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richardleis's review against another edition
3.0
Cricket Hunters by Jeremy Hepler hops back and forth between two strange disappearances, one in 1998 and the other in 2013. At the center of these events are five friends who called themselves the “Cricket Hunters” during high school, after they began killing crickets for money for the grandmother of one of their members, Celia. The reasons behind this strange extracurricular activity are steeped in culture, ritual magic, and an escalating feud between families. Celia and another member of the group, Parker, grew up and married each other, but their life together has been complicated by tragedy, domestic abuse, and allegations of infidelity. When Parker goes missing after an argument, Celia is forced to confront the truth about herself and her husband, as well as the unsolved disappearance of their friend Abby 15 years before.
Cricket Hunters subverts the usual tropes and nostalgia of coming-of-age horror by reaching for something even darker in this tale of friendship and rivalry, but that subversion made it difficult for me to warm toward the characters. I found most of them unlikeable, and in the first third of the book, my lack of engagement with them left their story and backstory somewhat tedious to endure. I began to feel a little bit more sympathetic toward certain characters around page 100.
I was put off by the italics and othering of the Spanish language even though the main character and her abuela are Hispanic and Latina. The female characters tend to have conversations and confrontations only about males. This would have worked better, I think, if those gender tropes had been subverted as well.
I predicted some of the revelations really early in the book, but there were still some big surprises in store. The rapid pace of events and revelations in the last 50 pages of the novel kept me flipping pages early into the morning, so I would recommend this book for that alone. Having also read Hepler’s short story “Justin’s Favorite” in Silver Shamrock Publishing’s Midnight in the Graveyard anthology, I think he has a knack for scene, plot, and twists and turns.
Cricket Hunters subverts the usual tropes and nostalgia of coming-of-age horror by reaching for something even darker in this tale of friendship and rivalry, but that subversion made it difficult for me to warm toward the characters. I found most of them unlikeable, and in the first third of the book, my lack of engagement with them left their story and backstory somewhat tedious to endure. I began to feel a little bit more sympathetic toward certain characters around page 100.
I was put off by the italics and othering of the Spanish language even though the main character and her abuela are Hispanic and Latina. The female characters tend to have conversations and confrontations only about males. This would have worked better, I think, if those gender tropes had been subverted as well.
I predicted some of the revelations really early in the book, but there were still some big surprises in store. The rapid pace of events and revelations in the last 50 pages of the novel kept me flipping pages early into the morning, so I would recommend this book for that alone. Having also read Hepler’s short story “Justin’s Favorite” in Silver Shamrock Publishing’s Midnight in the Graveyard anthology, I think he has a knack for scene, plot, and twists and turns.
whaydengilbert's review against another edition
4.0
Imagine a “kids on bikes”, the-summer-everything-changed coming of age type story, but through a glass, very very darkly. Where the good times are only half remembered in sparse sentences, where the “friends” all loathe one another, and where the only spells that work are ones of sickness and spoken in malice. This is a rough one that’s well told, but man, Jeremy, it’s LEAN and MEAN!
johnlynchbooks's review against another edition
5.0
I love a good coming of age story, when done right, they transport you back to times that were somehow simpler, yet much more confusing. Frustrating, yet magical. When I caught wind of the latest by Jeremy Hepler, I knew I needed this book. I’m pleased to say it’s even better than I had hoped.
Cricket Hunters follows Celia Lundy as she attempts to locate her missing husband, Parker. The disappearance of whom seems to be somehow related to the disappearance of their childhood friend, Abby. Fifteen years pass between the events and the truth behind Abby’s disappearance remains unknown.
Jeremy Hepler wrote one damn fine book. The story takes place going back and forth between the present and the past. Hepler hits all the right notes of what you’d want in a coming of age tale. The characters experience loss, love, adventure, dangerous close calls, you name it. Celia is the protagonist here, and one interesting aspect that sets this book apart is Celia’s Hispanic heritage. Celia is raised by her Abuela, Yesenia, who is a Bruja. Throughout the book we’re treated to the delightful interactions between Cel and Yesenia. We watch as Yesenia casts healing spells, protection spell, barriers and all manner of witchcraft. The true joy of the book however, is following Celia and her friends, known as the Cricket Hunters, through their daily interactions.
The book is very well written with excellent prose. The story is fascinating and a breeze to follow. You can tell throughout reading that Hepler took great care writing this, there are no loose ends, no big plot holes, nothing at all I can find to complain about. The transition between time periods is woven throughout the story in a manner that makes sense and enriches the story, sometimes time jumps can be confusing and that was never the case here. Central to the story is the disappearance of Cricket Hunter Abby, and Celia’s husband Parker. I had suspicions as to what happened and when all was revealed, I couldn’t have been further from the truth, it came out of left field in the best way possible.
When I finally closed Cricket Hunters I was left completely satisfied. It has everything I love about coming of age stories while still managing to feel completely fresh. Jeremy Hepler has not only written a spectacular novel, but he has succeeded in writing one of the finest coming of age stories I’ve read in a long time.
Cricket Hunters follows Celia Lundy as she attempts to locate her missing husband, Parker. The disappearance of whom seems to be somehow related to the disappearance of their childhood friend, Abby. Fifteen years pass between the events and the truth behind Abby’s disappearance remains unknown.
Jeremy Hepler wrote one damn fine book. The story takes place going back and forth between the present and the past. Hepler hits all the right notes of what you’d want in a coming of age tale. The characters experience loss, love, adventure, dangerous close calls, you name it. Celia is the protagonist here, and one interesting aspect that sets this book apart is Celia’s Hispanic heritage. Celia is raised by her Abuela, Yesenia, who is a Bruja. Throughout the book we’re treated to the delightful interactions between Cel and Yesenia. We watch as Yesenia casts healing spells, protection spell, barriers and all manner of witchcraft. The true joy of the book however, is following Celia and her friends, known as the Cricket Hunters, through their daily interactions.
The book is very well written with excellent prose. The story is fascinating and a breeze to follow. You can tell throughout reading that Hepler took great care writing this, there are no loose ends, no big plot holes, nothing at all I can find to complain about. The transition between time periods is woven throughout the story in a manner that makes sense and enriches the story, sometimes time jumps can be confusing and that was never the case here. Central to the story is the disappearance of Cricket Hunter Abby, and Celia’s husband Parker. I had suspicions as to what happened and when all was revealed, I couldn’t have been further from the truth, it came out of left field in the best way possible.
When I finally closed Cricket Hunters I was left completely satisfied. It has everything I love about coming of age stories while still managing to feel completely fresh. Jeremy Hepler has not only written a spectacular novel, but he has succeeded in writing one of the finest coming of age stories I’ve read in a long time.
unwrappingwords's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 Stars
I’m going to be upfront about this – I feel a little conflicted about this book. It’s not bad, the writing is really good, but there were unfortunately some elements I disliked, but we’ll get into that.
Cricket Hunters is told in two parts, alternating between the past and the present to tell the story of Cel and her friends. As teenagers, they formed the Cricket Hunters, hunting down the insects bothering her great-aunt at the request of Cel’s grandmother. Twelve years later, Cel’s husband Parker, a fellow Hunter, disappears. Cel must confront her past and present, including the disappearance of former friend Abby, as the town and Parker’s family turn against her, certain she had something to do with Parker’s disappearance.
Starting with plot, it was good and solid, and I like the way it unfolds through past and present. It’s a technique I love, and Hepler does it well. It’s always interesting to see where these characters start, compared to the present-day situations, and how they grow into their adult selves.
The novel also contained a lot of mystery and tension, especially surrounding the disappearances. However, one twist was a little obvious, as I worked it out quite early on, but it didn’t really affect my enjoyment of the book. The thrill came, really, from seeing how things unfolded more than the actual end result.
Now, the characters. Cel was an interesting character, strong and formidable, and a woman who has been through a hell of a lot. However, it was hard to see why, exactly, she was with Parker, beyond her teenage desire. Parker is, to put it bluntly, a shit. Abusive, cruel, and with absolutely no regard for anyone’s feelings but his own. I wasn’t quite sure if, at points, we were supposed to feel sorry for him or not, but when it was his viewpoint chapters I mostly found myself rolling my eyes.
Some of the more supporting cast could have been written better. The rocky friendship between Abby and Cel could have been explored a bit more. And look, I get it, teenage girls fight over boys, and it does affect friendships, deeply, but this all felt a little like the blame was put on the girls for being naïve, than Parker, for playing them off one another. This wasn’t just in the past chapters but in the present ones, too.
For some other characters outside these three, it felt like there was just a little too much. For some other characters outside these three, it felt like there was just a little too much emphasis on characters’ – especially women’s – weight, and some elements of slut-shaming, somewhat dampening my enjoyment of the novel. Combined with the fact that most of the women’s relationships in the novel are defined by men, and many of the interactions between different women were them fighting over men.
But, and this is important, the ending, in many ways, redeemed the novel. Like I said, I kind of guessed at one particular twist. The other earlier reveal had me trying to work it out right until the end, and it wasn’t what I expected. Both twists were done well, and really made sense considering what had come before. The ending also showed what sort of lengths women need to go to in order to protect themselves, and how men are more than capable of destroying lives through obsession and desire.
Overall, Hepler is clearly a good writer, and though I disliked some elements of the novel, for the most part I really enjoyed it, especially Cel’s character and her relationship with her grandmother, and their use of rituals. It never dipped too much into the more supernatural elements, but remained grounded in reality. I think that worked for the story being told. And the novel also brings up discussions surrounding bigotry and the way people are treated, especially by those who see them as different. I think these are really important discussions to have, and again, were handled in a really good way.
(Review originally appeared on deadheadreviews.com)
I’m going to be upfront about this – I feel a little conflicted about this book. It’s not bad, the writing is really good, but there were unfortunately some elements I disliked, but we’ll get into that.
Cricket Hunters is told in two parts, alternating between the past and the present to tell the story of Cel and her friends. As teenagers, they formed the Cricket Hunters, hunting down the insects bothering her great-aunt at the request of Cel’s grandmother. Twelve years later, Cel’s husband Parker, a fellow Hunter, disappears. Cel must confront her past and present, including the disappearance of former friend Abby, as the town and Parker’s family turn against her, certain she had something to do with Parker’s disappearance.
Starting with plot, it was good and solid, and I like the way it unfolds through past and present. It’s a technique I love, and Hepler does it well. It’s always interesting to see where these characters start, compared to the present-day situations, and how they grow into their adult selves.
The novel also contained a lot of mystery and tension, especially surrounding the disappearances. However, one twist was a little obvious, as I worked it out quite early on, but it didn’t really affect my enjoyment of the book. The thrill came, really, from seeing how things unfolded more than the actual end result.
Now, the characters. Cel was an interesting character, strong and formidable, and a woman who has been through a hell of a lot. However, it was hard to see why, exactly, she was with Parker, beyond her teenage desire. Parker is, to put it bluntly, a shit. Abusive, cruel, and with absolutely no regard for anyone’s feelings but his own. I wasn’t quite sure if, at points, we were supposed to feel sorry for him or not, but when it was his viewpoint chapters I mostly found myself rolling my eyes.
Some of the more supporting cast could have been written better. The rocky friendship between Abby and Cel could have been explored a bit more. And look, I get it, teenage girls fight over boys, and it does affect friendships, deeply, but this all felt a little like the blame was put on the girls for being naïve, than Parker, for playing them off one another. This wasn’t just in the past chapters but in the present ones, too.
For some other characters outside these three, it felt like there was just a little too much. For some other characters outside these three, it felt like there was just a little too much emphasis on characters’ – especially women’s – weight, and some elements of slut-shaming, somewhat dampening my enjoyment of the novel. Combined with the fact that most of the women’s relationships in the novel are defined by men, and many of the interactions between different women were them fighting over men.
But, and this is important, the ending, in many ways, redeemed the novel. Like I said, I kind of guessed at one particular twist. The other earlier reveal had me trying to work it out right until the end, and it wasn’t what I expected. Both twists were done well, and really made sense considering what had come before. The ending also showed what sort of lengths women need to go to in order to protect themselves, and how men are more than capable of destroying lives through obsession and desire.
Overall, Hepler is clearly a good writer, and though I disliked some elements of the novel, for the most part I really enjoyed it, especially Cel’s character and her relationship with her grandmother, and their use of rituals. It never dipped too much into the more supernatural elements, but remained grounded in reality. I think that worked for the story being told. And the novel also brings up discussions surrounding bigotry and the way people are treated, especially by those who see them as different. I think these are really important discussions to have, and again, were handled in a really good way.
(Review originally appeared on deadheadreviews.com)
willhartzo's review against another edition
4.0
An engaging mystery with horrific elements that remind me a lot of the style of Richard Laymon. The resolution left me feeling satisfied and a bit...grimy. Loved it.
stranger_sights's review against another edition
5.0
Read my full review at:
https://www.horrorbound.net/blog/cricket-hunters-review
Cricket Hunters covers a lot of territory in a relatively short span of pages. Set in Texas and covering a span of about 15 years, this story is part supernatural horror novel, part thriller, and part coming of age story. It’s got a whole hell of a lot going on.
Once I picked it up I couldn’t put it down. I often struggle to get into books that move backward and forward in time in order to tell their story, but Hepler has managed to seamlessly weave the children’s’ stories with their adult counterparts to create a total, immersive picture of their lives.
https://www.horrorbound.net/blog/cricket-hunters-review
Cricket Hunters covers a lot of territory in a relatively short span of pages. Set in Texas and covering a span of about 15 years, this story is part supernatural horror novel, part thriller, and part coming of age story. It’s got a whole hell of a lot going on.
Once I picked it up I couldn’t put it down. I often struggle to get into books that move backward and forward in time in order to tell their story, but Hepler has managed to seamlessly weave the children’s’ stories with their adult counterparts to create a total, immersive picture of their lives.
readbydusk's review against another edition
3.0
With spells, rituals, incantations and Cel's practice of brujería, this book brings something different than the usual horror story. I liked the brujeria aspect of the story and how other characters dismiss Cel's beliefs as it felt like a realistic depiction. I thought the flashback interspersed with the present story successfully sheds light on the mystery and gives an added dimension to the characters' relationship with each other. The ending is really satisfying with no loose ends.
As much as I was pulled along by the plot, I had a hard time connecting with the characters. I found Cel, her husband Parker and their friends to be really unlikable which I don't think it was meant to be that way. Also, these are purely personal issues but I'm not a fan of the cheating trope and animal cruelty, both of which feature quite prominently here. While I was ultimately fine with the former as it served the story, I thought the latter is unnecessary and soured my enjoyment of the book.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a review copy.
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As much as I was pulled along by the plot, I had a hard time connecting with the characters. I found Cel, her husband Parker and their friends to be really unlikable which I don't think it was meant to be that way. Also, these are purely personal issues but I'm not a fan of the cheating trope and animal cruelty, both of which feature quite prominently here. While I was ultimately fine with the former as it served the story, I thought the latter is unnecessary and soured my enjoyment of the book.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a review copy.
book blog | twitter | instagram
ricketsthehipo's review against another edition
2.0
Was interested to learn what would happen but ultimately predicted the ending a bit ahead of time. Contains violence against cats that I had to skip over ☹️. I don't read this genre often so maybe it's intentional, but I didn't find any of the main characters likeable or redeemable. Don't feel like I'm taking much away from this except mental images of cat torture, so I wish I hadn't read it.
wellwortharead's review against another edition
5.0
Cricket Hunters takes place on two time lines. It is both a coming of age tale in the late 1990s and a supernatural mystery taking place today. Back then Cel and Parker were teenaged sweethearts, and part of a close knit group of friends. In the present day the bloom is off the rose and their marriage is quite rocky. After a heated argument with Cel, Parker disappears. Cel doesn't know if it's because of his philandering ways or if it is something to do with an unresolved incident in their past. The interpersonal relationships between the characters in the past and the way it shaped their adult selves is quite realistic and believable. In my opinion this is the author's best work to date and that is saying something considering his previous work is quite good. The ending left me awe struck.
5 out of 5 stars.
I received an advance copy for review.
5 out of 5 stars.
I received an advance copy for review.
quilly14's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars
Fifteen years after her friend Abby went missing, Cel's husband has disappeared. Mysterious clues that suggest the two disappearances are related have begun cropping up.
This is a solid thriller with hints of magic to it.
My first by Hepler and from Silver Shamrock press. I'll be keeping both on my radar.