“People blame powerful women for everything.”

I love a good story about a haunted small town.

This book is described as modern-gothic and I can’t think of a better way of describing it. It gives us that eerie atmosphere, without being too creepy that you can't read it at night.

Witchy, creepy, and spooky. This is how I’d describe it. If you like Jennifer McMahon’s books, you’ll really enjoy this one!

Oh!I was going to say this is a great beach read because of the small town beachy vibes, but it might keep you away from going in the water lol

They Drown Our Daughters is an atmospheric, intoxicating, and unputdownable debut novel! I love a gothic horror novel and this one hit every spot! I can't wait for more books from the author in the future!

I will be mentioning this book on our next episode of the Genre Junkies podcast. Available on most podcast severs.

I have made it a goal to read a lot more horror fiction by women. And bonus points if the subject matter pertains to generational trauma! This was my first time with Monroe as an author and won’t be my last. I love books set in seaside coast towns, full of briney dark water and loaded with forbidden secrets. My favorite part of the novel was absolutely the third act, which I didn’t see coming at all. It’s rare I can be taken that much by surprise in a novel these days so I really appreciate that. The title is incredible, the compelling story is creepy, gothic and mysterious, I will happily be recommending this book to other horror fans.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for my ARC of this book!
After Meredith separates from her wife, she and her young daughter, Alice, return to Meredith’s childhood home in Cape Disappointment, to the lighthouse her family have kept lit for generations and where her mother still lives. Meredith was aware of the stories of mermaids in the town, and was aware there was supposedly some connection between them and her family, but by coming home, Meredith will learn more than she ever wanted to about the curse that has haunted the mothers in her family and see for herself the power it holds. There was a lot to like about this book. The author creates an atmospheric and engaging story of intergenerational trauma and portrays difficult but powerful relationships between girls and their mothers. It just didn’t quite capture me. I found the themes very powerful and interesting but the same level of care didn’t seem to translate to other aspects of the story, namely that of Meredith’s ex-wife. This character was an incredibly inconsistent afterthought to the point that I initially assumed Alice must have been a child from a previous relationship as the fact that Meredith is the only one that the narrative seems to count as her mother is implied several times, which is pretty troubling when looking at the story as a whole. Surely in a book about mothers and daughters, there could have been a more interesting route to take with her. The relationship is freshly over but only when Meredith needs depth, rather than to add another dimension to the story and I found this very distracting from the overall narrative and themes. An excellent choice for something atmospheric and haunting, just a little inconsistent in its attention to detail.

"She picked one, not knowing the roots of that daisy grew in the girl's mouth. With the roots free, the girl was able to speak. As a thank-you, she granted the living girl a wish."

If you can hear the call of the water,
It's already far too late.

This haunting and atmospheric novel was incredibly well-written and interesting. I don't normally read too many gothic novels and this one was fast-paced and very easy to read in one sitting. I enjoyed the focus on mother-daughter relationships and the intergenerational trauma that is a side effect from the curse. Seeing the impact the curse had on the women and men in the family was heartbreaking and interesting to see how one person's selfish desires can impact generations. The folklore with the ghost story mixed-in with mermaids was my favorite part and the ending was not at all what I expected. I enjoyed the flashbacks to other woman in their family, however, I did find that the whole story overall was a bit underwhelming, particularly in the present storyline. I wanted a bit more action and substance. I would have loved to have more background on Regina and her family storyline and more of what led up to the curse in the first place. The horror wasn't actually scary, but more atmospheric. I would have liked it to leave me more breathless but instead I just found it ok. I would definitely recommend this for people who love quick gothic stories!

Thanks to Poison Press, the author, and Netgalley for this ARC.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for a copy of this book.

Meredith Strand returns to her childhood home in Cape Disappointment with her young daughter, Alice, after separating from her wife.

The women in her family are said to be cursed, pulled to the call of the water. This story mainly focuses on Meredith, in the present, but the stories of the women you came before are woven in, creating a multi-timeline story that slowly comes together.

A dark, creepy, gothic atmosphere prevails throughout the book. The several different, non-linear timelines and characters can be confusing at times, and the pacing was a bit too slow at times. Over-all an enjoyable read though.

I couldn't get enough of this very creepy horror read! I loved the gothic atmosphere and the curse which affects one family line. I understand the pull of the ocean because I have experienced it myself. The sound of the waves crashing on the shore, the ocean's many moods and the smell of salt in the air. I loved the heartbreaking twist at the end. Very well done!

They Drown Our Daughters had me on the edge of my seat for hours. Although I thought the beginning was a bit slow, it picked up immediately and didn't stop surprising me until the end. I could not put it down for the last 30%. The characters were unbelievably well-rounded, and the details and descriptions were out of this world. I have never been a fan of horror/thriller books but Katrina might have made me an addict.

I fell into this book with almost no idea of where it was going to take me, but I found myself pulled into its tides and unable to escape. The book starts with a mother in 1881, a mother who loves her daughter so fiercely she would do anything to protect her. As daughter to a fierce woman and a mother to two beautiful children I not only understood her need to protect, I found myself wanting to protect all of them. Once we are introduced to our original daughter and mother, we jump between present day, 1910, 1971, 1975, 1938, 1948 and back again meeting generations of women all effected by the curse and their love and draw to the water. I could find little pieces of myself and the women I love in all these many women - strength, pride, stubbornness, determination, weakness, and all the other qualities we all posses in one form or another and I felt for these women in my core because the author knew how to bring them alive, even if they were only a few pages.
One of my favorite books in the past decade happened to be A House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig. I loved the atmosphere, the way I could smell the brine in the ocean and feel the salt and sand on my skin while I turned the pages. They Drown Our Daughters not only had my skin crawling from the sensation of salt water drying on it, but I felt at times I could actually taste the ocean and somehow it tasted of my favorite summers and my darkest dread. I couldn't put this book down and read it in a day. I needed to know what happened, how Alice could possibly be saved from all the devastation and I found myself holding my breath and constantly reminding myself to breathe during the last several chapters.
This book wasn't just a thriller and wasn't just horror - it felt at times like a beautifully written gothic horror filled with witches and dark magic and curses and at others a mystery thriller begging me to find out whodunit. It never strayed too far into its dark premises for me to feel like it wasn't grounded firmly in reality, so all the chills felt authentic and left me with goosebumps more than once.
I can't imagine this author isn't a mother after reading this book. It's rare I read a book and not only completely understand the characters feelings, but it invokes so many feelings I've also felt throughout my life. When she described the pains of labor, I felt my own. When she described the heartache of loving your child more than you have ever loved or been loved, I couldn't help but look over at my own. The author also wrote about being in a daughter in one of the most beautiful ways I've ever read because in my experience the relationship a daughter has with her mother as she grows from and infant into an adult is a completely different thing than the relationship with the father. I loved how the book handled the best and worst of the mother-daughter relationship without ever judging the character, but allowed the reader to openly feel both sides.
I refuse to spoil this book for anyone with concrete details about the plot or the characters, but if you love a dark atmospheric horror mystery you will not be disappointed with this book. You will find yourself thinking of the characters and trying to unravel the mysteries in the moments you aren't glued to the page. Even now, hours after finishing the book and knowing who did what and how it all turned out, I find myself going over moments and realizing their significance and cursing myself for not putting it together sooner. I also keep finding myself listening for the sound of waves and the smell of salt water in the air. This book is one I know I'll read again and one I will recommend to many. I'm so glad I got the chance to read an advance copy from NetGalley and I cannot wait to read whatever the author writes next.

They Drown Our Daughters was a wild and emotional read. It follows daughters plagued by a curse over the centuries and their stories and how tragedy unfolded from generation to generation. I think this story was very well written but at times all the jumping around from past to present felt a bit messy. The author does a wonderful job of setting the atmosphere for the story. Cape Disappointment is described as beautiful but also eerie and sorrowful. I loved the role the lighthouse played in the story as well. I really enjoyed all the details put into each women's stories and how you also got background stories to better understand their lives and involvement with the so called curse. This book was absolutely haunting and heartbreaking and I think readers will love it!

Well this was a solid Gothic/horror read. The main reason why I couldn't give it more than 3 stars though is the last 1/3 of the book dragged, didn't make a lot of sense, and then I think the ending may tick off some readers. No spoilers, but was very surprised that Katrina Monroe went there. I also got a little lost in the chronology along the way. I wish that Monroe had followed the descendants of Regina in order. The last 1/3 of the book going back and forth to the present with Meredith and 1970s with Judith (Meredith's mother) just didn't make sense and honestly work.

"They Drown Our Daughters" follows Meredith Strand. Meredith is dealing with a separation from her wife and has left their Alexandria, VA home to go back to her mother's home on Cape Disappointment. Meredith thinks she and her young daughter Alice can take some time at the cape as long as her mother doesn't get started about the family's history with curses and mermaids. However, things go bad pretty quickly. There is also a mysterious red-headed girl around who has told Alice that she and her mother are both going to die. Meredith is determined to figure out what is going on and what has caused all of the women in their family to come to a bad end in the ocean.

I thought that when the book was with Meredith and the back and forth with her descendants the book worked better. Meredith knows something is off with her mother and that even though she has said her mother's belief in a curse was just her paranoia talking, she is starting to think something or someone is stalking her and Alice. When the book delves into the mystery and then the descendants it works. But as I said earlier, when we move to the last 1/3 and we just follow Judith in the past and Meredith in the present the book drags.

I also didn't really like Judith. No spoilers, but she wasn't just being headstrong after a while, but really stupid. I did feel for all of the women in the book, because you get to see the different ways each women tried to protect their daughters, but how all of them, loved and missed their mothers. This really is a tale about how much mother's love their daughters, and what lengths they will go to in order to protect them.

I thought that the writing during the first 2/3 was great. Monroe weaves a great story with us following the family matriarch (Regina) back in the 1800s who goes to a friend for a charm that will prevent her husband from leaving the family. Something goes wrong though and Regina is forced to make a terrible decision to hide what has happened. She realizes too late though that her young daughter Marina has gone missing, and that she must have walked/swam into the ocean. Things then jump back to the present and we have Meredith at the cape with her mother. Throughout the book though we follow Regina's other daughter, then all of the female descendants who feel that something is calling to them though they don't know why. The story-lines are tragic and the falling apart lighthouse and home are perfect settings for this tale.

The flow also goes by the wayside at the 2/3 mark. The book drags and there's a twist and I went what and I just gave up.

The ending was bittersweet, but I do wonder how some readers are going to react to this.

People visit Cape Disappointment because it is believed to be haunted. Meredith and her daughter returned to Cape Disappointment, which is where Meredith grew up, to see her mother who is suffering from Alzheimer’s. Something in the water watches them and reaches for them like every woman in all their family.
While this book takes place in Disappointment, but this book does not disappoint. The book started out strong with the strong flash back that explains what will happen in later chapters. The way the multiple point of views was used, it flowed and allowed for the reader to see what happens which is character. The creepy and unsettling feeling while reading this book was just on point with the horror theme. The only issue with this book would really have to be the ending and how it changed the mood. Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for a chance to read this book and to give an honest review.

I loved this book. It’s beautifully written. The way grief and loss is handled is very well done. The ghost story is done well. The different timelines are done well.

I loved the characters. I loved the plot. I loved the setting. Honestly, the only part I struggled with was the very beginning and getting interested right away, but I think that was more related to my mood than the book itself. Very well done book.

I started this not thinking i would like it but i was hooked. I finished this in 2 days. Such a great story!!

A dark family curse originated when two cousins disappeared from Cape Disappointment over a century ago. Ever since, the women of their bloodline loose themselves, in various terrifying ways, to the ocean. Now, Judith, Meredith and Alice want to put an end to it. But what lies in wait for them, in the darkness of the ocean?

While this is touted at a horror book, I never found it particularly scary. The beginning was the most disturbing part - and very effective. It was well - written, perhaps a little slow in parts, but ultimately kept me hooked.

Without giving too much away - for a book about ghosts haunting from the depths of the ocean, I was able to suspend my disbelief easily. However, there is a certain plot point (quite a major one) surrounding a dweller on an island that was just too far fetched for me. And we never really got an explanation about it.

Many thanks to NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

They Drown Our Daughters is a gorgeously written horror novel about mothers, daughters, and family curses. After a sudden break up, Meredith and her daughter Alice move back into her childhood home in Cape Disappointment. The women in Meredith’s family have all suffered a curse, calling them to the sea to drown. As long as they keep the light in the lighthouse on, the wraith in the sea will leave them alone.
I loved this book. The writing was beautiful and the horror aspect was good and creepy. Meredith was a strong main character, and I also enjoyed the family history that was unraveled in the past chapters.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of They Drown Our Daughters in exchange for my honest review.

The POV felt too distant or removed from what was happening, making it hard to connect. The concept was intriguing and the tension good, but it felt a little bit slow to get to the action. Just wasn't for me. Fans of family dramas with elements of horror and fantasy will love it.

They Drown Our Daughters is a beautifully written queer gothic that follows six generations of women from the Strand family who are all connected to Cape Disappointment, a cape that is said to be haunted. Monroe's debut expertly puts a twist on the "family curse" trope that horror knows so well.

One of the biggest strengths of They Drown Our Daughters is the characters- mainly the Strand women. We get to learn about all of them through flashbacks to the past, delving into their deepest thoughts and their connection to the water that calls to all of them. Each of these women were complex personalities, and despite knowing that each of them met a bitter and gruesome end, I found myself rooting for all of them and wishing that they could have something better than their mother was given. Similarly, one of the things I loved about this book was how it explored the often complicated and fraught relationship between a mother and her daughter, particularly when that relationship is riddled with trauma on both sides, along with generational trauma. Judith and Meredith share a quite complex relationship and fight often, but they still love one another and want to be together more than anything. Meredith tries to do better by Alice, her daughter, but still makes mistakes that plague her.

Another particular strength of this book was the writing and the imagery. I could practically smell the salty air of the sea and feel the cold ocean lapping up by my ankles as I read. Monroe has an incredible way with words that truly bring her setting to life, and I cannot wait to read more by her.

This book did seem to slow down a bit in action towards the middle and got a bit predictable, but just when I felt myself beginning to slog through the book the plot twist happened and I was instantly locked back in. I will not spoil it here, but I will truly be thinking about this book and the twist for a while- especially the ending that proves that a mother's love is stronger than any force in the world. I highly recommend this book to others looking for something new in the horror genre that is equally heartwarming and chilling.

Favorit quote: But maybe that's the function of beauty, you know? To keep the bad hidden away.
Favorit character: Meredith

Cape Disappointment is a little peninsula which was abandoned by the tourists a long time ago. The residents believe it's haunted, one family in particular, Meredith's. The women of her family always die in a tragic way in or at the ocean, or simply went missing. It's believed, something is lurking in the ocean, calling women beneath the surface and causing them to drown.
Meredith left her childhood home a long time ago, but now she's returning with her seven-year-old daughter Alice, to deal with the failure of her marriage. Meredith never believed the stories about the curse, but her mother always did and now that she's suffering from early stages of Alzheimer, the lines between reality and belief begin to blur.

They Drown Our Daughters is written from multiple point of views and in different time periods. You get to witness the origin of the curse and how it has affected the different women through the decades.
The most prominent is Meredith storyline. She believed all her life that the shadow in the ocean is only a stupid story and the women in her family suffer from mental health issues, and that this lead to their mysterious deaths. Meredith has always tried to ignore her wired longing for the ocean, but not long after she returns to Cape Disappointment, strange things start happening. Soon she isn't sure anymore, like her mother, if the curse is just imagination, but she is eager to end the story about the curse one way or another, to protect her daughter.

A haunted cape, a dark curse, wired dreams and a slow building creepy feeling ... the author has created a super atmospheric story with just the right dose of horror. They Drown Our Daughters hooked me right from the beginning!
I love flashbacks to past decades, that gives the story more depth, and I was not disappointed with the ones I got. They make you feel like there is no chance of escaping the horror of the curse, and for me the ending of the book fitted the story perfectly.
They Drown Our Daughters isn't a comfort read and deals with a lot of heavy topics like attempted suicide, suicide and murder, but as mentioned above, for me, it was the perfect dose of creepiness.

I requested a digital copy in order to sample the prose on my phone (since I don't have a eReader) before requesting a physical copy for review. I will update Netgalley once I read & review a physical copy.

My review will be based on the physical ARC I read.