White Horse is a gritty, vibrant debut from Erika T. Wurth about an Indigenous woman who must face her past when she discovers a bracelet haunted by her mother’s spirit.
Some people are haunted in more ways than one.
Heavy metal, ripped jeans, Stephen King novels, and the occasional beer at the White Horse have defined urban Indian Kari James’s life so far. But when her cousin Debby finds an old family bracelet that once belonged to Kari’s mother, it inadvertently calls up both her mother’s ghost and a monstrous entity, and her willful ignorance about her past is no longer sustainable…
Haunted by visions of her mother and hunted by this mysterious creature, Kari must search for what happened to her mother all those years ago. Her father, permanently disabled from a car crash, can’t help her. Her Auntie Squeaker seems to know something but isn’t eager to give it all up at once. Debby’s anxious to help, but her controlling husband keeps getting in the way. Kari’s journey toward a truth long denied by both her family and law enforcement forces her to confront her dysfunctional relationships, thoughts about a friend she lost in childhood, and her desire for the one thing she’s always wanted but could never have.
White Horse
Erika T. wurth
I picked up WHITE HORSE on a whim after seeing a few keywords in the synopsis. It inspired me to pick up Stephen King’s memoir ON WRITING and to rewatch The Shining for the 100th time, like a fan girl with a new perspective.
I love when that happens!
In White Horse, we’re following Kari James. Kari frequents a bar called WHITE HORSE which makes the title of the book simple. Kari has a fixation on Stephen King and is about to start living in her own horror movie when she receives a gift from her cousin.
I found the material felt original yet familiar. The horror novel followed a familiar pattern, contained elements that we are accustomed to as readers, and at the same time introduced details in the settings, characters, scenes, language, and dialogue which made it feel original and like a much-needed change in conversation.
I found myself cheering for multiple characters throughout the book. Hoping that one character will find their strength and that the next character will find their voice. I appreciated getting to know each character so well in such a short time.
I recommend this one to readers who read a lot of horror and those who are new to the genre. It will provide something for both readers. Special note for the format. I especially enjoyed the narration done by Tonantzin Carmelo on this audiobook.
Thanks to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the advanced audiobook!
WHITE HORSE…⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It is a hot summer in rural Ireland. A child is taken by her father to live with relatives on a farm, not knowing when or if she will be brought home again. In the Kinsellas’ house, she finds an affection and warmth she has not known and slowly, in their care, begins to blossom. But there is something unspoken in this new household–where everything is so well tended to–and this summer must soon come to an end.
Winner of the prestigious Davy Byrnes Prize and first published in the New Yorker, Claire Keegan’s Foster has sold over 120,000 copies in the UK and Ireland, where it is also required reading in schools. A story of astonishing emotional depth now expanded and newly revised in a standalone edition, Foster showcases Claire Keegan’s great talent and cements her reputation as one of our most important and prodigious storytellers.
FOSTER
Claire Keegan
Foster is the first short story I’ve read by Claire Keegan. It was first published in 2010.
It is about a young girl taken to live with distant relatives on a farm in rural Ireland.
As a short story, it is extremely effective. The details are haunting and clear. I recall certain moments like I would a horror movie. The writing is efficient. There is not one extra word or wasted sentence.
It is a masterful thing to be able to do to capture a concept and express it fully in under 100 pages.
Thanks to RB Media, HighBridge Audio, and Netgalley for a copy of FOSTER by Claire Keegan in exchange for an honest review!
Foster is out now!
FOSTER…⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Three couples rent a luxury cabin in the woods for a weekend getaway to die for in this chilling locked-room thriller by New York Times bestselling author Lisa Unger.
What could be more restful, more restorative, than a weekend getaway with family and friends? An isolated luxury cabin in the woods, complete with spectacular views, a hot tub and a personal chef. Hannah’s loving and generous tech-mogul brother found the listing online. The reviews are stellar. It’s his birthday gift to Hannah and includes their spouses and another couple. The six friends need this trip with good food, good company and lots of R & R, far from the chatter and pressures of modern life.
But the dreamy weekend is about to turn into a nightmare. A deadly storm is brewing. The rental host seems just a little too present. The personal chef reveals that their beautiful house has a spine-tingling history. And the friends have their own complicated past, with secrets that run blood deep. How well does Hannah know her brother, her own husband? Can she trust her best friend? And who is the new boyfriend, crashing their party? Meanwhile, someone is determined to ruin the weekend, looking to exact a payback for deeds long buried. Who is the stranger among them?
SECLUDED CABIN SLEEPS SIX
Lisa Unger
You might be surprised to find out I’ve never finished a full-length novel by Lisa Unger before now.
Her synopses sound intriguing but there never was anything there to grab me in the beginning until now with SECLUDED CABIN SLEEPS SIX.
From the beginning of hearing the upcoming title, I started daydreaming of renting a secluded cabin in the woods. Taking this book with me and spooking myself out.
I had big dreams.
Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six stars three couples who escape their everyday lives for a promised weekend of seclusion and luxury. Once they arrive, weird things start to happen and every stranger’s odd behavior starts to seem nefarious. We follow as secrets are exposed and intentions are revealed.
Maybe all of that seclusion is not as luxurious as promised…
I loved the premise of this book the most. It’s set up almost as a closed-circle mystery. The characters are isolated and become even more so when a storm rolls in. I thought it was mildly atmospheric and had just enough tension to pull the job off.
The book switches perspectives and I preferred certain POV’s over others. Some characters were featured and upfront and others were set in the background, only for it to shift midway through like a magician shuffling the deck. I found it to be well-executed and appreciated all POV’s by the end,
The characters themselves are built for a thriller. Everyone has secrets and ulterior motives. No one is perfect and everyone seems to be hiding something. It’s fascinating to watch what people will do to each other given the opportunity.
One thing I will mention is that it is a little heavy-handed when it comes to the revealing of clues leading to the mystery. It depends on the day if this bothers me that much, on this particular day it was fun to solve the mystery quickly and it became less about who, what, and more about why. And there was enough there to hold my attention.
I enjoyed this one a little more than I thought I would, and a little less than I would’ve liked. It started strong, lost me at a bend in the story but appreciatively picked back up again and finished on solid footing. I gave this one 4 stars, rounded up from 3.50.
This thriller is a great drought buster and thirst quencher. I haven’t read a physical copy from start to finish in quite a while, mostly sticking to ebooks and audiobooks. I recommend this for your November reading!
Thanks to Park Row Books for sending me a physical copy!
Out November 8.
SECLUDED CABIN SLEEPS SIX…⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
