Meh. For all the hype this book has been getting, this was a real let down for me. Firstly, I would hardly describe this as horror. It's family dysfunction with a comic satanic cult bent. So maybe comedic horror? Is that a thing? To me it just felt like a rip off of Netflix's "The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina" with some people's roles changed up a bit, and no cat. But otherwise, Vesper is just a more unwilling Sabrina. I read the whole thing but found it a bit boring and entirely predictable. Meh.

This author never disappoints! I always know I’m in for an adventure with some shock and gore. Love how she builds worlds and characters

Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison felt like it had great potential as a fun read for spooky season. I tried to get into it but I ultimately couldn’t. It felt like a YA read and while I can enjoy a YA book on occasion, the writing is typically not as engaging for me. The portrayal of the cult seemed like a jab on religion in general but particularly on Christianity. It was a little too over the top and tongue in cheek for me to really enjoy it.

I have posted this review on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/p/CymbtrgrhqD/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Goodreads

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5833913418

And Amazon

This is a hard one to review without spoilers but I can definitely say it was incredibly entertaining. I loved so much about the main character, Vesper, her name, her attitude, her background and baggage with a horror movie star mom, it was all so well done. I always love a protagonist goes back home to confront her past type story and this one was no exception, when Vesper returned to her deeply religious family after running away when she turned 18. And as far as dark family secrets go, her family definitely had a juicy one.

I had a lot of fun listening to the audiobook, the narrator captured the sarcastic tone of the main character perfectly. My only problem with this book (and it's not a real problem) was that it was too short. While it absolutely accomplished what it set out to do within the boundaries of it's genre, I could have used 100 more pages to delve deep into the psychology and the background of all the characters because everything was really compelling.

The pivot around page forty GOT ME. Like--ok--let's freaking do this story! I went in expecting something totally different, but was still totally, utterly on-board. After that, it's maybe a little predictable, but in a "well--what else could possibly be happening" sort of way, but the ride was incredible. What a page turner. And the character work was really important and great. As someone estranged from their religious family, this read was weirdly healing? Just absolutely great stuff. LOVE Harrison & will read anything she writes.

Maybe the most obvious "twist" in the history of the universe. I can't believe everyone didn't know what was going on immediately and they were just able to enjoy it despite the fact. For me? I've failed with both this one and Such Sharp Teeth. I think Cackle might actually be more my speed. I might give it a go next Halloween season.

ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

THIS BOOK! putting the amazing cover aside, this story captured me in the first chapter with the main characters humor. I immediately found myself relating to the main character, that is until the cult storyline came in. I am a sucker for the cult trope and this was such a unique take. My only gripe with the story is that the cult is called a satanic cult, and really it is more of a devil worshipping cult.
I wish the author seemed to know the difference because Satanism doesn't actually believe in a real devil, or any entity. It is focused on being your own master (complete autonomy of ones self) and devil worshipping is more where the "scary" sacrificing legit devil believers lie.
As someone who is well versed within that culture it was extremely frustrating to keep reading incorrect takes on Satanism that someone who doesn't know better might take away from the story and have unnecessary judgements on others in the world.
All that aside, I really enjoyed the disjointed family aspect and found the sarcastic humor of the main character really welcoming!

Another weird, page turning novel from Rachel Harrison. Her books, while usually labeled horror tend to be campier in nature than truly scary. Black Sheep which follows Vesper as she tries and fails to distance herself from her family and their eccentric religious group. After trying to make it on her own, she gets an invite back home to attend the wedding of her previous best friend. Once back home though, Vesper finds that not only has her strained relationship with her mother stayed unchanged but the other church members seem to be waiting for her return. As Vesper figures out what she’s missed, old family secrets are about to be uncovered. Will Vesper decide to stay home or will she attempt to leave again.

This book is not for everyone but if you enjoy a mixture of dark humor and horror, or enjoy Grady Hendrix style writing, then this is for you. Harrison has such a unique way of writing that truly transports the reader entirely. I don’t want to spoil anything, but I wouldn’t recommend this story to anyone who is uncomfortable with overly religious cults.

Overall, this was a fast read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.


Black Sheep is out now. Huge thank you to Berkley for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my Instagram @speakingof.books.

*4.5 Stars On My Instagram Account*

"The devil was in the details."

In the devilishly clever Black Sheep by new favorite horror thriller author Rachel Harrison the details are right there revealing the main twist of this original, wild and quite fun tale of family drama, gory retaliations, and world ending consequences.

Vesper leaves her extremely religious family at 18, knowing she will never be welcomed back once she foregoes her religion. Now 6 years later she receives an invitation to the wedding of her ex boyfriend and once best friend. Surprised by being welcomed back, a bit angry about her boyfriend and best friend getting married, and scared to death to face her cold indie horror film actress Mom; she nevertheless heads back to the farming community that demands attending mass at least three times a week, giving thanks all day for the lord's blessing and never letting outsiders in.

I almost want to stop here because the truth about this religion, Vesper's parentage and her revengeful abilities is just a gift to unravel for lovers of horror thrillers. The way this writer lulls us into a sense of familiarity with the cult atmosphere, the acceptance of Vesper's mother as unfeeling, and believing the absence of her father in her life is because he wasn't part of this community is nothing short of genius storytelling.

I'm sure you have some ideas of where the story is heading but trust me there are still unbelievable moments of sheer shock. The religious reveal is creatively hilarious and having Vesper tell her story in the first person brings a sense of believability throughout this often "WTF just happened" ride.

Let's be honest, we all know being the black sheep is sometimes more fun, but in this book it may lead you to slaughter.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from Berkley Publishing via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

A magnificent book by the author of Such Sharp Teeth. Harrison manages to take us into the thrilling and dark world of a satanic cult and the daughter that escaped! But what happens when she gets a mysterious invitation to return to the cult for a wedding featuring her former lover and best friend? What transpires is a wonderful dive into horror.

This book was WILD! Vesper is probably my favorite MC - her snarky comments were top tier. This was my first @rachelharrisonsghost book, and it certainly won’t be my last. I loved her writing style and how she combined humor and horror. This book sucked me in and didn’t let me go until the last page!

Rachel Harrison has become an auto-buy author for me after I first discovered her book The Return. I love how her books almost give me cozy horror vibes. What does that mean? They’re not overly gory or scary, but they are very vivid. Harrison has an amazing ability to fully paint a picture of her stories, from the locations to the characters, and Black Sheep hits this mark completely.

Our main character, Vesper, is instantly relatable to readers as we get to know her personality, her past, and her very interesting upbringing. Fast-forward and we get to travel with her back to her hometown and the community she grew up in, which is anything but ordinary. I loved all of the strange qualities of this community. They’re completely fascinating and Harrison gives readers the chance to form their own opinions through a series of events, while also leaving them sympathetic to Vesper’s feelings and reactions to these events.

I’m not going to give away much about the plot because I had a wonderful time walking into this one pretty blind and getting to experience the shock of Harrison’s reveals. The ending was easily my favorite of these reveals and it left me wanting more Vesper!

Favorite part of the novel: Vesper’s mom is a Scream Queen! I’m a horror movie junkie and this part of the story made my heart so full!

A huge thank you to Berkley for my gifted copy!

I received this book in exchange for a honest review from NetGalley.

Overall I really liked this book. The twists were mildly predictable and I wish the author had delved a little deeper into being the child of narcissists but the *vibes* are immaculate and the ride a fun one. Vesper is a deeply unlikeable character but with lots of fun snark to make up for that and the whole mystery around her family delightful and dark. Gothy fun!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this, albeit in a different way than I thought I would. This book is an interesting blend of horror and humor. I love learning about cults and reading books featuring cults, so this book had been on my radar since its synopsis came out. This was certainly a different type of cult than I thought I would be reading about. In an effort to avoid spoilers, I'll just say that there is a surprising twist around 12% into the book that really threw me for a loop!
The other big "twist" advertised in this book, though, I unfortunately guessed almost immediately. So, there was no shock there.
I enjoyed reading from Vesper's POV - she was delightfully snide and funny in the face of utter ridiculous and scary stuff!

Vesper was born into a tight-knit religious community and always felt like she didn’t belong. Her mother was a famous horror movie scream queen who treated her coldly and she never really got the chance to know her father. Vesper ran off when she turned eighteen to establish her own life and leave her religious trauma behind. Years later, Vesper receives a wedding invitation for her beloved cousin and finally returns home. Strange things begin to happen that have Vesper questioning her entire life.

Harrison is on my auto-buy list because I love how she is reshaping the horror genre by basing her stories on women’s real-life fears and issues. With Black Sheep, Harrison has crafted a twisted horror novel full of dark humor, dysfunctional family drama, terror and gore. I found it easy to root for Vesper as she navigated her trauma and worked to reclaim her identity. If you’re looking for a fast-paced story you won’t be able to put down, reach for this one. (And make sure to go in blind!)

An avid Rachel Harrison fan since devouring Cackle and Such Sharp Teeth, I had high hopes for Black Sheep, and boy was I not disappointed. Compulsively readable and yet another Harrison binge read perfect for horror fans who love intricately original yet sinister story lines, witty writing, and fascinating characters. Vesper Wright vowed never to return home after leaving at eighteen--and shouldn't have been able to according to the staunchly religious community she grew up in. But after six long years away, she receives an invitation to the wedding of her beloved cousin Rosie at the family's farm. Have they made an exception to the rule? Is it an olive branch? A trap? It doesn't matter. Something compels her to make the trip, but Vesper's homecoming exhumes a terrifying secret and expertly explores the tight binds of family and small town life. Black Sheep is another winner from Rachel Harrison.

I enjoyed this novel, which I would call "light horror"... I liked that the book blurb doesn't go into too much detail about the plot. Honestly I probably wouldn't have picked it up if it did. But it was a quick read and I liked the writing style.
I would definitely read more by this author, especially after several reviews saying that her other books are better.

This might have taken the throne as my favorite yet of Rachel Harrison's books. I went into it pretty blind and enjoyed this story about a young woman who has left her deeply religious community only to be pulled back in by a wedding invitation. It's clear early on that there is something deeply unusual about everything, but it rolls out deliciously. It's smart, quickly paced, and unexpected.

A lot of people can rightfully claim (or blame) dysfunctional family backgrounds. Vesper's situation has got to be unique. Yes, her famous Scream Queen mother could out-freeze a solid Arctic glacier. Yes, the disappearance and subsequent "permanent" absence of her adored father while Vesper was still a young child left an aching void. Neither of those circumstances alone makes her heritage unique. An emotionally or physically absent parent is unfortunately not that uncommon.

However, growing up in a devoted Satanic cult is much less common. Even less so is a father who claims to be Lucifer. And a father who ACTUALLY IS "the Father of Lies?" Yes, I think that qualifies as unique.

Some readers may dislike the setting and premise. I found author Rachel Harrison's insight into her characters, their arcs and evolution (devolution) fascinating. She admirably excavates family life, close friendships, stand-ins for absent family, and one's inability to feel or to express repressed emotions. Also talentedly demonstrated is the difficulty of choosing in order to please versus choosing what is right action.

And then there's the whole "daughter of Satan" burden....

**4.5-stars**

Rachel Harrison is one of my go-to authors in the Horror space. I feel like she brings her own special brand to the genre that I would generally classify as Cozy Horror. Black Sheep is very similar in feel to her earlier works that I adored, Cackle and Such Sharp Teeth. Even though I enjoyed both of those ones a bit more than Black Sheep, this is still incredibly well done.

In this story we are following Vesper Wright, a cynical 20-something, who is estranged from her family and working as a waitress at a job she hates. Seriously, if she has to sing that birthday song one more time...
Sometimes things can go from bad to worse though, and Vesper ends up losing said job after an incident involving very hot nacho cheese. Don't ask.

Unfortunately, worse is about to get even...worser? Vesper has received an invitation to her cousin, Rosie's, wedding. Vesper dropped her family like a hot potato the minute she turned 18 and hasn't looked back.
Sure, she couldn't stand them, that's why she left, but she was also told if she did leave their staunchly religious community, she could never return. Thus, she hasn't. But this invitation; this could change things.

Is Vesper ready to return? Is she ready to face her past and her family's dark secrets? Why not? She's certainly not doing a heck of a lot of anything else.

Feeling like something inside her is compelling her to go, Vesper packs her bags and heads home for the first time. The toxic environment she left hasn't changed much and Vesper quickly begins to question her choice to return. Her mother, Constance, a former Horror film star is just as terrible, no maybe even more terrible than Vesper remembers. It's not just her mother though. Everything seems more dangerous and sinister than before. The house, the community, what exactly is going on here?

This is such a great story. It was surprising. I definitely can't say anything else about the plot without risking giving something away, which I don't want to do. I expected this to be a particular type of story and Harrison succeeded in flipping my expectations on their head. This was such a unique take on the poisonous family drama. I really loved the choices Harrison made in telling this story.

One of my favorite aspects of Harrison's books are her believable and relatable main characters. They just feel so well developed and realistic to me. Even though the things her protagonists go through are horrific, or even supernatural, in nature, they often make me shake my head in agreement and sympathy. I feel like I am connecting with them on a level that shouldn't be possible.

Vesper's experience in this story is vastly different than what any Reader will ever experience, trust me on this, no matter how bad you think your family is, but I still think so many people will be able to relate to her story.
I also love how Harrison brings a level of humor and candor to her stories that keep you chuckling, while simultaneously grimacing in disgust, or horror. That's a talent.

As mentioned above, this isn't my favorite one of her stories, but it's still top notch. I just loved Cackle and related to it so much that it would be hard to beat, and I felt very similarly about Such Sharp Teeth.
I would recommend this to any Horror Reader, but particularly those who have enjoyed Harrison's work in the past. This is 100%-true to her narrative style and offers up some stunning commentary on home and family.

Harrison has such a creative gift. I hope she keeps on cranking out stories like this for years to come. I will absolutely be picking up each and every one of them. Thank you so much to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Harrison never disappoints. This was a fantastic read!