Scan barcode
dingadine's review
3.0
Almost gave this two stars, but the concept of the book was unique, and I enjoyed the fast pace and easy read. The “thriller” aspect and romances kinda fell flat for me though. The shock/surprise parts were half-in-half, some were predictable and some were genuinely unexpected, but I didn’t feel emotionally attached to the characters so maybe that’s why I never had a jaw-dropper moment while reading. All-in-all a take it or leave it read for me personally.
dreamcourt's review
5.0
I loved this book so much! The ending had me tearing up, but I definitely appreciated it. ❤️
jules_writes's review against another edition
3.0
I like it, a lot. But the ending left me a tad disappointed.
daniella84's review
5.0
*spoilers*
I think the twist that the father wasn't actually a murderer wasn't super revolutionary, but I definitely wasn't expecting a paranormal element! Also had the classic mean capitalist man has a hold over the town and only cares about profit and he's also a massive dirtbag but! I really enjoyed the town dynamic - their solidarity both in isolating Alva but then in turning against Giles to save the rest of them. Her relationship with Ren was nice too - and the ending! Sis the ending
I think Alva's journey too was really well done - she didn't want to be like her father, the man that had turned the town against her, and even in the end when they had made up she took up the responsibility he couldn't. Both Giles and Lachlan in the end were undone by Alva's mother, a fate that Alva almost submitted herself to as well, but she rose above. And in the end, rather than become like her or her father and endanger the town/who she loves, she sacrifices herself.
Overall a bop!
I think the twist that the father wasn't actually a murderer wasn't super revolutionary, but I definitely wasn't expecting a paranormal element! Also had the classic mean capitalist man has a hold over the town and only cares about profit and he's also a massive dirtbag but! I really enjoyed the town dynamic - their solidarity both in isolating Alva but then in turning against Giles to save the rest of them. Her relationship with Ren was nice too - and the ending! Sis the ending
I think Alva's journey too was really well done - she didn't want to be like her father, the man that had turned the town against her, and even in the end when they had made up she took up the responsibility he couldn't. Both Giles and Lachlan in the end were undone by Alva's mother, a fate that Alva almost submitted herself to as well, but she rose above. And in the end, rather than become like her or her father and endanger the town/who she loves, she sacrifices herself.
Overall a bop!
deitable's review
5.0
I started the book an could not set it aside until it was finished! Very captivating story, characters and storytelling !! I rarely give five stars, but this book is worth it.
octobertune's review
4.0
I had no idea what this book was going to be like because honestly, the synopsis is rather vague. But boy Hold Back the Tide was a rollercoaster ride! It takes place in a small town somewhere in the north (? I presume) of Scotland and the setting is what made the story for me. It was such an eerie setting, I sometimes just felt chills going down my spine as I read it. Definitely my favourite setting for these types of stories.
I also really liked Alva as the main character, and her friendship with Ren was great too.There was one character that I absolutely hated, and that was Giles Stewart. Oh god, I wanted to punch that man. Sure, he was written to be hated, but the things he did just made me cringe so hard. I think I may have hated him more than I hated the actual monsters.
It took me a bit to get into the story, honestly, but at about the 25% mark, I just could not put it down. I actually made myself put it down, at 4:30 am because I needed sleep and my eyes were tired. As soon as I could, I picked it back up and kept on reading until I finished it just now, it just drew me in.And that ending? OH MY GOD. I may or may not have raged for a bit when I read the final sentence, and the next page was the acknowledgements. I love standalone Fantasy books, but ahhhhhh!
If you love Stranger Things, love books set in a small town, I highly recommend you pick up this book!
I also really liked Alva as the main character, and her friendship with Ren was great too.
It took me a bit to get into the story, honestly, but at about the 25% mark, I just could not put it down. I actually made myself put it down, at 4:30 am because I needed sleep and my eyes were tired. As soon as I could, I picked it back up and kept on reading until I finished it just now, it just drew me in.
If you love Stranger Things, love books set in a small town, I highly recommend you pick up this book!
bethanypaisley's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
booksandlemonsquash's review
5.0
This book blew me away. Honestly, I should have expected it, because I love Mel's writing, but it still took me by surprise. It is so understatedly gorgeous. Every word feels purposeful.
Hold Back the Tide is set in a timeless remote highland town, and it is clear on every page. The sense of isolation, the sense of small-town mindset and the literal atmosphere of being on the loch is in every word. This is honestly so stunning, I can't accurately portray it.
While this is a fantasy / horror genre, it is not typical of either - in the best of ways. It's mostly just a great read that I would recommend to anyone regardless of what they normally read. It's fairly short too, so a quick read. I buddy read it with friends, and putting down at the end of each day was like agony. Every time we stopped, there was a reveal that made us all want to read on. Several times we were cursing Mel's good name (sorry! we love you really!) in the name of suspense.
And then there's the ending. I just LOVED it. It was exactly what I wanted and perfect for the tone of the book. It hurt me to read in just the best way. There's no way I can say any more without spoiling it, but if you have read the ending, please feel free to message me just to flail about it!!
Alva is an interesting lead - she's terrified of her father, outcast by the village (except by Ren and Galvan, who I both loved!), and just trying to escape. But slowly she gets drawn into what is happening to the loch, to the town, even as she continues to plan to leave. There's also some excellent commentary on small town life and power, in the characters of Giles (I have rarely hated a character as much as him OMG) and Maggie (who is fantastic but can't stand against the town).
This is genuinely a book I feel I will come back to again (not least because I want to reread it again soon, all at once this time!) and again. I can't recommend it more.
Hold Back the Tide is set in a timeless remote highland town, and it is clear on every page. The sense of isolation, the sense of small-town mindset and the literal atmosphere of being on the loch is in every word. This is honestly so stunning, I can't accurately portray it.
While this is a fantasy / horror genre, it is not typical of either - in the best of ways. It's mostly just a great read that I would recommend to anyone regardless of what they normally read. It's fairly short too, so a quick read. I buddy read it with friends, and putting down at the end of each day was like agony. Every time we stopped, there was a reveal that made us all want to read on. Several times we were cursing Mel's good name (sorry! we love you really!) in the name of suspense.
And then there's the ending. I just LOVED it. It was exactly what I wanted and perfect for the tone of the book. It hurt me to read in just the best way. There's no way I can say any more without spoiling it, but if you have read the ending, please feel free to message me just to flail about it!!
Alva is an interesting lead - she's terrified of her father, outcast by the village (except by Ren and Galvan, who I both loved!), and just trying to escape. But slowly she gets drawn into what is happening to the loch, to the town, even as she continues to plan to leave. There's also some excellent commentary on small town life and power, in the characters of Giles (I have rarely hated a character as much as him OMG) and Maggie (who is fantastic but can't stand against the town).
This is genuinely a book I feel I will come back to again (not least because I want to reread it again soon, all at once this time!) and again. I can't recommend it more.