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3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I read an arc edition of this book. There were a couple errors in the second half that confused me but I'm assuming they were fixed for the final version. Overall this was a story about what is truly evil. I enjoyed it but it didn't fully grab me as much as it could have. I think for me it's partly that I don't see things as a "mind movie" when I read which is nothing to do with the writing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Religious bigotry, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Fatphobia
Minor: Pregnancy
dark
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:
Yes
Plot? No where to be found
World building? Never heard of her
Character growth? Who??
What was this book….the vibes where there I suppose? And there were some beautiful lines but not much else whatsoever sadly
World building? Never heard of her
Character growth? Who??
What was this book….the vibes where there I suppose? And there were some beautiful lines but not much else whatsoever sadly
challenging
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Read an ARC. Really enjoyed it but some parts needed more detail and I wanted more info on the world at large.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was really excited for the premise of this book but I feel like it didn’t dive deep enough into the creepy aspect of the creatures in the woods. It kept hinting at these horrible creatures and only got tiny glimpses of them, I wanted to know more about what they were!
Atmospheric and chilling.
This really ticks all the boxes of a folk horror.
Whatever The Teeth and The Deep are, they are terrifying.
Even with the monsters on the outside, there are far worse on the inside, never letting you feel at ease.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.
4/5 ⭐️
This really ticks all the boxes of a folk horror.
Whatever The Teeth and The Deep are, they are terrifying.
Even with the monsters on the outside, there are far worse on the inside, never letting you feel at ease.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.
4/5 ⭐️
The Bone Drenched Woods is proof that indie publishers know what they’re doing, snapping up some incredibly talented authors and amazing stories.
L.V. Russell’s writing is literally *chef’s kiss,* that perfect spot right before prose gets too flowery and purple and is instead a joy to read. Her characters feel as though they’ve been plucked from real life. They’re layered, complex, and flawed, and the main character, Hyacinth, is especially so.
Hyacinth might be my favorite FMC from the books I’ve read with a similar feel to this one (horror, folk horror, mistreated young woman, feminine rage, mysterious happenings). She makes mistakes (big ones!) but she actually learns from them, and she knows how and when to use her rage. She behaves in a way that actually makes sense given her personality, upbringing, and surroundings. Nothing she did felt like it was out of left field and honestly that was refreshing.
The world Hyacinth lives in is fascinating, with all the carved bones used for protection, the worship of the oak trees, and the arranged marriages immediately followed by deadly treks through the dangerous woods. It was all very eerie and mysterious and when I read the book in my somewhat wooded backyard, I felt like I was being watched which was super creepy.
And the men in this book. Ugh. The Elders were just a bunch of terrible men who did what they wanted and dictated the lives of others, much like some men we all may know in the real world *wink, wink, nudge, nudge.* I felt in a sort of vague way like I was reading why we choose the bear: the book. Except the bear is mysterious, terrifying, and hungry woods that will eat the flesh from our bones. And some of us still choose them.
Thank you Quill & Crow, from whom I received an ARC of The Bone Drenched Woods via Netgalley.
Thank you Quill & Crow, from whom I received an ARC of The Bone Drenched Woods via Netgalley.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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
Thanks for the arc NetGalley
It’s been some time since I read any horror books and this book sure was a thrill to read. We are taken to a world were everything is set around the hunger of the Teeth. As long as everyone sticks to the rules no one should get hurt. But things go down bad before you know it. It feels like the village desperately tries to keep the monsters at bay, resulting in a kind of cult like belief that made me think of The Handmaid’s Tale.
The horror aspect was great and it had me hooked from the start. I was a little skeptical cause it is a short read, and it did felt rushed near the end sadly. I really liked that the Teeth and the Deep, that are hidden in the woods and the water are kind of mysterious throughout the whole book. That somehow makes them even scarier.
Hyacinth is a very determined character from the start on and she really made the book for me. She knows what she wants and isn’t afraid for what’s to come. That’s all I can say without giving anything away. I feel like some of the other characters felt flat and one-sided especially the Elders and their wives. Her family, including her dog, were just lovely but not much more than that.
Rating: 3 stars
+ Great main character and teeth clenching horror
- Plot was rushed and other characters felt flat
This story is for anyone who likes a horror which leaves some open for imagination, a strong female character and a quick read with high stakes.
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is such a special book. Hyacinth lives in a small village under constant threat from this hungry entity called the teeth. She herself is a wild child who struggles to fit in the strictly religious society that uses violence and fear to control the village. We learn there are other villages like hers, and after losing her best friend and father she is married off to an elder and shipped to a seaside village. There she learns of even more danger, and starts to see even more wickedness.
We see that wickedness and evil are as much human nature as supernatural. And the eldritch horrors that are the teeth and the deep are truly very scary. The mystery surrounding these beings makes them terrifying, but the motivations projected onto them by the elders make them even more so.
Hyacinth feels like a kindred spirit to me. She is under these unfair and oppressive rules that the elders enforce with an iron fist. She toes the line between submission and freedom and often sees horrible consequences. In spite of that, she continues to try to live as authentically as she can. Her rage enboldens and empowers her to make the decision that is finally hers and hers alone. She is a genuine, flawed, but inspiring character and I love her a lot.
Overall, this is an amazing horror with the perfect mix of both human and monster, darkness, and power.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes