Today I am happy to be participating in a blog tour for Harrow Lake written by Kat Ellis. Before I begin this promo post, I would like to thank TheWriteReads for organizing this huge blog tour with Penguin publishing. I remember when TheWriteReads had just begun…I’m so honored to be a part of what they now do…what they symbolize. He has managed to bring the book blogging community closer all while support authors. It melts my heart to know such an amazing person has touched the hearts of so many of us. I hope to continue to support others through this amazing group.
Well before I gush more about this, how about getting onto the book huh?
Harrow Lake 
Author: Kat Ellis
Published: July 9th, 2020
Publisher: Penguin Random House
Book Length: 368 Pages
Genre: Horror (YA), Thriller
Buy the book: Amazon
Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Things I know about Harrow Lake:
1.It’s where my father shot his most disturbing slasher film.
2.There’s something not right about this town.
Lola Nox is the daughter of a celebrated horror filmmaker–she thinks nothing can scare her.
But when her father is brutally attacked in their New York apartment, she’s quickly packed off to live with a grandmother she’s never met in Harrow Lake, the eerie town where her father’s most iconic horror movie was shot. The locals are weirdly obsessed with the film that put their town on the map–and there are strange disappearances, which the police seem determined to explain away.
And there’s someone–or something–stalking her every move.
The more Lola discovers about the town, the more terrifying it becomes. Because Lola’s got secrets of her own. And if she can’t find a way out of Harrow Lake, they might just be the death of her.
Doesn’t the cover just scream horror novel?! I really like the simplicity of it. Here is the UK version of the cover
I find it refreshing how there are different covers in the United States and the United Kingdom. Too often, I prefer the UK version of the cover. Which of these do you prefer?
While you think about that, let’s learn about the creator of this engaging story!
About the Author
You’ll usually find Kat up to no good on Twitter, trekking through ruins and cemeteries with her camera, or watching scary films with her husband.
Review
I am a sucker for any good horror novel and this book truly grabbed my attention right away. Sadly it did not always stay that way. Now, keep in mind while reading this that I read an ARC which means there will be changes before the final copy is submitted. This means the issues I saw with the story might not be there when you get a finished copy.
That being said, I felt the writing was very choppy. It made it hard to really dive into the story at times. I felt almost a disconnect as if I could not connect to the characters as deeply as I’d hoped to. This was really the only big negative thing I had to say about the entire book. It never made me want to put down the book. The fast pace kept pushing me to turn the next page, find out what happened next. A town, Harrow Lake, trapped by its own dark past…what is there not to love about that? The world-building was well done, I could clearly envision each scene as if it was unfolding in front of me as I read. There are a few Trigger warnings I feel need to be mentioned. As a victim of childhood abuse, some of this hit me hard. I admit I might have skimmed some of those sections of the novel. That is alright though because I know I can handle it but not everyone might be able to. That is why I mention the trigger warning below:
Trigger Warning: There are scenes of both childhood abuse and trauma in this novel
Despite being targeted at a young adult audience, this book is full of edge of your seat, nail-biting moments. This is not a book for those faint of heart. If you enjoy a good thriller or horror novel though, this might be right up your alley. The book feels similar to the Netflix show Black Mirror. The author is at atmospheric magician! I felt chills while reading and though I did not relate to the characters as I like, I felt drawn to finish the novel.
I think my favorite aspect of the entire novel as that it explored the idea of perception and reality. If you believe so deeply in something does that make it real? Will that become a reality? This was a decadent dark, twisted read.
Overall, this was a good novel. It has some issues but those are easily fixed with another editing pass. It chilled me to the bone at times, making me shiver though the bright sun shone down on me. It had me looking over my shoulder, waiting for something to scare me on purpose. I sat on the edge of my seat binge-reading this book and could not get enough! If you are looking for something a little creepy to get your mind of the state of affairs today, pick this one up July 9th!
If you’ve read this, let me know what you think! What are some of your farvorite horror novels?
Blog Tour Organized By:
TheWriteReads
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links.
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