I was expecting a gothic atmosphere from the cover and this story delivered. The characters and story were captivating and the pacing worked really well.

I was immediately interested in “Our Wicked Histories” as we are told in the synopsis that the story is set in an Irish, gothic hall and what could go wrong? It was curious to find out that Amy Goldsmith was inspired by Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher” - I haven’t read it but have seen the trailer for the Netflix show and went in expecting creepy along with gothic. My expectations were met of a gothic atmosphere and I will now reconsider some trips to old halls and places.

The story flip flops between the present and past; however, it was a bit confusing as there was often no clear delineation that we were suddenly reading a flashback. I also found the ending to be a bit abrupt. This is quite a lengthy read with a lot of build up that maybe some of that page count could’ve been allocated to the ending.

I found Megan to be an okay character - I didn’t love her and I didn’t hate her. I did find her annoying when it came to Sebastien - he was boring in my opinion. As for the other characters, none of them were likable which may be the point but they also didn’t make me want to throw the book away if that makes sense. It does make it harder to connect to the characters and care for them in the long run.

Overall, I found this to be an interesting read but it was too long. If you enjoyed “The Secret History,” I recommend “Our Wicked Histories” - both have gothic atmospheres and creepy twins.

This book had me at the edge of my seat. This was amazing. The gothic atmosphere, characters, and writing was done so well. This was a well done dark academia and perfect for the fall season. I was fascinated by the Irish Folklore. The mystery was don e so well and I wasn't expecting the ending.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

The cover was the first reason why I wanted to read this book. It’s absolutely stunning. The summary sounded right up my alley, unfortunately I just thought this book was ok.

To me, it was a slow start and I struggled to get invested in the story. I do think this book will be widely loved, and I may even give it another shot in the future when I’m in the mood for a slower paced atmospheric mystery.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Our Wicked Histories by Amy Goldsmith is a first-person POV YA horror reimagining of The Fall of the House of Usher. When Meg is contacted by her old friend, Lottie Wren, for a chance to redeem herself and return to the art school of her dreams, Meg jumps at the chance. Not only will her future be put back on track, but she’ll also be in close contact with Seb, Lottie’s twin brother and Meg’s crush. But not everyone is happy to see Lottie and there are secrets hiding in the waters of Ireland.

What I really liked about this was the prose. There’s a real beauty to the descriptions in their creepiness but also in how Goldsmith writes Meg’s longing for Seb, leaning into poetic language to create a realistic look at teenage first loves feeling like The One without becoming overwrought and stale. The descriptions of the paintings were just the right amount to set the tone and capture the ideas to help stimulate the imagination.

Meg and Lottie’s friendship is complicated by Meg’s secret feelings for Seb and it twists further with the addition of Laure, a long-time member of Lottie’s friend group who is also in love with Seb and has been for some time. Laure is possessive of Seb and antagonizes Meg at every chance when she realizes that not only does Meg have a crush on Seb, but that Seb is attracted to Meg. Lottie remains oblivious to Meg’s feelings but is well aware of Laure’s crush. To further flesh their relationship out, we get flashbacks that slowly peel back what happened on the night that caused Meg to get expelled and what happened between her, Laure, and Seb.

There are also glimpses of the legend of the bean si (banshee) and her relationship to the lake outside the Wren mansion as well as mentions of the Irish potato famine. The use of modern Irish for the bean si and then translating it to the common Anglicanized version help draw attention to Irish folklore and the Irish language. It is especially important to do so for minority languages, such as Irish, as they help create more avenues for readers to learn and take an interest in those languages and cultures.

I would recommend this to fans of horror set in Ireland with British characters, readers looking for horror related to Irish folklore and traditions, and those looking for a reimagining of The Fall of the House of Usher that is fairly removed from the new Netflix show.

This totally Gothic horror book had me hooked! It was so atmospheric and consuming. This is the 2nd best book I've read this year. A horror must read!!!
I just reviewed Our Wicked Histories by Amy Goldsmith. #OurWickedHistories #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

Meg was expelled from her elite private school after an “incident” at the summer ball six weeks ago. But now, over fall break, she has a chance to make amends when the popular Lottie Wren invites her to spend Halloween at her ancestral manor in Ireland with their old group of friends. But things feel off immediately: Wren Hall is practically in ruins, and local legend says a banshee lives in the lake out back. As events begin to unfold, Meg’s anxiety increases and she worries that she should have just stayed home, even if it meant missing out on a chance to get back into school. Because all the secrets are coming out this week, and there are some that will change things forever.

The atmosphere of this book cannot be understated. It was absolutely amazing. The gothic nature of the mansion, the tension between Meg and her former friends, and everyone tip-toeing around the fact that something is going horribly wrong. I mean, what more could you want? It’s a pretty big mind-altering affect to, because it becomes hard to tell what exactly happening and what’s just exaggeration or paranoia. Everything becomes blurred, even for readers.

However, I was able to figure out a couple of the “twists” before they were revealed, though I still enjoyed the book overall. There’s still enough going on that you want to read to the end to see how everyone ends up and how it all works out.

Also, fans of Irish lore and culture will love all the references to local legends and history. This book is filled with so much Irish ghostly tales, it was so interesting.

Overall, this was a great book with an intense atmosphere and story, even though it’s labeled as “YA.” I have no qualms recommending it to anyone who loves a good mystery/thriller!

*Spoilers*

I tend to rate on the experience/enjoyment of reading the book, so the 2/5 here does not reference the writing or the talent of the author, which was perfectly fine and nicely polished. There were some downright spooky moments that gave me chills. It does however reflect how four major problems I encountered while reading ruined my enjoyment.

The first, Our Wicked Histories could not decide if it was a murder mystery or a paranormal mystery or what. I appreciate a little mixed genre, but the way the plot unfurled these issues felt like you're getting jerked around.

The second was that the "culprit" was telegraphed so badly from scene to scene that there was no surprise when we got to the end. My eARC copy contained a note from the author at the beginning re: writing inspired by the Fall of the House of Usher and perhaps this influenced my suspicions but this ultimately resulted in a thrill-less thriller.

The third was the absolute crime of abusing the "Oh and then I remembered what really happened" trope without any complicating circumstances. Meg could have been drugged. Lottie could have started feeding her the fake story right on the dock. Whatever, just there has to be a reason she has forgotten and then suddenly remembers what really happened. Not that she just comes to three months later when it's convenient for the plot.

Finally, the fact that the author and editorial team didn't catch how it was like two pages between Meg swearing off Seb and then Meg once again cuddling with him on the lake shore at the end was just annoying. Meg just bends to serve the plot as needed over and over again.

YA readers will enjoy the spookiness of this setting, but anyone looking for a tightly plotted mystery should look elsewhere

Thanks NetGalley for the read!

Our Wicked Histories is a mind bending thriller with a hint of the supernatural. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book it was a great storyline that kept you guessing all the way to the end. I love that even though you don’t trust the friend circle it’s convoluted enough you can’t truly guess what actually happened and still in motion. Very well done and crafted. I definitely recommend reading it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

While I loved the moody atmosphere of this book, it was less about ghosts and such than I wanted it to be. More, it focused on a girl pining after a boy. I figured out who was behind a lot of the goings on almost immediately. Also, some of the lore in the book was a little confusing and not fleshed out like it could have been. I've always been fascinated by Ireland and banshees, but this version was different and I don'[t know how well it all fits together. I wanted more depth and substance than I got with this book.

Perfectly creepy and wicked, the story stayed fast paced throughout with no pauses making it hard to stop reading. The banshee lore and the suspense had me in love and a little creeped out from the very start.
The only thing I didn't enjoy was the abruptness of going back to past memories, there were a few times I had to reread a few paragraphs to figure out where / when I was in the story due to only a few spaces between paragraphs with odd structuring.
However, I did enjoy reading the past memories to give more life to these characters, it really helped me to understand the tension and drama within the group, and made me care more when things got heavy, and the action started.
Overall, the atmosphere made this a perfect gothic read.

I’m a big fan of mythology and this story very much felt like it could have belonged in a revamped fairytale while also having that lore lay in the background allowing the reader to wonder if that was another thing to question aka is it a monster or man and I think I loved that most.
The vibes were off the chart spectacular. I love all things gothic and mysterious!

The cover quickly drew me in, but I struggled with the book a bit. I was never really able to fully engage with it. The pace was slower than I expected, and things were a bit confusing, particularly at the beginning. It was hard to keep some of the characters straight because the storyline seemed to just go back and forth with really nothing happening. I did appreciate the spooky vibes and the setting, as well as the ending.

Grab a blanket and make sure you have your nightlight on readers, this book will leave you wanting to pull it over your head to keep the things that go bump in the night away. "Our Wicked Histories" is the perfect blend of gothic horror with symbalance to Poe. I absolutely cannot wait to re-read this story as a one of my spooky reads this October. Suspense, horror, the supernatural, and mythology mixed in with the rich kid story line this is the perfect book for young adults and I will be purchasing a copy for my library and I know it will fly off the. shelves. Well done Amy Goldsmith!

Thank you so much to Random House Children's Books/Delacorte Press for allowing me to read the e-arc of OUR WICKED HISTORIES. This review is entirely my own thoughts and opinions!

*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚

OUR WICKED HISTORIES is a captivating tale of Irish mythology, murder mystery, and the complexities of private school friendships and relationships. Meg is a scholarship student to a prestigious private school and somehow managed to become friends with the "in" crowd at the school—until disaster struck at the Midsummer Ball and suddenly she's at risk of being expelled and abandoned by her friends. When an invitation to a Halloween Party at the Wren ancestral Ireland family home arrives for her, she jumps at it, hoping to be able to make amends with her friends and keep her place at the school secured. What seemed like a weekend of fun, shenanigans and making amends soon turns into a nightmare as Meg begins to uncover secrets and her friends go missing.


MY THOUGHTS:

You ever finish a book and just kinda sit there wondering how the heck you're gonna write a review for this book because it was just so dang good it completely melted your brain into head empty no thoughts only happy 5 star book vibes? Yea, this book did that to me.

From the start, the book captivated me and its pages turned, the harder it became to put it down. It's a multi-timeline story, bouncing between the current events of Meg and crew's stay at the Wren Manor and the past, focusing on her relationships with the circle and how things fell apart. Normally, this form of storytelling can put me off because I get irritated with the constant cliffhangers each timeline is paused on, but I was so invested in how Meg got to where she is and what happened at the Midsummer Ball and what is happening now that the switches in timeline never bothered me. The author also did a fantastic job of tying in the past with the present. Each time there was a switch from present to past, the past almost always tied in somehow to the present, giving reasons to each individual's reactions and relationships with each other. It was incredibly well done and very well thought out.

This is my first time indulging in Amy Goldsmith's writing and oh my goodness, its a treat! She keeps the atmosphere tight, never deviating from the spooky, ominous feeling that hangs over this tale. Even when we delve into the past, the ominous feeling still hangs over it with the knowledge that <i> something </i> happened at the Midsummer Ball and we're creeping ever closer to the reveal as tensions heighten, both in the past and in the present. I greatly appreciated the aspect of the paranormal with the inclusion on the Irish lore of the <i> baen sí</i>. It was just flat out creepy and lended the tale a plethora of nail biting moments.

In regards to the characters, good lord, we've got toxic, self obsessed, desperate, shady, loyal, uppity, over the top, insecure, vapid—all rolled into one discordant group of friends. It makes for fantastic tension as you wonder if the disappearances are caused by one of them or if the legend of the banshee is real. There were really no characters that were misses for me, even if certain personalities irked me.

Overall, this was an AMAZING read for me. My head is still reeling from the ending. Fantastically spooky and the kind of horror I love to treat myself to.

I inhaled this. If I could erase my memory to read this story again I would. I cannot get over Amy’s gorgeous writing like her descriptions are so wildly beautiful I want to cry and sit next to her so she can teach me her ways. I was proper spooked and will probably never look in a mirror again. This spectacularly creepy fast paced story will have you at the edge of your seat. Love, love, love.

Last year I was lucky enough to read an ARC of THOSE WE DROWN, and I was thrilled to get a copy of Amy's second book. Wow, from the cover-- one of my favorites of the year!-- to the premise, I was in. The atmosphere was :: chef's kiss:: and I was scared more than once. Unraveling the mystery kept me flipping into the wee hours of the night, and I really enjoyed the backstory scenes a lot, which made the present narrative slow down deliciously so. Well done, and I can't wait to read what Amy comes up with next!

In our wicked history by Amy Goldsmith we get another banger of Gothic teen horror this time we meet Megan after causing a kerfuffle while attending her summer ball at the prestigious school she attends on scholarship (something no one in the book let you forget.) after three months of not speaking to her Uber Ricch “friends“, Lottie calls and invites her to a Sawin party at there Irish estate and Megan can’t wait to be reunited with the twins Lottie is her best friend and Zeb is her crush. Right after arriving in Ireland the cab driver almost crashes but when Megan sees a girl on side the road crying the cabdriver quickly pulls off and almost denies it even happened. That will not be the last siding of the girl Megan sees and is only the beginning of the weird thing this book becomes. It definitely has a Gothic feel and they were many great things about this book I just thought the summer ball her having to apologize and the whole ghost story was all a bit much. My biggest question is even despite the ending who would want to have these people as friends? Also, they kept acting as if she was a loose cannon but the book I read she was just defending herself… I guess that’s what you have to go through when you are materialistic because that is all she kept bemoaning losing all the luxuries the namebrand clothes and how many times did she walk in the room and we had to listen to how it was the same size of her whole flat. I like the overall story but hate when reading a book and there is no one to root for and Megan is no hero. I mean why would you date a guy that only acts interested when no one is looking? Either way the characters are horrible people but the story is a really good one and if you love ya horror then you’ll definitely enjoy this book I want to thank random children’s for my free arc copy via NetGalley please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

This is the exact kind of genre of book you’d want to read in a rainy day or night with a steaming cup of earl grey and a candle lit. The authors note at the beginning sets the tone, stating that she was inspired by the Irish legend of a harbinger of death and her association with water, which inspired her to create Wren Lake. With comparisons to Poe and Bly Manor, you know before even starting what kind of vibes you’re going to get.

This book started out strong. The bleak setting starts from the first page, down to the weather. I never thought of Ireland as a dark or foreboding place, but the gray skies, constant rain, and “sullen black clouds” make it feel like you’re in a Poe story. The book even takes place during Halloween. Picture twisted elms creating a tunnel leading to a bleak manor covered in moss and ivy, being hit by unrelenting rain and permanent gray skies. For anyone looking for a gothic setting for this next read, this is exactly what you’re looking for. A+ for atmosphere at the beginning because this book starts out very foreboding.

After a strong start, as it continues, it starts to feel more inauthentic. In the sense that, it is trying too hard to be creepy when it really is not creepy at all. The beginning plays up the gothic aspect, building anticipation, but then the bulk of the book becomes just high school teen drama. I found myself getting less and less interested in it all. It kind of gave, trying to feel like Crimson Peak/Bly Manor/Poe but not successfully achieving that. In the end it just ended up being….just okay. If anything it just made me feel like rereading Erin Craig’s sisters of the salt series because those genuinely are fully gothic fiction to the core.

Thank you to Netgalley and Delacorte for sending me an advanced copy in return for my honest review!