YES. Jewish Horror! This is perfection. I absolutely loved the narration. I was able to hear the difference between the mother and the mother thing. The ending was so good. I am trying to write this review without revealing any spoilers.
Thank you for this ARC, I cannot praise it enough.

Mina Hardy has done it again. This book is not only incredibly entertaining, horrific in all the right ways, but also filled with an intriguing story about the human condition. The story shows how real life can impact the bonds between mothers and daughters. I was intrigued from the very first page, and fell in love with the characters. The reveal at the end was super satisfying after the wonderful build up. The characters were thought out and even though I hated them, I loved them too. This is because the writing was so beautifully done and articulated perfectly.

This is one wild and scary look at generational trauma and one of the most dysfunctional mother/daughter relationships I’ve read in a long time. There were a couple of moments that really freaked me out and it leads to an ending that is absolutely crazy in the best possible way.

Not my favorite kind of book but I did like the narrator and I liked the two main characters. I liked the ambiance and I liked the authors attempts to connect with the reader.

_Bitter is the Heart_ by Mina Hardy and narrated by Hallie Bee Bard is a well-characterized, dark, and disturbing horror read. Tamar has moved back to her childhood town in order to be close to her sister and her family, but ends up becoming a caretaker for her abusive elderly mother Ruth. Tamar’s childhood traumas return as Ruth declines. The narrator gives life to Hardy’s characters and keeps the reader engrossed.

I really liked many elements of this book: the writing, the body horror, the weird horror, and the theme of abusive parents. There’s a fun ambiguity around whether the mother is evil, suffering from dementia, or if something supernatural is happening. It also incorporates strong elements of Jewish faith, which is rare in horror books, and I enjoyed that aspect.

The downfall of this book is its pacing and rhythm. I feel like it could have been shorter overall, or certain parts could have been cut. We get some really fun moments of high tension and horror, but then the story returns to a sense of normalcy, which disrupts the flow.

This book is beyond creepy and while it was weird it was an entertaining wild ride. I’m still sitting here wondering exactly what the heck I just read, and I think this is one I will continue to have on my mind for a while. I started with the audiobook for this one but switched to kindle after about 25 percent, I thought the narrator was doing a good job, but I had the kindle and I’m not a patient person. Tamar moved back home to be closer to her sister and her her nieces and nephews but after her sister’s husband got an a job offer he couldn’t refuse and now Tamar is alone having to deal with her estranged mother. Tamar and her mother always had a difficult relationship and while she takes responsibility to care for her mother she doesn’t do it out of love. But strange things are happening that make Tamar question what really happened at her childhood home before she ran away at 18. This book is definitely pure horror and I really enjoyed the tie ins with Jewish mythology which isn’t something you see often.

Creepy children in books scare me but then the elderly frail 80 year old woman in this book said "hold my beer." Holyyyy shiiiiit what a ride this was.

I am so thankful that I was lucky enough to have the best mother I could ever dream of, but unfortunately the main character of this book, Tamar, did not. Her mother haunted her adolescence and as soon as Tamar could escape, she moved out the house and far away from her mother's cruelty.

In adulthood, Tamar finds herself unwillingly responsible for her nearly 80 year old estranged mother when the care home she lives in no longer wants to board her there. Her mom is just too much...so Tamar has no choice but to allow her creepy mom to move in with her until she can find a solution. Welp, things really heat up from there.

Bitter is the Heart is a unsettling story with an emotional aspect tied to generational trauma. I loved the inclusion of Judaism and it was a unique aspect of a possession story. If you want to feel chills, then this is the one to read.

The audio narrator was perfection. Her various voices and pacing really brought this book to life and I for sure recommend the audio. The story itself is more of a 4.5 stars out of 5 for me, but the audio would make me consider it a 5 star. It's that good.

Haunting and creepy!

I really enjoyed this suspenseful and dark tale of Tamar, whose complicated relationship with her mother is brought to a head when her mother shows up alarmingly in the middle of the night, having wandered out of her retirement home miles away and shown up standing over Tamar's bed inside her house when she didn't even know (Tamar thinks) where Tamar lived. We learn that Tamar may have grown up in a haunted house. And that her mother has dementia. Or is it something even more sinister than that? This book will be fun and frightful for anyone who has ever suspected one of their relatives is a demon (and really, haven't we all?). Very well-narrated and the kind of book you look forward to returning to all day when you are otherwise occupied. I also loved the way it focused on Judaism, which gave the story a cool historical and cultural backdrop and provided a neat twist on the haunting/possession theme. I would compare this to Sara Gran's Come Closer, which is one of my other favorite books in the horror-suspense genre. Very good sense of creepy dread throughout until the high octane conclusion. I would love to read more by this author!

I received an ARC of this audiobook via Netgalley but all opinions are my own. This book really drug on for me until the last 20% of so. Then all of a sudden the author hit the gas and I was super engaged. If the pace was adjusted throughout the book I think it would be a lot more enjoyable.

I don’t know if I would consider this book horror in terms of scariness. It really wasn’t scary, but was more so lots of gross out moments.

The narrator did a fine job; no complaints.

Haunting or Demon?

After middle-aged Tamar moves back to the neighborhood she grew up in, she wakes one night to find her estranged mother in her bed, dirty, not making sense, and with no memory of how she got there from the care home in which she resides. When Tamar returns her mother to the home, she quickly learns that Ruth has been causing trouble. When Ruth is involved in a terrible incident that leaves her homeless, Tamar is forced to allow her mother to move in with her. Convinced that Ruth has always hated her, Tamar must figure out what has been causing Ruth’s strange behavior in order to save herself and others.

Bitter is the Heart is a terrific creepy horror novel, perfect to read this Halloween season! I enjoyed Mina Hardy’s book After All I’ve Done which contains many similar themes dealing with the mother/daughter relationship, so I thought I would give it a try. The fantastic characterization and suspense kept me invested all the way until the end. Hardy does a great job incorporating the Jewish faith into plot, which is rare in a horror novel. Unfortunately, the ending felt a bit rushed and I still have several lingering questions.

This book will likely appeal to those who enjoy domestic suspense horror, especially books by Nat Cassidy.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Hallie Bee Bard. I enjoyed her reading and this format, but wish she had done a better job with the Hebrew pronunciations. It was like nails on a chalkboard to someone who knows the language.

4/5 stars

Trigger warning: Abortion

Expected publication date: 9/17/24

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ARC of Bitter is the Heart in exchange for an honest review.

Super Creepy!! I enjoyed this book for the most part. It had that haunting mystery feel for a the first half and the creepy vibes for a great horror all throughout. I couldn’t wait to see how things finished up. The jaw dropping moments aren’t going to be easily forgettable.

I enjoyed this audiobook and the narrator! 2x speed was perfect!

Based on the premise, I was expecting this book to be SPOOKY! It just didn’t have the chill factor I was expecting, therefore I am giving 4 stars instead of 5. The story however was great, I enjoyed the well fleshed out characters and their relationships and the backstory to Ruth and Tamar’s relationship.

The ending was great, and left me wanting more!

All in all, a good audiobook!

I'm having a hard time putting my thoughts into words, so I'm going to make a pros and cons list:

Pros:
-I love that this was so heavily focused on Judaism; it was so original and something I've never seen before in any type of horror. I did have to google some things to understand what was going on, but I think that's great!

-The way everything connected and came together. This is where I'm having a hard time articulating my thoughts, but when certain things were revealed I had an "ohhhhh!" moment where other things made sense.

-The ending. Can't say more without spoilers, but I liked the vibe at the end.

Cons:
-The pacing was off. It started really interesting with Tamar finding Ruth in her room, then it got really draggy in the middle, and all of the action was in the last few chapters.

-The ending. Yes, this is a pro and a con. I liked it, but it was just so abrupt. I was so confused when there was nothing left after the last chapter.

Overall, I think it just needed a little bit more editing. I think it would make a really fun movie!

Talk about a strained mother daughter relationship, damn. Bitter Is the Heart was so much creepier than I anticipated. It was shocking. There was even one scene that made me gasp out loud because it was so unexpected and so gruesome. Needless to say: I loved it.

It reminded me of that humorous horror movie, Drag Me To Hell. It had similar themes and an underlying humor that endeared me to it. This was my first book my Mina Hardy, and wow, it will not be my last, because Bitter Is the Heart was a freaking gory, haunting blast.

This book kept the creepy thrills coming. The dynamic between the mother and daughter was almost too real for comfort. I loved the incorporation of the Jewish faith and especially the blessed rosary/cross scene and subsequent conversation between the daughter and her high school boyfriend. That’s the first time I’ve ever heard a conversation like that and it made all the sense in the world. I do feel the ending was a bit rushed. I wish we had had more time to flesh out their relationship in the final chapters. Otherwise, great book!
Thank you Netgally for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

All of you people saying this isn't horror or isn't "scary" are out of your minds. It employs classic horror possession tropes and is deeply reminiscent of The Exorcist and other such possession stories. I absolutely loved the ways it dived into Jewish mythology (underrepresented in horror in my opinion, but when it's used it hits so hard.) I also think the mother/daughter relationships and sibling relationships were very well done. I highly recommend this for all horror lovers.

I chose to read this book because it’s rare that a thriller or horror not only mentions Judaism, but becomes intrinsically important to the plot

Tamar left home aged 18 after her mothers constant physical and emotional abuse. But 3 decades later, with no one else to look after Ruth, Tamar returns

The pace is slow but gripping as we slowly piece the past together. At the same time, it’s clear that Ruth is the source of something strange and malevolent

The focus is on the relationships, but there’s an insidious supernatural element that Tamar can’t escape from. The more time she spends with her mother, the more familiar and frightening the happenings become

The audiobook was wonderful and I especially liked her performance of Ruth. So sweet, but creepy

I enjoyed the balance of psychological thriller and horror - this isn’t gory or scary, but it’s super creepy and weird

When we finally get all the answers it’s satisfying, but I would have liked an explanation of the ‘how’. Flashbacks, Ruth’s POV… just more details

Overall, this was such a beautiful metaphor for mother/daughter, relationships, addiction, faith, religion, and ultimately free will

Thanks to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for access to this audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review

First I’d like to thank dreamscape media and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this ARC for my honest review.

I saw some reviews complaining that this book wasn’t scary, but as someone who took care of an elder family member this book had me on the edge of my seat quite often. Ruth is my literal worst nightmare. Her character is so creepy! For me the vibe of this book was very haunting and I loved it. I couldn’t put this down. I was so engrossed on what was happening from start to finish. I also love that this book didn’t necessarily end in a redemption.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for gifting me an audio ARC of this creepy tale by Mina Hardy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own – 4.5 stars!

Tamar Glass escaped her very dysfunctional relationship with her mom as soon as she was able. Now she’s back in her hometown and is forced to bring her mother, Ruth, into her home when she was kicked out of her nursing home. But then strange things start happening in the house, all making Tamar relive her childhood experiences.

While not really a horror novel, this one was completely creepy to me in all the good ways. You were never sure whose story you could trust. Tamar was trying desperately to do the right things for her mom, even when she had such a tumultuous relationship with her in the past. I also really loved the Judaism thread throughout the book. Great read – but maybe keep the lights on!