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3.47 AVERAGE
3.47 AVERAGE
First, St Martins Press can suck it.
Second, the author did a good job. Scary, threatening, and also deals either relationships in a way that isn’t annoying.
Second, the author did a good job. Scary, threatening, and also deals either relationships in a way that isn’t annoying.
This book was absolutely gripping. Secluded island in Lake Superior murder mystery. Sabotage, seeing things that aren’t there. Gruesome injuries that don’t affect the victim. Possession? Reanimation?Occult? Family secrets. Mother nature’s revenge. I loved every minute of this supernatural suspense novel.
I’ve been a Kelley Armstrong fan since her first novel, Bitten, and I was excited to see her release her first horror novel. I really enjoyed Hemlock Island. It combined Armstrong’s strengths with character and witty dialogue with some seriously creepy imagery. (Those windchimes…yikes.)
This is a great book to go into blind. I was surprised that it involved one of my favourite subgenres of horror, but that’s a revelation that comes about halfway through.
I can at least talk about the setting, which is a house on an isolated island in the middle of Lake Superior. I’m a sucker for wilderness and isolation horror.
I did find that the second act focus on relationship and family/friendship secrets took away from the horror a bit. I appreciated those elements but would have liked a slightly different ratio — maybe one less secret exposed, and more creepy buildup on the island?
I also didn’t find Kit to be an interesting enough character for the amount of focus on him, but I loved the protagonist, Laney, and her niece, Madison — Madison is a wonderfully smart and snarky teen girl who captured my heart immediately.
Overall I really enjoyed the novel and I would love to see Armstrong continue to write horror. There’s some wonderful gruesomeness and terror here, and thematically it was right in my sweet spot. It gave me series Darcy Coates vibes with the combination of cozy horror, creepy buildup, character work, and the “what the heck is going on??” factor.
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for my review copy of this book.
This is a great book to go into blind. I was surprised that it involved one of my favourite subgenres of horror, but that’s a revelation that comes about halfway through.
I can at least talk about the setting, which is a house on an isolated island in the middle of Lake Superior. I’m a sucker for wilderness and isolation horror.
I did find that the second act focus on relationship and family/friendship secrets took away from the horror a bit. I appreciated those elements but would have liked a slightly different ratio — maybe one less secret exposed, and more creepy buildup on the island?
I also didn’t find Kit to be an interesting enough character for the amount of focus on him, but I loved the protagonist, Laney, and her niece, Madison — Madison is a wonderfully smart and snarky teen girl who captured my heart immediately.
Overall I really enjoyed the novel and I would love to see Armstrong continue to write horror. There’s some wonderful gruesomeness and terror here, and thematically it was right in my sweet spot. It gave me series Darcy Coates vibes with the combination of cozy horror, creepy buildup, character work, and the “what the heck is going on??” factor.
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for my review copy of this book.
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
An enjoyable, light read. This is what they mean by beach read. Please keep in mind the last time I was at the beach I was reading the Marquis de Sade's Justine.
Comes across as an approachable and somewhat spooky mystery but then GORE and slight cosmic horror so watch out!
Comes across as an approachable and somewhat spooky mystery but then GORE and slight cosmic horror so watch out!
4.5 stars
If you’re looking for a spooky fall read/listen for the season that’s not too scary, I recommend Kelley Armstrong’s Hemlock Island. It’s set on a remote island on Lake Superior where people are dying, disappearing, and seeing visions. There’s a lot of background info to unpack along the way but it all resolves in a satisfyingly unique and spooky tale for our current times!
*Thanks to MacMillan Audio, St Martin’s Press & NetGalley
If you’re looking for a spooky fall read/listen for the season that’s not too scary, I recommend Kelley Armstrong’s Hemlock Island. It’s set on a remote island on Lake Superior where people are dying, disappearing, and seeing visions. There’s a lot of background info to unpack along the way but it all resolves in a satisfyingly unique and spooky tale for our current times!
*Thanks to MacMillan Audio, St Martin’s Press & NetGalley
I am unsure what to even say after how this book ended. This book really reminded me of Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey, but instead of it being the house, it's the property/island. The book started with what seemed to be pranks done by some tricksters, however, they would have to take a boat to the island to do this and get back off the island before anyone detected it. I guess it can be done, but my thought was those tricksters need hobbies, that is pure dedication.
The book has a lot of different characters, twists and turns, but then it just went for a crazy turn into crazytown when the last few chapters started. The friends get to really figure out who is really their friend, the truth comes out about a lot of different things from their pasts, and they are all tested to their limits with this short stay on the island.
The book kept me guessing the whole way through, that is for sure.
Thank you for my ARC and letting me enjoy this book! Looking forward to reading more of Kelley's books.
The book has a lot of different characters, twists and turns, but then it just went for a crazy turn into crazytown when the last few chapters started. The friends get to really figure out who is really their friend, the truth comes out about a lot of different things from their pasts, and they are all tested to their limits with this short stay on the island.
The book kept me guessing the whole way through, that is for sure.
Thank you for my ARC and letting me enjoy this book! Looking forward to reading more of Kelley's books.
A remote island mystery with a sprinkle of horror and a whole lot of old high school drama unburied.