Happy Vampire Fall! I'm so excited that there are so many fantastic vampire books coming out this fall, and Dawn Kurtagich's THE MADNESS has been high on my list since it was announced. I've been a fan of Kurtagich's YA books all along, and I couldn't wait to get my hands on her new, adult Dracula retelling. Set in Wales, The Madness is vicious, frightening, and at times positively rage-inducing, retelling that honors the spirit of the original while still managing to be very much its own, unique work of fiction. Where Bram Stoker's novel pits a group of male heroes against the evil of Dracula in order to save the soul of the innocent woman in their midst, Kurtagich gives us the inverse: a group of women pitted against an ancient evil whose power relies on the cruelty of men and the murder of vulnerable young women. Honestly just so good, and I thoroughly recommend it for your fall TBR.

🧛‍♂️Book Review🧛‍♂️
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Summary- With one unexpected email from her estranged best friend, Lucy, Mina Murray’s carefully curated life is turned upside down. Leaving behind her psychiatric practice in London, she returns home to the windswept shores of Wales. Faced with everything she’s left behind, she soon discovers that Lucy’s symptoms mirror those of her mysterious amnesiac patient hundreds of miles away.

With nothing but an untreatable sickness connecting the two women, and with Lucy’s life on the line, Mina finds herself asking questions and being drawn ever-deeper into a web of secrets, missing girls, and the powerful, nameless force at its center—one that has been haunting her for years.

As terrible, ancient truths begin to reveal themselves, Mina prepares to confront her own darkest secrets, and with them, an evil beyond comprehension. Together with a group of smart, savvy women, Mina seizes one last, desperate chance to stop the cycle that began so long ago. But there are dangers to inviting the attentions of what might not be a man, but a monster…
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Rating- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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My thoughts- thank you so much @thehive for the advanced copy, this one released a few weeks ago but man was it fun! This was a super unique Dracula retelling from the perspective of Lucy, however Lucy is a psychiatrist and uncovers a deeper vampire secret. I loved this modern take on it, it was so wildly unique. This one was fast paced and I finished it within a 48 hour period. Highly recommend this one for spooky season!
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QOTD- what is your favorite supernatural monster ? I love Dracula and also swamp thing ! Happy spooky season book friends 👻

I will start with a huge disclaimer. If you have trypophobia do not read this book! The vivid writing is so graphic, it brings the scenes to life, which could be unsettling. Fortunately, I do not have trypophobia but I can see how the descriptive writing could give some readers the ick.

This novel is an excellent light horror read with a strong, easy to follow storyline which, for the most part, reads like a psychological thriller. Towards the end, it introduces a twist I somewhat seen coming, but it still requires a bit of imagination.

Mina is a doctor who specializing in dealing with female trauma. Having experienced her own trauma in the past, she chose psychiatry as her career. Mina has her own OCD issues and quirks to get her through life. When Lucy, her former childhood best friend reaches out for help, Mina returns to her hometown to discover what's troubling Lucy.

Ironically (too ironic), Lucy has the same symptoms as one of Mina's patients. As Mina investigates the root of their strange illness, she starts to unravel hidden secrets.

Overall, the book is captivating with excellent character development and a story I think is both creepy and fascinating. My only pet peeve is, while there is closure where it needs to be, the book ends with a cliffhanger. I am not a cliffhanger kind of reader! lol

Definitely recommend when you need a creepy vibe to read.

Okay, so like, let me tell you about this book, because it is literally the definition of a thrill ride! 😱✨ From the get-go, I was totally hooked! The mix of paranormal spookiness and psychological twists is like, next-level. Imagine a modern retelling of Dracula with Welsh mythology vibes—so cool, right? 🦇🔮

Mina Murray’s return to her hometown is, like, super intense. She’s trying to figure out why her friend’s all messed up with these crazy symptoms, and the whole journey is just so gripping. I mean, there are dark web conspiracies, eerie sleepwalking episodes, and this totally creepy underground world with masks and all that jazz. 😳🎭

I was, like, on the edge of my seat the entire time. The Gothic atmosphere is, like, seriously chilling, and every page had me, like, OMG what’s gonna happen next? 😬🖤 And that cliffhanger? Ugh, I need the next book like, yesterday!

Big thanks to NetGalley for the online copy in exchange for my honest review! If you’re into dark, creepy thrillers that keep you guessing, this one’s a must-read. I am so ready for more of Kurtagich’s magic! 💖📚

The author does a beautiful job of weaving the paranormal and psychological thriller into a contemporary retelling of Dracula! I especially love how the FMC of the novel was bold, tough, and powerful! This book was hard to put down, and if you’re looking for a good horror read that keeps you on the edge of your seat and begging for more, The Madness is the book for you!

I was so excited for this book, but unfortunately it fell a little flat for me. That's not to say it was bad, because it wasn't. It just wasn't what I was hoping it would be. First off, I really enjoyed the OCD the main character struggled with. Seeing as I have a brother with this condition I do feel like it felt accurate. I wish she would have seen someone for it, because considering that she's a psychologist (psychiatrist? She's the one that can prescribe medication) I think it would have been great to see that aspect of it. But oh well. Good representation is representation. Now, I will say that going into this book I thought it was going to be more of an eldritch horror novel, and it wasn't it was about vampires. So I might be slightly biased here, just because it came a little out of left field for me, and thus I'm slightly...biased I guess. The vampire aspect of it wasn't bad by any means, I just thought we were going in a different direction, so it ended up being a bit of a let-down for me. In the end I think I also have some nit-picks with things. The big one being that there seemed to be some rather large plot holes. The main one for me was about the vampires and how they fed. We have the elite vampires at the very top and they seem to just have one meal a year? Or one meal every 6 months? I'm not 100% sure about the timeline but I don't think it was overly common. Yet girls were always being taken to feed the...younger (?) ones. I know they had the police in their pockets but after several centuries you would think they would have a better way of getting food and then disposing of the bodies. Also why were men not eaten? It was exclusively women. Are there no female vampires? What about gay vampires? I get that vampirism is to some extent sexual, but I still have so many questions! Also after writing this all out my rating has dropped from a 4 to a 3. I think it's more like a 3.5, but in whole stars 3 feels more right than 4. Sorry. I feel like this whole review is kind of just shitting on this book, but it really wasn't all bad. I read it quickly because I did want to see what happened, and there were some terrifying/unsettling parts in it, I just think that as a whole it was missing something. That said I'll be curious to see what Kurtagich comes up with next, because it certainly wasn't all bad. I don't see myself hand-selling this one, but I'm certainly not going to push people away from it, because these things are always a matter of taste. I would love to see Kurtagich write an eldritch horror book though. Maybe next time.

A rash, sleepwalking, anemia, lost time, and bizarre dreams all plague a mysterious young woman who falls under Dr. Mina Murray’s care one day. Shaken by her encounter with her patient, Mina is even more shocked when she receives a summons from her former best friend to return home to Wales. It turns out Lucy is sick - with the exact same symptoms. Mina begins to piece together a frightening picture of usually young, poor women who are caught in something so big, it shakes Mina to her core. But with only a handful of people she can trust, Mina must find a strength she may not have to try and save her oldest friend.

Simultaneously, we have a B plot which tells us the story of a young woman caught up in something similar to what Mina is investigating.

This book is a beautiful gothic thriller, complete with windswept shores, castles, witches, seedy underground, unnamed locales, and psychiatric hospitals, that we only get brief glimpses into…..very Jane Eyre or Hitchcock-like, if I had to give it a feel. I really loved the vibe and enjoyed following Mina and the others on their journey to solve this really complex mystery. And trust me, it’s a really intense “case.”

And while the ending was satisfying in a way, I was expecting more of a really big bang or reveal at the end, but felt like it was more of a small “pop.” For all the great build-up, it felt like a bit of a small drop. But like I said, there was satisfaction and questions answered, so I dudnt hate it or anything.

Plus there is a romantic element to the story that adds some nice depth to the story. I felt like it really added to Mina’s story and character development, and I liked them. A+ for that.

Overall, this was an excellent gothic, supernatural-tinged thriller. I loved it, even with the slightly lower-than-expected ending.

I was blown away by this book! I stopped reading a lot of horror this past year for two big reasons. The first was because a lot of horror books out there focus on the gore and action which just doesn’t appeal to me and secondly because a lot of horror books I had read provide this huge build up for some major revelation of a supernatural terror, only to turn out to be some random serial killer. I can do without all the pretense or misleading in a horror story.

But, The Madness, provides everything I love out of a real horror story. She lays a foundation with this foreboding backdrop of a small Welsh village where Mina Murray was raised by her “Witch on the Hill” mother. She’s never believed the ghost stories her mother told her about, and always thought her mother a little crazy with all the spiritual house blessings she does. All Mina wanted was to get out of that place, especially after everything that happened to her.

Fast forward a lot of years and Mina is working as a successful psychiatrist in London, keeping herself focused on anything other than her hometown or the people she left behind there. But a new case, a young woman that keeps calling out for “Master” and has some strange injuries that Mina can’t quite explain – and then a mysterious email arrives from her childhood friend asking her to come home…

That’s about all I want to get into because otherwise it gives away all the major reveals in this one and I wouldn’t want to ruin it for anyone!

Thing I loved about this book:
Not only did it incorporate Welsh folklore, it continues to reveal and explain it throughout the book
Mina has an enormous fear because of a past tragedy and struggles with it throughout the entire book, but she eventually faces it and is so much better for it
The small village setting surrounded by historic castles and dark motifs creates an eerie backdrop
Strong female characters that all draw their strengths from unique experiences
True supernatural elements that coalesced into an astounding reveal that gave me goosebumps

I saw this mentioned on a YouTube account and added it to my TBR totally forgetting why. Then I start reading and it's a Dracula retelling! This was so good. Spoilers ahead. The Madness is a modern interpretation but all the characters are present. Except Van Helsing but I think Singer and Mam combined to represent him. The romance between Mina and Jonathan is fantastic. I wish more of the book focused on it--the longing and hurt and reconciliation. So wonderful. I didn't fully understand what happened to Lucy at the end, I reread it multiple times and I was still confused. Still, this is a great book. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC

A Dracula retelling but make it feminist? Say less.

This book was weird and creepy and so bingeable! I loved the mixed media thrown through out the story (I.e. text messages, emails, letters, newspapers) and the strong women in this story! I couldn’t put this book down and I thought this story was so unique! Gothic horror done right!
Not to mention the cover and end pages are STUNNING.

This was definitely different from my usual go to genres. I don't read too many horror books, but this sounded good. I read a few good reviews on bookstagram that had me intrigued, so I gave it a try. I must say I wasn't disappointed. Perfect book to add to your fall reading list. It did take me a bit to get into it, which I believe was needed to build up the story. It's a pretty crazy story. My suggestion for this one is to go in blind…that's what I did after reading a review that suggested the same. Plenty of creepy surprises throughout. It gives off awesome Gothic vibes that I loved…and the plot left me uneasy. I enjoyed it!

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Full confession…it took me a little while for me to get invested in The Madness. The beginning is a bit of a slow burn, while Dawn Kurtagich lays the groundwork, but, at about the halfway point, I became completely obsessed with knowing it all. The 2024 spooky season seems to be the year of the vampire, but this is a standout. It’s about more than vampires and missing girls. It’s about ancient wisdom, magic, and girl power. There’s also a pretty epic twist toward the end too that I loved. All in all, spooky season perfect!

In The Madness, Dawn Kurtagich delivers a spine-chilling tale of secrets and the darkness that lies within. Mina Murray's life is turned upside down by an unexpected email from her estranged best friend, Lucy, pulling her away from her psychiatric practice in London to the eerie shores of Wales. There, Mina faces the ghosts of her past and the mysterious symptoms that Lucy shares with a patient of hers suffering from amnesia. As she delves deeper, Mina is drawn into a web of secrets involving missing girls and a sinister, nameless force that has haunted her for years. With Lucy’s life on the line and a powerful evil lurking in the shadows, Mina teams up with a group of brave women to confront her darkest fears and stop a terrifying cycle of events that began long ago.

WOW! I recommend going into this book completely blind to experience all the suspense and surprises firsthand. The twist in this story caught me completely off guard, and it was executed brilliantly—it fit the narrative perfectly and added a thrilling layer to the story. The author builds up to this moment with an ominous vibe that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The character development throughout the whole book was great, but after the twist, everything continued to come together perfectly, making the story even more engaging.This was a 5-star read for me, and I highly recommend it to anyone!

Thank you to the author Dawn Kurtagich, netgalley and Graydon House for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I was waiting to read this one until I needed a palate cleanse after reading something bad. Right? But then every book I read was an absolute banger. They were all treats. So today I was like "no more waiting!"
I was absolutely in love within minutes. I hated Dr. Whoever and the policeman. They must hate women and mysteries.
The rash was so creepy. I just had to know what that was.
I even cried with one of the minor characters died. Absolutely amazing.
I love this author so much.
I will disclose that I loved this so much I already bought a copy.

This was such a dark and creepy book with a vampire storyline and lots of folklore mixed in. Perfect for spooky season! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced reader’s copy.

I was told by @htp_hive to go in blind to this book, and that was such good advice! I loved this book; it hit all the check marks for what interests me in a book. But since I don’t want to give too much away, so others can go in blind, too, I’ll just say some generic things I loved about it. If these hit your checkmarks, too, then you definitely need to pick this book up!

✔️ Creepy & atmospheric (set in the UK)
✔️ Suspense/ thriller/ mystery
✔️ FMC is a psychiatrist who treats women with trauma, with her own untreated trauma
✔️ ⬆️ causing a slightly unreliable narrator
✔️ That “What the hell is going on?” feeling for most of the book
✔️ FMC’s mother with witchy beliefs and practices- adds a possible paranormal aspect
✔️ Estranged friends and family

Horror is not my usual jam when it comes to reading, but I saw one of the Harlequin editors on Instagram raving about this book, so I thought I’d give it a go and I’m glad I did. It was a fun escape from reality and gave me a good taste of a genre I may dip more into in the future.

Mina Murray is a London psychiatrist who is working with a patient who has some strange symptoms, and when she’s summoned home to Wales by her childhood best friend who has eerily similar symptoms, things start to get twisty.

At first, I was a little meh about the book, but this slow burn picked up and I was invested in seeing it to the end. This book is best to go in blind for maximum fun and entertainment.

Thank you to Dawn Kurtagich, Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for an advance e-copy of the book for an honest review.

When I see Mina and Lucy's names in a synopsis... I know what that means, and I'M IN.

The Madness NEEDS to be on your Fall TBR. This spellbinding feminist retelling was everything I needed and more. I was fully engrossed from start to finish. There are SO many variations to this classic novel, but I promise you this is the best retelling I have ever read (and believe me, I've read quite a few). I loved the eerieness of what was happening to Rene and Lucy. Lucy especially captivated me, of course. Was she finally going to have a happy ending?

I have fallen in love with this author's storytelling and I cannot wait to read more of her work. This was a masterpiece and it is sure to creepy you out this spooky season.

Madness was pretty out there. The characters were hard to relate to and I found myself having a hard time getting involved in their lives. I was amused by the connection of the characters to an old horror tale. Unfortunately, the characters are similar in name only. Somehow all of these women are disappearing and no one seems to care. I guess that can be pretty realistic. Just…all of the characters are so unlikable or unrealistic. I did want to know what was happening to all of these women. And what it had to do with these two women. This was an easy read that left me as soon as I closed the ARC. Not a bad story.

Dr. Mina Murray has just received a horrible email from her old friend, Lucy. These two have lost touch but it doesn’t stop Mina from dropping everything (including her new case) and running to Lucy! What she finds terrifies her beyond belief.

I really did not know what I had gotten myself into when I started this tale. I was hooked when it started in a psychiatric hospital with a strange case! And it just snowballed from there!

This is not my usual genre. I do enjoy thrillers…but this one is a bit of a horror story! I will let you read this to find out!!

I really enjoyed the folklore running throughout this tale. Add in the weird disease and the kick butt women…and you have a powerful tale that just might keep you awake at night!

Need an intense read with a kick…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.