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A review by nebulous07
Enter the Darkness by Sarah Budd, Sarah Budd
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
3.0
Enter the Darkness by Sarah Budd is tense, claustrophobic, and, you guessed, dark. We have four characters (two main while the other two are supportive). Each of them has motives/secrets for entering the caves during the Spring Solstice. However, the White Lady likes to nom-nom on human flesh (trigger warning: cannibalism) for her strength and survival, longstanding the lore associated with the area.
Before I jump into the yaays and nays, let's disclose all the trigger warnings.
Suicide, bereavement, implied parental abuse, domestic abuse, kidnap & murder.
The yaays: Sarah Budd lures you in with vivid, non-repetitive descriptions of the caves. This is commendable as most of the plot unfurls in this area. The chapter and the point-of-view placements are good, leaving you with a few breadcrumbs about each of them, ensuring the readers have a clear idea of their background. The build-up was excellent, and I couldn't wait to read what came next. The pacing was well-done, and I devoured the book in a few hours.
The nays: The ending. The minute twist at the end wasn't enough for me. "Huh." would be my one-word response to the conclusion; unfortunately, it felt underwhelming and rushed (in keeping up with the pacing). Additionally, it would be wonderful to understand the folklore behind the caves in greater detail.
Thank you, NetGalley & the publishers at Bridgids Gate Press, LLC, for giving me an ARC. This honest review is left voluntarily.
Before I jump into the yaays and nays, let's disclose all the trigger warnings.
Suicide, bereavement, implied parental abuse, domestic abuse, kidnap & murder.
The yaays: Sarah Budd lures you in with vivid, non-repetitive descriptions of the caves. This is commendable as most of the plot unfurls in this area. The chapter and the point-of-view placements are good, leaving you with a few breadcrumbs about each of them, ensuring the readers have a clear idea of their background. The build-up was excellent, and I couldn't wait to read what came next. The pacing was well-done, and I devoured the book in a few hours.
The nays: The ending. The minute twist at the end wasn't enough for me. "Huh." would be my one-word response to the conclusion; unfortunately, it felt underwhelming and rushed (in keeping up with the pacing). Additionally, it would be wonderful to understand the folklore behind the caves in greater detail.
Thank you, NetGalley & the publishers at Bridgids Gate Press, LLC, for giving me an ARC. This honest review is left voluntarily.