(3.5 stars, rounded up to 4)

"The Vines" by Shelly Nolden is a captivating novel that blends elements of mystery, horror, and family drama to create a truly compelling read. Nolden's characters are richly drawn and complex, each with their own secrets and motivations that drive the plot forward. Set against the atmospheric backdrop of a sprawling estate in the New York countryside, the setting adds an extra layer of intrigue and tension to the narrative, immersing readers in a world where ancient secrets and dark forces lurk just beneath the surface.

Nolden's writing style is evocative and atmospheric, with prose that crackles with tension and suspense. The plot of "The Vines" unfolds with a perfect blend of mystery and horror, as the protagonist delves deeper into the dark history of the estate and confronts the malevolent forces that threaten to destroy her family. While the logic behind some of the characters' actions may feel a bit far-fetched at times, the overall intrigue and suspense of the novel make for an enjoyable read. The relationships between the characters are well-developed and believable, adding emotional depth and resonance to the narrative. Overall, "The Vines" is a gripping and immersive thriller that is sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats until the very end.

I just finished reading *The Vines* by Shelly Holden, and I must say, it was interesting to learn more about a part of NYC history that's always intrigued me. Growing up in the city, I have some knowledge of tales of North Brother Island - where people with incurable diseases were sent in the 1800s. I am grateful that reading this book gave me a glimpse into what life might have been like there, and it's fascinating to imagine.

The narrative centers around Cora and Finn, and their journey is what kept me engaged, eagerly turning until the end. I always enjoy a book that makes you feel as if you're right alongside the characters.

I'm awarding *The Vines* 4 stars. While not without its flaws, it was certainly a compelling read, especially for those interested in learning about an important part and mostly unknown part of NYC history.

Thanks to Net Gallery for providing me with this ARC (admittedly, from a while ago).

Not for me. I have discovered that I don’t care for character driven novels, so this one didn’t hold my attention.

Set against the backdrop of a mysterious phenomena, this story veers into historical science fiction to reveal a decades long family history with dire consequences in the modern world.

The premise was interesting but the mystery fell flat for me in the first few chapters. I was a bit put off that the main character stoops to watching the female character bathe as our introduction. Continuing on the character dialogue is stilted, their motivations muddy, and some plot points convenient. The dual POV and historical timelines was more distracting than artful in telling the full story.

This one was twisted, dark , and a bit of contagious fun! I loved reading about the abandoned hospital. This one is a historical-mystery-thriller-fantasy-sci-fi mash up.

"The Vines" by Shelley Nolden is a novel that weaves together the eerie history of North Brother Island with a tale of love, mystery, and family secrets. Set against the backdrop of a forgotten and forbidden place, the book tells the story of Finn, an urban explorer, who becomes obsessed with uncovering the past of a mysterious woman named Cora, who is trapped on the island due to contagions and cruel doctors.

Nolden skillfully blends historical elements with a contemporary narrative, creating a sense of intrigue and foreboding. The dark history of North Brother Island, with its century-old quarantines and human experiments, adds a compelling layer to the story, making it a gripping read for those who enjoy a mix of historical fiction and suspense.

However, the novel has its drawbacks. The pacing can be uneven at times, with moments of intense excitement followed by slower periods. Some characters lack depth, making it challenging to fully connect with their motivations and actions. Additionally, the resolution of certain plot points may leave readers wanting more closure.

In conclusion, "The Vines" offers an intriguing blend of history and mystery, making it a worthwhile read for those who appreciate atmospheric storytelling. While it falls short of a higher rating due to pacing and character development issues, it still delivers an engaging narrative that will keep readers turning the pages to uncover the island's dark secrets and the fate of its enigmatic inhabitants.

Although this book has an interesting premise, it completely lost me when it veered from historical fiction to science fiction, which I was not expecting at all. This was definitely not the book for me.

This is a book about an urban explorer named Finn who visits North Brother Island in NYC, which was the historic area of medical quarantine and experiments, and he comes from a family of physicians. He encounters a woman on the island who has an interesting past and he simultaneously uncovers his own family secrets.

I found this book to be confusing at times due to timelines jumping around as well as an excess of dialogue. I believe there is going to be a sequel but I am not sure that I will read it. I don't think this one was my cup of tea, but it definitely was interesting and I think historical fiction lovers would really enjoy it.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

This was a great read! so happy to have received access to this arc. Already have recommended to many friends!

I started this book with such high expectations, but was sorely let down! The timelines didn't bother me, it was how eerily similar it was to today's situation. I read books to escape life, I don't need to read about it! I didn't even have the desire to attempt finishing this one at all. I was really looking forward to it too as the synopsis was very promising.

I don't think it is right to say I loved this book given the subject matter. How do I describe it? It is a medical sci-fi historical fiction family horror saga. I got a copy of this book from Netgalley but I kept ignoring it. Finally I needed a book with a plant on the cover so I chose this one. It seems really long but maybe I was just praying for it to end for the sake of our heroine, but I couldn't put it down. It is set on North Brother Island in the East River of New York, the former site of Riverside Hospital for quarantinable disease. After the hospital closed it was used to house veterans returning from the war and then teenage drug addicts before the island was abandoned in 1963. It now serves as a heron sanctuary. Before reading I looked at creepy pictures of the island as it is today to set the mood. The history of the island, the hospital, the sternwheeler sinking, and the diseases of the time was fascinating to me. The story centers around the Gettler family, most of whom were doctors except for Finn, an urban explorer. With the island closed to the public, Finn sneaks ashore and sees a beautiful young woman showering. Who is she and what is she doing there? In answering this question, the author goes back and forth between 2007 and 1902. What follows is a horrific exploration of what man will do for the greater good. It is mentally horrific but not really graphic horror. The book has a few twists but most you could see coming. The afterward by the author tells her personal reasons for writing the book, and the current COVID pandemic makes it more meaningful. I was fascinated by this book and look forward to the promised sequel.

The Vines tells the story of a woman named Cora who has been imprisoned on the forbidden North Brother Island and the story of an explorer named Finn who is captivated by her and this island. I thought the premise was very intriguing and appreciated that it includes facts about said island and the hospital and all the experiments that went on, but unfortunately this story was not for me. I didn't love the dual pov and I don't think the dual timelines combined well enough for it to make sense and wrap everything up. It felt like too many things were happening simultaneously and they weren't able to be fleshed out well enough because of that. The characters and dialogue were dull and the climax of the novel fell a bit flat. Unfortunately this book was not for me and I will not be picking up the sequel.

I couldn’t get in to this book unfortunately, I did read the whole thing but did not find myself connecting with it at all

The Vines is a story that ties together modern advances in microbiology and vaccination with a historical background.

It begins with Finn, a descendent of a family of microbiologists in some form. He discovers a scarred woman named Cora and begins to unravel her connection to his family and the small, abandoned New York island she resides on. We find that Cora has been experimented on for decades and hosts multiple epidemic diseases, including typhoid and smallpox. It is up to Finn to discover how she has lived so long, determine the extent of his family's unethical treatment, and try his best to help her.

I particularly enjoyed the historical aspects of the story. Many famous scientists and their discoveries, such as Leeuwenhoek's "animalcules," are discussed. It also brings a focus to ethics and if one person's suffering for the "benefit" of mankind acceptable.

Unfortunately I just couldn’t get into this book and had to dnf. It had a slow start and never really picked up and couldn’t hold my attention.

I had high expectations for this story, but ultimately, it fell flat for me. A few of my qualms: the suspension of disbelief was too much for me, unlikeable characters, an occasional plot hole, and some confusion with the dual timeline back-and-forth. The story ended with a huge cliffhanger and apparently a sequel is planned (which I didn’t discover until I was irked by the ending and did some Googling about it), but I think I’ll pass, unfortunately.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in return for my honest opinion.

I went into this book thinking that it would be a lot like other suspense books, but my oh my was I surprised!

I really had high hopes for The Vines, but unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations for me. It didn't capture me from the start and the writing was a bit choppy.

I couldn't foresee myself enjoying this book the whole way through, therefore I decided to stop reading and see if I regained interest another time. I'd love to update my review if I do end up finishing the book, but for now, it wasn't the book for me.

Thank you so much to Freiling Publishing, Shelley Nolden, and NetGalley for the ARC of The Vines.

"A large-scale pandemic is not just science fiction fodder, it's an inevitable outcome for our global society."

This one is almost too on-topic right now, as I near my full year of having not gone out to eat, sat in my friends or family houses, gone to a movie or any other social type inside event. I'd never heard of North Brother Island or it's use as a research or lab type use. It was interesting to read the chapters that took place in the 1900's as you learn about it all.

It took a little while for the story to really start going, it's a bit of a slow mover in the beginning, but it all did start to come together around 30% or so. Interesting character and interesting premise. I did enjoy it but I did feel like the characters were a little...extreme - either one way or another. I felt like a little gray ambiguity in them would have helped.

An e-ARC was provided to me by the author and publishing via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

Supposedly abandoned island in New York City with a dark and horrific past, the setting of this book is a terrifying blend of fiction and reality. The Vines is a science fiction, horror, historical fiction that ties in aspects of fantasy through the characters and plot with real life facts (the setting and some aspects of the plot). I really enjoyed the historical aspects and it was clear the amount of research that the author had performed prior to writing this novel. I found myself interested in the story but struggling to get through it, and mainly pushed through for the historical medical twist of the plot. I don't think I will be reading the sequel but I was very interested by the idea and think that future novels by Shelley Nolden would be worth reading. Thank you to NetGalley and Freiling Publishing for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.