Thrillers around cults can be difficult, you already know it’s all going to go wrong, right?

The Mirror House Girls brings something different. A new friendship formed at a grief support group leads Winona moving into the eccentric Mirror House, an artsy eccentric home led by the charismatic Simon.

Step by step she becomes enchanted by the closeness, and their strange ways. The story with intercut with dialogue from a documentary, telling of the tragedy that unfolded, told by one of the survivors.

Faith Gardner does a great job at building up the main characters and then the suspense. Initially I thought it was going to be a little less dark and crazy than They Are The Hunters or Like It Never Was, but trust me, it goes there. There are plenty of shock moments and lasting damage.

Consistently entertaining, occasionally shocking and highly recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley and Mirror House Press

Another exciting thriller from Faith Gardner! As with her previous books, "The Mirror House Girls" is a fast-paced psychological mindf*ck that will leave you wondering what's real and what's not, not to mention what's right and what's wrong. Gardner does a great job turning Simon into a classic cult leader, who at the beginning looks like he truly cares—until the subtle ways he's controlling his followers grow ever more obvious, and ever more egregious. I enjoyed the documentary excerpts; instead of removing me from the plot, these short asides only enhanced the suspense and left me wondering how the main character was going to get out of the situation alive. The novel's plot threads are tied up in a satisfying conclusion that fit well with the rest of the story—that is to say, it wasn't too easy or too neat to be believable. Since the first Jolvix novel I read, Gardner has been—and remains—and auto-read author for me!

Really enjoyed the story, really interesting look at cults and their followers. I found it compelling and the characters were interesting and understandable. The one thing I didn't like was how she described cosmos as a girly drink - they're strong! I think most people aware of cocktails would think that, but maybe it's just me!

Just WOW! Another fantastic novel by Faith Gardner! So lucky to get a ‘sneak preview’ of her latest book. This starts with a bang and just never lets up. Captivating characters that kept me flipping pages long into the night. Loved everything about this book!
Thank you NetGalley , Faith Gardner and Mirror House Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

The Mirror House Girls by Faith Gardner is a gripping psychological thriller that will keep you hooked from start to finish. Winona, looking for a place to belong, rents a room in The Mirror House, where she quickly becomes involved with a group led by the charming but controlling Simon Spellmeyer. At first, it feels like the perfect place to call home, but as the strange and disturbing routines of the house intensify, Winona finds herself trapped in a web of manipulation and distrust. The story builds tension in such a way that you can't help but feel the suspense grow with every turn. It's a powerful look at how trust can be twisted, the dangers of blind loyalty, and how easily someone can be controlled. The unsettling conclusion stays with you long after you finish the book. If you enjoy thrillers that mess with your mind, The Mirror House Girls is definitely for you.
4.5 Stars!

The Mirror House Girls is a deeply gripping and addictive psychological thriller. It had me glued to the pages right from the start. The subject matter to me is truly fascinating, intriguing and Faith delivered once again in a masterful way. She built a very strong storyline with a great plot and development.

If you're looking for thrills all around, this is not what this one delivers, this is a true deep dive into the psychological aspects. How manipulation, narcissism, control, isolation can truly alter someone's way of thinking, acting and reacting. Truly Gardner delivered a very solid story that I couldn’t look away from. Some scenes are very unsettling and uncomfortable, the vividness in which the scenes were written, the details, it truly made my skin crawl at times! The power of great writing!

Simon is the worst human imaginable, the control he has over all these women is mind boggling. I learnt to love all of the girls in a different way, they all had their reasons behind each of their actions. Sometimes it was hard not to throw the book and shake some sense into them, but that's the whole purpose of this book. These things actually happen, the author made it feel very close to reality. All the emotions, fears, insecurities were felt through Gardner's words, her style of writing grips you and makes you feel everything that needs to be delivered.

Another hit by Faith Gardner. An absolute unputdownable read that is easily bingeable in one sitting.

✨️Thank you to @netgalley, @mirrorhousepress & @faithgardner for my gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have never read a Faith Gardner book so I wasn't sure what to expect. Cult books are always intriguing to me and the book description immediately piqued my interest.

Initially, I was impressed how quickly that I became hooked when I began the book. The story centers around Winona, a young woman who feels disconnected from her mother and is trying to find her place in the world. She is invited to move in to the Mirror House with a group of other women and one slightly older man, Simon. The book focuses on the house dynamics among Winona, Simon, and the other women.

I really enjoyed the way in which the story was told. The ending was revealed early on through an interview with one of the Mirror House residents. The interview chapters alternate with Winona's discovery of the Mirror House and the events that occur while Winona resides there.

I would recommend this story to anyone who enjoys reading about cults and wants a book they can't put down.

I was about half way through this when I thought it should have been ending but wasn't. It just felt drawn out for me with a sort of abrupt ending.

The talented Faith Gardner delivers yet another compelling thriller that hooks you from start to end!

This was so unsettling and some scenes were uncomfortable to read even, but I couldn't tear myself away. I loved the writing and how the interview excerpts are interspersed with Winona's POV.

The book offers great insight into what it's like to be drawn into a cult and why it's so hard to break away. It also acknowledges how it's easy to judge from the outside versus the desire for validation, approval and belonging. The gradual escalation and eventual climax was so well-written.

A very satisfying, illuminating and engaging read!

P.S. Huge fan of The Jolvix Episodes so I absolutely loved that little nod to it 😉

4.5, rounded up to 5 stars. An engaging and well told story that surpasses stereotypical cult trope novels. The author does a nice job depicting masterful manipulation and a gradual descent into madness.

Finished just in time to make The Mirror House Girls my favorite book of 2024! OMG Faith Gardner, you did it again! What an addictive, compelling, and captivating story that will no doubt be the talk of booktok and bookstagram next month!

This work of fiction could be considered a true story with the attention to detail and true-to-form atmosphere it creates. Faith Gardner masterfully tells how the grief of losing a family member slowly spirals into induction of a “fear to love” preaching cult for MC, Winona. While fully embracing her new friends and way of life, Winona is naive to the reality of being in a cult- and powerless to leave. This story is told on two timelines, past and present, and through Winona’s experience and clips from a documentary about the cult.

I can only pray they make this into a movie! It has all the right things to be a best selling book and make it into the big screen. Thank you NetGalley and Mirror House Press for this ARC!

Thank you Netgalley & Mirror House Press for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

The Mirror House Girls is an intense psychological thriller that follows Winona and the other women that have fallen under the Mirror House spell. A majority of this book is a slow-winding road that seems to be leading to something sinister. You spend most of the time bouncing between the incredulous feeling of "how are they falling for this" and being nervous for what is around the next bend in the road. The last 20% is way more intense, and is very satisfying.

I definitely recommend this book to anyone curious about cults/the psychological torture that permeates the culture of fanatic groups.

I’d like to thank netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. I have never read a book by this author but I was excited to dive deep into this book about a cult and the aftermath. Winona meets someone at a grief counselling group that’s just like her, searching for meaning in this big, wide world. She tells her to come move into the Mirror House where she lives with a few other likeminded some and Simon Spellmeyer. She is immediately drawn to them and their lifestyle and then the book really takes off. Told between two perspectives, during the cult and interviews with a survivor, we see how Winona feels being in the cult, inwardly and outwardly. This book shows the slow grip Simon places on his girls and how it feels impossible to leave. I couldn’t put this one down.

Incredible. Wow.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC. this book was absolutely incredible. The beginning made me really wonder where this book was going, but once it hit on the main themes, it was off an running. This book made me feel so many emotions; anger, fear, rage, sorrow, etc. But in a good way. This book helped me realize how people irl fall into cults because the subtle yet constant changes made it easy to see how someone so horrible can command so much authority.

Anyway, this is the best fictional book about a cult I've ever read. I was hooked and couldn't put it down.

This is my first Faith Gardner book It was Very well written
You will find yourself not wanting to put it down. and the twists really surprised me

This was so well done and worked with the psychological thriller element that I was looking for. I was invested in the element and was everything that I was hoping for. I was hooked from the first page and was everything that I was looking for. Faith Gardner did a great job in writing this and can't wait for more.

A chance meeting with a kindred spirit at a grief processing group, this is how Winona is introduced to the Mirror House. From the outside looking in, the occupants of the Mirror House seem like a great group of people - several women from all backgrounds and an out of the field psychologist, Simon. It seems like a hippy group, connecting to nature with their garden, connecting with each other in their home, and Winona longs to be a part of something - to find somewhere she belongs. She gets this opportunity when she is offered to rent spare room in the Mirror House. She opens herself to helping others in the community, in becoming a part of the group they’ve formed in the house, and eventually to Simon’s offer of help - to help her face her fears. But as time goes on, Simon’s help becomes stranger, their group is forced to move, and Winona can hardly recognize these people who she trusts wholeheartedly. But if she leaves, where will she go? Who will she belong with then?

Whew. This one kept me on my toes. People say, when referring to trauma and violence, that if you throw a frog into a pot of boiling water it’ll jump immediately out, but if you put it in cold water and start to slowly raise the temperature, it’ll gradually let itself be cooked alive. That’s what reading this novel was like. Interesting at the beginning, and slowly and surely grabbed me in a hold and I could not put it down. Winona’s struggles tugged hard at my emotions, and I couldn’t help but hold my breath as her journey in the novel reaches its conclusions.

Final Rating: 4.5 ⭐️

Recommended if you like: psychological thrillers, cultish fiction, dual timelines

(I received an advanced copy via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.)

The Mirror House Girls is a haunting psychological thriller that dives deep into the complexities of identity, manipulation, and the dangers of blind faith. The novel follows Winona, a young woman seeking transformation and belonging, who rents a room in the enigmatic Mirror House. The house, led by the charismatic yet unsettling psychologist Simon Spellmeyer, promises a utopian vision of self-improvement through strange and increasingly disturbing methods. As Winona gets drawn into Simon's world, the line between self-discovery and self-destruction begins to blur, leading to a tension-filled, unpredictable descent into chaos.

What makes the Mirror House Girls particularly gripping is Winona’s internal struggle. Her initial hope for self-improvement gradually shifts into a desperate fight for survival as she starts to realize the true cost of Simon's vision. The tension between her longing for transformation and the growing suspicion that something is terribly wrong is palpable. As the group's dynamics fracture, trust evaporates, and Winona is forced to confront the dark consequences of her choices, not just for herself, but for the people she has come to know.

The psychological depth of the characters is one of the novel's strongest points. Each member of the house is uniquely drawn, adding layers of complexity to the unfolding mystery. As Winona's bond with her housemates deteriorates, the story takes a sharp turn into the psychological horrors of isolation, manipulation, and loss of self. The narrative moves at a brisk pace, with twists and turns that keep readers on edge. The deeper Winona sinks into Simon’s vision, the more intense the stakes become, leading to a shocking and haunting climax that leaves an indelible mark.

However, the novel is not just about suspense; it also explores deeper philosophical themes about the nature of self-improvement, personal responsibility, and the price of belonging. The cost of Simon’s "utopian dream" ultimately becomes a tragic commentary on how far people will go in the pursuit of perfection—and what they lose in the process.

In conclusion, The Mirror House Girls is a compelling and thought-provoking psychological thriller that will leave readers questioning the line between self-improvement and self-destruction. With strong character development, a chilling atmosphere, and a plot that unfolds with increasing dread, it’s a novel that will stick with you long after the final page. If you're a fan of psychological suspense and dystopian mind games, this book is a must-read.

Fear to love. The infamous motto of The Mirror House and its way of life.

Do not let the beautiful cover fool you, this story is dark, depressing, and will leave you on the edge of your seat with your head spinning until you’ve read the very last word. The Mirror House Girls by Faith Gardner at Mirror House Press was a fantastic page turner and has me adding all of Faith Gardner’s books to my TBR.

Winona is no stranger to manipulation, having endured a lifetime of it from her mother and most recently her slimy ex. Winona’s decision to rent a room at Mirror House feels like a much needed fresh start, and she quickly falls in love with each of the inhabitants. The camaraderie within the house and roommates is much like a family, however that love blinds them to the manipulation of the charismatic Simon, who is their house leader.

It begins with little things at first, but quickly spreads until everyone is questioning themselves, and their loyalty, as they pit against one another. This slow burn decent into madness is craftily illustrated in a dual part narration. One from the first person point of view of Winona as events unfold, and by Scarlett, one of the housemates, in a documentary a year after the tragedy of the Mirror House Girls.

Faith Gardner’s authorship leaves you feeling that you are right there amongst the madness, and I couldn’t get enough!

Thank you to NetGalley, Faith Gardner, and Mirror House Press for the advanced reader copy in turn my honest review of the book.

Thank you Net Galley and Mirror House Press for the ARC of The Mirror House Girls, by Faith Gardner. Winona’s grandmother just passed away and she has left her good for nothing boyfriend, when she meets Dakota at a grief counseling meeting in California. Dakota and Winona become friends immediately and Dakota invites Winona to see where she lives and asks her to move in. The house Dakota brings her to is a house that is covered in mirrors and has 5 girls and 1 man, named Simon living there. Winona is welcomed and feels like she has found her “family”. However the longer Winona stays in this house with these people, she starts questioning if she has done the right thing. As time goes on, she has begun to love them and Simon and can’t see that she is being manipulated. The power Simon has over everyone leaves them feeling that the outside world is not for them. This is a very good story and the writing is excellent. You can feel Winona’s emotions, fear, and can also understand her need for belonging. This story is not for the faint of heart, there are a few situations that are upsetting. I highly recommend this book. It is one you will not want to put down. This is the first book I have read by Faith Gardner and I look forward to reading more.