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The Black Widow
The Black Widow is a collection of poetry influenced by true crime poetry and literary heroines. The spider's web is a powerful metaphor for exploring cases of injustice and abused women who kill. This emotive collection gives voice to those unjustly convicted, to abuse survivors and their children, and to the foster carers who look after them. The influences of literature inspire poems from the perspective of Lady Macbeth, Madame Bovary and the Duchess of Malfi.
“A startling and melancholic chapbook of dark poems, The Black Widow addresses injustice, abuse, and trauma, and is a stark indictment on society’s indifference to the voices and suffering of women. Drawing on real-life and literary scenarios, Worthington’s poetry is brimming with unconscionable pain. A poet to watch.” —Lee Murray, Bram Stoker Award®-winning poet and author of Tortured Willows
“Resonant and familiar, Worthington’s poetry fills the hollows for women’s voices silenced by abuse. Scathing yet sensitive, The Black Widow is a lens by which to examine injustice, trauma, and pain, and the dark secrets often hidden behind closed doors.” –Lindy Ryan, award-winning author and editor of Under Her Skin
“A startling and melancholic chapbook of dark poems, The Black Widow addresses injustice, abuse, and trauma, and is a stark indictment on society’s indifference to the voices and suffering of women. Drawing on real-life and literary scenarios, Worthington’s poetry is brimming with unconscionable pain. A poet to watch.” —Lee Murray, Bram Stoker Award®-winning poet and author of Tortured Willows
“Resonant and familiar, Worthington’s poetry fills the hollows for women’s voices silenced by abuse. Scathing yet sensitive, The Black Widow is a lens by which to examine injustice, trauma, and pain, and the dark secrets often hidden behind closed doors.” –Lindy Ryan, award-winning author and editor of Under Her Skin
82 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 147 reviews
November 28, 2022
A heart-rending and thought-provoking collection of crime and socially inspired poems.
'Let's count the corpses hanging like stars'
The poems touch on difficult topics and issues such as crime, domestic abuse, varying kinds of coercive behavior, trauma and pain. All inspired by true crime and literary heroines.
Each is well crafted and although the subject matter is difficult at times, they all hit the mark.
Only rated down due to personal taste.
I received this copy from Netgalley for free and I'm leaving this review voluntarily.
'Let's count the corpses hanging like stars'
The poems touch on difficult topics and issues such as crime, domestic abuse, varying kinds of coercive behavior, trauma and pain. All inspired by true crime and literary heroines.
Each is well crafted and although the subject matter is difficult at times, they all hit the mark.
Only rated down due to personal taste.
I received this copy from Netgalley for free and I'm leaving this review voluntarily.
September 17, 2021
Agradezco a NetGalley por el ARC.
La verdad es que esta antología estuvo interesante. Son historias ligeras de terror con diferentes tópicos, pero por lo general, aborda el tema de los fantasmas, la pérdida, el dolor y el trauma. Hubo tres que me gustaron particularmente, y que justamente ahondan esos temas. El resto no fue mucho de mi interés, sobre todo porque ya se tornaban bastante repugnantes (sobre todo el segundo relato).
La verdad es que esta antología estuvo interesante. Son historias ligeras de terror con diferentes tópicos, pero por lo general, aborda el tema de los fantasmas, la pérdida, el dolor y el trauma. Hubo tres que me gustaron particularmente, y que justamente ahondan esos temas. El resto no fue mucho de mi interés, sobre todo porque ya se tornaban bastante repugnantes (sobre todo el segundo relato).
April 14, 2021
I could not get to grips with this novel, feeling that I had picked up the story halfway through the action. Persisting with the book, I ended up feeling restless and bored – not fully engaged with the narrative.
It’s an interesting premise: the story centred on a television show where contestants are intending to make as much money through their business. It seems that the focus is on art but I could not understand why this had to be the business that the contestants worked in. There appears to be some talented people participating in this show which is juxtaposed by the seemingly talentless Stephanie. And by talentless, I mean she is not creating her own art work, instead flogging someone else’s. I guess this makes her an ideal candidate as an entrepreneur.
Through this character, readers are introduced to the concept of “murderabilia”: the selling of crime scene mementos – from objects to victims’ body parts. Pretty gruesome and terrifying! In this way, Stephanie gets mixed up with the missing victim of her artist – a serial killer spending life in prison for his crimes. The location of the killer’s final victim was never revealed and Lang uses Stephanie as his vessel in the outside world to ensure his notoriety continues. Therefore, the novel is not just about the television contest, but also Stephanie’s interactions with this killer.
These elements, combined with the remote beach-side setting, make this a chilling and unsettling narrative. However, I found that Worthington’s story jumps between too many aspects of the plot and I could not get to grips with any of them. In my opinion, this book is about the show, the murder and also a suspected suicide. The plot is too cluttered to engage with any element enough for enjoyment.
As mysteries go, I did not feel this was very suspenseful. I was intrigued with the direction of the narrative but did not really see the characters as individuals. There is inevitably more of a focus on Stephanie, with her immoral ways of making money, but the other contestants just blurred into the background. Although backgrounds are given about some of the characters, I still could not shake the feeling of not knowing them and wanting to be with the story from the beginning of the show, rather than mid-way through.
This was an ok read but I think I lost the true meaning of the story. It lacked impact and I thought the narrative too cluttered with several elements. I think I would have preferred a show that just focussed on the show, the murder or the people, just not combined all together.
With thanks to Bloodhound books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
It’s an interesting premise: the story centred on a television show where contestants are intending to make as much money through their business. It seems that the focus is on art but I could not understand why this had to be the business that the contestants worked in. There appears to be some talented people participating in this show which is juxtaposed by the seemingly talentless Stephanie. And by talentless, I mean she is not creating her own art work, instead flogging someone else’s. I guess this makes her an ideal candidate as an entrepreneur.
Through this character, readers are introduced to the concept of “murderabilia”: the selling of crime scene mementos – from objects to victims’ body parts. Pretty gruesome and terrifying! In this way, Stephanie gets mixed up with the missing victim of her artist – a serial killer spending life in prison for his crimes. The location of the killer’s final victim was never revealed and Lang uses Stephanie as his vessel in the outside world to ensure his notoriety continues. Therefore, the novel is not just about the television contest, but also Stephanie’s interactions with this killer.
These elements, combined with the remote beach-side setting, make this a chilling and unsettling narrative. However, I found that Worthington’s story jumps between too many aspects of the plot and I could not get to grips with any of them. In my opinion, this book is about the show, the murder and also a suspected suicide. The plot is too cluttered to engage with any element enough for enjoyment.
As mysteries go, I did not feel this was very suspenseful. I was intrigued with the direction of the narrative but did not really see the characters as individuals. There is inevitably more of a focus on Stephanie, with her immoral ways of making money, but the other contestants just blurred into the background. Although backgrounds are given about some of the characters, I still could not shake the feeling of not knowing them and wanting to be with the story from the beginning of the show, rather than mid-way through.
This was an ok read but I think I lost the true meaning of the story. It lacked impact and I thought the narrative too cluttered with several elements. I think I would have preferred a show that just focussed on the show, the murder or the people, just not combined all together.
With thanks to Bloodhound books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Want to read
August 9, 2021Richard Layman?...ok
November 4, 2022
I found these poems which are inspired by true crime to be highly satisfying. Much better than I expected them to be, for something I’d never encountered before. I just found them evocative and stirring, perhaps due to my grief and lack of sleep but I like them just the same.
April 14, 2021
It's a reality TV show, The Entrepreneur, offering huge monetary rewards to the participants. There are five contestants living in the same house, followed by cameras almost everywhere. They each present their business plans. There are two ways any one of them can win .... make the most money by the businesses they put together and a popularity vote from the general public who watch the show.
One contestant is promoting a computer game. Some of them are making and selling art in various forms. One is selling murderabilia .. the art from a convicted serial killer.
All is going well ... murderabilia seems to be leading ... but then one of the other contestants is found dead .. and then another. Someone has every intention of winning .. no matter what has to be done.
One of them is a killer .. but who?
Well-written, a true page turner, there are twists and turns that rival a roller coaster ride. Not everyone is who they say they are. The characters are solidly depicted, some quite likeable, some not. Lots of action gives depth to this story. The ending was quite unexpected.
Many thanks to the author / Bloodhound Books for the digital copy of this crime fiction/psychological thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
One contestant is promoting a computer game. Some of them are making and selling art in various forms. One is selling murderabilia .. the art from a convicted serial killer.
All is going well ... murderabilia seems to be leading ... but then one of the other contestants is found dead .. and then another. Someone has every intention of winning .. no matter what has to be done.
One of them is a killer .. but who?
Well-written, a true page turner, there are twists and turns that rival a roller coaster ride. Not everyone is who they say they are. The characters are solidly depicted, some quite likeable, some not. Lots of action gives depth to this story. The ending was quite unexpected.
Many thanks to the author / Bloodhound Books for the digital copy of this crime fiction/psychological thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
March 2, 2021
I received an ARC of this book and am leaving a review voluntarily.
Clare seems to have everything going for her: A beloved boyfriend in Lennie, an understanding boss, and a great job giving tours at Her Majesty’s Prison Shortbury, now a tourist attraction.
But now Lennie is dead, killed in a bizarre car accident with an ancient yew tree. Clare’s world is further shattered when she finds Lennie has a six-year-old child - Rosie - whom he was visiting just before his accident.
But Rosie isn’t just any child. In fact, one can question whether Rosie Shadow is a child at all for evil flows through her veins. Instead of playing with dolls, she prefers to dig holes and bury herself until dirt seeps from her pores. She injures and insults and is fascinated by the Pagan yew tree where Lennie met his end. Destruction follows Rosie, and now Clare wonders if there is more to Lennie’s death than what she sees.
This book is deliciously horrifying, disturbing, and unique, and I absolutely loved it.
It’s truly different than anything else I’ve ever read, and I went through a decades-long horror phase. Author Louise Worthington has created quite a compelling tale with some vile antagonists. Rosie herself is a nightmare, and I’d love to know how Worthington came up with this character. Every scene with Rosie made me extremely uncomfortable and repulsed, which in my mind means Worthington achieved her goal.
Clare is a great, strong character who goes through some seriously crazy stuff yet responds realistically in every situation. I admire Clare and love how how her story resolved itself, all things being equal.
But the evil doesn’t stop with Rosie. Archie, Clare’s boss at the prison, happens to be an undead creature who keeps all of his secrets in the medieval dungeon located in Ward D beneath the prison. Archie is another one that’ll give you nightmares and set off your creep detector in a major way.
What’s most disturbing about Worthington’s tale is that, on the surface, everything appears normal. Only in dark corners, alone with the nightmares, does the evil seep through.
Overall this is an outstanding book, and I look forward to reading more from the author.
Clare seems to have everything going for her: A beloved boyfriend in Lennie, an understanding boss, and a great job giving tours at Her Majesty’s Prison Shortbury, now a tourist attraction.
But now Lennie is dead, killed in a bizarre car accident with an ancient yew tree. Clare’s world is further shattered when she finds Lennie has a six-year-old child - Rosie - whom he was visiting just before his accident.
But Rosie isn’t just any child. In fact, one can question whether Rosie Shadow is a child at all for evil flows through her veins. Instead of playing with dolls, she prefers to dig holes and bury herself until dirt seeps from her pores. She injures and insults and is fascinated by the Pagan yew tree where Lennie met his end. Destruction follows Rosie, and now Clare wonders if there is more to Lennie’s death than what she sees.
This book is deliciously horrifying, disturbing, and unique, and I absolutely loved it.
It’s truly different than anything else I’ve ever read, and I went through a decades-long horror phase. Author Louise Worthington has created quite a compelling tale with some vile antagonists. Rosie herself is a nightmare, and I’d love to know how Worthington came up with this character. Every scene with Rosie made me extremely uncomfortable and repulsed, which in my mind means Worthington achieved her goal.
Clare is a great, strong character who goes through some seriously crazy stuff yet responds realistically in every situation. I admire Clare and love how how her story resolved itself, all things being equal.
But the evil doesn’t stop with Rosie. Archie, Clare’s boss at the prison, happens to be an undead creature who keeps all of his secrets in the medieval dungeon located in Ward D beneath the prison. Archie is another one that’ll give you nightmares and set off your creep detector in a major way.
What’s most disturbing about Worthington’s tale is that, on the surface, everything appears normal. Only in dark corners, alone with the nightmares, does the evil seep through.
Overall this is an outstanding book, and I look forward to reading more from the author.
August 31, 2022
Okay, Rosie Shadow is such a unique and disturbing read. I haven’t read anything like it. Louise Worthington’s writing is vivid and wonderful. Once I started this, I had trouble putting it down (and only did because I can’t stay awake late, anymore).
I haven’t read a Gothic horror in a while, and now i remember why I love this genre so much. When done well, it is twisty and dark, and some of the events truly creeped me out!
The characters are fantastic. The antagonists are vile. Clare is an excellent main character. I worried for her and grew attached to her.
I really enjoyed Rosie Shadow. If you like Gothic horror, don’t miss out on this one!
Thank you to Zooloo’s Book Tours and the author for the review copy. All opinions are my own and unbiased.
I haven’t read a Gothic horror in a while, and now i remember why I love this genre so much. When done well, it is twisty and dark, and some of the events truly creeped me out!
The characters are fantastic. The antagonists are vile. Clare is an excellent main character. I worried for her and grew attached to her.
I really enjoyed Rosie Shadow. If you like Gothic horror, don’t miss out on this one!
Thank you to Zooloo’s Book Tours and the author for the review copy. All opinions are my own and unbiased.
March 19, 2021
I have just finished reading this and it was a really entertaining book. There is a very interesting premise so I was obviously intrigued as soon as I saw the blurb.
The characters really do go on a 'journey' and you do with them. I found the father's actions a bit strange but grief can make you do strange things.
I am not going to give anything away as it is best to go in blind and wait for the end. You wont regret it.
I was given an advance copy by Bloodhound books but the review is entirely my own.
The characters really do go on a 'journey' and you do with them. I found the father's actions a bit strange but grief can make you do strange things.
I am not going to give anything away as it is best to go in blind and wait for the end. You wont regret it.
I was given an advance copy by Bloodhound books but the review is entirely my own.
April 4, 2021
Willow Weeps was a thrilling, creepy story with a bit of a paranormal twist. It was fast paced, twisty, full of secrets and lies and lots of other fun stuff. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and constantly kept thinking about it when I wasn’t reading it. I was left with a few unanswered questions but all in all it was a great book and I would def recommend to anyone who loves a thrilling gripping story
April 30, 2021
Clever and imaginative! Great, multi-faceted characters. Very interesting plot. Vivid descriptions. Kept me intrigued from the first page to the last. Simply a GREAT read!
*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.
*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.
April 8, 2021
**Spoilers are at the end and noted to allow for the review to be read without reading spoilers unless you want additional info as to specific issues I had with the book.
Synopsis:
Willow has the perfect boyfriend, a great best friend, a good job as a personal trainer, oh, and her dead sister sends her warnings from beyond the grave. Now she finds her life in turmoil and is struggling to know what to do after her boyfriend asks her to move in with him in a historic building that houses bad memories for both the community and her best friend. Could the warnings her sister is sending her be about secrets in her relationship or something more sinister all together?
Let me start by saying that this book felt a little all over the place. Is it a paranormal tale of sisters’ bonds even after death? Or is it a thriller about the secrets we keep? Or a cautionary tale about how our pasts catch up to us? It seemed to be unable to decide and in the process the plot is muddled. The plot about Willow’s sister and her warnings seemed not only minor, but unnecessary all together. It was largely inconsequential to the plot and did not seem to move the plot forward in any way that it wasn’t already going.
I found that I didn’t care for the main character at all. She’s not just meak, she is down right dismissive of all intuition that doesn’t come from her dead sister’s “messages” which are ambiguous at best. She is a complete pushover without a spine at all and I found her constant backing down from her boyfriend for fear of hurting his feelings or making him mad annoying. He is not portrayed as abusive in any way, but rather as selfish and self centered, and perhaps a little controlling at times, but her wishy washy attitudes and willingness to roll over backwards for him did nothing to endear her to me. The best friend is described as intuitive and insightful and yet constantly dismisses every normal warning sign and red flag that Willow brings up and doesn’t come across as either intuitive or insightful at all.
I had a lot of problems with the plot and writing going forward as well. While I don’t think the author is a bad writer, her choice of descriptions at times was confusing and made no sense for what she was describing. And the plot felt all over the place as the story doesn’t seem to make up its mind as to what it is trying to be or communicate until halfway through, which is also about the point I realized I was not invested in the story at all. There are a lot of trite or contrived scenes written in to act as plot devices that don’t really land and thus add to the feeling that this book is all over the place. Most of the twists and turns felt forced and for shock value and serve no real purpose to the story.
I wanted to like it, but without having a single character I cared about, it was hard to reconcile the issues I had with the writing style and clunky writing. I do think there are some who will like it, but it just wasn’t for me.
***MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD***
Some key things I had trouble reconciling all together:
The 8yr old daughter- She is at times more like a six year old and at other times much older than 8. Her language is at times childish and then too grown for her age. And NO ONE seems to give a damn about this kid. Her mom is MIA for most of the story, her dad is hardly going to win father of the year, and Willow seems to dismiss every single thing about the kid as “normal” without any thought of how to go about communicating with the kid and understanding her better.
At one point Willow sees a girl about to play with the daughter and thinks it would be nice for her to have a friend. But the daughter is EIGHT and the playmate is a teenager. What teenager is going to be “best friends” with an eight year old. The fact that she even has that line of thought is ridiculous and proves how out of touch the character is and is another example of a thing that was used as a plot device but that didn’t land.
But the most unbelievable part of the story is when Willow torches her boyfriend’s new condo. She does this to cleanse herself and move on and because she claims to have nothing left to lose. Never mind the fact that other people live in the building. Never mind the fact that they say TWO people died in the fire. And never mind the fact that she feels ZERO remorse and has no regrets about the fire even though two people died. Her ex knows she started the fire and yet he also seems to have no issues with two people dying. He makes no effort to turn her in and the story resolved with it being deemed an accidental fire even with a witness having seen her there. The deaths are barely mentioned and everyone becomes that much more unlikable for not caring that there were consequences to such actions.
The author also perpetuates some rather unfortunate stereotypes about the mentally ill, specifically schizophrenic people, when Willow visits the daughter’s birth mother in the psych ward. Most of that scene left my cringing.
I received an advance review copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.
Synopsis:
Willow has the perfect boyfriend, a great best friend, a good job as a personal trainer, oh, and her dead sister sends her warnings from beyond the grave. Now she finds her life in turmoil and is struggling to know what to do after her boyfriend asks her to move in with him in a historic building that houses bad memories for both the community and her best friend. Could the warnings her sister is sending her be about secrets in her relationship or something more sinister all together?
Let me start by saying that this book felt a little all over the place. Is it a paranormal tale of sisters’ bonds even after death? Or is it a thriller about the secrets we keep? Or a cautionary tale about how our pasts catch up to us? It seemed to be unable to decide and in the process the plot is muddled. The plot about Willow’s sister and her warnings seemed not only minor, but unnecessary all together. It was largely inconsequential to the plot and did not seem to move the plot forward in any way that it wasn’t already going.
I found that I didn’t care for the main character at all. She’s not just meak, she is down right dismissive of all intuition that doesn’t come from her dead sister’s “messages” which are ambiguous at best. She is a complete pushover without a spine at all and I found her constant backing down from her boyfriend for fear of hurting his feelings or making him mad annoying. He is not portrayed as abusive in any way, but rather as selfish and self centered, and perhaps a little controlling at times, but her wishy washy attitudes and willingness to roll over backwards for him did nothing to endear her to me. The best friend is described as intuitive and insightful and yet constantly dismisses every normal warning sign and red flag that Willow brings up and doesn’t come across as either intuitive or insightful at all.
I had a lot of problems with the plot and writing going forward as well. While I don’t think the author is a bad writer, her choice of descriptions at times was confusing and made no sense for what she was describing. And the plot felt all over the place as the story doesn’t seem to make up its mind as to what it is trying to be or communicate until halfway through, which is also about the point I realized I was not invested in the story at all. There are a lot of trite or contrived scenes written in to act as plot devices that don’t really land and thus add to the feeling that this book is all over the place. Most of the twists and turns felt forced and for shock value and serve no real purpose to the story.
I wanted to like it, but without having a single character I cared about, it was hard to reconcile the issues I had with the writing style and clunky writing. I do think there are some who will like it, but it just wasn’t for me.
***MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD***
Some key things I had trouble reconciling all together:
The 8yr old daughter- She is at times more like a six year old and at other times much older than 8. Her language is at times childish and then too grown for her age. And NO ONE seems to give a damn about this kid. Her mom is MIA for most of the story, her dad is hardly going to win father of the year, and Willow seems to dismiss every single thing about the kid as “normal” without any thought of how to go about communicating with the kid and understanding her better.
At one point Willow sees a girl about to play with the daughter and thinks it would be nice for her to have a friend. But the daughter is EIGHT and the playmate is a teenager. What teenager is going to be “best friends” with an eight year old. The fact that she even has that line of thought is ridiculous and proves how out of touch the character is and is another example of a thing that was used as a plot device but that didn’t land.
But the most unbelievable part of the story is when Willow torches her boyfriend’s new condo. She does this to cleanse herself and move on and because she claims to have nothing left to lose. Never mind the fact that other people live in the building. Never mind the fact that they say TWO people died in the fire. And never mind the fact that she feels ZERO remorse and has no regrets about the fire even though two people died. Her ex knows she started the fire and yet he also seems to have no issues with two people dying. He makes no effort to turn her in and the story resolved with it being deemed an accidental fire even with a witness having seen her there. The deaths are barely mentioned and everyone becomes that much more unlikable for not caring that there were consequences to such actions.
The author also perpetuates some rather unfortunate stereotypes about the mentally ill, specifically schizophrenic people, when Willow visits the daughter’s birth mother in the psych ward. Most of that scene left my cringing.
I received an advance review copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 27, 2021
I'm just going to put it straight out there - 6 year old Rosie made my skin crawl and gave me a severe case of the heebie jeebies! What young child would threaten to rip off their mother's arm and beat them with the stump? It's not only what she says either. She likes to dig graves and bury herself in the garden, she has seemingly super human strength for a small child and she's definitely smarter than average. I'm getting the shivers just thinking about her again!
Rosie's mum Elly is terrified of her child and so she reaches out for help but is it a case of too little too late? More worryingly, was Rosie responsible for what happened?
Nearby at Shortbury Prison, Clare works as a guide at what is now a visitor's attraction. Giving tours around the former prison, Clare thinks she knows the full history of the building but her boss Archie knows much more about the place than he's letting on - and with good reason. He has a very dark secret, his life depends on him keeping it well hidden but could Clare have discovered what it is?
Rosie Shadow is the kind of book that should be read whilst hiding behind the safety of a cushion and definitely not at night before you go to sleep! Rosie's character was reminiscent of Damien from The Omen books and just as, if not more horrifying and I was apprehensive every time her name appeared. There are a few places where you do have to suspend your belief, but isn't escapism why we read in the first place?
Louise Worthington has written a compelling story full of strong, well developed characters that build a good foundation for the start of The Black Tongue Series. It's a series that I'll be watching out for in the future and if you enjoy horror / zombie novels I would recommend that you give this one a try.
Rosie's mum Elly is terrified of her child and so she reaches out for help but is it a case of too little too late? More worryingly, was Rosie responsible for what happened?
Nearby at Shortbury Prison, Clare works as a guide at what is now a visitor's attraction. Giving tours around the former prison, Clare thinks she knows the full history of the building but her boss Archie knows much more about the place than he's letting on - and with good reason. He has a very dark secret, his life depends on him keeping it well hidden but could Clare have discovered what it is?
Rosie Shadow is the kind of book that should be read whilst hiding behind the safety of a cushion and definitely not at night before you go to sleep! Rosie's character was reminiscent of Damien from The Omen books and just as, if not more horrifying and I was apprehensive every time her name appeared. There are a few places where you do have to suspend your belief, but isn't escapism why we read in the first place?
Louise Worthington has written a compelling story full of strong, well developed characters that build a good foundation for the start of The Black Tongue Series. It's a series that I'll be watching out for in the future and if you enjoy horror / zombie novels I would recommend that you give this one a try.
June 15, 2022
Rosie Shadow was a different type of zombie/horror book than I have read. Not saying that I didn’t enjoy it (I did), but it wasn’t typical of the genre.
Rosie Shadow has two distinct storylines. The first storyline centers around Clare, the death of her boyfriend Lenny, her job at a prison made tourist attraction, and her relationship with her boss, Archie. The second storyline centers around Rosie, Elly (her mother), and various social workers brought to help Elly with Rosie. Both storylines are somewhat merged by the end of the book. I say somewhat because Rosie never physically meets Clare or Archie (even though she communicates telepathically with him).
Clare had my sympathy for the entire book. She was dealing with the death of her boyfriend, her school studies, and having a not-so-great relationship with her father. I was in awe over how she dealt with everything. I would have been a freaking mess, but she wasn’t. The only thing that showed that she was internally freaking out was her smoking and her relationship with Archie. But, I think her calmness helped her when everything went to crap at the end of the book. She was the one who kept her head. She was the one who was able to think on her feet with Archie. She was the one who was able to help Beth.
Archie’s character was different. Yes, he was an undead cannibal (or a zombie), but he didn’t act like your typical zombie. He held a job at the former prison. He didn’t crave brains. Instead, he needed to eat a young woman’s flesh to stay alive (for lack of a better term). I wish the author had given more background on him, but I did like what was provided. He was a former prison inmate who died (and was resurrected ?) there. While eating flesh kept him alive, sex was better, and he thought he had found a willing partner in Clare. He wasn’t necessarily evil, but he wasn’t good either. If I had to put a finger on it, he was chaotic neutral with leanings toward evil.
Rosie scared me. She was the evilest, twisted 6-year-old that I have read about in a while. She terrorized her mother, ate raw animals (which disgusted me), loved playing with animal corpses, lying in dirt graves, and generally scared people. I didn’t understand why she was the way she was until the connection to Archie was made (the scene where she killed her social worker and fed her to the yew tree to give to Archie). She sent chills up my spine every time she appeared in the book. When she went to the respite fosterer, I knew that a showdown was coming. And the author didn’t disappoint with that.
The author very well wrote the horror angle of Rosie Shadow. I am not easily scared or even disgusted while reading this genre, and the author succeeded in doing both. The last half of the book that detailed the life-or-death fight scenes between Clare and Archie/Rosie and Annie gave me nightmares.
The paranormal aspect of the book was also very well written. I wish the author had given more detail about Archie’s turning (it interested me a lot), but other than that, I was pretty satisfied with what I read.
The end of Rosie Shadow made me wonder if or when Rosie/Archie would reappear. I know this is book 1 of a series, and I am very interested in reading what book two will bring.
I would recommend Rosie Shadow to anyone over 21. This is language, extreme violence, gore, and somewhat graphic sexual situations.
Rosie Shadow has two distinct storylines. The first storyline centers around Clare, the death of her boyfriend Lenny, her job at a prison made tourist attraction, and her relationship with her boss, Archie. The second storyline centers around Rosie, Elly (her mother), and various social workers brought to help Elly with Rosie. Both storylines are somewhat merged by the end of the book. I say somewhat because Rosie never physically meets Clare or Archie (even though she communicates telepathically with him).
Clare had my sympathy for the entire book. She was dealing with the death of her boyfriend, her school studies, and having a not-so-great relationship with her father. I was in awe over how she dealt with everything. I would have been a freaking mess, but she wasn’t. The only thing that showed that she was internally freaking out was her smoking and her relationship with Archie. But, I think her calmness helped her when everything went to crap at the end of the book. She was the one who kept her head. She was the one who was able to think on her feet with Archie. She was the one who was able to help Beth.
Archie’s character was different. Yes, he was an undead cannibal (or a zombie), but he didn’t act like your typical zombie. He held a job at the former prison. He didn’t crave brains. Instead, he needed to eat a young woman’s flesh to stay alive (for lack of a better term). I wish the author had given more background on him, but I did like what was provided. He was a former prison inmate who died (and was resurrected ?) there. While eating flesh kept him alive, sex was better, and he thought he had found a willing partner in Clare. He wasn’t necessarily evil, but he wasn’t good either. If I had to put a finger on it, he was chaotic neutral with leanings toward evil.
Rosie scared me. She was the evilest, twisted 6-year-old that I have read about in a while. She terrorized her mother, ate raw animals (which disgusted me), loved playing with animal corpses, lying in dirt graves, and generally scared people. I didn’t understand why she was the way she was until the connection to Archie was made (the scene where she killed her social worker and fed her to the yew tree to give to Archie). She sent chills up my spine every time she appeared in the book. When she went to the respite fosterer, I knew that a showdown was coming. And the author didn’t disappoint with that.
The author very well wrote the horror angle of Rosie Shadow. I am not easily scared or even disgusted while reading this genre, and the author succeeded in doing both. The last half of the book that detailed the life-or-death fight scenes between Clare and Archie/Rosie and Annie gave me nightmares.
The paranormal aspect of the book was also very well written. I wish the author had given more detail about Archie’s turning (it interested me a lot), but other than that, I was pretty satisfied with what I read.
The end of Rosie Shadow made me wonder if or when Rosie/Archie would reappear. I know this is book 1 of a series, and I am very interested in reading what book two will bring.
I would recommend Rosie Shadow to anyone over 21. This is language, extreme violence, gore, and somewhat graphic sexual situations.
February 5, 2021
DISCLAIMER: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
If there's one thing Rosie Shadow has going for it, it's originality: this is easily the most unorthodox zombie story I've ever read. Unfortunately, in it's effort to be something unusual and different, this book ends up feeling padded and unnecessarily drawn out. The tale of a strange little girl who may or may not be a rampaging monster and the secret zombie who is feeding on innocent women sounds like it should be very intriguing, but the plot is, sadly, the least engaging part of the novel.
That being said, characterization and dialogue are two of the author's strong suits, and our antagonists (particularly Bella) are extremely well fleshed out, so much so that I found myself more engaged with this young woman's attempts to cope with a terrible loss and reconcile life with her parents and her (very relatable) best friend Elizabeth than I was with the tale of the creepy prison and the secrets held within. This is one of those cases where I felt like some incredibly likable characters had maybe been stuck in the wrong story.
Pacing is also a bit of an issue, and some plot revelations are dumped on our heads so out of nowhere it almost felt as if another writer had bumped in about a quarter of the way through and seized control of the proceedings. But, back on the positive end, the author is extremely adept at creating a moody atmosphere and detailing the creepy surroundings, and her sense of description if palpable, particularly when things turn gruesome.
All in all, this one was a bit of a mixed bag for me: plenty to like, but overall the novel felt like it wanted to be something it really never became. I would love to experience more of the author's finely developed characters, but preferably in a story that seems more suited for them.
If there's one thing Rosie Shadow has going for it, it's originality: this is easily the most unorthodox zombie story I've ever read. Unfortunately, in it's effort to be something unusual and different, this book ends up feeling padded and unnecessarily drawn out. The tale of a strange little girl who may or may not be a rampaging monster and the secret zombie who is feeding on innocent women sounds like it should be very intriguing, but the plot is, sadly, the least engaging part of the novel.
That being said, characterization and dialogue are two of the author's strong suits, and our antagonists (particularly Bella) are extremely well fleshed out, so much so that I found myself more engaged with this young woman's attempts to cope with a terrible loss and reconcile life with her parents and her (very relatable) best friend Elizabeth than I was with the tale of the creepy prison and the secrets held within. This is one of those cases where I felt like some incredibly likable characters had maybe been stuck in the wrong story.
Pacing is also a bit of an issue, and some plot revelations are dumped on our heads so out of nowhere it almost felt as if another writer had bumped in about a quarter of the way through and seized control of the proceedings. But, back on the positive end, the author is extremely adept at creating a moody atmosphere and detailing the creepy surroundings, and her sense of description if palpable, particularly when things turn gruesome.
All in all, this one was a bit of a mixed bag for me: plenty to like, but overall the novel felt like it wanted to be something it really never became. I would love to experience more of the author's finely developed characters, but preferably in a story that seems more suited for them.
March 20, 2021
The Entrepreneur is a TV game show where contestants have two chances of winning. One is to make the most money from businesses they are running (the proceeds going to charity) and the other is a popularity vote from the general public. There are five contestants all living in a luxury beach house on Anglesey. Some are selling and making art in various forms and one is promoting a computer game. Stephanie is selling “ murderabilia”- the art from a convicted serial killer, Jonny who has never given away where his last and fifth victim is buried. Paul had a daughter who went missing on one of the key dates in Jonnys calendar (he always killed on things like valentines day, mothers day, bonfire night)and believes his daughter is the fifth victim and is spending his life trying to find out where she is. Who will win and who is telling the real truth about themselves? I enjoyed this, its a different take on a murder/crime/psychological thriller with a game show thrown in. A set of characters where I didn’t quite know who to believe and a father pushed to do pretty much anything to find the remains of his daughter. There's an interesting almost side story about the relationship between the delivery man and one of the contestants, I won’t say any more so as not to spoil things. A very different read, one to keep you thinking and perhaps to see game shows in a very different light! An enjoyable, interesting read.
March 16, 2021
A fantastically written, intriguing book filled with complex characters and a page turning plot that is tantalisingly unpredictable. Willow is about to embark on a new chapter in her life by moving in with her partner and his daughter, but not all is as perfect as it seems. Coping with the grief from her sister dying in a house fire when they were children, Willow believes that her sister can communicate with her from beyond the grave. Various inexplicable incidents occur, with warnings of people or places. Could these be a coincidence, or is Willow misinterpreting things with her superstitious overthinking?
This book was gripping from the very first page and is written in such an eloquent and expressive way, which makes it a thoroughly enjoyable read!
*Disclaimer: This book was received and reviewed for free as part of an ARC and Book Review Service. These views are my own and are unbiased.
This book was gripping from the very first page and is written in such an eloquent and expressive way, which makes it a thoroughly enjoyable read!
*Disclaimer: This book was received and reviewed for free as part of an ARC and Book Review Service. These views are my own and are unbiased.
March 15, 2023
My first Advanced Reader Copy and it did not disappoint. The following review is entirely my option to give and completely my opinion, with no bias.
This relatively short story certainly packs a punch!
Willow's life is supposed to be starting a fresh. The prospect of a new home lingers but it's a new home filled with history...and it isn't the only thing with a past that Willow must face.
This book is so elegantly yet concisely written, twisting between intrigue, thrills and sometimes outright eeriness. Often the story felt poetic and incredibly haunting.
The stories contained within are filled with so much emotion; anger and grief.
Whilst I was left wanting lots more from a lot of the characters, I was very satisfied with the conclusion of the actual plot.
Louise Worthington is a fantastic author and I will certainly be reading more by her.
This relatively short story certainly packs a punch!
Willow's life is supposed to be starting a fresh. The prospect of a new home lingers but it's a new home filled with history...and it isn't the only thing with a past that Willow must face.
This book is so elegantly yet concisely written, twisting between intrigue, thrills and sometimes outright eeriness. Often the story felt poetic and incredibly haunting.
The stories contained within are filled with so much emotion; anger and grief.
Whilst I was left wanting lots more from a lot of the characters, I was very satisfied with the conclusion of the actual plot.
Louise Worthington is a fantastic author and I will certainly be reading more by her.
May 27, 2022
I enjoyed lthis collection of goth horror stories. They are engaging, fast paced and twists and turns that do not stop. Each story is unique and creative. I have my favorites and I know you will find a favorite as well. They are well written stories that pull you in from the first word. You will get something different with each story. I highly recommend reading this collection.
June 15, 2021
Grabbing
This tale was wonderful and kept me going
From place to place thank you're
Tell you what you keep writing them and ill keep reading them sincerely Christine Dunne Harlingen Texas
This tale was wonderful and kept me going
From place to place thank you're
Tell you what you keep writing them and ill keep reading them sincerely Christine Dunne Harlingen Texas
November 28, 2022
This... wasn't what I was expecting? The title and synopsis are very deceiving. Some of the poems were great and others I had to stretch my imagination to even remotely grasp. Just definitely not what I was hoping for.
April 12, 2024
Great!
A great gripping and dark poetry collection that I happened to stumble upon during Indie April. Love the cover too!
A great gripping and dark poetry collection that I happened to stumble upon during Indie April. Love the cover too!
April 1, 2021
Thank you to Helen Lewis of Literally Public Relations Ltd for sending me a free Advanced Review Copy of Rosie Shadow in return for an honest review.
“At dawn, blackbirds and sparrows sing a love song to celebrate life from the top of the yew tree. The aubade is as sweet as Daddy’s lullaby to a baby. When darkness falls, the sound of a lonely owl spills through its branches, settling in the shadows at the base of the trunk where it shouldn’t travel any further.”
So begins Rosie Shadow by Louise Worthington. This is the third book of Louise’s that I have read and as always, the writing is absolutely beautiful. It’s incredibly moving and full of evocative imagery, and very atmospheric throughout the book!
Rosie Shadow is six years old, and her mother, Elly, isn’t coping well. Rosie is a strange and terrifying child — incredibly strong, enjoys killing animals and doesn’t listen to her mother. She is desperate to see her father, Archie — who runs tours at the local prison, Shortbury. Meanwhile, one of Archie’s employees, Clare, has just lost her boyfriend in a mysterious car accident.
The main characters are incredibly well-written and relatable too. Clare is mourning the death of her ex-boyfriend and the descriptions are spot on. Clare moves back back to her parents home while she tries to come to terms with his loss. I found these scenes and descriptions so moving and related closely to my own experiences of loss. She is also struggling to figure out what to do with her life, as she is currently failing her masters — and again, this is brilliantly written. In addition, I really enjoyed learning how Elly, Clare and Rosie are all connected as the book progresses.
The story is absolutely terrifying — Rosie is utterly chilling! The more supernatural elements are written so well too, and Louise makes it very believable! As well as killing animals such as birds and dogs, Rosie also enjoys digging in the garden and burying herself. Every scene with her made me feel quite disturbed and uncomfortable. There are a few awful murders too and I think I will be remembering the bees for quite some time (probably my worst nightmare!). I really felt for both Elly, Marie and Annie, who all care for Rosie and desperately try to help her.
At the beginning on the surface it all seems quite normal and it’s only as the story progresses that the darker, supernatural elements come out — which I absolutely loved.
Rosie Shadow is incredibly unique and very original. It’s incredibly disturbing and hard to read at times — and the writing is fantastic! It’s definitely a must-read for fans of horror, and is one of the best horror books I’ve read. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series!
“At dawn, blackbirds and sparrows sing a love song to celebrate life from the top of the yew tree. The aubade is as sweet as Daddy’s lullaby to a baby. When darkness falls, the sound of a lonely owl spills through its branches, settling in the shadows at the base of the trunk where it shouldn’t travel any further.”
So begins Rosie Shadow by Louise Worthington. This is the third book of Louise’s that I have read and as always, the writing is absolutely beautiful. It’s incredibly moving and full of evocative imagery, and very atmospheric throughout the book!
Rosie Shadow is six years old, and her mother, Elly, isn’t coping well. Rosie is a strange and terrifying child — incredibly strong, enjoys killing animals and doesn’t listen to her mother. She is desperate to see her father, Archie — who runs tours at the local prison, Shortbury. Meanwhile, one of Archie’s employees, Clare, has just lost her boyfriend in a mysterious car accident.
The main characters are incredibly well-written and relatable too. Clare is mourning the death of her ex-boyfriend and the descriptions are spot on. Clare moves back back to her parents home while she tries to come to terms with his loss. I found these scenes and descriptions so moving and related closely to my own experiences of loss. She is also struggling to figure out what to do with her life, as she is currently failing her masters — and again, this is brilliantly written. In addition, I really enjoyed learning how Elly, Clare and Rosie are all connected as the book progresses.
The story is absolutely terrifying — Rosie is utterly chilling! The more supernatural elements are written so well too, and Louise makes it very believable! As well as killing animals such as birds and dogs, Rosie also enjoys digging in the garden and burying herself. Every scene with her made me feel quite disturbed and uncomfortable. There are a few awful murders too and I think I will be remembering the bees for quite some time (probably my worst nightmare!). I really felt for both Elly, Marie and Annie, who all care for Rosie and desperately try to help her.
At the beginning on the surface it all seems quite normal and it’s only as the story progresses that the darker, supernatural elements come out — which I absolutely loved.
Rosie Shadow is incredibly unique and very original. It’s incredibly disturbing and hard to read at times — and the writing is fantastic! It’s definitely a must-read for fans of horror, and is one of the best horror books I’ve read. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series!
February 28, 2021
Rosie Shadow
By Louise Worthington
“A young man inhales and exhales his last breaths. Drowning is the one certainty he has. He carries nothing but the bruises of sadness and stones”.
3/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received this book in return for a honest review. Rosie Shadow reminded me of a typical zombie movie - it’s entertaining, it’s gory as hell, not too complex and an easy watch. The premise is a mother struggling to live with her daughter who she believes is evil while an undead cannibal is attempting to capture and feed off local women.
The character development and dialogue are great. I felt invested in the character’s plight and wanted to know what happened next. The struggles of Rosie’s mother were written well and I was rooting for her throughout. Clare’s grief was palatable and real and she made a great protagonist.
The pacing seemed off at times and I wanted certain bits of the book to slow down and give me time to adjust to new information or plot twists. I needed more time with Clare and Archie’s relationship as their story arc happened so fast and out of the blue that it seemed unreal and I couldn’t invest anything in it. I also felt the two major end scenes were over very quickly. I wanted to know more!
All in all I enjoyed this book and would recommend it for horror and zombie fans that fancy a nice simple gore-fest.
Thank you to @netgalley and Red Escape Publishing for this #arcbook. It will be published on 1st March.
my bookstagram
By Louise Worthington
“A young man inhales and exhales his last breaths. Drowning is the one certainty he has. He carries nothing but the bruises of sadness and stones”.
3/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received this book in return for a honest review. Rosie Shadow reminded me of a typical zombie movie - it’s entertaining, it’s gory as hell, not too complex and an easy watch. The premise is a mother struggling to live with her daughter who she believes is evil while an undead cannibal is attempting to capture and feed off local women.
The character development and dialogue are great. I felt invested in the character’s plight and wanted to know what happened next. The struggles of Rosie’s mother were written well and I was rooting for her throughout. Clare’s grief was palatable and real and she made a great protagonist.
The pacing seemed off at times and I wanted certain bits of the book to slow down and give me time to adjust to new information or plot twists. I needed more time with Clare and Archie’s relationship as their story arc happened so fast and out of the blue that it seemed unreal and I couldn’t invest anything in it. I also felt the two major end scenes were over very quickly. I wanted to know more!
All in all I enjoyed this book and would recommend it for horror and zombie fans that fancy a nice simple gore-fest.
Thank you to @netgalley and Red Escape Publishing for this #arcbook. It will be published on 1st March.
my bookstagram
August 29, 2022
Rosie Shadow is told from multiple points of view. However, the main focus was on the characters of Elly and Clare. Elly is struggling to cope with her daughter. Social services think it's just a case of single motherhood being too much for her, but there's something very off about Rosie. Clare's boyfriend dies in a car crash. She's convinced it was no accident and her life rapidly falls apart. She leans on her boss, Archie, who is a bit of a mystery, but he's hiding a dark secret.
Rosie absolutely made my skin crawl! Imagine carrying what you think is a perfectly normal baby, and it ends up basically sucking the life out of you. A metaphor for how motherhood feels sometimes if there ever was one!
The description was wonderfully vivid, if a little stomach churning at times. There was also this menacing atmosphere throughout that gave me a genuine sense of dread for the characters.
I'll be honest, the pacing felt a little slow at certain times in the book and I felt it was a little drawn out as I got nearer to the end, but of course, that's just my opinion.
Rosie Shadow is a creepy horror, with plenty of dark and disturbing scenes to make you shudder.
Rosie absolutely made my skin crawl! Imagine carrying what you think is a perfectly normal baby, and it ends up basically sucking the life out of you. A metaphor for how motherhood feels sometimes if there ever was one!
The description was wonderfully vivid, if a little stomach churning at times. There was also this menacing atmosphere throughout that gave me a genuine sense of dread for the characters.
I'll be honest, the pacing felt a little slow at certain times in the book and I felt it was a little drawn out as I got nearer to the end, but of course, that's just my opinion.
Rosie Shadow is a creepy horror, with plenty of dark and disturbing scenes to make you shudder.
April 1, 2021
Holy Moly!!! Where to even begin?! Other than you need to read this in the daytime, and steer clear of creepy kids FOREVER!!! My chills were chilled constantly throughout this book and I've still got some images in my head that I really wish weren't in there after reading this!! But it seems I like to be scared witless as I couldn't put it down!! The characters are so compelling, and weird!, that you just want to know all you can about them and see if you can work out just how the story would play out... it didn't go as I imagined!!
The book starts off fairly tamely with a young mother not coping too well with her demanding child! Rosie is 6 and still being breastfed, and rules the roost over her poor mother Elly. When Lennie finds out he's Rosie's dad, he goes for a visit... Rosie doesn't take well to this 'man'....
The story also adds into the mix the old prison, where Clare takes visitors for tours and works for Archie, who is one of those characters that makes your skin crawl instantly!
Rosie is the creepiest, freakiest child you are ever likely to meet! You feel nothing but sympathy for her mum who has to endure horrific treatment and witness her outbursts. But there are chilling characters galore throughout the book, and just when you think you're horrified enough, there's another twist to the tale that leaves you slightly more sickened than before!
This was a story that was utterly unique and enthralling in its' own weird way!! It was creepy AF and I'm eager for more from this series!! What does that say about me?! I'm slightly concerned LOL!!
The book starts off fairly tamely with a young mother not coping too well with her demanding child! Rosie is 6 and still being breastfed, and rules the roost over her poor mother Elly. When Lennie finds out he's Rosie's dad, he goes for a visit... Rosie doesn't take well to this 'man'....
The story also adds into the mix the old prison, where Clare takes visitors for tours and works for Archie, who is one of those characters that makes your skin crawl instantly!
Rosie is the creepiest, freakiest child you are ever likely to meet! You feel nothing but sympathy for her mum who has to endure horrific treatment and witness her outbursts. But there are chilling characters galore throughout the book, and just when you think you're horrified enough, there's another twist to the tale that leaves you slightly more sickened than before!
This was a story that was utterly unique and enthralling in its' own weird way!! It was creepy AF and I'm eager for more from this series!! What does that say about me?! I'm slightly concerned LOL!!
July 1, 2022
I enjoyed this suspenseful story. This is not my first book by this author but it is one of my favorites by her yet. I enjoyed how the author brought the story to life by her writing style as well as her attention to details. This is a story where the characters not only pull you in from the beginning but also made the story realistic. This is a fast paced story that is engaging and hard to put down. A story of secrets and an ancient yew tree. A story that is emotional in parts and edge sitting in others. You dont want to miss what happens with these characters. I highly recommend reading this book.
March 13, 2021
What do a horrifyingly creepy 6-year-old girl and her terrorized mother have to do with a prison built on a medieval dungeon site and an ancient yew tree rumored to be part of the pagan religion? Read this terrifying thriller to find out! I was both fascinated and disgusted by Rosie and felt pity for her poor mother who only feels horror instead of love for her child. The prison site now used as a tourist attraction was just downright creepy. Great job with the ominous cover art that drew me in!
I received a free copy of this book through BookSirens. The views and opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own and given voluntarily.
I received a free copy of this book through BookSirens. The views and opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own and given voluntarily.
March 14, 2021
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book and I have to say I loved it. A unique story and interesting characters make this a creepy page turner. Little Rosie is easily one of the best horror characters to come along in a great while and I can see her becoming a real anti hero in books to come.
April 29, 2023
Oh Gods.
This writer just climbed into my brain and poured a ton of horror in.
Rosie is absolutely terrifying. She's evil personified. There's absolutely nothing redemption worthy about her.
Archie... ugh. He is a zombie, for want of a better word, but oh he is vile.
The characterisation and dialogue in this is top notch, with some really poetic passages.
This writer is in the auto read box.
This writer just climbed into my brain and poured a ton of horror in.
Rosie is absolutely terrifying. She's evil personified. There's absolutely nothing redemption worthy about her.
Archie... ugh. He is a zombie, for want of a better word, but oh he is vile.
The characterisation and dialogue in this is top notch, with some really poetic passages.
This writer is in the auto read box.
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