A few months back the horror book club that I'm a part of read a collection of Jewish horror stories, and during our discussion we talked a lot about the oversaturation of Christian religious horror in both film and books. With this discussion in mind, I was so excited to find a story about Jewish religious horror, and it's SO well done!

The bits of commentary that Hardy sprinkles in about the miopic lense of Christianity are extremely important and well done. Honestly this novel manages to balance so many tough topics with grace, and all of it tied together so well. I felt that the main character, Tamar, was an extremely realistic portrayal of someone who is flawed and working through trauma while still trying to be a good person. The author did a fantastic job of bringing her emotions to light.

I thought this book was so unsettling and tinted with anxiety. Some of the imagery that Hardy gives her readers will be lingering in my nightmares for some time to come. This, layered with the excellent portrayal of generational trauma, and the difficulty of caring for an elderly parents really hit this novel home for me. This is a horror novel that belongs on the same lists as the greats.

Reading this felt like what I imagine the frog being boiled alive in that metaphor feels like. Simmering and sweating in confusion until those intense last chapters.

This is definitely a horror, but a more unsettling, grunt in disgust rather than fear, kind of horror. I liked it. This could’ve easily went a glowing forgiveness route but didn’t and I respect the story more for it.

Bitter is the Heart
Mina Hardy
Crooked Lane Books
September 17,2024

As soon as I read the blurb on this, I knew I had to jump in and I am glad I did. This is a slow moving, and very disturbingly creepy horror story that should not be missed. Bitter is the Heart perfectly joins psychological thriller and horror and gives you a story that will stick with you. The descriptions of the smells made me wretch. “ The laughter bubbled out of her like gas bubbles coming up from the bottom of a swamp. Fetid. Noxious.” The things that Tamar sees when her mother is around brings the crazy to life. This is an unpredictable and intense psychological horror. I found myself empathizing with Tamar and staying awake just to finish because, I didn’t want to see what she saw when she opened her eyes “I am the ageless, I am the void. I am the many, I am nothing, I am the all”.

Years of childhood trauma can easily be explained away by a doctor, but this is generational trauma. This is unpredictable. A tortured relationship between a child and a parent like nothing I have ever read. A dybbuk is introduced and once I started reading about that on my own the story was even more real. The storyline down Jewish mythology and the history of that faith was perfect for this instance. Kuddos Mina Hardy! You have officially scared the dickens out of me.

To be honest, this book is more horror but it is filled with thrills. It has been a long time since I've read a book that spooked me so I was excited to get stuck into Bitter is the Heart. I read my ebook as I listened to the audio and wow, what an experience it was. The audiobook is so well done, I literally got goosebumps in certain parts. I am not going to give too much of the plot away because this one is best going into blind if you can. It was cleverly written and had the best ending!

Tamar takes her cruel and manipulative mother, Ruth, now elderly and kicked out of her assisted living home. As Ruth settles in, the house becomes hot, cupboards open and shut on their own, among other creepy acts.

This is a slow moving but disturbingly creepy book. If you like horrors that creep along, adding more detail as time goes on, you may enjoy this one. I liked the addition of Jewish mysticism and the family history that was revealed.

“If a house could love, it had not loved her. That was one truth, and here was another:Her old house had never been haunted. It had always been her mother.”

Bitter Is the Heart comes out 9/17.

Old people in horror books are always creepy, no question. This isn’t your typical horror novel, but the situation is horrifying in its own way. Being stuck with a parent you don’t get along with? That’s my worst nightmare. I also loved how the story incorporated elements of Judaism—it’s something I’ve never seen in a horror book before, and it added a unique layer, even though I’m not religious. Loved it!

All the weird things of her childhood start to happen again when Tamar takes her mother Ruth, who has been expelled from her senior living facility, into her home. They didn't have a good relationship-indeed much of a relationship at all-when Tamar was growing up. Now, the tension is rising and it's not clear what's really happening. Is it in Tamar's head? How can Ruth do these things? This isn't a classic Boo style horror novel but it's creepy and there are twists. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

Thank you Net Galley! The characters had a lot going on and the Judaism aspect was fascinating but the plot went off the rails

All Tamar wants to do is escape her abusive past, but when her abusive mother needs help, Tamar steps up to take care of her. Strange things start to happen and Tamar has to fight her past colliding with her present life.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC. I this story was definitely right up my alley. The only problem I ran into was a formatting issue with the e-ARC. I feel like the formatting had made this a bit harder to initially get into, but at no fault of the author. Great story with lots of twists and turns!!

Bitter is the Heart offers a unique take on horror that I believe will appeal to fans of psychological thrillers. It's undeniably disturbing and features damaged, unlikable characters, but the writing is immersive and offers some dark unforeseeable twists. The story unfolds in a slow burn fashion, but the payoff is worth it in the end. Overall, while not my typical type of read, it was a uniquely creepy yet captivating novel with a chilling atmosphere, intriguing plotlines, and suspenseful build-up that keeps the reader consistently engaged.

3.5 stars rounded up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read this digital ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

I'll be honest, I DNF'ed halfway through because this horror novel was too painful to keep reading. Not because it was badly written, no, the opposite. It showed the pain childhood abuse and having to care for those who hurt you can do. Usually, I can take it, but I read it during a time in which too many books had the same topic and my heart couldn't take it.

Bitter Is the Heart by Mina Hardy is a powerful and haunting novel that delves into the darkest corners of the human psyche. Its exploration of trauma and resilience is both compelling and emotionally resonant, making it a standout in the horror genre. While its intensity and pacing may present challenges for some readers, those who appreciate deeply psychological horror will find much to admire in Hardy's work.

I excitedly requested an ARC of Bitter is the Heart based on my fondness for After All I've Done. There may be subtext of self-sabotage but I'm a fan of generational trauma narratives (and also love Shirley Jackson), so I jumped on Bitter is the Heart after reading the book's description. And let me tell you, Mina Hardy did not disappoint! Bitter is the Heart is one of my favorites for 2024 -- don't sleep on it!

This book was an intense ride from start to finish, with a fresh and unique approach that set it apart from anything I’ve read recently. The storyline was unpredictable, keeping me fully engaged as I navigated through its twists and turns. The intensity of the plot never wavered, and I found myself constantly eager to see what would happen next. It’s one of those rare books that feels genuinely different, offering a perspective and style that’s both intriguing and entertaining. If you’re in the mood for something that breaks the mold while delivering non-stop entertainment, this is a must-read.

Thank you Netgalley for the e-arc of this upcoming title!

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Bitter is the heart had so much potential but unfortunately I DID decide to DNF AT 20%

This is a creepy, dark horror novel that will probably give me nightmares but it was such an unusual and captivating novel that I kept reading! Tamar's mother, 77-year-old Ruth is living in a facility when circumstances force Tamar to take her home to live with her as her sister, Lovey lives in California with her husband and children. But very odd things begin to happen as one minute Ruth appears "normal" and the next she seems catatonic or Tamar finds her feet covered in grass and mud. She hires a caregiver but things continue to escalate as Ruth appears coherent and "normal" but Tamar knows this isn't what typical old age should look like. I Know a fair amount about Judaism but it would be helpful to really understand it as it's a fascinating look at a dybbuk and the forms it may take!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

Tamar Glass grew up in a house where she was neglected at best and physically and emotionally abused at worst. Or maybe that wasn't even the worst. Maybe the worst was the thing standing over her bed, the whispers coming from the drains, the complete and utter aloneness she felt in knowing that there was nowhere to turn, and nobody to believe her. Maybe the worst was seeing how her mother doted on her sister while never sparing an ounce of love or kindness for Tamar. Or maybe the worst was yet to come.

After barely escaping with her life, she never looked back. She is close to her sister but has avoided her mother as much as possible for the past 3 decades. Until the night she awoke to her mother appearing in her bedroom, having left the elderly housing apartment in the middle of the night and walked barefoot all the way to Tamar's house. Now she is stuck with her. The elderly housing complex is kicking her out for unspecified reasons, although something sinister is implied. No other home will take her. Tamar feels duty-bound to care for her until other arrangements can be made, but the creepy happenings that plagued her childhood are starting again.

For me, the pacing was perfect. Secrets are gradually revealed, and disturbing incidents that at first appear to be the normal progression of dementia taking hold of a woman who was never particularly kind to begin with turn undeniably to supernatural evil. Mina Hardy has combined a dysfunctional family dynamic with Jewish folklore for the win. I loved this book.

Ruth Kahan has been evicted from assisted living housing and it’s her daughter, Tamar’s, problem to deal with. It’s never easy to care for an elderly parent but things are even more difficult for Tamar because Ruth used to abuse Tamar horrifically before Tamar ran away at age 18. Bitter is the Heart, by Mina Hardy, is not an easy book to read as it delves into the complicated feelings Tamar bears toward her mother and her obligations to care for a woman she knows is a monster.

Tamar is used to not being believed about her mother’s treatment of her, not even by her younger sister. No one ever seemed to see or hear the way that Ruth would punish her oldest child for every infraction, real or imagined. It’s only because we see things from Tamar’s point of view in this book that we can see how Ruth appears to be a charming, sometimes confused old lady in public but transforms into a spiteful creature determined to break Tamar down into a frightened, obedient minion. As Tamar struggles to balance her work, a reconnection to an old flame, and caring for her mother’s deteriorating health, we also start to understand Tamar’s assertion that there is something literally demonic about how her mother behaves in private.

I was scared for Tamar the entire time I read Bitter is the Heart. I was afraid for her sanity as old patterns—of violence and verbal abuse, of not being believed, of being seen as abusive herself—manifest themselves again. Ruth’s words and behavior made my skin crawl as her mood would flip on a dime from a mother who might want to make amends to her child to a creature that would say the most hurtful things and try to twist how people outside Tamar’s troubled home saw them.

This book almost didn’t need the supernatural element (which I won’t spoil) to put the frighteners on me. The sheer unpredictability of Ruth’s behavior was enough to make my blood run cold. That said, I appreciated the way this supernatural touch served to put a name on what was wrong with Ruth and with Ruth’s relationship with the world. Without the supernatural, Ruth’s actions could be diagnosed as a serious personality disorder—painful to witness and experience, but entirely mundane. Mental illnesses can be very hard to understand from the outside but everyone can easily understand the irrationality of monsters and the terror they can elicit in their targets.

I can’t say that I enjoyed this book as such, given that it freaked me out, but I can say that I appreciated its depiction of a tortured relationship between a child and a parent that I’ve rarely seen in fiction.

Tamar is 50 years old, recently divorced and coming to terms with her new life in a positive and sensible way. Then she awakes to find her ill mother standing over her bed, returning the fears of her childhood from both her mother and the horror of the house. But Tamar lives alone and her mother is supposed to be in a assisted living home. Her mother is soon kicked out, her removal surrounded by mystery of a nearby death and an unsettled manager. Tamar ran away when she was a teen to escape her mother only to find herself middle aged and taking her mother into her house. As soon as this happens she starts experiencing strange and unexplainable events, starting with lights flickering and cupboards opening, soon she finds herself sleepwalking and matter just get worse. Whilst dealing with her abusive past, she must also try and manage the new horrors that are occurring and even worse, find a way to save herself from the fate she was handed down from generations.