Another PERFECT spooky season read from the Queen of horror. I love Rachel Harrison's books and this latest about Vesper, a young woman born into a Satanic cult who returns home for her ex boyfriend's wedding only to discover she's the actual daughter of Satan and her father has big plans for her upcoming birthday. Creepy and culty and all things unputdownable. This was great on audio and I couldn't read it fast enough! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

I really liked the idea of this book but it got way too corny for me. I wish the story had gone dark and not silly. The protagonist was also so unlikable that I didn't care what happened to her. 2.5 stars. I will talk about this on the podcast but not feature a review on the website.

You know when you grab a book based on the author and don’t even read the synopsis? Then you start the book and think one thing is going on until a mind blowing reveal happens, and you’re like, “OOOOHHHH!” Well that was me with Black Sheep. I recommend going into this book as blind as possible because it makes that moment all the more impactful which is why I’m not even including the synopsis.

Harrison has a way of writing horror novels that draws the reader in right from the start and keeps them on their toes throughout. This book had some dark topics, but wasn’t too gory which is how I like my horror books. I really liked the main character, Vesper, and was so intrigued by her family’s history. As mentioned above, there was a big twist at the beginning than some other surprises thrown in throughout the book. The ending was crazy in a good way, and I loved the epilogue. There was so much suspense and a sense of foreboding throughout the book that I didn’t want to put it down.

Thank you Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for advanced copies in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 stars

For me, a compelling main character is the most critical factor in a book. It’s what tips the book into the five-star category, regardless of genre. I found a compelling character in Vesper. She’s fierce, darkly cynical, funny, and engaging, and she made this story excellent. This story abounds in dark humor.

Going into this book, I knew one of the key themes would be religious trauma, which utterly fascinates and baffles me. Harrison skillfully defies expectations and keeps you on the edge of your seat. The pacing is expertly crafted, building tension and anticipation to a shocking climax of action and raw emotion. And the ending? Simply fantastic.

Discovering my first Harrison book was a game-changer. Now, I'm eager to delve into her backlist. Brace yourselves! Black Sheep has all the makings of a cult classic.

Read this if you like: cults, religion, religious trauma, mothers & daughters, estrangement, secrets & lies, dark humor, horror.

Vesper left home to escape her very religious upbringing. She is struggling through her twenties and dealing with her anger and hurt from her toxic parents, one an absent father and the other an unloving mother who happens to be a famous scream Queen. She decides to return when she gets an invite to her best friends wedding to Vespers ex-boyfriend. What secrets are uncovered shake her and force her to address her family and her faith.

This book was so crazy and so good:) Perfect for spooky season. I really liked Vespers character and was so surprised by the twist in the beginning. It was a little campy, smartly witty, and entertaining.

Thanks to @netgalley @berkleypub for an arc for review.

Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison presents a horror comedy about a woman who returns home for her cousin's wedding to her ex-boyfriend. Cue all the awkwardness, family drama, and dark secrets.

First off, this book is snarky as hell and really does a fantastic job at nailing dysfunctional family dynamics. However, to get into my major gripe with this story, I'll have to get onto major spoilers, so consider yourself warned.

The story was hilarious and had me up until its first plot twist where, at a celebratory dinner, we learn that Vesper's family are a bunch satanic cultists.

Now, this premise could inherently work, but its execution here within the story fails miserably. Even if you want to look at Satan purely from a character perspective his actions don’t make sense within the novel—like how does the guy who rebelled against authority end up with authoritative cult??? Why is Satan unironically going with the whole sacrificial lamb motif when that’s God’s shtick? Why is he becoming more like his father? There’s so many parallels that could have been done there but weren't explored.

I get that the author was trying to tie lambs in with the whole “black sheep” theme, but the religious aspect feels haphazardly thrown in. There’s an apparent lack of understanding and awareness here to make this a clever, satirical play on fundamentalism, which I feel is a major missed opportunity. I mean, the whole rebellion motif of both Satan and Vesper rebelling against their parents and having daddy issues was right there, ripe for the taking!

Overall, I was frustrated that this book didn't live up to its full potential. While, yes, the story is a fun read and manages to capture what it means to be the black sheep of the family, it still thematically drops the ball on other core parts of the plot.

If you enjoy cult books then this one is for you. It was fast paced and the plot was unique. I was invested in Vesper’s character so much so that I didn’t want to stop reading. I went into this one completely blind and I would recommend to do the same. It was entertaining, odd, and with moments of dark humor. If you’re a fan of cult books, horror and stories about toxic family relationships check this one out; it’s the perfect spooky season read.

Ok, this was so much fun! One of my top favorite reads of the month and I’m super surprised that it’s a horror title! Fast paced, juicy, thrilling, and fun— I never saw the twist coming and when it did I gasped! Unlike anything I’ve ever read—just in time for spooky season!

Obsessed. So happy I went in blind to this. The twists and surprises were amazing. I feel like this was a unique horror and I was completely enthralled by it

This was one of my favorite books so far this year!! I have never read anything by Rachel Harrison before, but catch me checking out her entire backlog of books.

Black Sheep is the story of Vesper, an eccentric girl who escapes her family’s cult. Out in the real world, she is working a job that she hates and thinks she has left her past behind her for good.

Dun dun DUN…. Until she receives an invitation to the wedding of her ex-best friend and ex-boyfriend. Yupp. I, being relatively sane, wouldn’t have gotten near that wedding with a 6 foot pole. Vesper, however, decides it’s a great idea to head back to the family farm in search of closure.

Upon arriving at the farm, Vesper stumbles into much more than an awkward wedding. She finds herself wrapped up in something much more sinister. I found myself saying “Oh. Oh noooo.” every few pages for the last 30% of the book. Wild ride.

I recommend going into this one as blind as possible because the twist near the beginning made me go ~ooof.~ Check this one out if you like reading about cults, religious trauma, horror, scream queens, and family drama.

**Thank you to NetGalley, Berkeley Publishing, and the author for the ARC of this insane title!!**

I went into this book knowing next to nothing about it, and I could not be more glad that I took that route. There were so many delicious surprises, and moments starting quite early on that made me gasp out loud. This book was furious, terrifying, and very satisfying to read. I loved Such Sharp Teeth, but now I am solidly team Rachel Harrison.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review!

This has been my second Rachel Harrison book, right after Such Sharp Teeth, and I think I have found a new favorite horror author. Harrison has such a way of getting right under the skin of her characters to display all their pain, fear, and insecurity while also having them sufficiently face down the true horror of their situations. Vesper, our lead, is someone who carries an immense weight of religious trauma, which only becomes more complicated and messy due to the specifics of her upbringing and family life. It's a situation so many can relate to, though, of course, not nearly to the same degree. The themes of reluctantly inheriting legacies, of fearing the traits and aspects we carry due to a few blood ties are especially resonant. The terror of this book comes from domestic and infernal sources, giving it a layer of relatability on top of some truly horrific moments.

I absolutely flew through this book, marveling at how naturally the narrative flowed. Everything starts at a slower, steadier pace, then gets absolutely bonkers towards the second half. I will say that this is a title where readers should be aware of trigger warnings such as religious trauma, cult activity, and abusive/neglectful parents. Other than that, this is definitely a book that you want to know as little as possible going in.

I always look forward to a new Rachel Harrison book, and BLACK SHEEP was a fun way to really kick off my spooky season reading. I loved following Vesper, a prodigal child of shorts who left her fundamentalist family group/cult when she came of age, and finds herself drawn back out of spite when she finds out her ex boyfriend is marrying her cousin. It sounds like the start of a perhaps spookier version of YOUNG ADULT (as we know that Rachel Harrison loves to do spooky subversions), but what we get is an engaging and at times pathos ridden examination of family, destiny, identity, and breaking away from a toxic family dynamic, even when the parts that seem least harmful may be doing the most damage. I'm going to be a little vague in how I delve into other aspects of this book, but I will say that this isn't just a dysfunctional family saga. Worry not, there are plenty of horror bits here to chew on, and Harrison still manages to tread the delicate but defined line of appealing to those who may not like too much gore or violence or dread, but do like a bit of a spooky tale to read in the Fall. I found it charming and a fun subversion of what one may expect from the set up at hand.

BLACK SHEEP is another winner from Rachel Harrison! She's a must read horror author for me, and once again I just delighted in reading a scary story from her creative mind.

I had personal reasons to not like this book though I understand other will love it for the same reason(s). I will say though that the author had thought of some twists that you won’t (I truly mean) see coming and that is a respectable accomplishment within the horror genre.

I found this a little slow for the first half or so, but then it really got cooking in the second half and I enjoyed the way the storylines paid off.

Mini synopsis: Vesper has just been fired when she comes home to a wedding invitation to her cousins wedding to her ex boyfriend. She vowed to never return to her childhood home but the wedding changes thing. Now she’s forced to face her upbringing & see if she can make it out again.

Who knew a book could have an absolutely, jaw dropping, didn’t see that coming twist 10% in?! I sure didn’t & I wasn’t expecting it here!! Now I know 10% in shouldn’t be a spoiler BUT since it’s not in the synopsis, I won’t mention it 🤐 this book is so camp! Goodreads has this labeled as “horror” and I think if you go into it expecting that you’ll be disappointed. It feels more campy family drama with a splash of “horror” (horror in the Sabrina the teenaged witch or Charmed way) at the very end! Vesper as a main character was interesting to follow & made me laugh out loud with her internal monologue bc she was so unserious about everyone & everything. The ending?! Okay i was truly not expecting that but i LOVE that she went there! I think the explosive ending followed by the “now” sort of epilogue left just enough questions open! The best parts of this are spoilery so I’m finding it hard to write a coherent review but just know it’s weird & funny & fast paced with a dash of paranormal. It makes me so interested in reading more from this author!

Thanks to Berkley and Netgalley for an early copy of Black Sheep in exchange for an honest review! This was my first novel by Rachel Harrison, and it won't be my last!
Vesper left home six years ago, wanting to start life on her own. She works at a restaurant but doesn't enjoy it. When she is abruptly fired, Vesper decides to accept an invitation to return home for her former best friend's wedding. Upon returning, she is met by her standoffish mother and the Satanist community that she left behind. As the weekend goes on, strange things begin happening and Vesper feels drawn back to her roots, though not willingly.
Vesper was a main character that I couldn't help but root for, with her witty humor and pessimistic outlook on life. I was kind of shocked to learn that she was a former Satanist, yet the way the story unfolded made it seem less outlandish than I thought. This was a mild horror novel that got increasingly gory towards the end. But otherwise, it felt like an irreverent coming-of-age story with a layer of cultish creepiness on top. This was a quick read and perfect for spooky season!

How do I describe this book, especially without giving too much away?

Well, Vesper is estranged from her family, but decides to return to their religious compound to celebrate a wedding she is invited to. After that, I really can’t say anymore without spoiling the first surprise, which had me gasping out loud in total shock while also laughing at just how brilliant Harrison truly is. And that’s just the first surprise. Where this book takes you, I will not say anymore, just that it is a great read for spooky season.

✨ Review ✨ Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison

Vesper, working as a crummy waitress until she gets fired after nacho cheese burns a man she's waiting on, receives a wedding invite for her childhood bestfriend and teenage ex. She fled from home when she was almost 18, and prepares to return for the first time in six years. Her mom's a famous horror actress, and the family lives on a sort of religious compound out in rural New Jersey -- will they welcome her home?

Honestly, this one is great to go into without knowing a lot, so I recommend diving on in. I loved Vesper's sense of humor and snark and that made this lots of fun to read. It's definitely a slow burn sort of horror and things don't amp up for a while. I read some of the physical copy and listened to some of the audio and loved both!

This is a great horror book for those looking for a spooky season read without too much blood and gore and grotesquery!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(4.25)
Genre: horror
Setting: rural New Jersey
Pub Date: 19 Sep 2023

Read this if you like:
⭕️ slow burn horror
⭕️ family drama
⭕️ snarky main characters

Thanks to Berkley, PRH Audio, and #netgalley for advanced copies of this book!

“‘You never cry,’ she’d said. ‘You never cry at all.’ She was right. I never did. I wasn’t sure if that meant I was strong, or that I was broken.”

Vesper Wright is in hell. The night she gets fired from her mundane restaurant job, she comes home to find an invitation from her estranged family to the wedding of her cousin and childhood best friend, Rosemary, and the one person she regrets losing touch with. Something is telling her she has to go, even if it means suffering through a weekend in the Satanist community she left years ago. When Vesper’s homecoming reveals a horrifying family secret, one that she alone seems to not have known, she’s forced to reckon with her family’s beliefs and her own unexpected identity.

4.5 stars rounded up! So I always have 3 books going at any given time. An audiobook, an Ebook, and a physical book. That way I’m always prepared. 😝 But when I started this one it quickly became my only book because I just wanted to keep listening to/reading it. Thank heavens I had more than one copy!

“It’s a cruelty of life that we can never protect our own innocence. We can only watch ourselves lose it in retrospect. Scream at memories.”

This book was just awesome! I loved Vesper’s spunk, her horror movie actress mother, and her father of questionable lineage. Man she is a girl after my own heart. The audiobook was superbly narrated by @jercarparvo, who NAILED it! She IS Vesper.

If you are looking for a fun yet spooky read to add to your Fall tbr add this one now! Black Sheep is the entertaining, fun, and creepily hellish book you need in your life.

Thank you to Netgalley, Berkley Publishing, and the author for the eARC and thanks for the free audiobook @PRHAudio #PRHAudioPartner. All thoughts and opinions are my own.