This book was so interesting to read, I couldn't put it down. I was intrigued when we follow the FMC as she struggles to survive outside of the small, religious community she was raised in, but then it got so much better as more and more info about where she came from and about her family. I really enjoy reading books from this author. There is always something just a little bit extra that turns a pretty simple plot line into something so much more.

Okay, but wow.

So straight up it's impossible to talk about this book in any depth without giving out information that should be preserved for the reading experience. As spoiler-free as possible is the best way to go into this one. But generally, and this is as far as the synopsis goes, Vesper Wright left her strict religious community six years before the book starts, when she was almost eighteen. The hypocrisy and insulated nature of the community was stifling her, and she never felt like she fit in, and didn't believe like the others did. Now, she has received a wedding invitation from her cousin Rosie out of the blue, and Rosie is marrying Vesper's ex-boyfriend, Brody. This seems to be the catalyst Vesper needs to finally go home again, because off she goes, only realizing what a terrible idea this is upon entering her old family home mid-rehearsal dinner, all eyes on her.

But Vesper's problems are not as simple as family squabbles and disagreements over their creepy religious cult. Things are going on that Vesper never understood as a child, and it would be spoilers to tell you what kind of reaction to those things I had and why. Just know they are WEIRD and things get kind of wild. Also, if you've read Rachel Harrison before and complained about a lack of horror, I feel like you won't be saying that with this book. The second half is probably chock full of stuff you will love, while also giving me what I want, in that I want funny, clever writing and an ending that doesn't make me want to crawl into my bed and never come out.

I am more and more loving Rachel Harrison's style. Vesper as a narrator is mean but funny, judgmental and cynical, but you root for her anyway. And the way that Harrison plays with story structure and reader expectations here is so, so clever, on top of her prose really leveling up. Before I switched over to the audiobook from the e-book, I was highlighting multiple lines per page because they struck me as funny or interesting or just really well-written. I was so delighted at certain plot turns of this book that I was literally cackling out loud like a witch and stomping my feet. And the ending, the way that she brought everything together, just really sealed this one for me. On re-read, which I would do with a hardback that I'm going to go out and buy very soon, I'm pretty sure I would just rate this a flat five stars, but it's one of those books I kind of need to let simmer in my head before committing to that.

Anyway, highly recommend this book, highly recommend this author. I can't wait to see what she'll do next.

[4.5 stars, rounded up]

I love a cult book and a story about someone who has escaped coming back is even better. There was a lot I liked about Black Sheep but I lot I didn't. The tone was super uneven for me, at times it was campy and then darkly funny and then just dark but never really settled one way or another.

Vesper Wright has done her best to stay away from the toxic environment that is her family and the Satanic religion they follow, after leaving them when she was 18. Now, years later, she unexpectedly receives an invitation to her cousin's wedding and decides to attend despite her misgivings and the fact that her cousin is marrying Vesper's ex-boyfriend. As soon as she arrives back on the farm, it's like she never left and her horror movie star mom Constance Wright is as cold and aloof as ever. As Vesper tries to figure out the dynamic between everyone, she's also trying to figure out who sent her the invitation in the first place, since people who leave the community are not welcomed back. Weird things keep happening to her causing her to question her past and present, as well as the intentions of the religious community, and she's reminded of why she left in the first place in order to live her life. Overall, a creepy read as Vesper starts to question her family's history and her role in the community and discovers who she really is. Readers of Grady Hendrix will like this one.

Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison is a genre-defying masterpiece that seamlessly blends razor-sharp wit, pitch-black humor, and a storyline that's as engrossing as it is terrifying. The author has managed to infuse the narrative with a surprising depth of emotion and comedy without sacrificing an iota of horror's inherent drama and grisly details. To say I was riveted would be an understatement; the book had me glued to the edge of my seat, each page a new revelation of delightful terror. Far from a dull read, this book offers a unique smorgasbord of ghastly thrills that will leave you begging for more. A five-star experience in every sense.

Is it even really spooky reading season if you don't pick up a Rachel Harrison book? Without a doubt she's become one of my auto-read authors, and Black Sheep only cements my obsession with her terrifying, nerve-wracking writing style. In an effort to keep it spoiler free, I will say there's a pretty big reveal in Black Sheep that essentially blew my mind. Once I recovered, I binged the rest, because it's a must-know situation at that point, and it doesn't disappoint.

Rachel Harrison has created a work of horror fiction that evokes the strongest emotions surrounding the ideas of identity and self with the focal point straddling faith and family. Black Sheep haunts you with the question: Just who are you? Most people will answer this question with statements about their past. But what happens when you want to leave that past behind? Who are you then? There is something special in every single one of her books that makes me feel truly seen as a twentysomething-year-old forever trying to find herself; this one is no exception. In Black Sheep, we meet Vesper who has left her entire family behind on account of their overly religious nature. One invitation changes that all, and she is forced to reckon with her and her family’s sordid past.

Beginning with the very first line of the book, I knew I was going to be in for a treat. One of the best parts of this novel is its balance between humor and suspense. Vesper’s character encompasses exactly what it feels like to be a woman in your twenties in this day and age. Even in the synopsis, she is characterized as cynical and snarky; however, I found myself relating to her and her past with religion more than I expected. Truthfully, how can we not be cynical and snarky? We twentysomethings have lived through more historically traumatic events than we can keep count. Above all, Black Sheep felt very real despite the horror influences and plot lines it follows.

When I say there were multiple moments when reading this book that I gasped out loud, that is not an exaggeration. You can ask any of the other passengers on the flight I was on at the time; they can 100% confirm it. Harrison is such an intentional, intelligent author, particularly in the way she paces the events of this novel. There is an immersive quality to the imagery and settings described, effortlessly assisting in creating an “off-kilter” tone. I expected a twist within the first few pages, but I truly could not predict the events that transpired. Not only was this an entertaining, relatable read, but it was surprising as well.

The only area of this novel that I wish I could have explored further is the character of Constance Wright. Her relationship with Vesper is truly confounding given her icy demeanor and overall air of indifference towards her daughter. As events transpire, we witness certain aspects that call into question Constance’s true motives and feelings regarding her family and faith. Her seemingly ambiguous nature may be the overall reason for having a character like her. Not all characters (or people) are meant to be understood completely, something Vesper must come to terms with, in addition to the events related to her reunion with her family.

Another striking facet of this novel is its ability to confront issues related to faith and religion head-on. There is very little room for interpretation based on many of the points acknowledged in this book, and I have to say I agree with nearly all of them. Religious preferences aside, it is so fresh and exhilarating to read something that does not shy away from the harsh truths of those who have left or are making sense of organized religion. Harrison does an excellent job of intertwining the traumas experienced in Vesper’s past with the realities of the faith she was raised. I could argue that this book speaks to the horror of organized religion, but moreover, this is a novel about acknowledging one’s past and deciding how that affects one’s identity.

A story of cataclysmic reckoning, Black Sheep is a sharp, clever novel that surprises and delivers on numerous fronts. Rachel Harrison’s characters feel incredibly real despite the fantastical elements employed throughout the plot. Vesper’s struggle to come to terms with the reality of her childhood is a universal truth so many of us face while growing into adulthood. Additionally, her confrontation with her faith is bold and refreshing in a day and age where ugly truths are normally swept under the rug. This is a poignant read that, while humorous, voices bold ideas and dares us all to be our most authentic selves, despite the nature of our past. Harrison proves yet again, she’s an instant-buy author for me.

The Book: Vesper lives in New York City working a dead end waitressing job after she fled her intense religious community in Southern New Jersey. Then, an invitation shows up in the mail — her former best friend is marrying her ex-boyfriend and her attendance is requested. Vesper decides to make the trip back home and deal with what waits for her there — including her ice queen mother, Constance, a horror film star.

My Thoughts: I loved Harrison’s quirky werewolf story SUCH SHARP TEETH, released last year. It was fresh and unique. Black Sheep, although it has some of that quirky DNA, did not work for me in the same way. The characters were underdeveloped to the point that the climax meant nothing to me. I was just glad to be finished. I will still read Harrison, though. I have Cackle and The Return on my shelf. She is not afraid to try something different, which I respect. And yes folks, Penn Station is actually hell. She nailed that.

Thank you to @netgalley and at @berkley for a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for the free book @berkleypub and @prhaudio. My thoughts are my own.
#penguinrandomhousepartner

This was my first Rachel Harrison book and I had no idea what to expect! What a wild ride this turned out to be…perfect for spooky season!

Vesper Wright, daughter of a scream queen icon, grew up in a religious community. However, at the age of 18, she left her hometown and the church. Somehow she secretly knew they would take her back; and when she received an invitation to her cousin’s wedding, she decided it was time to return. Everyone did welcome her back, but there were a few mysteries surrounding her return: Who actually sent Vesper the wedding invitation? Why did the groom kiss her the night before the wedding? Why was her mother never happy to see her? Why wouldn’t her mother reveal the identity of Vesper’s father? What would all of this mean when Vesper discovered who her father really was?

Told entirely from Vesper’s perspective, this turned out to be one woman’s entertaining and irreverent look at religion, cults, and family ties as she discovered her true identity.

I listened to parts of this novel and read the print version at other parts. I enjoyed both versions. The narrator did a great job with the voice of Vesper.

📕 Black Sheep
✍️ Rachel Harrison
😱 Horror / Thriller
📄 336 pages
🎙️ Jeremy Carlisle Parker
🎧 12 hours
🗓️ September 19, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Undeniably, Rachel Harrison has written another five star horror book! I love Rachel Harrison’s dark humor and brutal honesty. Using satire and prose Rachel weaves horrific, occasionally gruesome moments together that leave you eerily unsettled yet craving more.

Cackle was the first introduction I had to her hypnotic horror books. I have shamelessly devoured each book within a single sitting since that time.

Angsty and rebellious, Vesper leaves home at eighteen and denounces the religion she was raised in. She doesn’t run far, but she distances herself enough that hopefully she won’t be easily found.

On her way home from work after she’s been fired from her waitressing job, Vesper senses a wrongness in the evening air. An envelope inviting her back home waits for her on her front doorstep. Her cousin and first love are set to be married. Now, Vesper must decide if she should go back. She always believed that once you left you could never return.

It’s hard to say more without giving too much away about Black Sheep. This is a book that horror fans should go into blind and enjoy the many of twists and unforeseen events.

Thank you Berkley and PRH Audio for the advanced copies of Black Sheep.

If you’re building a spooky season TBR, and looking for some new thrillers to add to it, Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison would make a great addition. It’s creepy, twisty, shocking, and will make your spine tingle! I really liked the overall vibe of this novel. It was so easy to read, and flowed quite nicely. I was intrigued by Vesper’s storyline immediately. She’s a total badass, tells it like it is, and doesn’t take crap from anyone. Right off the bat, it’s obvious that she has a dark and shady past, and I was itching to know more about it. I honestly couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. I gotta say that the conclusion went a little off the rails in my opinion. But only because it really picked up on the horror, and that’s not really my thing. In my opinion, this novel was very light on the gruesome guts and gore, so that’s probably why it worked well for me.

READ THIS IF YOU ENJOY:

- Slower-moving thrillers
- Character-driven novels
- Religious cult culture
- Dark family secrets
- Epic twists and turns
- Shocking reveals/conclusions
- A touch of horror and gore
- Gritty main characters
- Family drama and dynamics

Overall, this was a very entertaining read, and perfect for spooky season. I need to seek out the author’s backlist now because I really like her style. Black Sheep is out TODAY, and I give it 4/5 stars!

I alternated between the book and audiobook for this one. The audiobook was narrated by Jeremy Carlisle Parker. She was excellent. I'd like to check out more books that were narrated by her. She really brought the main character, Vesper, to life and gave her personality such a real feel. This book was considered horror but it was more horror in the culty, slow burn, messed up, twisted family life kind of way. I was into it. There was dark humor. It was twisted and entertaining. My recommendation, like others, would be to go in blind. If you like cult books with some secrets becoming exposed, pick this up.

Out NOW.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars

Vesper Wright left her religious community at 18 but returns to attend the wedding of her cousin/bff Rosie six years later. Vesper is a waitress barely making a living.

Vesper is a fantastic character. The book has some excellent twists and plenty of daddy issues to deal with. Great read and I highly recommend it.

Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison is an one of its’ kind horror that will captivate any reader with witty writing, dark humor & a deeply entrancing & unputdownable story.
The author somehow puts heart & humor into horror, but don’t worry, they don’t forget the drama, fright or ghastly gore . To be honest, I read this horrifying delight & ended up asking for more. If you could’ve seen my face as I read, my eyes glued in shock to the pages, this is the opposite of a bore with it’s uniquely ghastly galore.

Black Sheep is the horror of the year & deserves to go on any horror lover’s TBR lists!

Black Sheep is a perfect if intrigued by
🖤 Captivating & Twisted Horror
🖤 Daughter of a Horror Movie Icon
🖤 Journey of Self Discovery
🖤 Escapee a Staunchly Religious Community

Right before her 18th birthday, Vesper flees her family, friends & town for a plethora of valid reasons & doesn’t look back. That is until she receives the wedding invitation of her first & only love, her ex, to none other than her childhood best friend/cousin. The adventure that is awaiting Vesper is wickedly unexpected & filled with secrets, lies, betrayal & answers to question she never even knew to ask.

This is like nothing I’ve ever read before & I mean that in the best way. I was transfixed. This is the type of story where I think the less you know, the more shocking & fun of a read can be had.

If you’re looking for a dark & twisted horror with a wildly interesting main character in a gripping stay-awake-until-3am-to-finish story, Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison is the read I highly recommend!

Massive thanks to Berkley Publishing for the gifted copy, which I voluntarily read & reviewed.

Content Warnings: This book mentions &/or contains death of animal, gore, injury & murder.

This is a story about fathers. Can’t live with them, can’t live without them.

I adored this book! I’m 0% surprised because @rachelharrisonsghost is always brilliant and I’ve yet to not love anyone she’s written …. But this one hit right in the paternal attachment issues, and I was incredibly invested. The humor kept it from being too dark, but the story still had a delightfully creepy edge.

Thank you so much @berkleypub @netgalley & @prhaudio for the e & audio copies!

"A cynical twentysomething must confront her unconventional family’s dark secrets in this fiery, irreverent horror novel from the author of Such Sharp Teeth and Cackle."

If you read the synopsis on this book and think you have an idea of the twisty story that lies ahead - no you don't. The synopsis is brilliantly written to include just enough information to pique interest but not enough to prepare you for the twists that are about to unfold. The first twist is revealed pretty early in this book, but that's just the beginning so buckle up! I had no idea the direction that this book would go, which made each twist so much better.
I'm purposely vague about this story because it is best to go in blind. So I'll leave you with this - I enjoyed this book from beginning to end, it was twisty, and kept me on the edge of my seat. This is the perfect book to add to your spooky season (or any season) reading list.

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫 (4.5)

Thank you to @netgalley @PRHaudio and @berkleypub for the gifted copy of this book.

Hello again dear reader or listener, with a big thanks to the Berkley Publishing Group for approving my request for an eArc of this novel, I am finally getting to review an author I’ve had my eye on for a while. My thoughts remain honest as always.
Black Sheep is Rachel Harrison’s latest Contemporary Horror with a dash of dark humor, and if you know me, dear reader, you’ll know I freaking love dark humor. Add to the mix, our protagonist Vesper being an ex-member/survivor of a religious cult, and I simply couldn’t resist.

Cults aside, I’m pretty sure Harrison wrote this book for every person in their twenties out there; perfectly encapsulating our shared experience of identity and existential crises mixed in with the utterly conflicting yet inseparable feelings of almost desperately loving our family members while at the same time needing the space to figure out who we are separate from them, or, in some cases, despite them. Eventually trying to understand if this new person we are fits with how we were seen until then by others as well. We are struggling y’all. Vesper is described as cynical and snarky, and, while I spent the vast majority of this book going “what a mood”, I would argue that is the result, not only of her context, which I will get into in a moment, but also of that once again universal feeling we all go through in our twenties when we are finally becoming emotionally mature enough to understand the people we grew up with are not the flawless and perfectly put together figures we thought. I’m not saying it begins at that age, but it is around this decade that we can both see the flaws and understand them, and eventually decide how much of it we are willing to accept as immutable and workable, how much we are willing to try and change, and whether it is even worth trying. While still wanting to belong to what used to be or feeling some nostalgia for it. This is obviously more nuanced for every individual but the general vibe and feeling is there regardless of background or circumstances be they positive or negative.

Harrison manages to bring this gloriously confusing and chaotic mix of inner turmoil to the page with and added frank and no punches pulled commentary on organized religion and cults which I found on point at each turn.

Waxing philosophical aside then, I’d characterize this book as more vibes and inner thought driven than plot. We the reader are well and fully immersed and hooked by Vesper’s inner dialogue. Sometimes it even takes over the scene happening in that given moment, and while that does on occasion make the running action on page feel a mite disjointed, it is also a very good lens into what stream of consciousness feels like when your mind is on overdrive compared to the speed with which things are happening around you in that moment. Very much a duck on a pond example, calm on the surface, pedaling like mad underneath. Vesper’s initial attitude and ongoing swing between, cynicism, pragmaticism and trying to be nicer if not apathetic despite it all, creates a truly stark and blunt picture of the inner darkness that we are all prone to sometimes whenever we are feeling wronged. It validates any time we have an inner mean streak, that we’d be perfectly excused in having given the circumstances, but we keep it locked in and try to act the better person, even if said mean feelings are warranted. Her development throughout the novel and how it all concludes felt organic and satisfying in a way that made perfect sense to her character after everything she goes through in the story. With the exception of one earlier scene, I felt like the epilogue was my favorite part of the whole novel actually, pushing across the sense of nostalgia, ache, and the overall unsettling yet intrigued and morbid fascination you feel when you watch/read true crime stories some years after the fact.

As for the scene I mentioned, while I cannot go into details because spoilers, Harrison expertly wove that whole chapter, building the creeping tension, anxiety, betrayal, and eventual horror, as Vesper goes through the motions in what feels like a fever dream due to what is happening and how it came to it. In fact, while I spent most of this book amused by the snark or intrigued by how things would develop next, I never actually felt any surprise or shock at any of the twists, as I felt I knew what to expect at every turn. I’m not saying this is a predictable or boring book, nor a tame psychological horror. Quite the contrary, it’s not for the faint of heart when it comes to body horror and other kinds of trauma. However, being a fan of the genre for a long time, I have built quite a tolerance for it all so I am aware that what I now find expected and not particularly goosebump inducing, others may even physically react to. Harrison also did an incredible job at was showcasing what it means to be and feel utterly helpless and yet allowing spite to push you forward. As I said utterly satisfying.

As for some things that didn’t work too well for me, firstly I found that while Harrison opens up the way for an interesting side plot between Vesper and her mother Constance (and oooh the discourse that can be done there is again superb) she doesn’t fully deliver it, almost as if she forgot about it or preferred to save her word count for the main plot resolution. Which I’m also feeling conflicted about, because on the one hand as I said, I wasn’t surprised by what was happening and it works out. But at the same time, it felt over the top near the end, as if she were trying to hit all the known tropes and going full out on the chaotic and hysterical nature of everything. It makes sense, given the previously mentioned fever dream quality of those last chapters but I personally would’ve liked something more nuanced and dark to fit the initial vibe of the whole book, rather than the madness that felt almost cult horror campy in the chapters leading up to the epilogue. Another way to explain without spoilers would be to say the vibe of this book went from Rosemary’s Baby to Cabin in the Woods.

Black Sheep comes out today, September 19th and, regardless of its tonal change toward the end, it is the perfect read for anyone in their twenties hah, but also for anyone who wants that good dose of cultish vibes with a side of body horror and a good serving of existential crisis intertwined with some paranormal shenanigans of the organized religion type to go along with their autumn or Halloween reads.

Until next time,
Eleni A. E.

Rachel Harrison can do no wrong in my opinion. Cackle and Such Sharp Teeth are in the pile of favorites and I was so excited to read Black Teeth. I didn’t even bother to read the synopsis, I just knew I would love it.

When I say I inhaled this book, I truly mean it. I didn’t stop to eat, to sleep, to do anything other than finish this book. I went in blind, and I highly suggest you do the same. The first twist in the book, I did not see coming but I loved it and the second one was just as satisfying. The last bit had me literally holding my breath, and that doesn’t happen often.

Vesper is the black sheep of her highly religious family and left her religion (and ultimately family and community) in search of a “normal” life. She ends up alone, in a dead end job. She’s in search of her father that she hasn’t seen in 14 years, as he was not a member of her religion and thus shunned from the community. When an unexpected invite to a family wedding leaves her in shock and seeking revenge, Vesper finds herself heading home. Without giving anything away, what follows is gloriously chaotic.

Rachel Harrison has a way of writing characters who I can’t help but love. They’re imperfect, kind of damaged, witty. I adore that her stories are full of dark humor and satire and am always excited for the latest book. Black Sheep is one of my favorite reads this year, and just in time for spooky season. A big thank you to Berkley Publishing for my ARC. Black Sheep is available today. 🖤

This was an unconventional horror take on a family’s deepest dark secrets based on the daughter, Vesper. After escaping her family for so many years, she is drawn back home by a simple wedding invitation of her best friend marrying her ex-boyfriend and her first love. She returns home to reunite with her family and uncovers some truths about herself and her family that had been hidden from her. This included some dark humor mixed with a bit of horror and while it was entertaining, it fell a little flat for me. There were parts I was really invested in and then parts that seemed to drag a bit for me. I loved the concept and the cultish trope. If you are on the fence about horror, I think this would be a good read as it’s not really a “scary” read and as I said it is entertaining and should not leave you with nightmares.

Rachel Harrison does it again. Black Sheep is a wickedly fun story about a woman named Vesper Wright, who vows never to go home again. But, when an unexpected wedding invitation comes in the mail, she decides that she will go back one more time. When Vesper gets there, nothing is as she expected.

I don’t want to give too much away, as this novel would best be read without knowing too much! However, I will say that Vesper’s family are a cast of interesting and unique characters, the story is dark and atmospheric, Vesper has a sense of humour that I love, and the exploration of religion and belief is fascinating. A well written, addictive and terrifying novel. I highly recommend.

Read if you like:
✨ Cozy Horror
✨ Exploration of religion and belief
✨ Family Dynamics
✨Humour
✨ Atmosphere

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author for my ARC on exchange for an honest review.