3.5/5

This was such an interesting and and well-organized psychological thriller.

I really liked that we had dual timelines (which I often do not like, I find them overly used and confusing at times, this was done is a smart and necessary way) in two different styles and perspectives. We get one timeline that is modern day and following a woman being interviewed for a documentary. And the other timeline is what happened that warrants a documentary. That timeline follows the characters in what is essentially a cult and how it slowly ensnares more young women. There is a mass death of those cult-inhabiting characters and the survivor is the woman being interviewed.

This was fun and unique and I could see it being adapted into a movie quite well (I feel like I've been saying that a lot lately but I think that's because I've been reading more thrillers and those are much better suited to a film/tv show adaptation than a fantasy novel).

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

Winona hates being alone, so when Dakota invites her to live in the mysterious house covered in mirrors, she is quick to accept. But under the tutelage of the charismatic Simon, she is slowly changing. Why does it fill her with such joy being with these other women and Simon? Her inner voice tells her something is wrong here, but she resists. Are The Mirror Girls a cult?

This was an interesting story. You say cult, and I show up. Told from Winona’s point of view but interspersed with interview footage from a year later with Scarlett a former house member, this story weaves the reader through a year in the lives of the mirror house girls, first in Santa Cruz, then a larger compound. While I found the story compelling, I couldn’t help but feel it was missing something I couldn’t quite put my finger on. An interesting story, but not quite compelling enough to completely satiate my interest in a the cult (and I figured out the ending, so always a bit of a let down. Three stars.

I received this advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and feedback.

This is an excellent psychological thriller, and truly scary in that it makes only too clear how anyone can fall into a cult. Winona is definitely not what would be considered “cult material,” she is smart, hard working and highly educated when she moves into the titular mirror house. In a short time she gets attached to her housemates, especially Simon. He is nothing to look at, but is a psychologist and is willing to help her get over a phobia, just because he’s such a good, generous soul. Little by little, Winona starts losing her self and becoming a mirror girl. The plot is very suspenseful and, even if the ending is known from the beginning, it’s hard to see how it will happen. The author shows the slow descent of not only Winona, but her housemates, into chaos. The reader can see what’s happening, but it’s not hard to understand the appeal, the traps, the slow and gradual loss of control into which we all probably would fall. One of the characters is a songwriter and, as a bonus, the book includes a QR code that takes you to a site where you can hear her songs. It helps set the tone. The ending was very well written and managed to add a few more twists.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Mirror House Press.

4.5 stars rounded to 5!

The Mirror House Girls is a haunting and riveting psychological thriller that fans of mind games and manipulation will love. When Winona rents a room at The Mirror House, she finally feels like she’s found a place where she belongs—part of a “family” led by the charismatic yet controlling Simon Spellmeyer. But as the house’s strange and unsettling routines grow darker, Winona is drawn deeper into a web of control and mistrust. The book expertly builds suspense, with each twist keeping you on edge. It’s a thought-provoking exploration of trust, manipulation, and the cost of blind loyalty. With an unsettling ending that lingers long after the final page, The Mirror House Girls is a must-read for fans of psychological suspense.

Thank you NetGalley & Mirror House Press for an advanced copy to read in exchange for my review.

This just felt like a run of the mill cult book to me. It was fine but it played out as expected. I liked the mixed media though with the interview, that made it a bit more interesting.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A seemingly innocuous self-improvement retreat turns into an ostensibly inescapable cult-like compound. A riveting story.

I could not put this book down! It really felt like I was there with the characters going through the manipulation too. Such a sad/bittersweet ending too. Really great book. I’m keeping my eye out for more from this author!

All the stars. Chefs kiss. I LOVE cults. They are so interesting to me. And I love mixed media inclusions. Combined? I could not put this down. Half first person POV, half documentary. I do believe that this was a great story and I really liked the main characters. I highly recommend this book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the copy of this ARC! This will be out in January of 2025! Make sure to add it to your list!

Oh. My. Gosh. This book was such a ride! Like, picture this: you're just casually reading, thinking it’s about a quirky house with some self-help vibes, and then BAM—you’re neck-deep in cult drama and questioning everyone's life choices.

Winona, girl, what were you thinking? But also, I totally get it. This place felt like home when she needed one, and Simon? He’s got that “I’m so wise, trust me” energy that’s, like, super sus but also magnetic. The way things escalated was soooo slow and sneaky—you just wanna shake her and be like, “RUN, BABE!” But then you’re like, okay, I see how she got there.

The story gives all the culty chills while being weirdly relatable. It’s haunting, gripping, and will totally have you side-eyeing anyone with “self-improvement protocols” for the foreseeable future. The writing? Chef’s kiss. You’re literally in the thick of it, questioning what you’d do if you were in her shoes. Spoiler: you’d probs stay longer than you’d like to admit.

Five shiny stars. ✨ Thanks a ton to NetGalley for letting me devour this wild ride of an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion ❤️

Thank you to NetGalley and Mirror House Press for an eARC copy of The Mirror House Girls by Faith Gardner.

The Mirror House Girls is a gripping psychological thriller that delves deep into the complexities of human desire, self-improvement, and the dark undercurrents of charismatic leadership. The story follows Winona, a young woman seeking new connections and a sense of belonging when she rents a room at the eccentric Mirror House. What she fiends, however, is much more than she bargained for. Led by the enigmatic psychologist Simon Spellmeyer, the house is a microcosm of psychological manipulation and self-transformation, all wrapped in a veneer of idealism.

What makes The Mirror House Girls the most compelling is the way the story explores vulnerability, trust, and the price of self-improvement. The psychological depth of the girls, especially Winona, adds layers making her transformation (or unraveling) all the more poignant. Faith Gardner does a wonderful job making you feel that you, the reader, are Winona. That this isn't just Winona's journey, it's yours as well. It taps into the darkest parts of the fear of losing oneself and how the search for belonging can sometimes lease to the worst of places. It will certainly make you think long after your finished.

In the end, The Mirror House Girls is a dark exploration of manipulation, trust, and the dangerous allure of utopian ideas. If you ever thought you wouldn't get dragged into a cult, this novel will really change your mind.

I love Faith Gardner books and this did not disappoint!
Winona rents a room at the Mirror House, she’s looking to make new friends. What she gets instead is a “family” led by Simon., on a compound. Red flags everywhere, but she is drawn in by Simon’s charisma and promise of self improvement. I love books about any cult environment or compound!! This had me reading late just to find out what would happen!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc.

Thank you, Mirror House Press for the copy of The Mirror House Girls by Faith Gardner. The last few books by Gardner didn’t really grab me, but I loved the Jolvik books so I gave this one a try. I’m so glad I did! I love books about cults and this was a great one. It was interesting how the girls didn’t see what was going on, even though Simon was just like Charles Manson and used familiar tactics of giving love and then taking it away to bend the girls to his will slowly. I liked the realistic description of how this treatment affected Winona. After he moved the girls and tried to grow his community, the book kind of went off the rails, but I understand it needed a ‘big event’ to shake things up. This book kept me engaged and felt like the old Gardner books that I loved! 4.5 stars rounded up to 5

I hadn't heard of this book or author before but was taken in by the title and the premise of the book. I was not disappointed. The story is string and the characters relatable. I enjoyed the pacing of the story and the twists. I felt instantly drawn into the story.

Fear to Love, Fear to Love, Fear to Love are the words whispered by The Mirror House Girls .

This book kept me up into the wee hours of the night with it's slow burn locked room thriller culty vibes .

This is my third book from this amazingly multi talented Indie author and this was the darkest read by her yet. I feel the author did a great job of slowly portraying how one could casually overtime succumb into the cult life.

Read this if you like :
* Slow Burns
* Climatic Reads
* Locked Room Thrillers
* Cult Stories
* Manipulative Characters
* Dark Mystery
* YA Vibes

The Mirror House Girls takes us on deep dive into the sinister world of a cult life nestled in a little town in Santa Cruz . What starts off as an innocent sense of belonging for one of our main FMC's a young women trying to find her way in the world Winona feels as if she's struck the jack pot when she meets Dakota and is offered a room with her and her house mates.

Slowly Winona learns the lay of land and is mesmerized by the house leader Simon. Simon is older and smart,sexy, hypnotic and leads these girls to believe anything he wants them to see.

When the House of Mirrors is on the verge of eviction , we are taken to a new location on a seaside cliff and it is here where things start to get more cra cra . If these women of House of mirrors are not careful it could lead them to places they may not want to go or ultimately death !!

What will happen to The Mirror House Girls , will they come to their senses or will it lead to someone's death ?? You need to read this one for yourself to find out !

Thank you Netgalley, Mirror House Press and the wonderful Faith Gardner for this misty thrilling ARC!