JASMINE'S THOUGHTS on The Furies by Katie Lowe

Genre:

Young Adult

Paranormal/Mystery Thriller

Publish Date:

October 8, 2019

Publisher:

St. Martin's Press

Synopsis:

This page-turning, harrowing debut is the story of a girl trying to fit in, whose obsessive new friends and desperation to belong leads her to places she'd never imagined...dark, dangerous, and possibly even violent.

In 1998, a sixteen-year-old girl is found dead.

She's posed on a swing on her boarding school's property, dressed all in white, with no known cause of death. Whispers and rumors swirl, with no answers. But there are a few who know what happened; there is one girl who will never forget.

One year earlier: a new student, Violet, steps on the campus of Elm Hollow Academy, an all-girl's boarding school on the outskirts of a sleepy coastal town. This is her fresh start, her chance to begin again in the wake of tragedy, leave her demons behind. Bright but a little strange, uncertain and desperate to fit in, she soon finds herself invited to an advanced study group, led by her alluring and mysterious art teacher, Annabel.

There, with three other girls--Alex, Grace, and Robin--the five of them delve into the school's long-buried grim history: of Greek and Celtic legends; of the school founder's "academic" interest in the occult; of gruesome 17th century witch trials. Annabel does her best to convince the girls that her classes aren't related to ancient rites and rituals, and that they are just history and mythology. But the more she tries to warn the girls off the topic, the more they drawn to it, and the possibility that they can harness magic for themselves.

Violet quickly finds herself wrapped up in this heady new world of lawless power--except she is needled by the disappearance of a former member of the group, one with whom Violet shares an uncanny resemblance. As her friends' actions take a turn for the darker and spiral out of control, she begins to wonder who she can trust, all the while becoming more deeply entangled. How far will these young girls go to protect one another...or to destroy one another?

       

   

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Advance Praise on The Furies

“[With] a subtle, persistent, and unmistakable creepiness.... Murder and witchcraft mix with a heady cocktail of drugs, booze, and revenge in this elegant, pitch-perfect coming-of-age story.” ―Kirkus

“The Furies is a haunting tale of angry, young women, the fates they hold and furies they possess. Katie Lowe steers her juggernaut through twists of madness, revenge and murder to a finish that resonates deeply. It still hasn’t left me.” ―Peter Filardi, screenwriter of The Craft

“Dark and alluring, Katie Lowe’s debut novel, The Furies, is a sensory buffet of beautifully gritty prose and a plot that combines witchcraft, murder and the power of angry young women searching for vengeance.” ―Shelf Awareness

“Donna Tartt’s The Secret History meets Emma Cline’s The Girls in this taut, intense, and unputdownable debut. Lowe’s depiction of adolescent female friendships is at once unthinkably dark and uncomfortably real. The Furies will leave you breathless.” ―Corrine Sullivan, author of Indecent

“Powerful and atmospheric…those who thrill to dark coming-of-age tales with a dash of the uncanny will find much to enjoy.” ―Publishers Weekly

"Drugs, sex, magic, and murder infuse this quick-paced read that will entertain teen and adult readers alike." ―Library Journal

“Lowe’s dark, suspenseful debut combines the teenage sisterhood of The Craft and Emma Cline’s The Girls with the violent schoolyard vengeance of Heathers [and] poetic, lurid prose.” ―Booklist

“Katie Lowe is a magical wonder! The Furies, a modern tale of witchcraft, betrayal, and murder, combines the linguistic pyrotechnics of Poe, the Gothic sensibilities of Daphne du Maurier, and the psychological suspense of Shirley Jackson in a disturbing, edge-of-your-seat thriller that will terrify as well as enchant!” ―V. S. Alexander, author of The Magdalen Girls

“The Furies is a deliciously disturbing tale of obsession, rapture and the excesses of youth. Both fast-paced and beautifully written―rarely has a story this driven and diverting been so ecstatically told. The Furies is destined to become a book passed from paw to grateful paw. Unapologetically dark, and all the better for it, this smart, sinister novel exults in its dazzling prose and dangerous themes.” ―Christopher J. Yates, author of Grist Mill Road and Black Chalk

“The Furies can be described as Prep meets The Craft, while managing to be a dark, weird creature all of its own. Witches, murder, and teenage girls - this is the book of my dreams. I am obsessed.” ―Louise O'Neill, author of Asking For It

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**About the Author**

Katie Lowe is a writer living in Worcester, UK, whose debut novel The Furies is published by Harperfiction (UK), St Martin's Press (US) and eight other territories worldwide.

A graduate of the University of Birmingham, Katie has a BA(Hons) in English and an MPhil in Literature & Modernity. She returned to Birmingham in 2019 to complete a PhD in English Literature, with her thesis on female rage in literary modernism and the #MeToo era.

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Stay connected with Katie Lowe

     

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*My Thoughts*

Note: This review contains NO spoilers

Truth be told, The Furies gave me a combination of The Craft  and/or Heathers vibe to it which is not too bad of a comparison since I loved both movies. The synopsis alone reveals a lot about what the book is about. I would have to say this was written well enough, but not enough to keep my interest. Needless to say, I continued reading since I did find the story intriguing. The Furies also delves into real issues that are currently being faced by many of young adults. Katie Lowe's writing incorporates these real issues into the story with direct respect, truth, and care. I found this dark coming-of-age story had depth and insight with a touch of mysticism. But, in the end of this book, was it "magic" or real.

I can say that this wasn't really "my cup of tea" per se, but The Furies had various elements, such as: mystery, witchcraft mythology, and coming-of-age elements, that kept me reading. Then, in the end, Katie Lowe leaves a thought-provoking and insightful ending that will give readers something to ponder over. The Furies is a good start for a debut novel.

My rating:

JASMINE's THOUGHTS on An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen

Genre:
New Adult/Adult

Mystery/Thriller

Publish Date:

January 8, 2019

Publisher:

St. Martin's Press

Synopsis:

Seeking women ages 18–32 to participate in a study on ethics and morality. Generous compensation. Anonymity guaranteed. 

When Jessica Farris signs up for a psychology study conducted by the mysterious Dr. Shields, she thinks all she’ll have to do is answer a few questions, collect her money, and leave. But as the questions grow more and more intense and invasive and the sessions become outings where Jess is told what to wear and how to act, she begins to feel as though Dr. Shields may know what she’s thinking…and what she’s hiding. As Jess’s paranoia grows, it becomes clear that she can no longer trust what in her life is real, and what is one of Dr. Shields’ manipulative experiments. Caught in a web of deceit and jealousy, Jess quickly learns that some obsessions can be deadly.

       

  

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*About the Authors**

Greer Hendricks

Greer Hendricks is the coauthor of the New York Times bestseller THE WIFE BETWEEN US and the forthcoming AN ANONYMOUS GIRL (January 8, 2019). Prior to becoming a novelist, she spent two decades as an editor at Simon & Schuster. She obtained her master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University, and her writing has appeared in The New York Times, Allure, and Publisher’s Weekly.

Greer lives in Manhattan with her husband and two children.

Stay connected with Greer Hendricks

     

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Sarah Pekkanen

Sarah Pekkanen is the mother of three young boys, which explains why she writes part of her novels at Chuck E. Cheese. Sarah penned her first book, Miscellaneous Tales and Poems, at the age of 10. When publishers failed to jump upon this literary masterpiece (hey, all the poems rhymed!) Sarah followed up by sending them a sternly-worded letter on Raggedy Ann stationery. Sarah still has that letter, and carries it to New York every time she has meetings with her publisher, as a reminder that dreams do come true.

Sarah Pekkanen is also the co-author of the New York Times bestseller THE WIFE BETWEEN US and the upcoming AN ANONYMOUS GIRL, both cowritten with Greer Hendricks.

AN ANONYMOUS GIRL has been optioned for a television series by eOne, with Sarah and Greer executive producing. THE WIFE BETWEEN US has been optioned for film by Amblin Entertainment, with Sarah and Greer screenwriting the adaptation.

Stay connected with Sarah Pekkanen

    

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*My Thoughts*

Note: This review contains NO spoilers

Well, hmmm.... This was an interesting read. It definitely kept me guessing and hooked. With the alternating narrations, of Jessica and the Dr. Shields, the suspicious feel of the story begins when Jessica gets involved with Dr. Shields' psychological study on ethics and morality. Started off innocent enough, right?!? But, HELL NO, I found it incredibly devious as the story progressed. The well-developed characters are, I guess, relatable for any average person. Whether you liked or disliked any character(s), An Anonymous Girl delves into these characters' idea of what is right or wrong, in which the lines are blurred.

Definitely, something that makes one go, Hmmm... 🤔🤔🤔

This author combo created an entertaining and intriguing story that questioned these characters' ethics and morality; hence, the "study." Right?!? Hmmm... 🤔 This was a riveting and thought-provoking read at that. With it's fact-pace intrigue, I was beginning to question the "morals" of these characters. It definitely made me go, "Hmmm..." 🤔

I have not read any books by these authors before; but after reading An Anonymous Girl, I would highly recommend reading this one for those looking for a good mystery/thriller, especially psychological thrillers.

My rating: