I wanted to read this book because I love Savannah and the summary looked really interesting.
It was predictable. I wish there had been more twists. The cover of the book is a absolutely gorgeous!

I love southern gothic horror, so this book fit the bill. It was atmospheric and creepy, and as a fan of Savannah, I loved the setting. The characters were interesting and overall, it was a good debut novel.

“Such Pretty Flowers,” by K.L Cerra, has one of the most exciting plots.

Holly is living in Savannah and is mourning the suicide of her brother, Dane. She is intent on finding answers. His final text leaves her questioning Dane’s death. In her search for answers, she moves in with his girlfriend. That is when strange occurrences happen.

The atmosphere of this book is eerie: the haunted house, the botany, a library, and a greenhouse. Cerra used a lot of vivid descriptions. I could feel myself walking through the house.

Holly and Maura are undesirable characters. The decisions and actions made by these characters seemed immature. Thrillers and psychological dramas always take me by surprise. I can never figure out the twists and turns but exactly where the story was heading the entire time. lol

“Such Pretty Flowers” did not grab me from the beginning. I struggled with the book’s pacing. The opening was slow to build the storyline. It seemed like the end moved at a breakneck speed.

“Such Pretty Flowers” had A creative plot, and I feel that book had so much potential.

Three stars

Honestly, this book was bonkers in the best way. Such Pretty Flowers follows Holly, who is wracked with guilt after her younger brother’s suicide. She finds companionship and eventually something more in the form of his ex-girlfriend, Maura. However, Maura has some secrets of her own and things start to take a sinister turn.

I loved the gothic vibes and the Savannah setting. It’s refreshing to read a novel set in the south by someone who knows the culture and sprinkles in little accurate details. The book was a great read for anyone in the mood for some gothic/light horror. I’d especially recommend it to fans of Mexican Gothic.

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for an early copy of this book.

The cover for this book is absolutely gorgeous. It is well written with well fleshed out characters and quite atmospheric. I also thought that it was well paced. However, for some reason I just didn't connect with this story, it felt a little off for me. I definitely think this is a "me" thing though, because I can't pinpoint exactly why I didn't connect, but can tell you how well written it is.

This one was dark, mysterious, and weird - in all the good ways. While the atmosphere could have used a little work, the writing itself was done well. The ending wasn't what I was expecting, which typically allows me to enjoy a book and once I got reading, it was hard to put down, but overall it wasn't the best plot I've ever read.

I loved the character of Maura. First off, her luxe witch aesthetic served major vibes. The descriptions of her townhouse, the greenhouse room, her attention to detail with flowers--I wanted to be her friend or girlfriend, whichever came first, so badly. As the book went on, though, I started not being able to stand her. But her house, her style, she's aesthetically cool af. Maura and her flowers saved the book.

The gothic/horror aspect of this book was a tad underwhelming. It was pretty awesome for the most part, but for some reason it fell just short of my expectations. Overall, I loved this read, if just for the aesthetics, and I'd definitely read again.

3 stars!

This book might have been a little too weird for me. There were definitely parts I liked: the writing, the gaslighting, and the way I felt like I had to finish it. However, once I did finish it I was kinda like huh??? I don't know how to articulate my feelings, but if the book sounds interesting I would recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

From the first page, I was hooked on this one and have been telling customers about it in both of the stores I've worked in. I ordered a stack of them in for our thriller table and we have almost sold down. Great read and can't wait for more from this author.

I was so excited to get this one! It takes place in Savannah, one of my favorite cities. The overall plot outline is good. And that's about it. The main character is so incredibly unlikable that I almost reveled in the moments she was in danger. She is impulsive, selfish, judgmental, and just not very smart. By the end of the story, I was so glad it was over. There was such a missed opportunity with the setting and the idea of the plot.

This read I'd equate to walking in the middle of a road. On one side is the promised ambience, dark and sinister vibes. It has it. It's there behind strange flowers, but it's on the side. You can see it, but your not truly experiencing it. I wanted more and I think next time the author will get it right! On the other side, it's just a land of plot-holes, I mean pot holes. It's clear exactly where this road is ending to everyone but the ones who matter (MC, parents, cops). The main character seemed conveniently stupid at crucial moments, and that is my least favorite plot device.

Gothic, dark, eerie, stimulating, queer, surprising and jaw dropping! This is one of the creepiest stories I’ve devoured! The characters are intriguingly peculiar, quirky, one of a kind! Especially the main character Holly, in her mid twenties, quirky, introvert librarian, just lost her brother who committed brutal suicide: trying to tear up his body with a knife!

I can't stand novels where the plot is solely driven forward by a protagonist's devotion to making consistently terrible decisions. This one tries to pass it off as "grief" but... sleeping with your dead brother's girlfriend doesn't really seem to fit? Honestly, I'd have liked this much more if the author just leaned into it and let the protagonist be an unabashed terrible person rather than an idiot making terrible decisions. If she's going to wreck her entire life for a woman, at least let her own it. Also, this was billed as queer but there are some really weird hang-ups about wlw relationships on both sides. The protagonist, of course, turns out to have been "tricked"into the queer relationship by the hypersexual bisexual woman (cool, that's a really good trope), so that sucked. The reveal of an actual, magical plant in the end was also... something. And not a good something.

Such Pretty Flowers is a mystery with Gothic vibes set in Savannah, Georgia. Holly is grieving the loss of her brother Dane. She thinks there is something mysterious about the way he died and she is sure it has something to do with his bewildering girlfriend. She feels guilty for not answering his last text to her. She is convinced that getting closer to his girlfriend is the only way to get to the bottom of this mystery.

This book is worth reading if you like creepy mysteries. The main characters and pretty much all of the characters aren't very likeable but the story keeps it interesting.

Good writing and pacing until the final act and reveal, at which point all subtlety disappears. The villain is also much more compelling than the protagonist, and her resolution doesn't feel satisfying.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book!!

Cerra is a Marriage and Family Therapist, and she definitely shows off her skills! This book is an intense, intimate examination of human relationships complicated by mental illness, grief, death, and guilt. I think I realized too late how much I had to suspend my disbelief for the twist at the end to “make sense,” but overall the character examinations were the most riveting aspect of this novel for me.

Trigger warnings for suicide and body horror.

This book was so good thanks so much for the copy I really enjoyed this so much along with the writing definitely will recommend

Dear Such Pretty Flowers,
You were tense, thrilling and pretty predicable. From the very first moments of meeting Maura, I knew a lot of how the entire book was going to play out. I was so frustrated with Holly the entire time. She just kept getting in her on was and ignoring her gut instinct and intelligence. Because you were so easy for me to figure out, I found myself a bit disappointed. I wanted more twists out of you. That being said, you were quite dark and viceral and I loved all of the attention that was in your details.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this eARC.

The first thing that drew me in was the cover of this novel. It’s a series psychological thriller that grabs you from the start. It is slightly predictable, there’s no twist that you keep expecting should happen. It’s a good journey of guilt and forgiveness.

Trigger warning: description of gruesome suicide

I think with the Savannah setting I was hoping for more of a southern gothic vibe. It leaned more for weird than creepy. The characters weren't very compelling to me and I didn't really have a connection with the protagonist. It just wasn't holding my interest in the end.