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annettebooksofhopeanddreams's review against another edition
4.0
The Wicked Deep was one of my favorite books ever. The atmosphere was amazing and by the end of the book I was in tears. And somehow, and don't ask me why, I didn't get this book right away when it was released. However, last week I had to buy an extra book to not pay shipping (what a pity) and all of a sudden I remembered this one. And the moment it came in, the moment I held it, I wanted to read it right away.
Just like Ernshaw's first book the true star of this book is the atmosphere. Like no other Ernshaw brings this world to life. I had a constant shivering, despite the heat wave, accompanying me while reading. That one time my father yelled my name it scared the crap out of me. I could feel the winter cold, I could hear the rustling of the trees and I felt in every cell of my body that this wood was very much alive.
The plot itself is not very action packed. We know that something has happened during the night of the storm and with every key player we meet we learn more until the pieces of the puzzle click at the very end of the story. It's however not so much a thriller or a horror story, it's more a story of a girl who knows that she needs to figure out what has really happened to figure out who she is and what her role in this world actually is.
And watching Nora figuring herself out is witnessing a truly interesting journey. Especially because Ernshaw also manages to make her emotions feel so real. I could feel Nora's panic and fear. And even though that sometimes led to her not always doing the right thing, it made so much sense and fitted her as a character. And I think everyone can recognize that intense feeling of really wanting something and being terrified that that something will be forever out of reach.
The ending wasn't as emotional as the ending of the Wicked Deep, but I truly enjoyed reading this!
Just like Ernshaw's first book the true star of this book is the atmosphere. Like no other Ernshaw brings this world to life. I had a constant shivering, despite the heat wave, accompanying me while reading. That one time my father yelled my name it scared the crap out of me. I could feel the winter cold, I could hear the rustling of the trees and I felt in every cell of my body that this wood was very much alive.
The plot itself is not very action packed. We know that something has happened during the night of the storm and with every key player we meet we learn more until the pieces of the puzzle click at the very end of the story. It's however not so much a thriller or a horror story, it's more a story of a girl who knows that she needs to figure out what has really happened to figure out who she is and what her role in this world actually is.
And watching Nora figuring herself out is witnessing a truly interesting journey. Especially because Ernshaw also manages to make her emotions feel so real. I could feel Nora's panic and fear. And even though that sometimes led to her not always doing the right thing, it made so much sense and fitted her as a character. And I think everyone can recognize that intense feeling of really wanting something and being terrified that that something will be forever out of reach.
The ending wasn't as emotional as the ending of the Wicked Deep, but I truly enjoyed reading this!
brendalovesbooks's review against another edition
2.0
I didn't really like this at all. I guess it's my fault for expecting something that wasn't necessarily promised. I was hoping for a story about creepy, magical woods and a family of witches. Neither of those things really played a part in this story, except for at the end of each chapter we got a short snippet about the life of one of Nora's witch ancestors. Those were just about the only part of the book I liked.
What I got instead is an instalove story. There's really no reason these two fell in love. They don't even know anything about each other. And it was all so slow and boring. I feel like by the time I was 50% in, I knew exactly what the blurb had told me still, and nothing more. I just really wanted a fairy tale like story, and this wasn't it at all.
What I got instead is an instalove story. There's really no reason these two fell in love. They don't even know anything about each other. And it was all so slow and boring. I feel like by the time I was 50% in, I knew exactly what the blurb had told me still, and nothing more. I just really wanted a fairy tale like story, and this wasn't it at all.
kaeliwolf's review against another edition
1.0
DNF at 115 pages
This book moves so slowly, but I could handle that if anything happened at all, which it doesn't. I read 100 pages and it was just moving in a circle of the same information we already had since page 10 and absolutely no character development. Reiteration does not need to be this thorough.
This book moves so slowly, but I could handle that if anything happened at all, which it doesn't. I read 100 pages and it was just moving in a circle of the same information we already had since page 10 and absolutely no character development. Reiteration does not need to be this thorough.
sylvilel's review against another edition
3.0
Nora Walker is the lonely young witch of Jackjaw Lake. Or - at least her ancestors were witches. Nora however doesn’t seem to posess the same forces as the other women of the Walker lineage. Perhaps she is the first Walker born WITHOUT a nightshade.
On the night of a storm that leaves Jackjaw Lake completely isolated from the outside world, one boy disappears from the boy camp by the shore. Another boy is supposedly dead.
Soon, Nora finds herself and her unreliable heart tangled up in mysteries both worldly and magical - and in a race against death.
I’m not really sure what to think of this book. It’s definitely something I would’ve loved to the point of falling apart at fourteen. And I guess I can say it’s well written; slow-paced and thoughtful and dreamy in a - thankfully - not-too-sappy-way. A dark romance wrapped in pagan magic and a possible murder mystery.
I was very much put off by the intro. It felt like Ernshaw was trying to set the pace a little too forcefully, and thus biting over too much at a time, and I started to expect hating the rest of it. That was only the beginning however, and pretty soon the mood of the story began taking shape, turning into a mixture between Practical Magic and The Wolves of Mercy Falls.
Between piles of huge, epic fantasy tomes, I guess this was a nice little quick fix - a decent palate cleanser if you like.
On the night of a storm that leaves Jackjaw Lake completely isolated from the outside world, one boy disappears from the boy camp by the shore. Another boy is supposedly dead.
Soon, Nora finds herself and her unreliable heart tangled up in mysteries both worldly and magical - and in a race against death.
I’m not really sure what to think of this book. It’s definitely something I would’ve loved to the point of falling apart at fourteen. And I guess I can say it’s well written; slow-paced and thoughtful and dreamy in a - thankfully - not-too-sappy-way. A dark romance wrapped in pagan magic and a possible murder mystery.
I was very much put off by the intro. It felt like Ernshaw was trying to set the pace a little too forcefully, and thus biting over too much at a time, and I started to expect hating the rest of it. That was only the beginning however, and pretty soon the mood of the story began taking shape, turning into a mixture between Practical Magic and The Wolves of Mercy Falls.
Between piles of huge, epic fantasy tomes, I guess this was a nice little quick fix - a decent palate cleanser if you like.
half_bloodreader's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? No
1.0
Dual pov
Haunted forest
Atmospheric
YA Magical realism
Small town
Witchy Family Lore
Slow Burn Mystery
Lonely mcs
Gosh, this book has left me feeling so cold
I don't know if it's me, but after the beginning which was really atmospheric and left me satisfied that this would be a sort of light creepy YA paranormal story, the pacing just became way too slow, with repetitions, and I started getting really frustrated with the mc, Nora. By chapter 4, at the 18% mark, I realised what was going on, so how could she not, having been raised by that witchy grandmother of hers?!
I kept asking Nora why did she care about the boy who supposedly died in a sort of obsessive way from the first time she heard about it. She's a Walker, made of darker stuff. She's supposed to live uninvolved. She's not a detective, they are cut off from the rest of the world due to a blizzard, and a death omen is following her. Why did she keep walking into danger, but only recoil from Oliver?!
Why it's a no
1. After the beginning, there's no more creepy forest even though that's what the blurb promised and why I'm here
2. Insta love
3. Nonsensical time lapses + no normal human routine: eating, sleeping, chores, gathering wood, BATHING
4. Mc with a death wish. Keeps angering possible murderers by playing awful detective after death omen and wandering off late at night with no sleep. When that doesn't work, decides to walk on frozen lake. Must I remind you they have no power, so no cops, no neighbours but an old man with arthritis
5. Repetitive drivel of inner monologues and dialogues with Oliver
6. 🎶Everyone is stupid, everyone is too stupid to live🎶 (sing to tune of Everything is Awesome)
Even the family lore entries couldn't save this boredom about a bunch of morons.
This book is a manual on: don't meddle, don't overshare, don't overstay, keep your distance from boys. So much could've been avoided if she just kept her mouth shut!
Haunted forest
Atmospheric
YA Magical realism
Small town
Witchy Family Lore
Slow Burn Mystery
Lonely mcs
Gosh, this book has left me feeling so cold
I don't know if it's me, but after the beginning which was really atmospheric and left me satisfied that this would be a sort of light creepy YA paranormal story, the pacing just became way too slow, with repetitions, and I started getting really frustrated with the mc, Nora. By chapter 4, at the 18% mark, I realised what was going on, so how could she not, having been raised by that witchy grandmother of hers?!
I kept asking Nora why did she care about the boy who supposedly died in a sort of obsessive way from the first time she heard about it. She's a Walker, made of darker stuff. She's supposed to live uninvolved. She's not a detective, they are cut off from the rest of the world due to a blizzard, and a death omen is following her. Why did she keep walking into danger, but only recoil from Oliver?!
Why it's a no
1. After the beginning, there's no more creepy forest even though that's what the blurb promised and why I'm here
2. Insta love
3. Nonsensical time lapses + no normal human routine: eating, sleeping, chores, gathering wood, BATHING
4. Mc with a death wish. Keeps angering possible murderers by playing awful detective after death omen and wandering off late at night with no sleep. When that doesn't work, decides to walk on frozen lake. Must I remind you they have no power, so no cops, no neighbours but an old man with arthritis
5. Repetitive drivel of inner monologues and dialogues with Oliver
6. 🎶Everyone is stupid, everyone is too stupid to live🎶 (sing to tune of Everything is Awesome)
Even the family lore entries couldn't save this boredom about a bunch of morons.
This book is a manual on: don't meddle, don't overshare, don't overstay, keep your distance from boys. So much could've been avoided if she just kept her mouth shut!
syraluna's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
medium-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? It's complicated
5.0
This was really an amazing story. I can’t wait to read more from Shea!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Alcoholism and Bullying
Minor: Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, and Murder
emilye3's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 This book was very atmospheric and I’ve come to expect that from this author. Her writing flows so easily. I enjoyed reading this story and found that the history of the walker women were my favorite parts. This story is mysterious and enchanting and also dark. The few problems I Had were being lost with the plot and also the Intst-Love that took place. The magic was a little confusing too. Other than that it was still and enjoyable read.
iris_smith's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
4.5
fairiesdust's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
tense
medium-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
3.0
trixx_reads's review against another edition
4.0
Fairy tales have taught us not to go into the dark woods alone. Yet Nora does, as a descendant of an ancient witch family, she can't be harmed by the Forest. She spends her days alone since her grandmother died, because her mother is often away. She has no friends at school, as no one wants to give a witch a chance. Her only company is her dog, Fin, who is a half-wolf, so the locals are afraid of him too.
The mystery of Oliver was a challenge for me, and I only partially solved it. I had forgotten how the story of the missing boy and the dead boy could be connected. There were a few suspicious clues that led me to figure out what was going on with Oliver, but the Max case surprised me too. It's a bit of a coincidence that uncontrollable boys end up in this camp for a reason...
I really liked the way Nora and Oliver's love slowly built in the book. She also discovered her magical powers, which is more special than you might think. And all the time he blamed himself for what happened, but in the end it turned out that he wasn't the evil one at all.
The story was given a unique atmosphere by the short book excerpts that described the lives of the Walker family's most interesting witches. My favourite was Nora and her grandmother Iona.
If you are looking for a special winter read, I highly recommend Winterwood!
The mystery of Oliver was a challenge for me, and I only partially solved it. I had forgotten how the story of the missing boy and the dead boy could be connected. There were a few suspicious clues that led me to figure out what was going on with Oliver, but the Max case surprised me too. It's a bit of a coincidence that uncontrollable boys end up in this camp for a reason...
I really liked the way Nora and Oliver's love slowly built in the book. She also discovered her magical powers, which is more special than you might think. And all the time he blamed himself for what happened, but in the end it turned out that he wasn't the evil one at all.
The story was given a unique atmosphere by the short book excerpts that described the lives of the Walker family's most interesting witches. My favourite was Nora and her grandmother Iona.
If you are looking for a special winter read, I highly recommend Winterwood!