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cc_shelflove's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
This book was such an unexpected surprise. Justice is served! Kari James’s mother disappeared when she was just two days old. Now in her thirties, she becomes determined to uncover the mystery of what happened to her mother. There are a lot of messy friendships in this book that come with a lot of heartbreak… but in the end, those heartbreaks simply lead to growth. This was an entertaining read complete with some Indigenous lore. It wasn’t too scary, and I think I would market this as being ‘thriller’ rather than ‘horror.’ I would recommend this Book of the Month selection.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, and Alcohol
mikkarels's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol
apworden's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug use, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racism, Violence, Police brutality, Murder, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and War
teaandtales1's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭: Kari James discovers a mysterious family heirloom bracelet and starts being haunted by visions of her mother, who disappeared when she was only a few days old.
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: Erika Wurth
𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬: 300
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Marketed as horror, but is really a family mystery
𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝: No
𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐝𝐞𝐥 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭: Yes
𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐝: Contemporary
𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐲 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠:👻
𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰: ⭐⭐1/2
The mystery of Kari's mother and connection to Lakota and Apache traditions was actually really interesting, and the reason I ended up finishing this one. Unfortunately the author packs so much other needless stuff into this story that it gets bogged down in endless filler. Kari's cousin and best friend, Debby, is super annoying, plus there's a whole other side-plot of the White Horse bar that the novel is named after (which after reading, seems like a really odd choice).
I did listen to this on audio book, which always makes things seem far longer, but this book seemed like it was never going to end. I literally sewed an entire quilt while listening to it, and frankly it could've just been a novella.
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: Erika Wurth
𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬: 300
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Marketed as horror, but is really a family mystery
𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝: No
𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐝𝐞𝐥 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭: Yes
𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐝: Contemporary
𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐲 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠:👻
𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰: ⭐⭐1/2
The mystery of Kari's mother and connection to Lakota and Apache traditions was actually really interesting, and the reason I ended up finishing this one. Unfortunately the author packs so much other needless stuff into this story that it gets bogged down in endless filler. Kari's cousin and best friend, Debby, is super annoying, plus there's a whole other side-plot of the White Horse bar that the novel is named after (which after reading, seems like a really odd choice).
I did listen to this on audio book, which always makes things seem far longer, but this book seemed like it was never going to end. I literally sewed an entire quilt while listening to it, and frankly it could've just been a novella.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug use, and Alcohol
Moderate: Child abuse, Violence, and Suicide attempt
sylvestra's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Incest, Pedophilia, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Toxic relationship
ericarobyn's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
3.5
White Horse by Erika T. Wurth is a tale of secrets that refuse to stay buried…
Kari is an urban indigenous woman that wears black ripped jeans and band t-shirts, loves listening to metal, and always has a horror book on hand. Kari grew up filled with hatred toward her mother as she believed her mother had left her when she was just two days old. Filling the empty space with drugs and alcohol, Kari’s life isn’t on a great trajectory. But when her cousin brings her an old bracelet that has been in the family for a very long time, all of Kari’s core beliefs are shaken and it forces her on a new path.
Suddenly haunted by visions and the ghost of her mother, a fire is ignited in Kari. From there, it’s a rocky journey to find answers. Along the way, she’s forced to face her inner demons.
A slow-burn of a novel, this story takes it’s time winding around each of the story elements just like a car traveling up the Colorado mountain roadways. The paranormal focus was light, but it was sprinkled in just enough to keep catching me off guard!
I will admit, there were times I wanted to scream at Kari for how shortsighted and selfish she was being. She was totally wrapped up in her own things, and couldn’t see two inches in front of her to realize how her actions were affecting others. Of course, that lack of support for others finally explodes, leaving her adrift to solve her problems on her own. I was so excited that she had finally learned to think of others rather than wallowing in her own self-pity and grief. After that turning point, I couldn’t put the book down!
One quick element that I wanted to comment on before moving on is that while I’m not from the area, I have visited! On a work trip, I made it a point to visit the Tattered Cover. I was so excited to see a mention of being in Tattered Cover in one of Kari’s dreams, and then to see her visit the location as well! That is such a cool bookstore. If you’re ever in the area, make sure to stop by!
My Favorite Passages from White Horse
Daddy was brittle. His mind was like a boat lost at sea. Sometimes it came close to the shore, only to push back. I didn’t want to make it so it never made anchor again.
There was something sad and small and yet, almost otherworldly about Idaho Springs, like there were secrets in the cold, rocky ground that might spring up at any time. And take you down with them into the dark.
God, that tapping like a skeletal hand on a mirror.
Though I loved everything by King, I’d always found this particular book to be spellbinding. I remembered finding it in the library one day, after wandering the shelves, my fingers brushing the spines, trying to convince myself to check something more realistic out, something more patently educational, and failing and moving, like I was haunted, toward the horror aisle. For some reason, I hadn’t seen this book before, and finding it, a King I’d never read, felt like uncovering a magic key, one with infinite potential. One that opened doors that acted as portals to other worlds.
I feel strong by the end of that year, I am healed. But I don’t realize that healing requires scars, and I am still rough beneath them, I still have pain locked behind that ropy skin. And there is weakness there, there is vulnerability, a thing I have always been terrified of.
My Final Thoughts on White Horse
I highly recommend this story to fans of slow-burning tales that make you switch back and forth between loving and hating the main character, before settling in on how you feel about them right at the end.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, and Alcohol
symabee's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
I'm not going to lie, I'm a bit disappointed in this one. Maybe my hopes were too high after reading the premise, but it just fell flat for me.
There were things I did like about the book. The horror and supernatural elements were cool, I enjoyed learning about Native culture and mythology, how it addresses addiction and trauma, and the fact that it shed light on the issue of missing and murdered indigenous women.
Now for the things I didn't like.
It all felt very disorganized and had a lot of subplots thrown in that distracted from the story. At times, this felt more like a love letter to Denver, Colorado than a horror/thriller. So much time was spent describing local businesses, their decor and signage, and how they had changed over the years. Lots of talk about gentrification and yuppies taking over the area. I understand a certain level of this is needed to set the scene for the story, but this just felt rambling at times. A large portion of this book is also spent on the main character's cousin, who is in an abusive marriage. The cousin is basically just emotional support for the main character, so I'm not sure why we needed to know so much about her marriage.
There are also many references to Stephen King, David Mustaine, Bud Light beer, and reading old paperback novels in random places like noisy bars. After a while, it started giving "I'm not like other girls" vibes.
I loved the idea of this book, and it had some great qualities, but the execution was very lackluster, unfortunately.
There were things I did like about the book. The horror and supernatural elements were cool, I enjoyed learning about Native culture and mythology, how it addresses addiction and trauma, and the fact that it shed light on the issue of missing and murdered indigenous women.
Now for the things I didn't like.
It all felt very disorganized and had a lot of subplots thrown in that distracted from the story. At times, this felt more like a love letter to Denver, Colorado than a horror/thriller. So much time was spent describing local businesses, their decor and signage, and how they had changed over the years. Lots of talk about gentrification and yuppies taking over the area. I understand a certain level of this is needed to set the scene for the story, but this just felt rambling at times. A large portion of this book is also spent on the main character's cousin, who is in an abusive marriage. The cousin is basically just emotional support for the main character, so I'm not sure why we needed to know so much about her marriage.
There are also many references to Stephen King, David Mustaine, Bud Light beer, and reading old paperback novels in random places like noisy bars. After a while, it started giving "I'm not like other girls" vibes.
I loved the idea of this book, and it had some great qualities, but the execution was very lackluster, unfortunately.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Blood, and Alcohol
Minor: Child abuse, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Murder, and Sexual harassment
sophee_568's review
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
What I liked:
• the characters - The main character is a 35yr old Indigenous woman named Kari James. She is a self-assured, confident, assertive character, which I liked. She doesn't have a partner, doesn't want kids and isn't villanized because of it. Her sidekick is her cousin Debby, who is the exact opposite of Kari. They have a wonderful relationship, and quite the history together. Debby's husband Jack is often present in the story too. The trio have a complex, detailed, and strained relationship; it was my favorite part of the story. In the beginning, it is shown that Jack has an alcohol problem which always leads to trouble both for Debby and Kari. He is manipulative - always trying to prevent Debby from spending time with Kari, and saying she is abandoning him because of Kari. With the progression of the story, we get more information on Debby and Jack's marriage. At first I thought Kari was putting too much blame on Jack but he really is an ass. Debby seems in denial about the whole situation, which was frustrating to read. Kari and Debby often argue about Jack. While I do think Kari is right about some things, she does need to stop being so harsh on Debby. Debby is a responsible adult, and knows how to take care of herself.
Among other relationships, the one Kari has with her father is also worth mentioning. Apparently, Kari's mother abandoned her and her husband when Kari was 2 days old. She has been missing ever since. Many years after her disappearance, Kari's dad gets drunk, crashes the car, and is left with severe brain damage. That means the roles are reversed and teenage Kari has to take care of her father, which leads to a whole new set of issues for Kari. We get glimpses of what Kari's teenage years were like - filled with alcohol and different drugs, and we meet her then best friend Jaime. Their relationship is a minor aspect of the story but it left great consequences on Kari's life.
One more thing is that the MC is a horror fan and a metalhead, which is rad. Kari even reads the Shining, and visits the hotel from the movie. She is such a cool character.
• the story & the culture: the premise is that Debby finds an old bracelet that belonged to Kari's mother Cecilia, and that sets off a chain of events which lead Kari to find out more about what happened to her mother. Cecilia is also Indigenous, just like her mother and grandmother, which is crucial to the story. After touching the bracelet Kari gets a vision of her mother, who lookes all bloody and sad. Those visions continue bothering Kari to the point of her going to talk to her aunt Squeaker about it. Her aunt, being a very spiritual woman, tells Kari she needs to find out what happened to Cecilia, in order her ghost to move on. On her journey to find the truth Kari realizes something is following her, and that something smells of rotten flesh. Kari gets a hint from her mum about that thing haunting her; it is the Lofa. According to the native-languages.org, the Lofa is an ogre like creature from Chickasaw folklore, and some legends say it has a tendency to abduct Chickasaw women. This is an important puzzle piece for the story's resolution. I will not spoil anything but I must say the whole ending left a bad taste in my mouth. The story has lots of elements of Indigenous culture. There is a lot of talk about different tribes, their histories and places of origin. That was a cool aspect to the story because firstly - I have never read a story that features an Indigenous MC, and secondly, I know nothing about that part of American history (except the whole cowboys vs. Indians clichè). I love how different parts of Indigenous culture were interwoven in the story, and how they made all the clues from Kari's visions fall into place.
What I didn't like:
•the writing: The writing feels crude in a way. It is straightforward with no romanticising of anything that happens. No pretty sentences or fancy descriptions. In my head I keep comparing this book to Our wives under the sea (both are 4 stars), and their writing styles are complete opposites. Kari's voice is also harsh, which suits her personality but at times it was annoying. She says 'shit' a lot, and it gets tiring. The writing is not bad, it just didn't suit me.
Slight spoiler
One of my fav quotes was: "At the top, I'd walked around a little, fed the chipmunks, thought more about whether I was insane, and If my father killed my mother - and then I bought a T-shirt." After reading that my mind immediately went: #JustGirlyThings. It was funny to me.
•the horror aspect (could also be spoilery): Hm, this is going to be hard to explain. In the first few chapters, I had a feeling this was going to be a spooky book, like I would legitimately be scared. The visions were proper scary, and they gave me goosebumps. Eventually, when Kari starts unraveling the mystery, the visions aren't scary anymore. The meaning of them completely shifts and it's not the same. The Lofa continues to lurk around Kari but it's clear that it is a metaphor. I do understand the mystery has to be solved, the story rounded up, and the ghost isn't sinister after all but that meant the spookiness level dropped. What I wanted was for that threat, or fear, to persist for a little longer.
Summa summarum: great debut novel, would reread, and will read future works.
• the characters - The main character is a 35yr old Indigenous woman named Kari James. She is a self-assured, confident, assertive character, which I liked. She doesn't have a partner, doesn't want kids and isn't villanized because of it. Her sidekick is her cousin Debby, who is the exact opposite of Kari. They have a wonderful relationship, and quite the history together. Debby's husband Jack is often present in the story too. The trio have a complex, detailed, and strained relationship; it was my favorite part of the story. In the beginning, it is shown that Jack has an alcohol problem which always leads to trouble both for Debby and Kari. He is manipulative - always trying to prevent Debby from spending time with Kari, and saying she is abandoning him because of Kari. With the progression of the story, we get more information on Debby and Jack's marriage. At first I thought Kari was putting too much blame on Jack but he really is an ass. Debby seems in denial about the whole situation, which was frustrating to read. Kari and Debby often argue about Jack. While I do think Kari is right about some things, she does need to stop being so harsh on Debby. Debby is a responsible adult, and knows how to take care of herself.
Among other relationships, the one Kari has with her father is also worth mentioning. Apparently, Kari's mother abandoned her and her husband when Kari was 2 days old. She has been missing ever since. Many years after her disappearance, Kari's dad gets drunk, crashes the car, and is left with severe brain damage. That means the roles are reversed and teenage Kari has to take care of her father, which leads to a whole new set of issues for Kari. We get glimpses of what Kari's teenage years were like - filled with alcohol and different drugs, and we meet her then best friend Jaime. Their relationship is a minor aspect of the story but it left great consequences on Kari's life.
One more thing is that the MC is a horror fan and a metalhead, which is rad. Kari even reads the Shining, and visits the hotel from the movie. She is such a cool character.
• the story & the culture: the premise is that Debby finds an old bracelet that belonged to Kari's mother Cecilia, and that sets off a chain of events which lead Kari to find out more about what happened to her mother. Cecilia is also Indigenous, just like her mother and grandmother, which is crucial to the story. After touching the bracelet Kari gets a vision of her mother, who lookes all bloody and sad. Those visions continue bothering Kari to the point of her going to talk to her aunt Squeaker about it. Her aunt, being a very spiritual woman, tells Kari she needs to find out what happened to Cecilia, in order her ghost to move on. On her journey to find the truth Kari realizes something is following her, and that something smells of rotten flesh. Kari gets a hint from her mum about that thing haunting her; it is the Lofa. According to the native-languages.org, the Lofa is an ogre like creature from Chickasaw folklore, and some legends say it has a tendency to abduct Chickasaw women. This is an important puzzle piece for the story's resolution. I will not spoil anything but I must say the whole ending left a bad taste in my mouth. The story has lots of elements of Indigenous culture. There is a lot of talk about different tribes, their histories and places of origin. That was a cool aspect to the story because firstly - I have never read a story that features an Indigenous MC, and secondly, I know nothing about that part of American history (except the whole cowboys vs. Indians clichè). I love how different parts of Indigenous culture were interwoven in the story, and how they made all the clues from Kari's visions fall into place.
What I didn't like:
•the writing: The writing feels crude in a way. It is straightforward with no romanticising of anything that happens. No pretty sentences or fancy descriptions. In my head I keep comparing this book to Our wives under the sea (both are 4 stars), and their writing styles are complete opposites. Kari's voice is also harsh, which suits her personality but at times it was annoying. She says 'shit' a lot, and it gets tiring. The writing is not bad, it just didn't suit me.
Slight spoiler
One of my fav quotes was: "At the top, I'd walked around a little, fed the chipmunks, thought more about whether I was insane, and If my father killed my mother - and then I bought a T-shirt." After reading that my mind immediately went: #JustGirlyThings. It was funny to me.
•the horror aspect (could also be spoilery): Hm, this is going to be hard to explain. In the first few chapters, I had a feeling this was going to be a spooky book, like I would legitimately be scared. The visions were proper scary, and they gave me goosebumps. Eventually, when Kari starts unraveling the mystery, the visions aren't scary anymore. The meaning of them completely shifts and it's not the same. The Lofa continues to lurk around Kari but it's clear that it is a metaphor. I do understand the mystery has to be solved, the story rounded up, and the ghost isn't sinister after all but that meant the spookiness level dropped. What I wanted was for that threat, or fear, to persist for a little longer.
Summa summarum: great debut novel, would reread, and will read future works.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug use, Gun violence, Terminal illness, and Death of parent
mandkips's review
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Alcohol
Moderate: Child abuse, Drug use, Pedophilia, and Blood
Minor: Gun violence and Car accident
bookshelf_al's review
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use and Alcohol
Moderate: Gore, Pedophilia, and Death of parent