| Title | : | They Are Cursed Like You (Trailer Park Witches #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1998112020 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781998112029 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 246 |
| Publication | : | Published June 5, 2023 |
Courtney and her friends dream of escaping Shady Acres Trailer Park, a place of broken dreams and rusted out cars. Their wishes seem to come true when Courtney meets an older woman who promises to give them their heart's desires, but as the girls wind up in over their heads, Courtney begins to doubt the older coven's intentions while she and the girl she loves drift further apart.
But there is a force at work behind the scenes, darker and more dangerous than any of them could have imagined; the Wolf is owed four rabbits, and he’s come to collect.
They Are Cursed Like You (Trailer Park Witches #1) Reviews
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Well, if like me you are drawn to this one because there's rabbits on the cover make sure you're not too sensitive about what happens to the rabbits or you might be disappointed.
That being said, it was a pretty decent story which didn't pull punches but in my opinion it would have benefited from focusing on 2 of the characters instead of trying to follow almost everyone or by being longer and having these characters more fully realized.
3.5 rounded up. -
TW: Language, cheating, drinking, smoking, drugs, cancer, racism, sexism, animal death (graphic), domestic abuse, toxic parent relationships, violence, sexual assault, toxic relationships, drug addiction, alcoholism
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:Courtney and her friends dream of escaping Shady Acres Trailer Park, a place of broken dreams and rusted out cars. Their wishes seem to come true when Courtney meets an older woman who promises to give them their heart's desires, but as the girls wind up in over their heads, Courtney begins to doubt the older coven's intentions while she and the girl she loves drift further apart.
But there is a force at work behind the scenes, darker and more dangerous than any of them could have imagined; the Wolf is owed four rabbits, and he’s come to collect.
Release Date: June 23rd, 2023
Genre: Horror
Pages: 233
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
What I Liked:
1. I love the cover
2. Adored the writing
3. Short quick chapters
4. Atmospheric
What I Didn't Like:
1. All the love/relationships
2. The ending
Overall Thoughts:
When I first started this book I really adored the writing style. The way the authors were able to paint a picture of the woods and the fire was beautiful. I felt like I was with Belladonna coming up on this fire in the woods and sitting down to talk to this man. By the ending the I loved the writing still. Seriously gorgeous writing.
We meet 3 women along the way; Belladonna, Loretta, and Courtney.
Belladonna: is a woman who sleeps with a married man and then escapes to the woods where she meets a "man" around a fire. She eats four of his rabbits. He wants to take her as his but in exchange she promises to help him gather people to bring back to him with some of his magic.
Loretta: has been following Belladonna for years. She had Cancer but now some years later it's back and Belladonna is ignoring her. Plus they are turning her book series into an Amazon show but she has no financial rights to it.
Courtney: Lives in a trailer pack and is being bullied by her classmates. She steals a book from Belladonna one day while cleaning her house. She's already got a group of friends that are into spells so they decided to try some from the book.
Honestly it's so difficult to like Loretta because of how she is. She is rough around the edges and even when her cancer went away she still was smoking.
Oh Anais is hilarious. She hexed her husband to marry her. Then cheats on him because her life is too perfect. Now she's mad because he's found out and bothered that she cheated, so the next step is to kill him. She's one of the bad people she was talking about.
Honestly after now seeing how Anais and Triss are reacting Loretta isn't looking like big jerk anymore. Triss seems to have flipped and is now all about doing whatever they need to do to save her girlfriend.
If Christie backed out at the last moment then who was the random 4th person to take her place?
I didn't understand why Loretta wouldn't tell Courtney that they've all lost their powers and have lost everything. I suppose it wouldn't matter in the end to these teens.
I skipped the death of the rabbit. I hate animal deaths in media. It's pretty graphic and sad.
Definitely can see the appeal of wanting Skeet killed but obviously can see the slippery slope that'll take place once they realize all the things they can get with magic.
When it's revealed that Courtney really likes Dani and wants to be with her I found it confusing because there was no indication before that Courtney was interested in her more than a friendship, so it felt very out of the blue. And I also felt the same when it was revealed that Loretta was also interested in on Teeny. I know it said on the back of the book that Courtney was in love with her friend but I never felt that was the case when they were together with each other. It just felt like they were friends.
Silly to think that Loretta would feel badly for Elaine when Elaine is the one that hexed Triss to love her.
What's the point if Courtney having a brother? He's barely seen or heard and is just mentioned in random ways. His character is pointless.
Belladonna said that Loretta didn't use magic to improve her life but that's not true. She used magic to have a successful writing career. I get she used magic to help with Cancer too so I guess she used it to help to survive.
I am annoyed that Loretta could ask the Man for one thing (no strings attached) but does not ask for the cancer to be gone, instead asks to see Christie. Like she could just go see her. So we find out that Loretta left her life insurance money to Christie. Christie - a drug addict who will suddenly come into a lot of money. Why not leave the money to Christie's mom who has had to sacrifice her life to raise her grandchild and then the money would help Courtney. Even a trust...
Final Thoughts:
There were some turns this book took that I love and some I didn't.
I felt like this book started with the element of witches and supernatural only to be hit over the head by endless relationships. It felt more like a romance at the ending the book than a true horror book. I wish there was less romance and more witch stuff. I should say I don't like romance in books. Some is fine but being hit over the end exhausts me.
I will say this; I hate the way authors write drug abuse and alcoholism. They make out like people just "snap" out of it. That is the case here. Teeny wakes up and suddenly she's paid the hospital bill off and even saved the other amount. She doesn't get upset and react like an addict would - having a bender to coup with the trauma of everything.
Reading this book you can definitely see the similarities of The Craft in it right down to the trailer park/drunk mom/abusive stepfather. I liked that it brought me back to that movie - it's a wonderful movie.
I know I had some judgments when it came to this book but I really loved the writing style and the story. I also can't wait to continue with the story about some of the characters that survived. To me that means I liked it a lot.
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Thanks to the author gifting me a copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. -
I loved the book, can't wait to read more by this other!!!
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Thank you Holley Cornetto for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I LOVED this book! The characters were all so flawed in their own ways and usually this would be very grating, but I enjoyed how they all fit into the story.
The storyline was so interesting and I thought the ending was fantastic. The only slight critique I had was that I wish the Wolf was mentioned earlier in the book - he was introduced so late into the story that we never really got to appreciate the concept.
I will DEFINITELY be reading the next in the series if the author writes one! -
It was nice to read a witchy book that had more of a sinister aspect to it. Not all witches are out to do good and this story really reflects that. It had major The Craft Vibes, I couldn’t get enough.
I absolutely can not wait for the 2nd book in this series to come out. I will be reading it as soon as it does. -
Excellent witchy read, short and sharp.
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‘Maybe we are ignorant, redneck trailer trash after all.’
Witches, trailer park, bullies, addiction, debts, a price for all decisions, unrequited love, what makes family, betrayal - and that’s just scratching the surface.
This book was fantastic. The authors have done an amazing job of balancing all the elements with just a hint of unsteadiness so you think you know where it’s heading, but do you?
A dark and twisted version of a ‘now and then’ mixed with elements from ‘the craft’.
The pop cultural references, the beautiful writing, especially when the topic is dark were some of my favourite parts.
I can’t wait to see what happens next in the trailer park witches world.
OOOOOOH and added bonus, there are some kick arse sapphic main characters as well 😍🏳️🌈😁 -
“Witchcraft is the solution to all our problems, even when the problems don’t exist yet.”
Like others, I definitely got The Craft vibes. It is dark and witchy. It has so many of my favorite themes. There’s queer rep, coming of age, revenge, witchcraft, and female friendship.
All the girls have their own demons and things they’re running away from. There are so many parallels between the older witches and the younger ones. Dani’s personality is similar to Anais’s. Courtney’s personality is similar to Loretta’s. It was interesting to see how each group used the magic differently also. That’s all I’ll say about that so I don’t give anything away.
This book deals with some heavy topics like bullying, addiction, poverty, and self harm. The biggest theme is the lengths people will go to in order to improve their situation. Also, what some would do with power if given the opportunity.
There were some opportunities for big, shocking reveals. I feel like they were just kinda handed over. There were still plenty of twists to keep me entertained and I did love the story. It’s a unique take on witches and covens.
This is a fast-paced, dark, witchy read. I enjoyed getting to know the characters. I’ll definitely be reading book two!
“Eventually, the wolf devours all of his little rabbits.” -
"Though they’d cast her out and her home was gone and her name was ruined, she pushed on. Living was an awful difficult habit to break."
If you grew up loving 'The Craft' in the 90s, this is a book you definitely don't want to miss.
Great example of female and queer representation in horror! Loved this story. -
I'm really fussy about giving 5 stars but didn't hesitate to do so for this book - I LOVED IT. I'm always whinging that I can never find good adult witch stories, and then in comes Holley Cornetto and S.O. Green with this belter of a book.
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"To become full-fledged witches, they have to take a life. It starts small, but it’ll escalate. It did for us. And the stains won’t wash out."
Oh, boy, I had a really hard time putting this book down! Definitely gave The Craft vibes, but darker, grittier, and more unhinged, and I am here for it!
Alternate timelines follow a group of highly flawed friends trying to navigate and improve their often miserable lives when they're invited to the centuries-old Mason House they've been warned to stay away from. There, they find themselves under the tutelage of the infamous Belladonna Mason, who teaches them how to be a coven and take care of each other and, better yet, manifest every want and desire. This all seems to work in their favor all the way into adulthood.
Present day, the adult women discover that a new group of high school girls are seemingly set to take their place, along with their magical power and all they've achieved with it.
I will be keeping a close watch for the next one!
TW's for (ritualistic) animal un.a.living, bully!ng, substance abu$e -
So good!
I loved this book! This is exactly the kind of thing I’ve been looking for. Witches, hexes, spell books, no dumbass man getting in the way. I cannot recommend this enough. And I very much look forward to the next one! -
I happened upon this book by a happy accident. I was scrolling through my newly opened Book Sirens account looking for something to read, and since it’s September and officially “Spooky Season,” I decided to look for a witchy horror book to read. I am honestly happy that I found They Are Cursed Like Us and decided to read it.
What a lovely cozy horror book! I know that seems oxymoronic, but just like there are cozy mysteries, there are cozy horror books. Now, I don't mean cozy in that sense that everything is glossed over through the plot and hunky-dory at the end. What I mean is that everything in the plot flows well and the action in the book doesn’t make my brain hurt like other horror books can.
In this book, we have two separate points of view. We get the POV of Loretta, a thirty something witch who’s magic and luck have run out. We also get the POV of sixteen year-old Courtney, who’s down on her luck, lives in a trailer park, and is treated like garbage because of it. These two characters are mirrors of each other if that mirror was a funhouse opposite mirror. Where Loretta is potentially at the end of seeming bliss turned to chaos, Courtney is at the beginning of her chaotic life hoping to find a way to bliss. And, she wants to use magic to find that bliss. Honestly, Courtney might want to use anything she can find the way to a better and happier life. Magic just happens to be what falls in her lap.
This book is filled to the brim with blood, guts, gore, sadness, hopeless hope, and desperation. It provides the prime emotion for a good horror book. It also has a proper setting to produce those emotions, a trailer park. Trailer parks are to the country and suburbs what ghettos are to inner cities. They are where the poorest citizens of a city live. it ‘s the place where hopelessness can dwell. When a character is hopeless and also desperate in search of a way to better their life, the wrong decisions are sure to be made. And, boy, were they made in this book.
Without giving too much away about the plot, this book is very female centric while also being very feminist. It doesn’t pit men against women. Instead focuses more on female independence, freedom, and choice. But, it also has an underlying message of knowing when to draw the line. Sisterhood should only go so far. There are certain lines that should never be crossed.
All of the characters in this book were very individualistic and had great development. If I had to pick a favorite, it would probably be Loretta. I am tempted to say Courtney, but I feel more feelings and attachment to Loretta being that I am around the same age. Also, Loretta had the most character development out of every other character. Belladonna was the only character I wish had a little bit more of a backstory or side story. It would be interesting to know how she became the woman she is when Loretta first meets her.
This book also has some murder-death-kills. The author’s held no punches. It was every woman for themselves!
4.75/5
I would definitely recommend this book if you like horror, witches, or you are in a reading slump. This is the first book of what looks like a series. I can’t wait to see what happens in the sequel.
Thank you to the authors and publishers for providing this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily. -
Rating: 4/5 Penguins
Quick Reasons: perfectly witchy, hauntingly horrific; devoured it; could not put it down; the writing is spooky and heavy with foreboding; this shows a side of the craft we do not typically get in stories
HUGE thank you to Holley Cornetto and Eerie River Publishing for sending a free galley of this title my way in exchange for a review! This in no way altered my read of or opinions on this book.
And what a hauntingly, horrifically, PERFECT read for the month of October this was! The story is witchy and atmospheric; the characters are very morally gray and complex. I was swept up into this read from the very first line, and taken on a whirlwind of a ride.
But this is me now. The appointments have started. Scans, biopsies, consultations. I know the steps to this dance. I've waltzed this way before and my bodice is too tight.
Holley Cornetto thought through EVERY. SINGLE. Detail. There were moments of foreshadowing that I didn't even catch until the very end, when everything came around full circle and I was left, mouth-agape and exclaiming "Oh, that was SO CLEVER!" I lost sense of time and the real world while I read, I was so hooked into following the story where it led.
The characters are morally gray and written in just the right way to show what desperation can do a person. The reality of human-emotions paired with the suspended disbelief of magic was just *chefs kiss*. The writing is beautiful, rich and rife with both mesmerizing descriptions and horrifying gore. If you're looking for a spooky read this Halloween season, look no further--this is PERFECT for you!
Belladonna tossed aside the second stick, heard the bones rattle among the leaves like dice, and took a third. "Are you...human?"
"Not as such."
"Then why take a man's shape?"
She was of the opinion that there were more flattering shapes to take, but the recently burned were most afraid of flames.
I highly recommend this to lovers of magic, witchy vibes, and monsters that lurk just out of sight. This read is bound to take you on a ride--but watch for that head-on collision! Holley Cornetto crafted a read worthy of the genre; I cannot wait to see what happens next! -
This story is a result of a mixture of influences in my life. My experiences as a child in rural Alabama inevitably shape everything I write in some way. The culture I grew up in was steeped in fundamentalist religious tradition and belief. I never really fit in, and I rebelled by watching movies like The Craft and listening to bands like Marilyn Manson. I was the weird kid who sat in the back of French class, reading the novelization of the X-Files. I still can’t conjugate verbs, but my love of reading and stories has remained intact over the years.
From the perspective of a reader, I’ve always loved coming-of-age fiction. Stories about kids stumbling into adult situations, largely unprepared, but somehow finding a way through have always held appeal. Robert R. McCammon’s Boy’s Life, Stephen King’s It, and Dan Simmon’s Summer of Night all became the type of stories I wanted to tell. Where this book differs is by offering a female perspective, and a queer one at that. While horror continues to grow more inclusive, there is still more room for female and queer voices in the genre, and I hope Courtney’s story helps fill that gap.
Perhaps the biggest influence for this book came from the 1996 movie, The Craft. I was thirteen when this movie was originally released, and I found myself conflicted by my feelings for Nancy as portrayed by actress Fairuza Balk. I was completely entranced by this character and felt simultaneously compelled by and wary of her. What would it be like to love someone like Nancy? I carried that question with me for a long time, and I think Courtney’s relationship with Dani is my attempt to answer that question.
I guess you can say that Simone and I have written the story I most wanted to read. Thirteen-year-old Holley might have been too young for it, but she likely would have read it anyway. -
Looking for a fun, fast paced, captivating coming of age story, filled to the brim of a Witch’s hat with hexes, trailer park adventures and sapphic romance? Well I truly cannot say enough good things about this book!
“They Are Cursed Like You” centers around Courtney, a young girl struggling with some heavy hitting issues right out the date - bullying, an absentee drug addled mother and the “shame” of living in a trailer park. She finds solace in her kindly nana and of course, her friend group, especially Dani, who we quickly find Courtney may consider more than just a friend.
In order to earn some extra money, Courtney cleans houses, and while cleaning the house of a stunning yet eccentric woman named Belladonna, she discovers a book that just seems to call to her…
Meanwhile, we meet Loretta, a successful author who seems to have everything going for her. A great coven of beautiful fellow witches who are her best friends, a comfortable lifestyle, an adoring fan base and of course, the leadership of her ethereal coven leader. But one day, out of nowhere, things start to shift, to seem less than perfect…
As someone who grew up in poverty, I related to this book on a very personal level. Cornetto’s empathetic yet realist approach to the experience of a trailer park childhood made connecting to the characters and their non magical perils much easier, making the book an incredible read!
Aside from that, the book is just such a good, solid story from start to finish. I cared about every character we were introduced to, I rooted for our protagonist(s?) the whole time because while they were far from perfect, they were incredibly likable and easy to connect to. All together, Holley Cornetto has written a fantastic story, and I’m very excited to see where she takes the rest of the series.
4.5/5 stars!! ✨✨✨✨ -
An excellent entry in the niche subgenre of "coming-of-age horror." This one is unique in that the protagonists are all female (seriously, why are there not more "girls on bikes" type of stories in this genre?) .
Taking place in a trailer park somewhere in the rural south, we follow a group of teenaged girls as they navigate high school, dysfunctional and abusive households, and witchcraft. The chapters alternate with the point-of-view of an older character, someone who can probably see where the girls meddlings with the dark arts will end up.
The writing in this book is fanastic. It was full of lines I wanted to underline and the prose was propulsive and kept the action moving. The final chapters build and build and I found it difficult to put down.
One of my favorite parts of a coming of age horror novel is the older narrator looking back. I think this technique is a form of utility--you can't feel nostalgia for a time that your currently living in. THEY ARE CURSED LIKE YOU approaches this in a unique and interesting manner, using this older perspective in the form of separate, but parallel characters. I appreciate the approach, but it didn't allow for that deep gut-punch of nostalgia and longing that I crave in these types of stories. This might ultimately beffine as perhaps sticking to those type of beats would come off as insincere and formulaic.
I will be looking for more from these authors in the future as this book proves they have the chops to craft a compelling narrative with a rousing and satisfying conclusion. -
🔮🔮🔮🔮🔮/5
Five of five crystal balls
Take The Craft, modernize it, make it queer and about two different covens and you've got They are Cursed Like You. The Craft is one of my favorite movies and so I obviously loved this read.
A group of girls that live in the local trailer park want different things from life than what they've known. They've been working Magick on their own when they accidentally, and depending on how you look at it unfortunately, come across some elder Witches. Their lives begin to intertwine and the old promise to teach the young. But not everything is as it appears. Lies are told and secrets are being kept. Who can be truly trusted and how strong are these sisterly bonds? Will their rabbits feet protect them?
If you like queer, witchy, spooky and mysterious reads, then this one is for you!
- Queer
- Witches
- Enemies to lovers to enemies
- Lovers to enemies to lovers
- Magick
- Friendship
- Mystery
- Covens
"Eventually, the Wolf devours all of his little rabbits."
"Her dress is funereal black, and she has a veil drawn over her eyes like a widow. Or Morticia fu€king Addams." -
Let me just start by saying I just discovered Holley's work and I am so sad that it took me so long! This is my second read of hers and I have not been let down by either book!
I really enjoyed how this story was the perfect mix of paranormal (i.e witches and magic) and real life situations (living in a trailer park and trying to do anything you can to better your life). I also like how the story was told from both the POV of Loretta, an old coven witch who's power has run out, and Courtney, a young girl from the trailer park who has stumbled upon magic and the whole idea of being a witch. The story ends making the reader wonder what in the world is going to happen next, but worry not because there will be 2 more books in this series so we will get all of our questions answered!
Something I have come to love about Holley as a writer is that she is very inclusive of everyone and it shows in her writing because she writes about female/female relationships. That is something that makes me so happy. -
Thank you, Holly Cornetto, for sending me a copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review. My opinions and review have not been affected by this.
This book was such a fun, unique read that seriously made me think of the movies, The Craft and Now and Then. I enjoyed how perfectly imperfect the characters were and how their unique personalities meshed to form their own bond. The storyline really flows well, which is something not all authors can pull off with a dual Point of View. We get the viewpoint of both Loretta, a witch in her thirties whose luck and magic have run out, and Courtney, the sixteen year old who is, also, down on her luck. Holly did a great job telling the story from their very distinct tones and personalities. If you enjoy horror stories and books about witches, I highly recommend this book. It is the first book I’ve read by this author and it will definitely not be the last! -
At first when I saw the name and cover of this book and read the synopsis, I couldn’t wait to dive in. I had all The Craft/witchy expectations but unfortunately my expectations weren’t met. Although the book held my interest I was waiting for some major things to happen and I think that’s partially my fault because I went in thinking I was gonna get The Craft movie but in book version. So the way I would describe this book is that it’s kinda sorta but not really like The Craft (if that makes any sense). I was hoping for it to focus more on revenge spells, getting even with mean girls that kinda thing but it wasn’t really that at all. All in all, the ending was pretty good. If there’s a part 2 to this I’ll read it.
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I love a good witch novel, and this was no exception. This is an excellent feminist horror novel following a cast of almost exclusively female characters, many of whom were queer, as they dabble in magic and reap the consequences. My biggest complaint was that Belladonna was set up as such a vital part of the whole story, yet she stayed in the background for most of the book and hardly had any screen time. I think I would have preferred it if Loretta's relationship with her had been more centerstage throughout the story and if she had interacted with the younger set of characters. Even so, it was a good story, and I'd definitely be interested in checking out the sequel.
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Just finished listening to the audiobook version of this on the Chilling app and…dang. Like dang, why has there not been more Holley Cornetto books in my life? This was gritty and full of rough-around-the-edges heart. They Are Cursed Like Us, does a masterful job of conveying how people get trapped, pushed into corners and what they are willing to break to get out of them. Holley is an incredible writer who juggles a generational cast without dropping a single ball. This book kept me sitting in my car to listen to just a few more verses in my driveway. Masterful. Gut-wrenchingly emotional. Pick this one up, folks. It’ll stick with you. What a read.
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This book was so fun to read! I was enthralled within the first two chapters. The story that the author creates makes you want to keep turning pages and wish the book never stopped!
The characters are developed well and you really feel for them at the end of the book. This book got both chills and tears out of me.
We all would love to believe that magic is real. That with a quick spell all of our problems and hardships would be over. But at what cost? This book lets you see a side to magic that isn’t thought about often. 10/10 recommend! 😀 -
The power of four is not to be messed with.
Cornetto did a good job with creating an interesting group of characters and how they were all tied together due to one person.
The atmosphere kept the pages turning and found myself pulling for Courtney.
The addition of the Wolf character toward the end felt off. Not sure if the character was added to help with the conclusion or if it was part of the overall plan.
Either way, this is a solid read and worth sitting down with.
Thanks to Holly for providing a copy of the book for an honest review. -
Courtney and her friends would do anything to escape Shady Acres trailer Park. When they meet an older group of women who promise to teach them magic, they believe they have an answer to all their problems. But there is a dark and dangerous force at work, and Courtney starts to question the older coven's intentions.
I really enjoyed the strong female characters, sapphic relationships, and deep friendships in this story. I also appreciated the desperation of our choices and the consequences that follow. I thought it was really thoughtful, and I found myself connected and rooting for Courtney.
It took me a cpl chapters to get invested only because there are so many characters to remember.
Ultimately, I loved the dark, witchy, magical vibes of this book.
