Thank you to NetGalley and HTF Publishing |Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) for this ARC!

Gothic horror is one of my favorite genres. But it’s usually rare for me to find ones I truly enjoy because of genre-specific features like dark yet mysterious atmospheric writing style, time-period-appropriate language, and compelling characters. This book had everything in spades! I could feel the spookiness and the mysteriousness from the first page. It was easy to be immersed in the story because of the relatable and authentic characters. I am shook. This story will stay with me for a long, long time.

Atmospheric, visceral, emotional and sprawling. Weiner builds such a rich world, this will appeal to supernatural horror lovers and historical fiction fans alike!

J. E. Weiner has a strong writing style and enjoyed the overall feel of this book. I really enjoyed reading this, it had that historical feel that I was looking for and enjoyed the use of the horror element. I was hooked from the first page and enjoyed the feel of this storyline. I enjoyed how good the characters were and was invested in what was happening with them.

J.E. Weiner's The Wretched and the Undone is a compelling and unforgettable read. The story dives deep into the struggles of its characters, presenting their battles with despair and their search for hope in a way that feels both real and touching.

Weiner’s writing is clear and evocative, drawing readers into a world where every choice matters. The characters are well-developed, each with their own flaws and strengths, making their journeys feel authentic and relatable.

The plot is gripping, with enough twists and turns to keep readers hooked from start to finish. Themes of loss, forgiveness, and finding purpose are handled with care and thoughtfulness, making the story resonate on many levels.

The Wretched and the Undone is a standout novel that offers a deeply moving experience. J.E. Weiner has crafted a story that will stay with readers long after they’ve finished it.

This book was perfect to me. Western and paranormal aspects. I love books like this and there aren't enough of them. This author has immense talent and I look forward to reading more by her.

Promises of “an exotic new world of faith, fertile soil and freedom in this land called ‘Teksas’ had
enticed the Anderwald family to emigrate in 1855. Five years of hardship in Bandera; still no
relief in sight. They were Polish immigrants who did not understand the conflict engendered by
the Civil War. Suddenly, Marcin Anderwald found himself recruited by Sergeant Kirby and
Private Brewer of Camp Verde to oversee the building of transport wagons to haul provisions
further west for the war effort Some would be pulled by oxen, other by dromedaries. Marcin
worked alongside two camel hands, brothers Khalil and Ahmad, as well as a group of Yankee
prisoners, to efficiently complete the task. Sergeant Kirby, Khalil and Ahmad would become
Marcin’s lifelong friends. Private Brewer, however, was incensed and brutal. “If there was a bad
seed, a sinner so foul they must suffer God’s wrath, it was Private Augustus Brewer. Marcin
prayed for vengeance for the first time in his life.” And so began a battle between good and evil,
a multi-generational fight sucking all the oxygen out of the lives of Marcin Anderwald and
generations of his descendants.

The Devil’s Backbone, a stretch of highway in Texas Hill Country, was the setting for a gothic
tale of the haunting of a fictitious Polish immigrant family. It perhaps started with a strange
looking man-pale, ghost-like, with a mop of red hair. Meet Josiah T. Gaines, a man with a
warning for Marcin Anderwald. “The Devil had surely cometh to Camp Verde and must be cast
out. Of this, Marcin was certain.”

The Anderwalds seemed “undone” at every attempt made to live a comfortable life as they
amassed a profitable livestock business. Tragedy struck as three year old Lena fell into the river,
trapped by what was thought to be tree roots. Agnieszka told her husband Marcin that a dark
presence was holding her down making her incapable of acting to save Lena. Shadows
breathed on her neck…trees rustled…mists of gray or white permeated the air. Sometimes a
woman dressed in white, an ethereal specter appeared. The apparition, sometimes benevolent,
might emit heart wrenching, weeping sounds.

It was surprising to note that as the Anderwalds cleared their fields to accommodate livestock,
they found that peacocks gifted to them as well as the camels handled by Khalil and Ahmad
were able to discourage cattle poachers. The homestead was appropriately named Peacock
Bend. All was well until five men outfitted in threadbare Confederate uniforms took bounty
hunting to a new level. “Since the war, [Josiah T. Gaines] fancies himself a man of the
law…making a livin’ as a bounty hunter, tracking horse thieves” Would help arrive in time to
prevent an impending disaster?

Despite the trials and tribulations at Peacock Bend, beautiful artwork, especially a large mural of
peacocks graced the walls of the house. Other family members would find beauty in choral
music and musical composition. It seemed that beauty was always counterbalanced with
tragedy including a flood claiming the life of a dear friend.

“Common to all recollections…along the streets of Bandera was that whether they admit it or
not-all mortals, at one time or another, come up short, fall prey to darker forces.” “A man in a
tattered soldier’s cap emerged from the shadows…the figure…had no face, only a black
emptiness…he hissed with a hollow laugh.” the figure vanished. After witnessing this apparition,
how could one not possess an all encompassing fear coupled with anger?

The Wretched and the Undone” by debut author J.E. Weiner was an excellent, unsettling read! Highly recommended.

Thank you Colin Mustful @ HTF Publishing and Net Galley for the print ARC in exchange for an honest review

J.E. Weiner's "The Wretched and Undone" is a spellbinding exploration of family, legacy, generational curses, and the supernatural set against the richly atmospheric backdrop of 19th-century Texas Hill Country. This novel, a sweeping Southern Gothic epic, is a dark and haunting tale inspired by real people and actual events, where historical depth meets the ethereal.

Weiner masterfully weaves together the struggles of Polish immigrants Marcin and Agnieszka Anderwald with the relentless terror of a vengeful specter, the Shadow, from the death of an evil Civil War soldier. The narrative spans generations, tackling themes of grief, guilt, and resilience as the Anderwalds face an unrelenting curse that passes through the lives of their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. This family and their found family endure an incredible amount of bad luck, death, depression, and addiction due to signs of the curse.

The vivid descriptions of Bandera, Texas, and its immigrant communities, along with many historical events over the centuries, breathe life into the setting. At the same time, the supernatural elements heighten the tension, creating a narrative that is both captivating and unsettling. The book's strength lies in its genre-bending approach, seamlessly blending historical fiction, horror, and Southern Gothic. The writing is evocative, though, at times, the character's unrelenting pain and hardship can feel overwhelming and oppressive. "The Wretched and Undone" delivers an unforgettable journey though, balancing heartbreak and hope with masterful storytelling.

The ending is absolutely superb, and how it ties into the prologue made my jaw drop! This is a must-read if you enjoy richly detailed sagas steeped in the supernatural. Four stars!

TRIGGER WARNINGS: Abusive relationship, Alcoholism, Child death, Depression, Incest, Gun violence, Hallucinations, Infertility, Miscarriage, Possible suicide, Racism, War

Thank you, #NetGalley, #JEWeiner, #HTFPublishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review of #TheWretchedandUndone .

I like sagas. I like to nestle into a story and see where it leads. This story is one that spans several generations of the same family, each of which presents characters that draw out my sympathies for different reasons. The first generation, Marcin and his wife, are gentle immigrants, coming to Texas to carve out a better life. But Texas in the nineteenth century is a tough and barren place, and their dreams of a good life are sorely tested. Tragedy compounds upon tragedy for this unfortunate family, and soon their actions conjure up spirits that haunt not just Marcin's generation but those that come after it. Southern gothic, indeed.

The writing is crisp and often gripping. From the first pages, I felt as though I were in the hands of a master storyteller. Highly recommended.

The Wretched and the Undone is a Southern Gothic novel set in Texas. It follows the Anderwals, a family of Polish immigrants, over four generations and nearly 100 years. When Marcin, the first patriarch, provokes the wrath of an evil spirit, he and the generations that follow meet tragedy after tragedy at the hand of this ghost.

One of the book's most interesting aspects is how broad its timeframe is. You don’t only see the evolution of the Anderwal family alone but also that of the United States and Texas, with a generation-by-generation view of what it was like and how drastically life and the world around you could change. Meticulous detail and research were put into this aspect, and it shows.

However, a downside of the vast timeframe is that we don’t get to spend a ton of characters, and it casts a very, very wide net with a lot to keep track of. At some times, I struggled to tell who was who. Furthermore, I felt like I never got to get to know any of the characters. They tended to feel two-dimensional and like there wasn’t much character development, even if the plot spanned their lives. They all had one predictable schtick, more or less.

The first act was more or less tragedy after tragedy, and after a while, I wondered who would die or suffer next. Due to the predictability and gloom of the pattern, I almost put the book down for good. The second half, however, made up for the first, with growing complexity and a twist that I didn’t see coming. Yes, it was still incredibly gritty and tragic, but it made me want to keep reading due to a very satisfying, shocking resolution. It almost completely redeemed the slow, shallow, and depressing start and made me a fan where I thought I wouldn’t be.

The supernatural aspect of the book was always very flimsy to me—the motive behind it seemed utterly unbelievable and abrupt. The hauntings didn’t add to the book, which was the biggest disappointment. They were never terrifying and never entirely made sense. Instead, they subtracted from the poignant family drama that played out in the book, somewhat reducing the impact of the family's struggles and tragedies.

Even if the supernatural fell flat, it was a poignant historical family drama. It explores grief, resiliency, and the difficulty of family bonds, universal themes to most people. Even if it did have shortcomings, it successfully showed the trials and triumphs of one family over a large swath of history.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good family drama and a good twist ending, but has a tolerance to sadness and misfourtune

This book was amazing! I loved all of it. I loved that I got to go on an adventure through different characters hardships and see how they tried to fight their demons.
It was great! Thank you

Thank you netgalley and the publishers for the ARC. I saw the description for this book and instantly thought this was going to be the book. I enjoyed the plot and character development. The story felt original and was engaging. I will read more by the author.

This is a gothic historical horror novel which really hits the mark both in terms of story and prose. It spans generations of a family who are suffering from a curse. This curse shows itself as a dark shadow, rarely interacting with the family directly yet it's effects are felt and widespread.

Taking place between the civil war and the 1940s , the historical aspects are just as important to the narrative as the curse itself. And if you're a fan of historical fiction you'll absolutely love this.

We get to know this family very well which makes the deaths and tragedies that befall them an emotional reading experience. They're generally good people with good intentions yet this curse continues to torment them over many generations.

When I think of "gothic" horror, this is the kind of book I'm thinking about. It's sweeping personal narrative and emotional hooks makes for a great read. I highly recommend it.

The Wretched and Undone by J.E. Weiner is a masterpiece! I wasn't expecting it to be so good as it was... it was really good. I rated it 5 stars.

If you’re a fan of Taylor Sheridan’s work you’ll love this book!
1863 meets paranormal! This book is a the perfect combination between history, fiction, love and some humour. Highly recommended!!