Soolie Beetch and the Dying Light

by Skelly Harrington

“Many monsters are made with the souls of dead men, Soolie Beetch. If you wish to stay free of their number, you would be advised to stay alive.”

A strange woman passing through the village of Hob Glen dies a sudden and violent death, leaving something evil behind. Now young Soolie Beetch is cursed with deadly powers she can’t control and a golden-eyed child haunting her dreams. Fighting for her freedom and her life—watched by a family that is terrified of what she has become—a young girl must resort to extraordinary measures to survive.

Fast-paced, daring and vividly written, Soolie Beetch and the Dying Light hooks the reader from page one and provides a breathtaking ride to a shocking climax.

________________________

“Horror wrapped in epic fantasy, liberally dipped in blood. … A gory rollercoaster of emotion that I want to ride repeatedly.”
- Kelley McAllister, kelley, ink

“Beautiful prose and an incredibly dark journey that defies all the usual tropes and cliches in stunning fashion.”
- Cassandra Koehler, Author of “Intergalactic Mischief” and “Imperfect Bodies”

“The first paragraph alone is worth the price.”
- PageBacon Podcast

“Amazing book. Grabs you on page one and doesn't let go. Not for the faint of heart, but so very good.”
- Andrew Berkowitz, author

“Soolie Beetch’s characters are vivid, complex, and varied, and the dialog is fresh but real. Try as you might, you won’t be able to predict what’s about to happen. Imaginative and engrossing.”
- Gary Corbin, author of Lying in Judgment

“A spectacular read! Soolie’s journey was compelling from the very beginning. The characters were rich and relatable, making me feel for each one, and the story sped along at a gripping pace. I loved it, and can’t wait for more!”
- Micah Edwards, author of Okay, So Look

Genres: Fantasy

336 pages, Paperback

Published October 2, 2023

About the author

SKELLY HARRINGTON (they/them) spent their childhood growing up off-grid in the Mount Hood wilderness area of Oregon. They began writing at a young age, because when life gives you books and endless expanses of solitary time, you make your own friends. They now live in Portland OR with their rainbow family and a black sphynx named Chemo. When not writing, they can be found teaching and performing at Curious Comedy Theater.

Skelly is available for media interviews, book signings, and book group appearances.

📚 🖤 🖋️ 📚 🖤 🖋️ 📚 🖤 🖋️ 📚 🖤 🖋️ 📚 🖤 🖋️ 📚 🖤 🖋️ 📚 🖤 🖋️ 📚 🖤 🖋️ 📚 🖤 🖋️ 📚 🖤 🖋️

Reviews

[River 🔪🩸 (horror.books.and.chill) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a mixture of dark fantasy and horror that equaled perfection.

Soolie is a young girl whose father is a bit overprotective of her, and as someone who had a mother the same way, I can highly relate to her. At the tender age of 13, she’s already experienced loss, but she’s much stronger than her Papa gives her credit for.

I lost myself inside this book. Skelly’s writing brought me into the world of Hob Glen and Ravus, transporting me into Soolie’s life, living it right alongside her every step of the way, feeling her pain, her rage, her anguish.

The character development of Soolie was something that I wasn’t expecting. She transformed into something everyone feared, but I felt like she was more comfortable in her own skin. She was someone else entirely by the end of this book.

I’m so excited to see where this series goes and can’t wait to get to book two so I can see where Soolie’s journey goes next. 👏🏻

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has been my moving chaos kindle read!! Please read the forward cause it’s so moving to connect what the author was going through with and through the books.

It’s the first in the Willful Instruments trilogy which has magic, monsters, horror and gore. Soolie is an intriguing character who has so much development in the first book and I can’t wait to see how she grows through the series.

Check your trigger warnings!!!! Suicide, traumatic deaths of both humans and animals as well as abuse and other topics that can be found in the back of the book.

[PaperbackGhosts · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first paragraph of this was gnarly af and I knew I was really in for it with this one. A gripping coming-of-age story rife with possession, hardship and resilience. Dark fantasy and horror done incredibly well done. Soolie was an unbreakable force in the face of a terrifying entity. The world building here was incredibly detailed and the lore of the Soul Hunter and the Dead Man was unique and compelling. I’m really looking forward to the rest of the series!

[E · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75/5⭐️ it was good but I got to a point where I didn’t care & had a hard time reading because of the writing

[Joshua Hair · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s dark, unforgiving, and very much the anti-Disney fairy tale. While technically fantasy, Soolie Beetch is every bit a horror as well. Don’t go into it looking for a happy ending, because there are none to be found for anyone. You can, however, expect to buy book two right after finishing this one.

[Kaitlyn Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! The characters are amazing, the story is unique and dark and compelling. Some of the imagery find myself coming back to and chewing over again and again. There is so much description that I'm really building the whole world in my mind. Can't wait to read the other two!

[Maddy (maddys_needful_reads)]

Soolie Beetch and the Dying Light is dark fantasy book with some horror elements; it leans heavily into the fantasy side, and maybe that's why I didn't fully connect with the story or the characters. While the world and ideas are both interesting, and I can see how much soul the author has poured into the story, I unfortunately ended up DNFing it. I don't want to list out the reasons I didn't like it—the author seems like a really kind person, and I admire any author who is able to follow through with writing an entire trilogy!
Thank you to Skelly Harrington for sending me a review copy; I'm going to take it to my local Little Free Library so it can find a home with the right reader. 🖤

[Ciara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely a dark tale that grips you from the beginning. Hard to put down. The author puts great detail into the descriptions so you can truly visualize the gore in their words. The end sets you up for some interesting adventure in the next books and leaves you wanting to find out what the characters have in store next.

[Charles Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic book. A great new addition to the fantasy genre with a brilliant dark horror flare. The characters are fantastically written and have amazing depth, I truly was feeling both the conflicting emotions of Soolie and her father while reading. The world and story that Skelly sets up in the first novel has me begging for more. Can’t wait for the next book in the series.

[Kaitlyn Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! The characters are amazing, the story is unique and dark and compelling. Some of the imagery find myself coming back to and chewing over again and again. There is so much description that I'm really building the whole world in my mind. Can't wait to read the other two!

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gripping dark fantasy with emotional, authentic characters. Unlike many in the genre, it avoids overloading on world-building, instead revealing the world naturally through the characters’ experiences. I was hooked from start to finish, constantly eager to see what would happen next. The story balances strong character development with thrilling action, culminating in an epic final battle that will satisfy any action fan. Bold and willing to take risks, it sets up a promising series while still standing strong on its own. I’ll definitely be following more of Soolie Beetch’s adventures!

[Darcy Gabe · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Disclaimer: while I do know the author personally, I am confident that even if I didn’t, I would still rate this a 5/5.

This book has everyone I need to be wildly entertained: a thrilling premise, fascinatingly in-depth and creative world, well developed characters who grow and change, deep relationships, vivid imagery, and some of the most beautiful writing I’ve ever read.

I wanted to pull some of the beautiful prose here into this review but I worried about spoilers. Chapters 25 and 26 are absolute page turners - I couldn’t put it down.

I genuinely loved it!

[Kirsten Craig (TheSpineOfMotherhood) · Rating 5 out of 5]

You read only a few books each year that feel like the stars aligned for it to be written. These are the books that blow you away with fully fleshed characters, emotions you can feel deep in your chest, and action that pulls you in completely. For me, these "instant classic" books tend to effortlessly meld genres and at their core have HEART. You finish the story and all you can think it "WOW." This will be a book you think back on often.
You know the books I'm talking about, right?

This is what Soolie Beetch and The Dying Light was for me.
It was superbly written with tons of depth and even some humor which I appreicated.
I loved all the characters, even the ones you can't necessarily "love". (I'm looking at you, Dog.)
Harrington has such a way with writing characters that you feel you know them, glaring flaws and all. Even though the things happening to Soolie and crew are not things that would necessarily happen in real life (I sure hope it doesn't, at least), you feel swept up in these cosmic dangers with them. You feel transported to Hob Glen, Ravus or inside Soolie's divided mind.
If you are looking for a book that offers up beautiful writing, spectacular characters, emotionally charged plot, fantasy, horror and adventure...read this book.
Then read the others in the series like I am about to do.
You won't skagging regret it!

[Cassandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark, lush and bloody, I couldn't put this book down. The characters are layered and psychologically complex, there's an incredibly satisfying ending that sets up an exciting sequel, and this book has some of the most beautiful descriptions I've ever read. Not usually a fan of horror fantasy but I was hooked immediately and entranced by ever gory detail. 100% would recommend.

[Lucky O'Brien · Rating 5 out of 5]

Skelly Harrington is a gifted (and skilled) writer with a clear personal voice. They paint clear pictures and share believable characters. The years of work show their worth. This author is a joy to read! :)