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killmoore_'s review against another edition
dark
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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Murder, Stalking, Torture, Alcohol, Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Addiction, Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Medical content, Sexual assault, Lesbophobia, Blood, Child abuse, and Violence
captainolyareads's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
The latest novel from Chevy Stevens, "Dark Roads," is loosely based on the Highway of Tears in British Columbia, Canada but according to the author's note, she changed the setting to Cold Creek Highway out of respect to the victims.
For decades, people have been warned about Cold Creek Highway and its penchant for luring women to its death. When Hailey McBride realizes she has to extricate herself from her uncle's home, she thinks of the unforgiving wilderness. With the help of her best friend, she makes a plan to escape into the woods, hoping her survival skills will be enough to stay alive and that people will assume she was another victim of the killer. For the better part of the year, she stays undiscovered, known only to her best friend and a stray dog, until someone too close to home arrives in town, luring her out of hiding. How can she go back to hiding knowing the dangers that are out there?
I've had a difficult time committing and finishing any novels these days so I will say this was a good novel that kept me engaged until the end. Whether or not it was particularly suspenseful is debatable. Everything is laid out on the table for you so it wasn't quite a thrilling ride. I thought the writer did an excellent job of constructing nature scenes and Hailey's determination to survive in the wilderness, so that worked for me. The beginning of the novel was also very good, stronger for me than the second half. There were a few choppy transitions that made it hard to follow along, so I wish some scenes were a little clearer. I thought the epilogue also confused me more than it added to the plot.
For decades, people have been warned about Cold Creek Highway and its penchant for luring women to its death. When Hailey McBride realizes she has to extricate herself from her uncle's home, she thinks of the unforgiving wilderness. With the help of her best friend, she makes a plan to escape into the woods, hoping her survival skills will be enough to stay alive and that people will assume she was another victim of the killer. For the better part of the year, she stays undiscovered, known only to her best friend and a stray dog, until someone too close to home arrives in town, luring her out of hiding. How can she go back to hiding knowing the dangers that are out there?
I've had a difficult time committing and finishing any novels these days so I will say this was a good novel that kept me engaged until the end. Whether or not it was particularly suspenseful is debatable. Everything is laid out on the table for you so it wasn't quite a thrilling ride. I thought the writer did an excellent job of constructing nature scenes and Hailey's determination to survive in the wilderness, so that worked for me. The beginning of the novel was also very good, stronger for me than the second half. There were a few choppy transitions that made it hard to follow along, so I wish some scenes were a little clearer. I thought the epilogue also confused me more than it added to the plot.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Violence
Moderate: Sexism, Murder, and Kidnapping
Minor: Car accident and Grief
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