So apparently Gothic Horror is a genre I am really into. I never really thought of myself as a horror person, especially when it comes to movies because my over active imagination keeps me awake and gives me nightmares, or maybe I am just maturing in my taste in books. But When I read Erin A. Craigs House of Salt and Sorrow I loved it thought maybe it was a one off, nope I really liked Horrid too. All the Dead Lie Down has been described as The Haunting of Bly Manor meets House of Salt and Sorrows. Hence why I brought the later up. I was amazed at the creepy vibe and was totally derailed by the story. Just when you think you got something figured out, like I thought maybe Alice Lovelace was a werewolf at some point (she’s not btw😉), the narrative takes a turn.
All the Dead Lie Down is Kyrie McCauley’s contemporary YA gothic romance about a dark family lineage, the ghosts of grief, and the lines we’ll cross for love. I recieved an arc from NetGally for a fair review. The book will be released on May 16, 2023 and if you are a fan of gothic horror or Erin A Craig’s I know you will love it so mark your calendars. Now I have to go read some of Kyrie’s other books!
So the synopsis :
Days after a tragedy leaves Marin Blythe alone in the world, she receives a surprising invitation from Alice Lovelace—an acclaimed horror writer and childhood friend of Marin’s mother. Alice offers her a nanny position at Lovelace House, the family’s coastal Maine estate.
Marin accepts and soon finds herself minding Alice’s peculiar girls. Thea buries her dolls one by one, hosting a series of funerals, while Wren does everything in her power to drive Marin away. Then Alice’s eldest daughter returns home unexpectedly. Evie Hallowell is every bit as strange as her younger sisters, and yet Marin is quickly drawn in by Evie’s compelling behavior and ethereal grace.
But as Marin settles in, she can’t escape the anxiety that follows her like a shadow. Dead birds appear in Marin’s room. The children’s pranks escalate. Something dangerous lurks in the woods, leaving mutilated animals in its wake. All is not well at Lovelace House, and Marin must unravel its secrets before they consume her.
I literally stopped reading this story for 2 days with only 10% of the story left because I didn’t want it to end. In that time my mind was reeling on all that had happened and what would happen in the end because as you imagine at 10% left you are smack in the middle of the climax. I stayed up until 2 am when my eyes were so bleary I couldn’t focus anymore reading this book.
All the Dead Lie Down is enthralling , masterful and top notch creepy! I loved every word of it. Definitely rating this one a 5 out of 5 stars from the first chapter to the bittersweet finale.
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