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3.47 AVERAGE
3.47 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Deadnaming, Gore, Violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual assault, Pandemic/Epidemic
No Spoilers
Hemlock Island is the first of Kelley Armstrongs books I've read since I was a teenager. I was honestly shocked to find it was the same author because the genre is such a jump. I got to enjoy this title as an audiobook through my local library I will preface by saying I'm not normally a horror book reader but this one caught me off guard. While I enjoyed the book over all there were certain parts that just rubbed me the wrong way the fact that they keep the BIG SECRET even though the main character and her old friend discuss it they don't share it on page it has to be a HUGE REVEAL.
Hemlock Island is the first of Kelley Armstrongs books I've read since I was a teenager. I was honestly shocked to find it was the same author because the genre is such a jump. I got to enjoy this title as an audiobook through my local library I will preface by saying I'm not normally a horror book reader but this one caught me off guard. While I enjoyed the book over all there were certain parts that just rubbed me the wrong way the fact that they keep the BIG SECRET even though the main character and her old friend discuss it they don't share it on page it has to be a HUGE REVEAL.
dark
tense
medium-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:
No
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Diverse cast of characters:
No
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
After enjoying I’ll Be Waiting, I decided to go back and read Armstrong’s 2023 release - Hemlock Island.
This veered more into horror than I was expecting from the synopsis. I enjoyed the isolated island setting, the complicated personal histories between all of the characters, and the way the author slowly ratcheted up the tension. There are supernatural elements in this, and it definitely has some scary (and gross) moments. Overall, I liked it a lot! However, I couldn’t help comparing it to I’ll Be Waiting, which I liked more, hence rating this one 3.75/5 stars.
Great for fans of Jennifer McMahon, Lucy Foley, and Ruth Ware.
Many thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
This veered more into horror than I was expecting from the synopsis. I enjoyed the isolated island setting, the complicated personal histories between all of the characters, and the way the author slowly ratcheted up the tension. There are supernatural elements in this, and it definitely has some scary (and gross) moments. Overall, I liked it a lot! However, I couldn’t help comparing it to I’ll Be Waiting, which I liked more, hence rating this one 3.75/5 stars.
Great for fans of Jennifer McMahon, Lucy Foley, and Ruth Ware.
Many thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
I love entity horror. Really takes off in the back half with the creep and gore.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
My issue with this book was the last 1/3 of it. The horror was there. The suspense part was there but as we learned what was causing this haunting it got weird. I’m not a fantasy type suspense fan. The island came alive?!? Wtf. Not my thing. 🥲