I really enjoyed this. I kind of love and hated that it was so short. The author did a wonderful job of making you get invested in the characters in so few words. I would LOVE for this author to expand on this story.

This is for the girlies who love religious horror, Southern Gothic, and girls who bite.
✨
In an isolated small town, Bethel Pentecostal holds all the influence. So what’s a religious town to do with a girl like Nora Willet? A girl who is stubborn and opinionated? A girl who in their eyes brings nothing but trouble? They try to save her, of course, even when they don’t like her. To save her is to declare their faith and the strength of their belief. And so they use snakes and prayers to expel the demons in her and bring her home. But does she really need saving?

Narrated by Abigail, she tells the story of Nora. Her best friend. Her only friend. Abigail is drawn to her even when the whole town has written Nora off as a hopeless case. The two girls find solace in each other, keep each other’s secrets, and protect each other. And then she tells us what happened when the tension surrounding Nora became too much for the town to handle.
✨

This novella is incredibly atmospheric. I really got the sense of being a bug being observed under glass with how much the town hides its judgy behavior under the guise of good Christian concern. You have all the usual suspects: male church leaders that feel more like cult leaders, creepy men in positions of power and influence, uppity young women who don’t hesitate to flaunt how perfect they are, parents who want their children to fit in even when that isn’t necessarily what’s best for them, and a sprinkling of homophobia.

The way Dori Lumpkin wrote this made me feel like I was sitting in front of Abigail over a cup of coffee while she told me the story of her small town. And I loved it. I was being let in on a secret, or rather a version of the truth that only this person can tell. When you read this book (and I hope you do because it’s incredible and deserves to reach more readers) you may find that you want to know more about Nora, understand her more deeply, or unravel the mystery that is her. But I personally like that she remains a mystery. Her hometown will never understand her, and we never will either. But we will see her through Abigail’s eyes, the person she trusts most in the world. And there is no one else who can tell Nora’s story with such deep love.

This book is best read in one sitting, as one long conversation with Abigail. Thank you to Creature Publishing, Dori Lumpkin, and NetGalley for the ARC.

Antenora by Dori Lumpkin is OUT NOW! Grab your copies, go read it, go share it with friends. I love this book, and if you have similar tastes to mine, then you might love it too.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved that it felt like a blend of literary fiction and horror. The relationship between Abbigail and Nora was so well developed. The southern gothic and atmospheric setting was perfect for this spooky season and I will definitely be recommending this.

This was a quick and engaging read, but I expected just a little bit more out of it. I loved the setting and the characters but was let down by the plot (even though I really enjoyed the ending) and the writing style that was just a bit too simplistic for my liking.

Thank you to NetGalley and Creature Publishing for an advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Dori Lumpkin, Creature Publishing, and NetGalley for the ARC!

This one started off kind of rough for me. First person books aren't always my preferred narration structure, and I really have trouble with a writing style that ends sections of text with phrases speaking directly to the reader like "but I haven't told you everything yet..." or "as you'll come to find out...". While attempting to overlook this I also had to suspend my disbelief and quiet a lot of questions I had about the story as they came up. Naturally, because this book is actually a novella, a lot of my questions just went unanswered and I was left scratching my head.

Despite ALL of that...I still enjoyed the meat of the story. I liked Nora and Abby's yearning, Sapphic arc. I liked Abby's unreliable narration that kept Nora shrouded in mystery. I liked the setting of a small religious community of snake charmers. And yes, I did listen to Ethel Cain while reading this and that was kind of awesome.

There was a lot packed in such a short book and I can't help but recognize that in this review. It shares a good story with a lot of heart and thought-provoking symbolism. I'm definitely going to keep an eye out on this author in the future!

Sapphic southern gothic unfurls in one of the freshest horrors I've read in recent times. The cultish religion of Bethel, Alabama is horrifying. Alongside that, the perversion of godliness and womanhood is both seductive and tense.

This was a really haunting read. I really like that Lumpkin didn't waste time explaining every detail of the background of the religion in this and gave you just enough to make sure everything made sense. Every part of this book felt necessary and nothing was wasted. The writing is simple which means you can read it one go which was just what I needed.

I've not read anything else by Lumpkin before but will definitely be keeping them on my radar because this was so good.

This is a beautifully written debut story following the story of Nora through the eyes of her best friend Abby, and I've never loved characters more. I can't speak so much of the religious trauma of this story, since I wasn't raised in religion, but I can understand enough to know the author absolutely achieved their goal of writing this story. This is so hard for me to review I want to say so much and yet have nothing to say all at the same time. I highly recommend this horror novella, especially to those who will see themselves in this queer story.

quick engaging read. was devoted from the first few pages. there’s a level of ambiguity that i found intriguing and it allows the reader to draw their own conclusions once you reach the end. could easily be developed into a novel. but overall i found it just okay.


many thanks to netgalley and the publishers for supplying me with an arc in exchange for my honest review.

I really wanted to like this, but unfortunately I did not.
Whilst the story and style of narrative is intriguing, I found the writing lackluster and boring. Whilst a novella is short by design, I think the characters should have been fleshed out more and needed more focus on the themes/ideas it teases in the advertising copy.

I liked the style of narrative and the story, but the writing ultimately let it down.

i loved this tidy little novella.

set in a small, hyper-religious mountain community called bethel, abby is the only person that can tolerate the antics of nora willet. nora's aware that she's not liked and she doesn't care. she doesn't care for a community where girls tend to be captured to be "corrected" when it seems like the devil is in them.

she doesn't care of a community where women are expected to marry and show subservience to domineering and often abusive husbands. so nora acts accordingly - she ruins the birthday party of a girl that tortures and judges her, she lets a snake loose in church. and so it's not long before she's taken from her home by people with a mind to cure her of her "possession".

it's funny, how a church that forces its members to hold poisonous snakes to prove god's love for them thinks that a teenage girl is a threat simply because she's not obedient or perhaps she spends a little too much time casting longing looks to her friend.

this was so great for such a tiny little book. the caveat i have with it is i wish it had been a full-length novel. this book is about feral girlhood, the toxicity of religion, and fully ethel cain-core. great stuff.

Religious trauma! Stifling southern setting! Snakes! Girlhood. I loved every second of Antenora, particularly the light casual tone of Abigail's voice as she narrates the horror of this community. The way the story is told feels smart and fresh, with Abigail narrating past events from a present perspective that knows how events unfolded. There's lots of introspection here, and heart, but still manages to be a quick, gripping read. Make sure you have this one on your spooky season TBR!

“A Southern Horror About Religion & Sapphic Chemistry That Is Forbidden”

First of all, this is the perfect book if you’re looking for something you can read in one sitting. It grips you from the first page and doesn’t let go until the end, where it’ll make you want more. More for closure.

Bethel, Alabama is a highly religious town. Abigail befriends a girl named Nora while they were younger when Nora shows her a ‘gift’ that astonishes Abigail at first sight. But when Nora’s actions become horrifying and downright homicidal, she places the blame on what the snake told her to do.

This story moves like a roller coaster with how much build up it gives the reader before things take a drastic turn for Nora while all Abigail can do is watch. Their relationship is strong while hidden from the town because of how they view same sex relationships in their town.

I don’t want to spoil too much for the readers, as this book comes out October 1st but you won’t want to miss out on this release. Perfect start for the spooky season! I look forward to Dori’s future releases as this one just made me interested in what else she has in store.

A stunning Southern Gothic novella about two young queer teenagers, caught in a twisted cultish tale. Narrated by Abigale, who tells the story of the small town of Bethel whose religious community shares extreme views about Nora, “the town pariah”. The sinister pastors believe that she’s evil, possessed, “a snake charmer”, and in need of deliverance. This horrible treatment towards a child only encourages her to act out, and continues this vicious cycle. The way the story is told in a gentle way from Abigale’s perspective really highlights just how a small group of people sharing spiritual delusions can cause great harm to individuals living outside of the belief systems they’ve been brought up in.

This is for fans of the movie “All the Devil All the time” and people who enjoy Ethel Cain’s music. This novella is equally horrifying and mournful. I loved every page.

An utterly compelling story of a young woman navigating the complexities of adolescence within a deeply religious community. (I love religious horror) The incorporation of supernatural elements and incisive commentary on the fervent religious environment is executed expertly, leaving a lasting impact. Despite its brevity, the novella feels complete, and if anything, leaves the reader yearning for more. It provides ample room for contemplation on the harrowing journey from childhood to womanhood.

Appalachia? Religious Trauma? Possession? Snake Handling? Sign me up. I really enjoyed this horror novel (novella?) and the themes of girlhood in the religious south.

Thank you for the ARC, Netgalley

A longer novella set in a southern religious community; it is beautifully dark. Nora and Abigail are two girls being raised in a small society where anything out of alignment with what the religious leaders have deemed appropriate means that the devil has its grip on you. When Nora begins displaying perceived signs of possession, the members of their community take matters into their own hands.

Having experienced a suffocating and restrictive religious upbringing, these types of stories always seem to make their way into my favorites when done right, and this one was done exceptionally well! If you can appreciate a strong and powerful female refusing to conform to a male-dominant way of living, this is for you. While Nora delivers a sort of in-your-face rebuttal to what is expected of her, Abigail is a bit more subdued in how she pushes back. Both use their strengths to fight against that which they know to be corrupt and manipulating.

The darkness that hovers over this story is lined in beauty that feels comfortable and knowing. And the true dark within these pages is not what one would originally imagine.

I look forward to more by Dori Lumpkin and recommend this highly to readers of literary horror. Especially those who may have a hard time dedicating themselves to pieces of great length, because this is short enough to devour in a day and yet feels substantial.

Thank you to NetGalley and Creature Publishing for the ARC of this gem.

Antenora: Dante’s ninth circle of hell reserved for traitors to their country.

What happened to Nora Bell in the town of Bethel, Alabama? A religious community has their way of life. In this short terrifying book we look at the confession from Nora and backstory to her and Abigail’s friendship. We follow Abigail, Nora’s best friend, in a part time confessional as to Nora’s past. We unravel the ways of their small town and the affection of the two girls.

This story had me from the cover. A Horrifying, quick read with the tale of old times. This book was very atmospheric. I loved the spooky vibes and the narrator's presentation. This book had great pace and kept me turning pages. Two innocent girls and one who was unprotected. Such a quick read but thought provoking and guilty as charged. Told from the crypts of what we don’t know or understand.

Thank you to Netgalley and Creature Publishing, LLC for this ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was a wonderfully beautiful novel that discusses topics such as identity, religion, sexuality and morality, all while set in a small, overly religious community.

I really loved this story, so much more than what I expected to. I went in fairly blind, only knowing that the story I was picking up was a horror. Antenora follows the friendship of Nora, the wild, rebellious girl, and Abigail, her quiet but loyal best friend. Abigail tells us about the mysterious events and worrying incidents leading to the final time that she sees her best friend Nora.

This story was written so beautifully and really leaves you feeling for the characters. It touches on the topic of queerness and identity in such a realistic way. I cannot praise the author enough for how enjoyable and touching this was.

I would never have described this story as a horror, only in the sense that it touches on the horrors of religion and it's followers. Regardless of the lack of spook and creepiness to Antenora, I adored it. Dori Lumpkin was never on my radar before, but I will be sure to check out other works by them.

Thank you so much to Netgalley for an ARC of Antenora in exchange for a honest review.

"Rebecca stuck to Leah's side much like Nora stuck to mine, but they were far less interesting about it."

I have often said that girlhood is strange, and that girls at their most natural are wonderfully strange little creatures themselves. Antenora exemplifies that beautifully, and contrasts it with the coming of age that sadly tends to wring the strangeness out of most of us.

I am picky about my five-star reviews; there is a funny little gut feeling that tells me when I'm holding one, and this was no exception. Antenora is beautiful. Lyrical. It just is. The prose somehow makes a humid southern summer in a fervent evangelical Christian community feel boundless and rich instead of cruel and oppressive, and while the plot is somewhat slow-moving by the most technical of definitions, it is by no means lacking. I hung on Abigail's every word. She called me over to the edge of the lake and told me to look, and I was helpless.

Love, longing, confusion, friendship, salvation, the nature of wild things and their determination to endure - if any of these speak to you, you must read Antenora.

My thanks to NetGalley and Creature Publishing for the chance to share my thoughts on this ARC!