Thank you to Netgalley, TorNightfire and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an advanced copy!

WOW that was good. It was slow and eerie and creepy. Gothic horror with cults!! Definitely check trigger warnings. The way the story unfolds and the mystery of it all is so unique and interesting! The cult aspect of it had me hooked from the start. Super disturbing, super creepy, I loved it. The perfect autumn read!

Too slow moving for me I read about 1/2 through but found this Gothic style just wasn't a fit for me.
I hope others enjoy this book as the author is a great writer storyteller.

Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book.

Did not finish. I usually like gothic novels, but I found this one slow and hard to get into. The author is popular, so I'm sure this will appeal to some of her readers.

I read this ARC via Netgalley Shelf.

Out near a remote village in Scotland, a crumbling castle sits on an isle only reachable at low tide. When Jamie MacReith enters through the gate, he discovers the site of a grisly, ritualistic murder. Flashing back to the years before, Evelyn describes her life on the isle, raised by an Uncle who demands loyalty and feeds them a mystical honey that promises to give them the vision of the Adder. In the years after the murder, the only survivor, Evelyn's sister Dinah walks through the world with her one eye. Both sisters have secrets that one police investigator will finally uncover.

The very beginning of this novel hooked me in, but the jumps between past and present/future and the varying uses of first-person and third-person had me feeling confused up until the very end. Evelyn's chapters were the most interesting to me, although they were long and her knowledge was so limited that it was difficult to parse what was truly happening. It just took me too much work to figure it all out and then the big revelation at the end wasn't as horrific as I had hoped.

One thing to keep in mind when you pick up a book by Catriona Ward is that it will be weird. And I personally love weird and having to wonder where exactly she will go with the story.

So was Little Eve weird? Yes! I find her books are perfect for going in blind and having an open mind because everything will make sense in the end. So I won’t say too much about it other than it was a good blend of of gothic thriller with elements of horror and maybe coming of age. This was my third book by her and once again I was left impressed by her story telling and how she manages to weave such strange tales, which I think about days after. So if you’re a fan of darker tales which are atmospheric and clever and a bit sad, definitely add this to your list!

I was introduced to Catriona Ward by way of "The Last House on Needless Street" which is one of my favorite books. Ms. Ward has a way of taking a mystery and changing everything you thought you knew.

In a end of the world cult led by her Uncle, Eve and Dinah are getting ready to find out which one is going to be inheriting powers. A murder changes things.

This is a great atmospheric read. A bit of horror, crime and mystery, this book will make your skin crawl and mess with your head. Great story once again by an author who is the best at making your skin crawl even when you aren't sure why.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for the ARC of this book!

I'm so glad I got this book during peak spooky season. Highly recommend reading it during autumn or whenever you feel like reading a creepy thriller. It's a "wtf did I just read?!" kind of book but in the best way. The mystery and creepy vibe are added to by switching POVs and popping back and forth in the timeline. Quickly it becomes obvious that there are some very unreliable narrators involved in the story. Over the course of the book we uncover more about the people on the isle and the secrets surrounding them. We slowly uncover what really happened the day of the murders and it's a doozy that I didn't see coming.

**Many thanks to NetGalley, Jordan Hanley at Tor/Nightfire, and Catriona Ward for an ARC of this book!**

If historical fiction is not normally the genre for me...I can now say that gothic-tinged historical fiction is DEFINITELY not the genre for me.

This horror-lite, gothic-heavy novel from Catriona Ward made me wonder if I was reading a book from an entirely different author...or if her writing has just evolved THAT much over time!

Eve and Dinah are part of a cult led by "Uncle," isolated from society in a remote part of Scotland. They are preparing for the coming of the Adder, where one of them will inherit mysterious powers. In order to prepare, they must keep their bodies clean and this involves performing some rather bizarre rituals. Eve is determined that she will be the one to obtain the powers, but things go awry (yes, even in this already bizarre situation) when a body turns up and the inspector comes a-calling. Are the secrets held at Altnaharra even more dangerous than any of the members of this group could ever predict? And will Little Eve get her wish...or will she rue the day she ever desired such dangerous powers?

It's hard to know where to start with this book. I'm very hit or miss with cult novels, and if I had known going in this essentially IS a cult novel, I probably would have skipped it altogether. However, I know Catriona Ward is a brilliant author and I have thoroughly enjoyed both other books I read by her, so I figured I had nothing to lose.

However, what I ended up losing most...was interest.

I had such a hard time following even the basic tenets of this plot and I am not entirely sure why. It reminded me of reading a book written in the 1800s (or a similar era) where an extra level of focus is required to get through meatier writing...but without any of the payoff. This was a long slog for me, and I am honestly stunned it is less than 300 pages, because I would have guessed it was closer to 500. The narrative felt clunky, repetitious, and all over the place. None of Ward's hypnotizing descriptions, fascinating characters, and dizzying mind puzzles leapt off the page for me as they did in Needless Street, or even in the more exciting parts of Sundial. I know authors tend to grow and change over time, but if you had presented me with this book and told me this was a completely different author, I wouldn't have questioned it at all!

This book won the Shirley Jackson award upon its original UK release in 2018, and I have no doubt the honor is deserved. There are plenty of readers who have devoured this one and have appreciated Ward's craft in this particular story. I personally prefer the psychological horror path she has tread AFTER this book and I hope she will continue to travel down THAT path...leaving any further forays into past both out of sight AND out of mind.

3 stars

My favorite Catriona Ward book by far!!! Little Eve was so good!! I loved the setting; a spooky castle off the Scottish coast. I loved the characters; all mysterious and intriguing on their own but together make a splendid cast that you either love or dislike. The whole story line is magnificent but those last few chapters!! OMG what just happened?!?! Suspenseful throughout, I could not stop reading page after page of this gothic horror story! Bravo!!

I’m not too sure what to think about this book
It’s a strange story that I had a hard time getting interested in. Others might like it but it just wasn’t for me
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

Ended up tearing through this in three days. This apparently won the Shirley Jackson award for best novel back in 2018, and I can see why. You’ve got a hell of a setup in the first chapter - a family found dead in a Scottish castle on a remote island - and the rest of the book unwinds how everything came to this point. Tightly plotted and wound, full of gothic vibes, and an excellent read for spooky season. Pick it up!

The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward was a brilliant study in suspense and one of my favorite books of recent years so of course I was excited to read this release of a book previously unpublished in the U.S.

This is one of those books where the less said the better. It needs to be experienced without any inkling of what is to come. I will say I highly enjoyed this one. Give me all the cults all the time and this one is a doozy- a family built on cult dynamics and waiting for the end of the world as they worship the Adder. This is one of those books that is hard to pigeon hole but I think it is best described as gothic psychological horror with some historical fiction and mystery added in.

Dripping with atmosphere, the setting lends itself perfectly to this tale and adds to the overall feeling of isolation and oppression. Ward is a master at building suspense and she sprinkles her surprises throughout and this keeps the reader deliciously off balance and swiftly turning pages to see where the story is going next. Ward is such an interesting writer and I look forward to seeing what she will produce for years to come. Thank you to @netgalley and @tornightfire for an arc of this book.

Little Eve grabbed me in a way that I was not expecting it to and would not let go. It was incredibly creepy. After reading Catriona Ward’s The House on Needless Street last year, I knew I would have to read this one as well even though The House on Needless Street made me a little sick to my stomach. This book did too. The way that Ward has characters describe truly horrifying things in a very matter of fact way just adds extra layers onto the horror in a fascinating way.
Little Eve begins with the discovery of the apparently murdered bodies of most of the inhabitants of the island of Altnaharra in Scotland. It then jumps back in time to tell us the beliefs, rituals, and story associated with what is essentially a small family cult. Little Eve is very interested in seeing and being seen, and perhaps I will leave it at that.
From the opening pages I found myself intrigued, and then read on in a sort of horrified fascination. I had a hard time putting this book down, and it lingered when I tried to fall asleep after putting it down, so fair warning to those who read it.

Thank you Catriona Ward, Tor Nightfire, and Netgalley for the gifted eARC.

A clan lives on the isle of Altnaharra off the coast of Scotland. There they prepare for the coming of the Adder where only one of them will inherent its powers. Little Eve wants those powers desperately and will do anything to get them.

One day Chief Inspector Black arrives to investigate a murder at the nearby town and things at Altnaharra no longer go as planned. Soon the secrets of Altnaharra are revealed.

Little Eve is one creepy, twisted read. The beginning was slow and a little confusing. It takes some time to get into the plot and character building and to fully grasp what is going on with these characters and on Altnaharra. Do not give up early on. I promise it's worth it to keep reading. I almost stopped reading, but I'm glad I didn't because this was definitely a great one. Little Eve is a dark Gothic story with some graphic scenes, cult rituals, a mystery, and a twist at the end that I did not see coming.

Book Review
Little Eve by Catriona Ward

Not sure what I just read… horror story, childhood fable, a Grimm’s fairy tale

Ward has a way of coiling her stories into the minds of her readers… I am still trying to unravel the threads she has woven that are now knotted within my psyche

When I close my eyes tonight will I wake to find pine tar on my lips… Will I wake to find a wooden spoon lying beside me and bruises upon my body… will I linger within my dreams, the rushing waves pulling me further under…. Will the taste of honey on my tongue make my heart quicken….will Little Eve come for me…

(Insert nightmare here)


Thank you to @netgalley and @tornightfire for my gifted copy in return for an honest review. Opinions expressed are my own.

I think the only way to read Catriona Ward is to go in blind, have no expectations and allow yourself to be immersed into the world she builds. Her plots challenge my perspective.

Little Eve definitely showed that you can be swept up in a belief or system simply because the people around you believe it hard enough for you both. When you look up to people and expect the truth and then find out it wasn't as it seemed, that can be heart breaking. To put so much energy into someone, or something, to only realize the same wasn't given to you, well, that hurts.

All of the characters in this story held a separate type of weight, each one of the same journey but in different degrees. We mostly learn through Eve's pov and stick with her as she challenges herself with discovering information. Eve likes to learn things.

Gothic horror can be one of those genres that can be misunderstood, when people expect edge of the seat and shocking, they are looking for a thriller. If you are looking for something haunting and a fear that is all too real, this is a good one to read.

Catriona Ward can do no wrong for me. Cults? Sisters? Scotland?!?! I was sold from the get-go and she sure delivered.

I read this book in one day. I could not put it down, it was gripped in my hand until the final page was turned. Catriona Ward has created a dark, atmospheric read that will drag you to Scotland where a "family" is residing in a battered castle. They are always chilled, their clothes are torn and ragged, they are just skin and bones. While 'Uncle' is fit, fed to the gills, and the man who calls all the shots. Who are these people and how exactly are they related? That is the question that is peeled back layer by layer. The truth will haunt your dreams.

Little Eve has known no other place. Altnaharra is in her blood, in her bones, and she will feel the pull when she is allowed to leave. There are strict rules they must obey; they must watch what one another is doing and tell if any stray. Tension, anger, and distrust runs thick. This is all a game to 'Uncle' he uses them as his pawns. To push and pull them here and there and do what he wants with them. The mind games that he uses and the way he tortures these young children and women is heart wrenching. They bend to his will in order to please the Adder.

This is an astounding tale that will stalk your dreams. It will take you on a twisty, tangled ride that will make you feel like you are inside of a hurricane. Trying to uncover who is doing what and why. The ending comes together with one final explosive twist that brings the entire story together. The descriptions and details are masterfully written. The characters fill the full spectrum. Some dark and menacing, others just young children who are caught in a web of deceit. I loved this riveting, intense, blood chilling ride that Ward brought me on. I highly recommend it! Thank you to Catriona Ward, Tor Nightfire, and NetGalley for starting my October reads off right.

What an amazing book full of spooky twists and turns! This was not as "scary" to me in a sense that I could not sleep at night because I was so freaked out, but more terrifying/horrifying and one that I will be thinking about for a long time. It did take me a while to get into this, but once it picked up I was hooked and I'm glad I really gave it a chance. The writing was descriptive but not in a way that causes readers to lose the plot, and the character dialogue really captured each individual personality well. Can't wait to see how well this book does stateside!

A fantastic, scenic Gothic novel about outcasts of society within their own insular community and the faith that binds them together. Raised as children in Alternhera with no knowledge of their true parentage, a group of children do not realize that the true evil may not be the outside world but the world within their supposedly safe walls. When a tragic crime occurs, the layers are slowly peeled back to reveal the truth of the mysterious community and those who lived there. Digging into themed of religion, family, and community this is a well written psychological novel that will stay with readers.