Rapunzel retelling but make it dark. Fairy tales are my favorite, but pair it with horror, I absolutely ate this up. This starts off crazy, then goes into a slow burn, but not boring slow. I enjoyed the character development and the whole build up. One thing I’ll say, don’t get attached to any of the characters, as they might not be there by the next chapter. I love when authors do that. I wish there was more lore added about the witches history, but it didn’t take away from the story. I loved seeing my mother tongue in this read. That’s what originally attracted me to this book, is the title. Kosa, which means hair. Loved it! Wish I read this around Halloween

Thanks so much to NetGalley and DarkLit Press for access to an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Unfortunately, I've finally decided after leaving this book sitting at 63% for months because I wanted to finish but couldn't bring myself to push through it anymore to go ahead and DNF.

I was really excited at the prospect of a horror-heavy retelling of Rapunzel going into Kosa, and in theory, this is a genius book. The plot is interesting and John Durgin has come up with a lot of unique and twisted ways to tell the story while not straying so far from the inspiration that you don't see it at all. For me, I think Kosa fell flat because of the execution and the writing far more than the idea itself. The pacing was insanely slow for me through much of this book, and then in the moments when things would get really creepy or even a little scary, it felt like we flew through them with little to no description or explanation, and that was so frustrating because it ended up feeling like I was pushing through so much of the book for so little payoff when the horror vibes started to set in. And on top of that, these characters...they're very one dimensional and aren't given the space to really show what they're thinking or feeling, so instead it become a tell instead of a show, which takes a lot of fun out of the reading.

I would try another of John Durgin's books in the future, I think, but this one needed a lot more work on the character writing, pacing, and overall writing quality and ended up making a really awesome idea fall flat for me.

This one just fell flat for me. The writing was decent, but very plot-driven and a little more fast-paced than I liked. It didn't give me any time to get to know the characters and build suspense or creepiness. I wound up deciding not to finish the book. The cannibal cats were kind of adorable, though.

This book starts out as a bit of a slow burn but, once it gets to the real meat of the story, there's no stopping the horrific events that unfold.
A unique and unimaginably brutal tale, based on the children's fairytale, 'Rapunzel,' Kosa envelopes you into a warring world of dark magic and naive innocence. "Mother" is an ancient, powerful, menacing, altogether evil witch who will stop at nothing to hold onto her power, using Kosa in an extremely creepy way to maintain her disturbing needs.
If you love a creepy, witchy, good vs evil story, this is it!
Many trigger warnings include, but are not limited to:
Animal abuse/death
Child abuse/death
Kidnapping
Isolation
Orphaning
Suicide

This book was so immersive and anxiety-inducing throughout its entirety. With notes of a classic fairytale and absolutely vivid imagery we are pulled into a horrific twist on an already creepy tale.

Thank you to NetGalley and DarkLit Press for allowing me an ACR copy of Kosa. All opinions are my own.
If you like horror retellings of childhood stories, then this might be for you. I’ll be honest, it took me a while to get through this. Even though I have a pretty strong stomach for horror books (at least so far) there was something entirely unsettling about the storytelling. Which I promise is a kudos! But just be warned of triggers. Besides the horror aspect I was surprised to find how much this story prompts deeper though about greed, fear, and power of family.

It would have been helpful to have additional insight given regarding Marta and her practice. We see some of it once the story progresses, but I still felt like a huge opportunity was missed, and the information given to us felt glossed over. Even as I reached the end, I still felt that the lore and world-building didn’t feel complete.

A lot of the story is focused on the positive and very negative impact of family. It wasn’t made to be the spotlight, but a pretty close second. I appreciated how it never overshadowed the additional themes but kept reminding us as the story progressed.

There is a pretty decent amount of gore and uncomfortable situations spread throughout. It definitely keeps you on your toes and may make you pause once, or twice. They were artfully done in my opinion and absolutely kept the fear of the unknown on your toes.

I love fairy tale retellings, especially when it is made horror. This book was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed the subtle ties to Rapunzel that the author ultimately turned into a wholly unique story that was grotesque and pretty terrifying. The characters were really well developed, and I really enjoyed learning about the complexities of the main character and their moral conundrums. They way the story is spaced out in time is poignant as well. This is my third Josh Durgin book, and I continue to be a fan. His writing style is raw and descriptive, and his character development progresses throughout the story and always hits the mark for me. If you like dark fairy tales, retellings, or just an overall unique horror story, this is one to pick up and an author to continue to look out for.

Kosa is a fabulously grim Rapunzel retelling by the amazing John Durgin.
I think i loved this book even more than his previous ones.
There's something alluring in fairytale retellings. Original fairytales are generally dark and gruesome themselves (until they get a Disney makeover), and this tale lent itself beautifully to a twisted and horrifying story.
Like all of the author's books, it's perfectly paced, perfectly edited, as if John was born with a pen in his hand. He probably was lol
It's definitely a must read for every horror fiend.

Wonderfully scary, more than anything you'll read this year.
I'd call this one folklore horror because it has familiar themes and characters but the story is wholly original. The writing is top notch and very atmospheric. There are a few scenes that more sensitive readers might not like but I found them almost essential to the story. If you like frightening, creepy stories about wicked witches with lurking animals and vulnerable children then be sure to pick this one up.

In a secluded mansion hidden away from the outside world, young Kosa lives under the strict and overpowering rule of her enigmatic mother. For Kosa, the rules set by Mother are the guiding principles of her life, shaping her beliefs and actions.

This was very well-written and very atmospheric. I loved the tension that the author built.

This one was a fun read. It reminded me a bit of Neil Gaiman's work, fairytales for adults, but this one was much more sinister. As someone with mommy issues, I definitely empathized with Kosa. The story had good pricing, aside from a few sections that dragged a little. I enjoyed the horror and disturbing plot twists. Definitely will definitely read more from this author.

This is a very good retailing, of a beloved fairytale, and I really enjoyed it. There is a lot of twist and turns. Most definitely a lot of horror. I believe anyone who enjoys horror will enjoy this story.


I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.

***3.5 Stars***

Kosa was actually a pretty solid book full of twists and turns. While I enjoyed this twisted tale based on Rapuzel (although it also felt a lot of like Hanzel and Gretel), and was surprised at some of the events that occurred, I did feel the overall story lacked in both character and plot development relying mostly on attempted shock value to propel the story forward. And while the pacing was good, some of the dialogue actually pulled me out of the story and even had me rolling my eyes, at times.

I actually did enjoy the multiple characters as it gave the story a different perspective every time someone new was involved. Kosa's situation was the most interesting to me and I would have liked to have connected with her a bit more, to really understand her situation and her fears. I felt the author wrote her a bit superficially which made it hard to really empathize with her situation even though you got glimpses of how difficult her life must have been. Equally, Marta, the mother, was fascinating, and I think a bit more background would have made her character that much more sinister rather than just relying on her magic being the thing that was sinister. Only enough information was given to make me even more curious about her life and why she chose to do the things she did, but was never fully developed or fully explained satisfactorily. I think that foreboding element just wasn't there for me because of this lack of development. I wanted to sit on the edge of my seat in anticipation, but I didn't.;

While I actually didn't mind the pacing, there were parts that were a bit repetitive. However, while I do think parts could have been structured a bit better to enhance anticipation and fear, the author does write a compelling story nonetheless and I had trouble putting it down. And although I enjoyed the cats as part of this story, I would have liked an explanation for them and their behaviour and how they came to be there. So, while the story was compelling, there were a few plot holes, things that weren't explained or hinted at, but were still quite interesting even if you knew they were there to add to the creepiness or eeriness of the setting.

Kosa was a fun read overall and I think I am more inclined to read twisted horror fairy tales than romance ones as I find them more interesting. I don't feel that horror necessarily has to have horrific things in it to be scary as hell, and this book would be great for someone who is looking to try the genre, but doesn't want anything too gory. This author is proof that you can write about something horrific without giving too many graphic details, but still maintain the horror element for a creepy story.

The story of Kosa by John Durgin is a tale of some of the darkest horror one can imagine. We experience a parent’s worst nightmare, but the nightmare continues even after the parents are dead.

This was truly a fantastic retelling of Rapunzel, but horror style! The writing flows effortlessly, and the plot was easy to follow. The characters felt well fleshed out, and easy to like (or hate if we’re looking at Marta).

I truly couldn’t put this one down, or stop thinking about it. I cannot recommend Kosa enough and highly encourage you to pick it up and give it a read!

This book was great. I loved the re telling of the story. My heart bled for Lisa. Great read. The story really started getting going about half way through. I really enjoyed it and the ending was great but sad also x

Kosa has never left her home in the isolated woods under the strict control of her mother. As she gets older Kosa starts to suspect that mother isn't always right. Kosa has a gift that keeps her mother alive. Mother is a witch that will do anything to keep her power including hurt others.

Kosa is a great main character. She is a great light to offset the extreme darkness that is her mother. This is a loose retelling of Rapunzel, but super dark and twisted. This is a wicked witch story with an antagonist that is cruel beyond belief.

With the dark nature of some of the content I feel like I need to include a few content warnings such as death of child, child abuse, and cannibalism. I would highly recommend this novel to those that can handle the subject matter.

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

2.75⭐️ I think the right person will enjoy this book but that person was not me.
Based on the description, I thought the story would focus mostly on Kosa however there are other characters that get more attention. For me, it felt too long and drawn out and I would have preferred a novella length.

I have always thought that the fairy tales we hear as children are more horrific than soothing. This is a great take on Rapunzel and Hansel and Gretel. From the first page, I was drawn into the story and the action never let up!

The author has done a great job in portraying the life of a young girl who was snatched from her mother's arms shortly after birth. Kosa grows up with her "Mother", who is actually a witch named Marta. Not only does Marta need something from Kosa, she also needs sustenance from young children who happen to show up in the woods around her house.

The book is full of poignant moments as children go missing, parents do unthinkable things, and Kosa comes to realize what is happening around her. Throw in some truly horrifying "cats", the love of a man for his nephew, and a corrupt individual who is helping Marta and you have a great story. Well-written with great characters and plenty of action, you'll never look at these fairytales in the same way again!

I was given the chance to listen to the audiobook by DarkLit Press and the narrator did an outstanding job with the different voices and accents for the characters. Her performance made this book even better!

Thank you NetGalley and John Durgin for the ARC!

The creepy cover made me immediately want to read it. I had no idea what it was about, and pleasantly surprised to find a Rapunzel retelling.

The psychological aspect between Mother/Marta and Kosa is so interesting. Definitely a Stockholm Syndrome situation.

I liked the way it was told in parts with all the different characters. The glimmers of hope that were immediately squashed. The horrific endings most of them met—it was engaging from beginning to end. I had to know what was going to happen.

Loved this chilling read. The cover definitely sparked my interest when I first encountered this book. It gives a new spin on the old witch in the woods trope and definitely had me coming back for more