An American gothic that entranced me from the start. Sinister traditions, time traveling, realm jumping, this tale nearly has it all. I adored it.

DNF at 30%

I read a 1/3 of this and found I really didn't care about the main character or the world or really anything going on at all. I didn't find that I connected to the writing, and I was left mainly confused,

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I feel numb ….

My insides are rattling , my hands can’t seem to shaking . Curdle Creek, is not for the faint of heart . This book is fascinating, dark, deep, and like nothing I have ever read before .

This book is …. Creepy

Don’t take my word for it, check out this teaser :

Welcome to Curdle Creek, a place just dying to make you feel at home.

Osira, a forty-five-year-old widow, is an obedient follower of the strict conventions of the remote all-Black town that’s stuck in the past and governed by ominous rituals including a one in, one out population policy. Osira has always been considered blessed, but her luck changes when her grown children run off to parts unknown, escaping Curdle Creek’s harsh traditions, she comes in second to last in the Running of the Widows, and her father flees after his name is called in the annual Moving On ceremony.

Forced to jump into a well in a test of allegiance, Osira finds herself transported first back in time, and then into another realm where she must answer for crimes committed by Curdle Creek. Exile forces her to jump realms again, landing Osira even farther away from home, in rural England. Safe there as long as she sticks to the rules, she quickly learns there are consequences for every kindness. Each jump could lead Osira anywhere but will she ever find a place to call home? Curdle Creek is an American gothic in the tradition of Shirley Jackson that offers a mash-up of the surreal and literary horror that will appeal to fans of Ring Shout, The Salt Grows Heavy and Lovecraft Country. Yvonne Battle-Felton’s fever-dream of a tale is layered and eerie and quite unlike anything else.

Curdle Creek by Yvonne Battle-Felton takes readers on an eerie, surreal journey into a strange world that’s both familiar and unsettling. The story centers on Osira, a 45-year-old widow trapped in the oppressive traditions of Curdle Creek, a small, all-Black town steeped in rituals that seem to keep the past alive. The slow, deliberate pace of the book mirrors Osira’s own struggle to break free from the town’s grip, as she faces increasingly bizarre and uncomfortable tests of loyalty.
The haunting atmosphere is one of the book’s strongest points. The author does a great job of showing the dangers of clinging to a place that stifles growth, and the surreal elements are captivating at first.
However, the slow-burn pacing eventually becomes a bit of a challenge. The story drags at times without moving toward a clear resolution. This lingering feeling of uncertainty, though effective at first, can get frustrating for readers hoping for more concrete answers.
The ending, unfortunately, doesn’t deliver the emotional payoff I expected. Despite all the buildup, the conclusion feels unsatisfying and leaves many of Osira’s questions unanswered. Her search for a sense of home remains unresolved, and the final moments feel a bit hollow.
Overall, Curdle Creek is a unique novel that blends surreal horror with literary fiction. While its slow pace and underwhelming conclusion might leave some readers disappointed, the world Yvonne Battle-Felton has created is still worth experiencing.

Thanks to Netgalley and Henry Holt & Company | for the ARC and opportunity to provide an honest review.

Okay, so this book had a really great concept an as a whole, I think I enjoyed it more than other readers have! I wish I had read it sooner. Ultimately, there were parts of this plot that were a little confusing or dragged, which is why I am rating it 4 stars instead of 5. Overall though, it was an interesting read that would be good for readers who liked Lakewood by Megan Giddings or the Village by M. Knight Schyamalan.

Our protagonist, Osira, is a middle aged women who was recently "widowed" her husband was chosen for the "moving on" from Curdle Creek, a town set in the 1960s made to be a safe haven for Black individuals and has a strict "1 in 1 out" policy for town population. Every year, the town votes for someone to leave it. However, the moving on, along with other town rituals are starting to come under scrutiny by Osira, who begins to ask questions as she is more impacted by the moving-on.

There are some really interesting twists that start around 60% into the novel. However, as interesting as they were, it was hard to figure out exactly what was going on at certain points. I think that the pacing for the first half of the novel could have possibly been sped up to accommodate more details as the plot progresses.

I think this is a good book if you like horror books that revolve around the idea of a small town that isn't exactly what it seems.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author, and publisher for the ARC!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy of this title in exchange for honest feedback

The Lottery is my favorite short story of all time and when I saw this was for fans of the lottery I was all in. This gave all the creep factor and I was all in.

Thank you #NetGalley and #henryholt for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The cover looked creepy and that's what drew me to wanting to read this book. I thought this was a great book. The entire time I was intrigued in the story and the characters. I gave this one a 5 stars.

Osira is a faithful resident of Curdle Creek, a community that follows “the old ways,” complete with the yearly Calling, Moving On and Warding off ceremonies. But after a disastrous Running of the Widows, and hearing her father’s name Called, Osira begins to question if the old ways really are good for the community. What follows is a journey that takes her outside of her home for the first time ever.

I feel like this book had so much great potential, with its unique community set up with its rules and conventions, and Osira beginning to question these things for the first time. I liked getting to see how things worked and the characters in this world.

But it seemed that there was a lot that wasn’t really explored, and just as it could’ve been delved further into, we get to the “Well Walking” part, which is so short, it also doesn’t get much exploration. There’s a lot of good bones to this part too; how other communities operate (because apparently Curdle Creek isn’t the only crazy place out there!). how Curdle Creek came to be, but then all of a sudden, it just ends.

I really wish the book would’ve had more focus, so that we got more out of one of these strands because then it could’ve been explored more. The bones of a great book are all here. It’s just fleshing out things more. I hope that all makes sense.

So, I did like this story, and it’s very interesting, but I would warn people that it feels a little incomplete.

I found this premise very unique and really wanted to like this one but I struggled fully connecting with the story. Usually I don't mind time jumps but this time it was a little too jarring. However, I would read anything else Miss Yvonne writes. Despite my inability to fully connect with this story, I did have an okay time reading this.

It's around 1960 and the residents of Curdle Creek never leave for any reason. Black residents have lived there for generations and believe that anywhere outside this small remote town is dangerous.

An exception to this that the children of our narrator, 45-year-old widow Osira Turner, left years ago, as did her brother. She has had no contact with any of them. The fact that her children left has not reflected well on Osira by the community.  Curdle Creek has strict rules and rituals that are never questioned. These rituals Include the Running of the Widows, the Calling, the Moving On, and the Warding Off. It is believed that these traditions pay for the safety and prosperity of the town, including a bountiful harvest.

The Moving On follows the “one in, one out” rule. Since the number of births is usually greater than the number of deaths, it must be made up somehow. Essentially the residents vote for who will die and afterwards, they engage in the Warding Off to make sure that their spirits don’t return.

It is believed that without The Moving On and Warding off, the town would be lawless and filled with grudge-bearing ghosts. Osira never questioned the ritual, until it was her father who was chosen to be killed.

The plot is both captivating and unpredictable. Just when you think you understand where the story is headed, it twists in unexpected ways, with mystical elements seamlessly woven into the fabric of the narrative. The rituals underscore the eerie normalcy of these acts for the townsfolk. The supporting characters add depth and complexity, offering glimpses into the psychology of a community trapped by fear and tradition.

My only disappointment was the ending. It felt too abrupt and left many questions unanswered. Maybe that was intentional, and hopefully a sequel is in the works.

Still, if you are looking for an eclectic, unsettling read with horror, magic and a remarkable plot, "Curdle Creek" is for you.

Osira is a middle-aged widow, has spent her entire life in the rural Curdle Creek which is anall-Black community. The community is stuck in the past and governed by a tradition of rituals and cult-like rules. Deviation from this way of life is met with severe consequences, such as the Moving On—a ritual where townsfolk nominate their neighbors to sacrifice their lives for the town’s prosperity. As this year’s ceremonies arrive, Osira harbors doubts. When she comes in second to the last in the Running of the Widows and her father flees when his name is called in the annual Moving On ceremony, Osira is thrust into a journey through time and space, where she must confront the dark legacy of Curdle Creek. She questions the traditions that are said to to keep the community safe, and grapples with her own survival.

Osira’s investigations into the roots of Curdle Creek’s ceremonies unlock a series of surprising, sometimes hallucinatory turns—the mysterious death of one of the town elders, a well that’s a portal into the town’s history. The author never loses sight of the novel’s central theme: how the need for communities to protect themselves unleashes its own anxieties and traumas. But the death, loss, ghosts, and trials that she faces does suggest that no amount of structure and doctrine can fully protect a community. The novel’s tone is gothic. Sharp speculative fiction, casts a skeptical eye on narrow minded communities of all sorts.

I wanted to like this more than I did. It sounds wonderful but it really didn'twork for me. The flashback scenes are jumpy and I don't think it was meant to be so disjointed. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

3 Stars

I liked the ideas in this book, and the absurd, folkore-ish, dystopian feel to it. I loved how we jump right into this world with no preamble, and our perspective is a character who seems ultimately unsure of everything. I think the story starts off strong with atmosphere and mystery, but as it comes to a close you're left feeling underwhelmed.

I personally enjoy endings that preserve some mystery and allow for reader interpretation, but this just felt like it wasn't fully realized. Like it just came short of its full potential. I'll look out for what the author does in the future.

I was very confused by this book. I don’t feel like there was a good, clear foundation set for what exactly was going on in this town. I imagine we were supposed to use context clues, and I just wanted things more clearly spelled out for me in this one. Too much was left up to interpretation I think.

I had high hopes for Curdle Creek, but unfortunately, it didn't quite deliver. The premise is intriguing, and the setting has potential, but the execution fell flat. The characters felt underdeveloped and struggled to evoke much empathy or interest.

This book is so richly atmospheric! The perfect autumn/spooky season read. While I agree somewhat with other reviewers who say this starts to feel a little disjointed towards the end, overall I enjoyed the ride. Battle-Felton has created such an interesting world, with a complicated narrator whose strong voice absolutely hooked me from the first sentence.

This book is interesting, but its structure made it difficult to follow the story. It felt like the narrator didn't have a firm grasp on her own life. I totally understand that feeling but found it confounding as a reader.

Special thanks to the author, @henryholtbooks for my gifted copy & @macmillan.audio for my ALC‼️

Drawing readers into a world where murder is a means for control and disagreeing can get you killed the author’s imagination went wild with this one. This book was weirdly interesting I was left confused and intrigued at the same time. I still have so many unanswered questions like why did they choose to live like this. In the beginning it wasn’t made clear what “Moving On” meant but after a few chapters I realized what they were doing.

This town did some odd things like women competing in foot races for marriage. Being punished to the well and nearly beaten to death. But the Moving On was their craziest ceremony which was a purge type of event and Osira was against all of the towns customs. When her father’s name is called to move on but he runs away she begins snooping and searching for forbidden knowledge surrounding Curdle Creek’s sinister history. Soon Osira finds herself punished to the well and transported into the past.

The town was like a dictatorship society stripped of all common sense and everyone was in purgatory. The author was very detailed except when it came to world building. I wanted more when Orisa time traveled to the past, into the Underworld for judgement, and England before time traveling again. The author did great capturing the emotions of all the characters but I still wanted more of an understanding of what was happening and why.

Overall, the book was okay idk about that ending but if you’re a fan of Hunger Games, Kindred, or LoveCraft Country you’ll enjoy this book‼️

Rating: 3.5/5⭐️

The comparison of Curdle Creek to Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" got my attention. The inhabitants of Curdle Creek stick to their rituals. To keep the rest of the world out? To maintain the population and keep residents under control? To preserve traditions? Perhaps yes to all, but I'm not the most reliable judge, as I found myself lost most of the time. The setting was disorienting (both time and place), and it was hard to get a handle on the storyline. I never got on board. It's a case where maybe some more hand-holding on the author's part could have helped.

My thanks to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for the digital ARC.