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Sacrificial Waters
It's July 2022, Summer is in full swing and when a misfit group of urban explorers learn of a hidden cave secreted away in the middle of a forest in the Peak District, they put plans into action for their next adventure.
Finding the hidden grotto and its natural pool was a dream come true, but little did they know they had splashed head first into the sights of a centuries old threat. A malevolent force of evil that will stop at nothing to end their lives
Will anyone survive the sacrificial waters?
Finding the hidden grotto and its natural pool was a dream come true, but little did they know they had splashed head first into the sights of a centuries old threat. A malevolent force of evil that will stop at nothing to end their lives
Will anyone survive the sacrificial waters?
- GenresHorror
219 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 1, 2024
6 people are currently reading
102 people want to read
About the author
A.D. Jones
12 books62 followersA.D Jones lives in the North of England; where he spends his time favouring books over people and can be found writing or devouring said books to review online. He loves Cola, Twin Peaks, cult movies and all things horror. He dislikes the movie ‘The Karate Kid’ with a passion that burns brighter than the sun.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
September 27, 2025
3.5 stars. Well-written and a good throwback in a lot of ways. Now, we've all been in these type of situations where we get a little silly with our friends, explore a mysterious grotto, and then have to battle a witch. Like, I get it. I appreciate it. However, when the witch starts sending other scary creatures after you, killing your friends, and tormenting your entire life, then you have to do something about it. I know, I know...it's tedious and annoying, but it is what it is. We got a good amount of action, decent lore, and I loved how AD Jones took notes from some of the classic horrors. Specifically, why would anyone get into a tiny pool inside of a cave? Wouldn't you question what might be in it? Bacteria, animals, etc? But, no, these characters just went for it, suspending logic, but it worked. And it was fine for me as the audience, too. Now, on the cast here, it was very hard to accommodate POV shifts and who was who, as they were all written in a very similar way. So, I would have liked to see more individuality between Rich, Sophie, Aaron, etc. I also enjoyed how sparingly the antagonist was used, being strategically placed, but not overdone. Made her appearances special, which they all were. The story also dragged a bit, at times, hitting high points and then coasting off of them a bit too much, but overall still a very positive experience.
July 1, 2025
Quick supernatural horror read with compelling characters. We got enough about the characters to care about them but not so much that it got tedious and there was a great balance between the story moving along and character exposition, which is really the most important thing as far as I'm concerned when it comes to stories with a fairly large cast of characters. The imagery was great too and there's a couple really uncomfortable scenes in there.
August 30, 2024
The story follows an odd bunch of Urban Explorers who, disappointed with their last venture, decide to try something a little different. They end up in a cave and are awed by its beauty... but they don't realise that they will soon be facing an evil like no other.
This was everything I hoped it would be. It is dark, atmospheric, claustrophobic, and the creature is truly horrifying. The author does a wonderful job of setting each scene. The characters find themselves relying on each other until gradually, they realise how hopeless the situation is. This increases the tension as the story unfolds, and you find yourself really rooting for the group to find a way out.
The book is well written, the pacing was good, and each death is graphic, brutal, and relentless as the creature will let nothing get in the way of hunting her prey. It is everything I want from a horror story.
I recommend this to those who like supernatural horror that is dark and atmospheric.
With thanks to Black Tide Book Tours (Henry ROI PR) and the author for providing a copy of the book. This is my honest opinion, which I'm leaving voluntarily.
This was everything I hoped it would be. It is dark, atmospheric, claustrophobic, and the creature is truly horrifying. The author does a wonderful job of setting each scene. The characters find themselves relying on each other until gradually, they realise how hopeless the situation is. This increases the tension as the story unfolds, and you find yourself really rooting for the group to find a way out.
The book is well written, the pacing was good, and each death is graphic, brutal, and relentless as the creature will let nothing get in the way of hunting her prey. It is everything I want from a horror story.
I recommend this to those who like supernatural horror that is dark and atmospheric.
With thanks to Black Tide Book Tours (Henry ROI PR) and the author for providing a copy of the book. This is my honest opinion, which I'm leaving voluntarily.
April 25, 2024
BLOG TOUR REVIEW
Review for 'Sacrificial Waters' by A.D. Jones.
Read and reviewed for A.D. Jones and Zooloo's Book Tours.
Publication date 1st April 2024
This novel consists of a prologue and 31 chapters. The chapters are medium in length so easy to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!
This is the first book I have read by this author but it most definitely wont be my last!!
OMG!!! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE, LOVE, LOVED THIS BOOK, AN ABSOLUTELY AMAZING, GOTHIC, HAUNTING, HORRIFIC AND PAGE TURNING EXPLOSIVE MUST READ!!!
This book is extremely well written with vivid and evocative descriptions that really put you in the storyline, feeling the hair on your arms raise and putting you on the edge of your seat!!! The storyline is just as stunning as the cover!!!
The first thing I have got to say is an absolutely HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to the amazing author A.D !! I absolutely loved this addictive, explosive, creepy, horrific, ghostly page turner!!! It had the perfect amount of horror, occult, suspense, gore and everything else that you could ask for!! At 219 pages I would say it is too long to be classed as a novella but it is still a very fast paced and quick read and I devoured it in the space of a few hours!!! In this fantastic and gripping book we meet Rich, Francine and her girlfriend Dora, Sophie and her boyfriend Aaron, Chris, Grace, Jack and Victor. They all met on Urb-Obores which is a forum set up by Francine and her partner Dora for likeminded people to meet up to explore new creepy urban locations. After coming across a section of a map of the Peak District marked with an X during a fairly flat visit to an abandoned youth hostel Francine locates a cave located on the X and organises a visit to the cave. When the group, minus Aaron and Dora who couldn't make it, discover a beautiful grotto with a stunning natural pool they all decide to go for a swim, except Chris. What they don't realise is that when they stepped into the waters they released an evil force that wont stop until she has killed each and every one of them. What have they released into the world? Can they escape the evil before it kills them? There is no way I am going to tell you as you have truly got to grab a copy of this fantastic horror today!!! I absolutely LOVE horrors and for me the gorier the better but, although I have found some great horror books out there, I struggle to find many filled with gore!! That was up until I read this book and Stephen King eat your heart out because this is absolutely packed with eyeball wrenching, skin ripping, body exploding gore with unique torture and killings that I have never come across and as I have read hundreds of horrors and seen hundreds of horror movies THAT is truly hard to come across but A.D absolutely slam dunks it!! A MASSIVE CONGRATULATIONS A.D!! He fills this book with death, terror, foreboding, memorable and realistic characters, shocks, gore, humour he absolutely crams in so much more than you would expect considering the number of pages!! His fantastic, evocative and immersive descriptions and writing skills completely sucks the reader into the storyline ensuring their hearts pound in fear along with the characters you can feel next to you, smell the murky waters and taste the fear in the air!! Along with a creepy and horrific atmosphere and storyline A.D also creates an absolutely fantastic group of characters each with their own unique personalities. They were all very strong characters, realistic and likeable. I loved seeing the friendships and relationships between the characters change and devlop and really enjoyed their interactions which made me laugh out loud on several occasions which is another fantastic thing about this book. Yes, it is a horror, yes it is packed with gore but there is also so much humour and laughter woven in between that there is a perfect balance of light heartedness and sheer terror interlinked!! I remarkably became very quickly attached and invested in the characters especially considering it is such a short book. A.D has created them so well that I really did feel like I was with them and in their group throughout and the dynamics between the characters worked perfectly. Well done A.D on creating such a memorable, unique, diverse and multi layered group of characters that will stay with me for a long time!! This is one of those books that I picked up and within a quarter of the book I realised I was wasting time lying to myself saying just one more chapter and I will do X, Y or Z as there was no way I could put it down!! Each and every chapter ended in a way that I had to know what was going to happen next so I ended up walking around with my kindle glued to my hands and unable to take my eyes of the screen until I had completely devoured the book within a few short hours. Although it is only April this has shot to my top horror book of the year and I would be absolutely shocked if anything managed to knock it off this spot as it just had absolutely everything a horror fan could want or ask for!! I love the fact that the main locations are a creepy cave and dense forestry as it really helps build the tension and fear in a reader before anything even happens!! I honestly loved absolutely everything about it from the characters to the settings and it was just one heck of an amazing read!!! If you love horrors, gothic stories, ghost books, thrillers, suspense, well do you know what if you love reading then grab a copy of this book today and you will not regret it!!! It has got to be one of, if not the best horror/ghost/occult book that I have ever read!!! I absolutely love, love, LOVED the unique storyline!!I've just genuinely never come across a book anything like this one and I doubt I will again!!!! I just genuinely love, love, LOVED IT!!! This book will suck you in and keep you gripped in the pages until your thrown out at the end with a racing heart!! A truly unforgettable one in a million page turner!!!!
Clear your schedules before turning a single page as this book is truly unputdownable!!! However, I recommend you read this in the day with company although I still couldn't guarantee you wouldn't have nightmares!!
This book is one the BEST ghost thriller/occult horror books I have ever read !!! This book really is a truly unique page turner that I picked up and had devoured within a couple of hours!!! It had absolutely everything you could ask for and more!!!
Well done AD Jones on an absolutely addictive and explosive page turner and I would definitely like to welcome you on to my top 5 favourite horror author list!!! Congratulations on an absolutely fantastic success and here is to what is guaranteed to be many more 🥂
Overall an absolutely addictive, action and gore packed paranormal suspense filled and chilling horror that will keep you turning the pages until you've devoured the book in hours!!
219 pages.
This book is just £2.99 to purchase on kindle and £8.99 in paperback via Amazon, at time of review, which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
Rated 5/5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews.
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Review for 'Sacrificial Waters' by A.D. Jones.
Read and reviewed for A.D. Jones and Zooloo's Book Tours.
Publication date 1st April 2024
This novel consists of a prologue and 31 chapters. The chapters are medium in length so easy to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!
This is the first book I have read by this author but it most definitely wont be my last!!
OMG!!! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE, LOVE, LOVED THIS BOOK, AN ABSOLUTELY AMAZING, GOTHIC, HAUNTING, HORRIFIC AND PAGE TURNING EXPLOSIVE MUST READ!!!
This book is extremely well written with vivid and evocative descriptions that really put you in the storyline, feeling the hair on your arms raise and putting you on the edge of your seat!!! The storyline is just as stunning as the cover!!!
The first thing I have got to say is an absolutely HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to the amazing author A.D !! I absolutely loved this addictive, explosive, creepy, horrific, ghostly page turner!!! It had the perfect amount of horror, occult, suspense, gore and everything else that you could ask for!! At 219 pages I would say it is too long to be classed as a novella but it is still a very fast paced and quick read and I devoured it in the space of a few hours!!! In this fantastic and gripping book we meet Rich, Francine and her girlfriend Dora, Sophie and her boyfriend Aaron, Chris, Grace, Jack and Victor. They all met on Urb-Obores which is a forum set up by Francine and her partner Dora for likeminded people to meet up to explore new creepy urban locations. After coming across a section of a map of the Peak District marked with an X during a fairly flat visit to an abandoned youth hostel Francine locates a cave located on the X and organises a visit to the cave. When the group, minus Aaron and Dora who couldn't make it, discover a beautiful grotto with a stunning natural pool they all decide to go for a swim, except Chris. What they don't realise is that when they stepped into the waters they released an evil force that wont stop until she has killed each and every one of them. What have they released into the world? Can they escape the evil before it kills them? There is no way I am going to tell you as you have truly got to grab a copy of this fantastic horror today!!! I absolutely LOVE horrors and for me the gorier the better but, although I have found some great horror books out there, I struggle to find many filled with gore!! That was up until I read this book and Stephen King eat your heart out because this is absolutely packed with eyeball wrenching, skin ripping, body exploding gore with unique torture and killings that I have never come across and as I have read hundreds of horrors and seen hundreds of horror movies THAT is truly hard to come across but A.D absolutely slam dunks it!! A MASSIVE CONGRATULATIONS A.D!! He fills this book with death, terror, foreboding, memorable and realistic characters, shocks, gore, humour he absolutely crams in so much more than you would expect considering the number of pages!! His fantastic, evocative and immersive descriptions and writing skills completely sucks the reader into the storyline ensuring their hearts pound in fear along with the characters you can feel next to you, smell the murky waters and taste the fear in the air!! Along with a creepy and horrific atmosphere and storyline A.D also creates an absolutely fantastic group of characters each with their own unique personalities. They were all very strong characters, realistic and likeable. I loved seeing the friendships and relationships between the characters change and devlop and really enjoyed their interactions which made me laugh out loud on several occasions which is another fantastic thing about this book. Yes, it is a horror, yes it is packed with gore but there is also so much humour and laughter woven in between that there is a perfect balance of light heartedness and sheer terror interlinked!! I remarkably became very quickly attached and invested in the characters especially considering it is such a short book. A.D has created them so well that I really did feel like I was with them and in their group throughout and the dynamics between the characters worked perfectly. Well done A.D on creating such a memorable, unique, diverse and multi layered group of characters that will stay with me for a long time!! This is one of those books that I picked up and within a quarter of the book I realised I was wasting time lying to myself saying just one more chapter and I will do X, Y or Z as there was no way I could put it down!! Each and every chapter ended in a way that I had to know what was going to happen next so I ended up walking around with my kindle glued to my hands and unable to take my eyes of the screen until I had completely devoured the book within a few short hours. Although it is only April this has shot to my top horror book of the year and I would be absolutely shocked if anything managed to knock it off this spot as it just had absolutely everything a horror fan could want or ask for!! I love the fact that the main locations are a creepy cave and dense forestry as it really helps build the tension and fear in a reader before anything even happens!! I honestly loved absolutely everything about it from the characters to the settings and it was just one heck of an amazing read!!! If you love horrors, gothic stories, ghost books, thrillers, suspense, well do you know what if you love reading then grab a copy of this book today and you will not regret it!!! It has got to be one of, if not the best horror/ghost/occult book that I have ever read!!! I absolutely love, love, LOVED the unique storyline!!I've just genuinely never come across a book anything like this one and I doubt I will again!!!! I just genuinely love, love, LOVED IT!!! This book will suck you in and keep you gripped in the pages until your thrown out at the end with a racing heart!! A truly unforgettable one in a million page turner!!!!
Clear your schedules before turning a single page as this book is truly unputdownable!!! However, I recommend you read this in the day with company although I still couldn't guarantee you wouldn't have nightmares!!
This book is one the BEST ghost thriller/occult horror books I have ever read !!! This book really is a truly unique page turner that I picked up and had devoured within a couple of hours!!! It had absolutely everything you could ask for and more!!!
Well done AD Jones on an absolutely addictive and explosive page turner and I would definitely like to welcome you on to my top 5 favourite horror author list!!! Congratulations on an absolutely fantastic success and here is to what is guaranteed to be many more 🥂
Overall an absolutely addictive, action and gore packed paranormal suspense filled and chilling horror that will keep you turning the pages until you've devoured the book in hours!!
219 pages.
This book is just £2.99 to purchase on kindle and £8.99 in paperback via Amazon, at time of review, which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
Rated 5/5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews.
#SacrificialWaters #ADJones #the_evergrowing_library #ZooLoosBT #ZooloosBookTours #Bookworm1986 #BooksOnTour #BlogTour #BookReview #bookworm86 #Goodreads #Amazon #AmazonKindle #Bookstagram #BookBlogger
@SacrificialWaters @ADJones @the_evergrowing_library @ZooLoosBT @ZooloosBookTours @BooksOnTour @BlogTour @BookReview @bookworm86 @Bookworm1986 @Goodreads @Amazon @AmazonKindle @Bookstagram @BookBlogger
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July 17, 2024
This is a supernatural horror novel with a truly horrifying antagonist and a pulse pounding narrative.
A group of urban explorers decide to check out a newly opened cave deep in the woods, they're going to disturb something ancient and evil which will follow them wherever they go. Bodies start piling up and there seems to be no answers on how to escape their fate.
This novel really hits the mark with the atmospheric tone and the helplessness of the group of protagonists. This creature will not be stopped until it exacts it's revenge and you never know who's going to die next. I love a book where the outcome of the characters is constantly in question. It raises the tension and makes for an engaging read.
The creature in question can appear as anyone which makes each of the characters questioning the others. The bond they all share starts to unravel as the creature's intentions become terrifyingly clear. And they'll need to work together if they have any kind of chance of stopping it.
This is a fantastic unique creature feature with loads of action and some pretty disturbing kills. I highly recommend it.
I received an ARC of this book. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.
A group of urban explorers decide to check out a newly opened cave deep in the woods, they're going to disturb something ancient and evil which will follow them wherever they go. Bodies start piling up and there seems to be no answers on how to escape their fate.
This novel really hits the mark with the atmospheric tone and the helplessness of the group of protagonists. This creature will not be stopped until it exacts it's revenge and you never know who's going to die next. I love a book where the outcome of the characters is constantly in question. It raises the tension and makes for an engaging read.
The creature in question can appear as anyone which makes each of the characters questioning the others. The bond they all share starts to unravel as the creature's intentions become terrifyingly clear. And they'll need to work together if they have any kind of chance of stopping it.
This is a fantastic unique creature feature with loads of action and some pretty disturbing kills. I highly recommend it.
I received an ARC of this book. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.
April 21, 2024
This is one of them books that sticks with you and not just because it's a horror book with a scary witch !
If you are someone who has an interest in urban exploring ... maybe read this book first as our characters go exploring in an cave that is secreted away in a forest , they end up with a malevolent force threatening their lives!
The characters in the book are well described and believable, accompanying a fast paced , gory storyline it is great for any fan of horror!
If you are someone who has an interest in urban exploring ... maybe read this book first as our characters go exploring in an cave that is secreted away in a forest , they end up with a malevolent force threatening their lives!
The characters in the book are well described and believable, accompanying a fast paced , gory storyline it is great for any fan of horror!
April 29, 2024
Whilst investigating a seemingly haunted youth hostel, urban ghost hunting explorers, Urb - Oborus discover an old map of an unknown cave in the forests of Derbyshire.
Gathering the group together, a number of the group find the location of the cave. What appears to be an idyllic setting, the group stumble upon a grotto in the hills covered in strange ancient markings.
The cool waters are inviting and some of the group decide that a little dip in the grotto’s pool. What they don’t bank on is that this leisurely dip will mark them out for death by a supernatural being that will hunt them one by one until they are all dead. In a race against time, the friends must find out why they have been targeted by the unnatural force and how they can stop it before it kills them all.
Sacrificial Waters is an enjoyable, fast paced horror novel. Mixing elements of horror and urban fantasy, the book has enough violent deaths to satisfy an old gore hound like me and keep me reading. There are plenty of the regular horror tropes that I have read before, but they didn’t seem derivative in their execution, and they provided some wicked little hooks to keep me reading.
The plot itself is pretty simple, group disturb something evil; something evil tracks said group down, picking them off one by one; group find a way to stop evil. However, along with A.D. Jones’s prose and the blistering pace of the plot, the story is fresh and interesting, and as this was a short novel at just over two hundred pages it did not need much digestion at all as I ate it up.
The characters themselves start off as the kind of characters that you have met before. However they soon grow on you and you find yourself rooting for your favourite members of the group, and there are a few twists and turns in there that give all the characters life.
All in all, I enjoyed Sacrificial Waters. It had flashes of folk, possession and slasher movie vibes that kept me reading till the end.
Gathering the group together, a number of the group find the location of the cave. What appears to be an idyllic setting, the group stumble upon a grotto in the hills covered in strange ancient markings.
The cool waters are inviting and some of the group decide that a little dip in the grotto’s pool. What they don’t bank on is that this leisurely dip will mark them out for death by a supernatural being that will hunt them one by one until they are all dead. In a race against time, the friends must find out why they have been targeted by the unnatural force and how they can stop it before it kills them all.
Sacrificial Waters is an enjoyable, fast paced horror novel. Mixing elements of horror and urban fantasy, the book has enough violent deaths to satisfy an old gore hound like me and keep me reading. There are plenty of the regular horror tropes that I have read before, but they didn’t seem derivative in their execution, and they provided some wicked little hooks to keep me reading.
The plot itself is pretty simple, group disturb something evil; something evil tracks said group down, picking them off one by one; group find a way to stop evil. However, along with A.D. Jones’s prose and the blistering pace of the plot, the story is fresh and interesting, and as this was a short novel at just over two hundred pages it did not need much digestion at all as I ate it up.
The characters themselves start off as the kind of characters that you have met before. However they soon grow on you and you find yourself rooting for your favourite members of the group, and there are a few twists and turns in there that give all the characters life.
All in all, I enjoyed Sacrificial Waters. It had flashes of folk, possession and slasher movie vibes that kept me reading till the end.
March 22, 2024
A group of misfits take on an evil entity and cursed waters in this Northern British horror. Speckled with dark humor and Northern spirit, this book offers a refreshing twist on standard horror fare. I feel like the Brits will really love this one. I really liked two characters in particular, I won’t say who and whether they made it to the end! But with so much gore, violence and general horror, not everyone will make it through…
I recommend this one for horror fanatics and gore lovers!!!!
I recommend this one for horror fanatics and gore lovers!!!!
April 28, 2024
Thank you @zooloosBT for letting me be part of this tour and reviewing this book. Sacrificial Waters is a horror genre. I do love good Horror. The story is about a group of explores that find a hidden cave in the middle of the forest, but it's not what they think it is. I love the reference to the Descent film in the book. The story is set in 2022 and in the peak distance. I loved the jump scares in the book, and they did make me jump. Sacrificial Waters has a good amount of tension running through the book and the story is written extremely well. There was good amount of twists and turns that I had no clue they were going to happen. This is a fantastic horror that will put you on the edge of your seat. There is a great amount of suspension and tension that flows through the book. I liked the characters a lot and at times I wanted to scream at them . Sacrificial Waters is engaging book but don't read at nighttime if you scared easily. 5 stars.
April 16, 2024
Sacrificial Waters is right up my street we have horror, forests and it’s setting is in the Peak District (I may have had to move down to Devon but I’m a Northern Girl at heart). I am not lying when I say this is already in my top ten for the year and I don’t think it will drop out of the list no matter what else I read.
There is everything you would expect from a horror such as jump scares (amazingly executed in prose format), clever twists and plot turns and shocks but while these are there, there is an overwhelming sense of what I like to call creeping horror. You are tense because you know or feel something is coming but don’t fully know when or what. It was this slower build that really hooked me in.
Now with horror the thing I find sometimes can let it down is when the characters are not believable and or likable (at least for me it is) but I can safely say that is not the case here. The friend group and their relationships with each other are believable but more importantly we as readers get to know them and their passions. It was also nice to see a mismatched group of misfits together and while they may seem like they would not interact with each other their passions and hobbies bring them closer.
In a way this book reads like a classic horror movie which is no way a bad thing, in fact if you are a horror movie fan or horror fan in general you are sure to love this one. On top of this we have some really good moments of darker humour, northern spirit and a memorable cast, including the ‘horror’ aspect. Now I won’t do any spoilers but will say this is a must read for fans of the genre.
There is everything you would expect from a horror such as jump scares (amazingly executed in prose format), clever twists and plot turns and shocks but while these are there, there is an overwhelming sense of what I like to call creeping horror. You are tense because you know or feel something is coming but don’t fully know when or what. It was this slower build that really hooked me in.
Now with horror the thing I find sometimes can let it down is when the characters are not believable and or likable (at least for me it is) but I can safely say that is not the case here. The friend group and their relationships with each other are believable but more importantly we as readers get to know them and their passions. It was also nice to see a mismatched group of misfits together and while they may seem like they would not interact with each other their passions and hobbies bring them closer.
In a way this book reads like a classic horror movie which is no way a bad thing, in fact if you are a horror movie fan or horror fan in general you are sure to love this one. On top of this we have some really good moments of darker humour, northern spirit and a memorable cast, including the ‘horror’ aspect. Now I won’t do any spoilers but will say this is a must read for fans of the genre.
April 27, 2024
What a book! Right from the start you are pulled right in and it just keeps going! That feeling of dread only grows and you can't wait to see if anyone is going to survive.
A group of urban explorers visit a cave that's not very well known. They bask in the pool of water inside and enjoy the day. Little do they know, they have just awakened a very dark entity who will stop at nothing to destroy them, one by one.
A fantastic Horror!!
A group of urban explorers visit a cave that's not very well known. They bask in the pool of water inside and enjoy the day. Little do they know, they have just awakened a very dark entity who will stop at nothing to destroy them, one by one.
A fantastic Horror!!
April 23, 2024
Guys, this book gave me NIGHTMARES! This has been the first book in a long time that has kept me up at night and has me questioning the shadows in my bedroom! I’m well impressed! Love a good scare and this book definitely had my mind in overdrive. I didn’t find it scary whilst reading but clearing it was working on me for me later when it was dark! Haha! Plenty of twists, gore and scares! It was really quite brutal at times and I loved it! All the characters in this story were very interesting and likeable, I felt myself really rooting for them as their fate panned out. The story was super fast paced and I could not put it down, read this one in less than 24 hours!
A brilliant horror story that I would love to see made into a scary movie!
If you like a good horror then definitely check this one out, this is the scariest book I’ve read this year so far!
A brilliant horror story that I would love to see made into a scary movie!
If you like a good horror then definitely check this one out, this is the scariest book I’ve read this year so far!
April 1, 2024
This was a spooky, fast paced ride. Urban exploration? scary fuckin witch? What’s not to like? Thank you so much to A.D. Jones for providing me with an ARC. Check this out when it publishes on April 1, 2024 :)
April 22, 2024
I had a blast reading this! Who doesn’t love a malicious evil witch relentlessly pursuing their prey?
We quickly get to know each character from multiple POVs, each different from one another with their own personality traits and their love for urban exploration is what brought this unique group together. It’s not until after the group of friends find a hidden cave and swim inside it’s pool that spooky things start happening. From possession to Living Dead Dolls coming to life, Tree Monsters and malevolent Vines, the characters are subject to unbelievable tortures and brutal deaths! It gave me b-movie vibes and I mean that in the best way possible. The gore is inventive and over the top with some gross out moments that felt Sam Raimi-esque, especially during the final act. It was creepy, suspenseful and action-packed, I devoured those moments and really enjoyed how it all played out. The only reason why it’s not a full five star is because sometimes the group of friends made too light of certain situations that felt unrealistic. But this still took me on a wild ride and I enjoyed it for what it was.
Overall, I had fun reading this and recommend it to fans of Occult Horror that features as many laughs as it does scary moments. I would even label this as a Horror comedy as it’s kinda gross, a bit silly and entirely entertaining! I will be keeping this author on my radar and will think twice before swimming in a caves pool hidden away in the side of a mountain…
We quickly get to know each character from multiple POVs, each different from one another with their own personality traits and their love for urban exploration is what brought this unique group together. It’s not until after the group of friends find a hidden cave and swim inside it’s pool that spooky things start happening. From possession to Living Dead Dolls coming to life, Tree Monsters and malevolent Vines, the characters are subject to unbelievable tortures and brutal deaths! It gave me b-movie vibes and I mean that in the best way possible. The gore is inventive and over the top with some gross out moments that felt Sam Raimi-esque, especially during the final act. It was creepy, suspenseful and action-packed, I devoured those moments and really enjoyed how it all played out. The only reason why it’s not a full five star is because sometimes the group of friends made too light of certain situations that felt unrealistic. But this still took me on a wild ride and I enjoyed it for what it was.
Overall, I had fun reading this and recommend it to fans of Occult Horror that features as many laughs as it does scary moments. I would even label this as a Horror comedy as it’s kinda gross, a bit silly and entirely entertaining! I will be keeping this author on my radar and will think twice before swimming in a caves pool hidden away in the side of a mountain…
July 27, 2024
When a group of urban explorers normally on the search for all manner of supernatural, murderous, or otherwise spooky locations wander outside of the city, they stumble upon an ancient evil that begins hunting them down one by one.
Sacrificial Waters by A.D Jones (@the_evergrowing_library) feels like a book just begging to be made into an over the top supernatural horror movie. As the story progresses the remaining friends develop a closer bond in their attempts to survive which gives you more buy-in to the cast.
The evil pursuing them has a long reach and a lot of tricks up her sleeve. The way her appearances are woven throughout the story was my favorite part of the book and is one of the biggest arguments for a film adaptation.
This is a fast pace romp that feels nostalgic and modern at the same time, and I'm excited to read more from Jones 🤘
Sacrificial Waters by A.D Jones (@the_evergrowing_library) feels like a book just begging to be made into an over the top supernatural horror movie. As the story progresses the remaining friends develop a closer bond in their attempts to survive which gives you more buy-in to the cast.
The evil pursuing them has a long reach and a lot of tricks up her sleeve. The way her appearances are woven throughout the story was my favorite part of the book and is one of the biggest arguments for a film adaptation.
This is a fast pace romp that feels nostalgic and modern at the same time, and I'm excited to read more from Jones 🤘
May 26, 2024
This book was so much fun! I love the idea of urban exploring - especially when things get creepy!!
I found this book extra creepy because the supernatural, scary stuff doesn't just happen in the cave... IT FOLLOWS 😭 the dread was so well built up and it was just genuinely freaky. I really felt how unsafe, trapped and claustrophobic the characters must have been feeling coming off the pages.
It's obvious in a book like this that the gang you begin with won't be the gang you end with! The deaths were brutal, and kinda sad, especially as the book went on and you were getting to know the characters more.
My favourite thing about this book is that when I started, I had been anticipating a bunch of teenagers / younger characters etc, so the fact this was fully fledged adults who had come together through their love of urban exploring was really cool!
Anyway, ideal book for those who love horror!
I found this book extra creepy because the supernatural, scary stuff doesn't just happen in the cave... IT FOLLOWS 😭 the dread was so well built up and it was just genuinely freaky. I really felt how unsafe, trapped and claustrophobic the characters must have been feeling coming off the pages.
It's obvious in a book like this that the gang you begin with won't be the gang you end with! The deaths were brutal, and kinda sad, especially as the book went on and you were getting to know the characters more.
My favourite thing about this book is that when I started, I had been anticipating a bunch of teenagers / younger characters etc, so the fact this was fully fledged adults who had come together through their love of urban exploring was really cool!
Anyway, ideal book for those who love horror!
June 12, 2024
Looking for something that will make your toes curl with a touch of folk horror and dark witchy vibes?
This might be for you!
The tale follows the adventure of a variety of characters exploring a seemingly deserted cave. It was one of the main things I loved about this book, the characters. Each stood out as individuals and not some carbon coppy of each other.
The horror is hard hitting that it made me want to gag often.
I absolutely loved the witch lady! She was well written and did the job at creeping me the fuck out.
I 100% recommend this book for a summer scream or a spooky season read!
This might be for you!
The tale follows the adventure of a variety of characters exploring a seemingly deserted cave. It was one of the main things I loved about this book, the characters. Each stood out as individuals and not some carbon coppy of each other.
The horror is hard hitting that it made me want to gag often.
I absolutely loved the witch lady! She was well written and did the job at creeping me the fuck out.
I 100% recommend this book for a summer scream or a spooky season read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 14, 2024
I tell you what by the end I was expecting a huge bloodbath where no one makes it out alive. I’m also not telling you if anyone did or didn’t.
There were some shocking deaths! Ones I weren’t expecting and gosh they were two were so cruel and I took it personally, so much so I had to message the author to say what the heck!!
I feel like I was put through the wringer and I still don’t know why. I would like to know more about Water Hag and where she came from because she is all kinds of crazy. It’s also terrifying not knowing much about her because if I have to venture into a cave I’m never going into the water.
While I loved Umbrate for the brutality and darkness, this was an entirely different level!
Jones has a group of misfits and makes you care about them in such few pages. They all had quirks but they all had enough page time to make you care.
I just can’t wait to see what Jones does next. Each time I pick up a book by him, I am totally engrossed in what he has put in front of me. The storytelling is dark and chilling, but somehow he makes everything believable! Not an easy feat.
A great book to lose time with, despite the cold, water, dark caves and brutality, oh the brutality.
Mr Jones, you have nailed it!
There were some shocking deaths! Ones I weren’t expecting and gosh they were two were so cruel and I took it personally, so much so I had to message the author to say what the heck!!
I feel like I was put through the wringer and I still don’t know why. I would like to know more about Water Hag and where she came from because she is all kinds of crazy. It’s also terrifying not knowing much about her because if I have to venture into a cave I’m never going into the water.
While I loved Umbrate for the brutality and darkness, this was an entirely different level!
Jones has a group of misfits and makes you care about them in such few pages. They all had quirks but they all had enough page time to make you care.
I just can’t wait to see what Jones does next. Each time I pick up a book by him, I am totally engrossed in what he has put in front of me. The storytelling is dark and chilling, but somehow he makes everything believable! Not an easy feat.
A great book to lose time with, despite the cold, water, dark caves and brutality, oh the brutality.
Mr Jones, you have nailed it!
April 23, 2024
Towards the end of last year, I read Umbrate by this author and I absolutely loved the brilliant writing style and atmosphere created.
Being fantasy based, it was not my usual go-to genre, but I'd still loved it ....so when I spotted this one - a pure horror novel, I was honestly so excited!
I was instantly hooked by the whole premise of this one - set in the peak district and in a remote forest too, I knew that this was going to give me the creeps whilst reading...and it did not disappoint.
I was curled up the whole way through this with a real tense fear and even not blinking or breathing at certain points!
I raced through this so fast!
The characters were all great - totally relatable and believable with a tight friendship built on their shared interests, even though individually, toud never have put them together.
I think a lot of people can relate to this nowadays.
This was spretty dark in places and in true horror style, keepsnus on the edge of our seats waiting to see what will happen next - and believe me, there were twists, turns and a fair few scares to keep us going.
Another one where I had to drag myself away from it to sleep...and then I had to race up to bed!
(I do love this though!)
A brilliant read which was over too soon- I can't wait to see more from this author.
Being fantasy based, it was not my usual go-to genre, but I'd still loved it ....so when I spotted this one - a pure horror novel, I was honestly so excited!
I was instantly hooked by the whole premise of this one - set in the peak district and in a remote forest too, I knew that this was going to give me the creeps whilst reading...and it did not disappoint.
I was curled up the whole way through this with a real tense fear and even not blinking or breathing at certain points!
I raced through this so fast!
The characters were all great - totally relatable and believable with a tight friendship built on their shared interests, even though individually, toud never have put them together.
I think a lot of people can relate to this nowadays.
This was spretty dark in places and in true horror style, keepsnus on the edge of our seats waiting to see what will happen next - and believe me, there were twists, turns and a fair few scares to keep us going.
Another one where I had to drag myself away from it to sleep...and then I had to race up to bed!
(I do love this though!)
A brilliant read which was over too soon- I can't wait to see more from this author.
April 22, 2024
The book is for true horror readers. The book will grasp you from throat and won’t let you go. The creepiness is spot on. So many unthinkable and supernatural things happens in the plot. There is a lot of blood and gore and you can expect supernatural deaths. I loved the Author’s writing and the setting. There were multiple characters. Creeping horror kept me on toes. The twists and unexpected deaths were shocking. The ending was heart pounding and creepy.
A group of explorers decides to explore the hidden cave in the peak district located in the heart of the forest oblivion to the truth, evil forces and supernatural happenings consuming it. But as soon as they go there, they begin to feel supernatural things. There is a grotto and natural pool too but the place is harbouring secrets of it is own and centuries old threat lies there with an evil force and curse that is determined to cut everyone’s life short. Read it to get to know if they will survive sacrificial waters.
Thanks to the Author
A group of explorers decides to explore the hidden cave in the peak district located in the heart of the forest oblivion to the truth, evil forces and supernatural happenings consuming it. But as soon as they go there, they begin to feel supernatural things. There is a grotto and natural pool too but the place is harbouring secrets of it is own and centuries old threat lies there with an evil force and curse that is determined to cut everyone’s life short. Read it to get to know if they will survive sacrificial waters.
Thanks to the Author
April 19, 2024
When you read a horror book there are certain elements you almost expect to see. This has so many. It starts off with an abandoned youth hostel, check, dark underwater Cave with a lake, check, creepy undead lady, check, creepy dolls, check.
Then you chuck in a bunch of misfits.
A group of urban explorers, some couples and some singles that have really differing backgrounds. Throwing these characters together you'd think might now work, but it works better if anything. You root for some, and not so much for others.
This could so easily have been gratuitous and bloody, but it's not. That's not to say its genteel. It's definitely not that either. It hits the right balance between gore and believability.
I don't read horror very often, and after reading this I'm not sure why. It's not a long book either, so if you need your horror fix, I would really recommend this.
Then you chuck in a bunch of misfits.
A group of urban explorers, some couples and some singles that have really differing backgrounds. Throwing these characters together you'd think might now work, but it works better if anything. You root for some, and not so much for others.
This could so easily have been gratuitous and bloody, but it's not. That's not to say its genteel. It's definitely not that either. It hits the right balance between gore and believability.
I don't read horror very often, and after reading this I'm not sure why. It's not a long book either, so if you need your horror fix, I would really recommend this.
September 9, 2024
Okay, this gave me all the horror movie vibes, and I am completely here for it. This was such a good read, I read it in one sitting. Did I immediately figure out some things, yes. But it was still a good ride to see who would survive! There were lines that made me laugh out loud (I’m looking at you, Aaron). The balance between horror movie and something with a plot was perfect.
Rich is part of an urban exploring group. It’s pretty much the only thing he ventures outside for anymore. When they get wind of a cave, they go even though it’s not urban at all. And they find something amazing. Only they leave with targets on their backs. Something is following them and won’t rest until it has unalived all of them.
Thank you to Henry Roi PR for the copy, all thoughts are my own.
Rich is part of an urban exploring group. It’s pretty much the only thing he ventures outside for anymore. When they get wind of a cave, they go even though it’s not urban at all. And they find something amazing. Only they leave with targets on their backs. Something is following them and won’t rest until it has unalived all of them.
Thank you to Henry Roi PR for the copy, all thoughts are my own.
April 19, 2024
Throughougly enjoyed this one! I loved the characters, and the story had me intrigued and engrossed all the way through. I just had to know what happened to them in the cave and what was haunting the urban explorer gang. I thought the 'spectres' powers were really unique. It was a really good read, and I really suggest picking this book up if you like ghost hunting and explorations into the unknown.
August 28, 2024
Say you are in a group of urban explorers and happen to find a trail that leads to a cave. In that cave there is a grotto. Several of you decide to jump into the water. This turns into a mess around and find out situation with a supernatural twist. Come for the exploration and stay for the grisly part of finding out in this fast paced story.
June 19, 2024
Traditional horror at its gory best!
After the excellent book that was Umbrate, A.D Jones is back flexing his literary muscle in a new way! Whilst Umbrate was more of a dark fantasy/crime crossover, Sacrificial Waters is an out and out horror!
Cover to cover this fast paced, intense book sits you in the seat of a formula one car and then floors the accelerator. There is no relenting until the end! This book is rapid but also fantastically detailed. A.D Jones doesn’t sacrifice story for pace and has mastered this blend of storytelling.
My absolute favourite aspect of this story is the shadow of impending doom that lingers throughout and the gory descriptions during the grisly action. This book is not for the faint of heart. The descriptions of bodily mutations…its like I could feel them, like they were happening to me. That’s how vivid it was!
Sacrificial Waters is the perfect traditional horror tale, whilst you may be able to guess the direction of the story, as you normally can with horrors, that doesn’t take away from the epic, gore-fest that it is! I wholeheartedly recommend this book and always remember…NEVER swim in cave pools without checking for a murderous demon lady before!
After the excellent book that was Umbrate, A.D Jones is back flexing his literary muscle in a new way! Whilst Umbrate was more of a dark fantasy/crime crossover, Sacrificial Waters is an out and out horror!
Cover to cover this fast paced, intense book sits you in the seat of a formula one car and then floors the accelerator. There is no relenting until the end! This book is rapid but also fantastically detailed. A.D Jones doesn’t sacrifice story for pace and has mastered this blend of storytelling.
My absolute favourite aspect of this story is the shadow of impending doom that lingers throughout and the gory descriptions during the grisly action. This book is not for the faint of heart. The descriptions of bodily mutations…its like I could feel them, like they were happening to me. That’s how vivid it was!
Sacrificial Waters is the perfect traditional horror tale, whilst you may be able to guess the direction of the story, as you normally can with horrors, that doesn’t take away from the epic, gore-fest that it is! I wholeheartedly recommend this book and always remember…NEVER swim in cave pools without checking for a murderous demon lady before!
August 30, 2024
You can find this review and all my others over at Read Book. Repeat
When a group of urban exploring friends stumble upon the location of a hidden cave, they think they've hit the jackpot. When they finally get into the caving system and discover a hidden grotto in the middle of summer, even better. However, after taking a dip, the group soon finds themselves being hunted by an ancient evil that wants nothing more than to snuff out their existence.
Sometimes you just need a good horror book that hits all of the points of a classic horror formula. The trick is to be able to do it well enough, that even if the reader has a pretty solid idea on how things are going to go, it's still an incredibly enjoyable ride. Jones has accomplished this in spades, and I honestly couldn't put the book down. It was a super quick read that kept me turning pages long after my bedtime, and I'm not even mad about it. I love when a book lives up to my expectations this way.
The story itself is, as said above, fairly formulaic when you think about a classic horror story centred around a group who have stepped foot somewhere they're not supposed to. I really enjoyed the antagonist in this one though, as I feel like it was different to a lot of others that I've read, yes it was a basic "creature", but it was done well and the sporadic use of it throughout the story, kept the tension high and had my anxiety spiking at different points. One of the biggest things that I find is important in a horror story, is being able to write an antagonist that instils fear in the reader in some way. Having a being that seems impossible to beat, one that can find you anywhere, can get to you any way. Having the monster be almost superhuman, without being superhuman. That's what Jones has managed to do with this one. While the big bad seems fairly run of the mill, there were still so many moments throughout the story that I found myself thinking "I just don't think they're going to get out of this." And being that the story is horror, that is a real possibility.
Told through multiple POVs the chapters alternate through the different members of the group and even though sometimes there can be too many POVs, this was not one of them.
The characters were a real rag tag, mismatched group, and I found that I really enjoyed them all. I loved the character of Rich, and I also enjoyed the goth couple. I enjoyed all of the characters, but these ones were my favourites. At times I got a little confused at which character's POV we were reading from, but it became evident pretty quickly. The characters were diverse in their models, but their personalities were overly distinct from each other. That's okay though, they still managed to endear themselves to me quite quickly, and I still had a fantastic time following their footsteps.
One thing I really enjoyed about this one was that you can tell at the beginning that they're not exactly "friends" they just happen to all be into the same thing so they hang out sometimes, but as the story progresses and they're all fighting for their lives, you get to see them turn into true friends, and it gave me major found family vibes which I loved.
All in all, this was a solid, fun page turner of a book and I am planning to pick up more of Jones' work in the near future. The only thing I would have liked, would have been to get to see a snippet of what happened after the ending that we got. If you're looking for a horror story that just hits right and does what you hope it will with a diverse cast of characters give this one a go.
When a group of urban exploring friends stumble upon the location of a hidden cave, they think they've hit the jackpot. When they finally get into the caving system and discover a hidden grotto in the middle of summer, even better. However, after taking a dip, the group soon finds themselves being hunted by an ancient evil that wants nothing more than to snuff out their existence.
Sometimes you just need a good horror book that hits all of the points of a classic horror formula. The trick is to be able to do it well enough, that even if the reader has a pretty solid idea on how things are going to go, it's still an incredibly enjoyable ride. Jones has accomplished this in spades, and I honestly couldn't put the book down. It was a super quick read that kept me turning pages long after my bedtime, and I'm not even mad about it. I love when a book lives up to my expectations this way.
The story itself is, as said above, fairly formulaic when you think about a classic horror story centred around a group who have stepped foot somewhere they're not supposed to. I really enjoyed the antagonist in this one though, as I feel like it was different to a lot of others that I've read, yes it was a basic "creature", but it was done well and the sporadic use of it throughout the story, kept the tension high and had my anxiety spiking at different points. One of the biggest things that I find is important in a horror story, is being able to write an antagonist that instils fear in the reader in some way. Having a being that seems impossible to beat, one that can find you anywhere, can get to you any way. Having the monster be almost superhuman, without being superhuman. That's what Jones has managed to do with this one. While the big bad seems fairly run of the mill, there were still so many moments throughout the story that I found myself thinking "I just don't think they're going to get out of this." And being that the story is horror, that is a real possibility.
Told through multiple POVs the chapters alternate through the different members of the group and even though sometimes there can be too many POVs, this was not one of them.
The characters were a real rag tag, mismatched group, and I found that I really enjoyed them all. I loved the character of Rich, and I also enjoyed the goth couple. I enjoyed all of the characters, but these ones were my favourites. At times I got a little confused at which character's POV we were reading from, but it became evident pretty quickly. The characters were diverse in their models, but their personalities were overly distinct from each other. That's okay though, they still managed to endear themselves to me quite quickly, and I still had a fantastic time following their footsteps.
One thing I really enjoyed about this one was that you can tell at the beginning that they're not exactly "friends" they just happen to all be into the same thing so they hang out sometimes, but as the story progresses and they're all fighting for their lives, you get to see them turn into true friends, and it gave me major found family vibes which I loved.
All in all, this was a solid, fun page turner of a book and I am planning to pick up more of Jones' work in the near future. The only thing I would have liked, would have been to get to see a snippet of what happened after the ending that we got. If you're looking for a horror story that just hits right and does what you hope it will with a diverse cast of characters give this one a go.
April 19, 2024
REVIEW 3.5/5 for Sacrificial Waters by AD Jones
You’re never truly alone in the woods, even less so when those woods have a spooky cave with a cursed pool that is just waiting for some foolish folk to go and disturb and unleash the evil presence submerged within – as the poor cast of future victims in Sacrificial Waters soon find out in AD Jones’s second novel.
This breezy, bloody read was plenty of fun and had a lot of elements I really enjoyed. The premise was clever – a group of urban explorers unwittingly stumbling upon something that ends up being bad news for them was a welcome deviation from the ten-a-penny gangs of foolish teenagers playing with Ouija boards, or unlikeable snobs in a haunted house. I also loved how very British this was. Much as I love stories set on the other side of the pond, we’ve got plenty to be afraid of on this cursed island too and it’s always a joy to see British indie authors embracing it. Not only that, Jones was able to pull off a couple of effective jump scares – not easy to do on the page by any means.
However, the real stand-out part of Sacrificial Waters is the gore. Oh wow, the gore! This one is absolutely not for the faint-hearted, and when the narrative isn’t afraid to go to some dark and squirmy places when it needs to. Jones’ writing in key scenes is visceral, you can feel the characters’ pain and it’s not one to read while eating that’s for sure. This book is at its best when it is at its most gruesome – the writing flows, the story moves and the bodies pile up. There’s no way you’ll see all the deaths coming – and there are enough shocking kills to ensure that the only way you’ll know who is actually safe is by reading all the way to the end.
In short, lots to enjoy. So, why not a higher mark? Well, for me, there were a couple of things that knocked it down a couple of points. Mainly, it feels like this story is a really stringent edit away from firing on all cylinders. There were grammatical errors (mainly around apostrophes) that niggled me throughout the novel, some of the metaphors and similes didn’t land, and the lore of the waters lost me a bit. More than anything though, it just felt like it needed tightening up, streamlining. Some passages seemed to either be overworked or to go over the same points for a few sentences in a row and it lost energy. But, as I’ve already mentioned, when the action is going full-tilt the writing has so much punch and it is fantastic!
But, make no mistake, this is an impressive piece of work and a story packed full of scares that I would absolutely recommend to fans of body horror, cultish/witchy stuff, or just anyone who enjoys seeing a group of helpless sods struggle to stay alive. More than anything, I can see so much potential in AD Jones’s writing, and for him to be putting out something this good with only his second release is hugely admirable. I’m looking forward to seeing what comes next.
Huge thanks, again, to #indievisible for the review copy.
You’re never truly alone in the woods, even less so when those woods have a spooky cave with a cursed pool that is just waiting for some foolish folk to go and disturb and unleash the evil presence submerged within – as the poor cast of future victims in Sacrificial Waters soon find out in AD Jones’s second novel.
This breezy, bloody read was plenty of fun and had a lot of elements I really enjoyed. The premise was clever – a group of urban explorers unwittingly stumbling upon something that ends up being bad news for them was a welcome deviation from the ten-a-penny gangs of foolish teenagers playing with Ouija boards, or unlikeable snobs in a haunted house. I also loved how very British this was. Much as I love stories set on the other side of the pond, we’ve got plenty to be afraid of on this cursed island too and it’s always a joy to see British indie authors embracing it. Not only that, Jones was able to pull off a couple of effective jump scares – not easy to do on the page by any means.
However, the real stand-out part of Sacrificial Waters is the gore. Oh wow, the gore! This one is absolutely not for the faint-hearted, and when the narrative isn’t afraid to go to some dark and squirmy places when it needs to. Jones’ writing in key scenes is visceral, you can feel the characters’ pain and it’s not one to read while eating that’s for sure. This book is at its best when it is at its most gruesome – the writing flows, the story moves and the bodies pile up. There’s no way you’ll see all the deaths coming – and there are enough shocking kills to ensure that the only way you’ll know who is actually safe is by reading all the way to the end.
In short, lots to enjoy. So, why not a higher mark? Well, for me, there were a couple of things that knocked it down a couple of points. Mainly, it feels like this story is a really stringent edit away from firing on all cylinders. There were grammatical errors (mainly around apostrophes) that niggled me throughout the novel, some of the metaphors and similes didn’t land, and the lore of the waters lost me a bit. More than anything though, it just felt like it needed tightening up, streamlining. Some passages seemed to either be overworked or to go over the same points for a few sentences in a row and it lost energy. But, as I’ve already mentioned, when the action is going full-tilt the writing has so much punch and it is fantastic!
But, make no mistake, this is an impressive piece of work and a story packed full of scares that I would absolutely recommend to fans of body horror, cultish/witchy stuff, or just anyone who enjoys seeing a group of helpless sods struggle to stay alive. More than anything, I can see so much potential in AD Jones’s writing, and for him to be putting out something this good with only his second release is hugely admirable. I’m looking forward to seeing what comes next.
Huge thanks, again, to #indievisible for the review copy.
August 30, 2024
Sacrificial Waters by A.D.Jones aka @the_evergrowing_library
Thank you @henryroi.pr for the ebook.
Do you like horror? Supernatural vibes? Witches? Slasher movies? Fast paced reads?
If yes to any of those then this is the book for you. At just over 200 pages the plot speeds along with that 'just one more chapter' syndrome.
It all starts innocently enough. A group of friends meeting up in an abandoned building. Urban explorers going ghost hunting. The evening is a let down so group leader Francine organises a trip in the Peak District to an obscure underground cave in the forest.
It's all suitably spooky and the slower opening build up gives time to get to know the characters through their banter although maybe a little too knowing as they talk about Final Girls as if they're in a horror.
They soon will be!
👀😱
Cave exploration, a swim in a strangely warm underground pool, some creepy feelings but home again safe.
No worries.
🙂😬
And then the hunting begins and they are the prey. Unfriendly possessions, animated plant life, a mysterious woman, icily beautiful one moment, a hag or a monster the next.
😮
Maybe not such a good idea to swim in strange forbidden waters where sacrifices have been made. Evil has been unleashed!
😱
Once the supernatural slasher horror begins the body count rises and all bets are off as to whether anyone will survive.
Can evil be thwarted?
Do they have to go back to the cave?
Will I ever sleep again?
The author has taken his love of horror books and films and created a story that feels cinematic, tense and scary.
More proof that there are real gems being independently published.
Thank you @henryroi.pr for the ebook.
Do you like horror? Supernatural vibes? Witches? Slasher movies? Fast paced reads?
If yes to any of those then this is the book for you. At just over 200 pages the plot speeds along with that 'just one more chapter' syndrome.
It all starts innocently enough. A group of friends meeting up in an abandoned building. Urban explorers going ghost hunting. The evening is a let down so group leader Francine organises a trip in the Peak District to an obscure underground cave in the forest.
It's all suitably spooky and the slower opening build up gives time to get to know the characters through their banter although maybe a little too knowing as they talk about Final Girls as if they're in a horror.
They soon will be!
👀😱
Cave exploration, a swim in a strangely warm underground pool, some creepy feelings but home again safe.
No worries.
🙂😬
And then the hunting begins and they are the prey. Unfriendly possessions, animated plant life, a mysterious woman, icily beautiful one moment, a hag or a monster the next.
😮
Maybe not such a good idea to swim in strange forbidden waters where sacrifices have been made. Evil has been unleashed!
😱
Once the supernatural slasher horror begins the body count rises and all bets are off as to whether anyone will survive.
Can evil be thwarted?
Do they have to go back to the cave?
Will I ever sleep again?
The author has taken his love of horror books and films and created a story that feels cinematic, tense and scary.
More proof that there are real gems being independently published.
March 21, 2024
An early contender for book of the year for me. I read this in less than 24 hours and I’ve read it twice again since. This book is well constructed, pacy and just brilliant.
There’s shocks, jump scares and some truly clever plot moments. The true beauty of this horror is in its subtlety- there is a tension in this book that leaves you on edge but also unable to put it down. It’s an insidious creeping kind of horror… it’s a breath down the neck, movement out of the corner of your eye when you’re home alone, what was that kind of horror. Then there’s a moment that is pure gore that tests your gag reflex.
The relationships between the group are believable and incredibly well written, each character is someone you could know, their joint connection of a passion in common brings a disparate group of people together in a way that avoids cliche and instead focuses on nuance of connection. Andy has done a great job of creating a cast of believable, multi-dimensional, layered characters who you can’t help but root for. The people are what make this so special, in a relatively short amount of time you become attached to this group- the moments of human interaction between the out and out horror helps to build the suspense and sense of unease.
Loved the nods to classic horror movies and tropes. There are some real moments of nightmare fuel.
The twists and turns of this story made it for me. It’s hard to review without spoiling- just read it ok?!
There’s shocks, jump scares and some truly clever plot moments. The true beauty of this horror is in its subtlety- there is a tension in this book that leaves you on edge but also unable to put it down. It’s an insidious creeping kind of horror… it’s a breath down the neck, movement out of the corner of your eye when you’re home alone, what was that kind of horror. Then there’s a moment that is pure gore that tests your gag reflex.
The relationships between the group are believable and incredibly well written, each character is someone you could know, their joint connection of a passion in common brings a disparate group of people together in a way that avoids cliche and instead focuses on nuance of connection. Andy has done a great job of creating a cast of believable, multi-dimensional, layered characters who you can’t help but root for. The people are what make this so special, in a relatively short amount of time you become attached to this group- the moments of human interaction between the out and out horror helps to build the suspense and sense of unease.
Loved the nods to classic horror movies and tropes. There are some real moments of nightmare fuel.
The twists and turns of this story made it for me. It’s hard to review without spoiling- just read it ok?!
March 20, 2024
This is the second of A.D. Jones’ books I’ve read after his awesome debut, Umbrate. While it is wildly different from his debut it still maintains the quality and shows the versatility of the author to be able to jump to different genres.
Sacrificial Waters comes with a classic horror set up of a group of friends enjoying themselves, in this case exploring abandoned urban sites, but a chance find leads to a new area to explore that has deadly consequences for the group.
The group dynamics are key in Sacrificial Waters, the group are friends but mainly due to a shared passion which means whilst they can joke around and mess with each other which felt very natural, they don’t fully know each other, this in my opinion left the potential all the way through of a shock involvement coming from within.
The characters were well written in such a short period, it was so easy to feel attached to them individually and as a group.
There were two out of nowhere shocks, obviously this is a horror and there is going to be death and terror but I was genuinely surprised by what occurred at times. The book never lets the reader get comfortable and that works really well with horror stories.
Sacrificial Waters is an awesome horror story with the right level of scares, gore and humour. It has some twists that throw you and some genuine shocks.
Big thanks to A.D. Jones for the Advanced Reading Copy.
Sacrificial Waters comes with a classic horror set up of a group of friends enjoying themselves, in this case exploring abandoned urban sites, but a chance find leads to a new area to explore that has deadly consequences for the group.
The group dynamics are key in Sacrificial Waters, the group are friends but mainly due to a shared passion which means whilst they can joke around and mess with each other which felt very natural, they don’t fully know each other, this in my opinion left the potential all the way through of a shock involvement coming from within.
The characters were well written in such a short period, it was so easy to feel attached to them individually and as a group.
There were two out of nowhere shocks, obviously this is a horror and there is going to be death and terror but I was genuinely surprised by what occurred at times. The book never lets the reader get comfortable and that works really well with horror stories.
Sacrificial Waters is an awesome horror story with the right level of scares, gore and humour. It has some twists that throw you and some genuine shocks.
Big thanks to A.D. Jones for the Advanced Reading Copy.
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