tiak143's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Spoiler
This was a big scarier/more suspenseful than I thought it would be! I had nightmares about the dark walkers 🤣 but maybe that’s just me.I really enjoyed this! The characters were realistic, and believable, and I was questioning everyone’s motives the entire time. It’s very well done!
I do wish there was a little bit more closure. I want to know they made it out, and if their parents are actually alive. And I wish they could’ve gone back for the bees 🥺
Very good book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Death, and Murder
tetedump's review
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Gun violence, and Murder
kaitlinm1678's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Animal cruelty, and Animal death
Moderate: Mental illness, Vomit, and Violence
ashlikes's review
dark
mysterious
slow-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? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Injury/injury detail, Kidnapping, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, and Blood
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Animal death, Death of parent, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, and Pregnancy
Minor: Child death, Miscarriage, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Religious bigotry, and Alcoholism
magellen's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Hooray for a sophomore success! This book is much more cohesive than House of Salt and Sorrows- that said, it still takes a *long long* time to set things up. 3/8ths of the way in felt like the inciting moments, the plot finally showing up to the party.
Once it's in motion, the plot carries along on its own. The nebulous setting flounders through the front half, making it hard to tell just when and where we are, which winds up making it feel like The Village for a stretch. Though it lacks much flavor for voice, the moments of tension/horror are well built and sustained on a razor wire, satisfying to squirm over - there is a lot of blood in this book and talk of the smell of blood so heads up.
Overall, it's a stellar follow up that leans into the fear and reality more than the frothy illusion of S&S. It runs long, or slow, depending how you consider the word count load but it does eventually find uses for most of those words. With yet again a large cast, there's a lot of threads to tie at the end and only a handful of them stay knotted.
Once it's in motion, the plot carries along on its own. The nebulous setting flounders through the front half, making it hard to tell just when and where we are, which winds up making it feel like The Village for a stretch. Though it lacks much flavor for voice, the moments of tension/horror are well built and sustained on a razor wire, satisfying to squirm over - there is a lot of blood in this book and talk of the smell of blood so heads up.
Overall, it's a stellar follow up that leans into the fear and reality more than the frothy illusion of S&S. It runs long, or slow, depending how you consider the word count load but it does eventually find uses for most of those words. With yet again a large cast, there's a lot of threads to tie at the end and only a handful of them stay knotted.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Stalking, Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Injury/injury detail, Physical abuse, Violence, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Confinement, Death, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Vomit, Toxic friendship, and Pregnancy
brittsbooknook's review
dark
mysterious
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
Intense and scary but I couldn't stop, I had to know what happened! The cover is so pretty; you'd not know what was inside based on that. Don't judge a book by its cover. I've read her other book so I knew this wouldn't be a light read. I would describe this as a dark fantasy fairytale horror story...?
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Animal death, and Murder
little_enigmas49's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Blood and Gore
krispy_reading's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I enjoyed this book, but the ending was definitely YA. I need to track down a similiar book but in adult.Â
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury and Blood
Moderate: Violence, Abandonment, Body horror, Injury/injury detail, Religious bigotry, Murder, Medical trauma, and Animal death
Minor: Pregnancy
bwwilhelm's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This book is not for the faint of heart, but it was damn good!Â
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Animal death, Blood, Murder, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, and Grief
jordygordyy's review
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
One of the best stand-alone books I have read. It only took a matter of days to read. The world-building was slow and concise. The contrast between the eerie scenes and the regular was terrific, I could feel the uneasiness of the whole town.
Picture this. . .
Amity Falls is a sleepy town, isolated from the rest of the world by dense forestry for miles in every direction. Ellerie Downing felt she was meant to do more in her life outside of tending to the house and farm. She strives to be like her father, to prove she is capable of bigger things, yet lacks the freedom her twin brother Samuel has.
Amity Falls thrives off of trust and community, but can this town stand together against the strange happenings suddenly occurring after and mysterious monsters lurking in the forests?
Musings and Vibes
Okay, I really enjoyed this book. The pov is strictly from Ellerie yet we still get a feel about everything that's going on. In addition, finding out things alongside her I felt the tension and suspense. Her character is easily likable, she faces real familial struggles and we can watch her grow from a small farm girl.
 Â
Whitaker Price's character fell a little short for me. He was tall, dark, and mysterious. While I loved him as a romantic interest, his whole character felt like just a romantic interest to me. Though it is understandable as it is from Ellerie's point of view. ÂÂ
Picture this. . .
Amity Falls is a sleepy town, isolated from the rest of the world by dense forestry for miles in every direction. Ellerie Downing felt she was meant to do more in her life outside of tending to the house and farm. She strives to be like her father, to prove she is capable of bigger things, yet lacks the freedom her twin brother Samuel has.
Amity Falls thrives off of trust and community, but can this town stand together against the strange happenings suddenly occurring after and mysterious monsters lurking in the forests?
Musings and Vibes
Okay, I really enjoyed this book. The pov is strictly from Ellerie yet we still get a feel about everything that's going on. In addition, finding out things alongside her I felt the tension and suspense. Her character is easily likable, she faces real familial struggles and we can watch her grow from a small farm girl.
 Â
Spoiler
Ou how I hated her brother though. From the very beginning, he has this grudge against her it feels like. Not only did he leave all the chores for her to do all summer, it was so he could sleep with her best friend and ditch the friend when she became pregnant. And when he stole the honey to sell, leaving the bees on their deathbed and his sisters to defend themselves I was livid. His whole character was absolutely foul and Ellerie still had hope in him till the very end. Even after finding out, he tried to GIVE HER to the Dark Watchers. I find it ironic he left the family because Ellerie asked how he survived, accusing her of not trusting him when he tried to feed her to the wolves (metaphorically) the first chance he got.Whitaker Price's character fell a little short for me. He was tall, dark, and mysterious. While I loved him as a romantic interest, his whole character felt like just a romantic interest to me. Though it is understandable as it is from Ellerie's point of view. Â
Spoiler
I knew he was one of the supernatural creatures instantly, a strange handsome man who appears right after the townsmen were slaughtered in the forest yet he remains unharmed?? Ya right. Though I will be honest I thought it was werewolves at first... then fae..but the dark watchers still feel like fairies to me. The whole name thing and all.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Animal death