A review by alienrosey
We Kept Her in the Cellar by W.R. Gorman

dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

5.0

 Thank you NetGalley for providing the eARC in exchange for an honest review! 

What if Cinderella was not an orphaned beauty but an eldritch horror who must be contained by her family? Eunice is getting a new stepsister, but she is more than meets the eye. Quickly, she learns that her new stepsister Cinderella is a beast in the form of an enchantingly beautiful girl and can only be controlled by her family members. If she is uncontrolled, it would spell disaster and dismemberment for her family and anyone in her path. Caring for Cinderella comes with rules. One, always refer to her as family. Two, never let her interact with mice or rats, you won't like what happens when she does. Three, never witness her between the midnight and 3am. 

This story is really Cinderella meets Lovecraft. Gorey, fast paced and sickening, this kept me enthralled. I was so surprised that this is a debut novel, I would love to read more from this author! The beginning is a little slow but stick with it, it picks up quickly. 

If you are squeamish, avoid this book since it gets pretty icky (but if that's your thing, enjoy!!) I love a cosmic horror and can deal with gore in books so i had a great time with this one. 

TW: Gore, death, vomit, death of a parent discussed, body horror, animal death/cruelty 
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