Our Wicked Histories has the perfect creepy atmosphere. This is a perfect story to curl up by the fireplace with.

Amy Goldsmith is two for two in the five star department for me! This was a wholly entertaining YA supernatural thriller.

One hazy night is all it took for Meg to lose her scholarship and her friend group. None of them will talk to her, including her best friend Lottie Wren and Lottie’s twin brother, whom Meg shares history with. When Lottie extends a surprise invitation to spend Halloween weekend at Wren Hall, Meg knows this is her chance to make things right. She can get her friends back and her spot in the art school as well.

That is all easier said than done though, when the hurt among the group still runs as deep as the lake on the Wren’s estate. Legend says something lurks inside and Meg comes up close and personal with the rivaling energies of the place.

This gave the perfect creepy atmosphere. The secrets held by past and present converge and the weekend turns deadly for the group, with Meg caught in the middle.

This has one of my all time favorite settings for any and all books thriller or horror, and that is the backdrop for this twisty and dangerous read. Amy Goldsmith has a way of pulling you in with gripping characters and dark secrets.

This was fine. It was nicely written, but I didn’t like that I wasn’t sure if it was going to cross over to paranormal or not the whole time.

This book would be perfect to read around Halloween. It has everything creepy. This book is a thriller that will keep you wanting more.

After a social gaffe, scholarship girl Meg attempts to get back into the good graces of the elite at her boarding school. She goes to the ancestral home of cool-girl Lottie Wren (and, not coincidently, her hottie brother Seb) to celebrate an arty Samhain, but something sinister is afoot.

Fast-paced, with the sort of fragile, bratty, high-end wealthy young characters we've come to expect from Gossip Girl and the like, this book offers shivery, flimsy fun for fans of Gothic horror. The threat is supernatural, even as the characters' flaws drive the action. Alert readers will spot the ending long before the end, but it's got atmosphere and setting aplenty. This novel was not my cup of tea -- I did not connect with the characters or their challenges, but that's a mood issue more than a book issue.

Thanks to NetGalley, Random House Children's, and Delacourte Press for the eARC in exchange for my unfettered opinion.

This spooky, gothic mystery is ideal for Agatha Christie and "Knives Out" fans. The autumnal, eerie vibes are just elite! It packs in all the elements of a fantastical gothic thriller: a creepy, old mansion (this time Irish so that was a lovely twist!), a mysterious murder, a tumultuous friend group, and there's even some dark academia vibes too. As an Allison Saft and Silvia Moreno Garcia fan, this novel definitely appealed to me. "Our Wicked Histories" did an amazing job creating terror and unease from not only the creepy atmosphere, but the discontent and bad vibes amongst the female friend group. The shared animosity of the characters only adds to the well-written uneasiness of the main mystery.

I loved the author’s first book Those We Drown but this one fell a little flat for me. I still really enjoyed it. To me, it just wasn’t as good as Those We Drown. Some of the story felt like it dragged on a little bit. But the atmosphere and spooky vibes were great! I really enjoyed the ending! Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for a copy of the arc in return for an honest review!

Um oh my god this was terrifying and bone-chilling and brilliantly written, ahhhhh

This is a dark murder mystery with mild paranormal elements thrown in, set in a stormy, thunder-y setting at a dreary, creepy old mansion in the countryside, with a group of high schoolers with infi drama between them. The set up of the social groups and sub-groups and the past/present narrations were done so well, and the horror aspect of the book was super creepy and horrifying please 😭

The ending >>> the murder mystery is tied up and explained so well (well, there are a few hanging threads about the future, but well, it's an Amy Goldsmith book, the ending is gonna be equal parts hopeful and recovery from the horror and left for the reader to imagine), it was really satisfying.

BUT STILL, Amy, what do you think about writing a short chapter about poor Meg having some peace and fun? 🥲🥲

TWs - horror, murder, drowning, death, betrayal, cheating, stalking, gaslighting

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

Our Wicked Histories is an excellent sophomore novel by Amy Bishop. She has created fully fleshed out characters with a gnarly social hierarchy, placed them all inside a gothic Irish castle, included dark foreshadowing and a dual timeline which added to the tension of a *possible* murder. The mystery and dark shadows within this book are an absolute delight. Despite getting annoyed with the MC often, I found her incredibly believable, the poor choices she made furthering the plot into the viciousness of the supernatural and non-supernatural entities of this book. I’ve got to admit though, you couldn’t pay me to try to stick around and be friends with this group of characters. And for that reason, I thoroughly enjoyed reading the nuance of them trying to coexist together, particularly when things stopped going their way.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing an ARC for my honest review.

I apparently do not click with with Amy Goldsmith's writing, but the propulsive plot drove me through this book in one night regardless. It's not my favorite YA horror/thriller, but it gets the job done.

Thank you to netgalley and Random House Children's, Delacorte Press for allowing me to read this book. This cover is so damn beautiful. This book was creepy and it gave me all the vibes I was looking for.

Set on an old Irish Estate, Our Wicked History has a gothic feel. Meg is invited to attend a Halloween party at the Wren twin’s family estate and she jumps at the chance to go after being shunned after an event that happened at a school dance. She hopes to apologize and make things right to regain her friendships. The estate isn’t what Wren or the other guests expect. It’s more run down than expected, mirrors are covered, and strange noises happen. There are several flashbacks to tell what happened.

Our Wicked Histories was a quick and entertaining read with supernatural elements.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s/Delacorte Press for the ARC of the ebook.

A good read. I thought it was a bit slow in the beginning but picked up. Overall, I’d recommend this to older teens.

I'll admit, I was a little skeptical going into this one, since I wasn't the biggest fan of Goldsmith's previous book, Those We Drown. However, Our Wicked Histories was leagues ahead, and I was very pleasantly surprised. The beginning of the book reminded me a lot of the horror movie "Bodies Bodies Bodies," which is one of my favorites. I liked the interactions between all of the characters, especially Meg and any other character. I thought that the dual past and present timelines were so great and flowed very well together. While the mystery would have been great even without any of the supernatural elements like the banshee, I really enjoyed that and it definitely made the story spookier.

This book is creepy and I am here for it!

When Meg travels to a classmates' Halloween party, all she wants to do is apologize and set things right so she can go back to her old life. She doesn't expect to uncover lies, murder, and ghosts!

The setting of this story is perfect- an old family home in Ireland that has a lake with a tragic history.
The pacing was great. The uncovering of the story kept me turning the pages, but scared to turn the lights off.

Eerie tale, with just the right amount of suspense.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for an early copy for review

Embark on a journey into the eerie depths of this YA paranormal mystery, draped in the captivating allure of a haunted house theme. My adventure with this book kicked off with the magnetic pull of its splendid cover, a siren song that whispered, "Read me now, Nilufer, you fast reader, horror-obsessed nerd!" A sincere thank you to the publishers for granting my clicking impulse, turning it into a thrilling reality.

Beyond the enchanting cover, the narrative unfolds within the gothic, claustrophobic confines of a mysterious house, blending elements of a whodunnit mystery—a perfect convergence with my cherished thriller tropes, compelling me to dive into the story without a second thought.

The pacing of the story is commendable, steering clear of yawns or head-scratching moments, ensuring an uninterrupted and engaging reading experience. It avoids the pitfalls of boredom, slow burn, or dragging, making each page a seamless continuation of the mysterious journey.

However, amidst the laudable storytelling, the narrative falters in its portrayal of characters. The presence of dislikable characters, including the flawed protagonist Meg, adds a layer of complexity. Meg's bad-tempered nature and desperate attempts to fit into a higher social circle create a tension that permeates the narrative.

While the storytelling is praiseworthy, the major mystery succumbs to predictability, leaving me with an irresistible urge to reveal the perpetrator's identity to Meg. I found myself patiently waiting for her to catch up, playing the role of a spectator with prior knowledge of the conclusion.

Delving into the core narrative introduces Meg, a scholarship student at Greyscott Academy, whose path intertwines with the enigmatic Wren twins, Lottie and Sebastian. A scandal during the school's traditional ball propels Meg into a journey of redemption, forcing her to navigate the eerie secrets concealed within Wren Hall in Ireland.

In the end, the book presents an intriguing concept, notwithstanding its missteps. I've settled on a 3.5-star rating, rounding up to 4, acknowledging its fast-paced nature and the popcorn-read quality that captured my interest from the outset.

A heartfelt thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s/Delacorte Press for generously providing this digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest opinions

“Our Wicked Histories” is an adrenalizing and evocative story. This book was a thriller that I enjoyed reading page after page because the author created a wonderfully woven mystery story involving secrets, betrayal, and friendship. Wren Hall has an ominous lake whose stories are terrifying. The complex journey in which Meg attempts to be accepted by her friends again and understand Wren Hall leads to an intriguing character development. It does an excellent job of mixing horrors with psychology, thus creating a fascinating revelation of personal and historical puzzles. The story has many unforeseen turns that make you question the integrity of the characters and the actual story of Wren Hall. If you admire suspense and moody scary, this story is a must-read!

Thank you to Random House Children's, Delacorte Press, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

This book took a long time to get to the chaos and mystery. The first 80% was a build up of what would happen and the twist and turns. Since it took that long I was kind of over it already. Although that twist I did not see coming.

Okay so this book is my new OBSESSION?! When I tell you it had everything! Beautiful writing, beautiful but bleak descriptions, a sketchy cast of characters... I could picture everything so CLEAR.

Favorite Part:
The ouijaboard scene!!! dear lord OR the sleepover party (so tense!).

Quick Synopsis:
Meg goes to Ireland to stay at her friend's ancestral home but once over there she can't get images of a screaming, watery woman out of her head, meanwhile both Meg's past and house's dark past are slowly uncovered.

I've never read a story about a bean si before so that was really awesome.

If you like gothic or ghost stories this is a total hit!

This book was really great to read. I couldn’t stop reading it. It took me a while to read the book, but I finally finished it. It was probably the best horror book I’ve ever read five stars.