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thindbooks's review against another edition
4.0
*This book was given to me by the author to give an honest review in return*
This book was such an enjoyable read. This is about a girl named Lola, daughter of a movie director, who goes to her mother's hometown, Harrow Lake after someone shoots her father. Once Lola arrives, she is being stalked, and the more she learns about the town, the more terrified she is with the stalker coming nearer when she learns a secret. I don't read many horror books but this one was a good one that gives you dark vibes throughout the whole story. I did enjoy the author's writing because she added that goth/ dark vibe to it. One problem I had with the book was the pacing. In some parts, it would be slow but others a little fast. Other than the writing style, this book had a lot of suspense to it and you get to visit a place you will never want to go to, Harrow Lake.
I did enjoy the main character, Lola. I thought she was a brave girl who went to Harrow Lake and tried to find the truth about her mother and the town. I enjoyed this character but didn't really feel connected with her as a person. For me, it's hard to connect with someone in a horror/thriller book. There was a love interest but it wasn't the main focus of the story.
Overall this was a good book that kept you on a ride to Horrow Lake. The ending was the best part of this whole book. You will know why when you read it of course. This is perfect for fans who love Stephen King and horror books!
Come visit www.thindbooks.blogspot.com from August 24-28 to see my Harrow Lake Blog Tour!
This book was such an enjoyable read. This is about a girl named Lola, daughter of a movie director, who goes to her mother's hometown, Harrow Lake after someone shoots her father. Once Lola arrives, she is being stalked, and the more she learns about the town, the more terrified she is with the stalker coming nearer when she learns a secret. I don't read many horror books but this one was a good one that gives you dark vibes throughout the whole story. I did enjoy the author's writing because she added that goth/ dark vibe to it. One problem I had with the book was the pacing. In some parts, it would be slow but others a little fast. Other than the writing style, this book had a lot of suspense to it and you get to visit a place you will never want to go to, Harrow Lake.
I did enjoy the main character, Lola. I thought she was a brave girl who went to Harrow Lake and tried to find the truth about her mother and the town. I enjoyed this character but didn't really feel connected with her as a person. For me, it's hard to connect with someone in a horror/thriller book. There was a love interest but it wasn't the main focus of the story.
Overall this was a good book that kept you on a ride to Horrow Lake. The ending was the best part of this whole book. You will know why when you read it of course. This is perfect for fans who love Stephen King and horror books!
Come visit www.thindbooks.blogspot.com from August 24-28 to see my Harrow Lake Blog Tour!
brompton_sawdon's review against another edition
5.0
Harrow Lake is a YA thriller that wouldn't be out of place as an 80's slash movie. The book told from the point of view of Lola Nox, the daughter of an 80's film producer. When he gets injured, she's sent to live with her maternal grandparents in Harrow Lake. The story picks up here...
I first heard of Kat Ellis after reading Blackfin Sky. It was different from the usual run of the mill teenage thrillers and made me want to read more. I loved the way the initial reader copies had been wrapped as if they were a Blockbuster rental video. (would have liked one of those). It added to the theme of the book, pity retail copies didn't come like that. This book reads like a homage to those 80's slash fests. Think RL Stine but a hundred times better and you have what this book is like.
Cleverly written, we find out about Lola's past at the same time as she does. Something isn't quite right about the town of Harrow Lake. The tension builds up slowly as she wanders around the town finding out about the back story. It's a town that celebrates her father's masterpiece, Nightjar with an annual festival. When Lola's clothes go missing on the first night, she's forced to wear her mother's old clothes, clothes that make her look exactly her disappeared mother. Then she finds out about Mr Jitters...
This is an extremely well written book. It draws you in slowly, giving small snippets that keeps you hooked into the story. As the plot reveals itself, you feel the horror as she wanders through the forest, finds the horrific tooth tree, and delves deep into the mountainside. Excellent writing makes you feel the emotions of the protagonist. Horror is never far from Lola as she starts to realise what the true story is behind her mother's disappearance. There in the background, and in my dreams, was Mr Jitters.
So, this is a five-star book, no doubts. A wickedly delightful horror romp by a very accomplished author. Warning though - don't read at night on your own or you'll be hearing Mr Jitters crawling up to you.
I first heard of Kat Ellis after reading Blackfin Sky. It was different from the usual run of the mill teenage thrillers and made me want to read more. I loved the way the initial reader copies had been wrapped as if they were a Blockbuster rental video. (would have liked one of those). It added to the theme of the book, pity retail copies didn't come like that. This book reads like a homage to those 80's slash fests. Think RL Stine but a hundred times better and you have what this book is like.
Cleverly written, we find out about Lola's past at the same time as she does. Something isn't quite right about the town of Harrow Lake. The tension builds up slowly as she wanders around the town finding out about the back story. It's a town that celebrates her father's masterpiece, Nightjar with an annual festival. When Lola's clothes go missing on the first night, she's forced to wear her mother's old clothes, clothes that make her look exactly her disappeared mother. Then she finds out about Mr Jitters...
This is an extremely well written book. It draws you in slowly, giving small snippets that keeps you hooked into the story. As the plot reveals itself, you feel the horror as she wanders through the forest, finds the horrific tooth tree, and delves deep into the mountainside. Excellent writing makes you feel the emotions of the protagonist. Horror is never far from Lola as she starts to realise what the true story is behind her mother's disappearance. There in the background, and in my dreams, was Mr Jitters.
So, this is a five-star book, no doubts. A wickedly delightful horror romp by a very accomplished author. Warning though - don't read at night on your own or you'll be hearing Mr Jitters crawling up to you.
unamariex's review against another edition
3.0
The writing and atmosphere in this book was fantastic, so spooky and had me genuinely scared at times. It had so much potential but the let down was the plot and characters being underdeveloped. Too many plot points and random things included that then went nowhere. But overall I really enjoyed it as a spooky read.
wdianasheppard's review against another edition
3.0
Somehow both predictable and nonsensical. Enjoyed the main character’s perpetual grump, and appreciated the relentless atmosphere, but there were a lot of plot holes left unfilled in the end.
stephaniereads9b0f8's review against another edition
3.0
The book begins with an interview with Nolan Nox, famed horror movie director, whose daughter had gone missing a year before. Fall back in time and the story is now narrated by Lola Nox. After finding her father having been stabbed, Lola is unceremoniously shipped off to Harrow Lake, Indiana, to the home of a strange, distant grandmother she’s never met before, the mother of Lola’s own mother, who left, then disappeared, when Lola was five. Harrow Lake, the filming site of Nightjar, Nolan’s most famous film, is a spooky town. Collapsed mines that led to hundreds of deaths have provided the town myriad legends, including one resident-turned-mine-dwelling-cannibal, Mr. Jitters. Refusing to believe in stories, Lola begins to comb Harrow Lake for information, hoping to get to know the mother she barely remembers, but her search is impeded at every step.
Creepy townfolk. Eerie abandoned, caved-in mines with a collapsed church inside. A grandmother that seems half-mad on her best days. A mysterious figure who always seems to be watching Lola. Tiny hand-carved wooden insects that skitter and chatter on their own. Ominous shapes that move behind the wallpaper. NO INTERNET OR PHONE SERVICE. It’s every horror movie you’ve ever watched packed into one spine-chilling book, and Lola will need to gather all her wits about her if she wants to really learn the truth about Harrow Lake and what happened to her mother.
EEK. This was SUPER creepy. I haven’t read horror in years, but I loved it as a kid, and I deeply loved horror movies when I was young, so this was a flashback to my younger days. The hand carved wooden ‘jitterbugs’ in Lola’s mother’s room creeped me the HECK out, as did the constant references to Mr. Jitters. Harrow Lake seems about the worst vacation destination ever, and the weirdo townspeople add the perfect touch. Kat Ellis has really created a terrifying place- not quite Children of the Corn weird, but Gatlin and Harrow Lake could be sister cities.
Ms. Ellis really knows how to keep the reader guessing. It’s cliched to say that there are twists and turns on every page, but it’s the absolute truth here. Weirdness abounds in Harrow Lake and Lola, who is trapped there, is constantly thrown off by someone’s odd behavior, a strange noise, the phone lines not working, something else terrifying happening in the woods. It’s a mark of good horror writing for the reader to have their guard up THIS often because the terror never stops, and I don’t know how many times I said some version of, “OMG, just get on the road and WALK back home!”
The ending is as twisty as it gets, with a majorly satisfying conclusion that I found to be absolutely brilliant (and will remember Lola’s friend’s tactic should I ever need to use it!). Harrow Lake is a wild ride through a town I never, EVER want to visit. I’ll stay at home, where there are no collapsed-mine-mass-graves-with-creepy-cannibal-monster-people. But if you enjoy edge-of-your-seat horror that will keep you guessing until- I’m not at all exaggerating here- the very last pages, you’re going to want a copy of Harrow Lake.
https://shesprobablyatthelibrary.home.blog/2020/05/08/thewritereads-blogtour-presents-harrow-lake-by-kat-ellis/
Creepy townfolk. Eerie abandoned, caved-in mines with a collapsed church inside. A grandmother that seems half-mad on her best days. A mysterious figure who always seems to be watching Lola. Tiny hand-carved wooden insects that skitter and chatter on their own. Ominous shapes that move behind the wallpaper. NO INTERNET OR PHONE SERVICE. It’s every horror movie you’ve ever watched packed into one spine-chilling book, and Lola will need to gather all her wits about her if she wants to really learn the truth about Harrow Lake and what happened to her mother.
EEK. This was SUPER creepy. I haven’t read horror in years, but I loved it as a kid, and I deeply loved horror movies when I was young, so this was a flashback to my younger days. The hand carved wooden ‘jitterbugs’ in Lola’s mother’s room creeped me the HECK out, as did the constant references to Mr. Jitters. Harrow Lake seems about the worst vacation destination ever, and the weirdo townspeople add the perfect touch. Kat Ellis has really created a terrifying place- not quite Children of the Corn weird, but Gatlin and Harrow Lake could be sister cities.
Ms. Ellis really knows how to keep the reader guessing. It’s cliched to say that there are twists and turns on every page, but it’s the absolute truth here. Weirdness abounds in Harrow Lake and Lola, who is trapped there, is constantly thrown off by someone’s odd behavior, a strange noise, the phone lines not working, something else terrifying happening in the woods. It’s a mark of good horror writing for the reader to have their guard up THIS often because the terror never stops, and I don’t know how many times I said some version of, “OMG, just get on the road and WALK back home!”
The ending is as twisty as it gets, with a majorly satisfying conclusion that I found to be absolutely brilliant (and will remember Lola’s friend’s tactic should I ever need to use it!). Harrow Lake is a wild ride through a town I never, EVER want to visit. I’ll stay at home, where there are no collapsed-mine-mass-graves-with-creepy-cannibal-monster-people. But if you enjoy edge-of-your-seat horror that will keep you guessing until- I’m not at all exaggerating here- the very last pages, you’re going to want a copy of Harrow Lake.
https://shesprobablyatthelibrary.home.blog/2020/05/08/thewritereads-blogtour-presents-harrow-lake-by-kat-ellis/
haileyannereads's review against another edition
2.0
I was hoping for a good, scary book. Instead, it was confusing and just a bit much. I understand what the book was trying to say, but I'm not sure I like the way it was done.
dani17731's review against another edition
3.0
3.75 stars. It was hard to decide on a rating.
I liked the creepy atmosphere but Lola was annoying as shit. I had to keep reminding myself that this is a teenager (I haven't been reading much YA lately), so I guess I can't be too frustrated with her. I really liked the ending, too.
I liked the creepy atmosphere but Lola was annoying as shit. I had to keep reminding myself that this is a teenager (I haven't been reading much YA lately), so I guess I can't be too frustrated with her. I really liked the ending, too.
droar's review against another edition
4.0
OOooo, much spooks! Harrow Lake is a fast paced, spinning confusion of horror aesthetic and mystery in a truly excellent way. I don't read a ton of YA horror (too much shoe horned romance & too little creeps usually) but this one pulled me in with it's concept & captivating cover. & it delivered! I won't go into the story too much before a spoilers cut but I can see why the reviews run the gambit. What I will say is if you're into mystery thrillers with some strong horror vibes I think you'll enjoy Harrow Lake a great deal!
Now on to the nitty gritty full of spoilers:
The only thing that really turned me off a bit is the quantity of abuse. I know it is central to the plot, well thought out on Ellis's part, & fairly carefully talked about buuuut every time Lola did or said something in the first 3/4th of this book I cringed so hard. It was physically painful at points to see how manipulated & twisted Lola had been by Nolan, & then the reveal with Lorelai, And her mothers reaction. Ugh it's all too heartbreaking to stand. I shockingly didn't cry but I think that's just because the knowledge is presented quickly & without comment by and large. I am not saying the content was too much for a teen book or anything, just that I wasn't ready for it & am a wuss.
My only other questions really come from the beginning of Lola's story & Larry, was she wandering around New York covered in blood? Was Larry actually supposed to send her away if 'something happened' to Nolan or was he just making things up to protect Lola & thus Nolan? I don't neeeed to know these things but it would be interesting & the opening & closing leave those areas blank.
One last thing I want to shout about (& think I can without revealing too much), I Love the way Ellis opens & closes this book on Nolan's interview. It expertly builds mystery in the beginning & protects the horror of Lola's section so well. Absolutely perfect choices & I support them 1,000,000%.
Now on to the nitty gritty full of spoilers:
Spoiler
So this book leaves you with a fair bit of leeway in deciding if all the fantastical is Lola's head pushing through repressed memories or some actual fantastical shenanigans going on. That really works for me. I don't think it would have been as satisfying if Ellis further revealed exactly what happened in the museum or had Nolan confess to offing Carter & Cora's dad. I like that the town has an air of possibly actually cursed to it that can absolutely be logically explained, but maybe shouldn't. Long & short is that it really worked for me, this mix of fantastical & phycological, but as someone who is almost always wanting more explanation at the end of a mystery I can absolutely see why some people were disappointed.The only thing that really turned me off a bit is the quantity of abuse. I know it is central to the plot, well thought out on Ellis's part, & fairly carefully talked about buuuut every time Lola did or said something in the first 3/4th of this book I cringed so hard. It was physically painful at points to see how manipulated & twisted Lola had been by Nolan, & then the reveal with Lorelai, And her mothers reaction. Ugh it's all too heartbreaking to stand. I shockingly didn't cry but I think that's just because the knowledge is presented quickly & without comment by and large. I am not saying the content was too much for a teen book or anything, just that I wasn't ready for it & am a wuss.
My only other questions really come from the beginning of Lola's story & Larry, was she wandering around New York covered in blood? Was Larry actually supposed to send her away if 'something happened' to Nolan or was he just making things up to protect Lola & thus Nolan? I don't neeeed to know these things but it would be interesting & the opening & closing leave those areas blank.
One last thing I want to shout about (& think I can without revealing too much), I Love the way Ellis opens & closes this book on Nolan's interview. It expertly builds mystery in the beginning & protects the horror of Lola's section so well. Absolutely perfect choices & I support them 1,000,000%.
booksandlemonsquash's review against another edition
3.0
I received this book from the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
I found Harrow Lake really intriguing and atmospheric! From the start you’re thrown into a world of confusion and tension. The creep factor is already dialled you as you start and this only increases as the book progresses!
I’m not a fan of horror at all, and I was worried I’d got in over my head with this one. But I really enjoyed reading it - because it’s super creepy but not terrifying, because it’s also half a mystery, and because it’s well written.
Lola is a girl who has been kept secluded, pretty much, by her father, and is sent to stay with her grandmother while he recuperates from a stabbing. She ends up in the town where his big horror movie was filmed, and where everyone in town knows who she is. Lola may not always be a likeable main character, but she is sympathetic - she’s torn away from everything she knows and into the deep end of this small town.
As Lola tries to find out more about the creepy town legend or her mum, we also get lots of glimpses into how her life has messed her up - she’s seeing things, and this is really not helped at all by the town who all add to her feelings of discontent and like she’s being watched. It’s incredibly well put together.
I am definitely not telling you about the ending because it would ruin it, but I both loved it and found it a little disappointing. I wanted more answers than we got about the town! But I did enjoy how it all played out and how we find out various things.
Overall, this was a 3.5 star read for me but only because I felt there were a few loose ends I’d have liked tied up - while I’m sure this is intentional, I like answers! But the writing and atmosphere is definitely worthy of 4 stars!
I found Harrow Lake really intriguing and atmospheric! From the start you’re thrown into a world of confusion and tension. The creep factor is already dialled you as you start and this only increases as the book progresses!
I’m not a fan of horror at all, and I was worried I’d got in over my head with this one. But I really enjoyed reading it - because it’s super creepy but not terrifying, because it’s also half a mystery, and because it’s well written.
Lola is a girl who has been kept secluded, pretty much, by her father, and is sent to stay with her grandmother while he recuperates from a stabbing. She ends up in the town where his big horror movie was filmed, and where everyone in town knows who she is. Lola may not always be a likeable main character, but she is sympathetic - she’s torn away from everything she knows and into the deep end of this small town.
As Lola tries to find out more about the creepy town legend or her mum, we also get lots of glimpses into how her life has messed her up - she’s seeing things, and this is really not helped at all by the town who all add to her feelings of discontent and like she’s being watched. It’s incredibly well put together.
I am definitely not telling you about the ending because it would ruin it, but I both loved it and found it a little disappointing. I wanted more answers than we got about the town! But I did enjoy how it all played out and how we find out various things.
Overall, this was a 3.5 star read for me but only because I felt there were a few loose ends I’d have liked tied up - while I’m sure this is intentional, I like answers! But the writing and atmosphere is definitely worthy of 4 stars!