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librovermo 's review for:

The Bone Drenched Woods by L.V. Russell
5.0

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.