This story fell flat for me, almost felt like it didn't go anywhere. Almost dnf'd at 53%. It felt predictable with almost no character development

I read this author’s debut novel and was excited to see what she did next. I enjoyed this one even more.

Can we take a moment to gaze upon this stunning cover? Haunting, mysterious, and alluring – it goes perfectly with the story. These characters are either old money, new money, or no money – main character Meg falls in the latter category. She receives a scholarship to the exclusive Greyscott Academy where her mother is employed in janitorial services. Meg is worried she won’t connect with any of the wealthy students, but she’s immediately befriended by the charismatic Lottie and welcomed (by some) into her group of friends. With the opportunity of a lifetime, good grades, and new friends, Meg’s life is like a dream – until she does something so offensive at the spring ball that everyone drops her, and she faces school suspension. Three months later, Lottie invites her and their friends to the family manor in Ireland so Meg can make amends.

Between the crumbling manor and creepy lake with statues that may or may not move when you look away, this novel is brimming with atmosphere. The Ireland setting and its lore just multiplies it. Normally I need to connect with characters, but this large cast is a perfect example of how that’s not necessary to enjoy a story. None of them are very likeable and most treat the others, especially Meg, badly. Chapters alternate between revealing Meg’s fall from grace and the horrors the characters face at the manor – disappearances, bodies, the possibility of a murderer among them, and possibly something unspeakable in the lake.

Other reviewers have compared this novel to The Haunting of Bly Manor, and there are similarities. The blend of horror, mystery, and psychological thriller makes for a compelling story I read in a couple days. I’ll definitely be snatching up this author’s next release. Recommended for fans of gothic horror, dual timelines, and those who don’t mind unlikeable characters.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I didn't know I needed a book that gave Bly Manor meets the Fall of the House of Usher with a dash of Haunting of Hill House, but that is exactly what Our Wicked Histories gave--and I DEVOURED it! It doesn't hesitate to hit you with the eeriness of it all; we're thrown right into the midst of Meg's history and the history of Wren Hall. So many moments in this book gave me chills and made me wonder if I should sleep with my lights on, avoid any and all water, avoid mirrors...possibly all three...and I was kept in a chokehold wondering what was really going on at Wren Hall. My only complaint is that the pacing near the middle/mid-end got a little slow--but I wanted so badly to find out what had happened to Meg and how the book would end that I hardly cared! Amy Goldsmith left me thoroughly impressed and desperate for more, and I'll DEFINITELY be picking up Those We Drown. Fear death by water, right?

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my e-ARC of Our Wicked Histories.

𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔
📺 loved The Fall of the House of Usher
🇮🇪 want to visit Ireland
🎃 love Halloween
📖 enjoy reading YA drama

• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓

There’s something in the lake at Wren Hall.

At least, that’s what the locals say. Not that Meg cares much about the rumors. When she’s asked to spend Halloween weekend at the Ireland retreat of the wealthy Wren twins, she recognizes the invitation for exactly what it is: her last, and only, chance to save her spot at Greyscott’s, the exclusive British art school she attended on scholarship until last summer. Clever, beautiful, and talented, the twins are the pride of Greyscott’s, and kindhearted Lottie Wren was once Meg’s closest friend. But not anymore.

None of Meg’s old friend group have talked to her since she left school—and they especially don’t talk about the incident that resulted in her suspension. Now, Meg is willing to do whatever it takes to earn their forgiveness.

But Wren Hall turns out to be far from the idyllic country manor Meg was expecting. The house is damp and drafty, the mirrors are all covered, and the weed-choked lake is at the center of legends that haunt the property to this day—a tainted legacy the estate seems unable to shake.

The truth is, people aren’t the only ones who keep secrets. Places can keep them too—and Wren Hall is drowning in them. When the past bleeds into the present and ancient sins rise to the surface, Meg must ask herself how well she really knows her one-time best friends...or whether any of them will survive the weekend.

• 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒

This was an interesting read that started off really strong but slowly lost the plot for me. I loved the setting - Ireland, October, Halloween right around the corner, and a possible ghost? Yes! But it slowly turned into more of a drama than a paranormal mystery for me which I just didn’t love. Those who love YA drama will probably love it though. I just wanted more of a spooky feel.

I did not like this book at all sadly. The gothic setting was nice along with the ghost hauntings these really carried the book for me. As for the characters, they were a bit weak and just seemed to whine the whole book. Most books that use flashbacks I enjoy because they give you a better idea of the story and how it unfolded. This book started off making me think it was the second book in a series and took too long to do a flashback so that the reader knew they were describing how we got where we are today. I also feel like the flashbacks were in odd places and didn’t smoothly connect with the story.
Thank you to Random House Children, Delacorte press, and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

I thought the atmosphere of this book was done well; the crumbling old mansion next to a murky lake surrounded by Irish rain and fog was a great setting that enhanced the creepy vibes.

I wish there had been a bit more focus on the murder mystery and the banshee/ghost element and less on the teenage drama. The present day pettiness and snark combined with the regular flashbacks of Meg's time at Greyscott's hindered the otherwise well done creepiness. The final reveal of the killer was a bit obvious for me; but I think this worked well as a YA thriller. It would be a fun read to curl up with on a blustery rainy day and get spooked.

This was a deliciously frightful tale! The story itself feels heavily inspired by gothic themes, stylistically reminiscent of a hybrid between Mary Downing Hahn's earlier middle-grade horror works (in terms of the spook factor. This particular novel is not suitable for a younger audience!) and The Haunting of Bly Manor (if you know, you know). Though I presumed the "twist" long before the curtains dropped, I still very much enjoyed the ride as a direct result of the incredibly well-written sinister atmospheric tone... If you needed anymore prompting, the story is set in Ireland, in a remote, isolated gothic estate that overlooks a lake that may or may not have been the site of some, well, pardon the pun, wicked history. Not to mention because it is Ireland after all, it reliably rains for 90% of the novel's events.

Definitely a fun ride, though I wish I had saved this one for October!

This was a great young adult gothic horror story. This book was very atmospheric and the author’s writing was captivating. I found the story to be a bit slow to start out but it had enough elements to keep me intrigued until it picked up. I loved the eerie setting and also how the author incorporated mythology and folklore into this story. Overall this was a good read, that’s perfect for the spooky season.

Thank you to Delacorte Press for the gifted copy.

“Our Wicked Histories,” by Amy Goldsmith

I really liked this book. It was slow in the beginning but picked up after a little while. I got very attached to the FMC and did not want to see these rich, spoiled, mean kids treat her the way they do. The ending was a shock to me because I saw it going a certain way, but it wasn’t exactly like I thought. The FMC struggles with what and who she wants to be, sitting in with her peers, and her own morals and self-respect. She grows a lot throughout the book. The murder mystery aspect in a desolate place during a storm made the plot more intense. 4 out of 5 stars, so worth reading.

-Ghost Lore
-Banshees
-Poor Kid X Rich Kids
-Who Done It
-Artists

Thank you for the ARC, Netgalley.

This is such a great blend of folk horror, gothic horror, and locked room mystery thriller. It’s been a long time since a YA book has hooked me like this. A pretty slow burn but I loved the element of things increasingly feeling ‘not right’ with this dilapidated ancestral home. And there were some truly chilling moments! I was reading this late at night and actually got scared, a rare occurence.

Our Wicked Histories gave massive Erin A. Craig vibes, so if that’s an author you enjoy then you absolutely need to check Goldsmith out.

I did audio for the last 20% and thought the narrator was the perfect choice.

Our Wicked Histories is a thrilling, terrifying gothic horror that kept me reading so late that my eyes hurt and I had to stop. It's about Meg, who up until recently, was a scholarship student at a prestigious private arts school. She's been suspended, cut off from the future she was building for herself and her friend group, ever since an incident at the summer ball. But all of that is going to change. Her best friend, Lottie Wren, invites her and the circle of friends to the ancestral Wren manor in Ireland, a place steeped in colonial trauma and more recent trauma, crumbling and flooding and generally more than a little unpleasant (even before the deaths start). Meg is going to make amends, get accepted back at Greyscott's, and continue on with her life. That is, if she can survive this getaway. Mix banshees, a Samhain party, creepy paintings and creepy twins, no cell service, and what you should do then is fear death by water.
I loved it. It started a little slow, and was annoying in how much it held back about the Incident, but once it got rolling, it really got rolling. All the characters are spectacularly dislikable (with like, 1.5 exceptions), as it should be in a book set in a gothic manor. It was a bunch of rich kids and one deeply unreliable narrator, and much like Knives Out, one of them is guilty of something way bigger. Or it's a ghost. The atmosphere is so perfectly set, with the storms and the lack of cell service and the way the power keeps going out. It uses a lot of tropes, but tropes exist for a reason. Goldsmith uses them well, not as a crutch but as a way to help lay breadcrumbs for the reader. The tension builds and builds, and watching the characters squirm and break as the pressure builds is delightful. The backstory, what happened when Meg was accepted at Greyscott's and what led up to and happened at the ball, sometimes feel like they slow the story down, at about the midway point, but as the book builds up to both what did happen at the Incident and the climax of the book, it speeds back up again. Additionally, it's genuinely very creepy horror. It had me freaked out to go to the bathroom because there's a mirror in there, freaked out to leave the warmth of my bed because the rest of the apartment was dark. It was scary, and I lived for it.

Do not read this book at night. You've been warned!

Halloween, Irish manor setting, the author of Those We Drown—that's all I knew before diving (aha!) into this book and once again, Amy Goldsmith did not disappoint. She's back with her beautifully descriptive writing, eerie setting, and a story that moves at an amazing pace. On top of that, some truly unsettling moments. Why oh why did I only read this book at night? Lol

If you're into books that are atmospheric, that hook you from the very first chapter, and have creepy small-town legends, I would definitely check out Our Wicked Histories. This book was fantastic and is the perfect Spooky season/Summerween read. I cannot recommend it enough!

Our Wicked Histories, written by Amy Goldsmith, is a captivating and suspenseful narrative that had me on the edge of my seat until the final page. The intricate plot and complex characters kept me guessing throughout the entire story, making it a truly unforgettable read.

DNF. Too slow paced, plus the atmosphere didn’t draw me in, nor did the incredibly vapid characters.

A YA atmospheric horror story that took me by surprise. So I believe the author has mentioned that she was inspired by Edgar Allen Poes story “The fall of house usher” so that already gives us an idea on the feel and direction this story is taking and I totally got those vibes. It’s set in an Irish gothic hall and flips between past and present following Meg who is expelled from her private school after some incident but has the chance to make amends over the summer by staying at this fellow students Manor in Ireland. I really enjoyed it! Perfect for the upcoming spooky season.

This was a totally atmospheric YA gothic horror mystery. The setting was perfection, I love a creepy manor, plus this one has a creepy lake too, and at Halloween no less! I was totally immersed in the story, and it had a great amount of creep factor. Topped off with drama and wonderfully unlikeable characters, I'd definitely recommend it. Add this one to your spooky season TBR for the ultimate experience!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Amy Goldsmith for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Our Wicked Histories coming out July 30, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I was really intrigued by the summary of this book, so I wanted to check it out. I really loved the setting of Halloween in Ireland. I loved the first half of the book. I thought it was really suspenseful and mysterious. There were a couple things I didn’t care for in the second half. I think the Fall of the House of Usher inspiration made it a little more predictable since I’ve read that story. Meg’s personality was a little wishy-washy when it came to Seb. I wasn’t feeling it. Meg’s actions were a little annoying in the second half. But overall, I really enjoyed the story. It wasn’t as horror driven as I thought it’d be. I would check out other books by this author.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys spooky YA books!

"A teen girl's attempt to make amends with her former friend group takes a sinister turn during a weekend getaway at an ancestral Irish estate in this atmospheric, literary horror from the author of Those We Drown.

There's something in the lake at Wren Hall. At least, that's what the locals say. Not that Meg cares much about the rumors. When she's asked to spend Halloween weekend at the Ireland retreat of the wealthy Wren twins, she recognizes the invitation for exactly what it is: her last, and only, chance to save her spot at Greyscott's, the exclusive British art school she attended on scholarship until last summer. Clever, beautiful, and talented, the twins are the pride of Greyscott's, and kindhearted Lottie Wren was once Meg's closest friend. But not anymore.

None of Meg's old friend group have talked to her since she left school - and they especially don't talk about the incident that resulted in her suspension. Now, Meg is willing to do whatever it takes to earn their forgiveness.

But Wren Hall turns out to be far from the idyllic country manor Meg was expecting. The house is damp and drafty, the mirrors are all covered, and the weed-choked lake is at the center of legends that haunt the property to this day - a tainted legacy the estate seems unable to shake.

The truth is, people aren't the only ones who keep secrets. Places can keep them too - and Wren Hall is drowning in them. When the past bleeds into the present and ancient sins rise to the surface, Meg must ask herself how well she really knows her one-time best friends...or whether any of them will survive the weekend."

Sometimes the secrets of places are far more dangerous than the secrets of people.

Thank you Netgalley and Delacorte Press for allowing me to read and review Our Wicked Histories! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If you love the atmosphere of Mike Flanagan's films like The Haunting of Bly Manor, The Fall of the House of Usher, and The Haunting of Hill House, you're going to fall in love with Amy Goldsmith's sophomore novel, Our Wicked Histories.

I haven't been thoroughly creeped out by a book in a long time. Amy Goldsmith's storytelling is incredible. I was kept on the edge of my seat till the very last page. I love the way she was able to weave the words in such an eerie, and deliciously dark way. There are a couple of predictable moments but I was still entertained by the twists at the end.

I know I'll be haunted by Our Wicked Histories for a while.

Also, whoever did the cover for OWH needs a raise. It's gorgeous! I wish I could buy a print and hang it on my wall.

4.75 stars

Not gonna lie…I hated most of our characters. I also thought Meg was a little too much ‘pick me’.

But Meg grew on me, the plot was fantastic, and I soon found myself lost in a very good mystery.

While a few of the secrets were obvious, I still very much enjoyed the read and found myself simply anxious to find out if I was right.

Definitely a solid read.

• ARC via Publisher