This was just OK for me, I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought but I did manage to finish it, interesting in areas and a little slow in other areas, defo a slow burner and worth a read if you like this kind of novel.

I received this in exchange for an honest review. I will be buying this - it was a good book and well written.

I reallywanted to like this one! The cover and the blurb draw me to it. Unfortunately, whereas the writing is wonderful, I found the development of the plot boring and so confusing with all the names so I DNF. I am sure others will enjoy it, it just wasn't for me.

THE GRIEF NURSE is a beautifully written, slightly unsettling book that captured my attention from beginning to end!

isn’t the cover absolutely beautiful? it’s what gripped me at first, i know they say never judge a book by its cover but wow this would look stunning on my bookshelf!

angie spoto’s writing is beautiful, the imagery and descriptions pull you into a world she’s created where grief takes a physical form. it’s definitely a unique idea!

however…this story wasn’t really for me, personally. i found it a tad boring and kind of wanted the novel to end but that’s not to say others won’t find it utterly captivating.

The Grief Nurse is a beautiful and unusual book, weaving almost a fairy story around a young woman with white hair who is chosen to be a grief nurse for a rich family. The premise is really original and the writer’s ability to make it work, because it’s quite a feat to layer so much into a single story, is remarkable.
I really enjoyed reading the book but was slightly disappointed with the ending. I felt it wrapped up a little too neatly but overall, Angie Spoto is a talent I’m sure we’ll all be reading more of her beautiful writing in years to come.

Sometimes a novel just grabs you by the title alone and then the blub draws you in- as was the case by The Grief Nurse. Imagine you can have all your sadness and worries removed, never to feel emotional pain. This is the job of Lynx, a grief nurse owned by a rich family, the Asters. When their eldest child is found dead, Lynx must help the remaining members become 'Bright' and insulated from any unpleasant feelings they may feel as a result (this doesn't make them seem any less unpleasant as *people* though...) When the deceased son's flighty wife appears with another grief nurse in tow, Lynx's steady world shatters amongst the secrets, lies and jealousy that the Aster family try so hard to hide.

The best way to describe this novel is sort of a magical realism Cluedo- at times I felt I was reading a novel set in the Roaring Twenties, but if it was also the Capitol in The Hunger Games- with a bit of what felt like Irish-adjacent mythological images as well. It was quite hard to pin down exactly where I was meant to be and that was disorientating (but I think that was the point, as the world in which the novel is set is deeply weird and strange!)

I've seen some comparisons to The Binding, which I don't think is quite right; maybe Mexican Gothic is a more apt comparison, that sort of deeply unsettling feeling you get when you feel as a reader you're not quite on solid ground. I'd recommend it as a great read for those winter-y weekends when all you want to do is curl up with a book and a blanket as the rain thunders down outside.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a really interesting concept which I would never had thought I'd enjoy!

The way grief is explained and explored in this book was really quite beautiful.

I was so looking forward to reading this one- fabulous looking cover, I'm sure the hardback will look amazing, plot description sounded enticing and intriguing, but sadly I really struggled with this one. I read a lot of magical realism, fantasy and historical, and mixtures of all three, but unfortunately I did not engage with the characters; too many unusual names that I felt I needed to make notes to keep track.
With regret, at 55% I stopped reading this book and although it was beautifully written, it wasn't for me.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this e advance copy.

Possible spoilers.

This book felt like another world to me... the names, the setting, the rules, the grief nurse's.
An amazing idea for a story, that really does just make you want to know why, and how.
Unfortunately for me, I struggled with too many characters , with names I couldn't get straight, and I'm still not sure exactly what a fader is.
Lynx however , was a character I enjoyed a lot, and could continue to read her story again and again.

Beautiful written and full of sumptuous, vivid descriptions. The plot slumped a little in the middle but picked up and was an enjoyable read.

Angie Spoto's writing style and use of imagery is as beautiful as the cover of her book. The author does an incredible job of bringing the reader deep into a world where grief can take physical form. Different from person to person almost like a familiar. She teases the idea that grief presents itself in different ways, ways that can be both beneficial and also tragic.

The Grief nurse is an intriguing story with a unique plot line. Unfortunately, it just wasn't the book for me. The story seemed to drag on, it felt like there were so many characters that we didn't truly get to delve into any of them as much as I felt the book needed.

Just because this book wasn't for me doesn't mean it isn't for you though. I would highly recommend giving this book a shot because I really do think that it is an incredible story that will be a favourite of many.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It all starts at a big event, a big celebration after the death of the son of a rich and prominent family. They are all happy, radiant/Bright, and joyful as they feel no sorrow, pain, or regret. All grief was taken away from them by their resident grief nurse, Lynx. The biggest question that arises is who will succeed the son's grief nurse and how will such competition affect Lynx and her status in the household.

Descriptions of grief are full of imagination, as grief can be beautiful, but is grief just some kind of cage that hinders Lynx's freedom?

I was seduced by the beautiful cover and the description of the story, but despite the extraordinary idea, the story didn't convince me. The reading dragged on and on, and the author did not pay enough attention to the depth of the protagonist and described too many side characters and their countless names, which are actually irrelevant to the main thread of the story.

The compelling idea about negative emotions, but unfortunately, this is not the book for me.

Spoto has come up with a compelling story that I found to be unique. Lynx is a grief nurse, owned by a wealthy family and used to draw grief from her 'owners' to spare them the sorrow they feel. It's a clever format, each person's grief visualised by Lynx like a familiar, be it crows, the ocean, a rose.

Lynx is a likeable character and you route fro her straight away, the family she works for not so much! I found the name choices for her characters a bit odd but it is fantasy so I guess anything goes.

It's a gripping story, with some clever ideas and I wasn't expecting the ending at all. A stunning debut and I can't wait to see what is next for Angie Spoto.

A fanatstic read that is beautifully written with a compelling sotyrline and well developed characters. It is full of vivid descriptions and rich imagery and I just couldn't put it down. I also love the front cover

The jewels of grief ★★★★☆

Lynx is the Aster family’s grief nurse, responsible for absorbing all of their difficult emotions. They are dependent on each other: Lynx needs the protection of a guardian and the Asters need the status symbol and ease of a grief nurse.

When Sculptor Aster is found dead, Lynx must help Mr and Ms Aster and their three remaining children overcome the loss. But as petty jealousies and dangerous secrets come to light, the body count starts to build up. Something has Mount Sorcha in a deadly grip.

Alongside the family rifts are the struggles for those who are attracted to grief – the dangers of being a Fader – and the lack of freedom and rights of the grief nurses themselves.

This is a beautifully written novel full of lush descriptions which take us deep into a world where grief can take physical form.

A rich fantasy tour de force for fans of Bridget Collin’s novel ‘The Binding’.