This book is beautifully written. It is so dark and twisted. It was very hard to read in places.
The main character is very strong.

This dark, twisty thriller had me gripped and I couldn’t put it down. The tension kept me engaged and although it felt quite disturbing reading at times I really enjoyed it. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.
Thank you to Harper Fiction and NetGalley UK this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was an emotional but powerful read. Interesting insight culturally but quite dark in some places. So pleased I stuck with it as it opened my eyes to this kind of abusive relationship but there was no doubt it was beautifully written.

Thank you Netgalley.

Really great novel about inter generational trauma and coming to realise as an adult that your normal is not what you thought. Culturally interesting and well written, this was a bit different and I sped through it

A really odd book, I couldn't quite get into the story or the writing and for this reason, I wasn't able to finish it. I do wonder if it would have gotten better had I stuck with it but I know, if the writing doesn't resonate with me and if I am forcing myself to read, then it's just not for me.

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC.

I was really looking forward to this after reading the blurb but after reading I don't think it matched the story.

Lily spends all her time looking after her Mamma, arranging her bedroom and wardrobes and taking care of her cooking and the spoilt juice she likes to drink. It is Lily's responsibility to keep Mamma calm when her father, sister and brother upset her. But is Mamma as vulnerable as she makes out or is she the monster. When Lily starts having vivid flashbacks are they hers or Mammas and what will it take for Lily to figure it all out and save her own sanity.

I found each of the characters immensely frustrating. There were a lot of far fetched and far reaching moments and in the end I only carried on reading to see what the outcome was. There were a couple of touching moments but it was also confusing in parts switching between the flashbacks and memories.

This book delves deeply into the lasting impact of trauma on individuals, families, and even future generations. It presents a relatable exploration of how our experiences shape our relationships and behaviors. King's writing style is captivating and accessible, making the mysterious elements of the story all the more intriguing and advancing the plot effectively. The author has skillfully crafted the pacing and placement of events, keeping the reader engaged and eager to dive into the next chapter. The plot is well-developed, and the protagonist, Lily, is a likable character. Ella King successfully weaves together a diverse range of character stories without slowing down the overall narrative. However, there are a few aspects of the book that could be improved, such as certain flashbacks that can be confusing, and a section in the middle where it was uncertain if the flashbacks would be explained. For this reason, I gave the book 4 stars instead of 5. I would recommend potential readers to research or seek out content warnings before picking up this book.

I did not enjoy this book as much as I could have due to the subject matter. It was a uncomfortable read for me. A very toxic mother/daughter relationship which boiled with anger and frustration.

I don't think this story of a mother/daughter toxic relationship was for me. The overall theme seemed to be whether one person's trauma allows them to traumatise and abuse others. I didn't enjoy the way the book was written, though I admit first person narrative isn't my favourite, especially in stories of this kind. I think I could have got on board more if I'd liked any of the characters, I felt some pity for them but somehow they, and their actions didn't feel real enough, and in some cases, so over the top as to be unbelievable. I don't like to leave a negative review, but this one really didn't float my boat. Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

Reading this novel was like slowly unravelling a dark and devastating tale. Lily is a Mama's girl and the two are best friends; however, as the novel unfolds we realise that something is terribly wrong in Lily's home and as she slowly begins to recover lost memories the true horror of what has occurred is revealed.

This novel was dark and disturbing but one that I couldn't pull away from. Lily's revelation about her mother's abuse was slowly revealed but the novel was written so beautifully and not in an exploitive or over dramatic way. A heart-breaking but beautifully gripping novel that I couldn't put down.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review

Many thanks to the publishing team for my digital copy for review.
I had seen alot of shares for this book over social media so was very intrigued to read it. The blurb provides some indicator of the premise of the book but once you start to read and delve in you aren't truly prepared how deep the author goes. The emotions that are weaved throughout this book are intense.
One thing the author did was signify and highlight a strong/resilient female character that has to face many challenges and the long term effects childhood trauma carries through to adulthood. The toxicity within the household was evident and seeps through the generations and coming to the realisation of when and by whom does it end.
There are some triggers from the book: Abuse, childhood trauma and neglect.

This one was just not for me and I struggled to finish it. I just couldn’t get attached to the characters and found the plot repetitive. I know it’s had a lot of positive reviews so you may love it !

It's so hard to believe this is a debut novel, the writing is flawless with characters that are so evocative with so many layers of complexity and emotion. A hard one to read but I was completely captivated and couldn't put it down.

Full review to come.

Firstly, can we just have a look at that stunning cover? Isn’t it absolutely beautiful? So, can you judge a book by it’s cover.. well if you are looking for a stunning debut, beautifully written then absolutely YES you can! Bad Fruit is Ella King’s debut novel and is a deliciously dark look at dysfunctional families and toxic mother-daughter relationships.

I chose to read Bad Fruit with 9 member of my online book club as a “Buddy Read” and we agreed to start it together and read the first 10 chapters and discuss online the following day. Having met Ella King at a book festival in September I thought this would be a nice, gentle story about families because Ella is such a lovely, friendly and sweet lady. Blimey… you know that saying “it’s always the quiet ones..” well I’m not so sure I want to meet Ella again as this one of the darkest books I’ve read.

Lily is the youngest child of 3. Born to an English father and a Singaporean Mother, she is spending her last summer at home before leaving to start at Oxford University. Her older sister and brother have left home and it falls upon Lily to act as a buffer between her warring parents. I don’t want to say too much about the storyline because I think the reader needs to go into this book with an open mind. This is NOT a thriller so there aren’t any twists or shocks, but it is a very emotional and hardhitting story which needs to be heard.

This is NOT an easy read and it touches on some extremely sensitive topics like Child Abuse, Neglect, Mental Health, however Ella King has an absolutely beautiful writing style. None of the characters are particularly likeable and some are absolutely disgusting and hateful, but all of them are believable and quickly get under the readers skin.

This is a perfect book for a buddy read, because I absolutely needed the little breaks between chapters to stop and think about what I had just read and how I was feeling. At times I felt dirty and unclean but this is a testament to Ella’s talent for storytelling.

This is one author I will be following closely (but not in real life, because I’m pretty scared of her now!).

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I suspect this is always going to be a book that divides the critics - it is certainly not an easy read, horrifying at times, as it examines the long term effects of trauma and toxic familial relationships. At its heart is the relationship between 17 year old Lily and her emotionally unstable mother, Over the course of a summer things begin to unravel for the whole family, and Lilly starts having flashbacks, leading her to piece together her mother's hidden past.

What blew me away about this book is the writing - it is hard to believe it is King's debut novel. In amongst all the horror, it is so beautifully written, the prose so intense that as a reader it drew me in - at times it was hard to believe what I was reading, but I kept turning the pages desperate to find out more. I look forward to seeing what King writes next.

This is a powerful and quite emotional book but I must admit I struggled a bit with it, I did persevere and I’m pleased I did, but it’s not my usual type

The blurb for this book sounded great, but I really struggled with the book as I found it to be really slow and hard to get into and none of the characters were likeable, I thought it was going to be a DNF.
I did eventually manage to get through it, but I'm not sure it was worth it honestly.
The subject matter was very difficult, but overall I don't think it excuses Mama's behaviour and i didn't leave the book feeling hopeful for anyone.
My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for my eARC in return for my honest review.

Not for me. Couldn’t make head or tail of what was going on. Gave up at 35%. The blurb sounded great but the story was just silly.

Bad Fruit is a tightly written debut novel from Ella King centred around a teenage girl about to go to university, her sisters and their permanently warring parents. It feels almost lighthearted until you realise how much the sisters have to negotiate in order to keep their family sweet, Once you spot it, you can feel the intergenerational issues come flooding through the pages.
There was a lot to unpack with the story, the use of language and imagery was perfectly pitched, and I had to stop and allow the story to bed in, rather than tearing through the pages like I usually do.
Its a fantastic debut and i am sure that Ella King is going to be a big name in the literary world.

Bad fruit is a book that definitely didn’t disappoint. This is a powerful, emotional and thought provoking read.

Mama has been an unlikeable character from the beginning. Definitely a self-centred, ego-centric matriarch.

This is written beautifully and is filled with tension. Bad Fruit is atmospheric and filled with a range of toxic characters.

I have devoured this book in just one sitting. There have been so many WTF moments as I’ve read this one.

I love the uniqueness of the flashbacks- they’ve really added a dimension to this book. Whilst I have felt frustrated by certain points, this is a superb exploration of a dysfunctional family.

This debut is a masterpiece. Ella king is going to be an author to watch out for. I absolutely cannot wait to see more from Ella.