A very trippy and wild Fantasy/Western. Took me a bit to warm up to the characters but the plot moves at a fast pace and kept me engaged. By the end the characters had grown on me. I Would read any other books by this author comes out with.

The premise of this sounded great. I especially love when horror is combined with other genres, so I was excited to dive into this.

Pros: The music! I absolutely adored the music and the singing parts of this book. I replayed them multiple times, they were so good. There are definitely some creepy/horror parts in this. I loved how all the little elements and characters wove throughout and connected to everything. It was like little Easter eggs every time.

Cons: It did seem to drag a little bit in the middle.

The narrator: John Pirhalla caught my attention right away. The entire audiobook was so much fun to listen to.

What an interesting take on the Western genre! The journey itself is a fun one filled with danger, ghostliness, and even humor, which pays off well in the end but wraps up rather too quickly.

"Red Rabbit" by Alex Grecian is a literary journey that, while occasionally slowed by pacing, stands alongside innovative titles like "Lincoln in the Bardo" and "Unbury Carol." Grecian's narrative prowess shines through as he crafts a story that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The characterizations are a standout feature, offering an intriguing exploration of personalities that adds depth to the plot. Despite moments of slower pacing, the book's overall narrative ambition and compelling characters make "Red Rabbit" a worthwhile read for those seeking a comedic, heartbreaking and creepy postmodern experience in the realm of contemporary literature.

Red Rabbit intrigued me with its promise of blending horror and western genres, a combination I hadn't encountered before and was eager to explore. While westerns aren't typically my go-to genre, I've enjoyed some movies I’ve seen with my fiance in the past and was curious to see how it would translate into a novel. As a fan of horror, the prospect of experiencing this unique blend was enticing, and I'm pleased to say that Red Rabbit delivered in that regard.

The novel's vibe perfectly matched my expectations, immersing me in a world where the untamed west meets supernatural terror. However, while the concept was captivating, the storytelling style took me by surprise. At times, the narrative structure led to moments of confusion, particularly regarding timelines. Additionally, the out-of-order chapter numbers in my ARC added an extra layer of uncertainty, leaving me unsure if it was intentional or an oversight around the time ARCs were sent out.

Despite the above, I did enjoy Red Rabbit as a whole. And I would like to thank the publisher for also approving me for an audiobook galley through NetGalley, as this helped me in keeping up with the story when I had to run errands and such. The narrator also did a good job, especially when changing their voice to indicate when different characters were speaking! The quest-like trajectory of the story also kept me engaged, while the inclusion of graphic horror elements added an extra layer of intensity to the narrative.

I did enjoy Red Rabbit overall! I especially liked the quest formula the story followed as well as the really graphic horror elements. Now that I’m a bit more accustomed to Grecian’s writing style and know what to expect, I definitely wouldn’t be opposed to more Western horror tales from this author!

I had a difficult time keeping up with this story. The characters kind of all meshed together and I didn't feel like the voice actors kept me engaged enough. I appreciated the premise of the book, however.

A ragtag group tries tracking down a witch through the Wild West. The group will run into ghosts and demons while death lurks around the corners.

Red Rabbit is a folk horror epic. Honestly, I can definitely see the marketing behind it being a folklore and an epic, but I could not see the horror aspect. It could have just been me, though.

When it came to the plot, I did think it was pretty unique, and for half of the book, I found it to be engaging. But, as the story went on, I felt like it suffered from pacing issues, which pulled me out of the story.

I did struggle with finding the characters interesting and relatable, which made it hard for me to get more into the story. on the flipside, Red Rabbit has an interesting set of characters: witches, devils, ghosts, etc. Then, it does take place in Kansas.

Overall, I did not love Red Rabbit, but I did not hate it either. If you enjoy fantasy, horror, plot centered books, and an interesting cast of characters, then check out this book.

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.

I really struggled to get into this at first but the 2nd half of the story definitely made up for that! Once it get my attention I enjoyed it, but it was hard at first to really focus on all of the side characters and such. The narrator did a good job.

Time for a book review! I am really vibing with this new crop of horror westerns I am seeing out in the book world these days and RED RABBIT by @therealalexgrecian is no exception. Thank you to the author, @netgalley and the publisher @macmillan.audio, @tornightfire for the audio-ARC and the finished copy.

The audiobook on this one is absolutely enchanting - cowboy songs are even sung at the fireside in this version of the book. Plus the character voices and demeanors were adeptly navigated by the narrators - highly recommended.

The general storyline of the book is that folk in Kansas, men mainly, have put a bounty on the local witch, Sadie Grace (aka Shady Grave). All number of outlaws sieze this challenge and our motley crew of characters join up together at first, to get the bounty for themselves. This rag tag crew of witch master Old Tom Goggins and his non-verbal ward Rabbit, two outlaws named Ned Hemingway and Moses Burke, and a homesteading woman named Rose whose husband has recently kicked the bucket form an unlikely band of travellers.

But this is no ordinary Kansas. There are ghouls and demons afoot, not to mention sociopathic vigilantes...

There was so much of a found family, community vibe in this book that it made me feel so full even amongst all the danger and horrors - banding together to weather adversity is a major theme.

This story is full of ghosts, witches, demons, outlaws, cannibalism, prairie justice, and some wry wit to boot. I loved the characters and how they played up on each other's strengths to survive the wild.

My biggest take away from this book was that sometimes the scariest things in life are just other humans. Yikes!

Absolutely highly recommend this book if you like historical horror, found family, a quest/journey narrative and well- rounded character studies.

My historical horror shelf is growing and I ain't mad at it. Do you have a favorite historical horror book? I loved LONE WOMEN (Victor LaValle) and THE REFORMATORY (Tananarive Due) and THE HUNGER and THE FERVOR (Alma Katsu) as recommendations if you haven't read any!

💚SMASHBOT💚

Red Rabbit is a surprisingly gritty but frightfully fantastical horror western hybrid that oscillates smoothly between genres while establishing its own story. For fans of both westerns and dark fantasy (and who don't mind Cormac McCarthy levels of violence)

Grateful for the opportunity to dive into the ARC of this book, though it didn't quite captivate me enough to reach the final page.

Demons and witches and cowboys, oh my!

When I saw Red Rabbit on Netgalley, I had no idea what to expect. I’m not really much of a horror fan but the publisher’s blurb intrigued me. The story is set in the old west only this old west is replete with witches and demons and all kinds of supernatural entities. A reward has been offered for powerful witch, Sadie Grace, dead or alive. Among the many seeking the reward is Old Tom, a witch finder. As he makes his way to capture her, he gathers a group of others to accompany him. They include two cowboy drifters just looking for a bit of adventure, a recently widowed school teacher, a young Mexican man who may also be sought by the law, and a little gir or maybe boy who Tom has named Rabbit. Rabbit never speaks but has an uncanny ability to sense when danger is imminent. And on their journey, danger is in no short supply including a vicious demon, cannibalism, and, of course, Sadie herself.

As I said, horror is not my usual choice of genre si I was not prepared for how much I enjoyed this book. There’s plenty of excitement, action, suspense, and spine tingling thrills as well as a whole lot of characters to care about but it’s probably not a good idea to get too attached. This is horror after all. Which brings me to a trigger warning. There are also plenty of grisly murders and gore so, if you’re squeamish this may not be the book for you. For me, though, this was one of the most entertaining books I’ve read or, in this case listened to all year. The story was narrated by John Pirhalla and I suspect his spot-on narration went a long way in adding to my enjoyment.

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to this audiotape in exchange for an honest review.

I have no idea what I just read, but I throughly enjoyed the ride.
This was a very interesting read, there’s witches and demons and cowboys and maybe werewolf creature. Oh also cannibalism which was unexpected and really threw me for a loop there.
There are A LOT of characters in the book and it can be hard to keep track of them all and who’s who and where they came from and why they’re mad at whom or whose wife is dead for what reason, it’s a lot to keep up with.
However, the story is great. I find many of the characters very likable I had a hard time putting the book dawn because I just wanted to get to the next chapter. I also really enjoyed that it was broken down in parts, but it also kind of gave away that some other crazy BS was about to happen to them again as well.

This book has cowboys and witches and folk horror — I mean what more can I say! There's a lot going on in this book and a lot of characters to keep track of, but they all stand out so well that I had no issue with it. I highly recommend the audiobook! There was fantastic narration and I loved the addition of a few songs. It was great!

Thank you Netgalley for providing a digital ARC.

This was absolutely stunning and incredibly atmospheric. It's the kind of story you can luxuriate in, and it follows the kind of characters you find yourself itching to know more about. Plot and setting weave together to create the perfect blend of folk horror, Western, and magic-- and I especially love how magic is just a fact of this world, woven into its very fabric. This is honestly the first thing I've read since Gideon the Ninth that felt this fresh and compelling, and the longer I sit with it the more impressed I am.

Red Rabbit follows a wealth of characters through a weird western setting, focusing on witches, monsters, and the dead, all of them converging on the town of Riddle where a high bounty has been placed on Sadie Grace, a local witch. Some are familiar with witches, others just along for the ride.

With the core cast, those journeying together towards Riddle, the book felt almost like a TTRPG campaign as the travelers moved from one dangerous and frightening location to another. The heart of the book was in that core cast, for me, drawn together by circumstance (at least that's how it seems) and coming to befriend and appreciate one another.

Unfortunately, there are so many perspectives in this book outside of that core cast, introduced throughout the book. I was so propelled by the main travelling plot that I would sometimes groan or consider skipping the side character perspectives entirely. Some of them, like a major character introduced late, ended up being wonderful additions. Other times, it felt unnecessary, such as with minor villains doomed to die a chapter later.

Still, this was a super fun Halloween read and I'm looking forward to reading more of Grecian's work.

A fun, campy read only slightly marred by an overabundance of perspectives.

While I thought the premise was interesting and the narration great, I had trouble connecting to this one and found it almost too busy. I might try a re-read/listen when I'm in a different mindset.

Red Rabbit was such a delight, I really enjoyed it! I didn't know what to expect going in, but it was such a fun adventure from beginning to end.

Red Rabbit is a dark, thrilling horror/fantasy take on a western that focuses on a ragtag group of people who come together and travel across the haunted West to ostensibly hunt a witch. The problem is that they have to get to where said witch is first, and what happens on the way is weird, disturbing, and usually pretty horrific as our heroes find themselves in terrifying situations that they barely escape by the skin of their teeth.

Author Alex Grecian has created a haunting and somewhat sad version of the "Wild West" here, one that is unique and pulls in legends of witches, demons, classic horror and more. A great narrator elevates the audiobook experience and really sells the whole experience.

An eclectic group find themselves traveling together as they all head toward Burden County. The group starts out with two cowboys that travel with no destination in mind. They come across Old Tom, a very colorful character that is a witch hunter. He has young Rabbit with him, a mute child that is very mysterious. They come across Rose, a widow that is ready to leave her lonely life and appoints herself caretaker of Rabbit. Tom is headed to claim a large bounty on Sadie Grace, a witch that is wanted dead or alive.The group embark on an adventure that leads them on a dangerous path full of unimaginable evil.

This was a lot of fun! The characters were quirky and I ended up liking them all regardless of their idiosyncrasies. After each horror they faced they seemed to grow closer and became stronger. Brutal, violent, bloody and yet had some tender moments that made it a really great story. This was a wild ride and definitely a great read for the Spooky season. The audiobook was done really well and even included some campfire songs!!

4 ⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
#NetGalley #RedRabbit #AlexGrecian