I sincerely wanted to love this because it sounded promising. I love gothic novels. This one is about a woman haunted by a ghost. While the writing was atmospheric, I thought that it was slow moving and repetitive. There were also some scenes that could have been eliminated. Therefore, it had potential but was not executed well. Nevertheless, I recommend this for fans of Simone St. James!

Francine's sister Madeleine returns home after the death of her husband, bringing a tragic story with her that will forever change Francine's life and everything she thought she knew. There is a very large supernatural element to this story, which is what drew me to it. Both Francine and one of her estate ghosts tell the story of Francine's family past, with alternating past and present timelines. At first this was confusing to me and I had a hard time keeping all of the characters straight. Add in a very uncomfortable romance and I considered giving up on this book, but I'm glad I stuck with it. The last third of the book moves fast, with a lot of detail and action, and is fascinating, horrifying, and truly sad all at the same time.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for my copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was a surprising book. It begins with a glimpse into the past. In the present, we have an older lady who has spent her entire life in her house, and has no social life. She sees ghosts and can predict to some extent what her future might hold based on other things. These talents do not endear her to the townspeople.

Her sister brings with her something dark and dangerous when she arrives. Apart from an actual entity, she also brings information that will have them questioning the past.

I have not enjoyed a book of this genre in a long time. The author's writing style made it very difficult not to feel something for both sisters and their tough childhood. As they look into things, they find out a lot of their own family and finally move on in life.

It's a reasonably dark story with enough ghost activity to qualify as a horror book ( or so I assume). I would recommend it to anyone who likes character based stories.

I received an ARC thanks to Netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

It will make you both happy and sad and will stay with you long after the last chapter has come to an end . Heart breaking and beautiful in equal measure

I liked the plant lore. The abandoned Nonsuch Asylum was creepy. My favorite characters were: Miss Cavendish, Todd Constable, and Tibbles the cat.

Her Little Flowers is a surprisingly adept gothic mystery debut novel by Shannon Morgan. It is a story about family and how far we will go to protect those we love. There is much to love here including: a haunted mansion, an eccentric main character, family secrets, a garden full of poisonous flowers, an abandoned insane asylum, surprising twists, and a bit of romance. I give it a solid 4* despite the hokey ending.

I received a drc from the publisher via NetGalley.

Atmospheric and immersive. A recommended purchase for collections where gothic mysteries are popular.

This gothic ghost story is a slow build, but it's worth it in the end. It's a unique take on a haunted house tale that I really enjoyed.

This is a story of sisters and family secrets and what happens when the past and present collide. I particularly liked how the flowers were used to give depth to both the story and the characters.

- thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc to review!

- a story of secrets and ghosts, one that leaves you haunted and looking for details of this melancholic story. it wasn't the most engaging, but i applaud the dedication Morgan had to this story.

The past lives on in Shannon Morgan’s novel, “Her Little Flowers,” a gothic ghost story that blooms from a mother’s love of her family and plants.

Francine Thwaite has lived on her family’s rambling, crumbling English manor for all of her 55 years. It’s a lonely place, but she’s not alone. Bree, the mischievous ghost of a 7-year-old girl, keeps her company.

In memory of her mother, who called her children her "little flowers," Francine is devoted to the manor’s gardens and nearby forest. She follows her mother’s belief in the healing and protective powers of herbs, flowers and other plants.

Francine reluctantly takes in lodgers to keep pay the bills, but it’s company that Francine struggles to accept. She prefers the company of ghosts over humans, especially when her younger sister Madelaine returns home after yet another ended marriage.

With great reluctance, the sisters start to put together their family’s story. Francine can’t remember anything before the age of 5. Madelaine has a story that doesn’t jive with Francine’s memories. While one sister inherited a love for plants and their attributes, the other sibling has always felt something was lacking in her life.

The sisters’ dynamic is fascinating. Francine is not the typical heroine, and Madelaine has more to offer than just past loves. What holds them to the home, its surrounding and even the abandoned asylum in the woods?

I don’t want to give away any secrets, so just know that nothing is what it seems. The ghosts have stories and the plants do more than ward off bad spirits. Everything in Morgan’s novel has meaning.

It’s not just a ghost story, but rather a tale of family tragedy. Francine has always believed. It is a tale of cruelty and desperation, terror and unbearable heartache. Just as the sisters are caught by surprise by the past and present, readers will be surprised by the unexpected ending.

Witchy, secret and forbidden are three words that perfectly describe Her Little Flowers.

The book synopsis could not be more up my alley. Francine has lived in Thwaite Manor all her life. Her abusive father ran away when she was little leaving her mother and younger sister behind. After her mother’s passing, her sister left to live an exciting life.

Francine is very stuck in the past. And it doesn’t help that her only company is a group of ghosts. Her closest companion is Bree, a young spirit full of energy. Francine can see ghosts almost everywhere and this has kept her secluded from everyone. Including embracing modern technology. I had to keep reminding myself that this story actually took place in modern times because Francine was so old fashioned.

I kept thinking Francine was younger. But her personality was very blunt and that felt a little odd at times. Her outbursts would be very alarming and rude. But I suppose that is due to her spending a lot of time alone in an old house full of ghosts.

The storyline reminded me (kinda) of BBC’s Ghosts. Just not as funny. So if you enjoy that idea I think you’ll enjoy this. Her Little Flowers verges on a cozy mystery read but a little more sad.

Pour a steaming cup of tea and drink up while you read. But not too much. We need to read those tea leaves! I thank NetGalley, Shannon Morgan and Kensington Paperback for the opportunity to read Her Little Flowers. I have written this review voluntarily.

I enjoyed this far more than I expected. You've heard of a haunted house story, right? This is the story of a SAD house, if you will. You have a woman on a quest to find out what really happened to her 5 siblings and father 50 years ago, and the house that holds all the secrets. My favorite however, is the mother that would do anything for her children and her intimate link to flowers, their abilities and what certain flowers represent. Her Little Flowers is a slow burn, gothic, mystery that keeps readers enchanted with a story of a family devastated by tragedy, and heartbreak with just a sprinkle of love, hope and closure. A story not soon forgotten. Her Little Flowers has rooted itself in my heart and a true love for this story and Shannon Morgan has blossomed. Thank you Netgally and Kensington Publishing for this advanced reader copy.

This book has so many wonderful things to love about it. While many Gothic novels have a young female character, in this we are following a woman in her fifties who is grappling with family secrets and living with a ghost who only seems to like her.

I loved Francine. She was such a wonderful character to follow. I loved getting to intimately know her while she discovered secrets that her family kept hidden for over fifty years.

The book is a slow burn and very quaint weaving plants and their lore into the plot as well.

It’s a story I soon won’t forget.

Thank you so much Netgalley and Kensington Books for this advanced e-reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

While this took me a minute to get into - I have two toddlers - but, once I was into it, I was sucked under. The writing was strong and the plot was good, though nothing super original. I still enjoyed it and think it would be a good cozy fall or winter read.

Oof, I hate to do this, but this was a DNF. I was so excited by the cover, the description, but it was just so *boring*

While Her Little Flowers doesn’t fit into the classic haunted ghost story category of gothic, it is a beautifully written and captivating book. Most notably it is very sad, the heartbreaking reveal which was expertly unwound and unexpected, should potentially come with some trigger warnings. The language of flowers is a clever and unique idea, the characters were vibrant and the setting ideal for a story like this. Certainly an outstanding book, just a little upsetting.

A dual timeline ghost story that will be a sure favourite with fans of the genre. Set in the scenic Lake District area of England, the story centres around an ancient haunted house called Thwaite Manor. A modern gothic tale.

Present Day: Francine Thwaite lives alone in the vast manor of her forebears. She is fifty-five years old and is quite eccentric in that she shuns the modern world. She doesn’t own a television or a telephone, preferring her garden as a pastime. She has never been more than twenty miles away from the house where she was born and raised. She doesn’t seem lonely as such, but she is very solitary – with only the company of the manor’s many ghosts for company. In particular a small girl ghost called Bree. When her younger sister Madeline comes to visit after becoming widowed, Francine’s world is rocked to the core. Her beloved Thwaite Manor now seems to exude an awful sensation of malice.

Summer 1969: Thwaite Manor is the home of George and Eleanor Thwaite along with their six children. Five girls and one baby boy. It is not a happy household. George Thwaite is an abusive man who’s every action is spurred by his corrosive hatred. He rules the manor with an iron fist evoking fear into the lives of his entire family. Eleanor Thwaite is the mother of six and is only in her twenties. She is an avid gardener and is well versed in the lore of floral symbolism. She calls her darling children ‘her little flowers‘ and does her best to protect them from their abusive, drunken father.

As the reader is made privy to the events that occurred in 1969, Francine’s family history is every so slowly revealed… Thwaite Manor finally reveals it’s myriad secrets.

For the reader who is game to suspend belief for the duration of the read, this debut novel has many aspects to recommend it. An eerie and atmospheric centuries old manor house complete with priest holes and several ghosts, a family mystery shrouded in secrets, and a fascinating glimpse into sibling relationships and the corrosive effects of grief and regret. Not to mention good and evil at war within its pages.

The title was absolutely perfect for the book, and I appreciated learning much about the language of flowers. The characters were compelling, yet the pace was slower than some would like.

Recommended to fans of ghost stories who like to read authors such as Laura Purcell and Anita Frank. For those who read seasonally, it would be the perfect read for a chilly October evening.

A big thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for sending me the eArc of "Her Little Flowers" in exchange for an honest review.

As an avid fan of the Gothic genre, I found the premise absolutely thrilling. All the elements to make this book my next favorite read were there, but for some reason, it didn't work for me.

The author paints creepy images with words, but I somehow couldn't get into the story.

I loved this book. I was instantly excited to read it because of the haunted house, the Gothic elements, family drama captured my attention. The book was a little repetitive and I didn't much care for the romance part of the book as it didn't seem to fit in with the main plot and seemed forced.

Huge houses with a sketchy past and a lady slowly trying to figure out what the hell is going on with this haunting is such an interesting time and something that can almost always help get me out of a reading slump. It was pretty good for a debute and I had such a good time using this one as my night time kindle read.