unsettling things while living in the house and it throws her into a haunting adventure.

This book kept be guessing the entire time and I read it in one sitting. The flow of the writing was easy to get lost in and before I knew it, I would be halfway through the book and wanting MORE. I rated this book 4 stars because Bram annoyed me every time she would ask how these small town people knew about her before they met. Every single person she would run into, she would ask "how do you know my name?" "How do you know who I am?" It happen like 4 times and every single answer was the same. "Its a small town, everyone knows everyone" I wanted to grab Bram by the shoulders and shake her to remind her that she should know this by now. It annoyed me after the first few times.

About 75% into the book i started to get how everything was playing out. I knew what was going to happen but it was still fun to see if I was right. I would recommend this to anyone who needs an exciting and quick read.

I had been looking forward to this “modern retelling of Rebecca” ever since I read its description and saw its cover. I’m a fan of “Rebecca,” the story more than the writing, and I thought that I would see the obvious parallels right away: a second wife living in the shadow of the first.

I would say that if you are looking for “Rebecca,” this isn’t it, but it doesn’t disappoint. What this is though, is a gothic story set in modern times, with a cold, wintery town and a creepy house. The story is gripping with twists and turns right up to the last chapter.

Our lead character and narrator, Bram, has a secret, and I had guessed what it was before the big reveal about half way through the book. This wasn’t the only twist that I had guessed, but I wasn’t disappointed since there were enough that at least a few caught me off guard. I recommend this book to people who enjoy gothic mysteries and have been bored by recent books. “Don’t Tell a Soul” is refreshing for those of us who have learned to guess all the possible outcomes of twisty novels!

The only two notes I have is one or two grammar errors. For example a sentence begins: “I’d just had begun...” which I assume will be fixed before final publication. The other error I noticed was with a character’s name. The name “Karen” is used about three times when I believe they meant “April.” Besides these two small errors, I highly recommend picking up this book when you can. You won’t be disappointed and I look forward to reading more of Kristen Miller’s books in the future! Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an advanced copy. This is my first advanced copy of a book, and I hope it won’t be my last!

Great story and loved the slight romance. Really enjoyed the characters and how the plot moved and how the characters changed throughout the book. I would read this author again.

Don’t Tell a Soul by Kirsten Miller is a modern love letter to Gothic literature, filled with a haunted manor, a mysterious mural, and a string of dead girls. The main character is even named Bram, after all, which seems like an obvious nod to Bram Stoker.

Set in the sleepy, small town of Louth, it’s a beautifully atmospheric mystery filled with twists and turns. However, some of the plot twists were revealed in unclimactic info dumps, and I feel if you poked at the story’s explanations too hard, the story would fall apart at the seams.

Overall, Don’t Tell a Soul starts of really strong, but two-thirds of the way through some of the character decisions are baffling and seem to be done sheerly for cheap scares, which unfortunately ruined some of the story’s believability for me.

Wow. Wow. Wow wow wow. This was such a great story. From the beginning the atmosphere was perfect. Just creepy enough that it makes the hairs on the back of your neck stick up and has you muttering warnings to the main character, Bram. I loved the angle that this story took, that Bram wasn’t there because she believed in the ghost, she was there to figure out why people assumed Lark was crazy. Later learning a more personal reason for this vendetta, you appreciate Bram even more. Women standing up for women. I think the layers of stories really helps build the tension and makes the twists and turns that much more frightening. There’s a point where you have a few ideas as to what is going on but the new information you’re getting just keeps making you doubt yourself. It is fantastic. A book that keeps you on your toes and makes you keep reading because you, like Bram, demand answers. I couldn’t stop reading this book. I would pick it up to casually read a chapter and find that I had sat there for 40 minutes reading because I couldn’t turn away. I finally finished this book in one sitting for two and a half hours in the middle of the night. Great ambiance for the story, but it just speaks to have captivating the story and the writing are that I put off precious sleep so I could keep reading. I think this book tackles some really heavy topics and does so with honor and courage and daring. I felt so seen and validated by this. I know we can’t quote anything from arcs, but there is a line about women always fearing for their safety and I felt that. I have never read Rebecca, so I’m not sure how much of this was true to the story and how much was changed. I don’t know if someone who is familiar with Rebecca would be surprised by this story. But I have to believe that they would be and that if they enjoyed Rebecca that they’ll enjoy this too.

Trigger Warnings: Mentions of parental death, mentioned death of grandparents, death (by suicide, fire), mentions of suicide (drowning), mentions of mental illness (nondescript, a character was committed, another character went to rehab), house fire, underage drinking and drug use, mentions of alcoholism, drug addiction, overdose, attempted rape, neglectful parenting, mentions of physical abuse, mentions of pedophilia, murder

This book was absolutely wild. It starts off as a ghost story, but it's so much more than that. I was hooked right from the start. The mystery unraveled so smoothly and everything made so much sense as the pieces all came together. A few of the twists I figured out fairly quickly, and then some I didn't piece together until Bram did, and the way everything fit together was done so cleverly.

This was wonderfully creepy and such a fun ride. This story definitely reminded me of Home Before Dark and Horrid, so fans of either of those will definitely enjoy this story. I loved the setting and the writing style. Some reveals I saw coming and some totally took me off guard. I will definitely check out this author again.

I’d recently watched the remake of Rebecca on Netflix when I read this book description. Ghosts, an old manor, a string of dead girls – what about this description doesn’t grab you?

I loved the setting of this story – a small town full of layers upon layers of secrets, an old mansion with disturbing rumors surrounding it, locals who don’t trust the newcomers and vice versa. It takes place during winter in the northeast, so the snowstorms and occasional loss of power just add to the atmosphere. The story unfolds slowly, and I had several questions concerning Bram – Why was she sent away? Why was she immediately on guard around males? Why was she so obsessed with Lark? All were eventually answered, and I feel the gradual reveal adds to the mystery. Between the manor and the town, Bram meets several people, all who seem to be telling her who she should trust. Suffice it to say, it’s all conflicting advice.

With so many deaths connected to the manor, I formed several theories and actually figured out one of the biggest twists early on. It seemed pretty obvious to me, so the final reveal didn’t come as a big surprise. Being a fan of the supernatural, I was excited for the paranormal aspects of the story, but things didn’t develop exactly as I’d hoped. It may not have been the story I’d expected, but I appreciated the underlying positive themes of overcoming adversity and reclaiming control.

This is an atmospheric story, and Bram is a plucky, determined MC who’s dealing with more than anyone her age should have to. A couple other reviewers mentioned the cover, and I agree it doesn’t seem to fit the book. Although there are a couple of plot holes (I read an ARC so this may change), the mysteries (there are several) may keep you guessing.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

4.5/5 stars.

TW: drug abuse, attempted sexual assault, gaslighting.

This was a brilliant and eerie book, and I really enjoyed reading it! It was great YA gothic novel, full of spine-chilling parts and a nail-biting ending that had me on the edge of my seat.

The story followed Bram as she tries to uncover the mystery behind the manor she is staying at, though she may be in over her head. While the storyline is a classic in horror novels, it was still a gripping plot that held my interest and made me eager to uncover the secrets of Louth.

From the very beginning we’re shown that not everything is what it seems, and as Bram questions everything and doesn’t trust a soul, we as the reader are encouraged not to either. I liked all the characters but didn’t trust a single one other than Bram, making all the interactions very tense and adding to the uneasiness of the story. I also enjoyed reading about Bram’s thoughts and fears as she thought about her past, it really added to her character and explored trauma, mental illness, and drug addiction. She was a sweet and passionate character and I was rooting for her the entire time.

The ending was amazing though a little bit expositional, though that’s a fault I think many mystery novels share when all the clues are uncovered. Despite that, I really loved the resolution and it was not disappointing at all.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing an e-Arc in exchange for an honest review.

I definitely enjoyed reading Don't Tell a Soul and I rated it a 3.5/5! I loved the eeriness and how atmospheric the writing was, it honestly gave me chills and at times was very creepy. It is very reminiscent of Rebecca and Mexican Gothic with the apparently haunted mansion.

The writing was very easy to get into and Bram was an unreliable narrator with us not knowing much about her or why she went to see her uncle in the beginning. I will say that the pacing was a bit slow but I would recommend it to people who are trying to get into thrillers/mystery! It is a good starter book for people who don't usually read thrillers but personally to me I was able to predict the twists.

The cover for this book takes creepy to a whole new level. You top it off with a creepy title and I’m here for it! Those two things, and of the course the blurb, sold me on this book and I knew I needed to read it.

Bram has had a lot happen to her over the years. It hasn’t been rainbow and sunshines and the past always has a way of coming back, even when it’s not your own. I love her name as it reminds me of Bram Stoker. Even though no one believes her when it comes to certain events, she never once caves to the masses and sticks to her truth. She is strong, brave, and will not stop until she finds out what happened to those girls.

When it comes to the other characters, it’s easy to like some more than others but it’s also hard to decipher who is actually being honest which makes the book just that more intense. Besides Bram, Nolan would have to be my second favorite character. He sticks up for her even when no one else would and I just really appreciate that. Although I really second guessed myself when it came to him, ha.

The book has one timeline, but since it is a mystery there are a lot of times where the past is discussed and it weaves it altogether combining into one bigger plot. The author does a great job of planting things into the story that have more meaning than we are led to believe. I loved seeing how it all unfolded. She also creates a perfect setting that is creepy and kept me hooked. It was hard to put it down.

My only complaint, if that’s what I would call it, would be how I feel kind of impartial to the ending. In ways it felt a bit rushed and leaves me with questions but I’m also glad that when it came to the mystery everything was solved.

Overall, this book was very enjoyable and if you love a good, creepy setting then I’d suggest adding this one to your tbr!

CW: Drug abuse, Mental health, Rape/Sexual Assault

4.5

Dark and mysterious, this was a good read. Small, quaint town where everyone knows everyone. A pleathra of young women seem to go mad at the inn. The reveal of the curse came as no surprise to me.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Children's for an e-ARC of this book. As always, all opinions expressed are my own.
A short description with no spoilers: Don't Tell A Soul follows Bram as she goes to stay with her Uncle in his mansion in a small town called Louth. However, there is something strange about Louth and there is definitely something strange about the mansion. Bram also keeps hearing stories about the Dead Girls and the rumors and mysteries surrounding them. What small-town rumors are true? What is really going on in Louth?
My thoughts: I thought the book was okay and had an interesting plot, but it wasn't for me. I felt the end and the plot twist was predictible and the story was a tiny bit slow. However, I liked how you had to discern what small-town rumors were true and which were just gossip. Even though the book wasn't my favorite, I would still recommend it to fans of YA mysteries.

*Trigger Warning: Attempted Sexual Assault, Drug Abuse, Lacing someone’s drink*

“Don’t trust what anyone tells you. A girl should always go with her gut.”

Nothing says a great read like a gothic story filled with mysterious, a haunted house, dead girls, and a troubled protagonists. Told as a modern day Rebecca retelling, it absolutely hits the mark for me! The story revolves around Bram, banished from Manhattan after an incident that “tarnished” her reputation, and has been moved to live with her uncle in the town of Louth in his mansion. The only catch? The house she’s staying at has a history of girls dying and being haunted. Bram has been haunted her entire life, after the incident in which she witnessed her father and aunt (Jame’s first wife) die, their dead bodies have been etched into her memory. She was the one who found the bodies when she was 12 years old and ever since then has been on a never ending journey between drugs and rehab to try and stop seeing the bodies. However, after getting out of rehab and enrolling into a new school, an incident occurs that has people not believing her side of the story no matter what she says. She finds the mystery of her uncle Jame’s tragedy, in which apparently his step daughter set fire to the mansions and his new wife(second wife) died in the fire. Something seems off about the story and Bram sets out to prove the truth, to prove Lark’s truth and ends up in a whole new dangerous mystery with more dead girls than she bargained for. Strange noises echo across the house at night and Bram keeps seeing a mysterious girl in white roaming and moving the furniture in her room. The town is completely hostile to Bram and her uncle is not who she remembered him being (she adored him as kid) and Bram only has her own wits to help her solve this mystery as she soon finds that her own life is on the line. This story was everything I could ever ask for! Bram was a great protagonists and stuck by her guts even though everything made her think she might be crazy. I do like a protagonists who appears to be an unreliable narrator but doesn’t waver from their stance. The mystery was intriguing and definitely a whirlwind. I would highly recommend this read for anyone looking for an interesting mystery or a gothic read by the fireplace!

*Thank you Netgalley and Random House Children's for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*