Hello dear readers, before I begin I want to just let you know that I received this book as part of a book tour with The Write Reads in exchange for an honest review.

Title: Harrow Lake
Author: Kat Ellis
Rating: ★★☆☆☆

The Horror Genre

So I am still new to the horror genre. It’s not a genre I have read a lot of books from, so maybe I have set the bar too high, I’m not really sure.

When I thought about horror books, I had assumed that I would be losing sleep, seeing things in the dark, and being generally scared by what I was reading.

When I was reading Harrow Lake, I never really had those moments. I never felt like this Mister Jitters was going to keep me up at night. I never felt the fear.


On the shorter side

I am still on the fence on how I feel about the length of Harrow Lake. Coming in at 368 pages, that is plenty of time to scare someone, but it’s not too long that the horror turned into annoyance.

Harrow Lake didn’t seem to find a good balance in my opinion. There were times where I was annoyed, but then moments later I felt like I had hope that there was going to be something scary just around the corner.


Felt empty

The overall story itself felt kind of empty and full of holes. The whole premise of the story makes no sense. I don’t think the protagonist would be sent off to her grandmother’s house when her father got hurt.

If he was going to get better in just a few days, she could have stayed at home and someone could have watched her.

Even if that was the case, and she was shipped off to her grandmother’s, there are too many moments in the story that happen just for the sake of happening. There isn’t much rhyme or reason to it all, and the most description we get is “this place turns people bad”.


Scares seemed vague

The most “scared” I ever got when reading Harrow Lake was one of the first scares. The evil monster was still new, and we didn’t understand it yet.

After that, the scares seemed excessive, like they could be avoided with a bit of reason from the protagonist.

When a “scary” moment did happen, it felt like the writing just wasn’t developed enough. Like we were only getting the very surface of what was going on, and that didn’t go deep enough for me.


I’m sorry to say that I didn’t like this book. I always feel bad when I get a book from an author and didn’t like it.

*4.5 but rounding up*

I’m not usually in to YA books, but from the moment I heard about Harrow Lake, I knew I was going to love it, and it instantly went on my to buy list. So, when the chance arose to be a part of this ultimate blog tour, I jumped at it, and I am extremely grateful to have been accepted on to it.

From the very first page, it grabs your attention, and won’t let go. I was picking this book up at every opportunity I got, even if I only had 5 minutes to spare. I have been finding it difficult to concentrate on reading during this lockdown, but not with Harrow Lake. I flew through it in a couple of days (with a lot of shh’ing at Alex along the way, when he tried to talk to me).

Of course it wasn’t as scary as the horrors that I usually read, but I am not judging it next to the likes of James Herbert, and Stephen King, because the target audience is completely different, and that wouldn’t be fair at all. Considering that this is actually a YA book, I would say that this was the perfect amount of creepy, and there were a few times where it sent shivers down my spine.

I particularly enjoyed the urban legend aspect. The entire town seemed to be terrified of the tale of Mister Jitters, and it really helped to build the atmosphere in the story. Despite every part of you telling you that it’s impossible for Mister Jitters to be real, throughout the book you actually do start to doubt yourself, just like Lola, and I loved that psychological side to the story.

Harrow Lake definitely lived up to my expectations. It was tense, creepy, and impossible to put down!

I give Harrow Lake a 4.5 star rating.

A massive thank you to The Write Reads, and Penguin Random House, for allowing me to be a part of the Ultimate Blog Tour, and also to NetGalley for providing me with the e-arc of the book!

Harrow Lakes tells the story of Lola Nox, the daughter of a well-known horror filmmaker. She returns to the setting of her father’s most famous work, Nightjar. There she tries to discover more about her mother, her past, and the mysteries of the town.

The atmosphere alone will hook you in. It’s a creepy town, stuck both in time and in the story of Nightjar. It’s filled with urban legends, looming dangers, and monsters. But who are the monsters, evil creatures or evil humans?

The themes of thriller and horror go hand in hand so well. Some of the action around the middle gets repetitive, and it feels like it’s going nowhere at times. But that allows for the revelations to be slowly unveiled. There’s space for you to make your own assumptions about what is going on. Must of it makes sense, but there are some small plot holes. You won’t care though, because you’ll be so enveloped in the story.

With these genres is easy for stories to fail the landing. And although I’m sure some people won’t like where this story goes, the end wrapped everything up perfectly for me. I won’t say more, but it checked all the boxes on how I enjoy in my mystery/thriller endings.

Because this is an atmospheric, creepy story, the characters aren’t the main focus. They’re compelling to an extent, but the intrigue and mystery are what drives the story. Still, some deserve recognition.

🗡 Lola, the main character, seems weird at first. This is understandable with how isolated from people she grew up, heavily protected by her father and missing her mother. So she’s abrasive and doesn’t know how to deal with people in general. She’s been a bird in a cage all her life, and being alone in Harrow Lakes gives her some freedom. But a freedom that may not bring good things.

🐞 Lorelei is a real-life urban legend. She’s not physically present, but she has such a significant presence I had to name her as one of my favorite characters. She’s the real mystery of Harrow Lake, and you slowly get to know her through Lola. However, it’s hard to determine where Lorelei begins, and Little Bird ends.

🌲 Harrow Lake is its own character. It’s such an atmospheric town, with a darkness that permeates the soil and its people. It was built on tragedy, and the mythos of Nightjar only elevated that sinister aspect.

As expected, relationships and character dynamics aren’t the focus of the book. But at the heart of the story is the complicated relationship between Lola and her parents.

Lola misses Lorelei and wants to know why she left her. But Nolan is too much of a protective father to tell her what happened or let her lead a normal life. So Lola grew up to be a rebel teen who doesn’t know how to deal with her father. Still, I would appreciate one or two more scenes between father and daughter to fully grasp their influence and connection with each other.

Also of note, there’s a small hint of a romance. It was cute seeing Lola have a crush, but as expected, she doesn’t know how to handle it. And she has other things to worry about. The girl has her priorities straight.

P.S: I ship Lola with the sister of the love interest.

If you’re into atmospheric mystery stories, Harrow Lake is the perfect choice for you! It will keep you attached to the book, and you’ll want to know what comes next. Also, you’ll end up wanting to watch Nightjar and visit Harrow Lake, even if both are super creepy.

This book is for fans of Stranger Things and Stars Hollow in Gilmore Girls. If you want to go to the Upside Down of Stars Hollow and instead of it being deserted, find some creepy people there, pick up Harrow Lake by Kat Ellis. A thriller with horror elements, this book is bound to caught some active imagination.

Harrow Lake, as its name suggests, is set in the town of Harrow Lake. It is not just the people or the weather that make this a chilling experience for a read – the characters themselves have depth and give the feeling that they are either hiding something or there is something that they do not know yet.

When Lola’s dad has an accident, she is sent to her grandmother’s in Harrow Lake. Her mom, Lorelie, left her when she was 5 years old and being in her mom’s hometown, sleeping in her room, and discovering town legends and secrets, Harrow Lake presents an opportunity to Lola to confront her memories and understand who she is. The town is eerie, the people reminding her constantly of the legacy of her mom. Lorelei was the lead in Nightjar, the movie directed by Lola’s dad, and the town is stuck in the time when the movie was being staged there.

Lola has seen the movie numerous times and when her suitcase goes missing, she turns to portray Little Bird, the character her mom played in the movie. That obviously brings up the connections about her mom in the town people’s folks. Even her grandmother mistakes her for Lorelie a number of times.

This constant struggle for Lola to carve her own identity in the mix of all the legends, questions and stories appealed a lot to me. The atmosphere of the town and people’s memories and relationships to Lorelie played an important role in Lola’s character development.

To me, the power of a Horror story comes from secrets, whether it is the attempts that the characters make to hide them or to find something to answer their questions.

Lola arrived at Harrow Lake, knowing very little about her mom. In this town, there is no ignoring the fact that Lorelie existed and lived a life, even if she left Lola years ago. There is history here that needs understanding and some of it requires going down memory lane and confronting the way that Lola sees her reality.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. As someone who does not read Young Adult often, I connected with the protagonist. The town of Harrow Lake successfully gave me the creeps. This is a fast-paced book and if you like Psychological Thrillers with the horror twist, I would highly recommend it.

See my full review and author interview on my blog, Armed with A Book. Many thanks to the author, publisher and The WriteReads for the complimentary review copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

“I keep my secrets safe.”
Lola is the daughter of a famous horror movie director and the actress who was a star in his most famous film – Nightjar. The filming of Nightjar took place in her mother’s hometown, Harrow Lake, and tourists gather there every year as there is a cult following of the movie. The town looks just like it did for the movie – how it’s always looked, except for when the land shifted and a sinkhole swallowed the church. After her father is stabbed, Lola ends up in Harrow Lake with her maternal grandmother, whom she hasn’t had contact with since her own mother disappeared when she was five years old. Harrow Lake might holds secrets about her mother as it definitely holds secrets about its own past.

As part of TheWriteReads Book Bloggers group, I was offered to be on a book blog tour for Harrow Lake. While I don’t normally read many thriller books, I was promised this one wouldn’t be gory. The rest of the plot intrigued me and I was given a free advanced copy in exchange for a fair review and a blog posting for the tour. The book comes out July 9, 2020.

As Lola finds herself staying in her mother’s old room, wearing her mother’s old clothes, she starts uncovering the secrets surrounding the town. There are rumors of a man in the caves who became a monster and eats people. This creature, Mister Jitters, seemed to fill her mother’s imagination and Lola starts to get taken with the story, too. Yet, Lola can’t seem to make the pieces of her mother’s story fit and she finds out the most important secrets are the ones she was keeping from herself.

Harrow Lake is a bit of a suspenseful book. I didn’t read it before bed just in case it got scary, but I didn’t need to worry that much. The thrill comes more from not knowing what the secrets are. The books touches on some adult topics, so I would recommend it to mature readers, but while they are not graphic, I won’t list them here or it will give the ending of the book away. Readers who enjoyed The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn and The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins will enjoy Harrow Lake.

3.5 stars

This book is every bit as eerie and intense as the blurb suggests. Complete with a haunting atmosphere and an overwhelming feeling of trepidation that is ever-present throughout, the author uses classic horror elements and unsettling imagery to create a compelling tale which often left my head fizzing with intrigue.

There are many moments where the lines between reality and tricks of the mind are skilfully blurred, during a story that began with an original concept and became gradually more complex along the way as several interesting themes were added to the mix. All of this takes place in a chilling and creepy setting that you would be unlikely to forget in a hurry.

Lola is the teenage daughter of acclaimed film director Nolan Nox, and has lived a very sheltered life due to his exhaustive attempts to keep her out of the public eye. One evening, Lola returns to their apartment to find her father seriously wounded, and so is sent to stay with her grandmother in the town of Harrow Lake for the duration of his recovery.

Harrow Lake is the place where Nolan shot his most iconic film, Nightjar, and also met Lola's missing mother Lorelei, who starred as the main character Little Bird. As well as having an unusual obsession for Nightjar, the people there believe in the puppet-like figure of Mister Jitters, whose presence has been used as an explanation for a series of mysterious events.

From the moment Lola arrives, the place gives her uncomfortable vibes as she realises there is no wi-fi or telephone connection to speak of. There are many secrets hidden in Lorelei's old room, and she begins to experience some strange visions that make her wonder if Mister Jitters does really exist. As more frightening incidents take place, it is apparent that Lola's life is in severe danger.

The defining feature of this book is the setting, without question. Harrow Lake is like the town that time forgot, and is certainly not the kind of place where I would like to take a holiday. With the help of some well-chosen words, the author uses location and repeated sounds to impressively convey a high level of tension, as well as the ongoing sense of impending danger.

Although there were moments where some of the action became slightly repetitive, the plot was still relatively gripping. I enjoyed the subtlety with which some of the themes were handled, and how they eventually came to the fore later in the book as the realities of Lola's life steadily began to emerge. This is for me where the storytelling was at its most effective.

With the exception of the beginning and the end, which take the form of a transcript from a radio interview, the book is told entirely in the first person from Lola's perspective. I found the narrative to be reasonably engaging and what seemed clear to me from an early stage is that the author had a very thorough and detailed understanding of her main characters.

There is more to Lola than originally meets the eye. At first, she seems somewhat aloof and even a trifle unlikable, but as you begin to learn more about her it soon makes sense. This is in many ways a story of self-discovery, and I found her relationship with Nolan to be one of the most fascinating elements of the book.

While Nolan appears very little in person, his influence over Lola is wholly evident and she often finds herself imagining what he would say to her in a particular situation, to either advise her or to dismiss something as arrant nonsense. It makes for compelling reading, especially considering what you learn towards the end of the book.

The only thing I have to seriously question about Lola's viewpoint is the constant use of the word 'Optimal'. It is capitalised on every occasion and I thought early on that it might have some significance - I know what it was trying to get at - but it turned out to be just a fairly meaningless meme.

In terms of the supporting characters, they were something of a mixed bag. I found Lola's grandmother rather freaky, and I grew to like Cora for being the only one who had the sense to want to escape Harrow Lake. Carter was portrayed as a kind of romantic interest for Lola, but I thought he was given very little personality, while his mother Ranger Crane was not too well developed either.

The ending was dramatic and interesting, and I really did like the neat little twist that came about there. I just had a few issues with the what happened in the passage just before the end. It seemed to lack clarity, and there were some questions left unanswered about Lola's fate.

Overall, this was a well written young adult thriller that succeeds with a sinister atmosphere, an all-encompassing setting, and a number of innovative ideas which help to raise the tension by an extra notch. Not all the characters were well developed or plot strands fully resolved, but for a book that is a bit different from my average read, I found it mostly enjoyable.

Harrow Lake is a creepy read that posses some quality aspects of horror, the eeriness of a lake, a forest and a dark folklore that revolves around Mr Jitters. A girl who was sent away to live with a grandparent whom she didn't know existed and the secrets that begin to worm their way to the surface sets for a chilling read, with an atmosphere that any classical horror fan would enjoy. The way, I found that the storyline was written could at times be disorganised and I had to re-read what I'd already read to actually understand what was going on but this wasn't always the case. Overall, the atmosphere and the visualisation aspects of the book were written really well, I could feel the small town intensity vibes, where Lola was expected to be like the mother she didn't really know, living up to those expectations can be difficult but add some dark secrets and jumpy events, you may need to sleep with the light on!

3.5 stars

In my previous review, I said I love small-town romances. Now, let me say that I also enjoy small town thrillers/horror stories. For me, setting a horror/thriller in a small town makes it more atmospheric. And for that, Harrow Lake didn’t disappoint.

A beginning that hooks the reader…

The story started with a transcript and it sets the mood right away. The blurb already suggested that Harrow Lake would be eerie and thrilling but the transcript is what really sets the atmosphere. It what hooked me right into the story. And the atmosphere didn’t change till the end. In fact, the story only gets more and more intense as it progresses.

A story that keeps surprising…

Harrow Lake, the small town, is the perfect setting for the story. It has all the right elements — the history, the myths and legends, the mysterious townies and lack of modernization. What surprised me though is the author’s amazing writing style. Kat Ellis carefully picks locations in Harrow Lake that’s perfect for each scene. She also uses the same descriptions and even terms. With her style, Harrow Lake just became one of the scariest settings I’ve ever read.

But of course, the setting isn’t everything. The plot itself is very intriguing. Right from the start, there are are so many questions I want answered. And as the story progresses, the doubts increases and I found myself more eager to keep reading even if it gets really scary and I started reading at midnight.

It is a good thing that the book is told entirely from Lola’s perspective, except for the transcripts. It makes most of the elements in the story vague. There are so many things that I was intrigued by right from the start, like Lola’s real relationship with her father. I was so intrigued by that since chapter one. But as with most protagonists/narrators in this kind of genre, Lola isn’t reliable all the time, which makes the reveals truly surprising. Speaking of Lola…

A main character that grows on you…

Lola is not someone you’ll root for from the start, but she sure grows on me. I found her character really intriguing. I know there’s so much more to her than what she’s showing or telling, and it’s easier to see that as the story progresses. But wow, I definitely wasn’t expecting that reveal in her character. I like it when a character surprises me.

As for the side characters, my favorite was Cora. I like her guts and she stayed true to her character till the very end. I couldn’t say the same for Carter, Cora’s brother and served as Lola’s kind of love interest. He’s okay but his personality is somehow lacking. Lola’s grandma is creepy for me and that’s all I can say about her. Other two characters that I would’ve wanted more from were Grant and Ranger Crane, both were Lola’s mom’s friends in Harrow Lake. They’re two characters who the readers might or might not suspect about something and I won’t say more to avoid spoiling anything.

As for Nolan, Lola’s father. He’s an interesting character. He’s not always in the scenes but in Lola’s head, her father is always there. In every scenes, Nolan is always in Lola’s mind telling her what she should do and don’t. His influence to her makes Lola for what she is. It’s freaky the way Lola clings to her father that way and the reveal at the end will make it clear.

An eventful ending BUT…

I do love the ending, or more accurately I loved the events that lead up to it. But I wanted more from the ending, like about Lola. Sure, I know what she’d become after Harrow Lake. But I didn’t know what happened after she got out of that climactic event. I wanted to know what she did next after she realized everything.

Love love love this book. I'm so happy that I was given the chance to read it. It's creepy and keeps you wanting to know what's going to happen next. The only thing that really bothered me with this book is the grandma. Honestly couldn't stand her character.

I received this book from the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

I found Harrow Lake really intriguing and atmospheric! From the start you’re thrown into a world of confusion and tension. The creep factor is already dialled you as you start and this only increases as the book progresses!

I’m not a fan of horror at all, and I was worried I’d got in over my head with this one. But I really enjoyed reading it - because it’s super creepy but not terrifying, because it’s also half a mystery, and because it’s well written.

Lola is a girl who has been kept secluded, pretty much, by her father, and is sent to stay with her grandmother while he recuperates from a stabbing. She ends up in the town where his big horror movie was filmed, and where everyone in town knows who she is. Lola may not always be a likeable main character, but she is sympathetic - she’s torn away from everything she knows and into the deep end of this small town.

As Lola tries to find out more about the creepy town legend or her mum, we also get lots of glimpses into how her life has messed her up - she’s seeing things, and this is really not helped at all by the town who all add to her feelings of discontent and like she’s being watched. It’s incredibly well put together.

I am definitely not telling you about the ending because it would ruin it, but I both loved it and found it a little disappointing. I wanted more answers than we got about the town! But I did enjoy how it all played out and how we find out various things.

Overall, this was a 3.5 star read for me but only because I felt there were a few loose ends I’d have liked tied up - while I’m sure this is intentional, I like answers! But the writing and atmosphere is definitely worthy of 4 stars!

A fantastically creepy YA Thriller/Horror that feels unique, chilling and rapid – an excellent story that is both refreshing and yet traditional, using some horror tropes in new and spooky ways.

⭐⭐⭐⭐
4 Stars

Synopsis: Lola, the daughter of a well known filmmaker is quickly sent to live with her Grandmother – a woman she has never met – after her father is attacked in their own home.

Stuck with her Grandmother in Harrow Lake, the place where her father’s most iconic horror movie was shot, Lola begins to learn more about this town. However, nothing is as it seems and the more she learns the more chilling the town becomes. There is a weird obsession with the film, people are disappearing, and something monsterous has learned of Lola’s presence. Lola soon realises this town may be the death of her but Lola has secrets too, in Harrow Lake nothing is as it appears.

I love horror and thriller books, but I usually stick with adult horror as I am not scared or spooked out easily, I also love all kinds of horror from subtle gothic creepiness to outright gore to psychology tension, so this means I tend to stay away from teen or YA thriller/horror books. BUT when I read the synopsis for this particular title it sounded sooo good and I just had to give it a go, and I am super glad that I did because this was a very creepy read and I loved it! So a massive thank you Dave @The_WriteReads (who is awesome btw!) for giving me a spot on this #blogtour because I really enjoyed this book and am thrilled to have been given the chance to read it!

— Easy To Read, Clever And Creepy —
The Writing Style/Narrative. Kat Ellis has a very direct way of writing that is easy to read, is incredibly clever and very creepy. It is both a simple style but also a powerful and effective one that utilises the senses, particularly auditory imagery, in order to create an intensly creepy atmosphere that works phenomenally. Ellis masterfully uses repetition and sound to give this story the terrifying atmosphere it aims for, and her rich descriptions really draw you into the story – it is nostalgic and timeless – and her evocative prose is powerful and immersive. The direct style and prose is perfect for this story as it leads you further into the chilling town of Harrow Lake, gripping you and shocking you, the harsh and direct approach adds depth to the creepy events and serves to make you tense and jump at each thrilling surprise.

However, Ellis also manages to be metaphorical and elusive, the prose can be quite beautiful at times which perfectly balances out the harsher aspects, allowing us time to breath while also not letting us go. She weaves a clever story parrying the beauty and horror of a little town, full of tension that is rewarded with shocking scares and reveals, as she perfectly balances the nuances of the 1920’s style influence and the older forms of horror with a refreshing perspective creating something unique and new.

Interestingly enough this is written in the first person from the perspective of Lola, our main character. Many of you know by now I am more of a fan of the third person narrative but I found this to be both surprising and effective. The first person narrative gives us a lot of insight into Lola, her thoughts and her motivations – this adds a great dynamic to the story as a whole and supports the tense atmosphere created. The narrative is incredibly effective and gives us a very specific view of each character we meet or each scenario that arises – Lola being relatively young makes naive decisions at times based on emotion (this is realistic behaviour adding to the impact it has) – all of which makes the story more chilling and powerful. This perspective also allows us to see rationalisations of Lola’s choices, it gives her character more depth (looking at what has influenced her behaviour) and makes her seem more determined and motivated, strengthening our connection to the character.

Kat Ellis has an incredible writing style that perfectly balances the direct and elusive prose used. This effectively creates a creepy atmosphere that continuously maintains tension and gives us rewarding reveals that shock and chill us. Moreover, the perspective used is effective and insightful allowing a greater connection with the main character as well as with the story.

— Captivatingly Creepy, Immersive And Thrilling —
The Story/Plot. In this book we follow Lola, a 17 year old girl and daughter of popular horror filmmaker Nolan, who thinks in terms of “Optimal” responses – carefully considering which answer will lead to the best outcomes for her. Lola is very close with her father, and seems scared of upsetting him (though she does often). She steals and buries her secrets and is significantly isolated, she isn’t allowed a social media presence or much socialisation. We follow her as she goes to stay with her Grandmother in Harrow Lake, a town where her fathers most prolific film was produced and set, after Nolan is attacked in his own apartment.

Harrow Lake is a place stuck in time, it has the appeal of a small town but underneath that it has dark secrets – people are disappearing and the film has become a small stown staple in the community. Mr Jitters is a local myth, monster, that supposedly lives in the caves and yet the authorities seem to want to explain away the disappearences – Harrow Lake is an odd little town where secrets tend to be buried.

I really loved this concept of a small town linked with a horror film – the idea of Mr Jitters and the noises that accompany him were deeply chilling and intriguing. As a figure of fear he was powerful, the descriptions of him, those who fear him, his presence and Lola’s experiences were all very effective. The atmosphere created around him was very realistic and really pulled you into the story, you could almost hear the jittering/clicking/tapping noises that meant he was close – it was very gripping and I ended up reading this in one sitting because I was so intrigued and thrilled!

The story as a whole is relatively fast-paced, it is definitely a quick read but one that definitely connects with you. The creepy scenes, the action, the mystery and the tension all works wonderfully to create a very powerful and chilling story that consistently shocks and surprises you. The addition of the past intertwining with the future, the absence of Lola’s mother and the memories that are uncovered makes this an intense and interesting story of fear, loss, separation and shadows. This book works on many levels and will consistently keep you intrigued be it through the fear of Mr Jitters or through the odd behaviours of those closest to Lola.

The other thing I really enjoyed about this story was the cyclical structure, I really enjoyed how it opened with an interview and then jumped back to follow Lola. Moreover, I really enjoyed the bigger twists and shocks, the ultimate reveals were impactful and worked to reward the built up tension and mystery. I will say that there were a couple of things I would have like explained a little more, the story isn’t entirely perfect but everything that is revealed and the conclusions that the story comes to works very well and I really enjoyed this book. This was a fantastic YA horror/thriller, it is creepy, shocking and chilling and perfect for those who love quick horror reads that get straight into it!

— Intriguing And Chilling —
The Characters: There are quite a few characters in this story but I will only be focusing on a few. Each of the characters created are very compelling and intriguing, some are even rather chilling. I really loved the relationships that were built between each character and the development they go through, particularly Lola.

Lola: Initially I wasn’t sure about Lola, she didn’t seem to have much of a personality instead she would aopt personas from movies, but as the story goes on and you see why she is so stifled her character becomes much more interesting and compelling. Lola develops nicely over the course of the book becoming more independent, headstrong and decisive, her relationships with others slowly becomes stronger but as a whole she seems to struggle to connect with people. She is a very realistic character who is flawed but believable and quite the powerful main character in this story.

Lola is very close to her father, who I personally found to be a bit creepy, though she does rebel slightly. Lola is quite fascinating when it comes to her dealing with Mr Jitters and the creepy events in Harrow Lake, and the more you learn about her the more you connect with her. In the end I quite liked Lola’s character and found her to be ultimately strong and brave.

Lorelai: Lola’s mother. Lorelai is mostly in memories in this story as she left Nolan and Lola when Lola was a child. Her absence is the source of Nolan’s control over Lola, he fears she will leave too. Lorelai is also a big part of Harrow Lake and you get to learn more about her through Lola.

Nolan: Lola’s father, and horror filmmaker. Nolan is a little possesive and very scared of Lola leaving but he seems to want to protect her. Nolan is a big part of Harrow Lake as he produced the movie set there. His injury is the reason for Lola going there and he is alays considered in Lola’s decision making. Nolan comes of as quite a strong character in terms of personality but not entirely likable – he was well crafted.

Larry: Larry is Nolan’s best friend and seems to carry out duties set by Nolan. Larry comes off as very unlikable, perhaps due to the perspective. He seems rigid and doesn’t listen to Lola, what he says is usual final and he can be quite blunt. He was quite interesting but again not likable – though this was effective.

Mr Jitters: The monster/villain of the story, the local myth. We hear the legends surrounding Mr Jitters in Harrow Lake and he makes quite the compelling horror character. The traditions, the stories, the noises and the impact he has on the characters all serve to makehim a creepy and chilling character that definitely makes you sit on the edge of your seat as you read this book. I really like him as a horror figure!

Lola’s Grandmother: Lola’s Grandmother is an odd character who seems to add to the creepy atmosphere of the story. She has moments of delusion, seems to behave in strange ways and doesn’t seem to like Lola very much at all. She was complex and interesting to me as a character and seemed to fit in very well with the theme of the story. She definitely made me uneasy and yet I also felt sympathetic at tims – it worked wonderfully.

Overall: This was a fantastic horror story that was creepy, chilling, thrilling and shocking. The horror figure was compelling, the characters were intriguing and the setting was phenomenal. I loved every minute of this story and its fast pace made it an easy read. This is definitely a story where the built up tension leads to a wonderfully shocking pay off.

I would definitely recommend this to horror/thriller fans who want a thrilling and creepy read that is fast and direct. It is perfect for those who want to jump right into the horror!

*I received an eARC via #Netgalley @penguinplatform of this book in order to participate in an #UltimateBlogTour organised by @The_WriteReads #TheWritereads with an honest review- #HarrowLake by @el_kat.

Thank you so much to The Write Reads, Kat Ellis, and Penguin Random House for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC!

I read around 54% of this book in one day and I was really enjoying it. Very early on, the writing made me feel as if I was in the book experiencing everything alongside the MC. I was particularly amazed by how the book succeeded in making me feel unnerved, even when nothing particularly “scary” was happening. Unfortunately, around half-way through the book, the tone seemed to drastically shift and I wasn’t quite sure what was happening. From then on, the book seemed to go back and forth between a style that I loved and a style that baffled me. It kind of felt as if there were two books about the same plot being merged together. One was an all-out, full-of-monsters horror. The other– which was the one I was enjoying for the first half of the book–was a super creepy psychological thriller. I think that either book would have been great on its own; they just didn’t go well together.

One of the things that this book excelled in (perhaps too much) was making you question almost everything you were reading. For me, this is a tool that works very well as long as you tie everything up in the end. When I reached the end of this book, I still didn’t quite understand what I had read and I was swallowed in confusion. If this was the type of reaction the author was hoping for, then right on. It’s just not the kind of ending I myself like to reach.

I'm going to just quickly drop a reminder that when ARCs are sent out, they are done so in exchange for honest and unbiased reviews. Not everything I have to say about this book is complimentary, but I think it's important to include so that people can go into reading this with their eyes open. I am glad to have read it, and would recommend it to some people - just not all.

Harrow Lake is a Young Adult thriller that focuses around a town by the same name, almost frozen in time after being used as the set of a horror film nineteen years before our story begins. Centering around the film director's daughter, we follow her journey to the town, and through this history that her family has tried to forget - and suppress. The synopsis says;

"Lola Nox is the daughter of a celebrated horror filmmaker - she thinks nothing can scare her. But when her father is brutally attacked in their New York apartment, she's swiftly packed off to live with a grandmother she's never met in Harrow Lake, the eerie town where her father's most iconic horror movie was shot.
The locals are weirdly obsessed with the film that put their town on the map - and there are strange disappearances, which the police seem determined to explain away.
And there's someone - or something - stalking Lola's every move.
The more she discovers about the town, the more terrifying it becomes. Because Lola's got secrets of her own. And if she can't find a way out of Harrow Lake, they might just be the death of her..."

The first thing to say is that the writing is absolutely captivating. Kat Ellis has written a book that very much grabs you by the lapels (as would fit such a place as Harrow Lake) and throws you head first into a novel, without pause or hesitation. A lot can happen over 320 pages, it turns out! And what a lot that does happen.

The book is narrated by Lola, who, despite being largely unlikable, becomes more endearing as time goes on, and you get to know her more. One of the clever tactics Ellis has used to keep this thriller so utterly thrilling is to give us an unreliable narrator. Lola doesn't always tell the truth, and when she does tell the truth - well, it's only so many times you have to tell yourself a lie before it becomes your own truth, isn't it? It works very well, especially as Lola begins to truly doubt herself and what she knows, and we are pulled along with her.

On the note of Lola, one of the things I found a bit uncomfortable with reading this was the way that mental health was not handled with due care. It was almost as if it was used purely as a useful plot device, without thinking about the consequences, both to characters and readers. This feels irresponsible, especially in a time when young adult mental health rates are climbing, and services are at an all time low. There is more than a hint at childhood abuse, and again, this seems to be used as a plot device rather than as a point of meaning.

There are a lot of things we don't quite get answers to as well, which is a disappointment, as this had the potential to be tied up neatly. But then, to contradict myself, maybe that can be seen as part of the beauty of the novel; that it doesn't all finish neatly, that there is no final bow on top.

Designed as perfect reading for any cult-classic fans, this book is a thrilling and chilling introduction to horror reading for teenagers, or maybe us adults who like to be scared. This really isn't one you want to read late at night or alone in the house! With enough deep descriptive work to really get your heart pumping, Harrow Lake has its faults, but ultimately is the ideal read for anyone who needs a book to keep them on edge from the first page. None of this is what you are expecting.

The Kat Ellis book, Harrow Lake,is set in the town of Harrow Lake. Approximately 20 years ago, the town was the setting for Nightjar, a horror movie directed by Nolan Nox.

He met and fell I love with the actress who played the main character, Little Bird. Her real name was Lorelei. Doesn't everyone always fall in love with the Loreleis of the world? Nolan and Lorelei married and had a daughter, Lola.

Several years later, the wife disappears after visiting her mother in Harrow Lake. The rumor is that Mr. Jitters from the movie finally captured her. The townspeople think that he captures whoever plays the part of Little Bird in the parade. Why do people still want to get the lead in the parade?

After Nolan is hospitalized, Lola is sent to stay with her grandmother at Harrow Lake. Lola doesn't think her father's assistant, Larry, is telling her everything. He's a creep so she might be right.

She's not happy about going to her mother's hometown. Lola thinks that her mother abandoned her.

Her grandmother steals her suitcase so Lola has to wear her mother's clothes. It's a weird situation. It's even more weird that the clothes are Lorelei's wardrobe from Nightjar.

When Lola was a little girl, she had a doll, Mary Ann, from another horror movie. She loved the doll but her father and his assistant got rid of the doll.

After arriving at Harrow Lake,Lola starts to see Mary Ann, except in a more human form. I thought that having the creepy doll was distracting from Mr. Keepers. Was Mr. Keepers real? Was Mary Ann real? I still don't know. Sometimes an urban legend is as creepy as real life. I was too scared to read this book when no one else was awake.

After she gets to Harrow Lake, Lola finds out things about her mother that lead her to believe that Lorelei's disappearance was more suspicious than anyone else thought. Maybe Lola had not been abandoned by her mother.

If anyone is interested in creepy urban legends or horror movies involving dolls, then you might enjoy this book.

Scaredycats should not read this book while home alone with dolls.

* All of the reviewers on the blogtour received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for doing a review. All opinions on this post are my own. Obviously.

The eerily atmospheric novel, Harrow Lake by Kate Ellis is a book set in the fictional town called Harrow Lake. Lola Nox is sent to live here with a grandmother she has never met after her father is attacked and left to die in their apartment in New York. Lola's father is a famous film director. He specialises in making horror films and had made a film called Nightjar in this small town, some twenty years back.

The book opens with Nolan Nox being interviewed for a magazine article. As soon as the questions begin about his wife's and then his daughter's disappearance in Harrow Lake, he gets miffed. From here on the camera kind of shifts its gaze to his daughter Lola and we are brought in to see her character closely. Lola is a very lonely girl, the price she has to pay for Nolan's fame, who takes pleasure and thrills in creating and burying her secrets written in paper slips everywhere and anywhere. the other thing that Lola is very good at is making stories. Some say, just like her mother Lorlei, who disappeared leaving both Nolan and Lola when she was small.

One day after she returns home to find her father stabbed multiple times, she is almost forcibly sent to live with her maternal grandmother in Harrow Lake. After Lola reaches here, the novel picks up pace and boy of boy what a pace that is. Ellis takes us through the town of Harrow Lake where Lola's father shot his cut classic, the horror movie Nightjar, in which his mother played the lead. Lola's suitcase disappears after she lands at her mother's childhood home and she is forced to wear the costumes from the film that are kept in the cupboard in her room. Looking almost like an exact replica of her mother Lola ventures in the town to pay homage to all the places where the movie was filmed.

She comes face to face with the people living in the town and is introduced to the myths and legends of the old town that is full of stories about a mythical creature Mr Jitters. Lola sets upon on a journey to find who her mother really was and why did she abandon Lola. As Lola intensifies her search, she has a feeling that she is watched constantly. Her efforts to get in touch with her father at the hospital never succeed and her stay in Harrow Lake gets extended, leaving her ensconced in the town of monsters and shady characters.

What happens to Lola then at Harrow Lake? We have been told at the beginning that she disappears and the way in which the books moves on to answer this is like a maestro reaching the crescendo of his performance. Ellis builds an atmosphere that is creepy and compelling. It is like being in a nightmare where everything seems so real and you know it isn't but you can't escape from it. The book is like an addiction.

The atmosphere Ellis creates with her words is tense and to a degree, stifling but you somehow enjoy it. So, the magic of this book is in the writing as much as in the story about inner monsters and a person's search for an escape route. For me, this book worked very well to a great extent thanks to the supporting cast which includes some characters which were sketched were well like Nolan and a girl she befriends in Harrow Lake, Cora. I wish though that the book shed more light on some other aspects that were raised during the story like why did some girls kept going missing from the town or how did Lola manage to do what she does beyond the climax.

Pick up this book if you are looking for a book that keeps you on your toes but make sure if you are as weak hearted as me, you stay away from it around dark.

Oh my goodness what a fabulous YA horror novel! I loved reading this, at the same time as it was scaring the pants off me. I made the mistake of reading some of this on my own in the house at night and I don't think I've jumped quite so much in my life when my house creaked! I loved the characters and how everything worked out through the course of the book. Some elements I did work out prior to the ending but it was still interesting to read how the author tidied things up in the end. I want to know more about how things in Harrow Lake are now. Was Mister Jitters real? There were some elements of true horror in this book, along the lines of scary dreams, fair grounds and creepy teeth. But a lot of the scariest bits were the bits the author left for you imagination to create.

Before we dive in, I want to say thank you to Dave @TheWriteReads and the publisher, Penguin Books, for sending me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

So I grew up on horror movies, right? I remember watching The Night of the Living Dead at a ridiculously inappropriate age and being terrified of zombies for years afterwards! I’ve watched a gambit of classics when I was young and, as I grew up, I found myself gravitating to the genre. And I found that I wasn’t scared as I had once been. No more hiding under blankets because I saw a mummy scooping some guy’s brains out with a coat hanger for this girl!

I say all this to really get to one point: I don’t scare easy.

Why do I bring this up? Because most people go into horror novels expecting to be scared! I’m sure you want to know if Harrow Lake delivered.

Well… sort of?

I will say that this book delivered on the creep factor. There’s something about an isolated, small town that’s only famous because a surreal horror movie was filmed there that lends itself to being utterly creepy. I think the author did a masterful job of instilling a deep sense of foreboding as we discover the town of Harrow Lake alongside our main character, Lola. The residents are strange, the town itself is on the verge of literal collapse, and the atmosphere is perfectly odd.

But, still, was I scared? Not even once. But I don’t necessarily think that’s a bad thing! Why? Because the entire time I was reading this, I felt like I was watching a campy horror movie. And I love campy horror movies! They aren’t necessarily the scariest, but they definitely are fun as hell. That’s how I felt about Harrow Lake. It was terrifying, but I had a blast reading it!

I think my favorite part of the whole book was Lola. She was such an interesting main character! She clearly had her own issues before being shipped off to the town where her famous father filmed his most iconic movie. I do love a book with an unreliable narrator, as well. I like to be kept on my toes as to whether or not I should take everything I’m being told with a grain of salt. It adds to the suspense for me, so I appreciated not knowing whether Lola’s POV was 100% trustworthy.

Also, like I said, the creep factor of this book is top notch! I’d imagine more so if you’re not a fan of bugs. I liked the weird backstory of the Big Baddie. I thought the strangeness of the town and the people who lived there was wonderfully written. The isolation and the hostility could almost be felt radiating from the pages! It all combined to give this book a certain chilliness that I appreciate in my horror in any format.

I will say, though, that I guessed pretty much every twist before it occurred. I think there was one twist I didn’t see coming and it was a minor one. But, again, I have watched a lot of horror movies and this book felt like a horror movie in paper form. Honestly, if it’s ever made into a movie, I would definitely watch it! So I can excuse a little predictability because it was still an engrossing ride.

Final thoughts: Though this was a bit predictable, it was a thrill to read and definitely delivered when it came to creepiness. If you’re looking for a dark story that reads kind of like a campy horror flick, you’re going to love Harrow Lake!

Harrow Lake features Lola Nox, the daughter of a film director. Her father's film Nightjar has managed to have a cult following in the small town of Harrow Lake. Her mother acted in the film and disappeared when Lola was just five years old. When Lola comes home to their New York apartment and finds the door ajar and her father stabbed many times, she is shipped off to the town of Harrow Lake to stay with her maternal grandmother that she hasn't seen since her mother disappeared.



In spite of a hint of the paranormal is a YA thriller. The inclusion of Mister Jitters, former man, now a cannibalistic creature that lives in Harrow Lake's caves is a clever redirection. Mister Jitters lived in the woods making moonshine during Prohibition and hiding them in the subterranean tunnels around the lake. Caught in a landslide and trapped with the bodies of other townfolk, no one wanted to risk digging him out and being caught themselves. When they finally were able to get to them, they found the bodies with human teeth marks and no Mister Jitters. The town has long since attributed weird disappearances to Mister Jitters getting hungry.



As Lola settles into the creepy town of Harrow Lake, she discovers more and more about her mother and the town itself. Lola isn't a particularly likable character. In fact, she's rather flat. The more you read, the more you understand why. We discover how controlling and protective her father is. She's not allowed to have a cell phone or normal teenage things. However, when starting the book, it was hard to be invested in her character especially since some of her internal dialogue was at odds with the sheltered existence she supposedly led.



I was tempted to DNF this one but stuck it out. There are a lot of transitions that felt choppy to me and I lost a feel for who was speaking at times. Also, a LOT of plot holes, like there were ideas that were meant to go somewhere but got dropped during editing. There's plenty of creepy details and the townspeople are super weird, but it felt cliched. The ending wasn't much of a surprise to me. I surmised it probably about 3/4 of the way through but again, there aren't many movies/books that the plot twists really startle me so consider that my reader fault and not that of the author. I think readers who don't typically read horror will find it to be an unusual read. It also clearly fits in the YA category, although there are some pretty serious implications of abuse and mental illness. I just don't think I was the right audience for it.

Y’all this is NOT a book to read at night with the lights off. This book is creepy AF, but worth every page!

Lola Nox is the teenager daughter of the renowned horror film maker Nolan Nox. The book opens with Nolan’s interview with Scream Screen Magazine. During the interview, questions are asked about the disappearance of Nolan’s daughter, which sends us back to last year when Lola discovered Nolan in a pool of his own blood following a gruesome stabbing.

Since Nolan required hospitalization to recover from his injuries, Lola is forced to stay with her maternal grandmother in Harrow Lake, Indiana. Lola has never even met her grandmother and all she knows of Harrow Lake is that it’s the place where Nolan filmed his famous film Nightjar, the one starring her mother Lorelei who disappeared when Lola was a small child.

As soon as Lola steps foot in Harrow Lake, it is obvious that something isn’t quite right in this strange, desolate mining town. The town thrives off of the horror tourism surrounding Nightjar, but there’s also the urban legend of Mr. Jitters; a horrifying monster that preys on those in Harrow Lake.

From start to finish, this book was a heart-pounding, fast-paced, wild ride that I enjoyed. Lola starts off pretty unlikable since she has the spoiled brat type of mentality. However, as more ominous things keep happening around her, she develops into a complex and intriguing character that I really enjoyed by the end.

The writing of this one is incredibly atmospheric. I found myself with goosebumps and looking over my shoulder on several occasions. I just want to say as well that the songs in this book were just as creepy as everything surrounding Mr. Jitters. It honestly reminded me a lot of the 1980s horror film classics. It still makes me shudder thinking about.

Overall, if you’re looking for a fast-paced engrossing read that will ruffle your feathers a bit then definitely check this one out!

Thank you to Dave at The Write Reads for my blog tour invite. That you to Penguin for providing a review copy through NetGalley. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.

My thoughts


Harrow Lake is my first ever experience reading a paranormal book. Perhaps those who are experienced in this genre might feel differently but these are the views of a person who is trying an unfamiliar genre.



Narrative and Plot



One of the best things about the book is its narrative. Lola, the main character, is the voice of the story. It is her search into the past and the monster in Harrow Lake. There were a lot of things that could have been overdone here. The book really had a lot of chances to glorify violence and abuse. But it pulled it off without any theatrics. Certain things were added so subtly, particularly in the climax. The chill that you get is because how you easily recognize it.

The plot starts of as strong and easily builds an eerie atmosphere. You can immerse yourself in this abandoned and cursed village. The monsters start to become believable until up to a certain point. The penultimate portion of the book had a bit of a lag. Things keep going round and round in a circle. There is a lot of confusion. I am not sure if it is deliberate. But you move forward anyway because you need to find out all the secrets. And at that point you care deeply about Lola.




Characters and Conflicts


Lola is the central character of the story. It is her relationship with Nolan that makes him another important part of the book even if his presence is not fully materialized throughout. Their relationship borders along emotional abuse. And then you realize it is the central theme of the book. Parental abuse in more than one way is told just with simple scenes instead of dwelling too long on the emotional drama.

These portrayal of grounded characters make the story believable. The book successfully creates a haunted village with memorable characters.

Secrets is the conflict of the book. Lola has secrets but she hides them. The foreshadowing in the book is so obvious that you forget to pay attention to it. It really pays off in the end. The unexpected climax steals the show.





Conclusion



Overall, Harrow Lake is a fresh experience for me. Will I read another paranormal book in the near future? NO!! Did I have a good time with this one? Creepily yes.It is the thrill you get from a haunted house that does not have too many props but is scary as hell. And in the end, the monsters are always real.