Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison

A 4-Star Book Review

I am not a horror fan. Scary movies? No thanks. Blood and gore? No way. Creepy crawlers and evil monsters? I’ll pass.

So, I’m surprised that Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison turned out to be a four-star book for me. I’ll try to keep this review as spoiler-free as I can, but fair warning that I do need to give some backstory.

Summary of Black Sheep (A Few Spoilers)

Vesper is muddling through life as a reticent waitress at Shortee’s, a fast casual restaurant where she sings the happy birthday song far too often for her liking. But, the job funds her life away from her family, a tight-knit, extremist group dedicated to a religion she doesn’t believe in. She abandoned the compound years ago, but when an invitation to the wedding of her cousin/best friend and her ex-boyfriend arrives at her door with a special handwritten ‘we miss you’ message, Vesper feels compelled to return to the farm.

Her return brings back old feelings of resentment toward her scream queen movie star mother, Constance, and betrayal about the impending nuptials. But most vividly, Vesper is taken back to the rituals of her family’s religion, Satanism. As the Hell’s Gate cult celebrates the wedding, Vesper learns that her invitation is more than a request to be a guest at the party. It is an appointment with her absentee father so that she can learn his true identity. What follows is Vesper’s tailspin into her supposed birth rite and the decisions that come with it.

What I Enjoyed About Black Sheep

Black Sheep was not an easy read for me because of my Christian beliefs. However, Vesper’s voice and point of view redeemed the story. She is a feisty character, one who doesn’t suffer fools despite her loneliness and need for love. She brings sarcasm and honesty to every interaction, and that exceeded my expectations. Somehow, Ms. Harrison made this book of horrors a little lighter by creating a character like Vesper.

Furthermore, the writing is impeccable. For someone who hates blood, this book wasn’t full of gory descriptions, just enough to get the idea of what was happening. Ms. Harrison leads your imagination but doesn’t use her words in a heavy-handed manner.

My Final Thoughts on Black Sheep

Did Black Sheep lure me into becoming a fan of horror novels? No, but I did appreciate it for Vesper’s character development and for the quality of writing. If you’re looking for a book that will surprise you with a walk on the dark side, I would recommend Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison.