Welcome to Meadowbrook

by Cassandra L. Thompson

A psychiatric facility. An upscale hotel. A casino. A place for wellness. A retreat.

No matter the decade, the towering edifice perched on the top of a mountain inspires both awe and fear. Holding the secrets of all who have walked her halls (and those who haunt them still), Meadowbrook’s facade shifts with time. But there is one constant that remains unchanged—Meadowbrook makes her own rules. Told in a series of short stories from alternating viewpoints, each from a different era, discover the unique tale of a place that is much more than what it seems.

Genres: Horror, Fiction, Gothic, Supernatural, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Science Fiction

206 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 20, 2024

About the author

Gothic horror lover Cassandra L. Thompson has been creating stories since she got her grubby little hands around a pen. When she is not busy managing a house full of feral children (human and canine) with her beloved husband, you can find her wandering around cemeteries, taking pictures of abandoned things, or in the library researching her latest obsession. She has a B.A. in History and an MLIS, but she ignores her degrees to focus on writing and running Quill & Crow Publishing House, both of which require copious amounts of coffee and Crows.

Reviews

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an unusual format for a short-story/mystery/horror book (at least unusual for me). As you can tell from that description, it is a blend of genres and even has a little sci-fi thrown in. Ms. Thompson weaves together multiple characters in individual stories with the only thing in common being they all take place at Meadowbrook – Hotel, Hospital, Wellness Center, whatever. The place changes names and uses over the years. I don’t want to write too much about the stories as doing so would risk too many spoilers. Each story features a character and a time period. The time periods jump around and are not chronological but that doesn’t matter. There are some gory depictions so if you have a faint heart/stomach, this may not be the book for you.

The editing and the prose are excellent. The book can be a fast read if you want it to be, but I lingered on the stories in order to take in all the details and make sense of Meadowbrook, whatever its configuration was for that story. I think Stephen King would like this book! In some ways, the style reminded me of his work. All in all, Welcome to Meadowbrook is a good choice for a stormy dark evening of thrills and chills, if you are so inclined.

I received an advance review copy of this book for free, and I leave this review voluntarily and with pleasure.

[Layla, the Witch next door · Rating 5 out of 5]

A little sci-fi, a little horror, a lot of creepiness, oh my!

This hotel is not just a hidden gem in the mountains, it’s an experience. Once I arrived, I didn’t want this elevator ride to end! Cassandra L Thompson, has masterly woven a place in time like no other. Meadow Brook keeps the mind wandering and wondering what’s on the next floor and who’s checking in now. Moreover, it is a sinister story that had me from page one. An imaginative tale of time and place, with an eclectic group of characters. Alongside a lobby full of questioning guests, twists, turns, and a bunch of ‘wait a minute’ moments. I was engrossed to keep going, as things are not what they seem. More gets revealed the farther you investigate this timeless spot. Absolutely recommend giving this book a read!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Leigh F · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to Quill and Crow for allowing me to read this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited for this novel. Chomping at the bit to read it. Finally I had the time to dig in and boom I found myself in reader burnout. This novel kept my attention though. It sucked me in and refused to let me not read it. It allowed me to read it at my own pace (which was slow because of the burn out) and it kept me coming back. Do not take me going through burn out as a bad omen for this novel. This novel is exactly what I needed to push me through the burn out. Every chapter allowed me to meet a new character which kept the story fresh and pushed me to figure out the truth. This is a fantastic read. The characters make you love them and hate them, and the ending left me hoping for a book two.

Pick it up. Read it. You won’t regret it.

[Lindsey (endless_tbr_list) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars - Meadowbrook has been many things throughout the years, a hotel, a psychiatric facility, even a casino, but no matter what it's called or how it's styled, the truth cannot remain hidden for long.

The disorienting sense of jumping time with each chapter - or even within a chapter - added a wonderfully unsettling feeling to the story, and worked perfectly to build suspense while also giving hints about Meadowbrook's purpose throughout the years. Filled with both charred ruins and opulent lobbies, darkened staircases and ornate fountains, this labyrinthine building is the embodiment of a liminal space. Eerie, surreal, and a character all in itself.

When it came to the end of the book I honestly wished it would have continued, if only to delve further into the side characters. There were a handful of loose threads I'd have loved to pull on to learn a bit more about the time-hopping and it's rules. Yet perhaps that's part of the joy of a horror novel like this, you don't get all of the answers, which means there's always a bit of mystery that survives and keeps you thinking.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to Cassandra L. Thompson, Quill & Crow Publishing House, and Book Sirens.

[Joshua · Rating 3 out of 5]

I so wanted to like this book more. I love the concept; a time-hopping ghost story told from multiple perspectives. The different characters would pop up in other chapters and play a part in another person's story, which I appreciated and liked finding as I read. The problem was I lost track of who was who in what time period and where exactly I was as the reader. I had to go back a few times to remind myself who someone was, or how they were related, or who they even were. A little more build up of the minor characters would have been helpful and would have eased that confusion.

The major players in the book - the ones who have chapters dedicated to them - are richly developed and not just characters popping up to tell the story. They have backstories and are uniquely diverse. I just wish they were given more opportunity to breathe outside of their respective narrative chapters. There were a couple of characters with big, interesting chapters and then they pop up in passing a hundred pages later.

I don't know if I would say this book was scary either. I see people talking about how it scared them, but it didn't hit me that way at all. The horror elements were absolutely there, so it may have just been a "me" thing and not necessarily any fault of the author's.

I would love to see standalone novels or novellas around the individual characters. Thompson was able to create such unique characters in a chapter; I bet in a fully fleshed out work it would be amazing.

Thank you to the publishers and BookSirens for an ARC of this novel! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jacqueline · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a really interesting idea, but it just didn't do much for me.

First of all, I wouldn't consider this a horror novel. Just a novel with a few trigger warning scenes in it.

I liked that each chapter was focused on a different character and time, but I wish they were more equal in the time the author gave to them. I wanted more built out characters and instead several were just simply mentions later on. I kept having to flip back and forth between the chapters to confirm if the characters were who I thought they were.

The descriptions of one of the characters throughout the book were so different at certain points that I couldn't see them as the same person. I can't explain well without giving spoilers, but it's almost like there were two sides of this character written at different times and there was no cohesion in bringing them together in the final draft

Speaking of drafts...I know the author mentions that there were two editors, but there were several issues I noticed that should have been caught. One was a small pronoun switch, not a big deal. But then a few times in the book there were words missing from a sentence and the surname of one of the characters changed back and forth from just a few pages apart. And in the epilogue...one of the characters had access to information they weren't given but that we know because we read the book. It's hard to stay engaged with a book when there are so many simple errors and cohesion issues all throughout the novel.

We also get some answers, but then I feel like we're just left with a big bucket of nothing at the end. The whole book leads up to providing an explanation, but then it flip flops on several points not really giving any answers and it's just maddening.

I think with more editing and polishing, this book would be even better.

[Cat Bowser · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC copy of this book and am leaving a review voluntarily.

So I was sold from the cover alone. It gives off delightfully creepy vibes and when I heard the premise—stories all centered around this one building, well, I was all in at that point.

I worked in a hospital, a mental health one to be precise. When I say there’s energy there…I’m not kidding. That served to just build this book’s already strongest attribute: the atmosphere.

The atmosphere here is absolutely incredible. I’d be inclined to say that the atmosphere and by extension the setting is a character in and of itself. It’s remarkably subtle but the way the characters interact is what sells this book. And not with other characters. With the building, with the setting, with the passing of tone itself.

There are so many genres woven in here—fantasy, contemporary, science fiction, mystery…they all are a piece of the overall horror experience that Meadowbrook provides and I am here for all of it!

A perfect read for spooky season…but don’t read it at night.

[Sandra Vdplaats · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alice: How long is forever? White Rabbit: Sometimes, just one second…..


Meadowbrook is an extraordinary building that has served many functions over the years: from an insane asylum, to a casino for the rich and famous of New York's elite, to a home for wayward girls. It is by invitation only. Those seeking answers or healing from whatever ails them are most welcome, and anyone who enters the building is free to leave. ....

Perhaps the boy with the gas lamp will show you the way as you lose yourself in this delightful tale, and I am sure Mr Dobby will make your stay as pleasant as possible, & where institutionalized unhappy wives try to cure their ‘ailments.’
Mr. Dobby and his staff will make your stay unforgettable and once you’ve been taken in, you never want to leave…..

It is not necessary for me to become a member of the Club, as I am rather content with the knowledge that my time is finite, however, I found this original narrative quite engaging.

[Adam Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book from the opening pages! I know it wasn't, but it feels written almost exactly to all of the things that I love, and old building that was used for multiple (sometimes nefarious) purposes, weird liminal spaces, a sordid backstory to said place, multiple characters that fit together in mind blowing ways, and the last goes on and on. Every chapter is like a new braid to a rope that gets more and more intricate and mind blowing. Excuse me while I go read everything Cassandra L. Thompson has written now.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this, for an honest, open and freely given review. That said, this book scratched all the itches I was looking for. Creepy haunted hospital/hotel/spa, a winding and weaving story that leaves you thinking, and wondering, hours later, and probably days too. I loved the threads woven through, and over, time, and while some things were left unsettled, that only adds to the fact I'll be thinking about this book for some time yet.

Highly recommend!

[Jeffrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very interesting pseudo-anthology where each vignette had its own macabre twist but they all followed a common theme at the increasingly creepy Meadowbrook hotel over the course of several decades. I found the characters to be vibrant and engaging. The stories and the connections between them were never predictable or cliched. Thompson did a great job being inventive and creative while weaving these little stories together into a fun and dark tapestry.

[Tilly · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 / 5 🌟

Welcome to Meadowbrook was everything I wanted it to be—creepy, intriguing, a head-scratcher (in a positive way), and best of all, a macabre look into a haunted building with multiple functions and personalities over the years. It's wildly interconnected. It's a beast that devours. It's a dark, atmospheric thriller with a ton of re-read value.

Cassandra's beautiful prose was music to my ears throughout. I'd jump at the opportunity to read another one of her books based on that alone. Overall a fascinating dive into historical haunts.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

“This place breathed untold stories.”
📚
Welcome to Meadowbrook by Cassandra L. Thompson, a gripping, macabre, and atmospheric historical/sci-fi/gothic horror amalgam spanning 154 years of one building’s many iterations as asylum, hotel, casino, retreat, and school. A story of stories with shifting viewpoints and time periods that gradually unveils sinister secrets, dark histories, curated lies, labyrinthine realities, and horrifying legends. Eerie, creepy, gruesome, visceral, mind-bending, and time-melding complete with unique rules and world-building surrounding themes of freedom, mortality, and luxury that can be read forward or backward, if you dare!

[Charlotte Murphey · Rating 2 out of 5]

The idea is interesting but there is absolutely no proper conclusion or explanation. It feels incredibly lazy, like the author had part of an idea but didn't bother to finish it. I feel like I wasted my time.

[Sara Searcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very confusing and hard to keep up with characters and follow along with the plot. Too much jumping around.

[B. Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Had so much potential. Higglebottom became Higgenbottom a couple of times. Horror was at a 0. A lot could have been done but just wasn’t.

[Han Adcock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trigger Warning: This novel contains themes of death, violence, and abuse. There is a trigger index at the back of the book.

Welcome to Meadowbrook is a story of stories, beginning with a short poem by the author on how hotels are liminal spaces, which turns out to be important as the tale progresses.

A friendly letter from the author explains what inspired the novel and that the Meadowbrook Hotel was based on The Crescent Hotel, (a very haunted hotel in the USA), before the story starts.

The book can be read either from start to end or back to front, depending on if you want the backstory of the sinister hotel owner (Harold Dobby) straight away or if you prefer to fathom bits and pieces about him in a gradual manner, as if you are reading a detective story.

General overview: There was an interesting weaving of opposing elements in the book -- water moves through the chapters in strange, rhythmic patterns, as does fire -- and the characters move around each other in an intricate dance through time. I liked the almost totemic objects that cropped up in different stories and the subtle things some characters had in common with one another despite never having met before. The author included plenty of nice historical details but the book could have done with another round of proofreading -- there were a few spelling errors and a couple of contradictions.

Prologue: The book opens with a woman in 1938 who tries to get a cure for a terminal disease from a place "better than a hospital" and does not seem to be improving. She is moved into a section of the "hospital" that is very disturbing…

Chapter 1: we meet an old scifi writer who meets a junkie in a place that "isn't a hospital" after checking himself in following a painful break-up. I loved the description of the hotel's opulence in this chapter and the macabre twist at the ending was excellent.

Chapter 2: an older short story is referenced - The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins, which was a cool literary reference and added extra realism. There was good usage of wordplay in this chapter and I learned a few things I didn't know, e.g. that there was a list in the olden days of acceptable reasons to have your wife "put away".

Chapter 3: we learn more about the junkie from chapter 1. She meets with a child who seems to have travelled from the past… who is he?

Chapter 4: There was good use of contemporary historical detail with the clothing and attitudes of the 60s. In this chapter, the hospital / hotel is a big casino that hires a washed-up gambler. We meet the scifi writer here again, strangely enough. We also learn that it's never a good idea to meet yourself in Meadowbrook…

Chapter 5: we get more of Nurse June's story (she was a character in the junkie's chapter). Meadowbrook is supposed to be a safe hotel for Black people in this time zone… but it's not safe for anybody.

Chapter 6: a famous rockstar goes to the hotel while it is in a state of disrepair, planning his suicide, but for some reason his attempt doesn't work…

Chapter 7: a man involved in a criminal gang finds himself staying the night in the dilapidated hotel while waiting for the ubiquitous Mr Dobby to draw up papers so they can buy the property with a view to transforming it into a casino… only the man meets a junkie and finds notes with a wide range of dates, written by different people, in a cubbyhole. The woman from 1938 pops up here briefly if you're paying attention, and we get to know Mr Dobby's first wife, who appears to be even more dominating and unpleasant than Mr Dobby. But is she?

Chapter 8: The hotel is a school for "wayward" girls. A teacher finds a malnourished boy in wet clothes and hides him from the nuns. He is covered in scars and bruises. Who is he? And how come some of the girls have oddly familiar names? The mystery deepens like dark water…

(I read an advance copy of this book for free -- on Halloween, which was a great way to celebrate the day (I devoured it in 24 hours!) and I leave this review here voluntarily.)

Chapter 9: We meet Nurse June's son. He meets Harold's first wife, who gives him the grisly task of travelling back in time to when Harold was a child and killing him to end the constant time-travelling madness. We begin to wonder whether Mr Dobby is the bad guy after all, or whether it's the hotel. Is the hotel sentient?

Chapter 10: we learn that Harold and his first wife met at Meadowbrook in the 1800s. Whilst she is still an unsavoury character, here we start to wonder whether Harold Dobby is the most evil one after all.

Chapter 11: we finally get Harold Dobby's backstory, understand why he is like he is, and how it all started.

Epilogue: It's 2019 and two urban explorers / ghost hunters find two of the earlier characters looking after the hotel grounds and making sure nobody enters the building.

[Rosé Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

Going into this, I had middling expectations. Don't get me wrong. The premise was unique, but if I've heard one haunted location story, I've heard a thousand. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that this was not the case. Assuming you’re going into this completely blind, what I will give away about it is time is such a fascinating thing.

Imagine each story as the web of a poisonous spider, each individual thread, reaching the same center. The venom coating the web is the baggage the characters bring with them. Speaking of, that's something else I enjoyed about this story. While I can't outright say that I related to the plight of some of the characters, it did well in getting me to sympathize with them. Even if ultimately, some are in the wrong, you still kind of see where they are coming from.

Let me put it like this. Harrowing events can be one hell of a motivator. If I had to come up with any critiques, I think it is sort of alluded to how Meadowbrook is the way it is and I don't think that was entirely necessary. For me, I would have found it scarier if there wasn't a cause for its anomalies and it was more just a force of nature that it happened to be built upon. Then again, it could be argued certain energies play a role.

Maybe, it could have been a kind of self-perpetuating cycle. You wouldn't know exactly the reason for Meadowbrook's behavior, but the events happening in it feed into its properties. Other than that very minor nitpick, this story gets a thumbs-up from me.

In the same way, the spider entraps prey, so too does Meadowbrook attract its guests as it will you, the readers. Be sure to check it out.

Note: I received a free copy of this book for review.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy from BookSirens for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was spectacular and not what I expected.

First off - I love haunted houses and all things paranormal. I think the cover suggests we are about to embark on a ghost journey, akin to The Shinning.

Just the idea of a lone hotel on top of a hill hits all the right spots for me.

Another thing is - I also love all things hotels.

All this being said - I went into this book with very low expectations. I felt that when something seems like it will be a perfect fit on paper may disappoint very quickly.

That was definitely not the case with this book.

From the very first page, the author manages to set the mood very nicely. It was spooky and very atmospheric. The writing flows marvelously. It is easy to follow, and it's fast-paced.

There are distinct horror elements and graphic scenes that show this book is serious.

And then, just when I thought I knew where this was headed, I was completely stunned. In fact, I don't remember when was the last time a book surprised me so much. A few chapters in, something happens in the book and I couldn't process it, I was sure there was some sort of typo or a mistake.

Once I realized that this was planned, I could not stop thinking how ingenious this plot twist was.

If you think this is gonna be a simple haunted house story - think again.

One thing that I thought the book might lose a star for was multiple POVs. I think this is something that is incredibly difficult to do well. And here again the author surprised me. Despite such a long list of characters, the story came together really nicely in the end.

I would very much recommend this book to those who like spooky stories.

[Alma Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Review for Welcome to Meadowbrook by Cassandra L Thompson.

Let me start off by saying, this book is a serious trip, a wellness retreat, if you will. It’s the type of book that when you pick up, you want to read in one sitting, but then you can’t because you also have to take it slow and analyze what you just read and go back and forth. I caught myself reading a paragraph of one character and going back to a previous chapter to connect the broken timelines. It almost felt like I was trying to figure out Meadowbrook myself and really was so cool to do, like a little world, a little dream, a little vacation.

I felt like a teen again, trying to read under my desk during biology and raising my head wondering where I am when the bell rang. It’s one of those you can really lose yourself in. It’s a style of literature/writing/book I like to call “portals.” You get sucked in and come out a slightly different person, as if the story forced your perspective to change or expand just a tad, in order to perceive it, in order to understand it, to let yourself become a part of the fun. These are the types of books I first picked up when I was young and are the most entertaining. There is so much mystery and suspense, twists and turns, and discovery. The horror element is very inner fear based and a blend of psychological, historical, medical and body horror. I really loved it.

It’s also very character focused with a very calculated and nuanced villain and quite creative tragedies, treatments, consequences, etc. (yes, let’s call them that). Harold is the type of villain you don’t necessarily feel empathy or much understanding for, but throughout the chapters, you do grow to sort of appreciate his evil genius. (Or at least I did, lol)

[Zankhana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perched on the top of a mountain, Meadowbrook has been used in various ways—a psychiatric facility, a luxurious hotel, a bustling casino, a wellness retreat. Each decade transforms her facade, yet she holds tight to the secrets of those who have wandered her halls, and of those who still haunt them. Meadowbrook has her own rules, and no one leaves her unchanged. And this book is a series of interconnected stories spanning different, characters, eras and perspectives, uncovering the chilling and mysterious tale of this place that refuses to be truly understood.

It will take readers on a thrilling journey through time, weaving together mystery and suspense across different eras. The plot sometimes unfolds (and sometimes thickens!) as we are introduced to characters from one historical period to another, each era revealing new clues that deepen the intrigue and complexity of the story. With each era, the author masterfully builds tension, and it’s captivating blend of thriller and mystery will keep you hooked from the first page to the last, perfect for anyone who loves thrillers, (psychological and horror both) because this book is so good it will be loved by both types of audiences.

I was amazed by this book. There are many many characters in the book but eventually, you will get hold of it and be able to relate to each character.

With every leap through the chapters, the stakes climb higher, and you will feel it in your bones that unravelling the truth becomes more and more urgent. This pulse-pounding book will have you questioning how far you'd go to uncover secrets buried by time. It ahs been a long time since I gave a book 5 stars. This was worth it!

[Cat Treadwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, it's an anthology. Yep - horror, in a former asylum/hotel. But trust me when I say that you haven't read anything like this book before.

Sheer atmosphere seeps from the pores of this gothic goodness, drawing the reader in as inexorably as the unfortunate guests/patients. It's never clear quite what will happen, as despite (or because of) the author's clear awareness of this horror trope, they play with expectations beautifully, with unexpected scenarios opening up around every corner.

It helps that due to the short-story format, characters are drawn quickly and realistically. We don't have long to get to know them - and we do know that they're probably doomed! - but in just a few paragraphs, I found myself genuinely caring about what happens to these lost souls. Especially those who suddenly reappeared like a residual haunting... I wanted to know what happens next to some, and a novella or two wouldn't have gone amiss within this collection.

Having said that, I found myself having to only read 1-2 chapters at a time, purely because I had to pause and go find myself something comforting to drink or watch in order to pull myself back together!

Meadowbrook is deeply compelling, and while I would urge you to step inside if this sounds like something you'd enjoy, do prepare yourself. It's absolutely not for the faint-hearted.

I was kindly sent an early copy of this book by the publisher, but the above opinions are entirely my own.

[Katy The Sleepy Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have yet to read a book by Cassandra Thompson that I couldn't put down. Once again, I was captivated and read this book in one afternoon.

The story revolves around Meadowbrook Wellness Center, Hotel/Hospital. It's been so many things over the years, no one really knows exactly what it is. Is it a casino, a retreat from celebrity life, or something more sinister?

I love how this book was put together. Each chapter is the viewpoint of a different person, from a different decade, there at the Meadowbrook for a different reason, with one constant inhabitant, Harold Dobby. Is he the owner, the doctor, or is he something else altogether?

This book is a fantastic collection of stories all set in a setting that you will be dying to visit. The descriptions are so vivid and the lives of those that arrive at the hotel are just as interesting. The hotel itself is a character, and this is the kind of place that would be an amazing urbex place to explore. Cassandra Thompson is an amazing writer and an even better storyteller. This is not a book you will want to miss out on! I received this book free from Booksirens for an honest review.

[Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have got to give props to this book for trying something really cool.

The book gives a chapter each to a number of different characters that have interacted with a mysterious Manor over the course of a century. So we end up with a bunch of timey winey horror vignettes that clue you into a bigger story.

It’s an ambitious format, and it more or less works. It felt like it had a lot of promise while I was reading it, so I was looking forward to seeing what the book was really about. I genuinely enjoyed reading a lot of it, but it felt unfocused and repetitive. Too many characters that lead nowhere, and the goal of the “protagonist/antagonist” remains entirely unclear.

The author is self published so there isn’t a lot over oversight: the dates are off occasionally, the names get mixed up a couple times, and she doesn’t know the difference between a hypodermic needle and a hydroponic needle. It’s not that big of a deal but it also is a tell for other story problems. It could have used a better editor.

There are so many times where I’d asked why while reading the book, but almost none of the questions were addressed. The book ended up feeling like an exercise rather than anything cohesive.

If the ending left me caring about the book then I would have had questions that I would have wanted answered. But the book is such a mishmash of jumbled motivations that I just don’t care enough to ask them.

This ending was especially disappointing because it seemed that she was going out of her way to create these characters as real as possible and the last chapter was so hackneyed and flat. They just bounced off each other without real human interaction.

Anyway, it was a bold try, and I dug most of the ride when I thought it was going to be worthwhile buy in the end I found the book aimless.

[Nevermore_Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and could see it being adapted into a Netflix limited-part series. It's definitely in my top 10 books of the year.

What I loved about it was the creepy history of Meadowbrook, which was told through various characters and time periods. Each character felt fully developed and added their own unique perspective to the story.

Although it's not a full-on "sleep with the lights on" type of horror novel, I enjoyed the creepy atmosphere. It's impressive how the building in the story embodies every genre of haunted structure and pulls it off well.

I wish there was more information about the "Guardians" and their role in the story. Where did they come from and why are they doing what they do?

Welcome to Meadowbrook is a book that I would recommend to any horror or thriller novel enthusiast. It was definitely a read that I didn't want to put down until it was done. I had to know what was on the next page.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Skye Giordana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book, but I am not satisfied. As all these different stories, almost ghost stories but not quiet, weave together you learn about the magic and horror that is Meadowbrook. The thing that I think is the coolest about this book is also the thing that I disliked the most, right away the author tells you the book is written in a way where you can read it forwards and backwards. What this means is depending on how you go through it, you might have a different view as you get introduced to characters which is pretty fun. What I don't like is that while you feel the book building to some sort of resolution, I don't feel you ever get one. It feels like you are getting this brief glimpse I to the life of this hotel, for lack of better name for it, but you never get full answers leaving you to wonder at the fate of these characters that you spent time hoping for.

Even with this complaint though, I highly recommend the book and look forward to a little time passing so that I can read it again, this time starting with the final chapter and working my way forward.

[Alda Delicado · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't usually read horror novels but the blurb of this ARC sounded intriguing and I am not sorry to have asked for an opportunity to read it. Each chapter tells the story of a different character in a decade in reverse order. With each chapter, we discover a little bit more about the story of the building and its mysteries but we are also introduced to the specific story of each character. It is written very cinematographic, involving me in each story. The first chapters were scarier, and the last ones were more historical, but all of them formed a coherent storyline that you discover bit by bit. I was awed at the writer's ability to make all the threads come together. I only wished she could have delved into some of the characters that didn't get a chapter such as Mei, but I guess her story wasn't needed. I recommend this book and I can tell you it gave some some really weird dreams...

[Rebecca Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Welcome to Meadowbrook takes you on a spiraling journey through the horror of a hotel's history. When Meadowbrook was built, there was so much hope. But throughout the years, one man has kept the hotel running.

For some, the hotel is a way of life. But for others, it is a living nightmare. Harold has figured out its secrets, and will use them to gain what he wants. Others who wander in, or are looking to make some quick money, will not be as lucky.

Join this adventure and see what the hotel has in store for you!

This was a really good read. At the beginning, it was a tad confusing, but as the book continued, you got into a more comfortable rhythm of reading. There was nothing too scary in the book, but for those who have some trigger warnings, you may want to check out the back of the book for those before reading it.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Sophie Brookes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely devoured this book! A liminal space where time does as it pleases masquerading as an old, long abandoned hotel? The concept pulled me in from the very beginning!

Welcome To Meadowbrook is effortlessly written, all the tales woven together perfectly, but also left vague in places to let you figure out the rest (I needed a notepad at one point to keep track of individual characters and their time loops!)

The main antagonist, Dr. Harold Dobby, is a complex villain, in that by the end of it all, I wondered whether there were perhaps some justification for his misdeeds. But perhaps not; do we forgive wrong-doers just because of their past?

Time-travelling can be iffy in stories, but I think Welcome To Meadowbrook handled it beautifully. We are also given enough information and backstories from the various characters in the book to really root for them in their endeavours.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I would definitely recommend!

[Tami Foster · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was written in a very cool way, it is made up of shorter stories, each chapter, taking place at the same building, in different periods of time, with characters who pop up in some chapters multiple times. Sometimes the building is a hotel, or a hospital, a boarding school, a psychiatric ward, etc.... there is time travel involved, and the characters age, or go back in time, sometimes the characters are good and sometimes they are not. Lots of ghosts and spirits, crazy things happening.. we go back in time, and things unravel, sometimes explaining what has been causing these crazy turn of events but sometimes not. I loved the different format, it was very interesting. There were times when I did get confused because it was hard to keep track of who was who and what was going on at times. You almost need a spreadsheet. I feel like that this could be a good movie.