Ghost Woods was a gothic tale that had me on edge throughout with a strong creepy atmosphere, but it was a lot more than that. There was a strong historical fiction feel to the writing too as we explore a 50s/60s mother and child home.

I absolutely adored Cooke's depiction of pregnancy, of child birth and of newborn babies and new mothers. I don't think I've honestly read a depiction that captured such magical baby moments like when a wee baby is weighed not long after being born. The depictions were both raw and magical, just like the real thing. The emotions the girls and women had to go through before, during and after birth were powerfully rendered.

However that doesn't take away from the overall story that is strongly rooted in a cursed house and mystery of the woods and what is happening at Lichen House, beyond the obvious. My heart is just about settling down now that I finished reading it 30 mins ago and would recommend it to lovers of gothic tales that are also feminist, queer and diverse.

The Ghost Woods is a dual timeline novel based in a home for pregnant, unmarried young women in Scotland. Near to the house at the Ghost Woods (which live up to their name) an array of fungi profilerate in the forest and appear to have spread to the house, causing half the house to be uninhabitable. Almost all the children are adopted by married, heterosexual couples, often against the will of the birth mother.

Sylvan is one young boy who remains in the grounds of the house with his birth mum, and he has the special sight to see the future and find lost people, which starts to take a toll on him. It's not long before Sylan and others at the house, including one of the owners, develop mysterious illnesses, but who or what is behind this...?

A darkly gothic beauty of a novel addressing difficult topics such as rape, incest, still birth and murder.

Mabel & Pearl enter Lichen Hall to have their babies 6 years apart. The two timelines eventually merging together.
I do love a gothic novel & equally a book set around real events/historical times. Sadly, for me, this book didn’t quite hit the mark on either. The promised folklore fell a bit flat, only really coming out at the end & there just wasn’t enough about a house for unmarried mothers (there didn’t seem to be any other women staying to give birth except at the beginning?) There were a few unexplained events too?
Great idea that started well but just didn’t keep up the momentum?

This was really nothing like I expected whatsoever! I liked the duel timelines although I did struggle to keep up with which characters went with which period at times. It wasn’t that action packed but I was still hooked and loved the twists. The ending wasn’t the best as it left things unanswered but it didn’t spoil the book. Only issue I really had was I couldn’t understand how the title fit in at all and one character had ‘ghosts’ living in her which was never explained. Good read though!

I've been a fan of C.J. Cooke's atmospheric gothic thrillers ever since I read The Nesting back in 2020, so of course I couldn't resist the invitation to read her newest story The Ghost Woods early. It's such a perfect read for this time of the year as well! The premise itself sounded fantastic, and I have been looking forward to start this historical fiction slash gothic horror slash paranormal read. I have to say that The Ghost Woods definitely lived up to expectations for me! Highly atmospheric, dark, ominous and the perfect gothic vibe: if you are looking for your next creepy Halloween read, this story is perfect!

One of the things that I love of her books is just how well she is able to set the perfect creepy and ominous gothic atmosphere both through her descriptions and the setting itself. Lichen Hall is an excellent example of this: the house makes for the perfect backdrop, and its background and reference to the folklore add an instant creep factor. I really liked the 1950s-1960s time frame this story was set in, with the focus on single mothers, gender inequality and (LGBT) discrimination. The fact that not that long ago it was not only frowned upon to have a child out of wedlock, but women even lost their jobs as well as their reputation is a scary thought... The different characters represented different social issues, and they each gave the story more dept.

The Ghost Woods is one of those stories that is hard to put into a neat little genre box as well. True, it is historical fiction with the focus on single mothers and the challenges they face. But it is also a thriller with gothic horror vibes... And there is most definitely a paranormal element to it as well mixed with folklore and even witches. The different genres and elements are blended together perfectly, and the result is a story that will stay with you for a long time. The fungus element itself was fascinating, and especially how it was incorporated into the plot. It gave me Mexican Gothic vibes actually; a book I loved as well.

The story switches back and forth between two POVs: Pearl in 1965 and Mabel first in 1959 and then in the years leading up to 1965. There is some overlap and they are both set in Lichen Hall, so you will have to keep your wits with you and pay attention to keep the two apart. I liked how the plot was built though, and how you slowly learn more about what is actually going on at Lichen Hall. I did guess one of the major plot twists right very early on, but I personally wasn't too bothered by that because the journey was well worth it on its own.

All in all The Ghost Woods turned out to be a well written and atmospheric blend of historical fiction, gothic horror and paranormal elements, and the gothic vibe is done splendidly. It's a fantastic option if you are looking for something to get you in the mood for Halloween!

Atmospheric and bizarre! I loved it! This book was amazing from start to end!
The story covers difficult concepts (pregnancy, loss and servitude) really well.
It will be staying with me for a long time and it’s a great read for spooky season too!
I hope this is made into a film as it would be dark and twisty.

Done on goodreads too.

This is an intersectional exploration of human rights wrapped up in a gothic tale. Women’s rights, gay rights, gender equality, the transitional nature of motherhood, it’s all there. The story draws on the powerful imagery of folklore villains to symbolise how society can isolate, marginalise and manipulate vulnerable people to such an extent that they feel they deserve the terrible things that happen to them.

Lichen Hall is supposed to be a safe haven for unwed pregnant women in the 1960s. It appears as the lesser of two evils compared to the mother and baby institutes scattered across the country. We read about the experiences of Mabel and Pearl, both very different people from very different backgrounds. Lichen Hall is run by the foreboding Mrs Whitlock who initially appears sympathetic but there are rumours from the surrounding area that she and her husband have been involved in experimenting on their own family with mushrooms and fungi. Lichen Hall itself is said to be cursed by the queen of witches, Nicnevin who haunts the Ghost Woods by Lichen Hall.

I admired Pearl from the start. She was brave, compassionate and a headstrong heroine who was not prepared to accept any cruelty from Mrs Whitlock. I was impatient with Mabel but as the story unravelled I then saw how her experiences had shaped her and realised that she was in fact brave in her own way and extremely kind in the face of so much adversity. This is the last of a ‘thematic trio’ as the author puts it, exploring the relationship between nature, motherhood, memory and trauma. The nature of motherhood was delved into in The Lighthouse Witches but I preferred the scene setting in The Ghost Woods, which made for a more immersive read and a deeper connection to the characters.

I’ll definitely be reading The Nesting to complete the trio and I'd highly recommend The Ghost Woods for fans of Mexican Gothic. Weird and wonderful.

Thank you netgalley for this advanced reader copy. This review will appear on www.instagram.com/gothicshelf on 13th October 2022.

Unfortunately, this book is not for me, I DNF'd this book as the writing style is not one that I enjoyed and I wasn't a fan of the "not like other girls" voice that came through

I absolutely loved this! Haunting, dark, and magical, where imagination and reality clash, creating a fairy-tale nightmare.

Lichen House is a place where unwed mothers-to-be can stay during the pregnancy and birth, their children adopted by wealthy couples. Run by Mrs Whitlock and her husband, there is something sinister about the house right from the beginning.

The characters are wonderfully written, and you care what happens to them. The author also weaves in threads of social injustices of the time, in a way that enriches the narrative.

Perfect for this time of the year, it is a beautifully haunting read. Highly recommend!

Cooke has that ability to rapidly hook readers in with odd happenings, wild speculations, and an air of intrigue. I didn’t get too far before wanting to speed through the whole book just so I could find out what exactly happens, to discover the solution behind the mystery. The writing is also engaging so that the reader is immersed in the characters’ points-of-view, seeing what they see and feeling what they feel. This immersive experience made the book more of an excitement to go through and prompts imagination to run and create according to the descriptions provided.

I enjoyed the characters’ complexities and contrasting personalities as well as the way womanhood is portrayed. As it is in my other recent read The Queen of Dirt Island, both manage to display both conventional and modern beliefs of what a woman were expected to be, and how there is no definite way that a woman should be. In The Ghost Woods, this ties in to the themes of motherhood, how one can grow fond of a child yet will need to part with them. It did make me wonder if there could be anyone who does not develop an attachment to their child and gives them away at Lichen Hall, which is precisely what the expectant mothers initially went there for in the first place. It was a little contradictory in the book, where a character gives up a child just to take in another, so while it wasn’t directly shown, it would be common sense to believe that there would be parents who genuinely do not want their children or would need to give them up, and although I may not understand the subject fully, it would have been interesting to be able to read these differing views when it comes to motherhood.

When it came to the plot, I liked how Cooke weaved the intricate world of fungi into the story, how they are used in place of human nature and shown as both beautiful and horrendous, and how it sparked an interest in me to look up the types of fungi mentioned. It is indeed true that nature can be both exquisite yet deadly, how we need to be reminded of it and respect it all the same. The story was fast-paced and I do wish we had some more exposure to the horror, to the effects of said horrors, and the possibilities or implications that await, but it was still a thrilling ride nonetheless.

In the end, I greatly enjoyed The Ghost Woods, and having absolutely sped through the book, I realise just how entertaining it is. So if you’re looking for a haunting yet gripping story to sit back with, you know what book to look out for.

Thank you so much Harper Collins UK, Harper Fiction for the invitation to read the arc of The Ghost Woods by C J Cooke in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Every time I read a book by C J Cooke I’m drawn into a gothic world that emanates a ghostly, haunting atmosphere and an astounding level of magic realism that totally pulls me in, and The Ghost Woods does not fail to deliver. This book weaves together gothic folklore, science and botany, mid twentieth century social events and history, to deliver a truly haunting and astounding story.

There are a wide range of triggers in this book, and at times I definitely needed to stop and breathe but, I couldn’t put this book down for long.

This book doesn’t shy away from the misogyny and cruel treatment of women in the mid twentieth century. It doesn’t fear to exploit the plights of single mothers, denied access to contraception and shunned from society. It faces head on the despicable treatment of the LBGT+ community and places them, within context in a gothic thriller that defies the limitations of traditional fiction.

This book examines the shameful existence of single mother and baby homes, forced adoption and the hell that these young women and girls were put through. Yes, I know, I’m making this sound like such a depressing read but, it really isn’t, there are themes of hope, survival and live that run through this story that cannot be denied.

The plot itself is such an intricate and beautifully woven being that you cannot help but be pulled in. The magical realism and gothic folklore are truly mesmerising and only serve to raise the fear and wonder factor.

This book is a totally enthralling, gothic thriller that will have you turning the pages as it twists and turns. A brilliantly gothic, spooky, haunting read that will haunt you long after you finish.

4.5 stars

I read the Lighthouse Witches and thoroughly enjoyed it. I didn’t realise this was the same author at first, I was taken in by the description. I love a bit of Witchery!

Nevertheless although a slow start, the two narratives a few years apart worked really well and I found myself more Team Mabel! My heart ached for her and Moren too.

I really felt I got to know the characters and their traits and I assume that is why the story was slow to start.

The twists and turns were fabulous and I recommend this to everyone.

Last year I read the lighthouse witches by Cooke and absolutely loved it, it's a book I still think about now so you can imagine i was chomping at the bit to get my hands on her newest read, which did not disappoint! Firstly I loved that she's created this backstory of a house and there being a witch of the woods who cursed the land. I even googled if it was a real story. But surely there's no real witch and it's just setting the scene, surely the real horror story is these poor girls being sent to this strange place to give birth on their own. Told from a dual perspective that eventually intertwines which I love, much like how The Lighthouse Witches is told, it tackles some tough subjects. Birth, family relationships, the stigma of being a single mother or just being a mother, and rape.
Once again Cooke has created a brilliant and eerie story I couldn't put down.

Gothic, feminist, folk horror? I am here for it!

This story was full of mystery, horror, and heart, and I loved it. It was perfectly paced, and deliciously creepy.

My one big criticism would be the cover. The cover feels very Middle-Grade, and I did not expect the book I got from it visually.

— 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 —

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: The Ghost Woods
𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: N/A
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫(𝐬): C. J. Cooke
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Gothic Horror
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: 13th October 2022
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 5/5

TW: baby loss

After reading The Lighthouse Witches, I knew I would be requesting this book on netgalley as soon as I saw it. This author has a truly wonderful way of spinning gothic tales with elements of the impossible in a way that makes me believe them wholly possible.

This was an intense, fast paced, genuinely horrifying book that kept me guessing at what would happen next. It’s told via the eyes of two main characters: Mabel and Pearl. Mabel becomes a guest at Lichen Hall in 1959, whereas Pearl joins in 1965, however both their stories run concurrently and then inevitably entwine, deepening a mystery that had began unfurl between the pages of this book.

The characters were beautifully written. I appreciated Mrs Whitlock’s Jekyll and Hyde personality, Mabel’s vulnerability, Pearl’s intelligence and sense of urgency, Wulfric’s unpredictability, Aretta and Rahmi’s stability in the face of hopeless circumstances, and Morven’s kindness. Each character offered something that was worth getting to know.

The horror element was truly astounding. I’ve never been terrified of mushrooms before but I’m gunna be looking at a full breakfast much differently now. 😂

There were important themes discussed but the focal point was on mother and baby homes, motherhood, and the systemic and societal oppression surrounding mothers; particularly unwed mothers. This story could be a real tear jerker sometimes as this subject always gets under my skin, but in a way that I want it to be there, for the comforting feeling of knowing we’ve made progress, yet not forgetting about the suffering women were forced to endure.

This is the kind of read that now I’ve finished it, I want to read it all over again.

🧚🏻‍♀️

G O T H I C F O L K L O R E 🕸 meets an atmospheric thriller in CJ Cooke’s “The Ghost Woods” with themes of:
👻murder
👻violence
👻betrayal
👻manipulation
👻secrecy
👻mother’s love and loss

BOOK REVIEW: 🖤🖤🖤🖤/5

Enter the gates to Lichen Hall - a home for unwed pregnant mothers in the middle of the dark woods. Surrounded by folklore tales of ghosts, witches and flat out EVIL, these women are portrayed as shameful beings that must be hidden away for their sins and their babies adopted out.

1959: 17 year old Mabel is told that she is pregnant, when she swears that she has never been with a man before. Her body has taken on a mind of its own and she believes there are ghosts inside her that are calling the shots for her.

1965: 22 year old Pearl is sent to Lichen Hall heavily pregnant to have her baby in privacy. Strange things start to happen that match up with the rumours Pearl has heard about the place. She finds herself on a downward path much like Mabel was before her .. and their stories begin to intertwine.

This SINISTER story is absolutely perfect for Spooky Season and if you loved “The Lighthouse Witches” then this one is a MUST read for you 🧙‍♀️ 👻

Thank you kindly to @harpercollinsca @netgalley @cjcooke_author for my advanced digital copy 🖤. This book releases October 18, 2022!

This story is a twisted tale of witches, black magic and vulnerability to curses. I absolutely smashed through this story in a few hours!. It went everywhere with me, I could NOT put it down!!. This is the second book by C J Cooke that I've read and I'm so happy to have read this one too!!. She seems to manage to create a creepy atmosphere with ease. I was getting quite worked up in places as the characters were in dangerous and heated situations!!.
Lichen Hall takes in young, expectant mothers from time to time and then arranges adoptions for those babies. It is arranged privately usually by family, as these girls find out. It's much better than being in an institution isn't it?.
The girls are impressed with the look of the mansion but if they look closely, they can see the fungus growing in some parts of the building. There are rumours in surrounding villages, saying that the house is cursed, the woods are the home of a witch whose fairy baby was killed by a human and that is why the curse is there.
There are lots of other creepy things that happen to Mabel, who arrives in 1959 and Pearle in 1965. They befriend two other girls who are servants after having their babies and have a very close relationship.
I loved every part of this book, as it covers lots of different topics within the story, but it all flows well together. You'll be sad, you'll be scared, you'll cheer for the characters as I did!. In fact, I'm sad it's over now!!.
Thanks go to Harper Collins for sending me a free ARC book to review on Netgalley.
#Netgalley, #HarperCollins, #cjcooke_author.

Set in a time when unwed mothers to be were sent away to have their babies, Maven, and 5 years later, Pearl are sent to Lichen Hall, an old manor house to have and give up their little ones. Close by is an old wood, said to be inhabited by a witch, and glowing with mysterious fungi.

What secrets do the family have and do the women who come to stay have to keep.

Interesting read about a historically accurate time period, woven with mystery.

The Ghost Woods by C J Cooke is a gothic, forklore thriller about a home for unwed mother's.

Told in dual timelines and dual POV this atmospheric and spellbinding novel is a great way to start off the month of October 🎃👻🧙‍♀️

Pearl arrives at Lichen Hall to have her baby in the 60s - but all is not as it seems. The family have many secrets and issues and there’s a menacing feeling to the surrounding grounds and home. A great dark gothic tale.