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3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
Well... that was a wild ride.
This book was both exactly what I was expecting from Darcy Coates and also unlike anything I could ever have imagined. The eerie atmosphere was established SO well and I really loved how the horror elements were introduced and quickly cranked up to eleven.
However, I just could not really get invested for some reason... Yes, I was deeply unsettled and believed in the fear and panic of the MC, yet I did not feel scared. Which is weird, because when it comes to horror in movies I am an absolute wimp. I think it's mainly because I can't visualise, so all the horrifying imagery just didn't translate to being scary in my brain.
All that said, I did really appreciate how cleverly plotted this story was. There were some revelations about the nature of the haunting/curse on the house that actually shook me to my core, and I really loved that. The logic is logicking for once, which is honestly quite refreshing to see in a horror story.
In the end, I think it's mostly a 'it's not you, it's me' case with this book. It's super well written, the character work is surprisingly in-depth, the atmosphere is immaculate, and the plot is quite clever. This was my first Darcy Coates book and it was promising enough that it certainly won't be my last. If you want an unputdownable creepy haunted house horror story, you can't go wrong with Gallows Hill!
This book was both exactly what I was expecting from Darcy Coates and also unlike anything I could ever have imagined. The eerie atmosphere was established SO well and I really loved how the horror elements were introduced and quickly cranked up to eleven.
However, I just could not really get invested for some reason... Yes, I was deeply unsettled and believed in the fear and panic of the MC, yet I did not feel scared. Which is weird, because when it comes to horror in movies I am an absolute wimp. I think it's mainly because I can't visualise, so all the horrifying imagery just didn't translate to being scary in my brain.
All that said, I did really appreciate how cleverly plotted this story was. There were some revelations about the nature of the haunting/curse on the house that actually shook me to my core, and I really loved that. The logic is logicking for once, which is honestly quite refreshing to see in a horror story.
In the end, I think it's mostly a 'it's not you, it's me' case with this book. It's super well written, the character work is surprisingly in-depth, the atmosphere is immaculate, and the plot is quite clever. This was my first Darcy Coates book and it was promising enough that it certainly won't be my last. If you want an unputdownable creepy haunted house horror story, you can't go wrong with Gallows Hill!
Gallows Hill is a fun creepy story perfect to ease into Spooky Season.
This is the second novel I’ve read by Darcy Coates and I’m really enjoying her cozy horror vibe. I like the way she blends warm character relationships with some intensely creepy scenes.
I suggest going into Gallows Hill knowing nothing more than the basic opening: Margot Hull has no memory of her childhood with her parents, except for scars on her body and the knowledge that she was given away to her grandmother. She returns home to inherit the family winery after her parents’ mysterious death.
This one’s a slow build, but once it gets going there are some incredibly tense scenes. I highly recommend this one for a late night read (in the dark if you have an e-reader) to really enjoy scenes where Margot creeps around the Hull house trying to figure out what the heck is outside her window…or walking across her kitchen… I was *so* tense reading two major scenes in the middle of the novel.
There were a few aspects of the novel that didn’t totally work: Margot is a bit of an enigma as a character, and I wanted to know more about her current life, though I wound up invested in her by the end. And the ending felt a bit simple. But this book is so, so worth it for how much fun the suspense is.
Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for my review copy of Gallows Hill.
This is the second novel I’ve read by Darcy Coates and I’m really enjoying her cozy horror vibe. I like the way she blends warm character relationships with some intensely creepy scenes.
I suggest going into Gallows Hill knowing nothing more than the basic opening: Margot Hull has no memory of her childhood with her parents, except for scars on her body and the knowledge that she was given away to her grandmother. She returns home to inherit the family winery after her parents’ mysterious death.
This one’s a slow build, but once it gets going there are some incredibly tense scenes. I highly recommend this one for a late night read (in the dark if you have an e-reader) to really enjoy scenes where Margot creeps around the Hull house trying to figure out what the heck is outside her window…or walking across her kitchen… I was *so* tense reading two major scenes in the middle of the novel.
There were a few aspects of the novel that didn’t totally work: Margot is a bit of an enigma as a character, and I wanted to know more about her current life, though I wound up invested in her by the end. And the ending felt a bit simple. But this book is so, so worth it for how much fun the suspense is.
Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for my review copy of Gallows Hill.
Book Review: Gallows Hill by Darcy Coates
Rating:
Rating:
Struggled with this one. I would've liked more tension in the first half - and the ending seemed rushed.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
I enjoyed the book. It was creepy enough that it made me have to turn on all the lights when walking through the house at night.
My main complaint, the same complaint I had with the last Darcy Coates book, is that the main character is given some “quirk” that they do. And they do it REPEATEDLY throughout the book. Once I notice it it’s all I can see when I’m reading. In the book she was running her tongue across her teeth or running her tongue across her lips every other page. It really drives me nuts.
Other than that, great story. Even though people do dumb things I borrow books just like in the movies and you have to scream at them.
My main complaint, the same complaint I had with the last Darcy Coates book, is that the main character is given some “quirk” that they do. And they do it REPEATEDLY throughout the book. Once I notice it it’s all I can see when I’m reading. In the book she was running her tongue across her teeth or running her tongue across her lips every other page. It really drives me nuts.
Other than that, great story. Even though people do dumb things I borrow books just like in the movies and you have to scream at them.
This book was SPOOOOOKY!!!! Slowwwwww start but the ending was fast paced and so good.
A perfect Darcy Coates book - super creepy with beautiful bits sprinkled here and there, and then an ending to make you smile!
this was a really fun horror to get into spooky season with, there's some silly moments but the ending was so good
I’ve heard great things about Darcy’s books but honestly this wasn’t as sppoky as I’d hope. It was a weird ending and didn’t keep me as engaged as it could’ve. I hope the next ones of hers I can enjoy more!