Thank you, NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group, for my free copy in exchange for review.

Black Sheep immerses readers in the life of Vesper, a young woman who emancipated herself from her family and the religious sect she was raised. Despite lacking any maternal affection from her mother, Vesper's undeniable attachment to the only family she has ever known leads her back to them. Little did she anticipate the true nature of this religious cult.

The novel delves into the unwavering faith that sustains this tight-knit community while exploring themes of familial bonds. In Vesper's case, although she no longer embraces the religion imposed upon her upbringing, there remains an innate longing for connection with her family - their love and care during moments of solitude. She yearns for an absent father and ponders why her mother is so emotionally distant.

At its core, Black Sheep offers a profound narrative about human relationships — our innate need to belong and our journey toward finding the inner strength to release what no longer serves us.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the eARC of Black Sheep in exchange for my honest review!

An equal mix of darkness and comedy take you on a wild ride through Vesper’s past colliding with her present. The first twist actually caught me off guard, but really set the scene for the rest of the book to be a fast-paced ride. It’s one of those books that I think would make a genuinely fun live adaption. I could absolutely see this on Netflix and turn into a crowd favorite like the Fear Street movies or Happy Death Day. I loved the writing style, I loved the pace, and I loved how ridiculous the story was - it was all combined together for a really great book!

I highly recommend checking this one out when it released on September 18, 2023!

This was a DNF for me at 25%. All I read was a really annoying and unlikable main character and nothing was really happening. The character’s dysfunctional family wasn’t very compelling to me and there just wasn’t a single element I was enjoying. Sorry, not for me.

This one is somewhat less fun than Such Sharp Teeth, but I respected how much she leaned into the fact that evil can look extremely banal. I did think it took a little long for the main character to realize her role in the story, as I figured it out in the first half and since it's written in first-person, I kind of figured she should too. However, I did like the through line of being able to recognize and address toxic relationships, and the idea of being your own person, no matter what your possibly demonic parents think of it. It'll make a fun little Halloween treat for many libraries this fall. Unless some bozo decides to challenge on account of the fact that it's about a Satanic cult, let's be real, that is a very real possibility.

Wow, this was not an expected read and that is such a good thing. It can be hard to surprise me with a creepy but satisfying thriller/horror book but Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison is one that I will think of when I of as more than I expected from a book (and I expected a good horror book to be fair but this one is thought provoking and I can't say that about every horror/creepy book I have read). You get a good story but also a lot of solid twists or at least unexpected plot developments and a good examination of ... family secrets, themes about returning home when you thought you were gone/not welcome back, and how going back means facing, and risking, long standing secrets.

This is tricky to review as I want to say yes yes read this if you like a solid unsettling read but I don't want to say more about the plot, I am so glad I went in generally not knowing what this was about other than seeing a few earlier raves for this book (and now I know why!). Family, secrets, cult vibes, and feeling unnerved in a good way this one is for you. I am all in for examination of fanaticism and cults and Black Sheep does this so well.

Thank you to Berkley for this read and to the invite for the book tour for this in Sept. I will be sharing my review more broadly then! Now to go read Rachel Harrison's backlist...

Wasn't 100% sure what I was getting into when I started this book and I can honestly say I was taken by surprise.

When we think of a cult we normally think religion. This book takes that concept and essentially kind of turns it on its head. There were quite a few twists in here that I think most people would enjoy and for a horror novel, this definitely will be seen a "cult classic" (pun intended.

I found the concepts that were talked about in this book very interesting and I felt that were some good arguments made when it came to the topic of religion as a whole.

The fact that this book managed to stay creepy while having this important discussion definitely is a plus in my book.

Really interested in checking out more Rachel Harrison.

Thank you NetGalley, Berkley Publishing, and Rachel Harrison for an ARC of Black Sheep. Rachel Harrison has truly made a name for herself in the modern horror genre, and I was super excited to read this!

I enjoyed the twist on the cult mentality and how it was outside of what we would think of as organized religion. This made the book unique, but it also made if fairly unrelatable. I don’t know much about people worshipping Satan, but I know people who have been part of religious cults (otherwise).

I have to say that I lost interest in the book about 40% of the way through. I like horror that is borderline realistic because that is what messes with my head the most; I found most of this book to be comical rather than scary, and I wasn’t prepared for that. I don’t think the romance aspect did much for the book.

If you like horror novels, step right up! If you like the novel Rosemary's Baby, step right up! If you like horror novels about cults, religious fervor, and family secret - this is the book for you. It had my heart beating on a few occasions and there were a few laughs also. I loved the author's previous novel, Such Sharp Teeth, and this one doesn't quite measure up but it did serve up the scares!

At this point I'm not even bothering to read the synopsis before I buy Rachel Harrison's books, because she has never missed. Black Sheep is amazing. I had to keep checking the % mark on my e-reader because it felt like so much was happening, and surely we had to be approaching the end, but no! There was always more! And it just got stranger. Every new twist and turn plunged Vesper (and us with her) deeper into a frightening new reality that challenged everything she believed to be true. Please understand that when I say "what a freaking wild ride" I am not simplifying or understating just how delightfully unpredictable this book was. 10/10 would read again.

Let me just add: when we're first informed that Vesper grew up in a very fundamentalist religious town (it's a cult, Vesper, honey), that was NOT the fundamentalist religion I had in mind! Harrison red herringed me, and I loved it.

Vesper is living a listless existence as a waitress at a chain restaurant in New York City. Disaffected and sarcastic, she has fled the authoritarian religious group she grew up in, knowing that if you leave, you can never return. She's surprised to receive an invitation to the wedding of her childhood best friend and her first love, both of whom stayed loyal to the cult and remained in their tiny New Jersey town. Despite a tense relationship with her cold, detached scream queen mother, a star of b horror films, Vesper's curiosity gets the better of her and she returns for the wedding, the prodigal child.

Vesper learns secrets about her family and childhood faith that she struggles to accept. It's a darkly humorous book that still manages to wrestle with themes of faith, memory, family, and identity. How much of one's identity is tied to one's past? Can you escape who you used to be or who other people wanted you to be? Harrison has written a book that is fast paced and filled with great characters. If you are a fan of fiction about cults, family tension, or strained parent/child relationships you will enjoy this release. There are twists and turns that will keep you reading.

Thank you so much to Berkley Publishing and Rachel Harrison for the much anticipated copy of Black Sheep. This book was nothing like I expected and classic Rachel Harrison. It’s about Vesper, a girl who left home at 18 and never looked back. She needed to escape her religious community and even though she knows she can never return, is invited back for a wedding. Hosted on her family farm, Vesper assumes she is being given special treatment to return.

But is the invitation something more? She can’t help but wonder if it may be a trap. Despite her feelings, she decides to return and risk interacting with her mother, the forever cold ice queen and former horror film star. But when Vesper’s homecoming brings up a decades old secret, she is forced to look at who she is and where she’s come from.

Thoughts: Let me just say, this book is nothing like I thought in any way. OMG I LOVED IT. It was so twisted and dark and PERFECT for spooky season! This book is so creepy and so much fun. I loved Vesper as a main character- she was strong and cynical and interesting. Her mother, the horror star, was awful and cold and macabre and I loved all the horrifying movie props around their house.

I read this in a few hours and I couldn’t put it down. I loved how the title tied into the story and the turns the story took. I think there were some parts that got a bit repetitive and a few plot holes that could have been explained better, but I enjoyed the book a lot and gave it 4.5 stars!

A young woman receives an invitation to attend the wedding of her old boyfriend and previous best friend. When you think the story is about one thing, it quickly turns into something else. We soon learn that our protagonist ran away from her past and the cult she was raised in. This is where the story gets even stranger.

Not the author's best work and may only appeal to diehard fans.

Upon turning 18, Vesper made a decisive break from her rural life and religious family, embarking on a new journey in New York City, never looking back. Her departure came with a harsh warning that she would no longer be welcomed back into the deeply religious community.

Seven years later, a surprising invitation to her best friend Rosie and ex-boyfriend Brody's wedding reaches Vesper. Despite her cold relationship with her horror film star mother, Constance, who always treated her with indifference, Vesper feels an internal pull to attend the wedding.

Rachel Harrison delivers another captivating tale with "Black Sheep"! Once again, she proves herself as a master of original and enthralling storytelling. I found myself engrossed in the book, finishing it within 24 hours. As in her previous works, "Black Sheep" strikes the perfect balance between dark humor and horror, all centered around a strong and compelling female protagonist.

Rachel's writing skillfully makes the story feel incredibly authentic, akin to watching a movie unfold. The book holds a few heartwarming moments, but the horror elements are undeniably spine-chilling, leaving readers terrified.

Big thanks to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of Black Sheep. I adore Rachel Harrison's work, and this one is a new favorite. Without giving away too much, the book touches on nature versus nurture, religious zealotry, narcissism, and forgiveness, with healthy doses of snarky humor sprinkled throughout. It's a fun ride and is difficult to put down. It will likely be just as hard to forget. 4 stars

In this crazy world we’re living in, it seems like people are more willing to identify who they are in relation to their parents and to their upbringing. There is more of an understanding of the trauma that your family can leave you with, and this book was a perfect abstract for it!

Vesper left home six years ago. She left everyone behind and started over, far away from her famous mother and her religious trauma, a religion she never identified with.

When a wedding invitation for her beloved cousin arrives, Vesper is compelled to go back. She wants to be there for her cousin Rosie, but going home means revisiting a lot of things she doesn’t want to remember… like her mother, Constance, a woman who was never particularly motherly.

This book is a doozy, for sure! What Vesper finds upon her return home is the truth to who she is and what it all means. And it’s a freaking MESS! I absolutely LOVED Vesper! She embodies everything I love in a Maine character! She is sassy and strong, even though she doesn’t always recognize her strength.

From beginning to end I was FULLY immersed in this world, in the depths of this book and I definitely wasn’t ready for it to end. I could have stayed in this story forever to see what more there could have been.

I went in a little cautious at first with horror genre. But I was pleasantly surprised! Over all an entertaining read. Vesper is 23 and pessimistic in her everyday life as a waitress perhaps maybe she is struggling with her self identity but then we find out she actually has a complex past. Her mother Constance movie star/religious cult leader, was a huge influence on her upbringing. When Vesper heads home for a wedding we find out what’s at play. The book has a heck of a suspense, thriller aspect to it but also has a huge religious cult like theme. A daunting religious past a Jessica Lange, like mother. This book gave American horror story vibes. I would definitely recommend the author and her books but I have to admit this was a bit unusual read. Overall entertaining!
A huge thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

This is my favorite Rachel Harrison book yet; I usually read her books in one sitting and this one was no exception. She's an auto-read author for me, so I requested this book without even looking at the synopsis, and thus I had NO idea where it was even going - the religious cult being Satanists was my first shock, and Vesper's dad reveal?? WHAT??? I definitely recommend going into this one knowing nothing, but would also warn readers who have religious trauma that this might be a bit TOO real; Vesper's experiences are so close with what I've heard from folks who escaped similar situations (though not with Satanists). But her ending - her revenge! - is very satisfying.

I have been all over the Place with Harrison's books. Cackle is one of my all time favorite books and The Return is one of my least so I had no idea what to expect with one. I loved it! It was fun, campy and strange. I had a great time with this book.

Another win from Rachel Harrison. A great balance of horror, humour and a young lady finding out who she is along the way. I didn't know much about the story going in, and I'm glad I didn't as it made everything that much more of a shock. Harrison is a fabulous author, so much wonderful description in the book without being too drawn out. Can't wait for her next!

I love love love anything Rachel writes. Such Sharp Teeth was impeccable and she’s found herself a lifelong fan. Vespers journey is brutal, dark and a little strange but worth every second.