A powerful , haunting commentary on so many issues.

As a housemaid, Eve is often at the mercy of the wealthy. Now a gorgeous young woman, Eve is over being harassed - pushing her mom to move them to another position. Learning the household's rhythm, Eve draws the attention of the daughter of her employer. Starting a pleasurable relationship, Eve doesn't realize she is now what she has always been avoiding - the plaything of her employer.

As the house bursts with guests, Eve witnesses a secret gathering. Desperate to flee, Eve tells her fellow young staff members and her mother, only to be snatched and the center of a hunt.

An excellent look at the ways abuse sneaks around the rules.

The Audiobook Pearl Bound by Natalie Bergman was such a pleasant surprise!

It gave me strong The Witch meets Ready or Not vibes, which turned out to be a combination I absolutely loved.

The characters are wonderfully written, and the dual POV adds so much depth, tension, and mystery to the story. From the very beginning, there’s this dark, almost bleak atmosphere, but it’s balanced by an underlying sense of strength, resilience, and hope that keeps you turning the pages.

Watching the protagonists grow and find their own strength was incredibly satisfying. Their character development felt natural and rewarding, and I was completely invested in their journey.

Once again, this was one of those books I couldn’t stop listening to. I was hooked from start to finish, constantly rooting for the characters and suffering right alongside them. I love stories about strong women who refuse to be broken, and this book delivers exactly that.

The narrator also did an amazing job. She gave each character a distinct voice, making it easy to follow, and as a non-native English speaker, I found her pronunciation and pacing very easy to understand.

An easy recommendation if you’re looking for a dark, atmospheric audiobook with compelling characters, great narration, and a story that keeps you invested until the very end.

This was my first journey into sapphic horror - and it was quite interesting. This is certainly not a light read. There are a couple "good guys", but it's primarily filled with morally grey characters, mysterious characters and downright vile characters. I wasn't sure where the storyline was going and I was steadily intrigued and entertained. If you're looking for mystery, sex, violence and gore - sapphic style - this book is for you.

The book was narrated by Kristen DiMercurio. I've enjoyed her previous work and this was no different. She did an outstanding job.

This was such a strong debut! Sapphic and female led, it highlights women rising into their own power and forging their own destinies… with a little murderous, magical mystery mixed in.

We start out with a compelling first chapter of the main character, Eve, as a young girl. After unchecked powers lead to a violent mistake, Eve and her mother find themselves on the move and in search of work. Her mother vowing to protect her daughter by binding her magic into a pearl until she deems her ready to wield it. Fast forward to Eve as a young woman, the pair have landed themselves as scullery maids/servants to the rich.

It has old school high-society, gilded age vibes and a bratty daughter of their new employer who catches the eye of Eve. Dark and grim secrets are slowly uncovered at their new posting and it all leads to a high-stakes, bloody climax at the end.

I liked what the author did with Eve and Saskia. It wasn’t what I expected at all and I felt satisfied. This was a fun listen and certainly leans into the gothic/horror aspects - especially in the last half. 4 stars due to some parts feeling drawn out, but overall a great read!

~Thank you Victory Editing NetGalley co-op for the gifted ALC. All opinions in this review are my own.~

From the first sentence, the vibes were absolutely vibing. The book starts in an unsettling way, and that feeling follows you throughout, creating a dark and gothic story that keeps you on the tips of your toes.

The relationships between different women throughout the book are incredibly interesting. Whether it's mother and daughter, aunt and niece, sisters, or lady and servant, there are so many interesting dynamics that both join each female character to the others while also setting her apart.

The relationship between Eve and Saskia is particularly interesting as it goes through so many iterations and gives greater insight into each of the characters as they develop - especially as both women have chapters in their POV.

I really enjoyed the magic and how it essentially became a pot that was going to boil over at any moment. Throughout the book, there are elements of magic, but you're constantly waiting for it to explode, which adds to the suspense in a really beautiful way.

The overall reveal of what was happening at the manor, I have to admit, I didn't see coming. There are so many clues, but they could point to so many different things, so I was genuinely shocked at what was happening. It was also a great comment on class differences that it could be allowed to happen and that servants involved knew nothing would happen to the rich people taking part.

Just as with the rest of the book, the end is also unsettling and has left things open for a potential sequel, although I also love that something has been left unsolved in a super creepy way.

Dark, sapphic Bridgerton, anyone? Pearl Bound is a delightful servant x noble story with a dark twist. Perfect for readers who enjoy tension, betrayal, and a bit of Gaelic magic.

#PearlBound by #NatalieBergman This gorgeous Sapphic Historical Horror is filled with dark secrets, feminine rage and power. Narrated by the brilliant #KristenDiMercurio on audio. Thank you #VictoryEditingCo-op & #NetGalley for the opportunity to review the e-audio ALC. #BookSky

A fantastic debut! The sinister, creepy nature of the family that slowly unravels is unnerving and captivating. Our protagonist has excellent development over the course of the book and surprised me with their smart decision making (a rare trait in the horror genre!). Very excited to see what comes next from this author.

Narration was also brilliant. Perfect delivery for every character and made the story even more compelling to listen to.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for the audiobook ARC!

I really enjoyed this gothic tale set in late 1800s New England. Eve and her mother Moire, who migrated from Ireland with her husband Sean, try to stay afloat working as housekeepers after Sean’s death. They take the opportunity to work at a fancy Graythorne estate of the Reynard family, but dark secrets linger behind the beautiful facade.

First of all, the gothic atmosphere was described so well, I was hooked from the opening scene on. I like how the author sets a scene and describes landscape, weather, and surroundings in general. Once Eve and Moire get to Graythorne, I could really picture the gloomy mansion with all that creepy taxidermy.

I also liked the characters, although some of them could have been fleshed out more, especially some of Eve‘s friends who appear later in the book.
There’s Eve, wanting more from life, planning to study and travel the world. Moire, wanting to keep her head down and be content with what they have. I was so curious about her motivations and I liked how she is so protective of Eve. I was intrigued by the relationship between Eve and Moire although I wish that would have been fleshed out more. Then there’s Saskia, a rich socialite who is super proud of having been to Europe, but has a really strong and feisty side to her as well.

I did have some issues with Eve‘s and Saskia‘s relationship, but those did make sense in the end, so that ended up not being a problem. I can’t explain further because of spoilers though 😂

I had some minor issues throughout the book, which I want to tread carefully around to avoid spoilers. Those issues could have been easily avoided with some more editing, so although they were noticeable to me, they didn’t end up making me enjoy the book less. One example: at one point, Eve has a pretty intense revelation and remembers something about her past, but the next day, she goes about her duties and it’s barely even mentioned. It felt so weird to me that she wouldn’t dwell on that thing more.

I will say that for the first half of the book, the horror and fantasy elements were on the lighter side. After the opening scenes, for some time there is very little of that, and at times, it felt more like a historical romance plot. Me being a horror gal, I almost thought this book wouldn’t be for me.

But dude, from the halfway point, the horror elements really kick into high gear and get quite intense and dark. The author didn’t shy away from some really disturbing scenes, so consider yourself warned! The antagonists in this story are really vile pieces of shit! So Eve has to really step up and fight for herself and her friends. For me personally, the horror elements were more than satisfying, and I absolutely loved the ending!

So this book could be for you if you like gothic vibes, carriage rides, ravens, witchcraft, magical awakening, eating the rich, women fighting back against fucking men and the oppressive power structure of the patriarchy, some sapphic vibes, women doing their own damn thing!! Yeah!

Regarding the format, I read the audiobook and really enjoyed the narration and pace. The narrator really nailed the different accents and voices.

I ended up really liking this book, the second half really nailed it for me. I will keep this author on my radar and am excited to see what she writes next.

🩸🏛️ Pearl Bound 🏛️🩸

📖 Bookish Thoughts

My full review will be shared closer to the publication date.

🖤 What to Expect
• Gothic Horror
• Historical Horror
• Sapphic Romance
• Female Rage
• Class Divide
• Revenge Story
_ _ _

📅 Pub Date: October 13, 2026
Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and NetGalley for the advanced listening copy.

5 🌟 stars for Pearl Bound!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Victory Editing for this Audio ARC!

Where to even begin with this book?? I went into this story fairly blind. The cover and name drew me in, I stayed for the queerness and horror.

Set in late 1800’s New York, Pearl Bound focuses on the life of Eve Kelly, an Irish immigrant with powers granted to her by The Morrígan, although she doesn’t know it yet. Due to a tragic accident caused by Eve as a child that killed her father, Eve’s mother has her powers bound in an attempt at protecting her. Ultimately, her mother shields and protects Eve from everything instead of preparing her to use her power.

Things start to go a little awry when Eve and her mother get jobs in the household of the Rennard’s at Greythrone. Eve quickly falls into a forbidden tryst with Saskia Rennard, the daughter. As their attachment grows stronger, things take a turn for the worst with the men in the family invite friends up to Greythrone for their annual Ambrose Hunt. Eve accidentally witnesses the true nature of these men’s and when she goes to warn the other women working in the house, chaos ensues, and Eve is forced to make unthinkable choices to keep herself and her friends alive.

This book deals with feminine rage, finding yourself, power imbalances, sapphic longing and lust, with a big dash of Irish folklore. I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone!

Spooky adult horror book..

Not my usual genre but great and unique

Strong clear audiobook voice

I was drawn in by the audiobook voice,the character Eve and the strong unique details

The narrator was brilliant and breathed life into the story. I was hooked and couldn’t wait to keep listening to it

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book! I'm familiar with Kristen DiMercurio's work on other projects and believe she was the perfect narrator to breathe life into this audiobook.

This dual-POV sapphic tale imbues the sensations of young queerness and the both literal and figurative magic therein, ending with an unanticipated whirlwind. Pearl Bound follows a young immigrant servant, Eve, who progressively gains autonomy by carving out of the way all those interested in her solely for her subservience. The culmination of class, gender, and power struggles - both natural and fabricated by men - left me feeling satisfied yet wanting to learn more about the world in which this story exists. This is a notable debut effort by Bergman and I can’t wait to read more from her! This title would be great for fans of Kyle Lee Baker and Alexandria Bellefleur!

**spoilers**

Thanks to NetGalley for the Advance Listener Copy <3

Narrator: Kristen Di Mercurio
Wonderful job - really brought each character to life and smashed the different accents. Helped to keep me engaged through the story.

Tropes

Historical Gothic Horror
Irish Folklore
Sapphic (inexperienced x experienced)
Female Rage
Revenge
Class Divide
Ancient Power / Magical Awakening
Dual POV

Plot

Pearl Bound is set in late 1800’s America, and follows Eve Kelly, an Irish immigrant with powers granted to her by The Morrígan. However she is unaware of her power as when she was a wee bairn, Eve’s uncontrollable power surged and led to the death of her da. In an attempt to protect her daughter, Moira has Eve’s powers bound into a pearl. Fast forward and Eve and her Ma take the opportunity to work at the wealthy Greythorne estate where dark secrets fester under the fancy facade.

Eve quickly becomes entangled with the daughter, Saskia, who has ambitions of her own and does not want to be trapped by the wishes and expectations of her father. And when shit goes down when the annual “Ambrose Hunt” Eve, who is unaware of the power she holds is ill prepared for the time when she has to use it and finds herself having to learn the hard way, and fast if she has any hope of saving her friends and loved ones.

How it starts…

The opening chapters set the tone and atmosphere perfectly - already the stakes felt high and wasn’t sure what direction it was going to take. Eve made me feel really unsettled and NGL thought she was gonna be a wee creep and go on a murder rampage!

However…

The atmosphere and gothic vibes taper off a little in the middle and I felt that it was a little too fast paced to really build the tension and creep factor properly. Some of the dialogue and inner thoughts came across a little juvenile and even the way they discussed SA/rpe didn't have the gravitas it should (I get that the villains aren’t going to see it as bad but just came across a bit tongue-in cheek or like “oh heh there he goes again, what are men like -ndge nudge-”.



Characters

I think I liked that it was a dual pov to get Saskia's input too - really helped to see the class and power divide however I don’t think we needed as many chapters from her as we got.

Eve really wanted more out of life, to travel and study medicine. I also liked that she was a little sheltered/naive but had a strong sense of morality and justice.

Saskia was feisty(bratty) and ambitious and not afraid to go for what she wanted but she also didn’t care about who she used to get there. Partly admire that as a product of her time, pressures and upbringing but also she was a bit of a self-centered bish and quite annoying. Also canny believe she was so unbothered about the hunting of humans and raping of corpses +-+ only describing it as “strong distaste” but she stayed for the duration and did not intervene on either occasion when she had the chance. Oh sorry - she did intervene once but missed all shots despite bragging she was just as good a hunter as broski.

Moira - wee mammy just wanted to protect her daughter - I would have liked a bit more from their relationship.

I would have liked the characters to have a bit more depth and be fleshed out - especially the socialite side characters where I didn’t feel they added a whole lot. And due to the book being quite short we didn’t really see the relationships between Eve and the other “help” as much to build the bonds.

Not sure I felt a huge amount of chemistry between Eve and Saskia. Eve just seemed enamoured and Saskia bored and horny.

Execution + Vibes

The pacing wasn’t great - it was such a strong, intense and intriguing start lost its way a little in the middle and seemed to lean more on the forbidden romance as opposed to the magic and horror. There was too much time spent on fawning over Saskia and shaggin her but not enough time building a meaningful (or seemingly meaningful) bond and too much time on the mundanity of being a maid. So when shit all went down at the end it felt a bit whirlwind.

As I said - I would have liked more from Eve learning and discovering her powers - the pearl clearly didn't stop them completely as she often had “leakage” during intense emotions but she never sought guidance from her Ma or even think “hmmm I seem to be able to do shit” and even being as sheltered and naive as she was, for someone seemingly intelligent and curious you'd think she’d wanna test it or investigate it more. And when she finally had access to her powers she seemed to grasp them instantaneously - would have been cool to see her having a learning curve. It was a high pressure sink or swim situation tho so I guess can be excused a bit…

It did kinda tilt me that the men got off quite a bit more lightly, their deaths were pretty swift despite the atrocities repeatedly committed yet it was the gal who gets punished horribly with no chance of redemption. Aye she was vile too but partly a product of her family. Although truth be told I am glad Eve saw Saskia's true nature, punished her and found happiness helping others - that was satisfying.

Overall

It did get quite dark and vile but I wasn't that shocked by it - ultimately it was a decent gothic folk horror but I don't particularly feel that it brought any new elements to the genre. So if this is a first dabble in gothic folk horror or darker sapphic romance then I think you’ll absolutely love this. But if you’ve already read stuff like Bitter Thorn, Bloom, Spider Spider or Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil you might not be as blown away.

If you like books like Victorian Psycho, Hungerstone, and Bridgerton then you will probably like this as well.

I enjoyed the Irish folklore, the good-for-her horror and the sapphic representation. I do wish the secondary characters had a bit more character development. I listened to this on audiobook, and I thought it was great. The narrator, Kristen DiMercurio, did such a good job with regional accents and voice acting that distinguished each of the characters.

Thanks to NetGalley and Victory Editing for the ALC!

Pearl Bound was an incredibly gothic and atmospheric listen.
The narration was aligned so well, I really enjoyed the delivery from the narrator on the differing characters, they really brought these characters to life.

The story itself was powerful and quite harrowing too, it's a sapphic historical horror and whilst the contents of this story wouldn't be historically accurate, it was still an interesting story. Following Eve an Irish immigrant with her Ma take up a job working at an estate and Eve gets entangled with the wealthy daughter having a sapphic situationship, things happen and it turns quite dark with an annual hunt taking place and Eve learns about her bounded powers.
Pearl Bound's main theme of the bounded powers comes from an ancient irish legend, with Eve getting her powers from The Morrigan.

It screams female rage in the 1800s where powerful women were not allowed to exist. The characters are very unlikeable especially Saskia (the wealthy daughter) and I think that was the point, no one really had good intentions in the novel.

I really enjoyed listening to this one.

I want to start this with how well the description and vibes of our gothic atmosphere was executed. I was hooked from the start and kind of felt like I was there, experiencing the story myself at times. The narration was delicious as well. I enjoyed the way our characters were brought to life while listening.

We don’t start off with the horrors. We get a slight tease but, really, we start off with a new life and evolve into a romantic subplot. Have no fear, the horrors do reveal themselves in time. Some are infuriating, some are reason for cheers. (You go, Glen Coco!) Once we reach the halfway point, it gets pretty intense and doesn’t slow down. It just keeps flying off the page — or, in my case…out of my headphones.

For the sake of not having spoilers: I do wish Eve had spent time feeling for a certain moment in her life a little bit more but it didn’t make or break the book. I really just wanted to crawl deeper inside her mental state for that moment. That’s a “me problem” as the rest of the book was a quick but well-paced listen!

And that ending. 🙌🏻 I really, really enjoyed how this was tied up at the end.

If you’re a fan of gothic horror, witchcraft, women kicking the piss out of the patriarchy, and a solid tale of survival then this is one you should definitely pick up.
•••••
Thank you, Natalie Bergman, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this ALC.

Thank you Victory Editing and NetGalley for this ALC. This book started a little slow for my liking but oh boy once it picked up I could not stop listening!!! I love any good for her/feminine rage story and Pearl Bound was just that! This whole story was so well written and I cannot believe how well even the smallest side characters were flushed out. I will definitely be waiting impatiently for Natalie Bergman‘s next book!

Thank you NetGalley, Natalie Bergman, and Victory editing for my ALC. All opinions below are my own!

I loved the setting and voicing for this book. I was transported right back in time listening to this tale. I loved the gothic setting and the sapphic romance in a time when it truly was treacherous. I felt so many emotions throughout the story, including rage at a few points (iykyk) but was happy with how it was all wrapped up! And I love the power and rage seen in our fmc. It truly was satisfying & I believe everyone got exactly what they deserved.

Thank you Netgalley and Rose & Pearl productions for the audiobook arc! Firstly, the audio was clear and high quality, not tinny or scratchy like some audiobooks, and the narrator Kristen did a great job. The flow was engaging, volume control was good and the difference in Eve and Saskia's voices was perfect, although the accents could be distracting I understand it's very difficult switching between so many accents. The story was such a surprise! I don't really want to say anything in fear of even giving the smallest spoiler. If you're like me and don't even want to see a movie trailer first, stop reading now and just start the book! So, the first half of Pearl Bound felt like a witchy sapphic romance, while the second half felt like a gory horror (reminiscent if s1e15 supernatural, if you know you know), and there definitely should be some content warnings, but I was engaged and loved the story throughout although there were some parts less engaging or where I was questioning things. So many moments I was like "surely we can't keep going down this path?!" but it kept surprising me and the ending was extremely satisfying. This is a strong 4/5 for me :)
I have posted a review on goodreads (linked below) and will also post to my instagram in a post collating a couple of different books soon :)

Eve Kelly always dreamed of a different life. She always felt she meant to do something more. Her whole life she lived in servitude. One job opportunity she felt would change her life. She just didn't know how drastically it would change.

It was a good book to listen to. Kristen gave each character an unique voice. It was steady paced. It reminded me of Stephen King's “Carrie.” and the movie “The Craft.” It has romance, mystique, and revenge. Highly recommended if you like witchy reads.

I listened to Pearl Bound early through NetGalley and really enjoyed it overall. The characters took a little while to develop, but once I became invested in their stories, I found myself enjoying the audiobook and the journey it took me on.

🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

The beginning starts off really sad but don’t let it deter you from this great read! The story then jumps forward to when Eve is a teenager. She is serving in a wealthy family’s home and she is discriminated against for being Irish and being a woman. The men are absolutely vile to her and all the women on the property. Eve learns just in time about her ancestral connection to The Morrígan, a powerful figure in Irish mythology known as a goddess of war, fate, and sovereignty. She can change her shape into animals, most famously as a raven. Eve is able to tap into some of these same powers and she uses them to try and save her fellow maids and bring justice to the men who have been bringing pain and suffering to women for years. It will definitely scratch the itch of female rage! I love a great female vigilante bringing justice & Eve does it so well. Sadly, not everyone is a girls’ girl, but they get what’s coming to them as well.

Description:
Near the end of the Gilded Age, Irish immigrant Eve Kelly secures a sought-after job at Greythorne, a grand estate founded on extreme wealth and ruthless authority. Beneath its luxurious exterior, the Rennard family exploits the vulnerable, particularly their female staff. As Eve becomes entangled in the estate’s perilous allure, she exposes a dark history of violence concealed beneath elegance and privilege.
However, the mansion is not the only entity with a past; an ancient power awakens within Eve, passed down through matriarchal generations who endured by refusing to remain submissive. When the family’s exploitation intensifies, the servant they hoped to break transforms into an unexpected retribution.

[Thank you so much to NetGalley for this arc!]

This was outstanding! While I had very minor issues with it, the rest of the book made up for them, giving my final rating 4.5 stars! I really enjoyed the character development we see in the two main characters throughout the book, not only in their private lives but also in their interactions with each other. The pacing was also amazing. It's giving V.E. Schwab mixed with Kiersten White. Pick this up when it comes out!

"Pearl Bound" by Natalie G. Bergman is a 2026 historical gothic horror novel, and I listened to the audiobook narrated by Kristen DiMercurio. This one hooked me almost immediately. Historical horror, a mansion full of terrible rich people, sapphic desire, witchy supernatural elements, and female rage are a very specific combination, and this delivered.

The story follows Eve Kelly, a young Irish immigrant who accepts a servant position at Greythorne alongside her mother. The Rennard family’s wealth and polished appearance hide a long history of violence, particularly toward the women who work for them. As Eve is drawn toward the family’s daughter, Saskia, she begins uncovering what is really happening inside the house while an ancient power connected to her own blood begins to awaken.

I loved the atmosphere. It felt properly gothic and dark without becoming so slow or buried in description that I lost the actual story. The mystery kept moving, the danger continued building, and the second half went much harder into horror, violence, and gore. Once the story really let the female rage loose, I was completely on board.

Kristen DiMercurio was a great narrator and gave the story the drama and tension it needed. My only real issue with the audiobook was the dual perspective. There were a few switches between Eve and Saskia where I didn’t immediately realize whose point of view I was hearing. The individual voices were performed well, but some of the transitions weren’t quite clear enough in audio.

I also liked that Eve and Saskia weren’t written as uncomplicated romantic leads. Their relationship is messy and shaped by the enormous difference in power between them. Saskia could be fascinating, selfish, sympathetic, and incredibly frustrating, sometimes within the same section. That uncertainty made the characters and their relationship much more interesting than a straightforward gothic romance would have been.

The supernatural side worked especially well for me. Eve’s connection to the pearl and the ancient power within her gave the story a strong hook, but it never completely took over the human horror happening inside Greythorne. The real monsters are still the people who believe their money and status allow them to do whatever they want, and watching that entitlement finally meet something stronger was extremely satisfying.

This was dark, sapphic, bloody, atmospheric, and genuinely difficult to stop listening to. I’d recommend it to readers who enjoy gothic horror with witchy mythology, morally messy characters, forbidden romance, rich people behaving terribly, and a brutal final act. The occasional confusion between perspectives kept it from being a higher rating, but I still really enjoyed this one.

4/5 Stars

Thank you to Rose & Pearl Productions and NetGalley for providing the advance listening copy for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Thank you Natalie G. Bergman and NetGalley for the advanced audiobook of this novel.

3.75 Stars

That was a dark adventure and I'm here for it.

The characters were complex and the magic used in the story was fitting but didn't overwhelm the story.

I thought the plot itself was okay but not amazing. I didn't get into it as much as I thought I would but I was still satisfied.

The narrators performanve was great.

Okay read.

What a viciously satisfying read. While I found the first half of this a wee bit slow and lacklustre for my tastes, I'm so glad that I pushed through because the moment the atmosphere shifted from gothic mystery to suspenseful horror I was hooked. The way it starts you with a small taste of what's to come, and then slowly teases out the mysteries of Greythorne with sapphic yearning and an increasing number of dubious characters really allows for an explosive narrative climax that had me reeling. This was a powerful force of female rage and vengeance, of power and obsession, and of survival at any cost. I will definitely be hanging out to see if there will be another installment because I want to see more of what Bergman can do with this stunning set up.

I received the audiobook, and the narrator, Kristen DiMercurio, did a great job of capturing the character voices!

🕯️Set in Gilded Age New York
🕯️Historical fantasy with gothic elements
🕯️Dual POV
🕯️Sapphic romance (open door)
🕯️Witchcraft and magic
🕯️Young-feeling character voices
🕯️Character-driven & relationship-focused for much of the story
🕯️Shifts from a lighter, magical tone to darker themes in the second half

this dark, full of rage, a bit of magic, and some sapphic love (but it's not a Romance!)

and even though i could tell where this was going pretty early on, i absolutely enjoyed the ride! it's unsettling and there's plenty of commentary which i won't spoil for you. there is gothic mystery vibes, but also suspense and horror. i had the audio and really enjoyed the narration.

i look forward to more from this author.

Wow! I didn't see that coming! Rich story telling that put you in the outskirts of NY. Eve was so fleshed out and a wonderful character that grew into something amazing an terrifying with twists that made you love characters you thought were terrible and hate characters you loved! I need more!

Pearl Bound was such a fun listen! Kristen DiMercurio absolutely brought the characters to life and I felt completely immersed in the story ✨

Pearl Bound is marketed as "a gothic historical horror novel steeped in female rage, class tension, queer desire, and the terrifying cost of autonomy" and it certainly delivers!

I really enjoyed the time skip that occurred early on in the story, I think it provided some important context for certain family dynamics. I LOVE a toxic sapphic relationship, and I just really loved hearing Eve come into her own and discovering her power.

Highly recommending this one! 🫶🏻

Thanks to NetGalley, Natalie Bergman, and the publisher for the ALC of this audiobook!
The written version is already out, and available on Kindle Unlimited, but the audiobook will be out this October!

In this historical, queer, gothic horror, set in Gilded Age upstate New York, we follow Irish immigrant Eve as she and her mother take on coveted seasonal positions at the Greythorne mansion. Eve is thrilled, and even more thrilled when she begins a romantic involvement with the daughter of the family, but soon begins to realize there is darkness behind the opulence. The Rennard family is luring vulnerable folks, especially immigrants and especially young women, to work for the mansion seasonally, then using their wealth and power to exploit and prey upon these poor folks who aren't in a position to fight back. As Eve uncovers the dark secrets and violence, she also uncovers her own (previously unknown to her) inherited supernatural abilities, which her mother had hidden from her. Can Eve harness her powers in time to save herself and the others?

I know I always say I don't like historical fiction, but I sure seem to be reading a lot of it lately, haha. And this didn't disappoint! It's giving feminine rage, it's giving queer desire, it's giving eat the rich, it's giving "good for her." Author Natalie Bergman sets the scene so well and really gives it that gothic gloom, cutting through all the glitz and glamor. The characters are well-developed and complex...other than the antagonists, who are truly just evil AF. The queer romance was problematic (that power dynamic, yikes!) but I think that was kinda partially the point. Some minor issues that could have been solved with perhaps a bit more editing, but nothing too bothersome. For those who, like me, don't care much for fantasy, you'll be pleased to know there's not TOO much of the magic/fantasy element. I felt like it was used well, and just enough. The first half-ish was extremely light on the horror and probably better-classified as a historical romance, but things do eventually get dark and disturbing, just how I like it. Overall, I enjoyed this and would recommend it!