The Horrors of Us

I knew this was gonna be a 5 star read the moment I read the first sentence! It’s dark, grotesque and shocking in all the best possible ways. From the internal battles with morals our FMC battles to the absolute horrors the character battle through I found myself grasping for more! I did not see the ending coming at all! I think this is the perfect read for spooky season and everyone should give it a try!

The Horrors of Us is an enjoyable read for fans of modern fantasy and dark academia. The characters are well-rounded and stand out from one another; at no point was there any confusion over who was who, which can be difficult in books that deal with so many people congregating for events. Unfortunately, while well written, this book just didn't stand out to me from similar books in the genre. It almost seemed like a preamble to the rest of the story that's really being told here; I'm far more interested in where the characters go from here than I was in how they got here. If this is your genre, I absolutely recommend the book; if you're having genre fatigue, maybe not.

This book took me a bit to read because I have just been going through it and actually haven't read a book in a bit I've been listening more anyway I was super excited to be picked to be an arc reader and boy oh boy was I not disappointed. I definitely didn't know much of anything about the book and frankly I love that I came into this basically blind. This book was absolutely amazing I definitely didn't catch a lot of the twists and turns that in the story I truly hope she write squeal because I need answers! Absolutely amazing book lived every second of it the darkness the sadness it all felt so real

The Horrors of Us is a delicious blend of horror and dark fantasy, complete with cults, deadly trials, and eldritch gods. Claustrophobic, dark, and unnerving, this is the perfect read for dark fantasy fans that are looking to explore the horror genre. Quinn Maddox has spent years running from her narcissistic mother and The Order of the Hallowed; determined to reject fate and live life on her own terms. But when Quinn finds herself in the middle of a bloody crime scene, she has no choice but to turn to her mother for help and to pay the price that comes with it. Quinn is a complex character, both resilient and flawed. Her grief and rage are visceral creatures, reaching out through the pages to wrap their limbs around you and suffocate you. Conversely, Quinn's love for her sisters is vast and endless; driving her forward as she fights to unravel family secrets and wrestles with the insidious nature of The Order. The depth of emotion in this book was masterfully done, adding a layer of vulnerability to the unsettling horror of it. Readers that are eager to be hooked from the first page are in the right place. The Horrors of Us unleashes chaos from its first line, hauling you headfirst into a maelstrom of harrowing gauntlets and occult powers. Morgan brings to life an intricate magic system with mechanics that are unique to both the story and each individual character. This is a formidable debut novel and I am keenly awaiting the next instalment in this duology. Eternally grateful to Charlie Morgan for giving me the opportunity to ARC read The Horrors of Us.

4.5 stars! I received an ARC copy of this book! Thank you to Charlie Morgan for allowing me an ARC. I loved this book. I had such a fun time with it. I relate so hard to our FMC and her rage. I absolutely loved the ending and I cannot wait for the next book to come out! I will be recommending this book to everyone.

Thank you Charlie Morgan for the advance readers copy. All opinions are my own. ⭐⭐⭐⭐¾ The Horrors of Us grabs you from the very first line. After an extremely bloody accident, Quinn realises she has no choice but to turn back to her narcissistic mother for help. The issue: her mother is a high-ranking member of a magical cult and in exchange for her help, Quinn is forced to agree to re-enter the organization and a series of magical, deadly, trials. Along with her re-entry, it becomes imperative that Quinn learns about her suppressed magic and while doing so, she discovers a prophecy with her and her sisters at the center. This story features a queer eldest daughter with major religious trauma, fighting an evil institution from within. It also features mysterious gods, narcissistic mothers, and rekindled childhood friendships and flames. I really enjoyed getting sucked into this modern fantasy realm. The vibes were stellar and reminiscent of The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and The Hunger Games, but featuring adult characters and choices. I also related to Quinn and her feelings of grief, shame, and difference from her family and old friends. I may not have hidden magic, but her drive to prove herself was completely relatable and her complex relationship with her younger sister was, too. If you need a fully immersive novel with dark, witchy gothic vibes, prophecies and female rage, you should read The Horrors of Us. ⭐⭐⭐⭐¾

Such a good fantasy horror debut. With a very intriguing plot. And Dune meets The Hunger Games vibes. Can't wait for book 2. Full review TK.

I got this as an ARC for review and unfortunately I did not finish this book. It was definitely a legitimate case of, "It's not you, it's me." I didn't hate this book. It's not written poorly, I didn't find any typos or grammatical errors, no awful formatting issues. It's all fine. I think I just went in expecting something different. First off, the style of writing just didn't resonate with me. It's very possible it would be great for someone else. I went into this thinking it was about a creepy cult but it read more as a kind of magic school. Adult, spicy magic school, to be more specific. Again, this isn't bad, it's just not what I was looking for. If that's something you are into, check this book out. Sincerely, it promises dark secrets and spice and lots of action. It's definitely the right book for someone, just not me.

I ate this up. An eldest daughter pitted against her mother, deep sibling bonds, and the agony of escaping a toxic family only to be forced back into it, set against a backdrop of cosmic fate, ancient eldritch gods, and a generous sprinkling of religious trauma. This is exactly what you can expect from Charlie Morgan’s PHENOMENAL debut novel, The Horrors of Us. And the horrors are truly horroring in this one. Just the way I like it, the absolute scariest elements are not of supernatural origin, but the people closest to you. And Charlie's writing is so vivid, it pulls you into this incredibly creepy, immersive modern-day cult atmosphere. This book is threaded with a profound sadness and underlying feelings of guilt, regret, and grief - grief for those who were lost, and for the parts of ourselves we were forced to sacrifice. And beneath it all, the story gently yet firmly nudges the reader to question what they would choose if torn between their individual identity and familial duty.

Now this is what I'm talking about when I say I need a good fantasy horror story to read! A sassy, tormented witch that has to deal with bloody trials and rituals? Sign me up. It was as if The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina met The Hunger Games and was written for adults. Enough said. The plot was brilliantly written, and the ending did not disappoint! Thank you for the ARC Charlie! I will be patiently waiting until your next story is out.