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What Stalks Among Us
From Sarah Hollowell, author of A Dark and Starless Forest, comes a spine-tingling, deliriously creepy YA speculative thriller about two best friends trapped in a corn maze with corpses that look just like them. Best friends and high school seniors Sadie and Logan make their first mistake when they ditch their end-of-year field trip to the amusement park in favor of exploring some old, forgotten backroads. The last thing they expect to come across is a giant, abandoned corn maze. But with a whole day of playing hooking unspooling before them, they make their second mistake. Or perhaps their third? Maybe even their fourth. Because Sadie and Logan have definitely entered this maze before. And again before that. When they stumble on the corpses in the maze, identical to them in every way (if you can ignore the stab and gunshot wounds)--from their clothes to their hidden scars to their dyed hair, to that one missing tooth--they quickly realize they've not only entered this maze before, they've died in it too. A lot. And no matter what they try, they can't figure out what--or who--is hunting them. Deeply unnerving, clever, and atmospheric, this time-bending, mind-bending speculative horror is a poignant meditation on the lasting effects of trauma and the healing powers of connection and forgiveness--all while delivering more surprise twists and turns than a haunted corn maze.
1 pages, Audio CD
First published September 12, 2023
57 people are currently reading
8636 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Hollowell
5 books235 followersSarah Hollowell is a fat Hoosier writer aiming to up the magic quotient of Indiana. Her primary genre is young adult fantasy, but she also writes nonfiction and a little poetry. Her work has appeared on The NoSleep Podcast, Huffington Post, and Fireside Magazine, among others. She writes about TV and movies for Frolic, and is a contributor in the YA anthology, The (Other) F Word: A Celebration of the Fat and the Fierce. Sarah is represented by Thao Le of the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency.
Sarah spends an awful lot of her non-writing time listening to podcasts, needle felting cryptids, and replaying the same five video games.
Sarah spends an awful lot of her non-writing time listening to podcasts, needle felting cryptids, and replaying the same five video games.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 442 reviews
September 28, 2023
Truly a book you have to trust and go along with, I did find myself re-reading the first couple of pages before I got it and got into it, and this weird little story of two teens who find themselves trapped in a corn maze where they keep finding their own dead bodies was just as complex and satisfying as I wanted it to be.
If the best part of The Maze Runner was the puzzle of the maze itself, this book is for you. Time is messed with, they find other people trapped in the maze that may hold the clues to escaping it, they find lost items and they meet Helena, who has her own ideas on how to escape the maze and is intent on following them.
The ending of this was so good. I was worried we'd have a non-ending, or worse a cliffhanger but this story is fully tied up, it's clear the ending was planned throughout, and I left the final pages feeling really satisfied with the conclusion.
If the best part of The Maze Runner was the puzzle of the maze itself, this book is for you. Time is messed with, they find other people trapped in the maze that may hold the clues to escaping it, they find lost items and they meet Helena, who has her own ideas on how to escape the maze and is intent on following them.
The ending of this was so good. I was worried we'd have a non-ending, or worse a cliffhanger but this story is fully tied up, it's clear the ending was planned throughout, and I left the final pages feeling really satisfied with the conclusion.
November 11, 2023
Although YA-horror isn’t my typical genre, every once in a while a synopsis intrigues me enough to step outside my comfort zone and give it a try regardless. Sometimes that leads to new favourites, sometimes it leads to disappointment. Unfortunately, this was the latter.
Allow me to pull out the good-old Good-Bad-and-Ugly-format again for this one, as I somehow feel it applies.
Synopsis:
Two teenagers find themselves trapped in a corn-maze without an end. They cannot remember how long they’ve been here, or how they’ve ended up in this situation in the first place. Soon however, they discover they aren’t alone in the maze as bodies begin to appear amongst the cornstalks. Bodies that look identical to them, killed in various violent ways… Are they body-doubles? Previous iterations of themselves, who’s wrong turns cost them dearly? And more importantly: who else is with them in the maze, dealing these deadly blows?
The Good:
What Stalks Among Us wastes absolutely no time to hook you into an tense mystery from page one. The narrative plunges you in in medias res, trusting the reader to get their feet under them in time to follow along with the story. I truly appreciate when an author trusts its audience enough to do this, in favour of overexplaining a back-story and detailing out the “rules of a world” in long exposition.
Many important themes are addressed, including friendship, mental health, bodily difference and the various lesser-known ways an abusive relationship can manifest. Although I think the author does so with varying degrees of success (see the Ugly section), I appreciate them taking on these topics.
One of my favourite aspects to the story though, has to be the friendship between Logan and Sadie; they're supportive, positive and have great banter together. Their friendship reads like one that has had time to form over time before we meet them, which is difficult to write, but the author nails this dynamic between them.
The Bad:
Many of the novels problems are the logical flipside to its strengths. For one: it’s lack of explanations can be quite confusing, and the start of the novel feels incredibly abrupt, without any proper build-up. As a result, the pacing throughout the middle feels uneven in comparison, especially once the plot becomes inevitably repetitive.
Second, the novel requires a lot of suspension of disbelieve, and “trusting the author” from its readers. I’m not talking about the supernatural elements of the maze, but more so the lack of internal logic that seems at play here. Throughout the story, we see Sadie and Logan slowly solve pieces of the maze’s puzzle, using logic and what they call their “maze-intuition”. I’m not completely sure what the author was aiming for with this, but it often became a device to move the plot along in ways that didn’t feel completely earned. I love when characters solve clues and mysteries using their intelligence, but the conclusions that Logan and Sadie draw based off their “maze-intuition” do not follow logically from what came before. As such, this intuition often feels like the author whispering the right answer in the characters ears, just to move the plot along.
Speaking of the plots; apart from these non-sequesters, there are quite a few plotholes and questions unanswered.
The Ugly:
I’m likely voicing the unpopular opinion here, but representation has always been is such a vital element of my reviews that I have to mention it. Representation has become “trendy” in recent years, and although that’s done a lot of good, there’s a shadow-side to it too. This book falls into two pitfalls I see often, and want to point out.
1. Minority-baiting.
This book is marketed heavily as having LGBTQ and BIPOC representation. Although yes, Logan is East-Asian and Sadie is described as bisexual, neither are every shown to page, or have any bearing on the plot. Sadie’s only shown relationship is a heterosexual one, and if the paragraph where she declares herself bisexual had been cut, nothing about the story would’ve been different. The same goes for Logans ethnicity, which is never brought up, other than in aesthetic descriptors. This isn’t good representation; it’s doing the bare minimum to appeal to a trend, and doesn’t benefit the affected minorities.
2. The one form of representation that the author truly does seem to care about, is the fat-representation, and to me, it was very grating. Hear me out here:
There’s a difference between representation and activism. In my opinion; that distinction was lost here, and it took away from the power of the message.
Sadie isn’t allowed to be a fat girl, just existing on page. She is made into a vessel for fat-activism, monologuing in extremely forced ways about systemic fat-phobia and the world not being adapted to “people of size”. Yes, she also hits all the keywords that are only actually used in the fat-activism movement in each and every conversation. Making these conversations so rehearsed, so SJW-correct and so abrasively in-your-face, takes away from relatability the power that recognizing yourself on page.
The novel is guilty of using “quasi-intelligent wording popularized by social media” in order to sound more profound than it is. It’s in the fat-activism-talk, but also in the very blatant presence of “therapy-speak”. When discussing relationships words like “emotional abuse”, “sociopath”, “narcissist” and “gaslighting” are used, often not in their proper context. Two of those are actual psychiatric diagnoses, and we shouldn’t normalize teen-characters throwing around terms like this, or diagnosing their peers without a medical background. Abuse and mental illness are very important themes to discuss, but we shouldn’t harm the discussion by using loaded terms like this outside of their proper context.
Please note that all opinions here are mine, and you’re completely entitled to yours. if this was your favourite book of the year: I’m happy you loved it, and would love to peacefully agree to disagree with you.
Allow me to pull out the good-old Good-Bad-and-Ugly-format again for this one, as I somehow feel it applies.
Synopsis:
Two teenagers find themselves trapped in a corn-maze without an end. They cannot remember how long they’ve been here, or how they’ve ended up in this situation in the first place. Soon however, they discover they aren’t alone in the maze as bodies begin to appear amongst the cornstalks. Bodies that look identical to them, killed in various violent ways… Are they body-doubles? Previous iterations of themselves, who’s wrong turns cost them dearly? And more importantly: who else is with them in the maze, dealing these deadly blows?
The Good:
What Stalks Among Us wastes absolutely no time to hook you into an tense mystery from page one. The narrative plunges you in in medias res, trusting the reader to get their feet under them in time to follow along with the story. I truly appreciate when an author trusts its audience enough to do this, in favour of overexplaining a back-story and detailing out the “rules of a world” in long exposition.
Many important themes are addressed, including friendship, mental health, bodily difference and the various lesser-known ways an abusive relationship can manifest. Although I think the author does so with varying degrees of success (see the Ugly section), I appreciate them taking on these topics.
One of my favourite aspects to the story though, has to be the friendship between Logan and Sadie; they're supportive, positive and have great banter together. Their friendship reads like one that has had time to form over time before we meet them, which is difficult to write, but the author nails this dynamic between them.
The Bad:
Many of the novels problems are the logical flipside to its strengths. For one: it’s lack of explanations can be quite confusing, and the start of the novel feels incredibly abrupt, without any proper build-up. As a result, the pacing throughout the middle feels uneven in comparison, especially once the plot becomes inevitably repetitive.
Second, the novel requires a lot of suspension of disbelieve, and “trusting the author” from its readers. I’m not talking about the supernatural elements of the maze, but more so the lack of internal logic that seems at play here. Throughout the story, we see Sadie and Logan slowly solve pieces of the maze’s puzzle, using logic and what they call their “maze-intuition”. I’m not completely sure what the author was aiming for with this, but it often became a device to move the plot along in ways that didn’t feel completely earned. I love when characters solve clues and mysteries using their intelligence, but the conclusions that Logan and Sadie draw based off their “maze-intuition” do not follow logically from what came before. As such, this intuition often feels like the author whispering the right answer in the characters ears, just to move the plot along.
Speaking of the plots; apart from these non-sequesters, there are quite a few plotholes and questions unanswered.
The Ugly:
I’m likely voicing the unpopular opinion here, but representation has always been is such a vital element of my reviews that I have to mention it. Representation has become “trendy” in recent years, and although that’s done a lot of good, there’s a shadow-side to it too. This book falls into two pitfalls I see often, and want to point out.
1. Minority-baiting.
This book is marketed heavily as having LGBTQ and BIPOC representation. Although yes, Logan is East-Asian and Sadie is described as bisexual, neither are every shown to page, or have any bearing on the plot. Sadie’s only shown relationship is a heterosexual one, and if the paragraph where she declares herself bisexual had been cut, nothing about the story would’ve been different. The same goes for Logans ethnicity, which is never brought up, other than in aesthetic descriptors. This isn’t good representation; it’s doing the bare minimum to appeal to a trend, and doesn’t benefit the affected minorities.
2. The one form of representation that the author truly does seem to care about, is the fat-representation, and to me, it was very grating. Hear me out here:
There’s a difference between representation and activism. In my opinion; that distinction was lost here, and it took away from the power of the message.
Sadie isn’t allowed to be a fat girl, just existing on page. She is made into a vessel for fat-activism, monologuing in extremely forced ways about systemic fat-phobia and the world not being adapted to “people of size”. Yes, she also hits all the keywords that are only actually used in the fat-activism movement in each and every conversation. Making these conversations so rehearsed, so SJW-correct and so abrasively in-your-face, takes away from relatability the power that recognizing yourself on page.
The novel is guilty of using “quasi-intelligent wording popularized by social media” in order to sound more profound than it is. It’s in the fat-activism-talk, but also in the very blatant presence of “therapy-speak”. When discussing relationships words like “emotional abuse”, “sociopath”, “narcissist” and “gaslighting” are used, often not in their proper context. Two of those are actual psychiatric diagnoses, and we shouldn’t normalize teen-characters throwing around terms like this, or diagnosing their peers without a medical background. Abuse and mental illness are very important themes to discuss, but we shouldn’t harm the discussion by using loaded terms like this outside of their proper context.
Please note that all opinions here are mine, and you’re completely entitled to yours. if this was your favourite book of the year: I’m happy you loved it, and would love to peacefully agree to disagree with you.
October 26, 2023
The premise of this YA horror novel is that two friends get lost in an ever-shifting corn maze, and then they find their own dead bodies in the maze and have to figure out how to avoid the same fate. I love a horror premise like this: we’re thrown into a messed up supernatural situation and have to figure out what’s going on and how to escape without turning on each other. But typically, in a horror book, it takes a while to get there. Not so here! On page one, they’re in the maze. By page nine, they’ve found the body.
I can’t set aside that part of why I loved this book is that I felt Seen. I’m also a fat bisexual with anxiety (who has also been putting off getting assessed for ADHD). I’ve been in an abusive relationship as a young person and had to rebuild my self worth. I could definitely relate to Sadie, especially since I recognized all the references she made. So it’s hard for me to have any objectivity about this story.
Even if you don’t deeply relate to Sadie, though, I think you’ll really enjoy What Stalks Among Us. Despite this not being particularly short, I read it in one day—almost in one sitting. I was completely absorbed in the story, charmed by the characters and their relationships, and invested in figuring out what was happening in this maze. The answer/ending was satisfying, and matched the bigger themes of the story. If you’re looking for a horror book you can marathon read on Halloween, you need to pick this one up.
Full review at the Lesbrary.
I can’t set aside that part of why I loved this book is that I felt Seen. I’m also a fat bisexual with anxiety (who has also been putting off getting assessed for ADHD). I’ve been in an abusive relationship as a young person and had to rebuild my self worth. I could definitely relate to Sadie, especially since I recognized all the references she made. So it’s hard for me to have any objectivity about this story.
Even if you don’t deeply relate to Sadie, though, I think you’ll really enjoy What Stalks Among Us. Despite this not being particularly short, I read it in one day—almost in one sitting. I was completely absorbed in the story, charmed by the characters and their relationships, and invested in figuring out what was happening in this maze. The answer/ending was satisfying, and matched the bigger themes of the story. If you’re looking for a horror book you can marathon read on Halloween, you need to pick this one up.
Full review at the Lesbrary.
October 19, 2024
TW/CW: Language, fatphobia, bullying, family drama, abusive relationship, gaslighting, toxic friendships, gore, blood, gory scenes, violence, guns
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:
Best friends and high school seniors Sadie and Logan make their first mistake when they ditch their end-of-year field trip to the amusement park in favor of exploring some old, forgotten backroads. The last thing they expect to come across is a giant, abandoned corn maze. But with a whole day of playing hooking unspooling before them, they make their second mistake. Or perhaps their third? Maybe even their fourth. Because Sadie and Logan have definitely entered this maze before. And again before that. When they stumble on the corpses in the maze, identical to them in every way (if you can ignore the stab and gunshot wounds)--from their clothes to their hidden scars to their dyed hair, to that one missing tooth--they quickly realize they’ve not only entered this maze before, they’ve died in it too. A lot. And no matter what they try, they can’t figure out what—or who —is hunting them.
Release Date: September 12th, 2023
Genre: YA Horror
Pages: 400
Rating: ⭐ ⭐
What I Liked:
1. Creepy scenes
2. Fun writing
3. Parts made me laugh
4. Atmospheric
What I Didn't Like:
1. At times felt repetitive
2. Book is too long (could have been 100 pages less)
3. Boring halfway through
Overall Thoughts:
{{Disclaimer: I write my review as I read}}
The poke at Supernatural ending 10 years earlier. Agree.
Helena being in the maze since the 30s and able to still not eat or drink because time must move so slowly in the maze.
Having to relive all these same moments is boring
Final Thoughts:
If you like Ben Farthing's "I Found... " series this book feels like it could belong in that world with our characters lost in a corn maze
I think this wouldn't be the book for someone that hates knowing the same stuff over and over, but the characters not knowing anything.
I ended up dnfing this book. I felt like the story and the atmosphere were really good, but it's too long. I found myself completely bored by page 250 since the same stuff kept happening. By 60% of being through the book you would think they would have progressed but it felt like they were still asking the same questions as on page 100.
The same deaths are happening in front of them again and again which is odd because Helena mentions that it's rare to run into the same thing more than twice, and maybe that will all play out if I would have read more. I don't know.
IG | Blog
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:
Best friends and high school seniors Sadie and Logan make their first mistake when they ditch their end-of-year field trip to the amusement park in favor of exploring some old, forgotten backroads. The last thing they expect to come across is a giant, abandoned corn maze. But with a whole day of playing hooking unspooling before them, they make their second mistake. Or perhaps their third? Maybe even their fourth. Because Sadie and Logan have definitely entered this maze before. And again before that. When they stumble on the corpses in the maze, identical to them in every way (if you can ignore the stab and gunshot wounds)--from their clothes to their hidden scars to their dyed hair, to that one missing tooth--they quickly realize they’ve not only entered this maze before, they’ve died in it too. A lot. And no matter what they try, they can’t figure out what—or who —is hunting them.
Release Date: September 12th, 2023
Genre: YA Horror
Pages: 400
Rating: ⭐ ⭐
What I Liked:
1. Creepy scenes
2. Fun writing
3. Parts made me laugh
4. Atmospheric
What I Didn't Like:
1. At times felt repetitive
2. Book is too long (could have been 100 pages less)
3. Boring halfway through
Overall Thoughts:
{{Disclaimer: I write my review as I read}}
The poke at Supernatural ending 10 years earlier. Agree.
Helena being in the maze since the 30s and able to still not eat or drink because time must move so slowly in the maze.
Having to relive all these same moments is boring
Final Thoughts:
If you like Ben Farthing's "I Found... " series this book feels like it could belong in that world with our characters lost in a corn maze
I think this wouldn't be the book for someone that hates knowing the same stuff over and over, but the characters not knowing anything.
I ended up dnfing this book. I felt like the story and the atmosphere were really good, but it's too long. I found myself completely bored by page 250 since the same stuff kept happening. By 60% of being through the book you would think they would have progressed but it felt like they were still asking the same questions as on page 100.
The same deaths are happening in front of them again and again which is odd because Helena mentions that it's rare to run into the same thing more than twice, and maybe that will all play out if I would have read more. I don't know.
IG | Blog
February 21, 2024
*sheep skeleton voice* saaaadie
rtc at some point hopefully
--------------------------
this book was so unsettling in the best way. the suffocating, ever-more-complex, eerie, ghostly atmosphere of the corn maze was on point. the suspense had my heart in my throat constantly. it was so well done. i read this while i had covid, so the surreal, fever-dream-esque situation was heightened even further for me. the whole concept of . the book definitely had some scarier moments within the general creepy vibe, especially with the , but it wasn't too gory. there was a big psychological component, with and .
and sadie and logan had my heart. they were both so messy and sweet and loyal. the rep was great - sadie is plus size and has adhd and anxiety (i think), and logan is east asian (and could be neurodivergent too – i can't quite remember), and they're both bisexual.
my favorite thing about this book was sadie & logan's friendship. they didn't always know what to say to each other or how to support each other, but they always tried their best. i loved how their friendship was the anchor that they held onto throughout their whole maze experience, and i loved how that deep platonic connection never became "more" (aka - never became romantic, i don't classify that as "more" so much as different). it was so refreshing to read. if you're looking for a ya novel without romance in it, i recommend this one!
i thought it was really interesting how the author explored anxiety, friendships, abusive relationships, and trauma through a corn-maze-set thriller novel. it was a cool lens through which to view those issues, and i think the conclusion did a really good job at hammering home the points the author made about them. at times it could get a little repetitive, but i valued the messages enough that i didn't mind too much.
don't get me wrong, this was by no means a perfect book – i think i would rate it more of a 3.5-3.75 than a full 4 stars. there were a bunch of little plot things that were never really explained, such as the why behind sadie's individual connection to the maze, the sheep (!!! i was curious about that the whole time), why some of the maze logic worked the way it did, and .)
despite these plot holes, the storytelling on a scene-by-scene level was enticing, suspenseful, and creative, and i enjoyed the overall experience of reading this book.
rtc at some point hopefully
--------------------------
this book was so unsettling in the best way. the suffocating, ever-more-complex, eerie, ghostly atmosphere of the corn maze was on point. the suspense had my heart in my throat constantly. it was so well done. i read this while i had covid, so the surreal, fever-dream-esque situation was heightened even further for me. the whole concept of . the book definitely had some scarier moments within the general creepy vibe, especially with the , but it wasn't too gory. there was a big psychological component, with and .
and sadie and logan had my heart. they were both so messy and sweet and loyal. the rep was great - sadie is plus size and has adhd and anxiety (i think), and logan is east asian (and could be neurodivergent too – i can't quite remember), and they're both bisexual.
my favorite thing about this book was sadie & logan's friendship. they didn't always know what to say to each other or how to support each other, but they always tried their best. i loved how their friendship was the anchor that they held onto throughout their whole maze experience, and i loved how that deep platonic connection never became "more" (aka - never became romantic, i don't classify that as "more" so much as different). it was so refreshing to read. if you're looking for a ya novel without romance in it, i recommend this one!
i thought it was really interesting how the author explored anxiety, friendships, abusive relationships, and trauma through a corn-maze-set thriller novel. it was a cool lens through which to view those issues, and i think the conclusion did a really good job at hammering home the points the author made about them. at times it could get a little repetitive, but i valued the messages enough that i didn't mind too much.
don't get me wrong, this was by no means a perfect book – i think i would rate it more of a 3.5-3.75 than a full 4 stars. there were a bunch of little plot things that were never really explained, such as the why behind sadie's individual connection to the maze, the sheep (!!! i was curious about that the whole time), why some of the maze logic worked the way it did, and .)
despite these plot holes, the storytelling on a scene-by-scene level was enticing, suspenseful, and creative, and i enjoyed the overall experience of reading this book.
Read
October 9, 2023DNF at 35%. A very different book than I thought I was opening. Thanks to Sam for telling me what happened.
June 24, 2023
This was absolutely fantastic, you think you know what's happening just for everything to be different. It keeps you on your toes literally from page 1. There's a beautiful and important message lying underneath the twists and turns and the author did such a good job expressing it. Honestly it's best to dive into this blind as much as possible! The characters were all very well written and developed. I enjoyed this so much! cannot wait to buy the physical copy!
TRIGGERS *HAVE SPOILERS SO CHECK AT YOUR OWN RISK*
Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of the book!
TRIGGERS *HAVE SPOILERS SO CHECK AT YOUR OWN RISK*
Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of the book!
March 5, 2024
this took me way longer to finish then it should have due to the repetition of the story and memory loss. though, if you're a younger reader i can see a lot of importance for this story being read and out there as it touches on a lot of topics high schoolers should really be aware of and have conversations around. although i'm older for this particular story i would've benefited from a book like this when i was younger so i appreciate it for what it is. but, at times the (constant) references to pop culture would get a little annoying but also made me laugh so idk how i feel.
September 16, 2025
this was?? incredible?? perfect for our library teen book club
December 18, 2023
3.5, which way to round.....
The good here - I very much related to Sadie's ADHD brain, anxiety, etc. I appreciate that Sadie's past abusive relationship was online and emotional abuse. This alone is worth putting this into the hands of so many middle and high schoolers. Like Sadie, they need to hear someone say that it is real, it is abuse, and your feelings are valid. They also need to see the modeling of healthy support and friendship that the two main characters have.
The beginning of this one really sucked me in. I didn't want to put it down, and even got my partner to buddy read with me. The maze was creepy and a mystery to solve. Clues were found, the characters were learning, and now we didn't know who to trust of those already in the maze.
Then I felt guilty for the recommendation as I got to the last half to third of the book. It amost felt like the author wrote themselves into a corner and used some random and sloppy conceits to move the plot along. The weather becoming an actor without explanation of how it tied in, despite it looming the entire time. Ditto with the maze absorbing people. Then the characters make rapid fire decisions based on "maze intuition." Also, where are all the other characters that had been in the maze? So much potential there lost to focus on a he said she said with Helena and Anthony.
This rushing very much undermined the work the book tried to do with abuse, trauma, and healing. Why is Sadie like Anthony with corn in her body? What ultimately separates her from the maze while he is trapped in it? The pieces are there but dropped to get through plot points. Some felt added because someone said - you never explained x. So a scene was added to explain x, but otherwise doesn't fit. And there were a bunch of things that seemed to have a point that were just dropped (the sheep!!!) This resulted in a weird patchwork and then the predictable he said she said finale. Ultimately it felt like the story fell apart instead of reaching its potential.
The good here - I very much related to Sadie's ADHD brain, anxiety, etc. I appreciate that Sadie's past abusive relationship was online and emotional abuse. This alone is worth putting this into the hands of so many middle and high schoolers. Like Sadie, they need to hear someone say that it is real, it is abuse, and your feelings are valid. They also need to see the modeling of healthy support and friendship that the two main characters have.
The beginning of this one really sucked me in. I didn't want to put it down, and even got my partner to buddy read with me. The maze was creepy and a mystery to solve. Clues were found, the characters were learning, and now we didn't know who to trust of those already in the maze.
Then I felt guilty for the recommendation as I got to the last half to third of the book. It amost felt like the author wrote themselves into a corner and used some random and sloppy conceits to move the plot along. The weather becoming an actor without explanation of how it tied in, despite it looming the entire time. Ditto with the maze absorbing people. Then the characters make rapid fire decisions based on "maze intuition." Also, where are all the other characters that had been in the maze? So much potential there lost to focus on a he said she said with Helena and Anthony.
This rushing very much undermined the work the book tried to do with abuse, trauma, and healing. Why is Sadie like Anthony with corn in her body? What ultimately separates her from the maze while he is trapped in it? The pieces are there but dropped to get through plot points. Some felt added because someone said - you never explained x. So a scene was added to explain x, but otherwise doesn't fit. And there were a bunch of things that seemed to have a point that were just dropped (the sheep!!!) This resulted in a weird patchwork and then the predictable he said she said finale. Ultimately it felt like the story fell apart instead of reaching its potential.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 9, 2024
yay more buddy reads with kaylee and mori :)
review from fable:
I actually really liked this! It’s less horror, and more psychological. I wasn’t expecting to like the time loop aspect; it was rough to get into since the characters are immediate dropped into the plot and they have 0 doubts about the existence of time travel / time loops, but if you suspend your disbelief for the sake of the story, everything goes much smoother. I loved the characters and was throughly invested in the plot. My only complaint is that the maze itself was lacking description. I felt like we needed more concrete details about the maze because sometimes it was hard to visualize. But otherwise the book had me hooked.
✧ ✧ ✧
♡fable book club picks with kaylee and mori♡
╰┈➤ 1. the lost library by rebecca stead and wendy mass
╰┈➤ 2. the bromance book club by lyssa kay adams
╰┈➤ 3. all our hidden gifts by caroline o’donoghue
╰┈➤ 4. what stalks among us by sarah hollowell
review from fable:
I actually really liked this! It’s less horror, and more psychological. I wasn’t expecting to like the time loop aspect; it was rough to get into since the characters are immediate dropped into the plot and they have 0 doubts about the existence of time travel / time loops, but if you suspend your disbelief for the sake of the story, everything goes much smoother. I loved the characters and was throughly invested in the plot. My only complaint is that the maze itself was lacking description. I felt like we needed more concrete details about the maze because sometimes it was hard to visualize. But otherwise the book had me hooked.
✧ ✧ ✧
♡fable book club picks with kaylee and mori♡
╰┈➤ 1. the lost library by rebecca stead and wendy mass
╰┈➤ 2. the bromance book club by lyssa kay adams
╰┈➤ 3. all our hidden gifts by caroline o’donoghue
╰┈➤ 4. what stalks among us by sarah hollowell
December 18, 2023
Sadie and Logan are best friends who skip a field trip to go for a drive. Soon, they're trapped in a supernatural corn maze. The two must work together to find a way out before the maze swallows them up.
The first half of the book was great. It grabs you and doesn't let go. However, as it goes on and becomes repetitive, it loses a bit of its luster. The main representation here is for fat folks, and being a bigger dude, I related to the insecurities, but I feel like it could have been less in your face. We find out that Sadie is bisexual as well, but we don't see anywhere near enough about how that shapes the character as we do that she's fat. There's also a lot of mental health representation too, such as anxiety and depression, along with trauma from abuse.
I also feel like the ending was a little too convenient. I can't say more about it without spoiling. What I liked most was the friendship between our two main characters with their banter and trust in each other.
I think a lot of teens will love this, though, and will feel seen.
The first half of the book was great. It grabs you and doesn't let go. However, as it goes on and becomes repetitive, it loses a bit of its luster. The main representation here is for fat folks, and being a bigger dude, I related to the insecurities, but I feel like it could have been less in your face. We find out that Sadie is bisexual as well, but we don't see anywhere near enough about how that shapes the character as we do that she's fat. There's also a lot of mental health representation too, such as anxiety and depression, along with trauma from abuse.
I also feel like the ending was a little too convenient. I can't say more about it without spoiling. What I liked most was the friendship between our two main characters with their banter and trust in each other.
I think a lot of teens will love this, though, and will feel seen.
August 13, 2025
Spoiler-FREE
I had so much fun reading this book for Summerween! It was slightly spooky but not at all scary. I love how the authors writing leaves you feeling confused and in a loop at times just as the characters are. Youll feel stuck in the corn Maze right there with them. The book only fell flat for me towards the end. I felt a lot of plot points weren’t tied together in the end, left just some unanswered questions for me. I thought the book would end up being scarier and instead went in a totally different direction than expected. I think the author did a great job at not making anything obvious throughout the novel. Lastly, I liked that the author touches on domestic abuse and mental illness. I think she handled these topics with care and didn’t use anything for shock value. The author herself has experienced abuse so it makes sense that she wasn’t just writing about abuse for the sake of baiting us.
Overall, really fun read! Highly recommend.
I had so much fun reading this book for Summerween! It was slightly spooky but not at all scary. I love how the authors writing leaves you feeling confused and in a loop at times just as the characters are. Youll feel stuck in the corn Maze right there with them. The book only fell flat for me towards the end. I felt a lot of plot points weren’t tied together in the end, left just some unanswered questions for me. I thought the book would end up being scarier and instead went in a totally different direction than expected. I think the author did a great job at not making anything obvious throughout the novel. Lastly, I liked that the author touches on domestic abuse and mental illness. I think she handled these topics with care and didn’t use anything for shock value. The author herself has experienced abuse so it makes sense that she wasn’t just writing about abuse for the sake of baiting us.
Overall, really fun read! Highly recommend.
June 10, 2024
Am I high? Or do I need to be high for this?
September 16, 2024
When best friends Sadie and Logan ditch their field trip for an abandoned corn maze, they stumble into a deadly loop where they’ve been trapped before—and died in the process. This atmospheric horror blends time-bending twists with a poignant look at trauma and connection.
*please review content warnings prior to reading and light spoilers below*
This book was never on my radar until a friend of mine picked it up the other day, saying she was hooked instantly and I have to agree. I love stories with time loops and time travel and mysterious magical realism.
Sadie and Logan getting lost and stuck in the maze had me like !!! Hearing Sadie and Logan see Logan’s body initially was wild. How it repeated so many times got you right into the story.
The mechanics of this maze were so complex and with each iteration, Sadie and Logan became more in tune with it. It turned out that Helena’s story had parallels of Sadie’s own experiences.
I loved the friendship between Sadie and Logan and how they cared for each other. The trust and love was evident and there was no hint of a romantic subplot which I appreciated. As a fat girl, there are several passages that hit me right in the gut. No pun intended. I also really loved how they figured out how to solve the maze and escape.
I did audio and digital reading for this one and I’m glad I did! I had to switch to digital to finish tonight, haha.
Enjoy!
*please review content warnings prior to reading and light spoilers below*
This book was never on my radar until a friend of mine picked it up the other day, saying she was hooked instantly and I have to agree. I love stories with time loops and time travel and mysterious magical realism.
Sadie and Logan getting lost and stuck in the maze had me like !!! Hearing Sadie and Logan see Logan’s body initially was wild. How it repeated so many times got you right into the story.
The mechanics of this maze were so complex and with each iteration, Sadie and Logan became more in tune with it. It turned out that Helena’s story had parallels of Sadie’s own experiences.
I loved the friendship between Sadie and Logan and how they cared for each other. The trust and love was evident and there was no hint of a romantic subplot which I appreciated. As a fat girl, there are several passages that hit me right in the gut. No pun intended. I also really loved how they figured out how to solve the maze and escape.
I did audio and digital reading for this one and I’m glad I did! I had to switch to digital to finish tonight, haha.
Enjoy!
November 27, 2023
This was so so good. I cannot express to you how difficult it is to find books with fat queer neurodivergent main characters that are done well and I am thrilled to be able to add this to those that are well done.
The story follows these two best friends who skip a field trip and end up in the shifting corn maze in Indiana where they keep finding dead versions of themselves. We have Sadie who is fat bisexual with ADHD and potentially also autistic and then we have Logan who is queer BIPOC with ADHD. They're best friends and there's no romance and that is such a breath of fresh air.
Anyway so they're stuck in this corn maze and they're trying to figure out how it all works what's going on how to get out how long they've been there etc. They find things from other people and other dead bodies and then there is this underlying theme of exploring how toxic and abusive relationships can impact our lives and futures.
The whole thing is both intensely creepy and super heartwarming and I can't explain it. You just have to trust me and go for it.
The first half of this book is much creepier than the second half. The first half really spends time setting the scene and explaining the elements of the corn maze and the second half focuses a lot on The characters and their own development within this maze and their relationships.
Note to my fellow scaredy cats out there don't listen to this audiobook at 3:00 in the morning in the dark when you're driving to work in Indiana. It is a bad choice okay. I regretted my decision.
I also want to make a note about the fat representation. It is phenomenal. It is both a huge part of this book and just another character trait of Sadie. Sadie is confident in her body but also deals with what all fat people deal with which is this constant need to be smaller and the internalized fat phobia we all have to work through. She also has some other baggage to get through but she has a supportive best friend who acknowledges her fatness without shaming her for it or denying it. She and Logan are both unapologetically queer and unapologetically neurodiverse. This is all told through Sadie's perspective and we get a lot of her thoughts and the way her brain works which is so relatable. She isn't technically written as autistic but I read her as autistic. Something about all of her sensory and thought processes really hit home for me.
I genuinely cannot recommend this book enough It is the perfect spooky season book and I realize that we're past spooky season now but you should still read it.
The story follows these two best friends who skip a field trip and end up in the shifting corn maze in Indiana where they keep finding dead versions of themselves. We have Sadie who is fat bisexual with ADHD and potentially also autistic and then we have Logan who is queer BIPOC with ADHD. They're best friends and there's no romance and that is such a breath of fresh air.
Anyway so they're stuck in this corn maze and they're trying to figure out how it all works what's going on how to get out how long they've been there etc. They find things from other people and other dead bodies and then there is this underlying theme of exploring how toxic and abusive relationships can impact our lives and futures.
The whole thing is both intensely creepy and super heartwarming and I can't explain it. You just have to trust me and go for it.
The first half of this book is much creepier than the second half. The first half really spends time setting the scene and explaining the elements of the corn maze and the second half focuses a lot on The characters and their own development within this maze and their relationships.
Note to my fellow scaredy cats out there don't listen to this audiobook at 3:00 in the morning in the dark when you're driving to work in Indiana. It is a bad choice okay. I regretted my decision.
I also want to make a note about the fat representation. It is phenomenal. It is both a huge part of this book and just another character trait of Sadie. Sadie is confident in her body but also deals with what all fat people deal with which is this constant need to be smaller and the internalized fat phobia we all have to work through. She also has some other baggage to get through but she has a supportive best friend who acknowledges her fatness without shaming her for it or denying it. She and Logan are both unapologetically queer and unapologetically neurodiverse. This is all told through Sadie's perspective and we get a lot of her thoughts and the way her brain works which is so relatable. She isn't technically written as autistic but I read her as autistic. Something about all of her sensory and thought processes really hit home for me.
I genuinely cannot recommend this book enough It is the perfect spooky season book and I realize that we're past spooky season now but you should still read it.
June 22, 2023
Holy crap. I was expecting to read something a little creepy, but this story far exceeded my expectations. What started as a classic cornstalk horror story turned into a beautiful coming of age tale, highlighting empathy, the importance of friendship, and reflecting on the cycle of abuse and confronting your own demons. The story was reminiscent of As Above, So Below and In the Tall Grass, which are some of my horror favorites. There is a bit of a sci-fi element to this story as well. I am so grateful that Sarah Hollowell was vulnerable enough to share such a significant part of her life. You can tell how much this means to her and I hope this means she is healing. I just know the story is incredible when I want to see the story play out on the big screen. I can’t wait to try Sarah’s other books. Thank you NetGalley and Sarah Hollowell for this audiobook galley!
April 11, 2024
Super intriguing concept and unlike anything I've ever read before. On the surface it's a horror novel about two teens lost in a corn maze that keeps killing them as they try to escape. But below that it is so much more. Sadie and Logan skip their senior trip to King's Island and decide to drive around aimlessly, a favorite past time of theirs. While they haven't been friends for years, they got really close their senior year of high school and now the pair is inseparable. But there is a lot they don't know about each other and this twisty, messed up maze is going to bring a lot to the surface. Can they survive this maze? Can they trust each other? Time bending, heart pounding, generally creepy; this is a standout teen novel.
September 20, 2023
4.5 ⭐ loved this one! Two bi friends with ADHD and one of them is fat! Realising you deserve love while being trapped in a freaky paranormal corn maze.
CW: previous abusive relationship, panic attack, murder, death
CW: previous abusive relationship, panic attack, murder, death
April 30, 2024
uhhhmmm
i did not expect to like this so much (': it almost made me cry
i did not expect to like this so much (': it almost made me cry
September 17, 2023
4.5*
What Stalks Among Us throws the reader right the heck into the maze, literally and figuratively. That doesn't always work well for me, but in this case, it very much did! The author does a great job of fleshing out Sadie and Logan, despite us just heading right into the action with them. And the aforementioned action is a corn maze that seems to have no escape- and a lot of death.
Sadie and Logan are skipping school. Not just any school day, but the field trip to the amusement part that has Sadie's anxiety at an all time high. Logan, sensing this and being an awesome friend, suggests they skip. Sadie, a lover of corn mazes from way back, suggests they stop when they stumble across this one. As you can tell by the synopsis, this was a big old mistake, but alas, in they go.
Very quickly, they start to see some very eerie stuff. Namely, their stuff, that should not be in this maze. And I'll tell you no more (don't even read the synopsis if you haven't already, tbh). In fact, all I will tell you is why this book works so well: The characters are very relatable and well developed (extra especially for a horror), the premise itself is bananas, and done oh-so-well, and you legit won't be able to put the book down because you will be so invested in both the maze and the characters. And extra bonus, it includes some really great character growth, too. I will admit, I did probably want a bit more from the ending, but it is still satisfying enough, so this is likely just me being picky.
Bottom Line: An absolutely perfect fall horror, with some fabulous character development thrown in. You won't regret reading this, unless you had a big trip to the corn maze scheduled.
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
Content warnings can be found on the author's website
What Stalks Among Us throws the reader right the heck into the maze, literally and figuratively. That doesn't always work well for me, but in this case, it very much did! The author does a great job of fleshing out Sadie and Logan, despite us just heading right into the action with them. And the aforementioned action is a corn maze that seems to have no escape- and a lot of death.
Sadie and Logan are skipping school. Not just any school day, but the field trip to the amusement part that has Sadie's anxiety at an all time high. Logan, sensing this and being an awesome friend, suggests they skip. Sadie, a lover of corn mazes from way back, suggests they stop when they stumble across this one. As you can tell by the synopsis, this was a big old mistake, but alas, in they go.
Very quickly, they start to see some very eerie stuff. Namely, their stuff, that should not be in this maze. And I'll tell you no more (don't even read the synopsis if you haven't already, tbh). In fact, all I will tell you is why this book works so well: The characters are very relatable and well developed (extra especially for a horror), the premise itself is bananas, and done oh-so-well, and you legit won't be able to put the book down because you will be so invested in both the maze and the characters. And extra bonus, it includes some really great character growth, too. I will admit, I did probably want a bit more from the ending, but it is still satisfying enough, so this is likely just me being picky.
Bottom Line: An absolutely perfect fall horror, with some fabulous character development thrown in. You won't regret reading this, unless you had a big trip to the corn maze scheduled.
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
October 12, 2023
I picked it up for the seasonal funsies, but ended up weeping over the power of friendship and non-linear nature of healing, so there’s that. I don’t know if you may have suspected this, but the corn maze might just be a metaphor, by Jove.
All jokes aside, I was really impressed by this. I sometimes struggle with YA because of weirdly shallow storytelling and underdevelopment, but this one was excellent. I really adored the two main characters and their friendship was a real highlight in this book. The way that the story discussed complicated communication hang-ups, troubling past relationships, and the sweet relief of finally being seen by someone really got to me and I ended up being quite emotional about it.
The hook of this story, namely the corn maze from hell, was just as adrenaline-fueled and trippy as promised. This isn’t a situation where the driving metaphor of the story ends up mitigating the actual action. No, dude, this corn maze is freaking wild and it will keep you on your toes the whole time. Despite growing up in semi-rural Ohio, I’ve never been fully comfortable with the surrounding armies of corn, but damn, I am glad I already did my corn maze for the year because you could not pay me to step in one right now.
This is a very talky style of writing, so if you don’t like having feelings laid out on a table and discussed or don’t like thinking about thinking, you’re not gonna have a great time with this one. I, however, love to dwell on emotional communication and social skills and also have spent a lot of time on Tumblr, so this book was basically tailor made for my specific style of brain rot. Also, it was so refreshing to see how this author writes about fatness. The section where we learn that Logan specifically finds armless chairs when he goes out with Sadie made me tear up. It’s very self aware, but it a sweet and thoughtful way that I honestly loved.
So yeah. Abusive relationships come in many forms and even ones that aren’t directly abusive can hurt you and healing is not linear. It might even be maze-shaped. But man, what a fun mystery and scary adventure and heart-warming journey. Excuse me while I immediately investigate this author’s backlist.
All jokes aside, I was really impressed by this. I sometimes struggle with YA because of weirdly shallow storytelling and underdevelopment, but this one was excellent. I really adored the two main characters and their friendship was a real highlight in this book. The way that the story discussed complicated communication hang-ups, troubling past relationships, and the sweet relief of finally being seen by someone really got to me and I ended up being quite emotional about it.
The hook of this story, namely the corn maze from hell, was just as adrenaline-fueled and trippy as promised. This isn’t a situation where the driving metaphor of the story ends up mitigating the actual action. No, dude, this corn maze is freaking wild and it will keep you on your toes the whole time. Despite growing up in semi-rural Ohio, I’ve never been fully comfortable with the surrounding armies of corn, but damn, I am glad I already did my corn maze for the year because you could not pay me to step in one right now.
This is a very talky style of writing, so if you don’t like having feelings laid out on a table and discussed or don’t like thinking about thinking, you’re not gonna have a great time with this one. I, however, love to dwell on emotional communication and social skills and also have spent a lot of time on Tumblr, so this book was basically tailor made for my specific style of brain rot. Also, it was so refreshing to see how this author writes about fatness. The section where we learn that Logan specifically finds armless chairs when he goes out with Sadie made me tear up. It’s very self aware, but it a sweet and thoughtful way that I honestly loved.
So yeah. Abusive relationships come in many forms and even ones that aren’t directly abusive can hurt you and healing is not linear. It might even be maze-shaped. But man, what a fun mystery and scary adventure and heart-warming journey. Excuse me while I immediately investigate this author’s backlist.
September 20, 2024
Killer corn maze anyone?
Sadie and Logan are about to be stuck in a time loop, of sorts, as they try and get out of a maze. How many deaths will it take them to escape?
I started out loving the plot of this book. Who doesn't like the idea of a killer corn maze? But as the book progressed, it became less killer corn maze and more forgiving ourselves and acknowledging what our abusers have done to us. Which, don't get me wrong, I loved it, but I really wanted a ruthless killer corn maze. I did enjoy Sadie and Logan as our main characters. The author truly shows what true friendship is.
All that being said, I loved the representation of this book. Not only do we discuss mental health, but we also discuss abuse. Within that, we discuss the toll it has on us, how it can make us doubt ourselves, how it shatters all the confidence we once had, but it also discusses how we can heal and learn to live. I loved that we discussed all of that. This was a book that I needed when I was younger.
Sadie and Logan are about to be stuck in a time loop, of sorts, as they try and get out of a maze. How many deaths will it take them to escape?
I started out loving the plot of this book. Who doesn't like the idea of a killer corn maze? But as the book progressed, it became less killer corn maze and more forgiving ourselves and acknowledging what our abusers have done to us. Which, don't get me wrong, I loved it, but I really wanted a ruthless killer corn maze. I did enjoy Sadie and Logan as our main characters. The author truly shows what true friendship is.
All that being said, I loved the representation of this book. Not only do we discuss mental health, but we also discuss abuse. Within that, we discuss the toll it has on us, how it can make us doubt ourselves, how it shatters all the confidence we once had, but it also discusses how we can heal and learn to live. I loved that we discussed all of that. This was a book that I needed when I was younger.
October 25, 2024
Book club read; 3 to 3.5 stars
Based on other people's comments, I was expecting this to be terrifying. It wasn't. Though there were points at which I was convinced I'd put my bookmark back in the wrong spot, and that was rather disconcerting. I do understand that that was necessary for the story being told, and I think the end justified the means. So, while it was occasionally a bit of a slog to get there, I am glad I made it through the whole book and got to learn the answers to the mystery of the maze. Which, in the book's defense, I did not figure out until the characters did.
Trigger warnings: I can't say what they are without spoilers but if you require such things, I'd advise looking into them.
Based on other people's comments, I was expecting this to be terrifying. It wasn't. Though there were points at which I was convinced I'd put my bookmark back in the wrong spot, and that was rather disconcerting. I do understand that that was necessary for the story being told, and I think the end justified the means. So, while it was occasionally a bit of a slog to get there, I am glad I made it through the whole book and got to learn the answers to the mystery of the maze. Which, in the book's defense, I did not figure out until the characters did.
Trigger warnings: I can't say what they are without spoilers but if you require such things, I'd advise looking into them.
January 17, 2024
3.5✨
𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: 𝐉𝐚𝐧. 𝟏𝟔𝐭𝐡 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒
I really enjoyed Hollowells other novel so I was excited for this and im glad it didn't disappoint.
I loved the way the story and plot entwined with an exploration of abuse and letting ourselves forgive and forget and recognize abusive situations. Placing it as a corn maze was an odd but such a unique metaphor for it. I was entranced and read this in one sitting.
Perfect for horror fans.
𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: 𝐉𝐚𝐧. 𝟏𝟔𝐭𝐡 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒
I really enjoyed Hollowells other novel so I was excited for this and im glad it didn't disappoint.
I loved the way the story and plot entwined with an exploration of abuse and letting ourselves forgive and forget and recognize abusive situations. Placing it as a corn maze was an odd but such a unique metaphor for it. I was entranced and read this in one sitting.
Perfect for horror fans.
July 21, 2025
4.5 🌟
This book has been on my tbr for ages, I knew I wanted to read it as soon as I'd read the synopsis. And I'm so glad it lived up to my expectations! It's weird and creepy, but I wouldn't exactly call it horror? The tone is a little too light for that, and I guess that's the one thing that kind of bothered me a little. Also Logan might just be a liiiittle too perfect, but hey, I still had a great time and I loved the ideas and atmosphere of the book. Definitely a summer read!
This book has been on my tbr for ages, I knew I wanted to read it as soon as I'd read the synopsis. And I'm so glad it lived up to my expectations! It's weird and creepy, but I wouldn't exactly call it horror? The tone is a little too light for that, and I guess that's the one thing that kind of bothered me a little. Also Logan might just be a liiiittle too perfect, but hey, I still had a great time and I loved the ideas and atmosphere of the book. Definitely a summer read!
November 2, 2024
This was so good! For a YA it definitely had a lot of creepy moments, and it was a great metaphor for trauma, self-acceptance, platonic love, and learning to cope! This book really touched me, and I wish that it had been around when I was in middle/high school.
Even though I'm definitely not the target audience anymore, and I felt that a bit while reading it, I'm rating it 5 stars for the effect i know it would have had on younger me.
Even though I'm definitely not the target audience anymore, and I felt that a bit while reading it, I'm rating it 5 stars for the effect i know it would have had on younger me.
August 31, 2023
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review!
Sadie and Logan skip their end-of-year field trip and as they are driving around the backroads of Indiana they find a corn maze. It isn't long before they come across corpses of themselves and realize that they are stuck in a time loop.
I was expecting a typical YA horror, what I got was so much more! The vibe was super creepy and the story was so fast paced and exciting. It is a beautiful story of friendship and the characters are so great (I've never related to a character more than when Logan was worrying about his cat as he is stuck in a murder filled mystery corn maze). I also loved how the author talked about dealing with trauma. I never expected when I started reading this, that it would make me so emotional. There are some definite trigger warnings, but I don't want to give away too much so I will just leave it at that.
Sadie and Logan skip their end-of-year field trip and as they are driving around the backroads of Indiana they find a corn maze. It isn't long before they come across corpses of themselves and realize that they are stuck in a time loop.
I was expecting a typical YA horror, what I got was so much more! The vibe was super creepy and the story was so fast paced and exciting. It is a beautiful story of friendship and the characters are so great (I've never related to a character more than when Logan was worrying about his cat as he is stuck in a murder filled mystery corn maze). I also loved how the author talked about dealing with trauma. I never expected when I started reading this, that it would make me so emotional. There are some definite trigger warnings, but I don't want to give away too much so I will just leave it at that.
December 13, 2023
I am so glad I picked this book up. Maybe it’s not the best plot wise, but this book was very relatable to me. It made me think and hit me right in the feels multiple times. Very well done and the trauma was very well handled.
January 26, 2024
This was an amazing amazing book. 100000000/10. Would recommend. I didn't read the synopsis when I grabbed this book off the shelf and was pleasantly surprised to see that it was of the horror genre. But it wasn't so much scary as it was impactful. I liked how it makes the characters' feelings valid in both ways. It touched a deep emotional topics and addressed it in a way that most modern YA books don't. The horror premise of getting trapped in a maze was intriguing but I stayed for the development of the characters.
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