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kirstylp's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cannibalism, Death, and Body horror
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death
woodsybookworm's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This book felt like I was reading an episode of Tales From The Crypt!
I'm not usually a fan of a book that's opening chapter gives away the ending. How are we supposed to get invested in a story when we already know the dates of the main characters? But I stuck with it and wow did this book deliver!
It's too bad this book is probably a standalone because I was left with a lot of unanswered questions but I still found it to be an enjoyable read overall.
I'm not usually a fan of a book that's opening chapter gives away the ending. How are we supposed to get invested in a story when we already know the dates of the main characters? But I stuck with it and wow did this book deliver!
It's too bad this book is probably a standalone because I was left with a lot of unanswered questions but I still found it to be an enjoyable read overall.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Cannibalism, Child death, Death, Violence, Murder, Suicide, Alcoholism, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Blood, and Body horror
thiscryptidreads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
I went into this story expecting a totally different scenario based on the synopsis. This was a surprise mix of haunting and hallucinations that slowly fill you with dread until the very end. Several other reviews said the ending was a surprise or didn't make sense but if you pay attention to the small details I think the story wraps up very nicely and makes complete sense for the narrative they're trying to tell.
Cws: gore, body horror, violence, self harm, injury, blood, panic attacks, suicide, murder, death of a child, animal death, vomit, hallucinations, fire/ injury and death by fire, cannibalism.
You can find more of my reviews on all social platforms under the username ThisCryptidReads.
Cws: gore, body horror, violence, self harm, injury, blood, panic attacks, suicide, murder, death of a child, animal death, vomit, hallucinations, fire/ injury and death by fire, cannibalism.
You can find more of my reviews on all social platforms under the username ThisCryptidReads.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Vomit, Body horror, Death, Mental illness, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, and Violence
Minor: Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Suicide, Animal death, and Child death
Spoilers: Does the dog (Slade) die? No. He runs off and is missing through the book and hallucinations cause Luke (his owner) to think he is dead. He is later found at the end of the book. The dog depicted in the book he mistakes Slade for was long dead and it's death is not described on page, simply apart of their hallucinations or inches of the ghosts in the woods.samjoc's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Animal death
clowngawd's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
This book has some nauseating descriptions . If you are sensitive to intense descriptions of rot, insects or infections you may want to sit this one out. While I appreciate this stories ambiguity, I wish certain ideas were explored further. Despite its flaws, this was a compelling story of poison earth.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Murder, Body horror, Cannibalism, Gore, and Vomit
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Cursing, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Animal death, and Sexism
sunn_bleach's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.75
I picked this up because it was recommended to me as horror literature that involves climbing. Four acquaintances uncover a mysterious, brand-new climbing crag in the southeast Kentucky wilderness, and they go to climb the new routes while also study its geology. The area turns out to be an eldritch, evil land that shifts and contorts itself to keep people trapped there while luring them with visions of past victims and deep desires. The concept is a little similar to "Uzumaki" in that sense, albeit without a singular obsession.
Kiefer owns a horror bookstore in Kentucky, and the book *definitely* reflects her understanding/experience within climbing culture at the Red River Gorge, where I've spent a lot of time. Unfortunately, I felt that the book was a good example of something written by an enthusiast but not so much a writer. The beginning is strong in uncovering the mysterious crag, but the characters just kind of... ruminate within the crag. There are flashbacks to other deaths and persons lured there, but there's little to be shown except "land evil!" with inconsistent descriptions of *how* that evil occurs. People who die there also become evil ghosts (not a spoiler; it happens pretty early on), and it just doesn't really make sense how or why.
Not that I need everything explained for me, it just felt like "hey what if this land wanted to literally eat people" and only developed about sixty percent of the way. I ended up just being kind of bored, as if each new horror were just "ooo spooky ghost!" rather than something that sank into me. And there are a *lot* of descriptions of vomit and its various consistencies.
That being said, it'd make a great stylized indie horror B-movie.
Kiefer owns a horror bookstore in Kentucky, and the book *definitely* reflects her understanding/experience within climbing culture at the Red River Gorge, where I've spent a lot of time. Unfortunately, I felt that the book was a good example of something written by an enthusiast but not so much a writer. The beginning is strong in uncovering the mysterious crag, but the characters just kind of... ruminate within the crag. There are flashbacks to other deaths and persons lured there, but there's little to be shown except "land evil!" with inconsistent descriptions of *how* that evil occurs. People who die there also become evil ghosts (not a spoiler; it happens pretty early on), and it just doesn't really make sense how or why.
Not that I need everything explained for me, it just felt like "hey what if this land wanted to literally eat people" and only developed about sixty percent of the way. I ended up just being kind of bored, as if each new horror were just "ooo spooky ghost!" rather than something that sank into me. And there are a *lot* of descriptions of vomit and its various consistencies.
That being said, it'd make a great stylized indie horror B-movie.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Vomit, and Cannibalism
Moderate: Animal death and Child death
catspajamas15's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Overall, this was a fun read. Kind of a combination of The Ruins, The Descent and The Hunger.
Not super gory, not super scary but I had a good time.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Cannibalism, Child death, Death, Gore, Alcohol, Body horror, Animal death, and Blood
chainsawheartbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I’m never going hiking in the wilderness again! ⛰️
That was something else. Truly. I don’t think any words I can come up with would be able to describe the horror I felt reading some of that, and the utter fear I felt for the characters.
I’m going to be completely honest and say that I didn’t like Dylan at the start; I thought she was so well-written and felt so real that I genuinely didn’t care for her, especially when she was so dismissive to Luke (and yes I’m aware that the valley probably had a big part to do with that), but she made me angry.
Yet, by the end, I was routing for her.
There were moments when I forgot I wasn’t in the Kentucky wilderness, and I honestly gripped this book as hard as Dylan gripped that rock face.
I can’t wait to read the next thing Jenny Kiefer releases cause damn!
That was something else. Truly. I don’t think any words I can come up with would be able to describe the horror I felt reading some of that, and the utter fear I felt for the characters.
I’m going to be completely honest and say that I didn’t like Dylan at the start; I thought she was so well-written and felt so real that I genuinely didn’t care for her, especially when she was so dismissive to Luke (and yes I’m aware that the valley probably had a big part to do with that), but she made me angry.
Yet, by the end, I was routing for her.
There were moments when I forgot I wasn’t in the Kentucky wilderness, and I honestly gripped this book as hard as Dylan gripped that rock face.
I can’t wait to read the next thing Jenny Kiefer releases cause damn!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Cannibalism, Cursing, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Suicide, Blood, Alcohol, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Colonisation, Gore, Vomit, Animal cruelty, and Violence
cooknick's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This Wretched Valley is fun and creepy in the way of all good B-horror movies. It did get repetitive at times, and I could have done without the forced metaphors, but the paranormal aspects and general spookiness were enough to keep me interested to the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Blood, Death, Murder, Vomit, and Animal death
Minor: Cannibalism
poisoned_icecream's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Four hikers go to an isolated location, not expecting the horrors awaiting them. Clay wants to explore the valley for a dissertation, Dylan is a climber and she wants to be the first to climb the wall, Luke is her boyfriend, and Sylvia is a botanist. Luke also has the not-so-bright idea to bring his dog Slade, and ignores the signs of distress Slade expresses when they all arrive at the valley. There are also brief chapters of past events that occured in the valley that emphasize how hostile it is. Even if this is fictional, it can still serve as yet another example of how nature isn't meant to be conquered or controlled.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Murder, Violence, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Vomit, Body horror, Cannibalism, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Gore