TW: Language, drinking, smoking, rape, torture, gory scenes, suicide, racism, sexism, blasphemy, cheating, death of children

*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:Sadie Grace is wanted for witchcraft, dead (or alive). And every hired gun in Kansas is out to collect the bounty on her head, including bona fide witch hunter Old Tom and his mysterious, mute ward, Rabbit.

On the road to Burden County, they’re joined by two vagabond cowboys with a strong sense of adventure – but no sense of purpose – and a recently widowed school teacher with nothing left to lose. As their posse grows, so too does the danger.

Racing along the drought-stricken plains in a stolen red stagecoach, they encounter monsters more wicked than witches lurking along the dusty trail. But the crew is determined to get that bounty, or die trying.
Release Date: September 19th, 2023
Genre: Western Folk Horror
Pages: 464
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

What I Liked:
1. Loving how the book is written
2. Audiobook narration is great

What I Didn't Like:
1. It ended too soon - can't it just go on forever 💀

Overall Thoughts:
Oh my God I loved every aspect of this book. I loved that it was a western. I loved that there was magic to it. I loved that there were witches and there were ghouls and there was heart to it. The writing was so enthralling that I was along with them.

Every character in this book added to the story. Not one character felt like they should have been left out or they were not needed. From the second I started reading this book I had to know where it was going.

As a huge fan of westerns I feel like this book did something that I haven't really seen in movies or other books. It's hard to have a book that is a historical fiction not feel weighed down with just details and not feel boring. But somehow this book managed to keep your interest while still feeling for the characters. The fact that Sadie is painted as this terrible evil witch but then we come to find out that really she is the mother to Rabbit is just a twist I did not anticipate or see coming. Maybe that's a little naive but I think that's great storytelling because I wasn't even thinking about the end I was just enjoying the book as I was going.

Loved the part about the cannibalism. I had a moment where I stopped reading and said ew.

Final Thoughts:
Cool just leave me here in tears with that ending. Oh my what an amazing story. If I could I'd give a million stars.

Reading this book did kind of remind me of The Wizard of Oz but not in a bad way. It just made this book have heart.

Recommend For:
• Westerns
• Witches
• Magical books

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Thanks to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and Tor Publishing for this advanced copy of the book & audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A horror fantasy western with witches? Hell yes

This was a really fun and dark adventure story through a parallel version of our own world. There are demons, ghouls, ghosts and really great characters.

This isn't my usual genre at all my I really loved it, so give it a chance even if it's not your usual thing.

Thank you netgalley and Macmillan audio for giving me an advanced review copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review, sorry for being a few days late!

I had so much fun with this book. This entire book is just one long journey through early America with some of the most fun characters that have ever been put on the page. Alex Grecian does such a good job at making the reader care about his characters. The ending of the book is pretty definite but I would not mind revisiting these characters in the future.

Overall I think this is a wonderful dark fantasy with some great characters, perfectly timed humor, and quite a few excellent scenes of horrifying imagery.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC.

Wow. I enjoyed this one so much more than I expected to. Red Rabbit is a fantasy western/lite horror. Life on the frontier is rough, even more so when you now factor in that there are witches, ghost, ghouls, cannibals, and all other manner of things that go bump in the night. Red Rabbit features a fairly large cast of characters, each with those own unique reason for being out and about on the frontier, with many of them being brought together as traveling companions. While much of the main storyline might seem to be about a bounty placed on the head of a local witch, it’s so much more than that. In some ways it had a very Lord of the Rings-ish feel to it. While the ‘fellowship’ that comes together in Red Rabbit doesn’t exactly have a unified purpose/goal, they willingly travel together and form strong bonds. I was honestly intrigued by each of the characters we come across, and felt totally invested in each of their own personal reasons for being out there. And what a fellowship it is. A widowed school teacher/farm wife, her dead husband (yes plenty of ghost action here) a couple of adventuring cowboys, a witch hunter and his ward (a young girl who goes by Rabbit). These are but a few of the fascinating characters we meet, not to mention the ‘witch’ that is the target of the bounty. I have to say I honestly can’t believe I’ve never read/listened to any of Alex Grecian’s work before now. I’ll definitely be digging into his back catalog. This is quite the hefty adventure, but it’s told in short exciting chapters that make the experience fly by. As for the audio narration, John Pirhalla does a fantastic job. If anyone is looking for something wonderfully unique and has the desire to see what happens when you cross Westerns with a touch of fantasy, I would definitely tell them to check this one out. I’d like to thank Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to listen to an advanced audio copy of Red Rabbit.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R1NKHYPQAP68O0/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

Red Rabbit is a time-looping, witch-hunt story, with a bit of found family for flavor (a little joke.)
The audio narration is done well and includes music, the Odyssey-like voyage of the characters has clear stakes, and you pretty much end up rooting for the witch.
The writing of Red Rabbit a bit laconic and feels like it ought to always sound a bit drawling and Midwestern.
Red Rabbit is a good book with wonderful surprises embedded in the story and an uncommon, satisfying approach to the fantasy genre.

Andrew King is burying his neighbors daughter in the woman he love he blames a “witch“ name Sadie Grace for her death and his neighbors bad crops. This is why there is a $1000 bounty on Sadie Grace‘s head. Ned Hemingway in Moses Burke have nothing better to do so they decide to hunt the witch down, on their travels they run in to Tom Goggins and little rabbit Tom is a self proclaimed which hunter Rose nettle has to find a new arrangement her mom is marrying the banker Giles Bradshaw and Rose doesn’t get along with the three Bradshaw daughters. This is how she finds herself on the train going to be the mail order bride for Joe Mullins. He is kind and they have seven peaceful years together and then unexpectedly Joe kicks the bucket. One night while rose is on her porch she sees three men and a little girl standing on Joe’s grave nailing a doll to a tree. After feeding them and giving them shelter for the night Rose becomes a part of the party. This begins the crazy journey of their witchhunt they will run in to ghost goblins demons cannibals and much much more. They will stay at the inn of the benders Who turn out to be cannibals but this is only after taking shelter at a farmhouse that has been taken over by a demon and his compadre. The best thing about this book is these or not passing acquaintances there was a story attached to each and OMG what a story it is and it all makes for one great paranormal Western that I absolutely loved! Not to mention despite Joe being dead he follows Rose and that is one thing I will definitely clue you in on just because a character has left the story doesn’t mean he won’t be back or she. There was so much I didn’t say in this review like how Tom got to be traveling with little rabbit the fact Little rabbit doesn’t talk in one eventually happens with Sadie Grace and the crew. This was a phenomenal story and it is lol but you’ll be glad it is because you will not want to stop reading it I also want to mention John pro Halle who is one of my favorite narrators and have perform some of my favorite horror stories and you can definitely add Red Rabbit to that list I want to thank McMillan audio and net galley for this awesome free audio arc. Please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

I am always willing to try westerns even though they are not my favorite genre. I have found several that I do enjoy and I really hoped this was one of them but it wasn't. Some of these modern westerns have all of the fun of a classic western but without all the misogyny or racism but this book didn't have that. This book was just as problematic as any classic western and the magic system that was added did nothing to enhance the story. The magic actually made the story much more confusing.
Overall this was a really disappointing book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Alex Grecian for providing me with a complimentary digital audiobook ARC for Red Rabbit, coming out September 19, 2023. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Sadie Grace has a bounty on her head for witchcraft. And every hired gun in Kansas is out to collect, including infamous witch hunter Old Tom and his mysterious, mute ward, Rabbit.

On the road to Burden County, they’re joined by two vagabond cowboys with a strong sense of adventure – but no sense of purpose – and a recently widowed schoolteacher with nothing left to lose. As their posse grows, so too does the danger.

Racing along the drought-stricken plains in a stolen red stagecoach, they encounter monsters more wicked than witches lurking along the dusty trail. But the crew is determined to get that bounty, or die trying.

This is the first book I’ve experienced by this author. I really loved the beginning of the story. I thought it was a creepy, interesting plot. I love the Midwest and Western Horror genre. I think things got a little bogged down for me during the middle of the story. I got a little confused with the many characters. I was interested in other characters who weren’t really followed. I also thought it would be spookier. I would definitely like to check out other books by this author.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys adventurous journey tales of the west!

This was such a unique treat. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect based on the description but was not disappointed. The characters were varied and didn’t fall into the expected character archetypes. The story was immersive and interesting. It was a bit long at points where I felt that the story was lagging, maybe a pacing issue.

Red Rabbit is a fantastic mix of horror and magic, with a touch of humour. Featuring cowboys, witches, and a few mysterious individuals, this novel has a bit of everything! It's an action packed story that held my attention at every turn.

I had never heard of this book or author before I picked up this novel and it's not my usual genre, but the synopsis intrigued me so I thought I'd try it. Right from the very beginning, this book was exciting and had a unique cast of characters! The pacing was great, especially for a story where the characters are travelling most of the time.

The use of irony in this novel was brilliant. It lead to certain "horror" scenes feeling a bit more lighthearted, which I appreciated as I'm not somebody who usually reads horror. I genuinely laughed out loud a couple times because of the irony!

The audiobook narrator did a superb job! It was clear when a new character was speaking, and the different accents were clear and easy to understand. It really added to the "western" atmosphere. I was even amazed to hear the unique way the audiobook portrayed a character singing! I can say with certainty that the audiobook really added to my enjoyment of the story!

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes novels that involve a journey, witches, and cowboys. Even if you don't read much horror or western genre books (like me), it's still a great read! For those that do, I'd imagine it would stand out as unique!

Red Rabbit was kind of like The Sisters Brothers meets Monsters, witches and other horrors. There was quite a large cast of unique characters and the books sometimes shifts between POVs which really helps paint a broad picture and fill in any gaps through the story. I really enjoyed some of the banter and the meshing of different personalities and viewpoints through the characters eyes. That's where the book shined the most. The monsters were quite unique and there were some twists at the end with who is after who and I felt like that could have been ramped up just a touch to really give the book a bigger punch.

Overall a really fun adventure/expedition-horror story about witches, bounty-hunters, demons, and ghosts in the age of horse-drawn wagons and outlaws. Something that has enough variation that it definitely keep your attention and leave you with many threads to contemplate at the end.

I want to give the narrator a lot of credit for tackling a book with a lot of characters and keeping the narration straight.

I’ve never read a horror novel mixed with western folk lore. Red Rabbit was easily capitulating and multi-layered. It had a lot of characters and from time to time it was hard to keep them straight,

This novel is plot driven, which made it flow a little slower than I may have liked but the story was so compelling it was easy to overlook.

I kept expecting this story to pick up and after reading a third of it decided it wasn't for me. I did like the writing style and the smooth narration.

I was expecting a half witchy book, half exciting adventure, but got slow travel with the characters missing some very big red flags.

Book Review:
Red Rabbit
Written by Alex Grecian
Read by John Pirhalla
Book 182/200
Genre: Western, Horror
Format: Audio/Digital, ARC
Pages/Time: 464/13hr 4min
Published: 2023
Rating: 9/10
Horror: 👻👻👻

Red Rabbit is one of those books I added to my TBR because I saw it on a list of best upcoming horror novels. I love those lists because more often than not, they reveal some true gems that I may have not seen otherwise. I am happy to say that Red Rabbit is one of those gems that I am happy to have read.

A band of travelers takes a quest to hunt down a witch, and along the way encounters various ghosts and ghouls. Grecian has taken this idea of a Western Odyssey and truly made it his own with spooky horror twists and turns. On top of that, Grecian shines writing these characters. Throughout this book I fell in love with every character of the band, ultimately leading to a great, bittersweet ending.

**Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the ALC of this title**

For me, this was 3.5 stars but I am rounding up to 4 stars because I went into it knowing that it might not be for me. I love horror and folk horror but Westerns are not my jam and I think that's what made this one drag a bit for me.

The storyline was interesting and the narrator did a good job. This is one where I feel that I would have liked the physical book a lot more than the audio because the audio just didn't captivate me during my commute. Red Rabbit would have been a nice cozy read for curling up with a cup of tea, but it wasn't thrilling enough to wake me up on my drive.

Check this one out if you like folk horror, Westerns, multiple POVs, and ghost stories.

Everything about this book was just what I needed. The storytelling is amazing, the characters all very engaging.

I’m Red Rabbit, we follow a large group of people. Sadie, wanted for witchcraft is being hunted by the law. Tom, a witch hunter also looking for her (with his young ward who he calls Rabbit in tow), comes across two men and a widow, who join him.

The widow begins to care care of young Rabbit and the strange bunch begin their journey, coming upon mess upon mess in their way. It seems while the law is looking for the witch, a darker evil is lurking and that means no one is safe.

This varying group of characters make up a broad spectrum of good and evil, each just as interesting. We get a mix between spirit realm and living people and the contrast is so intriguing.

Through the journey, we get some really integral world building and this book brings elements of thriller, horror and paranormal. I really enjoyed the narration as well. The voice actor gave a little something different to each character to make them unique.

I loved, loved, loved every second of this book. This is a paranormal western that makes me feel like I’m back playing Red Dead Redemption with all its sweeping views and salty characters. It has everything you would expect from an action packed western; gunslingers, orphan trains, bandits, Wells Fargo carriages, homesteaders, mail order brides and then you have the twist... In THIS wild west, people are not the only thing you have to worry about. All the paranormal elements from demons to witches come out to play and make this book so exciting to read. There is an excellent found family element to this tale that brings a diverse cast of characters together to travel across the western frontier. When a bounty is set on the head of the witch of Riddle Kansas, an old witch hunter named Tom means to claim the money. He picks up his rag tag crew along the way and together they encounter death everywhere they turn. This book was hard to put down and is not easily forgotten. I had so much fun while listening to this book that I immediately went to my local independent bookstore and pre-ordered a copy.

I don’t know that I’ve ever read anything quite like Red Rabbit, which is always exciting! I thought this horror story was a fun and disturbing journey through the Wild West! I did this all on audio and the narration by John Pirhalla was fantastic, he absolutely brought the story to life. There are a lot of characters and admittedly I did have some issues remembering who they all were without the physical book, but I do think this is one I wouldn’t have liked quite as much without listening to it. It did veer off into a few unnecessary side plots and given the longer length (464 pages / 13 hrs) I think it would have been stronger trimming back a bit on them. It has some graphic gore but wasn’t what I would consider scary, more just a dark vibe. The book tag line is “Saddle up, it’s going to be a bloody ride” which is accurate for sure 😂

A fun listen that horror fans will enjoy, and it’s coming out just in time for spooky season! Thanks Tor Nightfire, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC!

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the ALC

This is a good classic horror romp. In a pioneer era Kansas populated with witches, demons, and other ghouls, a ragtag group comes together to travel across the state to find a witch. In the group is a mute child called Rabbit, who centers the narrative while also seeming to always be on the periphery. The violence is gory, the deaths are interesting and the action is exciting, just like a classic horror book should be. This one is more action and gore than suspense, and the twists are pretty easy to guess.

My one letdown was the reliance on tropes without much examination of the misogyny and fear that backs those tropes. While race is less of an issue than with most classic horror (the Black guy is not the first to die, the racists get their comeuppance, and the when indigenous people are accused of massacres the characters state that it isn’t likely), gender and gendered violence is used as plot points without push back. Constant threat of rape, check. Witch tropes that demonize single women, check. Regular discussion and acceptance of women as whores, teachers, wives or mothers as the only old west options, check. While the use of these elements are less problematic than other horror I’ve read, the way that Grecian is attempting to work through the racism that is often found in the genre, but is accepting of the misogyny is disappointing.

So as a classic horror adventure, this is a solid example that will keep you engaged. As something of contemporary worth, it is lacking. However, I do think that this author has the skills to make future narratives that do challenge tropes without losing the power of the narrative.

This was such a fun, dark, journey read! I loved the witches and the negative perception that everyone had of her, when she was just trying to do her best. The found family trope is one of my favorites, so I loved that this really had that element. This was a 4 star read!