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imstephtacular's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Drug use, Grief, Addiction, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Sexual content, Murder, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Violence, Medical trauma, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Abandonment, Body horror, Colonisation, Pedophilia, Blood, Gun violence, Gore, Emotional abuse, Car accident, Child abuse, and Cursing
Minor: War, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, Vomit, and Pregnancy
haylzno's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
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
4.0
This was EERIE AF. Hurst does a damn good job of giving you the absolute chills when describing these disturbing ass scenes. There were a few times I had to look around to make sure the ghost of Kari's mother wasn't waiting in a corner for me somewhere.
I will say the beginning felt choppy for me. It felt like we were bouncing from thing to thing and it was giving me whiplash, however that subsided after the first 20% when the plot really started to get going. All of the Stephen King tid bits were interesting but sometimes it took me out of the story. I also absolutely could not stand Debbie and her bitch ass husband but overall I get why all of that was important for Debbie's character development (didn't stop me from wanting to punch the guy in the face, ya know?) Other than that this was a fantastic story about grief, indigenous culture and heritage, and getting back on your feet after you've been stumbling for so long.
ADDITIONAL CW INFO IN SPOILERS
The alcohol and drug abuse take place very much in page and in great detail in some parts so be aware when going into this book. The assault/SA is NOT on page and is only referenced to.
I will say the beginning felt choppy for me. It felt like we were bouncing from thing to thing and it was giving me whiplash, however that subsided after the first 20% when the plot really started to get going. All of the Stephen King tid bits were interesting but sometimes it took me out of the story. I also absolutely could not stand Debbie and her bitch ass husband but overall I get why all of that was important for Debbie's character development (didn't stop me from wanting to punch the guy in the face, ya know?) Other than that this was a fantastic story about grief, indigenous culture and heritage, and getting back on your feet after you've been stumbling for so long.
ADDITIONAL CW INFO IN SPOILERS
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Physical abuse and Sexual assault
rhiannonafternoon's review
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Three things to take away from this book:
1. It is incredibly hard to get over loss, whether it’s a known or unknown circumstance.
2. It is incredibly scary to open up to work on getting over those losses - which adds to the depth of this story.
3. Magical realism coupled with Native American heritage will keep you enamored and waiting for the next big reveal.
Bonus: If you love references to heavy metal and the Shining, pick this up. And will someone please get Carrie a non-watery cup of coffee.
1. It is incredibly hard to get over loss, whether it’s a known or unknown circumstance.
2. It is incredibly scary to open up to work on getting over those losses - which adds to the depth of this story.
3. Magical realism coupled with Native American heritage will keep you enamored and waiting for the next big reveal.
Bonus: If you love references to heavy metal and the Shining, pick this up. And will someone please get Carrie a non-watery cup of coffee.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug use, Alcohol, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Gun violence and Violence
Minor: Xenophobia and Child abuse
bookdragon217's review
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
5.0
"Some things, Kari,...are gone forever. You do things, or people before you do things—even if they're forced to, and a line is drawn. A border, a boundary that cannot be crossed."
Thanks to @flatiron_books foe the gifted copy. White Horse by Erika T. Wurth was the perfect way to kick off my November TBR. The genre be ding of this one captivated my attention the whole time. Wurth did an amazing job of toggling between thriller, horror, and supernatural elements without it ever feeling disjointed. Wurth is a natural storyteller and I was hanging on every word.
I loved how Wurth used the concept of haunting as a metaphor for multiple different themes:
● unresolved trauma
● disconnected identity
● grief and survivor's guilt
● generational curses
● addiction
I loved how Wurth told this story ripe with Indigenous history and tradition. Wurth uses the magic bracelet as a symbol to show that the spirit of our ancestors are in everything and how important it is to remember and honor our history and deal with the ghosts from our past. Wurth really highlighted the layered and complex family ties and the bonds that hold Indigenous communities together.
I appreciated how vibrant and atmospheric Wurth's writing was. She brought the sights and sounds of Denver to life. I loved the ode to bookworms, horror fans and 80s references throughout the story which made this story unique. I feel like The White Horse bar will forever be a memorable place. I've never read a horror story quite like this one. Wurth is a refreshing voice that I am excited to read more from. I will be screaming this one's praises for a long time. Consider reading this one for @nativeladybookwarrior Skoden Readathon Challenge. I highly recommend this one if you're looking for a new kind of horror book.
Thanks to @flatiron_books foe the gifted copy. White Horse by Erika T. Wurth was the perfect way to kick off my November TBR. The genre be ding of this one captivated my attention the whole time. Wurth did an amazing job of toggling between thriller, horror, and supernatural elements without it ever feeling disjointed. Wurth is a natural storyteller and I was hanging on every word.
I loved how Wurth used the concept of haunting as a metaphor for multiple different themes:
● unresolved trauma
● disconnected identity
● grief and survivor's guilt
● generational curses
● addiction
I loved how Wurth told this story ripe with Indigenous history and tradition. Wurth uses the magic bracelet as a symbol to show that the spirit of our ancestors are in everything and how important it is to remember and honor our history and deal with the ghosts from our past. Wurth really highlighted the layered and complex family ties and the bonds that hold Indigenous communities together.
I appreciated how vibrant and atmospheric Wurth's writing was. She brought the sights and sounds of Denver to life. I loved the ode to bookworms, horror fans and 80s references throughout the story which made this story unique. I feel like The White Horse bar will forever be a memorable place. I've never read a horror story quite like this one. Wurth is a refreshing voice that I am excited to read more from. I will be screaming this one's praises for a long time. Consider reading this one for @nativeladybookwarrior Skoden Readathon Challenge. I highly recommend this one if you're looking for a new kind of horror book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism and Grief
Minor: Pedophilia, Suicide attempt, and Emotional abuse
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