Categories: Dark Romance, Mystery, Paranormal, Gothic Romance, Monster Romance
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Thank you to Bramble for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
ou never forget your first love. Especially when he’s also your worst nightmare.
Twelve years ago, Maven Blackthorn fled her small hometown, leaving behind the wreckage of her mother’s suspicious death. But now, drawn back for her grandmother’s funeral, Maven steps onto Blackthorn soil once more, only to find herself thrust into a fresh nightmare: her grandmother’s body has vanished.
The Blackthorns immediately suspect the Crofts—the ruthless titans of Croft Pharmaceuticals, whose bitter blood feud with the Blackthorns has spanned generations. But when Maven comes face-to-face with Ronan Croft, the son of her mother’s suspected killer and the only man she ever loved, she discovers the forbidden passion they once shared is as alive—and dangerous—as ever.
As long-buried family secrets claw their way to the surface, betrayal lurks behind every whisper, and old vendettas ignite anew. The deeper Maven digs for answers, the more treacherous the game becomes. And the one man she can never seem to escape is hiding a truth that could burn their whole world down.
In a town where the dead won’t stay buried, is love salvation…or the deadliest game of all?
Blackthorn is a page-turning gothic romance with darker themes and scenes that may not be suitable for everyone. Please see the author’s content note at the beginning of the book.
Content Warning: violence, death, occult
+ I felt like this started good – it definitely gave dark, mysterious vibes. Maven is back home in Solstice with her two aunts, it was giving me Practical Magic vibes at first. The wealthy family in town are the Crofts and Ronan Crofts knows Maven is back and he wants her again.
+~ The back and forth romance between Ronan and Maven is tense, and at first purely sexual until we find out more about their past. Clearly he is obsessed with her and stalks her but she can’t stop her feelings for him either. It’s a forbidden romance, because Ronan’s father has told him to stay away from her – he doesn’t know why. And it’s spicy with even a monster spice scene. But there was something about the romance for a moment that made me feel uncomfortable even though it’s resolved later.
+~ There is a mystery going on in this story in that Maven is back in town for her grandmother’s funeral but her body goes missing at the funeral home. Maven sets out to do an investigation and finds out things about some of her mom (who’s passed) and about the Croft family. I don’t know why but I wasn’t immersed into the mystery as much as I was into the romance.
~ I felt like the ending was rushed and the reveals of the mystery was just dropped upon me from nowhere. I was surprised. Is there a part two? I felt like there was no build-up to that ending.
Final Thoughts:
I think this started off well, and I was invested in the romance, but I needed more of the mystery and especially needed more of a build-up to that ending. I was confused about the way it ended, it felt rushed.
When a demonic presence awakens deep in a Mexican silver mine, the young woman it seizes must turn to the one man she shouldn’t trust… from bestselling author Isabel Cañas.
In 1765, plague sweeps through Zacatecas. Alba flees with her wealthy merchant parents and fiancé, Carlos, to his family’s isolated mine for refuge. But safety proves fleeting as other dangers soon bare their teeth: Alba begins suffering from strange hallucinations, sleepwalking, and violent convulsions. She senses something cold lurking beneath her skin. Something angry. Something wrong.
Elías, haunted by a troubled past, came to the New World to make his fortune and escape his family’s legacy of greed. Alba, as his cousin’s betrothed, is none of his business. Which is of course why he can’t help but notice her every time she enters a room or the growing tension between them… and why he notices her deteriorate when the demon’s thirst for blood grows stronger.
+ Isabel Cañas is a must read author for me! I love her historical fiction horror writing style and once again I was sucked into this story she created. How does she write horror in such a beautiful manner?! I love it. The lyrical prose always has a way of seducing me into the horror stories that she writes.
+ This story is set in New Spain – Mexico, in a town with a silver mine. I love all the history I learned from this book from the silver mines to the power of the Catholic religion. It was a time during the Spanish Inquisition and though there is only one priest who is with this family, his authority had power – enough to demand a whole town to stop worshipping other idols from their culture.
+ Alba is trying to take ahold of her future. She knows as a young woman, she has no choice but to marry but she chooses a friend of hers, Carlos, to marry because she feels like it’s her only path to freedom. But when she goes with him to the silver mine his family owns, something possesses her – a demonic spirit and now she has to fight it for freedom of her body and mind! I liked the parallels and how it’s a story about a woman trying to fight for her freedom.
+ I grew up Catholic so exorcism and demonic possession always scared me. But it’s always fascinated me also. There are some creepy parts in this story especially when Alba is possessed, and a little body horror but this was not scary.
+~ There is even romance in this story which I loved. I like a man who isn’t afraid of a little possession! 😅 But I would have liked more build-up between them, even more time spent together and getting to know one another before falling for one another.
~ The beginning starts off a little slow, but once they travel to the mines the story picks up. I also wanted to know a little more about the alchemy and mercury. Elías is such a worldly character with such a tragic backstory, I wanted to know more of him.
Final Thoughts:
I’m so glad I saved this one for October, it’s the perfect gothic horror read for spooky season! It’s beautifully written and I was hooked. I look forward to reading what this author writes next.
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Thank you to Christy Ottaviano Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
No one told me that damnation could be beautiful.
For the last 500 years, the Kingdom of Noctis has been plagued by Corruption, a curse that spreads through dreams. Only an elixir, taken each night before sleep, can ward off the curse. But for some, the allure of the Dream Realm proves too strong.
Esmer Havenfall desperately wants to escape her curse-struck village. But as her family starts to succumb to Corruption, Esmer’s life swiftly unravels into a nightmare – especially when she begins to dream herself.
In Esmer’s dreams, she meets her greatest fear, the Shadow Bringer, who rules from his castle in the Dream Realm, stealing souls one dreamer at a time. As Esmer follows the Shadow Bringer deeper into his kingdom she starts to feel a strange kinship to his sinister magic. But the prince of darkness has a haunted past, one that might change the fate of Esmer’s kingdom – and her heart – forever.
Lush and vividly imagined, Logan Karlie creates an immersive nightmare in this seductive gothic fantasy, infused with shadow-haunted romance and an exhilarating thread of horror.
Content Warning: violence
+ I thought the premise for this story was very interesting – drinking an elixir to keep dreams away, because dreams were bad? I wanted to learn more and I found this world-building very dark and gothic. I also caught the Labyrinth vibes (one of my favorite childhood movies), so I liked that!
+ The narrators did a great job with bringing the main characters to life. All the demon voices were different and well done also.
+ There is a strong theme of family in this story because Esmer loses most of her family she is protective of her youngest brother.
+~ The romance is enemies to lovers and a slow burn but it’s not the main focus of the story. I didn’t feel invested in their romance though, but it might be because I wasn’t connecting to the characters.
~ I don’t know if it’s because it’s an audiobook and that’s already a challenge in holding my attention but the middle of this book was a bit slow. There’s always a demon in every corner asking to be let free and that stood out but it also became repetitive, at least in my listening experience.
~ Would like more world-building.
Final Thoughts:
This one wasn’t for me although I thought the narrators did such a great job with trying to bring this book to life. I liked the dark, gothic fantasy vibes but I had a hard time connecting to the characters.
Title: The Knight and the Moth (The Stonewater Kingdom, #1)
Author: Rachel Gillig
Format: hardcover (own)
Pages: 400
Publication Date: 5/20/25
Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Gothic
Sybil Delling has spent nine years dreaming of having no dreams at all. Like the other foundling girls who traded a decade of service for a home in the great cathedral, Sybil is a Diviner. In her dreams she receives visions from six unearthly figures known as Omens. From them, she can predict terrible things before they occur, and lords and common folk alike travel across the kingdom of Traum’s windswept moors to learn their futures by her dreams.
Just as she and her sister Diviners near the end of their service, a mysterious knight arrives at the cathedral. Rude, heretical, and devilishly handsome, the knight Rodrick has no respect for Sybil’s visions. But when Sybil’s fellow Diviners begin to vanish one by one, she has no choice but to seek his help in finding them. For the world outside the cathedral’s cloister is wrought with peril. Only the gods have the answers she is seeking, and as much as she’d rather avoid Rodrick’s dark eyes and sharp tongue, only a heretic can defeat a god.
Content Warning: violence, drowning
+ The Knight and the Moth is set in a time of knights, cathedrals, omens, kings and really embodies an eerie gothic vibes from start to finish. I love the mystical nature of the diviners and creatures like sprites. Whenever I put the book down, I couldn’t stop thinking of it and wanted to pick it up again. The whole of the story is very creative, imaginative, and refreshing. I do feel like at times the story was like a fever dream.
+ Sybil or Six, is a diviner. She wears a shroud over her eyes and is drowned in order to give a divination. As the story progresses she uncovers secrets and truths about how she came to be a diviner. It’s quite a journey that Sybil goes through in this story and her story isn’t over yet.
+ When Sybil meets the King and his knights, they eventually form a found family between her, her gargoyle Bartholomew, Rory, Maude and Benji (the young king). I did also like her found family with the other diviners that was present in the beginning of the story, only going by numbers as names like One, Two, Three, etc. This found family is what journeys with Sybil through many quests and obstacles, and I love how close they get.
+ There is a romance between Sybil and Rory and it’s enemies to lovers but I feel like it was more dislike to like. Rory’s a rogue knight, he’s trying his best but he doesn’t make the best knight and Sybil, well he gets under her skin and she can’t stand that. The moment their mutual feelings turn to like though, it becomes a sweet romance between them. I like how Sybil is almost as strong as Rory, she is not a fragile maiden. They are perfect for one another.
+ I really enjoyed how mysterious and mystical this story unfolded. And I found the ending emotional with Bartholomew’s story telling and the twist that occurs at the end. Speaking of Bartholomew, the gargoyle is so funny! I love him. I love how he brought humor to this otherwise dark tale. I also enjoyed the themes about gods, false gods, and power.
~ I think the only minor issue I had with the story is when they are battling the living Omens. Some of them were really good and filled with action like the Oarsman. But the one with the chime happened so fast and was anticlimactic.
Final Thoughts:
This is definitely a gothic fantasy with romance, and not a romantasy. If you are going into this thinking it is a romantasy then you will be disappointed. I loved how imaginative and refreshing this story felt. I didn’t read this book in one day, it took me about four days and I’m kind of glad I read it slowly. I was more immersed in the world and characters and the setting while I read it slow. I enjoyed this one a lot, especially that silly gargoyle Bartholomew! Also, I got the hardcover of this book with the sprayed edges and can I just mention how gorgeous this book is? I can’t wait to see what happens in the sequel!
Enigma, a twisted Hades and Persephone meets scorching dark academia romance—a tale of love and obsession between two rivals.
There are secrets she must uncover. There are secrets he must keep.
Salem Salazar is fascinated with death. The black sheep of her scandal-ridden, wealthy family, she arrives at Mortimer University as a legacy on the hunt for answers about what happened to her perfect, older sister. There, she discovers that her sister is far from the only girl to have gone missing at Mortimer. Salem will do anything to discover what dark forces are killing Mortimer’s students…even if it means using herself as bait.
And Cazimir van der Waal has caught her scent. The mysterious artist and teaching assistant has a dark past, a hidden agenda, and a ravenous appetite for a beautiful, golden-eyed girl who seems determined to risk her life.
Where she is ice, he is fire. Where she is organization, he is chaos. Where she is precision, he is passion. Together they are explosive–their fates linked as secret societies and death stalk them both.
Enigma is a sensual, epic love story for those who also crave the frightful, the puzzling, the suspenseful, the dangerous and the dark.
Welcome to Mortimer.
Enigma *Dark academia romance *Steamy suspense *Rivals to lovers *Secret societies *Forbidden love
Content Warning: death, mentions of suicide,
I have never read a book by this author and finally got this one since it was on Kindle Unlimited:
+ Our main male character Caz is a tortured soul, he’s a TA, an artist with a pencil always in his hand but he’s got anger issues. When he zeroes in on Salem, it’s over, he is possessive and wants her bad. Salem has the same attraction towards him, but she really wants to wipe that smirk off his face. She can’t stop wanting this bad boy artist.
+ I do think this book was more romance focused but I didn’t mind because I thought Salem and Caz’s relationship was really addicting. He’s filled with passion and anger and she balances him even though she has a cold and icy personate, inside she’s really not and they complimented one another. His possessiveness is kind of toxic but it works out for them! It is spicy but nothing too overboard.
+ The atmosphere was gothic and dark academia which I enjoyed a lot. It was perfect for the mystery of the deaths on campus and rumors of a secret society. I also thought some side characters were really interesting and wanted to see more of, like Baron.
~ Didn’t really see the rivals to lovers between Salem and Caz. Caz is a teacher’s assistant, so I feel like they weren’t really competing for anything in class, maybe the scholarship? But even with that it wasn’t like they were in a fierce competition for it.
~ This story was more focused on the romance, and I feel like it needed more when it came to the mystery of the deaths and secret society department. Salem is studying criminology and I didn’t think she did much with the investigation except for a few things. Baron and Caz kept things really hush hush and there wasn’t a lot of information coming from them either.
Final Thoughts:
I wasn’t sure how I would like this one but it was a nice little escape and I enjoyed the dark romance between Caz and Salem. I also liked the dark academia setting, I just wish there was more about the secret societies and maybe a little more suspense.
Categories: Contemporary, Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult, Gothic, Horror, Thriller, Mystery
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Thank you to Henry Holt and Co. for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
A contemporary YA gothic romance about a dark family secret, a lush, mysterious garden, and a love that never dies, from New York Times bestselling author Goldy Moldavsky.
Aspiring artist Rose Pauly is not happy moving from her home in New York City right before her senior year of high school. But on her first miserable day in Connecticut, she meets Hart Hargrove. The two share an immediate, undeniable connection.
Hart introduces Rose to his slice of paradise–the immense private garden nestled behind the Hargrove family mansion. There, the two spend a fever dream of a summer together. But as their bond blossoms into love, Rose can’t shake the feeling that all is not as it seems.
When Rose uncovers the truth about the garden, she’s forced to question how genuine her love story truly is. But Hart can’t bear to lose Rose, and he will stop at nothing to save their relationship.
Posing haunting questions about beauty and desire, this is an atmospheric and darkly romantic tale that will enthrall readers.
Content Warning: violence, grief, accident, body horror
+ The twist in this story blew my mind, it’s the one book this year that has made my jaw drop.
+ Rose is new to town, but right away she meets Hart Hargrove. He’s popular, he lives on the biggest estate in town – an estate whose gardens are infamous for secret, exclusive parties. Rose and Hart fall madly in love, almost insta-love, but there are clues along the way in this book where it feels like something is off. Something doesn’t feel right with their love story.
+ The grief that is presented in this book is heartbreaking. I could understand the decisions of Hart and his twin, Heather, but when everything is revealed, it made my heart ache for all of them involved. Without spoiling the story, I couldn’t imagine what they were going through.
+ Though the love story about Rose and Hart feels invincible and meant to be, there is a dark, sinister undertone to this story. It shows up in the garden parties and Rose’s best friend, Llowell. There is some body horror but really brief and the ending is wild with action and violence.
~ Because I knew there was something off to the romance, and some moments of the “future” sprinkled in as the story went on…I did get confused. But I’m glad I pushed through to the end – the end though, it’s an open ending which shocked me.
Final Thoughts:
This story is creative, dark, has a gothic contemporary atmosphere and the romance is heady but it’s also so sad and tragic. It explored a lot of topics like love, grief, friendship, and wishes. But if you could make your wishes come true, what would you be willing to give up? The ending of this story made my jaw drop and I think it’s one of those books that I’ll never forget.
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Thank you to MIRA for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
A haunting novel about the boundaries people will cross to keep their dreams alive.
A mysterious stranger shows up at Riccardo’s apartment with some news: his grandmother Perihan has died, and Riccardo has inherited her villa in Milan along with her famed butterfly collection.
The struggling writer is out of options. He’s hoping the change of scenery in Milan will inspire him, and maybe there will be some money to keep him afloat. But Perihan’s house isn’t as opulent as he remembers. The butterflies pinned in their glass cases seem more ominous than artful. Perihan’s group of mysterious old friends is constantly lurking. And there’s something wrong in the greenhouse.
As Riccardo explores the decrepit estate, he stumbles upon Perihan’s diary, which might hold the key to her mysterious death. Or at least give him the inspiration he needs to finish his manuscript.
But he might not survive long enough to write it.
Content Warning: body horror, death, murder, insect horror
+ I almost DNF’d this at 30% – it is so slow of a mystery and yet I was intrigued by Riccardo who is a struggling and poor writer who is on a tight deadline with no manuscript to show for it. His grandmother passes, and leaves him her home in Milan, Italy. With no money and too much stress, he goes thinking he can write while he is there but instead he finds a manuscript written by his grandmother, Perihan.
+ I did find Perihan’s manuscript interesting because of the time it’s written in the past and also she is from Turkey. Her life is hard from the start but it takes her to Milan where life really flourishes for her. I couldn’t tell at first if she was a good person or not. Riccardo is doing no writing but he is reading this manuscript and learning a lot about his grandmother’s life.
+ The horror and the twist comes at the end. It’s a crazy ending! But if you don’t like monstrous butterflies, stay away from this one.
~ Like I said above, this was almost a DNF. I didn’t though and skimmed until 70% into the book where everything starts picking up. I’m already not one who enjoys mystery books, and I struggled because this one is a slow one, but I just wanted something to happen in the first half with Riccardo either staring to right his book or some horror at the start. But this is a slow building horror story that ends with a bang.
Final Thoughts:
I don’t think I was the target audience for this book. For me, it was too slow for the first two-thirds of this book. I did find the characters and Perihan’s life very fascinating and the ending is wild. If you like slow building mystery and horror then you might enjoy this one.
A haunting novel about the boundaries people will cross to keep their dreams alive.
A mysterious stranger shows up at Riccardo’s apartment with some news: his grandmother Perihan has died, and Riccardo has inherited her villa in Milan along with her famed butterfly collection.
The struggling writer is out of options. He’s hoping the change of scenery in Milan will inspire him, and maybe there will be some money to keep him afloat. But Perihan’s house isn’t as opulent as he remembers. The butterflies pinned in their glass cases seem more ominous than artful. Perihan’s group of mysterious old friends is constantly lurking. And there’s something wrong in the greenhouse.
As Riccardo explores the decrepit estate, he stumbles upon Perihan’s diary, which might hold the key to her mysterious death. Or at least give him the inspiration he needs to finish his manuscript.
But he might not survive long enough to write it.
Book Excerpt:
Prologue
Perihan gazed at the opulent villas lined up like precious pearls on a necklace, feeling overwhelmed by their excessive beauty. The sight was almost terrifying, reminiscent of the antique pearls adorning her own necklace. As the dark clouds were illuminated by a sudden flash of lightning, she shook off her thoughts and quickened her pace along the deserted road. The gentle raindrops on her tired face felt like an ominous sign. The unexpected gust of wind, unusual for a mild November afternoon, added to her unease.
On her seventieth birthday, Perihan had indulged in a day of shopping at Milan’s most luxurious stores. Despite her age, she possessed a strong physique, with firm knees, agile movements, and enough strength to carry her shopping bags from the stores to her home. The kind store managers at Cartier and Valentino had offered to send the packages to her address with a courier, but she declined, insisting she could manage on her own. Though she lacked a family to celebrate with, her small group of friends had arranged to gather at the villa, refusing to let her spend the evening alone. They had asked her to leave the house and return around seven o’clock. Glancing at her watch, Perihan realized she was already half an hour late.
Oh my… Licia must have already set the table, she thought as she turned the corner onto Via Marco de Marchi, where she resided. Just then, another lightning bolt flashed across the sky, and a large monarch butterfly appeared seemingly out of nowhere. Despite the heavy rain, Perihan could hear the faint flapping of its wings. The butterfly had bright orange and black stripes, with one wing decorated with symmetric white dots. It seemed to hover in midair.
“What a miracle,” Perihan exclaimed, a smile stretching across her wrinkled face. “It’s been years since I last saw this one…and on my birthday!” Hastily shifting the heavy bags onto her shoulder, she wiped the raindrops from her eyes with her long red nails and followed the butterfly. It fluttered around in circles for a few moments, before darting straight ahead. Despite the downpour, the orange-and-black wings moved swiftly. Overwhelmed with excitement, Perihan disregarded the red light—and almost got hit by an old Ford passing by. The driver, an unattractive man with numerous moles and few teeth, leaned out of the window and cursed at her in an Italian dialect she couldn’t understand. Unfazed by his behavior, Perihan remained focused on following the butterfly, which flew rapidly and ascended into the sky.
“I wonder where it disappeared to,” she mused with a melancholic expression on her face. The rain intensified, the drainage problems in the area turning the road into a pool of water. Perihan’s bare feet were drenched as the rain seeped through the open toes of her green python slingbacks.
“You’re blocking my view.” The unexpected comment startled her. She looked at the stranger, hoping to recognize a friendly face, but it was no one she knew. She turned to notice the growing crowd of people with their faces hidden behind their phone screens. She wondered if they were filming her. Lacking an umbrella, her meticulously coiffed hair now wet, her makeup smudged, and her silk skirt ruined by the muddy street, Perihan was struck by the crowd’s indifference. They shifted slightly to the right, attempting to remove her from their line of sight, all the while continuing to record whatever had caught their attention. Curious, Perihan turned around and was terrified by what she saw. In shock, she dropped her red shopping bags, causing more muddy water to splatter onto her skirt and completely destroying her shoes.
“This can’t be happening,” she screamed to the sky at the top of her lungs. Her knees trembled uncontrollably, left her unsure about taking another five steps to cross the road. Perihan noticed the cameras turning toward her in her peripheral vision, but she paid no mind to the desperation and terror that would eventually go viral on numerous social media networks in multiple countries. Her villa loomed in front of her, concealed by high walls covered with lush green bushes—now invaded by hundreds, if not thousands, of butterflies. They hovered over the garden, flapping their wings vigorously despite the pouring rain. The entire structure, partially visible through the bushes, seemed imprisoned within a butterfly sanctuary. When Perihan realized the creatures were all monarchs, each one so exquisite and valuable, she paused. Beauty had a threshold, and beyond it, it became a captivating terror, holding people’s attention hostage to fulfill its own needs. She propelled herself into the flooded road, heading for the garden gate. With what little strength remained after the ordeal, she pushed her way through the floral Art Nouveau door.
“Licia! Where are you?” she shouted upon entering the garden. Before closing the door behind her, she turned to scream at the onlookers, “Leave! The show’s over! This is my property!” Yet, the crowd remained unaffected, mesmerized by the extraordinary natural phenomenon unfolding before them.
Licia, Perihan’s housekeeper and closest friend of nearly forty years, looked like a ghost. Her complexion was drained of color, her wet hair clung to her face in disheveled patches, and her shoes were ruined by dark mud. She trembled as she spoke. “Perihan… We did our best, but…” Licia glanced quickly at their small group of friends, who observed the scene from the kitchen window on the first floor of the house. Perihan brushed Licia aside with the back of her hand and made her way toward the large greenhouse on the left side of the garden. Orange butterflies continued to emerge rapidly through a broken pane in its ceiling, swarming through the air. Looking up at the vortex of butterflies resembling a brewing tornado, Perihan felt a wave of dizziness. Her bony hand reached for the intricately detailed metal handle of the greenhouse door, but fear gripped her body. She hesitated, afraid to enter, yet knowing she had no other choice. Slowly, she pushed the door open, entered, and closed it behind her.
Licia tried to conceal her sobbing behind her hands. Should she follow Perihan into the greenhouse or return to the house? The rain cascaded like a waterfall, obstructing not only her movements but her thoughts as well. She compelled herself to decide, but the sudden outburst from within the greenhouse froze her in place.
“No… No… No!” Perihan’s voice echoed, growing louder with each repetition—until the world fell silent, save for the raindrops tapping against any surface they encountered. The darkness beneath the swarm of butterflies gradually gave way to a dull light as they departed from the house. Licia collapsed onto her knees and allowed herself to sink into the saturated garden soil, her tears mingling with the raindrops. Once the first monarch butterfly Perihan had witnessed a few moments earlier found its way to her villa, it hovered briefly over the garden before heading in the same direction as the others. When the last of the butterflies vanished, no trace of the miraculous event remained.
Yigit Turhan was born in Ankara, Turkey. A lifelong reader, he owes his love of horror to his grandmother and the films she shared with him. He has previously published a horror novel in Turkish. He lives in Milan, Italy, where he holds a C-suite role at a renowned fashion house. This is his English-language debut.
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
Categories: Young Adult,Mystery, Paranormal, Thriller
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Thank you to G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
From New York Times bestselling author of Dark and Shallow Lies comes a new southern gothic supernatural thriller about a teen girl in a small Ozark town who can hear the bones of the dead.
The past three years have been tough for Lucifer’s Creek, Arkansas, a small town quietly tucked away in the Ozark mountains. More than two dozen people have disappeared on the local hiking trails; there one moment, gone the next, not a trace left behind, until their buried bodies are discovered.
17-year-old Dovie doesn’t believe in magic even though she comes from a long line of women who can hear the bones of the dead sing, and for the past few years the bones have been crooning nonstop, calling out to Dovie to dig them up.
Some of the old-timers believe that it’s the monstrous Ozarks howler snatching people off the Aux Arc Trail. Well Dovie doesn’t believe in the howler, and she doesn’t believe her best friend Lo when he tells her he is being haunted by dark shadows. All she believes in is her talent that guides the local sheriff to the bones when they begin their song, then reuniting the dead with their families to give them some peace.
Lo doesn’t know peace, though. The shadows follow him everywhere. He soon learns they’re the murdered hikers and they want answers. But the truth of their deaths isn’t buried with their bones; it’s hidden somewhere deep in the hills. And Lo and Dovie must unearth it before anyone else is killed.
Content Warning: death, murder
I really love the atmosphere and setting of this book. It’s set in a small town in Arkansas, and the author does a great job of capturing the mysterious, and complicated that is the Ozarks. I love how the mix of the natural environment and the different types of people who came to live in the Ozarks are represented. There was definitely a Southern-gothic vibe to this book. I could hear the twang in the way the characters talked just by the way it’s written. There is the religious community and then the others that believe in simple spells and spirits. There is even talk about the Howler, a supernatural creature roaming the Ozarks. I think all of this contributed in giving this story a mysterious, creepy and tense feeling.
I did enjoy the mystery about the hikers that were going missing and ending up being killed. Dovie being a person who can find their bones is fascinating and Lo, who can see spirits just added to the vibe of the book. There is a little romance in this story but I don’t think that it was needed, I liked Dovie and Lo being best-friends enough. I didn’t need the mini love triangle that was thrown in.
As much as I enjoyed the mystery, I wanted more suspense and thrills, but I will say the truth that Dovie and Lo uncovers is pretty awful.
Final Thoughts:
My favorite part of this book is the atmosphere for sure! I love the Southern gothic vibes of the Ozarks – it’s mysterious and creepy and perfect for a story like this. I didn’t think the romance was needed but I did like Dovie and Lo’s friendship. Overall, I enjoyed the storytelling, just maybe wanted a bit more thrills.
Categories: Dark Academia, Young Adult, Gothic, Urban Fantasy, Romance, LGBT+
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Thank you to Delacorte Press for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
A teen girl travels to an exclusive boarding school located deep within the Scottish moorlands after a deadly incident at her old school, but the wood-paneled halls of Agathion are built over centuries of secrets—including an ancient society which may have ties to demonic magic—in this dark academia fantasy perfect for fans of Curious Tides.
Page Whittaker has always been an outcast. And after the deadly incident that destroyed her single friendship at her old school, she needs a fresh start. Which is why when she receives a scholarship offer from Agathion College, an elite boarding school folded deep within the moors of Scotland, she doesn’t even consider turning it down.
Agathion is everything Page has ever wanted: a safe haven full of dusty books, steaming cups of tea and rigorous intellectual debate. And for the first time in her life, Page has even managed to become part of a close group of friends. Cyrus, Ren, Gideon, Lacey and Oak help her feel at home in Agathion’s halls–the only problem is, they’re all keeping secrets from her.
Page doesn’t know it yet, but her perfect new school has dark roots–roots that stretch back to its crooked foundation, and an ancient clandestine society with rumored ties to demonic magic. Soon, Page will be forced to learn that not everyone at Agathion is who they say they are. Least of all, her friends.
Agathion claims to teach its students history…but some histories should stay buried.
This book definitely got the gothic, dark academia part down with it being set in Scotland. The setting is perfect for a boarding school filled with misfits. It’s dark, gloomy, always raining and cold, and surrounded by moors.
As for the story – something mysterious is happening at Agathion and it’s not only all the Greek philosophy being studied at the school. Something dark and sinister. That also was done very well in the book I feel, the whole atmosphere of impending doom.
Page is trying to find where she fits in at Agathion and she thought she finally found her place until she figures out what is happening at the school. Who can she really trust? Even with her new found friends, I didn’t feel like she could trust anyone until the very end. As a character, I didn’t really connect to her but I thought she had a lot of growth as the story went on. There is a little romance which I found to be kind of sweet.
I did like the chaos of everything happening in the book, there are a few twists and turns but I think there were times where too much was happening and at times it got confusing. It may just be a pacing issue for me and it being just a tad bit too long.
Final Thoughts:
I thought overall this was an entertaining read. It did take me a few days to read because of the pacing issues but I did push through even when things got confusing because a lot was going on. It’s got all the gothic vibes, a little romance, a little magic, some fantasy, and some demon possession. If you like dark academia, demons and Scottish mores, you might enjoy this one.
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