| Title | : | Crows |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Format Type | : | Kindle , Hardcover , Paperback , Audiobook & More |
| Number of Pages | : | - |
| Publication | : | Published December 10, 2021 |
And what delights await?
Crows Reviews
-
This was a very interesting read. I’ll be honest in that it took me quite awhile to get into the story. But once I made it beyond the halfway point, the fantastical elements really pulled me in. The crow hybrids made me think of something out of The Neverending Story. While you wanted to be more interested in the traditions and habits of the creatures, they just constantly excuded this aura of scariness that you couldn’t get past. And they were totally unpredictable, which just added more seasoning to this juicy tale. I feel like the depth it wanted to achieve with some of the characters didn’t quite get to where it needed to be. However, that is almost always the case with a hundred page story. And the entire process of the four youths leading up to the abduction did seem to drag out more than it needed to. But as a whole, the story made some bold decisions with its execution and most paid off. Mark Towse remains one of my favorite authors, and if you haven’t gone through his books yet, you’re missing out on a very talented colleague of mine.
-
Caws it was really good, and I'm talon the truth!
-
Oh my goodness! I have always had a fear of birds and this book scared me to my core! Mark Towse masterfully weaved a truly terrifying tale.
Thank you to Mark Towse for this gifted copy of Crows.
I wasn’t sure at first where the story was going but the action quickly picked up as a group of teens received an invitation to a Halloween party.
“To summaries then, we are stuck in the middle of the woods, out of petrol, one phone between us with no signal, and there’s someone out there with a fucking chainsaw?”
Needless to say that things for this group got complicated. I loved the way the crows were woven into the story and their presence always gave me goosebumps. At the core of this story is a grieving father who found his own unique way to deal with his grief.
This is my first novella by Mark Towse and it will certainly not be my last.
Crows is available now. -
"Church taught Patrick many things about death and how it should be approached with peace and trust. The times he visited the graveside of his parents, such a philosophy was easier to accept, but the drive to Faregate cemetery is a different journey now his daughter is buried there. It is one that evokes pain, anger, and futility at a young life unnecessarily lost."
Crows: Highly cunning and inquisitive. A motif in human culture, often associated with death, thieves, graveyards, bad luck, and other negative connotations.
A story of a fathers grief and revenge. He follows the Crows deep into the woods, discovering more than he could have imagined. A village of darkness awaits within and leads Patrick on a journey to discovering the truth of his daughters death. What ensues is revenge, death and loss, and a new found union of friendship and love. A path to find peace, but in the end there is an emptiness that still resides deep within his heart.
Anyone who has read anything by Mark, should already know he is great at weaving stories of darkness. This story will wrap around the heart and settle there because the grief is so real. Now that is the kind of fiction I love, the kind that folds me into the darkness, but evokes all the feelings pulled from the heart and soul.
The horror within awaits you! -
Horror Bookworm Reviews
https://horrorbookwormreviews.com/
A man grieves for his young daughter’s unexpected death. The struggle to overcome the passing of his child is a constant torment of pain, guilt and anger. Two couples receive unusual invitations that lead to the middle of no man’s land where discoveries of surreal nightmares are made. Both of these paths will cross and lead to an ultimate guidance of fate.
The personalities and individuals in this novella encounter life choices that will inadvertently leave a mark on their past and future legacies. As such, these characters are confronted with sinister folklore, spiritual celebrations and territorial omens. The author cleverly builds bizarre occult-like artifacts and feathered ornaments as an ominous foreboding nightmare.
Mark Towse has quickly become one of my favorite authors to read. Within the pages of this book he carries his authentic approach to beautiful moments of suspense while combining subtle phobias with stomaching wrenching results. This novella’s twisting and turning plot takes flight into the unknown of ceremonial savagery.
Released by D&T Publishing, Crows is a raw combination of Hitchcock’s The Birds and The Wicker Man. It possesses all the qualities needed for a classic spine-chilling tense read. Don’t dismiss the black feathered prophecy as it squawks, caws and tap-tap-taps towards your judgement day. Enjoy this exceptional five star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Horror Bookworm Reviews Recommendations. -
Where to even begin??? Everything about this story is the worst nightmare you can imagine. I had thought for a minute that my annual October horror readathon had left me unscathed. Mark Towse said, “hold my beer.”
Crows has strong emotions and incredibly graphic scenes. It would be one thing if this was written for shock value alone but it’ll rip your heart out. Although the meat of this story has a fever dream-like quality, the grief, anger, despair and fear are very real indeed. Excellent as always, Mark! -
I went into this book blind, I had no idea what it was about. I truly enjoyed every single word. There are so many emotions in this book. The beginning drowns you in sorrow. The middle is a creepy journey through the forest and revenge. Surprisingly enough the end leaves you with hope.
-
A great story about loss and grief. Reminded me a lot of " Grief is a Thing With Feathers" which is a favorite of mine. This is a new author to me, and now I will have to read everything. Only issue I had, was I wanted it to be longer.
-
Thank you to the author for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!
A really fun and fast paced story. I love when horror plots incorporates crows! This was just an easy, simple, and entertaining story. -
Book review 🅒🅡🅞🅦🅢 by @towseywrites
Yes, a second novella by Mark Towse in one month, and I have no regrets… none at all! Because, bloody hell…
Well, crows is about… commitment, repentance, friendship, harassment, love and family… all this packaged in a horror novella about crows!
The black birds play a central role, of course! And I will never look at those birds the same way now.
From the moment you lay your eyes on this beautiful cover, you see there’s something sinister going on. Well, get reading! Because it’s good! I know I’m vague but I don’t want to spoil anything!
A mixture of Hitchcock’s The Birds with the claustrophobic feeling of Wrong Turn and the folky bits of Children of the Corn!
I’m looking forward to the next Towse!
http://looneybooks79.blog/2022/02/08/... -
With a title like Crows, my brain conjured up images of Hitchcock’s The Birds or creature features like Guy N Smith’s Killer Crab series. Instead, Crows delivers the sort of slow burn, close-knit village related horror that can be compared to Midsommar or The Village.
The tone of the book is set immediately in the opening scenes, where a priest has abandoned his wife in order to grieve by himself in a remote cabin after his daughter’s suicide. From here, we are introduced to a group of friends, Vanessa, Scott, Rich, and Sophie, who receive invitations to a mysterious Halloween party. The group makes their way to the party, where things are not what they had seemed to be.
Crows is written very similarly to how many horror/thriller movies are, making this an easy book to envision and immerse yourself in. I really enjoyed the story and how it is written, with characters that fit into their roles perfectly. This was my first longer piece from Mark Towse, as I am more familiar with the short stories he has written for various anthologies. However, I enjoyed Crows so much that this will not be the last time I choose to pick up one of his books!
Crows is perfect for a weekend at the cabin or a day at the beach. It’s length makes it ideal for reading in one sitting, which I recommend so you can fully appreciate the story Towse has created. I give Crows 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5. -
CROWS - 5/5
By Mark Towse
So after reading NANA & HOPE WHARF, Mark has become a buy no matter what author.
I have to say, even if I hadn’t read books by this author before, the cover of this novella alone would have made me buy it - it is absolutely stunning.
What starts off as a fairly innocent visit to Patrick’s daughters grave - soon spins into a rather messy tale of revenge and retribution.
If you want to be grossed out - read NANA. If you want to be unsettled - read HOPE WHARF. If you want a revenge story - CROWS is for you! -
Crows by Mark Towse is a dark, haunting, at times gruesome filled read. With themes of grief and revenge this is a fast paced story with interesting characters. And horror, plenty of horror elements.
At the start we are introduced to four people. Scott, Vanessa, Sophie and Rich. Not friends exactly, two know each other and the other two have just met. When both Vanessa and Scott get a mysterious invitation to a Halloween party, they set off and our nightmare filled journey begins.
Honestly, the crows scared me but Towse manages to also write them so well, they have a strong voice while still being terrifying. Like, straight out of your worst nightmares. You probably won't sleep and will run if you see a crow after reading this!
The theme of grief in this novella, Towsey nailed correctly. All the confusing feelings, the wanting to run away, feeling like your wold has fallen apart - it's relatable but handled tactfully as well.
I really disliked some of these characters, they felt like immature highschoolers but this didn't take away from the story, if anything it added to it by creating an interesting dynamic which made me want to read on. I really liked Rich and Sophie - I'd hangout with those two.
I'm trying to finish this review but find that I'm still thinking about it. It was that enjoyable to read! It's a novella that will definitely stick with me and recommend to everyone who likes horror.
If your looking for your next horror read, pick this one up. You won't be disappointed. 5 star read for me. Thank you to the author, Mark Towse for a free ebook in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. -
A tale of two Halloween parties gone awry…:
At first, there was a bit of a slow start, but then things get wild and freaky in an avian kind of way!!
You’ll never see all the surprises in this tale coming, that’s for sure.
I would’ve loved more context for the reader on the Crow “people”. What was the nesting ceremony about at the end? -
This is my third outing with Mark Towse's work and is easily my favourite so far. Mark has shown real skill at creating an unnerving and sinister environment for his stories, and 'Crows' is no exception.
Where as his previous offerings were coming of age tales, and so had to set the scene a little first, this takes you straight into the drama, with the genuinely heart-rending situation of a grieving father. From there, it takes a slight left turn, introducing two couples on their way to a Halloween party, only for them to get lost in the woods en route. The tale that follows is full of folk horror goodness, and ultimately ties up with the opening.
The crow cultists are an unusual crowd, one moment endearing, the next unnerving and menacing. Again, Mark shows that he understands the readers imagination is the strongest weapon in his arsenal, leaving some of the most gruesome elements to be only vaguely described, what is unsaid playing on the mind far more than graphic gore ever would.
The overall feeling is one of subtle unease that lingers past the final page. The cultists are in full control throughout, and they remain that way at the end. You leave, because they allow it. You shouldn't count on it a second time.
By turns creepy, dream-like, heartbreaking, and uneasy, this is essential reading for anyone interested in subtly and atmosphere in horror. -
Do you also associate crows with the Death? Did you also know they're incredibly intelligent animals with exceptional face memory and strong emotions?
The beginning of this book gave me huge E. A. Poe vibes. The grief, the loss, the questioning.. everything was there. Little did I know, that this was going to turn into a gothic cult horror with taste of revenge.
Four "friends" decide to accept a mysterious invitation to a Halloween party in the middle of the woods. I mean, what could go wrong, right? Well, when their car runs out of gas, they soon find out that things could go either extremely cheerful or terribly painful. But who is to decide?
This was an incredibly interesting mystery, that kept going ways I did not expect. The whole idea behind this is very captivating and the atmosphere is dark and beautiful at the same time. -
Towse has created something creepy and unique in this short 109 page read. The way he wove what crow behaviors and customs within the pages really added to the story.
What happens when 4 young people journey into the forest together, following directions to a mysterious Halloween party invite that includes a single crow's feather? Are they lost? Do they know who is throwing the party?
I can't say much more because I don't want to spoil things, but this is really well written, and besides the creep factor, Towse is amazing at dialog and making you feel what his characters feel in their relationships. Amazing horror read that has me wanting to pick up more by him soon! -
Thank you @towseywrites for sending me a copy of your book!
What a great story. Although this book is fairly short, around 100 odd pages......it felt longer with it's character development and the emotion written in. Despite being a horror, a story of revenge, it also has a deeper meaning behind it..... How far can the insanity of grief push us? How far would we go to make sure someone gets their justice? But even if we succeed, will the pain of losing the one we lost ever go away? This book would be great for a book club discussion and I can imagine it would cause mixed opinions. Did some of the characters deserve what happened because of their previous actions? Is it ever right to take law into our own hands? Interesting for sure! Maybe one we can't answer unless we've been put through this situation ourselves.
This was creepy too. Getting lost in the woods. Crows upon crows. The eerie silence of the woods being met with an unusual noise. A cry from an animal sounding like a scream from a human. A bird in song sounding like spoken words from someone nearby.....watching. The sinister sound of a chainsaw which grows louder as you approach. Plus more crows. Lots of crows.
I recommend if you like short horror stories which hold a deeper meaning. Being lost in the woods. Crows! Lots of emotions. Confusion, rage, happiness, laughter in a moment of joy and in moments of shock.
I recommend if you like the idea of being a crow, talking to a crow. Cults. Books which make you question your own morals. Basically, unless you plan on spending your evening with a Crow, I recommend making this your next read! -
I'll never look at crows the same way after this quick read! I’ve always loved corvids, but after this I love them even more. This story contains a lot and it was a fantastic experience, from the plot, the full theatrical listening experience, to the characters. Everything in this story was perfect and Mark Towse knows how to hold the reader’s attention with little gasp moments whenever the heightened emotional state induced by the story seems to calm down.
For the longest time I didn’t know what the author was getting at and I was able to enjoy the storyline without my mind trying to solve or discover anything, but I just took it all in. All the while though, expecting something big to finally happen!
And never in a million times I thought the story would go in that direction! Much better than I could have thought, right until the ending, although I have to say it left me with an unease I’ve been unable to shake.
As I mentioned before, the audiobook was fantastic and I really urge you to experience this story as an audiobook as the atmosphere it creates with the sounds and the crows callings really bring the plot to life.
I have now read a few of Mark Towse’s stories and I loved them all! -
A short, laser focused and highly entertaining story. But upon finishing I was left with so many questions. None related to the story specifically (that wraps up nicely), but to the origins of the community and its people... and the crows.
This book is crying out for a prequel! Its a tease for what could be. I'm intrigued and I want more.
The author has a nice flow to his writing style and his pages aren't padded out with convoluted, pointless filler just to increase the page count, which makes his work a pleasure to read (even if the subject matter isn't so pleasant for those in the story). -
My favorite Towse book so far!
This book has it all! Vengeance, dark secrets, gore, a cult, and lots and lots of feathers. This is a beautifully written novella that you need to add to your TBR list! -
I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect of this one, but I did not anticipate the wild and trippy adventure that ensued. Mysterious invitations to a pop-up Halloween party somewhere way out in the country. A creepy road off the beaten path with only one eerie gas station, and a couple of crows that seem to be following them? Our four main characters are in for the night of their lives, some will change and some may not make it out alive. What they didn’t anticipate was ending up where they did. This story definitely has me viewing crows with a different mindset 😅, but it absolutely enthralled me and gave me major goosebumps.
-
Crows is a short, gruesome read with lots of twists. It delivers slasher-movie-horror-vibes, perfect for a quick scare on a dark night.
Thank you to the author for sending me a copy of this book! My horror heart has been very satisfied. -
The cover got me…I’m kind of a birder, and I just love crows. I wanted something different, and this novella certainly granted me that!
A foursome of young adults are heading to a Halloween party that turns out to be quite a bizarre journey.
The emotions are raw in this story, and I found the weirdness to not be so scary, but more haunting with a lingering feeling of unreality.
Horror with meaning and justice, this was four stars for me! -
A tragic tale of loss and suffering. The crow is a bad omen and on this Halloween Party Night revenge hangs thick in the night air. A fathers loss will not go unpunished this long Halloween Night. Very well written.
-
I’ve been reading a lot of horror novellas lately. I’ve been reading a lot of books with the theme of grief in lately.
Throw in some revenge and a creepy bird cult, and you have Crows by @towseywrites
This book started a little slow for me, I wasn’t sure where it was going. But by the end, I was hooked. I devoured it in one sitting and spent the night thinking about it before coming to write this review.
In this story a man is grieving for his child. Two couples receive invitations which lead them to the strangest night of their lives. When their paths cross, what horrors await them and will they ever awaken from the surreal nightmare?
I loved how short this book was and I loved how quickly I was able to get through it. I also loved the progression, as from about 50% through, things start going insane. The imagery creeped me out and the bird landing on my windowsill when I finished the book scared the hell out of me…!
I’d recommend this book to people who like creepy, tense, folklore style horror but also TW for grief.
Last night I was unsure whether to go for a 4 or 5 stars, and I think it really is 4.5, but based on the fact that I’m still thinking about it a lot after a night sleeping, I’m going to round it up to 5 stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you for the chance to read this book Mark, I really loved it and can’t wait to read more from you!
#marktowse #crows #thebirds #cult #grief -
This immersive audio experience has voices, sound effects and music, that builds and builds to a horrifying conclusion.
The book opens with Patrick, deeply grieving the death of his daughter at her own hand. He follows a curious crow into the woods.
Flash forward to Vanessa and Scott, exes who each get an eerie night visit by a crow and then find a mysterious invitation to a Halloween party. They decide to attend with their plus ones.
The two couples are led deep into a forest, become separated and meet the Crow People. A cult that has an agenda of revenge.
Very tense, fully enveloping, there were points in the story that I was IN THAT FOREST totally EXPERIENCING THST HORROR. Crows is a gratifying 3 hour event that I listened to while driving at night through the dark Pennsylvania countryside. At times I had to turn it off, like whoooooo boy, I was gripping the wheel with my shoulders hunched to my ears!
Nicely drawn characters, easy to follow dialogue plus inner monologues, whispered and echoey, that revealed true characters. I would have loved to know more about Sophie. I liked her character and a traumatic past was hinted at but not revealed.
All-in-all, a great audio theatrical experience. -
Having read one of Towse books Hope Wharf , I was excited to get stuck into Crows after Towse had so kindly sent it to me and my did it exceed my expectations.
The story is of a father’s grief and the lengths he goes to for revenge. It is a story of how far are you willing to go for the sake of your child. The story was dark and unsettling, the journey through the woods made for an ominous backdropping into what was going to happen next, two couples who both very different invited to a Halloween party by someone they don’t know of course was going to end in disaster , how the disaster was , was not one I was expecting. I loved the build up and tension to the finale, the references to the crows and humans. I loved the touch of folk horror and the cultish behaviour of the people the couples stumble across. My only downside was that the only character I connected to and felt for was the father, the other 4 I wasn’t really bothered what the outcome would be for them.
Overall I really enjoyed Crows. If you like folk horror thriller with dark unsettling undertones than definitely give this story a read. -
“𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘯 𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘭, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘵.”
Imagine going to a Halloween party of your nightmares. I will never look at crows the same way, after reading this.
This was my first novella by the author. The story started with a father grieving death of her daughter and it eventually turned into something unimaginable towards the end. It caught me off-guard and the shock factor was a major hit in this. What a writing!
I went in blind into the story and thus I enjoyed it a lot. I like such fresh horror/mystery stories where a mystery factor is closely knitted and you just can’t guess why the stuff is happening and where everything is leading to. And when you get a good answer to the question, its just perfect. All the characters are flawed and realistic. Can’t reveal more of the story as it will spoil the experience for people looking for reading it.
I know the spooky season is over, but you need to read this if you like a mix of horror and suspense element.
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.
