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Harrow Lake

Kat Ellis (Goodreads Author)

3.60 · Rating details · 1,985 ratings · 581 reviews

A can't-put-down, creepy thriller about the daughter of a horror film director who's not afraid of anything--until she gets to Harrow Lake.

Things I know about Harrow Lake:
1.It's where my father shot his most disturbing slasher film.
2.There's something not right about this town.

Lola Nox is the daughter of a celebrated horror filmmaker--she thinks nothing can scare her.

But ...more

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Hardcover, 304 pages

Published August 25th 2020 by Dial Books

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Unputdownable YA

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Sep 28, 2020 Kevin (Irish Reader) rated it really liked it

4/4.5 Stars

This book was quite the surprise for me, as I didn’t expect myself to like it as much as I did. This book follows our main character, Lola, who is the daughter of a famous horror movie director. When her dad is attacked one night, Lola must return to live with her grandmother in Harrow Lake. Harrow Lake is the famous town where Lola’s dad most famous movie was filmed, and the town has its own scary stories and legends. While Lola is staying here she starts to uncover mysteries and dis ...more

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Nov 02, 2020 Michelle rated it really liked it

Things I know about Harrow Lake:
1.It's where my father shot his most disturbing slasher film.
2.There's something not right about this town.

After Lola finds her famous father stabbed multiple times in their NYC apartment she is sent off to live with her grandmother in Harrow Lake while he recovers. This is the place where they filmed her fathers iconic horror movie, Nightjar, and her mother Lorelei starred as Little Bird within the film. Her mother left her and her father when Lola was just 5 ...more

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Oct 01, 2020 Sara rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: horror, fiction, mystery-thriller, young-adult, contemporary

When her famous film director father is stabbed by a mysterious assailant, Lola Nox is sent to live with her grandmother in Harrow Lake - the setting for her father's most famous film, and her mother's home town. Harrow Lake is almost like a shrine to Lola's mother Loralei, the woman who abandoned her as a child, with memories and images everywhere. But there are secrets in town that Loralei was running from, and Lola's appearance in Harrow Lake may have awakened the monstrous Mister Jitters.

I'm When her famous film director father is stabbed by a mysterious assailant, Lola Nox is sent to live with her grandmother in Harrow Lake - the setting for her father's most famous film, and her mother's home town. Harrow Lake is almost like a shrine to Lola's mother Loralei, the woman who abandoned her as a child, with memories and images everywhere. But there are secrets in town that Loralei was running from, and Lola's appearance in Harrow Lake may have awakened the monstrous Mister Jitters.

I'm unsure how to rate this, as I felt very compelled by the writing and thought the descriptions of the small town and creepy woods was very atmospheric and hit the right tone. However the characters felt very one dimensional. Lola is incredibly irritating at times, with constant internal conversations with herself about 'optimal' sentences and behaviour. Honestly, if she said 'optimal' once, she said it a hundred times. And it got more and more grating with every use. I also didn't find her particularly likeable. With a lot of the other characters she creates a barrier around herself, purposely being cruel and unkind to anyone trying to help her (such as Cora and Carter) which made her come across as very standoffish and cold. Her relationship with her father is...odd too, and I struggled to find anything redeemable.

Speaking of secondary characters- a lot of them feel superfluous to the plot. Especially Mary Ann. Her inclusion to the story just felt very odd to me, and unnecessary. It moved the story from just about logical to completely off the wall confusing. She added nothing to the plot, and I would have preferred more time spent developing characters such as Carter, Cora and Moira McCabe. They had potential.

The plot itself is also a little jarring. It starts off well, setting up an interesting small town horror mystery and then it just feels as though it doesn't really know what to do from here. Some scenes feel out of place and irrelevant (the movie reel scene in the museum for example), before going down a plot route that feels disconnected from the tone set up at the start. There are also too many unanswered questions, and those answers we do get feel unlikely and acquired in a highly unbelievable way.

This had promise. I just wish it had continued with the same atmospheric tone throughout, and had a tighter plot with more endearing characters. Disappointing. ...more

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Mar 02, 2020 Johann (jobis89) rated it liked it · review of another edition

“Mr Jitters is coming.”

First of all, thank you to @penguinukbooks for the gifted copy! I had a bit of a mixed experience with this one, but can really see it appealing to certain readers.

Lola is the daughter of horror film director, Nolan Nox, whose most popular movie Nightjar was filmed in Harrow Lake - a town that relies heavily on the tourism that the movie brings. But this town has its own secrets, as well as it’s disturbing town legends...

This had a real 80s horror movie vibe, which obvious ...more

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Jan 20, 2020 Ellen Gail rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: edelweiss, horror

Harrow Lake is a held breath.

Brain, consider yourself boggled.

Total honesty time - during the early pages of this book, I fully anticipated giving it two stars. I found the lead character Lola unengaging and some of the character choices were perplexing. Then something happened to me. I don't even know if I can pinpoint the exact moment in the book when it happened. It was like someone snapped a rubber band in my head and it just worked. I went from apathetic to LOVING it. I don't know if I ...more

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Oct 13, 2018 Dawn Kurtagich rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I read an early version of this book and I’m smitten. Creepy, atmospheric and with all the right questions! Can’t wait to see a finished copy!

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Aug 04, 2020 Melanie (mells_view) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

”You know, some people think this place changes people who stay too long, and not in a good way. Like there’s something in the water here that feeds the badness deep down inside a person and makes it grow stronger. Sometimes . . . I think there’s something to that.”

Harrow Lake legitimately gave me chills. I realize that’s the point of a horror story, but honestly I had a difficult time reading this story at night, and I definitely had to have my eyes on the door when I did choose to read after d ...more

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Feb 22, 2020 Justine rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2020, proofs, horror, young-adult

Originally posted to I Should Read That

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This review is spoiler-free.

Harrow Lake first burst onto my radar when the publishers were sending out the coolest looking proofs (seriously, check it out!) in the winter. I was immediately interested in the book as soon as I read the summary -- I’ve never been much of a horror reader but have been trying to dip my toe into the genre lately. Harrow Lake turned out to be a great stepping stone Originally posted to I Should Read That

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This review is spoiler-free.

Harrow Lake first burst onto my radar when the publishers were sending out the coolest looking proofs (seriously, check it out!) in the winter. I was immediately interested in the book as soon as I read the summary -- I’ve never been much of a horror reader but have been trying to dip my toe into the genre lately. Harrow Lake turned out to be a great stepping stone into horror for me with its creepy, atmospheric setting and things that go bump in the night.

Fact: I am a huge wimp, but absolutely love (certain) horror films. What I specifically love about these films is the tension that is teased out and cranked up as the story progresses. That’s exactly what I got from Harrow Lake -- the story is strange and tense from the first few pages, and only gets more intense as the pages turn. Ellis does a great job of setting up the fantastically weird atmosphere of the town of Harrow Lake, a town that has never let go of it's horror film fame (for better or worse), and that atmosphere is such a wonderful source of tension in the book. It has that perfect ‘small town creepiness’ that works so perfectly in the horror genre.

My favourite aspect of the book is the throwbacks to horror films throughout the book. Lola is the daughter of a cult filmmaker and the leading lady in his most famous film, Night Jar. Not only were there loads of references to the fictional Night Jar and other films, the book itself has a cinematic feeling. It feels like a perfectly adapted novelisation of a cult classic horror film. It gave me serious Night Film vibes, a book I enjoyed when I read it a few years ago. If you enjoyed Night Film or are a horror movie junkie, you absolutely have to pick up this book!

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Lola as a character. She’s not particularly likeable when she is first introduced, however her story -- and therefore her character -- gets much more complex and intriguing as more is revealed. I think my favourite thing about her is the fact that she doesn’t fit into the standard horror trope -- she experiences creepy and weird things happening around her and does not dismiss them as nothing. She’s sharp and on top of the situation, which I found incredibly refreshing. Lola is lost and confused, but incredibly proactive and I found that so satisfying.

Harrow Lake is a fantastic YA horror read that’s perfect for your summer reading. Not only is it a fast and pulse-pounding read, it’s immensely satisfying and feels like a breath of fresh air in the YA genre. If you’re looking for something that has a similar vibe to Night Film, or horror classics in general, you should absolutely pick up Harrow Lake.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars ...more

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May 09, 2020 Whispering Stories rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Book Reviewed on www.whisperingstories.com

Teenager Lola Nox is the daughter of horror filmmaker Nolan Nox. The book opens with Nolan being interviewed for Scream Screen Magazine. As the questions turn to the disappearance of Lola the interview cuts off and we are then sent back a year in time.

The year before Nolan is found stabbed in his apartment by Lola. Whilst Nolan is in the hospital there is no one else to look after Lola so she is sent to stay with the Grandmother she has never met before Book Reviewed on www.whisperingstories.com

Teenager Lola Nox is the daughter of horror filmmaker Nolan Nox. The book opens with Nolan being interviewed for Scream Screen Magazine. As the questions turn to the disappearance of Lola the interview cuts off and we are then sent back a year in time.

The year before Nolan is found stabbed in his apartment by Lola. Whilst Nolan is in the hospital there is no one else to look after Lola so she is sent to stay with the Grandmother she has never met before in Harrow Lake, the place where her father filmed his movie Nightjar, featuring Lola’s mum who disappeared when she Lola was just five years old.

Harrow Lake is a strange small town haunted by the past in which a landslide killed some of the residents. Rumour has it that one of the buried residents now wanders the town of a night time looking for victims to eat after he got the taste for flesh.

From the moment Lola arrives she has a weird feeling about the place and her Grandmother, who seems to be suffering from dementia and treats Lola like she is her missing daughter, even making her wear her clothes she has kept all these years. She also keeps seeing a girl following her and jitterbugs tapping and moving on their own. It’s all in her head though, isn’t it?

I’m not of YA age and I read a lot of psychological thrillers, suspense books, paranormal stories and as such whilst I thought this book was engaging and interesting I did not find it scary nor creepy in any sense, but I can see why those that are not used to these genres or those that are scared easily would given the nature of the plot. You need to remember this is a YA book so the horror aspect isn’t going to be what you would find in a Stephen King or Dean Koontz novel.

The book is based around Lola and her time in Harrow Lake. I can’t say she is a particularly nice character, in fact, she grated on me quite a lot with the way she viewed the world and her attitude which was down to the way she had been brought up, such as you shouldn’t say sorry or thank you to people nor show weakness.

The storyline itself is full-on and intriguing. As we know from the beginning that Lola disappears I was held captivated wanting to know what happens to her, does the creepy man get her? Is there something more sinister going on? I was eager to find out.

The ending I had mixed feelings about, partly because I was left wanting to know more about the past, but happy there was closure for Lola. ...more

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Feb 24, 2020 Liz Barnsley rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

LOVED this.Took me back to those 80s horror films and Kat Ellis has a GREAT writing style that involves you in every moment. Full review to follow nearer publication.

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Aug 01, 2020 Emily rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I loved this book! Harrow Lake is mysterious and intriguing, and it has a couple delightfully spooky parts and storylines. There's a lot going on in this book, and while not everything was as clear cut as I had hoped, I still had a blast reading it.

My one annoyance was that the main character always says that everything is "Optimal". It's always capitalized, and it's CONSTANT. It was frustrating after a while, but I pretty much loved everything else.

You can always grab my attention with a book ...more

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Aug 20, 2020 Théo M. (bookswiththeo) rated it it was ok · review of another edition

With more research and stronger establishment of atoms this could have been 5 stars. I will definitely try another work by this author though. There is a lot of potential there.

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Jan 22, 2021 Dannii Elle rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: horror-hazes, mysterious-miasmas, thriven-thrillers

Lola Nox is the daughter of a prolific horror filmmaker and scream queen. She resides solely with the former after her mother abandoned her family and disappeared from both the public eye and her family's radar, never to be seen again.

After a tragedy occurs, and Lola's father is incarcerated in the hospital, she finds herself shipped off to reside with her estranged grandmother. Harrow Lake is not merely her mother's childhood home, however. Harrow Lake was also the setting for her parent's mast Lola Nox is the daughter of a prolific horror filmmaker and scream queen. She resides solely with the former after her mother abandoned her family and disappeared from both the public eye and her family's radar, never to be seen again.

After a tragedy occurs, and Lola's father is incarcerated in the hospital, she finds herself shipped off to reside with her estranged grandmother. Harrow Lake is not merely her mother's childhood home, however. Harrow Lake was also the setting for her parent's masterpiece horror film and, years later, the last place her mother was seen alive.

This book was firmly placed inside the horror genre, with many a shadowed figure sighted, creaking floorboard heard, and spooky woodland setting visited, and yet it was the multiple mysteries that predominately gripped me. Lola's past, as well as those of her parents, remained hazy throughout and I tore through these pages in my eagerness to piece together the clues to their current disparate situations. I did guess many of the concluding twists but was still impressed with just how each revelation was slotted together.

Protagonist Lola was the classic spoilt yet lonely, wealthy teenager that I have read about multiple times before and still can't seem to get enough of. She was petulant, hard-headed, and snarky but this also ensured she was brilliantly sassy and wonderfully independent, too. Her journey throughout this book was interesting on both a physical and emotional level. As she learnt more about her present surroundings and familial history she also opened up more about her true self, and the lost and lonely little girl that was at the heart of her identity.

I did find myself with some queries remaining at the close of this but, for the most part, felt satisfied with the revelations and hopeful for Lola's future. Ellis is also definitely an author I am keen to read from again.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Kat Ellis, and the publisher, Penguin, for this opportunity. ...more

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May 03, 2020 Toya (the reading chemist) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Y’all this is NOT a book to read at night with the lights off. This book is creepy AF, but worth every page!

Lola Nox is the teenager daughter of the renowned horror film maker Nolan Nox. The book opens with Nolan’s interview with Scream Screen Magazine. During the interview, questions are asked about the disappearance of Nolan’s daughter, which sends us back to last year when Lola discovered Nolan in a pool of his own blood following a gruesome stabbing.

Since Nolan required hospitalization to re Y’all this is NOT a book to read at night with the lights off. This book is creepy AF, but worth every page!

Lola Nox is the teenager daughter of the renowned horror film maker Nolan Nox. The book opens with Nolan’s interview with Scream Screen Magazine. During the interview, questions are asked about the disappearance of Nolan’s daughter, which sends us back to last year when Lola discovered Nolan in a pool of his own blood following a gruesome stabbing.

Since Nolan required hospitalization to recover from his injuries, Lola is forced to stay with her maternal grandmother in Harrow Lake, Indiana. Lola has never even met her grandmother and all she knows of Harrow Lake is that it’s the place where Nolan filmed his famous film Nightjar, the one starring her mother Lorelei who disappeared when Lola was a small child.

As soon as Lola steps foot in Harrow Lake, it is obvious that something isn’t quite right in this strange, desolate mining town. The town thrives off of the horror tourism surrounding Nightjar, but there’s also the urban legend of Mr. Jitters; a horrifying monster that preys on those in Harrow Lake.

From start to finish, this book was a heart-pounding, fast-paced, wild ride that I enjoyed. Lola starts off pretty unlikable since she has the spoiled brat type of mentality. However, as more ominous things keep happening around her, she develops into a complex and intriguing character that I really enjoyed by the end.

The writing of this one is incredibly atmospheric. I found myself with goosebumps and looking over my shoulder on several occasions. I just want to say as well that the songs in this book were just as creepy as everything surrounding Mr. Jitters. It honestly reminded me a lot of the 1980s horror film classics. It still makes me shudder thinking about.

Overall, if you’re looking for a fast-paced engrossing read that will ruffle your feathers a bit then definitely check this one out!

Thank you to Dave at The Write Reads for my blog tour invite. That you to Penguin for providing a review copy through NetGalley. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own. ...more

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Sep 02, 2020 Julie Zantopoulos rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-in-2020

This one kept me up at night. I slept with doors shut, locked, and feet securely under blankets and not hanging over the side of the bed. I loved it.

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Dec 21, 2019 Cassie marked it as to-read · review of another edition

This sounds so creepy and sounds exactly like something I would enjoy. Why does it have to come out in August 2020? 😭

I might just have to request this from Edelweiss. 👀

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Update 12/28/19: I just requested this from Edelweiss! I hope they approve of my request and I can start this soon! 🤞🏻

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Update 1/17/20: I just checked Edelweiss and guess what???? THEY CAME THROUGH AND APPROVED ME OF AN ARC YEEEEE-HAWWW 🙌🏻

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May 02, 2020 The Coycaterpillar Reads rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Wow. Upon delving into Harrow Lake I’m not ashamed to admit I didn’t fully appreciate what I was getting into. I thought it was going to be a plain sailing horror novel, a similar story but a story that was inevitable none the less. WRONG. I should have dug deeper just by one singular word used in the title – Harrow. This story has the capability to encase your heart in ice, its harrowing and captivating and pushes ice cold water through your veins. Be prepared for the author to give you a Wow. Upon delving into Harrow Lake I’m not ashamed to admit I didn’t fully appreciate what I was getting into. I thought it was going to be a plain sailing horror novel, a similar story but a story that was inevitable none the less. WRONG. I should have dug deeper just by one singular word used in the title – Harrow. This story has the capability to encase your heart in ice, its harrowing and captivating and pushes ice cold water through your veins. Be prepared for the author to give you a remarkably unique journey through your worst fears and leave you rocking in the corner by the closing of the final page.

A daughter of a film director, Nolan Nox. He came to fame with the release of his classic film, Nightjar. It catapulted Nolan, Lola’s mother and the creepy little town it was filmed in into crazy levels of fame. Reading the scenes based in this little town started to set off those blaringly loud red alerts sounding off in my head. Reading it was akin to looking through steamed up glasses – I can see shadows, but they quickly disappear from my peripheral vision. What was I experiencing?

Lola finds herself temporarily staying in this town after her father is injured. It certainly isn’t her first choice but as it is contained within her fathers will (he isn’t dead) and there isn’t anyone else to care for her, she has no choice. She is with her grandmother that she doesn’t know – no friendly faces, nothing familiar around her and things very quickly go awry. In this situation how can a young girl swim through the murky waters of a bone deep terror that will be unleashed on Lola in an unrelenting fashion. I loved this take on a child navigating fear as I usually indulge in adult horror. Harrow Lake consumed me, and I allowed it to swallow me whole. I wasn’t disappointed.

Harrow Lake indulges all your nightmares, thrown into a formula of every other horrific thing you can imagine and mixed together in order to stop your heart immediately. The town had my brain trying to fight against the scrambled feeling. It’s the kind of place you constantly have to look over your shoulder at. It is immersed in gothic legends and none as terrifying as Mr Jitters. I’m not spoiling that one for any potential readers!

Initially I had a bit of a hard time connecting with Lola. After a period of reflection, I came to the conclusion that it was due to how the author wrote her. She wasn’t really allowed to have a multi-faceted personality. Her father had a very domineering presence in her life and for whatever reason he had, it impacted how she presented herself to the world. No make-up, no phone and no laptop, and you can certainly expect her not to have social media. When she escaped that is when she more or less became a butterfly. She shed the chrysalis and became more.

Harrow Lake is a spectacular read. Kat Ellis has done a sublime job of creating an fully immersive imagery and invoking real emotion from her readers. ...more

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Sep 08, 2020 Erin A. Craig rated it it was amazing

This book was everything I hoped for and more! Dare I say, it gave me the jitters!

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Sep 19, 2020 Lauren rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: horror-thriller, reviewed, young-adult, magical-realism

”Blood in the cracks..."

There's a bird stuck in the wall of my bedroom and last night while reading this book I could hear it tap-tap-tap-tap-TAPPING against the wall...

This was not Optimal.*

confused mark

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*can we get an official count on this? Pretty sure I read this word over 100 times. ...more

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Sep 02, 2020 Eve (Between The Bookends) rated it liked it

This book was okay. It was suitably spooky and atmospheric, but it was also choppy in places. Plot lines were introduced and then dropped. It was also a little confusing to follow at times. 🤷

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Feb 07, 2021 Rachelle rated it really liked it · review of another edition

"These stories - small-town legends about monsters or demons or evil spirits - they're all just an excuse for people to avoid seeing the real monsters all around them."

Loved this one! Has very classic old school horror movie vibes, enjoyable creepy moments and the ending is everything you could want from this story. ...more

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Dec 31, 2020 Mel rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: owned, 5-stars, read-in-2020

Damn, honestly, remove that Epilogue and we have a 5 star perfect read. That epilogue just did not sit well with me.

Overall, so fucking good and unsettling.

Edit: Upping to 5 stars because yeah, the epilogue was not great at all, but I still can't stop thinking about it. ...more

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Jul 10, 2020 Max Lau • Maxxesbooktopia rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 4-stars-books

If I were to write a blurb for this novel, it would be this: “Kat Ellis has created a richly-filled landscape of 80’s horror films and it lingers on your skin long after you finish the novel”. I adored this novel and as an avid fan of horror movies, I think this novel does justice for that genre as this novel has a lot of that good stuff in it eg. Diminutive town, estranged family, a character going insane and crazy town with ghastly notions. However, I do have some criticisms to make and I will If I were to write a blurb for this novel, it would be this: “Kat Ellis has created a richly-filled landscape of 80’s horror films and it lingers on your skin long after you finish the novel”. I adored this novel and as an avid fan of horror movies, I think this novel does justice for that genre as this novel has a lot of that good stuff in it eg. Diminutive town, estranged family, a character going insane and crazy town with ghastly notions. However, I do have some criticisms to make and I will write extensively on that matter later.

The writing style of this novel is atmospheric and gloomy with every shade of grey in it. The author has a way of incorporating words to craft a scene to make an innocuous scene seem ominous. In addition, I really enjoyed the references to horror films in this novel, it made my little horror heart leapt with happiness. Furthermore, I thought this novel was very well-paced as the author did not drag a scene out too long (which would make it boring) or cut short a scene during the horror scenes and that definitely made me adore the novel even more. However, the author uses the word – optimum – a lot and over time, it becomes repetitive and slightly annoying.

The atmosphere of the novel has a haunting inflexion to it and I thought that was the strongest point of the novel because it shows that the author has the ability to transport the readers to the head of the protagonist and allows the protagonist’s fears to be projected to the readers.

With aspects like the protagonist’s imaginary friend manifesting to life, a miniature-town which managed to make me feel claustrophobic, a town filled with superstitions and remarkably irrational people and most of all, Mr Jitters, it terrified me. However, I thought the horror aspect and the atmosphere faltered towards the end of the novel because it felt like the monster – Mr Jitters – did not add anything to the story but its main purpose is to terrorize the protagonist throughout the novel with literally no reason. BUT, I thought the people and their thinking and what they did were ten times more formidable than the actual monster of the novel so, those are the aspects that swooped in to save the ending of the novel for me.

The characters in this novel are multi-dimensional and complex. In this novel, there are Lola and Carter. Of course, there are more characters in this novel but we will only be focusing on both of these key characters in this review. Lola has a tendency to steal objects from strangers and write down her confessions on a paper and hide them in places where no one will look for but her. I thought the introduction to Lola was phenomenal and she has an amazing backbone to her character, for example, we learn in the novel that she adheres to her father like a leased dog with no freedom and as the story progresses, we see her character development and her flaws shining through the pages like a mirrorball and I adored it. Carter is a gentle person who assists people even though they insulted him with infuriating words. I thought his character arch was astonishing as well. Honestly, can Carter be my friend? He doesn’t even get mad when people insulted him.

Finally, there are several unexplained ideas that are thrust into the novel that make it seem like the author put them there for aesthetic purpose. For example, why does time slip away faster when Mr Jitters is around, why does Mr Jitters terrorize Lola since day one, is the urban legend about Mr Jitters real? The novel did provide some explanation to certain questions that I had posted but I do not think it is enough to justify Mr Jitters actions and his forces. Thus, I did not fancy the unexplained justifications of the novel.

Final Verdict: 80% (A)

Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Goodreads ...more

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Sep 15, 2020 Sara rated it liked it

Shelves: atmospheric, cool-concept, creepy, ya-horror

This is a very solid 3.5 star read that blends creepy as hell atmosphere with a really cool concept and almost delivers a pretty great read. Kat Ellis turns the shivery tinglies up to 11 with a story about Lola Nox, the sheltered daughter of the famous horror director Nolan Nox. Lola's mom Lorelei disappeared years ago after starring in Nolan's most famous film "Night Jar". Now she's kept a virtual prisoner by a father who's obsessed with his work and expects her to sacrifice everything for his ...more

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Aug 07, 2020 Angela Staudt rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Thank you Penguin Teen for Penguin an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Okay, so going into this I didn't expect much creepiness or horror, because it's labeled as YA. Let me tell you, it was so frightening and scary in some parts that I had to take a breather from reading. I absolutely loved how well this was written, and how I was literally on the edge of my seat the entire time frantically flipping each page to find out what's going on.

We follow our main character Lola, who's father gets Thank you Penguin Teen for Penguin an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Okay, so going into this I didn't expect much creepiness or horror, because it's labeled as YA. Let me tell you, it was so frightening and scary in some parts that I had to take a breather from reading. I absolutely loved how well this was written, and how I was literally on the edge of my seat the entire time frantically flipping each page to find out what's going on.

We follow our main character Lola, who's father gets stabbed and ends up in the hospital. Since he can't take care of her, and Lola's mom is out of the picture he sends her to live with her grandmother at Harrow Lake. This creepy little town is where her dad filmed his first horror movie and met Lola's mother for the first time, she actually starred in the movie. Strange things keep happening while Lola is in Harrow Lake and she wants to get to the bottom of it. She also wants to know why her mom left her years ago and never looked back, and being in her mother's home town she might be able to get some answers.

"Look, these stories - small-town legends about monsters or demons or evil spirits - they're all just an excuse for people to avoid seeing the real monsters all around them."

Let me tell you, this book has everything. A local legend that is so spine-chilling it gave me goosebumps, an awesome plot full of suspense, great world building, and characters that are well developed. Harrow Lake is a fast paced read that has you itching for more after every page. I really loved the horror aspect and thought it wasn't over the top, but definitely scary. The only thing that made me not give this five stars was the ending. Yes it was a good ending, but I wanted so much more. It has this huge twist and I thought the ending was going to be spectacular because of the buildup. It was just an alright ending and I still have some questions that were never answered. Harrow Lake did exceed my expectations and I can't wait to read more from this author. ...more

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Aug 24, 2020 Mogsy (MMOGC) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: wishlist, audiobook, review-copy, young-adult, horror

4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2020/08/30/...

Okay, I don’t often find YA horror to be all that scary, but Harrow Lake by Kat Ellis was definitely a bit spooky! In it, we follow Lola Nox, daughter of Nolan Nox, a celebrated horror film director who first made his name with the prohibition-era gothic piece Nightjar, which has since become a cult classic. It certainly also helped put the small mining town of Harrow Lake on the map, which was where most of the filming to 4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2020/08/30/...

Okay, I don’t often find YA horror to be all that scary, but Harrow Lake by Kat Ellis was definitely a bit spooky! In it, we follow Lola Nox, daughter of Nolan Nox, a celebrated horror film director who first made his name with the prohibition-era gothic piece Nightjar, which has since become a cult classic. It certainly also helped put the small mining town of Harrow Lake on the map, which was where most of the filming took place, not to mention it was the hometown of the movie’s lead actress, Lorelei.

Captivated by the young star, Nolan eventually married Lorelei and moved to New York. Lola was born, but not too many years after that, Lorelei walked out on the family, leaving her daughter to be raised by an egocentric and often emotionally unavailable father. At least, that’s what all the entertainment rags say anyway, and as Lola hasn’t seen or heard from her mother in years, there’s no reason to doubt Nolan, who may be overprotective and disparaging at times, but he’s also the only family she has left. And so, after coming home one day to discover him bleeding out from multiple stab wounds, Lola is shaken at the murder attempt on her father and terrified to consider what might happen to her if he died. Next comes the shock that she will be sent to live in Harrow Lake while Nolan is in recovery, with a maternal grandmother that she’s never met.

Upon her arrival, Lola is disturbed to find a town perpetually stuck in the 1920s style of Nightjar, the movie being its only claim to fame other than the historic landslide that purportedly killed almost half its residents. As a result, Harrow Lake is a haunted place where a local myth has sprung up around a monster known as Mr. Jitters who lives underground and emerges periodically to abduct victims to drag back to its lair. To appease him, children do weird things like hang their teeth in trees with strings, which is both super gross and a little creepy. Lola’s grandmother turns out to be a strange old lady as well, who’s always mistaking her for her own daughter Lorelei and insists that Lola dresses up as Little Bird, the main character from Nightjar. With no cell phone coverage or internet at the house, Lola is forced to find other ways to entertain herself, like exploring the abandoned amusement park or the depressing town museum that mostly features exhibits to do with Nightjar.

In her wanderings and interactions with the townsfolk though, Lola begins hearing unpleasant rumors and stories about her mother, including the one about her possible connections to Mr. Jitters. Something made Lorelei want to leave Harrow Lake all those years ago, which may also explain her current disappearance, and Lola is determined to find out what—even if it means unearthing some terrible, spine-chilling secrets.

It might not be too surprising to hear that, more so than Lola or any other character in this book, it was the town of Harrow Lake that stole the show. While it is not a happy place, it has its appeals—especially if you have a penchant for dark and macabre horror settings. Reading about the town is like stepping into a dream or like being stuck on a page in a storybook where time never truly moves forward. There’s a kind of sad beauty to it; like an insect trapped in amber, it is unable to escape its purgatorial state yet also prevented from putting itself out of its misery by completely fading away, thanks to the many fans of Nightjar who delight in seeing the town as a kind of living tribute to the film. Whatever is left of Harrow Lake survives on the meager tourism the movie brings in, so the locals are forced to play it up for all it’s worth.

The supernatural aspect is also nicely worked into the story, invoking an atmosphere and tone that’s very reminiscent of an 80s creature feature like Pumpkinhead or A Nightmare on Elm Street. Visitors may come and go, but the people of Harrow Lake are stuck with more problems than their own resident monster in Mr. Jitters. Poverty and a bitter resentment towards outsiders, especially ones such as our protagonist from glitzy New York, also result in an aura of uneasiness following Lola wherever she goes, not to mention her own mental hang-ups and anxieties regarding her parents. Consequently, we have a slow-simmering kind of horror that is subtle but no less effective, as the author’s strategy relies mainly on arousing ideas to create frightening scenarios, encouraging the reader’s imagination to do most of the work. That said, there are a few scenes where Ellis is certainly not shy about doling out all the disgusting details, and as someone who simply can’t deal with teeth, eyes, or nails used in horror movies, there were a couple incidents that downright repulsed me.

All in all, I don’t think Harrow Lake would be enough for readers looking for a more “in your face” horror novel, but if you’re more for the creeping dread of a campfire ghost story or disturbing urban legends, then it just might be for you. The ending was also satisfying in its own way, and the audiobook did a fantastic job with putting you right in the scene with its clever use of sound effects and outstanding voicework. Great performance by all the narrators. ...more

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May 03, 2020 Elizabeth Tabler rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Harrow Lake by Kat Ellis is not at all what you think. Marketed as a YA Horror novel, you would think that maybe this might be a campy horror story. Perhaps with a 1980s vibe.

You would be entirely wrong.

Instead, Harrow lake is a story of intense psychological horror. I think in a lot of ways, psychological horror is much scarier than slasher horror. The reader can eternalize much of the plot; we readers all have psychological quirks. Harrow Lake is a good book for that. The lead character, Lol Harrow Lake by Kat Ellis is not at all what you think. Marketed as a YA Horror novel, you would think that maybe this might be a campy horror story. Perhaps with a 1980s vibe.

You would be entirely wrong.

Instead, Harrow lake is a story of intense psychological horror. I think in a lot of ways, psychological horror is much scarier than slasher horror. The reader can eternalize much of the plot; we readers all have psychological quirks. Harrow Lake is a good book for that. The lead character, Lola, has broken parts of her psyche. She has suffered her mother abandoning her, a father who smothers her, and deep mental wounds that sound much like PTSD. This leads to a realistic characterization of mental illness and a developing and strong protagonist.

Lola Nox is the daughter of the famous Horror movie directer Nolan Nox. Nolan made his fame with the movie Nightjar, and he also met Lola’s mother on the set of Nightjar because it was filmed in her hometown, and she ended up being her star. Nightjar has an almost cult-like following to it. After an accident with Lola’s father, Lola ends up staying with her estranged grandmother in Harrow Lake while Nolan recuperates. Harrow Lake is dark, and something is off with it. Something is not right. The reader can not tell if the town is off or Lola’s perceptions of things are off. As Lola navigates the village of Harrow Lake and her traumatic memories, things escalate in the story to a fevered pitch.
What is real? What is imagined? The reader won’t know till the very end, and I can’t tell you more because of SPOILERS!

Harrow Lake ended up being one of those books that I appreciate as a reader but has aspects of it that didn’t sit well with me. In a lot of ways, Harrow Lake is perfectly crafted. The narrative moves page to page. The horror is almost palpable. The lead character is one that the reader can empathize with. However, I had a difficult time with the supporting characters in the story. I did not find them wholly believable. That was hard for me because the supporting characters are a huge part of the narrative. In the scheme of things, it is a small thing set against the excellent writing and Lola as a character, but it was a bit hard for me to get over it.

All in all, this is a solid and exciting story. It is terrifying and so much more than you thought it was going to be. The visuals that the author Kat Ellis creates are gripping, and the pacing is frenetic.

This story is a must for YA Horror fans. ...more

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Jun 09, 2020 Blair marked it as dnf-arcs · review of another edition

Skimmed. I found the idea of this irresistible, since it centres on the daughter of a famous horror director discovering strange secrets in the town where his most iconic film was shot. So I wanted to read it even though I knew it was YA. But the YA elements (Plucky Teens Investigating Things, obligatory love interest, a denouement I could see coming a mile off) were too dominant for me to properly enjoy it. Good concept and good atmosphere, I'm just too old to get the most out of it!

Review copy ...more

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Apr 23, 2020 El Hyrst rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: w-gen-horror, z-read-in-2020

Full review will be available as part of the blog tour on 14/05/2020: https://inkandplasma.wordpress.com/20...

This book knows how to hit hard. Within one page of my eARC, I knew I was hooked, and Kat Ellis wasn’t afraid to raise the stakes before we’d even met the main character – I loved that I already knew I was pulled in for the long haul. The last chapter was equally potent – though of course I won’t talk about it because spoilers, and I loved the way it came back around to close the circle. Full review will be available as part of the blog tour on 14/05/2020: https://inkandplasma.wordpress.com/20...

This book knows how to hit hard. Within one page of my eARC, I knew I was hooked, and Kat Ellis wasn’t afraid to raise the stakes before we’d even met the main character – I loved that I already knew I was pulled in for the long haul. The last chapter was equally potent – though of course I won’t talk about it because spoilers, and I loved the way it came back around to close the circle.

I adored Lola from the start. I have talked, at length, about how much I love unlikeable female characters. Because I do, I love them, and Lola is an excellent example of that. She’s got lots of unappealing, unfeminine traits, and each of them made me adore her more. I also think that it becomes clear the further into the book that a reader gets, that a lot of Lola’s perceived flaws are intentional. Initially, she seems a little bland and flavourless, and it’s only when you get to see Lola interact with Nolan, her famous father, and Moira, the grandmother she never knew, that you see the truth of it. Lola is a blank canvas on purpose, to survive social situations. She alters herself perfectly to fit the expectations of the person she’s speaking to – ensuring she behaves Optimally – and she resents the whole damn world for making her do it. With her father she’s obedient, and shakes off the resemblance of her mother, whereas with her grandmother she crafts herself perfectly in Lorelai’s image. Lola is our view point into Harrow Lake, an outsider as much as the reader is, and the fact that she’s an unreliable narrator only intensifies the atmosphere that the book creates.

The atmosphere throughout the entire book is intense. Amazingly, viscerally intense. I very rarely find a book that genuinely scares me, but about halfway through this book I dragged myself out to sit in the garden in the sunlight where I felt safer. That’s how powerful the effect this book had on me was. Everything in the book pulled together to create this effect. Lola, as the unreliable narrator, was telling us everything from her perspective, and as the reader gets further into the book it’s clear that her perspective is tainted in many ways to assume the worst.

The book is set in Harrow Lake, the town where Lola’s father filmed his greatest horror movie, Nightjar, and the town is frozen in time in the 1920s when the movie was set. Lola is walking in the footsteps of her father and her mother, and of Little Bird, Nightjar’s protagonist. The descriptions were so vivid that honestly? I’d love to watch Nightjar myself. Alongside the echoes of the horror movie, Harrow Lake is haunted by a town legend. Mister Jitters. I laughed the first time I read his name. I did not laugh any of the times after that. Mister Jitters was terrifying. He’s the town’s bogeyman, and the residents of Harrow Lake have developed strange routines and rituals to appease his hunger. These rituals like the bone tree, no burials, and other things I won’t talk about because spoilers, made him feel so powerful because everyone believed in him so fiercely, even when they didn’t say his name. I had to finish this in one sitting, because otherwise I knew I was going to have nightmares about him tap-tap-tapping.

On a completely opposite note, I really liked the little bit of romance in this book. I’m usually the first to criticise mis-placed romance, but this was perfect because it acknowledged that Lola was in no position to be feeling more than a crush. She was learning how to be herself, alone for the first time in her life, and how to discover a personality that wasn’t created by her father or grandmother. I loved that that was respected, and that Lola could have her crush without it being a part of the character arc we needed to see.

The ending of this book is basically completely impossible to talk about in a spoiler free way, which is a shame because I have THOUGHTS. But it tied together threads that were woven throughout the rest of the book, some of which I’d barely even noticed until suddenly they came together, telling a story about what makes a real monster. This book crawled under my skin and made itself a home there, and I can’t wait for people to start reading it so that I can scream about the ending with everyone I know. ...more

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Jul 15, 2020 Lauren James rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: memory-loss, unreliable-narrator, written-by-a-friend, rich-murderers, ukya, ghosts, best-ukya-books, magical-realism, epistolary

[Gifted]
A dark and deceptively unreliable story of a girl visiting her mother's home town, where an iconic horror movie was filmed. Her mother was the lead star and her father the director - and her mother disappeared, leaving behind legends of real life monsters in the town. This is the spine-tingling horror novel that I've been waiting for: a mix of House of Leaves and The Haunting of Hill House. Really enjoyable and definitely not one to read in the middle of the night! ...more

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About Kat Ellis

Kat Ellis

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Kat Ellis is the author of YA novels HARROW LAKE, PURGE, BLACKFIN SKY, and BREAKER, and the novella THE TWINS OF BLACKFIN in the THREE STRIKES collection. Her next book, BURDEN FALLS, will be published in the summer of 2021.

You'll usually find Kat up to no good on Twitter, trekking through ruins and cemeteries with her camera, or watching scary films with her husband.

The best way to keep up to dat ...more