Grade: C

I am a sucker for a good old gothic novel, and the allure of the gothic drew me to this title. The problem was, no matter how many times I was told this was a gothic novel, it never felt that way.

We start with Thalia receiving a letter from Blake, who ends up being her previously unknown half-sister. Then, we find out what happens to Blake. Then Thalia goes to find out what happens to Blake. Hijinks ensue. There is a house, White Hall, that tries to be the central gothic building, but it just isn't.

To be fair, there were things that I liked with this one. Carmen does a good job with the pace and I did keep turning the pages. There are a number of crucial descriptive scenes that Carmen executes well and I could clearly see what she was trying to say.

But, ultimately, this book didn't work for me. Not only did it fail to live up to its gothic promises, I found the main character of Blake to be just incredibly stupid. She is supposed to be a lawyer and a lawyer should clearly know better than to make the choices she makes. Also, as a lawyer, she would know how to get the information she needs and accomplish the things she needs to accomplish through legal means. Instead, she's running around like an amateur sleuth with a death wish.

Christa Carmen can write, and I'd be open to reading something else by her. This, however, was not a success for me.

Huge thanks to Christa for sending me a digital ARC of her debut novel!

The Gothic novel. Ahhh… my old nemesis. Those dark corners, those subtle nods to the ‘otherness’ in the room… Much like Epistolary stories, Gothic stories can be a hit or miss for me, but having previously read (and greatly enjoyed) Christa’s work, I was very intrigued by what I’d discover on Block Island.

This novel reviews itself slowly, layer by layer as more of the story is revealed and it seems like the perfect October-curl-up-in-a-blanket-by-the-fire type novel, which I think will have fans of this type of story over the moon.

What I liked: The novel begins with Thalia receiving a letter from a sister she didn’t know she had. Blake has reached out from Block Island, a place Thalia told herself she’d never return to. After doing some digging, she discovers that Blake passed away not long after sending the letter – and that Blake was on Block Island, searching for her own mom she’d never met, having been giving up for adoption, as well as for Thalia, the sister she didn’t know she had.

Carmen does a wonderful job of keeping the complexities of this island and its inhabitants sinister, as though Blake (and later Thalia) and annoyances and intrusions, while being superficially friendly. It captures the feeling one gets well, when going on vacation and having those who wish you stayed away let you know they wished you stayed away.

There’s a delicate paint-brush-stroke-esque to the way Carmen reveals this story, a textured softness that belies the darkness that seeps into every cranny, a fascinating misting of the readers brain that says ‘don’t get too comfortable.’

This remains in place up to (and including the afterword) the very end, when the story opens wide and the reveals take place. While this novel does wear a lot of its influences on its sleeves, its that familiarity that keeps this grounded in a slow burning tension from page one until the very end.

What I didn’t like: Like most Gothic stories of any length I read, I do struggle with some of the pacing. Carmen keeps things moving and keeps the reader engaged, but for some it may possess a pace that is less than what they typically enjoy and will hinder their progression through such a wonderfully written novel.

Why you should buy this: This novel feels like a modern throwback to the classics, where a rain-soaked woman is illuminated by the flash of lightening, while she flees from the horror within the home.

Carmen has done an immaculate job of building the setting into the story as much as the characters drive the novel and throughout we get quick, sharp stabs of horror, which worked so well to keep the reader on their toes.

As for me, I enjoyed it, but still had to work my way through it, this type of novel not one I’d normally ever go out and choose. So, for me, this was a solid 3/5 read. For those who’ll eat this one up and are desperately waiting for this to arrive, it’ll be an easy 5/5. So, I’ll split the difference and go with a very solid 4/5 overall, and one I definitely suggest you grab if you love this type of book!

A great fall book! The story takes us to the East Coast to a small island where Thalia has grown up, and goes back to solve the mysteries surrounding a letter she receives telling her she has had a sister that was given up for adoption. The story was spooky, fun, and a little kitschy as well. I enjoyed the moodiness and ambiance that definitely helped me get into the fall season, and would suggest it to anyone who enjoys a good mystery! The characters were really fun, the story twists were not predictable and the story itself touched on some real issues in our world - including addiction, which was portrayed in a very thoughtful way. I would recommend this book to someone wanting to get into a spooky mood!!

This ebook was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I appreciated the intention behind this book but the overall outcome was just not my jam. I didn’t understand a lot of the decisions the characters made and it ended up coming off pretty cartoony.

3.5*

It's the perfect time of year to start reading creepy stories and this one gave me all the "feels." 🎃

This I believe is Christa Carmen's first full length novel and it's a good one! The story is gothic creepy and all throughout there are mentions of the great gothic novels of past. There's an old manor house (now a B &B) on Block Island that is owned by the Searles sisters. The creepiness of the house and strange happenings in there definitely added to the story.

The story is told in two parts by two sisters. The first part is through Blake. She comes to Block Island to try to find her Mother who gave her away at birth. While she tries to find the courage to confront her mother she takes a room at White Hall (the Searles' sisters B&B.) Some strange occurrences begin to happen....Blake writes a letter to her sister on the eve of her death (not a spoiler as this is told in the opening chapter.) In Part Two Thalia must return back to Block Island where she was raised because of that eerie letter she received from a sister she did not even know she had.

This is a good story. It has a great setting of Block Island in the "off season." There are no tourists and just a sparse population of only the locals. It's chilly and rainy season and White Hall is a gothic-style old manor with creepy boards, and hideaway places. Plus there just might be a ghost lingering about! It's not a horror but a spooky mystery. There's a lot going on but I still enjoyed this one!

A creepy B&B?
Count me in! I have never stayed at a bed and breakfast, and I really don't think I will.

This book is packed full of whodunits. Who did this murder? Who did that murder? Who is who? Who REALLY did it? I thought I knew, but I guessed wrong, don't hire me to solve any crimes.

The characters were amazing. I loved Sarah. You really rooted for them, or you didn't like them very much. I would say all in all Block Island is the place to be, but really it doesn't seem fun!

Loved it. The characters were real and creative, the plot was intricate and interesting, the setting was alive. Carefully crafted, and wonderfully written.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishers for this Advanced Readers Copy of The Daughters of Block Island by Christa Carmen!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
The premise of the book drew me in but once I started reading it, I just couldn’t get into it at all.
I wish the author, publisher and all those promoting the book much success and connections with the right readers.

Christa Carmen's Daughters of Block Island is a pure triumph. Spooky, with unreliable narrators and fascinating ghosts. Great prose and characters, with enough darkness and emotion to be remarkably memorable.

What a great spooky, gothic novel to kick off fall reads. I loved the atmospheric setting of White Hall and Block Island. The ghost stories were creepy and the mystery kept me guessing! Will post my review on Instagram closer to pub date

Christa Carmen's The Daughters of Block Island toys with the conventions of gothic fiction often giving meta commentary to the scenes as they unfold. However, in many places, the concept exceeds the execution. There are references to classic gothic fiction - mysteries of udolpho, The Monk, Northanger Abbey, and Rebecca feature prominently - but their relation to the plot is left surface level. The description calls Daughters an "ingenious and subversive twist on the classic gothic novel," but it falls short, largely because it does not complicate its relationship with the source material or update the social commentary. It's unclear precisely what is meant to be subverted.

As a thriller, Carmen crafts a solid narrative that steadily builds through a dramatic ending.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This book is a great example of what Gothic Literature is and should be - for the most part. The plot and characters are well-crafted and the atmosphere was terrific. The pacing was a bit off, and the POV switch was jarring, though.

3.5/5

There is a mystery at the center of this creative-yet-clichèd novel that kept pulling me back in. I liked the author’s ability to bend genres and cleverly borrow from already established tropes to write something wholly unique but even at just over 300 pages it felt long. Still a high recommendation form yours truly.

I love a good gothic mystery and this one took the prize. Plenty of twists to keep me flipping the pages well into the night and an ending that had my jaw on the floor. Really, go grab yourself one on release day!

Thank you NetGalley for the eArc copy of this book for an honest review.

The daughters of block island was an interesting read. I enjoyed the plot, and story telling. The writing was very much YA and my younger self would definitely have enjoyed this book more. My current self was hoping for something a little more, but that's a personal preference. Overall great read.

Thank you Netgalley, author, and the publishers for allowing me the opportunity to read this e-arc.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. While the premise was interesting I didn’t connect with the characters or the story in a meaningful manner. Some books just aren’t for us, and that’s okay!

After arriving on Block Island to find her birth mother, Blake Bronson becomes convinced she’s the heroine of a gothic novel―the kind that allowed her intermittent escape from a traumatic childhood. How else to explain the torrential rain, the salt-worn mansion known as White Hall, and the restless ghost purported to haunt its halls?

The ending was definitely hold-your-breath drama, and I loved how the author tied up all the loose ends very neatly. I highly recommend the book to fans of gothic novels and anyone looking for an exhilarating emotional ride filled with suspense.



Thank you to Netgalley for letting me read this in exchange for the review

I’d like to start this review by thanking Netgalley and Thomas and Mercer for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

From the very beginning of the book I was captivated by the gothic horror feeling of the book. There is something so novel about a story with an old house, ghosts, a murder mystery, and a rainy secluded backdrop. Christa Carmen weaves a twisting wicked story with grace and wonder.

I thought that beginning the book from Blake’s POV and slowly learning more and more about her affliction and why she was in recovery helped add an element of urgency and maddness to her narrative. It makes her story feel as though she’s hanging on by a thread and if only she could solve this mystery, she might be able to find solid ground. Her character creates this haunted affect that impacts everything she touches. It’s almost as if even when she’s gone, her ghost pushes the story forward.

Thalia is almost the mirror opposite of her sister. Where Blake was impulsive and rash, Thalia was level headed, and rational. She managed to solve the mystery and avenge her sister. Thalia has the benefit of knowing where she came from, knowing Block Island and knowing the characters in play where Blake came in blind and scrambling. I could argue that this is the reoccurring theme in both of their lives, whether Thalia knew this before coming back to Block Island or not.

The whole ensemble of characters worked so well together to create a story of intrigue and mystery like something I might find in a Nancy Drew game. Overall I very much enjoyed this book and found myself saying “what rhe f*ck” on several occasions.