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Sawtooth
Taryn planned for an easy out and back hike into the Sawtooth Mountains to scatter her wife's ashes. Gemma had been the outdoorsy type, while Taryn preferred the city, though an alpine lake at the end of the trail held a special place for them both. They had spent time together there in that forest, Gemma spinning campfire tales of the things that made a home in the dark. Little did Taryn know that when she entered those mountains to fulfill her final marital duty, she would be in for the fight of her life against a supernatural predator known as the Sawtooth . And the Sawtooth was no legend...
112 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 21, 2023
43 people are currently reading
1830 people want to read
About the author
Steph Nelson
17 books543 followersA lifelong PNW girl, Steph currently lives in Boise, Idaho.
Her books have been reviewed in the New York Times and Library Journal.
She loves long walks by the Boise River, thrifting for vintage clothing, yoga, traveling just about anywhere, and devouring books.
Find her on Instagram/Threads: @stephnelsonauthor
Her books have been reviewed in the New York Times and Library Journal.
She loves long walks by the Boise River, thrifting for vintage clothing, yoga, traveling just about anywhere, and devouring books.
Find her on Instagram/Threads: @stephnelsonauthor
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
January 7, 2024
My complete review of Sawtooth is published at Grimdark Magazine.
Sawtooth is Steph Nelson’s monstrously disquieting survival horror set in the Sawtooth Mountain Range of central Idaho. Named for the jagged shape of the range’s fifty-seven peaks, these remote mountains might also be home to a fabled beast of the same name.
The lead protagonist, Taryn, takes her first solo trek through the Sawtooth Range under unhappy circumstances, viz., scattering the ashes of her wife, Gemma, in a secluded lake. But honoring her late wife’s final wish proves to be more disconcerting than expected, as Taryn finds an assortment of bones—possibly human—in the otherwise beautifully clear lake.
Taryn’s journey in Sawtooth becomes increasingly perilous as she suffers injury and ultimately discovers the true nature of the novella’s eponymous beast. (It’s not what you think.)
The Sawtooth Range provides the perfect setting for this adventure. The natural beauty of the mountainous scenery is juxtaposed with the fear of what’s lurking in the great unknown.
Steph Nelson alternates Taryn’s present-day narrative with flashbacks of her relationship with Gemma, including both the happy times together as well as their struggles. While Gemma was always drawn toward a rural life in the mountains, Taryn preferred to pursue her career aspirations in the bustle of Boise.
The most touching scenes involved Gemma receiving her terminal diagnosis and Taryn’s subsequent struggle with setting her priorities right. Steph Nelson captured my heart with both of these characters. The ending of the novella is quite emotional, hitting extra hard because of the relationship drama in the flashback sequences.
Steph Nelson’s prose in Sawtooth is as incisive as the title would imply. Her writing is so polished that I was surprised to learn this is her debut novella. Nelson strikes the perfect balance between the tragedy faced by Taryn and Gemma in their personal relationship and then the physical manifestation of that horror. Nelson’s pacing is also spot-on, building up to a climax that I won’t soon forget.
Overall, Sawtooth will sink its teeth into you from the first page, taking you on a harrowing journey that is well worth the trip. Sawtooth is a stellar debut from a very talented new voice in the genre, and I look forward to reading more from Steph Nelson in the future.
Sawtooth is Steph Nelson’s monstrously disquieting survival horror set in the Sawtooth Mountain Range of central Idaho. Named for the jagged shape of the range’s fifty-seven peaks, these remote mountains might also be home to a fabled beast of the same name.
The lead protagonist, Taryn, takes her first solo trek through the Sawtooth Range under unhappy circumstances, viz., scattering the ashes of her wife, Gemma, in a secluded lake. But honoring her late wife’s final wish proves to be more disconcerting than expected, as Taryn finds an assortment of bones—possibly human—in the otherwise beautifully clear lake.
Taryn’s journey in Sawtooth becomes increasingly perilous as she suffers injury and ultimately discovers the true nature of the novella’s eponymous beast. (It’s not what you think.)
The Sawtooth Range provides the perfect setting for this adventure. The natural beauty of the mountainous scenery is juxtaposed with the fear of what’s lurking in the great unknown.
Steph Nelson alternates Taryn’s present-day narrative with flashbacks of her relationship with Gemma, including both the happy times together as well as their struggles. While Gemma was always drawn toward a rural life in the mountains, Taryn preferred to pursue her career aspirations in the bustle of Boise.
The most touching scenes involved Gemma receiving her terminal diagnosis and Taryn’s subsequent struggle with setting her priorities right. Steph Nelson captured my heart with both of these characters. The ending of the novella is quite emotional, hitting extra hard because of the relationship drama in the flashback sequences.
Steph Nelson’s prose in Sawtooth is as incisive as the title would imply. Her writing is so polished that I was surprised to learn this is her debut novella. Nelson strikes the perfect balance between the tragedy faced by Taryn and Gemma in their personal relationship and then the physical manifestation of that horror. Nelson’s pacing is also spot-on, building up to a climax that I won’t soon forget.
Overall, Sawtooth will sink its teeth into you from the first page, taking you on a harrowing journey that is well worth the trip. Sawtooth is a stellar debut from a very talented new voice in the genre, and I look forward to reading more from Steph Nelson in the future.
July 29, 2025
I always love finding a new author and having such a great experience with the first read. Steph Nelson created something really special here. It had a ton of heart, lore, action, all while being totally terrifying. The creature was not used too much, but had this constant lingering presence that made your skin crawl. The focus was kept exactly where it needed to be, which was on our lead, Taryn. She is grieving the loss of her wife, while going to a special place to spread her ashes. So we are pulled into her mindset, as she goes back and forth between memories of Gemma, her deceased wife, and her current predicament in the woods. It is all masterfully woven together, providing a tremendous showing from the author. It is also a short book, which felt like the perfect length for this feature, too. Loved it!
December 31, 2025
Thoughts
Oh my God? This was so good! I didn't know what to expect picking this up but when I tell you I couldn't book the book down! I was immersed into the story and setting from the very first page, there's something about this author's writing style that just hooks you in -- mind you this is my first reading experience with this author definitely won't be the last!
Plot Summary
Taryn heads into the Sawtooth Mountains to scatter her late wife Gemma’s ashes, expecting a quiet hike and a painful goodbye. The trail leads to a lake filled with shared memories—and the ghost stories Gemma once loved to tell. But the wilderness hides something far more real than campfire tales. What should have been a final act of love turns into a brutal fight for survival when Taryn discovers the Sawtooth is not a legend, but a deadly supernatural predator stalking the mountains.
My Bookstagram
Oh my God? This was so good! I didn't know what to expect picking this up but when I tell you I couldn't book the book down! I was immersed into the story and setting from the very first page, there's something about this author's writing style that just hooks you in -- mind you this is my first reading experience with this author definitely won't be the last!
Plot Summary
Taryn heads into the Sawtooth Mountains to scatter her late wife Gemma’s ashes, expecting a quiet hike and a painful goodbye. The trail leads to a lake filled with shared memories—and the ghost stories Gemma once loved to tell. But the wilderness hides something far more real than campfire tales. What should have been a final act of love turns into a brutal fight for survival when Taryn discovers the Sawtooth is not a legend, but a deadly supernatural predator stalking the mountains.
My Bookstagram
August 26, 2024
While I do have to admit that there's something about the combination of hiking and grief in horror that just speaks to me, I'm quite surprised by the rather low rating this book has, especially since nearly all of my bookish friends who've also read it seem to have enjoyed it like I did.
It's a quick little novella, which could have been a little longer in some parts but which was overall really tense and emotionally rich. Taryn and Gemma where easy to get invested in and they came across as fully realized characters. It does get a little wild at one point, but I thought it was done in a pretty imaginative way so it was still a really enjoyable read for me.
4.5 rounded up.
It's a quick little novella, which could have been a little longer in some parts but which was overall really tense and emotionally rich. Taryn and Gemma where easy to get invested in and they came across as fully realized characters. It does get a little wild at one point, but I thought it was done in a pretty imaginative way so it was still a really enjoyable read for me.
4.5 rounded up.
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November 21, 2023Check out my notes and highlights!
Happy Book Release Day, Steph! I read SAWTOOTH in its early stages and I feel lucky that I was allowed to have first eyes on it in its raw formation and offer some feedback. Steph graciously took the notes to heart because this final version of that original tale has been shaped into a beautiful love story tucked into survival horror.
My blurb,
"Show up for the thrilling survival horror but stay for the emotional wreckage—this tale is a harrowing journey through grief that’s as exhilarating as it is cathartic. Nelson nailed it” —Sadie Hartmann, 101 Horror Books to Read Before You’re Murdered
Happy Book Release Day, Steph! I read SAWTOOTH in its early stages and I feel lucky that I was allowed to have first eyes on it in its raw formation and offer some feedback. Steph graciously took the notes to heart because this final version of that original tale has been shaped into a beautiful love story tucked into survival horror.
My blurb,
"Show up for the thrilling survival horror but stay for the emotional wreckage—this tale is a harrowing journey through grief that’s as exhilarating as it is cathartic. Nelson nailed it” —Sadie Hartmann, 101 Horror Books to Read Before You’re Murdered
December 19, 2023
Happy release day!
Thanks to Cemetery Gates Media for an ARC copy to review! This was a gripping tale, filled with contrasts of romance and horror, perservance and resignation, harm and protection. I really enjoyed this novella that managed to do so much with so few pages.
Though Sawtooth is set in the wilderness, the open air of the mountains, it's almost claustrophobic, so oppressive is the eerie atmosphere and escalating sense of dread present in the pages.
Taryn's carrying her wife's ashes up a mountain, the small box rendered infinitely heavier by loss, grief, and memories. Several bad decisions later, she's out of water, grievously injured, and very unprepared to spend a night in the woods.
I've experienced a crippling leg injury myself, and found the combination of panic and pain depicted very well, the intensity rocketed up by the knowledge Taryn's on her own in the wild. Once she's hurt, her thoughts both shorten and spread in all directions, a realistic reaction to a grievous, painful injury.
This story went places I never expected but nevertheless delighted me, if you've paid any attention to my, uh, habitual reads. I found the writing really excelled at description and setting the chilling scene; a reader could smell the brisk mountain air, feel their limbs lock up in fight or flight tension, easily imagine shadows ducking behind trees in a remote locale. The ending was great and fit the emotional tones of the story.
TWs for animal death, death of a spouse, violent death of side characters, detailed descriptions of injury and deteriorating physical state.
Thanks to Cemetery Gates Media for an ARC copy to review! This was a gripping tale, filled with contrasts of romance and horror, perservance and resignation, harm and protection. I really enjoyed this novella that managed to do so much with so few pages.
Though Sawtooth is set in the wilderness, the open air of the mountains, it's almost claustrophobic, so oppressive is the eerie atmosphere and escalating sense of dread present in the pages.
Taryn's carrying her wife's ashes up a mountain, the small box rendered infinitely heavier by loss, grief, and memories. Several bad decisions later, she's out of water, grievously injured, and very unprepared to spend a night in the woods.
I've experienced a crippling leg injury myself, and found the combination of panic and pain depicted very well, the intensity rocketed up by the knowledge Taryn's on her own in the wild. Once she's hurt, her thoughts both shorten and spread in all directions, a realistic reaction to a grievous, painful injury.
This story went places I never expected but nevertheless delighted me, if you've paid any attention to my, uh, habitual reads. I found the writing really excelled at description and setting the chilling scene; a reader could smell the brisk mountain air, feel their limbs lock up in fight or flight tension, easily imagine shadows ducking behind trees in a remote locale. The ending was great and fit the emotional tones of the story.
TWs for animal death, death of a spouse, violent death of side characters, detailed descriptions of injury and deteriorating physical state.
October 15, 2023
Grief horror with a bit of bite! Steph has expertly crafted a thought provoking creature feature/survival horror that explores loss through a suspenseful dread infused plot that had me firmly clamped in its jaws from the beginning, what really stood out for me was the depth of our main character, Heather who? I WAS Taryn, I became Taryn, I wasn't reading mere words on a page, her fear was my fear, the emotions were tangible and I think this book gave me an anxiety attack, the raw intensity of the feelings conveyed was something else and made for a poignant read, this was an evocative taut thriller that will stick with you long after you've read it, this is my first book by Steph and it will not be my last, I thought this was incredible, I highly recommend this to you my little internet horror family, I am your mother I gave birth to you all, listen to me and pick this one up (sorry that got weird xoxo) thankyou
January 1, 2024
If you need a quick fright, this will do it. Hits you with a twist that I didn’t think of. Coming in at a hot 106 pages…this book will make you never want to go into the woods again. It was the perfect amount of ickiness and tension that makes it so hard to put down.
Taryn, I’m proud of you 🖤
Highly recommend
Taryn, I’m proud of you 🖤
Highly recommend
May 7, 2025
3.5 stars rounded up to 4!
If you enjoy creature feature stories with possible paranormal elements and have enjoyed this authors work in the past, you’ll enjoy this one like I did!
If you enjoy creature feature stories with possible paranormal elements and have enjoyed this authors work in the past, you’ll enjoy this one like I did!
October 16, 2023
Sawtooth is about Taryn, who's hiking to spread the ashes of her late wife, Gemma. Unfortunately for Taryn, the hike comes with a few obstacles—the worst of which is the Sawtooth.
I absolutely loved this book. Steph Nelson masterfully weaves together survival horror, grief horror, thriller elements, and a creature feature. The Sawtooth itself is unique and creative (any more information could veer into spoiler territory). We learn about Gemma and Taryn's relationship through flashbacks, which provide a surprising amount of character development for a novella, and I ended up being fully invested in Taryn's fight for survival.
Sawtooth is a must-read read for fans of both horror and thrillers who appreciate character development, an elevated heart rate, and a fresh take on the “lost in the woods” trope.
I absolutely loved this book. Steph Nelson masterfully weaves together survival horror, grief horror, thriller elements, and a creature feature. The Sawtooth itself is unique and creative (any more information could veer into spoiler territory). We learn about Gemma and Taryn's relationship through flashbacks, which provide a surprising amount of character development for a novella, and I ended up being fully invested in Taryn's fight for survival.
Sawtooth is a must-read read for fans of both horror and thrillers who appreciate character development, an elevated heart rate, and a fresh take on the “lost in the woods” trope.
December 11, 2024
Rating: 3.5 stars⭐️✨
Recommend: Yea
Genre: Thriller novella
*spoiler free*
Taryn goes on a hike into sawtooth mountain to scatter her wives ashes. She ends up running into sawtooth a supernatural predator. Honestly loved the dynamic between the couple and love how Steph develops characters and sprinkles in topics of grief and finical struggles.
“She wanted to hold her wife again, feel for any essence of Gemma that might still be in those remnants of bone.”
“There were some things about growing up poor that were impossible to shake, no matter how much you tried.”
Recommend: Yea
Genre: Thriller novella
*spoiler free*
Taryn goes on a hike into sawtooth mountain to scatter her wives ashes. She ends up running into sawtooth a supernatural predator. Honestly loved the dynamic between the couple and love how Steph develops characters and sprinkles in topics of grief and finical struggles.
“She wanted to hold her wife again, feel for any essence of Gemma that might still be in those remnants of bone.”
“There were some things about growing up poor that were impossible to shake, no matter how much you tried.”
November 14, 2023
A HUGE thank you to the author and Cemetery Gates for the advanced copy!
Steph 👏🏼 Nelson 👏🏼 does 👏🏼 it 👏🏼 again! Following the release of her debut novel earlier this year (The Vein), Sawtooth is her latest novella pitched as a creature feature. And while the sawtooth creature itself is terrifying, the circumstances around its existence and discovery are more than tragic. We follow Taryn, a woman who sets out to scatter her wife’s ashes near the Sawtooth Mountains. While Gemma, Taryn’s wife, was always more of an outdoorsy gal, Taryn is far better suited living in the city. Despite this difference, Taryn is devoted to delivering Gemma to her final resting place. However, the emergence of a creature that only existed in Gemma’s campfire stories throws a very large wrench in Taryn’s plans turning her journey of grief and goodbyes into one of survival. When I say I have never read a creature feature quite like this, I mean it. Normally, you can expect to be entertained by unique monsters with gross capabilities and some gnarly attempts at survival. However, Sawtooth capitalizes on these facets and fuels the plot with emotional subterfuge stemming from Gemma’s death. Told in dual timelines, we see Taryn grappling with survival of the sawtooth creature and the death of her wife. This deeper examination of love and loss is presented in such a fresh light. All packed in less than 150 pages.
Steph 👏🏼 Nelson 👏🏼 does 👏🏼 it 👏🏼 again! Following the release of her debut novel earlier this year (The Vein), Sawtooth is her latest novella pitched as a creature feature. And while the sawtooth creature itself is terrifying, the circumstances around its existence and discovery are more than tragic. We follow Taryn, a woman who sets out to scatter her wife’s ashes near the Sawtooth Mountains. While Gemma, Taryn’s wife, was always more of an outdoorsy gal, Taryn is far better suited living in the city. Despite this difference, Taryn is devoted to delivering Gemma to her final resting place. However, the emergence of a creature that only existed in Gemma’s campfire stories throws a very large wrench in Taryn’s plans turning her journey of grief and goodbyes into one of survival. When I say I have never read a creature feature quite like this, I mean it. Normally, you can expect to be entertained by unique monsters with gross capabilities and some gnarly attempts at survival. However, Sawtooth capitalizes on these facets and fuels the plot with emotional subterfuge stemming from Gemma’s death. Told in dual timelines, we see Taryn grappling with survival of the sawtooth creature and the death of her wife. This deeper examination of love and loss is presented in such a fresh light. All packed in less than 150 pages.
August 13, 2024
Actually good, fast paced and twisty
December 21, 2023
Taryn planned for an easy hike into the Sawtooth mountains to spread her late wife’s ashes. Her wife, Gemma loved the outdoors while she preferred the city but they were able to spend time together and connect in that forest. Unfortunately that “easy” hike she planned turned into a very hard and frightening fight for her life.
Sawtooth was a beautiful story of love and loss but also a terrifying creature feature. This is the first book I’ve read by Steph Nelson (although I own The Vein) and I am kicking myself over the fact that I haven’t read it yet. Nelson’s writing style really sank its teeth into me and really made me feel all the things. I was able to get into Taryn’s mindset and I really felt for her. Imagine you’re trying to say goodbye to your partner forever, scattering ashes for closure, and on your way there you need to fight for your LIFE to survive this creature you thought to be a myth?! If anything drags me into a den in the woods of any sort, just pronounce me dead! But seriously, this novella packs a big punch and I am so excited and looking forward to reading more books by Steph Nelson.
Thank you so much Cemetery Gates and Steph Nelson for the advanced copy and giving me the chance to read and review it honestly.
Happy reading!
Sawtooth was a beautiful story of love and loss but also a terrifying creature feature. This is the first book I’ve read by Steph Nelson (although I own The Vein) and I am kicking myself over the fact that I haven’t read it yet. Nelson’s writing style really sank its teeth into me and really made me feel all the things. I was able to get into Taryn’s mindset and I really felt for her. Imagine you’re trying to say goodbye to your partner forever, scattering ashes for closure, and on your way there you need to fight for your LIFE to survive this creature you thought to be a myth?! If anything drags me into a den in the woods of any sort, just pronounce me dead! But seriously, this novella packs a big punch and I am so excited and looking forward to reading more books by Steph Nelson.
Thank you so much Cemetery Gates and Steph Nelson for the advanced copy and giving me the chance to read and review it honestly.
Happy reading!
September 18, 2023
“If love was give and take, as they say, then marriage was a process of defining those terms. What was give and what was take? . . . Who got to define the parameters of give and take?”
📚
Sawtooth is a suspenseful, atmospheric, dread-infused creature feature/survival horror novella set in Idaho’s isolated Sawtooth Mountain region. The storyline opens as protagonist Taryn approaches the wilderness with the goal of scattering her wife’s ashes. After waiting nearly a year, she’s determined to finally carry out Gemma’s last wish at the alpine lake she loved most — a place where they’d made happy memories together — even if it means throwing caution to the wind.
What’s meant to be a quick out-and-back trek quickly turns brutal, bloody, dark, and deadly when Taryn makes a terrifying discovery, becomes injured, and hears something strange and ominous stalking her in the woods. Could Gemma’s campfire stories of the mountain’s legendary, predatory cryptid namesake be true? And if so, what chance does a lone woman stand against this supernatural monster?
Intertwining Taryn’s present-day fight for survival with her fraught recollections of life and marriage, Sawtooth gifts the reader with flawed, believable, lifelike characters and a pulse-pounding, page-turning, high-stakes plot line rooted in love, regret, fear, sorrow, and trauma. Unease steadily builds in the reader’s heart and mind as the plot unfolds and progresses, and though history is conveyed from a single point of view, it is an honest and unbiased vantage point that unflinchingly presents both sides of the story, darkness and all. This story is a resonant, heartbreaking, relatable, devastating, gruesome, and utterly original tale of mortality and human folly interlaced with an exquisite sense of tension and foreboding that led this reader to devour the entire thing in an evening.
Once I began reading, I was completely immersed and invested and couldn’t stop despite feeling wracked with tension and riddled with anxiety. Taryn’s fear, pain, and suffering are visceral, almost tangible, as is the agony of grief, resentment, guilt, frustration, anger, and regret continually washing over her. These feelings are layered and nuanced, and I’m still awestruck at the author’s ability to craft and convey so much depth and meaning in such a brief span, and with only one character actually on the page for the majority of the narrative. It’s a truly haunting and masterful tale that will easily occupy my all-time favorites shelf.
A huge thank you to Steph Nelson for allowing me to read and review a digital ARC of this phenomenal forthcoming release. Sawtooth is a powerful, unforgettable novella that deserves to be read, discussed, and celebrated far and wide.
📚
Sawtooth is a suspenseful, atmospheric, dread-infused creature feature/survival horror novella set in Idaho’s isolated Sawtooth Mountain region. The storyline opens as protagonist Taryn approaches the wilderness with the goal of scattering her wife’s ashes. After waiting nearly a year, she’s determined to finally carry out Gemma’s last wish at the alpine lake she loved most — a place where they’d made happy memories together — even if it means throwing caution to the wind.
What’s meant to be a quick out-and-back trek quickly turns brutal, bloody, dark, and deadly when Taryn makes a terrifying discovery, becomes injured, and hears something strange and ominous stalking her in the woods. Could Gemma’s campfire stories of the mountain’s legendary, predatory cryptid namesake be true? And if so, what chance does a lone woman stand against this supernatural monster?
Intertwining Taryn’s present-day fight for survival with her fraught recollections of life and marriage, Sawtooth gifts the reader with flawed, believable, lifelike characters and a pulse-pounding, page-turning, high-stakes plot line rooted in love, regret, fear, sorrow, and trauma. Unease steadily builds in the reader’s heart and mind as the plot unfolds and progresses, and though history is conveyed from a single point of view, it is an honest and unbiased vantage point that unflinchingly presents both sides of the story, darkness and all. This story is a resonant, heartbreaking, relatable, devastating, gruesome, and utterly original tale of mortality and human folly interlaced with an exquisite sense of tension and foreboding that led this reader to devour the entire thing in an evening.
Once I began reading, I was completely immersed and invested and couldn’t stop despite feeling wracked with tension and riddled with anxiety. Taryn’s fear, pain, and suffering are visceral, almost tangible, as is the agony of grief, resentment, guilt, frustration, anger, and regret continually washing over her. These feelings are layered and nuanced, and I’m still awestruck at the author’s ability to craft and convey so much depth and meaning in such a brief span, and with only one character actually on the page for the majority of the narrative. It’s a truly haunting and masterful tale that will easily occupy my all-time favorites shelf.
A huge thank you to Steph Nelson for allowing me to read and review a digital ARC of this phenomenal forthcoming release. Sawtooth is a powerful, unforgettable novella that deserves to be read, discussed, and celebrated far and wide.
December 9, 2023
Isolated wilderness grief tale with unexpected twists and lots of tension and body horror? Yes please!
March 7, 2024
How was there sheer terror, gut wrenching emotion, laughter and a whole bucket of anxiety in a 108 page novella?
I’m not sure but this one had it!
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Steph Nelson is the queen of pacing. Pure perfection.
I felt like I knew Taryn and Gemma as a couple and personally, which is hard to do in a full length novel, never mind a novella.
The tidbits about actual survival in the woods were interesting and I felt like Taryn’s struggles and how she may or may not have overcome certain scenarios were realistic and kept me locked into the story.
Can’t wait to see what Steph Nelson has in store for us next!
I’m not sure but this one had it!
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Steph Nelson is the queen of pacing. Pure perfection.
I felt like I knew Taryn and Gemma as a couple and personally, which is hard to do in a full length novel, never mind a novella.
The tidbits about actual survival in the woods were interesting and I felt like Taryn’s struggles and how she may or may not have overcome certain scenarios were realistic and kept me locked into the story.
Can’t wait to see what Steph Nelson has in store for us next!
November 16, 2024
Widow Taryn is making a final trek in the Sawtooth Mountains to scatter the ashes of her wife, an avid hiker. Despite the warning signs, Taryn continues on her path, sure something is following her. But the Sawtooth creature is just a legend, right?
This started off so good. I was invested in Taryn's story, even if the flashbacks to her wife's illness dragged the story down. Those chapters were too long and took away the momentum. I was not prepared for the supernatural elements. I thought I was getting a straight forward horror in the woods. The ending was both absurd and bittersweet. I enjoyed the writing style but the story overall wasn't great.
2.5 stars.
This started off so good. I was invested in Taryn's story, even if the flashbacks to her wife's illness dragged the story down. Those chapters were too long and took away the momentum. I was not prepared for the supernatural elements. I thought I was getting a straight forward horror in the woods. The ending was both absurd and bittersweet. I enjoyed the writing style but the story overall wasn't great.
2.5 stars.
November 6, 2024
4.25 - first off I love Steph Nelson (her books and IRL) and so I may be slightly bias but this novella really hot for me!
Video thoughts: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTFcK8mem/
Video thoughts: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTFcK8mem/
August 22, 2025
3.75 ☆
Love a monster story where the monster isnt obvious.
Love a monster story where the monster isnt obvious.
October 20, 2025
Se lleva el premio de la esposa más egoísta.
Como prolongas el sufrimiento de tu esposa a la que nunca tomaste en cuenta cuando te platico de sus deseos en vida y aún así su deseos para su muerte los hiciste sobre ti.
Como prolongas el sufrimiento de tu esposa a la que nunca tomaste en cuenta cuando te platico de sus deseos en vida y aún así su deseos para su muerte los hiciste sobre ti.
December 1, 2025
2.75 stars rounded up. This was fine! Nothing to write home about and not really memorable
January 19, 2024
Really enjoyed the tale of a woman alone in the woods, injured, being stalked by an unknown creature while mourning the loss of her wife. But then there was a twist. And the twist didn't work for me.
March 6, 2024
I really wanted to like this book. I just couldn't get into it. There was too much back and forth of inner dialog, and talking to her dead wife, I started to lose track of where we were in the story.
I also didn't find the story scary either which was a real disappointment.
I also didn't find the story scary either which was a real disappointment.
October 15, 2023
Thank you to @stephnelsonauthor for my copy of Sawtooth. Since reading The Vein a few months ago-I knew I would need to read anything that Nelson writes. She does such a wonderful job of evoking emotion and attachment to characters. Although Sawtooth is tiny in size (100ish pages) I was completely emersed.
This is grief horror at its finest. There is also a terrifying creature. I don’t want to say too much because it is short and it’s better to just dive in but know that the atmosphere creepy, the situation scary and a heartbreaking love story at its core.
Also-big props to Nelson for describing Early Onset Dementia with care and HONESTY, those who know me know this is very close to my heart. I can’t wait for your next book Steph!
This is grief horror at its finest. There is also a terrifying creature. I don’t want to say too much because it is short and it’s better to just dive in but know that the atmosphere creepy, the situation scary and a heartbreaking love story at its core.
Also-big props to Nelson for describing Early Onset Dementia with care and HONESTY, those who know me know this is very close to my heart. I can’t wait for your next book Steph!
September 19, 2024
Felt like a good creepypasta and i loved it for that. It was very short but still made you feel connected to the characters. Good monster book with a good twist ending.
October 12, 2023
4,3/5✨
(In English below)
🐙”We all die. Everyone dies. Does that mean we all just give up? Keep ourselves?"
🧙♂️Ya me advirtieron que la ruta que había elegido para llegar a la cima estaba impracticable. No hice caso a mis compañeros y no hay vuelta atrás. Nada me iba a detener. Bueno, ¿nada? Esa respiración que llevo escuchando varias horas no es humana...
🕯️Steph Nelson es una de las nuevas voces del terror indie americano. Su trabajo está inédito aún en castellano pero Dilatando Mentes ya ha anunciado para 2024 la traducción de su debut The Veil, obra que aún no he tenido el gusto en leer pero que seguramente pasará por este rincón en su versión traducida.
La novela que os traigo hoy nos cuenta la historia de Taryn, una mujer que cumpliendo la última voluntad de su esposa Gemma, nos lleva de paseo a un sitio bastante inhóspito para depositar sus cenizas (no estoy haciendo spoiler, esto está en la primera frase).
Acompañaremos a Taryn en esta travesía, y a través
de breves retrospectivas, a parte de la vida que ambas compartieron.
Partiendo de un drama bastante potente, como cualquier buena historia de terror, la situación se irá complicando y la apacible travesía se convertirá en una pesadilla.
Particularmente me ha gustado bastante ya que con una atmósfera bastante oscura y a base de crear mucha tensión me ha conseguido transmitir sensaciones más potentes que la primera parte de "El ritual" de Adam Nevill, la que realmente merece la pena. Además reflexiona con temas bastante controvertidos de relaciones de pareja que nos harán reflexionar a más de uno. Ya puestos aprenderéis varios trucos para sobrevivir en la Naturaleza.
En definitiva una novela corta muy recomendable, que si os atrevéis a leer en su versión original exige un poco de concentración porque el vocabulario usado es muy extenso y requiere un buen nivel.
¿Os apetecería su lectura?
Recibí una copia de revisión avanzada de forma gratuita por parte de Cemetery Gates Media y escribo esta reseña voluntariamente.
******REVIEW IN ENGLISH************************
🧙♂️They already warned me that the route I had chosen to get to the top was impassable. I didn't listen to my colleagues and there is no turning back. Nothing was going to stop me. Well, nothing? That breathing that I have been listening to for several hours is not human...
🕯️Steph Nelson is one of the new voices of American indie horror. Her work unpublished is still in Spanish, but Dilatando Mentes has already announced for 2024 the translation of his debut The Veil, a work that I have not yet had the pleasure of reading but that will surely pass through this blog in its translated version.
The novel that I bring you today tells us the story of Taryn, a woman who, fulfilling the last wishes of her wife Gemma, takes us for a walk to a rather inhospitable place to deposit her ashes (I'm not giving a spoiler, this is in the first sentence).
We will accompany Taryn on this journey and through brief retrospectives of part of the life they both shared.
Starting from a fairly powerful drama, like any good horror story, the situation will become more complicated and the peaceful hiking will turn into a nightmare.
I particularly liked it a lot since with a fairly dark atmosphere and by creating a lot of tension it managed to transmit more powerful sensations than the first part of "The Ritual" by Adam Nevill, which is really worth it.
It also reflects on quite controversial topics about relationships that will make more than one of us think. Now you will learn several tricks to survive in Nature.
Would you like to read it?
I recieved an advance review copy for free, thanks Cemetery Gates Media, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
(In English below)
🐙”We all die. Everyone dies. Does that mean we all just give up? Keep ourselves?"
🧙♂️Ya me advirtieron que la ruta que había elegido para llegar a la cima estaba impracticable. No hice caso a mis compañeros y no hay vuelta atrás. Nada me iba a detener. Bueno, ¿nada? Esa respiración que llevo escuchando varias horas no es humana...
🕯️Steph Nelson es una de las nuevas voces del terror indie americano. Su trabajo está inédito aún en castellano pero Dilatando Mentes ya ha anunciado para 2024 la traducción de su debut The Veil, obra que aún no he tenido el gusto en leer pero que seguramente pasará por este rincón en su versión traducida.
La novela que os traigo hoy nos cuenta la historia de Taryn, una mujer que cumpliendo la última voluntad de su esposa Gemma, nos lleva de paseo a un sitio bastante inhóspito para depositar sus cenizas (no estoy haciendo spoiler, esto está en la primera frase).
Acompañaremos a Taryn en esta travesía, y a través
de breves retrospectivas, a parte de la vida que ambas compartieron.
Partiendo de un drama bastante potente, como cualquier buena historia de terror, la situación se irá complicando y la apacible travesía se convertirá en una pesadilla.
Particularmente me ha gustado bastante ya que con una atmósfera bastante oscura y a base de crear mucha tensión me ha conseguido transmitir sensaciones más potentes que la primera parte de "El ritual" de Adam Nevill, la que realmente merece la pena. Además reflexiona con temas bastante controvertidos de relaciones de pareja que nos harán reflexionar a más de uno. Ya puestos aprenderéis varios trucos para sobrevivir en la Naturaleza.
En definitiva una novela corta muy recomendable, que si os atrevéis a leer en su versión original exige un poco de concentración porque el vocabulario usado es muy extenso y requiere un buen nivel.
¿Os apetecería su lectura?
Recibí una copia de revisión avanzada de forma gratuita por parte de Cemetery Gates Media y escribo esta reseña voluntariamente.
******REVIEW IN ENGLISH************************
🧙♂️They already warned me that the route I had chosen to get to the top was impassable. I didn't listen to my colleagues and there is no turning back. Nothing was going to stop me. Well, nothing? That breathing that I have been listening to for several hours is not human...
🕯️Steph Nelson is one of the new voices of American indie horror. Her work unpublished is still in Spanish, but Dilatando Mentes has already announced for 2024 the translation of his debut The Veil, a work that I have not yet had the pleasure of reading but that will surely pass through this blog in its translated version.
The novel that I bring you today tells us the story of Taryn, a woman who, fulfilling the last wishes of her wife Gemma, takes us for a walk to a rather inhospitable place to deposit her ashes (I'm not giving a spoiler, this is in the first sentence).
We will accompany Taryn on this journey and through brief retrospectives of part of the life they both shared.
Starting from a fairly powerful drama, like any good horror story, the situation will become more complicated and the peaceful hiking will turn into a nightmare.
I particularly liked it a lot since with a fairly dark atmosphere and by creating a lot of tension it managed to transmit more powerful sensations than the first part of "The Ritual" by Adam Nevill, which is really worth it.
It also reflects on quite controversial topics about relationships that will make more than one of us think. Now you will learn several tricks to survive in Nature.
Would you like to read it?
I recieved an advance review copy for free, thanks Cemetery Gates Media, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 11, 2023
Steph Nelson's horror novella, Sawtooth, is a fast-paced creature feature that takes readers on a thrilling journey through the terrifying depths of grief and the chilling encounters with a supernatural creature lurking within the Sawtooth Mountains. As Taryn ventures into the wilderness to scatter her wife's ashes, she unknowingly steps into a realm where reality blurs with nightmares, and her sanity is pushed to its limits. Haunted by memories of her wife Gemma, Taryn takes solace in the familiarity of the alpine lake at the end of the trail. Little does she know that this familiar sanctuary will become the battleground where she must confront her deepest fears and face off against the monstrous entity known as the Sawtooth - a creature born from the darkest recesses of human imagination - if she wants to escape with her life. Severely injured and deeply dehydrated, Taryn's journey is fraught with stream-of-consciousness moments, where the line between hallucination and reality becomes blurred. As Taryn fights to navigate through the harsh environment of the Sawtooth Mountains, she finds herself trapped in a cyclic time loop, reliving moments of terror and desperation while attempting to process the loss of her wife. The incremental character development in various settings and times adds depth to Taryn's journey as she grapples with her grief and the supernatural horrors lurking in the shadows.
In the gripping and haunting pages of this grief horror story, readers will embark on a journey that delves deep into the psyche of Taryn as she navigates the harrowing aftermath of loss and fights for her survival within the beautiful but treacherous Sawtooth Mountains. Through evocative prose and vivid storytelling, Steph Nelson skillfully weaves together elements of horror, grief, and redemption to create a narrative that hooks readers from the first page and refuses to let go. I devoured this book in under an hour. That's how absorbing and riveting Steph Nelson's Sawtooth was to me. I was engrossed in the nail-biting tension that permeated every chapter, leaving me eager to uncover the truth behind the mysterious events unraveling within the book, especially the unnatural manifestation of the Sawtooth.
In summary, Sawtooth by Steph Nelson is a fast-paced, "lost in the woods" survival horror story with a raw and emotional gut punch of a narrative that includes a creature that is the stuff of nightmares and a twist at the end of the book, unlike any other.
*Thank you, Steph Nelson, for sending me a gifted signed copy of Sawtooth! I very much enjoyed being part of Taryn's journey, as harrowing and deadly as it was.
In the gripping and haunting pages of this grief horror story, readers will embark on a journey that delves deep into the psyche of Taryn as she navigates the harrowing aftermath of loss and fights for her survival within the beautiful but treacherous Sawtooth Mountains. Through evocative prose and vivid storytelling, Steph Nelson skillfully weaves together elements of horror, grief, and redemption to create a narrative that hooks readers from the first page and refuses to let go. I devoured this book in under an hour. That's how absorbing and riveting Steph Nelson's Sawtooth was to me. I was engrossed in the nail-biting tension that permeated every chapter, leaving me eager to uncover the truth behind the mysterious events unraveling within the book, especially the unnatural manifestation of the Sawtooth.
In summary, Sawtooth by Steph Nelson is a fast-paced, "lost in the woods" survival horror story with a raw and emotional gut punch of a narrative that includes a creature that is the stuff of nightmares and a twist at the end of the book, unlike any other.
*Thank you, Steph Nelson, for sending me a gifted signed copy of Sawtooth! I very much enjoyed being part of Taryn's journey, as harrowing and deadly as it was.
December 20, 2023
SAWTOOTH…where to begin? First, this is a spoiler-free review so read with confidence that the ending or any major plot points will remain a mystery to you should you decide to pick this one up. And you should DEFINITELY pick this one up. You could call this rural horror or woodland horror. The outward premise is a hiker in the less traveled parts of a mountainous area becomes significantly injured and runs into trouble with a folklore-style monster, the titular SAWTOOTH. This use of danger is an opportunity to meditate on loss, grief, and who gets to decide how it all ends.
Taryn is tasked with fulfilling the dying wish of her deceased wife, Gemma, who asks that her ashes be scattered at Sawtooth Mountain. In staying with a spoiler-free review, just know that Gemma withheld some details about Sawtooth Mountain from Taryn and that is not good! You can probably guess by the title that something with a dangerous set of chompers looms large in this story.
This book falls squarely into psychological horror with smatterings of body horror and monster horror. If you are someone who likes the great outdoors, this book provides vivid descriptions of the hiking experience. If you aren’t too keen on hiking, this book will put you off of it…forever!!
Taryn’s inner dialogue is nuanced and heartbreaking at times. Gemma is shown in large portions via flashbacks, so it is interesting to ponder if those parts of Gemma are an idealized version of Taryn's thoughts. Hearing Gemma through Taryn’s lens provides an interesting layer to the story. This is a mainly two-character narrative with a few secondary characters popping in (a therapist in flashback, and a surveyor in real time) so you will spend the most time with Taryn and Gemma, but it is worth it!
This book is a creature feature enveloped in a bubble of human emotions and outright suspense. Enjoy!
Taryn is tasked with fulfilling the dying wish of her deceased wife, Gemma, who asks that her ashes be scattered at Sawtooth Mountain. In staying with a spoiler-free review, just know that Gemma withheld some details about Sawtooth Mountain from Taryn and that is not good! You can probably guess by the title that something with a dangerous set of chompers looms large in this story.
This book falls squarely into psychological horror with smatterings of body horror and monster horror. If you are someone who likes the great outdoors, this book provides vivid descriptions of the hiking experience. If you aren’t too keen on hiking, this book will put you off of it…forever!!
Taryn’s inner dialogue is nuanced and heartbreaking at times. Gemma is shown in large portions via flashbacks, so it is interesting to ponder if those parts of Gemma are an idealized version of Taryn's thoughts. Hearing Gemma through Taryn’s lens provides an interesting layer to the story. This is a mainly two-character narrative with a few secondary characters popping in (a therapist in flashback, and a surveyor in real time) so you will spend the most time with Taryn and Gemma, but it is worth it!
This book is a creature feature enveloped in a bubble of human emotions and outright suspense. Enjoy!
October 14, 2024
What do you do when your wife dies and her undying soul becomes one voice amongst thousands trapped inside a generations-old creature? What would you do if this creature hunted you through the forest and tried to kill you? Would you be able to destroy the creature after your wife has begged you to do it in one moment of clarity? Well, you ignore your wife's request, allowing this creature to live and moment your wife's soul, and uproot your whole life to live in the forest in the hopes of occasionally seeing the creature that's taken over your wife's soul.
Despite how negative this start was, I did actually enjoy the beginning of the story. It had the promise of being a strong horror novella; it had the right setting, the grief of a lost loved one (who somewhat haunted the main character), and the classic trope of being hunted through the woods. But once I got to the end, that's when I became very frustrated with the protagonist, which is what led to the three-star deduction. I wish she had been able to kill her 'wife' and accept her grief, but instead, this shows something that symbolises that, if you're grieving the loss of a loved one, you should go out of your way to be haunted by their memory for the rest of your life.
Despite how negative this start was, I did actually enjoy the beginning of the story. It had the promise of being a strong horror novella; it had the right setting, the grief of a lost loved one (who somewhat haunted the main character), and the classic trope of being hunted through the woods. But once I got to the end, that's when I became very frustrated with the protagonist, which is what led to the three-star deduction. I wish she had been able to kill her 'wife' and accept her grief, but instead, this shows something that symbolises that, if you're grieving the loss of a loved one, you should go out of your way to be haunted by their memory for the rest of your life.
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