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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
What We Harvest is about a small town known for its farming that is caught under a plague caused by a materlial, bringing us a really interesting tale of zombies, alchemy, and mystery. The story and characters were engaging and easy to read, and having read a lot of zombie books prior, this feels like a unique and interesting take on the lore. The only thing I wish was that it was a little scarier, but it does give you that creepy feeling.
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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:
Yes
I really enjoyed this. It was creepy, gross, and a total page-turner. It's a perfect read for fall and fans of scary forests. What We Harvest is a small town horror done well. I recommend it for fans of Small Favors by Erin Craig, another one of my faves.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Find this review and more on my blog at Worlds Unlike Our Own.
Thank you to the publisher, Penguin Teen Canada, and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Hollow’s End was once known for its miracle crops that drew tourists to the small town from far and wide. But when the blight, a quicksilver, mercury like substance appeared, it first poisoned and destroyed the farms, then the animals, and finally the people, who it turned into zombie-like creatures. Among the last locals still surviving, Wren knows time is running short when she finds that the blight has at last, made its way onto her family’s prized, multi-colored and shimmering wheat farm. When her parents fail to return to their home one evening before curfew, the only person she can turn to is her ex, Derek, and though they haven’t been on speaking terms in months, together, they set out to seek a cure that could save Hollow’s End. But the town has many secrets buried in its past, and the miracle crops come with a cost that it is finally time to pay.
What We Harvest was a rather creepy read that I was surprised to find myself enjoying, and a very well written one too. The scare factor wasn’t particularly bad in my opinion, which is saying a lot considering it includes some pretty vivid imagery. The plot was amazing – between the mystery of where the blight came from, and the continually mounting tension with the time remaining to find a cure running out fast, it was the type of book I just couldn’t put down because I was so intrigued to know what would happen next. It initially seemed like a zombie story, but as the story went on, it became something quite different, between alchemy and a dark history history behind the town’s founders that the families have long kept secret. This was engaging and easy to read, and I especially liked that this was a standalone novel that wrapped up things neatly by the end.
Wren was a strong protagonist despite her making some incredibly stupid decisions. She was a determined and relatable character and it made it easy to root for her. Zombie fiction isn’t really new, but what made this one unique was seeing it through Wren’s eyes, as she herself is infected and fights throughout the book to hold on to her humanity. There was a romance subplot between Wren and Derek, but it was very much sidelined as the main plot of Wren’s quest to find a cure for the blight clearly took center stage.
The ending was a bit more fantastical than I expected, considering that the rest of the book was generally darker themed, but apart from a change in the mood, it didn’t detract too much from the story apart from wrapping up things a little too fast. Despite this not being my usual genre, I really liked this book and it would certainly be a great choice for an October TBR! If this genre appeals to you, I would highly recommend What We Harvest!
Thank you to the publisher, Penguin Teen Canada, and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Hollow’s End was once known for its miracle crops that drew tourists to the small town from far and wide. But when the blight, a quicksilver, mercury like substance appeared, it first poisoned and destroyed the farms, then the animals, and finally the people, who it turned into zombie-like creatures. Among the last locals still surviving, Wren knows time is running short when she finds that the blight has at last, made its way onto her family’s prized, multi-colored and shimmering wheat farm. When her parents fail to return to their home one evening before curfew, the only person she can turn to is her ex, Derek, and though they haven’t been on speaking terms in months, together, they set out to seek a cure that could save Hollow’s End. But the town has many secrets buried in its past, and the miracle crops come with a cost that it is finally time to pay.
What We Harvest was a rather creepy read that I was surprised to find myself enjoying, and a very well written one too. The scare factor wasn’t particularly bad in my opinion, which is saying a lot considering it includes some pretty vivid imagery. The plot was amazing – between the mystery of where the blight came from, and the continually mounting tension with the time remaining to find a cure running out fast, it was the type of book I just couldn’t put down because I was so intrigued to know what would happen next. It initially seemed like a zombie story, but as the story went on, it became something quite different, between alchemy and a dark history history behind the town’s founders that the families have long kept secret. This was engaging and easy to read, and I especially liked that this was a standalone novel that wrapped up things neatly by the end.
Wren was a strong protagonist despite her making some incredibly stupid decisions. She was a determined and relatable character and it made it easy to root for her. Zombie fiction isn’t really new, but what made this one unique was seeing it through Wren’s eyes, as she herself is infected and fights throughout the book to hold on to her humanity. There was a romance subplot between Wren and Derek, but it was very much sidelined as the main plot of Wren’s quest to find a cure for the blight clearly took center stage.
The ending was a bit more fantastical than I expected, considering that the rest of the book was generally darker themed, but apart from a change in the mood, it didn’t detract too much from the story apart from wrapping up things a little too fast. Despite this not being my usual genre, I really liked this book and it would certainly be a great choice for an October TBR! If this genre appeals to you, I would highly recommend What We Harvest!
Fun book with a cool concept, sick villain, and ultimately a very corny ending. Cool book about breaking from harmful traditions. Absolute hit- unputdownable and I’m a fan.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-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:
No
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes