eARC provided for review. Bata is an 11 year old girl living in her father’s compound in a village in Nigeria. The night before her cousin’s wedding, she becomes a Bride Sentinel, gaining mysterious powers with the task of protecting soon-to-be-wed brides from ghost brides from possession the night before their wedding. Bata must learn about these new duties, and sort her place in her family, her new role, and herself.

Where The Dead Brides Gather is a dark fantasy with some beautiful atmospheric elements (as Bata trains for her new role and meets the ghost brides). The strong ties to Nigerian Folklore and intersection of folklore and Christianity make for an intriguing read. This story is focused solely on Bata and her journey, and is narrated by her. In this way, the writing can feel a little clunky in some spots. the direction the story takes 2/3 through feels disjointed from the bride-sentinel plot in that it simply extends a bit too long before it ties together at the end.

Nuzo Onoh.’s latest work promises a chilling exploration of Nigerian folklore, family secrets, and the terrifying world of malevolent spirits. As a recipient of the Bram Stoker Award for Lifetime Achievement and hailed as the "Queen of African Horror," Chiemeka's expertise in crafting haunting narratives is undeniable.

The novel centers around Bata, a young girl tormented by nightmares who finds herself caught in a supernatural battle against a vengeful ghost-bride. The premise offers a unique blend of horror and family drama, promising a captivating read for fans of Octavia Butler, Ben Okri, and Koji Suzuki.

The author's ability to blend traditional Nigerian folklore with contemporary themes of family tensions and secrets is particularly impressive. The exploration of the realm of dead brides, Ibaja-La, adds a layer of depth and intrigue to the narrative.
Onoh’s writing is evocative and atmospheric, drawing readers into the terrifying world she has created. The novel's portrayal of possession, death, and the unknown is both chilling and thought-provoking. While the plot may be familiar to fans of the horror genre, Chiemeka's unique perspective and masterful storytelling elevate the narrative.

Overall, Nuzo Onoh.’s latest novel is a compelling and haunting exploration of Nigerian folklore and the supernatural. Fans of horror and those seeking a thought-provoking read will find this book a must-read.

This feels like a coming-of-age crossed with a creepy romcom and a strong twist of PG13 horror movie. There are ghosts and possessions, powerful guardian Goddesses, and one ten year old girl who, having died as a child, is able to see the spiritual world. Bata is a compassionate child who — for the most part — views even the “evil” brides with sympathy and compassion.

The ghost brides are women who die before their weddings spend their time in what is either a paradise or a creepy purgatory filled with wedding feasts, wearing their bridal gowns, trapped in a perpetual pre-wedding moment, waiting until their grooms remarry so that they can possess the new bride and say their “I dos.” Good brides find closure with this, and move on to their reincarnation; evil brides are those who cannot let go, who want to linger in the body of the new wife and continue to live, either out of love for the groom or hatred.

It’s interesting, certainly. Told through Bata’s eyes, a Nigerian girl living in the 1970s torn between a Christian mother and a father who believes in the old ways (and the fact that Bata is living proof the old ways still hold power), there is a lot left between the lines. She sees the world around her, colored through her own wants and fears (which are mostly to have lots of good food, wear lovely clothing, and not be possessed by ghosts — and I support that desire), and that deliberate blindness causes strife with her mother, her sister, and her step mother (her father’s second wife.)

It’s well written and the world building — both the spiritual and the mortal — is very well done. There’s a touch of gore, but it’s neither graphic nor overwhelming. I think this could be a fun YA book while still being interesting enough for older readers. Thank you very much to Net Galley and the publisher for letting me read this book.

I read an eARC of this book on NetGalley so thank you to the author and publisher.

This book was so utterly fantastic. It felt like a really unique and original story. A great blend of horror and folklore, I just loved it and couldn’t put it down.

This is a Nigerian set horror-fantasy novel set around the folklore of Ghost Brides. We see a conflict between modern religion and folklore within the community and our main character’s family.

This was a roller-coaster of a read where I never knew what to expect. It was often emotional, quite scary at times. Our main character experiences some terror herself as she starts to learn more about her fate and what’s happening to her. She travels to another place at one time and this was just mesmerising. This was so strange, cool and incredible the way the world was presented and the impact it had on our character.

We explore themes of hypocrisy in this. Particularly around men and the way they value women only by what they can provide to the men themselves. Our main character’s father is cold and distant and dismissive until his daughter’s new state starts to bring him prestige within his town. However, as his estimation grows, the rest of the family become more frightened of her, forcing her into a life of increased obedience and isolation as she is desperate not to be sent away. We see further exploration of the unfair treatment of women and the imbalance of power.

An excellent novel! Unique and fascinating.

Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for the complimentary arc in exchange for my honest review.

This book was an atmospheric delight. I highly recommend this for spooky season. The vibes were vibing and some of the descriptions were so creepy. I truly think this book would make an excellent Claymation/stop motion style film a la "Kubo and the Two Strings" and "The Corpse Bride."

This book is based on Nigerian Folklore, to which I am unfamiliar, so it was an extra treat getting to expose myself to different lore and culture.

My one gripe was listening to our main character Bata, an 11 year old girl, narrate the story. I think this is a personal preference and I would still wholly recommend the book, but Bata started to get on my nerves. In my opinion, she behaved a little closer to a 6 year old and had very little agency. I also found that she would consistently forget things that happen to her. Trying to be vague again as not to spoil, but Bata travels to different realms/places and early on in the story she is possessed. Bata often doesn't carry with her the memory of things learned from one place to another, and consequently this leads her to make many mistakes. This started to frustrate me a little as I wanted Bata to learn and make better decisions, but this might not bother other readers.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book and would like to read more by the author.

I wanted to love this way more but just struggled to get into it. Loved being exposed to horrors from cultures that are different to mine, and I thought the premise was strong too, but I simply didn't get on board with the writing style, which felt fairly juvenile and unrefined. Shame, but they can't all be winners.

Thanks to the publisher for an ARC in return for a review.

Buckle up for "Where The Dead Brides Gather" because she is a rollercoaster.

Set in Nigeria, we follow Bata, a young child with a gift unlike ever recorded on earth. Chosen to protect brides from malevolent ghosts on their wedding night, Bata's pure-child heart and good nature makes her the perfect candidate for the task, but all power comes with a price and Bata must decide to what lengths she will go to keep her gifts.

I enjoyed this book so much. It really comes out the gate blazing with descriptive language and a thick atmosphere. My only criticism, which isn't really a criticism as it is simply just not what I expected, is this book is really two different stories, and I wanted more ghost fighting. But really, this was a wonderful book and I don't think I've ever read anything like it. I can't wait for the world to see Bata learn about her story.

Thank you endlessly to @netgalley for gifting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had not heard of this author, despite the fact she is apparently well known, winner of the Bram Stoker award for Lifetime Achievement and known as the “Queen of African Horror.” This wonderful book is set in Nigeria and gives an interesting mix of Catholicism/folk traditions and supernatural horrors particular to women, as well as small looks at both traditional and worldly aspects of village life (for example, Bata’s father has a television, but there is seldom any electricity in the village to run it.).

Bata, who is ten, has terrible nightmares, and she wanders in her sleep. One morning she wakes up apparently standing guard in front of her cousin Keziah’s bedroom door; Keziah is to be married to a rich man in the morning, but first she has to escape an attack by a ghost-bride who used to be engaged to Bongo, her groom.

Bata becomes possessed and manages to defeat the ghost-bride. Her family attempts an exorcism at the hands of Dibia, the local witch doctor, but a powerful spirit intervenes and she is sent to Ibaja-La, the realm of the ghost-brides where she resides for a time and where she re wives secret powers to defeat them. She is then sent back to the human world to defend her family.

I wasn’t sure I would like this book; it seemed to skew hard into fantasy which is not a genre that is usually for me, but I loved it. The author showed how Nigeria is changing, even for women (how lucky that Dibia intervened so quickly and saw exactly what Bata’s powers were/could be. Otherwise she might have been sent away and in earlier days would likely have suffered a worse fate.).

Even still, Bata’s road is not an easy one. When she is not in the wonderful Ibaja-La she is generally being ostracized by her family. The chief’s daughter will be shamed for what has befallen her even though it was not of her doing. The hose who commit infidelity suffer greatly. But overall I loved the book and would like to read more from this author. Highly recommended.

My thanks to NetGalley and Titan Books for a free e-ARC of "Where Dead Brides Gather" by Nuzo Onoh.
A Horrific Folk tale of spirits and possesions, crimes and family drama.
I loved the Nigerian cultural elements.
What I struggled with was that there was not enough build up to the Horror elements. They felt so brisk, so sudden, that it almost felt disjointed from the inital tone of the narration.
Otherwise the author had a lush writing style.

This book is fascinating. I loved learning all about the Nigerian culture in this book and it is used in service to a frightening, sad, and really suspenseful story. The idea of the ghost brides and bride sentinels are both really interesting and horrifying and this books takes you on a true journey as Bata learns firsthand what all of this means and experiences the land of the ghost brides herself. A beautifully written book with unforgettable characters, this one is a must read.

I love African folklore and this story was told beautifully and with gorgeous prose. A very good novel..I only wish it had been a bit longer, maybe delved into the characters a little more.

This was an absolutely captivating dark fantasy story with a lot of African folklore. Honestly, this book made me want to research this kind of stuff in depth and get an even better understanding of the culture. I enjoyed the spirits and Bata's character immensely.

I absolutely adore dark fantasy and this story with its roots in African folklore was unlike anything I've ever read before. I love those books that spur you to research- to better understand the roots of the story. "Where the Dead Brides Gather" follows Bata an eleven year-old girl from a small village. We watch as she discovers she has the powers of a 'bride sentinel' which is essentially a protector to brides from the vengeful spirits of 'ghost brides.' The story was ride with haunting imagery and a truly fascinating progression.
I would recommend this to readers who enjoy dark folklore such as Juniper and Thorn by Ava Reid.

Reading more horror books with BIPOC characters and BIPOC authors is important for me. So, when I saw the chance to jump on this book, I took it. And I do not regret it.

I really really enjoyed this book as a whole. The whole concept of a ghost collector and the dark fantasy aspects were top tier.

Onoh's work is a gorgeous dark fantasy that draws on African folklore and life. The descriptions throughout the book are vivid, and the overall plot solid and well-woven. I was always eager to see what came next.

The struggle I had with the novel was with Bata, our first person narrator. I never felt any connection to her for various reasons. One, admittedly minor, reason was uses repetitive descriptions and proclamations that I just got tired of seeing, The larger issue for me, though, was her lack of agency. Everything comes across as "happening to Bata" rather than "Bata participating" or "Bata initiating." She truly makes few choices that have any real impact on the story, and both her joys and her traumas seem... not earned, in a way. The ending also left me beyond puzzled. Bata is implied to be something special, but then her status and powers are transferred to another VERY easily.

Now, one could argue that's one of the overarching themes of the book, that Bata wants to obtain agency and live her life as she wishes, free of Bride Sentinel duties, family and village politics, and free to pursue education and her interests. The desire for agency, and lack of it, is also not uncommon in an 11 year old, which Bata is for the majority of the novel. That the taking away of her powers, like the giving of her powers, was completely beyond her control and, if anything, a corrective action from her family and the universe. That traumas and joys are like that, experienced without necessarily being earned. I can see that view. I just didn't find it made for a very exciting read.

If you enjoy dark fantasy with a folkloric vibe, particularly an African folkloric vibe, then I would highly recommend this book. All of what I loved about this book was its use of folklore, both in its horror and its beauty. Plus, my problems can really be chalked down to taste and not necessarily real weaknesses with the novel itself.