Thank you to NetGalley and Brigids Gate Press L.L.C for an eARC copy of What Happened at Hawthorne House by Hadassah Shiradski.

This particular novella is split into two parts, the first of a group of girls living in an orphanage and the events that led up to their deaths. The second half is years later, during WWII when the orphanage was being rebuilt for refugees of the war.

I personally loved the first section, nothing is creepier than an orphanage in an old home and children playing a game of power with one another. The descriptions and character build up were fantastic, I really wanted more of this section as I felt like it ended too soon.

The second section wasn't my favorite. The transition was done well, but I didn't care for the manager of the construction and the focus moving from the children to him. Plus the ending left much to be desired.

There could have been a lot more done to flesh out the novella.

i’m quite conflicted on how to rate this book, as it wasn’t bad by any means, but i expected more. the book is told in two timelines and i was ready for more horror and, unfortunately, it didn’t deliver. the first half was more enjoyable to me because the setting and the kids were very creepy. the atmosphere was eerie, and the orphanage worked perfectly as a setting. the second half was okay, but i can’t help but wish we would’ve seen the ghosts cause more chaos.

the writing was exceptional – the characters were skillfully crafted to be just the right amount of creepy and, even at the start of the story, you can sense something just isn’t right with them. the main character, rosalyn, had quite an interesting point of view. i do wish we would’ve seen the other girls’ POVs, but it’s not really something to complain about. however, i think seeing marie’s and sophie’s backstories would’ve made the girls more distinct, as their personalities were quite similar – they’re cruel for no apparent reason.

now, i think the first part should’ve either been shorter or creepier, as it doesn’t really add much to the story and felt a bit too long. i also understand that the two parts of the story work together, but at the end of the book, i didn’t really feel like there was a point to all of it. perhaps the story would’ve worked better if the second half was at the beginning, and we’d figure out the story alongside the main character from that part.

in the end, the story itself was interesting and i don’t regret reading it at all, but i wish it was a bit more polished. granted, this is subjective and i can see other readers loving the story as it is. i will read the author’s next works as i can see the potential within this novella.

I don't read gothic horror often but this is a fast.paced.read. it captures the conditions of what living in an orphanage at the time would be like rather well.
And the game the girls play to cope with their situation gives perfect chills.
You see how quickly things get out of hand as the pranks go too far and it grips you.
I enjoyed this short read. Perfect for fans of asylum scary stories.
Trigger warnings:
Abuse
Neglect
Gore
Child death.

Thank you net galley for allowing me to be an arc reader!

3.8 ⭐️ Fun ghost story about an orphanage that catches fire during a game the children play called Clover Court. All the orphans were lost in the fire and remaking haunting the premises once it begins to be rebuilt. Excellent read before Halloween. Thank you net galley for giving me this review copy for a fair and honest review.

The book was told in 2 parts. The first part is narrated by Rosalyn, who lives with other orphaned children. They invent a "game" where they try to be Queen by playing nasty pranks on each other and whomever injuries the others the most becomes Queen, until she's dethroned. They spend this whole section sniping at each other and are rude, vicious monsters. The pranks start with things like throwing their clothes outside or getting them in trouble with Matron, but escalate to destroying a locket that is all one girl has left of her family, locking people in a closest that they filled with spiders, putting maggots in shoes and beds, and then even injuring someone's head with barbed wire and hitting someone with a hammer.

The characters were flat and interchangeable. There was so much "Marie said __, Rosalyn said __", and "Marie did __, then Sophie did __" and I couldn't keep them straight (and didn't really care). I felt like I was trapped in a middle grade book for most of this section and it was painful to read. Both Marie and Sophie seemed like psychopaths or sociopaths; I kept wondering if they had something to do with their families' deaths. It would have made the story more interesting and believable if instead of it being a generic orphanage, if it was more of a children's asylum. I couldn't understand why they were all so nasty to each other and since it was constant nastiness, it all blended together.

Part 2 was much more interesting. It was set in the future where someone is interacting with ghosts. This part didn't start until 55-60% into the book and by that point, I was ready for it to be over, so I didn't enjoy this part as much as I could have. I wish the first part had been condensed into, at most, 20% of the book and this section expanded more. Or interweave the 2 parts so the interesting part wasn't at the end.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this advance review copy.

What Happened at Hawthorne House
Written By Hadassah Shiradski
Release Date August 25, 2023
Publisher Brigids Gate Press
Genre Horror


Characters: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Pace: 5/5
Horror: 10/10….REALLY
Overall Enjoyment: 5/5

It is not often that a horror novel really scares the crap out of me but this one, by an author I had never heard of, packed a serious punch and then to be a short novella proved to be one to reckon with. All I can say is this author has the ability to tell a scary as hell story that packs a serious punch and puts other great horrors to shame. When I started reading this book, it was late in the evening, when I finished……every little creak or noise I heard had me jumping and shaking. I honestly did not sleep that night at all. If you love horror stories, than this is definitely one you HAVE to read.

The story takes place in the Hawthorne House orphanage in 1926. Little Rosalyn has created a game of sorts to play with three other girls who she shares a dormitory with. This however is not just any game, it is one where the outcome makes the winner the Queen and to hopefully have rein over the territory and make their lives happier. Rosalyn becomes more and more anxious to wear the crown. As Rosalyn makes the crown, she knows she is not currently the Queen but she wants to see just once what it feels like to wear it. It is once again time to play the game. The Queen, Sophie, tells Marie that she must tell her something that would not be known to her. Yet through a prank, Marie now has the crown on her head. But….that is about to change. right along with the rules. The premise of the game is being better or able to pull the best prank on the others and to have the best royal court ever. Or at least what they think a royal court should be. There seems to be a hierarchy in that the other girls also have titles such as duchesses and princesses. The game quickly becomes something more sinister. Can Rosalyn become the Queen and what is she willing to do to be able to place the crown upon her head?

This is told in two parts. The first has an immediate build up that controls how the game is played and what information the reader is given. It is a very fast paced read. The second half really takes the story to a new horrific tale that honestly scared the hell out of me. The build up to the creepy orphanage and haunted children running around. It is brilliantly told with characters that are at first very sad, glum and dejected. The reader is drawn in to that and becomes empathetic but soon the tide changes and so do the characters. Overall this book is a very fast paced read that will take you on a roller coaster with twists and turns and just when you think it is going to let you off….it goes faster and faster… All I can say is hold on tightly because this is one hell of a ride…..

I really liked this book! Some parts did drag a little, but the actual action made those plot-building bits worth it. My one complaint is that I wish it were longer - I feel that the action could have used more room to breathe.

i went into this with no expectations but i loved it!! the hawthorn house was creepy, the court clover game was creepy, and the children?!? oof. i had chills. such a fun little novel.

I went into this thinking it was Middle Grade Horror.
No it’s very adult.
Creepy af.

The girls of the Hawthorne House Orphanage play a game called the Clover Court basically they do wicked things to be become queen.

Short little novella that packs quite a punch. I will be thinking about that for a long time. And will continue to have a health fear of run down/burnt houses.

Thanks to NetGalley and Brigids Gates Press for an eARC.

What Happened at Hawthorne House was a Gothic style Novella that follows an old English orphanage and court of orphans that live there. How bad can a children's game of queens and princess be? Turns out, really freaking bad.


SPOILERS











I enjoyed that switch up half way through. Just when I thought maybe it could be getting stale, the switch of perspective happened just in time.

I do think multiple POVs from the different orphans could have been interesting. Especially a POV of how Rosalyn is when it isn't from her self view. Is she has "kind" as she seems?

Biggest critique would be pacing of the first half but overall I was engaged and it was a very interesting premise for a haunted orphanage.

I read an eARC of What Happened at Hawthorn House by Hadassah Shiradski. Thank you, NetGalley and Brigids Gate Press, LLC.

This book gave me serious, Court of Rose feels. It’s the creepy orphanage setting where the older girls create a court with a queen, princesses, and duchess, and then they act out horrible acts on each other because they’re copying how the adults in their lives treat them. That is what play is for after all.

In the first half of the story, we follow Rosalyn, the young girl in 1926 who creates the game and then the “crown” that the queen is to wear. Even as she makes it, she knows she’s not the current queen. But she still takes a moment to put the crown on her head and be the queen just for a moment and be in charge. The little girls in the orphanage are not part of the game, but the three oldest are. To begin with, Sophie is the one who is the queen. Marie challenges this, and when Sophie answers that Marie has to tell her something she didn’t know, Marie gets the crown with a cruel prank.

Because that’s how you become queen. You “show you’re better” or “get one over” on the queen, and even the other princess’s and duchess’s. While the rules are not completely clear to someone on the outside, the girls all act with the knowledge of the young of how you pull a prank, how you can respond to a takedown or prank, that will keep or lose your place in the hierarchy.

When two sisters join the orphanage, we watch them both get pulled into the game.

The story is set up in two parts. The story leading up to the “event” and then the follow up to the “event”.

I loved every moment of this creepy story, and definitely think it’s worth reading!

What Happened at Hawthorne House by Hadassah Shiradski was an amazing little novella.
I was drawn to this book by the intriguing cover.
A quick, creepy and engaging horror story that sucked me in almost immediately.
The writing was great and characters were very interesting.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Brigids Gate Press for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Thank you NetGalley and Brigids Gate Press, LLC for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

What Happened at Hawthorn House by Hadassah Shiradski is about a group of girls in an orphanage in 1926 who play a make believe game. This game is their focus around their life of work at the orphanage. This game of royal court has devastating consequences as they fight to be the queen.
This novella was interesting and took a major shift that I was not expecting. With this shift it renewed my interest in the story. You definitely feel the suspense and constant tension from the girls not knowing what would happen next.
However, I was hoping for more of a plot line to it. Though the shift in the plot line was interesting, it felt like the build up from the rest of the book prior escalated and ended rapidly. It was a little jarring. Like I said previously the shock in the change renewed interest in a different story once I got to it though.
Overall I enjoyed the story and would recommend it to anyone who likes some suspense mixed with horror.

“Dead Moths. Dead Butterflies. Dead spiders.”

This was a very creepy horror novella that made me uncomfortable (in a good way). I enjoyed it and look forward to more from this author.

Thank you NetGalley and Brigids Gate Press for the opportunity to read and review What Happened at Hawthorne House. All opinions are my own.

The setting is an orphanage, Hawthrone House, in the 1920s. Our main character Rosalyn creates a game for her, and the other orphan girls play to pass the time in their very unhappy lives. This game revolves around a made-up royal court where each girl tries to be the queen. The game gets out of hand and that is where the horror comes in.

This is a very unique story with a plot I haven't come across before. The plot is horrifying because children are involved. About halfway through this novella the plot changes up to something I wasn't expecting. Kudos to the author for that. The ending also surprised me and left me wanting a little bit more of the story. Readers of gothic horror will enjoy this one. Hawthorn House is available now.

This was great! I loved how creepy and disturbing it is. The characters were well developed and the setting was great. This is now one of my favorite ghost stories. I HIGHlY recommend this to anyone who enjoys ghost stories and horror books. Special Thank You to Hadassah Shiradski,RDS Publishing, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

<b>Caution: Kids at Play!</b>

This was a quick novella, and I went in blind. I liked the first half quite a bit. The chracterizations of the girls felt authentic, and I loved the building tension as their game escalated.

The second half felt like a completely different book though. It was jarring to go from one to the other. It also felt like it just sped through to the end from there, with no real conclusion, unfortunately.

It was still well written and I enjoyed it. I do wish there was more backstory on the girls. Where they came from, how they ended up at Hawthorne House, etc. I kind of wish that this could be revised into two books, with both time periods more fleshed out, with the second being people's experiences there down the road, almost something like the Beast House Series by Richard Laymon.

There's definitely potential here, and is worth checking out!

This novella was a quick read that had some really interesting elements to it! I enjoyed the way the story panned out and the general plot of ‘orphaned girls develop a sinister game of one-uppance that when left unchecked, goes too far’ however I just wish we had more of a motivation for the girls hatred of each other. The simple and mean pranks were ceaseless, to the point that I wasn’t surprised nor horrified once they turned violent. I think small acts of kindness between the girls (intermittently) would’ve made the bigger acts of cruelty more alarming. I liked that we got to see the girls haunting the manor and I think the second part of the book was a really clever way of continuing their story.

This was a short novella. It took me awhile to get into it, I did almost dnf, but glad I did not because the second half does get better. It has very gothic vibes, with creepy children that haunt the home. I was not into the writing style in the beginning because I was not sure where the story was going. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of the ARC in exchange for my honest review. 3 star

I am genuinely a sucker for horror rooted in childhood experiences, and so, I adored this novella. It has the complexity of female friendships from a young age, possession, games that turn out to have a twist, and also, an interesting way to exploring the aftermath of the 'horror' episode. I also really liked the cover to this book, which definitely attracted me to it in the first place! I think if someone is looking for quick, creepy read, this will be right up their alley!