Review: Horrid by Katrina Leno (Spoiler-Free)

There was a little girl

Who had a little curl

Right in the middle of her forehead.

And when she was good,

She was very, very good,

But when she was bad, she was horrid.

Oh, this book. This dastardly little thing. This is the perfect October read for anyone looking for something easy, yet unnerving.

Was this book all that terrifying? No, not at all. But does it leave you feeling unsettled? Most certainly.

Of course, this wasn't the perfect book by any means. I found it to be fairly predictable, but that didn't take away from my enjoyment in this case. It was very atmospheric and North Manor really reminded me of the house from Locke & Key.

This book also did its contemporary elements really well. I loved Jane's friend group and the descriptions of them all hanging out in the fall... maybe I'm just missing social interactions at the moment (quarantine gets to us all smh). I also absolutely loved Jane's passion for Agatha Christie books-- she really got me to want to read so many more of them!! Why must October only be 31 days??

Along with the fun contemporary elements, Horrid also contains some really good commentary on grief and accepting change.

While nothing in here completely took me by surprise, I do have to admit that I really enjoyed the very end, but it should be noted that some may be displeased because there are definitely questions left unanswered. That's something that I'm typically okay with in my thrillers (especially when they bleed into horror), but I can totally understand why one would be annoyed by this.

If you're looking for a quick spooky read, I'd definitely recommend giving this one a try! This being the second Katrina Leno I've enjoyed, I'll definitely be seeking out more of her books in the future!!

Song I was reminded of while reading: bury a friend