By: Leah
The Lies of Alma Blackwell
- Author: Amanda Glaze
- Genre: YA Horror
- Publication Date: August 27, 2024
- Publisher: Union Square & Co.
Originally posted on Leah’s Books.
Thank you to Union Square & Co. and Angela Man for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
CONTENT WARNING: parental abandonment, murder, death, death of children, grief, violence
Plot Summary
A sweepingly romantic gothic mystery about a girl poised to inherit a famously haunted California mansion and a stranger who arrives with a dark warning …
For over a century, the Blackwells have protected the town of Hollow Cliff from vengeful spirits.
Seventeen-year-old Nev is ready to take over for her ailing grandmother as the town’s witch protector—unlike her mother, who left when Nev was a child and never looked back.
When a stranger arrives at Blackwell House of Spirits to fill a tour guide opening, Nev reluctantly offers him the job. Nev doesn’t trust Cal. He knows more than he’s letting on about Blackwell House—and about Nev herself.
But Nev soon learns that she has been lied to her whole life. By following the trail of clues left behind in Blackwell House by her most powerful witch ancestor, Nev uncovers an unspeakable legacy of murder and lies…and realizes that a stranger may be the one person she can trust.
Overall Impression
I was so excited to read this one, and a friend who had read it before me had nothing but good things to say about it. This made me look forward to reading it even more. While it is listed as horror, it comes off more as the ‘horror-lite’ type of story that I like, which mixes fantasy, elements of horror, mystery, and thriller, combined with family secrets and a dark legacy.
To start with, the story begins with an overwhelmingly gothic tone that doesn’t let up throughout the book. I’ve read a lot of books that have a house with a gothic feel to it, but this is one of the few stories I’ve read where the town itself is what lends the gothic element to the book, similar to how One Dark Window was set in a city that was gothic, rather than just the one building. There’s a haunting feel to Hollow Cliff where something eerie is just a blink away, a hidden secret is only one question away, and for every answered question, a new question is unearthed. It made for very interesting reading, where I was always wondering what could happen next. The writing was also vividly descriptive, to the point where I could practically hear waves and taste salt water on my lips.
I loved Nev’s character. She’s surprisingly mature for her age, but she was raised knowing that she has one responsibility and being groomed for it, knowing at a young age that she would be taking her vow as protector of the town. But she’s also full of questions, and doesn’t really have any outlet to get answers. I liked that she’s smart and independent, knows when to ask questions and when to find the answers on her own, and has good intuition.
Speaking of intuition, while I loved Nev right away, it took me longer to warm up to Cal. I had so many questions about who he was and why he was there, and couldn’t understand why no one in the story seemed to have them. Instead of finding out more about him, all he needed to give was his first name and the fact that he was looking for a summer job, and he was welcomed into the house. I spent so much time wondering who he was, and then all the pieces started to fall into place for me. I figured out the twist before the reveal, but I still really enjoyed how the reveal was done.
The plot was a fantastic one. I wasn’t sure how things were going to turn out at any point in the story—it kept me guessing the whole time. I love a mystery where I can’t guess everything upfront, because it keeps things fresh and exciting. But it wasn’t just a mystery, making this a fantastic read across multiple genres. And while it is a YA book, our MC is sheltered, but she doesn’t fall into the typical naïve, self-absorbed teenager role that so many YA protagonists become.
Overall, this was the kind of story that I couldn’t put down, and didn’t want to—I needed to know what was going to be discovered next. And yes, it was a need. The setting, characters, and mystery all combined to make this an irresistible story. Plus, I absolutely loved how the story was told. I enjoyed Glaze’s first book, but this one really showed how much she’s progressed as a writer, and makes me look forward to seeing more work from her in the future. This would be a good fit if you like family secrets, horror lite, dramatic family stories, and just enough fantasy to keep you hanging on every word.
Functionally Fictional 
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