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_thelitlibrarian's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Bullying, Mental illness, and Suicide
After the unexpected death of her father, Jane and her mother Ruth pack up their entire life in sunny California to move back to Ruth's family home in Maine. Jane seems to adapt fairly well (thanks to the numbness she feels after her father's death), finds comfort in a group of friends, and even secures a job at a local bookstore. It doesn't take long for the readers to realize things aren't what they seem. The town holds a secret; the thing everyone knows but no one will talk about, that is, everyone except Jane. As strange things start happening around her and inside her home, Jane begins to investigate what happened years ago in the very same house she lives in. My heart broke for Jane, everyone knew what had happened except for her, and no matter how hard she tried, no one seemed to want to even talk about the traumatic events that took place in the home. This book was eerie, I often found myself getting chills and looking around my surroundings to ensure I was alone. I always love a dark story with heavy family drama so as I read this, I had high hopes. The novel had a lot of buildup for an average ending, there was a lot of focus on backstory and things that were happening in Jane's day-to-day life that could have been edited down to allow for a longer ending. I will say, if you're a fan of open-ended endings, this might just be the book for you! I prefer endings that are neatly wrapped up and kept on wondering what was to happen next! Overall this was such a creepy read, it just left me wanting more.howlinglibraries's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I absolutely adored this. Katrina Leno has become an auto-read author for me, especially if she keeps writing these bizarre, terrifying stories with messed up characters. Jane is such an interesting protagonist and I found her incredibly easy to empathize with, which made the stakes in this story feel so much higher. I can safely say Horrid was the first YA horror novel to ever give me legitimate chills, and it did so several times! Leno has this way with creating such a thick atmosphere that I felt like I had been transported right into the middle of everything going on, and it was genuinely horrifying.
The mystery element to this story is also immensely enjoyable, but more than anything else, I enjoyed the incredibly gothic atmosphere and the depictions of anger management. I don't see a lot of protagonists with serious anger management issues, and while Jane's actions definitely aren't always positive or reasonable, they feel authentic and it was refreshing to read a story that touched upon those issues. I'm also a fan of the way Katrina Leno tackles generational trauma, which plays a prominent role throughout this story from start to finish.
All in all, Horrid was an unsettling, captivating read that I'm so grateful to have read, and I can't wait to pick up more stories from this brilliant author.
Buddy read with the incredible Malli! ♥
I read a final copy I borrowed from the library, but for the sake of disclosure, I was also sent an early review copy by the publisher. Thank you, Little, Brown!
✨ Representation: BIPOC side characters
The mystery element to this story is also immensely enjoyable, but more than anything else, I enjoyed the incredibly gothic atmosphere and the depictions of anger management. I don't see a lot of protagonists with serious anger management issues, and while Jane's actions definitely aren't always positive or reasonable, they feel authentic and it was refreshing to read a story that touched upon those issues. I'm also a fan of the way Katrina Leno tackles generational trauma, which plays a prominent role throughout this story from start to finish.
All in all, Horrid was an unsettling, captivating read that I'm so grateful to have read, and I can't wait to pick up more stories from this brilliant author.
Buddy read with the incredible Malli! ♥
I read a final copy I borrowed from the library, but for the sake of disclosure, I was also sent an early review copy by the publisher. Thank you, Little, Brown!
✨ Representation: BIPOC side characters
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Grief, Child death, Death of parent, and Death
Minor: Child abuse
viry's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Death of parent
kenzielireads's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death of parent, and Child death
Minor: Suicide
kris386's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Grief, and Mental illness
Moderate: Pregnancy and Suicide
betweentheshelves's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
All the spooky vibes just in time for Halloween! The structure of the book overall was clever, with different lines of a nursey rhyme for each chapter/section. While I wanted a bit more character development, it definitely worked well for this time of year. Leno is great at writing description, really pulling you into this spooky house.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Bullying, Death of parent, and Mental illness
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Suicide
frantic_vampire's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
What the fuck did I just read 😵💫??!? I can honestly say that Horrid is one of the creepiest books I’ve ever read. And if you know me, you know that horror and scary books really aren’t my thing. I don’t think I would have picked this one for myself if I hadn’t gotten it in a subscription box last year. Horrid is definitely a perfect read for Halloween and spooky season….Just, maybe don’t read it right before going to bed. Unless you want nightmares.
Leno’s work is something that I’ve come to really enjoy and even though this one scared the pants off of me, it’s something that I just couldn’t put down. It’s compulsively readable, and Jane is such an interesting main character. She knew that something wasn’t right with that house. And boy was she right…but nobody would listen.
I honestly don’t know what to say about this book, other then that it’s really fucking scary and really good. Oh! And fact that it ends abruptly! I think that’s probably one of the scariest parts of this book, that it just cuts to black before we get to see the aftermath. Horrid such a great read and I’m giving it solid four stars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gaslighting, Murder, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Grief, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Violence
alliemikennareads's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
What a delightfully creepy book.
What I loved: I had a hard time putting it down and felt like it had very consistent spooky vibes from start to finish. It kept me on the edge of my seat and was the perfect October read. A little predictable but still had some twists. Lots of good scene setting and overall it’s an atmospheric read at times.
What wasn’t for me: At times the pace felt almost too fast at the expense of making the story feel a little under-developed. I didn’t feel like I fully got to know any characters super well - they’re very surface level. We know a few details about Jane and Ruth but not as many as I need to feel invested. The focus is more on their grief, which is okay, but I was wanting just a little more.
Overall, I think this is a nice, quick horror read. I’d recommend it to horror fans. It felt older YA to me but still YA!
What I loved: I had a hard time putting it down and felt like it had very consistent spooky vibes from start to finish. It kept me on the edge of my seat and was the perfect October read. A little predictable but still had some twists. Lots of good scene setting and overall it’s an atmospheric read at times.
What wasn’t for me: At times the pace felt almost too fast at the expense of making the story feel a little under-developed. I didn’t feel like I fully got to know any characters super well - they’re very surface level. We know a few details about Jane and Ruth but not as many as I need to feel invested. The focus is more on their grief, which is okay, but I was wanting just a little more.
Overall, I think this is a nice, quick horror read. I’d recommend it to horror fans. It felt older YA to me but still YA!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death of parent and Child death
halopink's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
This cover is gorgeous. The writing and dialogue were 👌🏻👌🏻
Unfortunately the story itself was pretty forgettable. I was really digging this book but wasn’t a big fan of the ending.
Unfortunately the story itself was pretty forgettable. I was really digging this book but wasn’t a big fan of the ending.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Grief
Moderate: Death of parent, Mental illness, Bullying, and Death
Minor: Self harm and Pregnancy
mapscitiesandsongs's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Death
Moderate: Bullying, Death of parent, Grief, and Mental illness
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Pregnancy, and Suicide