Okay, I know you have heard me say a couple times this year that a book is in my top 10 for 2024…… well Withered Hill is easily in my top 5 and there are very few books this year that are going to rival it for my #1.

This book was folky and so, so dark and I could not get enough of it. I need more from this author in the horror genre immediately.

This is a book that I think you should go into as blind as possible so I’m keeping my review short and sweet. Read. This. Book.

Withered Hill is everything you didn’t know you needed (and then some.) I feel like I need to be in an emotional support group for readers that have finished this one. Check this book out if you like horror, nature, small towns, and mind fu*ks!

**Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo Horror for the eARC of this insane title!!**

Were introduced to two different timelines, “before Withered Hill” and “after Withered Hill”, all revolving around Sophie. A young woman living in London, trying to figure out her life and struggling with isolation and financial issues before mysteriously entering withered Hill. It immediately flashes forward to Sophie, walking into withered Hill, naked, covered in dirt and leaves, and completely unsure of where she is or who she is. She’s met with villagers who seem to raise no questions about her current state and tell her “This is just the way of things in Withered Hill.”

This is for fans of The Lottery by Shirley Jackson, Alice in Wonderland, and the movie Midsommar. I was so impressed by how well this novel incorporated classic folk horror references while being truly original. Even aspects of the book which I thought to be out of place had their purpose made clear. What a refreshing novel, I definitely planned to read this again.

As the synopsis alluded, this is definitely for fans of Midsommar. A perfect little fall read to get you into horror for October! I love the cover art and am really happy I got to read and ARC!

I really enjoyed this book. The folk horror core genre is one of my favorites and I thought that this book did a fantastic job to encapsulate the creepy vibes.

I love the cover of this book, and the overall premise had me SO excited to try this one out.
But the pacing and setup is unfortunately ruining my engagement. The back and forth of inside-outside could definitely be structured better. From what I read, the “outside” perspective is linear, but the “Inside” was bouncing around so there were really three timelines going on at once where we see Sophie’s life before Withered Hill, the beginning, and the end. Honestly I would’ve preferred the whole story to just be told in a more linear manner.

I also just found Sophie to be too unbearable as a character. I’m sure she gets what she deserves and undergoes some growth, but she *feels* like a character written to be an asshole, in a way that disrupted the immersion for me. She drinks to much, she’s rude to everyone(including her closest friends), she throws trash at pigeons, and there’s even a part where she says she prefers fast fashion so she can wear out cheap clothes and throw them away. Like the author is really throwing in every tidbit possible to make Sophie a hateable protagonist. It’s successful, but too heavy-handed, and but I find myself wanting nothing to do with her.

DNF. Maybe I will try this one again in the future because I really am intrigued by the story. I’d still recommend trying this one out for yourself and I would love t try this author again on another title!

A solid, creepy, folk horror tale. I found it interesting, engaging, and very enjoyable. Would make a great addition to Halloween TBR lists.

Thanks to the author and publisher for the advance copy to read and review.

I enjoyed this book a lot, it was interesting until the last page. However there are some aspects I personally didn’t enjoy. For instance the sexual references (I thought the book was perfectly fine without (or less of) them). I enjoyed the horror, but I also felt it strange that Sophie didn’t always respond appropriately to the crazy stuff that was happening around her. I mean.. she was going way less crazy than I anticipated. And I just didn’t feel a connection to her, I’m not sure why. Still; I would recommend this to people looking for folklore-horror books.

The cover of this book drew me in. I have a deep love and affection towards hares and rabbits. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book for an honest review. I won’t lie, I was confused in the beginning. It moves through time in a way I was not used to. Because of that the book started a little slow for me. But once I had a better understanding of what was going on, I was not able to put this book down. I had to know what happened and how everything worked itself out. Withered Hill is a town like no other. They still practice an older religion and there is always a festival to be going to. They value land and what can be grown on it. They also believe in the old stories and still have old traditions. Sophie Wickham is doing all she can to escape Withered Hill but she can’t leave until she is ready. With a plot twist and a lesson, the reader follows Sophie and roots for her to finally leave Withered Hill.

Solid tale from Barnett about a woman named Sophie who wakes up one day naked and afraid in Withered Hill, without memory of how she got there. The rest of the book explains that and a whole lot more, as Sophie needs to figure out what to do in order to leave the mysterious, but not unfriendly, little village. Myth and folklore play a huge part in the goings on, and it all gets a bit confusing until a strong ending gradually explains everything. Very well written with interesting characters and a tight plot that pulls you in bit by bit. Wasn't sure what to expect from this one and was pleasantly surprised. Labeled as horror but don't expect a traditional horror story or you might be disappointed. Highly recommended. Thanks to Netgalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book. I read a NetGalley version of it. I love me some folk horror and this one has it all and more. I was so drawn into the story and the characters. The chapters read very quickly and the story is very fast paced. So many things to love in this book. Get it, read it, love it, recommend it.

A spooky, folk horror tale, with a clever and well achieved split pov. We follow the main character Sophie, but jump between Sophie before Withered Hill, and Sophie after arriving at Withered Hill, and Sophie has much to be confused by/concerned about in both timelines! Before Withered Hill, she is broke, drifting and lacking real purpose; she’s struggling with difficult memories around the loss of her parents and baby sister, and leans heavily on drink and sex to forget. Within Withered Hill she is lost, confused, and downright freaked out at points! The bringing together of these two timelines, and the twist in the tail at the end made this a solid and enjoyable read. Not quite as scary as I was hoping for, but definitely fit for spooky season!

Here is the blurb

"Inside
A year ago Sophie Wickham stumbled into the isolated Lancashire village of Withered Hill, naked, alone and with no memory of who she is.
Surrounded by a thick ring of woodland, its inhabitants seem to be of another world, drenched in pagan, folklorish traditions.
As Sophie struggles to regain the memories of her life from before, she quickly realises she is a prisoner after multiple failed escape attempts. But is it the locals who keep her trapped, with smiles on their faces, or something else, lurking in the woods?

Outside
In London, Sophie leads a chaotic life, with too many drunken nights, inappropriate men and boring temp jobs. But things take a turn as she starts to be targeted by strange messages warning her that someone, or something, is coming for her.
With no idea who to trust, or where to turn for help, the messages become more insistent and more intimidating, urging Sophie to make her way to a place called Withered Hill…"

I really enjoyed this book. I like when a book doesn't follow a straight timeline and flicks between different times in the story and this book definitely did this. I enjoyed the characters without necessarily liking them. Sophie isn't particularly a wholesome person on the outside but this made her seem more believable I thought. Some of the plot I guessed to be honest, some of it I didn't but that didn't stop my enjoying the story. Overall, a good story more to do with folklore than horror but still good.

Wonderful read. All of my favorite genres; folk horror, deep dark woods, small town conspiracy.

Sophie is an unlikable character but it’s by design. She’s self absorbed and cuts herself off from everyone good in her life. That’s Sophie on the outside. Sophie inside of Withered Hill has no memory of her life outside, She begins to slowly acclimate to life inside the small town.

There are two timelines; Sophie living in London, working her data entry job, drinking way too much and buying load of unnecessary clothes. And there’s Sophie inside of Withered Hill; confused and lost, celebrating pagan holidays and becoming close with villagers.

This was such a good read. One of my favorites of 2024 so far. Although this does tie in with lore around fairies and changelings, it’s like nothing I’ve read before.

Withered Hill, a "dark and unsettling British folk horror novel", certainly evokes an old-timey feel. We're with Sophie in current day London, where she's lamenting the loss of her friends as they grow away from her (they marry, move, or have children). She seems to be at a bottom, drinking (and blacking out) a lot, dead-end job, scary ex.

Quite abruptly, we're in another place entirely, as Sophie finds herself in Withered Hill. Cue the old-timey feel. Withered Hill is a throwback in time, adhering to old ways of living, reverence for the ancient holidays, less reliance (if any) on technology. Insular. Chapter headings helpfully guide us (Inside Days in Withered Hill: 357). Sophie is very disoriented, and so are we.

The story gets us closer (Outside Days to Withered Hill: 12) as we bounce back and forth in time, including flashbacks to a young Sophie. It is a page-turner trying to figure out what's going on, who Sophie can trust.

‘We are savage, Sophie. All of us. We dress ourselves up in nice clothes and read interesting books and talk about the state of the world, but deep down we’re all savage. It’s just that in Withered Hill we haven’t forgotten that, or try to pretend otherwise.’

What happens in Withered Hill stays in Withered Hill.

I liked the creep factor and didn't see the big reveal coming at all. I didn't like the way the female characters were portrayed. Sometimes you can just tell it's from a male writer's perspective and seems disingenuous. Overall a clever tale, but I could have done without the preachy, judgemental fable.

My thanks to NetGalley and Canelo for the digital ARC.

This is arguably a top 5 book of the year for me. I spent every free moment of the last two days consuming this masterpiece. Every page had me at Sophie's side trying to figure out what on earth was happening as the pieces of the puzzle slowly began to fit into place until the picture snapped violently into focus.

"If you find your way here, you’re already lost."

Withered Hill is an oddly compelling folk horror book that kept me questioning what I was reading at times yet kept me engaged and turning the pages. There were moments in the beginning of the book where I wondered if this book was going be like the movies Midsommar and/or The Wicker Man due to Withered Hill and how Sophie stumbled into it naked and covered in dirt.

This is a different read and is told through a dual timeline. Readers are taken back and forth in time from before (Outside) Withered Hill to the various lengths of time that Sophie is in Withered Hill. This was an atmospheric, gripping, odd, unsettling, and unique read. It played out like a movie in my mind. It is also thought provoking and a great book for the fall/Halloween season.

Creepy, atmospheric, eerie and compelling. Fans of folk horror will certainly this enjoy Withered Hill.

(2.5/5) This was a really tough review for me to write, mostly because this novel left me feeling mostly indifferent. The concept – a modern take on changeling, fae, and trickster myths – is fascinating and I truly had high hopes for it.

Self-centered and judgmental protagonist Sophie Wickham finds herself whisked away to Withered Hill, a strange, isolated world where the residents follow their own beliefs, worshipping old gods, observing pagan traditions and ceremonies. Her escape attempts are futile; the other townsfolk are enigmatic and tell her that in time, she will understand what she must do to leave Withered Hill.

With that in mind, I was expecting an atmospheric, unsettling read, drenched with folklore and pagan rituals. Unfortunately, the execution fell short for me – it's got good bones, but ultimately the story failed to come together in a particularly compelling or gripping way. While there are a few gory moments, they didn't feel particularly significant or consequential. The residents of Withered Hill are strange and secretive, but don't feel particularly sinister.

The big reveal at the end – billed in the synopsis as a "truly devastating twist you have to read to believe" – didn't elicit a particularly strong emotional reaction, particularly because the narrative failed to establish a strong connection between Sophie and the reader. Frankly, I didn't really care much what happened to her; both her life inside and outside Withered Hill weren't especially compelling and ultimately became repetitive.

I'm clearly of the minority opinion here, but while this novel had lots of potential, it failed to fully capture my attention. Atmospheric, unsettling, disturbing – that's how this novel was described, but ultimately that wasn't my experience.

How to even begin!! I loved every page of this, I adore folklore, but this was top tier! I adored The Handover, but I definitely need to read the authors darker books.

I loved the dual settings and timelines, this really added to the creepiness of the story, some of the characters made me feel so uneasy. I couldn’t work out who to trust in this novel, everyone seemed so dodgy. The ending was amazing, how it all came together is so cleverly written. The link to the ‘walk’ really added to the book.

I would love to listen to this as an audiobook, would be perfect for Halloween!

David Barnett, the author of Withered Hill, writes a haunting tale that will have the reader question their own life's ambitions and morals.

We venture into the mind of Sophie Wickham, a woman suffering through a mid-life crisis of sorts. Sophie begins to see her friends vanish. The partying ways of her social group are a thing of the past as the others have continued to the next step of adulthood.

Suffering from loneliness, Sophie has a chance encounter with a less-than-desirable man who hands her a card with a number and a job opportunity. Figuring she has nothing to lose, she calls the number and accepts a data entry position at the company. Soon into her career decision, her life takes a drastic change.

Alone and out of sorts, Sophie finds herself lost in a community in Withered Hill. How did she get her? Where is she? Who are these strange individuals? Surrounded by a forest laden with foreboding mystery, the cult of Withered Hill assists her into a new life. She understands that she may return to London when it is time, confusing Sophie to question when it will be the right moment.

Interesting characters assured to solicit feelings from readers. Who is on Sophie's side? The love interest? The co-workers? The twins? The cult? Tempting options are plenty for a reader to choose from. The outcome is an ending that challenges the very nature of what you, the reader, expect.

Intertwining branches snake around my brain, feel my pain. Hitting my skull like a sledgehammer, let us in. Withered Hill commands our attention. Witnessing nature rise and take hold. I questioned my life motivations. Can I do better? The beauty in this horror novel does not lie strictly within its darkness. There is an alluring charm of a lesson of importance lying beneath.

I have taken the warning. I have analyzed and put it into memory. Setting down the book for the last time, I am committed to the betterment of man. Mr. Barnett, you have reminded me to be humble in a time of ego run amok, all within the pages of a horror novel. I am giving this 4 of 5 stars, a horror novel with a strong message😊

Many thanks to Canelo for the ARC through Netgalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion.

This is a tale told across two time periods... Inside Withered Hill, and Outside Withered Hill.

Inside the village, Sophie becomes aware of herself running through a forest with no memories of who she is or why she's there.

Outside, Sophie lives a chaotic life that's unfulfilling and mainly fuelled by alcohol and sleeping with any available man.

As the story progresses, Outside and Inside untangle to reveal the journey Sophie must take to be allowed to leave Withered Hill.

Answers will be revealed, but will Sophie know which questions to ask? Will she find her way back to London to be the person she's meant to be?

This is a terrific folk horror story that grabs you and pulls you along in its nonlinear storytelling.

I was initially worried that jumping between Outside and Inside times throughout would be difficult to follow, but my fears were unfounded, and I read this in a single page-turning session.

I definitely recommend this story to anyone who loves folk horror, and I look forward to reading more by this author.


*I received an advance reader copy for free, and I'm voluntarily leaving a review*