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paperbacksandpines's review against another edition
2.0
Interesting premise and tropes but it failed to deliver. This was just meh to me and definitely not scary.
nickymaund's review against another edition
3.0
The creepy vibe of this one really appealed, and when I started reading it, it felt like I was in a creepy 80s mild-horror film. Lola’s been sent off to her estranged mum’s childhood hometown (the titular Harrow Lake) after her film producer dad is savagely attacked at their apartment. And as soon as she sets foot in Harrow Lake, you know there’s creepy dealings afoot. Cue a kooky grandmother, missing luggage and a strange town obsessed with its only claim to fame: a landslide that nearly wiped out its population and spawned its own urban legend, Mr Jitters.
It took a while for things to really get going and there were some parts that did get me hooked. But unfortunately I just didn’t connect with Lola, and her relationship with her dad was just plain weird (especially with his obsession of all things ‘optimal’). There were some interesting plot twists and reveals with this one - but it was enough to help me enjoy this one more.
It took a while for things to really get going and there were some parts that did get me hooked. But unfortunately I just didn’t connect with Lola, and her relationship with her dad was just plain weird (especially with his obsession of all things ‘optimal’). There were some interesting plot twists and reveals with this one - but it was enough to help me enjoy this one more.
per_fictionist's review against another edition
2.0
Trust me when I say that reading two highly anticipated books consecutively and having to implore the divine intervention of the "God of Book Slumps" to prevent being dragged to a slump is an experience that is just as agonizing as a heartbreak, if not less.
The only saving grace in Harrow Lake was the beginning and the reveal at the end !! Would recommend the audiobook though ~ the atmosphere is oppresively intense ( if you are into Halloween reads, this is a good pick )
hitbooksnotgirlz's review against another edition
5.0
This was quite a surprising read. What I expected to be little more than a cheesy horror novel actually came with great value, horrifying secrets, and a perfectly shocking plot. I couldn’t have loved it more.
Side note.. I DESPERATELY WISH I COULD READ L. EVANGELINE’S NOVEL. And her original version of Cygnet’s Cage. IYKYK.
Side note.. I DESPERATELY WISH I COULD READ L. EVANGELINE’S NOVEL. And her original version of Cygnet’s Cage. IYKYK.
thenextgenlibrarian's review against another edition
3.0
“The last horror story she’ll tell is her own.”
lenorecanneversleep's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
nae20's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
zu_reviews's review against another edition
4.0
This was such a nod to many classic horror films, and kept me turning pages.
kellyvandamme's review against another edition
4.0
Hi and welcome to my review of Harrow Lake! Huge thanks to Dave @ The Write Reads for the invite and to Penguin and NetGalley for the eARC!
Harrow Lake begins with an interview with Nolan Nox. His name makes him seem like a bit of a DC Comics villain but he’s actually a famous filmmaker. From that interview we learn that Nightjar was Nox’s biggest success, an iconic horror movie shot in Harrow Lake, and we also glean that Nolan’s teenage daughter Lola went to Harrow Lake the previous year… and vanished.
No sooner have we digested this information or we’re taken back in time to one year earlier. Lola is out on the town in New York City and when she returns to their apartment, she finds her father stabbed and bleeding to death. While he is taken to hospital, she is packed off to Harrow Lake, to live with a grandmother she hadn’t even realised she had.
Harrow Lake is the perfect setting. Kat Ellis absolutely NAILS the small and creepy town, its weird and secretive inhabitants, its folklore and local legends like Mister Jitters, and infuses it with a vibe that is straight from the horror classics I loved when I was about Lola’s age. Knowing like we do that something is bound to happen to Lola, every little thing seems even more sinister, and although there are no hard horror scenes, there is a definite scary movie feel to Harrow Lake. In fact, I’m hoping so hard that this one will be picked up by the movie industry, done well Harrow Lake could be an excellent scary movie!
Harrow Lake made me think of C.J. Tudor’s books: despite the supernatural angle, there is also human vileness at the heart of things, so if you’re a C.J. Tudor fan I would highly recommend you give this one a whirl.
Harrow Lake is an addictive horroresque thriller that is guaranteed to give you some chills this summer. Recommended!
Harrow Lake begins with an interview with Nolan Nox. His name makes him seem like a bit of a DC Comics villain but he’s actually a famous filmmaker. From that interview we learn that Nightjar was Nox’s biggest success, an iconic horror movie shot in Harrow Lake, and we also glean that Nolan’s teenage daughter Lola went to Harrow Lake the previous year… and vanished.
No sooner have we digested this information or we’re taken back in time to one year earlier. Lola is out on the town in New York City and when she returns to their apartment, she finds her father stabbed and bleeding to death. While he is taken to hospital, she is packed off to Harrow Lake, to live with a grandmother she hadn’t even realised she had.
Harrow Lake is the perfect setting. Kat Ellis absolutely NAILS the small and creepy town, its weird and secretive inhabitants, its folklore and local legends like Mister Jitters, and infuses it with a vibe that is straight from the horror classics I loved when I was about Lola’s age. Knowing like we do that something is bound to happen to Lola, every little thing seems even more sinister, and although there are no hard horror scenes, there is a definite scary movie feel to Harrow Lake. In fact, I’m hoping so hard that this one will be picked up by the movie industry, done well Harrow Lake could be an excellent scary movie!
Harrow Lake made me think of C.J. Tudor’s books: despite the supernatural angle, there is also human vileness at the heart of things, so if you’re a C.J. Tudor fan I would highly recommend you give this one a whirl.
Harrow Lake is an addictive horroresque thriller that is guaranteed to give you some chills this summer. Recommended!
terrabme's review against another edition
4.0
The writing was a little odd at times and offputing, but for the most part I enjoyed it and the fact that it actually kept me awake scared makes it deserve a good rating.