I enjoyed this twisted thriller told from the perspective of the main character Winona. Winona is in a rut when she finds herself thrust into a group of friends who live together in a house with mirror stuck to the outside of it. She’s lured into their web by their charismatic leader, Simon. By the time she realizes the danger lurking beneath the partying and journey to becoming ‘Woken’, she’s already trapped. I loved how the plot unfolded with an escalating level of tension and suspense. Fans of psychological thrillers.

Ok- This was my first Faith Gardner book, and let me just say, that I am definitely a fan and can’t wait to read more by her!

This one was a slow burn that I found hard to put down. I tend to be drawn to culty reads, and this one did not disappoint. This wasn’t your typical religious cult story. This felt unique yet realistic, and really blurred the lines of what a cult can look like.

This is a truly horrifying story of how one man, Simon, was able to brainwash and control a group of women by meticulously preying on their weaknesses, vulnerabilities and the overall human need to belong.

At first, this really didn’t feel like a cult, which makes it believable that some people find themselves in these situations. You feel some empathy for those who are sucked into it and you can almost understand why these women found comfort and a sense of family within the walls of the Mirror House. I found myself caring about these women and found it incredibly frustrating to see them get sucked further into Simon’s web.

Simon was absolutely horrid and repulsive, but yet you can see how his methods could make the women crave his attention and acceptance. His manipulation was so calculated and often subtle at first, which I felt made his character even more frightening.

Overall, I enjoyed this one and finished it in just a couple of days. I did have an alternate ending in my head that I was hoping for, however. Make sure you read the epilogue!

If you enjoy cultish, psychological thriller vibes, I recommend adding this one to your TBR! Thank you to Faith Gardner, Mirror House Press and NetGalley for providing me with this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

3 stars.

Bookstore employee Winona goes to a grief workshop to process the death of her grandmother for whom she was caretaker and she meets a kindred spirit. She ends up renting a room in the girl’s home, a place known as Mirror House. She lives there with four other women and former psychologist Simon Spellmayer who has free “sessions” with the women to help cure them of their fears. Commence eye rolling here.

Life at Mirror House becomes all encompassing but Winona feels love there, even as Simon’s methods become more extreme and then his vision for the house expands. What will happen to those at Mirror House?

Well, the reader actually has an idea about what will happen because the narrative is interspersed with the transcript from a documentary about Mirror House…and you just know if someone made a documentary things didn’t go well. I hardly watched “The Jinx” to hear Robert Durst proclaim himself innocent (one of the single best TV moments ever. But I digress.)

I couldn’t really relate to the women in the book because I haven’t undergone a frontal lobotomy, but I kept turning the pages.

This book had me so terrified that I couldn’t look away. I finished it in less than 24 hours and lay awake processing the cult type family that Simon had created. The Mirror House Girls was one of the most captivating books I’ve read in awhile!

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒍 𝒕𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒚 𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒕𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒆 𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆. 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒚 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒇 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍𝒔 𝒐𝒇𝒇, 𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒍, 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒆 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚'𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒄𝒄𝒆𝒑𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌, 𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒍, 𝒎𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒃𝒆 𝒎𝒆. 𝑰'𝒍𝒍 𝒔𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒄𝒄𝒆𝒑𝒕 𝒊𝒕, 𝒕𝒐𝒐.

One of the best books I've read about the dynamic of cults in a long time! Winona is at a grief group, mourning a recent loss, when she meets a girl there that leads to an instant friendship and the offer of a room for rent. When Winona visits Mirror House for the first time, she feels at home. Everyone is happy and fulfilled, and she's curious about the lone male in the house, charismatic psychologist Simon Spellmeyer.

Cults have the same dynamic as an abusive relationship. You don't see the red flags, and the disturbing behaviors are easily explained away. So when Simon starts working with Winona in the name of "self-improvement" and "facing your fears," part of her knows that something is off, but she chalks it up to fear and plows forward. When the group is forced to leave Mirror House and start over, Winona begins to have doubt when one of the girls opts out, choosing to stay behind.

Interspersed with interviews from one of the surviving members of the OG Mirror House Girls, this is a taut, suspenseful book filled with dread as the reader can clearly picture the inevitable end while its victims remain blissfully unaware. The climax is absolutely haunting, and this book will live rent-free in my head for a long time! Thank you so much to the author for the early copy. This book is expected to publish January 23, 2025.

Great book! This author is becoming one of my favorites. This book is about Winona getting caught up in some weird cult type situation. The story is intruding and keeps you guessing the whole way. It also has a very nice ending.

This is the first book I've read by this author and it won't be the last!

I have always been fascinated by the psychology behind cults, and how people don't even realise they're in them. This book shows how this actually happens and I was gripped from the get go.

I found the main character likable, if naive and it kept me on the edge of the seat, always worrying about the mirror house girls.

Pacing was good, it felt neither rushed or dragged out and the interview with one of the characters a year on was a nice touch to show what happened from someone else's point of view.

I thoroughly enjoyed it and have been recommending it to family members already. The themes of found family, self-help, and low yet plot-important romance sat really well with me. If you're a fan of psychological thrillers, a really tense plot and anything cult related, this book is for you!

I burned through this book in two days, I couldn’t keep myself away for long because I just had to know what happened next!
This was a great read, and I loved the break aways to the documentary transcript. I honestly couldn’t stop reading. It was so interesting to see how a group dynamic can turn so quickly into something more sinister.

This one was definitely a cult gone right story. Instead of the aftermath of a cult, you are right in the middle of Winona slowly realizing she is in one. As the reader, I was like: GIRL, because all the signs were right in her face. I think that’s what intrigues me about cults: how people want to belong, and how they get wrapped into it. Simon was a piece of crap, and played these women and preyed upon their fears, weaknesses, and wanting to belong.

Overall, Faith Gardner did an amazing job telling the story which I had several emotions about. There was also mixed media in the form of interviews between chapters with one escapee who got out before it got worse. I saw right through Simon the minute he was on the page, and wanted better for all of these women who were in awe by him. I definitely recommend this one if you are fascinated by cults.

🎬 Read this if you like:
The Vow
Martha Marcy May Marlene
⏰ Best time to read:
When you’re in your cult era
📝 Themes:
Psychological Thriller, Horror, Cult, Coming-of-Age, Self-Improvement, Family, LGBTQ+, Psychology, Dual Timelines, Santa Cruz
👍 What I liked:
The beginning and end of this book were both fantastic. I’m also fascinated by any cult story—whether fiction or nonfiction.
❓ Synopsis: Winona moves to Santa Cruz after a difficult year and meets Dakota, who introduces Winona to her housemates. Soon, Winona is one of the gang, and she moves into the “mirror house” with her new friends. Simon, the ostensible leader of the house, is a licensed psychologist with innovative ideas for self-improvement. Winona sees real results and loves her new family, causing her to overlook warning signs that she might be in a cult.
📣 Review: Gardner’s portrayal of Winona’s descent into the Mirror House helped me to empathize with folks who end up in cults. I also enjoyed Gardner’s writing style and the personalities of her characters. Then, the ending was fantastic (although the dual timelines gave a lot away). If I had a complaint it’s merely that cults are formulaic, and so this book is as well to a degree. The middle two-thirds felt to me like a reimagining of NXIVM.

I love to read about cults. This was a nice surprise and I can highly recommend it. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the chance to read this book.

This was such a great cult thriller book. So much packed into one book and I loved every second of it. The characters were so diverse, yet their friendships worked. I fell in love with the quirky characters almost immediately.

I have a fascination with cult stories and this one was done so well. It blows my mind that while going through the experience, you don’t see it as being in a cult, but the signs are all there for everyone around you.

The story got crazier and crazier the more I read. There were definitely some chapters where I gasped or covered my mouth. It got absolutely crazy. Just when I think it couldn’t get any crazier….BANG. The things people go through to express their devotion, it’s captivating and sad all at the same time. The twists in this story were done to perfection.

The story had depth, it was well thought out. The way the story unfolds and the ending was just 🤯🤯

I don’t want to give anything away, but if you like a cult like story, psychological thrillers, manipulation, and just plain chaos, I HIGHLY recommend adding this book to your TBR.

This was my first Faith Gardner book, but it definitely will not be my last.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my ARC copy. instantly knew I was going to enjoy this book and I definitely did! It reminded me of The Girls by Emma Cline, which is one of my all time favourite books - I love the way The Mirror House Girls delves into psychological aspects of how one finds themselves in a community like this and I found myself reading this super quickly. Without giving anything away, there was a clear sense from the beginning of where things were going to go but, in this case, that did not matter. You don't need any shocking plot twists, but just to know WHY. Thoroughly enjoyed this read and would definitely recommend it if you enjoy a good psychological thriller - out January 23rd!

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Wow, this book was AMAZING! As someone who has studied and researched cults and true crime cases, The Mirror House Girls felt like watching a documentary in the best way. I was focused and gripped by the characters and story from the very beginning. I loved how the author wrote the changes that slowly happened within the cult over time that led to that sad ending.

Pairing of music really helped enhance the story as well! I definitely need to read more by this author in the future!

I love a culty moment! I couldn’t put it down and read during every free second I could spare. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!

This premise had me so excited: A cult in a house of mirrors told in a true crime documentary fashion. That checks every box of everything I could ever want in a novel. And I was not disappointed.

Simon is the head of this little cult and he's a mysterious guy. So intriguing. The women following him are victims; unknowing, unaware, and sucked in. They range from women with hard, criminal pasts, to a rich princess looking for more, and lost girls searching for love, acceptance, and healing. And it's tragic to watch them be devoured by this prisoners man. The cult's fall is haunting.

I loved this story. Could not put it down. Gobbled it up from start to finish. The writing was superb, twists and plots were brilliant, and character development was clever and astoundingly on point.

When I first started reading this I thought oh, okay, a standard suicide cult book. And honestly the first half was not bad, but it also didn't totally work for me. I didn't see why Winona was falling for Simon and his cult, I felt like I just had to go with it. I didn't see it.

But the writing was good and it kept me interested enough I kept reading and thought this would be a solid 3 star read for me. Then about halfway through, when they relocated, I really started to enjoy the story. The whole last half was great and I couldn't put it down. Seeing everything spiral and how things ended up was wonderful. I definitely want to check out more of this author's books as this was my first. Such a fun read overall.

When I first picked up The Mirror House Girls by Faith Gardner, I was feeling lukewarm about the premise. Admittedly, it was the striking cover that drew me in, along with a glowing recommendation from indie thriller author Noelle W. Ihli, whose work I’ve enjoyed. I wasn’t expecting much, but this book quickly hooked me and refused to let go.

The story follows Winona, a young woman at a crossroads in her life. She’s left her hometown, still grappling with the death of her grandmother, her strained relationship with her mother, and the fallout from a disastrous romance with a married man. At a grief counseling group, she meets Kristen, and they become fast friends. Kristen soon invites Winona to stay at the Mirror House, a strange residence covered entirely in mirrors where Kristen lives with a few other girls and Simon, a former therapist who claims to be offering pro bono therapy.

At first, the setup seems almost too good to be true. Simon is charismatic and devoted to helping the girls overcome their deepest fears through unorthodox immersion therapy. Winona, struggling with hemophobia (a fear of blood), becomes his newest project. Before long, she’s swept up by Simon’s charm and the apparent camaraderie of the other girls. Sure, her mother raises a skeptical eyebrow—“Isn’t it weird that a grown man is living in a house with five young women?”—but Winona brushes off these concerns. Simon’s methods may be unusual, but he’s helping them… right?

The cracks in Simon’s façade are slow to show but impossible to ignore. When the group relocates to a home in a remote area, the isolated setting only amplifies the growing sense of unease. Simon’s behavior becomes increasingly manipulative, and Winona begins to question his intentions. Yet every time doubt creeps in, she dismisses it: “Simon wouldn’t do that. His intentions are good… aren’t they?”

As Simon’s hold on the group strengthens, it becomes chillingly clear to outsiders—and eventually to the reader—that these girls are in a cult. The tension builds masterfully, with Winona’s inner turmoil mirroring the reader’s growing dread. What is Simon’s endgame? Can Winona break free? And even if she tries, is escape even possible? These questions are underscored by periodic flash-forwards to a news story featuring a former member of the group, teasing an inevitable tragedy that looms over the narrative.

The real strength of The Mirror House Girls lies in Faith Gardner’s ability to create a deeply unsettling atmosphere. The story plays on the fears and insecurities of its characters while pulling the reader into their world of doubt and dependency. The pacing, while slow at first, builds a relentless tension that keeps you turning pages late into the night. It’s not just about the psychological terror but also the emotional pull of seeing these girls’ lives unravel under Simon’s influence.

I didn’t expect to enjoy this book as much as I did, but it completely exceeded my expectations. It’s a well-written, engaging psychological thriller that creeps under your skin and refuses to let go. By the end, I was left thoroughly unsettled, completely captivated by its brilliance.

I’d rate it 4.5 out of 5 stars. If you’re a fan of slow-burn thrillers that explore cult dynamics and psychological manipulation, The Mirror House Girls is definitely worth your time.

4.5 stars rounded down.
Lovers of psychological thrillers and cults will love this one. Winona is fresh in grief from losing her grandmother. A grief that her mother feels like she shouldn’t be experiencing in the magnitude that she is. After she meets a woman at a support group she finds herself renting a room at the secretive Mirror House. Winona finds herself questioning the leader of this so called friend group and his true motives. Faith Gardner does an excellent job of exploring the thoughts that Winona was having and how human instinct often times leads us to believing that others have our best interests in mind. I was left with a few unanswered questioned, but none that made me feel like the books ending suffered due to it.

Thank you to Faith Gardener, Net Galley and Mirror House Press for this ARC.

Nothing better than a bunch of young women in a cult in coastal California! People who don't live in California must think that the whole state is full of them. So, I am pretty picky about the cult stories I'll read. I need something different to bring me in. And of course this author delivers! Starting out as more of a cohousing situation, the girls are slowly pulled under the spell of Simon and each other. I loved how the story was presented with dual povs/timelines. The concept itself gives an astute reader something to ponder. I could have used a bit more character development. The bits and pieces offered made me want to know more. And, as always, I love how Jolvix is slyly brought in to the story, though no prior reading of that series is required to enjoy this one. It's just a nod to faithful long time readers of this author.