Claw Heart Mountain

by David Oppegaard, Aaron Shedlock (Narrator)

What happens when good people make one bad decision?

Imagine you are on the way to a remote mountain cabin with your friends. Upon arrival, you discover an abandoned armored van with fifteen million dollars on board.

Would you take the money?

Nova and her friends answer with a resounding yes. Perhaps their answer would have been different had they known that a professional killer is tracking down the money. Or that a legendary creature known as the Wraith roams the mountain, ravenous with hunger.

But they didn’t.

Thinking they’re safe and anonymous, Nova and her friends divvy up the stolen cash, unaware who or what is after them, unaware that soon they will be fighting for their lives.

Genres: Horror, Thriller, Audiobook, Monsters

Audiobook

First published January 31, 2023

About the author

David Oppegaard is the author of Claw Heart Mountain (CamCat Books 2023), The Town Built on Sorrow, The Firebug of Balrog County (MN Book Award finalist), The Suicide Collectors (Bram Stoker finalist), Wormwood, Nevada, And the Hills Opened Up, The Ragged Mountains, and the novella Breakneck Cove.

David’s work is a blend of horror, literary fiction, speculative fiction, and fantasy. He holds an M.F.A. in Writing from Hamline University and a B.A. in English from St. Olaf College. He lives in St. Paul, MN with his wife and their ravenous cat.

His author website/blog is www.davidoppegaard.com

Reviews

[Tracy P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Any book over 400 pages long which I start and finish in the same day is worthy of 5-stars. Claw Heart Mountain is an intense and atmospheric read.
Thrilling, suspenseful and horrifying all at once, David Oppegaard managed to keep my heart racing from start to finish. I will definitely be looking for more from him in the future.
What a great way to spend a rainy and cold Sunday.

[Barbara Behring · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and I really cared about Nova, the main character. The book kept my interest at all times.

[Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.0 Stars
This was an engaging horror thriller story. The narrative leans into a lot of classic tropes of the genres making for a fun but predictable ride.

The biggest hurdle for me was the characters. Young people are annoying. It makes the book fun, but unlikeable characters can be a lot to stomach.

I would recommend this one to readers looking for an entertaining pageturner.

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

[Tahera · Rating 3 out of 5]

Claw Heart Mountain reminded me of the teenage horror/slasher movies that became popular in the 90s with a storyline that includes a bunch of teenagers making stupid decisions, resulting in most of them getting killed off except for the protagonist. Clichéd but fun while it lasts.

I received an ALC of the book by the publisher CamCat Publishing/IBPA Audiobooks and the author via NetGalley.

[D.B. Woodling · Rating 5 out of 5]

When oblivious college friends set out for a happy-go-lucky remote-cabin adventure, their heads filled with unsanctioned alcohol and lazy days exploring the vast mountainous trails, those plans are derailed by an overturned armored vehicle ripe with millions in cash. Can they resist the temptation to abscond with as much as they can carry?

Not on your life.

But it isn’t long before they come to the realization that the cops are the least of their worries. As if the police and the two deadly Fixers tracking them isn’t enough, Oppegaard ratchets up the adrenaline rush by tossing in a spiny-toothed, blue-furred goliath creature with a ravenous appetite.

Darwin’s adage “survival of the fittest” becomes paramount and, refreshingly, Oppegaard’s least obvious character ends up the hero in this action-packed, wonderfully descriptive, captivating thriller. Readers who enjoy teen antics, contract killers, an engaging plot, and a survivalist’s mentality won’t be disappointed.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Paperback ARC (finished in under 24 hours)

“Human beings were just walking, talking bags of meat, held together by skin and propped up by bone.” 🥩👣

Soon as I started the 1st chapter talking about Bannock I immediately didn’t like him…how he went for that bear family like he did and the way it was described broke my heart. Immediately, you know you aren’t gonna like this guy…he’s bad news buuuut serves his purpose. Bannock has what i can only describe as an anti-Mary Poppins bag filled with all sorts of “fun” accessories for bringing the pain. 😱😬

I liked the MC, Nova from the start. She is the most conscientious and moral of “her group.” Her character was fun to root for throughout the story. There were a bunch of characters in this one but they were really easy to keep straight…kudos on that!

The part where they are on the ski lift and the wraith catches their smell and starts to follow where the ski lift is headed. That had me so stressed. I mean, can you imagine being on a slow ride…like a ski lift and seeing something walking underneath you ready to tear you to bits!?! 😱

In short, Claw Heart Mountain is an atmospheric, creepy, action packed, edge of your seat thriller that you won’t want to miss.

This one is available for purchase on 01/31/2023…so take a deep breath and brace yourself for a wild ride.

[Beth Roberts · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel so bad rating this one so low, especially since I suspected I wouldn't love it based on the description before I ever got the book. The basic premise is not my jam.

For background, my copy is a special edition through Twisted Retreat, with a completely different
(and beautiful) cover, foil embossed boards, special endpapers and stenciled edges. It really is a lovely edition and I wanted to love it.

First, a carful of obnoxious teenagers discovers an overturned armored car and decides to take the cash. A lot of cash.

And of course, said cash belongs to a Mob-type organization who very much wants their money back. So they send out two contract killers.

Stop me if any of this sounds familiar. Because yeah - it's been done before.

But wait - there's some kind of monster in the woods on the mountain where everyone is staying and it is VERY HUNGRY ALL THE TIME. So, it's eating people. But apparently it wasn't eating before the book started because no one in the town is worked up about any previous disappearances.

So now you've got the basic plotline. Can you guess the rest?

My problems were multiple:
1. The obvious. Basic plot. People start dying. The people I thought would die, did. The ones I thought would live, live. No surprises.
2. The characters - cardboard cutout characters with no personalities.
3. The horror in this novel reminds me of cheap horror novels from the late 70s, early 80s. All written by men and loving details of weaponry, past war experience, etc, etc. Lots of gore, carnage and bloodshed. Multiple animal deaths.
4. While there isn't any sex to speak of, the 18-year-old main character decides to do yoga nude in the window of the cabin. She muses if this is a good idea or not but decides no one is around to see her and no man would care about her shrimpy little body anyway. HA! Again - clearly a man wrote this. First of all, no woman has a thoughtline like that. If she's doing naked yoga in a window, she's doing so specifically for attention. Secondly, a man, any man, will watch a naked woman doing yoga no matter how old. I'm almost positive about this. Third - and this is the kicker, she actually thinks no man would be watching her because she's so young and small, but what about the 30- to 40-something year old man writing the book? Can we spell p-e-r-v-e-r-t much? Why is this even in the book?
5. The monster. There's no origin. No history. No backstory. There's a couple of references made at a party, but that's it. It shows up, creates all kind of bloody mess, kills people and in the end, it just goes away. A reference is made to "I think it hibernates."

Upshot: if you're a 12 or 13-year-old boy who's never read a Horror novel in your life, other than Goosebumps, this could be for you.

If, however, you are a seasoned Horror veteran and you want some kind of plot and intelligence in your Horror, maybe give this one a pass.

[David Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just when you thought it was safe to take the money...
Nova and four of her friends come across an armored van that has crashed and rolled down the side of the mountain on their way to a remote cabin. They stop to help anyone who might be hurt but find no one around. What they do find though is fifteen million dollars in cash. After a quick vote they decide to take the money and continue with their vacation plans. Whatever could go wrong, right? When professional killers, hired to find the money, get on their trail things get real in a hurry. Add to that a mythical creature straight out of a campfire story may actually be real and living on the mountain and you have yourself a thrilling horror story.

Once I began this book I couldn't stop and read it in one sitting. With its cinematic imagery, atmosphere and overall sense of foreboding I was hooked from the start. The story had a natural flow about it that made me forget I was reading it rather than watching it with my minds eye. It reminded me of how I feel when reading a Stephen King or Stephen Graham Jones story. I loved it! If suspenseful and thrilling, hunter vs. the hunted stories are on your radar, I highly recommend you seek this one out when it's released.

Thank you to the author, CamCat Books and Suzy Approved Book Tours for the gifted copy and including me on this tour.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t love it, I didn’t hate it. It was just okay. The ending got a lot better and saved it from being a 2 star.

[Jackie Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Claw Heart Mountain is one of the best horror novels I’ve read in a long time.

On the way to a rural cabin getaway, Nova and her friends find a wrecked armored truck filled with an abandoned 15 million dollars. Against Nova’s warnings, the group takes the money and heads up the mountain, celebrating their newfound wealth. They assume somebody will come looking for the money, but little do they know the money is dirty and the man after it is a hired assassin who’s not just good at killing, but addicted to the thrill of it.

After Nova and her friends hide the money in the mountainside, they find that something has awakened in the wilderness—something that’s not quite human and something, they soon find, that just can’t seem to get enough to eat. A hunt for money soon becomes a run to survive for everyone involved. This book was terrifying and exactly the kind of bloody fun you want from this genre. I loved it from start to finish.

[Ayre · Rating 2 out of 5]

Four teenagers find 15mil in the back of a crashed van and decide to steal it but the money belongs to some shady people and they send a hired killer to retrieve it. There is also a creature hunting on the mountain that might eat them all.

This feels like a horror parody, not a series horror. So I'm going to assume that's what it is. Our main character reads like she's written by a middle aged man. She's a male fantasy, a goody two-shoes who is easily influenced and dumb. The remaining teens are stereotypes of wealthy entitled assholes. I always feel that characters like these are written so the reader doesn't care if/when they die. Our hired killer feels like a joke, a bad one. I'm not sure why the cop even has a prospective but she honestly felt like the best written character, maybe because she doesn't do much.

If you like horror comedy you might like this book. I don't so I'm unsure how well this fits into the genre. I hope it finds its audience.

[Sandra Vdplaats · Rating 5 out of 5]

……
‘Every afternoon the people one knows can be found at the café’. (1920)


I am writing a longer review this time, because I believe this book deserves a wider audience and a bigger readership.

The scope of the story is quite simple and straightforward: a group of young people are on their way to a cabin in Claw Heart Mountain, ‘a place for rich assholes to get drunk and shoot each other.’
They are bored out of their minds, especially since the COVID-19 lockdowns, which turned their lives upside down. ‘The Lost Generation’ they bitterly call themselves, having been left out of so much fun for so long….
En route, they come across a crashed armoured van still full of money and there is no trace of the driver. They decide to take the money.
Once they arrive at the cabin with a stone-fireplace, antique rifles, a buffalo head on the wall, and bearskin on the flooring, they decide to vote on ‘To Have and to Have Not.’
Meanwhile, hunter Bannock readies himself for the hunt, his spirits rising at the thought of the smell of blood and death, and a precise kill, -straight through the heart.’

Well, let's take a closer look at the characteristics of this current generation, shall we? Many of you have been complaining about the lockdowns and how difficult they were for you, and how lonely you felt.
Did you truly believe that life would be easy? That money would come raining down from the heavens or that opportunities would just magically appear on the horizon? What were you thinking!?

If you believe that the lockdowns are the worst thing to ever happen to your lives, it is important to recognise that violence and horror are constantly present in our hostile natural world. Our world is cruel and brutal, and horrors lurk in everything around us. Life can be immensely difficult, requiring hard work day after day, after day.
The coronavirus pandemic may have been a significant wake-up call for many.

I have shed numerous tears throughout my life when I lost yet another friend too young and too soon; my closest friend who passed away from cancer at the tender age of 15, as well as my boyfriend, who died at only 21. The list of such losses is endless…

I learned at a young age that life can be challenging, and that financial stability is not easily achieved, nor are other aspects of life. What may seem simple at first glance often proves to be otherwise. If you assume that this tale is a basic narrative about young people venturing into the wild to have fun and then suddenly becoming millionaires, you have misunderstood the story. The fact that I perhaps know something more is cheating, you will say, well, when you have been around a little longer, you can judge for yourself later on.

Oppegaard is a skilled author, but I do question whether every reader has truly understood the essence of this story. It's possible that the setup may not have resonated with everyone, as some have found the tale tedious. However, I can assure you that what and who is depicted here is far from dull.
Whether Oppegaard has successfully communicated his message is still up for debate, but for me, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

This novel radiates masculinity in all its manifestations, which of course requires us to look at Nova with different eyes: the Latin unisex name for both boy and girl. Honestly, what was your initial reaction when Nova was introduced to you?

I was immediately engrossed by the narrator’s striking voice (Aaron Shedlock), though I felt the female voices were not as impactful.

Enduring in a merciless, violent world dominated by men is the overarching theme of the story. The characters' development is gradual and consistent with their speech and morals throughout the story's progression. And remember that each character in this book only represents a fraction of their true nature, with the rest being implied and inferred in the mind of the reader.

The audiobook is divided into three chunks: 1. Windfall, 2. Sunshine, 3. The Hunger in the Mountain, and 4. The Key (Epilogue)

This allusion - or rather what is implies - is what a good tale should be about: it should fascinate, enchant, inspire and amaze you, and above all, -it takes you to so many other places, - from the Green Hills of Africa and the Snows of Kilimanjaro to the solitude of Wyoming, and the spruce trees in Ketchum, Idaho.

Don’t tell me you have missed all these little clues, and indirect references and puns, did you?
His ‘nova’ child, the Red Cross, the despatches, the trenches, the Key(s), Serrano (Henry Villard), the heavy drinking, the car accident, - and love for cars , - the Spanish/Mexican accents, so I guess you must have missed the Old Man too.
There are plenty more, but you'll have to put in some effort yourself, so no further spoilers here…

Even as a child, I adored reading, with one of my favourite authors being Charles Dickens, known for his intricate and vivid prose. My lifelong passion for languages led me to pursue a degree at university, where I spent years delving into the masterworks of literature, ultimately inspiring me to become a teacher.
I have a great love for tales and stories that haunt and surprise me, either by their form, their language or their message.
This ingenious story grabbed me from the start. You just have to dare, you know! To cast Man & Beast in this form. In any case, I really enjoyed it.

This is a voyage of exploration that will transport you to a malevolent world. Therefore, bid adieu to your iPhones, Snapchat, and Facebook for a while, and relax. And, - for goodness' sake- , read a proper book, and if you can, read this one: the content contains some substantial and worthwhile material, a straightforward tale along with a crucial message!

Recommended. 5 stars.
Thank you CamCat Audio -

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A group of college kids heading to a mountain cabin for fun come across an abandoned wreckage. The armored van has fifteen million dollars nestled inside. The driver and any other occupant are missing. What would you do?
Unbeknownst to the group a mercenary is already tracking the missing money and the mountain trees hide a legendary creature with a hunger only flesh will satisfy.
**I really wanted to love this book, especially since I had such a beautiful copy from Twisted Retreat. Unfortunately, I couldn't stand any of the characters. The only thing that kept me going was the knowledge that, at some point, the wraith would begin mutilating everyone but even that wasn't enough.
I enjoyed how this book felt like it could be a movie or a tv series drama. I think it was missing some more details m

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nova and her friends head out for a trip to a remote cabin in the woods, only to find an overturned armored van along the desolate strip of road. With millions of dollars in the back, unattended and ripe for the taking, their greed starts to get the best of them. Voting on what to do with their find, they come to an almost unanimous decision to keep and divide the money. Almost. Nova is the one who doesn't agree. She thinks it will only bring bad things to them...but she doesn't even know the half of it!

Regardless, they grab as much as they can and try to continue onward...but that's when things start to get messy. After they arrive at their cabin, a cop starts getting nosey, some crime bosses find them and offer a marauding presence, and...oh yeah...there's a beast that lives in the woods - called a wraith - looking to quell his endless hunger for human flesh.

With all of this happening, the book unleashes a ton of thrills and chills. It's a wild ride of a book that had me turning pages anxiously to find out what would happen next. I really enjoyed it!

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was fine. I enjoyed reading it but wasn’t wowed.

[Fullmetalfisting · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don’t doubt that Claw Heart Mountain by David Oppengaard will appeal to fans of Preston & Child or James Patterson. I thought going in that I would like it more since it was categorized as horror, but it seemed like the book waffled between crime thriller and monster horror. Worse than the fact that the book didn’t seem to know what it wanted, there were quite a few moments that are sure to end up in the r/menwritingwomen subreddit. Nova doing naked yoga in front of an open window? Seriously?

The teenagers in the story do not behave like modern teenagers, but the teenagers of maybe the 90s or early 2000s. It was so egregious that it felt anachronistic every time they pulled out their cell phones. If the story was set 15-20 years ago, their lack of pop culture references/Gen Z jokes might be acceptable. Though I’m guessing this book was written with a boomer audience in mind and maybe mentioning TikTok or the social/environmental/economic issues important to Gen Z would cause any reader over the age of 60 to go into an incandescent rage.

There was one scene that I loved: two of the teenagers and a Russian man on a ski lift together while the monster tracks them from below by their scent. Such a terrifying, original premise. I wish the entire book had been that fun.

Finally, I was given the ARC of the audiobook and the narration was, at times, quite ridiculous. There’s a Russian character who delivers a monologue and for whatever reason, the voice actor doesn’t even attempt to affect a Russian accent. Instead, she takes on what sounds quite a bit like a Rez accent–the accent some Indigenous Americans speak with. If it were up to me, all the Russian man’s dialogue would be rerecorded.

[Briar]

Okay - I got this book in a subscription box and I thought I would try it but ultimately DNF it.

I was so wrong. This book is a RIDE. It's compulsively readable and has SO many wild twists and turns. I loved the classic horror tropes but also really liked how they were presented and the author would hit us with something different, so the story was at once familiar and also totally new. The deaths are gory and exciting. I love the setting of a small, remote area and how well that played out throughout the book. most of the characters are terrible people but I loved to hate them! Really recommend for creature feature lovers, and for those looking for a quick fun read with some gore. An absolutely great time.

[Horror DNA · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I started reading David Oppegaard Claw Heart Mountain, I was immediately reminded of Scott Smith’s excellent A Simple Plan, which was turned into a great film directed by Sam Raimi in which two financially struggling brothers find money which belongs to the mob and decide to keep it. This novel has the same basic premise, but quickly goes in vastly different directions, but retains the same crucial question: What would you do if you found a massive life-changing sum of money? The difference between this and the Smith novel is significant in that there is something else out there (which is much nastier than the mob) and there is an exceptionally good chance you will not get to spend a cent of the loot. So, the big question becomes redundant very, very quickly. Fifteen, twenty or even fifty million dollars is of little use to a man who is dead.

You can read Tony's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.

[Shamina · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was beyond stupid. The plot was ridiculous and not at any point was it creepy or scary. The teens do things that nobody would do. Like mouth off to a guy robbing you at gun point! I’ve been robbed at gun point. There is no material possession worth dying for.

Not one of the kids is likable. Nova thinks she’s better than her “rich” acquaintances, but brags about going to CC. Her Dad is only a successful dentist with his own practice and her Mom is a lawyer or some crap, but they’re not rich 🙄. I actually found Nova to be the worst of the lot. Second only to Kenna. The female cop was useless. Her parts could have been cut out and it wouldn’t have effected the story.

Even worse, the female narrator for the audiobook literally read like she was reading to a group of kindergarteners! She’s reading about people being ripped apart in a chipper “O golly, gee whiz” voice. I don’t know how I finished other than pure boredom.

[Stephanie "GeekGirlReads" Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

David is a new to me author and I am definitely a fan! Aaron Shedlock is one of the three narrators of Claw Heart Mountain and I discovered the book through him. Roxana Ortega and Lulu Lam are the other two narrators and I am eager to listen to more books they've performed. I'm a huge Stephen King fan and horror is my first love. So, I'm a bit picky and critical of other writers. With that said, I LOVED this book. It was intriguing and kept my interest. Being told from the 3 different POVs of the main characters was refreshing. Especially with these talented narrators. I absolutely would recommend to horror.and mystery fans!

[Jessica Ouellette · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dude.

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

When College student Makenna invited her boyfriend Landon and friends Nova, Isaac and Wyatt to their ski cabin in the mountains of Utah, Claw Hard Mountain to be exact. It was more a lavish mansion with a built-in pool then your average cabin in the woods and they were all excited to go. When they were finally driving up Claw Hard mountain they came up on a wrecked vehicle and stopped to see if they could give assistance but instead of finding a injured person they found a pile of money… Millions of dollars and McKenna immediately wanted to take it. Nova was the only one against it and after taking a vote they all put money into their suitcases they had emptied out their belongings. After arriving at the cabin the caretaker son Colton came over and invited them to a bonfire party that night at the overlook. Before they could leave police officers showed up asking them if they seen a wrecked vehicle down the mountain and after they all nervously said no they went to the bonfire party. This is where they learned about a monster name Rafe that haunted the mountain killing people. The next day Colton invited them to tour the closed skiing resort and they all took him up on it this is where they meet the murderous Theodore and their fun vacation turns into a nightmare. I haven’t even mentioned the other murderer who was sent to find them kill them and get the money back. Thankfully Officer Sorenson who was put on leave due to seeing her boss and fellow officer get killed saw a suspicious car on side of the Mountain Road and decided to put our leaves on standby. This college student has danger coming at them from many different directions can officer Sorensen change them from being suspected money thieves to victims in time to save them? This book was total greatness I love horror stories especially those with mystical beast and this definitely had that and ruthless killers to boot. If you love horror you’ll definitely love Claw Hard Mountain unless to the audiobook and although I thought the narrator his voice was way too sweet to be doing a horror story I thought she did a pretty good job so did the guy he was scary sounding and set a great tone. I want to thing the author the publisher and NetGalley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

[DustyBookSniffers - Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

NetGalley ARC
Format: Audiobook
Rating 2.5 stars
Published: 31/01/2024

"Claw Heart Mountain" ventures into the treacherous terrain of greed, horror, and the supernatural. Still, unfortunately, this novel fails to rise above the clichés and pitfalls that often accompany such tales. Despite the promising premise of combining a heist with a monstrous presence, the execution leaves much to be desired.

The narrative follows Nova and her friends as they stumble upon a large sum of money, setting off a chain of events involving both human predators and a supernatural entity known as the Wraith. While the initial setup holds potential, the characters' decisions and actions become a stumbling block for the overall enjoyment of the story.

The protagonists are portrayed as selfish, immoral and annoying, making it challenging for readers to empathize with their plight or root for their survival.

The introduction of the Wraith as a horror element adds an intriguing layer to the plot. However, the novel falls short in exploring the depths of this supernatural entity. Readers are left craving more insight into the nature of the monster and its connection to the unfolding chaos. The lack of a comprehensive resolution regarding the Wraith leaves the story feeling incomplete and unsatisfying.

The narration, handled by Aaron Shedlock, Roxana Ortega, and LuLu Lam, adds another layer of disappointment. The disconnect between the narration's tone and the plot's gravity diminishes the storytelling's overall impact.

The plot's potential is evident, but the execution is lacking, and it struggles to rise above mediocrity. The characters' lack of redeeming qualities and the underdeveloped exploration of the supernatural element contribute to a sense of missed opportunities.

"Claw Heart Mountain" could have been a thrilling blend of heist and horror, but it falls short of delivering a truly gripping and memorable narrative.

In conclusion, "Claw Heart Mountain" may appeal to those who enjoy the familiar tropes of a heist gone wrong with a touch of horror, but for readers seeking depth, originality, and a more satisfying resolution, this novel may leave them wanting.

I sincerely thank NetGalley and CamCat Publishings for the audiobook copy of "Claw Heart Mountain" for my honest review.

[Anika Verhagen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this audiobook.

I'm not...happy with what I got compared to what I expected when I read the description of this book. Sure, it was clear on this being a story about teens finding money and then having to deal with the people who lost it, but it also mentioned something dark in the woods. I didn't expect that dark thing to only show up first halfway through and to have this little actual "screentime". Nothing about this was horror, a lightly fantastical crime book at best, even though even that would fall through...

I can't say I enjoyed any part of this book - I was considering stopping multiple times through, and the only reason I finished it was because it was an audiobook and I could do other things on the side.
I don't know whether it was the narration or the writing that made the characters feel flat. The writing definitely wasn't my thing - the male characters constantly being referred to as "the dudes", the unnecessary hints to one of the female character's butt or general physique when that didn't matter at all. Every reaction felt fake, every choice unnatural.
I don't know, maybe someone else would enjoy this, and it's just not my thing, definitely ended up not being within my usual reading genres, which is often a quick turn-off for me (sorry, my brain won't accept most real-life stories), but then again, I've recently also read a good horror piece that only had a creature in it for the last bits of the book.
Well, as is, I can't recommend reading this, but that's just my opinion.

[Marzena · Rating 1 out of 5]

This has to be a parody. It has to!
The problem is, it doesn't read like one.

The premise is just silly. I refuse to believe that any person above the age of 12, outside of the organized crime circle, can even dream of stealing money from an armored vehicle and think they can get away with it to the point of making plans about how to spend the money. I get the in-your-face opportunism but c'mon. The exposition is so ridiculously silly, it made me laugh out loud.

One of the biggest hurdles I struggled with throughout the entire novel was the characterization written by someone who clearly never met, talked to, or witnessed teens interact. Overall, the reactions and the dialogs are so embarrassingly stilted I cringed and cringed because here, these are not even teens, these characters are supposed to be college students so upwards of 18 years old.
No, just no.

Let me introduce you to our male protagonists:
- blond and hot but dumb,
- smart but mean, Jewish kid,
- genuinely sweet black guy

I wish I was joking but no, this is it.

Sadly, Lulu Lam narration only emphasizes the infantile and stilted quality of the storyline as well as the characters to an insufferable degree.

When the male narrator takes over, it is like a totally new book. In a good way. I still feel the writing as well as the set up are amateurish and simply childish, but this narrator could have saved the book from being right out ridiculously bad.

Cannot recommend this as a YA or even more so as an Adult novel.

[Claire Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book Review:
Claw Heart Mountain by David Oppegaard
Narrated by Aaron Shedlock, Roxana Ortega, LuLu Lam
Published by CamCat Publishing, 3 Jan 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis:
**What happens when good people make one bad decision?**

Imagine you are on the way to a remote mountain cabin with your friends. Upon arrival, you discover an abandoned armored van with fifteen million dollars on board. Would you take the money?
Nova and her friends answer with a resounding yes. Perhaps their answer would have been different had they known that a professional killer was already tracking down the money. Or that a legendary creature known as the Wraith roams the mountain, ravenous with hunger.
Thinking they’re safe and anonymous, Nova and her friends divvy up the stolen cash, unaware who or what is after them, unaware that soon they will be fighting for their lives.

Review:
This is a tough one to review, because I can't work out if it's supposed to be a parody or not! If it IS, then it's amusing but if it's meant to be serious, then *grits teeth* oh dear.
So, writing the review is a little hard. Even if it's not a parody, I get that not all books are meant to be believable, and adore some that aren't, but, it's not the premise I'm questioning. It's the unrealistic language from the teens, the failure to get halfway to thriller or horror territory, and even the narration is unconvincing. This was very tough going.

#BookReview #Bookstagram #ClawHeartMountain #DavidOppegaard #Netgalley

[Corinne’s Chapter Chatter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, I know this book was published last year but I was hoping to give it a great review to bump up engagement but unfortunately I can’t.

Full disclosure I consumed the audiobook which I believe impacted the experience a lot. While I don’t think I can manage to read it in print any time soon, doing so may change my opinion a bit. But I did think the choice of reader is the responsibility of the publisher and in this case they did their author really wrong.

Since I acquired a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review I listened to it in its entirety. However, had that not been the case, I would have put it down. I think this tops the list of the worst audio readers ever to have listened to particularly the females who made the characters out to be pathetic, whiny and just plain awful.

Now some of that is the writing. You do not want to root for the characters. The poor decisions they make throughout are ridiculous even in a fictional world. I’m intentionally not going to continually bash the book so this review will be short.

If you need some fluff and an escape for reality with a little bit of thriller , sort of, thrown in, maybe give it a go. Just DO NOT LISTEN TO THE AUDIOBOOK. Another thing, it is great when authors can use inclusive language and such but it has to be done realistically and with care. That is not the case here. The book sounds like the author threw in buzz words just for the sake of putting them in instead of being genuine in their usage. It’s especially noticeable when you have characters who would be awful human beings if they were real.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for offering up the work even though it didn’t turn out so well.

[Melissa (Nissa_the.bookworm) · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔
💰like free money
🏔️ enjoy the mountain scenery
♥️ prefer to do the right thing
🌲 live in WY or CO

• 𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐂𝐊 𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄

After Nova and her friends stumble upon a crashed van containing millions of dollars, they’ll soon find themselves fighting for their lives during their mountain vacation.

• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓

Nova and her friends are having one last vacation before they each head off to the college in the fall. While heading to Claw Heart Mountain, they drive up on a crashed armored vehicle with a mountain of cash wrapped into a nice large cube. After a quick vote of 3-2, they decide to take as much of the money as possible, then continue up to their destination. But someone else is missing their money, and they won’t stop until they get it all back.

• 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒

This was such a fun story. I liked that we got several different points of view so that we were always on the up and up with everyone’s whereabouts etc. I liked Nova’s perspective the most though, mainly because she and her group of friends are the reason this all started in the first place. Claw Heart Mountain had just the right amount of suspense and violence to make it a fantastic read! I highly recommend if you like suspenseful thrillers!

[Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a free audiobook copy of the book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

A group of rich teens (with the exception of one token poor, of course) are on their way to a vacation in the snowy mountains when they find an abandoned, overturned truck filled with $15 million in cash in the back. Together they vote and decide to take as much money as they can carry (lone holdout is the noble token poor of course). Oh no! The money belongs to shady people and they send hitmen out to retrieve the lost cash. Oh and there's a scary supernatural creature stalking everyone.

Well, the basic idea is OK, but the execution is sloppy and weird. Lots of background info on the hitmen, with less on the supposed main characters. The teens were very poorly sketched out, and the deaths that some of them endure are more detailed than the characters themselves.

The supernatural character felt like it was just thrown in there to solve certain plot problems. This story would have been much more interesting if it had been about either the being, or the hitmen, but not both. Maybe the hitmen vs the being? The being vs the teens? I don't know.

In conclusion, this book is a big fat "meh" from me. I don't feel like I was the target audience, and I'm not exactly sure who is.